USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Rochester > Annual report of the city of Rochester, New Hampshire : for the year ending 1922 > Part 9
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The motor truck at Central Station has been painted this year, which makes a big improvement in its looks.
The fire alarm has been improved some this year. We have put up new wire and cross arms from the Common on Hancock Street to Box No. 47.
We have laid a new line from the railroad crossing on Wakefield Street to Glenwood Avenue to the new Box No. 38.
We would recommend that the city purchase a triple combination pumping engine chemical and hose car. The Underwriters inform us that the water pressure from our hydrant is not sufficient to fight a large fire.
Last year we recommended two small motor trucks for Cocheco and Torrent Station and we recommend the same this year, for they draw their wagons by hand, and it is almost impossile to get horses when we have an alarm, especially in the night when we need them the most.
193
CITY OF ROCHESTER
In behalf of the Fire Department, I will take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to all those who have been so kind and have given to the Depart- ment to show that they appreciate their good work.
In behalf of the Board of Engineers, I will take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to all the officers and members of the Fire Department for the promptness in which they have discharged their duties during the past year.
In conclusion we wish to extend our thanks to the Mayor and City Council for what they have done to assist the Department during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN F. NUTE, Chief Engineer of the Fire Department.
ROCHESTER FIRE ALARM
16 North Main street, corner Bridge street.
17 Main street, corner Congress street.
21 River street, corner Lafayette street.
23 Waldron avenue, corner Chestnut street.
24 Pine street, corner Brattle street.
25 North Main street, near Rochester Grocery Co.'s store.
27 North Main street, opposite North street.
31 Wakefield street, near schoolhouse.
32 Upper Wakefield street, between Pleasant and Orchard streets.
33 Hanson street, near the Rochester Hotel.
34 Summer street, near Stone House.
35 Portland street, near Gerrish court.
194
ANNUAL REPORT
36 King street, corner Court street.
37 Foot of Silver street.
38 Glenwood avenue.
41 South Main street, near Wallace's shop.
43 Upham street, near Lincoln street.
47 Foot of Charles street, near electric car barn.
52 Charles street, corner May street.
54 Charles street, corner Woodman street.
SIGNALS
1 Engineer's test.
2 Fire all out.
6 Brush fire or fire at a distance.
22-22 Two blasts on the fire alarm repeated once will be the signal for no school.
Telephone service for calling the Chief En- gineer at Fire Station, call 89; residence, 251-Y.
Report of City Solicitor
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester:
Gentlemen :- It is with the utmost satisfaction that in view of the large amount of constructive work per- formed, and permanent improvements made by the City Departments during the present year, involving care and skill and the keeping of many contracts and agreements, we are able to report that no suits have been begun, none of the public money has been ex- pended in lawsuits, and the city is now free from lit- igation.
ELMER J. SMART,
Solicitor.
Rochester, N. H., December 9, 1922.
-
Report of Board of Health
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester :
We herewith submit our report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
Number of contagious or infectious dis- eases reported :
Diphtheria (with 3 deaths),
12
Scarlet fever,
12
Measles, 10
Infantile paralysis,
3
Number of deaths from all causes (not in- cluding stillbirths),
156
Number of stillbirths,
7
Number of deaths from tuberculosis,
10
Number of houses fumigated,
20
Number of rooms fumigated,
75
Number of complaints investigated,
55
Number of dead animals taken care of,
22
Respectfully submitted, D. L. STOKES, M. D., 1
FORREST L. KEAY, M. D., JOHN I. RANKIN,
Board of Health.
Report of Overseer of Poor
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council of the City of Rochester:
The following is a list of names of City Poor and the amount furnished each, for the year ending De- cember 31, 1922:
Nettie Bickford,
$152 00
Mrs. David Morin,
844 11
Mrs. Louis Cormier,
120 00
Peter Burank,
19 00
Mrs. D. Lessard,
120 00
Mrs. C. W. Tarbox,
288 00
Annie Ross,
141 00
Sarah McCallion,
72 00
Henry Perreault,
310 00
Henry W. Kimball,
16 50
Beatrice and Ann Sylvain,
312 00
Harry Baxter,
134 43
Helen Wilkinson,
120 00
Mrs. Ernest J. Foss,
10 00
Alfred Sylvain,
120 00
Mrs. Frank Dodge,
47 00
Mrs. L. J. McNish,
130 00
Frank S. Edgerly,
92 00
Arthur Lavertue,
72 00
Albert Howard,
5 00
James Elliott,
273 00
Helen Morrill,
15 60
Mrs. Otis Thomas,
21 20
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ANNUAL REPORT
Frank Canney,
$74 50
Medical supplies,
2 10
$3,511 44
Amount furnished dependent soldiers,
579 71
Total amount expended,
$4,091 15
Amount of appropriation,
3,500 00
Amount expended over appropriation,
$591 15
Respectfully submitted,
FORREST L. KEAY,
Overseer of Poor.
Report of the Trustees OF THE
Rochester Public Library 1922
At a meeting of the Trustees of the Rochester Pub- lic Library, December 29, 1922, it was voted that the report of the Secretary, Librarian and Treasurer be presented to the City Council as the annual report of the Trustees for the year 1922.
Rochester Public Library, 1922
TRUSTEES
WILLIAM K. KIMBALL, ex-officio
HORACE L. WORCESTER,
Term expires 1922
WILLIS MCDUFFEE,
1922
FRED P. MEADER,
1923
SIDNEY B. HAYES,
1923
JOHN YOUNG,
1924
HARRY MEADER,
1924
TREASURER JOHN L. COPP
LIBRARIAN LILLIAN E. PARSHLEY
ASSISTANTS
E. VELMA FOSS M. FELICE BARIL
BARBARA D. CORSON
EXTRA ASSISTANT H. NORA GAYDON AGENCIES
Nora Elliott, George H. Marsh, Bertha E. Allen,
East Rochester Gonic Walnut Grove
Report of Library Trustees
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council :
Gentlemen :- I have the honor to present the twenty- ninth annual report of the trustees of the Rochester Public Library, also the librarian's and treasurer's report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
It is a pleasure for the trustees to report to the City Council and to the citizens of Rochester the con- tinued interest manifested by the people of our city in the Public Library and with this increased interest comes a demand for more room and an increase to the steel shelving to accommodate the books, also two new desks are needed. It has also been suggested that the lecture room be furnished with tables and steel shelv- ing and used as a reference room.
With these needed additions in view we have saved a balance of $394.21.
During the two years of the administration of the Hon. William K. Kimball many needed repairs have been made on the library building, such as the new slate roof, painting the lecture room, gallery and li- brarian's room, repairing the ceiling in the lecture room and many other needed repairs.
The building is the property of the city and should be properly cared for.
During the coming year the window sills should be repaired and the sash painted also the woodwork of the window which was placed in the roof when it was slated as well as other repairs which the mayor and council deem necessary.
203
CITY OF ROCHESTER
The trustees do not ask for an increase in the appropriation this year but in order to maintain the library and continue its usefulness to the public, we do ask that the appropriation be the same as last year, $6,700.
We would respectfully refer you to the report of the librarian, who will give in detail what has been accomplished during the year.
The trustees wish to express their appreciation of the librarian and assistants in their endeavor to sat- isfy the many wants of the patrons of the library.
For the Trustees,
JOHN YOUNG, Secretary.
December 29, 1922.
Report of Librarian
To the Board of Trustees of the Rochester Public Library:
Gentlemen :- That you may have a complete report of the work of the library for the year 1922 I present to you at this time a complete ensemble of those facts and figures which have been presented to you at each of your meetings during the year.
THE YEAR'S GROWTH
Whole number of volumes January 1, 1922, 22,660
Volumes purchased, 492
Gifts received,
63
Periodicals bound,
57
612
Number of volumes worn out, lost,
destroyed or withdrawn, 70
Net gain for the year, 542
Total number of accessioned volumes in the
library, 23,202
In addition to volumes accessioned there have been 484 pictures added to the picture collection and about 1,000 pamphlets and periodicals filed that they may be accessible when needed.
THE YEAR'S WORK
Entire circulation for the year, 71,636
Number of books given out from the main library, 68,758
205
CITY OF ROCHESTER
Number from East Rochester Agency,
1,346
Number given out from Gonic Agency, 1,191
Number of books given out from Walnut Grove Station, 341
Number of volumes given out from child-
ren's room,
19,856
Number of volumes sent to agencies,
2,136
READERS AND STUDENTS
As heretofore there has been no record kept of books read or used in the rooms or of the time spent in assisting students.
Number of readers and students counted at the main library, 22,211
Number counted in children's room,
12,195
Number of readers at Gonic Agency, 358
Figures may give you some idea of the work accom- plished but there is no way to measure the real re- sults. An attempt has been made by means of the press to keep the public informed of what the library is doing and what it would like to do. New and spe- cial books have been noted from time to time and reading lists prepared and printed.
In order that the children may realize that the library is really a friendly sort of a place, in spite of the strict discipline it is necessary to enforce, it seems wise to sometimes lift the bans. This has been done by an occasional afternoon program by or for the chil- dren. During the last three years "Children's Book Week" in November has been given over to the enter- tainment and instruction of the children in bookish lore and ways. This year Miss Phyllis Bliss with her story telling, Charles Colman, Jr., with his violin, and
-
206
ANNUAL REPORT
Elizabeth Ruel with her recitations assisted the li- brary staff in entertaining the children of the city.
The fact was fully demonstrated however that the library is no longer large enough for the children of Rochester, for they not only filled the library but over- flowed into the street, to the probable discomfort of the neighbors and it was only by the quiet manner and low voice of the story teller, that any sort of order could be brought out of the chaos.
NEEDS
To the library staff, who, day by day are trying to serve the citizens of Rochester to the best of their ability, as well as to maintain that high standard of organization necessary in a well ordered library, three things are evident-
One, is the need of a larger reference room. Nearly every afternoon during the school year, every avail- able spot is filled with school students. Much better work might be done and a larger number accom- modated if, the lecture room, which is only used occasionally, could be fitted up as a reference room.
Another need-is more shelf room. Every shelf on the main floor is crowded and there are no spare shelves in the basement. In order to keep the library in good order and so place the books that they may be accessible, it is necessary to add shelves in stack room, reference room, children's room and basement. This congestion could be relieved in part by placing stacks in the front basement. The library must keep on adding books but it is a difficult matter to take care of them.
The lack of proper equipment has long been ap- parent to the staff. The library is a very busy place
207
CITY OF ROCHESTER
during the hours it is open. The preparation and care of books, the necessary clerical work and the many things which have to be done each day is often a ques- tion of where and how, as well as of ways and means. The shorter the day the more work has to be crowded into that day. Efficiency should be the watch word of a library as well as of a business.
Two desks are very much needed, one for the li- brarian's office, the other for two assistants at the delivery counter as well as some arrangement for the preservation of valuable records.
GIFTS
In addition to the usual gifts from libraries, schools, publishers, institutions, state and government, have been many gifts from individuals. The names of Mrs. Anna S. Allen, Mrs. S. F. Bennett, Mrs. Henry Bliss, Mrs. Abbie McD. Chase, Mr. Wilbur Duntley, Mr. John Horne, Mr. Ralph Howard, Mrs. Sarah Hoyt, Miss Jeanie Kier, the late Miss Ruth McDuffee, Mrs. G. E. Mott, Rev. C. E. Peaslie, Sister Mary, Mr. Ha- ven Nutter, Mrs. Leslie P. Snow, Mrs. Hannah Tilton, Mrs. W. E. Turner, Mrs. N. E. Varney, Mrs. Fannie Wallace, Mrs. Ella Waterhouse being among the donors.
Among the unusual gifts was an American flag with thirteen stars; papers and other war material of the Red Cross ; The Blue Book of Hayti; a stereoscope and one hundred views ; the portrait of the late Mr. W. W. Allen, one of the trustees who did so much toward establishing the library; two paintings by Rochester artists, one by Mr. Wilbur Duntley, the other by Mr. Haven Nutter; the subscription to the New York Times, a gift of the Rochester Woman's Club; and the
208
ANNUAL REPORT
plants which were so much admired in the garden, the gift of Mrs. Fannie Wallace.
The work of the year has been made much more diffi- cult by changes in the library staff. The resignation of Mrs. Maude McClelland, who for nine years had been chief assistant and held a very important place not only among the staff but in the regard of the patrons, and that of Miss Walker, who for several years had held the position of extra assistant, left serious vacancies and made it necessary to employ two inexperienced girls. However the faithful and har- monious work of the entire staff and the patience of the public have helped the work to go on without apparent change.
The kindness of the trustees in allowing Miss Foss and Miss Baril to attend the session of the Library Summer School which was held at Durham last sum- mer, has been amply repaid in their greater interest in and knowledge of library work and administration.
They join with me in thanking the trustees for this and other kindnesses. I would also express at this time my appreciation to the trustees and to all who have contributed to the library or helped in the work of the year.
Respectfully submitted,
LILLIAN E. PARSHLEY, Librarian.
December 29, 1922.
209
CITY OF ROCHESTER ADDITIONAL STATISTICS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST
Population of Rochester, 9,037
Terms of use. Free to residents
Total number of registered borrowers,
8,934
Number of agencies,
2
Number of house stations,
1
Number on library staff, regular,
4
Number on library staff, extra,
1
Number of days open to the public during
year,
303
Number of volumes of fiction loaned,
41,704
Number of volumes of non-fiction loaned,
29,932
Average daily circulation,
236
Largest number any one day,
570
Smallest number,
34
Circulation per capita,
73/4
Number of volumes given out to teachers for school work, 420
Number of pamphlets, unbound magazines and pictures circulated, 3,454
Number of so-called standard fiction cir- culated, 2,124
Number of books sent to Gonic,
1,101
Number sent to East Rochester,
752
Number sent to Walnut Grove,
183
Largest number of readers any one day,
286
Increase in readers over last year,
877
Number of books catalogued,
582
Number of books rebound,
701
Number of books repaired at library,
11,261
Number of periodicals and pamphlets filed,
929
Number of reserve postals sent, 1,376
Number of pictures mounted, 484
210
ANNUAL REPORT
CIRCULATION BY CLASSES
Library
East Rochester
Gonic
Walnut Grove
Total
Fiction
40,054
659
692
299
41,704
Juvenile
18,589
641
371
39
19,640
Biography
495
7
502
Periodicals
3,971
100
2
4,073
General Works
283
283
Philosophy
245
2
247
Religion
235
235
Sociology
616
616
Philology
120
120
Science
378
7
1
1
387
Useful Arts
620
6
3
629
Fine Arts
504
1
505
Literature
1,230
13
5
1,248
History
1,418
18
11
1,447
Total
68,758
1,346
1,191
341
71,636
211
CITY OF ROCHESTER
CIRCULATION 1920 TO 1922
1920
1921
1922
Fiction
37,872
42,677
41,704
Juvenile
18,824
21,936
19,640
Biography
504
392
502
Periodicals
4,046
3,974
4,073
General Works
69
36
283
Philosophy
218
118
247
Religion
177
166
235
Sociology
598
523
616
Philology
100
49
120
Science
444
288
387
Useful Arts
785
480
629
Fine Arts
479
595
505
Literature
1,183
1,098
1,248
History
1,473
1,284
1,447
66,772
73,616
71,636
212
ANNUAL REPORT
JUVENILE CIRCULATION 1920, 1921, 1922
1920
1921
1922
Juvenile
16,612
20,090
18,090
Biography
94
95
46
Periodicals
767
530
479
General Works
1
12
215
Philosophy
11
11
4
Religion
47
42
26
Sociology
226
323
225
Philology
Science
126
108
83
Useful Arts
129
123
81
Fine Arts
147
164
148
Literature
190
201
193
History
236
221
266
Total
18,586
21,920
19,856
Readers
11,296
11,386
12,195
213
CITY OF ROCHESTER
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR 1922
Amount of money on hand January 1, 1922, $10 19
Received from Rochester Woman's Club, 12 00
Reecived from out of town patrons,
13 00
Received from fines, damages and other
sources,
196 06
Total receipts,
$231 25
Turned over to John L. Copp, treasurer,
$217 00
Cash on hand,
14 25
$231 25
Respectfully submitted,
LILLIAN E. PARSHLEY, Librarian.
PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIPTS
Bequests
Jennie Farrington Annex Fund,
$1,000 00
Interest to January 1, 1923,
40 40
Olive Maria Woodward Fund,
100 00
Interest to January 1, 1923,
4 04
$1,144 44
214
ANNUAL REPORT
Receipts
Balance in treasury January 1, 1922,
$32 82
Appropriation from city,
6,700 00
Received from librarian, fines,
217 00
Interest from Jennie Farrington fund,
40 40
$6,990 22
Expenditures
Books, general fund,
$897 41
Books, Jennie Farrington Annex fund,
40 40
Periodicals,
213 20
Binding,
393 62
Printing,
246 35
Supplies and incidentals,
.
252 69
Furnishings,
93 73
Repairs,
17 89
Lighting and supplies,
210 42
Telephone,
37 15
Expenses of two assistants at summer school,
50 00
Decorating building for the anniversary of Rochester,
15 00
Expenses at Gonic Agency :
Salaries,
$50 00
Periodicals,
11 50
Lighting,
11 00
Transportation of books,
11 00
Fuel,
3 00
Insurance,
1 30
Total,
$87 80
CITY OF ROCHESTER
215
Salaries for 1922 to include janitor,
4,040 35
Balance on hand,
394 21
$6,990 22
I have examined the receipts and expenditures of the financial reports of the Librarian, Lillian E. Parshley, and the Treasurer, John L. Copp. I find them cor- rectly cast and properly vouched.
JOHN YOUNG, Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
Rochester, N. H., December 29, 1922.
Annual Report
OF THE
School Board of the City of Rochester
NEW HAMPSHIRE
For the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1922
At a meeting of the School Board of Rochester, Jan- uary 18, 1923, the annual report of the Superintendent of Schools was accepted and ordered printed as the report of the School Board to the City Council and to the citizens of the city.
ALFRED W. SMITH,
Secretary. Rochester, N. H., January 19, 1923.
School Board, City of Rochester
AS ORGANIZED FOR 1922
CHAIRMAN
HON. WILLIAM K. KIMBALL
Ward One
GEORGE F. WILSON
JAMES C. PRINGLE
Ward Two
MILES H. DUSTIN
SARAH E. KENDALL
Ward Three
MYRON I. JENNESS
GRANVILLE F. GRANT
Ward Four
LOUIS S. BERGERON
JOSEPH J. LETOURNEAU
Ward Five
EDITH BALL SAMPSON
RALPH E. CAME
Ward Six
.
HENRY K. Dow
ANNIE WALLACE
220
ANNUAL REPORT STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance-Mayor, Grant, Came.
Teachers and Salaries-Came, Dustin, Wilson, Dow, Wallace.
Studies and Textbooks-Dow, Wallace, Kendall. Schoolhouses and Grounds-Wilson, Dustin, Grant. Printing and Supplies-Bergeron, Sampson, Kendall. Transportation-Jenness, Pringle, Letourneau. School Attendance-Pringle, Bergeron, Jenness.
School Board, City of Rochester
AS ORGANIZED FOR 1923
CHAIRMAN
HON. FREDERIC E. SMALL
Ward One
JAMES C. PRINGLE C. GARFIELD HURD
Ward Two
SARAH E. KENDALL MILES H. DUSTIN
Ward Three
GRANVILLE F. GRANT J. LEVI MEADER
Ward Four
MARY DUVAL LOUIS S. BERGERON
Ward Five . . {
RALPH E. CAME ARCHER H. FOWNES
Ward Six
ANNIE WALLACE AMELIA B. OSGOOD
222
ANNUAL REPORT
STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance-Mayor, Meader, Bergeron.
Teachers and Salaries-Dustin, Grant, Pringle, Os- good, Fownes.
Studies and Textbooks-Wallace, Kendall, Osgood. Schoolhouses and Grounds-Dustin, Grant, Hurd. Printing and Supplies-Fownes, Came, Wallace. Transportation-Meader, Pringle, Duval.
School Attendance-Meader, Came, Kendall.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND SECRE- TARY OF THE BOARD
ALFRED WARREN SMITH
Office at High School Building. Office hour: 4.00 to 5.00 P. M., on school days; 8.30 to 12.00 A. M., on Saturdays, except vacations. Residence, 65 Congress Street.
SECRETARY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
MYRTLE M. LOWE
Office hours : 8 to 11.30 A. M .; 1.00 to 5.00 P. M.
ATTENDANCE OFFICER JOHN I. RANKIN
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Board of Rochester:
I herewith submit to you and to the citizens of Rochester my fourth annual report, it being the thirty- first in the series of such reports.
ATTENDANCE
During the last school year we made another notable gain in attendance and punctuality. The per cent. of attendance was 94.7; the number of tardinesses was 949. These figures are for all schools, including the High School-a total average membership of 1,222 pupils. There was less than one tardiness a day; in other words, there was absolutely no tardinesses on many days. A comparison with former years shows more clearly the gain we have made:
Per Cent.of attendance
No. of tardinesses
1918-1919
89.3
2,532
1919-1920
92.5
2,226
1920-1921
93.6
1,378
1921-1922
94.7
949
This is a record of which we may well feel proud. It was brought about by a consistent campaign in all the rooms. Attendance reports are sent by the ele- mentary teachers every four weeks to the superin- tendent's office. His secretary then prepares a mimeo-
224
ANNUAL REPORT
graphed sheet on which all the rooms are arranged in the order of their rank according to per cent. of attendance for the month. They are also arranged in a second column according to number of tardinesses per pupil, those with no tardinesses being at the top. There is a keen desire among the pupils to find their room at the top of each list when the reports are received each month. Most of the teachers have sup- plementary devices also. The effective work of the attendance officer has been of great assistance, too. In the High School absences have to be made up and tardinesses are severely penalized.
SCHOOLHOUSE IMPROVEMENTS
Additional slate blackboards were installed in the Allen and School Street Schools. All the schools are now fully equipped with slate blackboards. These are better for the eyes of the pupils and give better and longer service. They also permit the use of hard chalk, the dust from which is not as injurious as that from the softer chalk which has to be used on other kinds of board.
The first grade and fourth grade rooms at School Street were furnished with adjustable seats and desks. They are of the single pedestal type which makes it possible to sweep the floor more easily and thoroughly. Sixteen of the twenty-nine elementary school-rooms now in use have adjustable seats and desks. By taking two rooms a year at an annual expense of about $1,000 we can in about six years have suitable furniture for every pupil.
A section of new cement walk, forty feet long, was laid in front of the Allen School. The old concrete
225
CITY OF ROCHESTER
walk was so badly broken as to be dangerous.
The Meaderboro School was painted inside. This building is now in first-class condition.
The walls and ceilings of two rooms at Gonic were tinted. One of these rooms had never been painted; the other was disfigured by leaks.
Electric lights were put in the Allen and East Roch- ester Schools. One light was put in each class-room over the teacher's desk. The basements and corridors were also lighted. At East Rochester the hall and entrances are lighted so that the building can be used evenings. All the buildings are now equipped with electric lights except Gonic. The basement only of this school was lighted last year. The building, how- ever, was completely wired when it was built, so that at a very small expense lights can be installed in the class-rooms.
EVENING SCHOOL
The total enrollment in the evening school, 95, is less than that of last year, 153, but on the other hand we have maintained our membership better. By Jan- uary 1 last year we had lost 60 pupils. This year we have lost only 20. There are now (Jan. 1, 1923) 75 members, 40 in the elementary department and 35 in the secondary. The secondary department consists of those who are studying shorthand, typewriting, and arithmetic. This year these pupils were each asked to pay a registration fee of $2.00. One dollar will be returned at the end of the year to those whose attend- ance has been regular. This fee has had the effect of stabilizing the attendance somewhat. Those who had no serious purpose have been kept out; those who come want to attend regularly enough to get their
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