USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1886 > Part 7
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lower grades particularly, gives much interesting food for thought.
It may be remarked here that the law has also undoubtedly increased the attendance upon the schools, and that in these and other ways it. has proved a success, justify ing the wisdom of its enactment, and completely meeting the objections of its opponents.
There has been no change in the general policy of the Board in regard to the arrangement of school work, except in the preparatory course for the High School. The fact that the average age of pupils entering the school was higher than was desirable. (15 3-12), led to an attempt to remedy it by reducing the preparatory course from nine to eight years, with the necessary modifications in the studies. Hopes were entertained also that the grammar school course might thus be made more complete and well proportioned by itself, a year being added (the ninth) as a finishing year for those whose education,so far as the public schools are concerned, closes with the grammar school. But after a trial of two years, it it has been found difficult to properly adjust the grades, and confusion and uncertainty arising, it was deemed best to re- vert to the former system. It seems as if the difficulty of adjusting the graded system to both extremes of a class as well as to the average is unavoidable. It is, however, to be hoped that some method may be found for promotion of the more advanced scholars without undue pressure or injustice to the average of the class, for whom the schools are especially to be adapted.
In the selection and appointment of teachers during the year, the Board has again had the benefit of the long experi- ence and good judgment of the Superintendent, who has made the selections with great care and with a single purpose to secure the best obtainable. A continuance in this policy,
156
with the salaries paid, will insure the maintenance of the high standard which our schools have attained, and help to raise it in the future.
No new buildings have been added during the year, but a beginning has been made upon a new high school, and a considerable amount of repairs upon other buildings made which were greatly needed. The privies of the Underwood school, which, by leakage, had become offensive and dangerous have been removed, and a new set of water-closets put into the basement. The exteriors of the Adams, Mason, Underwood and Pierce schools have been painted, and some tinting done to the interiors of the Frank- lin, Underwood and Pierce. Improvements have been made in the windows of the upper rooms of the Hyde and Jack- son, and additional heating apparatus furnished in the High and Mason schools. There has been some improvement of the school-grounds in some localities, and in celebration of "Arbor Day," quite a number of trees and shrubs were set out in va- rious school-yards by the children, and also by village im- provement societies. Repairs more or less extensive are still needed in the Mason, Hyde, Pierce, Franklin, Davis, Claflin, Jackson, Lincoln and Bigelow schoolhouses, and the yards of many of them need grading, concreting and grassing. The increase in Ward 3 renders some provision desirable for addi- tional grammar school accommodations, which can probably be best obtained by an addition to the Pierce schoolhouse, giving it six or eight rooms, so that all the grammar grades may be under one master in the same building. It would have been a wise policy to build in each district a central grammar school building with outlying primaries, as it is the most economical as well as convenient and advantageous, but at present the buildings are such that this system is not prac- ticable in every ward. In all future additions or new con-
157
structions it is hoped that this plan will be followed as far as possible. It is desirable to avoid the maintenance of two or more grammar schools with all the additional and unnec- essary expense involved, where one would answer the purpose.
The question as to the care and control of public halls and rooms in school buildings, which was heretofore in some uncertainty, has been settled by its concession by the city council to the school committee. It is probable that the uses for which these halls will be let will be substantially the same as in the past, with every effort to exclude all improper or objectional uses. The matter of small interior repairs of school buildings has also been satisfactorily arranged with the city government.
The year has been on the whole quite free from any serious interruption by epidemic or dangerous diseases, and · the average of attendances has been very good.
The no-recess plan continues to give satisfaction, and no complaints are made of injury or inconvenience therefrom.
High School.
The increase of enrollment and attendance at the High School has continued. The record of enrollments for the last five years is as follows :
1882
302
1883
·
311
1884
. 337
1885
389
1886
424
and at the beginning of the present school year, 456.
The working capacity of the present building has long since been passed, and the necessity of increased accommoda-
158
tions is evident. The only question has been as to what plan to adopt, and there has been much discussion and many suggestions have been made and considered. As is probably unavoidable in such matters, there has not been en- tire unanimity of opinion, and some delay has resulted, but the question has been finally determined, and a section of a new building has been commenced on the present location, to be used for the present needs of the school, the other sections to be completed when required in the future. This plan was adopted in the interests of economy, utilizing the present building and avoiding the inconvenience of destroying one building before other accommodation is provided. The loca- tion is an excellent one, and by the wise and liberal action of the city council a lot of land was added in the rear and a strip on the north, extending the lot to the adjacent court, making it certain that the supply of light and air cannot be cut off or seriously interfered with, and affording room for a suitable display of the handsome features of the new building. It is expected that the new section under construction, with the old building, will be sufficient for the needs of the school for a few years longer, although, in view of the defects of the present building, the final completion of the new building will be gladly welcomed.
This increase in numbers has rendered it necessary to appoint an additional teacher. Thirty-five scholars to each teacher is usually considered the maximum number that can be well managed; but the attendance of four hundred gáve forty to each of the ten teachers, including the head master. The school entered upon the year without the additional help, but it soon became evident that it was impossible to do justice to either teachers or pupils, and appointment was made of Miss Emma F. Johnson.
159
During the year the courses of study have received care- ful revision, somewhat more of breadth and variety has been given them, and the number of English exercises and elective studies increased. In the study of physics and chemistry new apparatus and furniture have been provided, the old ap- paratus being worn out, and arrangements made for better facilities for personal examination and study by pupils of the objects provided. The accommodations for these studies, however, in the present building are very poor. and especial provision is to be made for them in the upper story of the new building now under construction. The lack of accom- modation for the military drill still causes a good deal of un- necessary trouble and expense. The plan of a drill hall which was prepared last spring and submitted to the city council outgrew the proportions originally contemplated, and involved a greater expense than was thought judicious, and the matter was referred back to this board by the city coun- cil. The subject of military drill has since been revised, and with a view to avoid all unreasonable interference with stud- ies or danger to immature physiques, it has been made op- tional in the first and fourth classes, and careful physical safeguards provided. The favor with which the drill is re- garded is shown by the fact that all but about ten in the first and fourth classes have taken part in it. The battalion in fact numbers about 175, which is more than the supply of muskets, and it is desirable that a few light guns be obtained for the smaller boys. The increase in numbers of course in- creases the difficulties attending the drill. The armory hall is not large enough, and its use is attended with unnecessary waste of time and expense to the city and to the boys. It would seem as if the construction of a building to cost not more than five thousand dollars, large enough for a fair accommodation of the drill and not too large for use for gym-
160
nastics, graduation or other school purposes, and perhaps some proper outside uses, would be very desirable, the inter- est on the cost of which would not exceed if it would equal the yearly cost imposed upon the city and the boys under the present arrangement. The calisthenic exercises still labor under the same difficulties as heretofore, aggravated by the increased numbers. It is hoped that on the completion of the new section more room can be found for them. It is satisfac- tory to be able to report that the interest in the exercises is well sustained, and their benefits are appreciated. The com- pletion of the circuit railroad, after some delay in regard to the lowering of the fares, now furnishes improved means of transportation for the pupils, but the use of the barges from Newton Centre and the Highlands is still required.
Besides the appointment of an additional teacher, as above mentioned, we have to record the resignation of Mr. Fiske, the military instructor, Capt. Frank N. Brown being appointed in his place, and the granting of leave of absence for a year to Miss Pond, the teacher of drawing, and appoint- ing Mrs. Emma F. Bowler in her stead. The school work has been quite satisfactory, although during the first three months we labored under the disadvantage of an insufficient teaching force, and the crowded condition of the building makes the preservation of order more difficult than it other- wise would be.
The purchase of a new piano during the year has added not a little to the convenience and pleasure of the school.
In accordance with custom the names of the graduating class are appended. The exercises of graduation day were well attended, and were above the average in excellence and interest. Of the graduates about the usual proportion en- tered the colleges and Institute of Technology.
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GRADUATES. FOUR YEARS' COURSE.
CLASSICAL.
LEIGHTON CALKINS,
RAYMOND CALKINS,
CARITA A. CHAPMAN,
EDWARD P. KELLEY,
CLINTON L. EDDY,
NELLIE F. MORRISON, WILLARD REED,
CORA L. STEWART.
GENERAL.
ROSALIE AMES,
ALICE ANGIER,
ALICE G. HOLMES,
ANNA R. BASSETT,
MARY HOWLAND,
GRACE W. BRYANT,
MABEL R. HUSSEY,
ADRIANNA V. BUNKER,
ISABELLA P. JONES,
EDWARD P. CALDWELL,
EDITH LEACH,
MARGARET E. CAREY,
ELIZABETH G. LEONARD,
ALICE M. CARPENTER,
STEPHEN WALLACE MOORE,
MARGARET E. CONDRIN,
ANNIE PLUMMER,
HARRIET M. CORDINGLY,
WILLIAM Z. RIPLEY,
JOHN CUTLER,
LILIAN E. ROGERS, ANNIE R. SMITH,
MARY A. DIX,
HENRY P. SPAULDING,
AUSTIN E. DOHERTY,
MABEL S. STEWART,
SARAH DORNEY,
SARAH E. STUNTZ,
WALTER ELLIS,
GRACE WADSWORTH,
EDITH M. FARLEY,
CARRIE A. WELLINGTON,
HENRY WHITMORE.
THREE YEARS' COURSE.
CHAUNCEY B. ALLEN,
HERBERT W. HADDOCK,
CARRIE L. BABCOCK,
GILBERT HUBBARD,
JOHN B. BLOOD,
FRANK I. JONES,
JOHN A. BOND,
GEORGE LINDER, JR.,
WILLIAM C. BROWN,
JOHN P. MARTIN,
HELEN CHOATE,
STELLA MAY,
LILLIE A. COBB,
JOSEPH NEWHALL,
MABEL COLLINS,
ELIZA PHILBRICK,
BENJAMIN P. DRESSER,
JANE A. PRESTON,
FRANKLIN M. ELMS,
TIMOTHY W. QUINN,
WILLIAM J. FARQUHAR,
JAMES E. ROLLINS,
MARY B. FIELD,
CHARLES M. SCUDDER,
NETTIE E. FLEMING, JOHN P. FREESE,
DANIEL SULLIVAN, ALBERT E. TAPPAN.
STEPHEN EMERY,
HARRY H. HASKELL,
FREDERICK H. HOVEY,
WILLIAM M. JONES,
ALICE D. GILMAN,
KATHERINE M. DAVIS,
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In the several districts there is but little to record be- yond the statement already given of repairs made and re- quired. There have been some changes in the force of teachers, as shown by the list annexed to the report of the superintendent herewith published.
In the Williams school the resignation of Mr. Chandler is much regretted ; also that of Miss Laura Saltonstall.
In West Newton the increase in attendance has rendered it necessary to appoint a new teacher, and additional accom- modations will soon be needed as before noted.
In Newtonville the Claflin school needs repairs, and the discomforts and inconvenience attending the use of the upper rooms continue.
In Newton the change in the Underwood school has already been mentioned. Repairs are needed in the Bigelow and Lincoln schools.
In the evening school the attendance averaged 53, the total enrolment being 152, (males 89, females 63.) The school was kept open three nights in each week for fifteen weeks. £ The industrial drawing required by law was fur- nished at this school. The work of the school was quite satisfactory for the time at disposal. In music there is little new to report. The work for the year has been on the whole very satisfactory. In sewing the interest continues, and by special request it has been extended to the eighth class in some districts. It has been found necessary to employ an additional teacher on half time.1
In closing this report the board are unwilling to pass over without some expression of regret the retirement from the committee of Mr. John A. Gould, the senior member, who, after thirty years of continuous and faithful service, declined a renomination. His associates will always carry
.
163
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with them an agreeable recollection of his unfailing courtesy and pleasant ways and greatly miss him in their labors.
The statement of Mr. Gould reviewing his connection with the schools of the city is of such general interest that by vote of the board it is appended :
"As my official relations with the schools of Newton, covering a period of thirty consecutive years, will close with the present year, I may be excused if I speak briefly of the changes that have taken place and the progress made in the schools during that time.
In the school report for 1857, it is stated that "six years have now passed since, by the abolition of the district system, the present organization of the schools was adopted and the entire management of the school affairs entrusted to the superintending Board. This movement at its inception did not meet with unanimous favor, but it is believed that these doubts and objections have gradually yielded before the light of experience, etc., " but my experience was that the conver- sion was far from being complete. Then the whole number of children in town between five and fifteen years of age was 1216, number of schools, 22; appropiations for teachers salaries, $10,153.63; fuel, $865.41; care of houses. $495.99; total $11,850.00; unexpended balance, $334.97. A compari- son of these figures with the statistics for the present year will show the growth of the schools and the increase of expenses during the past thirty years. At the present time the number of children between five and fifteen years of age is 3,785, number of schools is 86 and the number of teachers 101. The appropriations for the present year are as follows : Salaries of superintendent and teachers, fuel and care of rooms, $101,300 ; incidentals, $9,500 ; evening school, $550; convey- ance of pupils, $805 ; total, $112,115.
There was then no purely High School. the higher branches being taught in the grammar schools at the Centre,
164
West Newton and at Newton, but they did not meet the wants of the town, and in 1859 the High School building was erected, and the school was opened on the 6th of Sept. with 75 scholars under Mr. J. N. Beals and Miss Amy A. Breck, from which beginning the school has grown to its present magnitude.
For the greater part of my time of service, the selection of teachers was left largely with the local committee, which has not always insured fitness for the position. Now the duty of selection is left with the superintendent, which is the only way to elevate schools above the high position which they now occupy.
My motto has ever been that "as is the teacher so is the school;" and with this constantly in mind, have been able to secure those of marked ability, both male and female, who have honored Newton while with us and when called to more desirable positions elsewhere. After one or two years of rather doubtful success in regard to masters, and having become fully convinced that teaching was a different art from that of simply hearing recitations from a book, we were fortunate in securing the services of Mr. James F. Claflin, still a teacher in the High School at Chicago, and to whom we are indebted more than to any one else for so quickly organizing these schools and bringing them into the front rank according to the often expressed opinion of the late Dr. Bigelow, where they have since remained with remarkable uniformity. The masters who followed Mr. Claflin are Mr. P. C. Porter, C. W. Hill, principal of the new "Martin" School, Boston, Hon. Levi C. Wade, D. S. Farnham, A. L. Harwood, Walter C. Frost, and the present master, C. E. Hussey.
Soon after the death of Dr. Bigelow, in 1866, whose services on the committee were equivalent to those of a superintendent, the employment of one was often discussed,
165
but no action was taken until '71, when Mr. Thomas Emer- son, the present incumbent, was engaged. After two years' service he was induced to leave us, and for some years the schools did not uniformly receive the benefit which the employing of a superintendent should give them, owing to the frequent changes that occurred. But of one of them I should be unjust to my convictions of duty should I fail to speak. The very valuable service rendered to our schools by Dr. Ephraim Hunt while here, by the introduction of improved methods of teaching, and by suggestions to the teachers, will bear fruits which we shall long continue to gather. In the fall of '84, after an absence of eleven years, Mr. Emerson was induced to return, which insures the prosperity of the schools while he is with us, as he is worthy of the confidence and encouragement of all interested in them.
When I entered the board I found faulty methods of teaching. This was especially true of reading and mental arithmetic. These faults have been corrected, and for the teaching of these branches it is probable that the schools of no city are better equipped than ours.
The introduction of free hand and mechanical drawing is a valuable acquisition to school work.
In regard to the complaints often made as to overwork, I have not seen an instance where that was the cause of sick- ness.
Of the evils to guard against, one of the greatest is the inclination of teachers to do the thinking and work for the pupils, the habit and art of study being one of the most valuable acquisitions of the school room, and there is no greater demand for judgment and tact in the teachers than to decide just how much assistance to give their pupils.
The acquaintances that I have formed with the members
166
of the boards with whom I have been associated, many of whom have left us, have been exceedingly pleasant, but with none have my relations been so intimate as they were for nearly nine years with the late Dr. Bigelow. He was entirely unselfish in all his acts, and had at heart only the best inter- ests of all the schools. None knew him but to love and respect him.
To the members of the present board, I wish to return my sincere thanks for the kindness which I have received at their hands.
To the citizens of Newton, of the past and present time, I tender my thanks for the honor which they have conferred upon me by my election and continued re-election to the responsible position which I have occupied for so long a time. I am grateful for the opportunity given me to share in the work of bringing the partially organized schools of thirty years ago to the satisfactory condition in which they are at this time."
FISHER AMES, Chairman of the Committee.
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES FOR 1885.
General appropriations for schools,
$101,300 00
Received from the dog tax,
2,081 23
$103,381 23
Transferred to school incidentals,
6,000 00
" conveyance of pupils,
90 00
6,090 00
$97,291 23
Amount paid to the superintendent,
$2,750 00
teachers,
82,045 60
66 66 janitors,
5,906 04
66 secretary,
300 00
66
66 " for fuel,
5,515 79
Amount expended,
96,517 43
Balance unexpended,
$773 80
School incidentals,
$9,500 00
Transferred from general appropriation, Amount expended,
15,452 89
Balance unexpended,
$47 11
Evening school,
$550 00
Amount expended,
532 98
Balance unexpended,
$17 02
Conveyance of pupils, $715 00
Transferred from general appropriation, 90 00 805 00
Amount expended, 785 00
Balance unexpended,
$20 00
66
6,000 00
$15,500 00
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RECAPITULATION.
APPROPRIATIONS.
Total amount, including dog tax,
$114,146 23
EXPENDITURES.
General appropriation.
96,517 43
School incidentals,
15 452 89
Evening school,
532 98
Conveyance of pupils,
785 00
Total amount expended,
$113,288 30
Balance unexpended,
$857 93
THOMAS EMERSON, Secretary.
December 22, 1886.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
To the School Committee of Newton :-
In compliance with the rules of the Board I respectfully present my annual report of the condition of the schools for the year 1885-6. The schools were in session forty weeks, beginning September 14, 1885. and ending July 2, 1886.
A general exhibit of the results of the last school census. of the number of school buildings and the value of the school property, of the enrolment and attendance of the pupils, and of the cost of the schools, will be found in the following statistics.
POPULATION.
Population of the city, State census of 1885 19.759
Number of persons in the city between five and fif-
teen years of age, May 1, 1886 3,785
Number of pupils between five and fifteen years of age attending the public schools in May, 1886 . 3,116
Number of pupils between five and fifteen years of age in private schools ·
152
Number of persons between five and fifteen years of age not attending school 517
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Number of school houses . 21
Number of buildings rented for school purposes
·
1
170
Number of occupied rooms, May 1, 1886 . 90
Number of unoccupied rooms, May 1, 1886 . 8
Total number of rooms, May 1, 1886 · 98
Number of halls, May 1, 1886 5
Total number of sittings, May 1, 1886
. 454
The total value of the school houses, furniture, appara- tus, and land in use during the past school year is $522,- 100.00. The following table gives the value of the school property in detail :
High School buildings, furniture, and land $57,000 00
Mason school house, furniture and land . 49,100 00
Hyde school house, furniture, and land . 24,000 00
Prospect grammar school house, furniture, and land .
31,000 00
Prospect primary school house, furniture, and land .. 7,500 00
Oak Hill school house, furniture, and land Hamilton school house, furniture, and land Williams school house, (old) furniture, and land .
12,000 00
28,000 00
10,000 00
Williams school house, (new) furniture, and land .
35,000 00
Pierce school house, furniture, and land .
32,000 00
Davis school house, furniture, and land Franklin school house, furniture, and land .
13,000 00
Claflin school house, furniture, and land .
· 35,000 00
Adams school house, furniture, and land . 22,000 00 . Bigelow school house, furniture, and land 42,000 00 Underwood school house, furniture, and land . 24,000 00
Lincoln school house, furniture, and land 5,500 00 Jackson school house, furniture, and land 15,000 00 Eliot school house, furniture, and land 19,000 00
Rice school house, furniture, and land
20,000 00
15,000 00
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Barnard school house, furniture, and land,
21,000 00
School apparatus
5,000 00
$522,100 00
SCHOOLS.
High School ·
1
Grammar Schools
48
Primary Schools
36
Mixed School
1
Total,
86
TEACHERS.
Number of teachers in High School
. 10
Male teachers, 3; female teachers, 7.
Special teachers in High School . 3 Male teachers, 1; female teachers, 2. Number of teachers in Grammar Schools . 48
Male teachers, 10; female teachers, 38.
Number of teachers in Primary Schools . . 36
Number of teachers in Mixed School
1
Special teachers of sewing
2
Special teacher of music .
1
Whole number of teachers
101
Male teachers, 15; female teachers, 86.
ENROLMENT AND ATTENDANCE.
Whole number of pupils enrolled, 1885-6 4,106
Whole number of pupils enrolled, 1884-5 4,027
Increase 79
Average whole number of pupils enrolled, 1885-6 . 3,527.7 Average whole number of pupils enrolled, 1884-5 . 3,356.5
Increase .
· ·
171.2
Average number of pupils in daily attendance, 1885-6 . 3,238.8
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