USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Plainville > Plainville, Massachusetts annual reports 1934-1941 > Part 36
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Books and Supplies, High and Elementary
1,590.36
Operation of School Plant:
Janitor
1,664.00
Fuel
1,219.32
Miscellaneous
654.75
Maintenance
536.85
Health
437.43
Transportation
2,675.00
Tuition
232.00
New Equipment
297.98
Total
$26,212.35
Balance
22.10
The Town received from the State on Account of Schools:
1938
1937
General School Fund, Part I
$1,867.50
$1,930.00
General School Fund, Part II
3,286.01
2,993.44
For Superintendent
776.11
733.33
For High School
1,042.86
1,050.00
$6,972.48
$6,706.77
64
ANNUAL REPORT
From the Town of Wrentham for Tuition ..
240.16
184.86
From the Tuition of State Wards
108.21
110.94
From Tuition of Jewelry School Pupils
111.18
Total
$7,432.03
$7,002.57
Total Expenditures
$26,212.35
$26,936.70
Receipts from outside sources
7,432.03
7,002.57
Expenditure by Town of Plainville
$18,780.32
$19,934.13
£
5
PLAINVILLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET 1939
Budget 1939
Expended 1938
Expended 1936
Expended 1934
Expended 1929
School Committee
$ 120.00
$ 120.00
$ 120.00
$ 120.00
Superintendent's Salary
1,600.00
1,599.96
1,599.96
1,599.96
$ 1,600.00
Expenses
160.00
159.44
171.23
125.93
143.21
Teachers' Salaries
15,450.00
15,025.26
15,617.71
16,353.02
15,533.63
Books and Supplies
1,600.00
1,590.36
1,006.42
1,154.55
1.608.63
Operation of School Plant :
Janitor
1,664.00
1,664.00
1,664.00
1,497.60
1,482.00
Fuel
1,211.00
1,219.32
936.94
1,175.54
1,447.19
Miscellaneous
480.00
654.75
524.11
407.22
335.15
Maintenance
320.00
536.85
259.03
371.82
675.59
Health
445.00
437.43
422.16
390.45
413.22
Transportation
2,675.00
2,675.00
2,675.00
2,582.50
2,745.00
New Equipment
125.00
297.98
24.60
288.90
97.48
Tuition
250.00
232.00
97.92
Special Repairs to High School Building
500.00
$26,600.00
$26,212.35
$25,119.08
$26,067.49
$26,101.10
LeROY B. WILSON, Secretary
FRANK O. CORBIN
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY S. TAMBLYN, Chairman
66
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the Plainville School Committee:
I have the honor of submitting to you my fifteenth annual report as Superintendent of Schools and the thirty-third in the series of reports.
Vocational Education
For the past twenty years vocational education has been supported by Federal and State grants for this type of educa- tion. Only the large cities have been able to take advantage of this help. The youth of the small towns have an equal need for this training. The validity of its objectives are equally applicable to rural as well as urban pupils. At the present time this situation is being realized. The Advisory Committee on Education appointed by the President carefully analyzed the results of vocational education in agriculture, home eco- nomics, trades, industries and for the distributive occupations. They reported that these schools had "led to increased em- phasis upon a more realistic type of high school curriculum, one better adapted than the older academic course of study to the needs of most high school pupils." A start has been made in our locality through the offerings in a few fields by the state or county supported schools. The county agricultural school furnishes one type of vocational education. The Attle- boro Jewelry School gives an excellent training for those wishing preparation for the many manufacturing plants of this locality. There are two to four pupils from this town continually at this school. The full cooperation given by the director of this school with the local officials is appreciated. One-half of the cost of the attendance of Plainville pupils is paid by the Commonwealth. Each year two or three local residents attend other State aided trade schools. In this sec- tion of the state groups of school committee members and superintendents from small towns have been meeting to dis- cuss means of jointly enlarging the opportunity for young people in wider range of vocational education. The need and the objectives are acknowledged and recognized. Definite results should be seen in the near future.
67
ANNUAL REPORT
Motion Pictures
Plainville schols had, through the gift of the Parent- Teachers' Association, one of the first motion picture machines for visual education in the classroom. For the third year the schools are now enjoying a regular weekly program of motion pictures. A small portable machine which can be used by each teacher in her own classroom is available. Visual education is now a practical aid to the teaching of the fundamental school subjects. Early in the school year the teachers of each elementary school and of the high school have oppor- tunity to select films on subjects which they will be teaching at various periods of the school year. The State Department of Education prepares the list of films for this purpose and rents them at cost to the individual towns. Additional films on special topics were secured from Boston University and various industrial firms.
Survey of High School Graduates
At a recent educational conference Dr. Payson Smith, our former Commissioner of Education, stated that one conclusion from his work with the National Survey of Youth was the need for closer contact of the high school with its graduates. He recommended a survey of the activities and progress of the graduates of the school system for a long period-10 to 15 years. This survey should be kept continually up-to-date. Its purpose should be to discover the success and problems of the school graduates in order to make changes or enlarge- ment in the school program to prepare its pupils better for their life work. This is a big goal and cannot be adequately met by most school systems at the present time. Yet during the coming year our school staff will undertake to make a substantial start on this plan. The results of this work will be correlated with the guidance program.
National Meeting of Superintendents
The annual meeting of the American Association of School Administrators in 1938 emphasized the following trends in education today: 1. A deeper and stronger determination of educational administrators to preserve, evaluate and improve our democratic form of government.
2. Increasing concern with the injustices to which many
68
ANNUAL REPORT
boys and girls are subjected, particularly those living in rural areas and those handicapped.
3. The practically unanimous conviction that the federal government must assume the responsibility which it acknowl- edged some 150 years ago. It must participate to a far greater degree in the financial support of public education.
4. Need for more vital youth education for learning to live as well as to earn a living.
Creative Citizenship was a major topic. The following objectives for the teaching of citizenship in our schools were stated and means for attaining them were discussed:
1. To cultivate a deep regard for democracy and an intelligent appreciation of democratic institutions.
2. To develop those qualities of character and methods of action which are of special significance in a democracy.
3. To develop the willingness and ability to cooperate effectively in a democratic society.
4. To develop an active interest in and concern for the progressive development of the democratic ideal.
Old Reports
For several years I have been collecting from all town sources and from many cooperating citizens copies of past school reports of Plainville. These reports have been bound in permanent and attractive form and are on file in the school office. There are 2 volumes of School Reports covering the period from 1905 to 1937. School Reports for years before 1905 are now being collected. Anyone having copies which they would care to give to the school department for this permanent collection should communicate with the superin- tendent or a member of the school committee. There are frequent requests for official statistics. Study of past pro- cedures and organization is profitable. For many purposes this collection of reports is a valuble asset to the school system and the town.
As President of the Bristol County Teachers' Association there recently came to me a copy of the program of the third
69
ANNUAL REPORT
meeting of that association which took place May 1, 1880. The following list of topics is taken from that program:
Illustrative Drawing in Teaching.
The Spelling Reform.
Discussion of the Question, "How shall we induce our pupils to read good books?"
Neglect of English Language in our Public Schools.
Shall dull pupils be excluded from our High Schools?
At times we are told that the good old days were marked by high success and accomplishment. Also we are sometimes tempted to feel that we are in our time mastering our prob- lems. Comparison of the above topics and the current educa- tional conferences is worthy of careful thought. I wonder whether the programs of 50 years hence will be far different from those of today or 1880.
Forum
Plainville and Norton have engaged for several years in school debates. This plan followed the public speaking contest in which Plainville participated for a number of years. Plain- ville has consistently won these debates. It is now planned to change again this activity to a Forum or Panel Discussion. The usual debate is quite formal in procedure. The group discussion plan or panel is taking the place of debates in current practice in the adult world. There is greater free- dom of exchange of thought in this plan. No formal decision of judges is given. The emphasis is entirely on the exchange of ideas and arguments with the objective to bring out all sides or angles of the question on which the forum or panel is organized. Under this plan the educational aspects would be increased and the unpleasant competitive spirit would be lessened. The high school principals and staff in each town are working on a plan to make a start this school year on this new type of procedure.
Young People in Employment
Each year the superintendent and the chairman of the school committee are required by law to certify to the State
70
ANNUAL REPORT
Department of Education the statistics of the employment of everyone under 21 years of age during the current year. These figures have many educational implications and prob- lems. The following table gives the numbers of boys and girls in two age groups securing employment:
Boys 16 - 17 18 - 21
Girls
Total
16 - 17 18 - 21
1924
7
3
9
2
21
1925
5
5
3
2
15
1926
10
2
11
3
26
1927
6
9
13
5
33
1928
11
8
5
1
25
1929
11
2
1
3
17
1930
2
1
4
3
10
1931
7
2
1
1
11
1932
2
3
1
1
7
1933
0
1
2
2
5
1934
3
0
0
2
5
1935
9
5
2
1
17
1936
7
5
0
9
21
1937
3
9
7
4
23
1938
8
4
3
9
24
Totals
91
59
62
48
260
From the above table the following observations are pos- sible: £ More boys than girls leave school; in the fifteen-year period given above 150 boys secured employment and 110 girls, or 58% were boys and 42% were girls. In the last ten years the figures were 84 boys and 56 girls, an even larger percentage of boys. Of these 61% of the boys left at the 16 and 17 age period and 39% of the boys left at the 18 to 21 year age period. In the case of the girls 56% left at the lower age group and 44% left at the higher age group. If one examines the figures for the last 10 years only, a change is noticed. The larger number of boys continued to leave at the early age; namely, 52 at the 16 and 17 age, and 32 at the 18 to 21 year period, but in the case of the girls the tendency is changed so that 21 only left in the first period and 35 in the second age period. The conclusion is possible that the boys left early and there is a tendency for the girls to stay to the completion of their public school education. This fact is also
1
71
ANNUAL REPORT
brought out in the statistics for 1938. 12 boys secured em- ployment: 4 finished high school, 5 finished the 8th grade, 2 the 7th and 1 the 6th. (Two of the boys leaving at the lowest grade level attended private schools and not the Plain- ville Public Schools). Now in the case of the 12 girls who secured employment : 8 had finished high school, 1 her sopho- more year, 1 her freshman year, and 2 the 7th grade. I be- lieve this study reenforces the opinion expressed elsewhere in this report that there is need of extensive study of what be- comes of both the graduates of our school and those leaving be- fore graduation to determine what changes may be desirable to prepare them better for their place in adult life. It may be significant that the academic training and the commercial training, which are the two types possible in our high school, fit into the needs of the girls more than the boys. The greatest problem today in public education in general as well as in our local school system concerns the purposes and results of the high school division of our public school system.
THE HIGH SCHOOL Mr. Harry L. Dixon, Principal
The report of Mr. Dixon gives a brief outline of the changes made in the program of studies since he has been principal of that school. It also outlines the plan and gives the main details of the guidance plan which is now starting in his school.
"The presentation of a rather full report of those fea- tures of which we are particularly proud would be quite fitting for my tenth annual report. To do this would be to state a great deal of material in repetition of what has found its way into previous annual reports; therefore it seems best to let that record stand.
"There has been a trend in most of our changes, both major and minor ones, toward a school in which the focus of all procedures is included in the term GUIDANCE. Quite significant in contributing to this progress is the fact that we have added three courses to the offerings of Plainville High School. Each of these courses has been a real addition to the academic structure of our school.
72
ANNUAL REPORT
"ECONOMICS, introduced in 1931, has served to give our young citizens an elementary knowledge of this important social study.
"BIOLOGY was added in an effort to strengthen the Commercial and General Course Curriculums. This addition was made in 1934. Not only have these students benefited by instruction in Biology but practically every student has elected it even though many of them were already carrying the full College Preparatory Course.
"PROBLEMS OF DEMOCRACY was the last curricular introduction, this being started in 1935. What course could be more important for all citizens today than an insight into the principles of their government as brought out by a case study of its activities? Because this is being done and be- cause such a training is the most fundamental process possible today we feel that this course is our greatest contribution to the school and to the community as a whole.
"The keynote of our 1939 program will be GUIDANCE. Shortly after the Christmas holidays we hope to make our beginning. In general the following outline of details will probably be used. One serious handicap to such a program has been and still is the lack of time on the part of anyone to carry on this work. To add a schedule of student conferences to my already very heavily loaded program is a physical im- possibility. Our plan is the adoption of a rotational program of classes, each class to meet but four periods per week. This will probably give me some periods for Guidance Conferences with individual students. The same curriculums can be covered by this time allotment as has been proved by many successful high schools by many years' use.
"Periods left free from a regular class by a teacher can be used for Directed Study. This attempt to work individu- ally with students having scholastic difficulties is a most ex- cellent type of Guidance therefore it should serve our main objective well. With the prime requisite of time arranged for the following items in the program should be met successfully in their turn:
Tentative Guidance Program Outline
1. Time for required personnel work. A. Rotational program for classes. 1. Start January, 1939.
73
ANNUAL REPORT
2. Selection of convenient form for records.
3. Conferences with all students.
4. Survey of vocational and avocational activites and interests of all Plainville High School graduates be- ginning with class of 1924.
5. Second conference with all freshmen before close of school in June.
6. Conference with each prospective freshman in eighth grade.
A. Proper selection of course for first year.
1. Possible parent conference.
7. September conference with all students.
A. (1) Seniors, (2) Freshmen, (3) Juniors,
(4) Sophomores."
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Miss Mildred H. Robbins, Principal
Last year I gave extensive comment on the new text books and the recent work which had been done on our organi- zation of course of study for both the Grammar school and Primary school. The following quotations from the report of Miss Robbins outline three special activities during the past year. These are designed to support the previous plans which have been given in these reports and the citizenship objectives for which all teachers are working.
Student Council Organized
"During the past year an attempt was made to give the pupils of grades six, seven and eight, more responsibility in self-government, by the organization of a Student Council.
"A president is chosen by the student body as a whole, from the eighth grade, then two home room delegates elected by each class, with an additional appointment by each home room teacher. These delegates are elected for a half-year only, thus affording a larger pupil participation in the work-
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ANNUAL REPORT
ings of the Council during the year. At least one meeting is held each month and oftener if necessity arises. One member of the faculty is present at the deliberations, but the business is conducted entirely by the pupils themselves. While it is still rather new to them, many worthwhile outcomes have been noted.
Playground Equipment
"During the early spring of 1938 in an endeavor to earn money for extra play equipment, the pupils eagerly entered the project of selling 'Good Seeds.' The results were most gratifying, and baseball and softball equipment was pur- chased. Teams amongst the boys and girls were organized and coached, and the season's activities culminated by matcli games between Plainville and Norton Grammar Schools at the local Town Park, in which honors were divided, Norton boys winning the baseball, and Plainville girls the softball game.
Glee Club
"With the opening of school in September a Glee Club was begun. This club meets with Mrs. Washburn each Wed- nesday afternoon from 2:30 to 3 p. m. It has already proven its worth by the successful presentation of the operetta, 'Christmas in Old England,' during the Christmas season. It also affords an excellent opportunity for those who really enjoy choral singing."
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Miss Katherine I. Howard, Principal
During the past year Plainville has been fortunate in not having any changes in the teaching staff of either the Primary or Grammar schools. The high quality of the teaching per- sonnel as well as the continuity of its staff have added to the advancement of our school program and objectives. The pro- fessional spirit and the untiring efforts of the teachers during the past year deserve the approbation of all school officials and parents. Many interesting school activities and efforts to cooperate with the parents in the common enterprise of child development have taken place. The following quota- tions from the report of Miss Howard point out some of these which took place during the past year:
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ANNUAL REPORT
"The year 1938-1939 has been very successful in the Primary School. The Primary Building has been concentrating on the development of the individual pupil. Several pro- cedures have been successfully tried.
"First there were 4 Extra-curricular Clubs formed, the Glee Club, the Handicraft Club, Dramatic Club and Orchestra. Under teacher guidance the pupils meet the last half hour of every Friday for a period of outside school activities. These club periods develop pupil initiative, encourage leadership and broaden the social ability. During club meetings the program for various school functions are prepared. The first program given was at the Open House Tea in observance of American Educational Week. Fifty-four parents and friends visited the school during this week.
"The Student Council has been functioning very well this year. The members have full charge of the Safety Patrol, School Parties, Assemblies and Room Organization.
"The Monday morning assembly periods have been worked out entirely by the Student Council. Each grade lias charge of one meeting a month. Oral Reading has been the keynote of every meeting.
"During Book Week the Room Libraries were judged on pupil participation. The 5th grade room received the prize for the best organized library.
"Several Room Projects have been worked out to develop the individual pupil. The first grade made a tour of Plainville and have reproduced the various community centers. A play period in grade one has developed initiative and wise choice of leisure time. Grade two has constructed several sand tables to show life in other countries. The Eskimo sand table was the most colorful. A miniature dairy was built after all excursion to Falk's Dairy.
"Grades three and four have organized a Reading Club to take charge of the daily opening exercises. Cooperative blackboard drawings and easel drawings have encouraged pupil development. Grade five made a wall mural depicting winter sports.
"A Flower Carnival and school operetta were the two major events of the primary children's social year."
76
ANNUAL REPORT
MUSIC
Mrs. Harriet F. Washburn, Supervisor
Quotations from the report of this department follow:
"The singing of rote songs in the first five grades has been continued in a satisfactory manner, as the children have a good selection of songs which they enjoy singing. I am still confident that theory work is best started in the second half of the fourth grade, as the children are then anxious to know how to read music themselves. A definite improvement in their tone and interpretation is particularly shown at assem- blies, when each grade sings its own songs. This was very apparent when they sang their Christmas songs this year. Excellent work has been done in these grades by a Glee Club and a Rhythmic Orchestra under the direction of Miss Wood and Miss Howard respectively. The operetta in the spring was well done by the children and enjoyed by the audience. A fine spirit of cooperation was very evident from both teachers and children.
"The Grammar School work is improving, but I hope to see more improvement, as I have started a Glee Club which meets once a week. Members of this Club took part in the Christmas operetta. The eighth grade operetta in June was given as usual and the children gave a fine performance, three of them particularly meeting an emergency in a very mature way. Mrs. Schwenk helped with the dancing which added greatly to the performance.
"The high school chorus is following the usual schedule. Appreciation of good music is our present objective. I have tried to show them the pleasure, enjoyment, and satisfaction that can be realized from an understanding of good music, by chaperoning groups of students at 'Pops' Concerts and at Opera, and I shall continue to do so, hoping that eventually more of them will find satisfaction in showing their apprecia- tion of good music.
"We have a very fine instructor in instrumental work and we were fortunate enough to secure the same young man again this year.
"Through graduation the High School Orchestra lost three members, but that problem comes up annually. The
77
ANNUAL REPORT
few children who are members, are working faithfully and we hope to show some improvement before the year is over.
"As I make my report to you this year, I feel that some definite increase in the love of singing and listening to good music has been shown. That it may steadily increase is my fondest hope, for the love and appreciation of a fine art tends to improve the individual and hence all mankind."
ART
Mrs. Rowena B. Rice, Supervisor
Quotations from the report of this department follow:
"The freeing of the world from ugliness depends upon the powers and appreciations of all the people. It is for this objective and for this task that our art instruction is carried on in our schools. I sincerely feel that here we have one of the most effective methods for transmitting to the new generation our desire for an abundant life for all and for development within our children the power to make this ideal realized.
"This past year principles of art have been demonstrated in numerous problems such as, poster work design, lettering, representation life drawing, murals, creative expression in crayon, cut paper and water colors, correlating with Litera- ture, History and daily experiences. Color was studied and applied to practical uses in home problems and costume design.
"The High School handicraft class continues to meet after school hours. More advanced problems in leather tooling, block printing, batiking, wood carving, soap carving, modeling and metal crafts have been completed. Art appreciation note books were also featured.
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