USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1909-1912 > Part 23
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Elinor Buckingham.
April Norman T. Willey,
High
Sept. Clarence W. Bosworth. High
Sept.
Helen Downey,
High
Sept. Marguerite Smith.
Substitute
Oct Miriam Lovell.
Lebanon hill
Jan. Anna Berry,
High
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CORPS OF TEACHERS FEBRUARY 1, 1911
NAME.
Date of first
Election.
Grade.
Educated.
F. E. Corbin
1902
Supt.
Williams college.
F. E. Corbin
1886
Prin. H. S.
Clarence W. Bosworth
1910
Assistant
Laura Williams
1890
Harriet Parmenter
1908
Radcliffe.
Elinor Buckingham
1910
Radcliffe.
Anna Berry
1911
..
Radcliffe.
Laura E Shepardson
1897
IX.
Nichols Academy.
Mary E Meagher
1887
VIII.
Southbridge H. S.
Alice Holmes.
1878
VII.
Palmer H. S.
Blanche Harwood
1903
VI.
Southbridge H. S. Worcester Normal.
Mary Coonan ..
1910
VI.
Annie Simpson
1900
V.
Worcester Normal. Westfield Normal.
Jennie Gilbert
1905
IV.
Mary Conolly.
1908
IV.
Margaret McCarthy
1908
IV.
Mary Chase.
1906
III.
Bertha Harwood.
1901
III.
Southbridge H. S.
Margaret Butler
1893
II-III.
Mary Boardman.
1891
II.
Nettie Stone. Jane Farquhar
1887
II.
Agnes Meagher
1886
I.
Mary McCabe
1890
I.
Mary Ellis
1883
I.
Mabel Chamberlain
1902
I.
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Butler
1907
I.
Southbridge H. S.
Bertha Johnson
1907
I-II-III.
Stella Wood.
1907
Ungraded.
Ethel Brady
1910
Miriam Lovell.
1910
6 6
Marguerite Smith
1910
Assistant.
Susie Knight.
1858
Southbridge H. S.
Anna Eager
1896
Mary Carey
1908
Drawing. Music.
Normal Art School. N. E. Conservatory.
Maud Forsythe
1910
V.
Bridgewater Nor'l. Worcester Normal. Worcester Normal. Home School.
Southbridge H. S. Southbridge H. S.
1898
II.
Southbridge H. S. Quincy Training. Southbridge H. S. Quincy Training. Southbridge H. S.
Worcester Normal. Southbridge H. S. Worcester Normal. Normal Art School. Worcester Normal.
141
Brown University. Nor'l & Boston U.
142
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL REGISTERS.
For School Year Ending
June 1910.
Number of Boys Reg
Number of Girls Reg
intered.
Total.
Average Membership
Per Cont. of Attend
High School -
Marey Street
X
VERE
VI
44 49
41 95
94 06
..
Vw
44 11
39 41
87 50
Mechanic Street
IV
圣0: 14
35 90
90 52
School Street
IV
37 35
33 30
89 21 92 40
Mechani: Street
III
36 01
18
92 02
School Street
II-IV
10
51
26 11
5
96 4:
Morris Street
11
19 02
1. 09
92 56
Elm Street
I
I
35 49
8: 17
Mechanic Street
I
48 6
91 9
Morris Street
I
3
33 $1
31 0%
91 50
River Street
I
4
51 39
30 43
17 26
$5 26
Dennison
18 11
93 1
Lebanon
11
_4
Morse District
5
58 63
..
4
13
90 62
3 55
92 :4
Main Street
III
36 79
3: 02
20 06
88 12
Main Street
II
35
90 08
Mechanic Street
41 13
93 49
River Street
II
3 81
91 53
School Street
LI
Main Street
School Street
I
Sandersdale -
I-II-III
0 10
3
93 04
66
91 4.
IV
59 56
34 05
96 63
Main Street
5
1100 54 1017 29
92 41
45
143
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
SCHOOL ORGANIZATON
The forming of the new French parish and the opening of the new parochial school on the Charlton road in September caused some changes in the public schools by the natural withdrawal of many pupils. It was deemed best to close the two room building at Morris street and send the children attending there to the Mechanics street building as this is a comparatively new building and the rooms much pleasanter and more modern. This change also gave the opportunity to use the Morris street building for the evening schools, and it is very convenient for the pupils obliged to at- tend as most of them live in that section of the town. The use of the building for this purpose has also saved the annual payment of rent.
The regulation of the State Board of Health mak- ing it unlawful to provide a drinking cup, "In any building or premises used as a public institution, hotel, theatre, public hall or public school" went into effect on October first.
Our town was better fitted than most to meet the requirements of the law, as drinking fountains had been installed in all the school buildings as soon as the extension of the town water pipes had reached them.
Consequently the only schools affected by the law were the River street, Sandersdale and the three dis- trict schools. The law has been carried out in these schools by the purchase of drinking tanks to hold about twelve quarts with faucet attachment and re- quiring each pupil to bring their own individual cup. The children have taken to this innovation very kindly and the "deadly germs of the common drinking cup" are no longer a menace to their health,
144
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
MANUAL TRAINING
This past fall work benches were built around two sides of the manual training room at Marcy street, quick acting vises were fastened at each bench and tools were purchased as far as our means would allow. The hour a week devoted to this work has in no way interfered with the pupils regular lessons and a steady improvement has been noticed in the pupils' manual work.
We have extended the work this year by sending the two lower classes of the high school on alternate weeks for a lesson at Marcy street.
The object of all the work is to make it as practi- cal as possible. This can be readily done for the girls and instruction in sewing, darning and the making of garments is in the direct line of the girls' needs. To further this object a sewing machine has been pur- chased for the use of the pupils of the ninth grade.
This work appealed to the mothers so much that some having daughters in the high school requested that am equal opportunity be granted to the high school girls.
In accordance with their desire a class has been formed of a irty girls and a competent instruc-
Manual training for either boys or girls cannot be looked upon as a fad or as something very new. It is an idea borrowed from the European schools some thirty years ago and was first introduced into this country in St. Louis, Mo. The idea has now spread until it is familiar to all.
In eighteen hundred minety-foor our state legisla- tere passed the following law :
145
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
"Every city and town containing twenty thousand inhabitants or more shall maintain the teaching of manual training as part of both its elementary and its high school system."
Also in nineteen hundred and eight :
"Any resident of Massachusetts may, with the ap- proval of the commission on industrial education, at- tend an independent industrial school, as provided for in this act, located in any city or town other than that in which he resides, provided there is no such school supported in whole or in part by the city or town in which he resides, upon payment by the city or town of his residence of such tuition fee as may be fixed by said commission ; and the commonwealth shall repay to any city or town one-half of all such payments. If any city or town neglects or refuses to pay for such tuition, it shall be liable therefor, in an action of con- tract, to the legally constituted authorities of the school which the pupil attended under the approval of said commission."
Then one may attend an industrial school without any expense for tuition. The State thus does more, and perhaps reasonably, for the pupil seeking an in- dustrial education than for the one seeking a profes- sion. While Massachusetts has always been in the van in educational matters, and its laws are copied by many of the states, yet a college or university educa- tion costs more here than in any other state, most state universities granting free tuition to the students of law, medicine and also those seeking strictly classi- cal education.
As the industrial schools become more fully estab- lished and their opportunities more widely known doubtless many of the boys now drawn to " business
146
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
colleges " will be led to attend them. Small communi- ties can not expect to established such schools on account of the expense involved but the city of Wor- cester has established one which in accordance with the law of the State is open to Southbridge pupils.
The courses now offered there are in the machin- ist's, pattern maker's and cabinet maker's trades. Other trades will be taught as soon as the school is thoroughly established. Only graduates of grammar schools over fourteen years of age are admitted.
The course is four years and pupils are admitted at the beginning of each term.
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Under the present law a minor between fourteen and sixteen years is not allowed to begin work in a "shop", "mill" or "mercantile establishment" unless he first presents a certificate from a physician showing that he is physically fit to do so.
In order to carry out this requirement the law re- lating to the appointment of school physician was amended by the last legislature as follows:
"The school committee shall assign one or more physicians to perform the duty of examining children who apply for health certificates. Every school phy- sican who is assigned shall make a prompt examina- tion of every child who wishes to obtain an age and schooling certificate and shall certify in writing wheth- er or not in his opinion such child is in sufficiently sound health and physically able to perform the work which the child intends to do."
In order to comply with this law this extra duty has been assigned to the regular school physician, Dr. J. A. Genereux.
147
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
About two hundred "age and school certificates' are issued annually. Thus the law entails considera- ble extra work on the school physician and an added expense to the school funds.
EVENING SCHOOLS
In the codification of the labor laws in nineteen hundred nine the term minor is explained as follows : "Minor shall mean a person under eighteen years of age." While illiterates were formerly obliged to at- tend evening school until they were twenty-one, in accordance with the present law they are exempt when they have attained the age of eighteen.
The knowledge of this law was not very wide- spread in nineteen hundred nine and it had little effect on the evening school attendance. This year the pu- pils were better informed and practically none over eighteen years of age have attended. As the law of nineteen hundred eight raised the compulsory school age of those who were unable to read and write the : English language from fourteen years to sixteen years, only illiterates between sixteen and eighteen can now be compelled to attend.
In consequence of this law the enrollment has dropped from one hundred ninety-nine to one hundred fifty-five.
In both of the evening schools opportunities are given to take more advanced work than the merely learning to read and write under the compulsion of the law. Nine pupils have attended at the River street school who are doing some high school work. These are pupils that necessity has compelled to leave school while in the eighth or ninth grade and some are now attending for the third year.
148
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Classes for their benefit have been formed in Alge- bra, Physics and English Literature. These are the kind of boys and girls that deserve the most encourage- ment. We trust the time is coming when our evening schools may be able to graduate its pupils regularly and grant them a certificate to show that they have made a measurable effort and a reasonable progress in their studies.
THE PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION
The Parent-Teacher Association recently formed has been granted the use of rooms at Mechanics and School streets and at the High school building for the holding of its meetings. It is a pleasure to have the rooms thus used. The school plant belongs to the people and the wider use that can be made of it for all kinds of educational activities the better for the community. Whatever makes for intellectual or moral uplift is a distinct gain for the community as a whole.
These meetings have been held at regular periods, have been well attended and productive of much good. The program has generally consisted of an exercise given by school children, a talk by some member of the association and at some of the meetings light re- freshments have been served. The meetings have given an opportunity for mutual acquaintance and in- terchange of ideas. Some of the topics have been pre- sented both in English and French. The subjects of some of the talks are as follows :
" Demonstrations of public school eye and ear tests."
" Use and care of the teeth."
" Care and training of infants."
149
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
" Co-operation of parents and teachers."
" Duties of parents to children."
" How parents hinder school work of their chil- dren."
"Chemistry of food."
" Necessity of occupation for children."
" Story telling."
" Care of children to school age."
" How to keep children off the street."
" Co-operation of school and home."
TRANSPORTATION
The bills for transportation this year are larger than usual and will be larger next year than this.
The largest item now is the transportation of the pupils from the Dennison district. This school was closed for a number of years because there were no children in the district.
Now, however, there are twenty-seven pupils en- rolled in the first six grades, and nine children above the sixth are transported to the Marcy street school at a cost of ten dollars per week. It is right that these children should be carried to school but scarcely a week passes but what requests are made for transportation If all such requests were to be granted it would neces- sitate the sending out of a team on practically every road leading out of the town.
There seems to be a growing feeling that the town is my oyster and that it owes transportation to every one who may call for it. The old idea that an educa- tion was a good thing and that both parents and chil- dren should make some sacrifice to attain it seems in many cases to be looked upon as obsolete, When chil-
150
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
dren become too enervated to walk reasonable dis- tances to school they are naturally too enervated to labor very hard at their lessons.
REPAIRS
Extensive repairs were made at the School street building during the past summer.
The building was raised two and one-half feet. A part of the old walls that was crumbling and in a dilap- idated state was rebuilt, modern closets and wash- bowls were installed and connections made with the sewer.
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 :
In accordance with established custom, I here- with submit a brief report of our labors in the Public Evening Schools for 1910.
Commencing September 14th the two schools were in session six evenings a week until January 7th, the only interruptions being Columbus Day and the Thanks- giving and Christmas holidays. The sessions were held at the River Street school for pupils at the West- tern end of the town, and at the Morris Street school for the Main and Eastern sections.
Owing to the new factory law, whereby only children under 18 years of age are considered " minors", the enrollment and attendance at both schools were reduced considerably ; as illiterates between the ages of 18 and 21 are not now required to attend the ses- sions of the public evening schools as they were com- pelled to in previous years.
Nevertheless there were many over the prescribed limit who, entirely from choice, attended regularly throughout the term ; and these, needless to add, made the most decided progress.
Your writer finds from long, personal experience that there is an appreciable difference in the progress made between those who attend these sessions purely from choice, and those who come "under protest ", simply to comply with the enforced educational laws of the State.
152
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
By calling attention to this " appreciable differ- ence", however, I certainly do not for a moment wish to disparage or belittle the amount of progress made by the " minors", as, in many instances, this progress is not only perfectly satisfactory and encouraging, but sometimes actually surprising when one considers the very meager advantages of education that have prev- iously been accorded them.
The greater part of our time was devoted to read- ing, writing and number work ; but toward the latter part of the term simple letter writing, both of a busi- ness and social character, was added with decidedly flattering and satisfactory results.
The percentage of attendance was not, on the whole, as good as it should have been; but as the schools were not so crowded as in previous years the teachers were able to give more individual attention to the pupils, with correspondingly beneficial results to the latter.
The installation of electric lights at the Morris street building was a decidedly satisfactory addition, which, I trust, will be adopted at the River street rooms before the Fall of 1911; when the evening school work will undoubtedly again be resumed.
The schools are comfortably heated and lighted ; and as everything is furnished absolutely free to the pupils, it is somewhat strange that the advantages offered are not more freely taken up, particularly in the " Advanced classes" that are held at both schools, with competent, patient and painstaking teachers in charge.
Of course, the younger element do not realize the advantages of the opportunities so freely offered; but we trust that in years to come many will look back
153
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
with satisfaction snd gratitude, and will bless a gener- ous town and commonwealth for the advantages of education that had been so freely accorded them in the public evening schools.
Respectfully submitted,
E. I. KNOWLES, Principal.
REPORT OF DRAWING
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SIR':
Teaching drawing of late years means teaching manual training ; the two have become inseparable. We can hardly have one without the other. Some ed- ucators go so far as to say we should have drawing only in so far as it is an aid to manual training. In visiting one city school I found the teacher bewailing the fact that the pretty object drawing which she and the children had so much enjoyed was being crowded out of the course by the new director of drawing. He only cared to have design taught, and in such a way that it would aid manual training. His course, from the lower grades up, was a logical training in that di- rection. In fact, the results, as shown in that city's High school, were very fine.
I am not a believer in giving up drawing for its own sake ; the drawing which trains the eye and hand and helps the mind to a greater understanding and en- joyment of nature as it is, and nature as shown in the work of artists. We still have time to draw objects of all kinds; toys, books, games, jars, fruit, and even the human figure coming in for its share of attention.
But our schools are greatly influenced by the movement in favor of manual training. To make something useful appeals to the child and shows him that drawing is of great value as it is used in the mak- ing of so many beautiful things. A design in school used to mean simply harmonious shapes and colors on
155
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
paper ; now it means the decoration of some useful object, and, in many cases, some object which the child can make himself. I used to hear the question asked by the children, "Of what use is drawing ?" I do not hear that question lately. They see and know the use of making a drawing, and are realizing that the more care spent in making a design for brass, leather or stencil work, the more beautiful will be the finished object and the more pleasure to be gained thereby.
The principal of Marcy street school took some of our brass work to one of the "mothers' meetings", so called, and many were greatly pleased with it. We exhibited our work in wood, basketry, stencilling, sew- ing and brass work at the Sturbridge Fair last fall and won several prizes.
Each year our course is improved and enlarged. This year we give the High school boys a chance, as well as the Grammar pupils, to see what they can do in wood work. Until a suitable room is provided in the building, the High school boys use the sloyd room in Marcy street school, which has been provided with additional tools and benches. The High school girls have a regular dressmaker teach them two hours a week and are much interested in their sewing.
Respectfully submitted,
ANNA F. EAGER
COURSE IN MANUAL TRAINING
GRADE I.
Paper cutting and folding, weaving.
156
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
GRADE II. Paper cutting and folding, making dolls' furniture.
GRADE III.
Making dolls' furniture, elementary raffia work' braiding raffia, making napkin rings of raffia.
GRADE IV.
Baskets of reed and braided raffia for the boys. Sewing for the girls.
GRADE V.
Elementary sloyd for the boys. Sewing for the girls.
GRADE VI.
Brass work for the boys. Sewing for the girls.
GRADE VII.
Sloyd for the boys, with a little brass work. Sewing baskets for the girls.
GRADE VIII.
Sloyd for the boys. Sewing for the girls.
GRADE IX.
Sloyd for the boys. Sewing for girls, beginning cutting garments.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Advanced sloyd for boys. Dressmaking for girls.
MUSIC
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
SIR :
In presenting my annual report of the work done in Music in our schools, it is very gratifying to note the increased interest and enthusiasm with which the chil- dren take hold of the technical part of the work. This enthusiasm has been obtained by the means of numer- ous devices which we employ and the result is plainly seen in the finished productions of the songs.
Instead of Music being considered a luxury in our schools, as heretofore, it is today regarded as a neces- sity, as its influence disciplines the emotions, refines the feelings, restrains the passions and quickens the heart to nobler impulses.
Wherever there is a well organized system of pub- lic schools, such as we have here, vocal music finds a place in the curriculum as one of the essential branches of instruction, as in it are combined Drawing, Lan- guage and Arithmetic.
Individual work is insisted upon at the very be- ginning. Its advantages are that it creates independ- ence, the power to concentrate, an accuracy which be- comes a habit, mental alertness and last of all, self- control.
At the beginning of each year monotones are very prevalent, especially in the lower grades; this condition necessitates that all such pupils receive special instruc- tion and in most cases this trouble is overcome at the
158
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
end of the year, unless the child is physically defective in such a way as to make it impossible for him to pro- duce correct tones.
The first thing we teach is respiratiou so as to pro- duce good tones. In so doing, we strengthen the res- piratory organs and improve the general health of the child. Special exercises are given in this branch of the work at the beginning of each lesson and the chief aim of each grade teacher should be to see that pure tones are produced and that the children are restrained from loud and boisterous singing.
Rote songs are sung in all the grades and each grade has a printed outline which involves all steps re- lating to time and tune arranged in a progressive man- ner. These outlines include sight-singing, ear-training and written work.
From time to time written tests are given in the upper grades which deal particularly with the techni- cal part of the work; thus the advancement of each pupil is noted.
I here wish to express my thanks to the teachers for their hearty co-operation. Without their aid such good results could not be obtained.
Respectfully submitted,
MARY ALICE CAREY.
MECHANICS STREET SCHOOL GARDEN
MR. F. E. CORBIN, SUPERINTENDENT,
SIR :
The steady growth of the School Garden Associa- tion has been a source of encouragement to its pro- moters.
159
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
The season of 1910 of the Mechanics Street School Garden was very successful. It was the third season that some of the pupils had cultivated gardens, and a decided improvement in crops and greater skill in cultivation was shown.
We had individual, community and experimental gardens. From the community garden we furnished flowers for the visiting nurse.
The garden work was correlated with the work in arithmetic, drawing and language. Friends who have aided us by contributions of money, seeds and fertil- izers, also the neighbors who kindly watched and watered the gardens during the vacation period, will be interested to know that the children's exhibit at the Sturbridge fair was awarded the second prize, our competitors being pupils of Brimfield high school.
Attendance at the lessons during vacation was ex- cellent. Parents manifested much interest, several visiting the garden and assisting the children in trans- planting. Flowers and vegetables grown were same as previous years with addition of cabbage and potat- oes.
Success in this facinating outdoor occupation for children does not depend wholly on the number of flowers that blossom during a season, not upon the qualities of vegetables raised; nor upon the prizes awarded.
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