USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Pittsford > Annual report of the board of officers of the town of Pittsford, Vermont, for the year ending 1911-1913 > Part 3
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2d. The house and lot owned by Dr. T. J.Hagan, includ- ing the so-called "Warner Field." We are of the opinion that this lot has not sufficient frontage to have a school house built thereon fronting on the highway. The frontage is 103.3 feet. The house of Mrs. Belcher is close to the line on one side and the Methodist Church but a little farther away on the other side. The proposed building will be about 80 feet front, so that if placed here it would have a good sized build- ing on each side and only about 20 feet away. This we be- leive to be an objection. If the church sheds could be re- moved it might be possible to locate the building farther to the rear of the lot and have unobtsructed light in the school
42
an advisory member. Under the circumstances the com- mittee deemed it best to take no action.
Mr. John A. Eayres resigned from the committee August 7, 1911, and his place has not been filled.
The committee were unable to secure the Lothrop Fun'd and money was secured otherwise according to the vote of the town and as appears in the treasurer's report. The present status of the matter of the Lothrop Fund appears from a communication printed elsewhere in this town report.
The committee elected Mr. Henry L. Rourke, of Lowell, Mass., architect. The excavations were made and the foundation put in by days' labor under super- intendence of Mr. P. E. Mooney, of the committee. The contract for the remainder of the building was let to Mr. T. W. Rogers, of Brandon, the lowest of a number of competitive bidders.
The land purchased, and the cost of same as well as the cost of the building fully appear from the financial report which follows.
1911.
Mar. 31 1 Mrs. Fenton and Miss Burbank, home place $1,400 00
2 Burdett an'd Tennien, land 400 00
Apr. 11 3 H. A. Haseltine, surveying 7 00
24 4 Clarence Weinle, land 109 08
5 Burdett and Tennien, C. Weinle lot 140 92
6 The Herald notices 2 00
7 M. C. Webber, legal advice 15 00
May
9
8 Burlington Free Press notices 4 80
20
9 W. C. Landon & Co., 2 scrapers
11 00
19 10 Boston Globe notices
15 75
25
11 E. A. Randall, lumber
106 00
12 Water pipes
6 45
13 John Mahler, land
400 00
14 P. E. Mooney, per time book 104 15
15 H. A. Haseltine, surveying
3 50
16 T. B. Haley, freight on cement 106 40
June 2 17
G. W. Whitcomb, supplies
4 75
A
43
19 P. E. Mooney, per time book
156 07
8
20 P. E. Mooney, per time book 129 10
15
21 H. L. Rourke, architect 600 00
22 P. E. Mooney, per time book 208 59
17 23 T. W. Rogers, cement
255 60
24 24 P. E. Mooney, per time book 162 02
July
1 25 P. E. Mooney, per time book 158 69
129 48
14 27
28 P. E. Mooney, per time book
54 12
22 29 P. E. Mooney, per time book
30 13
30 H. L. Rourke, architect
376 17
Aug. 26 301/2 P. E. Mooney, labor
37 20
28 31 Expense laying corner stone
29 85
31 32 M. Connolly, supplies 29 00
100 00
9 34 T. W. Rogers, on contract
5,000 00
13
35 N. Weinle, land
200 00
25 36 H. L. Rourke, architect
233 23
37 G. W. Whitcomb, supplies
98
29
38 P. E. Mooney, labor
59 61
Oct.
5 39 Miss Burbank and Mrs. Fenton, land 600 00
6
40 G. F. Hendee, for Thomas place
900 00
10 41 T. W. Rogers, on contract 3,000 00
25 42 Queens Fire Insurance Co.
75 00
43 Home Insurance Co.
112 50
44 J. T. Tennien, labor and material
6 65
Nov. 2 45 Henry L. Rourke, architect 100 00
10 46 T. W. Rogers, on contract 2,500 00
47 P. E. Mooney, Grading
58 72
18 48 P. E. Mooney, grading
116 11
22 49 P. H. Carrigan, sand
8 40
27
50 P. E. Mooney, Grading
61 25
28 51 H. A. Haseltine, surveying 3 00
Dec. 1 52 London & Lancashire Insurance Co 75 00
14
53 T. W. Rogers, on contract
6,000 00
21 54 Vt. Sanatorium, wood 6 00
55 H. L. Rourke, architect
241 18
8 26 P. E. Mooney, per time book M. W. Clifford, lumber
205 84
Sept. 1 33 Jas. E. Tennien, land
42
rooms. It has been suggested that the building be located in the "Warner Field." It is doubtful if this can be done without interfering with the use of the lot as an athletic field. If this is attempted the Town should certainly secure the narrow strip of land belonging to Mrs. Belcher, lying between "Warner Field " and the cemetery.
3rd. By the purchase of Mrs. Belcher's house and lot in addition to the property mentioned in the preceeding para- graph the Town would have 218 feet frontage and an ideal site for a school house with an adequate athletic field. The only objection is the cost of buying and tearing down two houses.
4th. The remaining location considered, in many respects the best of all, is the rear portion of the Fenton property consisting of about one and one half acres together with enough of the property of Burditt and Tennien, lying between the Fenton property and Pleasant street, to give an outlet to Pleasant street. Perhaps part, or all, of the lot belonging to Clarence Weinle should also be secured. The school building would properly front toward Pleasant street. This would give a most desirable location for a handsome building, the most sightly of any in this part of the town. This location, however, would not of itself provide land enough for an athletic field. The Warner field, however, might be pur- chased for this purpose and connected with the Fenton lot by opening a narrow road, say thirty feet wide, between them running north of and adjacent to the cemetery prop- erty. This would mean purchasing of Wm. McCormick a piece of land 30 x 57 1-2 feet, of Edward Leahey a piece 30 x 148 1-2 feet, and of Mrs. Belcher a piece 30 x 40 feet. The roadway leading from the highway to the cemetery property should also be made a public road. The distance between the two tracts would be about 16 rods.
Your committee has spent a good deal of time and trouble in endeavoring to secure options on the various tracts of land mentioned which they have had under consideration but with
43
such unsatisfactory results that we have decided to quote no figures in this report. The Town has the power and the right to take by eminent domain the property it needs for school purposes. We recommend, therefore, that the town decide on what property it desires to secure for school purposes without any reference to what price the owners may have set on same or whether they have refused to set any price on same. When a committee with actual power to purchase has been constituted they will very likely be able to purchase the property decided on at a fair price. If not, the statutes of the state point out the course to pursue.
BUILDING.
Your committee has not felt authorized to decide on the size of the building to be erected or the number and grade of pupils it should accommodate. Nor did we deem it proper for us to spend money to secure plans or estimates as to cost of a building. Nevertheless we have made some investigations along this line.
The first question to decide is as to how many pupils, and of what grades, the new building should house. This raises the question as to the continued use of the present High school building, as it is well known that it is not the property of the Town. For a number of years the Town has been in- debted to Miss Mary J. Eaton for the use of a building for its High and Grammar schools. This building was purchased by Miss Eaton and put in as good shape for the purpose as was reasonably possible. The Town has paid nothing for its use or repair and is certainly under very great obligations to Miss Eaton for her generosity. Miss Eaton has further as- sured your committee that the building is at the service of the Town so long as it is desired to be used for school pur- poses. Nevertheless your committee is of the opinion that so long as in any event a new building is necsesary it will be wiser in the long run to abandon the present building. The saving of expense in fuel and janitor work will go far toward
44
paying interest on the extra cost of a new building. The superintendence will be easier and more efficient. Further, the present building, notwithstanding the money which has been so freely expended upon it, is not entirely satisfactory as a school building.
In particular, the stairway is narrow, crooked, and in case of fire, probably dangerous. The toilet facilities are inade- quate. Moreover, there seems to be no way in which these defects can be remedied.
As to number of pupils and grades to be accommodated, any number of combinations is possible. Your committee has reached the conclusion that the interests of the Town will be best served by making the new building adequate for the High and Grammar school pupils and the Village and Mills Intermediates, allowing a generous percentage for future growth. This would continue in use the present Village and Mills school rooms for Primary pupils and they should be ad- equate for that purpose for many years. It would also leave the Hudson, Furnace and Gorham schools as at present. We believe no one contemplates the bringing of the pupils from the west side of Otter Creek to a central building on the east side. For many reasons this seems out of the question. It
would be, however, entirely possible to bring all the pupils on the east side to a central building. That the voters may un- derstand what this involves we give here the present enroll- ment substantially of these schools, fall term, 1910 :
High school, 57.
Grammar school, 36.
Mills Intermediate
6th year, 15 5th year, 15 4th year, 12
Village Intermediate 6th year, 12
5th year, 17 4th year, 11
Mills Primary
Village Primary
3rd year, 15
3rd year, 12
2nd year, 15
2nd year, 12 1st year, 11
1st year, 15
45
Hotel room, 7th year, 15
Gorham school, 35
Furnace school, 38
Hudson school, 28
It will be seen that the total number of pupils east of Otter Creek is 371. Allowing for increase, to accommodate all would require a building ample for nearly 500 pupils and would cost of brick probably between $40,000 and $50,000. It is our opinion that this expense is unnecessary and perhaps undesirable. It would mean a very large expense for carry- ing pupils and is subject to the objection many have to send- ing their little children so far from home for so long a day. Nevertheless some towns are doing just that thing.
On the basis heretofore recommended by your committee, namely : a building for High, Grammar, and Village and Mills Intermediates, about 250 pupils should be planned for, the present number being 190.
Mr. Henry L. Rourke, an architect of Lowell, Mass., who makes a specialty of school buildings, has visited our town, and looked at each of the sites suggested. He has kindly agreed to make a sketch of a floor plan of such a building. It is expected that this sketch will be received and be on ex- hibition before town meeting.
Such a building ample for 250 pupils of the grade named built of brick with stone trimmings and with best modern heating, ventilation and sanitary accommodations would probably cost about $25,000. If the Town desires to include more schools they can be added at a probable cost of around $4,000 for each schoolroom for 48 pupils. If the Town de- cides to retain the use of the present High school building the new one can be built for correspondingly less money. It is proper to add that Mr. Rourke has aided your committee vol- untarily and they have incurred no obligations to him pecuni- ary or otherwise. They desire to record here however, their appreciation of his kindness.
Your committee has also had made by Mr. Haseltine of this
46
town a plot of the land between the Methodist church and Pleasant street. This plot will also be placed on exhibition and should aid materially in deciding on the best location for the new building.
LOTHROP FUND.
The will of the Hon. Henry F. Lothrop, late of this town, contained the following:
If she should die leaving no issue or descendant of such issue then the said principal shall be paid and delivered to the Town of Pittsford for the support of a higher grade of public schools for the whole town, but the school building shall be located and always remain within the present limits of School District No. 3 in said town.
The fund derived by this clause and which it is expected will eventually become the property of the town of Pittsford amounts to about $41,000. It has been suggested that Miss Manley, who receives the income from this fund during her lifetime, and the trustee, Hon. Henry O. Carpenter of Rut- land, would turn this fund over to the Town at once, reserv- ing to Miss Manley for life a certain annuity to be free from taxation. This fund is now netting Miss Manley, as we are informed over 5 per cent above taxes and all expenses. We have made some inquiry on the subject and have ascertained that the Town could sell its 4 per cent. bonds for a little less than par in the open market so that the proceeds would cost the town about 4.25 interest per annum. It is not impos- sible that a market might be found for the bonds at par so that the interest would be only 4 per cent. Further, the town is now receiving annually taxes on about one-half of the fund, or say 3-4 of one per cent. on $40,000.00 which it would lose if we took over the fund. It is obvious therefore that the Town would lose money if it paid over 3 1-2 per cent. for this fund, or perhaps 2 per cent. less than Miss Manley now receives. Under these circumstances, having in view the sit- uation of the Town and of Miss Manley we are unable to see how it can be to their mutual advantage to enter into the pro-
47
posed arrangement. We advise, therefore that the Town bor- row the money to build the school house and wait for its leg- acy until it becomes payable under the terms of the will.
Immediate payment had probably best be taken care of by short time loans which the treasurer should be authorized to . make. After the expense is known bonds can be issued and sold if desired.
In conclusion your committee desires to say that there seems to be no escape from the proposition that the Town must provide at once additional school accommodations.
Some of the rooms now used would scarcely escape condem- nation if complaint were made to the Board of Health. While therefore it is necessary to provide some additional room we believe it to be everyway most desirable that a building be erected which will permanently solve our problem, which will afford ample and satisfactory school facilities and which will be a credit and honor to our town.
We are aware that it was expected by many that this re- port would have been completed in the spring of 1910, and a special town meeting called and the work of building at once begun. We were unable to satisfactorily complete our work so that building could have been begun early last season.
Further, it is well known that a special town meeting is never well attended. The matters herein discussed are of such vital importance to the Town that we believed they should be referred to the regular annual meeting when a full attendance of the voters of the Town could be expected.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST HITCHCOCK, JOHN A. EAYRES, JOHN B. CANDON,
Committee.
48
Report of Superintendent of Schools.
TO THE BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS,
Pittsford, Vermont.
GENTLEMEN :- I herewith submit my fourth annual report as Superintendent of Schools for the town of Pittsford.
TEACHERS.
During the spring term, which is the first term of the school year, the following teachers were employed in the several schools :
High School-Principal,
Standage G. Johndroe.
Latin and French,
Charlotte Hale.
English and History,
Kathleen Adams.
Mills Intermediate,
Mills Primary,
Daisy Raleigh.
Village Intermediate,
May E. McCormack.
Village Primary,
Corinne Randall.
Florence Intermediate,
Siria Serri.
Florence Primary,
Lena Wood.
Fowler Intermediate,
Matilda McCormick.
Fowler Primary,
Elizabeth Kelley.
Rena Smith.
Douglas, Goodnough,
Constance Gulick.
Furnace,
Teresa Cline.
Hudson,
Rachel Jackson.
East Pittsford,
Rena Jackson.
Teacher of Music,
Nellie M. Horton.
Grammar,
Jennie E. Cline.
Madaline Eayres,
49
Seven of the above teachers had ended their services to the schools before the fall term, some to accept better posi- tions elsewhere, some to be married, and some from ill health, removal from town, etc., viz. Charlotte Hale, Madaline Eayres, Corinne Randall, Constance Gulick, Rachel Jackson, Rena Leonard, and Nellie Horton.
Siria Serri, was transferred to the Mills Intermediate school, and Rena Smith to the Hudson school. Teachers for the other schools were engaged as follows :
Edith N. Grout, a graduate of Middlebury College, as assis- tant in the high school ; Stella Ellis, Florence Edgerton, and Mary Carrigan, all graduates from the Castleton Normal School, for the Village Primary, Douglas and Goodnough schools respectively, and Eugenie Pinney, a graduate from the Lowell (Mass.) Normal School, for East Pittsford. On account of the overcrowded condition of the Village Interme- diate school, an additional school was opened under the hotel, with Stella Hughes, a graduate of the Castleton Normal School, as teacher. The present corps of teachers, showing the school in which each teaches, the educational institution represented, and the number of years service in this town is as follows :
SUPERINTENDENT AND TEACHERS.
Name
Position
Educational Institution Year of Service
Winthrop P. Abbott
Superintendent
Dartmouth College 4th
High School Standage G. Johndroe,
Principal
University of Vermont 2nd
Kathleen A. Adams
Assistant
Middlebury College 2nd
1st
Elementary School
Jennie E. Cline
Grammar
West Rutland High School
8th
May E. McCormack
Village Intermediate
Castleton Normal School
7th
Stella D. Ellis
Primary
1st
Stella F. Hughes
Hotel
66
1st
Siria I. Serri
Mills Intermediate
66
2nd
Daisy Raleigh
Mills Primary
7th
Kate S. Graham
Florence Intermediate
(Non Graduate)
1st
Lena E. Wood
Primary
2nd
Matilda McCormick
Fowler Intermediate
4th
Elizabeth M. Kelley
Primary
7th
Florence Edgerton
Douglas
1st
Mary G. Carrigan
Goodnough
1st
Teresa G. Cline
Furnace
Rutland High School
4th
Rena B. Smith
Hudson
Castleton Normal School
2nd
Eugenie Pinney
East Pittsford
Lowell (Mass.) High School
1st
Special Teacher Lottie M. Dewey
Music
Normal School of Methods (Boston)
1st
Edith N. Grout
50
51
A glance at the foregoing table shows that of the 15 ele- mentary school teachers, 12 are graduates from Normal schools, 1 an attendant at a Normal school, and 2 graduates of High schools, and that all the teachers in the High school are College graduates.
SIGHT AND HEARING TEST.
The annual test of the sight and hearing of all pupils above seven years of age was made by the several teachers during the fall term with the following result :
Number of pupils examined
406
Number of pupils found defective
117
Percent of pupils found defective
28.8
Number of boys examined
205
Number of boys found defective
59
Percent of boys found defective
28.7
Number of girls examined
201
Number of girls found defective
58
Percent of girls found defective
28.8
Many parents have given the matter of defective vision of their children careful attention, after receiving the notices sent by the teachers, and have had their eyes examined by physicians and glasses provided.
ENROLLMENT.
The following table shows the number of pupils enrolled in the several schools each term :
Spring
Fall
Winter
High School
58
58
57
Grammar
39
40
35
Mills Intermediate
42
42
39
Mills Primary
37
45
43
Village Intermediate
50
44
40
Village Primary
43
38
38
Hotel
-
15
17
52
Spring
Fall
Winter
Florence Intermediate
17
17
19
Florence Primary
34
40
27
Fowler Intermediate
33
43
41
Fowler Primary
48
42
35
Douglas
19
20
18
Goodnough
33
36
31
Furnace
37
37
40
Hudson
22
30
28
East Pittsford
20
19
20
532
566
528
This shows an increase over the enrollment of last year of 23 in the spring term, 20 in the fall term, and 16 in the win- ter term.
REPAIRS.
Repairs on the interior of the school buildings which were begun a year ago have been continued. A hardwood floor and new single seats and desks have been placed in the Primary room at the Florence school, a large ventilating furnace in- stalled, and both rooms tinted, making neat and attractive rooms in this building. Single seats and desks have also been placed in the Douglas school. A new floor laid in the Intermediate room at the village, a large ventilating furnace installed in the Primary room, and the walls and ceiling at the Goodnough school tinted. Repairs should be continued in some of the other schools. A new floor and single seats and desks are needed at the Hudson school, a new floor at the Furnace, and both floor and single seats and desks at the school in East Pittsford.
NEW ROOM OPENED.
It became evident at the close of the spring term that the Intermediate room at the village would be overcrowded, and that additional room must be provided for elsewhere. The
53
only available room was the vacant room on the ground floor of the hotel. This was engaged, cleaned and fitted up for a temporary school room. 14 pupils were taken from the over- crowded room at the village, and 3 from the Mills school, making a seventh grade of 17 pupils. Miss Stella Hughes was engaged to teach this grade. After taking these 17 pupils from the other room, there still remained 40 pupils in one of the rooms and 41 in the other. This change was for the best interests of the pupils, as well as being necessary. This is the only school in town in which a single grade has the entire services of a teacher.
FOWLER SCHOOL.
The large attendance at the Fowler school, together with the charactor of the pupils who attend it, many of whom when they enter school are unable to speak the English lan- guage, make it impossible for the two teachers employed here to do the work expected or to do justice by the pupils.
The teachers feel that they are working against great odds and that some relief ought to be afforded them. The outlook for next year is that the attendance will be increased over that of this year. If this should prove to be so, I ask you to consider building an additional room to this school house, or if that is impossible at present, to consider employing an assistant teacher to aid in the work here. This school prob- ably presents a more difficult problem than any school in town inasmuch as many who enter are unable to speak our lan- guage, do not understand our ways, and come from homes where habits, manner of living, and ideals are different from those of English speaking people, thus needing more individ- ual attention than it is now possible to give to the many pupils.
IN GENERAL.
Through the interest of the teachers and pupils the follow- ing pictures have been purchased for the schools :
54
"Pilgrims on their way to church," The Bodenhausen "Madonna,"
Grammar School Fowler Primary
''Sistine Madonna" and "The Gleaners," Fowler Intermediate East Pittsford "The Shepherdess,"
The interest in music continues among the pupils, and the improvement is steady. As for the two previous years, the public library has furnished traveling libraries to the outly- ing schools, without expense to the town. These libraries are very helpful in the work of the school.
I think that good work is being done in the schools, and that a steady improvement is being made.
HIGH SCHOOL.
June 16, a class of seven was graduated from the High school. The following is the program of graduation :
PROGRAM.
Invocation, Song of Welcome, Sextet.
Rev. C. N. Curtis. G. A. Veazie.
The Bride of the Adriatic, Dorothy Loretta Browne.
Are the Philippines Worth While ? M. Jerome Fitzpatrick.
Child Labor, Mary Randilla Stevens.
American Ideals, Abel Clinton Brown.
Nature's Education,
Emma Lottie Phillips.
"The Red Scarf,"
Empiricism, Chorus. G. A. Veazie.
Clinton Crawford Barnes. Our Struggle for Equality, Arthur Nathaniel Willis. Presentation of Diplomas. "In the Harbor We've been Sheltered,"
G. A. Veazie.
Double Quartet.
55
GRADUATES.
Latin-English course, Clinton Crawford Barnes
English course,
Abel Clinton Brown, Dorothy Loretta
Browne, Michael Jerome Fitzpatrick,
Emma Lottie Phillips, £ Mary Randilla Stevens, Arthur Nathaniel Willis.
There are at present graduates from the Pittsford High school in the following colleges and other educational institu- tions : University of Vermont, 4; Castleton Normal School, 2; Middlebury College, 1; Norwich University, 1; Oswego Normal School (N. Y.), 1; Northfield Seminary (Mass.), 1; Hunter College, (N. Y. city), 1; Rutland Business College, 1.
A CENTRAL SCHOOL BUILDING.
Should the town decide to erect a new school building in the near future, the needs for which have been repeatedly set forth in previous reports, I would like to propose for con- sideration, that a building site be chosen, and a building erected, with a view to making it in fact a Central School to which all elementary school pupils east of the Otter Creek may eventually be transported in barges owned and controlled by the town. It seems as though Pittsford has an unusual opportunity for consolidating and centralizing its several schools. Perhaps it is too much to expect that all this be done in one year, but I think this plan is worthy of consideration when the matter of the erection of a new building is being discussed.
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