USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1891 > Part 12
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In accordance with the above Public Statute of Massachusetts, and in response to an article inserted in the town warrant, the citi- zens of Weymouth voted, at their last annual town meeting, to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000, for the purpose of estab- lishing and running an evening school in Ward II. As the statutes require such schools to be under the control of the school committee your committee have attended to this added duty to the best of ¡their ability, and submit a short report of the school.
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In October the following notice was inserted in the Weymouth paper, and also distributed through the town by means of large posters : -
1891. FREE EVENING SCHOOL. 1892.
All persons over twelve years of age, desiring to attend an evening school during the fall and winter for instruction in arith- metic, geography, drawing, United States history, reading, writing, etc., can obtain permits by applying in person at either of the places named below, between 7.30 and 9 o'clock.
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.
On the evenings of Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 .
SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. On the evenings of Sept. 29 and Oct. 6.
BICKNELL SCHOOL. On the evenings of Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 and 10.
This school will open at East Weymouth, on or about Monday evening Oct. 12, and continue three evenings a week, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, for ten or more weeks.
WM. A. DRAKE, Jos. A. CUSHING,
Special Committee on Evening School.
In response to this notice, one hundred fourteen persons made application and were given permits to enter the school. The educational qualifications of the applicants ranged from beginners in reading to graduates of high schools. Although such a variety of ability presented itself, we were able by careful grading, to divide the school into four sections ; thereby requiring the services of four teachers only, yet giving all a very good opportunity to pursue studies adapted to their needs.
The school opened on the evening of Oct. 19, 1891, with about eighty pupils in attendance. This number was increased night after night, until one hundred twenty-six names were recorded in the registers. As is the case in all evening schools, this num- ber was not constant. The few who came to see what was going on, and to have some fun, finding an orderly and interested school, stayed away ; some, finding that the evening work conflicted
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with other work, or finding that it was too much for them to carry on in connection with the day duties, soon dropped out. The num- bers were thus diminished to about eighty pupils, who attended with a good degree of regularity until the Christmas vacation.
The second term began on Jan. 3, but with a reduced number of pupils and a consequent reduction in the teaching force. Doubt- less the prevailing epidemic and the exceedingly stormy weather were largely accountable for the falling off. At the present writing, Feb. 20, the school is in session, therefore a record of at- tendance for the second term cannot be given. The record . for the first term is given below : -
Total number of names taken . 127
Largest number present any evening 112
Average attendance 70
It is due to the evening school pupils to say that a more orderly and well-disposed evening school could not be found in the State. The order of the advanced classes and the interest showed by the pupils in their studies would have done credit to a high school. In the lower grades, to have seen the earnestness with which those middle-aged men, deprived of school advantages in their youth, took hold of their studies, would have convinced any one that the money spent by the town in their behalf was well-spent.
One of our greatest difficulties in running the school was to se- cure suitable teachers. There were plenty of persons who would have liked the job, but we believe that to make any school a suc- cess good teachers are needed. After looking about considerably for suitable persons to take charge of the school we were obliged to fall back upon our day-school corps of teachers or give larger salaries than we were able to pay. By using our day-school teach- ers we are sure of good evening schools, but we fear that it may be somewhat at the expense of our day schools.
REPAIRS.
During the past year your committee have attended to this im- portant part of their official duties, and are pleased to report the school buildings of the town in better condition than ever before. It has been our aim, for the past few years, whenever repairs have been necessary, to make substantial and lasting improvements
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rather than to resort to temporary patching. We believe if this policy is continued a few years longer it will put our school property in such condition that it will reflect credit upon the in- telligence and wisdom of the citizens of our town.
Certain changes have been made, by order of the State authori- ties, in the heating and ventilation of the South High School build- ing, which will be noted under a separate heading. Below we give in detail the regular repairs that have been made in the dif- ferent wards of the town during the year.
WARD ONE.
The Athens schoo !- house has been painted inside and the walls and ceilings tinted. This building and the River schoolhouse are in very good repair. The Adams building will have to be painted during the coming summer.
WARD Two.
The front of the Bicknell schoolhouse has been clapboarded, and the buildings and fence painted two coats. To accommodate the increased number of pupils several new seats have been added to the Middle Street building. A new fence has been built between the main house and the sanitary buildings at the Washington. The heaters in this building have never been of sufficient capacity to warm the rooms in the coldest weather. Often during the win- ter it has been impossible, in some of the rooms, to obtain a temperature of over fifty degrees before noon. For the comfort and health of the pupils the teachers of these rooms have some- times been obliged to send their pupils to other rooms or to dis- miss their schools. Your committee, believing that the welfare of the pupils in this district demanded the extra expense, have decided to reënforce the heater by adding a hot air furnace. Owing to the faulty construction of the steam radiators and pipes in this build- ing we have found it necessary to take down and reset them.
On the ground of economy and safety it was deemed best to in- troduce electric lights into the Franklin schoolhouse to light it for the evening school. New blackboards should be placed in this house, and new seats put into the vacant room for the use of the evening school. A bad leak in the roof of this building will necessitate considerable work, but with these exceptions no large repairs will be required in this ward.
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WARD THREE.
As a result of the fire last spring near the High School, this building was damaged to the amount of about $400. It had to be newly shingled, two of the rooms painted, and some other repairs of minor importance made. This schoolhouse is in very poor re- pair and will require considerable labor and expense to put it in good condition.
No repairs have been made on the Tufts during the past year. This schoolhouse should be provided with furnace or steam heat and with new slate blackboards.
The sanitary condition of the Lincoln building and the out-houses of this and the Hunt, in the same yard, were such that the com- mittee felt that a thorough renovation should be made. The Lincoln cellar has been drained and cemented, the cellar walls and ceiling white-washed. The out-buildings have been moved to the back part of the yard and put in good repair. Both the Hunt and Lincoln buildings should be painted, and the former provided with a new system of heating and ventilating. When these sug- gestions are carried out both buildings will be in good repair.
WARD FOUR.
At the Shaw schoolhouse a new floor has been laid, and new seats put into one room. No other repairs of importance have been made in this Ward.
During the coming year the Shaw and Holbrook buildings should be painted and the Shaw should be provided with slate blackboards.
A new floor will be necessary in the Pratt building.
WARD FIVE.
The South High has been painted two coats, and other repairs made under the direction of the State Inspector, which will be noted further on. This building is now in good repair.
The Pond buildings have been painted two coats, and are now in good repair. The other schoolhouses in this ward have required small repairs only. Some work will have to be done on the heater in the Bates building, and new blackboards will be required in one of the other houses.
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ORDERED BY THE STATE INSPECTORS.
At the last annual town meeting it was voted to authorize the Town Treasurer to borrow $2,000, to defray the expense of put - ting a new heating and ventilating apparatus into the Hunt school- house, provided that your committee were directed so to do by the State Inspectors. As no orders have been issued to the com- mittee by the State authorities nothing has been done. The heaters in this building were never of sufficient capacity to heat the entire building, and now that they are nearly worn out we would respectfully recommend that the same vote be passed at the next town meeting.
The following correspondence in regard to changes and improve - ments ordered by the State, that were not commenced at the begin- ning of this year, will, we think, explain itself.
WEYMOUTH, May 25, 1891.
RUFUS R. WADE, Chief Inspector:
Dear Sir,- Considering the fact that many of the improvements in ventilation, heating and sanitation in the schoolhouses in this town, ordered by Mr. Pope, have not been commenced, and also that during the past year this town has ex- pended nearly $5,000 in improvements ordered by your board, and that still further improvements have been ordered for the present year (which in my opin- ion will be carried out ), the School Committee respectfully ask that all orders issued by Inspector Pope be suspended until it will be convenient for you to order another inspection.
In explanation I will say, that many of our citizens believe that some of those orders were unnecessary, and were made without a proper inspection of the premises; and unless the orders are suspended until another inspection can be made the School Committee will feel obliged to ask the Board of Health to grant a hearing as provided by law. Very respectfully,
W. A. DRAKE, Chairman School Committee.
MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT POLICE. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF THE DISTRICT POLICE, COMMONWEALTH BUILDING,
BOSTON, MASS., MAY 26, 1891.
W. A. DRAKE, Chairman School Committee :
Dear Sir, - Yours of the 25th received. In reply, would say that your request, expressing the feelings of the School Committee, will be granted, and another inspection will be made. Respectfully,
RUFUS R. WADE,
Chief District Police.
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It may be proper to add that the Inspector has not renewed the orders referred to above, which would have cost the town at least $4,000.
On the 24th of March, Inspector Brown notified the committee that he should inspect the South High building, and requested the presence of the School Board. Several members were present during the inspection, and were fully convinced of the necessity of the following orders : -
In the Service of the Commonwealth. DISTRICT POLICE.
DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTION OF FACTORIES, WORKSHOPS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
OFFICE, COMMONWEALTH BUILDING.
BOSTON, MARCH 26, 1891.
To WILLIAM A. DRAKE, Chairman of the School Committee of the Town of Weymouth, County of Norfolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In compliance with the provisions of the Statutes of the Commonwealth relat- ing to the inspection of factories and public buildings, on the twenty-fourth day of March, 1891, I inspected the building known as the South High School. located at South Weymouth, and you are hereby notified that it appears to me, after a careful inspection, that further and different sanitary provisions and means of ventilation than those now provided are required in said building, in order to conform to the provisions of Sects. 1 and 2 of Chap. 149 of the Acts of the Legislature of the year 1888.
And you are hereby directed to provide better and additional means of venti- lation in said building by means of brick or metallic flues or ducts, aided by heat or mechanical means.
Also, that the cellar of said building must be drained of the water standing therein, and proper measures taken to keep it in a healthy condition.
All of which is to be done subject to the approval of this department.
EDWIN Y. BROWN, Inspector of Factories and Public Buildings.
Approved,
RUFUS R. WADE, Chief Inspector.
In compliance with the above instructions, a contract was made with the Barstow Furnace Company, to heat and ventilate the building satisfactory to the State Inspectors, for the sum of $1,000 exclusive of mason and carpenter work. The apparatus has been completed and is working to the satisfaction of the committee.
The heating and ventilating systems in the Athens and Frank- lin buildings, introduced last year, continue to give general satis-
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faction. We believe that all of the large school buildings should be supplied with something similar.
We would respectfully ask for the following appropriations for the ensuing year : -
Salaries of teachers
$26,500 00
Janitors, fuel, and cleaning
4,400 00
Text-books and school supplies
3,200 00
Repairs of school buildings
3,500 00
Miscellaneous expenses .
1,500 00
Incidentals
500 00
Total
$39,600 00
This may be reduced, by -
One half of the dog license tax
$594 13
Ale wife fund
252 00
State school fund .
106 12
Tuition of non-resident pupils
10 00
Total
962 25
Leaving a balance to be raised by taxation, of . $38,638 75
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM A. DRAKE, JOSEPH A. CUSHING, AUGUSTUS J. RICHARDS, JAMES H. FLINT, BRADFORD HAWES, HENRY A. THOMAS.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
GENTLEMEN OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE,- I have the honor and pleasure of submitting to you my second annual report of the schools under your charge :-
The year has certainly been one of hard and faithful work on the part of our teachers, and may fairly be said to have been one of advancement in our schools. The relations between teachers and pupils, and parents and teachers, have been pleasant to an unusual degree. This indicates that the teachers have made. special effort to adapt the work of the school to the pupils, and to characterize its management by patient, steady and firm cheerful- ness ; thereby not merely securing quiet and orderly rooms, but those more important results which have to do with the characters of the pupils under their control. Our best teachers are not satisfied to do as good teaching as they did last year, but are constantly laboring to improve their methods of instruction and discipline. They take and read educational papers ; attend educational meet- ings, even during vacation time ; visit other schools, when they can see the best work, rather than to prolong a vacation or to visit friends ; study the history and science of education, and the art of school management; and carefully observe the physical, mental and moral development of each pupil, in order to assist in strength- ening the weak places in body, mind and character. If it were possible to make teachers' salaries depend upon intelligent and inspiring teaching, rather than upon length of service, and grade of school, the efficiency of the public schools would be increased immeasurably.
In the appendices may be found special reports from the Prin- cipals of the High Schools, the Instructor in Music, with other matters of interest concerning the schools.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Valuation of the town, 1891
$6,074,185 00
Value of all school property
141,000 00
Value of books, apparatus, etc. .
4,375 00
Current school expenditures (including ordinary repairs)
40,673 40
Cost per pupil, based upon enrolment
18 82
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Per cent. of school expenditures to valnation, .0067.
Heating and ventilating the South High School building
$1,000 00
POPULATION.
Population of the town, United States Census, 1890
10,882
Population of the town, United States Census, 1880 - 10,578
Number of children in the town (School Census, May 1, 1891),
between five and fifteen years of age . .
1,777
Distributed by wards as follows :-
Ward I., 227; Ward II., 656; Ward III., 393; Ward IV., 204; Ward V., 297 School population of the town for the six years from 1886 to 1891, inclusive :-
1886
1887
1888 1889
1890 1891
1,860.
1,823.
1,739.
1,906.
1,863.
1,777.
PUPILS.
The following table is based upon the school registers, for the year ending. June 27, 1891: -
2,161
Average per cent of attendance
91
Number of pupils fifteen years or over
224
Number of pupils sixteen years or over
116
Number of pupils between five and fifteen
1,869
Number of pupils between five and eight
603
Number pupils between eight and fourteen
1,131
Number pupils not absent for the year .
61
Number truants (reported)
87
Number visits by members school committee
338
Number visits by the superintendent
597
Number visits by the music teacher
886
Number visits by others
6,520
SCHOOLS.
Number high schools
2
Number of grammar schools
21
Number of primary schools
14
Number mixed schools .
10
Number school rooms in use
52
TEACHERS.
Teachers in high schools, male 2, female 5 .
7
Teachers in grammar grades, male 5, female 16
21
Teachers in mixed grammar and primary, female
10
Teachers in primary, female .
14
Teachers in evening schools, male
4
Special teachers, male
1
-
Total
57
Average membership
Average daily attendance
1,666
Number pupils enrolled (excluding duplicate enrolments) .
1,831
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Special attention is here called to the apparent changes in our school population for the past six years, as given in the above statistics. The record is taken from past school reports, and re- presents the number of names returned each year, respectively, by the census enumerators. It may be interesting to examine the statistics a little more closely for the purpose of determining, as nearly as possible, the school population of the town.
In 1886, the number of school children reported by the census- takers was 1,860. The number of pupils in school for the corres- ponding school year - excluding duplicate enrolments and enrol- ments of pupils over fifteen and under five - was 1,870. If 50, the estimated number of school children in town who did not attend publie schools, were added to this number, it would give the school population for that year 1,920, which is probably very nearly correct. The same test applied to the other years mentioned above will give similar results.
In the fall of 1891, the comparison was made in another way, the census lists were sent to all the teachers with the following request : " Please examine carefully the accompanying School Census and record the names of all pupils in your school whose names do not appear therein." They returned the names of 104 children then in school, between the ages of six and fifteen, in- clusive, who were in town the first of last May, but whose names do not appear in the school census. Quite a number of the children whose names were returned are from eleven to fifteen years of age and have lived from two to fifteen years in the same ward. If this number - 104, and 40, the estimated number of school children not attending public schools, were added to the Census re- turns, it would give the school population for this year, 1911, instead of 1777, the number returned by the census enumera- tors. This indicates an error in the school census for the year of over 100.
In view of the fact that the census returns are sent to the Board of Education, and printed in the State report, for comparison with other towns in the County and State, it seems desirable that the work should be as accurate as possible. Incorrect school statistics not only reflect upon the efficiency of the school management, but establish a false basis upon which to estimate the cost per pupil for school expenditures.
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ATTENDANCE.
It is gratifying to report a general improvement in the attend- ance of many of our schools. Teachers who give attention to punctuality and regularity do not fail to secure good results. Al- though indifference on the part of parents may account for many absences and tardinesses, teachers above the primary grades who have poor records must look within for the trouble. If bothi poles of the maghet are in the school-room, the necessity of a battery at home will be obviated.
It will be seen by the statistics for 1890-'91 that 2,528 in- stances of tardiness were reported. This number seems very large, but it represents a decided improvement upon the reports of previous years. In June, 1890, the South High School reported 53 tardy marks ; in June, 1891, only 15, with 150 for the year ; In June, 1890, the Bates Grammar, grades VIII .- IX., report: d 62 tardy marks ; in June, 1891, only 13, with 234 for the year. It is evident, however, that the limit of improvement, without affecting the attendance, has not yet been reached.
While it is hard to over-estimate the importance of habits of punctuality and regularity, teachers should make careful distinction between unavoidable irregularities and those of a different char- acter. Pupils who, from any cause, are unfortunate enough to be late should never be encouraged or permitted to lose the advan- tages of the entire session for the sake of a record. The custom, adopted in many places, of printing in the "Year Book" the names of all pupils not absent for the term or year has increased the attendance in those places very perceptibly. The same cus- tom. followed in our town. would undoubtedly increase our per cent of attendance and punctuality. The highest and lowest recoras for the year 1890-1891 are as follows : --
ATTENDANCE.
HIGHEST.
LOWEST.
Athens, grades VII .- IX. .
97%. Lincoln, grade I. .
Hunt, grade IX.
96%. Pratt, grades I .- VI.
78%
Shaw, grades VII .- IX.
96% Washington, grade I. . 82%.
TARDINESS.
HIGHEST.
LOWEST.
Athens, grades V .- VI. 4 cases. Bates, grades VIII .- 1X.,
234 cases.
Athens, grades VII .- IX., 5 cases.
South High
150 cases.
Washington, grade IV.
12 cases. Hunt, grade V. . 149 cases.
82%
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TRAINING SCHOOL.
A pertinent question to ask at this time, and one that should re- ceive the careful consideration of your committee, is : Shall Wey- mouth have a permanently established Training School for the purpose of giving the graduates of our high schools who wish to become teachers, and are unable to attend a normal school, an op- portunity to prepare themselves for the important work of the school room? It may be well in this connection, to call attention to the following statement concerning the preparation of the teach- ers now engaged in our schools.
Thirty-six of the forty lady teachers now in charge of the grades below the high school are residents of the town. Two only of this number are normal graduates, and ten only are graduates of the Training School. Without doubt, a very large proportion of the remaining twenty-four had no special training whatever for the work of teaching before taking charge of a school. Very many of these are now excellent teachers, but they have gained their ex- perience at the expense of our schools. Having no opportunity to become familiar with approved methods of instruction and discip- line under the direction of skillful teachers, they were years in securing the professional training that should have been acquired by them before they attempted to mould characters and shape intellects.
It is easy to see by the above figures that resident applicants for positions as teachers, whether they have received any special train- ing or not, generally succeed in getting appointments. As in many other places, " by a sort of unwritten law," residents of the town are supposed to have a "pre-emptive right" to the position of teacher. Although this law has been closely observed in the past, and its observance has given quite general satisfaction, nevertheless it is a great mistake to allow any person to entertain the idea that he has any right to a position in one of our schools. No one has a right to a position in any school ; every school has an imperative right to the very best teacher that can be secured, in town or out of town, for the money paid. Any other policy than this works a positive injury to the children, to the parents, to the town, and to the State. In securing the services of lower grade teachers as well as high school teachers, and grammar masters, "Free Trade " should be the policy of the school officials. "Other things being
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equal " -- experience and quality - home markets should be pat- ronized in order to encourage home industries ; but when an able and experienced teacher from another place will accept a position in our schools she should be appointed, unless an equally able and experienced teacher can be found at home.
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