USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1878-1879 > Part 14
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The general or scientific course so far transcends all other purposes of the public school, that its successful accomplish- ment should entitle the pupil to the highest school honors the city can confer.
To this end it should be definitely arranged according to the logical dependence of the branches pursued, and should admit of no doubt or option in the child's mind as to the importance of thorough mastery of the work assigned.
All pupils need not be required to complete suchi a course, sufficient cause excusing them therefrom; and such pupils could receive a diploma stating the exact ground passed over. But that such a course should be properly mapped out for them we think is beyond the shadow of a question.
Living in an age when the startling discoveries of every day not only open up new fields of investigation, but throw their illuminating rays far back upon the obscure past, it is the clear right of the pupil to be put in full accord with all the best methods and thoughts of his time. There is ample time for this, if he begins aright, and does not waste his ener- gies upon fruitless tasks.
With the excellent art-room, philosophical and chemical laboratories, generously provided by the city, and the natural history cabinets (yet to be completed), the advantages of our High-school pupils for a superior practical education cannot easily be surpassed.
100
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, the condition of the schools is such as to command the hearty support of this Board and the full sym- pathy of the citizens by whom and for whom they are sus- tained. Notwithstanding occasional errors and temporary failure of success as a body, the faithful teachers intrusted with the education of the youth of the city are entitled to your fullest confidence.
In order to increase their efficiency, to enable them to attain more nearly their own ideal standard of excellence, it only remains for me to ask that the same generous, liberal, honorable treatment, that has ever characterized all your relations with them, be continued.
E. HUNT, Superintendent. Nov. 26, 1879.
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
STATISTICS.
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
Department. Class.
Whole No. of
the Year.
Average
Average
No. of Pupils
under 5.
No. of Pupils over 15.
High School.
282
253.2 232.7 -
249
Francis A. Waterhouse
Ezra W. Sampson
John F. Kent
S. Warren Davis 1
66
66
Carrie Spear
66
M. Abby Smith
Mattie E. Foote
Special Teachers.
Jennie E. Ireson .
Calisthenics,
Elocution.
R. G. Carter
Milit. Drill.
Mrs. Emma F. Bowler .
Drawing.
District No. 1.
916
744.5
688.8
8 45
Albert L. Harwood .
Master.
Mason School.
Mary L. Searle
Head Assist. Assistant.
8, 9
Emma I. Henshaw
7
Maria F. Wood
66
6
Kate Taylor
66
4
Lottie P. Harbach
66
3
Ellena H. Thompson
66
2
Ellen M. Cook.
66
1
Prospect School.
Martha L. Perkins
Head Assist.
8,9
Marion M. Miller .
Assistant.
6, 7
Ella F. Crooker
4,5
Helen Norwood
66
3, 4
Lizzie W. Everett
66
2
Mary P. Fanning .
1
Hyde School.
Lilla M. Means
Principal.
5,6
Cevilla R. Richardson
Assistant.
3, 4
Alotta E. Stearns
1, 2
Oak-Hill School.
Mary E. Minter
Principal.
1, 2,4,5,7,8
Pupils during
Whole No.
Attendance.
Master. Sub-Master. Assistant.
S. Alice Worcester
66
M. Isabel Hanson
66
5
Hannah H. Taft
66
1 Substitute for Miss Hanson.
102
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
Department.
Class.
Whole No. of
Pupils during
the Year.
Average
Average
No. of Pupils
under 5.
No. of Pupils over 15.
Thompsonville School. Helen A. Davis
Principal.
1, 2,3
District No. 2.
380
306.3
287
6
25
Luther E. Leland
Master.
Hamilton School.
Ellen M. Leland
Head Assist.
6, 7,9
Anna G. Swain
Carrie L. Kimball
Assistant. 66
1, 2,3
Williams School.
Elizabeth A. Pinnock .
Head Assist. Assistant.
8,9
Phebe W. Bunker
6,7
Ella F. Brown .
4, 5
Susan E. Copeland
66
2,3
Ann B. Smith .
1
District No. 3.
930
770.2
705.6
3
55
Levi F. Warren
Master.
Peirce School.
Sarah A. Warren
Head Assist.
8,9
Mary J. Pickering
Assistant. 66
7,8
Eliza E. Simmons
6
Elizabeth F. Paddock
5,6
Davis School.
Ella G. Bates
Principal. Assistant. 66
2,3
Sarah E. Foster
66
1
Franklin School.
Emma J. Thompson
Principal. Assistant.
2, 3
Mary E. Tufts .
1
Adams School.
Jennie L. Morehouse
Head Assist.
9
Abby J. Warner .
Assistant.
8
Estella M. Haynes
3, 4
Lydia A. Brierly .
66
1, 2
Claflin School.
Alice Pitts.
Principal.
6, 7
Lilla T. Wilder
Assistant.
5
Mary R. Ware
66
3, 4
Lizzie Flint .
1,2
District No. 4.
889
717.5
626. 8
4
36
H. Chapin Sawin .
Master.
6
Calista S. Wood
4
Lucy E. Davis .
4, 5
Susan P. Richmond
4,5
Sarah H. Jumper
Whole No.
Attendance.
103
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
NAMES OF TEACHERS.
Department.
Class.
Whole No. of
Pupils during
the Year.
Average
Average
Attendance.
No. of Pupils under 5.
No. of Pupils over 15.
Bigelow School.
Clara C. Prince
Head Assist. Assistant.
8,9
Eudora Sanford
8
Martha M. Bakeman
66
-1 00
S. Louise Shelton
66
6
Josephine H. Waters
Anna F. Gage .
66
4,5
Underwood School.
Emma M Cleary
Assistant.
3
Annie L. Wood
2
Josephine W. Littlefield
1
Lincoln School. .
Alotta C. Wilmarth .
Assistant.
1, 2,3
Jackson School.
George G. Edwards
Principal. Assistant.
6, 7
H. Augusta Millard .
5
Louise W. Stearns .
66
4
Ellen F. Dalrymple .
3
Ella M. Hotchkiss
2
Jeannette A. Grant .
66
1
Whole No.
5
4
Mary H. Dwyer
The following Table gives the Statistics of Monthly Attendance, and the Aggregate Attendance, for School Year ending June 27, 1879.
SEPTEMBER.
OCTOBER.
NOVEMBER.
DECEMBER.
JANUARY.
Average
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Whole No.
Average
Per cent
Attendance.
Mason
372.3
341.8
91.9|
375.8
340.6
91.4
309.3
343.1
91.1
378.3 215
322.4 190.2
86.5 89.3
365.91 206
322.6 187.4
89.7 90.5
208.6
189.6
91.9
Hyde
104.9
98.4
93.7
99.8
92.8
93.1
99.6
90.2
90.8
99.8
88.1
88.2
98.1
88.3
90.2
94.4
79.4
84.4
Oak-Hill
18.7
17.1
91.4
22.1
18.3
82.8
15.2
78.3 20.2
16.7 32.1
82.6 86.8
17.5 33.9
28.5
85
36
31.4
87.2
District No. 1 .
741.3
69.3
93.5
756.1
697.5
91.6
820.5
725.6
89
750.3
649.5
86.7
721.4
639.4
85.5
717.6
628.1
85.6
Williams .
208.2
196.5
94.2
217.9
209.5
96.2
215.9
201.5
93.3
213.1
192.3
90.5
209.9
189
90.6
200.4
182.4
91
Hamilton .
96.4
93.4
96.8
98.9
96.3
97.6
99.9
96.8
96.8
96.3
91
94.9
95.7
93
97.2
105.7
91.6
96
District No. 2 .
304 6
289.9
95.5
316.8
305.8
96.9
315.8
298.3
95
309.4
283.3
92.7
305.6
282
93.9
306.1
274
93.5
Peirce
159.1
155
97.4
159.4
150.2
94.4
158.9
153.1
96.2
157
145.4
92.6
154.7
147.9
95.6
152.5
142.2
93.2
Davis
188.6|
178.5
94.8
194.9
184.6
94.9
203.7
192.6
94.8
189.8
162.3
86.7
191.4
174.6
91.8
192.5
171.6
89.7
Franklin
119.2
114.4
95.8
118
108.9
92.3
115
107.6
92.7
114.3
104.3
90.6
113.5
104.1
90.5
111.5
99
86.5
Adams
145.4
135
92.8
150.2
139.4
92.8
150.9
90.5
149
130
87.1
143.4
124.8
86.9
145.1
124.6
85.8
Claflin
163.2
152.4
93.3
174.3
162.4
93.2
169
90.1
159.3
132.8
83.5
149.9
130.2
86.7
145
125.7
86.2
District No. 3
775.5
735.3
94.8
796.8
745.5
93.3
797.5
741.9
92.8
769.4
675
88.1
752.9
681.6
90.3
746.6
663.1
88.3
Bigelow
315.3
295
93.4
316.9
292.6
92.4
309.5
282.7
91.4
306
266.2
87.1
295
261.8
88.9
304.3
269.2
88.8
Underwood
139.6
126.7
91
145.9
134
91.6
140.5
115.1
82.6
145.8
117.1
80.5
142.4
105.8
74.3
142.6
119.3
83.5
Lincoln .
30.1
28.1
93.3
36.9
34.9
94.5
38.7
36.2
93.7
37.2
31.5
84.6
34.8
29.5
84.7
35.4
30.4
85.8
Jackson
231.5
201.8
87.1
233
205.1
88
228.9
199.1
87.3
228.3
197.1
86.3
214.3
177
82.5
216.2
181.1
84
District No. 4 .
716.5
651.6
91.2
732.7
666.6
91.6
717.6
633.1
88.8
717.3
611.9
84.6
686.5
574.1
82.6
698.5
600
85.5
High .
274.4
262.5 95.6
271.2
258.4
95.2
269.7
247.2
91.6
267.5
242.8
90.7
261.9
239.1
91.3
254.7
232.5
91.1
Total .
2812.3 2632.3
94.1
2873.6 2673.8
93.7
2921.1 2646.1
91.4
2813.9 2462.5
88.6
2728.3
2416.2
88.7
2723.5
2397.7
88.8
.
.
36
34.2
94.8
37.3
35.9
95.5
34.7
93.1
37
Average
Attendance.
Attendance.
FEBRUARY.
Average
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Average
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Attendance.
Average
Average
Attendance.
315.2
88.1
Prospect
209.4
201.5
95.6
221.1
209.9
95.1
265.2
242.4
91.6
Thompsonville
·
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
104
.
·
.
.
16.4
12.5
76.2
12.6
72
Attendance.
Attendance.
Attendance.
Average
Whole No.
Per cent
SCHOOLS.
362.2
19.4 37
136.6 152
The following Table gives the Statistics of Monthly Attendance, and the Aggregate Attendance, for School Year ending June 27, 1879.
MARCH.
APRIL ..
MAY.
JUNE.
YEAR.
Average
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Attendance.
Mason .
389.8
335
90.9
324.3 .
89.8
356.1
320.1
90.5
301.6
88.4
Prospect
211.1
193.3
91.9
207.7
94
223.9
.212.7
95.3
181.5
94.5
Hyde .
96.2
88.4
91.9
108
97.7
90.7
101.2
94.2
105.9
98.9
93.2
Oak-Hill
16.7
15.3
82
19.7
15.3
77.6
20.3 37
95.3 16.2 35.5
79.8 96
18.6 36
34.3
95.4
District No. 1
750.3
665.6
89.8
750.1
677.9
88.7
738.5
679.8
91.1
699.6
631.6
90.7
744.5
688.8
89.2
Williams ·
199.1
183.5
92.2
212.3
196.2
93
210.7
198
95.3
187.9
93.8
Hamilton
94.2
91.2
96.8
94
91.4
97.1
97.7
94.6
96.7
93.5
97.6
District No. 2
293.3
274.7
94.5
306.3
287.6
95
308.4
292.6
96
297.2
281.4
95.7
306.3
287
94.8
Peirce .
151.7
141.5
93.3
146.1
139.1
94 9
140.5
131.9
93.7
135
128.4
95.1
Davis .
181.1
165.3
91.4
198.4
182.7
92.6
203.2
189.2
93.5
203.1
187.9
92.9
Franklin
114
107.8
93.9
123
113,8
92.9
130.7
121.8
93.1
133
125.1
93.9
Adams
141.4
129
91
148.9
131.7
88.4
149.8
135.5
90.3
146.1
133.2
91.2
Claflin .
144.7
130.6
89.4
154
139.5
90.6
162
149.8
92.5
156.3
139.8
89.2
District No. 3
732.9
674.2
91.8
770.4
706.8
91.9
786.2
728.2
92.6
773.5
704.4
92.5
770.2
705.6
91.6
Bigelow
298.6
269.1
90.2
298.4
267.6
90.9
287.4
252.8
87.9
271
236.6
87.1
Underwood
138.3
118.3
85.5
165.2
141.6
84.5
172.6
150.1
87.3
169.1
145.7
86.3
Lincoln
36.2
32.6
90.5
41.9
38.6
92.1
40.2
37
92
42.4
37.7
88.9
Jackson
213.7
185.4
86.6
244
208
84.8
247.7
206.7
84.2
239.5
202.7
84.9
District No. 4
686.8
605.4
88.2
749.5
655.8
88.1
747.9
646.6
87.9
722
622.7
86.8
717.5
626.8
87 5
High .
249.9
224.7
89.9
238.6
216.7
90.8
226.1
203.4
89.9
217.8
199.5
91.6
253.2
232.7
91.9
Total
2713.2 2444.6
90.8
2814.9 2544.8
90.9
2807.1 2550.6
91.5
2710.1 2439.6
91.5
2791.7
2540.9
91
.
.
.
36.5
33.6
92.1
· 36
· 32.9
91.3
Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
' ' Per cent
Attendance.
SCHOOLS.
Average Whole No.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Attendance.
Whole No:
Average
Attendance.
Per cent
Attendance.
. Average
Average
Average
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
105
-
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
-
·
.
.
.
·
.
.
201.2 96
15.3
82.2
Thompsonville
365.6 220.8
1
-
Attendance.
345.5 193.6
106
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1879.
General Appropriations for Support of Schools . $72,150 00
Received from the Dog Tax . 1,014 30
73,164.30
Amount transferred to Repairs and Incidentals
1,380 29
$71,784 01
Amount paid to Superintendent
$2,700 00
Amount paid to Teachers .
60,601 75
Amount paid to Janitors .
3,968 00
Amount paid to Secretary
300 00
Amount paid for Fuel .
3,806 01
Amount expended
71,375 76
Balance unexpended
$408 25
Appropriation for Repairs and Incidentals
$8,000 00
Amount transferred from General Appropriation
1,380 29
$9,380 29
Amount expended
9,380 29
Appropriation for Evening School
$500 00
Amount expended
426 53
Balance unexpended
73 47
Appropriation for Industrial and Mechanical Drawing
$300 00
Amount expended
227 50
Appropriation for Conveyance of Pupils to and from the High School,
$900 00
Amount expended
850 00
Balance unexpended
50 00
Total balance unexpended
$604 22
Expenditures for 1879
$82,260 08
Expenditures for 1878
83,208 63
Balance unexpended
72 50
ISAAC HAGAR, Secretary.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TRUSTEES
OF THE
NEWTON FREE LIBRARY,
NEWTON, MASS.,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1879.
WT
ERT
Y AND UNION
LIB
FOUNDED 1630
88.A CITY 1873
ING
IM.
ORAT
BOSTON: 'PRESS OF W. L. DELAND AND SON, Congress Building, 4, Post Office Square. 1880.
TREE NOT
NEWTON
LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 1879.
AT LARGE.
BRADFORD K. PEIRCE TERM EXPIRES 1884.
JULIUS L. CLARKE
TERM EXPIRES 1883.
JAMES F. C. HYDE
TERM EXPIRES 1882.
GEORGE H. JONES TERM EXPIRES 1881.
JOHN S. FARLOW
TERM EXPIRES 1880.
FROM THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE TERM EXPIRES 1880.
FROM THE BOARD OF COMMON COUNCIL.
NATHAN MOSMAN . TERM EXPIRES 1880.
ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 1879.
PRESIDENT. GEORGE H. JONES.
SECRETARY. GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE.
COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY.
PRESIDENT, ex officio. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE.
JOHN S. FARLOW. JULIUS L. CLARKE.
COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING.
PRESIDENT, ex officio.
GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE.
JAMES F. C. HYDE. NATHAN MOSMAN.
SUPERINTENDENT. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE.
LIBRARIAN. HANNAH P. JAMES.
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN. CAROLINE B. JACKSON.
JANITOR.
JAMES J. TOWER.
ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 1880.
PRESIDENT. GEORGE H. JONES.
SECRETARY. JULIUS L. CLARKE.
COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY.
PRESIDENT, ex officio. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE. JOHN S. FARLOW. JULIUS L. CLARKE.
COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING.
PRESIDENT, ex officio. NATHAN MOSMAN. JAMES F. C. HYDE. JAMES R. DEANE.
SUPERINTENDENT. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE.
LIBRARIAN.
HANNAH P. JAMES.
ASSISTANT LIBRARIANS.
CAROLINE B. JACKSON.
MARIE L. CLAPP.
JANITOR. JAMES J. TOWER.
TRUSTEES' REPORT.
To his Honor the Mayor and the City Council of Newton.
THE Trustees of the Newton Free Library have the honor of presenting for the year ending Dec. 31, 1879, the following Report :
The full and complete Report of the Superintendent made to the Trustees, and herewith submitted with their cordial endorsement, renders an extended one from them unneces- sary.
The courtesy which has been extended to the Trustees by the city government hitherto, gives them confidence in pre- senting the necessities of the Library for the ensuing year, and in supplementing the Report of the Superintendent, by asking your special attention to some items of adminstration and expenditure.
DISTRIBUTING AGENCIES.
The necessity and value of this method of placing the books within reach of all the citizens of our city, render necessary better accommodations at the points of distribution, and more frequent and systematic transit to and from those points. A proper system requires a daily distribution, which will require the time of a man with his team, at a cost, includ- ing the pay of those in charge at the agencies, of at least $1,200 per year, whereas the present system costs $400. The Trustees do not feel authorized to make a change which will require an addition to the appropriation asked for, of at least $800, without an expression of approval by the city govern- ment.
8
SHELF ROOM.
An increase of shelf capacity is quite necessary, and the Trustees would urge this requirement upon your early con- sideration. This need was anticipated when the Library was opened, and the Trustees then reported that the alcoves were so arranged that the shelf room could be doubled, and thus make room for some 30,000 volumes in all. The Superin- tendent now reports that we have 15,548 volumes, and that additional room is required as soon as consistent. A library worthy the name, must place upon its shelves new works as published, to a reasonable extent ; its readers are on the alert for such books : and while there is much that should not be bought, the increase of that which is good, is material and necessary, and should be provided for. The Trustees are confident that no worthless, and few objectionable books are on its shelves, and that no circulating library has a larger proportional number of valuable works for reference or gen- eral reading than ours, and we desire that the youth, the adult, and those of mature age, can be sure of finding that which will interest and instruct upon any subject which is to them of special value.
No definite estimate has yet been made of the cost of such additions as are requisite, but approximately it may be stated at $1,200.
VENTILATION.
With the increase of numbers of persons in both the Library and Reading-Room, more gas is consumed, and the imperfect ventilation of the lower story has thus become a matter of serious complaint, and requires early improvement so far as is possible.
The Trustees have no special plan for the accomplishment of this difficult matter, and hope for the attention of the Committee on Public Property to it at an early day.
9
INTERIOR ADMINISTRATION.
The reference of the Superintendent to the work of the Librarian is timely, and if his suggestions are acted upon, a large part of the work upon the preparation of new books for circulation, and upon catalogue work, must be performed by an assistant, so that Miss James can devote time to answer- ing questions, and giving such help to the youth, and others, as they may desire in the choice of books, and which she is eminently qualified to give.
It is quite necessary also that some portion of her time should be given to the detail of the Superintendent's duties as it is quite too much to expect that he should take so much of his valuable time and labor from his professional duties, The increased expenditure for this purpose is included in the estimate for the ensuing year.
WEST NEWTON ATHENAEUM.
The correspondence had with the West Newton Athenæum, to which the Superintendent refers, has not been resumed since the subject was referred back from the city government to the Trustees, "with full power," nor are the Trustees aware that the Atheneum desires any further negotiation.
As the Library of the Athenaeum would be a large and valuable accession to the City Library, and as in the judg- ment of the Trustees of the latter, the union of the two would be of advantage to both, the Trustees of the City Library were very desirous that, as in the case of the Newton Centre Library Association, such an union might be consummated As, however, the wishes of the Atheneum were in effect to make it a Branch Library, this did not, and does not now seem to come under our legitimate action without some posi- tive instruction from the city government. Should the Athe- næum desire at any future time to make such a union as comes within the sphere of duty of the Trustees of the City
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Library, the latter do not doubt their ability to so arrange for an interchange of books, as, that the Athenæum shall be secure in the full benefit of the City Library.
The Trustees regard it as a duty to call the attention of the city government to the true function of a public library, which is demonstrated by those who are making the subject of complete education a study, and which has been specially voiced at the Conventions of Librarians and educators referred to by the Superintendent. The public library should no longer be regarded as a show-case of books, nor a hugh collection of everything printed, to feed morbid appetites, but the place where can be found everything in literature which will interest, instruct, and educate our youth for the duties of life, and afford to mature minds aid in culture and improve- ment ; when the public library meets such requirements it becomes the complement and supplement of the public school and other educational institutions. The Trustees believe the Newton Library as fully meets these conditions as any one of its size and age in our country, and that under the fostering care of the city government it will steadily increase its present usefulness ; with this end constantly in view, the Committee for the purchase of books, have selected, and will continue to select, the best class of reading, and such works for reference as are most valuable to the professions, to students, and to mechanics and artisans. If in accordance with this estimate of the true function of the Library, the appropriation asked for seems excessive, the Trustees desire that a due regard may be had for the foregoing considerations.
ALDEN SPEARE FUND.
The income from this fund has been, up to Dec. 31, 1879, $79.18, of which there has been expended $70.45 in accordance with the conditions of the donor.
The Trustees have carefully estimated the amount of appropriation necessary for the ensuing year, and have fixed
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upon the lowest sum which will meet the requirements, and respectfully ask that $7,500 be appropriated.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
GEO. H. JONES,
President Board of Trustees.
ESTIMATE IN ITEMS FOR 1880.
Salaries
$3,300
Reading Room
350
Incidentals
225
Repairs
75
Printing, etc.
70
Binding
275
Gas and Coal
700
Agency express
400
Blanks, etc. .
120
Furniture, etc.
100
Postage, etc.
15
Books .
2.000
Total
$7,630
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the Trustees of the Newton Free Library.
GENTLEMEN :- In submitting to you, according to the requisitions of an ordinance of our city, an annual report for the year just ended, I must express my regrets that my able predecessor, Mr. Frederick Jackson, who has so efficiently and skilfully managed the Library for the previous five years, and had acquired so much invaluable experience, felt called upon to resign the office of Superintendent. My many other duties rendered my acceptance of the position, otherwise grateful to my tastes and in the line of my studies, a matter of great reluctance, and have prevented my meeting my own apprehension of what so responsible a supervision requires, and ought to receive, at the hands of the executive officer.
There have been few incidents to distinguish this year from the previous one. The administration of the Library has been attended with no uncommon difficulties. The only change in its personal force has been the addition of Miss M. L. Clapp,-a lady of considerable experience in Library work-who has aided in the preparation of the catalogue, and will be able, hereafter, to relieve the Librarian of most of the office details, and permit her to give more of her personal attention to the patrons of the Library.
A favorable change, meeting the wishes of those residing in Newton Centre, has been made in the agency of that ward, and the agency at North Village, which had been closed for a year, has been re-opened, and is now successfully adminis- tered.
The Auburndale Book Club, which ceased to keep up its
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organization after the establishment of the City Library, for- warded its remaining books- about one hundred and fifty - through Rev. Milton P. Braman, D. D. and G. B. Knapp Esq., as a donation to the Free Library. These volumes have been added to our list, or exchanged for others, where they were duplicates.
We have been in often consultation, during the year, with the Trustees of the West Newton Athenaeum, hoping to secure some satisfactory arrangement by which those of our citizens heretofore largely dependent upon that Library, might be able to avail themselves more fully of all the advantages of the Free Library. We trust ere long, such a plan mutually ad- vantageous to the proprietors of the Athenæum and the Trus- tees of the city institution will be devised.
During the previous year we commenced the preparation of an exhaustive card catalogue, which would open, as a full index, all the treasures of the Library to its patrons. When this is once completed it can be readily printed, and thus sup- ply a full catalogue up to the time of its issue, of the books, their authors, and their subjects. But as this work could not be hurried, and the previous catalogue and bulletins were far behind the later acquisitions of the Library, and even these were exhausted, a very imperative necessity was felt, especially for the wards where agencies supply the books, for a new catalogue, at as early a day as possible. My predeces- sor referred to an important work of this description-a sub- ject catalogue-embracing five thousand titles of the best works in all departments of literature, then in course of preparation by the American Library Association. This work, when completed will be an admirable index, especially serviceable to new libraries, just about to fill their shelves ; but the necessary delay incident to its preparation and publi- cation, and the fact that when completed it would contain books that we have not yet obtained, and leave as many others uncatalogued upon our shelves, assured us that it would not meet the existing and pressing demand for some adequate
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key to unlock at once our own stores of literature, to our cit- izens throughout the different wards. At the request, there- fore, of the City Council, for which an appropriation was made, the Librarian has prepared a popular catalogue of all the books, under their author's names, arranged also under subjects, according to the latest suggestions of the most ex- perienced of our public Librarians. The work is now rapidly passing through the press, and will be ready for delivery in a few weeks. It is not a complete catalogue of subjects, but it is so thoroughly classified that little difficulty will be found in discovering, by its aid, the contents of our shelves, upon any given theme, and it will prove to be, we think, one of the best of its kind. Where further information than it affords is needed, recourse can be had to the card catalogue, in the Library, which will move rapidly on to its completion. This already embraces all the books bought within two years, and a considerable portion of the previous volumes. This cata- logue, as those that have examined it understand, is really quite a full index to all the books in the Library, with the exception of periodicals. While ordinary catalogues have only one entry for a book, this has as many as the volume contains distinct subjects. These cards, under their appro- priate letters, are placed in drawers, alphabetically arranged ; the whole forming a large cabinet, accessible to visitors in Edmands Hall. The Librarian is always ready to explain the nature, and the mode of availing one's self of its advan- tages. The new index to periodical literature, now in prepa- ration under the supervision of Mr. William F. Poole, of the Chicago Public Library, aided by a large number of Libra- rians in England and America, is now approaching comple- tion, and is to be soon published by Messrs. Houghton, Os- good, & Co., of Boston. It will bring the work down to January 1, 1880. This will open up to eager students a vast storehouse of short, but carefully prepared essays upon all the leading subjects which have been under discussion throughout Christendom during the last quarter of a century.
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