USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1959 > Part 8
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41
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
As we look back over the past year, we see evidences of change in growth in our school.
CURRICULUM. Curriculum changes have been few al- though they have been significant. Group guidance courses in the high school were curtailed to two periods a week rather than three. Personal typing was made a half-year course and because of this, many more students are taking advantage of this service. Reading has also been made a half-year course and thus, we were able to reach more students in the school year than previously has been the case. General mathematics II has been dropped from the curriculum and we are in the process of revising our thinking not only in the mathematics area, but in all areas.
The curriculum is not a static process. It is in con- tinual change and revision to meet the needs of our students. There are other changes in the curriculum which have taken place; for instance, a group of freshmen have begun the study of biology. As they follow through with this science curriculum, they will have had biology, chem- istry, physics and an advanced science in the senior year. This is our goal for those talented students in all areas, not just science.
This year we have begun the teaching of conversa- tional French on a limited scale in the junior high school. Naturally, this has been controlled as to time and fre- quency because of the fact that the instructor has approx- imately a full load in the high school as well.
Our policy of tailoring the programs of youngsters to fit their needs with regard to the curriculum has been an asset to these students. We feel they are getting a broader education and they are also getting depth in areas which are important in our world today.
42
ANNUAL REPORT
Our holding power, as shown by a drop-out study this fall for the first year, has been most excellent. This would tend to confirm our belief that a comprehensive type high school can do much to provide the type of education necessary for most students. The fact that most students are continuing their education here lends some evidence to this belief.
SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS. We have found over this year that the communities have made greater use of the school facilities. Indications would seem to bear out that they are taking even more advantage of this opportunity to use the facilities here at school. We en- courage this because we feel this provides a fine cultural, educational and recreational center for the three com- munities.
This fall for the first time, we offered adult education courses. Five classes are now in operation for the first semester. We anticipate this program will continue and grow in the future ; furthermore, for the first time, we plan to offer summer school for those who need extra help or who need to make up credits, as well as, we hope, for those who wish to forge ahead in any area.
MORALE. The tone and morale of the school has greatly improved over the previous year. Time has done much to improve the relationships of the students with themselves and with other groups and with the faculty. It has also helped to bring the school and its faculty into a better understanding with the citizens of the various communities.
Students have become identified on a larger scale with many of the activities here at school. Football this fall aided in welding the students together as a loyal group of school supporters. Basketball, dramatics, yearbook, news- paper, other clubs and activities in all areas and other athletics will do much to continue this trend.
43
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
It is also our hope that the newly organized Booster's Club will be able to assist in helping to solicit support of our citizenry for the school. The P.T.A. has already done a great deal in this area and we feel, in due process, that this fine work will continue.
GENERAL ITEMS. Next year this school will be at its capacity. We anticipate 800 students. This will mean that every available space will be used. At the present time, we are using the cafeteria for study halls and we are mak- ing very efficient use of all our classrooms and of our staff. It is worthy of note that with the anticipated growth, changes may come in our educational process. By the very fact of size and space available, it may be necessary in the very near future to curtail some offerings. Furthermore, it may be necessary to make some serious changes in our curriculum in the future. Because we are dedicated to providing the best education possible for our students, we must have the space, the time and the staff in order to fulfill our obligations.
TRANSPORTATION. The transportation system is not in a position to perform the function that we should like to have at the present time. Activities that are scheduled for after school, such as athletics, clubs and various other things, are not as widely participated in as we should like or as students would like because of the fact that there is inadequate transportation for students who remain for after school activities. The amendment to the agreement with regard to transportation would have done much to solve this problem had it been accepted by all three towns. Also, in the process it would have saved money. Under the present set-up however, students from two of the towns if they stay for extra help, work or activities are penalized because one bus is used which delivers to one town first then back to school then to the other towns. Furthermore,
44
SCHOOL REPORT
it deposits students in the center of the towns, thus leaving in many cases, students far from their homes. In winter months and in bad weather, this is definitely a disadvan- tage and a very discouraging element with regard to par- ticipation in after school activities.
In summary, it is our feeling that the school is fulfil- ling its function in a fine manner under the present cir- cumstances. Time, understanding and cooperation on the part of our citizens will do much more than any other single item to keep the school in operation and performing its function of educating our students at the highest level possible.
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL H. FARRIS, Principal
GUIDANCE REPORT
Educational and vocational guidance starts in the seventh grade and is continued for the six years that a student spends in the secondary school. Guidance includes testing of the student's abilities, aptitudes, interests and personality traits; re-evaluating each year, the student's academic program; programming for his educational, vo- cational and personality needs; conferring with parents about the student's problems and his educational and vocational plans. The end product of this guidance pro- gram is the placement of the student in a school of higher learning or a job in which he will be "occupationally" happy and successful.
45
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
Educational Placement
The placement of seniors in various colleges is only one of the many phases included in the total guidance program. However, this particular phase deserves special attention because of the tremendous increase in the number of applicants for college.
The graduating class of 1960 has approximately three times as many college applicants as the graduating class of 1959 had. Because of the increased demand for a college education, each candidate must submit a formal application to two or three colleges to insure placement next fall.
The college admissions officers look for students who are strong in the following areas:
1. High school achievement
2. College Board scores
3. High school recommendation
Colleges vary so much in the types of education they offer, the kinds of students they seek, and the way they conduct their admission programs, that college placement today is a highly technical process. The Guidance Depart- ment must find the college offering the kind of education the student wants and make a reasonably accurate esti- mate of the student's ability to enter and remain in that college.
Another important phase of college placement is find- ing financial aid. Each year more and more young men and women receive some financial support other than that provided by their families. This aid may come from the college itself or from one of the many philanthropic groups that foster higher education for academically talented but needy students. The financial assistance may take the form
46
SCHOOL REPORT
of outright money grants, free tuition and room, a guaran- teed campus or part-time job, or a long-term loan at little or no interest.
There seems to be a definite trend toward the long- time loan program. The most important long-term loans are those offered by the National Defense Act of 1958. Under this act, colleges offer loans to full-time students. The amount of the loan may not exceed $1,000, in any one year or total more than $5,000. The student pays an interest rate of three per cent, which begins one year after he completes school and extends over a ten-year period. Students who become public school elementary or secon- dary school teachers may have as much as half of their loan cancelled.
Full information concerning the scholarship and loan program can be obtained from the Guidance Office.
Vocational Placement
Many schools do an excellent job with the educational placement of the student, but very little with the vocational placement of the graduate. Some authorities believe that a school system should not attempt to place its students in jobs but leave that to the State Employment Agency.
Their arguments are as follows:
1. The State Employment Service is set up uniquely to do placement. Its trained staff has closer contact with employers and can provide a greater number of jobs.
2. The State Employment Service is the agency where youths may go for assistance in finding new jobs after initial employment.
47
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
Some authorities present arguments for placement by schools as follows:
1. The school is responsible for individual develop- ment in all respects. Vocational adjustment is one of these responsibilities and is met by the public school through its vocational guidance service.
2. The placement of a student should be made in the light of previous experiences and other data on his demonstrated capacities.
Our policy is to work in close conjuction with the U. S. Employment Agency in Haverhill. They administer the General Aptitude Test Battery to all seniors and to prospective drop-outs in the lower secondary grades. A representative from the U. S. Employment Service inter- prets the results of each testing and this information is entered in the student's cumulative folder. These test results and recommendations by the representative from the Employment Agency are discussed with the student during one of the scheduled student interviews.
Many times a business organization will call for infor- mation on a former student. It is possible to give an; accurate verbal recommendation immediately and to fol- low up with a more thorough written recommendation. These written recommendations put a heavy burden on the secretarial help, but the business organizations appreciate these detailed reports. These reports help to place the employee properly.
Our students need help in planning their entire occu- pational life. The continued coordination of the public Employment Service and the school placement service will insure a good placement program for its students.
Respectfully submitted, ROBERT J. COLLIER
48
SCHOOL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL NURSE
I hereby submit my first annual report for the year January, 1959 to December, 1959.
The teaching of good health habits and personal hygiene, as well as good mental health, is one of the most important phases of the school nurse duties. The oppor- tunities for this health teaching are unlimited in a school situation, because children seek out the answers to their health problems and are sincerely interested in the infor- mation and advice that the school nurse can give them. It would be impossible to keep an account of these occa- sions for health teaching so let us say that it is a daily function of the Health Office, along with the other activi- ties listed below.
Individual health consultations.
Classroom instruction in nutrition, disease, and personal well being.
Nurse-Teacher conferences
First Aid and Illness
1,608
Dismissals and Exclusions
123
Home Visits
27
Physical Examinations Grades 7, 10 by
School Physician 225
Physical Examinations Grades 7, 10 by Family Physician
18
Pre-Athletic Examinations Grades 8, 9, 11, 12
430
Massachusetts Hearing Tests
655
Initial failures requiring Re-tests
90
Final failures
21
Under treatment
11
Massachusetts Vision Tests
655
Re-tests
68
Failures
54
Under treatment 28
49
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
655
Heights and Weights Individual inspections 340
Next year, Dr. Douglas V. Crook, School Physician, plans to begin yearly Tuberculin Testing program. Stu- dents in Grades 7 and 11 will be given the Vollmer Patch Test each year. In this way, we will be able to detect any student who may have been exposed to tuberculosis since entering the school and again before he leaves.
Respectfully submitted,
MARIE T. BLAISDELL, R. N.
PENTUCKET REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TREASURER'S REPORT RECONCILIATION OF CASH
Cash Balance January 1, 1959
$196,938.98
Receipts
Assessments to the Towns $333,160.33
Comm. of Mass. Reimbursements
61,612.50
U. S. Government Grants 5,955.25
Interest Income U. S. Treasury Bills
488.50
Payroll Deductions
47,901.53
School Lunch Program Fund
35,577.65
Athletic Program Fund
1,130.21
Tuition
2,399.08
Rent
213.00
Miscellaneous Revenues
897.62
Refunds
603.91
Reimbursements
30.00
$489,969.58
$686,907.56
50
SCHOOL REPORT
Expenditures
Operating and Maintenance Construction
$290,003.88
19,286.20
Amortization - Debt & Interest
169,785.00
Payroll Deduction Payments
47,872.54
School Lunch Program Fund 36,063.19
Athletic Program Fund
1,013.73
-
$564,024.54
Cash Balance December 31, 1959
$122,884.02
Receipts
Town Assessments:
Groveland
$112,947.41
Merrimac
129,885.27
West Newbury
90,327.65
$333,160.33
Comm. of Mass. Reimbursements:
Construction Costs
$ 60,612.50
Transportation
1,000.00
$ 61,612.50
U. S. Government Grants:
Public Law No. 874
Public Law No. 85-864
$
5,758.00
197.25
$ 5,955.25
Income on U. S. Treasury Bills $ 488.50
51
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
Payroll Deductions :
Federal Withholding Tax
$ 30,457.36
Mass. Withholding Tax
1,919.87
Teachers Retirement Fund
10,053.11
Essex County Retirement Fund 2,058.44
Blue Cross - Blue Shield
3,412.75
$ 47,901.53
School Lunch Program Fund:
Sale of Food
$ 27,331.83
U. S. D. A. Reimbursements
8,117.62
Other
128.20
$ 35,577.65
Athletic Program Fund: Sale of Tickets
1,130.21
Tuition Payments
2,399.08
Rental of Cafeteria, Auditorium & Gym
213.00
Miscellaneous Revenues:
Industrial Art Student Fees $ 730.68
Commission on Pay Phone
21.87
Locker Key Receipts
44.50
Vending Machine Receipts
86.00
Sale of Textbooks
7.78
Receipts from Guidance Luncheon
6.79
$ 897.62
Refunds:
Tax refund on Bus Transportation $ 4.10
Insurance - Construction 401.44
188.37
Student refund N. E. Dist. Concert 6.00
Overpayment of Magazine Subscrip.
4.00
Insurance - Work Compensation
$ 603.91
52
SCHOOL REPORT
Reimbursements :
Damage to Library Table $ 10.00
Damage to Curtains
20.00
Total Receipts for Year Ended
December 31, 1959 $489,969.58
Expenditures
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION GENERAL CONTROL:
School Committee Expense $ 331.34
Superintendent's Salary
4,871.59
Treasurer's Salary
700.00
Treasurer's Expense
59.60
Accountant's Salary
600.00
Accountant's Expense
24.65
Secretarial Services
3,015.34
Supervisor of Attendance
250.00
Postage, Office Supplies, Printing
620.28
Telephone 188.36
Travel (incl. out-of-state)
188.52
Treasurer's Bond
167.60
Legal Fees
100.00
Other Expenses
27.01
$ 11,144.29
INSTRUCTIONAL:
Administrators Salaries $ 14,447.35
Administrative & Instructional Travel 602.63 171,176.83
Teachers
$ 30.00
53
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
Substitutes
756.00
In-Service Education
33.65
Associations Memberships
78.25
Clerical
4,821.71
Postage, Forms, Printing and Supplies
2,189.85
Textbooks
5,928.06
General Supplies
6,573.54
Homemaking Supplies
670.49
Science Supplies
748.91
Guidance Supplies
1,238.33
Physical Education Supplies
183.36
Industrial Arts Supplies
4,726.87
Driver Education Supplies
320.41
Audio-Visual Aids Supplies
1,274.49
Art Supplies
1,270.08
Music Supplies
396.49
$217,437.30
OPERATIONAL:
Janitorial Salaries
$ 18,569.36
Telephone Service
1,191.05
Janitorial Supplies
2,369.98
Fuel
6,673.12
Water
211.70
Insurance, Workmen's Compen.
777.33
Building Insurance
2,204.40
Electricity
7,545.64
Gas
578.17
$ 40,120.75
54
SCHOOL REPORT
MAINTENANCE:
Upkeep of Grounds
$ 986.05
Lawn Mowing
1,083.23
Snow Removal
394.00
Upkeep of Track
189.00
Other (Unclassified)
630.27
3,282.55 $
AUXILIARY AGENCIES:
Library
$ 1,087.15
Extra Trans. (late buses)
1,447.10
School Physician
1,000.00
School Nurse
2,474.12
Travel, Nurse
58.40
Health Supplies
279.52
6,346.29 $
NON-CLASSIFIED (Miscellaneous)
Athletics
$ 8,523.27
Essex County Retirement
3,149.43
$ 11,672.70
CONSTRUCTION:
General Contractor
$ 4,649.98
Equipment
6,951.78
Site Development
6,660.75
Other Costs
1,032.69
$ 19,286.20
55
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
AMORTIZATION :
Payment of Principal $100,000.00
Payment of Interest on Bonds 69,785.00
$169,785.00
PAYROLL DEDUCTION PAYMENTS:
Federal Withholding Tax $ 30,457.36
Mass. Withholding Tax 1,890.88
Teachers' Retirement Fund 10,053.11
Essex County Retirement Fund 2,058.44
Blue Cross - Blue Shield
3,412.75
$ 47,872.54
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM FUND:
Salaries
Food
Other
$ 11,944.62 23,417.45 701.12
$ 36,063.19
ATHLETIC PROGRAM FUND:
Referees, Police, Custodians $ 752.00
Transportation 174.50
Other
87.23
1,013.73 $
Total Expenditures for Year Ended December 31, 1959 $564,024.54
BALANCE SHEET, DECEMBER 31, 1959
GENERAL ACCOUNTS
Assets
Liabilities
Cash :
General
$122,884.02
Revolving Funds: School Construction
$ 8,392.46
School Lunch Program Fund 579.14
School Athletic Program Fund 192.82
Reserve for Petty Cash Advances
50.00
Federal Grant PL 874
5,758.00
Surplus Revenue
107,961.60
Total Assets
$122,934.02
Total Liabilities
$122,934.02
DEBT ACCOUNTS
School Construction Loans: October 1, 1955
$ 64,000.00
January 15, 1957
900,000.00
December 1, 1957
785,000.00
Net Funded or Fixed Debt
$1,749,000.00
$1,749,000.00
$1,749,000.00 SIDNEY A. O'NEILL, Treasurer
SCHOOL
REPORT
56
Petty Cash : Principal of School
50.00
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Appropriations Made 1959
15
Fire Alarm
9
In Memoriam
133
Jury List
11
Town Officers
3
Town Warrant
124
Reports of-
Assessors
23
Board of Public Welfare
40
Cemetery Trustees
29
Civil Defense Agency
49
Dog Officer
28
Fire Engineers
23
Inspector of Wires
26
Inspector of Milk, Animals and Slaughtering
34
Municipal Light Board
36
Playground Commissioners
27
Police Department
19
Public Health Nurse
32
Public Library
33
School Committee
135
Sealer of Weights and Measures
31
Selectmen
14
State Auditor
112
Tax Collector
108
Town Accountant
54
Town Clerk
30
Town Forest Committee
22
Town Treasurer
26
Trustees of Kimball Park
36
Veteran's Services
39
Water Commissioners
52
Vote for Town Officers
121
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