USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1932-1935 > Part 18
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Twenty-four candidates presented themselves to Mr. Archibald and Mr. Learnard for places on the golf team. Eight were selected to represent the school in outside matches. The Norfolk Golf Club of Dedham granted the use of their links free of charge for our home matches. In all, fifteen matches were played.
In the spring the tennis courts were in use constantly from the close of
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school until dark. A boys' tennis team was formed under the leadership of Mr. Woodbury and a schedule of ten matches was played.
In the track meet which was held on June 10th in the grade schools, Junior High School and Senior High School, the senior class was the victor.
In September one hundred and twenty-five boys reported for football and a schedule of nine games was played with outside teams. The second team played two games with outside teams. The sophomore team played one game and a lightweight team played one game with other opponents.
Basketball practice for boys started during the Christmas vacation and fifty-five boys are now practicing.
Thirty boys have reported to Mr. Learnard for hockey at the present time.
Respectfully submitted,
H. BENNETT MURRAY
Mr. L. W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I submit herewith the annual report of the Health Department.
The fact that the school nurse is the connecting link between the school, the home and the various health and social agencies of the community has perhaps been more cvident this past year than in any previous year.
The school nurse's duties are to assist the physicians with the health examinations and in the control of communicable disease, to secure the correction of physical defects, to assist in obtaining adequate care for all sick children, to interpret the school health program to the parents, to advise teachers in regard to personal health problems and to participate in promoting the hygiene and sanitation of school buildings. It is necessary to read between the lines of this list to fully realize how extensive the work is.
Physical Examinations
The school physicians, Dr. Edward L. Brennan and Dr. Alfred E. Fenton examined every child in the school system. Notices of physical defeets present at the time of the examinations were sent to the parents.
Dental Examinations
The teeth of all the children in the first six grades were examined by the school dentist, Dr. Timothy J. Curtin. About nine-tenths of this group needed dental attention. This increase in dental decay can be partially attributed to the inadequate dicts resulting from the economic difficulties in the home.
In school the child learns to care for his teeth daily, to visit the dentist
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regularly and to eat the foods which provide adequate nutrition for build- ing new teeth and protecting from decay those already erupted but he will not establish these desirable habits unless the parents earnestly co- operate.
Mental Examinations
The examinations of one hundred and forty-three children have been completed by Dr. C. B. J. Schorer. She has made recommendations which will enable them to derive the greatest benefit from their school work.
The Child Guidance Clinic is carrying on its work with the mal-adjusted child under the leadership of Dr. Cragg.
Control of Communicable Disease
The communicable diseases reported during the year are as follows:
Scarlet Fever 43
Measles
48
Chicken Pox 5
Mumps. 2
Whooping Cough
26
Influenza .
5
Conjunctivitis. 8
There was a noticeable increase in the number of scarlet fever cases necessitating a daily check-up examination of all contacts, visits to the homes of all children absent for unknown causes, exclusion from school of any and all children who showed signs of a communieable disease and an examination of all children returning to school after an illness. This same routine affected the follow-up of any of the communicable diseases.
Diphtheria Immunication Clinics
The parents of one hundred and twenty-eight first graders took ad- vantage of the opportunity to protect their children against that serious disease, diphtheria, which affects people of all ages but particularly young children. The school physicians gave the protective treatment of toxin- antitoxin injections to these little ones in February. In December they were given the Shiek test to see if the desired immunity had been acquired.
Chadwick Clinic
The first Chadwick Clinic was held in Norwood eight years ago. Its purpose was to promote the health of the school child and prevent tuber- culosis by discovering the signs and treating the disease before serious illness occurred. Only eleven children from the original clinic are being followed up.
The preliminary steps have been taken to establish the second Chadwick Clinic which will be held in Norwood the latter part of February, 1933.
To date, the parents of four-fifths of the school children have availed themselves of the great opportunity offered by the Chadwick Clinic. It
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is perhaps more urgent in these hard times to take all possible precautions in the prevention of diseases.
School Eye Clinic
One hundred and ten children were seen by Dr. Hugo B. C. Riemer at the school clinic. The vision of sixty-seven was corrected with glasses, eithteen required no changes in glasses then being worn, seven had medieal treatment prescribed, and twenty-one needed no correction.
Audiometer Tests
The audiometer, a combination telephone and victrola, was used in testing the hearing. Of the sixteen hundred and seventy-three children tested, seventy-three were found to have defective hearing in one or both ears. These youngsters were referred to the family physician for treatment.
Weighing and Measuring
All children in the first six grades were weighed and measured monthly. This activity permits the child himself to measure the relationship between his habits and his growth and gives him an incentive for practice of good health habits. In the past underweight has been used to some extent in the selection of undernourished children. Recent studies, however, indi- cate that underweight alone may not be a reliable index to the child's nutrition. The important fact to emphasize is a steady gain each month. This the best indication of growth.
Mid-Morning Lunch
The mid-morning lunch has continued to be a popular activity. This lunch of milk and crackers is not supposed to take the place of the morning meal but rather to supplement it in supplying additional material to im- prove growth. There have been many cases during this period of economic distress that have been helped a great deal by the addition of this food to an inadequate diet. During the year there has been an average of one hundred and fifty children receiving free milk daily. This free milk is made possible through the funds raised by the Norwood Woman's Club.
Health Day
The dental campaign for the schoel year ending in June showed marked improvement over the preceding years: Of the fourteen hundred and seventy children examined, thirteen hundred and twenty-three or nine- tenths, received certificates from the school or family dentist stating that all necessary dental work had been completed. This is one-tenth more than in 1931, two-tenths more than in 1929 and 1930, and four-tenths more than in 1928. The Shattuck, Beacon, and West schools had 100% correction of dental defects. There were thirty-six 100% rooms.
Child Health Day was observed in the Elementary Schools on June 6, 1932. Appropriate programs were held in each building.
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Our goal is "Every Child Physically Fit." The Health Day awards show that we are getting nearer to it each year, but we must thank all those who help us, namely, the parents, doctors, dentists and teachers.
The competition was between buildings. The Shattuck School was again the winner, having highest per cent of physically fit children.
The awards were as follows:
Physically Fit Badges
623
Teeth
1323
Weight 1225
Posture .
813
Improved Posture
85
Improved Weight
310
Summer Camp
Four children spent the months of July and August at the Health Camp at the Norfolk County Hospital in Braintree. They returned greatly improved in health.
Welfare Work
The welfare work has been an important part of the year's program. The demands for food and clothing have been endless. It was necessary at all times to cooperate with all other social agencies to prevent duplica- tions. This work could not have been accomplished without the money made available by the School Aid fund.
We thank the Norwood High School Quest Club, the Norwood Woman's Club, and other friends for their combined generous support of the health work.
The members of this department wish to express their appreciation for the loyal support and helpful advice received from you, from the super- visors, principals, and teachers.
Respectfully submitted,
MARY A. CANNING, R. N., Health Supervisor
Mr. L. W. Grant, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant :
I herewith submit the annual report of the Music Department.
As in previous years, this Department has carried on the program outlined in 1929 which was planned to bring out not the entertaining value of music but its cultural, intellectual, ethical and vocational values.
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Music is required from the first grade to the ninth, thus giving all chil- dren an equal opportunity to learn the fundamental rules governing vocal and instrumental music.
The work begins in the first grade with the singing of rote songs and the sight reading of simple melodies. From the ninth grade to the twelfth, the singing is in four parts. Written tests are given monthly on the "Elementary Theory" which is taught in conjunction with singing.
A fact which shows the genuine musical interest that prevails is that besides the required work mentioned above, over 700 pupils have this year elected cither vocal, theory or instrumental courses.
The Elementary Glee Club composed of 230 young singers took part in the "Washington, Bicentennial Celebration" at the Junior High School gymnasium last spring. The singing and the behavior of these fifth and sixth grade pupils brought forth many complimentary remarks.
This fall, a Senior Chorus of fifty-five voices participated in the "Nor- wood Historical Society Celebration" by singing for the first time in Norwood a new cantata on "George Washington."
Besides playing at numerous local affairs, the Senior Orchestra gave a concert at Framingham for the "Principals' Convention."
The social value of Music was well demonstrated last May when the Department was instrumental in bringing to Norwood the "Massachusetts State Band and Orchestra Contest" in which twenty-two cities and towns were represented by several thousand participants. The first prize in the Junior Contest was won by our own Junior High School Orchestra.
Respectfully submitted,
J. V. DETHIER
Mr. Leonard W. Grant, Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I herewith submit a report on Home Economics Education for the year ending December 31, 1932.
"America today is just a nation of homes." This statement alone justifies Home Economies education in our public schools. Figures recently compiled place the number of homes in America at 24,000,000. Thus homemaking becomes the largest vocation in which man or woman- kind engages. The relative importance of homemaking as a profession- for homemaking is a universal profession-may be summed up in the following quotation, viz .: "No community can be better than its homes." The home appears to be the one institution that can in itself improve society for as the majority of homes in a given community do and think,
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so will the community do and think. Insofar as homes fail in their higher ideals and obligations, so must communities fail.
Facing these realities we, engaged in public school education ask (1) What is the duty and share of the schools in molding Norwood children into worthy home members and citizens? and (2) What is to be our ac- cepted conception of an ideal modern American home? Shall it not be- a house outside and a home inside-a place where home members are happy, healthy and efficient, where care and troubles give way to rest and relaxation? A partnership with all members sharing the responsibilities- a success or failure according as each member proves loyal to the enter- prise? Should not the ideal home be a fortress against wrong-doing be- cause it assists each member in right living? It appears that if we are to accept these ideals we must place emphasis in our instruction upon better living, happier home life, conservation of healthi, a higher type of citizen- ship and a finer type of community life.
These are the ideals which we have set up in building Home Economies courses for Norwood girls and we believe that Home Economics instruction offers a very important contribution to every child's general education and is a cultural subject in the highest sense of the word. That this belief is shared by those who have conceived of the prodigious challenge in the field of homemaking is evidenced in the very titles of present day Home Economics texts, viz: "Making Homes," "My Home," "The Family and its Relationships," "Girls and Their Problems," "On Being a Girl" and a very new one which we have found most adaptable in our High School courses, "The Girl Today-The Woman Tomorrow." This last named book has recently been introduced as a text in this department.
Anyone willing to take a broad view of the meaning of Home Education will see in it the sociological, psychological, social, economies, educational and scientific approaches in offering subject matter to pupils, particularly if time is taken to analyse all phases of home life. We are therefore not concerned with any lack of content, but our greatest problem is to select and adapt the material most needed and suited to pupils at different ages. One can readily appreciate that to think of Home Economics courses in terins of "Sewing" and "Cooking" is to think back to the very beginning of this curriculum which dates to 1870. We in Norwood believe in offering fundamental instruction in Home Economics of the type that will enrich the pupils' lives. We recognize the reality that homemaking becomes eventually the permanent vocation of the majority of women and this fact should not be overlooked while a pupil is training for a temporary vocation or profession. How can we consider as complete any education that does not present some of the real issues of home life and prepare us in some degree to meet problems and make adjustments as they arise in the course of living in our homes? It will occur to many that much home- making instruction should be given to boys as well as girls and when we find it possible to offer some homemaking training to boy : we may feel that we are offering a complete Home Economics program.
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In dirceting our attention so definitely upon the home we must not overlook the many advantages in the business world to pupils trained in Home Economics. Many and diversified opportunities for employment present themselves under normal conditions.
We are realizing our objectives and ideals for Home Economics education more and more. Our courses are functioning and have earned much ap- preciation from pupils who have sensed the value of this training. Our chief obstacle to progress is the lack of general understanding of the value and extent of our subject matter. Unfortunately some of the hardest to reach are educators who draw a circle around their own subjects and do not attempt to understand comparative values in education. We feel that we are gaining ground rapidly through our pupils who sense the im- portance of this branch of education.
We regret the necessity to remove Home Economics instruction from the fifth grade as an economy measure this year. However we appreciate the ready cooperation and interest of the principals and teachers in the elementary schools who have so willingly adapted themselves and taken over the Home Economics instruction in the sixth grade.
An experiment with a Homemaking unit of instruction is being carried on this year at the Callahan School where facilities seemed most favorable to the plan. The unit is based upon the general themc "What can a girl of my age do to be of real assistance in my home?" We expect enthusiastic and valuable reactions from pupils and mothers.
The usual activities of the department have continued. The Mid- morning Nutrition project has suffered this year, presumably from lack of funds to continue it to the extent that it is needed. For a period of time the High School teachers provided a fund which greatly assisted a number of undernourished pupils. The need in this direction is as great as ever and is deserving of more consideration. Beside the regular work of the department we have assisted during the past year with costume inaking for pageants, decorations for the Game Plan Exhibit, a special lunchcon for the judges and guests of the Music Festival and several special luncheons for visitors at the High School. We have also organized a short course in Nutrition which is given to all sophomores as part of a course in General Health.
I wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of the excellent spirit and cooperation shown by all members of this department, to the elementary teachers and Principals and all who have worked for the ad- vancement and development of the department during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
AGNES M. BRIDGES,
Supervisor of Home Economics Education
279
Mr. Leonard W. Grant, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I herewith submit my ninth annual report as Supervisor of Adult Alien Education in Norwood.
The work during the past year has divided itself into three general divisions: taking charge of the evening school classes, teaching the foreign women in the home, and assisting to relieve suffering and poverty in the homes by helping, jointly with the school nurses, to disburse the money contributed by the teachers.
Our evening sehool elasses meet at one eenter only this year, the Baleh School. Here we have seven elasses with an enrollment of 118 pupils. When the classes elosed for the Christmas holiday our attendanee was 89.7% of our enrollment. The people who are attending school are there for a purpose. Our attendanee was never so high before.
The citizenship elass is smaller this year than usual. Many people would like to take out their papers to become eitizens but in these times of shortened working hours they have no money to pay for them.
The advanced age of the pupils in our elasses is marked. Eight years ago the average age of the pupils in our beginner's elass was 33 years. Today it is 43 years. In one class this year where seventeen men are going to school for the first time, eleven of them were absolutely illiterate when sehool opened.
Our most advanced elass has a membership of 21 people. In this class we are trying to take care of all types of pupils. Young people who have dropped out of both Junior and Senior High School have come to us and asked if there was not something we could do to help them. One member of this class is a woman in middle life who was born in America but realizing her need for more edueation has joined this class and attends it faithfully. We are trying to give these students work in seience, eivies and arithmetie as well as in English and literature.
In Mareh we held our evening sehool graduation in the Junior High School hall. The pupils of the school presented a program of music and essays which was enjoyed by a large audience. Mr. Leonard W. Grant, our superintendent of schools, was the speaker of the evening.
There are 37 women divided into six groups meeting in the homes this year. The supervisor teaches five of these groups. Miss Margaret Curran is the teacher of the sixth. One of these groups consists of a elass of seven women representing five nationalities (Swedish, Finnish, Jewish, Italian and German). It is a great satisfaction to see the advanee being made by the Syrian women both in the evening elasses and the home elasses.
The supervisor has had the splendid co-operation of Miss Ruth Gurney of the Norfolk Agricultural School who has opened extension elasses in
280
both sewing and cooking for the foreign women. The sewing groups meet at the homes and receive the expert assistance of Miss Gurney in making coats and dresses for children. The cooking class, through the kind co- operation of Miss Julia McCarthy, Principal of the Winslow School, has met at her school once each month. Women of eight nationalities meet together and are intensely interested to learn how to get the most value for their food dollar. Special attention is given to food values and how to feed children. The attendance at these classes has averaged 25.
At the last meeting before Christmas it was an inspiring sight to see women representing so many nations of Europe gathered around the beautifully lighted Christmas tree in the hall of the Winslow School singing carols in English.
The relief work done by the supervisor has been in co-operation with the local welfare board, the school nurses and the Red Cross. This has been possible largely because of the voluntary contribution made by the Norwood teachers who come in contact with the children from the homes that are in want. Mention should be made of the Friday Club of Nor- wood, a group of ladies who has been most kind to the supervisor in pro- viding her with clothing and money to use in this work.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the evening school teachers for their faithful work which has kept the standard of our school so high.
My grateful appreciation is extended to the teachers of the day schools and to many other kind individuals of our town who have contributed both money and clothing for the help of people who are unfortunate.
Respectfully submitted,
WILDA L. VOSE, Supervisor of Adult Alien Education
Mr. Leonard W. Grant,
Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Grant:
I herewith submit the annual report of the Art Department for the year ending December 31, 1932.
The content of our course of study has remained practically the same for the last two or three years. The basic principles of Art and Art Ap- preciation, as exemplified in Design, Representation, Color Harmony Perspective, etc., remain always the samc, although they may be applied in new projects to meet certain conditions or occasions.
No general exhibition was held, but at various times, such as when Parent-Teacher mectings were held, representative displays of drawings were shown in the school rooms or on bulletin-boards in the corridors.
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Also a collection of drawings from Grades 1 through IX was mounted in a 12" x 18" booklet and sent to a school in Manila, in exchange for samples of their school work in various subjects, sent to the Winslow School.
The George Washington Bicentennial gave us opportunities for making many patriotic posters, designs, booklet covers, etc.
The "Co-operative Group Plan" as now carried on in two of our ele- mentary schools, gives opportunity for more real "arts and crafts" work, since the periods are longer and the work is done by teachers who are specializing in that one subject rather than teaching many subjects.
The Junior and Senior High Art classes and Art clubs continue to show increased interest each year, as well as more creative ability and improved technique. The two latter qualities were well shown in the recent "Town Planning" contest and exhibition, where Norwood held three prize-winning places in the county contest. Both visitors at the exhibition and the contestants themselves cxpressed the opinion that the background of drawing which they had had in their previous years of school had been of great assistance in their planning of maps of Norwood 100 years hence.
Classes in both schools have made designs for the school papers and posters for various activities and in Senior High designs were made for the cover of the annual state Music Festival held last May. The Junior High Art Club continued its study of modern design, applying original designs to various articles. The Senior High Art Club did figure posing, drawing each other or other members of the school, also out-door sketching in pencil, pastels and water colors, finding many spots of interest not far from the High School building as subjects. Five of last year's graduates are attending Art schools in Boston this year.
The following four aims of Art education, as stated in a recently published course of study in Art for New York City, express the aims of our Art teaching here in Norwood, as well as in most communities at the present time:
1. "The development of youthful artistic talent by special training and stimulating guidance in order that ability may be made productive in the service of society."
2. "The development of good taste in the individual and the com- munity."
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