USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1896-1901 > Part 44
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Grade VI. - " Stories of American History," "Twice Told Tales," " Knickerbocker's History of New York," " Grand- father's Chair," "Story of Siegfried," "Hiawatha," "Miles Standish," "Landing of the Pilgrims," "The North Seas," " Pizarro," " Cortes and Montezuma," " Sleepy Hollow," "Rip Van Winkle."
Grade VII. - " Evangeline," "The War of Independence," Fiske, Cooper's " Pilot," Cooper's " Spy," Thackery's " Virgin- ians," " The Green Mountain Boys," "Paul Revere's Ride," " The Death of the Old Year," Tennyson, Longfellow's "Elizabeth," Tennyson's " The Revenge," " Tales of the White Hills," Burke's " Conciliation with the Colonies."
Grade VIII. - Lowell's "Garrison and Wendell Phillips," Lowell's " Bigelow Papers," " The Peasant and the Prince," Lin- coln's " First Inaugural and Gettysburg Speech," " Second Inau- gural," " Tales of the Grandfather," " The Building of the Ship," " Under the Old Elm," " Old Ironsides," " Angels of Buena Vista," " Sheridan's Ride," "Nuremburg," Longfellow, " Web- ster's Reply to Hayne."
Grade IX. - Lowell's " Glance Behind the Curtain," " Bige- low Papers," " Lincoln-Douglas Debate," " Harold, the Last of the Saxons," " Merchant of Venice," "Sir Roger de Coverley Papers," Gulliver's Travels," Wendell Phillips' Orations, Greene's English History, Montgomery's English History, Dickens' " Child's History of England," Speeches on the 'Stamp Act by Fox, Chatham, Cavendish, Barre, Lowell's "Commemoration Ode," "Rhoecus," " Garrison and Wendell Phillips," Emerson's " Concord Hymn," Scott's "Talisman," " Vision of Sir Launfal," " One Hoss Shay," " Ode on the Death of Wellington," " Bar- bara Fritchie," " Sheridan's Ride," Shelley's "Cloud."
In addition the following series of readers are used : Cyr's, Stickney's, Appleton's, Monroe's, Interstate, Barnes's, New National, New Normal, Davis's, Lippincott's, " Stepping Stones to Literature."
Arithmetic .- This subject, as taught in our schools, requires paramount attention from both teachers and pupils. Arithmetic is good, but is it the chief good of an education ? An ordinary lifetime makes practical use of but little arithmetic.
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The "Conference on Mathematics," at the National Educa- tional Association at Saratoga, appointed by the "Committee of Ten," of which President Eliot of Harvard was chairman and Dr. Wm. T. Harris, United States Commissioner of Education, was a prominent member, recommended that the course in arithmetic be at the same time abridged and enriched; abridged by omitting entirely those subjects which perplex and exhaust the pupil, without affording any really valuable mental discipline ; and enriched by a greater number of exercises in simple calcu- lation and in the solution of concrete problems.
The Conference suggested the curtailment, or entire omis- sion, of compound proportion, cube root, obsolete denominate quantities, duodecimals and a greater part of commercial arith- metic. It also further suggested that examples in such subjects as profit and loss, bank discount and simple and compound proportion, not easily made intelligible to the pupils, should be omitted.
In these recommendations the Conference has voiced the sentiments of thoughtful teachers everywhere.
"Pupils in the grammar grades have been required to memorize definitions when, because of the immaturity of their minds, they were unable to see through the definitions to the things defined. They have been required to solve problems of whose uses and applications they had no clear conception. Again and again they have lost sight of what they were trying to do in trying to find out how to do it. The mere manipulation of figures has been allowed to absorb their attention and to exhaust their energies."
The second important suggestion of this eminent Conference was a greater facility and a greater degree of accuracy in the work.
" The degree of approach to accuracy by a pupil does not depend so much upon the amount as upon the character of the work done. Careless facility is not merely useless : it is posi- tively harmful. Hence, while the problems provided for the pupil may well be much more simple in respect to the amount of figuring required, the importance of accuracy must be empha- sized to a very much greater degree in the grades. Pupils must not be commended at all for inaccurate work -- for work in which
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there is one wrong figure. It must be impressed upon him that ciphering in which there are errors has no value whatever." When the pupil leaves school he goes out into the world to learn that there is no place for a ninety per cent. accountant. If he is inaccurate his work is of no value whatever.
" A nearer approach to accuracy may be made, not by a greater amount of careless manipulation of figures in difficult problems, but by a careful solution of many simple problems in which the principal effort is to secure absolute correctness.""
Evidently the arithmetic teaching in coming years will be more and more along the lines here stated.
Drawing .- This has not been taught as an isolated subject, but has been related to every line of school work. It has not been employed as an end in itself, but as a means to an end; that is, to increase the child's interest in all of his studies and to give him another mode of expression. We speak, or write, because we have a thought to express, and we should draw for the same reason. To draw simply for the purpose of producing pretty pictures would be a waste of time and detrimental to school work.
Geography, history, arithmetic and science can be more thor- oughly taught when drawing, painting and modeling are employed. In the modeling of a continent, in the plan of a battlefield, in the diagram of a room that is to be carpeted, or in the painting of a leaf, the teacher has a tangible expression of the child's thought, and something the child himself is able to pass judg- ment upon, as he compares his product with the more perfect model. In this way, not only are his powers of observation and expression quickened, but through the exercise of his judgment, reason and memory, correct habits of study are formed.
One of the greatest art teachers of to-day, from an experi- ence as wide as the range of his knowledge, says that the general public feeling is tending to the admission that education must include not only full command of expression by language, but of true form by the hand. Whether you are drawing a piece of Greek armor, or a hawk's beak, or a lion's paw, you will find that. the mere necessity of using the hand compels attention to cir- cumstances which would otherwise escape notice, and fastens them in the memory without further effort.
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None of the essentials have been sacrificed for the sake of drawing, but one lesson a week has been required and a begin- ning has been made in the right direction.
Nature Study .- The study of science has been associated so long with the college and university that until recently we have failed to recognize that it has a place in the common schools. Much of elementary science may be adapted to the primary and grammar grades. The value of such instruction is not to be measured by the amount of knowledge or of discipline gained, so much as by the fact that it reveals and interprets nature in such a way that the process of development begun in school will be continued by nature herself all through life. How blindly most of us go through life merely from the lack of a little train- ing in early years in learning how to observe.
Pestalozzi, the best known educational reformer, selected science as the best means for stimulating children's minds. His motto was, " Education is generation of power," and he sought for the source of that power in nature. He understood what is meant by "sermons in stones, books in running brooks, and good in everything." The work of Pestalozzi permeated the schools of Germany and is now making its way slowly in all the schools of the world. Nature study has been the corner stone of primary education in Germany for more than fifty years.
It will be readily granted that in the schools of the past those things which touch us closest, the earth we walk on, the air we breathe and the water we drink, all that exert potent influence upon life and general well being, sanitation, hygiene and comfort, had little or no place.
Science means bringing children into a more intelligent contact with their environment ; it means that the heads of future homes shall understand sanitation, hygiene and that which per- tains to health and comfort in the home, as well as in the com- munity at large. It means that the former shall know more of the products of the soil, and of the soil itself, and how to apply a little chemistry in this direction ; that he may know more of the nature of trees and plants, of insects which destroy crops and those which protect them.
Science brings to the door of the schoolroom the most fruitful and richest products of the world's experience. Its
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introduction means that the common school and the common people shall have the best that the world affords ; that knowledge of science shall not be confined to the few who go through the university, but that all children shall have an appreciative knowl- edge of and a great love for the study of nature and her mar- velous works.
Each season of the year has its own peculiar influence upon living things -animal and plant. It is therefore most conven- ient and most interesting to study each phase of life in the appropriate season, inasmuch as one may trace then more easily the various phenomena observed in living things, to the forces in nature which cause them.
With this thought in mind, the course in science has been outlined by months. Subjects calculated to arouse a real spirit of investigation, and adapted to the season in which they are studied, have been selected.
In conclusion, we express the wish that parents might be interested to visit the schools oftener, in order to become better acquainted with the teachers, and the work that is being done. This would be an inspiration to teachers and pupils, and by bringing the home and the school into closer relations, both would be mutually helped.
Respectfully submitted,
HERBERT E. RICHARDSON.
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Report of Supervisor of Music.
Mr. Herbert E. Richardson, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir : - Music instruction in the schools, ably started last year by Miss Prescott, has been continued with excellent success.
In two year's time the pupil has emerged from chaos con- cerning " stems, hooks and bars " to an illumined understanding broad in its entirety.
With the hearty co-operation of Superintendent and grade teachers, it has been possible to convey clearly and adequately a conception of the fundamental principles of music, so that the youngest pupil thoroughly comprehends the "why and the where- fore."
The pupils formerly liked music, and under the Weaver system they have grown to take pride in it.
Interest in the music course is confined almost wholly to teachers and pupils, -and I take occasion to invite the towns- people to inspect the work, and satisfy themselves as to its success or failure.
Very respectfully. ARTHUR FRED GEHLE,
Director of Music.
Report of Truant Officers.
In accordance with the requirements of the Commonwealth and the vote of the Town, the following report is respectfully submitted.
Cases investigated 44
Cases brought to trial
0
EUGENE DE ROEHN,
AI BICKNELL,
Truant Officers.
School Calendar, 1902-1903.
SPRING TERM-Begins March 17, 1902; closes June 13, 1902. Term's length, 13 weeks.
FALL TERM-Begins September 8, 1902 ; closes November 21, 1902. Term's length, 11 weeks.
WINTER TERM-Begins December 1, 1902 ;"closes February 27, 1903. Term's length, 12 weeks.
HOLIDAYS.
April 19; May 30; Thanksgiving week ; Christmas week. ACADEMY.
SPRING TERM-March 24, 1902; June 20, 1902. FALL TERM-September 2, 1902; November 26, 1902. WINTER TERM-December 8, 1902; March 13, 1903.
Program of Westford Academy Graduation Exercises, June 21, 1901.
PROGRAM.
Organ Solo-Processional March E. Girand Mr. Thomas R. Frost, Class of '95.
Prayer.
Rev. Merritt S. Buckingham.
Singing by the School-Anchored. M. Watson .
Essay-The Town Meeting. Albert D. Taylor, Westford. Reading-Hervé Riel. Laura P. Hindle, Forge Village.
Essay-Thoughts on Reading.
Ruth P. Tuttle, Westford.
Song-Selected. Mrs. Daisy Shaw Merritt.
Translation form the French of Souvestre. Frances C. Banister, Westford. Essay-Vivisection. Laura A. Tallant, Westford.
Essay-The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Letitia V. Ward, Forge Village. Singing by the School. Voices of the Woods Arr. from Rubenstein Declamation -- Toussaint-L'Ouverture Phillips
Edward E. Decatur, Westford.
Translation from the French of Victor Hugo. Augusta E. Blaisdell, Westford. Song-Aria from the La Reine de Saba Gounod
Mr. Albert E. Prescott, Class of '81.
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Essay -- The American Girl of the Twentieth Century. Bessie B. Tallant, Westford. Essay -- " Know Thyself." John A. Taylor, Westford.
Organ Solo-Concerto in F major . Mr. Frost. Rinck
Conferring of Diplomas. Rev. Edward A. Horton.
" America."
GRADUATING CLASS.
CLASSICAL COURSE.
Bessie Beatrice Tallant, Laura Adeline Tallant, John Adams Taylor. LATIN SCIENTIFIC COURSE. Ruth Perham Tuttle.
ENGLISH COURSE.
Frances Cummings Banister, Laura Pamelia Hindle,
Augusta Elizabeth Blaisdell, Albert Davis Taylor,
Edward Ernest Emmet Decatur, Letitia Veronica Ward.
Motto : "Know Thyself."
Roll of Honor, 1900-1901.
ONE YEAR.
Buckingham, Horace Cann, George Field, Mae L.
Cann, Charles Decatur, Gerald Petherick, Albert
Savior, Wilfred.
TWO TERMS.
Blodgett, Marion L.
Cann, Harvey
Campling, Annie E.
Charlton, Raymond
Day, Walter
Darling, Roy
Flynn, Thomas
Flagg, Emma
Lord, Marion
Leclere, Corine
Leclere, Mary
Pameton, Joseph
Petherick, Fred
Record, Mary
Pyne, Eva Savior, Felix
Wright, Lillian.
ONE TERM.
Bicknell, Edith
Buckingham, Willie
Carkin, Myron
Helie, George J.
Carkin, Stella
Clarke, Margaret
Hildreth, Harold Hoyt, Ethel Johnson, Frederick
Clement, Fred Comey, Hazel Day, Albert Darling, Ora Day, May Deziel, Rene
Hedman, Annie Hedman, Julia
Johnson, Walter Lang, Georgie Lambert, Amelia W. Leclere, Annie Leclere, Acton
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Demaris, George De Roehn, John E.
Dorine, Benoit
Draper, Lillian Dufrane, Joseph
McNaughton, Isabella Moran, Lillie
Field, Leslie Filliatreault, Eva
Prescott, Lester
Pyne, Olive
Furbush, Ruth
Rockwell, L. Webster
Flinn, John
Reed, Annie
Furguson, Howard
Record, Josephine
Gilson, Ella
Riney, Edward
Hartford, Stella
Healy, Nellie
Savoir, Annie Shugrue, Fred
Healy, Thomas
Spenner, Edward
Symmes, Paul Wild, May
Leclere, Arthur Lord, Philip Lord, Helen
Shattuck Walter Sullivan, Mary
Trull, Elmer Wright, Carl
LIST OF TEACHERS, 1901-1902.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
APPOINTED.
EDUCATED.
SALARY.
Academy
Assistant
Alice E. Burrill.
1900
Boston University, '99.
.
Town pays $1,500.
Centre Grammar
Ruth Fisher.
1900
Lowell Normal.
$450 00
Centre Intermediate.
Lillian Small
1901
Buck- port Seminary
360 00
Centre Primary . .
Anna A. Wood.
.901
Farmington, Me., Normal
360 00
Graniteville Upper Grammar
F. H. Saunders .
901
Rhode Island Normal.
540 00
Graniteville Lower Grammar
Issie A. Parker.
1897
Westford Academy .
3+0 00
Graniteville Upper Primary .
Mary E. Bemis.
1900
Westfield Normal.
360 00
Graniteville Lower Primary .
Flora E. Palmer.
1901
Westford Academy .
324 00
Forge Grammar
Alice B. Newton
1901
Mt. Holyoke College
360 00
Forge Primary . .
I. Millie Phillips.
1901
Worcester
432 00
Parkerville .
Jennie E Stowell.
1899
Fitchburg Normal.
288 00
Minot's Corner
Eva Bassett
1899
Framingham Normal.
288 00
Nashoba
Sarah B. Nickerson. ....
1901
Hyannis Normal ..
288 00 .
Stony Brook.
Anna Mellen.
1899
Lowell Normal ..
324 00
Nabnasset ..
Luanna De Catur. .
.901
Westford Academy ..
288 00
Director of Music in Schools
Arthur Fred Gehle.
1901
225 00
..
.
21
...
..
.
..
..
. .
.
..
.
.
.
Principal ..
William E. Frost.
1872
Bowdoin, '72.
·
.
.
STATISTICS FOR 1900-1901.
Grades.
No. of Weeks.
Enrol- ment.
Average Member- ship.
Average Atten- dance.
Per cent. of Atten- dance.
Between 7 and 14.
Between 5 and 15.
Over 15.
Academy .
'XI, XII
39
39
31.4
30.8
91
7
15
24
Centre Grammar.
VIII,IX
36
34
31
93
19
30
4
IV, V
Centre Intermediate
VI, VII
36
28
25
22.7
90
28
28
0
Centre Primary . .
I, II, III
36
29
26.8
23
85
19
21
0
Graniteville Upper Grammar.
VI, VII
36
30
25.48
25.31
99
24
29
0
Graniteville Lower Grammar.
IV, V
36
40
35
29.8
85
37
37
0
Graniteville Upper Primary . .
III
36
32
27.5
21.7
90.7
28
28
0
Graniteville Lower Primary .
I, II
36
48
36.7
32.6
88.6
14
42
0
IV, V
Forge Grammar
VI, VII
36
25
22
20
90
23
25
0
Forge Primary
I, II, III
36
55
50
46
92
38
55
0
Parkerville .
I to VII
36
15
13.7
11.49
84
15
15
0
Minot's Corner
I to VII
36
17
15.7
14
90
11
17
0
Nashoba . .
I to VII
36
14
12.7
12
94
8
14
0
Stony Brook
. I to VII
36
25
19.9
16.5
83
16
20
1
Nabnasset .
I to VII
36
28
20.6
18
87
23
28
0
Totals
..
459
393.48
352.9
89.68
310
404
29
22
.
.
IX, X
STATISTICS FALL AND WINTER TERMS, 1901-1902.
Schools.
Enrol- ment.
Average Member ship.
Average Per cent. Atten- dance.
Number of Atten- between dance.
7 and 14.
Number between 5 and 15.
Number over 15.
Academy .
38
31
28
90
6
27
11
Centre Grammar.
35
33
29
87.6
16
9
10
Centre Intermediate.
34
31.8
27.7
86.8
Centre Primary . ...
31
26.7
22.7
85
12
0)
Graniteville Upper Grammar.
32
27.6
23.7
85.7
25
32
0
Graniteville Lower Grammar.
37
33
29.6
89
37
37
0
Graniteville Upper Primary.
29
23.8
21.8
91
29
29
0
Graniteville Lower Primary ..
40
37.5
33
89
14
40
0
Forge Grammar.
30
22
20
$0.8
29
29
1
Forge Primary
56
49
45
91.7
35
56
0
Parkerville
16
11
10
90
16
16
0
Minot's Corner
15
15
12.8
85
11
14
0
Nashoba . ..
15
14
12
85.6
13
15
0
Stony Brook
25
23
19.8
85.5
19
25
0
Nabnasset . .
21
17
15.8
92.5
15
21
0
. .
.
. .
. . .
...
. .
...
.
. . . . . .
. .....
I
.
.
·
·
.....
.
.
. .....
.
.
.
.. . .
.
... .
.
.
.
. .....
.
.
.
.
.
. ....
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
·
.
. .
.
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23
0
Summary of Statistics.
The following is a statistical table, showing the returns of the school census, with the enrollment and attendance in the schools from September, 1900 to June, 1901.
Number of boys in town between 5 and 15 years .... 217
Number of girls in town between 5 and 15 years. ... 203
Total 420
Number of boys in town between 7 and 14 years .... 153
Number of girls in town between 7 and 14 years. ... 133
Total 286
Whole number enrolled in all the schools .
459
Whole number between 5 and 15 years
404
Whole number between 7 and 14 years
310
Whole number over 15 years
29
Average membership 393.48
Average attendance.
352.9
Per cent. of attendance 89.68
. Number of teachers 16
Number of weeks in school year 36
Extracts from the Public Statutes of the Commonwealth.
CHAPTER 494.
AN ACT TO REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF LABOR.
Section 1. No child under fourteen years of age shall be employed in any factory, workshop or mercantile establishment. No such child shall be employed in any work performed for wages or other compen- sation, to whomsoever payable, during the hours when the public schools of the town or city in which he resides are in session, nor be employed at any work before the hour of six o'clock in the morning or after the hour of seven o'clock in the evening.
Sect. 2. No child under sixteen years of age shall be employed in any factory, workshop or other mercantile establishment unless the person or corporation employing him procures and keeps on file and accessible to the truant officers of the town or city, and to the district police and inspectors of factories, an age and schooling certificate as hereinafter prescribed, and keeps two complete lists of all such chil- dren employed therein, one on file and one conspicuously posted near the principal entrance of the building in which such children are employed, and also keeps on file a complete list, and sends to the superintendent of schools, or, where there is no superintendent, to the school committee, the names of all minors employed therein who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language.
Sect. 4. An age and schooling certificate shall not be approved unless satisfactory evidence is furnished by the last school census, the certificate of birth or baptism of such child, the register of birth of such child with a town or city clerk, or in some other manner, that such child is of the age stated in the certificate.
Sect. 6. Whoever employs a child under sixteen years of age, and whoever having under his control a child under such age permits such child to be employed, in violation of section one or two of this act, shall for such offence be fined not more than fifty dollars ; and whoever continues to employ any child in violation of either of said sections of this act after being notified by a truant officer or an inspector of factories thereof, shall for every day thereafter that such employment continues be fined not less than five nor more than twenty dollars. A failure to produce to a truant officer or inspector
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of factories any age and schooling certificate or list required by this act shall be prima facie evidence of the illegal employment of any person whose age and schooling certificate is not produced or whose name is not so listed. Any corporation or employer retaining any age and schooling certificate in violation of section five of this act shall be fined ten. dollars. Every person authorized to sign the certificate prescribed by section five of this act who knowingly certifies to any materially false statement therein shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.
Sect. 8. Truant officers may visit the factories, workshops and mercantile establishments in their several towns and cities and ascer- tain whether any minors are employed therein contrary to the pro- visions of this act, and they shall report any cases of such illegal employment to the school committee and to the chief of the district police, or to the inspector of factories for the district. Inspectors of factories and truant officers may require that the age and schooling certificates and lists provided for in this act, of minors employed in such factories, work- hops or mercantile establishments, shall be pro- duced for their inspection. Complaints for offences under this act shall be brought by inspectors of factories.
CHAPTER 496.
AN ACT RELATIVE TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY.
Sect. 11. No child who has not been duly vaccinated shall be admitted to a public school except upon presentation of a certificate signed by a regular practising physician that such child is an unfit subject for vaccination. No child who is a member of a household in which a person is sick with smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or measles, or of a household exposed to contagion from a household as aforesaid, shall attend any public school during such sickness or until the teacher of the school has been furnished with a certificate from the board of health of the town or city, or from the attending physi- cian of such sick person, stating in a case of smallpox, diphtheria or scarlet fever, that a period of at least two weeks, and in a case of measles a period of at least three days, has elapsed since the recovery, removal or death of such person, and that danger of the conveying of such disease by such child has passed.
Sect. 12. Every child between seven and fourteen years of age shall attend some public day school in the town or city in which he resides during the entire time the public day schools are in session, subject to such exceptions as to children, places of attendance and schools as are provided for in sections three, seven, ten and eleven of this act: provided, that the superintendent of schools or, where there is no superintendent of schools, the school committee, or teach- ers acting under authority of said superintendent of schools or school committee, may excuse cases of necessary absence; and provided,
27
further, that the attendance of a child upon a public day school shall not be required if such child has attended for a like period of time a private day school approved by the school committee of such town or city in accordance with section two of chapter four hundred and ninety-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-four, or if such child has been otherwise instructed for a like period of time in the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or has already acquired the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or if his physical or mental condition is such as to render such attendance inexpedient or imprac- ticable. Every person having under his control a child as described in this section shall cause such child to attend school as required by this section.
Sect. 19. The several school teachers shall faithfully keep the registers of attendance daily, and make due return thereof to the school committee or to such person as such committee may designate. No teacher of a public school shall receive payment for services for the two weeks preceding the close of any single term until the regis- ter, properly filled up and completed, is so returned. All registers shall be kept at the schools, and at all times during the school hours shall be open to the inspection of the school committee, the superin- tendent of schools, the truant officers, and the secretary and agents of the state board of education.
Sect. 24. Every habitual truant, that is, every child between seven and fourteen years of age who wilfully and habitually absents himself from school contrary to the provisions of section twelve of this act, upon complaint by a truant officer, and conviction thereof, may be committed, if a boy, to a county truant school for a period not exceeding two years, and if a girl, to the state industrial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section twenty-eight of this act.
Sect. 25. Every habitual absentee, that is, every child between seven and sixteen years of age who may be found wandering about in the streets or public places of any town or city of the Common- wealth, having no lawful occupation, habitually not attending school, and growing up in idleness and ignorance, upon complaint by a tru- ant officer or any other person, and conviction thereof, may be com- mitted, if a boy, at the discretion of the court, to a county truant school for a period not exceeding two years, or to the Lyman school for boys, and, if a girl, to the state industrial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section twenty-eight of this act.
Sect. 26. Every habitual school offender, that is, every child under fourteen years of age who persistently violates the reasonable regulations of the school which he attends, or otherwise persistently misbehaves therein, so as to render himself a fit subject for exclusion therefrom, upon complaint by a truant officer, and conviction thereof,
28
may be committed, if a boy, at the discretion of the court, to a county truant school for a period not exceeding two years, or to the Lyman school for boys, and, if a girl, to the state industrial school for girls, unless such child is placed on probation as provided in section twenty- eight of this act.
Sect. 31. Any person having under his control a child between seven and fourteen years of age who fails for five day sessions or ten half day sessions within any period of six months while under such control, to cause such child to attend school as required by section twelve of this act, the physical or mental condition of such child not being such as to render his attendance at school harmful or impracti- cable, upon complaint by a truant officer, and conviction thereof, shall forfeit and pay a fine of not more than twenty dollars. Any person who induces or attempts to induce any child to absent himself unlawfully from school, or employs or harbors while school is in session any child absent unlawfully from school, shall forfeit and pay a fine of not more than fifty dollars.
Sect. 34. The truant officers of towns and cities shall inquire into all cases arising under sections eleven, twelve, twenty-four to twenty- six inclusive and thirty-one of this act, and may make complaints, serve legal processes, and carry into execution judgments thereunder. They shall perform the duties of oversight of children placed on pro- bation as may be required of them under section twenty-eight of this act. A truant officer of any town or city may apprehend and take to school, without warrant, any truant or absentee found wandering about in the streets'or public places thereof.
INDEX.
Officers of the Town of Westford, 1901 3
Births
6
Marriages 7
Deaths
8
Town Clerk's Report on Dogs 10
Annual Town Meeting, 1901 13
Special Town Meeting, August 14, 1901. 18
State Election, November 5, 1901. 20
Tree Warden's Report.
23
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures. 24
Assessors' Report 25
Tax Collector's Report 30
Selectmen's Report 40
Treasurers Report
77
Auditor's Report 79
Warrant for Town Meeting 99
Annual Report of the School Committee 1
School Committee, 1901-1902.
2
Report of the School Committee 3
Financial Statement
5
Superintendent's Report 6
Report of Supervisor of Music
14
Report of Truant Officers. 15
School Calendar, 1902-1903 16
Program of Academy Graduation Exercises
17
Roll of Honor, 1900-1901. 19
List of Teachers, 1901-1902 21
Statistics for 1900-1901 22
Statistics Fall and Winter Terms, 1901-1902. 23
Summary of Statistics
24
Extracts from Public Statutes 25
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