USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Town annual report of the selectmen of Groton 1907 > Part 5
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These items make up the principal part of the extra paid for plumbing.
We have made some needed improvements and repairs in the various buildings this year, particularly the Tarbell school at West Groton, where we installed several new black boards and removed the teachers' platforms, this being in accord with the demands of modern practice.
The buildings are now, we think, with the exception of the Butler school, in fairly good condition.
The Butler building, however, is much in need of certain repairs.
The outside wood work, the fire escape, and especially the belfry and tin roof, should have a coat of paint, for if they are neglected a much greater expense will soon be necessary.
The porches, especially the one on the south side, are bordering on collapse and we think should be taken down and replaced new or nearly so.
We believe that an appropriation for this purpose would be for the best interests of the town, and we there- fore recommend the town to raise and appropriate the sum of $800.00 to repair the Butler building.
In the Butler building this year we have equipped the north lower room with a new set of adjustable desks, utiliz- ing the old ones to fill in vacancies in other places.
Also the desks and seats were rearranged in the south lower room, being turned to face the north, thus bringing the light from the windows on the proper side, which has proved to be a decided improvement.
For some time there has seemed to be a demand for a commercial course in our High school, which would give many of our scholars a privilege that they would not other- wise be able to attain.
The Committee considered this matter carefully, and found that by making a different arrangement in the man- agement of the schools, they could accomplish it without interfering with the present work.
This has been done so far with little additional expense to the town.
These courses of study were finally worked out by Mr. Manning of our High school, and adopted by the Commit- tee, the college, general and commercial, and so arranged as to best serve the wants of our pupils, and the require- ments of the various higher Institutions of Learning.
A teacher was found, and the commercial course was begun with the others at the opening of the school year, last September.
The number of pupils who have availed themselves of the privilege offered, is evidence of its present popularity, and we hope usefulness.
Respectfully submitted,
For the Committee,
JAMES T. BENNETT, Secretary.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation
Tuition
$11,025 00 88 25 -- $11,113 25
EXPENDITURES. High School.
John H. Manning, teaching and super-
intending
$1550 00
Fannie E. Woods, teaching 645 00
Ida B. Jewett, teaching
452 50
Angie L. Pulsifer, teaching
315 00
Butler Schools.
Ina E. Cobb, teaching
$500 00
Mary E. Parker, teaching
380 00
Lillian W. Kane, teaching
396 00
Thomas F. Donahue, janitor
96 77
F. Winthrop Chase, janitor
343 23
Rowell & Wetherbee, coal
131 49
F. A. Sherwin, coal
419 26
Nutting Bros., wood
2 75
$5232 00
Chaplin Schools.
Jennie Longley, teaching
$432 00
Olive M. Wilson, teaching
432 00
Patsey L. Donahue, janitor
19 25
David J. Donahue, janitor
35 00
Edward A. Roache, Jr., janitor
0075
Nutting Bros., wood
8 00
S. L. Blodgett, wood
16 00
- -
$951 00
10
Tarbell Schools.
Cora T. Spaulding, teaching $407 CO
Bertha C. Bixby, teaching 264 00
Evelyn Fernald, teaching IIO 00
Harold R. Strand, janitor
16 50
Fred L. Blood, janitor
44 75
W. V. Bixby, wood
28 00
$870 25
Moors School.
Sarah F. Longley, teaching
$396 00
Roy R. Culver, janitor
3 30
H. Jerome Bowles, janitor
7 30
S. L. Blodgett, wood 14 00
$420 60
Chicopee School.
Alice G. Barker, teaching $324 00
Alice G. Barker, care of room three
months 3 00
$327 00
Prescott School.
Mary H. Oleson, teaching $99 00
Olive M. Tarbell, teaching 126 00
Letitia V. Ward, teaching
99 00
J. Stanley Sawyer, janitor
9 10
F. Stanley Gregson, janitor
1 00
S. L. Blodgett, wood
8 00
$342 10
Assistant Superintendent.
Francis M. Boutwell, Spring term $150 00
Special Teachers.
J. Avison Baker, music $350 00
E. Maude Bradley, drawing 320 00
$670 00
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Truant Officers.
Solon R. Dodge Fred L. Blood
$10 00 5 00
$15 00
Transportation.
Lillian V. Kemp
$263 00
Clara Kemp
253 00
Howard L. Gilson
102 00
Susie H. Shattuck
229 50
$847 50
School Books and Supplies.
Edward E. Babb & Co.
$273 33
Educational Publishing Co.
26 13
American Book Co.
142 68
American Library Co.
12 00
Silver, Burdett & Co.
10 80
D. C. Heath & Co.
5 86
Allyn & Bacon
20 00
Ginn & Co.
62 63
American Seating Co.
150 00
Masury, Young & Co.
24 00
J. Avison Baker
12 82
E. Maude Bradley
1 36
$741 61
Sundries.
Huntley S. Turner, printing school
reports
$83 70
Huntley S. Turner, miscellaneous printing 18 00
Arthur A. Wood, labor on schoolhouses 14 57
T. G. Smith, labor at Moors school 5 20
American Express Co., express 9 85
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co., tolls and rental 32 09
12
C. & G. H. Bixby, supplies $16 82
Boynton & Parker, insurance on Tar- bell Building 20 25
Charles Bixby, conveying drawing Teacher 23 00
Mrs. Frank Jaquith, cleaning Tarbell school 2 55
F. E. Jackson, filling in diplomas 2 45
Francis M. Boutwell, postage I 33
William M. Sargent, printing 20 00
John H. Manning, cash paid gradua- tion speaker 15 50
F. A. Sherwin, teaming and freight 3 00
Arthur M. Winslow, labor at Chico- pee school 2 84
Mrs. Brennan, cleaning Chaplin school 10 00
C. W. Green, repairing organ 2 00
John H. Manning, postage and office supplies 5 00
Grant W. Shattuck, insurance on But- ler building 24 50
Horace H. Rockwood, taking school census 30 00
James F. Woods, labor at Butler build- ing 5 40
H. M. Adams, repairs on schoolhouses 82 80
William B. Oleson, water for Prescott school I year 5 00
Shattucks's Store, supplies 56 95
W. H. Bruce, supplies 3 63
H. P. Tainter, supplies 13 75
H. C. Rockwood, work on Butler basement 30 25
E. Maude Bradley, carfare from West Groton I 44
W. A. Moore & Co., supplies I 23
13
Sarah F. Longley, cash paid for clean- ing Moors school $2 00
H. Jerome Bowles, work at Moors school 85
$545 95
CLASSIFIED STATEMENT.
Receipts
$11, 113 25
EXPENDITURES.
Teaching and superintending
$7077 50
Special teachers
670 00
Truant officers
15 00
Janitors
587 95
Fuel
627 50
Transportation
847 50
School books and supplies
741 61
Sundries
545 95
$11, 113 OI
Unexpended balance
24
$11,113 25
I, the undersigned, Auditor of the Town of Groton, hereby certify that I have examined the books of the School Committee and find them correct and properly balanced.
HENRY W. WHITING, Auditor.
14
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Groton:
My sixth annual report is herewith presented to you and the citizens of Groton.
In a town whose population varies very little from year to year and in which few changes in any direction are noticeable, the Superintendent's report can simply record the events of the school year, repeat and emphasize the demands which local conditions are making upon us, and point out the new conditions and new problems which are confront- ing us, showing as far as may be where we stand in the march of progress and development.
No unusual demands, caused by additional enterprises or increasing business prosperity resulting in a sudden growth in the number of school children, have been made upon us. The year for which this report is written has been an ordinary one in the life of our school population. Teachers and pupils have worked together harmoniously, the children have been happy and contented, and the work has been fairly satisfactory. Of course results have not always been what has been desired and even expected ; there will always be some who will fall by the wayside, some who cannot and others who will not take advantage of their opportunities. But these cases have been com- . paratively few and they have not been allowed to interfere in any way with the carrying out of the year's courses of study.
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The most serious obstacle to the steady, daily work, and to the satisfactory completion of the year's schedule with which the schools have had to contend, was the prev- alence of children's diseases during the spring term. Many children, more particularly those in the lower grades, were obliged to be out of school for a longer or shorter period on account of sickness. These absences, unfortu- nately, were scattered along through the greater part of the term and so reduced the numbers in some of the schools as to greatly interfere with their progress ; indeed, in one or two schools the numbers were so reduced at one time, that the advisability of closing their doors for a while was considered, but looking at the situation from all points of view this seemed unwise. Besides the effect produced by this unavoidable break on the children's studies, the attend- ance was lowered to such an extent as to make the record somewhat discouraging to teachers and children alike. There is a commendable desire and effort on the part of many of our children to maintain a good record of attend- ance, and they can in no way be blamed for their spring term showing.
The condition of things in the outlying schools, the scattered and sparse population, and the question of trans- portation were fully taken up in last year's report. The situation is practically the same now as then. The per capita cost of these district schools is necessarily great, whether the schools are kept open, or the pupils are con- veyed to the larger schools of the centre of the town.
Because of the state of affairs in the Chicopee District that school was re-opened at the beginning of last spring term, and the school is still maintained. Local conditions alone were responsible for this re-opening. In. numbers it is and must be small. Whether or not it will be wise to keep it running will be a question for the future to decide.
The number of pupils in the different schools in the town, and the number in each grade of these schools, is
16
given in one of the tables of this report, and this distribu- tion of pupils should be interesting to any one giving the subject consideration, showing as it does the number of grades each teacher has, and, consequently, giving some idea of the amount of work required of the different teachers.
REPAIRS.
Perhaps it is not necessary to go into details in referring to the general repairs and work done during the summer. The work may be classed under two heads, namely, that done at the Butler Building, and that of the other schools. Two things have been accomplished which have been especially acceptable to the teachers. Most of the rooms are now well fitted with good slate blackboards, and the platforms which the teachers in some instances asked to have removed have been taken away, greatly to their satis- faction. To those of us who believe in placing black- boards in every available bit of space this will mean an additional advantage in school work. There are still one or two rooms that need our attention in this respect, and when these needs are met the equipment in this line will be complete. The platforms which have disappeared were probably put in when the buildings were constructed, and at that time they were considered an important part of each room. Modern buildings and requirements seem to have no use for these elevations.
In the Butler Building an imperative need has been met by the equipment of one recitation room with thirty ad- justable desks suited to the demands to be made upon it. Another year the grammar room in this building should be fitted out completely with new, up-to-date desks. Those now in use are old and entirely unfit for further service. It has been our policy to do what we could each - year in this matter of room equipment, and it is to be hoped that this policy may be continued until every room
17
in every building is well furnished and fitted out with whatever may be helpful to pupils and teachers.
The one great accomplishment at the Butler Building has been the installing of the new heating plant and its accessories. Conditions in this building had become in- tolerable and something had to be done. In response to this urgent need the town generously appropriated money for the purpose of properly heating and ventilating the entire building in a manner satisfactory to the State In- spector of public buildings. It is not for me to report what has been done to properly care for the many pupils and teachers in this building-that might more appro- priately belong to the school committee who had the supervision of the undertaking-suffice it to say that at no time since the building was erected have the heating, ventilating, and sanitary arrangements been as complete and satisfactory as at the present time.
TEACHERS.
Few changes will be found in our teaching force. Many of our teachers have had considerable experience in their chosen calling and their faithful service has produced good results. The addition of a commercial course to the curriculum of the High School necessitated a teacher for this department, and Miss Angie L. Pulsifer, a teacher of experience in this line of work, was asked to take the position thus created.
The Chicopee school, now on its third term since its reopening, has been in charge of Miss Alice G. Barker who has been faithful and painstaking with her few pupils. At the close of the spring term Miss Mary H. Oleson re- signed as teacher of the Prescott school. Miss Olive M. Tarbell, of West Groton, took this school for the fall term and did good, faithful work. Not wishing, however, to make teaching her profession, Miss Tarbell resigned at the end of the term and Miss Letitia V. Ward, of this
1×
town, a teacher of several years' experience, was appoint- ed to fill the vacancy. The schools at West Groton have been in charge of the same teachers as for several years past. Miss Bertha C. Bixby has been granted leave of absence for this winter term - Miss Evelyn Fernald of the Fitchburg Normal School taking her place -- but it is ex- pected that Miss Bixby will return to her school at the beginning of the spring term.
AGE AND TIME OF ADMISSION.
The work of the primary schools in the past has been more or less hindered by two causes, namely, the admission to these schools of very young children whose proper place was at home, and the entrance in the spring term of some who were going to begin their real school career in the following September. This state of things imposed ad- ditional cares on the teacher, interfered with the daily schedule, was a distinct disadvantage to the regular classes, and in fact, was productive of nothing substantial, tending rather to lower the standard of the school.
Believing that it is not the function of the primary school to be the guardian of children too immature to begin the regular course of study, and that there is no good and sufficient reason for breaking in, so to speak, children in the spring term, the following rules have been made by the school committee :
" No child shall be allowed to enter the public schools of Groton, who is not six years of age, or does not become so be- fore January first of that school year."
"No child under the required school age, which is seven years, shall be allowed to begin school in the spring term."
The wisdom of this action on the part of the school authorities can hardly be questioned, and the good effects . of the first rule are already apparent. Teachers report that they are now able to accomplish more and to get bet-
19
ter results than before the existence of this regulation. And it might be stated right here that parents have done their part by recognizing the situation and conforming to it without question. There can be no doubt about the effect of the second rule on the work of the coming spring term.
COST OF THE SCHOOLS.
The increased cost of living and the upward tendency of expenses even in the getting of an education make the question of the support of schools an important one. The demands upon teachers are increasing, those now in the higher institutions fitting for the service are going to con- siderable expense to get their education and training, and, if this state of things continues, it will be more and more difficult to secure good teachers, unless the compensation is commensurate with the expenses.
Local conditions must be faced in considering this sub- ject. In a town where the population is largely concen- trated and where to a great extent electric cars are the means of conveying the scattered few to well appointed central schools, the per capita cost will be much less than in a town like ours, where none of these conditions prevail.
As showing our position in the three hundred and fifty- three towns and cities of the State, the graduated tables of the report of the State Board of Education may be interesting.
In a graduated taxation table showing the compara- tive amounts of money expended for the support of the public schools per child, as determined (1) by the number of children between five and fifteen years of age in the town or city, and (2) by the number of children in the average membership of the public schools, our rank for the year 1903-4 was fifty-five ; for 1904-5 it was forty-six. The . local conditions to which I have referred explain this rank.
In the graduated valuation table, in which all of the
20
towns of the State are numerically arranged according to the proportion of their taxable property appropriated for the support of the public schools, our rank for the year 1903-4 was two hundred and seventy-nine; for the year 1904-5 it was two hundred and ninety.
Thus it will be seen that our position in the first table is high, while in the amount appropriated for the support of the public schools for each thousand dollars of valuation our standing is low.
OUR NEEDS.
After all has been said and attempted in the past few years it may seem useless to refer again to our school accommodations. Yet our schools are handicapped by the buildings in which they are housed, and I cannot refrain from repeating that I do not believe crowded and insuffi- cient rooms, buildings with cold entries, rooms heated with wood stoves and ventilated only by opening windows or doors, are conducive to the health, comfort, or develop- ment of school children ; nor do they conform to modern ideas on this subject.
The Butler Building with its new and improved heating and ventilating system is well adapted for a four room building without going to the third story, or the entire building could be put at the disposal of the High School, and this with one other modern building would meet the needs of the town for years to come. This is a simple solution of the problem, and the children who will always be with us and in whom so much interest will always center, can be benefitted in no better or more substantial way than by attacking the problem fairly and squarely, and giving them the equipment we all know they should properly have.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
-
The demands upon the High School are constantly in- creasing and are fast getting out of proportion to its facil-
21
ities. In point of numbers it continues to be large, and this year has registered eighty-two pupils, a larger number than the main room can comfortably accommodate. At present the girls outnumber the boys by a larger margin than usual, due simply to the fact that all through the grades these classes have had more girls than boys in their membership. The graduates of the school who have left behind them good records of conduct and scholarship are doing well, and there are ten or more at the present time in the higher institutions of learning.
But the adoption of the new courses of study is the most important thing to mention. The old courses have been revised and a commercial course added, so that now there are three well-defined courses to meet the wants of the different pupils-the college, general, and commercial courses. This means more work, more teach- ers, and consequently more expense, but the call for these courses was so loud that it seemed best to heed it and trust to the future to properly provide for the increasing demands of modern conditions. These courses are now being worked out in the classroom, and promise in their development additional advantages and good results giv- ing as they do a wider range to pupils not especially in- terested in many of the studies of the old curriculum.
It is interesting to note the motives of pupils of any school, especially of pupils beyond the required school age, and much may be learned from conversation with them. Some are in school because they really desire an education, others because their parents wish, in some cases compel, them to go to school, still others because they enjoy the school life and associations, even though they dislike hard study. It is needless to speak of the quality of the work of these different classes of pupils, or of their attainments when they come to leave school. The results are the same here as in other walks in life.
There is no more difficult task than to make many pupils
of the High School age realize that their education is their present business and their principal business, and that other matters should be secondary. It calls for the com- bined effort and patience of parents and teachers, it re- quires firmness and persistency, but it is worth while, if only we can save our boys and girls from disappointment when their school life is behind them.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
An important piece of school legislation in the year 1905 was an act relative to the appointment of school physcians. For a long time there has been a feeling that more attention should be given to the physical well-being of school children, and that in the smaller places where practically nothing has been done in the way of medical inspection some legislation was necessary.
The new law has been complied with so far as it relates to the duties of the teacher, and it now remains for the town to take some action in regard to the appropriation of money to meet the expense incurred by the appoint- ment of a school physician by the school committee.
That the town may know just what this act is, it is herewith quoted.
ACTS OF 1906, CHAPTER 502.
An Act relative to the appointment of school physicians.
SECTION 1. The school committee of every city and town in the Commonwealth shall appoint one or more school physicians, shall assign one to each public school within its city or town, and shall provide them with all proper facilities for the perform- ance of their duties as prescribed in this act: provided, however, that in cities wherein the board of health is already maintaining or shall hereafter maintain substantially such medical inspection as this act requires, the board of health shall appoint and assign the school physician.
SECT. 2. Every school physician shall make a prompt exan-
28
ination and diagnosis of all children referred to him as herein- after provided, and such further examination of teachers, janitors and school buildings as in his opinion the protection of the health of the pupils may require.
SECT. 3. The school committee shall cause to le referred to a school physician for examination and diagnosis every child returning to school without a certificate from the board of health after absence on account of illness or from unknown cause; and every child in the schools under its jurisdiction who shows signs of being in ill health or of suffering from infectious or contagious disease, unless he is at once excluded from school by the teacher; except that in the case of schools in remote and isolated situations the school committee may make such other arrange- ments as may best carry out the purpose of this act.
SECT. 4. The school committee shall cause notice of the disease or defects, if any, from which any child is found to be suffering to be sent to his parent or guardian. Whenever a child shows symptoms of smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, chick- enpox, tuberculosis, diphtheria or influenza, tonsilitis, whooping cough, mumps, scabies or trachoma, he shall be sent home immediately, or as soon as safe and proper conveyance can be found, and the board of health shall at once be notified.
SECT. 5. The school committee of every city and town shall cause every child in the public schools to be separately and carefully tested and examined at least once in every school year to ascertain whether he is suffering from defective sight or hear- ing or from any other disability or defect tending to prevent his receiving the full benefit of his school work, or requiring a modification of the school work in order to prevent injury to to the child or to secure the best educational results. The tests of sight and hearing shall be made by teachers. The committee shall cause notice of any defect or disability requiring treatment to be sent to the parent or guardian of the child, and shall re- quire a physical record of each child to be kept in such form as the state board of education shall prescribe.
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