USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1901 > Part 9
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A telephone system such as is used in other schools would save time for principal, teachers, and the pupils who serve as messengers. It is most earnestly hoped that these needs may be met at the earliest possible opportunity.
In several of the school rooms the furniture and decorations are not such as favor the best results. There is special need in this respect in the rooms of the middle building, and in the Principal's room in the Grammar building. Heat for the halls and cloak rooms is needed in the latter building for the health and comfort of the pupils.
I venture the suggestion that the school is ready for an elementary course in manual training, at least, for a be- ginning in that important branch of education. It would tend to keep the boys and girls in school, and would afford a valuable training for those who are to enter the shops. There is ample room in the basement for a be- ginning, and it would be a step taken toward that which will come, sooner or later, as a demand. Manual train- ing in the ninth grade course would add much to its practical utility.
It is an especial pleasure to acknowledge the gift of the class of 1901 to the Grammar School. Previous classes have generously supplied the school with beautiful pictures, but it remained for the class of 1901 to present the first cast, a reproduction of Luca della Robbia's "Boys Playing on Trumpets."
The Course in Reading meets a long felt want. It is highly appreciated, and is already in constant use by many of our pupils.
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In closing this report. I wish to express my apprecia- tion of the readiness of the Superintendent and the School Committee to respond to all reasonable demands made upon them for whatever is needful to promote the af- ficiency of the schools.
Respectfully, SHERBURN C. HUTCHINSON.
Report of the Principal of the Richardson School. Mr. William P. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools :
Herewith I submit my first report as Supervising Principal of the Abiathar A. Richardson School.
The beautiful new building which contains eight of our ten school rooms was dedicated April 6, 1901. Two days later, at the opening of the spring term, reg- ular school work was begun. The three hundred and twenty-one pupils enrolled in the schools in the new building came to us from sixteen different instructors. The Principal and one of the eight teachers were strang- ers to Attleboro; of the remaining seven teachers, four had been in the town less than a year. Twelve weeks of school were followed by the long summer vacation. When we came together in September three of the teachers in the large building were new to Attleboro, and two of the three had no experience in teaching. Thus it can be readily understood that any record of our life and work together is truly a "book of beginnings.
The duties of the Supervising Principal were out- lined as follows in last year's report of the School Com- mittee :- "This Principal shall know what is being done in all grades of the school; shall seek to unify its work
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and spirit, and shall make for it a name as one of the model schools of Massachusetts." The Principal has faithfully tried to become intelligently acquainted with the work done in all the grades, and to unify the work and spirit of the school, besides doing regular class teach- ing in the highest Grammar grade several hours each week. To make of this the best school possible under the circumstances has been the aim and will continue to be the aim of the Principal.
On the part of the teachers much faithful work has been done. Some excellent beginnings have been made, especially in the teaching of reading. Other note- worthy features of the work have been the marked im- provement in the singing in several of the rooms, and the growing interest in good literature which many of the children have shown. This year there has been steady improvement in all the schools.
An attempt has been made to have each pupil placed where he would do his best, also to have the instruction given to each class or group especially adapted to the pupils forming that particular class or group. Various means have been used to secure the regular attendance of pupils. Persistent efforts have been made to teach well not only the subjects mentioned in the Course of Study but also those other subjects which the State re- quires us to teach-morals and good behavior. The thought underlying all this work has been that the school ought to join forces with the churches and the homes in the effort to so influence the boys and girls that they will be good boys and girls and that they will become good men and women, good citizens not only of Attle- boro but of the Great Republic and of the world.
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We have tried to interest the parents in the work of the school by sending home specimens of the pupil's work, by inviting the parents to attend special exercises, and in various other ways. Not counting the visits of school officers, the teachers have recorded five hundred and sixty-eight visits to the school in the thirty weeks since the new building was opened. Some of the parents have helped us greatly by their words of cordial com- mendation. On the evening of December 10th, a Parents' Meeting was held. As many people were pres- ent as could be comfortably seated in the room at our disposal. I think everyone was interested in the Super- intendent's talk on "The Relation of the Home to the School," the earnest words of the Chairman of the School Board, and the exercises in which pupils took part. 3 A great deal of the daily written work of the pupils and many specimens of their work in drawing were displayed and were examined by the guests of the evening. Best of all, opportunity was afforded for par- ents and teachers to become personally acquainted. Other meetings similar to this will be held during the winter, in the hope that most cordially helpful relations may be established between the homes and the school, and thus the best interests of the children be promoted.
The school has received some gifts during the year. Dr. Charles S. Holden and Mr. Louis J. Lamb gave us some neatly framed notices calling the attention of the pupils to the desirability of using with the greatest care the new building and all its furnishings. To Miss Lucy Sweet we are indebted for the Calendars of the Rhode Island Humane Society; to the Grand Army Post, for
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silk flags ; and to the Attleboro Round Table for a bean- tiful copy of Corot's "Dance of the Nymphs." Last year's Seventh Grade gave a fine copy of Stuart's "Washington ;" this year's class of the same grade with some assistance from their teacher and the Principal, gave a beautiful "Sir Galahad;" and last year's Sixth Grade gave a copy of Boughton's "Return of the May- flower."
In closing this report, I wish to express my apprecia- tion of the great assistance you rendered me at the be- ginning of my work here, my thanks to the teachers for their friendship and co-operation, and my gratitude for the cordial words with which members of the School Committee have helped me to be of good courage.
Respectfully submitted, HARRIET A. P. ROTH.
Report of the Supervisor of Music.
Mr. William P. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools :
The music for the past year has been faithfully taught under my direction by the teachers, and the results have been very encouraging.
From the first to the fourth grades the work re- mains the same; beyond that to the eighth the music has been regraded by putting the books back one year. By this arrangement the work is made simpler and much better results are obtained.
This year I have been working for a better quality of tone, and in many instances the improvement is quite apparent and very satisfactory.
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At the High School we have a large chorus, in which the pupils manifest considerable interest, and are doing excellent work. If a period could be devoted to the music during the week, other than the regular time with me, it would be more satisfactory.
In the semi-graded and all of the smaller schools the work is going on, slowly in some cases, but surely growing. In time we hope to have the music as good in one school as in another.
I wish to thank the teachers for their kindly co- operation in this work.
Respectfully, LAURA S. ROBINSON.
Report of the Supervisor of Drawing.
Mr. William P. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools :
In the early fall, when I became Supervisor, the work throughout the grades was Nature Drawing. We tried to find the characteristics of a plant by studying different specimens of the same kind, for illustration, sprays of grape-vine; and by comparison with other plants, as the honeysuckle or morning glory.
Having studied the character of the chosen plant, the next step was expression. The pupils gained more by repeated attempts in rendering sprays of the same kind than they could by making a less thorough study of many different plants. The work was varied by the use of different mediums, brown pencil, ink silhoutte, ink in two tones, and color. Blackboard illustration from memory proved a valuable test of the pupil's power of observation. (See fig. 1, VII. grade pupil.)
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In the lower grades more emphasis was placed on blackboard drawing, in order to gain freedom of move- ment before working on paper. This was new to the children and they were enthusiastic workers.
In October all began the study of color. The first grade painted the standards; above that, the children painted simple color scales of from three to five steps of dark and light.
Following this the upper grades made surface des- gins. The units for such work would naturally be de- rived from the plant forms studied. This year, because the work was new, each child was furnished a set of six or seven units (See fig. 2). His problem was one of arrangement.
Compare the two arrangements of the same unit in fig. 3 and 4. Such an arrangement as that in fig. 4 we call a one-movement or motive, a similiar use of the word to that in music. In design the motive may be simple (fig. 4), bilateral (fig. 5), or radial (fig. 6). The next step was to repeat the motive over a surface, so that there was a consistent movement of the whole; this im- plies not only a regular repetition, but a close sympathy between the movement of one motive and that of the next (fig. 7).
The lower grades continued with vegetable drawing, Thanksgiving booklets, and illustrative drawing and cutting appropriate to the season.
In December all began structural drawing, or that phase of drawing which has to do with the construction of objects. Whether the problem was the making of a needlebook, spool case, match box, escutcheon, doilv,
Fig.7
Fig. 1
F.9.2
Fig 3
Fig 6
Fig 8
Fig. 1
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vase, iron grill, or any other object, the first question was, What is to be the use of the object ? How can we best plan the parts to fit the use? Here is the first principle of design-"Fitness to Purpose." Beauty is secured in the most perfect adaption to use, and in the re- finement of necessary parts.
When we had determined the large proportions of a vase according to its intended use, the next probelm was how to secure beauty. This we did not try to obtain by covering a clumsy shape with ornamentation. But we did try to vary the proportions of the parts that there should be a pleasing relation between them. (See figures 8, 9, 10). The next step in beautifying the vase would be the addition of a decoration which should so conform to the surface as to emphasize the beauty of form. This we have not yet attempted.
In all this work in structural drawing we have found the simplest things not too common to be made beau- tiful. It is a significant fact that the peoples who have shown the most intellectual activity and have produced the greatest artists have also been noted for the beauty of their commonest household utensils. The period of the Renaissance in Italy is a notable instance, for at the same time flourished the twenty-seven Guilds, the master-workers in many different handicrafts.
America is behind European nations of to-day in this respect. If she is to compete successfully with them in the world's markets, her children must be trained to an intelligent appreciation of what is good in industrial design.
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Attleboro is peculliarly adapted to help in this great work, because it is distinctively a manufacturing town, many citizens becoming producers, as well as purchasers. To make the teaching of industrial design effective in Attleboro schools we need good examples to place be- fore the children as ideals for study; especially do we need fabrics, illustrating good decoration and color as related to home furnishings, and a collection of pottery, showing beauty in form. In addition an iron grill, a bracket, escutcheons, door plates, keys, hinges and many such objects of common use. During the spring term a beginning was made of a museum of Arts and Crafts. The Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co. of New York made a generous contribution of Favrile glass vases, which is practically the extent of the museum at present.
But there is a higher value in all this work than the commercial, that is, the influence of the beautiful on character. Is anything too good to help in the character building of your children ?
I should like to call attention to a list of the pic- tures on the school-room walls, which is printed with this report. You will notice that very few rooms have reproductions of standard works of art, in distinction from information pictures, (as portraits, historical pic- tures, etc.) ; and also that many of the walls are entirely bare.
The illustrations with this report were taken from the regular work of the pupils in Grades VII., VIII., IX. The cover for the report was designed by Mabel Weaver, Sanford Street School, Grade VIII.
Respectfully submitted,
MARION N. DARLING.
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Report of the Supervisor of Physical Culture. Mr. William P. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools :
The enthusiasm and interest exhibited by the Com- mittee, the Superintendent, teachers, and pupils in the Physical Culture course has made the work exceptionally good, and a great pleasure to teach and carry forward in a progressive manner. I have introduced exercises bringing in graded weights, this year, with encouraging results.
There has been much to foster the physical work, in the form of new buildings, and a ventilating system at Richardson School, which allows us to have fresh air during Physical Culture periods, and good pure air dur- ing the school session ; but this is not the case throughout the rest of our buildings.
Beside just teaching the exercises, I have been care- fully observing and studying conditions which tend to prevent rather than foster the good results which I hope to bring about. Among the observations which I have made are the following :
I. Many of the children are nervous beyond a nor- mal degree.
2. Some of the children cannot breath easily through their noses, showing that their throats and noses are clogged up, either from acute catarrhal trouble, or extreme colds.
3. That the nervousness and fatigue of the teachers reacts directly upon the pupils.
4. That the presence of fresh air and physical exer- cise quiets the nerves of both children and teachers.
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5. That the suppression of natural activity, neces- sary in sitting still in the seats at school, causes much fatigue on the part of the children.
6. That misfitting furniture not only nervously fatigues the child, but also causes bodily deformities, headaches, nervousness, a cramping of heart and lung space, and tends to bring about all those evil conditions which I am trying to eliminate or reduce to a minimum by the Physical Culture work.
I therefore feel it my duty to emphasize the six recommendations which I made in my last report, con- cerning lighting the rooms more carefully at Sanford Street School, the greater use of adjustable furniture, the careful study of the causes of all fatigue conditions of pupils and teachers, the study of the condition of the air in our school rooms during the school session, and last and most important of all, I wish to recommend that the amount of mental work required of pupils be reduced, and that recess periods besides the regular gymnastic periods be re-established in all the upper Grammar grades.
Thanking the Committee, Superintendent and teac t- ers for their earnest co-operation, and feeling sure that much good will come from our work I submit my third report of the physical work.
Respectfully,
CHRISTINA J. CARRET.
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Report of the Truant Officers.
Mr. Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Parker
Veno Curran Jillson Total
Number of absences.
Reported by teachers,
352
175
262
60
849
Discovered by the truant officer, 4I
43
3
37
Total cases investigated, 393
175
305
63
936
Cause of Absence,
Sickness,
109
90
140
33
372
Lack of Clothing,
72
I4
47
3
135
Detained from school to work,
33
49
4
86
Detained by parents,
107
I2
47
15
181
Ran away from school,
36
13
6
55
Other causes,
I3
22
2
37
Over school age,
19
19
Removals, 20
20
At work without certificate,
5
5
Failure to be vaccinated,
IO
Evening school minors,
15
15
Total, 393
175
305 63 936
Court Cases.
Committed to truant school, I
Put on probation, 2
Conviction of parent recorded and case placed on file. ... I
Age and Schooling (labor) certificates issued 1901, 143.
By the Superintendent, 93
By the Truant Officers for
Dodgeville and Hebron- ville, 50
T 15
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Report of Officer Warren Parker.
Mr. William P. Kelly, Superintendent of Schools :
The work of the past year has been much the same as usual with one or two exceptions. There has been a steady growth in the number of pupils which necessi- tates more cases of absences to be investigated. Since the opening of the Richardson School the number of cases to be locked up has increased very much. I wish to thank the Superintendent for the new system of notifying the officers of absences, which he has intro- duced. It has been a source of help to me and I trust to the schools.
In the matter of benevolence there has been very much of an increase ; so much so that I have been obliged to exceed the appropriation. I wish to extend my thanks to the Superintendent and the Board for their co-operation in my work as Truant Officer.
Respectfully,
WARREN PARKER.
Conclusion.
The conclusion of the whole matter seems to be that we have a good working system of schools in which our citizens take pride, and which they are loyally support- ing. Harmony prevails throughout all departments of the work, and a loyalty to the trusts imposed, which makes all anxious to render to the public the best ser- vice which ingenuity can devise, and patient labor can accomplish. All departures from precedent have been
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carefully considered in advance, and the result has been an enduring progress.
It is always a pleasure to record my grateful appre- ciation of the service of the School Committee to me personally as well as to the schools.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM P. KELLY.
APPENDIX. School Directory-January, 1902.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1901-1902.
Charles E. Bliss, Chairman, 20 Peck street.
J. Harry Holden, Secretary, 140 County street.
William H. Garner, Dodgeville.
Benjamin P. King, 17 First street.
Miss L. P. Beers, 171 South Main street.
Dr. L. V. G. Mackie, I57 Pleasant street.
Joseph O. Tiffany, 16 Hope street.
Harold E. Sweet,
7 Hope street.
Walter J. Newman, 177 Pine street.
SUB-COMMITTEES: Incidentals and Repairs.
J. O. Tiffany, Chairman. William H. Garner.
H. E. Sweet.
W. J. Newman.
J. H. Holden.
Text Books and Supplies :
Benjamin P. King, Chairman. Dr. L. V. G. Mackie
Miss L. P. Beers. W. H. Garner. W. J. Newman.
Qualifications of Teachers :
Charles E. Bliss, Chairman. Miss L. P. Beers.
J. Harry Holden. J. O. Tiffany. Dr. L. V. G. Mackie. H. E. Sweet. Regular meetings-First Monday of each month at 7:30 P. M.
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SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS:
William P. Kelly, 8 Prospect street.
Office at Academy building, Sanford street. Office hours-8:30 to 9:30 A. M. daily. 3:30 to 4:30 P. M., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (Va- cations and Holidays excepted.) Telephone No. 25-4.
Superintendent's Clerk :
Alice I. Wetherell, 32 Sanford street. Office hours-8:30 to 12 A. M. I :30 to 4:30 P. M. on school days.
No School Signals.
For all Attleboro Schools but the High School. Consist of Four Double Strokes on the Fire Alarm, 2-2-2-2.
Given at.
They Mean.
7:45 A. M. No session for any grade that morning only.
Afternoon session for all grades as usual, unless the signal is repeated at II :15 A. M.
8:15 A. M. No school, either morning or afternoon, that day for Kindergartens and Primary schools, (Grades I .- IV.)
II :15 A. M. No afternoon session for any school. Primary Schools then in session close for the day at 12 M. All higher grades then in session close for the day at I P. M.
Note :- Dodgeville and Hebronville villages will be
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notified by the ringing of the factory bells, there being no fire alarm bell there. Turner Street School will be governed by the Pawtucket signals and Robinson School by the Valley Falls signals.
Calendar, 1902.
Winter term of 12 weeks, December 30 to March 21. Vacation, I week.
Spring term of 12 weeks, March 31 to June 20. Vacation, 10 weeks.
Fall term of 16 weeks, September 2 to December 19. Vacation, I week.
TEACHERS. (January, 1902).
High School:
Wilbur D. Gilpatric, Principal, ... 62 North Main street. Ambrose B. Warren, Sub-Master, Science,
62 North Main street. Walter H. Detmers, Ancient Languages, Briggs House. Amy E. White, Mathematics, 54 Dean street.
Grace H. Chamberlain*, English, 6 Hope street. Lavinia S. Roset, English, . 6 Hope street. M. Edith Winslow, Bookkeeping and Stenography,
6 Hope street.
Edith St. John, French and History, 103 Pleasant street.
Sanford Street.
S. C. Hutchinson, Principal, Grades IX., VIII., 165 South Main street. *On leave of absence. ¿Temporary appointment.
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Harriet E. Boynton, grades IX., VIII.,
89 North Main street.
Cora A. Crittenden, grade VIII., 12 Mechanic street.
Susie B. Morse, grade VIII., 87 Dean street.
Hannah M. Pratt, grade VII., 87 Dean street. O. C. Chatterton, (Mrs.) grade VII., 205 South Main street.
Margaret A. Gow, grade VI., 7 Holden street. Susan K. McIntyre, (Mrs.) grade V., 65 Bank street. Stella F. Thomas, grade IV., . 130 South Main street.
Frances E. Donovan, grade IV., 8 School street.
Mary E. McManus, grade III., 82 Dean street.
A. Gertrude Sweeney, grade II., 52 Holman street.
Bertha L. Mowry, grade I., 5 Second street.
Richardson.
Harriet A. P. Roth, Principal, grade VII.,
89 North Main street.
Blanche G. Fuller, grade VII., 89 North Main street. Jennie M. Wood, grade VI., 8 School street
Bertha E. Hopkins, grade VI., 89 North Main street.
Annabelle L. Troupe, grade V., 8 School street.
Edith A. Holton, grade V., 89 North Main street. Flora E. Newell, grade IV., 22 East street.
Abbey A. Kirmayer, grade III., 2161/2 Pine street. Odessa A. Gates, grade III., 160 Union street. L. Jean Herrick, grade II., 177 Pine street. Eleanor M. Lillibridge, grade I., Hebronville.
Farmers.
Isabel T. Kingston, grades V., IV., III., 23 Peck street. Grace E. Hixon, Assistant, grades V., IV., III.,
7 Holden street.
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Mary E. Hatten, grades II., I., ... . 10 Deanville street.
Capron.
Mabel E. Wetherbee, grades III., II., 140 County street. Retta R. Barrett, grade I., 140 County street. Carpenter Street.
Florence A. Everett, grades II., I., 89 North Main street. Elizabeth R. Holbrook, grade I.,
(Rear) 163 South Main street. South Main Street.
Evelyn O'Brien, grade IV., .. . . 169 South Main street.
Pleasant Street.
Edith M. Perry, grades III., II., 187 Pleasant street.
Eva L. Thurber, grades II., I., Lindsey street.
Dodgeville.
Florence C. Baker, grades V., IV., III., 30 Orange street. Blanche E. Carpenter, grade II.,
IO Hume street, Pawtucket, R. J.
Ada J. Smith, grade I., 5 Gustin avenue. Lelia M. Small, Kindergarten, Dodgeville. Florence L. Gould, Assistant, Kindergarten,
152 Union street.
Hebronville.
John R. King, Principal, grades VIII .- V.,
68 Peck street. Minnie A. Walker., grades IV., III., .. Pawtucket, R. T. Jennie S. Pierce, grade II., Hebronville.
Clara F. Bourne, grade I., Hebronville.
Kathrina S. Thayer, Kindergarten, Steere street. Mabel E. Bethel, Assistant, Kindergarten, Hebronville.
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South Attleboro.
Nellie F. Atwood, Principal, grades IX .- VII.,
South Attleboro.
R. Mildred Carpenter, grades VI .- IV., Io Hume street, Pawtucket, R. I. Bertha E. Gibson, grades III .- I., 797 Broadway, Pawtucket, R. I.
Robinson.
Annie C. Healy, Primary grade,
118 Fountain street, Pawtucket.
Marguerite E. H. Lovewell, Grammar grade, 118 Fountain street, Pawtucket.
Turner Street.
Winnifred A. Wheelock, grades VIII .- IV.,
876 North Main street, Pawtucket. R. Lillian Hynes, grades III .- I., 118 Fountain street, Pawtucket. Bertha C. Partenheimer,* Kindergarten.
Briggs Corner.
Julia L. Merry, (Mrs.) grades I .- VIII., Briggs Corner. H. Marion Lillibridge, Assistant, Hebronville. Perry.
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