USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Brookline > Town records of Brookline, Massachusetts, 1838-1857, v. 1 > Part 7
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Paid for stationary, printing Tax Bills, Notifications for Town Meetings, Postage bill, and Blank Books for Clerk's Office, &c.
25 60
Making the expence under the head of Town Officers, as above
385 61
REPAIRS OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
There has been paid to Mr. Stone for Carpenters Work, to Mr. Carr for Masons work, to Mr. Snow for Glazing, and Mr. Lambert for Blacksmith work, each small bills for repairs of School Houses, or Town Hall, Amt'g in all to 21 05
GUIDE POSTS.
There has been paid to Mr. Stone for repairs of Guide Posts
75
FIRE ENGINE.
There has been paid from the Treasury for bills that have been presented & the poll tax of the members of the Engine Co., &c., in all
79 47
as follows :
Paid to Mr. Hunneman & others for repairs of the engine during the year 37 77
Paid for taking care of the engine two months, from March to May, 1842, to A. H. Clapp 6 67
Paid for Refreshments furnished to the Engine Co. during the year 11 03
Paid 16 Engine-men Poll Tax-1.50 each . 24 00
Amounting in all as above to 79 47
There is a bill due to A. H. Clapp for taking care of the Engine from May to the present time, the bill not having been rendered, has not been paid, which will probably make the whole expence of the fire de- partment during the year about One Hundred Dollars.
3288 47
1
74
Brookline Town Records.
[Brought up] 3775 35
TAXES.
County Taxes for 1842 448 40
Taxes on Needham Woodland
. 2 04
450 44
INCIDENTAL, OR EXTRAORDINARY EXPENCES.
There has been paid during the past year for sundry expences that have been classed under this head, as follows : . 430 85
For an Iron Safe for the use of the Town, with the expence of Trucking and putting into the Town Hall 103 25
For a New Platform Balance for the use of the Town for a Hay Scale including all expence for stone wall &c. 290 50
For Cash paid L. Harrington of Boston for damage sustained by the upsetting of a chaise, in conse- quence of a defect in the highways in this town 25 00
For Cash paid Military Bounty to one soldier, Mr. J. W. Blanchard . 5 00
Paid for repairs of Hearse Harness 1 00
Paid for storage of Gun Powder in the Roxbury and Cambridge Magazine for several years past 6 10
Making the sum of Contingent Expences .
430 85
And making the whole amount paid from the Treas- ury since the last Auditing of the Accounts .
4656 64
Which being deducted from the amount of receipts, $5996.59, leaves a balance in the Treasury, includ- ing a small amount of uncollected Taxes, of Thirteen Hundred & Thirty-Nine Dollars & 95 cents $1339 95
In submitting the above report, the Treasurer would call the atten- tion of the town to the subject of our present financial System; it will be found by examining more particularly into the accounts of the town for the past years that the amount as shown to have been paid from the Treasury since the last auditors' report, does not show the expences of the town as they actually occurred during the year; but shows the amount paid for bills which had matured before the commencement of the year, and such of those as have been presented for payment that have been contracted during the year, leaving many that are not due, acording to our present custom of paying them, to be settled at some future time ; rendering it difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the "actual annual expences of the town." As a remedy for this evident defect in our present system, your treasurer, by the advice of the Selectmen, has been induced to suggest to the town, for their consid- eration, the propriety of establishing, by vote, a regular & uniform financial year, to be observed by all town officers in making & settling all con- tracts for the town; a period, from & to which, all contracts shall be
75
Meeting, March 6, 1843.
made and settled in all cases where practicable. Under such an arrange- ment, the selectmen or other town officers, would be enabled generaly to settle all contracts made under their own administration, and render an accurate account of the same, at the annual meeting, leaving their suc- cessors in office to attend to making and settling their own contracts and performing the duties only that rightly belong to them, and having the advantage in all cases of having contracts settled by the same parties that made them. By adopting this method the inhabitants would have the satisfaction, once in each year, of ascertaining the true state of the finances of the town.
All of which is most respectfully Submitted.
BROOKLINE, March 6, 1843.
ARTEMAS NEWELL, Treasurer.
AUDITING COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
BROOKLINE, March 1, 1843.
The undersigned having faithfully examined the accounts of the Treasurer find them as above reported, faithfully kept and well avouched, and they cheerfully award to him their approbation for the accuracy & fidelity with which he has discharged the duties of his office for the past year. And in view of all the circumstances of the town they would recommend that the same sum should be raised by taxation for the present as was for the past year, vis., four thousand & five hundred dollars, according to the following
ESTIMATE.
Support of Poor .
750
Repairs of Buildings
100
" Roads
100
Repairs of Highway
1000
Education
1300
Engine
150
County & Needham tax
450
Contingences
250
Assessing & Collecting taxes
150
Town officers' Salaries, &c.
250
$4500
CHARLES WILD,
ELIJAH COREY, Auditing Committee.
EBENR. HEATH,
The report of the Cemetery Committee was read and accepted by vote as follows :-
CEMETERY COMMITTEE REPORT.
The cemetery committee for the town of Brookline, since presenting the last annual Report, have effected the further sales of five lots for family interments in the new burial ground, and two small lots in old ground, where interments had been previously made; The proceeds of
76
Brookline Town Records.
which have furnished the means for completing the broad avenue through the gravel ridge, and preparing for sale twelve new lots bordering on the broad avenue on the easterly side of the grounds; Also for turfing the bank on the east and south sides of the high ridge, for procuring and planting an additional number of 160 ornamental trees and making many other improvements.
The centre ridge has been dug over, covered with loom and sowed with grass seed; a new survey & plan of the grounds have been made by E. F. Woodward, embracing all the improvements and delineating all the lots and avenues which have been laid out.
The whole number of lots laid out, delineated and numbered on the plan is 49. Thirteen of which have been sold, besides the two small lots in the old ground before named.
Applications having occasionally been made for the interment of non- residents, your committee have judged it expedient to institute an order requiring the payment of five dollars each, for all such interments, where no special claim of previlege existed. In consequence of offensive exha- lations which are occasionally emitted from Tombs built in Banks with the front wall open to the atmosphere, your committee have found it necessary to establish an order, requiring all Tombs hereafter built, to be sunk below the surface level of the ground.
Your committee have also found it necessary to restrict the erection of all grave-stones and monuments on the public grounds to their own supervision and direction.
The Rev'd Dr. Pierce having applied for a gratuitious deed of a small lot of ground adjoining his Tomb on the eastern side, your committee considering themselves unauthorised to make such grant, would respect- fully recommend the passing of a vote by the Town authorising such grant to be made.
The receipts of money since our last report have been as follows :
From sales of 5 lots the past year and one lot the pre-
ceeding year, @ $25 each
$150
From sales of two small lots in old ground ยท 17 50
Balance in treasury as per last report 37 95
Making a total of .
$205 45
The disbursements have been as follows :
Paid for ornamental trees $53 50
Paid sundry bills of Labour 78 38
for cedar posts, grass seed, blank deeds and ? book for records 8 50
for 1} cords of Loom 6
66 for turfing bank, including turf 35
" for Woodward's bill for survey & plan 3
66 for frame & glass to enclose the plan 2 50 $186 88
Leaving a balance unexpended of $18 57
77
Meeting, March 6, 1843.
From the returns made by the Sexton it appears there have been Ten deaths in the Town & nine interments in our burial grounds the past year, of the following descriptions :
Names.
Age.
Time of Death. 1842.
Time of Burial.
Disease.
Where Intered.
Caroline Dolbein
Maria A. Williams
1 year. 27 years. 65 years.
March 22. March 28. April 21.
March 23.
Scofula. Dropsy. Eysipelas.
do.
Nathan P. Hooper
10 weeks. 15 months.
July 14.
June 26. July 15.
Dropsy. Scofula.
do.
Lucy Ann Withington
11 months.
July 22.
23. Augt. 12.
Consumption.
do.
Elisabeth Aspinwall
64 years.
Susan J. Wellington
5 years.
Augt. 11. Oct. 31. Nov. 1.
Nov. 4.
Consumption.
Lynn.
Epriam Whiting of New Boston, N. H.
37 years
Nov. Dec. 31.
Nov. 7. Jan. 3.
Drowned.
Caroline F. Robinson
7 years.
Dropsy.
Lexington. Brookline.
All which is submitted. BROOKLINE, Feb. 7, 1843.
By order of the committee,
S. PHILBRICK, Chairman.
The following was read and accepted by vote :-
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE, MARCH 6, 1843.
In closing the duties of another year and in presenting their annual report, your Committee would remark that according to their ability they have endeavored to watch over and promote the interests of the public Schools in this town.
Each school has been visited by one or more of the Com. every mounth and at the close of every quarter the scholars have been examined with regard to their progress in study. Particular attention has been paid to the books used, and to the supply of the scholars with these books, so that there is a greater uniformity in this respect, than there has been in previous years.
The schools have all been continued without any serious interruption during the year and the money approprieted for their advancement, has perhaps been as judiciously applied as under our present arrangement it could be.
Information respecting the numbers in our schools and the general method in which they are now conducted may be obtained from the fol- lowing statement.
The town is divided into three districts, in all of which, schools are continued through the year, with the exception of a vacation of two weeks in the spring, and two in the fall. In the North district, which contains much the largest number of scholars, during the winter session there are two districts schools, and in the summer, there is a school in
do.
do.
Lucy Newhall
23 years.
Consumption. Burn.
do.
Wm. H. Woodward
at Cambridge. June 24.
" 30. April 23.
Brookline. do.
Lydia Griggs
78
Brookline Town Records.
the centre of the town, which is attended by some scholars from all the districts. The amount appropriated by the town at their last annual meeting for maintainance of these schools was eleven hundred and fifty dollars. Besides this there is an annual income of about two hundred and seventy dollars from a permanent fund. This appropriations gives four dlls. and sixty-nine cents to each scholar (245) in the town between the ages of four and sixteen years, which amount, as averaged upon the number between these ages is surpassed by only nine towns in the Com- mon wealth.
Your Com. would also submit the following statistics in regard to the schools seperately :
1. The School taught by a female in the North district. This school is much the largest of any in the town, and is in a very prosperous con- dition. It being taught by a female through the year it secures one great advantage, which none of the other schools have, that of a permanant teacher.
For a number of years in succession this school has been favored with the same instructress. And justice requires us to say that there seems to be on her part no abatement of interest or fidelity. In the summer term the whole number of scholars in this school was sixty-five and the average fifty-eight, and these were divided into nineteen different classes. It was found nessary to provide an assistant to share in the labours of so large a school. At the commencement of the winter session your com. (as the room below was to be occupied, which had been used by the assistant, and the scholars were to be all confined to one small room) thought it advisable to make some restrictions in regard to the admition of scholars to this school, consequently after some deliberation, they decided that boys over ten, and girls over twelve years of age should attend the school taught by a master in the lower part of the house. This reduced the number to about fifty and the aid of the assistant was dispenced with for the Winter.
2. The North male school. This school is continued only five months in the year, from the first of November to the first of April, and is always kept by a male teacher. Until the present session, for quite a number of years, this school has been composed entirely of boys, mostly over the age of ten years. The whole No. commonly has been about thirty-two, and the average No. about twenty-six. This year, in conse- quence of the restrictions in regard to admitance to the other school, this is enlarged, and numbers about forty of both sexes.
3. The South, or, as it is sometimes called, the Middle district. The school in this district is taught by a male five, and by a female six months in the year. The number attending this school in winter, is about forty- five-average about twenty-eight. In summer the number is somewhat smaller-the whole number being about thirty-five and the average about twenty-one. Where teachers are so frequently changed as they are according to the present arrangement in this school, it is difficult to secure uninterupted prosperity.
4. The school in the Southwest district. This, like the one last named, is taught by a male teacher during the winter, and by a female
79
Meeting, March 6, 1843.
during the summer session. This school for several years past has been increasing in numbers, and with the exception of a very few terms has been prosperous. The last year its advancement has been great, and very satisfactory to the Com. The whole No. in attendance last summer was twenty-seven, and the average about seventeen. This session we apprehend the average will be somewhat less.
5. The Centre School. This school is kept by a male teacher six months in the year, from the middle of April to the middle of October, and is open to all the children in the town of both sexes over seven years of age who may wish to attend. The whole No. that attended the last summer was twenty-seven and the average No. sixteen. This number was greater as an average than that of several preceeding sessions. For a number of years this school owing to a variety of circumstances has not been as profitable to the town as has been desirable. The scholars have been very irregular in their attendance many having been kept out of school for farming and other purposes during the summer months. Your com. would ere this, have recommended the discontinuance of this school had there not been in their minds some insuperable objections. The law requires that provision be made for all the children in the town between the ages of four and sixteen, and as all the other public schools in town, are taught by females in summer, it seems necessary that this school should be continued, otherwise some twenty or thirty boys, must be kept out of school during the greater portion of the year, or go into our female schools at an age which would be likely to embarrass the schools, and cause the female teachers an undue amount of trouble.
We trust that some arrangements will be made to assume and retain under certain restrictions the character of a higher public school than any we now have.
Having given these statistics your com. would take the liberty to make one or two suggestions in regards to improvements which it may be advisable for the town to consider.
The first pertains to the houses in which our schools are kept. All of them are at present in a tolerable state of repair, and their arrangements are by no means, worse than those of many in the commonwealth. Yet their internal construction, the arrangements of the seats-the conven- iences for recitation, might with very little expence be greatly improved. Improvements might also be made, arround the houses, which would render them much more neat in their appearance and better adapted to cultivate the taste, and a cheerful disposition on the part of the scholars. That was a just remark once made to us in a Lyceum lecture "that next to the church the school house should be most neat and elegant building in the town." Attention to this subject in the north district seems to be particularly desirable.
There is not a shade tree of any kind near the house, the street is exceedingly narrow, the yard very small, and not unfrequently about one hundred children, are at the same time obliged to be confined to these scanty accomadations.
Your com. would also suggest the propriety of making some arrange- ments by which permament teachers may be secured in all our schools.
80
Brookline Town Records.
Where there is a change every session, from male to female teachers the schools cannot but be irregular, and retarded in their progress. It takes so many good qualities to make a good teacher, that it is impossible to decide respecting the success of any one until fairly tried. Your com. can decide respecting the litterary qualifications of all who may be employed, but this is by no means all that is to be considered, and where the change is so frequently made, it is very much a matter of chance, whether the school upon the whole makes any progress during the year. Not unfrequently your com. have found the scholars at the close of one session in a worse condition than at the close of the preceeding one. Discipline had been neglected and habits acquired which a faithful teacher could not in a long time restore and reform. And thus the schools rise and fall like the tide and sometimes we have two or three ebb tides in succession, without any food.
In view of these evils, and others that might be named, your com. would suggest whether the interests of our public schools would not be promoted were there to be one permanent master's school in the Centre of the town, and female teachers in all the districts thoroughout the year. Your com. can see objections to such an arrangement and an inconvenience to some in the remote parts of the town, but yet there are advantages which would be very beneficial to the town as a whole. Faithful and well-qualified teachers might then be permanently employed, and our schools might be rising continually without so many interrup- tions and drawbacks. This arrangement might be carried into effect with less expense to the town than that at which our schools are now maintained. The plan is at least feasible, and we submit it to the town, whether or not its adoption is advisable.
Your com. would also suggest whether there is that importance attached to a teacher's office which there should be. For the time being the teachers sustains a relation to our children which is most interest- ing and important. It is in its character parental. He makes impres- sions which continue during all the stages of future life. Who of us cannot find traces in our habits and characters which were drawn by teachers in the earlier days of our childhood. Now, since impressions are to be made upon such susceptible material, and impressions which can never be effaced, it is not a matter of small importance what those impressions are. He who deals with the finest sensibilities of our chil- dren, " and moves hands over chords which reach in their vibrations " to the end of life, yea to other worlds and unending ages, should be a man of great carefulness and delicacy. "He should tread lightly and touch tenderly where feelings and interests so sacred and enduring are concerned."
The office of teacher should be regarded as one of great responsibility, and efforts should be made to secure and retain the best teachers we possibly can.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
JOHN PIERCE,
WM. H. SHAILER,
SAMUEL PHILBRICK, - School Com.
BROOKLINE, March 6, 1843.
81
Meeting, March 6, 1843.
TRUSTEES OF SCHOOL FUND.
The trustees of the Brookline school fund who were appointed by the town to invest and take the general charge of said fund and report the condition of the same annually, would now beg leave to present the fol- lowing report :
The total amount of the school fund is 4531.01, which has been invested by loaning to sundry persons secured agreeable to instructions from the town in all cases by mortgages on real estate.
Loaned to Theophilus Dame, secured by mortgage on real estate in Brighton $435 84 To Charles Hastings, secured by mortgage on real estate in Brighton 304 53
To Edward Hall, secured by real estate in this town 204 53
To James & Luther Crane, secured by mortgage on real estate in Newton 1225 00
To Samuel Brown, secured by mortgage on real estate in Boston 811 11
To Reuben Hunting, secured by mortgage on real estate in Brighton 1550 00
Amounting in all as above $4531 01
As security against loss by fire, there has been in all cases excepting one, policy of insurance effected on the buildings mortgaged, and made payable in case of loss to the mortgagees.
Your trustees feel the most perfect confidence in the security which is held for the fund. Also express their satisfaction with the promptitude with which the interest has been paid into the treasury generally.
The trustees have examined the books of the treasurer and find the amount secured during the past year as income from the school fund to be $252.57, which was found by computing the interest on the notes which it was paid, to be correct.
The treasurer, by order of the selectmen, has paid the amount of income into the town treasury, which balances the treasurer's books to this date.
All of which is most respectfully submitted by
CHARLES STEARNS, JR., ) DANIEL SANDERSON,
Trustees of the
JAMES ROBINSON, Brookline School fund.
BROOKLINE, Feb. 28, 1843.
Read and accepted by vote.
Whole number of votes given in for County Treasurer were one hundred and nine.
John Bullard had eighty-three votes.
Elbridge G. Robinson had twenty-four votes. Artemas Newell had one vote.
A. H. Clapp had one vote. 6
82
Brookline Town Records.
Voted, To choose Selectmen seperate from Assessors. The following were unanimously chosen as Selectmen :
Daniel Sanderson, 45 Votes,
David Coolidge, 46 6. Selectmen.
Thomas Griggs. 46 66
Voted, To choose three Assessors. The following were unanimously chosen :
Charles Stearns, Jr. 28 Votes,
A. W. Goddard, 28
Timothy Corey, 28 66 Assessors.
Artemas Newell was chosen Treasurer & Collector, 56 out of 101.
Voted, To choose three General School Committee.
The following were unanimously chosen by Ballot :
Rev'd John Pierce, D.D. - General School
Rev'd Wm. H. Shailer,
Committee.
Samuel Philbrick, Esq.
Voted, To choose the Prudential School Committee by Ballot.
David Coolidge, 18, North District ) Prudential
T. W. Wellington, 8, South 66 School
Chancy Woodward, 5, Southwest " S committee.
Elisha Stone,
Surveyors of Wood and Lumber.
Stephen S. C. Jones,
Martin Morse, 1st North District.
Thomas Griggs, 2d North
Samuel Philbrick, 3d North
George S. Cushing, Ist Middle
Voted, That the 1st & 2d Middle districts be united in one.
David Sanderson, 3d Middle district.
George Craft, 1st South 66
George W. Goldsmith, 2d South
John W. Warren, 3d South
Hugh M. Sanborn, Eastern Section of Turnpike.
T. W. Wellington, Western do. do.
Marshal Stearns, Seth T. Thayer, James Bartlett,
Firewards.
Marshall Stearns, Seth T. Thayer, Fire Wards.
James Bartlett,
Surveyors of Highways.
83
Meeting, March 6, 1843.
Voted, To choose eight Field drivers.
Samuel A. Walker.
Clark L. Haynes,
Wm. W. Clement,
Franklin Stone,
Field drivers. 1
Thomas Quimby,
George Cushing, John Kenrick,
Elijah Corey, Jun.,
Caleb Clark,
A. W. Goddard,
Fence viewers.
George Cushing, Pound Keeper.
Charles Wild,
Elijah Corey, Committee on Town Accounts.
Ebenr. Heath,
Voted, To choose Constable by nomination.
Elisha Stone was chosen Constable.
Voted, Not to choose Tythingmen.
Voted, That the General School Committee be requested to mature some plan to carry out the suggestions made in their report relating to the alteration in our school system and School Houses, and report at the adjournment of this meeting.
Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to furnish the Rev'd Dr. Pierce with a gratuitous deed of such a lot of land adjoining his Tomb in the public burial ground as shall be mutually agreed upon by him and the Cemetery Committee, agreeably to a recommendation in the Report of said com- mittee.
Voted, That the Selectmen be authorised to furnish the Congregational and Baptist Societies in the Town each, with a gratuitous deed of a burial Lot among those lots now laid out in the public burial ground ; for the use of the families of the present Pastors of said Societies, and their successors, or their friends, provided the said Societies will enclose said lots and ornament them with trees, turf, or shrubbery in a manner satisfactory to the Cemetery Committee.
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