USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1875-1876 > Part 3
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Short, from Mill st., at J. N. Sanborn's, to Main st.
Sanborn, from Haven st., by Bethesda Church, to Lowell st.
South, from West st., by H. J. Nelson's and W. F. Paul's, to Wakefield.
Spring, from Salem st., at Osgood Eaton's, to Orange st.
Summer, from West, by Oscar Foote's, S. E. Parker's and E. White's, to Wake- field.
Temple, from Woburn, at Nathan Bancroft's, by M. M. Temple's, to Summer st. Union, from the Common, by H. E. Cox's, to John st.
Village, from Parker st., by Walter Rayner's, to John st.
Wakefield, from Pearl st., by Charles Wakefield's, to Haverhill st.
Walnut, from Summer st., by W. S. Parker's, to Woburn line.
Washington, from railroad north of Wendall Bancroft's, by S. T. Sweetser's and W. M. Weston's, to Village st.
West, from Wilmington line, through west part of the town, by J. B. Leathe's, to Woburn line.
Willow, from Lowell st., by Geo. R. Turner's, to West st. Winter (Private), from Salem st., by Geo. W. Morse's, to Orange st. Woburn, from Main st., by Bethesda Church, to West st. Warren ave., from Minot st. past Maple st.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF READING,
FOR THE YEAR 1875-76.
REPORT.
The School Committee for the year 1875-6 organized at the beginning of the year by the choice of Carroll D. Wright as Chairman and Horace G. Wadlin as Secretary, and the appoint- ment of various sub-committees, so arranged that each member of the Board, with a single associate, should have the special care of two or three schools. By adopting this method of apportion- ing the labors of the Board, we have been able to obtain a better insight into the condition and needs of the various schools, than was possible otherwise, with the limited amount of time which we have been able to devote to the duties devolving upon us. The School Committee must necessarily rely mainly upon their own personal observation and study for the information concern- ing each school and teacher, upon which any action concerning such school or teacher must be based, but there are many things which cannot be seen at a chance visit which have a powerful influence upon the welfare of a school. Such matters may often become of public notoriety before any member of the Board has a suspicion of their existence. We would therefore suggest to those interested, a little more readiness in placing in the pos- session of those whom they have chosen to act as their agents, any information which will aid them to act understand- ingly. A fault which, if discovered in season, might be quietly corrected, may often be allowed to become an evil of most seri- ous proportions, through the indifference or the injudicious re- porting of those observing it. We are pleased to be able to report that nearly all our schools are in a very satisfactory con- dition and provided with good instructors, some of the best of whom graduated from our own High School since it has been under its present management.
In compliance with the vote of the town passed at the last annual meeting, special instruction in music was discontinued at the end of the spring term, the contract with the teacher of music terminating at that time. There seems to be a very
4
general desire on the part of those most immediately interested, - pupils and parents, - that such instruction be resumed. We believe that the best educators are unanimous in the opinion that the benefits derived from varying the routine of the school- room with musical exercises, judiciously conducted, are very great. We would recommend that a slight provision be made in the annual appropriation for the purpose of supplying the needed instruction. The salary of the Principal of the Upper Grammar School was reduced at the beginning of the year, and at the opening of the fall term all the salaries were fixed at the rates shown in the accompanying tabular statement. The length of the school year was increased to thirty-nine weeks, so that in the case of every teacher there has been a reduction of the wages per week. Though some changes in the rates of compensation of the teachers may be desirable, we do not think that there can be much, if any, reduction in the average rates for the coming year, if we would keep up the efficiency of our schools.
Before the close of the spring term, Dr. Hunt resigned his position as a member of the Committee, having accepted the position of Superintendent of the public schools of Portland, Maine. Mr. Jeremiah C. Cook was chosen to fill the vacancy thus made, for the remainder of the year. During the summer vacation the partition on the first floor of the High School build- ing was moved so as to make two rooms of equal size in place of the large room and recitation room. Some needed repairs were also made upon the school houses and outbuildings, all of which seemed to be required in the interest of true economy. We re- gret that it was necessary to exceed the appropriation made for incidental school expenses, and submit to the judgment of the town the question whether or not the money has been judiciously used.
A circular has been received from the Board of Education calling special attention to the statute requiring Drawing to be taught in all the public schools. The Committee, in the course of study which they have prepared, provide for instruction in Drawing to the extent of the requirements of the law, so far as they apply to towns of the size of our own, and we believe that it may be made very useful as an aid to the acquirement of other
5
branches pursued in our schools. There has been no call for the special instruction in industrial or mechanical drawings allowed by the statute.
It is not the general purpose of our school system to" prepare pupils for any particular occupation in life, but to give that cul- ture which will be most beneficial to the recipient in all his vari- ous relations as a citizen under our system of government, taking care to debar none by an exclusive or one-sided education from seeking any position in life with perfect freedom.
It is in this respect that our school system has its chief ad- vantage over that generally adopted in the German States, where each pupil is required to pay a tuition fee, and a low rate is fixed for those schools where the branches are taught which the gov- ernment is willing the mass of the people should learn, and a higher rate for those schools which are designed for the special benefit of the more favored classes. In Berlin a few years ago, it was found that the poorer classes were encroaching upon the educational domain of their superiors, and to prevent it the ex- pedient was adopted of raising the tuition for the exclusive schools, and lowering it for the others.
Among us it may sometimes happen that a public opinion may be created, which by its influence in determining the work that shall be done in the school-rooms, has the same practical effect upon those of limited means as the measures above indi- cated. In laying out the school work for our children, it seems of first importance that we should provide that the education of that large class who must leave school at the age of from twelve to fourteen years, should be as complete as possible. This we think, will be accomplished by the adoption of the course of in- struction prepared the present year, with such modifications as experience may suggest. After entering the High School, if a pupil has his plan for life marked out, we should allow him to pursue such a course as will aid him most in his purpose, so far as it can be done consistently with the general good of the school.
In this connection the question may be raised whether we are not discriminating against those who propose to take a col- legiate course.
6
We would not enter into the discussion of the question of the comparative merits of the different systems of higher educa- tion. All have their champions, and to a certain extent, each has its turn of popular favor.
We do not introduce this subject, with the expectation that any action will be taken upon it, but, as there is a desire on the part of some of our pupils to take a thorough preparatory classi- cal course in our own schools, we mention it as a matter which has demanded the consideration of the Committee, and will pre- sent itself for future committees to discuss and decide.
A very valuable collection of minerals from Colorado has been presented to the High School, by Charles H. Sweetser, Esq., formerly a citizen of this place.
The class of 1875 was the largest ever graduating from the High School, and consisted of the following members, viz :-
Evelyn Cleveland Bancroft.
Gertrude Russell Lovejoy.
Mabelle Idelle Barden.
Jennie Temple Lovejoy.
Alice Barrows.
Jessie Elroy Macdonald.
Lilian Frances Cummings.
George Augustine Manning.
Vestina Parker Converse.
Mary Anne Marshall.
Arthur Albert Damon.
Fred. Howard Morton.
Ada Louise Elliott.
Lizzie Annette Nash.
Luther Forrester Elliott.
Clarence Julian Nichols.
Fred. Gerritson.
Justin Lawrenee Parker.
Henry Eugene Holden.
Benjamin Smith,
Loea Parker Howard.
Florence Amelia Titus.
Abbott Nelson Hutchins.
Helen Amelia Whiting.
Lawrence Bertram Loring.
Sumner Alcibiades Whittier.
The exercises at the closing exhibition showed evidence of very careful preparation, and were very creditable to those who participated in them. The Valedictory given by F. H. Morton, consisted mainly of a Review of the career of the late Senator Sumner, which brought into special prominence the moral great- ness of the man.
The diplomas were presented in a very happy manner by Hon. George B. Loring, President of the Massachusetts Senate.
The class left behind them as a testimonial of their regard for the school, a valuable book-case.
Unless circumstances admit of the union of some of the smaller schools, we do not see how we can make much of a re-
7
duction of the school expenses. We would recommend that the sum of ninety-five hundred dollars be appropriated for the sup- port of the schools, and the sum of fifteen hundred dollars for the incidental expenses. We annex statements in detail .of the statistics and expenses of the schools. Three vacancies in the Board are to be filled at the annual meeting, the terms of Messrs. Barrus, Wadlin and Cook expiring with the present year.
Respectfully submitted,
CARROLL D. WRIGHT,
SOLON BANCROFT,
WALTER S. PARKER,
COMMITTEE.
JEREMIAH C. COOK,
HIRAM BARRUS,
HORACE G. WADLIN,
READING, March, 1876.
STATISTICS OF SCHOOLS.
Names of Schools.
Teachers.
Sal. per year ..
1st term ..
2d term ...
3d term ...
Ist term ..
2d term ...
3d term ...
1st term ..
2d term ...
3d term ...
High School
Cyrus A. Cole, Prin'l
$1800
71
80
73
68
74
70
59
50
52
First Grammar
Miss Martha Keith, Ass't Ida M. Daniels
500
62
49
39
58
36
35
21
21
Second Grammar
Frances E. Mihan
500
38
43
Third Grammar
Sarah L. Stoodley E. S. Foster
150
60
60
57
50
51
51
Lower Medium
Addie B. Howes
350
59
36
35
52
32
30 40
Union St. Lower Primary Walnut St. Mixed
Sadie R. Lindsay
350
14
47
16
34
39
39. 2
Woburn St. Grammar
Helen M. Clark
4.0
20
23
23
15
21
20
1
1
1
Woburn St. Primary
Lillian F. Loring E. Barrows
300
31
21
19
20
16
Main St. Mixed
Kate Brown
300
17
17
15
15
15
13
Haverhill St. Mixed
Abbie Wakefield
300
11
15
13
9
13
11
51
40
40
44
38
37
11
4 1
Union St. Upper Primary
Sarah A. Sweetser Ruth L. Pratt
450
51
48
47
43
43
42 40
33 2
150
57
300
27
20
25
20
18
Lowell St. Mixed
561 546 510 483 476 450 4 | 92 65 79
Length of terms : Ist, 13 weeks; 2d, 12 weeks; 3d, 14 weeks; total, 39 weeks. Whole number of pupils in town between the ages of 5 and 15 years, 537.
Whole number of different pupils of all ages attending school during the year, 607.
No. of Av'ge Scholars Attend'ce
Over 15 years
Under 5.
13 1
450
Upper Medium School
3.2
37
Expenses of Schools.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Paid Mr. Cyrus A. Cole, principal, - $1800 00
Miss Martha Keith, assistant, 700 00
For fuel,
114 98
$2614 98
FIRST GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Lena T. Wood, for teaching, $266 64
Miss Eliza Norris, 66
-
-
39 45
Miss Ida M. Daniels, -
277 77
Miss Jennie R. Barrus, assistant, (spring term), -
99 99
683 85
SECOND GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Frances E. Mihan, for teaching,
$333 34
For fuel, - -
114 97
448 31
THIRD GRAMMAR SCHOOL-UNION STREET.
Paid Miss Annie M. Knight, for teaching, $200 00
Miss Sarah® L. Stoodley, 300 00
Miss A. B. Howes, assistant, (spring term), 100 00
For fuel,
-
28 50
628 50
UPPER MEDIUM SCHOOL-UNION STREET.
Paid Miss Frances E. Mihan, for teaching, $166 65
Miss E. S. Foster, -
300 00
For fuel, -
50 11
516 77
LOWER MEDIUM SCHOOL-UNION STREET.
Paid Miss Evelyn S. Foster. for teaching, $1 50 00
Miss Addie B. Howes, -
233 33
For fuel, -
50 II 433 44
AMOUNT CARRIED FORWARD, $5325 85
9
AMOUNT BROUGHT FORWARD, $5325 85
UPPER PRIMARY SCHOOL-UNION STREET.
Paid Miss Sarah A. Sweetser, for teaching, $450 00
For fuel,
31 08
481 08
LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL-UNION STREET.
Paid Miss Ruth L. Pratt, for teaching,
$450 00
66 in I874-75, 25 00
For fuel,
.
31 08
$506 08
JANITORS OF CENTRE SCHOOLS.
Paid George W. Parker, for care of High School building, spring term, - $65 00
William Porter, for care of Union street buildings,
spring term, -
130 00
Charles Robinson, for care of Centre School buildings, fall and winter terms,
312 00
$507 00
WALNUT STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Sarah L. Stoodley, for teaching, -
$149 99
Miss Sadie Lindsay,
233 33
For care of rooms,
61 75
For fuel, -
58 30 $503 37
WOBURN STREET GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Helen M. Clark, for teaching,
400 00
For care of room,
.
29 63
For fuel, -
.
68 24
$497 87
WOBURN STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Lillian F. Loring, for teaching,
$300 00
For care of room, -
29 62
For fuel,
34 24
$363 86
AMOUNT CARRIED FORWARD,
$8185 II
-
IO
AMOUNT BROUGHT FORWARD,
$8185 1I
LOWELL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss E. Barrows, for teaching, -
-
- $300 00
For care of room, -
-
28 50
For fuel, - - - -
38 76
$367 26
MAIN STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Sarah J. Morse, for teaching,
-
$100 00
Miss Kate Brown,
-
- 200 00
For care_of room,
-
-
29 25
For fuel,
23 42
$352 67
HAVERHILL STREET MIXED SCHOOL.
Paid Miss Abbie Wakefield, for teaching,
$300 00
For care of room,
29 25
For fuel, -
25 67
$354 92
MUSICAL INSTRUCTION.
Paid Mr. Henry G. Carey, for teaching, spring term,
$166 65
Total amount expended,
$9426 6t
Appropriation,
$9000 00
Received for tuition,
20 00
School fund, -
255 26
$9275 26
Deficiency,
151 35
$9426 61
INCIDENTAL SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Paid Citizen's Gas Light Co., for gas for High School, $21 60
F. B. Smith, for repairs at Main Street School, 1 80
Thompson & Brown, for maps for schools, 20 25
J. L. Hammet, for sundries, 12 85
AMOUNT CARRIED FORWARD,
$56 50
-
I [
AMOUNT BROUGHT FORWARD,
$56 50
Paid Parker, White & Co., for chairs,
33 33
Joseph L. Ross, for desk, 18 00
William Porter, for labor at Union Street School, 3 00
A. T. Murray, for diplomas for High School, 10 00
R. P. Burgess, for repairs at High School house, 6 00
T. Littlefield, for stove for Woburn Street School-house 45 00
Gustavus Loring, for materials and labor, for repairs of school buildings. 384 46
II. E. Putnam for materials and labor, for repairs of school buildings, 37 12
J. C. Cook, for materials and labor, for repairs of school buildings, 93 79
Lambert Brothers, for glass for school houses,
3 50
William Bryant, for materials and labor, for repairs of school buildings, (balance after crediting $19.74 for materials), 67 03
S. N. Stone, for materials for repairs, 23 12
Benjamin Peabody, for pumps and repairs of pumps,
18 00
William H. Bancroft, for repairs of school houses,
5 97
A. Mertens, for use of pump, Union street, 2 00
Eugene DeJean, for hardware, stoves, &c. (balance after crediting $1.88 for old iron), 40 87
Charles H. Lang, for express fees, 10 30
Hayward & Allen, for sundries, 2 55
M. C. Warren & Co., for locks on school buildings, 33
G. S. Coffin, for keys and tags, 3 15
Parker & Stone, for sundries,
17 II
T. A. Evans, for labor at schoolhouses, 4 25
M. E. Nichols, for materials and labor, for repairs at High School-house, 22 38
Burditt & Williams, for hardware for repairs,
14 20
T. B. Pratt, for sundries, 3 38
D. P. Babb, for cleaning and digging vaults, 15 00
Warren Parker, for repairs of school buildings,
2 18
Bancroft & Temple, for repairs on school buildings, 10 59
L. E. Gleason, for books, stationery and sundries, from February 1872 to April 1875, 42 94
N. W. Broad, for repairs on school buildings, 3 97
50 07
60 66 pupils, 6 49
66 tuning piano at High School, 3.50
W. E. Beard, for clock,
6 00
James Reid & Co., for sundries,
2 00
AMOUNT CARRIED FORWARD,
$1069 08
F. J. Bancroft, for books and stationery for schools, 66 66 66
12
AMOUNT BROUGHT FORWARD,
$1069 08 Paid J. C. Cook, for materials and labor on repairs of school
buildings, 17 80
William H. Willis, for books for schools, 5 00
Hayward & Allen, for sundries, 45
E. Safford, for building partition, and for materials and labor at High School-house, 209 47
E. Safford, for use of Lyceum Hall for High School Ex- hibition, 15 00
Eugene De Jean, for sundries, 24 27
A. W. Danforth, for stationery,
90
A. W. Beard, for repairs on school buildings,
1 50
G. W. Atkinson, for sundries, 7 05
L. E. Gleason, for crayons and stationery, 6 99
G. O. Batchelder, for rent of lot for Main Street School- house, 1874 and 1875, 10 00
Hollis & Gunn, for printing Course of Study,
28 00
Parker & Stone, for sundries,
4 76
Amos McIntire, for labor and materials for repairs of school buildings, 21 27
J. N. Nichols, for setting glass at Lowell Street School- house, I 87
William M. Phillips, for materials and labor for repairs of school buildings, 180 13
T. Littlefield, for funnel and sundries,
6 60
Cummings' express,
50
$1611 64
Appropriation,
$1000 00
Deficiency,
611 64
$1611 64
RECAPITULATION.
Amount expended for teachers, care of rooms and fuel,
$9426 61
Appropriation,
$9000 00
School Fund,
255 26
Received for Tuition,
20 00
9275 26
Deficiency,
$151 35
Expended for incidental school expenses,
$1611 64
Appropriation,
1000 00
Deficiency,
$611 64
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