USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1907 > Part 8
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1907]
to reduce the nuisance, the building would be unfit for occu- pancy. The need here is for sewer connections; until this is made possible the present trouble will continue. At the new
Clarke School there have been one or two occasions when the . basement floor in the boiler rooms has been covered with water. This could be avoided if a drain were dug from the building to the street gutter, as there is already a blind drain running around the building which, at present, has no outlet. Gas or electric light fixtures should be placed in the Clarke School, and all school rooms not equipped with means for artificial lighting should be provided with the same. The school-yards at the Redington, Essex and Beach schools are in such a condition as to make any vigorous exercise dangerous to the children. They could be greatly improved by a top dressing of sand or loam. Additional coat racks are needed in the Clarke School, as the racks now in use accommodate only about four-fifths of the pupils of the school. The windows in the Clarke School should be provided with weather strips as a protection against the extreme cold weather. The ceilings of the Beach School are in need of immediate repair as the plaster is broken in several places. Some means must be provided to protect the water pipes which pass through the cold air rooms at the Clarke School from freezing.
It is but just to our janitors to say that in most instances our schools are kept in a cleanly and wholesome condition. It should be remembered by them, however, as well as by the teachers that a fruitful source of disease is in the dust which is distributed through the school rooms by sweeping. The time, frequency and methods of scrubbing, cleaning and disinfecting the school rooms and furniture demand the most careful con- sideration. In this connection I might suggest to the Committee that it is needful for the floors in the Clarke School to be treated with some sort of dressing which shall protect them from wear and at the same time prevent them from gathering dust.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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Ornamentation and Improvement.
It is gratifying to me to find teachers and pupils interested in the decoration of the school rooms. In the Clarke School the eighth grade pupils have purchased two pictures, "The Angelus" and "Going to the Fair" for their room. Through the kindness of Mrs. Jeffers a large picture of Niagara Falls has been added to the wall decorations of the fourth and fifth grade room in the Phillips School, while Mrs. Sprague has presented a copy of Van Dyke's " Baby Stuart" to grade four, Redington street and " Christmas Chimes " by Blashfield to grade six, Clarke School. The pupils in the last named room raised by subscription enough money to purchase a print of the "Sistine Madonna," and the pupils in grade four, Redington street have presented to the school a photogravure of the "Divine Shepherd." The Women's Relief Corps last fall hung in the hall of the Clarke School two framed copies of the History of the American Flag. Miss Lowrey, teacher of the first grade of the Essex School, has made for her room two plaster casts of Raphael's Cherubs. The Woman's Club of Swampscott have kindly offered their services in providing means for further decoration of our school rooms.
The Clarke Picture.
Through the instrumentality of the Clarke Club and the beneficence of the family of the Rev. Jonas B. Clarke, for whom our new building was named, an oil portrait of Mr. Clarke hangs in the hall way of the Clarke School. The portrait was unveiled with appropriate exercises December 8th, 1906, and presented to the Town. The program of exercises was as follows :
Prayer- Rev. Mr. Johnson. Singing - Seventh Grade pupils. Remarks-Mr. Merritt.
Address -Rev. Mr. Jackson. Presentation of Picture-Mr. A. F. Clarke. Acceptance for the Committee - Mr. S. P. Congdon. Singing - Eighth grade.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1907]
Remarks-Mr. A. Bunting.
Benediction.
Mr. Merritt of the Clarke Club presided at the exercises which were attended by a large number of Townspeople.
School Organization.
During this first year of my administration of the office of Superintendent of your schools, I have endeavored to perfect the organization of them along the most modern and improved lines, believing that only through organization may the work of the schools be conducted easily, smoothly and thoroughly. Few people realize the magnitude of the material equipment of a public school system, and the financial, intellectual and moral interests at stake. There are at present six school buildings which, together with grounds, furnishings and equipment cost about $1, 192.00. There are enrolled in our schools 960 pupils. Twenty-seven principals and teachers are engaged in giving these children instruction, while six janitors are employed in caring for the buildings. The expenditure on the schools last year was about $32,000. In order that this expenditure may yield adequate returns, with the least possible waste, the organization of the schools must be so perfect as carefully to provide for the improvement of every minute of every school day by those engaged in the work. Loss of time is an important factor in financial matters,-it is of even more importance in considering the intellectual advancement of the large number of children in our schools. A half a day lost by one individual seems a small matter ; multiply it by 900 and the result at once arrests our attention.
Organization is an important factor in rendering school man- agement effective in the moral training of children. A well organized school system must insist that pupils be present at every session ; that they be punctual at all opening exercises ; that their conduct going to and coming from school be orderly and quiet ; that they be considerate of the rights of others ; that they be respectful to teachers, fellow-pupils, and all people with whom they come in contact; and that they develop habits of
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industry, accuracy, and neatness. With such a system well organized, each child during the six to twelve years of school life must of neccessity develop some, at least, of the habits which constitute the foundation of good citizenship. Such a system I am striving to organize. I hope that by the end of this school year every teacher will know what her work will be next year ; what grade or grades she will teach ; and the approximate num- ber of pupils in her room. Also that every pupil will know what his work will be next year ; and that all books and supplies for the year shall be placed in each room before the first of Sep- tember. Such an organization must be great aid both to teachers and pupils. Confusion and delay will we avoided, and the teacher will be able to gain control of her work on the opening day.
Program of Study.
In planning a program of study for the use of teachers, con- sideration must be given to the community life. Swampscott is a Town of more than ordinary intelligence. This necessitates the forming of a program which shall offer a broad foundation for general culture, at the same time that it provides for a prepara- tion for a business or professional life. In drafting a program for a school system the first consideration must be given to answering this question : "What will the various subjects in the program yield to the pupils in offering a preparation for complete living, and what range of interests and powers will be attained by securing them?" A reciprocal relation exists, or should exist, between the pupils and the program. This relation depends on the consideration of the aims of education with the view to have pupils pursue those studies which shall realize those aims. The vocation and avocation of pupils later in life must be considered. That is to say the program should contain both cultural subjects and those which may be a preparation for work, those which are rich in intellectual content and those which deal with man as a social being. At the same time there are other considerations which must be regarded in making a program for public school purposes such as State requirements and community interests.
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A program of studies determines the success of a school system. A simple combination of subjects with the amount to be taught specified for the year, is not sufficient. It must be developed according to fixed pedogogical principles ; to the age and efficiency of the pupils; to the nature of the subject matter ; and to the social needs. Consequently any successful program must pass through an evolutionary process, must undergo change from time to time and must keep up with rapid educational development.
As in every other occupation of life, the teacher must know definitely what she has to do. The end to be attained must be accurately and distinctly defined. There must be a clear under- standing of the principles, laws and methods to be employed in the use of given materials for the accomplishment of this end. The program of study upon which I am now at work and a draft of which I have already made for arithmetic, geography and language, will, I hope. attain the end desired. I hope in time to prepare a complete statement to the teachers of the principles. laws and methods involved in the ends I want them to attain through the use of given means. Such a program should be a great help to teachers, especially to those with little experience, in indicating to them the amount of work to be expected from their classes, and the order of succession of topics in each sub- ject taught. It will also aid the teachers by suggesting and emphasizing the relation of each subject to the other subjects in the program. My purpose then being to frame a program of study such as I have attempted to describe, I am endeavoring to follow certain principles in the work which should be considered by everyone entering upon such a task. These principles I shall merely state here without commenting upon them.
I. Only those subjects should be incorporated in the program as require formal instruction.
II. No subject should be introduced which is not suited to to the development of the powers of the pupils.
III. The range of the subjects must be broad enough to afford well rounded development.
IV. Preference should be given to subjects which shall pre- pare for vocational life.
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V. Only those subjects should be offered which are suited to the teaching process in the various grades.
VI. Careful consideration must be given to time, material and money.
In accordance with the purposes and aims already expressed we have set at work the program so far as we have it drafted. We are striving to make our school system an institution which shall take boys and girls from five to six years of age, and which through several years of careful work with them, shall develop in them knowledge and power which make for manhood, womanhood and good citizenship. We hope that the training of our schools shall supplement the training of the home, the church and society. We ask only for the co-operation of par- ents and citizens in attaining this end.
An outline of the work in the subjects thus far prepared is in the hands of the teachers. It is only the first draft and its use in the schools will necessitate many additions and alterations before we can present it to you in a permanent form.
Arithmetic.
The aim has been to make the work as thorough as possible in the four fundamental processes, believing that the pupil who thoroughly masters these operations will have a foundation knowledge which will enable him to learn readily the essential topics to be studied later. The teachers should require exactness in analysis of all problems, and quickness and correctness in the use of figures. The thought process involved in every problem should be clearly understood by the pupil. Two steps are taken in every solution ; the first is a clear understanding of the data given and the data required; the secondi s the perception of the relation between the given data and the required data. Much of the failure in arithmetic is due to the unpardonable looseness of the work in solving problems, owing to a failure mentally to grasp the distinction between the terms given and the result to be sought. Absolutely correct results must be insisted upon. Accuracy, rapidity and neatness are essential to successful teach- ing of the subject. Lack of this is failure.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1907]
Geography.
Geography is a study of the earth as the home of man, and of his relations to the earth and his fellowmen. It teaches the child to see that it is wisely adapted by the Creator to all the needs of mankind ; that all of man's needs are provided in abundance and are to be had only at an expense of proper effort on his part. It also teaches the dependence of man upon his fellowbeings, and his relation to social organizations. No other subject brings the child into such close touch with his environment, and if properly taught, no subject will arouse more interest or be more valuable. It gives the child a many sided interest and teaches him the rela- tion of facts ; it gives food for thought ; it brings other countries of the world into close relation with his own.
No subject is better adapted to energetic, ambitious and tactful teaching. The earnest teacher will not, be content to confine the work to the test book; she will reach out for every possible means to present the subject to the pupils as a part of their own life.
Language.
No study in the school program deserves more careful teach- ing and no study has been the object of more injudicious experi- mentation than Language. Language is the vehicle of thought and its correct use is of the greatest importance to every individual, let his vocation be what it may. The habit of using correct English must be acquired early in life, consequently it is of vital importance that the study of language should be pursued in such a way as to avoid the acquisition of wrong habits of expression. A method of teaching language will embrace (1) the building of a vocabulary ; (2) sentence structure ; (3) ability to perceive differences of meaning of words; (4) ability to express thought in the simplest and purest style.
"The teacher's aim should be to cultivate the powers of oral and written expression ; to correct errors in speech and writing ; to train the powers of observation by requiring pupils to describe objects of interest; to develop the arts of conversation and of
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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letter writing ; to cultivate in pupils a taste for good literature ; and to develop the individual style of expression. Language is too often made a tiresome, uninteresting study. A well defined aim and careful consideration of pupils needs will do much to prevent this. A carefully graded outline of the work in lan- guage, faithfully followed in each grade, will place the lan- guage work in our schools on a high plane of excellence and will do much toward toward giving our boys and girls a useful well rounded course of instruction.
I expect to have the program of study in the other subjects completed and in the hands of the teachers before the end of the year. Mr. Childs and I expect to give the High School pro- gram our careful consideration and we shall make such changes as the addition of the extra year has proved necessary. The work in the High School this year has taxed the energy of all the teachers and any increase in the attendance next year will require the services of an extra teacher.
Medical Inspection.
The first step toward official medical inspection was taken last fall by the Board of Education in accordance with the State Law which requires such inspection and examination of schools and pupils by a competent physician. The work was not assigned to any one physician but was divided among several of the physicians of the Town as follows: Dr. Howard K. Glidden, Redington street, Beach and Farm schools; Dr. H. M. Lowd, Phillips School; Dr. Ralph E. Bicknell, Clarke School; and Dr. Loring Grimes, Essex school. The results of their examin- ations of pupils are given in the following table which shows the disease or disorders found and the number of pupils afflicted.
Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
· 40
Pediculosis .
· 55
Eczema
.
.
I
Chicken pox
.
·
4
Pink eye
.
I
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
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Ring worm .
·
3
Impetigo
·
.
5
Eye strain
. 9
Enlarged glands
.
5
Deafness
.
I
These figures need little comment. They show the necessity of medical inspection in our schools, not only to relieve children afflicted with ailments but to safeguard the health of children who are so fortunate as to enjoy good health. The physicians were emphatic in stating that much of the trouble was due to uncleanness. The free use of soap and water every day will prevent children from being subject to the conditions such as the table indicates. Many parents fail to realize how detri- mental to good work in school, to say nothing of injury to a child's permanent health, anyone of the disorders mentioned must be.
The results following the inspection have been very satisfactory. There is a more general determination among the children to keep clean, and the teachers are more alert to discover any sick- ness or impairment of health among the pupils.
Sickness has made a disastrous decrease in the attendance. Scarlet fever and diphtheria have kept many from school. So large a number of children at the Redington street school were afflicted that I requested the Board of Health to fumigate the building. Since that was done the number of cases has con- siderably lessened.
The State Law requires this year for the first time the examination of all pupils for defective hearing and eyesight. Below is given the results of these tests.
Number of pupils defective in eyesight-Clarke, 80; Phillips, 41: Redington, 42; Essex, 20; Beach, 7; Farm, 7; High, 28; Total, 225.
Number of pupils defective in hearing-Clarke, II ; Phillips, 4; Redington, 6; Essex, 7; Beach, I; Farm, I; High, 15; Total, 45.
Number of parents or guardians notified-Clarke, 85 ; Phillips,
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37; Redington, 46; Essex, 27; Beach, 5; Farm, 7; High, 23 ; Total, 230.
Teachers.
Twenty-seven teachers have been employed during the year. Since the opening of school in September two have resigned,- Miss Annie O. S. Clemons of the third grade, Clarke School, left the first of November to accept a position in the school system of Lynn. January 1, 1907, Miss Elizabeth A. Bill resigned from the position of Supervisor of Music and Drawing after having served our schools creditably for seventeen years. Miss Annie W. Chase of Concord Junction was elected to teach the fourth grade in the Clarke School and began her work November 5th. The position of Supervisor of Music has been filled by the elec- tion of Miss Mabelle F. Proctor of Revere. Mrs. E. Jennie Owen who has served in our schools as a substitute was elected to a permanent position in September and was given charge of the fourth and fifth grade room in Phillips School. Miss Eliza- beth J. Hadley has been promoted to the position of Principal of the Phillips Grammar School, thereby relieving Mr. Childs of the supervision of these grades.
With the close of the schools last June several transfers were made to go into effect in September when the Clarke School was opened, and all the schools were changed in their personnel except the Beach and the Farm.
It must not be forgotten that the standard of our schools depends upon the character and efficiency of the teachers more than on all else combined. Teachers should be appointed with an eye single to their qualifications and they should be paid a rea- sonable salary so that they can devote their whole energy to their work without being worried about the question of livelihood. They should be given a proper supply of materials with which to work. The number of pupils assigned to each teacher should not be so large as to make effective teaching impossible. They should at all times feel that they have the unqualified support of Superintendent, the School Committee, the parents, and the pub- lic.
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On the other hand there should be an earnest desire on the part of our teachers for personal improvement. Lack of this is stagnation, and stagnation is death to any teacher's usefulness. Like other professions that of the teacher requires continuous study by those engaged in it. This may not mean more than the reading of educational periodicals, but even that will keep teachers in touch with the work in general and will serve as a stimulus to further study and investigation. I believe that every teacher should know well the nature of the work in every grade in a school system and the aim and object of every subject taught, and what it should do for each pupil. This demands study,- not only of subject matter, but of the children, their nature, intelligence, capacity for work, and temperament. I regret that I have not had time this year to give more attention to the further elevation of the teacher's profession in our town and to the stimulation of greater personal improvement among the teachers. I hope I shall soon be able to make our teachers' meetings more like institutes of instruction rather than mere business gatherings.
From the teacher's standpoint the past year has been a suceess- ful one. I am pleased to report improvement in the work of all, and yet I am compelled to say that there are many ways in which we hope to continue this improvement during the year to come.
High School.
The modern High School has a two-fold purpose to serve in every community : Ist, and most important, as a school which shall offer superior advantages to those pupils who do not design to continue their studies in higher educational institutions; and 2nd, to prepare pupils for the advantages of Collegiate training. These two purposes should never counteract each other, but should be mutually helpful. Beyond the provision to meet the divers needs of the Town and of the pupils, there should be given the same instruction to all in the various subjects of study, no distinction in methods being made for pupils who are to go to college and for those who are to leave the High School for
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their chosen vocation. The development of the High School, especially in the freedom of election of studies and in methods of instruction, should be more distinctly along the lines of prep- aration for participation in life's activities. This need not reduce the capacity of the school to furnish preparation for college entrance. Our new five years' program should make it possible for our pupils, who elect to go to college, to enter any institution in New England, and I believe it will do so.
The High School is the goal of every ambitious pupil in the Grammar Schools. Its program of study should be made so attractive that it will hold the pupils from the first year to the end of the senior year. I believe the elective system will do this, as it gives pupils a certain independence in their work, which will arouse a keener desire to graduate and receive the High School diploma. In comparing our High School program of study in the amount of work which it requires, to the High School programs in other towns of the State, I find that there is very little difference. This shows pretty conclusively that we are as well able to prepare for entrance to college as the average High School, and any statement that pupils go to some other school for preparation for college in order to save time, or to be placed in more aristocratic surroundings, means that those few young people and their parents have thought that we take too much time to do the work which we give at our High School. This is as it should be. Statistics show that in general, only about five per cent of pupils graduating from Grammar Grades ever complete the High School course and enter college. It is then the business of the High School to offer, as conditions will permit, every opportunity for vocational training, at the same time that it gives instruction in cultural subjects. The High School is not a Preparatory School, nor a Technecial School. It is the great public institution of this country which offers higher instruction to the mass of youth who come up from the grades.
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Retrospect.
While the period of my administration is rather short to be able to look for results I can with perfect fairness call your attention to the following improvements in the work of the schools :
I. A more systematic organization of the schools.
2. The development of an esprit de corps among teachers and pupils.
3. Continued improvement in the ethical tone of the schools, noticed in the good order, good work, and good cheer.
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