USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1901 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
3 Extended 8133.9 feet during year.
5 Total now in use, 28.442 miles.
6 Cost of repairs per mile, $0.742.
7 Number of leaks per mile, .035.
9 Number of hydrants added during year (public and private) 21.
10 Number of hydrants (public and private ) now in use, 161.
11 Number of stop gates added during year, 9.
12 Number of stop gates now in use, 243.
14 Number of blow-off gates, 14.
15 Range of pressure on mains at center of town, 68 lbs. to 78 lbs.
SERVICES.
16 Kind of pipe, cast iron, galvanized iron, cement and lead lined iron.
17 Sizes, & to 6 inches.
0
-
158
18 Extended, 2773.8 feet.
19 Discontinued, 149.5 feet.
20 Total now in use, 14,606 miles.
21 Number of service taps added during year, 48.
22 Number now in use, 1104.
23 Average length of service, 69.85 feet.
24 Average cost of service for the year, $24.15.
25 Number of meters added, 25.
26 Number now in use, 987.
27 Percentage of services metered, 89.
30 Number now in use, 3.
LEWIS M. BANCROFT, Superintendent.
READING, January 31, 1902.
2
-
TOWN OF READING.
3
SEVENTH
ANNUAL
REPORT
-
... OF THE ...
OF
RE
D
TO
SETTLED
¥9
1639: INCOR
Electric Light Commissioners
For the Year Ending Dec. 31st, 1901.
c
OFFICERS OF THE ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER DEPARTMENT.
Commissioners.
NEWELL HOWES, Chairman,
Term expires 1902
WM. S. KINSLEY, Sec'y,
66 1903
CHARLES W. LEE
66 1904
Superintendent and Manager.
STEWART S. BELL.
Clerk.
A. R. PRENTISS.
OFFICE :
OFFICE HOURS : Room 10, Masonic Block. Monday and Saturday, 7.30 to 9 p. M.
REPORT OF MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1901.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
C
CONSTRUCTION.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation for 1901 $1,500 00
Appropriation for Arc Lamp, Oak st. . 135 00
Cash received from sale of cable 12 90
$1,647 90
EXPENDITURES.
STEAM PLANT.
B. & M. R. R., freight 1 80
Direct Separator Co., exhaust head
50 00
Braman, Dow & Co., pipe flanges, etc.
47 63
99 43 r
ELECTRIC PLANT.
James Hunter Machine Co., balance acct.,
new machine
172 99
165
LINES.
C. S. Knowles, cross arms
$6 88
Western Electric Co., mast arm wire and insulator
346 82
Francis Bros., sundries
1 50
B. & M. R. R., freight
3 46
American Exp. Co., express
80
Eames, Sargent & Co., poles
52 50
Pettingell, Andrews Co., supplies
4 84
Wendell Bancroft & Co., lumber
3 62
H. M. Viall, freight and express.
2 20
Pay rolls
169 12
$591 74
METERS.
Stanley Instrument Co., meters . $198 00
Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Co., meters 42 00
General Electric Co., meters
72 50
B. & M. R. R., freight
4 98
H. M. Viall, express
60
Western Electric Co., meters
64 20
Pettingell, Andrews Co., meters
75 60
$457 88
CONVERTERS.
Western Electric Co., converters
$136 80
Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Co., converters 338 09
B. & M. R. R., freight 1 22
$476 11
$1,798 15
166
SUMMARY.
Charges to construction account . . $1,798 15
Amount borrowed from maintenance ac-
count, 1900 92 36
$1,890 51
Less credits to construction account
·
1,647 90
Amount borrowed from maintenance ac-
count, 1901 .
. $242 61
167
RECAPITULATION.
COST OF READING MUNICIPAL LIGHT AND POWER PLANT, DECEMBER 31, 1901.
Total Cost Dec. 31, 1900
Acct. Rendered Dec. 31, 1901
Total Cost Dec. 31. 1901
Real Estate .
$21,091 97
$21,091 97
Steam Plant .
· 14,073 03
99 43
14,172 46
Electric Plant
10,037 31
172 99
10,210 30
Lines .
18,824 49
591 74
19,416 23
Arc lamps and globes
2,620 96
2,620 96
Meters .
2,735 85
457 88
3,193 73
Converters
3,577 17
476 11
4,053 28
Incidental construction exp. .
2,556 98
2,556 98
Office furniture
454 19
454 19
Board expenses
63 82
63 82
Total
$76,035 77 $1,798 15
$77,883 92
Bills payable on acct. Con- struction, Dec. 31, 1901
$672 34
$78,506 26
Construction stock on hand Dec. 31, 1901 .
$221 49
Cash received from sale of cable
12 90
$234 39
Total cost of plant Dec. 31, 1901 .
$78,271 87
168
MAINTENANCE.
RECEIPTS.
Cash on hand Dec. 31, 1900
$35 35
Amount due from construction Dec. 31, 1900
92 36
Appropriation for maintenance
4,000 00
" interest
2,208 50
Cash for Commercial Incan. Light
3,207 59 .
Cash for Domestic Incan. Light
3,250 53
Cash for Town Incan. Light
199 02
Cash for Meter Rents
241 65
Cash for Incan. Lamp Renewals .
135 33
Cash for Wiring, Labor and Fixtures
1,444 55
Cash for Miscellaneous articles .
3 00
$14,817 88
EXPENDITURES.
FUEL.
Curran & Burton, coal
$1,441 28
·C. H. Sprague & Son, coal .
196 94
M. L. Cobb, coal ..
169 91
Boston & Maine R. R., freight
399 79
$2,207 92
OIL AND WASTE.
H. M. Viall, express .
$2 00
Eagle Oil & Supply Co., waste
24 71
Boston & Maine R. R., freight.
5 43
A. W. Harris Oil Co., oil
198 51
G. H. Atkinson, oil
4 00
A. W. Danforth .
1 25
Fred Wallace, oil
10 50
Reading Co-operative Association, oil
4 40
·
-
7
$250 80
169
WATER.
Reading Water Works $167 20 .
STATION WAGES.
Pay Rolls
.
.
$2,739 00
REPAIRS OF REAL ESTATE.
Pay Rolls . . .
$450 00
REPAIRS OF STEAM PLANT.
Eagle Oil & Supply Co., hose, gauge glass,
indicator spring and sundries $58 50
William B. Merrill & Co., packing springs 1 35
Edward P. Allis Co., piston springs and sundries 6 40
Shultz Belting Co., taking up belt 9 80
Wm. H. Gallison Co., valves, air cocks, etc. 6 89
W. Bancroft, & Co., brick and cement 7 50
Boston & Maine R. R., freight
16 78
H. M. Viall, express
50
Fife Bros. & Co., sundries .. .
8 48
J. D. Canty, mason work
5 03
M. H. O'Brien, repairing boilers
10 50
Edward Kendall & Sons, tube plugs
1 50
American Express Co., express
30
Phenix Oil Co. . 8 75
Jarvis Engineering Co., repairing boilers 600 00
C. L. Ireson, taking up belt
7 95
T. C. Fife, sundries
17 10
Fairbanks & Co., repairs
12 70
W. A. Dennison, paint
4 13
Pay Rolls
20 25
$804 41
170
REPAIRS ELECTRIC PLANT.
Le Valley Vitae Carbon Brush Co., brushes $ 97
Westinghouse Electric & Mt'g Co., brushes 2 04
HI. M. Viall, express 1 25
J. T. Freeman & Co., grinding commutator 14 23
American Express Co., express . 30
Crown Woven Wire Brush Co., brushes 32 34
Pay rolls
2 25
$53 38
STATION TOOLS.
Francis Bros., sundries $ 3 02
Boston & Maine R. R., freight
25
HI. D. Harriman, Goldena
11 00
Electric Gas Lighting Co., sundries
1 90
S. S. Bell, sundries
1 80
$17 97
WAGES-CARE OF LIGHTS.
Pay rolls
$728 00
REPAIRS OF LINES AND LAMPS.
Western Electric Co., clutches and carbon
holders $55 42
American Exp. Co., express 2 05
H. M. Viall, express . 1 60
Eagle Oil and Supply Co., marlin
68
Wagner Electric Mfg. Co., repairing trans- formers 2 76
B. & M. R. R., freight
84
F. G. McDonald, cloth
90.
General Electric Co., arresters
25 00
Pay rolls
309 25
$398 50
171
CARBONS.
Standard Carbon Co., carbons
$309 90
Western Electric Co., carbons .
1 00
Pettingell, Andrews Co., carbons
22 00
B. & M. R. R., freight
16 12
H. M. Viall, express
50
$349 52
INCANDESCENT LAMPS.
General Electric Co., lamps
$97 50
Western Electric Co., lamps
197 25
B. & M. R. R., freight
18 31
Pettingell, Andrews Co., lamps
8 00
H. M. Viall, express
40
$321 46
GLOBES.
F. O. Dewey Co., globes
$17 50
H. M. Viall, express
15
B. & M. R. R., freight
81
$18 46
GENERAL SALARIES.
Pay rolls
$1,500 16
GENERAL OFFICE EXPENSES.
Adams, Cushing & Foster, 2 order books $23 01
N. E. Telep. & Teleg. Co., services . 11 61
J. L. Fairbanks & Co., customers' book 12 30
W. E. & J. F. Twombly, printing, etc. 21 00 H. Prentiss, P. M., stamped envelopes 53 00 Electrical World and Engineer, subs. 3 00
A. R. Prentiss, sundries
1 10
C. C. Hoffman & Co., rubber stamps
1 60
A. R. Prentiss, sundries
1 70
$128 32
172
RENTS.
Masonic Temple Corp. .
$132 00
INSURANCE.
Field & Cowles
$24 37
Prentiss & Viall
.
409 15
$433 52
BAD DEBTS.
Accounts charged off as uncollectable $139 02
INCIDENTALS.
R. D. Clapp, sharpening lawn mower $ 70
S. W. Bowker, cleaning cesspool 2 50 .
S. S. Bell, railroad fares, etc.
8 58
.
$11 78
INTEREST.
6 mos. interest on notes
$420 50
6 mos. interest on bonds
1,760 00
$2,180 50
STABLE.
P. J. Seaman, iron work
$19 35
P. McCall, blankets, etc.
13 25
F. P. Abbott, board and care of horse
240 00
R. A. White, board and care of horse
240 00
W. C. Taylor, repairing harnesses
5 80
C. H. Playdon, M. D. V., services
5 00
Z. S. Richards, shoeing, etc.
5 83
L. C. Berg, repairing cushions
12 00
Z. S. Richards, shoeing, etc.
3 88
Samuel Brown, repairing democrat wagon
75
H. E. Coates, repairing harnesses
11 45
.
F
$557 31
r
173
WIRING, LABOR AND FIXTURES.
H. M. Viall, freight and express $10 29
Belcher and Loomis Hardware Co., supplies 10 84
N. Y. Insulated Wire Co., wire 37 81
Electric Gas Lighting Co., supplies 244 01
C. S. Knowles, wire, conduit
44 38
Pettingell, Andrews Co., supplies
210 98
Western Electric Co., supplies
296 20
McKenney & Waterbury, fixtures
312 95
Francis Bros., sundries
4 54
B. & M. R. R., freight
8 90
American Exp. Co., express
45
Union Hardware & Elec. Supply Co., tape
2 80
G. H. Field, express
4 60
Pay rolls 211 26
$1,400 01
Total charges to maintenance acct.
$14,543 73
SUMMARY.
Total credits to maintenance acct. . $14,817 88
Total charges to maintenance acct. . 14,543 73
$274 15
Cash on hand Dec. 31, 1901
$31 54
Amount loaned construction account
242 61
$274 15
RECAPITULATION.
Fuel
$2,207 92
Oil and waste
250 80
Water
167 20
Station wages
2,739 00
Amount carried forward $5,364 92
174
Amount brought forward
$5,364 92 4 50
Repairs of real estate .
Repairs of steam plant
804 41
Repairs of electric plant
53 38
Station tools
17 97
Wages, care of lights
728 00
Repairs of lines and lamps
398 50
Carbons .
349 52
Incandescent lamps
321 46
Globes
18 46
General salaries .
1,500 16
General office expenses
128 31
Rents
132 00
Insurance
433 52
Bad debts
139 02
Incidentals
11 78
Interest
2,180 50
Stable
557 31
Wiring and labor
1,400 01
-- $14,543 73
Amount due from consumers for light, meter rent, etc., Dec. 31, 1900 $1,469 40
Amount due from consumers for wiring and labor, Dec. 31, 1900 . 870 16
Maintenance stock on hand Dec. 31, 1900 233 92
$2,573 48
$17,117 21
Less amount received in 1901 from Com- mercial Incandescent Light $3,207 59
Domesti : Incandescent Light 3,250 53
Amount carried forward $6,458 12
175
Amount brought forward
$6,458 12
Town Incandescent Light .
199 02
Meter rents
241 65
Wiring, labor and fixtures
1,444 55
Incandescent lamps
135 33
Stable
3 00
$8,481 67
Maintenance stock on hand Dec. 31, 1901 782 99
Amount due Dec. 31st, 1901, for Commer-
cial Incandescent Light
956 46
Domestic Incandescent Light
755 97
Town Incandescent Light
26 64
Meter rents
60 20
Incandescent lamps
50 68
Wiring, labor and fixtures
798 08
Oil and waste
1 65
$11,914 34
$5,202 87
Bills payable Dec. 31, 1900
$797 66
Bills payable Dec. 31, 1901
3,021 49
$2,223 83
Total cost of maintenance 1901
7,426 70
Number of are street lamps 133. Cost of
each lamp .
55 84
176
INVENTORY.
CONSTRUCTION STOCK ON HAND DEC. 31, 1901.
Lines
$135 59
Transformers .
85 90
$221 49
Incandescent lamps
$103 16
Fuel .
409 00
Carbons
95 10
Oil and Waste
57 11
Arc globes
30 00
Wiring stock
88 62
$782 99
Total stock on hand Dec. 31, 1901
$1,004 48
Number of incandescent lamps installed in
1901 . 868
Number of poles installed in 1901 31 .
Number of meters installed in 1901 3:2
Number of transformers installed in 1901
11
Feet of wire installed in 1901
18,000
Tons of coal used in 1901
597
Number of consumers Dec. 31, 1900
201
Number of consumers added during 1901
62
Number of consumers discontinued during 1901
14
249
Net increase in consumers during 1901 48
1
263
177
Number of days and hours that street circuits were lighted during year ending Dec. 31, 1901 :
DAYS.
HOURS.
January
28
157
February
25
131
March
24
130
April
23
129
May
27
122
June
23
93
July
24
105
August
24
108
September
23
120
October
22
132
November
29
174
December
28
181
Total
300
1,582
Table showing the earning each month from incandescent light and meter rents and a comparison with the previous year.
January-
Light. $846 86
Meter Rent. $18 10
$864 96
$779 65.
February
609 91
16 20
626 11
522 67
March
583 82
19 45
603 27
440 32
April
488 50
17 00
505 50
449 69
May
410 53
20 00
430 53
316 27
June
304 72
21 25
325 97
237 35
July
233 61
13 80
247 41
228 52
August
376 38
22 00
398 38
315 11
September
550 86
20 80
571 66
460 70
October
819 15
26 50
845 65
665 75.
November
1,139 95
24 30
1,164 25
979 34
December
1,030 44
26 30
1,056 74
855 97
Total
$7,394 73
$245 70 $7,640 43
$6,251 34
Less discount allowed for cash payments
381 43
211 76
$7,259 00
$6,039 58
1901. Total.
1900. Total.
178
There has been a larger number of dwelling houses and stores wired for electric lighting during the past year than any previous year since the plant has been running. There are also a fair num- ber of orders booked for wiring, which gives promise of continued growth. We wish that the use of electric lighting could become more general, as the number of customers at present represent but a comparatively small proportion of the whole town.
The gross receipts have increased considerably, which indi- cates a possible reduction in the price to the consumers in the near future. The cost per lamp in the street lighting shows an in- crease over the year 1900, owing to extraordinary repairs in the steam plant. Your commissioners have endeavored to keep the expenses down to the lowest point consistent with safety and satis- factory service.
For maintenance the ensuing year the sum of $4,000 and re- ceipts will be needed.
The appropriation for extensions last year was exceeded, owing to the demand for lights in excess of the commissioners' estimate, and there are bills to be paid from the appropriation of this year, therefore $3,000 should be voted to provide for these bills and for further extensions,
Respectfully submitted,
A. NEWELL HOWES, Chairman, WILLIAM S. KINSLEY, Secretary. CHARLES W. LEE,
Municipal Light Bourd.
€
.
4
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF READING
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1901.
School Committee.
WALTER S. PARKER, Chairman, Walnut St., Term expires 1902 GILMAN L. PARKER, Sec'y, Washington St., 1903
HORACE G. WADLIN, Woburn St., 1902
MRS. ELLEN M. BANCROFT, Sanborn St.,
1903
MRS. MARY L. NESMITH, Main St., HENRY C. PARKER, Chute St.,
1904
66 66 1904
Superintendent of Schools. MELVILLE A. STONE.
Truant Officer. FREDERIC D. MERRILL.
.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE.
WALTER S. PARKER, Chairman. GILMAN L. PARKER, Secretary.
SUB-COMMITTEES.
Finances and Accounts.
G. L. Parker,
H. G. Wadlin
Book's and Supplies.
W. S. Parker, Mrs. Nesmith
School Houses and Property.
H. G. Wadlin, H. C. Parker
G. L. Parker.
Rules and Regulations.
Mrs. Bancroft.
Teachers and Salaries.
Mrs. Nesmith
G. L. Parker. Music and Drawing.
Mrs. Bancroft, G. L. Parker Course of Study. H. G. Wadlin,
W. S. Parker Mrs. Nesmith.
HI. C. Parker, H. G. Wadlin
W. S. Parker,
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The School Committee respectfully submits the following report on the schools of Reading during the past year.
We desire first to call your careful attention to the reports of the superintendent and others connected with the schools in an official capacity. A careful study of the detailed report of school expenditures will serve to enlighten our citizens on the wise economy exercised by the board in spending the money appro- priated for the schools. The school appropriation is necessarily the largest amount for any one department. It is by far the most important and most vital interest connected with the town. In this connection allow us to suggest that Governor Crane in his last annual address used the following words, indicating his own esti- mate of the large expenditures of the Commonwealth in the cause of education. It is made all the more emphatic by the fact, that a large part of his address was made up of recommendations for retrenchment and economy in other departments of State work.
" Upon the public school, more than upon any other public agency, depends the welfare of the Commonwealth; their contri- bution to this welfare justifies the large sums annually expended upon them." Herein lies the heart of the whole matter. It is by far the most important interest which we consider in town meet- ing, the most vital concern to the well-being of our community.
Senator Hoar says: "The whole resources of the Commonwealth are pledged to the support of the common schools and that is the bottom mortgage on every dollar of our property." The ideas herein expressed, by these two eminent statesmen, are but a repeti- tion of the ideas promulgated by our forefathers.
186
While we agree to the general propositions as expressed regarding education, yet it seems wise to suggest that if the pupils are to derive the greatest benefit from the teaching given in the schools, it is absolutely essential that the pupils should be expected to do the work. It makes no difference how able the teacher, how skilful the instruction, how beautiful the building, how favorable the conditions for efficient work, if the pupils for whom all this is done are not responsive to all these influences and are not willing to take advantage of them all, by honest, earnest work, then disap- pointment and failure will surely result.
If the pupils are to attain success in school work, they must be willing to work hard for it. We would also suggest, that while we are of the opinion that school and school life are not all of life, and that other interests have a claim to part of the pupil's time and effort, yet we would affirm that if the parents desire a certain advance made by the pupils, it cannot be accomplished except by corresponding effort on part of the pupils.
" We have not wings, we cannot soar;
But we have feet to scale and climb,
By slow degrees, by more and more, The cloudy summits of our times."
Scholarship, Culture, Achievement, can be gained only by stren- uous effort.
The following lines from President Roosevelt's book, "The Strenuous Life," are applicable :
" The average man, into whom the average boy develops, is, of course, not going to be a marvel in any line, but if he only chooses to try he can be very good in any line, and the chances of his doing good work are immensely increased if he has trained his mind. Of course, if, as a result of his high school, academy or college experience, he gets to thinking that the only kind of
187
learning is that to be found in books, he will do very little ; but if he keeps his mental balance - that is, if he shows character - he will understand both what learning can do and what it cannot, and he will be all the better the more he can get.
" Growth is the divinest element in life, and work is one of the chief factors in growth."
The manual training has been given to the boys and it would seem no more than right and equitable to introduce sewing for the girls, and it can be done without large expense.
There seems to be a demand for it by many of the parents and the committee recommends that sewing be taught in several of the classes. This action is not in any sense committing the town to some fad or new, untried method of instruction, for it has been taught for many years in the more advanced schools and has been in the Boston schools for over fifty years.
We do not advise the introduction of cooking at the present time, but we hope the time will soon come when the parents will demand a thorough course of instruction in that most useful and serviceable branch of instruction. If our girls are to meet the requirements of home life in the future successfully, courageously and happily they must be fitted in all that makes life worth living.
The home is the foundation of civilized society and if we are to learn those things in childhood, which we are sure to use when we become men and women, then there can be no question of the suitableness of cooking in the curriculum of studies.
VACANCIES.
The terms of Horace G. Wadlin and Walter S. Parker expire at the ensuing town meeting.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The committee recommends the sum of $21,600 for regular school expenses, $4,000 for school incidentals.
188
Adopted in committee Feb. 7, 1902.
WALTER S. PARKER, Chairman, GILMAN L. PARKER, Secretary, HORACE G. WADLIN, ELLEN M. BANCROFT, MARY L. NESMITH, HENRY C. PARKER.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of the Town of Reading:
My third annual report, the ninth in the supervision of Read- ing schools, is herewith respectfully submitted.
It will be remembered that several items of repairs on smaller school buildings were recommended in my report last year.
Of those the following have been accomplished : The John street and the Lowell street buildings have been painted, while at the John Street School the heaters formerly located in a corner of each room have been placed in the basement. This arrangement allows a better heating of the rooms without the aid of stoves than was before secured with them, while the attractiveness of the rooms due to this change is ample return for the cost.
With newly painted walls and new furniture in the rear room, with additional windows on the east side and town water brought to each room, the John Street School appears to have taken a new lease of life with good prospects for many more years of efficient service. I would suggest a steel ceiling to complete the repairs so well begun.
At the Lowell Street a little has been done towards improving the grounds, and with the plan of doing a little each year to secure a gain in this respect we shall hope to show as attractive a school here as can be found in the rural portions of any of the neighboring towns. In both these schools the present floors should give place to new as soon as the condition of the treasury will warrant it.
1
190
We spend considerable time and money in order to develop in our pupils appreciation of the beautiful in nature and art, and it seems to me that consistency requires that the outward surround- ings of the school-rooms and the buildings should be brought into conformity with the instruction of the teachers as soon as our means will permit.
Coming now to the High School building it will be seen that the special appropriation was readily expended upon the roof and the steel ceiling with a small amount to apply to repairs upon the ceil- ings in the smaller rooms in the second story.
At considerable expense, an improvement in the sanitaries has been accomplished, also in the heating plant, but an additional out- lay of about ninety dollars is needed to prevent the waste of heat by radiation in the basement.
Already our experience in the Highland School, where the steam pipes were covered last summer, shows that a great saving of fuel is affected by use of the covering, and I recommend that the covering of the steam pipes in the High School basement be con- sidered in estimating the necessary appropriation for the coming year.
The changes effected in the High School building the last year have brought into use for recitation rooms every available foot of Hoor space, and still considerable expense is needed to renovate the interior finish.
Coming now to a consideration of the real work of the school, the carrying out of the course of study already submitted in more or less detail in previous reports, I wish to call attention to certain features in the work of the High School which seem to me to call for more attention than the crowded condition of the program in the last few years has allowed. I refer to that practice in public speak- ing generally included under the term Rhetoricals.
Especially, now that we offer in our Commercial Course work that will give to many of our pupils the opportunity to take their
-
191
places in the ranks of the business men of the town and of the city, training should be given in public speaking, in debate, and in reci- tation or declamation.
The report of the principal, Mr. F. E. Whittemore, is worthy of note in reference to this, and his plan of bringing on a public entertainment to be provided by each of the classes in the school has merit as one means of developing class interest in this work, but I would recommend as a preparation for these events that practice in this work be given every week, partly before the entire school assembled, in case of Juniors and Seniors, and partly before sections of the school in the last period of the day best suited to such practice.
In the grammar grades the work in the three R's is progress- ing according to the individual qualifications of the teachers to arouse the pupils to earnest effort by reason of the desire on their part to make the most of their opportunities, and I am pleased to report that all of our teachers are succeeding in this to a greater degree than usual.
In arithmetic, the Werner series is now in use as far as the sixth grade, and the results are specially gratifying in the interest maintained by the pupils and in the gain shown in comprehending the reasons for all work. The work in both History and Geog- raphy has received a fresh impulse by the addition of new reference books and in the use of these aids the pupils are acquiring the proper habits of study, not only in the event of their entering High School, but in case of their leaving school altogether.
Our purpose in thus directing the work is to bring the pupil in contact with these subjects in a way that will develop power to acquire information in an independent manner, rather than encour- age the idea that the committing of a certain number of facts to memory and delivering them upon call constitutes all that is desired in their acquaintance with History and Geography.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.