USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1889 > Part 14
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Since the establishment of the Training School and the abolition of ex- aminations for teachers' certificates, the time in the fourth year set apart by the course of study for " review " might better be devoted to some ad- vanced study suited to the years and attainments of a senior class.
Time is necessary for the fruition of the instruction in the recently introduced methods in drawing and music, but already encouraging pro- gress has been shown. Especial attention is being given to distinctness
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of enunciation in reading and recitation, on the basis of the lectures by Prof. Leib.
In short, the changes of the year have already brought good returns, and affording improved conditions of work, give promise of better things to come.
EDGAR R. DOWNS, Principal.
In addition to the above, I should like to say that the length of the school day for the high schools, as it is for all the other schools, should be, in my opinion, five hours instead of five and a half. This is long enough, and is the practical limit of successful school work. This would give the North High pupils one hour at , noon, which both young and old ought, at least, to have for dinner and rest.
TEMPERANCE INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOLS.
I am sometimes asked, Are you teaching temperance in the schools as you ought? Are you living up to the law? Let me try to answer these questions here by confessing first our short- comings. Sometimes temperance instruction has been crowded out and crowded under in this way : an educational craze sweeps over the land ; this time it is in physical training, perhaps ; again it is voice culture, it may be ; or clay modeling, and paper cutting, or some other feature of industrial training. The reform is needed, but it is carried out with such vigor that it spreads over the country with a force and intensity that impart to it the character of an epidemic. Experts address us on these subjects, and the teachers go back to the school-room thoroughly aroused. For a time they let temperance instruction go, perhaps some other subject equally important, but it is always with this mental reservation that in a few days or a few weeks they will go back to it again and give it special prominence. I am making preparations now to hold a teachers' meeeting to be devoted wholly to temperance instruction - a sort of temperance symposium - and hope that every teacher will be ready to contribute some song, story, anecdote, suggestion, illustration, or plan of work, so that the contributions may become common property and remove from the minds of individual teach- ers all doubts as to what to do and how to proceed from one year's end to another. Such a meeting will be very helpful, and serve, I hope, to restore temperance teaching to its true place. Some of our teachers have charming exercises which I encounter from time to time. Here is one for quite little folks : -
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If we call the body a house for the spirit to live in, what forms the framework?
The bones. What form the walls?
The muscles. What is the covering? The skin. What is the thatched roof? The hair. What are the windows? The eyes. Etc., etc., etc. What is the thinking machine of this house?
The brain.
Where is the brain? In the upper part of the house, close to the roof - in the attic. What injures the brain?
Strong drink.
[Here the How and the Why of the injury is explained. ]
It is true that the foregoing exercise is mainly physiological, but all scientific temperance teaching must have a physiological basis.
Our teachers have discovered that richer results are obtained by indirect than by direct teaching. For instance : if they say, Now we will have our Temperance Lesson, and then proceed to preach to the pupils or put forth a solemn array of statistics, they accom- plish less than by a more round-about process that veils the end in view.
At the Woman's Pavilion at the Maritime Exhibition, I chanced upon a little pamphlet, entitled, " Temperance Arithmetic," by Julia McNair Wright, and bought a number of copies for use in · the schools. One would not at first think that temperance instruc- tion could be carried along in connection with arithmetic, but the economics of the drink question are very well brought out by the problems, - also, the crimes and bestiality that follow in the train of drunkenness. We teach temperance, also, in connection with language, reading, memory gems, etc.
To state the case, then, to the friends of temperance, if we have neglected temperance instruction, as I confess we have at times, the neglect has been only temporary. If we are neglecting it now, as I fear we are, the subject will soon be uppermost again, and, returning to it with renewed energies, we shall make a deeper impression. We have the cause at heart, and we intend to do our
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duty. We feel thit we owe it to the temperance workers in our own immediate neighborhood, as well as those whose names are known and honored throughout the land ; we feel that we owe it to that great organization, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which to all thoughtful people, it seems to me, must appear one of the grandest features, and one of the most significant and power- ful agencies for good of the nineteenth century ; we feel that we owe it to ourselves, the children, and the country, to do all we can to stay the evils of intemperance. We ought to face the subject honestly and squarely, and give to it that systematic study and inquiry which its importance merits. Intemperance is a crying evil. A monster invades a home when drunkenness, enters in at the door. We ought to do all we can to warn the boys and girls against it, and, by creating a healthy moral sentiment in the school- room, lead them and keep them, if possible, away from it. To this end our instruction should be not goody-goody, but scientific. It . should be judicious. It is better to keep still, than to be wildly declamatory and cranky. Every word that we speak should be true, indisputably true, and freighted with common sense. To harrow up the feelings is not enough. We must appeal to the reason, we must reach the understanding. Our school-room aids, I will remark in this connection, are insufficient. If we do not put text-books into the hands of the pupils in the intermediate and lower grammar grades, we should at least provide more desk books. There should be a small temperance library; well selected, in every school building. The teachers are willing to do what is required of them, they are acting in good faith, but they need assistance in the preparation of their lessons. There should be a greater richness of material at ready command from which they can draw. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is laboring energetically, fighting valiantly, I may say, to give, through the schools, to every child in the republic, a temperance education, and through the co-operation of legislators and the school authorities, to make the youth of the country, purer in life and habits. Are we not bound to help these loyal workers all we can?
DECORATING SCHOOL HOUSE YARDS.
Not much more outlay is needed to make our school yards at- tractive. Already, the Hollis, Bates, South High, Pratt, Shaw, Washington, Bicknell, Athens, and Tufts have been improved, and,
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with lawns, vases, flowerbeds and the like, if not beautifully em- bellished, at least look well enough. But the Holbrook, Franklin, North High, Hunt, and Thomas need further improvement, and it seems to me that such expenditures as these yards call for shonld be made at once.
As a pioneer in the work of adorning school grounds, Weymouth occupies first place. Whatever individual schools and individual teachers may have done, Weymouth was, so far as I know, the first town to incorporate the work as a general feature of the school system. But the neighboring towns have imitated her example quite widely, and even Boston has begun to decorate her small school enclosures. The work pays. I venture to say that private property abutting on school grounds in Weymouth, has been in- creased in value, in consequence of these improvements, enough to pay for them twice over. A recent purchaser of a lot that is situated in close proximity to a schoolhouse, said to me the other day, in speaking of his location : I dreaded coming here at first, because the schoolhouse is so near, but now I enjoy the children so much I should not want to move away. The secret of his liking the children so well, is found in the fact that a change in their deportment has been effected by cultivating in them a love of the beautiful, and by crowding out of the school-grounds those rough pastimes, such as snow-balling, stone-throwing, and ball-playing, which have no place there, because of the danger to little children and the damage done, or likely to be done, both to school and neighboring property. The children still have all the room they need, and they enjoy thelr school life more because of this obvious attempt to treat the school as their other home.
FEWER JANITORS.
In Wards Two and Three there should be fewer janitors, and they should have no other work to do, or, at least, the care of school buildings should be their main business.
To bring something definite to your notice, I recommend the following : --
That the Washington and Bicknell Schools have but one janitor, and that he be at the Washington School as much of the time during school hours as he can, and always there at recess.
That the-Middle Street and Franklin Schools have but one janitor,
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and that he make his headquarters at the Middle Street School, being always there at recess.
That the Tufts and the North High Schools, or the Tufts, Hunt, and Lincoln' Schools, have but one janitor, and that he spend as much of his time at the Tufts School as possible, being always there at recess.
The Washington (six rooms with three hundred pupils) the Middle Street and Tufts (each with four rooms and two hundred pupils) have lady principals, and they need the assistance of a janitor at recess to protect property and care for the out buildings.
" The same doubling up could be carried out in South Weymouth Village, if desired, although there is less call for it there, as neither of the buildings are under the charge of a lady principal. There are eight rooms in South Weymouth Village, sixteen in East Wey- mouth, and sixteen at the Landing.
I recommend also that these janitors have a fixed salary, and that they be required to make all small repairs and do all the cleaning. By such an arrangement, money could be saved to the the town and the efficiency of the schools materially increased. The practice of having a different janitor for every little school building is a legacy of the old district system, and ought to be abolished in the more populous centres.
FLAGS FOR SCHOOLHOUSES.
The first flag to float over a schoolhouse in Weymouth, in recent years, was that of the Holbrook School at Lovell's Corner. It was raised by private subscription and procured by Col. Benj. S. Lovell who, in forwarding it, sent to Miss Hawes the following letter : -
MISS FANNIE E. HAWES, East Weymouth, Mass. :
Dear Friend,- It gives me much satisfaction to be of any service in procuring the American flag for the school at Lovell's Corner. Upon the . scholars there, together with others all over the land, will soon devolve the charge of our country's great and varied interests. They will soon become her law-makers and executors, and upon them will depend her progress and welfare. I most heartily endorse the purpose of placing in all our schools our country's flag, the possession of which is so surely calculated to arouse in them, for her, a filial love.
Very truly yours,
BENJ. S. LOVELL.
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The children put their pennies into this flag to the amount of fifty cents, when Miss Hawes, heading a subscription paper with one dollar, started out one evening at seven o'clock. At nine o'clock the sum of ten dollars had been subscribed and the flag was bought the next day. The people gave gladly, and would have given a hundred dollars if that sum had been required. Sergt. Levi L Barker gave the pole and paid for putting it up.
I am, on the whole, glad that the Holbrook School should be the first one to have a flag waving over it. A deeply patriotic spirit prevails in this school, and Miss Hawes has for some time enter- · tained the project of procuring a flag. It was in this school, the other day, that a little primary pupil, in an outburst of patriotic enthusiasm, declared it to be his opinion that all soldiers ought to go to heaven.
It seems to me, that as a matter of history, all the correspond- ence relating to flags for-schoolhouses should be preserved. The letters are pervaded by a deeply patriotic spirit, and make good reading. I append them herewith, arranged in the order in which they were written : -
DEC. 18, 1889. L. H. OWEN, Principal North High School, Weymouth, Mass. :
Dear Sir, - It gives me pleasure to present through you, to the North High School of Weymouth, the flag which will be forwarded to you to-day. I trust it may soon be waving over those who should be, and undoubtedly are, taught lessons of patriotism and loyalty to their country. I can but think the daily sight of the glorious stars and stripes will lead to better, nobler, and more patriotic living, the results of which will become more clearly apparent as the years pass by. 1
With kindest interest,
JAMES H. FLINT.
WEYMOUTH, MASS., Dec. 19; 1889.
MR. JAMES H. FLINT :
My Dear Sir, - This morning my pupils were to complete their plans for the purchase of a flag, when I had the pleasure of reading to them your communication and showing them the beautiful flag you had so kindly given. It is now a pleasure to communicate to you their very high appreciation of your gift and their thanks for lt.
It is a gift which you may look upon with pride; and you can be well assured, as you look upon it, that the stars and stripes are floating over as patriotic a body as can be found within school walls in our Common- wealth.
Please accept my personal thanks for your kindness.
Very truly yours, L. H. OWEN.
1
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EDGAR R. DOWNS, Principal South High School, Weymouth, Mass. :
Webster defines patriotism to be the noblest passion that animates a man in the character of a citizen. History abundantly shows that in early times it was held in this estimation. "It is sweet to die for one's country " has passed into a proverb among the Romans, and they, with the Greek, the two most cultivated nations of their age, took special pains to imbue their youth with this sentiment. Great care was taken in their physical as well as mental training, to fit them for their country's service. The wisdom of this course is seen in the production of some of the wisest law givers and most skillful and valiant warriors the world has ever seen, and so long as the passion of love for one's country was uppermost, carry- ing in its train kindred virtues, no foe from without could successfully assail them, and within, art and science attained their highest excellence.
But we need not go so far to find illustrations of the value to a nation of this sentiment among its citizens. Our own late war shows it has lost none of its original vigor. The history of no time or people, records wiser statesmenship in council or more skillful leadership and devoted following in battle than our own. Allow me, then, the great pleasure of presenting through you to the South High School of Weymouth, the stars and stripes, the glorious flag of our country, at once the emblem of her power and honor. May the sight of it awaken and keep aglow the patriotic ardor of its scholars, and should occasion require, incite them to emulate the example of those who fought under its folds, and as ever recurring Memorial day rolls around lead them to wreathe with green gar- lands and bright flowers the graves of those who gave their lives for their country's salvation.
BENJ. S. LOVELL.
SOUTH WEYMOUTH, Jan. 14, 1890.
COL. BENJAMIN S. LOVELL, E. Weymouth, Mass. :
Dear Sir, - Please accept through me the thanks of the South Higli School for your generous gift of a national flag. The generation over which it shall wave has never seen its existence imperilled by domestic discord or by foreign foe. May its daily presence awake a desire to know more intimately the story of the inception and the preservation of that Union, to which, under God, they owe the blessings of education. May scholars thus realize the debt which they are under, not only to die, but to live, for that country. Heroic death in battle is the last full measure of patriotic devotion, but faithful fulfilment of every political duty in time of peace is no less a test of patriotism. Let this symbol of the nation raise their thoughts above mere ambition for party, place or power, and by it may they swear fealty to their common country.
I am very truly yours, EDGAR R. DOWNS,
Principal South High School.
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WEYMOUTH, Jan. 13, 1890.
C. K. SULLIVAN, Esq., Principal Bates School, South Weymouth :
Dear Sir, - The undersigned, ex-soldiers and residents of Weymouth, beg the privilege of presenting, throughi you, to the Bates School, South Weymouth, the flag of the United States. the stars and stripes of our great Republic. It is peculiarly fitting and appropriate that the flag of the Union should float over the school building, named in honor of that distinguished citizen and gallant soldier, Gen. James L. Bates. No more patriotic or faithful soldier than he went from this loyal commonwealth to battle for the Union and the supremacy of the flag, and were he present with us to-day he would rejoice to see the fiag he loved so well floating proudly in the breeze over the building, the erection of which was largely due to his influence and persistent zeal.
Sitting under the starry emblem of freedom and power, protected by its mighty influence, inspired by its resplendent history, may the youth of this school be receptive to the lesson it teaches of loyalty and devotion to the Republic.
(Signed) BENJ. S. LOVELL. ELBRIDGE NASH. CHAS. W. HASTINGS.
SOUTH WEYMOUTH, Feb. 7, 1890.
COL. BENJ. S. LOVELL, ELBRIDGE NASH, Esq., CAPT. C. W. HASTINGS :
Gentlemen, - Your kind favor of the 11th ult , accompanied by, and conveying to the Bates School, your generous gift of a beautiful flag, was duly received. Severe illness, alone, prevented an earlier acknowledge- ment of the same, but to-day, feeling much better, I desire to make reply.
You may be sure that my school and myself appreciate what you have given us, and we most earnestly tender you our sincere and heartfelt thanks. We had caught the flag spirit that was in the air, and during last term were casting about how to obtain a flag for our building, when your unexpected kindness supplied our want.
This flag has more than ordinary significance to us, coming as it does from ex-soldiers, and dedicating it, as you do, to a brave officer and com- rade, in whose honor our school is named, and we promise, as we receive it at your hands, to guard, respect, and care for it loyally ; and if in the future any foe should dare assail the Nation, mayhap from among these boys shall come its brave defenders, incited to deeds of patriotism by sit- ting under the shadow of this flag you donate them now.
I am sure the presence of this ensign will lead to a better and more understanding study of history, to a love of country, and to emulation of brave and noble patriots. When I am able to resume my duties, this flag will be raised with appropriate ceremonies. which you will be invited to attend, and in which we shall expect you to participate. With renewed thanks, I am, Very truly,
C. K. SULLIVAN,
Principal Bates School.
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EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 16, 1890.
MY DEAR MISS BELCHER, Principal Washington School :
We take pleasure in presenting to the school over which you have charge, the " Star-Spangled Banner." No gift, certainly, can be more appropriate. It is very likely that some of your scholars will hereafter be engaged in some form of their country's service, and will then remem- ber, with increased devotion to her interests, the old flag under which they pursued their youthful studies.
Very truly yours,
BENJ. S. LOVELL. CHAS. S. REDMOND.
EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 20, 1890.
TO MESSRS. BENJAMIN S. LOVELL, CHARLES S. REDMOND :
Dear Sirs, -Please accept, through me, the thanks of the Washington School, in consideration of your patriotic gift of the national flag. We shall value it highly, not only as a means of still further ornamenting our already beautiful surroundings, but also for the other and primary pur- pose, that of keeping always in the mind of the rising generations the duty which they owe to their country. We feel proud to find that there are those who, even in times of peace and prosperity, have still that patri- otism and love of country and foresight of possibilities, that should prompt them to the donation of so judicious a gift.
Yours,
MARTHA E BELCHER, Principal Washington School. 1
EAST WEYMOUTH, January, 1890.
MISS MARY A. DEE, Principal of Middle Street School :
I desire to present through you to the Middle Street School, our coun- try's flag. As the symbol of national prosperity and good government, I hope it will cheer you in your daily work, and help to make good citizens of those committed to your care. The public schools are the corner-stone of the Republic. Without them the blessings of free government would not long endure. It seems fitting, therefore, that the boys and girls of to-day, who are to be the men and women of to-morrow, should be edu- cated in patriotism, and taught to appreciate what was wrought for them in the days that tried men's souls As the symbol of freedom and a hard earned independence, may the stars and stripes, floating above their heads, inspire them with a love of country and loyalty to free institutions.
EDWIN CLAPP.
To MR. EDWIN CLAPP :
Sir, - We acknowledge and gratefully accept the beautiful flag which you have presented to the Middle Street School. We regard it as a token
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of generosity and kindly interest in the welfare of the pupils of that vicin- ity, and also as an appreciation of the purpose for which the idea was originated, -- that of helping to inspire the spirit of patriotism in those who are to form a part of the future State.
Very respectfully yours, MARY A. DEE, Principal of Middle Street School.
EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 18, 1890. JOSEPH A. CUSHING, EsQ , Secretary Weymouth School Committee :
Dear Sir, -Mr. M. C. Dizer has instructed me to procure for the Franklin School a national flag, with suitable pole and other appliances. I have placed the order for the flag with the J. P. Lovell Arms Company, with instructions to forward the same to you. You will therefore be kind enough to present it to the school with the best wishes and kindest regards of the donor.
Very respectfully yours, D. M. EASTON.
EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 25, 1890. D. M. EASTON, ESQ. :
Dear Sir, - The national flag so generously donated to the Franklin School by Mr. M. C. Dizer, has been received, and I have presented it to the school as instructed in your advisement of the 18th inst. Mr. Say- ward. principal of the Franklin School, wishes me to convey through you to Mr. Dizer, the sincere thanks of himself and pupils for his kind remem- brance, with their pledge to guard it to the best of their ability, in which I most heartily join.
Very truly yours, JOSEPH A. CUSHING.
EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 28, 1890.
To MISS BRIT. D. HARLOW, Teacher of the Bicknell School, East Weymouth :
Dear Madam, -Following the example of some of our most eminent citizens in the presentation of our national flag to the public schools of the town. I desire to present, through you, a flag to the Bicknell School.
Adopted by our fathers, by whose heroic efforts this people became a nation, it has ever been the ensign of liberty, floating over a country rec- ognized as the house of the oppressed of all nations, and the land of the free. May we never forget the great debt to those who so freely shed their blood and endured such hardships that we might be a free people.
Very truly yours,
Z. L. BICKNELL.
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EAST WEYMOUTH, Jan. 28, 1890.
MR. Z. L. BICKNELL :
Dear Sir, - Please accept our thanks for the beautiful flag with which you so kindly presented us. It will be a pleasant reminder, many times, of the kindly thought and interest of the giver, as well as an incentive to the love of our country, which in the past inspired our fathers to fight for its welfare.
Yours respectfully, . BRIT. E. HARLOW, Teacher of Bicknell School.
SOUTH WEYMOUTH, MASS., Feb. 10, 1890.
MISS MARY E. BRASSILL, Principal of the Shaw School, South Weymouth, Mass :
An active member of the Wednesday Night Club has generously fur- nished a national flag to be presented in the name of the club to the Shaw School. The club has voted to accept the trust, and that the Board of Gov- ernment formally present it through you to the school. In discharging this pleasant duty, as we now do, we congratulate the Wednesday Night Club that, through the liberality of the generous donor, it is enabled to participate in a movement which is in harmony with its own aim, the development of good citizenship.
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