The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-04

fact that. upon the completion of the
new high schools, the high school pu-
pills now in attendance in the Belmont,
Ledge, Millbury and Woodland street
districts would be Withdrawn and this
would make room for a considerable
increase in the attendance upon the
grammar schools in several sections of
the city. Furthermore, it is likely that
the Harlow street building, the Gates
lane building and the proposed build
ing in the Oxford street district. will
tend to relieve the attendance in the 10
caIlties In which they are respectively
situated, for the next two or three
years.
MANUAL TRAINING.
AT the meeting of the board held in
May, 1897, it was voted that sit is the
sense of the board that manual train
ing be introduced into tho schools be-
low the high at such future time as the
committee may think best. In Septem-
Der, 1897, manual training and cooking
were introduced into the ninth grade
In accordance with this policy. Owing
TO financial limitations, the school COM
mittee has, at the end of each year
since that date, made no progress in
carrying out this policy.
At the earliest moment practicable
this recommendation should be carried
into effect. First, because many pupils
leave school at the close of the seventh
year, and therefore lose all of the bene-
hts derived from manual training. Sec
ond, the results in manual training are
far more satisfactory when the chill
dren begin hand work at all early
stage. Their interest il likely to be
greater, and brain and muscles are
more easily educated in early wears in
any kind of manual dexterity than at
any later period
By vote of the school committee, new
shops and cooking rooms .Nere provid-
ed for the ninth grade pupils at Wins
low and Mason streets. It was further
voted by the board that the cooking
room and manual training shop on the
third floor at Winslow street should be
removed to Mason street as soon as the
pupils occupying that building could
properly be transferred. The pupils and
teachers of at least one room at Wins
low street are annoyed by the carpen-
try work carried on above them. When
the new building recommended for the
Oxford street district is completed. this
recommendation 2an be carried into
effect.
At the October 1898, meeting of the
school committee, it was voted further
70 open two new shops, one in the
woodland street district and one at the
north end. This course was recon-
mended because pupils in these sections
are now compelled to walk a much
greater distance than attending school
nearer the shops already established
Thls vote has not yet been carried into
effect.
Public sentiment has appeared to IA
Vof manual training almost from the
start, and little or no objection to this
expenditure has been heard in public
II Is becoming more and more apparent
mat the nigh school and grammar
school pupils should he allowed to re-
ceiVe as part of their education some
phlng that will help them as a bread
winner. Our training mas wholly lacked
thls element and we find boys and girls
graduating from these departments
that seem wholly unable to adapt them
serves to the struggle for existence. Our
city and our civilization are Industrial
to a high degree. The openings pre-
Sented to the average child ars in this
line ana call for some skill Of hand or
some distinct business training. Moth
ing could contribute more to the ad-
Yancement of our city than the en-
largement of education in this direc-
ton. Some form of trade school such
as is now found in many cities and
mas been recommended for Springfield.
ana Boston, ought to be established in
Worcester ~
our city is almost without a peer in
me variety OF its industrial enterprises,
and yet we do a minimum amount az
work as compared with other cities in
the public schools IN Industrial train
ing. ANY child desiring to excel in anv
special trade or mechanical vocation
must seek this opportunity in other
cities.
klNDERGARTENS.
| New kindergartens were opened az
AuaIls square and Cambridge street in
september Twelve kindergartens are
HoM III operation, as follows: Woodland
| street Dix street, Salisbury street
| ADAMS square, Thomas street FIiza
a 80 street, providence street. Ward
street S,dt, Mlllbury street, Quinsigamond
$500 iuse street, and Canterbury
street tnat IS, one Kindergarten FOR
1 aI5't every four primary schools
1hese klndergartens are SO distributes
geographically as to bring them within
the reach of the greatest number NJ
people possible. The only notable e.or
rs found on the west side, and Is dne
70 me fact that there is no room for a
h i,ti. IN the region of Pleasant
street. III new building is built in
the oxford street section, this ineGuaI-
| lty can doubtless be remedied
II mas been announced as the uolicv
OF the board to open one or two kinder.
gartens each year. The CITY Womb
soon be fully supplied with kindergar.
tens, II this policy We're carried ont
AT the present time, however. there L
some question as to whether or not W.
ought to increase the Kindergarten ev.
penditures because of financial pres.
sure. - -
These kindergartens act, without
doubt, as leaven, and people ar,
gradually coming to recognize theil
value. II this number is not MATERIAL,
| increased at present, it is not IikelJ
that the community will seriously OH
Ject to their continuance If on the 9th
er hand, the expense Of the kindergar
ten is still further increased, under ex
lsting conditions, SEINE reaction nigh
tend to throw them out altogether o,
to reduce their number. 1t is. there
fore, my judgment that the number o
| kindergartens should be increased, bu
| slowly during the next few years.
The clerks report shows that the TO
tai expenses of the ltindergartens FOL
the year closing December ]. was S13.,
$3.50, an increase Of $S3l5S. In thi,
estimate are included ianitors supplies
coal and other incidentals.
SUBSTITUTES.
BY vote of the school committee, al
| the December meeting, ten Substitutes