USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1882 > Part 11
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179
PUBLIC GROUNDS.
notified in the manner in which meetings for the election of town officers are called and notified ; and in a city meetings to act thereon shall be held at one time in the usual voting places of the city, on such days as shall be designated by the board of aldermen at any regular meeting, and shall be called and notified by the board of aldermen in the manner in which meetings for the election of municipal officers are called and notified. The ballots cast shall be assorted, counted and public declaration made thereof in open town or ward meeting, and the number of ballots respectively cast shall be registered in the town or ward records as the case may be. The clerk of each ward in a city shall, within forty-eight hours of the close of the polls, make return to the board of aldermen of the number of ballots cast in his ward in favor of the acceptance of this act, and of the number cast against its acceptance. The selectmen and town clerk of a town, and the board of aldermen of a city in which such meeting or meetings are held, shall certify, as soon as may be thereafter, to the secretary of the commonwealth, the whole number of ballots cast in favor of the acceptance of this act, and the whole number cast against its acceptance ; and if it shall appear that a majority of the ballots have been cast in favor of acceptance, the said secretary shall immediately issue and publish his certificate declaring this act to have been duly accepted by such town or city.
SECT. 14. No second meeting for the purpose of voting upon the question of accepting this act shall be called within twelve months from the first, unless the first meeting shall have failed through illegality or irregularity in the proceedings.
SECT. 15. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved April 13, 1882.
BY-LAWS
OF THE
COMMISSION OF PUBLIC GROUNDS, OF THE CITY OF WORCESTER.
1. No person shall be suffered to affix, in any manner whatsoever, advertisements, handbills, placards, posters, or written or printed notices, to any of the Shade Trees of the City.
2. Dogs are prohibited in Elm Park, unless under the direct control and restraint of their owner; otherwise they will be regarded and treated as outlaws. Owners of dogs will be held personally responsible for any damage done by their animals.
'3. All persons are hereby forbidden-
To place any erection or obstruction on the Common or Parks of the City.
To catch, trap or shoot Birds or take Birds' nests.
To injure, damage, destroy or dig up any turf, shrubs, trees or plants, or break up or destroy the surface of the Common or Parks, or light any fire upon them.
To deposit any rubbish, manure, cinders, road sweepings, bricks, timber, building materials, or other substances, upon the Common or Parks of the City, or in any pond or basin of a fountain in said Common or Parks, or in any manner to fill up, defile, or pollute the same.
To place any carriage, cart, or other vehicle on the Common or Parks of the City, or upon the foot-paths over the same.
To fire any gun or other fire-arm (except of the Militia of the Commonwealth), or throw any stick, stone, or other missile.
Or generally, to act in a disorderly manner, or to commit any nuisance, or do any act tending to disfigure or injure the Common or Parks or annoy or hurt any person frequenting them for the purpose of exercise, recreation, or transit.
Under penalty of Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each offence, to be paid to the person whose testimony shall secure a conviction.
CITY CHARTER-Section 21.
* * And said Board may make all necessary by-laws and regulations in the execution of their trust not inconsistent with this Act and the Laws of the Commonwealth, as they shall deem expedient.
Approved, April 30, A. D. 1866.
WORCESTER SCHOOLS.
13
ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
CITY OF WORCESTER,
SEPTEMBER, 1882.
ELIJAH B. STODDARD, PRESIDENT.
ALBERT P. MARBLE, SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY.
464 MAIN STREET.
Members whose term expires January, Members whose term expires January, Members whose term expires January, 1885. 1884. 1883.
AUSTIN P. CRISTY, GEORGE W. PHILLIPS, REBECCA BARNARD,
CHARLES M. LAMSON, FORREST E. BARKER, SARAH B. EARLE, EUGENE M. MORIARTY, DENNIS SCANNELL, JOHN J. CASEY, JOHN B. COSGROVE, JEREMIAH MURPHY, JOHN J. MCCOY,
GEORGE C. REIDY, ALZIRUS BROWN,
THOMAS J. CONATY,
OWEN H. CONLIN,
GEORGE H. BALL, ASAPH R. MARSHALL,
HENRY L. PARKER,
KATE C. TAFT, EMERSON WARNER,
GEORGE SWAN.
RUFUS WOODWARD.
GEORGE E. FRANCIS.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
ON SCHOOL-HOUSES .- Messrs. Brown, Murphy, Cosgrove, Barker and Reidy. ON BOOKS AND APPARATUS .- Mr. Warner, Mrs. Earle, Messrs. Phillips, Scannell and Parker.
ON TEACHERS .- Superintendent ex-officio, and Messrs. Conaty, Lamson, Swan, Francis and Ball.
ON FINANCE .- The Mayor ex-officio, Messrs. Swan, Marshall, Woodward, Moriarty and Casey.
ON APPOINTMENTS .- Superintendent ex-officio, Miss Barnard, Mrs. Taft and Messrs. McCoy, Conlin and Cristy.
The Committee of Visitation shall exercise a general supervision over the schools to which they are severally assigned, and shall visit them according to the provisions of the statutes, not less than once in four weeks, and generally during the week preceding the monthly meeting of the board at which they shall report their condition .- [Rules, Chap. 3, Sec. 6.
183
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
Though each school is assigned to a special committee, yet every member of the Board shall consider it his duty to watch over all the public schools of the city, to attend their examinations, and visit them at other times as his convenience will permit .- [Sec. 7.
VISITING COMMITTEES.
HIGH SCHOOL.
COMMITTEES. Messrs. Warner, Conaty, Lamson, Swan, Mrs. Earle, Messrs. Woodward, McCoy and Ball.
TEACHERS.
Alfred S. Roe, Principal.
A. Carey Field,
Mary P. Jefts, Mary L. Bridgman,
William F. Abbot,
Mary A. Parkhurst, Alice Goddard,
Joseph H. Perry, Rachel L. Moore,
Nellie M. White,
Charles S. Chapin,
Josephine L. Sanborn, Annie L. Fifield.
The ROMAN NUMERALS designate the ROOMS to which members of com- mittees are specially assigned, and the GRADES according to the course of study.
BELMONT STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Mrs. Earle,
Arthur G. Lewis, Principal,
IX
Mrs. Earle,
Emma C. McClellan,
Asst.
Mrs. Earle,
Mary H. Warren,
VIII
Mrs. Earle,
Sarah L. Phillips,
VII
Mrs. Earle,
Francis P. Mckeon,
VI
Ball,
Tirzah S. Nichols,
VI
Ball,
Jennie L. Dearborn,
Ball,
Esther G. Chenery,
V
Ball,
Carrie P. Townsend,
IV
Ball,
Mattie A. Collins,
IV
Cristy,
Carrie A. Smith,
III
Cristy,
Mary A. Sanborn,
III
Cristy,
Anna M. Smith,
II
Cristy,
Anna M. Waite,
II
Cristy,
Lilla F. Upton,
I
Cristy,
Ida M. McCambridge,
I
DIX STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Lamson,
William H. Bartlett, Principal,
IX
Lamson,
Clara Manly,
Asst.
Lamson,
Mary C. Ainsworth,
VIII
Lamson,
Effie F. Kinne,
VII
Casey,
Minnie W. Sherman,
VI
Casey,
Martha P. Valentine,
V
Casey,
Susie W. Forbes,
IV
Casey,
Esther B. Smith,
III
Mrs. Taft,
Alice W. Giddings,
II
Mrs. Taft,
Alice E. Johnson,
Mrs. Taft,
Harriet Lightbourn,
II-I I
184
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
WALNUT STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Miss Barnard,
Nellie C. Thomas, Principal,
VIII
Miss Barnard,
Kate A. Meade,
VII
Miss Barnard,
Ella M. McFarland,
VI
Phillips,
Eunice M. Gates,
V
Phillips,
( Olive G. Davidson. )
Phillips,
Kate A. Coughlin,
IV-III
Phillips,
Mary E. McCormick,
II-I
WOODLAND STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Mrs. Taft,
Edward I. Comins, Principal,
IX
Mrs. Taft,
Annie C. Wyman,
Asst.
Mrs. Taft,
Ann S. Dunton,
VIII
Mrs. Taft,
Mary M. Lawton,
VII
Mrs. Taft,
Edward D. Fitch,
VI
Warner,
Carrie R. Clements,
VI-V
Warner,
Martha T. Wyman,
V
Warner,
Sarah J. Melanefy,
IV
Warner,
M. Rosalie Goddard,
IV-III
Reidy,
Maggie I. Melanefy,
III
Reidy,
Ella E. Goddard,
II
Reidy,
Maggie A. Flaherty,
II
Reidy,
Emma Buckley,
I
Reidy,
Mary E. Proctor,
I
WASHINGTON STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Murphy,
Charles T. Haynes, Principal,
IX
Murphy,
Ida L. Gaskill, Assistant,
IX
Murphy,
Mary A. Hathaway, Assistant,
IX
LAMARTINE STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Cosgrove,
J. Chauncey Lyford, Principal,
VIÌ
Cosgrove,
Sarah M. Averill,
Asst.
Cosgrove,
Ida A. Tew,
VI
Cosgrove,
Louise A. Dawson,
V
Moriarty,
Mary E. Kavanagh,
V
Moriarty,
Ellen T. Shannon,
IV
Moriarty,
F .* Belle Perry,
IV
Moriarty,
Anna M. Murray,
-
III
Parker,
Emma M. Plimpton,
III-II
Parker,
Emma F. Brown,
II
Parker,
Ida F. Boyden,
I
Parker,
Mary B. Wheatley,
I
LEDGE STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS. GRADE ..
McCoy,
Charles C. Woodman, Principal, 4
IX Asst.
McCoy,
Emma L. Cowles,
VIII
McCoy,
Maria P. Cole,
VIII-VII
McCoy,
Kate A. McCarthy,
VII
Conlin,
Mary J. Packard,
VI
Conlin,
Alice G. McMahon,
V-IV
-
McCoy,
Margaret M. Geary,
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
185
Conlin,
Frances M. Athy,
V
Conlin,
Marion C. Tucker,
IV
Brown,
Mary E. D. King,
III
Brown,
Mary V. Callaghan,
II
Brown,
Fanny A. Williams,
I
Brown,
Carrie E. Howe,
I
THOMAS STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Brown,
Harriet G. Waite, Principal,
VIII
Brown,
Mary E. Houghton,
Asst.
Brown,
Abbie C. Souther,
VII-VI
Brown,
S. Lizzie Wedge,
VI
Brown,
( Belle H. Tucker. )
Miss Barnard,
Ella A. Casey,
V
Miss Barnard,
Mary E. Fitzgerald,
V-IV
Miss Barnard,
Hattie W. Bliss,
IV
Miss Barnard,
(Lucia N. Jennison. )
III
Lamson,
Rosa I. Seavey,
III-II
Lamson,
Addie E. Sprague,
II
Lamson,
Mary E. Barnard,
I
Lamson,
Jennie C. Clough,
I
SYCAMORE STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Conlin,
M. Ella Spalding, Principal,
VIII
Conlin,
M. Louise Rice, A. Teresa Timon,
VI
Conlin,
Susie A. Partridge,
V
Murphy,
Hattie S. Hagen,
IV
Murphy,
Sarah W. Clements,
III
Murphy,
Ida A. E. Kenney,
II
Murphy,
Eliza J. Day,
I
EAST WORCESTER.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Casey,
Ella W. Foskett, Principal,
VI
Casey,
Minnie M. Parmenter,
Asst.
Casey,
Annie Brown,
V
Casey,
Mary E. C. Carroll,
V-IV
Francis,
Julia A. Bunker,
IV
Francis,
Kate C. Cosgrove,
III
Francis,
Aloysia Radcliffe,
III
Scannell,
Mary E. Russell,
II
Scannell,
Mary J. O'Connor,
II
Scannell,
Maggie E. Magone,
I
Scannell,
Anna T. Kelley,
I
PROVIDENCE STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Scannell,
Etta A. Rounds, Principal,
VIII
Scannell,
Mary F. Harrington,
VII
Scannell,
Sarah J. Newton,
VI
Scannell,
Mary A. Egan,
V
Swan,
Esther E. Travis,
IV
Swan,
S. Cornelia Chamberlin,
III
Swan,
Ella J. Lyford,
II
Swan,
Mary A. Kane,
I
Lamson,
Eudora A. Dearborn,
VII
Conlin,
186
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
GRAFTON STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Conaty,
Bridget T. Carlon, Principal, Evelyn E. Towne,
IV
Conaty,
Kate A. McLoughlin,
III
Cosgrove,
Margaret J. McCann,
II
Cosgrove,
Carrie M. Adams,
I
Cosgrove,
Ella J. Emerson,
I
ASH STREET. TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Phillips,
Mary J. Mack, Principal,
VI
Phillips,
Mary S. Eaton,
V
Phillips,
Mabel Crane,
IV
Conaty,
Kate A. Fallon,
III
Conaty,
Sarah A. Boyd,
II
Conaty,
Marina H. Tucker,
I
SOUTH WORCESTER.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Swan,
Carrie A. George, Principal,
VIII
Swan,
Amelia M. Walker,
VII
Swan,
Kate E. Kenney,
VI
Swan,
Ellen M. Boyden,
V
Woodward,
Mary O. Whitney,
IV
Woodward,
Lydia W. Ball,
III
Woodward,
( Mary B. Dudley. )
Woodward,
Mary C. Paige,
II
Woodward,
Maggie A. Mahony,
I
OXFORD STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE®
Francis,
Ella L. Dwyer, Principal, Janet Martin,
VII
Francis,
Ella K. Morgan,
VII-VI
Francis,
Mary L. Norcross,
Marshall,
Nettie A. Murray,
V-IV
Marshall,
Emma J. Houghton,
IV
Marshall,
Mary F. Barker,
III
Marshall,
M. Gertrude Griggs,
II
Marshall,
Catherine T. Nevins,
I
WINSLOW STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Cristy,
Amy E. Hopson, Principal, Lucy Lewisson,
V-IV
Phillips,
Josephine A. Hunt, Alice E. Meriam,
III
SALEM STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS. GRADE.
Parker,
Minnie F. Whittier, Principal,
IV
Parker,
Mary O. Whitmore,
III
Barker,
Nellie F. Lindsay,
II
Barker,
Nellie J. Carlon,
I
VI
Cristy,
IV
Phillips,
VIII.
Francis,
V
Conaty,
COMMITTEE.
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
EDGEWORTH STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Barker,
Ella E. Roper, Principal,
VIII-VII
Barker,
Sarah Brigham,
VI
Barker,
Anna P. Smith,
V
Barker,
Sarah M. Brigham, Jennie E. Maloney,
IV-III
Parker,
Hattie G. Gates,
III
Parker,
Julia E. Greenwood,
II
Parker,
Anna H. Newton,
II-I
Parker,
Selma P. Ahlstrom,
I
NEW WORCESTER.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Moriarty,
Charlotte H. Munger, Principal,
VIII-VII
Moriarty,
Mattie Howe,
Asst.
Moriarty,
S. Lizzie Carter,
VI-V
Moriarty,
M. Ella Clark,
IV
Mrs. Earle,
Jennie M. Tainter,
III
Mrs. Earle,
Hattie S. Putnam,
II
Mrs. Earle,
Rebecca H. Davie,
I
SUMMER STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS. GRADE.
Ball,
Abbie A. Wells, Principal,
Ball,
Mary A. Hayward,
IV
Ball,
Carrie F. Meriam,
III
Moriarty,
Mary A. Gauren,
II
Moriarty,
Arabell E. Burgess,
I
QUINSIGAMOND.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Warner,
Richard H. Mooney, Principal,
VII-VI
Warner,
Helena M. Kalaher,
V
Warner,
Edna Currier,
IV
Reidy,
Ella E. Hall,
III
Reidy,
Mary A. Winter,
II
Reidy,
· Olive M. Butler,
I
MASON STREET.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS. GRADE.
Woodward,
II
Woodward,
Mary E. Pease, Principal, Effie L. Bennett,
I
Woodward,
Hattie B. Andrews,
I
ADRIATIC.
COMMITTEE.
TEACHERS.
GRADE.
Marshall,
Emma A Porter, Principal,
VII
Marshall,
Sarah E. Rogers,
VI
Marshall,
Lizzie E. Chapin,
V
Marshall,
Mary A. Rourke,
IV
McCoy,
Abby B. Shute,
III
McCoy,
Mary E. Buxton,
II
McCoy,
Cora A. Baldwin,
I
McCoy,
Mary M. Bowen,
I
187
IV
Barker,
188
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
COMMITTEE.
Reidy, Reidy,
UNION HILL. TEACHERS. Mary A. Kean, Principal, Etha M. Stowell,
GRADE. IV-III II-I
COMMITTEE. Barker,
Phillips, Mrs. Taft,
Trowbridgeville,
Eva E. Stone.
Cosgrove,
Blithewood,
Edward A. Quinland.
Cristy,
Bloomingdale,
Jennie L. Higgins.
Miss Barnard,
Adams Square,
Caroline I. Stone.
Barker,
Burncoat Plain,
Thomas W. Butler.
McCoy, Mrs. Earle, Conlin, Marshall,
North Pond,
Peter A. Conlin.
Chamberlain,
Fanny R. Spurr.
Lake View, Emma G. Goodwin.
Valley Falls,
Eliza J. Seaver,
VI-IV
Marshall,
Valley Falls, Georgianna M. Newton, III-I
DRAWING.
COMMITTEE. Mrs. Earle, Messrs. Murphy, Francis, Parker and Barker.
TEACHER. Walter S. Perry.
MUSIC. COMMITTEE. Messrs. Cosgrove, Woodward, McCoy, Miss Barnard and Mrs. Taft.
TEACHER. Seth Richards.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
COMMITTEE. Messrs. Conaty, Francis, Casey, Mrs. Taft and Cristy. TRUANT OFFICERS. Henry E. Fayerweather, Wm. Hickey.
SUBURBAN.
PLACE.
Northville,
TEACHERS. Elida M. Capen.
( Anna DeW. Pearce.)
Tatnuck,
Elma L. Studley.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To His Honor the Mayor, and the School Board of Worcester :
IN conformity to your regulations, I submit the following as my Fifteenth Annual Report; and by these regulations this report, which it is the duty of the Superintendent to prepare, becomes the report of the School Board to the public, and the school authorities of the State.
ABSTRACT OF STATISTICS. FOR THE YEAR 1882.
I. POPULATION.
Population, Census of 1880,
58,295
Estimated population,
65,000
Children between the ages of five and fifteen, May, 1882,
12,286
II. FINANCIAL.
Valuation, May, 1882,
$45,504,512 66
Increase for the year,
2,807,982 66
City debt, December, 1882, less cash and Sinking Fund,
2,207,503 62
State, county and city tax, 1882,
827,025 72
Rate of taxation, .0174
Value of school-houses and lots,
851,720 00
Other school property,
68,085 40
*Ordinary expenses of schools,
164,610 61
Per cent. of same to valuation, .0036
Per cent. of same to whole tax, .199
Repairs of school-houses, furniture and stoves,
7,199 58
New furniture,
$978 18
Rents,
940 64
$1,918 82
Expended for all purposes,
$171,810 19
$173,729 01
*See detailed Statement in Secretary's report.
190
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
Average cost per scholar for day schools, including ordinary repairs,
18 65
Average cost for all schools, including ordinary repairs,
18 11
Same last year,
$16 47
Cost of evening schools,
2,382 32
Average per scholar,
10 21
Cost of evening drawing schools,
1,425 33
Average per scholar,
7 61
Cost of High School,
16,613 87
Increase,
1,041 76
Average per scholar,
44 37
Increase,
2 30
Expended by City Council for new school-houses,
9,923 32
III. SCHOOL-HOUSES.
Number occupied December, 1882,
40
Rooms, not including recitation rooms,
209
Rooms rented,
2
Drawing school rooms, recitation and evening school rooms, additional,
8
Whole number of sittings :
In High School,
502
Additional space for,
90
Grammar schools, Grades IX-VI.,
2,508
Grammar schools, Grades V-IV.,
2,588
Primary schools, Grades III-II-I.,
4,437
Suburban schools,
496
IV. SCHOOLS.
High School, thirteen rooms,
1
Grammar rooms, Grades IX-VI.,
53
Grammar rooms, Grades V-IV.,
52
Primary rooms, Grades III-II-I.,
82
Suburban schools,
12
Northville, Tatnuck, Valley Falls (2), Trowbridgeville, Blithewood, Bloomingdale, Adams Square, Burn- coat Plain, North Pond, Chamberlain, Lake View.
Evening schools,
Washington Street, East Worcester and New Worcester for boys; Walnut Street for girls; Belmont Street and South Worcester for both,
6
Free Evening Drawing Schools, both sexes,
7
V. TEACHERS.
Male teachers in High School, 5
Female teachers in High School,
8
Male teachers in Grammar Schools, 12
Female teachers in all grades below the High School, 195
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
191
Special teacher of Music, male, Special teacher of Drawing, male,
1
1
Number of teachers in Day Schools, 222
Graduates of the Worcester Training School, or of a State Normal School, 149
Male teachers in Evening Schools, 15.
Female teachers in Evening Schools, ·
15
Teachers in Free Evening Drawing Schools, male 5, female 1,
6
Whole number of teachers, 258
VI. PUPILS.
Number registered in Day Schools,
11,837
Increase,
390
In Evening Schools,
288
In Free Evening Drawing Schools,
207
Number registered in all the schools,
12,332
Increase, 531
1,288
Increase, 279
1,500
Pupils in State Normal School, this city,
112
Average number belonging to public schools,
9,008
Increase, 148
Average daily attendance in Day Schools,
8,235
Increase, 166
773
Number at close of Fall term, 1881,
9,056
At close of Winter term, 1881-82,
8,719
Increase from last year,
219
At close of Spring term,
8,945
Increase,
397
At close of Summer term,
8,788
Increase,
210
At close of Fall term,
9,622
Increase, 566
Per cent. of daily attendance to average number belonging,
.914
Increase,
00.2
Number perfect in attendance the whole year, Decrease,
1
Perfect three terms,
631
Perfect two terms,
934
Perfect one term,
1,966
454
Number over 15 years old,
Estimated number in this city in private schools here,
Average daily absence, Decrease, 18
192
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
Number registered in High School,
Increase,
28
Boys,
269
Increase, 20
Girls,
329
Increase,
8
Number at the close of the year,
446
Increase,
69
Number of graduates, June, 1882,
50
Number left the school,
123
Average number belonging,
374
Average daily attendance,
360
Average daily absence,
15
Per cent. of daily attendance to average number belonging,
96.6
Average age of pupils, January 1, 1883,
16.3
Average number of pupils to a regular teacher,
29
The estimate of population in the above statistics, is based upon the number of pupils at the close of the Fall Term. From the increase of names in the city directory, and from other bases for estimating the population of the city, it is probable that the present population is at least 67,000. The estimate given above is certainly none too high.
The ratio of the ordinary expense of schools to the valuation, has increased by three one-hundredths of one per cent .; and the ratio of the same to the entire tax, by seven-tenths of one per cent. This increase is more than accounted for by the advance in salaries of teachers which took effect Dec. 1, 1881. This advance was merely the restoration of the ten per cent. reduc- tion made from the salaries in the year 1877. In the same way the increased cost of the schools over that of last year is accounted for, except that part of the cost which is due to the increased number of pupils in attendance.
THOMAS STREET IMPROVEMENT.
The only addition to the school-houses, for the past year, has been the extensive alteration of the Thomas Street School-house. This was done by the City Council at an expense of $9,923.32. This old house is now one of the best-arranged and best-heated and ventilated houses in the city ; and it contains two more
598
193
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
rooms than before. It is heated by hot air furnaces, by which ventilation is secured with the heat. Each furnace, of which there are six, heats two rooms; there are twelve rooms with accommodation for 550 or 600 pupils. Projections built at the center of the front and rear, make room for separate flights of stairs-which is a precaution against the danger from fire-and for a dressing-room connected with each school-room. Flues in new chimneys built for the purpose, are heated by the smoke- pipes from the furnaces, and open into the several school-rooms near the floor to draw out the air. A register in each room near the ceiling, opens into a separate flue in one of the old chimneys, heated also by a smoke-pipe from the furnace; so that the foul air may also be withdrawn from the top of the room. Besides this, transoms over the doors communicate with the spacious corridors ; and these in turn open into the attic, for change of air. Fresh air, besides that which comes heated from the furnaces, can be admitted to each school-room through the windows in the dressing-rooms, without danger from drafts upon the children. In all the rooms the seats are so arranged that the light comes in at the left, and behind the pupils. Each dressing-room has a sink and water-faucet. The water closets are in the yard, outside of the building ; and they are entered through the basements. They are both warm and well venti- lated. The outside doors of the school-house are only a step or two above the ground; and they open upon a landing from which stairs lead upward to the school-room, and downward to the basement. By this means icy steps in winter are avoided. For the excellence of this house, much praise is due to the Superintendent of Public Buildings, and to the Committee of the City Council under whose direction the repairs were made. A large and well-situated lot for a new school-house has been purchased on Millbury Street near the junction of Cambridge Street.
VACANT AND HIRED ROOMS.
One of the rooms at Thomas Street, two in the old house at Canterbury Street, and one at Northville and one at Tatnuck,
194
CITY DOCUMENT .- No. 37.
are the only unoccupied school-rooms in the city. The last two will not soon be needed; the others will be filled early in the Spring.
Two rooms are hired by the city for schools at New Worces- ter. There is a school at Walnut Street, two at Oxford Street, and one at Mason Street, in rooms not intended for that purpose.
NEW HOUSES NEEDED.
New houses are needed at Winslow Street, and at Millbury Street ; the question of erecting them is already before the City Council. But these will afford only temporary relief ; for with a few exceptions the schools throughout the city are crowded.
So large a yearly increase in the school attendance as is shown by the statistics here given, requires yearly the building of a house of ten rooms. Much less than this has been done for the past five years or more, as the following table shows.
NEW AND ENLARGED SCHOOL-HOUSES.
1878. Winslow Street, new,
$9,964.17
Rooms 4.
1879. Grafton Street,
11,182.89
4.
1879. Lake View,
66
1,655.05
1.
1880.
Oxford Street, enlarged,
16,112.33
4.
1880.
Edgeworth St.,
5,535.02
66
3.
1881.
Belmont St.,
16,236.11
6.
1881.
Adriatic, new,
14,246.74
6.
1881.
Woodland St., new,
10,846.34
4.
1881.
Valley Falls,
6,724.25
2.
1882.
Thomas St., enlarged,
10,324.00
2.
Total cost in five years,
$102,826.90
36.
This is an average of about $20,500 per year, with about seven new rooms. Instead of falling further behind, yearly, it is necessary now to catch up and keep pace with the growing needs of the schools.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS.
In this connection it may be of interest to the public to explain the method of distributing the pupils among the several schools. For school purposes, this city has never been divided, by arbitrary lines, into districts belonging to the several school-
195
SCHOOLS .- SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
houses ; even the division by wards is entirely disregarded as far as the schools are concerned. The school-houses have been located, from time to time, to supply the present, and so far as possible the prospective wants of the schools-some of them large, and some smaller. In nearly every house there are schools of the lower grades, to accommodate the young pupils in the immediate neighborhood. Whatever room remains, is then occupied by pupils of a higher grade; so that, as a rule, the larger the house the higher the grades of school in it. At the end of the fourth term in July, all the pupils in a given house are assigned for the coming year to the appropriate grade, by the Principal, in consultation with the several assistant teachers ; and on the assumption that these pupils will all return to school at the beginning of the Fall Term in September, a table is made and sent to the office of the Superintendent, showing the number of pupils to be in each room and grade of the building, at the opening of the Fall term. At the same time the Principal forwards a list of pupils of the highest grade with the residence of each, street and number. All these latter pupils have to be distributed to the neighboring school-houses having the grades to which they have been promoted, where they can best be accom- modated ; and on returning to their old school in September, the teacher informs them, each, to what school they are to go. This is done in all those houses having no Ninth Grade ; from this grade all who are qualified enter the High School. Each Principal has also to forward a list of those pupils who are known to have moved into another neighborhood ; and they are also assigned to the proper school and grade.
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