USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1886-1895 > Part 37
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 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
Narragansett Ballads. Caroline Hazard.
276
On the Road Home. Margaret E. Sangster.
264
Out of the Heart. Sel. J. W. and Annie H. Chadwick ....
274
Painting, History of. Dr. Alfred Woltmann and Dr. Karl Woermann. 2 vols 255-6
Poems. T. B. Aldrich 268
Poems. John Hay. 277
Poems for Children. Celia Thaxter. 262
Poems Here at Home. James Whitcomb Riley. 266
Poetry for Children. Charles and Mary Lamb. 272
Pottery and Porcelain of U. S. Edwin Atlee Barber 269
Roadside Harp. Louise Imogen Guiney ... 263
Sometime, and Other Poems. May Riley Smith 275
Such as They Are. T. W. and M. T. Higginson 267
83
M
According to Season. Mrs. Wm. Starr Dana 749
Birds About Us, The. C. C. Abbott .. 747
Bird-Lover in the West, A. Olive Thorne Miller 737 Brook Farm, Historic and Personal Memoirs. John Thomas
Codman ..
768
Character Studies 769 773
Childhood in Literature and Art. Horace E. Scudder. . . Colonial Days and Dames. Anne Hollingsworth Wharton .. 761 767 Eighteenth Century Vignettes. Austin Dobson. II series. English Fiction, Introduction to Study of. Wm. Edwards Simonds , 765 757
Essays in London and Elsewhere. Henry James
Following the Greek Cross, or, Memories of the Sixth Army Corps. Thomas W. Hyde ..
763
Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. Lafcadio Hearn.
2 vols .. . 771-2
Humour of America. Sel. by James Barr 753
Humour of Holland. Trans. A. Werner .. 754
Lessing's Prose Works. Ed. Edward Bell. 764
Literary Associations of English Lakes. Rev. H. D.
Rawnsley. 2 vols .. 755-6
Our English Cousins. Richard Harding Davis 758
Riverby. John Burroughs. 762
Samantha at the World's Fair. Marietta Holley 752
Seventy Years of Irish Life. W. R. Le Fanu,
770
Tennyson, His Art and Relation to Modern Life. Stopford
A. Brooke ..
751
Through Colonial Doorways. Anne Hollingsworth Wharton 760
Too Short Vacation, A. Lucy L. Williams and Emma V. McLoughlin.
728
Travels in a Tree-Top. C. C. Abbott. 748
Wee Ones of Japan. Mae St. John Bramhall .. 750
West from a Car-Window, The. Richard Harding Davis ... 759
N .
Atlas of Mass. Topographical Survey Commission 145
Annual Cyclopædia. 1893. 13
Century Encyclopædia of Proper Names 145
History for Ready Reference. J. N. Larned. 5 vols. 138-42
Standard Dictionary of English Language. 2 vols . . . 143-4
PAMPHLETS.
A
Hatch Experiment Station, Mass. Agricultural College :
Electricity in Agriculture, 2 vols. 38-9
Fertilizers for Corn. 40
Fruits. 2 vols . . 41-2
Fungicides and Insecticides. Tests of Grapes 47
Green Manuring 43
Insects. . 44
Insecticides and the Horn Fly. 45
Tuberculosis . 46
Public Reservations, Report of Trustees, 1893 48
State Library, Report of Librarian, 1893. 49
B
A. L. A. Catalogue of 5000 vols .. 188
Agriculture, U. S. Department of :
Food Products, III Parts. Thomas Taylor. .189-91
Microscopist, Report of, 1893. " 192
Microscopy, 66 Division, 1893. Thomas Tay- 193
lor.
195-205
Consular Reports, Nos. 162-172. 66 Index, Nos. 112-151 194
Consular Reports, Special :
American Lumber in Foreign Markets 206
Extension of Markets for American Flour 207
Olive Culture in the Alpes Maratimes . 208 Vagrancy and Public Charities in Foreign Countries .... 209 Education, Bureau of :
Connecticut, History of Education. Bernard C. Steiner, 183
Maryland, 60 66 . 6 184
Iowa, Higher Education. Leonard F. Parker 185
Rhode Island, Higher Education. Wm. Howe Tolman, 186
Tennessee, Higher Education. Lucius Salisbury Mer- riam. 187
Opinions of Collectors of Customs on Rates of Duty on Imports, 1894. 211
Replies to Tariff Inquiries, 1894. 49 vols. 212-60
Sugar Schedule in Tariff Bill of 1894 210
M
Chelmsford Public Library Catalogue, 1893. 40
Lawrence Academy, General Catalogue, 1793-1893. . . . 41 Centennial Celebration First Parish Meeting-House, West- ford, 1894. . 42
Pearson, Henry G. Memorial Address. E. L. Godkin. ...
43
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX SS.
To Isaac E. Day, one of the Constables of the Town of Westford, in said County,
GREETING :
You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid, to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said Town qualified to vote in elections and also in Town affairs, to meet at the Town, House in said Westford, on Monday, the eighteenth day of March, being the third Monday in said month, at eight o'clock A. M. The polls will be opened at 8.15 o'clock A. M., and closed at one o'clock P. M. ; and they are then and there to act upon the following articles, to wit :
1st. To choose a Moderator.
2d. To see if the Town will determine the compensation of the Tax Collector, and act in relation to the same.
3d. To bring in their votes for Town Clerk, for one year; one Se- lectman, one Overseer of Poor, one Assessor, two School Committee, one Trustee of the Public Library, one Com- missioner of Public Burial Grounds, all for three years ; Town Treasurer, Collector of Taxes, two Constables, and one Auditor, all for one year ; also to vote on the following question : "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxi- cating liquors in this town," all on one ballot.
4th. To hear the report of the Selectmen, and act in relation to the same.
5th. To hear the report of the Selectmen on Guide Boards, and act in relation to the same.
6th. To hear the report of the Overseers of the Poor, and act in relation to the same.
7th. To hear the report of the School Committee, and act in rela- tion to the same.
8th. To hear the report of the Trustees of the Public Library, and act in relation to the same.
86
9th. To hear the report of the Commissioners of Public Burial Grounds, and act in relation to the same.
10th. To see if the Town will accept the report of the Auditor chosen to audit the accounts of the Town Officers, and act in relation to the same.
11th. To see if the Town will accept the List of Jurors as reported by the Selectmen, and act in relation to the same.
12th. To raise and appropriate money to repair Roads and Bridges.
13th. To raise and appropriate money for Town debts and charges.
14th. To ralse and appropriate money for Public Schools.
15th. To raise and appropriate money for Support of Poor.
16th. To raise and appropriate money for School Text Books and Supplies.
17th. To see if the Town will authorize the Town Treasurer, under the written direction of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time to meet the demands on the treasury, and act in relation to the same.
18th. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the ensuing year, also the rate of interest on taxes remaining unpaid at a time to be fixed by vote of the Town, and when and how said taxes shall be paid into the treasury, and act in rela- tion to the same.
19th. To choose all other Town Officers necessary to be chosen by hand vote, and act in relation to the same.
20th. By request of the Veteran Association, to see if the Town will appropriate the sum of Fifty Dollars ($50) to com- memorate Memorial Day, and act in relation to the same.
21st. By request of a committee of citizens, to see if the Town will vote to build a Public Library Building, and act in rela- tion to the same.
22d. By the same, to see if the Town will authorize the Treasurer to borrow on the credit of the Town the sum of ten thou- sand dollars ($10,000) to be expended for the purpose of building a Public Library Building, which sum shall be paid as follows : One thousand dollars out of the taxes of the year 1896, and one thousand dollars out of the taxes of each succeeding year until said loan is fully paid, and act in relation to the same.
23d. By the same, to choose a building committee to contract and erect a Public Library Building, and act in relation to the same.
24th. On petition of Francis L. Fletcher and 29 others, to see if the Town will accept the provisions of Sec. 101, Chap. 417,
87
Acts of 1893, in regard to a division of the Town for pre- cinct voting, and act in relation to the same.
25th. By request of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, to see if the Town will appropriate a sum sufficient to place a marker, not exceeding one dollar ($1.00) each, of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution at the grave of each Revolutionary soldier buried in this Town, and act in relation to the same.
26th. By request of the citizens of Graniteville and Forge Village to see if the town will appropriate the sum of fifty dollars ($50) for the purpose of distributing books from the Pub- lic Library in these two villages, and act in relation to the same.
27th. To see if the Town will designate what public buildings or other property shall be kept insured, anb act in relation to the same.
28th. To see if the town will accept or amend the list of prices for rent of Town Hall, as established by the Selectmen, and act in relation to the same.
29th. By request of the Loyal Temperance Legion and others, to see if the town will vote to give the use of the lower Town Hall two evenings a month to the Loyal Temperance Legion, and act in relation to the same.
30th. By the same, to see if the Town will vote to give the use of the lower Town Hall two afternoons a month during the warm months, to the Junior Loyal Temperance Legion, and act in relation to the same.
31st. By request of the School Committee, to see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars ($100) to be used for the transportation of scholars, and act in relation to the same.
32d. By request of the School Committee, to see if the Town wil authorize the School Committee to change the designation of the schools from numbers to names, and act in relation to the same.
33d. By request of Hiram Dane, to see if the Town will pay the services of a police officer in the vicinity of Long-Sought- For Pond, and act in relation to the same.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting up true and attested copies at the Town House and each Depot in said Westford, eight days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
88
HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make return of this warrant with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands and seals, this second day of March, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety-five.
SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, GEORGE W. HEYWOOD, JULIAN A. CAMERON,
Selectmen of Westford.
!
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
Town of Westford, Mass.
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1895.
WESTFO
TOWN
D
G
INCORP
1729
RATED
SEPT. 23,
LOWELL, MASS. COURIER-CITIZEN COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1895.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1894=95.
A. J. ABBOT, Chairman
Term expires 1897
A. R. CHOATE
66
1895
FRANK H. HILDRETH
1896
W. J. SLEEPER, Secretary
66
1897
MRS. ALTA M. TAYLOR
66
1895
ALFRED WOODBURY
66
66
1896.
EDMUND P. BARKER, Superintendent of Schools, Residence, Ayer, Mass.
ANNUAL REPORT.
Citizens of Westford :
Your Committee organized by the choice of A. J. Abbot, Chairman, and Rev. A. A. Bickford, Secretary, but Mr. Bickford resigning in April, W. J. Sleeper was elected Secretary to fill the vacancy.
To fill the vacancy as a member of the Board, a joint conven- tion of the School Committee and Selectmen was held, as required by law, on May 7, 1895, and Mrs. Alta M. Taylor was chosen.
The annual meeting of the School Committees of Ayer, Little- ton and Westford was held at Ayer and Mr. E. P. Barker of Ayer again elected Superintendent of Schools for the three towns named, which compose the district. The expectation expressed in last year's report that the benefits of his supervision would become more apparent the second year than the first, has been fulfilled. His suggestions have been cheerfully adopted by the teachers, and with their cordial co-operation the school work has gone forward harmoniously and with much benefit to the pupils.
Some erroneous ideas have been entertained by some of the people in the Town as to the use and desirability of the monthly meetings of the teachers. At these meetings the Superintendent gives instruction to all the teachers at the same time on those sub- jects, which his visits to the schools have shown him to require special attention. He keeps informed on all educational topics, and imparts the information to the teachers. If we are to have good schools and equal to other places, our teachers must be kept up to the times and to all advances, and the meetings are one of the ways of accomplishing it.
A saving of time and a uniformity in instruction is thus effected. To those interested in the schools an invitation is extended to attend these meetings at any time. It will also be evi- dent that the scholars will get much more benefit from teachers who have taught several terms and received a measure of this special instruction from time to time, than from those who teach only a single term.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1894=95.
A. J. ABBOT, Chairman
Term expires 1897
A. R. CHOATE
1895
FRANK H. HILDRETH
66 1896
W. J. SLEEPER, Secretary
66
1897
MRS. ALTA M. TAYLOR
66
1895
ALFRED WOODBURY
66
60
1896
EDMUND P. BARKER, Superintendent of Schools, Residence, Ayer, Mass.
ANNUAL REPORT.
Citizens of Westford :
Your Committee organized by the choice of A. J. Abbot, Chairman, and Rev. A. A. Bickford, Secretary, but Mr. Bickford resigning in April, W. J. Sleeper was elected Secretary to fill the vacancy.
To fill the vacancy as a member of the Board, a joint conven- tion of the School Committee and Selectmen was held, as required by law, on May 7, 1895, and Mrs. Alta M. Taylor was chosen.
The annual meeting of the School Committees of Ayer, Little- ton and Westford was held at Ayer and Mr. E. P. Barker of Ayer again elected Superintendent of Schools for the three towns named, which compose the district. The expectation expressed in last year's report that the benefits of his supervision would become more apparent the second year than the first, has been fulfilled. His suggestions have been cheerfully adopted by the teachers, and with their cordial co-operation the school work has gone forward harmoniously and with much benefit to the pupils.
Some erroneous ideas have been entertained by some of the people in the Town as to the use and desirability of the monthly meetings of the teachers. At these meetings the Superintendent gives instruction to all the teachers at the same time on those sub- jects, which his visits to the schools have shown him to require special attention. He keeps informed on all educational topics, and imparts the information to the teachers. If we are to have good schools and equal to other places, our teachers must be kept up to the times and to all advances, and the meetings are one of the ways of accomplishing it.
A saving of time and a uniformity in instruction is thus effected. To those interested in the schools an invitation is extended to attend these meetings at any time. It will also be evi- dent that the scholars will get much more benefit from teachers who have taught several terms and received a measure of this special instruction from time to time, than from those who teachi only a single term.
4
And here, we might remark, is one of the great places of waste of our money : in instructing the new teachers how to teach : pay- ing them for it: our pupils getting not the instruction of mature minds and experienced ones, but the inexperienced.
They get the experience on our children : we pay them for it. Our children cannot get the benefit when a change is made every one or two terms, or even every year, for with every new teacher the pupil has to unlearn certain things, and time is lost in becoming learned in the new ways of the new teacher.
It is a great waste and should stop, but the remedy rests with you, as voters and citizens. You cannot expect a teacher, except under quite unusual circumstances, of which Westford has fortu- nately had in years past several instances, to remain long teaching our district schools for what we pay. They stay a while, get their experience, for which we sometimes sadly pay, and then go away. Each change taxes the learning capacity of the school, and then the parents criticize severely because their children do not learn. You are not giving your children the best advantage as long as you con- tinue the present arrangement : you are wasting money and the time of your children.
A teacher who has to have 24 recitations a day, from the youngest child to preparing for the Academy, works at a certain dis- advantage compared with the teacher who has a graded school, and, as remarked before, few teachers are so situated that they can carry it out successfully for years. You are fortunate in possess- ing one such ; and as for the others, although we have many good teachers, yet changes are made too often for the benefit of us and our children. Would it not be better to have matters so arranged that we could retain our good teachers both in district and village ? Are not we entitled to good teachers as well as others? Shall we continue to educate them only to have them be taken away by neigh- boring places? Your answer is already made - No - that you want as good as the rest and that you propose to keep them. The teacher is worth more the second year than the first, and the fifth, or should be, than the second, and we cannot afford to be constantly instructing teachers to teach for the benefit of other places. To retain them you must pay them, and you should grade them. All argu- ment. that they get more than so and so, avails nothing against the fact that they are constantly being picked away, one here and another one there, and constantly leaving district schools for graded ones.
5
Your Superintendent recommended last year consolidation, but no action has yet been taken. It is worthy of consideration, and an appropriation is recommended to be made, so that if at any time transportation may be desired for any school there will be a fund for that purpose. The regular school appropriation cannot be used for this work.
The Lyon School was the only one closed during the year on account of sickness. Scarlet fever broke out there during the fall term, and the school was closed for over two weeks.
A regular course of study for seven years' work, preparatory to admission to the Academy, has been adopted, and graduation exer- cises with the presentation of diplomas will take place at the end of each school year.
A furnace has been added to the No. 1 School and is quite an improvement of the heating facilities, but makes the building open to some criticism, as if a fire should start at any time it is out of sight, and if any headway was got, might shut off egress from the upper room, the stairway being very narrow and quite inadequate for the needs. Some new provision should be made for such emergency, which, although it might never happen, yet is a possibility.
This same remark applies to the Forge School, the upper room of which is, with the present heating apparatus, a perfect fire trap, and some other means of exit should be provided.
Returning to No. 1 School, we would remark that some new arrangement of blackboard room is imperative. Those now there on the sides of the room are a constant strain to every eye in the room, and if more and better light could be secured by a skylight, it should be, as during the winter term all eyes are subjected to strain by the poor light in the afternoon ; no other school room in Town is so poorly lighted.
New blackboards and new ceilings are also a necessity at Forge Village.
The time of the school day has been changed to, from 8.45 to 11.45 A. M., and from 1 to 3.45 P. M. This allows many pupils to go home at noon who otherwise did not.
The study of vocal music has been added to the course of study, as petitioned for by the citizens, thus placing us in line with and equal to Littleton, Pepperell and Concord.
The rebate which the Town receives from the State on account of the District Superintendency has been constituted a special fund
for that purpose, so that no appropriation will be needed. For several years the appropriation made has only been sufficient to keep the schools open from thirty-four to thirty-five weeks each year, while it is desirable to have a thirty-six week year.
The book fund has been sadly deficient. We have paid this year $73.54 of last year's bills and overrun $53.56 this year, although we have had to put off buying some needed books and supplies until next term.
All bills are paid to date. We would desire it understood that school supplies take a large part of this fund, and not books alone. A larger appropriation will be necessary.
Last winter the Legislature enacted the following act :
[CHAP. 436.]
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE PAYMENT OF TUITION AND TRANSPORTATION OF CHILDREN ATTENDING SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF TIIE TOWN IN WHICH THEY RESIDE.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows :
SECTION 1. Any town in which a high school or school of correspond- ing grade is not maintained shall pay for the tuition of any child who with the parent or guardian resides in said town and who attends the high school of another town or city, provided the parent or guardian of such child before such attendance obtains the approval of the school committee of the town in which the child and parent or guardian reside.
SECT. 2. If any town in which a high school or school of cor- responding grade is not maintained neglects or refuses to pay for tuition as provided in the preceding section, such town shall be liable therefor to the parent or guardian of the child furnished with such tuition, if the par- ent or guardian has paid the same, or to the town or city furnishing the same, in an action of contract.
SECT. 3. No member of the school committee of a town in which a high school or school of corresponding grade is not maintained shall refuse to approve the attendance of any child in the high school of another city or town, charging a reasonable amount for tuition, if such child is properly qualified to enter such high school, unless said town is prepared to furnish such child proper instruction in its own schools in the studies usually taught in a high school. If the school committee of such town unreason- ably refuses to grant such approval such town shall be liable for the tuition of such child in the same manner and to the same extent as if the parent or guardian of such child had obtained the approval of the school committee.
SECT. 4. Any town in which a high school or school of corresponding grade is not maintained, but affording high school instruction by sending pupils to other towns, may pay the necessary transportation expenses of such pupils.
!
7
SECT. 5. Chapter two hundred and sixty-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-one is hereby repealed. [Approved May 26, 1894.
It will be seen that we are brought to the question of supply- ing High School education on application, and that, too, with an Academy in our Town. The Academy Trustees very courteously invited an informal conference on the matter, and it would seem possible to make some arrangement whereby the Town could advan- tageously have practically the use of their $50,000.00 fund, and at the same time save possibly $1,000.00 per year, and have a school that would grade far above neighboring towns. It was suggested that the Town have supervision of the Academy through its Super- intendent of Schools ; have one representative out of each Com- mittee of three, and, at least, one of each Committee, on the part of the Trustees, to be a resident of the Town, thus giving those living in Town a control of each Committee and direct representa- tion to the Town. No scholar from another town to be taken to the exclusion of one from this Town. The Town to pay as tuition a certain sum, to be determined, for any number of pupils not exceeding sixty ; if the number exceeds sixty, the Town to pay as tuition for all over sixty pro rata as to the total expenses of running the Academy. The Town agreeing to carry out the arrangement for a certain term of years, to be determined, the Trustees on their part agree to erect and fully equip immediately a suitable building. The details are not sufficiently advanced to present to the Town at present, but we hope to later. General legislation is a preliminary step, and as soon as anything can be presented to the Town it will be.
The Trustees have evinced a hearty interest in the matter for the benefit of the Town and taxpayers, and it would seem quite advantageous if the Town should be able to make such a satisfac- tory arrangement, whereby they would have supervision, represen- tation, a better school than they could reasonably hope to maintain, and save a handsome sum each year.
A very liberal business course of the sciences and English branches would be arranged and with an equipment for teaching them Westford should be at an advantage over other towns.
Taking the sum put in by the Town together with the income from the Trustees' fund, even after a building has been erected, and we should have a sum sufficient for a good school. It is impossible now to any more than call your attention to the matter, that you may be able to be considering it with a possibility of later action.
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.