USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1912 > Part 3
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It is pleasing to note the interest the children are tak- ing in this important matter of attendance. I would still urge that parents should not ask so frequently to have
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SCHOOL REPORT
children dismissed, as every time this occurs some work ' is lost that it is not easy to make up. However, we wish the parents of the children to know that teachers and school officials highly appreciate the co-operation given in bringing the attendance to a respectable standard.
High School Pupils
As a rule the standing of the Middleton pupils in the Danvers High School is excellent. But it has been neces- sary for the agent of the State Board of Education to call our attention to a few pupils who were not doing as well as should be expected when the State is furnishing aid to be applied to the funds for paying tuition. The town could not afford to lose this fund from the State on ac- count of the very few pupils who do not do good work, therefore it is necessary to require all to maintain a fair standard of work and regular attendance at the school in the interest of economy as well as for the greater interest of the pupils themselves.
Penmanship
The work in Penmanship has made excellent progress during the past year. Three teachers have taken the di- ploma in the Palmer Method of Business Penmanship and one has mastered the method sufficiently to be well qualified to teach it most successfully. One pupil in the ninth grade, Ethel Fuller, has received a Final Certificate, seven pupils in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades have received Progress Pins for one hundred drills completed as follows: Willis Hood, Frank Johnson, Carolyn Hender- son, Ethel Fuller, Adelaide Morgan, Maud Bent and Emma Moen and more than fifty pupils from the fourth grade up have earned the Palmer Method Button for twenty-five drills completed. Most of the pupils in the four upper grades are now writing in all their work, an easy, rapid and legible hand.
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SCHOOL REPORT
The time required to teach this method of penmanship is the same as was given to the copy book system, which is but fifteen minutes a day. But with this rapid, easy movement, time is saved in all written work and other subjects receive the advantage of this time saved.
Music
The music, under the supervision of Mr. Henry L. Stone, has progressed. very well during the past year. Mr. Stone's report will give an outline of the work done in this department.
In order that all subjects might have their proper share of time, the time given to music was shortened somewhat at the opening of the fall term, so that there are now in the upper grades, three thirty minute periods a week given to music, besides the period taken by the Supervisor. This is more than is allowed in most schools, but we cannot seem to get along with less under existing conditions.
Drawing
Miss Solomon, who begun her work as Supervisor of Drawing in November, has shown that she has definite and systematic plans for work, well adapted to all the grades. An outline of these plans is given in Miss Solo- mon's report which is submitted herewith.
Reading and Spelling
We now come to two of the most important subjects in the whole course of study. Without the ability to in- terpret the printed page and express on paper his own thought, the child is handicapped throughout his entire school life and his after life as well. Therefore, we are giving special attention to these subjects.
The Progressive Road to Reading, used in the lower grades, is producing excellent results. The children are
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SCHOOL REPORT
led to read thoughts and give them with expression that means something to them and to those who listen.
In spelling the number of words to be learned daily has been reduced so that the children may be able to master them. There are constant reviews, both oral and written. The pupils are taught how to study and teachers are urged to teach spelling more and to test spelling only enough to find out whether or not they have taught effec- tively.
Other Subjects
The other subjects of the course are receiving their proper attention and time and the work is being done efficiently in all the grades. I beleive it is only just to the teachers of the school to say that they have maintained a standard of work in your schools that will compare most favorably with that of any town in the county. In fact, I think the time is at hand when we should consider the advisability of reducing the system to eight grades. This can be done without in any degree lessening the value of the school to the children or endangering their prepara- tion for taking up the work of the high school course.
Books
Some necessary additions to, and changes in the book lists have been made during the past year. The reading lists in the middle grades has been strengthened by the addition of books two, three and four of the Progressive Reading, Tell It Again Stories and Graded Literature Readers. The Man Without a Country and The Community and Citizen have been placed in the upper grammar grades. The remaining books of the Gulick Hygiene series have been adopted giving an excellent course in this sub- ject in grades four to eight inclusive. Only one or two changes will be necessary during the coming year, but some books that are badly worn will need to be replaced with new editions.
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SCHOOL REPORT
District Meeting
A meeting of teachers was held at Wenham Oct. 28, 1911, which included all the teachers of Wenham, Essex and Middleton and most of the teachers of Hamilton; also members of the Committees of Wenham and Essex. The program consisted of conferences by grades and an excel- lent address by Mr. Julius E. Warren, agent of the State Board of Education upon the subject, Education for Effi- ciency. A dinner and social hour concluded the program.
To Parents
In closing this report, I wish to extend to all parents a cordial invitation to visit the schools often and to bring to our attention any matter that will be of advantage to us in making the schools of greater interest and value to the children and to the community. The teachers are al- ways pleased to have parents come to the school and con- fer with them in relation to the work of the children. A few minutes talk with the teacher may be the means of changing the whole life of some child whom that teacher has failed to reach in the most helpful way.
If any person outside the family has the right to know the individual characteristics of the children, it is the teacher whose duty it is to deal with those children in her efforts to develop sterling character, power of mind and heart, and train them for efficient citizenship in after life.
The report of the Music and Drawing supervisors are found below and are made a part of this report.
Respectfully submitted, Harvey R. Williams, Superintendent of Schools.
Middleton, Mass., February 2, 1912.
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SCHOOL REPORT
To the Superintendent of Schools:
The same grouping of grades for the music lesson has been adopted this year that was necessitated last year by the re-arrangement of grades in the various rooms.
The children of the first two grades have been given simple tonal and rhythmical exercises for the training of the ear, easy exercises for reading, and many attractive and appropriate songs for note-singing. These children do remarkably well in their music, and they take such pleasure in the work that it is a delight to visit them.
In their work for the training of the ear, the pupils of the third grade to the seventh have been called upon to solve numerous tonal and rhythmical combinations of vary- ing degrees of difficulty. The chief work in these grades, however, has been the singing of the songs and exercises in their respective readers; and this work has been done very creditably. Occasionally biographical comments have been called for, particularly when the composer of a song is one on whom the world has put its stamp of great- ness.
In the eighth and ninth grades the Fourth Reader has been used so far this year; and from this reader the pupils have received systematic instruction in all of the minor keys. From time to time little talks on the great com- posers and their works have been given. No opportunity has been lost for impressing on the minds of these pupils the importance of music in the education of the emotions.
The efficiency of the teachers in teaching music is gladly acknowledged and their efforts are highly appre- ciated. To them is due much credit for the attention the pupils give and for the love they evince for the work.
Respectfully submitted,
Henry L. Stone.
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SCHOOL REPORT
To the Superintendent of Schools,
Dear Sir:
I began the work of drawing teacher in the Middleton Schools last November, and have found the teachers, as a whole, responsive and eager to co-operate. The splendid spirit shown by the children has also helped greatly in the work.
I have tried in general to follow an outline which will accomplish these ends; increase the ability of the child- ren in appreciating beauty; give them power to express that beauty; develop in them skill of hand and eye, and help them to be accurate in their observations.
We started in the autumn with the study of color; ap- plied it to the drawing in color of autumn flowers and fruits; conventionalized the blossoms and fruit sprays into units of design, and applied the designs to the arti- cles made in construction work.
Since the first of the year, object drawing has been our subject. In the lower grades much attention has been given to free-hand paper cutting.
In all cases, I have tried as far as possible to correlate the drawing with other studies.
Respectfully submitted,
Genorie P. Solomon, Supervisor of Drawing.
Malden, Mass., Jannary 17. 1912.
APPENDIX
School Calendar 1912-1913
March 29, 1912. Schools close for spring vacation.
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SCHOOL REPORT
April 8, 1912. Schools open for spring term.
June 21, 1912. Schools close for summer vacation.
11 WEEKS TERM.
September 9, 1912. Schools open for fall term.
November 27 to December 2. Thanksgiving recess.
December 20, 1912. Schools close for Christmas.
15 WEEKS TERM.
December 30, 1912.
Schools open for winter term.
March 28, 1913. Schools close for spring vacation.
13 WEEKS TERM
April 7, 1913. Schools open for spring term.
Holidays in Term Time
Washington's Birthday, February 22.
Patriot's Day, April 19.
Memorial Day, May 30.
Columbus Day, October 12.
Thanksgiving Day, November 28.
School Census September 1911
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age.
Boys
78
Girls
65
Total, 143
Number of children between 7 and 14 years of age,
Boys
59
Girls
48
Total, 107
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SCHOOL REPORT
Number of illiterate minors over 14
·
1
Number of blind
.
0
Number of deaf
.
0
Number of feeble-minded .
.
0
Sight and Hearing Test
Number of pupils enrolled
· 132
Number defective in eyesight
14
Number defective in hearing
6
Number of parents or guardians notified
.
6
Registration and Average Age by Grades September 1911
Grade
Registered
Average Age
I
18
6 yrs.
II
11
7 yrs. 1 mo.
II]
8
7 yrs. 11 mo.
IV
16
8 yrs. 10 mo.
V
17
10 yrs.
VI
20
12 yrs.
VII
19
12 yrs. 11 mo.
VIII
16
13 yrs. 11 mo.
IX
10
14 yrs. 8 mo.
Roll of Honor
The numbers show the terms the pupils have not been absent and the stars indicate that they have not been tardy.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Vera Soper 3*
Dorothy Collins 1*
John Reilly 3*
Esther Ogden 2*
Donald Henderson 1*
Ruth Soper 2*
Stanley Van Horn 1*
·
.
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SCHOOL REPORT
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL No pupil reported as perfect in attendance.
LOWER GRAMMAR
Stewart Barnaby 1*
Helen Irving 1*
Evelyn Brown 1*
Marion MacDonald 1*
Ludwig Carmichael 1*
Camilla Newton 1*
Milton Collins 2*
Laura Peabody 1
Gladys Currier 3*
William Phair 2*
Gertrude Gould 3*
Ruby Richardson 3*
Arthur Gould 1*
Leon Soper 2*
Ruth Tyler 1*
UPPER GRAMMAR
Maud Bent 1*
George Merrill 3*
Elmer Campbell 3*
Melville Merritt 1*
Otto Currier 2
Margaret Newman 3*
Raymond Currier 2
Raymond Nichols 1
Roger Estey 2* Myrtle Peabody 3*
Arthur Fuller 1 Frank Pervere 1
Carolyn Henderson 2* Edward Phair 2*
Frank Johnson 1*
Chester Rogers 3*
Fred Merrill 3*
Myron Wilkins 2*
Middleton Grammar School-Graduation Exercises Tuesday Evening, June 20, 1911
Program
March
.
Margaret Newman Ruth A. Randall
"Morning Ramble"
Chorus
Prayer
Rev. Dorrall Lee
"The House by the Side of the Road,"
Hazen M. Richardson
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SCHOOL REPORT
"When the Sun in Splendor Rising" Chorus Scene from "Merchant of Venice" Marion E. Wylie, Mary E. Bent Arthur K. Fuller
Essay, "Good Citizenship," Frank E. Johnson
"A Message to Garcia," Chester M. Rogers
"Farmer Stebbins at Foot-ball," Otto T. Currier
"A Moonlight Boatride," Chapel Choir-Chorus
First Boat Second Boat
Carolyn E. Henderson
Hazen M. Richardson
Marion E. Wylie
Raymond E. Nichols
Margaret Newman Willis E. Hood
Carrie Randall Chester M. Rogers
"The Perfect Tribute"
Elmer O. Campbell Edward J. Phair
Willis E. Hood George E. Merrill
William P. Campbell Myron O. Wilkins
The Class of 1911 Carolyn E. Henderson Roger W. Esty
"The Nursery Rhyme Suite," Chorus
Presentation of Class Mr. H. R. Williams Supt. of Schools
Presentation of Diplomas Mr. Albert F. Henderson, Chairman of School Board "The Two Grenadiers," Chorus Music under direction of Mr. Henry L. Stone. Assisted by Mrs. Hazen K. Richardson, Violinist; Roger W. Esty, Pianist; Edward J. Phair, Cornetist.
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SCHOOL REPORT
GRADUATES
Mary Estella Bent
Elmer Oliver Campbell
William Patrick Campbell
Otto Theodore Currier
Roger William Esty
Arthur Knights Fuller
Carolyn Esther Henderson
Willis Edward Hood
Frank Edwin Johnson
George Edward Merrill
Margaret McArthur Newman
Raymond Everett Nichols Edward Jeremiah Phair
Carrie Gertrude Randall Ruth Albertina Randall Hazen Mills Richardson
Chester Madison Rogers Myron Otis Wilkins
Marion Evelyn Wylie
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
School Statistics 1910-1911
Months and
Days
Number
Enrolled
Boys
Girls
Enrolled
Average
Average
Attendance
Attendance Per cent. of
Number between
5 and 15 years
Number between
7 and 14 years
Number over
15 years
Number under
5 years
Half-Day
Absences
Tardiness
Dismissals
Grammar School Lower Grammar
9-9
31
18
13
30.4
29.4 34.9
96.5 92.4
25
20 35
6 0
0
405 1076
34
17
9-9
39
17
22
37.8
32.2
29.8
92.5
31
0
0
0
905
83
29
Intermediate Primary
9-9
36
19
17
30.
27.6
91.3
36
19
0
0
947
72
10
Averages and Totals
137
72
65
130.4
121.7
93.2
131
74
6
0
3333
255
94
TEACHERS, SALARIES, ETC, 1911-1912
NAMES OF TEACHERS
SCHOOLS
GRADES
SALARY
WHERE EDUCATED
C. Alice Manning \ Eva A. Fuller
Grammar
VIII-IX
$14.00 per week
Somerville High
$14.00
Vermont Acad. & Private School
Bertha M. Sperry
Lower Grammar
VI-VII
$13.00
Salem Normal
Hazel E. Weston Mary A. Mulalley Nellie C. Howe
Subs.
Intermediate
IV-V
$10.00
Danvers High
Primary
I-II-III
$13.00
Salem Normal
Henry L. Stone Genorie P. Solomon
Music
$5.00
Harvard
Drawing
$4.00 alternate w'ks
Salem Normal
66
38
9-9
31
18
13
Salem Normal
$13.00
39
0
Enrolled
Membership
FLINT
MIDDLETON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
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