USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1902-1906 > Part 8
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When the old idea prevailed that the principal office of the teacher was hearing lessons and keeping order, it did not matter so much if there were frequent changes in the teach- ing force ; but under the new dispensation, when the teacher is expected not only to instruct her pupils, but to train them in right habits of action and thought, and inspire them with a desire for good and noble living, it becomes necessary that the teacher should know her pupils, not only in school but out of school as well. She must know what their home environment is, what work they do, what they play, what they talk about, what they think about, who their com- panions are; in short, all about them. All this takes time, and no teacher can gain this thorough and intimate knowledge of her pupils by seeing them at school or by one or two formal calls at their homes. It requires patient, sympathetic and long-continued investigation ; but it pays.
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Can one teach a child any better for knowing his grand- father ? may seem a ridiculous question ; but we shall have to answer it in the affirmative, and an acquaintance with his father and mother is helpful in the highest degree.
The longer a teacher serves in a given place, the more she becomes identified with the spirit of the place, the bet- ter she knows the people, the more thorough she understands the home influences and the home training of her pupils, and the more valuable do her services become.
We have been obliged to make one change in our teach- ing force during the past year. At the close of the Spring term one of our most valued teachers tendered her resigna- tion. It was accepted with extreme regret, for we knew and appreciated her worth. As her successor a teacher was selected whose personality, training and experience promised a high degree of success and we look with confidence to the future to prove the wisdom of the selection.
Two years ago we changed our method of teaching reading, in the hope that we might master the mechanical part of the subject earlier in the course and so have more time to develop good expression. The full results of the change will not be apparent for several years, until the pupils then in the primary classes advance to the grammar grades ; but a change is apparent in the lower grades, now, and these children when they reach the grammar grades, will read with better expression and better understanding than do the pupils now in the grammar schools.
New methods are not always successful; but as far as we are able to judge by present achievements, we are likely to make a success of this one.
The new text-books in arithmetic and language, introduced last year, are giving good satisfaction, and the pupils are doing creditable work in both subjects. In numbers it has seemed best to require very little of the first year pupils and probably next year we shall not teach the subject at all in the first grade, except incidentally in our use of objects. It does not seem wise to teach laboriously to children of
149
five years of age what most of them will know at six without any special teaching.
Even if the subject of numbers were deferred until the pupils were seven or eight years of age, I am inclined to believe that the result would be beneficial. There is not much use in teaching a thing till the pupil is ready for it ; and abstract number is not a fascinating subject to young children. It is not improbable that we teach arithmetic too long any way, and that we might obtain the same or better results if we should do in five or six years what we now spend eight years in doing.
No change in text-books has been made during the year except to exchange old editions of our geographies and histories for newer editions of the same books, and for the next few years few changes should be necessary .. We may find it desirable to have a new series of writing books; and yet for the past year we have not used any, and the re- sultts which we have obtained have been better than usual. The improvement is probably due not so much to the absence of writing books as to the good teaching of writing.
The work in music under the direction of Miss Barnes has been as good as, perhaps better than, usual. Certainly teachers and pupils have done their best to produce good results and we know that Miss Barnes' teaching leaves little to be desired.
Early in the year leave of absence was granted to Miss Hill, and the work in drawing has since been conducted by Miss Emily L. Haines, who has proved herself a competent teacher and an earnest worker. The pupils have made good progress under her instruction.
The reports of the High School pupils at Concord indicate that nearly all of them are doing creditable work. It would be too much to expect that every pupil would apprecite fully the advantages which he enjoys and would exert him- self to make the most of them. There are a few in every class who are either idle or incompetent. We have sent few students of this character from Lincoln and shall endeavor
150
to keep the number as small as possible. We probably owe it to the Concord High School not to send pupils there un- less there is a reasonable probability that they will do its work satisfactorily.
That the present High School advantages offered to the pupils of this Town are appreciated is evidenced by the large number who are availing themselves of them. During the past term we have had twenty-nine pupils enrolled in the Concord High School, which is 182 per cent. of all the pupils that we have had in school for the past year.
That the number is so large should be a matter of general satisfaction to the Town, since it proves that the young people of the Town are ambitious to secure for themselves all the advantages which education can give.
The large number of pupils means a considerable expense for tuition, it is true ; but the same amount of money would scarcely maintain a good High School at home; and were the school small and less thoroughly equipped it is probable that we should have a much smaller number in attendance than we now have.
The census reports for the last two years show a decrease in the number of school children in the Town. Whether this decline is only temporary or will prove to be permanent, no one can tell; but if it should continue, it may necessitate a re-arrangement of our grades. With the five school rooms that we now have we are able to grade our schools in a very satisfactory manner so that with the comparatively small number of pupils in each room, the conditions are highly favorable for good teaching and for rapid advancement on the part of the pupil. Twenty-five to thirty pupils is pretty near an ideal number for a school, and with such a number as this, three grades is not a very serious objection. Cer- tainly the teacher in such a school as this can accomplish results which the teacher in the crowded city school, with its fifty or more pupils, even though they are all in one grade, can never hope to accomplish.
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It is some years since we made the discovery that there was no such thing as " the average child," and that children could not be taught successfully in masses. Since making that discovery we have been struggling to get back again to individual teaching. We have learned at last that each pupil has an individuality of his own and that it is entirely independent of the grade that he happens to be in ; that he comes to us with a certain small capital of experience and certain ideas developed by that experience and we realize that it is our task to enlarge that experience and broaden those ideas by our training and teaching.
To teach a child any subject, and teach it well, to train a child in any course of action or habit of thought, we must approach it first from his point of view, and not from our own, otherwise we shall constantly be giving him a micros- cope with which to study the heavens and a telescope with which to observe the texture of a butterfly's wing. Our eyes and our experience are similar to his, just as the two glasses are similar in kind; but the focus is different, and what is perfectly plain to our sight and understanding is often perfectly blank to his. As long as it is his own eye that must see all that he ever sees and his own mind that must think and understand all that he ever thinks and under- stands, it would seem to be only common sense to adjust the glass to his mental vision rather than to insist that he look through the one that is adjusted to ours.
To arrive at the child's point of view we must study the child himself; to conduct our teaching from his point of view, we must teach him as an individual, for the most part especially in the earlier years of his school course. Not that I would do away with class teaching entirely. By no means. It has its uses. There are very many lessons that children may and should learn together, but it is as an in- dividual that he grows and develops and as an individual he must be trained and taught.
The crowded city school offers few opportunities for this kind of teaching, while here in our smaller schools we are
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able to do much of it. For that reason I hope that it may not be necessary to reduce the number of our schools. I know that it costs more per pupil to teach in this way ; but it is worth very much more, and the cost, unless it is exces- sive, ought not to prevent us from doing what we have to do in the best possible way. The usual special reports and tables are appended.
Respectfully submitted, W. N. CRAGIN, Supt. of Schools.
Lincoln, Mass., Feb. 1, 1903.
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Report of Director of Drawing.
To Mr. W. N. Cragin, Superintendent of Schools:
Last March I began my work in Lincoln, and since that time the effort has been to continue the drawing along the line so ably carried on by Miss Hill.
In the primary grades are studied color, form and design from plant and animal life, with water-color, brush and pencil.
The same mediums are used in the intermediate and grammar grades in the study of pictorial and decorative drawing. In connection with the work, examples of good pictures and good designs are brought to the notice of the children.
The interest of the children and the co-operation of the teachers have been of great assistance.
Very respectfully,
EMILY L. HAINES.
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Report of Director of Music.
To the School Committee of the Town of Lincoln :
The year just closed has not been signalized by wondrous progress along the various lines that make up our music course. I cannot say that this class or that class has far excelled the corresponding class of previous years.
But I can say there has been a steady gain, a natural and healthy growth. This is due to several reasons, but princi- pally to the closer relation existing between all the members concerned. All else being equal, the fewer the changes in school management, the steadier the relationship. And so strength is gained, there being no waste of time or energy in readjustment.
Improvement in tone quality is very marked and therefore an inevitable advance in tonality is noticeable. The æsthetic side of the subject has been dwelt upon, much to the ad- vancement of the general work. For whatever uplifts us æsthetically, is a tonic to the whole mental and physical me- chanism, allowing the coarser elements less chance to enter and deaden.
The new material generously provided has proved a pleasure and profit, furnishing as it has that needed in- spiration to work.
Where there is more than one grade to a room, and the small numbers allow no division in the music work, unless there is plenty of material there is either a constant review for the upper grade, or a presenting of material in advance of the entering class.
Now this is far from inspiring or developing to either. But the new material allows no chance for these problems to
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arise, as with a little careful planning the work presented can be new for all. I thank the board for their generosity in the past and hope to merit the same for the future.
As each year passes the needs and uses of music are more and more evident; and should any one doubt the advisability of having this subject on the required list, let him visit the schools but once during the music period, and he could not but acknowledge that anything that gives such evident pleasure and refreshment to say nothing of the educational side of the subject has a right to its high position in the estimation of the public.
I thank most kindly the School Committee and Superin- tendent for their generous help and for their words of en- couragement. And I am also very grateful to the teachers, for I realize that the good fruit produced from my scattered music seeds is the result of the wise care and attention given by this faithful corp of workers. Let the good work go on, and music will be serving its high purpose in our schools.
Respectfully submitted,
ANNIE M. BARNES,
Director of Music.
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Report of Superintendent of Concord High School.
Mr. W. N. Cragin, Superintendent of Schools, Lincoln, Mass. :
In response to your request for some account of the Concord High School during the past years and of the work of the pupils that attend it from Lincoln, permit me to make a very brief report.
The total enrollment of the school for the past two terms has been two hundred and eighty pupils, with almost an equal number of boys and girls. One hundred and five of these are enrolled as non-resident pupils. The pupils occupy six class rooms and are taught by ten regular and three special teachers. The school contains three well equipped laboratories, a chemical, a physical and a botanical laboratory, each in charge of teachers especially trained for the work. The drawing classes meet in the studio, a suitably lighted room on the third floor in charge of a teacher who is in at- tendance three days a week. The Sloyd classes meet in the Sloyd School building and are under the instruction of an ex- cellent teacher. He is in attendance five days a week. So much for the somewhat modern activities of a modern High School. A study of the daily schedule would show that the old fashioned studies are not neglected and would satisfy the questionings of any who may entertain "old fashioned doubts about new fashioned ideas" in our schools. Especial attention for many years has been given to English, English literature and composition. Since 1887 daily theme work has been required for one or more years of all pupils. The evidence of the value of constant writing by pupils upon subjects that interest them and are matters of their own observation or reflections, is cumulative and beyond question
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in the minds of our teachers who have had to do with this work of the pupils. An important part of the work of every well organized High School is the preparation of pupils for Colleges, Technical Schools and Normal Schools. Of late years the admission requirements of these institutions have broadened to such a degree, that it is no longer necessary, with few exceptions, to set apart special classes for college preparation. In fact Greek is the only study that may not, and is not taken by pupils who have not college in view, in the same classes with those pupils who have college admis- sion requirements to meet. On the other hand there are not a few studies of great interest and value to pupils, that can be taken only by pupils who are not preparing for higher institutions because the admission requirements are less broad than the school curriculum, while they are sufficiently exacting to demand the whole of a pupil's time and energy.
Twenty-nine pupils have been in attendance from Lincoln during the fall and winter term-five seniors, ten juniors, five sophomores, five freshmen. Without exception they have maintained, at least, a fair standard of scholarship, several of them have highly creditable records, and two or three have exceptionally high records. As a whole, they have come into our school well prepared for High School work. Their conduct in the school has been creditable. They are a wel- come addition to the school in all its activities, scolastic, social and athletic.
Respectfully submitted,
WM. L. EATON.
Concord, Mass., Feb. 12, 1903.
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Roll of Honor.
The following pupils have been neither absent or tardy for the time designated :
FOR SIX YEARS AND TWO TERMS. Sumner Smith.
,
FOUR FOUR YEARS. Edwin S. Blodgett.
FOR ONE YEAR. Louise B. Chapin.
FOR TWO TERMS.
Robert W. Baker. Roderick B. Laird. Ellen Conners. Elizabeth Jurada. Edward Ryan.
Ula Hapgood.
Bessie L. Tyler.
Arthur F. Chapin.
Grace Tyler. Louis Wallcroft.
FOR ONE TERM.
Edith M. Stone.
Katie Connors.
Francis Sargent.
James Boyce.
Esther Dempsey. Genevieve Jurada.
Josephine Dempsey.
Ronald Shepard.
Joseph Jurada. Andrew J. Dougherty.
Murray P. Farnsworth.
Ida Tyler.
Manley Boyce.
Mary A. Delorey.
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School Calendar for the Year 1903.
Winter term began December 29, 1902; ends March 20, 1903 ; 12 weeks.
Spring term begins March 30; ends June 12; 11 weeks.
Fall term begins September 7; ends December 18; 15 weeks.
Winter term begins January 4, 1904.
Recess from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday following.
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STATISTICS.
Number of children in Town between the ages of five and fifteen (census of 1902) :
Boys 66
Girls 66 132
Number between the ages of seven and fourteen :
Boys
49
Girls 49
98
Total enrollment for the year ending in June, 1902 157
Number enrolled between seven and fourteen years of age :
Boys 50
Girls ·
49 99
Number attending Concord High School .
29
Number of regular teachers employed
5
Number of special teachers employed 2 .
Length of school in weeks
.
38
TABLE OF ATTENDANCE.
SCHOOL.
Total
Membership.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Percentage of
Attendance.
Instances of
Tardiness.
Visitors.
Number of
Weeks.
Centre Grammar
26
23.25
21.45
.9224
12
11
38
Centre Sub Grammar
.
.
24
21.37
18.99
.8886
24
5
38
Centre Primary
29
22.9
20.61
.9000
45
23
38
South Sub Grammar
30
27.23
24.24
.9000
17
36
38
South Primary ·
19
18.9
16.96
.8975
53
48
38
Totals,
.
·
·
128
113.65
102.25
9000
151
123
·
D
161
.
162
WARRANT.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
To James T. Laird, or any other Constable of the Town of Lincoln, in said County :
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabi- tants of the Town of Lincoln, duly qualified to vote in Town Affairs, to assemble in Bemis Hall, on Monday, March second, at 12 o'clock M., to act on the following articles, viz .:
ARTICLE 1. To choose a moderator.
ARTICLE 2. To see if the Town will accept the provisions of Section 335, Chapter 11, of the Revised Laws, with reference to the election and the duties of Town Clerks : and the provisions of Section 339 of said Chapter, with reference to the election of Selectmen, Assessors and Overseers of the Poor, and will fix the number of persons constituting any or all of said boards.
ARTICLE 3. To hear and act upon the reports of Town Officers, Committees, Commissioners, and Trustees
ARTICLE 4. To choose all necessary Town Officers, Committees, Commissioners and Trustees for the ensu- ing year.
ARTICLE 5. To act upon the jury list presented by the Selectmen.
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ARTICLE 6. To appropriate money for necessary and expedient purposes of the Town, and enact any- thing in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 7. To give in their votes by ballot in answer to the question : " Shall licences be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town ?" The check list shall be used as provided by Section 5, Chapter 100 of the Public Statutes.
ARTICLE 8. To determine the manner of collecting taxes the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 9. To determine the compensation of the Collector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will authorize its Treasurer, under the direction of the Selectmen, to borrow money in anticipation of taxes of the current year, and to be paid therefrom.
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will choose a Committee on Claims under the provision of Section 3 of Article 6 of the By-laws.
ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will revoke its acceptance of the provisions of Chapter 374 of the Acts of 1895, and accept such other Acts or Provisions of the Statutes of Massachusetts as may be necessary in order to elect three Road Commissioners in the town : and elect three Road Commissioners, one for one year, one for two years, and one for three years, or take any other action that may be necessary to place the highways in charge of three Road Commissioners instead of a single Highway Surveyor ; also to see if the town will add to the equipment which it now has, for the use on the highways and other work which the town may at any time have to do.
164
ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will purchase or rent a suitable place where the town teams may be kept or take any action in relation to the matter.
ARTICLE 14. To see what action the Town will take in regard to the repairs of the highway, near the house of Roger Sherman and appropriate money for the same.
ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.) to maintain a Free Bed in the Waltham Hospital, or take any action or appropriate any money to aid citizens of the Town, who may at any time require hospital treatment.
ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will authorize the Water Commissioners to adopt the meter system in connection with the water works and make an appro- priation for the same.
ARTICLE 17. To see if the Town will authorize the Water Commissioners to extend the water pipe from the present terminus near the house of Geo. L. Cousins, to near the residence of Geo. F. Harrington and make an appropriation for the same.
ARTICLE 18. To see if the Town will borrow any money by an issue of bonds, under Chapter 337 of the Acts of the year 1902, for the purpose of providing money heretofore appropriated or heretofore expended and to be refunded to the Treasury, under the votes of the Town, heretofore passed.
ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will appoint a committee to prosecute persons for keeping liquor nuisances or selling intoxicating liquors within the
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Town, and appropriate the sum of five hundred dollars to defray any expense.
And you are directed to serve this Warrant by post- ing an attested copy thereof in each of the Post Offices and one of the Churches, or some other public place seven days at least before the day appointed for such meeting, and to make seasonable return thereof with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk.
HEREOF FAIL NOT.
Dated at Lincoln, this twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, nine hundred and three.
CHARLES S. SMITH, EDWARD F. FLINT, ANTHONY J. DOHERTY, Lincoln.
Selectmen of
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By-Laws of the Town of Lincoln.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
MIDDLESEX, SS.
At the Superior Court, within and for the County of Middlesex, Anno Domini, 1897,
The following By-Laws of the Town of Lincoln, in said County, are presented to this Court for approval, to wit :-
"ARTICLE I.
TOWN MEETINGS.
Section 1. The annual town meeting shall be held on the first Monday of March in each year.
Sect. 2. Notice of every town meeting shall be given by posting copies of the warrant calling the same, attested by the officer making service thereof, in each of the post-offices within the town, and in one of the churches, or one other public place, within the town, not less than seven days be- fore the day appointed for such meeting. But when, in the judgment of the selectmen, the interests of the town require a meeting to be held without giving so long a notice, a meeting may be called by posting attested copies of the warrant in the places above mentioned, and by leaving a printed copy thereof at each dwelling-house within the town, at least three days before the time appointed for the meeting; provided that in such cases the selectmen shall certify that, in their opinion, the interests of the town re- quire that a town meeting be called upon a notice of less than seven days, which certificate shall be made upon, or at- tached to, the original warrant, and shall be served as a part thereof.
167
ARTICLE II.
FINANCES.
Section 1. The financial year shall commence with the first day of February and end with the thirty-first day of January annually.
Sect. 2. The town treasurer shall have the custody of all funds belonging to the town except sinking funds, trust funds and funds for which other provision is made by law; and he shall pay no money from the treasury except upon a draft signed by a majority of the selectmen, stating the ac- count to which the same is chargeable. Such draft shall be sufficient authority to the treasurer to pay the same, and the payment thereof shall discharge him from all liability on account of the money so paid.
Sect. 3. The water commissioners and all other boards, committees and officers shall, on the first day of each month, pay to the town treasurer all sums collected by them the month previous to the custody of which the treasurer is entitled.
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