USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1880 > Part 20
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705 Mary Buckley,
60
Nov. 8, '80 66
706 William White,
55
66
Nov. 13, '80 66
707 James Bdden,
67 Northfield,
Nov. 13,'80 66
'708 Thomas Fratt,
60
Ireland,
Nov. 17,'80 Nov. 18, '80
709 Michael Hayes,
50
66
Nov. 26, '80 Continues.
-
Worcester,
Oct. 19, '80
66
702 Johana Hurley,
45
Springfield, Unknown, Ireland,
Sept. 21, '80 66
695 Terrence Mooney, Jr
Sept. 21, '80
696 Maris Quirk,
-
Aug. 23,'80 Sept. 1, '80
68? Humphry Tyler,
689 Henry S. Walton, 690 William Dineen,
49 8
Worcester,
$83 Ellen Donovan,
Inf. Worcester, 66
33
Ireland,
May 17, '80 Nov. 17, '80
670 Alice Spencer,
Place of
Period of Support.
Remarks.
677 Albert Crozier,
679 Bridget Collins,
Sept. 18, '80 66
66
43
330
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
CITY ALMSHOUSE DEPARTMENT.
MONTHLY ACCOUNT.
No. of
Inmates.
Amount of Expenditures.
Amount of Receipts.
NET COST.
1879.
December,
60
$1,334 03
$280 48
$1,053 55
1880.
January, .
66
1,477 68
338 64
1,139 04
February,
63
1,150 48
370 76
779 72
March,
61
1,106 59
561 50
543 09
April,
64
1,106 48
312 84
793 64
May,
66
1,051 19
330 73
720 46
June,
63
865 93
290 13
575 80
July,
59
1,072 89
294 10
778 79
August, .
57
883 91
275 54
608 37
September,
62
737 38
246 30
491 08
October,
64
1,593 73
263 35
1,330 38
November,
68
1,137 77
319 01
818 76
$13,518 06
$3,883 38
$9,634 68
Appropriation,
$9,634.08
Revenue,
3,883.38
Total,
$13,518.06
Expenditures,
13,518.06
This account includes the salaries of the Superintendent and Matron, and all other hired labor at the Almshouse and farm.
331
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.
The accounts of this department are, as usual, separate from those of the Almshouse, and have, during the year, been kept near the appropriation. But as our city grows, so does this department ; consequently, it will be necessary to add one hundred feet in length to the swine house, and another team for the collection of offal during the coming year, and a sufficient sum should be added to the usual appropriation to cover the cost of the same.
Your attention is again called to our remarks in former reports in reference to enforcing the ordinance in regard to carrying offal through the streets, as it is impossible to obtain the best results, however careful the management, while that is not regarded.
CITY SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.
MONTHLY ACCOUNTS.
Amount of Expenditures.
Amount of Receipts.
NET COST.
Receipts Above Expenditures.
1879. December, . 1880.
$331 08
$66 50
$264 58
January, .
371 29
60 95
310 34
February,
458 00
58 63
379 37
March,
329 75
478 92
$149 17
April,
363 57
40 00
323 57
May,
279 97
191 90
88 07
June,
297 14
50 78
246 36
July, .
313 76
1,261 09
947 33
August,
343 55
40 00
303 55
September, .
429 68
79 85
349 83
October,
257 07
57 10
199 97
November, .
359 18
66 35
292 83
$4,134 04
$2,452 07
$2,778 47
$1,096 50
Appropriations,
$1,681 97
Revenue,
2,452 07
Total,
$4,134 04
Expenditures,
4,134 04
332
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
TRUANT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
MONTHLY ACCOUNTS.
of |Number Pupils.
Cost of Teaching.
Cost of Board.
Cost of Clothing.
TOTAL COST.
1879.
December, 1880.
8
$21 00
$93 48
$1 00
$115 48
January,
10
21 00
121 77
142 77
February,
11
21 00
113 96
5 50
140 46
March,
11
19 00
132 84
7 50
159 40
April,
11
21 00
141 84
20 05
182 89
May,
10
21 00
132 84
11 50
165 34
June,
10
21 00
107 10
85
128 95
July,
9
21 00
107 10
128 10
August,
7
21 00
88 54
17 25
126 79
Sebtember,
5
35 00
53 55
1 50
90 05
October,
4
21 00
55 35
76 35
November,
4
21 00
46 77
11 55
79 32
$264 00
$1,195 14
$76 76
$1,535 90
Cost of Board,
$1,195 14
" Clothing, .
76 76
" " Teaching,
264 00
Total Cost,
$1,535 90
Appropriation,
.
$1,535 90
Average number of pupils,
8
cost per pupil,
$192 00
A full report on the Truant School is furnished by the Super- intendent of Public Schools, who is an ex-officio member of this Board, and Chairman of the committee on the school. You are respectfully referred to it for full details of its present condition.
333
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
The report of the City Physician on that part of his duty connected with this department, is hereto annexed. We cheer- fully bear record to his zeal and fidelity in the discharge of his duties, and his willing, prompt and courteous response whenever. called upon.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk.
FRANK H. KELLEY, Mayor, JAMES M. DRENNAN, City Marshal, ALBERT P. MARBLE, Supt. of Schools, GEORGE W. GALE, Clerk and Almoner, JAMES DRAPER, CHARLES BELCHER, CALVIN L. HARTSHORN, CHARLES F. RUGG, WALTER HENRY,
Overseers of the Poor of the City of Worcester. November 30, 1880.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
OF THE
TRUANT SCHOOL.
To the City Council:
The Committee on the Truant School submit the following report for the year ending November 30, 1880 :
Since its origin in 1863, and previous to the year just closed, the number sentenced to the school is as follows : 228
The number sentenced the past year, ·
10
Total, . 238
At the beginning of the year there were in the school, 7
Sentenced during the year, 10
-
Total number belonging, 17
Discharged by pardon, .
10
Discharged by expiration of sentence, 4 ·
Total number discharged,
14
17
14
Number remaining Dec. 1st, 1880, .
3
Greatest number at one time, .
12
Smallest number at one time, .
3
Average number,
.
8
-
335
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Cost of board, teacher and pupils, . . $1,195 14
" " Teaching, .
264 00
« " Clothing, 76 76
Total, .
. $1,535 90
Average cost per pupil, .
$192 00
The expense for the next year will not vary much from the cost last year. An appropriation will therefore be required of $2,000 for the school.
The proper care of truants and neglected children has en- gaged the attention of benevolent people for a long time. In this city the matter has been disposed of since 1863, in a way as nearly satisfactory as any place within our knowledge of our sister cities, and in the larger towns of this state, and even in other states the question is arising, what shall be done with tru- ants. The evils which we escape through the influence of this school, other cities feel; and steps are taken to open such schools in other places. It seems a little singular, therefore, that there should be any one to question the value of the Truant School, whose very success conceals its necessity ; - in other words, with the school, truancy is so easily controlled that some people doubt the need of the school because there are so few truants. Remove the school and a profuse crop of truants would at once spring up, as other cities can testify. But the smaller the number who are sent thither, the better has been the effect of the school. This truth has now come to be understood.
A word should be said about another objection that has been raised to our school, located as it is at the Almshouse. The state law now very wisely forbids the bringing up of children among paupers. Accustomed from childhood to the society of paupers, without courage or ambition, a child would naturally become aimless and ambitionless rather than a self-reliant citi- zen. Association with paupers as paupers is not good for children. Truants in this school, however, though in the same building, have not this baleful association. In the hours of rec- reation they may meet the paupers, spiritless as they may be,
1
336
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
but they do not meet them on a level as paupers themselves ; they learn to pity and avoid the condition of paupers rather than to copy it. And further, even this association is limited and may easily be entirely prevented.
Most frequently truancy arises from neglect and want of parental care. It is then a mercy and not a misfortune for the child to find a safe harbor in the Truant School. Even a child of tender years is better off in this school, clothed, housed and fed, than wandering through the streets.
To this school none but truants are sent; and no pupils from other cities or towns have been admitted. Confined to this one aim, the suppression of truancy, this school has succeeded where others with a looser policy have failed. The influence is not confined to the inmates; it affects every one of the nine or ten thousand school children of the city who may incline to bad habits.
Respectfully submitted,
A. P. MARBLE, Supt. of Schools, JAS. M. DRENNAN, City Marshal, CALVIN L. HARTSHORN, Ch'n Com. on City Farm.
Committee on Truant School.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
CITY PHYSICIAN.
To His Honor the Mayor,
and Gentlemen of the City Council :
At the time of my last report an epidemic of small pox was present in the city. The last case was reported May 25th, and since that time, I am pleased to say, no sickness which could cause general alarm has visited our city.
The health of the inmates of the City Almshouse has been unusually good during the year. Though they were exposed in some measure from the close proximity of the hospital for contagious and infectious diseases, not one of them was affected. The deaths among them have been without exception from causes entirely independent of their residence in the institution.
Office hours for the vaccination of school children have been regularly held, and three hundred and ninety-nine have received the benefit of this commendable charity. In addition to these a very large number have been examined and certificates of vac- cination made out.
Eleven patients upon examination have been pronounced in- sane and committed to the State Lunatic Hospital.
The number of visits to the poor of the city, made under the direction of the clerk of the Board of Overseers, has been five hundred and sixty-five, of which forty-two have been to the City Farm, and twenty-seven to the Police Office.
44
338
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
The new City Ordinances require that all the deaths that have occurred under my care shall be reported, with the age, disease, and date. At the City farm I report the following :
Morris Moriarty,
72 Consumption,
Jan. 23, '80
Paul Seagur,
23
Consumption, Jan. 27, '80
William Coxon,
70
Paralysis, Feb. 6, '80
John Breslin,
21
Pneumonia, Feb. 7, '80
Charles Seagur,
20
Consumption, Feb. 25, '80
James Sweeney,
54
Paralysis,
March 13, '80
. James Ronan,
26
Consumption, March 30, '80
Dexter W. Jones,
83
Old Age,
May 4, '80
Albert Crozier,
1 mo.
Inf. Weakness,
July 7, '80
John Burr,
88
Paralysis,
July 15, '80
Austin Upham,
64
Paralysis,
July 24, '80
George W. Stanley,
43
Epilepsy,
Aug. 3, '80
Catherine Walcott,
63
Cancer,
Nov. 12, '80
And of those in the city, the following :
Minnie Tufts,
14
Small Pox,
Jan. 6, '80
Timothy O'Leary,
3
Scald,
Jan. 14, '80
Agnes Girard,
3 Small Pox, Jan. 18, '80
Bridget M. White,
60
Typhoid Fever, Jan. 20, '80
Leah Girard,
2
Small Pox,
Jan. 22, '80
James O'Connor,
73 Cancer,
Jan. 25, '80
Hubert Girard,
5
Small Pox,
Jan. 26, '80
Eddie Luby,
2 Small Pox,
Jan. 26, '80
Katie Luby,
3 mos.
Small Pox,
Jan. 26, '80
Margaret Sullivan,
29
Pneumonia,
Jan. 30, '80
Peter Murphy,
21
Small Pox,
Feb. 10, '89
Charles Beesmore,
29
Consumption,
March 23, '80
Lyman E. Ball,
45
Consumption, April 15, '80
Fanny Perry,
60
Burns, May 13, '80
John O. Robbins,
30
Potts Disease, May 8, '80
Gale Wheelright,
3 mos. Cholera Infantum, Aug. 19, '80
Hartwell M. Bellows,
35 Consumption, July 7, '80
Alfred King,
6 mos. Cholera Infantum, Aug. 19, '80
339
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Harriet Hapgood,
27
Consumption,
Sept. 9, '80
Flora I. Roby,
21
Typhoid Fever,
Sept. 14, '80
John Raher,
45
Consumption, Oct. 5, '80
Thomas Langurand,
45
Fracture, Nov. 6, '80
Daniel Bradley,
79
Pneumonia,
Nov. 20, '80
Parthenia B. Cisco,
59 Heart Disease, Dec. 5, '80
Thomas D. Holdsworth,
40 Epilepsy,
Dec. 11, '80
I wish again to express my grateful acknowledgments to the Clerk of this Board, to the superintendent and matron of the farm, and to all the members of the police department for their assistance, and their uniform kindness and courtesy to me.
Most respectfully submitted,
RUFUS WOODWARD,
City Physician.
DIRECTORS' REPORT.
To Hon. Frank H. Kelley, Mayor, and to
The City Council of the City of Worcester.
The Directors of the Free Public Library respectfully submit their twenty-first annual report.
The Directors herewith transmit to the City Council the an- nual reports of the standing committees of the board, namely, the reports of the Committee on the Library, of the Committee on Finance, the Committee on the Reading Room, and the Committee on the Library Building, and also the annual report. of the Librarian, together with that of the Treasurer of the Reading-Room Fund. In these reports, which have been sub- mitted to and accepted by the Board, will be found an account of the operation and condition of the Library during the year, and the reports are respectfully submitted to the City Council. The Board bespeak attention to these reports, containing as as they do valuable information relating to the Institution.
By the report of the Librarian, it appears that the number of volumes in the Library, which at its organization in 1860, con- tained in all only about 11,500 volumes, is now :
Green Library
19,549 Vols.
Intermediate Department 10,352 "
Circulating Department 19,723 "
Total number 49,624 Vols.
There has been added to the Library during the past year, the number of volumes following :
341
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
To the Green Library 436 Vols.
Intermediate Department 702
Circulating Department
965
2103 Vols.
There has been paid for books out of the income of the Green Library Fund, during the past year, $1641 15
Out of the City appropriation 1610 22
Total
$3251 37
The directors think it can but be obvious that with but $1600 or $1700 available from the city appropriation the last year, for the purchase of books, they could not do what was necessary to supply the reasonable wants of our citizens.
As remarked by the Librarian in his report, it cannot sur- prise any one to learn that the number of volumes added to the Intermediate and Circulating Departments, during this time, is smaller by 300 than the additions of the previous year, and that 9897 fewer volumes have been given out for home use the past year, than in the year before, 113,190 volumes only having been given out in 1879-80, as against 123,087 volumes given out in 1878-9.
With such inadequate means the Board have done what they could to supply a portion of the most pressing wants of the community.
While the directors regret being obliged to note and state a diminished use of the Circulating Department, they have the satisfaction of being able to state that the use of the Reference or Green Library, has continued to increase during the past year. This increase as appears by the Report of the Librarian, for the year, has been 6,555, making 40,866 volumes, which have been used in that department, besides those which readers and students have helped themselves to, and the use of this depart- ment, as those familiar with the history of the Library are aware, has grown up almost wholly within the last ten years, the former
342
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Librarian in his last report, in 1870, expressing his regret that the resort to the Green Library for study had not been in more due proportion to the variety and value of the works to be found there. In the accomplishment of this beneficial result in respect to the use of the Green library as well as of that of the library taken as a whole and in bringing all its departments to their present excellent condition, great credit is due to our able librarian whose important services and successful endeavors, devoted as they have been to promoting the best interests of the library and to extending its use, well deserve to be recognized and appreciated in this report. And the directors desire also to express their satisfaction with the faithful services of his assistants whose aid and co-operation are so essential to the operation and management of the library and the increase of its usefulness.
The directors would especially call the attention of the City Government to the importance of having prepared and printed a new catalogue. There have been no catalogues for sale for a year. The work of preparing a catalogue for printing involves a good deal of labor and expense. The librarian, in his report, states that much work has been done the past year in getting ready to print a new edition of the catalogue of books which circulate, and that three times as much work should be done the present year, and that this amount will be done if the city appro- · priation should be large enough to render the necessary expend- iture possible. The librarian adds that it can not be hoped, even if the city appropriation should be as large as asked for, that the catalogue can be prepared for printing in less than a year and a half. Considering what a prime necessity a cata- logue is, the directors can not doubt that the City Government will provide for its preparation and printing by such suitable appropriation as the case may require.
The directors desire to call attention to that portion of the report of the librarian relating to the connection of the library with the Public Schools. That our public library can and will do much for our public schools, the directors think can scarcely admit of a doubt. If proof were necessary, the direc-
343
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
tors think it may be found in the report and in the paper refer- red to therein, prepared by the librarian and read before the American Social Science Association, at Saratoga in September last.
The report of the committee on the reading-room shows that department to be in a very satisfactory condition.
The report of the treasurer of the reading-room fund shows the amount of this fund to be $10,650, invested as follows :
City of Worcester Bonds, $5,000 00
United States Bonds, 650 00
Mortgage Notes,
4,700 00 300 00
Cash,
The report of the committee on the library shows they have recommended for purchase during the year 1666 volumes; 365 for the Green Library, 1301 for the Circulating and Intermedi- ate departments. The committee add that the work of the librarian and his assistants has been in every respect satisfac- tory to the committee.
The report of the committe on the Library Building shows that only $179.89 were spent during the year for repairs, &c., that the bills for gas amounted to $911.75, and the water bill to $75.34. The cost of wood and coal was $196.83, and $25 expended for insurance of the boiler.
The report of the committee on finance contains a detailed statement of resources and expenditures.
RESOURCES.
City appropriation, Dog money, 2,612 81
$8,000 00
Fines and miscellaneous receipts at library, 416 19
$11,029 00
344
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
EXPENDITURES.
Books,
$1643 62
Binding,
801 96
Printing lists of additions,
107 41
Other printing and charging slips,
114 85
Freight, postage, expressage, &c.,
290 65
Stationery and paper for covering books,
62 89
Postal cards,
60 00
Cards for cataloguing,
15 20
Ordinary repairs, furniture,
128 14
Coal and wood,
196 83
Gas,
911 75
Water,
75 34
Salary of librarian,
2458 34
Salaries of assistants,
2779 41
Wages of janitor and messenger,
416 67
Additional library service,
721 19
Insurance,
25 00
Cataloguing,
217 28
$11,026 53
Balance to sinking fund,
2 47
$11,029 00
THE GREEN LIBRARY FUND
was a bequst of Dr. John Green, the founder of our Public Library and the city's great benefactor. In 1860 he consummated his gift of 7500 volumes of well selected works to the city, and in his will bequcathed the sum of $30,000 to be invested and one-fourth of the income to be annually added to the fund and three-fourths to be used for the purchase of books, to make part of the Green Library.
There has come from his estate the further sum of $550.85,
345
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
which has been added to the $30,000, making $30,550.85. This with its accumulation of income arising from the one- fourth thereof to be added as provided by the will constitutes the Green Library Fund, amounting Nov. 30, 1880, as the finance committee report, to $38,608.43.
The income on this fund amounted the past year to $2,291.08. One-fourth, $572.77, in accordance with the wise provisions of his will has been added to the fund and the balance, three- fourths, $1,718.31, is subject to be expended in accordance with the will as above stated.
The fund is invested in-
Notes secured by mortgage, Nov. 30, 1880,
$28,601 00
Bank stocks (par value,) 9,300 00
Deposited in savings bank,
707 43
$38,608 43
SATEMENT OF BOOK ACCOUNT.
Balance in City Treasury Dec. 1, 1879,
$1,829 66
Three-fourths of income for year ending Nov.
30, 1880, 1,718 31
Interest on deposit for year ending Nov. 30, 1880, 26 77
3,574 74
Expended for books,
1,853 18
Balance in City Treasury,
$1,721 56
At the close of another year the Directors have the satisfac- tion of being able to report the institution upon the whole in a satisfactory condition so far as its organization and present sup- ply of books and works are concerned, and they feel they have met so far as the means furnished them would permit, the wants of the community. The Directors are well aware that the expense of supporting the institution is large. But to adopt the lan-
45
346
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
guage of a former board in their report to the City Council, "though the expense of maintaining it is large, they confidently believe that the return for the outlay is ample," and that our citizens approve the expenditure. "The Library is worth to us more than it costs."
More and more is the conviction forced upon us that a Public Library is absolutely indispensable to a prosperous city like ours, and we should feel we had failed in our duty, if we closed this report without commending its claims not only for support but for increase and enlargement to the thoughtful care and favor of the City Council.
P. C. BACON, President.
Worcester, Dec. 28, 1880.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
OF THE
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
To Hon. Peter C. Bacon, President of the Board of Directors of the Free Public Library.
I herewith present the twenty-first annual report of the libra- rian.
It is the tenth that I have had the honor to prepare.
Following will be found the tables usually contained in this report. They show receipts and expenditures of the library, its accessions, the number of volumes used by readers and students, and the extent of the use of the reading-rooms' on Sunday, and record such other facts in the history of the library for the past year as it is our custom to call attention to.
It is well known the amount of money available from the City appropriation for the purchase of books last year was very small, and wholly inadequate to supply the most reasonable wants of citizens. It will, therefore, surprise no one to learn that the number of volumes added to the Intermediate and Cir- culating departments during this time is smaller by 300 than that representing the additions of the previous year, and that 9,897 fewer volumes have been given out for home use the past year than in the year before. One hundred and thirteen thou-
348
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
sand one hundred and ninety volumes were given out for this purpose in the year 1879-80, 123,087 in the year 1878-9.
It is obvious that only a portion of the most pressing wants of a varied community of 60,000 persons can be supplied by an expenditure of but $1,600 or $1,700 a year for books to be placed in circulation.
Gifts of books and pamphlets have been more numerous dur- ing the year that has just closed than in the year before. A list of givers will be found appended to this report. Their gifts have been acknowledged as received, and although we cannot make any further mention of them here it should be understood that they are appreciated and that the recipients are very grate- ful for them.
The use of the reference department has continued to grow during the past year. The increase has been large. Forty thousand eight hundred and sixty-six volumes have been used besides those which readers and students have helped themselves to. These books have been used almost exclusively for serious purposes, the number having been used for entertainment alone being very small.
The increase for the year has been 6,555 volumes. The use of this department, it will be remembered, has grown from what may be called no use ten years ago to the use of nearly 41,000 volumes the past year. The number of volumes lost and not paid for was nine the last year, as against ten in the previous year.
The use of the reading-rooms on Sunday has increased, as has been the case every preceding year. The increase during the past year has been wholly in the lower reading-room. The number of persons who have used the two rooms during the year is 14,213. The average number of books given out to readers Sundays, for use in the library building, is 53, the same as that of the previous year.
The rearrangement of books in the reference library which, as is well known, was begun as soon as changes were made in the building that enabled us to avail ourselves of room in the French roof, has gone on with such rapidity as has been practi-
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