USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1919 > Part 2
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The annual returns to the state board of education last July showed that 47 pupils in our schools in the fifth grade and 59 pupils in the sixth grade, nearly all of them being in the central schools, were given labor certificates for the year ending June 30, 1919. Such pupils now would have to remain in school until the completion of the sixth grade, this adding another factor next year to school congestion at the centre.
The above facts indicate the imperative need of more school accommodations at once. Under present conditions and under the present plan of grading it will be impossible to regrade the central schools next September without hav- ing overcrowded conditions.
To place children now on half time plans, to have many schools enroll between 50 to 60 pupils to a room, is to impose an injustice on the pupils, to place an added burden on the teachers, and to lower the standard of efficiency of the school system.
The gist of the whole matter is-there can be no satis- factory grading of the pupils or even housing them next September unless something is done to give more accom- modations at once. An appropriation to furnish such ac- commodations either by purchasing one or more portable buildings or for adopting some other plans for a temporary solution should be made at the annual town meeting.
A portable building at the present time would cost $3,000.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The serious problem of grading the schools so that the school efficiency shall not be lowered looks for a solution in the occupancy of more and better accommodations. No consideration of the accommodation problem can overlook the need of a new High School building. A new High School building would give opportunity for carrying on many courses now conducted in modern high school work. And it is because the present building is inadequate for carrying on suuch courses that a new building is so desirable.
With a new building such courses as those in domestic science, manual training and physical training could be car- ried on, there could be better equipped laboratories for teaching physics, chemistry and biology, and better ar- ranged quarters for carrying on the commercial work and
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drawing courses, and a well appointed lunch room, so much needed where the time from breakfast to dinner is so long as in the case of many pupils, could be provided.
If such a building with new plans modified to meet the needs of a three-year school and a favorable vote taken by the town for a new and more desirable location, could be erected the building problem of the present would be easy of solution. With the present High School building used for a Junior High school for grades seven, eight and nine, and with the other five central buildings for the six ele- mentary grades, the school in the Town House rooms, not well adapted for school purposes, could be discon- tinued, the seventh, eighth and ninth grades of the subur- ban schools could be made a part of the Junior High school and the nineteen elementary school rooms would be able to accommodate not only the pupils of the central grades but also all the pupils of the nearer suburban schools, which at the proposed salary for suburban teachers would be a large saving in the cost of teaching.
The use of the present High school building for a Junior High school would permit the arrangement of the grades, now that the eight-grade system has been adopted, on the 6-3-3 plan, 6 years in the elementary schools, 3 years in the Junior High and 3 years in the Senior High.
As nearly one-third of the whole enrollment of the four year High school is in the first year class, with the pupils of that year a part of the Junior High, it would decrease by just that many the enrollment of the Senior High so that a much smaller building would meet the needs of a Senior High school of three years than for one of four years. Just here comes the opportunity for the consideration of the building of the proposed High school building for which an appropriation of $100,000 has been made. One thing that will have an important bearing on the High school question is the changing of the elementary school system of nine grades to a system of eight grades.
The plan for the eight grade system has been worked out so that by next September it will be in full operation.
Owing to the raising of the age requirement for enter- ing school to nearly six years of age where before a child could enter at five years because of the pupils being so many months more mature mentally a different and more advanced course of study was outlined whereby a year and a half of the former course could be covered in one year and a year and a half work the following year so that when
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the pupil completes his second year this June he will have covered the work of three years of the former course and be able to take up the fourth grade work of the former course called next September the third grade work of the new course. Beginning in September the ninth grade will be called the eighth, the eighth grade the seventh and so on while the present second and third grades will be called the third grade and will number nearly 200 pupils.
When this grade reaches the High school which it will in six years it will make for four years a greatly increased membership.
The tendency of the eight grade system will in a few years mean a smaller enrollment if no very great increase occurs in the grades so that the policy of erecting a new building for the grades to accommodate for a few years an increased enrollment which might later be smaller would not be an economical one.
I would, therefore, recommend as the most practical and economical plan, the one which calls for an elementary sys- tem of six grades, the using of the present High School build- ing for three grades, and the erecting of a new High School building for the last three years of the school course. In the meantime the present congestion will have to be re- lieved by temporary accommodations.
It is gratifying to note that while the scope of the High School work may not be so extended as in many high schools, because of its inadequate accommodations, the lines of work followed are conducted with excellent results. The graduates of its commercial department are doing good work in the various offices in which employed and frequent words of commendation are received from their employers. As a preparatory school for college, normal and technical schools it has always stood very high.
The students who enter such schools on the principal's certificate, fully carry out in their subsequent work the ex- cellency of their preparation. I cannot commend too highly the work the school is doing along the lines of the present courses.
The principal has always insisted on a high standard not only in scholastic work, but also in moral training. His assistants have ably assisted him in the work of the school and are devoted to their tasks.
I wish that opportunity through the medium of more courses of study in a modern building could be given the boys and girls of Middleboro for getting a broader prepara-
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tion in their school work, and it is because I appreciate the fact that under present conditions such a building as has been planned by the present building committee could not now be erected for $100,000 or even $200,000, that I believe a high school building to accommodate only three grades would be the best solution.
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.
Several changes have occurred in the Suburban Schools since the last report.
In January the Highland School was closed and the eight pupils transferred to the South Middleboro School, satisfactory arrangements having been made to carry them by motor bus.
The seventh, eighth and ninth grades at the Rock, the ninth grade at South Middleboro have been transferred to the School Street School, and the seventh, eighth and ninth grades at the Green are now carried by motor bus to the same school. The two session plan at the Green, Rock and Fall Brook Schools has been discontinued and now all the elementary schools in town are on the full day plan.
Last March a committee of five was appointed at the annual town meeting to investigate the rural school problem and report at the next town meeting.
Whatever is recommended so far as it concerns the transfer of any considerable number to the centre, nothing can be done until more school room is available and the centre schools have their own problem settled. If it were possible the transfer of all the pupils of the 7, 8, and 9 grades to the Central buildings would be for the betterment of these schools.
At the present time this could not be done as the enroll- ment of these grades next year will total 66, divided as fol- lows : 9th grade 19; 8th grade 11, and 7th grade 36.
Of the 12 suburban schools at present, only 2 have a ninth grade, 4 an 'eighth grade and 4 a seventh grade. The segregation of all these grades into a Junior High School would greatly add to the preparation of the pupils in those grades and increase the efficiency of the suburban schools. When considering the housing situation at the Centre, the suburban situation should not be forgotten.
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INCREASE IN TUITION CHARGES.
With the proposed increases in salary, the cost of the schools will be so much more that an advance in tuition is justifiable. The Board has already raised this past year the annual tuition of the elementary schools from $24 to $35 and as the cost per pupil in the High School will be greatly in excess of the present rate, I would recommend the raising of the yearly tuition of High School pupils from $75 to $100 per pupil.
This will give an additional increase of $750.
CHANGES IN TEACHING CORPS ..
There have been fewer changes in the teaching force the past year than during the previous year, and this has been of marked benefit in the work of the schools. This is pos- sibly due to the increase in teachers' salaries. Without further increases, more changes may be looked for. Of these changes, 5 were in the High School, 3 in the central schools, and 4 in the Suburban schools, 12 in all. In 1918 there were 5 in the High School, 4 in the Central schools, and 8 in the Suburban schools, 17 in all. Of the 12 changes the past year, only 6 were to accept better paying positions. The town is fortunate in retaining so many of its teachers at a time when so many changes are taking place. The result has been to give the town better schools. Miss Wicher, supervisor of music for the past two years, resigned in August to accept a more lucrative position as supervisor of music in the schools of Montpelier, Vt.
EVENING SCHOOL.
Last March the town appropriated $100 for paying the expense of carrying on an evening school for the benefit of those of foreign birth who knew little or nothing of writing or reading the English language. This school was opened the week of Dec. 29 with an enrollment of 25 pupils. It is carried on in the Town House School rooms, three evenings a week, for a term of 8 weeks. There are three teachers in charge, and writing, spelling, reading, and numbers are the studies taken up.
It starts out with every indication of being a great success and well worth the small sum of money that it will cost.
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A school of wider scope would be well attended and such a school might well be included in the school work of another year.
CONTINUATION SCHOOL.
At the state election in November, the town, by a very large majority vote, adopted the law whereby any town of the state may establish continuation schools, which are schools where minors between 14 and 16 years of age .who work in factories and mercantile establishments shall attend school a certain number of hours each week. If for any year ending Dec. 31 there have been 200 minors between these ages granted labor certificates, such towns having adopted this law shall maintain such schools. For the year ending June 30, 1919, there were 175 such certificates issued, but recent legislation requiring a minor between 14 and 16 years of age to finish the sixth grade instead of the fourth before he can receive such a certificate will greatly lessen the number to receive such certificates in the future.
MOTHERS' CLUBS.
The Mothers' Clubs are an important factor in our school activities. Through their interest, many things have been secured for the schools. The past year the West Side Club has bought a new piano for the building and the Soule Mothers' Club has also purchased one for that school.
The meetings through the year have been well attended and the schools and the homes have been brought closer in touch with each other.
It is not too much to say that no agency has done so much to make the work of the teachers more effective as have the six Mothers' Clubs now filling an important place in the educational life of the town.
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
I hope that some phase of the work in physical training may soon find a place in our school training.
I believe the day is not far distant when as much atten- tion will be given to the question of health of pupils as now is given to the training of their voices and the development of artistic tastes.
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The dental clinic, the school nurse, and the school phy- sician should be as important factors in public school edu- cation as the supervisor of music or drawing.
A successful campaign was conducted under the banner of "The Health Crusade" last winter in the elementary schools. It is interesting to note that the School Board has already appointed a committee to consider some plan for in- troducing a physical training course in the High School.
SCHOOL LUNCHES.
Plans have been perfected whereby the pupils attending the School Street, Town House, and Union Street schools who carry dinners will be supplied with warm cocoa. A committee of ladies interested in this matter, with the en- dorsement of the School Board, has arranged to have the plan carried out in the School Street building for the 50 or more pupils who carry their dinners.
A warm lunch plan is to be carried out by the North Middleboro Mothers' Club for the benefit of the 40 pupils in the Pratt Free and Pleasant Street schools who carry their dinners. Through the Middleboro Welfare Committee, the West Side pupils are provided with warm cocoa at noon. It is hoped that some arrangements may be made so that the pupils attending the High School may have the benefit of such a plan.
DRAWING AND MUSIC EXHIBITIONS.
It is the intention to hold an exhibition in the Town Hall the latter part of May to show the methods of carrying on the work in drawing and music in the different grades of the schools. This exhibition will include all the schools and will give an opportunity for seeing the progress of the schools in these two special studies from year to year.
It will without doubt be of great interest and as suc- cessful in point of attendance as have been the previous exhi- bitions of a similar nature.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR FIRST GRADE PUPILS.
A rule of the School Board requiring pupils entering the first grade to present a birth certificate showing that the pupil would be six years of age at least during the calendar year, that is before Jan. 1 of the following year, has been
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of benefit to the grade in that no pupil could enter without such an official statement, thereby making it certain that no under-age children could begin work in that grade. This has been the means of keeping the enrollment in this grade at a smaller number, besides placing all children on an equal footing as to age at entrance.
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES.
Dr. Frank Murdock, principal of the North Adams Nor- mal School, spoke before the central teachers in October in regard to the work carried on by his school through corre- spondence courses for the benefit of teachers who had not re- ceived normal training or who wished to receive credits through such courses to count towards securing a normal school diploma.
Several of our teachers have entered as students in those courses and no doubt will receive much benefit from them. It is interesting to note the spirit of these teachers in doing what they can to improve their teaching methods and make them more efficient.
Such an attitude stamps them as worthy of any increase in salary the town can afford to give them.
NEW REPORT CARDS.
A new system of report cards for the elementary schools was introduced in September.
Hereafter, report cards will be sent home only once in two months-five times a year.
No report cards will be given to pupils below the fourth grade, but if a first, second or third grade pupil's standing in any study, conduct or attendance is below the standard, the parent or guardian will be informed by a personal letter.
Record cards for all pupils of all grades will be kept by the teachers as formerly but such estimates will be for two months. These cards can be inspected at any time by parents having children in the first, second or third grade.
This plan requires less work on the part of the teachers and seems to be working out successfully.
HOME GARDENS.
For the third consecutive year the schools of Middleboro have been awarded the silver cup offered by the Plymouth County Farm Bureau for the best record of home gardens
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carried on by the pupils of the towns of Plymouth County.
The cup having been won three times, now becomes the permanent property of our schools.
It is highly creditable to the efficient supervision of the garden supervisor as well as to the committee of ladies having this work in charge that such praiseworthy results should be achieved. It is hoped that the interest in this work will continue and that the exhibition next fall will compare favorably with the one held last September in the Town House School room, which was visited by a large num- ber of interested people.
REPAIRS.
The expenditures for ordinary repairs total the largest sum probably ever incurred in any one year. And yet only necessary things have been done.
Never in recent years at least have the prices of labor and material been so high so that for a hundred dollars it has not been possible to pay for work that fifty dollars would have paid for a few years ago. Among the larger items of ex- pense are included the metal ceilings in the corridors at the West Side building, the new fence at Forest Street, the shingling of the Forest Street building, the new fence at Pleasant Street and renovation of that building, a new floor at the Green, a new ceiling at Thomastown and shingling the Rock building. Other repairs are needed this year and as there is a deficit of $168.52, an appropriation of $2500 will be needed. These times, to keep 18 buildings in repair costs a large sum.
CONCLUSION.
If I have taken too much space in this report to present some of the things the schools of the town need, it is because I strongly feel the need of carrying on the work in the schools in the most practical and efficient manner possible. All that many of us can give our children is the opportunity for acquiring a good education and we should feel deeply the responsibility resting upon us and try to do all we can in liberally paying the services of our teachers, in providing well equipped school buildings and in having an efficient school system that the best possible results may be obtained.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. BATES,
Superintendent of Schools.
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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Mr. Charles H. Bates, Superintendent of Schools :-
Dear Sir : The Middleboro High School has completed another successful year. Work of a broader scope, however, could have been performed in a building supplied with more varied and more modern equipments. During the cal- endar year we have lost five teachers, most of whom were attracted to other positions because of offers of an increase in salary. In order to retain our present teaching force or to supply vacancies that might be caused by their resigna- tions, it will be necessary for Middleboro to join the country- wide movement in making a material increase in teachers' salaries. A work of such a responsible nature should be compensated with something more than a living wage.
The graduating class of last June numbered 44, the second largest in the history of the school. The total num- ber of graduates of the school is now 899. It has occurred to me that the names of the graduates, arranged by classes in printed form, would be very acceptable to the citizens of the town. I therefore submit the following list :
1876
15 Emma W. Osborne
16 Frank A. Pease
2 Minnie D. Case
3 J. Harvey Doane
4 Maraquita P. Eddy
5 Annie E. Leach
19 Myra M. Brayton
20 Nellie P. Chase
21 James M. Colson
22 Alfred M. Cushing
1877
23 William E. Cushman
24 Horace E. Deane
9 Walton E. Clark
25 Jennie S. Tinkham
26 Nellie B. Wilbur
1878
1880
10 Lizzie S. Cushman
11 Julia P. Edwards
12 Clara A. Hagen
13 Lucy M. Jenney
14 Charles M. Leonard
27 Jennie M. Carpenter
28 Alice H. Cornish
29 Joseph H. Crosby
30 James A. Cushman
1 Andrew J. Bisbee
17 Martha S. Pickens
18 J. Warren Pratt
1879
6 Mattie J. Lovell
7 Helena Shaw
8 Annah L. Soule
35
31
Fannie M. Deane
32
Reuben A. Gibbs
33 Charles A. Lashures
34 Nellie F. Southworth
35 Lyman P. Thomas
1881
36 Edith I. Bartlett
37 Alton E. Briggs
38 Mason L. Brown
39 Serena R. Coombs
40 Lurabelle Harlow
41 Caleb T. Lovell
42 Charles E. Lovell
89 Frank E. Tucker
1886
90 Walter L. Beals
91 Nellie M. Bennett
92 Herbert A. Blake
93 Lillian B. Coombs
94 Cora H. Phinney
95 Ida B. Shaw
96 Mary E. Sherman
97
A. Vincent Smith
51
Eugenia F. Bartlett
98
Henry Soule
52 Henry K. Durfee
53 Fannie E. Nelson
100
Lurana W. Thomas
101 Melvin Thomas
55 George W. Stetson
102 Helen F. Thompson
56 Annie S. Vaughan
103 Amelia C. Tinkham
104 Annie H. Weston
1883
1887
57 William E. Crosby
58 John M. Deane
105
Estelle B. Coombs
106 May L. Nelson
107 Julia A. Sheehan
108 Leila B. Thomas
1884
1888
61 Kate J. Alden
109 Carrie E. Alden
62 Jennie Bennett
110 Annie L. Brown
63 Minnie I. Copeland
111 Annie E. Churbuck
64 Jennie L. Dunham
112 Myra Cushing
65 Rose M. Eastman
113 Florence Deane
66 Lizzie N. Fenno
114 H. Gertrude Holmes
67 Alice W. Osborne
115 Lillian M. Monroe
68 Arthur E. Shaw
116
Ida L. Pierce
69 Charles A. Shaw
117 Florence A. Robinson
70 Irene L. Soule
118
Minnie W. Smith
71 Carrie L. Southworth
72 Carlton K. Sparrow
73 Nellie F. Thomas
74 Jennie A. Tripp
75 Elmer L. Washburn
76 Olive C. Wilbur
121
1885
77 Annie M. Alden
78 Alton B. Atwood
79 Bertha H. Champlin
80 William H. Dorrigan
81 Stephen A. Drew
82 Sumner W. Hines
83 William H. McMann
84 Clara B. Pettee
85. Irene B. Pratt
86 Harry S. Rogers
87 Nellie M. Shaw
88 Orrin R. Smith
43 Julia Mansfield
44 Etta F. Mendall
45 Mary E. Mendall
46 Mary W. Shaw
47 William P. Thompson
48 Lillie H. Thornton
49 Cora A. Tripp
50 Nathan S. Washburn
1882
99
Mary H. Swift
54 Walter Sampson
59 . George H. Smith
60 Winthrop K. Tinkham
119 G. Florence Thatcher
1889
120 Marian P. Alden
Della R. Barrows
36
122 Mabel W. Clark
123 Susan A. Dorrance
171
Miriam Hathaway
124 Lizzie H. Drew
125 Elizabeth R. Gruber
126 Hannah J. Harlow
127 Sarah O. Morse
128
Lucretia B. Shurtleff
129
William W. Stetson
130
A. Percival Thompson
131 Granville E. Tillson
132 Carrie L. Tobey
177 Charlotte E. Flagg
178 Bessie B. Gibbs
179 B. Arleen Hackett
180 Sarah B. Kingman
133
Ernest E. Coombs
181
James P. Leahy
134
Annie L. Denham
135 Florence M. Dunham
183
Helen S. Maxim
136 Jennie Gammons
184
George H. Nolan
137 E. T. Peirce Jenks
185
Alice R. Roberts
138
Erna M. Leach
186
Howard C. Ryder
139
Myra K. Leonard
187
C. Augusta Thomas
140
Isabella F. Paun
188
Stella F. Thomas
141
William L. Phinney
189
Ethel G. Nichols
143
Eben H. Shaw
144 Agnes B. Tenney
1895
145
Martha E. Ashley
193
Lillian D. Bump
146
Estella S. Barber
194
Joseph H. Edwards
148 Edith L. Barrows
196
Delia R. King'man
149 Alice H. Chace
197
Fannie Macdonald
150
Amy C. Clark
198
Louise H. Sampson
151
Rozella L. Clapp
199
Etta F. Shaw
152
Mabel H. Monroe
200
Frank M. Surrey
153
Grace I. Paun
201
Herbert L. Tripp
154
Ida M. Pettee
202
May S. Parker
155
Emma N. Phinney
203
Lizzie W. Wade
156
Annie M. Reed
204
Clifford T. Westgate
157
Mary E. Robbins
158
George A. Robbins
159
Harriet B. Sylvester
205
Harry E. Bump
206
Eleazer Caswell
160
John H. H. Alden
208
Arthur B. Deane
209
George E. Gove
162 Lizzie B. Lucas
210
Florence C. Haskins
163 Carrie H. Parker
211
Bertha G. Hayes
164
Edith A. Roberts
212
Fred C. McDonald
165
Charles E. Ryder
213
Lucy E. Merrihew
166
Nellie H. Swift
214
Nettie W. Nickerson
167
Lillie M. Thomas
215 Annie A. Ryder
168
Florence E. Thompson
216
Harry L. B. Sampson
169
Mabel L. Tobey
217
Allan R. Thatcher
170
Arthur H. Tripp
218
E. Gordon Thatcher
1896
1892
207
Walter A. D. Clark
142
Harland H. Ryder
190
Harry A. Wood
1891
191
Mattie Bennett
192
Bertha E. Bryant
147 Eleanor A. Barden
195
182 Annie S. Litchfield
176
Laura A. Atwood
1890
1893
172 Lucy P. Burgess
173 Alice B. Carleton
174 Emily A. Fuller
175 Leonard O. Tillson
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