USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1897 > Part 14
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Know its message of truth, in the days yet to be. Shall ring in our hearts true and clear.
CHORUS :
Class of 1897.
Mabel Louise Drew, Eugenia Maynard Hatch. Mabel Gordon MeKenzie, Helen Arabella Mitten, Alice Grafton Thompson, Anna Josephine Walsh.
350
FOUNDER'S DAY 1897.
Chorus-"My Heart's in the Highlands," M. Penschel
School.
Double Trio-"Sweet and Low."
Poem for Founder's Day, Written by Miss F. C. Lance Recited by Helen H. Claflin.
Selected Chorus-"Welcome, Pretty Primrose," Pinsuti Benbow
Swedish Gymnastics, Girls from Third, Fourth and Fifth Classes.
Preparatory Fencing,
Girls from First and Second Classes.
Selected Chorus-"Spinning Chorus, from "The Flying Dutch- [man."
Club Swinging.
Girls of the Graduate Class.
Remarks by Hon. Charles Francis Adams, 2nd,
Chairman of the Board of Managers.
Remarks by Rev. E. N. Hardy.
Double Trio-"Hush-a-bye Lady."
Remarks by Rev. Walter Russell Breed.
Remarks by Rev. Edward A. Robinson.
Chorus-"The Chase for the Butterflies," L. Clapisson School.
Remarks by Rev. E. C. Butler, Chairman of the Board of Directors.
March.
ANNUAL REPORT
THE-
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
--- OF THE-
City of Quincy, Massachusetts.
FOR THE YEAR 1897.
1640
1625
MANET L
2
QUINCY
1888
QUINCY : ADVERTISER JOR PRINT. 1898.
1
3
i.
School Committee For 1897.
At Large. DR. HENRY C. HALLOWELL
· Term expires 1897
MR. FRANK C. FIELD,
1898
MR. FRANK A. PAGE,
1899
By Wards.
Ward 1. HON. CHARLES H. PORTER
Ward 2. REV. WALTER R. BREED .
Ward 3. MISS MABEL E. ADAMS
Ward 4. DR. JOHN H. ASHI
Ward 5. DR. WELLINGTON RECORD
Ward 6. DR. FREDERICK J. PEIRCE
Term expires 1897
1898
1898
٤٣ 1899
" 1897
" " it 1899
Chairman of the School Board,
CHARLES H. PORTER. Secretary of the Board and Superintendent of Schools, HERBERT WARREN LULL. Office, No. 1 Faxon's Block, Hancock Street. Hours : Monday, 8 to 9 p. M. ; Tuesday and Thursday, 5 to 6 p. M .; Friday, 12 to 1 p. M.
The regular meetings of the School Board are held at eight o'clock p. M. the last Tuesday in each month.
1
STANDING SUB COMMITTEES FOR 1897.
FOR THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
HIGH
ADAMS
CODDINGTON
GRIDLEY BRYANT
JOHN HANCOCK
LINCOLN
MASSACHUSETTS FIELD
QUINON
WASHINGTON
WILLARD.
WOLLASTON :
Messrs. Porter, Hallowell, Breed Miss Adams, Messrs. Field, Breed Messrs. Hallowell, Breed, Porter Messrs. Porter, Ash, Field Messrs. Page, Field, Miss Adams Messrs. Field, Ash, Miss Adams Messrs. Page, Record, Peirce, Messrs. Peirce, Record, Hallowell Messrs. Breed, Porter, Miss Adams Messrs. Ash, Hallowell, Page Messrs. Record, Page, Peirce .
Finance and Salaries. Messrs. Porter, Page, Hallowell.
..
Books and Supplies. Messrs. Hallowell, Breed, Record.
Transportation. Messrs. Record, Ash, Field.
Evening Schools. Messrs. Peirce, Breed, Field.
Text Books. Messrs. Page, Peirce, Miss Adams.
Special Subjects.
Miss Adams, Messrs: Field, Ash.
5
Report of School Com= mittee.
To the Citizens of Quincy :
It has been the custom for many years for the School Com- mittee to make a report to the citizens concerning the general welfare of the schools, their educational progress, and the busi- Dess details incident to their management. In the days before superintendents were employed the report upon purely educa- tional matters was wont to be long and explicit; since, so far as it was possible, the School Committee of the past performed duties pertaining to organization and supervision. When communities were smaller, life simpler, and educational problems less complex, such a method of conducting a school- system was entirely practicable ; but the rapid growth of the school population, the progress of educational science, and the tendency of the age towards specialization, have brought about a demand for a specialist ; and today an educational expert, a. man trained by study and experience for the position, stands at the head of every important school-system in the United States. In Massachusetts the School Committee have surrendered none of their power, they have simply delegated to the superintendent the executive duties which lack of time and lack of training preclude them from performing to the best advantage. The superintendent shapes the educational policy according to tho tendency of the time and the authority of recognized leaders,
6
but that policy represents the opinion of a majority of the School Committee. To the report of Supt. Lull readers of this report are referred, for all details concerning the educational conduct of the schools during the past year.
Mention has been made by your Committee, in previous years, of the disadvantage to the schools of the comparatively small salaries which Quincy pays to teachers and the consequent frequent changes. That many teachers make Quincy a stepping- stone toward higher-salaried positions is true, but teachers seeking promotion put forth their best effort, and therefore we feel that the present school corps in serving efficiently and satisfactorily.
The community as a whole, knows too little of the schools and their problems. People who have not spent one full school- day under the roof of a school-house since their own graduation and whose knowledge of school-affairs is obtained solely from intercourse with a few pupils, often indulge in wholesale con- demnation of schools, teachers, and methods because individual results fail to gain their approval. The schools are supported by the public; interest, suggestions and criticism from the public are entirely proper ; but, in order to be valuable, such interest, suggestions, and criticism should be intelligent, and only familiarity with the aims and methods of the schools can render them intelligent.
Lately an effort has been made in some towns and cities, notably in Brookline, to bring the community intr closer rela- tion with the schools. "Education Societies" have been formed . with the purpose of studying educational problems from a lay standpoint, and bringing to bear upon the schools the culture, : the experience, and the common-sense of the people for whose .: benefit they exist. Regular meetings are held, at which educa- tional topics of general interest are discussed. The actual work is accomplished by committees which report from time to time at the meetings. School-room decoration, school-libraries, lectures, concerts and art exhibitions for pupils, High School extension, and all matters which tend to elevate the social life ¡ of the community, are regarded as proper undertakings for the
7
committees. It is hoped that Quincy will soon feel the need of such a society, which might become a powerful factor in the moulding of public opinion and the establishing of right educa- tional standards.
In 1888 the Elementary Evening-Schools were established in Quincy and your Committee feel that these schools have accomplished much good for certain of our citizens to whom circumstances denied carly educational advantages. There are, however, others in the city to whom evening-schools might be made valuable by some enlargement of the present curriculum. Many young grammar-graduates who are occupied during the day would avail themselves eagerly of an opportunity to pursue high-school studies in the evening. They would welcome, especially, an opportunity to obtain vocational instruction. A course including stenography, type-writing, book-keeping, commercial arithmetic, English and history, and extending over two years, would meet the needs of many for whom no provision now exists. Such a course need not necessarily, be expensive. Teachers in the higher branches could be obtained for salaries no larger than those now paid. Many of the pupils now in the elementary evening-schools would be promoted. It would be possible, too, for a single teacher to handle larger numbers in these advanced studies.
Your Committee fully realize the need for extreme economy but a careful scrutiny of items of expense reveals to, them no evidence of extravagance. Last year the amount hitherto paid for special supervision was greatly reduced by employing two of the special teachers as regular instructors in the High School for a definite portion of their time. It is the opinion of this Board that another step in the direction of true economy can be made if the whole time of the Superintendent be utilized for super- visory service. At present, a certain part of it is lost to super- vision on account of the large amount of clerical work which devolves upon him. Such matters as reports, statistics, and the book-keeping entailed by the purchase and distribution of sup- plies might be efficiently cared for by a clerk. It therefore seems advisable to hire a clerk, who, under the direction of the
8
Superintendent, shall perform all such duties as are enumerated above, leaving him free to spend all his time in purely educa- tional work.
A few words upon the general aim of the schools may not be inopportune at this time. The product of our schools should be self-respecting, self-reliant, hard-working men and women. Character is the result of habit and habits are formed during school-life. If self-reliance and the power of application are to belong to the grown man, the boy must form the habit of relying upon himself and working toward a definite end. Your Superintendent and Committee alike feel that any course of study which tends to remove responsibility from the pupil is to be deplored. Their gospel is a "Gospel of Work."
HENRY C. HALLOWELL, CHARLES H. PORTER, '97
WELLINGTON RECORD
MABEL ELLERY ADAMS, .
WALTER R. BREED, '98 FRANK C. FIELD,
JOHN H. ASH, FRANK A. PAGE, *99 FREDERIC J. PEIRCE.
9
Report of the Superin= tendent.
To the School Committee of Quincy :-
The sixth report of your present Superintendent is the twenty-third of the series and the forty-eighth of the printed reports of the Quincy School Board.
Herein is recorded, and respectfully submitted to the Board, an epitome of the school history of 1897, and with it are suggestions regarding the future. As in years past, the material side is first called to your attention. Quincy can proudly say that no child five years of age knocks in vain at her school- house door. Omnibus-like there has always been room for one more. No matter how much the additional chair and desk have encroached on that part of the schoolroom that should be allotted to the teacher, the child has been admitted at the regu- lar dates. In most cases this increase has been made without adding to the enrollment of the room more than ten pupils beyond the traditional fifty-a maximum for primary grades that is already ten too large.
SCHOOL PROPERTY.
EN-
İCA-
MA-
HEAT- ING.
VENTI LATION.
SANI- TARY.
High,
1894
$75,000
12
100
411 Brick
Hot-air Hot-air
Good Dry closet Good Dry closet
Adams,
1855
1879
15,000
10
466 467 Wood
Coddington,
1855
1876
20,000
91 390
448 Wood
Stoves None
Gridley Bryant,
1896
37,500
9 426
426 Brick
Steam
Good Dry closet
John Hancock,
1886
45,000
82
414
444 Brick
Steam
Fair
Lincoln,
1892
27,650
8 396
427 Brick
Steam
Good Dry closet
Massachusetts Fields,
1896
37,000
9
126
426 Brick
Steam
Good Dry closet
Quincy,
1873
19,700
8
288
342 Wood
Steam None Dry closet Hot-air None
§ 10
Willard,
1891
125,000
183
891
900 Brick Hot-air Good Dry closet
Wollaston,
1873
1890 36,000
330
360 Wood Hot-air
+ Dry closet
Old High,
1852
9,000
3
100+
Wood Hot-air None
S
Land, Germantown,
300
Land, Quincy Neck
300
Furniture, books, apparatus, etc.
17,000
Grand Total
$475,450
4,831 4,983
Washington,
1858
1874
11,000
8 304
332 Wood
SCHOOLS.
BUILT. LARG'D *VALUE. ROOMS. PACITY |SEATS TE'L.
*Assessors' valuation 1897. + "Capacity" means the proper limit, and "Seats," the actual number. 1. Two buildings in one school yard (6 and 3 rooms). 2. Third floor unfinished. 3. In addition a small hall poorly lighted. 4. As it now stands. #Four rooms, none; four rooms, good. Soll-fashioned out-buildings. |Closets in an adjoining out-building that are "finished" into a cesspool.
11
The out-buildings of the Coddington are 150 feet from the conter doors of the building. To these nearly 450 pupils must go in all kinds of weather. It is impossible for a teacher of 50 pupils to know whether a child puts on hat or coat. Doubtless many go without either. Colds naturally result from this ex- posure. The introduction of the new sewer system, which runs in the rear of the schoolyard, makes it possible to place closets in the basement of the building.
The needs of the Washington are as imperative: but the position taken by the Council of 1896 seems to indicate that it is ill-advised to spend more money on a building so much out of date.
The report of 1895 annonneed the completion of two buildings in readiness for the new year. In January of 1897, both were occupied. The Gridley Bryant has at present a few more than 300 pupils in its nine rooms. Only the eighth grade is small ; but another year it will be of fair size. The building will easily accommodate 100 more pupils. The Massachusetts Fields has more than 260 regular members. The grammar grades are somewhat small, but are steadily increasing because of the erection of many new houses and the arrival of new fam- ilies. Only eight of the nine rooms are now in nse. The build- ing will seat without crowding 150 more pupils. It should be be remembered that its bounds may be pushed farther north and west at any time.
ACCOMMODATIONS.
The schedule of school property does not indicate the true .condition of school accommodations.
The needs of the High school are given in full by Head- Master Tupper in his special report.
The Adams building is able to care for its own district for ·one or two years longer, if it has the use of its tenth room.
The Coddington is full in all its rooms and is over crowded iin six.
1
12
The Gridley Bryant and the Massachusetts Fields may suffice for three or four years.
The John Hancock, since Sept., 1892, has been able to seat grades seven and eight in one room. As these grades now num- ber 70, two rooms are necessary. Therefore grade seven has been sent to the unfinished attic in which it suffers the extremes of heat and cold.
The Lincoln overran its capacity the first year. By grad- ually contracting the bounds, its district to the north has nearly disappeared. Today 55 pupils live north of a line drawn east and west through the center of Brooks avenue, which the Lin- coln faces. This contraction has been necessary in spite of the transference of grade six to the Adams. The total number in the building is 340, and grades seven and eight must ocenpy the same room.
The Quincy has eight small rooms and all, except one, con- tain their maximum number The Music Hall room seats thirty pupils.
The Washington has the maximum number in five rooms and has nearly reached the limit in the others. This building should receive pupils from the vicinity of Cuion street ( at least as far west as Union street) ; but it is so near the eastern limit of its district that this is impossible.
The Willard has an average of 43 pupils in each of its 16 regular rooms, 39 in the former storeroom, 40 in the former recitation room, and 31 in the new room roughly partitioned off from the hall on the third floor. If the usual number enters next April (50 or more ), another room should be prepared on the same floor.
The Wollaston has reached a maximum in four rooms and is close to it in the remaining four. During the last season houses have been built with alarming rapidity ; but this building can be relieved at any time by transferring all pupils east of the steam railroad to the Massachusetts Fields, to which school they naturally belong.
Such being the condition of these ten grammar schools, let us examine the distribution of the school population.
13
A village has sprung up in the neighborhood of Whitwell street. This is disputed territory; but because of its outlet through accepted streets it belongs to the John Hancock district.
To the south of a line drawn through the centre of Brooks avenue from railroad to railroad are 317 children of the Lincoh. Between this line and the electric car tracks on Water and Copeland streets in the former Lincoln district are 250, and next April the total school population will be 600.
South of Water street, but east of the steam railroad and west of Quincy avenue, are 136 children of the Adams. If the south side of Water street is included, the number is 171.
In a district bounded by Adams street, the steam railroad, Granite street and Gass place (including both sides of these streets) live 102 children, of the Coddington (32) and John Hancock (70). If the western line were carried west to the Ward line in the centre of Quarry street, this number would be increased to 143.
In that part of the Coddington district east of Union street and including both sides of the street there are 97 children.
As to the future, then, the following questions should be considered at once ; for it is a well-known fact that two years intervene between a decided movement for increased accommo- dations and the completed buildings. Furthermore, the addi- tions for the coming years should be based on some definite plan made after a careful survey of the whole city.
1. Shall the Board continue to rent a room at Atlantic ?
2. Shall grade six of the Lincoln be housed another year in the Adams ?
3. Shall the Washington be rebuilt to the west and south of its present situation ?
4. Shall provision be made for the children of the Adams south of Water street ?
5. Shall the Whitwell district be first considered ?
6. Shall the attic of the John Hancock be finished ?
7. Shall the hall of the Willard be made into school- rooms ?
14
8. Shall the High be enlarged ?
9 .* Shall the old High be used or sold ?
10. Shall provision be made for primary children in the. vicinity of the High ?
*The two furnaces are worn out.
Your Superintendent has carefully considered these con- ditions and questions, and recommends that the northern bound- ary of the Lincoln be reestablished where the electric track seems naturally to mark it ; that is, to follow the track from the. Quincy Adams station through Water and Copeland streets to the foot of Buckley, thence to cross over to Center street, andi thence to follow the northerly side of Station street to the steam railroad. Such a plan, if adopted, would relieve the John Han- cock of 70 pupils and the Willard of 130. Then the total school population of the Lincoln district, including those who will enter next April, will be fully 600.
For their accommodation a six-room building should be erected in the present school yard and on that land adjacent which is still in the market. The new building should be placed in the care of the same principal and janitor as is the present school. By this addition, the seventh and eighth grades may be separated, the sixth withdrawn from the Adams, and four rooms be filled by the 200 pupils in the Willard and John Hancock. The Lincoln district is so peculiarly isolated by the railroad tracks, that its children should be kept within these natural bounds. Furthermore, this method seems to be the most economical, so far as running expenses are concerned. As this city owns plans for an eight-room building, it may be good economy to build an eight instead of a six-room, and thus make some provision for the future growth.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS :
Table showing largest number belonging at the close of any month since Sept. 7 :
15
I.
11.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Adams,
51
44
46
48
44
44
47
43
Coddington,
45
43
74
53
51
51
49
36
52
Gridley Bryant,
35
41
43
39
42
33
35
18
John Hancock,
51
51
60
53
47
37
40+
30
56
Lincoln,
49
35
53
41
49
30*
29§ 16§
50
33
Mass. Fields,
42
45
34
42
29
31
25
18
Quincy,
54
50
45
38
44
34
35
25
29|
Washington,
50
44
43
31
39
30
34
29
Willard,
42
43
38
50
47
41
40
42
37
40
46
49
47
30
33
48
38
45
48
62
37
38
34
37
39
35
32
In April, 1898, 200 children will enter. They will cause- an overflow into Grades II. and III.
* Adams, ¡Attic, §Same room, | Music hall, #Attic.
TEACHERS.
At the close of schools in December there were in ser -- vice :
High School,
MEN.
WOMEN.
TOTAL.
Principal,
1
0
1
Other Teachers,*
2
7
9
Wollaston,
48
33
16
Grammar and Primary.
Principals,
9
1
10
Other Teachers, VIII.
C
VII.
11
VI.
11
V.
11
IV.
11
III.
12
II.
13
I.
19
90
Assistants,
9
9
Specials*,
5
5
124
Totals for 1893,
104
1896,
118
1894,
10€
1897,
124
1895,
108
*One Special gives one-tenth of her time to the. High School; another four-tenths; and a third, five-tenths; in all ten-tenths, or an extra teacher. The teacher of Cooking gives all her time to the High. (There are twenty lessons per year.)
During the year, because of the opening of two new build- ings, fourteen additional teachers have been engaged. An ex- tra teacher has been added to the corps of the High, a master's assistant to that of the Coddington, one teacher to that of the Quincy and one to that of the Willard.
Sixteen teachers have left the teaching force this year. A second member of the corps has completed forty years of service. The teachers would have been pleased to observe this unusual occurrence, as they did the fortieth anniversary of Miss Underwood in April, 1895; but Miss Newcomb preferred that they should not do so.
This Board spread on its records the following :
Records of School Board, Tuesday, March 30, 1897. The following resolution was passed by a unanimous vote :
17
WHEREAS: Miss Emeline A. Newcomb has been a teacher in the Willard School for forty years, therefor the School Com- mittee, desirous of expressing their approbation and good will to one who has served the town and city so long, spread upon their records the following resolution :
Resolved :- That the School Committee tender to Miss New- comb their thanks for her long and faithful service and con- gratulate her because she has held for so many years the esteem of the parents and the support of the Committee.
VOTED :- That a copy of this resolution be sent to Miss Newcomb.
See appendix for resignations and names of teachers.
In the summer vacation Lucy W. Brown of the Washing- ton who had been granted a leave of absence by the Board, died after a long illness. Miss Brown was a graduate of Quincy schools and of the Bridgewater Normal. She was one of our youngest teachers, but was fast becoming one of our best. She had a peculiarly happy and successful way of dealing with little children, and visitors were always delighted with her room. Her death was a severe loss to her fellow workers and to the school.
PUPILS.
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.
1. Whole number of differ-
ent pupils . . . 4,399
4,527
4,683
5,100
2. Average number belong- ing . . 3,418
3,635
3,788
4,033
3. Average number attend- ing .
. 3,272
3,481
3,680
3,866
18
4. Ratio of attendance to membership . 95.7
95.7
95.2
95.8
5. Pro rata of tardiness to average membership 0.46
0.42
0.39
0.26
6. Pro rata of dismissals to average member- ship .
0.89
0.65 .
CENSUS.
Population of Quincy in 1895
20,712
Estimated population in 1897.
23,000
SCHOOL CENSUS.
Reported by D. Vinton Pierce, May, 1897.
Age.
Ward I.
II.
III.
IV.
V. 77
61
507
Six,
46
69
146
147
60
56
524
Seven,
70
63
116
158
69
46
522
Eight,
59
60
133
178
59
47
536
Nine,
62
60
128
159
49
52
510
Ten,
48
69
124
134
63
41 36
479
Eleven,
55
49
94
122
51
407
Twelve,
46
52
90
105
60
37
390
Thirteen,
47
54
88
114
52
34
389
Fourteen,
59
67
103
118
63
46
456
550 586
1147
1378
603
456
4720
VI.
Total
Five,
58
43
125
143
As other statistics in this city are collected by wards, it has seemed best this year to report the school census in the
19
samne way. Therefore comparisons cannot be made with former years except by totals. They are as follows :
1878, 1,649
1888,
3,296
1879,
1,792
1889,
3,495
1880,
1,948
1890,
3,665
1881,
2,137
1891,
4,045
1882,
2,314
1892,
4,377
1883,
2,446
1893,
4,320
1884,
2,734
1894,
4,443
1885,
2,416
1895,
4,571
1886,
3,088
1896,
4,702
1887,
3,153
1897,
4,720
MONEY.
Valuation of Quincy in May, 1897,
$18,012,146 00
Total tax levy,
350,690 00
Rate per thousand,
18 80
BUDGET OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Salaries
$70,080 00
Fuel
6,100 00
Janitors
6,150 .00
Transportation .
1,000 .00
Books, Supplies, Sundries
8,500 00
Evening Schools .
2,400 00 :
Total
$94,230:00-
Appropriation
$93,500 :00 :
This year, for the first time, the Council appropriated $93,500 for all expenses of the School Department without rec- ognizing the six sub-divisions of the Annual Budget. This. total was $730 less than the amount asked by the Board. The radical increase in the appropriation as voted was due to the organization of the two new schools. Two new principals and two janitors made a sudden addition of $3,000. There were,. also, the general running expenses of two buildings ..
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SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES.
Salaries
$69,331 45
Fuel . .
6,363 78
Janitors,
6,132 50
Transportation
899 10
Books, Supplies, Sundries
9,256 05
Evening Schools .
1,515 94
Total
$93,498 82
Balance
1 18
Appropriation
$93,500 00
See appendix for itemized accounts.
This year the Evening Schools were supplied with all ma- terials from the stock of the Day Schools and no charge was made for these. Three new typewriters for the High School, a set of furniture for the Adams, and two sets of encyclopædias for the Gridley Bryant and the Massachusetts Fields Schools have been bought. All these have been changed to Books, Supplies and Sundries.
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