USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1904-1906 > Part 12
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Arlington Five Cents Savings Bank, Book No. 15102 354 00
$5,354 00
WARREN W. RAWSON, GEORGE I. DOE, JAMES A. BAILEY, JR., WILLIAM A. MULLER, Trustees, ex officio.
REPORTS OF
Consolidated Board of Trustees of Robbins Fund, Soldiers' Monument Fund, Trustees of Cemeteries and Samuel C. Buckman Fund.
ARLINGTON, January 15, 1905.
The Consolidated Board of Trustees of the Robbins Fund, Soldiers' Monument Fund, Samuel C. Buckman Fund and Trustees of Cemeteries herewith submit their report for the year ending December 31, 1904.
The sale on lots and graves and the interments for the year are as follows : -
Number of lots sold,
21
Number of single graves sold,
19
Interments in private lots,
87
Interments in single graves,
17
Interments in public lots,
6
Total interments, 110
RECEIPTS.
Outstanding Dec. 31, 1903,
$1,376 50
Unexpended balance in Town Treas-
ury,
34 46
Appropriation,
2,600 00
Care of lots,
1,188 00
New lots,
1,520 00
Amount carried forward,
$6,718 96
198
CONSOLIDATED BOARD.
Amount brought forward,
$6,718 96
Opening graves, grading lots, etc.
653 20
Brick graves,
116 00
Foundations,
132 20
Evergreen,
65 00
Robbins Fund,
376 00
Soldiers' Monument Fund,
85 50
Perpetual Care Fund,
406 75
Samuel C. Buckman Cemetery Fund,
70 61
Total receipts,
$8,624 22
DISBURSEMENTS.
Labor,
$2,551 08
Incidentals,
2,607 10
Bills abated,
103 50
Total disbursements,
5,261 68
Balance,
$3,362 54
Accounts receivable Dec. 31, 1904, $1,523 70
Balance with Town Treasurer,
1,838 84
$3,362 54
ROBBINS FUND.
Amount of this fund deposited in the Arlington
Five Cents Savings Bank, (Book No. 6758) December 31, 1903,
$5,524 90
Interest for year ending December 31, 1904,
195 04
Total, $5,719 94
Amount paid to Trustees of Cemeteries, expended in 1904, 376 00
Balance in Fund December 31, 1904, $5,343 94
199
CONSOLIDATED BOARD.
PERPETUAL CARE FUND.
Amount of this Fund deposited in the Arlington
Five Cents Savings Bank, (Book No. 8982), December 31, 1903,
$11,311 63
Received from Daniel Wyman,
200 00
M. A. Stanton,
200 00
66
Henry Swan,
200 00
66
William Macfarlane,
200 00
66
Mrs. David Puffer,
200 00
66
66 Varnum Frost,
200 00
66 Mrs. J. S. Potter,
200 00
Estate of Abigail Cutter, 400 00
$13,111 63
Interest to December 31, 1904,
466 30
Total, $13,577 93
AMOUNT EXPENDED IN 1904.
To Trustees of Cemeteries, amount expended on lots in 1904, 406 75
Balance in this Fund December 31, 1904, $13,171 18
PRESENT INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.
Town of Arlington, 20 year Note, 4 per cent. (Henderson street Sewer Loan), $10,500 00
Arlington Five Cents Savings Bank, Book No. 8982, 2,671 18
$13,171 18
200
CONSOLIDATED BOARD.
SAMUEL C. BUCKMAN CEMETERY FUND.
Balance in this Fund, December 31, 1903,
$2,000 00
Interest to December 31, 1904,
70 61
Total, $2,070 61
AMOUNT EXPENDED.
For care of neglected lots in 1904,
70 61
Amount in Arlington Five Cents Savings Bank,
Book No. 12248, December 31, 1904, $2,000 00
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT FUND.
Amount of this Fund deposited in Arlington Five
Cents Savings Bank, Book No. 6977, Dec. 31, 1903,
$3,018 70
Interest to December 31, 1904,
106 55
$3,125 25
AMOUNT EXPENDED.
Paid Cemeteries for care of grounds
for Soldiers' Monument and Sol-
diers' Lot in cemetery, $50 00
Peirce & Winn Co., for fertilizers and manure, 5 00
Grading Soldiers' Monument Grounds 7 00
N. E. Decorating Co.,
10 00
W. W. Rawson & Co., flowers and plants for Decoration Day, 13 50
85 50
Amount of this Fund, Dec. 31, 1904,
$3,039 75
201
CONSOLIDATED BOARD.
ARLINGTON, December 31, 1904.
I hereby certify that I have examined the accounts of the Cemetery Department and find the same correct, agreeing with the Auditor's books.
The funds invested have been examined and found as represented.
(Signed) ELBERT L. CHURCHILL, Auditor.
The past year we have completed the receiving vault, the total expense has come within our estimate of $2,500; there remain unpaid bills on this work amounting to $245, as we felt it necessary on two contracts to keep back a portion until we were satisfied that the work was right beyond a question.
The expenditure so far, amounts to $2,242.
We should lay out and grade another portion, say plots R and S, so that we can meet the demands for small lots, as this section has been reserved for four and six grave lots
The Committee of Twenty-one recommended an appropria- tion of $2,600 and the Town, at the annual Town Meeting, so voted, through a misunderstanding. It was more than we needed, so there is a balance of $1,852 to our credit, $245 of which should be re-appropriated for our unpaid bills on the receiving vault, and the balance can be used at the discretion of the Town.
DATA ON CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW RECEIV- ING VAULT, MT. PLEASANT CEMETERY.
Work was begun in October, 1903.
Dimensions of the tomb (inside) 16 x 24 ft., and 9} ft. at centre of dome. Walls built of 16 in. thick, blue stone and ledge stone laid in Portland cement mortar and plastered on the inside with Portland cement, sand finish.
Portland cement arch, waterproof with asphalt and cold tar forming roof of tomb.
Granite facing walls of light Barre stone, laid as rock face ashlur with hammered coping, ceiling stone and cap stone of same granite. Inside floor of tomb, artificial stone, also ap- proach from driveway of same material.
Doors : - Of standard bronze plate hung on wrought iron frames 7 ft. high by 6 ft. 5 in. wide, supplied by Murdock Corporation, of Boston. Copper ventilator and light shaft fur- nished by Badger & Son, of Boston. Excavation and grading by the Cemetery Department.
Walls built under the contract of William H. Bradeen, of Arlington.
Concrete arch, artificial stone flooring and plastering of walls of tomb and vestibule, laid by J. E. Herrick, Jr., of Woburn, Mass.
Finish of inside of arch by Aberthaw Construction Co., of Boston.
Granite facing walls by George R. Dugad & Co., of South Boston.
Artificial stone walk by George H. Lowe, of Arlington.
Wooden frames for laying concrete made by William Gratto, of Arlington.
The total cost of the work has been $2,487.
1
203
CONSOLIDATED BOARD.
We shall not need any appropriation this year. Onr receipts will be enough to pay expenses unless we should decide to grade another portion, when the principal part of the expense will be for the park filling and we might need a small amount for the purchase of loam and macadamizing. Also, we may decide to make the water connection in the new part, which will require about $600.
We are of the opinion that the best interest of the Town would be the purchase of additional lands adjoining Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which seems to have been left for this special purpose, and as it is now almost entirely unoccupied, we recom- mend the purchase or taking of about twelve acres, as we believe that in a few years this land will be developed for building purposes and that will make it very expensive. We shall need it in at least twenty years, and under the circum- stances, it does seem a wise thing to do.
For report of conditions of the several funds, and receipts and disbursements of cemeteries, see schedule above.
WARREN A. PEIRCE,
GEORGE G. ALLEN, J. EDWIN KIMBALL.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ROBBINS LIBRARY.
To the Town of Arlington : -
The Trustees of the Robbins Library submit their annual report.
We wish to draw attention to the improved appearance of the Library grounds owing to grading of the lawn, which throws the water away from the building instead of towards it as heretofore. We are glad to report a material increase in the number of books taken, 44,434 for 1904 as against 42,735 for 1903. At the Library at the Centre, 2,552 more volumes were taken than last year.
The children's room has been better patronized than ever, though the number of books taken has fallen off. The child- ren find many attractions in this part of the Library as their 4,598 visits to it testify.
The use of the reading rooms also shows a gain both on week-days and Sundays, the average for week days being 59 this year as against 52 last year, and 47 against 43 for Sunday attendance.
The Library has been greatly crippled during the past year by a loss of $600 in its income, most of which was due to a cut in the appropriation. As the last bills to be paid are for the purchase of books it will be easily seen how unable the Trus- tees are to meet the wants of the town when only $250 are left for this purpose, - as was the case this year. Fixed charges, such as services, heating, lighting and repairs, must be met first. Then come subscriptions and binding, with various sup- plies, printing, express, etc., and finally the purchase of books.
205
TRUSTEES OF ROBBINS LIBRARY.
We regret to say that fewer books were bought this year for the use of the whole town than many persons have added to their own libraries. Quite a number of books bought late in 1903 were not catalogued until some months had passed, other- wise the scarcity of new books would have been even more seri- ously felt.
We have continued to give exhibitions of photographs, etc., in addition to those hitherto reported.
January.
32. Photographs of Canterbury, England.
February and March.
33. Photographs of Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, No. 2.
April and May.
34. Prang Platinettes.
June.
35. Photographs of New England Towns.
July.
36. Photographs of Venice, No. 4.
September.
37. Photographs of the Passion Play at Ober-Ammergau in 1900, with scenery of Upper Bavaria.
October and November.
38. Color Photographs of Switzerland, No. 1.
November and December.
39. Photographs of the Land of Evangeline.
December and January.
40. Elson Prints.
206
TRUSTEES OF ROBBINS LIBRARY.
The Library has been enriched by the gift of books from President Harper, Mr. Winfield Robbins, Mrs. Charles O. Gage, Mr. Charles S. Parker, Mrs. Omar W. Whittemore, Miss Beatrice E. Spurr, Miss Kate Roberts and Carlton Mark- ham.
The Editors of the Advocate have continued to send a file of that paper.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL C. BUSHNELL,
E. NELSON BLAKE, JOSEPH C. HOLMES, CHARLES A. KEEGAN, JAMES P. PARMENTER, ARTHUR J. WELLINGTON.
Trustees.
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
LIBRARY HOURS.
SUNDAY .- Reading Room, 2.30 to 5.30 P. M.
MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY .- Reading Room, 10 to 12 A. M., 1 to 6 and 7 to 9 P. M. Book Room, 1 to 6 P. M. Children's Room, 1 to 6 P. M.
WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY .- Reading Room, 10 to 12 A. M., and 1 to 9 P. M. Book Room, 1 to 9 P. M. Child- ren's Room, 1 to 6 P. M.
Library is closed on Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memorial Day, Seventeenth of June, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
LIBRARY HOURS, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS READING ROOM.
TUESDAY AND SATURDAY .- 1.30 to 6, 7 to 9 P. M.
THURSDAY .- 3 to 6, 7 to 9 P. M.
Books left at the Reading Room on Tuesday and Saturday between the hours of 1.30 and 3.30 P. M. will be exchanged, and books will be ready for delivery from 7 to 9 P. M. of the same day. .
Books not left at the Reading Room on or before 3.30 P. M. on the days when due will be subject to fine.
STATISTICS.
Number of volumes in the Library, Jan. 1, 1905, 19,786
Increase during the year 1904 : -
Circulation and reference departments,
717
Arlington Heights Reading Room, periodicals,
37
754
208
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
75
Number of periodicals subscribed for,
" periodicals given, 10
66 " newspapers subscribed for, 6
66 " books and single copies of magazines loaned, including those sent to Arling- ton Heights, 44,434
Number loaned from Children's Room, 10,372
Number of magazines loaned, 2,664
Largest number of books and magazines delivered in one day, . 424
Number not returned to the Library, from Jan. 1, 1904, to Jan. 1, 1905. 10
Average Sunday attendance of the Reading Room, 47
Average Sunday attendance of the Children's Room, 29
Average daily attendance of the Reading Room, 59
Average daily attendance of the Children's Room, 15
Number of new names registered during the year, 514
Number of volumes in Arlington Heights Reading Room, Jan. 1, 1905, 443
Number of periodicals subscribed for, 21
Number of books and magazines sent by basket from Centre in 1904, 2,862
Number of magazines loaned from Arlington Heights Reading Room, 1,396
Number not returned, from Jan. 1, 1904, to Jan. 1, 1905, 0
Fines paid to the Town Treasurer in 1904, $272.91
Amount paid to the Town Treasurer for sale of catalogues, $7.40
209
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
LIST OF PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS.
Amateur Work.
American Monthly Review of Reviews. Architectural Record.
Arena.
Arlington High School Clar- ion.
Atlantic Monthly. Bird Lore.
Birds and Nature.
Bookman.
Boston Cooking School Mag- azine.
Brochure Series of Architec- tural Illustration.
Century.
Chautauquan.
Christian Endeavor World. Club Woman. Congressional Record .*
Cook's Excursionist .*
Cosmopolitan.
Critic.
Cumulative Index.
Current Literature. Delineator.
Educational Review. Etude.
Federation Bulletin.
Forum.
Good Housekeeping. Good Roads Magazine. Handicraft.
Harper's Bazar.
Harper's Monthly.
Harper's Weekly. Harvard University Calen- dar.
Historic Leaves.
Home Science Magazine.
House Beautiful.
Illustrated London News.
Independent. Indian's Friend.
International Quarterly.
Journal of Education.
Journal of Ethics.
Lamp. Library Journal. Life.
Lippincott's Magazine.
Literary News .*
Literary World.
Little Folks.
Living Age.
McClure's Magazine.
Masters in Art.
Masters in Music.
210
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
Munsey's Magazine. Musical Courier.
Nation.
New England Homestead.
New England Magazine.
Studio.
Nineteenth Century.
North American Review.
Temple Bar
Official Gazette, U. S. Pat- ent Office. *
Tuftonian. *
Our Dumb Animals.
Tufts Weekly .*
Outing. Outlook.
Week's Progress.
Worcester Magazine .*
Perry Magazine.
World's Work.
Photo Era.
Young Idea.
Popular Science Monthly.
Youth.
Public Libraries.
Youth's Companion.
* Given to the Library.
NEWSPAPERS.
Arlington Advocate.
Boston Daily Advertiser.
Boston Evening Transcript.
New England Farmer.
New York Times, with Sat- urday Review of books and art.
Springfield Weekly Republi- can.
We have received reports or bulletins, or both, from the public libraries of the following places : - Baltimore, Md., (Enoch Pratt Free Library ) ; Boston ; Brookline ; Cambridge ; Chelsea, (Fitz Library) ; Clinton, (Bigelow Free Public Library) ; Hartford, Conn. ; Helena, Mont. ; Lancaster ; Lex- ington, (Cary Library) ; Manchester, N. H. ; Massachusetts,
St. Nicholas. Scientific American. Scribner's Magazine. Spectator.
Success. Technology Review .*
211
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT.
(State Library) ; Milton ; New York ; Newton ; Philadelphia, Pa. ; Providence, R. I .; St. Louis, Mo., (Mercantile Library Association) ; Salem ; Somerville ; Syracuse, N. Y. ; Water- town; Wilkes-Barre, Pa., (Osterhout Free Library) ; Win- chester ; Woburn ; Worcester.
Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH J. NEWTON, Librarian.
Arlington, December 31, 1904.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
December 31, 1904.
To the Town of Arlington : -
Your Committee deemed it wise, as suggested in their last annual report, to relieve Mr. Sutcliffe from all duties other than those appertaining directly to the Superintendency, and will be gratified if their action in this respect results in an increased efficiency in the general conduct of the schools of Arlington. It is of great importance to have uniform methods pursued in the different grammar schools that all scholars may reach the ninth grade well fitted to pursue the studies taught in the High School building.
At the annual meeting of the Board, Mr. Walter A. Robin- son was elected Secretary of the Committee.
Miss Jennie S. Westcott was engaged as Principal of the Russell School and assumed her duties at the opening of the fall term.
The liberal appropriations made by the Town for the erec- tion of the William E. Parmenter School and the renovation of the Russell School building enabled the special committees, having these important projects in charge, to furnish the School Committee with increased and improved accommoda- tions which were greatly needed.
Three of the four rooms in the new building are in use, ninety-seven scholars being enrolled. By the generous action of Judge James P. Parmenter a portrait of our distinguished townsman, for whom the school was named, hangs in the main corridor of the William E. Parmenter building.
213
SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
The thoughtful suggestion of a member of the Committee has resulted, through the courtesy of the Trustees of the Pratt Fund, in the placing of a portrait of Mr. Pratt in Cotting Hall in the High School building.
H. G. PORTER,
Chairman.
SCHOOLS.
Total salaries paid Teachers,
$36,208 32
" Janitors,
3,633 36
GENERAL EXPENSES.
Classified as to schools.
High School.
Fuel,
$893 06
Janitor's Supplies, .
75 80
Repairs,
666 02
Lights,
61 49
Laundry,
1 35
Furnishings,
59 40
Telephones,
25 70
1,782 82
Russell School.
Fuel,
$606 15
Janitor's Supplies,
60 14
Repairs,
252 08
Lights,
31 81
Laundry,
10 00
Telephones,
21 66
981 84
214
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Crosby School.
Fuel,
$757 21
Janitor's Supplies,
48 48
Repairs,
156 54
Lights,
27 56
Laundry,
9 60
Furnishings,
80 00
Telephones,
16 78
1,096 17
Cutter School.
Fuel,
$822 32
Janitor's Supplies,
52 45
Repairs,
178 02
Lights,
11 64
Laundry,
16 75
Furnishings,
7 50
Telephones,
21 85
1,110 53
Locke School.
Fuel,
$598 24
Janitor's Supplies,
77 81
Repairs,
246 71
Lights,
8 24
Laundry,
15 18
Furnishings,
8 64
Telephones,
11 76
966 58
William E. Parmenter School.
Fuel,
$304 86
Janitor's Supplies,
102 78
Lights,
2 00
Telephones,
6 17
415 81
215
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TOTAL FOR TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
Text Books and Supplies $3,749 07
Gift Books (from Blake Fund) 92 77
Books of Reference, Apparatus and Lectures (from Pratt Fund ) 1,111 91
Manual Training, 201 44
Sundries, including expenses for High School Graduation, 676 46
Special Repairs, Crosby School, Dam- age by Lightning, 435 00
Total spent,
52,462 08
Balances on hand, Repairs,
63
Supplies,
3 53
$52,466 24
Appropriated by Town, General,
$48,600 00
Repairs,
1,500 00
From Blake Fund,
92 77
From Pratt Fund,
1,111 91
From Martha M. W. Russell Fund,
511 41
From William Cutter Fund,
215 15
From Insurance Companies, Damage
on Crosby School,
435 00
$52,466 24
216
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL STATISTICS FROM SEPTEMBER, 1903, TO JUNE, 1904.
SCHOOLS.
GRADE.
Number
Enrolled.
Number
June, 1904.
Average
Member-
ship.
Average
Daily At-
tendance.
Per cent.
of Attend-
Belonging
Dec. 23, 1904
HIGH SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
IX. A.
33
31
32.
30.2
94.4
35
IX. B ..
32
32
31.1
29.8
95.
35
IX. C.
35
30
32.4
29.6
94.4
35
RUSSELL SCHOOL .
VIII. VII.
46
38
44.2
37.6
82.4
A. 44
VII. and VI ...
44
38
40.6
37.2
91.4
B. 39
VI
48
42
43.6
38.
S7.4
47
V
50
48
47.3
43.2
91.2
47
IV
51
46
47.9
41.3
86.2
46
51
44
48.1
44.6
92.8
46
49
44
45.6
41.2
90.2
32
35
31
31.5
28.6
90.5
40
39
38.6
34.7
89.5
34
38
36
34.6
30.
87.7
37
38
34
33.6
31.
92.
33
CROSBY
SCHOOL
VIII.
32
22
26.
24.
91.
19
32
26
27.2
25.2
92.7
24
29
27
27.2
25.1
92.
33
42
33
35.2
31.8
90.3
28
36
33
32.4
29.3
90.5
37
38
35
34.3
31.8
92.7
44
53
46
45.9
40.2
86.5
34
44
39
38.9
32.9
84.6
46
CUTTER
SCHOOL
VIII. and VII.
38
35
35.7
30.5
93.7
VIII.20
VI.
41
37
38.5
36.8
94.7
VII. 33
32
30
31.7
27.9
90.8
VI. 30
39
38
36.7
34.5
93.4
V.
35
66
66
III.
32
26
27.8
26.
94.
IV.
31
43
40
39.2
36.6
94.8
III. 31
66
I ..
54
51
51.
45.8
89.5
II.
47
LOCKE
SCHOOL
VIII.
33
30
31.
29.4
94.5
24
VII.
25
21
21.9
18.4
86.6
36
VI.
48
42
43.
40.5
93.2
34
V.
47
41
42.
38.6
91.9
45
66
IV.
44
41
39 8
36.9
92.6
43
66
III ..
47
45
44.3
40.5
91.2
40
II.
49
46
46.2
42.4
91.7
52
66
I.
46
42
39.9
35.4
28.5
41
PARMENTER SCHOOL.
IV. and III ..
II
. .
....
....
....
31
..
....
....
...
34
TOTALS
1732
1556
1589 5
1441.1
90.1
1681
...
...
...
. .
II.
I.
I ...
VII.
VI.
V.
IV.
III
II ..
66
I ..
V.
..
..
..
...
..
I.
38
66
IV. and III ...
III
55
46
49.6
45.6
91.5
40
66
165
151
154.
147.
95.8
159
..
Number
ance.
. .
....
....
....
34
66
IV
II
66
II.
217
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Arlington : -
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : - For a period extending over nearly ten years there has been no report of the Superinden- dent of Schools; such matters as are usually found there being contained in the Committee's report to the Town.
During this period there have been many changes in the corps of teachers, the extention of certain lines of work, and the erection of substantial and handsome buildings to replace those no longer adequate for the purpose. The most recent addition being the Parmenter School, which is affording safe and pleasing school privileges near the pupils homes as well as giving that needed relief to the Russell School for which the Committee have so long been asking.
At the close of the year 1895, during the fall term of which the ninth grades were in the High School building, the number of pupils in the respective schools was as follows : -
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
High School Bldg
181
171
191
207
223
208
232
242
252
250
Russell
*433
420
431
440
490
518
542
591
561
519
Crosby
112
203
243
260
280
Cutter
162
169
190
193
193
254 206
283 230
241
314
281
Locke
147
185
185
198
210
252
295
327
333
319
1035
5 1148 1240 1298 1396 1438 1582 1711
1789 1633
310
329
204
These figures indicate the number of pupils who were actually members of the schools at the close of the year. Owing to the change in the State laws, the school year being
*This number included the Kindergarten.
218
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
contained within the months of September and June, the pupils belonging to the schools show a decrease in the years 1903 and 1904. There has been no real decrease owing to the fact that the number belonging at the close of June has been reduced by the withdrawal of pupils on account of absence from town, loss of membership because of sickness and a variety of other reasons which do not give the total number of pupils enrolled. On the contrary there has been a steady, though not phenomenal, growth in the number of pupils attend- ing during the past ten years. In the total number the in- crease has been sixty per cent, but in the Locke School district during the same time, the increase has been over one hundred per cent. During this time, it is fair to say, that a modern eight room building has taken the place of one of only half its capactiy, but the increase has been steady and not fluctuating. The number of pupils entering each September has constantly tested the accommodation provided and a delay of only a short time would interrupt the present plan of grad- ing in that school, which has been so satisfactory. I, therefore, recommend the attention of the Committee to that condition. If we consider that a school of two hundred pupils is a large school, a slight examination of the table will show that the Crosby, Cutter and Locke Schools are far beyond that point. With the responsibility of fitting the eight grade pupils, the multiplicity of duties that devolve upon the principals, I believe it is in the interests of those schools that they be granted an assistant and that the improved results will warrant the ex- pense. I, therefore, ask you to give attention to this point. In speaking of those subjects immediately in the charge of a specialist, I desire to confine myself to two, viz : the sewing and manual training. Sewing has been taught in the schools now quite ten years and was originally planned for a four years' course. This, beginning in the fifth grade, has now been ex-
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tended to a five years' course, with double the time given to classes in the ninth grade. The course has entirely changed, due to the increased knowledge on the teacher's part of what the pupil could accomplish and the increased facility on the part of the pupil. With this broadening of the course has come an increased number of grades for the special teacher to visit, and because of it the teaching time has been extended from three days to twenty-four and one-quarter hours of actual teaching in four days' time. As bearing upon the question of full time to the sewing teacher, it is well to take into consider- ation the hours which certain classes must attend the manual training school. Four classes, from the Russell School now go at eight o'clock in the morning and as far as possible, in order not to conflict with the time of other special teachers, two classes in sewing report at the same time.
By giving full time to both the sewing and manual training teachers an arrangement could be made that would avoid this, to me, undesirable condition. What has been said concerning the development of the course in sewing is equally true of the manual training. The number of pupils has a little more than doubled while the instructor's time has not been kept in the same ratio. This difference has been obviated to some extent by changing from individual to class instruction. I look for- ward, however, to the time when the population and the wealth of the Town will warrant a manual training school, with a strong technical, business, mathematical and modern language course, provided for in a home of its own. One suggestion for the im- provement of the manual training work is that the mechanical drawing of the boys in the fifth and sixth grade be carefully re- vised, especially with reference to the working models of the manual training school.
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