Research

Scope and Content Note

This series consists of an annual report of accounts that was apparently kept in accordance with Chapter 587 of the Laws of 1865, which created the school and required its trustees to keep records of business and daily transactions and report annually to the legislature. The accounting is on pages 506-589 of a volume labeled "Ledger" which also includes books lists (ca. 1865) and ledger accounts predating this series by several decades.

The accounting provides monthly disbursements and annual receipts, "cost per capita," and sometimes the number of employees for individual accounts.

Account categories include information on: officers and employees, including supervisors (working in administration; finance; engineering; scholastic and industrial education; medicine; the domestic household; the kitchen; bakery; laundry; building repairs; farm and grounds; and temporary employees); expenses of managers; specific food items (bread stuffs; butter; cheese; eggs; meat and fish; milk; sugar, syrup, etc; tea; vegetables and fruits; and miscellaneous merchandise); "articles expendable" (bedding; crockery, glassware, etc.; fixtures; furniture and furnishings; household and kitchen utensils; miscellaneous merchandise; and transportation); apparel manufactured (findings; manufacture of clothing; and miscellaneous merchandise); heat and light (anthracite and bituminous coal; gas and electric fixtures and supplies; illuminating oil; and wood); medicine and medicinal supplies; farm food (farm and garden seed; fertilizers; farm implements; blacksmith labor/repairs; boiler room; carpenter; electrical construction; merchandise for machine and mason work; printing; painting; shoeing; and miscellaneous merchandise); ordinary repairs; transportation of pupils; amusements (educational; stationery; postage; general items of merchandise); and consumed farm products.

In addition, a manuscript note in the pasted down fly leaf of the volume states that "Articles expendable are soap, soda, starch and similar articles," and that "Findings are buttons, trimmings, tape, thread and similar articles known as tailor's findings." Also, a typed list attached to the volume's end paper gives "Estimated Value of Farm and Garden Products for Summer 1902." The list gives the amount of each type of produce (potatoes, lettuce, hay, corn, cider, etc), the cost in cents per unit (bushel, head, ton, dozen, gallon, etc.), cost totals for each product, and a grand total. The index found at the front of the volume does not include references to this series.