USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1915-1919 > Part 12
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Paid E. H. Grout, salary, $900 00
-
6
OTHER EXPENSES.
Paid J. C. Howard, truant officer, Eunice M. Logue, taking census, E. H. Grout, miscellaneous expenses,
$17 50
25 00
26 48
$68 98
EXPENSES OF INSTRUCTION.
Salaries of Teachers.
Paid Principal, Other teachers,
$682 56
7,939 00
$8,621 56
Text Books.
Paid Silver, Burdett & Co., text books,
$ 15 36
Bernard M. Thurdor, text books,
9 00
D. A. Heath, text books,
10 00
Edward E. Babb & Co., text books,
173 69
Macmillan Co., text books,
61 50
Ginn & Co., text books,
74 14
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., text books,
29 92
Educational Associations, charts,
10 00
Perry, Mason & Co., Youths' Companion,
2 00
T. H. Perkins, Transcript,
6 75
Alger's Express, expressage,
8 50
Adams' Express, expressage,
37
$401 23
Stationery and Supplies and other Expenses of Instruction.
Paid J. L. Hammett Co., stationery and supplies, $253 23 Edward E. Babb & Co., stationery and sup- plies,
45 42
Arthur H. Willis, printing,
10 50
Alger's Express, expressage,
11 45
$320 60
EXPENSES OF OPERATING SCHOOL PLANT.
Wages of Janitors and other Employees.
Paid S. B. Hetherington, janitor,
$460 00
Rose Silveria, janitor,
35 25
Grace E. Weston, janitor,
6 00
Charles W. Pearl, janitor and supplies,
162 42
Leo Miller, janitor,
34 50
Mary Maderious, janitor,
25 00
Maria L. Johnson, janitor,
10 50
Lizzie G. Reid, cleaning school,
12 00
Cecilia M. Beattie, janitor,
19 00
Duff Monier, janitor,
28 00
Mrs. E. Cairnes, cleaning schools,
8 75
Margaret O'Neil, cleaning schools,
6 00
Mary A. Dewyer, janitor,
25 00
Florence Dineen, janitor,
11 25
M. A. Mann, janitor,
40 00
$883 67
8
Fuel.
Paid Bradford Copeland, wood,
$99 50
E. T. Snell, wood,
19 00
E. H. Thayer, wood, 73 50
Albert Manley, wood,
37.50
Sam. C. Johnson, wood,
2 00
George W. Alger, wood,
10 10
George Tucker, wood,
37 50
W. L. Woodworth, carting wood,
1 50
George S. Drake, coal,
688 51
$969 11
Miscellaneous.
Paid George Alden, janitors' supplies, $5 21
West Bridgewater Water Dept., water, 148 75
F. Young, cleaning vault,
1 00
Duff Monier, cleaning vault,
1 00
S. Hetherington, janitors' supplies,
2 74
L. A. Tower, janitors' supplies,
14 80
G. S. Drake, janitors' supplies,
85
Howard Funds, rent of school room,
375 00
$549 35
EXPENSES OF MAINTAINING SCHOOL PLANT, REPAIRS, ETC.
Paid N. Y., N. H. & H. Ry. Co., freight, $ 25
U. C. Smith, repairing clock, 2.00
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, supplies, 5 40
John Fallon, plumbing repairs, 3 82
C. F. Jordan, repairs on furnace, 60 87
9
Herman S. Hewett, repairs on clock,
1 00
James Keenan, filling old well, 2 25
W. J. Cairnes, carpentry, Frank Redman, carpentry,
118 34
5 00
Peck & Mckay, plastering,
5 75
W. A. Dewyer, paid for repairs,
4 15
S. B. Hetherington, repairs and keys,
65
O. C. Piano Co., tuning piano,
2 50
Charles T. Mann, work,
3 50
Albert Manley, cleaning vault,
1 00
G. S. Drake, glass and putty,
61
$217 09
HEALTH.
Paid E. S. LeLacheur, M. D., medical inspection, (1915-1916), $130 00
TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS.
Paid Bay State Street Ry. Co., strip tickets,
$814 75
Chas. H. Fuller, transportation, 691 25
Wm. S. Irwin, transportation,
274 50
Lizzie G. Read, transportation,
22 00
George A. Hurtle, repairs on coach,
20 35
F. Chas. Quallins, repairs on coach,
78 00
George A. Keith, repairs on coach,
3 60
$1,904 45
MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES.
Paid A. H. Willis, printing, $15 50
F. E. Fuller, sewing supplies, 21 44
Rose L. MacDonald, supplies, 8 00
F. W. Martin Co., diplomas, Ila D. Berry, ribbon for diplomas,
11 00
3 60
$59 54
NEW BUILDINGS AND NEW EQUIPMENT.
Paid N. Y., N. H. & H. Ry. Co., freight, $ 25
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, furniture, 354 40
Henry H. Snow, clock, 6 00
E. H. Hogden, portable school house,
1,564 00
C, P. Howard, grading,
4 00
F. E. Fuller, curtains, rug, etc.,
12 05
W. A. Gray, clock,
5 50
$1,946 20
Total expenditures, $17,081 23
FUNDS AVAILABLE.
Town grants, support of schools, $13,625 00
New school building, 2,000 00
Mass. School Fund, 1916,
1,154 37
Mass. School Fund, balance of 1915,
39 63
State Treasurer, tuition, State wards,
230 00
State Treasurer, on account of Superintendent's salary, 625 00
Howard Funds, for 3 years, music teacher,
120 00
Refund, 1 00
$17,795 00
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL FUND.
Received from fund, 1916,
$1,154 37
Balance of fund, 1915,
39 63
Paid for teachers' salaries, Amount unexpended,
$1,194 00
$ 887 49
306 51
$1,194 00
INCOME OTHER THAN FROM MASS. SCHOOL FUND.
Town grants,
$15,625 00
From other sources,
976 00
$16,601 00
Remaining expenditures,
$16,193 74
Amount unexpended,
407 26
$16,601 00
To meet the expenses of the coming year we would recommend the following appropriations: 1
General control,
$1,000 00
Teachers' salaries,
8,000 00
Text books and supplies,
.
1,000 00
Janitors and supplies,
1,050 00
Maintenance of buildings, 500 00
12
Fuel, Transportation, Sundries, Rent,
1,000 00
1,900 00
100 00
375 00
Respectfully submitted,
ANNA S. LELACHEUR,
CORELLI C. ALGER, FRANK L. HOWARD,
CLINTON P. HOWARD,
L. AUGUSTUS TOWER, HERBERT HOLMES,
School Committee.
Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Committee of West Bridgewater, Mass .:
The enrolment of our grade schools for January first of the current year is somewhat smaller than that reported one year ago, while the High School shows a slight gain in mem- bership. Because of the frequent changes in population it is difficult to forecast exactly our needs for next year. It seems now, however, from a study of the enrolment table, that our present accommodations and teaching force will be sufficient for the coming twelve months at least.
Toward the end of the last school year it became apparent that an extra teacher should be employed in the Matfield district. To provide room for this additional teacher your superintendent recommended the purchase of a portable one- room building to be located on or near the present school lot, a recommendation that resulted in the appropriation by the town of a sufficient sum for the purchase of such a building and for a piece of land adjacent to the old lot. This additional room has made it possible to restore the sixth grade to the Matfield district and to relieve what promised to be a crowded condition at the Center. The new building, well lighted and ventilated and easily heated, is giving entire satisfaction and will undoubtedly meet the needs of this section of the town for years to come.
MEMBERSHIP BY GRADES, JANUARY 1, 1917.
High.
Totals.
SCHOOLS.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1 12
13
High
35
29-
23
16
103
Centre IX
33
33
VIII
41
41
VII-VIII
18
27
VII
38
38
V-VI
29
42
III-IV I-II
15
11
26
Cochesett Intermediate
5
5
9
19
Cochesett Primary
7
10
4
5
26
Sunset Ave. Intermediate
24
12
36
Sunset Ave. Primary
12
8
12
32
Matfield Intermediate
10
8
7
25
Matfield Primary
8
8
7
23
North
7
7
23
South
3
7
6
4
25
East
4
2
0
3
5
2
16
3
5
6
5
4
2
25
496
Enrolment Jan. 1, 1917 Enrolment Jan. 1, 1916
59 63
58 68
66 66
69 56
51 48
45 64
65 50
50 49
33 43
35 36
29 29
23 17
16 16
605
14
23
16
39
13
9
Jerusalem
599
95
$
15
Our school buildings are in good repair, though inside painting and new curtains are needed in some rooms. The North school should be equipped with slate blackboards. One great need in connection with our buildings is some provision for inside toilets which could be closely supervised and which would remove the objectionable features of those now in use. I refer especially to the toilets connected with our older buildings, the use of which means exposure to cold and storms. Modern invention has provided types of toilets which can be used in connection with stove-heated buildings, and I recommend that careful consideration be given to this subject which involves the physical and moral welfare of the children in our charge.
The question of an eight or nine grade system below the high school should receive attention this year. The eight grade plan already exists throughout a large part of the country and is rapidly being adopted by towns and cities in Massachusetts. By raising the age of admission to the first grade from five to six years, pupils will enter the high school at the same age as at present. Under our present system many of our first grade children, through lack of maturity, fail in their year's work and are obliged to repeat the grade, a procedure that is discouraging to the child and costly to the town. To a considerable extent ninth grade work is a review of subjects already studied, though treated in a manner be- fitting ninth grade pupils. It is felt, however, that with the greater maturity of first grade pupils, brought about by raising the entrance age, the grade work can be completed in eight years without the sacrifice of any essential material now taught. The plan means a rewriting of our present course of study and possibly the elimination of some phases of the work as now outlined. This elimination would be in harmony with the best practice in our country today and would, I believe, prove a lasting benefit to our school system. The change to an eight grade system involves a three or four
16
year program, in which the age of admission is raised by two steps of six months each, and a gradual raising of the stand- ard of attainment for each grade until all have been put on the full eight grade basis. The time seems to be oppor- tune for this change, and I therefore recommend that this proposed plan be put into operation at the beginning of the new school year in September.
The past year has been one of many changes in our teaching force. Of the seventeen regular teachers in service today but nine were with us one year ago, and of these nine only three have been in our schools more than four years. Until a few years ago our teaching body remained almost unchanged from year to year, a condition that made for good schools and high scholarship. The frequent changing of teachers in recent years has made it difficult to preserve the traditions and standards of former days, though much of our work today is of a high degree of excellence. Until such a time as we shall give our teachers an adequate compen- sation, we shall continue to be the training ground for other school systems, which will continue to reap the benefits we ourselves ought to enjoy. With our present appropriations and salary schedule we are obliged to fill most of our vacancies with teachers of little or no experience. By the time they are well established in our system, they in turn are attracted to other places by a higher wage. This condition ought not to prevail longer, and provision should be made whereby it will be possible to retain our best teachers through a period of years.
One of the great needs of our school system is an adequate provision for teaching the manual arts. Several of the teachers are doing such work as they can in a somewhat limited way, in their respective schools and are to be com- mended highly for the initiative they have taken. The teach- ing of sewing to the girls at the Center school has received additional impulse the past year through the efforts of Miss
I7
Runnels, who has devoted a part of her time each week to instructing the girls of grades three to seven in this most important art. The various stitches have been taught and in addition the pupils have had lessons in measuring, cutting, the use of patterns and the details of finishing garments. Among the problems involved the past year are the school bag, guest towel, sewing bag, kitchen apron, sachet bags and tea aprons. The work as outlined for the coming months includes dish towels and straight gathered aprons, for grades three to five, and French hemming of table linen, darning and patching, and cutting, fitting and making of simple skirt, for grades six and seven. Two exhibits of very creditable work has been held during the year, at the second of which there was exhibited much excellent work done at home, a fact that shows the real interest the girls have taken in the work. The co-operation of the parents has been a real help and is much appreciated by the teacher in charge of the work. The splendid results obtained by the girls and the commendable efforts they have made are in themselves suffi- cient justification for the expense of this new line of school work. It is hoped that this course may become a part of our regular course of study and may soon be open to all of our girls in the intermediate and upper grades.
While we are thus providing interesting and helpful instruction for the girls, we should not forget that it is equally important to provide corresponding instruction for the boys in manual training. The benches bought by the school several years ago are in almost constant use, but should be regarded only as the beginning. The town should add to this equipment from time to time and at no distant date should provide a teacher for manual training instruction. The saving in teaching force which would result from a reduction of grades as recommended in another part of this report, would make the employment of a manual training
18
teacher possible, with but little, if any, additional expense for instruction.
A most interesting beginning has been made in home gardening and in home economics club work. The inception of the club, with results obtained thus far and with plans for the future, is outlined in the following report made to me by our principal, Miss Rose L. MacDonald.
"In the spring of 1916 the Plymouth County Farm Bureau provided corn, potato, and pump- kin seeds for Grades 7 and 8 at the Center. The materials were distributed by Mr. E. P. Dunbar, of the Bureau, who also gave an instructive talk on preparing and planting the seeds and culti- vating the crops. He also offered a prize of $1 to child raising the largest pumpkin.
"In October an exhibit of vegetables raised by Grade 8 was held in the school room. The boys and girls were asked to add to the exhibit specimens of their ability in canning and cook- ing, writing out the story of the preparation of each exhibit. Twenty-six children responded with bread, cake, custards, jellies, canned fruit and vegetables, potatoes, corn, carrots, toma- toes, pumpkins and an immense sunflower. In the presence of the Superintendent, members of the School Committee, and parents each child exhibited his special work, telling or reading his experience in the preparation. The boy who received the second prize offered by. Farm Bureau for best potatoes in this section, told the story of his summer's work. Several boys had brought bread, one had made custards, while the girls had added to their bread many simple but delicious cakes; both boys and girls had been
19
successful in canning vegetables, but only girls attempted jelly. As a recognition of his work each child received a card signed by a commit- tee of ladies and gentlemen representing the town. The exhibits were bought by the visitors who asked the privilege of so doing.
"It was the desire of the members of the Committee, as expressed at this meeting that the work so begun should continue and several of the gentlemen offered to start a fund for prizes for next year.
"As a sequel to this exhibit, Miss Helen M. Norris, Home Economics Advisor of the Plym- outh County Farm Bureau, has interested the children in forming a club, whose object is the performing and recording simple home duties. The girls are urged to join the sewing club whose special duties are to learn to use a pat- tern, to patch, to darn, to make simple gar- ments. These children are to spend at least ten hours during three months in this particular work, filling out forty extra hours with sweep- ing, dusting, dish-washing, bed-making, stove- polishing and various home duties. The boys are to join the cooking club, learning to make bread especially; ten hours must be given to this, the extra forty hours filled in as in the sew- ing club.
"Membership in the club is restricted to those who intend to complete the three months' work honestly and earnestly. Before a child can join the club the mother must signify her willingness to oversee and verify the records of the child's work.
"Twice a month meetings of the club mem-
-
20
1
bers are to be held when Miss Norris, or some director, will talk to the children, illustrating the methods of cooking and sewing. Mrs. Clin- ton P. Howard has kindly consented to serve as leader of the West Bridgewater club and has generously offered the use of her home as a meeting place."
TABLE OF COMPARISON.
Expended from local taxation.
Expended from all sources for public day elementary schools, exclusive of gen- eral control.
Per pupil in average mem-
Per pupil in average mem'ship.
Per thou- sand of valuation.
bership.
West Bridgewater,
$23.64
$6.29
$28.94
Average for selected group of towns,
31.66
4.80
33.15
Average of State,
40.31
4.64
34.62
The above table is compiled from statistics published in the recent report of the state board of education, and is given for the purpose of comparing West Bridgewater with the state as a whole and also with a selected group of 122 towns, having each a population of less than 5,000 and not support- ing a high school. From the first column it will be seen that West Bridgewater pays from the local treasury but $23.64 for each pupil in the average membership of the schools, which is $8.02 less than the average for the selected group of towns and nearly $17.00 less than the average for the state. Column two shows that on each thousand dollars of valuation the town is paying for its schools $6.29, a sum considerably in excess of the average for the group of towns and the state. This means that the valuation of the town is unfortu-
21
nately low for the number of children it has to educate. Turning to column three, we find that the town expends from all sources for its public schools (exclusive of general control), the sum of $28.94 per pupil. On exactly the same basis (public day elementary schools) the average for the selected group is $33.15 and for the state $34,62; i. e. we have avail- able for each of our pupils a sum smaller by $2.21 in one case and $5.68 in the other. While it is true that West Bridge- water spends a considerable sum on each thousand of valua- tion, its rank in the state is only 119, i. e. 118 towns and cities in the state tax themselves more heavily.
Our school appropriations must continue to increase from year to year, if we wish to maintain the present degree of efficiency. The high cost of living will necessarily be reflected in the increased cost of everything connected with the schools, whether it be the services of teachers, fuel for the buildings or books and supplies for the pupils. For the bene- fit of the tax-payers the following diagram is given, showing how the school dollar was spent in West Bridgewater the past year.
HOW THE SCHOOL DOLLAR IS SPENT.
Repairs 1/2 cents. Miscellaneous 5 cents.
Text Books and Supplies 5 cents.
Janitors 6 cents.
Fuel 6 cents. .
Administration 7 cents.
Transportation 1212 cents.
Teachers 57 cents.
22
In closing this report I wish to call attention to the special reports which follow and to the various tables given in the appendix. I also wish to extend my thanks to all who have been associated with me in my work the past year, for their helpful spirit of co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
EDGAR H. GROUT.
SPECIAL REPORTS.
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
To the Superintendent of Schools:
It is with pleasure I submit the annual report of the con- dition of the Howard High School.
I am intensely gratified with the condition of the school at the present time, both in the quality of the work and the spirit of the pupils.
It is a pleasure to report that last fall two of our students entered college. These are doing good work. College entrance by certificate is open to our graduates, but the understanding exists between colleges and accredited schools that the mere possession of a diploma is not a sufficient guar- antee of preparation. A standing of at least 85 per cent. in each credited subject is required.
Since the previous report a new teacher has been added to the teaching force which greatly helps the efficiency of the school. The present corps of teachers is, without exception, most faithful to the school both in spirit and in effort.
23
In regard to scholarship I would say further that pupils and parents should bear in mind that but a limited amount of time for study is available in the high school. The number of periods in the regular day school is seven, averaging thirty-five minutes each. The average student takes four studies, each meeting four or five times a week, together with music, drawing, etc., which leaves him not more than two hours of possible study in school. If we assume that the average study requires one hour at least of preparation, we have a total of four hours of preparation necessary, of which two must be found outside school, unless the work is to suffer.
It is assumed that parents are sufficiently interested in their children's welfare to allow no afternoon work to inter- fere with such study, and in general this has been true. But no school supervisor can insure home study. And in so far as young people are allowed by parents to spend their outside hours in amusements or engagements to the exclusion of the time indicated for study, or the energy and vitality therefor, poor work or failure is inevitable.
The present enrollment of the school is 103. Of these a gratifying number claim to have plans for college or further study.
In Memoriam.
It is with profound sorrow that we record the loss of one of the Trustees. The death of Mr. E. B. Maglathlin has taken from us one who has been associated with the school for many years, and who has filled the position with unusual tact and ability. The example of faithfulness to his duties and his sterling qualities will long be remembered.
24
Our school is not perfect but none are more anxious to remedy these faults than the teachers themselves. Any criticism given in a kindly spirit is always welcome. Let us know how we can better the school.
I wish to thank the Trustees and Superintendent for their support in the promotion of the interests of the school.
Respectfully submitted,
BERTHA F. LAWRENCE,
Principal.
REPORT OF DRAWING SUPERVISOR.
The course in drawing has been carried out faithfully in all the schools. In fact the quality has been quite uniform in the Central Grammar and outside schools. Nature drawing, object drawing and design have been exceptionally good in the eighth grade.
More constructive work than formerly has been given in all grades. Most of the objects, boxes, trays and envelopes, have been made from white drawing paper and decorated with crayons or paints. This work has combined mechanical drawing with constructive work and design. Although it is difficult to make from drawing paper objects having a lasting value, yet the training from measuring, cutting, pasting and decorating has proved the work well worth while.
Last spring an interesting experiment was given in the ninth grade. Each pupil made an original plan of a small camp. When the plan was approved by the teacher then the pupil drew the plan on fresh paper carefully to a scale, and printing on the drawing the names of the different rooms, and all information necessary to the plan. The proper arrang- ing of rooms, placing of chimney, windows and piazza re-
25
quired thoughtful work and much discussion. The big advance in the cost of materials made the making of the portfolios, mentioned in last year's report, prohibitive.
I wish to thank you and the teachers for cordial support.
Respectfully yours,
EDMUND KETCHUM.
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL INSPECTOR.
To the School Committee and Superintendent of the Schools in the Town of West Bridgewater:
It gives me pleasure to present my report as Medical Inspector in the public schools for the year 1916 as follows:
26
DISEASES FOUND.
Total No.
Advised
Treatment.
Treated.
Improved or
Cured.
EYES :-
Conjunctivitis,
EARS :-
Otitis media (Inflammation of middle ear),
1
1
1
1
NOSE AND THROAT :-
Adenoids and enlarged tonsils,
28
21
10
10
Slightlly enlarged tonsils,
53
19
Deflected nasal septum, Cleft palate,
1
1
SKIN :-
Acne,
3
Eczema,
4
Rhus poisoning (Ivy),
6
Ring worm,
3
3
3
3
Scrofulosis,
1
1
Urticaria,
3
BONES AND JOINTS ;-
GENERAL DISEASES :-
Asthma,
2
Anaemia,
2
2
2
2
Slightly anaemic,
9
Boils,
2
Enlarged cervical glands,
2
2
1
Malaria,
1
Rheumatism,
4
Sick headache,
14
Indigestion,
3
Valvular disease of heart,
1
NERVOUS AND MENTAL DEFECTS :- Backward,
3
Defective speech (stammering),
3
TEETH :-
Badly decayed,
55
9
7 7
Taken care of,
147
PARASITIC :-
Pediculosis (Lice),
9
9
9
9
-
-
195
197
33
53
1
1
1 1
1
Correct posture is of the utmost importance in prevent- ing deformities of the body, especially in childhood when the bones are soft and easily moulded. Interest in this subject has resulted in the formation of the American Posture
27
League. Girls as well as boys must be taught the impor- tance of avoiding incorrect attitudes whether sitting, stand- ing or in motion, since they later result in ill health or even deformity. Do not slouch. Sit up straight, and girls, do not sit on one foot or later the dressmaker may find one hip higher than the other. "Round shoulders," lateral curva- ture of the spine and one shoulder or hip higher than the other are more often caused by faulty posture than by actual diseased conditions.
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