USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1915 > Part 14
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From September, 1914, to July, 1915, the sum of $1,124.62 was deducted from the teachers' salaries and forwarded to the State treasurer. From September, 1915, to January 1st, 1916, the sum of $611.87 was deducted, making the total deductions to date $1,736.49.
Number of Each Paying
Teachers
Monthly
Total Monthly $20.00
. Total Yearly
$200.00
1
5.00
5.00
50.00
1
4.50
4.50
45.00
2
4.25
8.50
85.00
2
4.00
8.00
80.00
30
3.50
105.00
1050.00
38
$151.00
$1510.00
2
$10.00
-
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SALARIES.
In 1840 the average value of board per month in the town of Plymouth for women teachers was $5.44. At the present time it would be considered a bonanza to obtain board at that figure per week. The teachers in the elementary schools receive a max- imum salary of $625. Thus the experienced teacher receives a little over $12.00 a week for the calendar year. It would amount to this, rather, if she were not forced by state law to undertake a form of compulsory insurance. That is, she is obliged to become a member of the Retirement Association in order to be eligible as a teacher in the public schools of Massachusetts, pro- viding she enters the service after July 1, 1914, and by becoming such she has deducted from her meagre salary at least $35.00 per year. Many teachers pay nearly $25.00 yearly in carfares in addition to the foregoing. Some teachers born in Plymouth- who have passed through our elementary schools-who have graduated from our High School-who have completed a course at the Normal School are receiving less than $9.14 a week for the calendar year.
This does not compare favorably with many other towns. Max- imum salaries in the elementary schools are shown in the follow- ing list :-
Abington,
$700.00
Whitman,
. 700.00
Braintree,
700.00
Attleboro,
650.00
Brockton,
750.00
Framingham,
700.00
Rockland,
700.00
Hingham,
750.00
Plymouth,
625.00
The "anticipation" of last year now becomes a recommenda- tion as follows,-that the maximum salary for teachers with
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pronounced professional spirit, increased scholarly attainment, and marked accumulative efficiency be increased.
Friendship, popularity, length of service, etc., should not be the criterion by which the efficiency of the school teacher is measured. Sound business policy demands an increase in teach- ing power as a forerunner to the increase in salary. The merit system is the only one which should be recognized. Few teach- ers, few persons, compared with the world population, strive to make themselves really expert unless they are prodded by the stimulus of reward. A one-hundred dollar increase usually means one hundred dollars worth of increased efficiency, and if that is not the resultant, a dismissal or reduction should take place. A fifty-dollar raise does not often produce double that value of efficiency.
The difficulty has been that no one wants to assume the re- sponsibility of determining the degree of merit which a teacher has, and those in power, do not want to delegate that prerogative to another. With this responsibility placed in the hands of the superintendent of schools, who should have a tenure of office of not less than three years, the matter may be squarely met.
Additional appropriations should not be made for the mere sake of making our maximum equal to that of other places. It should be made with the idea in view of securing greater effi- ciency-otherwise it is money wasted.
In a bulletin issued by the United States Bureau of Education we find the following :-
The Increased Cost of Living.
"The salaries committee report of 1913 called attention to the fact that in 1911 wholesale prices were 44.1 per cent. higher than in 1897, so that, measured by wholesale prices, a teacher whose salary had remained fixed at $1,000.00 since 1897 would have had no greater purchasing power in 1911 than $693.76 possessed in the earlier year. This upward trend of wholesale prices has continued. The teacher whose salary has remained at
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$1,000.00 since 1897 now has a purchasing power equivalent only to $663.57. To put it another way, a teacher receiving a salary of $700.00 in 1897, and having had such increases that she is receiving $1,000.00 this year, is less well off than she was in 1897, on the basis of wholesale prices. If she is fortunate enough to have had increases in salary amounting to 50 per cent. of her 1897 salary, she will now be economically in about the same con- dition as in 1897.
It is useful for the present purpose to make a comparison be- tween 1903-04 and 1912-13, since these are the years for which salary comparisons have been worked out. The Bureau of Labor finds that in 1913 wholesale prices were 19.6 per cent. higher than in 1904. Measured by wholesale prices, therefore, a teacher whose salary had remained at $1,000.00 since 1904 would have a purchasing power equivalent to $836.12 in 1913. In other words, a stationary salary for the nine years between 1904 and 1913 was the same as a net cut in salary of $163.88. In general there has been some improvement, however.
It should never be lost sight of, however, that teachers are expected to live on a much better scale of living than other workers on similar wage, and that the living standard for teach- ers is constantly rising."
Board in Plymouth is high, and in some instances exorbitant.
THE WIDER USE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL PLANT.
The utilization of schoolhouses for regular school work ex- clusively has forever passed. The wider and fuller use of the public school plant has at last begun to be realized. The en- larged High School building has made it possible to carry on many of the larger and less organized forms of education.
The Woman's Club, with a membership of about 400, holds its
.
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meetings at the High School approximately every two weeks, the schedule for the season numbering about fifteen meetings to be held at this building.
The Girls' Club holds meetings weekly at the High School, for educational and social purposes on alternate weeks. Classes in sewing, cooking, millinery, dressmaking, basketry and physical culture have been organized.
In addition to the above, the building has been used for Town meetings, teachers' meetings, banquets, lectures, meetings of the Alumni Association, concerts, school socials and parent-teacher meetings, the latter undertaken through the initiative of the principal, Mr. Whiting.
The other buildings in town have been used for sales and en- tertainments to procure funds for school purposes, and for meet- ings of the Parent-Teacher Associations.
Since the department of University extension has been in- augurated under the control of the State Board of Education, it is reasonable to assume that the school plant may be more widely used than ever before.
THE NEWER USES OF THE SCHOOL YARD.
Play is the most fundamental element in child nature. The educational value of this element goes hand in hand with the educational value of work. This has dawned upon most of us within the last decade. For some years the children above the third grade were not permitted to indulge in an out-door recess. Under those conditions a school yard was practically unnecessary. But with the new vision, out-door recesses were adopted. The opportunity of going out on pleasant days to exercise and breathe the pure air is indisputably a right due the children, and their improved health cannot but be a natural consequent. Moreover, this interval of recreation tends to a greater interest in school
SCHOOL PLAYGROUND NEAR CORNISH BUILDING
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work. If only one change in a school system were possible in ten years, this should be the first to occur, and now seems to be a settled policy. The next step was to guide the children to util- ize to advantage the recess period. With this in view books of games and play were purchased, distributed to the schools, and soon the teachers had the problem well in hand.
With these outside activities, larger school yards are necessary, and until this matter is taken up with seriousness, we cannot unreservedly boast of our schools, for adequate school play- grounds are as essential in modern education as any phase which can be mentioned. This playground should be open not only during the recess periods, but after school, on Saturdays and holidays during the short and long vacations. Not only are en- larged school grounds necessary, but the logical outcome of con- tinued use means a greater expenditure than before for keeping them in proper condition. If a town is what its schools are, and if the schools are rated upon the size of its playgrounds, the school slogan should be.
"Modern Playgrounds by 1920."
Through the initiative of the Civics Committee of the Wo- man's Club, several pieces of apparatus have been installed at the school playground, Cornish building, such as the slide, which is always the most popular; seesaws which are much used by the younger children, although affording opportunity for little phys- ical, intellectual, or social training; the giant stride which is always enjoyed, and has some value as exercise; the horizontal bar, which no school yard should be without; and the apparatus for the high jump. Nearly all playgrounds in general have the above.
An excellent beginning has been made, and attention should now be directed to the Hedge building, where there are 376 chil- dren in the first four grades, and other sections of the town.
Late in the fall, or early in the spring, trees set about eighteen feet apart, hard and soft maples alternating, should be planted
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around the edge of the playground, leaving the space within for play which should be an important factor in the school curricu- lum.
MEN.
The tax payers do not know, except at long range or at second hand, what the schools of Plymouth are doing for their children. It is the business of the voters to see that those in charge of the schools show a dividend or retire in favor of abler heads.
During the school year 1914-1915, the public schools, 61 in number, were visited by only 32 men. Since this is so, one whole week, beginning March 20 and ending March 24, 1916, will be designated Men's Week. During this week it is desirous that as many men as possible -avail themselves of this special invitation to visit the schools. The week is yours. Come, ask questions, criticise. We will gladly accept the criticism, whether favorable or adverse, and will surely profit by your attitude what- ever it may be.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS.
Two general teachers' meetings have been held since the issu- ance of the last report, with practically all teachers present. The program in the spring was one of nearly three hours' duration, consisting of demonstrations by the teachers of the various meth- ods of teaching with groups of children present, brief paper by the superintendent of schools, and discussion of topics of inter- est to the teachers, participated in by members of the committee. Music, vocal and instrumental, was provided, and folk dancing
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by the pupils followed, making the meeting alive with interest due to the varied program and the excellent work of the teachers and pupils.
The second meeting was held during the fall term, after much the same plan as the meeting in the spring. Dramatics, folk dancing, dumb bell drills, calisthenics, etc., by the pupils added much to the part taken by the others, who presented papers of interest to those in school work. Long Pond, Vallerville, and Cedarville, sixteen miles away, were represented by the teachers of those places. After the general meeting held at the High School hall, sectional meetings followed, the primary teachers, the teachers of the upper grammar grades, and the High School teachers being addressed by different persons at the Nathaniel Morton School. After this all the teachers attended a lecture by Dr. Walter E. Fernald, Superintendent of the Massachusetts School for Feeble Minded, Waverley, upon invitation from the Woman's Club. Thus ended another meeting of pleasure and profit to those present.
NORMAL SCHOOL EXTENSION
OR
HALF HOUR STROLLS IN THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD.
Every discussion at every teachers' meeting cannot hold the active attention of every teacher. A subject which would be of interest to one group of teachers might not be of profit to an- other group. The general meeting has its place, but should not be overemphasized. Grade meetings are exceedingly helpful, but the topics discussed are naturally pertaining to the work, meth- ods and problems of a specific grade.
As a supplement to the general and grade meetings, there have been planned those of a voluntary-attendance type whereby the
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teachers, by forming a minimum unit of ten members may peti- tion for a half-hour's talk on subjects announced from time to time by the superintendent of schools.
The following is the initiatory announcement :-
1. Orthoëpy.
2. Orthography.
3. Horace Mann.
4. Fifty Questions and Answers.
5. Fifty More Questions and Answers.
6. A Rapid Survey of the Massachusetts Educational System, No. 1.
7. A Rapid Survey of the Massachusetts Educational System, No. 2.
8. A Rapid Survey of the Massachusetts Educational System, No. 3.
9. Pitfalls of the teacher.
10. School Credit for Home Work.
11. Five Educational Reformers.
12. Educational Principles, Methods and Devices.
13. Early School Text Books and Curricula.
14. Habit.
15. School Laws.
16. Marking, Grading, and Promoting.
17. An Introspection of School Surveys.
18. Educational Organizations and Foundations.
19. Education of the Middle Ages.
20. School Reports of seventy-five years ago.
21. Acceleration, Retardation, and Elimination.
22. Medical and Dental Inspection.
23. A Modern School System.
24. The Labor Laws.
25. Illiteracy.
26. The Teacher's Part in Recreation Periods.
27. What the Teacher Should know about School Conditions.
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PLYMOUTH TEACHERS' CLUB.
The teachers of Plymouth work as a unit for the interest of the schools and the welfare of the community. A well organized Teachers' Club has existed for several years, and concerts, lec- tures, receptions, banquets, picnics, etc., constitute the program. The one for the year 1915-1916 follows :-
Announcement of
PLYMOUTH TEACHERS' CLUB PROGRAM.
1915-1916
Oct. 27. 'Reception and Banquet,
Dec. 9. Concert,
Jan. 13. Concert,
Feb. 10. Concert,
Feb. 23. Lecture,
High School and Special Teachers Cornish District Cornish District Knapp School Morton School "New Stories of the Old World"
Mabel Frances Knight
March 15. Lecture,
Hedge School "Lohengrin," Havrah L. Hubbard
April 26. Guest Night.
Each teacher to have the privilege of inviting one friend. Committee :- Miss Bertha E. McNaught, chairman; Miss Annie S. Burgess, Mrs. Mary L. Jackson, Miss Grace R. Moor, Miss Lucia M. Richardson, Miss Helen H. Linnell.
May or June. Picnic,
Mt. Pleasant School
The program for December 9th, January 13th, and February 10th was especially ambitious, the aggregate cost of which was $500.00. These were' all well patronized by the public, who ap- preciated the unusual talent which the Club secured.
Plymouth twenty
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VACATION SCHOOL.
For several years Plymouth has maintained vacation schools during the summer, for a period of six weeks. This school repre- sents, to a great degree, the ambitious children of the town. Some attend in order to fulfill the requirements in one or more subjects, and advance with their class. Others attend in order to do extra work and complete their school course in advance of their class. Still others attend voluntarily, feeling that some- thing is to be gained thereby. None but the ambitious will at- tend such a school, since attendance is optional. At all events, the children finish their school life earlier, and hence it is a matter of economy to the town, and a marked advantage to the children. Were it not for the vacation school, the standard of the system would be lower, and a spirit of indifference would be manifest on the part of many pupils. Healthy, normal children are not injured by attendance. The importance of such schools is universally recognized.
Up to this time, the summer schools have given instruction only in the regular school branches. The time has come to extend the course, so that a great number of the pupils may have an opportunity to do some useful constructive work. Until this school has extended its scope by offering manual work, it has only partially succeeded in meeting the problem. The vacation school in Plymouth is performing only part of its function at present.
The mere ability to pass from grade to grade, learning solely from books, results in a one-sided education. We want our vaca- tion schools, as well as our regular day schools, to teach those subjects and qualities which make for all-round development. We are gradually extending the work of the day school, and sim- ilar activities should predominate in our summer schools.
BURTON.
-
VACATION SCHOOL, 1915
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SUMMER SCHOOL.
There was an entering group of 171 pupils, 44 attending with- out conditions. Five teachers were employed.
The cost of the schools for the summer of 1915 was $378.00.
ATTENDANCE AT SUMMER SCHOOLS.
Grades
4
5
6
7
8-9
Number entering,
37
33
37
35
29
Number enrolled at end of two weeks, 35
35
35
37
28
Number enrolled at end of four weeks, 36
35
36
39
29
Number enrolled at end of six weeks, 33
35
34
38
24
Number unconditioned,
18
3
2
8
5
Number promoted conditionally,
11
23
21
26
23
Number not promoted,
8
ry
9
1
1
Number conditioned in one subject,
6
2
ry
5
4
Number conditioned in two subjects,
2
13
11
21
18
Number conditioned in three subjects, 3
3
0
1
Number conditioned in four subjects, 0
1
0
0
0
Number taking arithmetic,
34
33
30
26
23
Number taking geography,
11
17
12
6
0
Number taking history,
0
8
0
14
5
Number taking language,
20
17
24
9
7
Number taking grammar,
0
17
12
14
22
Number taking spelling,
20
1
0
0
Number taking reading,
15
4
0
0
0
Average age in years and months : Fourth grade-11 years, 1.8 months; fifth grade-11 years, 1 month; sixth grade-12 years, 8 months ; seventh grade-13 years, 1 month; eighth and ninth grades-14 years, 8.7 months.
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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.
A summary of the record of the evening schools for the full session from October 13th, 1914, to March 12, 1915 follows :-
Knapp School.
Number of boys enrolled,
51
Number of girls enrolled, 33
Average number belonging, 73.61
Average evening attendance,
63.56
Per cent. of attendance,
86.35
Cornish School.
Number of boys enrolled,
19
Number of girls enrolled,
5
Average number belonging,
14.90
Average evening attendance,
11.93
Per. cent of attendance, 80.07
The record of the evening schools from October 18, 1915, to January 13, 1916, follows :-
Knapp School.
First Month
Second Month
Third Morth
Number of boys enrolled,
53
44
38
Number of girls enrolled,
25
24
25
Average number belonging,
70.41
67.3
61.08
Average evening attendance,
64.58
60.6
49.97
Per cent. of attendance,
91.72
90.05
81.83
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Cornish School.
First Month
Second Month
Third Month
Number of boys enrolled,
10
8
Number of girls enrolled,
4
4
6
Average number belonging,
12.92
11.5
10.88
Average evening attendance,
10.83
9.9
8.33
Per cent. of attendance,
83.82
86.08
76.56
PER THOUSAND DOLLARS OF VALUATION.
The 353 towns and cities of the States are numerically ar- ranged according to the amount appropriated to the support of public schools for each thousand dollars of valuation. Seventeen near-by towns are compared with Plymouth as reported in the last annual report of the State Board of Education, the number on the left denoting the rank of the cities and towns of the State.
1913 1914
1913
1914
3
8
Abington,
$9 68
$9 70
8
36
Bridgewater,
8 93
8 06
29
21
Middleboro,
7 75
8 65
34
56 Avon,
7 63
7 41
45
75
West Bridgewater,
7 37
/ 19
50
40
Whitman,
7 24
7 95
52
55
Holbrook,
7 20
7 42
60
63
East Bridgewater,
7 03
7 31
117
Rockland,
6 83
6 52
82
126
Norwell,
6 75
6 41
102
140
Braintree,
6 44
6 25
113
91
Kingston,
6 29
6 98
126
168
Sandwich,
6 09
5 83
140
Provincetown,
5 91
7 16
155
133
North Attleborough,
5 78
6 32
159
134
Weymouth,
5 75
6 32
182
137 Pembroke,
5 46
6 28
200
198 Plymouth,
5 21
5 45
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The foregoing table means that Plymouth stands 198 among the towns and cities of the Commonwealth in the amount appro- priated for its schools for each thousand dollars of valuation. Although 197 places surpass us in this respect, 155 are below us on that basis. This is not a poor showing, but it is desirable to maintain our present standing, and excel when the citizens deem it expedient.
AMOUNT APPROPRIATED FOR EACH CHILD.
As in the foregoing table, sixteen near-by places are selected to show the amount appropriated for each child in the average membership. This is a marked advance for Plymouth, since we are nineteen numbers above our standing in the previous year.
1913
1914
1913
1914
14
22
Falmouth,
$56 51
$51 93
38
49
Barnstable,
44 64
43 23
43
61
Duxbury,
43 56
40 83
49
34 Orleans,
41 83
47 92
51
71 Marshfield,.
41 65
39 48
62
48
Scituate,
39 20
43 26
65
151
Carver,
38 69
33 64
93
81
Halifax,
35 98
38 29
101
105
Abington,
34 97
36 22
111
107
Attleboro,
34 43
36 13
139
143
Bridgewater,
32 99
34 21
150
92
Brockton,
32 41
37 36
152
148
Wareham,
32 36
33 73
176
165
Sandwich,
31 08
32 72
185
161
Whitman,
30 62
33 01
186
167
Plymouth,
30 49
32 60
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COST OF TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES.
In 1873 a law was enacted permitting the towns and cities of Massachusetts to furnish free of charge the supplies and text books used in the public schools. Eleven years later this per- missive law became compulsory.
For over one hundred years after the landing of the Pilgrims, the only regular text books in our elementary American schools were the Hornbook, the Primer, the Psalter, the Testament and the Bible. These were gradually displaced by the spelling books, so-called, and these in turn gave way to the multitude of choice and reliable text books of the present day.
The free text book law is shamefully abused-abused by those who should know better. Any rainy day, pupils who are having the advantage of the upper-grade and High School instruction,. and to whom are loaned costly books, may be seen homeward bound with these books exposed to the rain or snow as if they had no value whatever. Thoughtless and thriftless are the adjec- tives applicable to altogether too many enjoying the advantages of the public schools. Notwithstanding all this, the advantages of the free text books overbalance the disadvantages. The annual cost for text books and supplies to the Town of Plymouth is large in the aggregate, but the cost per pupil is not exorbitant. In 1896 the cost for books and supplies was $2.61 per pupil, whereas, in 1914 the cost was $2.13.
The cut on following page shows the amount expended on text books compared with other expenditures throughout the country.
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How the people of the United States spend some of their money
Cigars and Tobacco $410,000,000
Soft Drinks and Soda $325,000,000
Candy $135,000,000
Chewing Gum $25,000,000
School- books $17,000,000
READER
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DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
A department of university extension, under the control of the State Board of Education, has been recently established. Cor- respondence courses are offered to residents of Massachusetts. The courses are open to either men or women who can satisfy the department that they can pursue with profit the course desired. No tuition fees are charged, but a payment in advance is re- quired to cover cost of lesson pamphlets, stationery, text-books and postage on material sent from the department. Send to Mr. James A. Moyer, Director of University Extension, State House, Boston, Mass., for information. The following courses are of- fered :-
Courses in Language.
Elementary English,
English Composition A.
English for Americans of Foreign Birth
English Composition B. Commercial Spanish.
Courses in History and Government.
Elementary United States History, American Government
United States History (Period Civics for Americans of 1760 to 1830). Foreign Birth.
Courses in Economics.
Elements of Economics,
Money and Banking
Sociology.
Courses in Mathematics.
Practical Applied Mathematics,
Practical Mechanics
Shop Arithmetic, Advanced Shop Mathematics
Elementary Algebra, Advanced Algebra
Elementary Geometry, Trigonometry
Commercial and Management Courses.
Bookkeeping,
Commercial Correspondence,
Industrial Management Retail Selling and Store Management.
Industrial Accounting,
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Courses in Drawing.
Shop Sketching, Mechanical Drawing,
Descriptive Geometry
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