USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Rochester > Annual report of the city of Rochester, New Hampshire : for the year ending 1915 > Part 7
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The library was not created for the few, but for the many, therefore to give a card to a new patron is a pleasure, extending as it does library privileges in another direction. During the year cards were issued to 428 people, thus opening many channels for amuse- ment or instruction; 73 of the number registered at East Rochester; 39 at Gonic and 316 at the library.
The demand for books not only shows the trend of modern thought but to a great extent follows the newest and most interesting publications. The great demand, in non-fiction, has been during the year for books con- cerning the European situation, but in spite of this great crisis in the world's affairs and in spite of the flood of interesting literature and the current news which must be read, the great hue and cry still goes forth for fiction. The number of books given out was 68,761, an increase of 11,263 over last year. The children's room shows a circulation of 18,263, an in- crease of 5,504. The agency reports give a circulation of 33 more at East Rochester, a total of 2,651; an increase of 606 at Gonic and a total of 3,739.
The privilege of using the library for fortnightly meetings has been granted two of the local clubs, one the Nature Study Club, the other, the Half Hour Read- ing Circle. This not only broadens its usefulness but helps to make of the library a center from which may radiate much of good to the community.
The reading and reference room records show a
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ANNUAL REPORT OF
decided increase in readers and students, the total number 19,049 is 4,979 more than last year. The readers in the children's room numbered 9,542. This room as well as the reference room is often crowded to its utmost capacity. Several times during the year it has been necessary to send groups of High School stu- dents to one of the rooms upstairs on account of the crowded condition of the reference room. The Sunday readers numbered 651, for the most part men or boys. The largest number any one Sunday, 62.
As heretofore, a very large proportion of the refer- ence work has been done with the pupils of our schools. So large a part of each school day is devoted to their varied needs, that, in spite of the advice of Mr. Ward the library has been in great danger of becoming a school or being swallowed entirely by the schools. You will get some idea of this part of the work, if you notice in the statistics, that 86 library books were in different school rooms at one time and that, in all 401 have been given out to teachers for use in the school rooms; that, 1,090 books have been held in reserve at the library for pupils and teachers and that, there have been as many as 75 pupils in a single day, looking up subjects assigned. While this proves that the library willingly does what it can to assist in the educational system of Rochester, it likewise proves that it must hold an im- portant place in that system, that while saving many dollars of the school appropriation it cripples its own finances to some extent as, in order to provide the assistance required, time and money has to be diverted from some other legitimate branch of the work.
During the ten years which the library has occu- pied its present building, it has grown from 10,004 volumes to a library, with all lost and worn out books
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CITY OF ROCHESTER
discounted, of 17,741 volumes. From an annual cir- culation of 30,571 to one of 68,761. From the 4,715 readers of 1906 to 19,049 during 1915. During the present year it has attained a phenomenal growth in out-put and in use. It almost seems as if the highest possible point had been reached unless the people can do more for it. It has been said that "no institution touches the lives of so many of its people," that, "it deals not merely with students preparing for life but with men and women leading lives." It would there- fore seem to be not only a duty but a privilege for the citizens to do what they can for the library.
The year as far as the inside working is concerned, has been one of rush, of wear and tear, of care and worry, in order that the material on hand might satisfy the insistent demands. The book appropriation has been by far inadequate, supplementing as the library must, every grade in our schools from the first to the senior class in High School; providing for more ad- vanced students as well as the general reader ; supply- ing the demand whether it be for history or philosophy, fiction or the material for the workers in every art, trade, profession or walk in life. Reference and reading rooms on the first floor are oftimes inadequate to accommodate those who come for a legitimate use of the library. Salaries are inadequate. As the staff has to supplement the work of the schools as well as to competently meet the various needs of the library pat- ronage, salaries should be placed on a par with the teachers, with a suitable ratio of increase according to the years of service, in order that a library employee, when well used to and reasonably proficient in her line of work shall not find it necessary to take up more lucrative employment in order to gain a living. The
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ANNUAL REPORT OF
work of a library, from its highest position to its lowest is not play work, but earnest, painstaking, thoughtful, hard work, by no means limited to the time which the doors are open to the public. Work to which only the willing, the patient, and the studious are eligi- ble.
I wish at this time to thank the trustees for their kindness and encouragement and to express my grati- tude to the assistants for their faithful service and wil- ling co-operation in the work of the year. I would also express thanks to any and all who have in any way, by word, by deed, or by gift shown their appre- ciation of the library.
Respectfully submitted,
LILLIAN E. PARSHLEY,
Librarian.
Rochester, N. H., December 30, 1915.
1
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CITY OF ROCHESTER
Statistics for 1915
GROWTH
Number of books in library at last report 17,050
Books purchased during the year 476
Fiction purchased 228
Juvenile stories
66
Non-fiction
182
Volumes added by binding
56
Volumes received as gifts Pamphlets accessioned 134
107
Total additions for the year 773
Number of books lost or destroyed by patrons 7
Discarded because worn out 11
Books lost in circulation from Jan. 1912, to Dec. 1915 6
Total number discounted for the year
24
Net gain for the year 759
Entire number of volumes in library Decem- ber 30, 1915 17,809
AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT FOR BOOKS
228 volumes of fiction
$200 22
66 juvenile stories 49 93
144 non-fiction including refer- ence 299 34
Total $549 49
172
ANNUAL REPORT OF
Registration for the Year
Number of people registering for library cards
428
At library 316
At East Rochester
73
At Gonic
39
Entire registration
6,728
BOOKS GIVEN OUT
Number of books given out during 1915
68,761
Circulation from central library, adult
44,108
juvenile
18,263
At East Rochester
2,651
Gonic
3,739
Total increase over last year
11,132
Increase in circulation among adults at li-
brary
5,628
Juvenile circulation at library
5,504
Circulation at East Rochester
33
Gonic 606
Number of days the library was open to the public
304 .
Largest circulation any one day
522
Smallest
49
Largest month
6,219
Smallest
3,899
Number of unbound periodicals, pamphlets and pictures circulated 2,929
173
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Readers
Number of readers at library for the year 19,049
Adult readers and students 9,507
Readers in children's room Total increase for the year 4,979
9,542
Increase in adult readers Children's room
2,611
2,368
Largest number of readers and students any one day 125
Smallest number any week day 15
SUNDAY READERS
Number of Sundays open for readers dur- ing 1915 21
Entire number of readers
651
Largest number any one Sunday 62
Smallest number 7
Work with Schools
Number of books given out to teachers for school work 401
Largest number of books at schools at any one time 86
Number of books reserved for school pupils during the year 1,090
Number of books reserved in rooms for teachers 80
Largest number of reference students any one day 75
174
ANNUAL REPORT OF
Sunday Schools and Clubs
Number of books reserved for Sunday school work and supplementary reading 33
Number of books reserved for clubs and societies 165
Agencies EAST ROCHESTER
Number of Rochester Public Library books
kept at the East Rochester agency 275
Exchanged each month 75
Sent to the agency through the monthly exchanges 825
Circulated through the agency dur- ing the year 2,651
Increase over last year 33
Amount of fines reported for year $ 7 61
GONIC
Number of Rochester books kept at the
Gonic agency 300
Exchanged each month 100
Sent to agency through the month- ly exchanges 1,100
Circulated through agency during the year 3,739
606
Increase over last year
Amount of fines reported for year $ 5 30
Expense of maintaining agency 85 54
175
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Work
PREPARATION AND CARE
Number of books classified, catalogued and assessioned 715
Pamphlets and periodicals filed and listed 1,277
Pictures mounted, catalogued and listed 815
Bulletins prepared (an annual) 1
Reports made other than ,,
10
Books rebound 764
Repaired in library
10,474
Fines
Amount of money collected in fines and book damages $178 08
Due the library in unpaid fines 147 50
Out-of-Town Patrons
Charge for out-of-town patrons at the rate of $1.00 per year, 25 cents per quarter or five cents per book
Number of out-of-town patrons during the year 26
Received from out-of-town patrons $13 20
Circulation by Classes
LIBRARY
EAST ROCHESTER
GONIC
TOTAL
Fiction
35,518
1,704
1,671
38,893
Juvenile
16,992
784
1,295
19,071
Biography
436
13
11
460
Periodicals
3,961
633
4,594
General works
79
5
84
Philosophy
177
29
5
211
Religion
209
7
2
218
Sociology
493
14
15
522
Philology
14
14
Science
355
11
3
369
Useful arts
471
13
10
494
Fine arts
612
3
8
623
Literature
1,167
22
23
1,212
History
1,887
46
63
1,996
Total
62,371
2,651
3,739
68,761
Increase in circulation at Library
10,493
East Rochester
33
Gonic
606
·
ANNUAL REPORT OF
176
¢
177
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Children's Circulation for 1914- 1915 Compared
1914
1915
INCREASE
DECREASE
Stories
11,473
16,528
5,055
Biography
64
52
12
Periodicals
355
593
238
General works
1
1
Religion
22
33
11
Sociology
41
58
17
Science
59
77
18
Useful arts
58
83
25
Fine arts
186
233
47
Literature
144
128
16
History
35€
478
122
12,759
18,263
5,533
29
Increase in circulation of juvenile stories
5,055
Non-fiction
449
Total increase
5,504
12
178
ANNUAL REPORT OF
Circulation for 1914 and 1915 Compared
1914
1915
INCREASE
DECREASE
Fiction
35,799
38,893
3,094
Juvenile
13,142 .
19,071
5,929
Biography
496
460
36
Periodicals
3,525
4,594
1,069
General works
115
84
31
Philosophy
83
211
128
Religion
186
218
32
Sociology
285
522
237
Philology
45
14
30
Science
354
369
15
Useful arts
411
494
83
Fine arts
598
623
25
Literature
1,078
1,212
134
History
1,513
1,996
483
57,629
68,761
11,229
97
Increase in circulation of fiction over 1914
3,094
Juvenvile stories
5,929
Circulation of non-fiction
2,109
Percentage of general circulation :
Fiction
57 per cent.
Juvenile
27
Non-fiction
15
179
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Donors to Library or Museum
American Association for Labor Legislation American Economic Association American Federation of Sex Hygiene Andrews, Mrs. Edith Boston Insurance Co. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Chase, Mrs. Abbie McD. Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Dukelow & Walker Company Dow, Henry English Government, committee of Flanders, Philip R. Gafney Home for the Aged
German Imperial Foreign Office
German Information Service Germanistic Society of America Granite State Dairyman's Association Heineman, William Hispanic Society of America Horne, Arthur H. Horne, Sarah C. Hussey, Wallace Indianopolis, Ind., Chamber of Commerce Lake Mohonk Conference
LIBRARIES : Berlin Public Library Concord Dover Haverhill (Mass.) Public Library Laconia
180
ANNUAL REPORT OF
LIBRARIES :
Manchester Public Library Milford
Nashua
New Hampshire Library Commission
Somerville (Mass.) Public Library United States Congressional Library Wolfeboro Town Library
Lord, Mrs. George S. McDuffee, Mrs. M. F.
McDuffee, Willis
Maine State Board of Health
Mary Torr Chapter, D. A. R.
Meserve, John W.
National Commercial Bank
National Educational Association
National Fire Protection Association
New Hampshire Federation of Woman's Clubs
New Hampshire, State of
Northern Pacific Railroad
Norton; O. W.
Oxford University Press
Paris, Chamber of Commerce
Paris, Librarie Armand Colin Percival, Mrs. C. H.
PUBLISHERS :
Aerial Age Austria-Hungarian Red-Book Beacon Christian Science Journal
Christian Science Monitor Christian Science Sentinel
181
CITY OF ROCHESTER
PUBLISHERS :
Colby Voice Facts about Sugar Filipino People Ford Times Foster's Daily Democrat
Gospel Trumpet
Green's Fruit Grower Journal of Advanced Therapeutics
National Association of Corporation Schools
New England Shoe and Leather Industry New Hampshire Issue Oriental Esoteric Society
Protectionist Rochester Courier Springvale Advocate Stenotypist
Strafford County Record
Telephone Topics
United States Congressional Record United States Patent Office Report Woman's Journal Woman's National Weekly Yale College Bulletin
Raymond & Whitcomb Richardson, Mrs. Arthur Rochester, City of Rochester District Nurse Association Saint Louis Pageant, Dramatic Association of Sanborn, Mrs. Mary S.
SCHOOLS : Bowdoin College Brown University
12a
182
ANNUAL REPORT OF
SCHOOLS :
Dartmouth College Harvard University National Association of Corporation Schcols New Hampshire College Oxford University Press Yale University
Snow, Mrs. L. P.
TOWN REPORTS :
Lebanon, Maine Northwood, N. H.
Wallace, Miss Annie
Washburn Crosby & Co.
Wells, F. H., F. R., and Jackson, B. W.
Wentworth, Charles C. Wentworth, Stephen D.
Woodward, Miss Maria
World's Peace Foundation
LOANS TO MUSEUM AND PICTURE COLLECTION
Bartlett, Mrs. Alice Nature Study Club Sanborn, Mrs. Mary S. Small, Mrs. Frederic E. Wentworth, Charles C.
DEPOSIT OF BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS
United States Government, 18 volumes, 173 pamphlets, 2 folios
183
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Financial Report for 1915
Amount of money on hand January 1, 1915 $ 5 97 Rec'd from fines and book damages, central library and Gonic agency 178 12 Sale of catalogues 5 90
Rochester High school toward set of reference books 11 45
Residents of Barrington, Farm- ington, Lebanon, Milton,
New Durham and Straf-
ford, for use of library books 13 20
Total receipts
$214 64
Turned over to John L. Copp, City Treasurer $200 00
Cash on hand 14 64
$214 00
Respectfully submitted,
LILLIAN E. PARSHLEY,
December 30, 1914.
Librarian.
184
ANNUAL REPORT OF
Public Library Receipts
Bequests Jennie Farrington annex fund and
interest to January 1, 1915 $1,005 61
Interest on note to January 1, 1916 35 49
Total
$1,041 10
Transferred to Treasurer for purchase of juvenile books 41 10
$1,000 00
RECEIPTS
Balance in treasury December 30, 1914
$ 2 75
City appropriation
3,600 00
From librarian
200 00
Interest from Jennie Farrington fund
41 10
$3,843 85
EXPENDITURES
Books from general fund
508 39 $
Jennie Farrington fund
41 10
Periodicals
160 84
Binding books and magazines
251 28
Printing, including bulletin
82 45
Supplies and incidentals
128 90
Furnishings
37 25
Repairs
58 30
Coal
150 75
Wood
1 00
Lighting and lighting supplies
175 00
185
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Telephone
$ 28 60
Gas
6 00
Insurance
88 80
Librarian
700 00
First assistant
400 00
Second
260 00
Third
206 52
Janitor
400 00
Extra assistant
4 50
Secretary of Trustees
25 00
Services Sunday
42 00
GONIC
Librarian
$50 00
Fuel
19 00
Lighting
3 44
Insurance
2 50
Periodicals
10 60
85 54
Balance in treasury
1 63
$3,843 85
JOHN L. COPP,
Treasurer.
I have examined the receipts and expenditures of the financial reports of the librarian, Lillian E. Parsh- ley, and the treasurer, John L. Copp. I find the same correctly cast and properly vouched.
JOHN YOUNG,
Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
Rochester, N. H., December 30, 1915.
Annual Report
OF THE
School Board of City of Rochester
NEW HAMPSHIRE
For the Year Ending December 31, 1915
At the regular monthly meeting of the School Board of Rochester, March 9, 1916, the Superintendent of Schools read his report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1915. This report was accepted and adopted and ordered printed as the report of the School Board to the City Council and to the citizens of the city. -
CHARLES A. BRECK,
Secretary.
Rochester, N. H., March 9, 1916.
School Board, City of Rochester As Organized for 1915
PRESIDENT HON. WILLIAM WRIGHT
SECRETARY EVERETT A. PUGSLEY
MEMBERS OF SCHOOL BOARD
Ward One .
IRVING C. FAUNCE GEORGE F. WILSON
Ward Two
GEORGE W. VARNEY ALBERT I. HALL
Ward Three
MILES H. DUSTIN ELLWOOD S. JENNESS
Ward Four
MRS. NORMA C. SNOW PETER T. HARRITY
Ward Five
VINTON W. PRESTON JUSTIN A. EMERY
Ward Six
ROBERT V. SWEET WILLIAM S. LOUGEE
192
ANNUAL REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES, 1915
Finance- Wright, Hall, Lougee
Teachers and Salaries-Wright, Faunce, Varney, Dus- tin, Mrs. Snow, Preston, Sweet Studies and Courses of Study-Sweet, Dustin, Lougee Music and Drawing-Wilson, Lougee, Harrity Schoolhouses and Grounds-Preston, Varney, Dustin Supplies-Wright, Lougee, Hall
Textbooks-Sweet, Faunce, Mrs. Snow
Rules and Regulations-Varney, Harrity, Jenness Ungraded Schools-Emery, Jenness, Harrity Transportation-Dustin, Wilson, Emery Truancy-Wilson, Mrs. Snow, Jenness
ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL
100HOS HDIN 511530008
School Board, City of Rochester As Organized for 1916
PRESIDENT HON. ROBERT V. SWEET
SECRETARY CHARLES A. BRECK MEMBERS OF SCHOOL BOARD
Ward One .
GEORGE F. WILSON IRVING C. FAUNCE
Ward Two
ALBERT I. HALL
ALBERT P. LITTLE
ELLWOOD S. JENNESS
Ward Three
GRANVILLE F. GRANT
PETER T. HARRITY
Ward Four
FRANK D. STEVENS
Ward Five
JUSTIN A. EMERY MRS. NORMA C. SNOW
Ward Six .
WILLIAM S. LOUGEE NATHANIEL T. KIMBALL
13
194
ANNUAL REPORT OF
STANDING COMMITTEES, 1916
Finance-Sweet, Lougee, Hall
Teachers and Salaries-Faunce, Mrs. Snow, Little, Jen- ness, Harrity
Studies and Text Books-Hall, Emery, Jenness Schoolhouses and Grounds-Lougee, Wilson, Kimball Printing and Supplies-Kimball, Faunce, Stevens Transportation-Emery, Wilson, Grant Truancy-Mrs. Snow, Harrity, Little
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
CHARLES A. BRECK
Office at High School building. Office hours : 8.00 A. M. to 9.00 A. M .; 3.30 P. M. to 4.30 P. M. daily, except Saturday.
JANITORS
J. Harry Dame, Head Janitor
George E. Horne Charles R. Brackett
Leroy S. Redland
Frank R. Hayes
George M. Rankin
Willis E. Meader
High School Building Allen Building
Maple Street Building School Street Building Gonic Building East Rochester Building Meaderboro Building
195
CITY OF ROCHESTER TRUANT OFFICERS
Martin E. Jones The Janitors of the several school buildings
CONTRACTORS FOR TRANSPORTATION
From September, 1915, to June, 1916
Jesse C. Baker
Ralph A. Hall
Edward Bickford
Joseph O. Hayes
J. Wesley Blaisdell
Mrs. Frank E. Hodgdon
Andrew N. Daggett
Mrs. Addie F. Hussey
George W. Emery
Mrs. Lucy A. Jenness
George Gagne
Charles B. Keyser
A. Roscoe Tuttle
Ezra S. Smart
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Board of Rochester:
I submit herein my first annual report as superin- tendent of schools, it being the twenty-fourth in the series of such reports. I shall attempt only a brief statement, based upon the experience of the past half- year. The report is brought down to March first of the present year.
I was elected superintendent June 18, for the year beginning August 1. Between these dates I was able to command from one to three days a week, which I spent in Rochester, acquainting myself with the needs of the school system.
I should like here to acknowledge the very great kindness and courtesy of my predecessor in office, Mr. Everett A. Pugsley, who during this time, spared no pains to assist me in becoming familiar with the details of the administration of Rochester schools, and who, even after the expiration of his term of office, gave much time to the work of completing and arranging a system of records recently installed.
The duties of superintendent of schools are two- fold, administrative and educational. During the six months covered by this report I have found so many matters claiming my attention as the executive officer of the board that I have made only a beginning of the
197
CITY OF ROCHESTER
work of inspecting and assisting to make more efficient the work of the teachers in the classroom.
My first task was the search for new teachers, to fill vacancies already existing, and those which re- peatedly occurred during the summer. The following list shows the changes which have occurred since the last report.
RESIGNED
SCHOOL
ELECTED
Ralph Whipple John R. King
High School, Science
Fred S. Brock
Commercial
Charles Hainfeld
Ina F. Babbitt
English
Minna G. Boomer
Math.
Helen W. Plumer
Helen C. Stetson Minna G. Boomer Charles Hainfeld Ina B. Libby
Eng. & Hist Commercial
Ethel C. Magoon
Allen, I
Walter L. Harrington Bernice E. Frye Nellie W. Dickey
Lyda M. Lattie
V-VI
Hazel M. Neal
School Street, II
Agnes M. McCarthy
Maude M. Wilmot
Gonic, III
Annie L. Thompson
East Rochester, II
Pauline Sweet (Sub.)
Etta E. Burbank Lyda M. Lattie
VII-VIII
Sara J. Holland
During the summer supplies were purchased for the fall term, competitive bids being first called for from several of the supply houses, and the supplies were delivered directly to the various schoolhouses. By the same methods supplies for the calendar year have been purchased during the month of January, out of the appropriation for this year.
During the summer vacation cement walks were laid at the School street and Maple street schools, greatly improving the buildings and grounds, and pre- venting the washing of the soil by rain from the roofs. New floors were laid at East Rochester, grade I, and at
13a
198
ANNUAL REPORT OF
Meaderboro. The boilers at the Gonic, Allen, and High school, were re-lined with fire-brick. At Gonic the return pipes and flues to the chimney were changed, increasing the efficiency of the heating plant. At School street four sections were replaced in the large boiler, and one in the small boiler. At both the Gonic and High schools new grates were installed. In sev- eral rooms seats were changed so that pupils would not have light coming over the right shoulder. One new room in the Allen building was fitted up for the occu- pancy of the overflow of the fifth and sixth grades, partly by the purchase of new seats and desks, and partly by transfers of furniture from other rooms. During the Christmas holidays new desks and seats were placed in the High school room formerly occupied by the seventh grade, and the furniture removed was used to furnish the small room in the School street school now occupied by the eighth grade.
Some progress has been made in the adequate equipment of the schools with reference and text books. Classes are now furnished with music books and pen- manship manuals, and fairly well equipped with read- ing material. Arithmetics, geographies, histories and grammars are in very poor condition and inadequate in quantity. We shall be able, with the recent appro- priations, to make progress in supplying the deficiences here in the near future. Two new typewriters were purchased for the commercial department during the summer in exchange for out-of-date machines.
I have spent much time, acting as secretary of the committee on new rules and regulations, in collecting and arranging material, and putting it in such shape that it could be discussed by the committee. This work is nearly completed, and the rules and regulations ready for submission to the board.
199
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Following the demand of the state board of health upon the local board for the strict enforcement of the law relating to vaccination, the requirement has been made that every pupil be either vaccinated or present a certificate from a physician saying that he is an unfit subject for vaccination. By direction of the board of health, the few pupils who failed to comply with these requirements were excluded from school. I am able to report at the present time, that compliance with the law has been practicably complete.
We have made provision for the health and com- fort of pupils who remain at the school buildings dur- ing the noon hour by furnishing in some of the build- ings a warm dish to accompany their lunch. Through the generosity of friends of the schools, the Allen, and School street schools have been furnished with simple outfits consisting of oil stove and dish washing and cooking utensils, and a similar outfit has been promised for the East Rochester school. The children co-operate by bringing the dishes needed for their own use and in contributing their share of the food. Such dishes as hot cocoa, soups, and potatoes and eggs cooked in va- rious ways, are prepared to accompany the cold lunch brought by the children. The plan offers an oppor- tunity for instruction in good housekeeping, cooking, care of food and utensils, table manners, and the habit of co-operation.
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