USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1884-1888 > Part 37
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GENTLEMEN -- I herewith submit my tenth Annual Report - of the Fire Department for the past year, also offering sug- gestions for the ensuing year.
FIRES AND ALARMS. 1
The Department has answered thirteen alarms, one of these out of town (West Medford), and one false. Value of buildings damaged by fire, $29,600; value of stock and furniture, $11,000 ; insurance on buildings, $19,796 ; insur-
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ance paid on buildings and contents, $7690. The citizens may certainly congratulate themselves on the small loss by fire during the past year, while other cities and towns in our vicinity have suffered severely.
BUILDINGS.
The buildings are in good condition. Horses have been placed in the Penn and Highland Houses. The Highway Department furnishes a horse for the Highland House, and this department pays $100 per year for the use of same. The two horses in the Penn House are owned by the Fire Department, one having been purchased this year, which we know is a vast improvement on the old method, and which we think is a step in the right direction toward having an efficient Fire Department.
HOSE.
The hose of the Department is in better condition than ever before. Hose has been purchased each year as the appropriation would admit, without calling upon the town for any extra appropriation. We have now in the Depart- ment 3600 feet of good hose, 500 feet of which have been purchased this year.
FIRE ALARM.
I would call your attention to our very imperfect system of fire alarm, and think some step ought to be taken for improvement.
If we continue to trust to telephone service for fire alarm, I am afraid we shall some day get sadly "left," and I think
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REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER.
the time has arrived when this town ought to adopt a perfect fire alarm telegraph system. I have made inquiries of towns and cities in our vicinity which have adopted a fire alarm service, and all are unanimous in recommending the "Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph system." This system would cost the town about $2500, and would benefit the citizens of the outskirts, as well as those in the centre.
APPROPRIATION.
I would recommend an appropriation, to meet the ex- penses for the ensuing year, of $2800.
PERSONAL RECOGNITION.
In closing I wish to express my thanks to your honorable Board, to my engineers for their assistance, the members of the Department in responding to the calls, and for obeying orders.
Respectfully submitted,
9
CHAS. GOTT, Chief Engineer.
REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
To the Town of Arlington :
In presenting their report for 1888, the Trustees of the Public Library have to state a continuance of the popu- larity which the Library has so long enjoyed. As ap- pears from the annexed statement of the Librarian more than two hundred additional persons have this year begun to use the Library, while there is no appreciable falling off among former patrons except in cases of removal from town.
In some towns it is customary to fix a limit of age below which persons cannot take out books. Here this has not been done. Children of the same age differ so much in mental capacity and tastes that to fix any arbitrary standard would exclude some children who could use the Library to advantage, while admitting others who could not. When very young children apply, it is usually not hard to decide, by consulting parents or teachers, whether the priv- ilege should be granted.
A good many people who are not permanent resi- dents now visit or board in Arlington for some weeks or months at a time-especially in the summer. There is no reason why such persons should not enjoy the ad- vantages of the Library-and in fact it is worth while
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REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY.
to adopt any reasonable means to help to make the town an attractive place for strangers to stay in. Accordingly, any temporary resident is allowed to use the Library as freely as a citizen ; the only condition being that he shall secure the town against loss by furnishing a guaranty from some responsible citizen, or if that is inconvenient by depositing a small sum of money to be returned to him when he ceases to use the Library.
In order to accommodate the people at the Heights a weekly delivery of books was established there several years ago and has been kept up during the greater part of each year. This department has lately been placed under the charge of Miss Lucy C. Bailey. It has proved itself a convenience to many people in that neighborhood and might well be used by more. Cards with the catalogue numbers of books desired may be left at the railway station at any time before noon of Thursday of each week, and the books will be ready for delivery at the same place on the same evening.
It seems that something of the same sort might well be established at the eastern end of the town, in case there should be any general demand for it, and proper facilities could be secured.
In the selection of new books the Trustees have followed their established policy of getting those likely to be of some permanent value. They have frequently been aided by sug- gestions from the public and would be glad to receive more of such assistance. Any user of the Library who wishes to have a book bought can obtain at the desk a blank form of application. As soon as the book is placed in the Library -- and it generally is procured unless there is some special reason to the contrary on account of its expense, technical character, etc .- the person recommending it is notified and is given the first chance to read it.
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REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The reading-room has become an almost necessary part of the Library. In it are kept not merely current magazines and papers but complete or partial sets of several leading period- icals as well as a large number of books of reference. As all these may be read or consulted freely by any one who comes in, without any formality, the reading-room serves a purpose of its own, which the Library without it could not serve.
The principal feature of the year's work inside the Library has been the preparation of a new printed catalogue. The last catalogue of the whole Library appeared in 1876. In 1881 a supplement was issued, containing the books procured during the preceding five years. Since then there has been no consolidated supplement, and no guide to the additions made of late years except a number of short separate lists. The new catalogue has been prepared under the direction of the Librarian and was completed at the end of the year. Its preparation involved an unexpected amount of work, as so many inaccuracies were discovered in the catalogue of 1876-arising mainly from the fact that it was based on earlier lists which were prepared by several persons and without suitable oversight-that the work had practically to be done fron the beginning. The card catalogue was of the greatest assistance and proved its usefulness in this as in so many other ways.
The new catalogue was issued in January, 1889, and is what is technically known as an author-and-title dictionary cata- logue,-that is, each book appears in its proper alphabetical place under its title and under the name of its author. Such a list serves in most cases every purpose. To insert every book under its subject heading also would entail a great increase in the size and expense of the catalogue without compensating advantages, as those investigating a subject usually wish to examine several if not all of the books that the Library has in regard to it-an investigation which has
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REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY.
of course to be made at the Library, where the card catalogue is at hand. The Librarian has spared neither labor nor care to make the catalogue accurate and convenient, and it is be- lieved the typographical arrangement and execution will also be found entirely satisfactory.
Towards the end of 1888 a contract for a year was made with the Somerville Electric Light Co. to supply the Library with their light. The wires and fixtures were inserted by the Company without expense to the town and the cost of this method of illumination will be no greater than that of gas. A much brighter light is obtained for the same money, and we think that people generally will find the change an improvement.
Such. are the principal matters to which the Trustees desire to call the attention of the town, feeling sure that an institution that gives so much pleasure and benefit to so many of our people will not lack the generous support of the community.
JAMES P. PARMENTER,
JANUARY, 1889.
For the Trustees.
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
Number of volumes in the Library, July, 1888 · 10,393
publications taken (weekly and
monthly .
.
·
20
66 " daily papers .
. 3
" books added from Jan. 1, 1888, to Jan. 1, 1889 269
66 " books loaned 27,221
66 " magazines loaned 684
Largest number of books and magazines delivered in one day 240
Number not returned to the Library from July, 1887, to July, 1888 0
Registration of book-borrowers during the year . Whole number of registered book-borrowers 3,357 ·
216
Fines paid to the Town Treasurer in 1888 . $98 00
ELIZABETH J. NEWTON,
ARLINGTON, Dec. 31, 1888.
Librarian.
School Committee's Report.
To the Town of Arlington :
The School Committee submit their Annual Report.
Looking at the work done during the past year by teachers and scholars, comparing the results attained with those of previous years and with what we see in the schools of neighboring towns, and basing our judgment not merely upon such a survey but also on the many favorable comments as to the condition of our schools which have come to us unsought from persons exceptionally well qualified to form opinions on educational subjects, your committee feel fully justified in reporting that the close of the year 1888 leaves all our schools at the level of the high standards of former years, and that the new year opens with bright prospects for a continuance of this success.
The present school board can claim no very large share of credit for this prosperous condition. Our duty is mainly to see that the work moves on properly in the path which experience has shown to be safe and reliable; that such additions and improvements in ways and methods are made as are called for by the advance of the science of education. In this work we have received the indispensable aid of our faithful corps of teachers who keep abreast of the times and are always ready and eager to suggest improvements which
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
your board are glad to examine and generally to adopt. We all feel however that the general lines of our graded system have been so carefully laid out that alterations should mainly be confined to minor points, - at any rate until the growth of population or greatly altered views of educational policy make more revolutionary changes evidently necessary.
The credit of what has been done in our town for popular education is justly due not to us, but to the school boards of former years, who, aided by the advice of some of the leading educators in the Commonwealth, carefully planned and effected the great change from the old district and mixed schools to our present system of graded schools, and to the able and devoted teachers present and past who have worked not for their own individual reputation so much as for the general good of all the schools.
The town has been fortunate in its ability to retain teachers for considerable lengths of time and to avoid the serious con- sequences which always result from frequent changes. Whenever vacancies occur we believe it to be the wiser plan to take time and care enough to choose persons who have not only training and experience, but also those natural qualities which go to make up the enthusiastic and success- ful teacher, and so to prevent any deterioration in the quality of the schools.
Of such changes there have been few during the year. At the end of the spring term, Miss Elisa A. Sargent re- signed, to take a position at the West. Miss Sargent was a teacher of unusual energy and exerted a decided influence in preventing undue laxity in study and behavior among the scholars. Her place was filled in the fall by the appoint- ment of Miss Marguerite J. Steele. We have also been
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
unfortunate in losing the services of the Misses Blake who have taught in our schools for some years to the great satis- faction of parents and committee. The severe and lingering sickness of an aged parent caused the resignation of both these ladies, and their positions were not filled during the year, - as it seemed better not to appoint permanent suc- cessors until later. The teachers of the parallel grades with the help of a substitute have been able to carry along the work so far, but it will probably be necessary in the early part of 1889 to fill the vacancies, Miss Anna H. Rood, a graduate of our High School and of the Salem Normal School, has acted as substitute teacher and has given good promise of success in her profession.
For several years it has been in contemplation to appoint a general assistant in the Russell School. It is often desir- able that the master should be able to leave his room during school hours to investigate or attend to cases where delay would be subversive of discipline and furthermore that he should be able to supervise in some measure the instruction in the various rooms, in order to secure a closer relation between one teacher's work and another's, and a more har- monious and systematic working together than would other- wise be obtained. It is no less important that the other teachers should be relieved at times when there is an unusual pressure of work and that a competent substitute should be ready in case of the necessary absence of a regular teacher. To accomplish these ends, it was decided in November to appoint Miss Ada E. Flanders, the teacher of the first divi- sion of the fifth class, to the position of general assistant. Although this change has gone into operation too recently for us to make any definite report, we believe that it is already proving itself to be desirable.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
The division of the western part of the town, made last year, has continued to give satisfaction to the people in both the Cutter and the Locke districts. The same competent teachers have been in charge, and we hope that we shall be able to retain their services for a long time to come. Miss DeBlois, who has long taught the Cutter Primary School and has gained the attachment and regard of so many parents and children, has been obliged to be out of school on account of illness during the latter part of the year. Her place has been well filled by Miss Rose M. Brady.
The Crosby School, we are glad to say, has experienced no change of teachers. The eastern section of the town contin- ues to grow, and there is a steadily approaching necessity for larger school accommodations.
The High School continues in a prosperous condition under the charge of Mr. Fisher with Miss Newton and Miss Simmons as assistants. The interest and enthusiasm shown by the scholars in this school are very noticeable. We wish that more of our towns-people would learn from personal observation into what a pleasant place an unattractive building has been transformed, and what good work is being done there. With 70 scholars already in this school and the prospect of still larger numbers in the near future, we believe the time has come when the need of larger and more convenient quarters should receive more than the passing allusion, which it has been almost customary to make in late reports. Before the need becomes so pressing as to compel immediate and perhaps hasty action, the ques- tion should receive serious consideration and perhaps be put into the hands of a special committee with plenty of time to act with care and deliberation before reporting to the town.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
While the subjects to be taught in our schools are in the main fixed by law, the extent to which each is to be pursued and the relative amount of time to be given it are left to the judgment of committees and teachers. We are making efforts to simplify work in all subjects so as to lay stress upon the more important parts, and to improve methods whenever practicable. The branches of penmanship, draw- ing, and music call for special mention here. Even with the utmost care in dividing the time at our disposal among the different subjects, according to their importance, it will sometimes happen that the marked improvements observed in one department have really been made by unintentionally taking time belonging to another branch, which necessarily, in its turn, at once falls below the standard. Thus it has come about, gradually and almost imperceptibly, that in . some "grades penmanship has not received its full share of time and attention ; till visitors have made the criticism, and perhaps with some justice, that in certain rooms there could be seen too many styles of penmanship,- some pupils having acquired styles peculiar to themselves, while the closest scrutiny failed to give evidence of a system which could be traced with the proper advancement, from each grade to the next above. Under arrangements now being perfected, we believe that penmanship will soon receive in every grade, the time and attention which its importance demands, under a system in which the improvement in each room is clearly the legitimate fruit of the work done in the next and lower grades.
Drawing has for some time failed to receive the attention that the law designed. This neglect has arisen partly from the claims of other studies and partly from the difficulty of
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
teaching this subject to any useful extent in a necessarily limited time. The sub-committee on this branch are now trying, with the advice of our own teachers and outside specialists, to arrange and introduce a course that shall give pupils the benefits properly belonging to the study, without unduly infringing on the time required by other branches.
The sub-committee on music, Messrs. Rawson and Ceiley, report their entire satisfaction with the results ob- tained by Mr. Marshall, and their conviction that our schools stand among the first in the State in regard to musical in- struction. They say also,- "The most gratifying results have attended the teaching of vocal music during the past year. A degree of proficiency has been attained which is very satisfactory to both committee and musical instructor. The intelligence displayed by the pupils in reading music at sight is remarkable. The placing of music upon an educa- tional basis and applying the same principles to its presenta- tion that underlie the teaching of all subjects has proved to be of great value to the pupils. What they accomplish is done by their own efforts under the instruction and guidance of the special and regular teachers. They are trained to think, and so are able to solve all the problems in music as they do in their other studies. An exhibition of their skill in this direction was given last May, when several tests in one, two, three, four, and five-part music, which had been prepared by a gentleman eminent as a musical writer, were most successfully sung by pupils from the different classes. These tests were based upon work actually studied by the different grades and were therefore a fair showing as to their musical ability."
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
The attendance and discipline have been generally good. In the statement annexed to this report will be found the whole number of scholars and the average attendance for each school. In reckoning the whole number, scholars are counted who have been members for any part of the term. Hence the number of members at any particular time is often less than the whole number for the term, and consequently the average attendance is really better than it seems to be at the first glance and more nearly equal to the number of scholars than the figures show. This is especially the case in the lower primary schools, where children are sometimes kept out of school during the greater part of a term in the inclement seasons of the year, and then sent for a few weeks only.
Sickness of course has had its effect of diminishing more or less the average attendance ; but the remarkable freedom from epidemics of contagious diseases, which our town has enjoyed of late years has continued up to the time of writing this report, the returns which have been made in compliance with our public statutes being generally of single and isolated cases. The figures for the year 1888 show at a glance how fortunate our public schools have been, in a town of 5000 or nearly 5000 inhabitants, and make a record of which we may well be proud, and to the continuance of which all should lend a willing hand, when they find them- selves specially concerned, by promptly complying with our rules and the public statutes as given in last year's report,- rules and statutes which, as there stated, were all established for the general good. From January 1, to December 31, 1888, inclusive, your Board of Health, and through them your School Committee, were notified of the appearance of
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twenty cases only of contagious diseases, and of these twenty cases, nine only were cases specially affecting the school attendance under the statute of 1885,- these nine cases being all reported during the forty weeks of our school year. Let us hope that this may prove to be an average annual record.
A cause diminishing the number of pupils in the latter part of the year was the establishment, in September, of a school connected with the parish of St. Malachy. As this school received children of different ages, it did not operate to deplete any one school especially, but drew a small number from each room. Accordingly the effect of this withdrawal of scholars was merely to diminish the number in each room somewhat, but not to such an extent as to cause the discon- tinuance or change of grading of any school.
During the year various alterations and repairs have been made on the school buildings for the purpose of keeping the property of the town in good condition, or for the more important purpose of preserving the health of the scholars. Questions of the ventilation and proper sanitary arrange- ments of large public buildings and especially of school- houses have come of late years to be regarded of the first importance. Epidemics of contagious diseases have fre- quently been traced to buildings apparently properly constructed, until sanitary experts have been puzzled and forced to reconstruct their theories of proper ventilation and drainage. School-houses, built fifteen or twenty years ago in accordance with the views then prevalent, often need thorough overhauling. Realizing this state of affairs, the sanitary committee have felt the importance of their work, and although no epidemic or even a single case of sickness
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
of serious character has ever been traced to one of our public school buildings, they heartily welcomed the statute of 1888, which placed the sanitary arrangements of school- houses under the control of the State Inspector of Factories and Public Buildings. Since the passage of the act they have gladly availed themselves of the assistance and advice of Mr. J. T. White of our town, one of the State Inspectors, in making needed changes. Of such changes the following are the most important. In the Russell School, as a tem- porary expedient, a new door was put in to cut off communi- cation between the basement and the floors above. In the Cutter and Locke Schools metallic ventilators were intro- duced as the existing appliances were by no means efficient. All these improvements are working well. In the High and Crosby Schools no immediate alterations were thought to be necessary.
Besides the usual repairs needed to replace parts, or keep the buildings in good condition the following improvements were made by the Prudential Committee. In the Russell School has been placed a new boiler, which has proved in every way satisfactory. Its cost, including much new piping, was less than our estimate. The chimneys were relaid from the roof up, having become loose and unsafe, and the roof received some needed repairs. A conspicuous if not important change was the restoration of the eagle, with freshened plumage, to the perch from which he had been absent fourteen years. In the Cutter School new floors were laid in both stories, and the rooms and school furniture were put in good condition. The conductors from the roof were so altered as to carry away the rain-water from the building so that it might not escape into the basement, and
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a new pipe was laid to supply water to the second story. Nearly all the foregoing alterations were recommended in our last report. The chimney of the Locke School was relaid and the roof repaired. A few new seats and desks were placed in Miss Pierce's room. At the High School the doors leading to the second story were made to swing outward in compliance with the request of the State Inspector. Miss Simmons' room was supplied with seats and desks of an improved pattern like those in the large room.
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