USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1952 > Part 6
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In September 1953 the school department figures that it needs three more teachers and three more classrooms. It faces not only the first grade problem but the problem of congestion in other grades. Where are the three extra classrooms to be found? Even if the high school pupils were sent outside and tuitions were paid, the present high school building does not lend itself to use as a junior high school because the small rooms can be used only for small classes in advanced elective subjects. If three adequate classrooms are not to be remodeled in one of the old build- ings, and if an addition is at present out of reach finan- cially, what choice is left but to use the new building with platoons? Legally, of course, it is the duty of the school committee to decide what is to be done, but the authority of the school committee is limited by the will- ingness or the financial ability of the town to furnish facilities and running expenses.
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ENROLLMENTS
On the first of October the enrollment of Merrimac public schools was 518, distributed as follows: At New Elementary 412, at High School 106. Further distribution was - At New Elementary, Grade I, 69, Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Whiting; Grade II, 51, Mrs. Verrette and Mrs. Davis; Grade III, 41, Mrs. O'Connor and Mrs. Davis; Grade IV, 56, Mrs. Dowd and Mrs. Higginbotham; Grade V, 60, Mrs. Hume and Mrs. Higginbotham; Grade VI, 46, homeroom teachers Mr. Patchett and Mr. Nute ; Grade VII, 53, homeroom teachers Mrs. Wolfe and Mr. Nute; Grade VIII, 36, homeroom teacher Mr. Noone. Total New Elementary School, 412, Mrs. Donaghue, Principal, and Mrs. Felch Vice-Principal and teacher of remedial reading. At High School: Grade IX, 30; X, 29; XI, 25; XII, 22. Total High School, 106, Mr. Morrow, Prin- cipal, Miss Phelan, Miss Gullage, Mr. Bernasconi, Miss Webster, Mr. Mansfield.
TEACHING STAFF
During 1952 there were several changes in the teach- ing staff. In the high school, at the end of January, Mr. Richard H. Norton resigned. " His place was filled by Mr. Rene Bernasconi, Jr., of Barre, Vermont, who had just completed his Master's degree in education at Tufts. Mr. Bernasconi is a graduate of Spaulding High School in Barre, of Vermont Junior College in Montpelier (class salutatorian), and of McGill University, 1950, with the bachelor's degree. His Master's degree at Tufts Grad- uate School of Education was finished at mid-year, that is, in early 1952, just before taking his position in Mer- rimac High School. Mr. Bernasconi is primarily the
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teacher of natural sciences. This year it is general science, biology and chemistry.
On April 4 Mr. Ashlyn M. Huyck, high school prin- cipal, resigned. For the remainder of the'school year Mr. Edward S. Morrow, a member of the staff serving his fifth year, and athletic coach, was elected acting principal. Beginning in September Mr. Morrow was made Principal of Merrimac High 'School. Mr. Huyck's mathematics were taken over on April 7, for the rest of the school year, by Mr. William H. Whiting, Jr., who had just received his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin. For September Mr. Whiting was elected on the staff of the upper grades of the New Elementary School, with added duties in physi- cal education and athletics, but he entered the armed forces before his term of service began. For mathematics teacher beginning in September Mr. Rodney F. Mansfield of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, was appointed. Mr. Mansfield is a graduate of Appleton Academy, New Ips- wich, 1948, and of the University of New Hampshire, 1952, with the bachelor's degree. He was on the Dean's List for all four years at college and was a member of the Men's Glee Club. His practice teaching was for fifteen weeks at Nashua High School.
On April 25, that is at spring vacation, Miss An- toinette Salerno, teacher of commercial subjects, resigned to be at home. For the remainder of the school year, through June, her classes were taken over by Mrs. Helen Coffey Vedrani of Amesbury, a graduate with the bach- elor's degree of the commercial department at Salem Teachers College, 1952. For September, as commercial teacher, Miss Joan M. Webster of Beverly was elected. Miss Webster is a graduate of St. Mary's in Beverly, 1948, and of Salem Teachers College, 1952, with the bachelor's degree in business education. Her practice teaching was
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for eight weeks at Holten High School in Danvers. Dur- ing her last two years Miss Webster was on the Presi- dent's List.
As principal of the New Elementary School, Mrs. Helen R. Donaghue was elected. Mrs. Donaghue, who through June was the principal of the Prospect Street School, had had over fourteen years of classroom experi- ence, nearly eight of which were in Merrimac. By year- end it was already evident that the confidence of the superintendent and of the school committee in her were well vindicated. Mrs. Donaghue spent an arduous spring and summer in planning and proposing plans for organiza- tion and administration. The latter were made a project in a course "Administration and Supervision in the Ele- mentary School" taken at the University of New Hamp- shire during the summer. The proposed plans were formulated under the guidance of Mr. Albert L. Hartman. who taught elementary administration at New Hampshire during the summer.
As vice-principal of the school and as teacher of remedial reading, Mrs. Miriam M. Felch was elected. Mrs. Felch had taught in Merrimac six years and had been principal of the Centre School through June. She and Mrs. Donaghue had studied audio-visual education with Assistant Professor Austin L. Olney at the University of New Hampshire. Before setting up the details of the audio-visual program, they spent much time and did shrewd shopping as assistant purchasing agents for the necessary materials. The fact that the American Associ- ation of School Administrators happened to meet in Boston this year afforded them opportunity to study the latest equipment exhibits of the companies making materials for schools. Mrs. Felch's and Mrs. Donaghue's program and materials for audio-visual education classroom help are as up-to-date as the school in which they are set up.
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SCHOOL REPORT
In the spring all teachers from grade one through eight, as listed in the directory printed in last year's school report, stayed through the end of the school year in June. For September, however, there were several new members of the staff.
As homeroom teacher in the eighth grade beginning in September, Mr. Frederick J. Noone of Merrimac was elected. Mr. Noone is a graduate of Merrimac High School, 1944, and of Boston College, 1951, with the bach- elor's degree. During the school year ending in June, 1952, he was eighth grade teacher in the Porter Junior High School at Kezer Falls, Maine. Like all teachers in the sub-junior-high school on first floor, he teaches in dif- ferent grades. His special teaching subject is mathe- matics, but each teacher has to take other subjects, be- cause there are more subjects than there are teachers. Mr. Noone assists as an athletic coach of the high school boys.
Another new member of the upper-grade staff when school opened in September was Mr. Millard P. Nute of Groveton, New Hampshire. Mr. Nute is a graduate of Groveton High School, 1942, and of the University of New Hampshire, 1951, with the bachelor's degree. During the summer of 1952 he studied Audio-Visual Aids and Edu- cational Tests and Measurements at the University of New Hampshire. For a homeroom in Merrimac Mr. Nute has been assigned to a combined overflow of grades six and seven, but the pupils pass for their studies from their homeroom to their respective class sections. Mr. Nute teaches physical education throughout the grades, in addi- tion to his classroom teaching assignments, particularly social science. Like Mr. Noone, he also assists in coach- ing high school boys' athletics as well as the athletics of the upper grade boys. His work in physical education and athletics would not be possible when weather and
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footing are bad, were it not for the all-purpose room.
Athletics for upper grade girls is coached by Mrs. Wolfe.
Mr. Patchett resigned at the end of December, to retire, and is to be replaced by Mrs. Gertrude Laurin of Exeter, New Hampshire, formerly of Merrimac.
A new part-time member of the upper grade staff is Mrs. Ruth N. (Harold R.) Parker of Merrimac. Mrs. Parker began on September 22 when it became evident that the class of 53 (seventh grade) would have to be divided into two sections for part or all of its studies if the year were to be a profitable one for it. The class- rooms for such dividing were made possible by a teacher workshop study and re-arrangement of the program so that a classroom could be utilized while classes were at physical education, either on the playground or in the all-purpose room. Mrs. Parker comes three full days a week - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Her back- ground of training was Coker College, Hartsville, South Carolina, from which she has the bachelor's degree in 1942. Mrs. Parker taught at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, while she was doing graduate work at the University of North Carolina. Her special subject is science.
Another new member of the staff in September, re- placing Mrs. Smith, was Mrs. Ruth Woodard Higgin- botham of Amesbury. She was assigned to a combined section of grades five and six. Mrs. Higginbotham is a graduate of Amesbury High School, 1925, and of the University of New Hampshire, 1929, with the bachelor's degree. She has studied at Boston University Graduate School of Education for a year and a half, and has taken courses for one summer at New Hampshire and for two summers at Hyannis. She has had over eighteen years of teaching experience.
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SCHOOL REPORT
The following members of the Merrimac staff have completed credits during 1952 for courses approved for professional advancement:
At the University of New Hampshire:
Audio-Visual Materials in the Elementary and Second- ary Schools - Mrs. Donaghue and Mrs. Felch.
Improvement of Reading - Mrs. Felch.
Workshop in Reading and other Language Arts - Mrs. Felch.
Administration and Supervision of the Elementary School - Mrs. Donaghue.
At Boston University :
(Ext.) Home and School Relations - Mrs. Verrette.
In the fall Mrs. Verrette was studying two courses at Boston University: (1) Teaching of Primary Grades and (2) Teaching Language Arts.
Miss Phoebe Arnold, under the auspices of the Massa- chusetts Audubon Society, replaced Mrs. Emmet Cleve- land in the fall as teacher of Nature Study and Conser- vation in the fifth grade sections. Miss Arnold lives at Topsfield Sanctuary.
GRADUATIONS
On Tuesday evening, June 17, at Sargent Hall, a class of thrity-two pupils, consisting' of sixteen boys and sixteen girls, graduated from the eighth grade, Prospect
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Street School. Twelve were honor pupils: Frances At- wood, Ernest Brooks, Ralph Fowler, Eugene Getchell, 3rd, Constance Hoyt, Thomas Hurley, Leonard O'Brien, Rod- ney Phipps, Barbara Sargent, Carol Sharkey, Jane Sweet- sir, and Maxine Tobin. The class gift, books for the school library, was presented by Leonard O'Brien. The music, under the direction of Mrs. Currier, was superior as usual. The valedictory was by Barbara Sargent and the salu- tatory by Jane Sweetsir. Diplomas were presented by Mr. Alfred E. Lambert, Jr.
On Thursday evening, June 19, at Sargent Hall, a. class of 23 pupils, consisting of fifteen boys and eight girls, graduated from the Merrimac High School. The valedictory was by George Larkin and the salutatory by Margaret Weigel. The award for excellence in history went to Noreen Quimby. This medal is given by Sons of Veterans of the American Revolution. The D. A. R. Good Citizenship Award went to Patricia Joralmon. Richard Emery received a special award for six years without tardiness or absence from school, and the Varsity Club Award for Sportsmanship and athletic ability. Diplomas. were presented by Mr. Howard L. DeLong, Chairman of the School Committee.
STANDARDIZED TESTS
The annual standardized achievement tests for all pupils in grades one to eight were given in the spring. Not all grades can of course be given all ten tests. In the first grade there are only reading, vocabulary, and numbers (arithmetic). In the second grade spelling and arithmetic problems are added. In the third grade, grammar is added. Grades four to eight add literature,
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history, geography, and science, that is, they take all ten tests. The results (medians) of the tests given are aver- aged, so that there is a total or average score of the me- dians of all subjects that each class is given. In 1952, medians were compared not only with the standard me- dian, but with the medians of the other three towns in the district.
1952 test results showed the total or average median of each of the eight grades to be above the standard me- dian for the grade in question. The second grade acceler- ation was nine months, which was the highest second grade acceleration in the district. The seventh grade ac- celeration was ten months, but was exceeded by Newbury and West Newbury. The following class medians were the highest in the district for their respective grades and subjects: In the first grade, numbers. In the second grade, reading, spelling, numbers, and number problems. In the sixth grade, arithmetic computation. In the eighth grade, English grammar. The latter subject show- ed the highest single grade-subject acceleration in Mer- rimac - two school years lacking one month. The fol- lowing showed acceleration of over a year, but were not the highest in the district: In the fourth grade, grammar and reading. In the seventh grade, grammar, literature, vocabulary, and history. In the eighth grade, literature and geography. In science, the lack of laboratory facil- ities was plainly evident. Although science was above median in grades five, six, and seven, it was four months below in the eighth. The science graph showed the science median to be the lowest in the district.
The foregoing data tell where class medians stood in May, 1952, regardless of whether the growth was during the school year closing in 1952 or in some previous school year. The following data compare the medians of 1952 with those of the same class in 1951, for the purpose of
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determining the amount of growth within the school year. The second grade showed the greatest total or average year-growth of any second grade in the district. Its out- standing subject was numbers. The sixth grade beat the district for growth within the year in reading, vocab- ulary, arithmetic computation, and science. In the follow- ing grades and subjects the growth within the school year was excellent (well over a year) but was not the highest in the district. In the fourth grade, reading (over two years), vocabulary, and arithmetic computation. In the fifth grade, reading. In the sixth grade, geography. In the seventh grade, vocabulary, spelling, science. In the eighth grade, arithmetic computation, and geography.
GENERAL SCHOOL NOTES
At the high school Mr. Edward S. Morrow has given a wise and modern administration, both as acting prin- cipal in the spring and as full principal in September. He has demonstrated how much profit there is to a school when a principal has devoted time to systematic training in school administration, if his knowledge is applied with human understanding. Mr. Morrow issued a Merrimac High School Guide Book for Students and Parents. His annual report will be found elsewhere in this school report.
The custodian of the high school building beginning in September has been Mr. Arthur R. Clark, who has done an excellent job.
During 1952 considerable was done at the high school. In the basement the boys' toilets were repaired and painted, and four new urinals wer installed. The girls' toilets were also repaired and painted. The floors of the
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history and English rooms were sanded during the sum- mer, and later the refinishing of floors was extended to the downstairs corridor, principal's office, upstairs corri- dor, and small language room. The worn-out desks in the history room were replaced by the best desks from Prospect Street School. New outlets for electric clocks were installed. For the English room modern school furni- ture was added throughout. For the commercial depart- ment three old typewriters were replaced besides three new typewriters which were added. A new mimeograph replaced the worn-out one. The fund for the purchase of an opaque projector was increased by $100 in the spring by a gift from the P. T. A. For Good Government Day, the second Friday in March, the elected representative was George Larkin. On May 14 a proficiency test in type- writing and shorthand was given at the high school by the Massachusetts Employment Division. Merrimac High stood the highest, both in shorthand speed and in type- writing speed and accuracy, of groups tested up to that point. Most of Northern Essex County had already been covered. Particularly creditable performance was by Barbara Dudley. Comparisons were by class medians: On May 14 Mr. Roland Darling of the public relations de- partment at Northeastern University, talked to the girls, then to the boys, on guidance and college entrance. The year had its full round of activities. Besides the senior play, coached by Miss Gullage, and the Glee Club Spring Concert of June 6 for the benefit of the piano fund, and the athletics, school activities included such events as the Junior Prom on May 23, with its Stork Club setting, and a Leap Year Dance on October 10.
The story of the functioning of the elementary school since its opening in September is told in the report of the principal, which is part of this school report. It is fol- lowed by a report of junior high school basketball by Mrs. Wolfe and Mr. Nute. The custodian of the new school has
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been Mr. Kenneth E. Haskell, who has done an excellent job. Beginning in January he will be assisted by Mr. Guy E. Sheldon. On March 27 the school committee, super- intendent, and teachers met at the new building and began the planning of rooms and assignments. Just before the close of school in June, pupils helped teachers with the moving. The boys of grades seven and eight helped to move the books and materials of the lower grades from the Central School. Four boys were assigned to each teacher.
Our excellent school lunch staff is Mrs. Isabel I. Taylor, manager, assisted by Mrs. Margaret S. Martin and Mrs. Amber M. Murdock. Attention is called to Mrs. Taylor's report.
At the year-end Mrs. Ruth N. Parker is starting to assist in the organization of a new school library.
During the spring the Prospect Street School entered the First Annual Track Meet at the County school at Hathorne. Blue ribbons were won by Patricia Sweeney for a fifty-yard dash and by Francis Reilly for softball throw. For these and other events four Merrimac seventh- eighth grade pupils won second place and seven won third place. On June 10 the seventh and eighth grades visited Peabody Museum at Harvard and took in many sights in the afternoon.
Six Merrimac pupils continued violin lessons with Mrs. Margaret Printon through the spring. This school year there are five.
On April 12 there was a scrap drive for added mate- rials for the new school. On May 21 the Merrimac Teachers Association held its annual dinner at the Little Red School House. On May 29 there was a combined Memorial Day celebration at Sargent Hall.
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At the annual meeting of the union school committee on April 29, Mr. Alfred E. Lambert, Jr., was elected chair- man for the district, comprising Merrimac, Newbury, Salis- bury, and West Newbury.
TRANSPORTATION
On the first of October, 245 of the 518 Merrimac public school pupils (47.3% ) were transported regularly by the Massachusetts Northeastern Transportation Com- pany. 114 pupils rode an average of at least one and one-half miles each way each school day. The 245 trans- ported pupils included 47 of the 106 high school pupils and 198 of the 412 elementary pupils. From Birchmeadow there were 59, from Bear Hill 44, from Lake Attitash 60, from Merrimacport 71, and from East Haverhill direction 11.
VOCATIONAL
Many Merrimac citizens of all ages registered for vocational work in Haverhill during 1952. In the fall at the Haverhill Trade School three boys registered for auto repair and one for machine shop. In the spring eight registered at the Haverhill Evening Trade Extension. The courses taken were various: auto repair, carpentry, plumbing, welding, sheet metal, machine shop, and di- versified apprentice work. In the fall at the Haverhill Evening Vocational School eleven registered. The courses taken were: auto repair, welding, machine shop, radio and electronics, upholstery, rug braiding for home use, and slip covers.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Featuring the beginning of the high school calendar in 1952 was the again brilliant showing of the girls and boys basketball teams. Both teams finished with a 7 and 1 record in the league and were crowned champions in their respective divisions. Working as a unit both teams went on to win in the tournament and repeat a feat of dual championship which has only been done once before and proudly enough, that was by Merrimac. The girls were, as usual, well coached by Miss Isabelle Phelan and a well deserved vote of appreciation goes to Mr. William Whiting for taking over in the emergency and guiding the boys to victory in the tournament. This added four more beauti- ful trophies to our collection which now brings it to the amazing total of twenty-five.
Members of the Girls' championship team :
Noreen Quimby
LeAnn Dressler
Ruth Lord
Dorothy Wechezak
Elizabeth Weigel
Olive Watson
Joan Keller
June Hartwell
Natalie Haskell
Virginia Seymour
Bethel Nicol
Beverly Blackden, Mgr.
Patricia Joralmon-Captain
Members of the Boys' championship team:
George Larkin
Robert Kimbrell
Donald Dudley
Joseph St. Jean
David Marshall
David Scott
David Chase
Donald Spofford
Gary Bertram
Bernard Connors
Leonard Tilton
John Beauvais, Mgr.
Harold Ford, Mgr.
Richard Emery-Captain
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SCHOOL REPORT
Under the very able direction of Miss Joan Gullage, of the high school faculty, the Senior Class of 1952 pre- sented the three act mystery-comedy, "Jumping Jewels" at the Grange Hall. A large audience was present to witness the two performances which was a big help finan- cially to the Senior Class for their trip to Washington. Members of the cast included:
George Nicol
David Chase
Patricia Tilton
Patricia Joralmon
Margaret Weigel
George Heald
Barbara Dudley
Margaret Rines
Richard Emery
Thomas Lund
Ann Ferguson
The Federal Milk Program was continued and thus bringing milk to the high school students at a very reason- able cost.
The Seniors went on their class trip during their April vacation and were chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Morrow. Three days were spent in New York visiting the Empire State Building, Radio City, Statue of Liberty, Times Square and other interesting sights of the Big City. The real educational part of the trip was spent in Wash- ington seeing the many historical sights and some of the students were even fortunate enough to have caught a passing glimpse of the President. The trip was conducted by the Green Tours of Lynn.
The spring athletic program consisted of non-league softball play by the girls and coached by Miss Isabelle Phelan. The boys played eight league games and al- though they were not champions of the league they dis- tinguished themselves by defeating the league champions, Georgetown.
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The Glee Club, which has established itself as being one of the finest high school groups of its kind in this section of the state, gave a Spring Concert under the most capable leadership of its fine director, Mrs. Doris Currier. It was presented at Sargent Hall for the benefit of the Piano Fund and considerable donations were raised through a silver collection. Just recently this group was given considerable praise by the officials of Radio Station WHAV for a fine radio recording.
In September a series of new courses were added to the school curriculum to aid students in making better preparation for future adjustment. Through the use of a questionnaire, which was sent to the alumni that contin- ued their education, we were able to obtain their view- points as to how we could further aid students in their preparation for college. It was responsible for the estab- lishment of a college orientation course for which Miss Joan Gullage volunteered her instruction. Miss Gullage also is giving a course in French III which will assure prospective college students of a good background in this language.
Also reintroduced was a course in law and for the first time a course in psychology. The desire for the latter was evident by the need of Seniors to have some back- ground in the problem of adjustment which becomes so necessary in the period following graduation.
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