USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1908-09 > Part 20
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As the laboratories have to be used for other than laboratory purposes the best equipment is impracticable. Much of the apparatus used in the modern laboratories is greatly injured by being moved about. Until appara- tus can be properly tabled and closeted, much of it is too expensive to have. Besides the wear and tear in moving apparatus a great deal of an instructor's time is wasted in preparing for experiments. Many experiments re- quire several days for completion and the clearing away of the apparatus each day necessitates much loss of time.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The present school library is so situated that it cannot be used conveniently. Access to it is through a recita- tion room and pupils going to and from the library dis -. turb two classes. The school library should be made a very important part of a high school pupil's training.
The modern school brings an increased amount of office work. Our office is not connected with the rest of the building by telephone, that means a waste of time in communicating with the various rooms. The location of the office, too, is inconvenient. If the Principal wishes to see a teacher or pupil in person, when school is in session, he must pass through two recitation rooms ; and all pupils coming to the office must pass through one or more recitation rooms.
Our corridors should be larger for the number of pupils in the high school. When pupils pass at recess the corridors are completely filled and pupils often have to wait on the stairs until those in the corridors pass out. The stairway from the second to the third floor is narrow. Because of the large number of pupils who have work on this floor, a narrow stairway is very inadequate.
The physical welfare of the pupils is being more and more emphasized in the modern high school. Room exercises, if our rooms permitted them, are not very sat- isfactory at the best. We need a gymnasium as a part of our building. That would make possible some physi- cal drill for all, and would give opportunity for the development of the game instinct so pronounced in pupils of the high school age. It costs our pupils $15.00 a week for a room to play the only winter game we have, and this year we spent weeks in getting a hall even at that price.
We shall soon need industrial rooms. The manual training begun in the grades should be supplemented in the high school. Manual training schools throughout the United States aim at giving a broad general foun-
163
ANNUAL REPORT
dation. When the foundation is built the structure should be carried to completion. A technical course is the structure built upon a manual training foundation. It would seem that Attleboro could well afford to pro- vide industrial training in the high school because the industry of the town is so largely confined to one line of manufacturing, and when that industry calls for the services of both boys and girls there is a double reason.
One of our greatest needs is an assembly room. The disadvantages of not having a room in the building that will seat all the pupils, even when two pupils are in one seat, is evident. The unity of the school ought to be realized by every pupil, but unity becomes largely theory when the pupils cannot sit in a body for any purpose. Our music classes number more than 175, and all these pupils are put into a room that has only 80 seats.
I have briefly indicated our needs as they appear to us. Other needs might be given. If we are to have our high school among the best, we must have more recita- tion rooms, larger and better equipped laboratories, in- «lustrial rooms, a drawing room, a library, a lunch room, a gymnasium, and an assembly room. We need the 250 more boys and girls who ought to be in the high school.
Respectfully submitted,
FRED U. WARD.
164
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools :
The first problem that confronts the teacher of sing- ing in the public schools where every pupil is expected to sing is the problem of the monotone, the unmusical pupil. The pupil may appear unmusical from either of three different causes: he may be too bashful to sing; he may not be able to control his voice although hear- ing perfectly well the melodic line his voice ought to trace; or he may not hear correctly or know what he hears.
The method adopted to teach every pupil to sing in tune, to listen attentively, to train the voice as well as the ear, to bring each one into the realm of . music is proving successful beyond all our expectation, and it is the exception rather than the rule to find a pupil who has not learned to sing in tune and in time with other pupils before he leaves the third grade.
The subject of first importance is to develop good tone quality in all our school singing. The majority of our classes have now attained a tone quality that is at all times pleasant to hear. This is due to the practice of using the head voice, the natural voice of the child, and its cultivation is giving to our singing a quality that is having a refined and enriching influence on the lives of our pupils.
It is our constant aim in all the grades to get as much of the song spirit into the lives of the pupils as possible by giving them the very best and most attractive songs obtainable and by the use of these songs as a basis to proceed to develop technical skill. This technical work is so graded that the pupil is led through the various diffi- culties until he is familiar with the problems of music necessary to enable him to carry a part in chorus or concert work.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The regular work of the high school chorus is a source of constant wonder to me. The interest mani- fested by these boys and girls in the best music-music by Handel, Haydn, Gounod and Wagner-is most grati- fying. When a chorus would rather sing The Crea- tion, or Tannhauser, or Faust, or some of the other standard works, and enjoy doing so, I feel that they have early in life learned to appreciate the best in music, the study of which adds to the pleasure of life and ex- erts a cultivating and inspiring influence on character.
The lecture recital on Handel and "The Messiah," which I spoke of in my last report, was followed by an- other one on the subject of the History of Opera and the Opera of Faust. That the pupils of our high school are interested in the more advanced study of music is evident by the interest shown in all their music work, and I hope that the time is not far distant when the town of Attleboro will provide the opportunity for this study. It would be a very easy matter to have one of the regu- lar teachers in the high school teach the subject of Har- mony or Musical History under the direction of the supervisor. That is the usual method in schools where advanced music work is done and has proved quite sat- isfactory. A class of this kind would be a special benefit to the pupils who are to go through Normal School and to the pupil who, naturally musical, would embrace any opportunity that would help to develop his musical talent.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN LAING GIBB.
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools :
The aim in our work this year is good drawing, keen observation and good taste. Every child capable of passing from grade to grade, can learn to his advantage something of drawing. Almost every child can be taught to appreciate and enjoy beautiful work, although he may produce but crude results. I often notice when work is put up for criticism in the schools, that the boy or girl whose paper has but little charm, is quick to see good work in other papers. This appreciation is by no means a substitute for doing, but the cultivation of ap- preciation is the foundation, and makes for better work. We are trying to get the best work of which each child is capable, and insisting on a little work well done, rather than a great amount of hasty work.
Our drawing is taken up under the same heads as last year, plant drawing, color, illustrative drawing, paper cutting, object drawing, landscape drawing, construction and design.
Instead of making many isolated things in construc- tion, the work in the first three grades is planned about a "centre of interest." The first grade make a winter scene, which includes houses, barns, trees, sleds, chil- dren, and horses and sleighs. A street scene is planned for the second grade. This includes houses, stores, churches, electric cars, horses and wagons. The third grade builds up a scene to illustrate Eskimo life. The value of this work comes from making many related ob- jects which will represent some phase of life in which the child has real interest.
In two fourth grades, and two third and fourth grades, we are trying the Munsell Color System. The idea of this system is to give the child measured colors which
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ANNUAL REPORT
are harmonious, and cultivate good taste from the start. This system differs from other systems in that the middle colors are taken as a basis for all color esti- mates.
The first of the year sketch books were started in all grades above the third. The work is optional and done at home. At the end of each month the books are brought back to school and marked, and a new subject given. The interest varies much in the different rooms. During December, but little thought was given to the books, but for the rest of the year as much attention as possible will be given to them. When pupils get to- gether and work from a well arranged group, and sketch what can be seen in the yard and down the street, the work seems worth while. We want to form the habit of a ready use of the pencil and get the child willing to express himself by drawing. Work from each grade is put up every month in the Sanford Street office.
In the high school, the freshman class is the only one having drawing during regular school hours. There are thirty-one pupils taking the course. The class is in two divisions, twenty taking freehand drawing and eleven taking mechanical drawing. The afternoon classes are a little larger than last year. Where, at that time, there was a class of sophomores in mechanical drawing. there is now a class of sophomores and also juniors. How- ever, there are but six pupils in each division. The sophomores, juniors and seniors work together the same afternoon in freehand drawing. There are nine pupils in the sophomore class, one in the junior, and two in the senior class. These classes would be much larger if they could be held in regular school hours.
The importance of drawing in the high school is not appreciated. The high school graduate who enters in- dustrial activities needs skill in drawing. The art
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ANNUAL REPORT
quality counts in the manufacture of jewelry, and dis- ciplined eyes and hands make efficient workmen. Dr. Charles Eliot says, "We must put into our industries the systematic cultivation of the workmen's sense of fit- ness and grace ; we must put the study of fine arts in our schools and colleges on a level with the study of science, philosophy and literature." The boys or girls going to college or normal school need drawing. The normal school trains the teachers for the grades, and if the high school sends pupils well prepared in drawing to the normal schools, the normal schools can accomplish more with the pupils going out as teachers.
Respectfully submitted, PERSIS A. CROWELL.
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF WRITING
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools :
In submitting my annual report for this year, I wish to say that the course of study and the method of in- struction are substantially the same as those used last year. I shall briefly outline what is meant by course of study and method of instruction.
The work in the first grade embraces the imitation of letters, words and simple sentences for the purpose of giving the pupils the idea of general form. In con- nection with word and sentence practice, arm movement exercises are practiced with lead pencil on manila paper, and also on the blackboard. The arm movement method of writing is, therefore, begun in the first grade, but only as supplementary work. The applica- tion of arm movement to writing is developed uncon- sciously on the part of the pupil as he advances from grade to grade.
In the second grade the imitation of letters, words and sentences is continued in a more advanced stage. The movement work is practically the same as it is in the first grade.
In the third grade we are continuing the same scheme of previous years, studying and practicing the small letters and the figures. In the fourth grade the prin- cipal part of the work is given to the studying and prac- ticing of capital letters and the figures. It is found by centering special attention and giving special practice on some particular number of letters and figures a great deal more can be accomplished than by teaching the letters and figures in a general way only. In the third and fourth grades, form study is of most importance. The movement work in the third and fourth grades is done wholly with pen and ink-something that was im-
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ANNUAL REPORT
possible to be done two or three years ago. By teaching movement exercises in the first and second grades as sup- plementary work, it is easy to continue the movement work with pen and ink in the third and fourth grades. Movement is thus developed carefully and accurately in the primary grades, but with no special thought of hav- ing the pupils write their lessons with arm movement. The movement becomes more or less a part of the pupil and develops easily and naturally as he advances in his work.
In the fifth and sixth grades, the work embraces the writing of movement exercises, letters, words, sen- tences, figures, etc. In these grades the application of the movement is required in the penmanship lesson and in all written work. Movement, therefore, is of most importance in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Since the arm movement is begun in the primary grades there is no radical change made in movement work when the pupils enter the fifth grade, which makes the teaching of the arm movement easy for the teacher and for the pupil.
In the seventh and eighth grades, the work is con- tinued in much the same way as in the fifth and sixth grades. Of course the arm movement method of writing is emphasized at all times and each pupil is aided in every way to apply this movement in everything that he writes.
Now a word as to the method of instruction. At this point let me emphasize the three requisites of a good handwriting: first, plainness or legibility; second, ease and endurance ; third, a reasonable degree of rap- idity. Writing should first and always be written so that it can easily be read, and the person who is writing it ought to be able to write easily without fatigue and at the same time be able to write fairly rapidly. These are the qualities of a handwriting that the supervisor is
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ANNUAL REPORT
constantly impressing upon the minds of the teachers and pupils in the Attleboro schools. It is impossible to have all these requisites in the primary grades, but as the pupils advance to the grammar grades this is the kind of writing that is being taught. The object, there- fore, in the grammar grades, and especially in the eighth grade, is to train the pupils to write a practical hand with a business-like movement. If this can be done- and I believe that it is being done better than ever be- fore in Attleboro-I feel that a style of writing is being taught the pupils that will be of inestimable value to them as they enter upon their work in the High School or go into a business office. I should like to emphasize another point here. In a practical handwriting it is not possible to have accuracy and rapidity at the same time That is to say, pupils-in fact, any one for that matter- do not have the ability to write a real accurate hand and at the same time a rapid hand. Therefore, the thing that I am trying to teach in the upper grades is a prac- tical style of writing, and a practical style of writing must necessarily be written with some degree of speed. When this degree of speed is applied to writing, the forms necessarily loose in accuracy, but not so much as to make the writing illegible. The most useful hand- writing, then, is the one written freely, easily, and some- what rapidly, rather than the handwriting that is written painfully slowly in which accuracy is the most prominent feature.
In conclusion, I wish to say that I am well pleased with the results in penmanship during the past year. I believe that there is an upward growth to the work of each year. However, there is still room for improvement and it is my earnest desire to promote the standard of penmanship in the schools of Attleboro.
I wish to thank the teachers for their co-operation and for the good work they are doing. The principals also
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ANNUAL REPORT
have my appreciation of their assistance in my depart- ment.
Thanking you and the Committee for your co-opera- tion and help, this report is
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN L. HOWARD
173
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE TRUANT OFFICER
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools :
I herewith submit my annual report as Truant Officer for the year ending December 31, 1909:
Number of cases investigated
Number of cases aided
January
66
37
February
36
I5
March
29
17
April
54
27
May
43
I3
June
23
8
September
30
II
October
36
IO
November
36
I3
December
38
22
Total
39I
I73
Appropriation for benevolence $250.00
Amount expended 228.60
Balance $21.40
Cases aided with clothing from donation from friends I8
Employment certificates and cards issued. 189
Calls made to schools. II4
Calls made to mills and factories 72
During the year it was necessary to resort to the court six times and the cases were disposed of as follows :
I Neglect to send child to school ; placed on probation.
I School offender; committed to Training School at Walpole.
2 Running away from school and home; continued.
I Habitual truant; laid on file.
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ANNUAL REPORT
I Breaking into Washington School; continued.
My sincere thanks are due the School Committee and Superintendent for their kind support and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
WARREN PARKER.
175
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
To the School Committee of the Town of Attleborough :
The School Physician has the honor to submit the following report for the year 1909.
During the year, visits to the various schools have been made at tri-weekly periods and at such other times as occasion demanded. The examinations of pupils totalled 2,240, including those necessary to the filling out of 130 certificates of vaccination, 28 permits to return to school and in taking 8 cultures from suspected throats. Epidemics of serious nature have been avoided during the year.
Every child attending school (excepting absentees) has been examined during the fall term, in all 2,212. From this inspection it appears that the most weighty problems in school hygiene are the proper care of throats, teeth and eyes, and the abatement of the vermin evil.
In regard to the last named condition, 114 cases were found this fall, a vast majority being in the "nit" stage. To aid in fighting this trouble, printed slips of direc- tions for the removal of vermin have been given to the affected pupils.
In reporting 480 cases of enlarged tonsils (and a large number of these same children undoubtedly possess adenoids) it is just to remark that a decided majority present symptoms demanding radical treatment.
Eight hundred one cases of decayed or unclean teeth prove the lack of proper attention by parents to the con- dition of their children's mouths.
It seems successfully demonstrated that the fountain system for drinking-water service far surpasses any ar- rangement using glasses or cups, individual or other- wise. In view of the merit in this method it seems folly to advocate any other less hygienic.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE E. McPHERSON, M. D.
School Physician.
Report of Examination of School Physician of Attleboro for 1909.
High
Sanford St.
Bliss
Richardson
Farmers
Carpenter
Capron
Pleasant
Street
Briggs
Dodgeville
Hebronville
South
Attleboro
Washington
Turner St.
South
Main St.
Total, 1909
1908
1907
Vermin.
..
18
11
33
15
9
11
11
16
23
21
8
11
2
2
191
88
161
Teeth
23
148
143
160
50
41
24
42
24
39
52
26
29
801
519
183
Throat .
1
2
2
2
4
24
13
17
16
25
29
32
21
31
5
486
241
323
Glands .
1
1
5
3
5
]
1
9
1
3
1
4
2
36
14
2
Lungs. .
1
1
·
·
4
39
3
6
2
LO
10
3
5
1
87
29
3
Headache
32
3
17
3
2
1
1 . .
5
66
34
21
Ear .
3
1
4
1
3
1
1
1
15
7
...
.
3
1
1
2
7
3
. .....
Nervous .
2
1
3
28
33
Heart .
3
8
31
Anæmia . . .
1
1
1
.
.
.
.
.
.
3
..
..
. ..
. ..
.
.
.
..
....
....
·
....
.
..
....
....
....
..
....
....
....
. . .
5
11
12
Defective. . .
1
.
.
.
.
.
....
..
....
Total. .
123
252
227
354
96
82
53
73
80
111
118
66
82
2
11
1731
1038
772
Number of examinations. .
.2420
Permits to return to school.
.28
Certificates of vaccination.
130
Cultures taken from throat.
. 8
.
.
. ..
1
1
..
.
. .
1
4
2
2
5
3
Stomach
1
1
..
.
.
.
.
1
1
10
. ...
..
.
..
4
Chicken-pox .
1
2
3
Whooping Cough .
2
1
1
.
.
ANNUAL REPORT
. .
12
46
...
Tonsils.
30
74
59
110
4
3
Skin .. .
1
.
.
.
Bladder
Eyes.
29
3
Nose. .
. .
.
1
3
1
1
Corner
Street
APPENDIX
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
The following statistics, so far as they relate to school attend- ance, are for the year from September, 1908, to June, 1909 :
Population, estimated, 1909. 18,500
School census, September, 1909 :
Number of children between five and fifteen. 2,581
Number of children between seven and fourteen 1,819
Whole number of pupils enrolled. 2,703
Boys
1,366
Girls
1,337
Average membership
2,351
Average attendance
2,210
Per cent. of attendance
94
Number of school buildingss
18
Number of school rooms.
63
Number of regular teachers
74
Number of special teachers for individual instruction. 3
Number of special supervisors
3
COST OF TUITION.
Valuation of Town of Attleboro, May 1, 1909 $14,909,990.00
Total raised by taxation. 277,821.82
Total raised by taxation for support of schools. 74,800.00
Expended for support of schools, exclusive of vacation and evening schools. 76,061.81
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership 32.35
Average cost of books and supplies per pupil, based on
average membership 1.70
HIGH SCHOOL.
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership 55.59
Average cost of books and supplies per pupil. 4.37
SCHOOLS BELOW THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership 29.99
Average cost of books and supplies per pupil. 1.43
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ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL DIRECTORY-JANUARY, 1910.
SCHOOL TELEPHONES.
High, 163-J
Richardson,
215-R
Bliss, 329-L
Briggs Corner,
242-Y
Dodgeville,
38-L
Hebronville,
36-Y
South Attleboro,
Pawtucket 818-R
Washington,
Pawtucket 213-M
TEACHERS.
HIGH SCHOOL-COR. OF BANK AND PECK STS.
Fred U. Ward, Prin., Latin,
121 County St. 54 Dean St.
Amy E. White, Mathematics,
Clara E. Parker, History,
4 Prospect St.
Edith L. Claflin, German and Science,
144 Pleasant St.
Ethel M. Piper, French,
3 Peck Ave.
Lida H. Marrs, Commercial Branches,
62 North Main St.
Edward H. Smith, Science,
62 North Main St.
Dora E. Smith, English,
1 Peck Ave.
Alice J. Macomber, English and Mathematics, 21 Hodges St.
Martha A. Clapp, English and Latin,
35 Peck St.
SANFORD STREET SCHOOL.
Room.
1. Frederick H. Buck, Prin., VIII, 25 Peck St.
1. Ruth A. Tourtellotte, Asst., VIII,
205 South Main St.
2. Florence E. Wilcox, VII, 89 North Main St.
3. O. Cora Chatterton (Mrs.), VI, 205 South Main St. 24 Dean St.
4. Hannah M. Pratt, VII, VI,
5. Nellie L. Barker, IV, III, 33 Elizabeth St. 171 South Main St.
6. Eliza C. Hunt, IV,
7. Viola F. Leland, V,
205 South Main St.
8. Frances E. Goodale, V,
29 John St.
9. Mary E. McManus, III,
82 Dean St.
10. Bertha L. Mowry, I,
5 Second St.
11. Gladys M. Teasdale, II, Ellis Road, North Attleboro
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION.
Leonora P. Beers, 171 South Main St.
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ANNUAL REPORT
RICHARDSON SCHOOL-COR. PEARL AND PINE STREETS.
Room.
1. Walter I. Chapman, Prin., VIII, 7 Jackson St.
1. Emilie C. Caase, Asst., VIII,
20 Florence St.
2. Bertha Thayer, VII, 48 Dunham St.
3. Harriett M. Miller, VI, 33 Elizabeth St.
4. Louise McNerney, VII, VI,
206 Park St.
5. Annie L. Williams, V,
7 Pearl St.
6. Laura M. Howland, IV,
23 East St.
7. Helen B. Marsh, III,
23 East St.
8. Minnie A. Walker, IV, III, R. F. D. No. 2, Rehoboth, Mass.
9. Addie F. Sanborn, II, 205 South Main St.
10. Eleanor M. Lillibridge, I, R. F. D. No. 4
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION.
Louise E. Thornton,, 19 East St.
BLISS SCHOOL-PARK STREET.
Room.
1. Willard M. Whitman, Prin., VIII,
1. Alice M. McNerney, Asst., VIII,
2. Lillian L. Chandler, VII,
3. Clara Currie, VI,
4. Florence E. Tartleton, V,
23 East St.
5. Florence L. Gould, IV,
6. Lucy H. George, III,
7. A. Gertrude Sweeney, II,
52 Holman St.
23 Emory St.
INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION. Susan K. McIntyre (Mrs.) 24 Dean St.
FARMERS SCHOOL-WEST STREET.
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