USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1891-1898 > Part 12
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Sovereigns and Courts of Europe. By "Politkos". 1322.7
Rachel Stanwood. Morse, L. G. 1022.7 Spanish story of the Armada. Froude, J. A .. 1325.20
Ragozin, Z. A. Assyria 334.17
Rame, L. de la. Bimbi; stories for children 1223.8 Star-land. Ball, R. S.
Rand, Rev. E. A. A candle in the sea ; or Winter at Seal's Head ..
1224.18
Stedman, E. C. Poets of America Stedman, E. C. and Hutchinson, E.
Ray, A. C. Cadets of Flemming Hall. 1224.21 Half a dozen girls 1223.12
Real thing, The; and other tales. James H.
1024.24 1023.19
1023.10
The Watchmaker's Wife. 1023.22
Repplier, A. comp. A book of famous verse (for young people) 1216.9
Ritchie, A. I. T. Records of Ruskin, Tennyson and Browning 623.3
Robertson, W. Life and times of John Bright 625.2
Roland Greame, Knight. Machar, A. M.
1024.11
Rome. Lanciani, R. Pagan and Christian Rome.
431.3
Story, The, of liberty. Coffin, C. C .... Story, The, of my life. Ebers, G. M ..
811.11 617.8
117.35
Roweny in Boston. Pool, C. L.
Ruskin, J. Collingwood, W. T. Life and works of J. Ruskin .. 623.5 Samoa. Stevenson, R. L. A foot-note to history ; eight years of trouble in Samoa
SHELF 1024.10
337.7
625.1
Pietro Ghisleri. Crawford, F. M. 1023.3 Seawell, M. E. The Berkeleys and 1314.13 their neighbors. 1022.3 1325.22 1328.2
Seen from the saddle. Cabell, I. C .... Shadows of the stage. Winter W .... Shaler, N. S. The interpretation of nature 1134.2
Polly Oliver's Problem. Wiggin, K. D. Pool, M. L. Roweny in Boston
Poole's index to periodical literature, 2d sup. 1887-1892.
Ref. 1022.2
Six boys. Champney, E. W. 1223.7
Preston, H. W. Troubadours and trouvères 1314.6
Prince, The, of India. Wallace, L .... Puritan, The, in Holland, England and America. Campbell D ... 342.1 1024.15
Quabbin. Underwood, F. H.
Raftmates. Munroe, K. 1224.24
Stanley, A. P. Historical memorials of Canterbury 342.3 1227.2 1314.13
Ref.
M. Library of American literature. Stevenson, R. L. A foot-note to his- tory; eight years' trouble in Samoa Stockton, F. R. The great war syndi- cate
337-7
Rebel queen, The. Besant, W
625.10
1226.2
Stoddard, W. O. Men of business .. .. Stories of heroic deeds. Johonnot, J. Stories of the olden time. Johonnot, J. 1226.5 1226.4 1226.3 827.28 623.1 1214.25
Stories of other lands. Johonnot, J .. Stories of our country. Johonnot, J, Stories told for children. Hale, L. P .. Storrs, R. S. Bernard of Clairbaux ... Story, The, of a child. Deland, M.
Rosseau, J. J. Emile; or concerning education
1024.7 1024.6
67 1
SHELF
Strangers and wayfarers. Jewett,
S. O .
1023.17
Wagner, R. Finck, H. T. Wagner and his works
623.4
Wallace, L. The Prince of India; or why Constantinople fell 1023.12
Walsh, W. S. Hand-book of literary curiosities Ref.
Walton, I. and Cotton, C. The com- plete angler. 1514.19
1322.8
Susy ; a story of the plains. Harte, B. 1024.14
Swift, J. Gulliver's travels 928.2
Tamura, N. The Japanese bride .. 1325.24
Ten great events in history. Johonnot, J. .. .
1226.6 928.3
F. R. 1023.22
West, M. A born player 1024.16
Wharton, A. H. Through Colonial doorways
1325.23
Wheel, The, of time. James, H. 1023.21
Whitby, B. In the suntime of her youth. 1023.13 White, E. O. Winterborough. 1024.5
Whitman, W. Selected poems; ed. by A. Stedman 1413.19
Whittier, J. G. Fields, Mrs. J. T. Whittier; notes of his life, etc .. 618.2 Wide Awake, 1892, v. 34-35 821.1 1223.10
Wiggin, K. D. Polly Oliver's problem A cathedral courtship
1024.22
Wilkins, M. E. Giles Corey, yeoman. 1417.35 Winter, W. Gray days and gold in England and Scotland. 427.23
Life and art of Edwin Booth. 625.6
Shadows of the stage. 1328.2
1024.5
With the immortals. Crawford, F. M. Wolfenberg. Black, W 1024 9
1024.2
United States. History, Battles and leaders of the civil war; Century Company's war book .. 341.1
Fisher, G. P. The Colonial era. 344.1
Sloane, W. M. The French War and the Revolution 344.2
United States National Museum. Reports, 1887-1889. 3v. Ref.
SHELF
Vambery, A. The story of Hungary. 334.16
Stuart, R. M. A golden wedding and other tales 1023.16
Stupid Chris. Carew, M 818.18
Sumner, C. Memoirs and letters ; ed. by E. L. Pierce. 623.6
Sunny days, The, of youth; by author of "How to be happy thoughi mar- ried."
Ward, Mrs. E. S. Phelps. Donald Marcy. 1224.3 Ward, Mrs. M. A. The journal intime of H. F. Amiel 618,1 Warner, C. D. Their pilgrimage. 1024.1
Watch-maker's wife, The. Stockton,
Thaddeus of Warsaw: Porter, J ....
Their pilgrimage. Warner, C. D ...... 1024.1
Three musketeers, The. Dumas, A ... 913.23 Through colonial doorways. Whar- ton, A. H. 1325.23
Through magic glasses. Bnckley, A. B .. 123.17 1024.19
Tillyloss scandal, A. Barrie, J. M .... To Nuremberg and back. Neally, A ... 1223.4 Toilers of the sea. Hugo, V. 1027.2
Tom Clifton; or Western boys in Grant
and Sherman's army. Goss, W. L. 1224.17 Tom Paulding. Matthews, J. B. 1224.20
Tools and the man. Gladden, W .. . . 1127.11 133.6 Trenholm, W. L. The people's money. Troubadours and trouvères. Pres- ton, H. W. 1314.6
Trowbridge, J. T. The fortunes of Tobey Trafford. 827.29
Two bites at cherry. Aldrich, T. B. 1023.20
Two of them. Barrie, J. M. 1023.6 Underwood, F. H. Quabbin. 1024.25
Winterborough. White, E. O
Women of the Valois court. Imbert de Saint-Amand, A. L. 624.3
World, The, of chance. Howells, W. D .. 1024.25
Zoology. Packard, A. S. 133.3
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF LINCOLN,
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1893-94.
Report of the School Committee.
In compliance with the statute of the Common- wealth, Chap. 46, Sec. 8, the School Committee of the Town of Lincoln present the following report, together with the report of the Superintendent, upon the condition of the public schools of the town, and their action in charge of the same for the year 1893.
The membership of the Board has changed within the year by the retirement of Messrs. Wheeler and Codman and the election of Messrs. Kidder and Farrar. The superintendent of last year is still with us. Considerable change in our corps of teachers has occurred. Mr. Small, principal of the High School, Miss Walker of the South Grammar School, and Miss Crane of the North School resigned at the close of the spring term. Their successors were Mr. A. D. Arnold, principal of the High School, Miss L. A. Brown of the South Grammar School, and Miss M. E. Brown at the North School.
HIGH SCHOOL.
This school was in charge of Mr. R. A. Small, as prin- cipal, through the winter and spring terms, and of Mr. Arthur D. Arnold through the autumn term, -- Miss Bertha Scripture assisting as teacher through the year. This school is not in a condition entirely satis- factory to your committee, and never ought to be, until the system of grading now generally recognized as indispensable to the best results is adopted. The admission of classes to this school which ought to remain another year in the lower schools is detri-
72
mental ; multiplying studies and classes that ought to be, and usually are, left out of a High School course.
Your committee and superintendent are in perfect agreement as to the great value and indispensable importance of the practical study of Physics and Chemistry in this school, and have urged the work forward as far as their means of demonstration would permit. The lack of proper apparatus for demonstra- tion is a serious bar to substantial progress. The study of Physics, without the proof of personal experi- ment, is too much like a hungry man reading of a feast while he starves on husks in the shadow of abundance.
CENTRE SCHOOL.
This is and always has been a mixed school, having the primary and grammar pupils in a principal room connected with a small recitation room. This arrange- ment, with so many different classes and studies, inevitably tends toward confusion and unwarrantable wear of the teachers. With such an addition to the Centre school-house as would give us another room, the necessary grading could be accomplished. It would greatly simplify the labor of the teachers if each could have a separate room with a fair division of the pupils. The experiment of closing the East School, and transferring the pupils to the Centre School, has proved so great an advantage that we have decided to close the North School, and carry the pupils to the Centre from the beginning of the winter term.
This will make a very large school, and only as a temporary expedient is the step taken, until better accommodation is provided. We were led unwillingly
73
to make this change at this time, because of the very great difficulty, nay, impossibility, of retaining a teacher in the North School whose service would be of any substantial value. No suitable boarding place near the school could be found for the teachers with which they would be content. Such frequent changes of teachers in this school have been disastrous, but unavoidable.
It is to be specially noted that one of the chief advantages and uses of the public school is in bringing children of various natures and dispositions together in considerable numbers, that they may wear off their peculiarities and learn to live and work together in harmony, so as to make them to be peace and order loving citizens. This cannot be readily secured in so small a school as the North School, situated as that has been, and we feel confident of the approval of this action by all, who have the good of all in view.
The furnace for heating the Centre school-house has not proved so satisfactory as we were assured it would by those who put it in. Some complaint has reached us from the pupils, of insufficient warmth; this has been quite exceptional, however. We have extended the conduit for the supply of fresh air for heating and ventilation through the basement, from west to east, which is giving good results. This, with the applica- tion of outside windows, will add greatly to the comfort of the house. There is coal enough burned to warm this house abundantly, but by much urging of the fire a very large percentage of the heat pro- duced is lost by the chimney. With any enlargement of the house, and consequent demand for additional heating facilities, the introduction of the hot-water
74
method would be advisable upon every account, rather than another hot-air furnace. The provision for ven- tilation of the lower room is quite inadequate for so large a number of pupils; we have, however, im- proved it somewhat by slight alterations recently made.
With the considerably increased numbers in the Centre School, the necessity for a proper playground for the pupils becomes imperative. If it is not pro- vided the lawns about the church and town hall will suffer inevitable destruction, while the windows in all contiguous buildings will be constantly in danger. The annoyance from noise of a hundred children at play would be much reduced, to the relief of the neighborhood, by this needful provision.
SOUTH GRAMMAR AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
The change of the teacher in the Grammar depart- ment, at the commencement of the last term, we are assured was no disadvantage to the school. In both departments the work is pursued under the very great advantage of division of the pupils into two properly graded rooms, quite distinct and independent of each other.
Within the year scarlatina has visited one family in the south part of the town, thus excluding all the children of that household from school for a time. Fortunately there was no extension of the disease. Measles invaded the North School in the last winter, causing an interruption and closure of the school for several days. The law requiring vaccination of all children in the public schools has been faithfully obeyed, and this measure of protection from a loath- some disease afforded to about forty pupils.
75
Recently your committee was invited to meet and confer with the committees of three other towns in the present superintendency district, for the consider- ation of a proposition to reduce the number of schools now in charge of our superintendent; the present number being forty. After the matter was fully explained and understood it was unanimously.
Voted, That it was expedient for these four towns to withdraw from the present district union, and reunite as a new and more compact district having but twenty-seven schools. The contribution from the State Fund to the smaller district will remain the same as now paid to the larger district. The salary of the superintendent will also remain the same, while his time and service will be increased to each of the four towns about thirty-eight per cent., beside the time saved in traveling over the larger district. The committees represented in this convention were advised and requested to bring this matter before the next town meeting in their several towns for approval.
Voting, First to withdraw from the present union, and then voting to form with the other three towns a new district. Your School Committee having no further probable use for the East and North school- houses would suggest the advisability of selling them, as they will soon require repairs or rapidly go to waste.
Finally, your committee would ask that the appro- priation by the town for the schools be marked with such liberality as indicates a full appreciation of the importance and value of general education.
GEORGE FLINT, MOSES W. KIDDER, JAMES H. FARRAR.
Superintendent's Report.
To the School Committee of Lincoln :
GENTLEMEN :- My third annual report of the schools of this town is herewith presented to you, and through you to the citizens of Lincoln.
Under similar conditions the results of school work cannot differ greatly one year with another; although under a good system with proper management and efficient teachers, each year's work ought to show some improvement over the preceding. Not simply that each pupil should learn something during the year-should make some intellectual growth. This is to be expected of course. But this is not enough. If Lincoln schools are to keep step with the march of educational progress, the pupils must make more advancement this year than last,- the intellectual product of our schools must be larger for 1893, than it was for 1892: and we ought not to be satisfied unless it is. Has it been ?
I have closely observed the work during the year, and after carefully comparing it with last year's results, I am confident that we have made progress. This is shown in several ways. First, in the results secured along the new lines of work.
In the latter part of the summer term an educa- tional exhibit, of work, below the high school, includ- ing nature study, language work, work in geography and drawing, was held in Boston, under the auspices of the New England Association of Educational Workers, to which this, and other towns in this district
77
contributed. The exhibit from this district was very creditable, compared well with that from other places, and received favorable comment from leading educa- tors of the state.
Although the South Grammar School did not furnish anything for the exhibit, the Lincoln contribu- tion was fair in quantity, and equal in quality with that from the other towns in this district, and reflected credit on the work of our teachers. It was good evidence of progress, in that it showed better results in these lines of work than could have been produced a year ago. Another and better evidence of improve- ment is the increased interest and better industry of the pupils in all the schools.
Success is won by work, whether by the business man in the bank or by the scholar in school. And the best possible indication of real improvement - true success in our schools - is this growing inclina- tion of the pupils to work.
TEACHERS.
Three changes of teachers have occurred during the year, all at the beginning of the fall term, as indicated in the table of statistics. This is in marked contrast to the eight changes recorded in my report two years ago, and, I believe the results secured have been more satisfactory in an inverse ratio to the number of these changes.
Our teachers are ambitious not only to maintain a prominent position among their co-workers in the Commonwealth, but to make our schools as good as any having equal advantages; and they are sparing neither of time nor strength in their efforts to this
78
end. . Industry is the price of progress. To get pupils to work is the chief means to the great end of mental development, and there is no power so potent in inducing pupils to work as the example of an industrious teacher. The contagious spirit of indus- try is nowhere so likely to become epidemic as when carried into the school-room by the teacher. I believe our teachers have realized this, as manifested in the good, loyal work they have done, to which is due the gratifying results of the year. The teacher makes the school. The superintendent and committee do not. They furnish material, tools, and plan, but the teacher must rear the intellectual structure. In spite of all that management and money can do, without good teachers we cannot have good schools.
The end of teaching is not knowledge simply. It is knowledge, and, more important, mental development, and, most important, the formation of good character. In securing this threefold result, normal training and knowledge of methods are worth much. But breadth of mind and largeness of heart are worth more.
Not all teachers apprehend the true end of teaching or possess the essential qualities to secure it. We have some who do, and that the town appreciate their worth is evinced in its large and liberal way of dealing with them.
NEEDED CHANGES.
The changes suggested in my first report have been made with consequent good results.
A supply room has been provided in the boys upper hall in the Centre school building. This has relieved the crowded and inconvenient condition of the High School recitation room, and this room has been
79
arranged for experimental work in the sciences. Another change is now suggested that seems to me to be an absolute necessity.
Owing to the fact that it was impracticable, if not impossible, to conduct a successful school in the north part of the town, the committee have wisely closed that school and arranged to transport the pupils to the Centre, where they may enjoy as good instruction as other children in town. This arrangement places about seventy pupils in one room, and that room is not large enough to give each pupil as much space as the law requires, and will not probably be allowed by the state authorities only as a temporary arrangement. Even if it should, it is unfavorable to the best work. Here are now two schools, a grammar and a primary, under the general direction and dicipline of one teacher, while under the instruction of two. Both teachers could do much better work, if each had her own school by itself.
Pupils ought to remain in the grammar schools until they have finished the eighth year work, instead of going to the High School at the end of the seventh year, as has been the custom. This is necessary to the best results in the High School. But such a plan would still further increase the number of pupils in the lower room. It is evident, therefore, that another school-room ought to be provided at the Centre if the best results are to be secured, and it should be done before the opening of the schools next fall.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The High School has been conducted under more . favorable conditions this year than last, and has done correspondingly better work. The same assistant has
80
remained during the year and there has been but one change of principals. Another advantage already referred to is the improvement in the recitation room, providing for experimental work in teaching the sciences. The work can now be so conducted that it is possible for pupils to get a real knowledge of natural forces and their laws, by personal investigation through their own observations and experiments, instead of merely memorizing some things that some one else has discovered.
The new course of study is being entered upon as fast as pupils can be brought into definite classes. It may admit of some profitable modification, but in some form should be carefully followed, so that pupils may pass up by classes, taking up subjects of study in logical order, and graduate when they have completed a definite course. There seems to have been no definite course followed in the past, and not much method in the lines of studies pursued ; pupils being allowed to study about what they pleased, and to come and go when they pleased, without knowing whether they had got through the High School or not, or when they were prepared to go elsewhere. The High School has done some good work in the past, but I believe better results would have been secured had a more systematic plan been pursued.
The work has been very much hindered by irregular attendance. Pupils come in late in the fall term, some come only during the winter term, and many leave during the last half of the summer term. I believe that, to require pupils to pursue a definite · course of study and graduate when the course is com- pleted, will have a strong tendency to improve the school in this respect.
81
The eight years of lower school work should be done in the lower schools, and not the last year of it, in the High School as at present. The best results cannot be secured in either school while this plan continues.
I believe that the High School should be brought to as high a degree of excellence as possible, not only for the benefit of those who attend it, but for its stimulating influence in the lower schools. The grammar school pupils ought to regard the High School as a desirable goal to be reached, and an insti- tution whose diploma is worth earning.
ATTENDANCE.
The North School was closed for several weeks last winter on account of measles. But with this excep- tion, our pupils have not been afflicted with any prevailing epidemic or widespread sickness that has materially affected the attendance, and yet while the attendance has improved in the past two years, it is still not as good as ought to be.
Parents sometimes complain because their children are not promoted, claiming that they are as bright as those who are promoted, and the claim is often true. But an examination of the teacher's register generally reveals the fact that these children have lost much time from their school work. It is obvious that child- ren cannot make much progress in study unless they attend school. No one can do so much to improve the attendance as the parents; and if they wish their children to keep up with their classes, they ought to see that they are regular and prompt in their school attendance. The teacher, too, may do much to
82
improve the attendance. This is shown in the im- provement in the South Schools, which has been especially marked in the South Grammar School during the fall term, increasing from about 80 per cent. in the preceding term to over 93 per cent.
This report has been prepared in the midst of a busy year, in connection with five others for other towns, and, while it is but an imperfect expression of the condition, work, and needs of the school, I trust it will be of sufficient interest to the citizens of the town to justify the time spent in its preparation.
I wish to express my gratitude to the people of Lincoln for their encouragement and support in the execution of my duties, I desire also to express my high appreciation of the loyalty of the teachers and the earnestness with which they have devoted them- selves to their work.
I thank the committee for their continued manifes- tation of confidence in me and for the defference shown to my opinions.
Respectfully submitted, LEWIS T. McKENNEY, Superintendent of Schools.
STATISTICS.
Number of children enumerated in town, May 1, 1893, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, as returned by the assessors, 151
Number of children enrolled in the public schools, 197 Number of children enrolled under 5 years of age, 0
83
Number of children enrolled over 15 years of age, 20 Number of children enrolled between 5 and 15 years of age, 177
Number of children enrolled between 8 and 14 years of age 92
Number of school-houses occupied, 3
Number of school-rooms occupied, 6
ROLL OF HONOR.
PUPILS NEITHER ABSENT NOR TARDY.
Two TERMS.
Mary H. Downey, Caroline E. Ehlert, Ida B. Farnsworth.
ONE TERM.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Mary E. Cook,
Alfred P. Jackson,
Ida B. Farnsworth, Edith F. Whitney,
Louis L. Whitney.
SOUTH GRAMMAR.
Michael Boyce, Herbert Farrar,
Caroline E. Ehlert,
Andrew Rooney,
Mary E. Ehlert, Walter Thompson,
Ida B. Farnsworth,
Lillie Watson.
SOUTH PRIMARY.
George Cook,
Willie Burgess, Emmonds Cook, Mary H. Downey.
TABLE OF STATISTICS.
SCHOOL.
TERM.
TEACHER.
Enrollment.
Average
member-
daily at- Average
daily at- Per cent. of
tendance.
Tardinesses.
Visits of
Citizens.
Visits of
Committee.
Visits of Su-
perintend't.
Teachers'
per month.
Length of term in
months.
Winter ....
Roscoe A. Small .
28
26.28
23.38
88.97
26
8
4
4
$84 20
31
Bertha Scripture, Ass't ..
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