USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1881-1882 > Part 3
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November 24, 1881. The barn and silo of J. K. Foss on West street was totally destroyed, and his house was very badly dam- aged. Loss estimated at $5,000; fully insured.
February 3, 1882. Alarm caused by a slight fire at the Chauncy Rubber Works on Lowell street. Loss, $75; fully insured.
Total number of alarms, 7. Total loss, $5,575; total insurance, $5,075; loss over and above insurance, $500.
We have no change to report in the condition of the companies or apparatus, they remaining in about the same condition as last year. During the year a large cistern has been built at the junc- tion of Church and Mount Vernon streets, at an expense of $350, and we recommend that an appropriation be made for a cistern to
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be located in the vicinity of the Walnut Street School-house during the ensuing year. At our last annual meeting a committee was chosen to investigate and report on the subject of providing better accommodations for Engine Company No. 4 and Sumner Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. That committee have held several meet- ings and have given the matter a thorough examination, and we learn that they have perfected a plan whereby the above-named companies can be accommodated. They have submitted their views to the Board of Engineers, and they meet our cordial and unanimous approval. Their report has been submitted in print to the citizens of the town, and we recommend that the legal voters give it a candid perusal. The expenses of the department the past year were as follows:
Paid T. Littlefield, smoke-pipe and grate for Eagle Engine-house .. $ 2 50
A. S. Richardson, for services as Steward of Hancock Engine Company to May 1, 1881. 48 00
C. H. Lang, for services as Chief Engineer to May 1, 1881. 25 00
Lang's Express, sundries. 9 20
John A. Blunt, for services as Steward of Eagle Engine Company to May 1, 1881 .. 60 00 James Dewhurst, for services as Engineer to May 1, 1881 12 00
Members of Fire Department, for services for year ending May 1, 1881. 1,305 50
George H. Parker, for services as Engineer to May 1, 1881 12 00
George H. Parker, for services as Clerk of Engineers 5 00
A. H. Buxton, for services as fireman dur- ing the year ending May 1, 1881 2 50
G. W. Atkinson, sundries 2 58
Amount carried forward, $1,484 28
50
Amount brought forward, $1,484 28
Paid Hunneman & Co., sundries 7 90
G.W. Simmons, overalls 5 00
N. W. Broad, labor. 5 09
Edward C. Nichols, for services as Engi- neer to May 1, 1881 12 00
Hunneman & Co., sundries. 5 72
'Estate of Daniel Creesy, for services as Engineer to May 1, 1861 12 00
"Samuel Brown, sundries.
8 25
: Samuel Brown, for services as Steward of Hook and Ladder Company from May 1, 1880, to May 1, 1881. 3 00
N. W. Broad, labor.
1 87
J. C. Gleason, coal and wood. 7 13
Theodore F. Gould, drawing hooks and ladders to fires 2 75
John A. Blunt, sundries. 6 10
Parker & Stone, sundries 1 92
Samuel Brown, hauling hooks and ladders to fire. 1 00
E. B. Eames, hauling hooks and ladders to fire, Summer street 1 00
G. W. Atkinson, sundries. 1 88
William L. Crowe, clearing snow from cis- terns. 4 75
T. Littlefield, stove-pipe for Eagle Engine- house 2 50
W. Bancroft, hauling engine to fires. 4 00
Wendell Bancroft, coal for Hancock En- gine-house 3 75
Albert Janes, clearing snow for cistern. .. 1 00
1,582 92
. Amount of appropriation. .
,700 00
Amount unexpended. $117 08
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It will be seen that $117.08 of the appropriation of last year re- mains unexpended, and we know of no reason why the expenses of the ensuing year will be increased ; but it is well to provide for any unforeseen expense that is liable to occur, and we recommend an appropriation of seventeen hundred (1,700) dollars to cover the expenses of the ensuing year.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
CHARLES H. LANG, Chief Engineer. E. C. NICHOLS, GEO. H. PARKER, J. DEWHURST,
Assistants. W. L. CROWE, j
GEO. H. PARKER, Clerk.
Reading, March 15, 1882.
Report of Cemetery Committee.
Since the last annual meeting, that portion of the land added to the Cemetery by a recent purchase of Mr. Dana Parker, which lies to the north of the part originally occupied, has been laid out into lots and avenues and paths, graded. The use of this land seemed to make a fence between the Cemetery and the land adjoining, which is occupied for residences, absolutely necessary. This we have built. The money realized from the sale of lots has been . more than enough to pay for the improvements which have been made.
We respectfully submit the following financial statement :
Balance on hand March 1, 1881 $93 59
Appropriation by the town at its annual meeting for 1881 300 00
Received from sale of lots 504 00
$897 59
Expended in care of ground. $299 00
Paid for stone-posts and gate-rests and setting them 42 00
Paid Wendell Bancroft for labor and materials in making gates, etc. 49 23
Expended in grading new avenues and paths and preparing of additional land for burial purposes. . 190 50
Paid Ethan Willis for lot in way of new avenue .. 25 00
Paid for surveying and plan. 19 00
Paid Wendell Bancroft for labor and material in building new fence. 115 30
Paid M. E. Nichols for painting gates, etc. 4 46
$744 49
Balance on hand. $153 10
F. O. DEWEY,
G. C. GLEASON,
W. J. WIGHTMAN,
JAS. A. BANCROFT, W. S. RICHARDSON, S. BANCROFT,
Committee.
Reading, March, 1882.
Library Report.
The trustees of the public library submit the following as their annual report :
The town appropriated
$300
Dog licenses .
207 94
$507 94
We have expended for books. $238 10
Rebinding do
11 75
Rent.
125 00
Insurance
18 75
Librarian
104 75
Printing.
7 50
Express, etc
2 09
-- $507 94
Number of books purchased, 203.
Number of books contributed, S.
Whole number of books in library, 4,619. Whole number of patrons, 763.
Per cent. of circulation : -
Adventures and Travel 10
Biography and History 20
Juvenile and Fiction 55
Miscellaneous
15
100
We depart somewhat from our usual custom and give a list of the books recently purchased that the patrons of the library may have a ready substitute for a catalogue. The list will also enable our citizens generally to see what books are added to the library and thereby create a more general interest in it. We think the list sufficiently attractive to secure such a result. Au unusual num-
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ber of volumes has been purchased, as our other expenses have been somewhat reduced, particularly in the matter of rebinding dilapidated books. We have been fortunate for two years in hav- ing this work done in a superior and serviceable manner at re- duced prices, by Messrs. Allen and Washburn of Plymouth.
There is still need of more care by some of the patrons of the library in using the books. They are not economical toys for the amusement of the infantile portion of the household, although the illustrations are often quite attractive to them. It is better also to use the card as a book-mark than to turn down the leaves at every stopping place. There can beno valid excuse for torn leaves, and even the customary fine cannot restore missing pages. Par- ents should see that their children use the books with the same care that they take of their own.
Complaint is occasionally made that young gentlemen, whose beards are not grown, gather around the entrance to the library and conduct themselves greatly to the annoyance of young ladies visiting the library. This ought not so to be, and the police have been desired to be present and prevent such exhibition of ill-man- ners. The attendance of the officers is effectual for the time being, but as they are not paid for such labor they naturally decline vol- untary services of this sort for any extended period of time, and the offenders very possibly take advantage of the officers' absence. The trustees have considered the matter of sufficient importance to justify an arrest of one or more of these offenders, but which has not yet been carried into effect, as it is hoped a notice of our intentions may prevent such disturbances in the future. We do not suppose that these incivilities are considered by the offending boys themselves as anything more than mere exhibitions of a cer- tain sort of smartness ; but the results of one or two arrests would realize to them the unpleasant fact that the young ladies have rights that the boys must respect.
We desire to call attention to the fact that the town needs better library accommodations than what we now have, or can secure, at any expense within our appropriations. More room is needed for books and for those persons who wish to consult books in the li- brary without taking them away, or in other words it is very desir-
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able that there be a reading-room in connection with the library We have examined somewhat carefully the recommendations of the committee that a new edifice be erected on the vacant land corner of Salem and Main streets for the various town offices and library. It meets our wishes and has our approval if there be no legal ob- jection. Such a building would be central, easily accessible from all points, not exposed to fire from any other buildings, fire-proof itself, and an ornament to a location that seems unfit for any other purpose that is so worthy of it.
Respectfully submitted,
STEPHEN FOSTER, Chairman.
HIRAM BARRUS,
Secretary. WALTER S. PARKER,
H. G. WADLIN, JAMES H. GRIGGS,
CYRUS M. BARROWS,
Trustees.
Reading, March 27, 1882.
LIST OF BOOKS.
BIOGRAPHICAL, ETC.
FICTION, ETC.
Young Ben. Franklin.
Among the Thorns.
Boyhood of Martin Luther.
Around the Yule Log.
At Last.
Count Agenor-de Gasparin. Garfield's Words. Eulogy on.
Ayala's Angel.
Baby Rue.
Harold-Last Saxon King.
Blessed St. Certainty.
Bloody Chasm.
Bread and Beer.
Brigitta. By the Tiber.
Shakespeare-American View. Sketches of James T. Field. Thomas Carlyle. Washington Irving. Noah Webster. Webster's Great Speeches. Winthrop's Life and Letters.
Cape Cod Folks. Character.
Capturing a Locomotive.
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Consecrated. Cross Patch. Dingy House. Dorothy. Dr. Wortle's School. Eunice Lathrop, Spinster. Fearful Responsibility. Five Little Peppers. Gentlemen of Leisure. Hereward. Hope Mills. Hulda.
Iu the Distance. Jewelled Serpent. Katherina.
Kith and Kin.
Letter of Credit.
Links in Rebecca's Life. Madeline.
Matrimony. Matter of Fact Girl.
Nihilist Princess. No Gentlemen.
Old Friends and New.
Phemie's Temptation. Pretty Miss Bellew. Prince and Pauper.
Prince of Good Fellows.
Rex Ringold's School.
Ruth Erskine's Crosses. Stories of the War. Story of Peasant Boy. Synnove Solbakken. That Beautiful Wretch. The Little Mother.
The Moral Pirates.
The Tsar's Window. Toby Tyler. Uarda. Vicar's Daughter.
Warlock O'Glenwarlock. Wild Adventures.
HISTORY.
History for Boys. Boy's History of America.
Boston.
" India.
" Germany.
" Russia.
History of Goshen. Boston Town. Baker's Turkey. First Church in Boston. Mexico, - Our Next Door Neighbor. Stories of Old Dominion. Boy's of '61.
LAND AND SEA.
Aboard the Mavis.
Across Patagonia. At Home in Fiji. Commercial Products of the Sea. Country Byways.
Cruise of the Ghost. Land of Midnight Sun.
My Winter on the Nile.
One Year Abroad.
Round the World.
Sea Kings and Naval Heroes.
Sea Mosses. Story of U. S. Navy.
Swiss Letters. Travels of Marco Polo.
U. S. Geographical Surveys.
Voyage of the Vega. Zigzag Journeys. Bodley's in Town, etc. Telling Stories. Wanderings in South America.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Authors and Authorships. Age of Chivalry. The Boy's Froissant.
Beauty in Dress.
Democracy in America.
Domestic Problems.
Ecce Spiritus.
Every Day Topics.
Farm Festivals. From Different Standpoiuts. Matter of Fact Girl. Only a Girl. Six Girls. Four Girls at Chatauqua. Chatauqua Girls at Home. What Girls Can Do. Gold Foil.
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Hours with the Bible. Parlor Amusements. Plain Talks. Religio Medici. St. Nicholas (2 vols.)
The Making of England.
The Mound Builders.
Virgil-(Gov. Long.)
Text Book of Temperance.
Talks on Temperance. Lectures on Alcohol.
Forty Years Fight. First Book of Knowledge. World of Wonder.
PRACTICAL TOPICS.
Abbott's Water and Land.
Force.
66 Heat.
Light.
Alcohol and the State.
Co-operation.
Familiar Allusions.
Gleamings in Fields of Art.
Amenities of Home.
Our Homes. Without a Home. Home Garden.
Index to National Philosophies. Opium Smoking.
Report Chief Signal Officer.
Sewer Gas and its Dangers. The Verbalist.
Wonders of Science.
Desert Home.
Forest Exiles.
Portrait.
Bart Ridgely.
Tried and True.
Dr. Breen.
Only Sister.
Flaxie (4 vols.)
Queer Girls.
Darnil Gap.
Woman in White.
Orthœpist.
Idler.
Nonogenarian
Little Prudy Stories (6 vols.)
Dotty Dimple (6 vols.)
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
TOWN OF READING
FOR THE YEAR 1881-2.
Report.
In conformity to the law and general custom, we present you with the following report:
The Board organized April 4, 1881, with the choice of Mr. H. G. Wadlin as Chairman, and Mr. H. G. Kittridge as Secretary.
We continued as organized until July, when our Chairman re- signed." The Board very reluctantly received his resignation, be- lieving that the town thereby lost a tried and valuable member of the School Board, a gentleman of liberal culture, who had a good knowledge of the needs of our schools. We organized with the choice of the present officers of the Board and sub-committees. Before the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. H. G. Wadlin was filled, another member of the Board, Arthur W. Temple, resigned. His resignation was received with regret.
In August we met in convention with the Selectmen, and elected James A. Bancroft and Edward F. Parker to fill the vacancies.
The terms of Messrs. Kittredge, Parker and Bancroft expire causing three vacancies to be filled at the ensuing annual meeting,
The Prudential matters have been left during the past year in the hands of Messrs. S. E. and Edw. F. Parker. Every school- house was visited and examined thoroughly during the summer vacation, and needed repairs made. The blackboards were re- slated in many houses at considerable expense, and the walls whitewashed. The outbuildings were thoroughly cleaned. We hope that by special care they will long remain in a clean and de- sirable condition. A new furnace was put into the High School. The Committee earnestly desire that some plan might be adopted to better ventilate the school rooms; much can be done by a thoughtful teacher in this direction, but no amount of care and" thoughtfulness can properly ventilate a small room crowded with children. Yet how important it is that our children should have pure air, and of the right temperature. It is impossible to do this with our present systems of ventilation unless windows are opened
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Then "the prevention is more dangerous than the disease." "" Avoid a draught as you would an arrow." Many of our school rooms have windows on two sides. By a careful observation of the direction of the wind, the windows on the leeward side could be opened without much risk to the pupils. The matter of physical education is very much neglected in our American school system. What is the brain worth without the power of bodily endurance to. aid it ? We need a little of the Spartan power of endurance-of the Greek physical culture. There are too many of our High School graduates who have narrow and contracted chests and stooping forms, with little power of endurance.
VACANCIES.
We have been unfortunate in having a large number of vacancies occur in our corps of teachers during the past year. We believe the facts will bear us out in asserting that we have made no mis- takes in filling those vacancies, although six months or a year is a short time to fully prove the worth of a teacher.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Mr. Perry, Principal of the High School, resigned in August, after working conscientiously and to the best of his ability for nearly a year. The Committee received many applications for the vacancy caused by his resignation, and visited schools to see applicants at their work. We were unanimous in electing our present Principal, Mr. Edward P. Fitts, who came to us with the highest recom- mendations as to character and qualifications, and with the expe- rience of several years of very successful teaching.
It was with surprise and regret that the Committee received intimations that Miss Pierce intended to give up her situation on account of failing health.
We were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Cora A. Adams, a former pupil of the High School and a graduate of Salem Normal School, who had had a successful experience in the Lowell evening schools.
We believe the High School was never in a better condition, for hard, honest work, than at present. We affirm that, with the hearty co-operation of the parents and earnest work on the part
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of the pupils, our High School will take a stand as one of the best in the State.
Several years ago the Committee made a change in the sessions of the High School. The senior class attended only during the afternoon, the remainder of the school in the forenoon. The change was considered necessary, because the number of pupils was large and the Principal labored under the difficulty of having but one assistant. We have now two assistants. The Committee believed that better work would be done if all the pupils attended two ses- sions daily. From the past year we are convinced that the change was a wise one. We were gratified at the cheerful and ready acquiescence of parents and pupils in the change.
There is one subject in connection with the High School which has been mentioned in oue of the past Reports, and we feel it our duty to reiterate it at this time. It is the tendency to make the graduation a show of finery and flowers, rather than a simple, quiet, intellectual ending of school days in the Public Schools. We believe in the exhibition as an opportunity to show the proficiency of our children in any department of culture-music, speaking, reading, recitation, etc. But we believe the graduation is simply a means, not the end. It should be merely incidental-graduation for the benefit of the pupils, not the pupils for the graduation. Consider for a moment the idea of twenty young ladies spending the greater , part of the last term of their school life-a term which should be especially marked with strong mental growth-in long and earnest discussion over the color of some ribbon, or whether all should be dressed in the same material and of the same color, resulting sometimes in bitter feelings. The expense has been so great a burden in some cases that pupils have been obliged to forego graduation. This should not be. Properly conducted, we believe the public graduation to be in its influence beneficial and produc- tive of much good, but easily carried in directions which are injurious in their tendencies and detrimental in their results to the cause of education.
GRAMMAR AND PRIMARY.
In our Grammar and Primary Schools we have filled several vacancies, by teachers who were fortified with successful expe-
64
rience, and they have fulfilled the expectations of the Committee. We received the resignations of Miss Lindsay of the Lower Me- dium School, and Miss Evelyn Bancroft of the Woburn Street Pri- mary School, with the keenest regret, as both were teachers who had been tried in the schools for many years, with the highest and most commendable success, endearing themselves to their pupils and obtaining the most profound respect from the parents. We deem ourselves unfortunate in losing such valuable members from our corps of teachers.
DRAWING.
This is a subject which has been long neglected in our schools. The Committee have decided to introduce it at the beginning of next term. It seems unnecessary at this time, after the subject has been so thoroughly discussed and its practicability and utility made so plain, that we should advance any plea for its adoption. According to an explicit statute of the State we should have adopted it long ago. It has been well said by a prominent educa- tor that: " It is indispensable as an element of general education, and it lies at the foundation of all technical education. It is diffi- cult to conceive of any human occupation to which education in this branch would not prove beneficial. Everybody needs a well- trained eye and a well-trained hand. Drawing is the proper means of imparting this needed training. Drawing, properly taught, is calculated even more than vocal music, perhaps, to facilitate in- struction in all other branches of education." Commercially speak- ing, not a single subject taught in our schools can demand a better price than the power to draw in the direction of industrial art. Not one subject can conduce more to the development of our country, and the increase of her wealth and reputation. The well- educated draughtsman is prepared for work in any of the various industrial occupations. J. W. Dickinson, Secretary of the Board of Education, says : "Drawing has for its object that training of the hand and eye which lays a foundation for skill in the arts. Such training leads to that appreciation of art necessary to create a demand for its products ; it leads the mind to make a more careful examination of the objects of study; it furnishes the best method.
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of describing those objects that have form and size; it has a refin- ing influence by cultivating the taste, and it improves morals by exciting a love for the beautiful." It is needless for us to add that it has been proven beyond refutation, that the same proportion of pupils can learn to draw as can be taught to write.
PROMOTIONS.
In the promotions at the beginning of the year, we found some difficulty in getting pupils and parents to accept cheerfully the re- sults of the examinations.
But we feel assured that, with one or two exceptions, those pu- pils who were detained a second year in one school have profited by the detention.
Parents and pupils should remember that it is no disgrace, and has proved this year to be a blessing to many.
The committee are anxious to raise the standard of our schools. We believe more work should be done in the Grammar and Pri- mary schools, and better results attained.
The pupils are young when they enter the High school, (which of itself would not be a serious objection, provided they were well qualified.) But they are not well grounded in the Grammar school studies. Therefore we have made two divisions in the first and second Grammar schools, thereby adding a year at least to our Grammar school course. In case of slow pupils it will add two years to their Grammar school work.
It is no kindness to a child to promote him before he is qualified. It is unreasonable to expect those pupils who enter together in the Primary schools will always keep together and graduate in the same class from the High school. Some are by nature intellect- ually slow, others must be kept back on account of ill-health, others on account of weakness of body and mind inherited from their an- cestors. This trying to make them all do the same work in the same time is the weak place in our graded system.
Parents speak often of the inefficiency of our schools, but are not willing to have their children brought up to better work and a higher degree of efficiency.
.
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ATTENDANCE.
In looking over the registers of the different schools, we find that the attendance has been poor, and the number of cases for tardiness very large. We respectfully solicit the attention of the parents to this matter. Its importance cannot be over estimated. A pupil cannot advance successfully with his class if he is absent a large part of the time. He must be present in order to receive instruction.
What more practical lesson can be taught than habits of punct- uality and regularity ? What sphere of life can a young person enter upon where these two qualifications will not be of the first importance ? Yet, in no department of school life can the parents help more. In considering our child's advancement we look too often to his intellectual attainments rather than to his moral and mental growth. What is quickness in figures compared with hab- its of industry ? Knowledge of history compared with punctual- ity ? Ability to write well with a steadiness of purpose ? What is all knowledge compared with moral power and wisdom ?
In looking after the form we often forget the substance. In the cultivation of the mind we neglect the heart.
There has been, we believe, too frequent dismissals in many of the schools. One of the most important lessons of educational life is lost if pupils are allowed to be dismissed except for absolute necessity.
SUPERVISION.
Our country schools need better supervision. It is a de- ficiency long felt by our prominent educators, from Horace Mann to the present time. The school committee supply the deficiency to a limited extent; but no board can do it thoroughly, no matter how faithfully they perform their duties. Supervision consists of two things, inspection and examination.
School committees generally inspect, but very few of them ex- amine thoroughly. By " inspection " we mean visiting the school for the purpose of seeing the daily routine of works, the condition of the building and furniture, ventilation, heat, cleanliness ; notic- ing the relation of pupils and teacher, the manner and quality of
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