USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Town annual report of Quincy 1884-1885 > Part 10
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It is a credit to our system that it seeks to rear up no youth- ful prodigies in any special branch of instruction, for mere pedantry and holiday show, but rather to cultivate a wider range of thought and observation, which will lift the pupil from the dull routine of theory, and give the faculties an opportunity for exercise in the broad domain of practical education.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
Notwithstanding the large sums of money which have been expended in enlarging the school buildings of the town during the last ten years, the Committee find themselves constantly confronted with a demand for still greater accommodations.
IO
The following table, showing the number of children by dis- tricts between the ages of five and fifteen years, may be of in- terest to our readers who desire to keep informed on the rapid increase of the school population of Quincy.
1880
1881
1882
1883
1884
Adams,
407
439
501
523
588
Coddington,
306
344
362
388
432
Washington,
27 I
290
312
337
356
Willard,
550
611
646
706
802
Wollaston,
189
197
202
213
236
Atlantic,
225
256
291
279
320
1,948
2,137
2,314
2,446
2,734
These are the exact figures, as shown by the special enumera- tion of children which is made on the first of May each year. It will be seen by this table, that if the increase for 1885 be as large as that for 1884 was over the previous year, in May ensu- ing there will be over three thousand children in the town between the ages of five and fifteen years.
In view of this fact, and its bearing upon the future burden of school expenses, your Committee consider it a duty to recom- mend the adoption of a more comprehensive policy in providing for increased school accommodations. It seems unwise for the town to continue to erect large wooden schoolhouses of the necessary capacity, at a cost of about two thirds the expense of building solid and enduring brick structures.
A strong point in favor of the latter would be the material decrease in the expense for repairs and heating, which sum has aggregated a large amount in the last decade, and is an item which will constantly increase with the age and general decay of wooden buildings.
Having purchased a lot, your Committee, therefore, consider it advisable to state to the citizens of the town, that we shall be obliged, in the near future, to call for an appropriation for the purpose of erecting a brick schoolhouse on this site, which will meet the requirements of that part of the town for many years to come. A twelve-room building, with a capacity for six hun- dred pupils, provided with steam-heating apparatus and general modern conveniences, can be completed, according to estimates furnished by competent authorities, for a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).
One half of this building could be erected at first, giving us six large and convenient rooms, at a cost of $28,000, built upon a plan which will admit of its completion at any time when it becomes necessary, and that without injuring its utility, or destroying its architectural effect.
II
Such a structure, while providing more comfortable and healthy accommodations for your children, would be an orna- ment and a permanent possession of value to the town. With this building, the more populous portions of the town, viz., the west, south, and centre, would be accommodated for a long time to come, and the question of enlarging schoolhouses (except at the Wollaston, which will need an addition in a year or two) practically settled. We believe the adoption of this plan would be a step in the direction of true economy in the administration of school expenditures.
APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES.
At the last annual town meeting the sum of forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) was appropriated for all school pur- poses. At the special town meeting in October, a further sum of fifteen hundred dollars ($1,500) was appropriated for special purposes, as set forth in this report. To this should be added our share of the State School Fund, one hundred and fifty-nine dollars and four cents ($159.04), and the usual income from the Coddington lands, seventy-five dollars ($75), making the total sum placed at our disposal to be accounted for (exclu- sive of the appropriation for the purchase of a lot), forty six thousand seven hundred and thirty-four dollars and four cents ($46,734.04).
The total expenditure has been forty-six thousand four hun- dred and thirty-nine dollars ($46,439), leaving in the treasury a balance unexpended of $295.04.
The items of expenditure are as follows : -
For Teachers' salaries,
$28,510 12
Fuel,
1,807 40
Care of rooms,
2,501 39
Books and stationery,
2,084 13
Incidental expenses,
3,065 68
Transportation of pupils,
888 75
Repairs of buildings,
2,582 II
Salary of Superintendent,
1,500 00
$42,939 58
For purchase, removal, and equipment of the Cod-
dington annex building,
3,499 42
Total,
$46,439 00
Balance unexpended,
295 04
$46,734 04
1 2
For the ordinary school expenses for the ensuing year your Committee recommend the following appropriations :-
For Superintendent's and teachers' salaries, fuel, and care of rooms, $35,700 00 3,000 00
Incidental expenses,
Books and stationery,
2,000 00
Repairs of buildings,
2,000 00
Transportation of pupils,
1,000 00
$43,700 00
To which must be added the sum necessary to complete the payment for the new lot, as per vote of last year, 1,559 60
Total,
$45,259 60
The sum of one thousand dollars, if appropriated for an even- ing drawing school, must also be added to the above amount.
These estimates have been carefully prepared, and we believe the sum as small as it would be possible to make it, to insure the maintenance of our schools up to the required standard.
It is a source of gratification to the Committee that we have the good fortune to retain the valuable services of our Super- intendent, Mr. Aldrich. His well-known ability in the super- vision of the schools, coupled with his admirable tact and genius in the management and direction of a large corps of teachers, renders him an estimable public servant ; and it is earnestly hoped by the Committee that his connection with the schools of Quincy may long remain unbroken.
For an explanation of the various details of school work, and valuable suggestions in regard to what may be desirable in the future, we refer you to the report of the Superintendent here- unto appended, and trust it will receive that careful perusal and consideration to which it is entitled as a part of the report of your School Committee.
JASON G. WITHAM. SIGOURNEY BUTLER. SYLVESTER BROWN. ADELAIDE A. CLAFLIN. JOHN A. GORDON. JAMES H. SLADE.
,
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
To the School Committee of Quincy :
The present constitutes the tenth report in the series, sub- mitted by the Superintendent of Schools. Of this series, the first five were prepared by Col. Parker, and the three following by Mr. Brown. These eight reports treated quite at length of the various studies pursued in the schools. In them, methods of teaching have been discussed, modes of discipline described, and such matters as attendance, tardiness, and truancy have been de- bated. In preparing the ninth report, presented to the Commit- tee one year ago, I made an attempt to summarize the important features of the preceding reports. It was my purpose to bring into one and the same document a somewhat complete state- ment of the ideals which have directed the recent management of the schools, and of the means employed for the realization of these ideals. In view of the facts just stated, it has occurred to me that your attention might wisely be invited at this time, not to the further discussion of such topics as have already been fully treated, but rather, in the first place, to a review of the ten years closing in April, and then to such other matters as may be of immediate interest. The review, which I have in mind, is quite different in character from that offered for your consideration last year. Relating, as it does, chiefly to facts and figures, tabular statements will most readily convey the information which has been collected. These tables I shall beg to accompany by such explanations as may be necessary, and such remarks as may seem to be pertinent. Although this portion of the report may be somewhat lacking in interest, it will be found convenient for future reference, inasmuch as statistics now widely scattered will be here gathered on a few connected pages. Our school management has thus far been distinguished by the absence of what is familiarly known as "red tape." The time of our teachers has not been consumed, and their energies exhausted, by the necessity of performing large amounts of clerical work which can only detract from the real efficiency of the schools.
16
It is to be hoped that, in spite of the steady increase in our population, and the consequent enlargement of our school system, this simplicity of administration may be preserved. There seems to be a well-founded belief that any use of statistics is dangerous, inasmuch as by their means almost anything can be proved. We fortunately have ten reports, which have been compiled in substantially the same way. They will be collated, not for the purpose of substantiating any theory whatever, but simply for the purpose of gathering such information as may be fairly derived from them.
In 1874 the following law was enacted :-
"The School Committee shall annually, in the month of May, ascertain or cause to be ascertained the names and ages of all persons between the ages of five and fifteen years belonging to their respective cities and towns on the first day of May, and shall make a record thereof."
In compliance with this legislation, such an enumeration of the school population has been annually made since May, 1875, under the direction of the School Committee, with the following result :-
Table I. Showing Number of Pupils in Town between 5 and 15 Years of Age for Ten Years.
May 1, 1875
1,727
May 1, 1880
1,948
1876
1,670
1881
2,1 37
"
1877
1,829
66
1882
2,314
1878
1,649
1883
2,446
1879
1,792
1884
2,734
The census in May, 1875, was made by one person in each of the school districts. That of the following year was made by the grammar-school principals, in most cases from their school records, the preceding census and information furnished by pupils, rather than from a personal canvass of their districts. This fact probably explains the apparent decrease observable for that year. In 1877 the enumeration was made by Mr. L. W. Lovell, and in 1878 and the following years by Mr. E. S. Fellows. From Mr. Fellows's previous knowledge of the town and from his additional experience as census-taker, the figures for the last seven years
I7
may fairly be considered most reliable. Having brought together such information as can be had in regard to the number of pupils between five and fifteen years of age, we very naturally inquire as to the school attendance of these pupils. The result of this inquiry is given in the next table.
Table II. Relating to Attendance.
No. of Different . Pupils.
Average Number belonging.
Average Daily Attendance.
Sept. 6, 1875, to Feb. 1, 1876 .
1,544
1,363
I 301
1876 .
1,784
1.397
1,337
1877
1,868
1,436
1.373
1878
1.953
I 484
1,413
1879
1,910
1,551
1.467
1880
2,097
1,643
1,562
1881
2,179
1,650
1,558
1882
2.302
1,779
1,669
1883
2,370
1,809
1,681
1884
2.514
1,939
1,817
The decrease in the number of pupils belonging to the various grades, as we ascend from the lowest primary, is well known to the Committee. The next table submitted shows the number belonging to each class in every school, and also the totals for each grade in the whole town. These figures were taken De- cember 23, and, as I shall have occasion to remark in another connection, give a smaller membership than would be found at other seasons of the year. As a single illustration of this point, we may compare 2,090, the whole number belonging October 3, with 1,996, as shown in the table.
18
Table III. Showing Size of Each Grade, Dec. 23, 1884.
Adams.
Coddington.
Quincy.
Washington.
Willard.
Wollaston.
D Prim.
107
60
36
60
82
19
364
C Prim.
108
54
34
44
78
26
344
B Prim.
56
43
34
42
89
16
280
A Prim.
57
34
45
38
96
286
D Gram.
39
29
23
37
49
19
196
C Gram.
38
36
19
30
43
18
184
B Gram.
40
25
9
I 5
32
19
140
A Gram.
I5
17
8
18
23
16
97
Total,
460
298
208
284
492
149
1,891
High School, 3d class .
32
66
2d
· 37
66
Ist
33
66
advanced class
3
66
66 total
. 105
Total for all schools
1,996
·
·
TEACHERS.
In 1875, thirty-six teachers were employed in the schools. At present fifty-three are required, without including assistants. The increase has been distributed as shown below.
19
1875.
1885.
High
2
3
Adams .
8
IO
Coddington
5
9
Quincy
4
6
Washington .
6
8
Willard
8
I2
Wollaston
3
5
36
53
Of the thirty-six teachers employed ten years ago, only nine re- main in the service of the town. At the beginning of the pres- ent year the corps of teachers numbered fifty. During the year twelve of the fifty have resigned, and among the twelve must be included two principals. No long consideration of these facts is necessary to demonstrate the great difficulty of maintaining a high state of efficiency in the schools. It is of course desirable that a system of schools should do more than maintain its past status. We are bound to strive for a steady increase in excellence as the years go by, and the greatest obstacle in the path of desired progress is this constant change of teachers. It is inevitable that the best teachers should be rapidly called away from a body of schools which has attracted wide-spread attention. The popular idea is that an abundance of teachers is always to be secured. Only they who are intimately concerned in the management of schools realize the difficulty of obtaining individuals whose per- sonal character and professional skill are a guarantee of their value as instructors.
Your attention is next invited to a statement of the annual school expenses for the ten years ending Feb. 1, 1885. Only such items have been considered " extraordinary " expenditures as have been covered by special appropriations.
Toward the end of each of the ten school reports now under consideration has been inserted a balance sheet, from which the entire school expenditure for the year may be readily ascertained. For the first five years the pay of the Superintendent was in- cluded in the pay of town officers, and it has therefore been necessary to add this item to the total, as shown by the balance sheet.
20
Table IV. Cost of the Schools.
Totals.
Extraordinary Expenditure.
Ordinary School Expenses.
Year ending Feb. 1, 1876
$31,985 63
$31,985 63
66
66
1878
31,926 17
31,926 17
66
66
66
1879
31,628 33
31,628 33
66
66
66
1880
42,666 52
Enlarg't Adams, $7,952.93 Alterations High, $915.22
33,798 37
66
1881
33,400 57
33,400 57
66
66
66
1882
36,861 08
Outb'ld'g at High, $500.00 Enlarg't Willard, $6,281.62
36,361 08
66
66
66
1884
41,448 70
Fire escapes, $967.06
40,481 64
66
66
1885
51,998 60
Codd'g'n annex, $3,499.42 Granite St. lot, $5,559.60
42,939 58
66
66
1877
34,105 62
Enlargement of Codding- ton, $3,500.00.
30,605 62
39, 197. 22
1883
45,478 84
66
It should be remembered that $1,300 of the increase observ- able in the expenditures of the year just ended was occasioned by the passage of the free text-book law.
2I
V. Cost per Pupil.
Based on Whole Number Different Pupils.
Based on Average Number Belonging.
Based on Average Daily Attendance.
1875 .
$20 71
$23 46
$24 58
1876.
17 15
21 90
22 89
1877 .
17 09
22 23
2.3 25
1878
16 19
21 31
22 38
1879 .
17 69
21 79
23 03
1880.
15 92
20 32
21 38
1881 .
16 6S
22 03
23 33
1882.
17 02
22 03
23 48
1883
17 08
22 37
24 08
1884 .
17 08
22 14
23 63
As would be expected, the great increase in the number of pupils to be taught, as shown above, has involved a correspond- ing increase in the cost of instruction The following table shows the annual expenditure for teaching only, for a period of ten years : -
22
VI. Cost of Teaching.
INCREASE.
Year ending Feb. 1, 1876
$21,373 48
66
66
1877
22,140 34
$766 86
66
66
1878
22,317 00
176 66
1
66
66
66
1879
22,396 00
79 co
66
66
66
1880
22,243 99
*152 0I
60
66
1881
23,100 92
856 93
1882
24.279 64
1,178 72
66
66
1883
26,540 25
2,260 61
66
66
1884
27.725 50
1,185 25
66
66
66
1885
28,510 12
784 62
66
* Decrease.
In the report for the year ending Feb. 1, 1878, is to be found the report of a subcommittee, to which was referred the question of the readjustment of salaries, etc. The results of the reduc- tions recommended by this subcommittee may be readily gathered from the figures above. The full effects appear to have been realized in the year ending Feb. 1, 1880, when there was an actual decrease in the cost of teaching of $152.01. Since that time the steady increase in the number of pupils and the conse- quent establishment of new schools have involved a correspond- ing increase in the cost of instruction.
23
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN.
Although we have in Quincy comparatively few industries which are likely to offer employment to children, it is important that the laws relating to their employment should be fully observed. I hear occasionally of a pupil who leaves school for the purpose of going to work. As some employers may be inad- vertently disregarding the provisions of the statutes, it seems well to insert here the sections which follow : -
SCHOOLING AND LIMIT OF LABOR OF CHILDREN EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS.
SECTION I. No child under ten years of age shall be em- ployed in any manufacturing, mechanical, or mercantile establish- ment in this Commonwealth; and any parent or guardian who permits such employment shall for such offence forfeit not less than twenty nor more than fifty dollars, for the use of the public schools of the city or town.
SECT. 2. No child under fourteen years of age shall be so employed, except during the vacations of the public schools, unless during the year next preceding such employment he has for at least twenty weeks attended some public or private day school, under. teachers approved under section two of chapter forty-seven by the school committee of the place where such school is kept, which time may be divided, so far as the arrange- ments of school terms will allow, into two terms, each of ten consecutive weeks ; nor shall such employment continue, unless such child in each and every year attends school as herein pro- vided ; and no child shall be so employed who does not present a certificate, made by or under the direction of said school com- mittee, of his compliance with the requirements of this section : provided, that a regular attendance, during the continuance of such employment, in any school known as a half-time day school may be accepted by said school committee as a substitute for the attendance herein required.
SECT. 3. Every owner, superintendent, or overseer of any such establishment shall require and keep on file a certificate of the age and place of birth of every child under sixteen years of age em- ployed therein, so long as such child is so employed, which certificate · shall also state, in the case of a child under the age of fourteen years, the amount of his school attendance during the year next preceding such employment. Said certificate shall be signed by a
24
member of the school committee of the place where such attendance has been had, or by some one authorized by such committee ; and the from of said certificate shall be furnished by the secretary of the Board of Education, and shall be approved by the attorney- general.
SECT. 4. Every owner, superintendent, or overseer of any such establishment, who employs or permits to be employed any child in violation of either of the two preceding sections, and every parent or guardian who permits such employment, shall forfeit not less than twenty nor more than fifty dollars, for the use of the public schools of such city or town.
It will be noticed that no child under sixteen years of age can be legally employed, unless he first obtain from the school com- mittee, or some person authorized by them, such certificate as is required by Section 3, and the form of which is here shown.
Quincy, Mass., 18
This Certifies, That
born in
on the of 18
, ag years,
months, has attended school in Quincy weeks during the year next preceding this date, and that the last twenty weeks of said school attendance dates from 18
. For School Committec.
This Certificate to be kept on file in office of Employer.
This Certificate authorizes the employment of
until 18
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
In February, 1877, the Committee asked for an appropriation of $500 for the purchase of reading-books and stationery. In each of the three following years the sum of $300 was voted by the town for this purpose. In 1881, '82, and '83, $800 was asked for by the committee. By the action of the Legislature of 1884, what had been for seven years the voluntary policy of the town was made compulsory, and widely extended in its operation. The enactment referred to reads as follows :-
25
SECTION I. The school committee of every city and town shall purchase, at the expense of said city or town, text-books and other school supplies used in the public schools, and said text-books and supplies shall be loaned to the pupils of said public schools free of charge, subject to such rules and regulations as to care and custody as the school committees may prescribe.
SECT. 2. Pupils supplied with text-books at the time of the passage of this act shall not be supplied with similar books by the committee until needed.
SECT. 3. This act shall take effect upon the first day of August, 1884.
In complying with this law, Quincy had less to do than most of the cities and towns of the State. Before its passage reading material had been provided for pupils of all the grades, as well as a large share of the paper, pens, pencils, etc., required by them. Even with this advantage at the start, a large increase in expense is unavoidable, when it becomes necessary to make the schools absolutely free to all pupils. During the year arithmetics and geographies have been supplied to pupils promoted to the D Grammar class; histories to those entering the B Grammar, all books to pupils taking up new studies at the High School, and drawing-books to every scholar above the C Primary class. About the same expenditure will be required for three years to come. At the end of that time all pupils of the High and Grammar schools will be using books owned by the town. Thereafter, such purchases will be called for as are necessary to maintain the stock of books in number and in condition. The teachers con- firm my impression that these books are at least as well cared for as those owned by the pupils themselves.
The following form of label is pasted on the inside of the cover of each book, which is charged by its number to the pupil to whom it is loaned. He is free to carry it home whenever he chooses. The purchase, care, and distribution of such quanti- ties of books and supplies make large demands upon the time of the superintendent, diminishing the number of hours which might otherwise be devoted to the more vital interests of the schools.
26
M ANET.
PROPERTY
-OF-
Town of Quincy.
162
QUINCY
2
6.1
Supplied to the School.
[Teachers will be held strictly responsible for the care of books.]
Class Book No.
This book is loaned to the pupil on the following conditions : -
I. It is to be carefully used, and not marked or defaced.
2. If lost or injured, it is to be paid for by the pupil using it.
3. If the pupil leaves school, the book must be returned to the teacher who loaned it.
To WHOM LOANED.
WHEN.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
It is now rather more than five years since the enlargement of the Adams School. In the report of the Committee submitted to the town in 1880, it is remarked : " The house is now as com- modious and convenient as any in town, and seems to be suffi- cient for the wants of that part of the town for many years to come." Since that time the Willard Schoolhouse has also been enlarged, and yet I am obliged, thus early, to call the attention of the Committee to the need of increased accommodations for
27
both these schools. Additional school-rooms could be used to advantage immediately ; in the near future they will be imper- atively demanded. I have endeavored to bring together such figures as will prove conclusively to any reasonable person the necessities of the situation. The table immediately following has been prepared to show the annual increase of pupils in each district since 1878. It will be readily seen that during the last four years the increase in the Adams district amounts to 181, or an increase of 44 per cent over the number shown by the enumeration of 1880; while for the Willard district the corre- sponding figures are 252 pupils and 45 per cent.
ADAMS.
WII.LARD.
Pupils from 5 to 15.
Increase.
Per cent of Increase.
Pupils from 5 to 15.
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