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 1913 > Part 15
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With this individual interest, with known standards of measure- ment, with full knowledge on the part of the teacher and the superior officers of the economic waste, the educational indifference and the moral shock that failure brings, class room standards are sure to rise as indeed they are already doing. At this point, it is well to bear witness to the good effect which we are already begin- ning to derive from our semi-annual system of promotion which has now worked up to the fourth grade. From the experience we have already had, the plan has very plainly contributed to the good of the school. Adjustments are made more easily, time is gained in school progress by many more pupils, and much less time in the aggregate is lost by those who must use a slower rate of progress. And yet, with all the help that comes from a careful selection of subject matter, from standards of efficiency and meas- urements, from attention to the individual and from flexible stand- ards of promotion, there will still remain a number of children either unusually bright or abnormally slow in their rate of pro- gress for whom a different type of class is better adapted. The unusually bright children frequently mark time at the risk of ac- quiring unfortunate habits of thought; those who are abnormally
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slow acquire the habit of failure with its accompanying dangers. The city should have some rooms for special help where the groups will be small and the instruction entirely individual. The great value of such classes will of course be moral; entirely aside from that however, the time saved in the school life of the children who would come under this individual instruction, would nearly offset the cost.
Another duty that it is time this city should now assume, is that of affording special help and protection to those, who because of unfortunate home conditions, native weakness or organic defect are unable to profit by the school work needed. There are in our schools many children of anemic tendencies, defective eyesight or hearing, or bad dental conditions for whom the city should provide both as a moral duty and as an educational and economic proposi- tion. The effort should be made by the school department to meet this need and it can best be done under the direction of a skilled woman who shall exercise the functions of school nurse and home visitor, in close co-operation with the teachers.
COURSE OF STUDY.
The course of study at present in use in the elementary grades is now in process of revision for the purpose of better adapting it to the needs of our pupils.
In making this revision, we have taken advantage of the ex- perience and criticisms of the masters and the elementary teachers, from all of whom suggestions liave been asked and freely given. When completed, the course will undoubtedly be a considerable im- provement over the one now in use, because of the practicability of
these contributions that come from class room experience. Any course of study can serve only as a guide to the class room teacher; at its best it will require occasional change. By making it clear, that suggestion and criticism from those who use it is gladly wel- comed it will be possible to utilize the best ideas of the teaching corps.
CHILD LABOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
An important feature in the educational legislation of the past year has been the enactment of the child labor laws with their con- sequent effect both on conditions of labor and on school attendance. A rather complete abstract of these laws has been printed for refer- ence in the appendix of this report. It is sufficient here to state that the effect of these laws is so to restrict possible opportunities for employment for boys and girls under sixteen, that as a conse- quence a greater number of such children are going to remain in school than heretofore. while those who do leave school to work will find it increasingly difficult in those years to secure employment leading to a skilled trade.
The law has been so stringently drawn moreover that it is now possible for the first time to keep in touch with every child who
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leaves sclioo! for work up to the age of sixteen and in case of poss- :ble cessation or interruption of work before reaching that age to see that the child return again to school, or secures new employ- ment. Although newspaper reports of hardships imposed by the law have been rife, so far as this city is concerned nothing of that nature has appeared. It has been made apparent, however, with even this brief experience that two duties devolve upon the school department in connection with the proper administration of the law It is is necessary first of all to provide sufficient funds to enforce school attendance properly, since much more attention is required than under the old law in the way of in- vestigation. consultation with masters and teachers, and clerical work. There is secondly the obligation to provide for the many who will now stay on our school lists for one or two additional years be- cause of the difficulty of securing employment, the opportunity to secure that kind of education which is best adapted to their tastes. Many of this number will be added to our high school rolls. A con- siderable number will look in vain over our present educational pro- gramme for the type of education that they need and want. For these the Full Time Industrial School, which is discussed in detail in the Industrial School Report, will be of great valne.
The decision of the School Committee to take advantage of the law relative to the licensing of news boys under the age of fourteen, will aid in correcting a situation into which has crept considerable abuse. Present conditions in our city require that the boys who venture into any of the street trades be licensed in advance, after an investigation which will determine their indentity and fitness from the home and the school point of view.
Other legislation which is working to the advantage of the community is that which is gradually extending the use of the school property by throwing it open under certain restrictions to many kinds of public use. The halls have been in public use this past year to a greater extent by far, than ever before in their his- tory. It is to be hoped that this use will widely extend until they are instinctively looked upon as places of public gathering for the furtherance of all that is best in the city's life. The school build- ing should naturally be the starting point in any movement that contributes to the happiness or the profit of the social order about it
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The evening school system of the city is one of its most inter- esting problems. Entirely distinct from the problem of the com- mon schools, it is in its way no less important, and yet until very recently it has usually been dealt with as a matter of perfunctory routine. For the past three or four years there has been a constant effort to make our evening schools better and more largely attend- ed. The consistent and large increase each year assures us that we are accomplishing the latter object; we feel that we are at the same time making progress with the former object. The common
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evening schools taken apart from the trade classes have to be treated in two separate sections. There is first of all the duty of teaching the illiterates the rudiments of our language and customs; and there is further the duty of helping the English-speaking peo- ple who are ambitious, toward a higher education.
We have recently been making the effort to bring into our evening schools as many foreign-speaking people as we can, through the medium of national groups. We have for some time been reaching the Italians and the Finns in large and increasing numbers; we have had evening school teachers of their own na- tionality; have advertised in their native tongues and have endeav- ored through the assistance of influential citizens of their race among them to show them the advantages of at least a rudimentary knowledge of English. This year besides largely increased classes among the peoples named, we have had satisfactory classes among the Syrian and the Yiddish speaking peoples, each taught by effl- cient young people of their own race. The effort has been made not alone to teach them English, but to initiate them into the spirit of our laws and customs. Through interpreters, the masters have given frequent short talks on our national history; the importance of hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness; American customs and op- portunities; the value of education and many similar subjects which would have a tendency to inspire or instruct the pupils. We have too been gradually developing a corps of teachers especially adapted for this work. Not every good teacher is a good evening school teacher. The duty of the latter teacher calls for attributes that the former teacher is not so frequently called upon to use. Our aim has been to retain the same evening school teachers year after year when they have shown a particular aptitude for this work. This is one of the reasons for our continuing success.
The other side of our evening school work, that with the Eng- lish speaking people, who are farther advanced, does not show such marked gain as the work with the foreigners. This year we con- ducted two classes in mechanical drawing, meeting twice each week, one class in elementary commercial work, penmanship, spell- ing, business forms and simple bookkeeping, meeting four times each week, one class in the common English branches and one class in civil service preparation also meeting four times each week. These classes were as successful and well attended as in previous years, but we had hoped to make an improvement in that direction. Ail of these classes were lacking in any considerable number of persons with a definite aim. Too many of the pupils are looking for evening occupation in a general way without suffcient initiative or energy to go after a fixed end. To experiment with the hope of getting a better grasp on the situation, we should first of all, reduce the number of evenings per week this department of the school is in session. With an increased length of term it might be advisable to offer a course in typewriting to such students as were engaged in an occupation where the art could be used to ad-
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vantage. It would seem too that it might be profitable to seek to keep in touch with boys and girls who leave our day schools every year, by sending them postal announcements each fall of the courses that the city is planning to offer. In this way they would be reminded of our interest in them and that the city stands ready at all times to help them toward a successful life career. School attendance is to be put before them as an opportunity, not an ob- ligation.
PRE-VOCATIONAL CLASSES.
The pre-vocational classes that were organized in September, 1912, were mentioned in the report last year. It is possible to dis- cuss them this year with greater confidence and at a greater dis- tance from the days of early experimentation. There are four such classes in operation this year, three at the Willard School and one at the Coddington and the plan of operation has not been changed from that described in the previous report. Each class spends alternate sessions at manual work and at academic work. The classes this vear have been filled to their limit and have drawr pupils from outside the immediate district in which they have been located, as parents have come to realize the opportunity that such classes presented for those boys or girls who needed a different type of training. The additional class of boys in fact was formed be- cause of the demand that there has been for entrance to this work. The boys' classes have done a very large amount of manual work of a practical value during the year, repair jobs of various kinds, job printing, small construction work and are now engaged in partition- ing off a room 40 feet hy 24 feet in the Willard School attic for their carpenter shop so as to deaden the sound of their work. An addi- tional printing press has been bought this year because of the large amount of printing these classes are now doing. The work of the first year with both these classes was of a pioneer nature for all concerned both in a manual and academic way. We know that to the majority of the pupils in the classes their previous experience in the grades had brought no enthusiasm or interest. There was no hesitation therefore in breaking loose from tradition and in adapting the work to the pupil. It was perfectly apparent that manual work of a useful nature, with a definite end in view would be of interest, as indeed it proved to be. It seemed possible also that with a small class, the academic work could be so knit with their interests and experiences that it would be of greater attraction and profit than when taught in the traditional way, Of the class of boys that fin- ished the year last June, a large number were allowed to go on to the High School and the same course was pursued with the girls. The record made by these pupils since entering High School has been a very agreeable confirmation of our faith in their type of preparation. As few of these pupils would have reached High School at all had they continued in the grade schools, these special classes proved their success clearly and emphatically the first
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year. It ought to be said that many of the boys who went to High School from the pre-vocational class would have gone to the Half Time Industrial School and entered the trade had they been old enough; they have therefore gone to the High School pending such time as they can get into some trade. The opening of a Full Time Industrial School on the plan suggested on a later page will offer a special appeal to such boys and ought to prove of great value. It will probably be advisable in the near future and as opportunity offers to open more pre-vocational classes in other parts of the city. The variety of appeal which they have to offer and the inter- est they arouse among the pupils, keep in school and lead into use- ful vocation many who would otherwise drop out discouraged, with small chance of a life interest.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The report of Mr. Ernest L. Collins, Head Master of the High School, explains clearly the policy to which the High School is committed-the acquisition of useful knowledge in a usable way. What the school teaches is taught in such a way that as far as possible the pupils can put it to use. The matter of High School attendance is now one that requires consideration. When we ob- serve the great increase in attendance that has taken place in the last two years alone and we realize that the whole building is now in use, with no more space available, the question of future accom- modations is brought prominently to the fore. The opening of the new Industrial School in the old Adams building will for a few years prove a source of relief but the relief will be for so brief a time that the city should be foresighted in discussing the future. It would seem profitable from the educational standpoint to plan that the next' high school should be so arranged, that the boys and girls thereafter may receive their high school education in separate buildings.
The steady growth of the High School in numbers has been accompanied by gain in quality of the work done. Every depart- ment is now on an efficient basis and there is the utmost harmony of effort in the teaching corps, with a growing spirit of loyalty and enthusiasm in the student body.
Mr. Collin's report follows herewith:
Mr. Albert L. Barbour,
Superintendent of Schools:
I have the honor and pleasure of submitting to you my report of the present condition of the High School and some of the things which have been accomplished during the past year.
The registration has been very large this year as may be seen in the following statement of comparison with former years.
1913
1912
1911
Whole number enrolled,
939
874
828
Whole number at date,
864
790
779
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No comment on the accommodations for so large a number of pupils is necessary, except to say that at the present time all the available room in the building, with the exception of the assembly hall, is being utilized throughout the day for classes.
Since my last report there have been several changes in teach- ers and it is a pleasure to note that in every case the new teachers have proved themselves fitted for the duties which they have as- sumed and have entered upon the work with energy and effective- ness. I feel that I ought to congratulate you and the School Com- mittee on the splendid corps of assistants now in the school. In few schools can so strong a spirit of loyalty and so sincere enthusiasm for their work be found as among the teachers of this school.
It may be worth while to devote a large part of this report to noting some of the ways in which we are getting practical results in such departments as the Manual Arts and Commercial Depart- ments.
During the past year in all the departments, the practical side has been emphasized, particularly in relation to the needs of the school and of the pupil. A complete set of well designed drawing tables has been built in our own shops and installed in the drawing room. Raised seats for use in concerts have been constructed and & large amount of repairing, such as desks, settees and chairs has been done. One of the objects of this work has been to teach the boy how to be useful in his home. Among other courses in view for the coming year is one in house construction in which the pupil will be taught in a very practical way to design, draw plans for, and actually construct a model house. Moreover, it is the in- tention to have the boys equip the gymnasium with several new pieces of apparatus during the winter.
For the girls, correlation of drawing and sewing has enabled them to design dresses, draft the patterns and make dresses for themselves and others. Many original and creditable designs in embroidery have been executed during the year. Since the begin- ning of the present school year, a course in millinery has been given for advanced pupils and each girl has already made for her- self a serviceable hat.
In cooking, the girls have not only received instruction in school, but have been required to test their knowledge by pre- paring food in their own homes and under home conditions Several times during the year, groups of girls have planned formal luncheons at which they have entertained invited guests For these, the girls have done all the planning, marketing, pre- paring and serving of the luncheons. In connection with this department. the lunch counter ought to receive attention. Under the supervision of the head of the department, appetizing. and nourishing lunches have been prepared and served in such a way that they have attracted notice and received the com- mendation from officials connected with several schools around Boston
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Very practical work has been done in the Typewriting De- partment in the line of furnishing typewritten copy to the various other departments of the school. Outlines of work, question pa- pers, abstracts from reference works and a large variety of simi- lar work has been furnished by this department. Practical expe- rience is given to several pupils in this department, in connection with the Stenography, by affording them opportunity to do some of the clerical work connected with the administration of the school. The purpose of all this is to give the pupil the widest possible range of experience before he goes into the business world.
The foregoing are only a few of the examples of the attempt being made to correlate all the departments of the school and se- cure practical results from them all.
In the academic lines, the same creditable results are shown. From the class graduated last June nine have gone to college and ten to Normal School. In every case, the pupils have received ample preparation for the requirements of the school to which they de- sired admission eitlier by certification or in the cases of those desir- ing admission to Harvard, Radcliffe, or the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology, by examination.
All this information is given, not with any intention of self- praise, but that some of the things actually being accomplished in the school may be shown.
In concluding I desire to bear testimony to the loyal support which the school has had from parents as well as those in authori- ty over the schools. There has been nothing but the heartiest co- cperation from all. Personally, I have to express a very sincere ap- preciation of the encouragement and support which I have received from yourself and the members of the School Committee.
ERNEST L. COLLINS,
Head Master.
INDEPENDENT INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS
The work of the Independent Industrial Schools, both day and evening, it has seemed best to discuss in a separate section ap- pended to this report for the reason that they are as their title im- plies independent of the public school system and are administered in this city by the school committee and the superintendent of schools instead of by an independent board only, because of spe- cific appropriations for that purpose to the budget of the School Committee. Unlike the common schools they are closely inspected by the State authorities. Their teachers are subject to State ap- proval, the accounts are audited by the State, the course of study approved by the State, and the fiscal year covers a different period. For that reason their discussion and accounts will be kept separate in this and succeeding reports.
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In bringing this report to a close I am aware of how ineffectu- ally on a few printed pages one can bring to the attention of parents and citizens, the doings and the plans and aspirations of a school system. Your superintendent of schools has taken every opportunity during the past as in previous years to bring before those who are interetsted in our schools, both through the papers and through pub- lic meetings, the needs and the ambitions of our school system. Fre- quent appeal has been made for financial support by the city com- mensurate with that given other school systems. Many avenues of development and opportunities for growth have been pointed out. Each year's work looked back upon shows some forward step in broadening and socializing our educational system. In advocating and working for the best things in education, I have had great help from the sympathy and interest of the Parent-Teachers Associations as well as from the co-operation of the teaching corps. These influ- ences together with the intelligent support of the School Committee are sure to effect steady progress. I appreciate and am grateful for the help which they have all so steadily given.
ALBERT L. BARBOUR,
Superintendent of Schools.
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
The Half Time Industrial School completed its first year last June and in September opened its second year with an additional teacher, Mr Rowland Linfield, and with the addition of several new trades. For particulars with reference to the details of the year's work, reference is made to the report of the principal of the school, Mr. J. Gould Spofford, which is given in this connection. Soon after the opening of the school year in September, we were enabled to transfer the school to the old Adams School building where there is ample room for the development of the school's activities in the future. The school has now been in operation long enough to make it clear that it is able to afford in connection with the shops the finest kind of trade training, and it is further plain that when the possibilities of the school are better understood there will be no lack in the supply of boys. There is opportunity just at present for many more boys in the trade than actually present themselves. The chief handicap to the rapid growth of the school is the gap that occurs between the time the boys generally leave the public school and the age when the shops are willing to employ them. It is the exceptional boy who can secure a trade opening before he is sixteen. As a rule, the boy under that age is lacking in both size and strength. Most boys who leave school and go to work before the age of sixteen, drift off into unskilled lines and get out of the notion of school attendance by the time they reach the age when they could be utilized in the skilled trades.
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There has been plainly manifest a need of some kind of train- ing, which would take the boy who was through grammar school and who wanted trade training and give him part of that trainiing preliminary to the time when it would be possible for him to se- cure employment in skilled lines and enter the half time school. The proposition which would provide for a full time school to care for boys under sixteen years of age, would it is believed, meet the situation and fill the gap which now exists. The plan as adopted by the School Committee on recommendation of the Advisory Commit- tee on Industrial Education is as follows:
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