USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1906-1910 > Part 9
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SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
The Legislature of 1906 passed an Act requiring the appointment of a school physician, with a view to de- creasing the dangers from contagious and infectious diseases. The same Act contains provisions as to ascer- taining whether scholars are suffering "from defective sight or hearing or from any other disability or defect tending to prevent his receiving the full benefit of his school work, or requiring a modification of the school work in order to prevent injury to the child or to secure
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the best educational results." The Act provides that no expense shall be incurred under its provisions without an appropriation by the Town for that purpose.
Since the passage of this Act the subject has received much consideration from the Governor and from prom- inent physicians with whom he has advised. We wish to urge upon the Town of Lincoln the great importance of the objects intended to be accomplished by this Act, and request an appropriation under the following form of vote;
Voted, That the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars be appropriated to be applied in carrying out the purpose of Chapter 502 of the Acts of 1906, the same to be ex- pended by the School Committee.
The report of the Superintendent of Schools with the usual tables and special reports, is submitted herewith.
H. E. WARNER, EDWARD R. FARRAR, W. A. BLODGETT.
168
SUMMARY OF SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Salaries of Superintendent and teachers,
$3,395 00
Physical culture, 50 00
Tuition fees in High Schools,
1,136 00
Transportation (in barges), $1,156 00 (Railroad, etc.), 469 40 .. 1,625 40
Janitor, washing, etc.,
160 00
Water rates,
60.00
School supplies,
127 74
Miscellaneous,
25 95
$6,580 09
Repairs on buildings,
$78 78
Repairs on barge,
1 75
80 53
Total,
$6,660 62
The above includes no charge for the janitor of the schools in the Center, who is paid by the Selectmen in connection with his care of other Town buildings.
The auditor informs the Committee that the following expenditures have been made for fuel for the schools :- Paid F. E. Cousins & Co., for wood and kindling, $2 50 Paid F. E. Cousins & Co., for 41 14-100 tons coal @ $6.45, 265 34
Paid Highway Dept., teaming 41-14100 tons coal, 49 62
Total, $317 46
169
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee :-
Herewith is submitted my seventh annual report as Superintendent of Schools.
The past year has been an uneventful one; and there are few matters concerning the schools which seem to call for extended comment at this time.
The attendance has been as good as usual, a little better perhaps. A percentage of .9276 is about as good as we ought to expect, in a Town whose school popula- tion is as widely scattered as it is in Lincoln. In the matter of punctuality, however, the record for the past year has not been satisfactory; 255 instances of tardiness are too many for our small number of pupils; and the number should be considerably reduced. In- vestigation brings to light the fact that 135, more than one-half, of these instances are chargeable to just seven pupils. While this indicates a pretty good attendance . on the part of the other 108 pupils, it also indicates a duty on the part of the parents and teachers of those seven pupils. Such an amount of tardiness cannot be necessary and it is the duty of the parents to correct it. If the teachers can not induce them to do so, they should report the cases to the school authorities; for such at- tendance should not be permitted.
Weekly observation of the work of the schools does not reveal to me any marked difference from the work of the previous year. With the same corps of teachers, we
170
have accomplished substantially the same amount of work and that of the same general character. We have made no change in text-books except in the subject of writing. As a large number of cities and towns are giv- ing up, or have given up vertical writing, it has seemed best for us to do likewise; and we are now teaching a modified slant, which we hope will preserve the legi- bility of the vertical writing and at the same time, permit a somewhat more rapid execution.
When vertical writing was introduced into the schools we believed that it was destined to become the accepted standard of hand-writing throughout the country. We gave it a thorough trial of several years' duration and succeeded in teaching all of our pupils to write legibly. (which was something that we never before had been able to accomplish); but those of our pupils who wrote beauti- fully, wrote very slowly, and those who wrote rapidly, wrote a hand that though legible, was anything but beautiful. We should doubtless have continued its use had there been any evidence that it was growing in favor as a business hand; but business men in general do not seem to like it, and so many school systems have aban- doned it that it seems almost certain that it will soon cease to be taught as a distinctive hand.
Accordingly we have discarded it for a system that is being more extensively taught and, though the change will doubtless disturb the pupils' writing to some ex-
tent, yet we hope to effect it without destroying the 1 legibility of the old hand in acquiring the rapidity which the new permits.
One other change has been made in the work of the schools. At the close of the spring term, Miss Sawin was obliged to give up her work as instructor in physical culture, and it was decided not to appoint her successor. This action was taken not because of any dissatisfaction with the work as it had been carried on, and not because
171
of any lack of appreciation of the work itself, but chiefly for two reasons, First, because it seemed impossible to make this course available for all of our pupils. There. · was no suitable room at the South School, and it ap- peared to be impracticable to transport the pupils of that school to the Center for the lesson. Second, Because this exercise interfered unduly with the work of the Center Schools. Each school gave three-quarters of an hour to the weekly lesson and the primary school in the room beneath the hall, lost practically the whole after- noon on account of the noise overhead. Under these circumstances, it seemed best to discontinue this work until the conditions should be more favorable.
We have spoken in previous reports of the desirability of making some provision in our school work for manual or industrial training; and each year emphasizes the need of such provision, It has become a generally accepted view that any scheme of education which concerns it- self wholly with the mental activities of children and ignores their physical activities is one-sided and incom- plete, moreover, we have found by experience that the surest approach to accurate and interested thinking is through these same physical activitiess. When a child has planned and designed some useful object and has wrought it out with his own hands, and sees before him the result of his own mental process and manual effort in tangible, material form, he has made it his own in more. senses than one. He has a clear conception of the thing itself, and henceforth can think of it, or of other things related to it with accuracy and interest; for the mental picture is distinct and every outline is clear. Without a clear mental image, both thinking and ex- pression are always blurred. It has been a defect of our text-book instruction, that we have not given our pupils mental pictures sufficiently clear to produce clear thinking and vigorous expression. Manual training may .do much to remedy this defect.
172
It has not seemed best to me to recommend the in- troduction of this work into our school course, chiefly because our school accommodations are not suitable. We have no place for it. I hope, however, that we shall . have, in the near future, and when that time arrives, I believe that we should make suitable provision for man- ual instruction.
Our high-school pupils have attended the Concord High School, as in years past; and from the reports that I have received from time to time, I concluded that they have continued to do acceptable work and have proved themselves for the most part to be desirable members of the school.
We have endeavored to give them a good preparation for their high school work; and I believe that most of them are making good use of the advantages which are offered them.
In the death of Mr. Eaton, for so many years thr efficient principal of the Concord School, we feel that we, too, as a Town have sustained a loss. It was a good thing, and a valuable part of their education, for our boys and girls to come in contact with a man of Mr. Eaton's high ideals, sterling worth and kindly personality; and we cannot but feel regret that an influence so helpful so inspiring, so good in every way, has been withdrawn from our pupils' lives.
Music and drawing have been pursued under the direction of the same instructors as last year and the results obtained indicate faithful work on the part of the teachers and pupils It has seemed to me that in both subjects there has been a tendency of late years to defer technical instruction to a later period and to devote the earlier years of the school course to singing and draw- ing, just for the joy that there is in them, without burden- ing the pupils very much as to the how or why. If there is such a tendency, it would seem to me to be commend-
173
able; for there is more than a suspicion that we begin our technical instruction in other subjects too soon.
The recent law requiring medical inspection in the · public schools went into effect with the current school year, and though no school physician has yet been ap- pointed, that portion of the law which requires the teachers to test the eyesight and hearing of all pupils annually, has been complied with; and when serious de- fects have been found the parents have been notified of such defects and requested to procure medical advice.
The test given by the teachers is one prescribed by the State Board of Health, and is intended chiefly to detect cases of near sightedness. It is to be borne in mind that a pupil may pass this test and still have defects of vision that need to be remedied, but if he fails to pass this test, he surely has one defect, that is likely to inter- fere with his progress in school, and the teacher is re- quired by law to notify the parent of the fact. The law gives us no power to compel the parent to do anything about it; but it is presumed that such power is not needed, for certainly there is no parent who would wish to have his child go through school, handicapped by defective vision or hearing. It is sufficiently hard for a child to excel when he has the full service of all his senses, but if one or two of them fail, or partly fail him, the struggle is against him from the start. The idea of medical in- spection in all the schools has seemed to meet with gen- cral favor and the appointment of a tactful, considerate man as school physician will do much to promote the popularity and usefulness of the law in any community.
If we have little in the way of progress to chronicle, it is to be remembered that in a small school system like ours there would ordinarily be few noticeable changes from year to year, unless we were trying frequent ex- periments, and that we have not been inclined to do. Our teaching force has been a pretty constant one, with
174
fewer changes than occur in most country towns. For this reason our school work has been of a more uniform quality than it would otherwise have been. Whatever progress we have made has been accomplished through the constant, painstaking efforts of conscientious teachers, and I believe that it is more real though less spectacular than the progress that comes from the sudden enthusiasm of a new theory and is followed by periods of apathy or retrogression.
Teachers and school officials have worked in harmony for the good of the schools, and the result has been a profitable and satisfactory school year.
The usual statistics are appended.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM N. CRAGIN, Superintendent of Schools.
1
175
Report of the Director of Music
LINCOLN, MASS., Feb. 1, 1907.
To the School Committee of the Town of Lincoln :-
In the way of music the Lincoln schools are handi- capped in certain rooms by having so few in a room. This is especially noticeable in the primary department at the Center. There is always a certain percentage of children who are at least partial monotones. Their ears have to become used to different sounds before they are able to produce them. Unless it is possible for these monotones to be entirely separated from the other chil- dren and given special treatment, which of course there is not time to do in most schools, it is best that they should be with a goodly number whom they can hear sing. Then little by little they try to sing, until by the end of the first year they are able to pick up a song with the other chil- dren fairly well. Right here something might be said in favor of the mechanical players which are used in some schools. Children who are monotones invariably love music and love to sing. What a joy and blessing it would be if they could listen for ten minutes or so each day to something attractive from the classics. It would not be beyond them, children love what is presented to them in an attractive way. For the older children it would be a blessing too. On their way home from school we might hear them humming a song from some standard opera, or a theme from some symphony instead of the latest popular song. The best is none too good for any of us. If there is any extra money to be spent on the music department, I most heartily recommend that it be spent on a mechanical piano player. -
BETSEY B. HARMON, Supervisor of Music.
176
Report of the Director of Drawing
To the Superintendent of Schools, Lincoln :-
The various changes in ways of living, and the con- solidation of schools, making the transportation of many children the custom, have gradually brought about a condition of school life very different from that in 1869, when the leading manufacturers and foremost men in Massachusetts petitioned the Legislature for public in- struction in drawing. Since that time two laws have been enacted favoring the more general introduction of manual training.
Under the old apprentice system the child received a general training in school and an industrial training through his apprenticeship.
At the present time the average child has but little hand training unless industrial work of some sort is made a part of the school course.
For these reasons it seems wise to broaden the course in drawing, and though comparatively little can be done under the existing conditions, still drawing can be made more vital, and there is a chance for hand training in the practical application of construction and design to the common objects about us.
It is not expected that a finished product will be pro- duced, but the planning, making and decorating of an object bring up many problems, and the spirit of co-opera- tion and the appreciation of the skilful is not the least of the good results.
These thoughts have gradually altered the work in small ways but the general course of study is the same as formerly.
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The subject of model drawing, which is the basis of all good drawing, has not been neglected, but has received extra drill and attention as being the necessary founda- tion for the whole subject.
Respectfully submitted, EMILY L. HAINES.
35 St. Botolph Street, Boston, Mass.
178
STATISTICS.
1
Number of children in Town between the ages of ส่ 5 and 15 years (census of 1906), boys, 66;
...
1 girls, 71 ·
137
Number of children between 7 and 14, boys, 46 girls, 44
90
*Total enrollment for the year ending June, 1906 147
Number of pupils under 5 years of age
1
Number over 15 years of age 5
Number between 5 and 15 years of age 109
Number between 7 and 14 years of age,
87
Number attending Concord High School .
Percentage of pupils attending High School 23 .
.16
Number of regular teachers employed 5
Number of special teachers employed 2
*Includes pupils in High School.
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ROLL OF HONOR.
The following pupils have been neither absent nor tardy for the time designated.
FOR TEN YEARS. Sumner Smith.
FOR THREE YEARS. Anna H. Wheeler. FOR ONE YEAR.
Ellen Connors.
Isabel Pierce.
Charles Rocks.
Katie Connors.
Redmond Hartwell.
William Pierce.
Grace Bamforth.
Ruth A. Wheeler.
Glennah M. Shepard.
Edwin S. Blodgett.
FOR TWO TERMS.
Evelyn Corrigan. Viranus Cobb. Esther Rocks. William Corrigan. Ralph Bamforth.
Elizabeth Hunter.
Margaret Riley.
Charles Bamforth.
Thomas Martin. Warren Rice.
Elsie Davis.
FOR ONE TERM.
Frank Clark.
Ludwig Laird.
Ruth Sherman.
Edith Burton.
Olive Stone.
Francis Sargent.
Marguerite Hardy.
James Lahey.
George Brooks.
Robert Clapp.
Nellie Archibald.
Irving Flemming.
Helen Dempsey.
Marion Chapin.
Elizabeth Connors.
Harry Courtney.
Emma Flemming.
Louise Kirkegard.
Madeline Lowe.
Frederick Rocks.
William Snelling.
Edith Snelling.
Laura Burgess. John Kenna. Howard Bamforth.
John Giles.
Louis Wallcroft.
Bertha Bowles.
William Bowles.
Edward Boyce.
Ethel Cousins.
Esther Cousins.
Thomas Giles.
Rosa Martin.
Philip Bamforth.
Christian Olhoff.
180
SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR 1907.
Winter term began December 31, ends March 22; twelve weeks.
Spring terni begins April 1, ends June 14; eleven weeks. Fall term begins September 9, ends December 20; fifteen weeks.
Winter term begins January 6, 1908.
Recess from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday following.
ATTENDANCE TABLE FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1906.
SCHOOL.
Total
Membership
Average
Membership
Average Attendance
Percentage of Attendance
Tardiness
Visitors
Length of
School
in Weeks
Center Grammar
23
19.91
18.39
.9236
31
111
38
Center Sub Grammar
21
20.07
18.90
.9355
79
116
38
Center Primary
23
17.81
16.89
.9458
27
139
38
South Sub Grammar
22
20.58
18.85
.9161
22
124
38
South Primary
26
24.33
22.44
.9193
96
142
38
Totals .
115
102.70
95.47
.9276
255
632
190
181
T
182
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 inhab- itants of the Town of Lincoln, duly qualified to vote in Town affairs, to assemble in Bemis Hall, on Monday, March fourth, at 1 o'clock P.M., to act on the following articles, viz :
ARTICLE 1. To choose a moderator.
ART. 2. To hear and act upon the reports of Town Officers, Committees, Commissioners, and Trustees.
ART. 3. To choose all necessary Town Officers, Com- mittees, Commissioners and Trustees for the ensuing year.
ART. 4. To act upon the jury list presented by the Selectmen.
ART. : 5. To appropriate money for necessary and expedient purposes of the Town, and enact anything in relation to the same.
183
ART. 6. To give in their votes by ballot in answer to the question: "Shall licenses 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.
ART. 7. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 8. To determine the compensation of the Col- lector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 9. To see if the Town will authorize the Treas- urer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow during the municipal year, beginning February first, 1907, in anticipation of the collection of taxes of said year, such sums of money as may be necessary for the current expenses of the Town, but not exceeding the total tax levy for the said year, giving the notes of the Town in payment thereof, payable in one year from the dates thereof. All debts incurred under authority of this vote shall be paid from taxes of the present municipal year.
ART. 10. To see if the Town will choose a Committee on Claims under the provisions of Section 3 of Article 6 of the By-Laws.
ART. 11. To determine the manner of repairing the highways and bridges for the ensuing year.
ART. 12. To see if the Town will appoint a committee to prosecute persons for selling intoxicating liquors in the Town, and appropriate money for the same.
ART. 13. To see if the Town will determine the lo- cation of a new schoolhouse, and adopt all necessary measures to purchase and procure land therefor.
,
184
ART. 14. To see if the Town will take any action toward the erection of a new schoolhouse, and to ap- propriate any money for the same.
ART. 15. To see if the Town will authorize the School Committee to terminate the existing union for the purpose of employing a Superintendent of Schools, or to enter another union or make any other arrangement for the employment of a Superintendent, or take any action in relation to the matter.
ART. 16. To see if the Town will make an appropria- tion to carry out the purposes of Chapter 502 of the Acts of 1906 or enact anything in relation to the matter.
ART. 17. To see what action the Town will take in regard to the wages paid to the laborers on the Highways.
ART. 18. To see what action the Town will take to- ward the extermination of the gypsy and brown-tail moths during the ensuing year.
ART. 19. To see if the Town will vote to discon- tinue that part of the old Turnpike Road running from the Bedford Road and through the land of Mr. Michael Connors to the present location of the so-called Turnpike Road, or take any action in relation to the matter.
ART. 20. To see if the Town will purchase hose and a hose carriage for the North part of the Town, and ap- propriate the necessary money for the same.
ART. 21. To see if the Town will take any action to- ward improving the present fire equipment, and make any appropriation for the same.
185
ART. 22. To see if the Town will take any action in regard to petitioning the General Court to increase the borrowing capacity of the Town for water purposes.
ART. 23. To see if the Town will take any action in regard to House Bill No. 865, now pending before the General Court, entitled "To Prohibit certain Uses of Great Ponds by Cities and Towns."
ART. 24. To see if the Town will release any lands or rights or easements therein taken by the Water Com- missioners for water purposes, or take any action in re- lation to making such releases under Chapter 148 of the Acts of the year 1900.
ART. 25. To see if the Town will take such action as may be necessary to introduce electric lights into the Town, and appropriate money for the same.
ART. 26. To see if the Town will instruct the Com- mittee on Claims to request the General Court to amend Chapter 188 of the Acts of 1872, reducing the Water Commissioners from five members to three elective members.
ART. 27. To see what action the Town will take in regard to securing land to be used for school purposes; also to see if the Town will take any action in regard to a new schoolhouse or suitable grounds for the same; also to see if the Town will elect a Building Committee or take any action in relation to the matter.
.
ART. 28. To see if the Town will accept the pro- visions of Chapter 11, Section 336 of the Revised Laws and elect a Highway Surveyor who shall hold his office for one year.
186
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 seven.
EDWARD F. FLINT, ANTHONY J. DOHERTY,
Selectmen of Lincoln.
187
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.
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