USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1892-1894 > Part 35
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Stickit Minister, The, and some common men. S. R.
Crockett. 3118.2
Story of a story, and other stories. Brander Mat- thews.
6535.3
Story of my life from childhood to manhood. G : Ebers. ·
3615.90
Story of our planet, The. T : G : Bonney. . Story of the nations.
551.4
Parthia. G : Rawlinson. 92.15
Phonicia. G : Rawlinson. . 92.14
Structure and habits of spiders. J. H. Emerton. 595.2
Studies in literature. 1789-1877. E : Dowden. 804.1
Such as they are. Poems. T: W. and Mary T. Hig- ginson. 4927.40
Sweet Clover. A romance of the White City. Clara L. Burnham. 2345.5
Sweet girl graduate, A. Elizabeth T. M. Smith [L. T. Meade]. 8485.1 ·
T.
Temple Bar. V. 98, 99, 101. 1893-94. . T. B. . Ten years' captivity in the Mahdi's camp. 1882-92. Joseph Ohrwalder. Ed. from the original mss. by F. R. Wingate. . 94.55
Tennyson : his art and relation to modern life. S. A : Brooke. ·
8972.80
167
BOOKS IN ROBBINS LIBRARY.
Tenting on the plains ; or, Gen. Custer in Kansas and
Texas. Elizabeth B. Custer. . Théatre des Chinois, Le. Général Tcheng-ki-tong. . Thelma : a Norwegian princess. Minnie Mackay [Marie Corelli]. · 3023.2
963.5 8953.50
Theodoric the Goth, the barbarian champion of civ-
9001.90
ilisation. (Heroes of the nations. ) T : Hodgkin. Theodosius, The dynasty of ; or, eighty years struggle with the barbarians. T : Hodgkin. . 15.65 . Three years in the army. The story of the 13th Mass. Volunteers from July 16, 1861 to Aug. 1, 1864. C : E. Davis, Jr. 932.2
*Through the Sikh war : a tale of the conquest of the Punjaub. G : A. Henty. . 4856.11
Tillyloss scandal, A, [and other stories]. J. M : Barrie. 1712.3
To right the wrong. Ada E. Bayly [Edna Lyall].
1760.1
Tom Sylvester. T. R. Sullivan. 8829.2
Transcripts and studies. E : Dowden.
3481.80
Traveler from Altruria, A. W : D. Howells. .
5180.6
Tribune almanac and political register for 1894. Ed. . by E : McPherson. R. L.
Trilby. G : Du Maurier. 3561.2 ·
Twenty sermons. Phillips Brooks. . 2207.50
Two bites at a cherry, with other tales. T: B. Aldrich. . 1272.1
Two Salomes, The. Maria L. Pool. 7471.3
Typee. A real romance of the South Seas. Her- man Melville. . 6604.1
U.
Under the red robe. S. J. Weyman. 9549.2
United States, The. An outline of political history,
1492-1871. Goldwin Smith. 915.12
United States of America ; its natural resources, peo- ple, industries, manufactures, commerce, etc. ·
2 v. Ed. by N. S. Shaler. 936.4 Uranie. Camille Flammarion. · 3921.1
168
BOOKS IN ROBBINS LIBRARY.
V.
Village rector, The. Honoré de Balzac. . 1676.1 Violin obligato, A, and other stories. Margaret 3132.1
Crosby. .
W.
War-time wooing, A. C: King. 5681.4
Washington, The story of. Elizabeth E. Seelye. Ed. by E : Eggleston. 9478.90
Watchmaker's wife, The, and other stories. F. R :
Stockton. 8764.4
Watertown, Mass., Free Public Library. Supple-
ments, 1893-94. R. L. .
Wealth against commonwealth. H : D. Lloyd. ·
338.1
What necessity knows. Lily Dougall. 3474.2
*When London burned. G : A. Henty. 4856.13
*When we were little. Mabel S. Emery. .
3700.1
White birches. Annie Eliot. . 3663.1
*White conquerors. A tale of Toltec and Aztec. Kirk Munroe. . .
6961.8
Whittier, J : Greenleaf. Prose works. 3 v. 9601.70
Whittier, John Greenleaf, Life and letters of. 2 v. S : T : Pickard. .
9601.90
*Wide Awake. K K. June-Aug., 1893. · Windfalls of observation. E : S. Martin.
34.10
6458.50
Winter in Central America and Mexico, A. Helen J. Sanborn. . 910.1
Witch Winnie at Shinnecock ; or, the King's Daugh- ters in a summer art school. Elizabeth W. Champney. 2620.5
Witch Winnie in Paris ; or, the King's Daughters abroad. Elizabeth W. Champney. . 2620.4
Witch Winnie's mystery. Elizabeth W. Champney. 2620.2
With Sa'di in the garden; or, the book of love. Edwin Arnold. 1504.41
With Thackeray in America. Eyre Crowe. .
8991.90
Without dogma. A novel of modern Poland. H : Sienkiewicz. 8436.4
169
BOOKS IN ROBBINS LIBRARY.
Woburn, Mass. Proceedings Oct. 2nd to 7th, 1892, at the 250th anniversary of the incorporation of the town. 950.5
Women of the Valois court. (Famous women of the French court. ) Imbert de Saint-Amand. .
1029.92
World almanac. 1893. . R. L.
World almanac and encyclopædia. 1894. .
R. L.
Y.
Yanko the musician, and other stories. H : Sienk-
iewicz. 8436.5
"Yester-year." Ten centuries of toilette. A.
Robida. 391.2
Youmans, Edward Livingston, interpreter of science for the people. J : Fiske. 9864.90
*Young Idea. V. 6. 1893. Y. I.
Young West. A sequel to Edward Bellamy's Look- ing backward. Solomon Schindler. . 8206.1 .
*Youth's Companion. V. 66. 2 parts. 1893. ·
R. L.
Z.
*Zigzag journeys on the Mediterranean. Hezekiah Butterworth. . 4.6 -
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
To the Town of Arlington :
The School Committee submit their annual report.
High School Building.
The most important event of the year in our schools was the completion of the High School building, a cause for deep satisfaction on the part of all connected with or inter- ested in the schools. As the main features of the building are familiar, and as details of cost, etc., are elsewhere stated no description need be given here. Although the erection of the building was not within the duties of the School Board its furnishing was placed by the town in their hands. The school-house is now supplied in its school rooms and recita- tion rooms with desks and seats for 310 scholars, with teachers' desks, tables, book-cases and all the other minor articles necessary for the equipment of a well furnished school. The large hall in the upper story has been named Cotting Hall, in honor of the late William Cotting and of his son Dr. Benjamin E. Cotting, both benefactors of the school, and contains seats for 550 persons. The labora- tories, physical and chemical, have been fitted with the best appliances for scientific work, and as the expense was defrayed from the accumulated interest of the fund be- queathed by the wise generosity of Nathan Pratt, they have been named the Pratt Laboratories.
The manual training rooms in the basement have been carefully furnished for their purpose with benches and necessary tools to accommodate 22 scholars at one time, and with an engine, six lathes, one circular saw and one jig saw, cases for tools, etc. As a considerable sum had accumulated from the interest of the bequest of William Cutter, the Committee thought no better use could be made of it than to spend it in fitting up these rooms, now known as the Cutter Manual Training Department.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
In June the name of the school was changed to " Arling- ton High School." The building was dedicated on the after- noon of Labor Day, Sept. 3, 1894, with the following
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
1. MUSIC,
.
POOLE'S ORCHESTRA.
2. PRAYER,
REV. CHARLES H. WATSON.
3. REMARKS,
HON. WILLIAM E. PARMENTER, President of the day.
4. DELIVERY OF KEYS,
FRANK W. HODGDON, Secretary of Building Committee.
EDWARD S. FESSENDEN, Chairman of Selectmen.
JAMES P. PARMENTER, Chairman of School Committee.
5. MUSIC.
6. PRESENTATION OF PIANO,
WARREN W. RAWSON, Chairman of Committee on Music.
IRA W. HOLT, Principal of the High School.
7. MUSIC,
S. ADDRESSES.
PIANO SOLO.
DR. FRANK A. HILL, Secretary of the State Board of Education.
HON. J. Q. A. BRACKETT.
I. FREEMAN HALL, Superintendent of Schools.
E. NELSON BLAKE.
9. MUSIC.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
An interesting feature of the occasion was the presenta- tion to the school of a beautiful and valuable piano by Mr. Warren W. Rawson, long the chairman of the sub-committee on music. Mr. E. Nelson Blake also announced his inten- tion to make the gift elsewhere mentioned.
The new building has been occupied since September by the four classes of the High School proper, by the ninth grade and by two sections of the eighth grade. It is a pleasure to be able to report that there has been in all the grades a most commendable spirit, a wholesome pride in the school and a feeling of personal responsibility for the preservation of the building and everything connected with it from injury of every kind. The building has been found to stand well the test of practical use, and the scholars in this school are pursuing their studies with as favorable surroundings as can anywhere be found.
While the school was in the old building, gifts of pictures and statuary were made to it from time to time-mainly by the scholars themselves, either as classes or from the pro- ceeds of entertainments, especially during the principalship of Mr. A. G: Fisher who took a strong interest in the mat- ter. These having now been placed in the various rooms where they appear to best advantage, add much to the beauty and attractiveness of the building.
It is interesting at this time to turn to the report of the School Committee made by Hon. William E. Parmenter, March 7, 1870, and to note how closely the expectations expressed in it have been fulfilled after the lapse of nearly a quarter of a century.
"The accommodations for this school are poor enough, and altogether unfit and insufficient. At some time, not far in the future, the Town will find it necessary to remodel or rebuild for its purposes. There belongs to the school a superior and expensive apparatus intended to be used in the scientific instruction which enters so largely and profitably into the higher education of the day; but lack of room renders this, to a great extent valueless. To secure the full benefit of High School education there should
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
be principal rooms and ante-rooms, admitting of the union of the whole school for instruction by lecture or in music, for declamation and rhetori- cal exercises, and again for separation into classes for special teaching. There should be appropriate depositories for apparatus and books of reference, where these might be kept and used with all convenience and safety. Whenever the Town shall see fit to furnish a suitable building there will soon be added to the means of culture, books of engravings, illustrative of science, history, biography, and art, and other collections which shall demonstrate natural science, not gathered at the public expense, but the gifts or bequests of those who believing in the best public education contribute cheerfully when their munificence can be enjoyed and perpetuated. It may safely be said that whenever the time shall come that the Town is satisfied that it can afford a new High School-house, a fresh impulse will be given to the High School scarcely to be exceeded in its good effect by the fact of the establishment of the school."
Changes in Organization.
The completion of the new building enabled us to take a decided step forward in the organization of the grades imme- diately below the High School. As was pointed out in our report for 1891, a serious defect in our educational system, as in those of the towns about us, has been the great differ- ences between the grammar and high schools, so that when a scholar passed from one to the other, he came under such changed conditions, both as to subjects and methods of study, as often to cause a good deal of labor, worry and loss of time before he became so used to high school work as to perform it readily. Added to this was another evil arising from the requirements of the High School. To satisfy the demands of the institutions for which the High School course is preparatory, scholars had to do in four years a too great amount of study, which was especially irksome under the bad conditions of the old building.
To remedy both these difficulties, a course of study, the details of which are set forth in the Superintendent's report, has been prepared for the ninth grade. This course is such a blending of grammar and high school work that it may be regarded as a completion of the one and an introduction to
174
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
the other. By bringing together in the High School build- ing scholars of this grade from all parts of the town, and having them pursue this course of study, we enable them to enter the High School in the following year without any feeling of unfamiliarity as to studies and methods ; while as they will already have made substantial progress in several of the High School studies, the work may be made easier for them there. Meanwhile the course of the eighth grade which consists wholly of grammar school work, has been so changed as to conform to the alterations in the ninth; so that scholars entering the ninth grade from the eighth will find their work at first a continuation of what they have already been doing. As corresponding improvements have been going on in the lower grades, there is no reason to sup- pose that scholars of ordinary ability will be unable to do the prescribed work in the eighth and ninth grades.
As the eighth grade in the Russell District happened this year to be very large, it was divided into three sections, two of which were placed in the High School building. It is probable that in future this grade will be in the Russell building, unless it should again happen that large numbers should make a different arrangement more convenient.
With these changes in the course of study, it necessarily happened that some scholars were obliged to take an extra year of work in either the eighth or ninth grade. This was not a repetition as such scholars have mainly been doing new work and beginning new subjects rather than reviewing old work, and is one of the temporary incidents of any change of this kind. It is not to be apprehended that the improved · course will require any more time for its completion than the old course did, while it is certain that the work is more in- teresting and varied and better distributed over the whole school course.
Manual Training. Sewing. Kindergarten.
A new branch of study has been introduced, viz : Manual Training. The needs it aims to supply are well expressed
175
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
by Mr. E. P. Seaver, Superintendent of Schools in Boston, in the report made to the Legislature in 1892 of a Commis- sion appointed to investigate the subject. He says :
" To some extent we may attribute the favorable reception manual train- ing has had to its promise of becoming an acceptable substitute for appren- ticeship, now fallen into merited disuse; or to its opening the way to indus- trial employment for the many whom circumstances now exclude; or to its great attractiveness for active boys; or to its excellence as physical exercise ; or to its answering the somewhat vague demand for 'something practical' in education; or to its inculcating ' the true dignity of labor ' and 'respect for the laborer.' Each of these causes has, undoubtedly, contributed some- thing, and the total effect has been considerable. But there is a more pow- erful cause than any of these, or all of these together.
" Among the deep-rooted convictions cherished by New England people and their descendants everywhere, none is more firmly held than this,-that learning how to work and forming habits of industry are indispensable ele- ments in the right education of every boy or girl. How fully the domestic life, manners and customs of New England people exemplify the excellence of this doctrine of ' learning and labor' in the education of children needs not here to be told. The story may be read on every page of New Eng- land's history.
" Until within a generation the conditions of NewEngland life were such as to permit full scope to this education by and through work. No better kindergarten was ever invented than the New England farm, provided only the conditions of life were not so desperately hard as to leave the mother no time to superintend the occupations of her children. For the growing boy there were the fields, the woods and the garden ; and rainy days there were the tools in the tool-room ; or if these failed to interest him, there was the neighbor's shop, where he might begin to learn his chosen trade. The wise father took care that all these means of education were properly used."
After considering the great changes in New England from country to city and suburban life, and in the organization and methods of carrying on the mechanic arts, and the loss involved therein of the sort of training of which he has spoken-how "the traditional balance between 'learning and labor' has been upset and 'learning' has taken the whole time," he concludes :
"Now, it is because people see or think they see in manual training a means of repairing the loss and relieving the want by which they have felt so long oppressed that they have so heartily welcomed this new means of
1
176
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
education. If people have neglected awhile that excellent old doctrine of 'learning and labor,' and have experienced the ill consequences of such neg- lect, the return to sound practice will not be slow nor half way, but quick and complete. It seems as if the hearty popular approval with which man- ual training has been received in these recent years might be the harbinger of such a happy return."
For like reasons sewing has been introduced for the girls of those classes of which the boys are instructed in manual training. Mr. A. C. Cobb, formerly connected with the Waltham Manual Training School, has been engaged as teacher of manual training, and Miss Emma C. Hollis as teacher of sewing. This interesting and important part of the school course is well carried on by these teachers, and the Committee are very hopeful for its future.
By the removal of scholars to the new building, room has been obtained at the Russell School to carry out a plan for some time in mind, to introduce kindergarten work. This has been undertaken with good results by Miss Gifford, whose qualifications and training especially fit her for it.
Changes of Teachers.
At the High School Miss Anna E. Gooding resigned in April and Miss Laura A. Davis was appointed in her place. In December Miss Esther Bailey resigned to take a more desirable position in the Somerville High School, and Miss Bessie Greenman was chosen to the position. Misses Good- ing and Bailey were graduates of our schools and made excellent records as teachers.
At the Russell School two of the teachers longest in service, Misses Flanders and Hobart, resigned at the end of the school year. Miss Flanders had just been appointed by the Committee principal of the Locke School and was a teacher of much excellence. Miss Hobart also was a most conscientious and careful teacher. In December Miss Irene S. Nightingale, a teacher of marked ability, resigned to take a position in Somerville.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT. 177
Miss Mary J. Copeland resigned at the end of the school year the principalship of the Locke School, an important position which she had well filled since 1890. Miss Bertha E. Holbrook was appointed in her stead.
At the Cutter School no change has occurred. Miss Chaplin has continued to fill the place of principal to the entire satisfaction and approval of the Committee.
The Crosby School has remained in charge of the same teachers.
At the beginning of the school year it was found desirable to make several transfers of teachers from one grade to another. Beside those already mentioned, the new teachers are Misses Grace H. Perkins, Lila M. Taylor, Edith M. Arnold and S. Evelyn Potter. The present list of teachers with their grades, will be found in an appendix to this report.
Endowments.
From time to time gifts have been received for the per- manent benefit of the schools, and this seems a proper place for a short statement of what they are and how they have been used.
1. William Cutter School Fund. William Cutter of this town died in 1824, leaving his property after the death of his wife, to the town, the income to be appropriated " for the maintenance and support of schools." His widow, Mary Cutter, died in 1836. The property when received amounted to $5019. It was increased in the settlement of accounts between Charlestown and West Cambridge in 1842, and is now $5354. The use of the income not being restricted the School Committee have employed it so far as was needed for special purposes, principally for scientific apparatus, etc., for the High School. As ordinarily a considerable balance was left on hand each year the accumulation of interest amounted at the end of 1893 to over $2600. The Committee have spent a large part of this as above stated, in fitting up the manual training rooms.
12
178
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
2. William Cotting Land. In 1858 William Cotting gave the use of a piece of land on Academy street for such time as a school of high grade should be kept on the lot. The Cotting Academy and since 1864 the Cotting High School have had the benefit of this gift.
3. Pratt Fund. In 1875 the town received $10,000 under the will of Nathan Pratt, who died in 1873. The provision was as follows :
" I give and bequeath to said town of Arlington the further sum of ten thousand dollars, the same to be invested and allowed to accumulate until such time as the said town shall have erected a new building for its High School. At such time the increase of said sum by accumulation and a portion of the principal not exceeding two thousand dollars shall be expended in the purchase of engravings, books of engravings illustrative of science, art, history and biography, books of reference, philosophical appara- tus, all for the use and benefit of the pupils of said school, and to be placed or kept in a suitable apartment in the High School building. The unex- pended portion of said principal sum shall remain invested and the income thereof be expended for the purposes above named and expressed, and also in procuring special instruction to the pupils of said school by lectures. Said sum and income shall be expended in the manner foregoing under the direction of the School Committee of said town."
The accumulated income of the fund at the end of 1893 was $12,471.08. This bequest first became available in 1894, and has been drawn upon for apparatus for the labora- tories and for books of reference, etc., as prescribed by the will. This valuable gift is and promises to be of great use- fulness in increasing the advantages offered by the High School.
4. Martha M. W. Russell School Fund. This fund, amounting to $5327.86, was received in 1892 under the will of Martha M. W. Russell. The income is to be expended " for the maintenance and support of the public schools." The Committee has used the income of this fund for the pay- ment of advances in salary above the ordinary rate that it is sometimes desirable to make in order to retain the services of especially `competent teachers, believing this to be an eminently proper use as Mrs. Russell was herself a teacher in our schools.
179
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
5. E. Nelson Blake, Jr., Memorial Fund. This fund of $2500 has recently been given by Mr. E. Nelson Blake in memory of his late son. The income is to be used for the purchase of books to be presented each year to such of the graduating class of the High School as have shown mental and moral qualities entitling them to special commendation.
Apart from these gifts for permanent use the most impor- tant single gift has been that of $1000 made in 1881 by Dr. B. E. Cotting for the purchase of books for the High School. Many articles for the use or ornament of the schools have been given at various times.
It is sometimes assumed that there is no field for private generosity in the public schools because the community is sure to take care of them. It is quite true that the com- munity will liberally provide for the needs of public educa- tion, but the above brief review shows in how many ways gifts may be put to good use for purposes which lie a little outside of the ordinary lines of school expenditure, and yet add much to the attractiveness and usefulness of the schools.
Buildings and Repairs.
The most important repairs on any of the school-houses have been in connection with the sanitary appliances in the Russell School. In 1889 the then existing water-closet system which had become offensive and dangerous to health was removed and a dry-closet system was put in by the Smead Heating and Ventilating Company. By this arrange- ment a current of air constantly passes through the vaults of the closets and up a separate flue, carrying with it all dan- gerous gases. The urninals are ventilated in like man- ner. This system was regarded by the School Com- mittee at that time as under the circumstances the most advisable to put in, and on the whole it has worked well. In certain conditions of the atmosphere, however, there have been in the building offensive odors, probably more disagreeable than dangerous, but calling for remedy. We
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
have accordingly made a thorough overhauling of the arrangements, putting in new urinals, taking measures to increase the drafts in the vaults, and providing for cleaning them out oftener than heretofore. We believe that any apprehended trouble from this source has been reduced to a minimum. The system of ventilation of the school-rooms, although good for a building erected more than twenty years ago, is not of course up to the best standards of to-day, and at times the rooms have been ill-ventilated.
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