USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Newmarket > Reports of the Town officers of Newmarket, New Hampshire 1919-1921 > Part 7
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Frank Felix, labor,
10 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
10 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
50 00
George Smith, labor,
20 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
22 00
Chester Knight, labor,
25 00
Thomas Iveson, labor,
24 00
John Ryan, labor,
21 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
24 00
Albert Gagnon, labor,
24 00
Frank Felix, labor,
25 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
24 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
1
49
Paid Arthur Labranche, freight and carting, $ 16 79
W. J. O'Connor, services to Nov. 1, 175 00
Chester Knight, labor, 12 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
12 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
14 00
George Smith, labor,
16 00
John Ryan, labor, 16 00
Albert Gagnon, labor, 16 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor, 16 00
Harry Nutting, labor, 28 00
Frank Felix, labor, 4 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
16 00
William Smith, labor, 12 00
Frank Bennett, labor,
12 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
16 00
George Smith, labor,
16 00
John Ryan, labor,
16 00
Albert Gagnon, labor,
16 00
Frank Felix, labor,
8 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
16 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
Boston & Maine R. R., labor on lead,
13 48
Newmarket Electric Co., current and supplies 89 33 William Smith, labor, 12 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
22 00
George Smith, labor, 12 00
John Ryan, labor,
12 00
Albert Gagnon, labor,
16 00
Frank Felix, labor,
12 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
16 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
16 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
William Smith, labor,
16 00
George Smith, labor, 16 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
28 00
John Ryan, labor,
20 00
50
Paid Albert Gagnon, labor, $26 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor, 28 00
Harry Nutting, labor, 28 00
W. L. Caswell, labor,
24 00
Albert Gagnon, labor,
6 00
Harry Nutting, labor, 28 00
W. J. O'Connor, services to Dec. 1, 175 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
18 00
William Smith, labor,
10 00
John Ryan, labor, 16 00
8 00
W. L. Caswell, labor, 18 00
Arthur Labranche, freight and trucking,
19 95
Ludlow Mfg. Co., hydrant, valves, etc., 302 92
H. Mueller Mfg. Co., supplies, 191 21
Richards & Co., yarn,
12 29
Harold L. Bond & Co., 6 test plugs,
2 70
John Ryan, labor,
24 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
16 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
24 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
Stephen Wallace, labor,
20 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
10 00
John Ryan, labor,
6 00
Harry Nutting, labor,
28 00
George H. Willey, services as Water Com- missioner, 6 00
C. A. Morse, services as Water Com- missioner, 12 00
W. B. Gallant, services as Water Com- missioner, 6 00
George O. Wood, services as Water Com- missioner, 11 00
J. B. Laporte, services as Water Com- missioner, 10 00
Ovide Bibeau, labor,
1
51
Paid W. L. Caswell, services as Water Com- missioner, $12 00
John D. Long, services as Water Com- missioner, 12 00
F. H. Durgin, services as Water Com- missioner, 11 00
Alex Pelletier, two cords of wood, 11 00
Harry Nutting, labor, 28 00
Jesse N. Carpenter, team and gravel,
40 00
W. J. O'Connor, postage, express, etc., to Dec. 31, 9 17
Selectmen of Newmarket, water bonds
and interest, 3,525 00
$12,994 33
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH O. TURCOTTE, Treasurer.
We, the undersigned, Auditors of the Town of New- market, have examined the foregoing account, and found it correctly cast, with corresponding vouchers.
HERBERT H. KNOWLTON, { ERNEST BOISVERT,
Auditors.
52
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Chief and Clerk of Fire Department
NEWMARKET, N. H., Jan. 31, 1920. TO THE TOWN OF NEWMARKET:
In compliance with the law, requiring the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department to make an annual re- port to the town, the following report is respectfully sub- mitted.
The force of the department consists of a chief and three assistant-chief engineers, two hose companies of sixteen members each, one hook and ladder company of twelve members and a driver for hose wagon, No. 3, and a regular force of forty-nine men. In addition to this each company is allowed to have five substitute members.
Your fire apparatus consists of two hose reels, one hose wagon and å hook and ladder truck with a full equip- ment of tools for each; a reasonable amount of 212 inch hose in fair condition and eighteen chemical extinguishers. The chemical extinguishers are located at the two fire stations and at the garages of Fred W. Knight and George H. Willey, where they are subject to call by telephone for use outside of the village.
Considerable new wire has been added to the fire- alarm system for repairs and for the extension to Beech street.
1
.. 53
The 2000 1b. bell on Zion's hill remains in order. The 12-inch steam chime whistle, that was removed from the steam pipes of the Newmarket Manufacturing Com- pany early last Spring, has been placed in commission again.
The expense of supporting this department for the year has been $1,926.22, as shown by the report of the town treasurer.
A new alarm box for use at Beech street has been installed. Two miles of copper wire have been relaid.
I wish to extend the sincere thanks of the board of engineers to all the members of the several companies of firemen, for their prompt response to all alarms, and assure them that their cheerful and quick action on all occasions has been greatly appreciated.
MICHAEL BARRETT, Chief Engineer.
FIRE RECORD.
Statement of details of fires and alarms, losses and insurance, as reported to the Clerk of the Board of Engi- neers.
Jan. 24, 1919. Alarm at 2.55 P. M. Box 12 was rung in for a fire in the Stackpole house on Main street, occupied by C. L. Joslyn. Damage paid $220.
Jan. 24. Engineers' call for chimney fire in the house owned by Newmarket Mfg. Co., occupied by Mike Kawlsky. No damage.
Feb. 18. Engineers' call for chimney fire in the house. owned and occupied by Fred Wright. No damage.
March 26. Alarm from Box 12 rung in at 9.15 A.M. for a fire on Prescott street, house owned by L. P. Beaudet. Damage paid $350.
April 6. Box 12 rung at 10.50 for a fire in the shed owned by J. W. Varney. Small damage.
54
April 16. Engineers' call for chimney fire in the house owned and occupied by Edwin Kimball. No damage.
April 23. Box 82 rung at 10.05 A. M. for a fire in No. 1 Mill, owned by Newmarket Mfg. Co. Damage not known.
April 26. Engineers' call for chimney fire in the house owned and occupied by George O. Wood. No damage.
May 31. Box 9 rung at 8.57 P. M. for a little blaze in some rubbish on Shackford's hill. No damage.
June 14. Box 12 rung at 12.45 P. M. for a fire on the roof of the Stackpole Blacksmith Shop. Practically no damage.
Sept. 6. Box 12 rung at 11.50 A. M. for a slight blaze on the roof of Varney's Wet Wash. No damage.
Sept. 18. Box 12 rung at 8.55 A. M. for a fire in the house owned by A. H. Place, on Zion's hill. No damage.
Oct. 30. Box 82 rung at 11.18 A. M. for a chimney fire in the house owned by Adolph Bergeron, on North Side. No damage.
FIRE DEPARTMENT SIGNALS.
2-2-2. Engineers' call. Report at Station 1.
2 blows after fire alarm indicates fire all out.
Three blows at 8 A. M. and 1 P. M. indicates no school in public schools.
ALBERT F. PRIEST,
Clerk, Board of Engineers.
55
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
February 1, 1920.
TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION:
Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit a report for the first half year of my service.
ENROLLMENT OF PUPILS, SEPTEMBER 30, 1919.
SCHOOL
GRADES
TOTAL
1 2 3
4 5
0
7 8 9
10
11
12
High
19
25
17
6
6 63
Stone ·
28
42
70
North Side
36
36
South Side
48
24
23
42
137
Four Corners
· 3
2
1
1
7
Total by Grades
48
27
23
44
37
28
43
19 25
17 6
6 313
SCHOOL CENSUS, SEPTEMBER 1, 1919.
Whole number of children between 5 and 16 years of age: boys 288, girls 306, total 594.
Number registered in public schools, 228.
Number registered in parochial schools, 298.
Number attending out of town schools, 4.
Number attending schools, 530.
Number not attending school: 5-8 yrs. 44, 8-14 yrs.
6, 14-16 yrs. 19, total 69.
Number children accounted for, 599.
Number registered from other towns, 5.
Number resident children in schools, 594.
Number of illiterate children 10-16 yrs., 17.
Number of children excused from attendance by school board on account of mental or physical disability 6.
Number of defective children 4.
56
TEACHERS.
Of our corps of 13 teachers, 5 began their work with us this year. Fortunately, in spite of the dearth of teachers, we secured valuable assistants who have taught successfully elsewhere. In view of the unusual living conditions forced upon our teachers we have secured our teaching staff at a remarkably low figure. The average wage of the women teachers is $695 for the year. This amounts to $13 per week for twelve months, the time a teacher must pay her living expenses. During the school year she must pay at least $9 per week for board and room, leaving $4 per week for clothing, traveling expenses, professional advancement, sickness, insurance, benevol- ence and thrift. No wonder that a noted educator said recently: "Teaching is not a profession now, it is a pro- cession." "The attractive financial returns of various branches of industry make it increasingly difficult to find men and women with consecrated ideals and missionary spirits who are willing to give the best years of their lives to the education of our children without hope, at least, of a living wage in return. The situation is serious. Even by offering more attractive wages teachers cannot be obtained in sufficient numbers to keep all our schools open. The towns that provide the best conditions will suffer least in the pedagogical famine.
A second condition which militates against one's en- deavor to secure satisfactory teachers for Newmarket is the disinclination on the part of our citizens to open their homes to our teachers for the period of their employment. This condition has become so acute that it will demand remedial action before the opening of another scholastic year.
Our qualifications for teachers are becoming more rigid as we endeavor to surround our boys and girls with noble characters possessing a high standard of professional skill. It is no longer possible for a teacher to eke out her
57
meagre stipend by gainful employment during the sum- mer. She must make herself increasingly efficient by ad- vanced professional study and by mental and physical recuperation. Seven of our staff now hold State certifi- cates, while the remaining six are teaching under renew- able licenses. We should do all possible to aid these teachers to a freshness and vigor in their work which will react for the mental and moral growth of our children.
The following courses of procedure are recommended for the purpose of remedying existing conditions :
1. A salary increase of 30% over the present schedule.
2. An appropriation of $500 to be distributed by the Board for the purpose of defraying the expenses of such teachers as may be selected to attend summer school·courses.
3. The leasing of a suitable tenement, if possible, . near the school grounds, for a Teachers' Co-operative Home.
SCHOOLHOUSE ACCOMMODATIONS.
The tabulation below shows the capacity of the various rooms and is made for the purpose of suggesting a better distribution.
SCHOOL
SEATS ENROLLMENT REMARKS
High-Assembly
42
54
Cross Lights
Commercial 1 40
12
Cross Lights
Laboratory
40
(Class Average) 10
Cross Lights
(Class Average)
Grade 8
42
19
Cross Lights
Stone-Grade 7
48
42
Cross Lights
Grade 6
48
28
Cross Lights
No. School Grade 5
42
36
Cross Lights
No water
2nd Floor Vacant
58
So. Primary-Grade 4 44
42
Poorly lighted
and heated
Grade 3 52
23
Poorly lighted
Grade 2 48
24 Poorly lighted
Grade 1 48
48 Poorly lighted
Lack of coat room
Four Corners
25
7
Cross Lights Execrable toilet
It will be noted that the High School Building, which is the best building of the five, may accommodate 164 pupils without crowding, but it is used by only 74. Under the able administration of our present Headmaster we should soon have at least 100 pupils in the High School if we could provide attractive curricula of the type usually offered in manufacturing communities. With a very small expenditure of money these curricula could be in- troduced and grades 7 to 12 accommodated in this build- ing. Grades 5 and 6 would then be housed in the Stone Building and the North Side School could be utilized as an overflow and kindergarten, or held in reserve for future emergencies.
The Four Corners School should be closed and the pupils transported to the village schools.
In line with modern educational development we should reorganize our program of study to conform to the findings of experts in education who have made ex- haustive investigations looking toward the most economi- cal and efficient employment of the teaching effort and the most rapid and thorough training of the body, mind and spirit of the normal child. It is our desire to bring our schools up to the standard grade and to do this we should be able to teach the curricula suggested by the State Board of Education. The line of demarcation for progressive development would begin at the seventh grade and the following curricula would be provided:
Grade
CURRICULUM 1 Days Period
CURRICULUM 2 Days Period
CURRICULUM 3 Days Period
U. S. History and Civics.
5 5
French.
5
5
Concrete Geometery and Arith
5
5
Elementary Science ..
3
3
Like Curriculum 1
Like Curriculum 1
Manual Train'g or Cooking&Sew'g 2
B and C Subjects: Composition, Current Events, Drawing, Gard- ens, Hygiene, Literature, Music, Plays
5
5
U. S. History and Civics
5
5
French.
5
5
Concrete Algebra.
5
5
Like Curriculum 1
Elementary Science
3
3
Manual Train'g or Cooking& Sew'g 2 B and C Subjects a's above. 5
5
English
5
5
-
9
History of Civilization
5
5
History of Civilization.
5
5
History of Civilization.
5
5
Latin
5
5
Bookkeep'g, Arith. and Typewrit'g
Household Appliances.
5
7
B and C Subjects as above
5
5
B and C Subjects 5
5
B and C Subjects
5
5
English
5
5
English
5
5
English
5
5
French.
5
5
Com'l Geography and History
5
5
French
5
5
Latin
5
5
Book'g, Arith., Steno. and Type'g
5
10
Masterpieces of Art and Music, 5
5
5
B and C Subjects
5
5
B and C Subjects
5
5
B and C Subjects
5
5
English
5
5
English
5
5
English
5
5
Latin
5
5
5
5
Algebra and Geometry.
5
5
Chemistry
5
7
·Algebra Chemistry
5
7
5
Household Organization
5
5
1 5 Chemistry. 7
U. S. Constitutional History
5
5
U. S. Constitutional History ..
5
5
U. S. Constitutional History. 5
5
12
'Latin
5
5
Spanish
5
5
Greek and Roman Literature.
5
5
.Senior Math
5
5
Office Practice, Steno. and Type'g 5
1
5 Household Management.
5
5
Economics and Business Practice .... 5
5
5
French.
5
5
English French.
5
5
French.
English
5
5
5
5
10
Physics
5
7
Physics
5
10
Nursing and Physiology.
11
5
5
Sten. and Typewrit'g, Spelling and Correspondence
5
10
Economics and Business Practice. 5
5
5 Economics and Business Practice .... 5
₱
7
.
,
8
Like Curriculum 1
4
5
Spanish
4
60
To maintain our present curricula we shall need another assistant in the High School as the present force is pressed into too many teaching periods and not enough time is given to supervised study. With the additional teachers provided we could man the above curricula. About one thousand dollars worth of apparatus should be appropriated to bring our laboratory equipment up to standard. The class in manual training in the evening school already has provided us with a good work shop in the basement of the High School Building.
- Statistics show an alarming rate of educational mor- tality about the seventh and eighth grades and it is be- lieved that the adoption of the above curricula would have a tendency to retain pupils in our schools after they arrive at the age of 16.
EVENING SCHOOL.
The beneficent effects of the provisions of the re- cently enacted legislation for the educational uplift of the State already have been in evidence in our evening school. The fall census disclosed only 23 illiterate minors but the courses offered in our school were so appreciated that 80 enrolled the first night and the total registration soon mounted to 188. As was to be expected, the at- tendance of many of the voluntary pupils has been ir- regular but the average attendance has been close to 100. Classes have been formed and registration noted as follows:
AMERICANIZATION
CONTINUATION
Reading, Beginners A 20 Algebra 7
Reading, Beginners B 44 Arithmetic 29
Reading, Intermediate 26
Bookkeeping 23
Reading, Advanced 22 Stenography & Typewriting 19
Naturalization 12
Carpentry & Drawing 16
124 94
61
Since we had not sufficient teaching staff nor rooms, we divided the evening in three periods, viz, a community sing, one period, and two teaching periods. Some pupils thus availed themselves of the opportunity for instruction in more than one subject. The classes have made re- markable progress and we have evidence of the great de- mand for education on the part of our neighbors whose early training was abbreviated by the untoward circum- stances of birth or environment. If, as seems probable, the early passage of an act now before Congres's will require all aliens under 45 years of age to read the Eng- lish language understandingly, our opportunity in Ameri- canization will be broadened considerably, and we should labor assiduously for the passage of the so-called Smith- Hughes Act which, among other provisions, will make available to New Hampshire for equalization of educa- tional opportunities the sum of $475,050.77. Having one of the largest evening schools in the State our town should be entitled to a substantial appropriation from this amount.
LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR.
One condition which obtains in our educational pro- gram and which demands justification is the fact that our school plants are idle 4/13 of the year. Our schools build the foundation upon which our government rests. Without the public school there could be no democracy. The better and the more the schools and the longer they function the more stable is our republic and the safer is this world for democracy. We must rally to the cause of education as we have never rallied before. Education is the impregnable bulwark of society against Bolshevism and every other social menace. A plan which would give us the maximum of efficiency from our schools and in- cidentally go far toward attracting to the teaching pro- fession the most carefully trained and mentally alert graduates of our colleges and universities would be the
62
utilization of the school plant during the entire year. If a teacher were employed for 52 weeks in the year under the plan outlined by the State Commissioner of Educa- tion, the problem of teacher supply would solve itself. Briefly, the arrangement would be as follows :- A regular scholastic year of 36 weeks, as at present. During the week previous to the opening of the year and for a week after the close a teacher could be employed very profit- ably in preparation, planning for the year's work, and later gathering up results, filing valuable reports, and drawing deductions for next year's alterations and pro- gress. · There should be a week's intermission at Christ- mas, another at Easter and four weeks for a summer vacation. This would leave eight weeks of school work in the summer for each teacher. Some would be assigned to study in Teachers' Training Schools, some for special investigation or to be at the call of the Board, the others would be assigned to conduct special classes. There are certain unit social duties that a teacher should perform in every community every summer. These vary with the needs of each community. To make practical appli- cation to our own needs we should assign to the individual members of our staff one of the following social duties : Supervision of School Gardens, Supervision of Play- ground activities, Assistant to Health Inspector for Follow Up Work, Teaching Classes of Backward Pupils, and Teaching Piano, Singing, Dancing, Swimming, etc., to pupils whose parents cannot afford to pay for private instruction such as the wealthy classes get at boys' and at girls' summer camps.
Such a program would be conducive to an enlight- ened, progressive and contented citizenship. The time has passed when the word "expense" may be offered as an argument against the adoption of any policy which will strengthen the bulwarks of society against its foes within and without. Moreover, a 20% advance in
63
in the teachers' wages would cover the expense involved. A true father does not count the cost when summoning medical aid for his stricken child,
MORALE.
The depressing effect of a lack of community spirit communicates itself very readily to the impressionable child. If parents are not sufficiently interested in our schools to visit them, to hold conferences with teachers, to require prompt and continuous attendance by their children, then the morale of a school system must remain low in spite of a zealous teaching and administrative staff. In several of our schools the attendance record has been shameful. In one grade we had in one month 20 cases of tardiness in a class of 26 pupils during one month. The standard is 3 cases per month for classes of 100 pupils. Interest in school life must be fostered by every conceivable method to remedy such a condition. Vo- cational courses, organized plays and games in a well- equipped playground, social diversions, opportunity for public appearance at entertainments and dramatic exer- cises, all will aid in building up a better "school spirit."
In the South Primary School the sanitary conditions are not satisfactory and every possible improvement should be made to provide a better school home for these little men and women. The heating apparatus needs overhauling, and there is insufficient window area in each room. Lighting conditions are aggravated by the prox- imity of shade trees whose leaves in autumn shut out nearly one-third the light.
Daily observation of the children reveals the great need of health inspection and the follow up service of a school nurse. Alarmingly frequent cases of acute illness together with sporadic outbreaks of contagious diseases, the debilitating effects of nose, throat and ear defects, the nervous conditions engendered by deficiencies of
64
vision emphasize the need of greater care for the health of the children.
Supervision of the amusements of school children is a necessary and legitimate function of the officers of a modern school system. A suitable playground with ap- paratus and a supervisor is an imperative need of the 600 school children of our town. The chief amusement of a great number of these children is the moving picture. Educational films with amusing features are easily ob- tainable and are being used in progressive school systems as an aid to instruction in History, Science, Language, Geography, Americanization, etc. Arrangements could be made at little expense, to give our schools the benefits of these features.
CONCLUSION.
With full recognition of the claims of the six districts which comprise his Supervisory Union your Superin- tendent has endeavored to give an impartial allotment of his time, talent and energy to each one. He recognizes that twenty-four hours do not hold enough minutes to enable him to give his attention to the many problems pressing for solution. However, he is appreciative of the sympathetic support of the members of your Board, the loyal co-operation of our splendid staff of teachers, and the ready response of parents and pupils for the successful issue of any plans he may have promulgated.
Early in the year the entire corps of teachers in the Union were called together for a conference on aims and methods for the year's work. Among others this obser- vation was made "The social efficiency of our product will be the test of our success as teachers. Our educated youth must possess a three-fold endowment: a fund of habits, a fund of ideals, and a fund of knowledge." We press on to this goal. An association of the teachers was formed and monthly meetings, at which atttendance is
65
voluntary, have been held. These have been conducted by the teachers themselves and have been provocative of much cultural value as well as the development of pro- fessional pride in achievement. Your Superintendent has been in attendance at each meeting of the association. He has also attended the State Teachers' Associations of New Hampshire and Maine, the New England Super- intendents' Conference, the Rockingham and the Straf- ford County Institutes, three conferences held by the State Board of Education, and has given 30 public ad- dresses.
Inasmuch as the school year now ends on August 31, the complete report for the year can be made only after that date, but it has been deemed wise to bring the above matters to your attention before the annual meeting of the District.
Respectfully submitted, JUSTIN O. WELLMAN, Superintendent of Schools.
66
REPORT OF TREASURER
OF THE
NEWMARKET SCHOOL DISTRICT
For the Fiscal Year ending Aug. 31, 1919.
Dr.
School appropriation from Town Treasurer,
$16,248 50
Dog licenses, less damage, 68 45
Durham, tuitions,
70 00
Lee, tuitions,
79 45
$16,466 40
Deficit, Aug. 31, 1918,
5,786 22
$10,680 18
Expenditures Aug. 31, 1918, to Aug. 31, 1919, $15,453 60 Deficit Aug. 31, 1919, 4,773 42
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