USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1930 > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
(12) RETARDED CHILDREN
More and more, state laws passed by legislators whom we elect are prescribing what shall be done, and how. If, for instance, as a result of this fall's clinic for retarded children held compulsorily by the state under Section 46, Chapter 71, Dr. Alpern establishes that ten or more children have been found in Merrimac that are three or more years re- tarded, Merrimac will be obliged to hire a special teacher and establish a special school, even if it has to call a special meeting for finding funds and sug-
20
SCHOOL REPORT
gesting plans. Likewise, as a result of another law just enacted concerning handicapped children, if a forthcoming survey should disclose five or more Merrimac children disabled and confined for long periods to their homes, the town would be obliged to hire a full-time teacher of at least three years' experience to go to the homes and teach them there.
In the spring of 1930 the superintendent's office received notice that there were fourteen retarded children in Merrimac, but subsequent examination of case reports disclosed that there were enough border line cases among the fourteen to warrant that the town be excused this year from forming a special class, on the ground that there were not ten who were definitely retarded according to the letter of the law. What the report will be in the spring of 1931 for the examination made in the fall of 1930 we do not know. If the count should be ten or more, citizens will have to face the issue. A suitable room acceptable to the State Building Inspector would have to be found. The room would have to have two toilets. A special teacher would have to be engaged and funds for the whole would have to be found by an added regular appropriation at a special meet- ing.
(13) PROBLEM CHILDREN
Merrimac, like other towns, has a few problem children. And behind every problem child lies a problem parent, blissfully certain that she or he has been the best parent in the world, in fact unable to understand why not.
The commonest form of problem child is the one that lacks proper respect for parents, teachers, or the rights of others. This type of child has often
21
SCHOOL REPORT
been threatened and scolded by a loud but silly parent until his ears have been closed in sheer self- defense, first against the parent, and then, by habit, against the world. Later, of course, the child gets in trouble in school, and off rushes the parent to see the principal or the superintendent. These parents seldom come to gain simple justice; in reality they seek revenge upon some teacher for some griev- ance of which they have heard one side. This type of parent is likely to back the child in any case. Not having the moral courage and quiet strength which it takes to control a child, they seek blindly to gain his love and respect by playing the partisan, but succeed only in further weakening the child's character. Parents of this type will find small
sympathy at the superintendent's office. The trouble is not usually with the heart but with the understanding of the case. The superintendent's sympathy will be all with the child, but the child must take his punishment just the same.
(14) PROMOTIONS
A promoted child is placed definitely ahead in the next grade because he has earned it; a child that is placed ahead on trial is not a promoted child. When a child is placed ahead on trial he has been granted the special privilege of demonstrating, dur- ing a period of two months, that he can do the work of the grade next above. If the demonstration sat- isfies his teacher that he can keep up without undue attention, the child has earned regular promotion at the end of the two month's trial period ; if not, the child must return to his grade.
Any child may, under very exceptional con- ditions, be promoted at certain times during the year. If a child's regular achievement is a year
22
SCHOOL REPORT
ahead of his grade, or nearly a year, he may, if the parent desires, be given a trial of two months in the grade next above. The trial will be under the stan- dard conditions aforesaid, but it may begin only at the first of November or at the first of January.
When a child comes to Merrimac schools from outside towns he will be taken on trial only, for the indicated grade; a two months trial in our system will demonstrate his proper grading, which will then be given to him, whether it be lower, the same, or higher. No parent, when he moves from one com- munity to another, can be certain of the grading of his child in the schools of the new community to which he goes. It is the same in college, when a student transfers from one to another. Many illus- trations could here be given.
Sometimes a child is not promoted, but transferred at the end of the year to a higher grade. This indicates that the child, although he has not earned promotion, has, in the opinion of the teachers and the principal, got all that he can from the grade in question and had better next try the one above with pupils more nearly of his own age.
(15) 1930 GRADUATIONS
The graduation . exercises of the Merrimac Junior High School were held in Sargent Hall on Tuesday evening, June 24. There were twenty- eight graduates, seven with honors. The speaker of the evening was Mr. Frank P. Morse, Supervisor of Secondary Education, State Department.
The program was most appropriate to the ter- centenary year, and was so well conceived that it was commended by Mr. Morse who himself had
23
SCHOOL REPORT
been the chairman of the committee that published the general tercentenary material for the schools of the state. The central theme was "Romance in the Merrimack Valley." The part of Mabel Martin was played by Irene Elizabeth Hargraves and the part of the Countess by Helen Marjorie How. The stories in brief, as printed on the program, follow:
"Mabel Martin lived on Martin's Road. She was shunned by society because her mother had been hanged as a witch. Esek Harden defies the jests of his neighbors and marries Mabel."
"Count Francois Helen de Vipart, a French re- fugee, found rest and comfort at the Ingalls' home at Rocks' Village. Here he wooed and won the beautiful Mary Ingalls. The "Countess" died soon after and was buried in the little cemetery overlook- ing the Merrimack. The Count returned to his own country."
The salutatory was delivered by Virginia Bur- nett Harrison and the valedictory by Norma Paul ine Goodwin.
The graduation exercises of the Class of 1930 of the Merrimac High School were held in Sargent Hall on Thursday evening, June 26. There were nineteen graduates. The Balfour Award, given for the first time in 1929 to Eleanor Merrill Carter, went in 1930 to Hilda Marie Kidston, class valedic- torian. It signifies outstanding qualities of scholar- ship, loyalty, and achievement. The salutatorian was Virginia Mae Godwin, and the speaker of the evening was Mr. Frank Robinson, a former teacher of the class at the Junior High School. Mr. Robin- son's topic was "The Job of Being an Individual."
24
SCHOOL REPORT
Mr. Harold C. Lord of the American Legion and Sons of Veterans presented the Washington and Franklin Medal to Raymond Odiorne for proficiency in United States History.
Principal C. D. Mackay presented typewriting awards to Claudia Chard, Mildred Deminie, Anna. Eaton, Donna Hall, Winnifred Manning, and Mar- garet Peaslee.
(16) CALENDAR PLAN
The calendar adopted for the year and pub- lished under item (1) is a continuation of the cal- endar begun in the 1929 town report. A continued calendar is published a year in advance in order that: all parents, pupils, school officials, teachers, and. bus drivers may arrange their affairs in accordance ..
(17) TRANSPORTATION
By the end of the fall of 1930 all Merrimac: transportation of school children was by school bus. There are two routes, one from the Birch Meadow and Highlands districts, run by Mr. Charles H. Staples, and the other from Harriman and Bear Hill Roads and Lake Attitash and Emery Street, run by Mr. John A. Hutchins. On Mr. Staples' route 24 are regularly transported, 12 to the Centre School and 12 to the High. On Mr. Hutchins' route 35 are reg- ularly transported, 9 from Harriman Road, 10 from Bear Hill Road, 11 from Lake Attitash, and 5 from Emery Street. Until October 9, when Lake Attitash and Emery Streets were added to the route of Mr. Hutchins, the children from these points were given tickets for the public bus.
The afternoon starting point of the bus routes is the Centre School; here 39 are regularly taken on.
25
SCHOOL REPORT
The eighteen high school pupils are expected to walk to the Centre, but in the morning deliveries are made at the school. It is thought best, too, for the younger children to have the first choice of seats.
Both bus routes are covered by contracts with. specifications made out through the offices of the: town counsel, and both are under insurance admin- istered by the school department. Merrimac child- ren now have the advantages of closed-in busses.
During the year a question arose concerning the responsibility of the school during the noon luncheon periods for bus children and others whose parents. desire that they stay. It was decided that the school could continue its regular responsibility in proper cases through the noon luncheon period when the parent requests it in writing to the principal, but. only under the condition that the child continues. during this period under the full management of the designated teacher. This means that the child will not be allowed to leave the building and grounds. without special consent unless the parent makes a special written request and assumes responsibility during the absence of the child from the school.
(18) GENERAL ITEMS
Among school items of general interest the fol- lowing may be mentioned :
On January 20 the teachers of Merrimac visit- ed various schools for the purpose of witnessing first. hand how other teachers are coping with problems similar to theirs.
On February 26 the Girls' Glee Club of the Merrimac High School offered a program in Sargent. Hall under the direction of Mr. Porell.
26
SCHOOL REPORT
On May 13 Patrolman Andrews of Framing- ham Barracks came to Merrimac from the Depart- ment of Public Safety; he spoke throughout our schools on ways and means of avoiding traffic acci- dents. With a national automobile death toll last year which was more than double the population of Newburyport, children need definite instruction in the problems of safety.
In June the registers showed a total enrollment of 429 pupils for the school year.
On September 29 Mr. Frank W. Wright of the State Department invited the pupils of the High and Junior High of Merrimac to attend the Tercenten- ary Exhibit of Governmental Activities in Boston. Such pupils as desided to attend, and were able, were not marked absent from school.
On October 9, Fire Prevention Day, the Merri- mac fire chief, Mr. Aaron A. Hume, was invited to witness fire drills and make suggestions of any sort for decreasing fire hazards in our schools.
(19) SUPERINTENDENCY UNION NO. 59
During 1930 a project of moment was started through the combined efforts of the entire elemen- tary teaching staff of Merrimac and other towns in the union. This project is the outlining, and possibly the printing during 1931, of a course of study suit- able to the needs of the classrooms of this district. New teachers, and experienced teachers for that matter, often ask: "Just what are we supposed to teach in third grade English? in second grade math- ematics ? in fifth grade history?" and so on. To for- mulate a simple, practical, workable guide which shall be helpful and specific, and at the same time
27
SCHOOL REPORT
adaptable, is a colossal task to tackle, even for the: combined forces of this union. But if the wisdom, experience, and training of all can be pooled for the: use of each, it should be of value. In this work the: teachers will doubtlessly be helped by the subject- matter specialists in the newly consolidated inte- grated school in West Newbury. The school there is so organized that each subject throughout the. grades is supervised by a college graduate specialist. who visits each grade for at least fifteen minutes a. week while the subject is being taught, and after- wards confers with the teacher to help her with her difficulties. This constant visiting should give per- spective. The union project aforesaid is confined. for the present to the work of the first six grades. It is one of the outcomes of the welding of the union by regular joint teachers' meetings. In effect, the Merrimac schools are in a community with a popula- tion of 7,665.
During 1930 standardized achievement tests. were administered throughout the district in May and October. The results of these tests, after they have been studied by the teachers, are filed at the superintendent's office. Any teacher, upon request, can study the history of the progress of any pupil in her class in any subject since the tests began, pro- vided the pupil has been in our system that long.
(20) PLAYGROUND PROJECTS
Last year 1,137 playgrounds in this country were opened for the first time. Some were started by public and some by private funds. During the year public spirited citizens and organizations made gifts of land or money for playgrounds totaling 1,556. acres, and a valuation of $864,121.
28
SCHOOL REPORT
All about us communities have their play- grounds. Haverhill has five, one on Primrose Street, at the foot of Dexter, one on Margin Street down by the river back of Moody School, one at Riv- erside at the rear of the Haverhill Stadium, one in Bradford back of the Wood School, and one called . the Passaquo on Swasey Street. Amesbury has its ample playground in what was once Moody Woods on Sandy Hollow Road, and the town is grateful to Mr. J. E. Brierly and others for bringing it about. Newburyport has its Central Park and playground. Salisbury has its playground near the Spalding School, and West Newbury its playground back of the Central School. Merrimac is beginning to stand alone in its lack of playground facilities.
Just as playgrounds are purchased by all sorts of funds, public and private, they are managed by all sorts of groups, public and private. In the larger communities in this section, the playgrounds are under the Park Commission, but it is surprising, the country over, the number of clubs such as Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions, as well as the number of other organizations, that are buying and managing play- grounds for the good of the general public, especial- ly the boys and girls. These playgrounds are some- times given later as building sites.
The vast majority of the citizens of Merrimac want a playground for their boys and girls; failure of action has resulted mostly from disagreement upon the best location, rather than upon the issue it- self. Your superintendent regretted that his pres- ence at another town meeting prevented his pres- ence at the Merrimac adjourned town meeting; he would have been glad to request the privilege of the floor for a moment's discussion of the playground situation.
29
· SCHOOL REPORT
It is hoped that something will be done concern- ing the playground situation during 1931. A move- ment to this end is already afoot, headed by a well- known citizen who is interested in the schools, and sponsored by others who are also interested.
(21) PHYSICAL EDUCATION
" No report would be complete or properly help- ful to Merrimac citizens that did not keep before their minds the conspicuous absence of systematic physical education from our public schools. It is not only the larger communities that are remember- ing the physical child, but those of our own size, and smaller. One of our own Merrimac citizens com- mutes across the river to administer physical edu- cation daily to West Newbury children throughout the grades, class by class.
Physical education for children began over two thousand years ago, among the Ancient Greeks, who fathered modern civilization. If any Merrimac cit- izen is older than that, possibly he can tell how things were when he was a boy. Among the Ancient Greeks every child who counted spent over half his time building up his physical manhood for health, strength, and poise. In America, every child counts.
Prior to 1915, but three states in the union had compulsory physical education; by 1925 the three had increased to thirty-four. Our own General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 1, prescribe "indoor and outdoor games and athletic exercises."
Systematic physical education in Merrimac schools on the present school budget would be im- possible, even if we had the playground.
30
SCHOOL REPORT
(22) FINANCIAL
It is fitting that citizens have before them a. summary of important facts concerning the pub- lic schools which they support. The beginning of any intelligent act is facts first. The following. statistics are gleaned from (a) the 1930 report of the state department, (b) the 1930 report of survey- by Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, and (c), the 1930 figures from other towns in the district.
Merrimac stands :
(1) 89th among the total 112 small Massa -- chusetts towns in its class in the average amount. per pupil that it raises out of taxation for the support of education.
(2) The lowest, or 27th, among the 27 towns. in its class which support six-year elementary schools in the cost per elementary pupil for education ($59.18 per year) .
(3) Among the four lowest in the state of any town of its size (the other three being the other three towns in this district) in the salary it pays its superintendent ($62.50 per month) .
1 (4) The lowest in the district in salary "scale" for its teachers, both elementary and high.
When the total amount that Merrimac raises at its annual meeting (in comparison to its valuation) is considered, we run into an entirely different set of figures. Here Merrimac stands 9th among the aforesaid 112 towns in its class. There is but one logical answer: Merrimac has been very generous in its consideration of the needs for comforts and progress of its adult citizens, and in the meanwhile has apparently become unaware of the parallel
31
SCHOOL REPORT
needs of its school population. It must certainly be true that citizens need only to have the facts brought to their attention. The question of the distribution of public monies is a matter that calls for the best wisdom of the most public-minded citizens; it is a matter in any town which deserves thorough can- vassing. When the best wisdom of any town once directs its attention, no one need worry concerning the town's policy in respect to its youth.
The real situation is that Merrimac is raising less and less for her schools out of local taxation. As state reimbursements are increased, through fig- ures sent to the state from the superintendent's of- fice, the appropriation is not being increased as re- imbursements intend, instead they are being used for reducing the tax levy. Thus the town is giving less support of its own to the schools. In 1930, $964.92 less for schools came out of local taxation than in 1929. If the 1930 census figures had not shown more than 500 families or householders, this figure would have ben $2,214.92, that is, Merrimac could have added two thousand dollars to the school appropriation (a two thousand badly needed) and the total tax levy would still have been $214.92 less. As it was, if Merrimac had increased the appropria- tion by a thousand only $35.08 of this would have meant added taxation over 1929. The actual reduc- tion in tax-levied money in 1930 was $65.66 more than the $899.26 estimate in the 1929 town report. All figures, of course, refer to the regular school ap- propiration without the Rocks Village $165, which was special and separate.
The estimate for the 1931 receipts from the state is an increase of $488.60 over the 1930 figures, that is, a total increase of considerably more than a thousand over the 1929 receipts. It is reasonably
1
32
SCHOOL REPORT
certain that $483.34 will be received to reduce cost to town of superintendent, that the training and ex- perience of our teachers will warrant a check for $3,475.00 to help on their salaries and that $3,170.62 (as against $2,855.18 of 1930) can be claimed to help on transportation, general running expenses, and the cost of an extra teacher at the Port. An ad- ded $173.16 estimate on state wards is less certain since the state pays by the day according to atten- dance and exact cost as figured at the superinten- dent's office; wards may be absent or taken from town. On the other hand it could be greater if new ones were added.
Keeping down school appropriations is short- sighted policy financially, not to mention other angles. If an added school appropriation in a town of the valuation-taxation status of Merrimac is used for any of several items, such as raising the salary of low-paid teachers, or adding helping teachers for crowded conditions, or increasing transportation facilities, half of it comes back the following year as an added reimbursement.
(23) THE 1930 SCHOOL DOLLAR IN MERRIMAC
The following table tells the story of the school dollar in Merrimac in 1930. The state reimburse- ments have been applied in proportionate parts to the several items in accordance with the complex laws governing reimbursements. The results show the taxpayer exactly what became of his appro- priated dollar. The items that were supported in whole or in part from taxes are listed in order of their draught upon the local treasury.
Of each dollar the following part was-
33
SCHOOL REPORT
Reimbursed by checks from State $ .234803
Relieved by dog tax .005179
Returned to town treasury, unexpended .000588
Expended, out of taxation
( 1) Salaries, elem. teachers-7 .151182:
( 2) Salaries, high teachers-4 .110857
( 3) Transportation .073296.
( 4) Salary, high prin. .060060
( 5) Salary, elem. prin.
.432304
( 6) Salary, elem. prin.
.032204
( 7) Salary, junior high teacher-1
.026304
( 8) Fuel, elementary“
.024045
( 9) Salary, janitor elem.
.022149
(10) Repairs, junior high
.020964
(11) Salaries, music and drawing
.020816
(12) Supplies, high .019084
(13) Fuel, high
.015764
(14) Repairs, elem.
.015469
(15) Books, elem. .014653
(16) Salary, janitor high .013025
(17) Supplies, elem. .012764
(18) Health
.011097
(19) Salary, superintendent .010677
(20) Cleaning, etc., elem. .008024
(21) Salary, union sec. .008006.
(22) New equipment .007354
(23) Supplies, junior high
.006640
(24) Books, high
.006623
(25) Salary, janitor junior high
.005977
(26) Repairs, high
.005553
(27) Supt., transportation and sup- plies .005197
(28) Tuition (Rock's Village) .005197
(29) Cleaning, etc., high .004414
(30) Fuel, junior high
.004017
(31) Books, junior high
.003839
(32) Cleaning, etc. junior high .003674.
(33) Attendance officer .001601
34
SCHOOL REPORT
(34) Census, school children .000800
(35) School committee's expenses .000458
(36) Unclassified .000190
Total $1.00
(24) THE 1931 BUDGET
(a) Salary, superintendent $ 750.00
(b) Salary, union secretary 250.00
(c) Transportation, and one1fourth
union office supplies
250.00
(d) Census, school children
25.00
(e) Attendance officer
50.00
(f) Schooi committee's expenses
25.00
(g) Salaries, teachers
18,500.00
(h) Salaries, music and drawing
800.00
(i) Substitutes
200.00
(j) Books and supplies
1,200.00
(k) Salaries, janitors
1,600.00
(1) Fuel
2,000.00
(m) Cleaning, janitor's supplies
294.00
(n) Repairs, etc.
600.00
(o) Health
$325.00
(p) Transportation
2,896.00
(q) New equipment
(r) Tuition
60.00
(s) Library, school
(t) Unclassified
Total $29,825.00
DISCUSSION OF ITEMS
(a), (b), and (c)-By vote of union committee.
(d), (e)-Required by law. .
(f)-Less than $9 a piece for reimbursement of necessary expenses.
35
SCHOOL REPORT
(g)-Contract salaries, plus a small margin for deserved increases. Merrimac is the only town in the union without a definite minimum-maximum merit scale.
(h)-Contract salaries.
(i)-Carries a total liability many times its size. For personal illness or death in the family there is a short-time allowance in each school year, but budget allows average of less than three days per teacher in calendar year.
(j)-In 1930 the cost was $2,001.46. This covers all text books new or replaced, all paper, note books, pencils, laboratory supplies, etc. 1931 budget is $801.46 less than 1930 cost.
(k)-Contract salaries.
(1)-The average cost of fuel for a six-year period, 1924-1929, was $1,966.27.
(m)-Janitor's supplies and cleaning in 1930. were $584.75. This is nearly double what is allowed on the 1931 budget.
(n)-Upkeep, painting and repairing in 1930 cost $1,242.27. This is more than double what is al- lowed on the 1931 budget.
(o)-$250 for nurse, $50 for physician, $25 for supplies.
(p)-Contract prices, plus insurance.
(q)-New desks, chairs, maps, etc. Cost $229.65 in 1930, but nothing can be allowed on 1931 budget.
(r)-One pupil to Rock's Village.
(s)-It was hoped to make a start in 1931 in small school or room libraries on State Certificate
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.