USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1900 > Part 7
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This plan leaves the Complete Geography of the series as fresh material for the seventh, and eighth grades, and while the pupils may not be considered as having mastered the subject with the work in these grades, they will have had a training in the subject that will enable them to follow out the geographical study of any country intelligently in later life, and this power to prosecute their studies further we consider of greater importance than simply holding in memory many items regarding different countries.
LANGUAGE AND GRAMMAR.
The adoption of the revised series of Tarbell's Language and Grammar, dast January, has enabled us to lay out a course that gives promise of greatly improving the work in English Grammar and Composition.
The first book of the series offers material in language work and in technical grammar to occupy the pupils profitably in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.
Without limiting the teachers definitely to the page, the effort is made to have the pupils master one-third of the work in each division, language and grammar, in each of the grades, while con- tinual use is made of the part given to punctuation, making the pupils more and more familiar with this part of good writing introducing its difficulties gradually.
Already great improvement is noticed in the work of the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades since the use of the present series of books.
The second book of the series is like the first in the arrange- ment of the material, and it is used in a similar manner in seventh, and eighth grades.
It is confidently expected that this plan of work will effective-
157
ly prepare our eighth grade pupils for the more advanced English or the High School, especially after the plan has been followed long enough to derive the full benefit of it.
READING.
Some additional reading material has been provided during the past year, but the necessary expenditure in other lines has made it impossible to secure all that is needed for the best results. We trust our appropriation for the coming year will enable us to put the course in reading in proper condition.
NATURE STUDY.
The gain in this work consists in providing as aids in prepar- ation the Wilson Manual in Nature Study for the lowest grades, Lange's Handbook of Nature Study for the intermediate work, and Jackman's Nature Study for grammar grades. These together with Boyden's Nature Study make it possible, with the time avail- able, to plan work for the different grades that shall not prove devoid of interest because of repetition.
A wider range of subjects is also made possible with better work in each. Considerable latitude is given the teachers in the different schools to enable them to take advantage of the material available and adapt the work to the different grades they have.
The emphasis in this work is put upon developing a permanent interest in the work by the plan of conducting the observation rather than by giving a large number of facts not gained by the pupils.
MORAL TRAINING.
There is a sense in which all school work tends to strengthen the moral fibre of the pupil, if it is so conducted that the pupil's inner nature is reached and he sees the wisdom of choosing the best things presented to him. The Humane Education work is still continued with the addition to the material used last year of a
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paper devoted to these interests named Pets and Animals, and pub -; lished at Springfield, O. Thus fresh interest is secured and the work is regarded as a part of the regular duties of the school.
Still greater attention is given to making the pupils familiar with our poets by giving as memory gems, or for reading in the up- per grammar grades, the poems of Longfellow, Lowell, Whittier, Holmes, Hawthorne, Bryant, Irving and Emerson.
From these we are enabled to hold before the pupils some of the highest ideals of living, and so far as these may find lodgment in their minds so far the victory is gained over evil tendencies, for "out of the heart are the issues of life." As we prize our opportuni- ties to mould the characters of our children and youth, we should. eagerly avail ourselves of any plan that promises good.
I believe great good is gained from a plan that encourages the saving of the pennies and nickels that are spent by so many of our pupils for candy, and other things to gratify a passing desire or whim. By providing them a means of accumulating these pennies' until they amount to larger sums, at least these advantages would be secured, the physical gain resulting from more regular habits in eating, and a repeated exercise of self-control respecting the grati- fying of the appetite or of trivial desires harmless, perhaps, in themselves but tending to thoughtless extravagance. The differ- ence between the thrifty and the spendthrift lies in the fact that the former gives sufficient thought to the permanent good to be obtained by any outlay, while the latter caters to the caprice of the moment. A system of saving the pennies has been adopted by many schools that gives remarkable results in the amount saved in the year.
The Stamp Savings Society offers a plan by which the amount deposited by a pupil is recorded in his book by affixing stamps of equal face value. The usual plan of carrying on this work in the schools is to have some teacher receive the money and affix the
..
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stamps on a certain day of each week, at the close of the school, and forward the amount to the central office, 5 Park Square, Bos- ton, Mass. I believe greater good in the promotion of temperance would result from this plan than by any system of teaching that virtue ever yet devised. The time to teach self-control is in the early years of childhood and youth. As another means of teach- ing the pupils self-control, I recommend the adoption of this plan.
The course of study recommended for the High School and the report of the principal of the school together with those of the special teachers are herewith submitted. It is gratifying to all to find decided progress made in each department, and while it is evident that the adding of Manual Training, Stenography and Typewriting to our work calls for a little larger outlay yearly, it should be a matter of satisfaction that our boys and girls may se- cure for themselves as good a preparation for office work as could be secured at a business college away from home, considered from the commercial side alone, while the additional training in English, science, and history, gives to our work far higher value.
I believe a community has no higher duty to discharge toward its young people than that of giving them as good opportunity as possible to secure a good education, to fit themselves for their life work in different departments of industry.
It is comparatively easy to map out courses of study which would lead to desirable results, but it is far more difficult to secure the teachers that are able to secure from these courses the grand possibilities that lie in them. The teacher, after all, is the most im- portant factor in this whole problem of education, and those who succeed best in rousing the interest of the pupils in their work, in appealing to the highest impulses of the pupils so that they de- velop in accord with them, readily command higher salaries than they can secure in Reading. While it will be true for some years to come that the larger cities near us will be able to offer our teach-
160
ers quite an advance in salary over our own, it does seem to me that our town should appropriate a little more for the purpose of retaining teachers whom the community cannot afford to lose for the matter of an additional fifty dollars.
As I stated in my last report the tax rate devoted to school purposes by Reading was just the average rate for the entire county, so that it seems perfectly fair to ask for an increase in the appropriation considering that we are deriving considerably above the average benefit from our schools.
In conclusion I wish to express my thorough appreciation of the cordial support of the committee and of the entire corps of teachers in the work of the past year.
Respectfully submitted, MELVILLE A. STONE,
Superintendent of Schools.
HIGH SCHOOL REPORT.
To the Superintendent:
The report of the High School for the year ending December 21, 1900, is respectfully presented.
The number of pupils not enrolled in any other school during the year has been 142; the per cent. of attendance 95.4; the number of pupils admitted from the grammar grade 43; from other schools 3.
Last June twenty-two pupils were graduated, and one received a certificate for work performed; of these, one has entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, two, Dartmouth College, two, the Salem Normal School.
The introduction into the course of several commercial branch- es during the year has been attended by very favorable results. Last September a class of fifty-two pupils began the study of Business Arithmetic and Correspondence; last June twenty-two pu- pils completed Williams' New Introductory Book-keeping; at pres- ent, a class of sixteen is pursuing a more complete and advanced course in Williams' Office Routine and Book-keeping. At the open ing of the fall term, classes were formed in Stenography and Type- writing, with a membership, at present, of twenty (20) and nine- teen (19), respectively. The instructor in these branches reports that good progress has been made. Several pupils in Stenography have attained a speed of 125 words per minute; in Typewriting, 45 by dictation, and 50 from manuscript. Three periods weekly of
162
forty-five minutes each have been assigned to Stenography, two, to Typewriting. To secure greater efficiency, more time should be given these studies.
The wisdom of offering to our pupils a commercial course should not be questioned. To those who demand an education that shall meet the needs of the masses, its practical value will appeal chiefly, but the educational and the disciplinary advantages of these studies should be emphasized as well.
While a good beginning has been made in this department, yet further facilities would add to the efficiency of the work which has been mapped out. A room fitted up especially for office routine and book-keeping is much needed. The chemical laboratory is not adapted for classes in Stenography.
Another year the work of this department will be considerably increased. There will be three more classes, two in Stenography and Typewriting, and one in Commercial Geography and Commer- cial Law.
I referred in my last report to the desirability of further modi- fying our course of study so as to offer a wider range of choice to different tastes and capacities. This end has been realized to a great extent by the elective system of studies, which was introduced at the beginning of the fall term. The course of studies which was submitted in June, 1900, offers a carefully determined minimum of studies for all pupils, with electives from a supplementary list.
The per cent. of each class taking the various subjects is here given :
FIRST CLASS.
Algebra
100 per cent.
Drawing
100
English
100
Music
100
66
163
Business Arithmetic
67 per cent.
Botany
67 ". "
History
75 4
Latin
46
SECOND CLASS.
English
100 per cent.
Music
91
66
Book-keeping
30
66
Drawing
30
Greek
13
Geometry
89
History
73
Latin
40
66
Zoology
78
66
THIRD CLASS.
English
100 per cent.
Music
86
Chemistry
37
94
66
66
History
65
66
Latin
25
66
66
Geometry
40
66
Physics
60
66
Stenography
34
66
Typewriting
28
66
66
FOURTH CLASS.
English
100 per cent.
Music
100 “
Civics and History
35
66
French
92
66
French
Greek
3
164
Greek
14 per cent.
Latin
50
Advanced Algebra and Geometry
7 4
Stenography
57
Typewriting
64
According to our revised course, the time given to each study, for the four years, measured in recitation periods is as follows:
Languages
1720
Latin
800
Greek
560
French
360
Mathematics
720
Algebra
360
Geometry
360
English
800
Sciences
896
Physics
340
Chemistry
200
Botany
120
Zoology
80
Physiology
60
Physical Geography
96
Sociology
544
History
360
Civics
120
Political Economy
64
Art and Music
320
Drawing
160
Music
160
Commercial Branches
1160
Arithmetic
120
Book-keeping
400
165
Commercial Geography
80
Stenography
320
Typewriting
200
Penmanship
40
Number of recitation periods per year required
by the courses of study . 6160
Number of recitations per year the teaching force can hear
6960
An excellent outline of the course in English has been sub- mitted by the head teacher of that department. With the corre- spondingly continuous and progressive course in English in the lower grades, the results attained in English in the High School should become each year more satisfactory.
The science department has been strengthened from year to year. Additional apparatus has been purchased and better oppor- tunities afforded for laboratory work. A beginning has been made in the Harvard course of experiments in Physics. With more complete equipment, all the requirements of the course may be met another year. Several pupils have expressed a desire to elect this work. Plans are being made to meet, so far as our facilities may permit, similar requirements in Chemistry.
At present, the aggregate of the class exercises weekly is 159. A careful estimate of the probable demands upon the school another year will increase the number to not less than 169, possibly to 173. The work now assigned to the teachers is all that, in justice to their health and efficiency, should be required. As prin- cipal I have had but one period per week free for visiting classes.
I am especially pleased to refer to the present year as in many respects more satisfactory than any that has preceded it since my connection with the school. The pupils have co-operated almost without a single exception with the teachers to secure good results. I desire, also, to express my appreciation of the cordial support which the school has received from all interested in its welfare.
F. E. WHITTEMORE,
Principal.
166
COURSE OF STUDY IN THE READING HIGH SCHOOL. Submitted June, 1900.
EXPLANATION OF COURSES.
I. GENERAL COURSE.
II. COLLEGE COURSE.
III. SCIENTIFIC COURSE.
IV. NORMAL COURSE ..
The GENERAL COURSE is designed to meet the needs of those pupils whose school life will end with the High School. It aims to fit pupils for business and to give a substantial foundation of gener- al training. Pupils electing this course are required to take studies offering eighteen exercises per week, at least fifteen of which are prepared work. The selection of studies must be with the consent of parent or guardian, and with the approval of the principal.
The COLLEGE COURSE prepares for any American College.
The SCIENTIFIC COURSE prepares for the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology, the Lawrence Scientific School and other in- stitutions of similar character.
The NORMAL COURSE prepares for any American Normal School.
Pupils will not be allowed to change their studies or courses of study during the year except for most urgent reasons.
Those pupils who have satisfactorily completed any one of the prescribed courses of study are entitled to receive the diploma of the school. Pupils who have been members of the school one year or more, are entitled to receive certificates stating the amount of work accomplished.
During the last month of the school year, all pupils of the High School and those of the Eighth Grade are expected to decide what studies they wish to pursue during the following year, and are requested to fill out blanks designating their subjects of study.
COURSES OF STUDY IN THE READING HIGH SCHOOL. First Year.
GENERAL.
Prepared Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
NORMAL.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Required Studies :
Algebra
5
Algebra
5
Algebra
5
Algebra, I-2 yr.
5
.2
English
3
2
Drawing
2
Drawing
2
English
3
2
History
2
I
English
3
2
English
3
2
Music
I
Latin
5
I
Latin
5
Latin
5
Elective Studies :
Music
I
Music
I
Business Arith- metic and Correspon- dence
3
Botany
2
I
History
2
I
Latin
5
Penmanship
I
Algebra, 2d half year
5
Drawing
2
Botany
2
I
Botany
2
I
Drawing
I
History
2
I
Music
History
2
Exercises.
SCIENTIFIC.
COLLEGE.
-
Second Year.
GENERAL.
Prepared Exercises.
Unprepared
Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
Exercises.
SCIENTIFIC.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
NORMAL.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Required Studies :
English
3
2
English
3
2
English
3
2
English
3
2
Greek I
4
I
Latin II
4
I
Geometry
4
I
Music
I
Geometry
4
I
Geometry
4
I
History
2
I
Elective Studies :
Latin II
4
I
Music
I
Physics 2nd half
Bookkeeping
5
Music
I Physics 2nd half
year
2
2
Drawing
2
Greek I
4
I
Geometry
4
I
History
2
I
Latin II
4
I
Physics, 2nd half year 2
2
Zoology, Ist half
year 2
2
year
2
2
Zoology Ist half
Zoology Ist half
year
2
2
year
2
2
Music
I
4
I
History
2
I
History
2
I
Latin
Exercises.
COLLEGE.
Third Year.
GENERAL.
Prepared Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Required Studies:
English
3
2
Music
I
German I -
or
4
I
or 4
I
Elective Studies:
Bookkeeping and Com. Law 5
Latin III,
4
I
History,
2
I
Latin III, 4
I
Chemistry 3
2
Commercial
2
French I
or
4
I
German I
Greek II
4
I
History
2
I
Latin III
4
I
Algebra II
r
4
Physics, Ist half year
3
2
Physiology, 2nd half year
2
I
Stenography
3
J
Typewriting
2
-
4
I
French I
3
2
English, French I
3
2
Greek II,
4
I
German I -
German I
History,
2
I
Algebra II, -
4
I
Physiology, 2nd half year, 2
I
Geom. II,
4
I
Algebra,
4
1
Music, I
Geom.,
Exercises.
NORMAL.
Chemistry,
3
2
English, French I or
3
2
Chemistry, English,
3
2
Geom. II, -
Geography
Algebra II, -
I
Geometry II
COLLEGE.
SCIENTIFIC.
Fourth Year.
GENERAL.
Prepared Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared
Exercises.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
NORMAL.
Prepared
Exercises.
Unprepared Exercises.
Required Studies:
English
3
2
Civics and History English
Civics and History English
3
English ·
3
2
Music
I
Elective Studies:
Civics and History
3
French III 3
I
German III 3
I
Greek III
3
I
Latin IV
4
I
Adv. Alg.
Solid Geom.
3
Physical Geog. 6 mos.
3
I
Physics(College) 2
2
Pol.Econ.,4 mos. 3
I
Stenography 3
I
Typewriting
3
French II or I
German II Latin 4
4
I
French II or
3
I
4
German II
1
Latin 4
I
Solid Geom.
3
Physical Geo-
graphy 6 mos. 3 I
Greek III
3
I
3
3
2
3
2
French II or
Physics(College) 2
2
German II
I
Adv. Alg.
Physics (College) 2 2
The figures indicate the number of recitation periods per week.
SCIENTIFIC.
COLLEGE.
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING.
To the Superintendent :
At a conference of teachers of drawing, the State Supervisor stated that one result of his critical study of the different courses shown in the State Exhibition of Drawing, was a conviction that more attention should be given to the study of applied design. The Arts and Crafts present an attractive and profitable field for the artist-artisan, and not being over crowded with artistically trained workmen, forms an excellent opening for young and talented students who are looking for new avenues of industry, and new opportunities for advancement in life. The cultivated taste of the American people is already demanding beauty of form and propor- tion, as well as appropriate decoration in common objects of daily use, and it should be one of the aims of public school art instruction to develop at least a recognition and appreciation of beauty.
Mr. F. A. Hill, Secretary of the State Board of Education, in speaking of this subject, once said, "A hint or two as to a proper attitude towards drawing in the schools can be gained from our attitude towards what is now doing in language work in the schools. We want children in school to read, write, and speak the English language. A review of their work usually shows that some do it wretchedly, some passably well, some very well and some superbly. We also want the children to read good books; we want them to appreciate what is fine in literature, it being unquestionably true that children in large numbers are capable of appreciating fine
172
things in literature long before they can hope to do fine things in literature,-indeed, most of them never will do fine things in literature. So, in art instruction, some may draw wretchedly, some may draw fairly well, some may draw very well indeed, and now and then a person may draw superbly. But nearly all, whether they can themselves draw or not, can learn to appreciate good drawing in others. That is to say, there is in drawing instruction something corresponding to literature in English instruction. We want to get at the hearts of the children, and enlarge them for the fine and beautiful things in life. There is no question but that most precious work can be done on the culture side with children, when they cannot themselves rise much above mediocrity in their outward execution.
To give an artistic tone to industrial things in the State, we need two things; we need people who crave beautiful workman- ship, on the one hand ; we need people who can supply the craving with beautiful workmanship, on the other hand. When we have this demand and this supply, it seems to me that we have a hope- ful condition of things."
In accordance with such suggestions more time than usual has been devoted to design this year, and along lines not before con- sidered. Beginning in the lower grades with simple combinations of lines, striped and plaid designs were made for cambric and gingham, also borders for handkerchiefs.
The upper classes enjoyed working upon designs for other textile fabrics, for frets, keys, escutcheons, belt-buckles, stained glass windows, inlaid work, and for form and decorations of bowls and vases, for book covers, and other decorative compositions.
Mechanical drawing has been continued in connection with the manual training, working drawings having been made of objects afterwards constructed in the workshop under the direction of the teacher of that department.
173
That the course may be systematic and helpful as possible along all lines, the time has been divided into periods of two months each, a certain subject being studied for a definite time. In Sep- tember aud October nature drawing is taken by all grades, repre- sented by colored crayons in primary grades, brush and ink in grammar grades and water colors in the High School.
November and December are devoted to mechanical drawing and constructive work, beginning in the lower grades with simple. exercises in measuring and use of the ruler, and gradually develop- ing into the more complicated working drawings. Representation. of objects is usually considered in January and February, but as before stated much of this time was taken this year in addition to. the months of March and April, for the study of design. As the pupils gain in power and execution at the end of the year from the. result of their training, it finds expression in the water color draw- ings of plants and flowers which are so stimulating in their beauty in May and June, and the culmination of the year's work is thus attained.
The study of pictures and the lives of great artists has been pursued through the year with great interest and profit. Two artists have been assigned to each of the upper grades for special study: for the fourth grade, Landseer, Le Rolle; fifth grade, Rosa Bonheur, Reynolds; sixth grade, Millet, Boughton; seventh grade, Dupre, Hofmann ; and for the eighth grade, Raphael, Corot.
The pupils of the two eighth grade classes in the Highland . School at the beginning of the year, were presented by the Prin- cipal with one cent each as a nucleus of a fund which they were to increase by any convenient means, the sum at the end of the year to be devoted to schoolroom decoration. Enough money was earned by the pupils to purchase a fine large photograph for each room, "Sir Galahad," by Watts being placed in one room and "Spring," by Corot, in the other.
174
The proceeds of a collation at the Teachers' Institute held here in October, amounting to fifty-four dollars, have also been expended for the adornment of schoolrooms, each building receiv- ing at least one picture or plaster cast.
ANNIE B. PARKER, Supervisor of Drawing.
DECEMBER 31, 1900.
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.
Mr. M. A. Stone, Supt. of Schools, Reading, Mass.
The general work of music in the various grades has remained the same during the year past. We are constantly training the children in the elementary work of music. Singing and hearing intervals, training the eye to read notes and time, training the ear to regular recurring accents, or rythm, are all a part of our daily work, which can be best understood and appreciated by a visit to the school rooms.
Hand and hand with this we aim to cultivate in the children a lively appreciation of good music, by the singing of the best exer- cises and songs in one, two, three and four parts ; and in doing this, we believe the general standard of the children's characters is raised. They get a moral stimulus from this singing which should be a great help to them, in their other school work and life in general.
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