Wilbraham annual report 1876-1901, Part 4

Author: Wilbraham (Mass.)
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 498


USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1876-1901 > Part 4


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Another reason greatly influencing our decision was, the money appropriated by the town for the purpose was utterly insufficient. It would only pay the tuition of three scholars for a year, and we had between thirty and forty applications.


If the town needs any incentive to make immediate arrange- ments to furnish High School instruction, perhaps the State's action in withholding the town's share of the school fund, be- cause Wilbraham has not kept a High School this year, as required by law, may furnish one. The sum lost to the town this year is nearly three hundred dollars, almost half enough to furnish all our scholars fitted for a High School, with in- struction in Wesleyan Academy.


Here then is an additional and powerful reason, for making immediate arrangements with this Academy, since we can thus furnish our scholars with the best instruction, at the least ex- pense, and so secure our share of the school fund, which will be towards half enough to pay the expense of such an arrange- ment.


Seldom, if ever, in a single year have we been called to act upon so many questions vital to the best educational interests and welfare of the town.


Therefore, disregarding all personal and local preferences for the public good, let each question be considered and de- cided on its own merits, that we may show ourselves worthy citizens of a republic, which, although a century old, we trust is yet in the infancy of a national life, to be spent in guarding the rights and developing the nobler capabilities of mankind.


Respectfully submitted,


A. B. NEWELL, G. T. BALLARD, School


J. M. FOSTER, Committee.


ROLL OF HONOR.


NAMES OF SCHOLARS WHO HAVE BEEN NEITHER ABSENT NOR TARDY DURING THE YEAR.


Lizzie Karney,


Ellen J. Downing,


Tommy Loynes,


Luther Bruuer,


George M. Edson,


Mary E. Howard,


Lottie M. Edson,


Susie Mack,


Fannie Marshall,


Henry Day,


Sammie Warner,


·Willie McGuire,


NAMES OF SCHOLARS WHO HAVE BEEN NEITHER ABSENT NOR TARDY FOR TWO TERMS.


Mary J. Mulroney,


Henry Blodgett,


James Mulroney,


Louise Richards,


Jennie L. Day,


Carrie A. Colton,


Jennie Hunt,


Mary F. Beebe,


Jennie Beebe,


Lillie B. Pease,


Annie E. Newell,


Bessie M. Pease,


Cora P. Newell,


Hattie C. Darrah,


Herbert D. Newell,


Emma Brewer,


Amelia Stebbins,


Fannie French,


Hattie Stebbins,


John Barker,


Minnie Ellis,


Willie Day.


Herbert Morgan,


STATISTICAL TABLE.


Length of Schools in


months.


month.


Whole number of


Average attendance of


No. of Scholars under


No. of Scholars over


No. of Scholars in each


Total wages of


Incidentals.


Permanent Improve-


Total of School Money


expended.


Sum.


Fall.


| Win.


Sum.


Fall.


Win.


Sum.


Fall.


Win.


Sum.


Fall.


Win.


Fall.


Win.


Fall.


Win.


--


21


3


$30


$30


$32


22


25


25


20


22


23 35


14


7


30


0


0


0


0


0


0


59


262 262


95 74


59 85


649 59


Susie S. Beebe, Maria A. Firmin,


Susie S. Beebe. Maria A. Firmin.


Susie S. Beebe. Maria A. Firmin.


4


( Advanced, {Primary,


2%


21


3


32


32


34


:21


24


35


17


33


26


24


0


0


0


0


0


0


5 Scantic, 6 Hendrick,


24 21


21


3


28


28


30


14


14


12


12


8


0


0


0


1


0


0


1 0 0


0 0


1


23


242


27 50


7 Chapin,


23


21


3


28


28


30


16


5


5


14


1


30


0


0


0


1


0


8


9 Butler,


21


25


3


32


32


34


35


33


37


28


26


24


0


0


0


1


1


1


10 § Advanced, Primary,


23


2.3


3


32


32


34


39


29


33


28


29


27


1


0


0


0


0


2


43 16


305 16 Annie E. Beeman,


Annie E. Beeman.


A. E. Beeman.


Emma D. Mills. Laura A. Albray.


11 Langdon, 12 Merrick,


23 24


3


32


30


32 32


24 31


19


21|


26


16


15


2


1 0


=100


3 3 37


413| 3,251 459 69 144 70 3,855 39|


Sarah J. Tilden Alice M. Corbin. Emma E. Leach.


Mary L. Graves. Alice M. Corbin. Julla M. Patten.


2 Wright,


21


3


32


32


31


39


39


40


34


36


3 Cross,


3


28


28


30


11


16


8


9


0


31


24 00 43 00 $246 $21 70 262 230


- $29 93 $297 63 Sarah J. Tilden, 286 00 Alice M. Corbin, 273 00 Emma E. Leach,


1 Atchinson,


222


South Centre.


Emma A. Lee. Ella F. Bliss. Jennie B. Walker. Mary L. Graves. George P. Havens. Ella F. Bliss. A. J. Blanchard. Jason Butler. Minnie S. Burleigh. S. W. Archibald.


6W1


8 Collins Depot.


2₺


3


32


32


31


32


35


41


24


27


McCray.


21


23


3


30


30


20


31


16


16


24 2


0


4 40


246


21 85


267 85 Lauriette Godfrey, 279 00 Laura A. Albray.


0


1


12


251


28 00


-


Totals,


321 324 39 398


396


34


38


30


29


16


21


25


11 15


21


22


16


230


35 61


265 61 M. DeWitt Warren, 273 50 Ella F. Bliss


21


3


30


30


32


7


7


1


0


0


7


10


230


262


47 38


262


17 50 247 50 Jennie B. Walker, 45 78 54 92 362 70 Mary L. Graves, 317 85 Minnie S. Burleigh, 55 85


Lucelia Wetherby. Laura A. Albray.


col


422 330 315 353 266 270 283 11


NAMES OF TEACHERS.


Scholars.


Scholars.


five years of age.


fifteen years of age.


district.


Teachers.


ooo | Bum.


011


7 3


35


2 0 2 NO | Sum.


000


0


20


3


32


32


3


262


58


0


45


Names.


Wages of Teachers per


ments.


13. Sales


REPORTS


OF THE


electmen and Overseers of


TREASURER,


School Committee,


AND ASSESSORS,


OF THE


TOWN OF WILBRAHAM,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING


March 15th, 1878.


SPRINGFIELD, MASS. : CLARK W. BRYAN & COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1878.


REPORTS


OF THE


electmen and Overseers of the


TREASURER,


School Committee,


AND ASSESSORS, OF THE


TOWN OF WILBRAHAM,


FOR THE YEAR ENDING


March 15th, 1878.


SPRINGFIELD, MASS. : CLARK W. BRYAN & COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1878.


Articles in Town Warrant. :


ARTICLE 1. To choose a Moderator to preside in said meeting.


ART. 2. To hear the annual reports of the Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor, Treasurer, School Committee, and all other Committees whose duty it may be to report to this meeting, and act thereon.


ART. 3. To determine the number of School Committee the town will elect, and the time they shall serve.


ART. 4. To determine the number and manner of electing Collectors of Taxes ; also to see if the town will vote to add interest to all taxes unpaid after a certain date.


ART. 5. To determine the manner of repairing the highways and bridges ; also to determine the number and manner of electing Highway Surveyors for the ensuing year ; also to see if the town will fix the compensation for labor on the highways.


ART. 6. To choose a Town Clerk, Treasurer, three Selectmen, who shall be Overseers of the Poor, three Assessors, and one School Committe for three years; also such others, if any, as the town shall vote to choose, four Consta- bles, four Fence-viewers, all on one ballot ; also to choose all other necessary town officers for the ensuing year.


ART. 7. To see if the town will accept of the list of Jurors as revised by the Selectmen.


ART. 8. To see if the town will vote to act in conjunction with the town of Ludlow to raise the bridge at Collins Depot, and put a pier or other sup- port under the same, and appropriate money therefor.


ART. 9. To see if the town will vote to build a School-house in District No. 8, and appropriate money therefor, and choose all necessary Committees to carry the same into effect.


ART. 10. To see if the town will vote to build a road from the West entrance in the new Cemetery in the South Parish, so as to make the lots in said Cemetery more accessible.


ART. 11. To see what disposition the town will make of the Dog Fund now in the hands of the Treasurer.


ART. 12. To see if the town will grant to Reuben H. Chaffee a right of way from the East gate of the new Cemetery in the South Parish to his pri- vate burial lot.


ART. 13. To raise such sums of money as may be necessary for the ensu- ing year, and appropriate the same.


Selectmen's Report.


SCHOOLS.


Appropriation by the Town for Schools,


$3,000 00


Interest on Town Loan, 102 31


Dog fund appropriated for schools,


227 7%


State school fund,


246 62


$3,576 70


The School Committee, alone, being responsible for the expenditure of the money available for support of schools, the Selectmen have given orders for bills ap- proved by them to the amount of $3,312 35


A detailed account of school expenses will be found in the Report of the School Committee.


PAUPERS.


Appropriation by the Town for support of paupers, $2,500 00


Paid for the support of paupers as follows :


For salary of Town Physician,


$50 00


Sally Munsell,


116 20


Caroline Abby,


127 39


Polly Truden,


116 66


Corrydon L. Kibbe,


96 28


Pelatiah Glover,


25 49


Alvin Banister, 129 08


Ruby Giles, including funeral expenses, 114 56


Reuben Caldwell, 118 93


Wm. L. Crocker, including funeral expenses, 116 16 Charles M. Willard, 115 14


4


For Ebenezer Stacy, 14 45


Edward W. Colton, at Reform School 42 30


Daniel A. Warner, at Insane Hospital, 212 10


Ann M. Clark, at Insane Hospital, 189 00


Caroline Bliss, at Insane Hospital. 192 42


Charles A. Hunn, at Insane Hospital. 63 06


Harriett Goodwill, at Insane Hospital, 44 45


Sophronia Scripter, at Insane Hospital, 195 00


Mrs. Nellie Gilligan and five children, 342 71


Mrs. Nettie Paige and four children, 181 97


Lorenzo Rood and family,


10 10


Richard Armstrong, including funeral ex- penses of wife, 96 55


Albert Ormsby,


63 25


Mrs. Martin Andrews and family,


23 69


Sarah Jackson,


16 14


Horace Laird, clothing for family,


3 60


Michael Sweeny, 7 50


George Truden, clothing,


4 25


John Connor, 11 85


James B. Ferris, expense of taking to North- ampton twice, and to Tewksbury,


48 00


Patrick Laddy, 75


Keeping tramps, R. M. Day, $5 00


Keeping tramps, Calvin G. Robbins, 99 88


Fuel for Tramp house, 19 00


$123 88


Henry Wilson and family,


75 06


Sarah Patrell, 5 00


John B. Moulton and family,


49 21


Mrs. Kate Colgrove and family,


65 51


Robert Darrah and family,


31 28


James Champlin and family,


29 28


Mrs. C. F. Hale and family, 2 65


Ada Burnett, 10 00


Total paid for support of Paupers,


$3,280 90


5


Of the above expenses the following amounts have been refunded :


From State, on account of James B. Ferris, 2 10


State, on account of Robert Darrah, 5 14


City of Boston, on account of Henry Wil- son and family, 76 06


City of Springfield, on account of James Champlin, 23 03


Town of Longmeadow, on account of C. F. Hale, 2 65


Town of Brimfield, on account of Mrs. Kate Colgrove, 8 75


Town of Chicopee, on account of Sarah Patrell, 5 00


Town of Chicopee, on account of Ada Bur- nett, 10 00


Total amount refunded,


132 73


There is also due from cities and towns, on above accounts, as follows :


From City of Boston, on account of Henry Wilson, 3 75


City of Springfield, on account of John B. Moulton, 49 21


Town of Brimfield, on account of


Kate Colgrove,


56 76


- 109 72


Amount to be deducted,


$242 45


Net cost of Paupers for the past year,


$3,038 45


HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.


Appropriation by the Town, $2,000 00


Orders given as follows : To Henry Clark, surveyor, and others, District No. 1, $114 81


6


Luther Markham, surveyor, and others, Dis- trict No. 2, 102 35


A. A. Phelps, surveyor, and others, District No. 3, 131 70


M. H. Warren, surveyor, and others, District No. 4, 278 53


A. O. Thresher, surveyor, and others, District No. 5, 201 25


Andrew Beebe. surveyor, and others, District No. 6, 117 87


A. D. Seaver, surveyor, and others, District No. 7, 121 74


G. W. Tupper, surveyor, and others, District No. 8, 269 11


Alvin Chilson, surveyor, and others, District No. 9, 152 00


Mathias Casey, surveyor, and others, District No. 10, 176 87


Munroe Pease, surveyor, and others, District No. 11, 100 28


Henry Dewey, surveyor, and others, District No. 12, 89 14


For new plank, for Collins bridge, $109 80


Repairs, Collins bridge, 5 25


One-half expense lighting Collins


bridge,


18 24


133 29


Total expenditure for Highways, $1,988 94


CONTINGENT ACCOUNT AND TOWN OFFICERS.


Appropriation by the town, $1,200 00


Orders given as follows :


To Alvin Chilson, collecting taxes 1875,


$100 00


Henry Clark, posting warrants and notifying town officers, 33 20


M. H. Warren, posting warrants, 4 50


F. W. Dickinson, notices for Scantic bridge,


75


7


W. M. Green, error in discount on taxes, '72, 1 54


B. & A. R. R. train to bring engine to fire June 24, 25 00


F. E. Clark, register of voters, 1 70


H. H. Burbank, balance for collecting taxes for 1876, 40 00


M. H. Warren, collecting taxes for 1876, 75 00


J. S. Albray, mowing Cemetery near Dea. Adams', 4 50


W. L. Collins, services as undertaker, 108 75


Clark Goodwill, services as undertaker, 75 25


C. W. Bryan & Co., for printing Reports, etc., 82 42


Samuel Bowles, advertising, 11 10


Marcus Daniels, damage to wife by defect in highway, 150 00


R. Armstrong, mowing Cemetery, South Parish, 8 00


Franklin Butler, mowing Cemetery, Butler- ville, 5 00


Clark Goodwill, services under dog law, 5 00


E. Howlet, repair of Cemetery fence, 75


M. E. Society, for use of vestry for town meeting, 50 00


S. C. Spellman, services as Moderator, 1877, 5 00


G. W. Ely, for rent of shelter for fire appa- ratus, 5 00


Albert Bedurtha, setting posts at Cemetery, 1 50


C. A. Corbin, repair of town pound, 50


A. J. Blanchard, stationery and postage for Assessors, 3 25


A. O. Thresher, collecting taxes for 1877, 49 00


E. B. Gates, expenses to Boston on recount of votes, 10 00


E. B. Gates, recording births, marriages and deaths, 33 30


E. B. Gates, express, storage, stationery and postage, 34 50


W. L. Collins, expenses in small pox case, 1877, 2 75


8


Wm. R. Sessions, stationery and postage, 5 00 F. E. Clark, stationery and postage, 6 00


Stockwell Bettes, surveying and map of the town, .59 50


F. E. Clark, time and expenses as Commit- tee on division of town, 41 75


Wm. R. Sessions, time and expenses as Committee on division of town, 25 75


Ira G. Potter, time and expenses as Com- mittee on division of town, 27 00


Frank Hollister, time and expenses as Com-


mittee on division of town, 16 00


Total amount of contingent expenses,


$1,108 26


TOWN OFFICERS.


SELECTMEN.


Wm. R. Sessions,


$84 80


F. E. Clark,


81 00


F. W. Dickinson,


58 00


223 80


ASSESSORS.


A. J. Blanchard,


$74 00


S. U. Stanton,


40 00


H. H. Burbank,


28 75


142 75


SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


George T. Ballard,


$75 00


James M. Foster,


58 75


Jason Butler,


55 00


188 75


Total of contingencies and town officers,


$1,663 56


NEW SCHOOL HOUSE DISTRICT NO. 11.


Appropriation by the town, $600 00


Received for old school-house, 53 00- $653 00


Orders given as follows :


To J. P. Streeter for site and grading the same, 60 75 Thomas J. Mills, building school-house, con- tract price, 580 00


Thomas J. Mills for extras on school-house, 3 75


Sherwood Furniture Co., desks, etc., 60 00


Sundry persons for materials and labor in fur- nishing house, 18 34- 722 84


STOCKING NINE-MILE POND.


Appropriation by the town, $150 00


Orders given as follows :


To C. E. Peck, expenses for 6,000 land-locked salmon, $25 95


C. E. Peck, expenses for 27 black bass,


74 95


C. E. Peck for screen for outlet and warning- boards, 15 50


John Baldwin, damage by stoppage of water by fish-screen, 2 00- 118 40


INTEREST.


Appropriation by the town, $300 00


Paid interest on town loan, $102 31


Interest on temporary loans,


194 96


Interest on M. Walker note, 21 00


13 13- 331 40


Interest on L. Howlett's note,


STATE AID ACCOUNT. (No appropriation by the town.)


Orders given on the Treasurer as follows :


To Mrs. Rowena C. Bliss, paid to March 1, 1878, $48 00


Mrs. Mary Rice, paid to March 1, 1878, 48 00


Mrs. Angenette D. Coash, paid to March 1, 1878, 46 00 Mrs. Isabella G. Daniels, paid to March 1, 1878, 48 00 Mrs. Harriett Fuller, paid to March 1, 1878, 48 00-238 00


2wl


10


SUMMARY.


APPROPRIATIONS AND AVAILABLE FUNDS.


EXPENDED.


Schools,


$3,576 70


$3,312 35


Paupers,


2,500 00


3,038 45


Highways and bridges,


2,000 00


1,988 94


Contingencies and town officers,


1,200 00


1,663 56


New school-house,


653 00


722 84


Stocking Nine-Mile Pond,


150 00


118 40


Interest,


300 00


331 40


Paying debt of town,


1,000 00


State aid,


238 00


$11,379 70


$11,413 94


LIABILITIES OF THE TOWN.


Outstanding orders,


$904 25


One note to Warren Collins,


400 00


One note to M. Walker, 150 00


One note to Lucetta Howlett,


125 00


One note to A. O. Thresher,


150 00


One note to Horace Clark,


600 00


One note to First National Bank, Springfield,


800 00


Pauper and other bills which will be due April 1, estimated amount,


400 00


Interest on above notes,


75 00-3,604 25


RESOURCES OF THE TOWN.


Dog fund due from County 'Treasurer, $192 48


Due from State Treasurer for State aid, 280 00


Due from Alvin Chilson, Collector for 1875, 57 52


Due from S. C. Spellman, Collector for 1876, 189 54


Due from D. A. Atchinson, Collector for 1877, 2,050 29


Due from town of Palmer for paupers, 15 0C


Due from city of Boston for paupers, 3 75


Due from city of Springfield for paupers, 49 21


11


Due from town of Brimfield for paupers, 56 76


Cash in treasury, March 15, 1878,


54 61


$2,949 16


Balance against the town, net debt, $655 09


The Selectmen recommend the following appropriations for the en- suing year :


For schools,


$3,000 00


Paupers,


3,000 00


Highways and bridges,


2,000 00


Contingencies and town officers,


1,500 00


County Commissioners' road and land damages,


1,20,0 00


School-house, district No. 8, 2,000 00


Collins bridge (raising and pier), 500 00


Paying the debt of the town, 650 00


Fencing school-house lot, district No. 11,


60 00


Respectfully submitted,


WM. R. SESSIONS, Selectmen F. E. CLARK, of


F. W. DICKINSON, Wilbraham.


Town Valuation, Etc.


Valuation of North Parish, real,


$467,380 00


Valuation of North Parisb, personal,


120,844 00


Valuation of South Parish, real,


299,630 00


Valuation of South Parish, personal,


62,795 00


Total,


$950,649 00


Number of polls in North Parish,


361


Number of polls in South Parish,


232


Total, 593


Number of dwelling-houses in North Parish,


263


Number of dwelling-houses in South Parish,


192


Total,


455


Number of horses in North Parish,


233


Number of horses in South Parish,


168


Total,


401


Number of cows in North Parish,


469


Number of cows in South Parish,


285


Total,


754


Number of sheep in North Parish,


104


Number of sheep in South Parish,


52


Total, 156


Number of acres of land taxed, North Parish, 12,570


Number of acres of land taxed, South Parish, 11,281


Total, 23,851


13


Poll tax,


$2 00


Rate per cent.,


1 25


TOWN APPROPRIATIONS.


For schools, $3,000 00


Paupers,


2,500 00


Highways and bridges,


2,000 00


Town officers and contingencies,


1,200 00


Payment of debt,


1,000 00


Payment of interest,


300 00


Building school-house, District No. 11,


600 00


Stocking Nine-Mile Pond,


150 00


$10,750 00


State tax,


825 00


County tax,


1,022 06


Overlayings,


472 61


Total committed to collectors,


$13,069 67


A. JACKSON BLANCHARD, ) Assessors SULLIVAN U. STANTON, of


H. HERBERT BURBANK, Wilbraham.


TREASURER'S REPORT.


Town of Wilbraham in account with E. B. Gates, Treasurer of the Town of Wilbraham, for the year ending March 15, 1878.


CR


By Cash in Treasury, March 15, 1877, $377 51


Cash from County Treasurer, dog fund, 227 77


Cash from Joseph Baldwin, temporary loans, 6,800 00


Cash from First National Bank, temporary loans, 1,900 00


Cash from Warren Collins, temporary loan, 400 00


Cash from State Treasurer, Corporation tax, 57 72


Cash from State Treasurer, National Bank tax, 277 08


Cash from State Treasurer, State aid refunded, 256 00


Cash from State Treasurer, school fund,


246 62


Cash from State Treasurer, aid to State paupers,


5 14


Cash from State Treasurer, transportation of State paupers, 2 10


Cash from City of Boston, for Wilson family, 76 06


Cash from City of Springfield, aid to paupers refunded, 23 03


Cash from Town of Chicopee, aid to paupers refunded, Cash from Town of Brimfield, for Mrs. Colgrove,


36 72


8 75


Cash from Town of Longmeadow, for C. F. Hale,


2 65


Cash from Henry Glover, for support of P. Glover,


50 00


Cash from Lacousic Woolen Company for wood from cemetery lot, 220 80


Cash from Wm. P. Chaffee, for lumber from ceme- tery lot, 19 00


Cash from S. D. Cooley, for old school-house, Dis- trict No. 11, 53 00


Cash from Geo. T. Ballard, dividend on insurance on school-house, District No. 10, 18 00


15


Cash from Michael Sullivan, return of aid in small-


pox case, 1877, 6 00


Cash from M. A. Bliss, interest collected, 1874, 75 70


Cash from Geo. T. Ballard, interest collected, 1874,


36 57


Cash from Town Loan Committee, interest on Town loan, 102 31


Cash from Walter M. Green, collector for 1872, 10 05


Cash from M. H. Warren, collector for 1875,


146 73


Cash from H. H. Burbank, collector for 1876,


719 70


Cash from S. C. Spellman, collector for 1876,


358 19


Cash from D. A. Atchinson, collector for 1877, 5,403 00


Cash from A. O. Thresher, collector for 1877, in full, 4,594 32


$22,510 52


DR.


To Cash paid Clark W. Bryan & Co., for Treasurer's book,


$2 25


Cash paid notes to Joseph Baldwin, temporary loans, 8,500 00


Cash paid First National Bank, temporary loans, 1,100 00


Cash paid interest on temporary loans,


194 96


Cash paid interest on M. Walker's note,


21 00


Cash paid interest on L. Howlett's note,


13 13


Cash paid for blank certificates for dog licenses,


1 00


Cash paid State Treasurer, State tax,


825 00


Cash paid State aid,


238 00


Cash paid Assessors' abatement, 1873-4,


23 00


Cash paid Assessors' abatement, 1875, 11 65


Cash paid Assessors' abatement, 1876,


53 44


Cash paid Assessors' abatement, 1877,


67 38


Cash paid old orders outstanding, March 15, 1877, 1,120 05


Cash paid Selectmen's orders,


10,285 05


Cash in Treasury, 54 61


$22,510 52


REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Of the Town of Wilbraham, for 1877-8.


CITIZENS OF WILBRAHAM :- The school year just closed has been a prosperous one. The mild weather of Winter, and a freedom from epidemics, has contributed not a little to the success attending it. Our schools, however, are not faultless, and while we take pleasure in their general progress, we may well consider their wants and imperfections, and lend our aid as parents and citizens in making them effective and useful to the limit of their capability. We first invite your attention to the topic of attendance. Scholars are frequently detained from school, to assist at home or on the farm, and on returning they find their classes have gone right on, and double work must be the consequence. This the scholar can- not do and do well, and his poor recitations have a demoral- izing effect on himself and on the school. That this is a se- rious evil, no one can deny, and that the remedy is easy is equally evident. You hold it and can apply it. Parents esteem it a light thing to burden their children with number- less duties, and then, with glaring inconsistency, complain that they do not make more rapid progress. It devolves on you to inspire your children with an ambition to achieve some definite object in life; it devolves on you to assist them in forming habits of study and application, and to avoid so dis-


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tracting the mind that such habits shall be impossible. You should hold his school days sacred to study ; they will end soon enough at best, and the duties of home, however imper- ative, will prove poor substitutes for the unlearned lessons which they replace.


READING.


Reading has received more than the usual attention, and we are happy to say, that a large proportion of the pupils under ten years of age read with a surprising fluency and correctness. No longer we hear that monotone so common a few years since, but an accent, emphasis and enunciation which is not excelled by those whose study has advanced them to the most difficult reading. The higher classes show a corresponding improvement. This is encouraging, if the study and training one receives in the common schools, com- mencing with his first induction, determines his proficiency as a reader, for, however successful one may be in mastering the higher branches taught, if faulty in this, a cloud hovers over his achievements and forever darkens the brilliancy of his other perhaps masterly acquirements.


SPELLING.


Good spelling is of no small importance to a pupil. To base an education on poor reading and spelling is like build- ing an architectural structure on a weak and imperfect foun- dation. However symmetrical the proportions and grand the conception and construction, it only adds prominence to its underlying weakness ; so with education, with these ele- ments wanting, embellishments serve only to make strikingly apparent the imperfections. Scholars should have such a facility in spelling as to be not only able to spell such words as are found in the ordinary spelling book, but all words common in published works. This can only be acquired by the practice of spelling after each exercise in reading.


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SUCCESSFUL TEACHING.


This can only be accomplished by one reared in refinement, educated to a thorough knowledge of all the branches com- mon to our schools, not liable to mistakes in pronunciation or grammatical errors in the construction of sentences, possess- ing in the largest sense dignity of character ; not ungainly in attitude, uncouth in manners, or rough in tones of voice ; possessing genuine politeness, a model of good breeding. Such are the qualifications sought in a teacher, and essential to warrant success. Plutarch says on the training of chil- dren : " Childhood is a tender thing and easily wrought into any shape. Yea, and the very souls of children readily re- ceive the impressions of those things that are dropped into them while they are yet soft ; but when they grow older they will, as all hard things are, be more difficult to be wrought upon, and as soft wax is apt to take the stamp of the seal, so are the minds of children to receive the instruction impressed on them at that age. Nor are we to omit taking due care, in the first place, that those children who are appointed to attend upon such nurslings, and to be bred with them for play- fellows, be well mannered ; and next, that they speak plain, natural Greek, lest, being constantly used to converse with persons of a barbarous language and evil manners, they re- ceive corrupt tinctures from them. For it is a true proverb that if you live with a lame man you learn to halt." The wisdom and truth of these sayings are pertinent.




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