USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1889 > Part 8
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The Superintendent received invitations, which he extended to the - Board, to attend an exhibition of the work at the Allen Gymnasium: and a lecture by Baron Posse on the Ling system of gymnastics.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
The Committee on Physical Training have in consideration the adoption of a system for our schools. and the members have in- spected work being done in other places. Their recommendations this evening are referred to the next School Committee.
EXAMINATIONS AND PROMOTIONS.
Oct 28. The special committee presented a report. which was received and referred to the Committee on Rules and Regulations to be incorporated. As finally adopted. December 30. Chapter V. of the Rules is to be found under the following subject.
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
Several important changes in the Rules and Regulations have been made during the year.
March 25. The following was adopted, amendment to Chap. I., Sec. 6 :-
" All amendments to the Rules and Regulations must be proposed in writing, referred to the Committee on Rules and Regulations, and reported upon at a subsequent meeting of the Board. A majority vote of all the members of the Board shall be requisite for the repeal . or amendment of any Standing Rule of the Board, or of any General Regulation of the Public Schools. Any rule or regulation of the Board may be suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present."
Chap. IV., Sec. 7, was amended by substituting the word "all" .for "the " in the third line. It now reads, .. The Committee on Additional School Accommodations and the Location of New Build- ings shall, as frequently as necessary, consider and report upon all · demands for new school buildings and recommend to the School Board suitable sites for the same."
June 24. An amendment to Chap. VI., Sec. 4, was adopted, sub- ; stituting for the first paragraph thereof the following : -
" The schedule of salaries shall be as follows for the grammar . and primary grades :
For the first year of teaching, $300
second
350
third
400
fourth
500
fifth and subsequent years the maximum.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
The maximum salary for Principal's assistants shall be $675 ; for all others, $600."
On the same date, Chap. VI., of the Regulations, "Duties of Janitors " was changed.
Sec. 1 amended, by adding, " No sweeping shall be done during school hours."
Sec. 2, substitute the following : "To dust the furniture daily ; the windows, blinds, walls, and ceilings as frequently as directed by the Principal.
Sec. 3 amended, to require the windows to be cleaned five times. each year instead of twice.
Dec. 30. Amendments to Chap. V., of the Rules, were adopted, so that it now reads as follows : -
CHAPTER V.
EXAMINATIONS, EXHIBITIONS AND PROMOTIONS.
SECTION 1. Public exhibitions or examinations of all the schools may take place in June, under the direction of their respective Sub- committees.
SEC. 2. Regular class promotions shall be made in the Primary and Grammar Schools at the end of the school year. Individual promotions may be made whenever, in the judgment of the teacher, the District Committee, and the Superintendent, the interests of the pupils require them.
No promotions shall be made to the High School from the Gram- mar Schools except at the beginning of each school year, in Septem- ber ; but pupils may be admitted to advanced standing at other times, if they are qualified to join existing classes.
SEC. 3. Promotions in the Primary Schools shall be made by the teachers and the District Committee.
SEC. 4. (A) In the High and Grammar Schools, the teachers shall record at least once each month their estimate of the oral and written recitations of each pupil in each study and also of those qualities that mark the diligent, faithful scholar.
(B) These estimates shall be indicated by one of the following terms :
Excellent, E. or 1; Good, G. .. 2;
Fair, F. 3 :
·
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Poor, P. V. P 5.
4:
Very Poor.
SEC. 5. (A) All pupils recommended by their teachers and the Principal of the school to which they belong, as having been dutiful. diligent. and faithful during the year. as shown by the record. and as being qualified to do the work of the next grade shall be promoted.
(B) The question of the promotion of the pupils not recommended by their teachers shall be decided by the sub-committee. the Super- intendent and the Principal ; the age. character, capacity. and best interest of the pupil being considered. as well as the records of the teacher.
SEC. 6. Written test examinations may be given by the teacher. the Principal or the Superintendent, not as a basis of promotion. but for the purpose of showing results or indicating lines of instruction : no test in the Grammar grades to occupy more than one hour.
SEC. 7. (A) All pupils who have honorably completed the full course of study prescribed for the Grammar Schools, shall be enti- tled to admission to the High School on presentation of certificates to that effect signed by the. Principals of the respective schools.
(B) The question of the admission of pupils to the High School who have not received certificates shall be decided by a committee consisting of the chairman of the High School Committee, the Prin- cipal of the High School, the Superintendent, and the Principal of the Grammar School of which the applicants were members ; the age. character, capacity and best interests of the pupils being considered, as well as the records of the teachers.
(C) At the beginning of the school year there shall be an exami- nation by the Chairman of the High School Committee. the Princi- pal of the High School and the Superintendent, of such applicants for admission to the High School as have not been previously ad- mitted.
SEC. 8. (A) Pupils in the High School who have honorably com- pleted any of the regular courses of study to the satisfaction of the Principal. the Superintendent and the High School Committee, shall receive diplomas of graduation.
(B) Pupils who have honorably completed the Grammar School course to the satisfaction of the Principal of the school, the Super- intendent and the District Committee. shall receive diplomas of graduation.
150
ANNUAL REPORTS.
SECTION II.
I. School Accommodations.
II. Courses of Instruction.
1. High School.
2. Grammar and Primary Schools.
3. Drawing and the use of material. Report of Drawing Teachers.
4. Construction.
5. Sewing. Reports of Sewing Teachers.
III. Manual Training for Boys.
IV. Sloyd.
V. Kindergartens.
VI. Vacation Schools.
VII. Training of Teachers.
VIII. Methods of Teaching.
IX. Physical Culture.
X. High School Commencement.
XI. Graduation Exercises of Grammar Schools.
XII. Evening Schools.
In this section I have taken a departure from traditional customs of school reports, and have omitted to dilate upon the statistics, which can speak for themselves, the merits of our schools, the ex- cellence of the instruction and discipline, the faithfulness of our teachers - all of which is appreciated by the Board and the citizens -and the method of teaching the several subjects. I have also avoided dissertations upon the educational subjects as far as pos- sible, and have taken the time to present what concerns Somerville now, and what, I think, should be done for the larger Somerville, which is in the near future. My way of looking at things is from the whole to its parts. I must comprehend the system in its entirety before I can make the proper adjustments and arrange the requisite details.
With a sense of the magnitude of the educational work to be ac- complished, I have approached the subject as from an elevation, when the whole is spread out like a landscape. I am impressed with
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
the necessity of taking up the subject of education here as a great undertaking or grand campaign, of viewing it as a whole, a scheme which is to be worked out during a series of years, something which cannot be accomplished by one School Board, but which should be all mapped out according to a system, and established as a public policy. From such a view it will be a simple matter to do the de- tails year by year as the means will allow. Everything done should be done with reference to the whole. and not as an isolated transac- tion, having no bearing upon the entire work. What I shall present in this section I may never see accomplished. It is not necessary that any one Superintendent should, provided the work is generally accepted. I do not suggest that it should be done at once. and probably it would not be best, even if it were possible.
I know something of the resources of the city and the temper of our people in view of any great work. and these two elements may not be equal to each other. I do not hesitate to present these views, because I know that the wisdom of the Board may be depended upon to undertake what can well be done. and that it is the part of wis- dom to look at everything full in the face and on all sides.
I shall include incidentally brief statements of some of the features of our work as it is being done at present. in order to show the trend of the present system, and I have invited the special teachers to contribute reports of their work with this end in view.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
We are beginning to realize, as never before, that Somerville is a city in every sense of the word. The situation, unsurpassed for its availabihty, its prospect, and its sanitary and healthy conditions, the administration of its affairs, its reputation for temperance and morality, and its advantages for the education of our children, have attracted, in large numbers, people seeking new homes. It becomes a wise people to so administer affairs as to meet the conditions inci- dent to rapid and permanent growth, that all, old residents as well as new comers, may enjoy ample facilities and conveniences for complete living. The retiring City Government is justly to be com- mended for many wise enactments looking to the permanent im- provement and attractiveness of our city. This is not the place to speak of the waterworks, highways, fire department, street lighting.
152
ANNUAL REPORTS.
etc., etc. All these things increase the importance and dignity of the municipality and add to our responsibilities. But it is for the School Board to treat of school buildings and appliances. Two buildings are now in process of erection, one of eight rooms in Con- cord Square, in Ward Two, the other, an addition of six new rooms to the Morse School, on Spring Hill, in Ward Four. These will greatly relieve these two sections of the city.
In my last annual report I advocated the establishment of a new grammar-school district, the consolidation of small schools into fewer large ones, and the relief of the High School. It will be out of place to formulate again my reasons for these recommendations. Suffice it to say the conditions will not be materially changed by what has been done this year. Provision for a new grammar-school district has not yet been made, nor the increased demands of the High School met, and the necessity is just as great as it was last year. In planning for the erection of new school buildings, the needs of the whole city should be taken into account. It would be well for the School Board to formulate a general plan by which this can be done, taking a broad view of the situation as it exists, and considering the growth and continually-increasing needs of the school system. Such a scheme might be laid out as would settle the whole question of schoolhouses for many years to come, and each year's work would simply be a part of the general plan. Hereto- fore, schools have been established with reference only to the needs of the immediate vicinity, and the consequence is that we now have twenty-eight different buildings, some of them rented, when fifteen, or sixteen at the most, would answer the purpose admirably. The geography of the city presents important centres and outlying dis- tricts. These centres are now provided with large grammar schools, and the outlying districts are full of little isolated schools, which are so related to the central ones as to require constant interchange of classes, while they are deprived of many of the best advantages that the large schools possess.
In establishing the proposed general plan, it will be necessary to decide upon new centres and to consolidate the isolated schools. The map of the city may be laid out and the schoolhouses located. I would not alter very much the plan suggested last year. The Pres- cott, Bell, Forster, Morse, and Highland Schools are the grammar- school centres. The first three are large enough. The Morse is being enlarged, and will, when completed, absorb the Beech street
153
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
and Spring Hill Schools, thus filling it. The Highland building should be enlarged by the addition of four rooms to provide for the increasing demands of the district. These five grammar schools will be ample for their several districts. The purchase of a lot for the new Prospect Hill building is the first step toward the establishment of another grammar school, the importance of which has been fre- quently and forcibly set forth and fully realized by the Board and the community. This new school should include all the pupils who remain in the Prospect Hill School after the Concord-square school opens, the pupils of the Brastow and Jackson, with pupils from the Bell in the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades who reside in these dis- tricts.
The next consideration will be to provide for the increase of population in Ward Three. The land between East Somerville and Winter Hill is fast building up, and additional accommodations are already needed. If there were now no school between the Prescott and Forster, a point between Cross and Walnut streets would seem to be a central location for the establishment of a school, but the Edgerly School is so near that centre, and its immediate vicinity is being so rapidly built up, that the most feasible plan seems to be the enlargement of the Edgerly building by raising it one story, and adding four rooms. When this improvement is made, the necessary renovation of the warming and ventilating system can be effected. This looks toward the establishment of the Edgerly as a grammar school and would provide for the lower part of Winter Hill. But the erection of a new building north of Broadway will soon be necessary. We should also look forward to the enlargement of the Bingham School and the discontinuance of the Cedar-street, thus providing for the rapid growth of the upper part of Ward Three. The Burns, Cummings, and Davis Schools can be enlarged when occasion demands. The Concord-square School will probably become a grammar school in time, as it is a natural centre for pupils on that side of the Fitchburg Railroad. There should be no other new school buildings erected except to replace old ones, and these should be large enough to absorb the small schools in the vicinity. The school system by this plan would be organized in fifteen buildings. This would save expense, insure better grading, facilitate supervision, secure better discipline, improve the quality of the teaching, and provide better surroundings and appliances for the schools.
154
ANNUAL REPORT.
A whole chapter might be written to show the advantages of con- solidation in these respects. In some towns, where the districts are thinly settled, it has been found economical to concentrate the school system in one or more large, well-organized schools, and transport the pupils daily to and from their homes. I have a personal knowl- edge of this plan, and know that it saves expense and improves the advantages of the pupils. It is much more desirable when the schools are near enough to their homes for the children to walk to and from school, as is the case in our city. My recommendation is that this or some specific plan be considered and adopted by the school board, presented to the public for consideration, promulgated and advocated as the policy of the city, and then be acted upon in future by the city government when school buildings may be needed. The other part of this scheme of organization pertains to the High School. In another section of this report will be found the account of the deliberations and reports of the committee on High School, touching this subject. The establishment of an English High School seems to be only a matter of time, and the board has begun the con- sideration of the plan none too soon. It is of such importance that much deliberation will be necessary, and the maturing of plans will require careful investigation and thought. The needs of the High School have been set forth in former reports, and each year makes the matter more urgent.
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION.
So much for districts and buildings. The next consideration concerns the system of instruction.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The advantages of an English High School are to afford special training and instruction to pupils who do not expect to pursue a collegiate course, many of whom would be likely to take up some line of occupation. immediately after leaving school. To such pupils several avenues are open ; namely commercial pursuits, indus- rial occupations, scientific investigations, or technical institutions. This was so carefully and concisely treated in the last report of the School Committee that no space need be taken for argument at this time. In both the classical and the English schools a system of physical training should be established to complete the course in the
155
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Grammar Schools, and military drill should be open to the boys. A liberal share of the time should be devoted to drawing and construc- tion. Rooms and appliances should be furnished for all necessary forms of manual instruction and for research and experiment.
The course, covering three years, should embrace three lines of study, viz., literature, history, and mathematics, which might occupy twelve hours a week, or about half the time ; work on wood or metal with tool instruction six hours, or two hours three days of each week ; drawing, freehand and mechanical, four hours, two hours on two days of each week; military drill, two hours, and gymnastics one hour of each week. A special committee has been appointed to work up the details of this course, which need not be anticipated in this report. The rooms required would be physical, chemical, and botanical laboratories, a room for each of the following subjects : wood work, metal work, feeehand drawing and modelling, mechani- cal drawing, domestic economy, history. and English language and literature, these last two requiring libraries also for their most effec- tive and successful study.
Besides these there should also be a general library and art collec- tion, a hall for gymnastics and drill, rooms for the principal and teachers, wardrobes, depositories, etc. The teachers required would be a principal (graduate of a scientific school), and special teachers of science, mathematics, history, English, mechanical and freehand drawing, and one all-round teacher : in all, four men and five ladies. If the English school should be located in a building near the pres- ent school, or if it were an addition to the present building, many of the appliances for laboratory work and drill could be available to the students of the classical school. The course in the classical school would follow the lines pursued at present, in which it excels as a fit- ting school. Much better work could be done if it were unencum- bered with the English students. Every study room should be fur- nished with a library for reference, containing works on the subject pursued in said room. The value of this to the school would be inestimable. In connection with this should be good maps, plans, and illustrations to aid in the study of history.
The methods of teaching should require the maximum of work by the student and the minimum by the teacher. The fullest opportu- nities should be given for expression. In the High School the stu- dents are of an age when they are becoming somewhat reserved.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
They are reluctant to express their ideas for fear of criticism ; there is likely to be an excessive modesty. The danger lies in the liability of the teacher to do too much reciting and of the pupil to acquiesce in the arrangement. This reserve should not be indulged, but rather the whole power of the student should be exercised in expres- sion. Progress is being steadily made in developing this faculty in the students. To this end voice, culture and expression are occupy- ing a more prominent part of the course. The value of reading as a means of expression was never better appreciated by all educators than it is at the present time. The foundation lies in the thought power of the speaker. The development of the thinking and feeling is the mainspring.
As another means of expression, drawing has been introduced this year. The lack of training in the elementary schools makes progress here slow, but a very good beginning has been made, which in the future will show good returns. The lessons in free-liand outline drawings are in connection with and based upon the study of form. The instrumental drawing is done by the students in connection with their geometry. Both are fundamental. All these lines of work must be continued and amplified.
GRAMMAR AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
In the Grammar and Primary Schools the greatest need is to re- duce the number of pupils to a teacher. This will require careful consideration. It involves system of promotions by which the best pupils may advance more rapidly, a provision for the special instruction of backward and delinquent pupils, and possibly the organization in each school of an ungraded class. The presence of so many children over the average age in our lower classes is a very serious evil, and demands a remedy, both for the sake of the pupils and the teachers. The rooms are too large. Most of them contain seats for fifty-six pupils. There should not be over forty-two. Rooms large enough for that number would be ample. The course of study for these grades should be continued with only such modifi- cation as improved methods demand. We should improve and in- crease the facilities for drawing and kindred work, such as involves construction from material.
DRAWING.
Drawing, which has to do with the representation, the interpreta- tion, the designing, and the adaptation of form, can only be taught
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
by the aid of studies of form in their various elements and applica- tions, and by the use of material with which to create the realities which the drawing represents.
I invite your attention to the report of the Teacher of Drawing, which sets forth the work better than I could do.
REPORT OF MISS L. A. HERRICK, DRAWING TEACHER.
We began our actual work in form study and drawing in Decem- ber of last year. From the beginning the work has been based upon the study of models and objects. The purpose has been to culti- vate the observing powers of the learner, with the proper training of the hand to express what has been seen. This power of the hand to obey the eye will be found of the greatest value in all walks of life. The study of form and drawing is not to entertain the pupils, but to educate them, to make them better fitted to fulfil their post in the work of the world, to make them more useful, and therefore more valuable, men and women. It is not the children who have what is called a taste for drawing who are most benefited by the study of drawing, but rather those who have no taste in this direc- tion, for these have most need of the training. One of the teachers, in a school where the children have but little done for them at home, said that as she watched the little hands trying to manage the scis- sors in a lesson on paper cutting, she was strongly impressed with the fact that school was the only place for these children to learn lessons of neatness and carefulness.
As we could not build without first laying a foundation, the work in form study in the three lowest grades had to be the same. The little ones begin with the three forms which seem to lie at the founda- tion of all form, the sphere, cube, and cylinder. Having studied a perfect sphere, the child goes on to make a sphere as nearly perfect as he is able, expressing his idea by means of clay, a medium espe- cially adapted to the purpose. He is then taught to tell what he has seen and what he has done, using that universal means of expression - language. The child is learning his first lessons in accuracy and truth, truthfulness in seeing, in thinking, in doing, and in speaking. Then the little student in form learns to compare familiar objects with these type forms. " A chicken's heart is like an ovoid," tri- umphantly announced a small observer one Monday morning, after having watched the preparations for the Sunday's dinner. It is the
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