USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1904 > Part 3
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Date.
Winifred Dodge.
9th grade, Washington ..
8th grade, Washington
.. April
Rose Lanphear. .
8th grade, Franklin.
9th grade, Franklin
Annie P. Long.
2d grade, Washington.
3d grade, Gooch.
. June
Helen Patten .
Converse. ..
2d grade, Gooch
Annie P. O'Hara.
Assistant, Livermore and Winthrop.
9th grade, Lincoln
Louisa I. Pryor
9th grade, Washington
5th grade, Franklin
... .
. September
CITY OF MELROSE
3. NEW TEACHERS.
Name of Teacher
Position Held.
Position to which Elected.
Began Work.
Lillian A. Bolster
Not Teaching.
Modern Lang. Dept. High.
. Jan.
1, 1904
Winifred Dodge.
Hadley, Mass.
8th grade, Washington ..
.Feb. 1, 1904
Aimee C. Ferson .
Oakdale Truant School
Manual Training Dept.
. Feb. 8, 1904
Alice G. Drake.
Natick, Mass. .
8th grade, Franklin.
. April 1, 1904
Katherine L. Locke.
Needham, Mass.
4th grade, Whittier.
... April 1, 1904
Louisa I. Pryor ..
Student, Salem Normal.
9th grade, Washington
. April 25, 1904
Christine D. Ross.
Lewiston, Me ..
Modern Lang. Dept. High
. Sept.
1904
Bertha C. Hatch.
Rockport, Mass.
5th grade, Livermore ..
Sept.
1904
Clara A. Snell.
Spencer, Mass.
English Dept. High.
. Sept.
1904
Florence R. Norton
General Assistant ...
. Sept.
1904
Linnie M. Demeritt.
Exeter, N. H ..
Assistant Livermore and Winthrop.
. Sept.
1904
Nellie W. Riley.
Student, Salem Normal.
Converse. .
. Sept.
1904
A. Gertrude Stone.
Harwick, Mass.
9th grade, Washington
. Sept.
1904
Blanche Fogg
Beverly, Mass.
9th grade, Washington
. Sept.
1904
Helena M. Hocking.
Not Teaching. .
1st grade, Washingtou.
. . Dec.
1, 1904
Alison M. Scott ..
Milton, Mass.
1st grade, Sewall.
. Dec.
1, 1904
Evelyn Pike. .
.
Middleboro, Mass
5th grade, Franklin.
. Jan.
1, 1905
.
SCHOOL REPORT.
39
40
CITY OF MELROSE
COMMENT ON TABLE VII.
It appears from this table that during 1904 thirteen teachers have withdrawn from the corps, that there have been six trans- fers, and that seventeen new teachers have been added.
A change of nearly 13% in the membership of the teaching staff in one year can hardly affect the schools otherwise than injuriously for a time at least.
While only two of those who withdrew in 1904 left for higher salaries, it is worth noting that since the beginning of the present calendar year, a period of three months approximately, seven teachers have resigned to accept higher salaried positions.
I am well aware that under present conditions the City can- not afford the extra expenditure that would be required to pro- tect itself absolutely from such loss, but I believe not only that it is entirely within the power of Melrose to pay its best teachers more than they now receive but also that it is its duty to do so to the end that the possibility of losing such teachers from the service of our schools may be minimized.
Believing thus I desire to renew the suggestion made in two prior reports to the Committee that the best educational interests of the City demand some readjustment of the salary schedule for our teachers that will make it possible to retain the services of first-class teachers longer than we do now in many cases.
It may be well to bear in mind in any consideration of this subject that practically every city about us in the so-called Metropolitan area pays a higher maximum salary to its teach- ers than Melrose pays.
41
SCHOOL REPORT.
TABLE VIII. ANNUAL FINANCIAL EXHIBIT FOR 1904. 1. GENERAL STATEMENT. Receipts.
Regular appropriation for 12 mo. from Feb. 1, 1904, to Feb. 1, 1905. . . $83,720.00
Supplementary appropriation. 1,300.00
Total available receipts. $85,020.00
Expenditures.
Salaries (teachers, janitors, superintendent, clerk) $66,460.49
Books and supplies
5,790.20
Fuel.
8,077.80
Repairs.
2,019.62
Miscellaneous.
1,542.80
Furniture ..
279.03
Transportation
546.00
Advertising and printing.
283.52
Total expenditure for 12 mo. from Feb. 1, 1904
84,999.46
Unexpended balance.
2. AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL.
[Based on the average membership of the schools for the financial year, 2842.76.]
Teaching
$20.39
Supervision, (superintendent and clerk).
.88
Books and supplies.
2.04
Janitors.
2.11
Fuel
2.84
Miscellaneous.
.54
Transportation.
. 20
Advertising and printing.
.10
Cost per pupil, excluding repairs, furniture and new buildings
$29.10
Furniture.
.10
Repairs
.71
to Feb. 1, 1905
$20.54
Total for all purposes. $29.91
42
TABLE IX.
COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL, EXHIBIT COVERING THE PERIOD SINCE MELROSE BECAME A CITY.
1. GENERAL STATEMENT.
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation for year.
$77,000.00
$77,000.00
$78,589.00
$84,049.00
$83,720.00
Receipts for Tuition, etc.
1,176.08
1,932.11 2,450.00
2,658.33
1,300.00
Total Amount Available. .
$78,176.08
$81,382.11
$81,247.33
$84,049.00
$85,020.00
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries.
$60,141.47
$61,384.35
$62,268.01
$63,563.33
$66,460.49
Books and Supplies.
5,123.00
5,799.26
5,199.95
6,299.38
5,790.20
Fuel. .
7,060.08
7,449.89
6,541.67
6,699.15
8,077.80
Repairs.
2,681.89
3,700.00
3,831.17
3,875.77
2,019.62
Miscellaneous
1,771.87
1,478.62
1,878.65
1,740.41
1,542.80
Furniture.
1,036.07
599.71
600.00
821.68
279.03
Transportion .
480.00
509.00
527.00
546.00
Advertising and printing.
361.70
270.95
251.75
350.00
283.52
High school and teachers' libraries.
99.76
99.85
98.60
Total Expenditure. . Unexpended balance.
$78,176.08
$81,262.54 119.57
$81,180.05 67.28
$83,975.32 73.68
$84,999.46 20.54
Excess of expenditure.
CITY OF MELROSE
Supplementary Appropriation.
2. AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL. (Based on average membership for the financial year).
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
For teaching
$20.31
$20.23
$19.77
$19.84
$20.39
For supervision.
. 98
1.07
.98
.93
. 88
For books and supplies.
2.02
2.23
1.91
2.27
2.04
For janitors.
2.38
2.31
2.21
2.16
2.11
For fuel.
2.78
2.87
2.41
2.41
2.84
For printing.
. 14
.10
.09
. 12
.10
For transportation.
. 18
. 18
.19
.20
For high school and teachers' library . .
.04
.03
. 03
For miscellaneous (not including repairs, furniture and new buildings).
.70
. 57
. 69
. 63
.54
Total cost (excluding furniture, repairs and new buildings)
29.31
29.60
28.27
28.58
29.10
For furniture.
. 41
.23
.22
.29
. 10
For repairs.
1.06
1.42
1.41
1.40
. 71
Total cost for all purposes. ..
$30.77
$31.25
$29.90
$30.27
$29.91
Similar average for the State at large ..
$34.62
$34.92
$36.42
$35.80
$33.27
SCHOOL REPORT.
43
.
44
CITY OF MELROSE
COMMENT ON TABLE IX.
Reference to the foregoing exhibit shows that the gross expenditure for schools has increased from $78,176.08 in 1900 to $84,999.46 in 1904.
If one is disposed to assume that this increase indicates that the schools are being conducted upon an extravagant basis today, it is well to bear in mind that it is entirely natural to expect the gross expenditure for schools to increase as a sys- tem enlarges, and that, on general principles, there is little ground to suggest extravagant management in such cases unless the rate of increase in expenditure exceeds the rate of growth in the membership of the system.
This being admitted, it is interesting to note the following facts.
During the past five years beginning with 1900, the year in which Melrose became a City, the annual expenditure for schools has increased 8 7-10%. During this same period the membership of the schools has increased 11 9-10%.
In other words the growth in the membership of our schools during the past five years has been 3 1-5% more rapid than the increase in expenditure, so that the annual expenditure for each child in our schools today is 86 cts. less than it was in 1900.
It may be noted, also, in this connection that the cost per pupil in Melrose for all school purposes is $3.36 less than the average for the State at large for a similar purpose.
Several conditions with respect to the schools of Melrose might properly be expected to produce a relatively high per capita cost for educating our children.
1. Our upper grades contain an abnormally large proportion of the school enrollment. For illustration,-the ratio of the high school enrollment to the total school enrollment in Everett is approximately 52% ; in Chelsea, 7% ; in Malden, 72% ; in Lynn, 8% ; in Somerville, 8%; in Cambridge, 82%; in Med- ford, 10 %; and in Melrose, 12%. Bearing in mind that the cost of educating a child in the high school is considerably greater than in the lower grades, it is easy to see that there should be a tendency toward high per capita cost in a system which has a relatively large high school registration.
2. Melrose has a larger proportion of male teachers in its high school corps than the majority of cities. While this is undoubtedly beneficial from an educational point of view, it has an effect to increase per capita cost, since men as a rule command higher salaries than women.
45
SCHOOL REPORT.
3. Our grammar buildings average smaller than those in many cities and large towns. A little thought will convince one that this condition also tends to make our per capita cost higher than would be the case if our school buildings were larger.
Notwithstanding these conditions, the latest report of the State Board of Education shows that six of the eleven cities of Middlesex County are expending more of their local tax for the education of each child in the membership of their schools than Melrose is expending.
Possibly the fairest conception of the relative financial burden that a community is bearing for the support of public education is secured by comparing the amount it appropriates to the support of public schools for each thousand dollars of valuation with similar amounts in other neighboring places.
The following facts from the latest report of the State Board of Education make such comparison possible with respect to Melrose.
AMOUNT OF MONEY APPROPRIATED TO THE SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR EACH THOUSAND DOLLARS OF VALUATION IN THE FOLLOWING PLACES.
NAME OF PLACE.
*AMOUNT STANDING
Everett.
$6.49
1
Wakefield.
6.07
2
Malden.
5.88
3
Reading
5.82
4
Chelsea.
5.64
5
Saugus.
5.56
6
Somerville
5.35
7
Woburn.
5.19
8
Melrose.
5.17
9
Stoneham
4.89
10
Medford.
4.86
11
*Amount appropriated to support of schools for each Thousand Dollars of Valuation.
It appears from the above tabulation that of ten neighbor- ing places only two appropriate to the support of schools less for each thousand dollars of their valuation than Melrose.
In view of the foregoing facts there seems little ground for judging that the School Committee of Melrose is managing the City's school interests otherwise than economically or that the citizens are called upon to bear any unusual burden of taxation in supporting the public school system.
46
CITY OF MELROSE
In my judgment Melrose is not spending too much money upon its schools. It is the best economy that a community can practice to spend money freely upon its public schools, pro- vided, of course, that such expenditure is made wisely with a view solely to the accomplishment of the best educational results.
To this end it is important that great care be exercised in the selection of the members of a school committee. The best brain, culture, and character obtainable are needed in this responsible position, in order that the public through the influ- ence of its committee may be led to appreciate what education really means and to support willingly educational policies that are shaped rather with reference to the highest good of children than with a view to curtailment in school expenditure.
I would not seem unmindful of expense in school adminis- tration. Wasteful expenditure should be rigidly opposed,- but one who in the administration of public school interests would shape educational policies solely or chiefly with refer- ence to a low per capita cost lacks an essential qualification for valuable service upon a school committee; and any com- munity that ventures long to follow such leadership in its edu- cational affairs must sooner or later pay the penalty in an inefficient school system.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The following statistical matter regarding the High School reveals a particularly prosperous condition in this depart- ment of the school system.
I. Attendance. The table that immediately follows shows the maximum number of pupils registered in this school in September of each of the years indicated.
YEAR
1898
1899
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
Fourth Class.
76
88
116
119
155
157
133
Third Class.
62
59
61
95
103
117
110
Second Class.
59
47
50
58
79
93
92
First Class.
29
46
40
44
51
61
77
Post Graduate.
6
7
9
9
6
5
6
Total
232
247
276
325
394
433
418
It appears that during the period of six years from Septem- ber, 1898, to September, 1904, the high school membership has increased 80%,-a rate of increase practically ten times as
47
SCHOOL REPORT.
great as that which represents the growth of the City's popula- tion during the same period.
This remarkable growth of attendance has not resulted from any modification of the requirements for entrance to this school. .In the judgment of the principal of the school the average character of the preparation of pupils who have entered the lowest class during the past few years has steadily shown im- provement. Neither is this increased attendance to be attrib- uted to any diminution in the intensity or thoroughness of the work done after pupils have entered the school. The gen- eral excellence manifested in the examinations of our pupils who have gone to higher institutions of study and the high standing in scholarship of the majority of such pupils in those institutions are sufficient guarantee of the good work done in the high school.
Several reasons might be given that have undoubtedly con- tributed to this gratifying increase in the membership of the high school but the chief cause, I think, is to be found in the inspirational character of the work done in our schools today. It is a cardinal principle underlying the present administration of the schools in Melrose that, valuable as thorough mastery of the facts and principles of the subjects of the school curri- culum may be, it is equally if not more important to teach so that boys and girls shall develop an enthusiasm for the work of education and a desire to prolong the period of their formal training in the schools as long as conditions may reasonably permit.
In these days, when the spirit of commercialism is dominant to an extent and in a form that threatens the best develop- ment of human interests, the public schools of our land may well emphasize in their work the development of a high regard for the worth of right education as a means to richer, larger living.
II. Recent Graduates. Twenty-seven boys and thirty girls received diplomas of graduation from the high school in June, 1904.
Eighteen of the class are taking courses of study in other institutions; twenty-four have entered upon a business career; four are taking post-graduate work in the high school, and eleven are engaged in duties at home.
III. Choice of Studies. The following table gives the num- ber of pupils in each class taking the different studies from which choice may be made.
48
CITY OF MELROSE
NUMBER OF PUPILS IN THE MELROSE HIGH SCHOOL TAKING THE FOLLOWING BRANCHES, DECEMBER, 1904.
P. G.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Totals
Latin.
3
13
29
37
76
158
Greek
5
14
12
31
French.
1
34
58
66
31
200
German.
3
22
44
36
105
Algebra
3
35
115
153
Geometry .
3
12
35
59
109
Commercial Arithmetic ..
5
10
65
80
Bookkeeping
1
35
43
79
Stenography
1
36
48
85
Typewriting
36
48
84
Physics.
3
21
76
110
Chemistry
3
28
31
History.
3
44
21
42
107
217
English .
1
76
100
123
121
411
Commercial Law
6
2
44
52
English Grammar
2
1
48
52
Music.
27
24
57
100
208
Drawing.
20
21
62
78
181
Comparison of this table with similar tables in previous reports provides food for thought upon the problem of elective studies concerning the wisdom of which educators are not wholly in agreement.
IV. Cost of High School. The following table shows the total and the per capita cost for this school during the past year.
1. GENERAL STATEMENT.
ITEMS.
EXPENDITURES.
*PER CENT.
Salaries (teachers, janitors, engineer).
$15,700.00
24
Books and supplies.
1,284.92
22
Fuel .
2,121.87
26
Sundries
541.51
35
Total for support of school.
19,648.30
Repairs and permanent improvements.
387.16
14
Total for all purposes.
20,035.46
24
*Per cent. of expenditures for all schools for similar items.
2. PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE.
[Based on the average membership for financial year, 403.99.] ITEMS.
EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL
Salaries (teachers, janitors, engineer).
$38.86
Books and supplies
3.11
Fuel.
5.25
Sundries.
1.09
Repairs and permanent improvements.
.96
Total for all purposes.
$49.27
49
SCHOOL REPORT.
With reference to the facts shown in this table it may be noted that, while the per capita cost for the maintenance of this school is slightly higher than in 1903, it is 333% less than in 1900 and is less than in most schools of equal rank.
The slight increase in per capita cost over that of the previous year is due principally to a larger consumption of fuel and an addition to the teaching force without a corresponding increase in the membership.
The fact that the school has failed to maintain during the past year the ratio of growth that has characterized it for the past few years is the result of a falling off from the expected attendance in the two lower grades.
PROGRESS OF THE YEAR IN GENERAL.
In the work of the schools in general during the past year the aim has been to strengthen the system along lines previ- ously laid down rather than to signalize the year by new departures. Nevertheless some progress has been made along new lines that are calculated to develop greater efficiency in our schools.
While it is neither feasible nor desirable to particularize to any great extent with respect to the year's work, there are a few matters that it may be profitable to consider.
I. Elementary Science and Civics in Grade IX. In order that there might be a greater degree of uniformity in the work done in our ninth grades under the general head of elementary science, and a greater degree of definiteness than has hitherto prevailed in the minds of the teachers regarding what ought to be accomplished in this line, I have begun to place in the hands of the ninth grade teachers outlines for work covering the elementary principles of physical and chemical science and containing suggestions with reference to the presentation of the same. In the preparation of the outlines, which are not yet finished, I am being assisted by Mr. Hutchins, head of the Science Department in the High School, who is giving his services freely in this direction.
The work is principally a course of experiments performed by the teacher with simple apparatus. Pupils are required to observe these experiments carefully and under the guidance of the instructor, to make proper deduction therefrom. Pupils systematically record both their observations and conclusions.
The small amount of time given this work in the weekly school program, the limited apparatus at our disposal for experimentation, and the fact that only one of the teachers who are giving the instruction has had previous experience
50
CITY OF MELROSE
in this line, have combined to make the amount of accomplish- ment thus far less than might be desired. If the ninth grades should be centralized so that they could have access to the laboratory facilities of the High School, much more might be accomplished in this valuable line of work.
For several years it has been a requirement of the course of study in our schools that something of the civil government of the land should be taught pupils in Grade IX in connection with their work in history. Nevertheless, beyond an incidental consideration of the main facts with reference to the general functions of the legislative, judicial, and executive depart- ments of the national government, and the methods of selection, terms of office, and general duties of leading officials, little has been done in the past.
During the present school year definite outlines for work in civics have been placed in the hands of the teachers of Grade IX, and a period in each week has been set apart for special instruction in this line.
The plan of work begins with a consideration of the necessity for government, and a brief view of the different types that have characterized social evolution, and then deals with the salient features of municipal, county, state, and national government successively.
No text-book is in use in the hands of the pupils. In study- ing the local city government as a type of municipal adminis- tration, each pupil is supplied with a copy of the City Charter and such other documents bearing upon the administration of city affairs,-for example, copies of the Mayor's inaugural, board of health regulations, etc.,-as may be available and useful. Through the reading and discussion of these docu- ments and the thoughtful consideration of topics that natur- ally arise therefrom, an endeavor is made to acquaint pupils with the main principles of local government.
Methods similar in kind are followed in the consideration of county, state and national governments.
The ends sought in this work are,-(1) to develop in pupils a well-founded respect for government in general and for popu- lar government in particular, (2) to implant an intelligent idea of the machinery of government, (3) to arouse right inter- est in civic affairs, (4) to teach that good citizenship in a democracy is synonymous with readiness to render personal service and to make personal sacrifice for the public good, and (5) to teach something of the large political problems of the day and the spirit in which their solution should be under- taken.
As was to be expected, our work in this line this year has fallen considerably short of the ideal. I feel certain, however,
51
SCHOOL REPORT.
that what we are doing is a step in the right direction and that more experience on the part of the teachers will bring satis- factory results.
To my mind such work as this in the schools is far more valuable to young people than much that goes under the head of the "Three R's". Washington in speaking of the impor- tance of providing for the instruction of young people in the science of government in a republic put this question,-' 'What duty is more pressing than to patronize a plan for commun- icating it to those who are to be the future guardians of our liberty?"
It is not enough in a democracy that the principles and problems of government should be taught in the latter part of the high schools and in college. The masses do not reach this stage in education. In an elementary form the science of government should have a place in the grammar schools, and, in my judgment, any public school system that does not provide for definite and intelligent teaching of civics in gram- mar grades fails in one important respect.
II. Longer School Sessions. In my annual report for 1903, under the heading, "Home Study," it was suggested 'That a longer daily school session for the upper grammar grades might result in distinct gain to our young people;" and the following three reasons were given for that belief :
1. "If the daily session should be lengthened by a half- hour and that time given up to study, pure and simple, the de- sired opportunity would be afforded the teacher to teach pupils how to work as they should. I believe that, in the case of the average child, a half hour of such work in the school room would be worth more in the preparation of the next day's task than twice that time in home study."
2. "The opportunity of preparing lessons at school under the direction and stimulus of the teacher would enable the pupil to come to his home practically free from whatever nervous strain may come from the omnipresent thought of a lesson to be prepared at some time before the next session of school begins."
3. "It is probable, also, that if lessons should be pre- pared at school as indicated, teachers would find it easier to hold pupils responsible for good results in their work."
After careful consideration of the suggestion and in accord- ance with the practically unanimous approval of the proposi- tion by a large body of parents at three public meetings held by invitation of the Superintendent of Schools in different sections of the City, it was voted by the School Committee that the hours of the school session for pupils in grades VII,
52
CITY OF MELROSE
VIII, and IX be a half-hour longer than those for the lower grades, that the extra half-hour of the session be used as a study period, that all required home study in grades VII and VIII be abolished, and that the amount of home study previ- ously asked of pupils in grade IX be reduced by one-half.
This plan has been in operation between five and six months. Obviously that length of time is too brief to afford a fair test of its value. Theoretically the idea seems sound, and, in practice, I have seen nothing thus far to weaken my confidence in the wisdom of the move. On the contrary, continued ob- servation leads me to have even stronger faith that, when the plan has been in operation long enough for its full effect to be realized, it will be found that pupils are distinctly benefitted thereby educationally with probably less physical and nervous strain than that to which they were subjected under former conditions.
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