Norwood annual report 1923-1927, Part 12

Author: Norwood (Mass.)
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1656


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The Acquisition of Building Sites


During the year 1923, on the recommendation of the School Committee, supported by the Finance Commission, the Town has purchased additions to the grounds of the Shattuck School and the Winslow School; and on like representation of the need of further grounds for future extension of the Balch School, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sumner Bird made a present of 62 adjoining acres. The School Committee recommends that this gift be memorialized by giving to the tract the name "Bird Park." The above


mount


grounds


named purchases and gift provide for such building extensions as may be needed in the Shattuck, Winslow and Balch districts for an indefinite future-besides which South Norwood has adequate grounds for a public park in the center of the district, extending from the reservation for Balch School grounds to the Neponset River.


Norwood has also been especially fortunate in acquiring grounds ade- quate for the new senior high school development without cost. The generosity of the Norwood Housing Association was prevailed upon to


.


TO PROSPECT ST-+


BELLEVIEW


JUMPS SHOT PUT POLE VAULT


SAST, DALL


FOOT BALL FIELD


----


H


VOLLEY BALL


BASKET BALL


-


ETC


FOOT BALL : FIELD


E


BASE BALL DIAMOND


TENNIS COURTS


ICE HOCKEY


TENNIS COURTS


P


A


R


BOWLING GREEN


BOWLING GREEN


FUTURE


FUTURE


HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING


FUTURE


FUTURE


A


NICHOLS


STR


E


EXTENSION


15


15


40173


WEST.


TOWN OF NORWOOD PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL LOT SCALE OF FEET 100


200


ARTHUR A SHURTLEFF 11 BEACON STREET


LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT DUSTON MASS


MENT ON FIELD


197


MAP II .- SHOWING THE POSSIBLE BUILDING EXPANSION WITHOUT ENCROACH-


AVE


TETHER BALL ETC


k


198


obtaining a price on 10.55 acres of land, optioned for such use before the January Town Meeting-the price at which it was offered being $12,902.31. Following a vote to purchase at this price, Hon. Frank G. Allen offered to contribute the amount to the town treasury, which offer was accepted by appropriate resolution. On representation of the School Committee that the amount of ground should be increased to 13 acres, land was contributed by Mr. George F. Willett, which, when surveyed, enlarged the tract to 13.82 acres. That this gives to the Town an unusually well located site for the new Senior High school with ample grounds for future expansion and for the development of a physical training program, may be seen from the accompanying maps (pages 195 and 197). From the first, it will be seen that the site chosen is almost exactly at the geographical center of the Town, when approached from the east, south and west; the second shows the pro- posed lay-out and possibilities of building extension without encroachment on the field. These several acquisitions referred to above have provided the community with all the school grounds which it will probably need for an indefinite future-except in East Norwood where a site should be arranged for as soon as possible before land adapted to an elementary school use is built upon.


Table II. Showing Average School Membership Since 1912


Increases before, after and during the War


School Year


Average Membership


Increase each year 93


3 years


Average


1912-1913


1707


1913-1914


1839


132


1914-1915


1990


151


390


130


1915-1916


2097


107


1916-1917


2163


66


1917-1918


2250


87


232


77}


1918-1919


2329


79


1919-1920


2461


132


1920-1921


2629


168


1921-1922


2681


*52


As at December 1, 1922


2863


182


679


1692


(As at September 17, 1923


2971)


Membership for Decem- ber, 1923


3000


137


* Entrance Age raised.


The Increasing School Attendance


The measure of school building needs is the school population to be ' served. The problem of the immediate future can best be stated in terms of the increasing demands registered in attendance and the fair deductions to be drawn therefrom with respect to the future.


Supplementing the information contained in the Annual School Report


199


prepared as of December 31, 1922, the School Committee submits the following information. This is done to get before the Town the fullest information available as the basis for considering what the requirements are for bringing the school building equipment up to the present and im- mediate future demands. Table I as it appeared in the last report gives the average school membership each year since 1912. This with added data appears on page 198 as Table II ..


Average Attendance by Grades


In planning for school buildings, however, it is necessary to know the character of structure, having in mind the different grades of school work to be carried on. The basis for such calculation is found in Table III which follows. The only addition made to the table shown in the last annual report is the insertion of 1922-1923 statistics together with the actual membership on the closing day of school before the Christmas vacation.


Table III. Showing Membership by Grades and Losses from Year to Year in Going from Grade to Grade


Membership


Losses Between Grades


Remarks


Grade


Dec. 1 1921


Dec. 1 1922


Sept. 17 1923


1922


1923


Senior High


283


307


326


57


48


12


67*


91*


76*


11


11


11


102*


87*


107


27


22


10


114*


129


143


19


15


* Small numbers probably due to with- drawals for war in- dustries during years 1916 to 1918. See these in table above.


Junior High


579


628


688


71


75


9


148


158


190


33


29


8


191


219


227


21


24


7


240


251


271


17


22


Elementary


1826


1902


1938


23


47


6


268


293


292


7+


6


5


286


298


311


3+


10


+ Increases.


4


295


321


322


13


5.


3


334


337


308±


14


(į20)


2


351


286 ±


321


6


46


1


292 ±


367


374


# Membership re- duced by increasing entrance age.


Special


19


200


Estimated High School Requirement up to 1928


Using the foregoing figures as the basis of calculation it is clear that Norwood must look forward to providing each year in the immediate future about 170 additional seats. On the basis of past experience, in losses each year going from grade to grade, the estimated Junior and Senior High School requirements will be as follows:


Table IV. Estimated Junior and Senior High School Requirements for the Next Five Years


Year


Junior High


Senior High


Total


(Sept. 17) 1923


685


322


1007


1923-1924


715


363


1078


1924-1925


793


459


1252


1925-1926


854


562


1416


1926-1927


855


661


1516


1927-1928


885


735


1620


The method used in making the above calculation is to take the regis- tration as of September 17 (the date as of which the last grade analysis was made) and to deduct from the numbers of registrants accumulated losses in passing from year to year as shown by table. In taking these figures as our base, these facts should be taken into account: (1) That the registration for September 17th is smaller than in December. (2) That during the years 1916 to 1919 labor demands and high wages offered un- usual inducement to boys and girls of high school age to remain in indus- try. Therefore, the estimate shown above would not seem to be an over- statement or probabilities-the totals indicated being below the estimate made by Mr. Leonard W. Grant, Principal of the Senior High School.


III. INCREASE IN THE COST OF PUBLIC EDUCATION


Coming now to the financial aspect of the school problem: We may begin with a statement of the cost to the Town of the existing buildings and grounds; these represent an investment by the tax-payers amounting to $713,145.39, as shown in Table V, on the following page.


The old Everett building and grounds have been left out of the table for the reason that the building has been condemned as unfit for use, and the grounds have been indicated in the report of the Town Planning Com- mission as a reservation for park purposes. Dividing the total amount invested in Elementary schools ($310,010.28) by the actual membership in grades 1 to 6 (1957) this gives a capital cost to the Town for each pupil in these grades of $158.41; dividing the present High School cost ($403,- 135.11) by the seating capacity when it shall have been converted to Junior High School use (780) this gives a capital cost for each pupil in grades 7


7


201


to 9 of $516.84. The total and pupil cost of Senior High computation must be left for future determination, for the obvious reason that the Senior High School Building Committee was not appointed until Decem- ber 28 ult., and has not yet advanced its work to the point of receiving estimates.


Table V. The Town's Investment in School Properties


Schools


Buildings


Grounds


Totals


Elementary:


Balch.


$136,118.79


$ 8,500.00


$144,618.79


Beacon


12,996.53


3,249.73


16,246.26


East.


8,023.09


657.00


8,680.09


Guild.


28,530.73


2,121.00


30,651.73


Shattuck.


34,674.17


10,769.52


45,443.69


West


4,868.99


500.00


5,368.99


Winslow


44,119.81


14,880.92


59,000.73


High School


371,566.78


31,568.33


403,135.11


Totals .


640,898.89


72,246.50


· · 713,145.39 .


While the cost of school buildings in recent years has been increasing, due to change in type and advancing prices, by far the largest item in Town finance is the current expenses for the operation and upkeep. During the last ten years the cost of maintenance has gone up "by leaps and bounds"-to such an extent, in fact, that some of our publicists have ques- tioned whether local communities can afford to put so much of their income into public education-claiming too that much of the increase has been due to added features which may be properly designated as "fads and frills," detracting from rather than enhancing the value of the educational system. This is a challenge which calls for the exercise of judgment based on knowl- edge of facts. Before the citizens of Norwood are asked to support recom- mendations for a further increase in school appropriations they are en- titled to know: (1) what the increases in cost of education have been; (2) what have been the causes of these increases; (3) how and to what extent, if at all, further increase may affect adversely the prosperity of the community; (4) what relation the total cost of education bears to total income; (5) to what extent the community is becoming encumbered and will become further encumbered by carrying out the educational program recommended by the School Committee; and (6) how the indebtedness incurred and recommended will affect the tax rate. Tables VI to XII, which appear in the text that follows, have been prepared with a view to furnishing the community with concrete information on these several points.


202


What the Increase in Cost of Education Has Been


Since 1912 (the year indicated in the Town Planning Report as one of marked change in the growth and financial policy of the Community) the amount appropriated for school purposes increased $177,209.42-i. e., from $59,907.76 to $237,117.18. The cost per pupil has increased from $34.76 in 1912 $85.02 in 1923. The progressive increases are shown in Table VI below. The budget estimate for 1924 is approximately $250,000 and the membership about 3000.


Table VI. Increase in Amounts Expended for School Support from 1912 to 1923 with Cost per Pupil


Year


Amount Expended


Average School Membership


Average Cost per Pupil-All Schools


Popula- tion


Cost per Capita


1911-12


$ 56,104.91


1614


$34.76


1912-13


59,907.76


1707


35.10


1913-14


70,347.59


1869


37.64


1914-15


72,250.98


1989


36.33


(1915)


1915-16


77,953.58


2097


37.17


10,977


$ 7.10


1916-17


81,721.13


2163


37.78


1917-18


91,555.40


2250


40.69


1918-19


102,170.95


2338


43.70


1919-20


141,772.54


2461


57.61


(1920)


1920-21


186,551.17


2629


70.96


12,627


14.77


1921-22


213,340.77


2681


79.58


1922-23


237,117.18


2789


85.02


Considering the fact that Norwood supplies schooling to certain persons outside of the Town it is of interest to know the present cost per pupil as made up of appropriations, plus interest on the cost of plant-divided as between elementary and high schools and carrying to each class a due proportion of the "overhead." This information will be found in Table VII on the following page.


What Have Been the Reasons for this Increase in Cost


For the purpose of considering the reasons for this increase a two-year period is taken-the years being especially significant will appear in further discussion. From Table VI above is to be noted that the amount of appropriation for schools increased from $56,104.91 in 1912 to $186,551.17 in 1921-the increase being $130,446.26 or 233% of the amount expended at the beginning of the period under review. If we are to think on the reasons for this and the subsequent increase we must take into considera-


203


tion the following factors: (1) The decrease in the purchasing power of the dollar; (2) the increase in school membership, as well as (3) changes in curriculum, the "fads and frills" or whatever we may call this third or remaining factor. An analysis of increased cost of these lines is shown in Table VIII.


Table VII. Annual Cost of Education for the Year 1923


Schools


Expenditures 1923


43% interest on cost of


plant


Total


Direct cost per pupil


based on enrollment of


September 17, 1923


Weighted per pupil in- cluding overhead


Elementary


$169,755.62 64,984.00


$13,950.46 18,141.08


$183,706.08 83,125.08


$ 71.76 128.55


$ 77.44


High Miscellaneous* Administration


3,352.77 7,758.40


3,352.77 7,758.40


Totals


245,850.79


32,091.54


277,942.33


* Includes: Evening school, vacation school, and tuition.


Table VIII. Analysis of Increase in Cost of Education for the Period 1912 to 1921 Inclusive


Reasons for Increase


Appropriations


Increase


Decreased Purchasing Power of $


Increased Member- ship


Changed Standard and Other


Elementary High Administration and Other


$ 95,573.33 31,461.82


$43,008.00 14,157.82


$36,891.31 12,144.26


$15,674.02 5,159.74


3,411.11


1,535.00


1,316.69


559.42


Total


130,446.28


58,700.82 (45%)


50,352.26 (38.6%)


21,393.18 (16.4%)


Increased Cost Due to the Decreased Purchasing Power of the Dollar


· In assigning the decrease in the purchasing power of the dollar as a cause of increase in the cost of education, we are following the common practice.


163.71


204


What the depreciation of the dollar has been may be a subject of contro- versy; but that it should be taken into account is beyond question. For the factor of depreciation applied to this particular period we are without an accepted guide in the published school reports so far as they have come to the attention of this Committee. In the report of the Educational Finance Inquiry Commission, prepared under the auspices of the American Council on Education, recently published, covering the period of 1910 to 1920, the factor of 51% depreciation is used. In other words their cal- culations are based on the assumption that the dollar in 1920 would buy only 49% of the amount which it would buy in the year 1910. Using the index numbers compiled by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com- merce of the Department of Commerce, Washington (the prices of 404 standard commodities in 1913 being taken by them as 100-the new basis for index numbers) in the index numbers for the years 1912 to 1921 inclu- sive, are as shown in Table IX-to which has also been added the index numbers in whosesale prices, as published by the Department of Labor. The dates 1912 to 1921, inclusive, are taken for two reasons: (1) because 1921 is the last date for which the "statistical abstract" of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce is available; (2) because these numbers give us the data for a five-year average before we went into the War, and five years after-an average of five years being taken for our factors as a safer guide for measuring the increased cost of living than the prices of a single year; and it is upon this basis that salary increases are justified.


Table IX. Increase in Prices Shown by Index Numbers Published by National Government


Year


Department of Labor


Department of Commerce


Average for Five Years


1912


97


99


1913


100


100


1914


100


98


105


1915


103


101


1916


128


127


1917


183


177


1918


206


194


1919


215


206


190


1920


225


226


1921


132


147


Increased Cost Due to Growth of School Membership


From Table VI it will be seen that the total school membership in 1912 was 1614; in 1921 the total membership was 2629; the increase for the ten-


205


year period being 1015 or 62.9%. The Elementary membership in 1912 was 1436; in 1921 it was 2260; the increase for the ten-year period being 824 or 57.3%. The High School membership in 1912 was 178; in 1921 it was 369; the increase for the ten-year period being 191 or 107.3%. Using the percentage of increase of membership in all grades as a factor in accounting for the added cost, this would amount to $50,352.26 as shown in Table VIII. The population of the Town in 1910 was 8,014; in 1920 it was 12,627; the population increase for that period was 4,613 or 57.5%. From this reckoning it will be seen that increase in school membership in grades 1 to 8 was about the same as the population increase; the increase in grades 9 to 12 inclusive, however, (the old four year high school period) exceeded the population increase by 50%. That this experience is not pe- culiar to Norwood appears from the available statistics of Massachusetts and other states. The report recently published showing comparative results for the ten-year period 1910 to 1920 in New York City and State, for example, indicates that, whereas the population increase was 15%, the elementary school membership increased 19%, and the high school mem- bership increased 72%.


Increased Cost Due to Raising Educational Standard


From one view-point, the high percentage of increase in school member- ship as compared with population, as well as the longer average attendance of pupils characterizing the last ten years, may be said to be due to raising the educational standard. The compulsory education law has had its effect in giving opportunity to children whose parents were unfriendly to education and desired to exploit them as wage earners; the breaking down of class lines and the outreaching of wage-earning parents for training for their children which would enable them to rise above the restrictions of ignorance; the increasing breadth given to the school curriculum adapting it in the higher grades to the interests of all, instead of limiting it to the needs of pupils who intended to go to college; all these and other influences have served to increase the membership of the public schools. But the subject which has led to much criticism of late is suggested by the invidious phrase "fads and frills." It has been to the so-called "enrichment" of the curriculum that a considerable part of the increased cost has been ascribed. On this point, Table VIII is informing. These and similar data which have been collected from other places show conclusively that this type of reasoning about the public schools is not well founded. After taking into account the depreciation of the dollar and increased membership, a very small part of the increase in cost of education, only 16.4% is assignable to all other causes. And Norwood is not an isolated case in this respect. A like result is shown by the report to which reference is made above covering the experience of New York City and State with a combined school mem- bership of over two million pupils. And the same conclusion may be arrived at by a priori reasoning. For what the change in curriculum has done has been to offer new or different courses of study without increasing


206


cost except the small margin of inerease in courses in the sciences and man- ual training, etc. The largest element of cost is salaries and wages, and in this respeet it costs as much to teach Latin, or English, or History as it does to teach dressmaking, or typewriting, or woodworking.


How and to What Extent the Further Increase May Affect the Prosperity of the Community


Norwood is a self-supporting town. For its prosperity and development as a community it depends on its industries-from which the ineomes of most of the parents and tax-payers are derived. In considering whether Norwood has been or will be put to an economie disadvantage by reason of the increasing cost of education, it is necessary to ascertain whether, as a matter of fact, it is laying on its business undertakings greater burdens than are its competitors in Massachusetts and other states. For our in- formation with respect to other Massachusetts towns our first authority is the report of the State Department of Education. From this we find that the cost of education here is not disproportionately high. Comparing the cost of education in Massachusetts with other states, we find the facts to be that this State stands almost at the bottom of the list. For purposes of comparison, the following table has been prepared:


Table X. Percentage of State and Local Expenditures Going to Educa- tion in the Year 1920


Cotton and Textile


Leather, Metal Working, etc.


Clothing and General Mfg., etc.


New England Competitors


Mass.


· 20.3


Mass.


20.3


Mass.


20.3


Mass. 20.3


Miss.


21.1


Ky.


22.0


N. Y.


19.3


R. I. 19.4


S. Car.


21.2


Mo.


24.8


Del.


20.7


Vt.


26.4


Fla.


25.8


Mieh.


27.4


Ohio


21.8


Conn.


27.0


N. Car.


30.7


Tenn.


28.4


III.


28.6


N. H.


27.2


Ga.


32.2


Minn.


28.9


W. Va.


31.8


Me.


27.4


Va.


36.5


Wisc.


31.3


Penn.


33.4


Ala.


37.5


Colo.


32.8


N. J.


36.8


Tex.


43.3


Kan.


33.1


Fla.


44.7


In eost per capita, both New York and Rhode Island paid more for educa- tion in 1920, the year as of which we have eomparative data, than Massa- chusetts; New York's per capita being $58.66; Rhode Island's per eapita being $53.12; and Massachusetts' per capita being $51.66.


Relation of Total Expenditures for Schools to Total Income


Another basis for considering whether we are paying out too much for education is to be found in comparison of this item of expenditure with incomes. We cannot give the figures for Norwood because we have not the income statistics, but we have them for the State compared with other


207


states. In 1920 Massachusetts ranked 7th in income per capita, and 15th in school expenditures per capita-the proportion of income paid out for this purpose being 1.2%. On this basis Massachusetts stands below all other New England States, and far below all the Middle and far Western States,-being on a par with the average of all the Southern States. From these and other data which might be brought to bear on the question of comparative cost it appears that Norwood is not being put to an economic disadvantage by reason of either the past or prospective educational ex- penditures.


Extent to Which Town Will Become Encumbered with Debt in Carrying Out Recommended Program


Assuming that the recommended steps are taken with a view to over- coming the remaining building shortage and meeting the present educa- tional demand (by an additional appropriation of the sum of $200,000 for a new Senior High School at the next Town Meeting, and an appro- priation of $220,000 for an East Norwood Elementary school and grounds the year following with $60,000 a year thereafter)-and assuming that the money needed for these uses were borrowed on 20-year bonds except the $200,000 authorization noted below-Table XI shows how this would affect the school debt.


Table XI. School Debt January 1, 1923, and Estimated Total School Debt Each Year Following to 1930


Year


School Debt as of Jan. 1


Automatic Retirements


Remaining Debt


Proposed Borrowing


1923


$392,800


$31,700


$361,100


$ 1,300


1924


362,400


52,000(a)


310,400


50,000(b)


1925


360,400


48,700


311,700


250,000 (c)


1926


561,700


48,700


513,000


60,000(d)


1927


573,000


47,700


525,300


100,000(e)


1928


625,300


50,700


574,600


120,000(f)


1929


694,600


56,700


637,900


60,000(g)


1930


697,900


59,700


638,200


60,000


(a) This is based on the assumption that the Legislature will require $20,000 to be added to the tax requirements for 1924 as a condition attached to the authorization of a further $200,000 loan to complete the Senior High School Building, and that $13,000 will be the automatic retirement thereafter.


(b) For this purpose it is assumed that not more than $50,000 out of the Senior High School authorization will be spent before January 1, 1925.


(c) It is assumed that $250,000 will be needed to meet contraets and other construction costs during the year 1925. >


(d) It is assumed that $60,000 will be needed to build a six-room addition to the Junior High School in 1926.


(e) It is assumed that $220,000 may be authorized for an East Norwood Elementary School and that $100,000 of this amount may be expended in 1927-the need for which is cliscussed in this report.


(f) Estimated balanee needed to complete East Norwood Elementary Sehool.


(g) Assumed amount needed for addition to Balch School Building.


208


Effect Which Proposed Appropriations Will Have on the Tax Rate


Another subject of financial concern is the estimated annual increase in the tax rate due to the added interest charges, and debt retirements, in case the recommended building program is carried through on the dates and in the manner proposed.


Table XII. Estimated Annual Increase in Charges Against Taxables


Year


Increase in school debt


over January 1, 1923


Increase in interest


charge


Increase on account of


debt retirement


Total increased charges


Estimated property


valuation in millions


Increase in taxes per


thousand


1924


-$ 30,400


-$1,672


+$20,300




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