USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1952 > Part 9
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At no other time in our school history has there been a greater need for guidance. The junior high schools are meet- ing their responsibility in this regard. In addition to the regular program of group guidance held one period a week for all children, more and more use is being made of recognized testing instruments to provide data for individual counseling and administrative handling of cases. In recent years, and more so in the past year, the guidance program in the junior high schools has been broadened to include not only educa- tional and vocational guidance, but practically all problems of boys and girls, personal, social, and moral. From this enlarged field it follows that every teacher of the junior high school should be concerned with some phase of guidance. The ave- nues most commonly employed for this purpose are pupil-
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teacher conferences, the homeroom, assemblies, pupil hand- books, and orientation courses.
Remedial instruction is being provided increasingly in the junior high schools to help pupils with learning deficiencies in the fundamentals, through such practices as diagnostic tests, remedial instruction, either in regular or special classes, giving classroom teachers help in employing remedial methods, and providing specialists to assist with remedial work.
As a result of an action of the School Committee on September 2, 1952, the three junior high schools participated in the Massachusetts School "Get Out the Vote" campaign September 17 - November 4, 1952, sponsored by the Massa- chusetts Department of Education. Interesting programs were arranged in all schools which enabled the students to know and work with adults in the community who are civic-minded and also content material was enriched by concrete civic action contributing toward a higher percentage of adult voting on November 4. The program was carried out at the Western Junior High School through assemblies, actual visits to the polls nearby, a study of campaign literature and publicity items, such as pins, cards, newspapers, etc., and also by classroom elections held on Primary and Election Day. The ingenious ideas and hard work of these students and teachers of the three junior high schools contributed in no small measure to the great success in getting out the vote in this city on Election Day.
During the past year a larger amount of money was ex- pended for reference books and encyclopedias for the junior high school libraries than had been spent in recent years. Such expenditures are indeed worth-while for the school library should be the heart of the school, a place where the children learn to study and a center from which every educa- tional tool not supplied individually to pupils is circulated to classrooms as needed.
The enrollments in the junior high schools have continued to decrease during the past year due to the reduced birth rate of the depression period. This has made possible smaller classes and more individual attention to slow learners.
Extra class activities have contributed materially to rea- lizing the functions of the junior high school during the past year. They included many types of pupil participation, such as music, journalism, athletics, and even some pupil partici-
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pation in the administration of the school. The Student Activ- ity Club of the Southern Junior High School carried on many interesting projects, including the sponsorship of a Testimonial Dinner to a member of the faculty who retired from teaching after a half century of teaching. A group of art students at the Northeastern Junior High School painted a Christmas mural twenty-four feet long and ten feet high which will be on exhibition during the Christmas season. A public speaking contest has been organized successfully at the Western Junior High School, and also a Junior Red Cross Council consisting of about sixty members has been functioning as a student activity.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
In the elementary schools continued attention is devoted to analysis and revision of teaching content, techniques, and methods, that the efficiency of the learning processes may be improved. Aware that those elementary schools where the children are most happy are the most efficient, teachers, cog- nizanr of the fact that they and their supervisors working together in a united effort will provide the best elementary schools, are constantly alert to find and use new techniques.
Mindful of the fact that pupils of all grades unconsciously inject into their classroom behavior the many problems of home, and that depression or inflation, good or bad economic conditions, are reflected in the work of the classroom, it has been the aim of Somerville teachers to make the classroom activities bountiful, harmonious, and beneficial. They make their rooms alive and abundant with meaningful experiences.
Many children know but one place, the school, where they feel that they are an integral part of the whole. The teacher of such children has become the symbol that person- ifies all that is representative of unity and true community spirit.
The elementary teachers, determined that their rooms shall reflect harmony, serenity, and progress, accomplished their purpose by making the room attractive, not only during the festive seasons but at all times throughout the year.
The In-Service Program for new teachers, conducted by the Elementary Supervisor, has helped many in reaching com- mon understandings and mutual aims, and in studying the best procedures and practices in elementary education.
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A study of the new reading systems, now available, has been authorized by the Superintendent of Schools, and is being conducted by the teachers in each elementary school district.
Due to the fine cooperation of the Somerville Police and Fire Departments, the course of study in Safety has received much impetus. The Safety Officer of the Police Department and two lieutenants from the Fire Department have individual- ly visited all the schools many times, accompanied by the Supervisor of Elementary Education, where they gave brief talks and showed pictures concerning Safety, urging at all times strict adherence to safety rules. The safety course has attained greater understanding and adaptability and as a re- sult the safety patrols of the various schools have become very active and much more effective.
Parent and teacher relationships have been most friendly and cooperative. The parents have helped enrich the child- ren's experiences by giving their full cooperation in helping make the many excursions and field trips successful, and lastly, but not the least important, more than 90% of the parents visited the twenty-three elementary schools to see the annual presentation of the work done by the children of the various grades throughout the year.
VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS
The need for skilled workers in the building trades, auto- mobile, machine tool field, and the printing industry has reached an alarming state. American youth with mechanical and creative ability do well to consider a trade training pro- gram of their choice which will enable them to take an active part in the reconversion of American industry. Such an educa- tion should teach "not only to live", but also "how to make a living". An opportunity for vocational training in several fields is offered in the Somerville Vocational School with its modern and well equipped shops. The automobile course offers two kinds of training which are essential to success in the field of automotive service. The first is an appreciation of the manner in which automotive units are designed in order to perform their function, and the second is the ability to execute needed repairs.
The Vocational School offers training in carpentry, joinery, and cabinet making to boys interested in becoming associated with the building industry. The course is organized around
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all branches of the carpentry trade. The program is twofold, including practical work, related studies, and academic work. Those who finish their training in the fundamental processes given in this course graduate from school into the building in- dustry to complete their training period and become finished craftsmen.
One of the most fascinating trades for a young man to enter is the electrical field. Every day brings forth some new development in lighting, power, electronics, power transmis- sion, and devices for better living. Both in the construction and maintenance aspects of the industry there is a steady ex- pansion that offers a good future to the trained man. Prog- ress in the electrical industry is making such rapid strides that it is only by gaining a thorough grounding in mathematics and electrical theory that a young man can properly prepare him- self to meet the exacting demands of the trade.
The purpose of the course in machine shop practice is to instruct boys, who are anxious to enter the metal trades in- dustry, in the fundamentals of the manipulation and care of the basic machines and tools used in this field, and to instruct them in the proper related subjects.
The metal trades industry is one of the most important industries in this country. Boys taking this course may develop into toolmakers, diemakers, supervisors, foreman, etc., and there are instances where former students are conducting their own shops.
The painting and decorating course continued its excel- lent record of placement of boys in the trade. All graduates obtained employment in well paying positions, and second-year boys were placed for summer experience with contractors. A great deal of practical work, both in and outside of the school, was completed for the City and religious and civic organiza- tions. An outstanding piece of redecoration was done in Room 102 in the High School for the Distributive Occupations Divi- sion, along with the complete finishing of all school furniture for this Division. Practical jobs such as these have resulted in savings to the taxpayers in the City.
In the Vocational School printing is a scientific and crea- tive art that will challenge the most adept of our prospective trainees. A trainee has little time for idleness if he chooses to become a master craftsman in the printing field, as the indus- try requires a five-year apprenticeship of the trainee before he becomes a journeyman, and many more years of varied expe-
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riences in large and small printing plants before he will be rec- ognized as a master craftsman capable of doing out-of-the- ordinary work that commands attention and respect. In the printing class at the Vocational School a considerable amount of practical work is done for all of the schools which offers practical experience to the students and a saving to the tax- payer.
SPECIAL CLASSES
Educationally speaking, it is very well recognized that there are those among the students in the schools of every com- munity whose mental abilities deviate in varying degrees from the normal. Such children are not capable of acquiring suffi- cient education from ordinary schooling to enable them to meet the demands of living satisfactorily. Special education provided with special facilities is the vehicle by which the learning process is adapted to meet the needs of these children so that they may make a beneficial contribution to the world in which they live. The earlier these children are found and given a developmental program, built around the achieving of vocational and social competence, the nearer they will ap- proach normalcy.
Eligibility for attendance upon special classes is determined through a testing program. Many years ago the State Depart- ment of Mental Health established traveling clinics under the supervision of the various county agencies to do this testing. However, the State Department has not been able to meet the demands of the program, and in consequence an especially trained local teacher was certified as qualified to make the tests and diagnose the results when the clinic could not complete the work in Somerville. During this year the number of cases recommended for testing by the elementary principals was so large, and it was impossible for the traveling clinic even to reach Somerville, it was fortunate that another especially well trained teacher was able to assist in the testing program at the beginning of the fall term. It is hoped that this added service will allow for some further necessary clinical reading diagnosis and remedial work.
The opportunity to help children that are atypical is not peculiar to special class teachers for the responsibility for these children must be shared with the parents, who daily face dis- tinct and specific demands at home. Thinking parents generally have a troubled and questioning state of mind when they are confronted with problems of adjustment concerning
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the exceptional child in the family unit. It is a fallacious pro- cedure to establish an educational program for a disabled child without keeping constantly in mind that parents hold the key to the situation in determining how much shall be done for the child.
A primary consideration of the special class program has always been parent information and assistance. Parents need to know that problems of adjustment must be met, whether the disability is merely a temporary one or whether it is recognized as one which will permanently affect adult life. Such adjustments must be made, not in terms of the personal desires of the parents, but in terms of the greatest fulfillment of life for the child. Parents must also realize that the child has a right to be guided into social attitudes and conduct that will make him a good citizen.
Closer cooperation between home and school should be developed so that a knowledge of other agencies that may help in the adjustment of the exceptional child may be ac- quired to the end that all parents will be eager to have their children receive the best that life can afford.
Because of the fact that there will always be a need in special education for adjustment, changes from standard pro- cedures, and the application of new techniques to meet the situation as presented by exceptional children, there was established early this year a committee of special class teachers designed to do extensive research and study in special educa- tion. Through the medium of an In-Service Training Program the committee will assist their fellow teachers in appraising changes in standard procedure and offer useful guides in the application of new teaching techniques. Since January of this year the committee has been engaged in preparing a guide that will be useful to the special class teachers in determining the growth levels of their pupils. The criteria for growth levels is intended to assist the teacher in estimating each child's general level of maturity, and also in planning the next steps in teaching on the basis of each child's characteristics and behavior.
ART
In the elementary schools there is a decided advance in the ability of children to express fully their ideas with crayon and paint. There is, however, a need for more craft work in these grades so that children may have the experience of ex-
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pressing their ideas with other materials. Next year a simple program will be worked out to introduce some of these crafts and techniques in the first six grades.
The keynote of the junior high school art education is now "art for everyone and not for the talented few." Due to the creative ability of the junior high school art instructors, many interesting art activities have appeared in the junior high school art program this year. Experimenting with block print- ing has created much interest among students. Papier-mache, modeling with paper and paste, has been used in connection with science and social studies. New ways of experimenting with color and with other art materials have added much to the interest of students in their art work.
Both senior and junior high schools have participated with interest in outside activities. Three pupils from the senior high school and seven pupils from the three junior high schools were winners in the 25th Annual Scholastic Art Awards Con- test. From over four thousand entries submitted in the regional contest, their ten paintings were among those exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Two of their paint- ings, one from the high school and one from the junior high school, received awards, and the pupils were given gold keys, which is the top regional award.
These schools also participated in the International Art Program. This program is sponsored jointly by the National Art Association and the American Red Cross. The object of the program is to provide among young people the feeling of belonging to a family of nations by bringing them into com- munication with one another through the universal language of art. The paintings done by the pupils of Somerville were on exhibition in the Somerville Public Library from April 4 through April 9. After the Somerville exhibition the paintings were sent to the Boston Chapter of the Junior Red Cross and some of these were selected to be sent to the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D. C., from whence they were to be shipped overseas.
In conjunction with the Annual Starlet Show sponsored by the Somerville Kiwanis Club, a poster contest was conducted in the senior and junior high schools. Forty posters were sub- mitted and twenty of these were selected for prizes. The pupils were keenly interested in developing the posters, and members of the Kiwanis Club were delighted with the results of the contest.
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MUSIC
During the year 1952 continued progress has been made in the instruction in Music in the Somerville schools. The in- creased number of practice teachers from the Boston University School of Music has made it possible to provide more instruc- tion by technically trained teachers of music, with a resultant improvement in the elementary school vocal work.
The instrumental music instruction on the violin has pro- gressed considerably at the Cutler, Cholerton, and Southern Junior High Schools, and classes are now organized to start at once at the Carr and Prescott Schools. It is hoped that in the near future it will be possible to offer instruction on other instruments, such as the clarinet and the trumpet.
At the junior high school level, the work in vocal and instrumental music has continued to progress, and it is ex- pected that this work can and will be soon enhanced by instruc- tion in music appreciation which can, no doubt, be readily handled by cooperation of the Somerville Public Library which can loan to the schools records from its fine record library.
Both interest and accomplishment rate very high in the vocal and instrumental program as well as in the course in appreciation and theory at the high school level. The band has been laboring under hardships of unsuitable accommodations, but it is hoped that this condition may soon be remedied. As usual the High School musical organizations have been in great demand for public appearances. Many favorable com- ments were received concerning a voluntary group of students, who called themselves the "Superintendent's Chorus," for the fine program they rendered on Sunday evening, October 12th, at Swampscott for the convention of the New England Associa- tion of School Superintendents. It is notable that this voluntary group did all its rehearsing after school and gave their time for the program on a Sunday.
Tape recordings have been made of programs to be re- broadcast on radio, and as a result of the very successful Talent Night performances many students were picked by a talent scout from Station WLAW to appear on its program called "Stairway to Stardom." Many other public appearances of the groups give evidence of progress.
At the graduation exercises in June the musical organ- izations as usual provided scholarships for worthy students to
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continue their musical education out of funds raised as a result of their public appearances.
THRIFT
It is heartening to view the accomplishments of the Thrift program, functioning as a wholesome influence in all grades of the schools through the School Saving System in its dual capacity of character training for participants and of special- ized work training for pupil personnel.
The past year witnessed a steady increase in the number of new accounts, bringing the grand total to 11,607 accounts at the close of the school year, while the total amount of deposits for the year reached $70,557.55. The one hundred twenty-four High School students who were privileged to elect the Banking Course were provided by this volume of work with a precision training in accuracy and responsibility as they formed the working corps of the School Bank. Field trips to banks for the bank workers, the distribution of Freedom kits, each containing forty-two annotated facsimiles of national his- toric documents, to all Social Studies classes in the high and junior high schools, the extensive Prize Essay Contest success- fully conducted in grades four to twelve, all contributed to the integration of the Thrift program with the regular curriculum.
The all-important fact should be recognized that as indi- viduals are taught the advantages of self-reliance and self- discipline, as they become thoroughly versed in the practice of these attributes, their individual security and stability be- come more assured. They will grow to have a significant appreciation of our national freedoms, coupled with a strong determination to cherish deeply, strengthen, and preserve the continued existence of these freedoms. The Thrift program is giving expression to these fundamental preparations for good citizenship.
AMERICANIZATION AND BASIC ENGLISH
The newcomers in the Americanization classes this year are mostly from Europe, predominantly from Italy, but nearly as many are from German-speaking countries, while a fair sized group are from Greece, and there has been one war bride from Korea. Exceptional records of attendance have been attained, resulting in a progress in learning English which is amazing and far exceeds the expectations of the students. They are alert, keen, and very desirous of becoming good Americans.
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The classes in Basic English have been visited by a group from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for the purpose of studying the special techniques used here which they will use later in teaching Hebrew, French, and Spanish. Some of these graduate students have served as teachers of classes here without compensation. Mutual benefits are acquired.
This phase of the work in the Somerville schools, particu- larly for the adults, has been so successful over a period of many years that visitors to these classes this year have come from foreign countries of Brazil, India, and England, while teachers from every section of the United States and some from Canada, including the Director of English in the Can- adian Citizenship Council, have honored Somerville by visits to these classes.
CIVIL DEFENSE
The work of the Committee on School Participation in Civil Defense, which began in February 1951 under the direc- tion of the Assistant Superintendent of Schools as Chairman, was continued and further developed during the past year. Outlines of instruction for use in elementary, junior high, and high schools, to prepare children for an understanding of the danger of atomic disaster, were distributed to all teachers. A course in first aid for senior high school pupils was also organ- ized and provision was made for first aid instruction by the hygiene teachers in the health classes in the junior high schools. Necessary printed material and posters were distri- buted throughout the schools.
The safety engineer of the Building Department, together with representatives of the State and Federal Governments, made a survey of all public and parochial school buildings to determine the safest locations within each building where children might congregate in the event of an air raid drill. He also submitted recommendations as to what should be done to make the school buildings as safe as possible.
A practice air raid drill was held on Wednesday, May 14, and all public and parochial schools were notified by a tele- phone alert from the office of the Superintendent of Schools. All children and the school personnel filed immediately to their shelter locations.
On Thursday, May 15, between 10:15 A.M. and 10:30 A.M., all schools in Somerville took part in a public participa- tion response to the air raid alarm signals throughout Region
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#5, comprising fifty-two cities and towns of the Metropolitan area, including Somerville.
Masters have made arrangements for regular air raid drills, using signals distinctly different from those used for fire drills so as to prevent any confusion.
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