USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1901-1904 > Part 12
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ACCOUNTS.
A ppropri- ations and receipts.
Expendi- tures.
Unex- pended .
Over- drawn.
Appropria- tions recom- mended.
Abatement of taxes,
$800 00
$933 41
$133 41
$500 00
Bridges,
750 00
958 35
208 35
1.000 00
Camp Ponce Appropriation
50 00
50 00
Canal street Walk,
650 00
760 38
110 38
17,900 00
Cemetery fund,
12,531 75
1.796 39
Common schools,
17,195 22
17,008 31
186 91
1 87
4,000 00
Contingent schools,
3,641 44
4,253 58
612 14
4,000 00
Chapin street walk,
150 00
171 39
21 39
District court fees. -
1,268 65
621 65
647 00
170 03
Electrician,
150 00
150 00
.
.
Enforcement liquor law,
571 34
Engine mell,
3,620 00
3,595 00
25 00
Evening schools,
669 64
650 54
19 10
600 00
Fire department,
2,327 87
2,169 68
158 19
2,000 00
Foster street sidewalk, -
470 18
470 18
Goddard Cour',
2 35
2 35
Gravel walk Eastford road,
300 00
251 85
48 15
Grave walk South street,
150 00
150 00
Gravel walk West street,
300 00
300 00
High school,
4,987 67
4,422 50
565 17
3,500 00
Highways,
7,258 02
7,184 49
73 53
7,000 00
Highway between Foster & Central street,
204 00
200 00
4 00
Hook street walk,
80
80
Insurance, -
1,368 88
933 79
435 09
1,000 00
Interest,
6,047 20
6,219 63
·
172 43
6,800 00
Land damage relocating
Main street,
50 00
50 00
Main street walk,
2,995 68
3,066 24
Mechanics street special,
642 54
15,427 60
572 40
Memorial day,
100 00
100 00
Military aid,
371 00
120 00
251 00
16 31
300 00
Mynott fund,
1,053 58
53 45
1,000 13
Outside poor,
8.633 25
7,992 88
640 37
Pine street ledge,
408 42
50 83
357 59
Police department,
4,500 00
4,320 00
180 00
Police duty,
26 65
26 65
Police station.
700 00
785 70
85 70
1,500 00
Public library,
2,793 13
2,779 99
13 14
D. F 2,000 00
Proposed culvert Chestnut St
2,100 00
2,100 00
27 05
400 00
Repairs farm buildings,
597 66
115 25
482 41
100 00
Repairing Brickville road.
49 45
46 00
3 45
Relocating Charlton street.
470 22
441 78
28 44
1,000 00
Salaries,
4.875 00
5,073 10
198 10
4,800 00
School apparatus,
272 78
263 66
9 12
250 00
Sewer contingent,
673 58
871 49
Sidewalk repairs,
869 01
1,530 51
661 50
1,500 00
Sewer Lens street,
10 30
State aid,
1,810 31
1,120 00
690 31
State highways,
3,824 40
3.820 45
3 95
Street lights,
7,670 43
7,354 95
315 48
7,000 00
Support poor,
2 653 61
2,368 41
285 20
2,000 00
Town hall contingent.
2,562 50
2,013 22
549 28
1,500 00
Town pound,
50 00
50 00
588 70
1,300 00
Water supply,
2,750 00
2,711 46
38 54
2,750 00
Widening Main street,
994 00
836 12
157 88
Unappropriated funds,
Outstanding obligations re- ported by town treasurer as in 1903.
17,158 00
Totals,
$174,149 45| $141,769 76|$37,581 88 $3,144 90
$105,858 00
.
Cemetery Improvement,
1,777 89
Contingent account.
11,570 62
11,572 49
Eastford road bridge,
415 00
244 97
12,531 75
18 50
.
.
.
70 56
100 00
Militia.
750 73
767 04
Preserving town record ‹,
80 57
90 87
10 30
Printing,
1,651 68
1,580 02
71 66
Railing highways -
360 35
387 40
.
Sinking fund,
9,804 67
9,804 67
Sewers,
10.403 78
8,572 31
1,831 47
197 91
War relief,
1,371 95
1,960 65
·
.
.
2,067 59
.
Mechanics St. school house.
16,000 00
642 54
200 00
8,000 00
4,500 00
571 34
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1903-4.
J. ANATOLE CARON. GEORGE GRANT, H. B. MONTAGUE, -
Term Expires 1903
Term Expires 1903
Term Expires 1904 SILVANUS HAYWARD, Term Expires 1904 JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Term Expires 1905
SOLOMON E. BLANCHARD,
Term Expires 1905
OFFICERS OF SCHOOL BOARD.
HENRY B. MONTAGUE, Chairman. JOHN A. WHITTAKER, Secretary. Regular monthly meeting first Tuesday evening at & o'clock. F. E. CORBIN Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the Board. Office. Town Hall. Office Hours : Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4 to 5 p. m .; 7 to 7.30. Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
The School Committee herewith submit the follow- ing report of the finances of the School Department of the town for the year closing Feb. 28, 1903, together with their recommendation of appropriations for the coming year. As to all matters connected with the policy and management of the Schools the Committee refer to the Report of the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. F. E. Corbin, which is hereby submitted as a part of our report.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
HIGH SCHOOL.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year, Appropriation, Tuition from other towns,
$629 33
4,075 00
283 34
$4,987 67
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of teachers,
$3,847 50
Janitor and fuel,
575 00
$4,422 50
Balance March 1, 1903,
$565 17
152
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year,
$280 22
Appropriation, 16,900 00
Tuition from other towns,
15 06
$17,195 22
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of superintendent and
teachers,
$13,942 90
Care of buildings,
1,640 66
Fuel,
1,296 50
Tuition,
39 00
Transportation,
89 25
$17,008 31
Balance March 1, 1903,
$186 91
153
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EVENING SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year,
$69 64
Appropriation,
600 00
$669 64
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers,
$444 50
Care of rooms,
68 00
Fuel and lights,
41 34
Rent,
35 00
Incidentals,
35 45.
Books and supplies,
26 25
$650 54
Balance March 1, 1903, $19 10
CONTINGENT SCHOOLS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year, $152 67
154
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Appropriation,
3,400 00
Books, supplies, etc., sold,
88 77
$3,641 44
EXPENDITURES.
For books,
$742 11
For supplies,
953 69
For repairs,
1,029 95
For incidentals,
1,527 83
$4,253 58
Overdrawn March 1, 1903, $612 14
APPARATUS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance from last year, $22 78
Appropriation,
250 00
$272 78
155
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EXPENDITURES.
For apparatus, chemicals and books of reference, $263 66
Balance March 1, 1903, $9 12
APPROPRIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
High School- Teachers, Janitor and fuel,
$2,900 00
575 00
$3,475 00
Common Schools-
Teachers and Superintendent,
$14,500 00
Janitors,
1,700 00
Fuel,
1,500 00
Tuitions,
75 00
Transportation,
100 00
$17,875 00
Evening Schools,
$600 00
Contingent Schools- Books, Supplies, 900 00
$800 00
156
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Repairs, 700 00
Incidentals, 1,000 00
For furnishing Mechanic street building, 600 00
$4,000 00
250 00
Apparatus,
Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Committee,
HENRY B. MONTAGUE, Chairman.
Southbridge, March 4, 1903.
Superintendent's Report.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
Gentlemen : In submitting to you this report, I take pleasure in acknowledging the uniform kindness and courtesy which the members of the board have shown me. In entering upon my duties last September I had the advantage of a long acquaintance both with the members of the Committee and the environment of your schools; a personal acquaintance with all of the teachers and the fact that several of them have attended the High School during my principalship has also, I think, conduced to the pleasant relations that have existed between us throughout the year,
Statistics.
POPULATION AND VALUATION.
Population of town, U. S. Census, 1900, 10,025 Assessed valuation of the town, 1902, $4,367,361
158
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Number of polls, 1,977
Rate of taxation, $22
Valuation of School houses and lots,
$128,900
Valuation of other School property,
$6811
Number of children between 5 and 15 years of age Sept. 1901, 2098
Number between 5 and 15, Sept. 1902,
2154
ATTENDANCE.
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING WITH JUNE, 1902.
Number enrolled in the public schools
during the year, 1249
Number under 5 years of age, .. 33
Number over 15 years of age 91
Number between 5 and 15, 1192
Number between 7 and 14,. 808
Average number belonging 952.35
Average daily attendance, . 932.82
Per cent. of attendance, . 92.37
Number of elected teachers employed
March 1st, 1903, . .. 38
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. .840
159
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Average number belonging. 783 Average attendance 662
Per cent. of attendance. 84.54
Number enrolled at St. Mary's Paro- chial school, . 165
Average number belonging 156
Average attendance 143
Per cent. of attendance 91.66
COST PER PUPIL.
Current expenses, including teaching,
fuel and care of buildings, .. 21,202 56 Cost per pupil, based on total enrolment. 16 98 Cost per pupil, based on average enrolment 22 26 Total expenditures, less permanent repairs. .. 23,598 36 Cost per pupil, based on whole number. 18 92
Cost per pupil, based on average enrolment .24 67 Cost per pupil in High school. 53 28
CORPS OF TEACHERS, MARCH 1, 1903.
NAME.
Salary.
election. | Date of first
Grade.
Educated.
F. E. Corbin F. E. Corbin.
$900 1902
Supt.
Williams college.
Thomas DeCoudres
1,100 1886 Prin. H. S. 800 1902 Assistant.
Laura Williams
650 1899
..
Edith M. Cook.
650 1902
66
Mabel Barnum.
500 1902
..
Ada J. Murdock
400 1900
Grammar.
Laura E. Shepardson .. Alice Holmes.
570 1897 IX.
570 1878 VII.
Per
month
Isabel P. Taylor.
46 1890 VIII.
Mary E. Meagher.
44 1887 VI.
Margaret Dougherty
40 1897 VI.
Louisa Twombly.
44,1892 VII.
Eva Conner
40 1898|V.
Flora Weld
36 1902|V.
Rebecca Rowley
40 1899 IV.
Bertha Harwood
40 1885 IV.
Martha Cutting
40 1896 III.
Clara P. Chace.
32 1900 III.
Anna Simpson.
32 1902 II-III.
Anna Seagraves. Nettie V. Stone.
40 1898 1I.
Jane Farquhar
40 1887 II-III.
Mary Boardman.
40 1891 II. 40 1893 II.
Margaret Butler
Susan M. Knight
Mary A. Ellis ..
40 1886 I.
Agnes M. Meagher
40 1897 I-II.
Jennie Simpson.
36 1901 1.
Gertrude Litchfield.
32 1900 I.
Mabel C. Teahan.
36 1901 Ungraded.
Carrie Holland
32 1902
Alice Sanders.
28|1899
Southbridge H. S.
Mabel Chamberlain
32 1902
Ita Morse
20 1902
..
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Anna F. Eager.
Mrs. H. N. Carpenter.
55 1896 Drawing. Music.
Normal Art Sch'l.
Nor'l & Brown U. Nor'l & Boston U. Nor'l & Colby U. Boston University College of Oratory
Nichols Academy. Palmer High S.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Framingham Nor. Salem Normal.
44 1865 V.
Mary Paige
36 1901|III-IV.
Worcester Nor'l. Worcester Nor'l. Southbridge H. S. Johnson Nor'l. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Brimfield H. S. Worcester Nor'l. Bridgewater Nor'l Southbridge H. S. Quincy Training. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S. Framingham Nor. Framingham Nor. Westfield Nor'l.
Southbridge H. S. Braintree H. S.
Sarah P. Haskell
40 1858 I.
40 1883 I.
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL REGISTERS.
For School Year Ending
June 1902.
Grade
Number of Boys Reg-
istered.
Number of Girls Reg-
istered.
Average Daily Atten-
Average Membership
Per Cent of Atten- clance.
High School
37
46
66 12
69 64
94 66
Marcy Street
IX
17
20
32
30 31
94 64
66
VIII
14
25
35 6
33 99
95 83
VII
24
27
50 4
47 61
95 52
66
VIe
19
26
43 29
41 41
95 66
VIn
27
26
40 9
38 58
94 39
Ve
22
39
39 39
36 95
93 91
Ungraded
III
28
28
39 49
43 37
92
Main Street
II
23
29
41 87
44 13
93 16
Je
27
26
33 89
37 35
90 56
I-II
17
16
24 64
27 54
85 34
School Street
IV
15
12
25 08
26 65
94 34
II-III
26
16
36 62
39 55
92 44
I
24
39
31 07
36 24
85 70
Elm Street
IV
20
33
40 63
44 32
91 79
66
I
21
32
34 37
38 26
89 83
River Street
II-III
23
15
26 98
28 00
96 44
1
36
31
46 23
44
94 96
Carpenter
II-III
29
39
43 02
47 18
91 35
66
I
52
40
58 6
52 79
90 08
Ammidown
Ungr.
22
23
32 56
35 44
91 8
Bacon
4
2
4 1
4 5
91 1
Lebanon Hill
8
11
11 62
12 81
90 71
594
655
932 82
952 35
92 37
19
21
31 87
33 92
94 07
27
24
44 83
40 59
90 54
13
17
17 85
16 22
90 85
dance.
162
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
ATTENDANCE ROLL OF HONOR ..
List of pupils reported as perfect in attendance during the year ending with June 1902.
Emma Laplante,
Helen Ammidown,
May McGilpin,
Beulah Baker,
Rose Pinsonneault,
Charles Cook,
Louis St.Onge,
William Farland,
Oscar Gatineau,
Alexina McDermott,
Arthur Gaudette,
Alma Nichols,
Elizabeth Hyde,
Ralph Dillaber,
Nettie Merrit,
John Lorange,
Margaret Tobin,
Sadie Weld,
Edith Bacon,
Anna Rafferty,
Stella Wood,
Leon St. Martin,
Antoinette Ammidown,
Evan Blair,
John Brogan,
Annie Ryan,
Frances Galloway,
Minnie May.
Perfect in attendance two terms ;
Ernest Simmons,
Phileas Renaud,
Aloysius Blain,
Joseph Fountain,
Leo Dumas,
Bretna Morse,
Ernest Hay, Majorie Putney,
Wilfred Brousseau, John Ryan, Lila Dreillinger,
Edith Searles,
Ralph Penniman,
Albertha McDermott,
Lucy Comberbach,
Antoinette Delage,
163
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Etta Brackett,
Floina St. Martin,
Elizabeth Sanders,
Gertrude Flood, Emilie Wilson,
Frank Winberg,
Gertrude Wixted,
Philip Tetreault, Conrad Lundeen,
Edward LeClair,
Joseph Flood,
Winifred Tully,
Ethel Dillaber,
Raymond Benway,
Rock LePage,
Katie Moriarty,
Roy Plimpton,
Hector Brothers,
- Everett Simmons,
Raoul Metras,
Lucy Putney,
Alphonse Brothers,
George Tully,
Mary Tetreault,
Lillian O'Connell,
Mary Tully,
127 others have been perfect in attendance one term.
The school census taken in September by Charles Tetreault and George Lamoureux enumerated 2154 children between the ages of 5 and 15, 56 more than the census of 1901, boys 1110, girls 1044.
The town for the purpose of enumeration was di- vided into two districts on the line of Elm and Central streets.
In the Globe district there were 1191 school chil- dren; in the Sandersdale district 963.
Number of illiterates over 14 years of age, 90.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Owing to the combining of the positions of Prin- cipal with that of Superintendent some important
164
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
changes have taken place in the high school depart- ment.
On the resignation of Mr. Gleason, as sub-master, at the end of the spring term Mr. Thomas H. DeCoudres, a graduate of Brown University and the Oswego Nor- mal school, and a teacher of successful experience, was elected to the position. Mr. DeCoudres has entire charge of the school during the afternoon session and all the departments have moved along very smoothly.
Miss Mabel Barnum a graduate of Boston Univer- sity was elected to take entire charge of the Latin and Greek classes and has succeeded admirably.
Owing to these changes the high school is now better fitted than ever to do its required work success- fully. At my suggestion the charge for tuition of the pupils from out of town was, at the beginning of the fall term, raised from twenty to thirty dollars. While this increase does not pay for the proportionate ex- pense incurred yet it is more nearly in line with what other towns are charging and has proved entirely ac- ceptable to the towns sending pupils here.
DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
There are three district schools in town, Dennison, Lebanon Hill and Bacon. While it would be much better for the pupils enrolled in these districts if they
165
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
could attend the graded schools at the center, yet ow- ing to local prejudice and the parental desire to have the smaller children nearer home, it has never been possible to compass this end in times past. In the Bacon district there have been but three children at- tending and probably some arrangement can be made to transport these to town, at least during the mild weather of the spring and fall. I believe if the exper- iment could be thoroughly tried once the majority of the parents would not go back to the old system.
While the parents are anxious to have these schools kept open yet it is difficult to find a boarding place for the teacher in these districts and no progres- sive teacher is desirous to stay long in an ungraded school where she can neither do justice to herself or her pupils.
Owing to the small enrolment at Lebanon Hill . there is no valid reason why these children should not be transported to town. Owing to the in- crease in the school population in the Dennison district it became necessary to reopen the school in September which had been closed for several years. The repair- ing of this building in order to make it suitable for oc- cupancy cost $129,33, an unexpected outlay, which is one of the items that has contributed to the over- drawing of the contingent account.
Fire, from an overheated chimney, on the evening ef Dec. 16th, caused a further outlay of $102,06.
There has been 21 pupils enrolled there.
166
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
RECORDS.
At the beginning of the fall term I requested the teachers from the fifth to the ninth grades inclusive to send a monthly report to the parents. Parents yery seldom visit the schools and these monthly reports fur- nish the only authoritative knowledge that the parents receive concerning the work of their children in school. Learning can only be attained by persistent effort and unless the parents are ready to second the efforts, of the teacher it is impossible for the pupil to attain the greatest possible benefit. All children of average intelligence if trained in the habits of work are capable of easily accomplishing all school tasks set for them. "Any training that relieves the child from what is pop- ularly called "strenuous effort" is a departure from the
best standard. The idea of continuously working along the lines of least resistance from the time of en- . tering the primary is pregnant with danger spots. It is a polite way of cultivating laziness, and eveyone who is familiar with the elements of a successful life knows that the ability to overcome difficulties is the one prime quality of which everyone who succeeds must be possessed."
It is immaterial whether John's report is marked poor and David's excellent if John is doing all that he is capable of, but if it comes from John's idleness or ir- regularity in attendance it is a matter which it is the parents duty to correct even
more . than it is the teachers. According to the laws of
167
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Massachusetts, the sole business of children between the ages of seven and fourteen is to attend school and if the parent would always be careful to see that his child attends as closely, relatively, to his school work as he is obliged to, to in- sure success, there would be no need of truant officers or of children repeating the year's work.
PRIMARY WORK.
At the regular monthly meeting of the committee, September second, it was voted that "hereafter children shall be admitted to the primary schools in Septem- ber .. and April only."
It having been customary to permit children to enter the primary schools at any time during the year, involving much extra work on the part of the teachers and being detrimental to the general principle "of the greatest good for the greatest number." In December the Word or "Rational System of Reading" was intro- duced.
This system is a combination of the word and sen- tence method and the phonic system both of, which have been in use here, and I found that the teach- ers were using whichever method they were most familiar with and some were trying to combine the two. Under the word and sentence method the child
168
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
has to be told each new word and for that reason chil- dren of average intelligence have been found in as high grades as the fifth that were unable to read over their lessons without the teacher telling them the majority of the words.
Under the word system the child begins with the reading of short sentences from the blackboard and drill on words from cards until about eighty words have been taught. With this work the teaching of simple and compound sounds, called Phonagrams is carried on and this later becomes the basis of the en- tire work. The child, for example is taught the words "at," "an," and the sounds of the letters "m," "r," "s." He will then without further instruction know at once such words as mat, cat, rat, man, can, ran. In the schools of Brooklyn, N. Y., where this system was elaborated, children at the end of the first year in school are expected to know some 4000 words, which is about ten times as many as are learned by any oth- er system. The child by this system has a foundation laid so that he is enabled to work out new words with- out assistance.
In number work it has been customary here for the first grade to take numbers to twelve. I have re- quested the teachers not to go beyond ten and I think it would be much better if no number work was taught in the first year. Greater progress would be made if
169
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
the first year was entirely devoted to reading, writing and busy work.
READING MATTER.
Through the kindness of the editors of the local papers I have requested that reading matter, suitable for primary children especially, might be sent to my office. I am sorry to say that the request has not met with a very generous response, but four parties have sent in material.
Doubtless if the reading public realized how many homes there are in town where no reading matter is taken I should have received a larger supply.
MECHANIC STREET BUILDING.
The building committee planned to have this four- room building ready for occupancy at the beginning of the fall term but owing to unavoidable delays in ob- taining material the opening of this school was delayed till October first.
This building relieves the overcrowding of the schools in the East end of the town, but it is doubtful
170
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
if it will afford relief for more than four or five years at the utmost.
Our primary school rooms now are practically filled and this part of the town is growing rapidly. It would have been a wise policy, I think, if this building · had been planned so it could have been readily enlarged to an eight room building. I think it would be a wise policy for the town to purchase additional land ad- joining the present lot so that there would be sufficient room for the erection of another four room building.
There are at present attending there, March first, in the primary grade 47 pupils ; in the second grade 27 pupils ; in the third grade 29 pupils and in the fourth grade ?5 pupils. These numbers especially in the primary grade will probably be considerably increased during the mild weather of the spring and fall.
REPAIRS.
Besides the general repairs made at the Dennison school it became necessary to replace the furnaces at School street that had been in use for the past fifteen years, and a Magee furnace was installed at a cost of $360.
The School street building is ventilated by the Smead system, a system which like many other fads has had its run, and is being replaced thoughout the.
171
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
state by more sanitary systems. While I know of no cases of sickness that can be traced to the defects of this building, I believe it would be much better if a system the same as at Mechanics street could be in- stalled there.
The building belongs to the mediæval style cf ar- chitecture and no expenditure will ever make it a good school building. This building should be painted in- side during the coming summer.
Attention is called to the report of E. I. Knowles, principal of the evening schools. 1
EVENING SCHOOLS.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. Dear Sir : -
It is with plaesure that I respectfully submit for publication my report of the Southbridge public eve- ning schools for the Fall and Winter of 1902.
We commenced work Sept. 16th at the center, in the rooms used by Saint Peter's society, in the Edwards Memorial block, and at Globe - Village in the River street school house.
As in previous years, both schools were open to boys three evenings and to girls three evenings of each week. Within a short period of time there were reg- istered 185 pupils; 95 boys and 90 girls. The majority
172
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
of these were French-Canadians, between 14 and 21 years of age. There were also a number of Polanders, some Swedes and several Americans.
Most of the pupils had attended evening school in previous years; but there were also many new ones who had come to town within the past year to work in our various factories and workshops.
Quite a number of these new arrivals could speak no English whatever, and, with them, progress was necessarily somewhat slower than with the other pupils, but still results showed a steady and decided improvement in all.
The studies taken up were principally the essen- tial ones of the common school curriculum,-arithmetic, penmanship, reading, letter-writing, dictation and language. To those who could grasp the work, how- ever, were also added Algebra, English History, · United States History and regular 7th and 8th grade work.
With all the pupils, more particular and careful attention was paid to arithmetic and letter-writing than in previous years, and the keener interest, more assiduous application and greater zeal and progress of the pupils were decidedly encouraging.
The pupils were, of course, divided into various grades or classes according to their respective merits and ability, and the principal or teachers were always at the beck and call of any one of them; cheerful and willing to help them with their work, either by prac- tical illustration or careful and patient explanation.
In arithmetic, were taken up simple addition, sub-
173
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
traction, multiplication, short and long division, dollars and cents, fractions and decimals. Examples of all of these were usually placed upon the blackboards with other work before school commenced, and were after- wards illustrated or explained by the teacher or prin- cipal.
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