USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1900-1902 > Part 28
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The death last July of Mr. E. A. Upton took from our midst a long familiar face. For twenty-one years, covering a period from 1861 to 1894, Mr. Upton served as a member of the school committee, several years as chairman of the board. He was a graduate of Dartmouth college in 1855, and in 1857-8 he taught school in Greenwood.
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From boyhood, the writer remembers him, from the time when, nearly forty years ago as a school boy, he sat, with awesome pleas- ure when Mr. Upton visited the school and talked to the scholars, up to later years when, associated with him on the school board, and in other relations, he found him always the same; genial, kind- hearted, even to a fault,-if kind-heartedness can be called a fault, -and his memory will long be kept green.
As will be seen by the Superintendent's report, the schools have been increased by three and the number of teachers seven over last year and the coming year there will be a still further increase.
The High School has now reached a point where it is absolutely necessary to consider what shall be done in the way of accommoda- tions. It is very desirable that a good commercial course be added to the curriculum of this school where stenography and type-writing may be taught, and if our high school is to be a high school in real- ity as well as in name, it is necessary that additional accommoda- tions be provided. An addition can be made to the north side ,of the present building which will accommodate the school for six or eight years probably.
The best plan, of course, if the town were in a position to do so, would be to erect a new building this year but this probably is not practicable ; an enlargement, however, is an immediate necessity.
The residents in the Franklin Street district are also asking for better school accommodations, and their request is reasonable. They have been patient and long suffering. At the present time all children above the fourth grade are obliged to attend either the Hamilton or Lincoln schools; the present building is entirely in- adequate to the needs of the district, and as it was decided several years ago that it was inexpedient to enlarge the present building, and as the same judgment has just been rendered by another com- mittee, it would seem the only thing to do is to erect a new building.
In addition to needed improvements recommended by Superin- tendent Wheeler, we would call attention also to the condition of the curbing around the Lincoln building .on Otis and Crescent Streets and to the concrete in the yard of this building, which needs a top coating. New concrete is also much needed at the Hamilton
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building. This work should be done the coming season, part of it can, perhaps, be paid for from the school appropriation, but as the aggregate cost would be in the neighborhood of seven hundred dol- lars there should be a special appropriation.
As stated by the committee in last year's report, school expenses must increase from year to year, new schools must be formed and additional teachers employed as the town increases in population.
The appropriations asked for by the committee last year were :-
General,
$32,000
Books and supplies,
2,500
Incidentals,
2,250
Total,
· $36,750
The amount recommended by the finance committee and appro- priated by the town was $36,000 and extra appropriations were necessary in the fall.
The total receipts and expenditures were as follows :-
General,
$32,000 00
Received for tuition,
968 12
Total,
$32,968 12
Expended for teachers and Supt.,
$28,314 28
66
" janitors,
2,175 IO
66
" fuel,
1,968 62
66
" tuition to Melrose, · 305 00
$32,763 00
Balance,
$205 12
Through no fault of the committee, a large part of the coal for the Lincoln building is still undelivered ; and the expense for fuel will accordingly be so much greater next year, unless the unexpended balance of $205, be placed to the credit of the above department.
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Appropriation for books and supplies,
$2,000 00
Additional appropriation,
. .
300 00
$2,300 00
Expended,
2,283 53
Unexpended balance, .
$16 47
Appropriation for incidentals,
$2,900 00
Additional appropriation,
925 00
Received from Ins. Co., for injury to Montrose school building,
39.00
$2,964 00
Expended,
$2,963 20
Unexpended balance, . 80
For the coming year we recommend the following amounts : -
General,
$36,000 00
Books and supplies,
2,500 00
Incidentals,
2,500 00
Total,
$41,000 00
We call special attention to Superintendent Wheeler's report which follows, and ask for careful consideration of his recommendations, with which the committee concur, and also his tables of statistics, and special reports which follow.
The terms of office of Melvin J. Hill and Wm. B. Daniel expire with this year, making two vacancies to be filled by the town. We wish to thank all who, by their interest, their votes and by their words have generously contributed to the support of our schools. The Alumni, and the Educational Association are especially deserv- ing of our thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
ASHTON H. THAYER, Chairman, MELVIN J. HILL, WM. B. DANIEL, MRS. I. F. CARLISLE,
GEO. H. S. DRIVER, EDEN K. BOWSER,
School Committee.
Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
My first report as Superintendent of Schools is herewith sub- mitted.
As my acquaintance with, and work in, the schools only began with the opening of the fall term, September II, I can, of course, have very little to say of work accomplished. Considerable time was necessarily consumed in becoming acquainted with the condi- tion of the various schools, in discovering what was being done and in maturing plans for future work.
I wish to say in this connection that I found the schools, in nearly every instance, doing excellent work, reflecting credit upon the teachers, the committee, and upon the good sense and wisdom of my predecessor in directing the work of the schools and in se- curing first-class teachers.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The completion and occupation of the North Ward or F. P. Hurd school and the change in the district line between this and the Lincoln school has slightly lessened the congestion at the Lin- coln building. Even now we have as many pupils there as can conveniently be accommodated. More will be admitted in April, and next September another beginners' class will be formed. True, the ninth grade will pass on to the high school, but at the same time a fifth grade will be sent up from the Franklin school. It is thus evident that the relief experienced this year, because of the new building at the North Ward, will be of short duration unless some immediate provision is made for enlarged accommodations at the Franklin building. This improvement is urgently needed, is earnestly desired by the residents of that section, and I think they are justly entitled to this consideration. At present only the first
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four grades are accommodated in the Franklin building, the five upper grades being sent to the Lincoln. Such an arrangement can- not be continued much longer. Two alternatives present them- selves. Either more room must be provided at the Franklin, or pupils from that district must be sent across the tracks to the Ham- ilton and Warren schools. At present we have two vacant rooms at the Warren building, one of which will doubtless be used by the pupils of that district in the fall. We could transfer one grade from the Hamilton to the Warren and thus make room for the fifth and sixth grades from the Franklin district at the Hamilton school. This could be done but should not, except in case of absolute ne- cessity. It would be entirely unsatisfactory to all people affected by the change, would doubtless cause much anxiety to many par- ents and perhaps entail some hardship upon a few pupils. At the best such an arrangement would be temporary only, lasting one, at the most, two years.
A proposition was advanced to remodel and enlarge the present Franklin building, and under an article in the town warrant for the November meeting, a special committee was appointed to investi- gate and report on this matter at the March meeting. I have no doubt but that the committee, after careful consideration, will make a report that will be entirely just to the people concerned, and wisest for the town to adopt. At the risk of anticipating this report, I should advise no alteration or enlargement of the present build- ing, but would advocate a new building, as soon as expedient, con- taining at least six, or better, eight rooms. This would enable us to have all grades below the eighth or ninth represented at the Franklin school, thus relieving the Lincoln and at the same time keeping all children in their own district, a plan which would be most satisfactory to the parents. Until such a building can be provided, I see no very satisfactory way to improve upon the pres- ent conditions.
Most of the school buildings in town are in a very satisfactory condition. Certain general repairs to buildings, furniture and heat- ing apparatus need attention each year. It is much more econom- ical to keep a building in first-class condition than it is to neglect such matters until forced to make extensive repairs on several buildings in one year. While some of the buildings are now prac-
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tically new, others are certainly in need of attention. At the Ham- ilton, the outbuilding should be removed and sanitaries placed in the basement. Some improvement in this line is also needed at the Franklin building. It would not be advisable to put sanitaries into the basement of the present building, but a more distinct sepa- ration could be made in the accommodations, a fence built from the school house to the outbuilding and other desirable improve- ments made.
Everything considered, the new F. P. Hurd building is the best schoolhouse in town. It reflects at once the generosity of the town, the good taste and judgment of the building committee, and should be a matter of pride to every citizen, especially to those for whose benefit it was erected. This building has been made partic- ularly attractive within through the generous interest of private in- dividuals who have presented to the school many beautiful works of art. A bare room, equipped with furniture and supplied with books, is perhaps the only absolutely necessary requirement for a school home, but how different is the room when adorned and made beautiful, and how fortunate are those pupils who are provided with such surroundings. To be constantly in the presence of such pic- tures and statuary, and to be led by the appreciative and sympa- thetic teacher to learn to love the beautiful in art and in nature, is an education in itself of no small consideration, and an inspiration of incalculable value to the child.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
" Any town or city may, and every town and city of ten thousand or more inhabitants shall, maintain annually evening schools for the instruction of persons over fourteen years of age, in orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geography, arithmetic, industrial drawing, both free-hand and mechanical, the history of the United States, physiology, and hygiene, and good be- havior. Such other subjects may be taught in such schools as the school committee deem expedient."-Sect. 5, Chapter 496, Acts of 1898.
Wakefield is now, or soon will be, subject to the above require- ment, and it may be well to consider the advisability of opening evening schools another winter. At present there are sixteen towns
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in the State, smaller in population than Wakefield, where such schools are maintained. However, the need for these schools is not the same in all towns, and no town, whether large or small, would be warranted in establishing evening schools unless there is a sufficient demand for them. Five years ago this matter was consid- ered by the committee and the chairman then reported, in part, as follows, concerning evening schools :
" It has been suggested that an evening school was desirable. It is plainly evident that additional schooling is much needed by many who, either from necessity or for other reasons, do not con- tinue in school as long as they should. A considerable number un- questionably would appreciate, and the committee would be glad to establish such a school if the town so desire, but as a matter of fact the history of such schools, except in very large towns and cities, is, that the first year they are well attended, the second year there is a falling off of nearly or quite fifty per cent. in the attendance and the third year a loss of about twenty-five per cent. more, which seems to show either that there are not so many who need a little more learning or, what is more probable, that the class whom the evening school is intended to benefit, fail to appreciate its advan- tage."
I am inclined to believe that the above very clearly expresses the facts as demonstrated by experience. Nevertheless, as I under- stand it, the committee are ready to open such schools just as soon as there is a call for them and a sufficient number of pupils anxious to avail themselves of such opportunities. I would recommend that early next fall application blanks be provided and left at vari- ous convenient places, so that those wishing to attend evening schools may indicate the fact by forwarding their applications to the school committee. If twenty or more pupils expressed such a desire, a school should be opened and continued through the win- ter, if the interest and attendance warranted it.
TEACHERS.
The most important duty devolving upon those having school matters in charge, is the selection and retention of good teachers. While a good teacher is not the only necessary adjunct to a success- ful school, it is certainly true that no school can be successful with-
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out a good teacher. Given a good teacher with the sympathy and hearty co-operation of parents who exercise a wise and sufficient control of their children at home, and who send them to school with a clear understanding of what is there expected of them in ap- plication and deportment,-given, I say, these elements, and any school will be successful. Let either be wanting and the best re- sults can not be achieved.
The excellent condition of the schools in the past is due, first of all, to the care and discrimination that has been exercised in secur- ing good teachers. That the schools of the future may be as good, and, if possible, better (for we are always striving to make good things better), should be our earnest endeavor. So far as the selec- tion of teachers may rest upon the recommendation of the present superintendent, so far he will endeavor to recommend only such candidates as he believes to possess certain requisite qualifications for the position under consideration. Local candidates, possessing these qualifications, should unquestionably be favored, but, without such qualifications, have no more right to demand recognition in this line of work than one has to claim to be an authority in medi- cine with no knowledge of the subject. In so important a matter one's duty is clearly manifest.
I feel sure that any local candidate who has educated and pre- pared herself for teaching, and who has given any indication of suc- cessful work, should be given a place to prove herself, if the right opening presents itself. I am also quite as sure that one aspiring to become a teacher ought to feel under obligation to thoroughly equip herself for the work. It is neither possible, necessary and perhaps not desirable that all would be teachers should take a college course, but the State has very generously provided professional schools for the education and training of teachers. True, Normal training will not always guarantee a successful teacher. Natural qualifications and aptitude are important factors in determining the success or failure of any one. But it ought to be self evident that a person, however richly endowed by nature, can do immeasurably better work in any line after receiving special training for that work.
In recent years we have come more and more to recognize the importance of universal education, and to believe that the most economical way to secure this result is to maintain only schools of
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the highest efficiency. In my opinion, the most economical feature of any school is the best teacher that can be obtained, even at the maximum salary, and the most extravagant feature is a poor teacher at any salary. This is true in regard to the high school, the gram- mar school and equally true of the primary school. The time is past when any one, regardless of maturity, education or training, is competent to teach little children. If teachers thoroughly fitted by nature, education and training are anywhere needed surely it is in the primary grades. We want superior teachers in all grades, but nowhere is the importance of good teaching more manifest than in the lower grades where the start is made, and where the greatest number of pupils is affected. The importance of professionally trained and skilful teachers is everywhere recognized, and I wish to emphasize what I have said on this subject by a quotation from the Waterbury School Report for 1898.
" As our life has grown more and more complex, the parent has come to depend more and more upon the schools for the proper training of their children. This is not the best way but it is quite true. Many a child learns ways of kindness, gentleness and true politeness at school which would have been utterly impossible in his home surroundings. These young children, whose idle prattle now amuses us, are soon to control our interests. What higher purpose or loftier ambition can anyone have than to assist in the moulding and developing of their characters ?
" We are creatures of habit and imitation, few, if any, are wholly original either in thought or action. Pupils unconsciously are shaped by their environments, and particularly by their surroundings while at school. Day by day they are imitating their teachers, they are forming habits that, if not counterparts, at least run in parallels with those of their teachers. Inasmuch as this is true, the character of the teacher should be one that is worth imitating. The teacher should be a person of largeness of character, of noble sympathies and of high purposes.
" It is well enough to have commodious and beautiful school buildings, systematic courses of study, well adapted text-books, these are of great importance, but towering above all these is the in- dividuality of the good teacher. We can do without the former, but we cannot dispense with the latter. Present conditions demand
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that the teacher shall have broad scholarship-not a mere smatter- ing of many things, no mere superficial veneer of culture that will en- able one to hear recitations. Most any one can keep school. What we want is a teacher capable of developing thought in the pupil, one who can teach, one who can lead the pupils beyond the confines of the text-books. It is rightly demanded that the teacher shall be fa- miliar with the contents of the text-book, but this is but a small part of what should be expected. In teaching arithmetic the teacher must know something of the logic of number ; in geography, something of physics and astronomy ; in reading she must have had an intimate acquaintance with that which is best and noblest in literature, and so on through the curriculum. It will not do for her to be found weighed in the balance and found wanting by her pupils. For the most discriminating critics of a teacher's ability, character and schol- arship are to be found right in the school-room. The accuracy with which boys and girls of from eight to twelve years will size up the average teacher may well make committees and boards blush for lack of proper insight.
" It is not sufficient that the teacher should have a spotless char- acter and broad scholarship, she must know what not to teach. She must be acquainted with the laws of mental growth and develop- ment. She must understand the child. There is a science or art of teaching, and unless a teacher is an adept in this art she will never secure the best results, whatever may be her character or scholar- ship."
I am pleased to bear testimony to the faithful, earnest efforts and general efficiency of our teachers. Good work is being done by nearly every teacher, and a high degree of excellence is reached by many. This does not imply that their work is entirely above criti- cism. Perfection in teaching is doubtless as rarely found as in any other line of work. What I mean to affirm is that if any one were to make himself thoroughly familiar with the work of the teachers, understand what is expected of the teachers of to-day and in some measure come to realize the many difficulties that confront them every session for two hundred days in the year, his criticism would, in most cases, lose all sting and perhaps become words of apprecia- tion and encouragement.
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Every year we lose many teachers by resignation, but seldom one by death. This year, however, death has entered our ranks and claimed one of our most faithful teachers. Miss Flora E. Elliott died on the morning of January 1, 1900. So brief was her illness that the teachers and many of her friends were unaware of it until her death was announced, which came as a great shock to all who knew her.
Miss Elliott graduated from the Wakefield High School in the class of 1893. After devoting some time in preparation for teaching to training in the Lincoln Schools, she received an appointment at Woodville. She was afterward transferred to the second grade at the Lincoln School, where she taught up to the Christmas vacation.
Seldom are those higher virtues of charity, of kindness and of womanly sweetness more perfectly exemplified than in Miss Elliott's life. While she was respected and beloved by her friends, it was particularly pleasant to note the beautiful spirit that prevailed in her school, and to see how she had won the respect and love of her pupils, for whose interests she labored so faithfully. She never spared time or strength in her efforts to do her whole duty to her school. We mourn her death but the memory and influence of her life will remain as an inspiration and help to those who knew her best.
SPECIAL DEPARTMENTS.
The work in drawing, music, sewing and manual training has been successfully carried on under the immediate direction of the special teachers. Music and drawing are now taught in nearly ev- ery school in the Commonwealth, and have come to be accepted as regular and important branches of school work. Just how much time and attention should be given to these subjects is determined more by local conditions than by a fair consideration of their edu- cational value. The public school is not the place to fully develop noted musicians or great artists. Only rarely do we find promising candidates for these honors, but we do find that almost without ex -. ception boys and girls can learn to sing and draw quite creditably, and in case of the exceptional ones, sufficient knowledge is gained
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to enable them to appreciate something of the inspiration and beauty that may come from these 'important educational branches. The completeness of our lives should be estimated less by the num- ber of years lived than by our character, by what we are capable of enjoying of those things worthy of our attention, and of the value we may be to the community and to our associates. It seems to me, therefore, that a knowledge of music and an appreciation of art contribute quite as much toward our own enjoyment, and deter- mine as largely our usefulness as does the knowledge of arithmetic.
The work in sewing and manual training, introduced last year, is proving successful and popular. No question as to the utility and educational value of this work will ever be raised by those who ex- amine into the matter and see for themselves what is being done.
Here, again, the aim is not to develop expert and finished work- men, but it is very evident that the skill acquired by the girls in sewing, and by the boys in wood working, will be put to practical use as often, if not more frequently, than will the facts learned from any study pursued in the whole school course. The value of manual training is now very generally accepted, and this state, foremost in educational work, has already passed a law which makes manual training mandatory in towns of a given population. While this town is too small to be affected by this law, and while elaborate manual training schools are as yet a luxury for the large and wealthy towns only, yet no one should object to the expense of maintaining the work as now laid out, when the results are obviously so practical and valuable.
At present, sewing is taught in grades five to nine inclusive, and the boys have bench work in the three upper grades. It might be advisable to introduce knife work into the fifth and sixth grades to occupy the attention of the boys while the girls have their lesson in sewing. This would, in itself, be valuable and would prepare the way for the regular bench work in the higher grades.
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