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 1930 > Part 28
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 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
To carry on this form of education it costs $3,533.66. The city treasurer received the following because of the Continuation School:
Tuition fees for non-residents.
$82.96
Cash for work done.
14.42
Aid from the State of Massachusetts.
1,574.07
Aid from the Federal Government
268.90
Total receipts
$1,940.35
Net cost to City of Quincy
$1,593.31
Evening Industrial School for Men
The Evening Trade Extension Classes for Men tend to reflect business conditions with large enrollments when times are good and small enrollments when times are bad. One would think that men out of work would use some of their time to better fit them- selves for a job, but the enrollment for 1929-1930 was the smallest for several years as shown in the table below:
1925- 26
1926- 27
1927- 28
1928- 29
1929- 30
Shop
Mathematics for
Electricians
....
13
....
....
....
Automobile Mechanics.
24
26
20
20
....
Electrical Wiring
45
31
..
....
....
Machine Shop Practice ..
21
19
12
26
18
Machine Drawing and
Shop Mathematics
27
41
27
43
..
Plumbing
52
46
35
33
20
Roof Framing
36
10
....
22
Sheet Metal Drafting.
29
33
20
23
19
Ship Blue Print Reading
63
32
44
53
Totals
234
282
146
211
110
...
...
....
The classes in Plumbing and Sheet Metal Drafting were closed because of poor attendance before the end of the usual twenty week course. The classes started this fall have also been few and small with the exception of the Ship Blue Print Reading classes, which are conducted at the Fore River Plant from four to six P. M. The Fore River Plant incidentally is one of the few industrial plants not affected by the general business depression.
Although the trade extension classes for men are restricted to men actually engaged during the day in the trade they wish to
424
CITY OF QUINCY
study at night this is interpreted liberally and men are allowed to enroll who are temporarily out of work, provided they have worked at the trade within a year.
With a small enrollment the costs are reduced but not in pro- portion to the reduction of enrollment, because certain overhead expenses are the same whether the enrollment be large or small. The total cost for the Evening Industrial School for Men was $1,382.14, which was reduced as follows:
Tuition fees for non-residents $29.20
Registration fees not returned and Miscellaneous. 107.00
Aid from the State of Massachusetts 568.65
Aid from the Federal Government 108.63
Total receipts
$813.48
Net cost to City of Quincy $568.66
Evening Home Making School for Women
Miss Perry, the Supervisor of this work, says, "The aims of the Evening Home Making Classes are to assist the pupils with their home problems, to teach them to be more proficient in their home duties of cooking, sewing, decoration, home nursing, etc., by using the new and best methods-in fact, to make the home more at- tractive and comfortable, and, by so doing, make a happy healthy family." In this work the department expended $8,210.93, a de- crease of $914.23. This total cost to the city was reduced as follows:
Tuition fees for non-resident pupils
$122.50
Aid from the State of Massachusetts
3,331.14
Aid from the Federal Government. 826.72
Registration fees not returned and Miscellaneous
411.00
Total receipts $4,691.36
Net cost to City of Quincy $3,519.57
The number of women reached and a comparison with other years is shown in the table below:
1925- 26
1926- 27
1927- 28
1928- 29
1929- 30
Millinery
122
112
48
....
....
Foods
85
105
120
153
150
Dressmaking
730
.726
751
719
522
Home Nursing
....
16
17
37
30
Home Decoration
....
..
....
42
100
Totals
937
959
936
951
802
Although the value of the Home Nursing work was stressed, we were disappointed not to have more than two classes. The out- standing development is the increased attendance in Home Decora- tion classes.
In the Dressmaking classes work in renovation was stressed and continues to be emphasized. Women were urged to bring to class coats, dresses, etc., that were not being worn but were too good to throw away, and they were remodelled for adult wear or "cut over" for the children, thus saving many dollars.
In the various classes old or new material to the value of $7,713.04 was converted into finished products worth $21,295.20.
425
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Americanization Work
During the school year 1929-1930 this department taught 475 people, of whom 36 were illiterate minors, at a total cost of $5,168.17. The net cost to the City was $2,779.92, as the State reimbursed the City $2,388.25. The City receives no reimburse- ment for minors, but as they are required by law to attend evening school it seems sensible to place them in the Americanization classes for adults rather than organize special classes for them in the Evening Academic School. It cost $391.68 to educate the 36 minors. It is interesting to learn that some employers of illiterate minors check their attendance at evening classes very carefully.
For the second time the State Department of Americanization conducted a Pilgrimage to Washington, D. C., in March, 1930. Thirty-seven Quincy pupils and their friends made the trip. The pupils returned to the city inspired by the beauties of Washington and its governmental activities. Such a trip creates greater re- spect for our government and its laws.
As in the past, the Federation of Women's Organizations, clubs, the Library and many individuals cooperated in a friendly manner, helping to make the alien feel at home in a new country.
There is probably no branch of the School Department where the progress made by the pupils is so evident. After the pupils are admitted to American citizenship they are still urged to attend an Advanced class and later enter the Evening High School.
The Evening Academic School
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 1930, $3,716.24 was ex- pended for evening academic classes and evening gymnasium classes-an increase of $443.01 over the previous year. The in- creased cost represents increased service to evening school pupils. The academic school was carried on three weeks longer in March of 1930 than the previous year; three more teachers were required for the academic classes in the fall af 1930 than in the fall of 1929, and three new gymnasium classes have been opened. Last fall 593 adults enrolled in the academic classes as contrasted with 486 in 1929.
The following table shows the enrollment for five years:
FALL ENROLLMENT
Subjects
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
Office Practice
....
....
....
....
12
Advanced Bookkeeping
....
....
20
17
18
Elementary Bookkeeping
83
79
47
65
50
Business Arithmetic
92
119
69
102
112
Business English
128
191
109
146
187
Penmanship
55
89
44
80
Elementary Stenography
165
142
103
174
70
Intermediate Stenography
24
32
36
39
48
Elementary Typewriting
215
194
142
226
139
Intermediate Typewriting
....
...
....
17
35
Advanced Typewriting
....
36
37
41
48
Mechanical Drawing
92
69
42
76
128
Grammar School Subjects.
23
....
21
8
36
Algebra
49
35
....
50
63
Cultural English
48
....
....
....
....
...
....
18
17
35
Advanced Stenography
426
CITY OF QUINCY
This year the evening school session from 7:15 to 9:15 is di- vided into two sessions rather than three as has been done in the past. Students are allowed to take two subjects except in ele- mentary bookkeeping and elementary stenography. The require- ments have been raised for those admitted to the classes in elementary stenography, no one being allowed to take the subject who has not had two years of high school education or its equiva- lent. As was expected, the enrollment in stenography decreased, but the quality of work being done has greatly increased. Selected pupils have been allowed to take up work with the new office practice machines purchased for use of the Commercial depart- ment of the Senior High School, under the direction of Miss Taft, who teaches this work to the day pupils. Thus there is no divided responsibility for the care of the machines.
The gymnasium classes continue to grow in popularity. Three new classes have been started-a class for men and one for women at the Quincy Point Junior High School, and a class for men in the Senior High School. All the classes maintained in the past are open this year with increased enrollments. This fall 126 men and 282 women enrolled in gymnasium classes as compared with 41 men and 186 women in 1929.
The Academic Summer School
Some of the important facts for the summer school for the past five years are given in the following table:
Grade
Year
No. Teach- Total ers and En- roll- ment Prin- cipals
Aver- age Mem- bership
Per Cent of At- tendance
Total Cost
Cost per Pupil
VB-VIIIA
(1926
20
465
406.59
96.97
$2,141.55
$5.27
)1927*
20
423
394.46
98.48
2,336.71
5.92
IV-VII
1928
21
552
504.89
96.88
2,860.26
5.67
IV-VI
1929
16
348
311.01
96.53
2,256.09
7.25
IV-VI
1930
16
380
345.69
96.81
2,221.82
6.42
*Summer School maintained for but 5 weeks.
Only three teachers were needed at the Willard Summer School Center and but four at the Francis W. Parker Center, so one prin- cipal took charge of both schools. At the Daniel Webster Center there were seven teachers and a principal.
Eighty-one pupils enrolled to try and gain lost promotions: 66 or 81.5 per cent were successful, 8 or 9.9 per cent left before the close of summer school, and 7 or 8.6 per cent failed. Two hundred ninety-eight enrolled to remove conditions; 244 or 81.9 per cent were successful, 41 or 13.8 per cent left and 13 or 4.3 per cent failed. One pupil registered from the fourth grade to prepare for advancement and was recommended for trial in grade V in the fall.
All of the sixty-six pupils who gained lost promotions through summer school work enrolled in school in September. At the end of the first ten weeks 30 or 45.5 per cent were passing in all sub- jects, 9 or 13.6 per cent were failing in one subject studied at summer school, 6 or 9.1 per cent were failing in one subject not studied at summer school, 21 pupils or 31.8 per cent were failing in two or more subjects.
427
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Of the 244 who succeeded in removing conditions, 197 registered in school in September. Of these, 97 or 49.2 per cent were doing satisfactory work in all subjects at the end of the first ten weeks, 60 or 30.5 per cent were failing in one subject and 40 or 20.3 per cent were failing in two or more subjects.
The one pupil recommended for double promotion was doing satisfactory work in all subjects at the end of the first ten weeks.
Again standard tests in reading and arithmetic were given to all summer school pupils during the first week and the last week of the term. The results of the tests showed much progress was made by the pupils. Only those pupils were recommended for promotion whose test results at the close of the summer school session showed them to be doing satisfactory work for their grade.
Special Classes
Great progress has been made in our provisions for the child three or more years mentally retarded. In 1924 there were no special classes in the city and now there are eight classes for the mentally retarded.
In September, two classes for retarded children thirteen to six- teen years of age were opened in a double portable building in the yard of the Central Junior High School,-a class for boys and one for girls. After a few weeks' trial it was found wise to move the girls' class to the portable at the Coddington School. Re- moving the older boys and girls from the mixed special classes in various parts of the city has greatly increased the efficiency of these classes and made it possible to give the older group work more adapted to their needs.
There are, in the school system, 177 children who are now three years mentally retarded or who will be before they are fourteen years of age. Eighty children are in the mixed "Opportunity Classes" for the younger children, thirty are in the two classes opened this fall and eleven are in the "Over-age Classes" of the Junior High Schools. Eleven children are in the districts served by the Atherton Hough, Adams Shore, Merrymount, Coddington and Cranch Schools, and as yet no classes have been established serv- ing this scattered group. The remaining forty-five children are in the regular classes of the elementary or junior high schools and in most cases are doing satisfactory work where they are now placed. It has not been our policy to take a pupil from a regular grade if he is doing the work of the grade satisfactorily and is contented even if the child is three years mentally retarded. Some children who have done very good work in the special classes are sometimes allowed to try the regular grade again. There are a few retarded children in the Willard, John Hancock and Lincoln Schools who should be in a special class, but the two classes serv- ing these schools, one at the Willard School and one at the Lincoln School, are both full.
During the year the teachers and principals referred fifty-two children to the three Clinics serving Quincy. Dr. Patterson of Wrentham examined most of the children, spending nearly three weeks in the Quincy schools.
More children will be examined in the spring and fall of 1931, and results may indicate the need of a Special Class at the John Hancock School, which would relieve the situation of the Lincoln and John Hancock Schools, and also serve the Cranch School, and a class at Adams Shore to care for the retarded pupils from Atherton Hough, Adams Shore, Merrymount and Coddington Schools.
428
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
MR. JAMES N. MUIR, Superintendent of Schools, Quincy, Mass. My dear Mr. Muir:
The annual report for the Senior High School is herewith sub- mitted to you. Our numbers continue to increase but, unfortu- nately, accommodations do not increase. This is, of course, not a new statement for this school or indeed for the whole city. Never- theless, we cannot help but be disturbed because large numbers and limited space greatly hamper our work and prevent us from doing for our boys and girls what we might desire. Economic con- ditions have doubtless been responsible for an unusual increase this year. In October, 1929, there was a membership of 1,791, while in October, 1930, there was a membership of 2,042. So far as I recall this is the largest increase in any single year in the history of the school. We have divided the study halls into class rooms by means of partitions and have used the auditorium for a large study hall. After the semi-annual promotion it will be nec- sary to hold one or more classes in the cafeteria. It is a pleasure to note, however, that with all the confusion and inconvenience the work goes on happily and on the whole very efficiently.
The increased facilities of our commercial curriculum have served to attract greater numbers to that line of work and also to raise the standard of accomplishment in the department. The abso- lutely modern equipment for use in our Office Practice classes has been particularly attractive. With the facilities at our disposal we are able to train pupils for almost any type of office work and appear to be rather successful in so training them. Nearly 300 pupils are now studying this work, and every year will bring a substantial increase in numbers. Of course, the technical com- mercial subjects, shorthand, typewriting and bookkeeping, continue to have a prominent place in our commercial curriculum, and will probably always be regarded as a more or less necessary part of a commercial education. We have given much attention to these subjects because we are attempting to adjust our curriculum to meet the needs of Quincy business men, and apparently a general training in all commercial branches is desired by prospective em- ployers. The collective opinion of business men of the city re- garding proper training was obtained and has been of immense value in organizing our work. The next step is to organize a place- ment department which shall serve to provide our pupils with employment and business men with properly trained office help of all kinds. This department will be established when sufficient space can be afforded to conduct it with any degree of efficiency.
Our efforts along the line of physical education have begun to show results, and we can now look forward to the time when every boy and girl in the school will be engaged in some form of ath- letics. During the past year 754 boys and 308 girls participated in athletics either in intra-mural or inter-school games representing 10 different sports. The proximity of the Faxon Field with its many resources has been a great help in developing our program of athletics. Our athletic teams have all made a good showing and some of them have been particularly successful. Our soccer team won the New England championship, our cross country team
429
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
was undefeated during the season, and our track team won the State championship in its division. In this connection, I wish to deplore the attitude of some people who rate the success of a physical training program and of athletic teams simply by the number of games which the football team may have won. I hope we may never feel ourselves compelled to limit our efforts to such a narrrow program as the development of a single sport.
At the graduation exercises in June the following awards were made: Wollaston Woman's Club Scholarships to Hazel E. Berry and Hilja I. M. Malmstrom; Quincy Women's Club Scholarships to Janice Buck and Alice L. Magnant; L'Eco Club Scholarship to Fer- rer DiBona; the Washington and Franklin Medal for excellence in American History to Lillian E. Pearce; the Cyril P. Morrisette Post Medal for Scholarship and Athletics to Edwin E. Calvin. The Quincy Women's Club offered two cash prizes for the boy and girl who, in the opinion of the faculty and of their class, had contrib- uted most to the school. These were awarded to Arthur E. Olinto and Dorothy E. Barr.
The usual number of pupils took College Entrance Examination Board examinations in June, and reports from the Board show that they were as successful as pupils from other schools. We had a larger number of new plan candidates than usual and all were accepted at the colleges of their choice. Several of them had hon- orable mention at these colleges for high marks on their exam- inations. In connection with entrance to college, I should like to call attention to the fact that there is a growing tendency to insist on five years of preparation for pupils of average ability. Pre- paratory schools have regularly required five years, and this seems now to be the tendency of public high schools where any real at- tempt is made to prepare pupils for college.
From time to time I desire to mention departments of the school which are not so well known by the public and perhaps not so thoroughly understood. Our school library is one of these depart- ments. The objectives of the school library are: (1) to enrich the school curriculum by furnishing materials to supplement the text- book and giving directions and guidance in the use of these facili- ties, (2) to give instruction in the independent use of libraries and books as tools, (3) to foster informational reading as a life habit, (4) to encourage the habit of reading for pleasure, and (5) to develop the library habit. Our school is particularly fortunate in having a well organized library, a trained librarian, and ample resources. The following statistics will show what use was made of our library during the past year:
Total attendance, 28,413 pupils, an average of 33 per period throughout the year.
Total circulation of books, 17,447, an average daily circulation of 101 books.
Two hundred and ninety periods of instruction in the use of books and libraries were given by the librarian to the pupils in English, History, Problems of Democracy, and Commercial Geog- raphy classes.
During the past year our assistant principal, Mr. Wilson, made a study of our loss of pupils from causes other than graduation. He obtained some results which will be of interest in a further study of this problem. The greatest loss was in the entering class as might be expected. The total loss was distributed among cur- riculums as follows: Commercial, 10.6 per cent; General, 14 per cent; Preparatory, 8.4 per cent; Manual Arts, 27 per cent; House-
430
CITY OF QUINCY
hold Arts, 40 per cent. The causes for leaving were work, 28 per cent; failure, 28 per cent; moved from city, 14.6 per cent; sick- ness, 13 per cent; went to private schools, 5 per cent; returned to Junior High Schools, 1.4 per cent; needed at home, 1.8 per cent; died, 1.3 per cent; other various causes, 6.9 per cent. The total loss was 224, which was about 11 per cent of the enrollment of 2,056 pupils. These figures give us some valuable information and show us where some very definite work needs to be done.
In closing, may I say that we are most grateful to you for the kindly help and counsel you have given us and to the School Com- mittee for their support and their willingness to afford us every possible facility for carrying on our work in a satisfactory manner.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST L. COLLINS,
Principal of Senior High School.
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL DEAN OF GIRLS
MR. JAMES N. MUIR, Superintendent of Schools, Quincy, Mass. My dear Mr. Muir:
The work of the Dean of Girls of the Senior High School for the year 1930 has been concerned largely with the following:
Extra-curricular Activities-This part of the work has included supervision of the social program of the school, sponsoring of a girls' service club, work with the Student Advisory Council, and various responsibilities in connection with the activities of other organizations.
The Dean keeps activity records of every student. At the pres- ent time a study is being made of the extent of participation in the various types of activities and the distribution of participation among the students.
Emergency Room Cases-According to our records, three hun- dred forty-seven girls have been admitted to the Emergency Room during the past year.
Three cases of accident were taken immediately to the family physician. In one case of illness the School Physician was called.
Among the minor injuries receiving treatment at school were about fifty cases of cuts and bruises. Over two hundred of the cases of illness have been a matter of upset stomach, fainting, headache, etc. This would seem to justify some provision for gen- eral instruction in personal hygiene. Work along this line has already been attempted in individual cases. In several instances the girls have been taken to the School Physician for advice.
Other types of cases which have come to the Emergency Room have been blistered heels, something in the eye, falls, toothache, hysteria, burns, splinters, nose bleed, etc.
The supplies used and the treatments given are those recom- mended by the School Nurse.
431
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Attendance-The Dean has cooperated with the Assistant Prin- cipal in the investigation of absences. This has involved daily phone calls and some thirty home visits.
Educational and Vocational Guidance-This has included pro- gram guidance, regular check-up and follow-up of failures, college guidance and the gathering and dissemination of vocational infor- mation. Catalogues have been obtained from institutions offering various types of advanced training.
Early last spring a questionnaire was distributed among the girls of the school. They were asked to indicate what they planned to do the year following graduation and what they hoped to do eventu- ally. The replies showed a meager knowledge of educational and vocational opportunities and requirements. As an immediate follow-up, personal conferences were held with over one hundred girls.
Here is a line along which much can be done. The girls need to know what opportunities there are in the various fields, what the requirements are, where the necessary training may be ob- tained, and what work should be done in high school in preparation for advanced training. Such information not only provides a basis for intelligent choice but is valuable as a part of their general education. Also it helps to furnish an incentive and to make high school work more meaningful.
At the present time we are trying to work out a more systematic and complete program of guidance.
In connection with work of this kind, I might mention a series of trips which have been made with interested groups-averaging about twenty-five girls each-to the following institutions: Quincy Hospital (two groups), Deaconess Hospital, Bridgewater Normal, Framingham Normal, Massachusetts School of Art, Simmons Col- lege, Radcliffe College. By previous arrangement we were shown through the buildings of the institutions, were given explanations regarding the work offered, and in several instances visited classes.
Individual Cases-Considerable time has been spent in the in- vestigation, follow-up, and study of special cases which have been brought to the attention of the Dean in various ways. Case records have been kept.
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.