USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1910 > Part 5
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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
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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-
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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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