Town of Newton annual report 1880-1881, Part 12

Author: Newton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Newton (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 418


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1880-1881 > Part 12


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59


Newton


·


3


Total increase


142


Total decrease


11


Net increase


131 as before.


As might be expected, more than half of this increase appears in the first grade.


The enrollment in the High School for September was 286 (boys, 135 ; girls, 151), a decrease of 18 from last year, dis- tributed among the several classes as follows : -


Fourth class, 114 as against 104 of last year.


Third class, 58 as against


97 of last year.


Second class, 77 as against 60 of last year.


First class, 37 as against 43 of last year.


Total, 286 as against 304 of last year.


77


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


The average whole number in the primary and grammar schools for the three months ending with November is 2,832.2; the average attendance, 2,612.5; giving as the percentage of attendance, 92.3.


The total number of cases of tardiness is 1,110, which, computed on the average attendance, amount to .355 of one per cent.


The attendance is fair for the city, as a whole, perhaps nearly as high as it should be; but the great disparity (from four to eight per cent) between schools and sections which represent the extremes suggests the presence, in some quarters, of evils which an earnest co-operation on the part of parents and teachers should correct.


The same is true of tardiness. While slight allowance may be made for local differences, the fact that one school is subjected to a tenfold greater annoyance from this source than another calls for special efforts to bring it to the atten- tion of those who have the power to remedy the evil.


It is doubtful if some of the patrons of the public schools who are best informed, and have their welfare most at heart, appreciate the extent to which those schools suffer from their failure to insist on the punctual and regular attendance of their children when not prevented by circumstances beyond control.


This is, of course, but one of the conditions of prosperity ; but its importance demands that no means be left untried to create and foster a healthy sentiment in regard to it.


The time hitherto devoted to a personal inspection of the schools, and, indeed, the written examination at the close of the first quarter, have had special reference to an acquaint- ance with what Is, rather than to an indication of what OUGHT TO BE, with a view to recognize and conserve all that is excellent in the future effort to modify or change for the better.


In these not infrequent visits, certain apparent defects have come to my notice, and subsequent observation and reflec- tion have only confirmed first impressions ; and, in suggest-


78


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


ing changes which seem to be improvements, I am happy to believe that such changes would meet the hearty welcome of a corps of teachers whose exceptional competence and fidelity have impressed me as one of the noteworthy features of the Newton schools.


A right plan of organization, while it can never compensate for defects in the details of its working, is an indispensable requisite to the highest success. In a system of graded schools it would seem that the school representing the vari- ous grades is the unit of that system. This theory would, further, seem to be recognized in the title of Master, and the subordinate titles of Principal and Assistants ; and yet the masters are so generally, and at present of necessity, but in name. Confined to their respective rooms by the responsi- bility of teaching and caring for two and sometimes three grades, no time, no facilities, are given for supervision of teachers and pupils ostensibly under their jurisdiction ; and the result is, if not a want of harmony, a want of unity and mutual adaptation, which can only result in a waste of power. If this lack of unity is manifest in any given school, it must be felt in a higher degree in a system composed of many schools. That this lack Is felt to-day in all departments I do not hesitate to affirm, and also express it as my confident belief, that a gradual but speedy return to the plan whereby the master is afforded the time to supervise, and made respon- sible for, the several departments under his nominal headship, would result in securing greater unity and higher efficiency to the entire system.


Another vital question is that relating to the employment of special teachers. That such teachers are a necessity in certain departments is generally conceded ; and, when it is proposed to increase their number, the natural inquiry is, " Why any limit ? Why not a specialist for each branch ?" It were to be wished that all our teachers were fully com- petent to give instruction in all the specialties required in our schools ; but we know it is the prerogative of genius to excel in many, and, until such specialties have become and


79


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


are universally recognized as essentials in the common-school curriculum, it is idle to expect all teachers to be qualified to instruct wisely and well in them; and, until such time as these qualifications can be required, the proper question seems to be, "Is the special branch a necessity in our schools ? " This, in turn, involves a financial question ; and this consideration may have operated to practically elimi- nate certain branches of acknowledged value. If so, it is much to be regretted that retrenchment has been effected in the direction of vocal music.


It were unnecessary, if not discourteous, at this day and before this Board, to insist upon the value of vocal music in the schoolroom, whether as a sanitary, disciplinary, educat- ing and refining agent, or in its more practical aspects as furnishing a necessary relaxation from study, and often dis- covering a future means of livelihood. This value conceded, can or will music be well taught by the regular teachers ? In some cases, Yes. In many and most cases, No. Many have not the requisite knowlege of music ; more have not the confidence which comes of familiarity and practice. And the fact that some teachers have both the ability and disposition to train their pupils in the rudiments of a musical education is of itself a strong argument for the employment of a special teacher to equalize the advantages enjoyed by the more favored pupils. That this department is suffering for the want of a competent and enthusiastic director is patent to all who will investigate, and that this suffering is shared by most who appreciate its place in school-training is but too evident. I most earnestly commend the subject to the early attention of the Board.


The interests of sewing, elementary evening school, and school for mechanical drawing, are in the hands of special and standing committees, and will be reported in due time. Pending the report of the first, it may be observed, that, at the instance of the special committee having the matter in charge, I have given the subject of sewing in school sufficient attention to become convinced of its great practical value, if


80


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


once successfully inaugurated, and that, to make it most nearly self-supporting, a demand for it should be created, and facilities furnished only as that demand increases ; and, fur- ther, if a small expenditure is requisite to the creation of that first demand, by supplying material, etc., it will be a wise and safe investment.


The matter of vaccination has received renewed attention in all the schools, and it is believed that few, if any, of the pupils, have not already complied with the requirements of the statute and the regulation pursuant thereto.


All of which is respectfully submitted.


JOHN E. KIMBALL,


NEWTON, MASS., Dec. 28, 1881.


Superintendent.


SECRETARY'S REPORT.


STATISTICS.


NAMES OF TEACHERS.


Department.


Class.


Whole Number


of Pupils dur-


ing the Year.


Average Whole


Number.


Average Attend-


ance.


Number of


Number of


Pupils over 15.


High School.


Edward H. Cutler


Ezra W. Sampson


John F. Kent


Asst. Master. Assistant.


Caroline Spear


M. Isabel Hanson


M. Abby Smith


Martha E. Foote


Maybell P. Davis


66


Special Teachers.


Mrs. Emma F. Bowler


Drawing.


Jennie E. Ireson


Elocution. Military Drill. Rhetoric.


Mason School.


444


343.7


303


8


13


Albert L. Harwood


Master.


9


George A. Moore


Head Assist.


8


Sarah H. Munger


7


Maria F. Wood .


6


Mary Tenney


66


5


Lizzie S. Friend


4


Ellena H. Thompson


3


Harriette E. Bird


66


2


Ellen M. Cook


1


Oak-Hill School.


34


25


21


1


2


Mattie R. T. Owler


Principal.


¿ 6,7,8


Thompsonville School. Helen A. Davis .


Principal.


1,2,3


Hyde School.


185


161.3


147.7


8


George S. Turner


Master.


8,9


Lilla M. Means


Head Assist.


6, 7


Alice M. Hammond


Assistant.


4,5


Alice F. Whitcomb


2,3


Cornelia Collins .


66


1


313


268.9


251.6


242


S. Alice Worcester


Head Master. Master.


Calisthenics.


Frank N. Brown


Eliza B. Barry


Assistant. 66


§ 1,2,3,4


44


29.6


26


7


Pupils under 5.


82


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


STATISTICS - Continued.


NAMES OF TEACHERS.


Department.


Class.


Whole Number


of Pupils dur-


ing the Year.


Average Whole


number.


Average Attend-


ance.


Number of


Number of


Pupils over 15.


Prospect School.


284


215


197.4


7


1


Walter C. Frost


Master.


8,9


Martha L. Perkins .


Head Assist.


6, 7


Ella F. Crooker .


Assistant.


4,5


Kate P. Richardson


3


Lizzie W. Everett .


2


Mary P. Fanning


Hamilton School.


132


98.9


93.4


2


4


Luther E. Leland


Master


7, 8,9


Anna G. Swain .


Head Assist.


4, 5,6


Sarah H. Jumper


Assistant.


1, 2,3


Addie P. Tuttle .


Williams School.


290


219


197.8


2


16


George L. Chandler


Master.


8.9


Elizabeth A. Pinnock


Head Assist.


7


Louise I. Burbank .


Assistant.


5, 6


Laura Saltonstall


4


Helen I. Merrill .


2,3


Ann B. Smith


1,2


Peirce School.


182


154.7


146.1


31


Levi F. Warren .


Master.


9


Sarah A. Warren


Head Assist.


8


Mary J. Pickering .


Assistant.


6, 7


Eliza E. Simmons .


5


Davis School.


245


174.6


162.8


Ella G. Bates


Principal.


4


Calista S. Wood


Assistant.


3


Susan E. Copeland


2


Sarah E. Foster .


1


· Franklin School.


165


129.6


121.1


2


Elizabeth F. Paddock


Principal.


5, 6


M. Isabel Jenkins


Assistant. 66


3, 4


Emma J. Thompson


1,2


Adams School.


225


154.3


141.7


9


William A. Spinney


Master.


8,9


Jennie M. Edwards


Head Assist.


7,8


Estella M. Haynes .


Assistant.


3, 4


Lydia A. Brierly


1,2


Claflin School.


207


163.4


149.1


3


Alice Pitts


Principal.


6,7


Lilla T. Wilder


Head Assist.


5, 6


Mary R. Ware


Assistant.


3. 4


Lizzie Jones .


1, 2


Jackson School.


311


203


181


2


George G. Edwards


Principal.


5, 6


H. Augusta Millard


Assistant.


4,5


Louise W. Clelland


Anna F. Gage


Abby J. Clark


1


3, 4 2


Eliza J. Lovely


1


1


Pupils under 5.


.


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


STATISTICS - Concluded.


NAMES OF TEACHERS.


Department.


Class.


Whole Number


of Pupils dur- ing the Year.


Average Whole


Number.


Average Attend-


Number of


Number of


Pupils over 15.


Bigelow School.


351


302.4


275.8


41


H. Chapin Sawin


Master.


8,9


Eudora Sanford .


Head Assist.


7,8


Martha M. Bakeman


Assistant.


7


S. Louise Shelton


66


6, 7


Augusta A. Lentell


6


Mary H. Dwyer


4,5


Clara J. Calley


4


Underwood School.


214


155.4


136.9


1


Emma M. Cleary


Assistant.


3


Lizzie C. Clarke


2,3


Annie L. Wood .


1,2 1


Josephine W. Littlefield


Lincoln School.


51


34.5


28.8


Allotta C. Wilmarth


Assistant.


1, 2, 3


-


.


ance.


l'upils under 5.


83


The following Table gives the Statistics of Monthly Attendance, and the Aggregate Attendance, for School Year ending June 25, 1881.


SEPTEMBER.


OCTOBER.


NOVEMBER.


DECEMBER.


JANUARY.


FEBRUARY.


Average


Average


Per cent


Average


Average


Per cent


Average


Average


Per cent


Average


Average


Per cent


Whole No.


Average


Attendance.


Per cent


Whole No.


Average


Per cent


Attendance.


Mason .


371.6


353.8


95.3


370.5


344.6


92.8


329.3!


364.2


329.4


87.7


337.8


287 198.6


85.6 91.6


309.2


260.5


84.6


Prospect


217.9


202.1|


93.2


218.4


204.2


93.6


199.8


91.5


206.4


189.4


91.9


216.5


122.9


91.5


139.4


123.3


88.4


Oak-Hill


18.3


16


88.8


20.9


19.5


90


23.1


88.9


167.8 26.5 33


150.8 23.2 28.9;


87.5 25.5 22.3


20.6! 21


80.8 94.1


22.5


19.4


86.2


District No. 1


785.9


740.3


92.3


809.3


755.7


91.7


813.4


741.4


90.6


797.9


721.7


89.2


737.3


650.1


88.7


705.5


619.5


85.5


Williams .


223.5


212.7


95.2


243.8


230.9


94.1


239.1


216.2


90.4


204.3


184.7


90.1


212.3


185.3


86.7


191


165.9


86.6


Hamilton


110.8


106.9


97.3


111.8


108.1


96.6


111.5


108.5


97.2


109.7


103.5


94.5


106.5


100.2


94.3


98.4


89.4


90.9


District No. 2


334.3


319.6


96.2


355.6


339


95.3


350.6


324.7


93.7


314


288.2


92.3


318.8


285.5


90


289.4


255.3


88.7


Peirce .


161.5


157.3


97.2


166.7


161


96.5


164.2


156


95


153.3


146.1


95.2


158.1


151.4


95.7


158.2


148.9


94.5


Davis .


203.9


193.8


95


190.4


182.3


95.7


173.1


161.7


93.4


134.4


125.9


93.4


163.3


150.6


91.9


161.4


147.7


91


Franklin


154.3


146.8


95.2


150.2


138.8


92.3


137.5


123.3


90


100


91.6


91.3


117.5


107.7


91.5


117


104.7


89.3


Adams


169.6


160.9


94.6


167.4


156.2


93.1


147.9


136.7


92.2


152.1


139.2


91.3


145.6


141.8


89.7


144 5


130


89.4


Claflin .


162.5


153.4


94.2


174


162.3


93.6


171.9


155.5


163.5


147.7


90.9


155.5


136.7


88.2


156.5


137.3


87.9


District No. 3


851.8


812.2


95.2


848.7


800.6


94.2


794.6


733.2


92.3


703.3


650.5


92.4


740


688.2


91.4


737.6


668.6


90.4


Bigelow


316.5


297.9


94.1


318.8


288.6


93.7


312.3


287.1


92


308.5


276.4


89.6


302.9


275.8


91.4


304.1


269.6


88.6


Underwood


150.5;


140.2


92.9


161.6


150.7


93.3


173.2


155.5


89.7


154.7


136.2


87.8


155.9


140.1


89.8


155


124.9


81


Lincoln .


42


37.6


89.5


43.7


37.6


86


24.3


13.6


55.8


16.4


12.4


75.3


28 9


24.9


86.1


31.7


25.8


81.3


Jackson


228.6


210.9


92.4


202.8


182.6


89.6


141.1


123.4


164.6


146.5


88.8


176.3


155.9


88.3


195.2


170.1


87.3


District No. 4


737.6


686.6


92.2


726.9


659.5


90.7


650.9


579.6


81.1


744.2


681.5


85.4


664


596.7


88.9


686


590.4


84.6


High


298.3


291.9


97.8


292.2


281.1


96.7


286.1


272.9


95.5


277.3


265


95 5


272.6


252


92.5


264.1


246.2


93.2


'Total


3007.9


2860.6


94.7


3032.7


2835.9


93.7


2895.6


2651.8


90.6


2836.7


2606.9


91


2732 5


2472.5


90.3


2682.6


2380


88.5


·


27.4


24.1


83.3


33.5


29.1


86.8


32.3


89.6


87.8


Thompsonville


150.7


144.8


96.1


166


158.3


95.5


170.4


156.9


92.5


Hyde .


Whole No.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Attendance.


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


84


SCHOOLS.


Average


209.4


190.9


90.5


91.2


135.2


25


19.4


77.6


26 36


363.8 217.2


90.2


91


87


Average


The following Table gives the Statistics of Monthly Attendance, and the Aggregate Attendance, for School Year ending June 25, 1881.


MARCH.


APRIL.


MAY.


JUNE.


YEARS.


Average


Whole No.


Average


Per cent


Average


Whole No.


Average


Per cent


Average


Average


Per cent


Average


Average


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Average


Per cent


Attendance.


Mason .


309.2


260.5


84.2


345.9


279.9


82.3 88.5 91.2


331.6 213.4 182.8 28 34.8


166.3 21.7 29


77.3 83.3


32


29.1


90.9


.....


· ... .


.. .


District No. 1


724.4


635.2


87


784


668


86.6


790.6


695.8


85


796.3


724.9


91.2


774.5


695.3


88.8


Williams


204.3


182.5


89.3


222.6


198.8


89.5


226.8


201


88.8


222.3


200.1


90.5


.. ....


....


Hamilton .


75.5


68.7


90.6


85.7


78.9


92.2


89.2


84


94.2


90.2


85.7


95.1


District No. 2


279.8


251.2


89.9


308.3


277.7


90.8


316


285


91.5


312.5


285.8


92.8


317.9


290.6


92.1


Peirce .


153.1


139.5


91.2


143.5


125.1


94.1


147.1


138.6


94.3


141.5


133.2


94.2


... .


....


Davis


160.8


149.5


92.6


183.9


172


93.5


184.9


175


94.6


181.6


169.8


93.5


. .


.


...


....


Franklin .


125.8


112.1


89.1


125.5


111.6


88.9


132.2


117.8


90.1


136.2


126.2


92.4


.....


... ....


....


·


·


·


147.4


137.1


92.9


160.7


145.2


90.6


159


139.3


88.8


148.5


130.5


89


.....


....


Claflin .


151.9


139.2


91.8


169.3


150.6


89.6


171.7


154.8


90.7


157


153.1


91.5


.... ..


...


District No. 3


739


677.4


91.5


782.9


704.5


91.3


794.9


725.5


91.7


764.8


712.8


92.1


775.8


717.4


92.3


Bigelow


300.4


270


89.4


301.6


274


91.2


290.1


262.2


90 6


272.1


256.1


94.3


......


....


....


Underwood


158


133.1


84


168


138.2


82.9


146.2


115


78.6


151.1


134.8


89.5


Lincoln


32.9


27.4


83.2


39.6


34.4


86.8


42.6


85.3


42.8


38.2


89.2


Jackson


207.6


184.6


88.4


234.3


209.2


89.2


243.4


88.6


236


210.4


88.7


.. .


....


District No. 4


698.9


615.1


86.3


743.5


655.8


87.5


722.3


629.5


85.8


702


639.5


90.4


707.6


633.4


87.3


High


253.5


231.2


91.2


255.2


232.1


90.9


249.5


230


92.2


240.1


213.6


88.9


268.9


251.6


93.5


Total


2695.6


2410.1


89.2


2873.9


2538.1


89.4


2873.3


2565.8


89.3


2815.7


2576.6


91.1


2844.7


2588.3


91


.


..


... ..


. . .


Hyde .


158.3


142.1


90.6


163.3


149.1


91.2


179.9


163.2


90.5


....


.


....


....


Oak-Hill


25


20.4


81


25.3 31.9


21.5 26.8


87 84


284.1 194.7


86.6 91.5


336.7 218.7


300.2 208.2


91.7 95.9


Prospect .


209.4


192.8


92.4


217.6


190 7


Thompsonville .


22.5


19.4


86.2


.....


.... .


.. ..


·


Attendance.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Attendance.


Attendance.


Whole No.


Per cent


Average


SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


85


. .


....


· ·


.


....


...


..... .


....


.


.


87


29


24.2


......


.


Attendance.


SCHOOLS.


.


Adams .


36.4 215.9


1


86


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


SCHOOL APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1881.


General Appropriation for Support of Schools .


$75,700 00


Received from the Dog Tax . 733 32


$76,433 32


Amount transferred to School Incidentals


992 63


$75,440 69


Amount paid to Superintendent


$2,430 00


Amount paid to Teachers


64,030 25


Amount paid to Janitors .


4,088 00


Amount paid to Secretary


300 00


Amount paid for Fuel .


4,592 44


Amount expended


$75,440 69


Appropriation for Evening School


$400 00


Amount transferred from Appropriation for Conveyance of Pupils 68 54


Amount transferred from Appropriation for Industrial Drawing 66 95


$535 49


Amount paid to Teachers


$439 50


Amount paid to Janitor


33 75


Amount paid for Incidentals


62 24


Amount expended


$535 49


Appropriation for Conveyance of Pupils to and from the High School .


$800 00


Amount transferred to School Incidentals


$131 46


Amount transferred to Evening School


68 54


200 00


Amount expended


$600 00


Appropriation for School Incidentals


$6,000 00


Amount transferred from General Appropriation .


992 63


Amount transferred from Appropriation for Conveyance of Pupils


131 46


Amount expended


$7,124 09


Appropriation for Industrial Drawing.


$100 00


Amount transferred to Evening School . 66 95


Balance unexpended


$33 05


ISAAC HAGAR, Secretary.


NOKM


1. NEWTON,


CITY OF NEWTON.


ANNUAL REPORT OF


THE TRUSTEES


OF THE


NEWTON FREE LIBRARY,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1881.


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BOSTON : FRANKLIN PRESS : RAND, AVERY, & COMPANY. 1882.


BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 1881.


AT LARGE.


BRADFORD K. PEIRCE


TERM EXPIRES 1884.


JULIUS L. CLARKE .


TERM EXPIRES 1883.


JAMES F. C. HYDE TERM EXPIRES 1882.


JOHN S. FARLOW TERM EXPIRES 1885.


WILLIAM CLAFLIN .


TERM EXPIRES 1886.


FROM THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


CHARLES C. BURR TERM EXPIRES 1881.


FROM THE BOARD OF COMMON COUNCIL.


EDWARD W. CATE TERM EXPIRES 1881.


BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 1882.


AT LARGE.


BRADFORD K. PEIRCE TERM EXPIRES 1884.


JULIUS L. CLARKE .


TERM EXPIRES 1883.


JOHN S. FARLOW


TERM EXPIRES 1885.


WILLIAM CLAFLIN TERM EXPIRES 1886.


A. L. EDMANDS TERM EXPIRES 1887.


FROM THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


CHARLES C. BURR TERM EXPIRES 1882.


FROM THE BOARD OF COMMON COUNCIL.


ALSON A. SMITH . TERM EXPIRES 1882.


ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 1881.


PRESIDENT. JOHN S. FARLOW.


SECRETARY. JULIUS L. CLARKE.


COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY.


PRESIDENT, ex officio. JULIUS L. CLARKE.


BRADFORD K. PEIRCE. WILLIAM CLAFLIN.


COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING.


PRESIDENT, ex officio. EDWARD W. CATE.


JAMES F. C. HYDE. CHARLES C. BURR.


SUPERINTENDENT. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE.


LIBRARIAN. HANNAH P. JAMES.


ASSISTANT LIBRARIANS.


E. P. THURSTON. J. L. SMALLWOOD.


JANITOR. JAMES J. TOWER.


ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 1882.


PRESIDENT. JOHN S. FARLOW.


SECRETARY. JULIUS L. CLARKE.


COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY.


PRESIDENT, ex officio. JULIUS L. CLARKE.


BRADFORD K. PEIRCE. WILLIAM CLAFLIN.


COMMITTEE ON THE BUILDING.


PRESIDENT, ex officio. ALSON A. SMITH.


. A. L. EDMANDS. CHARLES C. BURR.


SUPERINTENDENT. BRADFORD K. PEIRCE.


LIBRARIAN.


HANNAH P. JAMES.


ASSISTANT LIBRARIANS.


E. P. THURSTON. L. J. SMALLWOOD.


E. P. CLEAVELAND. M. E. MICHAELS.


JANITOR.


JAMES J. TOWER.


TRUSTEES' REPORT.


To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council of Newton.


IN this their Annual Report the Trustees of the Newton Free Library can add but little to the exhaustive report of the Superintendent herewith submitted.


The Library is in good condition throughout, and continues to fulfil the high expectations of its founders, both as an educator of the young, and as a means for the culture and recreation of those more advanced in years.


The daily distribution of books in the several wards of the city, which was inaugurated last spring, has proved eminent- ly successful, and been the means of largely extending the benefits of the Library. This has been clearly manifested, not only in the greatly increased circulation of books in those localities, but also in the wider interest taken in the general affairs of the Library by the citizens of the other wards.


The reading-room grows in use and favor year by year, and it affords great pleasure to the Trustees to witness the increasing appreciation by our people of the advantages it offers them.


The tabulated statements in the report of the Superintend- ent show that the cost of operating the library and reading- room last year was $7,827.55, and that it will require an appropriation of $8,500 to meet the estimated expenses for the current year, which sum the Trustees respectfully request the City Council to appropriate therefor.


It will be remembered that early last year the City Council requested the Trustees of the Library to provide for a daily


8


distribution of the books in all the wards of the city, but failed to appropriate a sum sufficient to meet the additional expense consequent on such a daily distribution.


The Trustees, anxious to do all in their power to carry out the expressed wish of the City Council, and extend, as far as possible, the benefits and advantages of the Library to every part of the city, determined to make the daily distri- bution, with the full knowledge on their part that it could only be done by using a portion of the funds they had relied on for the purchase of books during the year.


The Superintendent's report will show that a goodly por- tion of that estimated book money was actually thus used. The necessity for this was particularly to be regretted last year; for the visit of our Superintendent to Europe last sum- mer afforded an opportunity for the selection and purchase of books at low cost, which the Trustees would have gladly availed of, had they possessed the necessary funds.


The amount asked for this year is only five hundred dollars in excess of that asked for last year, and one thousand more than was then appropriated. The extra cost for this daily distribution, as shown by the Superintendent's tables, was only for nine months of last year. To that cost, therefore, one-third must be added, in order to meet the requirements of this entire current year, and for which the estimates, on which the appropriation now asked for is based, provide.


Whilst the Trustees, and others in charge of the operations of the Library, desire at all times to do what they can in aid of the efforts of the City Council to maintain a judicious economy in its administration of the affairs of the city, they are well satisfied that the diversion to other purposes of funds really needed for the purchase of books is a serious drawback to the usefulness of the Library, and hope it will not be necessary to repeat the experiment of last year.


Very little is likely to be required in the way of additions or repairs to the Library this year. We need, indeed, increased storage capacity for coal, or else the contracts for coal made for us by the city should provide that the Library be fur- nished at the contract price all through the season. We were compelled last year to pay some thirty or forty dollars over


9


the contract price for the later deliveries, for want of such a provision.


The Trustees, in their own behalf, and in behalf of the Library and the city at large, acknowledge with pleasure and gratitude the valuable services rendered by our Superintend- ent, the Rev. Bradford K. Peirce. Without fee or reward he continues to labor faithfully and devotedly in the firm belief of the great good that may be made to result from the proper conduct of the institution so largely under his direc- tion and charge.


J. S. FARLOW, Pres't of the Board of Trustees.


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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.


To the Trustees of the Newton Free Library.


GENTLEMEN, - In submitting the Annual Report of the Library for the past year, we have but few special incidents to record. Its regular work, increased nearly fifty per cent during three-quarters of the year, has moved on with un- broken regularity. The usual very full statistical tables, forming the appendix to this report, will give the details of what has been done during the year, the expenses of adminis- tration, and the growth and present condition of the Library. It will be seen that the expense at the agencies, and for the distribution of the books, has been largely increased. As this enlargement extends over only three-quarters of the year, the expense for the coming year can be readily estimated.


The circulation of books has been increased by about two thousand over the previous year, reaching the number of 85,333. There are now over ten thousand names registered as patrons of the Library, -a very considerable proportion of the inhabitants of the city. Last year, for reasons that will appear in the report, a smaller number of volumes was added to the Library than in previous years. The. total accessions for the year were 1,242, and these volumes are in larger proportion than usual composed of substantial, as well as very interesting, works of science, history, biography, travels, and illustrations of art. But two volumes during the year remain unaccounted for. Fifty-three have been worn out and not replaced, or have been withdrawn from circulation, leaving in the Library, at the opening of the present year, 18,202 volumes. While a portion of the annual




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