USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1896-1901 > Part 23
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28th. By request of Samuel L. Taylor and others, to see if the Town will authorize and direct the School Committee to close the Long-Sought-For School and transport the scholars to another school, and act in relation to the same.
29th. By request of Francis L. Fletcher, to see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Section 332, Chapter 548, Acts of 1898, and act in relation to the same.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting up true and attested copies at the Town House and each Depot in said Westford, eight days, at least, before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of hold- ing the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands and seals, this first day of March, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety-nine.
SHERMAN H. FLETCHER, GEORGE W. HEYWOOD, WESLEY O. HAWKES,
Selectmen of Westford.
١٨٤٤٠
٩٢٫٠٠٠.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
Town of Westford, Mass.
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING MARCH 1, 1899.
F
WEST
F
NMC
INCORPO
1729.
RPORATED
.23
SE
LOWELL, MASS. : COURIER-CITIZEN COMPANY, PRINTERS.
1899
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1898-99.
A. R. CHOATE, Chairman Term expires 1901 66
FRANK H. HILDRETH
1899
GEORGE H. HARTFORD.
66 1900
W. J. SLEEPER, Secretary 66
16 1900
ARTHUR WRIGHT.
66
66
1901
ALFRED WOODBURY
1899
Superintendent of Schools, A. S. THOMSON. Residence, Littleton Common, Mass.
ANNUAL REPORT.
Citizens of Westford:
The schools of the Town have, with varying degrees of results, completed the financial year. We say with varying degrees, because, as is frequently the case, they have been some- what interrupted by epidemic disease, and although the time is expected to be made up, the results rarely equal an unbroken term. As a whole, the schools are improved. There are several things from which they suffer:
I. A lack of visitors.
2. A lack of equipment.
3. A 36-week school year.
4. Too many small schools.
I. A lack of visitors .- Parents in particular, and all citizens in general, fail to visit the schools, and the pupils do not get the benefit of reciting before others than the teacher and a certain amount of ease that comes therefrom, hence they make a less favorable showing when the occasional one comes in. The people, also, and especially the tax-payers, do not fully become acquainted with what is going on; and in this it must be recognized that educational matters are making strides forward now, as are all other departments of life; the X, Y, Z of years ago is the A, B, C of today.
2. A lack of equipment .- This has been a great loss to the pupils in the past and they are yet suffering from it, although it has been much improved in the last two or three years, and another year will probably see them in a very much more satis- factory position. A number of maps have been bought this last year, and some schools fully, and others partly, supplied.
3. A 36-week school year .- The schools generally through- out the State have a 36-week school year below the High School grade, with few exceptions in very small towns. Our neighboring towns have such, and the last one has taken the step this year. Your schools and scholars lack this, and the length of the school year is felt in selecting and retaining good teachers. The short year compels them to remain idle so long, with expenses going
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on for them just the same, that they cannot stay with us unless at a loss.
4. Too many small schools .- This subject has been brought to your attention before, and we merely remark in passing, that transporting scholars from small schools to larger ones, so that the child in the outlying district has as good as the village child -as he is justly entitled to-continues to extend throughout the State, and the Massachusetts policy in this respect is becoming a fixture in other states. The fathers and citizens in the outlying districts should demand for their children equal advantages, and means to get to them. Should not those in the villages be willing to extend and vote them?
During the past year a change of Superintendents has been made, and also a change in the union district formed by the three towns for employing a Superintendent. Ayer withdrew from the union with Littleton and Westford, and a new union district was formed, consisting of Acton, Littleton and Westford.
.
A. S. Thomson of Providence was chosen Superintendent, and has entered into his work since September, 1898, with enthusiasm and success. By the new arrangement Westford secures more time of the Superintendent, with no more expense, but rather with less.
During the year the Minot's Corner Schoolhouse and Centre Schoolhouse have been shingled. It was sought to have it put off until another year, but it was found impossible.
During the severe storm the first of the Winter the Forge Village ventilator was blown over, necessitating re-setting. The heating apparatus here in this schoolhouse should be placed in a cellar, to be dug and provided for that purpose and storage of fuel. Nashobah School will need repairs to the ceiling, and the Stony Brook Schoolhouse should be painted.
In many places habits of industry and thrift are taught and encouraged in the schools to the scholars, by establishing there, under the charge of the teachers, penny savings banks. They have been quite successful and the question might well be consid- ered by us. The expense would be merely nominal.
A. R. CHOATE, GEO. H. HARTFORD, FRANK H. HILDRETH, W. J. SLEEPER, ALFRED WOODBURY, ARTHUR WRIGHT,
School Committee.
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Text books and supplies have been furnished as follows: Westford Academy for High School $101 14
Centre Grammar, Eighth Grade. 98 89
Centre Intermediate 64 24
Centre Primary 15.06
Minot's Corner.
13 OI
Parkerville
18 20
Nashobalı
21 81
Forge Village Grammar.
34 33
Forge Village Primary
13 55
Graniteville Grammar
36. 00
Graniteville Intermediate®
47 78
Graniteville Primary B
12 75
Graniteville Primary A
II 57
Wright
19 66
Long-Sought-For
6 83
Nabnassett
13 52
Stony Brook.
28 92
HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS IN WESTFORD ACADEMY.
Balance
$ 100 00
Appropriation 1,400 00
$1,500 00
Paid Westford Academy .
$1,500 00
TEXT BOOKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
Appropriation
$700 00
Received from sales
23 00
$723 00
Expended
710 00
Balance unexpended and turned into Town treasury
$13 00
EXPENSE OF SUPERVISION.
Salary paid by Town $782 56 Rebate from State. 500 00
Net cost to Town $282 56
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
INCOME.
Balance of Massachusetts School Fund. $ 139 13
Appropriation 5,600 00
From State on account of Superintendent of Schools. . 200 00
From Town of Groton (tuition to March I, 1898) 16 50
From W. H. Blaisdell (tuition)
II 90
From Westford Academy for services of Florence Barnard. 33 00
$6,000 53
EXPENDITURES.
Teachers
$5,049 20
Fuel
497 09
Janitor service
343 55
$5,889 84
Balance
$II0 6
APPROPRIATIO NS RECOMMENDED.
Schools
$6000 00
High School pupils at Westford Academy. 1,500 00
Text books and school supplies. 600 00
COST OF SCHOOLS.
CENTRE.
Teaching
$565 00
Fuel
96 86
Care of house.
45 60'
GRANITEVILLE.
Teaching
$1,320 00
Fuci .
163 67
Care of house.
118 00
FORGE VILLAGE.
Teaching
$660 00
Fuel
82 36
Care of house.
65 40
1
7
MINOT'S CORNER.
Teaching
$264 00
Fuel .
14 00
Care of house.
IO 30
PARKERVILLE.
Teaching
$261 30
Fuel
19 45
Care of house.
16 00
NASHOBAH.
Teaching
$264 00
Fuel
14 00
Care of house
II OO
EIGHTH GRADE.
Teaching
$363 00
Care of house
25 00
NABNASSETT.
Teaching
$293 40
Fuel
17 75
Care of house
9 50
STONY BROOK.
Teaching
$297 00
Fuel
36 76
Care of house.
14 75
LONG-SOUGHT-FOR.
Teaching
$260 80
Fuel
29 74
Care of house.
14 50
WRIGHT.
Teaching
$255 20
Fuel
22 50
Care of house.
13 50
Music
$ 150 50
High Shool at Westford Academy
1,500 00
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of Westford :
Gentlemen :- It is my duty and pleasure to submit this, my first report, to you, and through you to the people of the Town of Westford. It is my endeavor to describe the schools as they are and to suggest improvements which may meet with your favor. Your attention is invited to the following statistics :
Whole number of pupils enrolled in all the schools 536
Number of pupils enrolled between 8 and 14 years of
age 314
Number of pupils enrolled over 15 years of age 51
Average membership of all the schools 402.8
Average attendance of all the schools 369.0
Per cent. of attendance of all the schools 91.6
Aggregate of weeks schools have kept 557.4
When I entered upon my duties in September, I found a large territory and a variety of conditions with which to become acquainted. I was glad to find that so many of your former teachers had remained with you, as I believe that every successive year of a teacher's service enhances that teacher's effectiveness.
It has been my policy to modify the course of study already well established, rather than to introduce radical alterations, believ- ing that sudden changes are disastrous to the best results from pupils and teachers. A few of the most needed changes have been brought about. Geometry, which some of the teachers were endeavoring to teach, has been dropped from the curriculum in the schools below the Academy, in order to put the time upon more fundamental branches.
In our rural schools, where a teacher has to instruct several grades, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory results and keep the grades up to the standard in those branches which are indispensable to intelligent citizenship. It seemed best, therefore, to lighten the requirements in some of the less essential subjects and to emphasize the far-reaching subjects of history, language, and reading.
The reading in most of the schools is not what it should be. Although there is a fair supply of suitable reading material, limited
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time in the schools where there are several grades, does not admit a proper amount of drill. The importance of read ng lies in the power of judgment acquired-first, by a wide-reaching power of the intellect to comprehend subjects, gained by looking up different authors on the same subject ; and second, by accuracy in discerning the exact meaning of each and weighing the reasons put forth. If a child is not able to get thought from the printed page. readily and easily, as soon as the subjects of geography and history begin, the teacher is obliged to give out lessons by the page from the pre- scribed text-book. The antiquated method of assigning tasks and hearing recitations is the inevitable result. I have known a pupil to say to his teacher, "If you read the problem I can do it, but I cannot read it so as to understand what it means." This is a state of affairs which should not be. If a child does not understand the subject in hand-if the subject does not become a part of him- but simply depends upon the words of the text-book for the daily recitation, the ideas are gone as soon as the words are forgotten. We want not a dry committing to memory, but an investigating spirit and individual conclusions.
Since there is not sufficient time in school hours to properly drill each pupil in oral reading, in order to encourage pupils to practice reading out of school hours, I have decided to offer a medal for the best reader in the eighth grade.
The prize is to be awarded as follows : There are to be three readings. In the first, all readers shall render a sight passage ; in the second, the pupils shall have a few minutes to prepare the passage they are to read ; and in the third, a selection shall be pre- pared in advance of the day upon which the reading is to take place. There are to be three efficient and impartial judges appointed, who shall decide which reader best expresses the thought contained in the passages read. The idea is not to get elocutionary display, but a thoughtful and accurate portrayal of the thought which the author would express. Daily practice in oral reading is the object sought, as it is the only means of raising the general standard in proficient reading.
We have placed in the IV, V, VI grades of all the schools of the Town the Walsh Arithmetic, which gives facility in the use of number and offers a plan of practical instruction in the proc- esses of arithmetic much more adapted to the training of the reasoning powers than could be obtained from the arithmetics used.
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DRAWING
The teachers have been endeavoring to follow the State course in drawing, with varying degrees of success. This is a department in which our schools can be much improved. The development into a useful and productive citizen of that child who does not easily grasp literary studies, as language or history, may be accomplished through his talent for manual arts, as drawing and the pursuits of which it is the foundation. If a student is compelled to devote himself exclusively to studies which are of indirect value and not in his line of aptitude, he will become discouraged in the effort to improve himself and may lose all interest in mental progress.
Drawing develops in the child the ability to see the world about him accurately and with insight; also the complementary power, through the training of the hand, to express the true image conceived in the brain. This art trains the judgment, gives the proper idea of proportion, and gains exactness in expression. As reading the best in literature, so looking at the best in art, cultivates a taste for the good and noble. For this reason I would have copies of standard works of art placed before the children ; the walls of our school-rooms decorated with the best and most celebrated paintings, engravings of our great Americans, and casts of fine sculpturing.
PROMOTIONS.
It is my opinion that no one is so capable as the teacher of judging whether a pupil should be promoted or not. She knows to what extent the children have mastered from day to day the work covered ; and having studied the individual minds of her pupils, is most competent to determine whether a child will be benefited by repeating the work or by doing that of a more advanced grade. In doubtful cases all possible assistance should be given the teacher that she may solve wisely her difficult problem. In order to be thoroughly familiar with the ability and needs of each child I have established the custom of giving frequent oral and written tests. The written tests are made up by selecting questions from the lists handed me by the teachers. Their purpose is not to furnish marks for the report cards, but to keep the teachers in touch with the work of each other and the plan of the Superintendent. This arrangement gains a more uniform standard throughout the several schools, and avoids the undesirable " cramming " for examinations, as the teachers know about what questions to expect.
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THE SCHOOLS.
Although the schools have been much broken on account of the inclement weather and contagious diseases, and absent and tardy marks are very numerous, the year can be recorded as a prosperous one. Many of the schools have done excellent work, and in all progress has been made.
The Academy, with its beautiful building and excellent teachers. has made decided advances. It is very gratifying to the Superintendent that the standard of attainment in English and modern languages has been raised. While considerable improve- ment has been made in the apparatus of the chemical and physical laboratory, it is hoped that still more will be made along the same line.
I would urge the importance of the natural sciences, as physics, chemistry, botany, and kindred subjects. These studies teach the child, first to know, then to rightly appreciate, and, con- sequently, to love, our beautiful world. The student comes to see the harmony of the laws which govern the universe, and learns to admire more deeply the hand which gives beauty to the flowers and directs the plants in their course. Therein lies the culture value of these subjects. Their. utilitarian value cannot be over- estimated. In this age of scientific development and mechanical industry, when young men are so largely finding employment in electric and civil engineering, designing, architecture, and the scientific professions, we should certainly give the young men 01 the Town a better opportunity to exercise their talents in these fields of industry. Drawing, the basis of most of the arts and sciences, should certainly be offered to the pupils who may have an aptitude in this direction.
If some arrangement can be made between the Board of the Academy and the Town for a teacher to assist in the sciences and drawing in the Academy, and to supervise the drawing in the Town, this assistance will relieve the pressure of work in the Academy, and will materially benefit the Town schools.
The paper which is being edited by the students of the Academy is an enterprise which should be encouraged. The paper has a two-fold purpose-it gives a definite aim to the practical value of daily theme writing; it also gives experience in conducting a real business enterprise.
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The Centre Grammar School, incorrectly spoken of as the Eighth Grade, is having a year of conspicuous prosperity. Pupils who have come from a distance to attend this school have been well rewarded for their efforts. Boys who had lost interest in school work have gained new life and enthusiasm in this school. The proximity to the Town Library has been put to good use.
The pupils are continually found there reading and going into the subjects taught in the school more deeply than do the pre- scribed text-books. The habit of supplementary reading inculcates the true scholarly spirit of personal effort and broadens the culture of the individual.
The Centre Intermediate and Primary Schools have attained a specially high rank in the tests given by the Superintendent.
During the Fall the discipline in the yard at Graniteville was not good. Through the kindness of the Chairman of the School Committee a drum was secured and the pupils march in and out, keeping step. This, together with an extra effort on the part of the teachers, has much improved the discipline at Graniteville.
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The grading in these schools had become somewhat irregular. In both the Intermediate and Upper Primary there was a class doing third grade work. As it was evident that this was a waste of teaching force, I united the parts of the third grade into one class in the Upper Primary. The fifth grade was taken out of the Grammar School and placed in the Intermediate. This left the Grammar School with the sixth and seventh grades. When the bad weather came the Graniteville pupils who were attending the Centre Grammar School found it difficult to walk so far, and an eighth grade was established in the Graniteville Grammar School.
Shortly after the Winter term opened, scarlet fever broke out in the Graniteville schools, which had to be closed for four weeks. This was a serious drawback to the work of the schools. Such breaks in their work must of necessity deaden the interest of pupils. Two of the four weeks have been made up, and it is expected that the other two will be made up later in the year.
The Forge Village schools have had a quiet and prosperous year. The work has made steady progress under the very able and efficient teachers.
The teachers in the outlying schools have tried hard to keep their classes up to the standard maintained by the better-graded schools. In the examinations given by the Superintendent the
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average of the classes in the outlying schools was much lower than that of the village schools. It is a pleasure to report that we have several superior teachers in these schools, who have done faith- ful, hard work.
Owing to a lack of funds, it was necessary to close the school year the tenth of February. In order to keep the schools open at this time of the year, when children accomplish most in their lessons, the schools were continued by drawing upon the funds of the coming year. It is earnestly hoped that the appropriation for the schools will be sufficiently increased to establish the school year at thirty-six weeks. With only thirty-two or thirty-three weeks of school good teachers will not remain in the Town from year to year, and it is impossible to keep our grades up to as high a standard of scholarship as that maintained in the surrounding towns.
I wish to extend an invitation to the people of the Town to visit the schools more frequently. We are glad to have the work of the schools inspected. It is encouraging to the teachers and Superintendent to have the citizens manifest an interest in the schools, and the children quickly appreciate, and respond to any attention of the parents in their school work. There must be a sympathy between the parents and teachers, and the best way to. secure this is for you who are parents to visit the schools, where you can see the teachers and pupils together in their daily relation. Do not wait until some misunderstanding arises, but early become acquainted with the teachers. The busy teacher cannot take time to call upon the parents of all her pupils, while it takes but a little time of each parent to call upon the school.
In closing this report I wish to thank the committee for their kindly counsel and firm support; the teachers for their friendly spirit and devotion to duty ; and the people for the cordial manner in which I have been received.
Respectfully submitted, ANDREW S. THOMSON, Supt. of Schools.
COMMON SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1899-1900.
1899.
March 10-Winter term closes.
March 27-Spring term opens. June 9-Spring term closes.
Sept. 11-Fall term opens.
Nov. 24 -- Fall term closes.
Dec. 4-Winter term opens.
Dec. 22-Christmas vacation begins.
1 900.
Jan. 1-Winter term reopens. Feb. 2-Winter term closes. Calendar is subject to change.
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Program of Westford Grammar School Graduating Exercises, June 10, 1898.
PROGRAM.
Prayer,
Rev. E. H. Roper.
Song,
Day in Its Splendor.
School.
Recitation, Philip Barton, Engineer.
John C. Murphy.
Recitation,
Mary T. L ftus.
Abraham Lincoln.
Recitation,
Augusta E. Blaisdell.
Recitation, Caldwell at Springfield. Harry O. Hartford.
Essay,
Clara Barton.
Letitia V. Ward.
Brier Rose.
Laura P. Hindle.
Trio,
Song of Peace.
Ida Cummings, Augusta Blaisdell, Mary Loftus.
Recitation, Storming of Stony Point.
Wm. E. Wright.
Recitation, Little Nellie in the Prison. Fannie C. Banister.
Essay,
Albert W. Gurney.
Recitation,
The Widow's Light.
Ida M. Cuminings.
Arbor Day.
Recitation,
Archie A. Hartford.
Praying for Shoes.
Essay,
Stavoren.
16
Essay,
Frank G. Hall.
Recitation,
The Last Night in Gray.
Warren H. Blaisdell.
Recitation,
The Outlaw.
Eva L. Burnham.
Song,
School.
Summer Night.
Presentation of Diplomas, By Albert R. Choate, Chairman of School Committee.
GRADUATING CLASS.
Fannie Cummings Banister.
Warren Hezekiah Blaisdell.
Ida May Cummings.
Frank Gilmore Hall.
Harry Oscar Hartford.
Mary Teresa Loftus.
Letitia Veronica Ward.
Augusta Elizabeth Blaisdell.
Eva Lockwood Burnham. Albert William Gurney.
Archie Augustus Hartford. Laura Pamelia Hindle.
John Clarence Murphy.
William Eldredge Wright.
Cost of War.
1
Program of Westford Academy Graduation Exercises, June 17, 1898.
PROGRAM.
Organ Solo-March, " Leonore," Raff. Mr. Thomas R. Frost, Class of '95.
Prayer.
Rev. Elijah H. Roper.
I. Essay, Ought Football to be Abolished? Charles Marshall Trull, West Chelmsford
2. Declamation, The Second Trial. Mabel Annie Moran, Graniteville.
Song- Angels. Ever Bright and Fair,
Handel.
Mrs. Daisy Shaw Merritt.
3. Essay, The Roman Walls in Great Britain. Fred Eugene Reed, Graniteville.
4. Translation from the French of Daudet. George Edward Howard, Westford.
Song-The Happiest Land, Fude. Mr. Frederick P. Shaw.
5. The Character of Socrates. Translation from the Greek of Xenophon.
Israel Blaisdell, Carlisle.
6. Essay, Zenobia. Gertrude Annie Craven, Graniteville.
Duet-When the Wind Bloweth in from the Sea, Smart.
Mrs. Merritt and Mr. Shaw.
Conferring of Diplomas.
Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn.
" America."
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GRADUATING CLASS. COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSE. Israel Blaisdell.
ENGLISH AND CLASSICAL COURSE.
Gertrude Annie Craven.
Mabel Annie Moran.
Fred Eugene Reed.
ENGLISH COURSE.
George Edward Howard.
Mott : "Ne cede malis."
Charles Marshall Trull.
ROLL OF HONOR.
Figures show number of terms neither absent nor tardy.
FORGE GRAMMAR.
Venia Darling, . .
2
Nettie Sprague, . I
Eveline Leclerc, . ·
I
Ora Darling,
I
Katherine Ward, . I
LONG-SOUGHT-FOR.
Leonard J. Dane, I
Iva M. Sherburne, .
I
Elsie M. Decatur, 3
Ralph Shaw,
I
WRIGHT.
Carl Badger, 3
Clarence Wright, 2
Lillian Wright, 2
Carl Wright, 2
Luella Wright, I
Fred Blodgett,
Frank Shugrue, I
Fred Shugrue, I
Lena Shugrue, .
I
MINOT'S CORNER,
Johanna O'Brien, I
Helen R. Burnham, I
NABNASSET.
Olive M. Clarke .
.
1
Elmer Trull, 2
Selina Lemay, I
Mary E. Rancour, I Joey McAdam, 2
Harold H. Fletcher 2
NHHNN
STONY BROOK.
Ella Vinal, I
Emma G. Johnson, I
Elmer H. Kimball I Walter P. Kimball, I
Ira White, I
Tommy F. Flynn, I Louis W. Jenkins, I Walter J. Johnson. I
Lucinda E. Prescott, I
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