USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1880-1881 > Part 8
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66
1883.
E. FRANK HOWE,
Two,
66
1883.
A. AMELIA SMEAD,
".
66
1883.
JULIUS L. CLARKE,
66
Three,
66
1882.
ELIJAH W. WOOD,
66
66
66
66
1882.
WILLIAM S. SMITH,
66
Four,
66
1882.
ISAAC HAGAR.
66
1882.
JOHN A. GOULD,
Five,
66
66
1884.
GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE,
66
Six,
66
66
1884.
GEORGE W. SHINN,
66
Seven,
.
66
1884.
LINCOLN R. STONE,
66
66
66
1882.
66
1884.
EMILY W. HYDE,
1884.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE,
DISTRICT COMMITTEES.
NEWTON-CENTRE DISTRICT.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre. JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls.
EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands. GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE, Newton Highlands. JOHN Q. HENRY, Newton.
UPPER-FALLS DISTRICT.
JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre. EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands. GEORGE D. ELDRIDGE, Newton Highlands. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.
LOWER-FALLS DISTRICT.
WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. ELIJAH W. WOOD, West Newton. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.
WEST-NEWTON DISTRICT.
JULIUS L. CLARKE, West Newton. ELIJAH W. WOOD, West Newton. E. FRANK HOWE, Newtonville. WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville.
NEWTONVILLE DISTRICT.
E. FRANK HOWE, Newtonville.
A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville.
LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton. THOMAS MARCY, Newton.
NEWTON DISTRICT.
LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton. THOMAS MARCY, Newton.
GEORGE W. SHINN, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton. JOHN HENRY, Newton.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD.
High School. - Amos E. Lawrence, Elijah W. Wood, E. Frank Howe, William S. Smith, George W. Shinn, Edmund W. Converse, George D. Eldridge, Mayor, ex officio. Rules and Regulations. - George W. Shinn, Amos E. Lawrence, George D. Eldridge. Accounts and Printing. - Isaac Hagar, Elijah W. Wood, Julius L. Clarke. Schoolhouses. - Isaac Hagar, John A. Gould, Lincoln R. Stone. Salaries. - E. Frank Howe, George W. Shinn, John Q. Henry. Text-books. - Amos E. Lawrence, William S. Smith, Julius L. Clarke. Music. - Lincoln R. Stone, A. Amelia Smead, Emily W. Hyde. Drawing and Writing. - A. Amelia Smead, Thomas Marcy, Emily W. Hyde. Industrial Drawing. - Elijah W. Wood, Thomas Marcy, John Q. Henry. Evening Schools. - Lincoln R. Stone, Thomas Marcy, George W. Shinn.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
JANUARY, 1882.
HON. WILLIAM P. ELLISON, MAYOR, CHAIRMAN, ex officio. EDWIN W. GAY, PRESIDENT COMMON COUNCIL, ex officio. REV. AMOS E. LAWRENCE, CHAIRMAN. ISAAC HAGAR, SECRETARY. JOHN E. KIMBALL, SUPERINTENDENT.
Elective Members.
EDMUND W. CONVERSE,
Ward One,
Present Term of Office. Expires January, 1883.
CHARLES H. STONE,
66
Two,
66
66
1883.
JULIUS L. CLARKE,
66
Three,
66
66
1885.
ELIJAH W. WOOD,
66
WILLIAM S. SMITH,
6
Four,
66
1885.
JOHN A. GOULD,
66
Five,
1884.
EDWIN P. SEAVER,
66
¥
1884.
EMILY W. HYDE,
Six,
1884.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE,
-
66
1884.
GEORGE W. SHINN,
66
Seven,
66
66
1884.
LINCOLN R. STONE,
66
66
66
66
1885.
66
1883.
E. FRANK HOWE,
1883.
A. AMELIA SMEAD,
1885.
ISAAC HAGAR,
66
66
1885.
DISTRICT COMMITTEES.
NEWTON-CENTRE DISTRICT.
AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre. JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands. EDWIN P. SEAVER, Newton Highlands. EDWIN W. GAY, Newton.
UPPER-FALLS DISTRICT.
JOHN A. GOULD, Newton Upper Falls. AMOS E. LAWRENCE, Newton Centre.
EMILY W. HYDE, Newton Highlands. EDWIN P. SEAVER, Newton Highlands. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.
LOWER-FALLS DISTRICT.
WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. ELIJAH W. WOOD, West Newton. ISAAC HAGAR, Newton Lower Falls.'
WEST-NEWTON DISTRICT.
JULIUS L. CLARKE, West Newton. ELIJAH W. WOOD, West Newton.
E. FRANK HOWE, Newtonville. WILLIAM S. SMITH, Auburndale. A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville.
NEWTONVILLE DISTRICT.
E. FRANK HOWE, Newtonville. LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton.
A. AMELIA SMEAD, Newtonville. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton.
CHARLES H. STONE, Newton.
NEWTON DISTRICT.
LINCOLN R. STONE, Newton.
CHARLES H. STONE, Newton.
GEORGE W. SHINN, Newton. EDMUND W. CONVERSE, Newton. EDWIN W. GAY, Newton.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD.
High School. - Amos E. Lawrence, Elijah W. Wood, E. Frank Howe, William S. Smith, George W. Shinn, Edmund W. Converse, Edwin P. Seaver, Mayor, ex officio. Rules and Regulations. - George W. Shinn, Amos E. Lawrence, Edwin P. Seaver. Accounts and Printing .- Isaac Hagar, Elijah W. Wood, Julius L. Clarke. Schoolhouses. - Isaac Hagar, John A. Gould, Lincoln R. Stone. Salaries. - E. Frank Howe, Edwin W. Gay, Edmund W. Converse. Text-books. - Amos E. Lawrence, William S. Smith. Julius L. Clarke. Music. - Lincoln R. Stone, A. Amelia Smead, Emily W. Hyde. Drawing and Writing. - A. Amelia Smcad, Charles H. Stone, Emily W. Hyde. Industrial Drawing. - Elijah W. Wood, Charles H. Stone, Edwin W. Gay. Evening Schools. - Lincoln R. Stone, Charles H. Stone, George W. Shinn.
CITY OF NEWTON.
IN BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, Oct. 26, 1881.
The following-named members were appointed to prepare the Annual Report of the School Committee for the year 1881; viz., Amos E. Lawrence, E. Frank Howe, Mrs. Emily W. Hyde, George W. Shinn, and Edmund W. Converse.
ISAAC HAGAR, Secretary.
IN BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE, Dec. 28, 1881.
The Annual Report was presented by Rev. Amos E. Lawrence, and twenty-eight hundred copies ordered to be printed.
ISAAC HAGAR,
Secretary .
-
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
GENERAL REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE .
11-25
First printed report of School Committee, 1839
11
General condition of the schools
13
Accrediting teachers
13
Additional school accommodation .
14
The superintendent
HIGH SCHOOL
Statistics .
17
Graduating class
18
Annual exhibition
18
Change of head master
19
Changes in the curriculum
20
Calisthenics and military drill
22
Music and drawing .
23
The teachers
25
The classical department
26
Department of belles-lettres
28
Mathematical department
33
Department of natural sciences
35
COURSES OF STUDY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
37-39
GRADUATES OF 18S1
40
GRAMMAR-SCHOOLS
41-64
Report of Mason School .
40
Report of Oak-Hill School
45
Report of Thompsonville School
46
Report of Prospect School
47
Report of Hyde School .
49
Report of Hamilton School
50
Report of Williams School
51
Report of Peirce, Davis, and Franklin Schools
54
Report of Adams, Claflin, and Jackson Schools Report of Newton District
59, 60
REPORT ON DRAWING AND WRITING
65
REPORT ON MUSIC
68
REPORT ON EVENING SCHOOL
70
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
.
76
SECRETARY'S REPORT .
S1
Expenditures of the department
12
15
16
62
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
TO THE CITIZENS OF NEWTON, - As required of us by the Statutes of the Commonwealth, the School Board of the city of Newton respectfully submit to their fellow- citizens their Forty-second Annual Report.
FIRST PRINTED REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE, 1839.
The first Report of the School Committee of the town of Newton was for the year 1839. It is now on file at the State Library in Boston, and is in manuscript, the usage of printing these reports not having arisen till some years later. A comparison of some of the statis- tics of that report with those of the year now reviewed will show some of the changes of two score of years in the public schools of the city. It appears that there were that year in the town seven hundred children between four and sixteen years of age. The attendance was in winter 567, and 405 in summer. In charge of these there were in winter eleven teachers, - nine male and two female; in summer, ten, all females. The average monthly wages paid the teachers was, to males $35, and to females $14; and the gross amount for the year $2,207.
12
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying Report of the Secretary will show, that, of the $83,733.32 available for school purposes the past year, there has been expended the sum of $83,700.27, leaving a balance of $33.05.
The expenditures of the department, exclusive of school-buildings, during the last eight years, have been as follows : -
Expenditure for 1874
$97,353 65
Expenditure for 1875
· 96,649 23
Expenditure for 1876
· 86,533 64
Expenditure for 1877
83,917 89 .
Expenditure for 1878
83,208 63 ·
Expenditure for 1879
.
82,260 08
Expenditure for 1880
83,613 47
Expenditure for 1881
83,700 27
showing a reduction of $13,653.38 as compared with 1874.1 Meantime the number of our pupils has in- creased forty per cent, almost exactly, - from 2,446 in 1874, to 3,422 in 1881, - and the expense is fourteen per cent less. This diminished expense in the adminis- tration of the department is due chiefly to the lower salaries now paid the superintendent and teachers, - a reduction called for by the general grading down of salaries in consequence of the reduced expense of living. No damage to the schools has resulted from this reduc- tion, through the employment of inferior instructors ; for it is confidently affirmed that our present corps will not suffer by comparison with any period in our past history.
1 The taxable property of the city has increased the last year nearly two millions and a quarter of dollars over the year preceding.
13
GENERAL REPORT.
GENERAL CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS.
The accompanying Reports of the Superintendent and of the several District Committees so fully set forth the present condition of the schools, that a repetition of their statement is not called for here. These reports will show that all the grades in all the schools are doing well, -some better than others, but all prospering. The varying degrees of success among the teachers, though not striking, are yet distinct enough to be marked, in some cases obtrusive. They are due, partly to the differing material composing the classes, and partly, as cannot be denied, to the varying skill of instructors.
ACCREDITING TEACHERS.
The Board feel assured that their fellow-citizens will fully sustain them in all legitimate efforts to supply the schools of the city with a high order of teachers. They have felt justified hitherto in offering such compensation as would induce the best of the profession to seek a position in Newton. We should be glad to feel that such a position is looked upon as desirable for its re- wards, both in money and honor. If in this aim the Board has not always been successful, and occasional mistakes have been made in the employment of incom- petent persons, it is hoped that such cases will be of less frequent occurrence in the future ; and that some modification and improvement of our present mode of selection will soon be adopted. It seems clear that this has been a weak point in our system; and if the business of accrediting teachers for employment in the Newton schools can be intrusted hereafter to a compe- tent committee of examination, - one that will com-
14
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
mand the confidence and respect of all, even the very best teachers, - and if all new candidates for position are rigidly required to be accredited by this committee, we shall not only be saved from a repetition of some of the mistakes of the past, but the office of the teacher will be thereby essentially raised in character and dignity. Such a commission should be made up of qualified experts, acquainted not only with text-books and with methods of teaching, but capable also of detecting in applicants the possession or absence of those other and equally important equipments of the true teacher, - moral character, tact, patience, firmness, gentleness, sympathy with children, and skill to meet the varying emergencies of every-day school life, - emergencies for which no rules can ever be given. It should be no objection to constituting such a commission that we might find it necessary to go outside the School Board to obtain the suitable men, or that it might be seen advisable to place on it one or more of our own best teachers.
ADDITIONAL SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
It became necessary three years ago, in consequence of the crowded condition of the Mason School, to set off a portion of the pupils, and to open a separate school for their accommodation in Thompsonville. A similar emergency is now calling for a similar remedy. The school now has on its roll nearly five hundred mem- bers, too many even for the large building the gener- osity of the city has supplied ; and an additional school structure is now the pressing need of the district. The population of the district is yearly increasing, and prob- able events in the near future are likely to augment
15
GENERAL REPORT.
even the present ratio of increase. The locality of such a structure seems to be indicated with sufficient clear- ness by the distribution of our population, and will probably be found at or near the crossing of Walnut and Pleasant Streets, accommodating thus the con- siderable village known as Cold Spring. It is hoped that the City Council will make the necessary appropria- tion, and the work be commenced at an early day.
THE SUPERINTENDENT.
In June last, at the close of the school-year, Dr. Ephraim Hunt, after four years of service in the em- ployment of the Board, closed his connection with the schools of Newton, and entered upon other engagements in another State.
The office thus made vacant was filled, after prolonged and careful deliberation, by the election of Mr. JOHN EDWIN KIMBALL of Hartford, Conn. Mr. Kimball is a graduate of Yale College, of the class of 1858, and has been long engaged in the work of education, - recently as district superintendent of schools in the city of Hart- ford, and, previous to that, as associate with Dr. William T. Harris of St. Louis, Mo. He is believed to be, by natural aptitude, acquirements, and experience, well qualified for the post we have called him to fill. He has so recently entered upon his work in Newton, that it would be premature to speak here of results. His time thus far has been largely occupied in becoming acquainted with the schools as the necessary prelimi- nary to more direct and aggressive work. He has found ready access to the confidence of the teachers by his sympathy with them, and, by his admitted ability to help them, commands their respect as a fit supervisor of schools, and adviser of their instructors.
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE High-school system of our State is one of the rich inheritances that have come to us from the colonial period of our history, as is shown by the celebrated ordinance of 1647, passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Colony. The wisdom and the political sagacity of the enactment have been confirmed by more than two centuries of experience ; and the student of history still regards these schools as among the wisest and best of our institutions of self-government. The candid observer will not deny that superior education is necessary to the State. We must not look upon the High School as merely beneficiary. It is a necessity of our system of government. This was its justification at the outset, and on this principle it has been advocated and sustained during all the years past. It was a remark of the elder Adams, that " laws for the liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extrava- gant." Constrained by this principle, and confirmed by the working and the fruits of our own High School for more than twenty years past, the Board cannot but advise their fellow-citizens that this traditional policy should not now be abandoned among us ; and they therefore ask for the High School the continued confi- dence and support of the community.
17
THE HIGH SCHLOOL.
We have called attention before, in these Reports, to the influence of the High School on those of lower grade. This influence during the past year has con- tinued to be powerful and most beneficial. The fact that its doors are open to every pupil in the city is a constant and healthful stimulus to effort, and a most efficient aid to the teachers in the elementary schools. This alone would justify the continuance of the school, and is a sufficient answer to the objection that only a small per cent of our children actually enter and go through it.
STATISTICS.
The whole number of pupils in attendance on the school the last year is 313, a loss of 6 as compared with last year, and 31 more than in the year 1879. Of the whole number, 170 were girls, and 143 boys. These were distributed, by virtue of the optional system of study, as follows : -
CLASS.
College.
General.
Mercantile.
Speclal.
I.
·
20
10
0
14
44
II.
11
28
9
12
60
III.
·
21
50
15
11
97
IV.
·
27
53
11
21
112
79
141
35
58
313
It will be noticed that the number of special students is larger this year than usual ; the number last year having been 44, and 45 in 1880. This fact would seem to reveal a growing disposition, on the part of parents and pupils, to cut short the High-school course, and to limit attention to a few special topics. The average
18
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
daily attendance was 251.6 (equal to 93.5 per cent of the whole) against 93.4 per cent last year. The aver- age age of the pupils was, of Class I., 1712 years ; II., 172 years ; III., 16 years ; and IV., 15-32 years. The average age of the entering class for the last four years has differed by only three months; the one here re- ported (entering September, 1880) being the youngest of the four.
GRADUATING CLASS.
Of the class who graduated in June last, twenty-six took the full course of four years, and the remaining ten a three-years' course. Of the twenty-six, Harvard, Yale, Amherst, and Wellesley have each received three ; the " Harvard Annex," Williams, Smith, Brad- ford Academy, Elmhurst Academy, one each ; and one is engaged in teaching. Of the three-years' graduates, four have entered the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology. Besides these, one post-graduate has entered Harvard, and another, Amherst. The school, as repre- sented by these pupils in their entrance examinations, has well maintained its past reputation ; one of them, Mr. Sandford L. Cutler, having been awarded the first prize at Amherst for entrance examination in the Greek, and another, Mr. Arthur G. Webster, having been accredited seven " honors " in his maximum exami- nation at Harvard.
ANNUAL EXHIBITION.
The closing exercises of the graduating class were held, on the 28th of June, in the large hall of the school. They were of a public character, and called together a very large audience from all parts of the city. The essays presented embraced a wide range of topics,
19
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
which had been more or less the subject of thought and study by the class in their regular course ; and while they were not all of equal merit, but of varying degrees of excellence, they all showed an earnestness of purpose, a maturity of thought, and a facility and correctness of expression, highly satisfactory, and cred- itable alike to teachers and taught. The elocution showed careful training, and a desire on the part of the pupils to profit by the opportunities of the school in this department. And, though some obvious faults ap- peared, they were such as resulted from over care rather than the want of it, and did not obscure the general excellence of the whole.
In one respect the exhibition suffered by comparison with similar occasions in the past. The absence of vocal music by the pupils was regretted, and by many present was regarded as an evidence that music in our schools is suffering from mistaken ideas of economy in their administration.
CHANGE OF HEAD MASTER.
The report of last year chronicled the withdrawal of Mr. Waterhouse as head master of the school. During the temporary interregnum that succeeded, while the Board were seeking a successor, the duties of the position were ably discharged by the master, Mr. Ezra W. Sampson. In February, the Board made choice of Mr. E. H. CUTLER of Providence, R.I., to fill the vacancy, and extended him an invitation to remove to Newton, and take charge of the school. The invitation was accepted, and Mr. Cutler entered at once upon the duties of his new position, commencing his labors on the 2d of March. The continued success of the school
20
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
in Mr. Cutler's hands is justifying the wisdom of this choice by the Board. The head master has won the confidence of the Committee and the patrons of the school, and the regard and esteem of the pupils. We feel confident that the choice of the Board has been a judicious one, and that the school is destined to no decline from its past high character and reputation.
Mr. E. W. Sampson and Mr. John F. Kent still retain their connection as instructors, the former having been advanced to the position of master, and Mr. Kent, to that of sub-master, of the school.
By vote of the Board the teachers are hereafter to be ranked as head master, master, assistant master, and assistants.
CHANGES IN THE CURRICULUM.
The aim of the High-school course is twofold, - the mental discipline of the pupil, and the storing of his mind, so far as may be possible in a limited period, with such facts of science and literature as may best fit him for the work immediately before him after leaving the school. In aiming to secure these ends, it is admitted that no one method or course of study is the right one, to the exclusion of all others; and the High-school Committee have therefore ever held themselves ready to adopt any such modification of their curriculum as might promise better results than those obtained by their present one. It is admitted, also, that one system may be better adapted to one teacher, while another instructor may be equally, or even more, successful by the adoption of a modified method. Each should be allowed to work in his own way, since that way is the resultant, not of theory only, but of his own experience also.
21
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Just previous to the election of the new head master, the Board had seen the desirableness of revising the " course of study " prescribed for use in the school, and the whole matter had been intrusted to a committee, with instructions to report such changes as might seem to them demanded.
The result has been the adoption of a few, but these important, modifications of the plan formerly used. The aim of the changes has been, not the narrowing of the course by cutting off branches heretofore taught, but primarily to concentrate the attention of the pupil more effectually upon one thing at a time, and by more con- tinuous recitations on one theme to prevent the distrac- tion which it is argued will result from too frequent changes, and too great intervals between one lesson and another on the same theme.
Another aim has been to discourage the general study of Latin ; i.e., to limit it, as a rule, to such pupils as are preparing for its further and fuller study in college. Such members of the school as are not intending a classical course are encouraged to give the preference to one of the modern languages, - the French or Ger- man, - or even to confine their studies to the English language and literature, and to general science.
Thus far this modified plan works well. As the present is a transitional year, part of the old plan being from necessity still retained in the three upper classes, the new system has not yet been fully tested. But the head master reports to the Committee that the teachers are in accord with him, and accept the change as a step in advance ; while his own confidence in it is fully sus- tained by its working thus far.
22
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
CALISTHENICS AND MILITARY DRILL.
The Board have seen no reason, during the past year, to abate their interest in our system of physical culture for the school, certainly no sufficient argument for its discontinuance. The drill continues to be popular also with the classes ; a recent canvass of the school by the boys themselves having shown fully ninety per cent in its favor. Parents, also, who have marked the effects on their children of the drill-room exercises, both for boys and girls, are largely in favor of them, and would deprecate any change that would do away with them. In the gymnastics for girls the development of muscle and strength, of ease and grace of motion, have been reduced to a science ; and, under so accomplished an expert as Miss Ireson, the effects secured are as beautiful as they are useful. The drill of the lads has gone on as usual under the supervision and instruction of Lieut. Carter ; and though, from various causes, it languished somewhat towards the close of the year, the causes were temporary only, and their unfavorable influence is already passing away. The Committee would earnestly repeat the recommendation made in their report a year ago, that an inexpensive shed be provided on the school premises, to which, on stormy days and during the winter months, the drill exercises can be transferred from the narrow hall of the school-building. The ex- pense would be trifling, and, if the drill is to be con- tinued, it is quite essential to its success. And if, at any time, it shall be decided by our successors to abandon this feature of our system, the proposed struc- ture will be scarcely less serviceable and useful, on stormy and wintry days, as a shelter and play-room at recess.
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