USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1902-1907 > Part 31
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The teacher who is worthy of the name, puts herself in touch with her pupils and their home environment at the earliest possible moment. Until she knows what influences in the home and in the community are helpful and what are hindrances she cannot do her best for her school, hence, frequent changes are disastrous both to the schools and to the teachers. The schools suffer because of the loss of an influence potent for good; the teachers, because such an influence is not easily gained. "Good reputations are not easily or quickly made."
14
"Education at every stage of life consists of two processes; the training of powers and the acquisition of knowledge." The mere accumulation of facts should be of the least importance. The development of power, of self-control and initiative should be the leading aim in all our school work. It is here I find the greatest lack. Certain tests now underway show a good knowl- edge of fact, but a deficiency in thought power. The teachers are alive to the situation and signs of an awakening are apparent. In all branches this change is to be looked for. The relation of school to daily life is essential to the maintenance of interest.
Teachers' meetings for the district have been held once each term. At Littleton the subject chosen for discussion was Medial Writing, and at Westford, Miss Mary Lang, the able instructor in Psychology at the Hyannis Summer School, and formerly of the Oswego Normal School, gave a most helpful and suggestive talk upon Interest. Groups of the teachers are meeting monthly for reading and study along lines of professional growth. No teacher can stand still, and the increase of salary should be based upon a teacher's growth, not upon length of service.
The school at Nabnassett has been materially strengthened, and the work is progressing well. The location of the building seems unfortunate in view of the center of population and a change to Brookside would aid the children.
In consideration of the state of ventilation at the Center School it would seem wiser for the town to build a suitable building there-bring Nabnassett and Stony Brook in on the trolley, and the other outlying schools by barge-securing in this way a well graded system of two grades to a room. In this way we should be able to give superior advantage to the children now in the ungraded schools, retain better teachers for longer periods, and be at no greater expense for maintenance.
The improvements at Graniteville have made a marked change in the atmosphere of the rooms and the mental results ought to show decided improvement.
The problem of caring for the older children of foreign parentage entering without a knowledge of English is one which deserves our attention. As the large majority of these children
15
come to us at Forge Village and Graniteville, it would seem wise to group them in one class, irrespective of their district and allow the assistant to give special attention to them.
While these children appear to the casual observer to learn to read quite as well as the average English speaking child it is quite apparent to the close observer that they are not reading at all in the true sense of the word. They fail to make the words which they utter a true part of their vocabulary. Their reading is stilted and expressionless, and often they are considered stupid, immature and ungainly. They are seldom really so, but are naturally quick to learn as shown by the fact that they readily acquire a conversational knowledge of two languages in less time than the average high school pupil.
If these pupils were put by themselves, under a teacher in sympathy with them, the teaching made objective and conducted in such a way that every word becomes a part of the child's thought, giving freedom of speech and of motion, a thing which cannot well be done if these children are classed with the English speaking children of the same grade-then I am confident they would keep pace with children of their own grade, and many cases work ahead.
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Drawing and Music.
After many attempts to secure a supervisor of music it seemed wise, in view of the fact that no systematic work had been done in drawing, to choose a supervisor for both music and drawing. As many of the teachers were apparently well able to look after the music with a minimum of supervision, the new supervisor has given a major part of her time to establishing the work in drawing. In consideration of the fact that the work was wholly unorganized the results are most satisfactory. It is to be hoped that the time may come soon when a supervisor of each subject may be secured. To get over the territory within the time allows but one-half an hour in the majority of schools, which is a meagre period in which to give much instruction. For more detailed information upon these subjects I refer you to the report of the supervisor.
To Superintendent Arthur B. Webber:
Dear Sir :- Since beginning my work in your schools, I have been very much encouraged by the spirit of enthusiasm with which the pupils have taken hold of the work in drawing, and also by the kind co-operation of the grade teachers.
The aim of teaching drawing is to develop the mind of the child through the eye as well as through the hand. He is taught to appreciate all the beautiful and true there is in life, and is led to a keener perception of details.
There are three branches or kinds of drawing: Pictorial, Structural and Decorative.
Under the first topic come plant drawing, perspective, landscape sketching, animal and pose sketching and picture study. Through these studies the child gains an appreciation . of beauty in nature, accuracy of observation and skill in drawing what he sees.
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The second topic is a science of facts. This trains the child in accuracy and he studies geometric problems and becomes acquainted with the work-shop and the limitations of different materials, in order that he may make practical structural designs.
In the field of decoration is the study of color theory, through which the child gains an appreciation and enjoyment of color in nature, good taste in the practical things of life and a gradual development of a refined color perception. In order to make good designs the pupils are referred to the ancient schools, where purity and simplicity of form may be found, which will have an influence in cultivating good taste and will later develop origi- nality and individual power.
Two half-hour lessons a week are given in all schools, excepting the High, which has one forty-minute period. All the teachers are furnished with the Supervisor's outline, so that the work may continue without any interruptions.
Respectfully submitted,
J. LOUISE LONG, Supervisor of Drawing.
Littleton, Jan. 16, '07.
To Superintendent Arthur B. Webber:
Dear Sir :- Beethoven has said that,"Music is a higher manifestation than all wisdom and philosophy." If this is so, music is worthy of one of the most important places in the school curriculum. -
There are two essential things to be considered in the musical education of the child; first: the cultivation of the musical sense- the appreciation and love of music; second: the development of the understanding in the elements of music-the ability to read at sight, etc.
These two branches should go hand in hand, being introduced in a very simple way in the first grade, and increasing in difficulty as the child advances.
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In the beginning of the first school year, an interest in music is developed by means of rote songs; later, the pupil studies the representation of music from the board and when this is mastered, the Weaver slips are used and the child is tested as to his ability to sing at sight. All through the grades, these slips are used, also work in tone perception :- the teacher or some pupil singing a series of tones and the others writing the notes on the staff or singing the melody with the syllables.
In addition to the board work and the Weaver slips, the Normal Music course is used. The ease with which the pupils overcome the difficulties in time and intervals in the songs, speaks very loudly in favor of the Weaver slips.
Especial drill has been given in each school on songs which will be used on Longfellow's Birthday.
In this department I wish to thank teachers and pupils for their kind co-operation and sympathy.
Respectfully submitted,
J. LOUISE LONG, Supervisor of Music.
Acton, Jan. 14, '07.
The work of the Academy is progressing along the usual lines. For more detailed information I call your attention to the report of the principal.
The absence of Miss Thompson and her subsequent resig- nation handicaps the work to some extent, though her successor Miss Ida Manvel gives promise of earnest, thorough work which will render the change less disastrous than we anticipated.
If the increased aid from the State could be turned toward the employment of a third teacher who should give a portion of her time to the ninth grade, it would allow of longer periods and do away with the necessity of giving subjects in alternate years, as well as permitting time for the broader lines of education which must of necessity be omitted under two teachers, no matter how small the numbers. This change was made in Littleton and Acton and has worked to decided advantage in both places.
19 -
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE ACADEMY.
To the School Committee of Westford:
Gentlemen :- I have the honor to make the following report for the year ending March 1, 1907:
The work of the past year has been without remarkable incident of any kind. The change in the course of study has affected principally the general course, which includes the two courses formerly known as the Latin-Scientific and the English. By vote of your Committee this course was extended from three years to four; and as the number of teachers remains the same, the increase of recitation periods has made it necessary to give some subjects in alternate years that were formerly offered every year, and also to combine two classes in each one of these subjects. For example, the third-year class is combined this year with the second-year class in the study of elementary physics, and next year the lower of these classes will join with the class next below it in the pursuit of chemistry. While this arrangement is not ideal, it seems to be necessary and it does bring the advantages which arise from larger numbers reciting together. It is, more- over, the plan that many high schools have adopted for reasons similar to our own.
The lengthening of the general course will involve a slight initial expense for text-books for new subjects introduced; and on account of the rapid strides that have been made in the natural sciences during recent years, not only in the way of discoveries and inventions, but also in methods of instruction, there is need of new texts, especially in physics and chemistry. The standard set by the State Board of Education for the teaching of chemistry in statutory high schools by laboratory work on the part of the pupils themselves calls for an increase in
20
our stock of chemicals and apparatus. Therefore, I suggest an allowance of fifty dollars for that purpose, to be expended during the coming year.
It must be evident to all that the progress of the work of the school as a whole as well as that of the individual pupils depends largely upon regularity of attendance. Now, it is the fact that the percentage of daily attendance at the Academy is lower than that of the high schools in towns about us of a similar size and population. No doubt this is largely due to the wide separation of our villages and scattered dwellings; but while the teachers appreciate the strenuous efforts and even sacrifices made by many pupils and their families who live at a distance from the Academy, they feel that with the co-operation of parents considerable improvement in our daily average might be made. In the matter of home study, too, if parents would allow certain definite hours each school day and would then require that the time so set apart be devoted to study, great improvement would follow, particularly in individual cases.
When the work of the Principal dropped from the hands of the honored and lamented Mr. Frost, the assistant teacher was Miss Grace E. Thompson. Now that she has resigned her position, may I take the occasion to testify to her steady and cheerful devotion to her work and her success in it, as well as to the cordial personal assistance she has given both in the trying days following Mr. Frost's death, and during the following years.
The attitude of the pupils to the school and its teachers has continued to be remarkably loyal.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM A. PERKINS.
The bill passed by the last legislature providing for medical inspection for all public school pupils by regular physicians, and for eye and ear tests by teachers has been put into effect in our schools. The following is the text of the law :---
21
ACT OF 1906-CHAPTER 505.
Section 1. The school committee of every city and town in the Commonwealth shall appoint one or more school physicians, shall assign one to each public school within its city or town, and shall provide them with all proper facilities for the performance of their duties as prescribed in this act; provided, however, that in cities wherein the board of health is already maintaining or shall hereafter maintain substantially such medical inspection as this act requires, the board of health shall appoint and assign the school physician.
Section 2. Every school physician shall make a prompt examination and diagnosis of all children referred to him as hereinafter provided, and such further examination of teachers, janitors and school buildings as in his opinion the protection of the health of the pupils may require.
Section 3. The school committee shall cause to be referred to a school physician for examination and diagnosis every child returning to school without a certificate from the board of health after absence on account of illness or from unknown cause: and every child in the schools under its jurisdiction who shows signs of being in ill health or of suffering from infectious or contagious disease, unless he is at once excluded from school by the teacher: except that in the case of schools in remote and isolated situations the school committee may make such other arrangements as may best carry out the purpose of this act.
Section 4. The school committee shall cause notice of the disease or defects, if any, from which any child is found to be suffering to be sent to his parent or guardian. Whenever a child shows symptoms of smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, chickenpox, tuberculosis, diptheria or influenza, tonsilitis, whooping cough, mumps, scabies or trachoma, he shall be sent home immediately, or as soon as safe and proper conveyance can be found, and the board of health shall at once be notified.
Section 5. The school committee of every city and town shall cause every child in the public schools to be separately and carefully tested and examined at least once in every school year to ascertain whether he is suffering from defective sight or
22
hearing, or from any other disability or defect tending to prevent his receiving the full benefit of his school work, or requiring a modification of the school work in order to prevent injury to the child or to secure the best educational results. The test of sight and hearing shall be made by teachers. The committee shall cause notice of any defect or disability requiring treatment to be sent to the parent or guardian of the child, and shall require a physical record of each child to be kept in such form as the state board of education shall prescribe.
Section 6. The state board of health shall prescribe the directions for tests of sight and hearing, and the state board of education shall, after consultation with the state board of health, prescribe and furnish to school committees suitable rules of instruction, test cards, blanks, record books and other useful appliances for carrying out the purposes of this act, and shall provide for pupils in the normal schools instruction and practice in the best methods of testing the sight and hearing of children. The state board of education may expend during the year nineteen hundred and six a sum not greater than fifteen hundred dollars, and annually thereafter a sum not greater than five hundred dollars for the purpose of supplying the material required by this act.
Section 7. The expense which a city or town may incur by virtue of the authority herein vested in the school committee or board of health, as the case may be, shall not exceed the amount appropriated for that purpose in cities by the city council, and in towns by a town meeting. The appropriation shall precede any expenditure or any indebtedness which may be incurred under this act, and the sum appropriated shall be deemed a sufficient appropriation in the municipality where it is made. Such appropriation need not specify to what section of the act it shall apply, and may be voted as a total appropri- ation to be applied in carrying out the purpose of the act.
Section 8. This act shall take effect on the first day of September, in the year nineteen hundred and six. (Approved June 20, 1906.)
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Under this law it will be necessary to ask for an appropri- ation for the services of the school physicians. Besides the annual inspection, the school physician should be expected to call at least once a term. I would urge a ready response to the call for an appropriation, as the results of the inspection in the other towns have been of undoubted advantage. By preventing the spread of disease it has contributed materially to improve the attendance and has protected the general health of thechildren
An especial benefit has been noted in the discovery of cases of adenoid growth and enlarged tonsils. Some have received prompt attention after being reported and have shown marked improvement in consequence. Many parents are unaware of the serious nature of these troubles and unless their attention is called to the matter the children would continue to suffer.
The eye tests required by the State Board of Education are for near sightedness. Every pupil above the first grade and most of that grade, so far as the attendance has made it possible, has been examined. Most of the cases of defective sight were suspected, but the seriousness of a large number, as shown by the tests, was a revelation.
Several children were found who had to be placed within three feet of the chart in order to distinguish letters that should have been recognized by them at a distance of fifty feet.
In some cases the parents are unable to give the proper attention to the case, and it would seem wise for the town to provide for the expense in such cases. This surely is philan- thropy of the practical kind.
The following table shows the result of the eye and ear test: Number of pupils examined. 418
Number of pupils found defective in hearing 52
Number of pupils found defective in sight 113
Number of parents notified
137
In conclusion I wish to thank the committee and citizens for the cordial reception and hearty support with which I have' met.
Respectfully submitted, ARTHUR B. WEBBER.
Littleton, Mass., February 28, 1907.
STATISTICS FOR 1905-1906.
SCHOOL.
Grades.
Weeks of School.
Enroll- ment.
Average Member- ship.
Average Attend- ance.
Per Cent. of At- tendance.
Between 7 and 14.
Between 5 and 15.
Over 15.
Academy .
VIII-IX
36
36
32.2
29.2
90.8
6
26
11
Center Grammar.
IV-VII
36
45
37.6
34.1
91.4
42
45
0
Center Intermediate.
I-III
36
31
28.2
25.4
89.8
17
31
0
Center Primary
VI-VIII
36
24
21.3
18.5
86.3
20
23
1
Graniteville Upper Grammar.
IV-V
36
33
28.6
26.2
91.5
29
33
0
Graniteville Lower Grammar.
II-III
36
30
24.1
21.6
89.5
25
27
0
Graniteville Upper Primary
I
36
27
17.6
14.7
85.7
9
25
0
Graniteville Lower Primary.
IV-VII
36
32
29.1
26.8
92.6
30
32
0
Forge Grammar
I-III
36
56
46.3
42.7
92.3
34
55
0
Forge Primary
I-VII
36
15
14.1
13.3
94.3
12
15
0
Minot's Corner
I-VII
36
33
20.8
16.7
80.4
24
28
0
Nabnasset
I-VII
36
10
9.3
8.7
93.5
6
9
0
Nashoba.
I-VII
36
24
22.9
21.7
93.6
18
22
1
Parkerville.
I-VII
36
35
28.6
24.7
86.1
27
35
0
Stony Brook
Totals.
455
381.4
333.8
87.2
299
410
33
4
20
X-XIII
40
24
21.2
19.5
88.2
0
LIST OF TEACHERS FOR 1906-1907.
SCHOOL.
TEACHERS.
App'ted
EDUCATED.
Salary.
HOME ADDRESS.
§ Principal
Wm. A. Perkins
1904
Bowdoin '83.
$1300
Westford .
Academy, ) Assistant
Grace E. Thompson
1904
Batcs '02 .
600
Center Grammar. .
Ruth Fisher.
1905
Lowell Normal.
450
Westford .
Center Intermediate.
Harriet Miller
1906
Fitchburg Normal.
380
Townsend, Mass.
Center Primary. .
Elizabeth Cushing.
1906
Framingham Normal
380
Fayville, Mass.
Graniteville Upper Grammar.
H. M. Vaughn .
1906
Bridgewater Normal
540
Lynn, Mass.
Graniteville Lower Grammar.
Issie A. Parker
1897
Westford Academy.
360
Westford. .
Garnitcville Upper Primary
Flora E. Palmer
1901
Westford Academy. .
360
Westford .
Graniteville Lower Primary
Ruth P. Tuttle
1905
Lowell Normal.
360
Westford .
Forge Grammar
Lucy B. Raddin
1904
Lowell Normal.
360
Groton .
§ Principal
Marion Perkins
1906
Westfield Normal
396
Redstone, N. H.
Forge Primary, Assistant
Abbie M. Blaisdell
1905
Lowell Normal.
288
Lowell.
Stony Brook .
Anna Mellen.
1899
Lowell Normal.
396
Lowell.
Nabnassct .
Mollie O. Frecman
1906
432
Steep Falls, Mc
Minot's Corner
Frances Banister.
1905
Westford Academy. .
360
Westford.
Parkerville.
Emma M. Graham
1905
Lowell Normal.
360
Lowell.
Superior of Music and Drawing
.
J. Louise Long . .
1906
Mass. Normal Art.
325
Methuen
-
.
STATISTICS FOR FALL AND WINTER TERMS, 1906 -- 1907.
SCHOOL.
Enroll- ment.
Av. Mem.
Av. Att.
Att.
Per Cent. Between |Between 7 and 14 5 and 15
Over 15
Academy
38
34.1
29.8
87.2
25
30
9
Center Grammar .
36
31.1
26.1
90.25
26
36
0
Center Intermediate.
41
29
23.6
78.7
16
41
0
Center Primary. .
23
21.6
19.3
89.1
22
23
0
Graniteville Upper Grammar.
28
26.3
24.3
92.2
28
28
0
Graniteville Lower Grammar.
32
28.3
24.9
88.6
32
32
0
Graniteville Upper Primary .
30
27.6
22.5
81.3
11
27
1
Graniteville Lower Primary
33
25.3
23.3
91
33
33
0
Forge Grammar
58
48.5
43.5
89.8
37
56
1
Forge Primary
26
25.6
23.7
92.5
23
28
1
Minot's Corner
34
23.5
21.1
89.3
29
34
0
Nabnasset .
23
21.7
19.7
90.7
15
23
0
Parkerville. .
36
29.2
24.5
84.3
27
36
0
Stony Brook .
Totals .
465
393.1
342.7
86.9
330
433
48
6
21
27
21.3
19.4
92
6
27
Roll of Honor.
FOR THE YEAR 1905-1906.
Boucher, Leo
O'Hara, James
Healy, Henry
Spinner, Edith
Healy, Nellie
Spinner, Elizabeth
Kimball, Jennie
Tallant, Albert Wall, Rachel
Wilson, George
ROLL OF HONOR FOR 1906-1907.
TWO TERMS.
Boucher, Leda
Kimball, Rachel
Buckingham, Edward
Defoe, Gerald
Gladie, Claude
Healy, Fred S.
Kingdon Shirley Langhof, Mabel Lorman, Martha Prinn, Carrie Robinson, Maud
Healy, Henry
Healy, Nellie
Kimball, Elizabeth
Kimball, Jennie
Spinner, Edith Wall, Rachel Wilson, Florence
Woodbury, Bertha
ONE TERM.
Bannister, Seth Beebe, Luella Blanchard, Albert S.
Hunt, Edith Hunt, Maud Leclerc, Antoinette
Kimball, Rachel
28
Boucher, Florence
McDonald, Madelaine
Boucher, Leo
Morton, Albert
Burnham, Chester
Morton, Willie
Burnham, Frederick Counter, William
Murray, George
Murray, Marshall
Collins, Albert
Panneton, Prospere
Davis, William
Payne, John
Dupont, Bernadicte
Reed, Annie
Farrow, Charles
Robinson, Frederick
Feeney, John
Robinson, Grace
Fletcher, Vernon
Sanborn, Mabel
Gilson, Alice Gilson, William
Spinner, Robert Sutherland, Alfred Thayer, Bertha
Hamlin, Raymond
Harrington, Olive
Toussignant, Emele
Hartford, James
Walkden, Herbert
Healey, Myrtle
Wall, Raymond
Healy, Arthur
Whitney, Estella
Healy, Margaret
Woods, Charles
29
SCHOOL CALENDAR.
SPRING TERM-Begins March 18, 1907; closes June 7, 1907. Length of term, 12 weeks. FALL TERM-Begins Sept. 3, 1907; closes Nov. 27, 1907. Length of term, 13 weeks.
WINTER TERM-Begins December 2, 1907 ; closes March 13, 1908. Vacation, December 20, 1907 to January 6, 1908. Length of term, 13 weeks. SPRING TERM-Begins March 30, 1908; closes June 7, 1908. Length of term, 10 weeks.
ACADEMY.
SPRING TERM-March 18, 1907 to June 21, 1907. FALL TERM-September 3, 1907 to November 27, 1907. Length of term, 13 weeks. WINTER TERM-December 2, 1907 to March 20, 1908. Vacation December 20, 1907 to December 31, 1907. Length of term, 15 weeks. SPRING TERM-March 30, 1908 to June 19, 1908. Length of term, 12 weeks.
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INDEX.
Officers of the Town of Westford
3
Births
7
Marriages
S
Deaths
9
Town Clerk's Report on Dogs
11
Annual Town Meeting
14
Special Town Meeting
20
State Election
21
Tree Warden's Report
25
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
26
Tax Collector's Report
27
Selectmen's Report
31
Report of Board of Health
55 56 61
Treasurer's Report
68 70
Assessors' Report .
75
Report of Commissioners of Public Burial Grounds
89
Annual Report of School Committee
1
School Committee, 1906-1907
2
Report of School Committee
3
Financial Statement
10
Report of the Superintendent
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