USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1913-1916 > Part 17
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"As regards the money value of a higher education towards which many of our pupils are striving I quote the following from a lecture recently delivered by Presi- dent Hyde of Bowdoin College. Speaking of the gifts conferred by a college education one of which is the gift to earn a comfortable living he said. "A recent investigation shows that 493 graduates of Bowdoin Col- lege, who have been out of college more than 10 years,
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
are earning on an average $3,356. The 64 physicans in that number earn on an average $4,687; the 154 lawyers average $4,577: the 108 engaged in teaching average $2,558, and 68 ministers an average of $1,599."
"Your co-operation is essential and is expected."
Industrial Course
The industrial course of the high school is now firmly established and instead of looking for boys to take the course it seems now as if we may have more boys desiring to take the course than there are posi- tions. At present there are in this course, Juniors 7, Sophomores 4, Freshmen 11.
The following circular letter was sent last June to all parents of boys in the ninth grades at Marcy street and Notre Dame schools.
"Dear sir: It is generally agreed that the man with a trade has the best opportunity in this world and is least liable to suffer from "hard times." Now if your son intends at some future time to learn a trade, permit me to call your attention to the excellent opportunity offered by the "Industrial Course" in the high school.
"This course is of four years' duration, the same as the regular high school course.
"The first year is spent wholly in school and the next three alternate weekly between shop and school.
"Boys receive pay for the weeks they are at work at these rates: For the first year 10 cents an hour, the second year 11 cents an hour, and the third year 1212
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cents an hour, making $5.50 a week or $165 for the first year, $6.05 a week or $181.50 for the second year, and $6.87 a week or $206.25 for the third year. This is a total of $552. 75 for the three years. These rates are higher than the former apprentices have been receiving, the manufacturers having of their own account raised the prices.
"This amount makes the boy self supporting and also of some assistance to his family, and when his school days are over he has his trade already learned.
"If you are uncertain as to what is best for the boy. come to my office and let us talk it over together."
Several of the parents called at my office and ex- pressed their hearty approval of the course. We are giving the boys a good opportunity but thus far very little is being done for the girls.
Southbridge is propably the only town in the state of its size that does not have a commercial course in its high school.
It is impossible to have such a course at present because there is no room available in our present build- ing but given a suitable building it would be easy to have such a course for the girls if there was a demand for it.
Vacation School
Vacation schools, as a rule, are held in most places to assist backward or indolent children to obtain a suf- ficient knowledge of the year's work to attain promotion with their class. Ours was carried out on the basis that the bright children are equally deserving of attention.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Pupils were selected from the eight and the seventh grades who from their record as students or from the fact that they were over age for their grade having been retarded by sickness in the lower grades seemed the most capable of doing extra work. A copy of the fol- lowing letter was sent to the parents of the selected children.
"Dear sir: I am planning to take the ten pupils of the VIII grade having the highest rank and have them, besides doing the regular work of the grade, take Latin and Algebra with the slow division of the IX grade. Also have them attend school mornings from 8.30 to 11.30 for five or six weeks of the summer vacation. If this is done, I expect they will be able to enter the High school in September and thus gain one year in their school work.
"Your child comes in this list of ten. If for reasons of health or otherwise you disapprove of this plan as far as it relates to your child kindly advise me before Tuesday, March 4th.
"Whatever you decide I wish you would not talk the matter over with your child or mention it in any way as it would probably excite their minds unneces- sarily.
"This work will naturally call for some home study. I think the teachers can work this out with the pupils without any undue strain."
A similar letter was sent to some of the parents of children in the seventh grade.
Some of the parents approved heartily of the plan and some were opposed.
.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Sixteen pupils were finally selected for the school and besides doing extra work during the last half of the school year attended regularly for five weeks of the summer vacation. The attendance of ninty nine per cent proves that there were no unnecessary absences. If all the pupils of the town would only work with the same spirit and enthusiasm there would be none that would fail of promotion. Their work during the past term shows that no mistake was made in their promo- tion.
The average cost for each pupil in the grades last year was $28. 46 on that basis the gain of one year's time to the sixteen pupils finally promoted was worth to the town $455.36 less $40.00 the salary of the teacher.
As a matter of fact if the ten children who thus skipped the ninth grade had not received a double pro- motion there would have been fifty-one pupils in the ninth grade and in accordance with the law of the state which is as follows; "In every public school hav- ing an average of fifty pupils, one or more female as- sistants shall be employed unless the town votes other- wise," we should have been obliged to hire an especial assistant for the room at a probable cost of at least $400.00.
School Savings
In 1910 the legislature passed a law making the teaching of thrift compulsory in the public schools. In furtherance of this idea the legislature in 1911 passed an act authorizing savings banks to receive de- posits from school children.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Our first deposits were made in April 1912. The savings bank is obliged to make an annual report to the state bank commissioners on November 1. The pupils' deposits from April to Novem- ber 1, 1912, amounted to $639 62
From Nov. 1, 1912 to Nov. 1, 1913,
1,091 39
Total,
$1,731 01
Deposited as follows:
SCHOOLS.
Marcy street
Notre Dame
Ve
$42 76
I
$6 08
Vw
30 99
IIIa
44 34
VIe
43 59
IVa
1 08
VIw
27 92
IVb
27 16
VIIe
24 31
Va
93 24
VIIw
7 85
VI
32 08
VIII
33 80
VII
23 18
IX
53 70
VIII-IX
105 94
-
$333 10
Main street
I
63 43
II
95 81
III
95 76
IV
59 52
Mechanic street
I
29 97
II-III
27 89
IV
19 73
School street
II 33 60
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
III IV Sandersdale
$3 93
33 66
30 20
$758 29
$758 29
Total, $1,091 39
Amount of deposits transferred from school ac- count to individual pass books. Public schools, $685 65
Notre Dame,
339 53
-
-$1,025 18 --
This line of school work is carried on generally throughout the United States. Among the beneficial effects upon the children that are reported by teachers are, "weeding out the cigarette habit" in West Chest- er, Penn., "driving out the cheap candy vendors" in Hartford, Conn., and "developing the power of self denial, prudence, thrift and economy" in Augusta, Me.
"It is going directly at the root of our most char- acteristic national failing-wastefulness. To teach children saving and thrift in this country is a public service very worthy of the public school."-Worlds Work.
New Laws
The last legislature passed two school laws that are of great importance.
FIRST, THE TEACHERS RETIREMENT LAW.
This law makes it compulsory on all teachers that that begin teaching in this state after July first 1914,
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
to contribute a percentage of their salary each year to a retirement fund, controlled by the state and such contribution shall not be less than $35 or more than $100 annually.
Teachers now in service may enter into this if they so desire. As it is manifestly to the advantage of the teachers to avail themselves of this opportunity I pre- sume most of them will do so.
The established salary list now starts our teachers at $10 per week. From this sum one dollar per week will be taken by the state.
"The school committee shall, before employing in any teaching position any person to whom this act may apply, notify such person of his duties and obligations under this act as a condition of his employment and shall deduct from the amount of the salary due each teacher such amounts as are due as contributions to the annuity fund as prescribed in this act."
Under this act teacher's may retire at the age of sixty and must retire at the age of seventy.
This contribution therefore practically reduces the teachers salary, on the smallest basis, one dollar per week.
It has been difficult to obtain inexperienced teachers graduates fresh from normal school at ten dollars per week and I presume therefor it would be impossible to obtain them for nine dollars. So that the state tax will probably necessitate the increasing of our teachers' salaries.
SECOND, LAWS RELATING TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF MINORS.
The intent of the law is to make a closer supervi-
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
sion of minors and it also requires higher educational qualifications before the child can go to work.
No minor between the ages of 14 and 16 years can go to work unless he has completed the fourth grade or is mentally deficient.
Minors between 14 and 16 years must be at school or at work. If discharged from work he must return to school unless he obtains a new position within two days. Work upon dangerous machinery is forbidden.
Minors between 16 and 21 years of age must be able to read and write the English language as well as a pupil who has completed the fourth grade or attend evening school. While the law formerly penalized the employer for the non attendance of the illiterate minor at evening school it now penalizes the employer, the parent and the minor himself.
This law has increased the attendance at the even- ing school and also the regularity of attendance.
In carrying out the law about cards have been is- sued. As the employer must return these cards to the office of the superintendent of schools whenever a minor is discharged, there is evidently considerable clerical work involved not only in issuing the original cards but in issuing the transfers.
The truant officer is also called upon daily to look up those between 14 and 16 years who have been dis charged and must be either at work or at school. The intent of the law is:
1. To give the children under 16 more know- ledge of English.
2. To decrease truancy.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
3. To enforce the evening school attendance laws.
4. To make previous child labor laws enforceable.
5. To protect children from injurious occupa- tions.
-
Medical Inspection
Arrangements were made with all the parochial schools last fall to have regular medical inspection made by the school physicians the same as in the public schools. Cards were furnished and all the pupils of these schools have been examined. This has evidently made the physicians much extra work which they have done without any increased compensation, on the basis that it was for the good of the community. There is probably room for more of this spirit in town.
Attention is called to the special reports.
Respectfully submitted,
F. E. CORBIN.
Evening Schools
MR. F. E. CORBIN, Supt. of Schools.
DEAR SIR:
The regular, annual, Fall term of public evening schools for 1913 closed early in December after 36 ses- sions for boys and the same number for girls at each end of the town.
This was the shortest term for quite a number of years, and possibly the shortest within the recollection of the writer, who has now been engaged in evening school work for a quarter of a century.
The reason for the shorter term is that the foreign element coming into town in larger numbers every year, brings a steadily increasing number of illiterates into evening schools and this, in turn, necessitates a larger number of teachers being employed to instruct them.
It would appear to be inevitable that a larger appropriation than heretofore should be made by the town to successfully cope with these changed condi- tions, and give to the steadily increasing number of minor illiterates, who come here in search of employ- ment in our factories and workshops, the benefit of rudimentary education.
The evening school sessions were held as usual, in the Mechanic street school for the larger number at
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
the eastern end and center of the town, and at the old River street school for the Globe Village contingent.
Practically the same teachers were employed for the past few years, with the addition, however, of several others to act as interpreters and assistants on account of the larger number of illiterates to be taken care of.
The attendance at the sessions throughout the term was close to 93 percent at each of the boys' schools; which is very good indeed when we consider that prac- tically all these people work in the mills and various shops all day long, and are consequently more or less tired when their regular day's work is done and it is time to hurriedly get ready for evening school.
The progress made, however, in the various studies were very commendable, and was surely encouraging to the teachers who worked so hard and conscientiously to help them.
The behaviour of the pupils was, with very few exceptions, very good indeed, and the discipline main- tained throughout the entire term showed that the majority of the pupils appreciated what was being done for them and consequently respected their patient and painstaking instructors.
The work done in the Advanced Classes, was, as usual, of a high standard and very satisfactory, and went up as high as regular 8th and 9th grade work.
The writer, in this connection, can only repeat what he has previously written on this subject, that the excellent advantages offered absolutely free in these advanced classes are apparently not fully comprehended
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
by our ambitious boys and girls, who have commenced to work for a living, or they would surely be more generally taken advantage of.
Taken as a whole, however, the evening school work for 1913 was decidely successful, and considering the number of sessions held, the progress made was all that could reasonably be expected.
Listing our pupils by their nationalities shows how cosmopolitan we have grown and how our evening school population is changing, Polish, 117; Italian, 94; French, 65; Albanian, 47; Greeks, 7; Roumanians, 4, German, 1; Dutch, 1; Lithuanian, 1; 337.
Ten years ago the pupils were mostly French, now the French are third on the list. Besides this list there were also twenty-nine pupils in the advanced classes.
One pupil Frederick Yates received a certificate as a ninth grade graduate and in accordance with a rule of the Committee this certificate entitles the holder to en- ter the high school without an examination.
It must also be borne in mind that the pupils who are compelled to attend evening school by law are classed as "illiterates" because they cannot read and write the english language. While many of them can not read and write in any language yet when one ad- dresses you in passable english and explains that he can read and write Italian and French fluently and wants you to obtain for him a Polish grammar as he would like to get a working knowledge of that language you wonder why "illiterate."
Respectfully submitted,
E. I. KNOWLES.
Physicians' Report
MR. F. E. CORBIN, Supt. of Schools.
DEAR SIR:
I hereby submit the result of examinations in the following schools: High, Main, Mechanic, Elm, San- dersdale and Lebanon Hill.
Number examined 216
Incomplete vaccination
60
Enlarged glands 119
Decayed teeth
118
Nasal diseases. 57
Enlarged tonsils. 20
Much enlarged tonsils 23
Eye diseases. 9
Poor nutrition 2
Ear diseases 3
Poor vision. 7
Pediarloiss. 2
Mental dullness 1
Squint. 2
I am examining the pupils of Notre Dame and Sacred Heart schools and expect to have the twelve hundred or so examined by the end of the school year. Under the new law the work of filling work cards has much increased. During the year I have filled 289 of
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
these besides 4 certificates of age. To school children absent through illness I have given 83 certificates.
Respectfully submitted,
C. A. TETRAULT, School Physician.
MR. F. E. CORBIN, Supt. of Schools.
DEAR SIR:
I submit the following report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1913.
Total number of pupils examined
258
The following defects were found and reported to parent or guardian.
Number of decayed teeth.
278
Enlarged tonsils. 21
Defective eyesight 17
Defective hearing. 7
Not vaccinated. 83
Diseases of skin .5
Adenoids. 11
Infantile paralysis
2
Pediculosis
.5
School certificates (for return to school after sick- ness) which also includes scholars which were sent to me for suspicious cases of skin diseases or sore throat 107.
The past fall I started to make an examination of pupils in St. Mary's school, but at present it is not completed. This fall more work was added to the school physician on account of the new child labor law.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The number of children examined by me was 162, three of which I refused to sign their cards owing to their anemic condition, I considered they were not healthy enough for inside labor.
The examinations in the schools this fall were made more easy by the co-operation of the teachers and they as well as the school physicians can see the benefit of these examinations which have been carried on for the past two years. A word should be said in behalf of the janitors who have kept the school rooms clean and sanitary.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE WEBSTER, School Physician.
Perfect in Attendance for the Year
High school, Ernest Stevens. VIII grade, Helen Beau, Marjorie Brackett, Mary Hogan, Mary Trainor, George Seddon. VI grade, Marjorie Beau, Marjory McMaster, Helen Mandeville. I grade, Yvonne Ledoux.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Class of 1913 Southbridge High School Thursday Evening, June 26 "BOUTEZ EN AVANT"
PROGRAM
PRAYER.
CHORUS. "Venetian Gondeller." Hadley. SALUTATORY.
ORATION. "The Automobile Industry."
ESSAY. "Government Ownership of Railways."
ESSAY .* "The Parcel Post."
CHORUS. { "Summer Mornings." Smart. { "Old King Cole."
Arranged by C. R. Rich. SCHOOL
ORATION. "'Woodrow Wilson."
ARMAND MERRILL DUPAUI.
ORATION. "The Advantages to Southbridge of the Southern New England Railroad." JOSEPH ABRAHAM LARIVIERE ANN ELIZABETH RYAN
ESSAY. The Power of the Pen."
ESSAY. "Sports for Girls." MARION SHAW CHAMPLIN
CHORUS. "Selection from Wreck of the Hesperus." Anderton. SCHOOL
ORATION. "Aviation." ALBERT ALFRED VINCELETTE
ORATION. "Conservation of Water." HAROLD JAMES GARFIELD ESSAY. "The Panama Canal." ASENATH ELIZABETH WALTERS RUTH LYDIA HILL.
ESSAY. "Humor."
CHORUS. "The Wanderers." Schubert. "Cradle Song." Brahms.
SCHOOL
ORATION. "Luther Burbank."
RAYMOND LEROY MCKINSTRY
ORATION. "Co-operative Industrial Education."
JOHN HENRY CURBOY
ESSAY .* "The American Association of the Red Cross."
MARION GERTRUDE DAVIS AGNES JANE KEENAN
VALEDICTORY.
ANTHEM. "Seek Ye The Lord." Roberts. PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS.
SCHOOL
BY CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
BENEDICTION.
*Excused
REV. E. B. MARSHALL
SCHOOL. ALBERT CHARLES ST. ONGE ALPHONSUS DELEHANTY
MARY KATHERINE EGAN ALICE ROSAMOND JACKSON
Appendix
School Laws in Brief
1. All children between 7 and 14, unless sick, feeble-minded, at an approved private school, or other- wise instructed in branches required by law, to the satisfaction of the School Committee, must attend the public schools during the entire time of each school year. Penalty to parents or guardians for failure in attendance, for five days' sessions within any period of six months, $20.
2, No child under 14 shall be employed "in any factory, workshop, or mercantile establishment." "No such child shall be employed in any work performed for wages or other compensation" during the hours when the public schools are in session, nor before 6.30 o'clock in the morning, nor after six in the evening.
3. No child under 16 shall be employed in any factory, workshop or mercantile establishment without a certificate from the Superintendent of Schools. He must present an employment ticket from the person who wishes to employ him, stating the kind of work.
4. Children between fourteen and sixteen must either attend school or be regularly employed.
5. Whenever a child is absent from school for the whole or a part of a session, a written excuse stat- ing cause of absence, and signed by a parent or guard- dian, must be presented by the pupil on his return to. school .- Chap. 44, Sect. 1.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
6. Children must be vaccinated before attending school, but a certificate from a regular physician say- ing a child is an unfit subject for vaccination, allows attendance.
No child can attend school from a household in which there is a case of smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or measles, or from a household exposed to a contagion from a household as aforesaid. Two weeks after the death, removal or recovery of the patient in a case of the first three mentioned, or three days after in a case of measles, the child may return, on presenta- tion of a certificate from the attending physician or from the Board of Health .- Chap. 14, Sect. 6.
7. The last regular session prior to Memorial Day, or a portion thereof, shall be devoted to exercises of a patriotic nature .- Chap. 42, Sect. 20.
8. A United States flag, not less than four feet in length, shall be displayed on the schoolhouse grounds or building every school day, when the weather will permit, and on the inside of the school- house on other school days .- Chap. 42, Sect. 50.
Every child between seven and fourteen years of age, and every child under sixteen years of age, who has not completed the fourth grade, shall attend some public day school in the city or town in which he resides, during the entire time the public day schools are in session, subject to such exceptions as to children, places of attendance and schools as are provided for in section three of chapter forty-two, and section three, five and six of this chapter. Every person having un- der his control a child as described in this section, shall cause him to attend school as herein required; and if he fails for five days' sessions, or ten-half day sessions
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
within any period of six months, while under such con- trol, to cause such child whose physical or mental con- dition is not such as to render his attendance at school harmful or impracticable, so to attend school, he shall, upon complaint of a truant officer and conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars. Whoever induces, or attempts to induce a child to absent himself unlawfully from school, or em- ploys or harbors a child, who, while school is in session, is absent unlawfully from school, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.
The school committee shall cause notice of the disease or defects, if any, from which any child is found to be suffering to be sent to his parent or guar- dian. Whenever a child shows symptoms of smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, chickenpox, tuberculosis, diph- theria, or influenza, tonsilitis, whooping cough, mumps, scabies or trachoma, he shall be sent home immediate- ly, or as soon as safe and proper conveyance can be found, and the Board of Health shall at once be noti- fied .- Chap. 502, Sect. 4.
Calendar For 1914
Winter term. twelve weeks, begins Monday, Jan- uary 5; ends Friday, March 27.
Spring term, twelve weeks, begins Monday, April 6; ends Friday, June 26.
Fall term, sixteen weeks, begins Monday, August 31; ends Friday, December 18.
Winter term, twelve weeks, begins Monday Jan- uary 4, ends Friday March 26.
HOLIDAYS.
Every Saturday ; Washington's Birthday ; Patriot's Day; Memorial Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Thanksgiving and the day following.
Patriotic exercises will be held in all the rooms the afternoon preceding Memorial Day.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE
Library Committee
Theophile Houle,
Term expires 1914
Isidore Leblanc,
Term expires 1914
J. J. Delehanty,
William F. Hefner,
. Term expires 1914 Term expires 1915 Term expires 1915 .
Origene J. Paquette,
F. E. Corbin, Term expires 1915 Wm. C. Flood,
Term expires 1916
Term expires 1916
J. A. Whittaker, Hector M. LeClair,
Term expires 1916
LIBRARIAN Ella E. Miersch.
ASSISTANT Mabel W. Plimpton.
JANITOR John W. Coggans.
LIBRARY HOURS
Week days, except Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christ- mas, 10 to 12 a. m., 2 to 5.30; 6.30 to 9 p. m.
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