USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1882-1883 > Part 17
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3
Boston .
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
1
Total
. .
159
552
31
15
1
1
2
761
WATER PUMPED AND CONSUMED.
During 1883 there were pumped 229,317,924 gallons of water, about 13,000,000 more than were pumped in 1882. The average daily consumption during the past year was 624,381 gallons.
The following table gives the average daily consumption by months during the past six years : -
MONTH.
1878.
1879.
1880.
1881.
1882.
1883.
January
286,234
309,645
386,524
406,212
445,257
526,943
February .
274,792
300,275
341,920
397,346
470,841
481,437
March .
227,484
300,048
325,996
354,168
541,149
503,804
April
221,508
297,850
381,002
392,617
477,540
494,281
May
.
294,278
388,671
514,382
466,234
510,951
568.500
June
369,844
455,924
719,348
475,573
646,752
719,838
July
557,446
488,733
515,623
520,529
764,985
818,209
August
386,916
502,418
540,408
510,214
944,486
1,042,608
September
374,517
387,366
530,826
550,974
712,994
882,348
October
343,431
370,238
419,474
467,155
601,595
511.039
November
304,208
361,446
384,683
440,689
520,946
482,570
December
297,890
336,777
364,196
426,752
501,669
460,994
Daily average,
328,212
374,949
452,032
450,705
594,930
624,381
7
1
1
1
168
Spooner
2
2
Desper .
3
1
.
17
RECEIPTS FOR THE YEAR 1883.
Received on account of water-rates
of 1883 . $29,308 12
Received on account of water-rates of 1882
1,568 27
Received on account of meter-rates, 18,414 03
Received on account of build'g-rates, 37 53
$49,327 95
Received for service-pipes $3,083 57
Received for meters and setting ·
2,157 55
Received for repairing meters . ·
338 67
Received for repairing services
15 60
Received for turning off and on wa-
ter, sealing fixtures, etc. . 132 11
Received for material sold
614 28
6,341 78
Total receipts during 1883
$55,669 73
EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR 1883.
MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT.
Amount of appropriation
$13,500 00
Expense of water registrar's office,
including salary of registrar, in- spector, travelling, and miscel- laneous expenses $2,675 77
Expense of superintendent's office, including salary of superintend- ent, travelling, miscellaneous, and pipe-yard expenses · Expense at pumping station, includ- ing salaries of engineer, fireman, and watchman, fuel, repairs, and supplies .
2,132 62
Expense of maintenance of reservoir, Expense of maintenance of mains . Expense of maintenance of hydrants, Expense of maintenance of service-
5,858 90
533 81
577 40
250 79
pipes 238 04
·
18
Expense of maintenance of filter- basin
$663 64
Expense of maintenance of stand- pipes 90 63
Expense of maintenance of city teams ·
252 39
Miscellaneous expenses
208 52
$13,482 51
Balance of appropriation unex- pended .
$17 49
SPECIAL APPROPRIATION FOR CLEANSING FILTER-BASIN.
Amount of appropriation $3,000 00
Amount expended . 2,783 50
Balance unexpended
$216 50
SERVICE AND METER ACCOUNT.
Amount of appropriation
$5,500 00
Expended for services (new) . $2,728 20
Expended for meters (new) 1,649 27
Expended for maintenance services .
71 90
Expended for maintenance meters
489 18
Expended for inspection .
339 16
Expended for city teams .
178 00
Expended for flooding fields
30 68
Expended for sundries
12 26
5,498 65
Balance unexpended
$1 35
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT.
Expended on account of new mains . $19,698 10
Expended on account of new hydrants 1,420 98
Expended on account of new services 4,362 72
Expended on account of new stand-pipes ·
210 82
Expended on account of new water-gates . 943 74
Expended on account of tools and repairs . 594 06
19
Expended on account of suit versus Devlin, Long, and Moore $1,038 95
Expended on account of city teams 319 04
Expended on account of new dwelling 341 35
Expended on account of pumping station
grounds 646 31
Expended on account of new pipe-shed
175 00
Expended on account of pumping station im- provements .
7,279 97
Expended on account of miscellaneous expenses, 9 65
$37,040 69
CR.
Received from Devlin, Long, and
Moore suit
$4,624 13
Received from sale of stone 20 00
Received from sale of pipe
594 28
5,238 41
Net expenditure for construction during 1883 $31,802 28
Net expenditure for construction
previous to 1883
911,189 65
Net expenditure for construction, Dec. 31, 1883
$942,991 93
INTEREST ACCOUNT.
Amount appropriated and expended for interest on water-bonds during 1883 $50,900 00 .
Respectfully submitted.
(Signed) THE NEWTON WATER BOARD, By EDWARD W. CATE, President.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES FROM 1878 TO 1883 INCLUSIVE.
EXPENDITURES.
RECEIPTS.
YEAR.
WATER-RATES.
DEFICIENCY.
INTEREST.
MAINTENANCE.
SERVICES AND METERS.
TOTAL.
FROM CITY.
OTHER SOURCES.
SERVICES AND METERS.
TOTAL.
1878
$44,800 00
$9,777 69
$6,997 45
$61,575 14
$5,896 74
$17,598 33
$5,280 55
$25,775 62
$35,799 52
1879
45,500 00
8,841 20
4,860 57
59,201 77
6,132 50
21,023 02
3,138 68
30,294 20
28,907 57
1880 .
47,750 00
9,223 70
4,212 24
61,185 94
8,919 00
24,815 58
6,192 40
39,926 98
21,258 96
1881 .
·
48,900 00
12,682° 49
4,951 20
66,533 69
8,533 18
26,953 10
5,206 48
40,692 76
25,840 93
1882
·
49,600 00
13,811 62
5,590 63
69,002 25
9,729 01
32,703 38
5,454 59
47,886 98
21,115 27
1883
50,900 00
16,266 01
5,498 65
72,664 66
12,851 22
36,476 73
5,727 50
55,055 45
17,609 21
20
.
·
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
CITY OF NEWTON.
1883.
NO. XLIV.
ERTY AND UNION
LUB
FOUNDED
0
688.A CITY1873
A
TUM
ORATI
BOSTON : ALFRED MUDGE & SON, PRINTERS, No. 24 FRANKLIN STREET. 1884.
ORGANIZATION OF. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
JANUARY, 1883.
HON. WILLIAM P. ELLISON, MAYOR, CHAIRMAN, ex officio. EDWIN W. GAY, PRESIDENT COMMON COUNCIL, ex officio. REV. AMOS E. LAWRENCE, CHAIRMAN.
ISAAC HAGAR, SECRETARY. JOHN E. KIMBALL, SUPERINTENDENT.
Elective Members.
Wards.
Term of office expires
EDMUND W. CONVERSE CHARLES H. STONE
I.
January, 1886.
I.
1886.
JOHN W. DICKINSON
II.
1886.
A. AMELIA SMEAD .
II.
1886.
JULIUS L. CLARKE
III.
66
1885.
FISHER AMES *
III.
66
1884.
WILLIAM S. SMITH
IV.
66
1885.
ISAAC HAGAR
IV.
1885.
JOHN A. GOULD
V.
1884.
EDWIN P. SEAVER
V.
66
1884.
EMILY W. HYDE
VI.
1884.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE
VI.
66
1884.
GEORGE W. SHINN .
VII.
1884.
LINCOLN R. STONE .
VII.
1885.
* Elected to fill a vacancy.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
High School. - AAmos E. Lawrence, Fisher Ames, John W. Diekinson, William S. Smith, George W. Shinn, Edmund W. Converse, Edwin P. Seaver, and the Mayor, ex officio. Evening Schools. - George W. Shinn, Lincoln R. Stone, John W. Dickinson. Music. - Lincoln R. Stone, A. Amelia Smead, Emily W. Hyde. . Drawing and Writing. - A Amelia Smead, Charles H. Stone, Emily W. Hyde. Industrial Drawing. - John A. Gould, Charles H. Stone, Edwin W. Gay. Text-Books. - Amos E. Lawrence, William S. Smith, Julius L. Clarke. Rules and Regulations. - George W. Shinn, Amos E. Lawrence, Edwin P. Seaver. Salaries. - Edmund W. Converse, Edwin W. Gay, Fisher Ames. Schoolhouses. - Isaac Hagar, Charles H. Stone, Lineoln R. Stone. Accounts and Printing. - Isaac Hagar, Fisher Ames, Julius L. Clarke.
DISTRICTS.
NEWTON CENTRE.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre. JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands. EDWIN P. SEAVER, Newton Highlands. EDWIN W. GAY, Newton.
UPPER FALLS.
JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls. EDWIN P. SEAVER, Newton Highlands. EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands.
LOWER FALLS.
WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. FISHER AMES, West Newton. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.
WEST NEWTON.
JULIUS L. CLARKE, West Newton. FISHER AMES, West Newton.
JOHN W. DICKINSON, Newtonville. WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville.
NEWTONVILLE.
JOHN W. DICKINSON, Newtonville. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville. LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. CHARLES H. STONE, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton.
NEWTON.
LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton.
GEORGE W. SHINN, Newton. CHARLES HI. STONE, Newton. EDWIN W. GAY, Newton.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
JANUARY, 1884.
HON. J. WESLEY KIMBALL, MAYOR, CHAIRMAN, ex officio. SAMUEL L. POWERS, PRESIDENT COMMON COUNCIL, ex officio. JULIUS L. CLARKE, CHAIRMAN. ISAAC HAGAR, SECRETARY. JOHN E. KIMBALL, SUPERINTENDENT.
Elective Members.
Wards.
Term of office expires January, 1886.
EDMUND W. CONVERSE CHARLES H. STONE
I.
66
1886.
JOHN W. DICKINSON A. AMELIA SMEAD
II.
1866.
JULIUS L. CLARKE
III.
1885.
FISHER AMES *
III.
1885.
WILLIAM S. SMITH
IV.
1885.
ISAAC HAGAR .
IV.
60
1885.
JOHN A. GOULD ALBERT B. PUTNEY
V.
1887.
1887.
CHARLES C. BARTON
VI.
1887.
WILLIAM D. PHILBRICK
VI.
66
1887.
GEORGE W. SHINN
VII.
1887.
LINCOLN R. STONE
TII.
1885.
I.
V.
* Elected to fill a vacancy.
II.
1886.
STANDING COMMITTEES.
High School. - Julius L. Clarke, Fisher Ames, John W. Dickinson, William S. Smith, George W. Shinn, Edmund W. Converse, Charles C. Barton, and the Mayor, ex officio. Evening Schools. - George W. Shinn, Lincoln R. Stone, William D. Philbrick. Music. - Lincoln R. Stone, A. Amelia Smead, Albert B. Putney. Drawing and Writing. - A. Amelia Smead, Charles H. Stone, Albert B. Putney. Industrial Drawing. - John A. Gould, Charles H. Stone, Samuel L. Powers. Sewing. - A. Amelia Smead, George W. Shinn, William D. Philbrick. Text-Books. - Julius L. Clarke, William S. Smith, Charles C. Barton. Rules and Regulations. - George W. Shinn, John W. Dickinson, William S. Smith. Salaries. - Edmund W. Converse, Samuel L. Powers, Fisher Ames. Schoolhouses. - Isaac Hagar, Charles H. Stone, Lincoln R. Stone. Accounts and Printing. - Isaac Hagar, Fisher Ames, Julius L. Clarke.
DISTRICTS.
NEWTON CENTRE.
CHARLES C. BARTON, Newton Centre.
JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls.
WILLIAM D. PHILBRICK, Newton Centre. ALBERT B. PUTNEY, Newton Highlands. SAMUEL L. POWERS, Newton.
UPPER FALLS.
JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. ALBERT B. PUTNEY, Newton Highlands. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls. WILLIAM D. PHILBRICK, Newton Centre. CHARLES C. BARTON, Newton Centre.
LOWER FALLS.
WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. FISHER AMES, West Newton. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.
WEST NEWTON.
JULIUS L. CLARKE, West Newton. FISHER AMES, West Newton. JOHN W. DICKINSON, Newtonville. WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville.
NEWTONVILLE.
JOHN W. DICKINSON, Newtonville. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville. LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. CHARLES H. STONE, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton.
NEWTON.
LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton.
GEORGE W. SHINN, Newton. CHARLES H. STONE, Newton. SAMUEL L. POWERS, Newton.
CITY OF NEWTON.
IN BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, Sept. 26, 1883.
The Chair appointed the following-named members as the committee to prepare the Annual Report; viz., Amos E. Lawrence, Edwin W. Gay, Edwin P. Seaver, John A. Gould, and Julius L. Clarke.
Dec. 26, 1883.
The Annual Report was presented by Rev. Amos E. Lawrence, and accepted.
Jan. 9, 1884.
Ordered, That twenty-eight hundred copies of the Annual Report be printed.
ISAAC HAGAR, Secretary.
CONTENTS.
ORGANIZATION
GENERAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
PAGE 3-6 11-15
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduates
16-33
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS .
Newton Centre District
Upper Falls District
. 34-36
Lower Falls District .
· 41-44
West Newton District
· 45-47
Newtonville District .
. 48-51
Newton District
. 52-53
EVENING SCHOOL
54
INDUSTRIAL DRAWING
55
SEWING
56-57
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Statistics
61-95
SECRETARY'S REPORT
. 96-101
LIST OF TEXT-BOOKS
. 102-103
. 104-109
. 26-33
. 34-53
37-40
MUSIC
58-59
ROLL OF TEACHERS .
89-95
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TO THE CITIZENS OF NEWTON : -
In submitting herewith their Forty-fourth Annual Report, the School Committee of Newton congratu- late their fellow-citizens anew on the results of their system of public education. That it is a costly sys- tem is not to be denied. The fact that it is continued, however, from year to year, is proof that it is accepta- ble to our fellow-citizens, notwithstanding its expen- siveness. It is, in fact, a system of more than regal munificence; and to the thoughtful observer it is one of the most significant features of our government. That a city of seventeen or eighteen thousand inhab- itants should be willing to spend a hundred thousand dollars annually on its schools, or about one fourth of the gross amount of its income from taxes,- de- voting this money not to the aggrandizement of the city, nor to the amusement or diversion of a restless and dangerous populace, but to the mental training of her children, -- is something more than munificent. The policy is a wise one also,- as sagacious and far- sighted as it is liberal. Of this, every year's experi- ence brings new proof. The policy has characterized Newton from the first, and finds its ample justifica- tion in the fruits it bears. That it is perfect in all its workings, no one claims. That the wisdom and ex- perience of the future will not modify it in some of its features, and point out some better methods of school
12
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
training than those now approved and practised, no one doubts. Indeed, the best evidence of its life is that it is growing. It must advance. The very mis- takes we have made - errors of judgment, not of negligence - will save us from repeating them, and have cleared the atmosphere for the future. But one thing we shall not change, and that is the policy of liberal appropriations. Let this be reversed,- let it be supplanted by one of timid or niggardly sparing,- and the mistake would soon be revealed. Newton would suffer loss thereby, not only in the reputation of her schools, but in the city treasury also, furnish- ing a new illustration of the old truth,-" There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." Our schools have brought us worthy citi- zens and taxable wealth, and especially that youthful vigor and enterprise that instinctively shun an over- cautious and stagnant town. To those who are look- ing for a home, a hundred thousand dollars a year expended for schools is an argument readily under- stood, and needing no further elaboration than its simple publication. Moreover, a well-taught commu- nity is a well-governed one. The school teacher, if competent, is the best arm of the police; for by the training he gives he makes the citizen his own gov- ernor. It is only a logical result that in such a com- munity the dram-shop is closed and private rights are respected. A community thus patiently seeking the higher culture must attract to itself the cultured. And for the same reason wealth also will be drawn to it, that it may place itself under the shield of a broader law than that of legal enactment,- the law of self- respect ruling in the breast of each of its educated citizens.
13
GENERAL REPORT.
Newton became a city in 1873. The aggregate expenditures of these ten years, exclusive of sums spent on new buildings, has been $884,431.85, an average, that is, of $88,443.181 a year. The details are as follows: -
Expenditure for 1874
$97,353 65
Expenditure for 1875
96,649 23
Expenditure for 1876
86,533 64
Expenditure for 1877
83.917 89
Expenditure for 1878
83,208 63
Expenditure for 1879
82,260 08
Expenditure for 1880
83,613 47
Expenditure for 1881
83,700 27
Expenditure for 1882
91,252 72
Expenditure for 1883
95,942 27
The maximum average whole number of pupils at the public schools in 1873 and 1883, respectively, was as follows: -
SCHOOLS.
1873.
1883.
High
201
313
Mason
265
404
Oak Hill .
42
28
Thompsonville .
40
Hyde
76
185
Prospect .
244
232
Hamilton
118
103
.Williams .
197
268
Pierce
165
195
Davis
222
203
Franklin .
62
160
Adams
146
210
Claflin
123
166
Jackson .
228
299
Bigelow .
390
312
Underwood
185
Lincoln
82
50
Total
2,561
3,353
.
14
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
In the report of the board for the year 1881, and again in 1882, attention was called to the needs of this department in the matter of additional accommo- dation for the steadily increasing number of our pu- pils. During the past year appropriations have been made by the City Council to meet in part this want, and two new schoolhouses are now being erected, and are well advanced towards completion. It is ex- pected that they will be ready for occupancy before the commencement of the school year of 1884. Be- sides this, a considerable sum has been expended in repairs and alterations, made necessary, in part at least, by mistakes in the original designs for the buildings.
Ward 6 still needs an additional building for the relief of the Mason School, and the city will probably be called upon next year, 1884, to furnish the funds for its erection.
The committee cannot omit from this report an ac- knowledgment of their indebtedness to Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Urbino, of this city, for a valuable collection of specimens of natural history and other objects of edu- cational value, presented by them to be the permanent property of the city. This collection has been depos- ited in the High School building, in an appropriate and beautiful case, of ready access to the pupils of the schools and the public generally, and will be known as the " Urbino Collection."
In this connection, also, we take great pleasure in acknowledging the donation by Mr. William E. Shel- don, of West Newton, of a valuable collection of edu- cational books, about one hundred volumes, to the Pierce School, for the use of the pupils and teachers.
The committee invite attention to the accompany-
15
GENERAL REPORT.
ing report of the Superintendent of Schools, as em- bodying in its details of the year, and in its discus- sions and recommendations, very much that is of primary importance to the welfare of the schools.
The report of the Secretary will also be found ap- pended; and also extracts from various reports of committees appointed by the board.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Chairman.
HIGH SCHOOL.
THE High School, until the close of the school year ending June 29, 1883, was under the charge of the same teachers as at the time of rendering the last an- nual report. The only change in the corps of teach- ers, during the school year which began last Septem- ber, has been occasioned by the resignation of Mrs. Bowler, our faithful and accomplished teacher of drawing. Circumstances requiring that she should relinquish teaching entirely for the present, she has withdrawn from the position which she has filled so long and so well. The vacancy thus occasioned has been filled by the appointment of Miss Adeline V. Pond, a former pupil of Mrs. Bowler's, and a gradu- ate of the High School, who has thus far most suc- cessfully carried on the work of the department.
The total number of pupils in the school during the school year 1882-3 was three hundred eleven, nine more than the previous year. The following table may be of interest showing the changes in attend- ance during the last ten years: -
YEAR ENDING JUNE.
Total Number.
Average Number.
Average Attendance.
1874
295
204
193
1875
237
221
207
1876
272
233
221
1877
261
244
229
1878
276
256
239
1879
282
253
233
1880
319
277
258
1881
313
269
252
1882
302
274
258
1883
311
270
250
17
HIGH SCHOOL.
The total number for the present year up to the date of writing, Jan. 15, 1884, is three hundred twenty-eight.
The distribution of the pupils by classes and courses of study will be seen in the following tables :
TABLE I.
CLASS.
Boys.
Girls.
Total.
I.
25
25
50
II.
27
27
54
III.
46
50
96
IV.
51
60
111
149
162
311
TABLE II.
CLASS.
General.
Classical.
Mercantile.
Special.
Total.
I.
·
.
29
15
0
6
50
II.
.
·
27
14
3
10
54
III.
51
20
13
12
96
IV.
48
22
12
29
111
155
71
28
57
311
TABLE III. - BOYS.
CLASS.
General.
Classical.
Mercantile.
Special.
Total.
I.
·
.
10
12
0
3
25
II.
·
.
10
9
3
5
27
III.
·
15
10
13
8
46
IV. .
·
15
19
11
6
51
50
50
27
22
149
2
18
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TABLE IV .- GIRLS.
CLASS.
General.
Classical.
Mercantile.
Special.
Total.
I. .
19
3
0
3
25
II. .
17
5
0
5
27
III. .
36
10
0
4
50
IV. .
33
3
1
23
60
105
21
1
35
162
Whole number (9 more than last year)
311
Average whole number
270
Average daily attendance
250
Per cent attendance 92.5
.
Whole number boys (5 more than last year)
149
Whole number girls (4 more than last year) 162
Whole number in General Course (16 more than last year) 155
Whole number in Classical Course (10 fewer than last year) 71
Whole number in Mercantile Course (1 fewer than last year) 28
Whole number in Special Courses (4 more than last year) · 57
AVERAGE AGE, SEPTEMBER 4, 1882.
Class 12 years.
Last year, 18
Class II. 1672 years.
Last year, 1642
Class III. 1512 years.
Last year, 1512
Class IV. 15& years.
Last year, 15742
GRADUATING CLASS.
Of the class graduated last June, forty-one took the full four-years' course (thirteen classical, twenty- eight general), and the remaining nine a three-years' course. The whole number graduated was fifty. Of these, six entered Harvard College, four the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology, four Boston Uni- versity, two the Harvard Medical School, one each
19
HIGH SCHOOL.
Yale College, Williams College, Wellesley College, and the Kindergarten Normal School.
As in accordance with established precedent, the list of the graduates of the High School is to be printed in full at intervals of five years, it is appended to the present report, the list having been printed last in the report for 1878. As some pages will thus be occupied, attention will further be drawn only to some of the more important matters of interest in connec- tion with the school.
In the course of study as established by the Com- mittec, prominence is deservedly given to scientific studies. From the very character of these studies, they cannot be taught by the use of the text-book alone. The facts and principles must be presented in visible and tangible form, and the pupil's power of observation must be trained and rendered exact. It is obvious that to do this successfully, considerable apparatus is needed, especially in illustrating experi- ments in physics. For the last two years a small ap- propriation has been made for the purpose of increas- ing the stock of apparatus on hand, and it is to be hoped that this precedent will be followed from year to year, until all the more important illustrations of the princi- ples of chemistry and of natural philosophy can be used, in co-operation with the printed page of the text-book, and with the enthusiasm and oral instruc- tion of the teacher. During the first term of the present school year, such interest in the subject was developed in the classes in physics, that the pupils, at their own instance, raised more than $50 among their parents and friends, for the purchase of additional illustrative apparatus. Although the contribution
20
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
was welcome, it is plain that this method of filling the needs of the school is for many reasons undesirable. Ample case room is still vacant, and a small but reg- ular annual appropriation would before long fill the cases with a most valuable equipment in the impor- tant department of the sciences.
In the class beginning the study of English and English literature, the experiment has now been tried throughout an entire year of dispensing with a text-book on the subjects which Abbott's "How to Write " was intended to cover. In place of such a book, notes have been dictated to the classes, cover- ing the more important elements of correct English, and pointing out the errors and mistakes actually found to be those most frequently occurring. The experiment has proved successful, and unless the Committee decide otherwise, no text-book will for the present be recommended for use in this branch of study.
During the long vacation of 1883, a large portion of the furniture of the school was much improved in appearance by being cleaned, repaired, and painted. A portion still remains needing similar attention. Much of this furniture had been in use from the first opening of the school, and plainly was greatly in need of renovation.
Perhaps the most important topic presenting itself with reference to the High School is the policy to be decided upon, in proportioning the number of teachers to the number of the pupils. The limit has certainly been passed, at which the teachers can be held respon- sible for such success in their teaching as they and the Committee would desire. As was stated above, the
21
HIGH SCHOOL.
whole number of pupils in the school since Sept. 3, 1883, has been three hundred twenty-eight, and up to the date of writing the average number belonging has been over three hundred. The whole number in the class in algebra at the beginning of 1884, includ- ing the pupils in the upper classes that are reviewing this study, was one hundred fifty-five. The neces- sities of the programme rendered only three divis- ions possible in this class. It is fortunately the case that this is an extreme instance, but all of the teachers are now worked harder than is consistent with their health, or with the best success of their efforts in teaching. The suggestion has been made, that the size of the school be limited, by raising the standard of admission, and that the number of pupils be not suffered to rise above three hundred. It is true, that a comparison with the statistics of other cities would show, that perhaps in no other city is the High School attendance so large a percentage of the population, as in Newton. But it is not likely, that the School Committee, or the intelligent population which they represent, will consent to an abridgment of the educational advantages offered to their children. The only other means of meeting the difficulty is by an addition to the teaching force. Unless the pros- pect for next year shall be of a much smaller High School attendance than now seems at all probable, the appointment of another assistant teacher in the school would appear an absolute necessity.
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