USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1902-1912 > Part 20
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Eunice M. Bates, rent and care of library,
$136.13
H. R. Johnson, books,
62.07
F. O. Merrill & Co., books,
42.75
Dodd, Mead & Co., books,
3.75
E. B. Eaton. books,
3.00
Robert Brooks, re-binding books,
25.12
Franklin Binding Co., re-binding books,
16.20
A. H. Bartlett, catalog supplements.
11.00
F. W. Green, transportation of books,
10.00
J. W. Baldwin, coal,
3.30
F. A. Fuller, supplies,
1.45
A. L. A., book list.
1.00
Eunice M. Bates, express and postage,
.84
H. W. Cutler, freight,
.35
$316.96
Balance on hand, Feb. 20, 1909,
38.03
$354.99
The legacy from the estate of Henry Cutler is deposited as follows :
$500 in Springfield Five Cent Savings Bank, Book No. 55,481. $500 in Springfield Institution for Savings, Book No. 145,815.
F. A. GURNEY, - 'Trustees
H. W. CUTLER. Free Public
VERNON H. DEMING, ) Library.
Report of School Committee.
.
The School Committee respectfully submit their annual report. The revenues of the current year have been as follows :
APPROPRIATIONS
General School purposes, $ 4,500.00
Repairs.
400.00
High School tuition,
900.00
Music,
200.00
Drawing,
200.00
Medical inspection,
100.00
OTHER REVENUES.
Dog fund, 1907,
229.18
Interest on town loan, 78.50
State school fund,
1,008.40
State on account of Superintendent,
454.54
Due from State on account of Superintendent,
303.03
Due tuition of state wards, 327.50
Due tuition from David Griswold, 36.00
Due tuition from town of Monson,
568.10
Due car tickets sold by Miss Titcomb,
10.00
High school tuition refunded,
17.50
A. I. Howe, car tickets,
10.00
Unexpended balance State fund, received Jan- uary, 1908, 300.00
- $9,642.75
EXPENDITURES. TEACHERS' WAGES. District 1.
Miss Harriet Cushman,
$ 240.00
Mrs. Mabel Smith,
108.00
21
District 2.
$ 342.00 360.00
District 3.
Miss Clara Emerson,
$ 240.00
Miss Martina Messinger,
108.00
District 4.
Miss Mary E. M. Mack,
$ 500.04
Miss Edna Parker,
130.00
Miss Mary Burke,
110.00
Miss Marion Whitney,
120.00
District 5.
Miss Julia Fleming,
$ 205.20
Miss Florence L. Richmond,
108.00
District 6.
Miss Mary Marsh,
$ 264.00
Miss Edith Holland,
108.00
Miss Florence Moore,
$ 240.00
Miss Grace Titcomb,
120.00
District 8.
Miss Grace Titcomb,
$ 312.00
Miss Effie Morgan,
396.00
Miss Rita Hall,
360.00
Miss Rose Smith,
84.00
Miss Alice May,
90.00
$4,545.24
SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.
Mary E. Howard,
$ 216.00
SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING.
Harriet A. Ellis,
$ 102.00
Madeline Noble,
144.00
$ 246.00
SUPERINTENDENT.
Mary L. Poland,
$ 612.32
Mary L. Poland, car tickets,
10.00
$ 622.32
MEDICAL INSPECTION. H. G. Webber, M. D., $ 100.00
Miss Jennie Hurwitz, Miss Emma B. Smith,
District 7.
22
SCHOOL TUITION.
Wesleyan Academy,
$ 832.52
Palmer High,
52.50
Ludlow High,
69.00
Springfield Technical,
120.00
$1,074.02
Fifty per cent of $241.50 paid to Palmer, Ludlow and Spring- field will be refunded by the state.
COMMON SCHOOL TUITION.
Ludlow,
$ 16.75
TRANSPORTATION.
Isaie Smith,
$20.40
E. O. Beebe, car tickets,
10.00
$30.40
SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
D. W. Mowry. $ 1.00
J. L. Hammett Co ..
74.59
E. L. Brooks,
13.50
C. C. Birchard,
.90
F. A. Fuller,
15.75
Masury Young Co.,
34.10
City of Springfield,
1.20
F. W. Green,
1.25
Grace Titcomb,
.20
L. E. Hawley,
1.55
C. P. Bolles,
2.40
Homer Foote,
3.72
Springfield News Co.,
50.81
H. G. Webber.
.50
A. I. Howe,
61.42
D. B. Montague,
24.13
Milton Bradley Co.,
80.57
P. C. Hayden,
4.40
Whitcomb & Faulkner,
40.31
23
Madeline Noble, Harriet Ellis,
$ .74
2.99
$ 416.03
BOOKS.
Rand & McNally,
$ 8.50
Thorpe, Martin & Co.,
2.65
B. H. Sanborn & Co.,
20.05
Little, Brown & Co.,
2.40
Allen & Bacon,
2.30
W. R. Jenkins,
1.26
The McMillan Co.,
8.40
E. E. Babb Co.,
7.34
Silver Burdette,
1.88
Thompson, Brown & Co.,
19.05
Century Company,
.95
Houghton, Mifflin Co.,
26.27
D. C. Heath Co.,
15.15
Henry Holt Co.,
14.92
Scott, Foresman & Co.,
4.37
American Book Co.,
23.48
„Wesleyan Academy,
89.13
E. K. Boak,
1.65
Ginn & Co.,
101.74
$ 351.49
FUEL.
E. C. Clark,
$ 12.50
E. E. Evans,
36.00
A. A. Phelps,
2.75
A. M. Seaver,
42.00
C. F. Tupper,
24.00
J. W. Baldwin,
356.92
Ethelbert Bliss,
22.00
J. Wilbur Rice,
6.00
$ 502.17
Total supplies,
$ 1,269.69
CARE OF SCHOOLS. District 1. Mrs. Mabel Smith, janitor, $ 6.00
24
Miss Harriet Cushman, janitor, $ 9.00
C. A. Brewer, cleaning rooms, 3.00
District 2.
Cyril Brodeur, janitor,
$75.00
District 3.
Mrs. L. Bosworth, cleaning,
$ 5.50
Fred Bryant, janitor,
12.00
District 4.
L. E. Taft, janitor,
$180.50
Chester Bryant,
3.00
District 5.
Roscoe Bennett, janitor,
$ 12.00
Earl Tupper, janitor,
6.00
Mrs. Hattie Day, cleaning rooms, District 6.
$ 12.00
John Bourbeau, vaults,
3.00
Charles Vinton, janitor,
28.00
Hazel Vinton, cleaning rooms,
2.00
District 7.
Albert Farr, janitor,
$ 18.00
Mrs. J. H. Farr, 5.50
C. E. and H. I. Edson, clearing yard,
7.50
District 8.
E. C. Blanchard, janitor,
$ 222.00
A. I. Howe, cleaning rooms,
5.00
F. E. Rindge, drawing ashes,
3.00
W. A. Mowry, yard and vaults,
9.40
Total care,
$ 632.40
SCHOOL REPAIRS.
W. T. Eaton, $ 24.34
A. A. Phelps,
16.62
T. M. Walker,
2.13
Whitcomb & Faulkner,
21.43
Forbes & Wallace,
6.00
A. I. Howe,
1.00
L. M. Pero,
12.50
5.00
Mrs. G. McNulty, janitor,
25
F. A. Fuller,
$ 92.74
E. S. Keyes,
295.66
C. W. Vinton,
2.20
W. A. Mowry,
1.50
A. M. Seaver,
2.00
$ 478.12
Total expenditures,
$9,230.94
Unexpended balance State school fund received January, 1909, $ 400.00
Value of books and supplies on hand March 1, 1909, 200.00
Value of books and supplies in schools, estimated, 1,500.00
We recommend the coming year an appropriation of $4,500 for school purposes, $400 for repairs, $900 for high school tuition, $200 for music, $200 for drawing, $100 for medical inspection.
Respectfully submitted,
H. G. WEBBER, E. O. BEEBE,
School
A. I. HOWE, Committee.
Names of students attending Wesleyan Academy at the expense of the Town of Wilbraham.
Ruth M. Bell,
Chester Bell,
Ethel S. Bodurtha,
Marjorie Bolles,
Ruth Calkins,
William V. Baldwin,
Rachel Cutler,
Edgar L. Bigelow,
Era Gebo,
Edward A. Calkins,
Dora LaBroad,
Martin Eddy,
Elizabeth Pease,
Henry Goodnough,
Laura Rice,
Fred Green,
Grace Robinson,
Charles B. Hitchcock,
Ina Scott,
George L. Miller,
Constance Stephens,
E. R. Pease,
Elsey Stephens,
Rea M. Webber,
Grace Pease,
Graham Chapin,
Raymond Bartlett,
Helen R. Wade, Esther Bell.
26
SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL.
Everett Green,
James Boyle.
PALMER HIGH SCHOOL.
Hazel Vinton,
Harold Hitchcock.
LUDLOW HIGH SCHOOL.
Blanche Fitzgerald,
Mary Powers,
Lula Keefe, Ina Scott,
Mary O'Connor.
-
HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.
WILBRAHAM, APRIL 26, 1905.
It being the duty of the town, under the law of the state, to pay the tuition for high school instruction of such children as are duly qualified, the following regulations have been adopted :
1. High school instruction, at the expense of the town, will be given to such children as pass satisfactory examinations.
2. Examinations for high school instruction, at the expense of the town, shall be given to such children only as shall be recom- mended by the Superintendent of Schools.
3. No children shall be recommended by the Superintendent for examination unless they have satisfactorily completed, in course or by examination, the studies of the "Course of Study," for the public schools of Wilbraham.
4. Examinations shall be given in Arithmetic, English Grammar and Composition, Geography, United States History, and Physiology (after 1905).
5. All who shall pass these examinations shall receive from the Superintendent of Schools a certificate which shall entitle the person named therein to tuition, at the expense of the Town of Wilbraham, in Wesleyan Academy or such high school as may be duly approved by the School Committee.
H. G. WEBBER, A. I. HOWE,
School Committee.
E. O. BEEBE,
27
WILBRAHAM, MAY 2, 1905.
The requirements of the public schools having been increased to meet the higher standard of admission to Wesleyan Academy and high schools ; the prescribed amount of work to be done in grades eight and nine is here indicated.
Arithmetic. Metric System and Cube Root omitted.
Algebra. The four fundamental rules, factoring, fractions and simple equations.
English. Technical grammar and composition.
Physiology.
Geography. As covered in ordinary text-books.
American History. Montgomery's Leading Facts and side readings.
Spelling. Quincy Word list.
M. L. POLAND, Supt.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
As Medical Inspector appointed by the School Board, I have visited all the schools three times during the year ; that is, each term. At each visit I have separately inspected all pupils in attend- ance. If at regular inspection in any school I have found condi- tions that required it, have reinspected the same after a stated interval. Have also visited several of the schools at the call of teachers for special inspections.
H. G. WEBBER, M. D.
Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
To the School Board of Wilbraham.
MADAM AND GENTLEMEN :
The following tables give the names of the present corps of teachers and supervisors and note the changes of the past year :
No. 1 Miss Harriet M. Cushman, Aug., 1908
No. 2 Ad. Miss Jennie Hurwitz,
July, 1907
No. 2 P. Miss Emma Bell Smith,
Nov., 1907
No. 3 Miss Clara Emerson,
May, 1908
No. 4 Ad Miss Mary E. M. Mack,
Jan., 1902
No. 4 P. Miss Mary R. Burke, Nov., 1908
No. 5 Miss Julia E. Fleming,
May, 1908
No. 6 Mary E. Marsh,
July, 1908
Abbott Seminary, Andover
§ Princeton High
No. 7 Florence M. Moore,
July, 1908
No. 8 Gr. Miss Grace Titcomb,
Aug., 1906
No. & Int. Miss Effie L. Morgan,
Jan , 1901
No. 8 P Miss Rita Hall,
June,
1907
) Framingham Normal
§ Wesleyan Academy
¿ Boston Conservatory
Springfield High
Drawing, Miss Madeline Noble,
June,
1908
¿ Boston Normal Art
RESIGNATIONS, TRANSFERS, ETC.
No. 1 Mrs. Mabel V. Smith.
No. 3 Miss Martina Messenger,
No. 4 Miss Marion Whitney,
No. 4 Miss Edna Parker.
No. 5 Miss Florence Richmond,
Teaching in Chester
No. 6 Miss Edith P. Holland,
East Hartford, Conn.
No. 7 Miss Grace Titcomb,
Transferred to No 8 Gr.
No. 8 Miss Rose C. Smith,
No. S Miss Alice N. May,
Miss Harriet Ellis (Drawing),
Black River, (Vt.) Academy
§ Springfield High
Westfield Normal So. Norwalk, Conn. High Froebel Normal Training Waltham High Framingham Normal Wesleyan Academy
Worcester Classical High Framingham Normal
Framingham Normal Wakefield High Wesleyan Academy ( Newton High
Music, Miss Mary E. Howard,
Teaching in Chicopee Teaching in Newton
Teaching in Springfield Teaching in Hampden Teaching in Springfield
Graduating exercises for a class of fifteen pupils were held in Grange Hall in June. Three of the class were from No. 4, ten from No. 8 and two from Glendale. Of these four are in Wesleyan Academy, five in Ludlow high, one in Palmer and three in the technical high of Springfield.
29
PROGRAM, JUNE, 1908. GRADUATION EXERCISES.
WILBRAHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, JUNE 5, 1908.
Prayer.
1. Chorus.
" A Merry Life " Schools.
2. Essay. " Abraham Lincoln " May K. Powers.
3. Reading. " The Fireman's Prize " Mary T. O'Connor.
4. Reading. " His Mother's Song " Margueritte Griswold.
5. Declamation. " Putting Up the Stove " James E. Boyle.
6. Declamation.
" Curfew Must Not Ring To-Night" G. Chester Bell.
" Mary's Night Ride " Grace Irene Pease.
7. Declamation.
8. Piano Solo.
9. Declamation.
10. Essay.
11. Chorus.
" To Thee, O Country !" Schools.
12. Declamation.
" Uncle Daniel's Apparition " Harold H. Hitchcock.
13. Declamation.
" One Niche the Highest " Raymond Bartlett.
14. Reading.
" Flying Jim's Last Leap " Esther C. Bell.
15. Reading. " The Last Hymn " Lillian Segal. Elsie Farr.
16. Essay. " Wilbraham " Blanche Fitzgerald.
17. Presentation of Diplomas. 18 .. Chorus.
". America "
Schools ..
" Pure as Snow " Margueritte Griswold.
" Virginius to the Romans " Everett H. Green.
" Louise M. Alcott " Lulu A. Keefe
30
NAMES OF GRADUATES. No. 8 GRAMMAR.
Bell, Esther
Bell, G. Chester
Boyle, James E.
Green, Everett H.
Griswold, Margueritte
Hitchcock, Harold H.
Keefe, Lulu A.
O'Connor, Mary T.
Powers, Mary K.
Fitzgerald, Blanche
No. 4 GRAMMAR.
Bartlett, Raymond
Chapin, Graham
Pease, Grace Irene
GLENDALE SCHOOL.
Farr, Elsie
Segal, Lillian
Wilbraham, Feb. 8, 1909.
At present we are paying tuition for twenty-three in Wesleyan Academy, four in Ludlow, two in Springfield and two in Palmer.
The emphasis of the school work this year has been placed upon the study of English. With the youngest children, this consists of reading. spelling, insistence upon correct forms of speech and writing short easy sentences to illustrate the use of capitals and terminal marks. In the third year through part of the seventh and in all intervening classes, the time is largely devoted to the study and practice of harder but common forms of our language. The eighth and ninth years are given to the study of technical grammar. Selections from the best authors are read and studied throughout the course.
A large amount of time is given to the correction of bad habits which should never have been tolerated. Parents can give most valuable aid by insisting on absolute correctness of speech in their households. It is really no easier to say " I hain't got nothing " than to say " I haven't anything," and it is almost impossible for the school to change what the home tolerates. We must work together for pure English as well as for good manners and morals, and parents and teachers should each supplement the efforts of the other.
It matters little how much knowledge a person possesses if he fails to speak his mother tongue correctly, for he pains where he might help and offends when be might interest and instruct. If bis language be rude and uncultivated his " speech bewrayeth " him constantly and be is marked as ignorant whenever be essays to speak. Carelessness in pronunciation is surprisingly common, rules
31
which were learned with painstaking care are violated and words frequently express the exact opposite of the thought they were meant to convey. If each person would resolve to correct one of the common errors of his own or of his family's usage our spoken English would soon be much purer.
School Grounds. Undaunted by past discouragements the Stony Hill school again planted its flower and vegetable seeds and this year its grounds were protected by temporary fencing. Their flowers blossomed throughout the summer and weeks after the fall term opened, the children rejoiced in their beauty. They proudly received the prize for the best school grounds and most richly they deserved it for the work here was almost entirely done by teacher and pupils. With the same amount of attention each spring this yard will soon become a beautiful spot in which the entire section will take pleasure.
The yard in No. 8, which is probably seen by more people than any other in town, has been greatly improved by the personal attention and generosity of a lady in the vicinity. Flowers and shrubs purchased by private subscription for No. 4 have been well cared for and have defied the unfavorable seasons.
The playground in the rear of this building gives great advantage over conditions in North Wilbraham. The ground around the building in " The Pines" is lower near the steps than elsewhere and there are time when the children cannot reach them with dry feet. This demands attention.
Improvements begun some years ago in East Wilbraham have been continued and the room is now attractive and pleasant.
The people in Glendale have for several years manifested great interest in their school surroundings. On one day in the year .- usually on Arbor Day,-the men take their dinners and give their time to the work there.
Only one building has water on the premises. The schools depend upon the neighbors for their supply, which after reaching the schools stands uncovered and furnishes refreshment by means of a cup or dipper common to all.
Wash basins are furnished, but with two exceptions there are no sinks or outlets and the water is thrown from the door and spilled upon the floor.
32
I advise the use of covered tanks which can be filled each day and from which water can be drawn by means of a faucet. With these and with sinks like those in Nos. 4 and 8, cleanliness will be a reasonable requirement and danger from disease will be diminished.
Manual training has been continued this year in the school in North Wilbraham. Under the direction of our supervisor of draw- ing the boys have made coat and hat racks, broom holders and brush broom cases which they have placed in their own homes. They have learned to work with saw, chisel and plane and their work has been done with care and enforced accuracy.
A small amount of public money has been expended for tools and a still smaller sum for material. A citizen has furnished nearly all the lumber and has kept the tools sharpened since the work began à year and a half ago.
The schoolhouse, built at considerable expense, is occupied less than one-fifth of the time. If it can be wired and thus suitably lighted for evening classes in woodwork and sewing or for quiet reading by any well disposed minors, it will greatly benefit this part of the community, where the occupation of the parent furnishes no employment for the children. Can we not, as an experiment, pro- vide for the use of this building for one or two evenings a week, so long as the privilege is not abused ?
For many years a former resident worked with tireless patience for the interests of the schools, giving his time and counsel long after his strength was depleted, when most would have sought release from public duty. I had hoped that one of our new buildings would be given his name, but they were opened without formal dedication and the matter was neglected. Now, in tardy but fitting recognition of his large service, I suggest that his name be placed on the building in North Wilbraham which shall henceforth be known as the Jason Butler school.
Respectfully submitted,
Jan. 29, 1909.
MARY L. POLAND.
33
RECORD OF MEMBERSHIP.
Schools.
Grades
Enrollment.
Average
Membership.
Average
Attendance.
Per cent of
Attendance.
Tardy Marks.
1
1-7
20
16.6
15.6
92.6
15
2 Ad.
4-7
15
14.1
13.2
93
6
2 P.
1-3
24
18.8
17
90.7
27
3
1-5
12
11.96
10.7
89.6
22
4 Ad.
6. 7,8,9
19
15.15
14
92.8
42
4 P.
1-5
25
21.2
20.5
94.9
40
5
1-6
12
8.9
8.5
93
6
1-6
26
24.8
23.7
95.3
34
7
1-6
16
14.3
13.4
94.1
8 Gr.
7,8
23
22.4
21.6
96
2
8 Int.
4, 5,6
30
28.8
26.7
93
6
8 P.
1, 2,3
26
24.3
23
96
12
Roll of Honor.
Names of pupils neither absent nor tardy from Aug. 31, 1908 to Feb. 1, 1909.
No. 1, No. 2 Adv.,
None. Ada Lavigne, George Perry,
Ruby Perry.
Blanche Lavigne.
Marie Martin.
Leroy Barney, Harold Foster, Anna Miller.
Kathryn Beebe absent on account of illness four days. Except for these four days, she has been perfect in attendance for seven years, during which time she has done the'work of the nine grades. No. 4 Primary,
Wilfred !Cadmon, Ralph¿Loomis, Clarence Pratt, Ernest Rivers, Bradford Stockton.
No. 5, No. 6,
None.
Earle Bourbeau, Gladys Conery, Vera Lyons, Howard Vinton, Hazel Vinton.
No. 7,
No. 8 Adv.,
No. 8 Int.,
No. 8 Primary,
None. None.
William Bell, George Murphy.
James Garvey, Margaret Green,
Mary Lynch, Jennie Roberts,
Charles Roberts, Edward Sullivan.
No. 2 Primary, No. 3, No. 4 Adv.,
Report of the Supervisor of Drawing.
Miss Mary L. Poland, Superintendent of Schools, Wilbraham :
Some years ago there was a question as to the desirability of drawing as a part of the public school course. It is now agreed that the power to use and understand the language of lines and spaces is necessary to the people of the twentieth century. In order to make drawing a graphic language it is important to train the eye and hand to work together. The children are not only learning to use the correlation of their hand and eyes as a means of expression, but they are finding the beauties in everything.
" The merest grass Along the roadside where we pass Lichen and moss and sturdy weed, Tell of His love who sends the dew, The rain, and the sunshine too, To nourish one small seed."
The work this year has been planned very much as it was last year. In the fall, when all nature was decked in her gayest colors, the children brought beautiful leaves and flowers into the school and learned how to match the colors and paint the plant as they saw it. After the flowers faded and the leaves disappeared the pupils told stories about the harvest and made pictures of the different vegeta- bles. Soon after Thanksgiving each child began to make some gift to be given to some one on Christmas. Since Christmas the pupils have been instructed in some of the principles in drawing, such as foreshortening, proportion and convergence.
The members of the manual training class in the North Wil- braham grammar school is taking a keen interest in its work. Last year Mr. 'Murray, formerly of Springfield, gave to the North Wilbraham school one dozen jack-knives, eight try squares, two planes, one screw-driver, two bench blocks and one block plane. This year the town has given the class more adequate equipment
36
which should enable the work to progress. At the same time that the boys are working with their tools the girls are learning how to
sew. They are now cutting and making a dress.
The whole purpose in planning the problems in drawing and manual training is to give the pupils something practical which will develop the child's imagination, observation, and individuality.
Respectfully submitted,
MADELINE NOBLE.
January 29, 1909.
Report of the Supervisor of Music.
To the Superintendent of Schools :
The school year just completed has been a very satisfactory one from a musical point of view. The regular course of study in music has been followed as closely as possible under existing conditions, and the results have been creditable to both instructors and pupils. Where we have been so fortunate as to retain the teachers of the previous year the progress has been especially noticeable, and the six recently added to the teaching force have taken up the work with a marked spirit of enthusiasm and effort. The town is to be congratulated upon possessing so efficient a corps of instructors.
The number of grades in the different schools varies from three to six. Districts Number 2 Primary, and Advanced, and Number 8 Primary, Intermediate, and Advanced, contain three grades each ; District Number 4 Advanced, four, and Districts Number 1, 3, 4 Primary, 5, 6, and 7, five and six grades. It would be unreasonable to expect the same amount of work from a room of five or six grades as from one of half the number, but it is surprising to see what can be accomplished in these schools.
While schools Number 3 and 5 lack the stimulus of numbers, this year show a decided improvement over last year in the quality and quantity of work done. Number 6 is in the best condition it has been for some time, this state of affairs being largely due to the efforts of the capable teacher now in charge.
Schools Number 1 and 4 Primary, besides many grades, have a large proportion of pupils whose stay in the town is comparatively short, so there are frequent changes among them. Naturally this tends to retard advance to a certain degree, but faithful work is being done and progress is being made. In District No. 7 we miss the graduates of last June, but the children are doing their best to keep up the standard, aided by a painstaking teacher.
38
The little people in the Primary rooms of Numbers 2 and 8 sing their rote songs sweetly and with much enjoyment, but this is only a part of their training, and they also sing intervals from dicta- tion and read simple exercises from the board and printed slips. A great deal of eartraining is done in these lower grades. The Inter- mediate grades in Number 2 and 8 use Music Readers and more difficult slips, sing two part songs and study thoroughly the problems in time and tune belonging to these grades.
The two Grammar Schools sing three part music and use the Third and Fourth Music Readers, the latter purchased last spring. In Number 4 we could have good four part singing if there were one or two leading soprano voices, while in Number 8 the soprano voices predominate. Both schools combined ought to form a very effective chorus. The fundamental principles of music are drilled in these advanced grades, together with chorus singing.
The four upper grades of these two buildings, with the graduates of school Number 7, furnished the music for the graduating exercises of the Grammar Schools last June. The musical program consisted of a piano solo and three three-part choruses, two with piano accom- paniment and one without.
The Wilbraham schools are now well equipped with copies of the Weaver Individual Sight Singing Series, New Educational Music Readers numbers one, two. three and four, pitchpipes, and staffliners, the latter having been provided recently. In a previous report the wish was expressed that additional training in music might be given by the Academy to pupils entering from the town schools. A free chorus such as is found in the majority of High Schools would be greatly appreciated by the Wilbraham students of " Wesleyan."
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