USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1920 > Part 6
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Courses can be offered in many subjects, if there are twenty or more persons desirous of taking them. At any time the Superintendent stands ready to assist in organiz- ing such classes. Any of the following courses can be given :- Elementary English, English Composition*, Ap- preciation of English Literature*, Commercial Correspon- dence, United States History*, Commercial Spanish, Con- versational Spanish, Sociology*, Conversational French. Freehand Drawing, Practical Applied Mathematics, Prin- ciples of Accounting*, etc.
* The asterisk indicates courses of college grade.
The School Committee has defin- Americanization itely decided to do intensive work in Americanization. This work is financed on a "50-50" basis by the State and Town. The various industries in Palmer are to co-oper- ate. Mr. Hurley has been appointed Director and about twelve teachers are taking the course of instruction out- lined by the State leading to State certification.
Classes will be held in the industries, in the schools. and in outside buildings, as opportunity is offered and good judgment dictates. The work will be graded to suit the needs of the particular classes, from the most elemen- tary on, with especial emphasis upon citizenship.
The aims of this work may be briefly stated as fol- lows :- (1) To make English a common medium of
23
speech. (2) To establish better relationship between all Americans. (3) To preserve the best contributions brought from the Old World and unite them with the best ideals of the New. (4) To prepare aliens for citi- zenship. (5) To make a united people, loyal to America.
The problem is especially acute locally, as this concise statement will prove :- There are three hundred fifty- four (354) towns and cities in Massachusetts, only eighteen (18) of which have a larger percentage of in- habitants who come from non-English-speaking countries than Palmer. Twelve (12) communities only exceed Pal- mer in the percentage of foreign-born who cannot read and write English. In the last State census, these figures for Palmer were obtained :- Population, 9,468; foreign- born from non-English-speaking countries, 2,591; foreign- born who cannot read and write English, 2,017, or 62.3 per cent.
HEALTH WORK
Health work in the Palmer Schools has been done on a larger scale during 1920 than ever before. This start- and it is a start only-should be followed up by the adop- tion of a concrete, definite program of yearly action.
Physical Examinations
This year some seven hundred fifty (750) pupils were examined. The
examination was thoroughly and well done. This number comprises. nevertheless, only one-third of our enrollment. The re-
maining two-thirds need to be examined. The three- thirds need an examination each year. A comprehensive physical card has been adopted and should bear the facts brought out each year by such examination while the child is in school. It is to be most ardently hoped that the good beginning may be but the forerunner of an effective yearly examination.
The best evidence of the need of this work is the re- port of the medical inspection of the Three Rivers school,
the only school that was wholly examined. The defects found were :- Throat-large tonsils, adenoids, defective nasal breathing, mouth breathing, elongated uvula-74; lungs-rales-44; heart-nitro regurgitation, blowing systolic murmur-11; eyes-slight squint, internal squint convergent squint, cataract, poor vision-18; orthopedic -congenital dislocation of hip, double dislocation of hip, tubercular hip, slight scoliosis to left, 5; glands-enlarge- ment of thyroid, cervical, axillary-11; skin-eczema, rash, impetigo-8; mentally deficient-12; undernour- ished-69.
Parents have been notified and a careful follow-up is in operation. As a result, many remediable defects will be rectified and many a child given a better chance in life. Is it not surprising how parsimonious and penurious of- tentimes people-individually and collectively-are in spending money to keep in order the wonderful temple of the soul, fashioned in the image of God-the body? It is a double duty-the individual's and society's.
A school nurse has been added to School Nurse the school department. The nurse has been on duty a short time thus far and it is possible to give a report of her work for the first month only. In view of the fact that she has had to proceed slowly in this work-for Palmer, a new venture- this report shows much work done and much work de- manding attention.
REPORT FOR NOVEMBER
No. School Visits, 19
No. Home Visits, 39
No. Pupils Examined-Class Inspection, 319
Defective Teeth, 22
Enlarged Tonsils, 82
Defective Vision, 9
Defects found,
113
25
No. Pupils Treated for:
Skin Diseases, 21
Pediculosis, 136
Illness and Temperature,
.15
Sore Throat,
7
Dressings,
38
Total, 217
Notices sent to Parents regarding
Teeth and Tonsils, per order
Inspector,
43
The four important things that can be effected by a school nurse are:
(1) Greater personal cleanliness of the most ordinary sort. (There is ever present such common tokens of un- cleanliness as head lice. While these parasites may be- gin life in filthy conditions, they do not stay at home, but are, oftentimes, geat migrators; and rarely, if ever, are they respecters of person. There is always present the child who bathes neither self nor clothing. His neighbor often has no choice of seat and has reason, therefore, to demand pleasant surroundings. A tactful nurse will ac- complish the right thing.)
(2). Better health conditions in a general way, (Many pupils are in need of simple correctives in order that they may enjoy better mental and physical condition. Without a school nurse to follow up these cases, nothing will be done in a great majority of instances. The right kind of medical inspection, followed by the right kind of nurse visitation, will prove effective in seventy-five (75) per cent. of the cases. This is not personal opinion ; it is, rather, the experience of thousands of school systems which have been doing this sort of thing for years.)
(3). Americanization work of the most effective na- ture. (Every parent is interested in his child. Anyone who is interested in the child becomes a friend of the parent. A school nurse who visits homes and shows par- ents that the sole purpose of her visit is to improve the child's condition will be able to get under the hide of
26
the most obstinate and indifferent parent conceivable. When it is borne in mind that there are in Palmer a large number of mothers of foreign extraction who have no con- tact with any people other than those of their own na- tionality, it can be readily seen that the visit of such a person will do much to instruct them in American ways, ideas, and ideals. Were not health work to be considered at all, the possibilities along the line of Americanization would make the employment of such a person well worth while.)
(4). Better attendance on the part of pupils. (A great many cases of irregular attendance are due to health or economic conditions. The school nurse will visit the home of absentees; ascertain the reason for the absence; correct, when possible by suggestion, the cause ; and, when unable to do this, report to the Superintendent so that he can, if necessary, bring compulsion to bear.)
Last spring through financial assis- Home Care tance of the Red Cross, classes in the Of the Sick above were instituted in Palmer and Three Rivers for girls in Grades VI to IX, inclusive. There are, in all, about fifteen (15) classes in operation, with an enrollment of about fifteen (15) girls per class. These classes are keenly enjoyed and do much practical work. The course includes the many things that fall under such classification as :- Care of the sick room ; personal cleanliness ; care of infant; hygiene of clothing ; administering of medicines ; feeding the sick ; simple ailments and remedies ; first aid.
Simple nutrition work ought to be done
Nutrition in all the schools. There are a large numer of undernourished children in the schools. A simple remedy would be the provision of at least a glass of milk once or twice a day. In most cases, the pupils could pay the cost. It is hoped that, before the year expires, a careful investigation can be made along these lines and eventually something done.
27
The provision by the Palmer Branch of the Red Cross of hot lunches at cost at the Palmer Grammar School will prove highly beneficial to the large number of pupils- approximately one hundred (100)-who stay at school during the noon hour. An engine must have proper fuel ; a body, proper food. Unless they do, neither can do its work.
It is hoped that this demonstration by a private or- ganization will be continued as a definite part of the school department.
CONTINUATION SCHOOL
Chapter 311, General Acts of 1919, requires every town or city accepting this act, if within its limits during the last calendar year two hundred (200) or more minors under sixteen (16) years of age were regularly employed, to maintain a Continuation School, the same to commence in September.
During the present calendar year, Palmer had ap- proximately two hundred fifty (250) such minors and must, therefore, begin to operate such a school in Sep- tember, 1921. The expense involved is considerable and is borne on a "50-50" basis by town and State.
This school is for employed minors fourteen (14) to sixteen (16) years of age. While employed, these minors are required to attend this school at least four (4) hours per week. During unemployment, or between employ- ments, these minors are required to attend this school at least twenty (20) hours per week. The continuation school must furnish a means of vocational guidance to the pupils and offer general improvement courses.
In brief, the design of the continuation school is to perform these functions :
1). To afford minors an opportunity to con- tinue their general education and become more intelligent citizens.
.8
2). To help these minors to get the most out of their immediate employment ; to prevent much drifting in industry ; to save time lost through unemployment.
3). To reduce the number of juvenile misfits by helping these minors to make more intelligent choice of occupations, and to advance them from unskilled to skilled trades.
4). To establish co-operative relations between the schools and the employers.
BILLS PAYABLE
A vote at Town Meeting a few years ago requires every department to report bills payable and receivable. This year the School Department has a formidable grist of them to report. They will be found at the end of this report in itemized form.
A study of the comparative costs in 1914 and 1920 in the front part of this report will explain, in a measure, part of the reason for the poor showing made. The un- certainty of prices has been too much for anyone to gauge accurately a year in advance. This is especially true in the prices of books and paper. For example, books cost about one hundred (100) per cent more than formerly. The larger part of this increase has become effective since our budget for 1920 was figured.
There is no desire to offer any alibis, though alibis, ad infinitum and ad nauseam, can be offered. Briefly stated, these facts should be borne in mind :- (1). This is practically the first occurrence in ten (10) years. (2). An unusually large increase in price of school ma- terials has taken place since the estimates for the year of 1920 were made. (3). There was an increased enrollment of one hundred sixty (160) pupils, larger than usual, in- volving a large expense in furniture, books, supplies, and teachers to care for these pupils. Nine (9) additional teachers have been added since October. It is a conserva- tive estimate to say the resultant furniture, supply, and teacher cost amounted to more than $4,000.
29
RECOMMENDATIONS
I make but two recommendations:
1). That a new high school building be erected at once, one ample in size and suited in design for a needed expansion of curriculum and for a wide community use.
2). That the School Committee recommend to the Town that playgrounds be provided, equipped, and supervised in every village in town and that the control of same be placed in the School Department.
CONCLUSION
This report has not dealt with many matters of vital interest at all; with those mentioned, it has dealt but briefly. The reason is the high cost of printing.
Because of this cost, much tabular material in the ap- pendix is omitted. The belief that the public will sup- port, morally and financially, a public school system that is open and above-board, that will "lay its cards on the table" is still strong in the mind of the writer. He has, therefore, continued his policy of giving all information possible in the space allowed, preferring to do this by word and figure rather than by figure only.
In concluding, the Superintendent wishes to express his appreciation of the exceptionally generous, cordial, and latitudinous treatment accorded him by the School Committee; of the co-operation and active support of the teachers; of the fairness and support of the public.
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFTON H. HOBSON, Superintendent of Schools.
Palmer, Mass., December 9, 1920.
Appendix
A. GENERAL STATISTICS I .. . Population
Census of 1920,
9,896
School Population, April 1, 1919, 5 to 16 years of age,
2,509
School Population, April 1, 1920, 5 to 16 years of age,
2,625
II. Pupils
Number of Children in Town, April 1, between:
1918-1919
1919-1920
Ages 5 and 7,
541
572
Ages 7 and 14,
1,559
1,540
Ages 14 and 16,
408
513
2,508
2,625
Aggregate Enrollment, September to June,
2,112
2,261
Average Daily Attendance,
1,779.33
1,981.10
Average Number Belonging,
1,901.16
2,074.46
Per Cent. of Attendance,
93.58
95.41
Average Number of Pupils per Teacher:
In High School,
17.47
20.52
In Other Schools,
36.35
39.37
B. ATTENDANCE STATISTICS Attendance by Schools 1919-1920
Average
Membership
Average
Attendance
Per Cent. of
Attendance
Tardiness
Enrollment
High,
184.69
177.96
96.27
15
212
Palmer Grammar,
620.13
587.22
94.69
119
684
Three Rivers Grammar
507.67
482.49
95.11
41
558
Thorndike Grammar,
316.41
309.11
97.29
34
332
Bondsville Grammar,
323.15
309.18
95.67
21
338
Wire Mill
81.61
77.72
94.06
15
87
Palmer Center,
16.26
15.86
97.52
8
19
Forest Lake,
17.25
14.97
87.7
12
23
Shorley,
7.29
6.59
90.39
7
8
Totals,
2,074.46
1,981.10
95.41
272
2,261
32
C. TABLE OF COST-SEVEN YEARS COMPARED
1915
General Expenses
*1914 $ 2,452.79
$ 2,982.08
Teachers' Salaries
18,869.14
25,293.18
Textbooks, Supplies,
2,212.99
1,971.55
Transportation,
2,294.00
2,635.40
Janitors' Service,
2,067.25
2,517.50
Fuel and Light,
3,205.61
3,680.17
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds,
913.48
1,323.95
Repairs on School Buildings,
1,195.53
505.20
Music, Manual Training and Drawing,
1,849.53
1,895.48
Other Expenses,
894.69
1,098.52
Furniture and Furnishings,
843.18
937.44
Rent,
104.50
22.50
Commercial,
2,603.46
2,840.49
Special Heating,
·
.
·
...
Total,
$39,506.20
$47,694.46
Americanization,
885.73
VacationSchool,
.
.. .
$39,506.20
$48,580.19
Average Membership,
1,584.16
1,671.26
Average Attendance,
1,534.44
1,617.31
Cost per pupil based on aver. memb'ship, exclud- ing Americanization and vacation school,
$24.94
$28.54
Cost per pupil based on aver. memb'ship, includ- ing Americanization and vacation school,
24.94
29.06
Cost per pupil based on aver. exclud-
ing Americanization and vacation school,
25.74
29.49
Cost per pupil based on aver. attendance, includ- ing Americanization and vacation school,
25.74
30.03
·
..
Short fiscal year-ten months only.
33
1920
1916 $ 3,140.73
1917 $ 3,395.49
1918 $ 3,796.43 32,668.48
1919 $ 4,264.67
$ 5,810.64
26,996.07
29,193.71
42,830.68
57,474.37
2,338.14
2,441.52
3,485.86
4,075.97
5,356.89
2,723.68
3,156.00
3,478.46
4,341.01
4,925.60
2,579.01
2,615.50
3,196.00
3,708.08
4,424.34
4,113.00
4,784.96
6,567.72
5,131.47
7,274.27
922.05
1,646.04
2,122.82
2,381.11
2,103.05
1,627.78
982.53
1,551.09
1,574.07
1,352.58
1,971.94
2,230.05
1,500.75
2,163.97
3,532.61
910.16
1,198.37
1,836.25
2,452.72
2,547.73
5,596.73
654.14
474.10
777.19
1,929.80
175.00
810.00
75.00
308.00
3,577.48
3,418.02
3,720.97
4,312.31
5,537.94
791.28
$53,671.77
$55,716.33
$65.208.94
$78,088.25
$103,369.10
1,349.45
788.93
61.75
237.38
94.07
. .
....
. ....
. .. . .
$53,115.29
$56,505.26
$65,270.69
$78,088.25
$103,606.48
1,719.17
1,791.77
1,868.41
1,972.98
2,144.93
1,650.00
1,717.09
1,702.31
1,886.54
2,044.19
$30.06
$31.10
$34.90
$39.58
$48.19
.30.90
31.54
34.93
39.58
48.30
31.31
32.45
38.31
41.39
50.57
32.19
32.01
38.34
41.39
50.68
.
D. TABLE OF COSTS-BY SCHOOLS
High
Thorn- dike
Three Rivers
Bonds- ville
Districts . ....
Office $5,772.35
Total $ 5,810.64
Teachers' Salaries,
8,891.50
14,215.12
8,079.71 610.02
13,322.13 983.37
8,223.78 690.09
183.86
. .
. .
. .
14,424.31
Fuel and Light
1,061.76
1,743.42
17.50 690.89 1,657.24
940.76 1,450.84
1,211.32
149.69
7,274.27
Maintenance of Buildings, Grounds,
409.28
569.61
389.61
327.74
262.82
143.99
2,103.05
Repairs of School Build- ings,
412.78
197,59
162.77
114.51
142.07
257.12
65.74
1,352.58
Music, Manual Training, Drawing,
165.91
978.59
641.64
694.61
672.38
379.48
3,532.61
Other Expenses,
807.57
398.00
315.12
673.43
273.11
80.50
2,547.73
Furniture and Furnish- ings,
58.00
115.80
279.20
848.00
548.55
80.25
1,929.80
Rent,
8.00
Commercial,
5,537.94
Special Heating,
791.28
791.28
Day,
$22,802.81 $22,752.06 $12,848.96 $19,657.92 $12,735.46 $6,653.55 $5,918.34 $103,369.10
41.48
41.46
112.98
41.46
.
·
.
$22,802.81 $22,793.54 $12,890.42 $19.770.90 $12.776.92 $6,653.55 $5,918.34 $103,606.48
Average Membership,
192.99
628.01
324.32
532.78
340.82
126.01
2,144.93
2,144.93
Cost per pupil based on Average Membership,
118.16
36.29
39.75
37.11
37.49
52.80
2.75
48.30
. .
57,474.37
Textbooks, Supplies,
1,438.72
1,450.83
Transportation,
2,231.25
2,095.85
17.50 690.89
563.50
4,925.60
Janitors' Service,
978.76
969.76
153.50
. . . . .
. .
. .
. .
·
... .
.
.
.
5,537.94
Americanization,
237.38
Total,
Palmer 17.49
General Expenses,
$ 10.06 $
$ 5.26 $
2.53
$ 2.95 $
4,742.13
·
34
..
308.00
300.00
5,356.89
35
E. TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR YEAR 1920
Account
Appropria- tion
Bills Paid
Bills Pay-
able
Total
Gen'l Expenses
$ 4,850.00
$ 5,683.43
$ 127.21
$ 5,810.64
Teachers' S'laries, 58,500.00
57,711.75
0.00
57,711.75
Textbooks,
& Supplies,
3,500.00
4,944.37
412.52
5,356.89
Transportation,
5,520.00
4,400.60
525.00
4,925.60
Janitors' Services,
4,450.00
4,424.34
0.00
4,424.34
Fuel & Light,
7,000.00
6,965.27
309.00
7,274.27
Maintenance
of B. & G.,
2,000.00
1.005.87
1,097.18
2,103.05
Rent,
350.00
308.00
0.00
308.00
Repairs,
1,800.00
888.42
464.16
1,352.58
Music, Manual
Training & D.,
2,980.00
3,204.95
327.66
3,532.61
Commercial,
4,820.00
5,449.51
88.43
5,537.94
Furniture &
Furnishings,
800.00
1,929.80
0.00
1,929.80
Other Expenses,
1,530.00
2,391.95
155.78
2,547.73
Special Heating,
2,000.00
791.28
0.00
791.28
$100,100.00
$100,099.54
$3,506.94
$103,606.48
F. BILLS PAYABLE
The following is the list of bills payable, under each account:
General Expenses-New England Tel. & Tel. Co., $49.82; C. B. Thomas, $1.50; John F. Mansfield, $8.50; Walter J. Royce, $8.00; Carter's Ink Co., $2.00; A. S. Barnes Co., $2.79; J. E. Hurley, $9.54; Palmer Journal, $9.00; Clifton H. Hobson, $36.06. Total $127.21
Textbooks & Supplies-Bay State Drug Co., $43.65; Hough- ton Mifflin Co., $9.81; L. E. Knott Apparatus Co., $9.04; J. P. Lynde, $ .60; Mckinley Publishing Co., $6.15; Allyn & Bacon,$30.80; Welsh & Smith, $ .62; Palmer High School Athletic Association, $22.60; Worcester County Gas Co., $2.10; A. N. Palmer Co., $28.00; Ginn & Co., $27.14; Lloyd Adams Noble, $4.10; The Century Co., $1.13; Biological Supply Co., $8.00; Edward E. Babb & Co., $16.20; Ryan & Buker, $22.26; The Macmillan Co., $12.92; Educational Publish- ing Co., $63.99; Johnson's Bookstore, $4.60; American Railway Ex- press Co., $11.25; J. L. Hammett Co., $90.26. Total, $412.52
Transportation-Sppringfield Street Railway Co., $525.00 To tal $525.00.
Fuel & Light-Cutler Grain & Coal Co., $173.59; Central Mass. Electric Co., $105.01; Wenimisset Tribe. No. 122, $3.00; F. J. Hamilton, $27.40. Total, $309.00.
36
Maintenance of Buildings & Grounds-Milton Bradley Co., $68.45; West Disinfecting Co. $115.00; Palmer Trucking Co., $94.36; Palmer Water Co., $319.26; F. B. Daigneau, $76.00; Crowley Bros., $175.40; Longtine & Nagle, $3.57; R. S. Blair, Chief, $1.70; W. E. Stone & Son, $1.96; Frank Lech, $6.00; William Smigler, $15.00; Better Brushes, Inc., $14.54; Michael McKelligett, $6.50; Foley & Doyle, $7.04; United Electric, $166.90; Central Mass. Electric Co., $25.50. Total, $1,097.18.
Repairs-E. S. Brooks, $1.00; R. E. Faulkner, $98.71; Pal- mer Mill, $10.67; United Eletcric Service, $10.45; E. Brown Co., $35.72; G. A. Authier & Son, $264.61; J. W. Brainerd, $43.00. Total $464.16.
Music, Manual Training & Drawing-Milton Bradley Co., $313.22; Oliver Ditson Co., $14.44. Total $327.66.
Other Expenses-Palmer Journal, $31.50; George Ezekiel, $76.28; Roy E. Cummings, $18.00; Register Printing Co., $30.00. Total, $155.78.
Commercial-Remington Typewriter Co., $66.68; P. Durand & Co., $3.75; American Book Co., $15.84; Yawman and Erbe Co., $2.16. Total, $88.43.
Grand Total, $3,506.94.
1
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