USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1898-1901 > Part 23
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Visited the several factories and found no children employed without a certificate.
Respectfully submitted,
C. H. WATERS, Truant Officer.
I5
REPAIRS AND EXPENSES.
So great has been the demand on the appropriation for the School department in providing for the unusual needs of the High school, in fitting up two additional rooms to accommo- date the increased number of children in other schools, besides finding teachers and supplies for the same, that we are obliged to report a deficit.
The repairs during the past year have been confined largely to the Pearl Street church in fitting it for High school purposes; in building a new outbuilding and fence at the South school, together with the stone work and grading for the same; a partially new fence at the Plains, and painting the Chapin Street, Bear Hill and Purchase Grammar buildings. The rest of the repairs have been minor and incidental. $2,400 has been spent on re- pairs. Of this amount over $1,100 went to remodel the Pearl Street church, to install a heating plant in the same, and do other things necessary to make it habitable for the High school. An unusually large sum has been expended for supplies because of the High school fire, and an increased number of pupils for whom to provide.
Every effort has been made to economize and keep down expense, but in spite of this we regret to say that we are obliged to let several bills go over to be paid from the next appropria- tion. Could the unexpended balance of last year have been at our disposal this year we should now be able to square our ac- counts, instead of having several hundred dollars of unpaid bills.
Most of all we regret not being able to pay teachers in full to February 1st, and then the necessity of their waiting until after the appropriations in March for another pay day.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
Early last summer it was apparent that additional accommo- dations would be necessary in order to provide for the increased number of pupils in September. Accordingly, the vacant room on the third floor of the Claflin School building was fitted up ready for occupancy in the fall. This room was opened at the beginning of the term in September with forty-five fifth grade
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pupils, while all of the other rooms in the building had large classes, and the first primary room overflowing. In the Plains district it was discovered on the first day of the fall term that more room must be had, and a vacant room in the annex build- ing was fitted up for a combined first and third-grade class, which opened the second week of the term with thirty-six pupils.
But these two additional rooms did not furnish entire relief for the crowded condition. As I have already stated, the first- grade at the Claflin was overflowing, it having fifty-six pupils and only forty-five seats in the room, while the first grade at the Chapin Street school had fifty-seven pupils in a room 17} ft.x27 ft. with a closet in one corner, a stove in another, and forty-nine seats, leaving hardly room for a teacher's desk. From sheer force of circumstances these two primary classes were divided into two divisions and allowed to attend only on half time-one division in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Such a condition of things should not be allowed to continue long.
THE OUTLOOK.
With the imperative demand for increased accommodations in the near future ; with the need of a larger teaching force, and with the obligation of the town under the state law to establish and maintain an evening school, besides the need of extensive repairs in order to modernize some of our older buildings and to keep the school property in general from depreciating, it must be acknowledged that the school problem which confronts the Com- mittee and the town assumes a somewhat serious aspect. The Draper Company already has sixty tenements, nearly completed in the vicinity of Water street within the limits of Milford; and I learn from a reliable source that this company expects to build forty more tenements in the same locality in the spring or early summer. Judging from the extensive prepartions being made by the Draper Company for an increase of business, it is safe to say that these tenements will practically all be occupied before another winter by employees of this company. It is certainly a conservative estimate that there will be, on an average, at least three children of school age to every two families-some would say an average of not less than two to every family. This, it is
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plain to see will thrust upon the town of Milford from one hun- dred to one hundred and seventy five children for whom school rooms, teachers, books and supplies must be provided.
Judging from the present and prospective conditions, the most pressing need for increased accommodations will be in the south part of the town, where, if this section continues to grow either two four-room buildings or one eight-room building should be built. It seems as if the latter would be the better plan, pro- viding a suitable and central location can be secured. The town would then have another up-to-date school building to be proud of. Neither the Chapin Street nor West street building could be enlarged and modernized without considerable expense, and they would still be old buildings; besides the Chapin street lot is very small.
This is a matter that needs careful consideration and fore- sight as future needs should be considered is well as the present
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The school attendance has been somewhat interfered with during the past term by the presence of contagious diseases, which seem to be most prevalent in the form of scarlet fever in the Spruce Street district. Although the disease was not traced to any unsanitary conditica of the building, the Board of Health deemed it wise to take additional precaution, and closed this school one week before the end of the fall term in order to avoid a possible increase of the disease through contagion in the school. The building was immediately disinfected with formale- dehyde, and the school re-opened again at the beginning of the winter term.
That there is some danger of contagion arising from the distribution of pencils, pen-holders, drawing models, books and other articles used in common, no one will deny. This we think might be reduced to a minimum by providing each school with a box in which articles could be placed upon racks and then fumi- gated with formaline. A similar plan is already in use in several places in this state. They also make a liberal use of sulpho- napthol in disinfecting drinking cups, washing around door knobs, stair rails and sanitaries, all of which are among the most
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prolific sources of contagion. If with these could be used some simple, yet effective method of occasionaly fumigating school rooms and text books, it would seem that the chances of spread- ing contagion among school children would be greatly reduced.
Without doubt another source from which germs are dis- seminated is the public library. This, we believe, should be fumigated once or twice each year, and especially when any contagious disease is prevalent.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
This school has been unfortunate during the past year in losing its building and nearly all the belongings, some of which were cherished as being gifts from different graduating classes. These were destroyed by fire, supposed to be of incendiary origin, between 11 and 12 o'clock on the night of March 15. The building and its contents were entirely destroyed save the chairs and desks on the lower floor, a part of the apparatus and supplies in the laboratory, a few books and four typewriters. These things were taken from the ruins in a more or less damaged condition. There being no insurance the loss was a total one.
The question of temporary quarters for the school then con- fronted the Committee. A town meeting was called to see what action the town would take in regard to supplying not only the temporary, but the permanent needs of the school. At this meeting a vote was passed appropriating $2,800 for the purchase of the Pearl Street church which had just been vacated, and $200 to apply on the repairs of the same for the immediate use of the school. At the same meeting the town appropriated $60,000 for the erection of a new High school building to be built of Miiford granite on the old site.
Quite extensive repairs and alterations were necessary in order to fit the church for the accommodation of the school. In twenty-five days however, from the date of the fire, the school re-opened in the church, which is by no means a desirable place, there being many inconveniences and some very undesir- able features., but it is all we have and everybody is trying to make the best of it. It is expected that the new building will be ready for occupancy at the opening of schools next September.
This school continues to be interrupted by changes of
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teachers. Dr. I. F. Frisbee, who for eighteen years was at the head of the Nichols Latin School at Lewiston, Me., took charge of it at the opening of the term last September. Dr. Frisbee is an able teacher and a fine scholar, and it is expected that he will do much to improve the standard of scholarship in the school. Miss Carolyn Field of this town was secured to take the place of Miss G. A. Deans, who resigned shortly before the opening of the term, and Mr. H. A. Reed of Nashua, N. H., took charge of the Commercial department. Mr. Reed was doing excellent work and we had hoped to retain him, but he resigned at the close of the fall term to accept nearly double the salary in a similar position in Woonsocket. We now have in this department Mr. N. P. Sipprelle, a teacher of considerable experience. The Commer- cial course is one of the most attractive courses in the school and should be made, so far as possible, equal in educational importance to either of the others. To do this, another year should be added to the course, and sufficient salary attached to the position to retain a strong and influential teacher for several years.
I believe that the Committee should consider the advisability of securing the services of another teacher in the High school, for at least a part of the time, not that the present teachers may do less work, but that they may do better work.
Just as this report is to go to the printer we are obliged to record a second visit of the fiery flend to our High School. At 4.45 yesterday morning, February 4, the building was dis- covered to be on fire. An alarm was given immediately, but the flames had made such progress that it was impossible to save anything except a portion of the furniture and supplies on the lower floor.
The Committee are now obliged, for a second time within a year, to find quarters for the High school, and to equip it with supplies.
DEFECTIVE LIGHTING.
It has been realized for some time that many of our school rooms are poorly lighted. Frequent complaints have come from
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teachers to the effect that on cloudy days their pupils could not work to advantage because of insufficent light, but not until recently have we made actual comparison of the window and floor surfaces. This reveals not only the theoretical side, but we believe it shows approximately the actual condition of the lighting of these rooms. and to make still worse an already unsatisfactory condition, several rooms are made almost gloomy by the shadow of trees allowed to grow in close proximity to the school buildings.
The increasing tendency toward weak and defective vision among school children makes this subject so important that it should not go unnoticed. Experts in this matter insist that the lighting surface should be at least one sixth of the floor surface, and that it should never fall below 15 per cent. With this in mind it will be interesting to study the following table which shows the ratio of floor surface to window or lighting surface in each of our school buildings.
The object in printing this table is to show how conspicuous is the defective lighting of most of our schools. Only one of them, the Spruce Street building, is in every respect sufficiently lighted to meet the demands of a modern school building.
RATIO OF FLOOR SURFACE TO LIGHTING SURFACE.
Spruce Street school.
0.220
Silver Hill.
0.171
Fountain St.
0.161
Purchase Grammar,
0.147
Purchase Primary,
0.144
Claflin,
0:112
1st floor.
0.110
2nd floor.
0.121
3rd floor.
Park.
0.112
1st floor.
0.109
2nd floor.
Plains.
0.108
1st floor
0.109
2nd floor.
0,115
Annex.
2 1
South Grammar.
0.109
West St.
0.108
Chapin St.
0.107
Bear Hill.
0.107
Hoboken.
0.085
The other buildings have not over two-thirds of the lighting surface that they should have, and only about one half of what would be put into a modern building. The light in several of these buildings s so poo r that in cloudy weather or short days in winter the eye-work has to be suspended by three o'clock, and in a few rooms on the first floor the light is inadequate on all but the sunniest days. In the older buildings the windows are too far below the ceiling of the room to get the greatest benefit from them, the light at the top being much better than at the bottom of the window. Of course it would mean expense, but the light in these rooms could be nearly doubled either by providing a larger window surface, or by using prismatic glass in the upper sash .
Many cities and towns are already testing the sight and hearing of pupils in the public schools, and in some instances ex- aminations are made for other physical defects and the presence of contagious diseases. Of the eyes examined about one fourth are found to be defective, and of these at least one half are found to need glasses or other treatment, and the parents are notified according. Results show that the per cent of defective vision increases from the lower to the higher grades, and those who have made this subject a study claim that pernicious school conditions are the fruitful sources of this evil.
Where tests have been made both parents and teachers have frequently been surprised to find unsuspected cases of optical weakness-the former often expressing gratitude for the informa- tion furnished, while the latter were able to solve the mystery of poor work done by bright pupils, and to plan work that could be seen more readily.
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
The importance of this subject when taken in its broadest sense leads us to mention it lest it be overlooked. In times past
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undue emphasis has been given in turn to the physical, to the moral and to the mental side of education, but now, not only prominent educators, but people in general are realizing more and more that it is not the intellect alone that should be developed trained,educated, but the whole man mental, moral and physical.
It is claimed by good authority that there is danger of the human race degenerating, particularly in America, and that this condition is caused mainly by too great nervous tension without sufficient relaxation and attentien to the physical well-being.
It must be acknowledged that a sound, well-developed well controlled and quickly responsive body is the rational foundation for one's highest happiness and greatest usefulness. The body is the medium through which the inner being finds expression, and to assist in making such a foundation is the duty of every school system. While we must save the weak, our greatest mission is to produce the strong. and to do this we must begin, not with the grown-up generation, but with children, finding out what the physical conditions are, what the defects, what the deformities and then prevent or overcome them so far as possible.
Among the most prominent defects, or those most commonly observed, are drooping head, low shoulder, flat chest, round shoulders, uneven hips, curved spine, defective eyes, etc. These are found much oftener than most people are aware. What are are we doing to remedy and prevent this condition ? What can we do ? What ought we do ?
EDUCATIONAL LECTURES.
For the past two years several educational lectures and ad- dresses have been held for the benefit of teachers and citizens. The first year these were provided for largely by the teachers of this town and Hopedale. The second year the Social Service as- sumed the responsibility. These lectures were so satisfactory that it created a desire for more, and several teachers requested that another course be arranged for the present year and that one line of thought or argument be followed out in the course of four or five lectures. Accordingly, Prof. John M. Tyler of Amherst College, was communicated with and finally secured to deliver a course of four lectures, the larger part of the expense of
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the same being guaranteed by a certain number agreeing to take course tickets.
The general subject of the lectures was "Education in the Light of Modern Science" and the sub-topics as follows :----
1. Education and the State, Dec. 12.
2. The Survival of the Fittest, Jan. 10.
3. Growth (of the younger child), Jan. 24.
4. Development (of the older child) Jan. 31.
Judging from general remarks and the interest which seemed to increase with each succeeding lecture, this was probably the best course upon a single subject ever held in Milford. It cer- tainly is a rare thing for the citizens in a town like this to have the chance of attending University or College lectures at their very doors, and it is a most commendable thing on the part of teachers that they seek such an opportunity for themselves and make it possible for others to attend. We hope other courses may follow.
The Social Service Department of the Quinshepang Wo- men's club has conducted a course of lectures, to which each teacher has been given a complimentary ticket. The lectures, in some way, have related to the general subject "Our Schools." The program is as follows :----
Thursday, November 22, Subject: The Home.
"Sanitation."
Dr. Charles H. Cole. "Effect on the Home of the Industrial Occupation of Women.'
Mrs. David T. Magill.
Thursday, December 13. Lecture. "Life More Abundantly."
Mr. L. Walter Sargent. .
Thursday, January 10. Lecture.
"What Women Can do for the Public Welfare."
Rev. Charles F. Dole.
Thursday, February 7. Lecture. "Education and Philanthropy,"
Miss Lucy Wheelock
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Thursday, March 7. Subject : Education.
"Our Schools." Report of Visiting Committee.
Miss Eldridge, Chairman.
"Influence of the Street."
Mr. A. B. Davis
"Libraries as a Means of Education."
Miss Harriet B. Sornborger.
"The Responsibility of the Teacher."
Dr. 1. F. Frisbee.
Mothers' Meetings.
January-February.
In order that the Department might know more thoroughly the conditions and needs of the school, the president appointed a visiting committee whose duty it is to visit the schools and re- port to the chairman who makes a condensed report to the club. . Two mothers' meetings have been held for the purpose of bring- ing the school and the home into closer touch. Suitable papers were read and light refreshments served.
The Social Service Department was granted permission by the School Board to introduce a system of stamps savings in two of the buildings; choice of schools was left with the Superintend- ent, who selected the Spruce Street and Claflin buildings for this purpose. The system will be inaugurated February 1.
CONCLUSION.
Owing to unusnal demands upon the School Department during the past year, we are unable to record the improvement and progress along certain lines that we had hoped to do. The schools have suffered from the need of more and better working material, but we have been obliged to practice the strictest economy and content ourselves with what seemed bare necessities.
In general, however, the work of the schools has been good the teachers as a whole being painstaking and thoroughly con- scientious workers. The discipline of the schools, with a few ex- ceptions, is very satisfactory, although it has not reached that ideal state, where the pupils, particularly the older ones, have learned to work and love work, and where they possess a
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sense of honor and trustworthiness so much to be desired.
To succeed in discipline a teacher must possess tact, and understand the motives which influence the pupil to do wrong acts. The power to prevent disorder is more valuable than the power to quell it, therefore the teacher who is the most successful in the management of her school, is the one who has the tact and fore- sight to prevent serious disturbances and to keep things running smoothly and without friction.
Eighty-six cases are reported where the rod has been used as a substitute for moral power and firm and tactful management. We do not encourage the use of the rod, but after all, when ad- ministered in a spirit of love and justice, is it the most objection- able kind of punishment? Does not the boy have a good whole- some respect for the teacher, who administers this kind of chas- tisement with a kindly feeling? Which hurts the worst? Which inflicts the deepest wound, the rod properly used, some unkind allusion to dullness, personal peculiarities or home surroundings; or some stinging rebuke, or ridicule, or cutting sarcasm of an im- patient and impulsive teacher? Such remarks to sensitive people often cut to the quick causing wounds that are slow to heal, broadening the chasm between teacher and pupil, and sometimes causing bitter antagonism on the part of the latter.
The Superintendent wishes to extend his thanks to all who have been helpful and exceedingly patient through a somewhat trying and perplexing year.
Respectfully submitted, C. W. HALEY.
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
To C. W. HALEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Dear Sir :- At the beginning of last term, in accordance with your recommendation each pupil was required to take one of the courses of study prescribed by school board, or an equi- valent in amount of study. It is gratifying to report that under this regulation there has been a constant improvement in the school. By allowing a pupil to omit any study that he wished, his work invariably became desultory, and too often for lack of
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sufficient work he became a hinderance to the proper disciplin of the schocl. Already there has been enthused through the school a higher purpose of study, and a good degree of self- government has been attained. While each pupil is making the most of the school the teachers are able to give their attention to full classes, and do not, as heretofore, scatter their energies upon separate pupils with different purposes and varied attain- ments. So from a business point we are approaching the most economio expenditure of the school funds.
While the course of study is similar to that of most High schools, it could be enlarged without incurring much additional expense. I would recommend that the Commercial course be ex- tended to four years. Such an extension has recently taken place in most schools that at first began with the three-years course. They thus give a larger place to history and kindred subjects, so that it takes the place of both an English and a Commercial eourse. Such an extension with us would satisfy the need of a good English course for those pupils who cannot pursue their studies beyond the High school. It would, moreover, encourage those pupils who have no special aptitude for the languages, and those who do not care for a strictly business course, to continue their studies in the school. It would put all the pupils at grad- uation on a like standing. The course is in popular demand, and n meeting it we should greatly enchance the usefulness. of the High school.
This extension would require some re-adjustment of the other courses. In such an event certain group studies might be given as electives, which would enable those pupils who wish to take special studies to pursue them without conflictions and without hinderance to other pupils. While the present course of study, as we have said, is like that of most High schools, it needs some re-arrangement in order to make the earlier studies more fully a preparation for the latter. The amount of work re- quired of each pupil in the several courses should be as far as possible equal.
The pupils are looking forward to the occupancy of the
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new bulding with much interest. We trust that the disadvan- tages to which they are subject this year may be richly compen- sated in having a High school building thoroughly equipped with books and apparatus to do modern school work.
In closing, I would commend the zeal of the pupils shown thus far in their work, and their desire to have a High school worthy of the town of Milford. No better proof of this can be given than to say that the average per cent of attendance has been nearly ninety-eight. I wish to thank the parents who have so heartily co-operated with the teachers in the attainment of this result, and who have so fully given their support in all our endeavors toward the improvement of the High school.
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