USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1897-1899 > Part 34
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Auditors,
215 00
Municipal Light Board,
· 250 00
.
*The committee recommend that an additional permanent police officer be employed; also that the Police and Night Watch be consolidated inte a single department.
+Including the expenses of a horse.
216
Registrars of Voters,
$215 00
Forest Firewards, 75 00
Town Solicitor, 500 00
Milk Inspector, 100 00
Total,
$5,555 00
Miscellaneous Expenses.
3,500 00
Rental of Hydrants,
4,340 00
Military Aid,
900 00
Soldiers' Relief,
2,900 00
Memorial Day,
250 00
Insurance Premiums,
600 00
Richardson Light Guard,
600,00
Printing, Advertising and Stationery,
1,000 00
Interest on Town Debt,
13,500 00
Town Library, dog tax and .
400 00
Public Reading Room,
175 00
Common and Park,
400 00
Fish Committee, .
25 00
Forest Fire-Wards,
600 00
The terms of William P. Shepard, George H. S. Driver, Albert E. Duffill, Charles A. Dean and Albert R. Perkins expire this year, and it becomes necessary to elect five members of the com- mittee for a term of three years.
For the Committee.
CHESTER W. EATON, Chairman.
ALBERT R. PERKINS, Secretary.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD,
FOR THE -
YEAR ENDING JAN. 31, 1898.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1897-98.
Ashton H. Thayer, Greenwood, Term expires, 1898
Mrs. Ida F. Carlisle, Summit Ave.,
1898
Selim S. White, 34 Chestnut Street, . 1899
Miss Eliza M. Greenwood, 10 Lafayette Street, .. .. 1899
William B. Daniel, Pearl Street, .. 1900
Melvin J. Hill, cor. Pleasant and Bryant Streets, “ 6. 1900
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. Charles E. Hussey, 12 Wave Avenue.
WAKEFIELD, MASS. : A. W. BROWNELL, PRINTER. 1898.
-
-
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD.
ASHTON H. THAYER, MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE,
WM. B. DANIEL,
.
Chairman. Secretary.
Treasurer.
SUB-COMMITTEES.
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE, A. H .THAYER. S. S. WHITE.
COURSE OF STUDY.
. M. J. HILL, S. S. WHITE. MISS E. M. GREENWOOD.
TEACHERS AND SALARIES.
A. H. THAYER, MISS E. M. GREENWOOD, S. S. WHITE.
TEXT-BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
S. S. WHITE. M. J. HILL, MISS E. M. GREENWOOD.
MUSIC AND DRAWING. MISS E. M. GREENWOOD, W. B. DANIEL, MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE.
PRUDENTIAL.
A. H. THAYER. W. B. DANIEL, MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE.
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS.
W. B. DANIEL, S. S. WHITE, MRS. IDA F. CARLISLE.
TRUANT OFFICERS.
ALVIN L. VANNAH, RUFUS F. DRAPER.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. CHARLES E. HUSSEY.
OFFICE HOURS.
Tuesdays and Fridays, 4 to 5 p. m., at School Committee Rooms. Flanley Block.
MEETINGS OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Third Friday evening of each month at 7.45 p. m., at School Committee Rooms,
219
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
In accordance with custom and the laws of the Common- wealth we herewith present the annual report of this board.
The subject of a common school education has been so much discussed, that if it were an ordinary subject it would long since have been worn threadbare ; but being as it is, a matter of vital interest to the state and to the entire country, as well as to the individual town, the subject is ever new, even though much that is said and written may be a repeti- tion of what has been said before.
A common school education, what is it, or what should it be? There is, and undoubtedly always will be, a diversity of opinion on this matter, whether it should constitute only reading, writing and ciphering, or whether it should not go farther. It is no small problem to know just what course to pursue to awaken the public to the importance of their in- terest individually as well as collectively, in our public schools. The trustees of the Sweetser Lecture Fund have done much in this direction in the excellent course of lec- tures which they have provided this past winter by leading educators. Such names as the following, with the subjects treated by them, command the attention of all thinking people. Prof. Geo. H. Palmer, on "Self Cultivation in English." President G. Stanley Hall, of Clark University, on " The Love and Study of Nature." . Prof. Tomlins of Chicago, on " Music as an Educator." Mr. Hamilton W. Mabie, editor of the Outlook, on " The Creative Element in Education." Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer, on " The Trans- formation of Society, and the share the school may have therein," and Miss Sarah L. Arnold, supervisor of the Bos- ton schools, on " Essentials in Education."
220
Miss Arnold says : " What the teacher is, determines what the boy or girl will be." Prof. Tomlins' lecture was a good illustration of this, imbuing his audience with the very spirit of his words. And so is the child imbued with the spirit of the teacher, and what this spirit is, whether it be to impart to the pupil purpose and principle as well as knowl- edge, or whether it be merely to fulfill a contract to teach because one is paid to do it, will determine what the influ- ence of the teacher will be.
That there is an awakened interest in our schools is evi- donced by the fact that the Kosmos Club have had two excellent talks on education by the Hon. Fred Gowen, State Superintendent of Schools for New Hampshire, and that they also have a standing committee whose duty it is to interest themselves and the club in the work of the schools. The Alumni Association have also manifested their interest by offering two prizes for excellence in historical essays.
It is a much to be regretted fact that money-or the want of it-plays such an important part in the retention of good teachers. We are practically at the mercy of the larger and wealthier places. It is worth no more to teach a school of a certain size and grade in Boston than it is in Wakefield or any other town, nor are good teachers any more neces- sary in cities than in other places. The life of cities is largely sustained by the influx of young men and women from the towns ; hence it is of vital interest that the school- ing of every town in the state should be made as nearly equal as the employment and retention of good instructors can make it so.
Fitness for the work in character, education and training should determine the appointment of the teacher, and all other matters should be secondary. When good teachers are found they are worth retaining at almost any cost; but it is too often the case that these very qualities make it almost certain under present conditions, that the
221
term of service will be a short one, for some city or wealthy town, or teachers' agency will send out their foragers and the school records will show that a resignation has been "accepted with regrets." This condition of things certainly is not right. The state should impose and apportion a tax for the equalization of teachers' salaries. Not a charity tax to take from the rich to help the poor, but a tax on a broader plane of making a good common school education universal and as nearly equal as possible in all towns of the Commonwealth.
The loss of teachers from other causes is, of course, un- avoidable at times, and however much we may regret such loss, we must bow gracefully to the inevitable and wish them God speed in their new fields.
The committee heartily concur in the sentiments expressed in the reports of the superintendent, and principal of the high school, regarding Miss Strong's resignation.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Any town may well feel proud of possessing a good high school, one which is both prosperous and efficient. We believe we have such a school in our town, but we also believe that its efficiency can be made still greater.
The principal of the high school, in his report ,to the superintendent of schools, offers some suggestions which we copy and for which we ask careful consideration :
" The work of the school during the past year has moved along quietly and with very little friction. There is manifest an increasing tendency to look upon school attendance as a serious matter and to regard the privileges afforded by the school as valuable and commensurate with their cost. Dur- ing the year, in the resignation of Miss Strong, our corps of teachers has suffered a loss which, I have felt, it could ill-afford, and I wish to embrace this first opportunity to make public acknowledgement of the school's indebtedness to her for her devo- tion to its best and highest interests. The new course of study
222
is now almost completely in operation and seems to be meeting the needs of the pupils. One change from the course as originally adopted is to be noticed. Drawing in the second-year class has been made elective instead of compulsory. Fully one-half of the class elected the subject. In this connection I wish to recur to a subject discussed at some length in my first report two years ago. In that report a few considerations regarding a business course were brought to your attention. A course such as is in mind would not be intended, primarily, to teach our pupils merely to record business done by others, training therefor book- keepers, type writers and amanuenses, but it would rather be calculated to put them in the way of being business men and women for themselves. A school may easily make the mistake of putting the emphasis upon the things of the book, forgetting that its pupils are now, not to be, a part of the living world around them and that it is its function to open the eyes of these young people so that they may realize that they are a part of a life to which they have been strangers.
The following is submitted as an outline of a course which could, without doing violence to existing courses, be administered in connection with them.
First year.
Second year.
Third year.
Fourth year.
English,
English,
English,
English,
Ancient History,
Mediaeval History,
English History,
Civics and American
Algebra.
Geometry,
Physical Geog.,
History,
Civics,
Physics,
Bookkeeping, in- cluding Industrial
Commercial Law,
Physiology,
Geology
Arithmetic,
Principles of Com-
Drawing.
(elementary).
Commercial Arith,,
merce,
Type writing,
Stenography, etc.
Local industries.
French.
French,
Botany,
French,
"' The school continues to maintain itself as a fitting school for college. At the present time out of the twenty pupils in the senior class, nearly one-half are looking definitely forward to entering college next fall and in the lower classes the number. hoping to pursue advanced courses of study seems to be on the increase. It will be noticed on reference to the high school sta- tistics as against ninety pursuing Latin last year, there are with a smaller entering class this year one hundred and five. Repre- sentatives of the school are to be found in Amherst, Harvard,
223
Harvard Medical school, Tufts, Wellesley, Smith, Boston Uni- versity, Dartmouth and the Salem Normal school. As far as numbers go the school holds its own remarkably well, when the fact is taken into consideration that the entering class is smaller by twenty-five than that of last year. The largest number en- rolled at any one time, has been one hundred and seventy-four, as against one hundred and seventy-one last year. The outlook for next year indicates a school larger than at any previous time, a school of two hundred pupils not being out of the question. The percentage of attendance has practically returned to the high water mark of two years ago.
" We have to acknowledge a generous gift of books and physical apparatus from Dr. E. P. Colby, a large solar print of the capitol at Washington from the class of 1900, and two prizes, $10 and $5 respectively, from the Alumni Association to be bestowed upon members of the senior class for excellence in historical essays."
It is feared by some that the introduction of a commercial course will be detrimental to and result in lowering the standard of the school, and they add emphasis to their fears by pointing to places which have tried the experiment and failed, but with such studies in the third and fourth year classes as proposed by Mr. Howe we believe the standard of the school would be maintained and its efficiency increased. and the school certainly should afford the greatest good to the greatest number.
The following interesting facts are from the annual report of Harvard College : "Of thirty-seven Freshmen dropped, one was from another college, three were from private tutors, four from academies, four from public Latin schools, five from high schools and twenty were from private dav or boarding schools."
The desirability of a good education is well illustrated by the following incident in the life of Abraham Lincoln. After listening to arguments in a famous patent law suit in which Mr. Stanton was one of the counsel. Mr, Lincoln said to a
224
friend, " Emerson, I am going home-I am going home to study law. Why, his friend exclaimed, Mr. Lincoln, you stand at the head of the bar in Illinois, now ! What are you talking about? Ah, yes, he said, I do occupy a good posi- tion there, and I think that I can get along with the way things are done there now. But these college trained men who have devoted their whole lives to study, are coming west, don't you see ? And they study their cases as we never do."
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
In our report of January, 1896, reference was made to the relief which would be afforded the centre schools upon com- pletion of the Warren school. Though the relief came, it was of short duration and last year it became necessary to divide the advanced grammar or ninth grade school, and a part of this school was placed in the high school building, but if Mr. Howe's estimate of the probable number of scholars (200) in the high school next Sept. is correct, the capacity of that building will be taxed almost to its limit. The seating capacity of the high school room is 130 and of the former grammar school room 84, making a total of 214. The estimate of 200 as the probable number next fall does not include any part of the ninth grade.
Every room in the Lincoln building is occupied, includ- ing the former school committee room which was enlarged. The Franklin street district is poorly accommodated, many of the children being obliged to attend the Hamilton school, which is a long distance and necessitates crossing two rail- road tracks, and this is very objectionable to the parents. All the rooms of the Greenwood school are occupied and the primary grade is more than full. From the above it will be seen that the town must in the very near future consider : Ist, more ample accommodations for the centre district either by additions to the Lincoln and high school buildings for which there is ample room or the erection of other buildings.
225
2nd, either a new building in the Franklin street district or accommodations for that district in the centre, and 3d, the extension within a short time of the Greenwood school house, and probably this spring or in the fall the establishment of a primary school in the old building, and a new school in the North Ward and Warren school houses. Boyntonville children are still unprovided for except by our paying their tuition at Melrose. The projected bridge across the track (owing to opposing interests of land owners, railroad com- pany and grade crossings, which cannot be abolished) exists only on paper and in the hopeful imagination of those who see its need and are working for its erection. A school building for the primary grades in this district is desirable and should be in- cluded with the other districts for early consideration by the town.
Owing to the need of more school room at the Lincoln building, the school committee were obliged to vacate their quarters and after confering with the selectmen, as suitable accommodations could not be provided at the town house it was decided to hire a room in Flanley's block. We be- lieve provision should be made for all town officers in the town hall building, but this is not practicable while the library occupies its present quarters.
PRUDENTIAL, REPAIRS, ETC.
In our report of last year we called attention to the neces- sity of extensive repairs on the high school building. The balustrades above the eaves of the building are a continual source of expense, and they should be removed and the roof slated to the eaves. The roof and underpinning need thorough repairing and the building needs painting. Though these repairs come properly within the province of the school committee, we believe it advisable to have a special committee make a thorough examination of the building and report as to the extent and cost of needed re-
226
pairs. Owing to the large number of scholars in the high school building more room was needed for clothing and better communication between the front and rear part of the building on the first floor. This was obtained by removing some partitions and throwing one or two small, dark and almost useless rooms into the lower hall, and greatly im- proving this part of the building. Considerable repairing of concrete is necessary about the Hamilton school, and the lower room of the North Ward schoolhouse in all probability will need to be fitted up and furnished this year, and the Montrose schoolhouse needs shingling and repairing.
It is with great regret that we record the death of Mr. George E. Gamage, who for over twenty years had charge of the school buildings on the hill. Mr. Gamage was a genial, kind-hearted man ; diligent in his work and always ready to do a favor for teachers or scholars, and he will be long and kindly remembered by the thousands of pupils who have known him, as well as by teachers and school com- mittees under whom he served. He died in the harness, being sick but one week.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
After a careful consideration of the needs of the school department for the year 1897-8 the following appropriations were recommended and were granted by the town :
General, for superintendent, teachers, janitors
and fuel, . $28,000 00
Books and supplies.
2,250 00
Incidentals,
2,000 00
Total, .
$32,250 00
Following is a more detailed statement of the receipts and expenditures :
227
Received for general expenses,
$28,000 00
66 tuition, ($622.50 on last year's acc't, $590.76 on this year's acc't ), 1,213 26
Total receipts,
$29,213 26
Paid teachers and superintendent of schools,
$24,022 53
janitors,
2,058 17
66 for fuel, .
2,315 64
66 Melrose for tuition, . 237 50
$28,633 84
Balance,
$579 42
Received for books and supplies,
$2,250 00
Expended,
2,245 59
Balance,
$5 41
Appropriations for incidentals,
$2,000 00
Expended,
$2,575 06
Overdraft,
$575 06
From the above it will be seen that the amount unex- pended on the general appropriation is $579.42 ; and the un- expended balance for books and supplies is $5.41 ; and also, that there is an over-draft on the contingent appropriation amounting to $576.06.
When the estimates of the school committee were present- ed to the appropriation committee for their consideration last February it was expected that the several sums for tui- tion of out of town pupils would be available to place to the credit of either the general, supply, or contingent appropria- tion as the needs of each of these accounts seemed to demand, at or near the close of the fiscal year. It was how- ever voted by the town that the money received for tuition should apply only to the general appropriation, or as the vote was actually passed " that all money received as tuition shall be credited to the appropriation from which tuition bills. against the town. are paid.". .. .
228
This to the committee seems an unnecessary and ill- advised restriction. It has been the custom for years to place this money to the credit of each or any one depart- ment as was necessary.
The result to the town is the same in either case, but while tuitions are paid from the general appropriation, the expense for educating pupils comes from each appropriation and if it is desirable to restrict the placing of this money by the committee then it should be divided proportionately among the three appropriations.
The total receipts and expenditures for the year have been as follows :
Appropriations.
$32,250 00
Tuitions.
1,213 26
Total. .
$33,463 26
Expended
$33,453 49
Net balance. $9 77
For the ensuing year the committee recommend the fol- lowing appropriations :
General, for superintendent, teachers, janitors
and fuel, . $29,950 00
Books and supplies.
2,500 00
Incidentals,
2,250 00
Total, . $34,700 00
These estimates do not include outstanding bills, which, with one or two exceptions, have come in since the closing of the accounts :
Outstanding bills,
$292 86
A. H. THAYER, Chairman ;
S. S. WHITE.
M. J. HILL,
WM. B. DANIEL,
MISS E. M. GREENWOOD, MRS. I. F. CARLISLE, Secretary.
229
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
In conformity with the custom and regulations of the School Committee, I have the honor to present my fifth an- nual report as superintendent of the schools of Wakefield.
The school year consists of forty weeks, which is the time now fixed upon as most acceptable to parents and school authorites in Massachusetts towns. The schools of Wakefield began Sept. 8, 1896, and closed June 30, 1897. A vacation of one week was allowed at Christmas, and a week in April. On account of holidays and stormy days the actual length of the school year for 1897 was 37 weeks.
STATISTICS.
Population, census of 1880, 5547
" 1890, 6982
.. . " 1895, 8304 6 6 estimated, 1897, 8700
According to the school census the number of children in town between five and fifteen years on May 1 was as follows :
1891. 1223
1892,
1249 1893, 1336
1894,
1341 ·
1895,
1433
1896,
1501
1897, males 787, females 776,
1563
Number not in school for various reasons.
142
Number between 8 and 14 years, 874
Length of school year, 40 weeks
Days lost-stormy weather, holidays, etc.,
. 15 days
Actual length of whole year, 37 weeks
230
ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE.
Total enrollment of pupils from Feb. '93 to Feb. '94. 1570
66
Feb. '94 to Feb. '95, 1680
.. " Feb. '95 to Feb. '96, 1882
. . "' Feb. '96 to Feb. '97,
1863
..
" Feb. '97 to Feb. '98, 1893
.. . .
..
" October,
1603
Average number belonging in May,
1540.3
. " October. 1568.5
. .
" year, 1597.7
1497.2 .. daily attendance for year,
93.5
The following changes have occurred in the corps of teach- ers during the year.
Resignations :
Hattie A. Currier,
Lincoln. April.
Carrie E. Strong,
High, June.
Lieut. P. J. Flanders.
Military Instructor, June.
Anna W. Atkins,
Greenwood. December.
Martha W. Bangs.
Lincoln. December.
Transferred :
L. Isadore Wood,
Katharine E. Kelly. Mary I. Hawkins,
Franklin to Lincoln. Woodville to Franklin. Montrose to Greenwood.
Elections :
Rebecca M. O'Connell.
Jennie L. Carter,
Clara F. Barnes,
Mabel P. Wall,
High, Sept.
Lincoln, Sept.
H. Gertrude Elliott.
Flora E. Elliott,
Lieut. Chas. E. Walton,
West Ward. April.
Lincoln, April.
High, Sept.
Grace M. Dennison.
Montrose, Deceniber.
Ass't, Woodville, December.
Military Instructor.
December
.
Per cent of attendance for year, .
in May, 1564
231 .
MUSIC AND DRAWING.
That I may give no false impression from recommendations that may follow, of the estimate I make of the educational value of music and drawing, I will in advance express a belief that they occupy a very important place in the course of study in the schools. This honorable position belongs to them by reason of their essential worth as branches of education, and as ready sources of pleasure that may be at the command of, and thoroughly enjoyed by the children, throughout their entire lives. It may not be out of place at this time to refer to the skill and proficiency noticeable in these studies under the supervision of the special teachers.
It is not to be expected, however, nor is it possible for the public schools to furnish instruction that will carry all pupils to that point of excellence worthy of special mention. In the high school, to which only I now refer, it seems to me injudicious to compel those pupils who are somewhat defi- cient in these subjects to continue them through the whole or a part of the high school course, to the exclusion of the study of subjects more nearly in accord with the general lines of work which each desires to take and which may be advantageous or necessary as a preparation for higher courses elsewhere. As far as is possible, it is a wise plan for the high school, and a great privilege to its pupils, for each to be allowed to elect such courses as he may prefer. This of course is not entirely possible in schools having a teaching corps of six regular and two special teachers.
To a policy of offering more elective courses and allowing pupils opportunities for choice, I invite your attention.
According to the present regulations, all children are obliged to take music in all grades including the entire high school course, and drawing until the close of its second year. This gives in music about one and one-half hours per week for thirteen years, and drawing about one and one-half hours per week for ten years. In September last, however,
232
it was decided to make drawing optional in the second year of the high school. About one-half the class chose the drawing.
I recommend as to the singing in the high school that those pupils be excused from this exercise who have no especial aptitude for music, the decision as to who shall be excused to be made by the supervisor of music and the high school principal. The pupil thus excused shall be actively engaged in some other recitation during the music period. This would reduce the number now taking singing possibly twenty-five per cent., and improve the quality of the singing.
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