USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1923 > Part 12
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Respectfully submitted, CHARLES S. CLARK, Superintendent of Schools.
December 31, 1923.
193
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
REPORT OF THE HEAD MASTER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Charles S. Clark Superintendent of Schools Somerville, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
I am herewith submitting my annual report as high school principal.
The problem of accommodating pupils in a high school involves two requirements-first, rooms with desks for every pupil ; second, rooms adapted for the performance of exercises requiring special equipment. The Somerville High School is seriously deficient in both types of rooms and because of this deficiency and because of the likelihood of a still larger school membership in the near future I am bringing up this matter low as of vital importance. The building at present bas 1718 desks. In September 1923 there was a membership of 2048. The excess, 330, were placed at typewriting tables, sewing tables, laboratory tables, or at tablet arm chairs and in all such cases had no proper places in which to keep books and supplies or on which to write. Rooms used for such a pur- pose include three typewriting rooms, two lecture rooms, a sewing room, a biological laboratory, and three recitation rooms.
Merely furnishing desk room for pupils represents only one phase of the requirements for their high school education. Laboratories for the sciences, drawing rooms, freehand and mechanical, manual training rooms, typewriting rooms, rooms with special equipment for bookkeeping, commercial geogra- phy, and banking, a room supplied with various types of of- fice equipment such as adding machine, duplicators, etc., a hall for the assembling of small groups (200 to 300), proper gymnasiums with dressing rooms and shower baths, rooms adapted for special extra-curricula activities such as a school paper, band, orchestra, debating, radio club, etc., are all nec- essary. In rooms of this kind we are lamentably deficient. Our laboratories and special commercial rooms are inade- quate and rooms equipped for gymnastics or for the exercises of social and civic activities are entirely lacking. Is it not
194
ANNUAL REPORTS
time to examine the housing situation of our high school sane- ly and carefully both from the view point of the present needs of the school and those of the future?
Students' Council-The Students' Council holds a valu- able and helpful position in the school. During the year 1923 it has held weekly meetings, at which it has discussed many questions affecting the school. The subjects discussed have been broad and pertinent. A few are indicated below.
(1) Method of conducting class election. Plan to abolish sectionalism among candidates. Discussion regard- ing raising scholarship standard of candidates for class offi- cers.
(2) Plans for conducting a Students' Council Assembly.
(3) Dropping one of its members for misconduct.
(4) Request for additional fire extinguishers sent to the Commissioner of Buildings.
(5) Resolutions passed requesting a gymnasium.
(6) Exit and entrance placards and one-way stairway signs.
(7) Resolution in favor of having an American Flag in every room.
(8) "Lost and Found" Bureau established.
(9) A definite plan for supervising and ushering at all assemblies, assigning a position for each Council member.
School Matron-In the fall of 1922 Mrs. Minne T. Wy- man was elected school matron. She entered on her duties well fitted professionally. She has made a place for herself by her tact, sympathy, and real knowledge of young people. Her report is as follows :
"The improvement of physical and moral conditions is my aim by these various methods. Daily personal interviews with girls are increasing greatly by their voluntary inclination as well as by my observation of their needs. I have given group talks in Personal Hygiene and Hygiene of Environment, also in Good Manners, to girls of the entire school. (A period of twenty minutes.) Preventing girls working outside school hours is a big problem. Many are physically unfit and do not need to work. ,In every case it lowers the standard of health and also of school work. In this prevention I have been successful with a large number as well as in encouraging more outdoor exercise to replace work.
"My records show definite cases of a serious nature that
195
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
. I have observed and advised. There are fifty-seven medical and twenty-two surgical cases that would otherwise have been neglected indefinitely or beyond help. These required a great deal of follow-up work. A number of girls have been working in homes for their maintenance where the environment was unsuitable. These I have changed, after consulting with a guardian, to better homes. In some cases I have visited homes to get better cooperation in order to improve physical de- fects. Such improvement has enabled girls to continue school who otherwise could not.
"Dismissals have been greatly reduced and class time saved when possible and when short rest periods would suffice. Frequent absence has been followed up and teachers inter- viewed regarding the cause. This has improved both health and attendance.
"At present I am working on a physical inspection of sophomore girls covering posture, eye, ear, throat, nose, teeth, and personal care. (Twenty minute period.)
"There is some improvement in bodily cleanliness and. proper dress of those with whom I have talked; however more frequent contact would accomplish more.
"The following necessary improvements have been made by my proposal: Paper towels in all girls' rooms, and the rooms freshly painted and cleaned. These rooms are now daily ventilated. Teachers' rooms also have been cleaned and painted.
"Another year no doubt a great deal more can be done by frequent and more regular meetings with the girls."
School Library-The school library holds an important place in modern education which is being recognized more and more. It furnishes books, magazines, newspapers, and clippings for all departments. The following is a report by the school librarian :
"The West Library issued eighteen thousand nine hun- dred and fifty-one permits to pupils between January 1, 1923 and December 1, 1923. The number of pupils actually study- ing in the library exceeded that number as no record was kept of the number of pupils studying here after school. The library was closed many periods to study pupils as classes met there for library instruction.
"The cooperation of the faculty with the librarian has been very helpful and gratifying. The number of teachers spending an entire period in the library was two hundred and forty-three. No period passes without three or four
196
ANNUAL REPORTS.
teachers coming to the library for some book or to use the . reference books.
"All pupils in the Senior and Junior classes have been in- structed in the use of about twenty of the most important reference books. The Sophomore class has been told about the two libraries in the High School and their rules, reviewed on the Dewey Decimal Classification and the Card Catalogue, and taught the care of books and the use of the index, notes, etc. of a book and some of the more general reference books. The Debating Classes have been taken to the Public Library where the High School Librarian instructed them how to use the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature and where to find the magazines mentioned therein. The aim of this in- struction is to enable pupils to use books more intelligently, to know which books to use, and how to find them.
"Classes have been brought to the West Library to ex- amine books and pictures which illustrate their class work. This has been done many times this year in the case of Tenny- son's "Idylls of the King." The pictures in the library are copies of Edwin Abbey's "Holy Grail." From these pictures with the booklet describing them and the King Ar- thur stories illustrated by Arthur Rackham, Walter Crane, N. C. Wyeth, and Howard Pyle the pupils receive much more knowledge and inspiration than from Tennyson's poem alone.
"There have been occasional Library Reading Hours in the last period on Fridays which are conducted entirely by pupils. Pupils who have a study period are permitted to at- tend. Some of the subjects have been Short Stories, Modern Poetry, Czecho-Slovakia, etc. At the time that the Czecho- Slovakian children were here pupils from Miss Tuell's history class conducted the hour. They told of the history, arts, and literature of Czecho-Slovakia, and there were pictures on the bulletin boards illustrating the talk. One of the Senior boys who was of Bohemian descent read their national hymn in Bohemian and then the English translation of it. Pupils from the Elocution classes have also conducted the hour.
"The total number of books circulated for home use was six thousand three hundred and thirty-eight. One hundred and twenty-eight books were purchased and fourteen maga- zines were subscribed for. There are approximately two thou- sand books owned by the school and five hundred by the Pub- lic Library in the West Library.
"This year a picture collection has been commenced. The pictures are being mounted uniformly and classified. A col-
.
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
lection of smaller pictures is being made for the reflectoscope. "The High School is very fortunate to have a Public Li- brary that is so willing to put its resources at our disposal."
Dramatics-The Somerville High School Players' Club is now in its second year of existence.
The purpose of the club is to present to the members of the High School plays of good literary and historical value, and to give to the members of the club the power and poise that comes through appearing before a critical public-the most critical of all publics-fellow members of their own school. The club encourages the writing of original plays, and as a result some of literary worth have been submitted, accepted, and presented.
Through the Club weekly recitals are held in the school library at which memorized readings from modern and classic authors are given by pupils.
The Club has become a member of "The Students' Reper- tory Theatre Association of New England" inaugurated by the "Copley Theatre Players."
Through this association large numbers of pupils have been able to see at a greatly reduced admission such worth while plays as "Disraeli", "Oliver Twist", "The School for Scandal", "The Truth about Blayds" and other productions of high standard.
Music-Progress has been noted in the different musi- cal activities in the Senior High school, even though oper- ating under disadvantageous conditions as to room, time, and equipment. There has been an increase of interest by those enrolled and an increase in the number of pupils so enrolled.
Nearly 150 pupils asked for credit for applied music and slightly more than 100 actually filed their applications. As many of these as return their quarterly reports will be eligi- ble for examination next June.
The orchestral players have been divided into. two groups :- a first orchestra, numbering about 25 of the more competent and reliable players in such proportion as to form a musically balanced group; and a second orchestra which includes all the other players, some forty in number. This second orchestra is not formed with regard to balance and plays easier music, more suited to the capabilities of most of its members.
Dividing the orchestra has resulted more favorably than
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
was generally expected. Each group has developed an indi- viduality, plays better, is holding a higher percentage of at- tendance, and the members take more interest and enjoyment in the music which they perform. Several of the unusual stringed instruments have just been provided.
The school band is this year the best the school has had. It numbers 28 players, some of whom are of more than aver- age musical ability. With the exception of a shortage of clarinets, the instrumentation has been fairly well balanced, but the balance will soon be improved by the addition of sev- eral instruments just acquired.
The band has made three creditable public appearances during the year, and by its presence and playing has also encouraged the school spirit at most of the football games of the past season.
The band turned out at the Thanksgiving Day game wearing blue caps ornamented with red cord,-the first step towards a uniform which it is contemplated will be carried further towards completion during the coming months.
Many pupils in the orchestra and band own their own instruments, especially those playing violin, cornet, clarinet, and trombone. Most of the other instruments are supplied by the city, and it is to that number that recent additions have been made. All the instruments owned by the city are in use by pupils and more could be so placed if available.
It is only by sufficient number of such instruments that the proper tonal balance can be obtained. More instruments would add greatly to the scope and effectiveness of the work.
The Girls' bugle, fife and drum corps now numbers 20, with 30 more girl pupils learning to play those instruments. Such of the latter number as attain suitable proficiency will be added to the group during the remainder of the school year. The bugle section is stronger than heretofore, owing to the use of five bugles which were purchased early in the fall.
The Boys' fife and drum corps has a present enrollment of 28, with 51 more under instruction. The majority of the lat- ter are learning to drum and this will necessitate the forma- tion of a separate drum corps later.
The Mandolin Club, Girls' Glee Club, and Boys' Glee Club are prosperous and are doing worthy and enthusiastic work.
There is need of better accommodations and protection both for instruments owned by pupils and brought to school
199
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
on the days upon which they are to beused, and for the in- struments owned by the city and because of their size, kept in the schoolhouse. There is also need of a suitable place in the school where rehearsals could be held without conflicting with other school activities.
Assemblies-During the past year a definite plan has been carried out under the direction of a committee of Mas- ters for using the Wednesday morning assembly periods to bring before the school speakers and other forms of educa- tional entertainment.
During the year several teachers have left us but notice- able for her length of service and imprint on the school was Miss A. Marion Merrill, head of the English Department. She has seen her department grow from 500 to over 2000 pupils and from 3 to 16 teachers. Untiring in effort, faithful, in- spirational, she leaves the school with the appreciation and respect of fellow teachers and the best wishes of thousands of pupils who have been so ably instructed and advised by her.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN A. AVERY, Head Master.
January, 1924.
REPORT OF PRINCIPAL OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
Mr. Charles S. Clark, Superintendent of Schools, Somerville, Mass.
Dear Sir :-
I submit the following report for the Boys' Vocational School for the year 1923.
The enrollment is up to the capacity of the school with a sizable waiting list for all departments. To make the school more efficient and give the boys an opportunity to enter other trades than those now offered, I recommend that printing, auto painting, house painting and decoration, and electrical work be added as soon as possible. The latter
200
ANNUAL REPORTS.
would greatly facilitate the work of the auto department; in fact an electrical course is necessary for the proper training of the boys in auto mechanics.
Additional equipment in the auto department is needed to provide for the proper training of men in evening courses and allow the re-opening of the school another year.
I believe this an opportune time to report the following statistics relative to the past work of the school :
YEAR
Enrollment
Average
Membership
Per Cent
Attendance
Graduates
Graduates
Withdrawals
In Industry
Productivity
Work done for the School and City
1910
67
34.6
97.2
1911
78
40.2
87.9
1912
91
48
89.6
13
5
4
1913
73
55
92.8
14
5
5
1914
80
51.9
94.7
11
6
3
$990.76
$ 265.82
1915
87
56
95
10
8
24
1,841.74
1,350.84
1916
88
57.3
94
16
15
12
2 863.03
1,507.02
1917
71
48
96
18
17
22
3,215.33
1,684.10
1918
90
46
91.9
15
15
18
5.345.98
1,991.03
1919
92
61
91.8
9
8
15
4,928.88
794.99
1920
92
*66
94
18
17
36
4,698.69
1,475.65
1921
151
*110
97
5
5
8
10,167.93
1,975.17
1922
144
*119
97.3
6
6
17
5,634.79
1,774.01
1923
98
75.8
97.9
7
7
19
4,932.96
1,239.03
* Includes ex-service men.
The State Report on Productivity for the past year pre- sents the following audited report :
Value of all products $4,932 96
Cash received and turned back to City and School
1,040 26
Value of products for school and City Departments · .
1,239 03
Value of products increasing value of
. · School plant .
642 25
Value of material furnished by customers 1,185 43
-
Entering Industry
Placed
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Financial Statement, 1922-1923
Gross Maintenance Income:
$25,019 28
Smith Hughes Fund . $1,979 56
Non-resident tuition
5,276 23
Cash from Products
1,073 05
Total
8,328 84
Net maintenance cost
16,690 44
Net cost per capita
$208.523
State Reimbursement
8,345 22
Net cost to City .
8,345 22
Net cost per capita to City
103.027
Labor and value of products on work for School and City Departments for which no charge was made
827 39
Net Cost to City .
7,517 83
Net cost per capita to City
.
92.812
Respectfully submitted, HARRY L. JONES, Principal.
January, 1924.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS AND AMERICANIZATION WORK
January 1, 1924.
Mr. Charles S. Clark
Superintendent of Schools Somerville, Massachusetts A
Dear Mr. Clark :
I herewith submit a report of the Continuation Schools and Americanization classes for the year 1923.
Continuation Schools
The permissive Continuation School Act, passed some thirteen years ago, was used only by the City of Boston up to the time of the mandatory Continuation School act which was passed in July 1919. It was accepted by all cities and all except one town in the Commonwealth by a referendum vote in November 1919.
202
· ANNUAL REPORTS. :
During the time the permissive act was in force the Bos- ton Schools experimented with the various problems presented and it was believed that the problems had been solved. With the enforcement of the mandatory act it, at once, became ap- parent that the whole situation and solution of the problems depended on local conditions. The size of the school, the dominant industry, housing conditions, et cetera, all pre- sented problems far different from those encountered by the City of Boston, thus making it necessary for each municipal- ity to solve its own problems and organize its own institu- tions without reference to the established practices of Bos- ton and those of other states.
Naturally all Continuation Schools had to pass through a period of experimentation to find the best solution for their individual situations. The State Department of Education was equally interested in the non-uniformity of conditions and aided materially in suggesting ways and means toward the solution.
Our problem was classified as a small school in a large city with no predominant industry. Various industrial activ- ities in our city provide a few boys and girls each, but a great many of our boys are helpers on peddlers' wagons, gro- cery delivery boys and errand boys. Thus a program of vo- cational or pre-vocational work is practically out of the question. The solution then is along the lines of General Improvement, in which we attempt to conserve the education already acquired and extend it as far as possible during the short interval we are privileged to deal with the employed minor.
The third full year has been completed and we feel that experimentation is no longer necessary; the Continuation School has earned its place as a bridge between the regular schools and employment, and will remain a fixture as a part of the school system with but very few changes. These changes, however, will, no doubt, deal with the age and grade requirements of the attendants and not with the aims, meth- ods and general functions of the school.
The membership, which reached its low limit in Septem- ber 1922, due to the reaction of the closing of the World War,. has slowly and steadily increased as was suggested in the report for 1922 until at the present time the schools have the largest four hour membership in their history. The mem- bership on the last day of school was 196, of which 65 were girls and 131 were boys.
The twenty hour group which made up considerable of
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
our membership during the last school year has been greatly . reduced by the fact that business is tending toward stabiliza- tion. In consequence, it has been possible to reduce our teach- ing force to the smallest possible number.
The percentage of attendance of the school has been in- creased by the reduction in the number of twenty hour pu- pils, for it was that group which presented attendance trouble. The report to the State Department of Education for the school year 1922-23 showed a percentage of attendance of approximately 90. Practically all of the absences however were made up, so that the gross per cent was approximately 94.
The Boys' school was decidedly unfortunate last Septem- ber in the loss of its shop instructor, Lawrence E. Landahl who left Somerville to take a position in the faculty of the Fitchburg State Normal School. It is gratifying at least to know that the State Department of Education sought his services for such a position. H. Dunbar Davis, a practical shop man, is making every effort to fill the gap satisfactorily.
A comparison of the productivity (market value of the product) returns made to the state will be interesting to show how the work and interest have increased over the previous year.
1921-22 $745 34 $1,199 80
1922-23
I stated last year that material accomplishment, how- ever, does not show the whole or real value of the school. That is shown by the inspiration and strength given most of the students to see and follow the path of duty as it comes to them in future years.
Americanization Classes
Americanization is the bringing together of the old and new America. It makes America known to the foreign born and the foreign born known to America. The Americaniza- tion classes in Somerville are designed to solve the great problem of moulding the foreign born element into capable citizens of our Republic, a task which apparently is much easier than influencing the old America to accept the new America.
The immigrant who comes to America finds himself in necessity of thinking in terms of the Old World. Since he
204
ANNUAL REPORTS.
. can hear and speak only through others, in his helpless igno- rance he may be exploited and plundered and fall an easy prey to the labor agitator and the unscrupulous employer. He is disappointed in finding that conditions are not just as he expected, and the restrictions placed on him do not measure up to his idea of American freedom. The work of fusing the foreign born into the American life in the so-called "melt- ing pot" is the duty of the State, for it must see that its citi- zens respect the laws of the land, and are imbued with the fundamental principles that underlie our social and civic ideals.
We must, then, make a unified people in order to protect the foreign born from the un-American practices of a com- paratively few unscrupulous so-called Americans. The first step in this process, for it certainly is not a complete solu- tion of the problem, nor a panacea for all the ills that may befall the foreign born in his new environment, is the teach- ing of a common tongue, the English language. No attempt at assimilation can be made without a common tongue.
This is part of the problem which is given over to the school departments by the State for solution. Various organ- izations have attempted Americanization work, but the prob- lem is a public problem, not a private one.
It is the policy of the Somerville School Committee to provide such instruction wherever a group can be brought together for this purpose. Such "bringing together" is not a simple matter, for prejudices, influences and national char- acteristics are not easily overcome by a newspaper advertise- ment. We must sell the proposition to the foreign born in- dividual personally.
The "Social Contact" side of the situation plays such an important part in the organization and development of our work that I have asked Mrs. Etta D. Ellsworth, one of the Americanization supervisors, to make a statement concerning "The Value of Social Contact." Her statement follows :
"The Value of Social Contact in Americanization Work. Americanization is a process of education,-winning the heart as well as the mind, through social contact and instruction. It is a delicate task for we are dealing with human hearts, inherited prejudices and racial passions.
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