AUDITOK8' EEPORT

FINANCIAL

CONDITION

OP THE

TOWN OF NORTHFIELD, FOE THE

YEAR ENDING FEBRUARY 25, 1874.

MONTPELIER: FREEMAN STEAM PRINTING HOUSE AND BINDERY.

1874,

REPORTS. WARNING. AUDITORS' REPORT.

The iu.habitaui.ii of the town of Northfleld who are legal voters lu town meeting are liereby notified to meet iu Concert Hall in the Village of Northfleld on Tuesday the 3d day of March A. D. 1874, at 10 o'clock A.M., for the purpose of transacting the following business: 1, To choose a Moderator to preside in said meeting:. 12. To hear and act upon the several town reports. S. To elect all necessary town officers and vote for County Commissioner. 4. To raise money to defray the current expenses of the town and its indebtedness. 5. To see if the town will raise money in addition to the legal highway tax for highway purposes.

The Auditors of the Town of Northfield, in pursuance of their duty, have examined the accounts of the Selectmen, Overseer of the Poor, Treasurer, and other town officers, for the year ending February 25, 1874, and find them to be correctly rendered, and those of the Treasurer accompanied with proper vouchers.

SELECTMEN'S OUDERS.

fi. To see if the town will exempt the Polls of Firemen from taxation. 7. To see if the town will'authorize the preparation and publication of a history of the town. S. To make alterations in .School Districts. 9. To do any other proper bu$iness. Northfleld, Vt.. February 16th. 1874

The whole amount of orders issued by the Selectmen for the current expenses of the year is $5321 37 Of which there has been paid 4041 60 Leaving the amount of orders for the past year unpaid Amount of orders a* of 1872-3 is do do do 1871-2 is do do do 1870-1 is do do do 1869-70 is do do do 1867-8 is

GEORGE NICHOLS,) ELLIOT C. FfSK, £ Selectmen. JOHS A. KENT. >

j

$1279 77 3577 40 1394 H 17427 2433 1341

Total amount of Selectmen's orders outstanding $6463 38 There is due to individuals as appears from the report of last year $681 43 To which interest for one year should be added.. 40 88— 722 31 There are notes due on account of purchase of Poor Farm, as per last year's report $2661 58 To which one year's interest should be added.... 159 (i'J—2821 27 Interest on School Fund 407 93 Amount of claims by certain town officers for seryicea during the year, as per schedule, is 272 00 Amount of orders of Overseer of Poor outstanding, as of 1872-3, is -21 98 Amount of orders of Overseer of Poor outstanding, as of 1873-4, is 150 38 $10,859 25 We find in the hands of the. Treasurer the available assets to be as follows: Cash in the Treasury $90 83 Joel Winch's receipts, 1870 180 00 do do 1871 138 62

5 Joel Winch's Receipts, 1872 do do 1873 Amount of liquor on hand

302 59 3294 81 263 65-$4270 53

Excess of liabilities over assets, , $6588 72 The reports of the different town officers are hereto annexed, to which reference is respectfully made. Respectfully submitted. S. F. JUDD, ) C. D. WILLIAMS, > Auditors. K S. STEBBINS, ) /

SELECTMEN'S REPORT. The Selectmen of the town of Northfield have to report, that the whole amount of orders issued for the year ending February 25, 1874, is $5321 37. From this should be deducted the sum of $1275 00, being the amount of old orders renewed, payments made upon orders now outstanding, and for loans made, which have been expended on account of current expenses; a further sum, amounting to $876 16, expended on account of the " Poor Farm," maybe deducted, which leaves the current expenses of the Selectmen's Department, $3170 21. HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.

The enormous expense, which seems to be yearly increasing, attending the construction and maintenance of our highways and bridges has come to be so serious in its character as, in our opinion, to demand special consideration. At the last annual meeting, a tax of 15 cents on a dollar, in addition to the legal highway tax, Wfis voted for highway purposes, making a highway tax of 40 cents on the dollar, which, assessed on a grand list of $9371 96, amounted to the sum of $3748 48 In addition, the custom being fully established, special orders were given for labor and material used in the ordinary repair of highways, amounting to the sum of 655 33 For construction of highways and bridges, orders have been issued amounting to the sum of 405 00 To these several amounts there may properly bo added as incidental expenses, for land damages 568 25 And for damages to person and property 327 80 Making a total sum expended of

.$5704 86

The old system of highway surveyorship, where every one is practically his own master, and the greatest desire seems to be to see how little work can be done in a given time for the most money, is an evil grown to such magnitude as to cause many towns in the State to abolish it, and they have adopted with satisfaction either the corumissionership provided for in section 35, chapter 25, General Statutes, or the " contract system," provided for in section 54 of the same chapter. Section 35, above alluded to, reads as follows: " Each town in the State may, at its annual March meeting, elect " three persons as commissioners of streets and highways who shall " have the whole care and superintendence of the highways in such " town, and whose duty it shall be to make and repair all highways in " such town, and expend all moneys raised for that purpose, and they " shall have all the powers and be subject to the same liabilities that "highway surveyors are subject to by the existing laws of theJState." Section 54 is as follows: " The several towns in this State may, at their annual March meetings, direct the selectmen of the town to make contracts for repair" ing the highways and bridges of the town for a term of years, and "the town shall direct what number of years the term shall be, and " said term may be for any length of time, not to exceed four years " and the town may direct when said term shall commence." To the deliberate consideration and good judgment of the taxpayers the whole subject is earnestly commended. TOWN HOUSE. At the last annual meeting, the town adopted th« following resolutions : " Resotved,\t hereafter the Town, and Freemen's meetings " shall be holden in the Depot Village of Northfield at such place as " the Selectmen shall provide. " Resolved, That the Selectmen,! for the time being, are authorized "to sell and convey the Town House and land connected with the " same, situated ia the Center Village, belonging to the town, either "at public or private sale, if in the opinion of the Selectmen thn " same shall be for the best interests of the town." In accordance with the authority conferred by the vote, and in the spirit of the resolutions, the Selectmen invited proposals from the trustees of both Concert and Howe's Hall—those rooms being the only ones suitable for the wants of the town—which resulted in renting Concert Hall for a term of ten yeai-s from the 17th day of November, A.D. 1873, at an annual rental of $30.00—by the terms of contract, which is on record in the Town Clerk's office, the Trustees are to provide said Hall, suitably warmed and lighted, for all town and freemen's meetings that may be held within said period of ten years, and during said time the prominent political parties of the town, not exceeding two in number, have the right to, each, annually hold one

caucus therein, the same to be warmed, lighted and furnished with seats, at the expense of the trustees: the trustees further agree to provide suitable accommodations for voting, similar to those now in use at the Town House, with right of entrance at the side doors. The contract was not fully executed till about the first of January, and as soon thereafter as was convenient, the Town House and land were advertised to be sold at public sale on the 31st day of that month: in the meantime, a petition, signed by some one hundred and thirty tax-payers, asking that the sale might be postponed till after March meeting, was presented to the Board, and in accordance with the prayer thereof the sale was so postponed. POOR FARM. An anomalous condition of things seems to have arisen this year in the management of the Poor Farm. The Selectmen, laboring under the belief that, as formerly, to the Overseer belonged the supervision of the establishment, gave it no attention, and at a late day only, to their surprise, dirt they become aware that the Overseer proposed to transfer the responsibility to them, claiming that to him alone belonged the care of such of the' poor as did not reside on the Farm. This position being sustained by legal authority, the Selectmen having no alternative, assumed the charge and have given orders in payment of the current expenses of the Farm. With no desire to provoke discussion upon the propriety of this method of conducting the interests of the town, or of any expenditure made under it, the Selectmen make this explanation in justice to themselves, disclaiming all idea of reflecting upon the action o f , any. The expenses of the Farm as shown by the "Account" hereto appended, are $832 57. The claim of Wm. M. Davis for land taken for highway, remains unadjusted. Charles Robinson, Charles A. White and William M. Smith each have claims for damages received to property on the highway, but the Selectmen, not being able to fully recogniise the legalhy of their respective claims, have declined to adjust them, yet would respectfully commend them to the consideration of the town. Accompanying is a schedule of the orders drawn, referred to in this report. Respectfully submitted, GEORGE NICHOLS, ) RLUOT C. FISK, } Selectmen. JOHN A. KENT. ) NOHTHFIELD, February 2.5th, 1874.

The following is a schedule of orders drawn by the Selectmen tor the year ending February 25, 1874: No.

1 D. W. Hadley, services as Selectman $62 50 2 George Nichols, services as Selectman 66 8» 3 Elliot C. Fisk, services as Selectman 36 25 4 Ira A. Holton, services as Lister 51 25 5 Wm. H. Loomis, services as Lister 18 75 ti Abel S. Williams, services as Overseer 47 50 7 Geo. H. Crane, services as Treasurer 20 00 8 J. H. Orcutt, services as Auditor 0 00 9 George M. Fisk, services as Auditor., ,.. 4 00 10 Roswell Dewey, surveying 2 50 11 C. A. Tracy, plank for highway 6 00 12 Aaron Smith, damages on highway 7 00 13 Holmes S. Thayer, renewal of order for money loaned $250 00, and interest $21 14 271 14 14 Northfield National Bank, money loaned 400 00 15 Joseph Gould, trustee, interest on deposit fund 407 33 16 David T. Averill, use of sleigh on Poor Farm 3 00 17 John A. Kent, money loaned—endorsed on order of 1871 —held by Moses Robinson 100 00 18 AbelS. Williams, money refunded on account of damaged butter sold from Poor Farm 10 00 19 Wm. Allen, damage to land, used for highway purposes. 7 50 20 L. W. Avery, damages on highway 16 00 21 A. and W. R. Grandfield, land damage ... 165 00 22 C. F. Blake, labor and plank for highway 22 95 23 Carrie M. Smith, interest on money loaned, 30 80 24 Carrie M. Smith, money loaned—order renewed 500 00 25 Joseph Miller—error in tax, 1871 1 00 26 John Clark, building bridge 15 00 27 R. W. Clark, collector school tax on Poor Farm 5 50 28 Simeon Curtis, land damage award 50 00 29 Chester Clark—assignee of Guy Reed—damages on highway 75 00 30 David Denny, labor on highway 17 50 31 H. Carpenter, costs of referees in Andruss case ».. 22 10 32 B. F. Andruss and wife, injuries received on highway, award 95 50 33 Jerome Denison, labor on highway (3 70 34 J. Winch and Putney, labor on highway 15 00 35 A. K. Kice, labor on highway 13 00 36 Elliot C. Fisk, labor on highway 11 50 37 C. A. Edgerton, recording, &c 39 50 38 Wm. G. Wiley, labor on highway 16 25 39 Horace Mahuron, labor on highway 12 00 40 Andrew Grandfield, labor on highway 50 00 41 I .,;Ace Mahuron, damages to horse on highway 20 00 42 J. ~0. Gallup, labor on highway 15 05 43 W. Scott Marsh, land damage award 25 00 44 F. D. Henry, labor on Poor Farm 20 25 45 S. C. Williams, building road 140 00 46 George W. Chaflee, labor on Poor Farm 15 00 47 M. Mallalley, labor on highway , 5 00 48 Freeman Reed, labor on Poor Farm 40 00 49 J. M. Hawsse, 34 bushels ashes for Poor Farm 11 90

9 No.

50 Lewis Hassani, labor on highway 51 Patrick Duggan, labor on highway ._• 52 Wru. Ahern, labor on highway 53 W. W. Davenport, damages to wagon on highway...... 54 John Plastridge, labor on highway 55 Nelson Hassam, labor on highway.. 56 Moses Lane, land damage ...... 57 Jonathan Campbell, labor on highway 58 Eugene Carpenter, plank for highway 59 Joseph Denny, balance due for building road 60 W. H. Morris, painting hearses ...... 61 A. L. Williams, timber for bridge 62 Webster and Willey, balance for building road—award.. 63 Joseph Moffatt, land damage 64 Wm. S. Newton, blasting rock in highway. 05 Ann Harrington, interest on money loaned 60 M. Amidon, plank for highway 67 Wm. McAuliffe, plank for highway 08 A. D. Metcalf—order of 1870—No. 34—renewal $25 00 and interest $5 33 69 C. F. Dutton, planking bridge at Gouldsville 70 Betsey Porter, interest on order, No 43 of 1871 71 Josiah Lane, lumber for highway in 1872 72 F. W. Gold, plank for highway 73 J. M. Emerson, lumber for highway 74 J. C. Rice, land damage 75 H. W. Thresher, land damage • 76 Roswell Dewey, surveying to date 77 C. F. Dutton, labor and lumber for highway 78 John Clark, lumber for bridge and breaking plow 79 J. M. Emerson, land damage, order and interest. 80 Jona. Campbell, labor and lumber for bridge 81 John Clark, plank for bridge 82 Charles Aldrich, plank for bridge 83 Newton Martin, plank for highway 84 Zed Stanton, damages on highway 85 Carlostine Blake, damages on highway 86 J. C. B. Thayer, Treasurer, int. on order No- 88 of 1872, 87 Vt. Manufacturing Co., plank for highway 88 S. W. Latham, timber for highway 89 M. Harrington, error in taxes 90 Marshall Hopkins, judgment—Hopkins vs. Reed—town trustee 91 E. K. Jones, plank for highway 92 Geo. H. Emerson, iron scraper 93 Harvey N. Briggs, plank for highway 94 B. T. Sleeper, damages on highway. 95 M. Conway, timber for highway 96 E. L. Waterman, damages on highway 97 G. R. Andrews, damages on highway 98 L. Martyn—agent—insurance assessment 99 J. C. Rice, plank for highway...., 100 Ira F. Whittaker, labor on highway 101 H. A. Brown, error in taxes 102 A. B. Houston, error in taxes 103 Denny & Brown, nails for highway purposes 104 E. Hedges, labor on highway

$2 00 27 50 4 00 5 00 47 00 35 15 50 00 6 00 8 69 22 50 15 00 5 00 40 00 7 00 2 00 6 00 10 16 9 95 30 33 51 59 21 53 4 00 22 00 4 70 55 00 25 00 5 00 15 47 25 67 183 75 9 91 10 00 16 17 12 83 4 25 20 00 58 69 34 50 5 50 2 00 33 14 9 7

87 00 00 00

^ oo

6 50 25 00 3 00 3 10 16 41 20 00 2 00 2 00 4 96 6 00

105 Geo. N. Coville, plank for highway 86 26 106 Walter Reed, sawing wood on Poor Farm 11 00 107 J. C. B. Thayer/freas., interest on order No.128 of 1873. 18 00 108 Lyman Wright, damages to plow. 5 00 109 R. and H. Holbrook, building road and keeping the same . in repair till June 1, 1874 187 50 110 Arad Emerson, error in taxes 3 50 111 R. B. Hildreth, plank for highway 8 4U 112 Joel Winch, cash paid on account of Poor Farm 572 46 113 F. A. Preston, groceries for Poor Farm 30 30 114 Nichols & Williams, groceries and medicine for Poor Farm ,. 18 88 115 S. F. Judd, groceries for Poor Farm 95 73 116 Frank Gosley, blacksmithing for Poor Farm 18 27 117 Geo. Nichols, map of Washington County for Town Clerk's Office 10 00 118 S. W. Steele, watering trough in Center Village 5 00 119 Nichols & Williams, sundry items of expenses of Selectmen and stationery ,. 11 15 120 George M. Fisk, professional services 109 00 121 John A. Kent, for sundry cash items paid 14 24 122 Charles A. Edgerton, recording, insurance and stationery 10 50 123 Nathaniel Hill, labor on highway 22 50 124 Ansel Shaw, error in taxes 1 70 125 Carpenter & Plumley, professional services 21 00 126 P. D. Bradford, professional services in examination of Mrs. Andruss 2 00 127 C. F. Blake, labor on highway , , 800 138 W. H. Morris, cars of hearso aad repairs. 55 50 The following list of orders included in the Selectmen's report are unpaid: 9 Geo. M. Fisk $4 00 13 Holmes S. Thayer 271 14 24 Carrie M. Smith 500 00 30 David Denny 17 50 • 39 Horace Mahuron 12 00 41 Horace Mahuron 20 00 54 Joha Plastridge 47 00 59 Joseph Denny '. 22 50 77 C. F. Dutton , 15 47 84 Zed Stanton 4 25 85 Carlostine Blake. 20 00 90 Marshal Hopkins S3 87 92 Geo. H. Emerson . 9 00 102 A.B.Houston 2 00 103 Denny & Brown 4 96 105 Geo. 1ST. Coville 6 26 106 Walter Reed 11 00 108 Lyman Wright 5 00 110 Arad Emerson 3 50 111 R. B. Hildreth 8 40 113 F. A. Preston 30 30 116 Frank Gosley. 18 27 118 S. W. Steele 5 00 119 Nichols & AVilliains 11 15

10 120 Geo. M. Fisk 124 Ansel Shaw 125 Carpenter & Plumley.. 126 P. D. Bradford 127 C. F. Blake 128 W. H. Morris.

11 $109 00 1 70 21 00 2 00 8. 00 55 50

,

$1279 77

TOWN POOR FARM ACCOUNT. DEBIT.

Cost of Farm and improvements, as reported Febrnary 24, $4682 24 1873 280 93 Interest on the same one year 1258 50 Stock, fixtures, furniture, &o., February 24, 1873 75 51 Interest on the same one year 340 73 Groceries and provisions 177 00 Stock purchased 25 52 Blacksmithing and repairs 20 60 Material for Farm, and taxes 202 56 Paid Freeman Reed for labor to date 114 25 Paid sundry persons for labor

OVERSEER'S REPORT. TOWN OF NOKTHFIELD, IN ACCOUNT "WITH JoKL WlNCH,

For support of poor not on Poor Farm, far year ending Feb. 25,1874. For Joseph Paschal $37 07 Mrs. Boyce, of Braintree 5 00 Aunt Nora 3750 F. Yettah and family 51 63 Mrs. O'Neal 48 00 Mrs. Bliss ' 50 00 O'Brian 7 50 Tyler Ladd 12 17 James Sprout 10 80 Edward Bain 60 00 J. Duval 10 42 Mrs. C. Smith and family 28 36 Margaret Fassett 60 00 Mr. Vandervoort 70 50 Mrs. Timothy McCarty 54. 90 Eleazer Tower 3 75 Mi's. James McCarty 62 47 Charles Davenport 29 18 Mr.J.Smith 8 59 Ruel Blake 19 23 Prosper Allard 60 58 Miss M. J. Hall 14 00 Transient Poor 10 50 Medical services 61 50 Expenses of Poor at Insane Asylum 303 33 $1116 98

$7177 84 CKEWT.

CKEDIT.

Value of Farm Stock on the Farm Farming tools Provisions, produce and furniture Produce sold Cash of Joel Winch Wood on hand

$4682 24 48500 197 30 447 75 432 98 50 00 50 00—6345 27

Expenses of Poor Farm $ 882 57 Respectfully submitted, GEORGE NICHOLS,') ELLIOT C. FISK, > Selectman. JOHN A. KENT, ) Northfleld, February 25, 1874.

By orders issued: To Denny & Brown Edwin Porter P. D. Bradford

$97 48 • 26 15 26 75-S150 38

Balance due for which an order is drawn $965 60 This day settled with Joel Winch, Overseer of tho Poor, and find his accounts vouched and balanced as above stated. S. F. JUDD, ) C. D. WILLIAMS, > Auditors. E. S. STEBBINS. ) Northfield. February 25, 1874.

SURPLUS FUND. The Trustee of the Surplus Fund would report that the whole amount of the Fund, as of March 1, 1873, was $6,788 84, for which amount the Trustee holds a note against, the towu. Tho amount of interest for the year ending March 1. 1874, will bo §107 93.

12

13 DIVISION OF SCHOOL MONEY.

SCHEDULE OP CLAIMS AGAINST THE TOWN. For services rendered by certain town officers for the year ending March, 1874. George Nichols, services as Selectman 56 days E. C. Fisk, services as Selectman 32 days John A. Kent, services as Selectman 30 days Alanson Holton, services as Lister 24 days K. VV. Clark, services as Lister 10 days Joel Winch, services as Overseer of Poor O. D. Edgerton, services as Treasurer is. F. Judd, services as Auditor C. D. Williams, services as Auditor E. S. Stebbins, services as Auditor

§ 70 00 40 00 37 50 30 00 12 50 SO 00 20 00 4 00 4 00 4 00 $272 00

We have examined the above claims and respectfully submit them for the action of the town. S. F. JUDD, > C. D.WILLIAMS, $• Auditors. E. S. STEBBINS, 5 Sorthfield, February 25, 1874.

No. Dist. 1

2 3 5 6 7 8 10

11

Attendance.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Amount. Sfo. Dist.

Attendance.

Amount

1669..., .$35 00 12* 720 11 25 784..., . 27 5913 10679 110 45 4351.... . 57|45 14 f 495 12 50 2469.... . 41^72 15 1556 34 06 796.... . 27 7017 959 29 07 3333.... . 48 94 20 1326 32 18 2223.... . 39 66 Graded School. 45342 421 65 .-,' 1481.... . 33 44 4032.... . 54 78 Total, 83591 $1050 00 J376.... . 32 56* Berlin and Moretowu. t Koxbury.

We hereby certify that the foregoing is a true division of the School money in the treasury of the town of Northfield, made agreeftbly to law. GEORGE NICHOLS, ) ELLIOT C. FISK, J Selectmen. JOHN A. KENT, J Northfield, Vt.. March 21, 1873.

TREASURER'S REPORT.

RE POET OF LIQUOR AGENCY. Whole amount of sales for the year ending Feb. 21, 1874.. $1307 31 Amount of liquors estimated on hand Feb. 24. 1874 263 00 $1570 31 Amount of liquors on hand Feb. 24, 1873 $322 00 Whole amount of liquors bought and freight paid on same to Feb. 24, 1874. 961 66 Paid Agent's salary. 80 00-$1363 66 Cash paid Treasurer

•••

- .$206 65

There is in the hands of the Agent confiscated liquors val- : ned at......... $598 00 S. F. JUDD, Liquor Agent. Northfield, February 25, 1874.

Balance in Treasury, March 5, 1873 Cash of S. F. Judd, Liquor Agency do sale of oxen, Poor Farm do sale of produce, Poor Farm do Selectmen on account highway taxes do Joel Winch, receipt do Justices of the Peace do Selectmen

$3720 58 272 08 18750 295 48 37 41 5523 05 80 97 400 00 g 10,517 07

CREDIT.

By paid Selectmen's Orders , $4628 19 Interest on the same 180 54 Overseer's Orders 1624 50 Interest on same 29 73 Justice Orders 47 23 Balance in Treasury on Collector's rec'pts and ca*h 4006 88 $10,517 07 Ministerial money in Treasury f 14 32 Respectfully submitted. O. D. EDGERTON, Treasurer. Northfield, February 25, 1874.

14

REPORT OP SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT. To the, People of Northfidd : As Superintendent of the public schools, I have to report as follows: Js[0. 1.—The Summer term was taught by ISADOBE BRECK. It was her first terra and first experience as teacher. I was well pleased with the school in almost'every particular. It was still, studious, and in appearance bore evidence that teacher and scholars were united in efforts to accomplish more than the appearance of keeping school—to work at it earnestly. Winter term, ANNA E. TEBBITS, of South Woodbury, teacher. She is a teacher of some experience, arid all that I have said of the summer school may be said of the 'winter school. Miss Tebbits is an excellent teacher. Of the schools in town, this is one of the best. >j0 2.—CLARA MAXHAM taught the summer term. Considering her experience, she is one of the best teachers I have ever known, and with such a teacher the schoo^ wher.ever it is, will almost always flourish and be a power for good in the whole district. The winter term was taught by ALICE AVERILL. Her qualities as a teacher are many and superior. She governs her school admirably, and yet seems not to govern at all. The recitations were perfect when I was there, and the school a model one. JSTO< a.—Summer term, ANNIE REAHDON of Roxbury, teacher. This is a difficult school to teach and a more difficult one to govern. Miss REAHDON, though having little experience, had the school under excellent discipline, and the district was exceedingly fortunate in her-as a teacher. The school proved successful and Miss REARDON will prove an able and successful teacher. The district secured her services to begin the winter school, but unfortunately, after two weeks of success, she was obliged

15 to leave, the school from illness, and LIZZIE BROWN took her place. I think Miss BROWN has worked faithfully and well to teach and govern the school but she has not succeeded so perfectly as could be wished. She need not feel from this that she cannot teach school, for there were boys in the school when I visited it that are not a credit tp a school in any sense except for bad behavior. It will be extraordinary if the school rises to a. high rank so long as teachers are forced to use so poor a^school house, filled with such disorderly elements.

No. 4.—The spring term of the Graded School was very prosperous, and all the terms of the year have proved a success. A great deal has been done in the Graded School, a great deal is doing there for the good of the village and town. Mrss SUMMERS, a teacher of superior merit, succeeded Miss TUTTLE as preceptress, and in the fall she in turn was succeeded by Miss HALL, who has remarkably well filled the position. Of MR. SAVAGE it is not necessary to speak. His success speaks for itself. Miss ELLA DUTTON, the assistant, is a superior teacher. Room 3 has been conducted by ALICE EDSON of Brookfield. She has succeeded as a teacher, and the scholars have learned well. I think she would have succeeded better had she cultivated a more winning way with her scholars, and sometimes there seemed a lack of ability to do what needed doing at its proper, time. Room No. 2, MRS. L. A. E. KINGSBORT, teacher, has developed to a high rank. It seems that no better teacher could be secured for the place. Room 1, MRS. CARRIE SMITH has succeeded CARRIE HAYS, who taught the summer term. Certainly MRS. SMITH is a most excellent teacher for the place. She has the affections of the children an.l she has the ability to manage well"the large number that fill,the room. HATTIE CLIFFORD heard classes in the summer from Room 2. Her abilities are excellent. Miss SAVAGE during the fall and winter terms heard classes from Room 1 and was well liked*

16 In comparing the Graded School with the other schools in town, one cannot fail to see its advantages. It should be the earnest endeavor of every person in the village who cares for education, to increase and enhance its interests in every way possible. No. 5.—Summer term taught by NELLIE KIMBALL. The school seemed to be doing well, was industrious and well disciplined so far as I could see. The teacher needs experience, and if lacking in anything, I should say it was confidence. EMMA ARMSTRONG, Dorset, taught the winter school. She is a teacher of some experience and seemed to be keeping a school more than ordinary for good qualities. jfo. 6.—MELISSA Foss taught a summer school in this district, which it appears has not had schools regularly. I went to visit the school but found the school having recess for that day. IDA A VERY taught a school late in the fall and early in the winter there. There were many good points about this school, others were not up to the mark .of excellence or average even, so well as could be desired. No. 7.—LIZZIE BROWN taught the summer school. I was well pleased with the appearance of the school. Order was good, recitations were good and all seemed to go smoothly. Winter term, ZED STANTON, Roxbury, teacher. He is a young man capable of teaching a good school and he evidently made good use of his abilities. INo. b.—Summer term taught by ANN FULLER. I think on the whole No. 8 can boast of the poorest school building in town, and I have no doubt this is one if not'the greatest reason why the school is so backward. Miss FULLER seems a person capable of becoming an excellent teacher. I liked her appearance and her ways in the school room well. ELLEN BAEGEB taught the winter term. She was exceedingly well liked by the scholars as nearly as I can find out. When visiting the school I felt that the only drawbacks to her success were the extreme unfitness of the school house and Miss BADGER'S poor health.

17 No. 9.—-Summer term, ILDA REED, Berlin, teacher. The school is backward, but the teacher seemed to do very well, though inexperienced. By earnestly studying and working herself she may become a good teacher. MAHY DOLE taught the winter term. She has in an eminent degree the qualities necessary for a superior teacher. She has energy and force of the nature that always brings success, where there is the possibility of success. The recitations were perfect when I was there, and much fine progress must have been the result of the winter school. No. 10.—-!DA TAGGARD, teacher summer term. Miss TAGGARD is a person of ability, an excellent teacher, —-well fitted for the school room in every way. I found the school in good condition. KIRK N. WASHBURN, of Clinton, Mass., taught the winter term. A young man of splendid talents and fine attainments. He needs to cultivate patience, however, in some respects, and experience will undoubtedly teach that to him. As a teacher, he would succeed better if he had more of the faculty to lead» his scholars up to his level, rather than to make them see so plainly the difference of their attainments compared with his. No. 11.—MARY THOMPSON, teacher summer school. There are some good scholars in this school, and Miss THOMPSON taught them well. In reading they were especially well drilled. In her teaching I could see the effects of. the Normal School drill, which is excellent for any teacher. ISABELLE JONES taught the winter school. I visited the school early in the term and found reason to think well of it. No. 13.—Summer term.—Lower room; teacher, ANDREW EDSON, Brookfield. Upper room ; teacher, MARIA AUSTIN. MR. EDSON taught a school of the highest excellence in most points. His attainments as a teacher are of the first quality generally. Through his management the school was brought'up to a high standard. The upper school was not in session when I went to visit it. I heard good

18 reports of it. Winter term.—G. C. DAVIS, teacher, lower room. SARAH WHEATLEY, Brookfield, teacher, upper room. I liked MR. DAVIS' school much. He tried very hard and effectively, too, to keep the school up to its previous standard. He will succeed as a teacher because he feels an earnest interest in it and devotes his best efforts to it. I was not so well pleased with the upper room as I hoped to be. Undoubtedly Miss WHEATLEY can do well as a teacher. There was, however, much disorder and confusion the day I was there, poor recitations and little study. T presume that may not have been characteristic every day. No. 14.—EMMA BEAN, Roxbury, teacher of summer term. Miss BEAN needs experience and hard work to make teaching a success. The school was pleasant, however, and well thought of. Winter term, MRS. EMMA HILDRETH, teacher. She taught an excellent school, was thorough, systematic, faithful. Her teaching of reading was very good and productive of the highest results, as her scholars were taught the meaning ol every word not only from the Dictionary, hut from the teacher's own knowledge. No. 15.—Both summer and winter terms were taught by ELLA DENSMOEE, a resident of the district. More perfect discipline I never saw in a school so far as order is concerned. The teaching might have been a little more perfect—in fact, ought to have been. 1 feared that not all that was taught, especially in arithmetic, was understood by the scholars. No. 16.—There was no summer term. I understand the district to be newly organized. ETTA SNOW, of Roxbury, taught a winter school, and gave excellent satisfaction, as well she might, for she is an experienced teacher of first class qualities. No. 17. — Summer term, MAEY DAVIS, teacher. It seems a backward school, but Miss DAVIS taught it well and y seemed to govern it well. Winter term, JENNIE JONES, teacher. The school appeared to be of an ordinary character.

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19 No. 20.—IDA AVEBY, teacher of summer term. There is good material in the school ; but few were in when I visited the school. I thought in some matters of very ordinary character, the teacher's education was defective,— spelling, pronunciations, &c. MARY O:NEIL taught the winter term, and she taught a good school and has the qualities and already many of the attainments that make a first class teacher. This, in substance, is the report of the condition oi the public schools in Northfield during the past year. I have visited, or attempted to visit, every school in town twice during the year. In some respects our schools are not on a pur with the schools of some other towns. We have excellent materials for schools. We have excellent teachers, that are residents of th'is town. Their services ought to be retained and well paid for here. There needs to be a greater interest felt in the subject of education among the people of the town, and that interest should take shape in better school houses, the securing of the best teachers and the paying them well for their labors. The work of the teacher is undervalued everywhere. But the time will come—it must come—when the people will put a greater value on education; for we shall find it to be the handmaid of religion, and that whatever drives out ignorance will usher in religion, and that religion that most elevates mankind. Then let the teacher love his or her work, knowing that if it be true, genuine, disinterested, no person or power is doing more for the people. Respectfully submitted, R. A. GREENE, Supt.of Schools.