USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1890-1895 > Part 23
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Many of the schools are filled to their full capacity, and some beyond. Fifty scholars in a suitable room under one teacher is a number we should not exceed. The Chapin street school was too full and one of the rooms was divided and made two schools, and the three schools will average over 50 scholars each. This is too many for the two small rooms. The Brick school has in its four rooms 207, an average of about 52. The Park school has in its four rooms 205 scholars, average 51.
Since the abandonment of the Town House building the scholars were mostly transferred to the Claflin school, making six schools in the building. Some of these scholars go from Walnut street and beyond, which is too far for small children. A build- ing centrally located is needed.
It was found best to close the Silver Hill school, as so few attended. The scholars are brought to the Centre schools, and this change is better for the scholars and less expense to the Town. Other towns are doing so with the outside schools.
Instead of building a two-room schoolhouse as suggested last year, and in a few years build a new High School building, (the High School building has no room large enough to accommodate all the scholars at one time,) your Committee would recom- mend in providing for school accommodations, that the High School building be moved to some central location and used for the school till a new High School building on the same grounds suitable for the wants of the Town be completed, and then the old High School building be fitted into three or four rooms for the lower grades of schools.
At the Town Meeting held March 7, 1892, on Article 15 it was voted that the Moderator appoint a Committee to confer with the School Committee in regard to additional school accom- modations and report to the Town at some future meeting. The Moderator appointed E. L. Wires, A. A. Taft, D. J. Cronan, James Lally, Jr., and A. F. Sadler.
We trust their report will have due consideration, and be acted upon for the best good of the Town.
5
The Committee have endeavored to keep within the appro- priation, to what amount see the report of the Secretary. The Committee cannot tell the exact amount necessary for school purposes another year, but after careful estimate would ask an appropriation of $25,500 as follows: Teaching, $16,600; books and supplies, $1,700; evening school, $300; care of schoolhouses, $1,100; salary of Superintendent, $1,600; fuel, $1,200 ; inciden- tals, $1,500; repairs, $1,500; this is $2,500 less than last year's appropriation. .
Soon after the issuing of the last report your Committee met with a great loss in the sudden death of George G. Parker, Esq.,. who had been so long a member of the School Board and Chair- man of the same. He had a large experience in educa- tional methods ; was of good judgment, and was a genial, kind- hearted man, a worthy citizen and a Christian gentleman, one whom the Town could not afford to lose. While it seems myste- rious that it should have occurred, yet faith in the Divine One assures us that He doeth all things for the best, and what is loss to us is to him gain.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
GEORGE L. COOKE, . JOHN T. McLOUGHLIN, ROBERT H. COCHRAN, HEBER D. BOWKER, GILBERT M. BILLINGS, GEORGE E. STACY,
School Committee.
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
Following is a statement of the receipts and expenditures for the year ending Feb. 1, 1893. Last year we reported a deficiency of $2663.05, and the Town appropriated $28,000 to cover this deficit and provide for the present year.
The bills unpaid last year were as follows :-
Money borrowed for salaries $2,041 33
Supplies
331 06
Repairs ·
184 45
Incidentals
106 21
--
$2,663 05
RECEIPTS.
Amount voted by the town
$28,000 00
One half the dog-tax
390 99
Sales at the office
15 78
$28,406 77
EXPENSES.
Last year's deficiency
$2,663 05
Interest on money borrowed
11.92
Teachers' salaries
16,652 73 ·
Janitors' salaries .
1,083 25
Superintendent's salary
.
1,599 95
Fuel
1,186 61
Repairs
.1,730 85
Supplies
1,936 59
Incidentals
1,539 11
- $28,404 06
Balance unexpended, $2 71
Following is an itemized account of the expenditures for supplies, repairs and incidentals :-
.
.
7
TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
Silver, Burdett & Co., music books and charts
$377 92
Ginn & Co., high school texts 148 20
University Publishing Co., texts 35 50
Prang Ed. Company, drawing books
113 30
George S. Perry, supplies
364 46
American Book Company, texts
98 77
Boston School Supply Co., supplies and texts 171 28
Leach, Shewell & Sanborn, texts 99 00
Eberhard Faber, supplies .
113 10
Allyn & Bacon, high school texts .
22 57.
Effingham, Maynard & Co., texts
8 75
Carter, Dinsmore & Co., ink and muci-
lage .
4 00
D. C. Heath & Co., texts and outline maps .
53 00
Carl Schoenhof, French texts
2 00
Milton Bradley, kindergarten and draw- ing supplies . 72 41
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Riverside Series 57 70
Willard Small, texts for reference ·
11 88
Charles Scribner's Sons, texts
6 03
J. L. Hammett, supplies . .
93 16
Thompson, Brown & Co., bookkeeping .
29 17
William Ware & Co., texts
10 84
Mrs. J. I. Harris, paper .
2 30
G. H. Whittemore, slate covers and
clocks 12 25
G. W. Holden, book covers
9 50
D. Lothrop & Co., texts .
10 00
P. P. Caproni & Bros., plaster casts for high school . 9 50
$1,936 59
. [Of the amount paid Silver, Burdett & Co. $325 was for music books and charts.] Bills brought from last year :- Silver, Burdett & Co., music books $80 95
.
8
Ginn & Co., high school texts $10 59
University Publishing Co., readers 6 24
Prang Educational Co., drawing books
32 64
George S. Perry, supplies .
73 64
American Book Co., texts
41 92
Boston School Supply Co., texts and supplies 34 04
Leach, Shewell & Sanborn, texts 8 50 .
A. M. Edwards, history cards
5 84
Eberhard Faber, pencils .
18 00
Allyn & Bacon, high school texts
3 50
Effingham, Maynard & Co., texts
1 63
Carter, Dinsmore & Co, mucilage 1 25
D. C. Heath & Co., texts . 12 32
$331 06
$2,267 65
REPAIRS.
Eldredge & Beattey, painting and glazing $265 42
T. E. Morse, painting
293 48
A. S. Crofoot, repairs and cleaning stoves 63 43
J. L. Buxton, repairing pencil sharpeners and locks 9 67
C. A. Hill, labor and material
15 14
J. A. Hilton, labor
2 51
C. Noyes, boarding windows at Town House 7 00
C. B. Wilcox, labor
34 14
G. H. Whittemore, clocks and repairing 19 75
Orrin Sweet, labor
6 00
H. J. Dearing, supplies for janitors
25 85
I. E. Jones, labor. ·
20 00
I. C. Soule, labor . ·
8 68
Otis Whitney, labor and material
.
11 00
H. W. Leland, shingling
66 13
Z. C. Field, lumber
161 08
John Taft, labor .
82 00
Henry Lindsey, painting
239 76
D. A. Conant, labor
13 80
P. Dillon, labor and material
.
94 22
·
·
·
·
9
Weed Bros. & Lent, labor and material $ 47 89
A. S. Pickering, labor 19 52 .
F. W. Stewart, 66 13 79 . .
H. Willard, 66
10 59
H. T. Merriam, fire escape at Claflin
school
200 00
$1,730 85
Bills brought from last year :-
Eldredge & Beattey
$ 15 79
Ellis Brothers
127 74
T. E. Morse
11 35
A. S. Crofoot
6 50
H. Walpole
1 80
J. L. Buxton
6 17
David Ahearn
11 25
C. A. Hill
.
.
..
184 45
$1,915 30
INCIDENTAL ACCOUNT.
Printing reports
.
$ 25 00
Secretary's salary
25 00
John Conway, labor
4 30
Charles Williams, carriage hire for drawing and music teachers .
170 25
F. W. Stewart, use of well
.
3 00
S. F. Blodgett, horse hire
99 99
Daily News, advertising .
7 50
G. M. Billings, advertising and printing
74 50
Charles O'Brien, labor
10 45
D. A. Conant, labor
14 10
G. A. Drew, use of well .
5 00
Milford Water Co., two years
252 19
J. Cochran, labor
45 85
Cook, & Sons, advertising and printing .
30 70
M. P. Burns, traant officer
101 00
E. E. Vaughan, janitors' supplies
22 39
Mrs. Fitzmaurice, use of well
3 00
G. T. Fales, ribbon for diplomas . 2 78
H. C. Kendall, engrossing diplomas
9 25
.
.
.
3 85
.
·
·
10
J. O'Reilley, labor 1 00 $
Luther Freeman, delivering graduation address 20 00
E. H. Jenks, cleaning schoolhouses .
1.21 68
John Smith, labor at Town Hall 2 00 ·
Milford Gas Co. .
8 66
Wm. Hynes, cleaning vaults
58 75
Electric Light Co.
2 00
N. Jewell, use of well two years
10.00
J. A. Rice, laboratory supplies 61 88 .
Music Hall Company
38 15
Avery & Woodbury, mats and use of chairs .
10 55
G. A. Sherborne, carting .
11 84
Perry Mason & Co., programs for Co- lumbus Day . ·
7 20
E. C. Claflin, paper
4 60
Transportation of children
96 25
Pierce & Wood, soapine for cleaning
2 20
H. G. Bemis, labor
1 80
C. P. Corbett, labor,
5 70
H. J. Dearing, janitors' supplies .
27 35
J. P. Gallagher, advertising
1 50
A. B. Morse, chloride of lime
·
6 30
Fred Tingley, labor 1 40
Clark Ellis & Sons, supplies and repairs
57 18
Secretary, postage stamps and cards 10 83
Superintendent, incidental expenses
29 16
Expressage
24 87
John Costello, use of well
3 00
John Madden,
.
.
$1,539 11
Bills brought from last year :-
George H. Richter
$19 95
E. Shields
·
3 00
Cook & Sons
4 25
J. Madden
10 00
J. Costello
3 00
P. R. Crockett
5 00
J. Allen Rice
21 46
.
.
5 00
A. Stevens, janitors' supplies .
2 01
.
11
Mrs. Mitchell
·
$ 3 00
George Sherborne
·
.
18 48
Superintendent, horse hire
9 10
.
.
8 97
Superintendent, incidentals
$106 21
$1,645 32 S. F. BLODGETT, Secretary.
At a meeting of the Committee held Friday evening, Feb. 3, the Secretary's report was accepted, and it was voted to adopt the Superintendent's report as a part of the report of the School Committee.
S. F. BLODGETT, Secretary.
1
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF MILFORD :-
'I respectfully submit for your approval my sixth annual re- port. .
On the 10th of March last year occurred the death of your Chairman, George G. Parker. For twenty-two years he had been a member of the School Committee, having served as its Chairman for thirteen years.
It was my good fortune to consult him frequently regarding matters of interest to the schools, and I always found him willing to give me the benefit of his long experience in school manage- ment. I feel that whatever success has attended my work here is in a large degree due to the wise counsel which I received from him during my first years in the superintendency.
It was especially characteristic of him to look upon the brighter side of every difficulty, and I remember with pleasure that when consulting him regarding difficulties which confronted me in my work, I was sure to receive encouragement from his cheerful assertion, "It will all come out right."
STATISTICS. 1
Population of Milford, Census 1890 8,780
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age, May · 1,293
1,1892 .
Increase over last year 10 .
PUPILS.
Number registered between 5 and 15 years of age · 1,324
Number between 8 and 14 .
829
Number under 5
2
Number over 15
198
Total number registered 1,524 ·
Increase over last year 42
Average number belonging for the year . 1,222
Average daily attendance . 1,132
Per cent of attendance to number belonging
. 92.6
13
Total expense of schools for the year ·
$25,741.01
Average cost per pupil, based on enrolment
16.89
Average cost per pupil, based on number belonging Enrolment in Each Grade, January, 1893.
First grade
182
Second grade
.
. 180
Third
.
.
161
Fourth
.
.
135
Fifth 66
.
Sixth 66
.
.
120 .
Eighth
90
Ninth
55
High school .
123
Enrolment in Buildings for the Year.
High school .
144
Park Grammar
228
South Grammar
228
Purchase Grammar .
37
Plains Grammar and Primary
202
Claflin Primary
257
Chapin street Primary
153
West street
81
Hoboken 66
21
Fountain street 66
46
Purchase 66
27
City (all grades below the high school)
26
Bear Hill 66 66
20
Braggville
66
23
Deer Brook 66 66 66
21
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A comparison of statistics with those of last year shows a slight increase in the number registered and in the attendance, the per cent of attendance to number belonging being the same as last year. In the appendix are tables giving important infor- mation regarding each school.
There appears to be a. decrease in the number of truants, but there are a few chronic cases of truancy, and it would be well to send them to our County Truant School, since their parents do not co-operate with the Officer in compelling their attendance, and they exert a pernicious influence on the other pupils ..
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14
151
Seventh 66
.
.
.
·
.
·
21.14
14
The school work, as a whole, is being satisfactorily carried! forward on the same lines as last year.
Reports of Music and Drawing by the special teachers hav -. ing these subjects in charge will be found included in this report. Excellent results are obtained in each of these branches.
The introduction of Music supplies a long felt want in our. course of study, and, although it takes some time from other pur- suits, yet I fail to perceive any falling off in results obtained in. other branches ; indeed, I think that after the singing hour the. children turn to their other duties with a quickened , interest which more than compensates for the time consumed. One- should hear the children sing in order to fully appreciate the benefit which they derive from this study.
At the close of the summer term, we held in the Town Hall a free exhibition of the work in Drawing and Penmanship, giving the parents an opportunity to see what their children are doing "in these lines of work. From the very large attendance at this. exhibition, I consider it unnecessary to consume any space in a description of it.
I am pleased with the evident improvement in Reading. In our primary grades we furnish a liberal supply of reading matter, and the work is satisfactory. More attention is given to the thought than to the expression, with the desired result that good expression follows easily when the thought is mastered.
I have become convinced that we have very little use for the . school readers in grades above the fifth, and that, with the best work in the lower grades, they may be dispensed with after the. fourth year.
Two years ago we began to use in the Grammar grades ex- tended extracts and complete sketches from the works of Hans Christian Andersen, Hawthorne, Irving, Whittier, Longfellow, Addison, and Tennyson. In the fifth grade we have read An- dersen's "Fairy Tales" and Hawthorne's "Wonder Book ;" in the sixth, Hawthorne's "Wonder Book" and "Tanglewood Tales ;"" in the seventh, Irving's "Sketch Book," Whittier's "Snow Bound" and "Short Poems" by Longfellow; and in the eighth and ninth grades we have used Addison's "Sir Roger DeCoverly" and Tennyson's "Enoch Arden." The great interest which the children have shown in this form of reading is very gratifying, and must be productive of only good results, since with greater . interest we secure more intelligent reading and better oral ex --
15
pression. Instead of spending a half hour with one author to- day and the same time with another tomorrow, the pupils devote several weeks to the works of one writer, learn about his life, be- come acquainted with his style and better able to understand his- thought.
But the chief advantage to be obtained from this form of reading lies in the fact that we are creating in our children a taste for that which is pure and good in literature, a taste which must be the best safeguard against that mass of impure literature- which is a growing menace to our young people.
In the coming year I desire to have such books as I have mentioned take the place of the Fourth and Fifth Readers in. grades above the fifth.
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
Early in the year the Committee adopted the following scale of prices for teachers' salaries, to take effect at the beginning of the school year in September. It is based on length of service, and reaches the maximum after seven years of service :-
Per Week.
First year of service
$ 7.00 ·
Second
66
.
. 8.00
Third 66
. .
· 9.00
Fourth 60
. 9.50
Fifth 66
. 10.00
Sixth 66
10.50
Seventh and succeeding years
11.00
This scale affects all teachers in the common schools, except the Principals of the Park, Plains, South Grammar and Claflin buildings, and it was voted that the change should not effect a reduction of wages to those who had already entered the ser- vice.
The change was made after careful consideration of the sub- ject, the Committee having made a comparison of prices paid in about twenty towns of the state whose population corresponded nearly with that of Milford. This price list places Milford on an equal footing with other places of the same size, and will enable us to compete with them for the best teachers.
To the School Committee is entrusted the education of our children, and we can do.no less than secure the best teaching ability to be obtained for the money expended.
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16
Milford has for years followed the policy of selecting teach- ers almost exclusively from resident candidates, with the disad- vantage that we necessarily select from a very limited field. Among candidates of equal training and ability, I would certain- ly give preference to our own citizens, but I doubt if it is wise to go farther than that. I would prefer a teacher of expe- rience to one untried, and of experienced teachers I would em- ploy the best I could secure for the salary I could offer.
The teacher is more than a time-server or simple wage- earner. She has it in her power to benefit or injure the minds and souls of our children. Is it asking too much of a candidate for such a position that she shall have devoted some time and special effort to prepare herself for such a duty, and that she de- vote her best energy to the performance of the work she has un- dertaken ?
Knowledge of the branches to be taught and ability to train children in the acquirement of knowledge are indeed requisites of the good teacher, but a knowledge of child nature and an ability to develop it along lines which lead to perfect manhood and womanhood are of far greater importance. .
For more than eighteen hundred years mankind has felt the influence of the Great Teacher, and in all those years they have been the greatest teachers who have most closely followed His methods and been filled with His spirit. The time is surely com- ing when people will demand that only the best teachers shall have the care of their children.
HIGH SCHOOL.
We have to record another change in the principalship of our High School. At the close of the summer term Mr. G. B. Chandler resigned his position here to accept a position with a Boston publishing house. Mr. Eben Williams was elected as his successor, and the community may feel assured that we have an excellent instructor and an efficient disciplinarian. We were fortunate also in retaining the same corps of as-istant teachers, but Miss A. R. Hayward was compelled by sickness to ask for leave of absence in October, and has not yet been able to resume her place in the school. During the fall term her place was filled by Miss C. M. Field, and at present Miss Nancy Bragg of Holliston is acting as substitute. I am sure that our High School
17
under its present management is doing excellent work in the education of our young men and women, and it should be our constant aim to keep the work of the lower grades up to the highest possible standard, that they may do their share in pre- paring pupils to take full advantage of the course of training in the High School.
Owing to the frequent changes of principals, the course of study which is under consideration has not yet been completed. The school is now working under a provisional course which will be developed into a course to be followed by future classes.
Last year I referred to an experiment being made in Win- chester, Mass., of making some High School studies elective in the Grammar grades. I think the time is not distant when the public will ask that provision be made for the commencement of Algebra, Geometry and some of the languages in the Grammar school with the object that pupils intending to pursue a college course may begin the work of preparation before reaching the High School.
In this connection I wish to quote the report of a Committee appointed by the New England Association of School Superin- tendents. This Committee was to receive and tabulate statistics regarding the age at which pupils enter our High Schools. They prepared the report, which I quote, and were asked to procure additional information to be reported at a later meeting :-
New England Association of School Superintendents.
Report of Committee on Statistics concerning Grammar School Graduates :
Blank forms of inquiries were sent in accordance with the vote of the association to all parts of New England. Replies were received from 104 cities and towns. The returns are not in all cases complete. This occasions no surprise, for it is well known that many cities and towns have not sufficient data at the present time for answering all the questions.
It was hoped, however, that more returns would be received even if a few statistics only were given, such as the number of graduates from the grammar schools and the average age of those graduates.
The statement is made in some instances that complete re- turns could not be made, but partial ones are sent cheerfully. These partial returns aided the committee in the preparation of the report.
The second item viz :- "Average age of pupils"-is of spe-
18
cial importance at this time when there is so much discussion concerning the time that pupils spend in grammar schools. A statement with reference to this single item would have been ac- ceptable. Statistics relating to items 7 to 12 inclusive are not given upon a large number of the returns. The reasons for this omission are obvious. Very few places have had any systematic plan of keeping the registers so that such information could be obtained readily. Teachers are doing it now to a considerable. extent and there is no doubt that in a few years a principal of a grammar school in one of our large cities will be able to furnish all the information that is desired by those who issue a circular similar to the one prepared in accordance with the vote of this: association.
Some superintendents were not able to report separately the number on the one hand whose attendance had been confined to the place from which the reports are made and on the other hand the number who had been in school elsewhere a part of the time. Many of the superintendents call attention to this point. It was not expected by your committee that all returns could be com- plete in this respect. Your committee having thus indicated some of the reasons that would account for many incomplete re- turns must express regret that more partial returns were not made.
A general division may be made at first as follows : 1. Cities and larger towns having full graded courses. 2. Smaller towns with partial courses. This classification is arbitrary and not very exact. Statistics from these places are as follows :-
CITIES AND LARGER TOWNS.
SMALLER TOWNS.
Average age, 15 years, 1 month. 14 years, 3 months.
Over 16,
22 per cent. 8 per cent.
Under 14, 15 per cent.
37 per cent.
LENGTH OF COURSES.
51 places, 9 years' course. 33 66 8
66 5
66 10 66 66
1 town, 7 66 66
The cities and large towns report generally a nine years' course. Complete returns from 38 cities and towns with nine years' course, 17 with eight years' course, and one with ten years' course are given as follows :-
1. Places having nine years' course.
No. of graduates, 1950.
Average age, 15 years, 2 months.
Over 16, 18 per cent.
Under 14, 15
19
Completing the course in 6 years or less 3 per cent.
in 7 6 in 8 « 19
66 in 9 35
16 in 10 .“ 27
Requiring more than 10
10
66
2. Places having eight years' course.
No. of graduates, 402.
Average age, 14 years, 3} months.
Over 16, 6 per cent.
Under 14, 30
Completing the course in 6 years or less 1 per cent. 9
in 7
in 8
37 66
in 9 66
30 66 in 10
17 66
66
Requiring more than 10 66 6
1 city with 10 years' course. No. of graduates, 29. Average age, 15 years, 2 months.
5 over 16, 2 under 14.
Completing the course in 7 years, 3 per cent.
in 8 66 28 66 in 9 38
in 10
25 66
Requiring more than 10
6
These figures it must be understood are approximate only. Many of these pupils were away from school for various reasons -some for a term, others for one or more years. The statistics, however, are of value. They show that there is more elasticity to the courses of study than we should be led to believe from some of the criticisms made concerning the management of the schools.
The figures indicate the time the pupils were first registered in a primary school. It may be said, also, in partial explanation of the higher average age of the graduates of the nine years' courses, that these reports are received from the larger places.
Some of the smaller towns, it is stated in the returns, have a five years' course in the high school, and in fact in many of the smaller places the studies of the first year of the high school course correspond to those of the last year in the grammar schools of the larger places. The difference in the average age of the graduates in these two classes of cities and towns is therefore more apparent than real.
Boston reports the average age of the graduates 15 years, 5 months. Cambridge reports the number of years the pupils were in the grammar schools, the course in this grade being six years. The returns from Cambridge are as follows :-
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