USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1915-1916 > Part 4
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Manual Training
Manual training for the boys, together with sewing for the girls, has been continued this year with marked success in each department. I wish to especially call your attention to the exhibition last June, seen by so many townsmen, of useful articles which have been made both in sewing and woodwork, and to the many ways in the latter subject in which the boys have been working to the advantage of the town in what I term "public projects." I ask your earnest attention to the reports of Miss Strong and Mr. Beresford which follow.
Lunch Serving
The practice of serving warm lunches during the winter term, which I mentioned in my report of last year, has been continued The High School Lunch Club has been reported at another place. Miss Carter. at the West school, did good service with her primary children throughout the last winter. and thus far through the present winter. Miss Koford, at
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the Whitefield school, is taking up the matter with marked enthusiasm this term. Money has been raised, some furniture bought and a small room fitted up at one end of the large hall. Oil stoves have been secured, a table has been made and covered with oilcloth. Should you visit this building at a quarter past twelve, any day in winter, you will find the pupils in the primary room served with a cup of hot cocoa, in addition to the cold lunch which they bring from home. You will find the pupils of the grammar school, some twenty who stay at noon, eating their lunches at a table at which the teacher presides, with a cup of hot cocoa and some other warm dish, beside their regular lunch. The pupils enjoy this, they do not hurry the luncheon and I am sure they gain more benefit than from the old-time ten minute cold lunch in the basement.
Exhibit
There was held in June, at the High School Hall, under the direction of Miss Jenkins, an exhibit of the various forms of handwork, including penmanship, carried on in the public schools of the Town. At least one specimen of drawing was shown by every pupil in the grades, while there was an excellent exhibition from the advanced classes in the High School. The department in woodworking and sewing made valuable con- tributions.
Public exhibition was given by the pupils in business writing, in which your pupils have made marked success, and secured during the year one Palmer diploma, thirty-five Palmer cer- tificates, fifty-eight Palmer progress pins, and one hundred fifty-eight Palmer buttons.
The cooking department also gave an exhibition of its skill.
During the evening a typewriting contest by the pupils of the advanced class in the Commercial course was carried out.
The citizens showed their appreciation by a large attendance. I trust that the high excellence obtained in 1915 may be more than equalled in the coming exhibit in 1916.
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Institute
An Institute was held at the High School building December 10, 1915, by the State Board of Education. All the teachers of the district of which Wilmington is a part were present together with visiting teachers from two other towns, some one hundred in all. The topic, Literature, from grade one through the High School, was discussed and illustrated with class work by various teachers during the forenoon. An excellent dinner was served in the Gymnasium at noon. In the afternoon, after a pleasant musical programme, directed by Miss Ethel B. Waite, strong, practical addresses were given by Deputy Commissioner William Orr and Agent Francis S. Wadsworth of the State Board of Education. I have heard from many teachers that the day was not only a pleasant one, but a profitable one to them. The teachers of the district appreciated the courtesy of the Wilmington committee in extending to them the use of the High School building for this important convention.
Statistics
You will notice from the table of statistics that the total enrollment remains about the same as one year ago, while there is a slight gain in the present enrollment.
Please notice that seventy-seven pupils are under seven, the compulsory age, and that there are sixty-one pupils in grade one.
I wish you also to notice the high per cent of attendance, and the fact reported by the teachers, 421 people have visited the schools during the past year.
Conclusion
In conclusion I wish to ask the hearty co-operation of parents and citizens with the teachers in the important task of learning what is best for the child. Neither home nor
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school alone can succeed in educating the pupil, together home and school, working with intelligent sympathy, one for the other, will mean success. I wish, also, to ask the co- operation of the citizens with the plans and undertakings of those who are called on to administer the school problems. With this co-operation we succeed, without it we fail.
I wish to call your attention to the reports which follow and form a part of this report.
I again desire to thank supervisors and teachers for their loyalty during the past year, and the school committee for its cheerful, hearty support.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES L. RANDALL.
Lowell, Mass., January 18, 1916.
REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Wilmington, Mass., January 7, 1916.
Sup :. Randall and Merahers of School Board:
I hereby submit my second annual report as attendance officer of Wilmington Schools. I have made six calls during the year 1915. In five cases I found some little sickness as the cause of non-attendance
In the remaining case the boy was told to out a stick for his mother and she said she would use it upon him. I also had a talk with him and sold him what I would do to him if he did not attend school.
Yours respectfully.
SAMUEL R. RICE.
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WILMINGTON ROLL OF HONOR
(Perfect in Attendance)
One Year: Greta Bloomquist. Wilbur Sheldon. Robert Grady. Miriam Buck. Mabel Carter.
Tuo Terms: Myrton Sheldon, Mabel Thompson, Willard Denley, Alice McGrane. Helen Porter, Simon Porter, Stanley Cady, Beatrice Adams. Kenneth Carter.
One Term: Evelyn McGrane, Gertrude Story, Margaret Russi, Lowie Goldberg, Beatrice Hancock, James Denehy, Frances Hancock, Beatrice Rice, Minnie Goldberg, Raymond Anderson, Bernice Bisbee, Clarence Blaisdell, Alfred Butters, Mildred Carlson, Joseph Morgan. Kenneth Glover, Gladys Rice, Frank Day, John Grady, Ruth Livingston, Evelyn Maynard, Wesley Millett. Charles Rice, Bert Tilley, Florence Carter, Helen Carter, George Fuller, Louise Brazee, Gertrude Butters, Helen Dailey. Alice Glover, Clarence Putnam, Joseph Richmond, Eleanor Story, Kenneth Carlson.
SCHOOL CENSUS
Number of boys between 5 and 16 225
Number of girls between 5 and 16 231
Total . 456
Number of boys between 7 and 14
147
Number of girls between 7 and 14 148
Total . 295
Number of boys between 14 and 16 38
Number of girls between 14 and 16 50
Total .
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THE REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL 1915-1916
Superintendent Charles L. Randall,
Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir: With pleasure I submit to you a report on the condition of the High School during the four months I have had the honor and privilege to be Principal. As a report of this sort should be concise and brief, dealing principally with facts, I shall endeavor to discard theories and show present conditions, indulging also in a few bright hopes and promises for the future.
Enrollment
The total enrollment for the Fall was as follows:
Girls
Boys
Totals
Seniors .
10
7
17
Juniors .
18
9
27
Sophomores
16
13
29
Freshmen.
27
20
47
71
49
120
As four pupils have removed from town and seven have left school for various reasons, the present enrollment is 109. The mortality, so called, has not been excessive.
Age Statistics
The average age of the freshman class is fourteen years and six months. This is higher than in Boston (14-3) and in Lawrence (14-5). It may be accounted for by the fact that there are eight pupils over sixteen years of age and eight over fifteen. This apparent retardation is by no means uncommon. The average age of the senior class, assuming that all graduate, will be in June, eighteen years and two months.
Choice of Course of Study
The enrollment cards show that fifty-four pupils chose the Commercial Course ; thirty-six the General Course ; twenty-three the College Course and seven the Domestic Arts Course. In the freshman class eighteen chose the Commercial Course; thirteen the General Course; eleven the College Course and five the Domestic Arts Course. We would all like to see more pupils headed for college and normal school.
Attendance Record
The attendance for the fall term has been 96.2 per cent with thirty-three pupils not absent or tardy. Notes are required for all cases of absence and tardiness. Opportunity for pupils who have been absent to make up work is given two afternoons each week, at which times the teachers are present. Although compulsory afternoon attendance for delinquent pupils may not be advisable this year, it is undoubtedly true that until some such scheme is inaugurated, the yearly per cent of failures will be large.
School Equipment
The pupils are fortunate in having a modern building, well heated, well ventilated and well lighted. It is a pleasure to work in such a building. At present the laboratories are not
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used as much as they will be when more science is offered in the curriculum. New apparatus in Physics is needed. A rectifier to change alternating to direct current would help the work in Electricity, for example. The school could make good use of a stereopticon, with reflectoscope, for illustrative work in the auditorium.
The school library, now rather small, should grow by steady yearly additions. I strongly recommend the purchase of a modern encyclopedia, of which a low priced edition is now being extensively advertised. Without such a reference library, composition work in Rhetoricals is sadly handicapped. We expect to make good use, this year, of the town library.
The Commercial department is fairly well equipped and is very popular among the pupils. There are forty-five pupils taking typewriting, out of sixty-three who are eligible for the work.
The Household Arts department, thanks to the Woman's Club, is ably meeting the present requirements. The noon lunches, simple in menu, cheap in price, high in quality, are gladly patronized by the pupils. As most of the girls will be homemakers some day, the value of the work in domestic science cannot be overestimated. I heartily commend the work of this department. Wilmington is ahead of the majority of towns and small cities in Massachusetts in maintaining a Household Arts department for its High School girls.
Rhetoricals
The work in public speaking and composition writing, begun in November, has already borne good fruit. We wish all our pupils to have an audible voice, clear and correct speech, self-control, absence of shyness, initiative and good personal appearance. All of these are cultivated by practice in rhetoricals. A subject of current interest is assigned for the rhetoricals each week, with appropriate sub-topics and recita- tions. A cordial invitation is extended to parents and patrons
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of the High School to attend these exercises, every Thursday at 12.30 P.M. We are anticipating a public prize-speaking contest to take place in the late winter.
Athletics
When I come to the topic of "ex-curriculum" activities, I am reminded of what G. Stanley Hall has written, "We have not sufficiently realized that the young must have excitement. There must be a zest for reading, a swing and a tilt to the school music, keen and enthusiastic competition in our athletic meets, before our boys and girls are getting the most out of life in the 'teens.' All this helps to eliminate sex and moral problems."
The outlook in athletics is excellent. We had fall baseball games with class competition, football practice, but no outside games, and this winter we are playing basketball. Our Field Day, October 12, profitable financially, developed keen rivalry and excellent competition among the boys. A beginning in gymnastic work has been made by the purchase of Indian clubs, to be followed by dumb bells, wands and other simple apparatus. We plan to have an indoor meet some time in February.
The girls have the use of the gymnasium twice a week, at which times they have played basketball under the direction of the assistant teachers.
The boys' athletic association, in good condition at present, has held monthly meetings. The officers are, President, Howard Bedell; Vice-President, James White; Secretary, Norman Perry; and Treasurer, Principal H. F. Bates. We intend to raise the necessary funds this winter to outfit our baseball nine with new uniforms and other necessary equipment.
Social Life
The ideal High School is the center of the intellectual, the athletic and also the social activities of its pupils. At school receptions, entertainments and dances, properly conducted
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under the supervision of the faculty, parents, teachers and pupils become better acquainted, while the latter learn the arts, customs and habits of good society. Our High School will do mere along these lines in the future than it has in the past. The auditorium, with its new piano secured through the gifts of friends of the school, offers us the finest possible place for social activities.
Scholarship
Our standard of scholarship is about the average for a school that sends very few of its graduates to college. Out of thirteen graduates of 1915, but one went to a higher institution. If we could have a larger group of students, headed directly for normal school or college, maintaining always an average rank of S5 per cent or better, I think our standard would unprove.
The general tone and spirit of the school is good. The "esprit de corpo" of the teachers is commendable. We have the State certificate for normal schools Our next step will be to secure the approval of the New England College Entrance Board.
The principal is in his office at the High School building daily from: $ 25 to 9.10 A.or, at which time he will be pleased to see parents and patrons of the school.
High School Graduation
The graduation exercises of the Class of 1915 were held in the Congregational Church. Wednesday evening, June 30. The following pupils received diplomas:
College Preparatory Course: Ralph Leon Buck, Clyde Holt, Charles Michael Frolio and Lawrence Harrison Kincaid. General Course: Royal Robert Jordan, Joseph Bernard McMahon, and Edith Robinson Lundgren; and Commercial
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Course: Ruth Engla Bloomquist, Helen Fletcher Roberts, Mildred Mary Frolio, and Edwin Joseph Twomey. Certi- ficates were granted to Emma C. Baxter and Romaine Gerard Cortland Nichols.
In closing allow me to thank you and the committee for the favorable circumstances under which I have been permitted to begin my work in Wilmington. The outlook is indeed pleasing for a High School in Wilmington, which, holding fast to the best traditions and noblest achievements of the past, looks forward to higher standards and greater efforts in the future.
Respectfully submitted,
HORACE FREEMAN BATES, Principal of the High School.
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SUPERVISOR OF MANUAL ARTS REPORT
Mr. Charles L. Randall,
Superintendent of Schools, Wilmington, Mass .:
Dear Sir: I herewith submit my second annual report for your consideration.
In the primary grades the work since September has followed the same general plan that was used last year and has included nature drawing with colored crayons, color study, free-hand paper cutting, with special work at Thanksgiving and Christmas appropriate to the season. During January the work will be mostly illustrative, training the children to express, with pencils and scissors, their sports and incidents of everyday life. Construction will be taken up in February and March and several projects such as furniture for a doll house, a Dutch village, an Indian village and a farm will be worked out. This affords a study of measurements and requires accurate use of the ruler. In April, May and June the program will include illustration, free-hand drawing of objects, design and nature work.
In the grammar grades the work this fall began with nature study rendered in pencil and color. During November and December a good deal of time was devoted to object drawing, the principles of perspective and the grouping of objects. In the seventh and eighth grades some attractive landscapes were made. During the spring months the outline will include
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construction problems, applied design, color study, interior decoration and nature drawing. One of the new features of drawing work is the sand-table project, carried out on a larger scale. In a large exhibition which I visited last spring, several of these projects were shown. One was a quarry made by pupils who lived near it and another worked out by pupils of a fishing town showed part of the village, the wharf and boats. The grammar grades of the Whitefield School are at work on a similar project,- the tannery. The buildings are being constructed of paper and are made as near like the original as possible.
The High School drawing is divided into two sections, the mechanical and the free-hand classes. The mechanical division includes all of the freshmen boys and several sophomores, juniors and seniors. We have studied view drawings, geometric drawing, working drawings, developments, per- spective, orthographic projection and architecture. We will continue along these lines and also take up intersection of solids, shadows and machine drawing. The free-hand class includes all of the freshmen girls and several from the upper classes. Nature drawing and painting, still life groups done in charcoal and drawing from casts have been taken up this fall. Interior decoration, applied design and pencil technique will be carefully studied during the rest of the year.
The High School drawing is naturally the most advanced of all the drawing in town and unfortunately receives the least amount of instruction. The supervisor's time is so limited that each division of the High School drawing classes has a forty minute period once a week. This time is not sufficient to gain the results that should be acquired in a High School of this size and standing. This can only be remedied by extending the supervisor's time another day.
Last June an exhibition of drawing, sewing, cooking, writing and wood-work was held in the High School Hall. It was well
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attended both afternoon and evening and the parents had the pleasure of seeing their children's work. The High School drawing was especially good. The sewing and wood-work were exhibited on tables in the center of the hall and screens, most of which were made by manual training boys, filled the wall spaces and were covered with drawings. We are planning for another exhibit in June which we hope will be much larger and better than that of last year.
I have found the teachers very willing and helpful in carrying on the work and I sincerely thank them and you, Superin- tendent, for your co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
GRACE A. JENKINS.
January 4, 1916.
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REPORT OF INSTRUCTOR OF MANUAL TRAINING
To the Superintendent of Schools.
Sir: Kindly find herewith my second report as Instructor of Manual Training.
Last year I tried to, and have, to a certain extent, had the pupils realize the value of measuring with accuracy, any project which they were making. The pupils are very much interested in the work, and I think showed some very satis- factory results which were shown at the exhibit last year.
Perhaps the best report that I could make would be to name some of the private and public work accomplished by the pupils.
At first I found it necessary to have the pupils adapt them- selves to the use of the square, saw and plane, by planing the edge of a board straight and squaring the end, then cutting it off to the line. After some exercise the following are the results to which those principles were adapted, the pupils making for their use during the school term:
Step-ladders, feed hoppers, flower trellis, small benches, center table, checker table, flower stand, saw horses, window ventilating boards, bread boards, cutting boards, dog kennel, chicken brooder, box trap, feed boxes, match boxes, knife trays, wagon seat, wagon body, wood barrow, towel rollers, shelf rack and shelves, medicine chest, window and piazza screens, ironing boards, guinea pig house, pattern for a branch pipe and various other articles.
The public work accomplished was done principally for the schools in the following lines:
.
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For the Grammar Grades
Nine diploma frames, seven frames 12 inches long by five inches high for exhibition purposes, scraping, sandpapering and refinishing ninety-three desks and painting stands, and four step-ladders.
For the Domestic Department
Five fly screens, one screen door, two scouring boards, one shelf, one lunch table, two tables repaired and refinished.
For the Sewing Department
One ironing board, one sewing table, one folding screen.
For the High School
Thirty chairs furnished with rubber bumpers, one ladder 11 feet, 6 inches, for the Janitor, three typewriting tables repaired, eight window guards for gymnasium.
For the Manual Training Department
Three work benches, one lumber rack.
In the seventh and eighth grade work we are following last year's programme and also advancing in a more difficult line of work, building tool cabinets, tool boxes, cabinets for laboratory, sewing school and eighth grade purposes.
We are making screens for the Grammar School building. We also have forty-two desks to refinish, which, with other work we expect to accomplish before the end of the school term, will make a fair showing at the exhibition.
Respectfully yours,
WILLIAM F. BERESFORD.
Cambridge, Mass., January 15, 1916.
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REPORT OF MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Mr. C. L. Randall,
Superintendent of Schools, Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir: The following is a report from the music department for the year 1915:
There have been very noticeable gains in sight-reading and familiarity of technical construction of music this past year and there are also some places that can be improved upon in order to obtain more uniformity of work throughout the town. In order to bring the music to a still finer basis, individual work will be done in the future with special material and plans for its growth up through all the grades. For the past two years we have been establishing a system that has been confined to class drill while the principles were being learned, now we shall be able to go still farther and develop the individual child to a greater extent. It seems advisable to begin this, under the present conditions, in the third, fourth and fifth grades.
I again urge that every schoolroom should have one or more painted staves upon the blackboard. This would make the work much easier both for teacher and pupil.
Last winter an operetta, "A Merry Company," was given by pupils from the seventh and eighth grades which was entirely successful. Through the generous patronage of our townspeople we were able to purchase a school victrola, which is proving its value in many ways. Later it can be of con- siderable assistance in folk dances and games, as some of the teachers are interested and anxious to introduce folk music in
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the near future. Another entertainment similar to that of last year is in preparation and by this means we hope to substantially increase our number of victrola records.
Possibly the most encouraging improvement both of spirit and ability is noticed in the High School chorus. Not very much has been said about tone quality, that will come later under still different conditions, but the singing assumes more of what a High School chorus is expected to produce and as a result we have been able to accomplish a fair amount of work in a shorter time than formerly. We now have a program of interesting selections nearly completed. It is my plan to do special work with a girls', also a boys' chorus.
Everywhere there is a splendid attitude toward public school music and every teacher is working, I believe, to procure the very best possible results with the material at hand.
I desire to thank you and your committee for the hearty support and helpful suggestions during the past year.
Respectfully yours,
MABELLE PROCTOR COUNCE.
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REPORT OF TEACHER OF SEWING
Mr. C. L. Randall,
Superintendent of Schools, Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir: I hereby submit my report of work in sewing, as follows:
During the year 1915 I have tried to make the course in sewing very practical. The children have applied their knowledge of the various stitches in making useful articles and wearing apparel, viz: towels, pillow cases, table linen, dresses, rompers, aprons, and underwear. They have also mended the school flags.
I plan to devote a part of the remainder of this year to the dressing of children from infancy up, using patterns, thereby giving a working knowledge which will enable them to help their parents in the dressing of the younger children and themselves. One day of each month will be set aside for mending, at which time I should be glad to have the children bring articles from home for this purpose.
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