USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1927 > Part 10
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Superintendent's Secretary
Alice I. Wetherell. 32 Sanford St.
Telephone 1235-J
Clerks
Ann B. Hinckley. 79 No. Main St.
Hilda R. LaPalme. 61 Hebron Ave
School Physician
Dr. Jesse W. Battershall 18 No. Main St. Telephone 284
School Nurse
Mrs. Anna Bradford. 71 George St.
Telephone 1526-W
Attendance Officer
Charles T. Crossman. 32 Benefit St. Telephones: Home, 670-M; Office, 670-R
School Calendar
Fall Term. Thurs., Sept. 8, 1927 to Dec. 23, 1927
Winter Term. Jan. 3, 1928 to Feb. 24, 1928
Spring Term. March 5 to April 27, 1928
Summer Term May 7 to noon Wednesday, June 27, 1928
School Sessions
High School-One session, from 8:15 to 1:40, with recess of fifteen minutes.
Bank Street-One session, from 8:15 to 1:15.
Grammar and Primary Schools-Morning session from 9:00 to 11:45. Af- ternoon session from 1:30 to 3:45, from March 1 to November 1; 1:15 to 3:30 from November 1 to March 1. Grade I closes fifteen minutes earlier than the other grades.
142
ANNUAL REPORT
No School Signal
Four Double Strokes on the Fire Alarm 2-2-2-2
7:15 A. M. No session for the High School and Bank Street School. 8:00 A. M. No morning session for all grades below the High School, except Bank Street School.
8:15 A. M. No morning session for the first, second and third grades. Afternoon session for all grades unless the signal is re- peated at 12:15 or 12:30.
11:15 A. M. One session. Grades I to III will close for day at 12:00 M. All higher grades then in session will close for day at 1:00 P. M.
12:15 P. M. No afternoon session for all grades below the High School.
12:30 P. M. No afternoon session for the first, second and third grades 6:50 P. M. No session for evening schools.
The signal will be given at 8 A. M. and 12:15 P. M. only in very severe weather.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation
$349,000.00
Smith-Hughes Fund (April 1927)
766.56
EXPENDITURES
General Control
General Account
High School Elementary School
Clerks
$3,546.74
Telephones
106.69
$58.68
$460.43
Census enumerator
200.00
Office expenses
144.99
Superintendence
Superintendent
4,000.00
Attendance officer &
custodian of buildings
1,500.00
Office expenses
319.60
Expenses out of town
77.15
Automobiles
700.00
Instruction
Teachers
62,333.85
172,722.85
Supervisors
2,505.00
5,605.00
Books
2,002.63
5,021.87
Supplies
1,823.09
3,909.32
Cooking
319.71
161.52
Manual
Training
408.18
806.57
Sewing
11.62
$349,766.56
143
ANNUAL REPORT
1
Operating School Plant
Janitors
3,496.23
17,313.06
Fuel
1,220.55
10,648.13
Water
154.62
681.85
Janitors' supplies
160.09
821.68
Lights-Gas
99.21
Lights-Electricity
557.61
627.32
Power
177.00
132.72
Towels
23.75
274.07
Maintaining School Plant
Repairs
931.91
8,993.39
Replacement of
equipment
812.54
850.36
Care of grounds
11.50
237.45
Flags
6.35
51.63
Auxiliary Agencies
Health
75.00
2,906.30
Transportation
1,249.70
9,549.23
Miscellaneous
Tuition
430.96
Graduations.
208.99
140.25
Sundries
47.99
269.38
Express
16.33
46.05
Insurance
1,830.80
2,095.07
$10,595.17
$80,432.10
$244,867.29
$335,894.56
Evening School
Teachers' salaries ..
$2,127.00
Books and supplies
66.00
Janitors
240.00
Lights
120.88
Sundries
63.36
$2,617.24
Vacation School
Teachers
522.00
Supplies
202.26
Equipment
45.47
769.73
Continuation School
Salaries
8,850.83
Maintenance
1,093.07
9,943.90
Total expenditures
$349,225.43
Balance
$541.13
144
ANNUAL REPORT
GENERAL STATEMENT
$349,225.43
Received from State
Reimbursement Teachers' Salaries
$29,048.80
Reimbursement Americanization.
423.07
Reimbursement Tuition and Transportation of State Wards
33.43
Reimbursement Continuation School
4,411.61
Received Tuition Continuation School.
184.80
Received Tuition
2,357.50
Received Smith-Hughes Fund.
766.56
Received cash.
571.43
Net receipts
$37,797.20
Net cost of schools to city
$311,428.23
SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURES
General Control
School Committee
$4,517.53
Superintendence.
6,596.75
Instruction
257,631.21
Operating School Plant
36,387.89
Maintaining School Plant
11,895.13
Auxiliary Agencies
13,780.23
Miscellaneous
5,085.82
Evening School
2,617.24
Vacation School.
769.73
Continuation School
9,943.90
$349,225.43
Balance
$541.13
SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS LINCOLN SCHOOL
Receipts
Balance of Appropriation from 1926.
$2,774.06
Expenditures
M. F. Ashley Co ..
$41.46
Atherton Furniture Co.
85.50
Attleboro Gas Light Co.
187.18
Edward E. Babb & Co.
13.50
Brownell Hardware Co.
22.34
P. F. Collier & Son.
22.50
Denoyer-Geppert Co.
64.08
Everett O. Dexter
.
.85
Gross Cost of schools
145
ANNUAL REPORT
The Electric Shop, Inc.
29.00
Geo. M. A. Fecke.
350.50
Filing Equipment Bureau.
37.25
W. F. Flynn & Son
31.24
Horace Partridge Co.
8.20
A. S. Ingraham Co.
4.64
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins.
435.00
Massachusetts Reformatory
173.00
E. C. Newman Co.
25.25
Page Belting Co.
13.20
Olaf Pearson
155.40
George Plummer
7.50
Singer Sewing Machine Co ..
45.00
Geo. H. Snell.
26.75
George Spatcher
17.50
E. Stanley Wires Co.
31.68
C. M. White Iron Works
13.25
Balance
$1,841.77 $932.29
RICHARDSON SCHOOL ADDITION
Receipts
Balance from 1926
$40.55
Expenditures
E. C. Church Co.
40.55
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Attleboro:
I present herewith my twenty-third annual report, it being the forty- third in the series of Superintendents' reports. The attendance statis- tics are for the school year from September, 1926, to June, 1927. The financial report is for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1927.
STATISTICS I-Population
Population, census 1920. 19,731
Population, estimated 1926. 24,017
II-School Census, October 1927
Number of children between the ages of 5 and 895 Number of children between the ages of 7 and 14. 2,821
Number of children between the ages of 14 and 16. 687
146
ANNUAL REPORT
III-Attendance
September 1926 to June 1927
Total number of different pupils enrolled.
4,098
Average daily membership.
3,861
Average daily attendance.
3,685
Percent of attendance.
95
TABLE showing the average membership and percent of attendance for the last ten years:
Average Member-
Gain over
Percent Previous of Attend-
1917-1918
2,882
112
94
1918-1919
2,962
80
93
1919-1920
3,234
272
92
1920-1921
3,499
265
94
1921-1922
3,623
124
94
1922-1923
3,544
loss-79
95
1923-1924
3,692
148
94
1924-1925
3,782
90
95
1925-1926
3,791
9
94
1926-1927
3,860
69
95
Gain in 10 years-978
Attendance Fall Term, 1927
Av. Membership
September
3.910
October
3,943
November
3,917
December
3,901
ship
Year
ance
In the last twenty years the schools have increased from an average membership of 2,109 in 1906-1907 to an average membership of 3,860 for the year 1926-1927. This is a gain of 1,751 in twenty years. In the last ten years the gain has been 978. Only three times in the last twenty- five years have the schools failed to show a substantial gain each year. In 1909, when the Parochial School was opened on Maple Street there was a loss of 138; in 1911, when the entering age was increased there was a loss of 15; and in 1922, there was a loss of 79. All the other years show gains ranging from 9, the smallest gain, to 272, the largest gain. The membership this fall is about the same as it was last year, the average for three months, September, October and November being 11 more than last year. I have no doubt that next year and the following years the schools will increase as usual.
At the High School this fall there has been a slight increase in enrollment. There are at present only 13 tuition pupils in the High School, 7 from Rehoboth and 6 from Seekonk. Nine of these will leave the school in June, so that in September 1928 there will be only three or four pupils from out of town. In 1924 there were 50 tuition pupils. Each year the number has been decreased, by the vote of the Com- mittee not to admit any new tuition pupils on account of the crowded con-
147
ANNUAL REPORT
ditions, so that next year there will be practically no tuition pupils in the school. The graduating class in June will be large, the senior class numbering 142. The eighth grade in the grammar schools numbers 284, about 80% of whom will enter high school, making the entering class about 225 pupils. With a large graduating class, no tuition pupils and a smaller entering class, I estimate the enrollment for the high school for the next year at about 700 pupils. This will be about 35 to 40 less than are enrolled at present. This falling off will probably be only temporary and the following year may see a slight gain.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Number of school buildings. 26
Number of classrooms (High 25, grades 103). 128
Number of rooms in use. . 125
TEACHERS
Number of teachers and supervisors 158
Number of teachers in High School.
34
Number of teachers in grades I-VIII 105
Number of teachers in kindegartens.
4
Number of teachers for individual instruction.
3
Number of special teachers. 8
Number of teachers in Continuation School.
4
COST OF INSTRUCTION
Valuation of Attleboro, 1927 $24,352,775.00
Expended for support of schools excluding evening, vaca-
tion and continuation schools 335,894.56
Average membership of day schools, September 1926 to September 1927 3,861
Expended per pupil based on average membership $87.00
Cost of books and supplies per pupil.
$3.30
HIGH SCHOOL
Total amount expended for High School, including High School share of general expenses. $82,339.41
Average membership of High School, 1926-1927. 697
Cost per pupil $118.13
Cost of books and supplies per pupil. $5.49
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Expended for elementary schools. $253,555.15
Average membership of elementary schools 1926-1927 3,164
Cost per pupil. $80.14
Cost of books and supplies per pupil. $2.82
148
ANNUAL REPORT
State Wide Arithmetic Contest
Another State Wide Arithmetic Contest for grades V, VI and VII under the auspices of the School of Education of Boston University was held December 8, 1926. This contest was participated in by more than 113,000 pupils in 160 towns and cities in New England. The test covered addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and business situations and was in all respects similar to the test given in December, 1925. The final report was received in April, 1927. The places taking part in the test were arranged in order of their rank from highest to lowest. The middle score is called the median; one-fourth from the top, the third , quartile; three-fourths from the top, the first quartile. Attleboro stood at the third quartile or about number forty in the 160 places taking the test. This is about the record made in 1925, and speaks well for the work being done in arithmetic in the Attleboro schools. A similar test will be given again in April, 1928.
Tests in Language Errors, Reading and Spelling are being given this fall and will be repeated in the spring. The first test will be used to detect the weaknesses of individual pupils, the second test will serve as a check to see if the failures have been corrected. These tests arouse great interest among pupils and teachers and serve to create more en- thusiasm in all the work of the school.
Visual Education
Through the Trustees of the Richardson School Fund the pupils of the seventh and eighth grades and of the High School are privileged to study history this year through the Chronicles of America Photoplays. These photoplays are based on the Chronicles of America, published by the Yale University Press, and are "a series of vivid and inspiring motion pictures reproducing with historical accuracy striking events in the an- nals of the United States from the voyage of Columbus to Appomattox." There are fifteen of these photoplays and they will all be shown to the school this year. The Trustees have purchased a motion picture pro- jector for the High School as well as a portable projector for the ele- mentary schools. Five of these pictures have been shown already and have greatly stimulated interest in the study of history in the upper grades. The pictures are impressing on the minds of the pupils the significance of the events studied, and are creating a clearer conception of the people and their leaders who made this great republic possible.
Ten schools have stereopticons for using lantern slides and two schools have sets of 600 slides which the schools have bought themselves. At the superintendent's office is a set of 1,000 slides, which can be sent to the schools as the teachers may request. There is also a set of 1000 stereographs showing the same pictures as the slides. Each building has a number of stereoscopes so that by passing them around the class during the recitation each pupil has an opportunity to see all the pictures illustrating any one lesson.
Attleboro is to be congratulated for having this equipment for visual education. It puts the schools of Attleboro in line with other progres- sive communities and gives the children in the schools educational op- portunities better than many communities can offer.
149
ANNUAL REPORT
One serious obstacle to the use of part of this equipment is the lack of school halls. Only three schools have halls where the pupils can be brought together for instruction-the High School, the Bliss School and the Lincoln School. With the growth of visual education. the school hall becomes a necessity, and the schools that do not have a hall are greatly handicapped.
Educational Progress
During the year courses of study in Language and Geography have been worked out by two committees of teachers and placed in the hands of the teachers for trial. After trying them out for a year, any desired changes will be made and the course of study made final. Thanks are due these two committees for the painstaking care with which the courses were made out.
It has been possible this year to supply the schools with more new books and equipment than usual. The introduction of a new spelling book, begun several years ago, has been completed, so that all pupils are now using the same series of books. New maps have been bought for the Washington, Lincoln, Sanford Street and Briggs Corner Schools. Many more maps are in poor condition and should be changed as soon as possible. A new business geography has been placed in the eighth grade, new histories in about half of the seventh grade, and a number of sets of histories in grades four and five. Many small items of equip- ment have been added this year, made possible by the increase in the appropriatioon for books and supplies. Teachers and pupils must have good tools to work with if good results are to be expected, and the in- creasing demands upon the schools and the changes taking place in the school curriculum call for larger expenditures for books and supplies to keep the schools up-to-date. Changes in the text-books in language and geography should be made next year, more reference books should be purchased for the upper grades, health readers supplied in grades five and six, and supplementary books furnished for the teacher's desk. For several years past little more has been done than to replace worn- out books with new ones. This year it has been possible to do more than that and to make some changes that will greatly improve the work of the schools.
Teachers at Summer School
Only eight teachers attended summer school this year, a smaller number than usual. The influence of such teachers is decidedly helpful and tends to keep up the professional spirit of all the teachers. The schools attended are as follows:
Middlebury College 1 Boston University
R. I. College of Education. 1 Fitchburg Normal School 2 Hyannis Normal School 3
Every teacher ought to do some professional reading each year. She should take a good educational magazine and should read at least
150
ANNUAL REPORT
two books on some phases of education during the year. Only by read- ing and study and attending conferences and conventions can a teacher keep up her professional standards and continue as a progressive, inspir- ing teacher.
RESIGNATIONS
Date, 1927
Teacher
School
Resignation
January 1
Louise S. Clayton
Washington
Normal School
New Haven
March 8
Beth B. Morris
Bank Street
To be married
May 8
Ruth A. Doane
Briggs Corner
Wellesley
May 9
Mildred P. Edwards
High
New Britain
May 16
Marie P. Bartlett
Washington
Nantucket
June 3
Alice M. Faulkingham
Lincoln
Arlington
June 17
Edna E. Butterworth
Richardson
Wellesley
June 22
John F. Drake
High
To study
June 26
Agatha A. McGaw
Bank Street
S. Orange, N.J.
June 28
Eleanor Magoun
Richardson
Boston
June 28
Leland F. Reynolds
Sanford Street New Jersey
June 28
Grace M. Leach
Washington
Maine
July 22
Phyllis W. Sadler
High
At home
July 28
Regina Randall
High
Bridgeport
July 30
Ruth H. Aiken
High
At home
August 3
Mae Jackson Deschenes
Tiffany
At home
August 12
Jessie Kalter
High
At home
November 1
Lotta L. Nichols
High
Illness
November 20
Doris S. Reddy
Washington
At home
December 3
Grace R. Jerardi
High
Arlington
Transportation
Nearly every year I have reported on the puzzling and perplexing problem of transportation. The problem becomes more perplexing as the city grows. The cost is mounting steadily. Parents no longer wish their children to walk more than half a mile to school. The situation is especially trying when one pupil just within the limits set has to walk and another just beyond the limit receives transportation. I have spent a great deal of time in past years measuring distances from the different schools in all directions. Perhaps more satisfactory results might be ob- tained by having the city engineer show on a map of the city just what the limits of transportation are for each school. Next to sounding the "No School Signals," the matter of transportation of pupils is the most trying.
Care of Buildings
In January a campaign was started for cleaner school buildings. A questionnaire was sent to janitors and principals asking them to ex amine carefully all parts of their buildings, and to note the various ways in which the buildings could be made cleaner and more home- like. The janitors co-operated in a wonderful manner. Basements have been whitewashed or painted, woodwork, varnished or painted, cold-
Cause of
151
ANNUAL REPORT
air chambers thoroughly cleaned and whitewashed, and the general ap- pearence of the buildings greatly improved. Janitors, as well as teachers and pupils have been encouraged to take pride in the neatness and cleanliness of the school rooms and buildings, and to try to made them as. attractive as possible. I hope this year to complete any work of this kind that remains unfinished, and to make our buildings, especially, the eld buildings, as clean and neat and attractive as old buildings can be made.
Repairs
Many items of repair work were done during the year as shown by the report of the Custodian of Buildings. Large items attract attention, but there are many, many sniall items to be attended to which take time and money but which are too insignificant to mention in a report. I would like to state however, that more repair work in the schools has been done this year than has been done for a long time and the schools show the ef- fect of it. This has been made possible partly by the increased appropri- ation for repairs, and partly by the fact that no really large jobs had to be done this year. If this policy can be continued for three or four years, the school buildings, especially the old ones, will be a credit to the city. The newer buildings are in good condition, but the old buildings still need many improvements to put them in the condition they ought to be. At- tleboro owes all her pupils clean, attractive buildings.
PENMANSHIP Awards made by the Palmer Company for the school year 1926-1927
Silver Star Button
- Grade I
- Grade II
07 25 Drills
11
4
0
14
18
0
52
Bank Street
0
0
8
0
17
5
15
0
0
45
Bliss
10
48
116
68
35
27
17
0
1
322
Briggs Corner
0
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
€
Carpenter Street
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Dodgeville
0
0
6
6
3
0
0
0
0
15
Farmers
0
0
12
10
5
0
0
0
0
27
Hebronville
0
4
25
29
3
1
1
0
0
63
Lincoln
0
0
55
38
13
1
13
0
0
120
Pleasant Street
0
6
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
19
Richardson
0
0
178
15
.122
27
1
0
0
343
Sanford Street
0
0
18
0
0
0
0
0
18
South Attleboro
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Tiffany
0
0
24
38
23
8
5
0
0
98
Washington
0
0
15
11
6
0
0
0
0
32
Total
10
68 . 480
229
231
69
66
18
1.1172
Gold Star Button
Palmer Button
Merit Buttons, Odd
Numb'd Drills to 59
Progress Pins, Even
Numbered to 112
Improvement
Certificate 172 Drills
Student's Final
Certificate 172 Drills
High School
Certificate
Teacher's
Certificate
Total
High
152
ANNUAL REPORT
The School Savings Bank
Deposits for each year since the establishment of the bank in 1908:
Deposits
1908 (3 months)
4,497.85
1909
4,198.25
1910
4,142.16
1912
3,826.22
1913
4,406.50
1914
4,658.13
1915
3,680.00
1916
4,927.27
1917
5,487.04
1918
3,185.91
1919
5,176.32
1920
10,886.16
1921
7,637.33
1922
6,902.89
1923
8,271.24
1924
7,849.22
1925
8,459.52
1926
7,366.52
1927
8,374.95
$116,362.48
Statement January 1, 1928
Dr.
Balance on deposit Dec. 29, 1926, including interest ($725.80)
$4,226.03
Deposits in First National Bank from January 1, 1927 to Decem-
ber 20, 1927.
8,374.95
Interest from November 1926 to November 1927 107.15
$12,708.13
Cr.
Transferred to pupils' individual accounts, Jan. 1, 1927 to Jan. uary 1, 1928 $8,733.00
Withdrawn, 1927, from interest to cover expenses .. 41.50
Balance on deposit December 21, 1927 including interest 3,933.63
$12,708.13
Total amount deposited since October 1908. $116,362.48
Number of individual accounts opened at the First National Bank from October 1908 to January 1927. 4,375
January 1927 to January 1928 281
Total
4,656
Number of pupils depositing in the school bank Jan. 1, 1928 ..
1,739
Year
$2,429.00
1911
153
ANNUAL REPORT
Miscellaneous
The reports of the principals and supervisors, school physician and school nurse cover many details of school activity and I recommend a careful reading of their reports. I would like to mention briefly several items covered by their reports simply to call attention to them.
1. The open air room at the Richardson School, opened in Septem- ber, 1925, is successfully serving those pupils who need air and sun- light, and rest while acquiring an education. Several pupils each year reach their normal weight and are returned to their regular class rooms.
2. The room for retarded pupils, also at the Richardson School, is meeting the needs of the pupils requiring individual attention, and sev- eral of these have been helped so that they have been able to take up the regular work of their grade.
3. The individual method begun by Miss Roberts at Hebronville is being carried on for the third year, and is producing excellent results. By this method pupils probably get a better idea of how to study than in any other way.
4. A beginning has been made at Hebronville in fixing up the house purchased last year by the city and making it into a community house. The repairs in tlie housee will be made by the boys of the school under the direction of Miss Roberts and the janitor and will provide practical training in hand work for two or three years.
5. The schools have been supplied with equipment for games for the supervised play period at recess time. These games keep the pupils out of mischief and furnish the proper kind of relaxation.
6. 'The practical work done by the boys and girls at the contin- uation school should prove of great value to them in later life. These pupils deserve to have as much done for them as any pupils in our schools, and I believe they are greatly benefitted by the courses of study provided for them.
7. The schools cooperated with the Health Officer in conducting a diphtheria prevention campaign this fall. The results were extremely gratifying. Over 700 were treated in the schools and many more were treated by their family physicians or at the clinic conducted by the health department.
8. The Safety Councils in the schools are giving boys and girls excellent {raining in citizenship, are helping to develop leaders, and furnish excellent opportunities for character building. The officers and leaders assist in many ways in school management.
9. Miss Crowell, the drawing supervisor, now spends four days a week at the High School. By having departmental work in drawing, music and penmanship in the grades she is able to supervise the work in the upper grades while her assistant takes care of the primary grades. This plan is being tried this year as an experiment. If the results are not satisfactory an additional drawing teacher will be recommended.
Recommendations
1. Continue the revision of course of study in geography and intro- duce new text books as needed.
154
ANNUAL REPORT
2. Introduce new text books in language and grammar in all grades.
3. Continue to buy new maps as funds will permit.
4. Furnish the schools with better office equipment, such as filing cabinets, duplicators, etc.
5. Purchase sets of Health Books for grades V, VI, and VII.
6. Provide the superintendent's office with a new self-feeding mimeo- graph and transfer the one now in use to the High School.
7. The commercial department at the High School should have a modern duplicator and other up-to-date office equipment.
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