USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1908-1913 > Part 38
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Wright, A. A., Hudson. 1 00
Wright, Mrs. Emma E., Lowell. 1 00
$ 229 00
Amount carried forward. $ 229 00
Ripley, Mrs. F. K., North Chelmsford.
104
Amount brought forward $ 229 00
WESTLAWN.
Coburn, C. D., for Amos Day lot. $ 2 00
Cutter, Miss M. E., Littleton, for Cutter
lot 1 00
Prescott, Miss Ida L., Milford, for Sam'l Prescott lot. 1 00
Watson, S. B., for Day lot 2 00
Wright, F. C., for Joseph E Wright lot 1 00
7 00
Amount received for care of lots. .
$
236 00
EXPENSES.
-
FAIRVIEW.
Paid C. N. Richardson and others. $ 194 76
Harry A. Whitney for labor 172 36
Perley E. Wright for loam, etc. 28 00 . J. Jenkins for labor. 18 00
Wm. E. Green for labor. 4 00
Wright & Fletcher for fertilizer. .
50 00
Wright & Fletcher for lawn mowers, grass shears, etc. 4 65
Wright & Fletcher, for rakes and hoe 1 65
Wright & Fletcher for asphaltum .. 1 00
Amount carried forward.
$ 474 42 $ 474 42
105
Amount brought forward. $ 474 42
WESTLAWN.
Paid W. H. H. Burbeck, care of cemetery $ 12 00
W. H. H. Burbeck, care of lots, as per bill 28 00
Wright & Fletcher for fertilizer. . 6 00
Wright & Fletcher for paint, brush, etc. 8 10
A. H. Sutherland for painting fence and gates. 12 00
$ 66 10
HILLSIDE.
Paid W. H. H. Burbeck, care of cemetery $ 10 00
W. H. H. Burbeck, care of lots, as per bill 6 00
Wright & Fletcher for fertilizer ...
4 00
$ 20 00
GENERAL EXPENSES. -
Paid Courier-Citizen Co., printing 175
addressed envelopes $ 1 25
Courier-Citizen Co., printing 175 notice cards 2 00
Courier-Citizen Co., printing two receipt books. 2 50
Wright & Fletcher for stamps, etc. . 1 10
Wright & Fletcher for blank book. . 25
Express charges, etc 83
W. H. H. Burbeck, painting and gilding markers in Westlawn, Hillside and Wright cemeteries 4 00
$ 11 93
Amount expended
$ 572 45
106
Amount received from the Town. $ 150 00
for care of lots. 236 00
60 from Perpetual Care
Fund 190 00
Balance in hands of Commissioners, 1912 33
Amount received
$ 576 33
Amount expended
$ 572 45
Balance in hands of Commissioners. $ 3 88
107 PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS.
NAME.
CEMETERY. FUND. Fairview $ 100 00
Ephraim Abbot
J. W. P. Abbot
100 00
Cyrus Babbitt
50 00
Albert Bailey 66
50 00
Sally B. Burrill
100 00
Mary E. Brigham
100 00
Mary E. Brigham (Kittredge lot ) 66
100 00
Susan A. Butterfield
66
100 00
Francis Caldwell
50 00
John Carmichael
50 00
John B. Carmichael
100 00
Elisha Case
50 00
William Chandler
Hillside
100 00
Jonathan Collins
Fairview
50 00
P. G. Collins.
50 00
George Davis
50 00
Joshua C. Decatur
50 00
Charles S. Dodge
66
100 00
Cephas Drew
50 00
George Drew
50 00
Thomas' Drew
50 00
Edmund F. Dupee
66
50 00
Rachel Dupee
66
50 00
Wm. Z. Dupee
66
50 00
Daniel Falls
66
50 00
Amanda T. Fisher 66
50 00
Abijah Fletcher
60
50 00
Andrew Fletcher
6
100 00
Charles H. Fletcher
66
50 00
Julia A. Fletcher
66
50 00
Sherman D. Fletcher
66
50 00
Sherman D. Fletcher
Westlawn. 50 00
Amount carried forward.
$ 2,100 00
66
66
66
108
Amount brought forward. $ 2,100 00
L. A. Folland.
Fairview 50 00
Charles H. Follansbee.
Hillside 100 00
George Q. Gilson
Fairview 50 00
Susan E. Green
66
100 00
Adams Griffin
50 00
Joseph B. Griffin
100 00
Timothy L. Griffin lot, by Viola Griffin Whitehead. . 66
50 00
Theodore H. Hamblett. 66
50 00
C. & C. A. Hamlin
100 00
George R. Harrison.
50 00
Ephraim A. Harwood
100 00
M. Hennessey
50 00
Henry Herrick
Westlawn.
100 00
Samuel Horne
Fairview .
50 00
Melbourne F. Hutchins
Westlawn.
100 00
Samuel M. Hutchins
Fairview 100 00
Hutchins and Blood
Westlawn.
50 00
Louisa Joint
Fairview 50 00
Grace Lawrence
Westlawn 50 00
Silas Lawrence & Mrs. Drake
. (
100 00
Francis Leighton
50 00
Isaiah Leighton
Fairview
100 00
Mazuzan and Whitney
200 00
Edwin D. Metcalf.
60
50 00
Josiah A. Osgood
(John
Osgood lot) .
66
50 00
John M. Osgood.
66
95 25
James M. Parker
66
50 00
Fletcher Peckens
66
50 00
Sarah Precious
50 00
Prescott and Babbitt.
66
100 00
Abram Prescott tomb
Westlawn
50 00
Charles H. Prescott
66
100 00
Amount carried forward.
$ 4,495 25
66
66
109
Amount brought forward. $ 4.495 25
Joseph N. Prescott. Westlawn 50 00
Frances A. Prescott. Fairview 50 00
Nathan P. Prescott
50 00
Mary A. Putnam Hillside
100 00
Polly Quigg
Fairview
50 00
Abijah C. Reed.
50 00
Anan Reed
Westlawn.
50 00
Sarah S. Reed.
100 00
Annie Richardson
Fairview
50 00
Olive A. Richardson
50 00
Samuel Richardson
50 00
Sarah Richardson
50 00
Sarah E. Richardson ٤٠
50 00
Nancy Sargent ٠،
50 00
C. Frederick Seifer
50 00
Clara A. Smith
66
50 00
Levi Snow
100 00
Salmon L. Snow
66
100 00
Ephraim A. Stevens
66
50 00
Sarah E. P. Wells.
Westlawn.
100 00
Jacob Wendell
Hillside 100 00
Mary J. Wheeler
Fairview 50 00
Hiram Whitney
100 00
Clara M. Wiley
100 00
Luther Wilkins
75 00
M. E. Willard (Hosley lot ) . Westlawn. 100 00
John Wilson
Fairview 50 00
Capt. Ezekiel Wright.
Westlawn. 50 00
G. J. and A. S. Wright
Fairview
100 00
N. H. Wright.
100 00
Varnum B. Wright.
25 00
$ 6,595 25 GEORGE T. DAY, Chairman and Secretary. DAVID L. GREIG, JOHN A. HEALY, Commissioners of Public Burial Grounds.
110
Finance Committee Report.
WESTFORD, MASS., February 28, 1914.
To the Voters and Taxpayers of Westford :
The Finance Committee, elected at the Annual Meeting held March 17, 1913, have conferred with the officers who are in charge of the different boards directing the affairs of the Town and have carefully considered the requests of each as to the amounts of money wanted for carrying on the work for the coming year.
They have also considered other articles which have been placed in the Annual Warrant and which ask for an appropria- tion of money.
The endeavor of the Committee has been to recommend such appropriations as in their judgment will be sufficient to meet all necessary requirements and still keep the rate of taxation as low as possible.
While the Town has paid off during the past year some of its indebtedness, it has been compelled to pay a considerably larger state tax and it has also lost a considerable sum in the way of corporation tax; therefore, in order to keep the tax rate within a figure desired, it has been found necessary to reduce some of the amounts asked for.
The Committee recommends the following sums to be acted upon by the Town at the Annual Meeting :
Art. 8 Public Library $ 1,000 00
9 Public Burial Grounds. 150 00
66 12 Roads and Bridges.
4,000 00
13 Work on North St., Graniteville. 300 00
14 Town debts and charges. 6,500 00
66 15 Support of Poor 1,100 00
66 16 Public Schools 10,450 00
Amount carried forward.
$23,500 00
111
Amount brought forward $23,500 00
Art. 17 High School $ 2,800 00
66 18 School Text-Books. 600 00
66 19 Salary of Supt. of Schools. 850 00
66
20 Repairs and painting school-
houses 1,000 00
66 21 Moth Department, including
spraying elm tree beetles. .
1,050 00
66 22 Fire Department 550 00
66 24 Sidewalks 300 00
27 Purchase of seats for Town House 250 00
66 30 Medical inspection in schools ... 100 00
66
35 Memorial Day
150 00
66
36 Transportation of library books.
100 00
66 37 Reconstruction and resurfacing of Broadway and Cross Street, Graniteville 500 00
Electric Lights
3,290 00
Hydrants
1,880 00
Notes and interest. 3,500 00
State and county tax
7,500 00
$47,920 00
Less Income from State Treasurer $10,744 00
Poll Taxes 1,350 00
$12,094 00
Amount to be raised. $35,826 00
With reference to Article 29, the installation of a Fire Alarm System; Article 38, Electric Lights at Town Farm railroad crossing, and Article 39, installation of electric lights in Town Farm buildings, your committee recommends that in each case they be left to some committee for further investigation as to definite plans and information together with costs, report of said committee to be made at the next Town Meeting.
112
If the Town should vote to raise the sum of $35,826.00, as recommended, the rate of taxation should be about $16.00, pro- vided the valuation of the Town increases in the same ratio as in the past few years, and the corporation tax does not decrease further; also that the State and County tax does not increase. We would say, however, that in case of the State tax, it is quite probable this will be increased. If such be the case, the rate must necessarily be somewhat higher than the figure above mentioned.
It is recommended by the Committee that the Board of Assessors be more particular in ascertaining from the residents of the Town the shares of stock in Massachusetts Corporations held by them. Also make search for same at the State House. Then make a return to the State,-this to be done in order that the Town may receive all the corporation tax that is due it.
The foregoing report we submit to you for your careful consideration.
GEORGE T. DAY, JULIAN A. CAMERON, HERBERT V. HILDRETH, WESLEY O. HAWKES, ELBERT H. FLAGG,
Finance Committee.
113
Warrant for Annual Town Meeting. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To either Constable 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 sixteenth day of March, being the third Monday in said month, at 7.45 o'clock A. M. The polls will be opened at eight o'clock A. M., and may be 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.
2nd. To bring in their votes for one Selectman, one Overseer of Poor, one Assessor, two School Committee, one Com- missioner of Public Burial Grounds, one Trustee of the Public Library, all for three years; Town Treasurer, Collector of Taxes, two Constables, one Auditor and one Tree Warden, all for one year ; also to vote on the follow- ing question : "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this Town?" and to act upon the acceptance of Chapters 807 and 822 of the Acts of the year 1913, and any other acts required by law to be placed upon the ballot for action. All on one ballot.
114
3rd. To hear the report of the Finance Committee, and act in relation to the same.
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 relation to the same.
8th. To hear the report of the Trustees, and raise and appro- priate money to meet the expenses of the Public Library, and act in relation to the same.
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 determine the compensation of the Tax Collector, and act in relation to the same.
12th. To raise and appropriate money to repair Roads and Bridges.
13th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money to complete the relocation of North Street as ordered by the County Commissioners, and act in relation to the same.
115
14th. To raise and appropriate money for Town Debts and Charges.
15th. To raise and appropriate money for support of Poor.
16th. To raise and appropriate money for Public Schools.
17th. To raise and appropriate money for High School purposes.
18th. To raise and appropriate money for School Text-Books and Supplies.
19th. To raise and appropriate money for the salary of the Superintendent of Schools, and act in relation to the same.
20th. To raise and appropriate money for repairs and main- tenance of, and miscellaneous expenses incurred in con- nection with the various schoolhouses, and act in relation to the same.
21st. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money for destruction of gypsy and brown tail moths and elm tree beetles, and act in relation to the same.
22nd. To raise and appropriate money to meet the expense of the Fire Department, and act in relation to the same.
23rd. To see if the Town will vote to petition the Director of the Bureau of Statistics for an audit of its accounts, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 598 of the Acts of the year 1910, and amendments thereto.
116
24th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money for the construction and grading of sidewalks in the several villages, and act in relation to the same.
25th. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the School Committee to enter into a new contract with the Trustees of Westford Academy in place of and substitution for the existing contract authorized by vote of the Town, passed March 20, 1905, and act in relation to the same.
26th. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen and other Boards and Officers of the Town to employ assistance to aid in the clerical work of such boards or officers, and act in relation to the same.
27th. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to purchase a sufficient number of chairs to equip the Town Hall, and act in relation to the same.
28th. To see if the Town will vote to sell the building com. monly known as the Stony Brook Schoolhouse, located on the westerly side of the Stony Brook Road, and act in relation to the same.
29th. To see if the Town, in accordance with the recommenda- tion of the Engineers of the Fire Department, will vote to instal a fire alarm system, and act in relation to the same.
30th. To raise and appropriate money for medical inspection in the Public Schools, and act in relation to the same.
31st. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year.
117
32nd. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the en- suing 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 relation to the same.
33rd. To choose a Finance Committee.
34th. To choose all other Town Officers necessary to be chosen by hand vote, and act in relation to the same.
35th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred and fifty ($150) dollars to commemorate Memorial Day, and act in relation to the same.
36th. By request of the citizens of Graniteville, Forge Village, and Parkerville, to see if the Town will appropriate the sum of one hundred ($100) dollars for the purpose of distributing books from the Public Library in these three villages, and act in relation to the same.
37th. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate seven hundred ($700) dollars to reconstruct and resurface Cross Street and that portion of Broadway between Cross Street and the office of the C. G. Sargent Sons Corpora- tion, and act in relation to the same.
38th. To see if the Town will vote to enter into a contract for the installation of an electric light at the railroad cross- ing at the Town Farm Road, and act in relation to the same.
39th. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate one hundred ($100) dollars for the purpose of installing electric lights in the Town Farm Buildings, so called, and act in relation to the same.
118
40th. To see if the Town will vote to change the date of the annual Town Meeting, and act in relation to the same.
41st. To see if the Town will vote to instal an additional hydrant in the vicinity of Forge Village, and act in rela- tion to the same.
42nd. To see if the Town will vote that on and after the current year the number of Constables to be elected annually, be diminished, 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.
Hereof fail not, and make due 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, this Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Fourteen.
OSCAR R. SPALDING, ANDREW JOHNSON, SHERMAN H. FLETCHER,
Selectmen of Westford.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WESTFORD, MASS.
FOR THE
School Year ending February 1, 1914
F
WESTF
C
NMOL
RD
CO
1729.
RPORATED
SE
LOWELL, MASS. COURIER-CITIZEN CO., PRINTERS 1914.
2
SCHOOL CALENDAR.
THE ACADEMY.
1914.
Winter term closes March 20th.
Spring term begins March 30th, closes June 19th 12 weeks
SUMMER VACATION.
1914-1915.
Fall term begins Sept. 8th, closes Nov. 25th . 12 weeks *Winter term begins Nov. 30th, closes March 17, 1915 15
Spring term begins March 29th, closes June 25th 13
Total 40 weeks
COMMON SCHOOLS.
Winter term closes March 13th.
Spring term begins March 30th, close June 5th . 10 weeks
SUMMER VACATION.
1914-1915.
Fall term begins Sept. 8th, closes Nov. 25th 12 weeks ** Winter term begins Nov. 30th, closes March 12, 1915 13
¡[Spring term begins March 29th, closes June 11th 11
Total
36 weeks
*Academy. Vacation from Dec. 18th to Dec. 28th, one week.
** Common Schools. Vacation from Dec. 18th to Jan. 4th, two weeks.
3
SPECIAL EXERCISE DAYS AND HOLIDAYS.
1914.
Feb. 12. Lincoln exercises, one hour.
Feb. 20. Washington exercises, one hour.
April 17. Patriots' Day exercises, one hour.
April 24. Arbor Day exercises, one hour.
May 29. Memorial Day exercises, one hour.
Oct. 9. Columbus Day exercises, one hour.
Nov. 25. 1915.
Thanksgiving Day exercises, one hour.
Feb. 12. Lincoln exercises, one hour.
Feb. 19. Washington exercises, one hour.
April 16. Patriots' Day exercises, one hour.
May 28. Memorial Day exercises, one hour.
LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
The words "legal holiday" shall include the 22d day of February, the 19th day of April, the 30th day of May, the 4th day of July, the first Monday of September, the 12th day of October, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, or the day following when any of the four days first mentioned, the 12th day of October or Christmas Day occurs on Sunday.
Arbor Day occurs on the last Saturday in April, and is not a legal holiday.
Flag Day occurs on June 14th, and is not a legal holiday. It should be observed by any school then in session.
4
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE-1913-1914.
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, Chairman Term Expires 1915.
T. ARTHUR E. WILSON . Term Expires 1915. .
JOHN P. WRIGHT
Term Expires 1916.
FRANK L. FURBUSH
Term Expires 1916.
JOHN SPINNER .
Term Expires 1914.
ARTHUR E. DAY, Secretary
Term Expires 1914.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
FRANK H. HILL, Littleton, Mass.
COMMITTEE ON TEXT-BOOKS.
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, JOHN P. WRIGHT.
SUPPLY AGENT. WALTER C. WRIGHT.
TRUANT OFFICERS.
JOHN A. HEALY,
JOHN A. SULLIVAN.
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
CYRIL A. BLANEY, M. D.
5
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TO THE CITIZENS OF WESTFORD:
We herewith submit the following report for 1913-1914:
In accordance with our suggestion last year, the Sargent and Nabnasset School buildings were painted, and the necessary repairs were made on the exterior and interior of the buildings during the past summer. We recommend that the Cameron School building be painted during the coming summer.
After due consideration it seemed best to the committee to provide transportation as far as possible, for those High School pupils who live in the outlying districts, during the winter term; that is, from December 1st to about the middle of March.
In order to comply with the requirements of the Teachers' Retirement Law, passed during the last session of the Legislature, it becomes necessary to change in some respects the contract made in 1905 between the Trustees of Westford Academy and the Town in regard to maintaining a High School. As this contract would expire next year, it seems best that a new contract, with the necessary changes, should be made this year in order that those teachers who desire may lose no time in joining the Retire- ment Association. We therefore recommend that the School Committee be authorized to enter into a new agreement with the Trustees of the Academy, in which agreement the above-mentioned changes may be made.
6
Financial Statement.
INCOME.
Appropriation, Common Schools
$10,450 00
Appropriation, High School
2,800 00
From State on acct. of Supt. of Schools . 212 50
From State for tuition of Industrial School
75 00
From State Board of Charities
74 50
Mass. School Fund
1,238 36
$14,850 36
EXPENDITURE.
Trustees, Westford Academy
$ 2,100 00
Teachers
7,169 00
Transportation
2,378 00
Fuel. .
899 96
Janitor service, cleaning, etc.
1,088 43
Drawing
225 00
Music
300 00
Lowell Industrial School
141 87
$14,302 26
EXPENSE AND SUPERVISION.
Salary paid by the Town
$850 00
Rebate from the State
531 25
Net cost to the Town
$318 75
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
Dr. C. A. Blaney $100 00
7
TEXT-BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
E. E. Babb & Co $ 640 02
Ginn & Co. 53 62
Boston School Supply Co. 2 41
J. L. Hammett Co. 5 24
C. C. Birchard & Co.
2 25
Scott, Foresman & Co.
5 65
A. S. Barnes Co.
5 72
Oliver Ditson Co. 8 65
L. E. Knott Apparatus Co. 24 30
Talbot Dyewood & Chemical Co. 17 32
Edith M. Forster, supplies
6 81
Freight and teaming 40
A. N. Palmer Co.
15 60
Phonographic Inst. Co.
65
American Book Co.
6 40
$795 04
REPAIRS.
J. E. Knight, labor $ 5 50
P. Henry Harrington, stock and labor
376 83
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins
2 00
A. E. Day, repairing bells
2 50
W. E. Thompson, labor
8 06
Union Sheet Metal Co., labor
21 27
The Brownell-Mason Co., labor
4 35
Wm. Sutherland, stock and labor
8 21
E. Baker, labor 27 00
J. Wall, stock and labor
355 47
E. H. Dane, stock and labor
94 22
James Stanley, repairing clocks
1 35
Adams Hardware Co., oil, etc.
3 45
W. A. Whidden, labor
2 00
$912 21
8
MISCELLANEOUS.
Butterfield Printing Co. $ 16 30
Wright & Potter Printing Co. 1 40
A. W. Tuttle, teaming 8 50
Seth W. Banister, school census
15 00
H. C. Doughty, oil, etc.
70 00
F. J. Parker, labor
5 00
E. E. Smith Co., water cooler
3 50
Courier-Citizen Co.
6 36
Freight and teaming
5 40
W. A. Whidden, labor
8 00
Mrs. J. Perkins, labor
2 00
E. H. Dane, labor
8 25
The Thompson Hardware Co., rope
3 60
G. C. Prince & Son, Inc., paper
6 00
The Robertson Co., chairs
14 40
John Spinner, labor 10 00
Westford Water Co. 159 16
C. E. Woodhull, tuning pianos
6 00
C. O. Prescott, making report, etc. 6 00
Hanley & Co., supplies
14 74
M. G. Hickey, ribbon
1 16
F. H. Hill, telephone, stationery, etc.
16 15
High School graduation
12 50
Wright & Fletcher, supplies
13 78
$413 20
Respectfully submitted,
For the Committee,
CHARLES O. PRESCOTT, Chairman.
9
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE :
Following is my fourth report, it being the twenty-second in the series of such annual reports.
1. I shall endeavor to make this report of informational value, essentially, and to embody in it such recommendations as shall seem to me to be of immediate importance to the welfare of the schools.
2. I shall not take up the work of individual teachers in detail, and will say only that we are fortunate to retain so good a corps of teachers through periods of service long enough to make them of real value to us, and that I appreciate their cheerful and efficient handling of the unusual burdens I have placed upon them through the readjustment of the course of study since September of the present school year. The school day is short, the school week is short, and the school year is short, and there is much to be done. Our record has been one of trial, but we have tried together and have accomplished much, even if we have failed in part.
AIMS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
Some of the purposes that have prodded the superintendent into activity this year are as follows:
1. To place in the hands of each teacher in the grades at more or less regular intervals definite instructions as to the work to be done and the manner of doing it. Also, to check up this work according to a definite plan and with considerable accuracy. He has sent out four such outlines to each grade below the seventh, and two to the seventh and eighth grades, since September. He has carefully checked the work twice. The result has been to put him in possession of definite information as to the progress of the
10
work, and to stimulate the teacher to more painstaking efforts along the lines which the superintendent deems essential.
2. To bring about a balanced program wherein the moral, patriotic, physical, social, mental (intellectual and æsthetic) qualities of the children shall be developed in harmony with the highest modern aspirations. To this end memory gems, patriotic exercises, physical exercises, inspection for cleanliness, instruction in hygiene, picture study, directed outside reading, local history, study of the weather map, fire drills, etc., have been made an essential part of all the outlines.
3. To emphasize the essentials. Daily drills are required in the four fundamental processes in arithmetic, and to secure uniform thoroughness Thompson's Minimum Essentials have been pro- vided for all the schools. Through the same medium drills in language fix the proper use of words and expressions so often mutilated by the children in school and out. Palmer Method drills in writing-sometimes twice a day to get correct position, penholding, and movement-are resulting in much permanent good and a definite advance in the skill of penmanship. Children are planning to send in their papers to the Palmer Company for correction with a view to getting a Palmer Method Certificate. When such a purpose becomes apparent the child is on the right road to skill and efficiency in penmanship.
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