USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Plainville > Plainville, Massachusetts annual reports 1942-1950 > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
ROLAND L. WOLCOTT Telephone, North Attleboro 8-0146
School Physician DR. JOHN T. COTTER Telephone, North Attleboro 8-0204
School Nurse MRS. JANET W. CLAUDY Telephone, North Attleboro 8-0678-M
Attendance Officer
Elmer C. Pease
71
ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL CALENDAR-1950-1951
Elementary and High Schools:
First term opens September 6, 1950 First term closes December 21, 1950 Second term opens January 2, 1951 Second term closes February 16, 1951 Third term opens February 26, 1951 Third term closes April 13, 1951 Fourth term opens April 23, 1951 Fourth term closes Elementary Schools June 14, 1951 High School June 22, 1951
Holidays for all Schools:
October 12-13 October 27
November 11
November 22 (1/2 day)
November 23, 24
December 21 (1/2 day)
March 23, Good Friday May 30
School Sessions:
Junior-Senior High School: Regular session 8:30 to 2:00 Primary School: 9:00 to 11:45 and 1:00 to 3:00
No School Signals
7:30 A. M .- Three double blasts on fire alarm system signifies no school for all pupils for the day.
7:45 A. M .- Same signal signifies no school for pri- mary pupils.
11:30 A. M .- Same signal signifies no school in the afternoon and Primary pupils will stay in school until 2:00 P. M.
Plainville NO SCHOOL signals are broadcast over radio station WARA 7:00 A. M., 7:30 A. M., 8:00 A. M. and 8:30 A. M.
72
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Plainville:
We feel we have made another important step in the improvement of our Town Hall Building by re-surfacing the school yard and the approaches to the building.
We were most fortunate in that we lost only three of the members of our teaching staff in June. Mr. William J. Lon- gridge, Jr., was secured to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Charles P. MacDonald, as teacher of English and coach of High School athletics: Mr. Ralph Merrill as teacher of Foreign Languages and English to replace Mrs. Angela M. Romay: Miss Lois Ramsay as first grade teacher to replace Miss Kathleen M. Joyce.
We feel that the most important advancement in education for the Town of Plainville is the building of our new elemen- tary school, which we hope to occupy in September, 1951. We wish to thank the voters of Plainville for their splendid co- operation with the School Committee and the School Planning Committee in making it possible for us to undertake such a project. We know that this new building will eliminate our over-crowded conditions and because of its modern heating and ventilating system will be a healthy and happy atmosphere for our children.
We wish to express our thanks to Superintendent Laurence G. Nourse and the teaching staff for their cooperation in the past year.
We urge you to give careful consideration to the follow- ing reports by the Superintendent and the Principals, and also our financial statement.
Respectfully submitted,
CLINTON E. BARTON, Chairman JOHN M. BOWMAR, Secretary EDWARD H. HEMMINGSEN
ANNUAL REPORT
73
MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS IN 1950
Appropriation
$53,946.00
Interest on Town School Fund
14.54
$53,960.54
Expenses
General Expenses
School Committee
120.00
Superintendent's Salary
2,079.96
School Union Travel
240.00
Clerk and Miscellaneous
624.57
Expenses of Instruction
Salaries
34,708.35
Books and Supplies
3,003.86
Operation of School Plant
Janitor
2,491.20
Fuel
2,894.62
Miscellaneous
1,044.35
Maintenance
871.33
Health
618.59
Transportation
3,710.43
Tuition
426.56
New Equipment
393.50
Town Hall
575.54
Driver Education
156.69
Total
53,959.55
Balance
.99
74
ANNUAL REPORT
The Town Received on account of Schools:
1949
1950
General School Fund
$13,374.31
$13,546.49
For Superintendent
743.37
1,417.84
For School Bus Transportation
1,396.17
1,462.36
From Tuition
. .
225.00
From Tuition: Youth Service Board
156.38
574.03
From Tuition: State
156.00
. .
From Tuition: Private
25.00
100.00
$15,851.23
$17,325.72
Total Expenditure
$50,594.62
$53,959.55
Receipts from outside sources
15,851.23
17,325.72
$34,743.39
$36,633.83
Collections on Town Hall Account turned over to the Town Treasurer:
December 29, 1950
126.00
This amount goes into the Town Treasury and is not available for use on Town Hall or School Accounts.
PLAINVILLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET 1950
1951 Budget
1950 Expended
1949 Expended
1948 Expended
School Committee Superintendent
$120.00
$120.00
$120.00
$120.00
Salary
2,360.00
2,079.96
1,999.92
1,934.05
School Union
240.00
240.00
203.37
200.04
Clerk and Miscellaneous
550.00
624.57
470.09
467.97
Teachers' Salaries
40,042.00
34,708.35
32,228.39
28,045.66
Books and Supplies
3,200.00
3,003.86
2,969.66
2,378.38
Operation of School Plant:
Janitor
3,602.00
2,491.20
2,563.80
2,090.75
Fuel
3,600.00
2,894.62
2,452.79
2,708.72
Miscellaneous
1,806.00
1,044.35
1,306.25
1,318.67
Maintenance
1,045.00
871.33
967.53
1,378.42
Health
795.00
618.59
601.02
546.11
Transportation
4,250.00
3,710.43
3,043.11
3,186.67
Tuition
400.00
426.56
501.09
184.62
New Equipment
525.00
393.50
640.50
814.03
Town Hall
950.00
575.54
522.10
822.44
Town Hall, Spec. Appropriation
1,186.00
800.00
Driver Education
250.00
156.69
63,735.00
$53,959.55
$51,780.62
$46,996.53
*Special Appropriation, Grading Town Hall Yard Expended
$750.00
745.82
$ 4.18
76
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the Plainville School Committee:
I have the honor of submitting to you my twenty-seventh annual report and the forty-fourth in the series of reports.
The New School
A large part of the efforts of your Superintendent this year has been devoted to the many phases of the work on the plans for the new Elementary School and auditorium- gymnasuim. In the report of the Plainville School Planning Committee for the meeting of February 20, 1950, I gave a statement of the educational objectives for the new Elementary School and listed a number of special features which will be incorporated in this school. During the past year, careful consideration has been given to the plans for carrying out these activities. I believe, because of the opportunities which I have been given through the courtesy of the Plainville Planning Commitee to attend many of their meetings for the selection of equipment, that this new school will carry out the ideals and objectives which have been set. While this is an elementary school, it should be emphasized that the auditorium-gymnasium and the facilities for Physical Edu- cation are for use by the High School students. This unit will also serve a very important purpose as a civic unit for a wide range of town activities. The progress of the building is being watched with much anticipation.
Arithmetic Investigation
During 1950, an investigation in one phase of the teaching of Arithmetic was carried on in the 5th grade of the schools in Plainville, Norton Center, Barrowsville and Chartley schools. This work was done by Frank W. Etter, Jr., of Plainville, in connection with a graduate course at Boston University. For the purpose of experiment, two classrooms were used as control groups and two as experimental groups. The problem was-The Value of Training in Techniques of Estimation in Fifth Grade Problems Solving in the Teaching of Arithmetic. The results showed an average gain of one
77
ANNUAL REPORT
full grade for the experimental group against only one-half a grade gain for the control group. However, a later checkup showed that estimation had not become a habit for the large majority of pupils. This is an example of the experimental point of view that the modern school teacher brings to the problem of improving his or her classroom techniques.
New School Bus
Contracts have been let by the Plainville School Committee for three years for the three school bus routes. This change has corrected crowded conditions on the bus routes which have existed in the past. With consolidated schools, the equip- ment and the operation of the buses are important items in the welfare of the pupils as well as a substantial item in the school budget. The many years which the school buses have been operated by the Averill Garage with the most satisfactory service and a perfect record of safety is gratefully recorded. This fact should be recognized by the parents and the public.
The Teaching of Reading
Reading is one of the three "R's", which, by long custom, have been considered the basis of any educational program. The need for greater emphasis on the teaching of this subject and the resulting increased efficiency in this program has become generally accepted. Evidence of this fact is seen in reports of Parent-Teacher meetings, School Committee con- ferences, professional meetings of educators and in the pro- grams of teacher training institutions on both a state and national level.
On November 17, an all day series of meetings called. "The New England Reading Conference," was held at Boston University. The participation by teachers from many points throughout all of the New England states was so great that the assembly rooms were crowded to overflowing. Recognizing the importance of this opportunity, arrangements were made for all of the teachers in Plainville and repersentatives from the several schools in Norton to attend these meetings. Each teacher wrote a careful summary of the meetings attended and the practical results from his or her own teaching program.
On December 6, in the Plainville High School, a joint meeting of all Plainville and Norton teachers was held for
78
ANNUAL REPORT
a group analysis and discussion of the results of this conference. Careful consideration was given to every possible means for putting into operation the suggestions given for the teaching of Reading. At the present time, under the leadership of the Principal of the building, each school in both towns is build- ing its own program for the improvement of Reading. A number of teachers are carrying on experimental work; some under the direction of college instructors in professional courses in which they are enrolled. A testing program is also underway. An analysis of the professional textbooks on this topic available in the School Departments show eight such bocks in Plainville and twenty in Norton. These are being used inter-changeably between the two towns. Addi- tional current material is also being purchased. While it is impossible within the limits of this report to give many conclusions, a few of the outstanding ones that have been made to date as a result of the above activities follow:
1. The Reading Programs have two main divisions :-
a. Remedial Reading.
b. Basic Development Reading Program.
2. All teachers from grade I to the senior class of the High School should have some basic training in Remedial Reading and work for this objective in all of their classes. In other words, Reading should be incorporated in all subjects.
3. A good teacher is the most important factor in this program. Good teaching will produce good Reading results.
4. Our teachers locally, as well as teachers in general, are today very conscious of the Reading program and are working energetically for its solution.
5. The full and proper use of the basic text and manuals in the Elementary School was considered an important factor.
6. Phonics must be a basic part of the Reading program. This should be recognized by a definite place in the time schedule and in the Course of Study.
7. To accomplish the desired results in Reading, a teacher must know the individual pupil. The school organization must give the teacher an opportunity to carry this out.
79
ANNUAL REPORT
Visual Education
For several years, extensive use of motion pictures has been made as an aid to the instructional program. At the present time, this type of work has been cut down substantially and the use of film strips has been undertaken and enlarged. Each Department of the High School is being equipped with several film strips which are specially designed for the teach- ing of certain topics or phases in their own special program. A fairly extensive library of film strips for the Elementary School was secured last summer. The field of Science is one in which special emphasis has been recently started. The results to date indicate that a more specialized program for the individual classroom is possible with this type of Visual Education. The motion picture program is reserved in general for topics of wide interest for the whole school or a large part of it.
New State Laws
During 1950 laws were passed requiring all school athletic funds to be deposited in the Town Treasury, whether these funds came from Town appropriation or receipts from games. Likewise a deposit for all receipts from the School Lunch will be made with the Town Treasurer. Both of these funds are continuous rotating accounts, not an annual account. Pay- ments on both of these accounts pass through the usual channels, the School Committee and Selectmen to the Town Treasurer.
Introduction To Special Reports
I quote below the reports which I have received from Principals, Supervisors and Health Officers. These reports present some of the outstanding activities in their respective fields during the past year. I recommend a careful examination of these reports and commend the faithful efforts which were necessary to produce these results.
PLAINVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Roland L. Wolcott, Principal
I am pleased to present this annual report of the Junior- Senior high school to the people of Plainville.
80
ANNUAL REPORT
As members of this community vitally interested in our youth, we must make every effort to have our schools meet their needs. These needs are not static and in our small high school we must continually study the curriculum and make the needed changes in order that our boys and girls will be provided with the most useful preparation possible. During the past year, the following major changes and additions were made in the curriculum in the Junior-Senior high school:
1. A Driver Training Program was introduced consisting of classroom and actual behind the wheel driving in a dual- controlled car owned jointly by the towns of Plainville and North Attleboro. A class of 14 junior and senior class boys and girls successfully completed our first class in June and re- ceived their operator's license. This fall we have been able to continue this instruction to all students desiring it. The school is providing a valuable service in offering this pro- gram and already in many areas of the country this instruction is required of all high school graduates. The Registry of Motor Vehicles is extremely interested in having the present law changed to permit students of 15 years and 6 months to operate the dual-controlled car on public highways when en- rolled in a high school driver training program. This change would permit us to provide adequate training for these stu- dents who prefer to get their operator's license immediately after reaching their sixteenth birthday. At the present time, these people are not willing to spend the necessary time to complete the classroom and behind the wheel instruction in school upon reaching the legal age to operate a car on the public highways; but learn to drive elsewhere legally or illegally. As the value of this program is more widely recog- nized, we believe that parents will cooperate with the schools and insist that their boy or girl complete this instruction before applying for an operator's license.
2. A class in Personal Use Typing was added to the curriculum this fall to provide students in grades 10, 11, and 12, not enrolled in the Commercial course, an opportunity to acquire a basic ability in typing. We have 18 students cur- rently taking advantage of this opportunity who ordinarily could not schedule the regular Typing 1 subject offered Commercial students.
3. In order to provide the teacher time for the class in Personal Use Typing, it was found possible to combine
81
ANNUAL REPORT
two small Stenography classes. Through the use of the wire recorder purchased by the School Committee, the teacher could provide adequate stenographic training required of Stenography 2 students. Having learned to take dictation from the wire recorder, these students have been provided with a valuable experience in the modern office procedure and their total training has thus been enriched.
4. We have realized that our music program in the junior high grades was inadequate and the School Committee granted our request to have the supervisor's time increased from a half a day to a full day. This change has made it possible for Mr. Gillespie to schedule voice try-outs, provide music pro- grams for assemblies, plan class work with the teachers, and work with small groups. One additional music period was scheduled this fall for grades 6-8. This additional music in- struction is under the immediate direction of the teachers but supervised by Mr. Gillespie. Both art and music instruction are now offered two periods per week in the junior high grades.
It should be recognized that the Driver Training, Personal Use Typing, and Music classes have been offered as additions to the curriculum rather than replacements. These additions were primarily the result of the willingness of the faculty members concerned to add to their already heavy schedules in order to provide better for our young people.
The addition of the wire recorder and the strip film pro- jector, the latter the gift to the school from the class of 1950, gives us a modern and well equipped library of visual and audio teaching aids. These devices properly used are able to enrich the classroom instruction in every field. Mr. Nourse and the School Committee have continued to grant our re- quests for new and more adequate instructional materials in- cluding new textbooks, valuable physics' equipment, supplies, and other aids to better teaching.
The joint Plainville-Norton teacher's committee com- pleted its study of the High School Social Studies curriculum and a revised course of study for each subject has been accept- ed and is now in use in Plainville.
Most public schools today house a. large percentage of students with inferior reading ability. Recognizing that we,
6
82
ANNUAL REPORT
too, must cope with this vitally important condition, the fac- ulty is currently involved in studying our own problems in this field. Recently a battery of reading tests was administered to pupils in grades 8 and 9 which will help to provide us with a means of evaluating the needs of the pupils in these grades. We now have a reasonable accurate picture of the types of problems we are facing in grades 6-9. We are willing to at- tack this problem knowing that considerable effort and time must be expended before we can expect any wide scale im- provement. Providing the teacher time necessary to accom- plish this program in the shortest possible time is not possible at present.
The continued efforts toward better teaching techniques will aid greatly in correcting and preventing reading failures.
It is evident that too frequent and too numerous faculty changes are detrimental to any school system. When this takes place, it is difficult to maintain definite standards of instruction, marking, discipline, and high morale. We were fortunate this year to have only two vacancies in the faculty. In my opinion, this has contributed heavily in reducing the number of scho- lastic failures and office disciplinary cases. There has also been a definite improvement in the calibre of school work of the students and in the over-all morale of the school. The members of our faculty are most deserving of much of the credit for the progress made. Their cooperation and team- work has been most encouraging. Our two new faculty mem- bers have come to us well qualified in their respective fields and their addition to the faculty has been most beneficial. Mr. William Longridge was engaged as an instructor in Eng- lish, Boy's Physical Education, and Athletic Coach. Mr. Ralph Merrill was engaged to teach English and Foreign Languages.
The Open House Night held during National Education Week in cooperation with the Parent Teacher Association again proved of considerable value to the parents and friends who visited the school that evening. The members of the faculty and students who made this type of program possible were well rewarded by the large attendance and expressed in- terest of the visitors. The modern school needs this interest and support from the public.
The lunch room has continued to provide a well balanced noon meal to an increasing number of students under the di-
83
ANNUAL REPORT
rection of Mrs. Maude Cheever. The daily number of stu- dent meals served now averages 175. This low cost service is made possible with the aid from the Federal Subsidy. It is very likely that this aid may be reduced during the next year and that many of the food items we are now receiving at small cost will no longer be available. The rapid rise in the cost of the food items we must purchase has been very apparent this fall and may become more serious during this next year. To date, we have not increased the cost per meal to the students although our reimbursement from the State has been reduced one cent per meal served. At the present time, we have a substantial balance in our School Lunch Account. However, it seems quite reasonable to expect that a partial subsidization by the School Committee may be required some time in the future in order that this program may be continued as a low cost service to the students.
This fall the school lunch room was inspected by the State Health Department, which inspects public eating establish- ments. The report from the first inspection stated that con- ditions in the lunch room were very satisfactory.
There were twelve members of the graduating class of 1950. Three members are currently enrolled in institutions of higher learning. Four boys recently joined the Army Air Corps and the remaining six are employed in Plainville and vicinity.
We, who are connected with the junior-senior high school, feel that considerable progress has been made during the past year toward our main objective-better schools for Plainville. The continued leadership and encouragement given by Mr. Nourse and the School Committee have been greatly ap- preciated.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Beatrice H. Wood, Principal
Once again, I submit with pleasure, my annual report on the activities carried on in the Primary School.
84
ANNUAL REPORT
Enrollment
For several years now, the trend has been toward increased enrollment. School opened on September sixth with the enroll- ment distributed as follows:
Grade 1
33
Grade 2
36
Grade 3
38
Grade 4
30
Grade 5
26
Total
163
At present there are 170 pupils in the Primary School, with Grades one, two and three by far the largest grade.
In 1949 the enrollment was 153 and in 1948 it was 140.
Reading
All of our teachers are continuing their work with reading, as usual stressing the teaching of phonics in all grades. Our reading system is an excellent one, ranking high among the several basic systems taught today, and providing for much drill in phonics.
Children can be classed in three reading groups.
1. Those who are "born readers," learning to read with the minimum of instruction, and who will always be able to read beyond their grade level.
2. Those who read at their own grade level and progress satisfactorily with some additional help.
3. Children who need much extra help in one or more special phases of reading. These children may, for a time, work with books of a lower grade, until they can be brought up to grade level through special instruction.
It is gratifying to note that in every grade in the Primary School the great majority of children are placed in the the first two groups, and the teachers are working diligently in class time and by giving extra help for school to assist the small number of remaining pupils who need special attention.
85
ANNUAL REPORT
National Education Week
This year we again followed the type of program which proved so successful when introduced the previous year.
Parents progressed from room to room to learn how Language in its various phases was taught in each grade. Following a brief explanatory talk by the teachers, there was an opportunity for a question period.
We were pleased at the number of parents who turned out for this program.
Programs for the Public
1. P. T. A. Program: Last May, our most ambitious pro- gram in some time was presented at the regular P. T. A. Meeting. This took the place of our annual Play Day program that was usually held in the afternoon.
Under the direction of our music supervisor, Mrs. Wash- burn, an evening of singing games, folk dances, races, rhythm band selections, and marching drills was enjoyed by a large audience. Best of all, every pupil in the school took part.
2. Memorial Day Program: Our Memorial Day program was again held in conjunction with the junior high and the high school programs. It is our aim to keep these exercises on a reverent and dignified plane in keeping with the day.
3. Monthly Assemblies: This year we have once again started the practice of holding monthly assemblies. The grades take turns in preparing the program for the month, and although brief, these programs are open to the public.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.