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 1925 > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
In 1851 the town built a building costing about $6,000 and appro-
317
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
priated $800 to establish a high school, which was opened in May, 1852, with one teacher and fifty-one pupils. All pupils were ad- mitted by examination, which consisted of twenty questions in each of the following subjects: Arithmetic, geography, grammar, and spelling. From this time for twenty years, the school appears to have been carried on in much the same way by a succession of teachers with a limited program of studies and in a small, appar- ently uncomfortable building. Several annual reports of the School Comittee mention rough, unsightly school grounds and the alternate roasting and freezing of pupils because of the use of stoves for heating.
Evidently some of the teachers were hard taskmasters, for in 1857 we find the School Committee "putting in a word of caution in regard to the extent of study required from growing children, es- pecially girls, and especially in lessons given to be learned out of school hours." The Committee goes on to concur with a rule made by the School Board of Boston that "lessons to be studied in school shall not be so long as to require a scholar of ordinary capacity to study out of school in order to learn them." A year later, continu- ing the same subject, the Committee "urges the parents to insist upon the children taking a greater amount of active exercise in the open air than they do now."
In 1866, "the Latin language is still required but by application to the Committee by the parent or guardian of the pupil it can be dispensed with." A strong feeling seems to have existed in the community that the studies of the school were not as practical as they should be and accordingly the Committee recommended an additional department in which common school branches, such as arithmetic and grammar, might be perfected. Even as late as 1872, there is the same cause for worry and the Committee in its report expresses the idea that "some pupils might better be perfecting their arithmetic and patiently amending their writing and spelling than puzzling themselves with geometry and algebra and playing with natural philosophy, chemistry, botany, the civil policy of the Commonwealth and of the United States and the Latin language."
Moreover, now, when all schools are crowded, it seems strange to read that in the earlier days it was necessary to reduce the standard for admission and to make some sacrifice to the peculiar function of the school to get sufficient pupils to fill the school.
In the report of the School Committee for 1884 are statistics of graduating classes for a series of years which show that from 1875 to 1884, inclusive, there was graduated from the school a total of 169 pupils. In this connection we might note that in June, 1926, the graduating class will number almost as many as this total of classes for ten years and this without taking into account 105 pupils who graduated in January, 1926.
In 1890, the Superintendent of Schools and the Principal of the High School are authorized to draft a course of study for the school covering four years, the course up to this time having consisted of only three years.
A commercial course was recommended in 1892 for those pupils who expected to enter business after leaving school and was estab- lished in the school the next year. How popular this course eventually became is evidenced by the fact that nearly half the pupils in the present school are in the commercial course. For the sake of contrast with present conditions it is worth while to
318
CITY OF QUINCY
mention that in this year 1892 only half the graduates from the grammar school entered the high school, whereas at the present time very few pupils do not enter high school.
Great joy in 1894. After using the first building forty-two years, a new building is occupied. This was the original part of the pres- ent Central Junior High School. The city now had a building equipped with a laboratory, drawing room and other modern fa- cilities. It is amusing to read that there seemed to have been progress in several lines, for in this year we find the Committee in its report trying to impress the parents with the value of home study as an absolute necessity for success in school work.
The next year, 1895, manual training was added to the program of studies, and about 1910 sewing and cooking were introduced into the school, completing the number of departments of instruction as they now exist.
In 1906, the building was remodelled and enlarged to its present form and was in use as a four year high school until the present building was occupied in 1924 as a senior high school.
The growth of our school has been really phenomenal and has more than kept pace with the growth of the city. In 1852 the population of the city was approximately 5,500 with a high school of 51 pupils. At the present time we have a population of about 60,000 with a senior high school of 1,349. Furthermore, it has
advanced from a school of a single teacher and a simple program of very elementary and intensely practical studies to a school of 61 teachers with a long program of studies containing both the prac- tical and the cultural in great variety. We are training boys and girls to enter business, or take up trades, and, instead of worrying about preparing an occasional boy for Harvard College, as did our predecessors, we are getting large numbers of boys and girls ready to enter more than a score of higher institutions of learning. But it is in the field of extra-curricular activities that marvelous de- velopment appears. Now there are athletics, dramatics, girls' club, debating club, clubs for special studies, glee clubs, orchestra, band and the like; all an integral part of the work of the school which is in modern times to develop the boys and girls along moral, social, physical and intellectual lines.
In connection with one of the activities above mentioned, I desire to express to the Kiwanis Club the gratitude of the school for pro- viding uniforms to our school band. It would be very easy to wax enthusiastic regarding this organization, but I will be content with saying that the band has had a large part in building up the won- derful school spirit in evidence this year. It has also been able to contribute its part to many civic affairs including our great Ter- centenary celebration.
This report provides an opportunity to express to the citizens of the city our appreciation of the great loyalty and support they have given to the school, particularly during the past year. To you and the School Comittee, may I give a word of gratitude both for the other teachers of the faculty and for myself for the confidence you have shown in us and the help and counsel we have always had from you.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST L. COLLINS, Head Master
319
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Junior High School
One of the most important advance steps in recent years in the public school system of Quincy was the opening of the Central Junior High School in September, 1924. The theory of the junior high school organization was presented in my annual report for that year and need not be repeated at this time. The plan for Quincy contemplates the ultimate establishment of three additional junior high centers,-one in the northern section of the city, one in the southwest section, and one in the Quincy Point section.
A beginning has been made upon a junior high building for the northern section, and a request is now before the City Council for a building for the southwest area. It is extremely unfortunate that the financial condition of the city have prevented more rapid action in providing the needed buildings for the completion of the establishment of the projected junior high schools, since it is im- possible to secure the full benefits of this system of organization until the necessary housing quarters are provided.
Regarding the Central Junior High, it may be said that, although overcrowded conditions in the various elementary schools have obliged us to place in this school pupils who do not properly belong there, thereby preventing the organizing of the school upon a com- plete junior high basis, nevertheless, under the intelligent and en- thusiastic management of Principal Goodspeed and his efficient co-workers, gratifying results are being secured and the beginning made affords ample ground for the belief that no mistake was made in the decision to reorganize our school system on the junior high basis.
I regard the pushing forward of the junior high plan to its earliest completion as the most important special work before the Committee at the present time.
Academic Evening School
The purpose of this school is to provide instruction in the so- called academic subjects for persons beyond the compulsory school age who are not in the regular schools.
The total enrollment during the past year was 391. The enroll- ment by subjects was ; as follows: Bookkeeping, 86; Business Arithmetic, 90; Business English, 164; Penmanship, 54; Stenog- raphy, 186; Typewriting, 182; Mechanical Drawing, 182; Gram- mar School subjects, 18.
During the season of 1922-23, the plan of operating this school was reorganized, somewhat, in an attempt to make it meet more largely the needs of those who might seek its benefits. The result of this endeavor has been to increase the attendance of this school 72 per cent. during the past three years. It is evident, therefore, that this division of our school work is increasingly extending its benefits to the community and thereby justifying its maintenance.
I invite your attention to the following suggestion from the re- port of the Assistant Superintendent of Schools, who had direct supervision of this branch of our school work: "The inauguration of presenting certificates to pupils who have attended two succes- sive years has acted as a stimulus in bringing pupils back for a second year. I believe that the work of our evening school should be so standardized that pupils who wish to avail themselves of the privilege may acquire, after completing a required number of units
320
CITY OF QUINCY
in a specified number of subjects, a regular High School diploma. While attempts to inaugurate such a program of studies might yield meager results at first, I believe that, in a few years, there would be a big demand for such a system of education.
"This year I have received several requests for classes to be organized to give instruction in Algebra, English Literature, Physics, and French. In view of this fact, I think that one or two classes could be opened next year as a beginning toward the plan suggested above."
The Academic Summer School
The following tabulation shows interesting comparative data on this branch of our school endeavor covering the five years of its existence.
DATA ON ACADEMIC SUMMER SCHOOL
Grades
Year
Total En- roll- ment
Average Mem- ber- ship
Per Cent Daily Attend- ance
Total Cost
Cost per Pupil
VB to VIIIA inclusive
1921
391
334.84
92.61
$1,425 08
$4 26
1922
417
364.52
91.60
$1,598 25
$4 38
1923
361
296.43
93.35
$1,517 06
$5 11
1924
405
340.40
95.60
$2,187 82
$6 42
1925
375
334.40
97.90
$2,153 99
$6 44
It is significant of the seriousness of the pupils in this school that, although its sessions are held during the hot season and al- though attendance is voluntary, nevertheless the per cent of regu- larity in the attendance was 97.9 per cent, which is higher than that in the regular day schools during the past year by 4 per cent.
The Director of this school submits the following interesting facts concerning the past season's work :- "Of the pupils who en- tered to secure a lost promotion, 197 remained to the end of the term. Of this number, 191, or 97 per cent, were successful. Of 104 studying to remove conditions under which they had received promotion in June, 99, or 95.2 per cent, were successful. Of 16 working for diplomas of graduation from the elementary schools, 100 per cent were successful. Other pupils, who were in the school to review work in which they were relatively weak, did creditable work and will thus be better prepared to accomplish their tasks in the higher grade to which they were advanced in June."
The accomplishment of this school during the period of its exist- ence amply justifies its organization and maintenance.
State Aided Activities
Conditions with respect to these important lines of our school work continue satisfactory as indicated by the following facts re- garding the several activities.
321
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
1. Day Industrial School for Boys
The following tabulation shows the enrollment in this school for the past three school years:
No. of Different Pupils Enrolled
Per Cent of
Year
Annual Increase
1922-23
164
1923-24
180
10%
1924-25
227
26%
The steady annual increase shown in the attendance at this school indicates a growing appreciation of the benefits of the train- ing given.
Of the 227 pupils enrolled during the year, 42 were in the Ma- chine Department; 40 in the Electrical Department; 16 in the Sheet Metal Department; 42 in the Plumbing Department; 70 in the Woodworking Department; and 17 in the Auto Mechanics Depart- ment, which was opened in February, 1925.
The increased atendance in the Plumbing Department required the employment of an additional teacher during the year.
Without exception the teachers of this school are men who are performing their tasks creditably.
2. Home Making School for Girls.
Present conditions in this school are more satisfactory than at any previous time during the five years that I have been connected with the schools of Quincy. Since September, 1924, the school has been housed in quarters both more attractive and more convenient for efficient work than those in which it had performed its work previously, the working spirit of the pupils is commendable, the teachers are well-prepared and able, and the director is a wise and stimulating leader who has the good-will of the pupils and the whole-hearted support of her fellow-workers.
The attendance for the year has remained nearly the same as that for several years past, being 48.
If parents understood better than they do, as a rule, the worth of the practical training that the girls of this school are receiving, not only as future home-makers but also as preliminary to wage- earning in the fields of dressmaking, millinery, etc., I believe that the school would out-grow its present accommodations in the near future.
3. Continuation School
This school, which has been in operation for the past five years, provides supplementary educational privileges for boys and girls from 14 to 16 years old who by law are compelled to attend a con- tinuation school four hours per week if working not less than six hours a day or 20 hours if not working or attending the regular day schools.
During the past year, 127 boys and 50 girls, a total of 177 differ- ent pupils, have been enrolled in this school.
The pupils are given such academic instruction as their in- dividual needs required and the time of their attendance would per- mit, and, in addition, the boys have had general shop work of a practical character and the girls have had training in sewing, cooking, millinery and home nursing.
The academic instruction is given by the Director of the School,
322
CITY OF QUINCY
Mr. Harlan L. Harrington; the shop work for boys by his assistant, Mr. Dana B. Clark, Jr .; the Home Nursing instruction by one of the school nurses, Miss Marion Jackson; and the instruction in Sewing, Cooking, and Millinery by teachers in the Home Making School.
At the opening of the new Senior High School building in Sep- tember, 1924, this school was transferred from its temporary quar- ters in a portable building to more adequate quarters planned for it in that building. As a result of its improved facilities therein and of some re-adjustments in its operation, the director says in his annual report,-"Both the boys' and girls' work is upon a firmer basis than formerly and I feel that the school has done more for the pupils during the past year than ever before."
4. Evening Industrial School for Men
The aim of this school is to provide such instruction for men in the industries as shall help them to higher efficiency in their several vocations.
During the past season, classes have been maintained in Ma- chine Shop Practice, Sheet Metal, Drafting, Electrical Wiring, Plumbing, and Roof-framing.
The total registration was 148 men, distributed as follows: Ma- chine Shop Practice, 25; Sheet Metal Drafting, 25; Electrical Wir- ing, 33; Plumbing, 39; and Roof Framing, 26.
5. Practical Arts Classes for Women
The aim of these classes is to provide opportunity for the adult women of the community to receive instruction in household or practical arts. During the past season instruction has been offered through these classes in Dressmaking, Millinery, Cooking, and Home Nursing.
The total registration in these classes during the past season was 955 women,-distributed as follows: Dressmaking, 619; Millin- ery, 277; Cooking, 42; and Home Nursing, 17.
This registration represents a gain of 11 per cent over that for the previous season, indicating that this phase of our educational endeavor is increasingly meeting a community need.
The value of this work from the economic point of view alone is suggested by the following statements from the annual report of the Supervisor of these classes :- "The cost of the material used by the women in the Dressmaking classes was $12,487.97, and the com- mercial value of the finished garments was $34,693.58, which rep- resents a saving of $22,205.61 for the 619 members of this group.
"The worth of the material used in the Millinery classes was $4,555.06 and the commercial value of the finished hats was $11,206.15, which represents a saving of $6,651.09 for the 277 mem- bers of this group.
"In the Cooking classes, the materials used cost $144.72. The market value of the products of the classes was $444.20. The dif- ference between the cost of the raw materials and the products rep- resents a saving of $299.48 for the 42 women in this group."
Another worthwhile result from these classes, which cannot be evaluated in dollars and cents, is suggested in the following quota- tion from the Supervisor's report for 1924 :- "In the Practical Arts classes, the women not only attain much knowledge of ma- terials used and of designs and patterns, but they also acquire many useful skills, some worthwhile habits, and certain social
323
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
and civic ideals, the value of which can be measured only as they add to one's future happiness and contentment."
6. Americanization Classes
The aim of the work in these classes is not only to provide for the foreign-born people of the city instruction calculated to prepare them to secure American citizenship but also to have a sympa- thetic and thoroughly loyal attitude toward American social and political ideals.
During the year, 596 different individuals have enrolled in the 27 classes that have been maintained throughout the city.
It is impossible to accurately evaluate the worth of this work of these classes, either to the individuals who have attended them or to the community at large, but one who is at all familiar with it can hardly doubt that it has high value.
The continued success of this important phase of our school en- deavor is to be credited chiefly to the intelligent and close super- vision given it by our Director, Miss Nellie A. Perry.
Thrift Work
Individual thrift is a fundamental element of good citizenship. A primary obligation of the public schools is to promote efficient civic conditions. Therefore, the schools do well to provide oppor- tunity for the development of the habit of thrift in young people. To this end a school savings system is maintained in all our ele- mentary schools and in the Junior High School. In my judgment this system may well be extended to the Senior High School and I hope to see it so extended in the near future.
During the past year, the total number of different depositors in the system was 5,959, which is an increase of 817 over the num- ber for the previous year. The deposits for the year amounted to $44,085.96.
A savings system has been in operation in our schools since October, 1908. During the period from that date to the end of the school year in June, 1925, the deposits of the children have totaled $251,140.91.
Quincy's Tercentenary Celebration
The work of the schools in connection with Quincy's Tercente- nary Celebration is too well known to our citizens in general that extended discussion of it seems unnecessary. Moreover, it has been adequately treated in the report of the School Committee. I de- sire, however, to express my admiration for the splendid work of both pupils and teachers in connection with this Celebration. The part taken by the schools contributed much to make the Celebration a complete success. While the work done by teachers and pupils in this connection necessarily interfered considerably with the carrying out of the regular school program, I am satisfied that any loss thus sustained was more than balanced by the historical and civic lessons that the pupils gained through their participation in this greatest of Quincy's celebrations.
Conclusion
While the foregoing review is by no means an exhaustive ex- hibit of our school activities for the past year, it is sufficient, I think, to indicate that work has progressed with reasonable satis- faction.
324
CITY OF QUINCY
For the accomplishments of the year, too much credit cannot be given my entire corps of fellow-workers for their efficiency and hearty co-operation.
In closing, I desire to acknowledge, also, my appreciation of the unfailing support of the Commitee.
It is a pleasure to work under conditions that prevail in the School Department of Quincy.
Respectfully submitted,
FRED H. NICKERSON, Superintendent of Schools.
APPENDIX A STATISTICAL DATA
1. Report of Attendance Officer
MR. FRED H. NICKERSON, Superintendent of Schools, Quincy, Mass .:
I hereby submit the twenty-ninth annual report for the twelve months ending December 31, 1925.
Number of cases investigated for non-attendance as per blanks
1.440
Number found to be truants .. 71
Parents and children before court for violation of school laws 4
Number convicted
4
Number of transfer cards investigated.
629
Details regarding attendance work and employment certificates for year ending December 31, 1925, appear in the following tables:
Attendance Work by Months
1925
Number of Cases in- vestigated
Actual Truants
School Age returned to School from Street Children of
Manufac- tories and Stores inspected
found empl'd Contr'y to Law Number
January
152
5
-
2
February
109
4
1
March
171
10
2
2
April
152
9
3
May
224
12
1
1
June
116
8
2
July
August
September
72
2
October
189
6
1
2
November
146
9
-
2
December
109
8
3
2
Totals
1,440
71
9
17
ยท
325
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Employment Certificates Issued for the Year Ending December 31, 1925
Boys
Girls
Total
Educational certificates, Form I:
16 to 18 years of age
594
311
905
18 to 21 years of age
423
191
614
Employment certificates (14 to 16 years of age:
Form C (regular)
138
15
153
Form D (non-resident)
60
41
101
Form E (limited-temporary)
73
9
82
Form F (limited)
74
14
88
Special certificates:
Farm
5
...
5
Domestic
....
6
6
Home permit
1
26
27
1,368
613
1,981
Total number issued 1924
1,985
Total number issued 1925.
1,981
Total number of newsboys' licenses in force.
138
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. JOHNSON, Attendance Officer.
2. Report of Dental Clinics at the Coddington and Daniel Webster Schools, January 1 to December 31, 1925
Number of different patients treated during the year 3,720
Number of new patients registered during the year. 1,003
Number of patients completed 397
Total number of visits to clinic during the year. 6,283
FILLINGS
Number of amalgam fillings 1,519
Number of cement fillings 1,564
Number of synthetic fillings 392
Number of temporary stoppings. 102
Number of temporary cement fillings.
239
Number of miscellaneous treatments
1,324
EXTRACTIONS
Number of permanent teeth extracted
824
Number of temporary teeth extracted. 2,395
CLEANINGS
Number of patients teeth cleaned 2,324
Total number of operations 10,683
326
CITY OF QUINCY
*3. Report of Work of the School Nurses, January 1 to December 31, 1925
Cases examined for various causes.
29,809
Home calls made
896
Cases referred to School Physician
647
Cases referred to dental clinics
3,555
Cases taken to eye and ear clinics
244
Cases of corrected vision
134
Cases referred to various other clinics
91
Operations for tonsils and adenoids
131
Cases of contagion found and reported
161
4. Report of Sight and Hearing Tests
School
Number examined
Defective in Eyesight
Defective in Hearing
Parents notified
High
1,360
74
1
0
Junior High
850
41
8
39
Adams
475
38
3
33
Adams Shore Port.
97
3
0
3
Atherton Hough
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.