USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1915 > Part 8
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Principal FitzGerald's report of the High school will
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be found in subsequent pages, and I recommend a careful reading.
"SALLY LUNN"
The High school presentation of Sally Lunn last spring deserves far more than the modest notice given to it in Principal FitzGerald's report. The play was given in Odd Fellows' Hall, Friday evening, February 12, 1915. The writer has had some experience in amateur dramatics, and believes it not too much to say that, on the whole, in suitability of characters to parts, perfection of memorizing, naturalness in delivery, and spirit in action, this effort was among the very best he has seen, and reflects the highest credit upon the participants, and Misses Larkin and Fitz- patrick, their trainers.
The program and extracts from the Milford Daily News comments follow :-
CAST
John Randolph, Jr., a Yale Junior William F. Goddard
Leo Randolph. Francis Mead
Morton Glynn, a Yale Junior Maurice Grady
Marjorie Randolph Ruth Lilley
Mrs. John Randolph, "Sally" Marian Lilly
Mrs. Penelope Winslow Bertha Austin
Vivian Winslow, a society girl. Hazel Watson
"SENIORS WIN HIGH PRAISE"
"High School Students Score Success In Their Drama"
"The Milford High school senior class entertainment was produced in Odd Fellows' hall, Coolidge block, last evening, the same including a two-act drama, 'Sally Lunn,' with a cast of seven characters, all of which were particu- larly well done by the students, and the play was given a rendition that was most adequate and enjoyable.
"Between the acts Miss Hazel Watson contributed a vocal solo, 'At the End of a Perfect Day,' which was sung
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finely, Miss Ruth Lilley accompanying. A piano selection by Frederic Holmes was also enjoyed.
"In 'Sally Lunn,' the class chose a most fitting vehicle for their talents. It carried enough of a story to be interest- ing, some highly amusing situations arising as the action progressed and dialogue that was bright throughout. . . .
"Mr. Goddard gave a manly touch to his lines that was refreshing and Mr. Mead, to whom most of the comedy fell, was altogether competent. Mr. Grady also won his share of the honors of the evening by a very natural rendering of his part.
"Miss Ruth Lilley carried the action very nicely by her charming impersonation and Miss Austin gave a real character to her role of the aunt. Miss Watson showed marked ability in the part of the society girl.
"Miss Marion Lilley had a difficult task as the central character of the play, but was thoroughly capable for all its requirements and gave quite a finished performance that was a factor in the success achieved.
"Misses Fitzpatrick and Larkin of the school faculty coached the student-players for their effort.
"The attendance taxed the capacity of the hall and applause was frequent."
THE GEORGE E. STACY SCHOOL.
Ground was broken for the new central school early in November, 1915. Work on the building has progressed steadily ever since and already some idea of the appearance of the finished building is suggested.
The town has appropriated $83,000 for building and land.
The plans are by Messrs. Walter L. Collins and Wen- dell T. Phillips, associated. Dillon Brothers are the con- tractors, and the Webb Pink Granite Company is furnish- ing the stone.
The building is located just south of the High school, facing Spruce street. There will be thirteen finished school-
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rooms, two manual training rooms, two offices or teachers' rooms, two play rooms, two supply rooms, with rooms for toilet facilities and heating plant. The building is to be of Milford granite, finished inside in brown ash, with maple floors. Features of the building are twelve-foot corridors, and commodious wardrobes opening into eight of the ·school-rooms.
The site was selected and the building was planned with a view to housing all the VIIth, VIIIth and (possibly) IXth grades, and the situation seems to call for some dis- cussion of the probable organization of the new school in September. For nearly five years it has been one of the writer's most treasured ambitions to be able, in June, to assign every pupil in the public schools to school and room for the fall term, as he has done elsewhere, and as is done in well-organized systems with enough room. This hope now ·seems fairly possible of realization.
As was suggested earlier in this report, it will be pos- sible to house the present eighth grades in the new school, and give them practically the same studies, teachers, and credits as though they were in the High school, and this is about the only solution.
There should be room enough to house the new VIIth and VIIIth grades also. Thus we should have an ideal combination of grades, location, building and teachers for an intermediate school with some differentiation of courses, some departmental teaching, offering a modern language by the natural method, and courses in Manual Training and Household Arts. The courses in Household Arts would be the present courses, expanded and eventually increased in number. For the boys there should be elementary courses in wood work, carpentry, cabinet making and vari- ous school supply and repair projects. There is already waiting, in connection with the older buildings and with the new school, a list of tasks, such as exhibition screens, blackboard stands, window boxes, umbrella racks, key ·cupboards, picture frames, desk bookracks, etc., sufficient to
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occupy the shop for two or three years. These things could and should be made in this way and furnish training for the boys.
Whether the new school shall be called an Intermediate, Grammar or Junior High school is unimportant and will doubtless be wisely determined later, in view of all the facts as they become fully known.
What is important and significant is that here we may have a school of homogeneous pupils, with a certain in- dependence of organization, permitting a healthy school spirit, and yet closely articulated to the High school, with an opportunity to learn a modern language by the natural method, if desired, take some account of their aptitudes, and shape their work, at least to some extent, from the viewpoint of their tastes.
A tentative course of study has been worked out, that promises to fulfill these conditions.
EVENING SCHOOL
Principal Luby's report of the evening school for 1913-'14 showed a much smaller enrollment than in pre- vious years, and this year's report shows an even smaller attendance than that of a year ago.
The night school authorities were furnished with a complete record of the illiterate minors in town and all reports of non-attendance were promptly checked up and the employers in interest notified. This year altogether too. much of this notifying of employers has been necessary. The time has come, when, if our evening school is to be anything more than perfunctory,-more than a mere local punitive adjunct to the State Bureau of Labor and Indus- tries, we must provide more courses, including High school- work (with High school teachers) and offer an intellectual "menu" calculated to attract those most needing the min- istrations of evening school. Moreover, the Bureau of Na- turalization of the United States Department of Labor, recognizing the great problem of illiteracy outside of the-
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comparatively few cases coming under the provision for compulsory attendance, has recently introduced into the House of Representatives : H. R. Bill 15,470, requiring "The United States Commissioner of Education to devise methods for teaching illiterates and men and women of meager edu- cation, and on invitation to co-operate with State, county, district and municipal officers in putting these methods into operation for the elimination of adult illiteracy. .” Says Hon. John W. Abercrombie, the sponsor for the above bill, in a recent communication : -
"There are in the United States approximately five and one-half million men, women, and children over ten years old unable to read and write in any language, something more than seven per cent of all the population of this age. Of these, four and three-quarter millions are over twenty, more than 9 per cent of the total population over twenty years old. Fully half of these are young men and women with many years of life yet before them to be lived out with a handicap of total illiteracy, unless they are encouraged and assisted to throw off the burden. With proper en- couragement and help most or all of these would learn to read and write and do simple, practical problems in arith- metic. Many of them would do much more. They would learn to be better citizens and more profitable to them- selves, to society, and to the industrial world.
"A large part of the illiterates are older men and women whose childhood came at a time when opportuni- ties for education were few and meager. Many of them were the orphaned children of soldiers who fell on the battlefield or died in camp. Some were themselves on the firing line. Opportunities denied them in childhood should be accorded them now all the more willingly. In their old age they should at least be able to read their Bibles and the daily newspaper and to write to their distant relatives and loved ones.
"None of the three-quarters of a million children over ten years of age but still unable to read and write should
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be permitted to graduate into illiterate citizenship. Since they will not under ordinary conditions avail themselves of the opportunities offered by public schools, other means of learning to read and write and something more should be provided.
"Besides the five and one-half million illiterates there are in the United States fifteen or twenty millions of men and women who can barely read and write and who are, for most practical purposes, illiterate. Millions of these would gladly respond to good and attractive opportunities to extend their meager education."
Already the Bureau, discounting facilities for doing this work, facilities that do not exist in many towns-Mil- ford among them-has written letters to all adult immi- grants, advising them to call on the local superintendents of schools, who, these people are advised, will be only too glad to furnish them training in evening school, especially in civics, and otherwise help them. The Bureau has provided a system of "Naturalization Education and Attendance Record Cards" for use in the night schools, that are sent to local superintendents when immigrants arrive in town. Their plan contemplates courses in English, Civics, How to Become Naturalized, and other subjects.
MILFORD TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.
In September of this school year, the Milford Teachers' Association entered upon the third year of its life as an organization. The work in general has been similar to that of the two previous years with the exception of the introduction of students' tickets at a special price for cer- tain of the entertainments offered.
The program (in part) of the open meetings for the year 1915-1916 is as follows : ---
Nov. 18, 1915. Illustrated Lecture, "Famous Paintings," Henry Warren Poor.
Dec. 10, 1915. Dramatic Reading, "The Witching Hour," Miss Adelaide Patterson.
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Jan. 17, 1916. Concert by the Apollo Quartet of Boston, and Miss Elizabeth McNamara.
Feb. 15, 1916. Dramatic Reading, "The Melting Pot," Arthur Kachel.
The officers of the association for this year are : -
President-Miss Marion Aylward Ryan. .
Vice-President-Miss Mary F. Devine. Secretary-Miss Margaret Davoren. Treasurer-Miss Mary E. Mullane.
CHANGES IN TEACHERS
Left the Service.
The school year just closed saw a serious gap in the ranks of the teachers at the South school.
Miss Mary J. Kelly, a successful teacher in the Mil- ford schools since 1877, and for many years Principal of the South school, passed away on Nov. 13, 1915, after a long illness, sincerely regretted by a host of friends and former pupils.
January 1st, 1916, Miss Susan R. Broderick, a re- spected teacher in the schools of Milford since 1878, retired from the service, to enjoy a well-earned rest.
Early in the fall term of the current school year, Miss Alice L. Luby resigned her position as a teacher at the Spruce Street school, to become Mrs. Austin J. Philbin.
Entered the Service.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Miss Florence M. Whittemore, Milford High school, '09, Boston University, '15; Miss Kathryn M. Morrill, St. Mary's Academy, '12, Bay Path Institute, '13. .
THE GRADES.
Miss Margaret H. Foley, St. Mary's Academy, '12, Niel Training school, '14, assigned to the Braggville school ; Miss Catherine R. Conway, Milford High school, '12, Fram- ingham Normal school, '14, assistant to Miss McNamara at the Claflin school; Miss Helen W. Kiley, Milford High
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school, '12, Framingham Normal school, '14, grade eight, South school.
Transferred.
Mrs. M. E. Edwards, from the Braggville school to Grade I, Spruce street.
Special Teachers of Backward Pupils (half time).
Miss Mary E. Finnigan, St. Mary's Academy, '13, Framingham Normal school, '15; Miss Julia J. McCarthy, Milford High school, '13, Framingham Normal school, '15; Miss Grace E. Keany, Milford High school, '13, Framing- ham Normal school, '15; Miss Grace C. Walker, The Elms, Chicopee, Mass., High school, '13, Normal school, '15.
NEW HEALTH REGULATION
The writer takes this opportunity to acquaint the public with the fact that by a new regulation of the Board of Health whooping cough is added to the list of contagious .diseases, teachers are required to exclude children having this disease from school, and such children must take the same measures to secure re-instatement after recovery as those having other contagious diseases. Children having whooping cough must remain out of school at least four weeks from the time when the whooping began.
CONDITIONED PUPILS.
A definite effort was made at the close of the school year 1914-1915 to do away with conditional - promotions, which are, in the opinion of the writer, a snare and a delusion. The larger part of all promotions were straight promotions and an opportunity offered during the summer vacation for all who failed of promotion to take tests. There was another weeding out at the end of the first report period, and, of the few conditioned, a number whose record for the first report period seemed to warrant such action, were advanced. This leaves less than a dozen of conditioned pupils in the schools and it is hoped that by the end of the current school year that conditional promotions will be a thing of the past.
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BACKWARD AND DEFICIENT PUPILS.
In my report of a year ago the prediction was made that the appointment of two special half-time teachers for backward pupils would result in great good to those enjoy- ing such ministrations. This prediction was in a measure fulfilled, but only in a measure, for the reason that the time of these teachers was so largely taken up in substitut- ing in regular grades. In September, 1915, four special half-time teachers were assigned to this problem and I look for a return of most of the backward pupils to grade by the end of the current school year.
TEXT BOOKS.
New text books have been adopted as follows: -
For the High school: - Smith's Latin Lessons, Allyn & Bacon, Boston; Wentworth-Smith's Plane Geometry, Ginn & Co., Boston; Davis & Lingham's Business English, Ginn & Co., Boston; Baldwin & Newton's Standard Song Classics, Ginn & Co., Boston,
For the Grades: - The Elson Readers, Scott, Fores- man & Co., Chicago; Winston's Universal Primary Dic- tionary, John C. Winston & Co., Philadelphia; The Junior Song and Chorus Book, Ginn & Co., Boston.
BETTER SCHOOL DICTIONARIES.
For some time it has been felt by the writer, as well as by the teachers, that the results of individual dictionary use in the schools were meagre. During the summer a new book was put into the hands of all the pupils in grades IV, V and VI and already the change has borne fruit in better language work. It is hoped to equip the remaining grades with a better book before the beginning of another school- year.
SCHOOL-ROOM LIBRARIES.
At this writing the superintendent is sending to various school-rooms, a considerable number of supplementary books, to be used in and out of school, for reading, listen-
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ing exercises, for home-reading, or, in some cases, for ref- erence. It is proposed to add to these lists a number of new books for the uses referred to, in the lower grades.
LISTS OF BOOKS IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
There will soon be put into the hands of the teachers- lists of juvenile books from the public library, arranged alphabetically by grades, as well as lists of books on Ameri- can History arranged by periods.
For these lists we are indebted to the industry and kind- ness of Miss Ethelwyn Blake of the library. The lists com- prise some fifty typewritten pages, and should prove of the very greatest value in the supplementary reading and home work of the pupils.
. VICTROLAS IN THE SCHOOLS.
For many years we have been indebted to the Quin -- shipaug Woman's Club for teaching thrift in the schools.
Now we are indebted to another local organization, the· Woman's Civic Welfare League, for inaugurating, and-in. conjunction with the Town-maintaining summer play- grounds. An account of the playgrounds will be found in the Town Report. Last season the High school victrola was loaned to the League for the season. They, in return, purchased a second instrument, which they have loaned to the schools for the entire school year. The three Grammar schools are using it in turn and the eighth grade rooms have raised or are raising sums of money for the purchase of records.
STEREOSCOPIC VIEWS IN THE SCHOOLS.
Last spring the pupils of Mrs. Edwards' Grade VIII: at the Park school raised money and purchased 200 stereo- scopic views for use in connection with their school work. Not the least valuable part of this effort is the lesson in. initiative.
IN MEMORY of Mary J. Kelly 1857-1915
And in Recognition of Thirty-eight Years of Devoted Service to the Children of Milford.
WM LUNDGREN.
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MANUAL TRAINING.
Grades V, VI and VII have been taught sewing, and 114 girls of the eighth grades have had regular lessons in cooking from pupil-teachers from the State Normal school at Framingham. Manual Training courses for the boys and the evening school are discussed elsewhere in this report ...
NEW EQUIPMENT IN THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT.
During the school year 1914-1915 a new self-feeding" rotary duplicator was added to the High school equipment .. This machine has added largely to the publication re- sources of the School department, and should prove DE. considerable value in the office training of students in th": commercial department.
Aided by this device, the department was able to pro- vide the teachers with a system of thirteen letter forms is be used in checking tardiness, absence, truancy, and mis -. conduct, and promoting health and scholarship in the schools.
The system includes forms as follows: Tardiness .. (mimeographed), in English and Italian ; Absence I (mime- ographed), in English and Italian; Absence II (mimeo- graphed), in English and Italian ; Health I (mimeographed), in English; Health II (printed), in English; Conduct I (mimeographed), in English and Italian; Conduct II (mimeographed), in English and Italian; Scholarship. (printed), in English; Truancy (printed), in English.
These forms, intelligently used, should result in better school conditions in all the lines referred to.
SPELLING IN THE SCHOOLS.
Last April, Dr. Leonard P. Ayres, Director of the" Division of Education of the Russell Sage Foundation, pub- lished a measuring scale for spelling, the data of which were "computed from the aggregate of 1,400,000 spellings by 70,000 children in 84 cities throughout the country.33 The words are 1,000 in number and the list is the product
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of combining different studies with the object of identify- ing the 1000 commonest words in English writing.
On this scale, the words are arranged, from two and three letter words for the first grade, to such words as "preliminary," "judgment," "recommend," etc., for the «eighth grade.
Above the columns, which are lettered A, B, C, D, E, · etc., are percentage numbers, so that when a class has been tested on a number of words from any particular column, the percentage attained by the class is assigned to a par- ticular grade: For instance, if a class tested on twenty words in column "M" attains 92 per cent (from 91 per cent through 93 per cent), the scale shows that that class be- longs in the fifth grade. In that way, it is possible to test all grades in a public school system, to find out whether they are below grade, up to grade, or beyond grade.
A number of grades were given tests to prove the scale. Finding that "it worked"-that it was reliable, the grade schools above the first grade were given sight tests on twenty words a day for five days in succession, and the following interesting data were obtained: Of 46 classes tested, all but two were nearly or quite up to grade; 29 classes were fully up to grade, of these, 10 were above grade. In the Fountain Street school the second grade classified as a fifth, and the third and fourth grades as sixth.
This test convinced the writer that spelling has not been neglected in the Milford public schools; moreover, copies of Dr. Ayres' list have been made, divided by grades and furnished to all grade teachers, to be used as the basic minimum spelling list for the next half-year.
DRAWING.
As in previous years the work in drawing is illustrated. by the cover design and inserts in this report, and a care- ful reading of Miss Toohey's report will be found worth while.
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MUSIC
From the beginning of the current school year the services of the Supervisor of Music have been employed throughout the week. Two new music readers have been added, one for the eighth grade, and one for the High School Glee club, which now numbers about seventy-five members. There should be a High school orchestra. As in the cases of Penmanship, fifth and sixth grade History, and recesses, so in the subject of Music, more time is needed in the grades, if ideal results are to be secured.
PENMANSHIP.
Bearing in mind the fact that many teachers have been trying to "make bricks without straw"-to teach a system of penmanship without the method books in the hands of the pupils-the results attained have been good, more especially in the upper grades. Many of our teachers- practically all of the recent normal graduates-hold pen- manship diplomas; all grades above the third have now been equipped with the Palmer writing books, and there should be noticeably better results in the near future. With fifty per cent more time given to this subject still better re- sults could be accomplished. I recommend that a uniform system of penmanship be introduced in the first three grades.
GIFTS DURING THE YEAR HIGH SCHOOL.
The sum of $88.90, the proceeds of "Sally Lunn," to the athletic fund ; the sum of $192.74, from the class of 1915 to the library fund; the framed picture of Mona Lisa from the class of 1890; a reference work on "Sanitary and Ap- plied Chemistry" from the class of 1887-as noted in Prin- cipal FitzGerald's report.
THE GRADES.
A substantial sum of money placed on deposit by the Quinshipaug Woman's Club to be used for Manual Train-
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ing; Mauve's "Spring" to grade VI, Plains Grammar school (Mrs. Creighton's class) ; eight reference books to the Purchase Primary school, also by the Quinshipaug Woman's Club; 12 numbers of the National Geographic Magazine, by Mr. Allen Dudley; "Great Men and Famous Women" in 68 parts, by Mrs. Z. C. Field (not previously acknowledged) ; "Voyages and Travels," in 58 parts, by Mrs. Dwight Tower, and portraits of Lincoln and Sum- ner, by Mrs. Aaron H. Mayhew, to the Park school.
REGULAR REPAIRS.
Carpenter Work. HIGH SCHOOL
Floors and stair treads repaired-H. E. Trask.
PARK SCHOOL
Reshingled-E. A. Varney & Co .; stamped steel ceil- ings in the four school rooms-O. Whitney & Sons; new front doors-P. L. Sarty.
PLAINS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Roof repaired; front fence rebuilt-P. L. Sarty. PLAINS ANNEX
Roof repaired-P. L. Sarty.
PLAINS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Stamped steel ceilings in two school rooms-O. Whit- ney & Son.
CLAFLIN SCHOOL
New windows over the first stair landings-O. Whit- ney & Son.
CHAPIN STREET SCHOOL
New fence along upper portion of south side; minor outbuilding repairs-H. E. Trask.
SOUTH SCHOOL
Fence repaired ; other minor repairs-H. E. Trask. OLIVER STREET SCHOOL Minor repairs in basement-P. L. Sarty.
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WEST STREET SCHOOL
Additional fence and new gates to outbuildings and other minor repairs-H. E. Trask.
BRAGGVILLE SCHOOL New front doors-P. L. Sarty.
PURCHASE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
New floor in school room; new floor and other minor repairs in outbuildings-H. E. Trask ; North side of roof re- shingled .- P. L. Sarty.
Painting HIGH SCHOOL.
Largely redecorated inside ; outside doors refinished- Eldredge & Son.
SPRUCE STREET SCHOOL. Outside trimmed and new fence painted-E. F. Porter. PARK SCHOOL.
Main building repainted outside ; portables, roofs re- painted and walls retouched to color outside-Cass Bros.
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