USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > City Officers and the Annual Reports to the City Council of Newburyport 1914 > Part 9
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Charles H. Lowell, Substitute Davenport School ..
10.35
Charles F. Lattime, Substitute Bromfield St. School
27.34
$ 4,252.36
Total salaries
$50,157.05
GENERAL EXPENSES
Anti Trust Supply Company, paper
$ .40
George W. Bishop, printing
13.25
Herald Publishing Co., printing and advertising
123.01
Noyes-Randall Company. printing and advertising
4.66
News Publishing Company, printing and advertising
94.43
John D. Brooks, traveling expenses
12.68
J. H. Carfrey, traveling expenses
5.25
Sarah A. Chase, traveling expenses
1.50
Harold W. Files, traveling expenses
5.25
Russell C. Lowell, traveling expenses
7.52
1
.
-Receive $1.00 for evening school sessions.
.
II
SCHOOL COMMITTEF
Edgar L. Willard, traveling expenses
5.25
W. C. Coffin, postage
53.28
Library Bureau, office supplies
40.86
Sampson Murdock Company, directory
3.00
New England Telephone & Telegraph Company, telephones 95.53
Neostyle Company, cleaning and repairing neostyle
5.00
$ 470.67
TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
American Book Company, text books
$ 344.88
D. Appleton Company, text books
5.21
E. E. Babb & Company, text books
373.12
E. P. Dutton, text books
72.16
A. Flanagan Company, evening school text books
5.25
Ginn & Company, text books
402.73
D. C. Heath & Company, text books
43.27
Houghton Mifflin Company, text books
24.60
Silver Burdett & Company, text books
36.48
F. J. Barnard, rebinding text books
109.04
American Express Company, express
19.05
John N. Iittle, express and freight
16.05
Mottram's Express Company, express and freight
2.01
Peoples Express Company, express
17.75
A. R. Andrews, typewriting supplies
14.10
Eagle Pencil Company, supplies
1.10
Edward N. Gray, supplies
1.80
J. L. Hammett Company, supplies
196.55
D. C. McIntosh, supplies
3.24
G. H. Pearson, Est., supplies
10.07
Romeyon Rvenburg, supplies
6.00
American Bank Note Company, diplomas
30.00
A. H. Patton, engrossing diplomas
21.30
Brown-Howland Company, office supplies, High School
6.75
C. C. Birchard, music
6.72
Oliver Ditson, music
4.10
F. A. Perkins, drawing supplies
1.45
Wadsworth Howland Company, drawing supplies
1.00
Wilbur Abbott, supplies, elementary domestic science
1.97
Edward W. Eaton, supplies, elementary domestic science
1.70
Fisher & Company, supplies, elementary domestic science
8.23
D. A. Goodwin, supplies, elementary domestic science
84.41
Jordan Marsh Company, supplies, elementary domestic science
17.80
D. F. Noyes, Est., supplies, elementary domestic science
25.13
H. W. Pray & Company, supplies, elementary domestic science
85.07
E. P. Stickney, supplies, elementary domestic science
54.56
The Tarpon Company, supplies, elementary domestic science
1.86
Yerxa & Company, supplies, elementary domestic science
4.87
Charles C. Bryant, manual training supplies
2.00
Hatch Brothers, manual training supplies
.50
Heywood Brothers & Wakefield Co., manual training supplies
7.49
Milton Bradley Company, paper and drawing supplies
64.72
C. W. Dow, drawing supplies
4.53
12
ANNUAL REPORTS
Perkins Lumber Company, manual training supplies 1.40
Lewis B. Curtis, Science Dept., High School .75
Electric Economy Company, Science Dept. High School 4.00
Gould & Adams, Science Dept. High School 5.80
Henry J. Green, Science Dept., High School 7.72
Frank Hoyt, Science Dejt., High School 59.19
Ingalls Garage Company, Science Dept., High School
2.50
L. E. Knott Apparatus Company, Science Dept., High School 148.57 Merrill Construction Company, Science Dept., High School 4.69
W. E. Morse, Science Dept., High School 11.61
Newburyport Tea Company, Science Dept., High School
.69
Parker & Page Company, Science Dept., High School .55
E. W. Pearson, Science Dept., High School 1.20
Pettingell Andrews, Science Dept., High School 17.18
Taylor Instrument Companies, Science Dept., High School 14.0)
F. H. Thomas, Science Dept., High School
1.10
$2,421.57
FUEL
Atkinson Coal Company, coal
$ 689.69
S. P. Bray coal
2,598.9 )
Jerome A. Chase, whoa
123.75
A. W. Nason, charcoal
11.99
Edward Perkins Lumber Company, wood
18.00
$3,442.33
TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS
Mass. Northeastern St. Railway Company, school tickets $ 225.00
D. P. Newhall, transportation of his children 4.00
TRUANTS $ 229.00
Essex County Training School, support of turants $ 186.14
MISCELLANEOUS
American Fixture Company, janitors' supplies $ 2.09
Eben Bradbury, janitors' supplies 6.34
A. & E. Burton & Company, janitors' supplies 17.25
H. I. Dallman Company, janitors' supplies 13.34
J. C. Emery, janitors' supplies
2.00
Samuel J. Hughes, janitors' supplies
13.29
Frank Jameson, janitors' supplies
8.50
George H. Jaques, janitors' supplies
9.75
J. H. Knapp, janitors' supplies
5.75
L. L. Peavey, janitors' supplies
14.82
Charles Thurlow, janitors' supplies
13.60
S. H. Thurlow, janitors' supplies . .
22.86
West Disinfecting Company, janitors' supplies . . .
12.50
A. P. Wilson, janitors' supplies
19.85
I3
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Autogenous Welding Company, repairs
.50
Blodgett Clock Company, repairs
1.25
J. J. & H. J. Chase, repairs 3.40
Frank E. Davis, repairs
8.60
Hale Employment Bureau, securing help for janitor
1.00
Charles Lowell, labor
4.40
Ambrose Silloway, labor
3.30
Town of Natick, equipment elementary domestic science
25.00
Charles Stockman, equipment
4.00
Henry M. Briggs, serving warrant
4.15
W. C. Derry & Company, laundry work
14.30
Rourke's Laundry, laundry work
. 68
Herman Goldberger, subscription
5.70
School Arts Publishing Company, subscription
11.95
Fred W. Peabody, rent of piano
8.00
Frank Schaller, tuning piano
3.00
Albert Russell & Sons Company, casting seat irons
. . . . .
1.40
$ 262.57
Total
$7,012.28
14
Salaries Janitors Textbooks Fuel & Supplies
Light Repairs Total Cost per pupil not including repairs
Administration
$ 6274.
$ 168.56
$2842.56
$1.43
High School
12672.83
$936.95
1351.56
$651.30
$143.22
$ '12.90
16068.76
41.67h
Grammar Schools : Currier School Jackman School.
3799.50
600.
158.50
608.02
44.75
158.74
5369.52
33.46€
66.80.50
600.
338.62
609.06
30.26
108.30
8366.74
25.12
Kelley School.
3699.
287.
204.43
231.73
67.24
37.90
4527.30
23 04
Primary Schools : Bromfield Street
2418.
170.
132.39
135.40
27.37
2883.16
23.21
Curtis School.
2297.33
450.
131.58
309.83
244.23
3422.97
27.97c
Davenport School ..
2184.66
352.66
125.09
342.80
80.95
3096.16
24.38
Johnson School.
2376.30
170.
114.38
163.45
51.51
2575.64
28.30
Purchase Street School
23.75
26.12
25.
24.99
23.36
123.22
6.61
Temple Street School ..
1210.07
130.
71.15
89.84
.87
13.40
1515.33
22.07
Training School
1492.
287.
148.60
231.72
37.90
2197.22
17.32
Moultonville School
600.
100.
27.02
43.90
25.85
796.87
30.21
Cooking.
745.
50.
201.06
55.91
1051.97
7.94c
Sewing
458.72
2.78
Drawing.
750.
161.66
911.66
.46
Music.
580.
10.82
590.82
.29
Manual Training.
300.
18.41
136.25a
454.66
1.85c
Evening Schools
1027.50
95.
12.73
1135.23
7.57
Transportation
229.
229.
Miscellaneous
121.61
121.61
Truants
186.14
186.14
Totals
.. $45,904.69 $4252.36
$3878.54
$3497.96
$311.34
$1380.37
Amount expended by the School Committee. $57,533.55.
Total cost of Schools
$59,225.26
Total cost per pupil including all charges, $29.40.
Cost per pupil not including repairs, $28.70
a, Rent, Power, etc.
b. In computing High School costs Putnam School figures are excluded.
c. Includes cost of transportation.
ANNUAL REPORTS
398.
60.72
COMPARATIVE EXPENSES FOR TEN YEARS
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
19)1 $ 2540.
1912
1913
1914
Administration
£ 1850.
$ 1937.50
$ 2266.25
$ 2347.80
$ 2350.
$ 2467.50
$ 2598.02
$ 2773.
$ 2674.
Salaries :
High School teachers
7844.75
8060.
8132 50
8197.50
8400.
9312.50
10423.
11640
12814.17
12672.83
Grammar School teachers
11419.37
11559.20
/2006.40
12697.88
13451.97
13730.49
14096.01
14345.14
14382.30
14179.
Primary School teachers ..
8691.19
8215.63
8559.28
8626.32
8362.28
9149.55
10425.33
10682.06
11074.97
11086.36
Training School teachers
1608.50
1542.73
1464.
1486.
1198.
1334.
1434.
1434.
1443.20
1492.
Evening School teachers
210 67
248.50
456.84
616.
608.
655.50
1008.
1392.
1389.
1027.50
Special teachers ...
1451.25
1622.50
1660.00
1730.
1777.50
1835.
2910.
3239.32
3391.45
2773.00
Janitors
3109.76
3086.81
3094.60
3100.99
3117.96
3222.50
3525.92
3952.35
4059.33
4252.36
Fuel
3179.79
2932.08
3347.82
3051.33
2749.46
2959.15
2675.33
4061.58
2939.97
3442.33
Supplies and Miscellaneous
2720.87
3795.96
3815.76
4264.69
4363.22
4858.69
6866.96
5648.01
5164.82
3569.85
Total expended by School Committee
$42087.15
$43000.91
$44903.45
$46118.41
46378.39
$49524.78
$55904.55
$58993.38
$59432.21
$57169.33
Light
162.96
155.
166.83
215.32
213.64
164.50
215.22
299.44
367 99
311.34
Repairs.
1808.98
3378.91
4848.04
2107.02
5604.79
3237.33
2366.85
5279.12
1380.37
Total cost of Schools.
$42250.11
$44964.89
$48449.24
$51181.77
$48699.05
$55294.07
$59357.17
$61659.67
$65079.32
$58861.04
·
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
I5
I7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1
Report of the School Board, 1914
The year 1914 has been a very unsatisfactory one to those interested in the Public Schools of Newburyport. Mayor Landford, at the beginning of the year, expressed his belief that the School Board was extravagant in its management of the Schools, and availing himself of the provisions of a recently adopted statute regulating municipal appropriations and expendi- tures, which allows a Mayor to determine the amounts to be appropriated for the various departments, not only reduced the total appropriation for Schools $3500, but endeavored to control the manner in which the appro- priation should be expended.
He stated that he made no appropriation for Manual Training or Domestic Science in the High School, and warned the School Board to contract no bills for the teaching of these subjects. He appropriated only $1500 for the salary of the Superintendent, that salary having been fixed at the beginning of the School year at $1800.
The School Board refused to recognize the right of the Mayor to de- termine what subjects should be taught in the Schools, or what salaries should be paid the School Officials, and paid no attention to his warnings. As a result on February 26, the Mayor made a descent on the Manual Training Building and took away the benches and other apparatus to City Hall where he stored them in the basement.
The School Committee, naturally feeling that this act was a direct in- fringement on its rights, at once took legal steps to secure the return of the apparatus. A petition for a mandamus against the Mayor and Public Property Committee was brought before a single Justice of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. The School Board was represented by a special counsel and the petition was referred to the Full Bench of the Supreme Court by Judge De Courcey on March 3.
Through the efforts of the counsel the case was advanced and was ar- gued by Ernest Foss, Esq., before the Full Bench on March 27.
In the meantime the teaching of Manual Training was unavoidably brought to a close. No decision was handed down by the Court until the iatter part of Septen:her when the Board's petition was dismissed without costs purely on a technicality and the law was not construed one way or the other. The result was most unsatisfactory, but cannot be called eith- er a defeat or a victory by either party to the controversy.
The controversy between the School Board and the Mayor has been most unfortunate, and while the Board does not question the sincerity of the Mayor in the position he took, it must place or record its belief that his action has materially impaired the efficiency of the Schools, and that if his interpretation of the act above referred to is ultimately sustained by
IS
ANNUAL REPORTS
the Courts, it absolutely destroys the usefulness of the School Committee, and places the entire control of the Schools in the hands of the Mayor.
Manual Training as a result o? the Mayor's action has not been taught in the Schools since the furniture was removed from the Manual Training Building. Domestic Science in the High School was discontinued by vote of the Board at the close of the School year.
At the end of the School year, Walter E. Andrews, 13
for years Principal of the High School, resigned to accept the position of Principal of the Hingham High School, and the Board elected Dana C. Wells, for many years Sub-master of our High School, Temporary Principal.
Edgar L. Willard, Superintendent of Schools, also resigned, having been chosen Superintendent of Schools of Natick, Mass., and John D. Brooks, formerly Superintendent of Schools of Natick, Mass., was elected as Mr. Willard's successor.
Miss Frances L. Pettigrew for many years a teacher in our Schools, and for some time past, Principal of the Curtis School, retired at the end of the School year. The Board takes this occasion to express its apprecia- tion of Miss Pettigrew's long and efficient service during a term of forty- six years in the Schools of our City.
Our School Buildings have again been vigorously criticised by the State Authorities, and many changes and improvements have been ordered by them. The Committee is glad to state that the trouble experineced in heating the new Currier School has been remedied as a result of changes inade last year which were suggested by an expert employed by one mem- ber of this Board.
The High School is still over-crowded, and measures should be taken to relieve the congested conditions, either by supplying additional room, or by reducing the number of out-of-town pupils in the School. During the year the charge for tuition of non-resident pupils in the High School has been increased to $65 per year; the charge for non-resident pupils in the Grade Schools has been made $36 per year for Grammar School pup- ils, and $30 per year for Primary School pupils.
The buildings occupied by the Primary Grades in the lower wards are inadequate, and badly out of repair. It is at present necessary to have the First Grade in the Bromfield St. School divided into two divisions, one attending School in the morning, and one in the afternoon, and we believe it is vitally important that something should be done to make the condi- tions more tolerable for the little children. A Committee of this Board has been appointed to confer with a Committee of the Incoming City Coun- cil in the hope that at least one new Primary Building may be erected at the lower end of the City.
LAURENCE P. DODGE ARTHUR P. BROWN ARTHUR H. WRIGHT.
19
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
Newburyport, Mass., November 30, 1914. To the Members of the School Committee. Gentlemen :-
I herewith present my first annual report of the city of Newburyport schools being the twenty-third annual report since your first appointment of a Superintendent.
PREFACE
I entered upon my present duties September 1, 1914. I have spent the three months since then mainly in a careful study of the school sys- tem. I have found much good to conserve, some defects to correct and am trying to plan broadly for the future improvement of our schools.
I wish to thank the teachers for their valuable assistance in compiling the following report and also to acknowledge my indebtedness to a study of the Solway schools, prepared by Superintendent Philip W. L. Cox.
Part of an annual report should be historical, at least a resume of the Events of the preceding year. Not being connected with the schools dur- ing the greater part of the year, my view-point has been very largely that of an outsider. I leave therefore the role of historian to the members of the School Committee, who are entrusted with that duty. Many events of the past year in this department were both exciting and regretable. No city in Massachusetts with the State's present and traditional devotion to public education /can afford to have the efficiency and progressiveness of its schools or the devotion of its citizens to their welfare called in ques- tion.
Pecuniary advantage as well as civic pride should demand that our school buildings be put in such condition that the State Authorities shall have no excuse for stepping in to compel us to protect our own children.
Above a western hotel entrance is the following legend "Enter with- out knocking and remain under the same condition." I wish to follow that rule in my work here. There is much in our schools to commend in or- ganization, teaching corps, etc., but my work calls mainly for correction of faults rather than the emphasis of virtues. So I must risk the charge of being unduly censorious by detailing almost wholly the phases of our work that need reform.
Judged by the accepted standards of today our schools are inefficient for:
1. Too large a proportion of our pupils are massed in the lower and intermediate grades. The instruction there is not fitted to the needs and ages of these older children.
2. The dropping out of pupils in our schools is very great. Certifi-
20
ANNUAL REPORTS
cates for pupils below the age of sixteen to the number of 242 have been issued since August 1913. These children are engaged in odd jobs or in the factories in work that offers little chance of advancement. Only one half of our pupils complete the Grammar school course and but one- fourth graduate from the High School.
3. Our organization is cumbersome, and inefficient, without cen- tralization of power. The buildings are in control of a body alien and apart from the School Committee. The School Physician, medical in- spection and school hygiene are controlled by the Board of Health.
I believe the School Committee and the great body of our citizens will subscribe to the following principles:
1. Every child should be offered a training that is worth while, in fact, the best possible, at least during the years in which we compel his at- tendance in school, viz., 7 to 16.
2. It is important that the administration should be efficient and economical; but to cripple our schools by providing inadequate and under- paid teaching force, denying the schools sufficient text books and supplies, neglecting the repairs and the proper equipment of our buildings is un- wise economy. It squanders our greatest investment, the time and effort of three thousand children.
3. It is the function of our schools to supplement the life opportuni- ties of each child and to give him the widest possible opportunities to make the most of himself.
4. The product of our schools should be young men and women prepared to meet the real problems of life,-to be good citizens, to earn a livelihood, to make for themselves a life worth living.
In achieving the above for our children we must realize that tastes and capabilities differ, there must be sufficient variety in the methods and subject matter of our courses to reach every child.
The newer conception of what public education should accomplish demands
1. That the High School must not cater to the selected few who are to enter college, but to all the children of the community.
2. That the school shall prepare the ninety-seven for actual par- ticipation in life as well as the three for college.
3. That the pupils shall advance through the grades as rapidly as they can and as slowly as they must.
4. That non-promotions, and the consequent over-age and dropping out of pupils be reduced to a minimum.
5. That uniform school requirements for all pupils be justified by practical experience or else given up.
6. That the physical well-being of the child be the paramount con- sıderation.
7. In a word, that each and every pupil be given that instruction which shall fit him to become a socially efficient citizen of the republic. 8. That the organization of the schools and their control be such that power of initiative and responsibility in educational matters be cen- vered in the hands of a trained and experienced executive, in accordance with the plan found essential for achieving results in all industrial and social enterprises.
WHAT IS AN EFFICIENT SCHOOL SYSTEM?
Professor Hanus, who directed the famous New York City School In- quiry, gives the following standards for an efficient school system:
2I
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Public education is a social force, it aims at social welfare and bet- terment.
It is also the means of individual development-the fullest develop- ment (self-realization) of which each individual is capable .. Hence,
1. Public education should train efficient citizens-men and women who recognize and appreciate the common interests of our democratic so- ciety, and are able to promote their progressive development. These in- terests are spiritual (intellectual, moral, esthetic), hygienic, economic, civic.
2. Public education should strive to emancipate each pupil from ex- ternal restraint and guidance, and thus render him self-directing-intel- lectually, morally and physically stable, alert and active.
3. Public education should endeavor to prepare each pupil to make the best use of his leisure as well as of his working hours. Satisfactory diversions and good recreative habits are important for both the individ- ual and society.
4. Public education should strive to render each pupil economically intelligent and efficient. It should direct each pupil's attention to a vocation to which he may reasonably aspire; that is, every pupil should be led gradually to realize that a suitable vocation, accessible to him and adapted to him, is indispensable to a useful and happy life. Public educa- tion should therefore provide for the development of vocational purposes based on vocational enlightenment (vocational guidance) ; and it should offer each pupil appropriate training for the vocation of his choice.
Schools must therefore be so constituted as to provide adequately:
(a) The means of appropriate and, so far as possible, complete gen- eral development; . . and
(b) Various kinds of vocation training adapted to the needs, tastes, and future callings of all pupils who pass at once from school to their life work and for those who wish to improve themselves after they have gone to work (preparation for special social services, i. e., for usefulness).
ARE THE NEWBURYPORT SCHOOLS EFFICIENT?
We are engaged in an endeavor to educate "all the children of all the people." To ascertain whether we are accomplishing this purpose or wherein we are failing we must know:
1. The percentage of overage or retarded pupils.
2. The proportion of pupils who complete the elementary school.
3. How many of these continue into High School.
4. What proportion of these pupils who enter our High School grad- uate from High School.
5. The ratio between the pupils above the compulsory age limit and those below it.
6. The flexibility of the promotion interval.
7. The money waste from unnecessary non-promotion.
8. The attention paid to backward and exceptionally bright children.
9. The kind and amount of help given to non-English speaking chil- dren.
10. The ability of the children to spell, write, compute and compose (the so called school arts) and to reason in arithmetic, geography, history, and practical sciences and arts.
11. The attention given to children's health and recreation.
22
ANNUAL REPORTS
12. The practical value of the courses of study judged from the standard of social values.
13. The functional value of the instruction at the pupil's home and in the outside world.
14. Vocational guidance and the opportunities for vocational training.
15. The diversity of educational opportunities to meet the naturally diverse minds of 2000 children.
I have made a very casual and superficial attempt to apply the above standards to our schools. This will be the basis of more thorough study during the coming year and will be the standard along which we hope to improve our system.
THE PERCENTAGE OF RETARDATION.
By a retarded child is meant a child who is above the normal age of ihe grade.
For this study I have used an adaptation of the age scale of Dr. Frank P. Backman who carried on the investigation of the New York City Schools. His age scale which is coming to be generally accepted through- out the country, fixes 141/2 years as the normal age for entering the High School.
According to this scale a pupils who is more than 141/2 when he com- pletes the 9th grade, 131/2 when he completes the 8th grade, etc., is an overage or retarded pupil.
The subject matter and methods of intsruction for each grade are adapted to children of normal age for that grade; therefore it is essential that all normal children should be in the grade for which their age fits them.
The accompanying diagram shows thirty per cent of our pupils retard- ed or a total of 631 in 2117, or a total of 1021 years of retardation. This shows an apparent money loss of at least $25,000. Any money expended to reduce this is not wasted but brings great financial returns to say noth- ing of the immense advantage to the pupils. The diagram shows that re- tarded pupils tend to drop out of school as soon as they legally can.
DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS BY GRADES AND AGES
Grades 5 1-2 6 1-2 7 1-2 8 1-2 9 1-2 10 1-2 11 1-2 12 1-2 13 1-2 14 1-2 1; 1-2 16 1-2 17 1-2 18 1-2 19 1-2
Total Retarded
XIII
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
34
32
14
84
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