USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1905-1908 > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30
Fuel and lights,
19 85
$631 94.
Balance February 1, 1908, $68 06
APPARATUS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance February 1, 1907,
$23 79
Appropriation, 250 00
$273 79
EXPENDITURES.
Apparatus, chemicals and books of reference, $232 58.
Balance February 1, 1908, $41 21
118
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS.
RECEIPTS.
Balance February 1, 1907,
$70 00
Appropriation,
50 00
$120 00
EXPENDITURES.
J. A. Genereux,
$80 00
J. F. Lawlor,
30 00
$110 00
Balance February 1, 1908, $10 00
ESTIMATES FOR ENSUING YEAR.
High school,
$4,600 00
Common schoools,
19,000 00
Contingent schools,
3,600 00
Evening schools,
700 00
Apparatus,
250 00
$28,150 00
School physician's account will hereafter be merged with contingent school account.
Respectfully submitted in behalf of the Committee,
J. A. WHITTAKER, Chairman. February 1, 1908.
Superintendent's Report.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF SOUTHBRIDGE :
Gentlemen : I have the pleasure to present to you my sixth annual report, it being also the twenty-third of the series of reports issued by the Superintendents of the public schools of this town. Throughout this report the year relative to attendance extends from September, 1906 to July, 1907 ; the year relative to ex- penditures from February, 1907 to February, 1908.
Statistics.
I. POPULATION AND VALUATION.
Population of town, census of 1905,
11,000
Assessed valuation of town,
$5,300,888
Number of polls, 3,159
Rate of taxation,
$19.80
Valuation of school houses and lots,
$127,900
Valuation of other school property, $6,880
II. SCHOOL HOUSES.
School houses, occupied, 12
School rooms, occupied,
35
Unoccupied, 2
Nunber of sittings, 1,463
120
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
III. TEACHERS.
Number of male teachers, 2
Number of female teachers, 34
Number of special teachers, female, 2
38
Number of teachers in evening schools,
males, 1; females, 10, 11
IV. PUPILS.
Number of children in town September 1, as re- ported by the census enumerator :
1906
1907
Between the ages of 5 and 15 2074
2155
Between the ages of 7 and 14.
.1591
1581
Total enrolment, Sept. to June
1259
1272
Average number belonging
1019.81
1057.21
Average daily attendance
947.42
978.72
Per cent. of attendance .. 92.92
92.6
Number under 5 years of age .12
6
Number over 15 years of age 145
131
Number between 5 and 15 1089
1132
Number between 7 and. 14 . . 729
715
Number enrolled at Notre Dame 855
760
Number under 5 years of age .0
0
Number between 5 and 15 . 853
755
Number between 7 and 14 835
755
Average number belonging 720
26.2
Average attendance .665
682.4
Per cent. of attendance .92
93.97
121
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Number of teachers
.. 12
12
Number enrolled at St. Mary's
168
163
Number under 5.
6
0
Number over 15
. 9
12
Number between 5 and 15
143
151
Number between 7 and 14
131
107
Average number belonging
158
163
Average attendance
142
160
Per ceut. of attendance
89.8
98
Number of teachers.
. 6
6
EVENING SCHOOLS.
Number
Enrolled.
Average
Membership
Average
Attendance.
Per Cent. of
Attendance.
Number of Evenings.
Main Street, boys
95
88.
83.34
95.2
38
River Street, boys
30
26.72
24.26
90.71
38
Main Street, girls.
47
31.72
26.42
81.92
38
River Street, girls
50
40.07
35.05
87.41
38
COST PER PUPIL.
Total expenses for the grades. $22,225 83 Cost per grade pupil based on total enrolment. . . 17 48 Cost per grade pupil based on average enrolment.21 02
122
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Total expenses for the High school. 5,207 43 Cost per pupil based on the total enrolment. . ... 41 66 Cost per pupil based on average enrolment . . .. 49 58
PHYSICAL TESTS.
Children examined .1089
Eyes defective. 187
Ears defective 56
Parents notified 129
CHANGE OF TEACHERS.
The following is a list of the changes of teachers from February 1, 1907 to February 1, 1908 :-
RESIGNED.
Monthi. Teacher.
School.
March. Mabel Teahan,
Mechanics I
June. Murray Hunt,
High
June. Alfred Smith,
High
June. Bertha Shepard,
High
June. Sarah Haskell,
Marcy V
June. Clarissa Hathaway,
Marcy V
June. Gertrude Barrett,
Mechanics III
June. Alice Haskell,
Dennison
June. Estella Stafford,
Lebanon
August. Martha Cutting,
Elm IV
Sept. Louise Twombly,
Marcy VII
123
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Sept. Alice Sanders,
Nov. Austin Savage,
Sandersdale High
LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
Sept. Mabel Plant,
Music
TRANSFERRED.
Sept. Eva Conner,
Marcy VI to Marcy VII 0
Sept. Katherine Flood,
Main III to Marcy V
APPOINTED.
Sept. Austin Savage,
High
Sept. Gertrude Myles,
High
Sept. Marion Blake,
High
Sept. Agnes Canavan,
Sept. Mary Mooar,
Marcy VI Marcy V
Sept. Amelia Guinasso,
Mechanics III
Sept. Catherine O'Toole,
Elm IV
Sept. Clara Goddard,
Main III
Sept. Bertha Johnson,
Sandersdale
Sept. Stella Wood,
Dennison Mechanics I
Sept. Mary Butler,
Dec.
Bertram A. Albro,
High
124
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CORPS OF TEACHERS, FEBRUARY 1, 1908.
NAME.
Salary.
Date of first
Election.
Grade.
Educated.
F. E. Corbin.
$900
1902
Supt.
Williams college.
F. E. Corbin.
1,100
1886 Prin. H. S.
Bertram Albro.
950
1907 Assistant
Laura Williams
750
1899
66
Eliza Ward-
600
1906
Gertrude Myles.
550
1907
Radcliffe.
Marion Blake
500
1907
66
Mt. Holyoke.
Laura E. Shepardson
600
1897 |IX.
Alice Holmes
570
1878 VII.
per
month
Mary Meagher
50
1887 VIII.
Southbridge H. S.
Eva Conner
44
1892 VII.
Worcester Normal
Blanche Harwood
44
1903 VI.
Southbridge H. S.
Agnes Canavan.
40
1907 VI.
Westfield Normal.
Katherine Flood.
44
1906 V.
Worcester Normal.
Mary Mooar,
44
1907|V.
Durham College.
Rebecca Rowley
46
1865 IV.
Southbridge H. S.
Jennie Gilbert.
44
1905 IV.
Bridgewater Nor'l.
Katherine O'Toole.
44
1907
IV.
Springfield Nor'l.
Bertha Harwood.
44
1901|III.
Southbridge H. S.
Clara Goddard.
40
1907 III.
Worcester Normal.
Amelia Guinasso.
40
1907|III
Westfield Normal.
Emily Mague
40
1906 II-III.
Framingham Nor'l.
Margaret Butler
46
1893
II.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Boardman
44
1891 II.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Jane Farquhar
44
1887|II.
Quincy Training.
Mary Chase
44
1906|II.
Home School.
Susie Knight
46
1858 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Agnes Meagher
44
1886|I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary McCabe.
44
1890 I.
Quincy Training.
Mabel Chamberlain.
40
1902 I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Ellis.
44
1883|I.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Bertha Johnson.
40
1907|I-II-III.
Worcester Normal.
Ita Morse
36
1902 Ungraded.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
Anna Simpson
46
1900 Substitute.
Worcester Normal.
May Simpson
16 1905 |Helper.
Southbridge H. S.
Anna Eager
55
1896 Drawing.
Normal Art School.
Mary Carey
44
1908 Music.
New Eng. Conser'y
Mary Butler
40
1907|I.
Stella Wood.
36
1907 60
Nettie Stone ..
44
1898|II.
Boston University. Nor'l & Boston U. Smith.
Grammar .
Nichols Academy. Palmer H. S.
125
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL REGISTERS.
For School Year Endir g
June 1907.
Grade.
Number of Boys Reg-
Number of Girls Reg-
istered.
Total.
Average Membership
Average Attendance.
Per Cent of
dance.
High School -
58
125
113 26
107 03
94 32
Marcy. Street
IX
25
15
40
36 73
35 35
96 69
VIII
21
23
44
38 96
37 60
96 44
16
VIIe
16
15
31
25 99
24 69
94 98
6.
VIIW
15
14
29
22 99
21 79
94 76
66
VIe
21
26
47
39 56
36 89
93 1
..
VIw
22
24
46
35 29
32 68
92 60
Elm Street
IV
26
13
39
30 31
28 45
91 97
Mechanic Street
IV
31
30
61
45 5
41 9
90 2
Main Street
ILI
26
19
45
4 46
39 29
92 24
Mechanic Street
III
14
14
28
21 42
25 34
96 07
school Street
II
6
24
30
24
22 22
92 57
Morris Street
14
18
32
24 72
2 41
91 68
Main Street
II
23
17
40
29 18
25 1
23 05
9i 4
Main Street
I-II
12
20
32
30 1
28 4
94 12
River Street
I
15
13
28
22 48
21 32
94 88
Morris Street
I
18
17
35
27 73
25 05
90 67
Mechanic Street
I
30
31
61
50 02
46 93
94 69
Elm Street
I
21
19
43
38 61
35 17
91 09
Main Street
1
18
26
44
35 02
32 :8
92 31
School Street.
I
19
23
42
33 ₸
30 84
91 56
River Street
I
21
26
47
29 48
28 31
95 61
Lebanon Hill -
13
6 34
5 87
92 2
Morse District
4
4 9
4 51
92 1
Dennison
12
19
16 59
14 3
86 43
--
634
638
1272
1057 2
978 72
92 6
66
Ve
25
26
51
42 80
40 50
94 12
50
43 13
40 07
93 56
45
35 68
34 04
94 05
school Street
IV
30
25
55
47 99
4 88
94 91
Sandersdale
I-II-III
15
21
36
32 22
29 75
89 23
14
37
Mechanic Street
IL
93 12
River Street
1
1
8
A ten-
istered.
18
126
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
GENERAL REMARKS.
The year has been one of progress and develope- ment. Old lines of work have been grounded more fully and new ones have been commenced. The school system at large seems to be in a state of transition. A few years ago all educational questions seemed to be fairly well settled. Only at infrequent intervals did small waves of doubt ripple the surface of school affairs. But now the renaissance period seems at hand and doubtless more sweeping changes than any that have taken place since the days of Horace Mann will develop within the next ten years.
In 1905 by act of the legislature a commission of nine persons, "representing the manufacturing, agri- cultural, educational and labor interests, to be known as the Commission on Industrial and Technical Educa- tion" was appointed by the governor.
This Commission held meetings in the more im- portant centers throughout the state and the hearings showed that there was need of the beginning of a new line of school work in the state.
Owing to the present division of labor by which work is now necessarily carried on in all shops, under which system the workman knows and can do but one thing, there has come to be a lack of skilled foremen and superintendents. The Ludlow Manufacturing Co. of Ludlow, Mass., is the first corporation in the country to meet the emergency with a practical solution.
They have started an industrial school in an effort
127
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
to develop foremen who shall be well trained techni- cally and have the American spirit and an intelligent view of the labor problem.
The boys work half-time in the mills at regular rates of pay then spend the rest of the time in school at half pay. The following is a specimen example from their work in Arithmetic: "How many laps can we make a day ou six lappers if we work ten hours a day and take off a lap every seven and one-half minutes?" The secretary of the Commission has spent considerable time abroad during the past year study - ing industrial training as taught there in the best Schools.
Schools will, probably, be soon established in the various trade centers where it will be possible for the boy to learn his trade and at the same time increase in book knowledge. The apprentice system has prac- tically disappeared wherein the boy spent three years in learning a trade and now we have growing up a nondescript class of workmen who, after spending a month here and there, claim to be finished workmen. It is the spirit of the industrial school to do away with such a system and the corresponding results.
The state is prepared to co-operate liberally in such work, as the following letter from the State Board of Education shows :
128
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
BOSTON, OCTOBER 4, 1907. MR. FRED E. CORBIN, Superintendent of Schools, Southbridge, Mass.,
DEAR SIR :-
At a meeting of the Cambridge School Board held last evening the following vote was unanimously adopted :
"ORDERED : That the Massachusetts Commission on Industrial Education be, and it hereby is requested to establish one or more industrial evening schools, as provided for in Chapter 505 of the Acts of 1906, in Ma- chine Shop Practice, Forging, Pattern Making, Mechan- ical and Free-hand Drawing, Sewing, Dressmaking, Millinery and Domestic Science, or such of the above- named schools as to the said Commission seems best.
"Such schools to be established in whole or in part in the buildings of the Rindge Manual Training School, or in the English High School building, or in both, and to be managed by said Commission through this Com- mittee."
This vote will entitle the City of Cambridge to a state grant of one-half the cost of maintenance of these schools.
Your city is entitled to a state subsidy should it vote to co-operate with this Commission in the man- agement of its evening industrial courses.
Very truly yours,
CHAS. H. MORSE,
Secretary and Executive Officer.
President Roosevelt's last message to congress con- tained these words : "Our school system is gravely de- fective in so far as it puts a premium upon mere liter- ary training and tends, therefore, to train the boy
129
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
away from the farm and the workshop. Nothing is more needed than the best type of industrial school." President Eliot remarks, "Manual training not only trains the eye and hand but develops the habit of ac- curacy and thoroughness in every kind of work. It develops the mental faculties of some boys better than books do." Dr. Hall adds, "No kind of education so demonstrably develops the brain as hand training." The purpose of manual training is to excite the nerve centers of the brain through the exercise of the muscles.
The state law prescribes that all towns of more than 20,000 population shall teach manual training. What is good for towns of that size would, doubtless, prove beneficial to us, but the room, equipment and instructor to carry out a strict course in such work are lacking. If the boys of our eighth and ninth grades could be given a suitable course in wood work and the girls given a course in cooking it would be a most ex- cellent expenditure of money. As far asyour means have permitted, however, we have begun work along this line and both teachers and pupils have shown much interest. This has entailed much extra work upon Miss Eager who has had general charge of it in connection with her drawing.
This year, also, for the first time a school garden has been carried on. This work was due solely to the initiative of the teachers at the Mechanic stree: school. The pupils brought their pennies with which a suitable' plot of land nearby was rented, the seeds were fur-
130
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
nished by the Agricultural Department at Washington and the resulting garden was voted a success by all interested.
This year for the first time we have no pupils in our sophomore class in the high school electing Greek as a part of their college preparatory work. The col- leges now require a knowledge of three languages of the entering student. These three are now commonly made up of Latin, French and German.
I still have the old fashioned idea that the study of Greek conduces more to scholarship than the study of any other language. I cite the fact of having no sophomore elect Greek as one more sign of the times.
The dropping of this study is evidently not a local condition as a recent educational article quotes the head-master of Harrow, one of the leading fitting schools of England, as saying that the study of Greek was doomed, as it was being crowded out by the prac- tical sciences, modern languages, art and music.
An eight year course of study has been arranged at Boston and Providence. This course is common west of the Hudson river but is seldom found in New England. The theory is that children should not be admitted to school until six years of age and that be- ing then more developed mentally they will at the age of fourteen graduate from the grammar school equally well equipped as the one who entered school at five.
Outside of pedagogical reasons the item of econo- my also enters into the argument.
131
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
This year completes the fiftieth year of service of Mrs. Susie Knights. Beginning in 1858 a half century of continuous work is now completed. Mrs. Knights has always taught in the primary room at Main street. and has had an average of more than forty scholars yearly in her room during these fifty years. Most of the business men of the town received their first in- struction at her hands and she has seen the children and grand-children of her first pupils pass through her room. She has been one whom the parents have always regarded as a safe teacher, knowing that their little ones would be looked after and kept out of all harm as carefully as at home. The vexations of the school room have in no wise marred her cheerful dis -- position and there is no teacher to whom the children, go more readily or leave with greater regret.
Attention is called to the reports of the special teachers.
Respectfully submitted, F. E. CORBIN ..
EVENING SCHOOLS REPORT.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Sir :
I herewith present for your approval my annual report of evening schools for the fall term of 1907.
Our labors commenced Tuesday evening, Septem- ber 20, at the River street school house for the Globe Village contingent, and in St. Peter's rooms, Memorial block, Main street, for the pupils of the "down-town" section.
As usual, both schools were kept running six evenings per week, three evenings for the boys and three for the girls at each school.
The total enrollment of the boys schools differed very little in point of numbers from last year, but probably not so large a number went through the en- tire term.
About the usual number of pupils proved then- selves, during the school period, capable of passing the required examination and were therefore granted the coveted "passable" certificates. It then became "op- tional" whether they attended school further or not, just as they or their parents chose.
On the other hand, many who were entitled to "passable" certificates continued to attend regularly throughout the tern, from the laudable ambition to
133
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
learn what they could and make full use of the priv- ileges given them by the school laws of the town and state.
Needless to say that it was necessarily "uphill" work from the very first with entirely new be- ginners. Patience and perseverance, however, and a strict attention to duty wrought excellent results be- fore the end of the term.
They were regular in attendance, good in deport- ment, eager to learn and their ever respectful attitude and evident anxiety to please suggested that they ap- preciated the conscientious and painstaking work of their teachers. On leaving school at night for their respective homes they seldom went by their teachers. or principal without a very pleasant and respectful "good night."
The course of study was not quite so varied per- haps as in previous years, considerably more time hav- ing to be given to reading, writing, elementary arith -. metic, spelling and sentence building.
We, however, had some business and social letter -. writing, making out of simple bills of sale, ordinary receipts, invitations to social functions, etc .; but the number that is qualified for this class of work is not. so numerous as in previous years.
Your principal, however, kept several excellent specimens of writing and neatly executed number work as examples of what some of the boys were capable of doing. He also encouraged the pupils to
134
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
take specimens home occasionally, to show their par- ents how they were getting along.
On the whole I am inclined to think the term was as successful as could reasonably be expected with the material and conditions that we had to contend with.
Discipline was at all times insisted upon and main- tained ; but we trust that it was so tempered with justice and fairness to all as to present no appearance whatever of harsh or arbitrary rules, so obnoxious to all lovers of freedom.
Respectfully submitted,
E. I. KNOWLES, Principal.
SPECIAL REPORTS.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Sir :
The idea of a school garden appealed to us not only as a movement which should be encouraged from an educational, civic and horticultural point of view but also as a means of correcting some bad habits among our boys whose time after school hours was spent in idleness and cigarette smoking.
"Idleness gives birth to hoodlumism and is energy gone to waste." We thought to employ this energy. Receiving your hearty endorsement and permission of the School Board, we called a meeting of the children and found them enthusiastic. The Mechanic Street School Garden association was formed, each child pay- ing a membership fee of ten cents.
With the money received from the children we hired a fertile plat of ground 100x33 feet north of the sub station, which was already ploughed and harrowed.
The children graded, laid out beds of uniform size with walks between and planted it. Tools were brought from home or borrowed from friends, as lack of money prevented buying. Seeds were furnished by the Agri- cultural department at Washington and also by the Southbridge grange. The department at Washington furnished much helpful literature on the subject.
136
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE,
Individual beds were assigned permitting each child to perform each and every operation con- nected with the preparation, planting and care of the seeds. The children were allowed a choice of seeds-
Grade II, planted lettuce, radishes, beets parsnips, poppies, nasturtiums, verbenas, castor beans. Grades III and IV the same adding squash, corn, pumpkin and string beans. The work was done outside school hours. The children while in the garden were under super- vision of a teacher.
Results of our experiment are :- Time after school profitably employed. Teachers and children drawn closer in common interest as they work side by side- An interest in soils, and close observation of nature's elements at work. Interest in study of destructive in- sects. Development of character through responsibili- ty of individual bed, respect of property rights of others, qualities of neatness and beauty, business ex- perience in accounting for crops harvested.
Results most appreciated by children were large bunches of radishes, lettuce and beets, also beans and corn taken home. All the children were not regular in attendance and their gardens became property of those who cared for them.
Much of the success of the work is due to the in- terest taken by Miss Jennie Gilbert who, having vis- ited the gardens at Hyannis Normal school, gave many helpful practical hints.
Interest and enthusiasm in this new work has been so manifest as to warrant a repetition and we
137
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
are overcoming our own ignorance of how to grow vegetables and flowers by combining study of what others have done with our own experiments.
We feel confident after this year's work that since manual dexterity quickens the brain, we could bring about better results had we the proper tools for chil- dren to work with. It is our ambition to have a gar- den that will compare favorably with gardens of other towns in the state.
Respectfully submitted,
MARGARET G. BUTLER.
DRAWING.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Sir :
The course in drawing includes the study of autumn leaves and fruits in the fall, working drawings with objects constructed in paper and pasteboard, object drawing including the pose and design using flowers in the spring. Among the objects drawn and painted during the winter are tumblers, pails, pitchers, boxes, books, games and music rolls. Painting the spring flowers in their natural color is usually a prom .- inent feature in May and June.
The High school students have studies in design, applying these to leather and have taken great inter- est this winter in their tooled leather which is a new
138
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
feature this year. The High school pupils also have practice in object drawing with light and shade in charcoal and water color, nature studies, landscape composition and figure drawing. The class in mechan- ical drawing is also doing good work.
This year we have introduced Manual Training into the course. In every grade each child has a few lessons in some kind of hand work, and the children receive the new idea with enthusiam. The actual making of a thing of use and beauty adds a stimulous to the school work and many of the children are so in- terested that they work on their baskets or hammocks out of school hours.
In the r inth grade they make a working drawing with dimensions marked and then with a sloyd knife and piece of thin wood the boys whittle the model into shape and even decorate some of them with veining or carving. Girls all like to sew and in several of the grades the girls are learning the various stitches by means of printed models, and will apply these to vari- ous useful articles. The following is an outline of the course in Manual Training.
MANUAL TRAINING.
-
GRADE I.
Stick laying, weaving, paper folding.
GRADE II.
Paper folding, measuring and cutting, freehand cutting, paper construction, dolls' furniture.
GRADE III.
Cutting and mounting school work, paper con-
.
139
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
struction, weaving baskets of paper.
GRADE IV.
Paper construction, hammock making, small size sewing, elementary copper work.
GRADE V.
Paper construction, hammock making, sewing,
GRADE VI.
Paper construction, hammock making-boys, sew- ing-girls.
GRADE VII.
Paper construction ; basket making using reeds and raffia.
GRADE VIII.
Paper construction, showing practical application of geometric problems. Sewing, girls. Sloyd with wood carving, boys.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.