USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1906 > Part 9
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Water Department, labor. 1.00
D. Briggs, labor. 2.50
Stanley Shaw, labor .50
Simeon Collins, labor
7.90
207
ANNUAL REPORT.
Mrs. Solomon Perry, labor. 2.20
Samuel H. Heaton, labor and ma-
terial 22.97
Chas. F. Damon, labor and material
26.75
San Souci Dept. Store, supplies. . 1.00
A. F. & F. Bray, supplies.
.40
Aldrich-Chipman Co., supplies.
4.70
D. H. Smith, use of chairs
5.00
Lester Moore, services. 10.00
H. B. Shaw, carriage hire. 2.00
Bates Opera House, Opera House.
70.00
Dickerson Teaming Co., labor. . .
3.25
Geo. B. Reynolds, labor. .60
M. F. Ashley & Co., material.
2.73
Orient Mfg. Co., spray, etc.
18.00
Carpenter & Streeter, labor and ma- terial
238.00
M. Munroe & Son, labor and ma- terial 7.00
Frank Shaw, labor
164.00
Boston Regalia Co., supplies.
6.75
James H. Rhodes & Co., supplies. .
52.28
Geo. C. Peck, supplies
I.IO
John Eden, labor.
3.50
F. H. Perry Co., supplies
I.IO
G. R. S. Killam, labor
1.50
H. F. Conant, surveying.
35.30
David Harley Co., supplies.
1.50
J. M. Seagraves, labor and material
14.58
Ideal Ventilator Co., ventilators ...
6.50
John T. Cottrell & Co., material. .
2.79
Street Department, crushed stone.
7.33
Auto Electric Co., wiring.
170.00
Total
$7,788.19
Total general account.
$63,091.64
208
ANNUAL REPORT.
Balance
1,793.84
$64,885.48
Recapitulation of Incidental and Repair Account.
Amount expended
$7,788.19
$7,788.19
For general repairs
$4,768.52
For furniture
977.71
For graduation expenses 120.05
For Superintendent of Schools,office expenses, car fare, etc.
188.08
For Attleborough Gas Co., gas.
50.08
For Truant Officer's salary.
472.13
For laundry
40.26
For general supplies, not chargeable
to text-book and supply ac-
count
535-78
For incidentals and Committee ex- penses
635.58
Respectfully submitted,
$7,788.19
W. J. NEWMAN, Secretary of Committee.
Examined January 18, 1907, and found correct.
BENJAMIN F. LINDSEY, FREDK. L. LeBARON, W. L. ELLIOT, Auditors.
209
ANNUAL REPORT.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Attleborough :
The schools have moved along for the past year with very little friction, but we trust with improvement in many ways. It is an easy task to stand on the outside and criticise and find fault with the management of affairs, but quite a different thing to so adjust matters that every thing will work, or accomplish the desired result. Your Committee have an earnest desire and purpose to so guide school affairs that the advantages and opportunities for our children shall be of the best, and our schools take high rank among the best schools of the State for efficiency and practical help to those who attend them; but we are finite and can only advance as we see light.
School Buildings.
Our school buildings are all quite modern and the school rooms are very pleasant. But the wear and tear of seats, floors, and hallways, by the more than two thousand children for ten months in a year, is consid- erable; and that, with painting, heating, grounds, and various repairs too numerous to mention, requires so great an outlay that for several years we have used more than the amount set apart for that work. We think, how- ever, that the money has been used very carefully and prudently.
Our buildings in the center of the town are getting quite full and in some of the schools assistants have to be employed. We do not wish to ask for more buildings at present, as our High School building in from two to five years will be outgrown, and a new one will have to be provided. Then the present High School building, which is in good condition, has eight rooms and two reci- tation rooms, and is well equipped for more than three
210
ANNUAL REPORT.
hundred scholars, will make a good plant for higher grades, that to duplicate would cost from thirty-five to forty thousand dollars; and that will leave plenty of room for lower grades in our present buildings. There- fore your Committee would recommend the Town to take measures to procure a suitable lot for a new High School building, at once, as plenty of time and great care should be given to so important a matter. From two to three years could be well used to procure lot, plans, and build- ing. Mr. Everett S. Horton offers a lot across the street from present building, corner of Bank and Peck streets, 142x170 feet, containing over one-half acre, at a price for which the buildings upon it will pay the interest; also a lot to put said buildings on, if wanted, when it is desired to clear the lot. It seems to your Committee a very favorable opportunity to obtain a good site for the purpose desired. We recommend the School Committee be authorized by the Town to secure the lot.
Transportation.
The statute law of the State says that money appro- priated for transportation shall be used at the discretion of the School Committee. Our Town has grown and is growing so rapidly in all directions, that the Committee have not been able to please everybody, while trying to be as fair and equal in their decisions as they possibly could. Unless the privilege of transportation is guarded very carefully, it can be made quite an expense and bur- den to the taxpayers. The scholars to High School come from South Attleboro, Hebronville, Dodgeville, Briggs Corner, and homes quite a distance from school. There have been some requests for transportation. The Com- mittee have never felt that they were authorized to pay any transportation for High School scholars, as attend- ance there is optional-scholars can go or not, as they please-while the law compels attendance at grammar
211
ANNUAL REPORT.
grades. Your Committee desires to act in a way agree- able to the wishes of the Town, and would request some action or vote expressing the will of the Town on the matter ; otherwise they must continue to use their dis- cretion.
Benevolence.
Our Truant Officer, Mr. Warren Parker, when called upon to look up absentees from school, is often met with the excuse, especially during the winter terms, that chil- dren have no shoes, rubbers, stockings, or suitable clothing for cold days. We must expect among two thou- sand children there will be some whose parents cannot supply needed articles. These cases we desire to help; but we also find other cases in which the parents are able to supply all the needs of their children, but they neglect to do so, and endeavor by all ways possible to get them supplied by the truant officer. It takes time, patience, and experience to sift the worthy from the un- worthy. We think Mr. Parker has succeeded in handling the trying business carefully and with fair success.
New Sanitaries.
At the last annual meeting, the Town appropriated the sum of five thousand dollars for the purpose of in- stalling sanitaries at Pleasant street, Farmers, City, Dodgeville, and Hebronville schools. The School Com- mittee appointed Charles E. Bliss, Thomas G. Sadler, and Harvey E. Clap a sub-committee to have full charge of the work. Messrs. Fuller & Warren of Boston looked over the buildings and prepared plans and specifications. Bids were advertised for in the Attleboro Sun. In response bids were received and carefully examined. A bond of $1,500.00 was required for the faithful per- formance of the work and its completion in the specified time. The J. W. Gifford Co. was awarded the contract
212
ANNUAL REPORT
for the sum of $4,395.00. Under the careful supervision of Mr. Thomas G. Sadler, the work was completed in the specified time and in a manner very satisfactory to the sub-committee. All our school buildings are now sup- plied with suitable sanitary fixtures with the exception of the Robinson school, which is outside the line of water pipes, and South Main street, where it does not seem feasible to put them in at present.
Amount of appropriation
$5,000.00
Expense of advertising,
$2.93
Plans and specifications, Fuller & Warren
I50.00
The J. W. Gifford Co
4.395.00
Thomas G. Sadler
100.00
John Eden
21.75
Henry A. Lord.
26.43
$4,696.11
Balance
$303.89
Vacation Schools.
Schools were maintained at Dodgeville and Hebron- ville for seven weeks during the summer vacation. Work and recreation were wisely mixed, and the result was very satisfactory. The work of the schools was placed on exhibition in the office of the Superintendent and was considered very creditable. For more detailed account see report of Superintendent.
Individual Teachers.
Your Committee are thoroughly convinced that the plan of personal help for the backward scholars is one of the best yet adopted. The trial that has been given
213
ANNUAL REPORT.
the plan for the past seven months has worked well, and has helped us arrive at the conclusion that more teachers could be used in that kind of work, to the great advantage of those scholars who for various reasons find it difficult to do the work required.
Teachers.
Our schools have increased so that we now have seventy-one teachers in our day schools. We cannot ex- pect that all will be of the highest efficiency, but taken together we have a fine, earnest, conscientious corps of teachers, who, in unison and harmony with our excellent Superintendent, are doing good work with our school children, and should be highly appreciated by our people. Our requirements and ideas of what constitutes a good teacher have increased considerably during the last few years, and it has been much more difficult to obtain such as we desire during the past year than ever before ; but the Town has been quite generous in its ap- propriations in the past, and we expect it will in the future enable us to increase teachers' wages enough to compete with other towns for the best.
Reports.
We again request and sincerely hope that you will care- fully read and examine the reports given regarding school affairs. They are of great importance to every citizen and taxpayer. More than one-third of the money raised annually by taxation is expended on our schools, and the result of the outlay in educating and training our children for the duties of citizenship is of vital im- portance to parents, Town, and State. You should in- terest yourselves enough to know that value is received for money expended.
214
ANNUAL REPORT.
For the year 1907 the Committee ask for the following appropriation in addition to the dog fund:
Educational $51,000.00
Incidentals and repairs
8,000.00
Text-books and supplies
3,500.00
Transportation
2,600.00
Evening schools
1,000.00
Benevolence
300.00
School physician
200.00
Respectfully submitted, $66,600.00
CHARLES E. BLISS, Chairman ;
WALTER J. NEWMAN, Secretary ;
BENJAMIN P. KING,
GEORGE K. ROBERTS,
EMILY L. RICHARDSON,
FLORENCE B. THEOBALD,
THOMAS G. SADLER,
HARVEY E. CLAP,
School Committee.
215
.
ANNUAL REPORT.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee of the Town of Attleborough :
I have the honor to submit my second annual report, it being the twenty-third in the series of superintendents' reports.
Educational progress, like history, is usually slow in the making; and it is often impossible to see clearly from day to day that definite progress is being made. But when, at certain intervals, the present is compared with the past, then it is possible to determine whether or not progress has been made. We do not expect to advance by leaps and bounds ; but we do want to feel that there has been a sure and steady forward movement toward the educational ideal for which we are striving. Educational theories without number may be brought forward and strongly advocated; but only time and experience will prove whether those theories are founded on sound peda- gogical principles, and whether they are practicable and desirable for our schools.
In my report of last year. I tried to outline the educa- tional policy that I wished to carry out. It was in line with what I conceive to be the general sentiment among the educational leaders of the country. That sentiment places quality of work done before quantity accom- plished. To do well what we do, has been and I hope will always be our aim. It is not so much the number of graduates from the grammar and high schools that will constantly tend to raise the educational standard of the community, as the quality of the preparation which they have received for taking their places in the duties and activities of life. Whatever has been done during the past year has been undertaken with the constant aim of giving the scholars increased educational advantages, that they in turn, when they become active in the busi- ness, social, religious and intellectual activities of the community, may give to the Town new life and new vigor in matters of intelligence and education.
216
ANNUAL REPORT.
No startling or radical changes in the school curricu- lum have been made, and probably none will be made. It is not desirable to be the first to try new theories, neither is it wise to be the last to give up old ones. When new ideas and new theories have been thoroughly tried and found practicable elsewhere, then such of them as will be for the best interests of the schools and the town should be adopted. What has been undertaken this year is shown by the following brief summary :
I. Time given to English in the High School in- creased two-thirds in the freshman class, and one-third in the rest of the classes.
2. Individual instruction for backward scholars.
More attention to fundamental processes in arith- 3. metic.
4. Vertical writing changed for slant, and a super- visor of penmanship elected.
5. Sewing in grades V-VIII; cardboard construc- tion in grades IV-VI; elementary sloyd in grade VII.
6. The introduction of a new spelling book that prom- ises better results than we formerly succeeded in getting.
7. Medical inspection in accordance with the law of the State.
English in the High School.
These changes indicate to some extent what is being done to improve the quality of the work in the schools. In the High School, Latin, Greek, French and German had each been given five recitation periods per week for four, three, and two years, while only three recitation periods per week were given to English. . Believing that our own language should receive as much attention as a foreign language, the number of recitations in English has been increased from three to five per week in the freshman class and from three to four in the other classes. To do this it was necessary to increase the num-
.
217
ANNUAL REPORT
ber of teachers in the High School, and a ninth teacher was added in September. There can be no doubt that this change will soon make itself felt in a marked im- provement in the English work of the entire school.
Individual Instruction.
A second step in the line of progress is the introduc- tion of special teachers to give instruction to those scholars who, on account of absence, poor health, or for any other reason, are not doing work up to the standard done by the class. In the spring term two teachers for such work were employed in the Sanford street and Richardson schools. The results were so encouraging that in the fall the number of such teachers was in- creased to three. These teachers have given instruction to 759 different scholars. Out of this number 109 would certainly have fallen below grade if they had not received this instruction. These figures are conservative, but they show that the expense involved has been amply jus- tified. Each teacher has kept up to grade an average of 36 scholars. For the school year these figures will be slightly increased. Not only have these scholars been kept from dropping back, but, in consequence of this work, teachers report that the work of their whole school has shown improvement.
Drill in Fundamentals.
The drill in fundamental processes in arithmetic that was begun last year is still being continued. We realize that we are far short of our ideal-perfection-in this sub- ject, and that we can never expect to reach it. We do hope, however, to get a good deal closer to it than we now are. To teach scholars accuracy in number work is essential; to combine speed with accuracy is hardly less essential ; and our success in obtaining this result constitutes our
218
ANNUAL REPORT
standard of efficiency in this subject in the lower grades. If this work is not properly done in these grades, the work in the upper grades falls flat, because there is no adequate foundation on which to build. To neglect this drill in the lower grades for the sake of giving the child a vague, and, to him, comparatively useless familiarity with a great variety of the numerous applications to which numbers may be put, is to deprive him of a part of his education that is rightly his-the lack of which may have a far-reaching effect upon his future success and happi- ness-without giving him an adequate substitute in re- turn.
Penmanship.
In abandoning vertical writing and returning to a slant, the general movement in this respect throughout the State and country was followed. At the time the subject was under discussion, at the first of the year, it was found as a result of investigation, that about 65% of the cities and towns in the State had changed, or were about to change, from the vertical to a slant system. Vertical writing is, without doubt, more legible and bet- ter adapted to lower grades than the old slant; but it was claimed that it was much slower to write than the slant, and it was never generally approved by the busi- ness men of the country. A medial slant has been adopted, which, it is hoped. will be easy for the lower grades and allow speed in the higher grades.
The change from vertical writing to slant, it was antic- ipated, would be made with a great deal of difficulty, especially in the upper grades. Partly to help overcome this difficulty, and partly because it has always been felt that good results in writing were hardest to obtain with- out special supervision, it was decided to secure a super- visor of penmanship. Mr. John L. Howard, an expert penman, and a supervisor for several years in Malden, Winchester, and other places, was appointed to the posi-
219
ANNUAL REPORT.
tion. The results already obtained show that this course was a wise one, and the slant writing has been taken up by the scholars with enthusiastic interest.
Manual Training.
According to the report of the U. S. Commissioner of Education for 1904, there are in the United States 588 cities and towns having a population of 8,000 or over. In more than two-thirds of these cities and towns manual training, apart from drawing, forms a part of the course of instruction in the public schools. In Massa- chusetts, according to the same report, there are 57 cities and towns having a population of over 8,000, and in 35 of them manual training forms a part of the course of instruction in some of the grades. According to the State law every city and town of 20,000 or more inhabi- tants must maintain the teaching of manual training as a part of both its elementary and its high school system. A small beginning has been made in the way of intro- ducing manual training into the schools. Cardboard construction has been given one hour a week in grades V and VI. Elementary sloyd has been given the same time in grade VII in the schools in the center of the town. Sewing, through the willingness of the teachers, has been taught to the girls in grades V-VIII. Owing to lack of facilities we have not attempted any manual work in grade VIII. Provision should be made, how -. ever, as soon as the opportunity presents itself, for manual instruction as a part of the grammar and high school course. No town can profit by such instruction more than Attleborough, and some more decided move in this direction should be taken before the size of the town makes it compulsory. As to the value of this instruction there can be no doubt ; it is only a question of ways and means to provide for it.
220
ANNUAL REPORT.
Reading.
Although we wish to keep up with whatever is new in education that seems to us desirable, yet we still cling tenaciously to the old. The three R's are still the foun- dation on which we build, and they, together with spell- ing, still constitute what we consider the most important subjects in our course of study. I have already spoken of the attention which is being given to arithmetic and writing. Emphasis is also being placed to the same ex- tent of reading and spelling. In reading effort 13 being made in every grade from the first through the eighth, to obtain good, natural expression, combined with fluency, clear enunciation, and good quality of tone. The child in reading, must first comprehend the meaning of what he reads before he can express that meaning. It is possible for a child to read with expression without grasping the meaning of what he is reading, but that is an artificial expression and should be guarded against. Good expression is natural expression, and can be ob- tained only when the child understands the thought of the writer, and tries to give that thought to the hearer.
Spelling.
In spelling a few words a day are taken and are taught thoroughly ; not merely the letters that make up the word, but also the meaning of the word and its use. If in this way at the end of eight years our grad- uates from the grammar school can be given a command of 8000 words, with a knowledge of a few rules by which a great many more words are formed, they will have been given a good start in their efforts to learn the English language. We are trying in spelling, as in all subjects, to do well what we do, believing that the satisfaction and the stimulus arising from the knowledge of such ac- complishment will be a mighty power for future en- deavor on the part of the scholar.
221
ANNUAL REPORT.
School Physician.
By the act of the Legislature, approved June 20, 1906, the town was obliged to appoint a school physician and to furnish him with proper facilities for the performance of his duties as laid down in the same act. The town, at a special town meeting, appropriated seventy-five dol- lars to pay for the services of such a physician for the balance of the financial year, and the Committee unanimously elected Dr. George K. Roberts to fill the position. Your attention is called to his report.
Attendance.
Although the enrollment in all the schools has in creased but little over last year, yet the enrollment for December in the schools in the center of the town is larger than it has been in any month for two years. The primary grades at present are badly crowded and it is often a perplexing problem to find a place for a scholar who wishes to enter school. In the upper grades, also, each teacher has as many scholars as she should have and be expected to do good work. If it is necessary, more scholars can be crowded into some rooms, and by using more assistants we can manage to get along for a while.
I do not consider this method, however, economical, either educationally or financially. There are now in the center of the town, four rooms in which the enrollment is sixty scholars and in which assistants are employed. In these four rooms eight teachers are employed for the instruction of 240 scholars, whereas if there were a suffi- cient number of rooms, instruction could be given to at least 360 scholars, or 120 more than at present.
Stated differently, there are in each of these four rooms from 12 to 15 scholars more than one teacher alone can teach efficiently. For the instruction of these
.).).)
ANNUAL REPORT.
extra scholars it is necessary to employ four assistants at an expense of $1740. The salary of two teachers could certainly be saved if there were more rooms, and I have no hesitation in saying that the work would be done bet- ter. From present indications it will be necessary to employ one or two more assistants next year, unless something unexpected happens to keep children out of school.
Were it not for the fact that the new parochial school in Hebronville took about a hundred scholars out of the public schools, the enrollment figures would show a sur- prising gain. The enrollment in the Hebronville school for December is only 13 less than it was in December, 1904; and for Dodgeville and Hebronville combined only 26 less than it was at that time.
If the town continues to grow next year as it has in the past, some rooms will be badly crowded. It is not good policy to allow the schools to become so crowded before building that the quality of the school work is impaired. Steps should be taken at once to meet future needs.
Age and Schooling Certificates.
Another thing that has greatly decreased the number of scholars in school this year has been the unusual de- mand for boys and girls to work in the shops. There have been issued during the past year 292 age and schooling certificates to minors between the ages of 14 and 16. The number of such certificates issued in 1905 was 190, and in 1904 was 166. Over 50% more certifi. cates have been issued this year than were issued last year, and while a great many were for minors from other towns, yet the most of them were for boys and girls of the grammar grades who were attracted from school by the great demand for help in the shops. While we all rejoice at the material prosperity that the town is en- joying, yet we cannot help feeling that the prosperity
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