USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1890 > Part 10
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The day for the October meeting of the Teachers' Association
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was given up to Secretary Dickinson and his agents and instructors for a general teachers' institute, to which the teachers of Melrose were invited. The work was conducted in three sections : Primary, Grammar, and High School, and was thoroughly enjoyed and appre- ciated. The addresses and demonstrations of methods were well received, and were of great benefit to our teachers. Its influence for good is unquestioned, giving new life and inspiration to our work.
WORK OF THE SCHOOLS.
The work done in the schools has been along the lines pursued in the past. Very little deviation has been made from that marked out in the course of study, and yet the work broadens out each year according as the teachers see the possibilities and the growing pow- ers of the pupils invite. The extent to which a study is pursued depends upon the capacity of the pupil, and the value of the subject as knowledge and as a means of discipline (I use the word in its broad sense ). When a study is taught simply for its knowledge value, the teaching is reduced to a quantity. It becomes a question of a time schedule, and how many facts can be taught. The experi- enced teacher sees beyond the text-book into the child's opening faculties ; he measures power and uses his material to develop more power. It matters not whether a child is set to gathering knowledge from observation or by study from books and libraries, if set to work at the right time, in the right way, and with proper material. It is the business of the teacher to cause the child to be a learner, and that by his own effort. The appliances, material, and subjects, or studies, will depend upon the age and ability of the pupil. A young child learns by the activity of his perceptive powers, while an older one is capable of reason and judgment. The elements of all subjects must be learned through the senses or by the perceptive faculty. Hence the use of illustrative material ( so called ) in elementary work. We are realizing, too, the value of better utilizing the child's activity. This element in education is of the highest importance and has too often been lost sight of. All admitit, but fail fully to understand how to take advantage of it; that is, how to direct the child's activity and use it as a force in his education. The modifications of work in our schools grow out of these principles, and are noticeable in the appli- ances and material for illustration and for expression, and in the
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method of work done by the pupils. Whenever the elements of a subject, as in geography, can be learned by bringing the children into contact with forms and features first hand, that is given preference to the representations or descriptions of these forms. With this as a basis, the study of the text later becomes intelligible. For the pur- pose of training the children in their expressive powers, ample oppor- tunities are given in the use of material. This is true of form study and arithmetic to a certain extent. The value of this work, and its scope and method, we are studiously finding out. Nothing radical has been attempted. Our departures from traditional routine are in lines parallel with those pursued in cities of our own class.
The subjects of geography, history, drawing, sewing, and other manual training features have been discussed in former reports, and nothing more is necessary at the present time.
The committees on drawing, manual training, music, and on high, grammar, and primary schools, have considered these subjects, upon which they are desirous of reporting.
CHANGES IN THE COURSE OF STUDY.
Ever since the introduction of sewing into the grammar schools there has been a strong desire on the part of the boys to have some manual work during the time the girls are occupied in sewing, and it has been our wish to gratify that desire. Accordingly, a course in mechanical drawing and construction has been laid out and adopted by the Board, and is now in operation in all the grammar schools in an elementary way.
A change in text-books in grammar made it necessary to modify the course in language somewhat, and the superintendent was authorized to issue outlines in the subject and in elementary science, including physiology and hygiene. The preliminary steps have been taken in these directions, but a complete introduction of such work necessitates a vast amount of labor and plenty of time.
It was also necessary to devote more time to the physical train ing exercises, and accordingly, after careful consideration, the time schedule was rearranged, and the programmes have since been made to conform thereto.
It will be necessary to have printed the course of study as at
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present arranged, as everything is now in the form of circulars.
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE.
For a number of years the most progressive cities in the country have incorporated into their school curricula studies in elementary science, for the purpose of bringing the children into intimate rela- tions with nature, that they may understand its varied forms, beauties, and wonders, and that it may become an influence in their education while in school and during the remainder of their lives. In some places it has been considered of so much importance that special teachers of the department have been appointed to instruct the reg- ular teachers and supervise the schools, in the same manner as draw- ing and kindred subjects have been introduced. In most cities the work has been empyrical necessarily, and is gradually working to a system. In other places certain features of the sciences have been undertaken as a part of the course in geography. The little we have done in our schools has been of this sort, but the studies have pro- gressed in connection with geography and language, so that it now seems advisable to have more system, to acknowledge science as an integral part of a primary and grammar course, and provide for its · proper instruction.
In view of these facts, the committee on course of study recom -- mended that the superintendent prepare outlines in science, including physiology and hygiene, for the guidance of the teachers, which recom- mendation was adopted by the Board. Preliminary outlines have since been prepared based on the experience of those who have gone before us, and closely related to geography, form, drawing, and lan- guage, now in operation in the schools. In the preparation of these outlines I was assisted by a committee, of which I was a member, of the New England Association of School Superintendents, and by specialists who have given much attention to the subject. This course was approved by the New England Superintendents' Associ- ation as a valuable guide to those who wish to introduce studies in science into their schools.
I do not pretend that this course is a finality, that the problem of the teaching of science in elementary schools has been solved. It is merely an outline suggestive of subjects and material that teachers may use profitably, and it is hoped that by this aid a good beginning
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may be made upon which a permanent course can be laid in the future.
The following principles have been generally agreed upon in selecting the studies that ought to be pursued in school: "(1) The course of study must include the studies and means of training which develop the greatest amount of mental and moral power. (2) Those which throw the greatest amount of light on the environments of life, in order that the education of the school may be continued by these environments in after life."
Superintendent Balliet, who is the author of this part of the report of the committee of the New England Superintendents' Asso- ciation above referred to, thus treats -
" The Physical Environments. These include the mineral, vege- table, and animal kingdoms; the physical features of land and water ; the physical heavens, and the forces that underlie the phenomena of nature in general. These must be interpreted to the child by the school, else they will remain a mere enigma to him all through life, and fail of exerting their educating influences upon his mind and character. Hence the necessity of including in a course of study the natural sciences. Their pedagogical value is not to be measured, therefore, by the knowledge acquired; nor so much by the amount of discipline used as by the fact that they reveal and interpret nature in such a way that the process of development, which the teaching of them merely begins in school, will be continued afterwards by nature herself all through life.
"It follows as a necessary corollary that far more depends on how these sciences are taught than on the quantity of knowledge gained. They must be taught in such a way as to train the mind to observe, to develop scientific methods of investigation and scientific habits of thought. A course of study must, therefore, not demand more as regards quantity, in a given time, than can be mastered by proper methods of work; unreasonable demands in this respect have not infrequently vitiated the character of the teaching, making labor- atory methods an impossibility, and the unintelligent memorizing of the substance of text-books a necessity."
Closely allied to this study of nature is the study of the beauti- ful, which, in the same report, is discussed as follows, under the sub- ject of -
" The Æsthetic Environments. The child's mind is surrounded by the truths of nature ; and, as already seen, it is the function of
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the school to open his eyes and his mind to these truths, in order that they may arouse thought and investigation, and thus become a permanent educational power over him all his life. In like manner he is surrounded on all sides by the world of beauty. It is the func- tion of the school to open his eyes and mind also to this element in his environments, so that the beautiful may be to him a constant, up- lifting power all through life. Beauty of form and color can be appreciated only by him whose sense of color and form has been trained ; beauty and harmony of tone only by him whose sense of tone has been developed.
" Æsthetic training must not be mechanically added to scientific training; but, in as far as possible, all the work of the school must be given a bent in the direction of the beautiful.
" The beautiful in art, historically, grew out of the useful. So in the school the beautiful must be the outgrowth of the useful at all points; and all forms of expression by making, modeling, draw- ing, language, and tone must aim to reach their æsthetic stages.
"It is the function of science to interpret the truths of nature, and to act the beauty of nature. In order that the mind may be brought into complete sympathy with its environments, it must not only be able to interpret them scientifically in the way of logical thought, but also æsthetically through the imagination. Hence, if the school is to perform its highest function, it must do it in this two-fold way. The æsthetic training is as necessary as the intellec- tual training. Art is as necessary and as legitimate a part of the higher life of the race as science."
This department includes observation and study of minerals, plant and animal life, the human body, form, color, and the phenomena of nature, leading up to elementary physics, chemistry, and astronomy. The plan is to have the observation and study begin the first year of school with the simplest and most interesting objects of the child's environment, and that year by year other objects of study be intrc- duced, as the ever-widening horizon and the growing faculties of the child shall warrant. Each year will permit of new phases of the work in the direction of closer observation of detail, finer classifica- tion, more comprehensive view, and a higher appreciation of the beauty, grandeur, and sublimity of the universe.
It is hoped that, in this study of nature in its varied forms, and in the expression of the beauty and thought of nature, all teachers
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will feel the influence and imbibe the spirit of the æsthetic element. We must not look at nature's forms as specimens whose only interest is their accurate and wonderful structure and the ingenious adjust- ment of parts, but as creations whose symmetry of form and harmony of color teach the beauty and glory of the universe of God.
Likewise, in the expression of the truth and beauty of form and of nature, we are not to labor only for accuracy of language and dex- terity and expertness of manipulation, but for that training which has its outcome in the development of finer sensibilities and the cultiva- tion of a higher spiritual nature.
The subjects of this course are the same throughout the primary and grammar grades, that is, the study of animal and vegetable life, the human body, mineralogy, and the phenomena of nature. The progression is indicated by the method of study, which depends upon the faculties of the child, and the degree of thoroughness to which the study is carried. In all grades, also, the subjects are used as a basis for language and other means of expression : for instance, in the first year the words taught in the reading lesson and the oral lan- guage come from the observation lessons, whether of natural objects or of common things. Year after year these subjects are talked about and described, both in oral and written language. The same use is made of these subjects in the drawing lessons and in the work now closely allied to the drawing course. The extent to which it is possible to carry modeling in clay and construction in other materials is limited only by the supply, and not by the practicability of the work or its educational value. But the value of these subjects for composition work suffers no depreciation for any reason. The ma- terial furnished by the course of study in geography and history has always been found exceedingly valuable as a basis for composition work, but the subjects afforded by the science course are still more serviceable, because of the greater variety, the richness in qualities, and the convenience and availability of the material. Expression necessitates thought, and thought must be preceded by close obser- vation and inspection of tangible things.
The outlay for such a course would include the manuals for the guidance of the teachers, and the closets, cabinets, or cases for the proper keeping and mounting of the specimens. As for the specimens, we would rely upon those contributed by the pupils for the most part. Experience might show the advisability of supplying others,
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and in the case of experiments in the higher grades some cost might be entailed. For the studies in physiology it will be necessary to supply text-books in conformity to the requirements of the State law.
LITERATURE.
From time to time the Board has added to the list of purchas- able books certain supplementary readers, designed to be used as - collateral aids in teaching the various subjects embraced under the title of elementary science, geography, history, and literature. In consequence of our limited funds for such material, the purchases have been confined for the most part to the first three departments named, while those designed for literary culture have been allowed to wait. While we are opening up new fields of science, and bringing our children into more intimate contact with nature, we should not allow the schools to run into these departments as specialties, and lay our work open to the criticism of some foreign schools that have become mechanical and materialistic in their tendencies. While science is perhaps the best material for cultivating observation and experiment, and consequently thought, there is a danger of losing sight of the ideal. Some children will doubtless become skilled in the various arts and sciences, but others will find pleasure and profit only in literature. As a foundation for an all-round education, we must guard the treasures of the intellect and the imagination, while we at the same time study the realities of creation. I am, therefore, very anxious to enlarge the reading along these lines, and provide ample material for the proper culture of literary taste. It is an astonishing fact that, while the publication of standard works in very convenient forms and of suitable grade for grammar schools has rapidly increased of late years, yet the grammar schools have failed to profit by these treasures. I have had opportunity many times to note the eagerness of children to have access to good reading. Occasionally, teachers loan books that are suitable to children inter- ested in having home reading. I have been impressed both by the desire to borrow books and the disappointment when the supply is exhausted. I believe the schools should be supplied with the choicest reading both for class and home use, and that there should also be graded libraries for each school.
As to the character and scope of this reading, I would include
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extended extracts from the best poets and prose writers, taken from works of literary merit. There should also be the literature of the Bible, both in the lines of history and biography. I believe that the stories of the Bible should be read in every school. There has already appeared in the Riverside Literature Series one number such as I have in mind. It is a carefully selected series of stories in Bible language. We should use this history, and many of the parables for their moral worth and for their literary merit. There need be no sectarian teaching in this connection, but there is great danger that the people will grow up wholly unfamiliar with this most wonderful and most interesting history and these marvels of literary genius.
Many of the school readers contain pieces of great merit, but they are very brief and do not furnish enough from one author to convey an adequate idea of his style, nor the substance of the work from which the selection is taken. The school reader serves a pur- pose, but it does not satisfy the demand for a literature book.
I believe that children should be taught to read in four, or at most five, years; after that, or during the four last years of the gram- mar school, a good reading book as a drill book fills an important place, but the reading, the literary reading, should be from standard works of the best authors. In addition to this, there will be reading and study in history, geography, etc.
I have been investigating the methods used in several cities for supplying the schools with supplementary reading, and have come to the conclusion that, in addition to our permanent supplementary readers, we should use the circulating plan. This method is practised in Boston and other places with very good results, and has been found economical. I invite your consideration of Supervisor Met- calf's report on this subject, and I hope the incoming Board will, through the committee on text-books, act upon a scheme by which a similar plan can be carried out here.
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
The report of last year contained an extended discussion of this subject. After careful consideration of the best methods of intro- ducing physical training into our schools, the special committee recommended the appointment of Miss C. I. Livingstone as director, with authority to meet the teachers as often as necessary and super-
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intend its introduction into all the primary and grammar schools. Since April 1st, Miss Livingstone has met all the teachers in classes each week for instruction in the science of the system and for prac- tical exercise. The teachers of the Prospect Hill District have met one afternoon each week at the Y. M. C. A. Hall; the teachers of the Spring Hill and West Somerville Districts, the next afternoon at the same place, and the teachers of East Somerville and Winter Hill have met once a week, alternating between the Prescott and Forster school buildings. By this means, the teachers have become skilled in the exercises which they daily put into practice in their schools, and have gained a knowledge of the relations of the exercises to health and development, and the physiological effect upon the human body.
At this point I wish to emphasize the value of this system as a feature of the instruction in physiology and hygiene. Every exercise has its special office, and in knowing how the action of the muscles. contributes to health and strength the teacher or the child learns the full value of the part as an instrument in executing the behest of the will. I am convinced that by making the physical exercises a part of the instruction in physiology and hygiene, in so far at least as it is an exemplification of the functions of the parts, we will enhance the value of both. We have not yet progressed as far in this direc- tion as may be possible and advisable. We are yet making a begin- ning, laying a good foundation. The possibility of development in this system is its most encouraging element. We must expect that time alone is the test of the value and permanency of the department, but we see much that is interesting and reassuring. There will be greater proficiency on the part of teachers and pupils, greater interest and fuller appreciation of its value, less stiffness and awkward move- ment, more flexibility and grace in the execution of commands, more ready and precise response to the will, and greater tension and stead- iness of nerve. I expect, also, before another report is due, to see the results of the training in the position and carriage of the pupils and the application of the drill exercises in their unconscious actions. As the years go on, I hope to see the results affecting the tissues and organs of the body, and the activity and operations of the mind ; furthermore, may we not expect, as an outgrowth of health and vigor, a brighter cheerfulness, a readier and more willing response, and a more complaisant acquiescence in the performance of tasks, and a
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firmer accomplishment of the known duties? Are these unattainable ideals? Or are they higher possibilities suggested by present indica- tions? I have observed very closely the exercises given by the director in the normal classes, and by the teachers in our class-rooms, and have watched the effects upon the body and minds of the children, as indicated by their interest, their response, their vigor, and their buoyancy and spirit. The very nature of the exercises, requiring as they do the closest attention, reflection, thought, and prompt, exact action, is a mental discipline, calling into activity the whole mind, and securing a harmony of body and will which must necessarily result in development and culture. I am more than ever in favor of the system we have adopted, and I anticipate that by intelligent oversight and direction much may be built upon the founda- tion now being laid.
In justice to our director, Miss Livingstone, I feel that I express the honest sentiment of all who have been under her instruction, both teachers and pupils, when I say that she is admirably adapted to her work, enthusiastic, cheerful, inspiring, and that she possesses a good knowledge of her subject. We have been fortunate in our selection, and I hope she may be retained to continue her valuable instruction.
The Swedish system of gymnastics has been formally adopted by the School Committee of Boston, after experiments with it in several of the schools. The election of Dr. Hartwell as director of physical education in Boston is also an endorsement of the work now so well begun in this vicinity. I feel that the citizens of Somerville may be justly proud of the beginnings here made, with the assurance that we are alive to the importance of this department of education. Occasional editorials in the leading Boston dailies voice the senti- ment of the people, who realize more than ever before the necessity of well developed physical organisms.
DRAWING AND INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.
On the recommendation of the committees on drawing and industrial education, the Board authorized the superintendent to organize an exhibition to be held in Bow-street Hall, which should represent the work done in all the schools from the kindergarten to the High School. Accordingly, an exhibition was held on June 18 to 21 in the main hall and the armory. The work was arranged by
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grades and by schools, and consisted of kindergarten occupations, stick-laying, slat and mat weaving, paper folding and cutting, sewing, clay-modeling, covering three or four grades, drawing, and some wood-work and paper-cutting from the second grade up. The High School contributed drawing, and the Evening Drawing School was represented by work in free-hand outline, and light and shade; the mechanical department showing geometric drawings, projections, and architectural and machine drawings. The armory was devoted to the sewing, in which all the grammar schools were represented. The room also contained a display of maps of paper, sand, clay, putty, and various other materials.
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