USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1950 > Part 10
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Physical Education
The work of the Physical Education department of the schools is carefully planned to develop the children by scien-
159
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
tifically organized games and exercises, logically and sequen- tially arranged, depending on the physical characteristics of the various age groups. The program emphasizes play, relaxa- tion, and physical activity in progressive forms.
In the elmentary schools, marching, running, and skipping are supplemented by folk dancing and singing games, rhythms, relays, stunts, and mimetics.
At the junior high level pupil leadership in encouraged and stressed in carrying on games, calisthenics, marching, and individual skills. Swimming lessons are provided here also for boys who previously were unable to swim. Eight hundred boys of elementary and junior high ages learn to swim annually.
A thorough physical examination for all sophomores in the High School is given annually under direction of the Board of Health and the Physical Education Department. This year 799 had examinations of their heart, lungs, eyes, ears, and feet.
All sophomores and juniors in the High School are re- quired to participate in Physical Education activities twice a week. The girls' program consists of marching, floor and some apparatus work, tap dancing games, horseback riding, tennis, hiking, basketball, swimming, softball, and a course in correc- tive work. The boys carry on a little more strenuous form of physical activitiy, including volley, basket, and dodge ball games, floor and apparatus work, tumbling, wrestling and in- dividual skills.
BUILDINGS AND REPAIRS
The Commissioner of Public Buildings has been very help- ful and cooperative in all his dealings with the School Com- mittee. With a limited budget he has endeavored to main- tain our school plant in clean, efficient, and safe condition conducive to the learning process. This is no easy task when one considers that the school buildings are uniformly old and that several have been in use for over seventy years.
The heating system at the Central Heating Plant has been improved at considerable expense. Three new oil burners and three new tanks were installed and are operating very effi- ciently. New oil burners were also installed at the Cholerton School, the Southworth, and the Western Junior High School. One boiler at the Northeastern Junior High School was re- tubed, and also one at the Southern Junior High School.
160
ANNUAL REPORTS
A new outdoor wooden running track has been built at the rear of the Senior High School by the cooperative effort of the Building Department and the Engineering Department at a cost of about four thousand dollars.
Two new classes were organized in the Cutler School, one on the third floor and the other in the basement, and another class was set up in a basement room of the Hodgkins School to take care of the increased number of children in that area. A new special class was established at the Morse School, and a special class was moved from the Proctor to the Bingham School to allow for the establishment of the newly organized class in Remedial Reading at the Proctor School. These changes required redecorating of classroorns, reconditioning, moving, and setting up of furniture, and also the purchase of special types of furniture for the new class at the Proctor.
An appropriation of eight thousand dollars was made avail- able for the purchase of window shades for classrooms throughout the City which were badly needed. The boys' san- itary at the Morse School was completely reconditioned, and all new fixtures and partitions were provided, and a new floor was installed. At the Bingham School the boys' and girls' san- itaries were reconditioned, and the sanitaries in Somerville High School were painted. Blackboards removed from the con- demned Pope School were installed at the Knapp, Morse, Carr, Cholerton, Cutler, Hodgkins, and Northeastern Junior High School. Univents taken from the Pope School were installed at the Forster School, and a new return pump was installed. New fire walls were constructed on each floor at the Bennett School. Emergency lights were installed at the Brown, Cutler, Grimmons, Hodgkins, the Senior High School, and in the three junior high schools, and a new master clock was installed at the Southern Junior High School. New gas hot water heaters were installed at the Bennett and Brown Schools, and consid- erable carpentry, electrical, plastering, and painting work was necessary at the Prescott School due to a slight fire.
A large amount of work was necessary in the maintenance and repair of heating systems in almost every school building, and plumbing, electrical work, and replacement of glass was done in about twenty-seven buildings. Window cords were re- placed in seventeen buildings, and glass was reset in eight others. Roofs were repaired in seven buildings, and plaster- ing, masonry, and carpentry work and painting was done in ten buildings. Fences were repaired at six schools.
The need for new classroom furniture is becoming more critical as each day passes. The School Department has called
161
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
attention to this situation for several years and is hopeful that something may be done about it during the coming year.
PERSONNEL
During the year 1950, nineteen members of the school in- structional organization officially terminated their services to the pupils of our schools for various reasons. Of these nine- teen, two severed their connections with the schools by com- pulsory retirement in consequence of the provisions of the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement Law, two retired because of illness, nine resigned their positions due to marriage, three resigned to take educational positions in other schools or com- munities, while three resigned to assume duties in other fields of activity.
It is with feelings of regret and concern that the Superin- tendent reports each year the loss of the services of persons who have loyally and diligently performed their tasks of teach- ing and guiding the pupils who will in very few years be the future business, professional, and industrial citizens of the community, the state, and the nation.
Notable records of length of devoted and faithful service and excellent accomplishment were rendered by Annie C. Woodward, as teacher and later as Head of the Department of Economic Geography in the High School for a period of forty-four years; by Florence M. Shaw, teacher and Principal's Assistant at the Hanscom School for forty-one years; by Marion A. Viets, teacher at the Hanscom School, thirty-eight years; and by Alfreda Veazie, teacher at the High School for thirty-four years; Inez Atwater, teacher for twenty-three years at the High School; Helen Capuano, elementary school teacher for sixteen years; and Anna Rachorf, elementary school teach- er for thirteen years.
Appreciation of their services by the School Committee, the Superintendent of Schools, and the school organization was expressed to all through appropriate letters.
COSTS
Each year a statement is made in the Superintendent's Report, showing how the cost of operating the schools of Som- erville compares with that of the other thirty-eight cities of the
162
ANNUAL REPORTS
Commonwealth. From the tabulations recently released by the State Department of Education covering the school year Sep- tember 1949 to June 1950 there is revealed that:
(1) The assessed valuation (1949) per pupil in the net av- erage membership year ending June 30, 1950 for Somerville was $10,400 compared with the average of $13,730 for the thirty-nine cities of the State, and $12,162 for all the com- munities of the State. Boston, Springfield, and Worcester, the only cities which have a larger school population than Somer- ville, have $17,611, $15,477, and $12,454 respectively, while our neighboring city of Cambridge has $19,523 of assessed valuation supporting each child in the school population, and
(2) The per capita cost of education in Somerville, al- though higher than the previous year, is still $11.06 lower than that of the average of the thirty-nine cities and $31.04 less than Boston, $37.23 less than Cambridge, and $26.61 less than Springfield, and
(3) Somerville is using 31.8% of its local tax revenue for the schools. This is 1.2% less than the portion used for schools during the previous year.
In view of these considerations, it is gratifying to the ad- ministrators to summarize the very pertinent and important information with pride in the following statement. Somerville, the seventh largest city of the Commonwealth with respect to population, has the fourth largest school population being ed- ucated under the 6-3-3 plan, which admittedly is more expen- sive to operate than is the 8-4 plan. This is being accom- plished through an expenditure of only 31.8% of the tax rev- enue and at a per capita cost of $11.06 less than the average per capita cost of the thirty-nine cities, in spite of the fact that there is less assessed valuation supporting each child in the school membership than in twenty-six of the thirty-nine cities.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The statutes of the Commonwealth in Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 72 of the General Laws require the Superintendent of Schools annually to prepare for the School Committee a de- tailed report of the condition of the public schools, containing such statements and suggestions or recommendations relative thereto as he considers necessary and proper.
163
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
It is, of course, impossible to carry through to successful completion each year all phases of a long-term plan of action; consequently there are recommendations made each year that need to be repeated in order that the processes of action will follow a proper and logical continuity. At times certain emer- gencies interfere with such logical continuity and delays are necessary in order that the problems of the emergency may be solved. It is with considerable satisfaction that it can now be reported that progress has been made with respect to a fair portion of the recommendations made last year, but none of the suggestions has been fully carried out.
It is therefore recommended that the School Committee:
(1) Continue during the year 1951 to devote serious con- sideration to (a) any attempts to enroach upon its powers by legislative action, (b) speedy accomplishment of the building of the now authorized Athletic Stadium at Dilboy Field, (3) the question of the reestablishment of a summer school, and (d) the extension of the Professional Improvement Plan for teach- ers.
(2) Give further consideration to the necessity for enlarg- ing the quarters for the auto body work and the painting and decorating activities at the Vocational School, and make pro- vision for the purchase of more modern equipment for the au- tomobile repair work to meet the demands of motor tune up techniques.
(3) Continue the cooperative efforts with the Board of Health to improve the present medical inspection plan for school children and the broadening of the school nursing pro- gram.
(4) Cooperate wholeheartedly to make operative whatever plans are suggested as necessary for the schools with respect to the Civil Defense Program.
(5) Exert every effort possible not only to the necessary planning for added accommodations for first grades and kin- dergartens resulting from the increasing birth rate of the city and the probable increase of children who are now living in the housing units or will be before next September, but to the recommendations which will be made by the building consult- ants making the survey of elementary school buildings for new, replacement, renovated, or consolidated elementary schools.
164
ANNUAL REPORTS
CONCLUSION
The mid-century year, 1950, has passed into history. A year, which started with encouraging prospects for the de- velopment of a world peace, has during its latter half encount- ered a terrific setback. The serious tensions engendered by the conflicts among the various groups within nations, and the recurring threats of war among nations, are evidence that the long-hoped-for peace will be a reality only when the peoples of the world are convinced of the necessity for demoractic and cooperative living.
The past decade has shown that continued development of the American way of life requires an ever improving system of public education. An adequate and appropriate education must be provided for all. The instructional program must be extended, enriched, and geared to the individual and social needs of the students. Functionally designed and adequately equipped buildings must be provided, and the teachers must be better prepared for the consummation of the tasks at hand and those of the future.
Obviously, such a program of improved schools will cost money. The tax conscious public will question the necessity for such a program, but they want assurance that their child- ren and their grandchildren will enjoy freedom in a world in which integrity and dignity of human life are respected. They want equality of opportunity for all people. They want, above all, to live and have their children live in a world at peace.
The Superintendent of Schools in submitting this, his twenty-third annual report in the series of seventy-nine such reports, has discussed pertinent matters, circumstances, and conditions concerning the local schools and their activities during the year 1950, in an attempt to assist the public to rec- ognize that the values cited are in jeopardy, that they may more fully appreciate the relationship of the schools to these values, and cause the public to retain its faith in the power of education. An understanding of this relationship will bring forth a demand for improving good schools, with adequate. support, to the end that the cost will be seen as an investment in the values needed for a peaceful world.
Attention has been directed to the manner in which the School Committee approached its responsibilities in (1) giv- ing attention to those matters of legislation pending before the Legislature involving education, (2) devoting itself to a study
165
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
of the emergency situation created by the closing and subse- quent demolition of the Charles G. Pope School, (3) following the study of the Pope School by a broader study involving the elementary school building situation of the entire city, by rec- ommending and executing a proposal to have a building sur- vey made by expert building consultants which will eventually provide the basis for a twenty to thirty year building program, and (4) giving further attention to the policies concerning the improvement and extension of the educational services for the youth of the community.
Statements have been made concerning the educational program, and discussion has followed to show that the instruc- tional organization attacked its problems with exceptional zeal, industry, and determination, assuring the community a constantly improving citizenry.
In view of the discussion and statements contained in the pages of this report, which indicate to the citizens of Somer- ville that those associated with the policy making, the admin- istrative, and the instructional work of the schools are contin- uing and furthering an adequate educational program, the Superintendent of Schools requests all of the people of the City of Somerville to join him in expressing appreciation to all those involved for the part they have performed in a task well done.
EVERETT W. IRELAND,
December 18, 1950
Superintendent of Schools
166
ANNUAL REPORTS
PART II
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS
Population and school census
School buildings
Teachers
Attendance for year
Cost of school maintenance
Miscellaneous
Cost of Schools
MISCELLANEOUS TABLES CONCERNING FINANCE
No. of Table
1. Schedule of School property.
2. Cost of maintaining schools, school year 1949-1950.
3. Cost per capita of maintaining schools, school year 1949-1950.
4. Cost of maintaining schools for a series of years.
5. Cost per capita for maintaining schools for series of years.
.6. Amount spent annually for new school buildings and for repairs for a series of years.
CONCERNING PUPILS
7. Population and school registration.
8. Attendance, etc., of the schools for school year 1949-1950.
9. Statistics of the high school for school year 1949-1950.
10. Pupils by grades, June 1950.
11. Separate statistics for high, junior high, elementary and vocational schools, for school year 1949-1950.
12. Admission to first grade in September 1950.
13. Number of junior high graduates, 1950.
14. Truant Statistics for a series of years.
15. Evening school statistics, 1949-1950.
16. Elementary school promotees for a series of years.
17. Attendance statistics of all schools for a series of years.
18. Statistics of the high school for a series of years.
19. Promotions, junior high schools, 1950.
19a. Promotions, elementary schools, 1950.
CONCERNING TEACHERS
20 Registration of teachers, 1950.
21. Teachers elected in 1950.
22. Leave of absence of teachers.
23. Transfers of teachers.
24. Number of teachers employed for a series of years.
25 Changes in text books, 1950.
26. High and Junior High School graduation exercises, 1950.
26a. Evening High School graduation exercises, 1950.
27. Vocational School graduation exercises, 1950.
28. Organization of school board for 1951.
29. Teachers in service, December, 1950.
30. Officers in service, December, 1950.
31. School Custodians.
167
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS
1-POPULATION AND SCHOOL CENSUS
Population, United States census, 1895
52,200
Population, United States census, 1900
61,643
Population, State census, 1905
69,272
Population, United States census, 1910
77,236
Population, State census, 1915
86,854
Population, United States census, 1920
93,033
Population, State census, 1925
99,032
Population, United States census, 1930
103,604
Population, State census, 1935
100,773
Population, United States census, 1940
102,304
Population, State census, 1945
105,883
Population, United States census, 1950
102,254
Children, between five and fifteen years of age inclusive,
October, 1950 by school census
16,552
2-SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Number of school buildings in June
31
Number of classrooms in use in June
527
Valuation of school property
$4,980,200
3-TEACHERS
*1949
1950
Change
In high school
123
127
In junior high schools
122
125
+3
In elementary school
194
197
+3
In Kindergartens
30
30
0
Total: elementary and
kindergartens
224
227
+3
Vocational School for Boys
20
21
+1
Independent Household Arts
1
1
0
Atypical Classes
11
12
+1
Sight saving
1
1
0
Cadet teachers
7
9
+2
Special
14
13
Cont. and Jr. Vocational
4
4
0
Americanization
1
1
0
Total Teachers
528
541
+13
Supervisors, Principals, etc.
21
21
0
Total
549
562
13
4-ATTENDANCE FOR THE YEAR
1949
1950
Change
Entire enrollment for the year
14,139
13,888
-251
Average number belonging
13,282
12,957
-325
Average number attending
12,189
11,966
-223
Per cent of daily attendance
91.8
92.35
+0.55
High school graduates
789
646
-143
Junior High School graduates
943
844
-99
168
ANNUAL REPORTS
5-COST OF SCHOOL MAINTENANCE
1949
1950
Change +$157,994.87 1
Salaries of officers
$1,872,701.99 55,891.19
$2,030,696.86 60,999.16
5,107.97
Cost of books & sup- plies
71,355.93
77,766.60
+ 4,410.67
Cost of care
of buildings
410,710.89
470,953.47
+ 60,242.58
Total cost of day and evening schools
2,410,660.00
2,640,416.09
+ 229,756.09
Per capita cost
181.50
203.78
22.28
Cost of High School
instruction
461,593.19
505,434.74
+ 43,841.55
Per capita cost
192.97
227.57
1
34.60
6-MISCELLANEOUS
Paid for new school
*1949
*1950
Change
buildings
Repairs & permanent improvements
$122,295.22
$147,363.30
+ $25,068.08
Total school expendi- tures
Valuation of city
131,136,700.00
128,191,550.00 - 2,945.150.00
Number of dollars
spent to maintain schools out of
every $1,000 of valuation
.93
1.14
+.21
Number of dollars
spent for all school
purposes, etc.
18.38
20.60
+2.22
* School year.
7-COST OF THE SCHOOLS
The total amount spent for the maintenance of the schools of Somerville for the school year ending June 30, 1950, is $2,640,416.09.
This includes the sum spent for care of school buildings, including salaries of officers, the amount spent for school and administrative supplies and services, and the sum paid for salaries of teachers.
The expenditures for care for school buildings is wholly in charge of the City Government.
The amount paid for janitors is $182,504.18
The cost of fuel is 60,648.06
The cost of light is 30,331.04
Miscellaneous expense of operation 50,106.89
A total cost of 323,590.17
A total cost per capita of 24.97
Cost of repairs 147,363.30
+
2,410,660.00
2,640,416.09
+ 229,756.09
Salaries of teachers
The second important expenditure is wholly under the control of the School Committee and is covered by what is known as the "School Contingent" appropriation. The following is the itemized account:
Expenditures
Totai
High
Junior
Day School Elementary
Vocational
High
Evening Schools Elementary
Vocational
Office Salaries
$60,999.16 6,936.88
Office Expenses
22,570.06
6,908.92
3,862.09
10,843.49
$552.75
$226.19
$3.25
$173.37
Stationery, Supplies & Other Expenses of Instruction .....
41,125.19
13,290.79
11,313.63
8,613.50
6,861.31
207.30
10.91
132.70
695.05
Miscellaneous, Transportation etc.
7,136.47
1,902.24
796.34
4,080.76
278.72
78.41
Total
$138,767.76
$22,101.95
$15,972.06
$23,537.75
$7,692.78
$433.49
$10.91
$135.95
$946.83
The third, and by far the largest element of the cost of schools is the sum spent for the salaries of teachers. under the School Committee.
This expenditure is
Expenditures
Total $38,802.00
High $8,451.00 6,330.00 489,294.47
Junior $4,705.00 16,065.00 460,703.71
Day School Elementary $21,726.00 35,265.00 869,248.53
$5,295.00 82,518.37
$567.15 5,234.00
$29.85 286.00
$410.00 2,775.00
17,872.78
Total
$2,030,696.86
$504,075.47
$481,473.71
$926,239.53
$87,813.37
$5,801.15
$315.85
$3,185.00
$21,792.78
Vocational
High
Evening Schools Elementary
Vocational
Jr. Vocational Continuation School and American- tion Work
Supervisors
$3,920.00
Principals
63,962.00
Teachers
1,927,932.86
..
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
169
Jr. Vocational Continuation School and American- tion Work
Text Books
170
ANNUAL REPORTS
The total outlay for all school purposes includes all the preceding and the sums spent for schoolhouse repairs and new buildings:
The total outlay for the school year ending June 30, 1950, is as follows:
Care
$323,590.17
Contingent
77,766.60
Salaries
2,091,696.02
Total for school maintenance
2,493,052.79
Paid for repairs
147,363.30
Paid for new buildings
Total for all school purposes
2,640,416.09
Each dollar of the sum spent for the support of schools has been divided in the following proportion:
Janitors salaries
1945 $0.082
1946 $0.083
1947 $0.088
1948 $0.063
1949 $0.071
1950 $0.074
Other Maintenance
expenses
0.058
0.047
0.068
0.056
0.054
0.056
Administration
0.021
0.023
0.024
0.026
0.028
0.027
School supplies
0.032
0.031
0.027
.0.034
0.029
0.028
Teachers salaries
0.807
0.816
0.793
0.801
0.818
0.815
$1.000
$1.000
$1.000
$1.000
$1.000
$1.000
Per Capita Cost. The proper method of comparison of the cost of schools year by year is to consider the sum spent for each pupil in the average membership. In this computation we exclude the cost of evening schools, and the vocational schools. The following shows:
The Per Capita Cost of Schools for 1949-50
High School.
Junior Iligh Schools.
Elementary Schools.
All Day Schools.
1949.
1950.
Change
1949.
1950.
Change
1949.
1950.
Change
1949.
1950.
Change
Instruction Supplies. Care ..
$193.00 10.60 29.94
$227.57 10.17 34.13
+$34.57 -. 48 +4.19
$165.96 4.22 34.38
$183.68 6 33 41.67
+$17.72 +2.11 +7.29
$113.42| 3.26 27.20
$125.20 3.71 32.06
+$11.78 +.45 +4.86
$139.28 4.82 29.23
$155.74 5.41 34.48
+$16.46 +.59 +5.25
Total
$233.54
$271.87
+$38.83
$204.56
$231.68
+$27.12
$143.88
$160.97
+$17.09
$173.33
$195.63
+$22.30
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
171
172
ANNUAL REPORTS
A comparison of the per capita cost for previous years is as follows:
Cost of Instruc-
tion
$92.29
$94.39 $108.11 $124.74 $139.28 $155.74
Cost of Supplies
3.36
3.42
3.42
5.31
4.82
5.41
Cost of Care
15.49
21.74
31.67
31.57
29.23
34.48
Total
$111.14 $119.55 $143.20 $161.62 $173.33 $195.63
An examination of these tables shows that we have paid $34.57 more for the instruction of each pupil in the High School than in 1949, and $0.43 more per pupil for supplies.
The elementary schools have cost $11.78 more per pupil for instruction, and $0.45 more for supplies.
The amount yielded for each child in the average mem- bership of the schools for 1950, not including the vocational schools, was $195.63.
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
TABLE 1-SCHOOLHOUSES, DECEMBER, 1950
Name
No. of Classrooms
No. of Sittings
Size of Lot, includ-
ing Space occupied
Class of
Construction
How Heated
How Ventilated
Valuation including
Furniture
When Built
High School
*102
3,407
A-C
Steam
Fan
1$1,263,500
1895
1906, 1918, 1928
Prescott
13
5439
C
Steam
Fan
1867
Southworth
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