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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