USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1905 > Part 4
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Another important change occurs in the study of English. Up to the present year a certain amount of technical grammar together with the first step in the study of higher English, so-called, was re- quired in the first year of the High school. The policy three years ago aimed to reduce this by raising the standard and quality of the work in the elementary schools. This year we are attempting to do this work in the ninth grade.
There is no doubt but there is much waste time in the life of a pupil today. If the dwaddling spirit of the children could be re- duced to a minimum and the daily attendance kept up to where it should be the work of the schools ought to be easier and better ac- complished in eight years. These are two factors which lessen the effect of our work with the children.
I believe the year just past to be a most profitable one if we are to judge from results. We have better teachers and teaching than heretofore. Our schools are better disciplined, our teachers loyal and faithful, our children self-respecting and obedient.
There has been but one drawback which mars an otherwise suc- cessful year, and that is the absence list of which I will speak later.
MORAL TRAINING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The public schools are often censured because of their lack of moral training; but if moral training means anything, it means character developing. Character developing, however, is influence more by example than by precept. No one factor of education is dominated more by the subtle influence of environment than is character building. Filth, dirt, bad companions, vile literature, mean and squalid surroundings, mutilated and decrepit school sur- roundings, dirty school rooms and slovenly teachers, are influences, and tend to make or break them.
Few people realize the moral influence of cleanliness when ap- plied to our schools. Every effort possible should be made to cleanse, purify and beautify school rooms and grounds, and keep them so. School rooms should be kept clean as possible at all times ; should be washed with disinfected water at least once each
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term. Floors should be treated with preparations to keep down dust ; yards, walks and cellars should be kept tidy and clean, if not for their own sakes, for the sake of the influence that school sur - roundings have upon children.
EVENING SCHOOL AGAIN
I desire again to call your attention to the great necessity of an evening school in our midst.
It seems to me that the demands for one are growing greater each year. In a mill town there are always a large number of children who go to work early through necessity. An evening school would be a blessing to them. Then there are those who are already matured who need to be taught the simple rudiments. An evening school makes far better citizenship, fosters ambition, and is a factor against street loafing, the bar-room and the saloon. It means purity for young men and women in their teens in as much as it gives them a worthy object to pursue and a place in which to pursue it. Study, like religion, has saved many a soul.
SAVINGS BANK SYSTEM
It is proposed to institute, with your approval, a school savings bank system during the spring term.
This institution has for its mission the teaching of frugality and economy to the children as well as aiding the war against the cig - arette habit. The underlying steps in the plan are the 'saving of small amounts by the children to be handed over to the teachers once a week. These in turn will be given to the superintendent for depositing in some savings bank. A small account book will be assigned to each pupil showing the amount deposited, and when the amount reaches a certain figure, say three dollars, a bank book will be issued direct to the pupil by the bank.
CHANGES FOR THE YEAR
The changes for the year may be briefly stated as follows :
At the beginning of the fall term Miss Elizabeth Turner of Douglas Center school resigned to take a position in Revere, Mass., and Miss Matilda Burghardt of Stockbridge was elected to fill the vacancy. A change also occurred in the South Douglas school.
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TABLE "A" Statistical Report for the Year Ending June, 1904
SCHOOL
TEACHER
Where Educated
Salary per week
No. weeks in year
Total enrolment
Total membership
Fall
Winter
Spring
Fall
Winter
Spring
Fall
Winter
Spring
Fall
Winter
Spring
Tardinesses for year
Dismissals for year
No. not absent for y'r
No. not tardy for y'r
No. not absent or
tardy for the year
Visitors
High
George H. Stoddard
*$900 40 19
19
17.4
15.9
13.8
15.8
15.6
13.5
12.5
13.7
92.3
84.4
87.7
88.1 92.6
43
82
64 189
56
180
0
1
45
Intermediate
Grace A. Damon
Bridgewater Normal
10 00 36
30
31
27.5
23.7
24
25.1
25.3
20.1
21.5
22.3
91.8
85.2
93.6
89.4
51
62
51
164
21
14
63
33
5
3
22
Intermediate
5 .
Euna L. Buffington
Douglas High
10 00 36
38
39
35.1
31.8
33.4
33.5
33.8
29.2
32.2
31.7
95
90
96
11
49
22
80
10
2
12
9
21
2
33
Intermediate
4
Worcester Normal
10 00 36
36
37
35
34
35
34.5
32
28
30
30
92
82
86
86
41
86
81
208
39
26
109
0
1
0
45
Primary
3
Douglas High
9 00 36
43
46
40.2
35.7
39.8
38.5
38
29.9
37.7
35.2
94
83
94.8
90.6
32
38
42
112
30
9
9
48.
0
0
30
Primary
Etta H. Johnson
Douglas High
9 00 36
33
36
27.8
25.4
28
27.1
26.6
20.5
26.1
24.4
95
78
93
88
6
20
45
5
8
0
22
0
49
Primary
1
Helena Wixted
Douglas High
9 00 36
50
52
34
23
31.9
29.5
29.5
17.3
26
24.3
87
75
81
81
25
16
31
72
5
1
2
8
0
12
0
40
South Douglas
Mxd Mary J. Dunleavy
9 0036
30
30
25
12.9
15
17
11.8
8.9
13.8
13
79
68
89
78
33
4
11
48
6
5
14
15
0
0
27
Douglas Center
Mxd Elizabeth Turner
9 0036
30
31
27.6
18.1
24.6
23.4
23.4
12.4
20.4
18.7
84.9
68.9
82
78.6
16
20
13
49
12
8
3
23
0
9
0
52
Totals
344 361
303.4
253.7
277.9
277.5
268.3
209.5
250.2
244.0
90.6
80.4
89.5
86.3 329517 418 1402
194 128 195
507 56
71 6
367
Av. attendance
Av. mem. for year
by terms
by terms
by terms
by terms
Grade
Fall
Winter
Spring
0
1
0
24
Grammar
Susan B. Merrill
13 00 36 35
40
33.8
33.2
32.4
33.1
32.3
29.7
30
30.7
95.6
89.6
92,6
71 140
84
435
10
16
41
15 48
76
0
28
0
44
14
0
3
2
Mary W. Harbort Edith M. Abbott
Colby College Bates College
7-8 6
*Salary of High School Principal, $900 per year
Av. attend. for year
Per cent. attendance
Tardinesses
Per ct. att. for year
Dismissals
Av. membership by terms
0
Uxbridge High
New Britton Normal
91
9
Miss Mary Dunleavy resigned to take a position in Uxbridge, and Miss Eliza P. Low of Beverly was elected to fill the position. At the end of the fall term Miss Low resigned to take a position in Beverly, and Miss Lottie Caldwell of Brockton was elected to the vacancy.
TABLE "B"
A special table of statistics has been arranged for the purpose of bringing the statistics up to date. This table embraces all the im- portant statistics from the opening of the school in September to the close of the fall term in December of the present year.
Table "A" embraces the statistics for the last scholastic year from September, 1903, to June, 1904, and is important in estima- tion, cost and percentages for a single year. But in the considera- tion of single items as they stand at the present time, and for showing the enrolment, the general trend of tardiness and absences, etc., in the present scholastic year, table "B" is more accurate.
STORM SIGNALS. SCHOOL BELL.
Through the courtesy of the trustees of the Methodist church, the bell in the tower has been placed at our disposal as a school bell. Beginning with the spring term this bell will be rung at 8.45 a. m. and 12.45 noon, as a school bell. We hope this cautionary signal will have the effect of lessening the tardiness and absence which are now all too frequent.
I would suggest that permission be obtained to use the whistle on the Hayward mill for no-school or storm signal. If this could be done the simple signal of four blows at eight o'clock and a quarter after twelve respectively, would suffice to control morning and afternoon sessions.
JANITOR AND TRUANT OFFICER
In my first report I recommended that the janitor of East Doug - las school be employed as truant officer. This recommendation was adopted.
Since then the library has been built and the janitor of our school building who also acts as truant officer, is employed as janitor of the library. That is, the janitor of the school building is now janitor of the building, truant officer and janitor of the library
TABLE "B." -- STATISTICS FROM SEPT. 1904 TO JAN. 1905 -- FIFTEEN WEEKS
SCHOOL
Grade
TEACHER
Membership
Total
Average Membership
Average Attendance
Per cent of Attendance
Absences
No. of
Tardiness
Instances of
Dismissals
No. of
Grammar .. .
9
Mr. Stoddard. .
10
15
9.6
96
29
26
19
Grammar . .
7-8
Miss Merrill. .
41
36.6
33.8
92
408
56
18
Intermediate. .
6
Miss Damon .
40
37.6
35
93
173
42
77
Intermediate. .
5
Miss Buffington .
37
34
32
93
163 2
41
6
Intermediate. .
4
Miss Harbort.
45
40
38
95
177台
69
18
Primary . ..
3
Miss Abbott. .
37
34
30.5
90
214
44
11
Primary .
2
Miss Johnson .
28
24.5
23
94
95
18
7
Primary . .
1
Miss Wixted
40
33.5
29
88
320
39
16
South Douglas .
M
Miss Low . .
99
25
22.4
91
420
80
20
Douglas Center
M
Miss Burghardt.
29
26.7
22.7
85
288
33
25
High . . .
Mr. Stoddard . .
18
13.6
10
91
100
64
10
Totals . .
424
320.5
286.4
91.5
2388
512
227
10
11
as well. As a result, one of these must suffer, and that one has been the duties of the truant officer, owing to the lack of time. 1 am calling your attention to this condition feeling that with the at- tendance in its present unsatisfactory condition one man can not do duty in all three offices without neglecting one of them.
ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY.
The matter of attendance has not improved since our last report. Table "B" shows a total absence from September to January 1905, of 2288 days. Just why this is so I cannot say, but I am positive that so large an absence list is unnecessary. Many pupils are kept out on the slightest excuse without any fear of consequences. The truant officer reports that he is powerless and the situation is alarm- ing. The number of actual runaways from school is small but the number of pupils that are kept from school for doubtful reasons is increasing. Two thousand, two hundred and and eighty-eight absences out of an average membership of three hundred and twenty is a large number for the first four months of the year. I trust that you will give this subject your earnest attention.
COMBINING NINTH GRADE WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL
At the beginning of the fall term the Grammar school was so crowded that there were eight more pupils than we had seats for, the total number of pupils amounting to fifty-nine. In order to relieve this congested condition the ninth grade was transferred to the High schoolroom and recited English and arithmetic to Mr. Stoddard. The remaining studies were recited to Miss Merrill, the pupils going to the Grammar room for that purpose at the recita - tion periods. The records of attendance were kept by Mr. Stod- dard separate from the High school as you may see in Table "B". The record of rank in all studies was kept by Miss Merrill just as though they were under her immediate care. This was to keep the class distinct from the High school department. A few took elementary Latin but it was wholly voluntary on their part and was in addition to their regular work.
The experiment has proved only a partial success, as they were, in consequence of the removal, cut off from drawing and music. The experiment was tried merely on account of necessity and
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judging from the results, I would not advise it again, if some other way can be found.
It is quite probable that at the opening of the next fall term we shall have all the pupils that we can accommodate in the building, owing to the new mill. As I have already stated, it will be unwise to mix the elementary pupils with those of the high. This creates a new problem for us to meet.
DRAWING
Although we have no special teacher in drawing, I am especially pleased with the results in this work. We are getting as good, if not better results than some towns that are under a special teacher. One reason for this is the fact that your teachers some few years ago, received special instruction in drawing which has borne fruit ever since. They seem to possess the knowledge and skill to plan and carry out whatever outlines are placed before them, and are enthusiastic in the work. Mr. Bailey's monthly outlines have been placed in the hands of the teachers and are being followed with excellent results.
Water colors have lately been introduced into the first five grades and used with very good results. This early use of colors gives the child a foundation for the mixing of the water color paints in the upper grades. He then has a knowledge of how to use his tools.
Beginning with the sixth grade charcoal has been used to some extent. A subject has been presented to the class, and to impress the principles, various mediums have been used to maintain the interest.
Heavy colored papers of suitable size purchased for book covers to be used to preserve English composition, have been artistically and appropriately decorated by pupils of the different grades.
We still lack models for upper grade work to help in the teach- ing of convergence, proportion and foreshortening of circles. Any vase or ornament that has been slightly damaged and set away to be used no more, would be acceptably received to be used in our drawing classes.
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CONCLUSION
I can not close this report without expressing my appreciation of the attitude of the teachers. During the last year a marked degree of effort, interest and loyalty has been shown. I can only say that this attitude and spirit has its own reward. If work has grown easier and more enjoyable, it is because of the working out of one of the fundamental laws of the human race. The joyful worker is the productive worker, and those who accept the labor of life with all its limitations, cheerfully and without complaint, will find those limitations removed and their work flooded with sunlight.
To you of the committee who have aided me in my somewhat arduous duties, I have to express to you my appreciation for all your help.
As a part of this report I submit to you the report of the super- visor of music and the principal of the high school.
Respectfully submitted, FRANCIS S. BRICK, Superintendent.
REPORT OF MUSIC
Mr. F. S. Brick, Supt. of Schools, Douglas, Mass .:
DEAR SIR :-- The music outline for this year is based upon that of last year except that the work has been advanced by one grade. For example, this year we are beginning two-part work in the third grade instead of the fourth, and three-part work in the fifth grade instead of the sixth. Corresponding changes have been made in the work of nearly all grades.
Owing to frequent changes of conditions in the Grammar and High schools, we have failed to realize our purpose in those depart- ments, and it has seemed advisable to discontinue music in the High school for the present.
Below the High school all grades are well equipped with music readers, and are making definite advancement in respect to facility of reading and keeping time.
Respectfully submitted,
SUSAN MERRILL.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
To Supt. F. S. Brick :
DEAR SIR :- I herewith submit my eighth annual report of the Douglas High school.
While the number of pupils has been small, a large majority of those who have attended, have shown marked interest and have been making a steady advancement in both the quantity and quality of the work done.
Last year a plan was inaugurated by which a pupil is to receive a diploma when the prescribed work of the course has been com- pleted. The course of study has been arranged so that this may be done in either three or four years. Several pupils have, at the end of a year and a half, received credit for one-half of the subjects of the course. I am especially pleased to report that while a large part of the pupils are taking extra studies that they may complete the course in three years, the amount and thoroughness of the work has, in no case, been less than before, but in three subjects has been noticeable more.
Public graduation exercises were held in the Congregational church, East Douglas, on the evening of June twenty-third. The class of '04, assisted by the other members of the school, ren- dered in a delightful and creditable manner the program given be- low.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. H. STODDARD, Prin.
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GRADUATING EXERCISES
PROGRAM
1 Chorus (a) "Come Let Us Raise the Song," Methfessel (b) "Over the Stars," F. Abt
2 Prayer, Rev. Shirley D. Coffin
3 Recitation, "The Stork and the Ruby," Richard Henry Stoddard ALMA H. QUINTAL
4 Piano Duet, "Awakening of the Lions," Ant. DeKontshi
MISSES MAUD AND IRENE BOWEN
5 Essay, "The Development of Japan"
EDITH LUNN
6 Duet, "The First Violets," Bellini
EVA HUGHES, INA LAMBERT
7 Recitation, "King Robert of Sicily," Longfellow
CHRISTEL E. BROWN
8 Quartet, "Sleep on Thy Pillow," W. T. Giffe
MESSRS. STOCKWELL, KENYON, CANIAK, BEBO
9 Essay, "Improvements of Our Town From 1804 to 1904," MAUD A. BOWEN
10 Trio, "Sweet and Low," V. Cirillo
11 Essay, "How to Get on in the World,"
JOHN IRVING STOCKWELL
12 Violin Solo, "Sleepy Song," Katharine Roche
OLIVE SWEET
13 Recitation, "The Healing of the Daughter of Jairus," Willis
EDITH A. SWEET
14 Chorus, "The Bugler," Pinsuti
15 Essay, "Importance of Agriculture,"
WALTER C. KENYON
16 Quartet "Auld Lang Syne."
17 Presentation of Diplomas Supt. F. S. Brick
· Benediction
GRADUATING CLASS
Motto-"Nil Desperandum
MAUD AMELIA BOWEN WALTER CLIFFORD KENYON
EDITH LUNN JOHN IRVING STOCKWELL
Class Colors-Blue and Gold
Report of School Committee
The committee respectfully submit the following report for the year ending March 1st, 1905.
SCHOOL HOUSES
We believe the school houses are in better condition today than they were a year ago. In the new school building, owing to the shrinking of some of the woodwork, the walls in the several rooms had broken away, leaving unsightly cracks, which have been filled up, and the walls and ceilings have been re-tinted. The school house at Douglas Center has called for some repairs. The walls have been newly papered and painted, and the chimney extended to get proper draft.
SUPERINTENDENT
The town is exceedingly fortunate in being connected with Ux- bridge as a joint superintendent district, and that they have the services of such an able and efficient superintendent as the pres- ent incumbent.
The supervision of the teachers and methods of teaching have been under his control, and we believe that the several schools are on a higher plane morally and intellectually. The committee would heartily recommend that the present union be continued.
The other matters pertaining to the schools have been so thor- oughly covered by the superintendent that the committee refrain from making any further suggestions.
FRED A. PLACE, LOUIS B. SAXTON, EDWIN T. RAWSON,
Superintending Committee.
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