USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1910-1915 > Part 15
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pupils who live in the vicinity of the school to go home to dinner. For those who remain at school the first ten minutes gives opportunity for free play, one object of which is to get the blood into circulation and to prepare the system for food; the next fifteen minutes is lunch time, during which time the pupils sit down and eat their lunch together; the remaining twenty minutes is devoted to organized play under the direction of the teachers. Some of the advantages of ogranized play are that it secures the patricipation of all the pupils, everyone is in the game, there is no one standing around watching others play; it is real play kept going all the time for the twenty minutes; the teachers suggest games to be played but the pupils themselves choose what they will play; as the teachers are always present the younger and weaker children are looked out for, and the very youngest are encouraged and taught to play together. After forty- five minutes spent in this way the pupils return to the school room physically and mentally refreshed and in good condition to go to work.
Another advantage of adopting this arrangement of the session for every day is that an hour and a half would be added to the working time of the week, making a total of twenty-two and a half hours, which I believe is the least amount of time we ought to have.
I will add that while I approve of the employment of a special teacher to work with pupils outside of the class- room, I do not feel that the expense is justified by having her devote her time wholly to pupils who for any reason find it difficult to keep up with their classes. All pupils should share the benefit of this individual instruction, and it should be this teacher's duty to try to teach every pupil who goes through our schools how to study.
EDWARD E. BRADLEY.
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of the Town of Lincoln :-
In presenting my fifth annual report I am glad to state that the Lincoln schools have been making steady im- provement and are in excellent condition. The spirit and discipline are for the most part so good that the schools are running as smoothly as well-oiled machinery. The teachers work faithfully and try to make each year better than the preceding year. The pupils are quick to respond and show much interest in the work.
Better methods used in teaching reading during the past four years enable the children to learn to read much earlier and with greater ease.
By teaching the free arm movement in penmanship better results are being obtained in this subject.
Efforts are continually made to increase the facilty and accuracy of work in the fundamental processes of arithmetic. This, with a larger application of numbers to live topics and elimination of absurd, useless or ob- solete problems, enables the pupils to make more progress and get a better grasp of what is really valuable in this subject. There is a growing feeling among educators that the number of subjects taught in arithmetic should be greatly decreased, and that those lines of work re- tained in the grades should be those most used by people in every day transactions. This means the omitting of much material in the text books and substituting ex- amples and problems which are common in the com- munity. Then these practical subjects should be more thoroughly taught. This greatly increases the interest
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in the work and the efficiency of the children in the use of numbers.
Our geography work continues to be well handled by the teachers and is thoroughly enjoyed by the pupils. A revision of the course of study in this important subject has been made, typewritten, and placed in the hands of the teachers. I have had many calls for copies of this course from other superintendents.
The foundation of all this work is home geography, the things the children see all about them. Their first maps are of the region near the school house, and they are drawn from actual observation. The first occupations and industries studied are those in our own Town. Then as we come to the study of cities, countries and land and water forms far away (and most geographical study must take us far away from home) we are able to interpret and understand these unseen places by comparison and contrast with what we already know, and by an intelli- gent use of pictures and maps.
We try to make the work in history so practical and interestnig that the students can apply the lessons learned to the present and future problems in their own civic life. This method of study makes history of great human interest and not the mere acquisition of dry facts. So, throughout the academic work we try to put life into each s udy.
For the past two or three years we have subscribed for forty copies of Current Events, a little weekly news- paper for school use. This paper gives a concise ac- count of the most important news especially those events which are of historical importance. The pupils read these papers, and at least once a week the classes talk about the great events and look up on their maps the places about which they read. For the benefit of both teachers and pupils we have the World's Work and the National Geographical Magazine. These magazines
-
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not only have many excellent articles on events of great interest and importance, but they contain many very valuable illustrations which aid the children greatly in their study of history and geography. The events of the day are history in the making and are often of greater moment and interest to us than many of the facts which we study about in our text books. I believe the study of these periodicals will do much toward the formation of good habits of newspaper and magazine reading, and that it will influence some to select the better class of periodical reading. They are great possibilities for good in this line of work and it could be extended with profit.
The Manual Work.
The manual work continues to be of great value to our boys and girls. The earnest purpose developed in this work, the practical knowledge gained, the skill ac- quired in handling tools, the ability to make things useful in the home, all tend toward a more complete education, which the schools of today must give the children.
Mr. Brackett has continued to teach drawing to all the pupils and basketry and sloyd to the boys of Grades V to VIII inclusive. I quote the following from his report: "The sloyd work has been continued on the same general lines as last year. A steady im- provement can be seen, not only in the work, but the manner in which the pupils comprehend the work. The seventh and eighth grades made many useful and practical articles for their homes the past year, includ- ing revolving book cases, folding work tables, jardiniere stands, umbrella stands and stools with cane seats. They also have completed and put up baseball back stop, basket ball goals, and see saws for the younger children. This work was begun last year. They made a large solid
163
table for the cooking room, a kindergarten table for Miss Heath's room and a sand box for Miss Brooks.
The amount of time given to drawing is not such as to give the best results. Fair progress has been made, how- ever, and considerable interest developed. Many use- ful home articles have been made and ornamented by the children's designs, including school bags, embroidered collars and lamp shades."
Sewing and Cooking.
The three higher grades continue to do good work in sewing. The girls in Grade VII have made aprons for themselves and boys' blouses for their brothers. The girls in Grade VIII have cut out and made dresses for themselves and have learned how to use the sewing- machine. The younger girls have learned some of the stitches in making a few simple articles; they have also made baskets and mats from reed and raphia.
During the early fall Mrs. Smith had the girls make jellies and do canning and pickling. Some of these pro- ducts were kept for the winter work, others were sold and the proceeds used to purchase cook books.
The afternoon of February 22, 1911, the members of the Board of Selectmen and School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools assembled at the Lincoln School building at the invitation of the girls in Grades VII and VIII. After inspecting the building and the children's work, which was on exhibition, they sat down at the table made by the older boys, covered with linen hemmed by the girls and partook of a most excellent dinner, prepared and served by the girls. Most of the expense of this dinner was derfayed by these pupils, the vegetables coming from their homes. The dinner was pronounced a great success, and teacher and pupils were given the praise they so well deserved.
164
Menu.
Grape Fruit.
Tomato Soup Crisp Crackers
Broiled Halibut Maitre d'Hotel Sauce Potato Balls Roast Lamb Mashed Potatoes Creamed Onions
Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce Mint Jelly Muffins Lettuce Salad Cream Cheese Balls
French Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Cake Nut Cake Candy.
Coffee.
Home Gardens.
The children continued their home garden work, but owing to the very dry season some of their crops were a failure. In spite of this failure they are ready to try again next year, thus they have learned the lesson to persevere in spite of adversity. A few good vegetables were brought in to our exhibit in September, but they did not compare well with the exhibit a year ago. We hope to do better next year. I believe the home garden work is worth much to the children.
The Special Teacher.
When school opened in September there were more children in two rooms than there were seats. We placed a few extra seats and desks in one room and trans- ferred part of the third grade to the lowest room. This gave much additional work to Miss Heath. Some of the grades were divided into two divisions. An extra teacher was engaged to aid the other teachers, to teach pupils how to study, and to help small groups of backward children to catch up with their classes in the studies which troubled them. We can already see good results from Miss Cushing's work. The pupils are gaining
165
better habits of study, and are learning how to concen- trate their minds on the lessons; this enables them to do their work in less time than formally. Some of the children, who had fallen behind their classes in one or more subjects, have made up their work. A few, who were far ahead of their class, have been able to go into a higher grade. The regular teachers have also done much towards getting their pupils into studious habits and speeding up their work. This means economy of time.
Most of the teachers report, that the experiment of shortening the school session three days a week and clos- ing at 1.15 P.M. is working well. They say that the · children work rapidly and energetically and show little fatigue.
Supervised Play.
On Wednesdays and Thursdays we continue the session until 2.15 P.M., as the work is varied with sloyd, drawing, cooking and sewing classes. On these days the second recess is from 12 M. to 12.45 P.M., divided as follows: for ten minutes the children are free; for fifteen or twenty minutes they are in the basements eating their lunch, at which time they are furnished with hot cocoa served by the older boys and girls; the remaining twenty minutes are spent in supervised play. The children are divided into groups and the teachers instruct them how to play a variety of games, which give both pleasure and helpful exercise. This instruction is continued at recess on the short session days. A friend of the school has furnished us with medicine balls, volley balls, hand balls and in- door base balls; and the sewing and sloyd classes are mak- ing other materials for the games.
After these games in the fresh air the children come in with faces aglow, blood circulating freely and with new life for school work. In too many of our sports, even on
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the school grounds, a few play and the others look on. The supervised play has these great aims: to get all the children into the games, to see that each one gets the needed helpful exercise, to inculate fair play and team work, in a word to develop all the children along right lines physically, mentally and morally.
High Schools.
Feeling that some of our children needed a different line of work from that offered at the Concord High School we advised part of the entering class to attend the High School at Waltham. Five pupils therefore entered the Waltham High School last September and are continuing their courses in woodworking and domestic science. The other seventeen high school pupils are at Concord. The principals of both schools give a good report of their progress.
How to Eliminate Waste.
Our reports are optimistic, but the condition of our schools and their slow but sure improvement year by year warrant this optimism. Nevertheless, we can see their faults and the great need of further improvement. In fact, as compared with the ideal school our schools are not more than fifty per cent. efficient. But the ideal school does not yet exist, and is far away in the future. Our great endeavor is to find and correct the faults as fast as possible, and to study up and apply more effective methods of work in order that the children may gain the greatest amount of development within their capacity.
For a long time keen business men have spent great effort and much money to eliminate the waste from their business, and to reduce the management of their affairs to a scientific basis. Frederick W. Taylor and his asso- ciates after thirty years of persistent study and ex-
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perimenting have been successful to a remarkable degree. In some lines of work they have even doubled and tripled the productive efficiency of both men and machines by scientific management. They have made many experi- ments at large cost, wasting thousands of dollars' worth of material, and have spent much time in teaching their workmen the most economical way to perform their labors with a minimum expenditure of time and energy. But so successful have been their efforts that their recent profits much more than pay for all the losses which their experiments entailed. The results of their experiments have been so remarkable that Mr. Taylor's methods are being studied and adapted to business in many parts of the country.
For many years the best schoolmen everywhere have felt that we needed more efficient methods of teaching and of study to eliminate the waste and make our schools more helpful to the boys and girls.
Professor William James says, "Compared with what we ought to be we are only half awake. Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked, we are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.
"We may say that a man who energises below his normal maximum fails by just so much to profit by his chances in life; and that a nation filled with such men is inferior to a nation run at higher pressure. The problem is, then, how can men be trained up to their useful pitch of energy? And how can nations make such training most accessible to all their sons and daughters?"
The problem of training our children to become efficient men and women is much more complex and much less under central control than the problems worked out by Mr. Taylor, therefore it will require more experiments and a longer time for thorough solution. But men at the head of public school systems and others in the uni-
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versities are working dilligently on this problem, there- fore we may confidently look for a successful solution and feel sure that the schools will gradually improve under a more scientific management.
We endeavor from the very beginning to train the children in good habits of study and to prevent dawdling over their tasks. Some teachers have been so successful in this work as greatly to increase the efficiency and pro- gress of their pupils. I believe the teacher can do no more important work than helping children to form good habits, for good habits make character. For this service alone some teachers are worth twice as much to the Town as others.
By remembering our own childhood days and by an- alyzing the causes of our successes and failures, we gain a better idea of how best to train the children, and we are able to judge more accurately what subjects are best for them to study in the different grades. Right here many teachers and text books have failed; they have ap- proached the child as if he were an adult, and he has responded with words, words with little or no meaning for him. Because the pupil answers glibly the teacher is often deceived and thinks the child has gained something of value, when in reality he has recited only empty words. We must approach the child on his own ground, find what he knows and on that build up the great unknown by comparison, contrast and imagination. It is a great achievement to teach a child so that he will develop rapidly, systematically and sanely, and I am glad to say that some of our teachers are achieving a large degree of success in this work.
If children are interested in their work and enjoy it, they will learn much more in a shorter time and with less fatigue than they will when interest is lacking and the work is a task, and the knowledge thus gained will be more lasting because it has made a deeper impression.
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In closing I wish to express to the committee my hearty thanks for your support and encouragement, and to as- sure the teachers that I fully appreciate their earnest endeavors to improve the schools.
Respectfully submitted, C. S. LYMAN, Superintendent of Schools.
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Schedule of School Expenditures, 1910-19II.
1910-1911
1911-1912
Supt. and Teachers
$4,167.61
$4,441.87
High School Tuition
1,026.05
1,015.80
High School Transportation
398.40
391.24
Janitors
628.85
627.90
Water Rates
151.46
100.50
School Supplies
415.55
623.96
Repairs, etc.
180.03
64.89
Fuel.
473.78
429.59
Miscellaneous
45.29
53.21
Medical Inspector.
200.00
200.00
$7,687.02
$7,948.96
Barges and Transporation.
1,461.05
1,807.91
Total
$9,148.07
$9,756.87
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REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
The schools have been particularly free from infectious diseases during the year; the buildings kept clean and in a sanitary condition and the ventilation good, except on days when the fires are out. At these times and occa- sionally others, the windows were opened to provide the fresh air and remove the perceptible vitiation.
The individual examinations gave the usual results. Of 155 examined 82 had defective teeth; 52 enlarged tonsils or adenoids; 13 pediculi and 15 faulty postures.
Notice was sent to the parents in all pronounced cases calling attention to the conditions present and urging their care. In other instances personal instruction was given where the child could effectively apply the remedy.
The difficulty still exists of reaching the parents in some more effective way in those instances where the children most need care and treatment.
Letters sent home by the children receive scant atten- tion and only by persistent effort have any good results been obtained. A nurse to visit these homes explain and instruct the parents and perhaps take the child for neces- sary treatment would accomplish much.
The good work of the superintendent in this direction deserves special commendation, best shown in the follow- ing instance. There was one happy looking little fellow, a typical mouth breather, quick to observe but unable to understand. He couldn't hear what the teacher said. During the year he also had a discharging ear, which added to his deafness and stupidity, but was kindly cared for by
172
his teacher when in school. The mother heeded the appeal and had the adenoids removed. Now there is a bright lad already advanced a grade since the school year began.
There are others, handicapped in a lesser degree it may be, who should receive similar treatment if they are to do their best work at school.
Respectfully, HENRY A. WOOD, School Physician.
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ROLL OF HONOR.
The following pupils have been neither absent nor tardy for the time designated :-
For Two Years.
Olen A. Jensen. Raymond F. Langille.
For Five Terms. Holgar J. B. Jensen.
For One Year.
Lewis E. Cook.
Esther L. Cousins.
Emily M. Robus.
Alice E. Robus.
For Two Terms.
Kate A. Connors.
Redman Hartwell.
Grace Anderson.
Robert D. Donaldson.
Harold Moulton.
Carl E. Nelson.
Joseph F. Eaton.
Edna E. Wetherbee.
Lillian E. Rocks.
Richard Nelson.
Marie Connors.
Mildred Sims.
Belva Gallent.
For One Term.
Ralph H. Bamforth.
Edward F. Boyce.
Elsie B. Davis. Doris Farrar.
Ruth Farquhar.
Emma Flemming.
Wm. C. Peirce, Jr.
Louise J. Derby.
Warren A. Rice.
Foster Bunker. Harriet Gilbert.
William Bowles.
Evelyn Cousins. Gladys Hamilton. Kathleen N. Crook.
Edward W. Flint.
Kenneth C.Hamilton.
Maude Kimber.
Gladys Wetherbee.
Malcoln Donaldson. Arthur Butcher.
Margaret Frazier.
Elizabeth Giles. Marian Rocks.
Margaret F. Collins.
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SCHOOL CALENDAR.
Winter term begins January 1, 1912, ends March 22: twelve weeks.
Spring term begins April 1, ends June 14; eleven weeks. Fall term begins September 3, ends December 13; fifteen weeks. .
Winter term begins December 30, 1912, ends March 21, 1913 ; twelve weeks.
Spring term begins March 31, ends June 13; eleven weeks. Recess from Wednesday before Thanksgiving to Monday following.
Holidays: Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Mem- orial Day, Columbus Day.
Length of school year, 38 weeks.
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STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1910-19II.
Number of children in Town, September, 1911,
between 5 and 15 years :- boys, 97; girls, 94; total 191
Number of children in Town, September, 1910 . 160
Number of children in Town, September, 1911, between 7 and 14 years :- boys, 67; girls 68; total 135
Enrollment for the year, ending June, 1911 ·
159
Number between 5 and 15 years of age 155
Number over 15 years of age . 4
Number between 7 and 14 years of age . 136
Number attending Concord High School .
17
Number attending Waltham High School 5
Number of regular teachers employed . 5
Number of special teachers employed 3
Number of teachers who have graduated from normal schools . 5
From Training School
1
Illiterate minors in Town over 14 years of age . 0
Total number registered in Lincoln schools during the year ending June, 1911 177
Number of pupils sent to High Schools from Lin- coln 22
Total number receiving instruction at Town expense 199
·
ATTENDANCE TABLE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1911.
Schools Grades
Teachers.
Supplementary List
Enrollment for
State Report.
Enrollment-Boys.
Enrollment-Girls.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Percent. of
Attendance.
Pupils between
5 and 15 years of age.
Pupils between
7 and 14 years of age.
Pupils over
15 years of age.
Lincoln
VII-VIII
Carrie B. Chapin
6
33
19
14
33.9
31.6 93.2
29
25
4
Lincoln
V-VI
Lillian H. Shaw
2
40
18
22
36.2
33.4 92.9
40
40
0
Lincoln
III-IV
Annie C. Buck Alice M. Clifford
5
38
18
20
35.5
32.9 92.7
38
38
0
Lincoln
I-II
Hattie B. Heath
4
26
14
12
21.0
19.4 92.8
26
16
0
South
I-III
Stella V. Sanborn Gertrude E. Brooks
1
22
11
11
20.3
18.4 90.0
22
17
0
Totals
18
159
80
79
146.9 135.7 92.4 155
136
4
176
of Pupils
177
-
WARRANT.
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 inhabit- ants of the Town of Lincoln, duly qualified to vote in Town affairs, to assemble in Bemis Hall, on Monday, March fourth, next 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 necassery Town Officers, Com- mittees, Commissioners and Trustees for the ensuing year.
ART. 4. To appropriate money for necessary and ex- pedient purpose of the Town, and enact anything in relation to the same.
ART. 5. 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.
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ART. 6. To determine the manner of collecting taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 7. To determine the compensation of the Col- lector of Taxes for the ensuing year.
ART. 8. To see of the Town will authorize the Treas- urer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow dur- ing the municipal year, beginning February first, 1912, 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. 9. To see if the Town will choose a Committee on Claims under the provisions of Section 3 of Article 9 of the By-Laws.
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