USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1923-1927 > Part 81
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The following new courses have been arranged: For Senior business curriculum pupils a course in Business Administration and Salesmanship is offered as an clective, thirty-two elected the course for 1926; Biology has been made an elective for all curricula, and the popularity of the work in the scientific subjects brought about the largest increase in elections of any group of subjects. Practical Arts and Household Arts work is offered to all three classes under the General and Practical Arts courses. The following information relative to administration is new for the school year 1926-1927:
Required for all Pupils
1. Four Major Subjects .- (A major subject is one which meets at least four periods per week throughout the year, and counts one point per period.)
2. Physical Training .- Two periods per week. Credit one point
3. Library Instruction .- About twenty periods per year. Credit 2 point.
4. Assembly .- Onc period per week.
5. Music .- One period per week. Credit } point. Administrative requirements may eliminate some pupils from this work depending upon the electives presented.
Electives for all Pupils
1. Freehand Drawing .- Two periods per week. Credit one point.
2. Orchestra Practice .- Two periods per week. Credit one point.
3. Glee Club .- One period per week. Credit } point.
Elective for Girls
1. Home Nursing .- Two periods per weck. Girls of the tenth grade only. Credit one point.
2. Folk Dancing .- One period per week. Credit 2 point.
Limitation on Elections
A pupil may not elect a study beyond his grade.
Only pupils who are repeating work will be allowed to elect studics below their grade.
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Out-of-course elections are not generally permitted. Faculty advisors may recommend such permission, and it will be given if administration permits.
Pupils will not be allowed to elect five major studies unless their previous record has been excellent, and their plans for higher education require such extra work.
Specific Subject Requirements and Explanations
Practical Arts .- Under the general curriculum a boy or girl may elect Practical Arts work four periods per week in grades ten and eleven. This work will be taken in addition to four major subjects and credit of three points will be allowed. All other pupils in grades ten and eleven may elect Practical Arts two periods per week in addition to their major subjects.
English .- English is required of all pupils throughout the high school course. For all pupils except those enrolled in the Practical Arts groups in grades ten and eleven, five periods of English per week are required. Pupils enrolled in the Practical Arts group will be assigned to English classes meeting four periods per week.
Typewriting .- In addition to the work offered in the Business Curricu- lum, College Course seniors may elect Typewriting in addition to their four major subjects if recommended by their advisors.
Sciences .- All sciences have been assigned five periods per week. One of these periods will be used for laborarory work, and will count for one half point. A total credit of four and one-half points will be allowed for all sciences.
Beginning with the school year 1926-1927 a new scale of point require- ments becomes effective for grades seven to twelve, inclusive. Of the points required for completing the Junior High School (grades seven, eight and nine) fifteen must be made in the ninth grade for promotion to the high school (grades ten, eleven and twelve).
A candidate for a high school diploma must accumulate a total of 51 points for his work in grades ten, eleven and twelve. Ninth grade work will no longer be taken into consideration for graudation.
Advancement Requirements
Entrance to grade 10 .- Fifteen ninth grade points.
Advancement to grade 11 .- Credit of 14 points. Advancement to grade 12 .- Credit of 31 points. For graduation .- Total credit of 51 points.
Graduation 1926
Graduation exercises were held June 11, 1926. Ninety-five pupils completed the high school course and received their diplomas. . This is the largest graduating class in the history of the school.
Marie Pearle Alexander Ethel Isabella Balmer Robina Allen Anderson Winifred Margaret Barrett
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Lois Evangeline Bateman Harry John Berkland *Gertrude Berman Dorothy Vinal Blanchard Doris Esther Blanchot Florence Edna Blasenak Grace Harriet Clapp Grace Cecelia Conley Patricia Anne Connelly Alice Madeline Connolly Sabina Elizabeth Connolly John P. Costello Marion Elizabeth Curran J. Edwin Daniels Elizabeth Agnes Davidson Carl Francis Donovan Harold A. Ekholm
Barbara Elizabeth Feeney Mary B. Feeney John Gardner Fisher
John J. Flavin
Mary Elizabeth Flower
Bartley S. Folan Eileen Julia Folan
* Alice Lawrence French Agnes Gertrude Graney E. Hamlen Grant, Jr. Minnie Jamieson Greig Katharine E. Griffin Raymond V. Hartnett
Rose Segelman Katherine Angeleen Shoop Ernest William Knox Shute
Mildred E. Skoogberg Gertrude Lillian Slattery
*John Francis Slattery J. Edwin H. Stone Elva Alice Syverson
Dorothy Webber Thompson Olive Verna Phompson
*Margaret Elizabeth Thornton Mildred Dorothy Vietze John P. Walsh
*Barbara Aldrich Jordan Helen Anastasia Karshis Evelyn Sara Keddy Alice Beatrice Kelliher
Cecil E. King
Samuel Koplan
Jennie Frances Lamson
Walter W. Lappin George William Lewis Rosamond Marie Lynch
*Kathleen Loretta Mahoney Guy Joseph Massey Helen Josephine Massey Elizabeth Finbar McCarthy Helen Caroline Meade Francis E. Metcalf Jospeh A. Moore Zake Mary Moses Rita Mary Nelligan
*Henry M. Newman Gertrude Sanelma Nordlund
*Julius Lawrence Perlmutter Andrew J. Pike Pauline Lillian Rafuse Harold Edgar Reed Patrick Joseph Renaghan Mary E. Ridge
*Cedric A. Roberts Sestine Elizabeth Ruscitti Anna Louise Russell Mary Margaret Ryan Mario C. Scampini Arnold E. Schaier
*Ruth Genevieve Hennessey Rosanna Elizabeth Henry Samuel Hershenson Margaret Mary Hession Roy Nelson Holmes Francis O. Johnson George S. Johnson Frances Gertrude Johnston
Mary Elizabeth Johnston
*Anne Elizabeth Weisul Arthur Edward Welch Charles Howard Wohlschlagel Olga Yesikenas Isabel M. Ziury
*Olga Mildred Zurba
The starred pupils were awarded John C. Lane medals. The United States History medal was awarded to Margaret E. Thornton. The Ber- wick English prize was awarded to Joseph A. Moore. The Senior Plimpton Art prize was awarded to Dorothy Blanchard.
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Matriculation for the Class of 1926
Out of the ninety-five graduates of the class of 1926 forty-one have already definitely continued their education and ten others will do so starting with the fall of 1927. This is a very high percentage, particularly in view of the fact that many of the graduates of this class were in the busi- ness curricula and selected employment rather than continuance of educa- tion in school. The following list ecplains the selection of a large number of the graduates and shows an ever increasing trend toward the selection of vocational education:
Boston City Hospital. 1
Boston University .
11
Bridgewater Normal School.
2
Children's Hospital. 3
Colby College.
1
Deaconess Hospital
2
Faulkner Hospital
2
Huntington School.
1
Homeopathic Hospital.
1
Massachusetts General Hospital.
1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
2
Middlebury College
2
Nautical School.
1
Newton Hospital
1
North Eastern University .
3
North Shore Babies' Hospital .
1
Simmons College 1
Tufts Dental School.
1
Vesper George's School of Art.
1
Wentworth Institute.
2
Whcaton College
1
Commercial Department
The past year's growth and progress in this department are worthy of consideration. In 1925 there were 150 pupils enrolled in this curriculum which represented 35% of the school. The registration of 1926 shows a total of 200 pupils in the department taking technical commercial work. In addition there are twelve seniors in the college curriculum who are studying Typewriting for personal, or vocational, use at college. That this course is worth while is more than evidenced by the enthusiasm shown and the excellent work done by the class.
Educators feel that Commerical Education should not be confined to the study of shorthand, typewriting and bookkeeping, but should be broad- ened and enlarged. With this idea in mind, the department planned to offer more technical and related subjects which was impossible to do in
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the former school. Hence the opening of the new school was anticipated with pleasure, for it was felt that there would be sufficient space, equipment and teacher time to carry out the project. One of the courses is already under way and is known as Business Administration. Its aim is to give the pupils a broader knowledge of business problems and relationships legally, economically, financially and internally. Twenty-five pupils are taking this work. The third new course planned, Office Appliances, could not be offered as separate class for two reasons:
1. No laboratory for instruction. -
2. Inadequate number and kinds of machines.
Five new pieces of office appliance machines have been added-a Comp- tometer, a Wales Listing, a Burroughs Calculating, a Monroc Adding, and a Remington Bookkeeping machine. In addition the department has been equipped with twenty-five individual filing sets. Instruction in their uses will be given in conjunction with the work in bookkeeping and type- writing. This is not the best arrangement because of additional work that each of these classes is doing. The instruction time in bookkeeping has been cut down fifteen minutes a day in order to replace penmanship in the curriculum, and the typewriting instruction period is shortened consider- ably by a large amount of school "special work." Consequently, it is the firm belief of the department that Office Appliances should be a separate course not only for the above reasons but also because it is justified economi- cally and educationally. The commercial department should give such training as will fit a pupil who leaves or graduates to do clerical work. It should not be necessary for pupils to go to Boston to study the operation of standard office appliance machines. Moreover, such a course would allow for specialization, and would very effectively solve the problem of individual differences.
The school is endeavoring to cooperate in every way with local business houses. That this effort is reciprocated is evidenced by the very fine response made by fifteen local concerns to a questionnaire sent out during the year regarding the kind of office machines in use and the number of operators. The Senior class visited various business offices and was very cordially received. It is planned to increase this spirit of cooperation by having business men visit the school and give practical, helpful talks to the pupils.
Insofar as possible, the school tries to keep in touch with its graduates. The records thus obtained show the graduates of the Class of 1926 employed as follows:
Higher Education 7 Bird & Son . 7
Holliston Mills 3
Norwood Press 2
Morrill Ink Co 2
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First National Bank, Boston
1
Gillette Safety Razor Company
1
Junior High School Office
1
Norwood Messenger Office.
1
Norwood Town Office
1
Norwood Trust Company
1
Orent Brothers 1
Civic Association 1
Sales Clerks.
5
Moved from Norwood
1
Other Employment
5
Total Commercial Graduates 40
School Library
For some time there has been a need in the Norwood High School for a school library which could cooperate with the town library in providing the pupils with books to be used in connection with their work in school. With the opening of the new High School this facility has been provided.
I wish at this time to express my appreciation of the valuable coopera- tion which the Town Librarian and her assistants have given the High School.
On the second floor of the new High School there is a large room, well ventilated, and furnished with the most modern of library conveniences. This is the Norwood High School Library. Its equipment includes a librarian's desk with a circulation file, a magazine and newspaper rack, an encyclopedia stand, a vertical file, and a card catalog. The shelf capacity of the library is 5000 volumes, although at present there are only 850. These do not include, of course, the reference books, such as dictionaries or encyclopedias, of which we have three sets. The circulation of these books has been most gratifying. At first the number was low, but there has been a marked increase from month to month, and now our circulation totals approximately 800 books. This seems to indicate that the pupils regard the library as essentially their own, and use it for practically all reference work. Besides strictly reference books there are the textbooks used in the various courses. These are given out according to need and the extra ones kept in the library. The book receipts, which are made out by the individual pupils, are filed in the library; thus keeping all books under the supervision of the library system. Several of the books used for ont- side reading or reference are loaned to us by the town library for use by the pupils directly from the school rather than indirectly from the town library.
The library will also accommodate sixty pupils for class work, making a course in Books and Library possible. The purpose of this course is to acquaint the pupils with library procedure and to guide thein in the use of
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books. This course averages twenty lessors, and is required of all pupils in the High School. As an example of what we are doing in this course I shall quote a few of the topics which we have taken up. These are:
1. Introductory lesson on use of libraries and purpose of course.
2. The system of classifying the books. (This is the one employed in the majority of libraries and is called the Dewey Decimal System.)
3. The use of the encyclopedia and other reference books.
4. The value of periodicals.
5. The make-up of a book and the use of such details as the index, notes etc.
In conjunction with this course we are working out a Library Council which will encourage student interest and participation in the functioning of the school library. This council is to consist of various committees which will care for the inany phases of library procedure. The chairmen of these sub-committees make up the executive committee, which is the head of all activities, and is supervised directly by the librarian. Ex- amples of these committees are the ones in charge of circulation., of filing and recording periodicals, etc.
The student response to the call for volunteers to serve on the Library Council was most enthusiastic, and we hope that many of these students will be sufficiently interested to pursue their study of library after gradu- ating in view of fitting themselves for the rapidly expanding field of library work.
Respectfully submitted,
LEONARD W. GRANT, Principal of Sr. High School.
Mr. H. H. Howes,
Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Howes:
The enrollment in the Junior High School, on January 1, 1927, was: Grade 7, 331; Grade 8, 266; Grade 9, 227; a total of 824; an increase of six pupils over January 1, 1926, and sixty-four pupils over January 1, 1925. The present sixth grade numbers 298, which will give thirty-seven fewer (one section) in next year's seventh grade than we have this year. The total number of teachers in all branches in the Junior High School is thirty-two.
Next year the congestion will be lowered in the lower grades, but in- creased in the upper grades. Ninth grade classes this year, or many of
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them, are too large for the best results, some of them running as high as thirty-five.
Up to January 1, 1927, thirty pupils have withdrawn from the school for various reasons, many of them moving from the town. The attendance record so far this year has been extremely bad, there having been 2146 absences in the morning, and 2292 in the afternoon. There have been 205 tardinesses in the morning, and 75 in the afternoon. Most of the tardi- nesses, especially, secm inexcusable, the reason most commonly given being failure to get up on time, or kept at home to do an errand.
Increased Accommodation Needed
The school cannot be a complete organization until it can house all its pupils under one roof. The present arrangement, with four sections in the Everett building, makes it a highly disjointed affair, especially in the lower grades, where, because of this spearation, there is little coordination. In addition, a great deal of time is lost in passing back and forth between the Everett and Junior High School for practical arts work, and between both the Everett and Junior High School and the Civic establishment for physical training and assembly. This condition will be made worse next year because the natural increase in the number of upper grade sections will force one or two of the seventh grades back into the Everett building. Everett Hall is not large enough to accommodate the school, and barely large enough for two grades at a time in assembly, which necessitates hold- ing two assemblies instead of one.
Under the new curricula more and more pupils are going into the Practi- cal Arts Department on whole or part time. Last year there werc 621 pupils in the Practical Arts classes. This year there are 770, and this without increase in the teaching force or additional shop room. As a result, many of the classes, especially the boys' classes, arc too large for efficiency, as this work requires individual instruction and close super- vision. The Household Mechanics Division of the shlp is proving attrac- tive and as it develops will prove useful and inviting.
To relieve congestion we are using a grade teacher for this work, which takes time she should devote to her specialty in the grades. The depart- ment of Practical Arts needs another man.
Special Classes
I should recommend also a shop apart from the others for a group of pupils who are either unable to accomplish or are indifferent to the Aca- demic Curricula of the school. There are some such-over age-from one to three years retarded-over-size-who seem to fit nowhere or in any way into the work of prescribed school life. These pupils should be segregated and given plenty of hand work if not that entirely. At present there is no class for such pupils of Junior High School age, and no teacher available who can give his time to them, and they need special attention.
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The New Curriculum
The re-organized curriculum has worked fairly well in the lower grades, where the full daily program in conjunction with lengthened periods has greatly lessened the amount of work outside of school hours. Every teacher in the school approves of the one-hour periods. In the ninth grade, however, both teachers and pupils, especially those in the College Prepara- tory Work, find that the one-hour period divided between instruction reci- tation, practice and study does not give sufficient time for preparation of work prescribed. As a consequence the amount and extent of home work assignments has not been greatly lessened for this grade. All except about forty pupils in the ninth grade have a full program with no study periods whatever, which necessitates most of the study work being done at home.
The Try-out course in the eighth grade seems to be a promise of useful- ness though there has been no opportunity, nor will there be before next. year, of judging as to how it will work out in helping to determine what the pupils elect for a high school course, nor of proving the wisdom of the choice after it has been made. It seems, however, to be a step in the right direc- tion and should eliminate to a large extent waste, both in time and energy, resulting from the system heretofore in use where pupils have been allowed to choose their own courses without check and without knowing whether they were in any way fit or able to do the work chosen.
The two-session plan for the Junior High School has necessitated estab- lishing a lunch room for those pupils who live so far away that it did not seem advisable for them to go home for lunch at noon. This privilege of remaining in the building at noon under the supervision of a teacher or teachers is extended to those who live a mile or more from the building, and at present about eighty pupils of all grades are availing themselves of it. A hot soup or a hot chocolate is served to such purils as desire it for a nominal fee.
Extra Curricular
The extra-curricular activities are carried on through club organizaticr, each pupils being allowed to choose any club he desires; those who do not want any of them have the privilege of using the time as a study period. At present eighteen clubs are organized and are in a flourishing condition, They meet every two weeks. The intervening week is used for assemblies held in Everett Hall, at which talks, interesting, entertaining and instruc- tive, are given by people drafted from outside. Musical organizations and pupils take part in the program.
Orchestra and Glee Club
The school has an orchestra of twenty-four pieces from the three grades under the direction of Professor Dethier, and a Glee Club of eighty-five voices under the direction of Mrs. Brown, both of which organizations are not only taking part in the public assemblies, but are doing considerable extra work in the building.
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Physical Activities
In addition to the prescribed physical activities of the school, the boys are organized under Mr. Ward in seasonable mass activities. Last spring the school was represented by a very creditable baseball team which won seven out of eight games played with outside teams. The school basket ball team this winter has a schedule of eight games, two of which are played out of town. The seventh and eighth grade boys were organized into seven- teen soccer teams this fall which played a series of interclass games ending December 20. There are at present twenty-four basket ball teams, play- ing two games a day in a series which will end in March, and again this spring we expect to have the boys organized into baseball teams. Trophies are offered in these contests which remain with the winning teams through the year, and until some other room teams win them.
Altogether there were 140 boys in the soccer teams, 240 in the baseball and 200 are taking active part in the basket ball series. It is an invari- able rule of the school that a boy who is deficient in his academic work may not take part in any scheduled match game.
Library
Another great need of the school is a library-both the room and the books to make it a real library. The public library cooperates with the school in every way, but we need the material, especially reference books at hand where they may be referred to at once. With the appropriation made for this purpose last year, we have purchased two or three sets of good books besides single volumes. These books are in daily use.
I take this occasion to express my appreciation of the fine support given me by the school committee and superintendent, and the splendid coopera- tion shown by the teachers and the parents of the pupils in my charge.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. ALLEN, Principal.
Mr. H. H. Howes, Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Howes:
I submit herewith my report as Director of Physical Education for Boys of the Senior and Junior High Schools for the year 1926.
In January, 1926, the Senior High School gymnasium classes were still making use of the Civic Association facilities for their work. The Junior High School carried on their program in that center for the entire year.
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Each boy of the Senior and Junior High School took two forty-five- minute periods of gymnasium work per week. During the interval from January first to the close of school in June, regular class work for both Senior and Junior High School boys consisted of drill, calisthenics, appara- tus exercises, and games.
The ends sought in all class work were:
(a) Correct posture.
(b) Proper physical development.
(c) Proper coordination of mind and body.
The Junior High School classes were under the able direction of Mr. Ward. Special corrective work was given by Mr. Ward and myself to the boys of both schools who needed individual attention.
In regard to sports at this time: Basket ball was taught to both Senior and Junior High School boys, and a schedule of fifteen games was played by the Senior High School with outside teams-winning twelve games and losing three. The Senior High School basket ball squad consisted of fifty- one boys. Of this number, ten were considered members of the school team; eight others made up the school second team. The remaining can- didates formed class teams and played a series for the championship of the Senior High School.
In the Junior High School a class schedule was arranged in both eighth and ninth grades, and a series of eighty-nine interclass games was played. An All-Junior High School Team was selected to play the winner of the class competition in the Senior High School. This team also played nine games with outside teams, winning five and losing four.
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