USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1919-1920 > Part 9
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John F. McSheffrey, Mary Friffin Stephen Pattelena, Mary Naples
Eleanor Stevens
19 20 20
Augusta Ray
Mary Laura Columbus
Persis A. B. Cutter
27
.......
DEATHS REGISTERED IN THE TOWN OF WILMINGTON FOR THE YEAR 1920
| No.
Date of Death
Name of Deceased
Sex
Age Con. Y. M. D.
Disease or Cause of Death
Residence
Place of Birth
Names of Parents
1 Jan. 2|Jan.
2 Joseph Songster 6 Sylvester Carter
M M
36 10 18 Cerebral Hemorrhage 80 8 20 Fractured Skull
Wilmington Wilmington
Philadelphia Wilmington
Joseph Songster, Not stated Sylvester Carter, Esther Beard
3 Jan.
8 June L. Tassie
F
M S S 1 7 0 Acidosis-
Acute Indigestion
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Worthington Wells, Maine Dixfield, Me.
Robert C. Tassie, Ruth Bridge Samuel Cheeny, Sanna Walch Cannot be learned, Prudence Newton
6 Feb.
1 Elsie Neilson 5|Job Philander Estes
M
M
77
89
7 6 Senile Decay
8 Feb.
8| Hannah "Wilkinson" Reed
9 Feb. 15 Ruby Sterling Kingston
S S
79 0 14 Chronic Nephritis
10 Feb. 15 Lois R. Carter
S
2
2 9 |Lobar Pneumonia
12 Feb. 25 Lawrence J. Babine
M
M
33 7 4|Epilepsey
13 Feb. 25|George Francis Trow
M
M
26 6 0 Phthisis Pulmonalis
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Woburn Wilmington Vienna, Me. Wilmington Ireland
John Downey, Mary Sullivan Aristide Brabant, Amanda Brunelle John Marden, Cannot be learned Joseph Pomerantz, Esther Pomerantz John Murphy, Mary Rouk
19 April 11 Sarah E."Bailey" Spaulding 20 April 14 Josephine G."Morse" Marsh
F
W W W W
70 79
4 9 Cerebral Hemorrhage
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Pictou, N. S. Germany
Christopher DeLoriea, not known Charles Fredericks, Fredericka Frechie
22 April 25 Natalie Antonette Butters
23 May 30 John Hawn
M
M
64 7 11 Accidental Fall
F
W
73 1 21 Gastro Enteritis
Wilmington
Germany
Reichman, not known
24 June 16 Catherine E. Clough 25 June 17 Henrietta M. "Reed"
Littlefield
F
79 5 17 Senile Decay
Wilmington Wilmington
Boston Wilmington
William N. Reed, Lucy Stevens Joshua Gowing, Clarissa Gowing
26 June 26|Otis Gowing
M
71 5 10 Heart Disease
M
S 6 - Tuberculous Peritonitis [26 10 15 Accidental Drowning
Wilmington Somerville
Boston Italy
Antonio Uglio, Mary Lora | Philip Orlando, Mary Alizio
27 July 28|July
3 Joseph Uglio 4 |Paul Orlando
M
50 5 28|Cerebral Hemorrhage
15 Mar. 7 - Brabant
F
S W 90 7 15 Broncho Pneumonia
16 Mar.
9 |Sarah "Marden" Wright
M
S
- 21 Peritonitis Jaundice
18 |Mar. 16 Mary M. Jordan
F
W 74 11 7 Accidental Fall
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Wilmington Freedom, Me. Billerica
St. John, N. B. Wilmington Boston
Wilmington Meriden, Conn.
Peter Neilson, Caroline E. Sjoberg Cannot be learned Robert Wilkinson, Annie Duren Richard T. Kingston, Jennie Daley Sylvester Carter, Esther Beard Frederick Leoney, Mabel Wilson Mundy Babine, Emily Muse Henry J. Trow, Mary J. Riley
5 Jan. 24 Zenas B. Chase
M
W M
73 10 16 Broncho Pneumonia
76 9 16 |Heart Disease
F
S
0 0 1 Malformation of Heart 21 Angina Pectoris
W
51 3 25 Cerebral Hemorrhage
14 Mar. 1|Elizabeth M. Nimblett
6 Premature Birth
Wilmington Wilmington
Westford Abner Bailey, Hannah Mears New Haven, Ct. Sidney Morse, Julia Dorman
21 April 17 John William DeLoriea
M F
86 11 28 Cerebral Hemorrhage 81 11 13 Chronis Nephritis
28 Appendicitis
Nova Scotia
Austin Hawn, Elizabeth -
7 Feb.
4 Jan. 23 | Hannah O. "Cheeny" Doe
11 Feb. 18 Elizabeth Leoney
17|Mar. 12 - - Pomerantz
W S
29 July 10 William J. Fitz Gerald 30 July 17 Eliza E. "Taylor" Gerald 31 |July 21 Bertha Alice Richards 32 July 29'Susan "Kelley" McEnroe
M 159 5 7 Tubercular Throat
W 71 10 16 Chronic Nephritis F
S 12 7 28 Lymphatic Leukemia
1 V 82 5 Angina Pectoris
33 Aug. 5 Margaret Nee 34 Aug. 22 William Brooks 35 Aug. 24 |William A. Smith 36 Aug. 26|John T. Wild
37 Aug. 29 Mary Elizabeth Buck
F
M S 64 3 1 Acute Indigestion
F
W 75 8 19 Chronic Nephritis
Wilmington
No. Reading
William Simpson, Phoebe F. Kenney
39 Oct. 11 Margaret C. "Talmont"
McGuire
M
34 4 18 Eclampsia
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Cambridge East Boston Berwick, Me.
John Talmont, Cassilda Allard Sylvine Melonson, Elizabeth Muse Ebenezer Roberts, Mary F. Rankins
41 Oct. 29 Fred Henry Roberts
42 Dec. 17 Arthur Oliver Babine, Jr.
M M
S M 1 15 Premature Birth 66 2 1 Chronic
Parenchymatous
44 Dec. 27, Frank A. Chapman
M
M
55 6 14 Cerebral Hemorrhage
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
Ireland Lynn Wilmington Ireland
John Fitz Gerald, Mary Cutter Charles Taylor, Sarah E. Packard Albert S. Richards, Bertha A. Brabant Daniel Kelley, Mary Carlın
F M
M
1 58 6 8 Cancer of Stomach
M
M 74 3 25 Dilatation Heart
M
90 - 13 Senile Decay
Wilmington Wilmington
Wilmington England Northfield, Vt. Boston Wilmington
Michael Nee, Mary E. Sheehan Thomas Brooks, Phoebe Exley
Andrew Smith, Caroline Harris
Charles D. Wild, Rebecca Tuffts Stephen Buck, Mary J. Manning
38 |Sept. 19 Mary E. Sidelinker
F F M
S M
64 3 14 Lobar Pneumonia
Wilmington
Stonehanı
Arthur O. Babine, Mary Bisbee
43 Dec. 26 Melvin E. Taylor
Wilmington Wilmington
Wilmington Woburn
Elbridge Taylor, Abbie L. Alexander George W. Chapman, Phoebe Carley
Names of persons buried in Wilmington who died elsewhere.
Clara M. Huber at Waltham, aged 53 years. John H. Snelling, at New Jersey, aged 47 years. Marion Closson at Reading, aged 71 years, 10 months, 20 days. George Cole at Reading, aged 94 years, 6 months, 5 days. Charles E. Carter at Boston, aged 69 years. Flora Byam Connors at Chicago, aged 38 years, 2 months, 26 days. Nellie Frances Towle at Fall River, aged 50 years, 11 months, 14 days.
S 7 28 Broncho Pneumonia
Wilmington Wilmington Wilmington
9 8 25 Automobile Accident
40 Oct. 22 Mary E. Melonson
52
RECAPITULATION
Births registered in 1920
60
Males
33
Females
27
Marriages registered in 1920 .
44
Deaths in 1920
44
Males
20
Females
.
24
Dog License Account:
Number of Licenses issued
209
By Cash paid County Treasurer
$478.20
Account of printed Records of Births, Marriages and Deaths:
Number on hand January 1, 1920
209
Sold during the year
6
Number on hand January 1, 1921
203
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES E. KELLEY, Town Clerk.
The Town Clerk will furnish to parents, householders, physicians and midwives, applying therefor, blanks for returns of births as required by law.
-
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
-
Together with the Reports of the SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS PRINCIPAL OF HIGH SCHOOL SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
For the year ending December 31, 1920
........
School Committee
Ellen S. Perry
Term expires 1921
Charles C. Alden
Term expires 1922
Philip B. Buzzell
Term expires 1923
Superintendent of Schools
Roscoe G. Frame
School Physician Daniel T. Buzzell, M. D.
55
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of the Town of Wilmington:
The School Committee submits the following report, · together with the reports of the superintendent and supervisors.
A modern system of sanitation has been installed in the Center Grammer building, including a meter, pump and tank, so that its water supply is independent of that in the High School. The committee plans to install similar systems in the Walker and Whitefield Schools, and hopes to have one of these buildings so equipped before the end of the present year.
The special appropriation for the drainage of the High School building has been expended for that purpose, with the result that a twelve-inch drain has been laid from the building across Middlesex Avenue and the Common to Church Street and through Church and Adams Streets to the Mill Brook. A farm drain has also been laid along the rear of the building and around the side next to the pond hole, connecting with this sewer. The committee hopes that this system will accomplish its purpose and will keep the building dry and fit for occupancy throughout.
The committee has spent some time investigating different systems of transportation of school children in use in neighboring towns, and has prepared a chart, showing the approximate distance of all scholars from the nearest available school building. To summarize it briefly, this chart shows that we have ninety pupils living at least one and one-half miles but less than two
56
miles, ninety-eight pupils in grades one, two, three and four living between one and two miles, and eighty-three pupils living two miles or over from the nearest building. It is only the last mentioned class who may be entitled to transportation under the requirements of the State law.
The committee believes that the time has come when the voters should be put in possession of all the facts, and should decide upon the policy which they desire the committee to pursue in the future. It would seem that four possible courses are open.
First, the Town might furnish transportation only for those pupils living at a distance of two miles or more from the nearest available school building, which is all that may be required under the State law. As shown by the chart, there are only eighty-three pupils in this class, and it is probable that, if this policy were adopted, the present annual expense would not be increased.
Second, the Town might furnish transportation for all pupils living at a distance of more than one mile from the nearest building and who are in the first four grades, and for all pupils living one and one-half miles or more from the nearest building, including high school pupils. This plan would mean carrying a total number of two hundred and seventy-one chil- dren, and would require the purchase by the Town of two closed barges with a capacity of about forty-five pupils each, similar to those used in Billerica and Chelmsford. Two barges of this type would cost about $10,666 complete, and it would take about $4,388 per year to run them.
Third, the Town might furnish transportation for about half the number of children provided for by plan number two, by the purchase of two Wayne trucks with a capacity of twenty- one pupils each. These two trucks would cost $3,200 complete
57
and it would take about $4,000 per year to run them. The estimate of running expenses in this plan and the preceding one includes salaries, supplies, interest on the purchase price, and depreciation.
Fourth, the Town might furnish transportation for all pupils living at a distance of more than one and one-half miles from the nearest building and who are in the first four grades. In the event that this plan is adopted it is probable that the annual expense will not exceed $3,200. The committee has made up its budget on the basis of this fourth plan.
With this information, the committee submits the question to the voters of the Town.
The committee wishes to express to the Selectmen its appreciation of their aid and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
ELLEN S. PERRY, Chairman, CHARLES C. ALDEN, PHILIP B. BUZZELL,
School Committee.
Grade
Aggregate
Attendance
Number of
School in Session
Total
Membership
Average
Attendance
Per cent of
Attendance
Average
Membership
Supplementary
List
High School.
IX-XII
17,945
183
112
98
98
100
5
Center School:
Fern P. Gowen
VIII
5,277
178
33
29
81
31
1
Caroline Swain.
VII
5,951
177
40
34
89
38
2
Helen F. Brown .
VII-VIII
4,547
178
32
25
86
29
4
58
Walker School:
Ida L. Shaw
VI
5,396
177
48
30
88
35
2
Henrietta Swain.
V
6,526
179
50
36
90
40
2
H. Mildred Eames
III-IV
6,675
179
53
37
88
42
5
Anna L. Cremins.
I-II
6,960
179
53
38
85
46
..
Whitefield School .
Nettie M. Haley . Helen L. Bromley .
I-II
6,549
179
74
36
88
41
13
III-IV
5,018
179
44
30
88
34
..
M. Leontine Buck.
V-VI
4,969
179
34
29
90
32
..
South School: Vilma Bryant
I-IV
4,294
178
36
25
76
29
6
-
M. Ethel Chapman
I-IV
5,770
177
39
29
89
36
..
Days
59
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation
$33,963 00
Expended
33,962 90
Unexpended balance
·
$ .10
Individual Account
Alden, C. C. .
$ 62 50
Allen, George L. .
246 00
Allyn & Bacon
1 02
American Book Co.
22 29
American Express Co.
9 04
American Multigraph Sales Co.
14 24
Babb, E. E. & Co.
304 73
Barrows, H. C.
2,790 00
Beale Press
5 70
Blaisdell, Charles
40 00
Blake, C. D., Co.
6 00
Boston and Maine Railroad Co.
6 44
Birchard & Co., C. C.
5 07
Buck Brothers
4 05
Buck, N. Leontine
50 00
Burrows, E. O.
95 28
Buzzell, D. T.
50 00
Buzzell, P. B.
62 50
Caldwell, Edward
8 25
Mrs. Caron
1 80
Carter's Ink Co.
5 50
Chase, Elmer H.
50 00
Coburn Co., C. B.
.
.
49 27
Colgate, D. K.
.
15 00
Commissioner of Public Safety .
6 00
60
Currier, Ernest
S 5 75
Ditson, Oliver, Co.
17 88 ·
Eames, F. L.
1,370 99
Ellis, O. A.
965 90
Frame, R. G.
133 67
Francis Brothers
3 39
Fraser, F. A.
17 70
Gilbert & Barker .
25 08
Ginn & Co.
76 07
Hale, Walter L.
1,470 80
Hamlen, Frank
6 00
Hancock, C. R.
15 00
Harriman Co., C. S.
4 28
Haymarket Hardware Co. .
1 50
Heath & Co., D. C.
42 12
Horton, C. A.
3 60
Horton, C. T.
41 00
Horton, H. M.
404 80
Howe, E. L.
33 20
Kidder, Eva .
18 00
Kidder, Percy P. .
22 28
Lawrence, City of
21 66
Lowell, F. A.
20 00
Livingston, C. A.
9 35
Massachusetts State Prison
14 59
McGrane, Oliver
8 00
McIntosh, S. R. .
93 75
Middlesex County
80 14
Mosman, W. A. .
36 00
Municipal Light Board
97 83
Murdock, J. W. E.
5 00
Neilson, Peter
159 00
New England Telephone and Telegraph
Co.
131 75
Nichols, R. G. C.
24 00
Pay Roll
24,034 28
61
Perkins, D. F.
$ 51 00
Perry, E. S. .
96 32
Perry, J. W. .
1 00
Reading, Town of
342 00
Reformatory for Women
9 87
Remington Typewriter Co.
26 00
Rice, Samuel
5 00
Sanborn, B. H.
98
Smith, Fred F.
3 65
Smith Brothers Co., L. C.
3 24
Standard Electric Time Co.
36 90
Standard Oil Co. .
17 50
Thorp & Martin
2 46
Underwood Typewriter Co.
2 00
Walker & Pratt
60
Wilcox, Brownelle
50
Woburn Brass and Iron Foundry
36 00
Woburn Machine Co. .
2 84
$33,962 90
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
General Expenses :
School Committee:
Salaries .
$200 00
Other Expenses* .
68 42
$268 42
Superintendent of Schools and Enforcement of Law:
Salaries .
$1,383 28
Other Expenses*
192 16
$1,575 44
$1,843 86
62
Expenses of Instruction :
Supervisors' Salaries
$ 387 00
High School Principal 2,400 00
High School Teachers
5,478 00
Elementary School Teachers
12,129 00
$20,394 00
Textbooks:
High
$155 64
Elementary
177 45
$333 09
Stationery, Supplies and Miscellaneous:
High
$159 51
Elementary
130 36
$289 87
$21,016 96
Expense of Operating School Plants:
Wages of Janitors :
High
$1,169 80
Elementary
1,131 00
$2,300 80
Fuel:
High
$1,862 43
Elementary
1,224 31
.
$3,086 74
63
Miscellaneous:
High
$ 143 26
Elementary
69 86
$213 12
$5,600 66
Maintenance: Repairs
High
$ 223 10
Elementary .
1,811 33
$2,034 43
$2,034 43
Auxiliary Agencies :
Libraries
S 3 50
Health .
77 10
Transportation
2,814 00
$2,894 60
Miscellaneous Expense :
Tuition .
$ 443 80
Sundries
. .
8 68
$452 48
Outlays:
New Equipment .
.
$ 119 91
$119 91
$33,962 90
*Telephone, Postage, Stationery, Express, Transportation.
-
DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS BY GRADE AND SCHOOL
Grade
Elementary
High
School
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
P. G.
Totals
High .
46
43
29
16
25
2
161
Center .
20
12
19
16
47
114
South.
11
7
1
10
Walker .
23
19
16
25
38
33
Whitefield.
35
28
17
17
16
16
129
Totals .
89
66
53
68
54
49
47
46
43
29
16
25
2
587
64
29
154
DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS BY GRADE AND AGE Ages as of April 1, 1921
.
Age
Grade
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Total .
.
89
I
66
1
II
53
1
III
68
1
IV
54
V
49
VI
47
VII
46
VIII
43
IX
.
1
X
16
XI
25
XII
2
P. G.
Totals
18
51
50
49
60
66
55
44
50
61
41
.
26
11
5
587
2
3
5
17
44
7
28
21
5
17
20
9
8
20
28
8
3
17
19
4
7
16
14
4
6
1
1
4
1
4
19
18
3
1
19
9
7
1
4
13
11
10
4
2
3
10
7
5
1
1
11
9
18
1
4
7
29
5
9
65
1
6
3
18
66
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Wilmington, Mass., January. 15, 1921.
School Committee, Wilmington, Mass.
Madam and Gentlemen: Your superintendent has the honor to submit this, his fourth annual report to you, and through you to the citizens of the Town.
The test of any school system is shown by the quality of citizenship in the community. So here in Wilmington, we judge our schools by the success or failure of our product in their life work. Because the content of our curriculum is much changed from that experienced by the parents of our pupils is no reason that these are degenerate times, any more than it is logical to say that the schools of our fathers were inferior to those known by our grandfathers. In the old days the schools were the product of the community, while today the reverse is true. For many years the public schools met the standards of the locality, giving the demands of the future no provision, and always measuring values in terms of the past. Today specialists in school administration study the methods of the past in order to avoid the same errors for the future. The school of today should be the object of local pride and furnish a dominating objective of right thinking and living.
During the last few years extensive studies have been made as to the mental capacities of children. It has been found that children have an intelligence varying with each individual;
67
that the growth of this intelligence varies but little in relation to the chronological age, and whatever variations that are evident in the development of the individual are due to changes in the physical conditions. It is unusual to find a strong mind in a weak body. One fallacy often made is confusion between ignorance and intelligence. An illustration of this is that frequently a pitcher is not filled to its capacity.
These measures of intelligence are being developed to such a degree that they are being used by the courts to determine the cause for juvenile delinquencies. They may be used to indicate the best choice for a life work. At present it is provided by law that these tests be given to mental defectives. Their value is thus being demonstrated and it is safe to say that these tests will be available for all in a short time.
Another form of test measures the proficiency of a group or individual in any particular subject. They are similar to our old-fashioned examination, with the exception that they are designed to test the knowledge of the child rather than his ignorance. These tests in reading were given to groups from all grades last year. The results were encouraging in that our pupils obtained an average a little more than four per cent better than the average of twelve thousand pupils whose records were used to determine the norms for the scale.
During the past year a number of changes have been made in class and room assignments. January 2, 1920, the West School was closed, and pupils transported to the Walker and Center buildings. A few were sent to the Whitefield until such time as room was available for them at the other buildings. By closing this school it was possible to furnish transportation to pupils of the West District, and also to relieve conditions for the younger children at the Lake. Miss Helen Bromley, teacher of the West School, was transferred to the Whitefield, where at the present time she has grade one. In September, at
68
this school, grades five and six were placed in charge of Mrs. M. L. Buck, and Mrs. N. M. Haley was given grades three and four.
At the Center, Miss Carrie M. Swain is in charge of the building. Here departmental work is used with the seventh grade, Miss Helen Brown acting as assistant to Miss Swain. Grades one and two were taken from Miss Chapman and assigned to Miss Edith Lundgren, who began her work here in September. The seats in Miss Lundgren's room differ from the conventional idea of school desks and seats in that we have this room furnished with chairs and tables. At the Walker School we have been fortunate in retaining our force without change. At the South Miss Bryant's excellent work needs no comment.
Mr. Gerald Frazee was elected to take the position of Supervisor of Music after the resignation of Mrs. Counce. His report, discussing plans and purpose of the work, appears elsewhere.
After several years without instruction in Drawing, Wil- mington has been fortunate in securing the services of Miss Dorothy Durham, who is working hard to make up for our deficiencies of the past two years.
In the report of Mr. Nelson I. Mixer, Principal of the High School, the changes in the teaching force are noted. In this report the analysis of the distribution of pupils in elective courses is of interest when compared with figures for past years. No longer is the Commercial Course popular with mental loafers. Those enrolled have a definite purpose and reason for electing the work.
At any time it is difficult to find exceptional teachers, yet it is felt that in no way have we lowered the high standard demanded of our teachers, in the selections made to replace those resigning during the past year. Even at the present
69
time the profession is still feeling the effects of competition with industry. Many were attracted to teaching because of the increased salaries, who now finding themselves judged in comparison with the trained teachers have eliminated them- selves. It was valuable to establish the fact that public school teachers could compete with commercial workers in their own field. Now that business is beginning to reach a stable condi- tion the number enrolled in our Normal Schools shows a slight increase. During the war the Normal Schools lost in numbers all they had gained in ten years. Another encouraging feature is that the mental quality is reported much superior. One valuable though costly lesson which both the teaching profession and the public learned during the war was the value of the trained teacher, and now in these days of reconstruction, instead of the salaries of the teachers being reduced, they will advance. Fortunately the teachers have seen the emptiness of false professional ethics, and are now demanding and receiving a little nearer their true value. At the same time, from within the teaching body, comes the demand for professional training for entrance into the work. If a physician who can protect life is worthy of his demands upon society, how much more is the value of a teacher who makes that life useful.
In the table showing the distribution of pupils by grade and age the figures are of particular interest in their bearing on the requirements of the law providing for special instruction for ten or more pupils who are mentally retarded three or more years. Here we find seven who may be classed in this division. Even more significant are the numbers who are one or more years behind the normal grade for their age. This may be due to one of several or a combination of reasons. Poor physical condition, late entrance, frequent transfers, or ignorance of the language are the most common causes of retardation. Of these, the physical condition is in most cases the underlying cause of the trouble. Physical and mental health are closely related. Some time we may be developed to such a stage that society
70
will regard disease as a crime. Just now, health is a matter of education and personal habit. It is said that, could the public have proper knowledge and training, contagion would be elimi- nated. Because bacteria are not visible to the eye is no reason they do not exist. Our health work in the school follows along this line, that of prevention and education. Prevention in the matter of discovering a possible source of danger, and education in the habits of right living and health.
Nutrition in so far as it relates to the school child is of special interest at the present time. Proper food habits should be established in the home long before the child enters school. Food that will nourish the body does not have to be expensive. On the other hand the converse is usually true. The psychology of the lunch box is an interesting study. When we look at the waste can at the close of the lunch hour, we often remark that it is no wonder poverty exists, we are such a wasteful people. Here we find slices of bread with a single mouthful gone, cake, cookies and pie in equal confusion. The child prefers to throw away the remains of his lunch rather than take it home. Possibly it may occasionally be because of a penalty received for not eating his lunch, but more likely through habits of carelessness and disinclination to bother. On the other hand let us sit in the room while the children eat. The answer is thus clear why the lunch is thrown away.
It does not appeal to the eye. The same food, if packed in a tasteful way, would appeal to the child's mind in such a way that it would be appetizing instead of distasteful. Many com- munities have found that wonderful success has been obtained by furnishing a ration of milk at the morning recess. In other places hot soups and cocoa are the media by which the child is fortified against disease. Whatever means are used depends entirely on local conditions and resources. That something is necessary is the conclusion of all individuals and communities
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who have given the subject any time in investigation. It is a very natural tendency for us to wonder what exactly is the function of the public school. It certainly has changed from what we remember in our experience as children. It has been said that living is the greatest job of life, and certainly trainin ¿ and preparation for life ought to be the chief function of our schools. With this view any study or activity which will make a generation stronger in health, mind, morals or enjoyment, has a place in our curriculum. It is not that the home has fallen down, but that the home of the next generation will be stronger in its influence than that of the present.
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