USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1945-1947 > Part 30
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee,
Wayland, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
I am submitting herewith my fourth annual report and the fifty-first in the series of reports of the Superintendent of Schools. This' account of stewardship endeavors to set forth only that information which is of special interest and which will serve as a record for the school year ending December 31, 1947. A more comprehensive report may be secured at the School Department office or by visiting and conferring with staff mem- bers.
SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAM
The history of new school buildings in any community shows clearly that actual construction lags far behind the real needs. Without question, the tremendous costs of such a capital outlay program, even when spread over a twenty year period, cause hesitancy on the part of the taxpayer. Only when some critical situation arises such as the present and future serious overcrowding, does construction of new buildings or additions get underway. Wayland is facing the school building program squarely and action has already been taken in the appointment of a Building Committee. This Committee, on which the School Department is represented by three School Committee members and the Superintendent of Schools, has reported on its work to date in a Progress Report issued in October. It is not the pur- pose of this report to repeat these findings but to consider them as they effect the administration of the public schools in the immediate future.
Approximately 800 students enrolled in the Wayland Schools this September constituting, as predicted, the town's greatest enrollment. As outlined in the 1946 Annual Report, an additional first grade room was opened in September to help in caring for 94 first graders. Distributing approximately 30
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pupils to a grade, the Grade I problem was solved temporarily for this school year. As the growth of the community con- tinues, however, and such growth is inevitable, three first grade rooms will prove wholly inadequate. The predicted entering class for 1952 is 125 pupils without considering residential growth in the period 1948-1952.
An immediate problem for September, 1948 is housing the present first grade in two 2nd grade classrooms. In addition, this year's enrollment shows three other primary grade class- rooms with more than forty pupils per room.
The School Department's building proposal, if approved at the next Annual Town Meeting, and assuming labor and material shortages can be overcome in early Spring, would eliminate this condition of overcrowding. This proposal was comprehensively treated in the 1945 and 1946 Annual Reports and warrants only the briefest summary below.
High School: Addition to and an enlargement of the present High School to contain all modern facilities necessary for separate junior-senior high school or- ganization (grades 7-12). Additional classrooms, cafeteria, vocational shop, and expanded physical education facilities.
Cochituate School: Transfer grades 7 and 8 to junior- senior high school thus providing 8 regular classrooms for grades 1-6 elementary school expansion. Recom- mend municipal auditorium-gymnasium combination as annex. Cafeteria facilities to be included, and extra classrooms as growth increases.
Center School: A $6500 remedial room addition (ap- proved in 1943) to be built when materials are avail- able. Transfer grades 7 and 8 to junior-senior high school thus providing 8 regular classrooms for grades 1-6 elementary school expansion.
The Building Committee and Dr. Herbert Blair, employed as technical consultant, concur in the above recommendations.
If the High School addition, which constitutes the first step in the program, cannot be completed by September, 1948, the School Committee has two probable courses of action re- maining. First, it may organize the elementary schools with two grades in each classroom, that is, a Grade I and II com- bination, Grade II and III combination, Grade III and IV com-
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bination, and in like manner through all grades. This affords the opportunity of increasing the enrollment in grades with fewer students thus balancing all grades and classrooms at capacity, and in certain cases, over capacity. This plan does not lend itself to a most efficient teaching-learning situation, and the pupils as a result are handicapped during such a period. Neither is the overcrowded condition on certain grade levels improved, for large classes are not avoided and as the growth of the town continues. the situation becomes progressively worse.
The second common plan which communities place in oper- ation during periods of heavy enrollment calls for a double- session day. This establishes a morning session for one stu- dent group and an afternoon session for a similarly sized group. Such a system would prove most effective in handling the prim- ary grades-I, II, and III. The strain it places on the student body, teaching staff, and parents is quite obvious and needs no further elaboration here. Also, the costs involved in re-organ- izing the school bus system to meet transportation demands would be considerably higher.
Several other plans, and modifications of the above two. have been considered but do not seem feasible for Wayland at this time.
As stated in the report of the Building Committee, meet- ings with all organizations in town have been planned for the immediate future, at which full discussion of the school build- ing program will be presented. Representatives of the School Department will be present at these meetings in order to out- line the needs more thoroughly, and discover what the citizens believe necessary to insure the finest schools possible for our children and our community.
BUDGET
Increase
The 1948 budget provides for an increase of $16,500 over the 1947 budget constituting an approximate 16% rise. Of this amount. $13,000 is for improved instructional salaries and the employment of an additional elementary teacher. The bal- ance has been allocated to care for sharply increasing opera- tional costs. These increases do not improve our purchasing power but merely maintain our present ability, for in the past twelve months many necessary items have been included in the marked inflationary trend. Arithmetic paper increasing another
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25%, composition paper 37%, drawing paper 40%, and blot- ters 35% are but a few examples of regularly recurring in- creases in the instructional-supplies market.
As another example of price trends, coal has increased approximately $4.00 per ton in the past three years. Here again, additional funds must be appropriated if an efficient operational level is to be maintained.
In general, the 16% over-all budget increase places Way- land at the median as compared with the other towns and cities of the Commonwealth.
Salary Schedule
Policies governing the salaries of teachers have far-reach- ing influence in any school system. They influence the quality of education because salary policies determine to a large extent the quality of personnel entering and remaining in the teaching profession. They represent a major factor in school finance because two-thirds of Wayland's budget is appropriated for in- structional salaries. Also, salary policies are important in per- sonnel administration because salaries play a dominant role in the morale and working relationships of the entire school staff.
Again this year joint meetings of the Teachers' Salary Committee and the School Committee were held, and after care- ful appraisal in light of present needs and trends, the salary schedule was revised upward to more reasonable professional levels. The fact that many states have established $2400 as a minimum salary, and that such legislation is proposed this year for Massachusetts indicates that our minimum salaries may need readjustment in the near future. Competitively, the new salary schedule as printed below places Wayland in a favorable posi- tion as compared with the other 103 towns in our group.
ANNUAL STEPS
Maximum
Minimum 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Preparation :
No degree $1800 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 3200
Bachelor's
degree $2000 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 :
31 32 33 3400
Master's
degree
$2200 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 3600
The above schedule is of the single salary type, the dis- tinguishing characteristic of which is that the salary class to which a classroom teacher is assigned depends on the profes-
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ional training and qualifications of the teacher rather than the school level or grade assignment. Thus, the first grade teacher with equal professional preparation attains the same maximum as any high school teacher. Also, discrimination because of sex is eliminated as men and women teachers may realize the same maximum salary on any given professional level.
To guarantee the continuous professional advancement of the staff, all teachers are required to complete satisfactorily, six units in graduate study once in every five year period.
Comparison
Wherever budgets are discussed in all likelihood questions such as these are asked. "Must budgets inevitably increase ?" "As compared with a certain year, isn't this year's budget double, or triple, or perhaps five times larger ?" "Why ?" "Do the schools have as much money as they need to do a good job?"
In a recent nation-wide survey more than half the public thought that American schools needed more money to do a good job. The answer to the "why" question is twofold-expanded and improved educational services for a larger student body, and general price increases as discussed above.
A citizen should look beyond the actual increase, however, and ask the following question. "Where does Wayland stand with reference to school budgets in comparably sized commun- ities throughout Massachusetts?" The towns and cities of the Commonwealth are divided into four groups according to popu- lation. Wayland is in Group III, which includes 104 towns of less than 5,000 population and maintaining high schools. Al- though the State has not released its composite figures for the school year ending this past June, we have continued our rela- tive position for the year previous. These statistics showed the following :
VALUATION
Wayland's value per capita was approximately $1500. Of the towns in Group III, 33 had a greater valuation and 70 were less able financially.
TAX RATE
Of the towns in our class, 45 had a lower tax rate and 58 had a higher rate. The tax for schools shows a clearer support picture, however, and we note that only 28 towns had a lower rate and 75 towns had a higher tax for schools.
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It is also interesting to appraise the amount of the total tax used for schools. In Wayland approximately 38% of the total tax was used. Comparably, we find 71 towns gave a higher per cent to the schools and 32 gave a smaller per cent.
COST PER PUPIL
The cost per pupil in average membership found 72 towns spending more than Wayland on the education of each pupil, and only 31 towns spending less.
These figures demonstrate clearly that the School Depart- ment increases are not out of line and that the town has the financial ability to do an even better job in more adequately underwriting education. That this fact is appreciated is reflect- ed in the unquestioned and continuing support of our schools by the taxpayers of Wayland.
State Aid
As in the past, the State assisted to a limited degree in sup- porting the public schools. Wayland received $5,350.00 from the Commonwealth, an amount distributed under General School Fund, Part I. This reimbursement is based on the number of teachers and their quality of training. As an example, $200 is earmarked for each teacher who is a graduate of a standard collegiate institution and who has had at least two years' exper- ience. An additional $1,298.17 was paid to the town as tuition for state wards enrolled in the Wayland Schools.
Under Chapter 679 of the General Laws, adopted by the Legislature this past summer, a new reimbursement will be made for the transportation of pupils. This is based on the number of pupils living 11/2 miles or more from school. At the present time, Wayland has 357 such pupils and will receive $3,270.00 as transportation aid. Because of an emergency pre- amble, the town will benefit from this reimbursement from the Commonwealth this year, 1947.
In aggregate, slightly less than $10,000 was returned to Wayland in the form of school grants. The Legislature is now considering the feasibility of increasing this general state aid for schools to a figure more in line with the other states in the nation. The principles of equalization of educational oppor- tunity and tax relief will undoubtedly receive careful considera- tion, and some measure of increased aid seems a certainty by 1949 at the latest.
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Federal participation in underwriting education locally also seems a likelihood in the future, particularly in the field of school building construction.
GENERAL
I believe the following general information warrants inclu- sion in presenting changes, improvements and extensions of our program, and significant forward steps taken during the past year. Some of these points will be treated more fully in the reports of principals and supervisors.
(1) STAFF CHANGES-Wayland was exceptionally fortunate in having to replace only four members of the instruc- tonal staff during 1947, in spite of a continuing serious teacher shortage. Each replacement, in addition to a new primary teacher, has had degree training and successful classroom experience.
(2) PUBLICATIONS-A bulletin describing the curriculum and varied activities in the High School has recently been add- ed to the list of School Department publications. This handbook, together with a previously published elemen- tary school booklet, contains information relating to edu- cational policy and items of general interest and is avail- able to any citizen upon request.
(3) PHYSICAL EDUCATION-The advantages of our broadened program of physical education in the past year have been reflected most commendably in varsity athletics. The basketball team after a most successful season went on to win the Tech Tourney Class C Championship. In base- ball, after an undefeated season, the team was invited to participate in the Eastern State Tourney and performed creditably against city competition. That the citizens of Wayland appreciated the efforts of the coaching staff and squad members in bringing honor to the school and town, was demonstrated by means of a banquet and suitable awards under the sponsorship of a citizens' committee.
The athletic field project had progressed sufficiently by September to warrant scheduling varsity football games on it, in addition to carrying on regular physical education classes and girls' field hockey. The level playing surface aided immeasurably in conducting the physical education program. When materials become available, the Park and School Departments look forward to the installation of stands with an adequate seating capacity. Also, future
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consideration should be given the terracing and grading of the lower field for elementary school use.
(4) HEALTH-The health program under the guidance of the doctor, nurse, and dentist included complete physical and dental examinations, clinics, vision tests, chest x-rays, toxoid clinics, special examinations for participants in athletics, and routine health service and follow-up. Ex- ceptionally comprehensive hearing tests were conducted this year by doctors from the Department of Public Health and the Harvard Clinic with individual audiograms completed for each student.
Because of space limitations in the office of the Cochitu- ate School, the dental clinic was removed from that room and a small medical and dental unit was installed in the south basement.
(4) SUPERVISORY PROGRAM-In addition to the health officers listed above, supervisors at the present time render special services in the following fields: physical education, art, music, penmanship, nature study, and remedial reading.
Although the last named supervisor was forced to give up her quarters in the Cochituate School to house the new first grade, the utilization of office space in both elemen- tary buildings has afforded an opportunity to continue program operation. The present schedule provides for two and a half days in each building. In conjunction with this program, elementary libraries have been established in both schools and the high student interest and circula- tion rate exemplify the worthwhileness of such projects.
(6) CURRICULUM APPRAISAL-There is much to be commend- in the continuous professional growth of the teaching and supervisory staff. By means of administrative bulletins, professional courses, area workshops and conferences, teachers' meetings, lectures, testing, and observation, our curriculum is under constant appraisal. Among other projects launched in 1947, a vertical appraisal of our read- ing system from Grade I through Grade XII was started. A long-term enterprise, the work to date has proved most beneficial to the grade level chairmen and all participants.
(7) AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS-Recognizing the vital role the visual and auditory senses play in the education of a child, the School Department has regularly provided for the pur- chase of suitable equipment. Among the visual aids,
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books, magazines, newspapers, posters, supplementary texts, encyclopedias, maps, globes, bulletin boards, pro- jection equipment, and the like, all play a part. Within the field of auditory aids, such equipment as pianos, other musical instruments, phonographs, radios, recorders, and public address systems are found.
This past year a tri-purpose 35 mm. film strip and slide projector, a radio-phonograph and recorder, and a single phonograph were purchased. Previously obtained projec- tion equipment includes a 16 mm. sound film projector. and a combination stereoptican and opaque projector. Future consideration should be given to obtaining one or to additional 16 mm. sound projectors for the elementary schools.
(8)
P. T. A .-- Schools succeed best where parents are part- ners who help to plan the educational program and thus give intelligent and complete support to the professional school staff. In this regard, we are most appreciative of the interest of the Wayland Parent-Teacher Association which was re-organized during the past year. Here is one of the greatest and most constructive forces in Amer- ican education today. Basically the schools in this coun- try are of, by, and for the people.
(9) PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS-At the present time, there is an active Wayland Teachers' Club made up of all staff members and affiliated with the Massachusetts Teachers' Federation and the National Education Association. In addition, this past year the School Department was ac- cepted as a member of the New England School Develop- ment Council. The formation of this Council constitutes a most significant step in the history of public schools in New England and it is comprised of approximately sixty member school systems from towns and cities in the six state area. Its objective is the improvement of public school education through cooperative research and the mutual exchange of information regarding effective edu- cational practices. In 1947 the Council published several studies on the long-range planning of school buildings, teachers' salary schedules, and effective practices in New England schools.
(10) CLASSROOM FURNITURE-Following the plan established three years ago, the School Department installed modern, tubular steel, table-desk and chair units in the newly
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opened first grade in the Cochituate Building. This fur- niture is of the movable type allowing for full utilization of classroom space in conducting all curricular activities involving art, music, project work, dramatization, health, and physical education. Although the production of such furniture is still almost two years behind schedule, it is our hope to purchase several such units each year until all obsolete desks and chairs are replaced.
Additional equipment : As a result of an equipment sub- sidy from the Federal Government, needed replacements were made in the cafeteria kitchens. At the High School, a six burner, two oven gas stove and a ten cubic foot refrigerator were installed. A similar gas stove and a twenty cubic foot refrigerator replaced obsolete equip- ment in the Center School kitchen.
CONCLUSION
Recognizing that the progress of the Wayland Public Schools in 1947 was due primarily to the loyal support and untiring efforts of the School Committee, entire school staff, and interested citizens, I hereby record my sincere appreciation and gratitude.
Respectfully submitted, OWEN B. KIERNAN, Superintendent of Schools.
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REPORT OF THE HEADMASTER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
To the Superintendent of Schools:
The year 1947 has witnessed continued growth in enroll- ment and in activity at Wayland High School. It is particularly gratifying to note the ever increasing interest and active coop- eration on the part of the community toward the development of a more meaningful and vital secondary school program.
The Program of Studies
The program of studies in any school reflects the philos- ophy of education under which that school operates. If that philosophy of education is primarily concerned with meeting the personal needs of the individual and the social needs of the group, certain basic implications must be recognized.
First : The program of studies must provide all pupils with experiences which will enable them to understand and partici- pate efficiently in the social order of which they are a part. This will necessitate a general education which trains youth to think clearly and logically, to interchange ideas freely and intelligent- ly, to understand themselves and their potentialities, and to recognize the privileges and responsibilities which belong to members of a free society.
Second : The program of studies must provide certain basic skills which will enable pupils who will terminate their formal education on graduation from high school to obtain and hold jobs for which they are best suited and qualified.
Third: A program of studies must provide a necessary academic background for those who are to continue their educa- tion beyond high school.
At the present time Wayland High School offers forty-four different courses, some of which are closely related, others widely differentiated. Of these courses twelve are college pre- paratory and are geared to meet the entrance requirements of major colleges. Included in this group are Algebra, Plane
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Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, Chemistry, Latin, French, etc. Seven courses are planned for pupils who are preparing for office and secretarial work. They include Typing, Book- keeping, Stenography, and Machine Practice. Five courses are devoted to the fine arts and music. Nine courses deal with general problems of everyday living. They are planned solely on the basis of individual and group needs and include General Mathematics, Consumer Economics, Home Mechanics, Reme- dial Reading, Typing for Personal Use, etc. The remaining courses serve all of the aforementioned purposes. Since the enrollment of the school is too small to permit homogeneous grouping, it is necessary for teachers to differentiate the work in each classroom to satisfy the needs and objectives of the individual pupil. Such courses are English, General Science, Biology, and the Social Studies.
On the surface, this program of studies would appear to satisfactorily meet the majority of needs of the youth in our community. In this report it seems appropriate that I should point out what appear to me to be some of the weaknesses of the program of studies as it now stands, weaknesses which are typical of nearly all small high schools. First. Since less than twenty-five per cent of our pupils prepare for major colleges demanding fixed academic requirements, it would appear that our program is overbalanced in this respect. Yet any further curtailment in such offerings in the advanced fields of mathe- matics, science, and foreign languages would seriously handicap pupils who desire to prepare for college. Furthermore, the en- rollment in some of the courses mentioned above is very small. This requires overcrowding other courses and frequently makes it necessary to place study pupils in the same rooms where classes are being conducted. This has proved unsatisfactory both for the pupil who is attempting to study and for the teacher who is conducting a class and supervising a study group at the same time. Second. A number of boys in high school show greater capacity for work requiring manual skill than for that which requires academic aptitude. For these boys there is a great need for a general shop where habits of neatness, accur- acy, careful planning, logical thinking, and social responsibility can be expressed and learned through the process of doing in- stead of attempting to attain such habits solely through the medium of the printed page and classroom discussion. Third. There is need for an expanded program in reading improve- ment, speech development, educational and vocational guidance,
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