USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1913-1919 > Part 29
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Some of the aims to be kept in view in following these courses of study are stated as follows:
Oral Expression
1. The training in oral expression should give the pupil freedom of self-expression.
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(a) It should give the pupil the ability to express his meaning clearly, concisely and in simple but correct speech.
(b) It should give him the power to elaborate a simple idea.
(c) It should give him fluency in speech.
(d) It should train him in art of a pleasing voice and clear enunciation.
(e) It should train him in the habit of expressing his thoughts in complete sentences.
Written Expression
1. The pupil's training in written English should enable him to advance from month to month and from year to year in the power to write his thoughts clearly and concisely
(a) It should train him to organize and write a paragraph.
(b) The training should also advance him in the power to write in correct form as to sentence construction, choice of words and spelling.
(c) This training should give him training in the common usage of social and business letter writing.
(d) This training should give the pupil mastery of the common uses of capital letters and of the simpler usages in punctuation.
(e) It should train him in the power to review, correct and improve a paragraph.
Oral Reading
1. The pupil's training in oral reading should enable him to read the literature that is appropriate for his age with in- telligence, with accuracy, with fluency and with enjoyment.
(a) Drills in phonics should train the pupils to pronounce new words readily.
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
(b) The training in oral reading should develop in the pupil the power to discover and appreciate the meanings of words.
(c) Oral reading should train the pupil to read aloud in a pleasing voice, with clear enunciation and with good ex- pression.
Silent Reading
1. The training in the silent reading should enable the pupil to get from the printed page, clear mental pictures so that he can readily discuss or tell after one reading the sub- stance of a paragraph or chapter.
Arithmetic
In the first six grades of the elementary school the work should be such as children need,
(a) To carry on their school activities, such as drawing, work in practical arts and sciences, school banking, games, etc.
(b) To carry out their home interests,-the work required of them in assisting their parents in the home and in business, and that needed in carrying out their own enterprises for profit and recreation.
(c) To master the essential processes of arithmetic, so that those pupils who must leave school at the end of the sixth grade will be prepared to meet the ordinary situations in life requiring the use of number, and that those who remain in school will have an adequate foundation for further study of mathematics.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
Geography
General Principles
1. Geography has to do with the earth in its relation to man as its inhabitant, and is of importance to each individual to the extent that it affects him in his attempts to make a home and to perform whatever life work he has undertaken.
2. The earth as the home of man should be the central idea in all teaching and study of the subject, the teacher leading the pupil to observe and understand the physical forces and natural phenomena of the earth in their relations to his home and industrial life; in the study of these forces and phenomena, the teacher, by keeping in mind the ques- tion "what is its relation to man" will be aided in deter- mining what should be emphasized.
3. As a study it calls for powers of observation, judgment, and reason rather than memory.
4 .- Since the subject deals with man in his relation to the world it may properly be begun by treating of the child in relation to his world, first the school and home and their en- vironments; then the town with its location, natural fea- tures, industries, soil, climate people, products, etc .; later in order, the State, New England, North America, the United States, other continents.
5. Pupils should not be allowed to commit to memory the statements from the textbook, and should not be told what they can discover for themselves.
School Savings
In cooperation with the Randolph Trust Company the School Committee has established the Randolph School Savings Department in which any pupil in the schools may become a depositor.
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
It was opened on Thursday, May 11, and is open for de- posits each Thursday morning when schools are in session, the teacher receives the money from each depositor, record- ing the amount in a school account book which is held by the pupil. The account books are audited by pupils from the high school commercial department, and the money is turned over to a trustee appointed by the Trust Company.
There are three trustees, Miss Anna A. Sherwood for the high school, Miss Hannah F. Hoye for the Prescott School and Principal Francis J. McCann for Belcher, West Corner and Tower Hill schools.
Each trustee has an account with the Trust Company and deposits each week the total amount received from the teachers.
When the sums in the pupil's school account amount to one dollar his account is transferred to the books of the Trust Company and he receives a bank book.
465 pupils have opened accounts and the following list shows the amount deposited in each school from May 11 to December 31.
High School .
$72.40
Prescott Grade 8
38.33
Grade 7
62.55
Grade 6.
75.88
Grade 5
62.66
Grade 4
63.71
Grade 3.
48.12
Grade 2.
41.08
Grade 1.
58.91
Grade 3-4 42.22
Grade 5-6.
42.54
Belcher Grades 7-8 .
77.52
Grades 6-7. 87.46
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
Grade 5.
80.57
Grades 3-4 . 97.06
Grades 1-2. 131.09
Tower Hill 103.62
West Corner
58.38
Total
$1,244.10
The Randolph Trust Company reports 317 active accounts with school children, with an average balance of $3.11 and total deposits of $985.32.
Sewing
The excellent work of the Ladies' Library Association in the conducting of classes in sewing in the four upper grades of the elementary schools is fully appreciated by all who are interested in seeing this practical art become a part of our regular school work.
A corps of earnest, competent instructors has been fur- nished and the classes are conducted during the last half of the afternoon session on each Friday.
This being the second year of the work there is a begin- ners' class and an advanced class in each of the grammar school buildings; the girls are much pleased that such an opportunity is provided for them, and the teachers report excellent progress.
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1
TABLE OF ENROLMENT, MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE
·Enrolment
Schools
Teachers
Grades
Boys
Girls
Total
Total
Membership
Average
Membership
Average
Attendance
Per Cent. of
Attendance
HIGH PRESCOTT
F. E. Chapin
9-12
87
73
160
162
149
140
93.9
Nelson Freeman
3
23
22
45
49
45
43
95.7
Mrs. E. A. Powderly
7
19
27
46
47
14
42
95
Miss Hannah F. Hoye .
6
26
24
50
54
47
45
94.
Miss Katherine E. Sheridan
5
30
25
55
57
42
40
94.
Miss Mary W. Wren .
1
20
24
44
48
40
37
90.5
Miss Ellen E. Mclaughlin
3
25
17
42
45
43
40
92.
Miss Mary F. Forrest
1-5
30
28
26
92.
Miss Elizabeth Dean
3-4
24
17
41
44
35
32
91.
Miss Fanny A. Campbell
2
17
28
45
53
46
41
89.
Miss Kitty R. Molloy
1
26
31
51
56
48
43
86
BELCHER
William J. O'Keefe .
7-8
38
28
66
69
62
56
90.3
Miss Ellen P. Henry
6
24
18
42
42
38
34
89.
Miss Sarah C. Belcher
5
24
22
46
49
43
40
92.4
Miss Mae L. Lundergan
3-4
30
24
54
56
18
13
89.5
Miss Clara A. Tolman .
1-2
25
35
60
60
51
46
90.
Miss Anastasia L. McAvoy
1-2
18
17
35
39
34
31
92.
TOWER HILL WEST CORNER
Miss Mary J. Cahill
1-4
19
21
40
48
35
30
87.2
·
EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL
Stetson High School
Randolph, Mass., Feb. 3, 1917.
Samuel F. Blodgett, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir:
Tardiness is usually a subject to be considered between teachers and pupils and there ought to be no occasion to mention it in such a report as this. There has been so much tardiness in the school, however, that its suppression be- comes a matter of vital importance, and it is for that reason that it is discussed here. During four weeks ending De- cember 22, 1916, there were 119 tardinesses, contributed by 57 pupils in this school. At the opening of the winter term the principal of the school inaugurated a campaign of reform with the result that only eleven tardy marks were given in the period of four weeks ending February 2, 1817. Our former method of correcting this evil was to require each tardy pupil to remain 20 minutes at the close of the session; all tardinesses were regularly reported to parents, and in extreme cases the principal made personal appeals to the fathers and mothers. This is in line with the procedure in many high schools, but the plan was not effective with us. At present we are locking the outside doors of the building and requiring tardy pupils to ring the bell at the main en- trance. The pupil then has a personal interview with the principal; in case a written excuse from home is presented, the pupil is allowed to take his place in his class. Otherwise he is asked to go home for such an excuse; in this way the
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
tardiness is brought to the immediate attention of parents. We are anticipating criticism from parents because of our sending pupils home for excuses; it is to be hoped that such faultfinding will be tempered with a reflection that the con- ditions have been exceptional.
Our present method of selecting pupils from the senior class for graduation parts is as follows: The class elects four of its members who are free from scholarship conditions; two other pupils of the class are then chosen by the teachers. To the six speakers selected in this manner certain other members of the class who may be able to contribute solos or recitations are added. There is no direct reference to scholarship in making these assignments except that pupils must be free from conditions in their studies. As a rule we do not allow pupils who are preparing for college examina- tions to take part in the graduation. We would welcome any suggestions from the trustees, or from the superintendent of schools, or from parents in regard to the graduation. Our aim in developing the parts presented is to have the ex- ercises interesting to the audience. It is a question whether the "class will" and the "class prophecy" ought to be read to the general public; the jokes and the personal hits are in many cases not understood by the audience and what was intended to be innocent fun is sometimes construed by the parents to be malicious insult.
The graduation attracts a very large audience, so large that it is impossible to seat all who would like to attend. The giving out of tickets for the graduation exercises is not an easy task. It has been our custom to reserve compli- mentary tickets for the trustees, the superintendent of schools, the teachers of the grammar schools, the clergy, and the town officials. The members of the graduating class then draw by lot a certain number of tickets. Since the parents of the Senior Class are most interested in being
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
present, and because such parents are represented only one year as a rule, it has seemed wise to allow as large a number of tickets as possible to the boys and girls who graduate.
A considerable number of the pupils who entered the high school this year from the grammar schools of the town were unable to do the work of the school. We sent some of these delinquents back to the eighth grade, while others left school to go to work. There is everywhere a very marked "gap" between the grammar school and the high school; educators are trying to bridge this gap. Boston is at- tempting to meet the difficulty by introducing a Junior High School to which the pupils go from the eighth grade. They spend a year in this Junior school and then take a high school course of three years. The purpose is to give the recent grammar school graduates the special attention which will enable them to take up high school subjects with greater facility. When pupils enter the high school they find that each period brings a different teacher; they are required to pass from room to room; there is very little supervision of their study periods, and from these various causes a large number fail of promotion at the end of the year. Brockton reports that 25 per cent of first year pupils are lost because of the unfamiliarity of pupils with high school conditions.
Stetson Field has been improved by the expenditure of $500 appropriated by the town in March, 1916. Ten car- loads of cinders have been used in the filling and grading. The field is now in a condition suitable for baseball and other games, although much remains to be done. In ad- dition to the $500 expended by the town a large amount of filling was hauled in by Mr. Charles H. Cole, superintendent of streets. ' The Penny Collection Fund was also drawn on for $50 for the field, and the principal of the school raised $50, all of which was expended on the grading. At present
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
there is no provision for keeping the grounds in condition during the summer. It ought to be possible to provide some means whereby the tennis courts and the ball-field may be kept in order. Stetson Field gives promise of becoming all that such a field ought to be, and it would be the part of wisdom for the town to appropriate yearly for its improve- ment a small amount for several years.
Stetson High School has become a training school for young teachers. The salaries paid are lower than those in the majority of high schools; the result is that after a year here a teacher can easily secure a better position. The town cannot afford to train teachers for other schools. More money must be spent on salaries here if the best interests of our young people are to be considered. This year we were obliged to find two new teachers during the fall term.
There ought to be an opportunity for pupils to get a warm lunch at recess. Randolph boys and girls deserve just as good attention as the pupils of larger towns. A hot lunch could be served, and the enterprise would pay for itself. A little energy and unselfishness would easily bring about this reform.
There is a small expense every year for batteries to keep the clocks and bells in action. The trustees have considered installing a storage battery to be charged from the lighting current. This would be a money-saving proposition in the end.
Many schools require the attendance of the janitor in the building during the hours when the school is in session. Our janitor is unable to be with us during a large part of the day. Some means ought to be found to have a janitor in the building from eight o'clock to one o'clock.
The class of 1866 gave the steel engraving "Shakespeare and his Friends" to the school in June, 1916. The gift
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
marked the fiftieth anniversary of the graduation of the class, and was presented by Mrs. Sarah K. Porter.
The class of 1916 presented at their graduation, a large carbon photo, "Cicero's Oration against Catiline." The photo cost $60 and is from the mural painting on the wall of the modern senate chamber in Rome. The artist is Caesar Maccari.
The Turner Reference Room has received another con- signment of books purchased by the interest of the fund established by the late Seth Turner. The school library is assuming proportions which make it a valuable addition to our school equipment.
The class of 1920 aided by the subscribers to the Penny Collection Fund gave in January, a victrola costing $50. It is the intention to have high class records played at some of the periods when the school meets in the assembly room.
School entertainments are an important means of pro- viding funds for school purposes; our appeals of this kind usually meet with a generous response. The comedy "Much Ado About Betty" given in January by the class of 1917, was unusually successful, netting the class over $70. It is our purpose to limit school entertainments to a small number so that there may be as little interference as possible with school work.
The tendency to teach subjects of practical value in high schools appears to have reached a phase where the advocates of practicality admit that even Latin, Algebra, and Geome- try may have some value. It is to be noted that private schools have continued to follow the old-fashioned curricu- lum, and that these schools have never been so prosperous as now. There have been numerous instances in this school, of pupils who have completed our English course, only to begin Latin and mathematics in some private school after their graduation here.
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
Our graduates from the commercial course continue to get "jobs" and to keep them. Seventeen members of the class of 1916 report that they are working, nearly all of them in Boston offices. This would seem to indicate that Stetson High School gives boys and girls a fairly good preparation for office work in stenography and typewriting,
Sincerely, FREDERICK E. CHAPIN.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
Report of Supervisor of Drawing
Superintendent S. F. Blodgett,
Dear Sir:
I submit for your consideration my first report as super- visor of drawing in the schools of Randolph ..
It has been my aim to teach thoroughly, those subjects which could be covered in the time given to drawing, namely : nature work, object drawing, construction, design and color, and picture study.
The object of this work is to make the child clever in all manual work, dexterous with his hands, more observing, to promote consecutive thinking, neatness, and accuracy; also to teach proper color combinations, and the appreciation of good art.
Two periods a week are given to drawing in the grades, and one period a week in the high school. The high school classes in mechanical and freehand drawing are doing high grade work, considering the fact that so little time can be devoted to the subject. These five classes, in which the work is elective, are much larger than last year, and the spirit of the pupils is faithful and enthusiastic.
I consider the standard of the work of this town better than last year, and I am certain the exhibition will prove this fact to the townspeople.
I am glad of this opportunity to express my appreciation to the teachers for their ready response, and to assure them also, that I realize that the supervisor could never hope for success without the faithful support which they are always ready to give. Also, I wish to thank the Superintendent for his interest and assistance.
Respectfully submitted, ELSIE L. NOURSE. Supervisor of Drawing.
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Supervisor of Music
Mr. Samuel F. Blodgett, Superintendent :
In compliance with your request I hereby submit my report.
Music, is progressing satisfactorily in all grades. Teachers and pupils are enthusiastic in the work, and are co-operating with me in a most encouraging manner.
Sight reading is receiving much attention and drill. As it is our aim to develop confidence and self-reliance in each child, individual singing is given in nearly all of the grades.
Chromatic drill, placing of the key signatures, minor keys and varied and difficult phrases of time problems receive as much attention as time permits.
The High School chorus is doing good work. The disci- pline during the music period through the splendid co-oper- ation received from the Principal is all that could be desired.
I take pleasure in expressing my appreciation of the sup- port given to me by the Superintendent of Schools, the School Committee and the teachers.
Respectfully yours, ROSE G. HAND, Supervisor of Music.
1
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
To the Superintendent of Schools, My dear Sir :
In making my report for the year 1916, will say I have in- vestigated a number of cases as complaints coming from teachers and from other sources and have found in most cases they were staying away either from sickness or sickness in the family which would deprive them of the privilege of attending school, and in most cases have found the parents ready. to cooperate with me in having the children attend school. I have had one stubborn case in which the boy was, at the request of his parents, sent to the Walpole training school only to stay there a few hours when he escaped, and after two days was returned only to stay a few days when he skipped again, and after two weeks was found and sent to the Lyman School, as the Superintendent at Walpole did not think him a fit subject for his school.
I have another case which has baffled each and every one who has had any thing to do with same; as this case is still pending, I cannot make a detailed report at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
E. LAWRENCE PAYNE,
Attendance Officer.
Randolph, January 1, 1917.
Mr. Samuel F. Blodgett, Superintendent of Schools, Dear Sir:
For the past year I have investigated 23 cases of absentees from school and in a great many cases I have found lots of
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
privation and the children did not have any shoes to wear so that they could go to school.
Yours respectfully, FRANK J. DONAHUE, Attendance Officer.
Randolph, January 31, 1917.
A Junior High School
The following quotation is taken from page 140 of the Report of the State Board of Education, 1914-1915.
Reorganization of Elementary Education in Upper Grades.
"There is a general demand for changes in present practices as to courses of study, methods of instruction, and grouping of school children from twelve to fourteen years of age. The agents of the Board, have as a con- sequence, urged upon superintendents of schools in Massachusetts the importance of considering the pos- sibility of a general reorganization of the work of the upper grades in the elementary schools.
"Mr. Orr who has been investigating the problem involved, finds that existing courses of instruction for children from twelve to fourteen years of age do not appear to arouse the interest and enthusiasm that are shown in the earlier years of school life. The purposes in upper grade instruction are not clearly defined, there is frequently an excessive amount of routine drill with undue emphasis and verbal memorization. The prog- ress made by pupils in advance reading, writing, Eng-
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
lish expression, and arithmetic is often halting and unsatisfactory.
"Various plans of readjustment are now being tried throughout the country. The plan which seems best adapted to conditions in Massachusetts would involve the separate organization of the elementary schools of the six lower grades, and the establishment of central intermediate schools. In these central schools flexible courses of the instruction should be provided, and de- partmental teaching should be the rule."
In consequence of the suggestions quoted, Junior High Schools are being organized in many towns and cities of the state. In some instances the rearrangement consists of an elementary course of six years, a Junior High School course of two years, and a Senior High School with a four years' course. In others there are three years in the Junior, and three years in the Senior High School; but in either cases pupils of the seventh and eighth grades are brought together in a central school, with a principal, preferably a man, and a corps of assistants chosen for departmental work.
At the present I am not prepared to recommend the adoption of such a plan for our town, but since it is designed to solve many of the problems now existing in upper grade work, I suggest that time be given to observation and study of such schools as are now in operation, that we may in- telligently decide whether, under local conditions, such reorganization is desirable and practical. -
In closing this report, in behalf of the teachers and par- ticularly for myself I express appreciation for your continued courtesy and support.
Respectfully submitted. S. F. BLODGETT, Superintendent.
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EIGHTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
ROLL OF HONOR
Owing to the form of register now in use we are obliged to divide the school year into two terms, the first of twenty weeks and the second of eighteen weeks, the high school year being two terms of twenty weeks each.
In the following list the numeral 2 after the name indicates perfect attendance for the year, the numeral 1 indicating perfect attendance for one term or half year.
. Perfect attendance means neither absent, tardy nor dismissed.
Stetson High School
Vernon Bell 1
Walter O'Leary 1
Cecil Clapp 1
Herbert Peterson 1
Margaret Desmond 1
Ruth Squire 1
Gertrude Mahan 1
Robert Wallace 1
Aurora Nelson 1
Ralph Preble 1
Louise Mayo
Belcher School, Grades VII-VIII
Milton Basset 1 Reginald Pulson 1
Belcher School, Grade VI
Mary C. Foster 1 Eldred Pulson 1
Belcher School, Grade V
Jennie Arison 1
Josephine Pendleton 1
Madeline Jennings 1
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH
Belcher School, Grades III-IV
Leslie Bailey 2 Randall Fielding 1 George Hylen 1 Lillian Atlas 1
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