USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1887 > Part 12
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DECORATING SCHOOLHOUSE YARDS.
Four years ago the Hollis School children planted flowers in the- yard and constructed a rockery. The next year the practice of decorating schoolhouse yards became all but universal, and has continued uninterruptedly ever since. The village improvement associations have given in all about $375, and the school children have formed juvenile improvement associations, with five-cent and ten-cent memberships, in which associations, by the way, under the direction of the teachers, they have incidentally learned parliamen- tary rules and how to conudet meetings. By these membership fees, if we include labor, loam flowers, and plants contributed,. they have raised as much more. Teachers and citizens have con- tributed over $100, making in all about $900 from outside sources. You have expended, perhaps, an equal sum in grading, so that $1,800 in all has been laid out during the past three years, in im- proving the schoolhouse yards, eighteen in number. The work done in this direction has had a real educating influence, and must, I feel sure, be a source of pride and satisfaction to the people. I think that in one or two years, at farthest, our school grounds will present a really fine appearance, and constitute attractive little parks, enhancing the value of property throughout the town.
THE COMMERCIAL SQUARE SCHOOLHOUSE.
I think that two principles of school architecture are violated in the construction of this building. First, standing at a central point in the hall, the principal should be able to look up each stairway and out at each entrance. Sceond, the cloak-rooms should be long and narrow rather than square, and provided with two entrances, so that pupils can file through them instead of backing out at one door. But these are only minor considerations affecting the entries and hallway. . The rooms themselves are fine, large, airy, and attractive. The furniture is first-class, the blackboards superb. and the seats disposed, as they should be, so that the light comes. chiefly over the left shoulder. The ventilating flues are circular,
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there are transoms over the doors, and the system of heating is a combination of direct and indirect radiation, - a combination of furnace and steam, - the former to make sure of good air through a capacious cold-air box, and the latter to make sure of sufficient heat. It works admirably, and we can now boast that we have one school building in which the air is always pure and sweet, and in which the temperature is uniform and always high enough, - fortu- nate conditions under which to labor.
The only poor school building remaining in the town is the Middle Street schoolhouse. In the spring there will be, at least, 70 pupils in attendance in the lower room, which is not large enough to accommodate properly more than 40, or, at the outside, 50. What shall be done? Of course, in the construction of a new school building, the question of taxation and public expense is involved, and that I leave to the people to settle. They are the ones who who have to foot the bills.
IN CONCLUSION.
The much I have said in the foregoing pages is mainly historical, descriptive of the past ; the little I have now to say mainly concerns the future. I think there are, in particular, two new lines of work that ought to be carried out in our schools. First, natural science should be brought down to the lower grades in weekly lessons in botany and other branches, just as we now have weekly lessons in physiology. Second, there should be regular and systematic work in vocal culture, to supplement musical culture, and make pupils articulate plainly ; and, as we say, speak up in ordinary conversa- tion and recitation. To these matters I propose to turn my atten- tion forthwith.
Natural-science teaching is a stepping-stone to industrial educa- tion. Weymouth must soon prepare to face this great question. All large cities and towns should have industrial drawing for both sexes, manual training schools for boys, and sewing and cooking schools for girls. Without seeking special reasons, I would justify them all on the broad, general ground that they assist in the culti-
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vation of the domestic virtues, and tend to create an interest in home-building. The home is the unit of society. Make the home what it ought to be, and society will be built up. We hear a great deal about the discipline of the mind, and very little about the discipline of the character, the discipline of the affections. I think that even in the school-room we can, in a measure, identify our boys and girls with the world's work, and awaken in them a desire to be among those who stand high in the community. In riding out from Boston I sometimes look at the people around me, and ask myself : Why are these people honest and upright and well-to- do? Why are they substantial conservators of good society and good homes? And I answer: Because they are established in business, and have been unconsciously drawn into laboring for the world's advancement. I believe we can draw in our boys and girls in much the same way, but we must establish visible connec- tions. We must put the whole boy and the whole girl to school. We must train not merely tbe reason and the memory, but the eye and the hand.
Weymouth, I say, must soon face these matters. When there shall be a horse railroad connecting Lovell's Corner with both South Weymonth and East Weymouth depots, when there shall be another railway station between Weymouth and North Weymouth, to accommodate the people who will build houses in that beautiful seaward-stretching section, when, in fact, our whole water-front shall be studded with fine residences, and that time is not far distant, Weymouth will have a population such as will warrant and, indeed, necessitate the carrying out of a well-matured scheme of industrial education. But for the present I drop the consideration of the subject.
To you, gentlemen, I extend my thanks for the co-operation and support which have made my work easy. To the teachers I ex- tend my thanks for the co-operation and sympathy which have made my work pleasant, and I wish to say to them, by way of en- couragement and congratulation, a last word that no one else needs hear. Not long ago it was my good fortune to meet a gentleman of eminent attainments who said to me : "I once went to school to Mr. Blank, and I go to him now. He does not know it, but I am his
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pupil still. He has left off teaching, and is now engaged in liter- ary work. I have not seen him for years, but his influence is with me yet. He is my priest, my poet. I love him, I venerate him. 'To him I attribute in great measure my success in life." Think of these words, teachers ! I venture, to say there are those among you who will receive the same commendation and blessing. The work you are engaged in is one of the grandest. Professionally and socially, you are the peers of any other great class of workers. " Take heart, be of good cheer, and know your own value." Your influence will live after you.
Respectfully submitted, GILMAN C. FISHER, Superintendent of Schools.
FEB. 10, 1888.
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APPENDIX TO SCHOOL REPORT.
SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE HELP THE LIBRARY MAY BE TO THE TEACHER.
[Read before the Teachers of Weymouth Schools, by Caroline A. Blanchard, Librarian of the Tufts Library. ]
.When your Superintendent, Mr. Fisher, requested me to read a paper before you upon the use that the library may be to the teacher, I felt that I could not refuse ; and although this is a position entirely new to me, my interest in the work of a teacher, and the hope of being able to make some useful suggestions, have given me the courage to come before you.
Our library contains many valuable books of reference that will help you in your own study.
'In statistics are the volumes of the American Almanac, Statesman's Year-Book, and the Census Reports, those of the United States Census of 1880 containing a vast amount of information not as yet to be found else- where. .
Of the dictionaries of the English language, we have Webster's, Worces- ter's, and the Imperial Dictionary, an important work, published as re- cently as 1883 ; also, the dictionaries of the French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, and Spanish languages.
Thomas's Biographical Dictionary, Allibone's Dictionary of Authors, Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Sanders' Celebrities of the Century, and other smaller works, are useful for obtaining short biograph- ical sketches.
The Encyclopædia Britannica, Appletons' Cyclopædia (which, by means of annuals, is brought down to date), Johnson's Family Atlas, Lippincott's Gazetteer, Poole's Index of Periodicals, the Dictionary of Science, Litera- ture, and Art (edited by W. T. Brande and G. W. Cox), Haydn's Diction- ary of Dates, Skeat's Etymological Dictionary, Smith's Dictionary of Greek and. Roman Antiquities, and his new Classical Dictionary, are some of our most important works of reference.
Brewer's Reader's Hand-book, and Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, Edwards' Words, Facts, and Phrases, Familiar Allusions, and Who Wrote It? (by W. A. and C. G. Wheeler), and Wheeler's Noted Names of Fiction, also contain much miscellaneous information.
These volumes may be found in the reference department, for use in the room. Some of them may be borrowed by obtaining the written permis- sion of the chairman of the book committee.
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Of the books on education or teaching, which may have special value to you in your profession, are the following : -
Bain, A. Education as a Science 313.37
Baldwin, J. Art of School Management 313.28
Brooks, E. Normal Methods of Teaching . 313.50
Calderwood, H. On Teaching ; its Ends and Means . 313.35 Calkins, N. A. Object-teaching, and the Science of Education . 313.33
Currie, J. Principles and Practice of Common School Education, 312 54
Grant, H. Exercises for the Improvement of the Senses . 313.71
Hall, G. S., and Mansfield, J. M. Bibliography of Education . 312.69
Hamerton, P. G. Intellectual Life 130.22
Hart, J. S. In the School-room .
313.38
Hopkins. L. P. Practical Pedagogy 312.68
Hindsdale, B. A. Schools and Studies 313.60
.Johonnot, J. Principles and Practice of Teaching 313.29
Mann; H. Lectures and Annual Reports on Education (2v.) 313.58
'The Kindergarten and the School. By four active workers 312.71
This is a very incomplete list, but by consulting our card catalogue. you may learn what other books the library contains on this subject.
We will now consider the benefit the library may be in the school-room.
Commencing first with the primary department, is it of any use for tlie teachers of the lowest grades to try to interest such young pupils in books of any kind? Yes. If only for entertainment, with so many books beauti- fully illustrated, and written especially for children.
Borrow the books, keep them on the desk, and as a reward for good lessons or good behavior, allow your pupils the privilege of looking at the pictures, and sometimes read them a short story, or talk with them about the pictures.
Miss Hewins, in her " Books for the Young," gives this good advice on the care of books, which, I wish, might be impressed on the minds of all children. She says : "Let the children learn that a book is a thing to be treated with respect, to be touched with clean hands, and not to be left on the floor at the mercy of the baby, dog, or cat."
No one but a librarian can fully realize the need of this advice; but if children could be taught this at an early age, what a benefit to libraries and to those that loan books.
In the next higher grades, if the teachers can, during the week, spare a half hour for a talk on natural history or science, the library may be of much help. There may be found books treating these subjects in such a way that even young pupils, with the teacher to assist, cannot help being greatly interested.
I know from experience that the regular required work is enough to greatly tax the strength and patience of a teacher; but I know, also, that an exercise outside of the routine will awaken and brighten the minds of children and give an impetus to all other work.
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Let me suggest a few books that may be useful to you for this purpose :-
Ballard, J. P. Insect Lives ; or, Born in Prison . 733.31
Bamford, M. E. My Land and Water Friends . 737.18
Bert, Paul. First Year of Scientific Knowledge . 731.69
Giberne, Agnes. Among the Stars 731.32
Guernsey, L. E. Jenny and the Insects
732.44
Hale, G E. Little Flower-People
735.60.
Herrick, S. B .. Chapters on Plant Life 735.56
Ingersol, Ernest. Country Cousins
737.13
Friends Worth Knowing 735.12
Kirby, M. and E. The Sea and its Wonders The World by the Fireside
736.59.
Matéaux, C. L. Wonderland of Work 727.63
Miller, O. T. Little Folks in Feathers and Fur 527.18 Queer Pets at Marcy's 516.37
Moore, Annie and Nichols, L. D. Overhead . 736.26
Morris, F. O. Dogs and their Doings . 737.29
Nichols, L. D. Underfoot .
735.46
Noel, Maurice. Bug; or, Life and Adventures of a Honey Bee,
513.66
Smith, C. A. Animals, Wild and Tame Birds and Fishes
737.20
Surr, Mrs. Stories about Cats
737.21
Things In-doors
731.68.
Weir, Harrison. Animal Stories, Old and New 737.17
Wood, J. G. Homes Without Hands .
37.04
Petland, Revisited .
736.52
Besides these, and many more that would be available for such use, are the juvenile magazines, which, by their worn condition attest their worth as entertainment for the children. Of these, you will find at the library the Harpers' Young People, St. Nicholas, Wide Awake, Youtli's Companion, and for very little folks, Our Little Ones and the Nursery, and Our Little Men and Women. Most of the books recommended for the lower grades are illustrated, some of them by the best artists.
In the upper intermediate and grammar grades, the pupils being older, can, with greater profit, use the books borrowed from the library.
In suggesting books to be used in these grades, it is best to take each study separately.
1. Language. - Nesbitt's Grammar-Land; or, Grammar in Fun for the Children of Schoolroom-Shire,is thus strongly recommended by Miss Hay- ward of the Cambridge Public Library, in a paper read to the teachers : " One little book known to some of you should find its way into every third class room. It is called ' Grammar-Land,' and is an amusing allegory representing the different parts of speech, as people going to law about various trespasses on each other's territory. You all know how difficult it is to interest children in the principles of grammar, though your language
737.30
Things Out-of-doors 731.67
735.47
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essons have begun to make the subject more attractive and practical. This book abounds in humor which children can appreciate, and is sure to impress them with the leading principles of the language."
2. Geography. - The illustrated books of travel are a boon to an en thusiastic teacher in this study. Pictures representing characteristic scenes of the various countries must aid in impressing facts from the text- books upon the minds of the children. Show them pictures of Venice, with canals instead of streets, with gondolas taking the place of our carriages, and it will not be hard for them to remember that Venice is built upon islands.
Let your scholars read the most vivid description of the cañons of the Great West, learn to repeat it word for word, and even then they will not. have as true an idea of what the cañons really are as they would at once receive from a picture representing one.
To give a class a better idea of the severe cold of the Arctic regions, read to them from the travels of Dr. Kane, Isaac Hayes, Sir John Frank- lin, A. W. Greeley, and American Explorations in the Ice Zones, by J. E. Nourse.
Many juvenile books of travel have been written within a few years that iniglit assist the teacher in giving truthful pictures of the different countries, and with such books as The Zigzag Journeys, The Boy Trav- ellers. Little People of Asia, Hale's Family Flights, Grey's Books on Japan. The Bodley Books, Du Chaillu's books on Africa, besides the many books of travel written for older people as helps, geography should be a most interesting study.
3. History. - In teaching this study, the value of a good library is. measureless. 1
How wide is the field ! Biography, poetry, and fiction all help in making more interesting the histories proper.
Scholars often read and study of the noted persons of past ages, with- out realizing that they were as truly living men and women as the famous. people of to-day.
Mr. Higginson says: " If we could only make the characters live and move, with their own costume, and their own looks, in our instruction, they would absorb the attention of every child."
Dry dates and plain facts must sometimes be necessary, but only as a nucleus around which interesting truths should cluster. It is well for the pupils to learn the dates 1492 and 1620, but the dates alone are valueless. Columbus and the discovery of a new continent, the Pilgrims and the. founding of a great republic are the important truths, and the more facts you can induce your pupils to find out about these subjects the greater. will be their interest in them.
Some of the most useful books for young scholars on the discovery of America are Bell's Heroes of American Discovery (615.41) ; Higginson's. Book of Explorers (213.15) ; Gilman's Tales of the Pathfinders (610.39) ; Irving's Columbus (216.24), and some of the volumes of Abbott's American Pioneers and Patriots.
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If your class are studying about the Plymouth Colony, read to them, or let them read, extracts from Abbott's Miles Standish (216.8) ; Longfellow's Courtship of Miles Standish (824.9) ; Coffin's Old Times in the Colonies (612.14).
Hawthorne's Grandfather's Chair (513.52) and his Legends of the Prov- ince House in his Twice Told Tales (536.70) ; Drake's Around the Hub (610.19), the Making of New England (614.46), and Nooks and Corners of the New England Coast (224.33) ; Scudder's Bodley Books (516.1-4). and Boston Town (610.18) ; Markham's Colonial Days (528.50), and the His- torical Sketch of the Town of Weymouth (613.31), compiled by our townsman, Gilbert Naslı, are all interesting books about the early history of Massachusetts.
In connection with the study of the Virginian Colony, Cook's Stories of the Old Dominion (612.13) and Eggleston's Pocahontas (224.4), which, besides a true account of her life, gives Smitli's connection with the colony will be useful.
The boys, always interested in Indian stories, will be willing to read Cooper's Leather Stocking Tales, which illustrate the period of the French and Indian war. In connection with this war, Johnson's Old French War (610.14) is a desirable book; portions of Irving's Life of Washington (217.12) and the description of Braddock's defeat, which Thackeray lias so well described in his Virginians (437-4), will be found of value.
Drake's Indian History for Young People (615.30) covers a long period, being brought down to 1877.
Many books serve to illustrate the Revolutionary period. Coffin's Boys of '76 (516.23), full of pictures and interesting descriptions ; Cooper's Spy (414.74), and Lionel Lincoln (414.67), a story of the siege of Boston, con- taining in Chapters IX and X, one of the best descriptions of the battle of Lexington ever written.
Drake's Landmarks of Boston (224.21) gives an interesting account of the Boston of the Revolution. Eggleston's Brant and Red Jacket (222.9), and Tecumseh (222.37), give an account of the Indian warfare during and after the Revolution.
Coffin's Building the Nation (612.44) continues the story from the treaty of 1783 to the election of Lincoln.
McMaster's History of the People of the United States (614-32), although' perhaps, not adapted for the reading of children, is a good field from which to obtain extracts concerning the social customs of the people; and Scud- der's Men and Manners in America One Hundred Years Ago (610.16) will also be found useful for this purpose.
In the study of the Civil War let me suggest to you Coffin's Boys of '61 (610.7), Drum-beat of the Nation, (614.56), Following the Flag (612.12), and My Days and Nights on the Battlefield (612,21); Champlin's Young Folks' History of the Civil War (612.34) ; Uncle Daniel's Story of Tom Anderson and Twenty Great Battles (614.41) ; Pittenger's Capturing a Locomotive (612.39) ; Miss Alcott's Hospital Sketchies (434.21) ; Kieffer's Recollections of a Drummer Boy (614.36) ; Williams' Bullet and Shell
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(338.34); Uncle Sam's Medal of Honor (612.55), by Rodenbougli; and Nichols' Story of the Great Marchi (610.44).
As in geography, so in the study of history, illustrations are of great value. Some things cannot be so described that the child will get an intel- ligible idea of them. Pictures of historic buildings or places, portraits of noted men or women, engravings illustrative of important events, will help the scholar in obtaining a clear idea of the subject, and in fixing the events in his memory.
Many valuable suggestions for the teaching of history may be found in Adams' Manual of Historical Literature (714.9) ; Atkinson On History and tlie Study of History (715.33) ; Winsor's Handbook of the Revolution (612.33) ; J. G. Allen's Topical Studies in American History (610.47) ; W. F. Allen's Reader's Guide to English History (715.29) ; Bowen's Catalogue of Historical Novels ; and the catalogues of the Boston and Quincy Public Libraries.
The history of other countries may be studied in a similar manner, and a long list of books might be given that would be serviceable, but it seems best in a short paper to limit my time to one country, and the United States is, of course, my choice.
4. Physiology. - The principles of physiology and hygiene are given in an exceedingly pleasing manner by C. B. and M. A. Allen in their book, The Man Wonderful in the House Beautiful (731.73). It is written in the form of an allegory, and is illustrated. The History of a Mouthful of Bread (736.17) and the Servants of the Stomach (736.16), by Jean Macé, I can, also, heartily recommend.
Let us now turn to a subject in which we all should be muchi interested.
Good Reading. - Cannot, you, the teachers of Weymouth, help the chil- dren of our town in forming a taste for good reading? If, while young, they read some of the best books, they will not in after life be satisfied with trashy novels, or simply juvenile stories. I remember a bright, in- telligent-looking lady coming into the library, anxious to obtain an inter- esting story, who, when asked to tell us the style of story she enjoyed, said. with as much pride as if it were Hawthorne's romances or Thack- eray's novels, "Oh! I like the stories in the 'Family Story Paper.'" Yet, I suppose that she had, at least, completed the grammar-school course.
Another young lady, to whom I had suggested Scott's Kenilworth (she had wished to read something of the best fiction), returned the book after a few days discouraged, saying that she was very sorry, but she was un- able to get interested in it.
Some people care to read only the most trashy fiction. Many, indeed, of the scholars of the high schools enjoy nothing above a simple juvenile story.
It is true, the father and mother should oversee their children's reading, and select the books for them; but many parents are not competent, and too often, even in the homes of the most cultured, where in every other respect the children are surrounded with refining influences, the par- ents, ummindful of the great need in this direction, pay no attention to
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what their children read, letting them meet in their books characters that would shock them, if seen as real boys and girls. A number of cases brought to our notice through the newspapers, testify to the demoralizing influence of bad books.
In Hints for Home Reading, Charles Dudley .Warner writes thus : "I am seeking one of the reasons why the young, who read at all, read noth- ing but trash. It is because their parents, or older persons about them, either have not the habit of reading, or they also read trash."
Now if so many parents either cannot, or do not, oversee the reading of their children, will not the teachers, by suggesting books to their pupils, help them in their reading for entertainment? With so many books for the young, written by the best authors, and our library furnishing so great a choice, need the children read really bad books?
Children that have read and enjoyed the stories of Mrs. Burnett (her Little Lord Fauntleroy is delightful reading for young and old), Miss Alcott, Mrs. Molesworth, Jacob Abbott, Miss Clark, Susan Coolidge (Miss Woolson), Mary Mapes Dodge, Mrs. Stowe, Miss Flora Shaw, Mrs. Ewing, Elijah Kellogg, Frank Stockton, etc., will not be likely afterwards to be happy in reading ill-written, low stories.
You that teach in the grammar and high schools can do much to help your pupils acquire a love for good books.
With the novels of Scott, Dickens, Thackeray, Hawthorne, George Eliot, George Macdonald, Mrs. Burnett, Trollope, Bulver, Mrs. Oliphant. Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Stowe, and other noted writers still unread, yet inany of the young ladies of our High School choose " Airy Fairy Lillian," or some as trashy novels. I have thought that, if a short course of reading - good novels and poems - could be prepared, and the reading of two or more volumes a term be required, it would aid in this work. I suggest nothing more solid, heeding this advice of Charles Francis Adams: "The first thing in trying to stimulate a love of reading is to be careful not to create disgust by trying to do too much."
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