USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1932-1935 > Part 16
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Extra Activities
Some important occurrences during the past year outside of the regular school routine have been the following:
1. Temporary closing of the Beacon School.
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2. Holding of the State Music Festival in Norwood-more than forty schools competing for prizes.
3. The George Washington Bicentennial celebration and pageant.
4. The Athletic Carnival including all school children from grade 1 through grade 12.
5. Establishment of a Marksman's Club. High School boys make up this club and all guns and ammunition is furnished by the United States government through the War Department. The entire program is at no expense to the Town other than furnishing a bond to guarantee protection of the equipment.
6. Establishment by the State Department of Education of a School Health Council in the Senior High School. This topic is enlarged upon in the High School Principal's report.
7. Examinations by the Chadwick Clinic for detecting Tuberculosis under direction of the State Department of Health.
S. Voluntary contribution by School Department employees of $3,499.24 -30% of this amount was used for assisting needy pupils and the remainder for the improvement of school buildings and grounds.
Faculty Changes
Very few changes were made in the teaching force this year. The resignations, transfers and newly appointed teachers are as follows:
Resignations
Avis S. Cottrell, Senior High School, to get married.
Laura B. Gilmore, Senior Hifih School, to teach elsewhere.
Grace M. Everett, Junior High School, to keep house.
Mary N. Callahan, Junior High School, to get married.
Margaret M. Flaherty, Balch School, to get married.
Lizzie E. Hadley, Balch School, retired.
Mary A. Hadley, Balch School, retired.
Katherine W. Porter, Balch School, to keep house.
Evangeline A. Ryan, Balch School, to keep house.
Nora A. Sullivan, Balch School, to get married.
Transfers
Barbara Feeney from Callahan to Winslow, Grades 3 and 4.
Barbara Ballard from Callahan to Balch, Grade 1.
Inez H. Sanford from Beacon to Balch, Grade 5.
Anne M. Thompson from Beacon to Junior High, Grade 7.
Mary A. Toomey from Beacon to Balch, Grade 2.
Effie M. Tuttle from Junior High to Balch, Grade 6.
Newly Appointed Teachers
James J. Gormley, History Department, Senior High School. Mildred Metcalf, English Department, Senior High School. Mary G. Connolly, Grades 1 and 2, Shattuck School.
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Dorothy I. Guy, Grades 5 and 6, Shattuck School.
Louise E. Nugent, Unassigned teacher, Balch School.
Positions Eliminated
Elvera Bianchi, Junior High School Librarian. Doris Gwynn, Home Economies Department, Junior High School. John Tobey, Practical Arts teacher, Elementary grades.
Junior High School Special Class
The School Committee has voted to make possible the formation of a special class for Junior High School grades. This will in reality be an opportunity class and a chance for those who are unable to accomplish work in the regular program to take up special work better adapted to their ability. The group will be a small one as compared with other Junior High School groups and enrollment in it will not number more than twenty. It is possible that this class will be formed before the present school year comes to a close.
Psychiatric Examinations
Dr. C. B. J. Sehorer of the State Department of Mental Diseases, has completed examination of retarded pupils in the Norwood school system. Under State requirements pupils who are three or more years retarded must be given special assistance and work better suited to their ability than that contained in the regular program of studies. Dr. Schorer's recommendations as a result of her examinations show that the School Committee will be required to place 15 in special classes in addition to those already so assigned.
Use of Fuel Oil
It has been possible to keep a close record on the use of fuel oil through the installation in the Junior High School of two oil burners. The saving for the fiscal year 1932, as compared with the fiscal year 1931 when bitu- minous coal was used, is $788. This saving has permitted a reduction in the estimates for fuel for the budget of 1933. While the winter of 1932 was generally considered a mild one, it is the opinion of the custodian that regardless of the severity of the weather an annual saving of not less than $600 will be made as compared with the cost of coal. This will enable payment for the oil burner equipment out of the savings in a little over three years.
It is probable that a substantial saving may be possible in other Norwood school buildings through the use of fuel oil or other means of use of fuel than is now in practice. The Town Manager will have definite recom- mendations to make in this matter during the present year.
Condition of School Buildings
During the summer of 1932 it was possible to do more renovating and make more repairs on school buildings than ever before. This was due in
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large measure to the use of $2,449.46 contributed at the rate of 2% each from the pay checks of School Department employees to the Unemploy- ment Fund.
The school buildings are in excellent condition and the money requested in the budget for the current year for maintenance is chiefly for large projects such as painting the Senior High School tower and pillars. The rooms of the West School are badly in need of renovating, work which will probably be done during the February vacation.
Conclusion
I believe that educators want to be entirely fair in their demands and that they recognize that insisting on extension of the educational program or refusing to cut out all needless expenditures will only assist in holding up the return to normal times; but they also recognize that many demands made for retrenchment in this branch of municipal government are made without proper study and without gaining an insight into the results to the school girl and boy. We wish to show the need of the school children for all the facilities that we offer and will spare no effort to do so. I be- lieve that Norwood with her good schools, with her thousands of happy school children, and I trust that I may say school-satisfied parents, wants efficient school administration at low costs; and I also believe Norwood does not want to see her educational program placed in jeopardy through false economies.
Respectfully submitted, LEONARD W. GRANT, Superintendent of Schools January 5, 1932
Mr. L. W. Grant, Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I take pleasure in submitting, herewith, my sixth annual report as Principal of the Norwood Senior High School.
Enrollment
At the beginning of the school year in September, 1932, the registration of our school showed a total enrollment of 725 pupils, divided as follows:
Grade X Boys-148 Girls-126 Total Grade XI Boys-143 Girls 138
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Total 281
Grade XHI Boys- 87
254
Girls 76
Total P. G.
163
Boys- 5 Girls- 2
Total
7
725 725
This enrollment of 725 indicates an increased student body of eighty-one pupils over 644 enrolled as of June 1, 1932. This increase is not as great as was experienced a year ago September, 103, over the student body of the previous year, but the enrollment figures of the ninth grade show that in all probability the enrollment this coming September will be approxi- mately 859 students, divided as follows:
Grade X.
324
Grade XI.
266
Grade XII. 269
Total 859
This probable enrollment of 859 students should be the peak of our enrollment, or very nearly the peak, for a few years to come, unless un- foreseen conditions arise. Yearly enrollments, steadily rising through the past decade, have naturally necessitated increased costs of education. These have not been excessive or out of proportion to the advance in number of students coming to High School.
The increase of approximately one hundred and fifty over this present school year will necessitate additional teaching time, and I believe the building with its present rooming facilities will be just about able to take care of our enlarged student body, but no more. Our classrooms will be obliged to accommodate recitation divisions with an average of thirty-two pupils. The average now is twenty-six pupils per division.
I realize that in these difficult times it is out of the question to suggest the securing of additional teachers for this work, and I am willing to make arrangements whereby the present teaching foree can handle the increased load. I do feel, however, that it is unwise and not sound economy to reduce our teaching force for another year in view of this very large in- crease in student body.
Faculty
There were only two changes in the Norwood High School faculty for the present school year:
Miss Avis Cottrell resigned to marry, creating a vacancy in the depart- ment of Social Science; and a vacancy in the Modern Language depart- ment was occasioned by Miss Gilmore's resignation to accept a position in Cranston, Rhode Island.
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The social science position has been taken by Mr. James Gormley, a graduate of Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, holder of a Master's degree, and a teacher of three years' experience at St. Charles' College Normal School, Grand Coteau, Louisiana, and at Springhill College, Mobile, Alabama.
The Foreign Language vacancy has been filled by securing the services of Miss Mildred Metcalf, a graduate of the Liberal Arts Department of Boston University. Miss Metcalf comes to us with a wealth of teaching experience and a splendid background for the teaching of French and German. Her positions previous to the present one show teaching ex- perience gained at Marshfield and Walpole, Mass., also at North Gros- venordale and New Haven, Conn.
Graduation, 1932
On June 8, 1932, the graduation exercises were held for the senior class at the Norwood Junior High School gymnasium. The exercises were conducted in very simple, but effective style and were marked by im- pressive and dignified performances on the part of those on the program.
Following is a list of the 191 graduates:
Ralph R. Abbott Alice M. Abbt
Dorothy Anne Acton*
Frederick Joseph Adelmann Helen F. Aikens
John William Anderson John J. Anthony
Helen Cofsky Francis C. Concannon Mary Anne Concannon
Mary Elizabeth Austin
Margaret Irene Connolly
Dorothy Arlene Badger
Helen Frances Conroy
Esther Gertrude Cecelia Bailey
Frank Michael Baltadonis
Thomas M. Costello Stuart Ellis Cottrell Bartley S. Coyne Norman Cushing
Alice Georgette Bentley Mabel Berezin*
Arthur Billingham Kenneth Richard Bloom
John E. Daunt t Gertrude Marie Davalga James Davidson Charles Francis Dexter Julia M. DiBerto
Howard Francis Breen
Elsie Madaline Brown
Kathryn Louise Dillon
Evelyn Jeanette Brown
Gertrude Lorretta Donahue
Elizabeth Jane Calder* Louise Barbara Callahan*
Adela Campbell Helen Louise Carleton Anne Elizabeth Carrell
Mary Cecelia Chaisson Joseph P. Chiozza Cafiero Ciancarelli Joan Therese Cleary
Beatrice Alice Burns Helen Barr* Bernice Amelia Bechunas
Rudolph J. Danielson
Mary Louise Donahue Stephen M. Donahue Arnold S. Donovan Helen Patricia Donovan John J. Donovan
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Hubert C. Eaton Agnes Ekholm* Thomas Elias Dorothy Mae Elwell William A. Everburg Dana W. Everett
Francis D. Feeney
Evelyn A. Fenton
Everett A. Fenton
Valentine Magnani
George Francis Maguire
Revell Johnson Fisher*
Sara Helena Mansen
Mary Frances Fitzgerald
Marie Bridget Flaherty
William J. Flaherty
Olive Louise Maxner Priscilla May
Agnes Esther Folan
Arthur William Gilson
Clarence E. McGrane
Evelyn M. McNulty
Amelia Rose Grusheski
Francis M. McTernan
Carmel Mike
Charles Russell Miller*
Margaret Dolores Henry*
Mildred C. Herzog
Helena M. Hobson
Charles Richardson Holman*
Andrew M. Janavich
Bronie A. Navickas*
Anne J. Janushis
Howard C. Nelson
Carl Vincent Johnson
Margaret T. Norton
Theodore C. Johnson
Wilfred Stanley Johnson
William M. Jones
Anthony Francis O'Donnell
Florence E. Jordan
Lillian T. H. Olson
Antti Aatos Juhola
Pauline E. Olson
Ita Mary O'Neil
Eliza M. Paciorkowska Bronsia Alice Pole
Lilyan Alice Paquette
Nellie Mildred Pazniokas
James Kelley
Theodore F. Pieczonka
Mary Ruth Kelliher
Joseph King
Maire H. Koivu
Sarah Bunny Kravitz*
Fred A. Kruchas Nellie Mildred Kruchas*
Joseph Krusas
Florence Johanna Larson*
Frances S. Pielka Helen Plosinski Doris B. Plummer
Frances Lillian Probert*
Alfred C. Purchase, Jr.
Ligia Mary Radzwill
Pauline Ransow
Leslie G. Rathbun, Jr.
Ethel M. Harvey
Zeke Moses
Francis Edward Murphy
John Henry Murphy
James Edward Murray
Michael J. Norton
Mary Agnes O'Connell*
Joseph James Kadara
Nellie R. Kanalski*
Ida A. Karol
Jordan F. Kauffman
Michael Francis Keady
Ruth Marie Larson Fannie Fay Lechter Thomas Frederick Lee Ellen Louise Leonard John Stanley Libertowicz William L. Lovejoy Ruth Lovelace* Mary Elizabeth Lyden
Allyn Hubbard Fisher*
Roy Henry Massey
Ruth W. Mattson*
Frances Wadsworth Gillette*
Marion Louise Harris
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Blanche S. Rempichel Edna Marjorie Claire Richall Michael P. Ridge Karl Riemer K. Virginia Riley Toini Esther Rindell
Lydia Joan Suomi Victor J. Suomi Charles W. Sustavige Agnes S. Svibergson Alli L. Syrjala Alice Mary Taylor Samson D. Thomas
Mary V. Rogers
Natalie Marya Rose
Grace Gertrude Russell
James Joseph Ryan
Doris Gertrude Trask Joseph Tuliszewaki Anthony S. Utorka Andrew A. Venskus, Jr.
William Francis Ryan*
Henry Armas Saari
George J. Versakas* Nellie U. Versakas
Carrie Sandy*
Dorothy Evelyn Wade
Doris Ann Schacht
Ruth Knox Wagner Paul Waihela
Irene Margaret Schaier
Robert Cleveland Seaman
Peter Wallan
Margaret Helen Selwyn
Bronius Peter Walongvicz
Gladys Elizabeth Silvernail
Wilho Wauhkonen
Joseph J. Smelstor
Peter Yesikenas
Isabelle Mary Smilgis
Florence Alice Ziergiebel
Annie Smolski
Albert S. Zimlicki
Ralph Howard Spear
Hilda A. Zimlicki
Arthur Lewis Spencer
Leon E. Zinkowksy
Amelia Louise Stellman
¡ Deceased.
The starred pupils received the honor of being awarded the John C. Lane Medal in recognition of exceptional scholarship and general all-around ability and helpfulness.
The United States History medal was awarded to Margaret D. Henry. The Berwick English Prize in recognition of excellence in English was awarded to Helen Barr. The H. M. Plimpton Art Prize given in recogni- tion of excellent frechand drawing was awarded to Stephen M. Donahue. Honorable mention was given to Elizabeth J. Calder, Evelyn A. Fenton, Arthur L. Spencer, Alice S. Bentley, and Nellie R. Kanalski. The John F. Murray athletic cup, awarded to the boy of the graduating class in recognition of excellence in athletics was awarded to Francis D. Feeney. The Teachers' Club scholarship of one hundred dollars, annually awarded to one member of the senior class most meriting assistance in the pursuit of a college education, was given to Allyn H. Fisher. Allyn is enrolled as a first year student at the Massachusetts State College.
Matriculation of the Class of 1932
The colleges, universities, normal schools, and schools of higher standing which received members of our last year's graduates are as follows:
Mary Loretta Salmon
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Amherst College .
1
Bentley School of Accounting.
3
Boston College
2
Boston University .
1
Boylston Institute of Advertising.
2
Chandler Secretarial School.
1
Colgate University
1
Dean Academy
2
Framingham Teachers' College
·
2
Franklin Union Institute
2
Harvard College
1
Katharine Gibbs' School
2
Mass. Nautical School
1
Mass. School of Art
2
Mass. State College
2
Mass. Institute of Technology
3
Mount Holyoke College.
1
Norfolk Agricultural School.
1
Northeastern University
1
Simmons College
1
Trinity College (Washington, D. C.).
1
Tufts College .
1
Tufts Forsyth Dental School .
1
University of California.
1
University of Maine
1
-
39
Of the 157 graduates in the Class of 1931, forty-two went on with their training, representing about 27% continuing their education. Twenty per cent of the graduates of 1932 are now enrolled in schools beyond High School.
As will be seen from this comparison, our students are finding it in- creasingly difficult to finance a training beyond High School. Many students who have satisfactorily completed college preparatory courses are obliged to forsake their plans of further education because of the in- ability to successfully finance the project, while others are changing their plans from the colleges requiring a tuition fee to the State supported Teachers' Colleges, Normal Schools, and other institutions less costly.
This situation makes it necessary for our secondary school program to give our children a broad training which will fit them for some useful occupation and make them better citizens of the community in which they are to live. The straight, out-and-out, college preparatory program
1
Chamberlain School.
1
Farmington (Maine), Normal School.
259
of studies which offers a very fine cultural training is just as valuable as it has been, and is particularly necessary for those who are to use this training as a means of entrance into collegiate work. Certainly we must consider them. On the other hand, the majority of our students, nearly 80% of them, are not going beyond High School, and the courses which they are now taking, those of a vocational nature, such as commercial studies, practical arts work, home economics for girls, courses in music, art, and science, are of inestimable value to them.
Much has been said, in these days of strict economy, concerning curtail- inent in our courses of instruction and cutting down the teaching of many of these practical subjects. Educators throughout the country are of one opinion and mind on this matter. With retrenchments necessary as they are, they must not come in this direction. There would be abso- lutely no saving to take students from courses in art, music, practical arts, gymnasium, or home economics, as far as the cost of education is concerned, for it would merely throw them into divisions of other studies, mostly academic, where additional teachers would be obliged to handle them. A room nearly filled to capacity can hardly assimilate many additional pupils. Furthermore, to follow the advice of some who have not made a study of education and who believe that all students should be required to study "the three R's" as the only useful subjects, would be a step back over the years by at least three or four decades.
I firmly believe that our course of study is a suitable one for the needs of our pupils, one that comprehensively covers the existing situation, giving what is necessary to so heterogeneous a group as we have here in Norwood High School. Diversified aims, objectives, and plans for the future cannot be met by the rigid and narrowing curriculum such as was offered twenty-five years ago. Present day civilization must carry on, and its high school training must offer diversified opportunity for various kinds of education. This can be provided for only under our present curriculum, and if "education for all the children of all the people" is to be the continued desire of our taxpayers, we cannot get very far away from teaching the subjects now being taught.
Secondary school educators have been accused of "jumping at fads and frills" and "plunging into educational experiments" all along the way. I doubt the correctness of this accusation and challenge the statement with the following illustration: In 1916 Dr. Clarence Kingsley, at the time Deputy Commissioner of Secondary Education in the State of Massa- chusetts, issued, with the help of a commission, a pamphlet setting forth what seemed to that group of leaders in the educational field, the main objectives of our secondary school training. At the top of a list of "Seven Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education" came "Health," indicating that, beyond all academic book learning, beyond all training in the duties of citizenship, beyond all else worth teaching in the curriculum was the necessity of teaching health so that our country, were it to face such a
260
rigid physical inspection as it experienced at the beginning of our participa- tion in the World War, would never again be put to shame and chagrined in the admission that many-a very large percentage-of our young men in the country were found physically unfit. All that took place sixteen years ago,-and now, only last year, have we, the schools of Massachusetts, attempted an organized formal course of instruction in health education.
Norwood High School was one of four schools in the State, under the direction of the State Supervisor of Physical Education, to begin with this course of health instruction. Space does not permit me to give a full description of the work done by our Health Council and the beginnings of the health instruction which now is given to every Norwood High School student before he graduates. A very complete report of this is on file, however, and we are going forward enthusiastically with the development of this work through its second year. Can it be that some would, in their retrenchment program, have us do away with such a valuable and necessary piece of work, or can it be said of the above mentioned venture that we are hasty in accepting unimportant additions to our program of education?
The detailed reports as given by the supervisors of manual arts, home economics, freehand drawing, music, and physical education, very thor- oughly cover the splendid work being done in their respective departments. It is my candid opinion that eur High School students derive a great deal of valuable and useful instruction in these divisions. I believe, also, that they would protest, and their parents would vigorously protest, the removal from our curriculum of the advantages and pleasures offered through these branches of study.
Achievements of 1932
During the year 1932 certain academic and non-academic achievements of note have been accomplished, some of which are here enumerated:
1. The successful entrance into college of all students qualified to be certificated or to take examinations.
2. The receiving of college scholarship awards by many of our graduates.
3. Excellent reports of scholastic attainment by our college freshmen.
4. Participation in, and assistance with, the management of the Massa- chusetts Music Festival of May 21, 1932, here in Norwood. This was one of the finest things of its kind ever produced in the history of music festivals.
5. The outstanding performance of our Debating Society in its debate with the Boston Latin High School, resulting in a Norwood victory.
6. Participation of the school in the Washington Bicentennial Pageant.
7. Successful social activities and commencement programs by the senior class.
8. Marked growth and progress in higher scholarship attainment, with fewer failures than in the previous year.
9. An extremely valuable second year in well directed instruction
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leading to character building of all students by our Dean of Girls and Submaster.
10. The bringing together, through a Health Council, of the several isolated and disjointed agencies existing in the interest of health, so that a definite and well organized course of health instruction was given to the sophomore class.
11. A very successful year, in terms of mass participation, in sports, scasons' results, and building of school and team morale. Our chief difficulty here lies in our inability to secure financial support for our athletics, and it is only a question of a short time now when some of our interscholastic athletic competitions must be curtailed in the absence of some source of income to maintain them.
12. Notable achievement in many of our extra-curricula and activity groups.
13. Awards and prizes given our students for outstanding work in the Game Plan project of Town Planning, completed in December, 1932.
Summary
In the closing days of his administration at Washington, President Hoover, speaking of education, has said: "Our nation faces the acute responsibility of providing the right of way for the American child. In spite of our economic, social, and governmental difficultics, our future citizens must be built up now." From these remarks we can all agree that at all costs the children must not suffer. They are to be the citizens of the future, and as such we shall look to them, in part, at least, to set up a social order capable of averting a repetition of the present world-wide catastrophe. Thinking men and women are not asking for drastic re- trenchiments in education, for they well know that through education alone can we find an answer to our existing evils.
Be that as it may, the faculty of the Senior High School appreciates greatly the steady and unfaltering support it has received from you and the School Committee to the end that progress has not becn hampered, subjects have not been dropped, and necessary supplies, materials, and textbooks have continued to be ours in spite of what appears to be un- paralleled and most distressing times. We can stand ready, as a faculty, to co-operate in any way possible, to share to the utmost, and to give our very best in the interest of the boys and girls so that the high standards of work now enjoyed may be maintained through the coming year.
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