USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1915 > Part 10
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2
10
Dancing (social)
5
1
1
Social occasions, parties, banquets, etc.
1
1
6
The broadening influences of the occasions upon which people meet together in the school halls cannot be over- estimated. As time advances, and as the idea of the value of school buildings for community centers grows, the de- mand will be that they shall be kept open for community uses much longer than the traditional five hours a day. Our schoolhouses are so arranged that they readily offer them- selves to nearly any form of municipal activity that might be desired by any group of persons, and they should be made the civic centers for all important projects in commu- nity life.
TEACHERS.
During the year teachers have resigned as follows: Frederick P. Goodritch, Ethel M. Kelley, Marion Howland, Bertha Lewis, Mildred Anderson, from the High School; Georgiana Kelley, Jenny Aitken, from the Abraham Lincoln
Lectures
2
7
3
Athletics, gymnastics, active games, or folk dancing
205
School; Mary White, Noah Torrey School; Elizabeth El- cock, Melvina Dean, from Jonas Perkins School; Marguerite Green, from the Hollis School.
Teachers appointed : High School, Daniel P. Willard, Mary Lynch, Mabel Havens, Marion Elliott, Grace D. Var- ney, Marie Brewster, Assistant in Commercial Department; Abraham Lincoln School, Celia Whelan, Magdalene McDuff; Noah Torrey School, Mabel Crowell; Jonas Perkins School, Helen Averill, Irma Killian; Hollis School, Katharine Den- linger.
The chief emphasis of the year in teachers' meetings has been placed upon the better adjustment of grade work, that the transition of pupils from one grade to another may not be marked and abrupt; methods of vitalizing, correlat- ing, and motivating the work of the children's school life; the special study of the individual differences of children that the schools may offer something to each pupil as his ability and needs require.
The teachers have worked loyally and well, showing a fine esprit de corp, not only in the duties of the school, but in research work that should contribute to professional im- provement and growth. Several of our teachers have taken advantage of the extension courses offered by the City of Boston and Harvard University.
RETARDATION OF PUPILS.
In April twenty-five students in Grade 8 were reported to the Superintendent as deficient in the work required for graduation from grammar schools. A special grade was formed for these students in the Hollis School. At the end of three weeks, ten of these students were sent back to their regular rooms with the recommendation that they be per- mitted to graduate if they kept up to the standard of work done in the special class. All received diplomas. In June it was recommended that five repeat the work of Grade 8, while ten were permitted to go to the High School for the Fall term, with the understanding that if their work was satisfactory they should be entitled to grammar school di-
206
plomas, and be continued as regular students in the school. Seven of these pupils have done the work as required. Three have been sent back to the grades.
It would be the part of wise economy if this individual attention could be started earlier in the grades. Some of our grades are too large for the real attention necessary to the advancement of our slower pupils, and while it is a matter of observation that children who seem slow in the lower grades may do the work of the upper grades, often- times many of our pupils escape the attention that would overcome their difficulties, and prevent their retardation.
It is very doubtful if retardation in many cases achieves its purpose. Repetition of a subject does not necessarily mean its successful passing at a second trial. It is the part of administration to try to prevent retardation, with the loss of spirit, ambition, and interest apparent in the work of many of the retarded pupils.
This year small groups of children, who for some rea- son, such as slowness or absence through sickness, are be- low their grades, are placed in charge of student teachers for special care and drill in the subjects in which they are deficient. It is upon the results of this work that I shall base a recommendation for your early consideration.
SOCIAL SERVICE OF STUDENTS.
In the Penniman District and in East Braintree, 250,000 nests of the tent caterpillars were destroyed by the pupils. During Clean-up Week the whole student body was much interested in the community idea of improving the appear- ance of the town, cheerfully giving their time, wherever their services were required. The High School Orchestra is willing to play at any civic meeting, while the High School Dramatic Society offers its services in furnishing entertainment for the aid of any worthy municipal project.
An exhibition of Folk Lore dancing and singing given by the pupils of the South Precinct, under the direction of Miss Shay, netted $60.00. This sum has been placed in the
207
bank as the nucleus for obtaining money sufficient to pur- chase school playground apparatus.
HOME GARDENS.
The home garden project continues to grow in interest and in the results obtained. Last year the Grange appointed inspectors of home gardens; 200 gardens were visited by these inspectors, and many helpful hints given to the young gardeners. The following suggestion, made by Mr. Creed of the Grange, will be followed this coming season. Each child who has a garden will fill out a card with his name and address, the size of the garden in square feet, a list of the flowers and vegetables planted, and where the seeds were obtained.
Under the auspices of the Philergians, a very success- ful school fair, for home garden products was held in the Hollis School. The cup offered by the Grange at its Fair, for the best school exhibit, was won by the Noah Torrey School.
Two of our students, Esther Stewart and Carrol Holmes, of the Jonas Perkins School, won prizes at the Weymouth Fair by an exhibit of flowers and vegetables.
GIFTS TO THE SCHOOLS.
The School Department gratefully acknowledges the following gifts to the schools.
A beautiful silk flag presented to the Hollis School by Mr. N. E. Hollis.
A curtain for the Hollis School stage, presented by the Parents' Association. .
Bust of Abraham Lincoln, presented to the Braintree High School by the Class of 1915.
Portrait of Abraham Lincoln, presented to the Abraham Lincoln School by Mrs. Carrie F. Loring.
WRITING.
The Palmer method of writing continues to prove its worth as one of the best methods adapted for speed and legiblity. Forty of our teachers have Palmer diplomas. Ten
208
have sixty or more drills accepted in preparation for the diplomas. Fifty-five of our pupils received the diploma last year, while 401 have had over twenty-five drills accepted as satisfactory. The vote of your Committee that the posses- sion of a Palmer diploma should count as one point towards graduation from the High School, has encouraged many of our students who had seventy-five drills accepted in the grammar grades to complete the drills for the diploma.
CREDIT FOR OUTSIDE WORK.
Two hundred and forty-two of our pupils take lessons in vocal and instrumental music, under private instructors. This work is valuable, yet it takes from the time of the pupils for preparation of regular school studies. The school should recognize this work when it is done under duly qualified teachers, listed with the Superintendent of Schools. I recommend that 36 lessons taken in one year, certified to by accredited teachers, count as 1/4 point toward graduation from the High School, but that in no case shall lessons thus taken count for more than one whole point for graduation. For this work in the grades I recommend that 3% be added to the average rank of the student. In many places the fullest recogniton of home work of a definite nature has brought about a splendid co-operation between the home and the school. A number of our students have work at home that encroaches somewhat upon the time of the school. A recognition of this work should be made a part of our school policy.
COST OF OUR SCHOOLS-A COMPARISON.
It is interesting to compare the cost of the various items in the school budget with the appropriations for these items in previous years.
In the year 1894, 28% of the total tax levy was spent for the running expenses of the public schools. In 1915, 30.6% of the tax levy was expended for the same purposes. It is worth while to note that in the intervening time the wealth of the town has increased 2.1 times, the value of
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school properties 2.57 times, the school population 2.24 times.
It is frequently suggested that considerable money might be saved in the amounts appropriated for text-books and supplies, incidentals, and repairs and incidentals. The average per capita cost upon these items reckoned upon money raised by taxation was for twenty-one years- 1894-1914-as follows:
Text Books and Supplies. 1.62
Incidentals.
Repairs and Incidentals.
1894-1914
,49
.89
1915
1.54
.44
.555
In cities and towns of 5,000-10,000 people in the United States, the average per capita cost for text-books and sup- plies in the high and elementary schools was as follows:
HIGH.
ELEMENTARY.
Text-Books.
Supplies.
Text-Books.
Supplies.
2.38
2.52
.96
1.16
Braintree, 1915 ... 1.50
2.14
.64
.74
The cost of the schools has been and always should be a matter of concern to the tax payers. In 1751 we find this report upon the amount of money expended for the support of the Boston Public Schools :
"The charge of supporting the several Public Schools amounted the last year to more than 1/3 part of the whole sum drawn by the Selectmen." "Altho this charge is very considerable, and the number of schools is greater than the law requires, yet, as the education of children is of the great- est importance to the Community, The Committee cannot be of the opinon that any saving can be made to advantage on that head." Part I, Boston School Inquiry.
Running Expenses. 39.13
All Expenses Building, Etc.
Per capita charge State
49.54
Per capita charge Braintree
32.29
37.73
210
As industries diversify and life becomes more complex, the problems of the schools, as fitting and developing places for life work become more difficult. The fads and fancies of yesterday are the necessities of today. Manual training and domestic arts not needed in the schools of fifty years ago, are today imperatively demanded. Our needs are those of every other community that is trying to give the best to the children for whose education it is responsible.
We need, in addition to the courses already offered in our schools, courses in industrial and domestic arts in the upper grades and the High School, that the children who are now engaged in the receptive process may be given opportunity for expression through constructive work, and may reinforce their purely academic teaching with concrete illustration. We cannot go back, we must go forward, and it is only as the awakened civic and social consciousness of our people responds to these demands that progress can be assured. The broadened vision of the tomorrow, for which we are educating our children, should be the goal and ideal in all of our educational thought.
Respectfully submitted,
R. L. WIGGIN,
Superintendent Schools.
STATISTICS.
School Census, September, 1915.
Number of boys between ages 5 and 7 270
Number of girls between ages 5 and 7 282
Number of boys between the ages 7 and 14 639
Number of girls between the ages 7 and 14 582
Number of boys between the ages 14 and 16 97
Number of girls between the ages 14 and 16 . 130
Number of illiterates between ages 16 and 21 .. 5
Number of boys between the ages 5 and 16 1012
Number of girls between the ages 5 and 16 933
211
Average membership, for the year 1915 1788
Average attendance for the year 1915 1666
Per cent. of attendance for the year 1915 93
Aggregate enrollment for the year 1915 2031
Number of regular teachers, 1915 54
Number of special teachers, 1915
2
Number of school buildings in use
9
Number of school rooms occupied
44
Number of pupils graduating from grammar
schools June, 1915 116
Number of the above entering the High School
94
Total net expenditures for the support of the schools $59,549.74
Amount raised by taxation
$57,740.95
Expenditure per pupil, based upon the average membership 1915 32.29
Expenditure per pupil, average membership 1914 32.66
Result of Eye and Ear Tests.
Whole number of pupils examined 1706
Number defective in vision 151
Number defective in hearing
22
Number of parents notified
106
Number of cases treated from school notification :
Eyes
10
Ears
5
Number fitted to glasses
Report of Attendance Officer.
Number of cases of non-attendance investigated
99
Number of families visited 68
Number of families visited two or more times
21
Number of children returned to school
12
Number of court cases
0
Truants
5
Employment Certificates. Number of certificates issued to minors between
the ages 16 to 21 228
212
Number of certificates issued to minors between the ages 14 to 16 104
Number of home employment certificates issued 3
5
Number of certificates issued to illiterate minors Special permits issued while investigating proof of age
8
Preparation of Teachers.
College graduates
8
Attended college without graduating
1
Normal school graduates
27
Attended Normal school without graduating
3
Kindergarten training school graduates
8
High School graduates 8
Graduates special schools
3
Amounts Paid for the Retirement of School Bonds. Hollis School
$3,500.00
Abraham Lincoln School $2,000.00
Interest Paid on School Indebtedness.
Abraham Lincoln School $315.00
Hollis School $2,110.00
School Indebtedness.
Hollis School
$51,000.00
Abraham Lincoln School
$8,000.00
DISEASES REPORTED IN THE SCHOOLS, YEAR 1915.
Diseases
Jan.
1 Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
Sept.
Oct.
1
1
Scarlet Fever
1
2
5
8
Mumps
1
1
Measles
1
23
66
25
1
1 117
Whooping Cough
4
1
1
1 7
Tuberculosis
2
1
3
Chicken Pox
5
6
1
1 13
Typhoid Fever
1
1
Cerebrospinal Meningitis
1
1
Dec.
Total
Diphtheria
2
SCHOOL DEPOSITS FOR 1915.
Jan. 1, 1915 Balance
Deposits
Withdrawals and Transfers
Withdrawals for Deposits
Balance Jan. 1, 1916
A. Lincoln
$74.71
$441.65
$29.49
$327.00
$159.87
Hollis
178.30
431.79
15.82
328.00
266.27
J. Perkins
132.62
437.94
46.07
295.00
229.49
Noah Torrey
110.43
233.51
11.34
188.00
144.60
Penniman
94.04
368.69
3.51
274.00
185.22
Pond
105.47
207.55
14.28
175.00
123.74
South
2.83
4.04
12
2.00
4.75
South West
8.81
20.45
1.76
20.00
7.50
$707.21
$2,145.62
$122.39
$1,609.00
$1,121.44
DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL POPULATION. Based on Average Membership, December, 1915.
Grades
A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Total
High
95
65
42
33
235
Hollis
.33
43
37
41
41
42
40
33
37
347
Jonas Perkins
. 20
34
38
35
21
46
65
49
35
353
Abraham Lincoln
.27
33
33
26
33
32
9
193
Noah Torrey
67
71
75
54
48
40
355
Pond
.36
58
65
159
Penniman
.16
18
21
17
18
19
21
16
24
170
Southwest
0
23
16
39
South
0
6
4
2
12
Totals
132 212 214 188 194 214 189 146 136 95 65 42 33
1863
. .
.
213
214
MANUAL OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF BRAINTREE, MASS., FOR SCHOOL YEAR SEPTEMBER 8, 1915-1916.
School Committee.
Benj. Hawes, Chairman, 516 Middle Street, East Braintree. Francis A. Reed, 14 Thayer Avenue, South Braintree. Mrs. A. M. Brooks, 124 Franklin Street, South Braintree. James E. Folsom, 49 Mt. Vernon Street, Braintree. Mrs. Carrie F. Loring, 110 Front Street, East Braintree. William W. Gallagher, 43 Maple Street, Braintree.
Superintendent.
R. L. Wiggin, 104 Academy Street, South Braintree, Tele- phone 273-4.
Office Hours: On school days except Thursdays, from 8 to 9 a.m., in the Town House. Tel. 57-W.
Meetings of Committee.
Second Monday evening of each month at seven-fifteen o'clock at the Town House, Washington Street, Braintree.
Schools in Session. Sept. 8 to Dec. 23, 1915; Jan. 3, 1916, to March 24, 1916; April 3, 1916, to June 22, 1916.
Daily School Sessions.
Oct. 12, Thanksgiving, 1915; Feb. 22, April 19, May 30, 1916. High, 8.20 a.m. to 1.10 p.m.
Hollis, 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.
Noah Torrey, 9 to 12 a.m. 1.30 to 3.30 p.m.
Penniman, 9 to 12 a.m. 1.30 to 3.30 p.m.
Pond, 9 to 12 a.m. 1.30 to 3.30 p.m.
215
Southwest, 9 to 11.45 a.m. 1.15 to 3.30 p.m. South School, 9 to 11.45 a.m. 1.15 to 3.30 p.m.
The Abraham Lincoln, 9 to 12 a.m. 1.30 to 3.30 p.m
Storm Signals. High, Grammar and Primary.
On very stormy days there will be no session of the Public Schools. If there is to be no morning session, the signal 3-3-3 will be sounded on the fire alarm at 7.30 a.m. If the weather clears, there will be an afternoon session. In case of continued storm or very bad walking, there will be no afternoon session. This will be announced by 3-3-3 at 11.30 a.m.
For no school in Grades A-4 inclusive, signal at 8 o'clock and 12.30.
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.
Janitors.
High School, John H. Macandrew, 54 West Street.
Jonas Perkins, Ed. C. Holyoke, 24 Liberty Street.
Noah Torrey, F. F. Tupper, Central Avenue.
Penniman, Omer Hollis, Union Street.
Pond, A. R. French, Franklin Street.
Southwest, N. E. Hayden.
South, Frederick Phinney.
The Abraham Lincoln, Edwin P. Brooks, 92 Front Street.
Hollis School, Frank Drake, 36 Central Avenue.
Attendance Officer.
Jeremiah F. Gallivan, 37 River St., Braintree. Tel. 387-W.
216
GRADUATING EXERCISES, BRAINTREE HIGH SCHOOL.
Town Hall, Wednesday Evening, June 16, 1915, 8 p.m.
Programme.
1. Selection-"Prince Imperial March" C. E. Duble High School Orchestra
2. Song-"'The Angel's Serenade" Girls' Chorus Violin Obligato
Braga
3. Salutatory with Essay- "The Future of The American Girl" Marguerite Alette Chell
4. Violoncello Selection-"Lied ohne Worte" Pester Alfred Augustus Ellsworth
5. Essay-
"A New Slogan for the United States-Conservation" George Whitmarsh
6. Reading-"'Tom Sawyer's Love Affair" Mark Twain
Florence Gertrude Hogan
7. Song-"The Old Folks Medley" Mixed Chorus
W. C. Sheridan
8. Burning of the Piano Mortgage 1
George Thomas Dalton
9. Presentation of Class Gift Mabell Florence Campbell
10. Essay with Valedictory-"The Road to Efficiency" Alfred William Hough
11. Song-"Forget-Me-Not"' Mixed Chorus M. Giese
12. Presentation of Class to Chairman of School Committee by Class President, Robert Joseph Reardon. Presenta- tion of Diplomas, Medals and Civil Service Essay Prize by Mr. Benjamin Hawes, Chairman of School Com- mittee.
217
Graduates.
Hazel Irene Barrett Horace Francis Burgess Mabell Florence Campbell Marguerite Alette Chell * George Thomas Dalton Catherine Eleanor Donnelly Mary Gertrude Dyer Rose Dorothy Frazier Mary Edna Hogan
Alfred William Hough*
Elsie Elizabeth Norris Esther Frances Salls Agnes Marguerite Rourke Catharine A. Taylor George Whitmarsh
Ida Norma Beckwith George Irving Calloway Florence Lucille Chandler Carroll Frederic Daiute Madeline Elizabeth Dennehy Winifred Ruth Drinkwater Alfred Augustus Ellsworth Victoria Helen Frasier Florence Gertrude Hogan Stephen Joseph Levangie Charles Catlin Partridge Robert Joseph Reardon Alice Lee Sullivan
Dorris Hudson Wade
Florence I. L. Gaudreau
* Both received the same rank for four years.
1
218
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
Appointed at the last Town Meeting by the following motion,-
Voted, That a committee of nine, consisting of four women and five men, be appointed to investigate the entire- school system of the town, including conditions of buildings, and report to the Town in print not later than February 1,. 1916.
CONDITION OF BUILDINGS.
Pond School. Floors are worn out. Walls, woodwork and toilets are in a disgusting condition, and the odors. incidental to the burning of the excrement are an offense. to the neighborhood. Something radical must be done.
High School. In several of the smaller rooms, where storm windows have been put on, the supply of fresh air is- obviously insufficient.
As this is a three-story wooden building it is vitally im- portant that every possible protection against fire be afforded the pupils and teachers. The two flights of stairs at opposite- ends of the building offer ample egress, but the under sides of the stairs are exposed in the basement, and the ceiling below the corridor and vestibule is protected only by plaster on wooden lath. The soffits of the stairs in the basement should be plastered on metal lath with Portland cement mortar containing an amount of lime not greater than the amount of Portland cement used. The portions of the base- ment under the vestibule and under the corridor between the stairs and the vestibule should either be separated from. the rest of the basement, particularly the boiler room, by fire resistant partitions and fire doors, or the ceiling of that portion should be plastered as recommended for the soffits.
The present fire alarm system consists of three single. stroke gongs in the first and second stories and the Assembly Hall in the third story. Additional safety should be obtained by the installation of an auxiliary alarm bell operated automatically from one or more thermostats lo-
219
cated in the basement. The desirability of installing the automatic alarm depends on the uncertainty of the presence. of any one to give the alarm in case of fire in the basement, which might not be discovered by persons in the upper stories until it had progressed sufficiently to endanger the. exits.
Penniman School. To prevent smoke from a possible fire in the basement from interfering with the orderly egress of the occupants, the doors leading to the basement, which are. located close to the main entrance doors of the building, should be kept closed at all times by means of springs, and should not be held open by block or catch.
Jonas Perkins School. The school rooms on the second story are connected by inter-communicating doors, and one of the rooms near the middle of the building is provided with an outside fire-escape. The third story, however, is served only by the two stairways, which are not located sufficiently far apart. A fire in the basement or first floor which penetrated to one of the stair-wells would fill the corridor with smoke, and with the stairways so close to -- gether the smoke might be easily communicated to the other stairway through the corridor. Persons on the second floor could use the fire-escape, but those on the third floor- might experience great difficulty in making their way down the smoke-filled stairs. Your committee recommends that a wooden partition with double-leaf, double-swing doors be constructed across the first and second floor corridors at the- center of the building, extending from floor to ceiling. Smoke in one stairway would thus be excluded from the other, and the chance that both stairways would be out of commission at the same time would be remote. The doors should be hung on spring-hinges and have glass panels to enable persons approaching from opposite sides to see each other. If the partitions are not installed, the outside fire- escape should be extended to the top floor. The outside. steps from the first floor to the ground are too steep for safety and without hand-rails. These should be rebuilt with less inclination and supplied with hand-rails.
220
A circular letter from the office of the Fire Prevention Commissioner of Massachusetts contains the following : "Children of the second grade and under should not be housed above the first floor." The Kindergarten in the Jonas Perkins School is now located on the second floor, and should be removed at once to the ground floor.
Hollis School. Your committee has heard much of the poor ventilation in this school. An elaborate system is in- stalled, but the difficulty seems to be that, when sufficient ventilation is secured, the heat is excessive. Your commit- tee suggests that an additional conduit be installed which will carry cold air directly into the blower room without passing over the steam-heated pipes. By regulating the relative quantities of heated and cold air, a mixture will be secured which can be circulated in sufficient volume to secure proper ventilation without overheating.
Southwest School. This is a one room building, heated by a large stove located in the room midway between the two front entrance doors. A rear door opens into a tiny shed, from which another door leads outside. The second door opens inward and is secured by two rusty bolts. Safety requires that this door be hung to open outward and that the bolts be replaced by a catch which may be disengaged easily at all times. The outside toilets are in poor condition and inadequate for the needs of the fifty pupils who over- crowd the room. Storm windows with ventilating openings should be supplied for the north side, as on cold days the heat deserts that part of the room, to the discomfort of many of the children.
The committee desires to express its appreciation of the valuable assistance rendered in the examination of buildings by Mr. J. R. Nichols, Assoc. M. Am. Soc. C. E.
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