USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1909 > Part 9
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Signed.
ARTHUR H. WRIGHT, WILLIAM F. LUNT, HORTON C. STEVENS.
For the School Committee.
15
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
In accordance with the rules of the Committee the annual report of the Superintendent of Schools is hereby submitted.
In making out the financial statistics included in the report a special effort has been made to show plainly where every cent has been used. In addition to the money expended by this Board I have thought it wise to include the expense of fuel and light. The only items not included are those for repairs made by the Public Property Committee. In three of the four accounts into which the business of the school departments is divided there were undrawn balances, as follows :- Fuel $250.54, Salaries $134.29, Lighting $17.36. The Miscellaneous account was overdrawn to the amount of $102.12, leaving a net undrawn balance of $300.07.
Quoting from the Rules regarding the duties of the superintendent, we have this: "He shall annually make a report at the November meeting, giving an account of the schools and making such suggestions as he may deem advisable."
This quotation I propose to use as my guide and authority in what- ever may follow in this my fourth report to this Committee.
Viewing the situation as a whole, there are three main propositions which confront us for solution, the Currier School, the High School and the Training School.
The various efforts, so far futile, which have been made by members of this board and by others who were members of the City Council, to obtain a new school building for the upper wards of the city, have shown to all the fact that a new building is an urgent necessity.
The crowded rooms, the lack of sanitary equipment and the general disreputable condition of the entire plant, from the leaky furnaces in the cellar to the dingy falling plaster on the ceilings, and the torn and ragged curtains at the windows have advertised this need for many months.
The Committee on Public Property have consistently refrained from making extensive repairs ou the building because a new one was being considered. The present one, therefore, has steadily gone down hill. A rude awakening came a short time ago when the building had to be closed long enough for the furnaces to be repaired to a degree that would pre- vent the escape of poisonous gases in such quantities as to be dangerous to health and even life.
As there are no means of judging of the future but by the past, it is doubtful what another year may bring. Certain it is that we must not relax our efforts to secure better surroundings for our children and better equipment for our teachers.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The advantages which would be a result of a new and up to date build- ing, in an increased zeal and enthusiasm among the teaching force, as well as better light, and more healthful sanitary conditions surrounding the pupils, are evident to all. To build a new building, or remodel the old, so as to meet only the needs of today would be a grave mistake. A ten, or at least an eight-room building should be the smallest to be considered.
In the High School we meet a condition which a few years ago was not suspected.
Referring to the report of 1903 only six years ago, my predecessor says, "The changes in the building now used for the High School have given for that school ample and excellent rooms." During the same year the record shows 275 pupils in that school. September last, there were 432 pupils registered and the high school building is taxed to its utmost.
Unless the assembly hall is remodeled in some way to provide further seating accommodations, I fail to see how we can provide for the school an- other year. Indications now are that there will be in the school next year at least 450 pupils. On this account some provision ought to be made as soon as possible to prevent disturbance at the opening of the next school year. With two exceptions, the class rooms in the school are still ample. The chemical laboratory does not afford the opportunity to do the class work required in a high school which sends so large a contingent to the Institute of Technology. It is not large enough nor is it properly lighted.
In addition to the cramped condition of the science laboratories, the room now used by the typewriting department is not large enough to give the space needed around the machines. While better than the room occupied last year, it is still not what it ought to be to accomplish the best work. It is unfortunate also that basement rooms must be used for regular work. In these rooms there is not the proper amount of light nor is the proper amount of ventilation possible.
In 1903 when the school was moved from the armory to the present building, competent judges thought that the school was well provided for for the next twenty years. Six of the twenty years have elapsed and we find it to be wholly unable to supply the needs of today! This fact is not without bearing on the Currier School situation.
In the Training School we have the third of the propositions which at the outset were named as specially needing attention.
Reference to the records of the past will demonstrate the fact that this branch of the school system of the city needs recognition from a finan- cial standpoint that it does not get.
From year to year I have endeavored to point out to this Committee the great difficulties under which this school, its principal and pupil teach- ers have been working. I have tried to show that by making it necessary to do more than half the work in the little anterooms and in the principal's office, we are in reality circumscribing the best possibilities and hindering the best success of the school.
A pupil teacher cannot possibly find out her proper limitations in a seven by nine recitation room. In such rooms she cannot properly con- duct a recitation even if they were properly heated, lighted and ventilated -neither of which is true. But these matters have to do with the profes- sional side of the work, and that I do not wish to touch at the present.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Consulting the records, I find that the school has been running just twenty years. For eighteen of those years, its graduates have been avail- able as teachers in this city. During those eighteen years the city has paid to the principal $17,000 and to pupil teachers in round numbers, $10,- 000, making a total of $27,000. This represents the teachers' salary cost of the school for eighteen years.
A paid teacher in each one of the four rooms at $400 a year would have cost the city for the same time just $28,800. Looking at it only up to this point, there is a financial gain to the city of $1800, or a saving of $100 a year. It would be puerile however, to argue for or against the school on the basis of $100 a year gain. It was not this which the sub- committee had in mind when the school was organized. They forsaw what has since come to pass that the daughters of the very best citizens would prefer to teach in Newburyport to leaving home and teaching elsewhere. They foresaw that the same teachers would be willing to pay for the privi- lege of living at home while they worked. Hence they have been willing to accept a salary from 25 per cent to 33 1-3 per cent less than they might have received had they gone elsewhere to teach.
The total amount paid in salaries to teachers in the eighteen years since the training school first graduated a class is $496,000. It would not, I think, be overestimating it, to say that during this time one third of this amount has been paid to graduates of the Training School.
As has been above stated, and as reference to the annual reports will prove, salaries here have been from 20 per cent to 33 1-3 per cent lower than in most other places of equal size. This means that $40,000 less has been paid out than would have been probable had the Training School never existed, and more than $2000 a year has been saved for the city. I speak of this only to show that the school, because of its good work in the past, deserves better facilities than it now has.
Mention was made in my report of October 25th of the condition of the brick-work and plaster in the Storey Avenue building. A small outlay made immediately would put this building in excellent condition. If left for any great length of time, the necessary expense would be very much increased. By vote of the School Board the matter was brought to the attention of the Public Property Committee, by that body referred to a special committee to report back. Up to the time of writing the special committee had not reported.
A glance at the building on Purchase Street would not strengthen any feeling of pride a citizen might have in the schools of the city. It is a fact to be regretted that we were obliged to use the building again this year for grade one. The upper room is none too well adapted to the work of the Cooking School. But the room below is an unfit place to house children five hours a day for five days a week.
In the Kelley building there is urgent need of new floors in each of the corridors and new treads on the stairs. With this exception, and a suggestion as to the quality of the blackboards, nothing is urgent be- yond what has been already suggested in connection with the needs of the Training School.
The Bromfield Street, the Johnson, and the Temple Street buildings
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ANNUAL REPORT
are all in better condition than I have ever before known them, but much yet is needed.
At the Jackman only such care as any good building ought to have is needed this year.
The recent repairs on the schoolhouse at Moultonville have put that in good condition. With the exception of a coat of paint on the outside, little is necessary, except blackboards.
The Congress Street ward room was also cared for last year and needs little done to make it as good for school purposes as any similar structure could be.
The Davenport building is in as good condition as any in the city. This completes the list so far as the buildings are concerned.
Though I do not wish to criticise the policy of past city officials, I am firmly convinced that any scheme of patch and cover from year to year is not the most economical way of repairing buildings.
Several municipalities with which I am familiar and whose public build- ings always appear in good condition, have a custom of devoting a large portion of the funds for repairs to one or two buildings each year. In this way every seven or eight years, each building has thorough atten- tion.
A building well roofed and well painted ought to last and be in good condition for that length of time, particularly old buildings like most of those in our own city.
Would it not be well to ask the committee on public property to follow out a plan similar to this on our school buildings. Either one of two or three buildings really needs attention of this kind. Further delay will in- crease materially the cost of the work when done.
Resignations, sickness and death have caused some interruption to the work of the schools during the past year.
On February 1 Laura R. Sherman closed a year and a half of exception- ally successful work in the Latin department of the High School. Miss Sherman was educated and trained in the schools of Providence, her native city. The first position to open there was offered to her at a salary which could not be duplicated here. Her place was filled by the choice of Helen D. Robinson of Gloucester at a time of the year when it is difficult to begin work in any school position.
At the close of the year three of the teaching force in the school re- signed their positions to accept more lucrative positions elsewhere, Mr. Backus, Miss Hayes and Miss Kingsley. Miss Little, after earnest solicita- tion, declined a reappointment and Miss Burnham retired from teaching in the French department.
In the places of these five, six teachers have been employed, the rapid growth of the school making the additional teacher necessary. Charles D. Montgomery of East Providence is in charge of the commercial department, Alonzo G. Hearne of the mathematics, Harriet Smith of the Greek, Hannah W. Pingree assistant in English, and Alice E. Phillips of Medford in the French department. Miss Sullivan's return places her at the head of the English department, the position held by her before her leave of absence two years ago.
In spite of the many difficulties and annoyances caused by the lack of
19
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
room, the school has opened and is running this year in a manner which augurs well for a year of earnest and profitable work.
At the Currier school are the same teachers as last year. In spite of the general untidiness of the entire plant, the same thorough work which has always characterized this school is being done.
At the Jackman school, the only change in the teaching force has been the retirement of Miss Kilton. Early in the year, Miss Kilton was obliged to give up work for a time on account of her own health. Later, the seri- ous illness of her sister caused her to decline a re-election. The school was fortunate that Miss Chesterman was available as a substitute for the position. She is specially well adapted for the work required. She gradu- ated at the head of her class in the High school and since going to the Jack- man has been doing a great deal of individual work with the pupils of the ninth grade in the studies in which there seemed to be the greatest need.
The work in the Kelley eighth grade was interrupted to some extent last year by the illness of the regular teacher, Miss Stone. So far this fall all five of the teachers have been constantly at their work. In speaking of this school, I cannot refrain from calling attention to the work done by the boys, chiefly of the ninth grade, in tinting the walls of all the rooms and corridors in the building. Part of the expense for material was borne by pupils of the Training school and part by those of the Kelley school, most, if not all of the money having been obtained in prizes. The improvement in the attractiveness of the rooms is of course most evident to those famil- iar with the former conditions of the dingy, dusty walls.
In the primary schools the work has progressed much as heretofore. In three instances there have been changes in the teaching force.
The resignation of Miss Woodman early in the spring made it necessary to fill the position permanently. Miss Ella F. Robinson, who for two years had done excellent work in the Temple street school, was transferred to the second grade at the Bromfield street school; Miss Anna L. Doyle, who had a year of very successful experience in Danvers, was elected to the position in the Temple street school.
The third change was that caused by the death of Miss Carrie F. Mer- rill, and the election of Elizabeth A. Walsh to the position formerly held by Miss Merrill.
For many years Miss Merrill was in charge of the primary room in the Moultonville school. No teacher was more thoughtful or considerate for the welfare of others. Few more beloved by their pupils. None more earn- est in their work, and few more progressive. In practice she anticipated by years the open air school by holding many of her daily sessions in the school yard with mother earth for a floor and the blue sky for a roof. No teacher was quicker to take a suggestion and carry it out than she. In her death the city has met with a great loss.
Substitutes, during the last year, have had work of several months duration at a time. Miss Sargent substituted without a break for twenty- six weeks; Mrs. Stevens for twenty weeks; Miss Walsh, Miss Chesterman, Mrs. Jaques and Mrs. Nelson for periods ranging from eight to fifteen weeks.
This year, so far, two teachers have been constantly employed as sub-
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ANNUAL REPORT
stitutes; one in the second grade in the Curtis school and one in the Storey avenue school with the exception of the first week.
Whether or not it is wise to employ a regular substitute for work in the grammar schools, it is certain that one would have been useful all this year.
On several occasions the matter of new reading books has been brought to the attention of the committee and the Aldine system has been recom- mended by the writer as being a safe and sane method by which to teach the fundamental principles of reading in the lower grades.
Two years or more ago this method was adopted for use in the Train- ing school. The purpose of the writer was to try the system in that school and if found successful, put it in the lower grades throughout the city, if approved by the committee. The trial has been made. The system has been found eminently successful by the principal and by the pupil teachers. To me it appears that the time has come when the series should be adopted or the books taken out of the Training School.
As the matter stands today, we are making transfers between the Training school to the other schools in the city difficult because of the two systems in use. This has already caused considerable inconvenience on the part of some of the teachers.
On the other hand, it seems to me, this is a great mistake, as we are training up teachers to teach the Aldine method of reading while in the Training school, who later on are expected to go into our schools and teach the Ward method. The methods are so different that a business must be made of learning the one which is not familiar. The methods of instruction should, as far as possible, be uniform throughout the city in all branches of the work. When the Aldine system was first put into the Training school I had no other idea than of its final adoption for all the schools. It was thought at that time that the Ward system had done good work, but had been surpassed by the later one. One or the other should be the standard. The sooner it is decided which one it shall be, the better for the work of the schools. The other should be dropped.
During the last school year the entire elementary course of study has been reviewed with the help of the teachers. The study of our mother tongue being thought of the most vital importance, a large amount of material has been suggested to aid and encourage a good amount of read- ing of the proper kind. An effort has been made to put before the pupils the most suitable books for them to read. The greatest difficulty is to get the books.
In this matter, I believe the Public Library can help us.
So far as I am able to learn, with some exceptions, the juvenile books of the library are mixed in with the others. In the department of fiction, I believe that the books are divided into those for boys and those for girls. This is good as far as it goes.
I would suggest that a special committee be chosen from the school committee to confer with the trustees of the Public Library, having for its purpose the establishment of closer relations between the library and the school.
A list of books suitable for pupils in the schools might be prepared,
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
with the grades for which they are best suited. Copies of this list could be furnished each teacher and she, on Monday mornings, could make a selection from it, ten, twenty or fifty books as the size of her school and the habits of her pupils might make necessary or profitable. The books might be de- livered in bulk to each of the schools and loaned by the teachers to the pupils.
Better still, in some ways, would be a plan of establishing in each school building, a well selected library that would be the property of that particular school.
There has been much discussion recently regarding grammar school graduation. Many cities and towns are endeavoring to simplify the prac- tices which have been in vogue in the past. Some have banished every- thing like graduating exercises, some have made them as simple and inex- pensive to parents as was possible, while still others, notably Boston, have voted to retain them practically as they have always been.
I know of but one good argument in favor of the graduations as they are carried out in our own city. They give to those boys and girls who can go no farther in their studies, a feeling that one milestone in their school work has been completed. The emphasis which is now put upon the closing exercises in our grammar schools makes it possible in later years to look back upon them with much pleasure and satisfaction. To the boy who has been unable to seek any other, a diploma from his grammar master means much. For the sake of these, I would like to make their graduations all that they themselves could desire.
It becomes a question, however, how far these exercises ought to in- terrupt the regular work of the school. Exacting and long continued prep- aration for such events must interfere with the intensive work of the ninth year. When these preparations extend back into the winter term there must be considerable loss of energy for regular work which is expended en- tirely for the sake of a single hour. Added to the foregoing considerations, there is the expense which is always connected with the exercises of the nature held in this city. Many parents are not able to bear such expenses. If their best interests are consulted our graduation exercises would be lit- tle more than promotion from grade to grade.
The tests for sight and hearing have been made in accordance with the la w. The results have shown a decrease in the number of pupils having de- fective eyesight from 18 per cent to 14.1 per cent, or 276 pupils as com- pared with 353 the previous year. In hearing 71 pupils were found de- fective this year as against 81 last.
The number of parents notified 193 as against 297 last year. The re- sults in the different schools follow:
Examined
Defective Eyesight
Defective Hearing
Parents notified
Per cent Defective Eyesight
High School
397
57
7
19
14
Currier School
166
26
17
15
15
Jackman School
346
54
13
54
15
Kelley School
217
30
8
26
13
Bromfeld St. School. 146
16
3
19
10
Curtis School
124
8
5
5
6
Davenport School
117
22
3
10
18
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ANNUAL REPORT
Examined
Defective Eyesight
Defective Hearing
Parems notified
Per cent Defective Eyesight
Johnson School
113
11
0
8
9
Temple St. School.
96
8
6
14
8
Training School
132
23
1
4
17
Moultonville School 42
7
6
3
16
Storey Ave. School .. .
24
3
2
5
12
Ward Room School. . .
36
11
0
11
30
Totals.
1956
276
71
193
14.1
The above table is suggestive in that it gives our best lighted school- house as having the lowest per cent of pupils with defective vision.
The appointment of a school physician has simplified very much the work of the teachers in cases of suspected disease.
Since the opening of the schools in September each case of illness has been immediately reported to Dr. Shaw and he has quickly responded. I fully believe that much contagion has been prevented by the care which has been given the individual cases.
From April 1 to September 11 there was not a case of scarlet fever or diphtheria in the city. No measles so far this year have been reported. During the entire year there have been five cases of scarlet fever and six- teen of diphtheria among the children of the public schools up to the time of writing.
With the careful inspection of the eyes and ears given by the teachers in the schools and the good work of the school physician in cases of con- tagion, there is but one thing needful to reduce sickness amongst school children to a minimum-equally solicitous care on part of parents in the homes.
I cannot close this report without calling attention once more to the .need of some industrial training in our schools.
With the exception of what we are doing in music, drawing and domes- tic science, our schools are following the same general lines which they have tried to follow for half a century. We are doing nothing for the boys of our schools that was not done for most of them in the early days of the city's history. All around us cities have advanced in this respect. Progress has been the keynote everywhere. There should be no reason why this city should be out of step.
Why can we not do something to increase the efficiency of the work- men whom we are yearly dropping out from our schools to enter the varied industries of our fair city? Gentlemen, I again ask you the question, is it not time that we get into line?
Respectfully submitted,
EDGAR L. WILLARD, Supt. of Schools.
Newburyport, Mass., Nov. 29, 1909.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
IN MEMORIAM
-
CARRIE FRANCES MERRILL
BORN APRIL 7, 1865
GRADUATED FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL, 1881 GRADUATED TRAINING SCHOOL, 1898 APPOINTED AS TEACHER AUG. 26, 1901
DIED MARCH 30, 1908
24
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Mr. Edgar L. Willard,
Superintendent of Schools.
I hereby present the report of the High School for 1909. During the school year ending June 1909, 395 different pupils were registered in our High School, and thus far in the present year 432 have been enrolled. Of the 432, total enrollment, 210 or 48.6 percent are boys.
When we consider that the building was planned for 327 pupils only, it is easy to understand somewhat the crowded conditions under which we are working. Eighty-three pupils are permanently seated in the base- ment in rooms poorly lighted and illy ventilated. Additional rooms are needed for the proper seating of the pupils and the much needed expansion of the Science department.
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