USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1891/1892-1894/1895 > Part 10
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For apparatus and books of reference, $152 09
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Teachers,
$432 50
Care of rooms,
52 50
Fuel and lights,
35 11
Books and supplies,
13 32
Incidentals,
38 52
Rent,
25 00
$596 95
Total expenditures,
$17,084 44
Balance in hands of Treasurer, 711 69
Books and supplies on hand, not distributed,
692 75
APPROPRIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR
For High school teachers,
$2,300 00
Janitor and fuel,
600 00
$2,900 00
Common schools,
11,700 00
Contingent schools-
Books,
$600 00
Supplies,
600 00
Repairs,
800 00
Incidentals,
700 00
Expense of truants,
300 00
3,000 00
98
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Apparatus,
100 00
Evening schools.
600 00
$18,300 00
In behalf of the Committee, SILVANUS HAYWARD, Chairman.
Southbridge, Mass., March 14, 1893.
Superintendent's Report.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF SOUTHBRIDGE:
In compliance with your regulations, I respectfully submit my seventh annual report, the same being the eighth of the series of annual reports of the Superintendent, with the usual statistics and with facts relative to the administration of school affairs. In reporting from year to year upon the same system of schools, there is necessarily more or less of repetition.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS.
Population of the Town, State census, 1890,
7747
Valuation of the Town for 1892,
$3,391,156.81
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age,
1,701
Number enrolled in public schools during the year,
1,144
Number under 5 years of age,
15
Number over 15 years of age,
82
Number between 5 and 15,
1,062
Number between 8 and 14, 607
Average number belonging,
738.94
Average daily attendance,
686.00
Per cent. of attendance,
92.84
COST PER PUPIL.
Current expenses, including teaching, fuel and care of buildings, $13,751 22
Cost per pupil, based on total enrollment, 12 02
100
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Cost per pupil, based on average enrollment, 18 61
Total expenditures, less permanent repairs, 15,986 73
Cost per pupil, based on whole number, 13 97
Cost per pupil, based on average enrollment, 21 63
Through the courtesy of the instructors we are able to give the following statistics of the Parochial schools:
Number enrolled at the Notre Dame Parochial school, . 665
Average number belonging, 665
Average attendance, 630
Per cent. of attendance, 96.18
Total enrollment at St. Mary's Parochial school. 153
Average number belonging, 152
Average attendance, 137
Per cent of attendance,
90.13
101
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ATTENDANCE BY SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS.
Enrolled.
Whole Number
Belonging.
Average Number
dance.
Average Atten-
Per Cent. of Atten-
ness of each pupil.
Per Cent. of Tardi-
and days of School.
Number of weeks
High School
87
72.20
67.73
93.70
5.35
39-2
Higher Grammar-Main St.
46
36.00
33.90
94.18
.37
37-2
School St.
23
17.21
16.39
95.25
2.87
37-2
Lower Grammar-Main St.
52
43.66
41.42
94.80
3.00
37-2
School St.
37
27.93
27.19
97.35
2.09
37-2
Intermediate-Main St.
60
35.50
33.14
93.35
2.77
37-2
Union St.
43
30.99
30.01
96.94
1,46
37-2
River St. -
54
25.57
24.18
94.56
1 44
37-2
Library B'l'g
41
29.16
26.39
90.50
.80
29-3
Iligher Primary-Elm St.
72
40.53
38.16
94.15
1.91
37-2
School St.
52
33.47
31.02
92.68
3.71
37-2
Carpenter
53
28.26
26.14
92.50
1.51
37-2
Lower Primary-Elm St.
41
30.63
28,24
92.19
2.17
37-2
Main St.
51
38.08
34.33
90.31
2.61
37-1
Main St. -
58
29.38
27.25
92.80
3.40
37-2
School St.
94
55.14
50.91
92.33
1.48
37-2
River St. Carpenter
76
48.88
45.21
92.50
2.10
37-2
53
29.72
29.82
90.24
3.00
37-2
35
24.73
21.62
87.44
1.83
37-1
Ungraded-Bacon
14
9.51
8.32
87.00
1.79
37-2
Hooker
23
13.61
11.80
86.00
12 00
37-0
Dennison
13
9.50
7.93
84.13
.69
29-3
11.44 738.94 686.00
92.84
2.12
36-4
.
66
29.28
28.90
98.70
.67
37-2
Mixed Primary-Sumner
Ammidown
dance.
102
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The following pupils are reported as perfect in attendance, having been neither absent nor tardy during the year:
Ethel Letcher,
Corrinne Tetrault,
Mabel Murdock,
Marion Bickerstaffe,
Bertha Freeman,
Welcome Ide,
Stephen Ide,
Ernest Simmonds,
Annie Aldrich,
Charles Tumey,
Elmer Hall,
Clara Hall.
Perfect in attendance two terins:
Eva Connor,
Alice Clarke,
Ruth Chapin,
Gertrude Moore,
George Edwards,
Margaret Henry,
Ethel Seavey,
Florence Butterworth,
Fred Laplante,
George Taylor,
Albert R. Blanchard,
Edwin S. Freeman,
Milfred Girard.
Thirty seven others have been perfect in attendance one term.
Many others, no doubt, are equally deserving of commenda- tion, being always in their places unless detained by illness.
The attendance is two per cent. higher than that of the pre- vious year, yet it is lower than it ought to be. Under ordinary conditions five per cent. will cover necessary absense in all cases of detention at home from illness of pupils or in the family. An attendance lower than ninety five per cent. indicates neglect or indifference on the part of pupils or parents to the importance of regularity in attendance both for the good of the pupil and the school. Usually those who are absent most are those who can least afford to lose any part of the school work. Pupils are often allowed to be absent for trivial reasons. The same is true in regard to tardiness. The greater part of the cases of tardiness stand against the names of a few pupils. An important element of character is the habit of regularity and punctuality; and school discipline cannot fail to recognize this. It would be gratifying to report, another year, a general improvement in the attendance at all our schools.
103
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The annual enrollment in May of the school children of the town between the ages of 5 and 15 years, gives 1701 names, an increase of 61 over the previous year.
SANDERSDALE SCHOOL HOUSE.
At the last annual meeting, on call of the School Committee. the Town appropriated to build a new school house down at San- dersdale, to replace the one burned on February 28, the amount of the insurance to be received and $500 additional. In adjust- ing the insurance with the Company, the Selectmen were able to obtain only $2,000 of the $2,200 for which the old building was insured, making $2,500 available for the new bu lding.
The School Committee, in order to have the new building in readiness for the opening of the the Fall term, early appointed a special committee to procure plans and specifications. Plans were adopted and the last of April, the Committee, as soon as they were informed by the Selectmen that the insurance had been ad- justed, contracted with Mr. Aldrich for the building. It then became known to the Committee that the form of the vote, in making the appropriation for this as well as the appropriation for special repairs of school houses, left the whole matter, by the By Laws of the town, in the hands of the Selectmen. But after confering with the Committee, and examining the plans for the school house and for the proposed repairs, the Selectmen arranged with the Special Committee to prosecute the work as adopted by the School Committee.
We believe that we now have at Sandersdale one of the most commodious country school-houses, complete in all its appointments, to be found anywhere in the state. The school room 32x28x12 is well lighted, warmed and ventilated, amply provided with black-board surface, all of natural slate, and furn- ished with new desks of most approved pattern, and has seating capacity for 60 pupils. Adjoining the main room is a recitation
10.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
room 18x10, with slate-boards on two sides. The cloak 100ms and entrance halls are large and convenient. The toilet rooms are entered from the school-room, but separated by a well ventilated space. The main room is warmed by a large jacketed, ventilating stove. The stove is connected with outside air, the opening being 4 sq. ft., and at base of chimney is a ventilating register of like capacity. This arrangement entirely changes the air of the school room every 15 or 20 minutes. The inside finish of the building is of hard pine. Underneath the entire building is a well lighted basement with painted walls and cemented floor. The total cost of the building and furniture was $2,451.12 The work would have been incomplete without some improvement of the lot. The grounds were thoroughly graded and seeded, at a cost of $88.75, over-running the appropriation nearly $40.00.
SPECIAL REPAIRS.
With the appropriation for special repairs, the River Street Building was repaired and painted outside, and the two lower rooms, now used for day schools, kalsomined and painted, but nothing was done in the direction of improving the heating and ventilation.
At the Elm Street House the basement floor was cemented. This has proved an important sanitary improvement. Previous- ly, on cold winter mornings, the walls of the lower school room and cloak rooms, were covered with a coating of frost from the dampness of the basment. The past winter this did not occur once.
At the Carpenter building, more extended repairs and changes were made by putting in one of the most approved sys- tems of warming and ventilation, the introduction of water and an excellent system of water closets. The outside of the build- ing was re-painted and the inside renovated by kalsomine and paint.
105
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
At Union Street Building, the proposed repairs were not made and the amount designated for that purpose remains with the Treasurer.
Of the $1,250 appropriated for special repairs $1132.10 were expended, leaving a balance of $117.90.
In the line of Ordinary Repairs, during the year the Bacon school house has been put in excellent condition, the roof slated and the inside thoroughly renovated.
The one room used at Union street has been kalsomined and painted; and several rooms in the Main street and School street buildings were kalsomined, and some painting done.
Next year the School street building should be re-painted on the outside, also the woodwork of the Dennison house.
To continue the work suggested in last year's report, that of suitably warming and ventilating the school houses, of which a good beginning has been made by the work done at the Carpenter building, the Elm street house should next receive attention. This building will be required for permanent use, and the one room suitable for school, calls for better facilities for heating and ventilation and arrangements of water closets.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
The following is the summary of these schools for the ses- sion of this year:
Number of schools, 4
Number of teachers employed,
Number of different pupils enrolled, boys 168, girls 136, total, 304
Average number belonging, 251
Average attendance, 224.35
Percent of attendance, 89.36
Total cost of schools for the season, $596.95
Cost per pupil, based on average membership, $2.38
.
106
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The evening schools were in session fourteen weeks, each of the four divisions having from 37 to 40 evenings. The schools at Globe Village were united, and held their sessions in the un- occupied upper rooms of the River Street school-house, and, under the management of Mr. Ammidown, fully sustained the previous record for good order and efficient work. At the center, the schools were conducted, as last year, in the rooms of St. John Baptist Society, and under the charge of Mr. Knowles. The records show a marked improvement in regularity of attend- euce over that of previous years, notwithstanding the outside excitement and attractions incident to the presidential campaign. The whole number enrolled was somewhat less than last year, there being less of the disorderly element, who attend a few evenings for the sake of the novelty. The difference between the total enrollment and the average membership is largely due to the unusual number who entered late in the term, having come to town after the commencement of the schools.
Although there is strong objection to allowing teachers of the day schools to engage in evening school work, the difficulty of securing outside, those of experience in teaching and qualified for efficient service, has made it necessary to employ in these schools several from our regular corps of teachers. They have done this without any apparent abatement in the zeal and efficiency of their regular service, and greatly to the advantage of the evening schools, as appeared in the improvement in the results, and in the general good order of the pupils.
The law relating to the attendance in the evening schools, of illiterate minors makes 70 per cent, the minimum of attend- ence to permit of employment after the evening schools have closed. The evident intent of the statute makes the: employ- ment of an illiterate minor, at any time during the year, depend upon the regular attendance of such minor upon the evening schools, provided he has been a resident of the town for a year. We believe that the provisions of the law are faithfully carried out, the employers in the several manufactories promptly co- operating with this department in requiring attendance of this
107
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
class in the schools. In the few instances where pupils have fallen below the required standard in attendance, notification of employers and dismission from service have brought the de- linquents to a sense of their obligations and led to regular attendance.
A brief visit to the evening schools will convince anyone that a valuable work is there in progress. It is desirable, as soon as practicable, that instruction be given to the more advanced classes, in other elementary branches besides reading, language and penmanship. This would add interest and tend to hold longer in the schools many whose opportunities for learning have been very limited.
The following were present at every session:
Fred Caron,
Belinda Rivet,
Justice Garceau, Harry Langley,
Wilfred Bartheaume, Louise A. Derosier.
Mary Boulanger,
Present all but one session:
Arexana Dargeault,
Peter Peloquin,
Arthur Savarier, 2d,
Helen Lamoureaux,
Mary Dumas, 1st,
Marie Bilanger,
Henry Barry,
George Oakes,
Herculine Derosier.
Twenty eight others were present all but two sessions.
No doubt it seems somewhat strange to che public that of a school of over seventy pupils a class of only four should appear for diplomas at the graduating exercises of the High school this year, when usually from twenty to thirty each year enter the Freshman class. The class of '93 on entering the High school four years ago, numbered fourteen, not so large a class as has entered each year since. Of these, three moved from town; three left school for work; two remained out one year an l entered the class below; one went away to a special fitting school, and one
108
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE ..
gained a year graduating with the class of '92.
The Public Statutes specify what branches shall be taught in the public schools of the Commonwealth, and others are men- tioned as desirable and profitable, which may be taught whenever the School Committee deem it expedient. Besides those men- tioned in the Statutes, other subjects are now prominent in educational thought, and demanding a place in the school curric- ulum of today. Some of these, though not generally adopted, are not new, but have been thoroughly tested, and their educa- · tional value supported by opinions entitled to consideration. To what extent towns of this size can wisely follow the leadings of the larger places is an important question; but to continue in the line of progress, it is the part of wisdom to keep in touch with the best educational thought of the day even if the conditions make it inexpedient to keep pace in action.
MANUAL TRAINING.
The subject of manual training as a part of common school education is now most prominent in educational circles. It has a place in conventions of teachers, and is discussed in both the educational and other periodicals of the day. Its educational value is no longer a question, but how, and to what extent this comparatively new educational force can be incorporated with existing institutions giving the best results at reasonable cost, is a problem yet to be solved. In most places where Manual Train- ing has been systematically introduced and so conducted as to secure the most valuable results, the plant has been secured through the liberality of one or more public spirited citizens, and not at public expense. "Manual Training in the schools means the introduction of a system of hand-training by means of regu- lar lessons in the use of tools. Rooms with suitable fixtures are provided, and the pupils of the higher grades, generally of the grammar divisions, take their lessons in the work shop by turns,
109
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
thus alternating hand work and brain work. The object is not to teach the trades : that is the work of those special schools which teach a particular industry with a view to preparing individuals to earn a living thereby. It need not be feared that this will lower the intellectual standard of the schools, which is none too high. Manual Training in itself is a valuable means of mental discipline. The mind is disciplined quite as successfully through the hand in the construction of an object as though the brain in thinking of the same object. A lesson in the use of tools, requiring the exercise of deliberation and judgment, is a means of mental discipline differing in kind, but may be made quite as valuable as the cultivation of the memory through the study of history."
Reports from those schools where the Manual element has been given a fair trial, the work shop for the boys, sewing and cooking for the girls, claim for it: that it raises rather than lowers the standard of general scholarship; that it is a valuable aid to a practical education, giving skill to hand, eye and brain that cannot fail of being of lasting benefit to all classes alike whatever avocation they may follow; that the work is attractive to boys from 14 to 18 and employs to useful purpose time that might otherwise be wasted, and has a tendency to hold them in school longer than they would otherwise remain, thus helping them through that critical period of boy-life which is too often spent with no definite purpose; that the exercise is healthful; that it is valuable as a disciplinary as well as educational feature, and corrects false conceptions of, and cultivates respect for Manual labor.
In some of its simplest forms, Manual Training has been rec- ognized in our school work for many years. Under the guise of busy work in the primary grades, we have many of the kinder- garten occupations, as paper folding and cutting, paper weaving, sewing on pricked cards, and stick-laying. Under the study of form in Industrial Drawing, we have the moulding in clay into a variety of objects, the manufacture of paper designs and models in wood, etc. In the higher grades, the science studies on the inductive method, stimulate pupils to making their own appa-
110
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ratus: all of which tends to lead to habits of close observation, accuracy in measurement, training the judgment and giving self- reliance. To aid in this, as well as in the number work, during the year, sets of weights and measures have been placed in each building.
Ours is a town of an unusual variety of industries attracting many of our pupils at an early age from the schools to wage-earn- ing pursuits. In all deliberations for the best interests of the schools as we find them, this element of the conditions must always enter.
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
Physical exercises in some form are given in all classes be- low the High school. The importance of physical training no one questions. To be effective the instruction should be system- atic, based upon hygienic laws, the exercises progressive and adapted to the several grades. The Ling or Swedish system of gymnastics has attracted much attention in recent years, and has been extensively introduced in cities and towns and in all the Normal schools. A number of our teachers are now using these exercises. I would suggest for consideration with the view of securing uniformity in the physical exercises in the schools, that measures be taken for a course of instruction to our teachers that all may become familiar with this inethod. This may be under taken in connection with other neighboring towns and a tem- porary teacher employed.
KINDERGARTENS.
The public schools of many cities and towns throughout the country have for many years embraced Kindergarten schools in their regular systems. These schools appear to be growing in
111
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
favor. In many places where they have been organized and maintained for a time by private enterprise and benevolence, and their educational value demonstrated, they are being adopted and incorporated in the regular work of the public schools.
From reports on this topic we make a few extracts.
Fræbel gives as their purpose-"To take the oversight of children before they are ready for school life, to exert an in- fluence over their whole being in correspondence with its nature: to strengthen their bodily powers; to exercise their senses; to employ the awakening mind; to guide their heart and soul in the right direction; and to lead them to the origin of all life and to union with Him." Another says, "The games of the Kindergar- ten have a motive beyond mere amusement or entertainment of the children. They have a distinct moral and mental purpose. They simply take the child's innate love of play, and through that love, build for its future education. The awakening mind must be employed, and, left to its own means, it generally does not select methods and matter the most educative."
From the report in 1887 of the School Board of Boston, we find, "The benefits of Kindergarten training to the child are self evident. His heart is the first object, and all its waiting affec- tions are stirred towards his teacher and his companions. He is taught to be considerate and generous; to respect those about him; to acquire or mature habits of politeness, cleanliness, and general good behavior, and all the while that he is learning these most important lessons, he is also learning to use his eyes, his hands, and his mind; to know forms and colors, numbers and relations; to exercise his constructive powers, and thus to be get- ting ready for the work of older schools. If this really fits a pupil for a primary school, and fits him in such wise that he can do better in a primary school than one who has not received the same preparation, then its incorporation into our system would seem to be a measure against which objections would batter in vain. There are not very many homes even among the most favored, that cau teach their children as the true Kindergarten does, while hundreds and even thousands of homes in a city like
112
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ours are incapable of making any real approach to similar in- fluences over their younger members." Also from the report of 1892, after these schools have been in charge of the city for three or four years, "Boston takes a justifiable pride in her admirable system of Kindergarten schools. Every year only gives added proof of their inestimable value. It is the alphabet of our whole Manual Training system, educating the head, the heart and the hand. It quickens the perceptive powers of the little ones, teaching them to observe, to think and to act. But there is a great moral uplift as well, and just at the time when the child is most susceptible to every good impression. Out of the homes of poverty and wretchedness and sin, in hundreds of cases, these little ones are taken, to be given their first lesson in neatness and cleanliness and order. Firmly but lovingly they are taught the best things, and fitted by and by to carry back to the home something of the sweetness and the sunshine they have learned from faithful teachers."
To establish, fully equip and maintain a system of real Kin dergarten schools in town would involve a considerable additional expense to the school department. . To be successful, the Kindergarten must be thoroughly fur- nished and supplied with teachers who are trained specialists in this department.
NATURE STUDY.
Elementary science, or Nature study, as now commonly called, in the lower grades has for some years received no little attention, and is gradually making for itself a distinct place in courses of study and on the daily programme of school work. Beginning with the first year of school life, a definite place is given to ob- servation and study of the simplest and most attractive objects in the environment of the children including animal and plant life, minerals, the human body, form, color, and other qualities of ob- jects, and the various phenomena of nature. To secure definite
113
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
and permanent results, it is desirable for teachers to have some methodical scheme of study, progressive in its arrangement and suited to the capacity of the several grades.
In this direction some valuable work has been done in our schools; in several classes the lessons have been systematic and progressive. To aid in this, many of the books used for supple- mentary reading are in the line of nature studies, covering a vari- ety of topics. These nature lessons are extensively used for thought material in language and for composition exercises, thus giving a twofold advantage educationally.
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