USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1914 > Part 7
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5 70
Ruth N. Shaw
2 10
William A. Lewis
2 95
Alberta N. Soule
8 70
Clifton A. McCrillis
2 95
Marion N. Atwood
2 75
Charles A. Miner
2 90
R. Anita Atwood
2 95
Rachel Mostrom
2 95
Evelyn C. Davis
2 90
Clarence E. Soule
8 85
Harold S. Davis
2 95
Jennie Wilbur
5 90
Linda B. Howard
60
Theo. L. Bearse
5 90
Doris L. Leonard
5 70
Cecil H. Deane
2 95
Ida M. Merrihew
2 95
Andrew J. Decker
2 95
Alecta P. Munroe
2 95
Anna C. I. Erickson
2 85
Ezra R. Perkins
2 95
Ladieu Kenyon
2 95
Mildred Powell
2 85
Bertha S. Richmond
2 95
Herman E. Russell
5 90
Eleanor H. Thomas
5 90
E. Blanche Shaw
2 60
Priscilla A. Bradford
2 60 Edna S. Thomas
2 95
Jennie B. Wadsworth
2 90
Mary A. Thomas
1 60
Alice M. Braley
5 80
Elsie F. Tinkham
50
Henrietta C. Wilbur
8 85
$165 50
FALL TERM.
Cecil H. Deane
$3 50 Thomas F. Curley
10 50
Andrew J. Decker
3 50
Wilfred D. Deane
3 50
Anna C. I. Erickson
3 40
Winifred S. Deane
3 50
Lucy Huntley
3 50
George I. Dunham
3 50
LaDieu Kenyon
3 35
Charles Erickson
3 50
Bertha S. Richmond
3 50
Gertrude B. Fowler
3 40
Margery Robinson
10 50
Dorothy Fessenden
3 50
Eleanor H. Thomas
7 00
Ida M. Hanson
7 00
Priscilla A. Wadsworth
3 50
Elmer C. Hatch
7 00
Jennie B. Bradford 3 40
George H. Jefferson
7 00
Lucy B. Braley
6 40
Leila M. Johnson
3 50
Viola H. Foye
3.50
Reginald A. Maxim
3 50
Ruth N. Shaw
3 50
Melvin H. Parker
3 50
Alberta N. Soule
10 50
Ezra R. Perkins
3 50
Marion N. Atwood
45 Lois E. Perkins
3 50
R. Anita Atwood
3 50
Lewis K. Richmond
3 50
141
Harold S. Davis 3 50 Marguerite I. Robinson 3 40
Doris L. Leonard
6 10 Herman E. Russell 6 90
Ida M. Merrihew
3 50 Benjamin C. Shaw 11 40
Esther Mostrom
3 45 M. Josephine Shaw 3 50
Alecta P. Munroe
3 50
Bessie S. Sisson 7 00
Edna S. Thomas
3 50
Marian E. Soule 10 05
Henrietta C. Wilber
7 00
Mildred A. Soule
10 50
Ruth M. Bryant
3 50 Bradford S. Thomas
3 50
Russell E. Carver
3 50 Lura A. Thomas
3 45
Albert W. Charbonneau 1 55
Inez R. Vickery
6 80
Charlie C. Cook
10 50 Gladys D. White
6 80
Joseph W. Cooper
3 45
Theo. L. Bearse
7 00
$279 75
REPAIRS.
Lloyd Perkins, labor at High School building, Forest Street, West Side and Union Street buildings
$60 69
Fred C. Sparrow, labor at Union Street building, . Soule and Green Schools 18 73
J. K. & B. Sears & Co., material for High School building, Green School
341 28
T. W. Pierce Co., material
15 30
Thomas & Benn, new furnace at the Rock Schcol, labor at West Side and Schcol St. buildings 190 13
Geo. E. Doane, material
52 51
Fred L. Hansen, labor at Thompsonville School
4 13
R. M. Bassett, labor at School Street building
9 35
John S. Derchamp, labor at Pleasant Street and Rock Schools 14 80
Bailey's Garage, labor at the High School building
34 50
C. F. Gay, labor at West Side building
6 43
R. W. Clark, material
4 00
American Seating Co., desks and seats for the High School building 305 50
Zenas E. Phinney, labor at the High School building and minor repairs 217 44
A. T. Clark, labor at Marion Road School
75
Eugene J. Keith, labor at West Side building
9 22
Josiah H. Carver, labor at Pleasant Street and
Plymouth Street buildings 2 50
142
T. S. Phinney, minor repairs in the Suburban School buildings 14 25
E. H. Blake, labor on locks at different buildings and minor repairs 11 95
E. E. Babb & Co., furniture for the High School building 34 84
F. A. Johnson, labor and material at High School Forest Street, and Suburban buildings
389 09
Jones Brcs. Co., new curtains for High School building and minor repairs
70 85
Boston Metal Ceiling Co., ceiling at the West Side School
80 00
D. T. Weston, repairs at the Thomastown School
1 25
J. J. Fowler, repairs at the Green School
6 00
Town of Middleboro, repairing walk at the School Street School
36 25
C. W. Maxim, repairs at the High School
3 00
Chas. E. Wilbur, labor at Purchade School
2 00
W. L. Soule, new furniture
13 00
B. Dinsmore, repairs at the Town House School
8 20
T. F. Boucher, material and labor at Union Street
6 28
Middleboro Fire District, repair of meters 3 17
Leo Quindley, labor at the Nemasket School
1 00
$1,968 39
Note-The balance of the repair account is what is unex- pended of the High School repair appropriation.
-
COMPARATIVE EXPENSE TABLE. 1906-1914
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
Instruction, Superintendence, Care of
Buildings, and Fuel
$24,393.18
$26,679.59
$27,646.07
$28,100.74
$30,036.61
$32,194.06
$33,461.45
$33,099.37
$35,214.85
Books and Supplies
1,667.42
1,665.61
1,506.53
1,822.54
1,730.06
1,966.81
1,852.74
2,135.62
3,285.90
Printing
208.40
173.77
212.32
157.27
175.77
184.34
192.25
174.21
204.02
Sundries
589.64
470.45
631.71
601.26
836.54
710.12
678.59
672.40
970.59
Transportation to High School
765.12
511.59
542.60
595.30
617.10
580.45
473.65
558.55
605.80
Transportation to Elementary Schools
1,375.18
1,398.54
1,369.85
1,496.25
975.21
1,188.25
1,207.55
1,774.25
2.487.30
Repairs
1,558.44
1,025.80
1,007.82
1,526.09
1,050.27
1,052.06
1,755.51
3,181.99
7,968.39
Insurance
648.00
648.00
Rent
300.00
300.00
364.00
396.00
630.00
150.00
150.00
150.00
300.00
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES H. BATES, Secretary.
144
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
THIRTIETH IN THE SERIES.
Middleboro, Mass., Dec. 30, 1914.
To the School Board :-
In accordance with your regulations I present the follow- ing report on the present condition and needs of the Schools.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The subject of the need of more school accommodations will come before the town at the next annual town meeting.
At the annual meeting of 1914 a committee was appointed to report at the adjourned meeting on some plan for a temp- orary relief of present congested conditions, and at the town meeting in 1915 to recommend some permanent policy for meeting the future needs of the schools. This committee recommended the two rooms in the Town House for use of the schools to meet a temporary relief.
The report was accepted and an appropriation made for placing the rooms in condition for school purposes. These rooms have been occupied since September and have given the desired relief for the present for the Central Elementary schools.
While it is not yet known what report will be made by this committee as to the solution for meeting the future growth in the schools yet a brief reference to the matter may not be out of place in this report.
Your superintendent in his first report to the School Bcard, after carefully considering the situation in all its bearings, recommended that in his judgment the most economical solution to the congested conditions as well as the best solu- tion for the interests of the schools was the erection of a new High School building and the occupancy of the present High School building for the higher elementary grades. This opinion he still holds.
145
For however great the burden may be in the cost of erec- ting a new High School building, and he fully realizes what a burden the proposition to erect such a building to cost not less than $75,000 would be, if carried out, whatever else may be done will only postpone action on such a solution. The present need more directly concerns the congested condition at the High School than in the grades, and this brings such a solution more forcibly to the attention of the citizens of the town, for the present arrangements for the central grades will meet the condition in these schools for a few years if there is no unusual increase in membership.
To meet the High School demand temporarily means a change in the present seating plan and the use of the Assem- bly Hall for recitation purposes.
The work of a High School today needs a building especi- ally designed to meet the demands of a broad enough curri- culum to give to the pupils what are considered essential to their preparation for the work of life. If such a building could be erected it would not only place the educational advantages of the secondary school on a broader plane but would also make possible an admirable plan for grading the elementary schools. In that case the present High School building could be used for two eight grades, two seventh grades, and two sixth grades, occupying all the regular school rooms in the building, leaving the two laboratories to be fitted up for manual work and domestic science for the boys and girls in those grades and the Assembly Hall for the work in music, rhetoricals and various school exercises.
· Departmental work could be introduced and the courses of study arranged to fit into the plan of "The Intermediate School," so strongly advocated at the present time by the State Board of Education.
Few towns have such a possibility for working out such a system so advantageously as Middleboro.
As to the other grades the School Street building could have' two fifth grades, two fourth grades, two third grades and two second grades, leaving the portable building for use for any future congestion at the West Side or in any of the Suburban schools.
At the Forest Street the grading could remain the same.
At the Union Street building the two large rooms could be used for the two lower grades and the two small rooms dis- continued or used in case of an overflow.
146
At the West Side building a better grading could be ar- ranged by having in each of two rooms only one grade and in each of the other two rooms two grades, the three upper grades attending the Main Street building.
If it was thought best at any future time to make schools of only six grades at Purchade, Fall Brook, Rock and South Middleboro, all on the line of electric cars, the three upper grades in these schools could attend the Main Street building. Such a plan would insure schools of such a membership that much individual attention could be given and provided for many years room for a larger increase in membership.
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.
The policy of the School Board in raising the salaries of the suburban teachers, by which action they are now on the same level as the salaries paid the teachers of the Central Elementary schools, has had the result of retaining the ser- vices of many of these teachers who otherwise would have sought employment elsewhere.
Of the thirteen teachers now employed in these schools eight will at the end of the present school year have served three consecutive years in these schools and will thus be eligi- ble, if reelected, to be placed on the tenure list.
It can be readily seen that with such a policy these schools are in a better condition in every respect than they could possibly have been if they had been subject to frequent changes.
The same salary is now paid to every teacher with the ex- ception of the teacher at the Green who receives a larger wage owing to a longer school day.
This equalizing of the pay so that each school may have the same amount for teaching service without regard to the size of the school is giving to each pupil, whether he lives in a thickly settled community or a less compact one, the same opportunity for experienced instruction.
The teaching force in the suburban schools today has had much experience and is thus able to administer successfully the work of the schools. I am glad to recognize the ex- cellent results that are being secured in these schools.
The plan of holding a half day institute each term for the benefit of these teachers is being continued the present year.
It may be interesting to state that Massachusetts today has about 800 one-room school buildings-400 of which have
147
schools of less than seven grades. The problem of the rural schools is one that has been considered of great importance and many plans have been tried out for their betterment.
The State of Maine is now carrying out a policy of retain- ing the one-room school buildings for the first six grades and transporting all the pupils of the two upper grades to a cen- tral school.
There is much of value in such a plan and it would be practical with sufficient school accommodations at the Centre for this town to adopt. With the growth in many districts either such a plan or a local centralization will be necessary in the future.
There are at present six school teams carrying pupils to these suburban schcols from sections remote from the school buildings at an expense of $11.25 per day.
With comfortable school buildings kept in good repair, with a corps of experienced teachers, with an excellent per- centage of attendance, with a good spirit of cooperation be- tween the homes and the schools as evidenced by the large number of school visits by parents and the successful parents' day observances, the rural schools of the town may well be said to repay in results all it costs the town for their mainte- nance.
CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
Owing to a general regrading last June, made possible by the occupancy of the rooms in the Town House for school purposes, the number of school rooms having more than one grade is smaller than for several years.
The rooms at the West Side School now have only two grades to each room, the Forest Street school now has only two schools instead of three,-the subprimary now being divided into two sections each on the half-day plan and the first grade being on the four-hour plan-while there is but one room in the School Street building that has more than one grade. By transferring the two upper grades from the West Side school, the seventh to the School Street school and the eighth to the Town House school-the best system of grading now possible for that school has been carried into effect.
The removal of one school from the Forest Street building to the Union Street school has done away with the necessity of two teachers carrying on work in the same room at the same time.
148
The plan of grading in the School Street building is the best since its occupancy, It would be greatly to the advan- tage of our school system if the same plan of grading could continue but with the increase in enrollment in many of the grades it is probable other changes will soon have to be made.
In connection with these schools reference should be made to the new departure this year of securing the services of student teachers from the Bridgewater Normal School to train in our schools.
Last year I recommended that, owing to many of the pupils in the primary room at the West Side school needing so much individual attention because of a lack of knowledge of English on the part of many of them on entering school, an assistant teacher be engaged for this room.
Happily, the arrangement made with the Bridgewater Normal school has been an excellent solution of the problem at a small expense. By this plan a female student is sent from that school to assist the teacher for ten weeks. At the end of that period another is sent for the same time -four different students acting as assistants during the year. These teachers under the direction of the regular teacher carry on the work with a division of the pupils and are in every respect as successful as regular assistants would be.
We have been fortunate in having thus far students of excellent personality, who have been very much interested in their work and of decided assistance to the school.
The only expense to the town is the cost of carfare of the pupils from and to Bridgewater each day. This will amount to about $30 a year
At the School Street school a similar plan has been in vogue, a male student has been serving for twenty weeks as an assistant to the principal. He will be followed by another male student who will finish the year.
This arrangement has been of great value and has had much to do with a closer supervision of the building by the principal.
I hope the plan will be continued in both schools next year.
Much attention is being given this year in these schools to the study and constant drill on essential fundamentals and the results will be that pupils will be better prepared to go on with the work of the succeeding grades.
During the year grade meetings have been held and public exhibitions of actual school work illustrating the methods used in school have been given in the Assembly Hall by the lower grades.
149
I am glad to report that conditions for successful work in these schools are more satisfactory than in some previous years. The teachers as a whole are interested, the attendance is excellent, the pupils attentive and good progress is being made.
TOWN HOUSE SCHOOL.
With the securing of the two rooms in the Town House for school purposes the opportunity was given of carrying into effect a plan long advocated by your Superintendent of bringing all the pupils in the ninth grades of all the schools into one building.
This plan of the segregation of the pupils of this grade into one school has been pronounced by educators as an excellent one.
It approaches in many respects the plan of the "The In- termediate School" now advocated by the State Board of Education.
Mr. Orr of the State Board of Education says "That in many places children of the two upper grades are gathered by themselves into one school. It has been considered physiologically that at 12 and 13 boys and girls need a change in teaching methods.“
In this school the hours of session, the length of terms and year, the method of daily marking and monthly examination, and the time for recesses and the opening and closing the session are the same as in the High School.
There are two teachers in charge. A principal and an assistant.
The school opened the fall term with an enrollment of 89 pupils, nearly every section of the town being represented.
The school is divided into three sections, two having seats in the large room and the other section occupying the assis- tant's room. The work is departmental, the principal having charge of all work in arithmetic and history and the assistant the work in grammar, composition and literature. Instead of having pupils prepared for High School in eight or ten different schools by as many different teachers the pupils will receive uniform instruction by the same teachers.
The aim of the work is preparatory for the High School.
Especial attention is given to mental arithmetic, rapidity and accuracy in fundamental processes and such other work in mathematical calculation as will best prepare the pupils to take up the study of algebra in the High School.
150
In the assistant's room attention is given to English gram- mar composition and literature, which includes a careful study of certain authors and their works, so that pupils may receive a good preparation in the principles of grammar, have much practice in the writing of themes, and actual study of literary selections, as to qualify them to advance more rapidly in such work when they enter the High School. Although the matter of attending this school by the pupils of the suburban schools was left optional with them, it is pleasing to record that every pupil-32 in number-has taken advantage of this opportunity to secure a more uni- form preparation.
The special studies-music, drawing and penmanship- are taught by the supervisors, the regular teachers having nothing to do with these lines of work.
The' time for these special studies is at the opening or closing period each day so that after the regular work begins there is no interruption for special work.
Some of the advantages of this plan of segregation of pupils of the upper grades into one school under the one-session rather than a two-session one are as follows:
1. It allows opportunity for special work outside of school, as music-lessons to be taken afternoons, thus not interfering · with regular school work.
2. It gives opportunity for delinquent pupils to return afternoons for individual instruction, same as in the High school.
3. It does away with the long nooning for suburban pupils, much objected to by many parents.
4. It gives opportunity for work at home for many boys and girls during afternoons.
5. It enables the suburban pupils to reach home early and thus be able to assist in work at home.
6. It will retain in school many who might otherwise feel obliged to leave school to go to work.
7. It coincides with the High School program, thereby making discipline on the grounds easier for both schools.
8. It does away with the necessity of a large number bringing their dinners, as under the two session plan.
9. It gives the same time for School work as under the two-session plan.
10. The program has been so arranged as to allow time for preparation of studies during school hours, thus doing away with much home study.
151
11. The arrangement of the program will allow pupils from the suburban districts to leave so as to take the 12.45, the 12.50 or the 1.15 electric cars for their homes. The pupils from the Green, Waterville, Soule and Thompsonville districts can come on the morning train and return on the 2.28, while the pupils from the Purchade, Fall Brook, Rock, South Middleboro, Highland, Thomastown and Wappanuc- ket districts can come part way on electric cars, returning at 12.45, 12.50 cr 1.15. The transportation of the sub- urban pupils is paid by the town on the same plan as in the High School.
The cost of such transportation the first term was $164.25.
This feature of school work appeals to me as one of the most advantageous arrangements for school betterment that has ever been carried into effect under my supervision.
I look for excellent results at the end of the year.
The two teachers are enthusiastic and well-equipped for their work.
The school spirit is good.
The pupils are interested.
The attendance is excellent.
I believe its influence in the results secured will be strong- ly felt in the future work of the High School.
It has added over $2,700 to our annual school expendi- ture but I believe it is a good investment and that the town will receive a good return as the results of its establishment.
HIGH SCHOOL.
With the close of the school year in June the present prin- cipal of this school will have completed twenty-five years of faithful service.
It is seldom given to one to complete a course of study in a high school and soon after graduation from college return to that school to assume its leadership for such a long period.
And it is indeed noteworthy that a principal during such a long administration should have held such a strong control over its affairs and maintained such an excellent influence over his pupils during the whole of such a term of service.
It is a credit to the town to have recognized the sterling worth of such a man, to have endorsed his work with such signal unanimity, to have firmly supported him in all his acts of administration, and to have stood by him as faithful friends and helpful coworkers.
Any public servant should feel proud of such a record.
152
Any municipality should feel proud to have as a citizen and a teacher one worthy of such a high endorsement. Mr. Sampson has given to his school during this period his very best efforts. He has not spared himself.
He has even declined to take part in any outside functions that might possibly have had any effect on his school work.
He has been a firm, conscientious and painstaking leader, has stood manfully for what he believes in, and has always had the respect of his teachers and the esteem of his pupils. To- wards school officials he has always maintained a respectful and courteous attitude. To the parents of his pupils he has always been a gentleman. He has had the satisfaction of knowing that his graduates who have attended higher insti- tutions of learning have maintained a high standing and that the Middleboro High School holds today a high place among those institutions for its excellent preparatory work.
It is sometimes well to give a tribute to the living, to recognize while in life the good qualities of a man and to set before the generation now fitting to take up the work of life such an example of devoted labor, honest endeavor and merited success.
I would call attention to two important matters concern- ing this school at the present time-one the increasing mem- bership and the other the number of the teachers.
This fall there have been registered 245 pupils-109 of whom are in the first year's class. The enrollment next year promises to be even greater, possibly 260 to 270.
The upper grades of our elementary schools show that there will be no falling off in the future classes.
Since 1908 there has been with one exception an increase in enrollment each year. The enrollment for the whole of 1908 was 171 pupils. 74 more pupils were enrolled last Nov- ember than were enrolled for the whole of 1908.
The school building contains 6 school-rooms, 2 laboratories and an Assembly hall. Pupils sit in the 6 school-rooms for study. These rooms are also used for recitation purposes.
If no changes for recitation purposes were necessary and each pupil could recite all his lessons in the room in which he studied the six rooms could accommodate 270 pupils. But under the arrangement in carrying on High School work more room is necessary than the required seating capacity.
With such a membership either the physical laboratory will have to be fitted up with pupils' desks or the Assembly hall taken for such a purpose. The laboratory plan is not practical because it is already used as a recitation room and
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