Milford chronicle., 1915-08-13
MADE SUPERINTENDENT
0F GLOUCESTER SCHOOLS

Prof. John D. Brooks, a former
.inoInaI of Milford Public Schools,
pnd also a former Superintendent of
sbe public Schools of Sussex County,
neIaware. has been elected superin-
tondent of schools at Gloucester, Mass.
Tbe ST, Herald of Newburyport, Mass, of
tngnst 18th. has the following concern
inc him and his appointment:
Sunt John D. Brooks was last even
irS unanimously elected superinten-
amt irT of the Gloucester schools by the
school board of that city. Mr.. Brooks
Siis tbe position made vacant by the
r,,atirement under the pension act, of
Snnt Putney, who has been connected
'T,ith tbe public schools of Gloucester
Cor 35 years, eight as principal of the
Collins Grammar School and q years
os suDerintendent of schools. The
now superintendent will enter upon
bis duties in Gloucester at the opening
of the Fall term on Sept. 8th. He will
receive a salary of $4,000, an increase
of $500 over that received in this city.
Mr.. Brooks name has been under
consideration by the board for about
two weeks. Members of the commit
Too have been in the city interview
ing the candidate and investigating
his work here the past year. Mon
dav Mr.. Brooks visited Gloucester
and met the members of the COM
mittee. He had had a long interview
with John Hays Hammond, one of
the members of the board, who was
favorably impressed with the candi-
date.
The school board held a meeting on
Monday night at which time the
contest had been narrowed down to
three applicants, but before the board
adjourned that night at 11:15 o'clock
TO last evening, Mr.. Brooks election
was assured. The session last even |
ing was brief, the successful candidate |
being elected on the first ballot.
Supt. Brooks was notified of his |
election last evening by Herald |
repOrter. 1t was the first information |
he had received of the outcome of the
meeting and naturally was quite pleas |
ed with the announcement.
In speaking of his work in this city
the past year, the superintendent
said:
"No one can say that I haven't
worked hard during my year in this
city. The results, 1 think, speak for
themselves"
Among the many improvements
and innovations which have been
started the past year mentioned by
Mr.. Brooks were: School gardens
dental clinic, vacation schools, school
banking, revised course of study in
the high school, securing of a visiting
nurse from the Society of Prevention
Of Cruelty to Children, arranging for
physician from the DanVers Asylum
to test the mentality of backward chill
dren, the practical abolition of tardi-
ness in scholars and the raising of
the average of attendance at school
two or three per cent.
81 have learned to love the pupils"
said Mr.. Brooks. 1.-THE children al
ways greet one with affection and re-
spect, and to mention a case in point,
on the last anniversary of my birth
was the recipient of over 200 post
cards and five birthday cakes sent me
from the school children in the vari-
Gus grades of the schools"
Mr.. Brooks had good word for the
teachers also. He spoke of their un- ,
va 4AAb IAANA 6g AOA Tic WC4lclAC u NAAC /
pupils and the loyalty they had shown !
him in the common cause. ,
In speaking of the city in general ,
the superintendent said he was sorry
to leave as he had become attached r
to the city and had made many true :
and firm friends. :
Il think, however" concluded Mr.. :
Brooks, that your cumbersome form ]
OF government blankets the real SEN
timent and progressiveness of the peo
pie and doesn't give an adequate ex-
preston. I say this because 1 have
found the community at large so re-
sponsive to my many appeals for the P
welfare of the children. f
Gloucester has a population of 25,- b
JVV and has total enrolment of A. e
5IO pupils, housed in 2S school build b
ngs. The total enrolment in this
city is about 1000. o
Mr.. Brooks was elected superintend- \
INT OF the puplic schools year ago,
'Goming here from Natick. He was re- c
lected this year but had not formally
ecepted the election. He is a man o
i untlring energy, progressive ideas n
ma wonderful knack of winning the
nendship and loyalty of both pupils r.
uu teachers. He is this summer TAX
lg special course of study at Har- oi
ard University.