USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1907 > Part 3
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to the sixth grade and Miss Wixtead to the fifth. The fourth grade was divided between fifth under Miss Wixtead and the third under Miss Abbott, making a grade and a half in each room. The reasons for these changes will be discussed further on.
MEDICAL INSPECTION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Your attention is called to the law recently passed by the Legislature of the state of Massachusetts providing for the medical inspection of all pupils in the public schools. The law is as follows:
SECTION 1. "The school committee of every town and of every city except Boston shall appoint one or more school physicians, shall assign a school physician to every school within its city or town, shall provide him with all necessary blanks and with all proper facilities for the performance of his duties, and shall require him to call at every school to which he is assigned daily or at such other interval as may be prescribed by the committee, and when- ever notified by the head of the school; except that in the case of schools in remote and isolated situations the school committee may, after consultation with the state board of education, make such other arrangement as may best carry out the purposes of this act. Each school physician shall make a medical examination and diagnosis of all children referred to him for that purpose, and such further examinations of pupils. teachers, and janitors, and of the school buildings, as in his opinion the protection of the health of the pupils may require, and shall report the result of such exami- nations to the head of the school."
Besides providing for expert medical care of the children, this law also provides for annual sight and hearing test of the children by the respective teachers. So far as the respective towns and schools systems are concerned the law is mandatory, but so far as the parents of the affected children are concerned the law aims to be only advisory. In accordance with this law a school physician must be appointed with prescribed duties, and teachers must per- form eye and ear test with pupils under his care, and both must notify the parent in each case of the defect or disease found; but
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beyond this point the state aims that the law shall operate as an advisor, urging the parents to take immediate action for the allevi- ation of the difficulty.
In the opinion of your superintendent this is one of the most important acts of legislature regarding the schools that has been passed for years, and its influence for the betterment of the chil- dren can not be estimated at the present time. No factor in the spread of disease is greater than the schoolroom, with its free text book system, its many children from so many different homes, the tendency on the part of some to ignore absolute cleanliness of person, and to hide the presence of disease, when in its incipient form. The aim of this law is to correct this.
Again many of the children heretofore considered "dull," "stupid" or "slow" have been found to be defective in eye sight or hearing, or afflicted with adenoid or other foreign tissues in the nose and throat. All this naturally would affect the mental power of the children. In the case of eye and ear defectiveness-lack of attention through lack of ability to hear or see. In case of adenoids,-lack of interest through inability to concentrate, or on account of dull catarrhal headaches. These also the law aims to correct. It is the hope of the department therefore, that the parents will not regard lightly the notices sent home, but may act on them as soon as possible, for the sake of the children.
THE INDIVIDUAL TEACHING.
Since September an attempt has been made to adopt the so- called Batavia system of instruction in a more or less modified form. This plan aims for the special instruction of pupils who are backward for whatever cause. It aims to set aside a definite time each day during school hours to instruct individually the back- ward pupils. It is hoped that by this method the number of non- promoted pupils may be greatly reduced. Certain it is that there have been too many left overs in our schools in the past years.
Teachers should be held responsible for pupils who having attended school faithfully, fail in promotion at the end of the year. It is not enough to say that they are dull or lazy. Schools are
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especially for just such "dull" and "lazy" pupils, and it is our duty to especially interest such pupils. It is easy enough to teach a school of alert, bright and interesting children. It is the in- struction of the slow, the backward, the "born short" kind that takes the skill to teach, patience to develop, and ingenuity to inter- est.
MUSIC.
During the past year, since September, a special music teacher has been employed in the East Douglas building with occasional visits to Douglas Centre.
Owing to the geographical location of Douglas it is impossible for a union to be formed for the purpose of either drawing or music for a salary that we are able to pay.
The present teacher, Miss Sweet, is a town girl and up to September has had no experience in teaching. The result of her work, however is such as to warrant a continuation of the policy another year.
CONSOLIDATION OF GRADES.
In view of the fact that the school at East Douglas was crowded last year, and that the committee asked for an additional sum to take care of an overflow, should such arise again, the mat- ter was placed in the hands of your superintendent this year for careful investigation and adjustment. Two plans were considered for making room for an overflow if such should occur. First, to consolidate the ninth grade with the high school and furnish an assistant. Second, to divide a small grade, if such could be found, placing half with the grade above and half with the grade below. During the month of May a careful investigation was made of all the grades with somewhat surprising results. The canvas showed that during the last half of the year particularly in the spring term, over forty-six pupils were drawn from the various grades for dif- ferent reasons, going to work or leaving town.
The following table shows the exact number up to June 1st that left school :
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GRADE.
No. Sept. 1905.
No. June 1906.
Loss.
I
40
40
II
33
28
5
III
32
26
6
IV
38
33
5
V
43
35
8
VI
41
31
10
VII
28
21
7
VIII 2
25
20
5
IX
280
234
46
Later, in June, ten more left, making a total loss of fifty-six from the grades.
The promotion list, as arranged for September, following, al- lowing for pupils not promoted and estimating the entering class in Grade I to be twenty-six stood as follows :
GRADE.
NO. IN GRADE.
I
34
II
32
III
29
IV
25
V
30
VI
39
VII
29
VIII
22
IX
10
Your superintendent then made the following recommenda- tion. First, to combine ninth with the high school ( see report on high school ) and either to run all the grades with the small num- bers as they stood or to divide Grade IV, giving one half to Grade III and one half to Grade V, (each of these grades being about the same, twenty-nine and thirty.) This would give Grades III and V forty-two pupils each. Your committee voted the latter plan for the lower grades and also to unite the ninth grade with the high school. ( See table " B".)
TABLE A. Douglas Public Schools. Statistical Report of Scholastic Year, Ending July 1, 1906.
SCHOOL
GRADE
TEACHER
WHERE EDUCATED
Salary per week
No. weeks in year
Total enrollment
Total membership
Average member-
Average attend-
Per cent. of
attendance
Tardinesses
Dismissals
No. not absent
No. not tardy
No. not absent
or tardy
Visitors
High .
.
High VIII-IX
John Brackett ..... , Emily Sturtevant. ) Matilda Burghardt Westfield Normal Matilda Burghardt. Westfield Normal . Grace Damon . ..
12 00
36
25
25
20.28 23.83
18.95 93.5 22.04 92.5
104
186
1
4
1
43
Intermediate
VI
Bridgewater Normal
10 00
36
39
41
35 +
31+ |89+
137
343
2
20
2
37
V
Euna Buffington . . . E. Douglas High . . .
10 00
36
43
43
37
35.2 94
125
50
26
24
1
60
Primary . . . ..
III
Edith Abbott ...... E. Douglas High. ..
10 00
36
31
32
28.47
26.76 94.07 27.23|95. +
10
2
5
26
4
55
Etta Johnson . ...
. E. Douglas High . . .
12 00
36
34
36
28.61
31.3
90
22
S
23
112
13
14
W. Douglas.
Mixed
ยง Mary Pennell . . . .
E. Douglas High .
7 50
36
16
16
15.2
13.2
86.8
56
14
0
5
0
38
So. Douglas. Douglas Cen.
Mixed Mixed
Edith Fogg.
.E. Douglas High . S Framingham Norm'l Boston University. .
10 00 10 00
36 36
16 21
22
20
16.6
106
12
0
12
0)
68
359 371 312.19 284.61 90.54
917
829
61
253
24
557
40
20
21
20
19.3
94 +
160
67
'2
1
1
120
Grammar ...
65
58
1
6
1
40
10 00
36
28
28
38
33.5
31.03 92.3
63
27
.0
0
11
0
24
II
( Helena Wixtead. E. Douglas High. ) Etta Johnson ... . E. Douglas High . ( Roxanna Johnston Boston Normal ..
10 00
36
51
51
34.8
I
/ Maud Barry .. ...
Ethel Cleale.
15
13
1
16
1
31
18
15.5
13
82.9 82.5
54
49
16
0
27
IV
Helena Wixtead .. . |E. Douglas High. ..
10 00
36
35
ship
ance
VII
Bates College
$22 50
TABLE B. Douglas Public Schools. Statistical Report from September 1906 to January 1, 1907.
SCHOOL
GRADE
TEACHER
WHERE EDUCATED
Salary
Total enrollment
Average member-
Average attend-
ance
Per cent. of
attendance
Total absences
Tardinesses
Dismissals
Visitors
East Douglas
High IX
J. F. Brackett . . . .
Bates College . . .
$25 00
13
12
10.8
95 +
23
0
69
9
.6
VII-VIII VI
Matilda Burghardt Euna Buffington . . Helena Wixtead ... Edith Abbott .
Douglas High . . Douglas 66
10 00
40
37
33.8
91 +
236
29
1.7
10
5
IV-III
Douglas
10 50
43
40.29
38.61
95.83
215
29
15
7
II
Etta Johnson.
Douglas
10 00
34
29 79
28.02
94 +
109
14
17
I
Blanche Gordon ...
Farmington Normal
10 00
42
37.27
31.39
84.4
351
39
7
6
W. Douglas. Douglas Cen.
Mixed Mixed Mixed
Mabel Canfield .
Douglas High . ..
7 50
15
14.8
13.2
89.1
993
10
0
11
Tufts College .
10 00
20
16.5
14.17
85.5
39.6
14-
6
15
So. Douglas.
Louise Doherty . ... M. M. MacCullum . Provencial Normal.
10 00
21
18.3
14.3
78.5
375.5
18
10
12
340|331.34 281.34
90.2
1,967.3|
276
291
100
19
17.16
16.5
96+
71
20
19
9
Westfield Normal. .
12 00
50
48.8
43.7
89.5
3141
84
135
4
..
V-IV
10 50
43!
39.43
36 85
94
1731
19
ship
I I
I 2
So far the work that has been done this year under this com- bination I consider fully up to the work of the past years and in some respects better. The number of pupils in our schools will undoubtedly vary from year to year and a combination of this kind, is bound to occur unless you are willing to run small schools which is not always advisable. It seems unwise when suitable combi- nations can be made under which good work can be done, to run three small schools when two will do just as well.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The combination of the ninth grade with the high school was made under two conditions. First, the seventh, eighth and ninth grades would make too large a grammar school for one teacher, over sixty pupils. No suitable combination could be made by combining the seventh with the sixth. The seventh was too small to be run alone. as also was the ninth. Second, I have always felt that it would be a desirable condition if the ninth grade could be placed under a strong man. This was tried three years ago ibut failed for obvious reasons. This year the opportunity offered itself again to try the combination without materially affecting the quality of work, or for that matter the quantity, over last year. Last year. owing to the full quota of classes in the high school proper, fourteen recitations occurred daily. The upper class hav- ing graduated and the combination of the middle classes into one-due to extra work taken by a part-there remained in the high school proper but three grades or groups as against four last year.
The introduction of the ninth grade into the high school room did not, therefore, increase the number of classes over last year, there being but fourteen daily recitations this year. As to the quality of the work, I am certain that the work done there is of high order and never was better. In fact, in some cases the ground covered is more than last year. I consider Mr. Brackett a teacher of rare qualifications, and it was through his energy that the year, both for the high school classes and for the ninth grade, has been so successful. I believe also that the ninth grade has
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increased in power and development under a man in the high school more than it would if combined with one of the elementary grades under a women.
Now, while it is possible this year to make this combination, next year the high school will expand again, and if the ninth grade is placed there an assistant will be necessary. I desire, therefore, to recommend that the placing of the ninth grade in the high school be continued and that an assistant be secured. The super- intendent's room adjoining the high school room could be used for a recitation room. The experiment was made this year under very favorable circumstances and without additional cost. The experiment is an unqualified suceess. Let us keep it so, even if we have an assistant. The boys and girls of the ninth grade need the strong personality of a man. Besides this, they accumulate a mental power and grasp in mingling with the high school such as is not possible with the lower grades. Algebra and advanced physi- ology are now a part of the ninth grade as a result of our work during the past five years. Added to this is the desire of most of the ninth grade to take elementary Latin as an extra study which, of course, strengthens their English. This could not be done if the class were not in the high school room.
FRANCIS S. BRICK,
Superintendent.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Superintendent, F. S. Brick.
DEAR SIR :- I respectfully submit my report as principal of the high school for the past year.
The attendance has been good during the year and much in- terest shown, but there is a need of more visiting by the parents to encourage and stimulate the pupils to their best work.
I strongly advise the home study. Hard work and interest is a great step toward good discipline.
The addition to the physical labratory is filling a long felt want.
I think that we should make more account of the birthdays of America's great men who lived and died with the one great purpose of making the world better.
We should celebrate their birthdays as they occur in the school year with essays, sketches and stories of their lives as a means of impressing the fact that they are safe patterns for us to follow.
I take occasion to herein thank you and the school committee for your many courtesies and kindnesses of the year.
Very truly,
JOHN F. BRACKETT.
East Douglas, Mass.,
Feb. 28, 1907.
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Report of School Committee.
At the end of the year the Committee submit this report :
The Committee and Superintendent have held monthly meet- ings as in the preceding year.
Only minor repairs on school buildings have been needed this year. The only expenditure for supplies that was outside the routine expenditures was the sum of $75.00 for apparatus for the teaching of physics in the high school.
The calendar of the school year was again changed, with the same object as that of the change last year, namely, to give as much liberty as possible to the children when they could enjoy it most outdoors. To this entl the schools were opened a week later in September, and the March vacation has been shortened by one week.
The important matter of consolidation of grades in the East Douglas schools is treated fully, with a significant suggestion, in the report of our Superintendent. The Committee need only to recommend that every citizen interested in the schools of the town read attentively his report.
There has been no truant officer in the Center district this year, as Willie Manahan, who was appointed truant officer for the district, refused to accept the office, and no one else could be found for it. Mr. Manahan's chief reason for declining the posi- tion was a fear that the parents would not cooperate with him in the discharge of his duties.
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The Rev. Edward B. Blanchard was elected to the Superin- tending Committee again this year, and was again made chair- man. He held this position until he left town. His resignation from the School Committee was accepted by the Selectmen at their August meeting. This resignation was a loss to his col- leagues, for he had proved himself a clear-thinking, efficient, chair- man.
The Committee desire to express in this place their confi- dence in the Superintendent of Schools. They know that he works painstakingly for the welfare of the schools, that he has high ideals, and that he has the power both of planning and directing. If the schools of Douglas are in a better condition to- day than for many years, as we have reason to believe they are, the credit for their excellence is mainly due to our present Super- intendent.
EDWARD N. JENCKES FRANK E. JONES, EDWIN T. RAWSON,
Superintending Committee.
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