USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1926 > Part 13
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The physical examination as given in the high school to cover the let- ter of the law is a farce to a very large extent. The eye and ear tests are given by untrained teachers in the high school. If an eye and ear have any value at all, they should be looked after by a competent trained phy- sician, or the parent should be notified that the responsibility is theirs and not ours. The examination should not only cover an examination of the eye and ear but many other specific points. Special cases, such as those with heart affection and tuberculosis contacts, should be examined several times a year, depending upon the necessity for keeping in touch with their progress.
In order to follow out the above recommendations we should have established in the high school:
(1) A nurse's room properly fitted with all necessary apparatus and regular hours during the week when the nurse will report at the high school.
(2) Establishing a dental clinic in the high school with free service for those who are unable to pay for the service they receive.
(3) Establishing an eye and ear clinic under the care of a trained specialist.
(4) Apparatus for corrective work between the physical training department and medical staff.
Note: The health of over 700 individuals all in one building is more important to the success of the future of Attleboro than the small amount of money required to establish this work in the high school.
Free Hand Drawing
The work in Free Hand Drawing is given on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of each week. This work should be open five days a week in order to establish double periods for all pupils and to keep the different classes separate. The work in Manual Training, Mechanical Drawing and Free Hand Drawing should all be combined under one head. The work should be connected to a large extent with the other departments of the high school and the skilled work in the city.
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Conventions
It is my opinion that a large majority of the teachers in the high school are not interested in teachers' conventions held each fall in Fall River or New Bedford. To replace this, I wish to recommend that the high school teachers be allowed to arrange their own convention to be held on a Saturday and that the school be closed some school day in order to allow each teacher a visiting day. A report to be filed in my office by each teacher, showing the nature of her vist with recommenda- tions for her department.
Music
The Attleboro High School has one of the most successful orchestras in the State. This is due to the great interest the leader takes in the or- chestra and the fact that arrangements can be made for it to meet five times a week for practice. What is true of the orchestra is not true of the other music in the high school. The glee club has made some prog- ress, singing in the school as a whole has not, the band is a fail- ure. Music is important and I wish to recommend that more time be arranged for Mr. Gibb to be in the high school and that we be allowed authority to develop this phase of our work
Appreciation
Last year the members of the G.A.R. Dining Club established a prize in the form of an educational trip to some point of national interest for the high school pupil writing the best essay from a list of subjects out- lined by a committee in charge of the work. Miss Laura Povey, the win- ner for 1925-1926, accompanied by Miss Hilliard of the History Depart- ment was given a trip to Philadelphia to visit the Sesqui-Centennial.
Prizes given to pay pupils for what they should do are not com. mendable. Improvement prizes or prizes given with the intentions of creating an interest in outside matters are commendable and should be encouraged. About thirty pupils in the High School at the present time are doing extra work in History in the form of reading and research work in order to collect material for the papers they are developing.
The school is indebted to the members of the G. A. R. Dining Club and Mr. Cain of the Attleboro Sun for making this possible.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES O. DALRYMPLE
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF CONTINUATION SCHOOL
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
Herewith is submitted my seventh annual report as Director of the Continuation School.
As we look back over the past seven years of continuation school work, and note the meager educational equipment for life work that many of these youths possess when they enter into employment, we come to realize more and more the real need of boys and girls keeping in touch with educational activities.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Many young workers when asked why they left the regular schools will say that they were obliged to in order to help out at home in a fi- nancial way. Others will say that they did not need to leave school and that they already regret it.
A study of the facts shows that about 40 per cent leave school for reasons related to economic conditions in the home, while about 60 per- cent leave school because of other reasons. It is difficult to convince some children that the regular school offers that which can become a means to a livelihood. It is expected that boys and girls will con- tinue to leave school too early. However there is a group who are no doubt better off in employment with part-time education. It remains for the continuation school to help them make immediate and prospective adjustments from their status as full-time school pupils to that of re- sponsible wage-earning citizens.
In the past reports we have given a general outline of the academic work, the cooking and sewing departments and the household mechanics course. The work during the past year has continued along practically the same lines.
In connection with carrying out the detailed plans of the academic work, I wish to include in this report one sample of the many lesson sheets used in presenting the work.
Aim: To Develop Boy's Ability for Analysis of His Own Personal Evaluation
Discuss with the class the technique and performance of a good batter.
Does the manner in which the batter holds the bat make any differ- ence in his batting?
Does the manner in which he stands make any difference ?
Does the motion or swing of the bat make any difference?
(Dramatization makes this approach more effective.)
Why must a batter know about these factors in order to improve his own batting?
Direct the attention of the class to a possible similiarity in condi- tions of employment.
Do persons in industry find that there are certain qualities which they can control to make themselves better workers?
Let each boy prepare a list of what he believes to be fifteen im- portant qualities which it is essential that a boy should possess in order to be of value in his work.
From the individual lists select what seems to be the most important qualities and make up a class list of fifteen:
Neatness Ambition. Carefulness Health
Appearance. Habits
Manual Ability (ability to make things with the hands)
English Artihmetic
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Ability to follow directions
Courtesy
Honesty Obedience
Willingness to work
Thrift
Have the boys make a list of these items in a column and then have them mark their own score after each.
Scores to be made for each item-4 for very good, 3 for good, 2 for poor, 1 for very poor.
The greatest score possible is 60. What is your total score? What is your percent ? What are your strongest points? Your weakness?
Everything has its value. What are you worth to your employer? Would you hire yourself?
If you were an employer what kind of boy would you want to hire to work for you and to be paid with your money ?
It may be of interest to you to know in what kinds of employment these pupils are engaged. I therefore submit the following classification of occupations of boys and girls attending the continuation school Decem- ber 1, 1926.
Boys
Manufacturing of Jewelry
46
Dye House
2
Wood Work
2
Manufacturing of tools
14
Farming
3
Telegraph Co.
2
Newspaper Office
1
Manufacturing of eye glass frame
1
Manufacturing of auto plates.
1
. Bakery
1
Store Work
5
Manufacturing of casket trimmings
1
Express Business
1
Dairy
. . .
.
.
. . . . . . . . . .
1
Girls
Jewelry
35
Housework
17
Hospital
3
Packing Room
9
Clerks
2
Cotton Mill
3
Woolen Work.
4
Office Work
3
Braiding Mill
. . . . .
. . . . .
1
.
.
.
. .
. .
. .....
.
.
.
. . .
One of the best means of protecting any community is by reducing the ranks of the ignorant and the unfortunate.
If this is to be done, further training in the fundamentals of education must be given to the average continuation school pupil but it must be given in such a manner as the young worker will accept. This young
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ANNUAL REPORT
worker must learn how to occupy his leisure time with wholesome self- improving activities; he must be helped in forming habits of economy and thrift; he must be guided to make the best and the most of himself and of life so that a more nearly perfect democracy may be established for this young worker who has the right to the opportunity to make the most of himself.
These ideas for the instruction of the pupil necessarily determine the functions of the continuation school. These functions are: (1) the continuation of the education already acquired in the grades; (2) tying up school work with the job as far as possible; (3) the providing of oppor- tunity for prevocational experience to help in the choice of a vocation; (4) vocational guidance and follow-up work.
The suggestions made last year for improving the efficiency of the school I again strongly recommend.
Respectfully submitted,
MILTON P. DUTTON
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF AMERICANIZATION
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
The following report of the Americanization work covers the period from September 1925 to December 1926.
During that period these services have been rendered:
First papers written 62
Second papers written. 27
First and second papers forwarded. 20
Personal letters written and received.
75
Form letters sent.
125
News articles written
7
Telephone calls
103
Personal calls.
75
Home and shop visits.
24
Public school instruction given.
102 hrs.
Private instruction given. . . 46 hrs.
Literature of various sorts relating to citizenship distributed.
Library, Post Office, Council Session, Polling Place visited with class.
Assisted at Naturalization Court Session.
Attended session of Sons of Italy Lodge and spoke on Naturalization.
Assisted in arranging conference at Library.
Attended state conference at Swampscott.
Attended session with Naturalization Examiner at Post Office.
Acted as witness for petitioner for citizenship.
Assisted father to correct birth record of children.
Assisted father to secure release of son from army.
Distributed 2500 Survey Slips to all schools through assistance of Superintendent's office.
Secured U. S. Department of Agriculture Bulletins for Evening School pupils.
Secured and filled out affidavit blanks for admission of relatives to U. S.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Notified alien of advertised letter at Post Office.
Assisted in planning graduation of classes.
Secured representative citizens as speakers to address citizenship class.
It is impossible in a summary like the above to give any more than a bare statistical outline of the work accomplished. Further comment is necessary to explain the personal contacts made, the definite assistance given. Without further explanation of the simple statement "Private in- struction given-46 hours" one would never know that as a result of these hours of instruction two men who had never known how to read, learned and were the proud recipients of citizenship certificates in September.
Time and space would not permit me to recount the many matters listed under Personal Letters Written and Received, Personal Calls, and Telephone Calls. Suffice to say that the inquiries covered every conceiv- able phase of Americanization work. Some of these many calls were fol- low-up contacts, one having a direct bearing on the others, for it must be understood that in this work of making citizens many questions arise which take time to answer. One case in particular has had my attention now for nearly two years and because of many complications has not yet been settled. This necessitates many and frequent calls.
It has been my pleasure to see two whole families of five each take out first papers this year. This is quite unusual.
There is increased interest this year among the women in securing citizenship. Nearly forty of the papers have been filled for women.
Calls have come from out of town for assistance in some branch of the work. One of the most unusual came from a man in Groton, Mass., who sought to secure a new first paper to replace the one he lost. He had seen the news item in the "Sun" and wrote for assistance, which, after much correspondence was given.
One of my busiest days in the work was on Sunday, September 26th, the day before the court session. On that day, twenty-five people called at my house for assistance in filling out papers, all between 2 and 6 o'clock.
Last winter the classes at Tiffany School dwindled to such a low mark that it seemed best to close the school. Miss Lila Neves, the Super- visor of Americanization of New Bedford was secured to aid us in stim- ulating interest. She spent one afternoon and evening with us, calling on the prospective students. As a result the school took on new life and instead of closing, two new classes were opened.
This year, unfortunately, the interest thus awakened did not hold out and it has become necessary to close the school. It is very difficult to persuade people who have not the ancestral background of generations of educated forebears, that an education is possible for them and valuable to them. Such are the people to whom this school sought to minister, but most of them feel that they are too old to learn, or that results, as they see them, are not worth the effort. We should be thankful that America requires her citizens to be educated.
The attendance at the evening school this year is not equal to that of last year. This is doubtless due in part to the decrease in immigration. However, there are in this city, as the recently made school survey shows, approximately 650 parents of pupils in our schools who are not citizens.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Of these the following table shows approximately the ability of parents unable to read and speak English:
Non-citizens Unable to speak English
Unable to read English
Fathers
Mothers
Fathers
Mothers
Fathers
Mothers
310
348
85
132
143
181
We ought not to slacken our effort now that the number of aliens in the United States is diminishing through restricted immigration but rather renew and redouble our endeavors to make good citizens of those who are still aliens among us.
We have campaigns for health, for community chest, for safety, for almost everything, in fact, why not a city wide campaign for education for citizenship? Such a campaign should enlist the cooperation and sup- port of every club, every society, every factory owner, every church, every individual who claims to be a good citizen, for is it not important to our welfare as a nation and to our community as a part of that nation, that illiteracy and racial barriers be banished? To this end I would like to see a community project of this sort undertaken and carried through. It is a big undertaking and more than a one man task, but its results will be well worth while.
Respectfully submitted,
A. I. STUDLEY
HEBRONVILLE SCHOOL
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
The extra activities at the Hebronville School for the year January 1, to December 31, 1926, included 9 millinery classes, 9 dressmaking classes, 6 basketry classes, 2 Dennison classes, 3 clubs for girls, 3 clubs for boys, Branch of the Public Library, and a Weekly Child Welfare Conference. The millinery, basketry and dressmaking classes are really congenial little groups or clubs, self formed, for which we provide in- structors. Some clubs consist of young girls and some of married wo- men. Including the clubs and classes and excluding the library activities, there are about one hundred fifty adults and children who took advantage of these activities during this past year. The library issued about one hundred seventy books a week.
Our program at present is at follows:
Monday .
6:30-8:30 Basketry A. Mrs. Tennant
Tuesday
3:30-5:30
Branch of Public Library for Children Mrs. Poland
5:30-8:30 Branch of Public Library for Adults. Mrs. Poland
6:30-8:30 Dennison Class Mrs. Tennant
6:30-8:30 Dressmaking Miss Ryan
7:30-9:30 Millinery A Miss Goff
Wednesday
3:00-4:00 Child Welfare Conference under direction of Miss Bowman of the Attleboro District Nursing Association.
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ANNUAL REPORT
3:30-4:30 Junior Girls' Club Miss Staples and Miss Miller
6:30-8:30 Senior Boys' Club. Mr. Grayson
7:30-9:30 Millinery B. Miss Goff
Thursday
6:30-8:30 Dressmaking B. . Miss Ryan
7:30-9:30 Employed Girls' Club Miss Hirons
Friday
5:30-7:30 Senior School Girls' Club Miss Hirons
6:30-8:30 Dressmaking ( . Miss Ryan
7:30-9:30 Millinery C. Miss Goff
With the addition of the playground recently presented to our school by Mr. Finberg and the two family cottage adjoining the school house which we expect the city will acquire for us, these activities will be greatly extended in the near future.
Respectfully submitted,
MARTHA J. ROBERTS
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
Music in the grades deals largely with singing and music reading. We aim to develop as fine a quality of singing voice, and to teach enough of the rudiments of music, as is possible in the time allotted for this work. Grade one to grade five is given over to one part singing, grade five two part singing is added, and in grades six and seven, two and three part singing is practised.
The same patriotic songs and Christmas carols are taught alike in all the schools of the city. The value of this was demonstrated at the Bates Opera House in November, when school children from all the schools in the city attended a Safety Council meeting. I was invited to lead them in a few patriotic songs, and if the fine singing of the twelve hundred children there, is any criterion of the singing ability of our gram- mar school singing as a whole, I am satisfied that the teaching of singing in the grades is producing results that are very gratifying. It may be of interest to you as it was to me, that a gentleman who had heard groups of children sing in many of the larger cities including New York, said this was the finest singing by a large group of children that he had ever heard.
My ideal of children singing is very well expressed by the poet when she wrote
"I heard the children singing And ever as they sang Methought the voice of angels From heaven in answer rang."
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ANNUAL REPORT
Orchestra in the Grammar Schools
The Bliss School Orchestra is a new organization this year and promises to be a real addition to the life of that school. This orchestra numbers twenty-two members, recruited from all grades in the school and meets for rehearsal at regular intervals. Much of the credit for this orchestra is due to Miss Francis L. Gaffney who assists in directing the music at the Bliss School.
The Tiffany School has an orchestra that assists in all patriotic and special exercises of the school. It is directed by Miss M. Hazel Boutilier and is a source of great pleasure to teachers and pupils alike.
The Richardson School Orchestra is brought together for special exercises of the school which are held in the State Armory and helps the singers very much in that mammouth building. Miss Edna E. Butterworth a graduate member of the High School Orchestra and a teacher of the school is assisting director of this group of players.
The Bank Street School has an orchestra this year and offers the op- portunity for those who play an instrument to prepare themselves better for the High School Orchestra. This orchestra for the past few years has assisted in the musical program at graduation and no doubt will continue to do so. Mrs. Helen F. Drake has been of great service in di- recting and has done much to inspire a love of orchestra music in the hearts of the pupils of Bank Street School.
Eighth Grade Singing
The singing of the pupils of the eighth grade is on the whole quite satisfactory, is of good quality and the pupils seem to enjoy the music lessons. I am never quite satisfied however that enough music work is being done in the eighth grade. In fact I believe a great opportunity for culture and refinement is lost to our children. There should be more opportunity for listening to music and a greater effort made to teach the better appreciation of this finest of all arts. Some work is being done along this line but when we do it the time is taken from the singing pe- riod. I believe a course in music appreciation which would carry over into the High School which would bring the pupil in contact with the different forms of composition, with the addition of Musical History and Biography, would be very acceptable to the music lovers in our schools and be in line with the standards of music educaton that are now established in many of the school systems of the state. One pe- riod a week could well be given over to this exercise.
High School Chorus
There are four hundred pupils in the High School Chorus and it is still our effort to attempt to sing the four parts, soprano, alto, tenor, bass. The object of this chorus is to enjoy singing and I think that object is attained. It is very clear in my mind that singing with such a large group is very detrimental to part singing. It is almost impossible to practise a part that may need help and expect one hundred and fifty pupils to be still long enough, while that is being done, and that is the great drawback with such a large group. Of course, when they are all singing, it is more wonderful than a smaller group would be. But, I have come to the con- clusion that the time has come for a radical change in the singing class at High School. Each class in itself is large enough to form a good sing- ing class and instead of one large class in which the four classes are
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ANNUAL REPORT
combined I would recommend that the Freshmen sing alone and the Soph- omores, Juniors and Seniors form another class. As it stands at the pres- ent time, the music class in the High School is disbanded the last of April to give the time to the Senior class to prepare its music for grad- uation. I do not think that this is doing very much for singing. In fact, I attribute the lack of singers in the city to the very fact that during their High School life there is not enough singing in the school to preserve the voices they have when they get there. How many times I have heard it spoken of at graduation, that the grammar school children sing so much better than the High School pupils, but if the truth were known that only six periods were given to the practise of the High School grad- uation music while the grammar school children spent from three to six months in preparation for their graduation music. It will readily be seen why the grammar school children sing so well. What I am trying to bring before you is the fact that the conditions at High School are detri- mental to good singing and to ask for your consideration of this problem which can not be solved without your consent. In other words, the fine singing of the grammar school does not carry over because conditions are not right. Singing is the most beautiful thing a pupil can do and it is not doing the right thing by them to deny them the privilege of singing. I think our High School needs the practise of singing and is suffering in more ways than one because of the lack of it.
The High School Orchestra
The reason the High School orchestra is one of the finest in the state is because it plays together three times a week. It plays while the pupils march into the assembly and it plays when they march out and it re- hearses after school on assembly days.
The orchestra numbers seventy-five members this year, the largest group that has ever played together in our High School. Every available seat in the space allotted to the orchestra is taken and this year, for the first time I have had to refuse to accept players because there was no room for them. These names have been placed on the waiting list and whenever a vacancy occurs they will be admitted. My policy in regard to the High School Orchestra has been to give equal opportunity to all who desire to play.
During the past year the High School Orchestra members enjoyed a trip to Boston, where they played at the High School Orchestra Contest at the Boston Arena. This musical experience was of great value to every member who took part as it brought them in contact with other High School pupils from different cities of the state who played instruments. The trip was financed by the Chamber of Commerce and by popular subscription through the Attleboro Sun and the High School Orchestra Fund.
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