USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1902 > Part 8
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We urge the attention of every citizen to the matter, believing it to be of the utmost importance. We are not ready at this time to make any definite recommendations ; in fact, we believe that the time has not yet come when the best and wisest recommendations could be made.
It seems unnecessary to call the attention of the citizens to the additional fact, that our High School is fast growing too large for our present building and some way will have to be provided for our increasing numbers. The present building will serve our purpose for some time longer, but we should bear in mind the fact that a new High School building will be a necessity before many years.
If any action is taken by the Town to buy a lot for a Library building, the Town might well take into consideration the needs of both Library and High School at the same time and buy a lot large enough to accommodate both.
The Library and High School should be located near together, and the relation between the two should be close and intimate.
The aim and purpose of both are educational.
In many places the librarians are uniting with the teachers in plans of action whereby the use of the library by the pupils will be greatly increased.
The library is indispensible to a good high school.
There are many other reasons which might be given why the two should stand in close proximity. The needs of the general public would not in any way be restricted by such locations ; in fact, in some ways they would be enhanced.
Attention is invited to the report of the Superintendent which contains a detailed account of many matters of interest in con-
176
nection with the various schools. The special reports of High School Principal and Directors will not be printed in full but liberal quotations will be made in Superintendent's report. He emphasizes the fact that many of our teachers resign because they are offered higher salaries in other places. In some cases, if we had had at our command a small sum with which we could have offered a substantial advance in salary, the teacher could have been retained. After all has been said and done to retain the excellent teacher, yet in the end, we must lose her for we cannot compete with the large cities in the amount paid. But we can do more than we have done to keep the best teachers a longer time.
It is better for our schools to have an able, excellent teacher one year, whom everybody wants, than to have a passible teacher ten years, whom nobody wants.
Even the large towns and cities suffer from the same cause. The able, skillful teacher is always in demand and will command a high salary and deserves it.
We solicit careful attention to the financial statement of the Board. Extra expense has been incurred in connection with the heating and the sanitary arrangements at the Highland school building.
The schools on the whole are doing work and the teachers generally are earnest, enthusiastic, striving to attain a high degree of efficiency in their work.
We have not yet reached our ideals, but we believe most of the school workers are working hard in that direction. "Not failure but low aim is crime."
VACANCIES.
The terms of Ellen M. Bancroft and Gilman L. Parker expire at the ensuing town meeting.
177
APPROPRIATIONS.
The committee recommends the sum of $22,000 for regular school expenses, $4,000 for school incidentals.
Adopted in committee Jan. 30, 1903.
WALTER S. PARKER, Chairman, GILMAN L. PARKER, Secretary, HORACE G. WADLIN, ELLEN M. BANCROFT, MARY L. NESMITH, HENRY C. PARKER.
.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of the Town of Reading :
My fourth annual report, the tenth in the supervision of Read- ing schools, is herewith respectfully submitted.
The chief items under the head of repairs are the refinishing of the hard wood wainscotting, and painting of the walls in the High School, the replacing of a part of the old desk castings with new adjustable castings, and the completion of the work formerly begun of installing electric lighting in the large rooms and lower corridor of the building.
New shingles on the south roof of the Chestnut Hill school- house, a coat of paint, and new timbers under the floor of the north room put that building in condition to serve us several years.
It was found necessary to relay the valleys on the roofs of Union St. and Prospect St. schools.
At the Lowell St. school the old steps have given place to new, one built at each entrance, thus giving place for flower beds between them and at each front corner of the building. The work of the pupils on these beds the coming season together with last year's improvement in laying out the grounds will make the environment of this school compare favorably with that of any found in the outskirts of the neighboring towns.
Considerable expense was incurred in the repairing of the heat-
179
ing plant at the Union St. school, but now all our boilers and heat- ers appear to be in good condition.
For next year provision should be made to paint the outside of the Union St. school, and the Prospect St. school, though the latter item may prove to be dependent upon an other matter which I will now mention.
In my last report I referred to the necessity of providing additional room for the primary grades in the near future, knowing at the time that the last room in the Highland School would be needed to allow the admission of those entitled to school privileges in the spring of 1902. By rearranging the work in five rooms next April, sufficient room may be vacated to admit twenty-five of the forty pupils who will seek admission by virtue of having passed the fifth anniversary of their birth. The coming summer should see some provision made for the admission of the pupils who will be ready to enter in April of 1904, and I recommend that immediate attention be given to this matter that no disappointment be ex- perienced in April of 1904 by those entitled to the privileges of our schools at that time.
Considering now the intellectual and moral work of the schools for which so great outlay in things material is made, I wish to call attention to the good work done in our High School in the commercial course and in the science work. By referring to these I do not intend to disparage the work in any other branches, for visi- tors have paid high compliments upon all the work observed, but the equipment in the commercial course and in the science work has been recently completed by the purchase of three more typewriters and additional apparatus needed for the proper treatment of the science work.
As this last term is the first since the introduction of Type- writing and Stenography in which we could feel that the work was not suffering by the lack of previous preparation of the pupils, it is
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of interest to note what our pupils are able to do in those subjects under what may be considered normal conditions. The number taking Shorthand this year is twenty-eight, ten Seniors and eighteen Juniors. The time given this work is three forty-five minute periods per week for the Juniors and two forty-five minute periods per week for the Seniors. At the end of four months the average speed of the Juniors was 90 words per minute, while the Seniors have an average speed of 140 words per minute, with individuals attaining 150 and probably 175 by the end of the year. The work is graded with a view to obtaining speed and accuracy, the first year being devoted to the mastering of the principles, supplemented by dictation work on letters in 'various lines of busi- ness. This work is continued during the second year, with the addition of legal dictation, and such as shall render the pupil com- petent to take dictation in a variety of subjects.
The number taking Typewriting is twenty-seven, ten Seniors and seventeen Juniors. Two forty-five minute periods per week are given in both these classes. Work in dictation, taken directly on the machine, as well as copy work is given and accuracy is made as important an end as speed. The speed has not been determined as an average for either class but some of the Seniors are able to take dictation at the rate of sixty-five words per minute.
It is certainly gratifying to learn that the organization known as the Reading High School Athletic Association is very popular, enrolling in its membership a large majority of the pupils. "A con- stitution and by-laws have been adopted, in accordance with which all athletic interests of the school are subject to the control of a board of directors, consisting of the master and sub-master of the school, the superintendent of schools, one physician of the town, two graduates, and three under-graduates. Pupils whose average scholarship is below seventy per cent. or who are deficient in any study, are not entitled to participate in any scheduled game. Thus
181
we hope to make athletics an incentive to good scholarship, rather than a hindrance." Already the effect of the organization has been observed on the athletic field where our young men have conducted themselves in a manly, sportsman-like manner.
The following portion of the principal's report is of interest as it shows the preference for science and commercial work in our school rather than classical studies.
"Number admitted from Grammar School 51
66 other schools
1
through change of residence 6
from North Reading . 20
Average age of entering class 14.9 y.
Our courses of study are sufficiently broad to appeal to the in- dividual choice and capacity.
The enrollment of pupils in the different departments, for the month of September, was as follows :
Number in English, including literature, composition and rhetoric, (required of all) 181
Number in ancient languages, Greek and Latin 69
Number in modern languages, French and German 58
Number in the sciences, physics, chemistry, zoology and botany 147
Number in mathematics, algebra and geometry 128
Number in commercial branches, arithmetic, book-keep- ing, stenography and typewriting . 157
Number in history, English, United States, Greek and Roman 102
Number in drawing 83
Our courses of study fit pupils for college, scientific schools, state normal schools, or as graduates of the commercial department, for responsible positions in business offices. In this connection the record of the class of 1902 may be of some interest. Of the twenty-
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four pupils who graduated, nine have entered higher institutions, including college, normal, art, and scientific schools ; eight have ob- tained positions in business offices as book-keepers, stenographers and type-writers ; three are doing further work in the High School in preparation for scientific courses of study.
Pupils who satisfactorily complete the college preparatory or the scientific course receive the principal's certificate which admits them without examinations to each of the following named colleges and universities : Boston University, Brown University, Amherst College, Amherst Agricultural College, Dartmouth College, Welles- ley College, Tufts College.
In accordance with the by-laws and rules of the New England College Entrance Certificate Board, recently organized at Boston, no certificate will be accepted after January 1st, 1904, by any insti- tution represented in the above mentioned Board from any school in New England which has not been approved by the Board."
A list of text books used in the Reading High School will be found farther on in this report.
"Special attention has been given to declamation and to debate. Three public rhetorical exercises were held, one by each of the three upper classes, all the pupils having some part assigned to them. Those exercises were much enjoyed, and plainly showed what study and careful drill may do for our pupils, in the way of effective speaking. Since the opening of the fall term, the classes have been organized as deliberative bodies for the purpose of afford- ing practice in debate and for the practical study of parliamentary rules and usages. Weekly meetings have been planned for the last hour of Wednesday under the supervision of the teachers." In these ways the pupils are given a little experience in those matters that will engage their attention in later years, and thus for them school life makes contact with that of the world in general, and a
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new significance is given to much in their work that would other- wise seem without purpose.
In considering the work in the grades it is pleasant to report that, in accordance with my recommendation of a year ago, the girls of the seventh and eighth grades are now receiving instruction once a week in sewing and those of the sixth once in two weeks. The report of Miss Wilson, who is in charge of this work, shows that the pupils have a keen interest in the work and that the teacher has high ideals of the value of it. Her aim is to take up the work so carefully that the results shall show a thorough knowledge of each step. The various stitches are first taken up and the materials for securing the necessary drill are furnished by the committee, but the parents are expected to furnish the cloth for articles made for the home. Other results which Miss Wilson aims to secure by means of sewing are concentration and self-reliance, also a sympathy with and the power to meet domestic needs, so that in a peculiar way our pupils make contact with the real work of mature life, and school work has the greater significance.
The work in cardboard construction has been introduced into still lower grades so that now all the pupils of the Highland School, numbering nearly five hundred, are deriving great benefit from well directed work in various kinds of manual training. It is found that variety in this work adds greatly to the interest and so to the final results. Our teachers are taking quite an interest in basketry, and twelve of them are receiving instruction from Mr. H. T. Leavis, an expert in this work, and when these teachers have completed their preparation, I recommend that they be given an opportunity to impart their skill to the pupils under their charge. I make this suggestion not for the purpose of adding to the work of the children, but for the purpose of taking up different kinds of work at different seasons of the year. For the same reason I would be glad to see the children busy for a little time each week
184
of the spring and fall with small gardens that might be located at the rear of the school building, as soon as the amount of the regular appropriation will admit. It would require two or three hundred dollars to carry out the plan, but a portion might be prepared each year, which would provide a small space for the pupils of one or two rooms to begin with. I would not be misunderstood in a recommendation of this nature. The thought is not to add to the child's difficulties in securing an education but to furnish him in school the actual things to deal with that must engross his thought in mature life, and so give point to all drill exercises in the school room, and more than that to give opportunity to develop an appreciation of the rights of others, of the mutual dependence of one upon the other. These lessons growing out of their actual life and experience will prove helpful in their study of geography and history, and better than all will develop right character by virtue of conduct which must be to a large degree in harmony with the laws of nature.
The work in Humane Education continues to hold the interest of all the pupils from the first grade to the eighth inclusive, while the programs rendered in the commemoration of the various histori- cal events certainly afford very impressive lessons in patriotism.
The interest taken in the Stamp Savings movement can be best judged by a brief report on the business transacted during the last three months, (Oct. 1-Dec. 31). Amount of stamps pur- chased, One Hundred Seventy-Nine Dollars and Thirteen Cents ($179.13). Amount withdrawn from deposit, Thirty-Eight Dollars and Fifty-Eight Cents ($38.58). Number of depositors Jan. 12, 1903, Two Hundred Thirty-Nine (239) out of Four Hundred Fifty-Eight (458) total.
For the last three years a partial report has been made on the course of study, at one time treating one subject and again another while in actual practice we have been bringing the grades into form
185
in accordance with new books introduced or new methods adopted. This year an outline of work for each grade has been placed in the hands of each teacher, and while everything is not definitely marked out for the teacher, we have good reason to expect good results from it, as the work has been gradually taking this form for the past three years.
Again I feel it my duty to call the attention of the committee as well as that of our good citizens to the distinct loss sustained by our schools through the frequent change of teachers. In the last twelve months we have lost ten, among whom we count some of our most successful teachers. In some cases the advance in salary offered them, in two instances one hundred fifty dollars, was clearly too great for us to match, but usually it would have been possible to retain them at an advance of fifty or seventy-five dollars more than our funds would permit. I appreciate the fact that the appro- priation for schools is the largest on the list of town expenses and a wise economy must be shown in the use of it. The question still arises, are we warranted in holding the services of our teachers at so low a value that our children shall suffer by these frequent changes in instruction. From several intelligent citizens I have heard an emphatic negative answer to this question, and it only remains for a sufficient number of them to be convinced of this to secure an appropriation enough larger to enable us to retain our teachers longer.
The work of Mr. Archibald has become so well known to you all that I need only to say that it is my belief that like excellent results might be secured in all departments of our school if we were in position to retain the best teachers we succeed in securing from time to time. We pay well for the time we take of our Supervisor of Music but the results are manifold more than would be secured by pursuing a different policy. Last spring a fine program was given consisting of selections from Schumann and Shubert. The
186
weather was not favorable but those who attended were well repaid for the effort.
Miss Parker reports a steady gain in Drawing, which is sure to follow the work of an efficient teacher for a number of years. This year charcoal has been used in the High School for the study of light and shade, and the results have been encouraging. She refers to the visit of the State Supervisor of Drawing on Oct. 27, 1902.
"In the morning he gave a very helpful and suggestive talk to the Iligh School, making an earnest plea for more thoughtful and artistic planning and spacing of all written work, including scientific note books. The afternoon was spent in the grammar schools and concluded with an inspiring meeting for teachers, to which those of Wakefield were also invited.
The interest in school-room decoration has been well sustained throughout the year. On March 24, 1902, under the auspices of the Public School Art League, a lecture was given by Mrs. Grace Hyde Trine, on the Ancient Cliff Dwellers of the Southwest. The proceeds of this lecture enabled the purchase of a large plaster medallion of a Madonna and Child by Michaelangelo, and a solar enlargement of Millet's painting, "Feeding Her Birds." Both of these were placed in the John Street School. A beautiful illus- trated book, entitled "Masters of Art," was added to the High School library and two framed photographs of ruins of cliff dwell- ings, presented by Mrs. Trine, were hung in the Highland School. The High School has been the grateful recipient of a large and beautiful solar print of Mt. Vernon, the home of Washington, through the courtesy of the Faneuil Hall Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. As has been the custom for several years, the graduating classes of the Highland School added to the decora- tion of that building a plaster cast by Andreadella Robbia, entitled, "Boys playing on drums." The rearranging and distributing of the
187
pictures and busts in the High School, with the tinting and renovat- ing of the walls have increased wonderfully the attractive appear- ance of the rooms."
Mr. Walter F. Brackett has charge of the Manual Training work this year and under his tactful management the boys are giv- ing as fine specimens of work as we have had since the installation of the plant three years ago this spring. He suggests that the pupils of our eighth grade are capable of doing the work of the third year of the course and recommends that the boys of the sixth grade be allowed to start in with the course so that it may be com- pleted by those in eighth grade. When we consider Mr. Brackett's underlying purpose in this work, I believe that we shall all agree that his suggestion is worthy of consideration. He says,-"While the models made are of secondary importance, that is,-it is the child not the model we seek to make,-the model ought to be an index of what has been done for the child. It is his expression of what he has perceived or received."
In conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation of your cordial support, and of the hearty cooperation of the teachers in carrying out our plans for the betterment of the schools.
Respectfully submitted, MELVILLE A. STONE, Superintendent of Schools.
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LIST OF TEXT BOOKS USED IN THE READING HIGH SCHOOL.
ENGLISH :
English and American Authors, Blaisdell.
English Exercises, Strong.
Composition and Rhetoric, Scott and Denney.
Elements of Rhetoric and English composition, Carpenter.
Grammar, Whitney and Lockwood.
Manual of English and American Literature, Shaw.
Selections from standard English and American literature.
GERMAN :
Collar's Shorter Eysenbach, Curtis.
A German Method for Beginners, E. J. Lange.
FRENCH :
Grammar, Chardenal. Composition, Blouet. Selections from classic and modern French literature.
ยท GREEK :
Grammar, Goodwin.
Iliad, Seymore.
Lessons, White.
Prose, Jones.
Prose, Woodruff.
Xenophon, Harper.
HISTORY :
English, Montgomery.
General, Myers. Greek, Myers.
Roman, Myers.
United States, Mclaughlin, Channing, McMaster.
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LATIN :
Cicero, Allen and Greenough. Compositions, Jones. Compositions, Moulton and Collar. First Year Latin, Collar. Grammar, Allen and Greenough. Nepos, Lindsay. Ovid, Kelsey. Second Year Latin, D'Ooge. Virgil, Allen and Greenough.
MATHEMATICS :
Algebra, Academic, Wells. Algebra, Essentials of, Wells. Algebra, College, Wells. . Business Arithmetic, Williams and Rogers. Office Routine and Book-keeping, Williams and Rogers. Geometry, Hobbs, Wentworth.
MUSIC : The Euterpean, Tuft. Songs of the Nation, Johnson. Four Part Song Reader, Veazie.
SCIENCE : Astronomy, Young. Botany, Foundations of, Bergen. Chemistry, Newell, Williams. . Geology, Le Conte. Physics, Wentworth and Hill. Physics, Gilley. Physical Geography, Tarr. Physiology, Overton. Zoology, Burnet.
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STENOGRAPHY : Shorthand, Gregg. POLITICAL SCIENCE : Civil Government, Fiske. Civil Government, Hindale. Political Economy, Chapin.
1
REPORT OF TRUANT OFFICER.
FROM JAN. 1ST TO OCT. 1ST, 1902.
Number of absentees reported
32
Cases found to be truancy
8
Cases found to be sickness
1
Kept at home by parents
17
Taken to school
2
Not found
2
Insufficiently clothed
2
Respectfully submitted, FREDERIC D. MERRILL, Truant Officer.
READING, January 19th, 1903.
REPORT OF TRUANT OFFICER
FROM Nov. 1, 1902, TO JAN. 1, 1903.
To the Superintendent of Schools :
Number of absentees reported
10
Cases found to be truancy
8
Cases found to be sickness
1
Kept out to work
1
Respectfully submitted, FRANK A. BUTTERS, Truant Officer.
1
READING HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1902
GRADUATING EXERCISES
IN
OLD SOUTH CHURCH
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 18, 1902, AT 7.45 O'CLOCK.
194
PROGRAMME.
"CERTUM PETE FINEM.'
PRAYER,
REV. F. S. HUNNEWELL.
SINGING, God of our Fathers School.
Schnecker
SALUTATORY AND ORATION, Elements of Strength in American Democracy
RALPH STEVENS KENEELY.
SINGING, In Spring Bargeil
Girls Chorus.
The Business Girl
ORATION,
GUY HALL RUGGLES.
SINGING, Bridal Chorus, from the Rose Maiden Cowen
School.
ORATION, American Cartoons and Caricature HERMAN COPELAND BOWSER.
SINGING, (a) Church in the Wildwood (b) Stars of the Summer Night High School Quartet. Messrs. Bancroft, Cullinane, Keneely, Whittier.
ESSAY, The Men and Women of the Great To-morrow ELIZABETH BERTHA BEAUDRY.
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS, The Class and the Individual
JENNIE GERTRUDE FRANCIS.
SINGING,
Soldiers' Chorus from Faust School.
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS,
MR. W. S. PARKER.
ESSAY,
NELLIE RAYMOND BARR.
Expansion
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NAMES OF GRADUATES.
CLASSICAL COURSE. Jennie Gertrude Francis
-
LATIN-SCIENTIFIC COURSE.
Arthur Willard Bancroft Harold Carter Winship Ralph Stevens Keneely Guy Hall Ruggles
Harold Williams Wright
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