USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1895 > Part 5
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"The leading arguments in favor of this movement are :-
1. It permits a better grading of the schools and classifi- tion of pupils. Consolidation allows pupils to be placed where they can work to the best advantage ; the various subjects of study to be wisely selected and correlated, and more time to be given to recitation.
2. It affords an opportunity for thorough work in special branches, such as drawing, music and nature study. It also allows an enrichment in other lines.
3. It opens the door to more weeks of schooling and to schools of a higher grade. The people in villages almost in- variably lengthen the school year and support a high school for advanced pupils.
4. It ensures the employment and retention of better teach-
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ers. Teachers in small ungraded schools are usually of limited education, training or experience, or are past the age of com- petition. The salaries paid in cities and villages allow a wide range in the selection of teachers.
5. It makes the work of the specialist and supervisor far more effective. Their plans and efforts can all be concen- trated into something tangible.
6. It adds the stimulating influences of large classes, with the resulting enthusiasm and generous rivalry. The discipline and training obtained are invaluable.
7. It affords the broader companionship and culture that come from association with large numbers.
8. It results in a better attendance of pupils, as proved by experience in towns where the plan has been thoroughly tried.
9. It leads to better school buildings, better equipment, a larger supply of books, charts, maps and apparatus. All these naturally follow a concentration of people, wealth and effort, and aid in making good schools.
The large expenditure implied in these better appoint- ments is wise economy, for the cost per pupil is really much less than the cost in small and widely separated schools.
10. And, again, it quickens public interest in the schools. Pride in the quality of the work done secures a greater sym- pathy and better fellowship throughout the town.
"These reasons for consolidating schools and concentrating effort have great force with people interested in the proper education of the coming generation. The future is likely to see increased attention given to this movement.
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"There are, however, objections raised to the plan, some of them frivolous, others deserving careful attention, chief among which are :-
1. Depreciation of property ; decreased valuation of farms in districts where schools are closed.
2. Dislike to send young children to school far from home, away from the oversight of parents ; and to provide a cold lunch for them rather than a warm dinner.
3. Danger to health and morals; children obliged to travel too far in cold and stormy weather; obliged to walk a portion of the way to meet the team, and then ride to school in damp clothing and with wet feet; unsuitable conveyance and uncertain drivers; association with so many children of all classes and conditions ; lack of proper oversight during the noon hour.
4. Insufficient and unsuitable clothing; expense to parents of properly clothing their children.
5. Difficulty of securing a proper conveyance on reasonable terms ; or, if the parent is allowed compensation, of agreeing upon terms satisfactory to both parties, parents and town officials.
6. Local jealousy ; an acknowledgment that some other section of the town has greater advantages and is outstripping any other locality.
7. Natural proneness of some people to object to the re- moval of any ancient landmark or to any innovation, however worthy the measure or however well received elsewhere.
"To these objections it may properly be said :-
The first one is more imaginary than real, for any level-
-
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headed man with children to be educated will place a higher value on the quality of the schools and the school spirit in the community than upon the number and accessibility of the schools. Experience has demonstrated the fact that property in towns committed to this plan has appreciated rather than depreciated in value.
The second and third objections are the most serious. It behooves school authorities to see that the danger is reduced to a minimum. Suitable conveyances, covered, should be pro- vided, and competent and careful drivers selected. No risks should be taken. During the noon hour some teacher should remain with the children who carry luncheon.
The fourth, fifth and sixth objections have no great weight. The last one has great influence with those people who choose to live, move and die as did their ancestors,-on the theory that this is the last generation, and that any special efforts at improvement are just so much more than is wise or necessary."
The foregoing will probably answer all questions that may arise with reference to the advisability of consolidating schools, whenever it is possible to do so.
PUPILS.
The number of pupils enrolled during the year was 1233, an increase of 31 over the previous year. The average number belonging was 974, and the average daily attendance 890, small increases over the year before. The percentage of daily attendance to the average membership was 90.9, a decrease of .6 from that of the year before, and .96 less than that in the State for 1893-94.
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Regularity in attendance is of the utmost importance. A pupil's absence from school is an injustice to himself and to the other members of the class, and involves intellectual, moral, and financial loss. Earnest efforts should', therefore, be made by school officials, teachers, pupils, and parents to increase the per cent. of attendance.
During the year there were 28,591 half days' absence. It is impossible to represent in figures the intellectual and moral loss which this involved, but if it were possible, the result would be appalling. It is easier to show in figures the financial loss of the money expended by the town for school purposes. It cost about 9 cents a day on an average to educate each person enrolled in the schools during the year. By a process of multiplication, we find that the 28,591 half days' absence represents a total loss of $1,286.50. This is more than the principal and the two assistants of the Union Street School were paid during the year to instruct its 145 pupils. If 75 per cent. of the absences were unavoidable (but I believe the per cent. is smaller) the 25 per cent. of avoidable absences represents a loss of $321.65.
The number of cases of tardiness was 1,710, a decrease of 1,299 from that of the year before. This is certainly very gratifying. It shows what teachers can do, for this decrease is largely due to the strenuous efforts made by them to secure greater punctuality, and they deserve much credit. The formation of the habit of punctuality in some pupils and the strengthening of the habit in others, which this increased punctuality represents, is worth many times more
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than the energy expended, and the good results that will surely follow are incalculable.
The number of cases of truancy was 12, a decrease of 11 from that of the year before. If the number continues to decrease as it has in the past, truants will be unknown in a few years, a state of affairs greatly to be desired. The re- port of one of the truant officers, Mr. James A. Burgess, is herewith transmitted, and I respectfully call your attention to the same. (See Exhibit E.)
TEACHERS.
The policy introduced in 1894 that no person shall be employed to teach in the schools of the town, who is not a graduate of a high school of good standing, or who has not received the equivalent of a good high school training, and who subsequently has not received some training in a school or class for the professional training of teachers, or in lieu of this training, has not had successful experience in teaching, has been continued during the year just closed with good results. Experience proved, however, that the professional requirements were not explicit enough. In several instances persons were employed whose professional training had ex- tended over a period of only three or four months. While this limited training was of some value, there was a lack of teaching power and skill which longer training would have helped to supply. The action of the School Committee last June making the successful completion of the course of study of the Teachers' Training Class, which is a one year's course, the minimum professional qualification, was, there-
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fore, most timely, and one which will prove beneficial to the schools.
The rules of the Committee requiring increased and better scholastic and professional training of those who wish to enter upon the work of teaching in the public schools, is in line with the policy of the State Board of Education.
The requirements for admission to the normal schools of the State in 1896 are as follows :-
" Candidates for admission to any one of the normal schools must have attained the age of seventeen years, complete, if young men, and sixteen years, if young women ; and must be free from any disease or infirmity which would unfit them for the office of teacher. They must present certificates of good moral standing, give evidence of good intellectual capacity, (records of their scholarship standing in the high schools are desired, ) and be graduates of high schools whose courses of study have been approved by the Board of Education ; or they must have received, to the satisfaction of the principal and the Board of Visitors' of the school, the equivalent of a good high school education."
In the plan for the "State Examination and Certification of Teachers," prepared by Secretary Frank A. Hill and ap- proved by the State Board of Education, we find with other rules the following :
"To be eligible to the examination for the elementary grade probationary certificate, the candidate must satisfy the following conditions :-
(a.) He must be a graduate of a high school of good standing, or he must have received the equivalent of a good high school training.
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(b.) He must be a graduate of one of the State normal schools of Massachusetts, or of the Boston Normal School, or of some approved State normal school, or he must have had at least two full years' experience in teaching."
Since good scholarship and professional training are essen- tial to true success, it does not follow that all persons pos- sessing these qualifications will be successful. There are other qualifications, such as health, character, and natural aptitudes for the work, that are also essential. These must, therefore, be given due consideration in the selection of teachers.
While proper and sufficient preparation and natural endow- ments are so very important, the growth and the develop- ment of those in the work are equally important. The school system should, therefore, be conducive to this growth and development. But whatever agencies may be at work, much will depend upon the individual teacher. He should take an active interest in all that pertains to education and the im- provement of his work, and should take advantage of the many means for self-improvement that continually present themselves. He should be a student of the literature of his profession. There ought to be no time during the year when he does not devote at least some time each week to the read- ing of some work on education. He should take and read at least one educational journal, and, if possible, more than one. He should be a frequent attendant at educational con- ventions and conferences. Careful observation during an- other year has strengthened the conviction expressed in the last report that, other things being equal, those teachers who
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read and think the most along educational lines show the most improvement in their work.
What follows will give some idea of the scholastic and professional qualifications of the teachers of the town, and of the quantity and quality of their professional reading during the year.
The number of teachers employed was 31. Of this num- ber, 2 are graduates of colleges, 25 are graduates of high schools-18 of the High School here, and 6 are graduates of normal schools. Besides the normal graduates, 18 had pro- fessional training- 2 in normal schools and 16 in the Teach- · ers' Training Class here. The number of those who are not graduates of any school is 4, and 3 had no professional preparation.
As in former years, I requested the teachers to answer, at the close of the year, the following questions :
1. What books on education did you read during the year ?
2. What educational journals did you read during the year ?
Answers were received from every one. These were care- fully studied, and the tabulated results are here given.
The names of the books read, and the number of teachers by whom each one was read, are as follows : James' "Psy- chology, Briefer Course", 8; Mclellan's " Applied Psychol- ogy", 2; Sully's "Psychology ", 1; Spencer's " Education", 7; Mann's "Lectures on Education", 1; Page's "Theory and Practice of Teaching", 7; White's "Elements of Pedagogy ", 2; Compayre's "Lectures on Pedagogy", 8; Fitch's "Lec- tures on Teaching", 3; DeGraff's "School-Room Guide", 2;
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Parker's "Talks on Teaching", 1; Partridge's "Quincy Methods Illustrated", 1; Arnold's " Waymarks for Teach- ers", 14; Prince's "Courses and Methods", 1; Prince's " Methods of Instruction and Organization in German Schools", 1; "Report of Committee of Fifteen", 10; King's " Methods and Aids in Geography", 1; Howe's "Systematic Science Teaching", 1; Hughe's "Mistakes in Teaching", 2; Kellogg's "School Management", 10; White's "School Management", 11; Browning's "Educational Theories", 1; Compayre's "History of Pedagogy", 1; Laurie's "Life and Works of Comenius", 4.
In this list are not included such books as "Evolution of Dodd", "Beckonings from Little Hands", Wiggins's "Child Life", and others which may properly be classed under edu- cational books.
The names of educational journals read, and the number of teachers by whom each one was read, are as follows : "Edu- cation", 1; "Educational Foundations", 19; "New York School Journal", 1; "Journal of Education" (Boston), 7; "School Review", 3; "Teachers' Institute", 6; "Popular Educator ", 6; "American Teacher", 3; "Primary Educa- tion", 21; "Primary School", 6; "Teachers' World", 1; "Teachers' Outlook", 1; "Normal Instructor", 1,
Of books, 2 teachers read 8, 1 read 6, 5 read 5, 6 read 4, 6 read 3, 3 read 2, and 8 read 1; of papers, 3 read 4, 14 read 3, 9 read 2, and 5 read 1. Every teacher read at least one book on education and one educational journal.
Six of the teachers attended a school of methods during part of the summer vacation.
The foregoing facts will show more conclusively the pro-
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gressive professional spirit of the teaching force than any mere statement of mine to that effect would.
The following list contains the names of those who resigned during the year :
Miss Susie J. Mantle
High School.
Miss Mary E. Frink
School Street School.
Miss Susan A. Dorrance
West Side School.
Miss Nellie T. Alden
South Middleboro School.
Miss Lydia E. Holmes
Wappannucket School.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS.
These meetings have been conducted in the belief that they are an essential part of a system of public schools, and that teachers will help to make them a success, if they can be made to feel that the benefits to be derived are invaluable and not to be obtained in any other way.
The meetings have been of three kinds-Principals' Round Table, grade meetings, and monthly general meetings.
· The Principals' Round Table met once each school month. The discussions dealt largely with topics pertaining to school management and changes in the course of study.
For the grade meetings teachers were divided into four sec- tions, as follows : Primary, grades I-III ; Lower Grammar, grades IV-VI ; Upper Grammar, grades VII-IX ; and Subur- ban, mixed grades. Each section met once each school month for the period of one hour. The time was devoted to a discussion of topics pertaining to school work, and the sub- ject matter of a prescribed amount of reading in some work on teaching. The Primary and Suburban sections studied and
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discussed Arnold's "Waymarks for Teachers", and the Lower and Upper Grammar sections, Compayre's " Lectures on Peda- gogy". Parts of "The Report of the Committee of Fifteen" were also studied and discussed.
Basing a part of the work of these meetings on the subject matter of educational works has several advantages. It makes the work more definite, requires some preparation on the part of every one, and induces all to read and study pedagogical literature. To make the plan a success it should not be too slavishly followed.
The teachers were allowed one day during the year to visit schools in other places. At the grade meetings reports of these visits were given and discussed. In this way each teacher of a section received the benefit, in part at least, of the visits of the others. This proved to be a valuable feature of the meetings.
The principal of the High School and his assistants contin- ued their weekly meetings, begun in 1894, throughout the school year. They were attended by the Superintendent whenever his other duties would permit.
The general meetings were held once a month, on Sat- urday mornings, from ten to twelve o'clock. Subjects of gen- eral interest were considered. In November we began the study of some of the greatest educational reformers of modern times-their lives, their educational work and ideas, and their influence on present educational thought. Comenius was made the subject for the December meeting, and all the other subjects of the programme were made to center around him. The September number of "Educational Foundations",
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which contained valuable articles on Comenius and other im- portant educational subjects, had previously been studied by the teachers. The meeting proved to be one of the best thus far held, and it is our intention to continue the plan during the coming year. The following were the subjects : " Comenius"; "The Object and Aim of Education"; "The Value of Method in Teaching"; "The Art of Illustration in the Service of Teaching"; "We Learn to Do a Thing by Doing It"; and "Some Rules of Teaching Applied to Pri- mary Work."
We were favored with addresses by two of the Agents of the State Board of Education. At the January meeting Mr. James W. MacDonald spoke on "The Study of English," and at the April meeting Mr. A. W. Edson presented "Topical Teaching." Both addresses were replete with wise counsel and practical wisdom and were well received by the teachers.
PEDAGOGICAL CLUB.
The Club had a successful year. Its meetings were better attended and the interest manifested was greater than the year before. In March, under its auspices, a free lecture was given in Town Hall by Rev. A. E. Winship of Boston, editor of the "Journal of Education." His subject was " The Whig and the Tory in Education." The address was admirable, and it was warmly received by the large audi- ence present.
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TEACHERS' LIBRARY.
During the past three years a teachers' library has been in process of collection in the Superintendent's office, and it now numbers 110 volumes. This does not include the large number of school reports on file. It was well patron- ized by the teachers, and additions should be made to it each year. [For list of books see Appendix. ]
TEACHERS' TRAINING CLASS.
The action of the Committee in 1894 making the successful completion of a four years' high school course, or its equiva- lent, the minimum scholastic qualification for admission to the class, and their action in June making the successful comple- tion of the course of study of the class the minimum profes- sional qualification for admission to the teaching ranks have made it possible to expand and strengthen the work of the class.
The work begins in September of each year and is contin- ued to the close of the schools in June. It now includes both the science of teaching and the art of teaching. In the science of teaching are included (1) psychology, (2) methodology, (3) school management, (4) history of education, and (5) school law. The art of teaching includes (1) observation of good teaching, and (2) practice teaching.
During the past year the members met the Superintendent once a week for a period of two hours for class instruction. This time was divided into two recitation periods of fifty- five minutes each, one period being devoted to one subject
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and the other period to a different subject. The work in each subject was based on a text-book, regular lessons being assigned for study and recitation. The class was frequently required to write on assigned subjects treating of school work. The history of education and school law had to be omitted during the spring term for lack of time, but such changes have since been made as will make it possible to give instruction in these branches during the coming year.
During the fall term each pupil-teacher was required to ob- serve the regular teaching in each of the nine grades of the Elementary Schools giving a period of three weeks to each grade. They were allowed to teach individual pupils who needed more help than the regular teachers, in justice to the other pupils, could give ; but they were not allowed to teach classes unless they were called upon by the Superin- tendent to act as substitute teachers. In an article in the January number of "The School Review " on "The Influence' of the High School upon Educational Methods," Prof. Dewey of the University of Chicago says, "The proper place of the pupil-teacher is as a helper, here, there and any- where that he can discover something to do, dealing with a few individuals in their personal difficulties rather than with the teaching of a class en masse." This well expresses the duties of our pupil-teachers during the fall and winter terms. During the spring term their duties are largely the same, but, in addition, they are allowed to teach classes in each of the grades.
A class of twelve began work in September. This made it necessary to assign more than one pupil-teacher to a room.
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This is objectionable for a number of reasons, and future classes should, therefore, be limited to nine members.
Membership in the class and completion of the course of study does not insure an appointment as teacher in the schools of the town.
HIGH SCHOOL.
This school had a successful year. Although the number of pupils enrolled shows a decrease of 13 from that of the year before, I believe that more and better work was done.
The decrease in enrollment was due to several causes. The entering class in the fall of 1892 was the largest ever ad- mitted to the school. It comprised the pupils of the ninth grade and most of those of the eighth grade. This made an increase in the number of pupils for a few years. A large number of those who entered at that time were not prepared to do the work, and, as a natural result, left school. Of the 68 pupils who were admitted the present graduating class, numbering 17, is all that is left.
Greater care has been exercised during the last two years in the admission of pupils. While this has made the entering classes smaller, the results obtained fully justify the course pursued. It has been the aim to admit all whose work in the Elementary Schools has shown that they are prepared to do higher work. Admitting a pupil who is not prepared to go on is an injustice to the pupil and to the school.
The number enrolled for the year was 11.3 per cent. of the whole number enrolled in the schools and 2 per cent. of the population of the town. The present graduating class num- bers 9 boys and 8 girls. These figures are very gratifying.
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A new course of study was prepared during the year. The class which entered in September began the studies of the new course, while the classes who had begun the old course will continue the same until they have completed it. This arrangement was necessary so as not to mix the work too much.
In the preparation of the course we availed ourselves of the many discussions on secondary education that have been going on within late years. The "Report of the Com- mittee of Ten", the complete reports of the annual meetings of the New England Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools, other reports, discussions, and courses of study of leading high schools were studied. The knowledge thus gained together with a knowledge of the condition and needs of the school, and past experience entered into the prepara- tion of the course.
While the course is based on the belief that three recita- tions a day, requiring previous preparation, are enough for the average pupil, those who are able to do more work with- out detriment to their health are encouraged to do so. We have tried to avoid both too little pressure and too much pressure.
The principal changes are the strengthening of the work in English, history, and science, the introduction of electives, and a general rearrangement of the work. What was known as the English-Classical Course is now called the English- Latin Course.
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