USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1917 > Part 9
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Bliss School Dodgeville Grade I-44
Grade I-41 pupils
III-44 IV-46 V-48
Hebronville
Grades II, III-41
Sanford Street
Grade
V -- 44
Grades V, VI-42 I, II-43
IV-47
IV -- 47 III-45
The number of pupils in these rooms totals 793. The total enrollment of pupils in grades I to VIII inclusive is 2537. This means that thirty per- cent of the pupils in the elementary grades are in rooms averaging 44 pupils per room. No teacher can do good work under these conditions and the schools will suffer till relief is afforded by additional accommodations.
The second room left unfinished at the erection of the Tiffany School was finished last summer and the entire eight rooms of the building are now in use. The number of pupils enrolled in this building is now 256. When the building was opened in February, 1913, the number enrolled was 160
The closing of the parochial school at Dodgeville made it necessary to open the vacant room in the Dodgeville building and added fifty-two pupils to the enrollment of the public schools.
IV -- School Buildings
Number of school buildings, September, 1917. 20
Number of school rooms (High School 25, grades 78) 103
Number of school rooms in use. .
94
V-Teachers
Total number of teachers and supervisors now employed 101
Number of teachers in High School . 17
Number of teachers in grades I-VIII 74
Number of teachers in kindergarten.
2
Number of teachers for individual instruction 4
Number of special teachers and supervisors 4
Richardson
Grade VII-42
V-48
III-41 III-44 Washington
Capron Grades II, III-41
V-44
122
ANNUAL REPORT
VI-Cost of Instruction
Valuation of the City of Attleboro, 1917 $20,505,840.00
Total raised by taxation 400,071.41
Total raised for the support of schools. 120,200.00
Total net expenditure for support of schools excluding vaca- tion and evening schools. 118,615.29
Average membership of day schools, September, 1916 to June, 1917 2,770
Amount expended per pupil based on average membership. . 42.82
Cost of books and supplies per pupil based on average mem- bership 1.92
High School
Total amount expended for High School including High School share of general expense.
$26,201.49 388
Average membership of High School, 1916-1917
Average cost per pupil, based on average membership 67.53
Cost of books and supplies per pupil 6.44
Elementary Schools
Total amount expended for elementary schools.
$92,413.80
Average membership of elementary schools for the year 1916-1917
2,382
Cost per pupil, based on average membership
38.80
Cost of books and supplies per pupil . 1.18
Teachers
During the year 1917, twenty-one teachers resigned from the teaching force, fourteen of them to accept better positions at higher salaries than Attleboro now pays.
Teacher
School
Mar. 7. William B. Alexander
Principal of High School
Mar. 31.
Mira Poler. High
April 21. Beulah B. Ross. Richardson
May 15. Herbert N. Nicholas. High
June 7. Mildred A. Farnsworth.
Bank Street
June 11. Marion Harney
Bliss
June 11. Robert W. Watts.
High
June 12. Leila M. Robinson
Tiffany
June 20. Ruby L. Johnson
Sanford Street
July 6. Mary V. Mulligan
Tiffany
July 10. Eleanor A. Parker
. Farmers
July 16. Dorothy M. Buffum
South Attleboro
July 29. Estelle M. Hartford.
Farmers
Aug. 3. Ross P. Chamberlain
High
Aug. 18. Lena F. Shaw.
High
Aug. 30. Alice J. Macomber.
High
Sept. 20. Leola B. Harlow
High
Nov. 6. Muriel Galpin.
High
Nov. 30. Gladys E. Wilbur High
Dec. 25. Alice M. Angevine.
Richardson
Dec. 25. Joseph M. McEvoy.
Richardson
123
ANNUAL REPORT
The list includes two strong principals, Mr. W. B. Alexander of the High School and Mr. J. M. McEvoy of the Richardson School, and a number of our strongest teachers. One teacher was granted leave of absence and two additional teachers were required for the new rooms opened in Septem- ber, so that out of a total of 101 teachers on January 1, 1918, there were 23 teachers who were not here last January. Ten of these changes occurred in the High School and an eleventh teacher, Mr. Harper, may be drafted at any time. So many changes in the High School must necessarily result in breaking up the work of the school and temporarily at least in reducing its efficiency. Until the city pays salaries sufficient to enable us to compete with other places, however, we must expect these changes to occur. Attle- boro expects to have as good schools as the other cities of Massachusetts, many of our schools are large and require teachers of experience and of more than ordinary ability, and yet the salaries paid are lower than teachers can obtain elsewhere. This year, especially, teachers are very much in demand and there will undoubtedly be many more changes before the opening of schools in September unless the teachers can be given an adequate increase in salary.
SCHOOL EXPENDITURES
The cost of maintaining the public schools depends upon a number of factors, the principal ones being the number of pupils, their location in the city, the quality of the education desired, and the ability of the city to pay. The following statistics taken from the State Report for the year 1916-1917 will show that the cost of the Attleboro schools compares favorably with other cities of similar size. For the purpose of comparison I have taken three places next larger than Attleboro, three places next smaller and North Attleboro
Table I
Population 1915
Valuation 1917
1. North Adams
22,035
$16,868,745.00
2.
Northampton
21,654
19,609,980.00
3. Peabody
18,625
16,040,000.00
4. Attleboro
18,480
22,263,140.00
5. Westfield.
18,411
12,848,808.00
6. Leominster
17,646
13,924,330.00
7. Melrose
16,880
20,647,150.00
North Attleboro
9,398
9,360,340 .00
While not the largest in population Attleboro has the largest valuation of this group.
Table II
Showing the number of pupils in average membership, total expendi- tures for support and expenditure per pupil for the year 1916-1917.
Average Membership
Total Expenditures $118,973.00
Cost per pupil
2. Westfield
3,000
115,958.00
38.65
3. Melrose.
2,624
111,588.00
42.53
4. Attleboro
2,770
111,290.00
40.18
5. Peabody
2,666
110,898.00
41.60
6. Northampton
2,755
106,926.00
38.81
7. Leominster
2,417
93,361 .00
38.63
North Attleboro
1,477
59,723.00
40.44
1. North Adams
2,891
$41.15
124
ANNUAL REPORT
Of the seven large places compared Attleboro ranks fourth in the total amount expended and in the cost per pupil being only four cents higher than the average cost per pupil of this group.
Table III
Showing cost per pupil for High School instruction and amount expended for text-books.
Instruction
Instruction
Books
1. Westfield.
$95.33
$.26
2. Northampton
82.24
2.24
3. North Adams
74.49
3.30
4. Attleboro.
64.32
1.52
5. Melrose.
63.68
2.32
6. Peabody
61.23
1.80
7. Leominster
58.16
2.40
North Attleboro:
82.87
6.14
The high cost for books in North Attleboro was undoubtedly caused by the fire; why Westfield is so low is hard to understand unless there is some error in the report.
Table IV
Showing valuation per pupil in the average membership.
1. Attleboro
$8,037.00
2. Melrose.
7,869.00
3. Northampton 7,118.00
4. North Adams
6,563.00
5. Peabody
6,017.00
6. Leominster.
5,761.00
7. Westfield.
4,283.00
North Attleboro
6,337.00
In valuation per pupil Attleboro ranks first in this group. Only thirteen cities have a higher valuation per pupil than Attleboro. These cities are:
1. Boston. $ $15,250.00 8. Fitchburg.
$8,795.00
2. Newton 12,785.00 9. Cambridge 8,727.00
3. Beverly. 11,692.00 10. Lawrence. 8,342.00
4. Springfield 11,288.00 11. Salem
8,262.00
5. Waltham 11,022.00 12. New Bedford. 8,204.00
6. Holyoke 10,321.00 13. Lowell 8,089.00
7. Quincy 9,031.00 14. Attleboro 8,037.00
Attleboro has a higher valuation per pupil than Melrose, Everett, Lynn, or Medford, and yet these places pay higher salaries than Attleboro and have taken teachers from Attleboro this year. Attleboro's wealth per pupil should enable her to compete with such cities.
Table V
The tax rate for all municipal purposes in Attleboro for 1916 was the same as for Northampton and was the lowest of the cities compared. 1. Attleboro. . $19.80
2. Northampton 19.80
3. Leominster 21.00
4. North Adams
21.10
5. Westfield.
21.80
6. Melrose.
22.00
7. Peabody
22.60
North Attleboro
22.00
125
ANNUAL REPORT
Table VI
The tax rate for school purposes in Attleboro is also the lowest of the group.
1. Attleboro
$4.99
2. Melrose
5.27
3. Northampton
5.37
4. Leominster
6.62
5. Peabody
6.86
6. North Adams
6.92
7. Westfield.
8.28
North Attleboro
6.21
Table VII
Of the total tax Attleboro is next to the lowest in the proportion of the tax devoted to school purposes.
Tax Rate
Tax rate for schools $5.27
Per cent of school tax to total tax
1.
Melrose.
$22.00
24℃
2. Attleboro
19.80
4.99
25.2
3. Northampton
19.80
5.37
27.1
4. Peabody.
22.60
6.86
30.4
5.
Leominster
21.00
6.62
31.5
6.
North Adams
21.10
6.92
32.8
7. Westfield.
21.80
8.28
38
North Attleboro
22.00
6.21
28.2
Table VIII
Compared with the other cities of the State, in the proportion of tax devoted to school purposes, Attleboro ranks 24 in the list.
Per cent of school tax to
Tax Rate
Tax rate for schools
total tax
1.
Chicopee
$18.70
$7.21
38.50
2.
Brockton.
22.80
7.67
33.6
3. Taunton
20.40
6.77
33.2
4. North Adams
21.10
6.92
32.8
5.
Leominster.
21.00
6.62
31.5
6.
Everett.
23.90
7.42
31
7.
Chelsea
24.00
7.30
30.4
8.
Peabody
22.60
6.86
30.4
9.
Malden
21.40
6.45
30.1
10.
Medford
19.80
5.84
29.5
11.
Worcester
20.00
5.85
29.3
12.
Marlboro
21.60
6.25
29
13.
Revere.
23.00
6.44
28
14.
Gloucester
22.00
6.09
27.7
15.
Haverhill
20.20
5.57
27.6
16.
Somerville.
21.40
5.89
27.5
17.
Pittsfield.
22.60
6.22
27.5
18.
Fall River
21.20
5.77
27.2
19.
Northampton
19.80
5.37
27.1
20.
Holyoke.
18.40
4.93
26.8
21.
Lawrence.
18.80
4.96
26.4
22.
Springfield
17.80
4.64
26
126
ANNUAL REPORT
23. Woburn
22.30
5.65
25.3
24. Attleboro
19.80
4.99
25.2
25. Fitchburg
20.40
5.05
24.8
26.
Cambridge
23.50
5.65
24
27.
Melrose.
22.00
5.27
23.9
28.
Lynn.
21.00
4.80
22.9
29.
Beverly.
15.60
3.55
22.7
30.
Newburyport
19.20
4.33
22.5
31.
Newton.
18.90
4.08
21.6
32.
Waltham
20.60
4.45
21.6
33.
Quincy
17.20
3.60
21
34.
Lowell
21.20
4.39
20.7
35.
Salem
22.90
4.47
19.9
36. New Bedford
23.00
4.53
19.7
37. Boston.
17.80
2.33
13.1
Attleboro appropriates for schools a lower per cent of the total tax than a majority of the cities of the State.
From these tables it can clearly be seen that of the seven cities compared,
1. Attleboro ranks first in valuation.
2. Attleboro ranks fourth in total amount expended for schools and in cost per pupil.
3. Attleboro ranks fourth in cost of High School instruction and sixth in the amount expended for books for the High School.
4. Attleboro ranks first in valuation per pupil. Only thirteen cities have a higher valuation.
5. Attleboro and Northampton have the lowest tax rate.
6. Attleboro's tax rate for school purposes is the lowest.
7. Attleboro expends for schools a smaller part of the total tax than any city except Melrose. Twenty-three cities spend a larger proportion of the total tax.
All of which means that Attleboro can afford to have a better school system if the people desire it. When a man buys an automobile he does not always buy the cheapest; he buys the best car he can afford that satisfies his needs. So in education the question ought not to be how much must Attleboro spend to maintain schools but rather how much can Attleboro afford to spend to maintain better schools. The cost of the schools ought to be determined by the wealth of the community and the kind of schools desired. Attleboro has the wealth as shown by the figures above. The people desire good schools. But Attleboro will continue to lose many good teachers to other places of less wealth unless salaries for Attleboro teachers are placed on a level with the salaries of such places. A slight increase in the tax for school purposes will make this possible, and it is hoped such action will soon be taken.
THE EIGHTH GRADE
In September, 1914, all the pupils in the eighth grades in the Sanford Street, Richardson and Bliss Schools were transferred to the old high school building leaving only two other schools in the city having the eighth grade, South Attleboro and Washington schools. This year more room was needed at the Washington School to relieve crowded conditions, and there were only two pupils in the eighth grade in South Attleboro, so that the eighth grade pupils from both schools were transferred to the Bank Street School with the other eighth grade pupils. This finally brings together in one build- ing all the eighth grade pupils of the city, so that all may receive alike the advantages which the city offers to pupils of that grade. This is by far the greatest step, educationally, that has been made this year, and makes possi- ble in the future, as soon as the means can be provided, a differentiation of
127
ANNUAL REPORT
work which should begin in this grade. We already have manual training and sewing. I hope the time will come shortly when pupils in this grade may have instruction in cooking and some commercial subjects preparatory to more intensive work in these subjects in the High School and as a better equipment for the duties of life for those who complete their education with the eighth grade.
Work of the Schools
The activities of the schools this year have reflected the war conditions of the country. The pupils of the schools have responded heartily to every call made upon them, from the flag raising on the Common April 2, to the sale of Red Cross Seals, December 14 to 21. For the flag raising, the open- ing of school for the afternoon session was delayed till two o'clock so that pupils might be present, pupils from the High School marching up from the school and assisting in the singing of patriotic songs.
In March, came the call for pupils' home gardens. Talks were given in the upper grades by Mr. Warren L. Ide, county agent from the Bristol County Agricultural School, directions for planting and caring for gardens distributed, and 423 pupils entered the garden contest for prizes offered by the Committee on Food Conservation. The drought of the summer seriously affected the crop but the inspector reported the gardens as the best he had seen, and but for the poor weather results would have been excellent.
An exhibition of the products of the gardens was held at the hall of the Bliss School, October 11th and was largely attended. Prizes for the gardens and for the exhibition were awarded by Mayor Harold E. Sweet at the High School Hall, October 15th to the following winners:
Vegetables
First Prize-Sun Prize and Blue Ribbon
Age
School
Grade
1. Ernest Anderson,
58 Tiffany St.,
12
Tiffany
VI
2. Harold Cameron,
108 County St., 13 Sanford St. VII
3. G. Lester Carpenter,
803 North Main St., 13 Sanford St. VUI
4. Richard Knowles,
Lindsey St.,
14 Bank St.
VIII
5. Archie Sharkey,
68 Deanville St.,
13 Sanford St.
VII
6. Esther Benson,
100 North Ave., 13 Bank St.
VIII
7. Ethel Smith,
291 South Main St., 12 Richardson
VI
8. Alice M. C. Wuille,
9 Walnut St.,
15 High
Fr.
Second Prize-$2 and Red Ribbon
1. Louis Gazzola,
2. Earl Gross,
3. James Lepper,
26 Snell St., 10 Tiffany IV
4. Francois Tremblay,
60 Washington St., 13 Washington V
Third Prize-$1 and Yellow Ribbon
1. Russell Goodwin, Steere St.,
2. Marion A. Driscoll,
3. Mabel Tingley,
4. Mildred Tingley,
5. Maria Tomlinson,
11 Briggs Cor. V
36 May St.,
13 So. Attleboro VIII
212 Highland Ave., 12 So. Attleboro VIII
212 Highland Ave., 14 So. Attleboro VIII
Brown St., 11 Washington
17 Louise St., 14 Tiffany VI
Hebronville, 13 Hebronville VI
128
ANNUAL REPORT
Flowers
Second Prize-$1 and Red Ribbon
1. James Kondi, 46 South Main St., 13 Sanford St. V
2. James Lepper,
26 Snell St., 10 Tiffany
3. Mildred Morse,
43 Carpenter St., 12 Richardson VI
Third Prize-50c and Yellow Ribbon
1. Amy Andrews, 734 Newport Ave., 13 So. Attleboro VIII
2. Caroline L. Cooper, 452 Robinson Ave., 11 Washington VI
May 12, as a result of a collection taken in the school, $44.43 was sent to Boston to be presented to the French envoys for the destitute children of France.
In May, also, every pupil was given literature to take home explaining the First Liberty Loan. Many teachers and pupils subscribed to this loan. In June, contributions from the schools to the fund for the Red Cross, in the great drive for $100,000,000, amounted to $195.02
In October, pamphlets "How the War Came to America" were put into every home. Printed matter bearing on the second liberty loan was salo distributed and many subscriptions secured. A food conservation campaign was also conducted as a result of which nearly 2200 families became members of the food administration.
In November, a collection for the Y. M. C. A. war fund was taken amounting to $246.16
In December, the schools aided the Red Cross Membership Campaign and sold Red Cross Seals for the Anti-Tuberculosis Society amounting to $307
In addition to these general activities participated in by all the pupils, the girls in the eighth grade have been making dresses for orphan girls in France, boys and girls have been using their spare time in and out of school snipping cloth for Red Cross pillows, scrap books have been made to be sent to the soldiers in camp and booklets and toys constructed by the draw- ing department.
Thus have the schools tried to do their part in winning the war. Teach- ers have responded heartily and loyally to the extra demands made upon them, rather welcoming each call as another opportunity for service.
In spite of all this extra work we are striving to maintain the standard of the schools, and to neglect in no particular the necessary instruction in essential sybjects. There must be no lowering of educational standards during the war.
In spite of increasing costs for salaries and supplies, the efficiency of the schools must be maintained. Regarding this matter, Dr. Payson Smith, State Commissioner of Education, writes as follows:
"With the approach of the annual town meetings, when the question of appropriations is to be taken up, our people should give thoughful atten- tion to the unusual conditions confronting the schools. Increased costs in every direction bring the towns and cities face to face with the necessity of increasing school appropriations for the coming year. The schools have never before required more thoughful attention to their needs, and it will not be safe to handicap them with a policy of retrenchment.
It is worthy the attention of the American people that, in spite of enor- mous expenditures for war purposes, France is giving unprecedented atten- tion to her public schools, and England, for the current
129
ANNUAL REPORT
year, increased her expenditures for public education 30 per cent. over that for any preceding year.
In the school year 1915-16, Massachusetts expended approximately $27,000,000 for public education. This amount was increased to $28,- 500,00 for the school year 1916-17. This increase of approximately six per cent. shows the serious intention of our people to maintain a vig- orous educational policy. In view of the present situation, Massachu- setts cannot afford to relax in any degree her efforts to carry on her schools at highest efficiency.
Education is a long-time investment. Its purpose is to protect democracy through the right training of the youth. Even temporary interference with this purpose, through inadequate financial support, may seriously impair the quality of our future citizenship. In the present . crisis, it is imperative that towns and cities give careful con- sideration to the needs of the schools."
SOCIALIZING THE SCHOOL.
A great deal is being said nowadays about socializing the school The idea is to make the pupils feel that the school is theirs rather than the teacher's, to give them a share in the direction and manage- ment of the school, to create of the school a social group working for and with each other for the same purpose and toward the same com- mon end, with the teacher to lead and direct rather than to command. Only a very skilful teacher could successfully accomplish these results.
At the Hebronville School, the principal, Miss Martha J. Roberts, has undertaken and successfully carried out a socializing program for her school. Her work is worthy of the highest commendation and in a larger school would attract more than local attention. I am very glad to give Miss Robert's report on her work.
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
An experiment in a modest way is being carried on in Room 1, at Hebronville. The object of this experiment is the socialization of the school. It presents three problems; first, the socialization of the reci- tation and methods of study; second, socialization, of discipline; and third, socialization of the curriculum. A good deal has been accom- plished with the first two problems, but not so much with the third as this problem is much more difficult than the other two, owing to the fact that a certain amount of extraneous information must be acquired if the pupils are to feel at home in the next grade.
In this experiment, by socialization is meant the providing of an environment wherein the chief object in view for the child is not the accumulation of facts for future use, but rather the development of those qualities-co-operation, self-control, self-reliance, and sympathy,- which are so necessary for the citizenship of a democracy.
In providing for the socialization of the recitation and methods of study an attempt has been made by means of the problem and project to secure intrinsic interest and continuity of purpose. This has been greatly aided by the use of rather interesting note books. In geog- raphy such problems as these were used,-What conditions have con- tributed to the development of Minneapolis into the greatest flour milling center in the world? Why have our commercial relations with South America been poor in the past? Why is Argentina called a white man's country? In history-How did the defeat of the Spanish Armada affect Attleboro? What did the London Company do in America? Why is English the language of the United States' This method has been found equally successful with both the normal and sub-
130
ANNUAL REPORT
normal child, because instead of putting at a premium native reten- tiveness it gives the child through research, which to him is original, the opportunity to make his own contribution for the general good.
By the socialization of discipline is meant the acquiring of self- control, self-reliance, and co-operation through self-inhibition which grows out of a regard for the rights of others and the desire to help create an atmosphere conducive to study and work. This was secured by having all furniture movable and placing no ban on communication or movement as long as the pupils did not disturb the others or inter- fere with their work. It took some pupils quite a while to distin- guish between license and liberty, but on the whole the plan has worked well and with some children the development of character has been remarkable in the short space of five months.
In regard to the socialization of the curriculum only one line has been followed out. In the sixth grade, grammar, reading, and litera- ture were eliminated and one study called English takes their place. The first project under this was the reading of the story Rip Van Winkle and the writing of a play from it. It is easy to be seen that under the guise of this project the students acquired in a real situa- tion the use of silent reading, oral reading, the use of adjectives, nouns, synonyms and reproduction. It also provided continuity of purpose over a period of six weeks.
It is, perhaps, early in the year to judge the results of the experi- ment, but even so, old standards of measurement cannot be applied, It is not enough for the pupil to be able to recite an interminable num- ber of facts, rather must we give him a test in which he can prove that he is able to make use of the ideas he has acquired, and that he has acquired initiative with which to meet new situations.
Sociologists are agreed that the school makes the ideal social cen- ter. Working on this supposition, there have been started at Hebron- ville School, five clubs-a Mothers' Club, a Senior Boys' Club, a Senior Girls' Club, a Junior Boys' Club, and a Junior Girls' Club. It is ex- pected that in a short time a branch of the Public Library will be opened in the building two nights a week. "The general well-being of the children of the community is as much the concern of the school as is their progress in the narrow school tasks." "Every evening spent in the school house under proper supervision is a disqualification for pleasure in the underworld."
Respectfully submitted, MARTHA J. ROBERTS.
SCHOOL CLINIC.
Through the co-operation of the Superintendent of the Associated Charities. Miss Margaret Todd, arrangements were made with Dr. George L. Wallace, of the State School at Wrentham, to hold a clinic in Attleboro once a month. The first clinic was held May 7, 1917, and three have been held since that date. Twenty cases have been examined and recommendations made in each case. These examinations are con- ducted only upon the consent of the parent and usually in the pres- ence of the mother. The report of the examination is sent to the parent as soon as received. There are many children in the public schools who cannot profit by the instruction they now receive and it is for the purpose of finding out the needs of such children and then satisfying these needs by proper instruction that the clinics are held. The longer they are continued the more beneficial will be their effect upon the individuals examined and the schools as a whole.
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