USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1927 > Part 11
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8. Sidewalks should be built at the Washington and Lincoln Schools. The city should be urged to build a cement sidewalk the entire length of Washington Street.
9. Petition the City to accept Rex Avenue and provide a driveway into the yard of the Washington School.
10. A wire fence should be built on the Washington Street side of the yard at the Lincoln School. Estimated cost about $500.
11. A wire fence should be built along the South Main Street side of the playground at the Hebronville School. This is about 300 feet and would cost about $350. If the whole lot were fenced the cost would be about doubled. This lot needs to have some grading done. I do not think the cost would be large.
12. A new boiler should be installed at the Bank Street School.
13. The retaining wall at the Farmers School next to Mr. Round's property should be rebuilt. This wall has been down for a number of years. The cost would be about $2,500.
14. The walks at several of the schools are in bad condition and should be rebuilt. Each year $500 to $1,000 should be spent on the walks till they are all replaced.
15. Change the meaning of the No-School Signal sounded at 7:15 which closes the High and Bank Street schools for the day, so that it will mean the postponement of the opening of these schools till 9 o'clock, unless the signal is sounded for the grades at 8 o'clock. The signals would then mean:
At 7:15-Postponement of opening of High and Bank Street schools to 9 o'clock.
At 8:00-Omission of High and Bank Street schools for the day and omission of the morning session for the elementary schools.
16-Purchase 50 chairs for the Bank Street School so that the pu- pils may be assembled in the large room on the second floor.
The past year has been one of progress. The most important ac- complishments have been noted in this report. There are many other items too unimportant to mention, but still of much value in helping to make the schools progressive and of more service to the community. Whatever success the schools have attained has been due to the sincere efforts and hearty co-operation of the principals, teachers and janitors, and to them the thanks of the community should be given.
Respectfully submitted,
LEWIS A. FALES,
Superintendent of Schools
155
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
To Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
The following communication is my seventh annual report as Prin- cipal of the Attleboro Higih School for the year ending December 31, 1927.
Table showing the distribution of pupils in the Attleboro High School on November 27, 1927, as to
1. Year in the High School.
2. Curriculum.
3. Class.
Requirements for Promotion
Sophomore Standing
15 credits
Junior Standing
35 credits
Senior Standing
60 credits
Graduation
80 credits
Required Subjects
American History and Civics.
Four Years of English.
Physical education. Ethics.
It is not impossible for a pupil who is not promoted one year to pass extra credits the following year and be graduated with his class.
Fifth Year
Fresh.
Soph.
Jun.
Sen.
P. G.
Total
College
2
2
Technical
2
2
2
6
Commercial
5
1
6
4-6 yr.
General
2
3
9
Fourth Year
Fresh.
Soph.
Jun.
Sen.
P. G. Total
College
5
32
37
Technical
1
5
22
28
Commercial
1 15
30
46
General
14
5
19
Third Year
Fresh.
Soph.
Jun.
Sen. P. G. Total
College
2
44
46
Technical
10
35
45
Commercial
1
5
42
48
General
5
9
14
156
ANNUAL REPORT
Second Year
Fresh.
Soph.
Jun.
Sen.
P. G. Total
College
6
68
74
Technical
3
31
34
Commercial
11
67
73
General
1
1
First Year
Fresh.
Soph.
Jun.
Sen.
P. G.
Total
College
51
51
Technical
43
43
Commercial
130
130
General
7
7
Total
252
191
177
101
3
724
Promotion Table for the School Year ending June, 1927
Class
1930
1929
1928
Total
No. passing all subjects
140
119
125
384
No. promoted
169
135
110
414
No. failing one subject.
26
27
18
71
No. failing two subjects ...
8
3
8
19
No. failing three subjects ..
3
2
5
No. not promoted.
8
16
40
64
Scholastic Standing of the Class of 1930 at the Close of the First Ranking Period, Fall, 1927
College
Tech.
Com.
Gen.
Passing all subjects
70
36
89
3
Passing three subjects
3
2
5
2
Passing two subjects
3
6
Passing one subject.
1
1
2
Not promoted
1
3
12
2
Promoted
74
39
99
3
Scholastic Standing of the Class of 1931 at the Close of the First Ranking Period, Fall, '1927
College
Tech.
Com. 100
Gen.
Passing. all subjects
62
30
1
Passing three subjects
1
16
Passing two subjects
3
6
Passing one subject.
2
Not promoted
3
9
Promoted
63
30
115
1
Survey of Grades for the First Quarter 1926-1927
A 316
B 1284
C 1613
D
E
8%
32.8%
41.2%
559
142
14.2%
3.6%
157
ANNUAL REPORT
1927-1928
A B
D
E
258
1180
C 2044
688
180
5.9%
27.2%
46.9%
15.8%
4.2%
A Study of the Graduating Classes of 1925-1926-1927 Who Are Continuing With Their Education 1925
Number of Graduates.
97
Attending a Normal School.
8
8.02%
Attending a College or University
28
28.8
Training in a Hospital
4
4.1
Total
40
40.7 %
1926
Number of Graduates 101
Attending a Normal School.
12
11.8
%
Attending a College or University.
24
23.4
Training in a Hospital
10
9.8
Total
46
45. %
1927
Number of Graduates 192
Attending a Normal School.
8
6.5 %
Attending a College or University
34
27.9
Attending a Business School
6
4.9
Training in a Hospital.
5
4.
Total
63
43.3 %
Distribution of College and Normal Students from the Graduating Class of 1927
Irene Abbott
Bryant and Stratton
Elizabeth Allen
Simmons College
Artine Artinian
Bowdoin College
Ernest Barlow Boston College of Bus. Administration
Andrew Benson
Northeastern University
Beatrice Benson
Deaconess Hospital, Boston
Gunnar Benson
.Northeastern University
Natalie Blair N. E. Conservatory of Music
Russell Brennan
.Providence College
Ralph Briggs
University of Pennsylvania
Curtis Cameron R. I. School of Design Burton Clark. Georgetown University
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ANNUAL REPORT
Harry Cooper Brown University
Wilfred Davison . New Hampshire University
Mary Dwyer Mass. School of Pharmacy
Ruth Felts. Keene Normal School
Theodore Fleischer
. Boston University
Edward Galligan
Providence College
Muriel Gay . Katherine Gibbs School
Evelyn Griffith
Brown University
Arnold Harding Bryant and Stratton
Raymond Heagney Providence College
Grace Hodges Brown University
Bernice Howard. Bryant and Stratton
Charles Hudson
R. I. State College
Gertrude Hyde Katherine Gibbs School
Alice Johnson. Wheaton College
Ethel Johnson. Sturdy Hospital
Gladys Johnson Memorial Hospital
Thomas Johnston Y. M. C. A. College, Springfield
Edwin Kenworthy Oberlin College
Dorothy Lamond. Bridgewater Normal School
Arthur Lawton Wheaton College, Illinois
Ralph Lewis
Cornell University
Mabel Love.
Sturdy Hospital
Marjorie Luther Business College
Novelle MacVicar Physical Culture School
Robert Mawney . Brown University
James McBrien.
Providence College
Joseph McBrien
Mass. Institute of Technology
Irma Middleton. Keene Normal School
Grace
Etta Moore . Brown University Akron College, Ohio
Hope Parker .Homeopathic Hospital
Ruth Rhodes.
Sturdy Hospital
Roger Richardson. Dartmouth College
Ruth Riley. . Bridgewater Normal School
Herbert Scanlon N. E. Conservatory of Music Ethel Semple. Katherine Gibbs School
Herman Sweet.
Bowdoin College
Edna Truedson. . Katherine Gibbs School
Hazel Vickery. Sturdy Hospital
Celestine Whalen. .R. I. School of Design
Julianne Wuilleumier
N. E. Conservatory of Music
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES O. DALRYMPLE
159
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF CONTINUATION SCHOOL
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
The following is my eighth annual report as Director of the Attle- boro Continuation School for the year ending December 31, 1927.
When the girls enter the school in September, they are first given in- struction in preserving. Both the open kettle and cold pack methods of canning are used. The girls are given an opportunity to preserve fruits and vegetables from their own home garden. The period of canning is followed by jelly making, the products of which are used for the school lunch.
In order that the public might have an opportunity to know what the girls are doing in this part of their work, it was decided to have an ex- hibit. Mr. Herbert Hicks gave us the use of one of his windows at his bakery on South Main Street. Through the excellent write-up in the Attleboro Sun, the public was informed of this exhibit. A great deal of interest was shown in the attractive display and much favorable com- ment was received.
The clothing units have followed the plans previously reported. To add interest some instruction in textile fabrics was given. Trips were taken to local stores so that the girls might become familiar with trade names and prices of fabrics. Samples, posters, magazines, and books were all used to impart a knowledge of the world of cloth, purchasing values, standards of good tastes, and care of clothing.
The instruction given the girls in nursing is vitally important. This course is under the direction of Mrs. Bradford, the school nurse. Special attention is given to the care of the baby. Much of this in- struction is put into immediate effect in the homes of these girls with definite results. Then, too, when one considers how young some of these girls marry, it is highly important that they be equipped with a knowl- edge of this phase of the home life.
In February the girls sent invitations to members of the school com- mittee inviting them to attend a luncheon at the continuation school. The girls prepared and served the luncheon in a very acceptable man- ner. The occasion was a delightful one and was especially enjoyed by the girls who had an opportunity to put into practice what they had been taught.
Professional improvement work is required of every teacher. This may be done by attending a summer school held under the direction and supervision of the State Department for continuation school teachers, or by taking approved courses at any of the colleges. By all teachers taking this work they are well equipped for their profession.
The diversified shop work for the boys is proceeding along the lines followed in previous years. The success of the home mechanics course lies in approximating as far as possible the actual repairs encountered in the home. In order to stimulate these conditions the boys make as many practical repairs about the school building as they are qualified to handle. Their activities to date have included white washing of walls in the basement, bronzing of all radiators and pipes throughout the building, scraping and refinishing of the sewing machines, varnishing the wood- work in corridors and rooms, drawing window sashes and setting glass,
-
160
ANNUAL REPORT
scraping and refinishing the outside doors. They have attended to many minor repairs such as fixing sticking doors, window locks, chairs and tables.
The boys are allowed a certain amount of work on articles for themselves. Before any boy is allowed to make an article he must prove that there is real need for it. This causes the boy to talk the matter over with his parents and as a result many requests from parents are received for articles needed in the home. These are varied, some of the more common being for screens, legs for tables, arms and rockers for chairs, flower boxes, flower stands, radio cabinets, repair of electric bells, electric flatirons and the soldering of utensils.
Each boy before leaving the school has some experience in household repairs in woodwork, electrical work, pipe and faucet repairs, painting, glazing and varnishing. The experiences while not as complete as de- sired are filling a real need.
The curriculum of any school, it has been well said, should be the resultant of two forces; the aims of the school and the material with which it has to deal.
The continuation school has many aims. But its most essential aims are to conserve the education which has already been invested in the pupils, to tide over the difficult transition period in which through ex- perience the youth is adjusting himself to employment, to enable the youth to maintain a beneficial contact with school thought and school guidance, during those years when character is becoming fixed and per- manent, habits are being formed, to the end that good industrial and civic citizenship be developed and that the employed youth may make immediate and prospective adjustments from his status as full-time school pupil to that of a responsible wage earning citizen.
In our attempt to carry out these aims we have tried to do the following:
1. Give every youth the necessary minimum of ability to use the fundamental arts of reading, writing and figuring.
2. Some help in his problems of keeping physically fit.
3. Some help in his economic problem of getting and holding a juvenile job and planning for a more permanent career.
4. Some help in directing the youth to a wholesome and profitable use of leisure time.
5. Some help in acquiring a love of reading.
6. Some help in acquiring interests, appreciations and hobbies.
7. Some help in selecting and practicing desirable social and ecori- ic habits.
8. Some help in acquiring desirable social attitudes and working ideas.
The boys and girls, who, for one reason or another, leave school before they reach the age of sixteen years present a definite and special problem. They may swell the ranks of the great army of unskilled work- ers, they may add to the number of the unemployed, or they may be trained for work and for advancement.
161
ANNUAL REPORT
Some are very capable but have been obliged to leave school through economic pressure. Many are over age. Many are complete failures in the regular school. Many lack interest in the regular school work. They are not sold to the value of education. The first problem in the case is one of salesmanship, of gaining confidence, of discovering the pupil's problem.
The real problems and needs of juvenile workers are immediate and definite. Service for them requires the meeting of these problems. They cannot be met by formal subject matter and abstract teaching.
'We recognize that English, arithmetic, civics and hygiene are no longer ends in themselves, lessons to be taught from a book and by traditional methods. The stress must be laid on the application of the subject matter. English, arithmetic, civics and hygiene must be tools to be used with intelligent understanding in order to accomplish a defi- nite end. English needs to be a means to an end. Arithmetic is some- thing to be used to solve present and pressing problems. Civics should be an effort to explain the conditions in society which effect the pupil's present day living. Hygiene is used as a means to have the pupil see the importance of good health to himself, his family and the community in which he lives and to impress upon him the fact that good health means more to him than anything else he could possess and that without it he cannot hold employment Jong and his earning power is thereby lessened.
The motivated lesson is a term which must have a vital application and a real meaning in the continuation school for we recognize that the school cannot effect its benefits unless the work is motivated. Therefore, it is most essential that we should appreciate and practice these methods of instruction which motivate the work and furnish the means by which the aims of the continuation school can best be realized.
The organization of the classes as well as the organization of sub- ject matter are made difficult in a continuation school because after every effort has been made, each class will contain pupils of varying degrees of ability, new pupils may enter and old pupils, becoming six- teen years of age, may drop out during any week of the year. This in- terferes with sequence and progression in laying out a course of study. But as the pupils have already had the essentials of the basic studies sequence and progression are not such important factors as they are in graded school work.
Therefore we plan to present, during the forty weeks of the school year, a series of topics in each subject, thus making each lesson a unit in itself. It is called a unit lesson and every lesson in the continuation school should be a unit in itself. The presentation, study and recitation must be completed within the time set for that lesson. It is necessary to lay out in detail each week the lesson plan for the next week. This de- tail lesson plan involves considerable work, and it is kept for revision and often used again at some later time when the enrolment of the school has changed.
The four hours per week which each pupil spends in the continuation school is so little that every minute must be used as effectively as pos- sible. The carefully prepared lesson plan is the best guarantee for such effectiveness. Yet in spite of the careful preparation the difference between theory and practice, between planning a lesson and making it
162
ANNUAL REPORT
function swiftly and satisfactorily with an individual pupil, often brings disappointment. But our experience has proved that better results are obtained by such lesson planning than by relying on text-books or on the inspiration of the moment.
At all times in compiling subject matter for instruction and in working out methods of instruction we have kept in mind the purpose of the continuation school, and the needs and capacities of the pupils. The school must be adapted to local needs; courses of study and methods of instruction should be regarded as suggestive rather than arbitrary; the underlying purpose of the school is training in citizenship which means to help each pupil to make the most of himself, in his relation to his family, his employer and his community; the capacity of the pupils is limited and the time available for school work is short. Therefore, we have concentrated on the simple basic things of education and of life. The objective of the continuation school is not to try to crowd two hundred days of school work into forty, but to teach a few fundamental things and to teach them so well that it may truly be said that the pupil will be a better citizen toworrow because he is a continuation school pupil today.
Respectfully submitted,
MILTON P. DUTTON
REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF AMERICANIZATION
Mr. Lewis A. Fales, Superintendent of Schools:
This, my fifth annual report as Director of Americanization for At- tleboro, covers a period of ten months actual work, from December 1926 to December 1927. During July and August there was very little call for assistance along this line, altho a few letters were received and some telephone calls made.
The following summary shows the outstanding services rendered:
First papers filled out. 30
Second papers filled out. 29
First papers mailed to examiner. 21
Second papers mailed to examiner 22
Personal interviews for other than papers. 18
Home visits 8
Personal letters written
77
Personal letters received .
15
News articles written . 4
Circulars printed and distributed . 1000
Literature mailed or otherwise distributed. 25 pieces
Class instruction 82 hours
Telephone calls too numerous to record
Assistance in correcting citizenship certificate
Application made for passports
163
ANNUAL REPORT
Application made for lost first paper
Attended P. O. examination of petitioners for citizenship Assisted to establish proof of entry of a minor to U. S. Attended two day conference of State Supervisors Served as witness-2 trips to Taunton Court Attempted to organize class at Lincoln School Aided class organized and taught by Mrs. E. I. Perry
Assisted Regent of D. A. R. in distribution of D. A. R. Manual. Addressed Council of Social Agencies on "Americanization" in Attleboro
Besides these, many miscellaneous matters which would be hard to classify have engaged my attention. My connection with this work has become so well known that people frequently stop me on the street to ask for information or assistance relative to citizenship matters.
It has been my custom for several years to acquaint the members of the citizenship class with as many phases of civic life as possible. To this end we visit a session of the City Council, the Office of Sealer of Weights and Measures, the Public Library, a Polling Place when pos- sible and the Post Office. Men representative of different civic depart- ments have addressed the class at various times.
In addition to this it is my plan to give as complete a background of American history as can be condensed into the short space of sixty or eighty hours, because I feel that to love America, respect her laws and revere her traditions one must know at what cost to her founders, this country came to be. Therefore by means of stereopticon slides, motion pictures and lectures on America's history and scenic beauty, I try to give my classes a soul thrilling love for America and her institutions.
The motion pictures which have been made possible through the Richardson School Fund, will be very helpful in portraying the stirring events of our history. I hope the class may be privileged to see them as often as it can be arranged.
The other classes are, in a sense, from year to year, sources of supply of students for the citizenship class. This year there are several who have been through the lower classes where they have learned suf- ficient English to enable them to become citizens. This is as it should be, especially in the case of non-English speaking people.
The enrollment at the beginning of the year was larger than last year. The classes at Tiffany School which were discontinued last year, have been revived and opened with a very good enrollment.
The classes as organized December 1, 1927 are as follows: Number of Classes
Beginners
Intermediates
Advanced
Citizenship
Tiffany School
1
1
High School
1
2
1
1
Enrollment
Tiffany School
9
20
High School
18
18
23
18
Average Attendance
Tiffany School
6
7
High School
12
10
16
9
164
ANNUAL REPORT
The following nationalities are enrolled in the above classes
Men
Women
Italian
4
0
Portuguese
22
3
German
1
3
Swedish
28
8
Armenian
2
2
Russian
1
1
French
13
7
Austrian
0
1
American
0
2
Danish
1
0
British
2
3
Irish
1
0
Greek
1
0
76
30
The age classification is as follows
Below 21 years.
9
21-25 years.
37
26-35 years
40
Over 36 years.
20
106
Much of the success in holding students in these classes depends on the personality of the teachers. We are very fortunate in having teach- ers who have the faculty of holding the interest of the students.
An attempt was made to organize classes at the Lincoln School and after preliminary advertising over a period of a week or more, a night was set for registration. Nearly forty persons registered for various subjects. After a study of their desires it was deemed inadvisable to attempt classes in any except advanced grammar school subjects. An op- ening night was set and a class started, but the interest soon waned and the class closed after five sessions. Further attempts must be made to interest people in this section in Americanization work, for in this ter- ritory is a large but scattered foreign population who have not been reached by any Americanization program. I feel, however, that in order to hold their interest we must be willing to give them what they ask for, even though it may not be what we think they ought to have.
In my report for 1924 mention was made of the unwillingness or in- ability of women to attend evening classes. It was my hope and belief that some one could be found who would organize an afternoon class for women whose home duties were such as to make it impossible for them to attend evening classes. Such a class has been organized en- tirely apart from the school department. This class has had my hearty cooperation, encouragement and support. Mrs. E. I. Perry, because of her deep interest in Americanization work, on her own initiative, took the state course of instruction for the work and later organized and is teaching a class of eight or ten Italian and Greek women. The class meets twice each week, in the afternoon, at the Attleboro League House
165
ANNUAL REPORT
hall. It has been my pleasure to visit the class several times and note the wonderful interest and progress. It is very encouraging to find in- dividuals who possess such a spirit of helpful service as Mrs. Perry, who is devoting her time and talent to this work without compensation, ex- cept that sense of satisfaction that comes from loving service.
Several people from the neighboring towns of Mansfield, Norton and North Attleboro, have sought help of one kind or another, either be- cause they found it more convenient, or had no one in their home town to assist them.
Through the State Office in Boston an Americanization Pilgrimage to Washington was planned for students in Americanization classes throughout the state. None of our students were interested to go, al- though two young men from the High School went. Over 1100 through- out the state enjoyed the trip.
It seems likely that no more naturalization sessions of the court will be held in Attleboro. This will doubtless have some effect on the number of applicants for citizenship here, as it is much less convenient to go to Taunton.
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