USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1890-1892 > Part 6
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91.1
1314.28
1415.26
Come forth. Elizabeth S. Phelps and H. D. Ward. 1404.57 Conkling, Roscoe, Life and letters of. A. R. Conk- ling. 17.32
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court, A. S : L. Clemens [ Mark Twain]. 49.40 . Conversations in a studio. 2 v. W .: W. Story. 77.34
122
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Cook, Captain. (English men of action.) Walter
Besant.
1314.22
Correspondence, The art of. J : S. Locke. .
1415.13
Costa Rica, The republic of. J. B. Calvo. .
101.52
Court life under the Plantagenets. (Reign of Henry II.) Hubert Hall. .
1016.29
Cross, Mary A. [George Eliot.] Poems. 1406.29
*Cunning woman's grandson, The. A tale of Cheddar a hundred years ago. Charlotte M. Yonge 1412.15
D.
*Daddy Jake, the runaway, and short stories told after dark by "Uncle Remus." J. C. Harris. 1313.42
*Dalzells of Daisydown, The. E. V. Blake. 1412.36 Danvers jewels, The. (Also) Sir Charles Danvers. 104.52
*Dear daughter Dorothy. A. G. Plympton. 94.10
Dear old story-tellers. O. F. Adams.
1314.26
Demeter, and other poems. Alfred Tennyson. . 1406.23
Depew, Chauncey Mitchell. Orations and after-din- ner speeches. 1108.11
DeQuincey, T: Uncollected writings. 2 v. 1101.33 .
*Dick Sands, the boy captain. Jules Verne. 811.7 .
Dix, Dorothea Lynde, Life of. Francis Tiffany. .
91.11
Dobson, Austin. Poems on several occasions. 2 v.
1406.25
Doll's house, The. A play. Henrik Ibsen.
1406.24
Dramatic opinions. Madge Kendal. . 1415.16
Dürer, Albrecht, Literary remains of. W: M. Con-
way. 415.4
Dynamo, The : how made and how used. A book for
amateurs. S. R. Bottone. 15.19
E.
Easter gleams. [Poems.] Lucy Larcom. 1406.37
Economic changes, Recent, and their effect on the' pro- duction and distribution of wealth and the well- being of society. D: A. Wells.
1415.27
Eggs : facts and fancies about them. Comp.
by
Anna Barrows. 414.31
Electrical instrument making for amateurs. S. R. Bottone.
15.28 Electricity, A century of. (Riverside science series.) T : C. Mendenhall. ·
13.38
123
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Electricity and magnetism, Elementary lessons in. S.
P. Thompson. 15.30 Electricity, Domestic, for amateurs. E. Hospitalier. 88.28
Electro-motors. J. W. Urquhart
15.41
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, Talks with. C: J. Wood- bury.
1415.31
Emigration and immigration : a study in social science. R. M. Smith. 1415.19
Encyclopædia Britannica. V. 25. Index. Ed. by D. O. Kellogg. R. L.
Encyclopædia of practical receipts and processes. W : B. Dick. R. L.
England, Outline history of. J. R : Joy. · 91.4
English lands, letters and kings. 2 v. D. G. Mitchell. 1415.5
V. 1. From Celt to Tudor.
V. 2. From Elizabeth to Anne. 1415.40
English prose literature, Introduction to. W : Minto. Esther's fortune. A story for girls. Lucy C. Lillie. 1412.21
Etymological dictionary of the English language. W. W. Skeat. R. L.
Euripides, Three dramas of. W : C. Lawton. 1406.32
Europe, Reconstruction of. [1850-71.] Harold Mur- dock. 1208.9
- modern, History of. V. 3. 1848-78. Č: A. Fyffe.
1208.25
Expiation.
Alice French [Octave Thanet].
·
1412.42
F.
Fame and sorrow, with other stories. Honoré de Balzac.
94.5
Family tree, A, and other stories. Brander Matthews. First two Stuarts and the Puritan revolution. 1603-
1412.17
60. (Epochs of modern history.) S: R. Gar- diner. 1415.36
*Five little Peppers mid way. Sequel to Five little Peppers and how they grew. Harriet M. Lo- throp [Margaret Sidney]. 712.7
Flag of the United States, History of the, and of the naval and yacht-club signals, etc. G : H : Preble. 1308.24
1402.29 · Florida days. Margaret Deland. .
124
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Following the guidon. Elizabeth B. Custer. 91.9
Forum, The. V. 8, 9. 1889-90. F. Four Georges, History of the. 2 v. Justin McCarthy. 616.33
French revolution, The. V. 1. J. H. McCarthy. 91.8
French West Indies, Two years in the. Lafcadio Hearn.
616.18
From Chaucer to Tennyson. H : A. Beers. .
91.2
G.
Gallant lords of Bois-Doré. 2 v. Amantine L. A. Dudevant [George Sand]. .
94.12
Gazetteer of the state of Mass. Elias Nason and G : J. Varney. ·
R. L.
Girls and women. (Riverside library for young people.) E. Chester.
1114.17
God in his world. An interpretation. H : M. Alden. 1415.32 *Golden magnet, The : a tale of the land of the Incas. G : M. Fenn. 75.24
Golden treasury of the best songs and lyrical poems in the English language. Ed. with notes by F. T. Palgrave.
1406.22
Good Housekeeping. V. 10, 11. 1890. G. H.
Government, Essays on. A. L. Lowell. 1415.17
Great War Syndicate, The. F. R : Stockton. 1412.43
Greater Britain, Problems of. C : W. Dilke. 1101.40
Greatest thing in the world, The. H : Drummond.
107.64
H.
Half-hours with the best humorous authors. 4 v. Ed. by C : Morris. 1412.22
V. 1. 2. American. V. 3. English. V. 4. English, etc.
Happy days of the Empress Marie Louise. Imbert de Saint-Amand 1201.55
Hardtack and coffee ; or, the unwritten story of army life. J : D. Billings. · 49.39
Harper's Monthly. V. 80, 81. 1890. H. M.
1
Harper's school speaker. First book. Part 1. Arbor Day. Part 2. Memorial Day. (Harper's educa- tional series.) Comp. by James Baldwin. 1406.36
125
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Harper's Weekly. V. 33, 34. 1889-90. . R. L. *Harper's Young People. V. 11. 1890. 2 parts. 35.9
Harvard graduates whom I have known. A. P. Pea- body. 1401.7
Hastings, Warren. (English men of action.) Alfred Lyall.
1314.20
Havelock. (English men of action.) Archibald
Forbes.
1314.29 Hawaii, Legends and myths of. King Kalakaua. 1108.21
Hay, J : Poems.
1406.39
Hazard of new fortunes, A. 2 v. W : D. Howells ..
1412.20
Heating by hot water. Walter Jones.
1415.47
Her gentle deeds. Henrietta Keddie [Sarah Tytler]. 1412.40 Heroes and martyrs of invention. G : M. Towle. 1314.31 *Highways and high seas : Cyril Harley's adven-
. tures on both. F. F. Moore. 1412.28 History, General sketch of. (Freeman's historical course for schools.) E : A. Freeman. 1415.34
1404.56
House by the medlar-tree, The. Giovanni Verga. . House of the Wolf, The. A romance. S. J. Wey- man.
94.9
Houseful of girls, A. Henrietta Keddie [Sarah Tytler]. 94.7
I.
Ibsen, H: Prose dramas. 2 v. · ·
1406.38
Idle thoughts of an idle fellow. J. K. Jerome. 1402.34
Illustrated London News. V. 94, 95, English ed. .
V. 6, 7, Amer. ed. 1889-90. . R. L.
Imago Christi : the example of Jesus Christ. James Stalker. 38.21
In and around Berlin. Minerva B. Norton. .
· 1107.76
In darkest Africa. 2 v. H : M. Stanley. 1402.38 .
*In search of a son. "Uncle Lawrence." ·
1405.18
In Tennyson land. J : C. Walters ..
1402.31
*In the reign of terror: the adventures of a West- minster boy. G. A. Henty. 75.33
Indian tales. Rudyard Kipling.
1. Plain tales from the hills. 1411.10
2. Soldiers three. 1411.11
3. The phantom 'rickshaw, and other tales. 1411.12
Into Morocco. P: Loti. 1415.42
Inverted torch, The. [Poem.] Edith M. Thomas. . 1406.42
126
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
J.
Jack Horner. Mary S. Tiernan. 1411.1 Japanese boy, A. Shiukichi Shigemi. 83.9
Java, the pearl of the East. (Riverside library for young people. ) Sarah J. Higginson. . 1114.16
Jay, John. (American statesmen. ) G : Pellew. 1314.30
Jews under Roman rule. (Story of the nations. ) W.
D. Morrison. 1409.56
*Joe Bently, naval cadet. H. H. Clark. 75.59
K.
*Kelp-gatherers, The. A story of the Maine coast. J : T. Trowbridge. 712.15
Kit and Kitty. R : D. Blackmore. 1412.47
L.
Lake Champlain and its shores. W : H : H. Murray. 1415.28
Last assembly ball. (Also) The fate of a voice.
Mary H. Foote.
1012.8
Last love, A. G : Ohnet.
1412.37
Lawton girl, The. Harold Frederic.
1412.50
Le Français. V. 9, 10. 1889-90.
L. F.
Lexington Historical Society, Proceedings of, and papers relating to the history of the town read by some of the members. V. 1.
88.8
Liberal living upon narrow means. Christine T. Her- rick.
1415.20
Library Journal. V. 15. 1890.
R. L.
Lily among thorns, The. A study of the Biblical drama entitled the Song of Songs. W : E. Griffis. Little journey in the world, A. C: D. Warner. 1415.2
1415.7
*Little red shop, The. Harriet M. Lothrop [Margaret Sidney].
75.52
*Little Saint Elizabeth, and other stories. Frances H. Burnett.
1402.30
Locke. (Philosophical classics for English readers.) A. C. Fraser. 1314.35 *Log of the "Flying Fish," The. Harry Colling- wood. 75.25 · *Loss of John Humble : what led to it and what came of it. G. Norway. 71.05
127
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
*Lotus Bay. A summer on Cape Cod. Laura D. Nichols. 713.27
Lux mundi. A series of studies in the religion of the Incarnation. Ed. by C : Gore. 68.44
M.
Maria : a South American romance. Jorge Isaacs. . 1411.3 Marie Antoinette and the end of the old régime. Im- bert de Saint-Amand. 1314.34 Master of the magicians. Elizabeth S. Phelps and H. D. Ward. 1411.2
Mediæval and modern history, Outlines of. P. V. N. Myers.
91.10
Merry Chanter, The. F. R : Stockton.
94.2
Metzerott, shoemaker. Katherine P. Woods.
1412.51
Minneapolis Public Library. Finding lists. Oct.,
1889, Feb., 1890. R. L.
Miss Brooks. Eliza O. White.
1411.6
*Missing merchantman, The. Harry Collingwood. 75.26
Mrs. Fenton. (Leisure hour series.) W : E. Norris. 1411.8 Mistress of Beech Knoll. Clara L. Burnham. 1412.35
Modern seven wonders of the world. [Steam engine, electric telegraph, photograph, sewing machine, spectroscope, electric light, telephone : with microphone and phonograph. ] C : Kent. 1415.6 · Money. James Platt. 77.82
Music, The story of. W. J. Henderson. . 1415.18 .
Myths and folk-lore of Ireland. Jeremiah Curtin. .
616.25
N.
Nation, The. V. 48-51. 1889-90. R. L.
Natural method of physical training, A. Edwin
Checkley. . 615.60
Nelson, Horatio, and the naval supremacy of England. (Heroes of the nations.) W : C. Russell. .. 1402.33
New Eldorado, The. A summer journey to Alaska. M. M. Ballou. 49.12
New England, History of. V. 3-5. J: G. Palfrey. 26.12
Newman, J : H :, cardinal. Hymns . 1406.21
Nineteenth Century. V. 26-28. 1889-90. N. C.
128
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Nineteenth century authors, Guide to the study of. Louise M. Hodgkins. 1415.46 North American Review. V. 149-151. 1889-90. N. A. R.
North shore watch, The, and other poems. G: E: Woodberry. 1406.34
Norumbega, Discovery of the ancient city of. E. N. Horsford. 16.33
0.
Old South Church (Third Church), Boston, History of the. 1669-1884. 2 v. H. A. Hill. . 1016 23 *One of the 28th. A tale of Waterloo. G. A. Henty. 75.34
Only the governess. Rosa N. Carey. 1411.14 · Osborne of Arrochar. Amanda M. Douglas. 1412.27
Osterhout Free Library, Wilkes-Barré, Pa., class cat- alogue and author index. 1889. R. L.
Our Asiatic cousins. Anna H. Leonowens.
1415.8
Our English. A. S. Hill.
1415.39
Our viceregal life in India. Selections from my jour-
nal, 1884-88. 2 v.
Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.
1402.32
Outing. V. 16. 1890.
.
0.
P.
Pactolus Prime. A. W. Tourgée.
1412.41
Painters of Barbizon. (Illus. biog. ofgreat artists.)
J : W. Mollett.
1. Millet, Rousseau, Diaz. 1314.32
2. Corot, Daubigny, Dupré. 1314.33
Palmistry and its practical uses. Louise Cotton. 1415.23
Passion Play at Ober-Ammergau, with the whole drama translated into English. 1302.39
Pastels in prose. From the French. 1415.21
Pastor's daughter, The. Bertha Behrens [W. Heim-
burg].
1412.29
Pawnee hero stories and folk-tales. G : B. Grinnell.
1415.3
People I've smiled with. M. P. Wilder.
1415.24
Perspective, practical, One summer's lessons in. Christine C. Brush. ·
1415.41
Perspective for beginners. G : Pyne. . .
1415.22
129
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Peterborough. (English men of action.) W : Steb- bing.
1314.23
Petroleum, Practical treatise on. B : J. Crew. 1216.9
Phantom 'rickshaw, The, and other tales. (Indian tales.) Rudyard Kipling. 1411.12
Plain tales from the hills. (Indian tales.) Rudyard
Kipling.
1411.10
*Plucky Smalls : his story. Mary B. Crowninshield. 75.57
Poetry of the Anti-Jacobin : comprising the celebrated political and satirical poems of G : Canning and others. Ed. with notes by C : Edmonds. .
1406.40
Political economy, An introduction to. R: T. Ely. 91.5
*Poor Jack. F : Marryat. 75.37
Popular Science Monthly. V. 36, 37. 1890. P. S. M.
Portraits of friends. J : C. Shairp.
1415.12
Prince Fortunatus. W : Black.
1412.48
Protestant revolution, Era of the. (Epochs of modern
history.) F : Seebohm.
1415.35
Queen Hildegarde. A story for girls. Laura E.
Richards.
72.17
Queenie's whim. Rosa N. Carey.
1411.16
Quotations in prose from American and foreign authors, Dictionary of. Ed. by Anna L. Ward. R. L.
R.
Rag-picker of Paris, The. Félix Pyat. 1402.36
Rambler's lease, A. Bradford Torrey. 1415.9
*Red mustang, The : a story of the Mexican border. W : O. Stoddard. 712.11
Return of the guards, and other poems. F. H. Doyle. 1406.30 Ring of Amasis, The. A romance. E: R. Bulwer- Lytton [Owen Meredith]. 94.6
Romance of two worlds. Marie Corelli,
1412.12
Russia, Story of. (Story of the nations.) W : R. Morfill. ·
1409.55
S.
*St. Nicholas. V. 17. 1890. 2 parts.
33.2 Schiller, F : Historical dramas, etc.
1406.26
9
130
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Science, Experimental. G : M. Hopkins. 1216.5
Scientific American. V. 60-63. 1889-90. R. L. Scouting for Stanley in East Africa. T: Stevens. 1402.37
Scribner's Magazine. V. 6-8. 1889-90. S. M.
68.7
Shadow of a dream, The. W : D. Howells.
94.8
Sidney. Margaret Deland. 1404.59
Skipper in Arctic seas, The. W. J. Clutterbuck.
1412.52
Society in the Elizabethan age. Hubert Hall. .
1402.40
Soldiers three. (Indian tales. ) Rudyard Kipling. 1411.11
Songs, legends and ballads. J : B. O'Reilly. 1406.41
Sons of the soil. Honoré de Balzac.
1412.31
Spiritualism, modern, Seybert commission on. .
49.41
Splendid spur, The : memoirs of the adventures of Mr. John Marvel, a servant of His late Majesty King Charles I., 1642-3 : written by himself. Ed. in modern English .by Q. A. T : Q. Couch [Q].
1412.34
Stage-land : curious habits and customs of its inhabi- tants. J. K. Jerome. 1412.45
Starlight Ranch, and other stories of army life on the frontier. C : King.
1412.33
Steel pens, Story of the invention of, with a descrip- tion of the manufacturing processes. H : Bore. 615.52 *Stories of the civil war. Ed. by A. F. Blaisdell. 712.17 Stories of the three burglars. F. R : Stockton. . 1412.44
*Storm Mountain. (Wyoming series.) E : S. Ellis. *Story of a mountain, The. "Uncle Lawrence."
73.32
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, Life of. Compiled from her letters and journals by her son C : E : Stowe. 1402.28
Strange true stories of Louisiana. G : W. Cable. 1412.25
1415.10
Struggle for immortality, The. Elizabeth S. Phelps. ** Such is life.' May Kendall.
1412.16
Summer in a canon, A. A California story. Kate
.D. Wiggin. 1412.24
*Swanhilde, and other fairy tales. Adapted from the German by Carrie N. Horwitz. 1011.32
*Sylvie and Bruno. C: L. Dodgson [Lewis Carroll]. 1412.39
1405.19
Selkirk glaciers, Among the. W : S. Green.
131
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
T.
Taking of Louisburg [Cape Breton], 1745. (Deci- sive events in Amer. history.) S : A. Drake. 1115.64 Tales of New England. (Riverside Aldine series.) Sarah O. Jewett. 1411.7
Ten dollars enough. Keeping house well on ten dol-
lars a week. Helen A. Nitsch [ Catherine Owen ].
1415.11
Tennyson, The poetry of. H : Van Dyke. 1415.1
*Their canoe trip. Mary P. W. Smith. ·
2.5
. Those Raeburn girls. Mrs. A. F. Raffensperger. 1412.13 · Three men in a boat (to say nothing of the dog). J. K. Jerome. 1412.46
Till the doctor comes, and how to help him. G : H.
Hope.
15.40
To the lions. A tale of the early Christians. A. J :
Church.
1412.19
Tonty, The story of. Mary H. Catherwood.
1314.25
Tragic muse, The. 2 v. H : James. . Two coronets. Mary A. Tincker.
1212.50
1412.26
Two modern women. Kate G. Wells.
94.11
Typical selections from the best English writers, with introductory notices. (Clarendon Press series.)
U. 1415.38 2 v.
*Under Drake's flag : a tale of the Spanish main. G. A. Henty. 75.35
United States of America, History of the. 6 v. H : Adams. .
24.2
V. 1, 2. First administration of Jefferson. 1801-5.
V. 3, 4, Second 60 1805-9.
V. 5, 6. First 66 " Madison. 1809-13. Untrodden peaks and unfrequented valleys. A mid- summer ramble in the Dolomites. Amelia B. Edwards. . . 1540-1887. H. H. Bancroft. .
88.3
Utah, History of.
1216.6
V.
Village on the cliff, The. Anne T. Ritchie. 513.12 Volcanoes, Characteristics of. . J. D. Dana. · 88.29
132
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
W.
Waif of the plains, A. Bret Harte. 414.7
Walks and talks in the geological field.
Alexander
Walpole. (Twelve English statesmen.)
Winchell. 91.3 J : Morley. 1409.17 1310.41
What I remember. V. 2. T: A. Trollope.
What is the Bible? An inquiry into the origin and nature of the Old and New Testaments in the light of modern Biblical study. G : T. Ladd.
Whist, American, illustrated. G : W : Pettes.
1415.4 1415.15
*Wide Awake. CC. 1889. DD. 1890. 34.3
34.2
. EE. 1890.
34.4
*Winds, The, the woods and the wanderer. A fable for children. Lily F. Wesselhoeft. 1411.15 . Witch Winnie. The story of a "King's Daughter." Elizabeth W. Champney. 1412.23
With fire and sword : an historical novel of Poland and Russia. H: Sienkiewicz. 1412.53
Woman's heart, A. Annie F. Hector [Mrs. Alexan- der ]. 1404.58
World moves, The : all goes well. By a layman.
1415.33
Wyndham Towers. [A poem.] T : B. Aldrich. 1406.33
*Wyoming series. E : S. Ellis.
1. Wyoming.
73.31
2. Storm Mountain. .
·
73.32
3. The cabin in the clearing. .
.
73.33
Y.
*Young Idea, The. V. 3. 1890. · · 1889-90. R. L.
Y. I.
*Youth's Companion. V. 62, 63.
1
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Town of Arlington :
The School Committee submit their annual report.
High School Building.
The Committee have first to call the attention of the town to the condition of the High School building.
The inadequacy of the present school-house to the reason- able accommodation of the school has often been mentioned in the annual reports of the School Committee. The report for 1871 reads " The Committee cannot omit the usual recommendation of a new house for the High School. Sooner or later the expense of such a building must be incurred. The present house cannot be transformed. It has too many faults of construction to admit of its being altered, except at great expense, to secure the comfort and complete accommodation of the school. The building com- pares very unfavorably with the High School houses in any of the neighboring towns, and is by no means such an edifice in respect to use or ornament as this town should content itself with." In 1875 the Committee say " That the build- ing is unfit as to comfort and convenience, leaving out every consideration of attractiveness, has long been apparent." Similar remarks might be quoted from later reports, but the above extracts are enough to show their general character. The objectionable features of the building have naturally increased with time. Its present condition is as follows :
The main school room is on the second floor and is 40} feet long, 27} feet wide and 132 feet high. On this floor is also
134
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
the chemical and physical laboratory, a room 18} by 12} feet. On the ground floor are two recitation rooms, of which the southern is 283 by 19 feet and the northern 28} by 21 feet. Connected with the northern room is a smaller room used occasionally but not usually for recitations. Each recitation room is connected with the main school-room by a narrow and winding staircase at the back of the building. There are two dressing-rooms in the front part of the school- house on each floor, all very small, the upper ones being reached by stairways opening directly from the outside of the building.
The school-house is heated by a steam boiler in the cellar. The main room and the two recitation rooms are warmed by indirect radiation-the air passing over coils of heated pipes and thence through registers into the rooms. These rooms and the chemical laboratory are further warmed directly by steam radiators in the rooms. There is also a steam radiator at the foot of each of the back stair-cases already mentioned. The dressing-rooms and water closets are not warmed.
Each room-except the small one on the lower floor-is ventilated by a shaft, open near the floor and passing into the chimneys or loft. In these shafts a light is kept con- stantly burning, and an upward current of air thereby created.
In the upper school-room are fifty seats and desks. These are placed as near together as practicable : in fact the aisles. are too narrow for comfort and there is not as much space as there should be either at the front or the back of the room. In the southern recitation room are twenty seats and desks and in the northern room twenty-five. In each of these rooms and in the chemical laboratory, are placed several chairs and short settees.
Such is in the main the present state of the building. As to its adequacy for the purposes for which it is used, the following facts seem clear.
(1) It is not probable that the health of the pupils suffers very much from the present condition of the building in respect
135
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
to warmth and ventilation. The heating apparatus is as large as the cellar can contain and when the fire is carefully looked after and forced, heats the rooms sufficiently. It does not heat the back stairways. The radiators there give out very little warmth and the stairways can be made comfortable only by depriving the rest of the building of heat. Consequently the scholars who have to use these stairways in going to recitations are in cold weather subjected to a sudden chill on their way from one warm room to another, and it is not unlikely that some injury to health has been thus caused. As outer clothing has to be left in the unwarmed dressing- rooms scholars are exposed, on wet days, to the danger of wearing damp garments at recess and after school. The ventilating apparatus works, on the whole, reasonably well except in the northern recitation room where the result is not satisfactory. Under certain conditions of the atmos- phere or wind, the ventilation is not good, but ordinarily the air can be kept fairly pure. In short it may be said that while scholars are exposed to some dangers that they would not incur in a properly constructed modern building and thereby suffer at times some temporary inconvenience and illness, they may, provided they are not of unusual delicacy of constitution, attend school without serious risk.
(2) Some studies cannot be pursued properly for lack of suitable accommodations. Of these the principal ones are the natural sciences, particularly chemistry and physics. The importance of scientific studies in any system of edu- cation hardly needs to be argued at the present day. It is equally clear that in such studies a pupil obtains the best results only by himself performing many of the experiments that illustrate the laws of Nature. In this way alone he is likely to obtain clear ideas and lasting impressions of the subject. Accordingly in most good schools and colleges where science is seriously studied, much of the student's work is laboratory work. But in our school there is not room enough for such work to be done by the scholars except in a very limited way. The school has considerable scientific apparatus and with a large enough laboratory,
136
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
these studies could be advantageously pursued. As it is, while there is no lack of interest and good-will on the part of teachers and pupils, much of the good which might be gained by the latter is unavoidably lost. In a less degree other scientific studies suffer in the same way. Drawing also is at a disadvantage for like reasons.
(3) Recitations, study and order are all hampered by the crowded condition and defective arrangement of the build- ing. As the main room will not accommodate more than fifty, about ten scholars now have their seats in each recitation room. When to these is added one of the larger classes for reciting, the room contains more pupils than the seats and desks will accommodate, and some have to use the chairs and settees, where they have no facilities for tak- ing notes,-an important part of most recitations. The black-board space is also insufficient for the larger classes. Like difficulty is found in the main room whenever it is necessary to have the whole school there-as for lessons in music. As the recitation rooms can be reached only by means of the back stairways, there is considerable noise and confusion when scholars are going up and down between recitations -- the stairways being narrow and with several
turns. The noise and movement that in one way or another are going on much of the time are a hindrance to study and make the maintenance of order more difficult- not so much from any fault of the scholars who generally have shown a praiseworthy disposition to make the best of their surroundings -- as from the fact that study and good order are greatly facilitated by quiet and not over-crowded school- rooms. If the school possessed a main room large enough to accommodate all its students, if it had sufficiently large recitation rooms, used for that purpose only, which could be reached easily and quietly, its work would be freed from the hindrances above spoken of, and would presumably be better done.
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