USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1902 > Part 3
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In this connection, I may add that the results secured in some lines are not as satisfactory as they might have been, because, owing to an entirely inadequate appropriation by the City Government for books and supplies, the schools were handicapped during a portion of the year by an insuffi- cient supply of proper material for use by the pupils.
I mention this fact in order that the public may judge the School Department charitably with respect to any failure that may appear in the educational results of the year.
Under the above general heading a few specific points may be appropriately considered.
I. School Property: It is inevitable that there should be in general a degree of annual deterioration in the condition of our school buildings and their furnishings. I am glad, however, to acknowledge the excellent work done during the year by the Committee on School-houses to reduce such deterioration to the minimum.
While there remains much to be done before our school- houses shall become ideal places of resort for pupils, yet, on the whole the condition of the school property of Mel- rose is a credit to the City and a witness to the efficiency of those who have had charge of our repairs, not only dur- ing the past year, but in previous years.
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II. Janitors: In general, the work of our janitors is to be commended. In the majority of cases the school buildings have been kept in good condition; in some cases they have been kept in excellent condition; in a few cases they have been kept in an unsatisfactory condition. This last fact is due partly to the arrangement for janitor service in connec- tion with a few buildings, and partly to the inefficiency of certain janitors. Such inefficiency has been in a measure remedied during the year, but there remains need of further improvement at points that I shall be pleased to designate at the pleasure of the Sub-Committee on School-houses and Janitors.
III. Music and Drawing: In previous years the special reports of the Supervisors of these subjects have been in- corporated as part of the report of the Superintendent. For the sake of brevity I have omitted to do this for the present year. However, from the reports that have been received from the Supervisors, from consultation with teachers, and from personal observation of results, I feel justified in reporting (1) with respect to music, that the work is being directed with an intelligent regard for what should be attempted in this line in public schools, with a good under- standing of how to accomplish the desired results, and with vigor; (2) with respect to drawing, that, while in general commendable work is being done and while in some cases, where teachers are putting forth extra effort and drawing upon their pocket-books to secure additional preparation for work in this line, excellent results are secured, I must confess to a degree of disappointment that, on the whole, more is not being accomplished. When I take into account the character of the homes from which the majority of our pupils come, it seems that here in Melrose we ought to do work in this line that shall rank as superior.
OUR EDUCATIONAL AIM.
Believing that our citizens may be more interested in a statement of the general purpose that controls in the teach- ing and administration of our schools than in a detailed
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recital of the work of the schools for the year, it has seemed best to devote a portion of this report to a brief considera- tion of the educational aim in accordance with which our school system is administered. £ If I mistake not, public schools are supported because it is generally believed that a degree of definite school training is necessary to every citizen in order that the highest interests of society in a democratic state may be secured, and because it is further generally believed that such training can be supplied most readily and effectively by means of a public school system.
Training for citizenship in organized democratic society, therefore, may be assumed as the end for which public schools exist. In general the foregoing statement defines the controlling purpose in the administration of the schools in Melrose. However, before such purpose can be of any particular benefit as a controlling principle of work in school administration, it is necessary that those who direct such administration should have a reasonably clear conception of the needs of organized society in a democratic state in order that the highest interests of its members may be sub- served and that democracy as a principle of state may per- petuate itself.
Roughly speaking, I believe that the following statements fairly summarize those needs : -
I. Organized democratic society at its best requires for one thing that its members shall be self-supporting. This demand puts upon the public schools the obligation to put forth all possible effort to train young people thoroughly in those subjects and in those ways that contribute most to make self-supporting members of society. It is generally thought that a certain amount of careful training in those subjects known as the "Three R's" is essential to self- sup- porting citizenship. Therefore, so far as this be true, a school system that does not ground its pupils well in this elementary knowledge may be said not to have fulfilled its mission.
So far as the schools of Melrose are concerned there has been an earnest and intelligent endeavor to meet the above- mentioned obligation, and I think it may be fairly claimed that a reasonable degree of success has been attained.
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II. Beyond the fundamental knowledge and training to which I have referred as contributing to self-supporting citizenship, the well-being of our social organization requires that the largest possible number of citizens shall have a breadth and length of intellectual training that will enable them to assist intelligently in the solution of the social, political and economic problems that are inevitable in the evolution of democracy.
This need puts upon those who have charge of public school interests the added obligation (I) to arrange courses of study that are sufficiently comprehensive to appeal to all sides of the child's intellectual nature, and (2) to be watch- ful that school management and teaching shall be of a char- acter to utilize fully the means for intellectual training pro- vided by ample courses of study and to encourage every child to make the period of his school training as iong as conditions will permit.
During the period that I have had the honor to act as your Superintendent of Schools, I have labored steadily for the realization of the foregoing end. Not all has been accomplished that has been desired, but that there has been a fair degree of successful accomplishment is evident (I) by the fact that the equipment of our pupils both in point of knowledge and in intellectual power as they reach the High School is stated by the Principal of that school to be steadily improving, (2) by the creditable work done by our graduates in higher institutions of study, and (3) by the steady increase during the past few years in the membership of our higher grades. During the past three years the membership of our schools as a whole shows an increase of 9 % per cent. During the same period the membership of our high school has increased 48 % per cent. Consider- ing that the increase of population in the city for the cor- responding period has been only 5 % per cent. and that practically all pupils in the high school are beyond the compulsory school age, it seems a fair inference that this increase in the average length of the school life of our pupils is to be attributed largely to the influence emanating from the methods of management and teaching that charac- terize our schools today.
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3. There is an aim higher, in my judgment, than either of the foregoing that should be held in mind steadily by all who direct the interests of public schools or are in any way responsible for their output, viz., the devel- opment of manly and womanly character in its best sense. One who has thought out for himself our supreme public need is led naturally to this conclusion. Knowledge and mental discipline are valuable factors in social existence, but above and beyond both, as an element of value in dem- ocratic citizenship, is strong moral character. One whose observation is at all extended will readily admit that it is quite possible for men to be splendidly educated intellectu- ally and yet to be thoroughly undesirable citizens because of vicious tendencies which they have not been trained to restrain properly. In my judgment, society can never be safe until those who direct the agencies that are dedicated to the special work of educating young people commit themselves unqualifiedly to the belief that the supreme aim in educational effort is to develop a high type of manhood and womanhood.
Believing thus, the character-building aim is made prom- 'inent in the work of our schools today. It is hardly possi- ble to estimate accurately how well this purpose is being carried out, because, as I suggested in the opening para- graph of this report, the best results from a teacher's efforts are not immediately examinable. They can be determined only when those who are the school boys and school girls of today shall have been tried as future men and women in the field of social endeavor. Even then one who sits in judgment will need to take into account that school training is only one of many educational influences that help to de- termine what young people shall be as future social units. It is a sad fact that the fierce competition of the times, in nearly every line of human effort, for that which the world in general chooses to regard as success, tends to develop in the social mind a tolerance for moral ideas and practices that are calculated to neutralize the effect of much of the best work of our schools in the line of character building. Therefore, it is hardly judicial to assume, even if the output
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of public school training should fail to measure up to what we would wish, that the schools have neglected their op- portunity and duty in this respect.
While, as I have suggested, we cannot today accurately estimate the degree of our success in seeking this higher educational aim in our schools, I am nevertheless convinced of three things with reference to our efforts in this line:
(1) That this is the highest duty of teachers with pu- pils; (2) that the attainment of this end carries with it the attainment of the subordinate ends of knowledge and intel- lectual training; (3) that however imperfectly we may be carrying out this higher purpose in our schools (and we are far from satisfying ourselves) the community will gain something in moral earnestness and purpose in the years to come from the efforts that are being put forth in the schools of Melrose today to build up strong character in our young people.
While it is difficult to put one's educational aim into form of expression except in general terms, I trust that what has been said will make clear the purpose by which our school administration is moved in its work, and that this purpose may commend itself to the body of our citizens as being, in the large interpretation which should be given it, the supreme end of education.
SUGGESTIONS.
I. Salaries: In order that there may be a definite policy with respect to the salaries of our teachers, outlined and understood by all, I would suggest that the Committee consider the advisability of adopting a schedule of salaries for the principals throughout the city and for the high school teachers. It would be well at the same time, I think, to consider the possibility of increased salaries for the grade teachers. It may be wise in this connection to outline briefly my own attitude upon the question of teach- ers' salaries. In my judgment the highest interests of any community demand (1) that the teachers whom it employs shall be thoroughly equipped educationally; (2) that they
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shall possess more than the average degree of executive power; (3) that they shall have a personality that will win the co-operation of pupils and parents; (4) that they shall manifest an enthusiasm for their work which will arouse pupils to diligent and vigorous application to school tasks; (5) that they shall be individuals of the highest type of character with the power to inspire nobility of thought and action in pupils.
If the foregoing assumptions be true,-and they would seem to commend themselves to any thoughtful person,- it follows that the salaries paid teachers should be sufficiently liberal to attract to the service of the schools those who rank among the ablest and best. While teachers as a whole will compare favorably with the members of other profes- sions, both in point of character and ability, nevertheless, as the opportunities and financial rewards in other lines of hu- man effort become greater, young people, especially young men of the highest promise, are becoming less inclined to fit themselves for teaching as a life work. It is further to be noted that those who have demonstrated their capacity for leadership in the teaching profession are increasingly dropping out from the ranks to fill more remunerative posi- tions in private enterprises.
The fact that so many able men and women enter and remain in the teaching profession under prevailing salary conditions is to be attributed largely to the fact that the dig- nified and responsible character of the teacher's work pre- sents to many a stronger appeal than larger financial returns in other fields of effort.
It is hardly to be expected that all teachers shall be paid the equivalent of their worth to a community, for the work of a first-class teacher is too far-reaching in its beneficial effects to have its value accurately estimated. However, it is possible and desirable, in order that communities may secure choice talent for the important work of teaching the young, to place the salaries of teachers, as a class, at a figure that will compare favorably with the remuneration in other lines of work open to educated and able men and women. Until this is done communities must be content
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with a partial realization of the results possible from school instruction.
Passing from the consideration of this question in the ab- stract to its concrete phase as affecting Melrose, it seems to me that we have come to the time when the committee may wisely adopt a more liberal policy in the matter of salaries than it has seemed possible to adopt hitherto in view of steadily increasing school expenditures made necessary (I) by the rapid growth during the past few years in the mem- bership of our schools in the higher and more expensive grades, and (2) by the efforts put forth during this period to bring our schools to the point of desired efficiency. I am not moved to this conclusion simply by the need of teachers for more adequate remuneration, although such need mani- festly exists in many cases as a matter of justice, but, prin- cipally, because I firmly believe that our highest commu- nity interests demand such action.
During the past year, in addition to other losses, five teachers who may be rated fairly among the best that we have had in our corps have resigned to accept positions in neighboring cities at increased salaries, and three others whom we have been fortunate enough to retain thus far have been offered increased salaries to go elsewhere.
During the previous year we lost seven such teachers to places paying higher salaries. I have no disposition to ad- vocate anything that is not in the interest of true economy, but to equip and maintain costly school plants, to provide heating and janitor service, to furnish pupils with text-books and supplies of a general nature and then to pay salaries that render it impossible to keep the teaching corps at the point of efficiency necessary to secure from such investment adequate returns for the community in educational results, does not seem a good business proposition.
It is not thus that men look at matters in the manage- ment of successful business enterprises.
The loss of a first class teacher inevitably weakens the teaching force and thereby reduces the efficiency of the schools. It matters not that we may be fortunate enough - and too frequently we are not -to replace such a teacher
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by another of equal ability and strength of character, for the new teacher, at best, cannot immediately do as well as the one whom she succeeds. It takes time for a teacher to adjust herself to new conditions sufficiently to produce the best results that are possible for her, and meanwhile school interests suffer.
It is not to be expected that we can completely protect ourselves from the loss of our best teachers, for there will always remain the possibility that a teacher may be offered a salary elsewhere that we cannot hope to duplicate, and, further, teachers for various other reasons leave the pro- fession. Nevertheless it is possible with fairness to our tax payers, I think, to reduce the chances of such loss so far as salary reasons are involved, for, as is shown in another part of this report, the average of the salaries paid teachers in Melrose, at present, is below the average of the salaries for any city in the county. The general plan that I have to offer in this connection, if adopted, would not result in any large immediate increase in our salary expenditures. As was suggested in my report for 1899 and again in 1901, I believe in view of the present condition of our city's finan- ces that it is wise not to change the present uniform maximum salary of $550 to which efficient teachers may steadily advance, but to have it clearly understood that, whenever by the excellence of her work and by her profes- sional earnestness a teacher shall seem worthy of special recognition, the Committee stands ready to advance her salary to a point more nearly corresponding to the useful- ness of a first-class teacher to the City. It will be seen from what has been said that I stand for the recognition of the principle of different degrees of efficiency in service. It may be thought that difficulties of administration are likely to arise from the adoption of such a plan. Any dis- cussion of this point is uncalled for at present. However, if it should seem wise to the Committee to consider the plan favorably, I shall be pleased to offer more definite suggestion whenever desired.
II. Substitute Teachers: In my report for 1899, atten- tion was called to the educational loss sustained by the fact
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that, when teachers were absent for any cause, we were obliged in most cases to employ as substitutes persons who were not regularly engaged in teaching. In that connec- tion I advised the employment of "one or two good teachers at a regular salary, who would be available at any time to fill vacancies that might arise."
Since the conditions under which we secure substitutes at present are the same as they were at that time, and since my opinion regarding the matter remains unchanged, I submit again what I then said in support of that recom- mendation :
"Such a plan would prove advantageous not only because it would provide some one to whom we could turn in any emergency, but because it would provide us with substitutes whom we could put in charge of a room with the assurance that the work would not seriously suffer in the absence of the regular teacher. I imply no criticism of those substi- tute teachers whom we have employed from time to time in the past; they have done as well as we could reasonably expect under the circumstances. It is not possible for one who does not make a business of teaching and who, in many instances, has had little, if any, experience to go into a room upon a few hours' notice (frequently less) and do much more than · keep school.' Under our present plan, I have employed substitutes when it was evident to me that the only gain thereby was in keeping pupils off the street."
Again I recommend that one or two teachers be em- ployed regularly to be used as substitutes when needed and to be utilized at other times in giving assistance in the different schools to individual pupils who from lack of aptitude for their work or from loss of time through sick- ness may need help beyond what the regular teacher has opportunity to give. In my judgment it is wise to make a beginning in this direction at once, for to employ one such teacher would cost very little more than it costs at present for the substitutes whom we employ irregularly, while the value of the service rendered by a regular substitute would be much greater.
III. Medical Inspection : At various times during the past three years, I have found it necessary to approach the
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Board of Health and our local physicians for advice and assistance regarding matters affecting the physical welfare not only of individual pupils but also of whole schools. The benefit that has come to the schools from the co-opera- tion of our medical friends at such times has served to strengthen my previous belief in the need of some form of medical inspection in the schools.
In a comparatively recent address, President Eliot of Harvard made the following deliberate statements bearing upon this point:
"Next to this improvement in school houses and school yards comes improvement in the sanitary control and man- agement of schools. This control requires the service of skilful physicians and such a physician should be officially connected with every large school. It should be his duty to watch for contagious diseases, to prevent the too early return to school of children who have suffered from such diseases, to take thought for the eyes of the children, lest they be injured in reading or writing by bad postures or bad light, to advise concerning the rectification of remedia- ble bodily defects ín any of the children under his super- vision, to give advice to the homes about the diet and sleep of children whose nutrition is visibly defective, and, in short, to be the protector, counselor and friend of the chil- dren and their parents with regard to health, normal growth and the preservation of all the senses in good condition. Such medical supervision of school children would be costly, but it would be the most rewarding school expenditure that a community could make, even from the industrial or com- mercial point of view, since nothing impairs the well-being and productiveness of a community so much as sickness and premature disability or death. As is an individual, so in a nation, health and strength are the foundations of pro- ductiveness and prosperity."
On account of the expenditure involved we may hardly expect at once to realize President Eliot's ideal in this re- spect. However, it is desirable and possible, I think, to move in that direction. Therefore I recommend that the committee take under consideration the advisability of
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adopting some plan for regular medical inspection in our schools.
IV. Manual Training: In this connection, I desire to suggest that the committee take under consideration the desirability and possibility of making manual training part of the work in Melrose. I firmly believe that manual train- ing should be part of any well-ordered school system. While this is not the time for extended argument in support of that belief, it may be well to state briefly a few reasons therefor.
(1). Manual training is necessary to the best intellectual development.
The designation " manual training " is misleading. There is no such thing as proper manual training apart from intel- lectual training. Every intelligent manual expression is preceded by an intellectual act, and every worthy intellect- ual act is mind-developing.
Superintendent Parlin of the Quincy (Mass. ) Schools has well said in discussing this subject, "That knowledge is most definite which has worked its way into the mind through the activity of the senses and the muscles, and that thought is clearest which has been embodied by the thinker in some material expression."
Dr. Dewey, director of the School of Education connected with Chicago University, has said with reference to the bearing of motor or manual training upon intellectual devel- opment: "The old emphasis upon the strictly intellectual elements, sensation and ideas, has given way to the recog- nition that a motor factor is so closely bound up with the entire mental development that the latter cannot be intelli- gently discussed apart from the former."
(2). Again manual training has a certain civic or social value. This has been recognized in Massachusetts by the following statute of the General Court in 1898: "Every town and city of twenty thousand or more inhabitants shall maintain as part of both its elementary and its high school system the teaching of manual training."
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