USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1914 > Part 11
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Mr. Wilson has taught music in Wakefield since 1876, and was well liked by teachers and pupils. The Committee are sorry to lose his services.
Appropriations
We recommend the following appropriations:
Salaries $66,513.00
Contingent
6,000.00
Supplies 3,700.00
Fuel 5,000.00
Evening School 1,100.00
Practical Arts
600.00
Total . $82,913.00
The foregoing touches briefly upon some of the important matters pertaining to the schools. The reports of the Superin- tendent and of the Principal of the High School give a much more complete and comprehensive account of the different departments of the school system.
We strongly urge all who are interested in the schools to care- fully read these reports.
ARTHUR H. BOARDMAN,
MRS. IDA FARR MILLER, J. LOWE McMAHON, MRS. EVA GOWING RIPLEY, DR. CHARLES E. MONTAGUE, EDWARD E. LEE.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Introduction
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Please permit me to give my fourth annual report to you for the school system of Wakefield. This is the twenty-first in a series of such reports :
I shall mention some things which have been accomplished during the past year, and I shall suggest some things which I feel are worthy of your consideration.
Conditions in the Buildings
The different grammar school buildings are rapidly filling up and are nearing the limit of their capacity. Of all the different buildings the Hamilton School will probably be the most com- fortable with regard to the number of pupils. Here there will be no crowding in any room.
Last fall we had to open an extra room at the Warren School because the sixth and seventh grades had more pupils than they could accommodate. The only additional expense really was in the janitor service. Miss Warren's assistant was placed in charge of the room. For the sake of economy we used some old seats and desks which had been stored in the basement at the Lincoln School. It would have been much better could the town have purchased new and up to date equipment. I feel that the situation in the .Warren School is taken care of for the next few years without any serious crowding.
We shall have to transfer some of the pupils from the Prospect Street School to some other building. As this district adjoins the Hamilton District, and as we have plenty of room at the Hamilton School, we can make these transfers without any hardships to any of the pupils. With such rearrangements the West Side will be adequately taken care of for at least during the coming year.
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In all probability we shall not have to make any changes in either the Hurd or Montrose Districts.
The Greenwood School will probably take care of the children in that section of the town for the next few years, unless we get a large increase in the population. No room at present has all the seats taken. The children from new residents will prob- ably be scattered throughout the different grades, without causing any serious congestion in any one place.
Judging from the present enrollment at the Woodville School, we shall have to take some steps to relieve the situation there next year. Now, the only chance for transfers from this district is either to the Franklin or the Lincoln. These buildings are already full. Now, practically every seat is taken at Wood- ville.
The Franklin School is practically full, with the exception of the eighth grade room, and next year even here there will prob- ably be only seven or eight empty seats. All this filling up is in spite of the portable building which the Committee put into use in September, 1913.
At the Lincoln School wefind things in a very serious condition. Last year we had about eighty pupils enter the first grade. Next year we may expect as many and probably more,due to the building upon Factory Field. We shall graduate about forty- five in June. Thus we may expect an increase of about forty pupils. This will bring us to a situation where we shall probably have about thirty-five or forty more pupils than we have seats, notwithstanding the fact that some of the rooms have fifty-four seats.
Some measures must be taken to relieve the situation. There are four ways, only two of which seem practicable:
1. Some pupils of the lower grades might be transferred to the Hamilton School, but this would mean that we should have to compel many little tots to cross the railroad tracks near the upper station. I do not believe that this is advisable.
2. Some pupils of the seventh or eighth grades might be transferred to the Hamilton School. But upon looking over the list of the pupils and their residences, I do not find enough who live near this district to make this at all advisable.
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3. The town might buy a portable building with one or two rooms to be placed near the Lincoln Building.
4. The first or the first two grades might go upon half time, that is, one-half of class or classes would go in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. This plan is entirely feasible.
Of these possibilities I feel that the third solution is the best if the town feels that it can bear the expense of buying a portable building. This would not cost any where near as much as an addition to the building. It would mean an outlay of about $3,000 or $3,200, for a two-room building, or about $1,800 for one room. If the town feels that it can not bear this expense the only feasible alternative is to put the lower grades upon the half time until such time as the town can furnish increased accommodations.
The crowded conditions of the buildings would have been much worse if the Committee had not changed the elementary course from nine to eight grades. Additions of some kind.would have been necessary in at least three buildings because of the divisions of the classes. As it is an addition has been saved at Green- wood and until now one has been saved in the Lincoln District. Another addition would have been necessary at the Franklin School. In fact I feel that the Committee has saved or post- poned a large outlay of money by the change.
Course of Study
When the Committee changed the course in the elementary schools from nine to eight grades the old course of study became practically useless. It therefore became necessary to draw up an entirely new one, instead of trying to revamp the old.
The teachers are represented in this work by the principals who are assisting by attending conferences and making both suggestions and criticisms. We find that it takes a long time to draw up a course in even one study.
We have completed a course in history and have presented it to the sub-committee for their approval. The course in geography is now practically ready for this sub-committee.
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We hope by the end of the year to have a complete course ready for introduction.
Summer School
Last summer we ran a summer school as an experiment. Only those pupils from grades five to eight, inclusive, who had failed or were conditioned in their work were admitted. The session lasted six weeks. From the results I feel that we should have summer sessions regularly as a part of our system.
The expense was $186.00 including the salaries of teachers and janitors.
Seventy-eight pupils attended. Of those forty-six did such work that they were promoted or had their conditions removed. Five went into the next higher grade who would not have been able to do so if they had not taken this extra work. While the town paid out $186, this was not a total loss, as it would cost about $150 to give these five repeaters an extra year. We can- not estimate in dollars and cents the value of the results with the others. These would have been laggards and would have required extra time from the teacher and would also have slowed up the work of the whole class or division. By attending the summer school and catching up on the weak subjects they saved wear and tear of the other members of their classes.
In the near future, I feel that we should admit those pupils who are able to d'o more than is required by their regular grade, but who cannot quite do the work of the next higher grade. The extra work which might be done during the summer might and probably would fit them to get along with a double pro- motion. Overage pupils also should be encouraged to do this extra work to give them a chance to catch up with their grade. Many overage children are not up with their grade through no fault of their own, but through illness, frequent moving from school to school or because of some circumstance over which they have no control.
Much is being done at the present time for those pupils who are slow or sub-normal. The super-normal should begin to receive their share of attention.
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Home Gardens
The only school in which we have tried Home Gardening very extensively is at Greenwood. There the experiment has been rather fully tried out and it is found not only entirely feasible but very profitable in many ways.
We owe the Greenwood Parents' Association a great deal of credit for their valuable assistance. They have helped in the distribution of the seeds, in looking after the gardens during the summer, and in arranging for exhibits in the fall. They even furnished prizes for stimulating interest.
Wakefield is strictly a suburban town and as such should do a great deal more with home gardens than we now do. All the other schools besides the Greenwood did something with this line of work but not near enough. I feel that we should lay special stress upon this during the coming season. It is impossi- ble to do the work thoroughly by means of the school alone. We must enlist outside help. If the finances of the town would warrant it I should suggest hiring some competent person to go around and give individual advice and assistance, and also to inspect the gardens from time to time.
In the West where they are doing a great deal of this kind of work, they have the school garden as well as the home garden. In some places in Massachusetts they are doing the same thing. Where there is no room about a school building for a garden they secure a plot of land and divide it into small sections and each pupil works one of these sections under supervision.
Massachusetts is the pioneer state in agricultural high schools. Some of these schools have a man who travels around from home to home giving advice and instruction. The boys have to keep a cash account and a record of all the time they put into the work. They charge up rental of the land, hire for teams for plowing. They have to do personally all other labor. They charge for this also at a given rate. Two boys who took up this kind of work cleaned up something like $600 for their work last year.
Our community does not warrant such work as outlined above, but we should put more energy into the home gardens.
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Nearly all the homes in Wakefield have land enough for a small truck garden and this land should be developed.
Such work does several things: it develops and utilizes the land, which in some instances is not used at all; it brings the child into direct contact with nature and clean growing things; it places responsibility upon the child and helps develop self- reliance; and is a source of monetary profit.
Last year some of the pupils at the Greenwood School not only furnished all the vegetables for the family table, but were able to sell some of the different kinds, and to store up for winter use still other kinds. What they did others can do and ought to do. Many pupils in the Greenwood School exhibited products from their gardens at the Greenwood Parents' Asso- ciation exhibit.
The Quannapowitt Fair had two departments for showing the results of the home garden work. One was under a school heading and the other was open to all youths under eighteen years of age. The schools received $12.50 prize money from the Fair Association. The total amount that came to the pupils of Wakefield from the youths department was $72.90.
Besides the prizes above mentioned were others given by the Wakefield Improvement Association, and ribbons and buttons from the State Department of Agriculture through the Agri- cultural College at Amherst. Professor Morton informs me that we may plan upon receiving ribbons and buttons for our garden work during the coming season.
Organized Play
The value of organized play during the recess period has been receiving more and more attention throughout the country. We have been taking it up in two of our schools, the Franklin and Greenwood, but more thoroughly at the latter. Here again the Greenwood Parent's Association has taken hold and has helped not only by moral support but by financial aid. They hired an instructor to look over the ground, and advise the teachers. We have found the teachers of both schools ready to try out the scheme and the success is due to the loyalty
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of the teachers and their desire to work for the common good. One principal reports that the results are very noticeable. Among these he mentions, fair play, team-work, willingness to abide by the decision of the umpire without wrangling, and a distinct gain in better discipline in and about the school.
I hope we shall be able to extend organized play throughout the schools in the town.
The organized play which we have tried has covered only that out of doors. We intend to use different games for use in doors when the weather is too inclement. The windows will be thrown open for flushing out the air within the rooms. No mechanical ventilation is equal to pure out of doors air and sunshine. By opening the windows a few times each day we will help out the systems of ventilation. Not only will we help make the air better in each room, but we will make the recess of more value to the children than it would be by merely sitting around or standing talking in groups.
School Savings Banks
Two years ago the Committee voted to establish school Savings Banks and began in the Greenwood School. This was later extended to cover the Lincoln and Franklin Schools. Appended below is a report of amounts handled in each school showing among other things the amounts transferred to the credit of the different pupils.
From a review of the report it seems that the children are saving for the sake of saving, and not saving for some particular thing as seemed to be the case with the stamp saving system.
The effect of business depression is plainly shown from the report of the principal of one of the buildings. He reports as follows: "Only about half of the pupils who deposited regularly last year have made deposits this year. As soon as school opened this year (September) pupils began to withdraw accounts. Frequently more has been paid out during a week than was received. While from January 1 to January 1, I have taken out eighty-five pupils' bank books but three of these have been taken out since September."
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The results of the school savings banks are in direct ratio of the interest manifested by principals and teachers. It seems to me that inculcating the spirit and idea of thrift and economy is as much a part of the school work as giving instruction in the contents of text books. I hope to see the school savings banks extended until we find one in every school in town.
I find some of the pupils are now depositing some of their money directly at the Savings Bank. They are becoming real bankers.
It seems to me that we might use the scheme not only for teaching thrift, but for giving actual experience to members of the commercial department of the high school. I see no reason why students from the department of the high school could not take charge of the deposits on banking days under the directions of the principals. One day each week is used as banking day. On this given day a number of students might go to the different schools and there receive experience in regular banking work of an elementary kind. The total time con- sumed would probably be not much more than one period of the high school.
Summary for 1914
Greenwood
Lincoln
Franklin
Totals
Enrollment,
290
536
337
1163
No. of accounts,
260
303
291
854
No. of deposits
1811
2146
2184
6141
Amount of deposits
$539.39
$556.66
$568.38 $1664.43
No. of withdrawals
34
113
173
320
Amount of withdrawals
$18.58
$121.97
$152.63
$293.18
Amounts transferred to pupil's account
$509.00
$448.00
$364.00 $1321.00
Balance in custody of Trustee
$101.46
$56.91
$51.75
$210.12
Average weekly deposits
14.57
14.27
14.21
43.05
No. of pupils to whom Savings books issued
53
53
85
191
No. of active depositors
213
269
176
658
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Summary for Two Years Since Introduction
Greenwood
Lincoln Oct 14, 1913
Franklin Nov. 1, 1913
Totals
Jan. 1, 1913
to Dec. 31, 1914
to Dec. 31, 1914
to Dec. 31, 1914
No. of accounts
260
303
291
854
No. of deposits
3824
3235
3361
10410
Amount of deposits
$1166.81
$791.77
$802.27 $2760.85
No. of withdrawals
72
149
209
430
Amount of withdrawals
$54.67
$148.85
$197.27
$400.79
Amounts transferred to
pupils' accounts
$1010.68
$571.00
$437.00
$2018.68
No. of pupils to whom
Sav. Books issued
193
111
133
437
No. active deposits
213
269
176
658
The Three R's
With all the other work we are doing we are not neglecting the three R's. In fact they are receiving more attention than before.
After giving a thorough drill in the mechanics of reading in the first three grades, we are introducing the children to good literature. We are doing this by means of supplementary readers. At the same time we are teaching them to read for information by using as a part of the work in reading books dealing with biography, geography, history and science. It takes time to develop these lines, but I am sure that we are making good progress.
The little book entitled "Good Books to Read" which was compiled by Miss Ingram of the English Department of the Wakefield High School and Miss Lee, librarian at the Beebe Library, will prove of great value to us in our work, particularly in the upper grades. The pupils by means of this list have access to books which are worth while. I am sure that as a result the library will have a larger circulation than ever before, at least by the school children.
We are now centering more attention upon spelling and arith- metic. Fewer words are given at a lesson, but these are learned. We are giving special attention to the words in the writing
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vocabulary of the children. These should be thoroughly drilled before we take up words that they may use sometime, but cer- tainly do not at present and will not for several years to come.
In arithmetic we are giving a part of practically every lesson to review in the fundamentals, and to mental work in simple problems. Many different simple problems are worth more than one or two more evolved ones. We are beginning to see some results in increased accuracy. We have not tried much yet for speed.
High School
Our high school seems to be increasing faster than we antici- pated. Last year we found that by lengthening the school day by one period we could accommodate the enrollment. In June, 1914 we found that the numbers for the present school year would exceed our estimate and that we would need one more teacher than we had figured upon, and we could see that we would have more divisions than before. The incoming class appeared to be larger. The only ways to handle the situation seemed to be either to add a second period to the school day, which did not seem feasible; or to divide the sessions. The ('ommittee decided upon the latter plan. Now we have the building in continuous use for the high school from 8.15 to 4.35. The three upper classes have their sessions from 8.15 to 12.57, and the first year class has its session from 12.15 to 4.35.
This plan apparently meets public approval fairly well for I heard practically no complaints from any quarter.
Mr. Sawyer, the sub-master, has charge of the freshmen during the afternoon sessions, relieving Mr. Howe from doing double work.
The demand for drawing is increasing and it is a question of only a short time before we shall need a teacher for full time. That time is indeed very close at hand. It is not at all im- possible that it will be next fall.
When we do secure a teacher for full time for drawing in the high school we shall have to make a re-adjustment of the work for the grades. Just at present we do not need the services of a teacher for a full week in the grades. Probably three days'
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time would cover the work necessary. We might secure a teacher for three days per week with some other town nearby which could use her service for two days per week.
I am satisfied that the high school is doing good work for the facilities which we have. Those students who go to higher institutions by certificate "make good" if they properly apply themselves. That our Commercial Department stands well is shown by the fact that practically all who finish the course satisfactorily, and desire work, secure it. I had a request by telephone for a candidate. We went over the list and found that all whom we could recommend had positions at that time. When I told the inquirer the situation, he said that he was sorry for he depends upon the Wakefield High School for young men to fill his positions. -
We can get along for the time being with the present condi- tions at the high school, but we must bear in mind that with things as they are we cannot offer work in courses which we should have in our high school. We cannot have these courses until we have increased accommodations. They are necessary in a modern high school and are demanded by modern conditions.
While we are thinking of a new building to quarter the high school students, I suggest that the Committee give careful attention to the Junior high school plan or at least to differentia- tion of the work for the two upper grammar grades.
The junior high school would include the seventh and eighth grades and the first year of the high school. The senior high school would include the three upper classes of the present high school. This would leave six grades for the elementary schools. The junior high school would be of help in bridging the gap between the elementary schools and the high school. At present the gap between these two branches is really the largest in the school life of a child. It takes too long to get the pupil accus- tomed to the changed conditions. There is a waste of too much time. If we could make the transition less abrupt it alone would be worth while because of the time it would save. On the other hand, educators feel that children of from twelve to fourteen, at the beginning of the adolescent period, need different treatment from those who are younger. Some of
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the subjects now taught in the high school could be dropped down, but they would have to be taught in a different way by different methods.
Our grammar buildings are rapidly filling up as I have shown under another heading. This means that in the comparatively near future either additions or new buildings will be required. a new building plus the remodelling of the old would save addi- tions or new buildings in other quarters. I have shown that we already need some relief at the Lincoln School; the Franklin will soon need it, and in a few years the Greenwood, Warren and Hurd Schools will probably need it. By having the seventh and eighth grades attend a central junior high school, we could gain two or three rooms at the Lincoln School, two rooms at the Franklin, Greenwood and Warren Schools, and one at the Hurd School. I feel that we surely are going to need these if Wakefield continues to grow.
I recommend that you give special attention to the report of the high school principal in which he describes somewhat the work of the high school.
Attendance Officer
During the spring the Committee discussed the idea of having someone who could devote his whole time to looking after de- linquents in attendance.
Mr. H. A. Simonds who had served long and faithfully felt that he could not devote any more time, in fact could not devote any time after July 1, and therefore resigned. The Committee chose Mr. Albert Cate as his successor as attendance officer, with the understanding that he should devote all his time during school days to visiting homes and looking after children who are often either tardy or absent.
The idea of having a man do this work was not at all to subject parents to unnecessary annoyance, but to secure their helpful co- operation for better attendance. Mr. Cate has taken ahold very well indeed. I am sure the Committee made a wise choice. Many unnecessary absences have been eliminated and some cases of truancy have been uncovered. Take all in all I feel
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that the experiment has proven to be a success. It will be impossible to measure this success in dollars and cents, but it will show and has already shown a distinct gain in the morals of the schools. One principal reports:
"The present method of handling attendance matters through the office and the attendance officer is an unqualified success."
Another principal reports: "There has been an increased number of cases of illness causing a large number of unnecessary absences. There has been a decrease of the number of un- necessary absences and proves the assertion that an attendance officer can greatly diminish inexcusable absence. As time advances we should see still more improvement on this line."
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