USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1949 > Part 7
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by the Congress for Federal Aid to Education in Massachu- setts, was presented for consideration. This proposal failed to receive favorable action because Congress did not pass the Federal Aid bill. In consequence, our city will receive state aid for education during the year 1950 in the amount of approximately $476,000, based on the formula of Chapter 643 of the Acts of 1948. This indicates another increase of more than $4,000.
It should be noted here that the proponents of further increasing state aid for education have not given up the idea of reaching what they believe to be a very necessary goal; and have already prepared and submitted a new bill for considera- tion by the Legislature of 1950.
In consequence of the anticipated reimbursement from the State for school aid during 1950, the School Committee, realizing that its action in increasing salaries for 1949 was but a partial step in the right direction, when preparing the budget for 1950 in November of this year for the moneys necessary to provide for the operation of schools during 1950, included an item of $150,000 to provide for a new salary schedule. This schedule increased the maximum salaries of the employees in accordance with the scholastic qualifi- cations of the persons involved. A three hundred dollar increase in maximum salary was provided for those who hold the master's degree, a two hundred dollar increase in maxi- mum salary was provided for those holding the bachelor's degree, or who had twenty years of teaching experience, while a one hundred dollar increase in maximum salary was pro- vided for those few teachers who hold no degree.
During the past twelve years the maximum basal salaries of classroom teachers holding bachelor's degrees in the ele- mentary schools have been increased 105.88%, from $1700 in 1937 to $3500 in 1950, those of the Junior high school 84.21%, while the high school teachers have had their sala- ries increased in percentages ranging from 79.51 to 105.88, depending upon the class in the 1937 salary schedule. Dur- ing this same period, due to the fact that the majority of the salary increases have been on the flat increase basis, the salaries of those holding the ranking positions in our school organization have seriously lagged in proportion to the dif- ferential which in 1937 was considered to be consistent with the degree of responsibility, these salaries having been in- creased an average of approximately 23%. This situation
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should be given serious consideration, particularly in view of the fact that much attention has been given recently to the salaries of the ranking positions by the school committees of some of our neighboring communities.
The second bill in the interest of the schools to which the School Committee gave its endorsement and support was known as H-288, prepared and submitted by State Represen- tative and Somerville School Committee member Joseph F. Leahy. This bill would give the School Committee the control (which it logically should have) of the care and maintenance of the public school buildings. Several times in recent years situations have arisen in the schools that made it necessary to call the attention of the public to that very obsolete provision of the Somerville City Charter which places the jurisdiction for all matters pertaining to school buildings in the hands of departments of the City Government other than the School Committee, where the responsibilities logically belong. When it is known that four different departments divide the re- sponsibility of a school building and its grounds, it can easily and readily be seen that efficiency of operation is impossible of attainment with such divided authority. The School Com- mittee's responsibility is limited to the instructional organiza- tion within the building, but with no power of authority over such items as choice of site, proper architecture and con- struction for the modern school program, and care and main- tenance (including heating, lighting, ventilation, and safety). It does not take a professional engineer to see the complica- tions involved in such an arrangement as that provided in the City Charter.
At the hearing upon Representative Leahy's bill, held before the Committee on Cities of the Legislature of 1949, members of the School Committee, representatives of the administrative and instructional force, and representatives of the Parent-Teacher Associations presented sound arguments in favor of changing the City Charter to place the control of the care and maintenance of the school buildings under the jurisdiction of the School Committee. The opposition be- fogged the issue by attempting to accuse the proponents of playing politics and were so successful in their attempts that the bill failed to become law.
A few months subsequent to the above-mentioned action and just a few weeks prior to the opening of schools in September, it was discovered that the Pope School was unsafe
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for use. Six years ago it had been called to the attention of the proper authorities by the School Committee that the second floor of the Pope School appeared to be sagging and that there appeared to be a bulging of the outside walls. After investigation by representatives of the Building Depart- ment, it was decided that there was no cause for alarm. Sud- denly in August of 1949 the same school became unsafe structurally for use, and there was not sufficient time before the opening of schools in September to make it safe. It therefore became the problem of the School Committee to make provision to house the nearly four hundred students in other buildings. Speedy action was necessary, and such developed. Two proposals were presented by the Superin- tendent, one of which was immediately authorized by the School Committee, which provided for the pupils of the first and second grades to attend classes in the Hanscom School on Webster Street at Rush Street, and the pupils of the third through the sixth grades to attend classes at the Bennett School on Maple Street at Poplar Street.
In putting this plan into operation, it became necessary for nearly ninety per cent of those children who would ordi- narily attend the Pope School to cross the Northern Artery, thus presenting a very serious safety problem. The Superin- tendent proposed and the School Committee authorized a request that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen make an ap- propriation to provide busses to transport the pupils from the Pope School to the Hanscom and Bennett Schools. Such an appropriation was immediately granted and the Superintend- ent contractd for the use of four Metropolitan Transit Au- thority busses per day. Inclement weather conditions shortly after the opening of schools made necessary the building of a shelter in the Pope School yard to protect the pupils who arrived before the busses. This naturally added another expense to the cost of the bus hire.
In order to determine the real situation with relation to the Pope School, the Board of Aldermen appropriated money to employ a firm of structural engineers to survey the situa- tion and make necessary recommendations. The report stated that the closing of the building was justified in view of struc- tural defects found, and expressed the opinion that the cost of necessary repairs would be excessive. At this writing there has been no evidence of any attempt to remedy the situation. Such indecision is wasteful of the taxpayer's money, and provides more evidence that a change in the City Charter is
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necessary to place the care and maintenance of school build- ings under the School Committee. Such a situation would never have been allowed to exist had the bill of Representative Leahy become law in 1949. It is fervently hoped that in the interest of the school children and the taxpayers, the people will demand that the school buildings be placed under the control of the School Committee.
Another matter which caused much concern to the mem- bers of the School Committee, and has resulted in considerable disappointment, is the failure of the City Government to do anything about a proper athletic arena at Dilboy Field. During 1948 the School Committee adopted a resolution in which attention was called to the fact that it is universally recognized that a well established athletic program for high schools con- stitutes an important part of the educational program because of its ability as a vehicle for the promotion and development of certain qualities and characteristics of those who participate in sports. It further stated that because of the lack of proper fa- cilities all football games for several years have been played away from home, thus preventing the School Committee from fulfilling its obligation of providing a complete and adequate educational system for all the children of our community. A serious plea was made for some action by the City Govern- ment to alleviate this deplorable situation whereby a com- munity of over 100,000 population is without an athletic field suitable and properly equipped to accommodate the public which is so vitally interested in high school athletics.
The resolution, and public agitation, brought no results, except an indication that there would be provided in the budget for 1949 an appropriation to start a project of making Dilboy Field suitable for athletic contests with adequate seat- ing capacity. The School Committee was chagrined and disap- pointed when the recommendations to the Board of Aldermen for the 1949 budget contained no reference to an appropriation for Dilboy Field. A group of civic-minded citizens and busi- nessmen took the matter in their hands and made very serious effort to raise a sufficient fund to provide a suitable athletic arena by private subscription. Despite the enormous expendi- ture of time and effort of this group of men and women, there resulted a net of $3,500, which is being held to be used when and if the City Government finds ways and means to fulfill this major obligation.
As a result of the transfer of funds from School Com- mittee appropriations to Public Building Department, 800
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chairs, which were badly needed, were installed in the audi- torium of the Southern Junior High School in the early part of 1949. It is regrettable to note that already, through no fault of the School Committee or its employees, approxi- mately 100 of these chairs have disappeared. Requests have frequently been made for much needed auditorium seatings at the Northeastern Junior High School to replace the present dilapidated chairs which have been in constant use there for twenty-four years, not only by the school but by many outside groups and organizations which had been given free use of the hall, and also at the Vocational School auditorium where the number of seatings is inadequate. The School Committee has been unable to get the proper authorities to provide this much needed furniture.
The Superintendent of Schools in his 1948 report told of the lack of proper window shades in the school buildings and the resultant complaints being received by the School Commit- tee because it appeared evident that the lack of shades was injurious to the sight, general health, and safety of the pupils, and that much illness had resulted therefrom. The School Committee authorized the release of moneys by transfer to the proper accounts of the Building Department to purchase at least a portion of the necessary shades. The Board of Aldermen refused to approve the transfer of the funds and in consequence the $10,000 went into the Excess and De- ficiency Fund at the end of the year. During the middle of the year 1949, the Board of Aldermen, after many urgent requests by the Mayor, appropriated $15,000 for the pur- chase of shades for the schools, but to date they have not been installed.
Since the opening of schools in September many of our schools have been hampered in their instructional program by workmen who have been attempting to complete the work required by the State Inspector of Public Buildings over a year ago in order to bring the school buildings into compliance with the safety regulations. The work of changing locks on doors and reversing the opening of doors by rehanging was certainly a source of distraction to the pupils. The cutting through walls and closets to provide for intercommunicating doors between rooms, for safety in case of fires in corridors, has not only been a noisy operation, but has made the air in the buildings unbearable because it was filled with plaster dust. The attempts which have been made to have the work done only at times when the schools were not in session have
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brought promises, some of which were fulfilled, but have only very slightly reduced the difficulties caused by having the air filled with plaster dust. It is hard to understand why this work was not done during the summer months when the schools were vacant. This ten week period would have al- lowed sufficient time for the completion of the major portion. of this project.
It is the opinion of the Superintendent, supported by the members of the School Committee, as well as the general public, that the last few paragraphs offer ample evidence that it is imperative to demand a change in the City Charter. Such, a provision would allow the necessary work to be performed in accordance with well developed plans based on a program of action, which pays attention to the time element, by placing the jurisdiction for the care and maintenance of school build- ings under the School Committee, whose function it is to make: sure that the best possible program is made available in suit- able housings. Surely conditions could be no worse, and. without doubt would be better in many ways.
Last year the Superintendent made a statement with re- ference to the serious situation caused by the increasing birth rate in the City of Somerville, which will necessitate increased school accommodations. In the six-year period from 1941 to 1947 there was an increase in births of fifty per cent, from 2069 in 1941 to 3037 in 1947, while in the fifteen-year per- iod from 1932 to 1947 there was an increase of sixty-seven per cent, the births increasing from 1820 in 1932 to 3037 in 1947.
Of course there is a lag of five years between the date of birth and the date of enrollment in the kindergarten, but plans. must be formulated which will care for the increases as the children reach school age. Previously it has been possible to care for the increases because there had been some available rooms caused by a decreasing birth rate prior to World War II, but in certain sections of the city there is now no further provision for the anticipated growth. This anticipated growth: will be further influenced by the number of children of school. age which will be found in the housing units now under con- struction in West Somerville and those proposed in the Mc- Carthy ledge project on Mystic Avenue. Whether this situa- tion will call for new buildings or additions to existing build- ings will be a matter for serious study by the administrators, and the School Committee during 1950.
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While it might appear from the preceding paragraphs that the actions of the School Committee have been concerned wholly with financial matters and housing accommodations to the exclusion of the educational program, attention should be directed to some other matters, to which the Committee gave much thought, study, and consideration, as follows:
1. Authorized release time for religious instruction for pupils in grades 7, 8, and 9, in addition to the program for grades 4, 5, and 6 which has been in operation for the two previous years.
2. Permitted various directors and supervisors of special subjects to attend national conventions of professional organi- zations at their own expense but without loss of salary.
3. Authorized the acceptance of donations from the school children for (a) the Infantile Paralysis Foundation, b) the New England Heart Association, (c) Paul Revere Liberty Bowl Fund, (d) Children's Medical Center Fund, (e) World War II Veterans Memorial Fund, (f) Greater Boston Communi- ty Fund, (g) Middlesex Health Association, and (h) Dilboy Field Stadium Fund.
4. Endorsed the proposal to establish the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Council, to be composed of repre- sentatives of the Massachusetts Association of School Com- mittees, of the Massachusetts School Superintendents' Asso- ciation, and of the Massachusetts Secondary School Principals' Association, which will, in the opinion of the School Commit- tee, further the interests of the High School athletic activities throughout the State.
5. Authorized the establishment of an elective course in Business Management for twelfth year students in the General Course.
6. Approved an experiment on Nutrition in conjunction with Tufts College, in the second, third, and fourth grades of the Cutler School.
7. Cooperated with Harvard College Summer School in carrying on its class in Instruction in Remedial Reading in our Proctor School. Somerville provided the housing and the pupils, while Harvard furnished the instruction and all ma- terials. This plan enabled sixty-five Somerville children ma- terially to improve their reading ability.
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8. Approved the recommendations of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees of Area 2, and agreed to cooperate with the other school committees in making effec- tive the recommendations concerning (a) discouraging early dismissals in June for employment, and (b) advocating a uni- form graduation week in June.
9. Authorized the establishment of a separate shop for the Opportunity Class for Boys located at the Southern Junior High School, to replace the part-time cooperative employ- ment program temporarily suspended by a limitation placed on such activity by an act of the Legislature.
10. Adopted resolutions for various reasons, as follows:
a. The elevation of two Somerville High School graduates to be Federal Judges by appointment of Presi- dent Truman, namely, William T. McCarthy and Thomas P. Thornton.
b. The deaths of persons connected formerly with the school organization, namely, Dr. Edgar F. Sewall, former School Committee member and school medical inspector; Francis X. Mahoney, Superintendent of Re- creation and former school teacher; and John L. Hayward, for many years Head of the Commercial Course at Somer- ville High School.
c. The success of the Somerville High School bas- ketball team in winning the Eastern Massachusetts and the New England championships, and the Southern Jun- ior High School basketball team in winning the Junior High Championship of the State for the third consecu- tive year.
11. Cooperated with the Chamber of Commerce by making available the High School Gymnasium for the Parade of Progress on October 13, 14, and 15.
12. Assisted in the development of the program for the X-Ray Survey carried on under the auspices of the Middlesex Health Association and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
The preceding pages give evidence that the School Com- mittee of 1949 has devoted much time, energy, and thought to its obligations as a policy-making and legislative body under
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the leadership of its officers, V. Theresa Morrissey and Arthur P. Fitzgerald, to the end that it merits commendation for the results of its efforts in the interest of the welfare of the future citizens and leaders of our city.
CHANGES, IMPROVEMENTS, AND PROGRESS
The following pages will contain brief statements con- cerning the manner in which the administrators, directors, supervisors, and teachers have performed their tasks and at- tained accomplishments in accordance with the plans and policies formulated by the School Committee.
High School
It will be recalled that during the school year 1946-47 marked changes in the administrative setup were inaugurated and careful and specialized attention was given to the needs of the curriculum.
One of the most immediate and important requirements for improvement seemed to be an increase in the length of the recitation periods. The only possible way to accomplish this necessity, without increasing the length of the school day, was to reduce the number of periods daily from six to five. One result of this reduction was to decrease the number of study periods during school hours available for a pupil. Such a situation was not disturbing, since for some time it had been felt that study periods had not been utilized by the students to their full advantage.
It became necessary naturally to give immediate and serious attention to the curriculum, the changes in which would be adapted to the particular needs of the students. The College Course was strengthened by extending the number of required subjects and limiting the number of elective subjects. In the General Course there was also an extension of required subjects and a limiting of electives. A greater measure of continuity in subject matter was provided, based on a philos- ophy that the curriculum changes would provide the pupils with a broad general education supplemented by special prep- aration in some vocational skill subject. Significant changes were made in the Commercial Course. A basic preparatory course was provided in grade ten, thus postponing specializa- tion in the particular commercial fields until grade eleven.
The present senior class entered the third year of the new curriculum in September of this year. It will not be possible,
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therefore, to make any conclusive reports upon the general effectiveness of the new curriculum until the class of 1950 graduates in June.
Efforts have been continued to offer greater variety of practical courses for pupils in the General Course. As stated earlier in this report, the School Committee authorized the establishment of a course in Business Management for seniors in the General Course. Due to the fact that many of these students enter the field of business after graduation, the course was designed to provide the students some practical preparation for occupational efficiency through the study of the following units: (1) types of business enterprise, (2) or- ganizing a small business, (3) financing a business, (4) the place of credit in business, (5) business forms, (6) merchan- dising and consumer problems, (7) employer-employee rela- tionships, and (8) government and business.
This course, in which sixty per cent of the seniors of the General Course are now enrolled, will be expanded by the addition of other units as the needs of the pupils are further explored and studied. It is also intended to add to the effec- tiveness of the course by practical contacts with business and industry through arranging for visits to plants and creating internships for the students.
As was predicted in the report of last year, the Commer- cial Course continues to attract more and more students, so that at the present time approximately fifty-six per cent of the entire student body of the School are enrolled in this course. The outstanding success in placing the qualified graduates of this course in excellent initial positions is without doubt a contributing factor in the growth of the Commercial Course.
During the past three school years detailed statistics upon the problem of subject failures have been collected in order to obtain a complete record from which will be revealed trends and weaknesses. The process has been expanded this year to the point where the causes of failure are being very carefully and definitely studied. Curriculum planning will be affected by the results of this study, and the administration will have provided a much better basis for informing parents about the students, to the end that a better and more cooperative rela- tionship will result between the school and the parents. The task of the personnel workers who make the home contacts will be much more effectively consummated.
The position of personnel worker was originally estab- lished for the purpose of aiding in the reduction of the num-
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ber of non-graduates, by investigating causes of failure to complete the necessary number of points to assure gradua- tion, giving advice to both students and their parents for solution of the problems, and doing follow-up to make sure that graduation credits were attained. Frequently deportment and attendance were found to be contributing factors to non- graduation. Infrequently was lack of ability found to be a real contributing factor. During the first year it was found that the services of the two personnel workers were so worth while and effective that the School Committee decided to ex- pand the services in the interest of reducing the number of subject failures in all three classes in the High School. At the present time the work is so organized that a personnel worker is assigned to the Sophomore Class as it enters the school and continues with the students of that class until graduation. Much effective work has been accomplished through the advice and counsel given by the personnel workers. It should always be borne in mind, however, that these posi- tions are not what many people have been led to believe, namely, attendance officers. The primary reason for the existence of the position is the improvement of scholastic standing of the student body, and attendance problems be- come factors for assistance and attention only when they con- tribute to scholastic failures.
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