Report of the city of Somerville 1896, Part 12

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Somerville, Mass.
Number of Pages: 774


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1896 > Part 12


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In 1872, when Somerville became a city, it contained a pop- ulation of 16,000. To-day 54,400 people live within its borders, an increase of 240 per cent. The growth of the city has naturally been most rapid in the fourth ward, the increase in that section being about 620 per cent., while that of wards two and three is 200 per cent., and that of ward one about 50 per cent.


This phenomenal increase of population of course indicates a corresponding increase in the number of children to be edu- cated. Twenty-five years ago 3,000 children were in attendance upon the public schools. To-day the city is educating nearly three times as many, while half as many more are being in- structed in private schools.


To provide accommodations for the schools the sixteen school buildings of 1872 with their sixty schoolrooms have


248


ANNUAL REPORTS.


grown to twenty-five buildings, containing one hundred and ninety-two rooms. Three of the original sixteen buildings, the Brastow, Union, and Spring Hill schoolhouses, have been aban- doned, and two, the Webster and Lincoln, have been burned. Fourteen new buildings have been erected during our city life, increasing the valuation of our permanent school property from $300,000 in 1872 to $900,000 in 1896.


For the maintenance of our public schools during these twenty-five years there has been expended a sum aggregating $2,608,245. This includes what has been paid for instruction, supervision, books, supplies, and the heating and care of school buildings. The sum expended for this purpose in 1872 was $58,920, in 1896 $204,743, an increase of 247 per cent. The in- crease in the cost of the schools is somewhat larger than the increase in population. This apparently disproportionate in- crease may be accounted for by the facts that we now pay six times as much for special teachers, that now all text-books and supplies of every sort are furnished at public expense, that the care and heating of modern school structures is more expensive, that kindergartens and manual training have been added, and that a larger number of pupils remain in school until they have completed the courses of study. The per capita cost in 1872 was $21.05, as against $25.35 in 1896.


The growth in the assessors' valuation of property in the city has not kept pace with the increase of population, the latter having advanced 240 per cent., while the former has grown only 115 per cent., from twenty-two and three-fourths millions in 1872 to forty-nine millions in 1896. This, of course, involves a larger pro rata school tax. Where the city paid two and fifty- nine one-hundredths mills on each dollar of valuation twenty-five years ago for the maintenance of schools, it now pays four and eighteen one-hundredths mills.


The administration of the affairs of the schools in all their burdensome details during the period we are considering has been conducted by 84 of our citizens, 80 men and 4 women, who at various times have rendered faithful and gratuitous service for longer or shorter periods on the School Board. Their names and


249


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


the time of their official terms will be found on subsequent pages.


In 1872 eighty-three pupils were graduated from the Gram- mar schools. This was three and one-third per cent. of all the Grammar and Primary pupils in the city. In 1896 the Grammar schools graduated 370, five and one-fourth per cent. of the aver- age membership. This increase is especially gratifying, for it shows that a larger proportion of children remain to complete the Grammar School course.


The number of high school pupils graduated in 1872 was twenty-one; in 1896, 115, an increase more than twice as large as the increase in school population. In 1872 six and one-third per cent. of the average membership of all the schools were found in the High School. The corresponding number at present is 9.6 per cent. If the High School membership had increased no more than the general school population of the city it would now in- clude but five-eighths of its present number.


During these twenty-five years five thousand three hundred and sixteen (5,316) pupils have been graduated from the Gram- mar schools, one-fourth of whom (1,299) have completed the High School course.


As showing the improvement in moral tone and methods of government now prevalent, it is worth mentioning that in 1872 there were eight and two-thirds times as many cases of tardiness and about thirty times as many cases of corporal punishment as in 1896, the number of pupils being taken into account.


The changes in the work of the schools and subjects of study can be but briefly mentioned. Chief among these are the adop- tion of a system of industrial drawing, with the employment of a supervisor, the introduction of sewing, the use of the Ling system of gymnastics, the establishment of kindergartens, the extension of musical instruction to the Primary grades, the adoption of a course of study in elementary science, the intro- duction of supplementary reading, the establishment of a Man- ual Training School, the co-ordination of the public library with the schools, and the enlargement of High School courses made possible by increased facilities.


250


ANNUAL REPORTS.


It would be interesting to close this brief retrospect with a statement of what our schools have actually done during these years in forming the character and determining the future of the thousands who have come under their influence. This, how- ever, is impossible. It can only be inferred from the intelligence, the virtue, the prosperity of our citizens.


It is a matter of pride and congratulation that our schools and their managers have always enjoyed the confidence and respect of our citizens, that they have been kept free from sectarian and political influences, and that they have been sup- ported with generous appropriations and fostered with jealous care. May the next quarter century repeat in their experience the progress and prosperity of the past and yield yet richer returns for all the labor and outlay spent upon them.


The following table shows the increase and growth of the city in several important respects during the period from 1872 to 1897 :-


TABLE SHOWING THE SCHOOL GROWTH OF SOMERVILLE SINCE IT BECAME A CITY IN 1872.


1872


· 1896.


Per cent of Increase.


Population .


16,000


54,400


240


School Census


2,932


8,885


203


Average Membership of Public Schools


2,799


8,077


189


Valuation of יי


$300,000


$900,000


200


Number of Schoolrooms


60


192


220


Number of Teachers, Men


8


22


175


Number of Teachers, Women


57


193


238


Assistants


5


10


100


Special Teachers


2


6


200


Total Number of Teachers


70


230


229


Cost of Maintaining Schools


$58,920


$204,743


247


Per Capita Cost


$21.05


$25.35


20


High School Teachers, Men


2


11


450


4


19


375


66


Total


6


30


400


Average Membership of High School


18.


840


363


Graduates of High School .


21


115


448


of Grammar Schools


83


370


346


Valuation of City .


$22,755,325


$49,013,050


115.4


Number of School Buildings


16


25


56


Women


up


GIRLS SANITARIES


O


VESTIBULE


COMMITTEE Roon!


BOILER


BOILER ROOM


PonER


COLD AIR CHAMDER


COLD AIR CHAMBER


COAL ROOM


WARD ROOM


GIRLS PLAY ROOM


BOYS' PLAY ROOM


COLD AIR CHAMBER


COLD AIR CHAMBER


BASEMENT PLAN. Scale 6=1 Foot


SAMUEL DILEY KELLEY TIRCHITECT 209 WASHINGTON ST. BOSTON MASS.


"WILLIAM H. HODGKIN'S SCHOOL


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


251


BOYS SANITARIES


252


UP


VESTiDULE:


VESTIBULE


DOWN


C105.


CLOS


UP


0


TOILET


CLASS


ROOM


TEACHERS' RM.


BOOK ROOM


UP


05


CORRIDOR.


WARDROBE


WARDROBE-


WARDROBE


WARDROBE


-


CLA55 ROOM


CLASS ROOM


CLOS


H


IP


54


DOWN


VESTIDULE


CLOS


H


H


FIRST FLOOR PLAN Scale ' t Foot


JANVEL DUDLEY KELLEY STHITELT 209 HASTENGTON ST BOSTON MAIS.


"WILLIAM H HODGKIN'S )CHOOL


ANNUAL REPORTS.


CLASS


ROOM


CLASS ROOM


CLOS


WARDROBE


CLASS ROOM


WARDROBE


CLOS


CLOS


DOWN


DOWN


O


CLASS ROOM


CLASS ROOM


WARDROBE


TONET


DOOK ROOM


TEACHERS' RM


CLOS


DOWN


CORRIDOR


H


WARDROBE


WARDROBE


L


WARDROBE-


WARDROBE


CIOS


CLOS


CLASS ROOM


CLASS ROOM


PRINCIPAL'S


4


ROOM


H


H


C105


CLOS


tLos


W


H


M


SECOND FLOOR PLAN. Scale = 1 Font.


SEALLEL DUDLEY KELLEY ARCHITECT. 209 WASHINGTON ST BOSTON MAN.


"WILLIAM H HODGKIN'S' SCHOOL


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


253


DOWN


up


WARDROBE


1


-


CLASS ROOM


CLASS ROOM


254


ANNUAL REPORTS.


SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.


1895.


1896.


Population of Somerville ·


52,200


54,400


School population, May 1 .


8,510


8,885


Children attending school in De- cember


9,609


10,113


Attending private schools in De- cember


1,418


1,410


Attending public schools in De- cember


8,191


8,703


Attending High schools in De- cember


742


840


Attending Grammar and Primary schools in December


7,449


7,863


Entire enrollment for year .


9,914


10,582


Average number belonging


7,617


8,077


Average number attending


7,255


7,663


Per cent. of daily attendance


95.24


94.9


Number of school buildings


24


25


Valuation of school property


$813,200.00


$911,800.00


Number of classrooms


173


192


Number of teachers in December Salaries of teachers


209


225


$139,712.87


$157,051.21


Salaries of officers


$4,400.00


$4,500.00


Cost of books and supplies .


$15,063.16


$17,601.28


Cost of water and light


$1,398.01


$1,469.00


Cost of janitors' services


$11,581.00


$14,160.00


Cost of fuel


$8,795.91


$9,962.00


Total cost of day and evening schools ·


$180,950.95


$204,743.10


Cost for each pupil in average membership


$23.76


$25.35


Cost for each High school pupil


$49.79


$62.25


Cost for each Grammar and Pri-


mary pupil .


$21.28


$21.57


Amount paid


school


buildings


$87,679.64


$61,016.04


.


.


255


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


Cost of repairs and permanent improvements


$15,650.97


$33,240.42


Entire expenditures for all school purposes


$284,281.56


$298,999.56


Expended by School Board.


$160,574.04


$179,152.49


Expended by City Government


$123,707.52


$119,847.07


Valuation of city


$46,406,300.00 $49,013,050.00


Per cent. of valuation spent to


maintain schools


0.390


0.418


Per cent. of valuation spent for


all school purposes


0.613


0.644


ATTENDANCE.


The theoretical school year in Somerville contains forty weeks. This has been reduced to thirty-six and one-tenth weeks in 1896 by the inevitable losses incident to the proper observance of holidays, stormy weather, extension of vacations, etc. Schools have been closed 39 half days, as follows :-


On five legal holidays


10 half days.


For stormy weather


9


Extension of vacations


13


Thanksgiving recess


3


66


Teachers' Convention


2


66


Funeral of Governor Greenhalge 1 half day.


Cambridge semi-centennial


1


.


Five per cent. of the remaining time was lost by necessary absences of pupils, and another five per cent. at least by the friction and waste incident to the running of the best adjusted school machinery. This reduction of the length of the school year, while probably unavoidable, contributes its share to the feeling on the part of teachers that the work required is too great to be well accomplished in the time allowed. The de- velopment of the powers of the mind is a process that cannot be hastened beyond a natural limit. There is no patent reaper or thresher for speeding work in the field of knowledge. By his


256


ANNUAL REPORTS.


own effort each must reap and gather sheaves for himself. The road to learning has not yet been equipped with electric ap- pliances. The traveller towards its hilltop must still plod on by the use of his own powers. Modern school methods and elimi- nations and additions may relieve somewhat the tedium of the journey by broadening the views and smoothing the path, but the end can be reached only by slow and patient steps. Public opinion would hardly sanction the lengthening of either the school day or the school year, but we should certainly resist all attempts to shorten either and should see that every moment of the allotted time is made to yield its full value.


The average membership of the schools during the year has been 8,077, an increase of 460 over last year. Ninety-four and nine-tenths per cent. of this number have been in constant attendance, 2,743 pupils have been tardy once during the year, and 1,560 have been once dismissed before the close of the session. There have been 257 occasions on which teachers have felt it needful to supplement their moral power by appeals to force. This number seems reasonably small when we con- sider that there is as much human nature existing in every child as there ever has been, and that parental restraint and influence are apparently growing weaker as the disposition of the boy of the period to have his own way grows stronger. Teachers are to be congratulated on their success in stemming the tide of youthful impulse and temper by mild but efficient methods of discipline. We are gradually realizing that the world of child- hood can be ruled by love.


The attendance at the High schools has been the largest in our history. The Latin School has numbered 259 throughout the year, and the English 491. In October last the member- ship of both schools was 858. By reference to the accompany- ing table showing the ratio of the High School membership to the population of each city in the Commonwealth it will be seen that among the thirty-two cities Somerville stands sixth, being surpassed in this respect only by Medford, Fitchburg, Newton, Quincy (with an eight-year course in its elementary schools), and Woburn. This gratifying pre-eminence is largely to be at-


257


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


tributed to the unusual facilities offered by our two schools in their full and varied courses, their complete equipment, and their able instructors, as well as to the determination of our citi- zens to secure the best education possible for their children. Existing conditions show that the establishment of the English High School on a broad and generous basis was wise and timely, and that its advantages are duly appreciated by our people. Its needs will be presented later in the report.


MEMBERSHIP OF HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE CITIES OF MASSACHUSETTS.


High School Membership October, 1896.


Population of City, 1895.


Ratio.


1 Medford .


337


14,474


.02328


3 Newton


565


27,590


.02048


5


Woburn .


239


14,178


.01686


6


Somerville


858


52,200


.01644


7


Beverly


190


11,806


.01609


8


Worcester


1,507


98,767


.01526


10


Marlboro


210


14,977


.01402


11


Chelsea


428


31,264


.01369


13


Cambridge


1,073


81,643


.01314


14


Waltham


269


20,876


.01288


15


Gloucester


231


18,573


.01244


17


Lynn


775


62,354


.01243


18


Pittsfield


253


20,461


.01236


19


Haverhill


365


30,209


.01208


20


Brockton


392


33,165


.01182


21


Salem


400


34,473


.01160


22


Taunton


310


27,115


.01143


23


Northampton


180


16,746


.01075


24


Holyoke


410


40,322


.01017


25


Springfield


517


51,522


.01003


26


North Adams


187


19,135


,00977


27


Boston


4,844


496,920


.00975


28


Lowell


737


84,367


.00874


29


Lawrence


400


52,164


.00767


30


New Bedford


360


55,251


.00652


31


Fall River


575


89,203


.00645


32


Chicopee


98


16,420


.00597


2 Fitchburg


560


26,409


.02120


4 Quincy .


375


20,712


.01811


9


Newburyport


210


14,552


.01443


12


Malden


400


29,708


.01346


361


28,211


.01280


16


Everett


258


ANNUAL REPORTS.


INCREASED ACCOMMODATIONS.


The completion of the new schoolhouse on Holland street at West Somerville, has brought relief from the crowded and half-time conditions that have so long prevailed in that part of the city.


The work of erecting this building was begun in May, 1895, but unexpected difficulties in securing a foundation and seemingly needless delays in the construction prevented its oc- cupancy until September, 1896. Its twelve commodious, con- venient, well-ventilated rooms were immediately filled by the transfer of pupils from the Lincoln and Highland schools.


In 1895, at the request of the School Board, the City Coun- cil voted to name the new school after William H. Hodgkins, then mayor of the city. Mr. Hodgkins was born in Charles- town, June 9, 1840, and was educated in the schools of his na- tive city. On leaving school he learned the business of a mer- chant, in the Southern shipping and commission trade, on State street. In July, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-sixth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, was promoted second lieutenant, first lieutenant, adjutant and captain. In 1865 he was brevetted major. After the war Major Hodgkins came to Somerville and entered the service of the city of Boston, in the Department of Public Institutions, where he served as clerk of the board for twenty-one years. He served the city in the Com- mon Council of 1873 and 1874, the last year as president. He was the honored and efficient chief magistrate of the city from 1892 to 1896.


The cost of the Hodgkins School building is as follows :-


Land,, 35,034 feet $7,908.33 .


Contract price of building . $39,163.00


Extra expenditures, heating, furnishing,


grading, etc. . 13,693.01


$52,856.01


Total cost of building and land . $60,764.34


259


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


On the 8th of June Arthur L. Doe, principal of the Centre School, Malden, was elected master of the new school. Mr. Doe is a native of Vassalboro, Maine, and a graduate of Colby Uni- versity in 1884. He has had a successful experience of twelve years as a school principal in Falmouth, Woonsocket, and Mal- den.


The recommendations of the board, made early in the year, concerning additional accommodations in East Somerville, have materialized in the shape of a six-room schoolhouse now in process of erection on the corner of Webster and Rush streets. Its completion is promised in season for occupancy on the first of April, 1897. This appears to provide for the needs of this district for several years.


In January, 1896, the Committee of the School Board on Additional Accommodations, for the relief of the Winter Hill district, recommended to the board the enlargement of the Glines schoolhouse by the addition of rooms at each end. This recommendation was referred to the standing committee of the district, who reported that the. needs would be better met by the erection of a twelve-room building on Willoughby street. Their recommendation was adopted by the board and referred to the City Council. Nevertheless, for financial reasons, the City Government decided to enlarge the Glines building, al- though the district committee made a vigorous protest. In ac- cordance with plans furnished by Aaron H. Gould, architect, the work of reconstruction was begun July 1, and continued without serious interruption to the sessions of the school until completed, November 16. The enlargement provides five ad- ditional class-rooms without interference in any way with the original rooms. Architecturally the building is much improved, being now one of the most attractive in the city. The old im- perfect heating system has been replaced by steam, a fan sup- plying every person in the building with 40 cubic feet of fresh air per minute.


The outlay, including the heating of the entire building, furniture, etc., has been $26,610.01.


On the 16th of November one hundred pupils, mainly of the eighth and ninth grades, were transferred from the Forster


260


ANNUAL REPORTS.


School to the new building. On November 30 a Kindergarten was opened with forty members, and on December 9 Mary E. Northup was elected master of the school. At the present time the thirteen rooms in the building are all occupied, the average number of pupils to a room being 46.3.


In accordance with the urgent recommendation of a special committee of the board, and in long-delayed conformity to the law of the State, during the summer vacation the Bell school- house, which, strange to say, had been used twenty-one years without any system of ventilation worthy the name, was sup- plied with apparatus for heating and ventilating of the most approved pattern. The expenditure involved was $6,863.26, which yields a dividend on the investment of 34 cubic feet of pure air per minute to each pupil, the legal requirement being but thirty feet. This fresh air is heated by steam coils in the basement to the required temperature and forced into the class- rooms by means of a fan driven by steam.


To carry out the recommendation of the same committee, the sanitary arrangements of the Forster building have been reconstructed in accordance with modern ideas. Ample closets have been provided in the basement and improved entrances thereto made; better light has been furnished; new dressing- rooms have been added and the old ones enlarged; and when the entire building shall have received new floors and the thorough renovation it needs at the hands of painters and white- washers, it will rank among the best of our large buildings.


In this connection it may be remarked that new rules for the direction of janitors have been adopted, which require the thorough cleansing of all school buildings three times each year. This is none too often to secure immunity from infection, to say nothing of the promotion of the virtue that is akin to godliness. The utmost care is taken to exclude from the schools every child exposed in any way to contagious diseases and to promote the health and comfort of all.


Fully to accomplish what is desirable in this direction two things must gradually be secured. First, the replacement in most of our intermediate rooms of the present chairs and desks


261


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.


by modern furniture that may be adjusted to the size of the oc- cupants. Not only is there a marked difference in the size of children in the same class, but it often happens that one grade will occupy a room one year and a higher or lower grade another year. At comparatively slight expense the iron standards can be changed and thus an important contribution made to the hygienic development of growing boys and girls.


The second desideratum to be secured is additional light for many of our schoolrooms. This is especially needful in some of the older buildings. In modern structures it is gen- erally the intention to make the window surface one-fifth that of the floor. Only one-half of this supply of light is secured in many cases by present conditions. In the afternoon especially rooms are frequently so dark that all eye-work must be sus- pended, although absorbed teachers and pupils often continue work far beyond the danger line. Disease and weakness of the eyes are becoming constantly more prevalent. Recent expert examination of the eyes of thousands of children at school under ordinary conditions reveals the fact that defective eyesight in- creases in a marked ratio as children pass from lower to higher grades. A recent professional examination of the eyes of 55,000 school children in the city of Baltimore showed defective vision in every fifth child. The eyes of 9,000 of them were in such condition that discontinuance of work was advised. This being the case, should not extreme care be taken to provide adequate light and to prevent in every way whatever may be of injury. With this in view, the minimum use should be required of the blackboard, writing and figures thereon should be of large size and distinctly made, and no pupils should attempt to read therefrom at difficult and injurious angles of vision.


COST OF THE SCHOOLS.


It has cost the city $204,743.10 to maintain the schools for 1896. This includes what has been paid in day and evening schools for teaching, supervision, text-books and supplies, and


262


ANNUAL REPORTS.


for the care, heating, and lighting of schoolhouses, but does not cover repairs and the cost of new buildings, an additional sum of $94,256.46 having been paid for these purposes.


PER CAPITA COST OF MAINTAINING SCHOOLS, 1895 AND 1896.


High Schools.


Grammar and Primary Schools.


All Schools.


AMOUNT PAID FOR


1896.


1895.


In- crease.


1896.


1895.


In- crease.


1896.


1895.


In· crease.


Instruction and Supervision .


$45.02


$34.82


$10.20


$17.44


$17.41


$0.03


$20.00


$18.92


$1:08


Text Books and Supplies .


9.51


10.46


*0.95


1.43


1.17


0.26


2.18


1.98


0.20


Schoolhouse Ex- penses . . . .


7.72


4.51


3.21


2.70


2.70


0.00


3.17


2.86


0.31


Totals


$62.25


$49.79


$12.46


$21.57


$21.28


$0.29


$25.35


$23.76


$1.59


* Decrease.


By reference to the accompanying table it will be seen that the per capita cost of all the schools for 1896 has been $25.35, an increase of $1.59 as compared with 1895. The table also shows in what way the increase has been caused.


There has been an increase of three cents for the instruc- tion of each Grammar and Primary pupil. This may be more than accounted for by the employment of a special teacher of penmanship. Grammar and Primary school supplies have cost 26 cents more per pupil than last year. This increase has been occasioned by the equipment of the Hodgkins and the Glines schools and the change of geographies and music books.


The remaining $1.30 of the general per capita increase is chargeable to the High schools, the cost of instruction having been $19.20 more per pupil than during the last year of the undivided school.


The cost of High School supplies for this year is excep- tional, and is occasioned by expenditures for the permanent equipment of the English High School with text-books, library books, laboratory apparatus, typewriters, etc. Attention is called to the cost of heating and caring for the High School build- ings, which is nearly three times as much per pupil as is paid for other schools in the city.




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