USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1914 > Part 11
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ENTRANCE TO COLLEGES AND NORMAL SCHOOLS
The certificate privilege which permits pupils to enter certain colleges and normal schools without passing the usual entrance examinations was restored to the Reading High School for the year 1914 to this extent that permission was granted to send "specimen students " to any college belonging to the N. E. College Certificate Board. One stu- dent was certified under this privilege to Boston University, but later decided to attend a state normal school instead.
Students were accepted, however, on certificate to other institutions not belonging to the New England College Cer- tificate Board as follows : Vassar College, Wheaton College, Simmons College, University of Maine, Salem Normal School. Other students passed successfully the college en- trance examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Radcliffe Col- lege and Boston University.
There are certain advantages accruing from passing the regular entrance examinations instead of entering college on certificate. It is a very general opinion that the colleges are more critical and exacting toward students who have come in on certificate lest the standards should be lowered. The college seems to feel that the system is risky. They expressly forbid certifying a pupil in any subject in which he failed to receive a mark of at least 80 per cent. For strong students this does not matter, but those of lesser abilities are automatically excluded by the certificate sys- tem. Yet experience proves that in many cases these same students can successfully pass the entrance examinations and complete their college course in the usual time.
The school exercising the certificate privilege must re- fuse to recommend all but the best students or be in grave danger of having the right to issue certificates withdrawn. This deprives many pupils of the opportunity of going to college unless they have the unusual perseverance to insist on trying the examinations. Even then they do not have a
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fair chance because the school that relies on the certificate privilege seldom gives adequate drills and coaching in pre- paration for examinations. The brilliant pupils are, of course, all right by either method, but those of more modest attainments have a far better chance of success under the examination system. In one school with which I was con- nected for many years, so many pupils who were refused certification were able to pass the entrance examinations that we discontinued granting certificates on our own initia- tive with entirely satisfactory results.
REORGANIZATION OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL
There has been a growing feeling for several years that some plan of reorganization of the upper grammar grades would make the school of greater service by offering differ- ent courses to pupils according to their needs.
For those who are to enter industrial occupations or agriculture, a preparation is desirable that differs materially from that which is best for those who are to go to the normal school or college. Several notable experiments have been made in reorganization in different parts of the United States. These all agree in this particular, that the elemen- tary school is made to consist of grades, one to six, inclusive. In one plan known as the "six and six," the last six years are included in the regular High School; in another plan, three years, grades seven, eight and nine, are grouped and called Junior High School, and the last three years, the Senior High School; a third plan groups grades seven and eight under the title of Intermediate School and introduces elective subjects and other High School features.
The State Board of Education has suggested the follow- ing outline of courses and subjects for the Intermediate School.
THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
The organization of courses of instruction known as the "Intermediate School " involves certain modifications in the courses usually offered children from 12 to 14, namely :
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1. The introduction of practical arts, including manual training, agriculture, cooking and sewing, and commercial subjects. Such courses should be in charge of specially trained teachers. Equipment, as workshops, kitchens and garden plots, should be provided.
2. The introduction of academic subjects, usually taught only in the High School, as algebra, elementary science and foreign language.
3. The organization of two or more courses with reference to the needs and aptitudes of particular groups of children. Each pupil will be expected to select the course by which he seems most likely to profit. As examples, there may be cited : literary course, manual arts course, business course, household arts course, agricultural course. Illustrations of such courses are as follows :
LITERARY COURSE-Thirty Hours Per Week
English, penmanship, mathematics, geography, history and science 122 hours
Physical training, music and general exercises
72 hours
Modern language 5 hours
Drawing. designing, printing, making, repairing 5 hours
(Household arts for girls)
BUSINESS COURSE-Thirty Hours Per Week
English, penmanship, mathematics, geography, history and science 123 hours
Physical training, music and general exercises 73 hours
Typewriting. shorthand, business arithmetic , and related design 10 hours
MANUAL ARTS COURSE-Thirty Hours Per Week English, penmanship, mathematics, geography, history and science 122 hours Physical training, music and general exercise 72 hours Drawing, designing, printing, making, repairing 10 hours
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HOUSEHOLD ARTS FOR GIRLS-Thirty Hours Per Week English, penmanship, mathematics, geography,
history and science 12₺ hours Physical training, music and general exercises 72 hours
Drawing, designing and household arts
·
10 hours
AGRICULTURE-Thirty Hours Per Week
English, penmanship, mathematics, geography, history and science 122 hours
Physical training, music and general exercises 7₺ hours
Drawing, designing and agriculture . 10 hours
The following quotations from an address by Dr. Orr, Deputy Commissioner of Education, explains various feat- ures of the above program. "Courses in the intermediate school are intended for pupils who have finished the work of the first six grades and also for pupils of less attainment who have passed the age of twelve. The program of instruc- tion should provide, as far as possible, for some differentia- tion of courses to meet the needs of individual pupils. Such a program would contain certain required elements, as Eng- lish literature, English language, geography, history and hygiene. The pupil would be offered a certain opportunity of election among such subjects as arithmetic, practical arts for boys, household arts for girls, drawing, bookkeeping, typewriting, foreign language and elementary science. Instruction in the laws of hygiene and insistence on the habits of right living are essential in the case of pupils in the first stages of adolescence.
"In manual training for boys as an elective subject, the aim should be to give the pupils a great variety of projects, each involving some definite constructive work, but choice should be offered so that the pupil may select projects in which he is interested. Articles useful in the home or in the school should be made .. Each pupil should be taught to depend upon himself, and use his own initiative.
"In practical arts for girls, the controlling purpose should be to make articles or prepare dishes for actual use. Girls
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' GLEE CLUB, 1913-4
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at this age are well able to make articles of dress. They can learn to use patterns, cut the cloth, assemble the parts of the dress and do the necessary sewing. In some schools, hats are made and trimmed, and girls make their graduation dresses.
"When a modern language is taught in the intermediate school, the aim should be to give the pupil a command of the vocabulary of conversation. Any teaching of the gram- mar of the language should be incidental."
The conditions in Reading are peculiarly favorable for the organization of an intermediate school in the Highland building. If the parents and citizens desire the advantages of such a school for their children, the change can be easily accomplished. The only radical measure necessary is the lengthening of the school day. In order to get the time required for the practical arts and other new features, an hour should be added to the school day. As a compensa- tion, compulsory home study could be done away with. The hours of the new day might be 8.30 to 12 A. M., 1.30 to 4 P. M. In the case of parents desiring shorter hours for a particular child on account of poor health or outside interests, it would be possible to make one or two courses optional, thus reduc- ing the school work to twenty-five or twenty hours a week, instead of thirty hours, the full program.
SUPPLEMENTARY FEATURES
Many school activities outside of the prescribed course of study contribute materially to the pupils' education. The music instruction finds public expression in the annual con- certs.
These include the concert of the Highland School Chorus, of the High School Chorus, of the High School Or- chestra, of the High School Girls' Glee Club, and of the High School Boys' Glee Club. The latter last year took the form of a minstrel show. This was well received by the public and especially commended for the absence of any
HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, 1914-5
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objectionable features sometimes associated with a minstrel show. The High School Orchestra has done particularly well for this year under the direction of Miss Dey. It now has eighteen performers as follows: first violins: Charles A. Crowhurst, leader, Rena Michelini, John H. Burke, Dwight Thomas, Clarence Brown; second violins : Louis E. Whit- church, H. Graham Hall, Harold W. O'Brien; guitar, Catherine Parks; violincellos : Dorothy A. Shepard, Made- line T. Wehrle; cornets: Leland S. Graff, Augusta H. Livermore, J. Eric Turner; flute, J. Chandler Dane; clari- net, Donald H. Morse; drums, Clifton Stokes; piano, Hazel M. White.
Another interesting and valuable activity consists of dramatics. In recent years there has been a growing con- viction that the dramatic form should be more generally utilized in the'education of children of all ages. Drama- tization is a regular feature of primary reading and is com- ing to have an important place in language work. It may well be utilized in the history, geography and literature of the grammar grades. The historic tableau and pageant are particularly available in these grades. In the High School during the past year this work has taken the form of the presentation of two plays : one in English and one in French. In nineteen hundred thirteen a French play entitled, "Le Poudre Aux Yeux," was successfully presented. This year a more ambitious effort was made in the presentation of a more difficult play, "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme." The costumes for this performance were furnished by a leading theatrical costumer of Boston, and supplemented very agreeably the excellent action of the play.
Several of our pupils joined clubs organized under the extension service of the Massachusetts Agricultural College and the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States De- partment of Agriculture. One boy raised an eighth of an acre of potatoes and won a sweepstake prize at the State exhibit at Worcester. On the whole project he ranked
HIGH SCHOOL FRENCH PLAY, 1914
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fourth in the State. Three other pupils won blue ribbons in the poultry club contest. The highest one stood thirty- fifth among over five hundred contestants. It is hoped that a larger number can be enlisted for 1915.
CLUB UNITS OF WORK FOR 1915
NATIONAL CONTESTANTS MUST BE BETWEEN 10 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE
PREMIUMS-Trip to Washington, D. O., or its equivalent. Trip to places of interest in New England. Week at the Massachusetts Agricultural College.
PROJECTS
Corn
1 acre or 1-2 acre
Potatoes 1 acre, 1-2 acre, 1-4 acre or 1-8 acre
Market Gardens 1-10 acre or 1-20 acre Hay 1 acre, 1-2 acre, 1-4 acre or 1-8 acre
All boys who are 14 years of age on January 1, 1915, must plant at least 1 acre of corn, 1-4 acre of potatoes, 1-10 acre of market garden, or 1-4 acre of hay.
Members of the Massachusetts Home and School Garden Club may plant small home or school gardens of vegetables or flowers, or a combination of these; 50 or more hills of potatoes, tomatoes or sweet corn; or 1 to 6 square rods of any crop. Ribbons are given for best exhibits and buttons for best gardens. Special premiums are given for best work by clubs of 10 or more; and money premiums for best re- sults by schools, towns or cities.
Another valuable supplementary activity of the school is the editing of the school magazine, "The Pioneer," pub- lished four times a year. This is an established institution of the school that has won a favorable reputation in past years. "The Pioneer" of nineteen hundred fourteen takes its place worthily in the files with its predecessors. The business management successfully closed the year with all bills paid and contributed a small sum towards a deficit of the preceding year.
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The social life of the school has been promoted by several evening assemblies of pupils and their friends. These include the Senior party, the Junior party, the grad- uation reception to the Senior Class and their friends given by the Junior Class, and several informal dancing parties after the concerts and plays. Christmas chapel exercises, Washington and Lincoln birthday observances, Memorial Day and several lectures and lantern entertainments and a special entertainment, talk and exemplification of college life given by the Reading College Club were other helpful and enjoyable diversions in our year's program. We also have to thank the Tourjee Club and the Reading Woman's Club for invitations to teachers and students to attend meetings of their clubs as guests.
ATHLETICS
The two major sports maintained by the Reading High School are basket ball and base ball. Reading belongs to the Interscholastic Basket Ball League in which it is asso- ciated with Wellesley, Quincy, Revere and Winthrop. All of these schools are much larger than Reading, thus placing us somewhat to a disadvantage so far as expectations of win- ning are concerned.
Besides the school teams of boys, first and second, that represent us in games with other schools, there are regular class teams of boys which play a series for the Principal's cup. Also several teams of boys from the Highland School, special groups of High School boys, and two alumni teams have used the High School gymnasium. Some interest in basket ball and indoor base ball has been manifested by the girls, and it is hoped that this will be greatly increased dur- ing the next year. An attempt is to be made to introduce field hockey for the girls. This is being played with great interest by the girls of some neighboring high schools.
Reading has belonged to the Mystic Valley Baseball League for several years, and has continued its membership
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the past year. It was also reinstated in the Middlesex Base Ball League, with which it had not been associated in recent years. The Athletic Association has been laboring under an indebtedness of about one hundred and twenty-five dol- lars. By the united efforts of the High School and the Highland School a special entertainment was given at the Reading Theatre and enough money raised to cancel the in- debtedness and leave a substantial sum in the treasury. It is hoped that a deficit may be avoided in the future, but athletics cannot be placed on a solid financial basis without an enclosed field to which an admission fee may be charged. Such a field should be procured. Its use may be shared equitably by the High School and other town teams that may require the same accommodations for the same reasons.
Cross country running has been undertaken to a limited extent by our pupils. A cross country team has contested in the Mystic Valley meet during the past two years. This feature of athletics might well be developed to include a larger number of pupils. There has been no interest or activity in track athletics the past year. It is hoped that this branch may be revived. In this connection and for the sake of the younger children, it is very desirable that play- ground centers with suitable apparatus and supervision may soon be established in Reading. If nothing more were attempted, work after school and Saturday morning during the school year under the direction of some of the teachers would be a long step in advance and would be relatively inexpensive. Such a plan has been in successful operation in Boston for several years.
One paid man instructor and one paid woman instructor during the summer, with such volunteer assistance as could be procured, would accomplish great good. Some apparatus is desirable, but is of less importance than supervision as many popular games and exercises can be carried on with- apparatus.
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SCHOOLHOUSES
During the summer the Centre schoolhouse was painted, and the Chestnut Hill schoolhouse was painted and shingled. Five rooms at the Highland schoolhouse were retinted. The money is on hand to shingle the Union St. schoolhouse and it will be attended to shortly. This building also needs painting. The Prospect St. schoolhouse also needs painting and a new smoke flue. The present flue which consists of an eight-inch drain pipe inside the ventilation chimney is inadequate. It should be replaced by a twelve-inch pipe or by a new chimney of suitable size. Attention was called last year to the condition of the tops of the ventilation stacks of the High School building. The mortar is crum- bling, and eventually they must be rebuilt.
GROUNDS
The grounds around several schoolhouses need consider- able attention. The playground in the rear of the Highland building has never been put into good condition. It should receive immediate attention. The concrete around the Union St. building is in very bad condition and should be repaired immediately, or replaced with gravel. The rear of the Lowell St. school lot and the rear of the Chestnut Hill school lot are both in bad condition and are unsightly. A new fence also is needed at Chestnut Hill. A considerable sum could be spent to advantage in planting shrubs at Lowell St. and replacing missing ones at Prospect St. It is hoped that a beginning, at least, in improving these school grounds may be made next year.
STATE-AIDED VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Although Reading has taken no initiative thus far in co-operating with the State in the promotion of vocational education, nevertheless it has been compelled by the pro- vision of Chapter 505, Acts of 1906, and Chapter 471, Acts of 1911, to pay the tuition of several residents of Reading who have attended industrial or household arts schools in other
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towns. About four hundred dollars was expended for this purpose in 1914. One-half of this amount will be refunded by the Commonwealth. Pupils have been in attendance at the following schools: Boston Trade School for Girls, Bos- ton Trade School for Boys, Somerville Industrial School for Boys, Boston Evening Trade School for Girls, Wakefield Evening School of Domestic Arts for Girls. It is a wise economy for Reading at present to pay tuition for such pupils as desire instruction along these particular lines, rather than establish special schools of her own for this pur- pose.
There is one line, however, in which Reading has an admirable opportunity to serve her own young men and in- cidentally those of the surrounding towns of North Reading, Wilmington, Wakefield, Stoneham and Woburn. This can be done by establishing and maintaining in collaboration with the High School a State-Aided Vocational School of Agriculture. This can be done at a small cost to the town as the State reimburses two-thirds of the amount of salary paid the instructors. A school of twenty pupils can be maintained by a tax of 15 cents on a thousand of present valuation. Pupils from other towns do not cost Reading anything, as the tuition fees paid by these towns are suffi- cient to pay the entire proportional cost of these pupils. Each pupil entering such a school of agriculture must enter into an agreement on the part of himself and his parent to engage in some productive farm project approved by the in- structor and by the agent of the State Board of Education.
Sometimes education is criticised as being too theoreti- cal and too far removed from the actual conditions of life. Here is a school that begins at the very fountain head of practical efforts- the boy at home on the farm surrounded by all the problems of animal husbandry and farm manage- ment. He comes to the schoolhouse a part of his time in order to get scientific information to take home to apply to the particular problems before him.
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While he is doing all this he is earning. In the year of 1913, thirty pupils-five from each of the six centers then in operation-earned nearly $10,000 from farm work in connec- tion with attendance at the school of agriculture. One boy sixteen years old, living in the town of Petersham, received $1,150.15 for his year's work and attended the school be- sides. His farm projects included 18 fowl, 82 chicks, 4 grade cows, 335 young apple trees, corn, potatoes, mangels, 3-4 acre of peach trees, 1 acre garden and orchard. This was an exceptional record, of course, as the average for the thirty pupils was about $325 each. However, a boy of 18 in North- borough made $659.25 on poultry ; another in Hadley made $679.50 on Holstein cows; another boy of 16 in Harwick earned $586.42. What these boys learned was worth far more than what they earned, because the value of what they learned was equal to a sum that capitalized would produce an income equal to the increase in their earning capacity. An increase of $300 a year or $6 a week in earnings is equal to an investment of $5,000 at six per cent., or $7,500 in a savings bank at 4 per cent. This work in agriculture goes right on during the summer and the instructor is on the job. He takes his vacation in December, January and February when other work is provided for the boys in the regular schools.
The course of study is as follows : EVEN YEARS, (1914), 1st and 2d year students, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PRO- JECTS applied to a given community ; KITCHEN GARDENING, vegetables and small fruits; ORNAMENTAL PLANTING, shrub- bery, flowering plants, lawns; FARM SHOP WORK, making and repairing for home and school use-hot beds, cold frames, etc. 3rd and 4th year students. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PROJECTS applied to a given community ; FARM ANIMALS, types, breeds, management; FARM BUILDING, sani- tation and conveniences, plans, construction, upkeep; FARM OROPS for keeping the animals, rotation, balancing, cultiva- tion ; FARM MACHINES AND IMPLEMENTS, their use and repair.
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ODD YEARS (1915), 1st and 2nd year students, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PROJECTS, applied to the community ; SMALL ANIMALS, poultry, sheep, swine, bees-types, breeding, man- agement, rations ; BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT for small animals -plans, cost ; HOME GROWN CROPS for small animals-kinds, quantities, seeds, soils, place in farm crop, rotation, fertiliz- ing, tillage, harvesting, storage ; FARM SHOP WORK and other construction. 3rd and 4th year pupils, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PROJECTS applied to given communities ; FRUIT GROWING, orcharding and small fruits not before dealt with, propaga- tion, cultivation, packing; MARKET GARDENING, markets, soils, seeds, fertilizers, tillage ; BUILDINGS AND APPLIANCES, plans, devices, implements and machines-cost, use and up- keep; FARM SHOP WORK and other construction.
The agricultural student, if he so desires, may spend half of his time at school in regular High School classes in English, and one other approved subject which must be a science in the Junior and Senior years. Mr. R. W. Stimson, agricultural agent of the State Board of Education, has visited Reading and the surrounding towns and has ex- pressed approval of this town as the center for carrying on this work.
The opportunity is ours. Can we afford to neglect it?
In conclusion, I desire to thank the members of the School Committee for very generous consideration and assistance in every way in carrying on the work of the schools, the teachers and other employees of the depart- ment for cheerful and hearty co-operation, and the parents and citizens for interest, suggestions and support.
Respectfully submitted,
ADELBERT L. SAFFORD,
Superintendent of Schools.
Reading, Mass., Feb. 3, 1915.
READING HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation Exercises
CLASS OF . . 1914 ..
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE TWENTY-FOURTH EIGHT O'CLOCK
High School Hall
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PROGRAM PRAYER BY REV. MARION FRANKLIN HAM Unitarian Church
1 The Gold Fever of 1849 (Salutatory) MARGARET ELIZABETH WHITTIER *
2 Everyday Wonders of Nature t EMMA JEAN BANGS
"The Bells of St. Mary's" . CHORUS Rodney
3 The Monroe Doctrine, Past and Present + FRED RUSSELL KINGMAN
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