USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1862-1879 > Part 41
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The movable partition which had been taken down to give room for the High School exhibition was restored, and a new partition erected enclosing a space about 25 feet square, adjoining the room above referred to, and receiving its light from the north, - this for a recitation-room. The desks and seats from the Centre School were moved hither, and new ones furnished for the additional number of scholars ; and on the 1st of September the school occupied its new quarters.
This change of course compelled others.
The Second Grammar School (Miss Porter), occupying the lower west room of the Centre building, was located in the room vacated by the First Grammar.
The Centre Intermediate, located last year in the High School building, was removed. to the room formerly occupied by Miss Porter ; while the Third Grammar (Miss Melcher), which last year occupied the High School hall, was moved to room formerly occupied by the Centre Intermediate.
These two buildings are now occupied as follows : -
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High School Building : Lower floor, west room, Third Grammar School (Miss Melcher). East room, Second Gram- mar School (Miss Bisbee). Second floor, the High School. Third floor, First Grammar School (Miss Friend and Miss Southwick).
Centre Building : Lower floor, east room, Primary School, (Miss Howland). West room, Intermediate School (Miss Emerson). Second floor, east room, Third Grammar School (Miss Cate). West room, Second Grammar School (Miss Porter). The present arrangement seems better than any that have preceded it, and may be considered permanent in character, at least until better times permit further outlay for school buildings. The room occupied by the First Gram- mar School is not all that could be desired. It is rather too warm in summer and the early fall ; and owing to its deeply recessed and narrow windows, the light is bad on dull days. The height from the ground is objectionable on several ac- counts. Otherwise, it is a commodious and comfortable room. The only other change occurred in the Green-street building, and was caused by the formation there of
A NEW SCHOOL.
For the same reason which compelled the changes above referred to (a sudden though not unexpected accession of pupils), we were forced to take a step which has been in con- templation for some time, which the Committee have desired to take, but have not felt compelled to till this year, - the establishment of a new school at the Highlands. This new school, which we denominate the Green-street Upper School, has been placed in charge of Miss Lydia Mendum, formerly in charge of the mixed school in same building. It consists of two classes ; the first being of the third grammar grade, and the second being the same as the first class in the inter- mediate grade. In constituting this school, we have drawn from the Highland and from the Green-street Schools, leav- ing two, which are still mixed schools, but having one less class than before vacation ; in consequence of which change
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these two schools have been able to do better work than ever before. In their crowded condition prior to vacation, with five distinct grades or classes of scholars, -from the alphabet scholar to the one prepared to enter the grammar school, - the average time for each recitation did not exceed ten minutes. We were glad to be able to ameliorate in some degree this condition of things. In making the third gram- mar class in the Green-street Upper School, we have been able also to relieve Miss Melcher's school, which would otherwise have been crowded beyond its limits ; and finally, we are able to extend to the citizens of this remote district better school accommodations than they have had before, and to which they are certainly entitled. We may add that a petition for the above change, signed by leading citizens of the district, was presented, and formed an additional reason for making the change, though it must have been made in any event, as a measure of sheer necessity.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
By reason of the small contingent voted at your last Annual Meeting, we have only made such alterations and re- pairs as seemed absolutely necessary. At the First Grammar School and at Green Street, some considerable expense was incurred for new seats and desks. At Green and Lynde Street, concrete walks have been laid from the street to the doors of the schoolhouses; and at the former the yard has been graded at a moderate expense. Double windows have been furnished to Upham Street, Highlands, and Green Street. We ventured to have the street end of the Upham- street building painted ; most of the rooms were white- washed. By order of Inspector of Public Buildings, we have had the doors on several buildings altered, so that they all now swing outward.
NEEDED REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
All the outlying schoolhouses need painting badly. The fences need to be repaired and painted. The High School
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and Centre School buildings need externally no repairs or painting ; but the floors need oiling throughout, and the interior paint of High School needs retouching.
We wish to call your attention also to the fact that noth- ing has been done toward beautifying the surroundings of your schoolhouses. The High School and Centre buildings are architecturally fine buildings ; but nothing, so far as we know, has ever been spent upon the grounds. The reason is, of course, that other improvements have year by year seemed more imperative. While we recognize the fact, that the present is no time to indulge in frivolous or unnecessary . expenses, permit us to suggest that a little money spent in grading the land, and in planting shade-trees, or perhaps in fencing, would not be squandered. As regards the Highland, Green-street, Lynde, Vinton, and Upham-street houses, not much can be said for their architectural beauty ; but by paint- ing them in neutral colors, and spending a very little money in removing some unsightly bowlders from their yards, they may be made something better than the eyesores they now are. We may add, that, with the co-operation of the teach- ers, we think it possible to build up a feeling of pride in the schoolhouses, on the part of the scholars, so that good care shall be taken of them : nothing of this sort is possible, however, unless the buildings are put in thorough order.
TEXT-BOOKS.
No change of moment has been made in text-books. In the High School, Jones's Greek Prose Composition has been introduced, for use only of graduating college class.
In the Grammar Schools, Swinton's New Language Les- sons, a revised and enlarged edition of the book adopted last year, has been introduced ; and, in order that there should be no dissimilarity in the text-books in use,' those having the old edition exchanged them for the new, the difference being borne by the contingent. Dinsmore's graded spelling- blanks have also been introduced in all the schools, the spell- ing and writing being criticised at the same time.
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PHYSICAL EXERCISES.
We have introduced the practice of calisthenics in all the schools, adopting Mason's Manual as the standard. Here- tofore these exercises in the schools have been irregular, not being. obligatory. They are now and will be hereafter a part of the school course, and will prove, we are sure, very bene- ficial to all, -especially, perhaps, to the younger pupils : nevertheless, it is also true that the need exists in the higher schools as well as the lower. The long session, only broken by a few minutes of recess, needs a " break " here and there ; and two or three minutes, now and then, of muscular exer- cise, clears the brain, at the same time that it straightens the back, and expands the chest. Through some misunderstand- ing the High School did not adopt the drill at the same time as the other schools, but will hereafter conform to the prac- tice.
PENMANSHIP AND DRAWING.
In penmanship we have sometimes thought our scholars were not quite up to the standard of the best schools in our immediate vicinity. When scholars come to us from Boston, for instance, it has been noted that their handwriting is better than that of our scholars of same age, though we have also found that they were not up to our standard in arithmetic and some other branches. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by the fact, that very early in their school life the study `of penmanship begins, and, from that time forward, much special instruction is given in this branch. Not long since one of our number visited the Quincy schools, and brought home for our inspection specimens of the hand writing of chil- dren who had been but one year in the primary grade. It was simply marvellous to see how much had been accom- plished by special instruction by the best teachers, having each a limited number of pupils. We are giving some atten- tion to this in our lower schools, and we trust some improve -. »ment will be manifest another year. Satisfactory progress has been made in drawing, in all the schools, though we do not
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claim that in this specialty we attain the same standard of excellence as in those schools which have the benefit of spe- cial instructors. It may be mentioned that the First Gram- mar School is doing good work in this branch, and that we have extended the instruction to the fourth class in the High School, under the supervision of Miss Henshaw.
MUSIC.
For a full account of what has been accomplished in this department, we refer you to Mrs. Bordman's report presented. herewith. As we have been obliged to command her services in two new schools since last year, and at same time were compelled to reduce her compensation, we relieved her from the care of the three primary schools.
The singing of scholars of this age is, of course, mechani- cal or imitative only : nevertheless the visit of the music- teacher is a physical and mental rest, and we trust we shall be able another year to command her services in these schools, and also, and especially, in the High School. The singing in the First Grammar has never been so good as now, Mrs. Bordman finding here an able coadjutor in Miss South- wick; and, as this class goes forward to the High School, we would be glad to have the tuition follow them, and we trust we shall see as good results in the High School another year.
CHANGES IN SCHOOL SESSIONS.
In response to a petition signed by a large majority of the ‘ parents of our High-School pupils, we have added one half- hour to the session on five days in the week, granting Satur- day as a holiday; and in accordance with the custom of the past few years, we have adopted the same hours in the First Grammar School for the winter months only.
In all other schools, in place of the former arrangement, -by which the afternoons of Wednesday and Saturday were holidays, - we have adopted the plan of two daily sessions for five days, Saturday being a full holiday. We be- lieve this change will commend itself in time to every citizen as a change for the better. In stating our reasons for making
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it, we do not know that we can do better than to use the following extract from the annual report of the Boston School Committee, just published : -
" The change in school regulations, by which there are two sessions for five days in the week, - instead of two sessions for four days, and one ses- sion on Wednesday and Saturday forenoons, as formerly, - has now been on trial since September, 1877, and has already proved so satisfactory as to meet with general approbation. There were many reasons for this change. In the High School it was already the rule. No pupil in the other schools could be said to have a single play-day in the week during term-time, under the former arrangement, - a day which was entirely free from school-work, a real holiday which could be devoted to play and pleasure. Now Saturday is a whole play-day for the children. If a parent desires to take his child on a day's excursion, whether on a visit, or to enjoy. the country air and the scenery, no work-day need now be taken: there is the Saturday for such recreation. The statistics show that the average attendance in all the grammar and primary schools was smaller on Satur- days than on any other days in the week, and recent investigations prove that the attendance on Wednesday afternoons is much better than it was on Saturday forenoons.
" There is no doubt that the work of the schoolroom is better performed in the symmetrical daily sessions than in the broken sessions at the end of every two days. The masters tell us that the work on Wednesday and Saturday forenoons was not as satisfactory as on other days in the week. It is believed that the present system is more conducive to the health of the pupils than the former. It is better for the teachers, as well as the pupils ; the half-days Wednesday and Saturday did not give that rest that the whole day Saturday gives. Teachers have not so much fresh force on Monday when they teach on Saturday as they have with closed schoolrooms from Friday till Monday morning."
These and similar reasons impelled us to make the change. It may be added, that the present system, while it may be said to be an experiment in Massachusetts, has been the established custom in most other communities since the in- auguration of the public-school system.
If there were any thing objectionable in the custom, it would doubtless have been discovered, and changes to the Massa- chusetts system would have occurred here and there; but we believe, as a matter of fact, that all communities which have once tried the present plan have never found any reason to change the same.
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SALARIES AND APPROPRIATIONS.
At the last March meeting, it will be remembered that the sum of eleven thousand dollars was appropriated for the sala- ries of teachers, and the care and heating of the school build- ings. This sum being considerably less than the appropriation of the preceding year, we were obliged to make a further reduction in salaries ; and, after careful deliberation, we con- cluded to make such reduction in the pay of all the teachers as would practically amount to ten per cent of their former salaries. We do not desire in this report to enter on the dis- cussion of the question of school appropriations, or of the wisdom or unwisdom of any past action of our town; such a discussion would be out of place in its pages. We may be permitted to say, however, that we have no reason to differ from the judgment expressed in the last annual report, that the scale of salaries then in operation was not unreasonable, but, as compared with other towns, equitable and fair. We have lost some good teachers : their places have been filled by others who are doing good work ; and yet it " goes without saying," that these constant changes in teachers are demoral- izing to the schools, and must be avoided as much as possible.
In most other towns there is a scale of compensation in- creasing with each.year of service until the maximum salary is reached: By reference to the tabular statement of salaries, it will be noted that many of our teachers have served a long period ; and, while the remuneration we are able to offer in the lower grades of schools is not amiss for the graduate of the normal school who may be just entering the profession, it certainly is not enough for the experienced teacher. We may add, that, when a teacher has devoted ten or fifteen of the best years of her life to the service of a community, the relation becomes, or should become, something more than a mere financial one. Recurring again to the matter of ap- propriations, it will be noticed that we have been forced to overrun the contingent somewhat; and it may be added, that, carrying the year forward to its usual termination, it
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would be found that the main appropriation will be exceeded also, perhaps $600.
This we regret. At the beginning of the year we so ar- ranged the current expenses as to come very nearly within the appropriation ; but the necessity which arose for the em- ployment of an assistant in the First Grammar School, and the establishment of the new school at the Highlands, com- pelled us to pass beyond the limit. We could not further re- duce salaries : our only other course would have been, to have curtailed the school session one month. This, we felt, would not meet your approval.
For the coming year we recommend an appropriation for salaries of teachers, janitors, and for fuel (in addition to the deficiency of $600 above referred to) of $12,500, and for contingent expenses (in addition to the deficiency of $296.66) the sum of $2,000.
THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
These schools, located severally at Lynde Street, Vinton Street, and Centre buildings, are respectively in charge of Miss Gilman, Miss Lewis, and Miss Howland. Of the first- named teachers, nothing need be added to what has been said in commendation in former school reports. Miss How- land, in the short time she has been in the school, has accom- plished much good work.
These schools, it will be noticed, average fifty scholars each, that at Vinton Street having the largest number. Prior to vacation these schools were discouragingly large, and we de- cided to adopt the half-time plan, sending the older children one half the day, and the younger children the other half; but with the fall term the number decreased, and we con- cluded to defer the experiment. The younger scholars are habitually dismissed early, thus relieving the teacher of their care, and enabling her to devote her entire attention to the older pupils. Our children enter the public schools too early, as a rule. If every child could receive the primary education at home, entering school at six or seven years of age, we could do better work in this grade; but, so long as the primary
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school is used as a nursery by parents who are unwilling or unable to begin the education of their children at home, the work in this department will be unsatisfactory.
In more favored communities than ours, the kindergarten comes in here, caring for and educating the child from four to six years old; but the expense of maintaining these schools places them beyond our reach. In their absence, however, we desire from time to time to introduce the kinder- garten methods with the blocks, cards, and other aids to that work. The expense will not be great, and may come from the contingent.
THE MIXED AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS.
Of the former, the Upham-street School is now the only one which preserves its old character, carrying the pupil through four or five, sometimes six, years of school work, preparing him for the third grammar grade. We trust that this part of the town will soon develop so that we can make this school a simple primary. Miss Southwick, who was in charge last year, is now assistant in First Grammar ; and her place has been filled by Mrs. M. W. Batchelder, a teacher of experience, and a resident of the town. The Highland School is in charge of Miss Myra A. Whitney, a teacher of thorough training and ability ; the change in the character of this school has been previously referred to in this report. The Green-street Lower School is in charge of Miss Clara I. Nichols, a lady who, without much previous experience in teaching, has had the advantage of thorough normal training, and who has given entire satisfaction in her position.
The Green-street Upper School is in charge of Miss Lydia Mendum, and embraces a class of the third grammar grade, reference to which has been previously made, and a class of the intermediate grade. It will be understood that we only tolerate these mixed schools (relics of the old district-school system), looking forward hopefully to the time when, by reason of increased number of pupils, we may be able to re- construct, and place them in harmony with the other schools.
The Intermediate Schools, three in number, are the Centre
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School, Miss Chastine Emerson ; Vinton Street, Miss Alice H. Long; and Lynde Street, Mrs. K. W. Bascom, the latter a new teacher in Melrose, but who brings to her work the results of experience gained in the schools of Boston and elsewhere. The discipline in this school previous to Mrs. Bascom's engagement was somewhat chaotic, but leaves noth- ing to be desired at the present time.
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.
The First Grammar School contains, as will be noticed, about eighty scholars, and, under the care of Miss Friend and Miss Southwick, is doing very satisfactory work, in some re- spects more satisfactory than in former years. On the part of the scholars, there seems to be an unusual degree of enthusiasm and esprit de corps, which augurs well for the future. We shall send a large class to the High School at the end of the year, and we have reason to believe it will compare favorably with the graduating classes of other years.
The Second Grammar Schools, under charge of Miss Bisbee and Miss Porter, and the Third Grammar Schools, under Miss Melcher and Miss Cate, are doing the usual amount of thor- ough work. Whatever doubts may exist from time to time, in our minds, about the completeness and thoroughness of school work in other grades, here we rest satisfied. All these teachers have been with us a long term of years; their work is thorough, their devotion to their profession may be termed exceptional ; and we trust we may be able to retain their services many years to come.
Permit us to call your attention to the course of study, for use of the primary and grammar grades, printed herewith. This course prepared by a sub-committee, consisting of Mr. Burr, Miss Norris, and Mrs. Kunhardt, while it does not differ radically from the course which was theoretically in use before, lays down a definite plan to which all the schools are expected to conform ; and, without hampering or clogging the individual action of the teachers unnecessarily, it assures a certain symmetry in the school work, which was perhaps lacking before.
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OUTLINE COURSE OF STUDY IN THE MELROSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS. - THREE YEARS.
THIRD GRADE.
Reading. - The elementary sounds and familiar words to be learned from charts and the blackboard. First Reader.
Spelling. - Words of regular formation. Familiar words in common use.
Copying from the board or Reader upon paper or slates ruled for the purpose.
Numbers. - Teach by means of objects and figures, numbers to twelve. Simple exercises in addition and subtraction.
Drawing and Writing. - Printing or writing simple letters. Drawing of lines and angles.
SECOND GRADE.
Reading. - Second Reader, with other books of similar grade. Training in elementary sounds. Cultivation of conversational tones.
Spelling. - Spelling of words from the Reader and from dictation, by sounds and letters. Written exercises upon ruled paper or slates. Use long pencils.
Numbers. - Write and read numbers by letters and figures to one hundred. Addition and subtraction tables, with simple examples upon the slate.
Drawing and Writing. - Simple words of small letters to be written care-
fully from dictation. Teach names of lines and angles, with practice in combining them.
FIRST GRADE.
Reading. - Second Reader. Exercises for correcting indistinct enunciation. Omit concert reading. Recognize marks of abbreviation and punctuation in common use.
Spelling. - Monroe's Practical Speller. Oral and written exercises. Ob- serve previous directions.
Numbers. - Primary Arithmetic. Multiplication and Division tables, U. S. money, time, liquid and dry measures. Train pupils to add without counting.
Drawing and Writing. - As in previous grade, with copying of short sen- tences. Letter writing. Care should be taken to teach a proper position for sitting, holding slates, pencils, &c.
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Music. - Rote singing, for cultivation of the voice and ear. Singing of the scale, ascending and descending. Written exercises embodying principal signs and rules.
Gymnastics. - Two or three times in each session, every pupil should take part in physical exercises, about five minutes each time. These may. be accompanied by counting and music.
General Exercises. -- Oral lessons upon familiar objects should be given each day. Also lessons on morals and manners, illustrated by anecdotes and daily occurrences, and by the teaching of maxims, verses, &c. Teach days of the week, seasons, and months of the year, points of compass, with relative position of familiar places. Time, as indicated by the clock.
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS. - Two YEARS.
SECOND GRADE.
Reading. - Third Reader. Lead the pupils to analyze lessons. Training in elementary sounds. Definitions of words, chiefly by their use in sen- tences. Punctuation.
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