USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1881-1890 > Part 5
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Books of biography, travel and history, magazines and news- papers are used in some rooms, to give a zest to the regular read- ing. It would be well to introduce similar supplementary reading exercises into every school, never seeking to displace other equally important exercises. I would advise teachers to prepare a list of good books, with whose authors and contents they are so familiar
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that they can interest their pupils beforehand, and thus induce the children to read them. Then the scholars should be questioned, or should write about what they have read. I know that the courteous town librarian will be pleased to render all the assistance in his power to both teachers and pupils in the selection of good books for class or home reading.
SPELLING.
By a more liberal use of dictation and written exercises there is much better spelling in the schools. The regular written work of the pupils conclusively proves this. A child should never be called upon to spell a word which it has never seen or heard, and which to its mind is the symbol of no idea or thought. This principle lies at the foundation of good reading and good spelling; our Primary teachers and most of those in the Grammar grades daily illustrate its truth. .
Modern educators agree that the very first steps in reading are blocked when the child is compelled to call over the letters of the alphabet in oral spelling. I know of no city or town, whose schools are of any repute, in which such teaching is allowed, My prede- cessor wisely abolished the ancient style of spelling. Many teachers had previously dispensed with it. The assertions that pupils do not spell orally, and that, if they do, the words are not divided into syllables, are incorrect. Our teachers insist upon the careful division of words into syllables and properly placing the accent. Take the word pre-eminently. It is spelled thus : P, r, e- e, m-i-n, e, n, t-l, y-pre-em'inently. The pupil is taught first to pronounce the word as a whole, then to spell as above, pausing after every syllable, and finally the word is again pronounced with the proper accent.
The notion that our children are forbidden,-they are in many towns and cities,-to spell any during the first school year is like- wise incorrect. Many teachers have some oral spelling even in the first term. Oral spelling is sparingly used by some teachers, as they obtain so much better results from the written method. Any suspicion that children do not learn their letters is unjust, as I know from hundreds of examinations. The alphabet is on the board in all the Primary school-rooms. The children often repeat it .in regular order, but not during the first term. The children can spell their words orally, as in " the good old days ;" they can also use them correctly written in little sentences of their own making. I have never advised that oral spelling should be omitted in the early years of the Primary course, though this is the rule in many towns. Even in the higher grades, the abolition of oral spelling has not been suggested, as it may be profitable occasion- ally as an exercise in articulation, or as a change from the common work.
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Some of our Primary teachers adopt the following plan for spell- ing : A few words, eight or ten, are carefully written upon the board for the children to copy, each word being correctly divided into its syllables. No lesson is ever given a class to study, each word of which has not been previously gone over and explained by the children themselves, if possible; if not, by the teacher. The meaning and use of the words are made clear to them before the real lesson is begun. The children copy these words upon their slates a cer- tain number of times with great care; their work is examined, criti- cised and marked by the teacher. At the next session, or the following day, the same words are given the class to write from dictation ; when written, the children exchange slates, and the class is called upon individually to pronounce and spell orally, with careful division into syllables, all the words in order. Words wrongly spelled are checked. The neatness, plainness and general nicety of the writing is marked, each child correcting the slate he holds. The carefulness in criticising, and the quickness in detect- ing errors in another's work are two of the most noticeable features to one who is not familiar with this method of conducting a spell- ing lesson.
During the spelling exercise, the children are called upon to use the words in oral sentences of their own. Frequently, instead of writing the word alone, they are required to write a sentence con- taining the given word. This method lays no claim to originality, but it does make good talkers, good writers and good spellers.
NUMBER AND ARITHMETIC.
Two years ago there was a want of definiteness and accuracy in the Primary instruction in number. Too much had been attempted with some classes, too little with others. The first year's work is now limited to the knowledge of number to 10 or 12. Most of this work is with objects, though the memory is carefully trained from the outset. The figures and the different combinations are made on the board and slates. Little, practical questions are daily given by teacher and pupil. The general features, though enlarged, of this plan, are observed in all the grades. The results have been highly satisfactory. The children are eager, quick and accurate. The counting of fingers which formerly prevailed in the upper Primaries, and in some grades even of the Grammar schools, is almost unknown.
A distinguished teacher from a western state, who recently visited some of our Primaries, expressed his delight at the quickness and accuracy of the answers in number. These results have been secured by the thoughtful, persistent work of the teachers who have responded willingly to all the suggestions of your Superin- tendent. The classes that entered the Grammar schools last September averaged higher than those of the preceding year ; in the facility with which they performed concrete work, or practical problems, they were far in advance.
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Arithmetic is well taught in most of the lower Grammar grades ; in a few, there seems to be a want of thoroughness, life and origi- nality. Too much time is given to details. Principles and reasons are not held firmly. The ability to determine readily in an arith- metical problem what is given and what is asked, must be cultiva- ted constantly. The thoughtful reading now so common in the schools has a bearing upon this point. Said one of your most accomplished teachers recently, "I find that class of good readers which came to me will take in the sense of a question in arithmetic with wonderful quickness."
The arithmetical work in the upper classes of the Grammar schools has, as a rule, been excellent. Finding that classes were spending months on subjects which were useless for discipline or practical life, we have omitted these, thus gaining time for more thorough drill upon essential principles, business problems and written forms. Very many pupils never enter the first class, in fact, many never enter the third. But only during the last year have the simpler principles of fractions and United States money been thoroughly taught in the fourth class in the Grammar schools.
This is the first year that the every-day applications of percentage and interest have been taken up in the second classes. All this has been secured, not by crowding the pupils, nor at the expense of thoroughness, but by throwing out much arithmetical rubbish which neither the teachers, the Superintendent, nor the members of your Board have ever had any occasion to use. Was it not then absurd to teach it to children? I believe that in arithmetic, espec- ially, we should cultivate quickness of thought, a ready application of general principles to the solution of practical questions, and rapidity and accuracy in all operations under the fundamental and other important business rules.
The results of the examinations of the first classes in the Gram- mar schools in June last, were highly creditable to the scholars and teachers.
GEOGRAPHY.
Some of our teachers feel that they do not accomplish all they should in this branch of study. No subject demands greater fertility of resources, nor is there any study in which the beauty and power of oral teaching can be more finely illustrated. If the lesson is " heard " merely, and the opportunity to impart some added and useful information is not seized, because no preparation has been made before the hour of recitation arrives, the results will be entirely out of proportion to the time spent in the lesson. Many of the teachers appear before their classes with no text book in hand, or with no slavish adherence to it, yet full of the subject. I find that such classes are ready and thoughtful in their answers to the questions of teachers or casual visitors.
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Geography is the companion of history ; the facts of each are most firmly fixed in mind by associating the events of history or of general reading with the localities in which they occurred. The accomplished principals of the Grammar schools understand this thought and act upon it.
All educators agree that the first lessons in geography should commence early and should be entirely oral. Until recently very little of this preparatory oral instruction was given in the Primary schools. The upper Primaries are now doing excellent work in oral geography.
Rapid map drawing on the blackboard, slate or paper, gives the pupil a definite knowledge of geographical localities and fixes their numerous facts permanently in the mind. The adoption in all our schools of some simple, general plan for rapid, extemporaneous map drawing would bring better results, and materially lessen the time required for the study of geography.
All the schools are almost destitute of globes, geographical pic- tures and wall maps. The best teachers feel the need of these essential aids the most. A small appropriation should be made to supply the Primary and Grammar schools with the means required for making the instruction more vivid and practical.
HISTORY.
History is studied during the last year in the Grammar schools. This study should be commenced in the second class at Christ- mas or earlier. Enough useless matter can be omitted from the arithmetic and geography to give that class a taste of history. It is difficult to give much color and life to the dry facts contained in the average school history unless the teacher draws freely from other sources of information. With only a year's study, our teachers do not find the time to supplement the text book as they desire, by oral information and references to more extended historical works.
By over-work on the part of teachers and many pupils, the results in history at the closing examinations last June, were very satis- factory.
LANGUAGE AND GRAMMAR.
In past years there has been too much instruction in technical grammar and too little practice in the correct use of oral and written language. It was no uncommon thing for the pupil to have the whole grammar at his tongue's end, but to fail in apply- ing the most common principles to the simplest sentences of his own composing. Hence a new line of instruction was adopted. First of all, gaining the confidence of the child, the primary teacher leads it to talk freely about some well known object, as a cat or a chicken. This is his first language lesson. As soon as he has learned the form and meaning of a few common words, they are
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written in sentences, he grasps the thought and expresses it orally. He copies words and little sentences from the board, and soon forms original-often very original-sentences upon his slate.
The skillful teacher cautiously corrects the wrong use of words and forms, and practice brings the habit of using them correctly. This work is extended from grade to grade. The child masters the mysteries of gender, case, number and various inflections, with- out even knowing the terms or rules of grammar. We learn to do things by doing them. When speaking of its father or mother twice in the same connection, does the child ever make a mistake in the gender form of the proper pronoun ? When speaking of the four books on the desk, does it say, "See the four book?" Yet it knows nothing of number or gender, as grammatical terms.
To instruct properly a class in language demands more thought and power than is usually given to geography or arithmetic. Our teachers have surprised me by the success of their work. I am often shown in the lowest Primary rooms little sentences and letters which would do credit to older heads. The teachers of the upper Primaries are rivalling each other in this most practical branch of instruction. Some of the classes will nearly cover the ground of the grade above.
When the pupil reaches the Grammar schools, the technical grammar of the text-book is at first used sparingly, and only to avoid repetition and to secure more rapid progress. The text-book itself, by its numerous omissions of things formerly taught, has enabled the teacher's to find other topics "to be omitted," and thus adapt their teachings to the capacity and need of the pupil. Some find it difficult to break away from the text-book, or to sup- plement its work. Hence their pupils do not express themselves readily in oral and written language. This is a result of a lack of thoughtful preparation by the teacher and of daily practice by the pupil.
With rare exceptions, the teachers exact many short, written exercises from the pupils. These are almost worthless unless examined, kindly criticised and corrected. I believe that the amount of written work now common in the Grammar schools far exceeds that done four or five years ago ; the quality is immeasura- bly superior. The scholars in the second classes of the Grammar schools are today more ready and exact in their use of language than pupils formerly were who had spent years in some High Schools. The examination papers and other exercises of the first classes, show the benefits arising from constant training in the written expression of thought. For I have seen papers 'in grammar that were models - of false syntax, and papers in geography that were oblivious to all known rules of spelling, use of capitals, syn- tax, or locality. But the improvement annually made in the general appearance and accuracy of the written work will be more and more marked as the lower grades are advanced.
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PENMANSHIP.
The first attempts at writing are made in the lowest Primary rooms upon the blackboard and slate. During the first two or three years of their school life, the children acquire an open, legible hand ; they write their spelling and reading lessons, they also compose little sentences, stories and letters. In the upper Primary rooms, slate writing is continued, and tracing books, to be used with lead pencils, are begun.
I should be unjust did I not report a decided advance in the Pri- mary grades, as a whole, and especially during the last five months, in the handwriting of the children.
The condition of this branch of instruction and its proper man- agement in the Grammar grades, has been discussed at our teachers' meetings. Some of our best teachers saw the fact more clearly than I, that the general handwriting of the children failed to show any improvement, but rather grew worse during their first term in the Grammar schools. The handwriting in the copy book, which is very limited in its range, was quite good. This defect seems to have been caused by a want of continued practice in copying excel- lent handwriting from the blackboard. The children in the primary grades have been wont to copy, upon slate or paper, much written work which had been placed on the board in the best possible handwriting of the teacher.
Comparatively little in this line of work was done in the lowest Grammar class. Now the teachers are required, in addition to the daily drill in the copy book, to continue the methods which worked so well in the primary grades.
But besides this, it is essential that teachers should carry on this branch with care and persistency, bestowing upon it that well directed energy and enthusiasm which they give to arithmetic, geography or any favorite study. "Every person cannot become a good penman." True, but it is no excuse for attempting little, be- cause a pupil's first efforts are not promising. And, in a school where penmanship is well taught for a considerable time, not many · a scholar should be called a bad penman. When the fullest com- pliance with all essential requirements is not insisted upon by the teacher, he will soon find the pupil in those heedless, slovenly habits which are destructive to all good penmanship. Intelligent instruction upon correct principles, given in the correct order, and constant, sharp oversight must attend this study through all the grades. I would recommend that the upper Primary rooms be furnished with ink wells and that the children be taught the proper use of pen and· ink upon paper before they enter the Grammar schools. The slate work and the pen and ink work would thus go on in parallel lines.
Children younger than those in the first classes of our upper Primaries are taught, in many towns, to write well with pen and ink.
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I have also partly secured the services, subject to your approval, of a thoroughly competent person to give the teachers special instruc- tion and drill, not simply in good penmanship, but in the best methods of teaching this branch, which he would also illustrate, without expense to them or to you, in some of the schools.
It is clear that our schools should furnish the pupils who must leave them at an early age, with a plain, even, legible, easy hand- writing. Such a hand is not a mere accomplishment, it is a prime necessity before employment in many departments of business can be obtained.
TEACHING.
Perhaps the most vital duty which devolves upon the School Com- mittee is to secure competent teachers for the schools. It is not every graduate of the High School or of the college, even, that can succeed as a teacher. This natural inability involves no disgrace. When the ability to teach is wanting, neither scholarship, social position nor limited means can supply the deficiency.
During an experience of sixteen years in the supervision of schools, for seven of those same years having been also a teacher, I can remember more than one instance where the Committee and the Superintendent incurred unjust criticism for refusing to employ or retain incompetent teachers. But I have supposed that our schools, which the whole people support, should be conducted on sound and just business principles. By my advice they can not become asylums for incompetency, or mere charitable institutions. I have no sympathy with the notion that the schools are for the pastime of pupils or convenience of teachers. The work of life is too great, too pressing, to tolerate in any of us a mere perfunctory performance of duty. The schools, sustained as they are by the labor and self-sacrifice of the community, are for the benefit of the whole people.
This town fortunately enjoys the services of an earnest and pro- gressive body of teachers, who, with rare exceptions, not only have an intelligent and lofty conception of their duties and responsibili- ties, but who also have the will and ability to discharge them wisely.
The towns of the Commonwealth whose schools rank highest in efficiency are making the greatest efforts to secure the most experi- enced and accomplished teachers for the Primary grades. This is as it should be. It requires more tact and skill to teach the elements of English to a child in his first year at school, than it does to teach the elements of Latin to a High School pupil. It is as essential, perhaps more, that the younger child should be the better taught. Teaching is an art, a science, a profession. The laws require special preparation and study from those who seek to practice the profession of law or medicine. Is no special training
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and preparation requisite for those who would practice on the youthful mind? The State has established Normal schools. Many more would prepare themselves specially for the work of teaching, if they did not think it easy to secure and retain situations as teachers through influential friends. Few persons outside of a School Committee know how strong a pressure is often applied to advance the interest of friends and relatives, regardless of the good of the schools. But individual interests should be subordinate to the general good.
In the long list of applicants for teachers' places are several promising graduates of the High School. I would recommend that all candidates be examined, and that some be selected as assistants, without pay, for our larger primary schools. They should be placed in the rooms and under the direction of our most successful teachers. They could give our overworked teachers valu- able assistance in many little things. They would also have daily practice in teaching, under the eye of a skilled workman. In this way they would be enabled soon to take the place of teachers that are temporarily absent; and if they developed any tact, skill or power in teaching, would be prepared to manage successfully a school of their own. This scheme has been in successful opera- tion in several towns of the State during the last year. There are some young ladies who would enter the schools next term under the plan above suggested.
COST OF SCHOOLS.
The cost of instruction depends upon the salaries paid to the teachers, but the value of such instruction depends upon the attain- ments, experience and skill of the teachers who give it. Instruction may be dear at any price or it may deserve the most liberal com- pensation. The employing of cheap teachers to educate our youth might slightly reduce the cost of instruction, but it would be fatal to the efficiency of the schools. A business man in whose establish- ment there is an important vacancy, does not close a bargain with the person who offers his services at the lowest wages. He examines into his character and fitness for the position®; if found competent, he hires him and grades his pay according to his work.
Teachers who have achieved a brilliant success, or shown their solid worth by years of valued service, have a just claim to generous treatment and fair salaries.
The cost of the schools of Milford whether based on the whole number of pupils for the year, or the average number registered for any term, is less than that of many other towns of its size in the State.
I know of no body of teachers so poorly paid as the earnest, pro- gressive teachers of your Primary grades. I would recommend that the salaries of experienced and approved teachers in the Primary
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schools and in the lower grades of the Grammar schools, be placed on the same basis, which should be length of service and success in teaching, regardless of the grade.
The present business prosperity of the town may warrant some increase in the salaries of your oldest and ablest teachers. The addition of a few hundred dollars to the school funds has almost no appreciable effect upon the rate of taxation. The poor man who has a family of little ones to educate, is the greatest sufferer if the public schools are not properly taught and wisely managed. He cannot, like his more wealthy neighbor, send his children away to be educated ; he must suffer without remedy. It therefore interests all citizens that the best possible instruction should be given in the schools ; such instruction can be secured only by the retention of skilled teachers upon fair salaries.
MANNERS AND MORALS.
Under our American system of education it is not the province of the public schools to impart religious instruction, but all moral training falls within its scope. The charge is often made by the daily press, that pure conservator of the public morals, that the schools are so intent upon sharpening the intellect that the mould- ing of character is utterly neglected. Though the schools can only supplement the mightier influences of the home and the church, yet any system of instruction which ignores the necessity for "gentle manners and good morals," fails in its most essential work.
To represent that a cultivated and efficient corps of teachers entirely neglects the development of character and the refinement of manners of their pupils is unjust ; to claim that the highest and best efforts are always exerted, would be untrue.
First of all, the teacher must be, not seem, what he would lead his pupils to become. Moral influences are most potent when the precept set forth is illustrated by a living example. Since it is not so much by set, formal teachings that the character of the pupil will be moulded, as by those silent forces which inhere in the teacher's demeanor and character. It is true that the every day occurrences of the school room, play ground and street, can furnish many a vivid object lesson upon the beauty and power of noble conduct and right action.
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