USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1900 > Part 14
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SECTION XL .- No child under sixteen years of age shall loiter, remain or be upon any highway, park or other public way or place in this town after the hour of nine o'clock in the after- noon of any day, unless accompanied by, or under the care or direction of some adult person, or performing or returning from some employment or from the performance of some duty. And no such child, while performing such duty, or returning from the performance thereof, or from employment, shall loiter upon any street, highway, park or other public place or way.
The Selectmen shall cause two blows to be struck on the fire alarm bells each evening at 8.55 o'clock. Any person violating any of the provisions of this by-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five dollars for each offence.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM A. DRAKE, H. FRANKLIN PERRY, JOSEPH CHASE, JR., BRADFORD HAWES, GEORGE C. TORREY, GEORGE L. WENTWORTH,
School Committee
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Weymouth :
GENTLEMEN :- It is my privilege to present to your honorable body, and, through you, to the people of the town of Weymouth, my first annual report concerning the condition and needs of the schools of this town.
In this first year I could do little more than study the existing regime and possibilities of the schools, and endeavor, so far as practicable, to continue them in the system of management under which they were found.
It is my belief · that radical changes are usually undesirable, and that when a change becomes necessary it should be brought about with the least possible disturbance to the work of the schools. I have labored to become thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the town and schools, so that any change intro- duced would really be a betterment. I found the schools under an excellent system of management and the work progressing in a satisfactory manner. The discipline maintained in the schools, many of them very large, was a credit to the teachers and officers in charge.
The changes in school work which seemed the most necessary have been started by suggestions to the teachers individually, or by discussions in the teachers' meetings which have been held from time to time. An effort has been made to have the teachers appreciate the advisability of the changes desired, since it is the teachers who must work out the proposed plans. Unless there is co-operation between the teachers and the superintendent, super- vision of necessity fails to accomplish its best results. Our plan has been to have it definitely understood that we did not propose
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to inaugurate startling innovations, but that, while continuing the steady routine of work, we should gradually remodel the course of study according to ideas of the best educational thinkers and leaders of our time. I have been greatly pleased and encouraged by the ready response of the teachers and the enthusiasm shown in carrying out plans proposed.
Owing to the necessity of practising strict economy, many of the books in the schools have become very much worn, and should be replaced by new ones. New, clean books have a beneficial influence upon children. When books are torn and a part of the leaves are gone children lose pride in them and a habit of untidi- ness becomes fixed. Rebinding can be employed to good advan- tage. It places fresh looking books in the hands of the pupils, and is much cheaper than purchasing new books. During the year the large number of books which have been rebound has proved a great saving to the town.
In introducing many subjects into the school curriculum it must be understood that all subjects are not held of equal importance, nor is an equal amount of time spent upon each. It is the pur- pose to hold fast to the essentials, and to bring in as many allied subjects as possible as rest and recreation work. The essentials are to be mastered, the subsidiary subjects are to broaden the outlook and cultivate the sensibilities.
Reading certainly comes into the list of most necessary subjects, as it is through this medium that knowledge of all other subjects is largely obtained. The children are to be trained not only to express to others the thought on the printed page, which is of vital importance, but easily and readily to interpret for themselves that same thought. Under the excellent system of reading now in vogue in our schools we certainly are gaining a mastery over this branch of learning.
Next to reading comes the ability to express in pure, idiomatic English one's ideas. Men are judged largely by what they say and write. Our schools are judged by the way in which the pupils write and speak. Sometimes this is unjust as the home influ- ence is so strong a factor in moulding the child's habits. There is a great effort to train pupils to write and speak fluently and correctly. Language is taught in every grade from the first in the primary to the last in the High school. The child is gaining, besides the mere rules of grammatical construction, the vastly
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more important attainment, a habit of correct speaking and an ability to express what is known in an easy, clear style.
The subject third in importance is a knowledge of the mechani- cal operations of number. In the first stages this subject should be taught with objects, by measuring and estimating, that the child may surely understand what is meant and that his judgment may be trained. At present a great many prominent educators think that the effort to teach abstract number work in the first two grades is a waste of time. We have been endeavoring to lay the stress of work in number in these grades upon the development of the idea of magnitudes and the relations of numbers under twenty. All through the subject great care should be exercised that examples are properly illustrated, since it has been shown by recent experiments in child study that the reasoning faculties come much later in a child's life than was formerly supposed. When a child can perform the fundamental operations with rapid- ity and accuracy, the other processes of arithmetic come readily. Advanced work in arithmetic comes easily when the attention of the child is not distracted by struggles with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but when it can be concentrated upon tracing the steps in reasoning processes. Time may be wasted in the primary grades in the attempt to teach logic under the guise of arithmetic. Mere mental gymnastics should not encroach upon abundant practice in the fundamental processes, in learning tables of value, weights and measures ; and in gaining ideas of magni- tude by the use of real money, the inch and foot rule, the yard stick, and the actual weights and measures employed in business.
Reading, (w)riting, and (a) rithmetic, " the three R's," are ab- solutely fundamental in gaining, preserving and communicating knowledge and in transacting business; they should, therefore, be the foundation of the work in the lower grades and be thoroughly mastered in the early years. Yet they should never be an end in themselves. A man might be able to spell and pro- nounce correctly every word in the English language, to punctu- ate perfectly, and grammatically construct a composition, to write like a copy plate, to figure all combinations of sums. Yet if these were mere attainments, and not employed as a means to transact business, to communicate ideas of advancement, to become famil- iar with history and literature of all time through great books, periodicals, and the daily press, they are worthless.
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During the year we have endeavored to arouse an interest in the study of geography by making a more thorough study of the town of Weymouth. Children can best be taught the rudiments of geography from the study of their immediate surroundings. If the child really knows from observation the natural bodies of land and water, and learns about the great industries of mankind from an actual study of the industries around him, what he after- wards learns from books will be much more real to him.
By first presenting to the child's miud the earth as a whole by the use of the globe, a more correct idea of the relations of grand divisions and oceans is obtained than is from studying flat maps. Could each child have a small globe and the opportunity of rotat- ing and revolving it, and by actual experiment see the parts re- ceiving most light and heat, much clearer ideas would be secured in the early part of the work of geography. If also in the be- ginning of the work the simple laws of atmospheric motion and the moderating effect of large bodies of water could be taught it would not be necessary to memorize the description of each sep- arate country of the world.
The hand and eye gain skill by drawing and manual training. It is surprising to find in a town of the size of Weymouth so little provision as is made for drawing. Drawing is an art which teaches children to see and love the beautiful things of life, and to cultivate the power of finding the beautiful in the commonplace or ugly, thereby directing the child toward a fuller life. Draw- ing is also the underlying principle of many useful occupations. The starting point of mechanical, civil, and electric engineering and architecture is drawing. In a town where so many young men and women are seeking entrance into these industries it seems unwise not to provide them with an opportunity for gaining in the public schools a start for these fields of usefulness. A special teacher who could supervise the work in the grades and offer a course in our High school would be of great advantage. In some of the grade schools excellent work is being accomplished in drawing, and we are gaining in this direction, though in some of the schools very little is being accomplished.
For several years past your superintendent has urged the im- portance of manaal training in the Weymouth schools. It became possible to give this valuable branch of work a slight trial during the last year. The ladies of the Old Colony Club
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offered to conduct a sewing class, defraying all expenses them- selves. The school board appreciated the interest of the Club in the schools, and gladly consented to devote one hour a week in one school to sewing. Miss Craibe was put in charge of the work, and the girls in the Bates school are taught practical needlework one hour a week. While the girls are sewing, the boys, under the regular teachers, are taking elementary science and simple forms of manual training. I hope that this work may be gradually extended and better facilities offered to both boys and girls.
No subject is attracting more attention among educators than how to avoid the evils of close grading. A large number of pupils are thrown together, who of necessity vary greatly in age, ability, and faithfulness. In our large schools this evil is especi- ally marked. Many of our grades number forty-five and fifty. With this number it becomes necessary to bunch pupils together ; the bright with the slow, the diligent with the slothful. In schools where there is but one grade in each room, we separate a grade into two or three divisions.
By this arrangement the pupils in the more advanced division are given extra work in one or more of the studies pursued. The work of a grade is thus very much enriched and a few double promotions usually result. It is to be hoped that before long the conditions will be such that each teacher will have a school suffi- ciently small for her to study the differing individual needs of her pupils and class those of like ability together.
MARKING.
Complaints are occasionally heard that teachers do not promote pupils when the children should be allowed to advance to the next grade. Teachers are anxious to promote their pupils, it is to the credit of the teacher to have a large per cent. of a class pass the work gone over, the impulse is to promote all who can possibly grasp the work of the advanced grade, and it is only when it is evidently for the best interests of the child to do a grade over that he is required to review the work of the year. Reports of the children's standing are regularly sent to the parents and if the cards are examined carefully and precaution is taken to have the children more diligent during the year, there would be less disap-
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pointment felt at the close. As soon as the child for the first time falls below the average fixed for promotion, it is time that precaution should be taken and proper assistance given to the pupil. 4
TRUANCY.
The number of times that the Truant Officers have been called in to look up truants is more than would be expected under the favorable conditions of the people in this town. The remedy that I would suggest is an enforcement of the law and an example made of some of the incorrigibles. I quote the law in the appen- dix
GRADUATION.
Grammar School graduation, on the completion of the Grammar School course, should be looked upon as a period of transition, and not in any way as a stage of definite attainment. Time and energy are often spent upon " getting up " an elaborate gradua- tion exhibition. This display at the end tends to incline the aver- age parents and pupils to feel that in some way a stopping place has been reached and that no further step in education is neces- sary.
ORGANIZED PLAY.
There has been an effort to utilize the recess period by teaching the children to play games scientifically instead of allowing them to go to one of the two extremes of sitting around with no exer- cise, or of going into rough and tumble sports. The value of orderly play is two-fold, physical and moral ; in neither of which lines can it be overestimated, as it not only trains the eye and muscle to skillful movement, but also teaches the children to recognize and respect the rights of others, to restrain themselves, and, doubly significant, it teaches them to love active, out-of-door, companionly sport. Some schools have made a good beginning in this line and have proved that the children enjoyed the games and gained the benefits just mentioned. It is to be hoped that a
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system of games scientifically conducted will be carried on in several of the other schools during the spring term, when the weather will permit more out-of-door exercise.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The two-fold question which is constantly coming up in regard to high school work is; "Shall the course be prescribed or shall we offer a free elective list?" In the past the custom in many high schools has been to have the course of study prescribed for all pupils, and for this course to point directly to the preparation of pupils for college. Since the studies which prepare for col- lege are predominantly languages and mathematics the question arises, "Are these branches most serviceable to pupils who, upon graduation from high school, enter business pursuits ?" It is thought by many eminently practical men that the course of study requisite for college entrance is not best adapted to the pupil who is going immediately into an industrial line. Since a large per cent. of our pupils, even now, close their school days upon graduating from high school, we should broaden our course to meet the demands of these pupils. The great difficulty is that studies which have a directly utilitarian value require a somewhat expensive apparatus. We are fortunate in having a fine labor- atory, excellently equipped. What we now need is a few type- writers and a teacher to carry on a good practical business course, covering typewriting and shorthand. Besides the rare disciplinary value of these studies we appreciate the material advantage when we consider the vast number of typewriters in use, nearly every one of which demands an operator. In a town where so many of the pupils expect to go into the business world to earn a livelihood, it is unjust that they are not given an opportunity in our High school to equip themselves for this line of work. The working people of the town who wish their children to have a practical business education should ask at the town meeting that a sufficient appropriation be made to establish this department in our High school. The present corps of teachers is so burdened in trying to carry on the work in hand that it would necessitate the expense of another teacher and the typewriters to inaugurate the course. This would cost about one thousand
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dollars. This seems small when compared with the good that it would accomplish.
I would earnestly request your attention to the thorough report of the principal of the High school, which may be found in the appendix.
MUSIC.
Many of the schools are singing with much expression and sweetness. I am pleased with the effort to get individual work, as it is in this way that confidence is obtained and good voices are encouraged. Your attention is called to the excellent report of the special teacher of music found in the appendix.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
The town can justly be proud of the new building erected dur- ing the year at Nash. The rooms are well lighted, well heated and perfectly ventilated. It is admirably suited to the movement of classes in and out of the building. The basement is so arranged that it can be used as a play room for the children in cold or rainy weather. This and the admirable system of sanita- tion make the building a model of excellence.
Some of the school buildings are badly out of repair. The Athens building is not only in a state of delapidation, but its capacity is inadequate to the number of pupils. When the class entered last April it was necessary to hire an adjacent building and start a school there. In September this room also had become overcrowded, and it became necessary to divide the class into two divisions of pupils, one to attend in the forenoon and the other in the afternoon. This has been continued during the year. In all probability there will be rather a large class enter- ing in April, and another in September. Unless some provision is made for more school room a large number of children will be debarred from school privileges. The Athens building is not only seriously out of repair, and inadequate to the number attend- ing, but, on account of the bad arrangement of the building, the rooms are very poorly lighted, and due to the shape of the rooms the seats have to be arranged so that the children face the light.
It hardly seems possible for a child to pass through the nine grades of the school without having his vision impaired.
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The River school building is in a bad condition. On account of a poor foundation it has been an expensive building to keep in repair. I would suggest for the earnest consideration of the committee the construction of a new seven-room building at North Weymouth and the transportation of the River school to this building.
In several of the school rooms the seats are much too large for the pupils occupying them. When a child is compelled to sit in a chair so high that his feet swing clear from the floor there is · imminent danger of his bones becoming permanently misshapen.
When the desks are not fitted to the pupils they are extremely uncomfortable and prevent a proper position in writing. The room occupied by the fourth grade in the Tufts building should be re-seated with smaller seats. Fifteen children in this room are sitting in seats where their feet do not touch the floor when the children sit uprightly. The seats in the upper room of the Lincoln building are very old and sadly out of proportion to the size of the pupils. By purchasing new seats for one room and by re-arranging the old seats, several school rooms could be much improved. The desks in many of the rooms have become very rough and ought to be scraped and re-varnished.
SCHOOL DECORATION.
There has been considerable interest shown in decorating and beautifying the school rooms of the town during the past year. The Monday club presented the High school with an excellent copy of the statue "Winged Victory," the Daughters of the Revolution gave the High school a fine, large picture of "Wash- ington and his Generals." The South Weymouth Improvement Association rendered material aid to the schools of the Fourth and Fifth Wards in procuring several pictures for these schools. The Relief Corps placed in each school building of the town an oleograph of the national flag.
As today we appreciate the power over a child's moral develop- ment gained in training his aesthetic nature, we place great stress on the influence of his school environment. Clean, light, well- furnished rooms, with pictures and statues or busts set off against artistically tinted walls, transform an otherwise dull, unattractive room into a place of inspiration.
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The teachers of the town are hard-working and conscientious. Most of them take great interest in the progress of their pupils. Their earnest ambition is shown by the number of educational papers taken and by the way they have organized and supported a lecture course.
I wish to express to the teachers, my grateful appreciation of their loyalty and faithfulness in the performance of every duty connected with their school work. I cordially thank the com- mittee for their kind support in my work among the schools.
Respectfully submitted,
ANDREW S. THOMSON, Superintendent of Schools.
February 1, 1901.
APPENDICES.
1. Report of Principal of High School.
Mr. A. S. Thomson, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir :- There have been no material changes in the character of the work of the High school since my report of last year.
The changes in the teaching force due to the resignation of Mr. David H. Benson in April and of Miss Ellen Smith in June, together with the leave of absence granted to Miss Fannie Wheeler, have brought about the usual unsettled conditions accompanying such changes.
In June the school graduated a class of forty-one members,-thirteen boys and twenty-eight girls. As nearly as I can learn, eight of these en- tered college : nine, normal or training schools ; six, business colleges or schools of typewriting and stenography : ten, business; and nine (girls) are unemployed.
The school opened in September with an enrollment of two-hundred twenty-eight as compared with two-hundred forty-seven the preceding year.
The following table will show the number of pupils entering the High school from the several Grammar schools in September, 1900.
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1
Graduated from Gram- mar School June, 1900.
Entered High School September, 1900.
Total Graduated.
Total Entered.
Athens
5
8
3
3
13
6
Bates .
11
13
8
6
24
14
Franklin
20
19
11
13
39
24
Hunt .
10
18
5
13
28
18
Pratt .
1
1
1
1
2
2
Shaw .
5
3
4
3
8
7
Other schools
.
1
5
6
52
62
33
44
114
77
From the table it is seen that of the 114 graduates from the Grammar schools last June, only 71 or 62 plus per cent. entered the High school; a falling off of 21 in number as compared with the preceding year, which fully accounts for the difference in enrollment of the two years. I am un- able to account for this large falling off. Is it because the school does not offer the inducements or advantages that it ought?
Judging from the reports that come to me of the work of our graduates who continue their studies in higher schools, our school ranks well. As most or all of these pupils have taken the College or Latin-English courses we may conclude that these courses need little revision, but the English course does need some enrichment to make it an equivalent of the other two. I do not believe we lose more pupils during the year than most schools of this size, but I feel that the school is not doing enough, and that something ought to be done, not only to draw pupils to the school but to hold them after they are there.
At times a large number of the boys and girls of Weymouth are attend- ing schools of typewriting and stenography in Boston. Since this is so, ought not such a course to be offered in our school?
If the course of study is to be revised I further recommend that the study of French in the Sophomore year be offered as an elective with Greek and Chemistry.
SCHOOL.
Boys.
Girls.
Boys
Girls.
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As I have said in my previous reports, however good an addition Ger- man might be in our course I do not think there is sufficient call for it at present, nor do I think it wise to introduce more branches to be taught than the present force of teachers can do successfully.
The work in English seems to me to be the most unsatisfactory work that we do. Certainly we hear more complaints of that work than of any other, and probably some of them are just. It is a hard matter to locate the blame.
. Every pupil in the High school is required to take English three periods a week during the entire four years.
Written exercises and themes are required daily during the first and second years, together with the study of Rhetoric and the reading of mas- terpieces. The third year continues the study of Rhetoric but is largely given to the reading and history of American literature, while the senior year is devoted to the college requirements with a large amount of written work.
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