USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Rutland > Annual report, City of Rutland, Vermont, 1913 > Part 11
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The enrollment this year has exceeded that of any year since the course has been in existence. One in- teresting feature of the work is that the training is attracting more and more those who have been out in the field and who realize their incompetence to deal with the rural problem successfully without preparation.
A satisfactory degree of efficiency in handling the younger children and in meeting difficulties wisely has already been attained, and it is desirable that the re- maining half year be as profitably spent in work with older children.
Considerable substituting has been done by the members of the class. I believe all of the substituting in grades up to the seventh and, in some instances, in the grammar grades, has been done by members of the class. The greater part of this work I have supervised, but on account of conditions that usually obtain in sub- stituting, the impossibility of being carefully prepared for the assignment in the majority of cases, I consider it the least valuable of the training work.
The pedagogical library for use in this course has been increased by twelve volumes this year so that we have a valuable working library of thirty-eight volumes besides useful texts that are the gifts of publishers.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The report of the recommendations of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is not completely before us as yet. There is enough, however, to lead us to believe that in the fuller report the course is worked out with a degree of detail that, if followed, ought to lead to its greater effectiveness. From the outset I have recommended that candidates for this course be equipped with a knowledge of specific high school branches, viz., chemistry, sewing, cooking, zool- ogy and agriculture, so that the work of the one year's training could be more intensively given over to prin- ciples, methods and management. This means that a prospective teacher would need to be a candidate for this course earlier in her high school career than the senior year or the year after graduating.
I wish to emphasize, too, the need of general schol- arship as a sine qua non qualification for this course. The whole scheme is founded upon the hypothesis that with three or four years of high school work the student is fitted to begin vocational studies. This work is some- what delayed and, consequently, lessened in its extent if a pupil enters without a knowledge, for example, of paragraph structure or ability to analyze simple prob- lems.
The practice school has taken on another grade and now includes the first three primary grades, with an enrollment for last term of ninety-one.
Respectfully submitted,
MARGARET M. HEALEY.
Supervisor of Teacher Training Course. February, 1914.
Report of the Truant Officer
To D. B. Locke, Superintendent of Schools:
I beg leave to submit herewith my report as truant officer for the year ending December 31, 1913.
In my department, there were the usual efforts put forward for securing accurate data as to home discipline in the matter of school attendance.
I have to offer the following:
Number of cases reported 1223
Number of cases personally investigated 1082
Cases of legal and reasonable excuses 1165
Number of truancy cases 58
Sent to Industrial school 1
The phrase, 'Legal and reasonable excuses,' used above is intended to cover the cases of epidemics of colds, scarlet fever, chickenpox and other juvenile ail- ments. It must be noted that the cases of scarlet fever, chickenpox and other minor indispositions ought to be considered and taken into account as to attendance where ten days have consecutively elapsed from the first day of absence. It should also be remembered that school attendance materially decreases by reason of fear of epidemics. This situation is one which can only be handled by expert medical attention and rigid hygienic supervision.
Attendance has been lower for the past year over the preceding five years in percentage. There have been certain cases reported (but not investigated by myself) by the health officer to the superintendent of
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ANNUAL REPORT
schools; these have been duly sent to me.
Truancy cases have been generally confined to children of tender years. In most cases the truants have not arrived at an age where a ·knowledge of the offense could justly be attributed to them.
During the past year I have expended $140 for clothing for indigent school pupils. On request, I made and-secured a requisition upon the Overseer of the Poor for the sum of $5 for needed wear. In all proba- lility, it will have occurred to you and the other local educational authorities that our school facilities are being severely taxed by the influx of indigent pupils from out of town.
It ought to be noted that the decrease in school attendance hereinbefore mentioned should be considered with reference to the various epidemics spoken of. A school 'scare' is much like a theater panic. Every- thing depends upon the exercise of the common sense of parents and teachers; there should be no hostility in this regard.
I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks for the cordial co-operation of the members of the teaching faculty and the well-wishers for our schools.
Respectfully submitted,
J. J. HICKEY.
January 31, 1914.
Truant Officer.
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Auditor's Report
To the Honorable Council of the City of Rutland, Vt .:
The Auditors for this City respectfully make their annual report for the year 1913-that they have thoroughly examined, audited and verified the books of the City Treasurer, the City Clerk, the Overseer of the Poor, the Superintendent of the City Schools and the Sinking Fund Commissioners.
The Auditors also have examined the books of the City Constable and Collector as far as possible and have checked from his books the amount of money paid by him to the Treasurer and abatement of taxes made by the Board for the Abatement of Taxes.
They have found that the account books in all of these departments of the City's affairs have been kept in a neat, accurate and businesslike manner, that all money received by the City's officers in these depart- ments seems to have been entered in the proper way and under the proper accounts and duly accounted for in all respects, and all money paid out has been expended against duly authorized and authenticated vouchers on file in the respective departments, and that the Cash Balance in the hands of the City Treasurer at the end of the year 1913, was exactly the amount which should be in his possession according to the account books kept by him.
They congratulate the City on the faithful ser- vices rendered to the City by its officers as named above, their work will compare most favorably with similar work done in other cities of New England and elsewhere.
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ANNUAL REPORT
As far as the Auditors have been able to ascertain, there were no bills outstanding against the city at the end of the year 1913 on account of the School Depart- ment.
The outstanding 1913 accounts, unpaid at the end of the year 1913 against the city amounted to about $2,300, made up in part by the amount due for a stone crusher, about $1,800 and by about $500 due for as- phalt work on sidewalks.
The City Treasurer has made of his own volition, assisted by the proper officers, an appraisal, in part, of the City's water system, public buildings, perman- ent and other machinery tools and supplies on hand, and the auditors refer to his report for the items of such an appraisal.
The City Auditors again call urgent attention to the fact that the City Treasurer carries on his books as an asset of the City an accumulation of old and partly outlawed accounts receivable, some dating back to the organization of the City amounting approxi- mately to $3,000. These accounts are not of any value whatever, many of the parties against whom these accounts run being dead and their estate settled. The Auditors again submit that the Treasurer be relieved of these accounts by having them abated by resolution of the City Council in proper form.
The Auditors further request in the interest of the City's welfare that all City Officers, without any exception, who come into possession of funds belong- ing to the City be required by an order of the City Council to that effect, to turn such funds, at once and without any delay whatsoever, over to the City Treas- urer. Under the practice now prevailing some of the City Officers keep such money received by them in
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CITY OF RUTLAND
their official capacity in their possession an unlimited length of time-paying it over to the City Treasurer when they choose and see fit to do so. This entails a loss of money to the City as the City receives interest. from the banks where its deposits are kept-and the practice of some of the City's officers as explained above ought to be stopped at once and not permitted to continue any longer.
Respectfully submitted,
C. TURNER, JAKE HEYMAN, GEO. C. COBB,
City Auditors.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Aldermen, Board of 5
Board of Health, report of. 128
Board of School Commissioners, report of. 161
Commissioner of Public Safety, report of. 115
City Attorney, report of. 120.
City Auditors, report of.
213
City Health Officer, report of.
130
City Treasurer, report of
27
City Weigher, report of.
151
Financial Statement, School Board.
174
Fire Department
12.
Fire Marshal, report of (opp.)
118
Inspector of Buildings, report of. 149
Mayor, report of
22.
Members of School Board from 1893
20
Officers, city
7
Officers, ward
15
Officers, city Government from 1893
17
Orders drawn on City Treasurer, detailed statement of:
Charities and Corrections Department.
78
City Court Account
85
Dog Fund Account
86
Employees receiving $300 or more per year
87
Fire Department
71
General Account
46
Hospital Account
83
Interest Account
Library Account
Light Account
Liquor Account
Police Department 76
80
Sewer Department
62
Sidewalk Department
61
Sinking Fund Account
83
State and County Taxes
84
State Road Account
61
Street Department
55
Temporary Loan Warrant Account
83
Water Department
64
83 79 78 84
Salary Account
218
ANNUAL REPORT
Overseer of the Poor
122
Police Department 11
President, Board of School Commissioners, report of 167
Principal of Teacher-Training Course, report of. 209
Principal of High School, report of.
193
Commissioner of Public Works, report of.
101
Rutland Free Library, report of. 152
School Calendar 159
School Commissioners, Board of. 13
School Commissioners, list of bills approved by 88
Sinking Fund Commissioners, report of. 99
Superintendent of Public Schools, report of.
175
Supervisor of Music, report of. 197
Supervisor of Drawing, report of. 199
Supervisor of Manual Training, report of. 202
Supervisor of Domestic Science, report of. 206
Treasurer's report, Rutland Free Library 155
Truant Officer, report of 211
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