USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1890 > Part 11
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Walter R. Marsh resigned, and Miss H. Josephine Center was secured to fill his place. Early in the spring Miss Alice D. Adams was compelled by failing health to resign her position as assistant in the South High School. She was succeeded by Miss Eva M. Moran, a graduate of the Bridgewater Normal School. In the lat- ter part of the last school year, Miss Nettie Bradford was trans- ferred from the Washington School, second grade, to fill a vacancy in the Athens first and second grades, caused by the promotion of Miss Grace W. Mitchell to the fifth and sixth grades of that school, which had been taught by Miss Addie M. Canterbury, who was promoted to the Franklin seventh grade. At the commencement of the year a new school was opened in the Bicknell building for the first grade, with Miss Lizzie E. Tirrell as teacher. Miss Tirrell was transferred to the Washington second grade, and Miss Helena M. Callahan taken from the Hunt fifth grade and placed in charge. Miss Mary L. Tucker succeeded Miss Callahan in the Hunt. Miss Hattie E. Darcy resigned her position as teacher of the Hunt sev- enth grade to accept a position as teacher in Waltham. Miss Mary E. Ford was transferred from the Franklin seventh grade to fill this vacancy. Miss Mary E. Brasill resigned from the Shaw Gram- mar School to accept a position in Muskegon, Mich., and the vacancy thus made was filled by the promotion of Miss Mary E. Grundstrom, from the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades of the same -school. Miss C. Augusta Holbrook was appointed a teacher in the grades left by Miss Grundstrom.
For many years the town has authorized the school committee to expend the income from the Pratt Fund, amounting to $300. As it has been understood that this money was to be used for the exclusive benefit of the Pratt School, the committee have hitlerto deemed it best to increase the efficiency and standing of this school by adding the $300 to the amount usually paid principals of similar schools in town which are taught by lady teachers. The town having refused to appropriate this amount, the school has been deprived of the services of Mr. George C. Torrey, who resigned at the close of the year in June. Miss A. Amelia Jordan was pro- moted to the principalship, at a salary of $500. Miss Nellie M. Holbrook was appointed to fill the vacancy in the lower grades
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caused by the promotion of Miss Jordan. Mr. George C. Rogers was elected principal of the Bates Grammar School, at the com- mencement of the school year.
TRUANT SCHOOL.
The County Commissioners have notified the committee that the Truant School, recently established in Walpole, in this county, will be maintained during the coming year, and will be prepared to receive truants from Weymouth. During the year two truants from Ward II. and one from Ward III. have been arrested by the truant officers, and made to appear before the court at Quincy ; at present they are at their homes, in Weymouth, on probation.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
The committee desire to call your attention to the difficulty under which they labor in preventing the spread of contagious diseases in our schools. The statutes require physicians and householders to report to the Board of Health all cases of conta- gious diseases, imposing a penalty for neglecting so to do. Not- withstanding this law, we frequently find children attending school from houses where there are cases of diphtheria, whooping-cough, and similar diseases. The attention of the Board of Health has been called to this question, but we are informed by them that they are powerless to help us. This is a matter of vital impor- tance to each one of our citizens, and we earnestly enjoin you to notify the committee, or superintendent, of every case of even suspected disease of such a nature as could be carried by another to a school-room.
REPAIRS.
A large number of school buildings in town, many of them being old, are in need of constant repairs from year to year, and it is the part of economy to see that these repairs are attended to at the proper time, and that none of the property of the town is allowed to depreciate in value by reason of delay.
Direct orders from the state authorities have compelled certain
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extensive changes and repairs, which are noted under a separate heading ; but we here give in detail the regular repairs that have been made in the different wards of the town during the year.
WARD ONE.
The Athens School building has been painted outside two coats. A new system of heating and ventilation has been introduced, and various small repairs have been made about the building. Another year a part of the cellar around the new heaters should be cemented and the building painted inside.
At the River Street School only a very few small repairs have been made. Next year it will be absolutely necessary to put the out-buildings in proper condition.
At the Adams School there have been only small repairs. been. Next year it will be necessary to paint the outside and repair the roof, as recommended in the report for 1889.
WARD Two.
New furnaces have been put in the Franklin School building, and a modern system of ventilation, introduced. A new coal-bin has been built in the cellar ; a portion of the basement cemented ; part of the old black-boards, destroyed by putting in the improved ventilators, have been replaced with slate; and the wood-work inside has been varnished. The gutters on the roof and the con- ductors have been overhauled and the outbuildings have been remodelled. When the walls inside are whitened, this building will be in good repair, and will only require a little paint and whitewash in places during several years to come.
At the Bicknell School new seats and desks have been placed in both rooms, the vault of the outbuildings has been built over, and various small repairs made. This building needs painting on the outside.
At the Washington, the heaters have been repaired, and some small repairs made. At Middle Street, the repairs have been of minor importance.
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WARD THREE.
At the Hunt School a new fire-escape has been erected, and on the inside, the old desks in one room have been replaced with new ones, and various other small repairs made.
At the North High School the doors have been made to swing outward, a new coal-bin has been built in the cellar, the laboratory has received necessary improvements, and the outbuildings have been repaired. Considerable paint will have to be used on this building during the coming year, in order to put it in good condi- tion ; and the same may be said of the Hunt School building, which has not received an outside coat of paint for several years. During the coming year this building should be provided with new heaters and additional means of ventilation.
At the Tufts School the rooms have been thoroughly painted, and a new tin roof put on, it having been found impossible to repair the old one.
WARD FOUR.
At the Shaw School a new floor has been provided for one of the rooms, and a new platform built outside. One of the rooms has been furnished with seats and desks.
In the other schools in this ward small repairs have been made. The Holbrook building and Shaw Grammar building should be painted. New seats and a new floor should be placed in one room in the Shaw Primary.
WARD FIVE.
At the South High School one of the rooms has been painted, nine new desks have been provided, to accommodate the increased number of pupils, and the outside doors have been made to swing outward. Improvements have been made in the cellar. This building should be painted on the outside next year.
The Bates school-house has been painted on the outside, two coats ; the cellar has been cemented, and a large amount of neces- sary painting done in the rooms. The roof has been repaired, and a drain built in the cellar.
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At the Thomas School the walls and ceiling of the school-room have been painted, the entries have been improved, and various other small repairs made. This building should be painted on the outside next year.
At the Hollis School new out-buildings have been erected, and a . new entrance made to the cellar.
At the Pond School nothing of importance has been done during the year.
Your committee feel that they are gradually getting all these buildings through the town in a condition where the item for repairs, outside of innovations ordered by the state, will not be as large as it has been during the past few years, but it goes without saying that unless repairs are attended to at the proper time there will be more of an excuse for newer and larger buildings, which would mean a much greater expenditure from the treasury of the town. We have made repairs only where there was need for them, and have endeavored to get the most for the money ex- pended, and the results are open to the inspection of the public at any time.
The amount of money asked for on account of repairs during the coming year does not include extraordinary repairs that may be ordered by the state authorities.
IMPROVEMENTS ORDERED BY THE STATE.
In the report of your committee for the year ending Dec. 31, 1889, your attention was called to the notice received from the chief of the State District Police of his intention to inspect the school-houses in Weymouth ; to order necessary changes in the ways of egress and means of escape in case of fire; to direct the school committee to provide suitable ventilation, improve the sanitary condition of the school-houses, and make such other changes as, in his opinion, were necessary to put some of our school-houses in a safe and healthy condition.
State Inspector Lemuel Pope spent several days in town during the early spring inspecting our school buildings, and, as a result, sent orders as follows: You are directed to provide better and
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additional means of ventilation in the Athens school-house by means of brick or metallic flues, or ducts, aided by heat or mechani- cal means, and also to provide a suitable supply of pure air heated to a proper degree, for all persons in said building ; you will also take measures to improve the drainage of said building, all of which is to be done subject to the approval of this department. And you are also hereby notified that you must provide the Hunt school-house with additional means of escape in case of fire, by constructing in the rear thereof an enclosed stairway leading from the third floor to the ground; said stairway shall connect with the rooms in the second and third floors by doors three feet wide, opening out ; the door at the bottom to be four feet wide, and open out ; none of said doors to be fastened so that they cannot at all times be opened from the inside; said stairs to be three and one half feet wide in the clear, railed both sides, and not to have a greater inclination than forty-five degrees, and no stair a greater rise than eight inches. You will also take measures to remove the water from the cellar of said building. You will also take meas- ures to furnish additional means of ventilation for said building by brick or metallic flues, or ducts, aided by heat or mechanical means, and also to provide a suitable supply of pure air properly heated ; you will also greatly improve the condition of the sanitary appli- ances of said building ; the whole to be complied with subject to the approval of this department.
At the South High school-house the outside doors must be so constructed as to open out. You will also take such measures as may be necessary to prevent the water from standing in the cellar of said building. You will also take such measures as may be necessary to prevent, gasses and back drainage from entering the building from the drain now in the cellar.
At the Bates school-house the outside doors must be so con- structed as to open out. You will also take such measures as may be necessary to do away with the dampness in the cellar of said building, and provide some means of conducting the waste water away from the cellar.
At the North High school-house, you are directed to change the construction of all the outside doors, so they will swing out. You
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will also cause all the sanitary buildings to be put in proper con- dition for use, and their condition greatly improved. In this con- nection, we desire to call your attention to Chap. 149, Acts of 1888, entitled, " An Act to cause proper sanitary provisions and proper ventilation in public buildings and school-houses."
SECTION 1. Every public building and every school-house shall be kept in a cleanly state and free from effluvia arising from any drain, privy, or other nuisance, and shall be provided with a sufficient number of water-closets, carth-closets, or privies, for the reasonable use of the persons admitted to such public building, or of the pupils attending such school-house.
SECT. 2. Every public building and every school-house shall be ventilated in such a proper manner that the air shall not become so exhausted as to be injurious to the health of the persons present therein. The provisions of this section and the preceding shall be enforced by the inspection department of the district police force.
SECT. 4. Any school committee, public officer, corporation, or person neglecting for four weeks after the receipt of an order from an inspector . . . to provide the sanitary provisions or means of ventilation required thereby shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.
It will be observed by the foregoing that directions given by the inspectors of buildings are not left in such a manner as will admit of your school committee exercising any discretion in the matter. The law is mandatory, and imposes a penalty for neglect- ing to comply with the instructions received from the Police Depart- ment. After a very careful study of the question in all its bear- ings, and being influenced in no small degree by the experience of other towns that have attempted to evade the provisions of the statute, and having been served with a notice of prosecution by- the chief of the State Police, your committee have carried out many of the instructions given by Inspector Pope.
In our last annual report your attention was called to the neces- sity of providing the Franklin school-house with new heaters. Understanding that the inspectors had knowledge of the faulty
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ventilation in this house, it was deemed advisable to ask that the orders relating to heating and ventilating the Hunt building be suspended until another year, and the Franklin school-house sub- stituted, where it was understood that the change could be made at a less expenditure of money and remedy the evil existing in this building. This request having been granted, contracts were given to McClintock & Woodfall, of Boston, to heat and ventil- ate the Athens school-house for $1, 177, and the Franklin for $1,000, exclusive of masonry, carpenter work, and painting. The terms of payment agreed upon were that forty per cent of the amount should be paid when all of the apparatus was inside of the building and the heaters set up, forty per cent when the work was com- pleted, and the remainder when pronounced satisfactory by the state inspectors. This work has been examined by Inspector Brown. He reports that he found that forty-two cubic feet of pure air were supplied each teacher and scholar every minute
While there may be a question as to the wisdom of the statute in its present form, your committee have no hesitancy in repeating from last year, " that it is impossible to supply school-rooms with the large amount of fresh air that is absolutely essential, and remove the foul air, which is always present, and undoubtedly causes much ill health, without other means than practically dead-air flues. Now these buildings are well warmed and ventilated, and the teachers and pupils are enjoying an even temperature and pure air. Furthermore, we believe that these improvements will be a lasting benefit to all concerned.
The additional stairway in the Hunt building, to be used in case of fire, has been constructed under the direction of the Police Department at an expense of about $900.
At the North High school-house the construction of the doors has been changed, so as to conform to the law requiring that they shall open out. The sanitary buildings have been repaired and improved as we were directed. The doors in the South High and Bates buildings have been changed so that they will open outward, and the cellar under the latter has been drained and cemented. Draining and cementing the cellars under the South High and Hunt buildings, improving the sanitary buildings of the Hunt and
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Lincoln school buildings, supplying the former with an improved system of heating and ventilation, and several smaller changes that have been ordered on these and other houses, have not been begun at the present writing.
The total cost of the additions, changes, and improvements that have been completed, including outstanding bills, is about $5.000. About $4,000 of this has been paid from the ap- propriation made for the support of schools for the present year. Should changes be ordered during the coming season, we are- informed that they will be confined to Wards III., IV., or V. The school committee have no other information as to the intention of the state inspectors.
ESTIMATES.
The committee estimate that the amount necessary for the support of schools from Jan. 1, 1891, to April 1, 1891, will be $8,600. Deducting the amount on hand, it leaves a deficit of $7,500. Of this amount, $4,000 have been expended on changes, improvements, and additions ordered by the State in- spectors, $600 in establishing a new school and employing an assistant in Ward II. ; $700 in increased salaries, miscellaneous expenses, and unexpected and unusual repairs ; and $2,200 in paving the deficit for the year ending Dec. 31, 1889. There will also be required $1,000 to meet outstanding bills on the improvements, changes, and additions ordered by the State inspector, making a total deficit of $8,500.
The Committee respectfully ask for the following appropriations for the ensuing year : -
Salaries of teachers
$26,700 00
Janitors, fuel, and cleaning
4,400 00
Text-books and supplies .
3,500 00
Repairs .
3,000 00
Miscellaneous, including transportation, and truant
officers
1,500 00
Incidentals
500 00
Total
.
$39,600 00 ·
·
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This may be reduced by, -
The Alewife Fund .
$252 00
One half dog tax ·
606 00
State School Fund .
70 00
Tuition of non-resident pupils
20 00
Total
$948 00
Leaving a balance to be raised by taxation of · $38,652 00
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM A. DRAKE.
JOSEPH A. CUSHING. JAMES H. FLINT.
BRADFORD HAWES.
HENRY A. THOMAS.
REPORT
OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Weymouth :
GENTLEMEN, - In compliance with your instructions, I herewith submit my first annual report of the schools under your charge, the same being for the school year ending June 30, 1890.
As I had no connection with the schools of Weymouth before September, 1890, and have received no records of previous work, I can make no satisfactory report of the character of the work pros- ecuted in our schools before that date.
I have asked the High School principals and the Supervisor of Music to make to me complete reports of the work in the depart- ments under their charge, and, with your permission, will incor- porate the same in the following pages : -
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Population of Weymouth by census, 1890 . 10,882
Population of Weymouth by census, 1880 10,578
Gain
304
Valuation of Weymouth, 1889 $6,074,185 00
Valuation of Weymouth, 1888 5,901,114 00
Gain
$173,071 00
Valuation of school buildings and sites, 1890 $141,000 00
Sum appropriated by state, 1888, for each child between five and fifteen .
$14,891
Sum appropriated by county, 1888, for each child between five and fifteen 16,661
Sum appropriated by town, 1888, for each child between five and fifteen years 1,5771
Number of children in town between five and fifteen years, 1890, 1,863
Number of children in town between five and fifteen years, 1888. 1,739
Gain in two years
124
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Number of children by wards, 1890 : -
Ward I., 227; Ward II., 682; Ward III., 431; Ward IV., 202; Ward V., 321 .
1,863
Number pupils enrolled for school-year 1889 and 1890
2,200
Average membership
1,923
Average daily attendance
1,784
Average per cent of attendance . ·
92
Number pupils fifteen years or over
211
Number pupils not absent for entire year
46
Number truants (so far as reported) .
75
Number visits by committee .
230
Number visits by superintendent . .
425
Number visits by others ·
7,911
SCHOOLS.
Number of high schools
2
Number of grammar schools
20
Number of mixed schools
·
11
Number of primary schools
15
Number of school-rooms in use
53.
TEACHERS.
High - male, 2; female, 5 .
T
Grammar - male, 4; female, 16
.
20
Mixed - male, 0; female, 12
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Primary - male, 0; female, 16
16
Pupil teachers without pay .
13
Total
68
GENERAL REMARKS.
Considered as a whole, the schools of Weymouth are a credit to the town. Under the efficient management of my predecessor they have been steadily improving from year to year ; still the standard of school work is far from being all that is desired. The age is one of rapid advancement, and our public schools must keep abreast with the progress of the times. The old notion that any one can " keep school " is fast disappearing from the minds of thoughtful people. Education has practically been reduced to a science, and mere academic training is not sufficient intellectual outfit for the teacher's work. A college diploma, faithfully earned, does much to make a good teacher, as it does to make a good physician or a good lawyer ; but no one employs a physician or lawyer who has
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not added to his general training some special training for his profession. Is it unreasonable to apply the same rule in the selec- tion of teachers ? Certainly, a careful and systematic study of the laws of mind with reference to mental growth will enable a person to deal more wisely with the perplexing problems of child-life that are constantly confronting the teacher for solution. The teacher cannot be too highly cultivated : yet she needs to know not only the subjects taught but how to present them to the young minds.
The work of the teacher is too closely related to the welfare of the community to be passed by with a simple general comment. Every citizen has a right to know, and should know by personal acquaintance, who our teachers are, what their habits are, and what influence they exert over the pupils. Not every one who secures a school necessarily 'teaches : " He alone teaches who is a teacher." Emerson replied to his daughter's question of what she should study, that it made no difference what she studied : the ques- tion was with whom she studied. When our citizens are awake to the fact that the teacher is the soul of the school, and that the school is the safeguard of the State, they will see to it that none but true and inspiring men and women long hold such a position of trust in the community.
The somewhat common idea that the teacher's work is confined to the few hours the school is in session is far from being true ; many of our teachers are engaged six or seven hours in the school, and several hours at home with the work of their schools. They frequently deny themselves social pleasures in order to satisfy the demands of the school. Such teachers have made our schools what they are to-day, and are deserving of words of commenda- tion from school committee, parents, and all interested in the wel- fare of the town. To know that their work is appreciated will give them new energy and inspiration.
TRAINING CLASS.
It is a source of some regret to me that our school population is so scattered that we are unable to establish a Training School for the benefit of our young ladies who cannot attend a regular Nor-
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mal School. By means of the training class much valuable instruction is given to its members ; but if our class could be raised to the dignity of a school, more and better training could be given.
During the past two years certificates stating that the persons named therein have completed the course of observation and prac- tice in the Weymouth schools have been granted to twenty-eight young ladies. Many of these are now engaged in school work in our town and elsewhere, and are showing the good effects of the drill given them in the training class.
The general plan and management of the class have been some what changed from that of previous years. Instead of attending one session a day for thirty weeks, the members are expected to attend every session while connected with the class, unless excused by the superintendent. Unless unavoidable, no two observers will be in the same room at the same time. This change, I think, will benefit both the teachers and the trainers : for when two or more trainers are together in a room they are generally less observing, the scholars are more restless and noisy, and the teacher unable to instruct and criticise the observers so wisely and effectively.
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