USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1902 > Part 2
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Any attempt, therefore, to draw conclusions from the foregoing table regarding the growth in membership of our schools during the past few years must take into account that the membership for the school year 1901-02 is less than the membership for the municipal year 1902. The membership for the latter period is given in the second division of Table IX, where it is used in computing the per capita cost for the financial or municipal year.
It is encouraging to learn from the third division of the above table that the attendance for the past year is nearly 4% higher than in 1897, the year before I assumed
26
CITY OF MELROSE
charge of your schools. For that year the per cent. indi- cating the regularity with which pupils in Melrose attended to their school tasks was 2% below the average for the State. The per cent. indicating the regularity of attend- ance of the pupils of the city upon the schools during the past year is 2% above that given in the latest report of the State Board of Education as the average for the State.
Other things being equal this closer regularity of attend- ance on the part of pupils is indicative of better results in school work.
TABLE VIII. SCHOOL CENSUS AND ENROLLMENT.
No. persons between 5 and 15 years of age residing in the city, September 1, 1902. 2,785 No. of persons between 7 and 14 years of age residing in the city, September 1, 1902. 1,869
No. of different pupils enrolled during the school year from Sep- tember 1901 to June 1902. 2,830
No. of pupils over 15 years of age enrolled during the school year, 1901-1902 447 No. of pupils between 5 and 15 years of age enrolled during the school year, 1901-1902. 2,326 No. of pupils between 7 and 14 years of age enrolled during the school year, 1901-1902. 1,507 No. of pupils under 5 years of age enrolled during the school year, 1901-1902 . 57
TABLE IX. ANNUAL FINANCIAL EXHIBIT FOR 1902. 1. GENERAL STATEMENT. Receipts.
Regular appropriation for 12 mo. from Feb. 1, 1902 to Feb. 1, 1903. $78,589.00
Special appropriation for unpaid bills of 1901: Advertising and Printing. $ 1.75
Miscellaneous 25 13
Repairs. 331.45 $ 358.33
Supplementary appropriation for
Salaries .. $ 400.00
Books and Supplies. · 1,200.00
Repairs
600.00
Furniture
100.00
$2,300.00
Amount available for 12 mo. from Feb. 1, 1902, to Feb. 1, 1903, 881,247.33
27
SCHOOL REPORT.
Expenditures.
Salaries (Teachers, Janitors, Superintendent, Clerk) $62,268.01 Books and Supplies. 5,199.95
Fuel 6,541.67
Repairs, including $331.45 of unpaid bill's of 1901 .. 3,831.17 Miscellaneous, including Washington School side- walk $300, and unpaid bills of 1901, $25.13 1,878.65
Furniture
600.00
Transportation
509.00
Advertising and Printing, including $1.75 of unpaid bills of 1901. 251.75
High School and Teachers' Libraries.
99.85
Total expenditure for 12 mo. from Feb. 1. 1902 to
$81,180.05
Unexpended balance $67.28
2. AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL.
Based on the average membership of the schools for the Municipal year (2,715. 5).
For Teaching.
$19.77
For Supervision (Supt. and Clerk).
.98
For Books and Supplies 1.91
For Janitors
2.21
For Fuel.
2.41
For Printing
.09
For Transportation .
.18
For High School and Teachers' Libraries.
.03
For Miscellaneous purposes not including repairs, furniture and new buildings .69
Total cost excluding repairs, furniture and new buildings
$28.27
For Furniture
.22
For Repairs. 1.41
Total cost for all purposes $29.90
February 1, 1903
.
TABLE X.
COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL EXHIBIT COVERING THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
1. GENERAL STATEMENT.
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
RECEIPTS.
Balance from previous year
$ 1,215.39
$ 5,022.69
$77,000.00
$77,000.00
$78,589.00
Receipts for Tuition, etc.
75,000.00 354.50
65,000.00 1,061.31
1 176.08
1.932.11
Supplementary Appropriation
2,450.00
2,658.33
Total Amount Available
$76,569.89
$71,084.00
$78,176.08
$81,382.11
$81,247.33
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries
$50,743.37
$56,486.49
$60,141.47
$61,384.35
$62.268.01
Books and Supplies
5,118.95
5,775.21
5,123.00
5,799.26
5,199.95
Fuel
6.003.63
3,806.11
7,060.08
7,449.89
6,541.67
Repairs ..
3,409.80
2.884.50
2.681.89
3,700.00
3,831.17
Miscellaneous
1,763.15
1,806.34
1,771.87
1,478.62
1,878.65
Furniture .
4,323.00
1,564.23
1,036.07
599.71
600.00
Transportation
480.00
509.00
Advertising and printing.
185.30
260.45
361.70
270.95
251.75
High school and te chers' libraries . . .
99.76
99.85
Total expenditure .
$71.547.20. 5,022.69
$72,583.3
$78,176.08
$81,262.54 119.57
$81.180.05
Unexpended ba'ance
67.28
Excess of expenditure
1,499.33
.
.
..
·
.
··
.
.
.
CITY OF MELROSE
28
Appropriation for year. .
.
29
SCHOOL REPORT.
2. AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL. (Based on average membership for the financial year.)
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
For teaching . .
17.44
19.10
20.31
20.23
19.77
For supervision
.83
.94
.98
1.07
.98
For books and supplies.
2.04
2.38
2.02
2.23
1.91
For janitors
1.98
2.50
2.38
2.31
2.21
For fuel.
2.39
1.52
2.78
2.87
2.41
For printing.
.07
.10
.14
.10
.09
For transportation
. 18
.18
For high school and teachers' library
.04
.03
For miscellaneous (not including re- pairs, furniture and new buildings)
.71
.72
.70
.57
.69
Total cost (excluding furniture, re- pairs and new buildings) .
25.46
27.18
29.31
29.60
28.27
For furniture.
1.72
.62
.41
.23
.22
For repairs.
1.36
1.15
1.06
1.42
1.41
Total cost for all purposes.
28.54
28.96
30.77
31.25
29.90
Similar average for the State at large
36.04
35.53
34.62
34.92
36.42
COMMENT ON TABLE X.
School expenditures were discussed so thoroughly in my report for 1901 that little need be said in the present report regarding this phase of school management. However, for the benefit of any who may feel that the committee are extravagant in the management of the schools, I insert the following tabulated results of a brief study of the expendi- tures for public schools in the eleven cities of Middlesex County. The figures that appear in this table are based upon sworn statements of the school authorities of the sev- eral cities as published in the latest report of the State Board of Education, viz., the report of January, 1902.
30
CITY OF MELROSE
A STUDY OF THE EXPENDITURE FOR SCHOOLS IN THE ELEVEN CITIES OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Based upon statements of School Committees according to the latest Report of the State Board of Education, viz., the Report of January, 1902.
CITIES.
Average valua-
tion per capita
of the
population.
Am't raised by
local taxation
and expended
for each child
in the average
membership of
the schools for
all purposes.
Average Wages per Month.
Male Teachers.
Female Teachers
Amounts
Rank Amounts Rank
Amounts
Rank
Amounts Rank
Newton
$1,715.98
1
$38.01
1
$210 55
1
$64.45
3
Medford .
1,083.99
2
31.19
8
140.45
8
60.34
5
Cambridge .
1,028.07
3
35.81
·2
166.80
3
68.76
1
Melrose .
985.83
4
30.70
9
118.89
11
52.15
11
Waltham
853.88
5
33.80
5
141.13
7
59.44
6
Somerville . .
851.89
6
34.58
4
181.00
2
64 70
2
Malden
810.59
31.82
144.16
6
59.11
Everett
768.62
2.75
6
140.00
0
53.09
10
Lowell
752.84
9
35.60
3
154.25
4
61.37
4
Woburn
740 56
10
21.32
11
130.00
10
54.82
9
Marlboro .
676.03
11
25.98
10
145.56
5
54.83
8
Average for County
912.06
..
32 81
. .
151.16
..
57.65
. .
Average for State
1,055.52
..
33.98
. .
140.94
..
52.75
..
It appears from the above table that, while the average per capita valuation in Melrose is greater than in any other city in the county, excepting Newton, Medford and Cam- bridge, there are only two-Woburn and Marlboro-that raise by local taxation and expend for each child in the average membership of the schools less than Melrose.
It also appears with respect to this expenditure that Melrose is $2.11 per pupil below the average for the entire county, and $3.28 per pupil below the average for the state at large.
It appears, further, that the average wages per month both for male and for female teachers in every one of the eleven cities above mentioned are higher than in Melrose, and that a similar condition is true with respect to the
31
SCHOOL REPORT.
average wages, not only for the county at large, but also for the state. Therefore, there would seem to be no ground for the statement that one sometimes hears that the schools of Melrose are costing more relatively than those of neigh- boring cities. It is well occasionally to face facts.
Reference to the second division of Table X, which deals with per capita expenditures for the past five years, reveals the additional fact that the average cost per pupil in Mel- rose for all purposes has been less each year than a similar average for the state at large. It may be gratifying to tax- payers to note, also, that our average per capita expenditure for 1902 is $1.35 less than in 1901.
Whether or not, with reference to the highest interests of the city, these figures should afford a sense of unqualified satisfaction is at least an open question.
32
TABLE XI. CHANGES IN THE TEACHING FORCE DURING 1902.
1. WITHDRAWALS.
Name of Teacher.
Position Held.
Date of Withdrawal.
J. Helen Bartholomew .
Sth grade, Franklin. . January 1902
Ina M. Lancaster.
7th grade, D. W. Gooch! January 1902
Leslie King.
Kindergarten, Sewall.
. February 1902
Helena L. Wright.
Principal's assistant, Gooch.
March 1902
Flora M. Haley .
5th grade, Horace Mann. .
March 1902
Florence E. Worthing .
Principal's assistant, Warren & Livermore.
· March 1902
Imogene Conland.
8th grade, Franklin ..
. April 1902
Everett H. Scott.
English Dept., High.
April 1902
Maud Nickerson.
6th grade, Horace Mann.
June 1902
Naomi E. Stevens.
7th grade, Mary A. Livermore.
. June 1902
Helen Stevens .
8th grade, Franklin .. June 1902 .
H. H. Ruston . .
English Dept., High . ..
. June 1902
Marion D. Dean
Principal's assistant, D. W. Gooch . · October 1902
Cora G. Burleigh.
Principal's assistant, Lincoln. .
November 1902
A. Pauline Ham.
6th grade, Franklin.
November 1902
CITY OF MELROSE
2. TRANSFERS.
Name of Teacher.
Position Held.
Position to which Transferred.
Date.
A. Louise McCormick
7th grade, Horace Mann
5th grade, Horace Mann
· March
Minnie F. C. Snow
4th grade, Washington .
4th grade, Franklin
. Sept.
Alma J. Guptill ..
4th grade, Franklin
5th grade, Franklin . ·
Sept.
A. 1 .. McCormick.
5th grade, Horace Mann
6th grade, Horace Mann
Sept.
Persis M. Sibley .
7th grade, Horace Mann.
7th grade, Livermore.
Sept
Mary S. Haley . .
5th grade, Lincoln .
6th grade, Lincoln.
Sept.
Mary R. Clarke . .
6th grade, Lincoln .
5th grade, Lincoln.
Sept.
Jeannette A. Doane.
1st grade, Lincoln
2nd grade, Lincoln. Sept.
Grace C. Albee.
2nd grade, Winthrop.
1st grade, Lincoln.
Sept.
Lucy E. Shute . ..
5th grade, Livermore
6th grade, Livermore. . Sept.
Katharine V. Rowe.
6th grade, Livermore
5th grade, Livermore.
. Sept.
Annie Dinnie. . .
3rd grade, Winthrop
2nd grade, Winthrop.
Sept.
Lena D. Marshall . ..
2nd & 3rd grades, Lincoln.
3rd grade, Sewall. ..
. Sept.
Isabelle L. Atwood.
3rd grade, Franklin .
3rd grade, Whittier ...
Sept.
.
.
.
-
.
SCHOOL REPORT.
.
33
34
3. NEW TEACHERS.
Name of Teacher.
Position Held.
Position to which elected.
Began Work.
Harriet Benson .
7th grade, Quincy, Mass ...
7th grade, D. W. Gooch
Jan.
Emma C. French . .
Kindergarten assistant, Malden.
1st grade, Sewall ... . Feb.
Persis M. Sibley . .
7th grade, Norwood, Mass.
7th grade, Horace Mann.
March
Jane E. Warfield .
Not teaching . .
Principal ass't Warren and Livermore ..
· April
H. H. Ruston .
Student Harvard University
English Dept., High ....
. April
Marion D. Dean . ..
Colchester Academy, Conn.
Principal's assistant, Gooch
. April
Helen B. Stevens.
Not teaching . . .
8th grade, Franklin .. April
Kenneth Beal.
H. S., Portsmouth, N. H.
English Dept., High. . Sept.
Sara Fisher.
Not teaching.
Stenography, High
. Sept.
Sylvia Williams.
Not teaching . .
8th grade, Franklin.
. Sept.
Aubigne Lermond
Student, Bridgewater Normal
7th grade, Horace Mann
· Sept.
Henrietta Cowan . .
Grammar grade, Weymouth.
5th grade, Horace Maun
. Sept.
Mary E. Deans.
1st grade, Cochituate ..
1st grade, Winthrop. · Sept.
. Oct.
Edith Maxwell.
Mixed grades, Portland ..
6th grade, Franklin . .
. Nov.
Edith Brown.
Grammar grade, Rutland.
Principal's assistant, Lincoln . Nov.
Edith Baker.
Not teaching . . . . .
Pupil teacher, High ...
. Nov.
CITY OF MELROSE
Helen Stevens.
Grammar grade, Wakefield. ..
Principal's assistant, D. W. Gooch
35
SCHOOL REPORT.
COMMENT ON TABLE XI.
The first division of the foregoing table shows that fifteen teachers have withdrawn from the corps during the year. Seven of these resigned to accept increased salaries else- where and eight withdrew for various other reasons which it is of no value to review.
Of the fourteen transfers indicated in the second division of the table, seven have been occasioned by the removal or consolidation of grades, and seven by an endeavor to secure increased efficiency in the work.
The third division indicates that seventeen new teachers have come into the corps during the year. It is gratifying to report, as indicative of the care that is being exercised in the choice of our teachers, that every one of this number is doing creditable work, while several are doing superior work. While occasional mistakes in the selection of teach- ers must be expected, yet, in the main, such a result as the above will be secured whenever and wherever merit alone governs in the appointment of teachers.
TABLE XII. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF TEACHERS.
1. Proportion of teachers who are graduates of Normal Schools, 2. 66 66 have had a partial course at Nor- 33 % mal Schools, . 9 %
3. Proportion of teachers who are graduates of Colleges, . .. 4. have had a partial course at Col- lege, 7 %
14%
5. Proportion of teachers who are graduates of Kindergarten Training Schools, . 11 %
6. Proportion of teachers who have had a course in City Training Schools,. 6 %
7. Proportion of teachers who are without training in College, Normal School, Kindergarten School or City Training Class,
20 %
COMMENT ON TABLE XII.
The above table indicates that 59% of our teachers have had. what may be termed special professional training, 21 %
36
CITY OF MELROSE
have had college training, in part at least, and 20% have had no preparation beyond the high school, except such as they may have added by private study subsequently.
Special professional training does not guarantee a teach- er's success by any means. There are other qualifications, partly inborn and partly acquired outside of training schools, that have great influence in determining the degree of a teacher's success. Nevertheless it is reasonable to believe that special professional training tends to develop in an individual a higher degree of professional spirit and a higher ideal regarding the responsibilities of a teacher than would otherwise result. To the extent that this may be true, professional training conduces to greater worth in a teacher. Therefore, while it is not to be expected, so long as high school salaries remain at their present figure, that we shall be able to secure many high school teachers who have added special training to the required college prepara- tion, and while it may not be wise to legislate to the end that only professionally trained teachers shall be employed in the grades, it is wise, I feel, to put a premium upon pro- fessional preparation by increasingly emphasizing it as one of the requisites for an appointment as teacher in Melrose.
TABLE XIII. TIME LOST BY TEACHERS FOR SICKNESS, ETC., 1902.
SCHOOL.
No. of Teachers.
No. of Teachers who have lost time.
Days Lost.
Average per Teacher for building.
High
12
9
39
33 days
Franklin
9
5
29
Washington
10
6
22
21
66
Lincoln
10
7
24
22
66
Horace
10
8
27
2.7
D. W. Gooch.
10
6
274
23
،،
Mary A. Livermore ..
5
38
73
Warren
6
2
83
15
66
Winthrop
6
5
10
12
Sewall
5
5
203
Converse›
1
0
. .
0
Ripley
1
1
8
8
37
SCHOOL REPORT.
TABLE XIV. COMPARATIVE STATISTICS REGARDING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
YEAR.
No. of Cases.
No. Different Teachers Reporting the Same.
Per cent. of Teachers Reporting no Cases.
1899 (Jan. - June)
66
22
71%
1899-1900
(Sept .- June)
20
10
88%
1900-1901
(Sept .- June)
32
16
80%
1901-1902
(Sept .-. June)
48
18
79%
COMMENT ON TABLE XIV.
While the above table indicates that our schools are be- ing conducted with a reasonable degree of freedom from corporal punishment, there appears an increase in the num- ber of cases reported during the past year over the number for the preceding year that, as I review the matter, does not seem to me to have been required. So far as the Superin- tendent is responsible for such result, I propose to put forth effort to correct this tendency during the coming year.
OUR FIRST GRADES.
The change whereby our first grades became modified kindergartens at the opening of the term in September, 1901, was fully discussed in my last annual report. The work of this grade during the first year of the change was necessarily more or less experimental and indefinite. At the opening of the present school year, however, the plan of work was thoroughly systematized and nearly every first grade room supplied with kindergarten furniture, so that at present pupils and teachers are working under more favor- able conditions than during the first year, with correspond- ingly improved results.
The pupils in this grade have been further affected by the change from a double to a single session which went into effect in September, 1902. This change is beneficial in three ways:
38
CITY OF MELROSE
I. Educators are coming to believe that, at the age at which children take up first grade work, the additional apparent progress of pupils in the definite lines of school work by being in school during two sessions daily hardly compensates for the extra nervous strain put upon them by the afternoon session.
2. Kindergarten work requires that the teacher shall do a large amount of outside preparation of material for chil- dren's use. Two sessions daily left insufficient opportunity for our teachers to prepare such material properly without depriving themselves of the rest and recreation that are necessary to keep a teacher in proper condition to do effective work in the class-room. Under the single-session plan our kindergarteners have opportunity to prepare prop- erly for the work of the following morning.
3. As is generally understood, the present plan of con- ducting the work of our first grades calls for two teachers in each room-one a kindergartener, the other a regular primary teacher. The single-session plan gives opportunity for the primary teachers to be employed afternoons to assist the second grade teachers in their work, thereby making it possible to meet more nearly the needs of every pupil in that grade.
The above considerations would seem to justify the change.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
In previous reports I have discussed matters pertaining to the High School so fully that it seems sufficient at this time to express the belief that the school is in a thoroughly prosperous condition. This statement is not to be con- strued to mean that there is not ample opportunity for improvement in the school, for such a condition can exist with reference to earthly things only when they are defunct. It means simply, that, in my judgment, careful and unpreju- diced study of the work that our High School is doing will lead inevitably to the conclusion that the school is increas- ingly fulfilling the purpose for which a high school should exist.
39
SCHOOL REPORT.
The following statistics, with such comment as may help in their interpretation, are offered in support of the above conclusion.
I. Regarding Attendance: The following table gives the maximum number of pupils registered in the High School in September of each of the years indicated.
YEAR.
Fourth Class.
Third Class.
Juniors.
Seniors.
Post Graduates.
Total.
1898.
76
62
59
29
6
232
1899.
88
59
47
46
7
247
1900.
116
61
50
40
9
276
1901.
119
95
58
44
9
325
1902.
155
103
79
51
6
394
The above figures show that during the last four years the registered attendance upon the High School has in- creased practically 70%. This rapid increase of attendance has not resulted from any influx of pupils whose parents have moved to Melrose, for our population today is only 6% greater than in 1898. Neither can it be attributed to a lower standard of requirement for entrance to the High School. As a matter of fact the standard of preparation for pupils who enter that school today is higher than in 1898. Nor can it be accounted for to any great extent by the attractive force of a new building, for, although the present high school building was opened to pupils for the first time in September, 1898, a study of the above table shows that during the past year, when the influence of the new building to attract pupils must have been less than formerly, the per cent. of increase in the attendance has been practically three and a half times that from September, 1898, to September, 1899
Undoubtedly the slight increase in our population, to which I have referred, and the newness of our high school building have both contributed a little to increase the attendance upon our High School, but, in my judgment, the principal cause lies in the fact, suggested in my last year's report, that the present administration and teaching in that
40
CITY OF MELROSE
school is such that the school "is increasingly meeting the needs of our young people as those needs are estimated by fathers and mothers."
II. Regarding Graduates: The following statements re- garding the forty-two pupils who graduated in June, 1902, are somewhat interesting. Five are taking courses in Har- vard College; four have entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology; one is attending Boston College; one, Boston University; one, Simmons College; one, the University of Maine; one, the Massachusetts State College of Agriculture; one, Salem Normal School; one, the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics; one, the Cutter School of Short-hand; one is studying Music; one is traveling, previous to entering Dartmouth College; six are taking post-graduate work in the High School; two are teaching music (piano); three are taking lessons in Domestic Science at home, and twelve are engaged in business positions.
III. Regarding Choice of Studies: The following table will be found valuable for one who may be interested to trace the effect of the elective system upon high school training.
CLASSES.
LINES OF STUDY.
Totals.
Fourth.
Third.
Junior.
Senior.
Post Graduate.
English
149
101
78
49
or
382
History
145
36
19
33
. .
233
Mathematics
143
56
24
8
1
232
Book-Keeping
...
. .
13
. .
13
Physics
.. .
66
40
Col, 11
. .
117
Chemistry
.. .
. ..
27
. .
..
27
Latin
75
35
22
15
. .
147
Greek .
...
8
10
5
1
24
German
. . .
42
13
15
. .
70
French
23
85
37
23
1
169
Stenography
. . .
.. .
47
12
1
60
Typewriting
.
. . .
47
12
1
60
Music
113
58
29
12
1
213
Drawing
73
47
24
9
. .
. .
48
Commercial Geography S
Commercial Arithmetio.
777
. ..
. .
. .
77
Grammar
47
. . .
. .
..
47
153
Commercial Law
.. .
48
. .
41
SCHOOL REPORT.
IV. Regarding the Cost of the High School: The following table shows the total and the per capita cost for the High School during the past three years.
EXPENDITURES FOR HIGH SCHOOL. 1. GENERAL STATEMENT.
1900
1901
1902
ITEMS.
Expenditures.
Per cent. of
Expenditures for all schools.
Expenditures.
Per cent. of
Expenditures
Expenditures.
Per cent. of
Expenditures
for all schools.
Salaries (teachers, janitor,
engineer)
$14,313.33
24
$14,202.50
23
$14,479.50
23
Books and supplies.
2,105.98
41
1,716.44
30
1,565.49
30
Fuel
1,428.17
20
1,800.51
24
1,929.59|
29
Sundries
340.93
19
409.33
27
705.01
22
High school library .
79.61
49.57
Total for support of sch'l
18,188.41
18,208.39
...
18,747.16
Repairs and permanent improvemen's .
320.66
12
591.20
16
359.45
9
Total for all purposes . ..
$18,509.07
24
$18,799.59
23
$19,106.61
2-4
2. PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE. (Based on average membership for financial year, (339.67.)
1900
1901
1002
Salaries (teachers, janitor, engineer)
$57.19
$50.95
$42.68
Books and supplies .
8.42
6.16
4.61
Fuel
5.71
6.46
5.68
Sundries
1.36
1.47
2.08
Repairs and permanent improve-
ments .
1.28
2.12
1.06
·High school library .
.28
.14
Total for all purposes.
$73.96
$67.44
$56.25
....
In the annual report for 1901, I expressed the expectation that during 1902 there would be a reduction in the per cap- ita cost of our High School. That the expectation was well founded is demonstrated by the above table which shows a reduction of practically 17% in the average per capita ex- penditure for 1902.
.
for all schools.
42
CITY OF MELROSE
This reduction is due mainly to an increase of nearly 22% in the average membership of the school for the correspond- ing period.
PROGRESS OF THE YEAR IN GENERAL.
Nothing radical has been attempted during the past year. Whatever changes have been made either in courses of study or in methods of teaching and administration are mainly such as have been necessary in the development of plans previously adopted. While the results that have been se- cured are still far short of my ideal, I am gratified to report that progress toward that ideal has been made and that the quality of the educational product of our schools today shows improvement over that of a year ago.
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