USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > Annual report of the selectmen and other town officers of the town of Bedford, New Hampshire of town affairs and school affairs : for the year ending 1913 > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
REPORT OF THE TRUST FUNDS OF THE TOWN OF BEDFORD, N. H., ON JANUARY 31, 1920.
Date of Creation.
TRUST FUNDS- PURPOSE OF CREATION.
HOW INVESTED.
Amount of Principal.
Rate of Interest.
Balance of Income
on Hand at Begin-
ning of Year.
Income During
Expended During
Balance of Income
on Hand at End
of Year.
Oct. 31, 1888
Bedford, N. H., u/w Adam Chandler Library Fund, No. 47562.
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
$600
4
$24.16
$24.16
Oct. 22, 1898
Barr Cemetery Fund. .
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
300
4
12.08
12.08
Mar. 18, 1901
Bursiel Cemetery Fund.
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
4.03
4.03
Dec. 11, 1903
Shepard Cemetery Fund .
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
200
4
$11.31
8.05
13.00
Mar. 23, 1904
Walker Fund
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
8.90
4.03
3.00
Mar. 21, 1907
Caroline A. Moore Fund.
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
4.03
4.03
Apr. 26, 1907
Susan J. Clark Cemetery Fund. .
Amoskeag
Savings Bank. .
50
4
...
4
4.03 .
4.03
Mar.
9,1909
Sarah H. Clark Cemetery Fund . ... Wm. M. Patten Cemetery Fund. ... Stephen C. Damon Cemetery Fund. .
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
200
4
8.05
8.05
Mar. 16, 1912
Rufus Parkhurst Cemetery Fund. . '
Amoskeag
Savings Bank. .
50
4
1.70
2.01
2.00
1.71
June 27, 1914
Mary E. Parker Cemetery Fund. .
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
.
·
Nov.
5, 1914
Gilman H. Moore New Cem. Fund .. Clement Cemetery Fund .. .
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
4.03
4.03
. ...
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
.....
4.03
4.03
.... .
Oct. 31, 1902
Trustees of New Cemetery David Swett Fund .
Manchester Savings Bank.
150
4
. ..
6.02
6.02
. ....
Dec.
8, 1917
Sturtevant & Moore Cem. Fund ..
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
.....
4.01
4.01
Sept, 21, 1917
Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
200
4
8.04
8.04
Jan. 28, 1919
Thos. L. Burns Cemetery Fund . .. Margaret A. Kittredge Cem. Fund (care Thomas W. Moore lot)
Amoskeag Savings Bank ..
100
4
.....
1.67
. .
. .
July 19, 1919
Harry A. Shepard Cemetery Fund. . Amoskeag Savings Bank. .
100
4
.....
· ... .
.. .
.
-
....
. .
$34.31
$128.47
$131.68
$31.10
...
4
.....
2.01
2.01
Mar. 10, 1909
Sarah Riddle Osgood Cemetery Fund Amoskeag
Amoskeag Savings Bank ..
100
4
12.40
4.03
5.00
11.43
Apr. 13, 1909
Amoskeag Savings Bank ..
200
4
8.05
8.05
.
I have examined the above report and findit correct. WILLIAM B. FRENCH, Auditor.
24
.
.
June 5, 1908
Annie Townsend Cemetery Fund ...
Amoskeag Savings Bank ..
300
12.08
12.08
. .
Savings Bank. .
100
....
4.03
4.03
Apr.
10, 1917
.....
.....
1.67
Year.
Year.
$6.36
9.93
Dec. 31, 1910
25
TRUSTEES' REPORT OF NEW CEMETERY. January 31, 1920.
Receipts.
Appropriation of town
$75.00
From Edmund B. Hull, interest on trust funds. .
52.30
$127.30
Expenditures.
Repairs on lawn mower
$1.50
Plants
1.50
Oil
.15
File
.29
Bolts
.13
Grass seed
.48
C. P. Woodbury, 40 days' labor
120.00
Balance in treasury
3.25
$127.30
Received for cemetery lots-
Max Ramig, 1 lot
$13.00
William Melendy, 2 lots
28.00
Charles E. Saunders, 1 lot
14.00
Eddy L. Conner, 1 lot
14.00
$69.00
Paid town treasurer
$69.00
I have examined the above report and find it correct,
WM. B. FRENCH,
Auditor.
CHARLES P. FARLEY, CHARLES P. WOODBURY, LOUIS GAULT,
Cemetery Trustees.
26
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN.
The annual report of the librarian of the Woodbury Public Library for the year ending February 15, 1920.
No. of volumes in the library Feb. 15, 1919. 2,695
Accession by purchase during the past year 17
Accession by gift during the past year
5.5
Total 2,767
Old books discarded during the year 45
Total No. of books Feb. 15, 1920. 2,722
No. volumes circulated during the year 1,476
No. volumes circulated per month. 123
Magazines have been given by Mrs. Anna G. Holbrook.
No. of books given by-
Mrs. Frances E. Woodbury and Miss Woodbury 25
Willis B. Kendall 12
Mrs. Mary Vose
9
Mrs. Charlotte Woodbury
2
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Hill
2
Miss Mildred Dickey
2
Mrs. Jennie Burleigh
1
Murdock A. Weathers
1
The Library is open on Thursdays and Saturdays at, 2.30 to 4.30, 7.00 to 8.30 P. M.
Among the books on The Great War the fourth volume has been received of the set published by George Barrie's Sons of Philadelphia. These books deal extensively with the causes and motives of the war, the original German plan, the mobilization of the moral and physical forces, and the wavering balance of the forces. One or more volumes are to be received to com- plete the set.
Two other very important works on the war are: "My Four Years in Germany," by our former ambassador, James W. Gerard, and "Belgium," written by Brand Whitlock, the Unit-
27
ed States Minister stationed in Belgium during her years of agony. This is considered the most valuable literary work which has grown out of the war.
Special interest has been shown by the children in the case of birds, the gift of Mrs. Sarah L. Barnard, which was placed in the reading room two years ago. We would suggest that there are several good books available at the library which would aid the study of nature at first hand by quickening the powers of observation thus adding to our pleasure in and our knowledge of the world that lies about us.
Respectfully submitted,
MINNIE F. KING,
Librarian. W. H. ROBERTS, WM. B. FRENCH, ALLEN F. KING, Library Trustees.
TOWN LIBRARY TREASURER'S REPORT.
Receipts.
Mar.
1. Cash on hand $9.66
Aug. 28. From town
90.36
From E. B. Hull, Chandler fund. 24.16
$124.18
Expenditures.
Paid-
May 12. T. L. & Power Co.
$4.96
July 3. T. L. & Power Co. 2.00
Aug. 31. Minnie King 39.45
Oct. 10. T. L. & Power Co.
3.15
Nov. 3. T. L. & Power Co.
1.00
Dec.
2. T. L. & Power Co. 1.00
28
1920.
Jan. 30. B. W. Nichols
$12.00
Feb. 3. T. L. & Power Co. 2.05
17. Minnie King
35.00
$100.61
Cash on hand
23.57
$124.18
WM. B. FRENCH,
Treasurer.
REPORT OF TREASURER OF SCHOOL BOARD.
For year ending Aug. 31, 1919. Teachers' Salaries.
Paid for Fall Term-
Florence L. Truell, grammar school, 13 weeks $232.00
Oliver E. Whipple, primary school, 13 weeks. . 203.00
Esther L. McColough, No. 2, school, 2 weeks .. 28.00
Margaret Dolan, No. 2 school, 2 weeks. 28.00
Rhoda J. Parker, No. 2 school, 3 weeks 39.00
Ines M. Smith, No. 3 school, 12 weeks. 189.00
Mabelle C. Dow, No. 4 school, 1 week. 12.00
Florence E. Landers, No. 4 school, 10 1-5 weeks 170.80 Lucy L. Desmond, No. 5 school, 13 weeks 203.00
Jennie M. Cashion, No. 6 school, 13 weeks ...
188.50
Nettie T. Tarr, No. 8 school, 13 weeks. 217.50
Miriam E. Hadlock, No. 9 school, 12 weeks. 189.00
Ruth E. Smith, No. 11, school, 12 1-5 weeks .. 197.40
$1,897.20
Includes half pay ($205.10) while schools closed by in- fluenza.
Winter Term --- ·
Florence L. Truell, grammar school, 5 weeks. . $80.00 Olive E. Whipple, primary school, 5 weeks .... 70.00
29
Rhoda J. Parker, No. 2 school, 6 weeks $78.00
Ines M. Smith, No. 3 school, 7 weeks. 103.40
Florence E. Landers, No. 4 school, 2 weeks .
28.00
Lucy L. Desmond No. 5 school, 5 weeks. 70.00
Jennie M. Cashion, No. 6 school, 5 weeks 65.00
Nettie T. Tarr, No. 8 school, 5 weeks. 75.00
Miriam E. Hadlock, No. 9 school, 6 weeks .
84.00
Ruth E. Smith, No. 11 school, 6 weeks ... 84.00
Carrie C, Jordan, No.10 special school, 13 weeks
39.00
$776.40
Spring Term-
Florence L. Truell, grammar school, 13 weeks. .
$208.00
Olive E. Whipple, primary school, 13 weeks .. 182.00
Rhoda J. Parker, No. 2 school, 12 weeks. 168.00
Ines M. Smith, No. 3 school, 13 weeks 195.00
Bessie Blake, No. 4 school, 9 weeks. 126.00
Ida M. Wright, No. 4 school, 2 weeks. 28.00
Martha T. Foss, No. 4 school, 5 weeks. 75.00
Lucy L. Desmond, No. 5 school, 13 weeks.
182.00
Jennie M. Cashion, No. 6 school, 13 weeks. . . . 182.00
Nettie T. Tarr, No. 8 school, 13 weeks. 195.00
Miriam E. Hadlock, No. 10 school, 13 weeks .. 182.00
Ruth E. Smith, No. 11 school, 13 weeks. .
182.00
$1,905.00
Tuition at Varney School.
Dorothy Wright, 37 weeks
$24.05
Jane Porter, 12 weeks 7.80
$31.85
Janitors.
Paid for-
Fall term
$30.25
Winter term
19.52
Spring term
49.53
$99.30
30
Fuel.
Paid-
Boys' club, cutting fuel, No. 4. $15.00
W. S. Manning, 61/2 cords wood, Nos. 1 and 9. . 65.00
W. S. Manning, 3.loads kindling, Nos. 1, 5 and 9 $6.50
B. W. Nichols, 2 cords wood, No. 8. 20.00
F. Holmberg, No. 11. 13.50
Arthur Hodgman, 21/2 cords wood. 30.00
W. Melendy, 71/2 cords wood.
90.00
E. B. Hull, 2 cords wood, Nos. 4 and 6 20.00
L. E. Hodgman, No. 10. 8.00
Geo. P. Tarr, 1 cord wood, No. 8.
8.00
Charles Beede, 1 cord wood, No. 11.
10.00
W. S. Manning, kindling, No. 1 and 10. 8.00
Ernest Staples, cutting up tree at No. 4. 5.00
$304.00
Transportation.
Paid No. 2 to No. 1, fall term:
Fred Langevin. 6 pupils, 6 weeks $34.80
Ernest Jenkins, 3 pupils. 11.85
J. Bryant, 1 pupil, 18 days to No. 2. 9.90
J. Bryant, 2 pupils, 5 weeks to No. 9. 51.75
F. Nadeau, 1 pupil, 3 weeks, to No. 9. 2.25
L. E. Hodgman, 2 pupils, 12 weeks, to No. 9 .. 18.00
H. L. Peaslee, 2 pupils to No. 9. 17.25
Lillian R. Dunlap, 2 pupils to Goffstown 31.50
Paid No. 10 to No. 9, winter term-
L. E. Hodgman, 2 pupils, 6 weeks 12.00
H. L. Peaslee, 2 pupils, 6 weeks. 12.00
Abbie C. Sargent, 1 pupil 2 1-5 weeks. 2.20
J. Bryant, 2 pupils to No. 9. 52.50
B. W. Nichols, 1 pupil, 91/2 weeks to No. 8. 9.50
Lillian R. Dunlap, 2 pupils to Goffstown. 48.00
31
Paid No. 9 to No. 10, spring term-
J. Bryant, 4 pupils, 13 weeks
$156.00
F. Parkhurst, 2 pupils. . 25.00
Lillian R. Dunlap, 2 pupils to Goffstown 44.00
$538.50
Miscellaneous.
Paid-
Geo. D. Fitts Co. school order and receipt books $2.25
R. E. Lane, enumeration cards. 1.28
E. A. Stratton, Superintendent's office supplies, report cards, etc. 13.59
H. L. Winslow, telephone, postage, pupils' sup- plies for fair 10.14
H. L. Winslow, telephone, postage and supplies. 6.47
8.46
H. L. Winslow, telephone, postage and supplies A. C. Hodgman, 11 signs, labor, stove pipe, etc. W. S. Manning, glass, flag rope, transporting books and seats, lumber, labor, etc.
26.25
6.39
Kendall, Hadley Co., glass for book case door, No. 8 2.00
C. A. Hoitt, water cooler, No. 4. 1.50
C. A. Hoitt, water cooler, No. 9.
A. J. McKelvie, stove No. 9. 1.20
21.00
Bertha E. French, telephone and postage 2.25
W. S. Manning, telephone and postage 3.50
W. Melendy, telephone and postage. 2.30
Mary E. Manning, postage 3.74
Cleaning school rooms:
Mrs. Bertha E. French, cash paid for No. 1 .... 4.00
Mrs. James Ellison, Nos. 10 and 8, also stove pipe 7.00
Mrs. Mary G. Wright, No. 5 4.00
Mrs. H. Ashburner, No. 4
4.00
Mrs. Mary Lampher, No. 5
5.00
Mrs. Mary Lampher, No. 1 (two rooms, steel ceiling) . . 20.00
·
32
Cleaning vaults-
Geo. Smith, vault and room, No. 11 $3.00
Charles E. Palmer, Nos. 1 and 9. 5.00
W. Bourque, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8. 9 & 11. . W. S. Manning, conveyance school board to su- pervisory meetings at Goffstown and Concord .. Enumeration of pupils
12.00
3.50
15.00
$184.82
REPAIRS ON SCHOOLHOUSES.
Appropriation for 1918.
$200.00
Appropriation for 1919
300.00
Balance from last year .97
$500.97
Paid-
W. S. Manning, stone, lumber, labor and supplies Nos. 3, 4 and 9. . . . J. J. Moreau & Son, hardware ..... W. S. Rainford, mason work No. 4 Wilfrid Bourque, labor No. 4 .. . . . W. Side Lumber Co., lumber, No. 4 J. B. Varick, hardware.
$62.00
9.83
10.90
3.00
48.33
4.00
11.47
J. Hodge, doors, frames, sash, etc. C. A. Hoitt Co., papering No. 4. . J. Hodge, window
5.90
3.30
W. Melendy, labor on schoolhouses 15.00 Manchester Hardware Co., paint, etc. J A. Quade, stove pipe and labor, No. 1 2.00
6.88
A. J. McKelvie, galvanized iron, labor, lock urinal. 7.80
F. Hoffman, glass and labor, No. 11 3.07
H. L. Winslow, 6 urinals 18.00
C. DeMoulpied, 8 shades, No. 11. . 8.00
H. E. Webber, labor Nos. 1, 4 and 11 19.70
1
-
33
Required by state for No. 1:
Mrs. W. B. French, Kaustine toilet $82.15
D. A. Mccullough, windows, lum- ·ber, labor 83.69
W. S. Manning, painting, glazing, cleaning, etc. 35.05
Milton Bradley Co., 4 shades No. 1 10.00
$450.07
Balance unexpended $50.90
Flags.
Appropriation March, 1918
$10.00
Balance from previous year .80
.$10.80
Paid Daniel O'Neil, 2 flags
7.70
Balance unexpended $3.10
Text-Books and Supplies.
Appropriation
$300.00
Balance from previous year 39.16
$339.16
Paid-
The Macmillan Co.
$17.35
The Macmillan Co.
.92
H. L. Winslow 5.53
American Book Co. 7.31
Silver Burdette Co. 4.34
Houghton, Mifflin Co. 5.02
Ed. E. Babb & Co.
4.33
Ginn & Co.
3.20
D. McNetton & Co. 100.00
The Macmillan Co. 6.22
W. D. Miller
2.00
World Book Co. 2.07
Indiana University Bookstore
.68
34
Paid-
MI. Bradley Co. $7.20
Florence L. Truell, graduation supplies 4.65
$170.82
Balance unexpended $168.34
High School Tuition.
Appropriation
$500.00
Balance from previous year 88.36
$588.36
Paid Manchester High school:
Fall term, 7 pupils. $157.50
Winter term, ? pupils 105.00
Spring term, ? pupils 122.50
Amherst High school:
Two pupils, one year 110.00
Milford High school:
One pupil, one year
55.00
550.00
Balance unexpended School Officers.
$38.36
Appropriation March, 1918
$375.00
Extra appropriation, 1919
(spring
term) 101.33
Received from state for superinten- dent's salary 350.00
Balance from previous year
16.27
Paid-
Supt. H. L. Winslow $700.00
School Board:
W. Melendy 45.00
Bertha E. French 20.00
W. S. Manning 45.00
Mary E. Manning, treasurer 20.00
Samuel Ray, truant officer 12.60
$842.60
$842.60
35
Finances. For year ending August 31, 1919. Current Revenue.
From state:
Literary fund
$143.00
District superintendent 350.00
Support of schools
420.50
$913.50
From town tax for schools:
Required by law
$2,025.00
Voted extra school meeting, 1918 .. 2,050.00
Voted extra school meeting, 1919 .. 700.00
Voted district officers' salaries 375.00
Voted for repairs, 1918. 200.00
Voted for repairs, 1919. 300.00
Raised for books and supplies
300.00
Raised for high school tuition. . . 500.00
Raised for flags
10.00
6,460.00
Dog licenses
249.00
Book sold
.40
$7,622.90
Cash on hand Sept. 1, 1918
173.59
$7,796.49
Ordinary Current Expenses.
Administration:
Salaries of school board.
$110.00
Salaries of treasurer and truant of-
ficer 32.60
Superintendent's salary
700.00
Other expenses
47.48
$890.08
36
Instruction:
Teachers' salaries
$4,578.60
High school tuition 550.00
Text-books and pupil's supplies 170.82
Elementary school tuition 31.85
Flags and appurtenances
7.70
$5,338.97
Operation and Maintenance:
Janitor service
$99.30
Fuel
304.00
Minor repair of buildings.
210.18
Repair and replacement of equip- ment
43.70
Other expenses of operation.
106.64
763.82
Special Activities:
Transportation pupils
$538.50
1
Enumeration
15.00
553.50
Extraordinary outlay for construction and equipment: Alteration old buildings. $203.89
New equipment
18.00
221.89
$7,768.26
Cash on hand August 31, 1919
28.23
$7,796.49
Respectfully submitted,
MARY E. MANNING,
Treasurer.
I have examined the above report and find it correct,
WM. B. FRENCH, Auditor.
37
Financial Statement. September 1, 1919 to January 1, 1920.
Receipts.
Cash on hand
$28.23
Received from town treasurer. 4,051.00
$4,079.23
Expenditures.
Teachers' salaries (16 weeks).
$2,502.50
Varney school, tuition
18.85
Junior high, tuition (Varney)
24.00
Manchester high school
24.00
State supervision
519.50
Flags and appurtenances
2.75
Conveyance
116.15
Janitors
48.00
Cleaning school rooms
17.00
Enumeration pupils
15.00
Enumeration cards
1.83
Telephone, postage, etc.
12.05
Janitors' supplies
45.87
Repairs
176.12
Wood
190.00
Books and supplies
234.61
Warning posts
2.50
Stationery and programs
10.33
3,961.06
Balance on hand
$118.17
Due from town treasurer
3,690.00
Due from dog licenses (1920) estimate.
200.00
Due from state
1,253.45
$5,261.62
38
REPORT OF SCHOOL BOARD.
The annual meeting of the school district was held in the. town hall on the afternoon of March twenty-eighth at two o'clock. After the reading of the warrant calling for the. meeting, Mr. Edmund B. Hull was re-elected moderator, Mr. Frank E. Manning, clerk, and Miss Mary E. Manning, treas- urer for the ensuing year.
Mrs. Bertha E. French was re-elected a member of the school board for the ensuing three years.
A change was made in our supervisory district by adding the town district of Goffstown, thus forming the district of Goffs- town (Independent), Goffstown (Town), New Boston and Bedford. At the meeting of district Mr. Melendy of Bedford was re-elected chairman, Mrs. Read of New Boston, secretary,. and Mrs. Wheeler of Goffstown (Independent), treasurer. The office of vice-chairman was created and Mr. Whitney of Goffs- town (Town) was elected.
Mr. Howard Winslow was re-elected superintendent of the. district.
The Bedford school board met on March twenty-eighth and organized as follows: Chairman, William S. Manning; clerk, William Melendy.
Harry D. Hilchey was appointed truant officer for the en -- suing year.
In accordance with instructions from the State Department a new toilet was put in at No. one and more windows put in the upper grade room, thus making the required temporary improvements in the sanitary condition of the school building ..
Number three was painted inside. Number six having been broken into during vacation, required two new windows. These were provided.
At Number eight an extra toilet was placed, the building painted inside and a jacket put on the stove.
Following is the required annual report of the school board to the district, stating amount of money needed for support of schools and for statutory requirements.
39
1. Amount of money required by law ($3.50 on each $1,000 of the 1920 inventory).
2. Statement in detail of the additional amount of money required for the support of schools, and payment of statutory obligations for the ensuing fiscal year.
Elementary High Schools.
Schools.
I. Budget (School Money).
$7,950.00
(a) . For support of schools. (This is school money and may ·be used for maintaining schools including the purchase of fuel and other supplies, the trans- portation of pupils and inci- dental repairs not exceeding 5% of school money.)
(b) For purchase of textbooks and scholars' supplies 300.00
(c) For the purchase of flags and appurtenances 15.00
(d) For the payment of tuitions at high schools and academies ....
1,000.00
(e) Total amount required for above items 8,265.00 1,000.00
(f) Estimate of amount of a $5 tax on the 1920 inventory .... 5,287.48
II. Requirements to Meet Budget.
(a) For support of elementary schools. .. (If the amount required for elementary schools is more than the amount of a $5 tax-the amount of a $5 tax should be re- ported-otherwise the amount required.)
(b) For support of high school or payment of high school tuitions (Ordinarily districts that support a high school do not pay tuitions. Both items might be required.)
5,287.48
1,000.00
40
High Schools.
Total for support of all schools (School money ) $9,265.00
III. School Board Report of Assessment Required.
(1) For the support of schools and the pur- chase of required books, supplies and flags, and the payment of high school tuitions 6,602.48 .
Estimate of $3.50 tax on 1920 inventory $3,701.24
Estimate of additional sums needed 2,901.24
(2) For the payment of the per capita tax (statutory) 520.00
(3) For the payment of debt (statutory). 264.96
Respectfully submitted,
.
WILLIAM S. MANNING, Term expires 1920.
WILLIAM MELENDY, Term expires 1921. BERTHA E. FRENCH, Term expires 1922.
School Board of Bedford.
Goffstown, N. H., February 2, 1920. To the School Board and Citizens of Bedford:
I have the honor of submitting my third annual report as superintendent of schools. In my last report I called atten- tion to the difficulties surrounding the schools owing to the war, and had hoped to see those difficulties removed. Instead the difficulties have multiplied. The scarcity of teachers was, is and will continue to be worse. The epidemic raised havoc with attendance and yet we have kept the schools open and can report 91% of attendance for the year 1918-19 and a re- duction of the tardy marks to 293. A very good showing.
Schools opened this year with Mrs. Tarr, Miss Cashion, Mrs.
41
Smith, Miss Whipple, Miss Smith and Miss Parker, back in their former positions, and later Miss Landers returned. Bed- ford has not seen so few changes in teachers in recent years, seven out of ten teachers returning. The work being done in our schools clearly shows the wisdom of keeping tried and faithful teachers. We have been more fortunate than many of the districts, and indeed New Hampshire has been more for- tunate than many of the states as witness the statements of state superintendent of Maine, in the Boston Herald of De- cember 28, last, and the proclamations of the governors of New Jersey and Ohio to their people. So fortunate, in fact, have we been, that many citizens do not yet realize that there is, and will be, a shortage until we make compensation and living conditions sufficiently attractive to retain competent teachers and to induce others to train for the work. This we are not doing and the following facts secured by the State Board of Education of your own state ought to bring this forcibly to your minds, and as Chairman Streeter says -* "Un- less our public schools can be provided with competent teach- ers, we may as well voluntarily petition ourselves into educa- tional bankruptcy. Schools and schoolhouses without teach- ers need no administration."
Statistics from 203 school districts of the state show the average wage of their 788 teachers in mixed schools (like our own) to be $532. This for 1919-20, not before the war. "Com- pare the foregoing wages paid the women to whom we entrust the care and development of the minds of our children during the tenderest years of educational growth, with the average annual wages paid to women employees in the ordinary work of the largest cotton mill in this state for the years 1913 and 1919." In 1913 for a 58-hour week and in 1919 for a 48-hour week.
1913
1919
Spinners (cotton)
$440.34
$863.62
Drawing in
503.67
948.48
Weavers
557.96
1,045.62
*Quotations are from "New Hampshire's New School Law" and pam- phlet issued by the State Board of Education.
1
42
"You will note that they are now receiving almost twice as much as more than one-third of our entire body of elementary school teachers." Girls in domestic service in New Hampshire are receiving, including board, $760 to $884 as an annual wage. Is it any wonder that teachers are "restless!" You may complain that the outlay for your schools is large but it must be very plain that the outlay cannot be reduced by hiring cheaper teachers. Such do not exist.
We are working this year for the first time under the new school law for New Hampshire. It would be impossible in this short report to analyze it in full, but there are several sec- tions upon which I desire to comment, for this law is expected to equalize opportunities for every child in the state because the "school board of every district shall provide standard ele- mentary schools," and a standard school is thus defined by the law: 1. "Maintained for at least thirty-six weeks in each year, (2) in a suitable and sanitary building, (equipped with approved furniture, books, maps and other necessary appli- ances, (4) taught by an approved teacher, (5) directed and su- pervised by an approved superintendent, (6) with suitable pro- vision for the care of the health and physical welfare of all pupils."
In detail we are meeting these qualifications as follows: 1. We shall meet in full this year. 2. The policy of steady improvement in school buildings which your school board adopted a few years ago will enable Bedford to put its build- ings into "suitable and sanitary" condition at less expense than many towns, yet it means that unless Bedford consoli- dates some of its schools that a larger amount must be spent in repairs, for the State Board of Education rules that a "suit- able and sanitary building must be lighted from the left and rear, that the ratio of window area shall be not less than one to five. (Not a building in town fully meets the requirements as to light.) Equipment for heating must be adequate to fur- nish a minimum temperature of 68 degrees and ventilation without direct drafts." Stoves at No. 2 and No. 3 are not yet jacketed but the jackets now in use at No. 1 can be used for
43
those stoves when they are no longer needed in their pres- ent position. Toilets must be located in buildings free from obscene markings and furnishing proper privacy. The vaults must be fly proof and properly ventilated, etc. To meet this requirement the toilets at No. 3, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 11 will have to be remodeled and attached. Those of No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 have recently been improved and approved. Floors must be in good condition and oiled or swept with some dust-laying compound. Walls must be in good condition and of some light color. Papered walls have only temporary approval. Several of our buildings need retouching on the interior and three at least have papered walls. Water for drinking must be provided in a properly covered receptacle with faucet or bubbler. Facilities for washing hands must also be provided. Common towels or drinking cups are pro- hibited by regulations of the State Board of Health.
The above conditions must be met whether or not a town votes to accept state aid and no state aid will be paid until they are reasonably met. Commenting on the above, Commis- sioner Butterfield remarks: "This list of minimum require- ments for temporary approval is intended to cover only such changes as are required to make schoolhouses decent and safe for children. These regulations will require the adoption of a progressive plan of schoolhouse betterment."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.