USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1927-1929 > Part 54
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Club work is being continued in this department effectively and with increased interest. Again this year the High School Home Economics Club centered its interest on the scattering of cheer at Christmas time both in Norwood and at the Canton Hospital School. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were distributed in Norwood as part of the regular work of this department.
The mid-morning lunch established last year by this department at Senior High School has increased more than 100% enrollment. Pupils have shown added interest in the possibility of improving their health through attention to their diet. We are now following up this nutrition program at the regular noon luncheon when pupils who wish special con- sideration as to diet may receive attention according to their needs.
At Junior High School we have adopted two texts for class work, viz .; "Junior Home Problems" and "Junior Food and Clothing" by Kinyou- Hopkins. A number of excellent modern texts have been supplied for general reference work in Home Economics at Senior High School.
We continue to have a high enrollment in elective Home Economics at Senior High School. At Junior High School a 54% decrease in 9th grade Home Economics classes might indicate the bare possibilities of finding time for elective Home Economics in crowded programs. We have ob- served much disappointment on the part of girls who desire this work and are not able to include it in their programs. It would scem that the time has now arrived when Home Economics should be viewed as a constant for ninth grade girls. The very nature of this work should prove its value as a fundamental subject. If Home Economics were made a re- quirement (2 periods per week) for 9th grade girls it might simplify some of the administrative difficulties of arranging for this work; the scquenec
261
in Home Economics Education would remain unbroken from the fifth through the ninth grades, thus forming a complete unit of instruction and consequently a more stable foundation for elective work in High School. This measure would be entirely in keeping with modern trends and newest theories in regard to the importance of general Home Economics education as fundamental instruction for all girls. I therefore recommend that two periods of general Home Economics instruction be required of all ninth grade girls.
There is great need of providing both equipment and space for de- veloping Home Economics along lines of present interests of girls. Much should be done in the way of making these courses more attractive to our girls. I earnestly seek for this department the opportunity to prove the value and worth of present day Home Economics. Any recommendations for advancement along lines of objectives stated above are wholly in keeping with those recommendations made in previous reports.
I wish at this time to extend iny appreciation to those who have con -. tributed to the growth of this department.
Respectfully submitted,
AGNES M. BRIDGES, Supervisor of Home Economics Education.
Norwood, Mass.
January 9, 1930.
Mr. Leonard W. Grant, Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts
My dear Mr. Grant:
I submit herewith the annual report of the Practical Arts Department for the year ending December 31, 1929.
Senior High School
The demand for shopwork the past year exceeded the quota that the General Shop could accommodate. One hundred twenty boys were en- rolled for shopwork, taking it as a major subject five periods during the week. Many others signified their intention of electing the work for two periods a week, but as teacher time and teacher load would not warrant it, they had to be turned down. This should not be the case, for every boy should be permitted to take some training in this subject in addition to his academic studies
Much has been said about shopwork as classified under two distinct headings-prevocational and vocational. In prevocational education students find their occupational aptitudes, while in vocational it is just
262
a natural sequel to training of those who are mechanically inclined-fine objectives to a limited number and wasteful it seems when applied to all students.
If our shop program could be elective, the greater number of students would take the subject for no particular reason than that they liked it. They would come to the shop for relaxation, joy of achievement, individual expression, and an opportunity to express themselves. With this in mind we should endeavor to have the right facilities so that any boy or girl might benefit by its training.
The work of the general shop has followed the work of previous years, and gratifying results have been shown. We have required each boy entering the shop in his sophomore year to have a ten-weeks period of instruction in each of the four units comprising the shop. A note book which contained informational notes of their progress in each unit, together with sketches and drawings of projects and bills of material was also re- quired. A boy in his junior and senior year was allowed a half year in any of two units. Boys in the senior class at the present time are under- taking the construction of several smoking stands, to be carried out on a semi-factory basis.
The General Shop is undoubtedly attracting the attention and comment among school administrators of other places. We have had many visitors and each one expressed his interest and made favorable comment upon a shop of this type.
Many projects have been made in the shop for other school and town departments. Among some of these are the following: a large bulletin board for the main corridor in the Senior High School; sheet metal work for the town Water Department; Christmas tree standards for elemen- tary schools, and wooden toys made from our scrap pieces were given to the needy of the town through the Quest Club at Christmas time.
A course in Mechanical Drawing, elementary through advanced, was offered to all boys and girls as an elective subject. One hundred twelve were enrolled and of this number eight were girls, one taking it for her second year. The same general plan of instruction was followed as in the previous year, instruction in a majority of cases being entirely individual, because of mixed groups. The subject is now a four-year course, the first year having been taken in the ninth grade at Junior High School. Our aim in the last year is to offer an opportunity for self-expression in design and originality, especially in machine drawing and architectural drawing.
Junior High School
Quite a problem presented itself in the ninth grade the past year, be- cause of the fact that Practical Arts was an elective subject. Our Wood- working and Print Shops were overcrowded so that it was necessary to request many to elect a substitute subject, or not have any Practical Arts work at all. The situation will be partially overcome when the Print
263
Shop is enlarged, and the Home Mechanics is moved into the new room, as the space now being used for Home Mechanics can be turned into a second Woodworking Shop, thus supplying additional shop room.
Ninth grade woodwork consisted of many projects in furniture, an end table proving very popular. All large jobs in printing were done by this class. The school paper, "The Arguelot," was an outstanding feature of our work, and the interest shown in its make up was unequalled by any other form of shopwork.
The eighth grade followed the rotating schedule of ten weeks in each of the two shops, Printing and Mechanical Drawing. These subjects are classed as try-out courses in order to enable the boy to find his true ability and aptitude for the work. New text books were introduced in Mechanical Drawing, and the work that has been submitted bears favorable comment.
The seventh grade had a half year's training in Woodwork and Home Mechanics. In the woodworking unit the instruction in the use and care of bench woodworking tools was continued from the sixth grade but was more advanced in its scope. Projects made were for the home and in- cluded bread boards, knife and fork boxes, clothes dryers, costumers, footstools, lamps and taborets.
The same general plan of instruction in Home Mechanics was followed, and our work consisted of a study in electrical connections, hook-ups and general wiring of bells and buzzers. Some sheet metal projects were made and minor repairs frequently brought in from the home were discussed and when possible the actual repair made.
While the name Home Mechanics is applied to the shop, in reality it does not function as such. It is difficult to teach boys repairs when our equipment is inadequate, and boys are anxious to make something for themselves. I would recommend that the name be changed to General Shop and instruction carried out similar to that of the shop in Senior Higli School, using the unit form of instruction.
We undertook a worth while project using two units of instruction, sheet metal work, and electrical work. The project was an electric grill, using 110-120 volts, single phase alternating current, with the body and legs made of aluminum, using a very high grade heating element. It was a very popular project with the boy, as he made the entire grill himself, following closely each operation in order, with our job sheets and blue prints prepared especially for him. Fifty-two grills were completed and taken homc.
Elementary Schools
During the early part of the year about one-third of the boys in the fifth grade had the opportunity to take shopwork. Teacher time was not to be had because the instructor was used part time in the Junior High School. This condition was not of the best for only a comparatively small number of the boys received instruction. In September the condition was adjusted by the appointment of a full time instructor for the grades.
1
264
We attempted one main project with boys of the sixth grade in the form of a 22" model sailing yacht. It was not successful in many cases, as it seemed a bit too extensive in scope and the majority of the boats were not completed at the end of the school year. Lack of adequate equipment was responsible in a large measure, and also the destruction of the Guild School by fire caused the loss of the boys' boats and tools. During the construction of the boats many nautical terms and various ship parts and fittings were taught. The keels for the boats were cast by the Home Mechanics class.
In September Mr. Wynaught was transferred from his teaching in the grades to Junior High School and Mr. Riley was appointed to fill the vacancy. Through Mr. Riley's efforts and initiative some interesting projects have been made. Before completing the article we have required each boy to paint his project, allowing him to select his own harmony of colors and to apply them correctly. The finishing proved interesting to cach boy as he took great pains to outdo his classmates in the appearance of his completed project.
In closing I wish to thank the superintendent, principals and teachers for their help and cooperation during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFFORD H. WHEELER, Supervisor of Practical Arts.
Mr. L. W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
In my report as Principal of the Norwood Evening School for the year ending December 31, 1929, I submit the following information :
The evening school opened on the night of October 7, with classes in Junior High Studies, Mechanical Drawing, English, Bookkeeping, Cook- ing, Decorative Arts and Dressmaking. This is the same curriculum that was offered last year, with the exception of English and Decorative Arts. The former is a new subject and Decorative Arts is the name given to a combination of millinery and home decorations.
At the present time the enrollment is about eighty-five per cent of the original number that registered at the beginning of the term. This is a little better than last year. I might also add that the number enrolled
265
is considerably higher and these two facts make it safe to conclude that the interest in evening schools in Norwood is not abating. Many people have signified their interest in Spanish, French, Wood-work and other subjects, but it is of course, impracticable to employ extra teachers for classes of five or six.
The Junior High group is composed of men who find time three evenings a week to come to school and study. They know that in order to advance in their work it is necessary to learn once more the fundamentals of arith- metic, spelling and grammar.
With the introduction of English it has been possible to start a business course on a small scale. Several of the bookkeeping students go to their own class twice a week and take the third evening to attend the English class. Combining typing, bookkeeping and English, Norwood could offer a commercial opportunity that is available to people in other evening schools.
Cooking has attracted a large group of young women. Much of the success of this class is due to the excellence of the teacher who is making this her second year at Norwood in spite of the fact that larger schools desired her services. The present class numbers thirty which is larger than the state wishes a class to be. With the extra facilities offered by the addition to the Junior High building, it will be possible to have two large classes in cooking next year.
The Decorative Arts course met with approval from the start. After the class had been running two weeks it was found that an additional teacher would be needed to meet the individual instruction that is necessary for such work. In this course is included millinery, net-weaving, woven purses, Kloster embroidery, lamp shades and other useful articles. This class can be fully as successful next year because of the fact that new projects are being continually introduced.
Young men have found that Mechanical Drawing plays an important part in the trades. The attendance in this class has been very consistent and each week they accomplish much in the four hours.
Two other classes that are held in the building are Child Psychology and the making of children's garments. The former is conducted by the State Extension Course and is for parents and teachers. The children garment group is led by the home demonstration agent of Norfolk County.
The work in Americanization is continuing successfully under the guidance of Miss Vose. Good weather or bad, a high percentage of the pupils are there each evening ready for the lessons that are ably presented by the teachers. Arrangements are being made to secure persons of the town who will explain to the classes how the local affairs and businesses are managed. Visitors are always welcomed and anyone who is interested enough in what is being done with our Americanization group will feel amply repaid for time spent at the Balch School.
I would like to draw attention to the fact that the teachers make every
266
effort to meet the individual needs of the students. Observations show that this policy has been successful.
In conclusion I wish to thank the teachers and your office force for the assistance they have given me.
Respectfully submitted,
EDMUND C. EASTWOOD, Principal of Evening School.
Leonard W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Mass.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I hercwith submit my sixth annual report as Supervisor of Adult Alien Education.
We have this year about one hundred and fifty foreign born men and women enrolled in our classes. Whereas the number enrolled is smaller than it was two or three years ago the interest in the work and the at- tendance at the classes is far greater.
We have six evening elasses at the Balch School and two classes at the Junior High School. All of these classes meet three evenings a week.
Because of the new naturalization laws which went into effect last July the enrollment in our citizenship classes is larger than ever before.
The average American has no appreciation of the difficulties that may arise in securing citizenship papers. Because of the great amount of red-tape now necessary, the foreigner becomes perplexed and discouraged. Only through friendly guidance is his interest retained and his discontent at, what seems to him needless detail, removed.
Under the old law an alien paid $5 to become an American citizen but since July, 1929, every new applicant pays from $20 to $40 according to his status. It is interesting to note that this advance in price has not cooled the alien's ardor to become an American citizen. In fact, quite the reverse seems to be true. The theory now seems to be-"The inore it costs, the more desirable it is for us".
The women in the evening classes at the Balch School have had an added opportunity to learn by attending the sewing class conducted twice a month by Miss Virginia Paul of the Norfolk Agricultural School. Our women have made good use of this chance to learn the use of patterns, and in making garments for themselves and their children. After Christmas Miss Howc, from the Norfolk Agricultural School, will give a course of lessons in cooking.
The Supervisor meets groups of Lithuanian, Jewish, Finnish and Italian
267
women in their homes during the daytime. This gives many mothers who eannot attend evening classes an opportunity to learn English.
On December 3, 1929, a class of Italian mothers was invited to attend the regular monthly meeting of the Norwood Mothers' Club. It would be hard for the average American woman to realize just what this little outing meant to these women, all of whom are well educated in Italian. There remains a great, unexplored field of work for the American woman in Norwood.
A group of young ladies in the Baptist Church who last year took their Christmas cheer into a foreign home, asked for a similar opportunity again this year. They will send Christmas boxes to four children from foreign homes who are in hospitals in different parts of the state.
Evening School graduation for 1929 was held in Everett Hall on March 19. Mr. William Gould of Boston, a man much interested in all foreign people, was our speaker. He gave our students a stirring address on their duties and privileges as Americans. A class of twenty pupils received diplomas from the eitizenship course.
A series of talks by outside speakers has been planned for our evening school classes this year. Men representing our leading industries, our bank, and our town will come before the sehool from time to time. This will give our foreign born friends a better understanding of the conditions under which they are living than any amount of book study ean. Mr. Clarence Bingham, Norwood's Town Manager, was our first speaker and explained about our town government.
This year our Christmas party was held at the Baleh School on the evening of December 19. The classes at the Balch invited as their guests the classes at the Junior High School. This "get-to-gether" proved to be very interesting and worth while. A musical program furnished largely by the pupils, games for all conducted by Miss Osborn, with refreshments provided by the teachers made a long to be remembered evening.
The Supervisor wishes to extend grateful thanks to all of the eight teachers of the evening classes for their faithful work. Their fine spirit has done much to foster the happy atmosphere which our school enjoys.
Learning English with many of these people is a matter of years. It is mostly for the sake of their children that immigrant fathers and mothers go to school. They are anxious to keep up with their sons and daughters and to make themselves understood in a common language.
Yet the knowledge of English is not a panacea for all their troubles. The first immigrant generation, no matter how willing it may be, cannot meet the second generation on the latter's own ground. Few immigrants can assimilate the life of America so rapidly as to be able to cope with the influence of our "lawless heritage" on their children. The parents must be met halfway by the children themselves.
The longer the Supervisor works with these people the more she believes that the greatest value of this department in our sehools is in the many
268
opportunities given us to help in this great problem of assimilation. To be able to interpret America to the alien and the alien to America is a glorious task.
Shall we not say with Walt Whitman, "This America is only you and me".
Respectfully submitted, WILDA L. VOSE, Supervisor of Adult Alien Education.
Mr. L. W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
I submit my report as Attendance Officer for the year ending December 31, 1929.
Total number of investigations 391
To ascertain causes of Evening School absences 9
To ascertain causes of Day School absences. 382
Truancy 119
To investigate cases where home permits were desired . 6
To investigate cases where employment permits were desired. 13
To investigate cases of illness
118
Moved 18
Want of shoes or clothing 6
Assisting at home . 48
Miscellaneous 63
Pupils returned to school
28
Respectfully submitted, THOMAS C. LYDON, Attendance Officer.
Mr. L. W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
This is my report for the year 1929 as Supervisor of Janitors.
The following is some of the special work done the past year by the janitors:
All iron work and fire escapes at the Senior High School painted.
269
Room in Beacon School painted.
Eight rooms in the Junior High School painted.
All gutters and flat part of roof on Winslow School painted.
All screens at Shattuck School on upper part of building painted.
At the Balch School about 150 lights of glass have been put in the past year and about 100 the previous year. It seems that something should be done to stop this breakage.
Three rooms of desks were refinished at the Balch School.
Two rooms of desks were refinished at the Shattuck School.
Two rooms of desks were refinished at the Everett School.
We removed desks from four rooms in the Guild School and two rooms in the Everett School. We replaced the Everett rooms with desks taken from the Guild School. We also replaced desks in one room at the Beacon with desks from the Guild School.
All sheet iron work on the roof of the Junior High was painted.
850 desks and seats in the Junior High were varnished.
All minor repairs are taken care of as far as possible by this department.
The janitors have done all required office errands in their respective buildings and have moved books from the Public Library to different schools and returned them. Most of the supplies for the different schools come to the Junior High School and the janitors there, transfer them to the other schools. I would recommend that one central store room be procured and all supplies shipped from it.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN P. OLDHAM, Supervisor of Janitors.
270
JANITORS
Name
Address School
John P. Oldham 360 Pleasant Street Supervisor
Frank Laidlaw 16 Hoyle Street .Senior High
George Fitzgerald
284 Lenox Street Senior High
Fred O'Connor
62 Elliott Street Senior High
Alfred M. Disnard
59 Walnut Avenue Junior High
A. Wilfred Carlson
91 Elliott Street Junior High
Michael Connolly
247 Winter Strect Junior High
Henry Santoro 30 Dean Street
Junior High
John J. Fitzgerald 284 Lenox Street Everett
Edward J. Campbell 182 Roosevelt Avenue Balch
Hans P. Hansen . 23 Lenox Avenue Beacon
Edward T. Abely
12 Hoy le Street . Winslow and West
William V. Shyne 330 Washington Street Shattuck and East
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE AND GRADE, OCTOBER 1, 1929
Ages
Grades
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Total
1
87
148
17
4
1
257
2
76
131
22
1
230
3
86
148
26
11
2
273
4
60
167
35
16
2
280
5
1
71
149
53
15
289
6
2
59
201
41
28
5
2
338
7
4
169
117
32
13
335
8
13
91
133
71
38
10
3
359
9
2
19
128
66
29
2
1
247
10
6
68
108
49
5
3
239
11
4
58
86
35
8
1
192
12
1
45
63
18
6
2
1
136
Special
2
4
8
6
3
7
1
2
1
37
Totals
87
224
234
237
272
262
295
323
314
367
315
169
81
23
6
2
1
3212
271
272
STATISTICS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 1928-1929
. NAME
School
Grade
State Enrollment
Town Enrollment
Boys
Girls
14-16 Years
7-14
5-7
Herbert H. Archibald.
Sr. High
12
57
57
57
1
Herbert H. Archibald.
12
76
76
76
2
Herbert II. Archibald.
11
83
83
83
29
Herbert, Il. Archibald.
11
78
78
78
23
Herbert H. Archibald.
10
117
117
117
81
Herbert II. Archibald.
10
106
106
106
88
K. Waltrude Collins
Jr. High
0
37
37
19
18
24
10
C. Joyce Cooney
7 1
36
36
21
15
24
12
Emma W. Elliott
9
37
37
20
17
19
13
Helen P. Gale
9
36
37
20
17
21
12
Florence MacNamara
"
4
34
3.5
16
19
25
8
Mildred I. O'Donnell
34
31
19
15
21
10
Marie S. Brown.
S
32
32
21
11
10
22
Kathryn R. Byrne
33
33
19
14
6
26
Marion F. Clapp.
S
33
34
15
19
10
22
Hazel S. Fraser .
11
39
39
20
19
3
36
Mary H. Nichols.
26
26
14
12
12
13
Marion E. Smart
S
35
36
17
10
18
17
Abby L. Smith
31
31
20
11
20
8
Elvira L. Cook.
37
37
17
20
37
Florence M. Hayes
7
38
39
21
18
3
35
MI. Agnes McCarthy
38
38
17
21
9
27
Gertrude M. Shaw
37
38
14
24
36
Mary N. Callahan
Everett
37
37
18
19
1
36
Grace M. Everett
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