USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > Hatfield Annual Town Report 1914-1924 > Part 18
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Grandpa's Little Girls and their Friends
Stories of the Day's Work The Boy Scout Polly of Lady Gay Cottage The Secret Stairs
Real Stories from our History
Tom Slade on Mystery Trail
The Poor Little Rich Girl Helen and the Fifth Cousin Felicia Felicia's Friends
Bouncing Bet
The Young Lion Hunter
The Young Forester
Jack the Young Ranchman
The Mutineers
The Young Midshipman
The Young Colonist
By Dike and Dyke
Redskin and Cowboy
High Benton Worker Lessons for Junior Citizens
Tom Brown's Schooldays Bluebonnet Keeps House
The Litle Colonel at Boarding School Stover at Yale Our Bird Comrades The Luck of Denewood
The Lucky Sixpence
Triumphs of Science Story of Columbus and Magellan
James Fenimore Cooper Alice Turner Curtis
Alice Turner Curtis Alice Turner Curtis
Alice Turner Curtis Davis & Getchell Richard Harding Davis Emma C. Dowd Ellen Douglas Deland J. T. Faris Percy K. Fitzhugh Eleanor Gates Beth B. Gilchrist Elizabeth Lincoln Gould Elizabeth Lincoln Gould Joslyn Grey Zane Grey Zane Grey Geo. B. Grinnell Chas. Boardman Hawes G. A. Henty G. A. Henty G. A. Henty G. A. Henty Wm. Heyliger Mabel Hill Thomas Hughes Jacobs & Richards Annie F. Johnston Owen Johnson Leander Keyser E. B. & A. A. Knipe E. B. & A. A. Knipe M. A. L. Lane T. B. Lawler
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Wood Folks at School Pitcher Pollock
Sergeant Jane When Oriole Came to Harbor Light
The First Book of Birds
Rilla of Ingleside Chronicles of Avonlea
The Italian Twins
The Dutch Twins
The Belgian Twins Six Star Ranch
The Backwoods Men
King of the Golden River
From Tenderfoot to Scout Three Sides of Paradise Green The Girl Next Door The Sapphire Signet Stories of the Ancient Greeks The Browns
More Good Times at Hackmatack Jolly Good Times at School The Annes Letters from Colonial Children Betty Wales, Freshman Star Stories Young Skippers of the Great Lakes Marjorie's Vacation Marjorie's New Friend Best Short Stories Stories of Wakeland and Dreamland Stories of Great Adventure Folk Stories and Fables Once Upon a Time Stories
Boys and Girls of Colonial Days Hiro Stories (two copies) Everyday Stories Three Little Pigs
Wm. J. Long Christy Mathewson Margaret M. Matlock Amy B. Marlowe Olive Thorne Miller L. M. Montgomery L. M. Montgomery Lucy Fitch Perkins Lucy Fitch Perkins Lucy Fitch Perkins Eleanor H. Porter Chas. G. D. Roberts John Ruskin A. C. Ruddy Augusta H. Seaman Augusta H. Seaman Augusta H. Seaman Chas. D. Shaw Mary P. Wells Smith Mary P. Wells Smith Mary P. Wells Smith Marion Ames Taggart Eva March Tappan Margaret Warde Gertrude C. Warner Hugh C. Weir Carolyn Wells Carolyn Wells Sam'l B. Allison Anne E. Allen Carolyn S. Bailey Carolyn S. Bailey Carolyn S. Bailey Carolyn S. Bailey Carolyn S. Bailey Carolyn S. Bailey Frances Beem
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Rhymes and Tales for Children Boy Blue and His Friends Nancy in the Woods
Mother Westwind's Animal Friends Mother Westwind's Children Adventures of Johnny Chuck
Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse
Thornton W. Burgess
Thornton W. Burgess Thornton W. Burgess
Adventures of Johnny Skunk Old Granny Fox Panther Stories Stories of Brave Dogs
Adventures of Grillo
Twingley Eyes at Valley Farm
Twingley Eyes and the Lone Lake Folks
Little Folks in Many Lands
Paddy Paws Going to School in Animal Land Tell it Again Stories
Story of the Early Sea People Fairy Gold Series-(2 books)
Colliery Jim The Kinderkins How the Animals Came to the Circus Rick and Ruddy Loraine and the Little People Loraine and the Little People of Spring Japanese Fairy Tales Cinderella
Bobbsey Twins at Cedar Camp Bobbsey Twins on the Deep Blue Sea Quaint Old Stories Book of Romance The Sleeping Beauty Jack the Giant Killer Cinderella Little Wild Rose
Mary Frances Blaisdell Mary Frances Blaisdell Marion Bryce
Thornton W. Burgess Thornton W. Burgess Thornton W. Burgess
M. H. Carter M. H. Carter Ernest Candeze Allen Chaffee Allen Chaffee Lulu M. Chance Grace Coolidge Julia D. Cowles Dillingham & Emerson Katharine Dopp
Nora J. Finch Frances M. Fox E. Gale Howard K. Garis Elizabeth Gordan Elizabeth Gordan Lafcadio Hearn Alice C. Henderson Laura Lee Hope Laura Lee Hope Marion F. Lansing Andrew Lang Andrew Lang Andrew Lang Andrew Lang Andrew Lang
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Beauty and the Beast Aladdin and Other Stories Nonsense A. B. C.
Peter and Dolly in Spring
Peter and Dolly in Summer
Peter and Dolly in Autunm
Peter and Dolly in Winter
Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know
Will o' the Wasp
Ab. the Cave Man
Wee Ann
Turdy and Timothy
Book of Legends
Book of Fables
Black Beauty
Tommy Smith at the Zoo
Tommy Smith Again at the Zoo Bobby Bubbles
Hawk Eye Little Bear
Seventeen Little Bears
Bunny Bright Eyes
Children's Favorite Stories
The Golden Goose
Adv. of Tommy Tad and Dolly Wog Easy Stories Nursery Tales
War of the Wooden Soldiers M. L. & W. C. Wheeler Dotty Dollie's Teaparty By-lo Series (5 books) M. L. & W. C. Wheeler Blanche Fisher Wright Curtis D. Wilbur Sarah C. Rippey
The Bear Family at Home The Goody, Naughty Book American Readers, books one, two, three Beacon Primer and second reader Blodgett's First, Second and Third Readers Browne Readers, books I, II, III Cyr's Primer ; First Reader ; Dramatic First
Andrew Lang Andrew Lang Edward Lear Rose Lucia Rose Lucia Rose Lucia Rose Lucia
Hamilton Mabie Margaret W. Morley Adapted by Wm. L. Nida Ethel C. Phillips Bertha C. Porter Horace E. Scudder Horace E. Scudder Anna Sewell Edmund Selous Edmund Selous E. Hugh Sherwood Laura K. Smith Laura K. Smith Laura K. Smith Laura K. Smith Laura K. Smith Eva March Tappan E. H. Trick E. A. Turner L. L. Weedon
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Eugene Field Reader The Fairy Reader Rob't Louis Stevenson Reader Robinson Brusoe Reader Folk Lore Readers I, II, III Hill Readers I, II, III Jones Readers I, II, III Story Hour Readers I, II, III Magee ReadersI and II Wade and Sylvester I and II Winston Readers I and II
James Baldwin
Magazines and Periodicals Harper's Magazine American Magazine Everybody's Magazine Good Housekeeping National Geographic Popular Mechanics World's Work Review of Reviews Saint Nicholas Boys' Life The American Boy John Martins
Water Commissioners' Report
The following is respectfully submitted as the Twenty- Fifth Annual Report of the Board of Water Commissioners.
We have received the past year as follows :-
Balance on deposit from last year's account. $ 2,947.69
Certificate of deposit 1,800.00
One Liberty Bond 1,000.00
One Victory Bond 1,000.00
Cash from collection of Water Rates 5,318.75
Interest on deposits 127.82
Interest on Victory and Liberty Bonds
180.00
Interest from Savings Banks 48.75
From F. G. Howard, hydrants, ipe, etc. 403.25
From Standard Oil Co., breaking hydrant 20.00
$ 12,846.26
We have paid out the past year as follows :-
Town of Hatfield $ 2,900.00
Salaries of Water Commissioners 100.00
E. W. Strong, collections, labor and cash paid 408.81
W. H. Riley & Co., labor and material. 127.33
S. W. Kingsley, labor 43.50
F. M. Crittenden, printing 12.00
Norwood Eng. Co., service boxes 54.00
Northampton W. Works, material and labor 443.12
$ 4,088.76
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Balance in Treasury :
Cash on deposit $ 2,151.98
One Liberty Bond 1,000.00
One Victory Bond 1,000.00
Dep. Amherst Savings Bank 1,537.50
Dep. Northampton Inst. for Savings .. 1,011.25
Dep. Northampton Nat'l Bank 2,056.77
8,757.50
$ 12,846.26
Respectfully submitted, JOHN W. KILEY, ROSWELL G. BILLINGS, L. A. DEINLEIN, Water Commissioners.
I have this day examined the books and accounts of the Treasurer of the Water Commissioners of the town of Hat- field and find them correct, with vouchers on file for all payments made, and a balance in the Treasury of $8,757.50
CHARLES E. WARNER, Auditor.
January 17, 1922.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
AND
Superintendent of Schools
OF THE
Town of Hatfield
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1921
School Organization
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Rev. Thomas B. Cunningham, Chairman, Term expires 1923 Adam J. Smith, Secretary, Term expires 1922
Oscar E. Belden, Term expires 1924
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
38 North Elm Street, Northampton Telephone 1202-R
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS
A. J. Bonneville, M. D., (Center and North Hatfield schools) C. A. Byrne, M. D., (Hill, Bradstreet, and West Hatfield schools).
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Arthur R. Breor
SCHOOL CENSUS
April 1, 1921
Boys
Girls
Totals
Between 5 and 7
68
73
141
Between 7 and 14
240
208
448
Between 14 and 16
51
42
93
Totals
359
323
682
58
SCHOOL CALENDARS
Elementary School
Fall Term-15 weeks
1st Winter Term-7 weeks 2nd Winter Term-8 weeks Spring Term-7 weeks
Fall Term-15 weeks
First Winter Term
Opens-September 12, 1921 Closes-December 23, 1921 Opens-January 3, 1922 Closes-February 17, 1922 Opens-February 27, 1922 Closes-April 21, 1922 Opens-May 1, 1922 Closes-June 16, 1922 Opens-September 11, 1922 Closes-December 22, 1922 Opens-January 2, 1923
Smith Academy
Fall Term-15 weeks
Winter Term-12 weeks Spring Term-11 weeks
Fall Term-15 weeks
Winter Term-
Opens-September 12, 1921 Closes-December 23, 1921 Opens-January 3, 1922 Closes-March 24, 1922 Opens-April 3, 1922 Closes-June 15, 1922 Opens-September 11, 1922 Closes-December 22, 1922 Opens-January 2, 1923
Report of School Committee
During the past year much has been done to better our schools.
Superintendent C. J. Richards, who took charge early in the year, has labored faithfully to bring about a very satisfactory condition, both as to system and morale.
March 1st Smith Academy became the town High School. This change has worked to the advantage of our school system. By vote of the town a state-aided agricul- tural department was established in the High School. This department should appeal to many of our boys who other- wise would leave school after the eighth grade.
Extensive repairs were made on the school building at North Hatfield. These repairs were imperative. Minor repairs were made at Bradstreet and the Hill.
A committee, comprising the members of the School Board and Messrs. J. J. Bestold, William Cutter and James Mullins, was commissioned by vote of the last town meeting to erect a new school building at West Hatfield for a sum not exceeding $15,000. This building has been erected and furnished within the appropriation. Additional play ground has been furnished by purchase of the land in the rear of the old property extending to the New Haven Railroad. We commend the civic spirit of those citizens of West Hat- field who graded the school grounds without expense to the town.
THOS. B. CUNNINGHAM, ADAM J. SMITH, OSCAR E. BELDEN.
·
Financial Statement
For Fiscal Year Ending Dec. 31, 1921 RECEIPTS
From State :
General School Fund $3,768.75
Massachusetts School Fund 1,432.94
Tuition :
Northampton for 1920 and 1921. . .$ 469.00
Whately for 1920 and 1921 1,215.00
Boston City Wards 71.25
1,755.25
Town Appropriation 25,000.00
Academy Trustees
2,722.28
Dog Fund 158.26
$ 34,837.48
EXPENDITURES
Salaries :
Teachers
$ 22,464.07
Janitors
2,426.00
Supervisor
642.00
Superintendent of Schools
1,278.75
$ 26,810.82
Books and Supplies
1,953.95
Fuel
3,215.24
Repairs
1,791.59
Transportation
106.30
Miscellaneous
1,082.24
1
$ 34,960.14
Reimbursements amounting to more than $1.200.00 are due from the State on the 1921 school account. This will provide for the payment of some unpaid bills carried over to 1922.
5,201.69
REPORT OF Superintendent of Schools
On resuming my duties in this District after an absence of about three years, I find some changes, and a variety of unfinished plans and new problems. Frequent changes in administration generally cause some confusion and loss, regardless of the quality of the service rendered. This has also been the period of reorganization and adjustment fol- lowing the great war, which has affected unfavorably the work of the schools as well as most other institutions and industries.
Schools should be organized and carried on with refer- ence first and always to the welfare of the pupils. All school activities and surroundings should be judged by this standard, and on its acceptance and intelligent application will depend in large measure the successful operation of any school system. This should be the standard not only of the school officials, who are directly responsible, but they must have the support and cooperation of all good citizens in their efforts. It is only because the people of Hatfield have given their loyal support to plans for school improvement that progress has been possible, and that there is hope for its continuance.
BUILDINGS AND ENROLLMENT
The new two-room building at West Hatfield was opened for use last September and is proving very satisfactory. Its attractive appearance and substantial workmanship reflect much credit on the architect, contractor, and building com- mittee.
.
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The situation in the North Hatfield schools during the school year ending June, 1921 was entirely unsatisfactory owing chiefly to the crowded conditions. About thirty Whately pupils were enrolled during the year. The school authorities of that town are now providing for the schooling of these children in their own town. There now remain about sixty Hatfield children, which is nearly as many as the building can accommodate.
The North Hatfield building has been repaired through- out and electric lights installed. The sanitary arrangements, however, are unsatisfactory. At some time in the future the town will need to consider plans for a radical alteration of this building or for a new one to replace it.
By reference to the enrollment table it will be seen that there were at the Center building last October three hun- dred twenty children, or an average of forty for each room. No teacher can render her best service for more than thirty- five pupils. Unless there should be some unexpected de- crease in the population of the town, it is likely that next year there will be an increase of thirty or more in the num- ber of children of school age to attend the village schools. Both the Hill and Center schools are filled to their capacity, and some plan should be made for caring for the probable increase, unless we wish to repeat the experience of a few years ago, before the erection of the Center building. when the children of several grades were receiving only half-time instruction.
If at any time the number of pupils in the Bradstreet school should increase beyond the capacity of the building it might be necessary to transport the older ones to the vil- lage schools. This possibility should also be taken into ac- count in making any plans for additional housing at the village.
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SMITH ACADEMY
On March first 1921, the Trustees of Smith Academy turned over the control of that institution to the town authorities, and it has been recognized by the State Depart- ment as the Public High School of Hatfield. Similar action has been taken by the trustees of most of the old time acade- mies in the State, including such schools as Hopkins in Hadley, Arms in Shelburne Falls, Powers in Bernardston, and Sanderson in Ashfield. The movement represents a healthful tendency to place the education of our young people under public rather than private control. The owner- ship of the building and control of endowment funds still remain in the hands of the Academy Trustees, but they will contribute toward the support of the school and necessary repairs.
Extensive changes and repairs have been made to pro. vide for the growth of the school and to furnish suitable quarters for the various departments needed for a modern high school.
Excellent work is being done by teachers in all depart- ments under the direction of Principal Wilcox to whom much credit is due for the general improvement of the school.
TEACHERS
It cannot be emphasized too much nor too often that in building up and carrying on a successful school system, the one most important condition is to secure and retain trained and efficient teachers. Buildings, books, equipment, super- vision, and courses of study are necessary adjuncts, but are of secondary importance. A school may have all these and yet be a failure for lack of an efficient teacher. Recent state legislation for school improvement has recognized these facts, and has provided for considerably higher salaries than were formerly paid in the smaller towns, in order to retain capable teachers and to attract others into the profession who were being drawn into other lines of work by the larger salaries and apparently easier requirements.
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Several teachers resigned at the end of the school year inin June, but their places hav been filled quite satisfactorily. All of our present force have had either successful experi- ence, or a full course of normal school training, or both, and are working faithfully with a good degree of intelligence and success.
All educators agree that a part at least of the high school instructors should be men. It is nearly, if not quite. as important that men as well as women should be provided as teachers for the older boys and girls of the elementary schools. This policy is being carried out in part this year in the employment of a man as Principal of the Center school.
Our greatest difficulty in securing and retaining de- sirable teachers from out of town consists in finding suitable boarding places at prices which the teachers can afford to pay.
The following is quoted from the report of a super- intendent who has evidently had similar difficulties :
"As a rule the people who have the most comfortable places for teachers will not board them. Last year one dis- trict under my supervision lost an excellent teacher because she had to board almost two miles from the school. In that same district there are three very comfortable homes within two-hundred yards of the school house, and in not one of the three could I engage accommodations for a teacher just because the people didn't 'want to bother'. I had another case where a teacher resigned a position and accepted one in another town that paid a much smaller salary for the simple reason that the school building and boarding place in my district were much inferior to the accommodations in the other town. Now in order to have a good rural school someone in the precinct must be public spirited enough to do something for the good of the school. The school com- mittee and superintendent cannot do it all."
Without doubt all who have had experience in looking up boarding places for teachers will heartily agree with this
65
superintendent's conclusions. The efficiency of a teacher depends so largely on having comfortable and homelike surroundings, that one of the most helpful things the people of any community can do for their schools is to assist in pro- viding desirable boarding places for their teachers.
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION
Any system of instruction is defective which does not provide special instruction for the exceptional child, or for the one who on account of absence or other causes is falling behind in his work. A teacher of unusual ability who understands children and is familiar with the subjects taught in the different grades is needed for this work, and we are fortunate in securing Mrs. Mary B. Powers who, in addition to her duties as Assistant Principal of the Center school, is giving special instruction as needed to individuals and groups.
This special or individual help is given not only to those pupils who have failed to grasp some part of the regular class instruction, but also to the smaller number of children who can learn more readily than the average, and who, with a litle extra instruction, could be advanced a grade without omitting any essential subject. In either case the pupil saves a year's time, and does not feel the discouragement and lack of interest that come when one is retarded, or when he is not working on a plane with his maturity and natural ability.
Even from a financial point of view, the employment of such a teacher for full time would be justifiable if through her efforts twenty-five children were each year saved a year's time in the completion of the elementary school course, since this would be the equivalent of the work of a regular teacher. The larger values, however, of this work with spec- ial pupils or classes, are to be found in the improvement of the individuals and the more satisfactory work that can be done by all pupils in the classrooms of the regular teachers
66
when the causes of retardation and discouragement are be- ing removed.
SUPERVISORS
The need of special teachers or supervisors of music, drawing, and handwriting is generally recognized. The im- portance of these subjects in all courses of study is univer- sally conceded, but it has been found that most teachers do not teach them satisfactorily without the help of expert supervision.
Because of Miss Boyle's local interests we have been able to retain for several years the services of an efficient supervisor of music, but we have not been so fortunate in regard to drawing and handwriting. Competent supervisors for towns of the size of Hatfield can usually be secured only by union with other towns. We have so far this year been unable to make such a combination, but hope to have better success next year.
COURSES OF STUDY
All elementary school teachers have been given a re- vision in manuscript form of the Course of Study which was used as the basis of school work in this district from 1911 to 1918. This also contains several pages of general sugges- tions and directions relating to organization and manage- ment. A textbook outline has also been prepared to accom- pany this course.
Most high school teachers will agree that a thorough knowledge of those subjects usually taught in elementary schools gives a better preparation for high school than a smattering of several high school subjects. As far as prac- ticable, opportunity for "try-outs" in language, manual training, domestic science, and gardening should be given. but these should be introduced not as substitutes for the regular subjects but as complementary to them.
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The results of recent experiments seem to indicate that it is wiser to continue the study of the regular subjects throughout the elementary grades than to substitute others which are usually taught in the high school. It is neither psychological nor practical for a child in the grades to ex- change geography for French or Latin, nor to neglect the fundamentals of arithmetic for the formal study of algebra and geometry. Dougtless there is need in the upper grades of most elementary schools for modifications in subject mat- ter, including both eliminations and substitutions. But to "bridge the gap" between the grades and the high school depends more on the organization of the work and the meth- od of its presentation than on any radical changes in sub- jects.
Instruction in Practical Arts should be encouraged. · This includes work in gardening, care of animals, wood, metal, or paper construction, cooking, sewing, and other forms of handwork. These activities are valuable not only as a basis for instruction in the usual school subjects, but because they lead to a right attitude toward manual labor in the home and on the farm, and afford opportunities for the pupils to develop ingenuity and self-reliance. They also help pupils to "find themselves"-to discover their powers and aptitudes-and thus to select more wisely the studies and lines of work for which they are best fitted.
Very creditable work has been done by several of our boys and girls in connection with the various practical arts clubs managed by the Agricultural Societies and the County Farm Bureau. These clubs, however, are confined to a limit- ed number. Other opportunities for practical work in home and school should be afforded that would be used by a larger number of pupils. Home and school gardening seems to ap- peal to most normal children of the elementary school age, and when properly supervised and carried on, has social and economic as well as educational values.
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TEXTBOOKS
Books are essential tools in the educational process, and should be the best obtainable. They not only furnish much of the material for the pupils' daily tasks, but help in the formation of his habits and tastes. It has been found neces- sary to buy a large number of books during the past year in order to supply the deficiency in essential subjects; and a considerable number must also be bought this year if the schools are to be adequately supplied.
Frye's New Geographies have been introduced in all grammar grades throughout the town. Our recent national experiences have shown us the need of a knowledge of other lands and peoples as well as our own. Geography is recog- nized as one of the most interesting and practical of subjects. The text adopted emphasizes the rational method of teach- ing. and depends less upon the memory and more upon the judgment, than was the case with the geographies formerly used.
The McFadden Language books are being introduced in the middle grades, and the Horn-Ashbaugh speller in all grades above the second. .
The Aldine Revised Readers are being gradually sub- stituted for the old series as these need replacing.
There should be a change in the histories now in use, and more physiologies, arithmetics, and primary reading books are needed.
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