USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1905-1907 > Part 49
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Report of Superintendent of Schools.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
I have the honor to submit my third annual report. It is the fifteenth report in the series of Superintendent's reports of the town.
We are to be congratulated on the present prosperous con- dition of the schools. There has been great interest on the part of all connected with them, and they have thereby pro- gressed accordingly. In a report of this kind it is the cus- tom to give a comprehensive account of the schools and school work, and make what recommendations seem best for their continued uplift and progress. The schools exist primarily for the pupils, and whatever progress is made by the pupils necessarily shows itself in the community. A community in reality is no better than its schools. Good schools insure an uplifted community.
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
It is unnecessary to go into details concerning the present school accommodations. That was done last year very care- fully. There was also an exceedingly able and comprehen- sive report made by the special committee appointed at the town meeting last spring. This report has been read before the town and printed in the local papers. All are therefore familiar with conditions. These conditions are still with us, and what has been said in other reports can only be reit- erated. The congestion remains at the Lincoln building and at the High School, only it will increase next year with the regular increase of registration. It will then be found im- possible to do the effective work which our community rightly demands but which cannot be expected. The teaching
234
capacity of the High School was reached this year and further increase of pupils means anything but good work. Extending the time for increased accommodations when it seems to be more fitting, only makes it all the harder. The time to do a thing is when it is needed; other and unforseen things naturally present themselves when delays are allowed. Whatever we may do to put off the inevitable, the necessity is still present. It must be met, and the one thing to do is to prepare for it.
EVENING SCHOOL.
The evening school established one year ago according to the law relating to towns and cities of ten thousand and up- wards, has been continued. The registration for the pres- ent year is about the same as last year. The interest mani- fested on the part of those required to attend is remarkable. Our system of reports with reference to attendance and absence insures regular attendance, and makes it possible to accom- plish much for the pupils. It is indeed interesting to note the eagerness with which these young men and women strive to master the various subjects taught. The school is graded according to the ability of the pupils, and it is our plan to give not more than fifteen pupils to any one teacher. By this method there is time for individual work, and every pupil feels that in him the teacher has a personal interest. That the work of the school has been of value to those who have attended or are compelled by law to attend and also of value to the community, is attested in many ways, and is especially noted by the school census enumerator who reports that during his work in the last census he found it possible to secure the desired information among the foreign popula- tion without the usual interpreter, because of the larger number of adults than heretofore who were able to speak and write English. The town of Wakefield is not spending money more wisely in any channel than in this one thing- making it possible for its illiterate population to become in- telligent, English speaking people.
A glance at the enrollment will be of interest to many.
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The number enrolled and the different nationalities are as follows :
Whole number registered
127
Whole No. illiterates, men, 16 to 21 ยท
63
Whole No. illiterates, women, 16 to 21
28
.
Total
91
Under 21 years, not illiterates
I4
Different races registered
I3
Nationality.
Men.
Women.
Total.
Italian
64
19
83
Hebrew
4
2
6
Irish
2
I
3
Hungarian
I
O
I
Russian
I
O
I
Bohemian
I
I
Nova Scotian
2
2
Swede .
6
6
12
Armenian
I
O
I
American
I
3
4
French
O
3
3
Polish
5
3
8
Greek .
O
I
I
Unknown
I
O
I
Total
89
38
I27
Total over 21 years
22
.
Now that the work of teaching illiterate foreigners to read and write the English language is well under way, and the results are so gratifying, why should we not go further in the line of instruction for these people ? If simply knowing the English language will make these people of value to the community, would it not add to their worth not only to the community but to themselves, should the town of Wakefield give them the opportunity to learn something which will make them of greater value in their employment? That is, give them the opportunity to learn something more of the occupations in which they are engaged. This leads directly
236
into that other proposition-extending the work of the evening school to give the opportunity for those young boys and girls who go to work at fourteen, yet are of little value to themselves or to their employers, to better fit them to earn a more competent living. Give such instruction as will in- crease the efficiency of the pupils in the labor in which they are engaged, and also require them to take such other sub- jects as will broaden their intellectual outlook. In short, establish a "continuation school" and allow it to include any who desire to enter. This is an industrial community, yet it ought not to be a community composed largely of un- skilled laborers. A higher class of work in our factories resulting in better wages, higher ideals would be set, and a better class of citizens the result. Unless some such propo- sition is put in operation, our community will soon reach that level where only two classes are seen - the very well to do, educated class and the very improvident, uneducated foreign- ers and unskilled working class. Instruction from books alone is good as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
Since the last report the Committee has appointed a school physician to whom is reported all cases of contagious dis- eases, according to the law. There is no doubt that prompt action in this respect has already saved us from certain epi- demics. Giving due attention to cases and prompt exclusion of those exposed is the only method that will insure the school and the community against the spread of a contagious disease. Very efficient work has been done, and we are to be congratulated on the present healthy condition and good attendance at the schools.
The inspection of eyes and ears, as the law requires, has been carried forward, and the following results are tabulated :
Number of pupils examined in the schools . 2,107
Number found defective in eyesight 209
Number found defective in hearing .
82
Number of parents notified . .
I54
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In reality, this part of the law is conducive to greater and better results than at first conceived by the average person. Teachers were especially disturbed at first thought concern- ing this requirement. Now that it has become a factor in the schools, they see the real value of it. Every teacher now knows who of her pupils need special attention. These pupils are seated with reference to sight and hearing, and those once thought dull have in many cases been helped be- cause the teacher knows the actual difficulty. She therefore plans her work so as to adapt it to these defective ones. Pupils placed where they can see and hear readily have over- come former difficulties, and are able to advance with their mates. Life has become brighter for both pupils and teacher.
THE BATAVIA SYSTEM.
With the opening of the school year in September, steps were taken to give this system a fair trial in two of our build- ings. The system is characterized by the method of individ- ual assistance to pupils. Periods are arranged in the daily program for this purpose, during which time the teacher calls different pupils to her desk and renders such assistance which, in her judgment, is necessary. The assistance is not given promiscuously, but is carefully planned by the teacher from her knowledge of how different pupils have recited in a given subject. These various pupils are then called upon, and, under immediate and close supervision of the teacher, are encouraged to recite by themselves, and the difficulties peculiar to each pupil are overcome. The pupil himself does the work in each case, and is of course made stronger than would result from simply being told how by the teacher. This encourages the pupil because the effort is directed to him individually with the class engaged in something else, and removes all embarrassment likely to result from directing attention to the individual during a class recitation. Thus far it has been found to produce good results. The sup- posed dull pupils have been awakened and are making increased progress ; those who have fallen behind because of
238
absence have been given a chance to bring up their subjects, and the laggards have been spurred because of the close oversight of their work. No pupil, when given the help as outlined, is able to get away from the work because every step is watched by the teacher. In one of the buildings an extra teacher is on hand who gives special attention to individual needs of pupils in grades where the enrollment is large, and the regular teacher is not able to reach all, be- cause of lack of time. If the results continue as at present, it should be introduced throughout the whole system of schools.
BASIS FOR INCREASING SALARIES.
Beginning with the present school year, we entered upon a different method for increasing salaries. Heretofore, the an- nual increase was based upon length of service alone. This no doubt in some cases was unjust, in as much as equal, if not greater efficiency in the same grades was paid much less and advanced equally simply because the service as to time was unequal. Our present method recognizes merit as the requisite for advancement in salary. In short, the regular rate of increase is based upon the professional progress of the teacher, determined by the Principal and Superintendent, and recommended by the Superintendent and the Committee on Teachers. The merit system is looked upon as the only just method and is being adopted largely throughout the country.
THE WORK OF THE SCHOOLS.
There is much speculation as to what can be legitimately expected from the schools. There is much criticism at times that the schools do not turn out a uniform product, and that product all "firsts." If all material ,were the same, equally good teaching in all grades, each grade or class were smaller in number than at present, then the product would be ideal. However, as all these conditions cannot be maintained, there will be necessarily, a few " seconds." Because the schools turn out pupils who may not be able to calculate at first sight
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a simple problem in fractions, measurement or percentage, they are then condemned as doing inefficient work, and the whole system of education wrong ; this is losing sight of the real function of the school, and failing to understand the real meaning of education. It is true that we must insist on ac- curacy, that we must give to the community a class of pupils who are more or less proficient in subject-matter, but we must also see to it that these pupils have developed character; that they understand the meaning of life, and that they are able to take part in life's activities. Given this power, the adjust- ment to environment will quickly follow. The function of the school may be summed up somewhat as follows : The kindergarten gives experiences in observation, teaches the child his right relations to his fellows, and developes his ac- tivities ; the elementary school teaches those fundamental subjects without a working knowledge of which, the indi- vidual is unable to take his part in the ordinary affairs of life ; to these fundamentals - the school arts- are added other subjects which give the individual greater versatility and make it possible to participate in life's activities. The High School broadens the pupil intellectually, helps him to find himself, and places him in a position to be of greater use to society and to himself.
THE MEANING OF EDUCATION.
It seems wise right here to discuss the real meaning of ed- ucation. The meaning of education may be defined as a "preparation for complete living; a preparation for life's worthy interests and activities through participation in them; adjustment to environment." If it means all these, then the work of the schools is much more than the simple study of the contents of books. Spencer concludes that science is the basis of all knowledge, and that it prepares the boy or girl for complete living. This meaning of education is such a training of the child that all dominant activities will serve to render him a more useful being to himself, the development of all his powers. The real object of the school, since it is the medium by which the child gets his point of view of life,
240
is to give him a mastery of himself, that in his development he participates in the activities of life. He becomes the cen- ter of things, and must be able to look out upon his surround- ings from a critical standpoint-must have power to suspend judgment before making decisions. The question is, how shall we proceed with our teaching and arrange our programs that this goal may be reached ? Our whole educational creed in the past has been " personal satisfaction "; the fact that pupils are to become a part of the social world and useful members of society-"able to participate in life's interests and activi- ties and to enjoy life's pleasures and amusements," has been left to a period after the educational program has been com- pleted and the pupil then allowed to drift into life's activities as his environment may suggest. This too often has been disastrous because the preparation was inadequate. We must settle, as a first thing, that which will give the child the right perspective. What shall each subject include and how much of that subject shall be given? He is too often taught to read by the use of words and sentences that are not familiar to him-he is not allowed to use the vocabulary with which he is familiar. His own idea of number is based upon the familiar objects of every day experiences-his toys; his companions; he knows the number of cats and dogs he possesses, and those of his companions; the number of coins he owns, the cost of a stick of candy, the price of marbles and the number in his possession. We begin number, how- ever, like the reading, with things foreign to him, and think we are teaching the child number. We take him out of his element and introduce him at once to a medium which is simply a school room medium and always remains as such. The child associates it with the school room at the beginning and continues to do so in all the different subjects throughout his school course. He should be allowed at every step to measure his own capacity, and in so doing he is applying his knowledge to his ever increasing and enlarged environment. His hands should be trained to cutting, arranging, adjusting. This starts him in a way to acquire experiences, and renders
241
him more efficient in his future actions. The school is the medium by which he adjusts these experiences in fixed chan- nels to be used for his advantage in times of need. Each sub- ject of the school curriculum represents a certain specific phase of experience with environment. Number is one of the means by which we subdue environment in the concrete; the natural sciences are a part of the field of geography, and represent our experiences with physical environment. His- tory is a record of reactions and adjustments ; experience in the concrete. Sociology is experience with social environ- ment, and so on through the whole realm of subjects. Each has its place in the development of the individual, and in accordance with the method pursued in the study of these various subjects is education for the individual to be a means for him to become a useful member of society. If then, edu- cation is adjustment to environment, and if it means prepara- tion for complete living, then it is true the work of the schools is much more than simple book study. It is our duty to bring the powers of the child into action in such a manner that they will supplement one another and thereby give to society an individual able to adapt himself to the ever in- creasing demands of a progressive civilization. It must first give up the ancient and threadbare curriculum of the school arts, reading, writing, ciphering, a little book geography, a few dates in history and the formal study of grammar, and bring itself to the study of modern needs.
As has been said, "The first four or five years of the child's school life will give, or ought to give, the basis for reading anything which the future will demand of him." The same period will furnish him with all necessary equip- ment to use his mother tongue freely and fluently. Beyond this he can study the technical or grammatical form which may be necessary to understand the writings of the great masters of the language. "By the end of the seventh year he should have learned all the mathematics necessary to equip him for a business life." That is, he should have a foundation which will render it possible for him to adapt his
242
knowledge of number to the needs of any occupation. At this time in mathematics he should be given the opportunity to study the principles of algebra and geometry and to apply the same. Modern languages should also find a place at this time in the curriculum. Manual training, drawing, music, nature study, useful in themselves and vocational in idea, should be brought in and arrange themselves for the pupil's development. I believe that in the upper grammar grades and in the High School he should be brought into contact with representatives from the various pursuits of business and positions of trust. These men should be allowed to pre- sent to the pupils the character of the employment in which each is engaged, thereby enlarging the sphere of the pupils and bringing them into touch with life in all its vocations, teaching them the need of a broad education whatever may be the occupation pursued. The pupil thus gets a glimpse of the larger life, and if he is so unfortunate as to be com- pelled to operate a machine at the age of fourteen, he may know that the machine operates according to certain laws, yet it may be improved and his mind will be active enough to investigate and suggest the possible improvement perhaps. From the foregoing it follows that our educational system must cut loose from the traditional past. It must be a sys- tem which will organize the child's activities with some ref- erence to the life which he will lead later, and give him some clew as to what he shall select or eliminate when he comes into contact with social and industrial conditions. He must somehow be taught so that he will put his intelli- gence into the thing he produces in whatever way that may be produced. His education must place him in touch with what the world is doing ; if not, then education loses its in- spiration and depends on "tradition for its charm." The industrial interest brings out the faculties of the child. If this industrial interest is not brought into education then it becomes meaningless and materialistic. That is, education must include that which will give the pupil the opportunity to exercise his latent forces ; whatever he does must show
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his individuality. The workman at the machine which pro- duces any given article, is simply a machine like that which is operated, unless he puts himself into the product. It is far better that children should live sincerely, that they should put joy and heart into their occupations, that they should do well the thing they like or want to do, or that they may be set to do, than to satisfy any pedagogical plan.
Otherwise the child is simply a machine, knowing nothing of his power, and knowing neither his place in the world, in society, nor his relation to his fellow men. This would apply to every period of the child's education -the transi- tion period, the formation period and the adolescent period. This last is really the most serious. At this period of school life if we would but study our pupils more and arrange our program of studies accordingly, more would find themselves, and in the end be made stronger thereby. To do this our program must include much more than at present, and a freer choice given to puplls.
In the last year of the grammar school should be found modern languages, mathematics, history, sciences, industrial training - those subjects which will fit into and become a part of the High School curriculum, bridging the gap now existing, and making the High School program a continu- ation of the process ; this would enable the pupil to find where his interests are, give him the power to select, and render his work a pleasure. Our secondary school courses, including a year each of drawing, manual training, history, mathematics, political and natural sciences, the mother tongue (English, Ancient or Modern languages), as Professor Hanus suggests, would give an education more serviceable to the average pupil. At any rate, his equipment for modern life would be more in keeping with the demands of life and business, and without doubt his preparation for college work be just as sound. It seems to me that the foregoing outline of the meaning of education must be included in the schools, and anything short of this is the postponement of education, and not education. If I have succeeded at all in presenting
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this subject, I hope I have made it somewhat clear that we must introduce into our system the kind of work which will equip the pupil for modern life, and that the only way to do this is to give the opportunity to participate in life's ac- tivities.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Your attention was directed in my last report to the value of individual instruction in music ; also to the independence such instruction would produce, the efficiency on the part of the pupils, and the ability thus acquired to appreciate and to sing with ease any class of music supposed to be found in the school curriculum. The report of the Supervisor, Mr. Wil- son, calls attention to this phase of the subject.
In drawing, we are endeavoring to follow the plan in the lower grades of free imagination in the line of illustration in order to develop the power of self-expression. This produces a free use of the pencil and brush in the advanced grades, and gives the pupil power to apply to a better advantage in design the material provided by nature. The study of color has been given a place in the work. This allows the pupil to produce various shades and tints and to learn the practical application of the harmony of colors. The work in the High School is much hampered because of the lack of space and the length of time desired. The report of the supervisor, Miss Black, calls attention to this, and is worth our careful consideration. Her report is very suggestive.
The manual training was changed somewhat this year to allow pupils to choose models for themselves at intervals in the work. We think this will make the subject more real and alive, and create a deeper interest. It is also our desire to make the work adaptable to a certain extent to the indus- trial interests of the town. This may be done and still follow the accepted idea of the use of manual training. It will be of much advantage to the entire school system when it is possible to extend the manual training farther down into the grades and also into the High School. There is no one subject that
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has such a lasting influence for future efficiency in life's work as manual training.
Where we must give due attention to the spirit of industry it is well to make provisions to meet the demand for skilled and efficient labor. In no place can this foundation be laid to a better advantage than in the public schools. While we are enlarging the scope of the manual training and the sew- ing, as in the latter we have in the ninth grades by the intro- duction of design work in waist and skirt making, it is proper for us to think seriously of introducing cooking into the last years of the grammar school and the first year of the High School. Cooking might be given some impetus in the way of suggesting to the girls of the ninth grades, methods and receipts for cooking and baking certain articles of food and presenting the result for inspection. This has been car- ried out in one particular city with very gratifying results. It is a suggestion worth trying, at least it could be done with small expense. The suggestions are given by the teacher at the school and the work is done at home. By this the home and the school are co-operating.
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