USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1889 > Part 22
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This plan of work received the hearty endorsement of members of the Board and especially of the committee on industrial education.
This entire agreement as to the best course to be pursued was from the first an immense stimulus. So too was the hearty and universal cooperation of the teachers of the pri- mary and grammar grades. Many found the work new, perhaps even difficult ; but none withheld a conscientious effort.
All branches of form study not purely æsthetic must begin with the faithful observation of certain well known solids. The child's first lesson in drawing is but a little game of ball : the sphere, simplest of all solids, and already a more or less familiar shape, is given to him to observe as a whole. He touches it, handles it, rolls it, tosses it, slides it; he finds that it is smooth and round and has but one surface. Give him a bit of clay, and he will eagerly roll up a little sphere, trying to reproduce in his solid all that he has seen and felt in the original. Next he receives a cube, finds out certain truths to tell about it, and, as before, endeavors to express these truths in his little clay image. Last of all, the cylinder is used in the same manner. From these three solids, and the host of natural forms based upon them, may be derived all the subjects of drawing during the first primary year. The child draws the picture of a sphere, i. e., a circle ; the picture of a cube, i. e., a square; the picture of a cylinder, i. e., a circle or an oblong. In the cube he feels and sees corners, edges, faces ; and these he translates by point, lines, squares. His line work is doubtless crude and cramped, but if he has
37
observed and moulded the solids before drawing them, his conceptions of their forms are clear and tolerably accurate, whatever may be the inevitable defects in his technique.
During the next two years, he advances to other solids. The square prism, the triangular prism, the square pyramid, the cone, the ellipsoid, the ovoid are observed and modelled; also a large number of natural objects of approximate form. Resulting details of form, such as oblongs, triangles, ellipses, and ovals are studied not only by being drawn on paper and blackboard, but by being cut out of paper.
In the fourth year, the clay is laid aside, and other mate- rials are used for construction. The child continues his study of the various solids, and draws and cuts out their details of form. He carefully reviews circles and ellipses, and advances to the pentagon and hexagon, always cutting out of paper each new form studied. By this time a manifest improvement in quality of work should make itself felt. The pupil begins the study of the various curves used by nature and art, and draws the two spirals, first constructing them by means of a string. He also cuts out little silk reels, pencil-sharpeners, pen-wipers, and other similar objects, using wood, cardboard or cloth, as the case demands.
In the fifth year, he begins two apparently new subjects ; he advances to a more formal consideration of (1) working drawings, and (2) model drawings. In the former subject he is taught how to express front view, top view, bottom view, and end view ; he learns the uses of full lines, dotted lines, dot-and-dash lines ; he studies simple developments of surfaces. In the latter subject, he takes apparent measurements of cylin- drical and conical objects, and studies to express in his draw- ing the foreshortening of such objects.
During the remaining years, he progresses to more diffi- cult work under the same general heads. In constructive
38
drawing, he studies sections and developments, and learns to do careful work with rule and compass. In model drawing, he advances to rectangular objects, studying the convergence of their edges and the foreshortening of their sides : he arranges and draws simple groups of objects.
Throughout the whole course, he has been studying, in their proper order, beautiful, historic, and natural forms. A due proportion of time has been given to the arranging of units of design to form new and pleasing combinations ; and memory and dictation lessons have been given at regular in- tervals.
If it be the object of a report to give the public a true idea of the subject in hand perhaps I may here venture to correct a few false impressions. One mistaken idea is, that the clay modelling pursued in the primary classes is intended as a little course in sculpture,-that the infant hand is being prepared for future dexterity in the plastic art. The clay work is employed merely as a means toward assimilating ideas of form. It takes advantage of that natural human tendency, in the acquiring of knowledge, to supplement the information obtained through one sense by that given through another. The 'Come, let me clutch thee' of Macbeth is the natural cry of us all. That child who has touched, handled, modelled spheres and cubes has an intimate knowledge of these forms that mere seeing or drawing could never give. Having once tried to make a certain shape in the round, his conception of that shape is ever after more clearly cut.
Another false idea is this : that the chief end of drawing is the production of pretty figures in a drawing book. With many teachers, even excellent teachers, the worship of the drawing book fetich amounts to a separate cult by itself. The struggle for a fair clean page too often cramps the child's hand and distracts his mind from the higher object of the
39
lesson. Not that careless work should for one instant be tolerated. It is far better for the pupil's moral, mental, and manual development that he should fold his hands rather than draw one line automatically, or with the mind working or playing elsewhere. I firmly believe that the only way to draw is to draw as if drawing were the one thing in life that counts. But in drawings, there should be a higher aim than that of producing figures that look well in the drawing-book.
Many careful parents have had doubts as to the utility of scissors in connection with drawing. The advantages of paper-cutting are these. First, it gives a certain freedom in expression. The pupil is no longer painfully conscious of trying to make a line which may possibly be too light or too dark to suit his teacher: anxiety as to technique being laid aside, he gives his whole mind to the characteristics of the form. This form is detached by him before his eyes; he views it as a tangible whole; it claims his interest. Again, in the study of design, the cutting of units out of colored paper gives the best possible opportunity to discuss their merits and demerits, and experiment upon different arrangements ; and the grouping and pasting of these units upon the enclosing form affords excellent training in manual dexterity.
In each grade the pupil has been required during the year to construct at least two simple inexpensive objects, the forms being based upon the models studied by the class. In the lower grades, this work has been carried out chiefly by means of clay modelling and paper cutting. The child moulds hats and muffs and ginger snaps, and cuts out squares, and oblongs and natural leaves.
On reaching the grammar grades, he attempts boxes, card- receivers, scrap-bags, and a multitude of objects, in making which the girls have an opportunity to practise needle-work, the boys, wood carving, and all to display skill and taste. In most
40
cases the material has been cheerfully furnished by the pupil. Rich material, like plush and silk, is not desired. A workbox made of card-board covered with a tasteful calico or cretonne is more satisfactory than a similar article reproduced in velvet or plush, particularly if some over zealous aunt or cousin has done most of the work. It is earnestly desired that each constructed article be simple, useful, and the child's own work: it should cost little and be worth much.
One of the best means of developing the æsthetic faculty is a study and appreciation of nature. The children of our city are especially blest in having before their eyes during a large part of the year, countless beautiful specimens of Nature's handiwork that may be had for the asking. If the apple blossom and the maple leaf were from the hand of man rather than of nature,-if they were duly entered according to act of Congress, and stocked by the thousand in the publishers' ware- houses, we should doubtless be at great pains to include them in our educational supplies. The study of plant forms does much to develop in the child ideas of beauty, symmetry, pro- portion, harmony, variety. For most children, an ivy leaf will do more than could all the Metopes of the Parthenon. That which lives and grows has its peculiar charm: the boy who goes to sleep over the model drawing of a cone, frequently be- comes impassioned over sketching a carrot. The geometry of nature renders endurable the geometry of science ; the quince blossom lends a charm to the pentagon.
In planning this eight years' course of form study the aims have been these :
1. To teach the child such principles of drawing as shall be generally useful to the man and the woman, rather than particularly useful to the worker in some special handicraft.
2. To teach these principles of natural methods, taking
41
advantage of the child's own instinctive movements toward knowledge.
3. To teach these principles not simply as an end,-not simply as a means; but to let each new lesson be both a unit in the little sum of the child's knowledge, and a factor toward his power to gain understanding: in short, to make each subject taught give the mind both food and exercise.
4. To enlarge the child's sense of responsibility by caus- ing him first to reason for himself, and secondly to act upon the result of his reasoning; to increase his conscientiousness by demanding of him not only that common honesty which prevents us from making a wrong use of another's resources, but also that finer honesty which compels us to make the best use of our own; and not least of all, to develop his love and reverence of God and nature by a study of some few of the myriad forms of beauty that are always with us."
Evening Schools.
The number of evening schools maintained during the past season was two-one for females at the Bigelow school house, and one for males and females at the Jackson school house. They were in session 30 evenings, beginning on the 15th of October and closing on the 21st of December.
The whole number of different pupils enrolled in the Bigelow school was 39; in the Jackson, 197. The total enrol- ment was 236; the average attendance in the Bigelow school was 12; in the Jackson, 45. The total average attendance was 57. The percentage of attendance was 24.1.
Of the whole number in attendance, 30 pupils-5 in the Bigelow, and 25 in the Jackson-were present from 20 to 29 evenings each ; 35 pupils-8 in the Bigelow and 27 in the Jack- son-were present less than 20 evenings each ; 58 pupils-10 in the Bigelow and 48 in the Jackson-were present less than
42
ten evenings each ; and 113 pupils-16 in the Bigelow and 97 in the Jackson -- were present less than five evenings each.
The age of the pupils ranged from 15 to 35 years.
The whole number of teachers employed was 8; two at the Bigelow, and six at the Jackson.
The studies pursued were reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, history, bookkeeping, and mechanical drawing.
The cost of the evening schools during the present school year, was $620.30. Of this amount, $431.50 was expended for teachers' salaries, $45.00 for pay of janitors, and $96.45 for incidentals. The cost per pupil, based upon the total average attendance, was $10.88.
In my last annual report I discussed the subject of evening schools at considerable length, calling the attention of the board to what seemed to me to be defects in their organization and in the public statutes relating to them. A further study of the subject confirms me in the belief that the whole matter should receive most careful consideration. I beg leave, there- fore, again to urge the subject upon the attention of the Board, aud, quoting from my report of last year, to recommend "that chapter 174, Acts of 1883, giving authority to towns and cities to maintain evening schools, be made permissive instead of compulsory, and that the limit of age be fixed at fourteen in- stead of twelve years, in order that it may be in harmony with the general school laws in regard to attendance. I would also recommend that the Board take measures to secure the adopt- tion of these amendments.
The changes suggested are based upon two propositions : first, that the State fulfils its whole duty when it provides that every youth between the ages of eight and twenty-one years shall be educated to such an extent as will fit him properly to dis- charge the duties of citizenship; second, that in doing this work nothing should be left to an evening school that can be better
43
and more economically done in a day school." In my judg- ment, the day school should be supplemented, not by the even- ing school, but by the public library and the reading room.
Mid-Year Promotion.
The whole number of mid-year promotions during the past year was 152. Of the pupils promoted all but twenty-three secured a second promotion at the close of the year.
The plan of mid-year promotions has been in operation in our schools four years. Its chief object is to secure the advance of the pupils from grade to grade according to his ability to do the work. Its success has varied with the varying conditions that have attended its execution. In many of the schools the teachers, fully comprehending its scope, and thor- oughly imbued with its spirit, have given it the impulse of their faith and enthusiasm. In those schools it has accomplished its object beyond my expectation. In other schools its success has been less pronounced. This is not surprising in view of the fact that it is a radical innovation upon long established methods of administration, and that it requires great care and vigilance on the part of those who execute it. The general result, however, has been quite satisfactory.
Other advantages also are resulting. It is helping to make our school system more flexible, more elastic, more practical, and, consequently, more popular. I know of no other change in the administration of our schools of late years that has been so generally commended. The execution of this plan, the division of the primary grades into sections of from ten to fifteen pupils each, and the instruction of the higher grades in sections instead of classes lead the teacher to constantly study the condition and needs of the individual pupil. In other words, the individual, not the class, is made the unit to whose wants the teacher adapts her instruction, and for whose im-
44
provemnt she comes to feel a personal responsibility. Indeed, the whole spirit of the school undergoes a marked change. Stimulation takes the place of repression, activity and zeal take the place of torpor and indifference, hope takes the place of discouragement, the crowding of the lower grades by reason of the aggregation of those pupils who are repeating their work for the second or third time is to a great extent avoided, and the advance of the pupils from section to section and grade to grade is made easy, matural, and rapid. In proof of this statement I need only cite the facts as shown by the statistics of 1884 and 1888. In. 1884 the primary grades contained 41.4 per cent. and the grammar grades 47.9 per cent. of the total enrolment. In 1888 the primary grades had fallen to 35.9 per cent. and the grammar grades had increased to 52.9 per cent. of the total enrolment. The high school grades also show a gain of six-tenths of one per cent.
Although there are no mid-year promotions in the high school, yet the advantages of the plan are secured by other means to the pupils in the general and Institute courses-to those in the general course by the liberal extension of the elective system, the number of electives allowed to each pupil being determined solely by his ability to do the work ; to those in the Institute course by arranging the work of four years in such a manner that pupils may complete it in three years. Of the eight graduates of this school who were admitted to the Institute in June last, four completed the work in three years.
I know of no reason why the classical course may not be so modified as to secure similar advantages to those who are preparing for college. For this purpose, I recommend that this course be extended to five years, and that it be so arranged that the work may be completed in four years, the time in each case to depend upon the ability of the pupil and the choice of
45
the parents. With such an adjustment of the work pupils of greater mental and physical maturity may complete the course in four years, while the less mature may take the longer course of five years. Most of the large preparatory schools of the State, on account of the higher and broader requirements for admission to the colleges, have already lengthened the classical course to five years ; but they have not, so far as I know, incorporated into it the feature that is here recommended. The adoption of this feature will enable the high school to meet more fully the manifold demands that are made upon it, and will give to our school system more of symmetry and completeness.
Graduates of the Schools.
The number of diplomas awarded in the several grammar schools was as follows : Bigelow 42, Adams 22, Claflin 17, Pierce 38, Williams 17, Hamilton 8, Prospect 12, Hyde 16, Mason 46. The whole number was 218.
The number of high school certificates awarded in the several grammar schools was as follows : Bigelow 40, Adams 20, Claflin 17, Pierce 37, Williams 17. Hamilton 8, Prospect 12, Hyde 14, Mason 44. The whole number was 209.
The number of pupils graduated from the high school was 82. Of these 32 had completed the general course, 25 the classical course, 12 the Institute course, and 13 the mer- cantile course.
The number of graduates of the high school who took the final examination for admission to the colleges and the Institute of Technology in June last was 25; at Harvard 7, at Amherst 4, at Boston University 4, at Yale 1, at Vassar 1, at the Institute of Technology 8. Seventeen were admitted without conditions, one was conditioned in English, two in algebra, one in German, two in French, one in Latin, one in
46
Greek, one in Latin prosody, and two in Greek composition.
One of the applicants at Harvard received honors in four subjects :- advanced Latin, advanced Greek, French, and English ; one received honors in three subjects :- Latin composition, Greek composition, and geometry : another received honors in three subjects :- Latin composition, Greek composition, and ancient history ; one received an honor in Greek composition ; and one received an honor in Greek.
One of the applicants at the Boston University received an honor in Latin and another received an honor in English.
The whole number of conditions received in the final examinations was 11 ; the whole number of honors was 14.
The number admitted by certificate was 2; at Smith 1 and at Wellesley 1.
The number of pupils of the high school who took the preliminary examinations was 24; at Harvard 8, at Vassar 2, at Boston University 1, at Yale 1, at Amherst 2, at the Institute of Technology 10. Fifteen passed without condi- tions, one was conditioned in physics, one in Latin. two in ancient history, two in English, three in geometry, two in Greek, and one in Greek grammar. Two of the applicants at Harvard received one honor each in physics, one received honors in two subjects, ancient history and Greek, and one at Boston University received honors in two subjects, Cæsar and Cicero.
The whole number of conditions received in the prelimi- nary examinations was 12: the whole number of honors was 6.
Supervision of the Schools.
During the past year I have given the schools the closest supervision that my time and strength would allow. Besides the special work assigned to me from time to time by the Board and by the standing committees, and the preparation
47
of six monthly reports and my annual report, I have made one examination of every primary and grammar class in reading, and have examined some classes from two to five times each. I have also made twelve written examinations of grades three to nine, and several oral and written examinations of grades one and two.
I have made between six and seven hundred visits to the schools, have visited forty-six towns and cities in search of teachers, and for this purpose have travelled a little more than two thousand miles.
I have also attended twelve meetings of the Board and thirty meetings of standing committees, and have held thirty meetings of teachers.
Saturday of each week has been given chiefly to the purchase and distribution of supplies.
The rest of my time has been given to personal inter- views with teachers and parents relating chiefly to the details of instruction and discipline.
The calling of meetings of the Board, of standing committees, and of teachers; the conduct of the general correspondence ; the tabulating of the reports of the several schools, and the preparation of the statistical tables to accompany the annual report; the preparation of orders for books and other supplies, and the auditing of bills for the same; the keeping of the book accounts with the several masters ; the preparation of the monthly pay-rolls; the hektographing of questions for written examinations ; and the numerous details incident to the routine work of the office has received the patient and watchful attention of the assistant secretary.
I make this detailed statement of the work of the department, to the end that the Board, being in possession of full information in regard to it, may, from time to time, by
48
direction and suggestion improve its administration and increase its efficiency and usefulness.
It gives me pleasure to bear testimony to the faithful- ness, zeal, and enthusiasm of the teachers in their efforts to carry forward the work of the schools during the past year. Their careful and intelligent co-operation has helped to lighten my labors and render them more effective. For their thoughtful and kindly spirit towards me personally I return my sincere thanks.
I also wish to express to the patrons of the schools my appreciation of their goodwill and their many courtesies, and to the members of the Board my thanks for their constant and generous sympathy and support.
THOMAS EMERSON, Superintendent of Schools.
NEWTONVILLE, October 23, 1889.
APPENDIX. STATISTICS IN DETAIL.
TABLE I .- Number of persons in the city between five and fifteen years of age, Mayz1, 1881-89, by wards.
WARDS.
1881.
1882.
1883.
1884.
1885.
1886.
1887.
1888.
1889.
Increase.
Decrease.
I.
453
463
512
541
527
545
582
618
642
24
II. .
603
645
699
705
705
717
732
768
795
27
III. .
449
506
519
543
531
594
598
617
658
41
IV. .
523
562
554
567
593
602
599
629
640
11
1
V. .
.
.
436
470
460
464
423
480
486
532
553
21
VI. .
494
549
558
559
560
559
601
608
621
13
1
.
294
263
262
274
272
288
295
315
293
22
Totals
3,252
3,458
3,564
3,653
3,611
3,785
3,893
4,087
4,202
137
22
49
·
.
·
·
VII. .
TABLE II .- Number of rooms, halls, sittings, pupils, teachers, and number of pupils to a teacher in each school, May 1, 1889.
Number of Pupils.
SCHOOLS.
Rooms Occupied.
Rooms Unoccupied.
Halls.
Sittings.
Girls.
Boys.
Total.
Number of Teachers.
Number of Pupils to a Teacher.
High
17
0
0
567
213
181
394
12
32.8
Bigelow
8
0
1
381
191
148
339
8
42.5
Underwood
4
0
0
194
80
97
177
4
44.2
Lincoln
2
0
96
25
51
76
2
38
Eliot .
4
0
193
76
69
145
4
36
Jackson
5
10
0
245
98
127
225
5
45
Adams
6
0
280
116
132
248
6
41.3
Claflin
6
0
234
126
105
231
6
38.5
Pierce
0
202
68
85
153
4
38.2
Davis
0
208
75
79
154
4
38.5
Franklin
1
0
147
67
61
128
3
42.7
Williams
8
0
370
147
155
302
8
37.8
Hamilton
6
1.
273
114
113
227
6
37.8
Hyde
6
0
0
288
118
109
227
6
37.8
Mason
7
1
1
314
157
130
287
7
41
Rice .
4
0
0
209
81
105
186
1
46.2
Thompsonville .
1
1
0
49
11
25
36
1
36
Oak Hill .
1
1
0
36
7
6
13
1.
13
Totals
106
7
4
4,712
1,942 1,938 3,880
101
38.4
50
1
161
53
62
115
4
28.8
265
119
98
217
6
36.2
Barnard
Prospect
TABLE III .- Number of pupils of different ages in each school, May 1, 1889.
SCHOOLS.
Under 5 years.
5 to b.
6 to 7.
7 to 8.
8 to 9.
9 to 10.
10 to 11.
11 to 12.
12 to 13.
13 to 14.
14 to 15.
Over 15.
High
4
32
38
47
66
57
51
44
Bigelow
O
19
27
45
46
27
11
1
1
()
()
()
Lincoln
2
11
9
12
10
11
12
8
1
23
15
8
Eliot
1
51
43
38
26
26
20
6
7
6
1
()
Jackson
8
23
22
20
28
26
23
24
26
25
23
Adams .
1
15
11
25
25
15
22
18
27
29
26
17
Claflin .
10
34
49
47
44
32
Pierce .
0
10
40
24
22
12
19
14
7
4
1.
2
Franklin
1
13
12
22
22
21
24
14
15
7
1
O
1
Barnard
O
+
10
18
26
19
21
16
9
29
34
16
Williams
O
12
10
11
11
15
12
10
16
13
3
2
Hamilton
2
20
30
31
18
18
26
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