USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Town annual reports of the several departments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1880 > Part 13
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204
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
early age, and before the law for compulsory school attendance was so strict or so well executed as now. Besides these,-for whom the evening schools were established,-there is a class of lawless idlers who flock into these schools without advantage to themselves, and to the injury of the schools and of those who: really wish to learn. This last class have made trouble in our schools ; they are found also in Boston and other cities. , In order to meet this difficulty and conquer it, the committee on evening schools in this city issued the following circular, which both states the case for those intending to be pupils, and serves as a ticket of admission to the schools, and a receipt for the deposit made :
The Evening Schools have cost the city more than $2,000 each winter the past few years. They are kept for the benefit of persons over fifteen years old, who have not had a good chance to go to school when young. But a great many boys and girls who do not care to learn have flocked in; they have taken up the time of the: teachers and of the scholars who try to learn; and they have dropped out as soon as they found they could not go to school for fun. Others have begun to go to school, and have fallen out as soon as good skating or some other amusement comes: along.
In order to protect those who give their time, and really wish to learn, and to save the cost of keeping school without profit to the scholars, the Committee now require a deposit of $1.00 from each pupil when he receives his ticket of admission. If he is studious and orderly, and is not absent except when he is absolutely obliged to be, the money will be refunded at the end of about one month, or Dec. 24. He can then renew his certificate for another month. The school will, therefore, cost nothing to those pupils who go regularly, and make a business of it. Those who go once in a while for amusement will lose the money deposited, and thus pay the city part of the cost incurred on their account.
On the above terms this admits -- -, No. Street, to the Street Evening School till Dec. 24, 1880, unless he is sooner dismissed for misconduct. He has made the deposit of $1.00.
Worcester, Nov., 1880.
Dec. 24, 1880. This ticket is renewed till -, 188 -, Supt. of Schools.
This ticket is renewed till .188
On the first evening, the attendance in each of the schools opened, was as large as the average of last year; the number has steadily increased ; and there has not been the least disor- der or disturbance. The school has gone on from the first as well as it used to by the old plan after three or four weeks of irregularity. With scarcely an exception the pupils have taken
205
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
hold with a will, and shown a disposition to improve their op- portunities. The plan has eliminated all the idle and indifferent. In very few cases has the deposit been forfeited. It seems from the experience thus far that the difficulty solves itself, and with no hardship to any one.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
This school has again been subjected to the interruption of a change of principals-an interruption which seems to have be- come chronic. That the character of the school is as good as it is with so frequent changes in its administration during a period of at least fifteen years, is evidence of the general good character of the pupils and the skill of the teachers. With a man of fair ability continued for a series of fifteen or twenty years at the head of an institution of this kind, it would take on a stable character which would very much increase its prestige and influence upon the pupils, the schools below, and the com- munity. With frequent changes in its administration and pol- icy, it is a surprise and a matter for congratulation that it satis- fies the public, on the whole, so well as it does, and produces as good results as can be pointed out. It is probable that any one of the principais in charge during all that time, would have done better for the school if he had continued, than the best of men could do in an ever-changing procession. And it may be said without offence to any that probably no one of them was perfect. Men beyond ctiticism are rare; and they do not keep school at $2430 a year. In cities where the High Schools are best, the principals are more permanent. At Hartford, Conn., the late principal remained in the school twenty years or more and died in the service. At Utica, N. Y., the principal has been there as long. It is by no means probable that either of these men has done just what every-body wanted ; quite likely neither has always done the best ; probably they have been crit- icised. With a little time and patience grievances on the part of patrons of the school have often, no doubt, been removed.
206
: CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
and the administration has gone on the even tenor of its way ;- not the best way always, perhaps, but in a far better way than could have been possible with change after change. We need time and patience in these matters. It may be of interest, and not without application to the present state of things, to quote from the school report of this city for 1878, under this heading :
It was unfortunate for the city to lose from the principalship of this school, in the middle of the year, a man fitted by nature, by experience, and by scholarship to adorn the place, and attached to both pupils and citizens by three or four years' acquaintance. He had been in the school long enough to get every part well in hand; he was no longer looked upon as a new comer; the business of the school alone occupied the minds of the pupils. . His influence was in the direction of noble manhood and womanhood, and not merely of the narrow technicalities of study-just the man for training youth.
By rare good fortune a successor was found who has already shown that all this can be said of him. By experience, scholar- ship and good sense, he was able to take the helm without any set-back to the school, and with less of the shock of change than was to be expected. Now the question arises, how long will it be before the dangerous experiment of a change will be tried again? The history of this school for the last fifteen or sixteen years is not reassuring. In all that time no principal has remained long enough to see a single class go through the course. With so frequen: changes, it is surprising that the school has any character at all-much more that its character is. so good. Now that a thoroughly competent man is at the head, his place ought to be made secure for ten years; and now that ' business is depressed, the salary ought to be irrevocably fixed ; and nobody else ought to be allowed to out-bid us and take the man away. This city can afford to pay such a man what any other city can afford ; it is not economy to do otherwise.
The School Committee can hardly be held accountable for all these changes ; it is not the present purpose to charge blame upon any one, but only to state the unfortunate facts. In each case of a change here for at least a dozen years, the principal
207
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
has gone to a better position : In two cases to a professorship in a college; in one case to the principalship of a seminary of high grade and advance salary ; in one case to be supervisor in the schools of Boston; and in one case to be a teacher in one of the High Schools of that city,-both places of greater dig- nity and pay. The Worcester High School is evidently a good place to go from.
The history of this school as traced in the records of the School Committee for two decades is one of interest and some curiosity. In the early part of this period it was two-headed ; the Classical and the English departments were independent of each other, each with a principal of its own. Each teacher was also mostly independent; the principal of a department was principal only in name, a kind of higher teacher. The two departments clashed more or less. Now, the classics flourished at the expense of the English, and the school was little else than a fitting school for college; again the English department had the lead and there was not enough preparation for college. The ups and downs of one and the other seem to have been peri- odical.
A new organization was effected about the year 1867 and a principal of the whole school was appointed, the two depart- ments continuing as before; indeed the school has always been called the Classical and English High School. The transition to the new organization was'not a peaceful one as many of the older inhabitants will remember. The principal did not remain longer than his successors have.
Since that day at least one movement has been made to bring the English department into more prominence ; and the question of preparation for college has had no rest. It has been a stand- ing trouble for twelve or fifteen years, that in the four years' course, with all the other studies and the social environment of boys living at home, one could not easily acquire a sufficient preparation for the best colleges .. In September, 1867, it was decided that this course should be five years ; and that the addi- tional year should be added at the beginning of the course ;
208
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
that is, the pupils were to enter before completing the studies of the Grammar Schools.
To quote from the records; September, 1867 :
"Ordered : That the High School Committee be authorized to arrange for the ad- mission of a special class into the High School, composed of any scholars who have reached the age of ten years, who desire to pursue the classical course of study, provided such arrangement can be made without detriment to the school."
The class was organized and a teacher was appointed. It appeared later that the pupils who had "reached the age of ten years" and entered the class, were not the ones who needed the five years of preparation for college, or who as a rule would go to college at all. Many of them needed most the very study they had missed in the lower schools. Accordingly the follow- ing was introduced in the School Committee :
July 6, 1869.
Whereas : After a fair experiment, it has been found that but a small number of families desire to avail themselves of the advantages afforded by the juvenile depart- ment of the High School; and
Whereas : The sessions, the recesses, the length of lessons, and the discipline of an institution like our High School are not adapted to children younger than those usually graduated from our Grammar Schools; while under our system of graded schools, the existence of this department is a troublesome anomaly, which may be easily avoided by making provision, if it should be necessary, for primary Latin instruction in our Grammar Schools; therefore
Voted: That there shall be no further admissions into the Juvenile or Latin Gram- mar class in the High School."
The above was referred to the Committee on the High School; and its provisions were subsequently carried out, though not by a formal adoption of the resolution.
The evils which the class was organized to remedy, again be- gan to be felt. The school was trying to do in four years what other schools did in five years; for at Cambridge and some other cities the High School did not attempt a thorough college preparation in four years of ordinary public school life. The plan for a juvenile, or college preparatory class, was revived. The conditions were somewhat modified. The following is from the record of the School Committee :
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SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
July, 1877. " A report of the Committee on the High School was adopted, containing the following: We are, however, of the opinion, from such facts as we have ascertained, that power ·ought to be given to organize such a class when the Committee are satisfied that there are a sufficient number of scholars found properly qualified to enter, and desirous of forming a prepar- atory class in Latin."
In the September following the class was organized and a "teacher appointed. A large part of the class who entered sub- sequently fell back into the class who had completed the studies of the Ninth grade. And as the result of that second attempt the following action was taken :
June, 1880. "The Committee on the High School reported, recommending the discontinuance of the preparatory class at the close of the present term; and that the regular college pre- paratory course be changed from four years to five.
The recommendations were adopted."
The history of the Preparatory class gives evidence that the difficulty of properly fitting boys for college in the High School is not new. The second trial and abandonment of the class ought to show that the remedy is not in that. The plan had two fatal defects: First, the failure's at the college entrance examinations were sometimes in the very studies which this class skipped, or studied when too young to master and retain them ; and second, a majority of the class did not go to college at all. It is the training of the High School course that most frequently begets the desire for further study. A college class does not begin so far down as the Eighth grade. The fifth year of preparation has now been placed at the end of the course when the pupil has discovered what his tastes and his powers are. - He can leave school and go into business or learn ·a trade at once ; or he can enter upon a more extended course of study first. This plan may not be so well adapted to the wants of those parents who foreordain for their children a col- lege course, regardless of their taste or capacity. It is believed that the number who do so is small, and that it will grow smaller; for the folly of forcing a boy through college is too
28
210
CITY DOCUMENT. - NO. 35.
apparent. And there is not the same excuse for repeating the folly which formerly existed. Once, the choice was between a college training and no training ; now, other institutions and courses of study, in great variety, of equal dignity with the college, and far better suited to individual wants are open. If a boy has no taste nor aptitude for the study of the ancient classics and litera- ture, the Technical schools are open to him. Even the colleges. themselves have elective studies so that one is not obliged to. pursue the old-fashioned classical course or else lose all chance. for the liberal culture that a college gives. There will probably be less and less forcing boys to go to college as the years. go by.
This plan of a five years' course will be open to the objection that a boy will be too old when he enters college; if he enters. the High School at thirteen or fourteen he will be eighteen or nineteen when he enters college, and twenty-two or twenty-three when he graduates. In reading the life of Edward Everett or- Charles Sumner, the fond father while rocking the cradle of his. sleeping boy, destined for college, learns that those eminent men entered Harvard college, perhaps, at the age of fourteen; he looks at the High School catalogue and finds that in the regular order of things his boy will not be able to enter till the age of eighteen or nineteen; he concludes there must be something- wrong. There are three elements in this conclusion that we may consider; Those eminent men have done much besides. entering college at the age of fourteen, which .the boy may never be able to imitate; they may have had opportunities, special teachers in one line of study, which the public High School cannot furnish ; the qualification for entering college has. been greatly advanced since their day.
Moreover, the course of study in any one of our best colleges is not now adapted to a boy of fourteen years; it has under- gone a greater change than the terms of admission. In com- paring these courses of study with those of fifty years ago, Rev. Dr. Peabody of Cambridge has said; "Fifty years ago the curric- ulum of a liberal education could be easily defined. The
211
SCHOOLS. - SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
branches embraced in it were few, and were nearly or quite the same in all our higher seminaries of learning. *
The case is now very different. It is not too much to say that the amount of study that comes within the scope of the under-graduate curriculium has been quadrupled."
No one is obliged to enter college; but if one decides to do so, it may be argued, not without show of reason, that, consid- ering the preparation required, the advanced 'course of study pursued, and the expense incurred, he is as well off to enter at eighteen as to enter younger, if not better off. Before he can profitably enter upon the practice of a profession he needs. maturity ; and he needs time to grow strong and healthy.
However this may be, the fact has been demonstrated with tolerable certainty that a High School like ours requires five years for giving a thorough college preparation. Those who are able are at liberty, of course, to find some shorter or better way.
On this subject the following is quoted from the fiftieth annual report of the President of Harvard College: "It appears that the average age of admission to college has risen six months in twenty years; that the average age for the last five years has been eighteen years and five months; and that the rise of age has mainly resulted from a diminution of the proportional number of those who enter while under seventeen years of age, and an increase in the proportional number of those who enter at from eighteen to twenty years of age. The present average age at admission is high enough to secure that degree of maturity and of capacity for self-control, which it is desirable for a College student to possess ; and the Faculty have no desire to see it rise still higher. The increase in the requis- itions for admission to College, which has been going on stead- ily for many years, has a tendency to raise the age of admis- sion; but all improvement of method in the preparatory schools tend to lower it, and the division of the admission examination between two years, which has been permitted since 1873-74, will have a strong tendency to prevent an undue prolongation of the period of preparation at school."
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
The question may arise why can not the High School do in four years what the best academies do?
The circumstances are widely different. The High School is not alone a fitting school; its pupils have other interests and duties; they are at home; they are among their friends-in society to some extent; school is not the only concern with them. In all this there are advantages. They learn less Greek, but they may be benefitted in other ways. At an acad- emy on the other hand, school is the only business, and the school, if properly a fitting school, has this one aim. The pupil is in a school atmosphere; he attends to his duties or he does not stay ; he knows that his instruction is costing his father money. In some cases, and in some respects, such a school is the best place for a boy ; it has decided advantages. The con- ditions of these two classes of schools are so different that one can not be expected to do just what the other does.
It is designed that the course of study in the school should be such that the student may enter the Technical School at the end of the third year.
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
RESOURCES.
Appropriation by City Council, $146,000 00
From books, etc., sold, 215 31
Material sold,
136 60
Tuition, 27 00
$146,378 91
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries of teachers, including R. R.
ticket for Drawing teacher, $112,597-06
Salary of superintendent,
2,430 00
Salary of clerk,
883 34
Salaries of truant officers,
1,786 66
5,952 88
Fuel, Janitors,
5,586 87
Cleaning buildings and yards,.
1,169 09
Brooms, brushes, pails, etc.,
543 34
School books,
1,045 07
Stationery, ink, etc.,
733 95
Apparatus,
271 19
Printing and advertising,
678 88
Tuning and repairs of pianos,,
75 00
Horse hire,
265 50.
City water,
421 61.
230
CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Gas, 305 09
Miscellaneous,
236 46
134,981 99
Returned from these items,
242 51
Ordinary expenses of schools,
$134,739 48
Ordinary Repairs.
Of School houses,
$3,593 72
Stoves,
958 26
Furniture,
566 85
5,118 83
Returns,
136 40
Net cost of repairs,
$4,982 43
Instruction and repairs,
$139,721 91
Extraordinary Expenditures.
Sidewalks, Dix street,
$111 30
Out-houses, East Worcester,
220 58
Out-houses, Edgeworth street,
198 98
Introduction city water Edgeworth street,
32 25
Furnaces, Woodland street,
72 40
Fitting new school rooms at Pleasant street (chapel,)
121 75
New Worcester,
18 19
Belmont street,
267 42
Thomas street,
52 82
Lamartine street,
33 60
Woodland street,
181 63
South Worcester,
154 63
$1465 55
231
SCHOOLS .- SECRETARY'S REPORT.
New furniture, 521 35
Furnaces, Woodland street,
890 00
Rents, supt's office,
770 83
School rooms, Green St., 40 00
" N. Worcester, 158. 33
" Pleasant St., 260 00
$1,229 16 $4,106 06
Total expenditure, Balance unexpended,
$143,827 97
2,550 94
$146,378 91
The Auditor's statement differs from the above as follows :
To the total expenditures, $143,827 97 378 91
He adds the income,
And the cost of boilers for the Belmont St. school house, which the School Committee did not incur, 200 00
Making a total of With an unexpended balance of
$144,406 88
1,972 03
$146,378 91
STATISTICAL TABLE.
SHOWING THE NUMBER, ATTENDANCE, ETC., OF THE PUPILS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR ENDING NOV. 26 1880.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
Whole number registered
during the year.
ing for the year.
Average attendance.
Per cent. of attendance.
No. over 15 years of age.
Number belonging at the
First Term.
Second Term.
Third Term.
Fourth Term.
Number of cases of tar-
Average to each scholar
No. of 12 days absence.
Average to each scholar
Average age Jan. 1, 1881.
REMARKS.
ENGLISH AND CLASSICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
Samuel Thurber,
| 601 |285 316 | 414.4 | 398.6|96.2 |538 | 380 |115 |137 104;120 1013 |2.44 | 3049 | 7.3 |16 5 | 1 session daily.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. GRADE IX.
Belmont Street.
¡Arthur G. Lewis.
73
34
39
40.5
39.6
195.9
40
50
19
16 f 11
30
36
.88
340 | 8.4 (15.1
Dix
William H. Bartlett.
73
34
39
34.4
33.2 96.8
20
50
14
17
15
18
19
.55
454 |13.1 14.10
Woodland
Edward I. Comins.
75
32
43
40.7
38.8
95.3
41
48
17
19
14
22
41
1.01
718 17.6 14.10
Washington
Charles T. Haynes.
83
32
51
42.7
41.
96.0
46
59
18
20
18
42
15
.35
643
15.
15.
I.edge
Charles C. Woodman.
71
43
28
42.4
40.4
95.3
16
56
18
11
11
18
109 94
2.41
1219
31.3
14.
436 1216 220
239.7
228.8 195.5 |174
305
90' 88
74 137
314
1.31
4130 |17.2 14.8
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. GRADE VIII.
Belmont Street.
Mary H. Warren.
62
40
22
42.7
40.5 |94.7
8
49
20
18
14
21
42
.98
831 (19.
|13.11
Dix
Anna J. Hitchcock.
57
24
33
46.6
44.7
96.3
9
45
20
23
29
15
15
.32
718
15.4 14.3
Walnut
Nellie C. Thomas.
18
33
41.5
40.1 96.7
1
41
24
21
20
10
.24
529
12.7 13.7
Woodland
Ann S. Dunton.
68
34
34
40.6
38.8 |95.4
10
53
21
18
25
17
.41
680 16.7 13.6
Washington
M. Ella Spalding.
59
37
22
37.9
35.6 93.8
27
45
4
5
5
9
164
14.33
869
22.8 14.1
Ledge
Emma L. Cowles.
53
35
18
42.
40.4
196.0
15
42
15
19
14
9
93
2.21
605
14.4 13.10
Ledge
Eliza E. Cowles.
42
25
17
39.2
38.
97.0
7
40
14
20
.51
134
3.4 13.9
Thomas
58
34
24
41.5
39.9
96.7
10
44
23
22
23
20
23
.55
605 |14.5 13.6
Sycamore
59
32
27
44.2
41.1 91.9
16
46
9
13
6
19
88 1.99
1175
26.6 |14.2
South Worcester.
46
25
21
26.2
24.9
195.3
5
31
8
12
2
9
41 1.56
493
18.9
13.9
555 304 |251
402.4
384.
195,4 |108
436 140 |157 132 161
513 1.27
6639 |16.5 |13.10
.
New Worcester.
Charlotte H. Munger.
61
41
20
39.
35.8
91.8
11
42
4
5
5
7
diness.
for the year.
for the year.
Males.
Females.
Average number belong-
PERFECT IN ATTENDANCE.
close of the year.
...
-
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CITY DOCUMENT .- NO. 35.
Opened Sept. 6, 1880.
Harriet G. Waite.
Abbie E. Clough.
Carrie A, George.
66
..
2.57
756 17.8 14.11
51
22 19
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. GRADE VII.
Belmont Street.
Sarah L. Phillips.
59
32
44.6
41.9 |93.9
51
18
17
20
51 11.14
1021 |22.9 |13.4
Dix
Effie F. Kinne.
40
17
23
35.9
34.4 95.8
38
4
11
9
14
30
.83
567 |15.7
13.
Walnut
L. Elizabeth King.
62
26
36
47.4
44.8 94.5
3
38
21
28
22
12
23
.48
983
[20.7 |12.11
Woodland
Mary M. Lawton.
58
32
26
47.6
45.7 95.9
3
55
18
34
21
22
47
.98
718
15.1
13.1
Lamartine
J. Chauncey Lyford.
. 74
61
13
40.6
38.8
95.6
3
54
13
14
5
17
49
1.21
680
16.7
13.1
Ledge
Maria P. Cole.
59
42
17
42.7
40.
93.7
5
41
14
15
8
14
74
11.75
1021
23.9
13.2
Thomas
Abbie C. Souther.
59
30
29
42.5
40.8
96.1
1
44
25
23
21
19
61
1.43
643
15.1
12.9
Sycamore
M. Louise Rice.
63
27
36
47.1
44.6
94.9
3
52
12
12
9
11
83 |1.76
945
20.1
13.2
Providence
Etta A. Rounds.
47
26
21
38.1
35.6
93.4
1
41
14
14
12
15
46
1.21
945
24.8
13.2
Providence
Mary F. Harrington.
39
24
15
33.3
31.3 93.9
1
35
6
20
.60
128
3.8
13.1
South Worcester.
Mary E. Fay.
49
28
21
38.2
27.6
2
38
5
5
3
2
64 |1.68
4006
104.
12.5
Oxford Street.
15
15
30
49.7
47.7 95.0
1
45
14
9
.18
224
4.5
13.3
Edgeworth
36
17
19
33.4
30.9
92.5
1
34
10
12
11
16
117
12.96
840
21.2
12.1
Quinsigamond.
Mary S. Eaton.
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