USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1920-1921 > Part 32
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While these changes, based wholly on scores made on these tests, were experimental, I believe that the results warrant a more general use of standardized and intelligence tests in the promotion of our pupils.
Some years ago the elementary schools were interested in the School Savings Bank, and many of the pupils formed the habit of depositing money regularly. This was given up during the World War when each one was urged to buy Thrift or War Savings Stamps. I would recommend that the School Savings Bank work be again taken up, for in no better way can we teach thrift to our boys and girls.
In closing, I would express my appreciation of the sup- port given me by the School Committee, yourself, and my teachers, for I feel that whatever has been accomplished at the Mount Pleasant School is due to the loyalty and co- operation of all.
Respectfully submitted,
AUGUSTA M. MORTON,
Principal of the Mount Pleasant School.
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REPORT OF HEDGE SCHOOL
Mr. Charles A. Harris,
Superintendent of Schools, Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Sir :- The work of the Hedge School for the past year has shown steady progress, due to the efficient, con- scientious and harmonious service rendered by the teachers.
Following I make note of some of the work that has been done, of some that is now being done, and of certain plans and recommendations for the future.
In order to keep up with the broader views of educa- tion, we have sought more and more to vitalize and socialize the work by introducing into the school for study and solution, real problems of real life,-problems of the home, the factory, the outside world, and social life. Through- out the school pupils are encouraged to plan and execute, both as groups and individuals.
On the sand tables they have illustrated the subjects. which they have studied. Eskimo, Indian, Dutch and Ja- panese villages, Thanksgiving and Christmas scenes have been represented. One class in geography has recently completed a Pueblo Indian house about two feet square on the base and eighteen inches high, built of adobe bricks made of clay. With a jackknife and some small pieces of wood they carved Indians, which they painted and dressed. These, with little wooden ladders and bits of gayly colored pottery, which they also made, gave a very realistic ap- pearance.
Some classes have used molding, free hand cutting and illustrative drawings, and have made collections of the products of different sections of our country to motivate
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geography. Interest in the news of the day, has been increased by making current events scrap books. Pupils have been encouraged to read good books at home by having lists of suitable books in the school room and dis- cussing the contents of those read. They have conducted recitations, played educational games, printed signs and announcements, kept store, dramatized stories, given little plays and have had periods for free choice occupations, un- supervised.
As marked interest was shown in the study of industries, special emphasis has been placed upon those of our own town, their value and our dependence upon them. The best way to teach this is to have the children visit workshops and factories to see how different articles are made. This year for the first time we have been able to do this to some: extent. Our thanks are due Mr. C. D. Howland, who in- vited the older boys to come to his carpenter's shop where he told them about the methods of modern carpentry and explained the different machines in use; also to the Plym- outh Cordage Company, for giving an afternoon for some of the classes to attend their moving pictures of the process of rope making.
The playground has been our greatest help in socializing discipline. I wish to speak especially of the excellent work of the teachers in planning and directing games adapted to the physical needs of the children, at the same time teaching cooperation, self-control, self-reliance and sym- pathy. We greatly need a larger playground, as many of the best games for the older pupils have to be omitted for lack of space in which to play them. As a further heip toward socializing discipline, we hope to form a School Club. The club will have the customary officers with a council in place of an executive committee. At the regu- lar meetings of the club the rights and duties of citizens will be discussed, also ways and means by which the con-
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duct in school, on the playground, and on the street can be improved. It will be the duty of the members of the council, in as much as they are able, to see that all recom- mendations, decided upon by the club are carried out.
The inspiring and instructive lectures on Educational Tests and Measurements which you gave to the teachers were greatly appreciated. We look forward to the time when such tests will become universal in the town. A few standardized tests in reading, arithmetic and spelling have been given, and they have proved valuable in locating the need of the individual and in rating the standing of the school. We hope to use them more extensively during the coming year, giving each test twice, thus keeping a record of each child's progress.
At the opening of school in September the rooms were more overcrowded than usual. The two-room portable building which was erected in a few weeks. relieved the situation with very little interruption in the work of the school. An addition of three or four rooms to the main building would care for the increasing population in this section of the town.
Every year we aim to introduce some exceptional features intended to make the established routine broader, and more effective. For the past year the following may be so rated: first, the addition of two hundred stereographs, à lantern and fifty slides. three pictures, one in a first grade room and two in the fourth, and two small victrolas, all of which were bought with money earned by the child- ren ; second, a school orchestra, composed of boys from the third and fourth grades; third, two projects in connection with the Tercentenary Celebration of the Landing of the Pilgrims, the construction of a model of the Harlow House and a Pilgrim Pageant. The carrying out of these two pro- jects gave a comprehensive knowledge of Plymouth history.
Before beginning to construct the Harlow House, a com-
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PUEBLO HOUSE. Constructed by Fifth Grade Pupils, Hedge School.
HARLOW HOUSE Made by Pupils of Hedge School.
PILGRIM PAGEANT. Given by Pupils from Hedge School.
PILGRIM PAGEANT Given by Pupils from Hedge School.
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mittee, consisting of two pupils from each class visited the house to make observations and take measurements. Later, cach pupil in the fourth grade drew plans of the house, from one of which the boys built the model. Whenever possible they watched carpenters at work to learn how to frame the house, how to build the stairway, and the right, way to put on shingles and clapboards. With a glass cut- ter, which was loaned by one of the parents, they cut glass for the windows, they whittled wooden latches for the doors and attached latch strings. The girls made curtains for the windows and dressed Pilgrim dolls.
The little people of the first grades molded bricks from clay, baked them, and after painting them to give them a natural color, they built the chimney and two fireplaces, cementing the bricks together with a mixture which they prepared themselves. They also molded candle sticks, and- irons, shovels and tongs, kettles to hang on the crane, and even hammered and shaped a brass kettle. They imitated pewter plates and mugs by using clay and silver paper, and folded, cut and pasted the kitchen furniture. The children in the second and third grades constructed the remaining furnishings and made little braided rugs for the floors. Frequent visits to the Harlow House were neces- sary to obtain correct forms and proportions. Much care- ful study preceded each step in order to have as accurate a representation as possible. The Old Colony Records, all library books that could be found on the subject, and other books loaned by some of the townspeople were consulted, also letters of inquiry were written to societies interested in antiquities. This research resulted in furnishing a con- siderable amount of general information in regard to such matters as the history of brick making and plastering, types and purposes of early architecture, and kinds of materials used in building. To complete this project a brief history of Plymouth was written, including a descrip-
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tion of the original Harlow House and a copy of the in- ventory of its contents at the time of the death of its owner, William Harlow.
Our pageant was called "The Children of the Pilgrims," and so far as possible it portrayed the child life. It was given in June, out of doors, the wooded hills sloping to the sandy shore of Hedge Pond, making an ideal spot for this particular event. Nine episodes in the life of the Pilgrims were given, each class taking one episode and making a thorough study of the subject. The program was as follows :
THE CHILDREN OF THE PILGRIMS
Hedge School, Friday, June 17, 1921.
Episode I Merrymaking in England.
1 Crowning May Queen. May pole dance.
2 Folk dances. Looby Loo. Gathering peascods.
3 Robin Hood and his men in "A hunting we will go"
4 Pilgrims enter to say farewell.
Episode II The Pilgrims in Holland.
1 A Dutch scene.
2 Frivolity enters and enjoys scene.
3 Dutch children teach the Pilgrim children how to play games.
4 Morality enters, looking sad.
5 Mothers of Pilgrim children much displeased, take their children away.
6 Pilgrims decide to go to America.
Episode III The Mayflower Sails for America. Episode IV On Board the Mayflower.
1
A Sunday evening Song Service.
2 John Alden and Priscilla amuse children who are tired of the long voyage.
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3 Two little playmates.
4 Land in sight. All thank God. Compact is signed. Landing on Plymouth Rock.
Episode V America as the Pilgrims found it.
1 Assembly of Indians.
a. Putting up of tepees.
b. Entrance of medicine men, war-chief, squaws and maidens.
2 Indian Dance. Appeal for clear sky.
3 Indian Game. Pu-in.
4 Indian Dance. Prayer to the Great Spirit.
Episode VI Pilgrim Scenes.
1 Coming of Samoset.
2 Treaty of Peace with Massasoit.
3 A Spinning Lesson.
4 Pilgrims going to Church.
Episode VII In the Spring.
1 Sunshine and rain waken pussy willows, mayflowers and violets.
2 Pilgrim girls gather flowers.
3 Dance of joy.
Episode VIII The First Thanksgiving.
1 Gov. Bradford and Elder Brewster plan to have a Thanksgiving Feast.
2 Invitation sent to Indians.
3 Return of messenger.
4 Dinner is prepared.
5 Indians arrive.
a. Pilgrims and Indians shoot while waiting for din- ner.
6 Thanksgiving Feast.
7 Peace Pipe and departure of Indians. Episode IX Later Pilgrims.
1 English. Sailor Dance.
Danish. Ace of Diamonds.
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Portuguese. O Vira.
French. In the Spring.
Norwegian. Mountain March.
Scotch. Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Sailor's Horn- pipe.
Italian. Tarantella.
2 Flag Drill.
3 America Enters.
4 Wheel of Democracy.
5 Song of the Adoption.
The children brought in most of the required properties, and some of them made their own costumes under the di- rection of the teachers. The parents showed much inter- est in the work, and we wish to extend our thanks to them for their cordial cooperation.
It has been our custom to have all the pupils assemble on Monday mornings for devotional exercises, chorus singing, and a short entertainment for which a specified class is re- sponsible. Altogether this takes twenty minutes or a half hour and is one of the most valuable periods on the pro- gram. As the schools are required to observe legal holidays with suitable exercises, the classes meet together for that purpose. These exercises last about an hour. Occasionally we give entertainments for the benefit of the school. The only available place for these various assemblies is the corridor of the building which is not large enough to accomodate four hundred children. They are very much crowded, and as there is no room for chairs of any kind, they are obliged to stand, which is a difficult thing to do for so long a time. We hesitate to invite the parents and other guests, whom we both need and want to come, as we cannot make them comfortable. Opportunities for the children to have illustrated lectures, to hear good speakers and good music are lost for the same reason. One of the schools great- est needs is an Assembly Hall.
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The many over-age children as well as those who are immature are a handicap to good work. Additional rooms for such pupils would raise the standard of the school.
So much interest and talent has been shown by the boys in the upper grades, that we feel if a small amount of money could be expended to fit up a room in the basement with a few benches and simple tools, many worth while projects could be developed.
Electric light fixtures are needed in the rooms which are without them. Pupils and teachers would be greatly bene- fited on the many dark days and our lantern could be more generally used. The building is wired throughout, but six rooms are without fixtures.
The lawn in front of the school house needs a curbstone to protect it from being washed out by storms and worn away by pedestrians.
The health of the children and the attendance of the school are seriously effected by the large amount of water which collects in the street in front of the building dur- ing severe rain storms and when the snow is melting. The water from Cherry Street and Standish Avenue pours down the gutters in great quantities, and not having sufficient outlet at the foot of the hills, floods the street covering the low sidewalk, thus making entrance to the building practically impossible. We wish something might be done to better the condition.
The school has been particularly saddened by the death of one of its teachers, Miss Grace Bramhall, who has taught in the school ever since it started. Miss Bramhall was at earnest and loyal teacher, always eager to do whatever was best for the school. Her death is a sad loss and she will be greatly missed.
Before closing this report I wish to express my apprecia,- tion and that of my associates for your continued interest and kindly supervision.
Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH H. SAMPSON, Principal of the Hedge School.
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AMERICANIZATION AND EVENING SCHOOLS
Mr. Charles A. Harris,
Superintendent of Schools, Plymouth, Mass.
My dear Mr. Harris :- I herewith submit my first annual report as Director of Americanization and Evening Schools.
Adult classes in Americanization have been conducted at the Plymouth Cordage Company's plant. Owing to a large number of men who were out of work, having re- turned to their native countries the enrollment there has been only about half that of last year. Four classes have been carried on, one of these being a class in Citizenship.
The classes assemble at Harris HIall immediately after the work of the day and continue in session from 4.45 to 5.45 o'clock. The zeal shown by the men in these classes is most commendable, the enthusiasm and service of the teachers excellent and the cooperation of the plant's offi- cials most encouraging.
Classes in Americanization have also been carried on at both the Knapp and Cornish Evening Schools, which are equally successful.
Two classes for women have been maintained. Miss Pi- mentel giving instruction to a group of Portuguese ladies at the Knapp School on Wednesday and Friday evenings, Miss Ortolani is conducting a very enthusiastic class of Italian ladies at the Spooner Street School, which was wired last Fall so as to be used for this purpose. This class meets three evenings a week and has twenty members. The zeal of both pupils and teacher are most commendable.
A class in Citizenship has been conducted by Miss Pimen. . tel at the Portuguese National Band Club on Standish Avenue. This class was composed of men who are soon to become naturalized citizens and some who already were
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citizens but who wished to know more of our Government. There have been twenty men in the class and the attendance has been excellent; it has been decidedly successful. ! would strongly recommend that classes be opened at clubs whenever we find them desiring it. Many could be reached in this way that could not by the regular evening schools. A man will many times put in an evening in study at his club when he would not go out to a school building.
Four of our Americanization teachers, and the Director, have State Certificates for this work. One other is taking the course now at Boston University on Saturdays. The work, to be most successful requires special training and we are fortunate in having teachers who will give up their vacation periods or Saturdays to obtain this training.
The work of Americanization is far reaching and we . trust that the appropriation for it will be sufficiently large to develop it more and more.
The record of the evening schools from October 24, 1921 to February 1, 1922, is as follows :
Knapp School.
Number of males enrolled,
76
Number of females enrolled, 14
Average number belonging,
75.60
Average evening attendance,
63.69
Per cent. of attendance,
84.24
Cornish School.
Number of males enrolled,
27
Number of females enrolled, 21
Average number belonging.
28.45
Average evening attendance,
23.32
Per cent. of attendance,
81.98
One other class in Citizenship will have been opened by the time this report will have been printed. This class will meet in one of the rooms at the Cornish School and will be composed entirely of men who are expecting to take out their final Naturalization Papers in June.
WILLIAM WHITNEY,
Director of Americanization and Evening Schools.
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PRACTICAL ARTS COURSES.
REPORT OF STATE-AIDED PRACTICAL ARTS COURSES, 1920-1921.
Mr. Charles A. Harris.
Superintendent of Schools, Plymouth. Mass.
Dear Sir :- The Evening Practical Arts School for the year 1920-1921 opened on September 27, over one hundred women joining to take advantage of the free lessons in Dressmaking and Millinery. It was a very successful year, the finished products being exceptionally fine.
Both afternoon and evening classes were held. each class having two lessons a week. The courses were carefully arranged so that anyone completing them was fitted to make a simple hat or dress without assistance.
On account of sickness the attendance in some of the classes was irregular, which interrupted the work consider- ably: but those who did attend. however. benefited by the instruction. and some were so interested that they asked for the lessons to be continued.
Certainly those who saw the work done in these classes can have no doubt of their value.
The members of the advisory committee are: Mrs. J. H. Standish, Mrs. H. W. Whiting, and Mrs. E. F. Kelley.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH H. SAMPSON.
Supervisor of State-Aided Practical Arts Courses.
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REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.
Mr. Charles A. Harris,
Superintendent of Schools, Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Sir :- I present to you the following report of the music in the public schools of Plymouth since September, 1921, together with a few suggestions as to ways of im - proving our music department.
We must first, last, and all the time, insist that music is an educational essential not to be neglected; helping to make the boys and girls capable of working to the best interests of themselves and of the society of which they form a part. Our aim in public school music is to make the boys and girls love music. To make true music lovers of the masses is no small task and the hope of the future lies in the school children. If we can, therefore, in spite of all the influences that tend to a low standard of musical taste, make intelligent music lovers of our children in the schools, we may feel that we have accomplished much. There is danger, in our public schools, of losing sight of our aim by allowing the technical factor to crush the spirit. To get the right mixture of music appreciation and music expression is no small task, especially in the few minutes given to music each week. More time must be given to this important sub- ject if we are to obtain results.
In the teaching of singing in our schools the process of unfolding and developing should be continuous. "Each pe- riod of a child's development has certain predominant char- acteristics, and out of these characteristics arise definite opportunities and needs which we must consider." The Progressive Music Series, which we are using in our schools,
PLYMOUTH TWENTY-THREE
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recognizes this fact and supplies us with material that appeals to the minds and interests of the children for whom it is intended.
In the first three grades the powers of imagination and memory are used as the chief instrumentalities in the learn- ing process. Many beautiful songs are learned during this period; a large number are learned by note and many are used for sight reading. In the first three grades much per- sonal attention is given to monotones and to others who have abnormal voices.
Beginning with the 4th grade and continuing through to the 7th grade, the children are taught to organize the previ- ous experience into workable drill. Tone, time and theory drills should be continued until the child becomes inde- pendent and has a perfect command of the vocabulary of music and is familiar with the various symbols used in written forms of music. The most important feature in teaching these elements of music is intelligent, well-directed practice. Enough time is not allowed in our school pro- gram to give the children the drill needed to overcome tonal and rhythmic difficulties. Let us remember that intelligent music reading is more than word-calling or tone-sounding, it is getting the thought conveyed by the printed symbols. Ideas lie back of music just as they lie back of language and children must be taught how to listen for these ideas as expressed in music.
The seventh year in music should be one of the most en- joyable stages of study to the pupil. This is not the time to teach music reading : that should be accomplished in the first six grades. All songs used now should be attractive and tuneful and within the reading ability of the pupil. Music is an emotional art and its influence at this time can not be over-estimated; it should be used as a means of ex- pression. The boy or girl of this age is more interested in singing songs, in part singing and playing in an orches-
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tra than in working out technical difficulties. Therefore, more time is needed in the first six grades that the boys and girls may not be handicapped when they reach this most important period of development.
At present, our Junior High School problem is a difficult one. Owing to the limitations of time and other conditions the boys and girls who enter our Junior High School have not mastered the technical problems of music. They still need class-room drill skillfully carried on by a competent teacher. The departmental plan should be used in music, as in other subjects, and a specially trained teacher em- ployed to teach music in the class room. Under the condi- tions existing now, the 8th and 9th grades at the Junior High School are receiving no music instruction except for one music period a week when they meet the supervisor un- der most unfavorable circumstances. Some of the boys of these grades have developed bass voices and the introduc- tion of the bass staff increases the sight reading difficulties at a time when he is least able and least inclined to sing. He needs much assistance and encouragement at this time ; also much practice. It is impossible, under present condi- tions, to give the boys this needed attention. Meeting, in the upstairs corridor, classes numbering from forty-nine to ninety-three is not giving a square deal, either to pupil or teacher. It is simply impossible to do efficient work under existing conditions and the supervisor feels most seriously handicapped in her work.
The boys and girls are working on the operetta, "The Stolen Flower Queen," by Grant-Schaefer, to be given later in the season.
This year music was made elective in the High School. Out of a total enrollment of 352, 265 elected the chorus singing. This is encouraging and leads us to believe that our aim in public school music has not been lost sight of and that the boys and girls do love music. More courses in
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music should be offered in the High School. A course in Harmony and one in Music Appreciation should be added to the High School curriculum. With the talent which we have in our High School, these two courses should prove popular and beneficial. The High School chorus is work- ing on the cantata "Barbara Frietchie," by Jules Jordan. A splendid spirit is shown by these High School boys and girls.
The orchestra work in the Junior and Senior High Schools is most ably cared for by Mr. Clarke. Orchestras are being formed in the lower grades under the direction of the super- visor. The Knapp School has started with an orchestra of twelve pieces.
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