USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Town of Norwell annual report 1910-1919 > Part 40
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1,239.48
Uncollected Taxes
11,393.52
Cash on Hand with Treasurer
2,893.69
$17.122.69
Balance in Favor of Town
$4,122.69
REPORT OF AUDITOR
I have examined the accounts of the Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor, Treasurer, School Committee and the Tax Col- lector, and find the same to be correct to the best of my belief and knowledge.
JEROME F. WADSWORTH.
Auditor.
Appropriations Recommended 1920
Support of Poor
$1,500.00
Almshouse
2,100.00
Support of Schools 12,000.00
Highways, general
4,500.00
Highways, special for tarvia work
.
4,500.00
Removing Snow
700.00
Memorial Day
150.00
State Aid
2,000.00
Soldiers' Relief
400.00
Town Officers
2,000.00
Washington Street Cemetery 75.00
Tree Warden
50.00
Mowing Bushes
100.00
Board of Health
350.00
Inspection of Slaughtering 350.00
School Physician
100.000
Squares and Triangles
100.00
Town Hall 75.00
Electric Lights 500.00
James Library 200.00
Fire Department 300.00
Gypsy Moth
513.16
Superintendent of Schools 500.00
Interest
1,250.00
State and County Taxes
6,000.00
Gaffield Park 25.00
Incidentals
1,400.00
Spraying Elms
200.00
List of Jurors
List of persons qualified to serve as Jurors in the Town of Norwell from July 1, 1919 to July 1, 1920.
Joseph W. Hatch, farmer . Central St.
Henry D. Smith, automobile repairing River St.
Elliott W. Crowell, Bank Clerk River St.
George E. Torrey, retired River St.
Henry J. Tolman, carpenter River St.
Charles A. Gale, clerk Main St.
Edward M. Sexton, farmer
Main St.
Mortimer D. Maxwell, farmer Main St.
Lester D. West, grocer West St.
William J. Leonard, retired Washington St.
Emory N. Andrews, carpenter Washington St.
William C. Young, shoeworker Washington St.
Albert I. Farrar, shoeworker Washington St.
Asa WV. Robinson, shoeworker . High St.
William H. Spencer, farmer . Central St.
Fred M. Curtis, moth superintendent Central St.
John Whalen, farmer . Central St.
George B. Ellms, carpenter Summer St.
Benjamin F. Eldridge, farmer South St.
George A. Osborn, carpenter Grove St.
Amos H. Tilden, farmer
. Cross St.
Burt I. Richardson, farmer
Mt. Blue St.
George S. Morton, farmer Stetson Road
Theodore M. Dyer, tacker Stetson Road
Report of Trustees
FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE COFFIN POOR FUND
Amount of fund $2,000.00 Available interest in bank Jan. 1, 1919 $249.55
Interest on Bank Book 102.13
$351.68
Paid worthy poor
$162.94
Available interest in bank Jan. 1, 1920
188.74
$351.68
THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
TRUSTEES OF THE ABIGAIL T. OTIS CEMETERY AND TOMB FUNDS
Amount of funds $1.500.00
Interest on bank book Jan. 1, 1919. . $657.07
Interest to Jan. 1, 1920 98.1I
$755.18
Paid Cemetery Committee for care of lot $110.00
Interest in Bank Jan. 1, 1920
645.18
$755.18
85
TOWN OF NORWELL
THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ABIGAIL T. OTIS POOR FUND
Amount of fund
$2,000.00
Available interest in bank Jan. 1, 1919 $140.63
Interest on bank book 76.95
$217.58
Paid inmates of Almshouse $35.00
Interest in bank Jan. 1, 1920 182.58
$217.58
CEMETERY TRUST FUNDS
Name of
Fund
Year Deposited
Amount of Fund
Interest Interest Added on Hand Jan. 1, '18 During Year
Expended During Year
Interest on Hand Jan. 1, '19
Josselyn
1888
$200
$41.81
$10.97
$20.00
$32.78
Samuel C. Cudworth
1892
200
59.74
11.80
20.00
51.54
Prudence C. Delano
1895
300
85.60
17.52
30.00
73.12
Nancy Hersey
.1897
100
10.89
5.01
10.00
5.90
Betsey Tolman
.1900
100
.84
4.56
4.00
1.40
George P. Clapp
1903
100
.84
4.56
4.00
1.40
Mary O. Robbins
1904
200
29.61
10.42
16.00
24.03
Charles H. Merritt
.1905
50
5.40
2.49
5.00
2.89
James W. Sampson
.1906
250
47.28
13.50
15.00
45.78
Mary O. Robbins Tomb
. 1907
100
33.92
6.06
15.00
24.98
Davis Damon
1907
100
19.76
5.41
10.00
15.17
Susan C. Damon
1907
100
9.76
4.96
10.00
4.72
George H. Bates
.1907
100
9.68
4.96
10.00
4.64
Gad Leavitt
1909
100
2.85
4.65
7.50
Adeline A. Payne
.1910
200
42.08
11.01
20.00
33.09
Thomas Sampson
.1911
75
2.10
3.50
4.00
1.60
Abbie S. Bates
1915
200
14.60
14.21
28.81
Hosea J. Stockbridge
1915
200
12.98
9.56
5.00
17.54
N. P. Brownell
1916
150
10.79
7.28
10.00
8.07
John H. Knapp
.
1918
100
. . . .
4.54
3.00
1.54
Olive H. Brigham
1919
100
.
. . .
ยท
. .
. . . .
EDWARD M. SEXTON, LOTHROP E. FESSENDEN, WILLIAM J. LEONARD, Trustees.
86
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
Transcript of Articles in Warrant
Article I. To choose a moderator.
Art. 2. To hear the reports of the several boards of officers and committees of the town and act thereon.
Art. 3. To make necessary appropriations to defray the expenses of the town, and for other purposes and to raise such sums of money as the town shall deem expedient.
Art. 4. To see if the town will vote to authorize the treasurer, with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current finan- cial year.
Art. 5. What compensation will the town make for removing snow and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 6. In what manner and time shall the taxes be collected for the ensuing year ?
Art. 7. To make allowance to town creditors.
Art. 8. What sum of money will the town appropriate for the use of Post 112, G. A. R., on Memorial Day ?
Art. 9. Will the town cause a statement of its financial affairs to be printed in February next ?
88
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
Art. 10. Will the town appropriate a sum of money to be expended in the cemetery on Washington street ?
Art. II What price will the town pay for labor on the highway for the ensuing year ?
Art. 12. What action will the town take in regard to keeping the sidewalks in repair ?
Art. 13. Will the town give any instructions to town officers ?
Art. 14. What price will the town pay for work at fires for the ensuing year ?
Art. 15. Will the town take any action in regard to the care of parks, squares and triangles and make any appropria- tions for the same ?
Art. 16. Will the town make an appropriation for the James Library in return for the free privilege of taking books which the townspeople now have?
Art. 17. Will the town act in conjunction with the Town of Hanover to have electric lights at the terminus of River street, Norwell, and Broadway, Hanover, at the Third Herring Brook and at Assinippi ?
Art. 18. Will the town appropriate the sum of $515.29 for the suppression of Gypsy and Browntail moths ?
Art. 19. What sum of money will the town appropriate to pay the Superintendent of Schools ?
89
TOWN OF NORWELL
Art. 20. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars for the purpose of fighting fires ?
Art. 21. What sum of money will the town appropriate for the spraying of elm trees along the highways?
Art. 22. What sum of money will the town appropriate for electric lights ?
Art. 23. To see if the town will authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the selectmen, to borrow money on and after January 1, 1921, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year, beginning January I, 1921, and to issue note or notes therefor, payable within one year. Any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of the financial year, beginning January I, 192I.
Art. 24. To see if the town will vote to raise and appro- priate for the use of the Plymouth County Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture the sum of $150 and choose a town director as provided in Chapter 273 of the Acts of 1918 and act thereon.
Art. 25. What appropriation will the town make toward procuring suitable tablets bearing the names of its citizens who served in the World War?
Art. 26. Will the town vote to use the unexpended bal- ance of the school appropriation for 1919, $1, 155.05 for the support of schools in 1920?
Art. 27. Will the town vote to raise and appropriate $265.00 to provide a snow scraper? Or act or do anything relative to the above.
90
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
Art. 28. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of $50 and name two trustees for the Ridge Hill Public Library ?
Art. 29. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of $250 to purchase a power sprayer?
Art. 30. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of $150 for grading about the Common?
Art. 31. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of $350 to paint the Town Hall.
Art. 32. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of $3500 for repairs on the entire length of Grove street, from its junction with Lincoln street to its junction with Wash- ington street ? Or act or do anything relative to the same.
Art. 33. Will the town instruct the Selectmen to sell the stone crusher, engine and boiler ?
Art. 34. Will the town authorize its Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow a sum not exceeding nineteen thousand dollars ($19,000.00) and issue bonds or notes of the town, bearing interest, payable semi-annually, and principal payable in such annual payments as will ex- tinguish the debt in five years, to provide for the appropri ation of $12,000.00 made at the special town meeting April 23, 1919, and an additional appropriation of $7,000.00 made at a special town meeting, October 18, 1919, for the purpose of resurfacing and new construction of River street, author- ized at said meetings ?
91
TOWN OF NORWELL
Art. 35. Will the town appropriate a sum not to exceed $5,000.00 to be expended with like appropriations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the County of Plym- outh, as provided by Chapter 155, Acts of 1918, and other acts in amendment thereto and connection therewith, for highway construction on Central street as petitioned by the Selectmen; and further authorize its Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow a sum not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) and issue bonds or notes of the town, bearing interest payable semi-annually and principal payable in five equal annual payments, to provide for said construction ?
Art. 36. Or act or do anything relative to the above.
Art. 37. Will the town vote to form a Union High School District, or take action relative to the above?
Art. 38. To bring in their votes for a Town Clerk for one year, one Selectman, one Assessor, and one Overseer of the Poor for three years, a Treasurer, a Collector of Taxes, an Auditor, a Surveyor of Highways, five Constables and a Tree Warden for one year, one member of the School Com- mittee for three years, one member of the Board of Health for three years, and to vote yes or no in answer to the ques- tion, "Shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town," all on one ballot. Polls open from 7 A. M. to II A. M.
Annual Report
OF
School Committee OF
Town of Norwell
For the Year 1919
95
TOWN OF NORWELL
Superintendent of Schools
STEPHEN G. BEAN, West Hanover. Tel. Rockland 667J.
School Committee
BENJAMIN LORING, Rockland R. F. D. Tel. Norwell 12-22.
MRS. AMY W. SYLVESTER, Hanover. Tel. Hanover 21-2. MRS. NELLIE L. SPARRELL, Norwe!]. Tel. Norwell 106-2.
Supervisors
Music :- MISS ROSALIE H. WHEELOCK, Roslin- dale, Mass.
Drawing :- MRS. A. G. ELDREDGE, Assinippi.
Teachers
High School :- Principal John M. Nichols, 97 Ocean Street, Dorchester; Margaret Cochran, Assinippi; Mar- garet Tolman, Rockland R. F. D .; Doris M. Wheeler, Assinippi.
District No. 1 :- Mrs. Ella F. Osborn, Norwell; Min- nie F. Gardner, Accord; Mabel Mansfield, Rockland.
District No. 5 :- Mrs. Florence B. Pinson, Norwell; Marion G. Merritt, Norwell; Dorothy G. Litchfield, North Scituate.
District No 7 :- Maria W. Tolman, Rockland R. F. D.
96
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
School Physician
DR. WM. P. GROVESTEIN, North Scituate, Mass. Truant Officers
J. WARREN FOSTER, Norwell, Mass.
WALTER T. OSBORN, Norwell, Mass.
.
Report of School Committee of Norwell For the Year 1919
To the Citizens of the Town of Norwell :
At the first business meeting of the school committee, Mr. Loring was elected chairman and Mrs. Sparrell secretary and treasurer. It was voted to print and distribute "Pro- posals for Wood and Transportation."
The bids were opened publicly at No. 2 schoolhouse on Monday, March 17th, at 2:30 P. M. The bids for wood were as follows :
District No. 1, 6 cords hard wood and 2 cords pine trash.
Benjamin Loring, $7 per cord $56.00
Walter T. Osborn 60.00
Joseph T. Turner 52.00
John T. Osborn 54.00
District No. 2, 5 cords hard wood. $35.00
Benjamin Loring
Walter T. Osborn 40.00
Joseph & Turner 34.00
John T. Osborn 35.00
District No. 5, 6 cords hard wood, 2 cords pine trash.
John W. Burns. $49.50
Walter T. Osborn 60.00
Joseph & Turner 50.00
John T. Osborn 18.00
98
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
District No. 7, 5 cords hard wood, I cord pine trash.
F. E. Henderson, $51, or $60.00 sawed
Walter T. Osborn 46.00
Joseph & Turner 40.00
John T. Osborn 41.00
High School, 4 cords hard wood, 2 cords pine trash.
Benjamin Loring 42.00
Walter T. Osborn 44.00
Joseph & Turner 37.50
John T. Osborn 40.00
Bid for entire contract for 26 cords hard wood and 7 cords pine trash was submitted by Walter T. Osborn for $257.00, cut in stove lengths and delivered.
The contract was awarded to Walter T. Osborn for $257.
The bids for Transportation were as follows :
John F. Osborne, Route No. 2 .... . $22.50 per week George L. Downing, Route No. 2 .. 20.00 per week George L. Downing, Route No. I .. 20.00 per week Minot F. Williamson, Route No. 4 22.00 per week Carlton O. Litchfield, Route No. 3 .. 25.00 per week John H. Sparrell, Route No. I 20.00 per week John H. Sparrell, Route No. 2 20.00 per week John H. Sparrell, Routes 1, 2, 3 and 4, total of $3, 192 for year
The contract was awarded to John H. Sparrell for $3,192.00.
The fourth route has now become motorized, a goal for which we have worked two years. At present no pupil is obliged to leave home before 8:15 and few earlier than 8:30.
During the past year our attendance has been better, yet
99
TOWN OF NORWELL
it seems reasonable to expect even better results with the advantages of closed motor vehicles. A few persistent ab- sentees still remain and lower the average attendance.
In the main the directions of the school physician in re- gard to necessary dental work and treatment of the nose and throat, have been carried out by the parents. An in- dividual record kept of each pupil during the last two years shows a decided gain in nearly every case and gives proof of the benefits derived from this inspection.
Because of existing legislation relative to the distribution of the Massachusetts School Fund, Norwell has been able to increase the salaries of her grade teachers to $850.00. The state reimburses the town $200.00 on the salary of each teacher paid $850.00 or over; thus we were enabled to give our teachers the extra amount.
A word of explanation in regard to the unexpended bal- ance of $1,155.05. Owing to the bill relating to the dis- tribution of the Massachusetts School Fund being open to referendum, we were not able to figure when making up our budget on as large a sum as was actually received from the state. The attempted referendum failed, however, and we received sums sufficient to give us the balance quoted, other- wise we would have needed all the $12,000.00 appropriated. The coming year the fund received from the state will cover all necessary increases in our budget.
Our buildings are not what our children and teachers deserve. This year District No. I at Ridge Hill is crowded and will remain so next year, according to present indica- tions. The taxpayers must see the futility of spending any considerable amount of money enlarging an already un- satisfactory building. Now seems the time to bend our ef- forts toward the erection of an adequate building to house our graded schools. We realize fully that it would be too great a burden on the taxpayers to ask the town to erect
100
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
such a building at this time, but we do have faith that by all becoming interested in the project a building could be ob- tained by gifts. The plans, however, we leave to the com- mittee chosen for that purpose. We have asked Mr. Bean, our superintendent, to prepare the tables showing the costs of such a building and its operation in conjunction with a Union High School.
In concluding we wish to thank the parents for their co- operation in our attempts to improve conditions. All may help by taking more active interest in the Home and School and Parent and Teachers' Associations, both of which aim to bring the parent and teacher together. The schools need the live interest of all.
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN LORING, AMY W. SYLVESTER, NELLIE L. SPARRELL,
School Committee.
Financial Statement
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1919
HIGH SCHOOL FUND
Unexpended balance in 1918 $150.17
Unexpended balance in 1919 $150.17
EXPENDITURES FROM GENERAL APPRO- PRIATIONS
Balance of 1918 contract.
Paid :
C. O. Litchfield $300.00
J. H. Sparrell 264.00
M. F. Williamson 264.00
J. F. Osborn 270.00
$1,098.00
Contract for 1919.
J. H. Sparrell
2,240.00
Total for year 1919 $3,338.00
SUPERINTENDENT
Paid :
Stephen G. Bean
$767.71
102
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
JANITORS
Paid :
Oscar W. Lambert $120.00
G. A. Goodnough 145.00
C. A. Bruce 147.50
William Tolman 57.00
Floyd Osborne 104.00
$573-50
TEACHERS' SALARIES
John M. Nichols, High School $1,630.00
Margaret Cochran, High School 790.00
Margaret Tolman, High School 760.00 Doris M. Wheeler, High School 730.00
Ella F. Osborn, Dist. No. I 635.00
Mildred C. Wing, Dist. No. I
360.00
Mabel Mansfield, Dist. No. I
260.00
Minnie F. Gardner, Dist. No. I
383.00
Florence B. Pinson, Dist. No. 5
635.00
Marion G. Merritt, Dist. No. 5 623.00
Dorothy G. Litchfield, Dist. No. 5 376.00
Maria W. Tolman, Dist. No. 7 623.00
Rosalie H. Wheelock, Music 625.00
Mrs. A. G. Eldredge 1 50.00
$8.580.00
FUEL AND FITTING
Paid :
J. Foster Merritt, housing wood ... 7.00
Benjamin Loring, wood and carting. . 9.50
Anthony & Kidder, housing wood .. 7.00
W. T. Osborn, per contract 257.00
W. T. Osborn, housing wood 12.00
J. F. Osborn, sawing wood 15.50
103
TOWN OF NORWELL
John Whalen, one cord pine wood .. 7.00
Oscar Lambert, fitting and housing .. 8.00
Jesse Winslow, fitting and housing .. 8.00
G. A. Goodnough fitting and housing 10.00
Phillips, Bates Co., coal 61.46
$402.46
BOOKS
Benjamin H. Sanborn $33.24
American Book Co. 106.87
D. C. Heath Co. 28.53
Houghton & Mifflin 9.56
Little, Brown & Co. 10.32
Ginn & Co. 26.62
Coleworthy Book Store II.50
E. E. Babb & Co. I33.30
J. L. Hammett Co.
2.32
Allyn & Bacon 4.80
Milton, Bradley Co. 23.03
Carrie M. Ford 7.25
National Typewriter Co. .75
$398.09
SUPPLIES AND INCIDENTALS
J. F. Totman, stamps and supplies . . . $11.69
W. F. Turner, transportation of sick pupils 2.85
J. M. Townsend, telephone and postage 1.12
Boston Regalia Co., one flag 4.84
Phillips, Bates Co., lumber 5.83
W. W. Gardner, auto for supt. 3.00
H. S. Merritt, labor 10.00
Benjamin Loring, expense and cash
paid for telephone 54.34
104
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
J. L. Hammett, supplies .80
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies 18.84
C. M. Ford, printing and supplies 17.00
J. F. Osborn 9.00
Milton Bradley, supplies 24.10
H. W. Gardner, auto hire 2.00
Underwood Typewriter Co., supplies 3.00
Houghton, Mifflin Co., supplies 2.59
Hall & Torrey, labor, and two stoves 98.41
Nellie L. Sparrell, expense, and cash paid for flags and telephone .
79.35
William T. Dunbar, auto hire 3.75
Amy W. Sylvester, cash paid 1.36
Hanover Greenhouses, shrubs 6.00
Harrison L. House, labor
4.00
Clarence Winslow, labor
4.00
Remington Typewriter Co., supplies
1.45
WV. T. Sylvester, labor .75
Walter Wagner, labor 3.00
Eva L. Winslow, labor 13.00
Mary A. Bruce, labor 12.00
C. A. Bruce, labor 3.75
Oscar Lambert, labor 20.84
George A. Turner, labor 26.00
E. P. Reed Lumber Co., lumber 15.35
J. W. Johnston, labor 20.00
Emery Winslow, labor .63
Dr. H. T. Handy, 1915-1916 25.00
Wheeler's Grocery, supplies 1.25
Mary L. F. Power, cash paid 3.03
J. H. Sparrell, cash paid, freight, cart- ing and transportation sick and COM. 28.00
H. S. Turner, supplies 3.10
105
TOWN OF NORWELL
C. S. West & Son, supplies
8.39
$553-41
SUMMARY
HIGH SCHOOL FUND
Unexpended in 1918 $150.17
Unexpended in 1919 $150.17
GENERAL APPROPRIATION
Town appropriation for schools ... $12,000.00
Town appropriation for supt. 400.00
From State for supt. union 416.66
From State for tuition 16.50
Income, Mass. school fund
1,037.07
Income tax
630.0J
Income tax, special
1,066.67
Dog Tax
201.32
$15.768.22
EXPENDITURES
Superintendent $767.71
Transportation
3,338.00
Teachers' salaries 8,580.00
Janitor services
573.50
Fuel and Fitting
402.46
Books
398.09
Supplies and Incidentals
553.41
$14,613.17
Unexpended balance
$1.155.05
Superintendent's Report
To the School Committee of Norwell :
I herewith submit my report for the year 1919, this being the second annual report since my election to office.
TEACHING CORPS
With great good fortune Norwell was able to keep her corps of teachers almost intact, in spite of the almost over- whelming shortage of teachers. The only change was the election of Miss Mabel Mansfield of Rockland to succeed Miss Mildred Wing in the Ridge Hill Primary School. This young lady has fitted into our staff admirably. We are therefore getting as good results thruout the system as we can reasonably expect under the present plan of organiza- tion. We have therefore to bend our energies to a change in our plan of organization.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
By virtue of recent legislation Norwell was enabled to come a little nearer to paying her teachers an adequate sala- ry for the great service they are performing. It is a source of deep satisfaction that the committee saw fit to fix a flat salary of $850. This cannot be a maximum for long. Girls just out of training school are demanding as much, as an ini- tial compensation ; and they want a single grade position as well.
107
TOWN OF NORWELL
The taxpayers of Norwell are aware that the teacher's dol- lar has decreased in value like every other dollar. They are ready I am sure to co-operate with the committee in an en- deavor to keep our teachers carefree and contented.
It is being reiterated daily in forum, pulpit, and press, that the only efficient antidote for Bolshevism is education. If then thru inadequate compensation and lack of appreciation our teachers become dissatisfied and reactionary : God help America !
It should be remembered at times when intimate acquain- tance with our "home grown" teachers makes us more prone to criticize them; that were we to try to replace them to-day with their peers, the tax rate of Norwell would give evidence of intense seismic disturbances.
BUILDINGS
The school buildings are in much the same condition as they were a year ago. If there has been any change it is that they are one year older, which does not mean better in such old structures. Any building gets beyond its days of best usefulness as much as does the surface of a road, and there is the need of occasional new construction as much in school buildings as in roads. Moreover school buildings serve a much greater purpose for Norwell than do beautifully kept road surfaces.
CONCENTRATION
This is but another way of spelling educational progress for towns like this. Under the name of consolidation, made memorable by the twelve year struggle from 1859 to 1870 under the leadership of Horace Mann; some of the greatest strides in education in this commonwealth have been due to
108
SEVENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT
the breaking down of this old system of many schools with many grades in a room.
Norwell has already begun concentration so that we now have the children collected in three elementary school build- ' ings, of which one is so sparsely populated as to render it in- efficient, since the services of of one of our best teachers are given to about a dozen pupils. As yet however merely physical concentration has been accomplished. The child- ren have been drawn together in fewer buildings with a slight decrease in the teaching force, but the old form of organization still exists. True concentration would mean the elimination of the fiv-grade-to-a-teacher type of organi- zation and the substitution of a plan whereby no teacher would have more than two grades.
With such buildings as we have at present such a system is impossible. While we have three teachers in each of the large buildings, there are but two available school-rooms in each. This means that in the primary rooms of these build- ings a teacher and her assistant are forced to teach antiphon- ally. To be sure this condition is mitigated somewhat at Norwell Center by huddling the little folks in a tiny room on the second floor, separated from the older pupils by a thin door through which every word uttered in the next room is audible. This does not make for easy attention.
If these two buildings were of a more modern vintage it would be simple to build a two room addition on each and then to rearrange our grading. Such an arrangement would require the services of two more teachers and would be in- creasingly costly as the years passed. By far the better plan is to build one good modern central building, containing an auditorium for community as well as school use. By so do- ing Norwell could give her children an opportunity to de- velop educationally under proper hygienic conditions, and
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