USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1867-1870 > Part 25
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Neither have the assessors presented us with the full increase of the valuation of the property of the city. All who have taken the pains to inquire, know that a large mass of the property, especially real estate, stands at about the same valuation as it did eight years ago, or the increase in the valuation has been hardly an approach to the real advance in its market value. But enough does appear to show that we have a large, rich, enter-
81
prising, and rapidly growing city, and that nothing but perhaps a niggardly policy in our public affairs, can stop its growth. We have almost every diversity of employ- ment. With an extent of territory of 22,809 acres, we have rich farms, large factories, machine shops, and large and small establishments for the manufacture and sale of almost every description of goods.
The depots filled with merchandize, with heavily loaded freight trains ar- riving and departing from every direction, show our trade to be enormous, and rapidly increasing. As an- other indication, look at the price of the stocks of all the railroads leading from the city, and compare them with the prices eight or ten years ago. If you are not now satisfied, take a carriage ride around the city and notice the blocks for business recently built and in the process of construction, the large number of dwelling houses going up on every hand, and think, if you can, of the great change that has been made in eight years. Then remember that to make sure our prosperity upon a stable foundation, we must provide liberally for the edu- cation of the children of the increasing thousands of our population.
NEW HOUSES.
The City Council have during the past year, with commendable liberality, but none too soon, commenced the erection of new school houses on Woodland st., Edge- worth st., at Quinsigamond and South Worcester. These when completed will furnish ample accommodations for those sections of the city ; but now comes an urgent de- mand for a new house for eight or ten schools in the south-east part of the city, to relieve the over-crowded condition of the present houses from Thomas st. to East Worcester, Providence st., Ash st., Salem st., and Lamar- tine st. to Sycamore st. At the present time, (January,)
8º
there is a surplus of 243 scholars in schools in these buildings over the number limited, for the grades, by the School Board.
We are paying $150 per year rent for two inconve- nient rooms in the third story of the Catholic Institute, into which are crowded some one hundred and fifty scholars. It is desirable also to take from the French roof, four stories up, in the Providence st. house, the schools there located, and give them better accommoda- tions. To provide for all this would take a large house, and it is to be feared that before such a house could be completed we should have enough to fill it and still leave the schools in the fourth story of the Providence street house, and also leave the schools in the Catholic Institute. Such is the rapid increase in the population in that part of the city.
A call has been made for a small house upon the old lot on Summer st., which would provide room for a school and also for a ward room much needed by the voters of Ward two. A new school of the primary grade is much needed in that locality.
The matter of a new High School House is now in the hands of a committee, and I will not anticipate their recommendation. That is a matter more of convenience and city pride. But the furnishing of room for those unprovided is a prime necessity.
REPAIRS.
Comparatively little was done in the way of repairs the last year, but the most ordinary repairs of thirty school houses and their furniture, is a matter requiring constant attention and a large expenditure. New floors, sheathing, and black-boards were put into the houses at Leesville and Valley Falls, and the sheathing cut down and black-boards put in, in the Front st. house.
89
I desire to call the attention of the Board to the con- dition of the houses t East Worcester (new), Salem st., Mason st., Providence st., and Orange st. They were all of them finished in chestnut, shellacked and oiled; in neither house was the grain well filled ; and further, I do not believe this a proper finish for a school house. They are now in a bad condition, the wood work colored badly, and the wood bare. Economy demands that the wood work in all these houses should be thoroughly filled and varnished in the next summer vacation.
The school house at Adams Square needs thorough re- pairs inside ; and the walls need whitening in the Syca- more st. house.
Many of our school houses need pavements around them to keep the earth from washing away from the cellar walls; otherwise it leaves gutters in which the water stands, and in winter freezes, or running back of the walls, or into the cellars, undermines and weakens the foundation.
The out buildings at Pleasant st., Sycamore st., and Ash st. are not by any means suitable, and should be re- placed by some more creditable.
The above alterations and repairs, together with quite a general painting of window sashes and blinds, will make quite a large item of expenditure for the coming summer, if it should be all accomplished. No doubt a wise economy requires that it should all be done without further delay.
STREETS LEADING TO SCHOOL HOUSES.
The consideration of the streets leading to our school houses has not received that attention from our City Council that the importance of the matter demands. The erection of two large houses upon private streets has brought this matter more strongly to the attention
8.4
of the public. Immediate measures should be taken by the City Council to improve the sidewalks leading to the Dix st. and Lamartine st. houses. They are almost im- passable during the mud of the fall and spring, and are really an obstacle in the way of sending to those houses children that belong there by location, and also those sent there for the reason that there is not room for them in the houses nearer their homes.
There are some of the older houses not much better situated in this respect. Ash st., Sycamore st., Provi- dence st., and East Worcester are examples. The pa- rents interested should take up this matter, and press it upon the attention of the City Government. We are more behind the age in our sidewalks, than in any thing else that pertains to a city. This is the general remark of strangers who visit us.
STOVES AND FUEL.
Eighteen " Morning Glory" coal stoves have, the past year, been put into the new houses, and there have been substituted for wood stoves, two in the Thomas st. house, one in the High School, and one at Adams Square. I have urged the policy, on the ground of economy, of substituting the "Morning Glory" stoves for all the wood stoves now in use in our school rooms. Coal can ordi- narily be obtained in the summer by contract at a low price, by having the year's supply delivered at that time. The price paid for the present year's supply was $7.70 per ton.
We could not make a contract for wood for less than $9 per cord, and it cost $2 per cord for sawing and split- ting, making the cost of a cord of wood ready for use $11, and it is not worth any more, if as much, as a ton of coal which costs $7.70. It takes from four to five cords of wood, or tons of coal, to a stove in our school
85
rooms, for the season, making from $13.20 to $16.50 difference to a stove each year. We have now thirty- seven wood stoves in use, including those in the outer districts. We could therefore make an annual saving of about $550 per year in fuel by the substitution of coal for wood stoves.
The outer district school houses are nearly all of them used for local meetings, religious, educational, and social ; they use the fuel furnished by the school department for those meetings. Some of these associations have prom- ised to pay for the fuel consumed by them, but none of them have as yet done so. If this Department is to continue to supply the fuel for all such meetings, it would be an additional reason for putting in the " Morn- ing Glory " coal stoves in these houses where such meet- ings are held, as in them the fire is kept night and day, from the commencement to the close of the term, and the rooms would be partially warmed at all times, and the extra consumption of fuel would be comparatively small.
By reference to the table of comparative expenditures in the several school houses, it will appear that there is a great difference in the economy in the burning of coal. It is true it takes more fuel to warm the rooms .in some of the houses than it does in the others, but that does not explain all the difference that is manifested. I am sorry to say that some teachers do not use any economy at all in the use of fuel. They will let their stoves run at full blast, in a warm day as well as in a cold, and open wide the windows to let out the heat. While they se- cure a most perfect system of ventilation, it is rather ex- pensive. Sufficient heat can be obtained from the Morning Glory " or " Miller's Patent Heater " stoves to warm any of our school rooms without so running them
12
86
as to melt the coal and burn out the linings of the stoves.
If you cannot ascertain which particular teacher in a building uses the most coal, all the building taking from the common stock, you can judge by going into the rooms, during school hours, and also by the frequent re- pairs made necessary to their stoves; besides, these teachers are in frequent trouble because their fires wont burn. The difficulty is, they have so driven their fire as to melt the coal both in the pot and reservoir, leaving it clogged up with " clinkers," which must be removed be- fore you can again have a good fire. A little care on the part of teachers in closing the drafts of their stoves when they leave them at noon, or at night, or when but a small fire is required, would make in the aggregate a large saving of fuel and repairs. I presume there is no more difference in teachers in this respect than there is in families ; some families never learn to use coal eco- nomically, but will melt up two tons, and receive not so much benefit therefrom as would another from one ton properly managed, and this, too, when they have to pay for it themselves. A good teacher will study economy and teach it by her example to her scholars. I make these remarks here not so much as a complaint, as an endeavor to produce a reform in this particular.
WORK SHOP.
Besides the ordinary repairs of school houses and fur- niture performed by our carpenter and his assistants, there have been turned out of the work shop eleven hundred and twenty-four school desks, at an average cost of $3.35 each, besides about three hundred black- board erasers, twenty umbrella racks, &c.
There is about $1500 worth of stock on hand at the shop in the process of manufacture into desks for the new
8'7
houses now being er sted. There is not an article made of wood that goes into our school rooms, except chairs, but what we manufacture at about one half the cost of such articles in the market.
SCHOOLS.
Perhaps I might refrain from any remarks in relation to the schools, as the Superintendent has presented their interests so fully in his report. But in making out the tables from the teachers' term reports, some things have arrested my attention that deserve, I think, more partic- ular notice. Among them are
ABSENCE AND TARDINESS.
It appears from the following table that there has been during the last year 225,284 cases of absence ; which, divided among 5874 scholars in the day schools, gives an average of 38.35 one half days' absence to each scholar. The schools were in session on an average 390 one half days. Here were 225,284 one half days' in- struction lost by our children during the past year. Much of it was perhaps unavoidable, but a very large portion was not, and was a clear waste that cannot be made up.
The following table will show the number of absences by grades, the number belonging and the average per scholar in each grade :
Grades.
Number of absences.
Av'ge No. belonging.
Average No. of absences to each scholar.
High School,
770
182
4.23
Grammar, 1st grade, 3998
202
19.79
2d
6232
314
19.84
66
3d
29,757
961
30.96
Secondary,
34,232
1031
33.11
Primary.
50,293
1342
37.47
88
Int. Primary,
28,731
665
43.21
Sub
49,022
822
59.63
Ungraded,
4,116
91
45.23
Suburban.
18,133
264
68.68
Total,
225,284
5,874
38.35
The table does not include those children kept out of school over two weeks at one time, as they are not counted as belonging to the schools from the time they left, until they return, and their absence is not counted.
The following table will show the number of cases of tardiness in the several grades of schools. It appears that there were 29,457 cases of tardiness during the year. Nearly all these are attributable to carelessness and negligence. It is gratifying to be able to say that this is an improvement over the last year. Although we had on an average over six hundred more children in the schools, there was a decrease of 1270 cases of tardi- ness. The average to a scholar in 1867 was 5.73, for 1868, 5.01, but still the evil exists to a much larger ex- tent than there is any reason for, and parents can do much towards remedying it. They should not fret and complain when teachers require excuses, and give them when they should not, but should unite with the teacher in impressing upon their children that very important thing in life,-punctuality :
Grades.
Number of cases of tardiness.
Av'ge No. belonging.
Average No. to each scholar.
High School,
183
182
1.
Grammar, 1st grade,
641
202
3.17
2d
¥
476
314
1.51
66
3d
4878
961
5.08
Secondary,
6292
1031
6.01
Primary,
6576
1342
4.90
Int. Primary,
2091
665
3.14
Sub
5612
822
6.82
1
89
Ungraded,
415
91
4.56
Suburban,
2293
264
8.68
Total,
29,457
5874
5.01
EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS.
The following statement will show that our teachers have had, a very large portion of them, ample expe- rience in their profession :
Length of time taught in this city.
Length of time taught in this city and elsewhere.
Less than one year,
. 15
Less than one year,
6
From
1 to
2 years,
9
From 1 to
2 years,
6
66
2 to
3
66
11
2 to
3
6
66
3 to
4
15
3 to
4
18
66
6 to 7
1
2
66
6 to
7
66
5
66
9 to 10
6
8 to
9
8
66
10 to 11
2
1
66
11 to 12
2
13 to
14
66
4
66
12
to 13
2
14 to
15
66
4
13
to 14
1
16 to 17
66
3
6
14 to 15
7
66
19 to 20
1
16 to 17
2
66
20 to 21
1
17 to 18
2
25 to 26
1
18 to 19
1
66
19 to 20
66
1
66
20 to 21
1
66
24 to 25
¥
1
66
25 to 26
1
26 to 27
1
28 to 29
66
2
The length of service of several of the teachers was not returned.
The average term of service of the above is 8 years 11 1-2 months.
ASSIGNMENT OF CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOLS.
As the city becomes more densely populated, as a mat- ter of course the older school houses become insufficient in capacity to accommodate the children in the territory
7
66
8 to 9
9
¥
7
to
8
9 to 10
7
11 to 12
10 to 11
5
12 to 13
8
4 to
5
4
5 to
6
1
66
28 to 29
1
4 to 5
to 8
1
formerly assigned to them. New houses are built and boundaries changed, and many must be taken from houses they have been accustomed to go to, and sent elsewhere. This almost always produces trouble and dissatisfaction on the part of both children and parents, especially when the new house, to which they are sent, is situated, as it is always necessary to have it, in a locality where the streets are new, and the sidewalks un- paved.
The matter of assigning children to the schools is one of the most difficult of the duties pertaining to the man- agement of the department, and is a fruitful occasion of complaint and censure. All the children cannot go to the schools they think they would prefer; if that privi- lege could be allowed, some of them would desire to be changed as often as once a week or month.
In May last it became necessary to re-assign a very large proportion of the scholars of our schools. The promotion of several thousands and the opening of the Dix street and the Lamartine street school houses, made an almost entire change. More than four thousand as- signments had to be made, and the schools equalized by grades. Each school, of each grade, in each house, had to be filled in relation to its situation to the children to be provided for ; this was a work of great perplexity and difficulty, and took days and nights for its accomplish- ment. When once complete, it is like a complicated piece of machinery. So long as its several parts are in their proper places, it will work smoothly, but displace or disarrange one of them, and if it works at all, it is at great disadvantage and unequal strain upon its parts.
The charge of favoritism in the assignments is often made. A sufficient answer to this is, that in making such assignments at the commencement of the school
91
year, and especially the last, there is no time to see whom you are assigning. You only look at the resi- dence as returned by the teacher, and each child is as- signed according to his locality, without regard to whose child he is, or of what color, race, religion, or position in society. Under the free school law of Massachusetts, every child within her borders stands upon the same footing as regards his rights in our school rooms.
Much complaint was made last May, because children were sent from as far as Elm street very near the Pleas- ant street school house to Dix street. Much time was expended in the endeavor to avoid that difficulty ; but it was simply impossible to do so with any fairness or justice, as there were children enough south of Elm street to entirely fill the Pleasant street house, for whom no other provision could be made.
The same difficulty was experienced with the assign- ment of the children in the vicinity of Benefit street, who had belonged to the Sycamore street school house ; that house was entirely filled with children living north of Benefit street, who could not in justice be sent elsewhere. Some of these went to New Worcester, and others were assigned to Lamartine street.
Some few of the children in the vicinity of the Pleas- ant street house, who had been assigned to Dix street, were, on physicians' certificates, allowed to go back to the Pleasant street house, and were crowded into a small school room with from sixty to sixty-five others, although the School Board had unanimously voted that but fifty scholars shall be sent to one school of that grade.
Perhaps it might be a pertinent question to ask the physicians who gave those certificates, which would be the most injurious to a child, to spend his school
92
year in a small, over-crowded school room, with im- perfect ventilation, or to walk one third of a mile twice a day and return ?
The duty of assigning scholars to the schools is simply ministerial ; the person performing the duty can have no choice ; he must make arbitrary lines, and arbitrarily adhere to them ; otherwise there could be no system, nothing but confusion, if not chaos.
SAM'L V. STONE, Secretary and Prudential Committee.
Report of Truant School Committee.
Gentlemen of the City Council :
The committee on the Truant School respectfully submit the following report.
An ordinance of the city directs that children between the ages of seven and sixteen years, wandering about the streets, having no lawful occupation, not attending school, and resi- dents of the city, shall, when their names become known to the Overseers of the Poor, be required to attend such of the public schools, and for such time as the overseers may direct. Any child neglecting without good cause shown, to attend the school to which he is assigned, shall be deemed an habitual truant.
To provide for these truants the school was established at the city farm. For their accommodation one wing of the Almshouse was fitted up, and made secure. On the lower floor is the dining room and the bath room ; on the next two, the dormitories. Until last summer, these consisted of small rooms for two or three boys each. This was found undesirable, and at that time the partitions on the main floor were taken down so as to throw all the rooms into one hall large enough to accommodate with single beds, twenty-four boys. By this arrangement, it is thought, better ventilation and discipline are secured. There is in the room an air of comfort, all that could be desired. For an account of the expense of this change, you are referred to the report of the Clerk of the Overseers of the Poor. The school room in the main building is as tidy and comfortable as any in the city.
Boys are sentenced to this school for periods of time vary- ing from six months to two years. Each boy on entering, has a suit of clothes furnished him. He is required to keep him- self tidy, to abstain from profanity and all improper conduct, and to attend school every day-from April to October one ses-
19
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sion of four hours, and from October to April, two sessions of three and two hours respectively. Out of school hours, and occasionally during those hours in the busiest season of the year, the boys work on the farm and about the house. The school is credited with the value of their labor at a fixed price, and charged with the cost of their board, clothing, instruction, &c. Each boy has all the liberty about the premises which his conduct warrants. A few have betrayed the confidence which was placed in them by running away. Of these, three were sent to the Reform School at Westboro', and one to the School Ship in Boston Harbor. The regulations appended to this report still further explain the management and aim of the school.
No. of different scholars during the year, -
34
Average number,
-
14
Cases of tardiness, - - -
-
-
0
66
" absence, - - -
- -
87
66 " absence per scholar, - - -
5.3
Per cent. of attendance, -
-
-
-
97.4
Cases of punishment, -
-
-
-
23
Average deportment, -
-
-
-
.85
Cases of sickness, -
-
-
-
0
Cost of boarding teacher and scholars during the year at $2.25 per week, -
$1406 18
Cost of clothing, books, bedding, &c.,
522 69
66 teaching and supervision, -
400 00
alterations in the Dormitories, -
389 08
Total expenses for the year,
$2717 95
Value of boys' labor, -
-
-
177 24
Net expenses for the year,
$2540 71
Average cost per week for cach scholar, -
3 49
-
-
-
From the above, it appears that in respect to tardiness, this is the banner school of the city ; and the attendance has reached a high per cent., which many a school of better name would do well to attain. The cases of punishment are not numerous, diminishing from ten the first quarter to four, and
-
95
two in the second and third, and seven in the fourth. It has in all cases been administered by the teacher. The wholesome diet and regular habits here enjoined, have entirely prevented sickness from interfering with school duties as it does in some of our schools. Of course the conditions here are different from those in schools which are not of a reformatory character. But some of the results, such as the health and the attendance of scholars, are better than in the other schools. Is the com- pulsory arm of the law, then, more effective than parental love in securing for children this good ? If every parent would take a little more care, make a little more sacrifice and yield less to the mere wishes of his children, scholars in the public schools might be almost as punctual and free from sickness as in this.
The advantages of this school are threefold. The inmates themselves are rescued from idleness and vice, at least for a time. The community is saved from the pernicious influence which they would exert if allowed to grow up in utter ignorance. And, what is still more important, a powerful restraint is thus placed upon a large class of boys to keep them in the public schools. But there are many children who are benefited neither by this nor by any other school. It is well to remind employers, of the law against hiring children who have not at- tended school, and to make them feel its penalty. Though it may seem humane to furnish work for the little hands upon which the sustenance of some family depends, it is really laying upon them a burden too soon. It is better for the city to supply those who are thus dependent, than that any should be suffered to grow up among us without education.
A. P. MARBLE, Supt. Schools, JAS. M. DRENNAN, City Marshal, D. F. PARKER, Chairman Com. on Farm, TRUANT SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
96
REGULATIONS OF TRUANT SCHOOL.
SECTION I. Article 1. The school shall be under the general direction of the Committee on the Truant School, which shall be appointed by the Mayor, from the Board of Overseers of the Poor.
SEC. II. Art. 1. 'The Superintendent of the Almshouse shall keep a sep- arate book of accounts for the Truant School, in which he shall credit all ap- propriations for its support, and all the labor of the boys at a price fixed by the Board of Overseers of the Poor, and he shall charge against the school all the expenses incurred for its support, including the cost of the clothing and the board of the boys, and the salary and board of the teacher.
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