USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1915-1922 > Part 122
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A Five Year Look Ahead in Cost of Building
From all the data available it seems that if the Town should arrange to spend $100,000 a year for the next five years, it would then have over- come all its arrears in educational equipment and thereafter could reduce its building requirements to about $50,000 a year. In sequence of acquisition, construction and equipment improvements should take the fol- lowing order:
1st year-Acquisition of sites, equipping Balch School basement as temporary auditorium, and starting the first half of Junior High School.
2d year-Continued construction and equipment of Junior High.
3d year-Completion of Junior High and grounds, and construction of auditorium, Senior High.
.
$42,000
Everett extension
229
4th year-Addition to elementary schools.
5th year-Addition to elementary schools.
The most proximate elementary school necds are two: a building to supplant the Everett, and a new structure for East Norwood residents.
How This Would Affect the School Debt of the Town
Assuming that the entire program were approved and construction were carried forward with borrowed money the school debt would be affected as follows:
Table III.
Estimated totals of school debt December 31, each year, in case whole proposed program is put through on borrowings
School Debt.
Date as of January 1
Amount
Automatic Retirements
Remaining Debt
Proposed Borrowing
1923
$392,800
$30,700
$362,100
$100,000
1924
462,100
35,700
426,400
100,000
1925
526,400
40,700
485,700
100,000
1926
585,700
45,700
540,000
100,000
1927
640,000
46,000
594,000
100,000
1928
694,000
49,700
644,300
50,000
1929
694,300
52,200
642,100
50,000
1930
692,100
54,700
637,400
50,000
Thus by carrying out the program proposed the school debt would continue to rise over a period of six years when it would reach the maximum of $694,000; and on the eighth year it would begin to decrease due to the fact that the automatic retirements would excecd the borrowing.
How the Proposed Borrowing Program Would Affect the Tax Rate
This leads to the second financial question. How would the proposed building program affect the annual tax rate? The only way this can be answered is to consider the amount of the debt incrcases, the added in- terest and retirement charges and the probable assessed valuation, a com- putation of which is shown below:
230
Table IV.
Estimated annual increases in charges against taxation over rate for 1922 in case whole proposed school program is put through on borrowings as indicated above.
Year
Increases in
School Debt
Over 1922
Increase in
Interest
Charge
Increase in
Debt
Retirement
Total
Increased
Charges
Estimated
Valuation
in Millions
Increase
Per $1,000
1923
$ 69,000
$ 3,100
$ 5,000
$ 8,100
19.9
0.40
1924
134,000
6,030
10,000
16,030
20.5
0.77
1925
193,000
8,685
15,000
23,685
21.1
1.12
1926
247,000
11,115
20,000
31,115
21.7
1.45
1927
301,000
13,545
25,000
38,545
22.3
1.73
1928
301,000
13,545
27,500
41,045
22.9
1.80
1929
299,000
13,455
30,000
43,455
23.5
1.85
For this purpose the interest is figured at 42%; the retirement increases 5% on the new issues; the annual increased valuation $600,000-this being only $100,000 more than the value of new buildings constructed last year, which having in mind the shortage in dwellings and stores would seem to be conservative. In other words the increase in taxes for a person who owns a residence valued at $5,000 would be $2.00 the first year and at the end of five years would amount to $8.65 a year-the maximum increase being about $10.00, after which the annual charge would be reduced.
The Effect of the Proposed Introduction of Parochial Schools
One other element in the problem has been often mentioned. When members of the Committee have brought the present and future need to citizens, frequently the question has been raised, "What about the propo- sition to start parochial schools here?" This subject has been taken up and frankly discussed with the pastor of the Catholic Church. His answer is: As affecting the present situation and the needs of the next six years the proposition should be ignored; in any case it could not affect the High School situation; it would probably be two or more years before such a school would be opened; and when opened it would begin with perhaps two rooms in the first grade, then would be gradually added to at the bottom. The School Committee, therefore, is of the opinion that in any event no part of the construction program which in this report is brought to the attention of the Town, would be affected during the first four years, and in case the Town grows, then not at all. In any event, after the High School needs and the needs which are now before us have been met, the future plan can be modified to suit the cir- cumstances.
231
A Question of Standards
Whether the citizens of Norwood who own or pay rent on a $5,000 dwelling may think it worth while to pay from $2 to $10 per year more to provide facilities such that the schools may be conducted in an orderly and effective manner is a matter of civic standard. And in this relation we have before us some very interesting facts. In the State of Massa- chusetts there has been a disposition on the part of property owners to keep the school taxes down, with the result that since 1900 Massachusetts has fallen from first place among the American states-standing now the ninth in rank, in point of her public school facilities. While the states of the Middle West and Far West have been going ahead, New England has been continuously falling behind. Connecticut stands 11th, Rhode Island 26th, New Hampshire 30th, Vermont 32d, and Maine 35th. This is from the report prepared for the Sage foundation by Dr. Leonard P. Ayers, an outstanding educational expert. Norwood cannot correct conditions outside her own town limits; but we as a citizen group are charged with responsibilities for doing our part. And we have some very concrete things to think about. During the last ten years our in- dustries have brought thousands of people here from countries having inadequate public schools; and many of these have not yet learned our language. According to the 1920 national census we had 943 persons in our midst above 10 years of age who could neither read nor write English- 9.7% of the population above that age; and according to our town census, which was not as complete as the federal, taken in 1922, we had 909 (9.3%) -- 231 of whom could not read or write in any language. That is, 25% of our foreign born population who cannot read or write English are wholly illiterate and 15 of these are between the ages of 10 and 21. In illitcracy we have the fourth place among 355 cities and towns in the State, the only places which have higher percentages being Fall River (11.9%), New Bedford (12.1%), Easthampton (16.2%). Against our 9.7% stands the City of Boston with only 4%, and other municipalities running down as low as 2-10 of one per cent in Brookline. The question before us after all is one of standards.
FREDERICK A. CLEVELAND, Chairman, EDWARD F. BRENNAN, FLORENCE M. FIELD, ARTHUR S. HARTWELL, JULIA R. O'BRIEN, BRAINARD A. ROWE,
Members of the School Committee.
February 15, 1923.
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232
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee of Norwood:
In the administration of a school system, sure and permanent progress is made only when the citizens of the community understand what is being done and why. The following report is an attempt to set forth the essen- tial facts in the conduct of the Norwood schools.
Teaching Staff
During the past year the percentage of withdrawals from the teaching force has still further decreased (17% in 1921 and 15% in 1922). More than half of the withdrawals were for marriage or other family reasons.
Last February the community suffered great loss in the death of Mr. Isaiah A. Whorf, who had just effected the reorganization in January of the two upper Junior High School classes in the new wing of the High School building. Mr. Whorf served as a principal in the schools of Nor- wood for nearly twelve years, during which time his influence for good touched the lives of a large number of the young people of this community.
In June, Miss Florence Hill, teacher of a fourth grade at the Shattuck School, retired after more than forty-two years of faithful and inestimably valuable service. Her devotion to her work was boundless and an in- spiration to us all.
Miss Agnes Curtin resigned in June, after nineteen years of service in the Balch School. This community is much indebted to her for the effi- cient service she has rendered.
Professional Study
Tffe efficiency of a school system is dependent in a large measure upon the professional attitude and growth of the teaching force. Norwood teachers devote much time to study as is shown by the following list of earr ed credits for approved professional improvement courses pursued in 1922:
Name of Course
Number Completing
Course With Credit 31
Training for Citizenship
(Number taking course, 91)
Mental Measurements 17
4
Course in English . 3
Art of Writing. 2
Constructions in Plane Geometry
Psychology . 2
Accounting III and IV
1
Play and Recreation
1
Advanced English Composition . 1
Advanced Commercial Correspondence 1
233
Government of the United States
1
Vocational Guidance Il and III.
1
Social Studies in High School. 1
Elements of Fine Arts . 1
Marketing I and II
1
General Economics I and II
1
Accounting
1
Law I.
1
Money and Banking.
1
Course in Correct English .
1
Teaching Citizenship to Children and Young People. 1
Primary Project.
1
Fundamentals in Teaching.
1
Project Method in Citizenship
1
Course for Special Class Teachers
1
Educational Sociology 1
Primary Reading and Language
1
Sgop Methods
1
American Literature 1
As executive officer of the schools it affords me pleasure to have this opportunity to publicly express the appreciation of this department for the valuable service Dr. Frederick A. Cleveland rendercd the community last spring by giving his ability and time in conducting for our teachers a course consisting of a symposium of sixteen one-hour talks by specialists who addressed themselves to the subject, "Training for Citizenship," these being supplemented by assigned work and group conferences for those who desired credit. The point of view gained in the course forms an excellent background for teachers in the work they are doing in revising the courses of study. That the record of teachers in the Norwood system as reflected in credits received for professional advancement work is one of whichi our citizens should be proud appears in the following summary:
Total number of courses completed with credit . 82
Total number of teachers. 105
Number obtaining credit for one or more professional im- provement course during 1922.
56
53%
Number obtaining credit for one course only .
39
37%
Number obtaining credit for two courses.
15
14%
Number obtaining credit for three or more courses
2
2%
Number who received no credit during year for profes-
sional improvement other than experience. 49
47%
Senior High School
Under the efficient leadership of Principal Grant the Senior High School has, in the writer's opinion, steadily grown stronger throughout the year.
234
As indicated in the report of the Principal, elsewhere in this pamphlet, several important changes have been made in courses of study and scope of work to better adapt them to needs and best modern standards. The Courses of Study for 1922-1923 are elsewhere printed in this report.
Junior High School
The Junior High School has been carefully organized and the program of studies offered is in accordance with the subjects suggested in the Massachusetts Junior High School Manual and the best practice else- where.
Following the death of Mr. Whorf last winter, Mr. George W. Allen succeeded to the principalship of the school.
The seventh grades are organized on a departmental plan, but because of the housing conditions no elective work is permitted. The following program of studies is followed for the eighth and ninth years:
Grade 8 Required
Grade 9
Required 5
English
5
English
Literature
3
Reading 2
5
Physical Training 2
Social Studies
5
Chorus 1
6
History 2
Geography
2
Civics 1
2
Music
Household and Man. Arts
2
Cooking and Woodworking } year
Elective
Perspect. Drawing, 2 year
2
(d) French (2) 5
Phys. Training
1
(b) Latin (1) 5
(c) Typewriting 2
(e) History, Ancient 4
Elective
French (1)
3
(Required for college course)
(for pupils electing this course) Cooking 4 Shop 4
Science (Phys. Gccg.)
2
Sewing 4 Drawing 4
Printing
3
Drawing: freehand
2
English Grammar (College course)
mechanical 4
Typewriting
(for pupils not in M. A. course)
(for Commercial course only)
2
Printing
Business Practice (commercial course) Shop Math. (manual arts course)
(a) French (1) 5
Drawing
1
Hygiene
(f) Elementary Science 4
Household and Manual Arts 8
2
Community Civics and Occu- pations 1
Comp. and Arithmetic
Mathematics Algebra (college course)
2
235
25 periods required weekly, 15 of which must be pre- pared work.
20 periods prepared work required.
(a) Required of pupils preparing for technical school or college.
(b) Required of pupils who elcct the college classical course.
(c) Required of pupils who elect the commercial course.
(d) Required for pupils who have passed French 1 offered Sept. 1922.
(e) Recommended for college classical pupils.
(f) Recommended for pupils who elect college technical course.
(g) No class in an elective will be formed for more than twenty pupils.
HEALTH
The report of the school nurses for the year ending December 31 is an indication of the amount and importance of corrective health work being done in our schools. Last spring a substantial beginning was made in immunizing the school children from diphtheria. More than half the pupils of the Guild School were given the Schick test and the toxin antitoxin treatment. It is planned to extend this valuable work in the other schools as soon as feasible. Much credit is due the school nurses, the school and other local doctors, the State and local Boards of Health for the co-opera- tive carrying on of this work. It is a large and important piece of health work.
An indirect result of the Schick work was the discovery of the exceptional ability of Miss Vera H. Brooks by the State Board of Health and her sub- sequent loss by Norwood. During her four years of service as our school nurse she did much toward laying the foundations of a splendid health program which is being copied by a number of other communities.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The steady growth of the membership of our Senior and Junior High Schools requires more and more use of instructors' time and gymnasium facilities to maintain an adequate physical education program.
Miss Kiley devotes full time to her work as supervisor of physical edu- cation for the grades and for the girls of senior and junior high schools, and Mr. Murray is now employed full time as director of physical educa- tion and athletics for the boys of the senior and junior high schools.
The reputation earned by the high school football team the past two years, not only for winning but for fine clean sportsmanship, is a great tribute to Mr. Murray and to the boys of the team.
Both Miss Kiley and Mr. Murray are getting an increasingly large pro- portion of girls and boys into some kind of sport. A very definite policy is being followed of getting all possible to become participants in sports for the sake of the joy in play, for the development of the body, and most of all for character development. Thoughtful people now recognize physical education as a type of really vital education.
236
GRADING
A critical examination of the table on another page of this report, show- ing membership by agc, sex, and grade December 1, 1922, indicates that there have been altogether too large a number of retardations. Non- promotion is disheartening as well as costly. A careful study is now being made of the records of those who have made slow progress in the grades with a view to finding out the causes and improving the situation.
SOCIALIZED RECITATIONS
The best schools of today recognize the necessity for the learners to take a more active part in the classroom work. Consequently the project method and the socialized recitation have sprung. into prominence. Most of the Norwood teachers are now conducting socialized recitations, some showing rare ability in using this type of educational work.
LENGTH OF FORENOON SESSION
About a year ago the forenoon session of the elementary schools was lengthened from two and three-quarters to three hours. This has effected an increase of school time of practically two full weeks. It is unnecessary to prove the benefits gained by this added time.
GARDEN WORK
Under the leadership of Miss Carbee and with the splendid co-operation of the Norfolk County Training School, Norwood Grange, Board of Trade. and Woman's Club, garden work was conducted last spring for pupils of grades three to nine inclusive. Two hundred and fifty pupils took part in this project. Gardens were visited by experts and prizes awarded.
The success attained the past season amply justifies a continuance of this work.
SCHOOL HOUSING SITUATION
Undoubtedly Norwood has provided better school housing facilities than most communities. The past two years she has responded liberally in providing the additional rooms in the new High School building and an eight room addition to the Balch School.
Much credit is due the committees who had the building of these addi- tions in charge.
The school population of the town is now increasing at an annual rate of about 140.
A tabulation of the school membership on December 1, 1922, together with the membership of December 1, 1921, and the differences are indi- cated below:
237
Grade
Membership Dec. 1, 1922 Dec. 1, 1922
Difference More in 1922 More in 1921
Senior High
P. G. and Spec.
2
6
4
Senior
91
67
24
Junior
87
102
15
Sophomore
129
114
15
Junior High
Ninth
158
148
10
Eighth
219
191
28
Seventh
25
240
11
Elementary
Sixth
293
268
25
Fifth
298
286
12
Fourth
321
295
26
Third
337
334
3
Second
286
351
65
First
367
292
75
Ungraded
24
25
1
2863
2719
229
85
This tabulation shows a gain in total enrollment of 144, notwithstanding the fact that the present second grade is very small because the entrance age was raised a year ago last fall.
The present enrollment of the Senior High is 309 (Grades 10, 11 and 12) and of the Junior High 628 (Grades 7, 8, and 9).
We find a loss between Grades 9 and 10 last year of approximately 15%. On the same basis we may figure a net gain next year (allowing for 7 or 8 from outside the system) of about 50.
Estimated Senior High School enrollment for next year (1923). . 355
Estimated Senior High School enrollment for 1924. 460
Estimated Senior High School enrollment for 1925 (3 years from now) 550
The present membership of grades 4, 5, and 6 (which will be in Junior High three years from now) is 912. Therefore a conservative estimate of the Junior High enrollment three years from now is 900.
In the light of these outstanding facts it becomes imperative that we carefully consider the question of providing adequate housing facilities for the Senior and Junior High Schools either by (1) an ample addition toward the rear to the present Senior-Junior High School building, or (2) by building a new Junior High School plant, centrally located on a plot of several acres.
ILLITERACY
Elsewhere in this report are statistics showing the situation in Norwood with respect to illiteracy. The distribution on the basis of school dis- tricts is as follows:
238
Balch 672
Guild.
35
Shattuck
5
Winslow
182
Only 61 of the 909 are being reached through the Evening School. This raises the question as to whether or not a definite policy for instruction in the English Language ought not to be carried on in the Balch and Winslow districts.
CONCLUSION
The future of this community centers in our children, most of whom are in the public schools. To us, as educators, is given the great oppor- tunity of helping these young people prepare themselves for this citizenship. It is a wonderful privilege, and carries with it the duty of so serving that we may merit the approval of these children when they shall assume their larger responsibilities.
In conclusion, I wish to express my gratitude to the School Committee for their support, and to all others who have helped make our schools better in 1922.
Respectfully submitted,
HERBERT H. HOWES Superintendent of Schools.
January 19, 1923. Mr. H. H, Howes, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Mass.
I submit herewith my second annual report for the High School.
MEMBERSHIP
The membership of grades ten, eleven and twelve on December 1, 1922 numbered three hundred and ten, of which one hundred and seventy-nine were girls and one hundred and thirty-one were boys. This is a gain of thirty-four over the enrollment of last year or nearly the equivalent of the seating capacity of one class room. All but two of the class rooms which are used for home rooms contain forty seats, and the requirement of an additional home room is the equivalent of the requirement of at least one and one-half more recitation rooms.
The registration in grades eight and nine show a total of three hundred and seventy-nine pupils and in the remaining grade of the Junior High School, which comprises the seventh grade at the Everett School and the one unit of the seventh grade in the Guild School, there are two hundred and fifty pupils.
239
Considered by units, there are this year four ninth grade home rooms and six eighth grade home rooms, while the seventh grade requires the entire Everett School building as well as one room in the Guild School.
LOOKING FORWARD
A survey of probable conditions in September 1923 with the opening of school shows that over-crowded conditions will have to be faeed in all grades from the seventh through the twelfth. The greatest congestion will show in grades eight and nine, a eongestion which becomes so great that the double platoon system will have to be put in use. It will, there- fore, be necessary to have the ninth grade attend the morning session which will extend from 8 A. M. to 12.45 P. M., and the eighth grade to attend an afternoon session which will begin at 12.50 P.M. and continue until 5.12 P. M. The many disadvantages of this plan were outlined in my report of last year.
The capacity of the Everett Sehool allows for six seventh grades. Next year provision will have to be made for eight, meaning that the Guild School must be further crowded.
The question has been raised of having the eighth grade in attendance in the morning, owing to their lower average ehronological age. It would not be practical to make this arrangement as the ninth grade should be in attendance at the same time that the tenth grade is, in order that col- laboration between the teaching force of the ninth grade and the high school may be employed wherever possible.
The probable number to graduate in the elass of 1923 is ninety-two while the incoming elass, the present ninth grade, will number one hundred and sixty-a gain of two home room units-meaning a requirement of three additional recitation rooms for grades ten, eleven and twelve.
TEACHING FORCE
There are several new members on the High School Faculty. Their names and the subjects which they teach follow:
Dorothy Abbott
Social studies.
Florence Hayes . Romance languages.
Eleanor Stoekwell Commercial subjects.
Carl E. Smith Science.
The number of persons employed for regular or full time in the High School is fourteen. In addition, there are nine persons employed for part time.
The average number of pupils per teacher is nineteen, slightly below the State average. Things which contribute to the faet that the average number of pupils is below the State average are:
1. Reorganization and changes in course of study, partieularly in the Romance Language Department and the Department of History.
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240
2. Gradual falling off of the election in the Special Departments of Manual Arts and Household Arts, bringing about the formation of several small classes.
3. Continued increase in election of the Commercial subjects, leaving a smaller number of pupils in the third or fourth year classes in the College Classical and Technical groups.
PROGRAM OF STUDIES
Several new courses of study have been added to the High School cur- riculum and in some departments it has become advisable to make changes.
1. New arrangement in the Department of History. Ninth grade- Ancient History.
Tenth grade:
a. European History to 1700.
b. Commercial Geography and Industrial History.
Eleventh grade-Study of Nations and Elementary Economics. Twelfth grade .United States History and Civics.
2. Spanish was first offered as an elective in September, 1921, and at that time a sufficient number chose the subject to make up a division. Twelve of this number continued in second year Spanish. There were sixty-one who elected the subject in 1922, making necessary two divisions. There are indications that the course will be increas- ingly popular and gradually take the place of German in the curri- culum. For pupils of grade ten who elected the course in 1922, it seems advisable that the opportunity should be afforded them, as was the case with German, to take three years of Spanish in order that it may be offered as a major foreign language unit for college entrance.
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