USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1921 > Part 5
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Principal $194,409 50
Interest $44,722 92 63,793 63 576 60
Total $239,132 42* 63,793 631 7,956 60
Sewers
22,713 77
31,560 60
54,274 37
Park
3,786 94
14,987 82
18,774 76
Wellington Bridge
1,265 00
227 70
1,492 70
Charles River Basin
320,51
3,729 63
4,050 14
Alewife Brook
818 39
293 62
1,112 01
Water
14,198 58
75,848 98
90,047 56
Somerville's proportion for debt requirements:
26,056 22
35,706 42
61,762 64
In County Tax
2,882 60
4,118 00
7,000 60
$273,831 51
$275,565 92
$549,397 43
.
:
$1,321,563 28
Revenue Loans
Grade Crossings
7,380 00
On account of Metro. Dist. Debt:
In State Tax
* $90.50 premium on 1920 bonds applied. 333.33 accrued interest on 1921 bonds applied.
¡Includes $7,750.00 on 1920 loans borrowed interest to follow, but does not include $5,181.25 interest on 1921 loans due in 1922; this amount reserved and carried forward to 1922 in interest account.
SS
ANNUAL REPORTS.
GRADE CROSSING DEBT. Carried by Commonwealth).
Decrees entered Paid Commonwealth
$120,097 10
·
$134,389 01
Deduct interest included in above .
22,051 91
112,337 10
$7,760 00
Payable
Principal
Interest
Nov. 15, 1922
$4,380 00
294 40
1923
3,380 00
127 20
$7,760 00
$421 60
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 1921.
Appropriated in budget .
$20,577 0€
Salaries :
Treasurer and Collector
$4,000 00
Deputy Collector
2,000 00
Cashiers
2,536 00
Clerks
7,718 32
Stationery, postage and books
1,774 00
Printing and Advertising
848 16
Telephone
155 04
Tracing tax-payers
60 00
Bonds
454 29
Convention expenses
74 55
Adding machine
165 00
Advertising and recording tax sales
523 37
Sundries
257 49
$20,566 22
Balance
10 78
.
·
$20,577 00
45
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
School Committee Rooms, December 23, 1921. Ordered, that the annual report of the Superintendent be adopted as the annual report of the Board of School Com- mittee, it being understood that such adoption does not com- mit the Board to the opinions or recommendations made there- in ; that it be incorporated in the reports of the City Officers ; and that 1,000 copies be printed separately.
CHARLES S. CLARK,
Secretary of School Board.
90
ANNUAL REPORTS.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1921.
HERBERT CHOLERTON WALTER I. CHAPMAN
.
Chairman Vice-Chairman
Members. EX-OFFICIIS.
CHARLES W. ELDRIDGE, Mayor,
RICHARD L. RICE, President Board of Aldermen,
WARD ONE.
FRANCIS J. FITZPATRICK, WILLIAM T. MCCARTHY,
76 Broadway .. 38 Pearl street.
DANIEL H. BRADLEY,
CHRISTOPHER J. MULDOON,
.
19 Concord avenue. 88 Concord avenue.
CHARLES W. BOYER, OSCAR W. CODDING,
104 Summer street .. 59 Vinal avenue.
FRANK M. HAWES,
·
EDWARD I. TRIPP,
.
257 School street. 21 Wigglesworth street. .
WARD FIVE.
HARRY M. STOODLEY,
.
.
MISS MINNIE S. TURNER,
.
·
WARD SIX.
WALTER I. CHAPMAN,
·
WILLIAM M. MORRISON,
.
.
WARD SEVEN.
.
·
·
.
.
.
94 College avenue. 41 Mason street.
Superintendent of Schools. CHARLES S. CLARK.
Office : City Hall Annex, Highland avenue. Residence: 75 Munroe street.
The Superintendent's office will be open on school days from & to 5; Saturdays, 8 to 10. His office hour is 4 o'clock on school days,, and 8:30 on Saturdays.
Superintendent's Office Force.
Mary A. Clark, 42 Highland avenue.
Mildred A. Merrill, 26 Cambria street.
H. Madeline Kodad, 104 Sharon street, West Medford ..
Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman street.
Ruth O. Elliott, 4 Lincoln place.
Marguerite E. Flanagan, 10 Auburn avenue.
Board Meetings.
January 31. February 28.
March 28.
April 25. May 30. June 27.
September 26. October 31. November 28. 8:15 o'clock.
December 23 ..
December 30 ..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
WARD FOUR.
283 Highland avenue .. 64 Hudson street.
18-A Central street .. 97 Rogers avenue.
HERBERT CHOLERTON, PAUL O. CURTIS, .
WARD THREE.
47 Highland road. 296 1/2 Broadway.
WARD TWO.
91
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Standing Committees, 1921.
NOTE .- The member first named is chairman.
District I. - Fitzpatrick, McCarthy, Muldoon. PRESCOTT, HANSCOM, BENNETT.
District II. - Bradley, Muldoon, Codding.
KNAPP, PERRY, BAXTER.
District III. - Boyer, Codding, Fitzpatrick.
POPE, CUMMINGS.
District IV. - Tripp, Hawes, Miss Turner. EDGERLY, GLINES.
District V. - Miss Turner, Stoodley, Hawes.
FORSTER, BINGHAM.
District VI. - Chapman, Morrison, Stoodley. CARR, MORSE, PROCTOR, DURELL, BURNS, BROWN.
District VII. - Curtis, Cholerton, Morrison.
HIGHLAND, CUTLER, LINCOLN, LOWE.
High School. - Bradley, Hawes, Fitzpatrick, Codding, Stoodley, Morri- son, Cholerton.
Finance. - Stoodley, Codding, Bradley, Mccarthy, Tripp, Chapman, Cholerton, Eldridge, Rice.
Text-Books and Courses of Study. - Muldoon, Chapman, Mccarthy, Boyer, Hawes, Turner, Curtis.
Industrial Education. - Tripp, Boyer, Fitzpatrick, Muldoon, Miss Tur- ner, Morrison, Cholerton.
School Accommodations. - Codding, Curtis, Fitzpatrick, Bradley, Tripp, Stoodley, Morrison, Eldridge, Rice.
Teachers. - Cholerton, Miss Turner, Muldoon, Codding, Chapman. Health, Physical Training and Athletics. - Morrison, McCarthy, Mul- doon, Boyer, Tripp, Stoodley, Curtis.
Rules and Regulations. - Hawes, Curtis, McCarthy.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee :-
Herewith is submitted the 50th annual report of the Superintendent of Schools upon the conditions of the public schools for the municipal year 1921.
With this report statistical tables are given which show facts concerning the attendance of pupils, expenditures for the support of the schools and other facts of interest to the citizens.
Membership and Teachers.
The membership in the regular day schools in December was 14,223, an increase of 612 pupils over the corresponding time last year, The average membership for the school year ended June 30, 1921 was 13,396, an increase of 560 over the average membership of 1920. These numbers are the largest in the history of the schools. The present membership is 1056 greater than the membership two years ago at this time. The distribution of the present membership among the large divisions of the school system and a comparison of this year's conditions with the corresponding ones a year ago are shown in the following statement :
Membership.
Elementary including
Junior
Kinder-
Vo-
High
High
gartens cational Total Increase
December
1921
1966
3367
8766
124
14,223
612
December
1920
1692
3168
8630
121
13,611
Teachers. (including masters but not supervisors or special teachers.)
Elementary including
Junior
Kinder-
Vo-
High
High
gartens cational
Total Increase
December
1921
72
115
224
10
421
8
December
1920
65
112
226
10
413
During the year 36 teachers were elected and assigned as follows : High School 8, Junior High Schools 10, Elementary Schools 16, Continuation School 1, and an assistant physical director. 31 teachers resigned,-11 to be married, 17 to accept
93.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
better paying positions, of whom 4 were from the High School, 9 from the Junior High Schools, 2 from the elementary schools,. and 2 cadets. Two teachers were promoted from Junior High School to Senior High School, 3 from assistant to principal kindergarten teacher. There were two deaths and five retire- ments. The large number of teachers who left our schools for better positions elsewhere is cause both for concern and for- satisfaction. It is a cause for concern in that the schools have lost the services of these teachers and the work of the schools has been interrupted by consequent changes. It is a cause for satisfaction to the extent that other cities have recognized these Somerville teachers as superior and desirable. Under existing conditions of salaries for teachers in Massachusetts, it will be difficult for Somerville both to retain its superior. teachers and to fill the positions of those who are attracted to other places by higher salaries. The chief element of stability now is the fact that many of our able teachers are attached to Somerville by home ties or by liking for teaching conditions here, and prefer to remain rather than to gain financial advantage elsewhere. This acknowledgment is due to these- fine teachers lest there should seem to be an implication that all our superior teachers are leaving us.
Finance.
Of the total sum spent for the support of the schools in the school year ended June 30, 1921, 80 per cent was expended" for teachers' salaries, 3 per cent for school supplies, 1 1-2 per cent for administration, 8 1-2 per cent for heat and light, and 7 per cent for janitors' salaries. The increases in per cent over last year were for teachers' salaries 1 per cent, and for heat and light 2.2 per cent. The decreases were in school supplies 2.3 per cent, administration 1-2 per cent, and janitors' salaries .4 per cent. Over a series of years these expenditures have maintained about the same relation one to another. It is a creditable fact that by far the largest part of the whole amount expended is given to teachers' salaries. The total expenditure was $878,153, an increase of $120,475. There was an increase of $102,385 in teachers' salaries and $5,054 in janitors' salaries. This increase of teachers' salaries was due largely to the operation of the salary schedule which became effective in January, 1920, whereby an addition of $400 was given to all teachers.
In order to show the standing of Somerville among the other cities of the state in expenditure for education, the fol- lowing table was compiled from the 84th annual report of the. Department of Education :
94
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Statement showing the expenditure of the 38 cities in Massachusetts for support of Public Schools per pupil in net average membership for the school year ending June 30, 1920. Expenditures for Vocational Education are not included herein.
Rank
Name of the city
Expenditure
1
Springfield
$65 34
2
Holyoke
65 19
3
Newton
63 79
4
Boston
58 02
5
Waltham
57 59
6
Gloucester
57 53
7
Fitchburg
54 43
8
Cambridge
53 42
9
Taunton
53 22
10
Worcester
52 74
11
Melrose
50 73
12
Brockton
50 48
13
Lowell
50 26
14
North Adams
49 95
15
New Bedford
49 41
16
Marlboro
49 32
17
Lawrence
47 99
18
Salem
47 92
20
Haverhill
46 59
21
Chicopee
46 49
22
Beverly
45 66
23
Fall River
45 52
24
Leominister
44 41
25
Peabody
43 55
26
Malden
42 81
27
Northampton
42 80
28
Somerville
41 95
29
Medford
41 40
30
Attleboro
41 24
31
Pittsfield
40 90
32
Lynn
40 44
33
Methuen
39 92
34
Quincy
39 71
35
Everett
38 24
36
Chelsea
36 48
37
Newburyport
36 14
38
Woburn
34 65
19
Revere
47 60
-
Somerville is 10th in population ; 7th in number of pupils enrolled ; 28th in expenditure per pupil; 20th in expenditure per $1000 of valuation.
School Accommodations.
As no additional school accommodations have been provid- ed during the last year, the conditions noted in the last annual report of the School Committee continue modified only by changes in the attendance of pupils and by the increase in
95
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
number of pupils. The High School is full. It is necessary to use every room for recitation or home-room purposes. There is no room available for desirable additional activities. The school suffers for the lack of a suitable room for the school library and of suitable rooms for the use of teachers; there should be one large room for women teachers and one for male teachers. An additional room for office practice is needed in connection with the Commercial Department, and a music room for small choruses, glee clubs, band, etc. Rooms for these uses can be had only by taking classrooms. As with the present large attendance classrooms cannot be spared for this purpose, it will be necessary to wait until the school shrinks materially before these improvements can be made. In the Junior High Schools the overcrowding referred to last year continues. It has been aggravated in the Southern and Eastern Junior High Schools by considerable growth in mem- bership. In the Eastern Junior High School, it has been necessary to use the sewing room and typewriting room as home rooms and to convert the basement assembly room of the Southworth Building into three classrooms for recitation purposes. Protests against this use have been made by parents of children whose classes are held there but the arrangement has been accepted as the best one that can be made. At the Southern Junior High School an increase of 100 pupils has greatly added to the difficulties of conducting the school. As there were not enough rooms to accommodate all the pupils at one time, it was necessary to have an afternoon session for one grade. The seventh-year pupils therefore are attending school on a two-session basis, one-half the number attending the first half of the regular session, the other half attending the second half, and both groups making up the rest of the time in the afternoon.
At the Northern and Western Junior High Schools the conditions are substantially as reported last year, there being no considerable change in the membership of these schools.
In the elementary schools there is overcrowding in the eastern part of the city and comfortable conditions else- where. In the Prescott School five rooms devoted to elementary school purposes carry seven classes. The Hanscom School, a ten-room building, carries eleven classes. The Edgerly School, a twelve-room building, carries twelve classes, all over- large. The Glines School, a fourteen-room building, has four- teen classes, all above forty. At the Forster School, where four classrooms are devoted to elementary uses, there are six grades and four teachers. In the Bennett, Baxter, Cummings, Pope, Carr, Bingham, Durell, Burns, Brown, Cutler, Lincoln,
96
ANNUAL REPORTS.
and Lowe schools every classroom is occupied. In the Knapp School, formerly a twelve-room building, two rooms have been taken for an assembly room. This room is used for school purposes, parent-teachers' association meetings, political rallies, and for other neighborhood activities. Of the remain- ing ten classrooms, one is vacant at the present time. There is a vacant room in the Perry School. A request is pending before the School. Committee for a new kindergarten in one of these. rooms. There is a vacant room in the Morse School which is used as an assembly hall, a meeting place for parent-teach- ers' associations and other community meetings, and a place for the holding of Americanization classes. This room should not be regarded as an empty room but rather as one contributing its full share to community needs. There is a vacant room in the Proctor School where it is proposed to place a new class for atypical children. In the Highland School there are three vacant rooms. There are propositions pending before the School Committee to use two of these rooms in the near future. From this statement it is seen that the large majority of the schoolhouses are occupied to their full capacity. Several are overcrowded and there are but two vacant rooms in the schools for which there is not now in prospect a day school use.
In the January meeting the School Committee adopted a recommendation presented by the Committee on School Accommodations as follows: That in its judgment suitable additions should be made to the Western and the Southern Junior High School Buildings, each to include an auditorium, gymnasium, and swimming pool; and, further, that a new junior high school building, to provide for the needs of the district now cared for by the Northern and Eastern Junior High Schools, should be erected at a point accessible to both the districts, thus releasing for elementary purposes the present buildings in the Northern and Eastern districts used for Junior High School purposes. In the opinion of the Committee, Broadway Park would make an admirable location for the proposed new building. The Committee further recommends that the Public Property Committee of the Board of Aldermen be invited to arrange a conference with the Committee on School Accommodations of this Board.
Following the adoption of this report there were con- ferences between the Public Property Committee of the Board of Aldermen and the School Committee extending over a period of several months. On June 9, 1921, the Committee on Public Property of the Board of Aldermen submitted the following report :
97
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
To the Board of Aldermen of Somerville,
Gentlemen :-
The Committee on Public Property begs leave to submit the following report :
After an extensive study of the school accommodations situation in Somerville, together with the expected increased enrollment in September, your committee has unanimously agreed that the need for additional accommodations is very urgent. During their investigations the committee has visited many locations where new construction has been recently undertaken and they are convinced that the best interests of Somerville can be served by inviting all interested architects to submit tentative plans and specifications, and that construc- tion should begin at an early date.
Respectfully submitted, (Signed) A. F. HEALD, Chairman.
On June 23, 1921, the Board of Aldermen adopted an order as follows :
ORDERED :
His Honor the Mayor is respectfully requested to recom- mend to this Board an appropriation of sufficient funds to obtain a suitable location and erect a thirty-six room school building with an auditorium and gymnasium, to accommodate the pupils of the present Northern and Eastern Junior High schools, thus releasing for other needed school purposes the present buildings now used for Junior High Schools in those districts ; to erect an addition of six rooms to the Western Junior High school and put that entire building in good condition.
To summarize the situation, the elementary schools in the Eastern part of the city are crowded. Any increase of attendance in that portion of the city will necessitate putting more classes on half-time. The junior high schools are over- crowded, two of them more than ever before. The schools throughout the city are generally full and the classrooms already noted are occupied. The need for the remedy of these conditions has grown more urgent with the passing of another year.
Professional Improvement of Teachers.
A matter vitally affecting the efficiency of a teaching corps is that of professional improvement of teachers in service. So important is this matter to the welfare of the teachers and
98
ANNUAL REPORTS.
pupils alike that many cities provide special inducements for teachers to take professional improvement courses, either dur- ing the summer vacation or during the school term. Where such inducements can be offered it is undoubtedly good policy to do so. In the absence of provision by the School Committee giv- ing direct recognition of professional improvement work, the teachers of our schools have been actuated only by professional interest in whatever they have done in the matter of self- improvement. It is only an act of fairness to say that a large proportion of our teachers have devoted time and money to the work of self-improvement. A recent report submitted to the Superintendent shows that over 50 per cent of our teachers have taken some kind of professional work since the close of the last school year. These teachers range all the way from kindergartners to Masters of Schools.
Among the institutions attended by our teachers during the time mentioned are: Harvard University, Boston Univer- sity, Pace Institute, Boston School of Oratory, Simmons Col- lege, Boston College, Tufts College, Hyannis Normal School, Boston Normal School, Columbia University, University Extension Courses, ane one teacher reports a University Extension Course at Oxford University.
Among the subjects pursued by the teachers have been the following: Business Law and Administration, Principles of Accounting, French, Chemistry, English, History, History of English Literature, Vocational Guidance, Bookkeeping, Secondary Education, Spanish, Teaching and the Supervision of Teaching in Elementary Schools, School Measurements, Appreciation of Music, Socialized Recitation, Psychology, Project Method, Educational Measurements, History of the United States, Story Telling, Citizenship, and Elementary Education.
The results of this professional spirit are shown through- out the school system in improved methods of instruction and in the general tone and work of the schools. Another result is that our teachers are alert to present problems in education and are informed concerning the discussions which are carrie l on concerning them. This progressive, forward-looking atti- tude there is every reason to expect our teachers will maintain to their own credit and to the welfare of the schools.
The Spirit of the Times.
The spirit of the times is affecting the conduct of the schools in important particulars. Some of these are wholly beneficial and others are more distracting than beneficial.
Among the former may be classed the demands made up-
99
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
on the school to direct its influence towards the securing of certain definite ends which are held to be desirable. In general terms these ends are the development of habits or states of mind which will affect the conduct of the individual and to that extent affect his character. Some of these influences are of a permanent and continuing character but others are more or less temporary and accidental. Among the former may be included the agencies and celebrations inculcating patriotism and citizenship, such as Armistice Day, Columbus Day Citizenship Celebration and other national and state holi- days; those inculcating benevolence and philanthropy, such as the Junior Red Cross, appeals for Near East Relief, for the up- building of devastated France, and for selling Christmas seals ; those inculcating civic virtues such as Education Week, Limita- tion of Arms Conference, Safety Week, Fire Prevention Day and Christmas Mail Instructions. These and other agencies of the same sort are fostered by interests outside of the school which are devoted to high ideals and to the task of improving our social and political life. They earnestly believe that pupils should be trained in school in the virtues which they represent. In response to their urgency and in response to the conception which school masters have of their own duties, the schools undertake to give instruction on all these matters with the purpose in view of having such instruction operate in the forming of character.
Activities of the second class are hardly so meritorious. They consist in most part of appeals to theschool children to aid in raising funds for worthy causes. It is astonishing how many causes of a public and beneficial nature seek to increase their finances through the meager allowances of children. It is a fair question if adults ought not to bear their own financial burdens and leave the children and teachers an opportunity in school to devote time and thought to other matters. The schools are trying to teach thrift to the pupils as a fundamental attribute of character. The most obvious manifestation of thrift is the saving of money. The school is at a disadvantage in teaching thrift when it constantly asks pupils to give their money to adult enterprises which ap- peal to them for aid. As a further evidence of the timeliness of these considerations, the report of an elementary school
· principal may be quoted who states that since the opening of schools in September no less than 27 different outside undertakings have been brought by request to the attention of the pupils of his school. Undoubtedly this list would be enlarged if an accurate account had been kept from the beginning of the year.
Concerning the first group of influences the schools do
100
ANNUAL REPORTS.
. not complain. Children learn to do by doing; they build character by activity not by passivity. The schools must in- clude in their organized program provision for these character- forming activities. But from many of these temporary and mainly inconsequential (from the view point of the schools) appeals they pray to be delivered-at least for a while.
High School.
The membership of the High School on December 2, was 1966. Besides the principal there were 71 teachers. The school has the part-time services of three teachers of physical : training, and two of music. There is one matron. The 71 teachers have an average of 27.6 pupils. There are now 355 more pupils in the High School than on June 22, 1921. During the past year the work of the school has been conducted along lines already laid down and effort has been concentrated upon improving methods of administration and instruction and upon securing the best attainable work from the pupils. In both of these efforts substantial results have been achieved. The preparatory department successfully fitted a large number of pupils for college and other higher institutions of learning; and the commercial department prepared its graduates so thoroughly that they found employment without difficulty. The modern High School is today called upon to perform a work far more comprehensive and difficult than was expected of the High School a decade or two ago. A fair idea of the extent and character of this work as seen by High School Principals themselves can be obtained from a report of a Committee of Massachusetts High School Masters upon the topic "Needed Changes in High School Education." This re- port was submitted to the Massachusetts High School Masters' Club, March 26, 1921. Its discussion is divided among the fol- lowing heads and sub-heads: Section I. (1) Mobilizing in the High School. (2) Discovering Aspiration, Aptitudes, aud Capacities. (3) Adjustments for Different Abilities. (4) Self- Realization and Self-Determination. Section II. (1) Differen- tiated Curriculums. (2) Adapting Subject to Actual Require. ments of Particular Occupations. (3) Independent Intensive Courses. (4) Adaptation of Contents of Subjects to Group Needs. Section III. CONSTANTS IN ALL CURRICULUMS. (1) Command of Fundamental Processes. (2) Health. (3) Citizenship and Socializing Agencies. (4) Worthy Use ( f Leisure. (5) Building-up of Ethical Character and Morale. Section V. Problems of Reorganization. (1) Means of Reorganization. (2) Obstacles to Reorganization. (3) Recogni. tion of "Main Objectives" in organizing these schools. (4) Junior College. (5) Adjustment to requirements of College
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