USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1885-1889 > Part 40
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We are happy to record that Melrose has not been be- hind her neighbors in the desire of her citizens that each of her school buildings should possess the national flag, which from its position above their roofs, may speak to the pupils of the great duties of patriotic citizenship, may stimulate and foster in each soul the feeling of love and fidelity to country, respect for good government, obedience to law, a jealousy of the nation's honor and renown, and thus make them worthy of their inheritance from the fathers.
The committee acknowledge the receipt of flags from the following citizens : Mr. J. D. Wilde, Maj. W. Irving Ellis, Hon. Wm. E. Barrett, citizens of the Highlands, through Master Bucknam, U. S. Grant Post 4, G. A. R., and of flags enough for the school buildings not otherwise provided for, from a committee of citizens headed by Mr. F. P. Shumway, Jr., and Mr. Geo. T. Brown, president of the Republican Club, to whose earnest efforts must be attributed in a great measure the success of this important movement to benefit our pupils.
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To each and all of the above named, the committee express their sincere thanks, as well as to every citizen who joined in the undertaking.
The best lessons are object lessons, and it is for this ob- ject lesson on the national emblem that we return thanks.
This act tells every boy and girl in our town, in a very practical way, that our citizens love the "old flag"-that it means a great deal to them, and that they would have our sons and daughters hold it in the same estimation.
Such acts teach patriotism better than all the talk about it for years and years.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.
At a time when there is so much excitement on this sub- ject in a neighboring city, it is a subject of congratulation to our town that its school discipline resorts to but little cor- poral punishment. We have but a few cases in the course of the year ; in many of the schools there are none at all. Yet the visitor, as he passes from school to school, will see very little disorder, and scarce any insubordination.
There have been no cases of expulsion from school during the past year, and very few in which the committee have been called upon to act.
There will naturally be more of such cases in schools that make little use of corporal punishment as a means of enforcing obedience.
There is sometimes a misrepresentation on this point, and a pupil who has been sent home for the rest of the day, or until his parents can see the teacher, is spoken of as having been expelled from the school.
This is not true. A pupil can be expelled only by act of the school committee. Teachers have no power to expel ; they can only suspend pupils, and refer the matter to the committee.
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The expulsion of a pupil from our schools is of very rare occurrence. The writer does not recall a single case during his connection of three years with the committee.
It seems to us that it would be far wiser to restrict the term to its proper meaning, and not put upon pupils the stigma of an act that has never been performed.
The first essential to good discipline is obedience on the part of pupils. This should be prompt and cheerful.
Such obedience can be secured by insisting on such regu- lations and such a line of action as is manifest to all but the most stupid, or most vicious, to be for the good of the whole class of pupils.
Children of a comparatively youthful age can be taught that such liberty of action as can be allowed in the homes or to small groups of children, is impossible to the mem- bers of a large company, each of whom is expected to act in unison with the other members.
They can be made to realize that school regulations in general are a necessity, and then can be made to feel that disobedience is a wrong thing.
With this idea firmly held to, the majority of children can be made to understand and recognize the duty of obedience, a very important step in moral training.
For the child that acquires the sense of an obligation to perform his duty, has laid the foundation for true manhood and is preparing for true service as a citizen and as a mem- ber of the great brotherhood of mankind. This work is the most important of any that our teachers can perform for our children.
To it they cannot address themselves with too much patient effort. It may be in some cases a discouraging and even an almost hopeless task, yet remembering, that the fate and character of the individual himself, and the happi- ness and well-being of the vast numbers with whom he will
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be associated, and over whom he will exert an influence, de- pend on the growth of this element of his character, they will turn to the task again and again, until, perhaps encour- aged by their interest, patience and perseverance, the child begins to try to do better. Then the victory is won. For none of us can do more than that, and that desire, if kept alive, will, by and by, shine with a pure and steady light, making plain and clear the pathway in which he will walk with steady and unfaltering steps.
In bringing about this result it is desirable that parents should work with the teachers.
Sometimes, unfortunately, this is not the case. Parents have been known to direct their children to disobey the commands of their teachers.
They have been known to tell their children deliberately to do certain things, if a request to do them was refused by a teacher.
How can it be expected that such children will be respect- ful, orderly and obedient? If the day of miracles had not passed, and the relations of cause and effect were out of ex- istence, we might expect good results from such parental discipline, but at the present day we expect trouble with such children and generally get it.
Teachers may make unwise regulations, and unnecessary restrictions ; fortunately they are human, and liable to err; but the wise course is to call their attention to the defects, to show how and why they are defective, and thus bring about a remedy.
Many a teacher being human, can see an opportunity and a way to improve when a matter is presented candidly and calmly so that its relations to the home and the individual pupil may be seen as well as its relation to the school, which may have been the most prominent, who would turn a deaf ear at once to a rude message delivered by an impu-
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dent boy, or become too angry at a sarcastic, or dictatorial letter to view a matter fairly.
There are rights and duties on all sides of this matter, and whoever ignores any of them is likely to be biased in opinion and partisan in action.
Fairness is always to be borne in mind, and an attempt to look at the matter from opposite standpoints often is help- ful to both teacher and parent.
One phase of this subject deserves a more than passing notice. It is the dismissal of pupils during the session at the request of parents.
It seems to be the opinion of many parents that they have the right to have their children come out of school at any time. We cannot think this position correct.
As a matter of courtesy, the teacher may allow the pupil to go home before the end of the session, as the parent might allow him to go to school an hour before the time for beginning the session, if the teacher should request it.
But neither party has the right to demand any such thing of the other, and consent or refusal in either case must nat- urally depend on circumstances, and on judgment as to the relative importance of the ways in which the pupil's time is to be occupied.
As a matter of fact, we suppose that the cases in which a request for dismissal is refused are rare, and recommend the continuance of the present practice, with the caution that, like tardiness, dismissals are injurious to the progress of the pupils themselves and of the school, and consequently should be kept by parents at a minimum number.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Certain questions have been asked during the past year that deserve notice.
First, we have to consider why do so many pupils leave
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school before completing the course of study? In order to answer this question properly we must answer one more. Is our high school different in this respect from high schools in general? If so, we must look for some special cause or causes ; if not, we may seek for the causes that operate to produce this in most high schools.
The writer can speak on this point from an experience of many years, and regrets to say that in this matter Melrose is no exception to the general experience in the high schools of the State.
In a three years' course of study, less than one-half of those that enter the school graduate, and in a four years' course the number is still smaller in proportion.
In our high school, for the last three years, the classes have numbered at graduation a little under one-half of their number on entering the school. Thus we see that the causes must be sought in some general conditions that apply to pupils of high school age.
It is not difficult to find some of these causes. The first may be said to be physical. The age of pupils has some- thing to do with their mental as well as physical condition. The high school age is from fourteen to eighteen-the period of most rapid growth physically, and consequently of greatest weakness so far as endurance goes. It is the time when questions of health and a sound body are of the highest importance. There are every year, on account of ill-health, quite a number of pupils that are obliged to be irregular in attendance, and consequently fall behind in their work. Too many of them drop out of school on this account, when it would seem wiser to do less studying in any one year, and prolong their course of study a year or two.
There is always a certain contingent in every class that enters the high school to see "how they will like it," and
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with no particular purpose beside. They mean to stay a year or two years, until they are old enough to go to work, and then to leave. Quite often they "like it" and remain for the whole course ; but more often they carry out their original intention.
It is the general experience of high school teachers that the pupils who come to the high school to " try it" do not come intending to stay, but usually to please the fond parents, who advise their children to go and see how they like, with the understanding that they are to stay only so long as everything meets their approval.
Some pupils are obliged to leave for the reason that they are needed at home, sudden and unexpected changes making it clearly a duty to give up school.
A few pupils every year are taken out of school and sent to other schools. There are many reasons for such action given to the cominittee, but in no case has a complaint been made to the committee that the parent was dissatisfied and proposed to take his child away, unless the causes for dis- satisfaction could be removed.
Sometimes it is the wisest course to change entirely the surroundings and associates of a young person, that a fresh start and a better start may be made.
It is not unfrequently the case, that parents, whose chil- dren are preparing for college, think it an advantage to send them to a school devoted to that special work, and they are quite right, but in answer to the question, "Why are people obliged to do this?" which has been asked, we must answer that they are not obliged to do it.
The following list of graduates and the institutions they have entered, answers this question.
CLASS OF 1887.
Frank A. Ingersoll, Boston University.
Wm. E. Keating, Institute of Technology.
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K. Wm. Mansfield, Institute of Technology. Hubert G. Ripley, Institute of Technology.
CLASS OF 1888.
Minnie E. Backer, Wellesley College.
Lillian S. Crocker, Wellesley College.
Hattie D. Field, Boston Normal School. Blanche S. Jacobs, Boston Normal School.
Sarah E. Morse, Boston University. E. Annie Whelden, Smith College. Ernest W. Emery, Bates College.
Frank B. Holmes, Institute of Technology.
Walter H. Norris, Institute of Technology. Fritz H. Small, Harvard University.
CLASS OF 1889.
Marion E. Bradbury, Wellesley College.
Helen L. Burr, Wellesley College. Lillian K. Morse, Smith College. Ambrose C Dearborn, Harvard University. Frederick L. Hoffman, Bates College. Julian C. Woodman, Bates College.
The whole number of graduates in these three classes is fifty-eight, and the above list shows nineteen in higher in- stitutions, for which they were prepared in our high school.
If others cannot do what these have done, the fault must lie outside the school.
It must be borne in mind, however, that it is not the chief business of the school to prepare for higher institutions. More than two-thirds of its pupils are in school for a dif- ferent purpose. They do not do the same work, nor can the standard be quite the same as in a school whose pupils are all preparing for college, and this must react to some extent on the pupils who are taking the college course.
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It is, therefore, manifestly unfair and unjust to expect that our pupils that graduate in the college course should have the same preparation as do others that graduate at Exeter, at Andover or at the Latin Schools of Boston -schools in which the course of study is usually a year longer, and which have made a specialty of that kind of work for a long period of time.
Our high schools are recognizing the disadvantages under which they labor in this respect, and are beginning to make their "College Courses" five years in length. It is not im- possible that we may be obliged to do the same. We have presented this view of the case, not to make any argument in the matter, but to call attention to the facts. Least of all would we be thought to entertain the idea that our high school is not capable of improvement. It is the business of the committee to try to improve it as well as all the schools, and to that end they crave the suggestions of parents and friends.
OTHER SCHOOLS.
The record of these schools during the past year is re- markable for the changes in the teaching force employed in them.
Two teachers, Miss Bisbee and Miss Hersey, were out the whole school year on account of the state of their health.
The committee were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Mary French for Miss Bisbee's class, and are gratified to speak of her work as showing excellent power as an in- structor, and a very high character as to discipline.
Miss Hersey's class was taken under the care of Mrs. Della H. Crosby, who came highly recommended, and whose work was so satisfactory that the committee were glad to give her a permanent appointment at the first opportunity.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
During the year, it became necessary for Miss Fairbanks and Miss Barrett to give up their work.
It was no easy task for the committee to obtain teachers who would satisfactorily take these classes in the mid- dle of the year, and complete the work laid down for them to do.
In the first grammar school this seemed to the committee especially difficult, for who should take up the reins of con- trol, that illness alone could take from the hands of a teach- er, whose record for excellence of work, and for the friend- ship, and enthusiastic admiration of her pupils was so great? No wonder we hesitated. But something had to be done and that without delay.
It was decided to put the work that Miss Fairbanks had to lay down, into the hands of Miss Swett, who had been the teacher of a portion of the pupils a year before.
Entering upon her work with hesitation, yet with the de- termination to succeed, it is not too much praise to say that her efforts were crowned with a triumphant success.
The committee desire to express to Miss Swett, and to the faithful assistant, Miss Sweetser, their thanks for the zeal, patience and hard work that they put into their school the last half of the year.
We were not so fortunate in Miss Barrett's case, and re- gret our inability to procure a teacher who could success- fully carry on the work as it should have been done.
We speak with commendation of the work of Miss Swett's substitute, a lady who was mistress of the class from the first, and who pursued definite objects, and obtained definite and satisfactory results.
The number of pupils in the Lynde street building became so small last year, that it did not justify the maintainance of two schools this year, and the pupils were all put into one room, constituting what is called a mixed school, which was placed under Miss Ellis.
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It is with regret that the committee announce the retire- ment from our corps of teachers of Miss Mary I. Hersey, the teacher of the Grove street primary school for many years. Continued ill health convinced her that her only course was to resign, and by a long rest strive to res ore her partially exhausted system to its normal condition.
She was a good teacher in all respects, and her departure is a great loss to our primary schools.
Miss Gertrude Smith of the Fells primary school also re- signed during the early part of the present school year, to accept a position as a teacher of elocution in another state, and a little later Miss Marion Morgan resigned at the Ripley school, on account of the removal of her family from the state.
While obliged thus to chronicle the departure of several of our teachers, we are happy to report that in the main the losses have been made good and that our schools are pro- gressing favorably.
At the beginning of the school year in September, the committee put into operation a plan for making the impor- tant study of drawing effective throughout the whole school system, by appointing a teacher who should superintend that branch of study in all the schools. Miss Elizabeth Creveling was selected out of many applicants as the teach- er, and the progress made in that study up to the present time seems to justify the action of the committee.
Miss Creveling's experience as teacher of that branch in the State Normal School at Framingham, makes her well qualified to put our teachers on the right way as to plan and methods, and we hope next year to present a carefully pre- pared plan for a progressive course in this study through all grades of our schools.
Attention is respectfully called to the course of study herewith presented, to the rules and regulations of the com-
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mittee and for the conduct of the schools, which have been revised during the year, and are presented in their new form, and to the other facts and statistics, presented as usual in this report.
SCHOOL REGULATIONS.
I. The committee shall meet for organization on the first Tuesday following the town election in March.
2. At the first meeting of the board a chairman and a secretary shall be chosen by ballot.
3. At the first regular meeting after organization, the chairman shall nominate for election by the board, commit- tees of three members each, as follows : - three district committees (one for each of the three districts ), a committee on text-books and course of study, and a committee on accounts.
4. The first-named member of each committee shall be its chairman.
5. The high school committee shall consist of all the members of the board.
6. The districts shall be named as follows : - The High- land district, the Centre district and the Wyoming district. The Highland district shall include the Franklin, the West, the Green street and the Upham street schools. The Cen- tre district shall include the Emerson street, the Vinton street and the Centre schools. The Wyoming district shall include the Grove street, Lynde street, Fells and Ripley schools.
7. Regular meetings of the board shall be held on the third Tuesday of each month, excepting July and August.
8. The chairman shall call a special meeting of the
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board whenever he may deem it necessary, or at the request of any two members.
9. The secretary shall give notice to the members elect- ed at the annual town meeting of the time of meeting for reorganization.
IO. The three district committees shall have the imme- diate direction of the schools in their respective districts, and shall visit them as often as practicable. It shall be their duty to give advice to the teachers of their respective schools relative to discipline and other subjects requiring counsel ; and in case of any difficulty between the teachers and the parents or guardian of the pupils, they shall settle the same in such manner as the merits of the case may seem to require, not denying to any parent, guardian or teacher an appeal to the whole board. When the office of teacher in any school shall become vacant, they shall, as soon as pos- sible, fill such vacancy temporarily, and report their action at the next meeting of the board.
II. The text-book committee shall recommend to the board such books as they may think necessary for the schools ; and no book shall be adopted by the board, to be used as a text-book in the schools, unless the same shall previously have been reported on by this committee.
12. The committee on accounts shall examine all bills authorized by the board, and report the same to the board for final action. They shall also present to the board, at or before the meeting in February, annually, an estimate of the expenses of the public schools for the next fiscal year.
13. At the appointed hour, the chairman shall call the meeting to order, and cause the record of attendance to be taken. In the absence of the chairman, the secretary shall preside until a chairman pro tempore shall have been elected, Business shall proceed in the following order :
I. Reading the minutes of last meeting.
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2. Unfinished business of preceding meeting.
3. Reports of Committees.
4. Miscellaneous business. (Under this head the allow- ance of bills shall be first attended to.)
14. Teachers shall be appointed and their salaries voted annually at the first meeting in June ; the school year begin- ning the first Monday in September.
15. Teachers shall be paid monthly during the school year.
TIME FOR SCHOOL SESSIONS.
16. The school year shall consist of forty weeks, begin- ning the first Tuesday in September.
17. The following holidays shall be granted : Every Sat- urday, New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, Fast Day, Memorial Day, June 17th, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The vacations shall be : The week following Christ- mas ; the Friday after Thanksgiving ; one week beginning the fourth Monday in February ; one week beginning the fourth Monday in April ; from the close of the summer term to the first Tuesday in September. No other holidays or vacations shall be granted unless by written permission of the chairman of the committee.
18. The daily session of the high school shall begin at 8 A.M. and close at I P.M., with a recess of half an hour. The sessions of all other schools shall be from 9 to 11.40 A.M., and from 2 to 4 P.M., except during November, December and January, when the afternoon session shall be from 1.40 to 3.40.
19. In case of stormy weather, the chairman of the com- mittee may give notice of "no school," by striking number 44 of the fire alarm half an hour before the time for begin- ning the session.
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20. Teachers shall have their schoolrooms open for the admission of pupils fifteen minutes before the beginning of each session.
21. Teachers shall not absent themselves from school or procure substitutes, without the consent of some member of the sub-committee of that district. All absences are to be distinctly recorded in the school registers. But, for the purpose of observing modes of discipline and instruction, teachers may visit other schools for one-half day in each term, at such times as may be arranged between them and the sub-committee of the respective schools. Substitutes shall be paid by the teachers for whom they substitute five- sevenths of their salary, unless the committee vote other- wiser.
22. Teachers are required to report all damages to school property, unless repairs are immediately made at the expense of parent or guardian.
23. Teachers shall not detain pupils after the close of the morning session, nor more than thirty minutes after the close of the afternoon session.
24. Teachers may temporarily suspend pupils only for direct insubordination or for persistent opposition to author- ity, informing the parent or guardian and the committee at once of such suspension, and the reason therefor.
25. "The several school teachers shall faithfully keep the registers furnished to them, and make due return thereof to the school committee; and no teacher shall be entitled to receive payment for services until the register, properly filled up and completed, shall be so returned." ( Extract from the Revised Statutes.) Teachers shall be required to give a fortnight's notice of resignations.
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