USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Milford, Massachusetts 1918 > Part 7
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Total enrollment for 1916-'17 . 2,493
Total enrollment for 1917-'18 ·
2,605
Gain 112
Grammar school graduates, June, 1918 .
96
Entered the High school (of the above) .
91
Survival 94.8 per cent. (compared with 100 per cent. one
19
year ago, 90 per cent. two years ago, 80 per cent. three years ago and 90 per cent. four years ago )
Present enrollment of the Freshman class in the
High school (not counting out-of- town pupils) 87
Persistence 96.6 per cent. (compared with 84.6 per cent. last year, 90 per cent. two years ago, 96 per cent. three years ago and 98 per cent. four years ago.)
Entire Freshman class entering the High school in September . · 99
Still in the High school 95
Persistence 96 per cent. (compared with 85.4 per cent. last year, 95 per cent. two years ago, and 96 per cent. three years ago).
The high percentage of boys in the High school, a feature for several years past, appears as follows :-
Number of boys in the High school Jan. 1, 1919, 117
Number of girls in the High school Jan. 1, 1919, 152
Total 269
The percentage of boys in the total enrollment is 43.5 per cent. (compared with 40 per cent. last year, +1 per cent. two years ago, 45 per cent. three years ago, and 43 per cent. four years ago).
ATTENDANCE FORECASTS.
HIGH SCHOOL
Seniors, 47 ; Juniors, 78; Sophomores, 59; Freshmen, 95; Total, 279. Two hundred seventy-nine less 47 (Seniors) equals 232; two hundred thirty-two less 35 (15 per cent. allowance for shrinkage) equals 197 in three upper classes, resident in the High school. In this connection I call atten- tion to the fact that the number of sittings in the High school assembly hall has been limited by the State Inspector of Buildings to 216.
GEORGE E. STACY SCHOOL.
One hundred thirty-eight IXth graders plus 185 VIIIth
20
graders plus 230 VIIth graders equals 553. Five hundred fifty-three less 55 (10 per cent. allowance for shrinkage) equals 498 pupils, or 14 rooms It is only fair to say that in the upper grades these forecasts failed during the current school year (1918-'19) owing to war conditions, but, with a return to normal industrial conditions they may be expected to make good, as in the past.
OTHER CONGESTED DISTRICTS. PLAINS DISTRICT. From present indications there will be :
Rooms required.
Available (In- cluding two basement rooms and a portable.)
160 children for Grade I. 4
139
66
II.
4
126
III. 3
100 66
IV.
23
99
V.
22
99
66 66
VI.
2₺
693
18₺ (19) 17
To be provided, two more rooms.
CLAFLIN SCHOOL.
From present indications there will be :-
35 children for Grade I.
Rooms required. Available. 1
30 66
II.
1
35
66
II (Hoboken) 1
42
III.
1 45 66
IV.
1
47
66 66 V.
1
47
66
VI. 1
281
7 6
To be provided, one more room. To meet this situation, there is Portable No. 2 in the Park school yard.
2 [
HIGH SCHOOL THEATRICALS.
The annual theatricals by the Senior class of the High school were splendidly given in the Milford Opera House Fri- day evening April 26, 1918, were enjoyed by a large and most enthusiastic audience and reflected much credit upon the young players and Miss Sadie A. O'Connell, their instructor.
The program with comment will be found in Mr. Quirk's report.
EVENING SCHOOL.
Owing to the enforced influenza vacation the Evening school session did not begin until Nov. 18, 1918. There were, therefore, but five weeks of night school during the fall.
An appeal was made to illiterate adults but there were no responses.
The attendance at the Evening school has been confined mostly to illiterate minors at work, and a number of these have had to be forced to attend. The employers have co- operated with us in such compulsion in a number of instances.
Principal Moore's report will be found farther on.
AMERICANIZATION OF IMMIGRANTS.
Various considerations- the possibility of unlimited im- migration after the establishment of peace, the great number of illiterate foreigners (and natives as well, in certain parts of the country), and the indifference, not to say desperate resist- ance, to every effort to teach them language and citizenship, on the part of many illiterate immigrants, and-more to the point because right at home the practical ignoring of our own evening school by all but a few compulsory attendants, make imperative our co- operation with such movements, Fed- eral and State, as already exist or may come into being for the better Americanization of the non-English speaking within our midst. It may well be that Federal or State laws, en- joining compulsory attendance at day or evening school upon illiterate adults would most surely go to the root of the diffi- culty, and I appeal to your committee, and, through you, to the citizens, to provide funds sufficient for such enlargement
22
of our evening school opportunities as may be necessary to carry out any new legislation or more enlightened local prac- tise.
CHANGES IN TEACHERS.
HIGHI AND STACY SCHOOLS.
Lieut. Christopher A. FitzGerald, principal of the Milford High school returned to his duties February 3, 1919.
Mr. Francis C. Berry, sub-master in the High school, was granted a leave of absence in September to enter his country's service. Mr. Berry returned to his duties December 30, 1918.
Monday evening, February 3, there was a reception to the returning principal and sub-master of the High school, in the High school assembly hall, under the auspices of the Sen- ior and Junior classes. Lee Murray, president of the Senior class presided. Lieut. FitzGerald and Mr. Berry were ush- ered into the semi-darkened hall at 7.30 o'clock, the lights flashed on and the High school orchestra played the Star Spangled Banner, the returning principal and sub-master were presented to the gathering by the superintendent of schools. Mr. Murray made an unusually fine speech of wel- come, to which both gentlemen feelingly responded, giving brief but most interesting accounts of their experiences in the service. Mr. George E. Stacy, the genial chairman of the school board, also made a brief but eloquent address of wel- come. Another feature was the description of the latest fight- ing by the American troops, given by Elmer Nelson '18, who took part in the scenes he described, and was wounded at Verdun. The High school orchestra gave a fine musical pro- gram, refreshments were served and dancing was enjoyed by all the young people.
On Friday, Jan. 21, 1919, Mr. Thomas J. Quirk, acting principal of the High school, retired from that work, again to take up his duties as principal of the George E. Stacy school. Mr. Quirk has shown executive ability of a high order, the school has developed and prospered under his leadership, and he has won the confidence and good wishes of teachers and
23
pupils. As evidence of the latter, he was the recipient, upon his retirement, of a silk umbrella from the teachers, a gold pen knife and cuff-links from the Senior class and a substan- tial sum in gold from the Junior class.
It is with sincere regret that we lose the services of, and genial fellowship with, Acting Principal John B. O'Leary off the George E. Stacy school. Mr. O'Leary brought to the- school excellent training, general and special, and a broad cul- ture ; he faced as a problem the high standard of discipline set by his predecessor ; in this situation he has been very success- ful, and the degree to which he has won the regard and good will of all, students and teachers, was shown when at the time of his retirement from the Stacy and Spruce street schools he was the recipient of a generous purse of gold from pupils and teachers of the two schools lately under his charge.
LEFT THE SERVICE, HIGH SCHOOL :-
Miss Mary M. FitzPatrick, of the English and History department, severed her connection with the Milford High school in June, 1918, to enter a wider field and meet a larger opportunity in the Worcester High school. Miss FitzPatrick leaves a host of friends and well wishers among pupils, teach- ers and parents.
ENTERED THE SERVICE, HIGH SCHOOL :--
At the beginning of the fall term Miss Agnes R Lynch, Milford High school, 1914, and Bay Path Institute, with expe- rience in the Sherman Business school, Mt. Vernon, N. Y , was added to the staff of the Commercial department.
LEFT THE SERVICE, GRADES :-
Miss Lucy E. Gilfoyle, teacher of the 4th grade in the Spruce street school, passed on, March 18, 1918, after nearly 30 years of service in the schools of Milford. The funeral ser- vice at St. Mary's was attended by the entire teaching force and many of the school children. The writer bas pleasant memories of Miss Gilfoyle's school room, the cordial welcome
24
always received there, and the studious attitude always dis- played by the children.
On July 19, 1918, died Miss Lucy F. MacNamara, for 26 years a respected teacher in the Milford schools. Careful and thorough method marked all of Miss MacNamira's work. She was rarely conscientious, kept to her chosen work long after the condition of her health counseled rest, and in a large sense was a martyr to the cause of the children.
At the close of the fall term, Mrs. Mary E. Ed vards, for over 20 years a teacher in the Milford schools, retired from the work. During Mrs. Edwards's period of service she w is. most successful as an instructor, and won the love of a wide circle of young people, as well as the esteem of their parents.
Miss Grace E Keaney, teacher of the Vth grade, South school, left the service at the end of the school year 1918, to take a school in Marlboro, her new home.
Miss Helen W. Kiley, teacher of Grade VII., Stacy school, left the service in April, 1913, to become Mrs. Francis X. Bird.
Miss M T. MeGrail, a teacher of the VIIth grade in the Stacy school, a member of the Milford teaching force since 1902, left the service at the end of the school year 1917-'18, to become Mrs. M. G. Barrett.
Miss Viola F. Leland, Grade VII., Stacy school, left the service last fall at the beginning of the enforced vacation, to enter the employ of the Milford Gas Co.
ENTERED THE SERVICE, GRADES :-
Miss Rose Bertorelli, Milford High school, 1916, Framing- ham Normal school, 1918, assigned to Grade VII., George E. Stacy school.
Miss Patrice Dillon, Milford High school, 1911, Miss Niel's Kindergarten Training school, 1915, assigned to Grade I, Hoboken school.
Miss Helen R. Hogan, Milford High school, 1915, Fram- ingham Normal school, 1917, assigned to Grade III., Oliver Street school.
25
Miss Claire F. Hogan, Milford High school, 1916, Fram- ingham Normal school, 1918, assigned to Bear Hill school.
Miss Amanda E. MacGregor, Milford High school, 1915, Framingham Normal school, 1917, one year's experience in Fitzwilliam, N. H., assigned to Grades V .- VI, Park school.
. Miss Helena M. Shea, Milford High school, 1916, Fram- ingham Normal school, 1918, assigned to Grade I, Plains Portable No. I.
Miss Anna H. Swift, Milford High school, 1916, Westfield Normal school, 1918, assigned to Grade I., Plains Primary school.
TRANSERS :-
Miss Catherine R Conway, Claflin II. to George E. Stacy VII .;
Miss Mabel A. Kenney, Hoboken I. to Oliver Street II .;
Miss Mary E. Finnigan, IV .- V. Plains Portable No. 1 to South V .;
Miss Julia J. McCarthy, Plains Primary I. to Spruce Street I .;
Miss Mary H McDermott, Oliver Street III. to Spruce Street IV. :
Miss Margaret E. Roche, Bear Hill I .. VII. to Plains Pri- mary II.
CHANGES IN TEXT BOOKS.
The following new text books have been introduced :- Vosburgh & Gentleman's "Junior High School Mathematics," Macmillan Co .; Sheridan's "Course in English," Talbot's "Le Francais Et Sa Patrie," Talbot's "French Composition," Ben- jamin H. Sanborn Co ; "Tales from Birdland," Doubleday, Page & Co .; "Democracy Today," Scott, Foresman Co.
ACTIVITIES OF THE MILFORD TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.
Despite the fact that the school year was very much broken up because of the coal shortage the Milford Teachers' Association held the following entertainments :-
26
1918.
March 18, Social in High school hall.
April 3, Stereopticon Views, "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Mr. E. B. Maynard of the Lincoln & Parker Co., Worces- ter, Mass.
May 1, Lecture on "Education," by Dr. Payson Smith, State Commissioner of Education.
May 8, Lecture "1000 Days Back of the Front" by Miss Mary Boyle O'Reilly. Proceeds given to the Red Cross fund.
June 14, Business Meeting. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year :-
President, Thomas J. Quirk ; Vice-President, Hannah E. Callanan ; Secretary, M. H. McConnachie ; Treasurer, Kath- erine H. Lyman.
December 18, Lecture on "Education" by Hugh J. Malloy, Superintendent of Schools in Lowell, Mass.
1919.
The teachers have made elaborate plans for the year 1919 and in so doing have made arrangements for the following program :-
January 29, "The Ukraine District" by Elizabeth Hasa- novitz, an inhabitant of that district.
February 26, "Porto Rico" by Byron William Reed.
March 26, "Canadian Dialect Stories" by James B. Thrasher.
April 23, "The Standish Quartette."
GIFTS DURING THE YEAR.
The writer takes this opportunity to extend the sincere thanks of this department to Mr. W. S. Clarke, who gener- ously gave many hours of his time to drilling the High School Battalion, which steadily improved in appearance and disci- pline while under Mr. Clarke's care, and reflected credit upon their instructor.
Also, this department extends its thanks to Mr. Frank P. Dillon, of Dillon Bros., builders of the George E. Stacy school,
2 7
for a beautiful 9x12 flag, presented at the completion of the building, but not previously acknowledged.
With pleasure we acknowledge the gift of framed group pictures of the classes of 1915 and 1918, Milford High school, and of the baseball team of 1918, presented by R. J. Calkin, ' photographer.
SUMMER PLAYGROUNDS.
During the summer vacation of 1918 playgrounds were conducted on the school grounds in the Plains district and on the Town Park, under the direction of the Civic department of the Quinshipaug Woman's club. Miss Deborah Clancy was again in charge, ably assisted by Principal Thomas J. Quirk and Miss Alice Carroll, at the Plains. At the Town Park playground Miss Ruth Lilley was in charge, with Carle- ton Moore and Miss Hazel Austin as assistants. The term was six weeks, far to , short in the view of the children.
COSTS.
Salaries .
$276 00 Erecting apparatus .
63 15
Total $339 15
Of the above amount $200 was appropriated by the town.
EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES.
The framers of the labor laws of 1913, under which we are working, contemplated a number of things, besides the mere issuance of the certificates, among them the following : (1) Minors should be able to secure the certificates fairly promptly ; (2) Upon the cessation of the employment of any minor the card should be returned to the school office within 48 hours ; (3) The returned certificates should be instantly refiled in the "non employed" files ; (4) Upon the return to the office of the white cards the holders thereof should be in- stantly looked up and returned to school until they should have secured new positions ; (5) The prompt return and prop- er filing of illiterate educational certificates, to prevent truan- cy from evening school.
i
28
The laws call for a new card with each new position, hence each employed or formerly employed minor has on file from one to twenty cards, originals and duplicates. Since 1913 there have been written in this office nearly 3000 origi- nal cards and thousands of "repeats." The writer has found the Milford and Hopedale employers generally fair and in- clined to co-operate, and in fairnesss to the employers it must be said that if they and their employees are to be held to the letter of the law, then the aspirants for certification should be able to get the cards without too much waiting. Fairly to administer the certificate office as outlined above would re- quire 25 to 30 hours a week.
CERTIFICATES WRITTEN.
During 1918. To Jan. 1. 1919 Totals.
Employment certificates,
217
599
816
Home permits,
0
11
11
Educational certificates, literate,
319
1415
1734
Educational certificates, illiterate,
13
232
245
Summer vacation certificates,
15
26
41
Total,
.564
2283
2847
ORDINARY REPAIRS
CARPENTER WORK.
West Street, F. nce repaired, Dillon Bros ; Oliver Street, building reshingled, Thomas Maher; South School, building reshingled, Waters & Hynes; Chapin Street, roof repaired, Dillon Bros. ; Claflin, new fence on the upper side of the lot ; teacher's cupboard built in the principal's room, Waters & Hynes; Braggville, out-building repaired, Waters & Hynes.
PAINTING.
Oliver Street, all walls and ceilings tinted, E. F. Porter; West Street and Chapin Street, ceilings tinted ; Claflin, Hobo- ken, Fountain Street, Purchase Grammar and Braggville, ex- terior painted ; High School, outside doors refinished ; Stacy School, outside doors repainted, Eldredge & Son.
29
MASON WORK.
Chapin Street, ceiling repaired in Miss Aldrich's room ; Hoboken, ceiling patched ; Plains Primary, all damaged spots in halls repaired ; Plains Grammar, cement walk to Primary building ; Fountain Street, new ceiling, cement platform and steps in front; Spruce street, basement floor re-cemented ; Purchase Primary, cement steps at side door ; Braggville, cement platform and steps in front; High school, ceiling re. paired in Room 10. Contractor for all of the above, Peter Consigli.
PLUMBING.
The various stoves, furnaces and heaters were overhauled as usual.
EXTRAORDINARY REPAIRS.
For some years there has been trouble with the roof at the High School ; leaks have developed from time to time,. and steps have been taken to repair them but the results have never been satisfactory or lasting. In the fall of 1918 the W. J. McGuire Construction Co. of Brighton made a thorough survey of the roof, and later the same concern made thorough« going repairs. 1
REBUILDING OF THERMOSTAT CONTROLS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The thermostat pump and thermostats at the High school have just been put into thorough repair .- Powers Regulator Co., Boston.
STATE ORDERED REPAIRS.
On page thirty of last year's report the following repairs or alterations were listed "to be done" : -
Spruce Street School :- Heaters to be enclosed by brick walls.
High School :- Mortised floor slats, for seating, to be ins stalled in the assembly hall.
Various Schools .- Soda-type fire extinguishers to be in- stalled.
30
The above has been completed, including the addition of 20 fire extinguishers.
Also, on demand of the State Inspector of Buildings, fire alarm gongs and glass stations are being installed as follows :
High School
4 gongs, 5 stations
Stacy School
2
4
66
Spruce Street School
Park School
South School
1
66
2
66
Oliver Street School
1
66
3
66
Claflin School
2
66
3
66
Plains Primary School
·)
3
66
Plains Annex School
1
66
2
66
Plains Grammar School
1
66
2
66
1
66
3
·2
66
3
New and suitable forms of fire drills will be worked out and practised in all the schools as fast as possible, so that the full value of the above improvements in increased safety of the children may be realized.
Metal ash cans with covers have been provided for the receipt of waste paper, etc , in all school basements.
With the ordinary repairs made in recent years, the thorough repair of the High School roof, and the State- ordered repairs referred to, the Milford school property is, with the exception of the High school heating plant and cer- tain stoves already referred to, in excellent condition.
ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE YEAR. SEWING SCHOOL
A forward step was taken at the beginning of the new year. The basement room toward School street in the George E. Stacy school was equipped and opened as a sewing school, where all the seventh grade girls may meet, without leaving the building, and receive instruction in more advanced work, including the elements of dressmaking and the use of the sew- ing machine A beginning has been made in the work of the Junior Red Cross. The equipment includes two Singer sew- ing machines and tables and chairs for 24 girls. Like the
31
'sewing in the fifth and sixth grades, this work is in charge of pupil-teachers from the State Normal school at Framingham.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL COURSE.
The course of study for the High school has been changed and improved in the following particulars :-
The number of groups or suggested courses has been cut down from four to three, on the principle that it is wiser to do fewer things and do them better. The suggested courses are : -
Normal and College Preparatory ;
Institute of Technology Preparatory ;
Business.
The Business course, in particular, has been strengthened by increasing the number of required subjects in this course, so that this course now stands as follows :-
FIRST YEAR.
SECOND YEAR.
*English 5(5)
*English 5(5)
*History
3(3)
* History 3(3)
* Algebra 5(5)
*Geometry 5(5)
*Commercial Arithmetic
3(3)
*Bookkeeping 5(5)
*Penmanship -
2(1)
18
17
Physiology
French
5(4)
& Hygiene
4.(2)
Spanish 5(4)
Elementary Science
3(3)
*Required Subjects.
32
THIRD YEAR.
FOURTH YEAR.
*English 5(5)
*English 5(5)
*History
3(3)
*History 3(3)
*Stenography
5(5)
*Stenography 5(5)
*Typewriting
5(22)
*Typewriting 5(2})
15}
15}
French
5:(6)
French 5(5)
Physics
7(6)
Civil Government
2(1)
Bookkeeping
5(5)
Chemistry
7(6)
Commercial Geography 3(3)
Commercial Law
2(2)
Spanish
5(6)
Cost Accounting 5(5)
Spanish
5(5)
*Required Subjects.
Other requirements under the new course are as fol -. lows : -
No pupil will be allowed to take up music during the third and fourth years unless music has been taken up during the previous years.
Diplomas will be awarded to pupils who have attained seventy. two credits, required or elective, from the same sug -. gested course. Each pupil must take enough subjects to se- cure eighteen diploma credits per year and these credits must . be obtained unless the pupil is excused for valid reasons by the committee.
Rhetoricals are required during the Senior and Junior years.
Classes in elective subjects will not be formed unless there is a sufficient number of applicants.
Pupils desiring a certificate of entrance to college may re -· ceive such certificate in any subject in which an average of 80 per cent is obtained during the Junior and Senior years.
No pupil shall advance to the next higher class until he
.
CAST OF "ROSE O' PLYMOUTH TOWN," MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1918.
33
has attained the required number of points : 18 for a Fresh- man, 36 for a Sophomore, and 54 for a Junior.
NEW MATHEMATICS COURSE IN THE STACY SCHOOL.
A new course in Mathematics bas been introduced in the George E. Stacy school, that will, it is believed, much better meet the real needs of present-day pupils: Vosburgh & Gel- tleman's "Junior High School Mathematics,"
LOST SESSIONS MADE UP
As stated elsewhere, during the period of coal shortage, the High and Stacy schools lost no time not made up, and the other schools lost but one week not so made up. The excel- lent record of health and open schools, and the measures taken to safeguard the children's health, are discussed in the report of the school physicians and elsewhere in this report.
SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS.
Readers are referred to Principal Quirk's report for an account of the Milford High school baseball team's successful season.
MILFORD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS.
Besides being the largest class in the history of the High school, the class of 1918 sent 38 young people, 52 per cent. of its membership, to higher institutions of learning.
FIFTY-SIX STARS IN THE FLAG.
In the report of the acting-principal of the High school will be found the school's honor roll of her representatives in our country's service.
REPAIRS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL ROOF. 1
The slate roof of the High school, long in a leaky condi- tion was thoroughly repaired, as described elsewhere.
STATE- ORDERED REPAIRS.
On the material side, the various units of school property have been so altered and improved, at the suggestion of the State Inspectors of Buildings, in the interest of health and safety, that every school building in town will have the State
34
inspection certificate. An account of the latest of these im- provements will be found elsewhere in this report.
PICTURES OF GRADUATION CLASSES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I take this opportunity to commend a movement started by Mr. Quirk during his acting principalship of the High School .- the placing of group pictures of graduating classes and of winning teams on the walls of the school. Pictures of two recent classes and of the baseball team of 1918 are already in evidence, and more should follow.
Finally, but by no means the least in importance among the year's achievements, is the group of attendance facts al- ready given :--
Gain in total enrollment for the school year, 112
Survival of Milford's eighth grade in the High school, 94.8% Persistence of the High school Freshmen to date, 96.6%
Forty per cent of the High School are boys.
PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION.
The Special Commission on Education has just submitted its special report, recommending, among other measures : A lon ger school day and year ; dropping the ninth grade ; junior high schools ; the re-organization of studies in high schools ;
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