Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Lubec, Maine, for the Year Ending March 1, 1913. Many of the names of people within are repeated, some many times, but I'll list them all at least once, if not more.
Reprinted, with permission, from a November 26, 2010 post at the Heirlooms Reunited blog.
Municia; Officers of the Town of Lubec, Maine, for the Year Ending March, 1st, 1913.
Selectmen, Assessors, Overseers of Poor
W. W. Baker, M. N. Reynolds, R. W. Ramsdell
Town Clerk, Charles E. Morong
Town Treasurer, W. T. Comstock
Collector of Taxes, M. P. Jenkins
Superintendent of Schools, R. F. Harmon
School Committee
E. H. Bennett, E. E. O'Donnell, George Comstock
Road Comissioner
F. S. Reynolds
Town Agent
L. B. McFadden
Chief of Fire Department
F. W. Trecartin
Water Commissioners
M. N. Reynolds, J. H. Gray, E. E. Trecartin
Names on the page above include:
Everett Morong, A. W. Kelley heirs
Merrill Small
John P. McCurdy
Mame S. Bennet
Leona Achorn
Geneva Reed
Blanche Smart
William D. Lane
Emily Bartlett
Belle Randall
Municia; Officers of the Town of Lubec, Maine, for the Year Ending March, 1st, 1913.
Selectmen, Assessors, Overseers of Poor
W. W. Baker, M. N. Reynolds, R. W. Ramsdell
Town Clerk, Charles E. Morong
Town Treasurer, W. T. Comstock
Collector of Taxes, M. P. Jenkins
Superintendent of Schools, R. F. Harmon
School Committee
E. H. Bennett, E. E. O'Donnell, George Comstock
Road Comissioner
F. S. Reynolds
Town Agent
L. B. McFadden
Chief of Fire Department
F. W. Trecartin
Water Commissioners
M. N. Reynolds, J. H. Gray, E. E. Trecartin
Names on the page above include:
Everett Morong, A. W. Kelley heirs
Merrill Small
John P. McCurdy
Mame S. Bennet
Leona Achorn
Geneva Reed
Blanche Smart
William D. Lane
Emily Bartlett
Belle Randall
Names on the page above, other than those on the preceding page:
Etta Trecartin
Fannie Mulholland
Elmeda Thompson
Grace J. Hill
Sunie Chse
Kathleen Conley
Mary Varney
Nina Davis
Daisy Reynolds
Grace Webber
Lena Wilson
Alice Joy
Sylvia Crocket
Sadie Avery
Rhita Allingham
Florence Cook
Elsie Hurlburt
Ina Kelley
Jennie Myars
Beatrice Wilkinson
Nellie Adams
Names on the page above:
Blanche Fitzhenry
Mamie O'Brien
Esther Winchester
Evelyn Stewart
Ed Smith
L. Huckins
D. F. Lamson
Fannie Mulholland
Christine Mowry
Elmeda Thompson
Grace Hill
Sunie Chase
Kathleen Conley
Mary Varney
Nina Davis
Daisy Reynolds
Grace Webber
Lena Wilcox
Sylvia Crocket
Sadie Avery
Rheta Allingham
Florence Cook
Elsie Hurlburt
Ina Kelley
Jennie Myers
Beatrice Wilkinson
Nellie Adams
Blanche Fitzhenry
Mamie O'Brien
Esther Winchester
Evelyn Stewart
Barsley
Stuart
J. K. Woodward
John Anderson
Avery Bros
Maud N. Preble
Gretchen Mulholland
Lucy Hearne
Janetta Stewart
Ada Moan
Sylvia Crocket
Flora Tucker
Princess Wilson
Elsie Hurlburt
Lillian Reynolds
Merle Trecartin
Alice Joy
Sarah Stinson
Mame O'Brien
Ena Myers
S. Staples & Son
E. H. Dinsmore
Names in addition to those already mentioned:
Mrs. Sanford Preble
Sarah B. Stinson
A. J. Small
S. B. Stuart
Florence Tucker
E. E. Dearborn
Lucy Hearne
Evelyn Stewart
Janetta Stewart
James Bradley
George Comstock
Frank Stewart
James Kelley
D. Lamson
Roland Libby
Alden Davis
Wallace Miller
Arthur Smth
Roy Campbell
Roy Wyman
Willie Bradley
Laura Kelley
Columbian Canning
Maud Preble
Names on the page above, other than those mentioned previously:
Bertha Knowlton
A. J. Small
F. S. Reynolds
F. W. Keene
Annie Trecartin
Lucy Hearne
James B. McCurdy
W. K. McBride
Fred Benson
J. M. Pike, Jr.
Names on the page above:
Mrs. Ellen Staples
Charles Winton
Thomas Ward
J. J. McCurdy
John Durgin
C. L. Adams
Mrs. McGonigal
A. Misiner
Fred Pushee
Hugh Mooney
George Leighton
W. K. McBride
R. W. Ramdell
F. S. Reynolds
Capt. John A. Davis for G. A. R.
Names on the page above:
I. F. Ramey
John L. McCurdy
C. H. Aylward
Pettingill & Andrews
C. Winton
Names on the page above:
W. W. Baker
M. N. Reynolds
R. W. Ramsdell
W. T. Comstock
Annie F. Brawn, clerk
F. M. Tucker, auditor
Frank Trecartin, Chief
Names on the page above:
Mrs. D. W. Preston
Mrs. Mary Treagy
Mrs. Della Trenholm
Mrs. Lena Morong
Daniel Lamson
S. B. Stuart & Co.
Trecartin Bros.
J. C. Myers
Walter Ingalls
Walter Denbow
Mrs. George Huckins
Mrs. Will Davis
Mrs. John Howell
Mrs. Charles Denbow
Frank Hamilton
B. A. Cox
S. Staples & Son
G. W. Capen Corp
Amber Chem Co
S. B. Stuart
Ahira Calkins
Mrs. William Davis
S. A. Marston
E. H. Bennett
R. F. Harmon
R. W. Campbell
George Wilcox
Robert J. Simpson
J. K. Woodward
J. W. Kelley
W. H. Davis
Charles Fanning
George H. Comstock
C. H. Nugent
Trecartin Bros.
George W. Saunders
D. F. Lamson
Ernest Huckins
F. W. Trecartin
Names on the page above:
John Calkins
E. H. Bennet
S. B. Stuart & Co
J. K. Woodward
Lawrence Bros.
Hugh Simpson
S. Staples & Son
W. K. McBride
A. Calkins
J. M. Pike Jr. & Co.
Trecartin Bros.
Newell McFadden
Fred Benson
William Godfrey
F. W. Keene
E. E. Babb
H. L. Palmer
Howard & Brown
F. W. Keene
Smith Bros.
J. Hammett & So.
Silver, Burdett Co.
Remington Typewriter
E. H. Bennett
Underwood Typewriter
F. W. Keene
C. L. Smith Co.
D. H. Knowlton Co.
E. H. Bennet
F. W. Keene
Milton, Bradley Co.
E. E. Babb Co.
E. H. Bennet
D. A. Gillis & Co.
Fred Benson
L. E. Knott Co.
Names on this page:
Fred Benson
R. F. Harmon
Walter Myers
Basil Huntley
S. B. Hume & Son
C. M. Conant Co.
F. S. Reynolds
A. Robinson
Stewart McFadden
John Burwell
Joseph O'Brien
Seth Jones
H. Fitzhenry
T. H. Hartnett
Lyman Taylor
St. Staples & Son
G. W. Capen Corp.
Columbian Canning
S. B. Stuart Co.
Ralph Dunn
Samuel Staples & Son
M. P. Jenkins, Collector
A. Stanley
R. W. Ramsdell
Leander Barsley
C. H. Scott, Allen family
C. H. Scott, Mary Ramsdell
Town of Trescott, Annie Whittier
Names on the page above:
E. N. Smith, George Brooks board
Mary Ramsdell
Loring J. Allen
S. H. Trecartin
Leander Barsley, Miss Lancaster
Susie Young, for Mary Ramsdell
Dr. Mahlman
W. B. Dodge
Town of Trescott, Annie Whittier
George Ross, for Miss Lancaster
Leander Barsley for Liddy Harris
C. H. Clark
Columbia Packing Co
D. A. Gills & Co., medicine
E. N. Smith, for George Brooks
John Calkins
Harry Knights, for Charles Kelley
Allen family
Martha Moores
R. W. Ramsdell
C. H. Clark, for Miss Lancaster
A. R. Harman, for Mary Ramsdell
R. M. Mahlman, for Liddy Harris
Mrs. Davis, Bessie Denbow's board
Mary Tinker, Liddy Harris' board
B. M. Pike
R. J. Peacock
Names on the page above:
E. E. Owen
Fred Keene
Charles Aylward
Fred Keegan
I. F. Ramey
John L. McCurdy
Charles Gooch
George Tyler
Fred Cheney
M. N. Reynolds
George Capen Corp
A. Robinson
S. Staples & Son
F. Keene
John Trecartin
Thomas Keegan
John Durgin
D. Tinker
John Olson
William Ramsdell
George Tyler
W. R. Ramsdell
Dearborn
J. A. Mowry
B. Hamilton
Names on the page above:
Benjamin Hamilton
S. Staples & Son
J. H. Gray
B. W. Adams
C. H. Clark & Co
F. W. Keene
Charles Morong
Trecartin Bros.
E. H. Bennet
A. R. Harmon
R. M. Mahlman
W. W. Baker
W. T. Comstock
F. W. Faning
J. H. Gray
John L. McCurdy
J. Harford Gray
George Stanhope
Names on the page above:
Mat Dagnan
F. S. Reynolds
W. K. McBride
Ralph Huckins
William Reynolds
Vernon Reynolds
Mrs. Lewis Comstock
William Quirk
George Treagy
Fred Tyler
Emerson Zwicker
A. W. Tyler
George Leighton
Basil Huntley
Dan Burns
James Cheney
Thad Towse
Irving Ramsdell
Ed Elliot
Ernest Dearborn
Dan Morrison
P. Morrison
G. Sturks
Hugh Mooney
Louisa Ramsdell
T. Burns
B. F. Hamilton
H. J. Davis
John Burns
Fred Keegan
McNevin
E. Mulholland
James Denbow
Charles Denbow
F. S. Reynolds
V. Cheney
H. Jones
Emerson Zwicker
George Libby
William Reynolds
Chester McLellan
Clarence Kelley
H. O'Brien
James Kelley
John Batron
William Denbow
Lewis Wallace
William Andrews
Mel McFadden
Austin Cheney
Ernest Moore
H. E. Fitzhenry
L. B. McFadden
F. S. Reynolds
Levi Kinney
E. Zwicker
George Libby
Colin McNevin
Ev. Frye
A.Frye
Clarence Morang
Fred Blanche
D. A. Blanche
Henry Ramsdell
Sam Morrison
John Smith
C. J. Clark
Bert Blanch
F. Hallet
George Holds
Reynolds & Avery
H. E. Case
L. Ramsdell
William Reynolds
Charles Robinson
Levi Kinney
Marston Taylor
James Wilbur
Colin McNevin
George Robinson
L. Ramsdell
Hollis Ramsdell
James Fanning
Mike McCurdy
Lawrence Ryan
Kate Wilkinson
W. W. Myers
Lee Myers
Grant Mahar
J. C. Myers
C. L. Small
L. Dudley
J. R. Creath
A. Guptill
S. A. Marston
George Thompson
A. Joy
Names on the page above:
A.Morgan
A. Godgrey
Les Wormell
Harry Larrabee
Charles Lovis
Fred Mahoney
Charles Miller
J. K. Woodward
Levi Kinney
George T. Allen
Murdock
William Reynolds
L. Ramsdell
Grant Mahar
Fred Pratt
H. Morgan
W. W. Myers
Ralph Huckins
F. S. Reynolds
John Anderson
William Whalen
Will Knowles
L. Kinney
John Grass
H. Olson
James May
Charles Tyler
Katie Wilkinson
Mrs. Lewis
F. Walen
J. B. McCurdy
George Eaton
David Boyd
Roy Kelley
Clarence Kelley
Chester Lyons
C. J. Clark
Elmer Owen
Elisha Ramsdell
F. S. Reynolds
James Huckins
Forest Huckins
Sant. Huckins
Lafayette Mahar
Guy Lyons
John Webb
Dan McFaul
Millard Kinney
John Wilkinson
Kate Wilkinson
Robert Mahar
H. Fitzhenry
Austin Cheney
James Kelley
Herbert Small
William Andrews
T. J. Hartnett
Len Dudley
Frank Smith
A. Guptill
George Hamilton
Harry Larrabee
Hillan Allan
George Wallace
Ernest Moore
E. Lyons
H. Mahar
Lafayette Mahar
Henry Hunt
James McBriety
Frank Owen
John Anderson
John W. McCurdy
Charles McFaul
H. May
William Andrews
A. Cheney
Names on the page above:
G. Comstock
Fred Pratt
W. Denbow
John Batron
E. Zwicker
H. E. Fitzhenry
W. Reynolds
C. Nugent
C. Hamilton
W. Whalen
G. Marston
E. Dearborn
John Creath
G. Marston
Pat Morrison
James Fanning
Walter Myers
C. H. Clark & Co.
Trecartin Bros.
Dennysville Lumber Co.
E. G. Mulholland
Sea Coast Canning Co
Mawhinney & Ramsdell
Names on the page above:
Columbia Canning
Mawhinney & Ramsdell
Twitchell, Champlin Co
American Can Co.
Passamaquoddy Ferry Co.
Steamer Dolphin
Globe Canning
Lubec Sardine Co.
E. Zwicker
Knowles Steam Pump Co.
W. L. Blake & Co. B. M. Pike
Lubec Herald
B. M. Pike
William Story
Eugene Brown
J. C. Myers
A. Tinker
B. F. Millinken
N. A. Wallace
Charles Tinker
Trecartin Bros.
Burton Blanche
David Tinker
Willard Hunt
E. E. Trecartin
William Tinker
Adams Tinker
Names on the page above:
George Gilchrist Co.
Stephen S. Church
R. D. Wood
Rumsey & Co.
George Treagy
J. C. Myers
E. Zwicker
William Reynolds
George Tyler
C. H. Scott
Lawrence Price
H. J. Davis
John Olson
Edward Kelley
Harvey Adams
S. B. Stuart & Co.
Samuel Staples & Son
C. H. Clark & Co.
B. M. Pike
John Trecartin
Joe Morang
John Pratt
John Grass
Emerson Zwicker
N. McFadden
Frank Tyler
Lawrence Price
Mulholland Bros.
M. N. Reynolds
J. H. Gray
Agnew Bros.
Mrs. Sarah Woodward
Joe Socabason
Peter Frances
Names on the page above:
Peter Paul
Henry Socabason
Peter Frances
Sopiel Socaby
Andrew Lola
Joe Neptune
John Nicholas
Frank Stanley
D. A. Blanch
Charles H. Gillman & Co.
C. H. Aylward
R. Crowley
J. A. Tucker
G. W. Brown
Charles Wilson
C. E. Morong
Fred Benson
F. S. Reynolds
Neil McFaul
George Stanhope
W. W. Baker
Names on the page above:
Fred Joy
W. Myers
R. Lyons
J. H. Gray
E. H. Bennet
M. P. Jenkins
Charles Nugent
F. M. Tucker
Names on the page above:
W. W. Baker, M. N. Reynolds, R. W. Ramsdell, Selectmen of Lubec
The last few pages are the School Superintendent's Report and Report of the Principal of High School. First, the School Superintendent's Report.
School Supintendent's Report
To the School Board,
Gentlemen; - I hereby submit my first annual report as Superintendent of schools of the town of Lubec.
Owing to the comparatively short term I have served in this capacity, my suggestions must be somewhat limited. The general condition of the schools seems to be satisfactory and the administrative methods of previous years have not been changed to any appreciable extent. The course of study adopted some years ago has been used in part of the grades, while it is planned to have a revised outline prepared for use at the beginning of the fall term. The general work of the schools should be toned up, particularly Reading, Penmanship, Spelling, and the application of Arithmetic so that it may have a definite value. The chances for advancement are many and urgent, but these should not be made too hastily, nor should a radical view be taken of them.
The most urgent need at present seems to be a uniformly trained and well paid teaching force, that we may compete with other towns in the state, in this respect, for we cannot expect to get best results without good instruction. Every effort should be made to procure experienced teachers of Normal training. It is not fair to have children used as an experiment, that teachers may get their experience, and then leave us for some community paying higher salaries.
Next to a strong corps of teachers, attendance is a very important phase of successful schools. There is a bill now before the legislature asking that school funds be apportioned on aggregate attendance. With the present rate of attendance, this bill would cause Lubec to lose a part of its state school fund. Parents should co-operate with teachers and school authorities in bettering this condition. Attendance at school is already compulsory, as the state recognizes education as one of its greatest safeguards against rearing a non-supporting, irresponsible citizenship. There is also a bill now pending which provides for a minimum wage for teachers. Both are good bills. Lubec is no worse in this respect than the rest of the state, but rather, the state itself is delinquent. The Carnegie Bureau of Research recently reported that out of the forty-eight states of the Union, Maine stood forty-fifth in regard to salaries paid teachers, South Carolina and Louisiana being the lowest. The percentage of attendance in Maine is very high, being forty-seventh, or second only to Vermont. California pays the highest wage scale, the average salary of women teachers being $900 per annum.
The enrollment of the high school has increased steadily from last year, so that there are about 110 now registered, an increase
of about 15. Comparison of the present senior class with the number of students in the class at the beginning of the fall term forces us to face a great problem of providing accommodations for them. Three new typewriters have been added to the Commercial Department, which, though comparatively now, is deservedly popular, and will continue so. The teachers have all worked hard and thoroughly, and the results have been good. The new teacher added at the beginning of the fall term has greatly strengthened the work of the school, which is growing fast, and is already the largest in numbers of any high school this side of Bangor, with the possible exception of one. There are about 55 students who attend from out of town districts and I do not believe there is a town in the state that can duplicate this record. For further information concerning the high school I would refer you to the report of the principal Miss Bennet, who, with the corps of assistants, are to be congratulated on the results obtained.
The rooms in the building are crowded in some cases, and in three or four we find an enrolment of over fifty. I do not know that this condition can be alleviated at once, but it is not a desirable one, when you are looking for efficiency.
The school room at Bailey's Mistake is much overcrowded, and steps must be taken to provide larger accommodations.
The conditions in nearly all the rural schools are good. At No. 2 West, or the Ridge, only general repairs are needed. This building was painted and put in good repair last year. For No. 3 South, North Lubec, there is a special article in the warrant to secure a suitable woodshed, outside of which only general repairs will be needed. At No. 3 North the woodshed should be righted, and a foundation provided, also a few general repairs made. No. 4 needs only painting and general repairs. No. 5 East needs general repairs and a crossing provided in front. At this school the Improvement League is raising funds for purchasing a school bell and erecting a bell tower. A bell has been purchased at West Lubec and at Bailey's Mistake the past year. This community work is excellent, and should be encouraged.
No. 5 West is in good condition, needing only minor repairs. Nos. 6 and 9 are not in great need of repairs at present. The greatest need of attention seems to be at No. 9 South Lubec, where conditions are very bad. The schoolroom needs to be refloored, either plaster or steel ceilings, one side of the roof needs patching, new desks upstairs, and most of all, a decent, sanitary closet arrangement in the rear of the building, two stories high, practically as the one was erected at North Lubec. With proper attention on the part of the teacher, a toilet of this kind is considered the best solution of one of our most difficult problems.
The morals and health of our children should not be allowed to suffer as they are suffering at present in this school. An article asking money for handling this problem has been placed in your town warrant. I especially recommend favorable action on this. At No. 10 I recommend general repairs, with the hope that better accommodations may be provided there later. At No. 11, the Anderson district, the toilet should be moved or rebuilt nearer the building, as is the case in other districts. Otherwise only minor repairs are needed there. We need more money for repairs than has been formerly available, as each year seems to show an overdraft. There is about so much to do annually, to keep the school property in repair, and if you do not raise enough money one year, it must be raised the next year.
At No. 2 East it will be necessary to expend about $125 for repairs, possibly more, if the school is continued. I believe that every child in the district would be directly benefited by attending school in the village. Nearly every state in the progressive Middle West is closing and consolidating the small rural schools of this type. It costs far more per scholar to pay expenses in them, and the instruction is apt to be of an inferior quality, in consequence of less time to devote to the class, and because of the many grades.
Many of the progressive school systems of the state are constantly trying to solve the problem of Promotion. The final result has been that many cities and towns are adopting a system whereby the child is promoted twice a year, on the theory that if a child will do a certain amount of work to be promoted once, he would do far more for two promotions. That would mean that the school year would be divided into two periods, and the child promoted in the middle of the winter term and in June. This would necessitate dividing the school year into halves, and a more frequent issuing of rank slips. If a child were sick for a month or two, he would only have to grade back half a year, instead of losing a whole year of work. Today it cannot be afforded for time is money and position. If he should be abnormally smart, he stands a far better chance of promotion, for it is much easier and safer to do work one half year ahead of the last grade than a whole year ahead. At some time in the future he may be able to grade again, thus making his whole year, and still not only losing nothing, but receiving the additional incentive of promotion to make his work satisfactory. I think that in the case of four-fifths f our children, it would promote their welfare and could not possibly injure the remaining one-fifth. It would not necessitate one bit more work on the part of the school authorities; would not cost any more; would not in any way limit or injure any individual, and could be introduced at
the beginning of the fall term. It would have a tendency to hold scholars in school longer; would get them into High School earlier; and graduating earlier, with less drawbacks, would give many more a chance to pursue higher education than are now able. I can see no objection, worthy of note, to this plan, and earnestly recommend that your Board consider it and act soon.
There is no system of keeping and preserving ranks, promotions, attendance records, and any other statistics necessary in the schools. I recommend that your committee take action to install a system suitable to your conditions, purchase filing cabinets, and systematize this important part of school administration. Nearly all cities and large towns of Maine are using these and in a number of states the State Boards make it compulsory to have these.
Furthermore, the State realizing the value of Industrial Training, Manual Training, etc., very generously has given towns the privilege, not only of having these branches taught but goes further and offers to invest two dollars to each dollar you expend to procure suitable instruction in these branches. The time has come when it is imperative that we furnish for the children a training which can be used to secure dollars and cents and unless we can teach children that which can be economically applied, our schools are to some extent a failure. Skowhegan, Bar Harbor, Houlton, Fort Fairfield, Waterville, Belfast and Calais have Manual Training departments installed. At Brunswick this winter the boys in the manual training department constructed a building from materials furnished by town, where they will do their work. These are certainly practical results. These towns are about the size of Eastport. You are paying state taxes which go to help support the departments in other towns, and it does not seem a good business policy to allow the chance to go by us. The same chance is open to you. This work could also be introduced, and if other towns could be taken as examples, girls could be easily taught to make their plain clothing and underclothing at the school, under the competent instruction of a trained teacher. I believe I am safe in saying that nearly all the material necessary to fit out Domestic Science for the first year could and would be furnished outside of the town funds.
During the latter part of the year an effort has been made to introduce a uniform line of text books in the school. This should continue until all the schools shall be using practically uniform books. In the lower grades we are introducing the progressive Road to Reading and this is generally endorsed by the teachers. Nearly every city in Maine is now using it.
The thanks of the school Board and the town should be extended to the local W. C. T. U., who during the year have placed in the schools a complete set of the Gulick Hygiene Series of Physiologies.
There should be an office where the superintendent could make appointments, keep records, and keep in touch with the work relating to that department.
In closing, I wish to express my appreciation of the support and help afforded me by the Board. Your oversight has been called for more than usually by the conditions.
It has been my aim to carry out your instructions in all matters relating to the management and administration of the schools. But after all, we must place our highest trust in, and render thanks to our teaching force, for we cannot have good schools without good teachers. It is to their work that appreciation is due to a great degree. I wish them to know that I feel this, and I give them my sincerest thanks for what they have done for the betterment of the schools.
Respectfully submitted,
R. F. Harmon
Directory of Teachers
High School - Mame S. Bennet, Principal; W. E. Lane, Sub-Master; Leona J. Achorn, E. M. Bartlett, Belle A. Randall (Commercial Dept.)
Grade 9 - Maude Preble
Grade 8 - Esther Winchester
Grade 7 - Elmeda E. Thompson
Grade 6 - Grace J. Hill
Grade 5 - Gretchen A. Mulholland
Grade 4 - Lucy Hearne
Grade 3 - Mary B. Varney
Grade 2 - Nina E. Davis
Grade 1 - Evelyn Stewart
No. 2 East - Janette Stewart
No. 2 West - Ada V. Moan
No. 3 South (Primary) Florence Tucker, Bertha Knowlton
No. 3 South (Grammar) Sylvia Crockett
No. 3 North - Princess F. Wilson
No. 4 - Elsie Hurlburt
No. 5 East - Ina M. Kelley
No. 5 West - Beatrice Wilkinson
No. 6 - Lillian Reynolds, Florence Hilton
No. 7 - Merle Trecartin
No. 9 - Grammar, Mrs. Alice Joy, Sara B. Stinson, Primary
No. 10 - Mame O'Brien
No. 11 - Ena Myers
Finally, The Report of Principal of High School:
Report of Principal of High School
To the Superintendent and School Committee:-
As Principal of the Lubec High School I herewith present my fifth annual report.
Enrollment
Of the pupils enrolled in June of last year, all but three returned to school in September. The entering class numbered forty-two, making a total membership of one hundred and fifteen. Since then there pupils have been registered, one only temporarily and two more are expected next term, so that by the end of the school year there will have been registered one hundred and twenty pupils. Of this number the school has lost five, two, because of ill health, one was transferred to another school, the family of another moved out of town, and the fifth simply dropped out. Fifteen pupils will be graduated in June, and with an entering class of probably forty, there should be, allowing for dropping out, one hundred nd thirty-five or forty pupils in the school next year. Five well equipped teachers should be ablelto take care of this number of pupils. Such an increase will severely tax the seating capacity as the rooms are already comfortably filled.
Curriculum and Text-Books
The course of study adopted three years ago has been found to be workable and has been pursued this year. There are two changes which would be advantageous. One would be to introduce into the English and Commercial branches of the freshmen year the "First Year Science" which has been adopted by many high schools. Such a course is good because it is practical and it leads logically up to the science work following in the third and fourth years of the English course. Another change would be to strengthen the commercial course in the last half of the senior year.
Changes have been made in the following text-books: - Algebra and Geometry in the junior year, Rhetoric in the Sophomore and Junior years. In the coming year the Algebra and Rhetoric used in the first year should be changed, and also the Geometry used in the second year. With these changes all the books in the school would be up-to-date and practical and would be such as would meet the requirements for some time to come.
Attendance
The weather, and the prevalence of the "grippe" has somewhat interfered with the attendance, but considering that there are fifty pupils coming from out of town, there is little cause for complaint. The Freshman class leads, the school having the highest average attendance of the four classes. Of the 40 Freshmen enrolled, 20 come every morning, a distance of two to five miles. Not infrequently in the career of a high school pupil there comes a time when outside affairs offer strong attractions; he drops behind in his work, and feels that he doesn't want to go to school any more. Such a condition does not come into existence full-grown, but is gradually developed. The first symptom is usually that of finding fault with the teachers in the school in general. A second is the repeated request to stay out of school for no good reason whatever.
Such symptoms should be early detected by the parent and quelled in their incipiency. If the boy is allowed to believe that his school work is not worth while for a half day out of the week, he will soon figure that it isn't worth while for five days out of the week, and he will eventually leave school. Young men, beyond the compulsory age, have told me that their parents didn't care if they didn't come to school, when they wanted to stay out for an afternoon.
With such an attitude at home, what can school authorities do? Fortunately such parents are in the minority, yet few as they are, they are failing to fulfil their obligations to their children and to their community, and are therefore a menace to society. Daily attendance is absolutely necessary to efficient work in school and nothing but unavoidable circumstances should be allowed to interfere with it. This point cannot be emphasized too emphatically.
Athletics
The High School was represented last year in the W. C. B. B. League and won third place, Calais and Washington Normal taking first and second, respectively. The team consisted very largely of new material which cannot be worked up in one season. By graduation the school lost four players and this will necessitate working up more new material. It will be a great help if a coach could be employed for at least three weeks in the spring but it is doubtful if the financial standing of the Association will make it possible.
School Visiting
It gives me the greatest pleasure to say that this year the school has been visited by nine citizens and five of these have been parents, four mothers and one father. This is an unusual record. It is also a fact worthy of mention that these parents are all from out of town; two from North Lubec, two from West Lubec, and one from South Lubec. Cooperation between the home and the school is a grand delusion when the parent knows absolutely nothing of the conditions under which his child works for five hours out of every day. We have understood that the Lubec Improvement Society has formed a committee on Education. We hope that this committee may find time to visit the schools often and to bring along many parents. People from out of town who have visited the school have frequently commented very favorably on the work they have seen being done. While these things mean much to us, especially when they come from people well acquainted with high school work, they would mean a great deal more if expressed by members of our own community.
Play Ground
At the present time there are about 520 pupils in the building. For ten minutes in the morning these pupils are on the play ground or correctly speaking, In The Street. There are fourteen teachers to keep order inside the building but when this body of energetic youth goes out at recess to give vent to pent up activity, the question of controlling it under the present conditions is a serious one. Most people know something of the energy of at least one small boy or girl; now just multiply that by 520, add the fact that we have no school playground and you will have the situation which confronts us every day in the week. Neither should we lose sight of the fact that about four fifths of these children are at an age when their natural inclination is to follow their own desire, I say emphatically that the schoolchildren do exceptionally well to infringe as little as they do upon the private property around the school building. For such a number of students there should be organized play during the recess period, but when the available space is only about half large enough and a good part of it covered with protruding ledges, almost nothing an be done. According to the preset plan the pupils are allowed certain limits and teachers are appointed each week to see that these limits are kept and that the play is as orderly as can be expected. This works out very well, but the condition is a very undesirable one and not productive of the best results. It is the play time that is the making or the marring of the child
or of the adult and if the children are taught how to play and what to play they will have some idea of directing their own energies when left to themselves. The town could not do anything more to its credit than to purchase a play ground, and to equip a room with gymnastic apparatus which could be used, under supervision, on stormy days and at any other time that seemed advisable. This is no more than the children in other places enjoy and the Lubec children are equally deserving.
In conclusion I want to thank the school board, the assistant teachers and all the citizens who, by their support, advice and encouragement have helped to make the school work effective and successful. To those who have been somewhat quick to criticize often without understanding at all the conditions they are criticizing, I would like to quote from an address given at the Boy's Convention at Portland, last February, by Carl E. Milliken, president of the Maine Senate. Certainly no one needs help and encouragement, or as Mr. Milliken puts it "To be lifted" any more than the teacher in the school, and the entire School Board. To quote:-"The good citizen is the man who lifts those around him, and he is better in proportion as he pulls more and pulls higher. The mean citizen is he who pulls down those around him, and he is meaner in proportion as he pulls more of them down. Citizenship means working together to help some other fellow who needs to be lifted."
Respectfully Submitted,
Mame S. Bennet, Principal
