USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1910 > Part 3
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In trying to supplement the aid of the State to our High school twenty recitation chairs were added to the equipment in September and in January a substantial bench for use in chem- istry and physics was added. From the State School fund thirty- eight dollars and eighty-nine cents ($38.89) was apportioned for chemistry and physics supplies. This with help from the books and supplies appropriation has equipped these courses fairly well. In September shorthand was taken up with the beginnings of a business course and recently a standard typewriter has been added.
Attention is called to the item "Grading at East Douglas (special) " in appropriations asked for. The committee believe it is time the grounds about the building at East Douglas should be finished off and made attractive.
The committee recommend that this coming year the East Douglas building be connected with the public water system, and drinking fountains be placed in the basements thereby doing away with the more or less "common drinking cup."
For the ensuing year the following appropriations are asked for :
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Public schools including transportation $5,500 00
Books and supplies 400 00
Repairs. ... 300 00
Grading at East Douglas (special) 300 00
School physician . 50 00
$6,910 00
Respectfully,
LUCIUS J. MARSH,
EDWARD T. BUXTON, Superintending GILBERT W. ROWLEY, Committee
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Superintendent's Report.
To the School Committee of Douglas, Mass.
GENTLEMEN :- I submit to you here my second annual re- port as superintendent of your schools.
STATISTICS
The total enrolment of the schools for the year ending June 18, 1909 was 391, six more than the preceding year. Ten years ago the total membership was 227. These figures show that dur- ing the last decade the enrolment has increased over 72 per cent.
The average membership for the year closing last June was 323, 21 more than for the preceding year. The per cent. of atten- dance, however, was but 91.01, apparently 1 per cent. less than for the preceding year. The decrease cannot be traced to the weather for this was not severe during the winter of 1908-1909, nor to a poor state of health, for there was no more sickness than usual, if indeed as much, but rather to a strict inforcement for the first time of the rule of the Sec'ty of the State Board of Education to the effect that before taking a child's name from the register ten full days of absence shall be recorded against him, even though he be sick and not likely to return for a long time, and
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that a child enrolled at the close of the fall or winter term shall be marked absent until he comes to school, or until it be positive- ly known that he will not return.
The number of tardinesses per pupil for the periods being compared decreased from 2.14 to 1.9.
The general statistics relative to the schools as well as the standing of the several schools in the matters of attendance and punctuality may be seen by reference to the tables at the close of this report.
ATTENDANCE.
The standing of the schools in the matter of attendance is low in comparison with that in most other towns where the per cents. run from 93 to 96. To have on an average one-tenth of the children out of school all the time plainly indicates that some of the parents are either ignorantly or wilfully failing to comply with the state laws relative to school attendance, and that in such cases the laws, for which adequate penalties are provided are not being enforced by the authorities. The gist of those laws is as follows : every child between the ages of seven and fourteen years shall attend school every session, and if absent for ten half · days with- in any period of six months without being excused by the super- intendent or by the authority of the superintendent, the parent or guardian shall be liable to a fine of $20.
In view of the number of unnecessary absences that we are having, 727 from Sept. 7 to Dec. 17, 1909, it seems desirable both for the sake of the children whose work in class is hindered by the absence of others, as well as for the sake of those who are kept at home, to enter upon a more strict enforcement of the school laws. Laxity or unnecessary leniency in one instance be- gets it in another instance until conditions become such as to be far from creditable to the authorities.
EYE AND EAR TESTS
The annual eye and ear test required by law to be made by the teachers were given in the fall with the following results :
Number of pupils enrolled .
337
defective in eyesight 51
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" hearing . 14
" parents or guardians notified 55
MEDICAL INSPECTION
As yet, however, no provision has been made for the medical inspection of the children of the public schools as required by Chapter 502 of the Acts of 1906, from which the following is an extract :
SECTION 5 .- The school committee of every city and town shall cause every child in the public schools to be separately and carefully examined and tested at least once in every school year to ascertain whether he is suffering from defective sight or hear- ing or from any other disability or defect tending to prevent his receiving the full benefit of his school work or requiring a modifi- cation of the school work in order to prevent injury to the child or to secure the best educational results. The tests of sight and hearing shall be made by teachers. The committee shall cause notice of any defect or disability requiring treatment to be sent to the parent or guardian of the child, and shall require a physical record of each child to be kept in such form as the State Board of Education shall prescribe
This section has been interpreted by the Secretary of the State Board of Education and by all the towns of which I have knowledge, to mean that a physician shall "carefully and separ- ately" examine each child to find out as fully as possible his physical condition and to report that condition if found defective to the teacher and to the parent or guardian that the child's best interests, physically and mentally may be considered. It is to be hoped that means may be found to enable the town to comply with the law, failure to do which makes it liable to forfeit the finan- cial assistance now received from the state.
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COURSE OF STUDY
During a part of last summer the superintendent prepared carefully and in detail courses of study in Language and Grammar and in Arithmetic, and they have since been distributed to the teachers. These courses it is believed correspond closely with those now in use in our most progressive towns and cities. They require that somewhat more work be done than was formerly the case, and that the essentials of the work be taught during the first two terms of the year with the object of providing for an ade- quate review and of making it easier for the bright pupil who is willing to work to secure an extra promotion during the year. It is the purpose to revise and bring up to date the remaining of the course of study so soon as time shall permit.
MANUAL TRAINING
An examination of the school reports of the town for the last decade show that Manual Training has been persistently recommended and advised. Last fall, however it was decided to do something definite in the matter and so the superintendent and the teachers met together and outlined a plan of work. That plan included raphia and cardboard construction for the lower grades, reed and raphia work for the higher grades, sewing for the girls of grades 5, 6, 7 and 8, and pierced brass work for the pupils of the High school This plan as outlined was energetic- ally and successfully carried out, particularly that part of it relating to sewing, and the articles made were exhibited and offer- ed for sale at an entertainment and fair held the Thursday before the close of school last December. As a result of the generous contribution and patronage of parents and friends the schools netted the neat sum of $88.42. A part of this money was used to pay the bills incurred in the manual training work already done. The remainder of it is to be used to continue the work another year and to provide manual training benches and tools for more advanced work for the Grammar grades and High school another year. This introduction of the new work puts the schools
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upon a more up-to-date basis, adds to the child's interest in school life, develops taste and skill, and at least as far as it relates to sewing and wood working, gives instruction and training which it is very probable the pupils will put to use to a greater or less ex- tent later.
HIGH SCHOOL
The course of study for the High School as printed in the report of last year remains unchanged with the exception of the introduction of a course in Stenography. The system used is the Ben Pitman, the same as is in use at the Salem Normal School for the preparation of stenography teachers and the same as is in use in the great majority of the best high schools and commercial colleges. The addition of stenography to the course of study to- gether with practice in typewriting soon to be made possible by the purchase of a machine, puts the school so far as opportuni- ties offered to the pupils are concerned on a very satisfactory basis when one considers the size of the school and the size of the town.
While in general it is believed that the High School is doing acceptable work in all lines, conditions considered, and particular- ly good work in Physics and Mathematics, it still continues to be true, however, that the work of the school is handicapped by the lack of maturity and preparation on the part of a number of the pupils in the first and second years. Still higher standards of admission are therefore disirable, and I accordingly venture to recommend that the 9th grade be restored to the elementary course until such time as the work of the schools as a whole can be raised to a higher degree of efficiency, meanwhile allowing pupils of sufficient maturity and ability to pass directly to the High school from grade eight. Unless this arrangement is made, very many of the present seventh and eighth grade pupils will find it difficult to do the work of the High school in a very sat- isfactory manner.
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One other condition at the High school also needs improve- ment, and that is the matter of punctuality. During the past year there was an average of 6 tardinesses per pupil or three times as many per pupil as in the schools of the town taken as a whole. It would almost seem as if the boys and girls so soon as they attained to the dignity of High school membership, lost the sense and ob- ligation to be prompt and regular in attendance.
RURAL SCHOOLS
The attention of the committee was called last year to the desirability of consolidating the small rural schools at South Doug- las and West Douglas with the relatively large school at the Center into a simple graded system in the belief that much better work could be accomplished if this were done. While with respect to West Douglas where the number of pupils has increased and the quality of work improved, the need at present is not so great as it was, conditions at So. Douglas make such a change even more desir- able than formally, for the number of pupils is now reduced to but 14, and it seems to be practically impossible to get from the child- ren as good work as is done by the other pupils in the town. To transport these children during the fall and spring terms to the Center School where there are sufficient seats to accommodate them, and to provide at that school an assistant to do the work with the lower grades, seems to be a plan that has much to com- mend itself to your attention, for its adoption would practically mean the establishment of a two-teacher school with a grammar and primary department at an expense of but little if any more than it now costs to run the two schools separately. So far as I have been able to learn by talking with the parents there is but little objection on the part of the people at So. Douglas to giving the plan a trial, particularly if a school be opened at So. Douglas during the winter months, and it seems to be unanimously desired by the people at the Center, offering as it does much better educa- tional opportunities for the children there. The careful consider- ation of this plan as outlined, and if possible a trial of it for a few months is earnestly recommended.
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CONCLUSION
In concluding this report it is a pleasure to bear witness again to the continued generous and friendly cooperation of the public, of the committee, and of the teachers in our common effort to make the schools more and more valuable to the pupils and more and more a source of pride and satisfaction to the community.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWIN S. COBB,
Superintendent of Schools.
East Douglas, Mass., Feb. 3, 1910
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Table A. Douglas School Statistics, 1908-1909
SCHOOL
TEACHER
WHERE EDUCATED
Salary per week paid
Number of weeks taught
Length of time, mo's, days
Under 5 years, Boys
Under 5 years, Girls
5-15 years, Boys
5-15 years, Girls
Over 15 years, Boys
Over 15 years. Girls
Total No. of Boys
Total No. of Girls
7-14 years, Boys
Total Membership
Average Membership
Average Attendance
Per cent. of Attendance
Tardinesses
Dismissals
Number of Visitors
High .
C. E. Disney, Prin. Miss M. L. Doherty Tufts College
10.00
15
10.00
25
0
0
19
24 2 0 21
24
18 20
45
39.6
36.1 91.36
30 138
80
E. Doug.Gr. VII-VIII
Miss Ida L. Rollins Brown University
Lowell Normal
11.00
36
9
0)
0
22
16 2
24
22
15
43
36.5
33.9 93.01
59| 12 182
E. Doug. Gr. V-VI. . E. L. Buffington
E. Doug. Gr. IV-V. . Miss M. E. Doherty
Douglas High Lowell Normal Framingham Nor. Douglas High
10.50
15
:
Miss Mary Waldow
Miss E. M. Abbott Miss E. HI. Johnson Douglas High
11.00
36
9
0
0
21
25
0
0 21
25
14
19
49
42.8
39.2 91.61
30
15 142
E. Doug. Gr. I ..
Miss Oda C. Ware
10.00
36
9
0
22
131
0
13
15
10
35
26.7
24.4 91.47
43
27
38
So. Douglas, Mixed ..
Miss M. L. Cromb
10.00
16, 8-10
10 00
19
7.50
36
9
0
1
8
10
0)
0
8
11
7
8
19
13.6
12.5 91 91
2
0
32
W. Douglas, Mixed ..
Miss E. M. Shaw Miss M. II. Kelly
Perry Kind'garten Farming'n. Me. Nor Framingham Nor. Thayer Academy Douglas Iligh
10.00
36
9
0
0
22
32
1
32
7
11
59
41.9
36.6 87.05
83
39
67
Center, Mixed .
Miss M. B. Brown
6
21
16.2
14 86.68
96|
37
28
403,90-10|
0 2 174 168 14 15 188 185 138 124 391 323.7 ,924.6 91.01 636 561 774
3
3
37 30.9
28.4 91.90 201
4 145
Clark University
$20.00
40
10
0
().
7
7
15
14
0
21
15
21
15
39
35.5 40
32.6 92.00 36.9 92.12
52
64
14
0
0
25
17
0)
0 25
17
17
44
11.00
36
10.00
21
9
0
0
21
15
0)
0 0)
1
7
9
2
0
9
10
6
0) 0)
23 22
E. Doug. Gr. III-IV.
40 225
46
E. Doug. Gr. I-II . ..
Miss M. H. Harris Boston University
10.00
15
9
11.50
21
Miss M. E. Dohery
()
16
7-14 years, Girls
Enrolment
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Table B. Ranks of the Schools in Attendance and Punctuality. 1908-1909.
ATTENDANCE
PUNCTUALITY
RANK
SCHOOL
PER CENT.
RANK
SCHOOL
AVERAGE TARDINESS
1
E. Douglas, 'Grades V-VI ..
93.01
West Douglas
.01
17
2
E. Douglas, Grades III-IV.
92.12
E. Douglas, Grades I-II.
.70
3
E. Douglas, Grades IV-V .. 92.
E. Douglas, Grades VII-VIII
.75
4
West Douglas
91.91
E. Douglas, Grades III-IV
1.00
5
E. Douglas High
91.90
E. Douglas, Grades IV-V
1.46
6
E. Douglas, Grades I-II
91.67
Douglas Center ..
1.56
7
Douglas Center.
91.47
E. Douglas, Grades V-VI
1.61
S
E. Douglas Grammar, VII-VIII.
91.36
E. Douglas, Grade I
1.98
9
E. Douglas, Grade I
87.05
South Douglas.
5.99
10
South Douglas.
186.68
10
F. Douglas High
6.50
Average
91.01
Average
1.96
1 3 123456789 2 4 5 6 9 3
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Report of HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. E. S. Cobb, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir:
The Douglas High School is now, I am confident, on a solid foundation and should do in the future, not merely good, but even better work, as the habits of study and application become fixed.
Generous additions of books and apparatus have supplied us with most of the necessary tools for doing our work, but we should not rest here. For example, the school should not rely wholly upon the Public Library to supply reference books which are of interest to pupils chiefly.
The Class of 1909 established the custom, which will be followed, of leaving with the school a class gift. The High School rooms will thus gradually be made attractive.
Some means should be found to keep the school building free from dust. A vacuum cleaner, with electricity for power, may be
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deemed impracticable at the present time, but oil brushes are both cheap and effective.
In conclusion I would thank the Board, the Superintendent, and my fellow teachers for having helped to make this year a pleasant one. I am,
Very Respectfully yours,
CHAS. E. DISNEY.
February 2, 1910.
Principal of High School.
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