USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > City of Melrose annual report 1913 > Part 3
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"NO SCHOOL SIGNAL".
Notice of " No School " will be given by striking the number 22 four times upon the fire alarm, and by sounding the whistle at Factory No. 2 of the Boston Rubber Shoe Com- pany.
The signal will be sounded at 7.15 A.M. for no session in the High School, and at 8.30 for no morning session in all grades below the High School. In case there is to be no after- noon session, the signal will be sounded at 12.45.
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Melrose,
Ladies and Gentlemen :-
The following report of the public schools of the city is respectfully submitted for your consideration. This is the twenty-fourth in the series of annual reports by the Superin- tendent of Schools, and the fifth by the present incumbent of that office.
This report is largely a consideration of the failure of the public school system of the country, as exemplified in our own schools, from the standpoint of present day criticism and the changing standards of public education. In commercial life, a business house would be greatly concerned if it could not deliver its goods to one-fourth of its patrons. The public schools should take the same attitude. We are not, under the present system, "delivering the goods" to more than three-fourths of our children. It is time that the community should know all the facts in the case, face conditions frankly, and advise and support the school authorities in their endeavor to provide for all our children.
We are passing through a period of transition and of reorganization in public education, as we are in commercial and national affairs and in social conditions. It is a time of questioning and criticism, of experiment and change. School authorities very properly may resent certain wholesale and unfounded criticisms, for, whatever faults exist, our public schools are still justified in their function as makers of de- mocracy.
This mass of criticism, however, denotes that the needs and demands of the people in respect to public education have changed, and that educational progress is to be given a new impetus. The demand for traditional academic training has been insistent for the past one hundred years, and this type of education has been given successfully by the public schools to those children whose abilities lay in that direction. This
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SCHOOL REPORT
type of education is still, and undoubtedly will continue to be demanded for a large number of our children, but it will be improved, by life-touching modifications in the subject matter.
The new idea of the change in the purpose of public edu- cation, as it seems to be crystalizing in the minds of educators as well as of the public, is that all the children of all the people should be trained according to their individual abilities and future needs. Here, justifiable criticism touches the weakest spot in the public school system of to-day, for it is an unde- niable fact that present day courses are not adapted to about one-fourth of our children.
It is easy to "stand pat,"-to exalt our public school system, to gloss over or refuse to acknowledge its deficiencies. It is more difficult to face them and attempt to correct them. In the past we have been prone to accept the very evident success of a majority of the children as indicative of the success of all, or if we acknowledged failure in some cases, to hold it against the child rather than against the system. We have assumed that every child ought to be "long" as one writer expresses it, in a very small group of arbitrarily chosen and traditionally accepted subjects. If a certain group failed in these, we have not studied these children individually to discover their abilities in other subjects, or in the vast field of human activities, but have taken it for granted that they were bound to be failures always, and all too often have made them understand our attitude. If life failures have some- times resulted from such a system, those failures lie squarely at the door of the public school.
If we are to correct this weakness we must search out the children who fail, the subjects in which they fail and the subjects in which the most failures occur. We must.then determine whether the cause of failure lies with the schools as now administered, or with the child. If with the former, it may be poor teaching, improper grading of material, or it may lie in the subject matter itself. If the cause lies with the child, assuming that his health is good and his attendance regular, we usually find that his aptitudes do not run in that direction,-that he is "short" in arithmetic, grammar, or some other subject. If the child is diligent, but cannot grasp certain subjects in which the majority of his mates are "long,"
32
CITY OF MELROSE
there is no reason why he should be shamed in his little world, or why his parents should be disturbed. He is undoubtedly "long" in other lines which the public schools do not recognize, and if we have certain groups or individuals to whom present courses are not suited then it is the public school that should be concerned to discover material adapted to their abilities and needs, in order that all the children should be given work in which they can be trained to success rather than to failure.
Melrose schools have been working diligently at the first part of the problem. In the annual report, for the year 1909, was presented a detailed study of retarded pupils, that is, of those children who failed of promotion. The study showed that, although in our own schools there was economic waste, yet in comparison with other systems throughout the country, we ranked very high.
Since that time, although we have been busy with the many changes inaugurated the year before and not yet fully completed, yet the matter of failures has received constant and conscientious attention. The teaching has been more closely supervised, greater attention has been paid to indi- viduals, courses have been re-organized and the subject matter of various studies has been re-graded. The figures which will be given later show that these efforts have been helpful. Melrose schools, in the traditional work to which they have been obliged so far to confine themselves, rank high among other systems, and are constantly improving their own record. Yet there is far too large a proportion of our children who are constantly¿ failing,-not because they are not bright enough along certain lines, but because those are not the lines on which we are running the public schools. Our next problem is to find out what these children can do successfully and to give them a chance to do it.
The following facts in regard to the elementary grades, while they show that our schools are making a definite advance along the line of present day education, show also to what a startling extent. we are failing, as a community, in doing our full duty by all our children. Figures are given for the last three school years, as uniform records along these particular lines are available only during that period.
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SCHOOL REPORT
NUMBER OF CHILDREN NOT PROMOTED. All Grades. 1912
1911
1913
-
Girls Boys Total
%
Girls Boys Total %
Girls Boys Total
%
88 124
212
9.8
103 113
216 10.8
75
89
164
8.5
NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO FAILED IN ONE OR MORE SUBJECTS All Grades. 1912
1911
1913
Girls Boys Total
%
Girls Boys Total %
Girls Boys Total
%
230 293
523 24.2
244 295
539 26.9
183
250
433
22.6
NUMBER OF FAILURES IN DIFFERENT SUBJECTS. All Grades. 1911 1912
1913
896
970
704
The year 1912 marks the period of greatest readjustment, while 1913 begins to show the improvement as a result of the changes made.
The large number of failures which still persist in the upper grammar grades, as pupils advance in the subjects, show to what a considerable extent present courses in these grades fail to fit the abilities of our children.
WHAT ARE WE TO DO ABOUT IT?
It is not sufficient to say to one-fourth of our children, "This is what we offer you,-if it does not suit your needs, the sooner you leave the better." We have a larger duty to these children and to the society of which they are members.
As we study the causes of these conditions we find a small percentage of failures due to absence on account of sickness, more or less unavoidable; or on account of neglect, which is being corrected, so far as is possible by a strict enforcement of the law of attendance. These cases, however, while they need special attention, are not necessarily a part of the problem here considered. The rest of the failures fall, roughly, into two groups, first, those children who might be able to do the regular work if given more individual atten- tion, and second, those who never can do the full academie
34
CITY OF MELROSE
work now required, and for whom a separate course should be provided. This course should give to each child the minimum essentials of the regular work so far as he can grasp them, and in addition should offer instruction along practical lines according to his tastes and abilities.
We could not at once divide these groups accurately. We could, however, easily select certain children who, if given greater individual help, might go on with the regular classes. We could select others who, without any question, should be in special classes. The rest could be placed only after careful study, when proper conditions shall have been provided.
The first step in solving this problem must be the opening of a special class in each district. This would at once accom- plish two objects. It would provide special work for those who need it, and it would relieve the regular classes, which are much over-crowded.
The next change needed is a differentiated course of study for those left in the regular classes, beginning in the seventh grade. Such a course should offer, to those children not preparing for college, the esesntial work of the present course, vitalized by close contact with their every day life and needs. It should also offer work along practical lines, for both boys and girls, leading up to similar work in the High School. Those children who intend to enter college, or some higher institution after leaving High School, could then be grouped separately in a part of their work, at least, and be given a much more thorough preparation. Both these courses, however, should be so planned that children may cross from one to the other at any time before the third year in the High School, without serious loss of time.
THE PROBLEM IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
The problem in the High School is essentially the same, and even more vital. The years from fourteen to eighteen is a period when ideals are developed and habits are fixed,- when one's whole attitude toward life receives its greatest impetus and direction. If our young people are allowed to
35
SCHOOL REPORT
"dawdle" during these years, through courses which have no vital meaning to them, and therefore do not appeal, or if those, who must soon become breadwinners or breadmakers, are forced into courses which, to them, lead nowhere,-then we lose, for life, the tremendous impetus of an enthusiastic youth, properly directed.
In considering present conditions in the High School it is evident, as in the grades, that, in comparison with other schools which are doing the same type of work, we stand high, in spite of our rapid growth, many changes and low per capita cost.
Under the old course of study the only requisite for promotion from class to class was the passing of the one subject of English, which was the only required subject in any year. Under the new course, which went into effect in September, 1912, a definite number of subjects must be passed each year to obtain promotion, and a higher standard of work has been insisted upon. Again, the re-adjustment of the whole system during the past four years, including the re- duction of the elementary schools to an eight grade system, has resulted in the last two classes being somewhat less mature than incoming classes should be a year or two later. Further- more, the school has increased rapidly in size, and each teacher has considerably larger classes than can be taught to the best advantage. Under these new and rather difficult circumstances, it was natural to expect a larger proportion of failures than after these conditions had become settled. We find, however, that there is a smaller percentage of failures than ever. Moreover, we have at hand a study of deficiencies made by one of the Boston High Schools of the highest stand- ing, with about the same number of pupils. The compara- tive figures show that the percentage of failures is less in Melrose High School in nearly all subjects.
In spite, however, of this excellent showing in comparison with other schools and with our own previous record, yet the number of misfit pupils is altogether too large and the failures alone do not show them all. Probably there are at least as
36
CITY OF MELROSE
many more now taking Latin, algebra, and even modern languages, to whom practical courses would appeal far more strongly, from the standpoint of their abilities and future needs.
For the boys, the present course in practical engineering offers the basis for a course in forging, filing, and chipping, machine work and the elements of steam-fitting and plumbing. The classes in woodworking should be broadened to courses in practical carpentry, shop work and cabinet making. Inci- dentally, instruction should be given in painting, cement work, soldering and other fundamental processes underlying various trades, together with a study of vocations.
For the girls, we should offer a very practical course in domestic science and domestic art, including cooking, millinery and dress-making, the study of clothing and its remodelling, of hygiene and sanitation, household management, design and decoration, home economics and a study of vocations.
Such a complete re-organization of a school system as here outlined cannot be perfected in a few months. It should be gradually developed over a period of years, with full knowledge of what other cities are doing along similar lines. Moreover, while the school authorities may instal such changes, they cannot be fully effective without the hearty approval and active co-operation and support of the citizens. When in full operation, in the elementary grades and in the High School, such a system would undoubtedly add to the present current expenditures for schools from eight to ten per cent, for additional special teachers and equipment. A portion of this amount will be furnished by a considerable decrease in our High School in 1915 and 1916. The rest should be furnished by additional appropriation as needed. The result would be a school system fifty per cent more effective for all the children. It is for the com- munity to say whether they will be satisfied longer with the present system of education, or furnish the money for a better one.
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SCHOOL REPORT
FINANCIAL.
We give below tables showing amounts spent under the various items of the State Classification, the amounts used for various departments of the school work, and the per capita cost for the school year ending June 30, 1913. No single item has been exceeded, and a total net balance of $204.45 has been returned on the regular appropriation. The figures given below do not form a basis for comparison with previous years, as the State Board of Education, for the first time, has changed our fiscal year to correspond with the school year. As the heaviest disbursements naturally come during the school year, this change has apparently increased somewhat our per capita cost. It is still, however, $1.46 below the average for the State. Furthermore, comparing the city fiscal year of 1913 with that of 1912, we find that, while our average membership was larger, yet the appropria- tion for current expenses was increased by only 1.3 per cent. If our High School had cost as much, per capita, as the average for the State, the cost of our school system would have been increased by $17,236.19.
The last financial table gives the receipts and expendi- tures for the city fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 1913.
Respectfully submitted, John C. Anthony, Superintendent of Schools.
IN SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
January 26, 1914.
Voted :- To accept the report of the Superintendent of Schools and to adopt it as the report of the School Committee for the year 1913.
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CITY OF MELROSE
TOTAL COST OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. School Year 1912-13.
General Control
General Administration Salaries $1,954.38
Other General Salaries.
1,007.02
Other General Expenses
472.97
Instruction
Teachers' Salaries . .
43,508.65
Text Books and Supplies
3,825.02
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services
$4,520.00
Fuel and Light .
4,336.97
Water and Miscellaneous
843.90
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep.
$2,847.95
Auxiliary Agencies.
Transportation
$620.75
Tuition and Miscellaneous
1,562.11
$65,499.72
AVERAGE COST PER PUPIL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
for these items, for the School Year, 1912-1913, based on the average mem- bership (1917.98) was as follows :-
General Control.
General Administration Salaries. $1.02
Other General Salaries.
.53
Other General Expenses
.25
Instruction.
Teachers' Salaries .
$22.68
Text Books and Supplies.
1.99
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services
$2.35
Fuel and Light .
2.26
Water and Miscellaneous
.44
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep
$1.48
Auxiliary Agencies.
$.32
Transportation
.81
Tuition and Miscellaneous
$34.13
39
SCHOOL REPORT
TOTAL COST OF HIGH SCHOOL. School Year 1912-13.
General Control.
General Administration Salaries.
$745.62
Other General Salaries. 192.98
Other General Expenses
239.63
Instruction.
Teachers' Salaries.
$26,357.94
Text Books and Supplies.
3,080.77
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services
$3,583.26
Fuel and Light.
1,882.15
Water and Miscellaneous
225.11
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep
$1,365.55
$ 37,673.01
AVERAGE COST PER PUPIL, HIGH SCHOOL
for these items, for the School Year, 1912-1913, based on the average mem- bership (731.44) was as follows :---
General Control.
General Administration Salaries.
$1.02
Other General Salaries .
.26
Other General Expenses
.33
Instruction.
Teachers' Salaries
$36.03
Text Books and Supplies.
4,21
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services
$4.89
Fuel and Light
2.57
Water and Miscellaneous
.31
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep.
$1.86
$51.48
.
40
CITY OF MELROSE
TOTAL COST OF ALL SCHOOLS. School Year 1912-13.
General Control.
General Administration Salaries.
$2,700.00
Other General Salaries 1,200.00
Other General Expenses
712.60
Instruction.
Teachers' Salaries .
$69,866.59
Text Books and Supplies.
6,905.79
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services
$8,103.26
Fuel and Light.
6,219.12
Water and Miscellaneous
1,069.01
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep
$4,213.50
Auxiliary Agencies.
Transportation
$620.75
Tuition and Miscellaneous
1,562.11
$103,172.73
AVERAGE COST PER PUPIL. School Year 1912-13. Based on average membership (2649.42)
General Control.
General Administration Salaries. $1.02
Other General Salaries
.45
Other General Expenses
.27
Instruction.
Teachers' Salaries .
$26.37
Text Books and Supplies.
2.61
Operation of School Plant.
Janitors' Services $3.06
Fuel and Light .
2.35
Water and Miscellaneous
.41
41
SCHOOL REPORT
Maintenance of School Plant.
Repairs, Replacement and Upkeep
$1.59
Auxiliary Agencies.
Transportation $.23
Tuition and Miscellaneous . .59
Average cost per pupil, Melrose . $38.95
Average cost per pupil, State of Massachusetts. $40.41
ANNUAL FINANCIAL EXHIBIT. Fiscal Year Ending Dec. 31, 1913.
Receipts.
Appropriations, regular items.
$101,550.00
Appropriations, special for High School Curb-
ing .
600.00
Appropriations, School Walks 900.00
$103,050.00
Expenditures.
General Expenses
$4,692.43
Teachers' Salaries .
70,631.34
Text Books and Supplies.
5,497.88
Tuition
1,332.60
Transportation
693.75
Janitors' Services
8,009.74
Fuel and Light.
4,790.50
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds.
4,999.14
Furniture and Furnishings.
198.75
Other Expenses.
499.42
$101,345.55
Unexpended balance, regular items.
204.45
Unexpended balance, special for High School Curbing.
600.00
Special for High School Walks.
900.00
$103,050.00
42
CITY OF MELROSE
HIGH SCHOOL Principal's Report for 1913.
Mr. John C. Anthony,
Superintendent of Schools, Melrose, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir :- I take pleasure in submitting the following report of the High School for the year 1913.
Attendance.
The enrolment in September this year was 763 as com- pared to 768 of last year. A distinct gain has been made so far this year in the matter of attendance at school. The number of absences has been reduced 25% over the same period last year and there has been a corresponding decrease in the number of tardiness and dismissal cases. This is an indication of a change for the better in the attitude of the pupils toward their school work. One teacher has been added this year to the teaching force, making a total of 27.
Courses of Study.
Some minor changes have been made in the courses of study with the view to making the work more adaptable to the pupils and more satisfactory in operation. Bookkeeping and Commercial Arithmetic have been increased from one to two credits while Business Practice has been added to the work of the first year in the Commercial Course. In the mathematics department a further change has been made to facilitate the work of the pupils preparing for college. Review Algebra for college entrance has been moved ahead to the fourth year in order that the subject might be fresher in the pupils' minds when taking it up during the freshman year at college. To allow for this change, Review Ancient History was placed in the third year.
43
SCHOOL REPORT
.A new course in Household Chemistry for girls has been added to the science department and is giving satisfactory results. The object of this course is twofold: to give instruc- tion in the chemistry of cooking, ventilation and sanitation and to open the way for more extended work in domestic science.
The courses of study now in operation require more work for both pupils and teachers than under the old course; for the former because of a slight change from elective to re- quired work, and for the latter because of the increase in the number of teaching periods each day together with an increase in the number of subjects taught. The requirements of the new courses make possible a much more intelligent selection of studies on the part of the pupil while the increase in the amount of work necessary for a diploma makes our require- ments equal to those of similar schools.
Next year the new Three Year Commercial Course will go into effect and special announcement will soon be made to all those who are eligible in order that definite information may be secured as to the number who intend to register. The requirements will probably call for an increase in the teaching force, but the saving of one year's work to a con- siderable number of pupils will more than compensate for the extra expense.
Vocational Training.
The number of pupils in the Commercial Course, about 40% of the whole membership, demonstrates more than any- thing else the need for vocational instruction. The fact that this course, which aims primarily to fit pupils for mercantile or office work, is selected by many of those who have no desire for such work and no ability to follow it, simply illustrates the strong hold which subjects of utilitarian nature have on the minds of a large number of pupils. Pupils select this course because it is the most "practical" one we have; not because it suits their needs. Courses in mechanical arts for boys and cooking, dress-making and millinery for girls would become immediately popular because they would meet
44
CITY OF MELROSE .
an immediate demand and would furnish an outlet for the energies and ambitions of a large number of pupils who are not fitted for the more formal work of the school. In a very limited way, a beginning in manual training and steam engin- eering has been made with results that prove conclusively their value to the pupils.
Administration.
Two important changes in the administration of the school should be included in this report. A more effective system of poor work reports has been devised whereby the parents of all pupils failing in any subject are notified by a card sent out midway between the regular bi-monthly reports. This card is taken home by the pupil just as in the case of the regular report and is returned with the parent's signature. This is unquestionably a great help in bringing up the grade of work in the school for it provides for reports every month in those cases where a more intimate knowledge of the pupil's work is needed by the parent.
The second change is in the method of conducting after- noon sessions for those pupils who need special help or who have been absent from school. Formerly, several afternoons were given to this work with different teachers for each session. At present, but one afternoon is set aside for this purpose and all the teachers are required to be present. Formerly, pupils with several subjects in arrears were obliged to return several times with great inconvenience to themselves and consequent discouragement. Now, with careful preparation they may do all their work in one afternoon without serious difficulty. The principal has not yet found a case where a pupil has failed to get help really needed.
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