USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1913 > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
The amount of money expended in salaries is more than all other regular school expenses combined. That is, the pay roll including teachers, superintendent, clerk, school physician and school nurse exceeds $51,000. This leaves less than $20,000 for cost of operation, including fuel, janitors and repairs, text books, supplies, transportation, tuition, and miscellaneous ex- penses.
SALARIES
Through the courtesy of Supt. Atwell of Wakefield, the fol- lowing table, giving the maximum and minimum salaries of twenty-nine places in Massachusetts, is presented.
The minimum salaries given for the elementary schools in Plymouth coincides with those paid in the central schools, and the minimum salaries for the High School coincides with the salaries paid to teachers who recently entered the service of the Plymouth department with experience.
Among other deductions it may be noticed that the majority of places pay a greater maximum salary to High School teach- ers than does Plymouth. It will also be seen that the annual increase for teachers in the elementary schools is smaller in Plymouth than in the majority of other towns listed.
Salary Schedule.
Name of City or Town
Grade Teachers
High School Teachers
Minimum
Maximum
Annual Increase 50 except for last 2 yrs., $25,
Minimum
Maximum
Annual Increase
Arlington,
Ass't 500
800
700
900
50
Attleboro,
500
700
Braintree,
500
700
50
600
750-800
50
Brookline,
450
1-6
650
650
1000 female
7-8
700
-
-
1
Concord,
550
750
600
900
Dedham
-
8
750
-
-
-
Danvers,
400
600
50
500 600
850
50
Marlboro,
500
625
not fixed
not fixed
825
not fixed
Melrose,
500
700
50
650
850
50
Methuen,
380
650
38
not fixed
800
50
Milford,
400
600
25 & 30
600
950
50
Natick,
500
650
50
600
800
50
Newburyport,
350
600
50
600
1100 male 950 female
vote of com.
Norwood,
500
700
50
700
850
50
North Attleboro,
450
650
50
600
900
50
Peabody,
450
650
50
600
850
50
Plymouth,
500
625
25
700
800 female
50
Reading,
500
6-7
650
550
1000
8
700
-
-
-
-
-
Saugus,
500
600
50
600
700
50
Southbridge,
$11 week
550
800
50
Stoneham,
500
650
25
600
700
50
Wakefield,
450
650
25
800
50
Watertown,
not fixed
700
50
not fixed
900
50
Webster,
$10 week
$16 week
40
600
900
100
Weymouth,
450
700
50
600
900
100
Winchester,
1-6
750
none
$25 or $50
none
950
.$50 or $100
Winthrop,
650
750
25
750
950
50
-230-
700
850
1500
1400 male
9
750
1-7
700
900
9
925
Framingham,
400
600
50
1000
Clinton,
Reg. 600
7-8
800
-
1-5
600
-231-
TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
The retirement system for teachers passed by the General Court, took effect July 1, 1914. Teachers entering the service after that date are required to become members of the associa- tion. Membership of teachers who were in service before that date is optional. More than 7,000 teachers throughout the State have already become members, and more than 6,000 of these are voluntary members, having been in service prior to July 1, 1914. Retiring allowances have been granted to one hundred and thirty teachers, who are more than sixty years of age.
Twenty-nine Plymouth teachers have taken advantage of the law, and are paying into the treasury of the Commonwealth 5 per cent of their salary, or the aggregated yearly sum of nearly $1,200.
Number of Teachers
Each Paying Monthly
Total Monthly $20.00
Total Yearly $200.00
2
$10.00
1
5.00
5.00
50.00
2
4.25
8.50
85.00
3
4.00
12.00
120.00
21
3.50
73.50
735.00
29
$119.00
$1190.00
This new law has placed the following duties upon the school committee :-
Duties of the School Committee
Section 9. (1) The school committee of each town and city in the commonwealth shall, before employing in any teaching position any person to whom this act may apply, notify such person of his duties and obligations under this act as a condition of his employment.
(2) On or before October first of each year the school com- mittee of each town and city in the commonwealth shall certify
-232-
to the retirement board the names of all teachers to whom this act shall apply.
(3) The school committee of each town and city in the com- monwealth shall, on the first day of each calendar month notify the retirement board of the employment of new teachers, re- movals, withdrawals, changes in salary of teachers, that shall have occurred during the month preceding.
(4) Under the direction of the retirement board the school committee of each town or city in the commonwealth shall fur- nish such other information as the board may require relevant to the discharge of the duties of the board.
(5) The school committee of each town and city in the Com- monwealth shall, as directed by the retirement board, deduct from the amount of the salary due each teacher employed in the public schools of such city or town such amounts as are due as contributions to the annuity fund as prescribed in this act, shall send to the treasurer of said town or city a statement as voucher for such deductions, and shall send a duplicate statement to the secretary of the retirement board.
(6) The school committee of each town and city in the com- monwealth shall keep such records as the retirement board may require.
A summary of the teachers' pay roll follows :- Number of Teachers Receiving Annually
Total
20
$625.00
$12,500.00
16
600.00
9,600.00
2
575.00
1,150.00
5
550.00
2,750.00
5
525.00
2,625.00
3
500.00
1,500.00
1
475.00
475.00
1
425.00
425.00
2
400.00
800.00
2
360.00
720.00
10
800.00
4,000.00
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
---
..........
SEWING DEPARTMENT-HIGH SCHOOL.
-
-233-
2
850.00
1,700.00
3
1,000.00
3,000.00
1
650.00
650.00
2
₹50.00
1,500.00
2
700.00
1,400.00
1
1,150.00
1,150.00
1
2,000.00
2,000.00
1
160.00
160.00
75
$48,105.00
THE SCHOOL YEAR, 1913-1914
The school year 1913-1914 differed from the school year 1912-1913 in several particulars, viz :-
1. Outdoor recesses granted to pupils above the third grade, that is, to all pupils.
2. Folk-dancing introduced.
3. Organized play encouraged.
4. Completion of the four-room addition to the Hedge build- ing.
5. Nathaniel Morton school opened.
6. Dental inspection and treatment begun.
Instruction in Music given by special teacher to the Long Pond pupils.
8.
Course of Study for elementary schools printed.
9. School Nurse employed.
10. Transportation extended.
11. Office employee hired.
12. Purchase of ten Victrolas by the school children.
13. Instruction in Manual Training given to boys of Chilton- ville Grammar school.
14. Use of text-book covers revived.
15. Purchase of kindergarten chairs for lower grades.
-234-
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 1914-1915.
1. Elimination of "High" and "Low" grades.
2. Cooking in grades.
3. Cooking in the High School.
4. School for non-English speaking children established.
5. Departmental work at Nathaniel Morton school introduced.
6. Over-age school at Burton building established.
7. High School building renovated and enlarged.
8. Mechanical Drawing room with equipment, at High School, installed.
9. Playground at Cornish put in excellent condition.
10. Sewing under special teachers.
11. Course of Study for High School revised and printed.
12. Adjustable desks and seats at Wellingsley.
13. Adjustable desks and seats at Spooner St. School.
14. Adjustable desks and seats for grade one in the Cornish building.
15. School session at Manomet lengthened.
16. Number of teachers increased from 70 to 75.
17. Retention of all teachers (with one exception), who en- tered the service last year.
18. School Savings Bank system extended.
19. School session at Long Pond lengthened.
ANTICIPATIONS
1. Establishment of an Evening High School.
*2. Improved Play Ground near Cornish Building.
3. Relief from crowded condition at the Hedge Building.
4. Maximum salary increased for teachers with pronounced. professional spirit, increased scholarly attainment and marked accumulative efficiency.
5. Public interest in making the compulsory attendance law more effective.
6
-235-
6. More adequate natural lighting of school rooms.
7. Discardment of all non-adjustable desks and chairs.
8. Classes not to exceed forty pupils.
9. Fire-proof vault for the preservation of school records.
10. The establishment of a Junior High School.
11. The co-operation of the town industries whereby boys working alternately between shop and school, receiving compensation for the shop work, may learn a trade.
12. The installation of adjustable window shades.
13. Suitable fire extinguishers in all two-story buildings par- ticularly.
14. Diploma credits awarded to High School pupils for specific and systematic outside work.
15. Consideration of the feasibility of making kindergartens. a part of the public school system.
16. The appointment of an unassigned teacher.
17. Recess luncheons, financed and run by the school authori- ties, to be undertaken at the High School.
18. Suitable sidewalks and drainage to eliminate the insular condition of the Hedge Building in stormy weather.
19. Men teachers in the upper grammar grades, and more in the High School.
20. One room in each large building to be furnished with mov- able desks and chairs.
* Since making this enumeration, No. 2, through the efforts of the Civics Committee of the Plymouth Woman's Club, is ap- proaching a realization.
COOKING AND SEWING
In the year 1897 the school board voted to introduce sewing into several of its schools. This was initiated by the voluntary services of twelve ladies, at least two going weekly into the schools to instruct the girls in this branch. In 1902 the Plym-
-236-
outh Lend-a-Hand Society volunteered to furnish instructors in sewing without any expense to the town.
From this humble beginning, instruction in sewing is now given to all girls of grades six, seven, eight, and nine, and is offered as an elective to all girls at the High School, by two regularly employed special teachers.
For the first time, cooking was made a part of the school curriculum at the beginning of this school year, although Mr. Charles Burton, formerly Supt. of Schools, recommended such a course nearly a quarter of a century ago.
THE NEW DEPARTMENTS OF HOUSEHOLD ARTS
At the last annual Town Meeting the sum of $2,000 was ap- propriated for the introduction of cooking. Instruction is now given in this subject, as well as in sewing, by two special teach- ers, one at the High School, and one at the Domestic Science rooms on South street.
All girls of grades seven, eight, and nine with the exception of those at Long Pond, Cedarville, Vallerville and Manomet, receive instruction in cooking sometime during the year.
In the first half year there have been 105 girls below the High School in the cooking classes. During this last half year there are 176 girls in the classes. In other words 210 girls will have had the advantage of receiving instruction in cooking by the close of the year. Of these 34 are in Grade IX, 79 in Grade VIII and 97 in Grade VII.
The plan for cooking and sewing is as follows :-
Grade VI; Sewing, once a week, throughout the year.
Grade VII; Sewing and Cooking, half a year each.
Grade VIII; Cooking, throughout the year.
Grade IX; Cooking and Sewing, half a year each.
The total number of girls in the cooking classes arranged by schools follows :-
-237-
First Half Year
Morton Building, Grade IX, 34
Morton Building, Grade VIII, 37
Knapp Building, Grade VIII, 13
Cornish Building, Grade VIII,
21
105
Second Half Year
Morton Building, Grade VIII,
37
Knapp Building, Grade VIII, 13
Cornish Building, Grade VIII,
21
Cornish Building, Grade VII,
23
Burton Building, Grade VII,
20
Mt. Pleasant, Grade VII,
25
Knapp Building, Grade VII,
29
Chiltonville, Grade VIII,
8
176
The use of the South Street Engine House was granted to the school department by the Selectmen. The heaters, considerably out of repair, were put in running order, toilets were installed, a. gas range, and a coal range with hot-water connections were pur- chased, a cabinet for dishes and cooking utensils was made to order, a slate sink, with adequate dresser, was placed in a well- lighted part of the room, two ten-foot tables with four drawers on each side holding individual cooking outfits, with special gas burners running the entire length, leaving space for four pupils. to work on each side of the table, were constructed, and other equipment such as a linen closet, stools, dining-room table with chairs, china, silver-ware and the regular cooking utensils were furnished.
On Oct. 22, 1914, invitations were extended to everyone to in- spect the rooms, which were open from 3.30 to 4.30 o'clock in the afternoon and from 7.30 to 8.30 in the evening. Many took ad- vantage of this opportunity, but it is to be regretted that not more
-23S-
than half a dozen men availed themselves of the invitation. Any- one interested however, is urged to visit at any time. You are always welcome. The schools belong to the tax-payers, and are rot private enterprises.
The work of the Cooking and Sewing department in the upper grammar grades, as presented by Miss Ross, the teacher in charge, follows. Owing to the fact that this department was inaugurated in September, the work in cooking pursued by grades seven, eight and nine is the same. Since grades seven and nine take the course for a half year only, their work was through X, and since the eighth grade pursues the course the entire year, those pupils will have taken by the end of the school year the entire course submit- ted.
Next year a differentiation of work in both cooking and sewing will be necessary.
OUTLINE IN COOKERY
1. Housekeeping,
Building and care of fire.
Care of room.
Care of sweeping utensils.
Dish washing.
2. Measuring.
3. Beverages.
4. Cooking of vegetables.
5. Cooking of cereals.
6. Cooking of white sauce, cream soups.
1. Baking powder mixtures, biscuit.
S.
Steam mixtures.
9. Sugar work at Christmas time.
10. Bread making,
Mixing and baking.
Uses of stale bread.
-239-
11. Table setting and serving,
Preparation of simple breakfast or luncheon.
12. Pastry lesson.
13. Gelatine dishes.
14. Cookery of eggs.
15. Cookery of fish.
16. Cookery of meat.
17 Cake lesson.
18. Cookies.
19. Salads-Salad dressing.
20. School lunch boxes.
21. Invalid cookery.
22. Frozen mixtures.
23. House cleaning.
OUTLINE IN SEWING FOR GRADES VI AND VII
1. Ability to thread needles. Use of thimble and emery. Making of knot.
2. Stitches and Uses.
Basting, even and uneven.
Running. Back stitch.
Hemming.
Over casting. Top sewing.
3. Buttons, two-eyed and four-eyed.
4. Buttonholes.
ɔ̃. Seams, French.
6. Patches-Hemmed Patch.
7. Mending, stocking darning.
:8. Stitches are taught, practiced and applied on a cooking apron.
-240-
OUTLINE IN SEWING FOR GRADE IX
1. Review of stitches and uses,
Basting-even and uneven.
Running. Back stitch.
Hemming.
Over casting. Top sewing.
2. Use of machine.
3. Use of patterns.
4. Patches, overhanded patch.
5. Mending. Darning tears. Darning stockings.
1
6. Stitches applied on chemise or nightgown.
THANKSGIVING OFFERING TO BELGIAN
CHILDREN
A Thanksgiving offering of the Massachusetts school children to the Belgian children was started about. the middle of No- vember.
The children of the Plymouth schools responded to the ap- peal to aid the children of Belgium as follows :-
High School, $20 47
Cornish, Burton and Oak St.,
17 01
Knapp,
14 84
Mt. Pleasant,
9 33
Hedge, 6 18
Morton,
1 66
Lincoln Primary,
1 50
Wellingsley,
1 50
Allerton St.,
1 46
Manomet,
1 00
-- 241-
Vallerville,
1 00
Alden St.,
1 00
Long Pond,
1 00
Cold Spring, Grade II,
1 00
Cold Spring, Grade III,
75
Chiltonville Grammar,
85
Russell Mills,
60
Cedarville,
50
Chiltonville Primary,
39
Cliff St.,
36
Spooner St.,
61
$83 01
Copy.
Dec. 9, 1914.
Charles A. Harris, Esq., Supt.,
Plymouth, Mass.
Dear Sir :-
I beg to state that the contribution of the school children of Plymouth was published in the Boston Morning Globe of Dec. 8, 1914, and in the Transcript of Dec. 8th.
Enclosed I hand you receipt for your files, and will ask you to congratulate the children of Plymouth on behalf of the com- mittee for their excellent showing in this worthy work for the Belgians.
Sincerely yours, (Signed) J. H. O'NEIL, Treasurer N. E. Belgian Relief Fund.
Receipts for the additional $3.01 as well as for the $80.00 are on file at the Superintendent's office.
Plymouth Sixteen
-242-
SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING
CHILDREN
A special school for non-English speaking pupils was opened in September at the Spooner Street schoolhouse, under a teacher who can converse with 75 per cent of them in their own tongue. This school not only furnishes the appropriate niche for these foreign speaking children, but greatly relieves the primary schools. The non-English speaking children of primary age at- tend the regular schools. Heretofore these children of grammar school age attended the primary schools, and it was no uncom- mon occurrence to have pupils from twelve to fifteen years of age attending the first grade. This was an embarrassment to the pupils and a handicap to the teacher. The new school has re- lieved both, and the plan has enlarged the scope of the Plym- outh schools, besides giving greater advantages to pupils of this type.
This school consists of two distinct groups-those who have never attended school, and those who have attended school before coming to America, and who would be in a higher grade in our regular schools were it not for the fact that they are unable to understand and use the English language. Just as soon as they show satisfactory proficiency in our tongue, they will be trans- ferred to their regular grades.
THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL
On December 28th, the beginning of the second term, a school for individual work was opened at the Burton building under the care of Mrs. Mary L. Jackson, who successfully taught grade nine during the past school year.
The individual is the unit of work which is varied. Besides pursuing the regular school routine such as history, geography, language, arithmetic, etc., the girls are given instruction in cooking and sewing, and the boys in manual training. Work in
-213-
basketry with raffia and reed is carried on, and caning chairs is taught. Besides this departure from regular school work, the fundamentals of telegraphy are taken up. The ages of these pupils range from 13 to 16 years.
THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The departmental plan of instruction has been adopted at the Nathaniel Morton building, which contains two eighth and two ninth grades, so that these schools approach the idea of the Junior High schools, so rapidly taking their places among pro- gressive educational systems.
The Junior High school proper consists of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades where twelve grades constitute the entire school system. It is the long-sought missing link between the elementary school and the High school. This school is made up of those who intend to go to college, those who expect to fol- low business lines and those who find it impossible to go any further. The course of study offered should meet the needs of any of these groups.
All boys in this building receive instruction in Manual Train- ing, and all girls have lessons in Cooking and Sewing.
Bookkeeping, Typewriting. Elementary Science and perhaps a modern language should now be offered as electives.
THE NINTH GRADE
The pupils in the schools are classified in thirteen grades, nine in the elementary schools and four in the High school. It is possible for a pupil to enter High school from the eighth grade. If his work, however, does not warrant such a promotion, he may enter the ninth grade. The work here is not a re-hashing of the eighth grade work, but new subjects are introduced, so that
-
-244-
the time spent may be of absolute benefit to the pupil. It is often found that a child has been advanced too rapidly, and has not attained the maturity of mind to enter High school. In that event the ninth grade serves as an advantageous way sta- tion. Too many school systems fail to issue stop-over tickets.
This grade tends to prevent misfits at the High school.
THE SUMMER SCHOOL
The vacation school was held at the Burton building for a period of six weeks. There was an entering group of 144 pupils, thirty attending without conditions. Most of these remained throughout the session. Four teachers were employed.
This school is of immeasurable value in raising the standard of the school system. No pupil can attend these schools and not be greatly benefited. The public is gradually concurring with the idea of educators that healthy, normal children do not need the whole summer for a vacation.
An opportunity for manual work should be offered.
The cost of the schools for the summer of 1914 was $306.
ATTENDANCE AT SUMMER SCHOOLS
GRADES.
4 & 5,
6,
7, 8 & 9
Number entering,
44
35
33
32
Number enrolled at end of two weeks,
38
35
32
32
Number enrolled at end of four weeks,
37
30
32
32
Number enrolled at end of six weeks,
36
30
32
32
Number unconditioned,
17
5
4
4
Number promoted conditionally,
21
22
27
28:
Number not promoted,
4
8
1
0
Number conditioned in one subject,
6
13
5
10
(
-- 245-
Number conditioned in two subjects,
5
6
10
14
Number conditioned in three subjects,
8
2
12
4
Number conditioned in four subjects,
3
0
0
0
Number taking arithmetic,
42
25
25
26
Number taking geography,
20
16
15
3
Number taking history,
ry
18
11
Number taking language, .
22
15
11
19
Number taking grammar,
0
0
11
19
Number taking spelling,
2
1
2
0
3
Number taking reading,
4
2
1
0
Average age in years and months,
11-1
12
13-4
13-8
EVENING SCHOOLS
Two elementary evening schools, one at the Knapp and the other at the Cornish building are maintained three evenings a week for a period of twenty weeks, to provide instruction for illiterate minors. They are by law required to attend school until they are able to meet the requirements for the completion of the fourth grade in reading, writing and spelling the English language.
The school at the Cornish building also provides instruction somewhat in advance of that required of the illiterates.
The record of the evening schools from Oct. 13th, 1914, to Feb. 5, 1915, follows :-
Knapp First Month
Second Month
Third Month
Fourth Month
Number of boys enrolled,
51
49
46
47
Number of girls enrolled,
33
31
30
28
Average No. belonging,
76.45
79.5
/1.83
72.74
Average evening attendance, 73.16
68.0
63.39
59.90
Per cent. attendance,
95.69
85.53
88.25
82.34
1
-246-
Cornish
First Month
Second Month
Third Fourth Month
Month
Number of boys enrolled,
19
16
10
12
Number of girls enrolled,
5
5
4
3
Average number belonging,
11.75
19.10
14
14.66
Average evening attendance, 10.59
13.10
12.33
12.25
Per cent. attendance,
90.13
68.55
88.07
83.53
The expense of instruction in the evening schools, for the pe- riod beginning Tuesday, October 14, 1913, and ending Friday, March 13, 1914, sixty evenings, was, $784 50 Janitor's service, 30 00
Total,
$814 50
MANUAL TRAINING
The desirability of offering instruction in manual training is generally accepted. In the year 1900 such a department was opened in Plymouth, through the generosity of a local organiza- tion. The course was open to boys of grades seven, eight and nine. Eight years before this, in 1892, Mr. Charles Burton, then Superintendent of Schools, wrote at length in his annual report about the advisability of introducing manual training into the public schools.
Thus it was recognized at an early date that manual training had an educational value-that it was as beneficial to the student preparing for the ministry, for the law, or for medicine, as to a student who was planning to become a carpenter.
There is not the least claim on our part that manual training is trade teaching. We place it on the same footing as the 3 R's. It consists of bringing into play the constructive activities for general educative purposes. It satisfies to some degree the motor activity with which children abound. It stands forth pro- 1
-247-
nouncedly as a means of formal education in contradistinction to a material education. For this very reason we make no use of artisans for instructing the young-we want teachers. The place for the artisan is in industrial education.
The work of this department is manual training-not sloyd- and is carried on in every grade-papercutting, paperfolding, cardboard construction, bookbinding and woodworking, respec- tively.
Your attention is directed to the appended report of the super- visor of Manual Training.
ORGANIZED PLAY
Instead of having the outdoor recess period consist merely of scuffling by the boys and screaming by the girls, particular at- tention is paid to play that is organized. The spontaneity of the child is recognized, and the play is not so rigidly organized as to destroy freedom on the part of the child. Teachers are ex- pected to supervise this part of the school work, and it is well done. Many teachers participate in the games, thus proving themselves of exceptional value to the school system. Books suggesting games and plays for the different grades have been purchased, and distributed to the teachers. On February 26, 1914, Mr. Thomas Curley, Playground Secretary of the Massa- chusetts Civic League, spoke to the teaching corps on "Play as an Educative Factor."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.