USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Belgrade > Annual report of the municipal officers of the town of Belgrade, Maine, 1914-1915 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01834 7283
GC 974.102 B415AR, 1915
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF BELGRADE
FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR
1914-1915
Mail Publishing Co., Printers, Waterville, Mains
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
TOWN OF BELGRADE
FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR
1914-1915
MONOTYPED
PRINTED BY
Mail Publishing Co., Waterville. Me.
Officers of the Town of Belgrade FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915
Moderator E. F. YEATON
Town Clerk E. H. MOSHER
Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of the Poor H. H. ADAMS L. A. BARTLETT D. C. STEVENS
Treasurer E. H. MOSHER
Collector F. B. ALBEE
H. O. PRAY
School Committee W. T. LARKIN . C. E. TILLSON
Superintendent of Schools T. W. McQUAIDE
Road Commissioners
HERBERT BICKFORD RUEL LAMB
Constable HOWARD E. GOWELL
Sexton CHARLES B. STUART
E. W. TOWLE
Cemetery Committee GEO. P. BUCKNAM J. M. CUMMINGS
Sealer of Weights and Measures F. C. FOSTER
Selectmen's Report
To the Citizens of the Town of Belgrade;
We herewith submit our annual report for the year ending February 14, 1915.
RESIDENT REAL ESTATE
Land values
$144, 110.00 199,790.00
Building values
$343,900.00
NON-RESIDENT REAL ESTATE
Land values
$59,350.00 84,990.00
Building values
$144,340.00
Personal Estate, resident
Personal. Estate, non-resident
102,778.00 26,070.00
Total
$617,088.00
Amount of tax on above
$12,650.30
305 polls, at $3.00
915.00
Fractional gain
. 19
$13,565.49
Rate .0205
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1914
State tax
$2,664.29 887.18
County tax
1,000.00
Support of Common Schools
1,000.00
Repair of schoolhouses
200.00
Repair of roads and brigdes
2,500.00
Snow bills for year 1913-1914
1,000.00
1
Town charges
6
ANNUAL REPORTS
Bridges right of way
200.00
State Aid Highway
533.00
Horn Point road
500.00
Weights and Measures
150.00
Books for Common Schools
150.00
Support of Free High School
400.00
Books for free high school
150.00
Fire. Ward
25.00
Cemetery purposes
100.00
Superintendent of Schools
135.00
Picking Brown-tail moths
1,000.00
Purchase of Hearse
550.00
John Tibbetts, for Horse
150.00
State Road Maintenance
60.00
Overlay
210.83
Fractional gain
. 19
Supplementary Tax
2.10
Gathering moths on private property
36.56
Total commitment
$13,604.15
LIST OF PERSONAL PROPERTY Live Stock
No.
Av. Val.
Total Val.
358 Horses
$95.68
$34,250.00
13 Colts, 3 to 4 years old
111.53
1,450.00
6 Colts, 2 to 3 years old
72.50
435.00
18 Colts, under 2 years old
54.72
985.00
487 Cows
28.51
13,885.00
22 Oxen
43.63
960.00
143 3-year olds
25.07
3,585.00
185 2-year olds
21.15
3,915.00
228 1-year olds
12.19
2,780.00
497 Sheep
3.00
1,491.00
148 Swine
12.64
1,872.00
Total
$65,608.00
7
ANNUAL REPORTS
ALL OTHER KINDS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
Bank Stock
$ 400.00
Stock in trade
8,050.00
Launches and Boats, 156
15,690.00
Logs and lumber
13,650.00
Wood and Bark
600.00
Automobiles, 22
9,025.00
Motor cycles, 3
200.00
Musical Instruments, 52
4,850.00
Furniture
4,450.00
Machinery not taxed as Real Estate
6,525.00
Total
$63,440.00
PAID BILLS ACCRUED PRIOR TO FEB. 14, 1914
E. E. Dunn, services as Selectman $88.00
A. L. Cottle, services as Selectman 50.00
W. P. Sawtelle, services as Selectman 38.00
E. H. Mosher, services as Town Clerk 10.00
E. H. Mosher, memorial services 1913 10.00
Wallace S. Ladd, printing reports 40.00
Wallace S. Ladd, printing moth cards
1.75
Total $237.75
ABATEMENTS FOR 1915
Nelson Blaise, residence unknown
$3.00
E. A. Bean, paid in Auburn
3.00
James Bartlett, Augusta town charge
3.00
Roland Clement, out of state
3.00
C. J. Cooper, under age
3.00
G. Guynor, out of state
3.00
Charles Harris, residence unknown
3.00
D. Hawler, residence unknown
3.00
Elmer Morrill, unable to pay
3.00
W. H. Matthew, residence unknown
3.00
2
8
ANNUAL REPORTS
Albert Mckay, residence unknown 3.00
Oscar Peavy, residence unknown 3.00
Edward Robinson, residence unknown 3.00
S. L. Spaulding, deceased
3.00
Ralph Sturtevant, paid elsewhere
3.00
F. D. Larrabee, on account sickness
3.00
F. D. Thwing, paid in Oakland 3.00
C. H. Wyman, paid in Mass.
3.00
C. H. Storer, residence unknown
3.82
2.56
Chas. S. Duke, boat sold
E. Hall, residence unknown
4.10
$64.48
CEMETERY APPROPRIATION
For Cemetery purposes
$100.00
Received from sale of hay
10.00
$110.00
Paid on orders cemetery committee
193.60
Overdrawn $83.60
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS
ยท For Purchase of Hearse
$550.00
Paid J. H. Thing for same
550.00
To reimburse John Tibbetts for horse
$150.00
Paid John Tibbetts for same
150.00
For Weights and Measures
$150.00
Paid the Fairbanks Co.
$150.00
For freight on same
5.24
$155.24
Received from Town of Sidney
65.12
90.12
Unexpended $59.88
9
ANNUAL REPORTS
PAID FOR SUPPORT OF POOR, 1915
On Account of Jane Mignault
$132.00
Town of Abbott, on account Laura Couley 34.16
Dr. Williams, on account Fred Holmes
5.00
Henry W. Plummer, on account Fred Holmes 8.00
Dr. L. E. Reynolds, on account Fred Holmes
5.00
$184.16
PAID FOR SUPPORT OF POOR OF OTHER TOWNS
On account of Evelyn Palmer
$120.00
Due from Oakland on 1913 account
22. 25
$142.25
Received from Oakland
115.58
Due from Oakland
$26.67
On account Maurice Gordon, of Augusta
$80.35
Due from Augusta, for same
80.35
On account Anthony Paige
$35.00
Due from State
35.00
SHEEP ACCOUNT
Paid Foster Bros.
$70.00
Paid Clarence Chase
12.00
$82.00
Due from State
$82.00
1
10
ANNUAL REPORTS
FOR GATHERING BROWN TAIL MOTHS 1914
Appropriation
$1,000.00
Paid Elmer Morrill
$37.62
Clyde Varney
10.50
Milford Childs
5.25
Page Pulsifer
6.13
M. M. Larkin
7.58
Ed. Burgess
5.24
Philip Chandler
36.74
A. M. Johnson
8.75
Ralph Brown
22.75
Percy Yeaton
14.00
W. O. Willey & Son
10.50
Leon H. Kelley
10.07
C. H. Mills
12.25
Ernest Yeaton
14.00
Yeaton Bros.
17.50
William Wallace
10.50
E. A. Wallace
6.12
W. C. Mills
3.50
Will Foster
2.50
Henry Warren
7.00
C. A. Stevens
6.00
C. E. Brown
14.00
Charles Farnham
.75
M. L. Cook
3.50
Clarence Chase
3.50
Evans Minot
2.62
$278.87
Unexpended
$721.13
PAID FOR GATHERING MOTHS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
Paid for gathering moths on private property $36.56
Received from F. B. Albee, for same $36.56
11
ANNUAL REPORTS
GATHERING MOTHS, 1915
Paid O. W. Richards $5.00
Herbert Scribner
2.40
Vernon Kelley 2.80
W. C. Mills
2.30
Clyde J. Varney
6.00
V. L. Foster
2.60
$21.10
Estimated cost to finish picking the bal- ance for 1915 $15.00
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1914-15
Paid W. S. Ladd, blank notes American Express Co.
$ 1.25
26
S. Blaisdell, account tramps
9.00
L. E. Reynolds, M. D., antitox-
in for Mrs. E. Farnham
11.66
L. E. Reynolds, M. D., disinfecting
Ellery Farnham's house 8.16
Charles H. Chandler, ballot clerk
4.00
E. W. Rogers, ballot clerk
W. T. Larkin, election clerk 4.00
J. M. Cummings, election clerk
4.00
Russell & Weston, blankets for tramp house
6.60
James Tibbetts, truant officer
2.00
James Tibbetts, labor on tramp house 1.50
25.00
E. H. Mosher, books and stationery
26.09
E. H. Mosher, food for tramps 2.75
Effie M. Adams, for making ticks for tramp house 1.00 James Lombard, rent of land for tramp house from April 1, 1912 to April 1, 1915 6.00
Dr. L. E. Reynolds, reporting births and deaths 2.25
E. F. Yeaton, services as Moderator 3.00
4.00
Belgrade Grange, rent of hall
12
ANNUAL REPORTS
H. E. Gowell, services as Constable and
care of tramps 16.84
H. H. Adams, postage, stationery, etc. 5.00
E. P. Williams, M. D., reporting births and deaths 1.75
F. S. Milliken, M. D., reporting births and deaths 1.00
W. C. Blake, M. D., reporting births and deaths
2.25
M. S. Holmes, M. D., reporting births and deaths 1.25
E. H. Mosher, recording births and deaths 7.30
E. H. Mosher, postage 2.96
F. C. Foster, services as Sealer of Weights and Measures 7.50
F. B. Albee, abatements 64.48
F. B. Albee, commission as Collector 225.00
$457.85
RECAPITULATION
Paid bills accrued prior to Feb. 14, 1914 $237.75
Abatements 1914 64.48
Support of Poor
184.16
Miscellaneous Expenses 457.85
$944.24
Appropriation town Charges
1,000.00
Unexpended balance
$55.76
Orders drawn on
Guy A. Yeaton, winter 1912-13 $ 1.75
Herbert Alexander, summer 1913 43.40
Herbert Alexander, winter 1913-14
732.89
William Wadleigh, 1913-14 258.08
Ruel Lamb, summer 1914 1,168.72
Ruel Lamb, winter 1914-15 15.50
Herbert Bickford, summer 1914
1,316.14
Herbert Bickford, winter 1914-15 8.00
Herbert Bickford, Bridges road
140.75
13
ANNUAL REPORTS
Herbert Bickford, Horse Point 491.60
-
Herbert Bickford, State Aid Highway 985.09
Herbert Bickford, Automobile Fund 127.20
Herbert Bickford, State Aid High-
way 194.18
Total Highway Orders drawn
$5,483.30
Total School Orders drawn
$4,860.67
Total Town Orders drawn
2,656.56
HIGHWAY APPROPRIATIONS
Summer, 1914
$2,500.00
Snow bills, 1913-14
1,000.00
Bridges road
200.00
State Aid Highway, by Town
533.00
Horse Point Road
500.00
State Aid Highway, by State
533.00
Automobile Fund
180.84
State Maintenance Fund
145.55
$5,592.39
Total Highway Orders drawn
5,483.30
Unexpended balance
$109.09
RESOURCES
Cash in Treasury
$393.92
Due from Mount Vernon common schools
75.00
Due from Sidney, on account High School
36.00
Due from State, dog tax refunded
100.00
Due from State, on account sheep killed by dogs
82.00
Due from State, burial expenses A. Pager
35.00
Due from Oakland, account Evelyn Palmer
26.67
Due from Augusta, account Maurice Gordion
80.35
$828.94
14
ANNUAL REPORTS
LIABILITIES
Due H. H. Adams, services as Selectman $90.00
L. A. Bartlett, services as Selectman 66.00
D. C. Stevens, services as Selectman 50.00
E. H. Mosher 10.00
Outstanding Town Orders
71.08
Printing Reports
35.00
$322.08
Resources above Liabilities
$506.86
Respectfully submitted,
H. H. ADAMS, L. A. BARTLETT, D. C. STEVENS,
Selectmen of Belgradc.
Report of Treasurer.
TOWN OF BELGRADE IN ACCOUNT WITH E. H. MOSHER, TREASURER FOR THE YEAR 1914
Dr.
To paid Treasury notes $5,800.00
Interest
210.35
Town Orders
2,585.48
Road Orders 5,488.90
School Orders
4,860.67
State Treasurer, dog tax 1914
140.00
State tax year 1914
2,664.29
County tax
887.18
State pensions
63.00
State Treasurer, Belgrade's part of Main- tenance Fund
48.63
State Treasurer's commission 50.00
$22,798.50
To Cash in Treasury
393.92
-
$23, 192.42
Cr.
Cash on hand, March 2, 1914
$269.55
Rec'd from F. B. Collector 1914 13,604.15
State Treasurer, School Fund and Mill Tax 1,819.25
State Treasurer, R. R. and Tel. Tax 13.00
State Treasurer, Account State Pension's 63.00
State Treasurer, Dog Tax refunded 117.12 State Treasurer, Account High School 500.00
State Treasurer, Automobile Fund 127.20
State Treasurer, Imp. State Roads 452.09
State Treasurer, Account Highway 194.18
16
ANNUAL REPORTS
Rec'd cash and gave Treasury notes 5,300.00
Rec'd from Town of Rome, for schools 1913 129.60
Town of Rome, for schools 1914 134.52
Town of Mt. Vernon, for schools 1913 52.00
Rec'd from Acme Amusement Co., license 20.00
E. H. Mosher, Town Clerk, dog tax 140.00
Geo. P. Bucknam, sale hay in cemetery 10.00
Town of Oakland, account Mrs. Palmer
115.58
Culvert Co., freight refunded 5.06
Town of Sidney, account schools 1913
36.00
Town of Sidney, account Weights and Measures 65.12
Sale of one burial lot
25.00
$23,192.42
E. H. MOSHER, Treasurer.
1
Road Commissioners' Report
Summer, 1914
N. H. Varney
$12.00
D. McCurdy
3.50
C. B. Brooks
7.00
C. H. Yeaton
9.75
James Watson
237.00
John Wadleigh
47.50
Ed. Wadleigh
21.75
Ruel Lamb
242.50
Archie Bickford
22.62
Leslie Bickford
20.99
Perley Percival
73.63
J. W. Penney
5.20
Herbert Brooks
16.63
Willis Childs
.80
Alonzo Hill
15.38
George Stoddard
22.50
Manley Childs
3.50
W. Knowles
9.00
Don Nutt
14.01
J. Burke
3.50
Walter Buker
1.75
Berger Mfg. Co.
176.00
Ernest Yeaton
12.25
Percy Yeaton
15.75
Raymond Yeaton
14.87
Wadleigh Bros.
9.00
S. Blaisdell
82.83
W. J. Spaulding
8.00
Austin Kenney
5.00
Samuel Whitehouse
5.25
W. H. Sprague
7.00
18
ANNUAL REPORTS
E. E. Dunn
15.00
Clyde Varney
.75
E. H. Mosher
10.88
R. N. Guptill
15.63
$1,168.72
Winter, 1914-15
John Wadleigh
$ 4.50
Ruel Lamb
11.00
$15.50
RUEL LAMB, Road Commissioner.
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
Summer, 1914
Parker Clement
$ 5.25
George Pratt
46.00
H. C. Mills
13.50
W. H. Knowles
148.00
C. L. Spencer
23.63
Anson Quimby
35.00
Herbert Alexander
279.50
H. A. Bickford
258.12
Ralph Brown
53.25
E. W. Towle
27.20
J. W. Alexander
33.25
George Davis
14.00
J. Merrow
3.50
Harry Bickford
11.62
A. R. McIntire
15.00
Morrison Libby
4.92
Berger Mfg. Co.
97.20
Fred Patten
4.25
Charles Mills
1.75
19
ANNUAL REPORTS
F. E. Clement
10.00
Fred Newcomb
2.62
Leroy Cook
3.75
Pine Land Lumber Co.
9.00
New England Machinery Co.
8.50
W. H. Ellis
19.25
C. E. Tilson
25.24
F. E. Bunker, watering trough and labor
6.00
S. Blaisdell
10.47
Frank Lord
6.75
F. W. Pray
13.25
Page Pulsifer
.87
John Stanley
10.20
W. J. Foster
5.00
Arthur Bashier
1.75
J. W. Carrol
1.70
Ernest Bachelder
4.00
G. G. Stevens
4.00
Charles Tobin
6.20
H. L. Parker
4.17
C. J. Anderson
.70
E. H. Mosher
5.07
E. C. Lord
2.37
F. W. Pray
4.00
W. L. Withers
38.97
$1,278.77
Winter, 1914-1915
H. C. Mills
$8.00
HERBERT BICKFORD, Road Commissioner.
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT Winter, 1913-1914
Andy Buker
$8.00
Herbert Brooks
1.75
John Wadleigh
12.00
20
ANNUAL REPORTS
Bert Damren
13.75
A. M. Johnson
1.75
E. H. Wadleigh
12.00
O. H. Gowell
8.05
Geo. A. Stoddard
16.00
William Wadleigh ' -
11.00
J. W. Penney
.75
John Tibbetts
3.13
Fred Tibbetts
6.45
Rodney Tibbetts
20.00
Roy Yeaton
4.50
C. L. Richardson
3.15
A. C. Dudley
12.00
Pray Brothers
16.05
Arthur Piper
3.50
Albert Ashland
2.85
Joseph Ashland
7.30
A. M. Wadleigh
8.15
Christina Bartlett
9.10
John Hanson
1.00
Lawrence Minot
2.00
Charles Webster
1.00
Raymond Yeaton
3.50
Ernest Yeaton
5.50
John E. Ham
6.75
L. F. Hill
4.00
O. H. Groves
5.15
E. C. Knowles
16.00
E. E. Dunn
11.95
Frank Dunn
6.00
C. L. Richardson
2.50
R. N. Guptill
10.50
$258.08
WILLIAM WADLEIGH,
Road Commissioner.
21
ANNUAL REPORTS
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT Winter, 1913-1914
H. C. Mills
$20.13
Clyde Damren
5.25
Howard Bickford
29.25
Ed. Burgess
5.10
A. R. McIntire
21.50
R. B. Wyman
13.50
M. K. Stevens
10.20
Albert Furbush
17.80
H. L. Alexander
32.25
Geo. Davis
1.50
Herbert Bickford
36.00
W. P. Sawtelle
22.10
A. E. Page
37.50
Charles Boynton
1.50
Leon Kelley
2.40
Wm. O. Willey
25.69
Elmer Knox
2.70
H. C. Mills
10.50
Vernon W. Kelley
1.95
H. W. Scribner
8.00
F. A. Scribner
16.30
Roy A. Cook
10.10
Ed. Carter
3.00
-
Charles H. Chandler
3.69
Philip Chandler
10.49
E. A. Wallace
3.90
C. B. Stuart
9.00
Harry Bickford
8.90
Will Foster
3.80
Forest Stevens
3.98
William Wallace
2.70
Albert Furbush
5.00
George Eldridge
4.50
-
22
ANNUAL REPORTS
E. L. Page
5.25
John Stanley
10.20
Oral D. Page
1.50
Charles Rowe
11.77
M. M. Larkin
11.55
W. T. Larkin
12.85
G. G. Stevens
5.50
W. H. Knowles
9.00
J. H. Warren
8.25
Elmer Chandler
1.36
A. P. Farnham
3.00
H. C. Mills
13.50
F. W. Newcomb
12.00
Charles Farnham
. 75
W. E. Farnham
1.75
W. P. Cummings
10.50
M. L. Cook
14.00
Herbert Alexander
31.00
H. H. Page
36.75
C. W. Moody
3.90
F. E. Clement
6.36
E. L. Bachelder
2.62
Foster Bros.
13.50
C. E. Tilson
9.00
L. A. Yeaton
36.00
C. L. Willey
3.00
James Stevens
25.20
Frank Kelley
2.10
D. A. Cook
5.25
E. C. Lord
3.30
F. J. Lord
28.00
E. S. Farnham
4.00
$732.89
HERBERT ALEXANDER,
Road Commissioner.
23
ANNUAL REPORTS
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT Bridges Road
Anson Quimby
$12.00
Russell Yeaton
8.75
Herbert Alexander
33.00
George Hutchings
10.50
C. A. Moulton
8.75
Rodney Tibbetts
31.25
H. A. Bickford
12.00
George Pratt
12.00
Arthur Lord
12.50
$140.75
HERBERT BICKFORD, Road Commissioner.
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
Horse Point Road
Carl Spencer
$25.38
J. W. Alexander
23.19
Louville Cook
23.20
Minnie Cook
8.75
Henry McCormack
16.62
George Pratt
7.88
Anson Quimby
27.13
Ed. Burgess
26.25
Alvah Watson
56.25
Herbert Alexander
50.00
H. A. Bickford
86.37
Elias Stevens
14.50
E. S. Willey
8.30
24
ANNUAL REPORTS
A. M. Alexander
11.25
Howard Bickford
22.50
Will Ellis
25.38
Berger Mfg. Co.
51.65
Willis Stevens
7.00
$491.60
Appropriation
500.00
Unexpended
$8.40
HERBERT BICKFORD,
Road Commissioner.
ROAD COMMISSIONER'S REPORT
State Aid Highway
A. M. Alexander
$40.50
Fred Tibbetts
18.37
Herbert Scribner
10.00
Rodney Tibbetts
47.25
C. E. Farnham
28.00
Leon Farnham
21.00
Lester Perkins
6.00
Vernon Kelley
36.87
Vernon Foster
27.13
Foster Bros.
73.25
H. C. Mills
90.00
D. F. Lynch
28.00
L. A. Yeaton
90.00
Charles Brown
19.25
William White
8.75
25
ANNUAL REPORTS
W. H. Knowles
40.50
Charles Stevens
12.25
Charles Tobin
10.00
F. E. Clement
47.33
C. E. Tilson
29.25
W. E. Farnham
81.00
C. E. Tilson
33.04
Herbert Bickford
91.00
Henry McCormack
12.25
A. M. Alexander
72.00
Arthur Lord
9.20
Ernest Bachelder
5.10
Frank Lord
77.80
$985.09
HERBERT BICKFORD, Road Commissioner.
AUTOMOBILE FUND
George Hutchings
$40.00
George Pratt
14.00
John Hugree
32.00
Herbert Alexander
41.20
$127.20
Available from State
180.84
Unexpended balance $53.64
HERBERT BICKFORD, Road Commissioner.
26
ANNUAL REPORTS
STATE ROAD MAINTENANCE
C. A. Moulton
$14.00
Mrs. C. C. Pray
5.30
Fred Newcomb
36.75
Herbert Alexander
133.50
E. C. Lord
4.63
$194.18
Received from State
194.18
HERBERT BICKFORD, Road Commissioner.
Report of School Committee
At a meeting held Feb. 2, 1915, it was voted to recommend that the town raise the following amounts for school purposes, viz:
For Free High Schools $850.00
Common Schools 1,350.00
Text-books and supplies for High and Common Schools 300.00
Repairs of School Property
200.00
Superintendent's Salary 135.00
H. O. PRAY,
W. T. LARKIN,
C. E. TILLSON,
Superintending School Committee.
School Report
In accordance with the provisions of the school law, I here- with submit to you and, through you, to the citizens of Belgrade, my annual report for the town year 1914-15.
Upon assuming charge of the schools a year ago, it soon became apparent that, before we could hope for any permanent improvement in our schools, three things would be necessary :- First, a higher standard of teaching ability. Second, a greater interest in the schools on the part of parents and citizens. Third, a supply of modern text-books and necessary educational ma- terial.
It is evident that we have had a few very good teachers in our schools, but it is equally evident that we have had too many of the other kind. Some of our citizens seem to be under the impression that any teacher is good enough for a rural school. This is a great mistake. The conditions are such that the rural schools require the best teachers that can be had. Many parents will never be able to give their children anything more than an education. That education should be the best the town can afford. Some of our citizens may feel that we cannot afford to employ the best teachers for all of our small rural schools but there is no logical reason why we cannot afford to employ better teachers than many of our children have had in past years.
The employment of competent teachers, however, is not the only thing to be taken into consideration. In some cases the efficiency of the teacher is lessened by the attitude of the parents toward the school. Many parents take no interest whatever in the education of their children. Very few parents ever visit the schools and, consequently, there is no co-operation between the home and the school. Practically all of the misunderstand- ings which result in criticism and fault-finding over school affairs are due to the fact that the parent does not understand what the teacher is trying to accomplish. The average teach-
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ANNUAL REPORTS
er, who has made a study of teaching, is more competent to train a child properly than the average parent, who has not. Moreover, the average teacher is as much interested in the real welfare of the child under her care as the average parent. If parents could be made to understand these matters, what wonder- ful results could be accomplished by parent and teacher co- operating and working together for the good of the child, instead of pulling in opposite directions, as many now do, neither one having any conception of what the other is trying to do.
Irregularity in attendance is especially noticeable in some of our schools. This seems to be divided into two classes. Some parents do not seem to understand that it is necessary for the child to attend school regularly. If they think the child is needed at home they let him stay out of school one- third or one-half of the time and then blame the teacher because the child does not progress as rapidly as the children who have attended regularly. The impression seems to prevail that it is of no consequence if a child loses 2 or 3 days of school every week or two; that he can easily make it up. This is a great mistake. It is almost impossible for a child to make up time lost in school and, in many cases, his loss is much greater than the time he actually misses. Suppose, for instance, that your boy misses 2 or 3 days while his class is taking up, for the first time, some important principle of arithmetic. When he goes back to school he cannot do the problems in his lesson because he has missed the explanations necessary to enable him to under- stand them. A little later on the same thing is repeated, and the situation becomes even worse. By the time the child stays away in this manner three or four times, he loses so much of the substance of his studies that he cannot understand his lessons; he becomes thoroughly discouraged and loses all interest in his school work, and consequently makes no progress. No matter how hard the teacher may try, she cannot make up to the child what he has missed. It might be possible to do so in the city schools where a teacher has only one or two grades, but in our rural schools, where the teacher is liable to have every grade from the first to the ninth, her time is so completely taken up
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ANNUAL REPORTS
with the regular class work that she has no time for special work.
Then there are other cases where the parents seem to spend most of their time inventing excuses for keeping their children out of school. In these cases the welfare of the child demands the enforcement of the truancy law. We were obliged to resort to this measure in a few cases and there were others where we were unable to do so on account of the fact that no competent person could be found in that district who was willing to serve as truant officer. Satisfactory arrangements have re- cently been made, however, to enable us to enforce the truancy law in all parts of the town.
Passing from the parent to the citizen, we find a condition where much good could be accomplished if the citizens would take more interest in the schools. Many citizens who have no children in the schools seem to feel that school affairs do not concern them in the least. This is another serious mistake. The education of our children is the most important feature of our municipal life. The whole welfare of our town, its commer- cial and social conditions, its desirability as a place to live, all depend largely upon the education of our young people. It is, therefore, the urgent duty of every man and woman in the town to take an active interest in our schools and in everything else that relates to the welfare of the child.
One of the first things to demand attention at the beginning of the present year was the scarcity of suitable text-books. At first this condition seemed difficult to account for as the town reports showed that appropriations for this purpose had been fairly liberal. Further investigation, however, seemed to justify the belief that the shortage was due, in part at least, to the fact that there was no system of keeping account of and taking care of the books after they were placed in the schools. It also de- veloped that considerable loss had been occasioned by persons entering the schools after hours or during vacations and destroy- ing and carrying off books, as well as damaging other school property. Some of this damage was blamed on the "help" from the summer hotels and cottages, some schools near the
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ANNUAL REPORTS
railroad had been entered by tramps, our own children were responsible for some of the damage, while other cases were chargeable to adults who were certainly old enough to know - better. All schoolhouse doors and windows are now provided with locks so the buildings can be securely fastened. Any per- son who now enters the buildings out of school hours will have to break in, thereby committing a felony which is punishable by fine and imprisonment.
All the books are now labelled and numbered. An account is kept with each school showing all the books it contains. The teacher keeps a record of the books issued to each pupil and he is . held responsible for their proper care. Once a month the teacher inspects all the books in her school to see that no books are miss- ing and that no damage has been done other than the ordinary wear. Similar records are kept in the office of the Superin- tendent.
Before the close of the present school year a printed course of study covering all the work of our common schools will be provided and the schools graded accordingly. We have been unable to do this earlier owing to the fact that there were not enough standard text-books in the schools to form the basis of a complete course of study.
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