USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1921 > Part 9
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
of the more hardy and quick-growing flowers, the general appearance of the homes as well as the grounds surrounding cur school buildings will greatly benefit. This year flowers were planted in beds about the buildings of five of the school- houses and the children themselves cared for and looked after the same all during the season. This fall about 4500 geranium slips were started in sand boxes in the school rooms and later transplanted to individual pots. These have been growing in the school rooms all winter and will be used for bedding pur- poses around the building in the spring.
Home Economics.
In each of the four Junior High Schools, bread and gar- ment making clubs were successfully carried on during the winter months. These clubs were conducted after school hours by teachers who gave their time and services for this purpose. The rules and requirements of the State Board were complied with and very satisfactory results have been obtained. Each club has completed all these requirements and made a public exhibition of their work. At this exhibit a competent judge from the State Board was present, scored the exhibits, and made the award of prizes. A member of the club at the South- ern Junior High School has been selected to represent the State of Massachusetts at a convention to be held in some Southern States next summer, which brings more notoriety to our city. She was chosen from among a great many other club members from all over this state.
In closing, permit me to express my appreciation to all those who have shown an interest and have been a help in this branch of school work. It is through the co-operation of principals and teachers and the interest and work of the boys and girls themselves that this work has been made a success.
Very truly yours, WILLIAM B. MOORE, Garden Supervisor.
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
Mr. Charles S. Clark,
Superintendent of Schools, Somerville, Mass.
Dear Sir :-
Socialized physical training in the public schools of Somerville is now well established. We have many hundred
136
ANNUAL REPORTS.
very capable pupil-leaders in the primary and grammar grades and in the Junior High School and in the Senior High School.
This has been accomplished through the enthusiastic and capable work of our masters, principals, and teachers. It is generally conceded by expert visitors that our formal gymnas- tics, our setting-up exercises, and our classroom games, are most vigorous and intensive and it is further conceded that this is due to the system of pupil leadership, which was first developed here in Somerville.
This system is psychologically sound. It has led to a more vigorous participation of all pupils in daily exercise than has been possible to achieve elsewhere where all the leading is done by the regular classroom teachers. This is, therefore, a very valuable innovation because it insures a high degree of physiological efficiency of every pupil during school hours.
The system in addition has high social values since it systematically develops and trains leaders, not only in physical activities but in all school activities. This in turn will fit our boys and girls to find places in the ranks of leading men and women in the larger affairs of city, state, and country.
On account of my firm belief in the efficacy of socialized physical training as a means, not only of furthering physical and mental hygiene, but also social welfare, and, because I believe that we should now extend this system to extra-school sports, games, and plays, it may be well to indicate some of the value of stimulating leadership.
I believe that physical education in elementary schools should primarily promote a vigorous and universal play life.
The application of psychology in physical education over- whelmingly proves that children love to play games. The old racial instincts are within the child. These would find univer- sal expression in vigorous and wholesome motor activities, but are retarded, and finally stunted, by modern environment. Un- der modern conditions these instincts find motor outlets mostly in semi-active activities. The whole reacts unfavorably upon physical development, upon intellectual training and upon citizenship.
This is borne out by the rapid growth of show places and movie shows catering daily to a large percentage of our chil- dren in every city and town.
The inability of parents to play with their children and the growing decline of physical work and active forms of recreations of children in the home and nearby, and the prosaic work of home chores add their share in the decline of sponta- neous indulgence and love for a vigorous motor life. The chil- dren follow the parent's trend in seeking passive forms of recreations, thereby lowering still further the reservoir of sur-
-
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
plus nervous vitality, which can only be built up through vigorous exercise of the fundamental muscles and a resting of the more delicate reserve centres.
Inheritance plus environment determines the child's physical and mental development.
The motor experiences of the past of the race have pretty definitely fixed our instincts and public education cannot afford to neglect these instincts.
Education cannot be successful if on the one hand it emphasizes drill and regimentation in difficult and unpleasant tasks and if on the other hand it neglects to emphasize tasks which are pleasant and easy to learn and therefore instinctive.
Such a scheme cannot promote vigorous health because it systematically impairs nervous energy instead of creating surplus vitality.
It is bad enough that we are having a growing percentage of school children who develop abnormal postures and poor body mechanism. This forces us to employ corrective gymnas- tics and setting-up drills. I believe that the paramount func- tion of physical education should be preventive training which will make, in the future, corrective gymnastics less needed.
We must employ methods which will stimulate vitality and nervous energy by means of actions that are mostly instinctive.
We must use the inherited instincts for certain motor activities by modifying our schoolroom environment and our methods so that the children can do daily what they want most to do and which comes easy for them to do.
Regimentation in physical education has its important function and should have a place in our program, but our first aim must be to nurture the love for a vigorous motor life which is within each child and which we systematically inhibit in the modern home and in our modern school methods.
We all recognize the disappearance of opportunities for a rich and spontaneous neighborhood play-life in our modern civilization. Until recent decades man's mental as well as physical evolution was accomplished through the use ofhismus- cles, and his social advancement came about through co- operative activities and progressive development of group organization.
We must remember that this evolution was greatly en- hanced by the fact that children have always imitated in their play-world the work and life of their elders.
Instinctively they recapitulated the life-history of the race, and instinctively, they advanced to co-operative group activities and to co-ordination to leaders.
Our American schools must help in reconstructing a child-
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
world, and if we try to do this we will find the sad fact that our- child-world lacks child leaders, and that there is but little in our schools which will stimulate small group organization.
The dearth of child leaders in our present day meagre. child play-world is undoubtedly due:
1. To the physical environment; stone pavements re- stricting the first instinct for running, skipping; no trees, no shade, no earth to dig in, no plants to plant,. no animals to care for, only flats, only apartments, only small cages everywhere.
2. To the frequent change of domicile of parents, there, by preventing children of equal age and related in- stincts from getting thoroughly acquainted, thereby interfering with the formation and organization of groups and gangs.
3. This increases difficulty of forming homogeneous groups. It prevents the groups from recognizing capable leaders, and prevents the natural born leaders. from practising leadership.
4. This is further emphasized by racial, religious and political differences, breaking up the grown-up neighborhood life. This in turn interferes with the stimulation formerly received through children's play while visiting in a number of congenial homes. This exerted formerly profound influence upon phys- ical, mental, moral and social development.
Earl Barnes says in his book "The Psychology of Child- hood and Youth" - "In the past, leaders originated ideas, they initiated movements, they gathered a following about them,. they trained them to their point of view, and they created new conditions, new opportunities and new institutions.
"The group followed leadership with eagerness and later learned discrimination. Frequently different leaders led in different activities.
"In the traditions of primitive society it is a divinity or- a hero who founds the city, establishes laws, settles govern- ment, wins wars, or invents writings, music, dances and games."
Thomas Carlyle in his "Heroes and Hero Worship," shows this also. - "The genetic view of modern society minimizes the value of individual leadership. We see that governments and religions grow, and they cannot go far ahead of the develop- ment of the people. The degree of economic determinism also limits both the group and its leaders.
"We have also learned how tradition gathers around'
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
personality, blending under one name the virtues and acts of many people. And yet we recognize that individual variants. may give us leaders of incalculable value for all the purposes of life."
What Makes Leadership?
The leader must have courage, even daring, a strong will and self-esteem, for he must be able to stand alone. He- must have vision and inventiveness, for he must lead the way.
He must have a keen sense of the values in others, that he may select able assistants.
He leads through affirmation, repetition, and contagion.
Loyalty Among Children!
In their weakness and absence of sense of law, and with their strong gregarious instinct, children naturally attach themselves strongly to persons. They love to lead and they love to follow. Leadership with them, as with savages, is- largely a matter of strength. The boy who can lick the others, jump farther, or do more daring things, becomes captain.
Intellectual supremacy counts for little. Discipline is maintained mainly by force and fear, though if the leader has a sense of fair play it helps him in the long run.
Leadership Through Prestige!
About the age of twelve, various forms of what we may call made-up leadership become important. Social position begins to be recognized. Wealth and the possession of a fine home, servants, and carriages, may give a child an enviable- position.' A little later, the way he wears his clothes, his man- ners, intellectual ability, or marked self-control give him a. position of prominence.
Two Kinds of Leaders in America!
The masses admire strenuous characters who bluster and' who also deliver the goods, the political bosses.
The more intelligent class admires and follows intelligent,. self-controlled, and devoted men.
A Democracy Must Work to Increase This Second Class.
Here we have the mental, moral and social significance: of the value of stimulating pupil leaders in physical education. What an opportunity in turning our teachers from mere teach- ers of physical stunts into organizers of an efficient play-world of children; from mere lecturers of personal hygiene into> engineers of psycho-physical happiness.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
We find the physical significance of the value of promot- ing pupil leadership in physical education, in the child's fun- damental faculty of learning by imitation. It is much better for him to imitate the vigorous, graceful, normal and child- like poise and movements of his mates than the fancy and age-handicapped movements of us teachers.
Let me point out the wonderful possibilities which will develop if these same very capable pedagogues and experts of child nature would devote their energies to finding among the strong and vigorous, and the straight and graceful, those chil- dren who have the elements of good leaders in their mental, moral and physical machinery and then train these for self- controlled and devoted leadership.
All this can be done in every classroom by organizing six to eight groups. This can be developed further by the help of school yards and playgrounds and by gardening and excur- sions into the woods and fields ; not only in formal gymnastics as part of our medicine which we modern people must learn to take, but in games and play, in teams and clubs in scouting and gardening, in hiking and marching.
These germs planted in the daily sessions in the school room will germinate in the play-world, in the home and back yards and on playgrounds.
Even if we have a specialist of such a broad system of motorizing, socializing our children in every city school build- ing, unless this specialist develops pupil leadership he cannot have effective hygienic practice daily in every school, but at most he can have only two sessions a week in the gymnasium. This may be good as far as it goes but it can at best be only academic regimentation.
We should teach ideals just ahead of the group, teach heroes daringly, "a diamond with a flaw is better than a perfect pebble." Recognize leadership in the home and in the school. Give it its head; give it opportunity for expression through varied organizations, emphasize fundamental and instinctive motor activities.
Emphasize general excellency ; moral excellence may give us prigs ; intellectual ability may make exploiters, physical strength may make brutes.
Work for character ; praise it; and give it room to act.
I beg to submit, therefore, this outline of a program for the development of a broad system of physical training which will lead to the participation of large numbers of students in athletics, sports and games, in addition to required formal physical exercises.
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
This program, to be effective, should ultimately include- every boy and girl, i. e., it must give an opportunity for the weakest as well as the strongest pupil to participate in some- form of wholesome physical activity in addition to the required. gymnastics and setting-up exercises.
Even if it were a financial possibility for the School Board of Somerville to furnish each Junior High School with. a paid director of physical training for the inauguration and carrying out of such a broad program of school and extra school activities I would advise against it, since it could. easily become too arbitrary and since it could not give to the student body the social experiences and training which are- so essential in American education.
"To emancipate each child from external restraint and guidance and to make him self-directing and self-supporting."
- PROF. PAUL HANUS. "Aim of American Education."
To meet the physical needs of every pupil a carefully selected variety of athletics, games and sports could easily be- selected and the rule be made that every pupil, in order to receive credit, must participate regularly in one or more of these activities.
It would be a comparatively easy matter to work out a system of checking and credits, etc., but on account of the- psychological significance of these activities they are our best means for intensive social training.
There is a natural love, a natural interest and enthusiasm. for games and sports, etc., in every normal youngster. If this natural fascination is directed into wholesome and health- ful individual and social or co-operative activities they can easily be organized into self-directing social groups. This: natural liking with the variations of athletics and tastes must be given the fullest opportunities for self-expression, and this: can best be accomplished under pupil leadership and self- management with the sympathetic guidance of expert advisors.
These expert advisors should be, on the social side, a ca- pable school teacher, and on the technical side a capable coach or physical training expert.
The splendid work which is already being done in our- Junior High School in Physical Training under pupil leader- ship and with the most excellent sympathetic social guidance. of masters and teachers, is sufficient evidence that a program of sports and games, of military tactics, of hiking, of drum and fife corps, of bands, etc., etc., is bound to be very success- ful because in comparison all these are vastly more interesting. than the formal setting-up exercises.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
This whole scheme of coaching in certain sports and the teaching of certain games which can be carried on even in our school yards, provided more attention were given to their up- keep, should be handled somewhat like our training of pupil leaders in the Junior High School. Each Junior High School has sent on an average, fifty pupil leaders to the armory. With these a teacher-advisor was always present. This teacher took in the instruction which the director of physical training gave to the leaders. The leaders were taught the technique of the exercises and were taught to handle their classes and divisions. The reason we had a teacher with each group was the necessity of having somebody in each school capable of advising the leaders during school hours or at any time they needed assist- ance. In this manner we have annually trained from 200 to 400 to be capable leaders. They have done most valuable work which has been noted by many experts in physical education as a most remarkable value of pupil leadership. The scheme of developing physical activities for children outside of setting- up exercises should be handled in the same manner. This does not mean that we are to inaugurate only major sports but that we must develop a large variety of activities which can be carried on in school yards and small fields and on streets which are safe for play. I believe that this is the most effective plan for developing a broader system of education in Somer. ville where we are handicapped by lack of halls, gymnasiums and proper school yards. The scheme will have to be started with a very few activities and the director of physical training will probably have to give a regular course of training to these leaders, in games suitable to our conditions in Somerville. But where larger sports are possible we will have the benefit of a unified system of coaching which insures our boys coming to the High School well prepared for participating in varsity contests with other cities and towns.
The same system should, of course, be extended at once to the girls of the Junior High Schools. If we aim at greater health of our future young manhood, we should really begin with womanhood. Yet it is my conviction that organization and management as well as activities be segregated as much as possible since it is for the best interest of girls that they prac- tice somewhat gentler sports than boys.
This scheme as outlined above is the least expensive of any scheme of physical education now in use in this state. I most earnestly urge its approval for immediate adoption.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNST HERMANN,
Director of Physical Education.
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
'STATEMENT SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS By Courses, December 1921.
I Yr.
II Yr.
III Yr.
P. G.
Total
College
179
96
154
9
438
Scientific
78
84
51
....
213
Normal
20
5
23
....
48
General
160
106
113
....
379
Commercial
357
232
289
7
885
Total
794
523
630
16
1963
By Subjects, December 1921.
English
1963
Elocution
.
718
History
1245
Algebra
429
Geometry
1261
Trigonometry
42
French
Spanish
412
Greek
23
Chemistry
336
Physics .
74
Physiology
393
Biology
84
Astronomy and Geology
33
Stenography
643
Typewriting
652
Bookkeeping
372
Penmanship
770
Commerce and Industry
339
Business Practice and Salesmanship
171
Business Arithmetic
149
Manual Training
176
Mechanical Drawing
324
Freehand Drawing
155
Cooking
74
Sewing
156
Textiles
13
Food Study
13
Commercial Law
106
Arts and Crafts
26
Millinery
22
Household Management .
7
Latin
383
828
German
29
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
HISTORY OF THE SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
EDITH L. HURD, A. B., LL.B.
Teacher of English, Somerville High School.
The development of the Somerville High School may be divided into four periods; - the first extending from 1852, when the school was first organized, to 1872 when the structure known later as the Somerville Latin school was erected; the second extending from 1872 to 1895 when the English High School building was erected; the third extending from 1895 to 1911 when the Latin High school and the English High school were united to form the Somerville High school; and the fourth extending from 1911 to the present time.
On April 28, 1852, the first high school building at the corner of Highland avenue and School street was dedicated, and on May 3, 1852 the school opened with two teachers and sixty-one pupils in attendance. The town report of March 6, 1854 states that the subjects taught were reading, writing,. arithmetic, grammar, geography, history, algebra, geometry,. trigonometry, natural philosophy, drawing, Latin, French, and. composition.
On March 4, 1872, the second period in the history of the school begins with the dedication of the second high school building known later as the Latin school. At this time the school had six teachers and one hundred and eighty-one pupils.
Course of Study.
"The objects of the school are three in number :- as a finishing school to prepare the pupils for active life ; to prepare pupils for college ; to prepare pupils for scientific and profes- sional schools.
"There are three courses of study : the Regular Course ; the. Classical or Preparatory to College Course ; the English Course. Each course requires four years.
First Year. - Regular Course and Classical Course.
Algebra, General History, English Literature and English Composition, Latin. Bookkeeping may be taken instead of. history the first half of the year.
English Course.
Arithmetic, Grammar and Composition are substituted' for the Latin of the Regular Course.
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Second Year. - Regular Course.
Physics, Geometry, English Literature and English Composition, Latin.
Classical Course.
Latin, Greek, Physics, Geometry, English Literature and English Composition.
English Course.
Physiology and French are substituted for the Latin of the Regular Course.
Third Year. - Regular Course.
Chemistry, English Literature and Composition, Latin, French.
Classical Course.
Latin, Greek, English Literature and Composition, An- cient History and Geography, Physics, French, a review of Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry.
English Course. .
Civil Government and Natural History are substituted for the Latin of the Regular Course.
Fourth Year. - Regular Course.
Geology and Mineralogy, Astronomy, History, Botany, French, English Literature, Rhetoric and English Composition. Latin may be taken as an extra study two, three or five times a week, or substituted for one of the other studies. Geology and Mineralogy, Astronomy, and Botany are pursued half the year.
Classical Course.
Latin, Greek, French, Mathematics, English Literature and Composition. Reviews of earlier studies.
English Course.
Same studies as in the Regular Course.
The course preparatory to college is identical with the Regular Course during the first year. Parents are thus not
146
ANNUAL REPORTS.
called upon to decide in regard to the preparation of their sons or daughters for college until after a trial of one year in high school studies.
Capable pupils, at the request of their parents, are allowed to pursue extra studies during any year.
Pupils are allowed five years instead of four for com- pleting any course, if the parents make such request, in which case a smaller number of studies is pursued each year.
Those wishing to change from one course to another are allowed to do so at the beginning of any year.
No classes are formed for less than four pupils.
Pupils in a course preparatory to the scientific schools take a part of the studies in the Regular Course, a part of those in the Classical Course, completing the course regularly in four years. Those who are capable, and desire it, are allow- ed to complete the course in a shorter time.
Pupils wishing to be prepared for the professional schools have a special course marked out for them to meet their wants."
In 1878, about twenty-five years after the first published report of the course of study, the subjects offered in the curric- ulum were grouped under three courses, - the Regular, the College, and the English. Subjects offered at this time were Algebra, Latin, history, bookkeeping, English Literature, geometrical drawing, geometry, trigonometry, natural philos- ophy, chemistry, German, geology, botany, arithmetic, Greek, physics, physical geography, grammar, French, civil govern- ment, and astronomy.
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