The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-03

Anuu 81 otdtChohtS "a superintendent VA
Schools, City Marshal and City Ply
sician-LocaI News.
The following city reports have been
filed:
CITY PHYSICIAN.
The city physician, DR.. +. Barrett, re-
ports having transacted the following
business during the year: Number Of
calls to the poor outside Of almshouse.
20; number of Office calls, 6; number of
calls to almshouse, 20. There has been
two deaths, one an inmate of the aims
house, who died with heart disease while
away visiting, the other being cared for
outside The inmates of the almshouse
have with two exceptions,) one con-
somptive, the other nervous disease,
have been notably healthy and when the
character Of the inmates are considered,
It reflects much credit on those who are
caring for the farm. At this date we
have q case of diphtheria, contracted
outside Of the CITY, the patient, not hav
ing any home or relatives in this country,
came to friends and beoame-a charge to
the city.
CITY MARSHAL.
The following is submitted by City
Marshal Walter V. Knight as the report
Of the cases prosecuted for the year:
Search and seizure cases, 90; larceny,
16; drunkenness and disturbance, %;
cruelty to child, @; truency. Q; assault,
| 5; assault and battery, IA; illegal trans
portation, 4; breaking, entering and lar
ceny, 8; fast driving, A; violating rules of
board of health, 4; trespassing, 3; forg
cry, /; single sale of liquor, 2; cruelty to
animals, 1; adultery, l.; grave robbery,
q; total, 112.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND SUPER
INTENDENT.
The following in brief is the report of
the superintendent of schools, Mr.. F.
&. @. Robbins. The report reads: AL
though the school. census last spring
showed decrease of 256 names from the
year before there has been no such pro-
portional falling of in the attendance at
the schools. The total number registered
at the spring term was 1ll9, and in the
fall term, 1875, against 1901 and I'LL in
the corresponding terms of the previous
year. During the fall and winter terms
some of the primary schools were much
broken up by sickness, and have in CON
sequence suffered to some extent. The
pupils of our schools are as a rule con-
slant and punotual in attendance. Some
pupils and their parents do not seem to
understand that repeated absences mean
more than merely the loss of so much
time; that they are so many dropped
stitches breaking the pupils connection
with his work, destroying his interest,
hindering the progress Of the GLASS, and
discouraging the teacher. Cases of actual
truancy, that is, absence without the con-
sent of the parents, have been compare
lively few. At the present time there are
in the High school 140 students, % are
| taking the college preparatory course;
| two in the senior, tive in the junior, six
| in the third and nine in the fourth, or
entering class. Every year there are re-
quests from pupils in the college prepare :
tory course TO Dc allOWeu 60 cnRuge TO
one of the other courses. These requests
have usually been granted after inves-
tigation, but 1t is unfortunate that they
should be made. Many Of them arise
from the fact that pupils enter upon
| this course without sufficient considera-
ton. Unless there is some probability Of
pupils going to college, this is hardly
the best course for him to take.
| Music and penmanship have been car
ried on under the oversight of the same
| special teachers as for several years. The
results of both of these branches have
been satisfactory. Lessons have been
given this year weekly by the music
teacher at the Duck Pond school.
| The trial of the vertical writing in the
Warren school has been continued with
success that seems to justify many
of the claims made for the system. What
ever may be the comparative merits OF
the two system, viz. vertical and slanting
STYLES, it looks now as If the vertical
would be the prevailing handwriting of
the present generation of school children,
and all things being considered, 1t may
be as we'll for the Westbrook schools to
ioin the procession. The drawing in
| most Of the schools shows improvement