USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1894 > Part 12
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2. The need of more room at East Somerville was vainly urged last year. Sixty children, the offspring of patient and uncomplaining but expectant parents, were on half-time from April to July. This experience will be repeated in '95, and three extra teachers will be required. I renew the suggestion for a building of four or six rooms on the lot adjoining the Prescott School on Myrtle street. The loca- tion is central and would afford relief to the Edgerly and Davis as well as the Prescott. It could be heated by the Prescott apparatus, while the present yard-room and sanitary arrangements would be ample for both buildings.
3. Some additional provision must be made for the primary chil- dren in the Morse district, 40 of whom were on half-time last spring. The Beech-street building, even if it could accommodate them, has been rendered still more unfit for school purposes by the erection of a house within ten feet of its easterly side, which shuts out both sunshine
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and light. A four-room building on its site would not only relieve the Morse, and respectably house the Beech-street children, but it would take one of the classes from the already overcrowded Durell School. A twelve-room building, either here or on the Franklin lot, would accomplish the same results, and much more that is dseirable. Farther consideration may prove this to be the best form of relief.
4. A four-room building is much needed on Hudson street near Lowell street. Primary children in this vicinity now go a long distance to the Forster, or else to the Morse or the Burns. A building here would relieve these schools. Forty-five per cent of the children in the Forster are now in primary grades. Some of them must be removed to make room for grammar classes from the Glines and Bingham. The proposed new building would aid in this direction as well as meet the wants of a rapidly-growing section.
5. It was confidently expected that the opening of the new build- ing on Kent street would enable us to dispense with the Harvard Schoolhouse, but we were disappointed, and it is still in use. This old wooden building has served town and city for 43 years. Originally built on Cherry street, near Elm, to accommodate the L. V. Bell Primary School in 1851, then removed in 1867 to the rear of the Franklin to take its overflow, it finally replaced an equally ancient and valuable structure on its present site in 1871. It has been used alto- gether too long, and should be abandoned, not only in the interests of the children condemned to occupy it, but also for the credit of our fair city. A schoolhouse, however, is needed in this locality. A four- room building on Washington street, near Calvin, would house the Harvard children and relieve the Knapp School, sure to be over- burdened in the spring, and the already crowded Durell. It would be filled in less than two years.
6. Two other four-room buildings will be needed before they are completed. One should be located on Walnut street near the head of Sunnyside avenue, to relieve the Glines and the Edgerly. The other should be on or near the northeast corner of the city farm, to accom- modate the overflow of the Bingham and to extinguish the Cedar-street School.
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I am aware that these demands may seem rather formidable, but they are presented in the order of their urgency, and in accordance with principles previously enunciated. They cover the immediate future as well as the present ; they look to a lessening of the number of pupils now assigned to a single teacher ; they provide room for the establishment of Kindergartens ; they locate primary schools within easy reach of their occupants, and tend towards filling the large build- ings with exclusively grammar grades ; and they close buildings belong- ing to the silurian age of education.
III. ATTENDANCE.
The work of the schools has progressed through the year without interruptions or distractions. The theoretical school-year of 400 half days has been shortened one tenth by omissions of the regular sessions. Of the 39 half days lost, twenty-two are chargeable to holidays, nine to stormy weather, two to a teachers' convention, one to the High School exhibition, and five to the custom of closing in the middle instead of at the end of the last week of the school year.
It is gratifying to observe that in regularity of attendance the record of the year is the highest in the history of Somerville, the rate being 94.8 per cent of the average membership. As compared with last year, tardiness has decreased 11 per cent, dismissals 12 per cent, and truancy 45 per cent. This somewhat remarkable result is attributabel to the vigilance and influence of teachers, the ambition of children, and the co-operation of parents. Another notable fact which shows the undoubted growth of moral power among the teachers, is the decrease of nearly 50 per cent in cases where it has been found neces- sary to administer corporal punishment. More than one half of all the occasions requiring the use of force arise in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Are children in these classes more difficult to control or less amenable to moral influences than others, or is the disproportion traceable to elements of weakness in the teaching force?
The custom of removing children from school during the month of June is to be deprecated. In this way classes ar esometimes well- nigh broken up during the last few days or weeks of the school year. Some of the most important of all the work should be done at this season. Equally erroneous is the supposition that no loss results from
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a few days' absence in September. The schools are all equipped with needed supplies at the time of opening, and may get under way with their regular programme at once, and every child should be present to share in the advantage. The delay in the organizing of some schools will this year be obviated by making all promotions and arranging new classes in June instead of September. This will enable even special teachers to begin operations on the first day of the term. Tables 9 to 15 will show facts of attendance in detail.
IV. TRANSFER OF PUPILS.
Two things render necessary the frequent transfer of children from one school to another : first, a lack of room in one building and a supply in another ; secondly, the demands of classification and the equalization of work among teachers. Hence it is not possible to establish unchangeable lines between the schools of a district, nor is it essential. Our school buildings are so near together that the element of distance cannot affect the question. The instruction and facilities for learning are equally good in all the schools. The course of study, rate of progress, and basis of promotion are the same. Nevertheless, objections on the part of both children and parents are often encountered. They are generally based on sentiment, or on prejudice for one school or teacher, or against another, or possibly on fear of a descent in the social scale. In this matter, as in all others pertaining to our schools, the greatest good of the greatest number must control. It must be assumed as a matter of course, that any child may be called upon to attend school this year in one building and next year in another. These transfers, however, are not to be made arbitrarily or with unjust discrimination, but in accordance with the following rule : The pupils transferred shall be those living nearest the school to which the transfer is to be made, the shortest sidewalk distance being considered.
Nor should the lines between districts be inflexible or impassable. There is no reason why some one who knows the whole situation should not have authority to transfer children across district lines whenever individual or school interests can be thereby promoted. For example : At any time in the school year 1893-94, the Pope School could have relieved the Davis of children enough to save the
(14)
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services and salary ($425) of an assistant. And at the Cummings there has been no time during the past year when 25 children from the Forster or the Morse could not have been accommodated in the second and third grades. The same may be true at any time of the Edgerly and Glines, or of other districts. If we could re-locate our school buildings, transfers might be needless, but under existing arrangements they should be both authorized and expected.
V. ADMISSION OF CHILDREN.
Under the present rules children are admitted to the first grade in September and April. In 1894 there were admitted in
September, 626, of the average age of 5 years, 7.3 months. April, 372, " " 7.3
Practically no children are admitted during the rest of the year. It will be noticed that there is no difference in the average age of the two classes.
The admission of 400 children in April greatly disturbs the organ- ization of the lower grades and impairs their efficiency. At the present time the average membership of the 25 first grades is 53. If more are admitted they must be crowded into rooms already filled, extra seats provided, some children improperly forced into higher grades, and many of them put on half-time. Additional teachers must be provided. Little children need the constant attention of a teacher during the first two or three months of their school life. Our schools present no more arduous task than that of the teacher of a first grade with 50 or more children, the majority of whom are in school for the first time. Certainly if assistants are ever needed it is in such schools. No April children are promoted to the next grade in June. They have accomplished but little. The teachers very properly feel obliged to spend their time and energies on the majority who must be made ready for promotion.
In view of all these disadvantages it becomes a serious question whether it is expedient to admit any children in April. If it were understood that this would not be done, instead of being held back, most of them would be entered in September, thus permitting an organization of the classes that would remain unchanged during the
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year, and result in a practical gain of time for the child. If this should not be decided upon, the period of admission should be shortened to cover the first week of the month.
Table 15 will show the number admitted from each school in April and September, and the number on half-time.
VI. TEACHERS.
There are now 189 teachers in the employ of the city, three of whom are assistants in training without pay. During the year 19 teachers have resigned, one of whom had taught successfully in our schools 25 years, another 17 years, a third 10 years, while the average term of service of the remaining 16 covered a period of less than three years. Of the 19, seven were attracted by more lucrative positions elsewhere, four resigned on account of ill health, three to take advanced courses of study, and five retired to engage in other pursuits.
In 1894, 26 new teachers were elected, of whom six are collegiates, nine graduates of normal schools, and five of training schools. Great pains have been taken in their selection and it is believed that they will prove valuable additions to our teaching force.
How to secure and retain the best teachers is the perpetual and perplexing problem upon whose solution depends the success of all our efforts in education. The teacher is the heart and soul of the school. Upon her depend its life and power. In exact proportion as the teacher lacks high moral character, the power of personal influence, refined taste and manners, good scholarship, and thorough professional training, the school fails to accomplish its purpose. Given these qualities and the highest success is certain, irrespective of material surroundings. We can get along with poor or crowded buildings, with meagre or ill-adapted appliances, with enriched or impoverished courses of study, but good teachers are indispensable.
It is perhaps too much to expect that every one of a large corps of teachers should fulfil the ideal requirements. Some have the future, others only the present in mind ; some teach children, others nothing but subjects ; some control the motives of conduct, others simply enforce orders ; some develop all the faculties symmetrically, others train one, if any ; some are full of love and sympathy and help- fulness for the slow, the weak, the unfortunate, others are self-centred ;
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some teach pedagogically, others keep school; some grow, others fossilize ; some are original, enthusiastic, inspiring, others follow mechanically a dull routine ; some love their work and put heart and conscience and soul into it, others are satisfied with the maximum salary.
As for our own teachers, the great majority, if not all, are faithful, conscientious, and devoted to the highest interests of those they teach. They do their best within their limitations. They deserve, as they receive, the generous sympathy, co-operation, and esteem of their con- stituencies and the support and gratitude of the city whose bulwarks they guard, and whose future is almost entirely within their control.
Tables 22 to 28 in the Appendix show the number of teachers, resignations, elections, transfers, etc., for the year.
VII. SUBSTITUTES.
During the year there have been 281 occasions for the employ- ment of substitutes, who have served a total of 1,455 half-days, and have received the sum of $2,374.96.
There is no more fruitful source of interruption to school work than the unexpected absence of regular teachers, more or less of which is unavoidable under the most favorable circumstances. How to render these absences least disastrous to the progress of the schools is an important question. The position of a substitute is extremely embarrassing. Suddenly called to take charge of 50 children, not one of whom she knows, entirely ignorant of the work and attainments of the class, without opportunity to make any preparation whatever for the day's instruction, not strong to discipline or ready in emer- gencies, is it strange that an ordinary substitute accomplishes little more than to keep the children out of the street, and that the class rapidly retrogrades? It would certainly be economy from an educa- tional point of view, and involve but slight increase of expenditure, if any, to employ two or three thoroughly competent teachers to act as substitutes whenever and wherever their services may be needed. They should be perfectly familiar with the work of all the grades and conversant with all the schools and their methods. When not em- ployed in substituting they could render valuable service in large classes or along special lines of instruction. The salary paid should
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be sufficient to attract and retain extraordinary teachers possessing the peculiar qualifications required for such work. We cannot afford to employ apprentices where master-workmen are needed.
VIII. THE HIGH SCHOOL.
With the close of the current school year, the institution that has been so long and favorably known as the "Somerville High School" will change its character and will be thenceforward known as the " Somer- ville Latin School." A glance, therefore, at its honorable history will not be uninteresting.
The school was organized May 3, 1852. It has therefore been in existence nearly 43 years. For the first 15 years it occupied the upper story of what is now the City Hall. For the next five years the entire building was devoted to its use. Since 1872 it has occupied the present building.
The average membership of the school for the first 15 years was 76, that being the exact number with which it started in 1852. In 1867, however, Mr. Baxter, the present Principal, took charge of the school with a membership of 119. Since then the number of members has steadily increased, practically doubling every 10 years, and reaching the maximum of 691 in the fall of 1894.
The first class was graduated in 1862, and contained six members. The thirty-third class was graduated in June, 1894. It contained 111 members.
Since its organization 4,322 persons have been members of the school, 1,255, or nearly 30 per cent, of whom have received diplomas of graduation.
Ten years ago the school had outgrown its present quarters. Since then it has been obliged to adapt itself to accommodations that have become more and more inadequate each year. The division of the school into sections and the adoption of the plan of two sessions have prevented the situation from becoming intolerable. This has entailed upon Principal and teachers increased labor and responsi- bility, which have been met without complaint. The lack of recitation rooms has compelled an average assignment of over 45 pupils to a teacher.
But notwithstanding all these embarrassments the school has 1
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grown steadily in numbers, in popularity, and in efficiency. Too much credit cannot be given to the Principal and his assistants for their patience, fidelity, and success in the face of all the untoward cir- cumstances of the last few years. Not only they, but the members of the school and our citizens generally, are to be congratulated on the prospect of relief so near at hand in the completion of the English High School building.
Table 21 shows not only the membership of the school and the number of graduates since 1867, but also the steady gain in its mem- bership as compared with the whole number of pupils in the city, and the increase in the number of graduates as compared with the member- ship of the school.
Table 29 gives the names of teachers since the organization, with length of service.
IX. ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL.
Ground was broken for the English High School building, Decem- ber 5, 1893. The work has progressed with slight interruptions during the year, and will doubtless be completed in ample season for the opening of the school in September, 1895.
The work of organizing the new school and reorganizing the old, defining the distinctive and mutual relations between them, estab- lishing the various courses of study, selecting teachers and equipping the schools with the best appliances - text-books, reference libraries, laboratory furnishings, etc. - is the most important task before the School Board of 1895.
The two High School buildings supply accommodations for a thou- sand pupils and should be adequate for our uses for at least ten years. The schools organized on the proper basis, should furnish whatever education below the college or scientific school any resident of Somer- ville may desire or justly claim from the city. It is not the province of public schools to educate or train specialists in any line, - music, elocution, art, science, professional or commercial life. They have done all that can be rightly demanded of them when they have fur- nished facilities for a general education that shall reasonably fit its possessor for life and its duties in the home, in society, in the State.
The legitimate work of the schools includes training for higher institutions of learning, - colleges and scientific schools,- but this
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should be subordinated to more important and more comprehensive ends and aims. The character of a public school system should be con- trolled by the interests of the ninety-nine whose educational life ends within it, rather than by the needs of the one whose education is com- pleted beyond it. Too largely have the character and work of the high school been dominated by the demands of the college. Too largely even now is the college seeking to determine the scope and nature, not only of secondary but of elementary education as well.
While opening its doors to all, and offering courses of study, gen- eral as well as specific, the ordinary high school, conscious that the criterion of judgment will be the number of admissions to college and the future standing of its students therein, regulates its work to a great extent by college requirements, and gives to candidates for higher education the best and most of what it has to offer. Henceforth, in Somerville at least, this is not to be the case. The Latin School is to be distinctively the preparatory or fitting school for all higher institu- tions of learning. Herein colleges and scientific schools will dictate the courses.
The English High School, however, will be free from this domina- tion. It will meet the broadest needs of those whose education ends in the public schools. It will recognize the claims of those who are to be artisans or traders as equal to the claims of those who are to enter the professions. It will doubtless teach Latin, as furnishing un- derlying elements for the study of English, and to give students who change their plans with reference to college after a year or two, an opportunity to enter the Latin School without loss of time. It will teach the modern languages, of course, but its chief work will be, as its name indicates, instruction in English, - in literature with its wealth of knowledge and beauty, in the use of the mother tongue with its rich- ness and power for the expression of thought, in history with its revela- tions of the growth and progress of civilization, in science with its marvellous disclosures of the secrets of nature, in mathematics with its stern training of the reason, in commercial and business affairs with their relations to life, in government and political economy with their lessons of the duties of citizenship, in art and in music with their refin- ing influences, in whatever knowledge those may desire whose educa- tional life ends within its walls. The teaching will be such as to strengthen and quicken the faculties, to cultivate individualism and
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self-dependence, to awaken a craving for more and better, and all its influences such as to make the future of the graduates intelligent, un- selfish, useful, happy.
A single course of study should emphasize and require a few things that are fundamental, but it should offer a wide range of elective studies to meet the varying tastes and necessities of all sorts of students. Diplomas should be awarded for the amount and quality of work done rather than for the completion of courses along prescribed lines, thus permitting the widest freedom of choice. All possible inducements should be offered for the completion of a four years' course, but no one should be debarred from taking any portion of it because restrict- ing circumstances forbid more. What is done, however, should be thoroughly done, for clear and definite ideas within narrow limits are better than confusion and indefiniteness in a larger field. The sciences should have a prominent place, for facilities for laboratory methods will be unsurpassed. Drawing, music, elocution, physical training, long excluded, or inadequately provided for by the necessities of the situa- tion, may now receive their due share of attention.
Hundreds of young women are to graduate from the English High School with their education nominally completed. Whatever they may do immediately after graduation, each will eventually reach woman's normal position, and become the head of a household. What prac- tical knowledge and ability for the successful conduct of its affairs will her education have given her? What will she know of household management, of the art of cooking, of the chemistry of foods, of hygiene, of sanitary science, of what to do in emergencies, of home nursing and care of the sick, of household art and economy? Will not a course in domestic science, which shall give some practical knowledge along these lines, be a valuable feature of the new High School, doing for the girls what manual training does for the boys? Its aim and its methods should be educative throughout, the develop- ing of character, of mental ability, of moral stamina, by the training furnished. Such a course involves the fitting of a room in the new building adapted to these purposes. The expense would be inconsid- erable compared with the results. It would be available for the in- struction in cooking to the girls of the eighth and ninth grades of the grammar schools. The attention of the Board is especially called to this matter.
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Attempts to be more specific with regard to the organization of the new school would be premature at this time. These suggestions of the possibilities of the school and its general scope are given to show the largeness and importance of the question before the Board.
X. MANUAL TRAINING.
In its modern educational use the expression manual training im- plies instruction in any form of work with the hands that has for its primary object the improvement of the intellectual powers of the worker. Only incidentally does it lead to the acquisition of skill that may help in the pursuits of industrial life.
Its earliest application to school life is found in the Kindergarten, the occupations of which are arranged for the systematic development of the child's powers through the exercise of his natural activities. The " gifts " of the Kindergarten are designed to develop the child's ability to observe and classify the forms and appearances of objects, and aid his efforts to obtain knowledge of them. The " occupations" enable him to express his ideas of things, and to apply his knowledge to the accomplishment of some specific end. The advantages of this system of training for children between the ages of three and a half and five years are too well known to need presentation here. In all places where sound and progressive educational principles control, Kinder- gartens have become firmly established.
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