USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1923-1927 > Part 79
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Per Pupil
Sehools
Direct Expense 1925-26
Interest 43% on Cost of Plant
Total
Direet Cost of In- strue- tion
Gen- eral Adm. and Over- head
Int. on Cost of Plant
Wt. Pupil*
Administration $ 7,321.27 Elementary Junior High Senior High Evening Vaeation
143,534.27 $13,950.46 67,509.63 45,943.00 9,070.54 9,070.54 205.05 622.50
7,321.27 157,484.73 76,580.17 55,013.54 205.05 622.50
$ 69.58 93.09 116.61
$ 7.06 13.30 29.30
$ 2.25 76.64| 106.39 145.91
$ 78.08 106.93
146.18
* This per pupil eost is not to be taken into the reekoning when considering the tax burden. It is signifieant, however, when eonsidering eharges to other towns for children who eome here for their education.
Cost of Education Compared with Other Town Expenses
There has been much discussion of the cost of education compared with other town expenses. To give concrete information on this subject Table IX has been prepared. From Table VII it will be seen that the total expenses against school appropriations for the calendar year 1926 were $296,207, against which the Town received $31,343.41 from state funds. Without taking credit for this for the schools, but apportioning the rebate pro rata over all town activities by credit to the general fund, it will be seen that the ratio of school expense has increased during the last ten years from 30.0% to 37.2%, without considering interest on the bonds issued for school construction. However, it is a question of financial policy as to whether the town will borrow for one kind of an outlay or another. That the Town authorities take money out of tax funds for one kind of construction and borrow money for another kind of construction is no reason for taxing interest and debt retirements against one or another activity. Assuming that the borrowings and direct charges against tax funds were prorated (for street construction, sewers, Town hall, schools, and other improvements for which bonds could have been issued), the re- sulting distribution would be as shown in Table X. Distributing interest and debt-retirment payments pró rata the percentage of school cost for 1926 is 45.80% of the total for the Town.
Actual Pupil Cost
$2.25
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Table IX. Total Direct Expenses for Schools Compared with all Other Departments
Year
Total Expenses of all Departments (Maintenance)*
Maintenance of Schools
All Departments Excluding Schools
Per Cent for Schools
1916
$265,657.00
$ 79,392.00
$186,265.00
30.0
1921
651,782.00
199,533.00
452,249.00
30.6
1926
797,377.00
296,207.00
501,172.00
37.2
* These totals include the cost of all public services without regard to how the money is raised to pay for them.
Table X .. Outlay for Construction and Equipment for Schools Compared with Total for all Departments of the Town
Year
Total Outlay for all Departments*
Total Outlay for Schools
Percentage of Outlay for Schools
1915
$ 32,303.00
$ 1,074.00
1916
70,142.00
444.00
1917
163,563.00
115,825.00
1918
154,353.00
143,969.00
1919
130,502.00
70,473.00
1920
35,459.00
3,135.00
1921
99,352.00
53,321.00
1922
112,962.00
67,125.00
1923
90,442.00
32,406.00
1924
168,105.00
37,664.00
1925
261,816.00
187,625.00
1926
508,004.00
313,998.00
$1,827.003.00
$1,027.059.00
56.2 per cent
* All outlays for electric light, water and cemetery departments have been omitted because they are outlays which are paid out of departmental receipts.
Increasing Tax Rate
The increasing cost of education is necessarily reflected in the tax rate- as is also the increasing cost of other departments of government-as is shown by Table IX. It has already been noted, however, that the pro- portion of the increase in the tax rate chargeable to the schools has not been disproportionate to other branches of public service in Norwood.
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Nor has it been disproportionate to the cost of education in the whole state nor in the United States. What the situation is from the viewpoint of other towns is brought out in Table XI. From this it will be seen that the average direct cost per pupil in Norwood for 1926 (taking the whole system together) was $82.32; that the average cost per elementary pupil was $69.58; and that the average high school cost was $116.61. These data are taken from the report of the State Department of Education, in making up which they are following the old system of considering the first eight grades as elementary and the last four grades as high school. In other words, it is necessary to draw a line in making our report to the State between the first eight grades and the last four instead of following our system of calling the first six grades elementary, the next three Junior High and the last three Senior High. This is done by the State in order that the figures of the towns may be comparable.
Table XI. Showing Amount Spent for Salaries, Number of Teachers, and Average Salary Each Year from 1912 to 1926
Year
Amount Spent for Salaries
Number of Teachers
Average* Salary
1912
$ 37,522.35
56
$ 670.00
1913
42,241.72
65
650.00
1914
43,960.58
72
611.00
1915
52,681.70
74
712.00
1916
55,499.33
76
730.00
1917
61,831.56
77
793.00
1918
63,680.58
78
816.00
1919
73,134.10
86
850.00
1920
108,152.15
89
1,215.00
1921
133,200.47
100
1,332.00
1922
156,304.31
105
1,489.00
1923
168,248.24
106
1,587.00
1924
175,831.65
111
1,584.00
1925
184,233.88
119
1,548.00
1926
202,260.67
127
1,592.60
* For the purpose of determining this average, the cost of substitutes and part-time teachers is loaded on the regular roll. The above average is the total paid all teachers divided by the number of regular teachers.
On the basis of this comparison it will be seen that Norwood stands thirty-sixth in the State in order of cost per pupil. Wellesley stands first, having an average cost per pupil of $133.73, an average cost for elementary
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of $122.37 and high $171.70. In other words, the direct cost per pupil in Wellesley is about 50% more than in Norwood. The cost per pupil in Framingham for all grades is $80.77. The reason is to be found in the fact that the elementary schools are on a lower standard than Norwood, the average cost being $66.00 whereas the high school cost is above that of Norwood, but the proportion of pupils going to the high school in Fram- ingham is smaller than that in Norwood.
Table XII. Comparison of Expenditures by Massachusetts Towns from State Report, 1926
Towns
Expenditure per Pupil
All Pupils
Valuation per Pupil
Tax Rate per $1000
High
Elementary
Amount
Rank
Amount
Rank
Wellesley
$179.70
$122.87
$133.73
1
$15,859
2
$25.00
Brookline
156.76
107.89
117.27
3
26,326
1
19.20
Watertown
146.78
77.62
85.89
28
9,589
12
30.20
Arlington
136.17
76.48
89.82
19
9,506
13
30.00
Framingham
133.13
66.86
80.77
41
7,229
35
30.80
Greenfield
157.91
70.03
87.87
25
7,067
36
29.30
Winthrop
102.65
64.60
72.35
62
7,496
31
25.20
Methuen
89.37
67.88
68.14
70
5,726
52
39.00
Weymouth
99.31
61.07
72.13
63
9,206
14
21.50
Southbridge
88.01
59.71
73.25
60
8,039
25
33.60
Milford
97.60
50.79
61.05
76
5,228
67
28.40
West Springfield
162.35
79.67
93.07
15
8,120
23
30.00
Webster
114.31
67.41
88.64
23
9,120
16
26.20
Plymouth
108.65
82.63
90.17
18
9,804
11
24.00
Wakefield
161.59
59.56
80.23
42
6,311
44
35.60
Clinton
107.13
63.47
77.38
51
8,293
20
21.80
Adams
120.44
67.75
80.92
40
8,279
21
27.00
Norwood
116.61
69.58
82.32
36
7,459
32
26.50
Easthampton
114.86
68.17
82.81
35
8,172
22
26.00
Danvers
99.05
73.53
83.10
34
6,017
47
37.20
Natick
100.02
69.75
79.55
44
4,520
72
44.40
Saugus
118.21
56.12
66.97
72
4,336
73
37.85
Dedham
106.04
65.52
75.85
54
6,868
38
31.20
Belmont
135.92
72.73
84.74
30
9,099
17
30.70
Braintree
135.39
66.71
76.01
53
6,364
43
28.80
Winchester
141.84
75.69
97.76
9
13,905
3
28.00
Northbridge
113.17
64.67
78.36
46
5,059
68
30.00
Amesbury
106.89
73.34
98.08
7
9,037
18
27.10
Attleboro
109.40
68.71
79.50
24
6,169
34
34.70
Walpole
113.71
87.23
94.22
14
7,346
33
31.50
Mansfield
124.32
67.25
78.21
47
5,570
60
38.40
Averages
122.49
71.78
84.20
8,423
29.97
Average expenditure per pupil for the whole state is $88.91.
A comparison may also be made with Walpole and Dedham. Dedham stands a little below in the average pupil cost while Walpole stands a little
248
P above-the chief item of higher cost in Walpole being found in its ele- mentary schools and the chief item of lower cost in Dedham being found in its high school. However, the differences in cost in these nearby towns and in Wakefield, which is perhaps quite comparable in its community setting, is very little. Wakefield's elementary cost is lower, but its high school cost is higher. This further fact is to be noted, that whereas the average pupil cost in Norwood is $82.32, the average for the whole state is $88.91.
How the Tax Rate May be Reduced
Much thinking is being done by the Finance Commission and by citizens as to how the tax rate may be reduced. Of course, the quickest and easiest answer would be to say to cut down your expenses. That is the answer which has been given by some of our outstanding public authorities and not infrequently has this done very great damage to public service. In other words, the cuts have been made without respect to the standards to be maintaincd or whether or not the service is injured. In considering this matter, the School Committee has assumed that the citizens of Norwood having gone to so great a cost and to so great trouble to build up their educational standards would desire to have them maintained if not raised to a higher level. It would seem best, therefore, to turn the thought of the community to consideration of the question as to whether the present or even higher community service standards ean be maintained and at the same time reduce the tax rate. Desirable as it may be to bring in new industries, it is obvious that this will not reduce taxation per capita or per $1,000 valuation. Some encouragement is given from further considera- tion of Table XI, above referred to and commented on. From this Table it will be seen that whereas the average cost per pupil is higher in Wellesley than in any other town in the State, the average amount of taxable property per pupil is higher in Wellesley than in any other town except Brookline. The average valuation per pupil in Wellesley is about double that of Nor- wood so that although the cost per pupil for education in Wellesley is 50% higher than it is in Norwood, the tax rate is about 30% lower.
The foregoing suggests a possible way out of our difficulty not by lower- ing our standards, but by directing attention to improvements which will make the town more attractive to home builders as well as to in- dustries-i.e., to persons who desire to spend more money on their homes than is the average expenditure at present in the town. In other words, the more usual reason given why persons go to Wellesley or to Brookline or to Winehester, or to some other place instead of to Norwood to live is that they arc attracted by a low tax rate. Upon analysis of the social facts, however, it seems morc probable that they go there because they have better facilities, higher standards, a better community environment in which to live and bring up their children; and finding things thus, those who are able to build better homes locate in such towns and thereby help bring down the tax rate to a still lower level. Any improvement, there-
249
fore, which may operate to make Norwood more attractive to the home builders may have the effect of reducing taxation. This point has already been commented upon in previous reports.
An outstanding fact is that at present there are only about 160 out of more than 2200 residences in Norwood assessed at above $10,000. If we had no factories here at all, it would require an assessed valuation of about $10,000 per family to support our present standards-at the present tax rate. Deducting the value of our factories and business properties amount- ing to about 30% of the entire valuation, it will be seen that it now requires an average valuation per family of about $6200. Every family, therefore, who can be brought into Norwood who will erect a home assessed at more than $6200 will contribute to reducing the tax rate; and every family brought to Norwood which cannot invest or pay rent on that much of an investment (assuming that the business or manufacturing properties were not proportionately increased), must add to the town's burden. The answer to the question as to how taxes may be reduced would seem to be- by capitalizing improvements which will make the town more attractive and thus obtaining dividends on the investment through getting enough people to come here to build hones that would be valued at above $6200 to balance the increasing manufacturing population which do not pay rent enough to warrant such an investment. Five hundred new dwellings in Norwood assessed at $10,000 or more would add as much more to the tax roll as an increase of 100% in the manufacturing and business equip- ment without carrying any of the liabilities incident to the employment of property-less workers. This is said without any thought to decry or dis- courage an increase in business or industrial development. The purpose is to emphasize the need for a community program by means of which the industrial development can be balanced by high grade home building. The situation is one which the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and other civic bodies, and the Town Planning Commission might well consider.
The Henry O. Peabody Fund
In this relation, mention should be made of the fund left by Henry O. Peabody (a former resident of Norwood), by will, to be used for construc- tion and endowment of a vocational school for girls. This fund is in excess of half a million dollars. It is in the hands of trustees, one of whom was the late Francis O. Winslow-whose successor is the Honorable Frank G. Allen. Having in mind the manifest interest in the development of the high school program as indicated by the device of studies made by pupils, it is obvious that it would be to the advantage of the school system to have increased facilities for voca ional education. The question is before a committee of citizens who represent the interests of the town in getting before the trustees of this fund such facts as would cause them to look with favor on the use of this endowment to add to our educational equip- ment as a community. Whatever might be the contribution, it would to
250
that extent relieve the town because the pupil for whose benefit the fund was employed would otherwise be entitled to public money until she had reached the age of twenty-one. Furthermore, if a program of education can be worked out which will be adopted and approved by the state, provision is made under state law whereby the state will contribute 50% of the cost of such instruction. On this basis also, assuming that the fund mentioned might be availed of, and a similar curriculum might be made for vocational training for boys that would be approved by the state, thereby enabling the town to avail itself of the cooperation of the state by way of contribution to the cost of the whole prevocational training program. Thereby it would seem possible to add to our educational equipment, set a higher standard than the one which we now have, and at the same time reduce the cost of operation to the town. This subject is here commented on in general terms only as it is under consideration and is receiving the attention of experts. What the outcome of the efforts of the committee may be must be left for the future to determine. It is obvious that if the amount now reimbursed from state funds ($31,343) could be increased to perhaps double that amount it would effect a reduction of several points in the tax rate-assuming that the Peabody fund is adequate to meet the overhead of specialized instruction.
FREDERICK A. CLEVELAND ARTHUR S. HARTWELL EDWARD F. BRENNAN CHARLES J. RICH CHRISTINE L. PROBERT JULIA R. O'BRIEN
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Norwood:
Progress demands that each generation be better educated than the preceding.
Education in earlier times was a privilege held by the few. It is now a right claimed by all. 'More individuals, adults and children are, attending school today and for longer periods of time than ever before.
Education has the double function of holding on to the best of that which has become a part of the history of humanity and of reaching ahead to make the world a better place in which to live.
The forward steps taken by Norwood educationally in the year just closed bear tangible evidence that this community is alive to the truth of the statements just made.
The High Schools
The year 1926 has been a period of marked change and re-adjustment for both the Senior and the Junior High Schools. The new Senior High School was ready for occupancy for opening of school in September and great appreciation and thanks is due those public-spirited citizens who have given so freely of themselves the past two years to make the building the outstandingly excellent one that it is.
The fitness of the building and equipment to meet the needs of a modern high school is evidenced by the enthusiastic statements made by the large number of educators with similar housing problems demanding solution who weekly visit the school. Among the written comments received are the following from officials of the Massachusetts Department of Education, and from Professor Davis of Boston University:
February 18, 1927.
Mr. Herbert H. Howes, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Howes:
We are herewith submitting a brief report of our visit to the Norwood High School building.
We were very greatly pleased with the new quarters which your town has provided for its high school. In our judgment, it is one of the outstanding high school plants in this State and probably in New England. Even a casual visitor, if at all acquainted with high school buildings and adminis- tration, would appreciate its many excellent features. The style of archi- tecture is both appropriate and beautiful for a building of its size and char- acter. The spacious lot will provide, when fully developed, facilities for athletic play and games hardly equalled in the Commonwealth.
252
We shall not attempt to comment in detail with regard to the building. There were certain things, however, which especially attracted our atten- tion as we made our trip of inspection. The first of these is the excellent administrative quarters for the principal and his secretary. In our judg- ment, it is of great importance and value in the school to have dignified and adequate administrative accommodations. We noted the interesting dis- position of the lockers in alcoves off the corridors. This is an unusual ar- rangement, but seemed to us to be very satisfactory. The composite manual training room is an interesting, if somewhat unusual, feature in high schools. The school has a very fine gymnasium. In connection with the gymnasium, the arrangement for the girls' showers is a particularly good one. We were very glad indeed to notice the splendid library with which the school is provided. When the shelves in this room are filled with suitable reference books in charge of a well-trained librarian, no school in the Commonwealth will have better library facilities. The girls' clubroom and conference room in connection with the library are attractive and valu- able features. We feel that the town of Norwood may very well be proud of the high school plant which it has provided. It is, in our judgment, splendidly fitted to be the home of a modern comprehensive high school.
We do not feel that we ought to close this brief report of our visit without mentioning one necessary feature in the plan of every well-equipped high school which we did not find in your building. We might confidently ex- pect in a building of this character to find an excellent auditorium. We trust that the town at an early time will complete the work which has been so well carried out thus far by the addition to the building of an auditorium adequate in size and appropriate in structure and fittings to the rest of the building. No high school can be considered to have adequate provision made for its work and manifold activities unless it has a suitable auditorium. We desire to express to you and through you to Principal Grant our appre- ciation of the courtesies shown us during our visit.
Yours very truly, FRANK P. MORSE, Supervisor of Secondary Education. BURR F. JONES, Supervisor of Elementary Education.
February 7, 1927.
Mr. Herbert H. Howes, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
Dear Mr. Howes:
In this letter I wish to briefly state my impressions of a visit to the new Norwood High School some few weeks ago.
The first impression, which is that of the exterior, is one which suggests both dignity and solidity, as well as excellent taste, so that the high school
253
building may justly be the pride of Norwood. I would also like to add that the appearance of the building suggests a far greater outlay of money than in reality was devoted to the construction of it.
I want to confine my special comment to the equipment for the physical education department, in which I naturally am most interested. The Town of Norwood has given to its youth a laboratory for health and char- acter education that in duc time will net wonderful results. The floor space is ample and the light and ventilation are excellent. The provision made for dividing the large gymnasium into two small ones is one distinctly modern and makes provision for the now prominent mass program, par- ticularly after school.
All the other necessary appointments such as shower baths and dressing rooms are up to date from the standpoint of administration as well as sani- tation.
I point with great pride to Norwood in indicating the progress that physical education has made and is making in the State of Massachusetts, which manifests itself in no better way than in the belief in this type of education expressed by committees in the expenditure of large sums of money.
Very truly yours, CARL L. SCHRADER, State Supervisor of Physical Education.
Marclı 7, 1927.
To the School Committee,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
After visiting the Senior High School while in operation in the new build- ing, I am prepared to make the following statement:
You will recall that in my preliminary study for the purpose of determin- ing the schedule of rooms for the architect, a thoroughly modern program of studies and a progressive administrative policy were first agreed upon as the fundamental basis of procedure. I am now pleased to report that this forward looking policy has been most satisfactorily applied to the new building. A brief statement of these steps is called to your attention.
The reorganization of the program of studies to carry out the modern aims of high school education has been undertaken in so far as the new build- ing without the auditorium will permit. It is, hoped that this feature may soon be added in order that a balanced curriculum may be open to all pupils. The frequent and regular assembly of the whole school under favorable conditions is vital to the life and morale of the school. Work in music, public speaking, dramatics and pupil group activities cannot be carried properly until this portion of the building plan is completed.
Very definite progress has been made along several lines worthy of special mention. A health program providing two periods in the gymnasium for
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every pupil has been provided. Home economics for the girls and shop work with mechanical drawing for the boys have met a greater demand than was anticipated. The library has made it possible to give the pupils some training in the use of books. This work should be expanded to give systematic training in the use of the library through the three years of the senior high school.
To make this reorganization of the curriculum more complete and more effective, the teaching staff has been organized on a departmental basis. Under the leadership and supervision of a head for each department more efficient teaching is secured. This is a very important step in advance for the administrative organization of the school.
The new schedule of hours with a new classroom procedure is undoubtedly the most progressive step which has been taken in the new building. It will take a year or more to perfect the technique of this plan. However, the results already in evidence by way of improved scholarship have proved the value of the forward step. This plan calls for greater ability and harder work upon the part of the teachers. The principal and staff are to be con- gratulated upon the spirit with which they have taken hold upon this very difficult problem.
The new building has proved to be an inspiration and an incentive to all concerned. The achievement of the few months under these improved surroundings has been remarkable. The Norwood Senior High School stands out among the schools of New England as a model of modern school architecture and progressive school administration.
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