USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1915 > Part 6
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In a volume of the School Efficiency Series edited by Professor Paul H. Hanus, entitled "The Portland Survey," a textbook on city school administration based on a concrete
96
ANNUAL REPORTS.
study, which has just come from the press, is a remark on the topic "Extension of School Time," which I quote as il- lustrative of advanced thought on this matter.
"The school day is too short, the number of school days per year too few. School plants cost money; economy in their use requires longer days and more of them. Custom is the only reason for opening school at 9 A. M., closing at 3 P. M., and shutting the schoolhouse Friday afternoon to open again Monday morning. On the basis of an eight-hour day, five and a half days in the week, almost 50 per cent. of loss in time is sustained in our school system, not taking into account vacations and holidays. If these should become a part of the problem, the loss would approximate 65 per cent. "Most grammar school buildings, and practically all high school buildings, should keep their doors and some of their departments open from 8 until 5 every week day, and should close only on Sunday and legal holidays. Attend- ance should, for a while, at least, be optional and work of- fered to upper-grade pupils only. This work should consist largely of manual training, music, art, local excursions, phys- ical exercises and play. Recent development of the school playground is most gratifying, but it should be accompanied with an equal development of manual work for adolescent boys and girls, giving them an option between work and play. "This extended day should be introduced gradually. At first the sloyd rooms, shops, cooking and sewing rooms should be opened in a few of the buildings, and the teachers given extra pay for doing the work. To be sure, many of the teachers are remaining overtime without pay, with the pupils who care to stay for extra work; but to put it on a substan- tial and regular footing, the work should have financial con- sideration. This need not be burdensome, as a sufficient num- ber of teachers who would not otherwise remain regularly will do so for a small additional sumn, and those who would remain without it deserve it most."
Cost of the Schools.
The School Committee. asked for an appropriation of $396,594.89, distributed as follows: Teachers' salaries, $357,407.25; contingent expenses, $37,187.64; increase of teachers' salaries, $2,000. The amount appropriated was $385,000, divided as follows: Salaries of teachers, $350,000; a decrease of $7,407.25; contingent, $35,000, a decrease of $2,187.64. As the appropriation for salaries of teachers proved to be insufficient to meet the usual charges for day and even- ing schools, an appropriation of $2,500 was made on Sep- tember 28. By the help of this sum it was possible to con- duct the High and Elementary Evening Schools, on a some- what reduced scale, The vocational classes for women, which
97
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
had been conducted for several years in partnership with the State Board of Education, were not opened this year because of lack of money to pay the salaries of teachers. One result of this action has been an increase in the number of adults who have entered Vocational Evening Schools in Boston and Cambridge at the expense of Somerville. Under the law of this state, Somerville is liable for tuition charges for any of its residents who attend a State-Aided Vocational School in another city, provided it does not maintain a school of a cor- responding kind. While, therefore, no provision was made in salaries for conducting vocational evening classes, pay- ments for tuition for such instruction have been made out of the contingent fund to other cities where Somerville resi- dents have gone to get it. Another result is that many per- sons, being unable or unwilling to go to neighboring cities, have lost vocational instruction which they wanted and needed. By careful and close figuring the expenses of the schools have been kept within the amounts appropriated.
Following is the expenditure for teachers' salaries during the year :-
Day Schools
1915
1914
Difference
January
$33,927.01
$32,452.12
$1,474.89
February
34,227.39
32,761.20
1,466.19
March
34,435.34
32,881.13
1,554.21
April
34.450.58
32,785.63
1.664.95
May
34,509.09
32,690.64
1,818.45
June
34,405.13
32,547.38
1,857.75
September
34,485.64
33,224.26
1,261.38
October
34,525.32
33,593.84
931.48
November
34,640.39
33,717.26
923.13
December
34,688.75
34,142.18
546.57
Total
$344,294.64
$330,795.64
$13,499.00
Evening Schools
January
$1,458.50
$1.396.00
$62.50
February
1,942.50
1,855.50
87.00
March
1,285.00
1,241.00
44.00
April
3.00
3.00
October
1,253.00
1.310.00
27.00
November
1,394.50
2,003.50
609.00
December
706.00
1,349.50
643.50
Total
$8,069.50
$9,158.50
$1,089.00
Total
$352,364.14
$339,954.14
$12,410.00
Appropriation
$352,500.00
$340,000.00
$12,500.00
Following is the expenditure from the School Contin- gent :-
Officers' salaries
$7.600.00
$7,632.50
$32.50
Books
6,579.80
7,103.16
523.36
Supplies
20,814.80
19,347.47
1,467.33
Total
$34,994.60
$34,083.13
$911.47
Appropriation
$35,000.00
$34,000.00
$1,000,00
-
98
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The cost of maintaining public schools has always been a matter of deep concern to the community conducting them. Whether rich or poor it scrutinizes these expenditures criti- cally, determined to permit no extravagance in this depart- ment of its affairs. It is equally determined to do as much for the children as it thinks it can afford and as it can be convinced they ought to have.
Not being rich, except in the number of its children and their desire for an education, Somerville has been obliged to guard most carefully its expenditures for support of public schools. Not being rich and having many children who re- main in school beyond the average length of time, Somer- ville has to devote a larger proportion of its income to the support of public schools than do cities of greater wealth. This fact does not mean that the sum spent is unduly large in itself, or that Somerville is exceptional in having to devote a large part of its income to the support of its schools. The reverse of each is the exact truth. Some evidence on these points can be taken from the last report of the Board of Edu- cation of this state which was issued last March. The figures are for the school year 1913-14.
Somerville is the tenth city in population and the eleventh in valuation in the state, but four of the cities larger than Somerville taxed themselves at a higher rate. Somer- ville was ninth in number of public day schools, including . high, seventh in number of different pupils of all ages in the public schools during the school year, seventh in the average membership in all schools, fifth in number of pupils enrolled in the High School and fifth in number of graduates from the High School.
Against the fact that Somerville is seventh in the num- ber of pupils in all schools and higher still, fifth, in the num- ber of pupils in the High School, its rank is eight in total expenditure for the support of public schools. The usual method of reckoning the cost of education is the amount spent upon each pupil of the average membership. This is the unit cost, corresponding to the cost of a hat, a book, a single item of any commodity. According to this report Somerville ranked 116 among the towns and cities of the state in the amount spent on each pupil. This means that 115 communities spent more. The rank for the preceding year was 91. Among towns and cities which paid more are : New Bedford, Salem, Haverhill, Belmont, Concord, Malden, Cambridge, Fitchburg, Lawrence, Watertown, Melrose, Lowell, Fall River, Boston, Wellesley and Brookline. Som- erville appropriated for support of public schools $5.75 on a $1,000 of valuation, ranking 158 as against 140 the preceding year, Among the 157 towns and cities which appropriated
99
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
more are : Revere, Arlington, Malden, Haverhill, Gloucester, Brockton, Taunton, Wakefield, Natick, Chicopee, Concord, Chelsea, Everett and Stoneham. Again the average amount yielded for each child in the average membership of the state is $38.60. Somerville gave $33.69. The amount appropriated to the support of the public schools for each thousand dol- lars of valuation in the state is $1.54. Somerville gave $5.75.
From our own statistics may be learned the fact that school expenses have grown slowly. Since 1900 the cost of school maintenance has been between five and six mills on each dollar of valuation. The ratio in 1914 was less than that in 1908 and 1909, and less than a half-mill more than in 1901.
These citations are made not as a basis for asking in- creased liberality in appropriations but as a reason for the conviction that the experience of Somerville in providing money for the public schools is not unusual and that the burden bears no more heavily upon this city than upon many other communities in this commonwealth.
Care for the Health and Physical Development of Pupils.
Care for the health and physical well-being of pupils is manifested in general in two ways, in provision of medical inspection and in performance of certain duties by teachers. The scope and character of these measures define the bene- ficial influence which the schools are exerting in the building up of sound and efficient physical powers among school pupils. A short description of each of these undertakings will throw into relief what the schools are now doing in this field.
Medical Inspection.
In accordance with public statutes the city employs physicians to visit the schools periodically and to perform such duties as are prescribed by law. These duties are mainly concerned in promoting public health by keeping such an oversight of children in school as will prevent or control con- tagious diseases. The medical inspectors, eight in number, are appointed by the Board of Health and are responsible to that body. It is their official duty to co-operate with the principals and teachers of the schools which they visit, to advise them regarding the detection of sickness among their pupils and the action which they ought to take in such cases as involve questions of medical knowledge and opinion. The
100
ANNUAL REPORTS.
inspectors are paid by the Board of Health and the salary is too small to warrant the demand that inspectors perform duties covering a wider field, that of physical inspection and oversight of all the pupils, for instance. The efficiency of the medical supervision of the schools may fairly be esti- mated by the fact that contagious diseases are kept out of the schools to an unusual degree. While neighboring cities have experienced difficulties this year in controlling con- tagious diseases the Somerville schools have had no experi- ence approaching a panic on that account. In addition to do- ing these duties well the medical inspectors have individually displayed an interest in health problems outside of their duties in the schools, and the feeling of school principals and teachers is that they are interested in the pupils and are performing their duties in an efficient manner.
In the instructions of the Board of Health to medical in- spectors are two duties which could well be amplified in the interest of pupils. They are the following :---
"At least once each year the inspector shall make an inspection of each of the children in the schools under his charge, and if any abnormal conditions are found which, in his judgment, interfere with the proper mental or physical development of such children, these conditions shall be reported to their parents or guardians.
"At least once each month the inspector shall make a careful examination of the ventilation and sanitary arrangements of each school building, and shall at once report any defects to the Board of Health."
In this connection should be recorded the work of the school nurse. This official is under the control of the Board of Health and is paid a salary to devote her whole time to this service. The Board of Health ordered this official when first appointed to report to the Superintendent of Schools for a definition of her duties, and has required her to report to him ever since. This arrangement has proven satisfactory to all concerned and the school nurse has performed quietly, but efficiently, a service of great value to the schools. For details of her work reference should be made to a report printed in the appendix. The arrangement concerning the duties of the school nurse shows how the work of the medical inspectors could be made more valuable. The ways are these :-
(a) The Board of Health might require the medical in- spectors to perform, under the direction of the Superintend- ent of Schools, the two duties above quoted, namely, an an- nual inspection of school pupils, and a monthly inspection of the school plant with special reference to heating and ven- tilation; and (b) in recognition of this added work the pay of the medical inspectors might be increased proportionately to the added work required, payment to be made either by
101
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
the School Committee or by the Board of Health, as should be determined to be most advisable. The obvious purposes of these changes are to secure a thorough-going physical in- spection of all pupils for the information both of school au- thorities and parents; and a thorough-going inspection of heating and ventilation which would aim to control these im- portant conditions chiefly if not solely in the interest of pupils.
One other provision made in the interest of the health of the pupils is the dental dispensary. This undertaking is con- ducted by the School Committee and at present employs two persons on part-time, a dentist and an assistant. This dispen- sary was the first dental dispensary established and conducted by a School Committee in this state. While it is not adequate to the needs of the schools it has done and is doing a valuable work both in relief for many deserving pupils and in estab- lishing standards and habits of oral hygiene. The details of the work of the dispensary are printed in a table to be found in the appendix of this report.
I have now enumerated what is being done for the physi- cal well-being of pupils under the head of medical inspec- tion as follows: The provision of 8 medical inspectors, 1 school nurse, and 1 dental dispensary. I now come to con- sider the other provision which is more intimate, personal, and important because it has to do with all the pupils all the time they are in school, namely, the performance of certain duties by teachers in the school. These duties are (a) regu- lating the conditions under their control such as heat, light, seating, ventilation, etc., and (b) conducting exercises specif- ically designed to offset the dangerous tendencies to physi- cal deterioration which indoor confinement and restrictions of posture and physical freedom create, and to develop proper growth of physical powers. To exercise these latter func- tions one must have technical knowledge beyond that which is commonly possessed by teachers or parents. Therefore it is necessary to have such work as this directed by one who has adequate knowledge of the subject if the work is to be attempted at all. As well expect a layman to prescribe for a patient as to require teachers without help to analyze these dangers, to formulate exercises to offset them, and to conduct systematically the drills and exercises which have been formulated. Such an expectation is not reasonable nor does an attempt to deal with the matter in such a way produce sound results.
During the present municipal year constructive work in this field has been conducted by the teachers of the elemen- tary schools under the direction of Ernst Hermann. Through printed directions, teachers' meetings, visits to the schools where he has given practical demonstration by class
102
ANNUAL REPORTS.
instruction and by combination of classes involving drilling hundreds of pupils together in school yards, he has spread among the teachers a knowledge of his aims, methods and means of accomplishing the desired results and has aroused great enthusiasm for the work among them and among the pupils. His aims are physical efficiency, which means health, and social adaptation through the development by practice of ideals of obedience, respect for authority, courtesy, group co- operation and leadership, and consideration for others. These are sought by means of exercises, drills and games which combined afford the variety of physical action necessary to a symmetrical training and the practice in acts involving the elements of social virtues which it is imperatively needful to cultivate among the youth in school. While the task of the first year of so large an undertaking as this might well be to get the details worked out and understood by teachers and pupils, much more than that has been done. This provision is of great value for pupils in the elementary schools and will undoubtedly demonstrate its worth in many ways as time goes on and the effect of the exercises accumulates.
In the High School there is no instruction in physical training. A questionnaire sent out recently from a large city in this state to twenty cities in or near New England brought replies showing that physical training is compulsory for both sexes in eleven of them. In two others it is compulsory for one sex, though not the same sex in both. From these re- plies it is seen that High Schools have not a common practice in this matter, and that our school has plenty of company in its neglect of this work. Whatever arguments exist for giv- ing physical training in schools at all apply with equal force to all parts of the system. I think it is not necessary to argue here the need of such work in our High School. I am convinced that such training is more needed by the girls of our High School than by the boys, though it is needed by both. Voluntary participation in athletics helps the physi- cally superior students but does nothing for those most in need of development who do not enter athletics. The work started in the elementary schools is equally adapted to the High School and could be handled there by two instructors. If there were two rooms of suitable size available for use at the same time, classes in physical training for boys and girls could be conducted without additional expense. I commend this matter to your careful attention.
School Census.
By statute the School Committee is required to take an- nually beginning September 1 a census of all the children in
103
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
the city between the ages of five and fifteen inclusive. This year it was determined to do the work with the utmost thor- oughness in the attempt to get results which could be taken with confidence in their correctness. Four reliable men and women, experienced in this work, were employed and in- structed to visit every house in the city and to report upon each one by street and number. It was also determined to establish a cumulative card catalogue of the children, to be kept in the office of the Superintendent of Schools, and to use for this purpose the forms prepared and furnished by the State Board of Education. The scheme consisted of two parts : First, taking the census on blanks provided for that purpose, one blank for each child, and second, transcribing the information from the census blank to a catalogue card and filing these cards for permanent record in the filing cabinet. For succeeding years only new data will be taken from the census blank of any child and transcribed upon his cumula- tive card in the permanent catalogue. Should the child move during the year this data will be added to his cumulative card. In this way will be created and kept a live record of all the children in the city. The clerical labor of transcribing all this information for more than 15.000 children seemed so great as to prohibit trying to establish so desirable a sys- tem, but the difficulty was met by help rendered by students from the Commercial Department of the High School. Each week since school opened two students have been sent to the Superintendent's office for a week's practical experience and they have typewritten these thousands of record cards be- sides taking other parts of the regular office work. An in- spection of these cards is convincing testimony to the value of the services which these High School pupils have ren- dered in performing a tedious and exacting piece of work.
The enumeration has been completed, the card catalogue nearly completed, and some of the results of the enumeration have been tabulated. Tables will be printed showing the number of children of each sex in the age groups 5 to 15 years inclusive. Some facts are of such interest as to deserve men- tion here. There are 15,156 children of the ages 5 to 15 in- clusive, 154 more girls than boys. Of compulsory school ages to 13 inclusive, the census gives 9,825. The registration of public and private schools for these ages is 9,913. The dif- ference between these numbers is so small as to be negligible. 12,839 families were found having no children of census ages and 1,172 houses were reported as vacant. The information about families having no children of census age and about vacant houses had never been collected before. It cost $600.18 to take the census, $203.64 more than last year.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
Facts about the nativity of children and their parents were gathered. Some of these are as follows :-
Table showing the number of children born in the United States and in each of several other countries :-
Place of Birth.
Number of Children.
United States
13,483
Canada
228
British Isles
147
Italy
199
Greece
7
British Isles
3,695
Italy 1,275
22
Germany
205
Russia
403
Other countries.
925
Work Certificates.
Three hundred twenty-two minors 14 or 15 years of age received working certificates. These certificates were dis- tributed as follows : 14 years-39 girls, 96 boys, total 135; 15 years-69 girls, 118 boys, total 187. The following table shows the grades last attended by these pupils :-
Grades
Boys
Girls
Total
High
13
11
24
Ninth
67
29
96
Eighth
33
17
50
Seventh
39
10
49
Sixth
29
14
43
Fifth
10
13
23
Fourth
4
3
7
Girls' Vocational
11
11
Boys' Vocational
18
18
Special
1
-
1
214
108
322
Table showing number of pa- rents born in each of several countries, one count being made for both parents born in same country, one for each pa- rent in other cases.
Place of Birth.
Number of Parents.
United States
. 10,355
Canada
3,418
Germany
10
Other countries
150
Greece
-
Of the fourteen-year-old boys 47 found work in Som- erville, 77 in Cambridge, 42 in Boston; of the girls, 8 in Som- erville, 20 in Cambridge, 11 in Boston. The record for fifteen- year-old applicants was relatively the same; a large majority went to work outside of Somerville. Of the boys 153 went into minor office jobs as errand boys, etc. Fifteen went into the industries. 16 into department stores, and the others scat- tered. Of the girls 78 went into factories making candy, rubber goods, jewelry, etc., 16 into department stores, 7 into industries for women, and the rest into miscellaneous jobs. In most cases chance or the immediate prospect determined the action of the individual. Plan, foresight, or purpose af- fecting life-work were apparently missing. The chief solace
105
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
to be found in contemplating this record is in the fact that these are a small part only of the age group to which they belong. According to the census the number of children 14 or 15 years old on September 1 was 2,351. Those taking the work certificates were therefore but 13 per cent. of the num- ber legally entitled to go to work.
Teachers.
The last school year was marked by two changes in the teaching corps which were of unusual significance. Two men whose lives were devoted to work in our schools passed from this life almost in the midst of their labors. For years their names and influence had been associated with the public schools of Somerville. Known to all the children, respected and held in high esteem by teachers, favorably known to citizens, they had performed their work with singleness of purpose and whole-hearted devotion. So long as school records of this city exist. so long should we hold in remem- brance the names of S. Henry Hadley and William A. White- house.
Nineteen teachers resigned during the year and twenty- four were elected. Of the latter fourteen were residents of Somerville. In the selection of teachers first consideration has been given to candidates whose training has been re- ceived in Somerville schools. Five teachers were selected from the cadets of the preceding year. The exactions of our schools are such as to demand qualities in teaching which in most cases are developed only through teaching experience. For this reason it is neither possible nor desirable to fill all the vacancies in our teaching corps from those just graduated from professional schools. The resignations were distributed among the different branches of the school system as fol- lows : Elementary Schools, 10; High School, ?; Girls' Voca- tional School, 1, and Manual Training Department, 1. Two teachers, after a service of many years, voluntarily resigned as beneficiaries of the state law which provides pensions for teachers who have taught a prescribed number of years. They are now enjoying the rest from the labors of teaching made possible for them by the provisions of the law and their work has devolved upon younger and stronger persons. They are the first Somerville teachers to take advantage of this law, by means of which the state happily at once gives de- served assistance to the time-worn teacher and promotes the interests of the schools by making such retirements finan- cially possible.
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