USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1858-1899 > Part 46
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The West and Albeeville schools are both small, and if one of these schools-perhaps the West-should be closed, and the scholars transported to the other school, it would be a decided advantage to the scholars of both schools, better for the teacher,
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and the town could save about half the expense that would be required to keep the closed school in session.
A full report cannot be given, as the High school is still in session. It would be much more satisfactory if the terms of school were so arranged as to have all the schools closed before the printing of the report. There should be some system arranged and a basis established, which is very much needed, whereby the pupils in the lower and mixed schools could be advanced to, and prepared for entering the Grammar school, and a corresponding arrangement for the pupils of the Grammar school to enter the High school.
A very unpleasant, deplorable, and very much to be regretted state of affairs has occurred in some of our schools during the past year. I refer to the matter of parents taking sides against the teacher in behalf of the child, interfering with the discipline of the school, eensuring the teacher, and setting themselves in array against the proper restraint and the wholesome discipline of the school, tacitly upholding the child in disobedience an t his wilfulness, and encouraging him to place himself at variance with the teacher's authority, thereby demeaning themselves and injuring the teacher's influence and wholesome restraint in the school. We are often brought face to face with the stern and somewhat sad but irresistible fact that the fault of the parent is thrown upon the teacher's shoulders; i. e., the proper training and discipline which the child should have received from the hands of the parent, but which the parent has winked at and neg- lected, teaching him to be kind, polite, and obedient to parental authority would teach him to exhibit the same traits of character when brought in contact with the teacher's authority, and hence would not compel the teacher to perform double duty by having to assume the parent's as well as her own duty; nay, worse, for she too often is not only compelled to do what has been neglect- ed to be done at home, but also to reform him, and in order to do this it is expected of her that she will administer a sufficient amount of wholesome correction to accomplish this, in con- sequence of which she is severely censured, criticised, and perhaps persecuted, to which, if she succumbs only in part, her influence and authority in that school is liable to be destroyed. One or two cases have occurred which are a shame and a disgrace to the parties, and which should be promptly dealt with.
There is great need of better accommodations for our High school. Either the room where the school is held should be thoroughly repaired and made into a schoolroom with suitable seats and desks for the pupils, and abandoned for use as a hall, or, what would be far better, to purchase or build a building more suitable and more in keeping with the requirements and demands of the character of such a school. The pupils of this school are compelled to do what is not required of the pupils of any other school in town, and what should not be required of any class of pupils whatever, and more especially of the class of pupils who
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attend this school; i. e., to go to a large, commodious hall where there is no suitable arrangement for them, and with scarcely any accommodations furnished them, other than that of a room to meet in. The lower part of this building is very much in need of repairs. The Grammar school was closed for several days during the winter term because the room was unsuitable for use. A suitable provision should be made in regard to the out-build- ings, to put them and to keep them in good condition, suitable for the visitation of both sexes separately. A separation and division should be made by building a high, suitable fence between the boys' and girls' departments, for their protection in passing to and fro. The basement of the building is in a bad, unsuitable and unhealthy condition, and needs prompt attention. It should be cleansed, disinfected, and cemented or concreted, and prevented from being made a nuisance of, as has been done heretofore.
TEACHERS.
Ten different teachers, two male and eight female teachers, have been employed in the schools during the year. One teacher has taught in the town continuously the past six years, one for the past three years, and one for about a year and a half. Two of these have previously taught in the town, one for two years and one two years and a half, making five and three and a half years in the town, respectively. Six of the number are residents of the town; four were inexperienced teachers, the others having had two or more years' experience. Of the others, one was from Mil- ford, two from Blackstone, and one from Millville. In six of the schools the teacher has taught throughout the year, in the other two changes were necessary or desirable, so that one school has had three different teachers during the year, and two the same term, which has been very detrimental to that school. The teachers have generally manifested a good degree of interest, and many of them a love for the work. Some of them have worked hard and faithfully and have seen a good result from their efforts. They have been enabled to instil into their pupils a desire to work for the love of work, and not for the love of reward, the latter, which to say the least, is not a good stimulus and a poor incentive for work, and in many cases the pupils under their charge have been enthused with a more earnest and a much more careful habit of study, and have worked hard under the earnest and love-inspiring efforts of an earnest and faithful teacher. While in some of our schools the discipline has not been all that we might wish, in others we have been gratified to see that out of chaos has come order, out of a lack of restraint has come a good restraining influence, and in some cases this dis- cipline has been almost unconsciously brought about, and the pupils have been taught to almost govern themselves, which is the most wholesome discipline of any.
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We notice that some of our teachers are realizing the impor- tance of the best and most practical method of work by adopting a course which enables them almost entirely to lay aside the text- book in their actual teaching, to rely upon it only as a sort of reference book or prompter, not to be hampered in their recita- tion work by its use. Most of our teachers have attended or are gradnates of some High school; only two, I think, have ever attended Normal school, so that we can hardly expect Normal ideas, when our teachers have not had the advantage of such a course of training. But we would whisper a word in the ear of our would-be teachers, graduates of the High school and others, to avail yourselves, if possible, of the advantages of a Normal course and training ere you begin a teacher's life.
PUPILS.
One hundred and eighty pupils have attended school the past year; twenty-five were over fifteen years, and four under five years of age. The attendance in some of the schools has been very good, it being over 90 per cent in three schools and over 80 per cent in two others. In some it has been rather small. The average attendance of all the schools, excepting the High school, for the year, has been 84 per cent. There are two hundred and seven tardy marks, aside from the High school; fifty-two of these are in one school, forty-two in another, one boy having thirty- three against his name. One school had none for one term, and one sch ol had only one tardy mark for the year. In many cases it is not because of distance, for those who live the nearest have the most marks very often; but this is a matter which requires attention at the hands of the parents There is another evil which should be remedied as far as possible; i. e., the irregularity of attendance of so many of our pupils after entering the schools, which is not caused by sickness, and the lack of promptness of many to enter the school when the term begins, waiting until the middle of the first week or until the second, third or fourth week of school, and, again, of leaving a week or two before school closes. It is hoped that the simple fact of calling the attention of the parents to these points may be sufficient to prevent the continuance of the same.
VISITS.
There is a great lack of visiting in the schools. While in some schools many visits have been made, they have been made almost exclusively either by non-residents of the town, by teach- ers and school officers, or by young people of the town. But a very few parents have visited the schools during the year, but of the whole number of visits, some 425, only 85 have, I think, been made by parents, only 40 of the parents have visited at all; a few have visited several times. There is a great mistake made here,
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by parents who do not visit the schools, both in regard to the children and teacher. For when parents visit the schools it shows not only an interest in their children, but it pleases and encourages them, while it also encourages the teachers in their work; and are you aware of this fact, parents, that it will prevent a great deal of misunderstanding beween teacher and parent ? Hence, by your presence occasionally in the schoolroom, you will perform a double duty, at least ; you will help and encour- age your children, and stimulate and assist the teacher, in her somewhat difficult task, to do better work. And is it not cer- tainly an all-important and befitting duty for parents to become well acquainted with, and to know those to whom they entrust the care and the training, and not only the present, but the future welfare of their children? Let me, then, impress upon you, parents, the duty of visiting the schools, in such a manner as to arouse you to a sense of that duty, and enable you to refrain no longer from the performance of it. Do not consider it an un- pleasant and burdensome task, or one which it is impossible for you to perform on account of the manifold duties which are ever pressing upon you, but rather consider it an obligatory duty, and place it in that class of duties which should and must be per- formed; a cheerful duty, one which you owe both to child and teacher, and by the performance of such duty. manifesting an all- absorbing interest in the welfare, education and training of your children, and your sympathy and co-operation with the teacher, in her great and noble work.
HIGH SCHOOL. MR. HILL WILLIAMS, TEACHER.
We are able to give only a partial report of this school, as it does not close until the last of March, and it being the middle of the term, at the time of making this report. There was a great lack of discipline in the school at the beginning of the year, and far from being in a healthy condition. The course of study which was arranged last year was not followed thoroughly, and not be- ing arranged in the best manner to accomplish the most desirable work, the attempt to follow it has been very difficult and unsat- isfactory in many respects. A change in the course is much needed, and it is hoped that a change will be made, such as will best meet the demands of the school, and then follow such course. Mr. Williams came to this school without experience, but he has proved himself well qualified, and not only able to cope with, but to overcome, many of the difficulties with which he has had to contend. The character of the school, under his instructions, has steadily improved in regard to discipline, habits of study and recitation work. The discipline of the school has been quietly but persistently enforced, yet with but comparatively little effort. He has labored to have the pupils develop their reasoning facul-
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ties and thinking powers in such a way as would lead them into a habit of more careful and systematic thought, and thus enable them, not only to have clear ideas, but to express them distinctly and with a greater degree of vivacity, and there has been a marked improvement in that direction. Reading has received marked attention, and there has been notable improvement in re- gard to clearness of ntterance and forcibleness of expression. The pupils have generally manifested an interest in their work, and have been in sympathy with the teacher. There has been much irregularity of attendance, and it would seem much more than necessity wonld warrant. There is a fault somewhere, in regard to this matter, which should be corrected and obviated as far as possible.
We have been very much surprised to learn that this school has existed for nearly twenty years, and that no graduation exer- cises have ever been held since its formation. We have been strongly impressed with the importance and necessity of such ex- ercises, and have felt regret that such has been the fact, as we have witnessed the perplexity of those who have been members of the school, when asked if they were graduates of some high school, and would get the answer that they did not know wheth- er they were gradnates or not, but they had attended the Men- don High school for four or six years. An effort will be made to graduate the first class at the close of the school year. The class will be small, and it being the first attempt in the existence of the school, and something new, we may not be able to make so good a showing as we would like, but we bespeak the interest, the attendance and the co-operation of the parents and friends of the school to aid us in our efforts, and enable us to make it a pleasant, profitable and creditable affair. Mr. Williams was edu- cated in Mendon High school, and the Chicago University.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL. MR. JAMES NICHOLS, TEACHER.
This school has been taught throughout the year by Mr. Nichols of Millville. Mr. Nichols was an experienced teacher, and came to this school at the beginning of the year, well recom- mended, and has proved himself an earnest, faithful and efficient teacher. This school needed a good disciplinarian, and it was fortunate in finding one. We have in this school another exam- ple of where the discipline has almost unconsciously crept in among the pupils, and where good order has been maintained in a firm but quiet manner. The teacher has had much hard work to perform in this school, but he has been enabled to do a good work, and he has gradually won, not only the obedience and respect of his pupils, but their hearty co-operation and esteem. The pupils merit much commendation for the work they have accomplished ·hiring the year. There has been great irregularity of attend- ance, which detracts much from the school, it being a great detri-
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ment to the pupils, an injury to the school and taxes the teacher unnecessarily, as well as being a great annoyance. It is hoped some way may be devised to overcome this great evil. Most of the tardy marks stand against a few scholars. Mr. Nichols is a graduate of the Blackstone High school.
EAST SCHOOL. SPRING TERM .- MISS JENNIE L. GOODRICH, TEACHER.
Miss Goodrich came to this school, having had quite an expe- rience as teacher, having taught in Milford, Deerbrook and Sher- born ; and is a graduate of the Milford High school. Miss Good- rich has a very pleasant manner in the school-room, winning the affection of her pupils and assisting her much in discipline. She was well qualified to teach, quite a good disciplinarian, and with, perhaps, a little more confidence in her own ability, would meet with better success as a teacher. The school did well under her instruction, but not being in very good health, prevented her from working as energetically as she otherwise would have done.
FALL AND WINTER TERMS .- MISS M. ELSIE HILL, TEACHER.
Miss Goodrich's ill-health compelled her to resign this school, and thus made a change necessary in the fall. Miss M. Elsie Hill, who had had an experience of one term in the West school, was transferred to this school to succeed Miss Goodrich. Miss Hill, being desirous of doing a good work in this school, has la- bored carefully, earnestly and conscientiously and has met with quite a good degree of success. The order has been good and she has won the good will of her pupils. Miss Hill having been sick the last of the term, has broken into the school somewhat. Miss Hill was educated in town.
SOUTH SCHOOL.
MRS. MARY A. BARROWS, TEACHER.
This school has been taught throughout the year by Mrs. Mary A. Barrows, as it has been for the last three years. She has had an experience of five years or more, having previously taught this school for two years, and having taught in town some five years. This school is small, under good discipline and in good condition generally. This teacher has attended Normal school. It is unfortunate that the town did not own this spot, and thus have prevented the felling of the stately pines, which afford- ed such fine shelter and play-ground in the summer season, and a nice protection from the chilly blasts of winter. This school has had good practical work in letter-writing. This school has only one tardy mark.
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ALBEEVILLE. MISS ANNIE W. GASKILL, TEACHER.
Miss Gaskill has taught this school during the year. She has previously taught in the West school two and a half years, and one year and a half in Rhode Island, hence coming to this school with four years' experience. Miss Gaskill has met with good suc- cess in teaching. She is a very good disciplinarian, has a natural aptitude for teaching, much originality in her ideas and system of teaching, and although she has not had a Normal training, she embodies many Normal ideas in her methods of teaching. A very unfortunate affair has occurred in connection with this school, near the close of the winter terin, caused by the teacher's admin- istering corporal punishment to a refractory boy, caused, in part , by the encouragement of the parent to resist the teacher's author- ity and which has resulted in the interference of the parent with the teacher's authority, by taking sides against the teacher, by en- tering the school-room, committing a breach of the peace, at- tempting to break up the school, in defiance of the principles of law and order, and by making the matter a scandalous affair by persecuting and prosecuting the teacher, in spite of all efforts at reconciliation, calm reasoning and wise counsel. This is a matter of deep interest, of great and vital importance, not to this school alone, nor to this teacher alone, but to all the schools and to all the teachers in town, and not to this town alone, but to the ad- joining towns as well, aad to all the teachers and schools in those towns. Miss Gaskill has the fullest sympathy, not only of the community where she has taught, but of the community in gen- eral, in her trial.
WEST SCHOOL.
SPRING TERM .- MISS M. ELSIE HILL, TEACHER.
This school was Miss Hill's first experience in teaching. This is a very small and somewhat backward school. Miss Hill was anxious to do well and willing and ready to work. The school made a fair amount of progress under her instruction. She suc- ceeded a teacher, with whom, as far as could be ascertained, neither scholars nor parents found any fault. It is often, at least, difficult, for a young and inexperienced teacher to follow such an one and be fully appreciated. Her discipline was quite good but she was crippled in her influence by a lack of co-operation on the part of some parents, and by an interference with her discipline, similar in spirit, only carried to a limited extent, to that which is too often exhibited, and which injures the reputation of a school and kills the influence for good of a teacher. In consequence of this feeling which crept into the school, but which was wholly un- called for, it was deemed advisable to make a change in teachers, for the best good of the school.
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FALL TERM .- MISS EVA A. RICH, TEACHER.
Miss Rich came from Blackstone, a graduate of the Black- stone High school last June, and had had no experience in teaching. She was interested in her school and worked to secure good re- sults. Had her pupils been led to be more self-dependent, and to rely less on the teacher (a fault which is quite common with young teachers), her labors would have been less burdensome, and better results have been accomplished. Her discipline was quite good, and the parents seemed to co-operate better with her than with the previous teacher.
WINTER TERM .- MISS EVA A. RICH AND MISS H. JOSIE DAVIS, TEACHERS.
Miss Rich was engaged for the winter term, but after having taught four weeks she very unwisely and unceremoniously re- signed to take the place of a teacher in East Blackstone where she received more wages. By her resignation the school was very much injured. It was a great mistake, her leaving the school in such a manner, when there was no real necessity for the same. The school was closed for one week, when Miss H. Josie Davis, also a graduate of the Blackstone High school and a mem- ber of the same class with Miss Rich, was engaged to take the school. It is but justice to Miss Davis to say but little in regard to her school, as she has taught only six weeks and only finishing a term of a few weeks, not much could be expected of her, and it would be only injustice to her to consider her efforts, under such circumstances, as a fair sample of her ability as a teacher. She has worked well, taught the pupils to be more self-reliant and bids fair to make a good teacher. This school is very small and there would be a decided advantage gained by closing it and transport- ing the pupils to Albeeville school.
NORTH SCHOOL. MISS MARY L. ALDRICH, TEACHER.
Miss Aldrich has taught this school for four terms with very good success. She has attended the Rhode Island Normal school since leaving the Mendon High school, which she attended four years. Good order is maintained, the pupils are studious, and the school is in a good condition generally. There is considera- ble irregularity of attendance on the part of a few, which is a great drawback to the school and an evil which should be reme- died. This is next to the largest school in town. Miss Aldrich has taught in Blackstone and Sutton with good success.
PRIMARY SCHOOL. MISS MARY E. DUDLEY, TEACHER.
This is the largest school in town, having over forty scholars. Miss Dudley has taught this school the past year, with her usual success in teaching. This school has been taught by her for six
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years with a marked degree of success. Her pleasant and genial manner in the schoolroom is well calculated to attract the little ones toward her and is very befitting in such a position. The school is over-crowded and her work is very arduous and trying, and in consequence of this she is unable to accomplish the work which needs to be done. But a good and thorough work has been accomplished by the faithful and earnest efforts of the teach- er, notwithstanding the difficulties. The pupils are bright, active and eager to learn, which is very gratifying to an anxious teacher. The same degree of discipline is not to be expected, and perhaps is not desirable, in this school, as in the higher grades, yet a good degree of discipline should be maintained, except in a few minor points. Perhaps the discipline has been relaxed a little too much the last term, by the teacher's being mislead, by misunderstanding the intent of the suggestions of the Superintendent. If so, the blame falls not upon the teacher. Quite a large class will enter the Grammar school next year, which will relieve the school and lessen the teacher's work, unless there are a large number to en- ter. The character and training of this class has been such as to make it a very desirable addition to the Grammar school, and a great loss to the Primary. A great amount of thorough, practical work has been done in this school. The older pupils have worked with a great deal of zest and energy, and they have ac- quired a habit of thinking in connection with their work, which some older pupils might do well to copy from them.
ROLL OF HONOR.
Names of pupils neither absent nor tardy.
GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
SPRING TERM .- Florence E. Snow.
FALL TERM .- Florence E. Snow, Ethel Williams, Emily S. Moores, Mary F. Staples, Freeman C. Lowell, Arthur V. Pond, Morton A. Holbrook.
WINTER TERM-Florence E. Snow, Arthur V. Pond.
Two TERMS .- Arthur V. Pond.
ONE YEAR .- Florence E. Snow
EAST SCHOOL.
SPRING TERM .- John D. Bates, Willie A. Rockwood, George A. Rockwood.
FALL TERM .- Arthur B. Sprague, John D. Bates, Willie A. Rockwood, Waldo A. Rockwood, George A. Rockwood.
WINTER TERM .- Arthur V. Sprague, Willie A. Rockwood, George A. Rockwood, Waldo A. Rockwood.
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Two TERMS .- John D. Bates, Arthur V. Sprague, Waldo A. Rockwood.
Two YEARS .- Willie A. Rockwood, George A. Rockwood.
SOUTH SCHOOL.
SPRING TERM .- Jessie E. Cook, Grace G. Cook, Lula E. Pickering, Ida M. Barrows, John Daniels, Willie Martin, Leon D. Moore, Harry J. Martin, Bennie I. Barrows.
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