USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1890-1892 > Part 20
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* 'Twixt school and college : a tale of self-reliance. Gordon Stables. 1114.31
*Two blackbirds. Author of Miss Toosey's mission. Two old faiths. Essays on the religions of the Hindus and the Mohammedans. J. M. Mitchell and W : Muir. 97.55
95.17
Two penniless princesses. Charlotte M. Yonge. 1114.20 Two soldiers. (Also) Dunraven Ranch. C : King. .
1114.19
U.
Uncle of an angel, The, and other stories. T: A. Janvier. · · 95.13 .
· *Under orders. The story of a young reporter. Kirk Munroe. 94.27
134
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
United States, History of the. (Freeman's historical course for schools.) J. A. Doyle. 1415.48 United States of America, History of the. V. 7, 8, 9. Second administration of James Madison. 1813-17. H : Adams. 24.2
Universal history, Cyclopædia of. V. 4. J: C. Ridpath. 1313.22 Universal Peace Congress, Proceedings of the, held in the Westminster Town Hall, London, from 14th to 19th July, 1890. 1308.34
*Up North in a whaler.
(Look ahead series. )
E : A.
Rand.
94.34
Urith : a tale of Dartmoor. Sabine Baring-Gould. . 1411.37
V.
Vagabond tales. H. H. Boyesen. 1411.58 Venus and Adonis, Lucrece, and other poems. W : Shakespeare. Ed. with notes by W : J. Rolfe. . 1214.8 Veto power, The : its origin, development and func- tion in the government of the U. S. (1789- 1889.) (Harvard historical monographs.) E: C. Mason. . ·
1213.30
Violin, The : some account of that leading instrument. G : Dubourg. 91.18
W.
Wages of sin. Mrs (Kingsley) Harrison [Lucas Malet]. 1411.50
Walford. Ellen O. Kirk [Henry Hayes]. 1411.19
Wanneta, the Sioux. W. K. Moorehead. 1410.15
War in the Crimea, The. E : Hamley.
91.26
*War series. C : A. Fosdick [Harry Castlemon].
1. True to his colors. 95.29
2. Rodney the partisan. 95.30
3. Marcy, the blockade-runner. 95.19
Ward of the Golden Gate, A. Bret Harte. . 1411.20
Warren, William, Boston's favorite comedian, Life and memoirs of. 1114.38
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY. 1 135
Washington Bible-class, A. Mary A. Dodge [Gail Hamilton]. 97.5
Wayland, Francis. (Amer. religious leaders.) J. O. Murray. 1314.62
* We all. Alice French [Octave Thanet]. . ·
95.31
White Mountains, The. A guide to their interpreta- tion. J. H. Ward. 1415.52
1
*Wide Awake. FF. 1890-91. .
34.5
Widow Guthrie. R : M. Johnston. 94.26
Wife of the First Consul, The. (Famous women of the French court. ) Imbert de Saint-Amand. 1314.36
Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Goethe. 1112.33
Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre. Goethe. . 1112.34
Wisconsin, The story of. (Story of the states.)
R. G. Thwaites. 1410.4
Witch of Prague, The. F. M. Crawford. 95.12
With Essex in Ireland : being extracts from a diary kept in Ireland during the year 1599 by H : Har- vey. Ed. by Hon. Emily Lawless. 1314.40
*With Lee in Virginia. G : A. Henty. 94.43
Woburn records of births, deaths and marriages from 1640 to 1873. Pt. 2. Deaths. Comp. by E : F. Johnson. 1308.29
*Wonderful deeds and doings of Little Giant Boab and his talking raven Tabib. Ingersoll Lockwood. 1410.8
Wood carving, Manual of. C : G. Leland. 1410.16
World as will and idea, The. 3 v. Arthur Schopen- hauer.
1316.10
Y.
Young folks' cyclopædia of games and sports. J : D. Champlin, Jr., and A. E. Bostwick. R. L.
*Young hero, A ; or, fighting to win. E : S. Ellis. 79.12 Young Macedonian in the army of Alexander the Great, A. A. J : Church. 79.13
Younger American poets. Ed. by Douglas Sladen. With an appendix of younger Canadian poets, ed. by G. B. Roberts. 1406.60
136
BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Z.
Zadoc Pine, and other stories. H : C. Bunner. 1411.40 *Zigzag journeys in the great Northwest. Hezekiah Butterworth. 1402.44
Zoe. By author of "Miss Toosey's mission." 1411.21
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Town of Arlington :
The School Committee submit their annual report.
Land and Buildings.
In March last the town voted to buy as a site for a new building for the High School a portion of the estate on Academy street formerly owned by the late George Croome. Accordingly the land has since been conveyed to the town and the house removed. The lot contains 40,916 square feet, extends 166,3 feet on Academy street, and 198 feet on Maple street, and is very well adapted for the purpose.
The grade of Academy street has been considerably low- ered opposite the present High School lot, and it will prob- ably be necessary during the coming year to take some measures to support the bank that is thus left.
Comparatively few important repairs on the school build- ings have been found necessary. Two new furnaces have been placed in the Cutter building, the old furnaces being so worn out that it would have been unadvisable to try to repair them. A floor of rock asphalt has been laid in the base- ment of the Russell School, thus doing away with the disa- greeable and unwholesome dust which rose from the old cement floor. The other repairs have consisted of the ordi- nary small changes and renewals necessary to keep build- ings and furniture in good condition.
Mention should be made here, as in former reports, of the approaching necessity for enlarged school accommodations for the Crosby district.
138
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
Changes of Teachers.
The changes of teachers during the year have been as fol- lows : In September at the beginning of the school year it became desirable to make certain changes at the Russell School, on account of an increase in numbers in the fourth grade and a diminution in the sixth. Previously Miss Pills- bury taught the fourth grade, Misses Fell and Nightingale the two divisions of the fifth, and Misses Warren and Evans the two divisions of the sixth. By the new arrangement Miss Nightingale's school was made up of scholars from the fourth and fifth grades ; Miss Pillsbury being left in charge of most of those in the fourth grade, and Miss. Fell of most of those in the fifth. The two divisions of the sixth grade were consolidated and placed under Miss Warren's charge, Miss Evans being transferred to fill a situation in the Locke School. At the end of November Miss Fell resigned to accept a position in Cambridge, and at the end of the term Miss Lawrence resigned as teacher of the second primary grade. It was with regret that the Committee received the resignations of both these teachers. Miss Marietta Rose has been appointed teacher in Miss Lawrence's place. The other vacancy has been temporarily filled by the appointment of Miss Mary E. Rand as substitute teacher.
At the Cutter School Miss Brady has been unable to be in school for a considerable portion of the year on account of continued ill health. Her sister, Miss Rose Brady, who has had some previous experience in teaching in our schools, has supplied her place.
At the Locke School Miss Rogers, who had shown herself to be a careful and thorough teacher, declined a reelection at the end of the school year. As above mentioned the Committee were so fortunate as to be able to transfer Miss Evans to fill the vacancy. At the end of the fall term Miss Blake having been appointed to a position in Cambridge resigned as teacher of the second and third primary grades. Miss Blake had marked success as a teacher in the Russell and Locke Schools, and it is to be regretted that the town loses her services.
139
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
No change of teachers has occurred at the Crosby School. At the High School Miss Gooding has continued to occupy Miss Simmons' place.
Studies.
In last year's report mention was made of a proposed two years' course in the High School, to be complete in itself and yet form a part of the longer course, in order to meet the wants of pupils who desire to go beyond the grammar school studies and cannot give the time required for the full course. Such a course has now been arranged and is being pursued by a considerable portion of the third and fourth classes. It is briefly as follows : First year-Algebra, three terms ; English, three terms ; Physiology, one term ; Physics (elementary course ), one term ; Botany, one term. Second year-Geometry and Arithmetic, three terms ; English, three terms ; Civil Government, English and United States His- tory, three terms.
This course has been arranged with a good deal of care, and is likely to prove of much value to those who follow it.
In the other schools the principal branches of study are the same as for many years. It is however instructive to compare the difference between the methods in use at pres- ent and those employed even so recently as ten years ago. For example the time devoted to arithmetic has been con- siderably shortened by the omission of portions of the sub- ject of little practical use, and perhaps less educational benefit. The course in reading has been broadened by the extensive use of books of good authors supplementing the ordinary text-books, thus giving scholars an acquaint- ance with a larger vocabulary and a better class of literature than heretofore. The study of the technicalities of grammar has been much cut down, while actual practice in the use of language - especially by frequent written exercises - has been much increased. In these and similar changes our schools have shared in common with schools in the cities and
140
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
towns in our neighborhood. It would be too much to say that all new methods are better than the old ones. Some have proved their right to exist ; others are yet experimental and need further trial in many schools before their qualities can be determined.
Although a system of carefully-graded schools is indubi- tably superior to one where there is little or no grading, it has certain drawbacks. One is the too great difference between the methods of the high and those of the grammar grades. A scholar entering a high from a grammar school finds himself at once under new conditions. His studies are different, or if any subject is nominally the same, it is taken up in so advanced a way as to amount to a new study. His instructors are different. The methods of study are differ- ent, requiring ordinarily more independent effort on the scholar's part than he has been accustomed to exert. In . short the transition from grammar to high school work instead of being no more difficult than from the primary to the grammar school, or from one grammar grade to another, is in fact so decided a change in surroundings and mental habits as to cause many a scholar a regrettable loss of time and unnecessary labor before he adapts himself to the new situation. In Winchester the school authorities are trying an interesting experiment, in order to meet the difficulty, by beginning several high school studies in the grammar school. A competent superintendent can do something, but so long as high and grammar schools remain separate insti- tutions it is probable that the gap cannot be wholly bridged over.
Another defect of a graded system is most strongly felt in grammar schools. By the system a certain amount of work is laid out to be accomplished in each year, and theo- retically a scholar starting in the lowest primary grade will thence regularly pass annually to the next higher grade until he completes the course, having performed in each year the amount of work which may reasonably be expected of him. Each grade, then, consists of a number of pupils of presuma-
141
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
bly about the same ability and at about the same stage of progress, - and the amount and character of the work to be done in the year is estimated at what a scholar who is neither very quick nor very slow, neither very industri- ous nor very lazy - or as it is usually put " the average pupil " - may accomplish with reasonable effort in that time. In fact, however, the differences among children in the same grade are very marked ; not merely in industry, attention, carefulness, quickness of apprehension, power of memory, reasoning ability, and other moral and mental traits, but also in physical health and strength, and habits of regular attendance, so that the work laid out for the "average pupil " is often too much or too little for the actual pupil. A conscientious teacher in his desire that his slower scholars should profit from their lessons, is apt to make the rate of progress so slow that the quicker ones have not enough to do, while one who keeps his brighter pupils busy will find that it is at the expense of those who have been unable to do the tasks set them. The evidence is strong that in most grammar and primary schools the danger is not that too much but that too little ground be covered, or in other words, the quicker and brighter scholars are capable of doing more and better work than they are now required to perform.
It should be understood that these criticisms do not apply to Arlington more than to other communities. The defects mentioned are common, nor are even partial remedies easy to find. A closer classification of scholars would involve so many grades and so many teachers that the expense would be greater than any community ought to incur. A plan now being introduced in a near city, whereby the scholars in each grade are so divided that while all the pupils study the same subjects during the year, the better prepared scholars are given more advanced work than the rest, promises to be of service. ~
Music and Drawing.
The study of music has now been established in our schools many years, and belongs among regular rather than
142
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
special branches. Mr. F. L. Diman has continued to act as instructor. He gives to Arlington two days in the week, and divides his time, so far as practicable, equally among the different schools. His method is that pursued by the best teachers of music, and we have no reason to doubt its value and success.
Drawing having been introduced so recently - this being but the second year of the employment of a special teacher - is naturally in a more elementary stage than music. In this study, however, as good a degree of progress has been made as could fairly be looked for. During the first part of the year it was pursued under the direction of Mr. Lud- wig Frank, a very efficient teacher. He resigned in July to accept an important position as teacher in St. Louis. Miss Emma K. Parker was appointed to the position in Septem- ber. The Committee believe that the study of this branch furnishes a valuable training to eye and hand, and is benefi- cial to scholars.
Temperance Instruction.
Considerable interest has been lately expressed in regard to temperance instruction in our schools. The laws of the Commonwealth provide for instruction in "physiology and hygiene, which are to include special instruction as to the effects of alcoholic drinks, stimulants and narcotics on the human system." It is obvious that in teaching these subjects to young children great care must be used to render them as simple and intelligible as possible. Many text-books, other- wise valuable, fail in practical usefulness through attempt- ing to teach too much. The principles that should govern in this branch of study are well set forth in the words of a leading educator : " The teaching is to lead the child to form temperate habits of living. His knowledge of the danger of indulgence in the use of narcotics and intoxicants must lead to a development and exercise of will power sufficient to enable him to resist temptation. The education must be intellectual and moral, to induce the habits of thought and action necessary to good citizenship. The instruction should
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT. 1 143
be true, simple and earnest, largely objective ; illustrations may be drawn from life, pictures and recorded facts. Per- sonalities and allusions that will wound the feelings of chil- dren should be avoided. No exaggerated statements of the evils to be shunned should be made; they are not wholly true, and they will react against the cause. For young pupils good temperance stories are valuable. I am inclined to think that most temperance teaching should be oral, the school being supplied with such books and charts as will be helpful to teacher and pupils for reference. Truths from scientific investigations, and facts and figures from other reliable sources, may prove valuable. Not so much for school as for life the children need temperance instruction, and the teacher should honestly, faithfully, as well as intel- ligently, endeavor to make lasting impressions."
It is the endeavor of our teachers to carry out these prin- ciples, with such variations of method as are suited to the differing ages and capacities of their pupils, and we believe that there is no reason to fear that the intent of the law is not being observed.
Superintendent of Schools.
Several years ago the question of the employment of a superintendent of schools was, it will be remembered, pre- sented to the School Committee, and subsequently to the town. At that time the general opinion was adverse. Since then, however, the plan has been adopted in a num- ber of towns, so that a large amount of evidence as to its actual working is now available which did not then exist. According to the latest printed report of the State Board of Education (that of 1889-90) 23 of the cities and towns of Middlesex County, containing 73 per cent. of the school population of the county, have superintendents who devote all their time to supervision ; 13 towns, containing 11 per cent. of the school population have superintendents who divide their time between supervision and some other occu- pation ; 18 towns, containing 16 per cent. of the school pop- ulation, are without superintendents.
1
144
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
Since this report was published other towns have em- ployed superintendents, so that at present but thirteen of the fifty-four cities and towns of Middlesex County are with- out such officers.
In towns where superintendents have been employed the opinion of school officials is strongly favorable to the plan. The general tenor of the opinions expressed by school com- mittees is well illustrated by a letter to the State Board from Belmont: "In respect to the wisdom of establishing the office of superintendent in this town there can be no ques- tion. I am satisfied that the service of our superintendent, Mr. Hall, has contributed materially to the welfare of our schools, and the pupils and teachers in them. Improved methods, uniformity of instruction, and wisely directed effort have accomplished results which, in my judgment, more than repay the additional expense of superintendence.
Our Committee within the limitations of their time and abilities attend to their several duties, but they cannot be expected to furnish the schools with the useful, frequent and valuable supervision given by our superintendent, educated specially for such duty, and whose sole occupation is to per- form it, and in order to do so efficiently, to keep himself familiar with the views and methods of the ablest educators of the day.
The last report of the School Committee of Winchester states, "While the present arrangement of engaging half of the time of a superintendent in connection with Medford, has proved in many ways satisfactory, and has so far been sufficient, certainly yielding many improvements to our school system, it is believed that the time has about arrived when the school work of Winchester alone will demand the whole time of a superintendent. . The plan of supervi- sion has proved an assured success, and is one that the town will never abandon."
Your Committee cannot disregard this sort of testimony coming from persons having opportunities to know the facts and no reason to distort the truth. Of the thirteen towns in the county not employing superintendents nine are so far
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT. 145
below Arlington in valuation and number of inhabitants as not to be regarded as proper subjects of comparison. The remaining towns are as follows :
Population 1890. Valuation 1889.
Arlington
5,629
$5,209,096
Hudson.
4,670
$2,281,770
Stoneham
.
6,155
$3,281,950
Wakefield
6,982
$4,482,545
·
We have come to the conclusion that in justice to our schools a method of supervision that has proved of advan- tage elsewhere ought to receive at least a fair trial here in one of the forms above mentioned, either by combining the office with that of principal of a school, or by making an arrangement with another town to secure the services of a superintendent for both, as has been done by Medford and Winchester, and by Natick and Belmont.
To engage the whole time of a competent man would cost not much less than $2000, so that if Arlington should unite with another town the probable expense to each would be about $1000, provided the superintendent's time were equally divided between them. If the principal of a school should be made superintendent, the additional amount to be paid for his duties of superintendence would be, so far as we can judge from the experience of other places, from $300 to $500. Whichever form of superintendence be adopted, we are convinced that it would be an unwise economy to try to save money by employing a cheap man. An incompe- tent superintendent is worse than none.
We therefore purpose to ask the town to authorize us to employ a superintendent of schools, and to appropriate a sufficient amount to secure the services of a competent man.
With the foregoing statements and suggestions the School Committee commend the schools to the support of the town.
For the Committee.
JAMES P. PARMENTER,
January, 1892.
Chairman.
10
146
TABULAR STATEMENT OF ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS.
FIRST TERM.
SECOND TERM.
THIRD TERM.
YEAR.
SCHOOLS.
TEACHERS.
Whole No.
| Average Attend.
Whole No.
| Average Attend.
Whole No.
Average Attend.
Average Attend.
( A. Gardiner Fisher Anna J. Newton
70
65
60
56
74
71
64
Anna E. Gooding
.
.
32
29
31
28
34
31
29
Olive M. Hobart .
42
38
41
38
40
37
38
Caroline C. Turner
13
37
35
32
54
44
38
Anna Pillsbury .
58
48
58
41
50
40
43
5th
1st division
S Alice Fell
37
31
37
30
51
42
34
5th
2d
Irene S. Nightingale
37
32
36
30
12
37
33
6th .
1st division ·
Louisa R. Warren
36
29
36
29
56
47
35
6th
2d
Lucy E. Evans
34
28
35
31
31
41
33
32
2d Class
M. Carrie Lawrence
30
24
32
27
34
29
27
3d 4
Lizzie A. Day
36
34
12
32
47
39
35
Mary F. Scanlan
41
36
43
37
59
50
41
Annie C. Snelling
40
27
52
40
48
35
35
Nathan T. Soule
18
16
18
16
17
14
15
Jennie A. Chaplin
27
25
37
33
39
36
34
6th and 7th
Mary M. Brady
47
36
53
44
52
43
41
8th and 9th
Elizabeth De Blois Mary J. Copeland Susan R. Carter .
32
67
30
28
39
37
31
.
34
31
31
29
29
27
29
§ Mary E. Rogers .
34
30
34
28
40
39
32
6th and 7th
66
Lucy E. Evans
·
38
30
39
37
39
34
34
Ada E. Flanders
Fred L. Diman
TEACHER OF DRAWING, 1st and 2d terms
TEACHER OF DRAWING, 3d term
Emma K. Parker .
-
-
-
841
720
844
721
922
796
75
.
COTTING HIGH
RUSSELL GRAMMAR-1st Class 2d Class .
.
.
3d
.
.
.
4th
.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
-
-
-
Ludwig Frank
-
-
.
8th and 9th
Mabel E. Blake .
.
38
33
24
37
31
30
RUSSELL PRIMARY-1st Class
Elizabeth L. Geer
37
32
37
CROSBY PRIMARY-18t & 2d Classes 3d Class.
CUTTER GRAMMAR-1st, 2d, 3d Classes 4th and 5th Classes
27
LOCKE GRAMMAR-1st. 2d, 3d Classes 4th and 5th Classes
.
General assistant in Russell School TEACHER OF MUSIC .
1
(M. Helen Teel
Horace A. Freeman
LIST OF JURORS OF THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON.
REVISED BY THE SELECTMEN, JAN. 30, 1892.
Charles L. Abbott. Calvin Andrews, George W. Austin. Major Bacon, Simeon Barker, Leander D. Bradley, Joseph Buckley, James A. Bailey, James Baston, Samuel C. Bertwell, E. Nelson Blake, Joseph H. Butterfield, Gorham Buttrick, Thomas H. Carens, Herbert H. Ceiley, Nathan L. Chaffin, James M. Chase, Elbert L. Churchill, William A. Clark, Dennis J. Collins, Albert W. Cotton, Oliver Cousens, Charles F. Crosby, John S. Crosby, Edward H. Cutter, Herbert M. Day, Henry D. Dodge, Charles H. Doughty, James E. Duffee, Theodore D. Dupee, Winfield S. Durgin, Joseph H. Eaton, Edwin S. Farmer, Charles B. Fessenden.
Edward S. Fessenden, William A. Fitzpatrick, Parker H. Foster,
Francis S. Frost,
Frederick O. Frost,
Edward A. Gay,
George W. Gilman, Albert Gooding,
Daniel W. Grannan,
George C. Grant,
Harry T. Gregory,
Benjamin Hall, James Hanna, Rodney T. Hardy,
Patrick T. Hendrick,
Joseph J. Hewes, George Hill, R. Walter Hilliard, Jacob F. Hobbs,
Alfred D. Hoitt,
Milton Hutchins, Charles W. Ilsley, Eben A. Jacobs, Richard M. Johnson,
William H. Jones, Daniel C. Kelleher,
George Kirsch.
Lucian C. Tyler,
Farmer R. Walker. Frank Y. Wellington,
Omar W. Whittemore, Nathaniel E. Whittier.
William N. Winn,
Charles P. Wyman.
Nichols 1. Mckay,
Thomas F. Meagher,
William C. Mills, George D. Moore, R. Byron Moore, John M. O'Keefe,
Edward L. Parker, Benjamin H. Peirce,
Leander Peirce, Warren A. Peirce,
Edwin Prescott,
Arthur H. Richardson,
Edwin Robbins,
Thomas J. Robinson, Thomas H. Russell,
George A. Sawyer, Michael W. Scannell, Carl W. Schwamb,
Theodore Schwamb, Martin H. Sheehan,
Frederic S. Smith, Waterman A. Taft. Albert L. Teel, Apollos J. Tillson, A. Winslow Trow. George D. Tufts, Andrew W. Turner,
Edwin B. Lane. George W. Lane, James R. Mann. James A. Marden,
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