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 1933 > Part 23
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
The central thought in the minds of Governor Douglas and the members of the original Commission was that ". .. The advance in scientific and mechanical production had far outstripped the ability of industry to train its workers; that apprenticeship was already a dying institution; and that the haphazard and uneven prepara- tion in skilled and industrial intelligence was already a serious problem." They also took a decided stand against prevalent con- fusion between technical and vocational education.
Massachusetts was a pioneer state in the field of industrial edu- cation putting into actual practice a felt need recognized by many of the country's leading men. In 1907, the President, Theodore Roosevelt, in a letter to the President of the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology, wrote: "No one can look at the peoples of mankind as they stand at present without realizing that industrial training is one of the most potent factors in national development -surely this means that there must be some systematic method provided for training young men in the trades and that this must be coordinated with our public school system."
Organized labor had been studying the subject for years. In 1908 the American Federation of Labor appointed a special com- mittee with John Mitchell as chairman, which studied the question for three years. The final report, recommending industrial train- ing at public expense, was adopted by Labor in the convention of 1911. The report contains these significant statements. "If the American workman is to maintain the high standard of efficiency the boys and girls of the country must have an opportunity to ac- quire educated hands and brains such as may enable them to earn a living in a self-selected vocation and acquire an intelligent un- derstanding of the duties of good citizenship. No better invest- ment can be made by taxpayers than to give every youth an op-
334
CITY OF QUINCY
portunity to secure such an education .... The ninety per cent wno are going into manual occupations have the same right to the best preparation for their life's work that the state can give them as have the ten per cent who go into the professions."
The Quincy Trade School, founded one year after the above statement was made, gives such an opportunity to boys in Quincy and its vicinity.
The quoted statements given above are just as true today as they were then. An intelligent reading of the codes so far adopted under the N. R. A. will convince most people that industry has not adequately provided for the "learner" and that apprenticeship is nearer dead today than it was in 1906. Apparently industry has assumed that most of the industrial training will be given by the already organized "Vocational Schools."
Our present President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, is in accord with the general plan of vocational education for in a nation wide radio address broadcast from Albany during the presidential campaign he said, "I go along with the thought that we must increase voca- tional education for those children who otherwise would not receive adequate training. That kind of vocational training will raise the standards of worthwhile employment not only now but also in normal times. ... We know that already many professions are over supplied and it is a fair guess that during the coming gen- eration we shall devote more attention to educating our boys and girls for vocational pursuits which are just as honorable, just as respectable, and in many instances, just as remunerative as are the professions themselves."
There are three classes of boys that the Day Trade School serves:
(1) The boy who desires to enter industry through a proper knowledge of and ability in some trade.
(2) The boy to whom the usual high school work would be difficult, either through his lack of interest or because he learns more readily by "doing" rather than from books.
(3) The boy who, through force of circumstances, is obliged to acquire something of a salable nature as soon as possible.
With all codes so far adopted under the N.R.A. prohibiting chil- dren under sixteen entering industry, there will be an ever increas- ing number of young people remaining in school. Trade education offers a golden opportunity to many.
The following table shows the enrollment and average member- ship for the past five years:
335
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
1928-29
1929-30
1930-31
1931-32
1932-33
Enrol.
Av.
Mem.
Enrol.
Av.
Mem.
Enrol.
Av.
Mem.
Enrol.
Av
Mem.
Enrol.
Mem.
Auto Mechanics ..
43
48
29.3
37
30.85
54
42.79
55
47.73
Electrical
35
38
32.5
37
32.64
37
31.12
34
31.30
Machine
40
31
25.7
38
24.95
16
12.96
22
16.49
Machine (Co-op-
erative
...
4
2.
5
1. 23.76
2
2
1.
Plumbing
36
39
29.1
29
31
1. 24.28
38
25.79
Sheet Metal.
20
18
16.3
18
16.67
21
15.38
19
14.32
Woodworking
76
68
47.1
56
40.99
53
36.57
60
48.03
Total Enrollment
250
246
220
214
230
Total Average Membership ......
192.6
182.0
170.86
164.10
184.66
The average membership of 184.66 is the largest the school has had since the school year 1928-29, and is an increase of 12.5 per cent over the membership of 1931-32. The average membership for the first four months of the present school year is 219.59, which is an increase of 15.2 per cent over the same period last year. In several departments there is a waiting list, all the boys that can possibly be cared for having been enrolled. All indications point toward a need for expansion, not for curtailment.
Because this school is State-aided, the State lays down certain broad principles and rules for its guidance. To insure the practical nature of the work, the State requires that all trade and related work teachers shall have earned their bread and butter at the trade they teach for at least eight years. When tradesmen protest against the activities of the trade school they should remember that be- cause of this school twelve high class tradesmen have been re- moved from competition with them. Should they be forced back into the trade their combined wages would be much more than the labor value of the work done by the boys they teach. The State also requires that the major part of the work be productive, that is, on real jobs that can be sold for real money. It further limits the number of pupils per teacher-in the past the limit was sixteen for a shop teacher and twenty-four for related work teachers.
The first cost of this type of education is undeniably higher than that of the average high school. To offset this the Federal govern- ment assists communities in paying a small part of the teachers' salaries and the State pays back to the town or city one-half the net cost. The final cost to any individual community is thus less than for regular secondary education.
Although the average membership of the school for the school year 1932-33 increased 12.5 per cent the total cost was decreased by $3,580.85 to $47,163.74, and this total cost was further reduced as follows:
Tuition for non-residents
$9,065 00
Cash for products made in the school.
879 22
Aid from the Federal Government
1,739 50
Aid from the State of Massachusetts
17,642 03
Miscellaneous receipts
59 60
Total receipts
$29,385 35
Net cost to the City of Quincy
17,778 39
Av.
...
336
CITY OF QUINCY
In addition to the receipts shown above the Trade School teach- ers donated to the city $2,496.30 for the school year 1932-33. How- ever, when speaking of net costs the donation has not been included.
While the average membership for the year increased 12.5 per cent the net cost decreased 11.7 per cent. The total cost of the Trade School has been steadily declining due (until the past year) to a decline in enrollment and more efficiency in administering the school. Now the membership has again begun to increase and indi- cations point to the largest membership in the history of the school for the present school year. It will be difficult to continue to reduce total cost in face of an increased enrollment without decreasing the quality of service rendered.
The Home Making School
Due to economy measures forced upon it, the School Committee voted to close the Home Making School at the close of the school year in June, 1933. The following table shows the average mem- bership of the school for the eight years that it came under my supervision:
1925- 26
1926- 27
1927- 28
1928- 29
1929- 30
1930- 31
1931- 32
1932- 33
Ave. Mem.
41.86
43.11
47.87
51.06
50.2
57.4
63.1
59.94
From the school year 1925-26 to 1931-32 the school increased 50.7 per cent. There was a slight falling off in the figures of 1932-33 due to the uncertainty of the school's future. Many girls did not enroll who otherwise might have done so and others left school and went to work. For the first five months of the school year the average membership was 64.4 indicating that it was functioning at capacity enrollment (a membership of sixty really represents the number that could be most efficiently handled in the building). Where the enrollment usually increased in February there was only a slight increase. On May 1, 1933, there were actually 56 pupils who were members of the school. When school closed on June 23 there were only 41 members-fifteen had obtained jobs, or being over sixteen, decided to remain at home. Some of the withdrawals during May and June were normal for every year some girls feel- ing they had acquired something they could sell obtained jobs and left school.
Of the 41 pupils in school on June 23, eight had completed the course and graduated. Of that group four are in the Senior High School, one in the Boston Trade School, and three decided their school education was complete and did not enter any school in September. Thirty-three pupils had not completed the work of the school. Seven of these girls are now enrolled in the Senior High School and one in the Braintree High School, five are enrolled in the Boston Trade School, six are enrolled in one of the Junior High Schools, two moved away and 12 have withdrawn from school. Of the 12 who have left school some have obtained work and others being over 16 and not required by law to attend school have decided that they have been in school long enough.
It is a great satisfaction to know that all the regular teachers of the school are placed. Two are teaching in the South Junior High School, Miss Atkins is teaching cooking in the Southbridge High School, Miss Woods is teaching dressmaking in the Boston
337
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Trade School, and the former director, Miss Cowles, is Supervisor of Home Economics work in Cranston, Rhode Island.
The total cost of the school for the school year 1932-33 was again reduced, this time by $1,052.49 to $13,231.38. This total cost was reduced as follows:
Tuition for non-residents.
$570 00
Cash for products made in the school.
606 59
Aid from the Federal Government.
Aid from the State of Massachusetts 6,020 21
Miscellaneous receipts
9 45
Total receipts $7,206 25
Net cost to the City of Quincy 6,025 13
The net per capita cost for the year was $100.52, which is $8.80 more than the net per capita cost for the school year 1931-32. The increase in the net per capita cost is due to the fact that the City received no aid from the Federal Government because the school was discontinued. Last year the Federal Aid amounted to $1,084.93. Had that amount been received as in past years, the per capita cost would have been about $18 less.
The city also received $598.17 from the Home Making School in pay donations for the school year 1932-33.
The Continuation School
The Continuation School completed its first full year as a part time school, Mr. Dana B. Clark, the Director, devoting time which amounted to about one day a week. Mr. Clark spent four hours per week teaching the boys, supervised the work of the girls and made the necessary follow-up visits. His follow-up work with the Continuation School pupils fitted in nicely with the home visiting work which he did with the Senior High School pupils. It was also possible to place all the girls in one division, which reduced the teaching time of the two part time teachers to two hours per week. The academic teacher of the girls spent some time making the necessary home visits.
The decline in Continuation School enrollments is shown below which covers the past ten years:
1922 1923
1923 1924
1924 1925
1925 1926
1926 1927
1927 1928
1928 1929
1929 1930
1930 1931
1931 1932
1932 1933
Boys Girls
77 27
71 28
127 50
67
26
84 56
95
82
72
45
29
13
62
65
54
47
42
32
Total
104
99
177
93
140
157
147
126
92
71
45
Hrs. of Service
11860
7996
7148 6132
4056
2208
The hours of service are a better indicator than the enrollment for some pupils become sixteen during the year and thus drop out. The enrollment does not show the reduction but the hours of service do.
The N.R.A. codes which so greatly changed the character of the Continuation School in other communities this fall by setting the
338
CITY OF QUINCY
age limit at sixteen affected the Quincy Continuation School but slightly, as most of the boys became sixteen during the summer and the sixteen year limit does not apply to domestic service. Prac- tically all the girls enrolled in our Continuation School were en- gaged in domestic service either on home permits to aid in their own home or on domestic service permits for housework away from home.
There are enough girls still in the domestic service to continue one division of girls as heretofore. Only two boys were enrolled this fall, one of whom became sixteen in December. One boy was placed in the Trade School on part time and the other in the special class at the Central Junior Portable. Mr. Clark, while relieved of the actual teaching, is responsible for the boys, but has more time for home visiting and has been able to handle the attendance serv- ice for the girls.
By going on part time for a full year the total cost of the school was reduced 59 per cent to $987.04. Being a State-aided school the cost was further reduced thus:
Cash for work done
$1 77
Aid from the Federal Government
179 84
Aid from the State of Massachusetts. 402 71
Total receipts
$584 32
Net cost to City of Quincy. 402 72
The salary donation from the Continuation School for the school year 1932-33 amounted to $40.45.
The State Department of Education has approved a transfer of the Federal funds, which had been allotted to Quincy to help pay salaries in the Evening Industrial School and Evening Home Mak- ing School for Women, to the Continuation School. This sum is large enough to pay the women part time teachers and part of the director's salary.
Evening Industrial School for Men
The Evening Industrial work has been discontinued by vote of the School Committee after the school year 1932-33. It had prac- tically eliminated itself as the following table of enrollment indi- cates :
1928- 29
1929- 30
1930- 31
1931- 32
1932- 33
Automobile Mechanics.
20
....
....
18
24
Electrical Wiring
....
....
....
18
....
Machine Drawing and Shop Mathematics
43
....
....
....
....
Machine Shop Practice.
26
18
15
18
....
Plumbing
33
20
....
15
....
Roof Framing
22
...
....
....
Sheet Metal Drafting
23
19
27
52
14
Ship Blue Print Reading. ...
44
53
156
113
....
Totals
211
110
198
234
38
The Sheet Metal Drafting class lasted but four and one-half weeks and was closed because of poor attendance. The Automobile class was maintained for nineteen weeks.
339
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
For the year ending August, 1933, $556.11 was expended for the two classes above. This cost was reduced as follows:
Tuition for non-residents
$93 60
Aid from the Federal Government 56 76
Aid from the State of Massachusetts.
202 87
Total receipts
$353 23
Net cost to City of Quincy
202 88
Evening Home Making School for Women
The discontinuance of the Evening Home Making classes, while a necessary economy on the part of the School Committee because of a lack of funds, is in my opinion an actual economic loss to the community. During the school year ending in August, 1933, the women enrolled in the classes took raw material valued at $3,760.19 and turned it into finished products worth $13,300.69, an actual economic gain of $9,540.50. It is true that $104.13 repre- sents the increased value of the cooked food as contrasted with the raw and the cooked food was eaten by the women, so it might be said that no needed value was created. In many cases, however, I know that many of the women ate a light evening meal the night they went to cooking class because they knew they would eat again later. But deducting the $104.13 leaves $9,436.37, which represents increased values created in the clothing classes and home decorating classes which were actually put to use in the home.
Old discarded clothing was renovated and made into useful, attractive garments, which were actually worn by members of the household. Furnishings for the home were made out of old and new materials, making the home more attractive and comfortable for the entire family.
In the food classes the use of "left overs" and the cheap cuts of meat were stressed. Home management and budgeting the income were introduced. Thus many women were able to serve better food to their families, dress themselves and their children better at less actual cost, and make their homes more attractive. This helped to keep the family more cheerful and contented at a time when it was essential that the morale of the community be maintained.
I do wish to stress the fact that no school funds were used to purchase any material in these classes. The women furnished all the material used in the clothing and home decorating classes and each woman in the cooking classes was assessed twenty-five cents per lesson, out of which fund all food used in the cooking classes was purchased. The cost of these classes represents the cost of teachers' salaries, supervision, janitor service, heat, light and power.
The following table gives the scope of the work and the enroll- ment:
1928- 29
1929- 30
1930- 31
1931- 32
1932- 33
Clothing
719
522
538
544
476
Foods
153
150
87
150
166
Home Decoration
42
100
126
166
152
Home Nursing
37
30
94
61
52
Totals
951
802
845
921
846
...
340
CITY OF QUINCY
The home nursing classes, while creating no economic values that could be actually appraised in value, probably were more effective than one would think because the knowledge obtained by the women in the classes undoubtedly helped to keep the families which they represented in better health. Good health is always an economic asset.
One food class was an innovation. It consisted of men who were members of the various companies of the Massachusetts State Guard. They were given a ten lesson course in quantitative cook- ing so that they might be more efficient cooks during the required summer camp period. This course was requested by officers of the State Guard, and the cost of the raw food material was met by the different companies. Many of the men came from out of town and their tuition was paid by the community from which they came.
The table of enrollment shows a decrease which amounted to 8.9 per cent, but by strict economy and closing classes where the attendance was poor the total cost was reduced 23.3 per cent over that of last year to $5,971.21. This total cost was reduced as follows:
Tuition for non-residents $352 00
Aid from the Federal Government .. 673 97
Aid from the State of Massachusetts 2,472 62
Total receipts $3,498 59
Net cost to City of Quincy 2,472 62
In addition to the receipts shown above $45 of the supervisor's salary was donated to the city.
Americanization Work
During the school year 1932-33, the department spent $3,772.04 on Americanization work. This is a reduction of 19.5 per cent over the total spent in 1931-32. The total enrollment was 445, just 100 less than the previous year, a decrease of 18.3 per cent.
The State will reimburse Quincy $1,718.72, which makes the net cost of adult alien education $2,053.32. In addition to this $157.50 of the Supervisor's salary was donated to the city.
For the $3,772.04 spent in the work, the department employed a supervisor and nine teachers who carried on nine evening school classes, four factory classes, three home classes and one class for unemployed men.
The enrollment of 445 includes 28 minors, but the law under which the State reimburses the communities for adult alien edu- cation does not permit reimbursement for minors. It cost $230.72 to teach the minors English. According to State law all persons between 16 and 21 years of age who cannot read and write English as well as a sixth grade pupil must attend at least evening school. It is much easier and cheaper to teach these minors with the adult aliens than to organize a special class for them in the evening academic school.
The evening school classes were maintained for twenty weeks but the factory classes, which were held at the Fore River plant, were closed earlier because so many men were laid off that at- tendance became too small to justify holding classes.
The number of each nationality enrolled is shown in the table below which, unfortunately, does not include the 74 men in the unemployment classes:
341
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Chinese
2
Polish
3
Canadian French
5 Portuguese
4
English speaking countries
58
Russian Jew
1.2
Finnish
46
Russian (not Jewish)
8
German
8
Spanish
1
Greek
5
Swedish
20
Italian
172
Swiss
1
Lithuanian
1 Syrian
8
Mexican
1 Born in U. S. but lived for
Norwegian
5
many years abroad. 11
Thirty-five of the above group were unable to read or write in any language at the time of enrollment. A study of the nationali- ties enrolled will show that there are sizable groups from nation- alities known to be Bolshevistically inclined. Now that the opportunity for these people to be taught by teachers absolutely loyal to American traditions has been removed, one wonders by whom they are being guided in the journey toward citizenship.
After the regular classes were closed, Miss Perry organized and taught the Mothers' classes and also a class of 74 unemployed men. Prominent men and women addressed the men and at each session the teacher answered questions and assisted the pupils with their problems. The project was worthwhile and helped to sustain the good morale of the men.
The usual excellent cooperation was given by the various clubs, organizations, Federation of Women's organizations and the Public Library.
In closing this report it is right that high tribute should be paid to the work Miss Perry has done in aiding the adult aliens to be- come good citizens. The quality of the work done in Quincy is known throughout the State. Even now Miss Perry is giving freely of her own time and is of great assistance to people desiring to take out citizenship papers. Her work has been invaluable in creating a right attitude in the hearts of Quincy's foreign born population. I hope the time is not far distant when it will be made possible for Miss Perry to devote much of her time in direct- ing the education of the adult alien.
The Evening Academic School
Reducing the evenings of attendance from three to two seems to have been justified by the increased enrollment and attendance. The following table shows the enrollment and attendance figures for the past five years:
1928- 29
1929- 30
1930- 31
1931- 32
1932- 33
*Total Enrollment.
347
486
593
854
*Average Membership ....
180.8
229.3
281.3
744 368.59
478.15
*Average Attendance
134.8
170.2
205
271.81
337.35
*Per cent of Attendance
74.5
74.2
72.8
73.74
70.55
*Figures of Evening Gymnasium classes not included.
The average membership of 478.15 is 29.7 per cent greater than the average membership for 1931-32 and shows a growth of 164.4 per cent in five years.
342
CITY OF QUINCY
No evening schools were opened this fall so the cost of $1,430.50 for the fiscal year 1933 only represents the cost for the ten weeks the school was maintained during the first three months of the year. For the school year 1932-33 the Evening Academic School cost the city $3,321.75. For that amount the department main- tained eight gymnasium classes, requiring six different teachers handling an average membership of 340.08, in addition to the regular academic classes which required in October, 1932, nine- teen teachers and a principal to teach a membership of 698.5 in thirteen different subjects.
The membership always dwindles in the academic classes as the evening school year advances and the teaching force is reduced. For the week ending March 17, 1933, there was a membership of 202, which required ten teachers and a principal.
Mentally Retarded Pupils
During the school year 1932-33 one hundred seventy-nine new children were referred to the various State Clinics for mental ex- aminations, and fifteen children previously examined were re- ferred for re-examination. Thirty-one children were examined by the Guidance Clinic, twenty-nine by the Habit Clinic, and one hundred thirty-four by Dr. Patterson of the Wrentham Clinic. The Guidance and Habit Clinics handle cases of children who do not adjust themselves well to their environment either in school or at home. They may or may not be mentally retarded.
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.