USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Rutland > Annual report, City of Rutland, Vermont, 1917 > Part 16
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FINANCES FOR 1918
The financial statement for the school year ending December 31st, 1918 made by the Finance Committee of the School Board and incorporated into the City Treasurer's report shows that the gross receipts for the support of the public schools in this city
124
ANNUAL REPORT
were $69,563.51. Of this amount $62,559.66 was realized from city taxes, $2,660.50 from the State, $3,332.50 from tuition, $608.35 from the sale of high school text books and the remainder $402.50 from incidentals, ground rent and unexpended balance of the previous year. The total expenditures were $65,752.67; of this amount $50,639.34 was paid for salaries, $908.89 for repairs on school buildings, $8,192.22 for fuel, light and power, $4,154.44 for text books and supplies, $945.98 for insurance on school property and $911.80 for rent, printing and advertising and sundries, leaving an unexpended balance in the Treasury of $3,810.84. An itemized statement of the assets and liabilities of the school department on December 31, 1918 filed with the City Treasurer showed that the assets which included cash balance in the Treasury, rebates from the State accrued but not due, fuel and supplies on hand aggregated $8,242.89, while the in- debtedness aggregated $228.05 giving an excess in assets over liabilities of $8,014.84. A similar statement of the assets and liabilities on December 31, 1917 placed the assets over the lia- bilities at $2,483.74. This favorable financial showing was made possible by closing the Gilrain Avenue and School Street Buildings, by restricting the expense of text-books and supplies, by reducing the expense of repairs to less than one-fifth of the average for the preceding four years, by the closing of the schools for several weeks on account of the recent epidemic and by the extremely mild weather of the present season.
FINANCES FOR 1919
The favorable financial showing made above should not be interpreted as a permanent lowering of school expenses in this. city, but rather as a result of unusual conditions which are not. likely soon to recur. The expenditures last year were nearly twenty-five hundred dollars less than the average expenditures: for the two preceding years notwithstanding higher salaries and. greater cost in carrying on all kinds of business. The schools: in this city cannot be conducted effectively the present year- without larger expenditures. Only four-tenths of the recent. increases in salaries were met in 1918; consequently those in-
125
CITY OF RUTLAND
creases must be paid in 1919 on the basis of a full school year together with four-tenths of any additional increases. In view of the present purchasing value of the dollar further increases in salaries would seem just and in case of the High School it would seem imperative if its present efficient teaching force is to be retained. It is probable that at least four thousand dollars will be required this year to meet advances already made and to be made in salaries alone.
For the proper upkeep of the school plant an expenditure of at least $3,000 will be required in excess of the amount so ex- pended last year, which would still be considerably less than the average expenditures for that purpose for the past four years.
With the return of peace and normal economic conditions we may look for the return to this city of many families that have been lured to larger industrial centers and many pupils who have left school for work will again return. Hence we may reasonably expect a considerable increase in the school attendance which may require the opening up next fall of one or more addi- tional schools; there may also be a demand to reopen one or both of the school buildings recently closed. The Board would not be able to meet either of these demands without incurring con- siderable additional expense.
The report is current that the increase in the Grand List of the City, due to the Quadrennial Appraisal, would yield a school appropriation sufficient to take care of the increased expenditures. The report of the City Assessors, on file in the City Clerk's office, shows that the regular school tax of fifty cents upon the dollar of the new Grand List is likely to increase the school appropriation not more than $1,600, with the possibil- ity of no increase at all. It would seem necessary, therefore, if the schools in this city are to be kept up to the present standard either to ask the city for an appropriation as large as that granted last year or to face a considerable deficit at the end of the present year.
The following table gives the tax rate for current school expenses for the years 1917 and 1918 and the percent to be asked for the present year, in the ten largest places in Vermont.
126
ANNUAL REPORT
Town or
School tax School tax School tax
City
1917 expended
1918 Voted
1919 Asked
Rutland
55 c
55 c
55 c
Barre City
822c
85 c
97 c
Bennington, I. D.
100 c
110 c
115 c
Brattleboro, I. D.
67μΈ΅
69 c
71 c
Burlington
55 c
55 c
55 c
Montpelier
65 c
67 c
70 c
Rockingham
60 c
70 c
75 c
Springfield
62 c
75 c
75 c
St. Albans City
55 c
55 c
60 c
St. Johnsbury
62 c
80 c
90 c
TEACHING FORCE AND SALARIES
Twenty-eight vacancies, more than half of which were in the High School, have occurred in our teaching force during the past twenty months. This is an unusual number of changes and considerable difficulty and expense were incurred in satisfactor- ily filling these positions. These changes were occasioned chiefly by the War, by sickness and by low salaries. During the present school year six grade teachers have been granted leave of absence, three on account of sickness and three to enter positions at more lucrative wages. While the salaries of all teachers and janitors were increased at the beginning of the present school year they are still low in comparison to the wages paid in other lines of work and to the high cost of living and do not bear a just pro- portion to the aggregate expenditures of the school department-
The demands upon teachers were never so great and exact. ing as at present and the purchasing value of the dollar has shrunk to that extent that the salaries today are relatively much lower than they were ten years ago. This matter should receive the thoughtful attention of the Board, and if possible, adjustments in salaries should be made so that teachers may receive a fair and just return for their labors and at the same time be able to improve themselves professionally and make some provision for support during the years of retirement.
127
CITY OF RUTLAND
PENSIONS
The policy of providing pensions for teachers is becoming very general in this country; thirty-four states and thirty-three separate municipalities have already adopted some system for retiring teachers.
These systems are based upon the principle not of reward or charity but of improvement of service, in that teachers freed from the risk of dependence due to age and disability would render more loyal, unselfish and continued service and also that teachers who have passed the period of usefulness would no longer encumber the profession. Every system of pensions should combine these qualities: definiteness in plan, security in fulfillment and adequacy in protection. The present pension system of Vermont is defective in that it cannot be put into effective operation for many years for lack of funds. The teach- ers of the State have repeatedly in their Conventions favored a pension system that might become operative at once. Con- forming to their resolutions a bill is now before the State legis- lature, drawn in accordance with the recommendations of the report of the Carnegie Foundation on Pensions, approved by the best actuaries and capable of early and effective operation. The enactment of this measure would be a distinct addition to the school system of the State and may become a model for school pension systems in other states.
For the first time in the history of the City the voters will be asked at the annual meeting to vote upon the question-"Shall the Board of School Commissioners be authorized to grant a pension of $25 per month for the School Year beginning July 1, 1919 to a teacher in this city in accordance with Section No. 1218 of the General Laws of the State"-which provides for the pensioning of a teacher who has taught in the public schools for over thirty years. The teacher named in this article has taught in our public schools thirty-four years, during twenty years of which she acted as Principal of one of our grade buildings, and is now disqualified on account of sickness. The exemplary charac- ter, the long and faithful service and the extended and serious illness of this teacher should make a strong and favorable appeal to the voters of the city.
128
ANNUAL REPORT
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
The School Board conducted a vocational school for con- scripted men during eight weeks last Spring; the entire expense of this school was borne by the State. Continuation schools for High School and grade pupils were in session for four weeks during the summer vacation. The purpose of these schools is to make up deficiencies and place the pupils in regular stand- ing in their classes. More than one hundred pupils availed themselves of this privilege and a large majority of those who regularly attended successfully worked off conditions and were passed to higher grades. The cost of conducting these schools is insignificant in comparison with the loss involved in so many pupils repeating a whole year's work; these schools are likewise of great value in holding in school pupils backward in studies and those necessarily irregular in attendance. / A public Evening School for foreigners is being conducted this winter by the Educational Committee of the Rutland Woman's Club, the School Board providing rooms, light, heat and janitor's service. This school has been more largely patronized this season than in past years and is accomplishing much good. The great War has emphasized the necessity of our government's taking greater interest in acquainting the foreigner with our language, institu- tions and ideals. No agency can render a greater service in at- taining these desirable results than public evening and continua- tion schools. As the prime object of these schools is to make intelligent and loyal American citizens, every industrial commu- nity of the size of Rutland should by law be compelled to maintain such schools, and since the results of these schools are national, as well as local, the State and Nation should contribute largely to their support. 1
HIGH SCHOOL
The High School has had a successful year altho the en- rollment and attendance are slightly lower than one year ago. This decrease in numbers may be traced directly or indirectly to the War. The receipts from tuition and the number of towns
129
CITY OF RUTLAND
patronizing the school were never so large as at present and with the return of peace we may expect a substantial increase in numbers. A course of industrial part-time shop and school work has been added to the curriculum. This course comes under provisions of the Smith-Hughes law and one half of the cost of instruction is borne by the State. It seems probable that in the near future still other courses, particularly in House- hold Economics and Agriculture, may be added and likewise be subsidized by the State.
It gives me pleasure to endorse the report of the Principal and to incorporate into this report some of his important sugges- tions, as follows:
"The past year has been very trying to school men every- where. The higher cost of all things connected with school administration has made the problem of financing a school system very difficult, and has put the smaller school at a great disadvantage because the wealthier communities have been able to pay the increased wages that teachers have been compelled to ask for in order to meet their expenses. We have had our share in the loss of teachers, but perhaps have fared better in this regard than any other school in the state. By the employ- ment of some teachers for part time we have been able to secure a higher grade of instruction than we could possibly have done if we had undertaken to meet the full salaries of these people."
"The policy of the school in one connection is to be highly commended. This is the attempt to have a considerable part of the instruction by men teachers; not that their work is necessar- ily any better than that of women teachers, or sometimes even as good, but young people of high school age need the influence of men in a great part of their work. I believe that we should aim to have our High School staff as nearly equal as possible in the number of men and the number of women. We have more men now on our staff than any other school in Vermont, and the results of this are quite evident in comparing the general tone of work in various schools. I hope that no effort will be spared to maintain or perhaps increase the number of men in our school as vacancies occur from time to time."
(9)
130
ANNUAL REPORT
"It is too early as yet to estimate the failures of the school as compared with the two previous years, but all evidences at present would indicate something of a reduction in the number of failures over last year. The general tone of the work shows a quite decided improvement."
INDUSTRIAL COURSE
"The part time industrial course which the school board instituted at the beginning of this year is still in the experimental stage, and it is too early to make any very definite statement concerning it.
The twenty-two boys enrolled in the course are all interested in the work. The reports from the shops indicate that the shop- owners and foremen are well pleased with the work. In most cases the school work has been satisfactory. There is always a slight danger that boys may get the notion that their real education is to be had in the shop only, and that the school work is not vitally important. We have experienced something of this difficulty, but it has not yet become serious in many cases."
RECOMMENDATIONS
"1. Instruction in Agriculture."
"This school is the High School not only for the city of Rutland but for a large area of surrounding rural territory. We have had in the school during the past year students from over twenty different towns. A considerable number of students who are legal residents of Rutland should be classified as rural rather than city residents. If we are going to perform our best services for these surrounding towns and for these residents of the city whose natural inclination is toward the farm, it would seem advisable to me that we establish a course in agriculture in connection with the school."
"2. The working out of a definite salary schedule."
"Some plan whereby the teacher who has been loyal to the school and stuck by it through days of famine as well as days
131
CITY OF RUTLAND
of plenty should not be penalized in matters of salary when new teachers are elected to the school. A maximum salary should be established. The teachers whose work is satisfactory enough so that they are retained at all, should be promoted regularly toward that salary. It is my judgment that at the time of the election of teachers an attempt should be made to adjust salaries so that they will be fair to all concerned, and as liberal as they can be made without injustice to the teachers of the elementary schools, and that when this salary has been decided the teacher should either accept it or reject it and that that should be the end of the matter."
"3. The continuation of the Industrial Course."
"An effort must be made to interest additional industries in the city particularly in this work if it is to be developed to the point where it will be of greatest service to the young men, to the industries, and to the city."
"4. An extension of our work in various fields covering par- ticularly the work of pupils of different temperaments and needs requires considerably more space for the purpose of instruction than the old fashioned high school, and if we are to meet the complex demands that fall upon us we must begin to plan for larger accommodations for our students. When our method of articulation between the elementary school and the high school is properly readjusted and when we are offering the work that we must eventually offer to the young people of this community, we should have a high school enrollment of from seven hundred to eight hundred. I am confident that we can bring this about in the course of five or six years by proper management."
EDUCATIONAL TREND
If one compares the present program of studies in our High School with that of some dozen years ago one will be able to recognize the trend in secondary education.
Formerly emphasis was placed upon classical training; more than half of our high school pupils took Latin and a large number took Greek. The chief end sought in mathematics was
132
ANNUAL REPORT
ability to meet college requirements; oral reading, writing, spell- ing, arithmetic and grammar were not taught, because college credits were not given in these subjects; music, art, elocution, manual training, domestic science, industrial and vocational courses found no place on the program; the recitation was made prominent; the text-book was practically the entire equipment for the student and the school-room. Under such conditions the chief requirement of a high school building was to furnish the requisite number of recitation rooms with sufficient seating capacity.
Since that time the program of the school has been enriched; the building has been enlarged and an attempt made to modernize it, but as usually happens in the case of a building constructed by piecemeal through half a century it has been only partially successful.
The enrichment of the course of study, the swing from the recitation to the laboratory method of instruction, the increased enrollment, and the demand for more room in handling an up-to- date school, have taxed the capacity of the present building to an extent equal to that which existed before it was enlarged. Therefore, the problem of still further increasing accommodations for the high school will confront the school officials and the tax- payers of the city at no distant day.
Another problem closely related to the above is the necessity of bringing the elementary and high school grades into closer relation. A Junior High School would admirably meet this condition, at the same time eliminate our archaic ninth grade and save a whole year in the school life of the child. The chief obstacle in establishing at once such a school in Rutland is the lack of a suitable building. The solution of this problem may be in the erection in the near future of a modern senior high school building and in establishing a Junior High School in the present high school structure.
CONCLUSION
In closing this report I wish again to make hearty acknowl- edgment of the unfailing courtesy, good will and assistance so
133
CITY OF RUTLAND
generously extended to me during the past year by all with whom I have been associated.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID B. LOCKE, Superintendent of Schools.
Rutland, Vermont, February 15, 1919.
0
APPENDIX
LIST OF TEACHERS IN THE EMPLOY OF THE CITY OF RUTLAND DURING THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 1918
Name of School and Teacher
Grade
Where Educated
Salary
Service Began
David B. Locke ..
. Superintendent. .
Dartmouth College.
$2,400 00
1906
HIGH SCHOOL
*Edward S. Abbott.
Principal.
University of Vermont.
2,100 00
1916
Eleanor J. Meldon.
Assistant.
Rutland High School ..
850 00
190S
Ruth W. Temple ..
Assistant.
Mt. Holyoke College ..
850 00
190S
Marie W. Johnson.
Assistant.
Rutland High School ..
775 00
1907
** Harold I. O'Brien
Assistant.
Holy Cross College. .
1,000 00
1916
Lacy W. Bump.
Assistant.
Middlebury College.
1,520 00
1917
Helen Harlow ..
Assistant.
Smith College.
850 00
1917
Ginevra P. Harlow
Assistant.
Middlebury College ..
825 00
1917
Harriet B. Blakeman
Assistant .
Middlebury College ..
775 00
1917
Helen B. Collins.
Assistant.
Columbia University.
825 00
1917
Edward J. Lockwood
Assistant.
Boston University Law School
1,500 00
1917
Frank C. Phillips ..
Asst. Principal.
Yale University ***
1,700 00
1916
Dorothy Erskine.
Assistant.
Smith College ..
650 00
1918
Irene L. Copps.
Assistant .
Smith College.
700 00
1918
** Jennie K. Statham
Assistant .
Syracuse University ..
500 00
1918
Nellie H. Newton .
Assistant.
Emerson School Oratory ..
650
00
1907
Maude E. Crofoot.
Prin. Teacher Training Course. Syracuse University ..
1,200 00
1918
Edward J. Duff.
Supervisor Industrial Training.
Mass. Inst. Technology
2,000 00
1918
Mary Norton. .
Office Assistant .. ..
Rutland High School ..
312 00
1918
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
DANA SCHOOL
Ninth
Oswego Normal.
775 00
1892
Mabelle A. Howley.
Eighth.
Rutland High School.
575 00
1905
Agnes H. Rule ...
Seventh.
Rutland High School.
600 00 1902
Mary E. Corcoran.
Sixth.
Rutland Teacher Tr. Course.
525 00 1916
Anna E. Collins. .
Fifth.
Castleton Normal ..
525 00
1916
Nora B. Anthony .
Fourth.
Rutland High School ..
600 00
1897
Aida P. Skeeles.
Model Teacher 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grades.
Burlington High School.
700 00
1894
MADISON SCHOOL
Anna C. Carpenter.
Seventh
Castleton Normal.
525 00
1918
Helena G. Corcoran.
Fifth-Sixth. .
St. Joseph's Academy. .
575 00
1903
Maria E. Steward.
Third-Fourth.
Rutland Classical Inst .
550 00
1903
*Anna F. Toohey . .
First-Second .
Rutland High School ..
650 00
1896
LONGFELLOW SCHOOL
*Rhoda W. Southard.
Seventh
Rutland High School ..
775 00
1885
Anna E. McCavet.
Ninth.
St. Joseph's Academy. .
675 00
1900
Louise A. Branchaud.
Eighth
Rutland High School ..
625 00
1896
Adelaide B. Schryver
Sixth .:
Rutland High School .. .
600 00
1895
Irene E. Moroney. .
Fifth.
St. Joseph's Academy. .
550 00
1908
Mary V. McCavet.
Third-Fourth.
St. Joseph's Academy. .
550 00
1905
Mabel H. Gleason ..
First-Second.
Rutland High School ..
600 00
1896
Anna R. Maughan. .
Sixth-Ninth.
Castleton Normal.
625 00
1903
KINGSLEY SCHOOL
*Louese R. MacFarlane ..
Fourth-Fifth
Rutland High School ..
650 00
1894
Mary E. Hickey . .
Third.
Rutland High School .. .
575 00
1899
Margaret S. Hulihan .
Second.
St. Joseph's Academy. .
575 00
1903
Kathrine M. Walsh.
First .. .
St. Joseph's Academy. .
575 00
1903
*M. Kittie Crowley.
*Principal ** Part time *** Special Student
LIST OF TEACHERS-Continued
Name of School and Teacher
Grade
Where Educated
Salary
Service Began
LINCOLN SCHOOL
*Etta Franklin.
Ninth ..
Rutland High School ..
787 50
1893
May E. McCormack ..
Eighth.
Castleton Normal. .
575 00
1912
Margaret E. McDevitt.
Seventh
Castleton Normal.
525 00
1918
Geraldine M. Lyston.
Sixth.
Rutland Teacher Tr. Course
550 00
1914
M. Catherine Purcell.
Fifth.
St. Joseph's Academy. .
575 00
1903
Abbie E. Greaves.
Fourth.
Rutland High School ..
550 00
1908
Gertrude R. Cline ..
Third.
Castleton Normal.
500 00
1917
Elizabeth N. Locke.
Second.
Rutland Teacher Tr. Course.
500 00
1917
C. Marion Anderson.
First .. .
Rutland High School ..
575 00
1903
WATKINS AVENUE
*Ellen Z. Mylott.
Seventh-Eighth
Castleton Normal. .
700 00
1893
Lizzie I. Mclaughlin.
Fifth-Sixth.
St. Joseph's Academy ..
550 00
1906
Catherine C. McKeogh.
Third-Fourth .
St. Joseph's Academy.
550 00
1904
Eleanor T. Maughan.
First-Second.
Castleton Normal. ..
550 00
1914
PARK STREET
*Mary E. Cannon ..
Sixth-Eighth ..
St. Joseph's Academy.
650 00
1903
Mary J. Moher.
Fourth-Fifth.
St. Joseph's Academy .
550 00
1905
Ella Franklin.
. Second-Third.
Rutland High School.
500 00
1918
Agnes B. Crowley
First-Second.
Rutland High School.
550 00
1904
.
.
.
.
..
.
SUPERVISORS
Supervisor of Music ..
St. John's Chapel, N. Y. City .. Massachusetts Normal Art. . .
850 00
1910
Marion G. Lees ..
Supervisor of Drawing.
850 00
1911
Mabel H. Woods ..
Supervisor Domestic Science .. . Supervisor Manual Training. .. Supervisor Domestic Science. . . Simmons College.
.
1,200 00 1918
Helen W. Clark ..
Office clerk. .
Rutland High School ..
650 00
1915
TEACHERS RESIGNED OR ON LEA Bessie M. Otis.
VE OF ABSENCE DURING THE Prin. and Seventh Grade, Madi- son .
Rutland High School ..
650 00
1895
Kate E. Lamb
Prin. and 1st and 2nd grades, Watkins.
St. Joseph's Academy.
650 00
1893
Frances S. White.'
Assistant High School ..
Syracuse University .. .
750 00
1916
Marion M. Ballou.
Assistant High School ..
Mt. Holyoke College.
750 00 1916
Frank E. Mitchell.
Asst. Principal High School ....
Cannon Commercial School. . .
1,500 00
1917
Fannie W. Barton.
Prin. Teacher Training Course.
Syracuse University ..
1,200 00
1915
Lena C. Ross.
Second Grade Kingsley ..
Dana Institute.
575 00
1894
Frances M. McCormack.
Third Grade Lincoln ..
Castleton Normal.
500 00
1910
Ellen E. Dunn. . .
Second Grade Lincoln. . ..
St. Joseph's Academy. .
500 00
1910
Henry O. Halvorsen.
Sup. Manual Training .. .
New Hampshire College ..
1,100 00
1915
Belle W. Hayward.
Sup. Domestic Science ...
Simmons College.
550 00
1915
Anna E. Baker .. .
Office clerk.
Rutland High School ...
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