USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Hamilton > Town of Hamilton Annual Report 1896 > Part 2
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Ira A. Dunnels, express, 2 00
E. A. Wright, transportation teacher, North school, 3 25
Lewis H. Bradstreet, truant officer,
4 00
Arthur W. Chandler, cash paid clean- ing South school house, 2 00
Arthur W. Chandler, expense on acct. of teacher. 2 50
Albert L. Whipple, expense on account of teacher, 5 00
Albert L. Whipple, purchashing agent,
10 00
George K. Knowlton, expense on ac- count of teachers,
11 00
George K. Knowlton, expense on ac- count of school furniture, 4 00
George K. Knowlton, expense on ac-
count of high school scholars, 2 00
George K. Knowlton, repairs, 4 05
George K. Knowlton, express and pos- tage, 1 25
George K. Knowlton, school census, 5 00
$248 51
INSURANCE.
Amount insured, South school house, $2,000 00
Centre school house, 900 00
West school house, 800 00
North school house,
700 00
East school house, 700 00
Full amount of insurance,
$5,100 00
Premium,
112 20
Dividend,
47 30
Paid for insurance to May 12, 1898, 64 90
34
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
SUMMARY.
GROSS RECEIPTS FOR ALL SCHOOL PURPOSES.
Appropriation for schools,
$2,500 00
Appropriation tuition high school
scholars.
540 00
Dog licenses, 148 00
Massachusetts school fund,
235 35
Balance Mass. school fund, 1894, 180 07
From general appropriation,
136 67
$3,740 09
GROSS EXPENDITURES FOR ALL SCHOOL PURPOSES.
Paid teachers, $2,318 10
Care of school houses,
100 68
Fuel,
139 98
Tuition high school scholars.
485 88
School supplies.
326 04
Transportation of scholars,
56 00
Miscellaneous,
248 51
Insurance
64 90
$3,740 09
SCHOLARS ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL.
BEVERLY.
Mollie Smith, entered September, 1894.
Florence M. Blake,.
66
Catherine T. Robinson,
1895.
Albert L. Smith.
..
66 66
Edith M. Gibson,
February, 1896.
35
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
IPSWICH.
Mabelle C. Barker.
entered September, 1895.
SALEM.
Scholars continuing their studies, having entered by permission of the school committee of 1894-5.
Bertha M. Dodge. Ethel L. Dane,
Martha Robinson, Mary B. Hobbs,
Roy W. Whipple.
ESTIMATE FOR SCHOOLS.
The committee present the following estimate of the amount of money needed from the town to carry on the present number of schools for the year 1896-7.
Amount for payment of teachers, care of houses, and fuel, $2,500 00
Text books and school supplies, 400 00
Small repairs and miscellaneous, 175 00
Incidentals for school rooms,
25 00
$3,100 00
FOR HIGH SCHOOL TUITION.
Beverly,
135 00
Ipswich,
25 00
Salem,
250 00
410 00
Amount for all school purposes,
$3,510 00
36
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
STATISTICAL TABLE.
From April 1, 1895, to February 28, 1896, 36 weeks. School attendance, to February 21, 1896, 35 weeks.
SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL.
Teacher, Miss Grace M. Chadbourne.
Wages of teacher per month.
Spring term. $36 00
Fall term. $36 00
Winter term. $36 00
Length of term in months.
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils,
45
46
48
Average membership.
38
44
44
Average attendance,
35
41
38
No. of pupils between 8 and 14
years of age,
17
18
21
No. of pupils under 8 years of age,
28
28
27
SOUTH GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Teachers, Miss Nellie A. Kinsman, spring term.
66 Adelaide A. Keith, fall and winter.
Hattie S. Tarr. assistant, winter.
Spring term. $40 00
Fall term. $44 00
Winter term. $44 00 32 00
Wages of teacher per month,
Wages of assistant per month,
Length of term in months,
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils.
37
43
41
Average membership,
35
40
38
Average attendance,
31
37
34
No. of pupils over 15 yrs. of age,
2
4
5
No. between 8 and 14, .. .. ..
35
39
36
37
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
EAST SCHOOL.
Teacher, Miss S. Nellie Henderson, spring term. .. Edith M. Arnold, fall and winter.
Spring term. $36 00
Full $36 00
Winter term. $36 00
Wages of teacher per month,
Length of term in months,
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils.
34
32
33
Average membership,
31
31
25
Average attendance.
29
27
18
No. of pupils over 15 yrs. of age,
0
0)
2
No. between 8 and 14 « « 66
26
24
23
No. under 8 yrs. of age,
8
8
8
CENTRE SCHOOL.
Teachers, Miss Grace A. Knowlton, spring and fall terms. Maidee P. Polleys, winter term.
Wages of teachers per month,
Spring term. $36 00
Fall term. $36 00
Winter term. 836 00
Length of term in months.
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils,
18
18
22
Average membership.
18
18
20
Average attendance,
16
15
15
No. of pupils over 15 yrs. of age,
0
0
1
No. between 8 and 14 « .. ..
8
9
11
No. under 8 yrs. of age,
8
5
5
NORTH SCHOOL.
Teacher, Miss Jessie M. Doty,
Spring term. $36 00
Fall term. $36 00
Winter term. $36 00
Wages of teachers per month,
Length of term in months,
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils,
18
20
23
Average membership,
15
19
19
38
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
NORTH SCHOOL-CONTINUED.
Spring term.
Fall terni.
Winter term.
Average attendance,
14
17
17
No. of pupils over 15 yrs. of age,
0
0
2
No. between 8 and 14 .. .. ..
11
14
14
No. under 8 yrs. of age.
7
6
7
WEST SCHOOL.
Teachers, Everett A. Smith, spring term.
66 Miss Cora P. Harwood, fall term.
Carrie G. Hill. fall and winter.
Wages of teachers per month,
Spring term $36 00
Fall term. $36 00
Winter term. $36 00
Length of term in months,
3 1-4
2 3-4
3
Whole number of pupils.
28
35
30
Average membership,
22
31
28
Average attendance,
23
26
20
No. of pupils over 15 yrs. of age,
0
1
2
No. between 8 and 14 « . ..
17
22
20
No. under 8 yrs. of age,
11
12
8
Population of the town May 1, 1895,
1356
Number of children between the ages of 5 and 15, 194
Your committee entered their official work under pe- culiar circumstances. At the annual town meeting held in March, 1895, two new members were elected on the board of school committee, one to take the place of a member whose term of office expired and the other to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of one who had removed from town. Soon after the meeting was held the remaining member of the old board resigned. This vacancy was filled, as provided
39
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
for by law, in the election of Mr. Arthur W. Chandler. No member of the previous year being on the new board, it was obliged to take up the work at some disadvantage. It was found that some material changes had been made in the management of the schools and those that were thought to be of value were retained.
Miss Lucy A. Gray, teacher of the South primary school, resigned her position, and Miss Grace M. Chadbourne, who had obtained valuable experience in the Quincy schools, was engaged to fill the situation. Miss Nellie A. Kinsman had charge of the South grammar school, with Miss Grace A. Knowlton, assistant, during the winter term. Miss Knowl- ton wished to take another school, and Miss Kinsman de- sired to try the spring term without an assistant, although told that she could have one if she wished. She said it was difficult to use an assistant to advantage without a recitation room. Mr. Everett A. Smith was retained in the Westschool; Miss Jessie M. Doty in the North school, and Miss S. Nel- lie Henderson in the East school. The Centre school, which had been closed during a large part of the winter term and the children transported to the North school, was again opened and placed in charge of Miss Grace A, Knowlton. Under these arrangements the schools were opened April 1, 1895 for the closing term of the school year, and which the committee decided should be thirteen weeks as planned by the previous committee, the term to close the last week in June.
During this term several teachers' meetings were held in order that the committee might come into direct official relations with all the teachers, receiving their reports of work in the several schools, and giving them instruction and en- couragement as might be needed. The teachers of the sev- eral schools were instructed that they need not spend two or three weeks of valuable time in getting up special exercises for examination day, but that they might simply show. the
40
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
committee, and others who might be present, some of their regular work.
The schools closed in the following order:
North school, Wednesday A. M., June 26. Whole num- ber of scholars present, 17; visitors present, 10. Classes deserving special mention for good recitations, fourth grade in language, seventh grade in geography, seventh grade in arithmetic, and the seventh grade in reading.
East school, Wednesday P. M. Scholars present, 28 ; visitors, 6. Deserving special mention, fourth grade in lan- guage, fifth and sixth grades in arithmetic. Perfect in at- tendance for the school year, Gertrude K. Weston, Sadie A. Dodge, Helen Dodge, Harold F. Morgan.
South Primary school, Thursday A. M., scholars present 33 ; visitors 14. Recitations in physiology and geography were exceptionally good.
South grammar school, Thursday P. M., scholars present 31 : visitors 16. The recitations were very commendable, and other exercises given were appreciated by all who were pres- ent. Perfect in attendance for the year. Ethel M. Roberts. Roll of honor for the term. Ethel M. Roberts, Ethel F. Blake. Nellie M. French, Sumner Redlon.
Center School, Friday A. M. Scholars present 13, visit- ors 1. The classes were small but gave very good recitations.
West School, Friday P. M. Scholars present, 21; visitors, 4. Deserving special mention, fifth grade in read- ing, ninth grade arithmetic, seventh grade geography, ninth grade physiology. seventh and eighth grades history, perfect in attendance for the school year, Ethel S. Adams, Rodney H. Adams. Jonathan Lamson. Albert F. Hart.
Your committee gave the High School matter a careful consideration. and. in order to have a system to work by, it was decided to select some one high school, which should be approved by the State Board of Education, and that all pupils from this town who wished to enter a high school.
41
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
under the provisions of the law of 1894, should attend that school. Provision, however, was made that in case any par- ent, or guardian, desired a scholar to attend some other than the school selected by the committee, they should make application in writing, stating their reasons therefor, and that such request should be considered by the committee in executive session. If the reasons were deemed to be good and sufficient, permission should be given on condition that the amount of tuition, to be paid by the town, should not exceed the amount charged for our own selected school.
Satisfactory arrangement was made with the city of Beverly to take all our scholars who should pass the exam- ination required of their own pupils for entrance to the High School, the sum of thirty dollars to be paid for the tuition of each pupil for the school year. During the summer vaca- tion a number of our scholars took examinations for admis- sion to this school, only two which were admitted. This be- ing somewhat of a surprise to the parents, and others, the committee were besieged with requests and petitions, sug- gesting, and calling for various plans for the management of the schools. A result of the agitation was the calling of a special town meeting, the principal object of which was to see if the town would raise and appropriate a sum of money sufficient to establish an additional school. This was de- cided in the negative.
The board of committee had been in office only during the closing term of the school year, and could not be ex- pected to see that the higher grades were fitted for the high school in that short time. But they gave much considera- tion to the matter and decided that the standard of teaching in our schools must be raised. To do this, meant a careful selec- tion of teachers of experience, and thorough qualifications for the school room, and this meant higher wages. As the place to test a teacher thoroughly is in the school room, it was decided to use, and possibly for the first time in the history
42
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
of the town, the teacher's certificate of qualifications as re- quired by law, and put every new teacher on a probationary period of one term for trial. As the committee of the pre- vious year had fallen into line with the desire of the State Board of Education to have all the public schools begin the school year in September, your committee arranged all their work on this plan.
Miss Kinsman had worked faithfully for more than a year in the South Grammar School. But finding the work too hard and perplexing she resigned her position at the close of the school year. After a careful examination of the qualifications of many teachers, Miss Adelaide A. Keith. a teacher of great experience, and a strict disciplinarian, was selected for that school.
Miss Chadbourne, who had been very successful in the South primary school, was engaged to continue her work there.
Mr. Everett A. Smith, who had taught several years in the West school, resigned his position at the close of the school year, and Miss Cora P. Harwood was elected to fill the place for one term trial, unfortunately she lost control of the school, and was not able to continue through the term. and Miss Carrie G. Hill was engaged to finish the term. which she did with good success.
Miss Doty was engaged to return to the North school where she had done excellent work.
Miss Henderson, whose work in the East school was very satisfactory; did not return as she decided to attend a school at Wilbraham.
Miss Knowlton continued her faithful work in the Cen- ter school.
Thus the schools opened and continued through the fall term.
No change of teachers was made for the winter term, except in the Center school, where Miss Maidee P. Polleys
43
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
was engaged for one trial term to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss Grace A. Knowlton at the close of the fall term.
The most perplexing problem the committee has had to deal with has been the proper management of the two South schools. Early in the fall it became apparent that more desks would very soon be needed in the primary, and pos- sibly in the grammar departments. Fourteen new desks were purchased for these two rooms. making pro- vision for forty-nine scholars in each room. This number is considered by the Board of Education as being too large for a single teacher, and was provided only as a matter of neces- sity.
After a careful consideration of existing conditions at the close of the fall term it was decided to put an assistant into the grammar school, and fit up and use the entry on the north side of the house for a temporary recitation room, and Miss Hattie S. Tarr was engaged as assistant teacher for the winter term.
The two schools are now doing as good work as can reasonably be expected under adverse circumstances.
There is constant addition to these schools and the only right solution of the matter is for room to be provided for an intermediate grade school.
Therefore, the committee reccommend that some action be taken at the next annual town meeting favorable to addi- tional school room.
While your committee makes no claim to perfection in the management of the schools the past year, it has tried in every ease to do what was thought to be for the best interest of the schools.
There is constant advancement all along the line of the public schools, a united press has awakened the peo- ple to the important fact of their being at the very founda- tion of our government, and the national flag floating over
44
SCHOOL CONMITTEE'S REPORT.
them tells its own story. With the abundant educational facilities at the present time, and constantly increasing, no child with ordinary mental power has any right to grow up without obtaining at least a fair common school education, and no parent or guardian has any right to in any way de- prive any child of such education.
A large amount of money is expended each year for the education of children, and to obtain the best possible re- sults from it is the work of those who have the supervision of the schools. The schools of the smaller towns do not as a rule, have the time and attention given to them that their importance demands. The Board of Education recognizing this are already looking to the passage of a law compelling a superintendency of the public schools throughout the State.
When our schools close in June we shall be able to learn what advancement has been made during the school year.
The school houses are in good condition and will re- quire no large expenditure of money, except the Centre house which needs new seats, and possibly a new floor. If the town shall decide to do this an appropriation of at least two hundred dollars will be needed.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE K. KNOWLTON,
ALBERT L. WHIPPLE,
ARTHUR W. CHANDLER.
School Committee.
45
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
TRUANT OFFICERS' REPORT.
To the School Committee of Hamilton :
Gentlemen :- I have attended to the duty of truant of- ficer in the case of one boy who was on the streets, and around the school grounds several times during school hours. Also, in the case of several boys who were at the golf grounds in this town during school hours. Made four calls on parents about children being absent from school.
LEWIS H. BRADSTREET, Truant Officer.
Hamilton, Feb. 28, 1896.
To the School Committee of Hamilton :
Gentlemen :- I have attended to the duty of truant of- ficer in the case of one boy being absent from school.
CHARLES E. WHIPPLE, Truant Officer.
Hamilton, Feb. 28, 1896.
Calendar for the school year 1895=6, as arranged by the present School Committee.
Fall term, (11 weeks), Opens September 9, 1895. Closes November 22, 1895.
Winter term, (15 weeks), Opens December 2, 1895. Closes March 20, 1896.
Spring term, ( 10 weeks ), Opens April 6, 1895. Closes June 12, 1896.
HAMILTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
TRUSTEES' REPORT.
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Hamilton.
The Trustees of the Public Library respectfully report: The number of books in the library has increased very rapidly and the question of accommodations will come to the front in a short time. Already a large number of books which are little read have been taken from their places on the shelves to make room for new books. The Trustees would therefor advise that the Town should provide suitable quarters for the library. A table giving the usual information in regard to the library is appended to this report.
FRANK V. WRIGHT,
ARTHUR L. DEVENS, Trustees. AUGUSTUS P. GARDNER,
Books in Library March 1895,
1731
Books added since,
233
Books in Library March 1896,
1964
Books issued during the year,
3163
Fiction,
2871
History,
218
Cards issued since March 1895,
72
Cards issued since Library opened,
522
Amount collected from fines,
$5.32
Amount paid express and small expenses,
$4.55
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