USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1911 > Part 16
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Sargent, Herbert L. ex. 13 70
Have collected since January 1, 1912, not included in the above list $14,168.76, leaving uncollected $55,350 85.
HENRY A. PARKER,
Tax Collector for 1909, 1910 and 1911.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
Superintendent of Schools
OF THE
TOWN OF SAUGUS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1911
F
SAUGU
OW
162.9.
1815
LYNN, MASS. FRANK S. WHITTEN, PRINTER
1912
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
HARRY T. TURNER, Chairman . Term expires 1913 JOSEPH L. MCCULLOUGH, Secretary, Term expires 1914 HORACE H. ATHERTON, JR. Term expires 1912
Bills must be presented not later than 5 P. M. of the date they are to be considered by the Committee.
Assignment of Schools.
To Mr. Turner - Felton, Lincoln, Cliftondale, Armitage, Emerson.
To Mr. Mccullough-High, Roby, North Saugus, Lynnhurst, Oaklandvale.
To Mr. Atherton-Ballard, Mansfield.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
WILLIAM F. SIMS.
Office in Town Hall.
Office Hours : 4 to 5 P. M on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. 8 to 9 A. M. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. 8.30 to 9 A. M. Wednesday at Cliftondale Brick School.
Residence, 15 Emory Street.
SCHOOL CALENDAR.
Fall term (16 weeks), September 6-December 22, 1911. Thanksgiving recess, 2 days.
Winter term (S weeks), January 2-February 23, 1912. Spring term (S weeks), March 4-April 26, 1912. Summer term (7 weeks), May 6-June 21, 1912. Grammar School graduation Friday, June 21, 1912. High School graduation Tuesday, June 25, 1912.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL.
2-2-2-2 on the fire alarm.
7.45. A. M. means that the High School session for that day will begin at 9 o'clock.
S.15 A. M., means no morning session in any school whether the previous signal was given or not.
11.30 A. M. or 12.45 P. M., no afternoon sessions.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Town appropriation, March, 1911 . $44,000 00
Library Trustees 150 00
State, tuition . 401 00
City of Boston, tuition 170 00
Tuition of individuals 36 67
Sale of paper and books to pupils 2 58
Damage to school property
S5
Police Court for broken glass . .
3 00
$44,764 10
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries, teachers and superintendent, $30, 172 08
Janitors ..
3,781 35
Supplies
4,116 34
Fuel 3,431 14
Water, gas, electricity 320 82
Medical inspection
150 00
Census .
71 28
Truant officers
75 00
Manual Training, teacher and sup-
plies .
489 96
Rent at East Saugus
475 00
Essex County Training School
78 00
Town of Wakefield, tuition
60 00
City of Melrose, tuition .
25 00
Transportation of children
242 40
Incidentals
1,271 12
44,759 49
Unexpended balance
$4 61
6
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Supply Expenses.
E. E. Babb & Co., books and gen-
eral supplies $2.412 OI
American Book Co., books 143 02
Ginn & Co., books 195 36
Silver, Burdett & Co .. books. ·
47 24
J. L. Hammett Co., supplies . 147 82
L. E. Knott, App. Co .. laboratory supplies 83 07
F. J. Barnard, rebinding books 254 91
Allyn & Bacon, books 48 30
D. C. Heath & Co., books 78 35
Little, Brown & Co .. books
21 37
Houghton, Mifflin Co .. books 15 61
Milton Bradley Co., supplies . 306 73
Schoenhoff Book Co., books . 42 0I
Goldena Mfg. Co., Goldena
20 76
Murphy, Leavens & Co .. supplies
25 23
N. J. Wales, supplies
·
27 60
Wadsworth. Howland & Co .. sup-
plies .
19 39
Miscellaneous firms
227 56
$4,116 34
Incidental Account Items Not Listed Elsewhere.
Express .
$13 98
Postage, telephone, car fares, care of supplies ·
95 04
Repairs and permanent improvements. 533 05
Extra janitor service and cleaning . 102 29
Laboratory supplies
29 64
Printing .
121 05
Manual training equipment .
65 76
Two pianos
62 50
Neostyle
40 00
Sewing machine
23 04
Stove for North Saugus .
29 25
Miscellaneous items
155 52
$1,271 12
7
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Special Inside Repairs.
Town appropriation
$1,000 00
Expenditures .
999 18
Unexpended balance ·
$ 82
For details of special repairs, expenditures see Auditor's Report.
Repairs, Essex Street School.
Town appropriation
$1,250 00
$1,250 00
EXPENDITURES.
Stone, Underhill Heating and Ven-
tilating Co.
$937 00
D. B. Willis
200 00
.
$1,137 00
Unexpended balance $113 00
Report of the School Committee.
In making the annual report of the School Committee the Committee has reason to believe that the school work for the year I911 has been well and properly done. Although the annual appropriation of $44,000 was the largest appropriation yet made by the Town for school maintenance the Committee feels that every cent of this amount has been spent to the best possible advantage and no waste or unnecessary expense has been allowed. This fact shows plainly for itself when we find that the Saugus schools have been conducted -this year at a per capita saving of fifty cents per pupil over the per capita cost of last year.
Opening of Schools.
The schools opened in good form on September 6, with every teacher present, and work was begun at once. Less trouble was experienced this year in finding room for the pupils due to the fact that the new Ballard School at East Saugus afforded an opportunity for taking care to a certain extent of the overcrowded schools in Cliftondale. By opening this school this year the Town has saved an expense of $So per month formerly paid for rent of two rooms in the Masonic Building at East Saugus with the additional benefit derived of affording far better school accommodations for the pupils. In the Ballard School the Com- mittee believes that the Town has an excellent school from a practical point of view. School buildings from now on should be built of brick and large enough to accommodate all the eight grades. This kind of a school makes a school center and pupils do not have to change schools during their eight year course in order to find their grade. Cliftondale should have just such a building. There is no school center in Cliftondale. The largest
9
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
school being the Felton school of six rooms. This school has to supply such a large area that only six grades can be formed in the building thereby making it necessary for children to pass the school to find their grade in another building. This is something that can not be remedied unless a central school can be built with eight rooms affording opportunities for all grades. This would relieve the congestion in the other schools so that through combining two small grades in some of the rooms, school facil- ities would be supplied nearer to the children's homes. Com- bining two grades in one room does not make for perfection in education but it woud relieve the trouble now prevalent in long walks to schools and past other schools for the children to find their grades.
The Cliftondale school population is growing about one room per year. At present the Cliftondale schools can not accommodate all the pupils residing in Cliftondale so that the Committee finds it necessary to transport the surplus to the Ballard School. The increase in school population in Clifton- dale and East Saugus will necessitate the opening of two more rooms in the Ballard School, our only building having any unoccupied rooms.
Teachers.
Although each year brings various changes in the teaching corps the number leaving us this year has been fewer than usual. On account of this fact the work of the schools has been of a better quality. But as one extreme usually follows the other we fear almost to a degree of expectancy that the changes will be many next year. The reason for these many changes is the fact that on account of our close proximity to Lynn, Malden, Everett, Somerville and Boston, the school officials in those cities find it easy to select some of our teachers for more remunerative salaries than Saugus can offer. To overcome this, we would be obliged to pay our teachers larger salaries. But it can not be expected that Saugus can compete with Lynn, Malden, Everett, Somerville and Boston in this respect. Therefore, Saugus can not expect to reach immunity from this trouble. Although the
IO
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
burden of the school expense is heavy and the amount paid the teaching force in a gross amount seems large. it really is not, for individually, Saugus is paying less for teachers than many other towns of much smaller population.
The Oaklandvale School.
For a long time it has been apparent to the Committee that the Oaklandvale School should be closed and the pupils sent to the Roby School where they would receive the benefits of a graded school. The Committee feeling that the pupils could receive a much better education and under better sanitary con- ditions and at a saving to the Town, therefore stated in its last report that unless some objection was raised from some consider- able number of parents of children attending this school by August 1, 1911, the Committee would feel entitled to assume that the proposed changes would meet with the general approval at Oaklandvale. No objection was received by August 1, there- fore the Committee voted to close the school. On September 1, the Committee received a petition signed by several residents of Oaklandvale asking that the school be kept open. A hearing was granted to the petitioners who had an opportunity to state fully their reasons and represented that quite a number of children would attend that school this year. The Committee feeling that the schools are for the public and that the residents of Oaklandvale constitute a part of the public and are paying their share for the maintenance of the schools, voted to reopen the school. The Committee however, felt disappointed after the school was opened to find that only eleven pupils were enrolled and that the year closed with a membership of only thirteen. Several of the families who objected to closing the school evi- dently thought later that the Committee was right and sent their children to the Roby School.
The Higher Entrance Age.
The Committee is confident that the right thing was done in changing the entrance age of pupils from five to six years. The principal reason for this is that the child is much stronger
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
physically and mentally to take up the school duties at six years of age, and it has been clearly demonstrated that the children who enter school at six years of age have made better progress than those who entered at five.
Armitage School.
During the summer of 1911 a modern heating and ventilating plant was installed at the Armitage school, taking the place of the old antiquated system of heating by jacketed stoves with little or no ventilation. The Town voted the sum of $1,250 for this work and the Committee feel pleased to be able to return to the Town treasury the sum of $113, the work having been done for $1,137.
Coal Supply.
The Committee called for bids for the supply of coal this year as usual. Only two bids were received, that of the Lynn Coal Company and the other of the People's Coal Company also of Lynn, the local bidders apparently not caring to bid. The contract for furnishing the coal was awarded to the Lynn Coal Company, it being the lowest bidder. The bidders and their bids are as follows :
Lynn Coal Co.
People's Coal Co.
Georges Creek
$3 90
$4 25
Lackawana egg
5 65
6 75
Lackawana broken
5 40
6 25
Lackawana stove
5 68
7 00
Lackawana nut
5 65
7 00
The usual method of the Committee for the inspection of the coal was followed this year thus insuring correct weight. The quality of Lackawana coal is excellent. To guarantee the quality of the Georges Creek the coal company is obliged to furnish us with the bill of lading showing the coal to be genuine Georges Creek coal. Bills for coal are only approved after comparing exactly with the inspector's record of weight and the
I2
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
janitor's record of its delivery. The coal company also fur- nishes a bond with two sureties for the faithful performance of their contract.
Schools Named.
At the last annual Town Meeting, your School Committee was instructed to select what. in its opinion, would be more suitable names for the new brick and Chestnut Street Schools at East Saugus, as well as for the Old Lincoln Avenue and Essex Street Schools at Cliftondale, and report back to the Town. The Committee gave the subject its best thought and attention, with the result that it recommends the new brick school be officially named the Ballard School for the earliest settlers of that part of Saugus where this school is located : the Chestnut Street School the Eliza A. Mansfield School, in honor of the late Eliza A. Mansfield, who taught in this building or its predecessor for over 50 years ; the Old Lincoln Avenue School the Abraham Lincoln School in honor of the martyred President of that name ; and the Essex Street School the Laura F. Armitage School in honor of the late Laura F. Armitage, who taught a great many years in this building.
The Committee feels that naming schools of the Town after faithful and efficient teachers who have devoted almost their entire lives to instructing and guiding the young is an excellent plan and needs no argument in its favor. Neither does it think it necessary to say that no more appropriate name could be found for one of our schools than the Abraham Lincoln School, thus perpetuating the name of one of the world's greatest men who sprang from the loins of the people.
The new brick schoolhouse at East Saugus is located on the original Ballard farm, and the name of Ballard School will honor a name now extinct in Saugus, and prove a fitting tribute .. to one of the oldtime families whose members were generous . and kindly to all. William Ballard was one of the very first citizens of Saugus. He was a farmer and received sixty acres in the allotment of lands in 1638. He was also admitted a freeman the same year. His farm consisted of what is now the entire
..
13
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
village of East Saugus. His two sons, John and Nathaniel, divided the farm in 1697. About 1725 a town way was laid out by the Selectmen through the farm from the old Boston road so- called (now Lincoln avenue) to the lower landing, as it was then known. The street is now Ballard street, from which the new schoolhouse is easily reached.
After almost a hundred years of alienation from the Ballard family, one-half of this farm was bought back by William Ballard: the other half continued in possession of the Norwood heirs until about 1800, when this was bought by John Ballard, Esq., of Boston, who then became the owner of the entire farm. In 1802, he built a new hotel a few rods south of the old Land- lord Newhall Tavern, not far from the site of the present new schoolhouse, and from 1815 to 1822 he made this house his resi- dence. During subsequent years the farm was partly cut up into house lots and sold, making the present village of East Saugus. The early Ballards, as well as their descendants, were always keenly interested in educational and religious matters in Saugus, and, under all the circumstances, your Committee feels that no more fitting name than the Ballard School can be found for our latest and thoroughly modern acquisition in the way of a school building. It therefore has the honor to respectfully recommend that its action in naming the Eliza A. Mansfieid, Laura F. Armitage, Abrabam Lincoln, and Ballard Schools be approved, and requests that hereafter the said schools be officially known under those several designations.
Respectfully submitted, HARRY T. TURNER, JOSEPH L. MCCULLOUGH, HORACE H. ATHERTON, JR.
Report of Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of the Town of Saugus :
The Nineteenth Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools is herewith presented. It includes the usual reports, tables and statistics.
School Work.
There is no difference of opinion in regard to the essential work to be done in the public school. Our children must be taught reading, writing and arithmetic. Failing in this, the public school can have little excuse for its being. But reading, writing and ciphering do not constitute the end of public school work. They are simply the means for the accomplishment of a much greater end. If we had nothing else to do than teach the three traditional R's, we might easily cut off six years from our public school course without seriously curtailing the proficiency of our product in these particulars. Our pupils would then enter school at seven years of age and leave at fourteen equipped with a fairly good training in the elementary branches of knowl- edge. Be that as it may, the academic work of our schools compares favorably with that done elsewhere. We go to our colleges and other institutions of learning, to the workshop and the store to find that our pupils are not distinguished by a greatly inferior training in academic school work.
Courses of Study.
New courses of study in language, geography and history are being used this year. As a result of this we are looking for an improvement in our work in these branches, especially in
15
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
language. To awaken thought is the most difficult task of the public school. To get the best expression of that awakened thought is hardly less difficult. The maturity of the individual pupil has much to do with both.
Age of Entrance.
In accordance with a previous vote of the Committee no pupil was to be admitted to school last September who would not be six years of age before January 1, 1912. On account of that our cost of maintenance for the present year is at least one thousand dollars less. It also means a very material gain in physical strength and mental development for the pupils. Next September we shall probably need to maintain two more first grade rooms than we have now.
In this connection it is well to note that the average age of the pupils in the first grade failing of promotion last June was six months below the average of those promoted in the same grade. A similar condition may be found also in preceding years. This fact is mentioned in justification of your act of raising the age of entrance.
Manual Training.
Aside from the construction work done under the direction of the Supervisor of Drawing our manual training work consists of bench work for boys and sewing for girls in grades eight and nine one hour per week. Pupils from the high school are per- mitted to take similar work at the same time as our regular classes if we have room for them. With an added appropri- ation of two hundred dollars we could double the time now given to the eighth and ninth grades for this work. This increased time for manual training is needed in order that we may get the full benefit of our outlay so far for this work. While the work now done is commendable in view of the short time devoted to it, yet it lacks the precision and finish that characterizes the work found in places giving more time to the subject.
16
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
Manual Training Schedule.
Mondays in Old Town Hall.
S.45-10. A Division of Grade IX. IO-II. Roby School, Grade VIII.
12-1.15. B Division of Grade I.Y.
1.30-2.30. Felton School, Grade VIII.
2.30-3.30. Ballard and North Saugus Schools, Grade VIII. Sewing for the girls at the schools according to above schedule.
School Exhibit.
Three hundred fifty-one pupils in Saugus were given four potatoes each last spring by the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Seventy-eight of these pupils exhibited the crop raised from their potatoes on the afternoon and evening of September 15, 1911 in the High School Assembly Hall.
First prizes of one dollar each were offered for the best peck of potatoes, for the best plate of seven potatoes, and for the least number weighing fifteen pounds. Ten second prizes of fifty cents each were offered in each of the three foregoing classes.
The first prize winners were Marie Skehan for the best peck, Constance Obear for the best plate of seven potatoes : Alice Penny for the least number weighing fifteen pounds.
The second prize winners for the best peck of potatoes were Miriam Metcalf, Allison Raddin, Marian Robinson, Bruice Crocker, Albert Gibbs, Alice Blood, Herbert Illingworth, Edith Pilling, Winslow Hodgdon, Louise Johnson.
Second prizes for the best plate of seven potatoes were won by Irving Hodgkins, Victor Eliason, Hazel Dexter, Earl Terrill, Josephine Dunton, Leonard Whiteside. John Cochrane, Ray- mond Lutz. Ellery Metcalf, John Fox, Charles Getchel.
Second prizes for the least number weighing fifteen pounds were awarded to Warren Parrott, Edmund Price, Earl Allsop. John O'Brien, George Sprague.
Other Work Exhibited.
In addition to the potato exhibit there was a general exhibition of manual work done in the schools the past year. Examples
17
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
of drawing, designing. sewing and wood working were dis- played, together with vegetables, fruits and flowers. some of which were raised by the pupils.
Through the influence of the judges of our exhibit. Messrs. Karl F. Koch, William Sim and Henry J. Mills. the beauty of the exhibit was greatly enhanced by displays of fruits, flowers and vegetables by Saugus citizens and by two large flower firms outside of Saugus.
The Manola Orchestra donated its service aud furnished music during the whole evening of the exhibit. adding much to the enjoyment of the occasion.
Essex Agricultural Fair.
Some of our exhibits of potatoes. wood working and sewing were later exhibited at Topsfield. There Alice Penny was given a third premium for the best plate of seven potatoes. Mary Moses won the first premium for a work bag. Gladys Trask received the first premium for a shirt waist. Mildred Borland received a third premium for a shirt waist.
Field Day.
The expense of the exhibit was met with funds raised from our field sports on June 17, 1911. In this way we raised $73.37. Our expenses amounted to $33.75. The balance. $39.62 is deposited in the Home Savings Bank of Boston.
Our sports consisted of running races for the boys of the eighth grade and two games of base ball. High School vs. Alumni and Married men vs. Single men.
One of our citizens very kindly donated a silver cup for the winner of the foot race, which was won by Alfred Parkins.
The Saugus Brass Band donated its service for the Field Day and greatly enhanced the pleasure of the day for the large number of people in attendance.
Coaching Teachers.
At the close of school last June, the regular teachers affirmed unqualifiedly that 139 pupils were promoted as a direct result of the work of the special teachers. Of course. these
2
18
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
special teachers worked with many more than 139 pupils, many of whom were promoted. While some of the latter would undoubtedly have been promoted without the aid of the special teachers still there is no doubt about the improvement in the work of these pupils on account of the assistance of the special teachers. Each pupil failing of promotion entails an additional expense of approximately $25 if not in financial outlay surely in lost efficiency for the school system. If our three special teachers had succeeded in saving from failure only sixty pupils the outlay would be justified as a bona fide business proposition
Few places have so many pupils per teacher as Saugus, con- sequently the general demand for this sort of work is not so strong in many places as here. Yet some places having less than thirty pupils per teacher are employing special teachers to work with backward children.
This is a new movement in education since 1890, and one that has a wider adoption today than at any time in its history. The time will soon come when the practice in some one or more of its forms will be a regular part of all public school systems. It is not a fad or a frill since it introduces no new and untried subjects to the already overloaded school curriculum. It seeks to make more effective our work in long established and unques- tioned lines of education.
The work can not be abandoned. It must be done in some way. I believe our way is the most economical. No part of our school population stands more in need of efficient training. Better curtail expense in some other way than to lessen so materially the whole efficiency of your school system.
Pupils Who Are Not Backward.
Not alone is the backward pupil to be considered in this dis- cussion. The work of the special teacher with the backward pupil is equally helpful to the brighter pupil whom she may never meet. Simply because the regular teacher being relieved of the unavoidable and necessary individual work with the backward pupil has more time to do the regular, legitimate
19
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT.
work of the whole school. So the bright pupil in order that he may receive his just dues needs to have the special teacher working with the backward pupil.
How We Do the Work.
Of the many ways in which this work is done, such as by vacation schools, ungraded schools, special teachers for non- English speaking pupils, special assistants, principals' assistants, disciplinary schools, etc. We are using the plan that is now followed in Fitchburg. Fitchburg has employed special teach- ers for backward pupils for twenty years, where " after several years' experience with the type of ungraded class in which children backward in one or more branches took all their work in the ungraded rooms, a change was made to a plan by which the child engages in general exercises in one of the regular grades, and comes to the special teacher about 20 minutes each day for special help in the troublesome study. This teacher has no other children to watch, no other work to supervise. The special weakness of each child is considered, and the work planned accordingly. At least twice the number of children reached by the former plan can be reached by this plan. Fifty different children a day has been the highest number, forty to forty-five being the usual number."
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