USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1920 > Part 8
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17 Mechanics St. 1922
Mrs. Mary C. Ford
177 So. Main St. 1922
Telephone 140-W
Joseph Finberg
24 John St. 1922
Mrs. Florence B. Theobald
250 County St. 1923
Harold K. Richardson
12 Florence St. 1923
Telephone 896
George E. Nerney
204 No. Main St. Telephone 371-W
1923
ORGANIZATION
Edwin F. Thayer .. Chairman Dr. Reginald P. Dakin Secretary
Edwin F. Thayer Representative before Municipal Council
STANDING COMMITTEES Teachers and Course of Study Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Ho.brook
Mrs. Theobald,
Text-Books and Supplies
Dr. Dakin, Mrs. Holbrook, Mr. Nerney
Buildings
Mr. McClatchey, Mr. Finberg, Mr. Richardson
Mr. Thayer,
Finance
Mr. Finberg, Dr. Dakin
Mrs. Lida M. Holbrook
Clelland J. McClatchey
Telephone 490-J
Telephone 468-M
Telephone 316-X
Telephone 172-M
104
ANNUAL REPORT
Regular Meetings, first and third Mondays of each month at 8 o'clock P. M.
Bills may be approved at each meeting of the Committee. All bills to be acted on must be submitted in duplicate, and be in the hands of the Clerk of the Committee, Superintendent's office, on the Saturday preceding the meeting.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Lewis A. Fales, 22 Mechanics St. Telephone 238-J
Office. Sanford Street School. . Telephone 12 The Superintendent's office is open on school days from 8:30 to 12: 30 and from 1:30 to 5; Saturday 9 to 12. The Superintendent's office hours on school days are from 8:30 to 9; 4 to 5 Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 7 to 8 Monday evening.
Superintendent's Secretary
Alice I. Wetherell. 32 Sanford St.
Telephone 347-J.
Assistant Secretary
Edna S. Lepper 183 County St.
School Physician
Dr. Jesse W. Battershall. 18 No. Main St.
Telephone 284.
School Nurse
Genevieve Bowman 217 Watson Block, No. Main St. Telephone 866-W.
Attendance Officer
Charles T. Crossman. 85 Park St. Telephone 815-R.
Office hours on school days: 8:45 to 9:30 A. M. daily.
School Calendar
Fall term. Sept. 9, to noon Dec. 23, 1920 Winter term. Tuesday, Jan. 4, to Feb. 18, 1921
Spring term. . Feb. 28 to April 15, 1921 Summer term. April 25, 1921, to noon June 24, 1921 Fall term begins Thursday, Sept. 8, 1921.
School Sessions
High School-One session, from 8:15 to 1:40, with a recess of fifteen minutes.
Bank Street-One session, from 8:15 to 1:15.
Grammar and Primary Schools-Morning session from 9 to 11:45.
Afternoon session from 1:30 to 3:45, from beginning of spring term to Nov. 1; 1:15 to 3:30 from Nov. 1 to March 1. Grade I closes fifteen minutes earlier than the other grades.
105
ANNUAL REPORT
No School Signal
Four Double Strokes on the Fire Alarm 2-2-2-2.
7:15 A. M. No session for the High School.
8:00 A. M. No morning session for all grades below the High School. 8:15 A. M. No morning session for the first, second and third grades. Afternoon session for all grades unless the sig- nal is repeated at 12:15 or 12:30.
11:15 A. M. One session. Grades I to III will close for the day at 12 M. All higher grades then in session will close for the day at 1 P. M.
12:15 P. M. No afternoon session for all grades below the High School.
12:30 P. M. No afternoon session for the first, second and third grades.
6:50 P. M. No session for the evening schools.
The signal will be given at 8 A. M. and 12:15 P. M. only in very severe weather.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Dr.
To appropriations $220,547.00
Cr.
By net expenditures for support of schools .. 219,448.26
By amounts paid for books, use of High School hall, etc ... 246.32
Gross expenditures $219,694.58
By balance 852.42
$220,547.00
CONTINUATION SCHOOL
Dr.
Appropriation
$7,000.00
Cr.
Salaries
$4,169.00
Maintenance
672.16
Establishment of Plant. 1,799.19
$6,640.35
Balance
359.65
$7,000.00
To be reimbursed by State
$2,420.58
GROSS EXPENDITURES
High School
Elementary Schools
General Account
Evening School
Vacation School
Total
General Control
Clerks
$2,582.25
Telephones
$21.19
$235.74
55.67
Census enumerator
150.00
Office expenses
159.14
Superintendence Including Attendance Officer
Superintendent
Attendance Officer and Cus-
912.38
todian of Buildings.
150.00
Attendance O. Expenses . .
335.62
Office expense, fuel, etc ...
233 48
Expenses out of town.
300.00
Expense of Instruction
Teachers
30,678.85
106,768.31
1,108 25
417.60
Supervisors
1,284.00
4,091.33
Books
1,162.71
2,481.24
Supplies
2,246.58
4,066.91
29.01
72.93
155,458.58
Cooking
442.86
Manual training
267.84
130.10
Sewing
12 59
Care of organs.
4.00
53.00
77.42
106
ANNUAL REPORT
5,051.48
Automobile
24 13
16.96
18.96
$3,203.99
3,120.00
GROSS EXPENDITURES -- Continued
High School
Elementary Schools
General Account
Evening School
Vacation School
Total
Operating School Plant
Janitors
$3,213.15
$12,822.88
$76.50
Fuel
2,385.89
12,467.06
Water
84 38
764.50
$34,166.97
Janitors' supplies, etc.
140.89
964.92
Lights-Gas
94.64
Electricity
366.52
197.34
Power
215.04
Towels
19.92
188 62
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs
841.22
7,763 57
Furniture
675.17
507.59
Care of grounds
155.00
95.05
Flags
73.75
Auxiliary Agencies
Health
300.00
2,220.40
Transportaton
100.44
5,463.36
8,084.20
Miscellaneous
Tuition
135 02
Graduations
94.62
113.83
Sundries
30.47
208.90
21.20
107.78
3,618.01
Express
2.86
61.02
Fire Insurance
567.65
2,274.66
$45,301.25
$164,259 33
$7 998.54
$1,440.77
$694.69
$219,694.58
107
107.74
56.98
10,111.35
ANNU.'L REPORT
108
ANNUAL REPORT
ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 1921 Compared with Expenditures for 1920 Appropriated Expended 1920 1920
General Control
1. School Committee-
Clerks
$2,382 00
$2,582.25
$3,172.00
$589.75
Office expenses
50.00
159.14
100.00
-59.14
Reports
100.00
250.00
250.00
Telephones
275 00
312.69
300.00
-12 60
Census
150.00
150.00
200.00
50.00
$2 957.00
$3,203.99
$4,022 00
$818.01
2. Superintendence
Superintendent
$3,200.00
$3,120.00
$3,520.00
$400.00
"(Continuation Sch. Attendance Officer &
(80.00)
(80.00)
Custodian of Bldgs.
1,500.00
912 38
1,500.00
587.62
Attend. O. Auto ... Office expenses,
150 00
300.00
150.00
fuel, etc.
225.00
335.62
350.00
14.38
Expenses outoftown
125.00
233.48
225.00
-8 48
Automobile
300.00
300.00
400.00
100.00
$5 350.00
$5,051.48
$6,295.00
$1,243.52
Instruction
Teachers' salaries. . $145,313.00
$142,822.49
$195,000.00
$52,177.51
Text-books, supplies
and care of organs
8,500.00
10,017 44
9.000.00
-- 1,017.44
Domestic Science
300.00
442.86
300.00
-142.86
Manual training and
sewing
400.00
410.53
400.00
-10.53
$154,513.00
$153,693.32
$204,700.00
$51,006.68
Operating School Plant
Janitors
$15,709.00
$16,036.03
$17,691.00
$1,654.97
Fuel
18,350.00
14,852.95
21,520.00
6,667.05
Water
700.00
848.88
1,000.00
151.12
Janitors' supplies,
etc.
600.00
1,105.81
800.00
-305.81
Power
350.00
215.04
200.00
-15 04
Lights
500 00
658.50
600.00
-58 50
Towels
200.00
208.54
250.00
41.46
$36,409.00
$33,925.75
$42,061.00
$8.135.25
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs
$7.575.00
$8,587.29
$10,000.00
Furniture
250.00
1,200.26
$212 45
Flags
125.00
73.75
100.00
26 25
Care of grounds.
50.00
250.05
150.00
100.05
$8,000.00
$10,111.35
$10,250.00
$138.65
Estimated Increase or 1921
Decrease
109
ANNUAL REPORT
Appropriated 1920
Expended 1920
Estimated Increase or 1921 Decrease
Auxiliary Agencies
Health-
School Physician
$1,200.00
$1,200.00
$1,200.00
School Nurse
1,200 00
1 200.00
1,400.00
$200.00
Equipment
200.00
120.00
-120.40
Transportation
6 110.00
5,563 80
6,000.00
436.20
$8,710.00
$8,084.20
$8,600.00
$515.80
Miscellaneous
Tuition
$50.00
$135.02
$400.00
$264.98
Graduations
200.00
208.45
200.00
-8 45
Insurance
2,523.00
2,842.31
2,387.00
-455.31
Express
35.00
63.88
75.00
11.12
Sundries
100.00
239.37
200.00
-39.37
$2,908.00
$3,489.03
$3,262.00
-$227.03
Evening Schools and
Americanization
$1,000.00
$1,440.77
$1,500.00
$59.23
Vacation Schools
700.00
694.69
700.00
5.31
$220,547.00
$219,694.58
$281.390.00
$61,695.42
SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR 1921 Compared with Expenditures for 1920
Appropriated Expended 1920 1920
Estimated 1921
Increase or Decrease
General Control
1. School Committee
$2,957.00
$3,203.99
$4,022.00
$818.01
2. Superintendence
5,350.00
5,051.48
6,295.00
1,243.52
Instruction
154,513.00
153,693 32
204,700.00
51,006.68
Operating School Plant
36,409.00
33,925.75
42,061.00
8,135.25
Maintaining School Plant 8,000.00
10,111.35
10,250.00
138.65
Auxiliary Agencies
8,710.00
8,084.20
8,600.00
515.80
Miscellaneous
2,908.00
3,489.03
3,262.00
-227.03
Evening Schools
1,000.00
1,440.77
1,500.00
59.23
Vacation Schools
700.00
694.69
700.00
5.31
$220,547.00 $219,694.58 TABLE SHOWING EXPENDITURES For the Public Schools for the past three years with estimate for 1921.
1918
1919
1920
1921
General Control
School Committee
$2,392.36
$2,559.31
$3,203.99
$4,022.00
Superintendence
4,053.73
4,096.35
5,051.48
6,295.00
Instruction
88,092.16
102,453.60
153,693.32
204,700.00
Operating School
Plant
23,635.95
25,065.49
33,925.75
42,061.00
Maintaining School
Plant
5,126.30
7,314.06
10,111.35 .
10,250.00
Auxiliary Agencies
5,616.50
6,263.15
8,084.20
8,600.00
Miscellaneous
3,401.22
1,671.18
3,489.03
3,262.00
Evening Schools
499.06
1,247.57
1,440.77
1,500.00
Vacation Schools
694.69
700.00
$132,817.28
$150,670.71
$219,694.58
$281,390.00
Increase over previous
year .
$12,083.72
$17,853.43
$69,023.87
$61,695.42
$281,390.00
$61,695.42
110
ANNUAL REPORT
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS Bliss School Addition Dr.
Balance from 1919. $58,386.78
Cr.
American Seating Co., Furniture
$3,337.66
Miss Delia Bliss, Gas Stove.
25.00
Boston Floor Co., Athey Metal Weather Strips .. 186.00
Chamberlin Metal Weather Strip Co., Weather Strips 139.65
Frank Irving Cooper Corp., Architect. 1,203.39
Everett O. Dexter, Contractor 31,980.60
Electric Shop, Wiring
5.75
Lewis A. Fales, Express-Standard Electric Time C).
11.73
William F. Flynn & Co., Ash cans, etc
59 32
Grant Brothers, Labor and material.
62.11
R. B. Magaveny, Freight and cartage.
5.04
E. C. Newman & Co., cartage.
26.25
W. J. & S. B. Newman, storage.
13.50
N. Perry & Co., Hardware.
500.00
Pope & Read, Labor and material
25.82
Charles C. Rockwood, Extra night work.
119.00
Standard Electric Time Co., Electric clocks.
697 27
Stone-Underhill H. & V. Co., Heating and Ventilating
7,993.00
F. W. Woolworth Co., Mugs, plates, etc.
12.30
Balance
$11,923.39
$58,386.78
Washington School Addition
Dr.
Balance from 1919
$24,082.70
Appropriation
5,000.00
$23,082.70
Cr.
American Seating Co., Furniture
$1,637 86
John E. Anderson, Grading.
326 20
Cushman Furniture Co., Shades
240.00
Lewis A. Fales, Express.
3.12
William F. Flynn & Son, Hardware.
300.00
Grant Brothers, Labor and material.
35.75
A. R. Macomber Co , Electric fixtures
162.00
R. B. Magaveny, Cartage.
5.00
James A. Munroe, Contractor.
15,603.12
New England Machine & Electric Co
255.00
E. C. Newman & Co., Cartage.
14.00
W. J. & S. B. Newman, Storage
6.50
Pope & Read, Plumbing.
3,632 96
L. Sonnebron Sons, Inc., Lapidolith.
100.48
Standard Electric Time Co ..
306.88
Stone-Underhill H. & V. Co., Heating and Ventilating.
2,600.00
Sun Publishing Co., Advertising.
3.30
$25,232.17
Balance
3.850.53
$29,082.70
$46,463 39
111
ANNUAL REPORT
Hebronville School Portable Building
Dr.
Appropriation
$3,750.00
Cr.
The Cushman Furniture Co., Desk and Table. $72.00
E. F. Hodgson Co., Portable Building, shades, blackboards .. 3,084.00
Kenny-Bros. & Wolkins, Furniture .. 568 90
E. C. Newman Co., Freight and cartage 20.67
Balance
4.43
Tiffany School Portable Building Dr.
Appropriation
$3,750.00
Cr.
Cushman Furniture Co., Desk and Table. $72.00
J. L. Hammett Co., Moulding. 5.94
E. F. Hodgson Co, Portable Building, shades, blackboards. 3.084.00
Kenny-Bros. & Wolkins, Furniture .. 568.90
E. C. Newman & Co., Freight and cartage. 16.67
$3,747.51
Balance
2.49
$3,750.00
Sanford Street Sanitaries, Grammar Building
Dr.
Balance from 1919. $2,328.68
Cr.
J. W. Bullock & Co., labor and material. $1,665.00
Electric Shop, labor and material. 27.22
Mackinnon & Nicholson, labor and material 636.46
$2,328.68
Plans and Specifications for Junior High School
Balance from 1919 $246.00
Dr.
Cr. 100.00
Frank Irving Cooper, corp., plans.
Balance
146.00
$246.00
PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR RICHARDSON SCHOOL AND HEBRONVILLE SCHOOL ADDITIONS
Dr.
Appropriation $200.00 Balance 200.00
$3,745.57
$3,750.00
112
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Attleboro:
I submit herewith my sixteenth annual report, this being the thirty-seventh in the series of superintendents' reports. The attend- ance statistics are for the school year from September, 1919, to June, 1920. The financial statistics are for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 1920.
I-Statistics
Population, Census, 1920 19 731
HI-School Census
Number of children between 5 and 7
823
Number of children between 7 and 14.
2,757
Number of children between 14 and 16.
552
Total
4 132
III-Attendance
Statistics for the school year from September, 1919, to June, 1920: Number of different pupils enrolled.
3,513
Average daily membership.
3,234
Average daily attendance.
2,979
Per cent of attendance.
92
Table showing the average membership and per cent of attendance for the last ten years:
Average Membership
Gain Over Previous Year
Per Cent. of Attendance
1909-1910
2,213
-138
93
1910-1911
2,317
104
93
1911-1912
2,302
-15
95
1912-1913
2,407
105
95
1913-1914
2,586
179
95
1914-1915
2,669
83
95
1915-1916
2,742
73
94
1916-1917
2,770
28
94
1917-1918
2 882
112
94
1918-1919
2,962
80
93
1919-1920
3,234
272
92
Fall Term 1920
Average Membership
Per Cent. of Attendance
September
3,450
97
October
3.510
96
November
,525
94
December
3,514
95
Since 1910 there has been an increase of over 1200 pupils. Over 500 of this increase has come in the last two years. The erection of an 8 room addition to the Bliss school and a 4-room addition to the Washington school, and the purchase of portable buildings for the Richardson, Pleasant St., Tiffany and Hebronville schools have pro- vided accommodations for these pupils this year. Next year, how- ever, the prospect is that several schools will need more room.
113
ANNUAL REPORT
At Bank Street School 233 pupils are crowded into five rooms. Another room is needed this year but all available space is taken. The present seventh grades, that will be eighth grade next year, num- ber 305. Probably 275 to 285 of these will want to attend the eighth grade. The building will not accommodate satisfactorily more than the present number so that some arrangement will be necessary to care for these pupils next year.
At the Tiffany school the first grade numbering 53 is already on half time. If the entering class next September is as large as it was this year it will be necessary to put still another room on part time.
At Hebronville there is an enrollment of 212, an increase of 46 over the enrollment of last year, and an increase of 66 in two years. Although a portable building has been provided for this school making 6 rooms in use this year, at least seven rooms will be needed next year for regular class room work.
At the Richardson school, the pupils were accommodated this year by transferring one seventh grade to the Bliss school. This same ar- rangement will have to be made next September to care for the pupils.
In addition to these demands of the regular schools, the law re- quires that pupils who are three or more years behind in their grade shall have special instruction. Classes have not been formed this year because there were no available rooms. The results of the examina- tions have not yet been received from the examiners but there are probably pupils enough for three or four classes. It will be impossible to form these classes till more rooms are provided.
It would seem imperative that immediate action be taken to
1. Build an addition this year at Hebronville school
2. Build an addition this year at Richardson school
3. Plan an addition for Tiffany school next year
4. Go forward with plans for a Junior High School to be built as soon as possible.
The erection of a Junior High School to house the seventh and eighth grades will relieve all the schools now having seventh grades. At the rate the city is growing the rooms will be needed by the time the Junior High School can be built.
IV-School Buildings
Number of school buildings, September, 1920 (Portable 4) 24
Number of school rooms (High 25, grades 90) . 115
Number of school rooms in use. 106
€
V-Teachers
Total number of teachers and supervisors, Jan. 1, 1921. 125
Number of teachers in High School. 21
Number of teachers in grades I-VIII. 92
Number of teachers in kindergarten. 3
Number of teachers for individual instruction. 3
Number of special teachers and supervisors 5
Number of permanent substitutes. 1
114
ANNUAL REPORT
During the year the following teachers have resigned:
Date
Teacher
School Cause of resignation
Feb. 2 Laura V. Arentzen
Sanford St. Passaic
Feb. 16 Doris Moulton
So. Attleboro Passaic
Mar. 1 Alice M. Gallup
Sanford St. Mansfield
Apr. 19 Annabelle Sylvester
Tiffany
Death in family
May 3 M. Charlotte Richardsonn
Washington
June 7 Betsy Perkins
Bliss Springfield
June 7 Sadie Johnston
High
Newton
June 7 Dolly Nerney
Sanford St. Cleveland
June
7 Ruth Sampson
Richardson
To be married
June 27
Effie G. Higgins
Bank St. Newton
June 27
Philip H. King
High
Business
Sept. 7 Dorothy M. Elliot
Richardson
Dedham
Sept 7 Anna E. Nelson
Tiffany
Norwood
Sept. 7 Mildred P. Harrison
Sanford St. To be married
Sept. 7 Karl S. White
High
Business
Sept. 7 Irene Ingalls
High
Ansonia
Sept. 20
Ruth Bryant
Washington
To attend school
Oct.
4 Norma I. Bake
Richardson
Boston
Oct. 4 Laverna Townsend
Hebronville
To be married
Oct. 4 Lillian Macdonald
Tiffany Illness at home
Nov. 1 James F. Smith
High
Durham, N. C.
Dec. 20 Amy D. Dorsett
High
Stamford, Conn.
Twenty-two regular teachers have resigned during the year, eleven to accept better positions and two to enter business. Out of 125 teachers at present employed only 50 have taught in Attleboro more than three years and are on tenure; 39 have taught in Attleboro less than one year; 17 more than one but less than two years; and 29 more than two but less than three years. It is impossible to main- tain schools at a high standard when there are so many changes tak- ing place in the teaching force. Good teachers are hard to find, and it is not always possible, when one teacher leaves, to find another teacher equally as good as the one leaving. Only by paying salaries sufficient- ly large to induce people to enter the profession can the existing teacher shortage be overcome. The following salary schedule adopted by the Committee in June should be made effective as soon as possible:
High School assistants
maximum $1700
Grades VII and VIII maximum 1600
Grades I to VI maximum 1500
Attleboro ranks high in valuation per pupil among the cities and towns of the state, and can well afford to pay the salaries indicated. The standard of the schools must be maintained cost what it may.
VI-Cost of Instruction
Valuation of the City of Attleboro, 1920. $22,106,770.00
Total raised by taxation. 583,267.34
Total raised for support of schools. 220,547.00
Total net expenditures
for
schools
excluding
evening
and vacation schools. 217,312.80
Average membership of day schools, September 1919 to June 1920 3,234
Amount expended per pupil based on average member- ship 67.20
Cost of books and supplies per pupil based on average membership 3.33
115
ANNUAL REPORT
High School
Total amount expended for High School including High School share of general expense. 46,148.24
Average membership of High School, 1919-1920. 418
Average cost per pupil, based on average member-
ship
110.40
Cost of books and supplies per pupil. 9.75
Elementary Schools
Total amount expended for elementary schools $171,164.56
Average membership of elementary schools for the year 1919-1920 2,816
Cost per pupil, based on average membership 60.78
Cost of books and supplies per pupil. 2.37
Continuation School
All minors between the ages of 14 and 16 working under an em- ployment certificate are required by law to attend a special school four hours a week when employed and twenty hours a week when out of employment. This special school is called a continuation school. The citizens of Attleboro having voted by a large majority to accept the act establishing such a school, plans were made to open the school in September as the law required. The school is housed in the Bank Street school building with the eighth grade. The present enrollment is 187, 100 girls and 87 boys. All pupils spend half the session in academic work suited to their needs. The other half of the session is spent by the girls in sewing and cooking, and by the boys in learning the beginnings of bench work. The teachers visit shops and homes to acquaint themselves with the individual needs of the pupils and many excellent results have been accomplished. The report of the director, Mr. Dutton, gives further details of the work.
Report of the Director of Continuation School
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
The following is a report of the continuation school since its estab- lishment last September:
The new law compelled all boys and girls between the ages of fourteen and sixteen who were not in the regular school to attend continuation school four hours a week while employed, and twenty hours a week while not employed.
To arrange for the special training of these pupils, rooms at the Bank Street school were prepared for their use. Two rooms on the first floor are used for the boys, one for academic instruction and the other for shop work. On the third floor one room was equipped for cooking and another for academic work for the girls. The sewing room for the eighth grade was available for the use of the Continuation school classes.
We have registered ninety boys and one hundred three girls. They are assigned to classes in small groups as the work is practically all individual. The time spent in school is equally divided between acad- emic instruction and shop work.
The pupils who were assigned to Continuation work had been out of school from a few months to nearly two years, many of them having left as early as the fourth grade. The great majority of these pupils left school because they did not like it, and they entered the Continua-
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tion school because they were compelled to, and in many cases their manner was distrustful, suspicious and thoroughly characteristic of adolescence. But I am pleased to state that this attitude is gradually disappearing and many of them look forward with pleasure to their day at school.
The character of the work is very different from the regular school. We use no text books. In the academic subjects the pupils have instruction in citizenship, English, geography, hygiene, history and arithmetic. Citizenship is our important subject, and around this we group all the others with the one purpose in mind to make each pupil a better member of the community in which he lives. Civic sub- jects and hygiene are taught for the greater part through discussions. It is pleasing to note the enthusiasm and ability shown by both boys and girls in these debates.
The work in arithmetic is related to the shop as far as possible. Problems are given based on the cost of tools and equipment, the cost of materials, and the cost of maintaining the school. The lessons and problems on personal earnings, expenditures and the amounts pos- sible to save have led many to join thrift clubs.
English requires a great deal of attention. Occasionally someone who is looking for information concerning the continuation school asks me this question: "What does four hours a week amount to?" The improvement that many of the pupils have made in letter writing alone during the short time they have been attending the school would well pay them for the time spent. The importance of good reading has been discussed and as a result many have taken books from the li- brary for the first time. The library is very helpful in supplying us with books and magazines, which pupils may read during spare mo- ments.
In the shop the boys are given a course in jewelry. They have done hand scroll winding, assembling and soldering the pieces. They have been taught polishing in finishing the rings and other pieces of jewelry they have. When there have been too many in the classes to accommodate them at the jewelry benches, some wood workings has been attempted, but it is not possible for one instructor to give satis- factory attention to the two kinds of work during the same period.
The course in home economics for the girls is divided into three units, sewing, cooking and household management. In sewing, the making of useful articles is taught. The care of clothing, as mend' ng, laundering, and remodeling is emphasized. The girls are making for themselves, underwear, dresses, middies, separate skirts and blouses. In cooking, the dishes suitable to serve for breakfast are considered first, followed by those for luncheon and dinner. The selection of proper food in relation to the income, the preparation and attractive serving of the same are thorough'y taught. The reports of their ex- periences that the girls bring back to the school are exceedingly in- teresting as they show how well they are doing the things that they never attempted before.
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