USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Rutland > Annual report, City of Rutland, Vermont, 1917 > Part 32
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CITY OF RUTLAND
MORTUARY REPORT, 1920-Concluded
1920
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Total
Prolapsed cord
000
000
OHO
00000
00000000010
1 0
0
0
0
1 8
Septicemia, abscess uvula.
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
C
00
1
0
1
Tuberculosis, pulmonary .
0
0
0
0
0
C
0
1
1
1
1
1
00
Typhoid fever.
0
0
0
0
0
0
00
0
0
0
0
1
Ulceration and perforation of bowels.
0
C
OHOC
0011
0
0
0
0
0
1
Unknown.
1
Uraemia.
1
Total.
32 42 23 18 17 15 19 10 14 18 23 22 253
1
Premature birth.
Respiratory paralysis (difficult labor)
0
1
1
Rheumatism. .
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
C
1000000HO
000
0
0
1
Spina bifida.
1
C
0
0
0 1
0
0H00
0
0
0
0
0
0 1
0
6
Strangulation, aspirating food.
Tetanus, injured hand ..
0
0
0
00
0
0
0
1 0
0
00
0
1
Tuberculosis, cerebrospinal meningitis.
Ulcer of stomach.
0
0
00
HO
OOC
0
0
00
0
2
3
11
1
Sclerosis of brain
0
0
0
Senile debility.
3
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
Still born.
0
0
1
0
0
0
00000 00001
0
0
0010
020
0
0
NO
0 2
115
Report of the Inspector of Buildings
To the Honorable City Council :
In accordance with the requirements of the City Ordinances, I respectfully submit my report as Building Inspector for the year ending Dec. 31, 1920.
Houses built
7
Additions to houses
8
Piazzes
13
Sheds
11
Sleeping porches
3
New store fronts
3
Houses and barns moved
8
Garages
36
Barns
5
Additions to barns
4
Barns changed into houses
2
Poultry houses
5
Armory
1
Ice houses
3
Oil and pump houses
2
Barn changed into paint shop
1
Addition to saw mill
1
Addition to shed
3
Respectfully,
R. W. KENYON, Inspector of Buildings.
Report of City Weigher
To the Honorable City Council :
I respectfully submit the following statement of weighing done on the City scale during the year 1920:
Paid the City Treasurer for 2455 weights $245 50
Weighing fees
122 75
Net
$122 75
Number of loads of coal, etc., weighed for the school build- ings, City and Memorial halls free of charge, 604, making the total number of weights, 3059.
Respectfully submitted,
H. B. WHITTIER, City Weigher.
Rutland Hospital
Statement of the number of patients cared for at the Rut- land Hospital for the year 1920, and the total expense to the hospital, as shown by report filed with the City Council.
Total number of patients for the year 76
Total number of days' service
1503
Total expense of patients
$3,797 14
.
Board and care
$3,282 05
Operating room,
169 00
Medicines and supplies
243 09
X-ray service
60 00
Laboratory service
43 00
$3,797 14
i
Weekly average expenses per patient
$17 68
Number of patients remaining in hospital under treatment
January 1, 1921
3
Librarian's Report
To the Officers and Members of the Rutland Free Library Asso- ciation :
The thirty-fifth annual report is herewith respectfully sub- mitted :
1
Number of volumes in the library Feb. 1, 1920
23,780
Increase by purchase 549
Increase by gift 43
Increase by binding periodicals 55
Books added from Renting List 166
813
24,593
Number of volumes worn-out and withdrawn
92
24,501
Number of volumes lost and withdrawn
23
Number of volumes in the Library Feb. 1, 1921 24,478
Number of volumes rebound in 1920 339
Number of volumes worn-out and replaced, 1920. .. 141
Number of volumes lost and replaced, 1920 23
Circulation of books for 1920 67,926
Circulation of pictures for 1920
2,019
Circulation of volumes of music for 1920 203
Number of new cards issued 1920 748
Number of new cards issued to children, 1920
267
Number of books drawn on Teachers' cards, 1920 .. 9,137
Number of books drawn on subscription and special cards 7,780
120
ANNUAL REPORT
Number of books drawn by children, 1920
16,703
Number of volumes of fiction drawn by children during 1920 10,014
Number of volumes of non-fiction drawn by children during 1920 6,689
Number of volumes repaired at Library
1,227
Number of days the Library has been open
304
Largest daily delivery, Feb. 21
536
Smallest daily delivery, Sept. 9
60
Average daily delivery
223
Amount received from fines, 1920
$327 76
Amount received from Association fees
88 00
Amount received from subscriptions
19 75
Total
$435 51
Number of periodicals subscribed for during 1920. .
66
Number of periodicals received by gift
44
Total
110
LUCY D. CHENEY,
Librarian.
Library T easurer's Report
To the Officers and Members of the Rutland Free Library Asso- ciation :
I herewith submit my annual report for the year 1920-1921.
RECEIPTS
Balance from 1919-20
$886 37
Appropriation from City
$4,000 00
Appropriation from Rutland town
100 00
Fines, subscriptions, etc 347 51
Association fees
88 00
Tabard Inn account
234 19
Gifts from Clubs
30 00
Interest from Trust Funds
120 79
Interest from special funds
660 00
Refund for magazine subscription
6 00
Refund from Miss Fox
5 00
$5,591 49
$6,477 86
EXPENDITURES
Books and magazines
$1,521 78
Binding
494 87
Salaries
2,723 10
Lighting
122 66
Fuel
316 86
Telephone
37 10
Supplies and furnishings
141 37
Janitor
360 00
Printing and postage
75 33
122
ANNUAL REPORT
Story Hour
5 00
Incidentals
45 32
$5,843 39
Cash on hand
634 47
$6,477 86
TRUST FUNDS
Theo. L. Smith Fund
$1,000 00
Int. to Jan., 1921
155 28
Harris Fund
$600 00
Int. to Jan., 1921
24 24
624 24
Seaver Fund
$300 00
Int. to Feb., 1921
12 12
312 12
Caroline A. Rust Fund
$500 00
Int. to Jan., 1921
27 98
527 98
$2,619 62
Interest transferred to general account ..
120 79
Total Trust Funds
$2,498 83
SPECIAL FUNDS
Calendar Fund
$1,401 67
Int. to Feb., 1921
56 60
$1,458 27
Interest used for books
50 00
Amount of Fund to date
$1,408 27
$1,155 28
123
CITY OF RUTLAND
Cramton-Cutts Legacy
Amount of Fund Feb., 1920 $12,166 90 Int. for 1920-21 653 29
Int. used for running expenses
$12,820 19
610 00
Amount of Fund to date $12,210 19
ELLEN B. CRAMTON,
Treasurer.
I have examined the above accounts and find them correct as stated.
MATTIE P. FOX,
Acting Auditor.
Report of the President of the Board of School Commissioners
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Citizens of the City of Rui- land :
As President of the School Board I respectfully submit for your consideration the customary annual report of the schools of this city. The supervision and management of our schools are to a large extent under the immediate charge and direction of the Superintendent of Schools, who has made a somewhat detailed account of the work during the past year, and of his report I ask your careful consideration.
FINANCES FOR 1920
The financial statement for the year ending December 31, 1920, made by the Finance Committee of the School Board, is attached to this report.
You will note that the gross receipts for the support of the public schools in this city during the past year have been $103,211.62. Of this amount $91,079.95 was realized from city taxes ; $4,207.82 from the State; $4,433.50 from tuition ; $1,686.40 unexpended balance of the previous year, and the remainder, $1,803.95, from other sources. The total expenditures were $103,168.31. Of this amount $82,437.55 was paid for salaries ; $2,532.21 for text books: $4,197.46 for supplies; $2,836.20 for repairs ; $9,020.35 for fuel and light, and $2,144.54 for sundries. The unexpended balance to the credit of the School Board De- cember 31, 1920, was $43.31.
An itemized statement of the assets and liabilities of the School Board on December 31, 1920, as filed with the City Treas- urer, shows that the cash balance in the treasury, fuel, text books and supplies on hand, and State rebates, accrued but not
125
CITY OF RUTLAND
due, amounted to $5,886.36, and that the indebtedness on the same date amounted to $650.76, leaving an excess of assets over liabilities of $5,235.60. The increased receipts were derived almost wholly from the increase in the city appropriation au- thorized by the voters at their last annual meeting. This in- crease, as was indicated in the warning at the annual meeting, was designed chiefly to increase salaries, to meet the high cost of living and the higher cost of supplies and repairs. In ac- cordance with the expressed wish of the voters, the School Board increased the salary of each member of the teaching force prac- tically $300.00, and voted a corresponding increase to the jani- tors. The total paid for salaries during the past year was $24,646.70 in excess of the salaries paid the preceding year, which explains largely the excess of expenditures in 1920 over those of 1919.
FINANCES FOR 1921
The salaries paid by the School Board prior to increases granted last year were exceptionally low and out of proportion to the salaries paid in other lines of service, and to the high cost, of living. The salaries at present are not in excess of those paid for similar service in Vermont and are decidedly lower than those paid in our adjoining states. To meet the increased expenditures last year the Board reduced its unexpended bal- ance in the treasury some $1,600.00 and its other net assets $2,000.00. In other words, the current school expenditures for 1920 exceeded its current receipts by more than $3,600.00. On account of this deficit and the additional cost when the increases in salaries already granted are fully effective, together with other added expenses already authorized, the Board will not be able to conduct the schools during the present fiscal year without a still further advance in the school receipts. In addition to the above, the cost of fuel has greatly advanced since purchases were made early last spring, and the probable cost of fuel and light for 1921 will be considerably in excess of the amount paid last year. Again, the repairs on school buildings for several
126
ANNUAL REPORT
years have been much below normal although the amount so expended, due to the high cost of such repairs, would not indi- cate this. The school plant has been allowed for several years to deteriorate, and this deterioration should be checked and remedied at once-and this correction will involve a much larger expenditure on repairs for the present fiscal year than for sev- eral years past. The tax rate for schools in Rutland for several years has been considerably lower than that in the larger towns of Vermont, as the following table will indicate, and it is very evident to the School Board that if the schools in this city are to be kept to a high standard of efficiency and the school plant be not allowed to deteriorate further, the tax rate for schools in this city for the present year must be further increased.
TAX RATE IN 1920 FOR CURRENT SCHOOL EXPENSES IN THE ELEVEN LARGEST TOWNS IN VERMONT
on Grand List
Barre
$1.50
Bellows Falls
1.10
Bennington I. D.
1.80
Brattleboro I. D.
1.00
Burlington
.80
Montpelier
.93
Newport
1.00
Rutland
.75
St. Albans
.90
St. Johnsbury
1.25
Springfield
1.00
CITY CHARTER
Section 200 of the City Charter limits the power of the Board of Aldermen to appropriate for the support of schools in excess of fifty cents on the dollar of the Grand List of the city unless authorized by the voters of the city to appropriate a larger amount. This provision of the Charter has not been
127
CITY OF RUTLAND
-
changed since Rutland became a city. For the past four years the School Board has been obliged to ask the voters to authorize a higher tax rate for the schools, which has been granted. The School Board is now convinced that it will be impossible to properly conduct the schools in this city on the school tax rate established in the City Charter nearly thirty years ago, and has asked, with the unanimous approval of the Board of Aldermen, that this Section of the Charter be amended by raising the maximum tax rate for schools from fifty cents to eighty-five cents. This change would not mean that the school tax rate must be raised to eighty-five cents, but authorizes the Board of Aldermen to appropriate for the schools up to that limit with- cut asking the voters annually to authorize such increase.
ENLARGEMENT OF SCHOOL PLANT
Some three years ago the school Board closed two of its smaller school buildings and assigned the scholars to other schools. These buildings were greatly out of repair and on account of the small enrollment, the per capita cost per pupil was excessive. This consolidation, effected more easily by the fact that the school enrollment during the war period decreased, resulted in temporarily keeping down school expenses. With the approach of normal economic conditions the school enroll- ment has steadily increased, and the schools in certain sections of the city are becoming congested. This congestion, without doubt, will become more marked during the present year and will demand the early consideration of the patrons of the schools and the taxpayers of the city.
Again, the trend of public education is changing. Scholars remain in school longer and a larger number enter high school and prepare for higher institutions of learning. The attendance in our High School has more than doubled during the last one and one-half decades. Junior High Schools have been instituted in forty-six cities and towns in Vermont and the matter of establishing a Junior High in Rutland has been discussed by various Rutland School Boards without any satisfactory con-
128
ANNUAL REPORT
clusion being reached as to the advisability of adopting this system in Rutland. In any event, the school plant is not ade- quate to properly meet our present needs and the new conditions that confront us. The satisfactory solution will require the expenditure of a considerable sum of money and must have the support of patrons and citizens alike. I, therefore, recommend that a joint committee be appointed in the near future, repre- senting the interests of the School Board and the Board of Al- dermen, to investigate the whole subject of enlarging and im- proving the school plant, and to make its recommendations to the voters of the City.
MANUAL TRAINING
From the many requests I have received from parents, pupils and teachers, I strongly recommend the re-establishing of the teaching of manual training for boys in the grades. Equipment already on hand, with some outlay of money, could easily be put in condition so that this popular course could be properly conducted.
THE TEACHING FORCE
I wish to take this opportunity to express my own appre- ciation, and that of the Board of School Commissioners, of the faithful and efficient services of the entire teaching force. I have always found our teachers receptive to suggestions and advice as to anything conducive to the betterment of their pro- fession. An innovation this year in the establishment of de- partmental work in three of the principal buildings proved that the teachers were ready and competent to make an educational success of this experiment.
I believe it has been noticeably evident this year that the teachers throughout the city have been zealous in their efforts toward the moral, as well as the educational uplift of their indi- vidual classes.
129
CITY OF RUTLAND
PHYSICAL WELFARE
The physical welfare of the pupils has been splendidly looked after by the school physician, Dr. Ray E. Smith, and by the Rutland Red Cross, through its representative, Miss Mary A. Devlin, whose untiring efforts in co-operation with the teachers have made her an indispensable adjunct of the school personnel. The value of her service and its results cannot be too highly commended.
CONCLUSION
I wish at this time to express to the members of the School Board my appreciation of the courtesy and assistance accorded me while presiding over their deliberations, and to the citizens generally for their liberal support of the public schools during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
BARTLEY J. COSTELLO, President of the Board of School Commissioners.
Rutland, Vt., January 29, 1921.
Financial Statement
For the Year Ending December 31, 1920
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand January 1, 1920
$1,686 40
State rebate on Industrial Course
1,932 82
State rebate on Repairs
300 00
State rebate on Domestic Science
200 00
State rebate on Superintendent of Schools
1,775 00
Tuition collected
4,433 50
Books sold
1,204 70
Incidentals
581 25
City appropriation, 75c.
91,079 95
Ground rent
18 00
$103,211 62
EXPENDITURES
Salaries 1920
$82,437 55
Printing, advertising and insurance
669 63
Repairs
2,836 20
Supplies
4,197 46
Fuel and light
9,020 35
Text books
2,532 21
Rent
90 00
Sundries
1,384 91
$103,168 31
Balance unexpended December 31, 1920 $43 31
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE C. COBB, ELLEN B. CRAMTON, HARVEY R. KINGSLEY, Finance Committee, Board of School Commissioners.
-
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the Board of School Commissioners and City Council of the City of Rutland :
In accordance with the regulations of your honorable board, and the requirements of the city charter, I herewith present my fifteenth annual report of the schools of this city.
The statistical tables and other data formerly published as a basis of comparison, also the reports of the Principal of the High School and of the heads of the special departments, have been prepared as usual but by special direction of the Board will not be published in the city reports. These reports will be printed in full as usual in the local dailies, the careful reading of which we commend to the patrons of the schools and the voters of the city.
The school enrollment, membership and attendance for the natural school year ending June 30, 1920, varied but little from similar data covering a period of several years, and would indi- cate that the school population of the city had remained nearly stationary for a considerable period of time. It is evident that during the past year there has been a steady growth in the school population of the city but this increase has to a large extent been absorbed by private schools and by a larger number of children who on account of the high cost of living and the large wages paid have withdrawn from the schools to enter other lines of work. The percentage of attendance to mem- bership since the opening of the present school year has been exceptionally high, being excelled in few, if any, important towns in the state. This high percent has been effected by the absence of serious epidemics, by the watchful attention of the school health officials and by the services of a very efficient Truant Officer.
132
ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCES
The President of the Board of School Commissioners has covered very fully the finances of the schools for the past fiscal year. The school receipts and expenditures were in excess of those of any previous year duc almost wholly to the increase in salaries and the higher cost of fuel and supplies. From his report you will see that the current school receipts were not equal to the current expenditures last year, since the unexpend- cd cash balance and other net assets to the credit of the school department were decreased nearly $4,000. The full effect of increases in salaries and additional expenses authorized by the Board were not fully effective in 1920, which together with in- creased cost of fuel and the necessary repairs on school buildings must necessarily call for a considerably larger expenditure for the schools in 1921 than during the past year. The school board has no means of meeting these increased expenses without a larger city appropriation for the schools. The school tax in Rutland for several years has been lower than in any other important town or city in the state and if the increase in the school appropriation asked for by the board is granted the school tax will still be low as compared with that in similar towns and cities of Vermont and of New England.
ENLARGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL PLANT
In my report of last year I called attention to the advisa- bility of establishing a Junior High School and eliminating from our system the ninth grade. I also called attention to the fact that our High School building was taxed to its capacity. While these matters have been considered to some extent by the School Board no definite action has been taken and the conditions that existed one year ago have not materially changed. In giv- ing up the Gilrain Avenue and the School Street schools and assigning the pupils in those buildings to other schools every class room in the city with one exception was occupied prac- tically to its capacity. The policy of discontinuing schools in
133
CITY OF RUTLAND
those two buildings temporarily kept down expenditures, thus saving the city several thousand dollars each year. Another important reason for closing those two buildings was the fact that both were greatly out of repair and the State Board of Health was urging the school officials to make repairs or discontinue those schools. The repairs called for would aggre- gate several thousand dollars and the fact that the city realized only $625 from the sale of the School Street building including its heating plant clearly showed the unwisdom of attempting to spend a large amount of money for repairs on such a structure.
Pressure was brought upon the board by local and state health officials to vacate the school room on the third floor of the Kingsley Building on the ground that this room was not properly ventilated and lighted and that the fire risk was great. The school board has yielded to this pressure and has recently vacated that room and assigned the pupils to other schools. An ungraded school was opened in the one remaining unoccupied school room in the city so that at present every regular school room is occupied and most of these rooms to capacity.
The problem of establishing a Junior High School and re- lieving the crowded condition in the High School remains un- solved. It appears very evident that with the return of normal economic conditions Rutland will materially increase in popu- lation, which will demand additional school accommodations. I. therefore, most heartily commend the suggestion of the Presi- dent of the School Board that a joint committee be appointed in the near future to consider this whole matter of enlarging and improving the school plant. In my opinion a committee repre- senting the interests of the School Board. the Board of Aldermen and other important organizations of the city interested in civic improvement, could study this whole matter of school ac- commodations from an unbiased standpoint and make a report to the voters of this city that would have weight and carry con- viction and result in securing the relief neded. This problem ought not to be delayed longer as it is evident that additional
134
ANNUAL REPORT
schools in this city must be opened soon and such accommoda- tions cannot be furnished in our present buildings.
DEPARTMENTAL WORK
The ninth grade was incorporated into the elementary school system some forty years ago for the purpose of better preparing children in the grades for the high school and at the same time to enable the high school pupil to do work equal to that done in the old-style academy and private school. The necessity for the ninth grade passed years ago and we now find that grade en- tirely absent in the best school systems west of the Hudson River and with very few exceptions in New England. It has been found that the work in this grade is so largely a review that the child loses interest and in a measure is marking time to complete the grammar course. At the same time the work has so greatly improved by the lengthening of the school year and by a more efficient teaching force that the high school grad- uates are now able to do work that corresponds to that done in the best private schools and academies; in fact the scholarship of the high school graduate now receives a higher rating in some colleges than that of scholars prepared in private schools. The School Board has indicated its purpose of eliminating the ninth grade in our system after the present school year. To aid in carrying out this purpose the course of study has been some- what modified in all of the grammar grades and in three of the larger school buildings departmental work has been established. This has enabled the teachers in these schools to concentrate their time and energy upon the particular subject that they are best adapted to teach and at the same time to give that intensive instruction which makes the work of the school much more effi- cient. This plan appears to be working satisfactorily and is securing most favorable results in our system.
TEACHING FORCE
Thirteen vacancies in the teaching force, seven in the High School and six in the grades, have occurred during the past
135
CITY OF RUTLAND
fiscal year. Two teachers resigned to be married, seven to accept teaching positions elsewhere, three to take up other lines of work and one on account of illness. Several other vacancies would have occurred had not salary adjustments been made. The number of changes, unusually large, involved much atten- tion and considerable expense and tends to show that teachers are not desirous of retaining their positions unless salaries are commensurate with those paid elsewhere and in other lines of work. The state conducted a Summer School for teachers in this city during the summer vacation. Nearly all the grade teachers of the city attended. Teachers unable to secure instruc- tion in courses which they most desired were allowed, with the approval of the Board, to receive the cost of tuition and travel- ing expenses in attending summer schools outside of the city.
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