The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-29

East fFONlucnte DIdUNn oi 'iuc NtNe 40
at l Taunton avenue. Telephone ll2-2'
East Providence.
There was an interesting meeting OF
the school committee held in the council
chamber I'm the town hall last night.
There was a full board present ana
Chairman Dean presided. After the min
utes of the last meeting had been read
and approved. the appointment OF tru-
ant officer for the ensuing year was taken
up. and It was finally decided that In
stead OF having an officer for each dis
! trict of the town for the ensuing year TO
appoint one for the whole town. Fred
y. Burdick received the appointment.
A communication was read from
number of the residents at Armingtons
corner, whose children attend the A. r.
Hoyt grammar schol. asking that the
| town reimburse them for the car fare
expended In going TO and from the school.
/ Henry J. Pickersgill spoke at some
length in behalf OF the petitioners
! similar petition WAS received from people
at Bullock's Point. whose children take
| the cars TO get to the school at Riverside.
| The matter was referred 10 Mr.. Mcleod
1 for legal advice as to whether or not the
town could pay the fares as requested.
! The following letter was received from
! Edgar M Johnson, the principal of the
| high school in regard TO certain articles
which have been published I'm some of the
/ Providence papers.
East Providence. r. L.. Dec. 26. 1903.
School Committee, Town of East Proyi-
Dear Sirs-The publication in the public
press of an anonymous article. I'm which
1 certain comparisons between the high
| school under my principalship and the
high school urder the principalship OF
my predecessor WERE made, has led me TO
| prepare from the school committee re-
ports of the past years the following
statistics of the East Providence high
| school from its foundation.
! The value OF the criticisms of the au-
| thor OF the aforesaid article may be APP
! preciated at their exact value when IL
| Is understood that the writer of the ar
dele. who thus anonymously and by in
uendoes attacks the character OF the
i high school ia the same man who on
Grand Army day each year since my
! prncipalship began has stood before the
| high school and expressed In words
| forcible as possible his admiration for the
excellent discipline and for the high
| scholarship maintained In our high school.
The deterioration, has all come about
I'm this mans mind. since Feb. 70. 1903
| To the attack upon THE Present FIX
| cellent Standing OF the East Providence
High school I'm scholarship IT is not nee
essary for mo TO reply, since the com
mittee has In its possession the written
opinion of leading educators OF the state
concerning the standing of our high
school I'm scholarship.
Since the opinion OF these educators are
| based upon experience with our grad
yates. and since their Judgment is the
| judgment OF experts In educational mat
| ters the opinions OF such impartial
judges must greatly outweigh the biased
opinion OF one inexperienced in educa-
tional problems
The statistics. the compilation Of which
| has required considerable time. are sub
mitted in the hope that they may be OF
value for future reference.
TO this was appended n long list Of
statistics relative to the school and the
| communication was signed by Mr.. John
! son. The statistics showed the relative
| efficiency OF the school as compared with
| other schools as we'll as the cost per
| capita of maintaining IL at the standard
| of efficiency to which Is has attained.
| The bill OF Judge Bliss for services as
superintendent from Nov. % to Dec %
was read. and IL was voted that IT be
paid after some opposition to its allow
| ance had been made by Mr. Mcleod.
| The current bills were ordered paidafter
being audited by the committee. after
| which the session was adjourned.
| Yesterday afternoon the annual Christ
mas festivities at st. Mary's orphanage.
which are held each year on Holy In
nocents' day were held and they were
| fully as successful as usual. The service
was held in the chapel at 3 o'clock
| a. V.
singing 20 Come All Ye Faithful" Rev.
Herbert c. Dana Of ST. Mary's church,
who is also warden OF the institution
read the Christmas lesson. after which
he delivered an interesting address II
the children and the large contingent Of
| friends OF the institution, who. together
with the board OF lady managers had
assembled I'm such numbers that the
chapel was well filled with them
~. atx ..rt an -.
children sang the carols SHOUT the Glad
| Tidings" and ut Came Upon the Mid
Z night Clear"
These were followed by tho benediction.
after which the party marched to the
assembly room. where large tree and a
good sized table were loaded down with
presents for. the children. All We're re-
membered. there being gifts for every
one. including the infants class
! All OF the children received number
I of presents. including not only the toys
I and playthings which delight the Juvenile
heart. but many more substantial re-
! membranes Of Christmas tide, In
cluding n pair OF shoes for each. The
presents were distributed by Mr.. Dana.
After the youngsters had been glad
dencd by the receipt OF the things on the
/ tree. which was handsomely decorated
/ and presented a very pretty sight even
p, TO the visitors by Mrs. and Miss Bridge.
CHANGED TIME
The time az which the cars on the line
between Watchemo<et square and Rum
/ ford leaves Watchcmoket square. has
/ been changed so that the cars now leave
I al % minutes past the hour instead OF
/ ~ minutes past as Il did before the
\ change went into effect yesterday There
/ "a no change an the number OF cars or
In the running time. all the difference
/ being that they start 10 minutes later
! than before
COLLECTING POLL TAXES.
Collector OF Taxes Henry J. Pickersgill,
now that the rush OF getting IN the real
estate and personal property taxes is over
is busy collecting the poll taxes. lie was
at the Phillpsdale store yesterday for
the purpose OF collecting taxes In that
district and today he was az the Rum
ford store 20 give the Inhabitants OF that
section an opportunity 90 settle.
Tomorrow h will be at the house of
Nf.a ~ "a