USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Carver > Town annual reports of Carver 1890 > Part 2
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The usual studies have been pursued by the pupils during the past four years, with the usual results.
Each mixed school has been furnished with a set of "Mitchel's Outline Maps," seven in a set, and four "Paper Globes," and each Primary school has been furnished with two globes, which we believe are indispensable in the school-room, and fill a long felt necessity.
There have been no changes in text books the past year, although your Committee has had the matter under consideration.
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Some of the most unpleasant features we notice in a school- room, and which hurt the name and fame of a teacher and a school, are :-
First, the low tone of voice used by many pupils : it is a fault more or less prevalent in nearly all our schools, especially if the pupil is not quite certain of giving a correct answer.
Second, hesitation in giving answers.
Third, inability to give correct answers ; incorrect answers, with hesitation and a low tone of voice, are unpleasant to listen to and should not be allowed, and a scholar addicted to all of these faults is an object of pity, while those who can give a prompt, correct answer, and speak with confidence and a clear tone of voice, full and free, are admired and applauded. A teacher should encourage a full and free tone, and demand the same, if confident the pupil has no physical impediment in his or her speech to prevent. By properly grading the classes, poor lessons and poor reading would be done away with in a great measure. Teachers should grade schools in accord with their best judgment, and not rely essentially on the classification of predecessors, or the wishes of the pupils or their parents. This is a right and privilege of teachers, and is one of the first things to attend to, and no other person should interfere. Knowing that there are persons in town who make it a point to dictate to teachers in grading certain scholars has suggested the above, and we would say for their advantage that they are committing an incalculable wrong to a child. It is far better for a pupil to use the Third Reader, if not familiar with and can read correctly only a few pieces, than to advance to the fifth grade. That they are able to read a few pieces fluently is not enough to place them in the next higher grade, not to say two grades higher, which we think we have seen done, and as long as a pupil is not famil- iar with, or cannot read intelligently the grade of Readers he is using, your Chairman for the past year would not favor the intro- duction of much supplementary reading, which seems to be the ruling custom of most towns. Teachers are at fault generally for dilatory answers, and can readily train a class to promptness if they will resolutely attempt it. These three faults remedied,
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the teacher is a victor and has won laurels to his or her name. Thoroughness should be insisted upon, and no pupil allowed to advance beyond his or her comprehension.
Fourth, poor order, moving of slates and feet, and heavy walk- ing, not pleasant in a school-room. A teacher should have a regular system of order, involving quietness in school hours, walking quietly to and from the recitation seats, and in going out and coming into the room. Rough playing, running and bois- terousness of any kind should not be allowed within the walls of a school-room, the teacher being sovereign in this respect, with full control, in-doors and out.
Fifth, much could be said in relation to the manner and method of teaching the various studies, but we will refrain from saying more than has been said, that thoroughness is the point to be gained, and in certain cases we think it a point to be guarded more fully by the teacher.
Sixth, the school-room should be kept swept and dusted. It is left to the janitor in some instances, who attends to it once a week, and an unsightly amount of dirt will accumulate in that length of time. We would advise that they be renovated daily in this particular.
Seventh, the School Register, required by law to be correctly kept, seems to be poorly understood by a portion of our teachers. We would recommend a careful reading of the instructions of same, including all fine print, by them, and that they remember that in no instance does membership mean attendance, and that a pupil is a member of the school after he once enters until he concludes, or discontinues to come. Other points need more care.
SICKNESS.
The average attendance of our schools has been greatly les- sened the past winter by an unusual amount of sickness, in sev- eral districts nearly or quite one-half of the pupils being out at once, which is generally detrimental to the interests of the teacher and to the advancement of the school.
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DISINTERESTEDNESS.
The usual amount of disinterestedness of parents in sending their children has been noticed the past year, to the sorrow of the community and the dishonor of themselves, and they are committing irreparable blunders and robbing children of privi- leges that belong to them, and are necessary to enable the child- ren to occupy positions in life of which they may be capable.
GEORGE H. MARTIN, AGENT, AND THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
State Agent of the Board of Education George H. Martin has visited our schools during the past year, making his usual per- sonal examinations of each school, and at a meeting of the Committee and teacher at District No. 3, he gave us criticisms on our methods, and advanced new methods for our considera- tion, with other suggestions and advice. In his opening remarks he said :- "The school buildings of the town are not as attract- ive and are not presenting so good an appearance as they were six years ago, which, to my mind, shows a disinterestedness on the part of the town." He further stated :- "The town of Carver makes the smallest appropriation per child of any town in Ply- mouth County, except one, and the shortest schools in the county." These thoughts are submitted with the desire that the voters of the town may receive an impetus in the right direction, and that the appropriations for school purposes will be liberally responded to and applied.
During the past year the two buildings at the North, District No. I, have received a coat of paint, and we would advise that all of the remaining buildings be painted outside, and that much be done to the inside of several rooms. Especially would we call attention to the room at No. 3, which we consider the most begrimed of any in town, and which requires immediate atten- tion.
District No. 4 Primary room, is not a suitable room for this school, which, the present year, enrolls the largest number of pupils of any school in town. This district has claims on the town for better accommodations, and, in the opinion of your
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Committee, should have them. As at present, if the school con- tinues to remain as it is, the yard should be divided by a fence. that each school may have a separate yard, with outbuildings for the same, as it is utterly impossible, with the present arrange- ment, to keep the privies in a fit condition for the use of the schools, and at the visit of Mr. Martin, above referred to, he cen- sured us severely for the condition of the same.
In closing these remarks, we would eulogize the town for the increased appropriation made for schools at its last annual town meeting, and we hope that the disposition of the same by your School Committee will be approved by its citizens. By it we have been enabled to continue the schools two weeks longer than the preceding year, to retain experienced teachers, to employ the same as far as opportunity permitted, and also to employ janitors for the fall and winter terms.
Trusting the town will liberally appropriate in the future for the cause of education, we will conclude our remarks by respect- fully submitting the motto : "Education is better than wealth."
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ROLL OF HONOR.
Names of scholars neither absent nor tardy during the specified terms :-
School No. 1, Grammar. Elmer B. Perkins, Teacher.
FIRST TERM. Embert H. Eames.
School No. 1, Primary. Carrie E. Soule, Teacher. SECOND TERM.
Willie T. Thomas, Clifton Raymond.
School No. 2. Bernice E. Cornish, Teacher.
FIRST TERM.
Flora M. Atwood, Minnie L. Richards, Emma F. Richards, W. Harry Cassidy,
Stephen S. Richards.
SECOND TERM. Myra A. Shaw, Teacher.
Flora M. Atwood,
Emma F. Richards,
Frankie F. Weston,
Minnie L. Richards,
W. Harry Cassidy,
Stephen S. Richards.
School No. 3. Vesta B. Shaw, Teacher.
FIRST TERM.
Gertrude Cornish, Anna K. Shurtleff,
Lucy T. Shurtleff, Carrie W. Shaw,
Lillian Vaughan.
SECOND TERM.
Gertrude Cornish, Alice N. Cornish,
Lucy W. Shaw, Carrie W. Shaw,
Solon W. Cornish.
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THIRD TERM.
William Cornish,
Solon W. Cornish.
School No. 4, Grammar. Charles L. Bates, Teacher. FIRST TERM,
Flora E. Atwood, M. Elvira Briggs,
Victor H. Anderson, Bernice Briggs.
SECOND TERM.
Flora Atwood, Bernice Briggs,
Fannie Briggs,
Ernest Brett, Donald McFarlin, Markie Shurtleff.
THIRD TERM. Chas. C. Morris.
School No. 4, Primary. Nellie E. Gammons, Teacher.
FIRST TERM. Charlie Brett. SECOND TERM. Lizzie M. Schouler, Teacher.
Charlie Brett, Guy Hudson,
Walter Hudson. THIRD TERM. Arthur Nickerson.
School No. 5. Leila B. Thomas, Teacher. FIRST TERM. Lulu R. Robbins. THIRD TERM. Tirzah S. Morse, Teacher.
Edna M. Lucas, Eleanor E. Lucas. School No. S. Sadie F. Atwood, Teacher. FIRST TERM.
Grace A. Washburn, Mercy B. Griffith,
Susie C. Hudson.
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SECOND TERM.
Etta C. Westgate,
Mercy B. Griffith, Josie Ingalls. THIRD TERM.
Ellsworth Shaw.
Mercy B. Griffith.
MONEY APPROPRIATED
For use of schools the past year :-
Raised by taxation' .
$1,500 00
Received from State School Fund, .
205 73
Received from Ellis Fund,
165 00
Received from Pratt Fund,
100 00
Received from dog tax,
132 92
Received from an overpaid account of last year,
I SS
Total of appropriation, . $2,105 53
The expenditures for the past year have been as follows :-
Paid for teachers' wages,
$1,817 50
Wood, cutting, &c.,
SI 35
Cleaning, .
13 50
Janitor services,
31 05
Total expenses for the year,
$1,943 40
Balance, .
$162 13
For financial statistics relating to school supplies and school house repairs, reference may be had to the Selectmen's report.
GUSTAVUS ATWOOD, Chairman,
School
NEHEMIAH LINCOLN, Secretary. ELLIS H. CORNISH, M. D.,
Committee.
March 12, 1890.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
TERMS.
TEACHERS.
No. Weeks.
Wages per Week.
Visitors, including
Visits of Committee.
No. Pupils to Term.
Ave. Membership
Ave. Attendance per
No. between 8 and
No. under 5 Years.
No. over 15 Years.
Ave. Membership for
Ave. Attendance for
Year, Each Dist.
Ave. Membership
Ave. Attendance
per Year in Town.
No. Pupils Enrolled.
Cost per Scholar per
Ave. Membership.
NHWNHWNH
Elmer B. Perkins.
12
$8.00
IO
22
17.2
II.3
16
NHW
17.7
13.3
No. I, Gram.
66
II
8.00
9
19
17.I
13.0
I2
Carrie E. Soule. 66
II
7.00
32
22
18.6
14.5
II
19.I
15.0
No. 1, Prim.
66
12
7.00
18
22
17.6
13.7
13
9.9
No. 2.
Myra A. Shaw.
7
7.50
7.50
24
15
13.8
9.7
0
3
Vesta B. Shaw.
II
8.00
5
16
15.3
14.7
0
16.5
15.7
141.6
119.7
186
$13.72
No. 3.
2
66
00
8.00
18
18.0
16.5
I2
NHW
Charles L. Bates.
12
9.00
25
26
24.7
23.I
15
No. 4, Gram.
00
9.00
22
26
22.6
18.8
15
19
Nellie E. Gammons.
12
6.50
000
27
20.9
18.2
I 5
1
21.5
17.9
No. 4, Prim.
2
-
7
7.00
24
17.6
13.9
16
3
Leila B. Thomas.
12
7.00
15
13.5
II.3
1
Tirzah S. Morse.
6
7.00
14
12.9
IO.4
5
3
Sadie F. Atwood.
12
7.50
96
00
16.4
14.4
9
1
No. 8.
2
00
7.50
4
006
14.3
12.4
8
-
AAHWWW
13.7
11.5
No. 5.
2
II
7.00
NONW
16
14.4
12.2
6
VVGAWH
24.5
22.5
IO
9.00
6
27
25.8
24.6
15
1
13.0
10.4
16
13.9
12.5
9
-
I
II
8.00
17
16.4
16.I
0
I
7
7.00
7
24
21.I
16.8
13
1
Bernice E. Cornish.
12
7.50
NO
12
11.8
15.7
13
V
8.00
6
20
18.9
per Term.
Term.
14 Years.
8
5.6
13.4
IO
7.50
15.8
13.7
1
-
3
Lizzie M. Schouler.
=
7.00
29
24.3
20
13
N
1
6
Year, Each Dist.
for Year in Town.
SCHOOLS.
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7
II
al
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