USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1892 > Part 12
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WARD FIVE.
No new repairs have been made at the South High school. With new black-boards this building will be in good repair for several years to come.
The Bates building has had nothing of importance in the line of repairs during the last year. New steps and platforms will have to be built before another summer, and the black-boards will have to be repaired.
The Thomas building has been painted outside and the roof has been shingled.
The Hollis has been painted.
For several years small repairs only have been made at the Pond. This building should receive a new coat of paint during the coming summer vacation.
NO SESSION OF SCHOOLS.
The signal for no session of the public schools will be 2-2-2 sounded once on the fire alarm whistles and bells. It will be sounded at 7.30 or 8.15 for no session of the Primary and Gram- mar Schools in the forenoon, and at 12.45 for no session in the afternoon. When the signal is given at 7.30 there will be no session of High School.
INCREASE IN SALARIES.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1892, the committee were instructed to increase the salaries of the female teachers employed in all schools in town below the High, said increase to be made at the beginning of the fall term of school. The increase has been made in accordance with that vote. The salaries that we now pay our lady teachers, below the High Schools, rank favorably with an average of those paid by other towns in similar grades. We respectfully refer you to the appended tables for a detailed list of salaries.
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For nearly three years our schools have been under the superin- tendency of Mr. Irving M. Norcross, who has devoted himself most faithfully and zealously to his work, and we believe with marked success. Under his advice and direction the schools have more than maintained their high rank that has been our pride for a number of years past. In a town as large and scattered as Weymouth, it is impossible for a superintendent to spend all the time that could be profitably used in each school-room or even that the importance of each school demands. The somewhat common idea that the superintendent's work is confined to the school-room is far from true. Much office work is required, such as laying out the work for each school and preparing examinations and other papers, besides settling the many questions that are constantly arising in regard to school-room work. This labor is very much lessened in cities and towns where the schools are more centralized. We feel that it is of the utmost importance for the welfare of the schools that the present superintendent be retained.
The teachers have been uniformly faithful in their work, and with very few exceptions will be re-elected.
EVENING SCHOOL.
The evening school of last year, held in Ward II, which was in session at the writing of our last report, closed March 1, 1892, after having been in session fifty-three evenings. The first term of the school was well attended, having an average membership of seventy ; but during the second term, as the weather became colder, there was a large falling off in attendance. After the first of February the number had decreased to such an extent that one teacher only was required to take charge of the school.
The school was again opened in the Franklin school building on Oct. 17, 1892, but with a much smaller number of pupils present than at the opening last year. The whole number registered this year is twenty-six. The largest number present any evening is twenty-four. The per cent of attendance during the first term, or to the Christmas vacation, was sixty.
The plan of work in the school is similar to that of last year, the chief attention being given to elementary instruction in reading, writing, and number. Geography, history, physiology, language, book-keeping, and elements of civil government are taught in the higher grades.
8
The school presents an excellent opportunity for those deprived of educational advantages in their youth to gain a knowledge of the elementary branches that would be a source of much pleasure and profit to them. It may be possible that a few only of such persons live within reach of the school, but we are inclined to the belief that some are kept away from the school because of false pride. It is no disgrace to be poorly educated because of the faults or misfortunes of others, but it is a decided discredit to remain ignorant when an opportunity to gain information without expense is placed within reach.
The committee most earnestly hope that in the future the school will be more largely attended by our adult townsmen who feel the need of extra educational training.
CHANGES OF TEACHERS.
Year after year your committee is compelled to report a large number of changes in the teaching force of our town. By referring to the list printed herewith, it will be seen that ten teachers have retired from our number since our last report. Of this number five were elected to fill positions in other places at advanced salaries. It is always safe to say, when teachers are taken from us by other places, that we have lost some of our best school workers. The past year has been no exception to this rule.
The rise in salaries voted to the lady teachers in grades below the High School at our last town meeting will, we trust, enable us to retain our best teachers for longer periods. If cost of living is taken into consideration, the salaries now paid to our teachers below the high school will compare favorably with other large towns and small cities of the State.
The following is the list of changes :-
RETIRED.
Date.
Name.
School.
Grade.
April,
1892.
Barbara Hunter,
Hunt,
VIII.
June,
66
Grace M. Cummings,
Assistant,
North High.
66
66
Alice E. May,
III .- IV.
66
66
Harriet L. Reed,
Howe,
III .- IV.
Jennie Joslin,
Bates,
VII.
66
66
Helen Armington,
Tufts,
III.
July,
66
Ella M. Clark,
Bates,
I .- II.
Aug.,
66
L. Herbert Owen,
North High,
Principal.
Sept.,
66
Melzar H. Jackson,
Franklin,
IX.
66
Mary A. Dee,
Jefferson, 66
V .- VI.
66
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TRANSFERRED.
Date.
Name.
From.
To.
Sept.,
1892.
Lizzie E. Tirrell,
Washington, II.
-
Alice G. Egan,
.Jefferson, I .- II ..
Mary E. Spencer,
Mary E. Crotty,
L. Gertrude Bates,
Pond, I .- V.,
Bates, I .- II.
Stella M. Tirrell,
Hollis, I .- VI.,
Howe, III .- IV.
APPOINTED.
Date.
Name.
School.
Grade.
April,
1802.
M. Estella Sprague,
Hunt,
VIII.
Sept.,
A. C. Russell,
North High,
Principal. Assistant. IX.
E. W. Farwell,
Franklin,
Julia E. Cates,
Jefferson,
I .- II.
Susan Bullard,
Bates,
VII.
Julia M. Melville,
Pond,
.- V.
Ellen L. Roche,
Hollis,
I .- VI.
Annie F. Conroy,
Jefferson,
Assistant.
The estimates for the ensuing year are as follows :
Salaries of teachers
$29 000 00
Janitors, fuel and cleaning
4,800 00
Text-books and supplies
3,200 00
Repairs
3,800 00
Miscellaneous expenses
1,500 00
Incidentals
500 00
Total
$42,800 00
This may be reduced by, -
One half of the dog license tax
$556 00
Alewife fund
252 00
Tuition from non-resident pupils
95 00
Total
903 00
Leaving a balance to be raised by taxation (exclusive of the salary of the superintendent), of Respectfully submitted,
$41,897 00
WILLIAM A. DRAKE, JOSEPH A. CUSHING, JAMES H. FLINT, AMOS W. BLANCHARD, BRADFORD HAWES. HENRY A. THOMAS,
School Committee.
Jefferson, V .- VI. Jefferson, ILI .- IV. Washington, II. Tufts, ILI.
.Jefferson, Asst., Tufts, I.,
Anna M. Hamilton,
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of Weymouth :
GENTLEMEN, - In compliance with the rules and regulations of your Board, I beg leave to present the following statistics and statements as the annual report of this department,
I ask your attention first to the following statistics, which pre- sent in convenient form the principal items of interest concerning our schools for the year ; such as school population, school prop- erty, expenses, school buildings, attendance, number of teachers employed, etc.
In the appendices will be found special reports from the Principals of our High Schools and the Instructor in Music, together with other matters of interest concerning our schools.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Valuation of the town, 1891
$6,074,185 00
Value of school property
141,000 00
Value of books, apparatus, etc. 4,500 00
Total current school expenditures (including ordinary repairs)
42,695 96
POPULATION.
Population of town, United States Census, 1890 . 10,882
Population of town, United States Census, 1880 . 10,578
Number of children in town (school census May 1, 1892), between five and fifteen years of age 1,764
Distributed by wards as follows: -
Ward I., 246; Ward II., 631; Ward III., 397; Ward IV., 220; Ward V., 270.
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STATISTICS TAKEN FROM EARLIER SCHOOL, REPORTS.
YEAR.
Population of Town.
Number of
children In Town.
Number of
pupila enrolled.
Average
membership.
Dally
attendance.
Per cent
of attendauce.
Puplis In
Hlgh School.
Number of
teachers employed.
1875
2,013
1,927
1,556
80.7
02
11
1876
9,819
1,936
1,931
1,668
86.
126
43
1877
1,981
2,005
1,665
83.
130
47
1878
1,960
1,997
1,673
84.
125
4S
1879
2,012
2,102
1,936
1,762
91.
113
50
1880
10,578
82.
118
1881
2,028
2,191
1,934
1,700
S.S.
118
53
1882
2,010
2,175
1,920
1,614
86.
114
1883
2,006
2,216
1,926
1,663
S6.
119
1881
1,973
2,191
1,935
1,734
89.
146
53
1885
2,041
2.173
1,936
1,714
SS.
136
53
1886
1,993
2,203
1,944
1,716
88.
160
53
1887
1,860
2,200
1,951
1,715
179
52
1888
1,823
2,305
1,951
1,718
SS.
150
1889
1,906
2,224
1,945
1,716
SS.
177
53
1890
10,882
1,863
2,200
1,923
1,784
92.
201
55
1891
1,777
2,161
1,831
1,660
91.
207
The following table is based upon the school registers for the year ending July 1, 1892 : -
Number pupils enrolled in all schools (excluding duplicate enrol-
2,251
Average membership, day schools
1,818
Average daily attendance
1,702
Average per cent of attendance
92.1
Number of pupils sixteen years or over .
137
Number of pupils fifteen years or over
235
Number of pupils between five and fifteen
1,533
Number of pupils between five and eight
663
Number of pupils between eight and fourteen
1,095
Number of pupils between six and sixteen
101
Number of truants (reported)
74
Number visits by members of school committee
312
Number visits by superintendent (reported) .
615
Number visits by music teacher
7,504
Number visits by citizens and friends
SCHOOLS.
Number of high schools
Number of grammar schools .
11
Number of primary schools
1
Number of mixed schools .
10
Number of school-rooms in use
1,798
Number of pupils not absent for the year
ments) .
2,076
1,711
12
TEACHERS.
Teachers in high schools, male 2, female 4
6
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
2
Special teachers, male
1
Superintendent
1
Total number
55
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
LOCALITIES.
Buildings.
Rooms.
Teachers.
Pupils.
Pupils
per teacher.
Pupils
per room.
Weymouth High
1
4
4
130
32.5
32.5
South Weymouth High
1
3
2
71
35.5
23%
North Weymouth .
6
6
225
37.5
37.5
Weymouth Landing
3
11
10
426
42.6
38.8
East Weymouth
4
15
16
680
42.5
454
Ward IV ..
4
6
6
189
31.5
31.5
South Weymouth
4
8
8
301
37g
37§
By examining the foregoing statistics it will be observed that the number of pupils enrolled in the public schools of Weymouth each year for the past eighteen years has changed very little ; also that · the average daily attendance and number of teachers employed have increased but slightly. The largest enrolment in day schools any year was in 1889, the smallest in 1875 ; the largest average daily attendance was in 1890, the smallest in 1875. The per cent of attendance, which always indicates in a good degree the efficiency of school work, has gradually increased from 80.7, in 1875, to 92.1, in 1892. Probably the exceedingly low per cent previous to 1879 was due to the custom of finding the per cent by dividing the daily attendance by the whole number belonging instead of by the average membership.
The increased number of pupils in the high schools is worthy of special notice ; from ninty-two in 1875 to over two hundred at the present time. As stated in a former report, " This is a remarkable attendance for a town of thé size and population of Weymouth, and does the place and people great honor." The standard of scholarship in the high schools has kept pace with the increase in numbers. More pupils desire to take the college course than for-
13
merly. Over one-half of the 1891 graduates of the North High successfuly took examinations for higher institutions. It would be difficult to find a better showing in any high school of equal size in the State.
Our schools have received seven thousand eight hundred and four visits during the year from parents and friends. This is the largest number of visitors ever reported, except in 1890, and indicates that our people are becoming more and more interested in their schools and the school children. If parents and friends of the schools could estimate the value of their visits, especially those visits made when no special exercises are prepared, they would make extra effort to be in the school-room at least four or five times each year. Their presence makes the little ones more manly and lady-like, and inspires the teacher to greater effort. The attitude of the citizens of a town toward the schools has much to do with the character of the teaching. Weymouth is quite likely to have as poor schools as its citizens will tolerate, or as excellent schools as its citizens demand. No teacher can long remain a poor teacher who is reg- ularly visited by sympathetic and interested friends of the school.
ATTENDANCE.
Although the attendance in our schools the past year was better than that of any previous year, still I am obliged to report 57,940 half days of absence. I am aware that a large part of these absences may be attributed to necessary causes, but the number seems very large. It equals a continual absence for the entire year of 144 pupils, or a number larger than the enrolment at the Tufts school. larger than the enrolment at the Franklin, and nearly as large as the entire enrolment of Ward IV. As reasona- ble excuses are required to be rendered for all absences, it is fair to assume that at least 57,000 of the reported absences were by consent of parents. It seems fitting, therefore, to call the atten- tion of parents to the evils resulting from absences.
First. The absent scholar injures himself. During his absence new principles are taken up and explained by his teacher more clearly than is possible at any future time. Failing to fully under- stand the principles upon which the lessons of the next day rest, he loses the benefits that should be derived from the class recita- tions. Thus one failure leads to another, connecting links between
14
principal topics are lost, and whole subjects become distasteful to the pupil because of a few absences. Even the brightest scholars cannot make satisfactory progress unless they attend school regu- larly ; and the average pupil who attends irregularly can obtain at. the most only a smattering of education.
Secondly. Irregularity in attendance, even of a few pupils. is an injury to the entire school. The whole class is kept back so that the irregular ones can, in a measure, catch up. Principles well understood by the class must be repeated again and again for the benefit of the laggards. Constant repetition of facts, already known by a majority of the class, breeds listlessness and inatten- tion, inattention leads to carelessness, and thus the entire school suffers because of the few. If parents could correctly estimate the injury, caused by irregularity, to their own children and to the children of their neighbors, under no consideration except sickness or some other imperative reason would they permit their children to remain away from school.
Although our daily attendance is not as large as it should be, we show a marked improvement for the past four years. In 1889, the average per cent of attendance for the town was 88; in 1892, it was 92.1, nearly one third of our schools reporting 95 per cent. or over for the year. The first four months of the present year we averaged 94 per cent for all the schools.
Our pupils are also learning that punctuality is one of the vir- tues to be practised at school. A few years ago not infrequently from 400 to 500 instances of tardiness were reported a month. In 1890, 2,528 instances were reported for the year, and in 1891, only 1,804 instances. This is a commendable improvement, but. as three fifths of the tardy marks for 1891 came from nine schools, it is evident that the limit of improvement has not been reached.
One hundred and one pupils, nearly six per cent of the average membership, were not absent for the entire year; in 1891, sixty- one names were on the yearly roll of honor. This increase has been brought about partly by the work of teachers, and partly by the desire of the pupils to have their names appear on the roll of honor in the town report.
The following table shows the highest and lowest records in at- tendance and punctuality for the year 1891-92. In 1890-91 three schools only reported as high as 96 per cent in attendance, the lowest was 78 per cent; in tardiness the best record was four cases, the poorest record 234 cases.
15
ATTENDANCE.
HIGHEST.
Jefferson, grades V .- VI., 97 per cent. Tufts, grade I.
S2 per cent.
South High . 96
Tufts, grade III. 84
Athens, grades VII .- IX. 96
Washington, grade sub-I.
Athens, grades V .- VI.
Lincoln, grade I.
Hunt, grade VII.
96
Holbrook, grades I .- VI.
96
BEST.
TARDINESS.
POOREST.
Athens, grades VII .- IX.
0 cases. South High
106 cases.
B icknell, grade VI.
3
Tufts, grade III. · 103 4
Bates, grade VII.
5 Adams, grades I .- VI. 07
COURSE OF STUDY.
By means of the course of study adopted last year by your com- mittee, the work in the several studies has been advanced and made much more effective. The beneficial effect of the new course was at once apparent; our teaching became more efficient and systematic, and there was less waste of energy through misdirected effort. It secured unity and system with no loss of earnestness. While pupils of the same grade are expected during the year to accomplish certain results, minuteness of detail and monthly speci- fic directions are avoided, in order to allow freedom to the individ- uality of the teacher in the selection and use of methods. With this freedom teachers will make a more careful study of methods, and use such only as are adapted to the advancement of their pupils.
The underlying principles constituting a course of study for the common schools should be language, spelling, and the three r's. These elementary branches are now, as they always have been, the foundation upon which intellectual education must rest, and so far as teaching has wandered away from these branches have true scholarship and the character of our schools lowered. While our course for the lower grades of school recognizes the just demands of these branches by giving them from sixty to seventy per cent of the intellectual energy of the pupils, it does not disregard those more interesting and pleasing branches that tend to cultivate in the pupils an appreciation of the true and the beautiful.
In our high schools we have three well-arranged courses, extend- ing over a period of four years. The College Course aims to pre- pare pupils for any New England college ; the Latin-English course
LOWEST.
16
gives a thorough preparation for schools of Technology ; the Eng lish course, complete in itself, is designed for those who cannot attend advanced or special schools, and gives extended work in the sciences, history, and English literature.
As stated in my last report, the first year of the English course is distinctively practical, and adapted to the needs of young men who desire a more complete business education than the grammar schools afford, and who are not able to take a four years' course in the high school.
PROMOTION.
The change made last year in our method of promotion in the grammar schools has given very general satisfaction. The strain upon the nervous and excitable child has been reduced to a mini- mum, and cases of leaving school, during the year, because of failures to successfully take the bi-monthly examinations have been very uncommon.
That the present method of promotion may be fully understood by the readers of this report, and by friends and patrons of our schools, I will state it briefly. We have five regular written examinations a year in all studies pursued in our schools, but so arranged that one only is given each week. These examinations are used as an aid in determining the pupils' fitness for promotion. They count 3 or 60%, and the regular daily class work counts 3 or 40%. In reckoning daily work, teachers are given the option of daily marking or of estimating a pupils' ability in any subject by his general understanding of the several topics taken up under the subject. Pupils who show by their daily work and written examinations that they are able to do advanced work are given an opportunity to secure extra promotions, providing the superin- tendent approves of the advancement, and the parents desire it. How our practice compares with that of other towns and cities throughout the State and country may be seen by examining the views of prominent educators, given below.
Hon. J. W. DICKINSON, Secretary of the State Board of Education :
" I consider written examinations, together with daily examinations in class exercises, to be the reliable way of testing the pupils' prepara- tion for promotion or graduation."
17
Mr. FLETCHER, Agent State Board :
" Promotions should be based upon the record of class work . . and the candid intelligent judgment of teacher and superintendent."
Mr. SEAVER, Superintendent of the Boston Schools :
" Written examinations are generally used in Boston. They have a most important use and should not be abolished. They are easily abused, and need therefore to be used with great care and in due moderation."
Mr. MARBLE, Superintendent of Schools of Worcester :
" As we use them they confirm the judgment of the teacher. If re- lied upon wholly they tend to poor teaching as aiming at the mere ability to answer questions on one line."
Mr. MARTIN, Agent State Board of Education :
" I would substitute for them (formal written examinations) the teacher's estimate, based on daily observation of fidelity and progress, supplemented by occasional oral and written tests, with the superin- tendent's judgment in doubtful cases."
Hon. T. B. STOCKWELL, State Commissioner of Education, R. I. :
·· Written examinations are of value as one factor in regulating pro- motions. There is a tendency to rely less on written examinations alone, but I do not think they are being wholly discarded. I know of no substitute for them. The trouble is in the abuse, not in the correct use."
Mr. PRINCE, State Board of Education :
" Formal written examinations alone are no proper test for pupils' fitness for promotion. . .. Yet formal written examinations have a use in some subjects and with some classes of pupils."
Mr. MELENEY, Superintendent of the Schools of Somerville :
" There are written tests given through the year, by the principals and teachers, which enter somewhat into the estimate made by the teachers and to which they can refer after promotions are made, if any doubt should be raised."
Supt. WHITTEMORE, of Waltham :
" We have five (per year) given by the teachers; they count one half with the other daily work, oral and written."
Supt. MAXSON, of Plainfield, N. J. :
"I would base promotions almost entirely upon the judgment of the teacher, retaining the right to revise it in cases when thought necessary."
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One of the most important questions in the administration of schools now discussed by educators is, "How shall we give more free- dom and elasticity to our present method of classification or grading, and still retain the superior advantages of our popular system of graded schools?" To promote but once a year produces two un- desirable results : the brightest pupils cannot advance as rapidly as they might, and those pupils who fail to be promoted with their classes, because of negligence or absence, must remain in their old grade an entire year longer, unless promoted by special order. These evils attending yearly promotions have long been felt by teachers and school officers, and many remedies have been proposed and tried with varied success. As the limit of this re- port will not permit me to discuss the advantages and disadvan- tages of the several methods, I will simply call the attention of the committee to the one that seems to me to be best adapted to the needs of our schools. I refer to semi-annual promotions. There are objections to this method, such as extra work for superintendent and teachers, increase in number of classes, etc., but as it gives the bright pupil a better chance for advancement, and gives the one who attends school only so long as the law re- quires a chance to make half-year progress instead of remaining year after year in the same grade, it is worthy of the careful consideration of the committee.
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