USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > Hatfield Annual Town Report 1958-1963 > Part 13
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A complete list of the school personnel will be found in another section of this report. In reviewing the teach- ing staff situation, we found that one change took place in the high school, two changes took place in the Center School and five changes took place in the Elementary School.
Mrs. Ann Franz, resigned to be at home.
Mrs. Dorothy Schwartz, resigned to be at home. Mrs. Ann Labbee, granted a year's leave of absence. Mrs. Bernice Eaton, resigned to teach in Chicopee. Mrs. Martha Mador, resigned, moved to Connecticut. Mrs. Joan Bissland, resigned to be at home. Mrs. Anne Tierney, elected teacher of grade 3. Miss Ellen Verchot, elected teacher of grade 3. Miss Ann Duda, elected teacher of grade 5. Miss Veronica Frost, elected teacher of grade 5. Mrs. Phyllis Belden, elected teacher of grade 6.
Mrs. Rachel Atkinson, elected teacher of grades 7, 8. Mr. Joseph Savage, elected teacher of grades 7, 8. Mr. Francis Kiely, elected teacher in high school.
Mr. John Besko, elected custodian, with duties in Center and Elementary School.
Mrs. Dorothy Breor, elected principal of Center and Elementary School.
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General improvements for Grades 1 through 12 were: the purchase of teaching aids to assist in better instruc- tion ; new audio-visual equipment was purchased for class- room use; complete sets of maps and globes for the two sixth grades were purchased and in other grades maps and globes were added to meet the educational needs for each particular level. A sound film projector, a stereo high fidelity, two dalite screens, recordings and filmstrips were purchased. These are all portable units that can be used in the individual classrooms to correlate with and supplement classroom teaching in all areas of instruction. These audio-visual aids also give the children much great- er understanding of a topic that is discussed than a mere verbal or textbook presentation. A portable science table, with the essential scientific equipment is available for classroom use in the elementary and the junior high schools. Any scientific experiments that require heat, water, or electricity may be done with this unit.
Venetian blinds have been purchased for the class- rooms in the elementary and junior high schools. The blinds give the teacher a more effective way to control the light in the classrooms.
Reference books and library books have been added to each classroom in the junior high and in the elemen- tary grades, particularly in the science field. The Ency- clopaedia Brittanica Junior, which is on a portable cart, has been put into the guidance room for everyone's use. It is our intent, if possible, to organize a library room at the Center School next year. This will enable the junior high students to have available in a single area all the ref- erence books necessary for any of their research work.
In the high school, new texts were purchased for the commercial department, chemistry and mathematics; new equipment for the language department, commercial department and the science department. Dictionaries
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and a set of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica were also pur- chased and placed on the reference shelf. Science books were also purchased and placed in the science library.
During the summer many changes were made at the Center School to enable the school to open in the fall with only the seventh and eighth grades. All the primary and elementary stationary furniture was removed. Four classrooms had the floors sanded and sealed. In the four classrooms on the first floor, the level of the chalkboards was raised and all chalkboards throughout the building were sanded and sealed. With the purchase of thirty new seating units, all eight classrooms are furnished with modern units and ready for the fall. The upper walls in the cloakrooms were painted and window sash cord in the cloakrooms, health room, office, and supply room were re- placed by chain, which is a safety measure. Retaining walls were also built on both ends of the Center School building.
The trustees of Smith Academy carried out neces- sary maintenance and repairs to the Smith Academy building. Among the major repairs were the complete painting of three rooms and repair of the roof. These were taken care of without cost to the town. The trus- tees have been very co-operative in maintaining the build- ing.
The time schedule in the junior high was changed to correspond with that of the senior high school. Now classes begin at 8:30 and continue until 2:15, with a half hour lunch period. Lunch is served at the town hall cafeteria from 11:20 until 12.
The care and maintenance of the school buildings is a never ending task for our custodians. Their work re- quires many hours each week to keep our buildings in their present good condition.
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Contracts this past year were awarded to the follow- ing concerns : the oil contract and the regular transporta- tion contract to John Maroney, and the vocational trans- portation contract to Frank Sikorski, Jr.
The regular school budget and the vocational school budget for 1961 have been carefully prepared and submit- ted to the town accountant, as required by law. The Hat- field Finance Committee and the School Committee have met and discussed the school budget.
The school committee once again found that the Hat- field Public Schools were eligible for Federal Aid to the public schools under Public Law 874, which assists schools with direct aid if certain qualifications are met for attend- ance by pupils whose parents are employed on federal property. Also, assistance was received under Public Law 864, Titles III and V, which deals with the fields of guidance, science, math and languages. Applications have been made for assistance and the aid received was used to meet current expenses. Surplus materials were also pur- chased from the Federal Government and were used throughout the school system.
The school committee is pleased to acknowledge the interests of the following citizens and civic clubs in the education of our children. The following honors are award- ed to deserving members of the high school graduating class :
American Legion Post Award Hatfield Book Club Award Lions Club Award Woman's Endeavor Society Award
M. Larkin Proulx Award The Parent-Teacher Council Award
Both the superintendent's and elementary principal's reports carry a more detailed account of the activities of the Hatfield Public Schools. These reports were read and
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approved by the school committee and your attention is called to them.
The school committee wishes to extend its apprecia- tion to the superintendent of schools, the principals, teach- ers and employees of the school department, the School Building Committee, the Parent-Teacher Council, town officials, parents and pupils for their wholehearted co- operation.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY F. KULESZA ETHEL I. BYRNE WILLIAM H. BURKE, JR.
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Superintendent of Schools
' To the School Committe and Citizens of the Town of Hatfield:
I hereby submit my third annual report as Superin- tendent of Schools of Hatfield.
Having just finished a decade, we definitely can look to the past with great thanksgiving for the time, effort, ability, enthusiasm and co-operation given by so many people from within this rural community in meeting the objective of providing a sound and equal educational op- portunity for all children in our town.
This past year certainly has been a memorable one for the town of Hatfield and its school system. For on September 14, 1960, the new elementary school opened its doors for grades 1-6. The cafeteria was ready approxi- mately four weeks later and the building was then placed in full operation. For a detailed report about the new elementary school, your attention is directed to the School Building Committee report.
With the housing of grades 1-6 in the new building, this meant, for the present, that grades 7-8 would be housed in the Center School and the School Street School would not be used for classrooms at all but would be used for storage. The high school set-up remained the same, housing grades 9-12.
In the past ten years, there has been more progress in controlling man's environment, more improvements in the conditions of living, greater advances in man's knowl- edge and more demands on education to meet the needs
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of our students, our future citizens, than ever before in the history of education.
In evaluating the present, we realize that if it were not for the professional enthusiasm of our citizens, par- ents and teachers, we would not have been in a position to consolidate our progress to date in meeting this ob- jective as it was stated at the beginning of the last dec- ade. Without these dedicated people, we would not be able to look to the future with renewed vigor and deter- mination to continue to provide the kind and quality of education in keeping with the basic needs of all students irrespective of their capacity.
Looking forward to the future, there is no question that progress will continue at a very rapid pace. The challenge that confronts us in providing an education to meet this progress must be in providing an equal educa- tional opportunity for all and to answer the challenge of quality education proportionate to the abilities, accom- plishments and requisites of our children.
Having considered the past, viewed the present and projected our thoughts into the future, it is our intention to follow the familiar phase of an equal educational op- portunity for all children. If we can continue to strive for our goal of providing an education for all children so that they may take their place in this world and be pre- pared for citizenship which will soon be theirs to inherit, to continue providing adequate housing for the school population and to recruit the best qualified teachers com- parable to those who are in our system at the present time, we can definitely look to the future with confidence and assurance that the children in the town of Hatfield will be provided with the best education possible within the financial capacity of the town and the willingness of its citizens to insist on the best, and the best is the least that we should look forward to.
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The rule regarding the entrance age of pupils is as follows: Any child who attains the age of six during the year in which entrance to the first grade is sought may attend school beginning in September of that year. For example: a child having his sixth birthday on any day, including or between January 1, 1961 and December 31, 1961, may enroll and attend school beginning September 1961.
It is the policy of the Hatfield School Department to hold regular sessions when it is practicable to operate the school buses. Parents are asked to use their own discre- tion as to the wisdom of sending their children to school on stormy mornings. In the event that it becomes neces- sary to cancel school sessions the "No School Signal" will be broadcast over radio station WHMP starting at 6 a.m. and continuing through to 8:30 a.m. The authorities of WHMP request that parents not call the radio station for this information, but listen for the announcements.
An open-door policy is a vital part of our community- centered schools. Our teachers are an integral part of the open-door policy and are willing to help any parent. Par- ents are invited to visit us and see what and how their children learn in the classoom.
National Education Week was observed from Novem- ber 7-11, 1960. Special times were set aside throughout the week for private parent-teacher conferences. The schools held open house on Thursday evening of that week. The large number of parents who visited the schools was heart-warming and once again it showed that interest in the children and schools is high.
Approximately 70% of the graduates of the class of 1960 are attending post-secondary institutions with 40% of this number attending four-year colleges and univer- sities.
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This past summer all of the firefighting equipment of the school system was thoroughy checked. Fire Chief Yar- rows inspected each piece of equipment and made recom- mendations which were followed by the school depart- ment.
A curriculum improvement in the high school has been the addition of a course in junior business math. This course will definitely make our commercial graduates stronger in the mathematics field. Also, an equations club, under the direction of the math department, was started in the high school.
The Massachusetts Division of Employment Security again administered vocational tests to all seniors and con- sulted with each student prior to graduation regarding the results of these tests. The regular testing program at the secondary level includes mental ability, achieve- ment and aptitude tests. The College Board tests are taken by the college seniors at a neighboring school. These are administered nationally and arrangements are made on an individual basis. Also given at the high school was the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude test and the National Merit test.
The bus routes were revised in September and the routes will be adhered to for the remainder of the year. A copy of the present routes follows this report.
Released time for religious instruction was offered again this year. The following times are set aside each week so that pupils may benefit from religious instruction in denominations of their own choosing. Released time started on September 28, 1960, and will end on May 17, 1961.
Wednesday 10:45-11:30 High School Pupils
Wednesday 12:45- 1:30 Grades 6, 7, and 8
Wednesday 1:50- 2:40 Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5
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Mid-year and final examinations were once again held in the high school. Practice teachers were had in the lan- guage and mathematics fields.
Charts concerning past enrollments and predicted fu- ture enrollments follow this report and are placed there for your information and consideration.
For a more detailed report about our elementary schools, your attention is directed to Mrs. Breor's prin- cipal's report.
The past year has definitely been a year of progress. May I extend my deep appreciation to the members of the school committee who have given so generously of their time, energy, and ability, in meeting the educational needs of an ever-increasing school population. To my co-work- ers, both teaching and non-teaching, I give my thanks for their continued co-operation and efforts in providing a sound education program for the children of Hatfield. I also extend my deep appreciation to the town officials, Parent-Teacher Council, and other civic organizations, to individual representatives for their advice and sugges- tions, and to the many others who have contributed to the educational welfare of our future citizens.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN A. SKARZYNSKI
Superintendent of Schools
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Bus Route
Junior and Senior High School
Run #1
From High School to Bradstreet to Main Highway in North Hatfield, left on Main Highway, left to go down Prospect Street, down Chestnut Street to schools.
Run #2
From High School, up School Street, up Chestnut Street, right on Main Highway, to Wolfram's Cor- ner, left to Dickinson's, left down Pantry Road, down Bridge, down Dwight, down Elm, down Maple, down Main to schools.
Elementary
Run #1
From High School, up Bridge Street, (right on Main Highway, turn around at Russell's Soda Shoppe, back down highway, down Bridge), down Dwight, down Elm, down Maple, down Main to Elementary School.
Run #2
From High School up Bridge Street, down Main High- way to Harubin's, turn around, right at Wolfram's to Edward Dickinson's, down Pantry Road, down Main Highway, left down Chestnut Street, down School, down Main to Elementary School.
Run #3
From High School up School, up Chestnut, up Pros- pect, to Main Highway, to Whitcomb's Corner, to Bradstreet Cafe, (left to town line, turn around),
down to Pine Nook, down Main to Elementary School.
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Principal of the Elementary and Junior High Schools
To the School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools:
I wish to submit this fifth annual report as principal of Center School and the Hatfield Elementary School.
Education throughout our nation has undergone a phenomenal growth and change these last few years. The challenges facing the cities and towns of our country have been so tremendous that it has been difficult to keep pace with them. One of the greatest problems has been the increased enrollment in many of the schools. The people of Hatfield can be justly proud of the way in which they have met this challenge with the opening of the new Hat- field Elementary School, which provides for the entire en- rollment of the first six grades. The twelve classrooms will adequately provide for any anticipated increase in en- rollment for several years.
With the opening of the new school, the sixth graders were taken from the departmentalized program of studies for the upper elementary grades. Although these pupils adjusted to this type of program for a number of years through necessity, the administrators have always felt that these children would benefit more if they were under the guidance of a single classroom teacher. The seventh and eighth grades remained at the Center School, where sufficient facilities are available to meet any extensive in- crease in school enrollment in any of the grades from seven through twelve.
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The new school has some fine features which guaran- tee our children an educational program equal to that of other cities and towns. The new modern kitchen facili- ties enabled the administration to establish a hot lunch program within the new school. The junior high and senior high continue to use the facilities at the town hall.
The all-purpose room is just what the name indicates. From 11:40 to 12:30 each day lunch is eaten at portable dining units. Practically the entire student body takes advantage of the hot lunch program.
At one o'clock each afternoon a physical education program is scheduled until closing time at 2:45. Each of the grades from one through four has a half hour period each week. Grades five through six have forty-minute programs. The classes are taught by the classroom teacher. The program includes organized games, rhythms, drills, and team sports. This phase of our educational program has been enthusiastically received by the entire student body. After school hours and during vacation time the junior high basketball team, the high school cheerleaders, the sixth grade boys, etc. use the all-purpose room.
For the first time in the history of Hatfield the ele- mentary children have an assembly hall of their own. The assembly programs, I believe, not only have given our children the opportunity to use and to develop many of their hidden talents, but also have given the students a feeling of unity. It is one way in which school spirit can be developed. It is this spirit of co-operation and unity which does much to aid any school achieve its educational goals.
All liquid duplicating is done in the principal's office where a new duplicator is located. Another feature is the intercom system in the principal's office. The office has instant contact with any and all classrooms. The class-
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rooms, if necessary, may also contact the office by merely pressing a button. The intercom has a built-in radio and any recordings or tapes may also be channeled to the classrooms or the auditorium.
With the fall seeding of the school grounds, it was impossible to use the playground until the seedlings had taken root and grass developed. Our children had their play areas limited to the black-topped surfaces. Grades one through three used the south area and grades four through six used the north surfaced area. In the spring we shall feel free to use all play areas.
Each of the junior high students benefits from a study hall each day. During this period the pupils have the opportunity to seek the aid of any of the junior high teachers.
Both the junior high and the elementary schools were fortunate to have student teachers from the University of Massachusetts and Westfield State Teachers College. Miss Humilia Stefancik, a student from Westfield State Teach- ers College and a hometown girl, did her practice teaching at the junior high in mathematics. With her help, a remedial class in mathematics for the seventh and eighth grade pupils was introduced.
The Hatfield Elementary School and the Center Jun- ior High School have completely revised report cards. These report cards enable us to offer the parents a report that has a uniform marking system from grades one through senior high school. We are using the letters A to F for our scholastic rating in all schools in Hatfield. There are actually two sections to each card, one devoted wholly to the scholastic ratings and the other section giv- ing the character and personal qualities the student pos- sesses. Both of these sections contain important informa- tion about each child. Parents should be concerned about
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unsatisfactory ratings in any section. A child's conduct and his personal qualities have a great bearing on his scholastic rating. Certainly a child whose conduct, etc., is unsatisfactory cannot do as well scholastically. 'This new reporting system in the junior high and in the ele- mentary grades is introduced this year for a trial period. We welcome parental comments and suggestions. These will enable us to provide you with a report that you fully understand and one that can be easily interpreted.
This year the following tests were used in the elemen- tary and the junior high grades :
Primary Stanford Achievement Test Grades 1 to 3
Intermediate Stanford Achievement Test Grades 4 to 6
Advanced Stanford Achievement Test Grades 7 and 8 Otis Mental Ability Test-Alpha Grades 1 to 3
Otis Mental Ability Test-Beta Grades 4 to 8
Scott, Foresman Basic Reading Tests Grades 1 to 3
Parent-teacher conferences were held from Novem- ber 6 through November 12 from 1:45 to 4:30 each after- noon. Children were dismissed at 1:30 each day. Prac- tically every family was represented at these private per- sonal conferences. All conferences in the elementary and the junior high schools were scheduled by the principal who worked out the program so that family members could see all of their children's teachers in one day. Both parents and teachers felt that the conferences were in- valuable as they gave the parent and teacher an oppor- tunity to privately discuss the child. With this type of understanding the home and the school can work together for the betterment of the child.
The Rinehart System of writing is used in our class- rooms under the supervision of Miss Coos, who comes once a month to rate the work done during the previous month. At this time she also introduces some phase of the next
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month's assignment and leaves the work to be done the following month. The children in the first and second grades are taught the manuscript method and the grades three through eight are taught cursive writing. In the junior high everyone has instruction in penmanship once a week, but only those who need extra help received in- struction from Miss Coos. All seventh and eighth graders in this group have a half hour of instruction from the supervisor.
The music program is under the supervision of the music supervisor, Mrs. Norris. She meets with each of the grades from one through eight once a week. It has been necessary to have her two days each week in order to meet with each class. With the co-operation of the administrators and the teachers two musical festivals were held this year, one in the spring and one at Christ- mas time. It is our policy to keep a record of all children in the elementary and junior high who participate in a program. Each year we try to select different children for the musicals so that throughout the children's school career they will have the opportunity to participate in various programs.
Religious instruction classes are held each week on Wednesday. The following is the time schedule:
Grades 2 - 8 12:45 -1:30
Grades 2 - 5 1:50 -2:45
In behalf of the Hatfield school personnel and the children, I wish to thank the Lions Club for the large bicycle rack, which it so generously presented to the school. This gift will always be appreciated by the chil- dren who ride their bicycles to and from school, particu- larly in the fall and in the spring.
Mrs. Agnes Bonneville, a former resident of Hatfield and the widow of Dr. Bonneville, who was a resident doc-
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tor in this community for many years, presented a grand piano to the school. This piano is in the all-purpose room and is a wonderful addition to the school. Since it is the only piano available in the school, it will be used exten- sively by the various musical groups. To Mrs. Bonneville we are deeply indebted. She will long be remembered for her generosity.
The American Legion Post 344 of Hatfield has pre- sented the school with the state flag. The flag will have a place of honor on the stage in the auditorium. It will always be a constant reminder of the historical great- ness of our state and the important part it has played in the establishment and development of our educational system.
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