USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1875-1881 > Part 11
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Convulsions. Dysentery. Consumption. Malignant Pustule. Inflammation of Lungs. Dropsy. Enteritis. Acute Bronchitis.
73
Canker. Dropsv. Apoplexy. Typhoid Fever. Still-born. Enlargement of Liver.
Consumption.
Pneumonia. Typhoid Fever. Old Age. Hemoptosis. Consumption.
66
Heart Disease. Insanity. Still-born. Consumption. Phthisis Pulmonalis.
Consumption. Old Age. Railroad Accident. Old Age. .
Wakefield . Wakefield Boxford ... Wakefield . . Wakefield ... .
Cambridge . Ireland . Chester, N. H .. Ireland. .
.
...
Charlestown .. Wakefieldl . Wakefield ...
Lynnfield .. Cambridgeport. Woburn :
Bo: ton
. Waitsfield, Vt ... Wakefield . .
Hurley, Jennie F .. Mair, Agnes.
66
Single
Cutter, Albert Edward ..
=
Wakefield .. Wakefield .. ..
.
Emmons, Dimon T ..
66
.
8
Married ..
Farmer .
Woburn .
Wakefield . Montpelier, Vt .. Norway, Me .... Damarisc'ta, Me. Beverley . Wakefield
Wakefield .. Lynnfield .. .
Nov. 12.
Mason. Pamelia (Hawkes) ... Mansir, Emma E. (Purington) Brown. Hannah JJ ...
McCurdy, Convers L
67 81
Eaton. Joseph ...
10
12 Widower . 1 Married .
Clergyman Flagman . .
Wakefield Hallowell, Me .. Reading ·
Reading . Wakefield .. King- ton ... Charlestown ... Andover .. .
30, 2. 2. Paher, Hannah E ...
35 31
Single . .. Married .. Married .. Single .. . . Widower. Single . .. Married . Married . Single ... Widower .|
Iron-polisher ...
Bransfield: Maurice.
18
. .. .
West, Edward ... . Oct.
20. 24,
Newconb. Frederick .. . 8.)
27
25
Albert O. and Lizzie s ... William and Elizabeth ... William and Elizabeth ... Washington and Lizzie .. William and Hannah. :. Samuel and Mary. Peter and Sarah E.
John and Mary. Edward and Anna Moses and May H .. Nathaniel L .. Hiram and Elizabeth S .. Jeremiah and Lydia S ... James and Margaret .. Adam and. Dolly .. John and Angeline .. Patrick and Mary. .
James and Abigail Joseph and Sally .. Eben and Sally .... Loring and Ann E. John and Jane. George and Eliza. Daniel W. and Phebe A. Unknown. Josiah and Mary R. William and Sarah.
Jnly 3, 4.
Brennan, James .. Mccarty, Ellen (Leary). . ..
15 29
..
27
.
Married .
.
15 h .
Bancroft. Joseph W ..
...
9, 10, 10. 11, 22.
...
.
1
2.),
Hurley, Ann A. (Noonan). ..
8. Blake, Catherine (Hogan). . 82
74
RECAPITULATION.
Births registered in 1876,
128:
Males,
·
.62
Females,
· 66
Nativity of Parents.
Fathers.
Mothers ..
Born in Wakefield,
. 10
8
Other towns in the United States,
54
45
British Provinces,
. 12
14
Ireland,
. 41
49
England,
6
9
Scotland,
3
3
Prussia,
·
2
0)
Marriages registered in 1876, 50
Nativity.
Grooms.
Brides.
Born in Wakefield, .
9 .
9
Other towns in the United States, . 28
26
British Provinces,
0
4
England,
.
7
7
Scotland,
2
0
Sweden,
1
Unknown,
0
1
Grooms.
Brides.
Number under 20 years of age,
. 0
3
between 20 and 30,
. 34
41
between 30 and 40,
. 11
4
between 40 and 50,
.
2
2
between 50 and 60,
·
.
1
0
between 60 and 70,
·
2
0
.
3
Ireland, .
.
·
·
.
75
Oldest Groom, 64 Oldest Bride, 43
Youngest "
21
Youngest "
. 17
First marriage of
88 persons.
Second.
11
Third
1
66
100
50 couples.
Deaths registered in 1876,
. 86
Males, . 44
Females,
.
42
Average age, 35 years 5 months 19 days.
Number under 5 years of age, .
18
between 5 and 10,
5
between 10 and 20,
9
between 20 and 30,
9
between 30 and 40,
6
between 40 and 50,
5
between 50 and 60,
7
between 60 and 70,
7
between 70 and 80,
6
between 80 and 90,
.
7
between 90 and 100,
·
2
still-born,
5
Nativity of persons deceased.
Born in Wakefield, 37
Other towns in the United States,
·
40
British Provinces,
1
Ireland,
.
7
Unknown, . ·
· .
1
Dogs licensed in 1876,
Males,
208
Females
17
225
Cash paid County Treasurer,
$456 00
CHARLES F. HARTSHORNE,
Town Clerk.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The school year just concluded, has been a prosperous one. There have been few interruptions from the severity of the weather, or from sickness ; and the work of the school room has been successfully prosecuted. Our schools, however, are not yet perfect ; and while we take pleasure in their gen- eral progress, we may well consider their wants and defects, and as parents or citizens, lend our aid in making them effect- ive and useful, to the full measure of their capability. The first topic to which we invite attention is
SINGING.
With a full conviction of the importance of Singing, as a branch of education that ought to be taught in our schools, we have, in different annual reports, heartily commended it to the town. While a majority of the people have coincided with us, and upon several years voted a sufficient supply of money to employ a teacher, others have not seen the wisdom of such an expenditure, and have been unwilling that public funds should be so employed. We think that there are some important views of the subject, which those who raise ob- jections fail to take. It is the united testimony of those most conversant with the effects of musical instruction in the schools, that, among all the branches which influence, direct- ly, the order and discipline of a school, there is none that can compare with singing. If the pulse of a school can be made to beat in unison and heartily, fifteen minutes twice a day, the teacher can easily govern the rest of the time. Dis- cipline is thwarted not so much by designed and malicious
77
effort, as by thoughtless roughness, and a lack of apprecia- tion of what is gentle and sympathetic. We may say that the main business of a school is to arouse and guide the in- tellect-and perhaps that is true ; but a sharp intellect will not make a good character, if joined with coarse feelings ; and while the intellect is being trained, it is not well to neg- lect the feelings. Do we not say that scholars must love their school, else they will not be benefited? But love is a feeling that grammar and arithmetic will not always touch. Indeed, many a scholar whom such studies would almost drive from school, is kept, and made happy, by an entirely different class of influences. Let any one who doubts the efficacy of singing in our schools, visit some of them when that exercise is in progress, and see the evident pleasure that some of the roughest boys take in that particular employ- ment, and he would say that, as an antidote to their rough- ness, and as a means of attaching pupils to the school, siug- ing cannot but be decidedly and greatly useful.
But a knowledge of the rudiments of music, in itself con- sidered, is by no means of slight importance, and, when ob- tained in childhood, it is a means of good influence and en- joyment through life. True, schools are to acquaint pupils with practical matters ; but what are practical matters ? A boy learns how to extract the square root, but how many times do the majority of boys who learn that useful problem ever have occasion to employ it in life ? Still, the knowledge of it is practical, and it is so because, in getting it, the boy gains discipline of mind that will lend him help, whether he stands behind a counter, handles a plane, or runs a railroad. The same is true with respect to everything that corrects his feelings, and takes the discordant things out of his character. It is practical, because it fits him better for his duties as a. citizen and a man.
But some one says, "The expense is too great." IIow great is it? We propose to pay the teacher of singing $500. The whole amount of money paid in taxes last year in this town was $55,860. Calling it $50,000, the music teacher received one per cent. of it. He, then, received one cent.
1
78
out of each dollar paid. Suppose a man paid a tax on a thousand dollars ; his whole tax, including his poll tax, last year was $15.20 ; of that sum fifteen cents went to the teach- er of singing. Suppose that man had four children in the schools ; he then paid for each child, for forty lessons in sing- ing, given by a skillful teacher, and for frequent practice through the year, the large sum of less than four cents. But many of our citizens pay only a poll tax. Such a man, taxed $2, paid to the music teacher last year, for each child, two cents. Not a very extravagant sum, especially when taken in connection with the fact that this instruction, if not given then, would, in many cases, be given later, at a vastly increased rate of expense. A singing school, to give pre- cisely the same training, would cost say two dollars per quar- ter of twenty lessons. Comparing the results, we have two cents for forty lessons, against two dollars for twenty lessons, or two cents now, against four dollars then.
But it may be said that a portion of the scholars cannot learn to sing. The first answer to this objection is, that some scholars cannot learn arithmetic ; but we do not, on that àc- count, banish that study, nor release such scholars from the effort to learn something about the science of numbers. Every one who professes to be intelligent ought to know something about the principles of an art so common and use- ful as that of singing, whether he has a voice to make music or not. And the second reply is, that when singing is taught in the primary schools and each grade above, the number of those boys and girls who think they have no voice for sing- ing is very much smaller than when it is not taught there. Lowell Mason says-"It is a well known fact that adults sel- dom acquire any sounds in a foreign language that are not in their own. But put a child in a foreign family, and he will soon get all their peculiar tones. He can learn by imitation, while his organs are flexible and pliant. This is true not only of the voice, but also of the car. What is technically called a musical car, is chiefly the result of education. Neg- lect the ear, and it becomes dull, and unable to discriminate. The musical talent is wanting in only a few. Most of those
79
who suppose themselves to be destitute of it, have only let the time in which the talent, small in itself, was capable of improvement, pass by, unimproved." Others confirm his opinion ; and, probably, in nine cases out of ten, the absence of a musical ear and voice is not owing to any oversight of Nature, but to a neglect of her gifts.
Since, therefore, singing in our schools is greatly promot- ive of good discipline, and is in itself a most desirable acqui- sition, and can be enjoyed at a rate of expense to each tax- payer that is really very small indeed, the Committee feel confident that the town will agree with them in the opinion that it ought to be retained.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
In the last annual report, a detailed account was given of the action of the Committee upon a proposition that had been made, to build a school-house west of the Boston & Maine railroad. One of the chief reasons for agitating the subject at that time, was the crowded condition of the schools in the Centre Ward. The same reason continuing this year, the subject came again before us, and the whole matter-includ- ing the examination of sites, and inquiries as to the expense of such a building as would be required-was carefully con- sidered. A measure of relief would be obtained by furnish- ing a room in the third story of the new High School build- ing ; but there were weighty objections against establishing a school in that room. The construction of the building is such that the stairway leading to the room is a long one, ex- posing to accident ; and the entrance to the room is reached only through the lower halls and stairways used by the High School. It was feared that there would be more or less in- terference between the schools, and that the progress of both would be retarded. As, however, the erection of a new building would bring a burden of expense not casily to be borne at the present time ; and as it was seen that such changes might be made in the means of access to the room as would avert danger, it was decided to postpone the rec-
80
ommendation to build, and provide quarters for one addi- tional school, in the place in question. The town was asked for $1000, to prepare the room for occupancy. The sum of $700, was granted-a sum large enough to furnish the room, but not to make any changes in the stairways. Whether the committee would have deemed it best, on mature delibera- tion, to make the changes, if the means had been given them, is uncertain ; but the withholding of the means released them from the necessity of considering the matter, as well as from responsibility in connection with it. Thus far, though there has been unavoidable interference, to some extent, between the schools, nothing has occurred to lead us to doubt that the right solution of the question was adopted. The room itself, after it is reached, is well adapted to school purposes, and there is satisfaction in knowing that the High School build- ing is made useful to a greater extent than before, while the pressure upon the schools on the hill has been relieved.
It is quite probable, however, that the question of build- ing a house west of the railroad will very soon present itself again. The inhabitants in that part of the town arc becom- ing numerous, and a due regard to their convenience will re- quire that, at no distant day, one be erected.
The Committee take pleasure in saying that the school- houses are now all in good condition, and will require but slight expenditures in the way of repairs during the coming year. All of them, save those in the Grammar School build- ing, have been newly furnished within a few years, and they are both cheerful and convenient. The only exception to this remark exists, perhaps, in connection with the new High School building. It is feared that a due regard to the health of the pupils will demand that the closets, now in the base- ment, be removed to a building to be erected outside. If the experience of another summer shall repeat that of the last, it is possible that an appropriation will be asked, for the purpose here stated.
DISCIPLINE.
The importance of kind, firm and judicious discipline can-
81
not be over-rated. Like many important things, however, it is sometimes difficult of attainment. The theory which the Committee. have long held, is expressed in this phrase- Corporal punishment permitted, but not practised. It in- volves no humiliation, to confess that we have rarely seen this theory crystalized into fact ; yet we are happy to say that in some of our schools, resort to the rod is never indulged, while in others it is brought into requisition more frequently than is desirable.
In order to reduce corporal punishment to a minimum, it has been our practice to direct teachers to suspend, tempora- rily, disobedient pupils, and send them to the Committee, with the understanding that they cannot be admitted again without a note of permission from some member of the Board. There are several advantages in this method of set- tling difficulties. It removes vexing and exciting matters from the school-room; it often averts the necessity of using the rod ; it enables the Committee to bring upon the pupil the pressure of another class of motives, and, sometimes, a higher class. Refractory scholars are apt to think that teach- ers are their natural enemies ; and, therefore, they withstand appeals made by them to their better nature. The Commit- tee do not stand in exactly that light to them ; and it is be- lieved that there are not a few instances in which not only a given difficulty was settled, but .a favorable turn given to a boy's action, and even character.
But there are disadvantages in this method of maintaining school discipline. It consumes a good deal of time that the Committee can poorly spare ; it tends to destroy the impres- sion that the teacher is, for the time being, the ruler ; and, therefore, blunts the point of school law. As in society at large, so in school-rooms, the brief words, "Thou shalt," and "Thou shalt not," have a place ; and it is a matter of doubt whether the command, "Thou shalt," with the rod following in case of disobedience, is not better for the good of the child, than any efforts to patch up a truce, through the agen- cy of the Committee. Much as we may denounce corporal punishment, it is not yet certain that we are more successful
82
in forming strong and self-reliant and sinewy characters, than were the school-masters of former times, with their tough birches and heavy ferules. Without question, the people, both young and old, have grown active, nervous and excita- ble ; and methods used safely, formerly, could not be used so safely now. The attention and best exertions of both Com- mittee and teachers should be used to discover and employ methods of discipline which will be effective, without being severe, and which, while they secure the good order of the school-room, shall help those scholars in whom the more faulty traits of character have an undue natural development. We allude to this subject here, for the purpose of explaining the manner in which the present practice of referring cases of discipline to the Committee, has arisen ; and also to cor- rect the misapprehension which exists in the minds of some, that, when a scholar is sent to the Committee, he is expelled from school. Teachers have the right to suspend, for the purpose specified, but not to expel.
We farther desire to call the attention of parents and guar- dians to the power they have, by judicious care over their children and wards, greatly to reduce the difficulties in main- taining good discipline in the schools. The most troublesome cases are those in which the pupils are sustained by the un- thinking, often unconscious, countenance of their parents.
ATTENDANCE.
It needs no argument to show that the success of the schol- ar depends greatly upon his constant attendance. Pupils often think-and parents take too little pains to correct the mistake-that they can leave their places for a day, without detriment to their progress. This is a great error. Absence, even for a day, is sometimes felt by a scholar through the term; and the true secret of the loss of interest in their studies which pupils often show, is to be found in the diver- sion of their thoughts, which a single absence occasioned. The constant endeavors of the teachers, we are glad to be- lieve, have lessened the evil, but it is still too great, and the
83
co-operation of the parents in still farther reducing it, is earnestly desired.
There is one cause of tardy attendance, recently grown into importance, which merits a distinct notice. Enterprise among the boys is an excellent trait, but the town has not heretofore suffered from the absence of newsboys; and the reading public would probably endure the deprivation, should it remain destitute of their services still longer. They would do it more willingly, if they knew that the schools are greatly disturbed by the tardy appearance of eight or ten of these youthful merchants, who, besides being late, are often tired, and totally unfit for their morning duties. If parents and news-dealers can aid in diminishing the evil, their aid is hereby earnestly invoked, else the Committee may feel im- pelled to direct the teachers to disregard the excuses which the aforesaid merchants bring.
The High, the Advanced Grammar, and the Grammar Schools, maintain a high percentage of attendance; and the Committee take pleasure in commending the care of the teachers, by which it is secured. The other schools encoun- ter greater difficulties in reaching the same standard, and the efforts of the teachers to overcome these, entitle them to commendation, though their apparent success is less.
THE SCHOOLS.
There have been a larger number of changes in the corps of. teachers than upon some years ; but, though some loss has been suffered thereby, the schools, generally, have been carefully and successfully taught. One new school has been formed during the year. It is not necessary to speak with particularity of all the schools, but a few words regarding a portion of them may not be amiss.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
This has remained under the charge of Mr. M. J. Hill and Miss Eliza M. Greenwood. The year has been characterized by diligence, hard work, a good degree of harmony, and suc-
84
cess. Early last year the school gave a highly successful exhibition, for the purpose of replenishing their library. One hundred and twenty standard books-scientific, biographic, historic, including dictionaries and other books of reference- were added. A class of four graduated last year. The exercises of graduation were held in the Town Hall, June 29th. An Allegorý, very skillfully represented by a large portion of the scholars, formed a part of the exercises. A large audience was present. The Chairman of the Commit- tee presented diplomas to the class, consisting of
DORA FREEMAN, NELLIE A. MILLER,
HARVEY W. BROWN, WILBUR A. RIDEOUT.
It is a matter of regret, that so small a number of scholars in the High School continue their studies to graduation. An examination of school reports of other towns shows that a similar evil exists elsewhere. For the evil, different persons would probably assign different reasons, and most of such reasons would, perhaps, be entitled to attention. Some have said that the instruction given in our High School is not suf- ficiently practical, and that scholars are removed to other schools to acquire special training for the employments they design to pursue. Such a reason, of course, presents no ob- jection to the school, inasmuch as it is not possible for a school, standing upon the basis upon which all High Schools in towns like ours stand, to do a work of that character. The most that such schools can do is to furnish a general mental cultivation, which may serve as a groundwork for any species of particular training. A single glance will show that it is quite impossible that it should do more than this. If one parent should ask that the school should fit his son for commercial life, another might claim that it should give his, ex- tended instruction in Music, or French, or Drawing, or some special branch of Mechanics. There is a certain groundwork of education, comprising a knowledge of the rudiments of the sciences, and a certain facility in mental operations, and a good acquaintance with the correct method of using lan-
85
guage, and an acquisition of a good style of penmanship, with other matters of a kindred nature, which every person ought to have before he enters upon any special training. The office of the High School is to complete this ground- work.
The duty of the Committee having charge of such a school, is to devise courses of study that shall best secure such ends. These courses of study are to meet the wants of a variety of minds, but they are to conduct all to the same result. They are to be adjusted so as to secure the largest amount of men- tal discipline, and knowledge of the rudiments of the sciences, and acquaintance with language, and acquisition of that which is of the nature of art-as Drawing, Penmanship, &c. In the effort to do this, we have designedly established courses of study which demand a great deal of hard work. And we require the teachers to exert all reasonable pressure upon the pupils to awaken their powers, and to induce within them habits of close and patient study. There are two prevalent ideas of the school-room. One is, that it is a place in which to learn how to work, and to do work; the other is, that it is a place to study and practise embellishments. The first idea we adopt; the last we discard. The views of commit- tees, however, do not always meet the views of scholars ; and, probably, the hard work required in the High School has lost to it the presence of some scholars. It is a question which parents should consider with much care, whether, if a pupil's health is firm, it would not be wise to keep him in school, even against his will. The want of harmony between teachers and scholars springs from various causes in all schools, but in some instances where it has arisen in this school, we are convinced that it came from the cause we have specified. There is another reason :
Mindful of the large expenditures of the town for the High School, and wishing to save expense, we have refrained from employing such a number of teachers as are essential, in our view, to its highest prosperity. The three courses of study which have taken the place of the one formerly used, have led to an increase in the number of studies. The num-
86
ber of teachers remaining the same, it is, of course, impossi- ble that scholars should recite as often, or receive as much personal attention from the teachers, as they once could. Still, lessons must be learned, even without assistance, and without extended explanations at recitations ; and the de- mand that pupils should learn what was blind and difficult, without a teacher's aid, has probably resulted in the discour- agement and the withdrawal of some. There probably can- not be found in our vicinity, a High School as large as ours, having three courses of study as advanced as those in our school, in which but two teachers are employed. These facts are here stated as a matter of justice to the teachers. It is but right that the difficulties which they meet should be un- derstood. With all these difficulties, however, the results of their labors-as the good order of the school, and the very creditable attainments of the graduates invariably illustrate them-are worthy of public recognition and commendation. It is quite certain that parents, by the refusal to allow the withdrawal of their sons and daughters from school, except for the most imperative reasons, can do much to promote its efficiency.
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