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 1898 > Part 15
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TIME.
MISS SMALL.
MISS BURGESS.
MISS COWELL.
MISS DODD.
MISS FOOTE.
8.15
Opening Exercises.
8.30
IV. Algebra.
III. Type-writing.
III. Latin.
III. Biology.
I. Literature. .
9.10
II. Stenography.
I. Greck. I. Latin.
Tu. Th.
I. Physics. Tu.
IV. Latin.
9.50
IV. Rhetoricals. Tu.
II. Greek. Til.
III. Rhetoricals. Tn.
I. Rhetoricals. Tıl.
290
10.30
Recess.
10.55
II. Book-keeping.
II. Latin.
I. Solid Geometry.
IV. Literature.
11.35
IV. News of the Day. T. I. Type-writing.
V. Latin.
I. College Physics. Tu.
III. Literature.
12.15
I. News of the Day. Th. Clerical work.
III. Greck.
V. Physiology.
II. Literature.
-
TIME.
MISS S. W. LANE.
MISS MOWRY.
MISS BLACKWELL.
MISS G. C. LANE.
MR. BUCKINGHAM.
8.15
8.30
V. History. Tu.
II. German. Tu. II. College German. Th.
II. Gymnasties.
V. Music. Th.
9.10
II. Algebra.
III. German. Tu.
IV. Gymnastics.
V. Drawing. Th.
III. Music. Th.
9.50
II. Rhetoricals. Tu.
V. Rhetoricals. Tu.
School in Masie.
Th.
291
10.30
I. Geometry.
III. Algebra.
V. Gymnasties.
I. Music. Th.
10.55
11.35
II. Geometry.
I. German; (min). Tu. I. College German. Th.
I. Gymnasties.
12.15
I. Algebra.
Tu. IV. German. Tu. I. German. (min). Th.
III. Gymnastics.
Graduation Exercises
Of the Class of 1898.
PROGRAMME.
Chorus -- " The Young Greek's Prayer," arr. from Beethoven.
Chorus-" Gypsy Song," arr. from Schubert.
Chorus -- " Daybreak," arr. from W. T. Deaul.
Address -- " Myself," Rev. A. B. Kendig, D. D.
Class Song.
Presentation of Diplomas, Rev. Walter Russell Breed, Vice- Chairman of the Board of Directors.
CLASS SONG.
Words by Mary G. Dolliver. Our life puts forth in hope today, New tendrils fair ; New root it takes in centres new, New fruit to bear. Old barriers, limits, thrust aside,
Fresh fields before us stretching wide ; The past no more shall be our guide,- No more our care.
But when our new life's fuller grown, With work and song ; When we who've made its truth our own, To Life belong, Sweet gratitude our theme shall be, Our thoughts, our thanks will turn to thee, The parent stem that formed, till we To live were strong.
294
CLASS OF 1898.
Mary Gurney Dolliver,
Maud Wright Macfarlane,
Louise Reinhalter,
Georgiana Shea,
Mary Abigail Sullivan.
"YET TO BE."
Founder's Day Exercises.
Chorus-(a) Evening's Twilight, Hatton.
(b) The Alphabet, music arr. from Mozart. Semi-chorus-May Bells and the Flowers, Mendelssohn. Chorus-Hymn to Night, music arr. from Beethoven. Chorus-April Showers, music arr. from J. L. Hatton.
Address-" Earthly Immortality," Mrs. Mary A. Livermore.
Chorus-Dear Woodward. Sung to the air of "Fair Harvard."
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OF THE
CITY OF QUINCY,
MASSACHUSETTS,
For the Year 1898.
640
17
1625
MANET
2
QUINCY?
1888
QUINCY : GEO. W. PRESCOTT & SON, 115 Hancock Street. 1899.
School Committee
FOR 1898.
At Large :
MR. FRANK C. FIELD
. Term expires 1898
MR. FRANK A. PAGE
1899
DR. HENRY C. HALLOWELL
66
66 1900
By Wards :
Ward 1. HON. CHARLES H. PORTER
. Term expires
1900
Ward 2. REV. WALTER R. BREED
66
1898
Ward 3. MISS MABEL E. ADAMS
66
1898
Ward 4. DR. JOHN H. ASH
66
1899
Ward 5. DR. WELLINGTON RECORD
66
1900
Ward 6. DR. FREDERICK J. PEIRCE
1899
.
.
.
Chairman of the School Board, HON. CHARLES H. PORTER.
Secretary of the Board and Superintendent of Schools, HERBERT WARREN LULL. Office, No. 1. Faxon Block, Hancock Street.
Office Open :- Monday, 8 to 12 A. M., 2 to 5, and 7.30 to 8.30 P. M. Tuesday, 8 to 12 A. M., 2 to 5 P. M. Wednesday, 8 to 12 A. M., 2 to 5 P. M. Thursday, 8 to 12 A. M., 2 to 5 P. M. Friday, 8 A. M. to 1 P. M., 2 to 5 P. M. Saturday, 8 to 12 A. M.
Regular Hours of Superintendent :- Monday, 7.30 to 8.30 P. M. Tuesday, 4 to 5 P. M. Thursday, 4 to 5 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.
66
.
4
STANDING SUB-COMMITTEES FOR 1898,
FOR THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS :
HIGH
ADAMS
CODDINGTON
GRIDLEY BRYANT
JOHN HANCOCK
LINCOLN . MASSACHUSETTS FIELDS
QUINCY
WASHINGTON
WILLARD
WOLLASTON
Messrs. Porter, Hallowell, Breed Miss Adams, Messrs. Field, Breed Messrs. Hallowell, Breed, Porter Messrs. Porter, Ash, Field Mr. Field, Miss Adams, Dr. Ash 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.
Book's 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.
Report of the School Committee.
To the Citizens of Quincy :-
The School Committee virtually present their report through the Superintendent, since he is the appointed executive head of the school system. The following pages are, therefore, less a " report " than a commentary on certain aspects of the educa- tional matters which Quincy entrusts to this board.
Last year the City Council saw fit to cut down the budget for schools three thousand, one hundred, four dollars, ($3,104) and to ignore your Committee's request for additional accom- modation in the Lincoln district. Doubtless short-sighted peo- ple may say that the schools did very well on the reduced appropriation, that no pupils were denied admission and that, therefore, these economies were wise ones. But how was the money saved ? In the first place by forbearing to buy the usual quantity of coal, so that next year's fuel might not be charged to this year's account; again by using surplus supplies, the accumulation of years of saving, by paring here and scrimping there, shortening the term of the evening school, doing without desirable text-books-in short following a plan of economy easily practicable for one year but out of the question for several. As for the matter of accommodations, the rooms are full now in the Willard, the John Hancock, the Adams and the Lincoln, the four buildings which would have been relieved by the proposed eight-room building in the Lincoln district. Here and there are a few empty seats, enough to provide for pupils received by transfer or promoted during the term, but nowhere is there an empty room suitable for a new class. It is therefore a serious question where the entering classes of the spring term can be placed. In the autumn, moreover, some of the schools must pro- vide for two division classes, requiring two rooms for a grade, where heretofore a single room has sufficed. It seems probable
6
that the city will find itself confronted by a position similar to that which obtained in 1896; namely, the necessity of construct- ing two buildings in one year. Your Committee would strongly deprecate any plan of half-day schooling for the younger children of four districts, but such a contingency is by no means im- possible. This-makeshift was actually resorted to before the building of the John Hancock, and nearly every child who began school life as a half-day pupil required an additional year to com- plete his elementary education, a loss of time very readily re- ducible to a money equivalent. [At least two hundred children became earning factors in the community one year later in life, or else they entered the world of work lacking one year's train- ing. Assuming the average earning capacity of a pupil leaving school to be one hundred dollars a year, an actual loss of twenty thousand dollars is at once evident. ]
If a little more class-room space were available it might be possible to attempt the solution of a problem which is receiving a good deal of attention in the educational world today : namely, a practical method of shortening the course for the brightest children and lengthening it for the slowest, without omitting a whole year's work for the first class, or compelling the second to lose an entire year whenever any detention is necessary. The course of study must be planned according to the capacity of the average child, that proposition seems fair enough -but the un- usually bright child has the same right to get the most from his school years as has the average child. It may be that the child who possesses exceptional mental powers can not afford to attend school after he is fifteen, and the difference of a year may mean his acquaintance or non-acquaintance with a high-school study which will influence his whole after life. It may be that the backward child has lost through ill health, or he may be constitutionally slow. The bright child and the backward child have a common need-individual help. If space allowed, an ungraded class might be established wherein pupils with special needs could receive special help. In such a class there would be no attempt to teach singing or drawing, the pupils could go into their regular classes for instruction in those studies. All the time would be spent in study and recitation after the fashion of the old district school, the teacher planning the work according
7
to each child's needs and capacity, having always in mind, how- ever, his promotion to a regular class in the shortest possible period. Two obvious evils would be in part at least prevented by the establishment of such a class under a strong teacher in every district, the acquirement of bad mental habits by those few exceptionally bright children who habitually find the regu- lar grade work too easy for them, and the serious loss of time to those children who in any grade-to-a-year system must lose a year if they fall a little behind. An experiment of this sort has been tried in Boston and in Fitchburg and both your Superintend- ent and Committee would favor at least a trial of the plan were the room available.
Another experiment which your Committee greatly desires to try is that of adding fifty dollars a year to the maximum salary of teachers before they have served fifteen years, when- ever the value of their services warrants the advance. Many of the excellent teachers who have left Quincy during past years, to accept higher salaries in other places, might have been re- tained by this additional fifty dollars. There is a business side to this proposition which should not be overlooked. It costs more to equip a teacher now than it did a person who " kept school " a few years ago. In most cases a longer time is spent in preparation before actual teaching is begun. Time and money so spent is an investment upon which interest must be reckoned. School authorities urge teachers to attend summer schools and courses of lectures, to own a pedagogical library, to subscribe for magazines, and in general to avail themselves of every means of culture open to them. All this renders teachers more valuable to their schools, that goes without saying, but- it also costs money, and no employer has a right to demand ex- penditure for his own benefit from an employee to whom he is paying only living wages, nor can he with justice require a con- stant increase in efficiency unless he expects to offer some pecu- niary return.
It has grown to be a custom to incorporate into every edu- cational document a statement of aims and to your Committee the custom seems a good one. The statement, though short, admits of indefinite expansion. It is the aim of the schools to make of the boys and girls who pass through them useful and
8
conscientious citizens ; useful, that is, self-supporting, for every self-supporting man or woman contributes to the city's material prosperity ; and conscientious, that is, possessing a public as well as a private conscience, a conscience as active in the caucus as in the Sunday-school, a conscience that regards wealth, or talent, or the privilege of casting a vote, alike as a trust to be administered not alone for self but for the public weal. If the public schools of the United States could educate one generation of voters whereof a working majority possessed ideals like these, the future of our country would be no longer problematical, and it is to the schools that the public must look for the forming of ideals-no other agency reaches all the people during the formative period of life.
It remains to congratulate the citizens of Quincy on the fact that we still retain the services of Mr. Lull, who is wisely pro- gressive but never revolutionary, and wisely conservative with- out a trace of old-fogyism, a combination more desirable than common.
This report was presented by a special committee consisting of Miss Adams, Mr. Field and Mr. Breed, and it was adopted as the Annual Report of the Board Tuesday, December twenty- seventh.
H. W. LULL, Secretary.
Report of the Superintendent.
To the School Committee of Quincy :-
The seventh report of your present Superintendent is the twenty-fourth of the series and the forty-ninth of the printed reports of the Quincy School Board.
Your Superintendent has always thought that his annual report should be rather a business than a literary document- an abstract of the year, not a treatise on education. Therefore, this seventh report will follow closely the previous ones. Even the subdivisions will be repeated, so far as is possible, in order that comparisons may more easily be made.
It should be unnecessary to remind any citizen of Quincy that the first mayor, the present Chairman of this Board, was inaugurated in January, 1889, and that the city is just complet- ing its tenth year of municipal life. In the following pages your attention is invited to numerous comparisons covering this first decade.
School Property.
In the following table may be found a condensed statement of all school property. The assessors have increased the valua- tion of the Lincoln and Massachusetts Fields schools $1,350, and decreased that of the Gridley Bryant and Willard schools $8,000. The two lots of land at Germantown and Quincy Neck have been rated at $400 less than in 1898. These changes make a total decrease of $7,050.
SCHOOL PROPERTY.
SCHOOLS.
EN- BUILT. LARGED.
*VALUE.
+CA- ROOMS. PACITY. +SEATS.
MATE- RIAL.
HEAT- ING.
VENTI- LATION.
SANITARY.
High,
1894
$75,000
12
400
411
Brick
Hot-air
Good
Dry closet
Adams,
1855
1879
15,000
10
466
467
Wood
Hot-air
Good
Dry closet
Coddington,
1855
1876
20,000
91
390
448
Wood
Stoves
None
Gridley Bryant,
1896
37,000
9
426
426
Brick
Steam
Good
Dry closet
John Hancock,
1886
45,000
9
450
490
Brick
Steam
Fair
Lincoln,
1892
28,500
8
396
427
Brick
Steam
Good
Dry closet
Massachusetts Fields,
1896
37,500
9
426
426
Brick
Steam
Good
Dry closet
Quincy,
1873
19,700
8
288
342
Wood
Steam
None
Dry closet
Washington,
1858
1874
11,000
8
304
332
Wood
Hot-air
None
5
Willard,
1891
117,500
182
891
900
Brick . Hot-air
Good
Dry closet
Wollaston,
1873
1890
36,000
83
330
360
Wood
Hot-air
1
Dry closet
Old High,
1852
9,000
1004
Wood
Hot-air
None
Land, Germantown,
100
Land, Quincy Neck,
100
Furniture, books, apparatus, etc.,
17,000
Grand Total,
$468,400
4,867 5,029
* Assessors' valuation 1898. + "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. § Old-fashioned out-buildings. |Closets in an adjoining ont-building that are "flushed" into a cesspool.
10
11
Accommodations.
No additional buildings, or even rooms, have been voted by the Council of '98, in spite of an urgent request of this Board. An unfinished attic room in the John Hancock building had been used for two years. The danger to the health of the teacher and pupils who occupied it was so great, that in June an appropriation was made by the Council for plastering and flooring this room.
The delay to anticipate the growth of Quincy will cause a repetition of the conditions in 1896, when it became necessary to build two houses at the same time. As no child has been turned away from any schoolhouse door since last January, on first thought it may seem that no extra accommodations were needed this year; but what will be true of 1899 ? At least six buildings have reached the limit of their seating capacity. What is to be done for the Whitwell street district ? for the overflow at Atlantic? for the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the Lincoln ? for the Washington district? Every real es- tate dealer knows full well that he must invariably answer sat- isfactorily this question of his customers :- " Where are my children to go to school ? "
The Lincoln district must be considered by the Council, for it will not " down." It should be understood that its bounds are too contracted now and that they ought not to be farther contracted.
In the district inclosed by the Braintree bounds, the three lines of railway and Station street, there are 600 pupils now at- tending school. These are the natural bounds of the district ; but they have been drawn in nearer and nearer to the school- house, until now only 58 pupils live north of Albertina street and Brooks avenue. Furthermore, grade six of the Lincoln is in the Adams school and grades seven and eight are occupying the same room. No room in the building can hold the two grades next September, as they will number 70 pupils.
If the school has only its normal growth (based on averages of the past six years), a very conservative estimate will give the following result in each grade for September, 1899.
12
Pupils.
Seats.
Seats.
I.
40
60
IV
Pupils. 55
45
I.
43
54
V.
45
45
II.
40
54
*VI.
42
None
II.
45
60
VII.
40
48
III.
65
60
VIII.
30
None
៛In Adams school.
This statement is not intended for any sensational purpose, or to drive the Council to action; but the condition is serious and it must be considered.
Within the original bounds of the Lincoln are 200 pupils now enrolled in the John Hancock and Willard schools. These two buildings must have relief, and they can get it by sending back the Lincoln pupils to their own natural district.
In the Coddington are 39 pupils who cross the steam rail- way track to reach the school building. In the John Hancock are 61 east of Gass place and 65 more east of the Ward Four line which runs through the centre of Quarry street. The total number of pupils in both schools is 165. Of these 108 are in grades one, two, three and four. This section is commonly known as the Whitwell district.
There are about 100 pupils in the Coddington and Adams schools living south-east of and including both sides of Union street. These would belong to the Washington school if it were moved farther west.
Grammar and Primary Schools.
Table showing largest number belonging at the close of any month since September 6 :
SCHOOL.
GRADE I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII. VIII
Adams,
36
63
53
55
46
39
48
40
38
Coddington,
40
56
48
50
45
52
42
40
43
*25
13
SCHOOL.
GRADE I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII. VIII.
Gridley Bryant,
25
48
47
42
44
42
31
34
John Hancock,
52
59
58
55
45
42
29
37
52
Lincoln,
40
43
59
47
47
+36
#36
$18
40
37
Massachusetts Fields, 41
35
41
29
41
27
24
24
Quincy,
$27
54
50
45
42
42
36
34
40
Washington,
57
35
44
38
35
35
25
25
Willard,
37
36
44
36
47
45
31
56
49
39
52
43
48
34
35
59
31
44
39
Wollaston,
60
46
45
34
26
39
34
28
*Basement.
+In Adams.
¿Recitation room in basement. §Music Hall.
In April of this year, 237 new children entered ; in Septem- ber, 324. In April, 1899, at least 250 may be expected. As there is not room for them in grade one, the children of this grade must be forced along to higher grades before they are prepared.
Everywhere, and by everyone, it is agreed that the average teacher cannot do good work when the number of pupils is large. The maximum varies in the estimation of those best informed fron 30 to 40. By this table it may be seen that two teachers have more than 60 pupils ; 9 between 55 and 60; 8 between 50 and 55; 16 between 45 and 50; 22 between 40 and 50; 21 between 35 and 40; 21 fewer than 35. Therefore each one of 57 teachers has more than 40 pupils in her room. As these state- ments are based on the average number belonging, and not on the enrollment, they are much too weak.
In the very crowded rooms 14 assistants were at work in December. In April, when the new children enter, at least 20 rooms must seat more than 50 pupils in each.
32
.
14
Teachers.
At the close of schools in December there were in service : High School. Men. Women. Total.
Principal,
1
1
Other teachers,*
7 9
Grammar and Primary.
Principals,
8
1 9
Other teachers, Grade VIII,
4
Grade VII,
11
Grade VI,
11
Grade V,
11
Grade IV,
12
Grade III,
12
Grade II,
14
Grade I,
18
93
Assistants,
14
14
Specials,
5
5
-
131
* This does not include the services of the special teachers of drawing, science, and cooking.
Drawing (2 days in High and 3 in other schools).
Science (2} days in High and 2} in other schools).
Cooking (20 afternoon lessons to the senior class of the High.)
Sewing (5 days in grades V, VI, VII, VIII).
Music (3 days in schools below the High.)
The three special teachers who give the whole or a part of their time to the High school are equivalent in days of service to one teacher all of the time.
In the corps of teachers there are two who have served more than twenty years ; one, more than thirty; and two whose record is more than forty years.
Eleven teachers have resigned during the year. See appen- dix.
Forty-two have attended a normal school.
15
Thirty-six have graduated from a normal.
Twelve have attended a college but did not graduate.
Six have graduated from a college.
Fifty-one are graduates of the Quincy High.
Seventy-eight have their homes in Quincy.
Average salary of all teachers in the first eight grades ( not including principals), $479.35.
Average salary of all teachers in grades nine, ten, eleven, twelve (not including principal), $722.22.
Minimum and maximum salary of principals below High, $1,000-$1,400; in High, $1,800-$2,200.
Teachers for the Decade.
1889
68*
1892
85+(14)}
1895
94+(14)
1890
73*
1893
90+(14)
1896
97+(21)
1891
71*
1894
91+(15)
1897
115+( 9)
1898
117+(14)
*Number of assistants not recorded.
+Number of assistants.
Supervision by Principals.
In September a radical change was made. The Wollaston and the Massachusetts Fields schools were placed under one principal. Although Mr. Pearce of the Massachusetts Fields was a very able teacher, he was, as regards teaching in Quincy, junior to Mr. Finch of the Wollaston, and so the Board was obliged to dispense with the services of the former. No change was made in the maximum pay of the principal: but to each of these schools a master's assistant was added. Mr. Finch teaches one subject in each of the eighth grades and divides huis remain- ing time equally between the two schools. It is expected that this change will enable the principal to utilize his time to better advantage. It should be remembered that neither school had a master's assistant, and therefore the principal was so closely con- fined to his room that he was but little more than grade teacher and executive head. At this date, the new plan seems to be satisfactory. By this change a saving of $200 to $400 will be effected. It is, moreover, only in anticipation of what must
16
soon be done in the other districts. In the future all new school buildings should be placed under the care of the principal of the district in which they are built. This city is now well divided, and no more districts will be needed.
It is time that such schools as the Adams and the John Hancock should have a master's assistant. For the present, one teacher should be assigned to the two schools. The time of a principal is too valuable to be devoted to one grade, and there- fore this change would be good economy.
Pupils for the Decade.
Whole number of different pupils.
Average number belonging.
Average number attending.
1889,
3,287
2,619
2,516
1890,
3,422
2,698
2,587
1891,
3,649
2,865
2,733
1892,
3,724
3,392
3,228
1893,
4,114
3,211
3,067
1894,
4,399
3,418
3,272
1895,
4,527
3,635
3,481
1896,
4,683
3,788
3,680
1897,
5,100
4,033
3,866
1898,
5,300
4,328
4,148
See appendix for individual schools.
The very great difference between the whole number of dif- ferent pupils and the average number belonging is due to the long-established custom [dating back to 1875] of throwing ont " consecutives " from the monthly reports. The percentage of attendance is raised and the average number belonging lowered. This method is unsatisfactory, also, because it makes the apparent cost per pupil higher than it really is.
The divisor should be much larger and the quotient, that is, the average cost, much smaller. When the expense account is consulted this fact should be remembered.
From Jan. 2, 1899, the registers will be kept in accordance with the new State law of June, 1898.
17
Census.
Estimated population of Quincy, January 1, 1889,
15,000
Population of Quincy, 1890, U. S. Census,
16,711
1895, State Census,
20,712
Estimated population in 1898, State Board of Health,
24,058
School Census.
Reported by Charles H. Johnson, May, 1898.
Age.
Ward I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI. Total.
Five,
82
62
125
144
76
53
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