Report of the city of Somerville 1932, Part 7

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1932
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 430


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1932 > Part 7


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16,000.00


16,000.00


$36,000.00


$77,000.00


$129,000.00


$92,000.00


$334,000.00


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280.00


577.50


Lowell Street Bridge


April $1,000.00 8,000.00 25,000.00 4,000.00 16,000.00


139


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE CITY OF SOMERVILLE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS


December 19, 1932.


Ordered, that the Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools be adopted as the Annual Report of the Board of School Committee, it being understood that such adoption does not commit the Board to the opinions or recommendations made therein; that it be incorporated in the reports of the City Of- ficers, and that six hundred copies be printed separately.


EVERETT W. IRELAND, Secretary of School Board.


140


ANNUAL REPORTS


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1932


FRANCIS J. FITZPATRICK Chairman Vice-Chairman


Members


EX-OFFICIIS


JOHN J. MURPHY, Mayor -


19 Gibbens Street LEO B. HAVICAN, President Board of Aldermen _ 32 Willoughby Street


WARD ONE


FRANCIS J. FITZPATRICK _


THOMAS E. HEGARTY -


2 Austin Street 9 Mt. Vernon Street


WARD TWO


EDWARD T. BRADY


WILLIAM F. DEWIRE


68 Dimick Street 5 Magnus Avenue


WARD THREE


JOIIN J. DONAHUE


JOHN C. KELLEHER


108 Summer Street 8 Bigelow Street


WARD FOUR


EDITH L. HURD


J. LUCILLE MARQUESS -


-


125 Central Street 34 Bradley Street


WARD FIVE


LOUIS B. CONNELLY -


PERRY F. NANGLE -


84 Bartlett Street 29 Highland Road


WARD SIX


HERBERT CHOLERTON


1 1


EDWIN A. SHAW -


94 College Avenue 63 College Avenue


WARD SEVEN


CRAWFORD K. SWEELEY -


ORVILLE S. WALDRON -


25 Curtis Street 135 Powder House Blvd.


Superintendent of Schools


EVERETT W. IRELAND


Office: West Building, High School, Highland Avenue


Residence: 137 Powder House Boulevard.


The Superintendent's Office will be open on school days from 8:00 to 5:00; Saturdays, 8:00 to 10:00. His office hour is 4 o'clock on school days, and 8:30 on Saturdays.


Assistant Superintendent of Schools


WALTER P. SWEET, 71 Hume Ave., Medford


CRAWFORD K. SWEELEY _


-


-


141


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Superintendent's Office Force


Mary A. Clark, 15 Pleasant Avenue Mildred A. Merrill, 26 Cambria Street Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman Street S. Regina Truelson, 38 Rogers Avenue Alice I. Amidon, 27 Gorham Street Bernice A. Tuck, 17 Irving Street Anita Sumner, 276 Summer Street


Board Meetings


January 4 January 25 February 15 March 28


April 25 May 23


June 20 September 26


October 31 November 21 December 19


142


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1932


To the School Committee :


In accordance with your Rules and Regulations, I hereby submit a report upon the conditions of the schools for the year now closing, the sixty-first annual report of the schools of our city and the fifth which I have prepared. As usual there is in- cluded in this document matter prepared as a report of the School Committee to the citizens of Somerville which consists largely of statistical tables setting forth the facts of attendance and cost. The report of the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee may take any one of several forms. It may deal directly with the instructional activity of the educational undertaking in our city, it may deal with temporary local in- terests or it may deal with matters of constructive and educa- tive nature. Each year a report has been submitted to the School Committee and citizens with the intent to show growth, improvement, and progress, as well as stressing some distinc- tive features which are significant and important in the light of the attempt to make the schools of greater service to the children and subsequently of greater service to the community, the state, the nation, and to humanity.


During the past two years an attempt has been made to enlighten the public about the aims, needs, and achievements of the schools provided for its children, so that an intelligent consideration might be given (1) to the fallacious suggestions for economies and (2) to the answers to pertinent questions confronting the School Committee concerning the policies which it must carry out in reference to the industrial depres- sion. Last year's report dealt fully with these problems as they affected the schools. This year it seems desirable and practical, in view of the present social and economic distress and conse- quent serious confusion, to devote this document to a discus- sion of (1) the real and true facts concerning the present educa- tional situation and (2) the policies which must be followed to maintain the present standards and to assure an improve- ment for the future.


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT 143


It is paradoxical that it seems necessary in some communi- ties in our country to defend the educational system through which instrumentality the weal of this country has been so very efficiently developed. President Hoover has said, "Educa- tion is our biggest business. It is our only indispensable busi- ness." Half of the entire population of the country is directly or indirectly engaged in this business of education, the largest American enterprise. And since the other half of our popula- tion, whether they be property owners or rent payers, is con- cerned with taxes for education, those charged with the es- tablishment and maintenance of educational institutions must devote serious and earnest consideration to the problems in- volved with special reference to that side of the problems which concerns cost.


Public education is a public purchase -- a purchase made by the citizens of the state for the benefit of their children. In self-protection every state has chosen to buy some education for its future citizens. The amount and quality of education which the people buy is one of the best evidences obtainable of the general level of civilization and culture which they have reached.


School Committees have always viewed their obligations and responsibilities from this standpoint of cost. But the eyes of the public are never focused upon such considerations until such times as now exist, when the uninformed but large group of critics of the schools attempt to draw attention to the al- ·leged large expenditures of School Committees which have al- ways carefully considered the expenditure of every penny in the largest single item of expense of their communities.


It seems that the time has arrived for all to face squarely the hard, cold, facts, and then scientifically to survey and study all the factors with the idea of facing the future with a sane, unbiased, nonpolitical, and unselfish outlook.


No one will question a statement of fact to the effect that, due to the unemployment of our people, the revenue obtainable, unless the present obsolete, unjustifiable, and inequitable sys- tem of taxation, is smaller this year and will probably be even less during the coming year to the state and nation as well as to the local communities. Therefore, it behooves us all to con- sider carefully the retrenchments which seem to be inevitable. That one's expenditures should depend directly upon his possi- ble income is a well known fundamental economic fact, and the purchaser determines, after careful consideration, the relative


1


144


ANNUAL REPORTS


values of the commodities and services before making the ex- penditures.


This reasoning of course leads us to a discussion of the questions :


If our income is reduced, with what can we dis- pense which will cause the least injury to the ac- cepted principles and platforms of our institutions ?


If sacrifices be necessary in order to retain the most important institutions, what shall the sacrifices be ?


The report of last year dealt specifically and statistically with the discussion of the criticisms of the amounts of money expended for public education by answering these three ques- tions :


1. Is too large a portion of the wealth and in- come invested in schools ?


2. Is more money spent for education than the importance of this public interest justifies ?


3. Are public expenditures in general and school costs in particular absorbing a rapidly increasing por- tion of the entire revenue, and have we already reached or will we soon reach the limit which can safely be expended for public education ?


It was definitely set forth that these criticisms are in- · defensible. but since no public activity which cannot justify its worth under the test of contributing to individual and gen- eral welfare should be supported by taxation, it was further shown by statistics that the achievements of the schools of our city warrant the expenditures made from taxation.


Education is the greatest productive force in modern civi- lized life. Hence society demands not only public school educa- tion, but education conducted in a well ventilated. well lighted structure that appeals to the artistic sense of the community, and education conducted by a well trained staff of instructors who have adequate equipment with which to work.


Any institution is productive that either directly or in- directly leads to the satisfaction of human wants and, if it be recognized also that the real wealth of a nation is the mental condition and development of its citizens, then no more produc- tive industry can be found in which to invest money than that


145


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


carried on by the public schools. Education, then, is the most valuable form of capital, a scientific fact readily accepted by economists. Therefore, school costs are a depreciation fund whereby our most important form of capital is protected from deterioration, and as much money as can be given will not be too much for education.


Our schools, then, have the power to determine and foster the inculcation of purposeful American ideals, and the con- trolling of social thinking and conduct.


The present social and economic distress, with its result- ant confusion, has created a crisis from which this country must emerge slowly but surely. Confidence in our credit and finance must be restored and values must be reclaimed. These, however, are social and economic problems which can be solved only by the sane cooperation of the present generation of adults. Schools must then prepare the next generation of adults so that such an economic and social crisis cannot again cause our country to fall into a similar confusion. If the- schools perform their function efficiently the next generation will prevent a repetition of this chaos through having been more thoroughly imbued with the ideals which lead to sane' thinking and right conduct, so characteristic of the best type of citizenship.


It is quite evident that the present economic distress is due to violations of moral and economic laws by those who were eager for material benefits and who allowed the better princi- ples of life and conduct, (good citizenship) to be subordinated to their principles of lower standards of integrity and business methods.


Now that we stand at this crossroad, let us so conduct our- selves that we will emerge with a sane solution of the prob- lems surrounding our economic distress. Let us assure our- selves that our children will not repeat our mistakes. Let us not cripple the schools. the most effective agent through which these results can be obtained. The serious attacks which are being made upon the integrity of this agency are inopportune inasmuch as they are being made at the very time when the services of the schools are most needed in the interest of stabil- ity and progress.


Without resorting to mazes of figures which, no doubt, would be confusing. showing statistically the comparison in cost of the various activities of our nation, a general state- ment will suffice to show any fair-minded, right-thinking person


146


ANNUAL REPORTS


the relative importance of these activities and expenditures, and consequently the proportionate amounts which should be expended. A determination of the relative importance of these activities is left to the reader.


The November 23, 1932, issue of the American Observer sheds some light upon this matter through the following sta- tistics. For the education of over thirty million children in elementary, secondary, and collegiate schools of this country an expenditure of approximately two and a half billions of dollars is made. Compare with this statement if you will the following yearly expenditures from the national income of seventy-eight billions of dollars :


For general government


11 billions


automobiles


12


" half a million criminals


11/2 „,


cosmetics 1


candy and chewing gum 1


moving pictures 1


" life insurance


31/2


" building construction


6


A reasonable education at public expense is the birth- right of every child in our community, and that education should be as extensive as it is possible to provide. The School Committee has weighed carefully the values of each activity offered in our schools and is satisfied that each and every activ- ity is a necessary part of an adequate and modern educational system.


Therefore, since no backward step should be taken, every citizen should uphold the standards of American Education by supporting the School Committee in its contention that none of the opportunities now offered to the children of our community should be curtailed, and that the remuneration of those en- trusted with the responsibility of the education of the children should not be reduced.


The public should demand and be guaranteed competent instructional, supervisory, and administrative service, and those giving this service, particularly the teachers, should be relieved of all concern over their security. In justice to the teachers and in justice to children and parents, let us be sure that an efficient school system is maintained by an efficient and secure teaching corps.


If any curtailments are to be made in activities offered, they should be made by suspending those activities offered to


147


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


our citizens who are over the compulsory school age or in other words those who are benefiting by adult educational provisions.


It it be necessary, as it seems to be, for the expenditures of all municipalities to be curtailed, it is not the intent of those entrusted with the education of our future citizens to hold this enterprise so sacred that all must worship at its shrine without regard to any other enterprises. It is, however, indefensible to do otherwise unless a scientific survey and eval- uation be made of all governmental activities from the stand- points of need, achievement, and cost, and the relative im- portance of the various activities be determined. Then, and then only, should consideration be given to any curtailments in school activities and their costs, because hastily conceived, im- pulsive, and false economies will, without question, cripple school plants, demoralize the school personnel, create a serious shortage of essential instructional supplies, textbooks, and equipment, and consequently upset the stability and lower the standard of our nation's institutions.


Our civilization has three phases,-economic, social, and political. Even though the general public has been slow to rec- ognize the school's part in the fulfillment of any of these phases, except the political, American business has always rec- ognized the asset which public education has been to the economic or business enterprise, and similarly the importance of the social phase has been recognized by society.


Our schools are creating in their pupils an understanding of all three phases, and are developing within them economic productive powers, intelligence and self-control, social intel- ligence and self-control, and political intelligence and rational standards. Any program of education which does not include these considerations is inadequate and ineffective. It behooves every citizen, therefore, to help maintain the recognized posi- tion and standard of American Education by insisting that, if economies must be made, provisions shall be made for the achievement of the birthright of all our children, -- an adequate education.


ACTUAL COSTS


In these trying times when it is evident that governmental expenditures should be lowered, but when some common sense must be exercised so that such economies will not disrupt those functions of government which are necessary for the welfare of the community, consistent attempts have been made to place


148


ANNUAL REPORTS


the blame for high expenditures upon the school administration in order to divert public opinion from the real extravagances.


A comparison of the figures compiled by the State Depart- ment of Education for the 39 cities of the state for the school year September to June 1931-32 places the schools of Somer- ville in a very favorable financial position.


Somerville is the seventh city in population in the Common- wealth of Massachusetts. Its valuation per pupil in the net average membership of the schools as of June 1932 was $7,887.00 with a rank of 24th among the thirty-nine cities of the state.


The actual cost of education, known as the per capita cost, which is obtained by dividing the amount of money spent from all sources by the net average membership, was $84.73 in Som- erville for the past school year, with a rank of 31. This, com- pared with our per capita cost during the previous school year of $85.72 with a rank of 30, shows that Somerville, even though maintaining its organization, has operated its schools far more economically than most of the other cities of the state. The per capita costs for the year September 1931 to June 1932 of the ten largest cities in Massachusetts are: Springfield, $131.78, Bos- ton, $122.52, Worcester, $104.72. Lawrence, $100.31, Cambridge, $98.31, Lowell, $93.66, New Bedford, $89.00, Fall River, $88.32, Lynn, $87.39, and Somerville, $84.73. The average per capita cost for all the cities and towns in the State is $100.38. From these figures it can readily be seen that any charge of extrav- agance against the School Committee of Somerville can in no way be substantiated.


MEMBERSHIP AND ACCOMMODATIONS


It is a well known fact that the total amount of money spent for education is proportional to the number of pupils which must be accommodated in the schools. In 1921 there was a membership of 13,396, compared with 15, 915 in 1931, an increase in ten years of 18.7%. An astounding fact is that in the high school, over the same period, there was an increase of 54.5% in membership.


The public school membership of the present time is 16,571, as compared with a membership of 16,171 for the corresponding date last year, 16,022 the year before, and 15,626 the year be- fore that. These figures show increases of 400, 149, and 396. The distribution of the increase of 400 is made by increases in the high school of 166, junior high schools 177, elementary


149


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


schools 79, vocational school 7, and a decrease in the Continua- tion School of 29.


The High School, which seemed to be overcrowded last year, has had its facilities stretched even beyond their elastic limits, but since considerable of the increase beyond its capac- ity is directly traceable to the lack of opportunity for employ- ment, again it can be repeated, there is no cause for alarm with reference to its adequacy.


The elementary schools last year were overcrowded in some districts due to the demolition of the Cummings School on School Street. Those conditions have reverted to normal this year as the new Cummings Building was made available for occupancy at the opening of schools in September.


It was necessary, however, due to increased enrolment in West Somerville, to make use this fall of one of the rooms in the Lincoln School which was formerly abandoned in view of the proposal to establish a Teele Square Branch of the Public Library in this building.


CHANGES IN PERSONNEL


It is a matter of sincere regret each year to call attention to the departure from the public educational service of a num- ber of our most efficient, respected, and beloved teachers. Of the nineteen persons who severed their connection, seven were re- tired by the provisions of the Statutes of the Commonwealth, and ten left to be married. Those who retired had been in the service of our schools for particularly long periods,-Lucia Alger, forty-three years, Harry F. Hathaway, forty-three years, Florence A. Chaney, forty years, Louise S. Weare, thirty-six years, Phebe E. Mathews, thirty-one years, Annie G. Smith, thirty years, and Elizabeth J. Mooney, twenty-eight years.


These teachers and masters, through their long periods of service, have been vital factors in the building of the citizen- ry of their particular localities, and have endeared themselves to all pupils and the parents of the pupils coming under their jurisdiction. Their influence will carry on for many years. The School Board recognized their importance by adopting resolu- tions or sending letters to them of appreciation for their de- voted services to the community.


In filling the positions left vacant by the retirement of Mr. Hathaway and Miss Chaney and the resignation of Mr. Ryan in the year previous, the School Committee chose three


150


ANNUAL REPORTS


young men, Joseph S. Hawthorne, Wilfred H. Roberts, and William J. Crotty, of excellent training and ability and with executive experience in junior high school work. Their normal school training, however, prepared them well for their duties in connection with the responsibilities of elementary schools.


It is noticeable that no teachers left the employ of the School Committee of Somerville to accept positions of profes- sional advancement elsewhere.


RECOMMENDATIONS


The School Committee has been cognizant of the serious economic situation of the past two years, and, in view of the consequent confusion, resulting in a terrible burden being placed upon the taxpayers, has indefinitely deferred considera- tion of all proposals for added expenditures except in case of absolute necessity.


In making its study with reference to the budget for the year 1933, the School Committee is continuing its policy of de- ferment. Its recommendations, therefore, instead of indicating a furtherance of the educational welfare of the children of our community, are in the form of an appeal to the citizens for support of the School Committee in its earnest attempt to main- tain the present high standard of the organization.


CONCLUSION


It is quite evident that in emergencies such as the economic depression has created it is even more necessary than under ordinary conditions to extend the always earnest efforts of both children and teachers to make efficient the business of educa- tion. It is also evident that the members of the teaching force, acutely conscious of their civic obligation, tenaciously loyal to the educational welfare of their children, even though beset with criticisms from a misunderstanding public, and seriously concerned about their security, have striven harder to maintain and if possible to raise the high standards of accomplishment which have always been their goal. Out of all the turmoil of the past year has come unusual outstanding evidences of loyal- ty and devotion from the teachers which have been a source of inspiration and inestimable assistance to the Superintendent in his endeavor to meet the difficult problems of this period. The members of the School Committee, also, should be com-


151


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


mended for their faithful support of the Superintendent and their exceptional courage in maintaining under very trying conditions their high, worthy, and purposeful professional at- titudes wholly directed to the interests of youth.


Respectfully submitted,


EVERETT W. IRELAND, Superintendent of Schools.


December 19, 1932


152


ANNUAL REPORTS


SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL


Students Entering Higher Institutions in September, 1932


1. Acadia University


1


2. Bentley School of Accounting


1


3. Boston College


3


4. Boston University


15


a. College of Business Administration 5


b. College of Liberal Arts 3


c. College of Music 3


d. College of Practical Arts 4


1


6. Chandler Secretarial School


2


7. Emmanuel College


1


8. Harvard University


10


9. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy


3


10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology


3


12. Northeastern University


10


13. Radcliffe College


4


14. Simmons College


3


15. State Teachers Colleges


24


a. Bridgewater


2


b. Framingham


1


c. Lowell


2


d. Massachusetts School of Art


3


e. Salem


16


16. Tri-State, Indiana


17. Tufts


1 20


a. College


7


b. Engineering School


9


c. Jackson College


4


18. University of Alabama


1


19. University of New Brunswick


1


20. Wheaton College


2


Summary


Boys


Girls


Total


State Teachers Colleges


0


24


24


Scientific Schools


24


0


24


Colleges


34


25


59


58


49


107


..


11. Massachusetts State College


1


5. Bouve School of Physical Education


153


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Number of Pupils By Subjects December, 1932


English


3001


Elocution


1537


History


1842


Latin


666


French


1228


Spanish


496


German


82


Italian


178


Chemistry


706


Physics


288


Biology


647


Physiology


166


Astronomy and Geology


43


Trigonometry


36


Geometry


744


Algebra


734


Stenography


447


Typewriting


1026


Bookkeeping


306


Penmanship


1301


Salesmanship


115




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