Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1910, Part 5

Author: Fairhaven (Mass.)
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 160


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appears later in this report, and will be of interest to all who are interested in the product of the public schools. Fairhaven may well be proud of the accomplishment of many of the recent High school graduates, as well as those notable men and women who were graduated in the earlier history of the school.


The High school faculty and those directly connected with the management of athletic training and events at the High school as well as the patrons of the school, should rejoice in the fact that the athletic conditions and standards are so high and wholesome that the influence upon the High school has been excellent and helpful rather than detrimental, as is too often the case. The aim has been first, manliness and hon- esty, and then victory, if possible.


The work in the grades has been carried on in all its phases as formerly, with an attempt to improve when possible. Especial effort has been made in recent years to improve the reading in the primary grades. In this we feel that the schools have been comparatively successful. As fast as possible the Aldine [system is being extended to the upper grades, and after the excellent start which is given in the first three or four grades, we may safely hope for a marked improvement in the reading of grammar school pupils.


Perpaps greater concentration has been made on the teach- ing of writing than upon any other subject during the school year. The vote of your school board to adopt a modified slant writing in place of the vertical, and at the same time appropri- ate a small sum for the employment, for a few weeks, of a spe- cial teacher, has given impetus and direction to the new move- ment for better and more rational methods of teaching the sub- ject. Weekly teachers' meetings for direction and practice or special supervision and instruction in the class room, has done much toward the laying of the foundation for improvement. Many parents who observe what their children are doing, have probably realized that the changing from a vertical system to a slant, and the changing from the cramped finger movement to


118


a free and comfortable muscular movement, involves many dif- ficulties, and for a time, discouraging results. However, so well directed are the teachers' efforts, and so good have the comparative results become in the case of the majority of the pupils that we feel safe in being optimistic as to the outcome before the end of the year, and certain as to the results after pupils have had several years of training under the present method.


Contrary to the popular notion in many quarters, the modern school is giving an unusual amount of attention to reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. We feel certain by observa- tion and comparative tests that the general results are much better than those of twenty or thirty years ago, in spite of the fact that today we have many children who neither speak, nor read, nor spell the English language before they enter the schools, and many of these never speak, nor read, nor write, nor spell in English after they enter the school, except while in the school room.


One other branch of our elementary school work has been greatly improved by the adoption for all grades of a new, up- to-date series of geographies to replace the old books which had, for the most part, become completely worn out and out of date. This adoption following the introduction of physiologies and English and grammar texts last year, has made the text book equipment in these three subjects very satisfactory. It has also been necessary this year, because of the worn out condition of books that have been in use for four or five years, and the increasing demand for more material, to provide several sets of basal and supplementary readers. However, with these purchases of new books, the expense for books has been less than $1.00 per pupil.


Beside the constantly occurring needs for repairs, there have been several unusual demands. At the Washington street school, new copper gutters had to be provided, and an electric blower had to be installed in one of the lavatories to remove


119


the foul air, and considerable expenditure upon the plumbing in the toilet rooms has been necessary.


At the Oxford school, beside minor repairs ;upon the boiler, a new state police valve had to be installed, and shades fur- nished for two of the rooms and halls.


At the Old High school, beside minor repairs, $40.00 had to be expended upon the roof on account of bad leaks.


At the Rogers school, considerable expense was involved in stopping leaks on the east side of the building, and besides nearly $100.00 was incurred in repairing the weather vane which had become so broken that it was in a dangerous condi- tion. New shades were also provided for three of the rooms, and considerable painting, papering and calcimining was done in the janitor's tenement, which had had little attention for at least a dozen years. All the blackboards in this building needed to be re-finished. Another step was taken toward the re-newing of the floors in the Rogers school building, by the laying of a new floor in the upper corridor and hallway. The contract having been awarded to the lowest bidder according to the custom of this department in case of work involving a reasonable sum, and of such a nature that it can be figured. I do not need to call to the attention of your board, since you are all perfectly familiar with the fact, that the floors in the rooms at the Rogers school are in a very bad condition, and need renewing at the earliest possible opportunity. They are so worn and are splintering so badly that they are a source of possible danger at any moment.


I wish also to call the attention of the board to the fact that for several years the fourth and fifth grade children at the Rogers school have been obliged to sit in unadjustable chairs, and use desks altogether too small, the desks in these rooms being the desks and seats used by first and second grade children before they were transferred to the Washington street school. This condition has been tolerated thus far on account of the constant desire of this department to keep the expendi-


120


ture to the lowest minimum, but it should not longer be tolerated at the expense of these growing children.


Another serious problem which your board will have to con- sider and solve during the year will be the improvement of the ventilating system at the Washington street school. Conditions in this respect have never been adequate or satisfactory, and the various inexpensive temporary arrangements to remedy these defects have been futile. Inadequate and unsatisfactory as was the system originally, it has been much more so since the number of pupils in the building has been increased from thirty to forty per cent. more than the number originally anticipated for this building. It will, without doubt, be necessary also to have the exterior of this building painted.


The miscellaneous account as per schedule, following this report, shows the expenditures for such items as are not properly classified under any of the definite departments, such as the cost for electric lights at the Washington street school, made necessary on account of the dark corridors, and the two lower rooms, which are so low and improperly lighted that artificial light has to be provided on all dull days, and for motor service to run a fan which is necessary to properly heat these two basement rooms. There has to be included under this item now the amount of $75.00 for medical inspection, and also charges for examining all children over fourteen who apply for working certificates. The item for water is also included in this department. The contract for converting the entire area west of the Washington street school into a condi- tion suitable for a playground, together with the expense for fertilizer for the various school lawns, and various other items connected with the grounds, amounted to $97.52. In this department will also be found items for express, freight, print- ing, postage, truant officer, clerical work and typewriting, telephone, care of trees, etc.


The accompanying schedules show the various expenses in other departments. It is a fact beyond controversy that public


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education is expensive and increasingly so, but in the wisdom or unwisdom of the legislature, public education has become compulsory upon the towns, thus supplanting the policy of private school for few, and little or no school for many. It is fortunate, however, that Fairhaven has always had the proud record of doing the best she could in the way of furnishing the best possible opportunities for elementary and High school education. It should also be a source of local pride that ninety-nine out of every hundred of the citizens are generous in their willingness to provide reasonably good educational advantages, even though many of them may have no children to benefit by these advantages. It must be a source of satis- faction to your board to review the results of your constant endeavors to spend the appropriation for school purposes as wisely and economically as possible.


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FAIRHAVEN'S rank in relation to other towns


Average taxation cost of public schools per child in the STATE


Cost per child out of local tax FAIRHAVEN


Actual cost per child including amt. contributed by H. H. Rogers


1901


178


$26.49


$20.52


$25.76


1902


182


27.04


20.00


25.19


1903


177


27.30


21.07


26.03


1904


149


28.81


22.63


27.02


1905


153


28.49


22.71


27.00


1906


163


28.79


22.79


26.84


1907


171


29.22


22.92


27.74


1908


165


30.15


23.77


27.80


1909


204


30.98


22.95


26.94


1910


184


32.06


24.17


28.22


1911


215*


33.00*


22.02


26.57


Total increase,


State, 6.51 Fairhaven, 1.50 Actual, .81


*Estimated.


Total increase in taxation cost per child in the STATE, $6.51


Total increase in taxation cost per child in FAIRHAVEN, 1.50


Total increase in actual expenditure per child in Fairhaven, .81


State average taxation cost per child, 1911,


$33.00


Fairhaven taxation cost per child, 1911,


22.02


Difference,


$10.98


Average cost per child in the State, 1911,


$33.00


Cost per child in Fairhaven, not including High School pupils,


26.57


Difference,


$6.43


In 1910. Total number of towns in the State,


353


In 1910. Towns paying more than Fairhaven, 183


In 1910. Towns paying less than Fairhaven, 169


-


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The above table is an interesting and positive demonstration of the fact that you have been able to do better than most towns in keeping down the constant increase in per capita cost of instruction. For a period of ten years, the first column indicates that 150 to 200 out of 350 towns have been paying more per child than Fairhaven. The second column shows the average cost per child throughout the state for these years. The third column shows the taxation cost per child in Fairhaven during the same period. The total increase in cost per child in the state being $6.51, while the total increase in cost per child during these same ten years has been only $1.50 in Fairhaven. It will also be seen that during the year ending 1911 the cost per child in Fairhaven was $10.98 less than the cost in the state. Even counting out the number of High school pupils, the cost per child in the year 1911 was $26.56, or $6.43 less than the state average.


The fourth column shows the actual cost per child based on the amount taken from the local tax, plus the amount con- tributed by Mr. Rogers, up to 1907. This column also shows that the actual amount expended for primary and grammar school pupils in 1911 was $26.57, which is only $.81 per child more than was expended per child in 1901.


This basis for comparing the cost of public schools is the only fair basis. Occasionally someone who wishes to be mis- leading, compares the amount which one town pays per child on the basis of its valuation, but such a comparison is abso- lutely unfair and unreasonable, since the wealth of a town may often be inversely proportional to the number of children who demand an education. The extremes on this basis run from $9.64 expended for schools per thousand dollars of valuation down to $.20, while Fairhaven comes in between with about $5.59 on every thousand dollars of valuation. If Fairhaven, like Marion with her high valuation, paid $1.32 per thousand, it would cut the school appropriation down to $5,000.00, and the public school advantages be reduced 75 per cent. This is


124


manifestly impossible, either morally or under the statutes.


Another illustration of the misleading possibilities of bare statistics is given when a table shows that the town of Fair- haven is $62.39, next to the highest salaries for women teachers in the county, when as a matter of fact Fairhaven is paying twenty of her twenty-three women teachers $50.00 per month, and when there is averaged with this the salary of three principals, which positions in most places would be filled by men, (thus reducing the average paid to women), the average is only $54.35. The amount of $62.39 as given in the state report, is based upon the salaries of the teachers in the High school, which gives Fairhaven the reputation of paying her teachers near the average for the whole state, while as a mat- ter of fact, the average for Fairhaven is $7.47 less than the average for the state, and $4.00 less than the county average.


TABLE SHOWING INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES BY DEPART- MENTS DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS.


Teachers


Janitors


Transportation


Fuel


Books


Supplies


Repairs


Incidentals


Supervision


Totals


Total plus


$3,000.00


contributed


1901


$8,363


$1,264


$284


$752


$320 $330


$289


$542


$900


$13,044 $16,044


1902


8,832


1,295


391


728


310


247


703


492


900


13,889


16,889


1903


8,440


1,390


697


1,152


269


250


522


635


862


14,215


17,215


1904


10,427


1,649


966


1,201


254


450


1,006


829


900


17,782


20,782


1905


10,553


1,643


1,367


981


532


375


894


653


1,005


18.003


21,003


1906


10,850


1,640


1,326


1,016


559


337


607


643


1,080


18,058


21,058


1907


12.159


1,570


1,300


641


505


506


1,009


660


1.150


19,500


1908


12,877


1,530


1,484


1,067


351


280


1,218


685


1,287


20,779


1909


13,357


1,724


1,740


1,394


302


428


655


997


1,350


21,947


1910 12,819


1,682


1,800


1,104


549


548


1,159


833


1,408


21,901


1911


12,624


1,685


1,451


993


706


302


1,023


901


1,508


21,194


1911| 12,624


1,685


1,451


993


706


302


1,023 289


901


1,508 900


13,044


16,044


$4,261


$421


$1,167


$241


$386


$28


$734


$359


$608


$8,150


$5,150


21,194


21,194


1901


8,363


1,264


284


752


320


330


542


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Another table which is here submitted furnishes an interest- ing comparison of expenses in the various departments during a period of ten years. Column 11 shows the total amounts expended each year as shown by the town treasurer's accounts. This indicates that in the year 1911 the schools cost the town $8,150.00 more than the year 1901. Column 12, however, shows what was actually expended, that is, what was paid from the local treasury plus $3,000.00 which was contributed by Mr. Rogers toward teachers' salaries up to 1907. Here a , comparison of the expenditures of 1911 with the amount actually expended in 1901, shows an increase of only $5,150. This increase of $8,000.00 in a period of ten years has been caused, mainly, by increases in expenditures for teachers, jani- tors, transportation and repairs. In 1901 a drawing super- visor was added. In 1902-03 the tack factory opened, and during the following five years the average membership in the primary and grammar grades increased by 238, which increase necessitated six additional rooms, six additional teachers, jani- tors, fuel, and the usual contingent expenses for books, sup- plies, repairs, etc. Some of the rooms at the Rogers school were crowded to the breaking point. Six rooms have been opened at the Washington street school, one additional room and a part of the time a corridor at the Oxford school building, also two rooms have been opened at the old High school building. However, the schools at New Boston and Naska- tucket have been closed, leaving a net addition of seven rooms and teachers, the drawing teacher making eight. These eight additional teachers at a salary of $500.00 each, accounts for the increase in this column. The addition of a janitor at the Washington street school, and at the Old High school accounts for the increase in this column.


The increase in the fourth column results from the fact that first-class and absolutely safe and satisfactory facilities were provided for the Sconticut Neck section at an increased ex- penditure of about $350.00, which in total about equals the


126


cost of an unsatisfactory mixed school in this locality. Then the closing of the Naskatucket and New Boston schools and the cost of transporting these children, together with the cost of transporting a whole class from Oxford to the Old High school, accounts for the increase here.


So little had been expended for ordinary repairs in the year 1901 and previously, that additional expenditures ander this head have been imperative; besides, it has been necessary to expend from $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 in re-modelling the old manual training and cooking rooms for class rooms, and the Old High school for grammar school purposes. The increased cost in the various other departments have been either normal or less than normal. The amount which the town has had to appropriate from year to year and take from the taxes has increased by a slightly greater percentage on account of the falling off of some of the outside sources of income, like the entire withdrawal of the State School Fund, etc.


The question is sometimes raised as to why the schools should not cost less when the Old High school was closed, since which time the entire expense for High school pupils has been taken care of from private sources. Although this has been previously explained, it seems best to repeat, that, at the opening of the new High school and the assumption on the part of Mr. Rogers of the entire expenses of this school, the amount of about $3,000.00 which Mr. Rogers had been con- tributing to the regular teachers' salaries was withdrawn, and had to be be assumed by the school department and added to its budget. This amount was almost identical with the ex- penses of running the Old High school. Consequently the closing of the Old High school made no difference whatever in the demands upon the school department. The assumption of the entire responsibility for the expenses of the grade schools, exclusive of the new High school, practically equals the amount needed when the Old High school was in operation.


127


It is hoped that this somewhat extensive review of the financial statistics over a period of ten years may be of interest and service to your board, and to those citizens who are sincerely interested in the needs and work of this depart- ment. It is exceedingly fortunate that Fairhaven has had and has, as has often been said, the advantages and privileges of a school system which is a distinct credit to the town, and of the very greatest importance to the boys and girls who are to be active citizens in the near future.


For your counsel, patience, and unstinted support in all the plans and efforts of the year, I wish to offer my hearty appre- ciation.


Respectfully submitted,


FRANK M. MARSH.


February 20, 1911.


128


ENROLMENT BY GRADES-FALL TERM, 2910.


Building High School


Grades


Totals


Post Graduates


0


Fourth Year 21


Third Year 27


Second Year


37


First Year


66


151


Old High School


Preparatory Class


39


39


Rogers School


Eighth Grade


48


Seventh Grade


38


Sixth and Seventh Grades


37


Sixth Grade


40


Fifth Grade


45


Fifth Grade


41


Fourth Grade


39


Fourth Grade


39


327


Rogers Annex


Third Grade 39


Third Grade


37


Second Grade


40


Second Grade


40


First Grade


47


First Grade 46


249


Oxford School


Fifth and Sixth Grades


42


*Seventh and Eighth Grades


32


Third and Fourth Grades


41


Second and Third Grades


39


First Grade


44


198


Total, Fall Term, 1910,


964


Total, Fall Term, 1909,


931


Increase,


*Old High School


33


129


ROLL OF HONOR-1909-1910


Valetta Bumpus


Alton M. Tripp


Dorothy Church


Elsie Jenney


Amy Lincoln


Florence I. Ross


Jennie R. Stanton


Mary Tripp


Charles Ellis


Herbert Hulse


Maria Ashley


Ellen Humphrey


Amelia Palmer


Mary Thatcher


Rena Tinkham


Helen Bowman


Ethel Dexter


Minnie Gammons


Pauline Griffin,


Delight Tuthill


Charles Bowles,


Andrew Fish


Vincent Leonard


Byron Morton


Harold Stillman


Paul R. Swift


Samuel Tuthill


Henry Bancroft


Carlton Bauldry


Gertrude Carrie


Benjamin Luther


Walter Monroe


Herbert Potter


Caroline H. Cowen


Louise Freitas


Eunice Gilpin


Annie Perry


Annie Paull


Catherine Shurtleff


Lucia Whitman


Charles Crabe


William Davis


Raymond Fish


Frank Maker


Dorothy Macomber


William Gurney


Warren Clay


Alice Cole


Gladys Fish


Evelyn B. Frisbee


Esther S. Johnson


Marion Stowell


Frank King


George Sylvia


Madolin Anderson


Elizabeth Nourjian


130


Madeline Caswell


Doris Negus


Anna Olson


Winthrop Bradshaw


John Sheehan,


Kathleen McAuliffe


Agnes Nourjian


Margaret Gavoni


Katherine Fleming


Harriet Studley


Florence Freitas


Marion Brotherson


Frederick Brotherson


Malcolm Campbell


Sterling Wilson


Warren Nickerson


Leighton Caswell


Lolita Davis


Sarah Fleming'


James Young


Blanche Paquette


Earl Whiting


George Grindrod


Edna Yates


131


PRESENT CORPS OF TEACHERS.


HIGH SCHOOL


Albert B. Kimball


Science


Worcester Polytecnic Institute


Paul M. Macklin


Mathematics


Manual Education


ยง Columbia University Truro Nomal


Frederick C. Hill


Physical Education


International Y. M. C. A. Tralning School


Florence S. Ames


English


Bates College


Grace M. Grant


Stenography and Typewriting


Chandler Shorthand R. I. State Norma! Smith College


Ruby L. Dodge


Latin


German and History Wellesley


Louisa M. Norton


French


Radcliffe


Middlebury College Brown University Oxford Univ., England


Eunice E. Strong


Domestic Science


Columbia University


Charlotte S. Dorman


Drawing and Domestic Art


Boston Normal Art


Anna B. Trowbridge


Music


N. E. Conservatory Silver Burdett School


William N. Johnson


Manual Education


Hyannis Summer School


Lefee Ayer


Bessie C. Verder


Science and History


Clark College


Will Whitney


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OLD HIGH SCHOOL


Raida Osborn Preparatory Class Bridgewater Normal $70,00


ROGERS SCHOOL


Sara B. Clarke, Prin.


Grade 8 Bridgewater Normal $100.00


Annie E. Williams


66


8


Wellesley


50.00


Gertrude Ellis


7 Brown University 50.00


Bertha E. Hinchcliffe


" 6-7


Bridgewater Normal 50.00


Eula P. Goodale


66


6 Salem Normal 50.00


Marion I. Richardson


66


5 Bridgewater Normal 50.00


Charlotte J. Bruce


66


4 Newburyport Training 50.00


Mattie L. Norris


66


4 Fairhaven High School


50,00


ANNEX


Lillie B. Allen


Grade 3 Bridgewater Normal $50.00


Katherine R. Eames


3 Framingham Normal 50,00


Rachel E. Kingsley


2 Vermont Normal 50.00


Mildred Thompson


66


2 Farmington Normal 50.00


Mary A. S. Sale


66


1 Framingham Normal 50.00


Helen L. Delano


66


1 Garland Kindergarten 50.00


OXFORD


Myra D. Crowell, Prin. Grades 5-6 Bridgewater Normal


$80.00


Mabel A. Matthews 66


7-8 Hyannis Normal 50.00


Florence I. Stevens 66 3-4 Plymouth, N. H. Normal 50.00


Alma Blackburn


66 2-3 Brown University 50.00


Rosa M. Bowker 66


1 Wheelock Kindergarten 50.00


SUPERVISORS


Anna B. Trowbridge (part time)


Music $55.00


Charlotte S. Dorman (part time)


Drawing and Sewing 45.00


Will Whitney


Manual Education


Frederick C. Hill


Physical Education


William N. Johnson (part time)


Manual Education


133


RECENT GRADUATES.


Class of 1905.


Bessie M. Brown. Stenographer, B. D. Whitney & Son, Winchendon, Mass., 94 Lincoln Ave., Winehendon, Mass.


Chandler, Ethel I., (Mrs. Ethel 1. Gifford) 127 Summer St .. New Bedford, Mass.


Ernest W., Dean, Instructor Chemistry, Hobart College. Geneva, N. Y., Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y.


Anne H. Gillingham, At Home, 32 Spring St.


Henry T. Howard, Jr .. Clerk, Beacon Mfg. Co., New Bedford, Mass.


Anne II. Kempton, Stenographer and bookkeeper, D. N. Kelley, Fairhaven, 15 Green St. Charles J. Lincoln, Bookkeeper, Wm. F. Nye. 290 County St., New Bedford, Mass. Dorothy Stoddard, (Mrs. F. O. Knipe) 22d and N. St., N. W. Washington, D. C.


Elsie M. Westgate, (Mrs. Edgar Macomber) 5 Cottage St. Claudia C. Willis, 2600 Pawtucket Ave., E. Providenc, R. I.


Class of 1906.


Edith M. Baudoin (Mrs. H. A. Braman), 49 Bridge St. Fairhaven, Mass.


Eldred, E. Besse, Student, M. I. T., M. I. T. Mary I. Cash, Stenographer, Atlas Tack Co., 43 Green St. Fairhaven, Mass.


Temple A. Corson, Druggist, Wright Drug Co. 180 Washington St., Fairhaven, Mass.


Mildred E. Gray, Student Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.


Edith C, Kendrick, Teacher, Thompsonville, Conn.


Stanley Kendrick. Stenographer Hawes, Tewksbury & Co. Fairhaven, Mass. Charles W. Lester, Private Secretary, Whipple Real Estate, Kansas City, Mo., 2640 Highland


134


Ralph E. Lumbard,


Clerk. Morse Twist Drill, 102 Lawrel St. George W. Maker, Aberthaw Construction . Co. 8 Beacon St., Boston, Mass. Sarah I. Maker, Stenographer Sanford & Kelley, Fairhaven, Mass. Inez E. Neagus, Stenographer and Bookkeeper, Box. 16, No. Dartmouth, Mass. Kathleen March, Yarn Inspector, Bennett Mill. 4 East Coggeshall St. Louise F. Perry (Mrs. Leon O. Duncklee), Andover, Mass. Elbert H. Shurtleff,


Charles N. Smith,




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