USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Municipal history of Essex County in Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 26
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Drawing at first led a precarious existence, being kept alive by in- cluding it with writing under one instructor. But in the years when Henry Turner Bailey, representing the State Board of Education, aroused the country to the real value of art education, Nathaniel L. Berry, inti- mate friend and co-worker with Mr. Bailey, was the Lynn drawing teacher. Together they found the way to lead children to appreciate the. beauties of design in forms and color, and then to enable them to express with brush and pencil the things they had discovered. "Nat" Berry was both an artist and educator, and his work placed the art instruction of Lynn schools upon a solid foundation, establishing a high standard which has been maintained by his worthy successors.
Time fails us to speak of the coming of hygiene and physiology, botany, biology, geology, physics, chemistry and the higher mathematics, civics and political economy, literature, rhetoric and modern languages, sewing, cooking, sloyd, manual training in wood and metal, printing, bookkeeping, typewriting and stenography, all with their varied equip- ment of schoolroom, laboratory, shop, studio or kitchen. Also no modern school is complete without a well-equipped gymnasium and a physical instructor to coach our young people for their "athletic meets" and to train their football and baseball teams for victory. The adaptation of these various studies to the varied tastes and talents of the pupils has greatly enriched our Lynn schools.
New England sent missionaries to carry aid and enlightenment to needy and ignorant peoples in foreign lands. Now the foreign people have landed upon our shore, thronged our city streets, filling our fac- tories and schools, and asking us to show them how to become good Americans. Our Atlantic seaboard is engaged in a magnificent mis- sionary effort with these new immigrant races, and Lynn is awake to her opportunity and the patriotic duty of the hour.
Lynn evening schools have broadened their work to include hun- dreds of foreign-speaking adults, anxious to learn our language and our ways. Also many Americanization classes have been organized, meet- ing in homes, schools, public libraries and factories, hundreds of the men
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studying to complete their naturalization, while hundreds of women in "mothers' classes" are learning the things that will keep them in touch with the lessons their children are learning in the day schools. The Americanization work in Lynn is the expression of the spirit of comrade- ship and helpfulness and is resulting in real patriotism.
Since 1915 Lynn has been committed to the Junior High School plan, in theory the "6-3-3 plan", though thus far our Junior High Schools number but two grades, while the Senior High Schools retain their four grades, housing conditions forcing this arrangement. In the Eastern, Central and Western Junior High Schools more than two thousand pupils of seventh and eighth grades are concentrated. All teaching is depart- mental as in Senior High, and each teacher is a specialist in her chosen subject. The segregation of pupils of these grades permits of better management at an age when more democracy and less autocracy are de- sirable, and when the habits of self government should be brought into use. With adequate equipment and support, this new departure prom- ises big results, both in scholarship and citizenship.
Lynn's Summer School has grown to be a valuable addition to the educational system of the city. It is practically self-supporting by the 800 boys and girls of all grades who pay $5 apiece for the privilege of attending three hours a day for six weeks of the summer vacation, that they may strengthen their weakest studies, removing "conditions", gain- ing trial promotions, and avoiding retardation.
Our times demand expert training of all our Yankee ingenuity, since America competes with the world in mechanical industry. So the teach- ing of manual arts is coming to greater prominence in our day and even- ing schools. Also the General Electric Company is carrying on its admir- able four-year apprentice course, co-ordinating the activities of brain and hand in the production of electrical goods.
Next came the Lynn Industrial Shoemaking School, the first and only institution of its kind in America. In this center of the shoe industry, an opportunity is given for our boys to spend four years in a thorough training to fit them to become expert shoe manufacturers. All that can be taught them concerning the materials, processes, tools and machinery, and every useful detail of the business, is presented by expert instruc- tors. Is this the dawning of a new era of scientific shoemaking for America ?
The Lynn Continuation School is the latest tenant of the already overworked English High School building. With evening and day school more than filling its rooms twice, the Continuation School, holding its ses- sions afternoons, is rapidly taking possession of its available rooms for a third shift of pupils. Here working boys and girls, between 14 and 16 years old, come for study four hours each week. If they lose their jobs they must attend for twenty hours per week. Their studies are such as to give them practical training for the kinds of work they aim to follow, and
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to fit them to get better positions. Nearly a thousand students are en- rolled in this school which aims to make its pupils realize that their edu- cation need not come to a standstill even though they must begin work- ing for a living.
In conclusion, the writer desires to add that Lynn's schools, their teachers, and the officials in charge, are deserving of the fullest esteem, confidence and support of her good citizens.
Danvers-The village and Middle Parish of Danvers was set off from Salem more on account of there not being grammar schools near enough to accommodate the children. The first action toward a separate school within the limits of Danvers and Peabody was in 1701, when it is recorded that "Mr. Joseph Herrick and Mr. Joseph Putnam and Mr. Joseph Putnam, Jun., are chosen and empowered to agree with some person suitable to be a school-master among us, in some convenient time; and make return thereof to the people." The person instrumental in con- structing the first schoolhouse was the minister of the village church, Rev. Joseph Green. The first teacher named in the records was Kather- ine Deland, who taught before Mr. Green's house was finished. In 1714 Samuel Andrew is the first master mentioned. The first school commit- tee, as a distinctive board, was chosen in 1756, under rules as follows: "Voted to chuse com'tee to regulate ye grammar school & to be five men. Voted Daniel Gardner Daniel Purington Daniel Epes Junr. Nathl Fenton Sr., David Putnam voted that the school committee Draw up Something and lay it before ye District on ye adjournment."
In the midst of the Revolutionary struggle (1777) through a petition headed by Jeremiah Page, a decided step forward was taken in school matters. At a meeting held in the old North Church, Archelaus Dale, moderator, it was voted "that there be set up Ten Schools for three months each year, and that the selectmen regulate the schools and pro- vide proper persons for school-masters." The term "district school" is first used here in 1780, in these words, "That there be District schools set up for three months to begin as soon as they may be." In 1783 there were nine schools "set up." It was not until 1794 that the town was divided into school districts. The first rules laid down for the govern- ment of schools in the town was in 1806, when Dr. Wadsworth, the min- ister, and Hon. Nathan Reed, with a few others, formulated these rules, as well as many more, and all under one head were termed Dr. Wads- worth's Code.
1. It is recommended that each instructor open his school in the morning and close in the evening by a short prayer.
2. On every school day except Saturday, each instructor shall employ at least six hours in the instruction of his pupils, and not less than three on that day.
3. To facilitate the acquirement of an accurate & uniform mode of Spelling & pronunciation, Perrys Spelling book and Dictionary shall be taught in all schools; and the following shall be the catalogue of Books from which the scholars shall be supplied at the discretion of the Instructor, viz: "Murray's Grammar Abridged",
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"Morse's Geography, Abridged", "Constitution of the State of Massachusetts", etc .; "Wakefield's Mental Improvement", "Pike's Arithmetic" & the "Holy Bible," to- gether with such Latin & Greek Classics as are usually taught in Grammar schools.
The first mention of the school committee having pay for their ser- vices was in 1836, when it was voted to give the same pay as to other town officers. In 1837 was first mentioned the "Massachusetts School Fund." The year 1839 marked the era when printing and distributing town school reports in Danvers began. The first report ever made in this town was dated 1817, and it is still in existence-a crumpled and faded document, containing many humorous and extremely odd as well as use- less expressions.
The first high school was opened in June, 1850. It was held at two points within the town. Thirty-eight entered the South school, and thirty-one the North school. Philanthropist George Peabody, whose home had been here, in 1853 sent word that he would give the high school named for him the sum of $200, and do so annually each year after 1854, the same to be expended in purchasing prizes for the best scholars, the same usually to be a medal. In 1867 Mr. Peabody established a fund of $2,000, the income of which was to purchase medals and books for graduates from this school.
As the years have passed by, the schools of Danvers met with changes and improvements, both in manner of instruction and in the buildings devoted to school purposes. Each generation, however, has been blessed with the standard of schools common to the time in which it existed, ending with the present high state of the common and high school systems.
In 1920 the following was a part of the teachers' report for Dan- vers: High school, $25,238; Maple and Charter streets, $19,693 ; Daven- port, $10,730; Tapley, $11,093; Wadsworth, $4,467; Park, $4,668; Put- namville, $1,030; Hathorne, $910; East Danvers, $2,271; Domestic Science, $2,350; Manual Training, $1,900; Drawing, $1,250; Physical Training, $1,250; Music, $480; Specials, $854; Substitute Teachers, $731. Total, $88,988.52.
The high school is served with a lunch, and at times with dinners, the same being served at actual cost, and consists of wholesome food, such as soups, chowders, creamed dishes, cup-cakes, sandwiches, etc. This system was first conducted by the Daughters of the American Revolution, but later was taken care of by the department of Domestic Science. In 1920 $4,700 was spent in this manner, but all free of cost to the town, each pupil paying his or her share. In 1920 the schools had a total of about 1900 pupils. The superintendent of the high school re- ceives $2,750 per school year; the total paid high school teachers in 1920 was $25,238.
Schools of Lawrence-In Lawrence about 1845, there were only three small, one-story school buildings, of the type of school buildings every-
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where found in New England rural districts. They were plain, roughly finished, and cold in winter time. In 1846 another building was provided by the Essex Company, under the direction of the Methuen school com- mittee. After Lawrence became a separate town, other schools were soon provided. The manufacturers who paid sixty-five per cent. of the taxes said : "Let us maintain the best school we possibly can." The first high school was opened in January, 1849, and T. W. Curtis was appointed principal. The Oliver Grammar School was opened in the spring of 1848, with one hundred and forty students. The Packard School in South Law- rence was opened in 1872. The building was burned in March, 1885, but was rebuilt. Free evening schools were established in 1859, under direc- tion of George P. Wilson. In 1869 a training school was established as an experiment, and it proved successful. This was established for teach- ers who did not see their way clear to go to distant State normal institu- tions. Decade by decade Lawrence schools have developed, until today they stand abreast of others in Essex county.
There are now a large number of strictly modern buildings, and all are supplied with the best of teachers. It was in 1892 that better school buildings commenced to be erected. In 1893 a $70,000 brick school building was erected; soon another appeared, costing $60,000, and still another, costing the same. The grammar school of 1897 cost $95,000; the new high school built in 1901, cost $250,000; the Alexander B. Bruce Grammar School cost in 1902, $100,000; the Hood Grammar School in 1905 cost $150,000, and the John Breen Grammar School, in 1911, costing $135,000. In June, 1915, the Oliver Grammar school was started, and was completed in the fall of 1917, at an estimated cost of $210,000. Here one finds thirty-six class rooms, besides many other useful rooms. The latest innovation in schools here are the evening and the naturalization schools for the working and foreign element.
There are also numerous parochial schools in Lawrence, under su- pervision of the churches.
Essex Schools-The schools in the town of Essex have always been well up with the average of other schools in Essex county. There seems a shortage of early records in this town concerning school affairs. Com- ing down to the present time (1921), the records show that there were resources amounting to $14,813, and expenditures of $15,856, an over- draft of $1,040. The total number of pupils enrolled in 1920 was 260.
On account of slight attendance, the South School was closed in 1920. The children who had attended there were sent to the Island dis- trict. The transportation bill in 1920, for this town on account of its schools, was $1,625.50. The buildings are in excellent condition at this time.
Topsfield Schools-The first reference to education in the records of this town is dated March 6, 1693, as follows: "The town have agreed that Goodman Lovewell, Schoolmaster, shall live in ye Parsonage house
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this yeare ensuing, to kepe Schole and swepe ye meeting-house." For a long time the town had but the single schoolmaster. He was chosen at the annual meeting, and was generally a citizen of the town. A room in a private house was hired for school-room purposes, even as late as 1750. The records speak of no regular school building until after 1790, when the town was divided into three school districts, named South, Middle and North districts. The East district was soon added. The Middle was soon changed to Centre School House, and it stood on the present site of the town hall. In 1867, the town bought the Academy building and changed the Centre school to this building. (The Topsfield Academy is mentioned elsewhere).
The school committee in a report for 1920 has the following:
As is the case in all schools, we have a few "backward pupils," and it may be wise to fall in with the general practice, and employ a special teacher to bring these pupils along more rapidly.
On October 1st was begun the work of our instructress in hygiene and school nurse. This with us is an innovation and promises to be of great value to the school children. Miss McGinley has taken up the work with understanding and enthusi- asm, and already much good is visible from her care and instruction. Co-operation with the School Nurse by parents is earnestly urged, as upon this, the success of this measure largely depends.
Our school building seems to grow smaller, and its fitness for best care and de- velopment of pupils grows more meager as increasing demands are made upon it each year, and we earnestly wish for a new and larger school with modern equip- ments. The school expenses increase in proportion with the increased cost of living, especially in the detail of salaries. Teachers are relatively scarce and de- mand much larger salaries than formerly.
In 1921 the total enrollment was, at the spring term, 165-86 girls and 79 boys. The teachers: James W. Frost, principal, salary, $1,500; Lorna B. Tasker, high assistant, $1,150; Elsie M. Bremner, high assist- ant, $1,150; Ruth F. Pitman, high assistant, $1,150; Bessie B. Perkins, Grammar, $1,300; Regina C. Donovan, Lower Grammar, $950; Elizabeth A. Paul, Intermediate, $1,100; Alice S. Evans, Primary, $950; Bessie Cleaveland, Music, $300; Dorothy Durham, Drawing, $150.
Amesbury Schools-The first account found in the town records is an entry that Mr. Wells was chosen schoolmaster, with a salary of £20 per year; this was dated 1694. In 1710 the school apportionment was increased to £30 per year; the schools were kept half of the time at the meeting house and the other half at the house of Roger Stevens, at Jam- aco. In 1771 the grammar school was ordered kept at the meeting- house, at the "Pond Hills fort."
In 1734 an effort was made to establish a free school. The repre- sentative at General Court was instructed to petition that a body of land be granted for that purpose. No action was taken, hence we see no more concerning the free school proposition for some time.
In 1796-97 trouble arose over the location of a proposed schoolhouse at the Ferry. Finally, it was built by private subscription, and later sold
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to the district. The first teacher there was Mr. Burrows, he receiving $18 a month for his services. The record says: "Mr. Burrows began his school January 16, 1797, on Monday, the First School that was Teached in this House." In 1801 a schoolhouse was built at the Mills, costing $250; this was the house built of brick, on Friend street. In 1802 a schoolhouse was erected at West Amesbury, at an expense of $200. In 1805 an effort was made to provide an academy at Bartlett's Corner, for the use of Amesbury and Salisbury. A stock company was formed, with a capital of $2,000, divided into shares of ten dollars each. A lot was secured where now stands the high school building. The structure was finished in 1805, and Abner Emerson was appointed first teacher.
Coming down to 1886, Amesbury (including eight parochial schools) had thirty-three schools within her borders. The children between five and fifteen years of age numbered 1300. In 1920 there was an enroll- ment of 1,170 children ; teachers, fifty-four ; parochial schools, two; school appropriations, $111,350. A physical training department was installed in September, 1920, and is proving a success.
In the year 1890 the town had in use nineteen different school build- ings. That this was highly unsatisfactory from an educational stand- point was evidenced by the fact that the committee at various times recommended measures of consolidation. In 1897, at the annual town meeting, a committee of six was appointed to act with the school com- mittee to ascertain what lots were available for the erection of a school building at some point on Elm street. At the town meeting of the follow- ing year (1897) this committee reported that they had selected the Moses Collins lot on Elm street, which could be purchased at a cost of $2,000. They recommended also that a four-room building be erected, at a cost of $10,000, but inasmuch as they thought it possible to endure the cramp- ed conditions for some time longer, advised that appropriation for the erection of a new building be not made at that time.
In 1897, owing to increased numbers of pupils enrolled, an addition of four rooms was made to the rear of the high school building. In the year 1903 the school committee recommended to the town that a com- mittee be appointed to see what steps should be taken for the better accommodation of pupils in the high school. This committee was ap- pointed at the annual town meeting, and it made reports in various detail at adjourned town meetings held on May 18th, June 22d, August 1st, and October 4th, 1904, the substance being that it was the unanimous opinion of the committee that a new high school building was needed and should be immediately erected. The matter was referred to the annual town meeting in March, 1905, where it was killed by the voters. Mean- time, during the year 1903, conditions were becoming altogether too cramped for safety, and the school committee erected an addition to the school building, which was opened in the fall of 1904.
During the year 1903 the first step in the consolidation of schools
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was begun when the committee voted to close up the Pleasant Valley school and send the five children in attendance to the school in the Ferry district. In the year 1906 the school committee recommended that the town appoint a committee to act with the school committee to investigate the matter of consolidating the Azassiz, Garfield, and Mann schools into a new building on Congress street. At the annual town meeting in March, 1907, the town voted to purchase a lot and build a new school building; this is the present Horace Mann School, located on Congress street, dedi- cated September 3d, 1908, and opened for pupils a few days later. At the end of the school year 1908, the Dorr School on Rocky Hill road was closed, the pupils from this building being transferred to the Hackett School in that section of the town, or the Macy and Bartlett Schools at the Ferry. At the close of the year 1910, the Hackett School, Rocky Hill, was closed. In 1914 the Pond Hills School was abolished, and in the fall of that year the pupils were transferred to the Horace Mann School.
In 1916 an article was inserted in the warrant of the annual town meeting to see if it would vote to increase its school accommodations by the erection of a new high school building. A committee was appointed to investigate the matter and report at a later date. At the adjourned town meeting, held on May 1st of the same year, the town voted the sum of $125,000 for the purpose of erecting a new building and purchase of equipment for the same. At a further adjourned meeting on May 22d the town voted to purchase the site of the so-called Huntington lot at a cost of $7,000.
When the committee advertised for bids for construction, it was found that, owing to the rising price of materials due to the war, the building could not be built for the money appropriated. A special town meeting was called on September 9th, 1916, at which an additional ap- propriation of $10,000 was made. The building committee found itself still further in difficulty financially, and at the town meeting of April 2d, 1917, it received an additional appropriation of $15,000 for furnishing and equipment, and $10,000 for grading the lot. The foundation was be- gun October 28th, 1916, the cornerstone was laid January 17th, 1917, and the building was occupied on November 26th, 1917.
Because of the erection of the new high school building, further ele- mentary consolidations were possible. In the summer of 1917 the Macy School was closed, the lower grade pupils being sent to the Bartlett School and the fifth and sixth grade pupils to the Ordway School. In the sum- mer of 1918 the Whittier and Davis schools were closed and all the chil- dren in the seventh and eighth grades in the town were consolidated in the old high school building, which was renamed the Junior High School. The 'only change made since that date was in the fall of 1920, when the Davis School was again reopened, owing to increased school enrolment and the establishment of special classes for backward children.
Up until 1902 the school board was composed of three members, who
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had entire charge of the organization, administration and supervision of schools. This latter work was carried on through the appointment of sub-committees for different districts, each man acting as supervisor of his district. The total number of visits made by members to schools varied from 100 up to 430 in the year 1898. That the school committee realized the inefficiency of this method, and desired something better, is evidenced by the fact that year after year they recommended to the town that expert supervision be employed. In the year 1902 the Massachu- setts Legislature passed a law stating that on and after the first day of July the school committee of cities and towns not in unions "shall ap- point a Superintendent of Schools who, under the direction of the com- mittee, shall have the care and supervision of the public schools."
In compliance with this, on April 7th, 1902, the school committee elected as superintendent of schools, Mr. C. S. Lyman, who began his du- ties immediately. On January 2d of the same year, at a special town meeting, the members of the school board were increased from three to nine. This change complicated the organization, inasmuch as the old committees for the different schools were retained and, in addition, new ones on teachers' salaries, textbooks and supplies, repairs, finance, rules, school athletics and industrial education were added. These continued down until the year 1914, when a gradual reduction in the number was begun. At present all of the old district committees have been elimi- nated and the board maintains two standing committees-namely, finance and buildings.
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