USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1913-1916 > Part 30
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June. Margaret Butler,
Sept. Ruth Dunlop,
Month Teacher
June. Margaret Butler,
Sept. Jane Farquhar,
Sept. Bertha Johnson,
Sept.
Mary Keenan,
Sept. Ruth Dunlop,
Month Teacher
Sept. Anna Bissonette,
Sept. Ralph Hill,
Sept. Edward Wheeler,
Sept. Julia Morrill,
Sept. Agnes Keenan, .
Sept. Monica Roach,
Sept. Edith Rowley,
Sept. Irene Gough,
RESIGNED.
School
High
High
Marcy VI
Mechanic IV
Marcy VI
TRANSFERRED.
School
Mechanic IV to Attendance Officer.
Mechanic II to Mechanic IV.
Sandersdale to Mechanic II.
Lebanon Hill to Sandersdale.
Asst. Marcy Street to Marcy Street VI.
APPOINTED.
School
High
High
High
Mechanic III
Lebanon Hill
Marcy Street VI
Assistant, Marcy Street
Assistant, Main Street
245
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Corps of Teachers January 1. 1915,
NAME
Appointed
GRADE
EDUCATED
F. E. Corbin
1902
Supt.
Williams College
High
Clarence W. Bosworth
1913
Latin
Brown University
Ralph J. Hill
1914
Industrial
Boston Engineering
Edward W. Wheeler
1914
Industrial
Rindge Technical
Frances Stockbridge
1911
Science
Mt. Holyoke
Eloise Crocker
1912
Mathematics
Boston University
Myrta Nute
1913
English
Boston University
Anna Bissonette
1914
French and
Wellesley
Marcy Street
Laura Shepardson
1897
IX
Mary E. Meagher
1887
VIII
Alice Holmes
1878
VII
Gertrude O'Neil.
1911
VII
Blanche Harwood
1903
VI
Monica Roach.
1914
VI
Annie Marcy
1900
V
Maud Forsythe.
1910
V
Westfield Normal
Helene Laycock
1912
Assistant
Southbridge H. S.
Louise Corbin
1913
Assistant
Edith Rowley
1914
Assistant
Main Street
May Simpson
1911
IV
Worcester Normal
Mary Chase
1906
III
Home School
Mary Boardman.
1891
II
Southbridge H. S.
Mary Butler.
1902
I
Southbridge H. S.
Irene Gough
1914
Assistant
Mechanic Street
Jane Farquhar
1887
IV
Julia Morrill.
1914
III
Bertha Johnson.
1907
II
Mabel Chamberlàin
1890
I
School Street
Agnes Meagher
1886
IV
Southbridge H. S.
Bertha Harwood
1901
III
Southbridge H. S.
Bertha Foley
1912
1I
Nettie Stone
1898
I
Elm Street
Mary McCabe
1890
I
Quincy Training
River Street
Mary Ellis
1882
Southbridge H. S.
German
Nichols Academy Southbridge H. S. Palmer H. S.
Worcester Normal Southbridge H. S. Westfield Normal Worcester Normal
Wheaton Seminary Pratt Institute
School of Domestic
Science,
Quincy Training St. Joseph's Normal Worcester Normal Southbridge H. S.
Worcester Normal Southbridge H. S.
246
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Corps of Teachers January 1, 1915-Continued.
NAME
Appointed
GRADE
EDUCATED
Sandersdale
Mary Keenan
1913
I-II-III
Southbridge H. S.
Dennison
Stella Wood.
1907
I-V
Southbridge H. S.
Lebanon Hill
Agnes Keenan
1914
1-V
Worcester Normal
Anna Eager
1896
Drawing
Normal Art School
Gladys Lull.
1913
Music
Grace Harford
1913
Cooking
N. E. Conservatory Willimantic Normal
Statistics from School Register.
FOR SCHOOL YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1314
Grade
Number
of Boys
Registered
Number
Registered
Total
Average
Member-
Average
Attend-
Per Cent.
of Attend-
ance
High School
64
54
118
107.7
102.1
94.8
Marcy Street.
IX
19
23
42
39.63
38.29
96.16
VIII
21
23
44
38.17
36.33
95.19
VII E
23
18
41
36.55
34.14
93.12
VII W
21
17
38
33.52
31.37
98.38
VI E
31
17
48
42.5
38.9
91.7
VE
37
29
66
59.98
58.52
99.63
Main Street
IV
20
21
41
35.35
36.92
93.97
Mechanic Street.
IV
22
26
48
43.3
39.67
90.59
School Street ..
IV
-
27
19
46
35.99
33.64
93.38
Main Street
III
25
22
47
44.12
40.37
91.61
Mechanic Street.
II, III
25
25
50
43.4
40.57
93.4
*School Street
III
18
20
38
32.3
29.07
91.02
Main Street
II
26
19
45
36.88
33.03
89.64
Elm Street
I
33
25
58
41.95
38.64
92.1
Main Street.
I
27
25
52
42.67
38.4
87.95
Mechanic Street
I
29
18
47
34.98
31.71
90.33
River Street
I
25
24
49
29.86
28.99
96.41
School Street
I
18
21
39
33.
29.21
88.53
Sandersdale
I-II-III
20
14
34
27.24
23.48
86.44
Dennison
8
10
18
12.1
11.5
95.
Hooker District.
4
10
14
12.97
10.94
84.5
*School Street.
I]
12
17
29
29.16
26.87
91.84
120
542
1162
992.52
924.99
92.31
VI W
29
21
50
45.23
41.78
92.45
VW
36
24
60
53.97
50.55
93.68
ship
ance
of Girls
247
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
New Laws.
The legislature of 1914 passed the following laws that are of especial importance to schools.
FIRST. THE TENURE OF OFFICE ACT.
SECTION 1. The school committee of a city or town, in electing a teacher or superintendent who has served in the public schools of its city or town for the three previous consecutive years, shall em- ploy such teacher or superintendent to serve at the discretion of the school committee, subject to the provisions of section two of this act.
SECTION 2. The school committee may dismiss any teacher or superintendent from employment by a two thirds vote of the whole committee, and such teacher or superintendent shall not receive any compensation for service rendered after such dismissal: provided, that a teacher or superintendent employed to serve at the discretion of the school committee, as provided in section one of this act, shall not be dismissed unless, at least thirty days prior to the meeting, ex- clusive of customary vacation periods, at which the committee votes upon the question of his dismissal, he shall have been given notice of the intention of the school committee to vote upon the question of his dismissal, nor unless, he shall have been given, upon his re- quest, a statement by the school committee of the reasons for which his dismissal is proposed; nor unless, also, in the case of a teacher, the superintendent of schools shall have given to the school commit- tee his recommendations as to the proposed dismissal.
SECTION 3. (1) No teacher employed to serve at the discretion of the school committee, as provided in section one of this act, shall suffer a decrease of salary without his consent, except by a general salary revision affecting equally all teachers of the same salary grade in the city or town. (2), A superintendent employed to serve at the discretion of the school committee shall suffer no decrease in salary without his consent, until at least one year after the school commit- tee has voted to reduce his salary.
SECTION 4. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as limit- ing the right of a school committee to suspend a teacher or superin- tendent for immoral conduct or other conduct unbecoming a teacher;
248
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
and if the teacher or superintendent so suspended is subsequently dismissed because of such conduct, he shall not receive any salary for the period of his suspension.
SECTION 5. Nothing herein contained shall be construed as limiting the right of a school committee to dismiss a teacher when an actual decrease in the number of pupils in the schools of the city or town renders such action advisable. - Chapter 714.
The law adds to the dignity of the teachers' profession, and in conjunction with the pension law of 1913, makes the positions of competent teachers secure and relieves them from the anxiety caused by the old system of annual elections.
The theory of our new laws is that the position of teachers should be made permanent and not in any way dependent on the whims of committees that are changing bodies. A teacher who is considered excellent by one committee may be frowned upon by a new committee.
The law is in line with the general policy of the state which, by its constitution, gives judges tenure during good behavior and efficiency and also states that the government of the commonwealth shall be a government of laws and not of men, and that no subject shall be held to answer for any offence until the same shall be fully and formally described to him. The state has already given tenure to all its other civil employes, clerks, janitors, firemen and police- men, with an admitted improvement in the service as a result. In Germany where the tenure is very strict the standards of education are of the highest.
SECOND. THE LAW RELATING TO THE SCHOOL CENSUS.
The school committee of each city and town shall annually ascertain and record the names, ages and such other information as may be required by the board of education, of all children between five and seven years of age, of all children between seven and four- teen years of age, of all children between fourteen and sixteen years of age, and of all minors over sixteen years of age who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language, residing in its city or town on the first day of September, and such
249
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
record shall be completed on or before the fifteenth day of Novem- ber. Whoever, having under his control a minor over five years of age, withholds information sought by a school committee or its agents under the provisions of this section or makes a false state- ment relative thereto, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.
It is recommended that wherever possible attendance officers shall be charged with the duty of taking the school census and of keeping it up to date as a permanent record .- Chapter 43.
The officers hitherto known as truant officers shall hereafter be known as attendance officers, and all laws now or hereafter in force relative to truant officers shall apply to attendance officers. An at- tendance officer may apprehend and take to school without a warrant any truant or absentee found wandering about in the streets or pub- lic places.
It had been frequently mentioned in committee meetings that the method of looking after delinquent children was not efficient. The method consisted of having the school janitors look up the ab- sentees and while it served for the day, there was no "follow up".
The work of an attendance officer is a very important part of the school machinery. The office calls for one who has a know- ledge of the laws covering school matters and the tact and firmness to carry them out. The work has been greatly increased by the re- cent law' which compels all children between 14 and 16 years to be either at school or at work.
After due consideration by the committee it was voted:
That Miss Magaret Butler be appointed attendance officer for one year from July first. It shall also be her duty to 'take the school census and serve as a substitute teacher when it does not conflict with her other work. '
In accordance with a law passed by the last legislature,
The mayor of a city and the selectmen of a town may ap- point one or more women as special police officers who shall have within the limits of such city or town, all the powers conferred by law upon constables, except in relation to the service of civil process, and all the powers conferred upon the police as watchmen.
250
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The selectmen have appointed Miss Butler a special police of- ficer in order to add weight to her commands.
Miss Butler has been able with the assistance of the overseers of the poor to fit out some needy children with clothing and thus prevent any loss of time in their attendance at school. It is also expected that she will receive some co-operation from the district nurse association in cleaning up some children that have been out of school periodically because of conditions arising from neglect and malnutritions that can be easily remedied.
It is evident that the work done in her department is accom- plising results as there are evidently less children upon the streets in school hours. Miss Butler is the first in this state to be ap- pointed to have sole charge of this line of work.
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 deposits from school children. It is the purpose of the act to encourage thrift among the children by having them save their pen- nies which are collected by the teacher and deposited weekly in the bank. A report is made annually on November first to the state bank commissioner.
For the year ending November first 1914 the following deposits were made.
Marcy Street.
Main Street.
Ve
$76 19
I
$36 98
Vw
61 77
II
74 81
VI
25 65
III
99 88
VIw
29 52
IV
77 32
VIIe
20 36
VIw
17 56
VIII
24 79
IX
93 70
251
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Mechanic Street.
School Street.
I
16 58
II
37 44
II
15 89
III
20 35
III
40 44
IV
12 58
"V
77 32
Sandersdale
60 98
Total $896 06.
Transferred to individual pass books,
$779 17
Deposited in 1912,
$163 12
1913,
685 65
1910,
896 06
Total,
$2,024 83
New High School.
At a town meeting held on Nov. 4, 1913 the following was voted.
That the school committee be and hereby is authorized to consult reputable architects in reference to plans for a new high school building, to obtain sketches of said plans, the cost thereof, and make this report to the town at a town meeting.
As stated in last year's report the committee visited different high schools that had been recently erected and spent considerable time in interviews with architects and studied sketches submitted by differ- ent ones, some of whom are generally considered as especially skill- ful in school architecture. Some of whom presented more than our set of sketches.
It was finally decided to return all the sketches that had been pre- · sented and to consult Peabody & Stearns of Boston who are generally recognized as standing at the head of their professions in New Eng- gland. They have presented several different sketches of which the one presented in their report was unanimously chosen by the com- mittee.
252
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The building site has been looked over by Frederick Law (lm- stead, the eminent landscape architect, who has advised that the building should face Marcy street and it has been designed in accordance with that suggestion.
The length on Marcy street is 139 feet and on Main street 100 feet.
The building is designed to accommodate 300 pupils and should be sufficient for the needs of the town for several years. Whenever increased room is needed it is designed to add a third story which will hold the laboratories and allow the second floor to be used for seating.
The town has come to the point where it is necessary that in- creased school accommodations be furnished. We have enrolled at the high school this year 135 pupils. There are in the ninth grades seventy-five pupils, of this number fifty or more will probably enter the high school and our high school next September will number ap- proximately 150 pupils. This is more than can be, accommodated in the present quarters. Also five of the rooms at Marcy street have enrolled more than 55 pupils each.
The state law in relation to large schools is as follows:
In every public school having an average of fifty pupils one or more female assistants shall be employed unless the town votes otherwise.
We have employed three assistants for these rooms, which as a matter of law and justice to the children five should have been em- ployed. We have employed, however, all for whom there is an ante- room in which they can work.
It does not seem fitting that in a prosperous town children should recite in hall-ways or from stairs. The expenses of the schools are increased by the lack of suitable accommodations. Thus two of these assistants receive in all $19.00 per week and could be replaced by one teacher at $14.00 per week, a direct loss of $200.00 per year.
With a new high school building we should do away with the ninth grade and as a matter of fact most towns of our size and all
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253
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
the cities have but eight grades at present. Most of the pupils would thus gain one year's time in this school course and any fur- ther overflow would also be taken care of for a few years at least.
All of the preliminary work of the architects has been done without cost to the town. The committee have now gone as far as it is possible to go without expenditure of money. In order to ob- tain bids from reliable contractors backed by bonds for the perform- ance of the work a minute set of working drawings is the pre-re- quisite. The cost of such a set of drawings is three per cent. of the cost of the building. It is evident that the committee can do no further work and also can not get any more work done unless means are provided to pay for the same.
The Committee will submit the following article to the voters at the annual town meeting in March:
To see if the town will vote to authorize the School Com- - mittee to procure plans and specifications, including work- ing drawings, for the proposed High School building to be erected at the corner of Main and Marcy streets, the same to be in accordance with the sketches prepared by Messrs. Peapody & Stearns, Architects, Boston, Mass., raise and ap- propriate money therefor or act anything thereon.
· The following table shows the town's expenditures for the past ten years.
254
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Table Showing the Town's Expenditures for the Past Ten Years.
Report of
Year.
Schools
Streets
Sewers
Highways
Police
Department
Bridges
Fire
Department
Sidewalks
Sidewalk
Repairs
1914
$32,807 00
$21,059 00
$12,504 00
$10,467 00
$10,389 00
$3,220 00
$9,088 00
$10,367 00
$2,305 00
1913
30,435 00
39,982 00
17,736 00
8,556 00
8,888 00
1,946 00
9,788 00
1,308 00
2,166 00
1912 1
27.190 00
33,574 00
14,276 00
10,280 00
7,893 00
2,108 00
9,258 00
6,980 00
1,998 00
1911
33,447 00
2,998 00
34,519 00
8,089 00
7,656 00
11,357 00
7,646 00
2,644 00
2,161 00
1910 1
27,389 00
3,295 00
75,737 00
10,143 00
6,426 00
2,474 00
8,550 00
5,826 00
2,481 00
1909
28,831 00
33,580 00
76,541 00
9,565 00
5,295 00
15,970 00
7,653 00
1,289 00
2,875 00
1908
28,405 00
234 00
15,126 00
9,282 00
5,094 00
1,531 00
6,735 00
1,873 00
2,056 00
1907
25,388 00
889 00
2,522 00
6,962 00
4,817 00
476 00
6,070 00
1,996 00
1,387 00
1906
28,118 00
6.459 00
9,170 00
9,100 00
4,646 00
899 00
5,866 00
2,636 00
1905
27,235 00
719 00
11,296 00
8,098 00
4,636 00
9,074 00
6,562 00
2,017 00
Per Cent. Increase
20
124
38
2
3
Table Showing the Town's Expenditures for the Past Ten Years-Continued.
Report
of
Year
Lighting
Insurance
Water
Town Hall
Contingent
Contingent
State Tax
County
Valuation
Interest
Paid
Tax Rate
1914
$11,388 00 $1,497 00 $ 3,939 00 $3,096 00 $8,210 00
$14,720 00 $6,692 00 $7,382,086 00 $8,321 00 $19 40
1913
10,644 00
1,226 00
3,742 00
3,729 00
8,164 00
11,312 00
6,966 00
7,103,033 00
7,507 00
21 40
1912 1
9,671 00
1,507 00
3,431 00
3,120 00
7,518 00
9,955 00
6,430 00
6,295,875 00
8,597 00
19 80
1911
9,435 00
1,462 00
3,243 00
2,977 00
8,305 00
9,955 00
6,430 00
5,878,547 00
9,181 00
22 4
1910 1
7,777 00
2,797 00
3,182 00
1,857 00
5,667 00
7,650 00
6,082 00
5,698,528 00
6,826 00
22 60
1909
8,183 00
2,858 00
3,284 00
2,212 00
4,772 00
9,350 00
6,082 00
5,332,864 00
6,204 00
22 60
1908
7,899 00
1,242 00
3,100 00
1,784 00
3,221 00
6,800 00
6,082 00
5,300,888 00
4,745 00
19 80
1907
7,227 00
738 00
2,797 00
1,691 00
4,105 00
5,985 00
5,982 00
5,066,303 00
5,371 00
18 00
1906
7,904 00
862 00
2,852 00
1,914 00
5,627 00
6,840 00
5,982 00
4,698,561 00
6,684 00
23 60
1905
7,616 00
1,160 00
2,613 00
1,532 00
5,065 00
4,275 00
5,982 00
4,629,909 00
6,050 00
18 60
Per Cent Increase
50
50
100
60
250
13
60
1. Eleven months owing to change in fiscal year.
2. Does not include railings.
3. Does not include electrician's salary.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
255
Tax
256
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The table shows that the town has been making liberal ex- penditures for streets but the departments as a whole show only a normal increase when compared with the increase in valuation and the school department shows the least increase.
The bridges of the town have mostly been changed from wood to stone or concrete at a cost of $49,055.00 and there should be no further large expense in this department.
We hear a great deal, in these days, of nations, states and cities preparing a budget and limiting their expenses to the amounts re- commended. If this town should try it there would be ample re- sources for each department and a reasonable sum for annual im- provements without an increase in the tax rate.
When newcomers arrive in town the first question is not, "Have you good roads?" or "Are your streets well lighted?" but "What can your schools do for my children?" The first requisite, and the one most in evidence, for a good school, is a good building. Our buildings as a whole serve their purpose but most of them can- not be considered models.
Main Street, 4-room building, built in 1835, front addition built in 1888, needs new floors, system of ventilation in use is no longer permitted by the state authorities to be installed and when an improper system is in use there is always the possibility of its being condemned by the state authorities, location of building is un- satisfactory, 116 of the children, 60 per cent., live south of Main street and parents dislike to send their children across the car tracks and through the "square" where there is the constant danger of cars, autos and teams. If the town continues to increase in population a school in the vicinity of the junction of Elm street and the Wood- stock road will be necessary. Rooms in use four, pupils enrolled 189.
School Street, 4-room building, built in 1847 on West street, "remodeled and repaired" and moved to School street in 1871, buiding raised in 1910, new furnaces installed and sewer connections made, needs new floors, rooms in use four, pupils enrolled 144.
River Street, 4 room building, first built as a two room building in 1861, upper story containing two rooms added in 1871. This
257
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
building is very inconvenient, all the rooms need extensive repairs, not connected with water or sewer, rooms in use one, pupils enrolled 35.
The following notice has been received from the Board of Health:
"The Board of Health wish to call the attention of the School Committee to the unsanitary condition of the school building on River street. This building if allowed to stand should be provided with modern plumbing. Sewer pipes have been placed on this street and this board urges speedy action in the matter."
It would be wasting money to make this building suitable. The building should be sold and a new one built.
Elm Street, 2 story, 2 room building, built in 1877, rooms in in use one, lower room is in good condition, it will probably be nec- essary to use the upper room for second grade children next Sep- tember, pupils enrolled 51.
Sandersdale, 1 room building, built in 1891, good condition, pupils enrolled 34.
High School, built in 1889, not rooms enough to accomodate the classes, the so called "Board of Trade" room now used by the high school was used for an overflow of primary children in 1892, the committee in the 1892 Report said, "This school should not be maintained a single day more than is necessary owing to lack of ventilation." Conditions have not improved any since that time. Pupils enrolled 135.
Marcy Street, 8 room building, built in 1898, building is in ex- cellent condition, rooms in use 8, pupils enrolled 405, rooms are overcrowded.
Mechanic Street, 4 room building, built in 1902, building is in good condition, rooms in use four, pupils enrolled 137.
Dennison, 1 room district school, built in 1848, needs new floor, pupils enrolled 18.
Lebanon Hill, 1 room district school, pupils enrolled 17.
Morse district, 1 room district school built in 1865, unoccupied.
258
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Industrial Course.
Owing to the increasing number of boys taking the Industrial Course another teacher had to be engaged last September to assist in this course ..
This increases the cost of this department but not out of pro- portion to the cost of what may be termed the regular courses. Nor is the cost so high as it would be if the town were situated nearer one of the state's trade schools. It is possible now for boys and girls from any town in the state to attend the State Trade Schools. While the pupils do not have to obtain permission from the local authorities to attend these schools yet the town is responsible for the pupil's tuition. A species of taxes without representation that was once deemed wrong both in principle and practice.
The following note shows what has been the cost of attendance at the Worcester Trade School to some of our neighboring towns.
For the school year 1913- 1914, Leicester has paid $1,144.28; Charlton $697.47. For the next school year the figures will probably be $1,800 and $600, respectively. One- half of the above sums is refunded by the state.
C. C. RICHARDSON, Superintendent.
Industrial education has hardly made a beginning in this coun- try. Yet an education along this line is desirable for two-thirds of our pupils.
That union labor is heartily in accord with a program of voca- tional educational education which shall better the condition of the working man and woman was made clear by an address delivered by Samuel Gompers at Richmond, Va., on Dec. 9th.
"If the American workman is to maintain the high standard of efficiency," said Mr. Gompers, "the boys and girls of the country must have an opportunity to acquire edu- cated hands and brains, such as may enable them to earn a living in a self-selected vocation and acquire an intelligent un- derstanding of the duties of good citizenship.
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