USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1924 > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1924 > Part 10
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The situation which affects us is shared by neighboring communities. The limited supply of teachers, the preying of one community upon another, the response of the teaching personnel to the lure of higher pay elsewhere, all combine to compel a community either to pay salaries sufficient to get the kind of teachers it wants or to accept such teachers as its salary schedule will attract.
During the year twenty-six teachers resigned, seven to be married, three to study, three to enter business, one to go to the schools of Boston, and twelve for other reasons.
Thirty-seven teachers were elected during the year and assigned as follows: High School 2, Junior High schools 13, Elementary Schools 21, and Continuation School 1.
IMPROVEMENT PLAN
In order to encourage the professional improvement of teachers in service, the School Committee at its regular meet- ing on December 31, 1923, adopted a plan for additional pay to teachers who will pursue approved courses of study. The provisions of this plan are shown in the following report from the Committee on Finance which was presented at that meet- ing and was adopted by the School Committee:
This Committee has given careful and long attention to the question of increase of salary in our schools. It has voted to report to the School Committee recommendations as follows :-
1. The adoption of a scheme of salary increments to be earned by professional study amounting in all to $300, di- vided into four increments of $75 each.
This salary plan has been in operation for a number of years in Quincy and Haverhill. Representatives of the Fi- nance Committee have studied the plan in both places.
2. The granting of an addition of $100 to the maximum of Junior High School teachers, raising it from $1,500 to $1,600; effective January 1, 1924.
176
ANNUAL REPORTS
3. The granting of an addition of $100 to the maximum of JJunior High School teachers who are college graduates, in service or to be elected, raising their maximum from $1,600 to $1.700 ; effective January 1, 1924.
Applying the above, the situation will be as follows :-
Elementary teachers will have a basal maximum. of $1.500, with an obtainable promotional maximum of $1,800.
Junior High School teachers, not college graduates, will have a basal maximum of $1,600, with an obtainable promo- tional maximum of $1,900.
Junior High School teachers, college graduates, will have a basal maximum of $1,700, with an obtainable promotional maximum of $2,000.
High school women will have a probable basal maximum of $1,750, with an obtainable promotional maximum of $2,050.
High school men teachers will have a probable basal maximum of $2,500. with an obtainable promotional maximum of $2.800.
Outlines of a Plan for Additional Pay for Accredited Professional Study
To give encouragement for professional improvement of teachers in the service by means of extended study, additions to the salary schedule are proposed, to be made in accordance with the provisions noted below :
1. Any teacher who presents evidence to the Superin- tendent of having complied with the conditions hereafter stated. shall receive increase in salary as herein provided.
2. Increments of pay will be voted by the School Com- mittee, amounting to $300 for 360 college hours of professional study, approved by the Superintendent of Schools. The sum will be divided into units of $75 for 90 college hours of such professional study.
3. Courses of study to entitle a non-college graduate in the elementary or junior high schools to credit must be courses in advance of those required for graduation in a high school or normal school. In the case of college graduates in the junior high schools, and all high school teachers, courses of study must be of a college post-graduate nature.
4. Courses must be such as are given by colleges of approved standing with credit towards degrees, unless for special reasons the Superintendent excepts from this require- ment a specific course, and must be approved in writing in advance by the Superintendent.
5. No credit will be allowed except upon presentation of a passing mark obtained in the course.
6. Credit may be obtained either through extension
177
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
course, certain approved correspondence courses, or summer courses carried on at such time and in such manner as not to interfere with the daily work of teaching.
7. Of each 90 college hours at least two-thirds shall be of a professional nature. A college hour is defined as a class period accompanied by a collateral preparation, reading, and research.
8. Only one increment of $75 shall be made in any one year.
9. Only work to an extent of 60 college hours may be undertaken during the school year.
10. Increments of . pay earned by professional study as hereinbefore defined shall be voted by the School Committee in May and September and paid on the teachers' pay roll of the following month.
11. This plan of increments earned by professional study shall be put into operation February 1, 1924.
In the meeting of May 26 the School Committee voted :
To amend Section 2 of the Outline for Professional Im- provement by the addition of the following words: "Or into units of $50 for 60 college hours of such professional study on application of the teacher."
To consider in interpreting the plan of promotion credits the vacation period as a part of the preceding year ; provided, however, that credits earned after the close of the school year shall be cumulative and may stand to the teacher's credit in the following year; provided, also, that in determining credits the term "year" shall be construed as the twelve months from September 1 to August 31 inclusive.
The Committee also recommends that the action herein reported be adopted as the policy of the School Committee upon these matters, effective the date of the adoption of the promotional system.
Before February 1, 1924, the Superintendent had pre- pared two forms to be used as records in the management of this business. The first is the Application Form to be made- out in duplicate, one copy to be kept by the teacher and the other to remain as a permanent record in the office of the Superintendent of Schools. The second form is a card which is intended to record all the principal facts concerning all the courses taken by a teacher until the maximum credit of $300 has been secured. By these forms a permanent history of each application is made, thereby furnishing a means of protecting the teacher's interest as well as providing an ac- enrate statement of the School Committee's liability.
Teachers have taken advantage of this provision by ap- plying for approval of courses of study to be pursued in vari-
178
ANNUAL REPORTS
ous educational institutions. Before the close of the last school year two courses of professional work for the benefit of teachers were conducted in Somerville under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools.
As a result of this professional study, the School Com- mittee in the September meeting voted increments of $75 to the salaries of 32 teachers and increments of $50 to the salaries of 35 teachers.
Since the opening of schools in September four courses of professional study have been conducted in Somerville under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools. These courses are as follows :
Primary Work, by Mabel C. Bragg, Assistant Superin- tendent of Schools, Newton.
English, by Grace M. Miller, A. A., Private Instructor.
Arithmetic, by Olive A. Kee, teacher in the Boston Nor- mal School.
Voice Placement and Reading. Harriet M. Bell. teacher in the Somerville High School.
In addition to these professional undertakings teachers · are pursuing study in various professional schools and in other approved ways. At the close of 1924 over 800 courses have been approved, some of which have been completed, while the rest are under way. 316 different teachers out of a total of 445 have taken one or more courses. 513 applications have been approved for teachers who are now carrying on the courses of study therein defined.
The number of teachers making application for recogni- tion of improvement study in each of several professional in- stitutions is shown below :
The Somerville School Committee
267
Boston University
252
Harvard Graduate School of Education
52
University Extension
133
Boston College
8
Fitchburg Normal School
5
Columbia University
5
University of Chicago
4
University of Maine .
3
Massachusetts Normal Art School .
5
All other
77
The professional improvement of teachers in service is generally recognized as one of the most important phases of the present-day conduct of schools. The scientific study of education during the last few years by psychologists, medical men, college professors of education, social philosophers, and men and women engaged actively in the work of teaching, has produced a body of professional knowledge in theory and prac-
179
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
tice relating to teaching and the administration of education which has raised this undertaking from the level of a busi- ness to that of a profession. Empirical teaching must now give way to scientific teaching. Initial professional training must be followed by continued professional study. And as the doctor or the lawyer gains economically by the post-graduate studies essential to the maintenance of his professional stand- ing and the increase of his professional skill, so should the teacher have the encouragement and reward for such profes- sional efforts by additional salary allowances especially pro- vided therefor.
COST
The maintenance of the public schools is one of the most important enterprises in which any community engages.
By reason of its size and the character of the provisions which must be made for its successful carrying on, this un- dertaking is one of the most costly of all the public works. It is necessary, therefore, that the management of the public schools should at all times have in mind an obligation to make a wise and prudent use of public money in administering the trusts confided to it.
In this spirit the School Committee has at all times con- ducted its business. It has striven to make good schools for the children of the city, and to do this with such an economi- cal use of the money as is dictated by the resources of our city. An examination of the facts of the case will show how well the School Committee has succeeded in this effort.
The unit of cost is the individual child. The pupils withdrawing either by graduation or by leaving school at the end of the period when attendance is compulsory are more than offset by those taken in as beginners and as new-comers. There is, therefore, in our city a growth in the total number of children to be educated in the public schools. Correspond- ingly there is a growth in the expense of education as a con- sequence of the increase in membership. Other factors, how- ever, enter into the matter to swell the cost of education. Increased activities, increase in the pay of individual work- ers, and increases in the market price of supplies from time to time, all combine continually to raise the total of expendi- tures for the maintenance of the schools. Such increase in the cost of education is inevitable if the schools are to un- lertake the program of modern education which the present state of society demands.
During the present fiscal year the total cost for the maintenance of the schools was more than during the pre-
1.80
ANNUAL REPORTS.
ceding year. In the part of the educational enterprise con- trolled by the School Committee, namely-Teachers' Salaries and School Supplies, the increase in cost has been $22,753.20.
All things considered, this is relatively an insignificant increase.
The total cost of education for the children of Somer- ville in the last analysis must be the product of the amount spent for a single pupil multiplied by the total number of children educated. While Somerville is the tenth city in popu- lation it is the eighth city in the number of children in the public schools. Therefore, one would expect Somerville to be the eighth city in the gross amount of money expended for the education of its children. As a matter of fact, it is the ninth according to the report of the Department of Educa- tion for the school year ending June 30, 1924. But another way of measuring the cost of our schools is to compare the amount expended on an individual pupil with the amount expended thereon by other communities. According to the report above quoted the per capita cost of the schools in our city for the last school year was $65.72. Of the 39 cities of Massachusetts 32 had a higher per capita cost, the highest being $116.34. Only six had a lower per capita expenditure than Somerville, the lowest being $62.37. From this state- ment it is to be seen that Somerville spent on each child in the average membership only $3.35 more than the lowest city. while it has spent $50.62 less than the highest.
The details of receipts and expenditures are fully set forth in statistical tables which accompany this report.
CONCLUSION
Unusual improvements to the cause of education in Som- erville have been made during the present year. These have been in part improvements in accommodations and in part im- provements in the organization of the school undertakings. . The teaching force has worked with enthusiasm and efficiency. The schools are in better condition now because of the ac- complishments which have taken place during the year.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES S. CLARK,
December 29, 1924.
Superintendent of Schools.
181
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
REPORT OF THE HEAD MASTER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
January 1. 1925
Mr. Charles S. Clark Superintendent of Schools Somerville, Mass.
Dear Sir :
You have asked me to state the present condition of our high school building and to explain what is needed to put it on a parity with modern high schools built to meet the requirements of the latest and best in secondary educa- tion. A high school building to be all-round efficient should fulfil five purposes :--- first, to house the pupils and their property in a comfortable and safe manner; second, to give facilities for efficient instruction in all subjects taught ; third, to furnish means for a systematic health education; fourth, to provide rooms for the extra curriculum activities of the pupils ; and fifth, to supply proper facilities for the accommo- dation and comfort of the teachers. I shall take each in some detail, using as a numerical basis an enrollment of 2500 pu- pils. (We have at present 2200 and have been steadily grow- ing.)
First, to house the pupils and to take care of their prop- erty while in attendance. Each pupil is entitled to a desk in a room called a home room. In this desk he may keep his books and other materials for his work. Each pupil is en- titled to a space properly protected, in which he may place his coat, hat, and other articles used while coming to and returning from school. This space in all modern buildings takes the form of an individual locker or of a portion of a locked room. Pupils have a right to sufficient and properly equipped toilets. These toilets should be placed on each floor, should be light, well-ventilated and neat. At the present time our school has home room seatings for less than 1600 pupils, has no protected means for caring for wearing ap- parel. and has inadequate and poorly ventilated toilets.
Second, to meet the needs for academic instruction. If some of the home rooms are large enough to be used effiective- ly as study rooms, smaller rooms equipped with arm-chairs should be supplied for teaching small groups of pupils. Five, at least, of such rooms are needed. To take care, properly,
1×2
1\STAL REPORTS.
of the number studying the sciences, the following labora- tories are needed .-- three chemical, two physical, a biological. a botanical with an adjacent greenhouse. a geological, and an astronomical laboratory. If lecture facilities cannot be provided in these laboratories, four separate lecture rooms are necessary. We now have two chemical, one physical and one biological laboratory with two lecture rooms. In addi- tion to the one manual training room-lathe room-which we now have, there should be rooms for advanced carpentry. metal working. and forging.
In the household arts department, there is need of spe- cial rooms for various phases of the work such as millinery. nursing. fitting. etc., with a well-equipped suite of rooms for the proper teaching of home making.
The libraries of the school are small and inadequate. Two large well-lighted libraries are essential.
Our present assembly hall is large and attractive. A smaller hall to accommodate about 500 is much needed for the assembling of smaller groups.
Third, to furnish facilities for systematic health educa- tion. This phase of our work is of two types,-to care for and to improve the condition of those not well and to im- prove the physical condition of all. Well-equipped small hos- pital rooms with trained nurses are now found in most large and many small schools. These rooms are needed for emer- gencies and slight illnesses and would save many unnecessary absences from school. We have now one matron and an en- tirely inadequate room. The need for a gymnasium is patent. We have no means for proper physical training in the school. This gymnasium should be large enough to be converted into two. with running track and adjacent to it locker rooms and shower baths.
Fourth. to give rooms for the worth while extra curricu- lum activities of the school such as music, journalism, debat- ing. dramaties. specialized clubs, etc. All of these require rooms of special character .- rehearsal rooms. instrument store rooms, school paper office. At the present time most of these activities are conducted in places ill-fitted for the purpose.
Fifth. to accommodate the simplest needs of the teach- ers. Teachers are entitled to dressing rooms easily reached. with sufficient toilets, and in case of need, with rest rooms furnished with ordinary comforts. Rooms for teachers are at present lamentably insufficient and inadequately equipped.
I have not attempted to enumerate in minute detail every need of our school. but rather to touch on the essentials.
183
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
We are conducting a large school under great disadvan- tages,-a handicap which will hamper the school more and more in the future unless some speedy means can be devised to ameliorate the present unsatisfactory situation.
Very truly yours. JOHN A. AVERY, Head Master.
184
ANNUAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE CONTINUATION SCHOOLS AND AMERICANIZATION WORK
January 1, 1925
Mr. Charles S. Clark Superintendent of Schools Somerville. Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Clark :
I herewith submit a report of the Continuation Schoola and Americanization classes for the year 1924.
CONTINUATION SCHOOLS
When these schools were established in September 1920 it was deemed advisable, on account of the uncertainty of the problem. to house them in the High School building where overhead expense would be held at a minimum and equip- ment and tools could be made available by joint usage with the High School classes. As I stated in my last report. the Con- tinuation School, having passed through its period of experi- mentation, has earned its place as a bridge between the con- ventional schools and employment. It has brought with it a certain methodology which will of necessity always have a place in the school system even should the Continuation School eventually be legislated out of existence.
Believing that this type of school is worth while, pur- poseful. and a necessary part of the school system it was stated in your last report that as soon as circumstances per- mit, this school should be withdrawn from its present unsuit- able location in the High School Building and placed in rooms where its work can be done under conditions as favorable as those provided for other day schools.
In September at the beginning of the fifth year of its existence, the school was moved to the Folsom Building, where accommodations were made available by the opening {sometime previously) of the Leonard B. Chandler Building. The shops were refinished, making bright, sunny, comfortable rooms in which to carry on the woodworking and sheet metal work. The rooms for cooking, dressmaking, millinery and home nursing as well as the academic and related work rooms are in good repair and with the shops furnish accommoda-
185
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
tions which compare favorably with like schools throughout the State.
The Continuation School now is a unit by itself and al- ready the pupils have shown a marked increase in interest in the school and its work, attendance has been improved, and our instructors find it much easier to make suitable contacts with the home. It is now possible to have daily assembly periods and further some social phases of the work which afford opportunity for pupil participation.
I hope that in the near future it will be possible to obtain some woodworking machinery, that we may continue our shopwork on the factory plan.
The Somerville Chapter, American Red Cross is prepar- ing to furnish a fine equipment for the Home Nursing course which is taken by every girl in the school.
Our productivity returns to the State Dept. of Educa- tion will no doubt be decreased this year due to the fact that so much time has been spent by both boys and girls in fitting up their work rooms.
A change in the teaching force was made necessary by the transfer of Miss Estelle Crowe to the High School. Miss Marion H. Hathaway is doing a fine piece of work and her very successful contacts with the homes show the possibilities of the follow up system.
In connection with the work of a group of Superintend- ents who are making a comprehensive study of School and Age Requirements. it has been a pleasure during the past year for our corps to make a survey of the Somerville Continu- ation School. It will be of interest to note the following items gathered from our survey.
Our boys this year are employed in twenty-eight different occupations, each one being given by from one to eight boys. The girls represent twenty-five occupations including house- work, which is carried on by eleven girls.
Vocational preferences expressed by this group show that practically all the boys tend toward the mechanical trades, while the girls prefer commercial work.
The reasons for leaving school were obtained by a study of answers to a carefully supervised questionnaire.
Girls
A. Economic Conditions **
B. Conditions in the Schools .
C. Personal feelings of child or
10.3%
37.5%
47.5% 26.3%
attitude of parent
15.4%
17.9%
16.8%
D. Vocational opportunity offered
10.3%
8.8% 9.4%
* 30% of the girls hold Home Permits which are usually issued only in case of economic need.
** Economic necessity is defined as actual need at the home for
*64.0%
Boys 35.8%
Both
186
ANNUAL REPORTS.
the added income which the minor can make to secure a reasonable standard of living.
These general reasons for leaving school are sub-divided as follows :
Girls
Boys
Both
A-1. Illness at home
10.2%
0.0
4.2%
2. Death of Parent
12.8%
10.8%
11.6%
3. Parent unable to secure work
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
4. Needed to work at home
25.6%
1.8%
11.6%
5. Family troubles
2.6%
7.1%
5.3%
6. Small family income not
12.8%
14.3%
13.7%
Totals
64.0%
35.8%
47.5%
Conditions in the schools
Girls
Boys
Both
B-1.
Slow progress in school
2.6%
7.1%
5.3%
2.
Discipline in school
0.0
3.5%
2.0%
3. Dismissed or dischargeti from Disciplinary School
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
4. "Too big" to go to school
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
5. Dislike of school not caused by above reasons
5.1%
19.7%
13.7%
6. Left school on teacher's ad- vice
2.6%
1.8%
2.0%
7. Advice of friends
0.0
0.0
0.0
8. Absence from school
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
Totals
10.3%
37.5%
26.3%
Personal feelings of child or attitude of parents
Girls
Boys
Both
C-1.
Personal illness
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
2. Have sufficient education, com- pleted course in Trade
3.
School or Business College Desire for spending money .
0.0
3.5%
2.1%
4.
Did not wish to enter new school
2.6%
5.4%
4.2%
5. Required to leave by parents
5.1%
0.0
2.1%
6. Change of residence
0.0
5.4%
3.1%
7. Influenced by friend's Em- ployment
0.0
1.8%
1.1%
8. Miscellaneous
7.7%
0.0
3.1%
Totals
15.4%
17.9%
16.8%
Vocational opportunity offered
Girls
Boys
Both
D-1.
Work out of school hours led to good position on full time
2.6%
3.5%
3.1%
2. Work during vacation led,
0.0
1.S
1.0%
3. Received offer of good posi- tion
7.7%
3.5%
5.3%
Totals
10.3%
8.8%
9.4%
0.0
0.0
0.0
.
etc.
.
The Educational accomplishment of the 14-16 year old employed minors as shown by the certificates issued over a period of the last three years is as follows :
caused by above reasons
187
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
.67%completed less than 4 grades 1.36 left after completing Grade 4 ) 5.00 5 66
Elementary School
30.00
6
24.00
64
7
21.80 .6
1 Junior High School
13.00
64
9
3.40
66
44
10
.67
..
11
Senior High School
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