USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1903 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
C. F. Hill Crathern, Washington street, South Braintree. Term expires in 1906.
SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY.
J. A. MacDougall, Mount Vermon avenue, Braintree.
MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE.
Second Wednesday of each month at four o'clock p. m. at - the Monatiquot building, Washington street, Braintree.
OFFICE HOURS OF SUPERINTENDENT.
On school days except Wednesdays from 4 to 4.45 p. m., in the Monatiquot building.
206
SCHOOL IN SESSION.
Sept. 8, to Dec. 24, 1903. Jan. 4, 1904, to March 26; April 4 to June 24; Sept. 6, to Dec. 23, 1904.
HOLIDAYS.
Saturdays, and Nov. 26, 27, 1903; Feb. 22, April 19, Nov. 24, 25, 1904.
DAILY SCHOOL SESSIONS.
High, 8.30 a. m. to 1.05 p. m.
Monatiquot, 9 to 12 a. m., 1.30 to 3.30 p. m.
Jonas Perkins, 9 to 12 a. m., 1.30 to 3.30 p. m.
Penniman Pond and Union, 9 to 11.45 a. m., 1.15 to 3.30 p. m.
South and southeast 9 to 11.45 a. m., 1.15 to 3.15 p. m. Southwest, 9 to 11.45 a. m., 1.15 to 3.15 p. m.
STORM SIGNAL.
On very stormy days there will be no session of the Public Schools. This will be announced by 3-3-3 sounded on the fire alarm at 7.45 a. m.
On days when it is moderately stormy or bad walking, there will be no afternoon session. This will be announced by 3-3-3 at 11 a. m.
TUITION OF NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS.
High School, $1 a week; grades 5 to 8, 75 cents a week; grades A and 1 to 4, 50 cents a week.
Non-resident students will not be admitted to any school without the written permission of the superintendent.
207
Report of School Committee
At a meeting of the school committee, held January 20th 1904, it was voted that the report of the superintendent of schools, as appended, be adopted by the committee as its report to the town.
The financial statement for the fiscal year, ending December 31st, 1903, is herewith submitted.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
Appropriation
Expended.
Overdraft.
Unexpended
Balance.
Refund.
Teachers' Salaries :
Appropriation,
$19,000.00
Dog Tax,
836.45
School Fund,
350.00
$20,186.45
$19,827.50
$358.95
*$64.00
Superintendent
1,400.00
1.400.00
Janitors' Salaries
2,172.00
2,180.00
8.00
Text Books and Supplies
1,900.00
1,848.09
51.91
$11.60
Incidentals for Schools
550.00
506.43
43.57
School House Repairs
1,000.00
1,208.08
208.08
$31.55
Fuel
1,800.00
2,997.57
1,197.57
Conveyance of Pupils
1,200.00
1,425.00
225.00
$196.00
Special for Pond and Union Schools
1,465.00
1,460.16
4.84
Totals
$31,671.45 $32,852.83 $1638.65
$457.27
$303.15
*Received from Tuition of Pupils
tReceived from Books sold or damaged,
#Received from old Pipe, Tubes, etc. sold
§Received for Car Tickets sold to Pupils not entitled to receive them free.
208
It was further voted that the committee submit as its esti- mate of the financial needs of the schools for the coming year, the following:
Teachers, (in addition to school fund
and dog tax)
$19,500 00
Janitors .
2,280 00
Superintendent
1,600 00
Text books and supplies
1,800 00
Incidentals for schools ·
550 00
Incidentals and repairs for schoolhouses
1,000 00
Fuel
1,700 00
Conveyance of Pupils
1,200 00
Repairs on furnaces of Monatiquot Build- ing
400 (0
.
.
In the above financial statement, we would call attention to the item of fuel, the appropriation for which is apparently overdrawn, and at the same time refer the reader to the last year's statement. Of the appropriation of $1,600 for 1902, only $250.66 was expendel before the end of the year, leaving an unexpended balance, $1,339.34. This was reappropriated, and a new appropriation of 460.66 added. During the winter it was necessary to purchase coal at very high prices, so that by June, 1903, a large part of this sum had been expended. Not- withstanding this, the committee deemed it the wiser plan to cill for bids as usual and buy the year's supply of fuel when coal was cheapest. This was done and the usual supply was purchased at reasonable prices. The cost of fuel for the two years is $260.66 plus $2,997.57or $3,258.23 or $1,629.12 per year, or about the average expenditure.
The committee considers that Braintree was extremely fortunate in this regard, as in most towns and cities in the State, the cost of fuel was very much above the average; in many cases from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. Much credit for this economy is due the janitors of the large buildings for their intelligent management of the heating apparatus, and their care in the saving of fuel.
-
209
The overdraft in the schoolhouse account was caused by the giving out of the boiler tubes in the Jonas Perkins school, and by the necessity of a new service pipe for the same building.
In the conveyance of pupils account, the apparent over- draft would be $225 less $196 or $29, but as car tickets to the value of between $50 and $60 were left on hand Dec. 31st there was really a balance in this account.
WM. C. HARDING, THOMAS A. WATSON, ANN M. BROOKS, CARRIE F. LORING, C. F. HILL CRATHERN, ALBION C. DRINKWATER, School Committee.
211
Report of Superintendent
Ladies and Gentlemen of the School Conmittee:
I hereby submit my second annual report it being the nineteenth in the series of Superintendents' annual reports.
The chief statistics are as follows:
Number of children in the town between 5 and 15, Sept. 1, 1903 1166
Number of children in the town between 7 and 14 820
Number of pupils enrolled in the public schools for year ending June 30, 1903
1479
Number enrolled during four months ending Dec. 25, 1903 1363
Average membership for year ending June 30, 1903 1250.5 Average membership for four months ending Dec 25, 1903 1250.6
Average attendance for year ending June 30, 1903 Average attendance for four months ending Dec. 25, 1903 .
1123.4
1161.4
Per cent. of attendance for year ending June 30 1903
89.97
Per cent. of attendance for four months ending Dec. 25, 1903
90.3
Number of regular teacher
39
Number of special teachers
3
Number of teachers keeping separate registers
31
Monthly payroll of teachers for December 1903 $2,017 00
Monthly payroll of Janitors .
$188 33
212
Number of school houses in use during year 7
Number of class rooms in use including Sloyd room in Jonas Perkins school 37
Total expenditures for schools for year ending December, 31, 1903 32,997.57 · · Expenditure per pupil during year 1903 21.63 · Number of pupils graduated from the grammar schools 83.
-
213
STATISTICS. FOR SCHOOL YEAR ENDING JUNE 24, 1903.
HIGH SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
Tardinesses.
Dismissals.
fruancies.
Visitors.
No. of Days of School, plus Legal Holidays in School
Time.
Walter E. Severance
Bessie A. Roberts, (4 wks.)
Miriam A. Thayer
30
184
Alice E Gibson, (to Mar. 6) Bertha T. Davis
G XUI XI x IX
2 43 68
1.4 15.3 24.5 34.8 59.1
22 326 760
95.8 94.9 91.6
1 40 69
38 30 34 56
-7
Elsie M. Dearborn (f'm Nov 1) Statira P. Caldwell, (Mar. 23) John Stetson, (sub. 2 wks.)
Totals
158
135.1
3452
93.5 408 -158
-1
30
MONATIQUOT SCHOOL.
Frank C. Heald
1
01
VIII VIII VII VII
45 2-
39 21.5 20,9 44.3
800 825 510 1214
85 71 24 93.5 89 5 90.1 90.8 150
42 30 22 42
1
24 35
181
Margaret E. C. Bannon
3
49
181
Mabel F. Alden
Bina M. Shorey Anna D. Pickles
4
VI
50
44.3
1451
89.4 196
34
1 2 INN N CON
Totals
POND SCHOOL.
Sarah L. Arnold
Rosalie S. Bayley
IV III 1 L I
53 GC 45 48 /40
46. 52.8 35.5 37.8 28.
1751 1918 1289 9928 1068
1 88.4 90.5 89.8 82.2
37 42 32 59 82.5 283
19 30 2
-7
52 95 58 109 52
184 184
Annie M. Brooks Helen A. Cuff Harriet M. Hill
A
183
Total
246
200.1
8254
453
51
9
366
1
Clara Breitling A. Alberta Webster Vandelia Dexter
11
VI
10
15.4 24.6 444.1
1196 1608
86.7 149 57 84.8 89.1 169
19 5€
12
V V
28 45
876
30
1841-2 184
2
tendance.
91.8|120 93.6 172
Ethelwyn Wallace
1022 1322
181
Josephine Colbert
214
JONAS PERKINS SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
tendance.
Tardinesses.
Dismissals,
Truancies.
Visitors.
Time,
Victoria P. Wilde
26
24.7 19.6
628 496
95.5 93.4
68 46
33 22
88
184
Grace M. Ward, Asst.
Nellie E. Bowles
VI
56
46.4
1373
91.8 169
72
44
184
Mary H. Barr
7
V
43
38.7
1369
90.1 |329
55
3
37
1831-2
Irene A. Holbrook
5
IV
36
31.1
1080
90.5|130
34
53
184
Nellie F. Monk
1
III
52
46.7
1303
92.1
64
23
57
184
Edith P. Lawson (16 wks.)
1
3
II
55
47.4
1629
89.6 341
20
100
184
Helen A. Foss (24 wks.)
-
I
56
45.5
2651
84. 78.
67 23
10
52
184
Grace Randall
1
A 6, 7,8
39
22.
1221
892 1548
89. 78.2
G
15
188
Total
192
151.9
5110
376
151
267
UNION SCHOOL.
Avis A. Thayer
$ 4 14 3 2 1
IV III II
28 34 35 40 35
25. 29.5 30.3 33.2 23.7
703 1123 1145 1660 963
93.5 89.6 90.2 86.9 77.
37 76 54 45 86
22 26 29 12 11
3 1
262
184
Hannah C. Whelan
182
Mabel L. Bates Elizabeth B. Pray Clara A. Shay, Asst.
I
A
187
Totals
172
141.7
5594
298
100
4 808
1
VIII VII VI V IV HI
12 17 17 20
11. 15.7 15.4 17.8
305 50G 460 464 274 364
94.3 90.5 94.4 92.7 91.1 88.6 89.6
40 51 55
1× 30 27 10
51
181 1-2
L. May Whitney
2
11
62 39
11
58
181
Harriet C. Taylor
1
I
25 39
21.6 21.7
297
54
15
G
14
125
181
Mabel T. Knight
389
322.1
11,750
1237 269
3 479
0
48
186
Frances E. Daley, Sloyd
Totals
PENNIMAN SCHOOL.
Maud Carter F. Lillie Creed, Asst.
33
181
18 22 22
14.8 18.7
15.2
194 270 82
182
Florence G. Fish
2
VIII VII
24
No. of Days of School, plus Legal Holidays in School
A
·
63
215
SOUTH SCHOOL.
. TEACHERS
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
tendance.
Tardinesses.
Dismissals.
Truancies.
Visitors.
Time.
Ethel Brooks (28 wks.) Josephine Foster (12 wks.)
IV III Il
3
2.5
113
87.6 83.7 83.7 77.5
66
3
-
SOUTHWEST SCHOOL.
Marion L. Rogers, (32 wks.) Clara Shay (8 wks.)
I A
13 18
11. 10.6
502 644
83. 79.
11 12
2
36
182
Totals
31
21.6
1146
23
36
SOUTHEAST SCHOOL.
Helen A. Foss (16 wks.) Josephine Foster (12 wks.
I A
1
3. 1.
60 10
89. 75.
7
87
112
Totals
5
4.
16.4|
-7
87
No. of Days of School, plus
Legal Holidays in School
Totals
24
20.8
1409
102
84
5
3.1 1.8
178
13
15
I
12
10.4
274 844
1
84
183
4
216
STATISTICS. FOR FOUR MONTHS ENDING DEC. 25, 1903. HIGH SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Average Attendance.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
tendance.
Tardinesses.
Dismissals.
Truancies.
Visitors.
No. of Days of School, plus
Legal Holidays in School
Time.
Walter E Severance, Miriam A Thayer Bertha T Davis Ethelwyn Wallace Elsie M Dearborn Statira P Caldwell
XII XI X IX
17 21 34 84
15.6 20. 32.3 74.9
15.1 19.2 30. 72.7
80 110 188 438
96.4 96. 92.8 97.
3 5 37 18
20
4
75
9
18 31
Totals
156
142.8
137.
816
63
78
MONATIQUOT SCHOOL.
Frank C Heald
Josephine Colbert
Margaret E C Bannon Annie D Pickles M Etta Murphay Vandelia Dexter
1 2 3 4
VIII VIII VIL VII VI VI
41 22 13 43 49 20 33 53
40.4 20.3 13. 40.5 47.6 16.7 30.5 46.9
38.5 19.4 12. 38. 43.5 14.9 28.2 43.
301 149 118 361 579 308 338 549
89.1 92.4 91.9
11 23
5 9
1
74 1-2
24
741-2
Totals
274
255.9
237.5
2703
153
66
2 |102
JONAS PERKINS SCHOOL.
Victoria P Wilde - Grace M Ward, Asst. § Nellie E Bowles Mary H Barr
5 6
1
VIII VII VI
18 31
17. 30.4 44.6 34.4 39.6
15.9 28.7 41.8 30.5 37.4
154 258 430 548 310
94.2 94.5 93.5 88.8 94.4
14 28 34 56
10 10 54 13 16 18
1
14
731-2 731-2
Nellie F Monk
4
III
58
55.6
51.4
589
90.8
60
44
1
28
2
1
I A 6, 7,8
47 32
46.6 39.6 22.5
42.6 36. 18.7
582 686 278
91.4 90.1 83.1
29
2
2
11 16
731-2 731-2 74.
Totals
366
330.3
303.
3835
305
124
4 168
5
40
11
10
741-2
23
7
7
74 1-2
8
1
25
741-2
Irene A Holbrook
5
IV
43
21
27 731-2
3
II
51
Elizabeth Hall, Asst. Helen A Foss Ora Conant Marguerite L Sumner Mrs Signe Wilbar, Sl'yd
34
731-2
1
17 731-2
8 7
48 38
95. 95.7 93.8 94. 92.8
31 10
14
19 17
5 7
741-2 741.2 74 1-2
10
20
20
217
UNION SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Average Attendance.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
Tardinesses.
Dismissals.
Truancies.
Visitors.
Time.
Avis A Thayer
IV ITT
26 23
24.9 21.
23.1 19.6 9.8 28. 30.0 17.1
347 208
93.3 90. 86.3
23
2
52
75
Totals
150
139.5
127.6
127
99 1
33
390
POND SCHOOL.
Sarah L Arnold
Rosalie S Bayley
IV III II
52 43
48.8 40.5 40. 39.2 21.9
45. 37.8 38.1 36.2 17.9
531 374 251 402 305
92,3 93.4 94.1 92.3 80.1
35 85
0
61 18
74
Totals
20.7
190.4
1175.0
1903
168
30
197
PENNIMAN SCHOOL.
Maud Carter
L May Whitney
VIII VII VI V
18 14 19 15 22
17.2 13.7 18. 13.8 20.2
16. 13.2 17.3 12.7 18.1
174 73 106 160 283
92.9 95.8 95.8 92. 89.7
33 13 31 21 31
21 14
1 1
13
73
7
25
72
Harriet C Taylor
17
15.2
139
90.9
7
31
4
61
73
Mabel T. Knight Lena E Buck
Totals
167
154.8
144.1
1401
213
73
2
141
No of Days of School, plus
Legal Holidays in School
Hannah C Whelan
II
10 33
4
4
96
74
Mabel L Bates Elizabeth B Pray
I
35
A
23
2 9 30.3 33.4 20.
14
93.6 92.4 99.
19
13
173
74
9
10
1
5
69
74
Annie M Brooks Helen A Cuff Harriet M Hill
I A
45 25
IV III II I A
16 25 21
15. 23.8 17.0
14.1 14.5 22.4 15,8
250 116
96.6 93.9 89.9
33
5
13
1
19
74
74
10
42
74
73
0
-
1 1 $2 3 3 4 1
23
73
-7
10 15
16 4
30 46
III
27
16
tendance.
255 139
309
100
218
SOUTH SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
Room.
Grade.
Enrollment.
Average Membership.
Average Attendance.
Half Day Absences.
Percentage of Average At-
tendance.
Tardinesses.
Dismissals.
Truancies.
Visitors.
Time.
IV III
6.
5.1
83 38
90 93
18
1
65
73
Josephine M Foster
IL I
8-19
4.
3.7
3.5
74
86 87
6
Totals
22
20.
17.8
298
33
1
65
SOUTHWEST SCHOOL.
Clara E Shay
I A
18 5
16.8 3.
15.3 2.7
217 136
90.6 90 75.1
11
12
33
73
Totals
23
20.1
18.0
353
161
3
33
No. of Days of School, plus Legal Holidays in School
3
4. 6.
5.5
103
6
219
LIST OF GRADUATES.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Borden, Elina Beatrice
Hill, Florence Wilmott
Briggs, Ever Mariel,
Orr, Sadie Evelyn
Carson, Olive Guest
Parker, Gertrude Isabel
Clapp, Mabelle Baker Robbins, Walter Bartlett
Cummings, Alice Katherine Rogers, Ethel Maud
Dowde, Gertrude Elizabeth Ryan, Mary Annie
Ferris, Anne Gertrude
Woodsum, Edna Eugenie
Young, Gertrude
MONATIQUOT SCHOOL.
Allen, Frederick S.
Lane, Edward J.
Annis, May L.
Leonard, Verl Richardson
Adams, Clifford T.
Leonard, Hartford
Barrett, Timothy W.
Levangie, Wilfred C.
Beal, Carleton D.
Lothrop, Eunice
Belyea, Nellie Bird, Sarah M.
Moir, Ida M.
Borden, Edwin W.
Mott, Lillian E.
Carson, Walter K.
Novelline, Michael
Dearing, Hildegarde
O'Brien John
Dennehy, Edward F.
O'Brien Josephine W.
Pierce, Raymond
Diante, John Dodge, Isabel F.
Pratt, Bertha C.
Drollett, Frank W.
Robinson, Olive A.
Emerson, Louise
Ricker, Georgia A.
Frazier, Ambrose J.
Sanford, Bertha
Frazier, Mary A.
Scott, Mary E.
Greenough, Frederick A.
Harding, John W. Harvey, Cora M.
Hennessey Margaret L.
, Shaw, Arthur J. Spera, Josephine Storrs, Malcolm Weeks, Maude E.
McKean, Addie M.
220
Hill, Lena B.
White, Edith F.
Hurlbut, Daniel C.
Killian, Anna M.
Kirby, Annie M.
White, Henry A. Wood, Alton P. Woodman, Helen C.
Woodworth, John E.
JONAS PERKINS SCHOOL.
Allen, Abbie L.
Palmer Helen
Baldwin, Agnes T.
Ramsey Flora C.
Beane, Gladys W.
Robery, Clinton O.
Brown, Willard T.
Schrader, Lydia J.
DeNeill Angeline T.
Shaw, Helen L.
Drake, Frank R.
Sinith, Marion B.
Fogg, George T.
Stevens, May
Folland, Annie A.
Strathadee, Ethel E.
Foss, Hubert N.
Sullivan, Ellen A.
Hough, George A.
Palmer, Gladys
Whitmarsh, Mildred L. Wright, Justin E.
Wright, Sarah L.
PENNIMAN SCHOOL.
Balch, Marion
Clark, Ernest Dam, Mildred Gill, Edith
Roulstone, Ethel Stone, Barbara Stevens, Edward Wheeler, Grace
Wheeler, Warren
The most pressing question at the present time is that of school accommodations. This is the same old problem only perhaps in a new form. Three or four years ago it confronted the committee, and was solved temporarily by having fitted up for use two rooms on the third floor of the Monatiquot building. These proved entirely unsatisfactory on account of poor light,
221
difficulty in heating, aud also on account of the danger in case of fire. Accordingly it was decided during the fall term that their use for class purposes should be discontinued. To pro- vide for the two schools it was arranged that one room be made to do service for the two lowest grade schools at the Pond and Union buildings by having each attend only one session a day, the second grade attending from 8.45 to 12, the first from 12.30 to 3.30. The teacher of the first grade, during the morning, assists the second grade teacher, giving especial attention to pupils who are slower or more backward in learn -- ing, and in the afternoon the second grade teacher renders the same assistance to the teacher of the first grade. By this plan the children are confined for a shorter time, but are kept more actively employed, and by having the attention of two teachers instead of one more attention can be given to the needs of in- dividuals. So far as we have gone the pupils do not seem to have lost, but rather to have gained. In Everett where the same. plan has been tried both teachers and superintendent are enthusi- atic in its praise, claiming that pupils are better fitted for promo- tion at the end of the year, and that a smaller proportion of a class . fail to reach the standard of promotion than under the old sys- tem.
This plan was adopted because of lack of accomniodations, and is working well in these two grades, but it will be neces- sary to extend it to grades higher in the course or else provide more room, and it devolves upon the town to decide which course the committee shall pursuc.
If the latter course is adopted the most feasible plan is that a new nine-room building be at once erected to take the place of the present Pond school, and on the same site. This would furnish accommodations for South Braintree for a number of years, and in the near future a similar building should re- place the present Union school to accommodate the Braintree children. This plan provides for the future as well as for the present, and places the schools near the centres of school popu- lation. The present Monatiquot grammar school, situated mid- way between Braintree and South Braintree, is not convenient. for the children of either village.
222
The carrying out of this plan would leave the Monatiquot building for the exclusive use of the high school. This is greatly to be desired, for the school now has an enrollment of 157 with an average membership of about 140, and in a few years at its present rate of growth the membership will have gone above 200, and the building was not intended to accom- modate more than from 200 to 240 pupils.
There have been few changes in our teaching force during the year and since the schools opened in September, no break has occurred. This means very much for the success of the schools, for a change means a serious loss of time and work even thoughi it be possible to have a successor begin at once. Before her real work can begin, she must establish a bond of sympathy between herself and the individual members of her class, and at the same time, get into touch with the system so that her work may begin as nearly as possible where her predecessor left off. If the system were mechanical, this would mean merely the turning of a page in a book, but in practice, it means finding out what the pupils do know and what they do not, and to do this, takes time and careful study. Whenever a teacher has re- signed, all possible care and effort have been exerted to get a successor who would be even stronger than the retiring teacher. To do this, it has been necessary at times, to pay to the new teacher a somewhat larger salary than that previously paid. The aim, in choosing teachers, has been to get young women with broad education, well trained in the art of teaching, and who have had two or more years of successful experience in the grade of work they are to perform with us. Combined with these qualifications, there must be a good moral character, and a knowledge and appreciation of the institutions and aims of the Commonwealth and nation. No question as to whether a young woman is a native of the town or not, can be allowed to exert any influence. The schools must be run for the benefit of the pupils and not to furnish employment for any class of people. Only the best teachers to be secured with the salary at our disposal, should be employed. The grand aim of our schools, is to fit boys and girls for citizenship, and no teacher
223
lacking any one of the qualifications above stated, can properly perform her share of this task. School authorities in other place, are looking for young women possessing the qualifications named and keep increasing the salaries of those whom they find possessing them. If Braintree would have her schools on the same level she must do the same thing to hold those now in her employ and to secure others to take their places should they resign. This, together with the constant increase in the number of teachers, necessitates a constant increase in the an- nual expenditures. During the year some of our teachers have been offered a very material increase in salary to go elsewhere, but their interest in the schools has kept them with us. Such loyalty should be appreciated and rewarded by something near- ly as much salary as they would have received by moving.
The committee during the past year discontinued the sys- tem of training in the schools. The state is spending a large sum of money each year for the support of normal schools for the training of teachers, and this town has a right to expect that at least, the great majority of its teachers shall have had the preparation for their work that these schools give. No town, by any training system, can possibly give a training that would at all compare with that given by a normal school. . It was therefore decided by the committee that an injustice was being done both the young women and the schools, by the con - tinuance of the system.
The general work of the schools has been very successful during the year. The high school, under the present manage- ment and with its present corps of teachers, is doing superior work in every department. The teachers are working in har- mony, and with honest, whole-souled devotion are laboring to build up a school spirit and a pride in the reputation of the school and its work. The success of their efforts is showing itself in the increased interest taken by the pupils in their work, in the large number who continue in the school, and further, in the quality of the work done. There are few, if any, towns of the same size in the state, with a better high school, a better corps of teachers, with better attendance or doing better work than
224
the Braintree high school. The same honest endeavor is shown in the work of the primary and grammar schools all over the town.
Few changes in the course of study have been made dmr- ing the year, the most important being the substitution of a strong course in English language and grammar for Latin in seventh and eighth grades. This more careful study of our own language gives a better preparation for the study of languages in the high school than the imperfect knowledge pf Latin pos- sibly could. It also gives a much better practical knowledge of English to those who do not enter the high school.
Good progress has been made in the special subjects. The individual method in singing introduced this year is working well. The children have already seen the improvement in their own individual work, and are showing more interest as their ability increases. The chorus work is showing marked improvement as a result of the improvement in the individual,. each pupil is learning to do his part with confidence.
This last year a change was made in the grammar school graduations. Instead of exercises in each school, conducted by the children, union exercises were held in the town hall, the features of which were singing by the combined schools and an address by some good speaker. This was a decided improve- ment over the old way for it relieves both teachers and pupils of a large part of the stress and worry connected with the preparation for such exercises at a time of the year when they are least able to undergo them.
I again express the hope that the time is not far distant when Sloyd, or manual training in some form, shall be an es- sential part of the course of every grammar school and of the high school as well. In his recent address to the General Court of the state Gov. Bates says, "The first duty of every educational board, state or municipal, should be to make certain that the youth under it are educated in the essentials that will make them self-supporting, effective men and women.', Without some form of manual training this cannot be done. By far the largest number of the boys and girls who go out from.
225
our schools must take up some form of manual work. There is, and should be no shame in this. Honest, intelligent labor of whatever kind is enobling and elevating if properly performed. Very many boys in our schools have a natural bent for mechan- ics in some form. Only one of our grammar schools is doing its proper work for this large class of pupils. I believe that the solution of most of our problems of labor and capital and also many of our problems of moralty and the prevention of crime lies along this line. It is the young man who has learned to look upon labor as a thing to be shunned who becomes a criminal.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.