USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1897 > Part 6
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Spelling. - Graves' Spelling Book, also words from reading, geography and history lessons.
Language. - Grammar, written work, composition writing, declamations, selections from Holmes and Lowell.
Arithmetic. - Banking, stocks and bonds, proportion, simple examples in square root and mensuration, reviews.
Geography. - Completed and reviewed topically. History. - Completed and reviewed topically.
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Physiology. - Nervous system, special senses, reviewed topically.
Drawing. - Prang No. 6 Drawing Book. Supplementary work.
Writing. - Copy book.
Music. - As directed by special teacher.
Nature Work. - Following Boyden's Outlines.
Course of Study - High School.
FIRST YEAR.
Algebra, book-keeping, physical geography, Latin or French or English, study of authors, reading - Sketch Book and Deserted Village.
SECOND YEAR.
Geometry, botany, civil government, Cæsar or French, Eng- lish, study of authors, reading - Twice Told Tales, Lady of the Lake, Enoch Arden.
THIRD YEAR.
Physics and chemistry, Cicero, English history, French, study of authors, algebra, geometry.
FOURTH YEAR.
Astronomy and geology, or Virgil, English literature, French, English composition, declamation, drawing and music throughout the course. Course may be modified for pupils preparing for College or any other higher institu- tion. Home reading of the following books : -
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List of Books.
ALHAMBRA . Irving
ARABIAN NIGHTS
BEN HUR . Wallace
CHRISTMAS TALES Dickens
CHILDREN OF THE ABBEY . Roche
DAVID COPPERFIELD Dickens
DRED .
Stone
FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS COURT Muhlbach
GULLIVER'S TRAVELS
. Swift
HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES
Hawthorne
JANE EYRE
Bronte
JOHN HALIFAX
Mulock
KENILWORTH
Scott
LORNA DOONE Blackmore
Lytton
LITTLE MEN
Alcott
LITTLE WOMEN Alcott
IVANHOE . Scott
Bunyan
QUENTIN DURWARD
Scott
TALISMAN
Scott
RAMONA Jackson
RIENZI Lytton
RISE OF SILAS LAPHAM
Howells
ROBINSON CRUSOE .
. Defoe
SCOTTISHI CHIEFS .
Porter
SHIRLEY
Bronte
TALE OF TWO CITIES Dickens
THE VASSAR GIRLS ABROAD Champney
TOM BROWN AT RUGBY Hughes
TOM BROWN AT OXFORD Hughes
OLD FASHIONED GIRL Alcott
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN Stowe
LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY Burnett ·
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA Verne
Two GREAT RETREATS . Grote and Legur
THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS Ebers
VICAR OF WAKEFIELD Goldsmith
SILAS MARNER . Eliot
THE NEWCOMES Thackeray
ELSIE VENNER . Holmes
LAST DAYS OF POMPEII
PILGRIM'S PROGRESS
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ROMOLA Eliot
ADVENTURERS OF ULYSSES
Lamb
ÆSOP'S FABLES
BIRD'S CHRISTMAS CAROL
Wiggin
MILL ON THE FLOSS Eliot
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Jane Austin
STORY OF PATSY Wiggin
DONOVAN . Lyall
ABBOTT
. Scott
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK E. INGALLS,
ELDRIDGE F. SMALL, School Committee.
EDWIN M. BAILEY.
SWAMPSCOTT, Feb. 20, 1897.
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1897]
Rules and Regulations of Swampscott Schools.
SCHOOL SESSION.
SECTION 1. The session of the High School shall begin at 8.45 and close at 1.30.
The morning session of the Grammar grades shall begin at 8.45 and close at 11.30. Afternoon sessions shall begin at 1.30 and close at 3.30.
The morning session of the Primary Schools shall begin at 8.45 and close at 11.45. Afternoon session shall begin at 1.30 and close at 3.30.
TEACHERS.
SECT. 2. All the school rooms shall be opened, and the Principal and Teachers shall be present therein, both morning and afternoon, at least fifteen minutes before the time fixed for the session to begin. The pupils shall be in their seats, and the exercises of the school shall commence and close punctually at the prescribed hours. Every pupil entering the school room after the hour of opening, whether bringing an excuse or not, shall be considered tardy, and so marked in the register.
SECT. 3. The morning session shall commence with reading from the Bible by the teachers, and any other devo- tional exercise as they may deem proper.
SECT. 4. The teachers are required to obey faithfully the following statute of the Commonwealth: "It shall be the duty of all instructors of youth to exert their best en- deavors to impress on the minds of children and youth com- mitted to their care and instruction, the principles of piety
·
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and justice, and a sacred regard to truth, love of their coun- try, humanity, and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, and frugality, chastity, moderation, and temperance, and those other virtues which are the ornament of human society, and the basis upon which a republican constitution is founded; and it shall be the duty of such instructors to endeavor to lead their pupils, as their ages and capacities will admit, into a clear understanding of the tendency of the above mentioned virtues, to preserve and perfect a republican con- stitution, and secure the blessings of liberty as well as to promote their future happiness, and also to point out to them the evil tendency of the opposite vices." (Pub. Stat. chap. 44, sect. 15).
SECT. 5. Teachers shall practice such discipline in their schools as would be exercised by a judicious parent in a family, and shall avoid corporal punishment in all cases where good order can be preserved by milder means ; but, when corporal punishment shall be deemed necessary, it may be resorted to, and a record thereof, with the cause, nature, and amount of punishment, shall be made and kept for examination.
SECT. 6. For violent opposition or open rebellion, the teacher may dismiss the pupil from school, and shall then immediately inform the parent or guardian of such pupil, and on the same day shall apply to the Committee for advice and direction.
SECT. 7. Teachers may have one day in each term for the purpose of visiting schools, and teachers desiring to attend the meetings of the State and County Teachers' Association may dismiss for that purpose.
SECT. 8. When, by reason of sickness or other cause, a teacher is unable to be at school, the Committee must at once be notified, that a substitute may be provided.
SECT. 9. The teacher shall see that the school rooms
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are clean, and that entries, yards and out-buildings are kept in good condition ; they may command the services of the janitors in executing this requirement. They shall also see that the windows in their respective school rooms and entries are closed, and the doors locked at the close of the exercises for each day. Teachers shall make such rules as are neces- sary and reasonable for good order and neatness on the school premises.
SECT. 10. No person shall be permitted to enter a school for the purpose of promoting the sale of any article whatever; nor shall teachers allow notices to be given, advertisements, circulars, or other printed matter to be dis- tributed, or any like interference with the ordinary and regular course of instruction in the school.
PUPILS.
SECT. 11. No child shall be admitted into any of the public schools without a permit; and no child shall be en- titled to receive such permit until satisfactory evidence be given that the State law as to vaccination has been observed.
SECT. 12. Children shall be admitted to the Primary Schools upon furnishing satisfactory proof that they are qualified to go on with some class in the same ; and if unable to read shall be admitted not later than two weeks after the beginning of the Fall and Spring terms.
SECT. 13. Every pupil shall be required to attend school as constantly as possible, and in case of tardiness or absence to bring a written excuse from his or her parent or guardian. No scholar shall be dismissed during school hours except upon presentation of a similar request.
SECT. 14. No scholar shall be allowed to leave the school during a session, or before dismissal of the school, except on account of sickness or some pressing emergency, of which the teacher is to judge ; and a written or personal
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request from the parent or guardian shall be required where the necessity is not evident.
SECT. 15. Teachers shall require scholars to pay proper attention to personal cleanliness.
SECT. 16. Any pupil who is guilty of marking, cutting, defacing, or in any way injuring any of the school-houses or the out-buildings, or the trees belonging to them, shall repair the same, or be amenable to the law.
SECT. 17. All pupils are strictly forbidden to climb on any tree, fence, railing, ladder, etc., about the school-house, or to throw stones, snow-balls, or other missiles, about the neighborhood of the school-house, or to use any profane or indelicate language.
SECT. 18. Any pupil misappropriating, injuring, or destroying any of the text books or supplies loaned him or her by the Town, shall subject his or her parents or guardian to payment for the article so misappropriated, injured or destroyed.
SECT. 19. Reports of each pupil's work in all grades above Grade II shall be made from time to time to the par- ent or guardian ; in such reports, as well as in all records kept by the teacher, ranking, when resorted to, shall not be by percentages, but as follows : A for excellent, B for good, C for passable, D for poor, and E for bad.
JANITORS.
SECT. 20. The duties of the janitors of the different school-houses shall be as follows: To sweep and carefully dust all the rooms twice every week, airing the rooms while sweeping, and keep the basement clean and in good order at all times ; to clean the house, washing the floors thoroughly three times each year, viz. : in August, December and April ; to wash all windows twice each year, in August and April ; to wash and clean the water-closets as often as necessary ;
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to shovel the snow and keep the paths safe in winter; to keep the doors and windows closed and locked when the school is not in session; to report forthwith to the teacher and Committee any injuries done to the school-house, out- buildings, trees, or fences ; to build fires when needed, and have the rooms warm -67º to 70º F. - at the time for open- ing the school, and to give proper attention, when required, during the day ; to take general care and superintendence of the school-house and grounds to the satisfaction of the Committee. No extra payment shall be allowed for any of the above duties.
STORM SIGNAL.
SECT. 21. In case of severe storms a signal for no ses- sion of the schools will be rung on the fire alarm. This sig- nal will be 2-2. The morning signal will be rung at 7.30 A.M., and the one for afternoon at 12.30 P.M.
Extracts from Public Statutes Relating to School Legislation.
CHAPTER 498. - An Act Relative to the Attendance of Children in Schools.
SECTION 1. Every person having under his control a child be- tween the ages of eight and fourteen years, and in every city and town where opportunity is furnished, in connection with the regular work of the public schools, for gratuitous instruction in the use of tools or in manual training, or for industrial education in any form, a child between the ages of eight and fifteen years, shall annually cause such child to attend some public day school in the city or town in which he resides, and such attendance shall continue for at least thirty weeks of the school year, if the schools are kept open for that length of time, with an allowance of two weeks' time for absences
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not excused by the Superintendent of Schools or the School Commit- tee. Such period of attendance shall begin within the first month of the fall term of school, and for each five days' absence of any such child thereafter, in excess of the above allowance, before the com- pletion of the required annual attendance of thirty weeks, the person having such child under his control shall, upon the complaint of the School Committee or any truant officer, forfeit to the use of the pub- lic schools of such city or town a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, but if such child has attended for a like period of time a private day school approved by the School Committee of such city or town, or if such child has been otherwise instructed for a like period of time in the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or has already acquired the branches of learning required by law to be taught in the public schools, or if his physical or mental condition is such as to render such attendance inexpedient or imprac- ticable, such penalties shall not be incurred.
SECT. 2. For the purposes of the preceding section, School Committees shall approve a private school only when the teaching in all the studies required by law is in the English language, and when they are satisfied that such teaching equals in thoroughness and effi- ciency the teaching in the public schools in the same locality, and that equal progress is made by the pupils therein, in the studies re- quired by law, with that made during the same time in the public schools; but they shall not refuse to approve a private school on ac- count of the religious teaching thierein.
SECT. 3. The truant officers and the School Committee of the several cities and towns shall vigilantly inquire into all cases of neg- lect of duty prescribed in section one, and ascertain the reasons, if any, therefor; and such truant officers or any of them, shall, when so directed by the School Committee, prosecute in the name of the city or town any person liable to the penalty provided for in said sec- tion. Police, district and municipal courts, trial justices and judges of the probate court, shall have jurisdiction within their respective counties of the offences described in section one.
Penalty for Disturbing Schools.
" Whoever wilfully interrupts or disturbs a school or other assem- bly of people met for a lawful purpose, shall be punished by impris- onment in the jail not exceeding thirty days, or by fine not exceeding fifty dollars." Pub. Stat., sect. 23, chap. 207.
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REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
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CHAPTER 203. - Malicious Injury to Buildings.
SECTION 78. Whoever wilfully and maliciously or wantonly and without cause destroys, defaces, mars or injures a school-house, church or other building erected or used for purposes of education or relig- ious instruction, or for the general diffusion of knowledge, or an out- building, fence, well or appurtenance of such school-house, church or other building, or furniture, apparatus or other property belonging to or connected with such school-house, church or other building, shall be punished by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the jail not exceeding one year.
Authority of. Teachers over Pupils.
Section 1 of chapter 44 of the Public Statutes imposes upon the teachers of the public schools the duty of instructing their pupils in good behavior.
The Constitution of the State makes it the duty of all institu- tions of learning to train those committed to them in the practice of every virtue. To attain these ends it is necessary that a wise govern- ment over the pupils shall be uniformly and persistently maintained. The teacher is therefore vested with the authority of the parent in the control of the children in their relations as pupils of his school.
1. In the school-room he has exclusive control of his pupils, subject only to the direction of the school committee.
2. He may rightfully exercise the same full control over his pupils at any time while they are on any part of the school premises.
3. While the pupils are on their way to and from the school, the authority of the teacher may be considered as concurrent with that of the parent or guardian. If the pupils in coming to school, or in going from it to their homes, commit an offence against the civil laws, it will be well to leave the offenders in the hands of judicial or parental authority. But if the children quarrel on their way, or are wilfully tardy, or use indecent and profane language, or in any way by their conduct injure the good order and discipline of the school, the teacher may take notice of such conduct by subjecting the offend- er to such wise and judicious treatment as will have a tendency to prevent a repetition of the offence. In such cases the teacher should exercise great caution not to use any doubtful authority, or any ques- tionable modes of correction.
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CHAPTER 44. - Female Assistants.
SECTION 14. In every public school having an average of fifty scholars, the school district or town to which such school belongs, shall employ one or more female assistants, unless such district or town votes to dispense with such assistant.
Patriotic Exercises.
Chapter 111 of the Acts of 1890 provides that in all the public schools of the Commonwealth the last regular session prior to Memo- rial Day, or a portion thereof, shall be devoted to exercises of a pat- riotic nature.
CHAPTER 498. - An Act Relative to Vaccination.
SECTION 9. The school committee shall not allow a child who has not been duly vaccinated to be admitted to or connected with the public schools.
CHAPTER 515.
Section 2 of this act provides that " all children who shall pre- sent a certificate signed by a regular practising physician that they are unfit subjects for vaccination shall not be subject to the provis- ions of section nine of chapter forty-seven of the Public Statutes ex- cluding unvaccinated children from public schools."
CHAPTER 498. - An Act Relative to Infectious Diseases.
SECTION 10. The school committees shall not allow any pupil to attend the public schools while any member of the household to which such pupil belongs is sick of small-pox, diphtheria or scarlet fever, or during a period of two weeks after the death, recovery or removal of such sick person ; and any pupil coming from such house- hold shall be required to present, to the teacher of the school the pupil desires to attend, a certificate, from the attending physician or board of health, of the facts necessary to entitle him to admission in. accordance with the above regulation.
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Report of Truant Officers.
TO THE SCHOOL BOARD :
As Truant Officers of the Town of Swampscott we have investigated all complaints of absence brought to our notice by the various teachers, and found seven cases of truancy, each being the first offence.
We also found several cases where the cause of absence was through neglect of parents, whose attention was called to Chapter four hundred and ninety-eight (498), Section one (1), of the Public Statutes relating to the same. All others gave satisfactory reasons for absence.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL T. HARRIS, - JOSEPH W. GLASS, Truant Officers. CHAS. RODRICK,
SWAMPSCOTT, Feb. 15, 1897.
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Third Annual Report, Board of Park Commissioners.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
The first service of your Commissioners after the last Annual Meeting of the Town, was to prepare and exe- cute, on March 31, a second Act of Taking of Blaney's Beach. This we did under the firm persuasion that the vote of the Town not to ratify our first taking was unwarranted. and laid the Town liable to action by the Commonwealth, with whose Commissioners your Board, under sanction of the Town, had made an agreeement. We had been granted money to acquire the beaches, on condition that the Metro- politan Board should appropriate fifteen thousand dollars towards the work. The Metropolitan Board had done this and more, having actually taken the whole of King's Beach and engaged to turn it over to our Board to administer. In equity, they could demand that the Town acquire Blaney's Beach. Our position was justified by the subsequent action of our citizens, who, at a Special Town Meeting, held April 17, voted to ratify our second taking.
Progress in acquiring titles to the several estates has been slow, owing to the fact that the owners have one year from the ratification of the taking in which to appeal to the courts, if not satisfied with our awards. We did, however, in May, settle with James A. Knowlton for the lower Knowl- ton estate.
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Early in the year we sold the buildings upon the Little property to H. Scott Tuttle, and part of these buildings have been removed. Later, after due advertising for bids, we sold the Phillips building to Edwin A. Farnham, to be moved across the street, where it will continue to be an attractive and tax-paying property.
Complaint having been made to us during the summer that there was disorderly conduct on the beach, we enacted and publicly posted the following provisional rules to be observed on the Park reservation :
PROVISIONAL RULES OF THE SWAMPSCOTT PARK COMMISSIONERS FOR THE PUBLIC RESERVATION.
ARTICLE 1. SECTION 1. No intoxicating liquor shall be bought, sold, given away, or used for drinking upon the Park Reservation, or in any building thereon, under penalty of a fine not less than five, nor more than twenty dollars.
SECTION 2. Business pursuits not connected with fishing, boat- ing or bathing, also gambling and Sunday desecration of every kind are forbidden, under penalty of a fine not less than five, nor more than twenty dollars.
We also, to secure the enforcement of these rules, ap- pointed Chief Harris and the other members of the police force of the Town, Park policemen. To their credit, be it said, the rules have been observed and we have since heard no complaint.
Having waited until January without receiving further responses to our requests for options on the beach property, we at last made formal awards to nine estates, giving the parties notice therewith, that their premises must be vacated by April 17, one year from the ratification of the Act of Taking. The amount of the awards was determined upon a
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fixed rate per square foot, plus the value of the buildings. A word of explanation as to these awards should perhaps be offered. They are estimated upon a purely property basis, and as such are in most cases ample. The law as interpreted to us by our experienced counsel, Mr. Wm. B. de Las Casas, does not allow us to go further and tender payment for what are termed " consequential " damages.
Our award for a considerable part of the unacquired frontage has been accepted. How many more will accept our terms we do not yet know. Should all do so, our avail- able funds would very nearly cover the acquisition of the beach and the cost of our Park building.
As the time approached for erecting this edifice, it be- came necessary for us to remove a building standing on the Little estate, and forfeited to the Town in accordance with the terms of a land lease. This removal we effected by selling the building at auction and causing it to be torn down.
We also needed for the proposed site the ground occupied by John Smith's fish house. Following our uniform principle of disturbing occupants the least possible, we moved his building to the most convenient available position, and have left it for his occupancy until the new Fish House is ready.
Before preparing any plans for the building, we had given five public hearings to fishermen in accordance with the following public notice :
NOTICE.
ALL CITIZENS DESIRING FISH HOUSE PRIVILEGES IN THE PARK RESERVATION
are requested to notify the Park Commissioners how much floor space each one will engage to take at an annual rental of Ten Cents per square foot.
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1897]
It is necessary to know about how much space is needed in order to make intelligent provision in advance.
The Park Commissioners will be in session at the TOWN HALL EACH MONDAY EVENING DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, to receive such proposals and suggestions as may be offered.
Per order,
May 1, 1896.
SWAMPSCOTT PARK COMMISSIONERS.
At these hearings, thirty or more men applied for some three thousand square feet of space. To meet these wants we had plans prepared by Architect H. W. Rogers, of Lynn. Bids for the erection of the building were received, and the principal contract was awarded to Peleg Gardner, with the understanding that the work was to be done by Swampscott people. The underpinning work was given to Michael McDonough, and the plumbing to Philbrick & Pope.
The building, a cut of which is here shown, is a story and a half structure, 90 x36 feet, with a third floor pavilion in the middle. It runs from the street to the sea, opposite the Hay Scales. It contains on the first floor twelve rooms measuring about 100 square feet, and six rooms of some 300 square feet. The floors of these rooms are of concrete, and in each is a catch basin, so that they may be flushed and keep sweet. On the second floor there is an administration room in front, and some 2000 feet of loft room. The Pavilion on the third floor, 36x 36 feet, with a storage recess, may be used as a shelter by visitors to the Park. This would obviate the present necessity for any other pavilion, save perhaps a light summer house.
In the construction of this edifice we have aimed at two things : First, a building which shall afford to our fishermen convenient and thoroughly sanitary quarters. Secondly, an architecturally attractive structure, becoming a high-class.
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