USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1915 > Part 7
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The Greenwood school for several years past has done good work along this line and has had good results. Their work shows that this is well worth while.
I believe there are several benefits that the children receive from taking care of home gardens. It will do them good to be out in the fresh air working on mother earth. There will be a joy in having some certain thing to do, to attend to living things and watch them grown. Homes would be beautified by flowers and perhaps unsightly back yards would yield not only vegetables for the family table, but also enough to supply a small income for the young gardener. I be- lieve there will be an added benefit for the child if he will keep an expense account covering all his work and materials, especially for the vegetable garden. The flower garden is worth more for its ethical value.
Last fall we could not exhibit the results of the garden work at the fair, for just before the opening of the fair our schools were closed by order of the Board of Health because of a scarlet fever scare. We could not place on exhibit as a school but several individuals did show their products which were creditable, and won many prizes.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
For about five years we have had no such serious interruptions in our school work as during the past year. Last winter and spring there were a great many cases of measles and whooping cough. These diseases seemed to pass over the town in waves, going from district to district. There were so many cases, particularly in the lower grades that in many instnces fifty per cent or more of the classes were absent. It goes without saying that this handicapped us in our work but the teachers by earnest work and special endeavor partially overcame the difficulty. -
Shortly after the opening of school in the fall there was a fear that many children had been exposed to scarlet-fever, and the Board of Health closed the schools for two and one-half days. Happily there were not enough additional cases to cause any alarm.
TEACHERS' READING CLUB
Last year the Teachers' Association formed a reading class, which met once a month, and chose as a subject for study, psycho- logy, with application to the class room. We continued the class this fall and while not so many attend as I wish, I feel that those who do are profitting by the study.
I believe it will prove of value to make this a regular affair and for the present have the attendance optional with the teachers. Dif- ferent professional subjects can be taken up each year. Later, after due trail, I suggest that a reading and study course be a part of each teacher's duty, with regular attendance of each teacher re- quired unless she may be taking up some regular work with a normal school or college.
DENTAL CLINIC
Early last summer every dentist in town became interested in dental inspection in the schools and after several meetings where they thoroughly discussed the matter they decided to take up the work.
The School Department bought two portable head-rests which could be easily carried from school to school, a few examination in- struments, and cards for recording the results of the examinations.
Shortly after the opening of school in the fall the dentists began the work of inspecting the teeth of all pupils in grades one to five. At this time they merely examined the teeth of each child as a preliminary move. They recorded the results and gave advise as it seemed to be needed.
These cards were then graded good, fair and poor. Notices were sent home to the parents of those who received a mark of either fair
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
or poor, with the request that they consult with their family dentist as soon as possible. It is too early to record any results, but judg- ing from the experience other towns have had we shall see a great deal of good.
The dentists examined 1201 children with following results :-
313 good; 509 fair; 379 poor.
Poor teeth besides being unsightly cause more disturbances within the human mechanism than is commonly recognized. Besides all this if we can get the children to take care of their teeth we shall do away with a large amount of unnecessary pain. If we can do this I shall feel that the work has not been in vain.
The work which has been done is only a beginning. It will be fol- lowed up by other examinations to see what progress has been made. Some means will be provided to take care of those who are financially unable to assume the burden which dental work might cause.
All the dentists have willingly and freely given of their time for this work, and deserve our commendation.
I thank them for the interest they took and the time they put into it, and especially Dr. O'Connell for his advice and zeal in follow- ing up the work.
PARENT-TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION
Previous to last spring there was only one Parent-Teachers' Association in town. This was in Greenwood and it has been of great help to the school and neighborhood. This organization has been in a flourishing condition for sometime. The members were of great assistance in securing organized play at recess, even furnishing an instructor to show the teachers how to conduct the games. They took charge of and arranged the garden exhibits of the town at the fair each fall. They furnished, from among their own members, in- spectors for the home gardens which were connected with the school.
During the winter the Teachers' Association took up the idea of Parent-Teachers' Associations and held a public meeting in the town hall at which they had as speakers Dr. Winship, and Mrs. Smith of Malden, who is active in the State Federation. As a result of this meeting, Parent-Teachers' Associations have been formed in the High school, Hurd and Franklin Districts. All three give indications of being useful organizations. If they will bring the teachers and the homes into closer touch and understanding, they will serve a valu- able purpose.
The associations at the Hurd and Franklin schools have pre- sented the schools with sewing machines. The Franklin Association has become interested in the playground which the Committee filled in with good gravel. They plan to equip the same with suitable ap- paratus that it may be more useful. This will be of material assis-
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
tance to that community. They have several other projects in mind for the benefit of the school and for improving the surroundings.
BOOKKEEPING
In 1912 we changed the bookkeeping in the office. The new method was in accordance with recommendations from the Federal Bureau of Education and from the State Board. The scheme is practically the same as that adopted by the town last year.
We formerly kept our records under the following headings: General, Contingent, Books and Supplies, Fuel, Evening School and Practical Arts. Now we divide the items under the headings of Committee Expenses, Expenses of Instruction, Operating Expenses, Maintenance, Miscellaneous, Auxiliary Agencies, Outlay, Evening School and Practical Arts.
The principal difference is that the old contingent account is liberally subdivided, as is also the general account. The others are similar except that they are separated into expenses for the high school and elementary school.
EVENING SCHOOL
Our work in the evening school has gone on about the same lines as in former years. The attendance has fallen off very noticeably, mainly because there seems to be fewer illiterate minors in town than we have had for some time.
The instruction in the evening school proper consists of three lines of work:
First, we try to give a course for Non-English speaking people. We divide the classes as far as possible according to nationality for the males, but we group the women together. We divide the work into three parts: one for those who cannot speak or read English; one for those who know a little English; and another one for those who wish a little more advanced work.
Second, for the past four years we have offered a course in draw- ing giving the student the work he may desire, intending to help him in his daily work. The instruction has been mainly in mechani- cal drawing. Some who have taken the course have materially bene- fitted from it as is attested by promotions in their line of employment. But for some reason or.other there has been no generous response to this line of work, and this failing has been in spite of the fact that we have secured the services of able instructors. Late this fall a new lease of interest seemed to develop and we now have a class of nearly thirty who attend very regularly under the leadership of Mr. C. A. VanDerveer of Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company.
Third, the government is working with the different communities
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
towards eradicating illiteracy among aliens, and helping them become citizens of the country. Shortly before the circulars came out we had taken steps to organize a class which we call a class in citizenship. The aim in this work is to prepare for examinations those who are thinking of taking out, or have taken out, citizenship papers. The government cooperates by sending to the Superintendent of Schools the names of all those in this town who have recently taken out either the so-called first or second papers. The Attendance Officer has visited the home of each one whose name we have received and has explained the nature of the work we are undertaking. We are not meeting with quite the results for which I had hoped but I am in- clined to think that the idea will grow as the class continues.
We admit to this class only those who can speak and read Eng- lish, and confine the studies to American History, and the elements of government together with the study of the Constitution of the United States. We aim not only to give instruction in these subjects but also to show the meaning of American citizenship together with its ideals. We were fortunate to secure Mr. Raymond P. Dellinger as teacher of this class, and he is entering heartily into the spirit of the work. Recently he accompanied eight men to Boston and helped them secure their first papers. I expect that there will be others in the near future who will do this same thing.
PRACTICAL ARTS
Our classes in millinery and sewing are gradually increasing in . membership.
Any town which does not maintain an evening class in Practi- cal Arts must, by statute, pay the tuition of any women over seven- teen years of age who wishes to attend such a school. The school authorities are given a chance to object, but practically the only legal objections are that the candidate is not a citizen of the town or is mentally incapable of profiting by the work. The tuition is fixed by the State Board and is based upon the recommendations of the local school committe. The rate is determined by the per capita cost of instruction for the previous year, not counting the cost of new equipment.
Stoneham and Reading send several young women to our classes and the number is constantly increasing.
If Wakefield did not maintain classes in Practical Arts the town would have to pay the tuition of all who might wish to take up this work. The student may choose the town or city in which to take up her study, and this is regardless of the amount of the tuition, or the difference of tuition in different towns. I believe it is better for the town to maintain these classes than to pay tuition to other towns, al- though the State reimburses a town to the amount of one-half of the tuition paid.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
The net cost to Wakefield is not as large as might appear from the appropriation, for the State reimburses the town to the amount of one half the cost of the work carried on in these classes. The amount received by the town is figured as follows :-
Deduct the amount of tuitions, received and receivable, and the cost of new equipment from the amount paid for the classes for the school year; divide the sum left after these deductions by two, and we have the net cost to the town and the amount paid by the State. For in- stance; this year, the calendar year of 1915, we paid $979.14 for the Practical Arts classes. We bought no new equipment, and we have received, together with amounts still due, $278.00 for tuitions. This leaves $701.14 as the cost. Dividing this remainder by two we have $350.57 due from the State and $350.57 as the net cost to the town for maintaining these classes.
We get some idea of the good of the work from our last report to the State in which we gave the estimated value of the work done in sewing and millinery. We reported as follows :-
Sewing Av'age cost
Estimated value
16 undergarments (estimated)
80c each
$1.25 each
$ 20.00
26 shirtwaists
90c each
$1.50 each
$ 39.00
67 dresses
$3.00 each
$6.50 each $435.50
22 children's garments
$1.25 each
$2.50 each $ 55.00
$549.50
Millinery
61 hats $2.52 each $4.50 each $274.50
Making total estimated value of $824.00
This means that this amount of work was actually done in class time; but it does not show the full value of the work for while we insist that certain things shall be done in class we expect that similar things will be done at home; that is, we expect the women to apply what they learn. It is surprising to see the number of mature women who do not know how to sew nor how to use the sewing machine. I recall one instance of a woman with small children who had never taken a stitch and did not know how. Considering all these things I feel that the work is very valuable and should be done for the benefit of the community.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
The question of adequate salaries for teachers is ever present. Upon looking over the schedule of other towns of equal size I find that Wakefield is slightly under the average in regard to the amount paid the grade teachers, and more so in regard to high school teach- ers. I recognize the fact that the town has a high tax rate, but I hope the time will soon come when the town may see fit to give the teachers a substantial increase in the maximum salary.
We are not losing so many teachers each year because of calls to
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
other places, but we are constantly finding it harder to secure the kind of teachers we want to fill vacancies, because other towns small- er than Wakefield are paying salaries practically equal in amount to Wakefield, and really netting the teachers more.
A few years ago we could get grade teachers of experience for $500, now teachers of the same training and amount of experience demand from $550 to $600. In many instances I have not been able to interest certain teachers at all because of our low salary rate, and these teachers would have been a distinct asset to the town.
At present a college graduate of successful experience demands about $700 as an initial salary in Wakefield and because of this she sees only two years ahead with increases, for our maximum for our high school teachers is $800.
If we are to keep up the high standard we are setting for our teachers we should raise the maximum as soon as the finances of the town will warrant it.
SCHOOL SAVINGS
Active Accounts
Greenwood 225 1562
Lincoln 230 1538
Franklin 153 1192
Total 608 4292
No. of Deposits
Amount of Deposits
$ 420.91
$ 429.11
$ 201.81 101.30
$1051.83 252.20
Amount transferred from
Trustee to Pupils' Account
396.00
391.74
122.00
909.74
Bal. in custody of Trustee
107.85
16.57
32.03
156.45
No. of Savings
Bank Books issued
34
22
19
75
SUMMARY FOR THREE YEARS
No. of Deposits
Amount of Deposits
Greenwood 5386 $1587.72 127.86
Lincoln Franklin 4773 $1220.88 226.56
4553 $1004.08 298.57
Total 14,712 $3812.68
Amount of withdrawals
652.99
Amount transferred to
Pupils' Accounts
1406.68
962.74
559.00
2928.42
No. of Savings
Bank Books issued
227
133
152
512
Withdrawals
73.19
77.71
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
SEWING
The following is a brief extract from the report of the Teacher of Sewing :-
"The work has continued very much along the same lines as that of last year. The plan of allowing the pupils some freedom in the selection of articles to be made has proved doubly efficient as the girls are more interested in something they can select, and the class ob- tains knowledge of the construction of more articles while the ex- penditure of material and time are utilized to their value.
The correlation of sewing and drawing continues in the upper grades and this year the designing is applied to a larger number of articles."
DRAWING
For a detailed report of the drawing I have taken a part of the supervisor's report.
"In the primary grades, perhaps more time is spent on illus- trative drawing and on constructive work than on any other branch of the work. Illustrative drawing is the drawing of boys and girls, and men and women at work and at play. It gives endless opportuni- ties for the use of the child's imagination and powers of observation. Original work is encouraged. Stories from history or from readers are illustrated.
The principal work of the year for grades I and II is the com- plete furnishing of a doll house, which gives many varied problems in hand-work. The furniture is made from drawing paper, and in many cases wall-paper, rugs, pictures, etc. have also been made by the children.
The hand-work for grade III is the making of a paper village. Small and large houses, churches, stores, schools, cars, teams, etc., are all made by the children. The illustrative drawing in this grade is correlated with this work as much as possible.
In grade IV, the work in drawing is a combination of primary work and the beginning or preparation for grammar work. Pro- jects which require a little more thought, more skill of hand and eye, are introduced.
The drawing for all grades follows the seasons as nearly as pos- sible,-the nature work in September, the study of color scales and harmony and the drawing of fruits and vegetables in October, design and picture study, and special holiday work in November and Decem- ber.
In the grammar grades the design lessons were correlated with the work in sewing and sloyd. Designs for table scarfs and pillow covers, and monograms for towels, napkins, etc., were made and applied by the girls. The boys made and applied designs to tie racks and book rack ends. Many of the boys were interested enough to
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
design pillow-tops also. For this work in stencilling inside house paint was used with success.
Interesting booklets on artists and their paintings were made by the pupils of the grammar grades. The stories were written in the language periods. Perry pictures were bought and mounted by the children, and covers, well spaced and lettered were made in the drawing lessons."
MANUAL TRAINING
Mr. Fanck has given me an outline of the work in manual train- ing together with the projects which have been worked out and also with those which the classes now have on hand. The following is Mr. Fanck's statement :-
"In our work with the sixth and seventh grades we have to con- sider first of all that we are working with young children and then, that they have to be taught the fundamentals.
For them the different tool processes have to be analyzed and presented in their proper sequence.
This requires careful individual work and of course precludes to a great extent the possibility of work in the larger forms with a less amount of supervision.
It is to our eighth grade boys that we can look for our practical results. With two years of graded toolwork behind them and the con- structive information and mental drill received from the course, they are in a position to do general work for the schools and the department.
Certain boys in this class appear to be more interested in this sort of work than in the making of models. The attitude toward the work has been very encouraging this year and I have every reason to believe that it will be carried to a successful conclusion along the lines you suggested.
The following list will give you an idea of the practical work done since September for the schools and the department.
Sharpening tools, such as chisels, plane iron, knives, etc.
Filing gauges.
Repairing benches and vises.
Making boxes.
Step ladder for Lincoln School.
Bulletin board for High School.
Plant standards for windows.
Long work benches.
Window board.
Standard for pencil sharpener.
Sand papering and shellacing chairs.
Desk top.
Book rack, Hurd School.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Two tool racks.
Large bulletin board.
Shelf for closet in one of Lincoln School rooms.
Axes ground.
Desk top for Manual Training Department.
Bird feeder for Lincoln School.
Lumber rack reconstructed.
Knives ground for Greenwood School.
Corner shelf for Manual Training room.
Drawing boards for High School.
Large picture frame for Franklin School.
About 136 board feet of wood has been used for this sort of work since September.
Work has been begun upon doll houses for the primary grades. Picture frames for the Franklin School.
Moulding tables for Lincoln School.
Construction of shelves, etc., for Manual Training room fol- lowing alterations made during the Christmas vacation.
Our work in the larger forms outside of the work done for the school system will include such projects as library tables, a chair, typewriting table, telephone table, taborets, clock shelf, jumping standards. The boys will pay for the lumber used in these projects or provide the wood themselves."
CHANGES IN THE TEACHING FORCE
RETIRED
Miss Sarah E. Wilkins, from Lincoln.
RESIGNATIONS High School
Mr. Fred H. Harvey because of ill health.
Miss Louisa Moulton to stay at home with parents.
Miss Anna Kelly to accept position in Gloucester.
Grades
Miss Ethelene Barnard from grade I, Lincoln to Winthrop.
Miss Dorothy Murray from grades III and IV Hurd.
Miss Elizabeth Poole from grade I, Franklin to be married.
Miss Ida F. Smith from grades I-III Franklin to be married.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
ELECTIONS
High School
Mr. A. A. Fulton, from Northampton Commercial College to Head of Commercial Department.
Miss Addie M. Bucksey, from Hillsboro, N. H. to Commercial Department.
Miss Harriet M. Bigelow as extra teacher in Commercial De- partment.
Miss A. Irene Goddard, from Brunswick, Maine, to teach French and Algebra.
Grades
Miss Emma Locke, from Bellows Falls, Vt., to Lincoln VII and VIII.
Miss Mary F. Wade, from Salem Normal, as Assistant grade I, Lincoln School.
Miss Marion F. Clapp, from Edgartown, Mass., to Hurd III-IV. Miss Mildred Munsey re-elected assistant in Warren.
Miss Alleda T. Neal, from Tewksbury (State) to grade I Frank- lin.
Miss Louise Pettingill, from Brewster, Mass., to grades I-II-III, Franklin.
Miss Marjorie Brownell of Plymouth, Dighton, Mass., as super- visor of drawing in the grades.
Miss Wilkins Retired
After faithfully serving the town for thirty-one years in different positions as teacher in the public schools, Miss Sarah E. Wilkins chose to retire under Chapter 832, Acts of 1913. Miss Wilkins willingly and loyally gave of her time and energy for the cause of education and while we regret to lose her services, we are glad that there is a means provided by the State to make a teacher feel more at ease dur- ing her retirement.
REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Mr. W. B. Atwell, Superintendent of Schools.
Dear Sir :-
I hereby submit the following report for the school year ending June 30, 1915.
I have investigated 519 cases as reported to me and found the pupils absent for the reasons given below :-
Sickness 107
Truancy 94
Lack of shoes, clothing, etc. 41
Kept out by parents 154
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Tardy 23
Found on street and taken to school 27
Found on street and taken home
29
Taken to court
1
Employment Cards
9
Health certificates
3
New pupils from out of town placed in school
3
Taken from home to school
3
Left town
3
Suspension from school
3
Theft
1
Disturbances near schools
6
Assaults by children
4
Pediculosis
4
Destroying school property
1
Transfer
1
Birth certificates
2 519
In most cases where children were absent for lack of shoes I was able to procure them. The Sweetser Charity Fund Committee have been of great assistance in this respect, as they have granted every request for shoes or clothing which I made to them. The District Nurse has also procured clothing for children in several cases.
I have had the hearty co-operation of the Superintendent, Prin- cipals, and Teachers, for which I thank them.
Yours very respectfully, ALBERT D. CATE,
Attendance Officer.
Conclusion
I wish to express my appreciation to the Committee for their ready cooperation. The stand of the Committee for furthering the interests of the schools at the expense of a large amount of their valuable time clearly indicates their desire to have the schools of Wakefield stand at the front.
Also I wish to thank the principals, teachers and townspeople for ready assistance in carrying out schemes for the betterment of the children educationally.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLARD B. ATWELL.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
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