USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > Address of the mayor, together with the annual reports for the city of Fitchburg, Massachusetts for the year .. > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
$12 10
Telephone service, High School,
67 26
79 36
Tuning and repairing pianos,
51 25
Piano, Academy Street Kindergarten,
50 00
Printing and advertising,
331 01
Postage,
106 81
Enumeration of children,
326 33
Typewriter repairs,
37 30
Typewriters,
120 00
Gas and electric lights,
929 51
Medical inspecition and school physician services to May 1, 375 50
Neostyle, 36 00
48
SCHOOL REPORT
Paper cutter, Miscellaneous,
$51 50 385 98
Total expenditures authorized by School Board, $124,726 37
RECEIPTS.
Appropriations :
Schools,
$110,000 00
Books and incidentals, 9,000 00
$119,000 00
Tuition, non-residents,
719 50
Sale of books and supplies,
137 92
Overdraft in teaching account,
8 00
$119,865 42
Deficit,
4,860 95
Expenditures authorized by the City Council :
Fuel, $8,389 93
Janitor service,
10,033 78
Janitor's supplies, 335 99
18,759 70
Expenditures authorized by Board of Health :
Medical inspection and school physician's ser- vices May 1 to December 1, 453 00
Total expenditures for schools, $143,939 07
The amount expended upon evening schools for the year is estimated at $3,200, leaving an expenditure for day schools of $140,739.07.
The cost per pupil in day schools was as follows :
Based upon whole number registered, $31 81
Based upon average whole number, 34 57
Based upon average daily attendance, 36 80
49
SCHOOL REPORT
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
A consolidation of the various ninth grades of the city was made in 1903. The consolidated grades which formed one school known as the " Central Grammar School " was placed in the high school building. The high school the year of the consolidation had an average daily attendance of 490. The average attendance the past year was 675.
Both the high school and the central grammar school could be well accommodated in the high school building eight years ago. Changes in courses of study at the high school have been made to such an extent, within the past few years, that more room is needed at the present time for the same number of pupils than was required at the time the consolidation went into effect.
It became evident one year ago that the entire building was needed for the high school, and accordingly the board decided to discontinue the central grammar school and to main- tain five grammar schools, each with an eighth grade, the high- est grade below the high schools. A change from the nine to eight grades in the elementary schools went into effect in 1908.
These five schools are located as follows : Pleasant Street, Goodrich Street, Ashburnham Street, Hosmer School and the Practical Arts School. Schools with grades one to six inclusive are maintained regularly at South Fitchburg, Laural Street and Clarendon Street, and in case a sufficient number, 20 or more pupils of grade 7 or 8 are enrolled, one or both of these grades may be retained at any of these schools.
The lack of room at the high school building was the cause of the discontinuance of the central grammar school and the establishing of several smaller schools. Experience had made it manifest that a larger number of pupils enter the high school from one central school than from several smaller schools com- bined and those who enter from such a central school are in general better fitted to take up high school work than are those who come from several smaller schools. There was however, no alternative. The entire building was needed for the high school and the manual training classes and existing conditions indicate that increased accommodations may be required in the future.
4
50
SCHOOL REPORT
There is not at the present time any reasonable expectation that additional school rooms will be needed in the near future in other parts of the city, unless possibly at Wachusett. There are at the present time vacant rooms at South Fitchburg, Clar- endon Street, Ashburnham Street and Wachusett.
The building at Wachusett is the only one in the city con- taining more, than one room in which modern ventilating and heating appliances are wanting. It is hoped that a satisfactory system will be installed in that building the coming year, and that changes in the building may be made with the view of enlarging the same in case more room shall at any time be needed in that part of the city.
SCHOOL REPORTS
Laws are enacted each year with reference to some features of school administration. The statute relating to school reports has for years remained unchanged. The framers of the law evidently intended that the citizens of the municipality should be kept informed of the policy of the school board. Other municipal boards report to the city council or to the "Town Meeting." The school committee report directly to the inhab- itants of the city or town.
The school board of each city or town is required by the law of the Commonwealth to make a detailed report annually and cause the same to be printed for the use of the inhabitants and to transmit two copies to the State Commissioner of Edu- cation. Failure to comply with these requirements subjects a town-provided the town is entitled thereto-to a forfeiture of its share of the income of the State School fund.
A town whose valuation does not exceed two and one-half million dollars is entitled to some share of the income of the State School fund.
A town or city not entitled to a portion of this income, for- feits to the school fund two hundred dollars in case of failure to make report to the Commissioner of Education on or before the close of a school year.
It was the evident intention of the framers of the law that the school department should be kept in close contact with the inhabitants of the municipality. The schools were few in number at that time, and consequently a detailed report could be made of each separate school, a practice which for obvious reasons is impracticable at the present time.
Extracts from school reports of the 40's are herewith presented for the purpose of indicating to what extent details were reported in those days.
1. "This school was kept ten weeks in summer and eleven weeks in winter. The order of the school and deport-
52
SCHOOL REPORT
ment of the scholars has been good during both terms. In summer the whole attendance was 47, average 23; in winter whole attendance 48, average 41. There are some good scholars in this district, but generally they seem to be satisfied with less education than most people would like to possess. The school house lacks almost entirely one of the most useful articles of assistance both to the teacher and scholar-a black board ; the one which they possess being a miserable apology for that almost indispensable article in a school room."
2. "The school in this district continued eleven weeks in summer. The whole number of scholars 23, average attendance 17. A good teacher was employed and the school made good improvement. In winter the school was nine weeks long, whole attendance 26, average 22. The teacher needs experi- ence and he ought to go to school another season before he again attempts to teach."
3. "A few large boys in this district make a great deal of trouble. A large portion of the people would be glad to have a good school, but when no particular exertion is made by such, a few families can destroy the usefulness of any school. There are a few families who are disposed to find fault when things are not done exactly to suit their notions of propriety. They know little or nothing about the manner of managing a school properly. There are men in this district who could cure the difficulty. As it is, the school money is thrown away to a great extent."
4. "The register indicates a large amount of absence. There are a few families who send their children to school, but very inconstantly. Such families are a 'dead weight' to a school ; a source of trouble, vexation and discouragement to the teacher and scholars. There was a practice in this school of allowing the scholars to recite in concert, of which we cannot approve. We think the time might have been spent to better advantage in learning something useful."
The school report at the present day differs materially from the report of former years. It is prepared not merely for the inhabitants of the municipality. It sets forth in some form the
53
SCHOOL REPORT
policy of the school boards of the respective towns or cities, and an exchange of reports with places in all parts of the Union is made, whereby each community derives benefit from the experi- ence of others. A school report today is prepared as much for school boards and superintendents of other cities in this state and in the other states of the Union, as it is for the residents of the municipality in which the schools are maintained. The policy of the school department is set forth-information afforded which should be of interest to other communities, and helpful to many school officials who desire to avail themselves of the aid of those who have introduced and carried into effect plans for the better- ment of schools.
Efforts are now being put forth in all sections of the Union to secure uniformity with reference to statistics that appear in the annual reports. Cost per pupil, for instance, is an item that is secured in one municipality by dividing the expense by the average attendance, while elsewhere the average number belong- ing, or the whole number, is taken for the divisor. The cost of the water used in the various buildings forms a part of the expenditures in some places, while elsewhere this expense is not charged to the school department.
Other items might be cited, but additional ones are not needed for the purpose of showing that figures presented at times are misleading, in an attempt to compare expenses or other matters annually reported.
The statistical part of the report which is herewith present- ed corresponds in substance with that which has been presented for several years past. It is expected that statistics in future reports will be presented in accordance with the standard forms prepared by the Census Bureau.
A school report thus becomes a document of considerable import. It was in former years prepared by certain members of the school board. It is now in most cases prepared by the Superintendent of Schools, under the direction of the Board.
The Fitchburg report this year contains reports or commu- nications from principals of schools, heads of departments and supervisors of studies.
54
SCHOOL REPORT
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
It is not deemed inappropriate in connection with what has been said relative to school reports to direct special attention to the system that prevailed at the time many of these documents were sent forth. It must be understood that at the time the re- ports were written, from which these extracts are taken, the district system was in vogue.
The present generation has little idea of what is meant by the "District System," and for this reason some description thereof is herewith presented. There were twelve school dis- tricts in Fitchburg. Each district was practically a municipality by itself. The district elected annually one of its residents who served as prudential committee for the year. He employed a teacher for each term, whose compensation was limited by the amount of money the district appropriated for that year.
A teacher was paid a certain sum per week, and in addition thereto board was furnished. The length of the term depended in some measure upon the action of the district, relative to the board of the teacher. Each family represented at the school, in accordance with this plan, boarded the teacher for a time in proportion to the number of children in attendance, and thus the money that would be required to pay the board of the teacher could be used for his salary for the additional weeks.
The town elected a superintending school committee, whose duty it was to examine teachers who had been appointed by the prudential committee of the respective districts. This committee visited the schools, making reports of each one. The extracts above quoted indicate the character of the reports. The duties of the superintending school committee were merely advisory, the prudential committee in each district having practical con- trol of the school therein.
It will be understood, from the reading of some of the extracts quoted, that there was a great deal of absenteeism, what in some cases would be called "truancy " at the present time. There was no law whereby attendance could be made compulsory.
A committeeman could direct attention to this evil, but no one had power to correct it. Other delinquencies were men- tioned, and in these reports advice and suggestions of various
55
SCHOOL REPORT
kinds were offered, and there the duty of this official ended. The town generally selected three, or some multiple of three, as members of the superintending school committee.
The abolishing of the old district system was the occasion of remarkable changes in school administration. The change from a district to a town system met with fierce opposition. The men and women of this generation have but a faint idea of the fierceness and bitterness of the strife. George H. Martin, in his work, "The Evolution of the Massachusetts Public School System," says: "It is one of the most remarkable sieges in history. The battle against the district system raged in every town."
Those who favored the retention of the district system were strenuous in their contention. They declared, to use the words of Mr. Martin,-"The town system was an entering wedge to centralization and despotism, and backwoods oratory in town meetings eloquently appealed to the memory of Patrick Henry, and the heroes of Lexington and Bunker Hill."
The legislature in 1859, at the Spring session, voted to abol- ish the district system, but at a special session in the Fall, the act of abolition was repealed. Four attempts were made to abolish the district system, three of which failed. Finally in 1882 the system was abolished.
The entire control of the school was thus placed in the hands of a board of school committee. This board, instead of being merely an advisory board, had the entire control of school affairs including the employing and the certificating of teachers, selecting of janitors and purchase of fuel for all schools. A few years ago, the city council of Fitchburg, took upon itself the hiring of janitors and the furnishing of fuel for the schools and in general the entire care of school buildings and grounds, leaving with the school board the management of the internal affairs of the schools.
A superintendent is now employed in most cities and towns and the preparation of the report is delegated to this official.
SCHOOL LEGISLATION.
School officials are on the watch each year to see what is required by reason of legislative action. Much of this legisla- tion,-although of importance, and calculated to promote the
56
SCHOOL REPORT
efficiency of the schools of the commonwealth,-is the result of the efforts of those who have no official connection with school management.
Changes in the requirements from year to year are likely to be so radical in character that careful study needs to be made of these matters in order that the letter and the spirit of the laws may be obeyed. Certain of these changes-some of them very important in character-relate to the employment of minors.
A law was enacted several years ago, by the legislature of this Commonwealth, that no minor between the ages of 16 and 21 could be employed in a factory while an evening school was in session unless he could read and write in English. The enforcement of the provisions of this act compelled a large number of young men and young women 18, 19 and 20 years of age to attend an evening school. One can well imagine what would be the result in large manufacturing places like Lowell and Fall River and even to a considerable extent in a place like Fitchburg. It is extremely doubtful if many superintendents of schools were aware of the existence of any such law until attention was called to it in the autumn. Evidently, it was not the work of school officials but it had its effect, in a wonderful measure, in many municipalities. Two years ago, in accord- ance with custom, the employers of minors in this city were notified that evening schools would be opened at a certain time and that after that date no person between 16 and 21 could be employed who was unable to read and write in English.
The information was then vouchsafed that the legistature that year had enacted a law whereby "minor" should mean a person under 18. That made a vast difference in the attend- ance for those between 18 and 21 were not oblige to attend. There is no disposition whatever to criticise, in any manner, the action of those who were instrumental in securing such legis- lation but it will be readily understood that school officials are expected to work in accordance with plans with whose incept- ion they have nothing whatever to do.
Some surprise was manifested when it was reported that the legislature this year had enacted a law which provides that the term " minor " shall mean one who is under 21 years of age. Thus an illiterate who was 19 years old one year ago was not
57
SCHOOL REPORT
obliged to attend an evening school, because he was not a minor. This year he is 20 years of age and being a minor the law compels his attendance. Thus is seen what influences are at work.
Employers of child labor in this city, with very few except- ions have at all times been ready to comply with all the require -. ments of legislative enactments pertaining to such matters. The difficulty in an attempt to comply strictly therewith must be very evident even to a casual observer.
Instances varying in character could be presented to illus- trate this point. Here is one from actual every day life. The overseer in one of the rooms in a certain factory employs a number of minors. Applications for employment are made by those unable to speak English. A young man comes to the factory for employment. Some one who can speak English and can interpret for the one who seeks employment tells the overseer that the applicant for work is 21. The overseer sets him at work and in due time an inspector visits the factory and informs the overseer that said young man is but 19, that he should attend the evening school, and that his name should be upon the list of illiterate minors, that has been sent to the office of Superintendent of Schools.
The instance thus cited is but one of hundreds that could be presented.
Certificates of all kinds that are issued are furnished school authorities by the chief of the district police. School officials in every city and town are obliged by law to use the certificates thus provided, hence if any complaint or criticism is made relative to requirements, it must be understood that school officials are proceeding in accordance with the provisions of the laws of the Commonwealth.
The work required of school officials in the issuance of the various kinds of certificates is not understood by the public in _ general.
1. One form of certificates is for minors between 16 and 21 who are able to read and write in English. This certificate is required only while an evening school is in session. It is required by law, even if the minor be a college graduate,
2. A certificate of a different kind is required at all times for those between 16 and 21 who are unable to read and write in
58
SCHOOL REPORT
English. Statutes relative to this class of minors read in part as follows: "No illiterate minor between the age of 16 and 21 years shall be employed in a factory, workshop, mechanical or mercantile establishment unless his employer procures and keeps on file, accessible to the truant officers of the city or town and to the district police and inspectors of factories and public buildings, a certificate showing that such minor is sixteen years of age or over.' Said certificate shall give the place and date of birth of such minor and his personal description. The printed form of the certificate shall be provided by the chief of the dis- trict police and shall be approved by the attorney-general.
"An employer of minors in a factory, workshop or mercan- tile establishment shall keep on file and send to the Superin- tendent of Schools a complete list of the names of ALL minors employed who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language."
3. No one under 14 can be employed at any time. Those between 14 and 16 must procure a certificate differing in form from either of the others that have been mentioned. The parent must make oath to the age and the birthplace of the child. The school physician must certify that the child is physically able to perform the work he intends to do. The employer must certify that he intends to employ said child whenever he pre- sents a certificate from the office of the Superintendent of Schools. These certificates are issued in duplicate, one to be kept at the office of the School Superintendent and the other to to be taken to the employer.
The responsibility in the entire matter is thus very properly placed upon the Superintendent of Schools. He and the persons duly authorized thereto by him are the only ones empowered to issue certificates of any kind.
Care needs to be exercised in the issuance of certificates, lest some be issued to those not entitled thereto. Applicants therefor may at times be put to some inconvenience, but this is unavoidable if honest effort is made to ascertain the exact facts.
The records at the office of the City Clerk furnish evidence relative to age of those born in the city. Statements are easily obtainable from city clerks or town clerks in other municipalities of the Commonwealth. Data of sufficient moment may be
59
SCHOOL REPORT
obtained from school registers provided the minor has attended school for a number of years in this city.
Documentary evidence of some form is required of those who come from foreign lands. They are expected to produce a birth certificate, a baptismal certificate, a passport or a state- ment from the Immigration Commission of the port of entry. The applicant for the certificate is required in doubtful cases to send to a foreign land for a birth or a baptismal certificate. He is not allowed to work until he presents a certificate of some kind, unless he is able in some other manner to satisfy the certi- ficating official relative to age. Failure to produce satisfactory evidence regarding these matters does at times prevent an appli- cant from receiving an employment certificate. An applicant therefor by reason of inability to receive such certificate has been known to leave this city for a place in which an employ- ment certificate is more readily obtained.
PROMOTIONS AND CLASSIFICATION OF PUPILS.
No topic is of more interest in the educational world today than that of the advancement of pupils from grade to grade. The topic is a comprehensive one, including as it does the re- tardation of pupils,-the policy of examinations, the grading of schools and other factors whose influence is felt in any system of education.
Educational periodicals are debating these phases of the question, the press in general is proclaiming to the world that pupils are "held back " in such a manner that large numbers of them are unable to reach the high school or even the higher grades of the grammar school.
" Retardation of pupils" is a cry that is heard the length and breadth of the land. There certainly must be some reason for these criticisms or comments, although it needs to be borne in mind that whenever any adverse criticism of the schools is made no difficulty is made or experienced in securing a sufficient number of critics to venture opinions of various kinds.
The matter of promotion has not in this city been the occasion of uneasiness to any great extent and the reason assigned for directing attention thereto at this time is because
60
SCHOOL REPORT
such undue prominence is given it in the press, from the plat- form and in meetings of teachers.
The rules of our school board provide for semi-annual promotions in all grades below the high school-promotion annually from the grammar schools to the high school. Prac- tically promotions or transfer of pupils are made once a year, viz : - at the close of the school year in June.
Criticism of the schools is made on account of large num- bers who are not sent along-those who are technically termed " hold overs." It is not to be assumed merely because a pupil is kept more than one year in a grade that injustice is done said pupil, but whenever statistics show that in any grade there are many pupils one or two years older than the average of the class, the inference is plain that certain pupils are not receiving their just due.
There are twelve grades in the Fitchburg school system, viz : - four in the high school and eight below. Children enter grade one at six years of age. If they spend one year in a grade, they reach the high school at 14, graduating therefrom at 18. The curriculum should be so arranged that the ordinary pupil in good health with regular attendance can pass through the grades in the time mentioned. A few may be able to cover the ground in less time, but it is not well to " push these along." A few are benefited by spending more time than is allotted. The great majority however, who enter at six, and whose physical condition permits them to attend regularly ought to be promoted or transferred regularly.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.