USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Douglas, for the year ending 1928 > Part 2
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Household furniture and provisions
$1,167 27
Contents of barn, woodhouse, wash- house, farming tools and wagons, etc. 2 horses
1,396 72
350 00
3 cows
350 00
95 hens
150 00
16 tons hay @ $25 per ton
400 00
2 pigs
10 00
6 cords manure @ $5 per cord
30 00
281/2 bu. grain
34 00
$3,888 29
We have made the Superintendent debtor for labor, stock, and produce, etc., as follows :
Received from sale of eggs
$119 55
Milk
127 78
Cows and heifers
85 00
Fowl
2 80
Collars
00
Vegetables
: 00
Team labor
13 50
Board, E. Leach
468 00
Toll line
14 85
Pigs
70 00
Team labor on roads
100 80
$1,013 28
25
The Superintendent has paid out for merchandise and other expenses as follows : Paid for pigs $20 00
Tomatoes
70
Labor on hay
2 45
2 horse blankets
6 00
2 horse collar pads
2 40
2 saddle pads
1 20
Curtains
2 36
Extension ladder
17 00
Wet wash
1 90
Service
3 00
Returned on service
2 00
Barber
9 75
$68 76
OVERSEER'S CASH PAYMENTS FOR INFIRMARY
ACCOUNT
Paid Superintendent, salary
$1,000 20
E. N. Jenckes, groceries
548 88
E. N. Jenckes, grain
549 60
Charles L. Church, groceries
111 37
Charles L. Church, grain
17 89
Charles L. Church, meat
61 62
Charles L. Church, clothes
4 20
Putnam & Brinck, groceries
35 40
Putnam & Brinck, grain
35 20
Putnam & Brinck, meat
19 86
Thomas P. Ritchie, groceries
259 57
Thomas P. Ritchie, seeds
25 50
Alfred Stone, groceries
38 10
T. E. Kelly, meat
98 34
Walter T. Marris, meat
84 02
Frank Rivard, fish
43 56
Frank E. Jones, coal
256 00
Frank E. Jones, ice
10 80
New England Tel. & Tel. Co.
26 60
Worcester Suburban Electric Co.
96 81
Mackey, plumbing and supplies
23 05
W. Jones, plumbing and supplies
26 28
W. R. Wallis, hardware
157 78
Charles Krull, blacksmith
28 45
Hector Vandal, horses
250 00
Forestdale Mfg. Co., horses
350 00
Dr. J. Andrews, D.V.S.
10 00
Dr. L. A. Paquin, D.VS
10 00
Dr. Paul F. Ela
: 00
Dr. J. Quinn
4 00
Frank Rivard, butchering
00
Charles E. Clark, electrician
35
H. A. Peters, labor on ice
4 50
J. P. Manning, labor on ice
1 25
P. J. Cotter, horse collar
12 00
26
Commissioner of Public Safety, inspec- tion 5 00
Clif. Lunn, carpentering 00
Fred Nault, carpentering 55 60
Schuster Woolen Co., paint and supplies 168 94
Mr. F. Dumas, painting
280 80
$4,769 52
SUMMARY
Superintendent has paid as per his account $68 76
Overseers have paid as per their account 4,769 52
$4,838 28
The Overseer's Account is as follows:
Appropriation at annual town meeting. $7,000 00
Appropriation at special town meeting 1,200 00
$8,200 00
Expenditures :
Orders on Town Treasurer :
(State) Temporary Aid
$1,453 31
(State) Mothers' Aid
788 50
(Town) Town Aid
978 59
Miscellaneous
23 95
Infirmary cost
4,769 52
$8,013 87
Amount unexpended
$186 13
Infirmary Superintendent receipts
$1,013 28
Infirmary Superintendent expenditures
68 76
Turned into Town Treasury.
$944 52
Received from State, reimbursements for 1927
$1,022 13
$1,022 13
Due from State, reimbursements for 1928
1,739 60
1,739 60
Due from Hector Vandall for horses
110 00
110 00
TEMPORARY AID ACCOUNT
Paid No. 1
$987 49
No. :
3 09
No. 3
12 00
No. 4
450 73
$1,453 31
MOTHER'S AID ACCOUNT
Paid No. 1 $788 50 $788 50
27
TOWN AID ACCOUNT
Paid No. 1
$546 00
No. 2
156 00
No. 3
36 00
No. 4
118 00
No. 5
20 00
No. 6
18 00
No. 7
14 00
No. 8
70 59
$978 59
MISCELLANEOUS ACCOUNT
Miscellaneous
$23 95
$23 95
INMATES AT INFIRMARY DURING YEAR 1928
No.
Age
Weeks
Days
1
54
52
1
2
69
52
1
3
77
52
1
4
70
52
1
5
73
52
1
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR J. PAGE, WALTER PARKER, HARRY OLSON.
28
Report of Agent MOSES WALLIS DEVISE
To the Town of Douglas
For Year Ending December 31, 1928.
The agent charges himself with amounts due the devise Jan- uary 1, 1927, as follows:
Los Angeles School District Bonds, 5% $16,201 50 124 32
$16,077 18
Jersey City Water Bonds, 4 1/2 %.
$5,231 50
Amortization
18 78
5,212 72
City of Detroit Bonds, 41/2%
$5,250 00
Amortization
21 55
5,228 45
Tremont Trust Company
$52 68
Reserve for Depreciation
52 68
Whitinsville National Bank
2,089 04
$28,607 39
Value to Keep Permanent
27,502 43
Due Town Treasurer
$1,104 96
The agent has received as follows:
Jan. 1 Balance
$2,089 04
11 Interest, Whitinsville National Bank
$3 69
Feb. 1 Interest, City of Detroit Bonds
112 50
6 Interest, County of Los Angeles Bonds
375 00
Amortization
29
7 Interest, Whitinsville National
Bank
3 69
April
3 Interest, Jersey City Water
Bonds
112 50
May
4 Interest, Whitinsville National Bank 4 73
June 30 Tremont Trust Company 52 68
Aug. 2 Interest, City of Detroit Bonds .. 112 50
6 Interest, Los Angeles Bonds 375 00
Oct. 1 Interest, Jersey City Water
Bonds
112 50
5 Interest, Whitinsville National
17 81
Dec. 7 Interest, Whitinsville National Bank
7 44
1,290 04
$3,379 08
The agent has paid out as follows:
Jan. 19 Town Treasurer $1,104 96
Dec. 31 Salary, Agent
75 00
Balance
2,199 12
$3,379 08
PRESENT VALUE OF DEVISE
$15,000 00 Los Angeles, 5%
$16,201 50 165 76
$16,035 74
5,000 00 Jersey City, 41/2%
$5,231 50
Amortization
25 04
5,206 46
5,000 00 City of Detroit
$5,250 00
Amortization
30 17
5,219 83
Whitinsville National Bank
2,199 12
$28,661 15
Value to Keep Permanent
27,502 43
Due Town Treasurer.
$1,158 72
Respectfully submitted,
GILBERT W. ROWLEY, Agent.
Bank
,
Amortization
30
Collector's Report
1928
The Assessors for the year 1928 committed to me the 18th day of April, 1928, the Collector's book with warrant to collect and pay over to Treasurer of said town of Douglas, Poll Taxes.
$1,210 00
Poll Taxes, extra assessment, October 17, 1928.
44 00
Total
$1,254.00
I have collected and paid to Treasurer of said town
in poll taxes to January 1, 1929
1,228 00
Received abatements on poll taxes
26 00
Paid fines on poll taxes 9 75
On August 8, 1928, received Collector's book and warrant to collect and pay over to Treasurer of said town of Douglas:
Real estate and personal property taxes
$59,143 54
Extra assessment December 18, 1928
20 48
Total
$59,164 02
I have collected and paid to Treasurer in cash to Jan- uary 1, 1929
55,733 54
Received abatement on property taxes
11 34
$55,744 88
Balance uncollected January 1, 1929
3,419 14
Balance uncollected January 1, 1929, for 1926 taxes
28 35
Balance uncollected January 1, 1929, for 1927 taxes
250 76
EDWARD L. WILLIAMS,
Tax Collector.
31
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
For the year ending December 31, 1928.
East Douglas, February 26, 1929.
To the Selectmen:
The following is the work done on town trees during 1928:
W. E. Carpenter, 87 hours @ 50c. $43 50
W. L. Carpenter, 75 hours @ 75c. 56 25
R. D. Carpenter, 3033 hours @ 60c 18 40
Herbert Gove, 28 hours @ 50c
14 00
Raymond Thomas, 21 hours @ 50c.
10 50
Team, 71 hours at 25c.
17 75
$160 40
SUPPLIES
W. R. Wallis, repair of ladders and supplies
$12 92
$173 32
Respectfully,
W. E. CARPENTER,
Tree Warden.
32
Report of ROAD COMMISSIONER
HIGHWAY MATERIAL
W. R. Wallis:
253 feet sewer pipe
$175 57
One 15-inch "Y"
4 05
Nails and spikes
. 60
3 bags cement @ 95c
2 85
6 pick handles
85
2 dozen R. Point shovels @ $1.40 33 60
15 bags cement @ 75c.
11 25
3 S. Point shovels @ $1.10
3 30
Nails
1 20
4 picks @ $1.00
4 00
6 pick handles @ 60c.
3 60
1 gal. paint
1 95
3 shovels @ $1.40
4 20
3 hose @ $1.05.
3 15
Bush scythes, snathes and material Material
19 40
E. N. Jenckes, material
5 81
New Haven Trap Rock Co .:
199,700 lbs. trap rock, 34 in., @ $1.45
144 79
210,400 lbs. 1/2 in. trap rock @ $1.70
179 70
The Barrett Co .:
325 gal. Tarvia "K. P." @ 18c
544 50
10,012 gal. Tarvia "B." @ 14c
1,401 68
Charles Church, material
43 58
The Berger Mfg. Co., culvert pipes
276 20
The Texas Co., 7,857 gal. @ .068 cents
534 28
Walter J. Dudley, 14 guide signs
22 80
Geo. Cole, 17 gal. gas., 1 gal. oil and 2 lan- terns ; 29
Acme Road Mach. Co., 2 scraper blades.
13 50
Hedge & Mattheis Co., air compressor drills and tools 86 10
Putnam & Brinck, material
5 24
Total Material
$3,551 86
13 82
33
SUPPLIES
T. G. Flagg, one ledger.
$1 75
W. H. Dudley, long distance calls
5 00
P. D. Manning :
Liability insurance policy, No. 433687
201 00
Additional insurance last year
215 69
Dyar Sales & Mach. Co., parts for scraper
48 51
Charles Krull, repairs
75 60
Building one road drag and repairing one.
51 30
Total Supplies
$598 85
FREIGHT
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co., freight on five cars trap rock
$236 38
Demurrage on one car
4 00
Total
$240 38
EXPRESS
American Railway Express Co.
$8 65
Total Express
$8 65
Blanchard Bros. Granite Co., use of derrick
20 days $1.00
$20 00
Total
$20 00
GRAVEL
Loads
Rate
Amount
Harold Buxton
736
$0 05
$36 80
William Buxton estate.
297
05
14 85
Pete Lancz
52
05
2 60
Walter Buffum
131
05
6 55
Sanford Jadrey
339
05
16 95
Nelson Place
33
05
1 65
Charles Buxton
100
05
5 45
Albert Valcourt
65
05
3 25
Helen Balcolm
178
05
8 90
Ada Sanborn
54
05
2 70
Fred Parker
35
05
1 75
D. E. Caswell
376
05
18 80
Myron Chase
106
05
5 30
Ray Dudley
94
05
4 70
Total Gravel
$130 25
Grand Total for Highways.
$14,017 94
W. H. DUDLEY, Superintendent of Highways.
34
BRIDGES
Hours
Rate
Amount
W. H. Dudley
5
$0 50
$2 50
Auto
5
20
1 00
Truck
5
85
4 25
Earl Ballou
5
40
2 00
J. P. Manning
5
40
2 00
Albert Valcourt
5
40
2 00
James Smith
5
40
2 00
Earl McCann
5
40
2 00
Total
$17 75
Blanchard Bros.' Granite Co., to building stone arch un- der contract of June 18th
$4,500 00
Extra work by Blanchard Bros.
1,166 82
Total
$5,666 82
Grand Total
$5,684 57
RAILINGS
W. H. Dudley, truck
9
$0 85
$7 65
Earl Ballou
9
40
3 60
Earl McCann
9
40
3 60
Henry Peters
9
40
3 60
Total
$18 45
MATERIAL
W. R. Wallis, 1 pc. 20 ft. 4x4
$2 24
Grand Total
$20 69
W. H. DUDLEY, Superintendent of Highways.
HIGHWAYS
Hours
Rate
Amount
W. H. Dudley
49
$0 55
$26 95
W. H. Dudley
1,528
50
764 00
Auto
1,228
20
245 60
Truck
1,522
85
1,293 70
Large truck
18
. 50
27 00
Large truck
413
1 25
516 25
2 horses on scraper
413
1 05
433 65
2 horses on cart and drag
1,056
90
950 40
J. P. Manning
3
45
1 35
35
J. P. Manning
54
40
21 60
2 horses on cart and road drag.
488
90
439 20
W. H. Parker
54
40
21 60
2 horses on scraper
213
05
223 65
2 horses on cart and road drag
203
90
182 70
Town Farm, 2 horses.
112
90
100 80
Earl Ballou
37
45
16 65
Earl Ballou
1,454
40
581 60
James Smith
31
45
13 95
James Smith
337
40
134 80
Edward Murphy
23
45
10 35
Edward Murphy
48
40
19 20
Francis Carter
195
35
68 25
Francis Carter
599
40
239 60
Russell Keith
14
45
6 30
Russell Keith
405
40
162 00
Ernest Lunn
11
45
4 95
Ernest Lunn
575
40
230 00
Clifford Lunn
3
45
1 35
Clifford Lunn
471
40
3 40
Edward Buxton
27
40
10 80
Domanic Yacino
7
40
2 80
Henry Ballou
109
40
43 60
Wentell Keith
63
40
25 20
Earl McCann
1,104
40
441 60
Albert Valcourt
999
40
399 60
Philis Fregeau
44
40
17 60
William Caswell
309
40
123 60
Tending lanterns at bridge from Jan. 1 to May 31
114 00
Harry Downs
4
45
1 80
Henry Peters
246
40
98 40
Raymond Flint
187
40
74 80
Charles Dudley
943
40
377 20
John Koslak
153
40
61 20
Arthur Rawson
30
40
12 00
Lewis Eldridge
31
40
12 40
Harold Fiske
31
40
12 40
Warren Wheeler
25
40
10 00
Lewis Fiske
27
40
10 80
Ernest Labelle
26
40
10 40
Lincoln Carpenter
26
40
10 40
Everett Ballou
122
40
48 80
Elma Dudley
37
40
14 80
F. A. Angel
30
40
12 00
Jerry Randell
39
40
15 60
Paul Chase
85
40
34 00
Harley Barton
136
40
54 40
John Foloni
91
40
36 40
John Carter
927
35
324 45
Albert Yacino
156
30
46 80
James Yacino
32
30
9 60
John Pompa
4
30
1 20
36
Paul Kostka
21
30
6 30
Donnel O'Donnell
21
30
6 30
Victor Dion
18
30
5 40
Francis McCann
26
30
7 80
Francis McCann
63
35
22 05
Charles McCann
14
35
4 90
Charles McCann
30
30
9 00
Andrew Landeau
13
30
3 90
Gustavus Dudley
8
30
2 40
Thyar Peters
18
30
40
Total Labor
$9,467 95
SNOW ROADS
Hours
Rate
Amount
W. H. Dudley
31
$0 55
$17 05
2 horses
37
45
16 65
J. P. Manning
13
45
5 85
2 horses
7
45
3 15
Earl Ballou
18
45
8 10
Clifford Lunn
8
45
3 60
Russell Keith
15
45
6 75
James Smith
8
45
3 60
Francis Carter
19
35
6 65
John Carter
19
35
6 65
Henry Ballou
7
45
3 15
Edward Murphy
11
45
4 95
Ernest Lunn
7
45
3 15
Earl McCann
7
45
3 15
Edward Buxton
7
45
3 15
William Murphy
4
45
1 80
William Murphy, Jr.
7
35
2 45
Arthur Morse
20
45
9 00
1 horse
20
25
5 00
Total Labor
$113 85
REPAIRS
Charles Krull :
To repairing snow plow.
$6 80
To repairing sidewalk plow.
17 80
Schuster Woolen Co., to painting snow plow
7 50
Total
$32 10
113 85
Grand Total
$145 95
W. H. DUDLEY, Superintendent of Highways.
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
and Superintendent of Schools OF THE
TOWN OF DOUGLAS
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1928
GLAS
S
46
INCORPO
ED
WHITINSVILLE, MASS. PRESS OF EAGLE PRINTING CO. 1929
3
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
JOHN B. CHAPDELAINE
Term expires 1929
DR. PAUL ELA
66
66
1929
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS, Chairman
66
66
1930
LILLIAN G. CARPENTER
66
66 1930
BAYLIS G. ALDRICH
66
66
1931
ARTHUR E. RAWSON, Secretary
66
66
1931
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS A. B. GARCELON
PURCHASING AGENT W. T. LOOMIS
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
DOUWE DEJONG
E. L. WILLIAMS
4
SCHOOL CALENDAR
HIGH SCHOOL
Winter term-January 2, 1929, to March 22, 1929, 12 weeks. Spring term-April 1, 1929, to June 21, 1929, 12 weeks.
Fall term-September 3, 1929, to December 20, 1929, 16 weeks. Winter term-December 30, 1929, to March 21, 1930, 12 weeks. Spring term-March 31, 1930, to June 20, 1930, 12 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess-November 28 to December 1. Christmas vacation-December 21 to December 30. Spring vacation-March 22 to March 31.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Winter term-January 7, 1929, to March 22, 1929, 12 weeks. Spring term-April 1, 1929, to June 14, 1929, 11 weeks.
Fall term-September 3, 1929, to December 20, 1929, 16 weeks. Winter term-January 6, 1930, to March 21, 1930, 11 weeks. Spring term-March 31, 1930, to June 13, 1930, 11 weeks.
Thanksgiving recess-November 28 to December 2. Christmas vacation-December 21 to January 6. Spring vacation-March 22 to March 31.
NO-SCHOOL SIGNAL
Three blasts of the whistle at 7:45 A. M. closes all schools for the morning session.
The same signal at 11:45 A. M., closes all schools for the after- . noon session.
The signal at 11:15 denotes that there will be a single session. In this case the session will be lengthened one hour in the first grade, and one hour and a half in the others.
5
Report of the
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The School Committee submits the following report for the financial year ending December 31, 1928:
The appropriations for the schools were $41,000.00 and the expenditures $40,975.09.
We received from the State as reimbursement for teachers' salaries, $8,993.00, for tuition of state wards, $557.89, and for superintendent's salary, $773.33, making a total of $10,324.22.
This reduces the net cost of the schools to $30,650.87.
The itemized expenditures are as follows:
Expenditures of School Committee $143 26
Salary of Superintendent 1,452 00
Expenses of Superintendent 182 29
Salaries of Supervisors 1,615 40
Expenses of Supervisors 107 06
Salary of High School Principal
2,270 00
Salary of High School Teachers
2,840 00
Salary of Elementary Teachers
15,976 86
Books, High School
322 39
Books, Elementary Schools
583 90
Stationery, High School
255 89
Stationery, Elementary Schools
618 55
Janitors, High School
1,305 00
Janitors. Elementary Schools
1,815 75
Fuel, High School
1,062 82
Fuel, Elementary Schools
1,261 00
Miscellaneous (Expense of operation) High School 410 67
Miscellaneous (Expense of operation) Ele- mentary Schools 225 66
Repairs, High School
128 40
6
Repairs, Elementary Schools
2,220 54
Health, High School
69 15
Health, Elementary Schools 622 44
Transportation in town
1,281 00
Transportation in other towns
188 00
Tuition, Elementary Schools
30 00
Miscellaneous (Other expense) High School
104 46
Miscellaneous (Other expense) Elementary Schools 118 59
New grounds
19 20
New equipment
3,246 11
Insurance
498 70
$40,975 09
It will be noted in the above that $2,348.94 was spent for repairs and $3,246.11 for new equipment. The repairs included painting of three buildings, along with very extensive repairs on the roof of the Main Street building. The item of new equipment is the balance of the amount expended on toilets in the Main Street building.
Appropriations asked for:
General expenses, including Superintendent's salary, expenses of School Committee and Attendance Officers $1,800 00
Expenses for instruction, including teachers' salaries, text-books and supplies, and miscellaneous expenses for instruction 26,500 00
Expenses for operation of school plants, including jan- itors' salaries, fuel and miscellaneous expenses for operation 6,400 00
Maintenance, repairs, etc.
1,200 00
Auxiliary agencies, including promotion of health, transportation, etc. 2,800 00
Insurance
800 00
$39,500 00
It will be noted that we have reduced our appropriations asked for $1,500. There is no amount set aside for new equipment, and, therefore, it would seem that it might be possible to reduce our total expenditures by $3,000, which was the amount expended for new equipment last year. However, this is impossible because of the imperative need for one more teacher in High School.
WILLIAM T. LOOMIS, ARTHUR E. RAWSON, DR. PAUL ELA. LILLIAN G. CARPENTER, JOHN B. CHAPDELAINE, BAYLIS ALDRICH,
School Committee.
7
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee and Citizens of Douglas:
It is with pleasure that I submit my first annual school report of the town of Douglas, the same being the twenty-eighth superin- tendent's report for this district.
First, let me publicly declare my sincere appreciation of the cordial welcome and assistance extended to me, by your former Superintendent of Schools Mr. C. L. Judkins, an indefatigable worker for the success of your school system; by your School Com- mittee, which has supported every recommendation I have made for the welfare of the school department; by the teachers and prin- cipals, who are ever ready and willing to follow constructive sug- gestions and criticisms; by the student body, parents, citizens and town officers. All have shown, in one way or another, their sin- cere interest in the schools of Douglas, and by so doing have filled me with hope, confidence and enthusiasm for the future develop- ment and efficiency of our school system.
FINANCIAL
My predecessor, Mr. C. L. Judkins, has pointed out to me the many problems of the school department and has given me an out- line of his recommendations for the solution of these problems as well as suggestions for the future growth and extension of service of the school department. With these things in mind, I entered upon my duties as Superintendent of Schools, remembering always, that no public school system is perfect; that there are always many things we want to do in our schools which we cannot afford; that there is always a financial limit in every community, beyond which it is unsafe to go; and yet, that every community, through its voters, wants and demands efficient schools, and is willing to pro- vide the necessary funds if it can be shown how this can be done.
8
That education pays, that it is a good investment, is most generally accepted today; for in every nation, state, city or town, where data is available showing the relation between per capita expenditure for education and per capita income, it is always found that those places expending most for education, have the highest per capita income.
WHAT WE HAVE
The Douglas School Department has much to be proud of. The outstanding feature is the Memorial High School building. This school is modern in every feature and is an inspiration to all: pupils, teachers, parents and citizens.
Our teachers are loyal, competent, co-operative, and enthusias- tic about their work. All suggestions for improvement are well received, even though it results in more work for the teacher. Teacher training in service has been approved, and soon all our teachers will be taking an extension course in psychology.
Our school buildings are all in a state of good repair, text- books and supplies are adequately furnished, improvements are gradually being made, with the result that we feel that our schools are becoming more efficient.
We have a course of study which takes care of the traditional three R's plus many of the more modern items, as music, drawing, domestic science, manual training and commercial subjects.
WHAT WE NEED
In all probability the thing most needed by most school systems is a closer articulation of the respective units of the work; a better understanding of just what education is; how it can best be obtained; what it can do for you and how much it is worth to you and society.
We need to apply modern business methods to our educational program and justify our present large expenditures on economic principles. If any part of our program does not give us a return commensurate with the expenditure, we must stop spending money along that line.
We need to measure well our product. We need to investigate our educational results more scientifically. We must test our work with greater accuracy, if possible, and thereby learn why and where we are failing, and make the necessary corrections, thus saving wasted time, energy and money.
We want and need more thorough, more consistent training for our boys and girls, to the end that they will graduate from our schools, competent to fight the battles of life with credit to them- selves and to society.
We not only want our boys and girls to have moral stamina and intellectual acumen, but also physical sturdiness.
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We believe we should have a commercial course in our high school. At the present time we have the beginnings of such a course, but need another teacher if this work is to be effectively done. It might be stated further, that the statutes require in the high schools, one teacher for every twenty-five pupils, exclusive of the principal. Because of our non-compliance with this law, our state rating has been lowered.
ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR NEEDS
Realizing that at the present time our schools are doing much creditable work; appreciating all that the town of Douglas has provided for us; knowing clearly just what we want to do to make this service even more effective and knowing the means to this end, we feel assured of the achievement of our needs, provided, that reasonable financial support is given the school department. (We know such support has been given in the past and are confident it will be in the future.)
Curriculum study, teachers' meetings, revision and enrichment of the course of study, will give us the needed closer articulation of one educational unit to another.
A study of what education is all about, the philosophy of edu- cation; of practical educational psychology ; of sociology and of child study, will bring us closer to an understanding of just what education is.
How an education can best be obtained comes to the student when he realizes its value, through proper incentives, guidance and teacher leadership.
Business methods in education come to us through a careful analysis of our job, evaluating educational worth, as far as this is possible, into expressions of moral, intellectual, physical and finan- cial well being.
Through intellectual achievement and diagnostic tests we do away with the subjective measuring of school work and put it on a scientific basis.
To achieve physical well being, good health, our medical ex- aminations must be complete and thorough; the work of the school nurse and dental clinic must go on, but even more than this is needed.
We believe our boys and girls need a physical education pro- gram, arranged for all pupils, with ample play grounds for Spring and Fall use, and a gymnasium for all-year-round use. At the present time our successful athletic teams, under the splendid leadership of Mr. LeRoy Allard, have no adequate training quar- ters, in fact no quarters at all. If a gymnasium, or even a hall, could be provided, even greater success would be ours.
Most school reports fail to mention the janitor service given the department because most janitorial work is poorly done, but this is not so in Douglas.
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION
Years ago an education consisted of training along the lines of the three R's-and this and only this. An education consisted of the mastery of the content of the studies pursued with little or no emphasis on the manner in which facts were mastered or the use to which the facts were to be put. Many of our earlier schools used the memoritor method, a method of learning depending en- tirely on the memorizing of facts, with little or no application of the facts learned to the problems of life.
Today all this is different. Never do we permit word for word recitations from the textbooks. We demand that our pupils master the subject matter with a complete understanding of the facts and their relation and bearing on life. To be educated, means, to be socially efficient.
Social efficiency is dependent upon :
1. Vital efficiency, which has to do with health and physical development.
2. Vocational efficiency, which embraces agricultural, indus- trial, commercial, professional and domestic training.
3. Avocational efficiency, or the proper use of one's leisure time.
4. Civic efficiency, which embraces good citizenship, local, state, national and world citizenship.
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