USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1942 > Part 4
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A total of 5.35 miles of streets and highways were oiled, using 21,751 gallons of road oil.
The following appointments were made: Ernest E. Hobson, Town Counsel; Harriette Paine, Bookkeeper; Ralph E. Canning, Burial Agent, David L. Bodfish, Supt. of Graves; George S. Gay, Animal Inspector; Jeremiah Lamery, Supt. of Streets; Robert L. McDonald, Clerk of Highway matters; Ananie Brouillette, Forest Fire War- den; Albert A. Boissy, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
1942 has seen the passing of W. P. A. and the ad- vent of Rationing. The Rationing Board, consisting of three members, and appointed by the Selectmen, has the following personnel: Chairman Horace M. Stearns, Den- nis J. Horgan, and Herbert W. Bishop. This Board in turn, appointed twelve men to serve on the various pan- els that handle rationing work. Members of the ration- ing board are sworn federal agents, under oath to the Federal government not to accept salary or remunera- tion in any form for the service they are rendering their community and nation. They are also under oath which
102
forbids them any personal expense account in any form. The people of Palmer should be very grateful to these men for their willingness to serve them in such a dif- ficult and unpleasant task. The Selectmen wish to thank the school department personnel for their services, ren- dered to the rationing work.
The Selectmen also wish to thank publicly, the local draft Board for the service they are contributing to the war effort. They too, are non-paid officials performing a most difficult task.
The deaths of two of our Selectmen in 1942, Charles J. Fountain and Daniel J. Dunn caused a distinct loss to our community. Both were public-spirited and faith- ful Town officials.
The passing of David L. Bodfish during 1942 has left a void in public service that will be hard to fill. His years of fine work as Chairman of the Town Finance Committee, and his unstinted service for many years in cemetery work, will go down in records as one of the outstanding contributions made by one man to his town and fellow-citizens. The Town of Palmer mourns deeply the death of David L. Bodfish and will always honor his memory.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE B. CHENEY DANIEL W. O'CONNOR Board of Selectmen
103
Report of Young Men's Library Association
The Circulation for the year of 1942:
Main Library, Palmer 28,846
Three Rivers Branch Library 9,070
Thorndike Branch Library 3,115
Bondsville Branch Library 9,950
50,981
The foregoing figures show a decrease over the past year in circulation of 4210 which is undoubtedly due to the increase of employment which has taken place in the last year. Many are now working in war plants and over-time or even on two or more jobs, so that they have had less opportunity to read, but during this same period there has been an increase of registered borrow- ers in the Main Library and its Branches of 446, mak- ing a total of 2616 of our people who are making use of the facilities of the Library. The number of books owned by the Library follows:
Adult Fiction
6,118
Adult Non-Fiction
4,539
Reference
695
Juvenile Fiction
1,466
Juvenile Non-Fiction
837
13,655
104
Cash at Library January 1, 1942 Cash receipts at the Library follows : For fines, lost books and miscellaneous receipts
25.47
345.48
370.95
Petty expenses for the year 1942
99.43
Deposited to Treasurer's Account
242.46
341.89
Balance at the Library not paid
Treasurer
29.06
Number of Volumes Repaired in 1942
Number books sewed and rebound 211
Number books having minor repairs 1,802
Total number of books repaired
2,013
Attendance in the Reading Rooms
Adult Reading Room
3,071
Children's Reading Room 1,181
Total 4,252
While there has been a decrease of books in circu- lation, there has been a gratifying increase in the num- ber of those borrowing books from the Library-this increase apparently due to those who are now taking advantage of the non-fiction books covering the different trades and vocations in which our citizens are engaged. These books deal with machines, motors, tools, and ap- pliances used in production, transportation, building, plumbing, home making, the arts, music and a great variety of subjects. Also in conjunction with the School Department, we are endeavoring to supply all reference
105
books needed by the pupils in our schools for their edu- cation.
During the year many hundreds of books were col- lected through the aid of the teachers and pupils in our schools and shipped to the U. S. O. for the soldiers, sailors and others in our armed forces.
It is difficult to estimate our financial necessities for 1943 but believe we shall be able to reduce somewhat the appropriation required from the Town in order to give our citizens the service which is required of a Public Library.
CHARLES L. WAID,
Librarian
YOUNG MEN'S LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Treasurer's Report
Year Ending December 31, 1942
Receipts :
Balance, December 31, 1941 $ .10
Town of Palmer, appropriation
3,500.00
Interest on Investments 1,802.93
Fines, books sold, and miscellaneous 251.55
$5,554.58
Disbursements :
Salaries and Services
$3,252.78
Books and Magazines
1,251.95
Supplies and Equipment
79.99
Light
92.32
106
Telephone
31.60
Fuel
333.46
Repairs
42.98
Insurance Premiums
67.47
Miscellaneous
20.75
Balance, December 31, 1942
381.28
$5,554.58
Respectfully submitted, ALLEN F. DAVIS
Treasurer
The accounts of the Treasurer have been audited and approved by me this 20th day of January, 1943.
FREEMAN A. SMITH,
Auditor
107
Report of Moth Department
Amount Appropriated
Amount Spent to April 30
$
1,000.00
704.00
The Moth Superintendent scouted the various vil- lages during the winter months for egg deposits of the insect.
Balance April 30
$ 296.00
Amount Spent to January 1st
290.00
Balance
$
6.00
On May 1st I was appointed Moth Superintendent. by the Selectmen to fill a vacancy. We sprayed 1,500 trees during the Summer months and took down old cherry and apple trees in the Fall.
W. H. CAMBO
Superintendent
108
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
December 23rd, 1942
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Palmer
Palmer, Mass.
Presents its annual report. This department has adjusted, sealed, not sealed, and condemned the fol- lowing :
SCALES
Adj't
Sealed
N. Sealed
Cond'm'd
Platform, 10,000 lbs. and over
8
8
Platform, 5,001-10,000 lbs.
5
5
Platform, 100-5,000 lbs.
54
62
7 3
Counter, 100 lbs. or over
2
6
Counter, under 100 lbs.
9
49
Beam, 100 lbs. or over
9
10
1
Beam, under 100 lbs.
1
1
Spring, 100 lbs. or over
2
2
Spring, under 100 lbs.
58
58
Computing, under 100 lbs.
31
45
1
Personal Weighing
20
5
Prescription
20
5
-
-
Total
179
270
8
9
109
Weights
SCALES
Adj't
Sealed
N. Sealed Cond'm'd
Avoirdupois
2
417
Apothecary or Troy
55
Metric
57
Total
2
529
Capacity Measures
Adj't
Sealed
N. Sealed
Cond'm'd
Vehicle Tanks
10
10
Liquid, 1 gal. or less
57
Liquid, over 1 gal.
31
Total
10
98
Automatic Measuring Devices
Adj't
Sealed
N. Sealed Cond'm'd
Meters, 1 in. inlet
30
88
Meters, over 1 in. inlet
11
11
Gasoline Measuring Pumps
1
1
Oil Measuring Pumps
11
Kerosene Pumps
22
2
Grease Measuring Devices
27
Quantity Measuring on Pumps
62
Total
42
222
-
Miscellaneous
Adj't
Sealed
N. Sealed
Cond'm'd
Yard Sticks
27
Cloth Measuring Devices
2
Surveyor's Measuring Tape
1
Total
30
110
Trial Weighings and Measurements of Commodities Sold or Put Up for Sale
Number Tested
Correct
Under
Over
Bread
1,035
607
36
392
Butter
1,228
1,131
26
71
Charcoal
120
120
Coal in paper bags
185
103
82
Confectioneries
121
121
Dry Commodities
1,139
1,123
1
15
Flour
155
155
Fruits and Vegetables
135
131
4
Grains and Feeds
111
87
10
14
Hay
3
3
Ice
6
2
4
Lard
518
515
3
Potatoes
415
224
12
179
Meats and Provisions
31
30
1
Total
5,215
4,365
89
761
Inspections
Chemical Thermometers
64
Coal Certificates
13
Ice Scales
8
Junk Scales
12
Peddler's License
19
Peddler's Scales
12
Special Scales
28
Retest Gasoline Pumps and Meters
38
Total
186
Sealing Fees Collected
$ 198.16
Paid to Town Treasurer
198.16
111
Appropriation
$ 660.00
Expenditures
636.83
Balance
$ 23.17
The foregoing comprises my annual report ending December 31st, 1942.
Respectfully yours,
Sealer of Weights and Measures for The Town of Palmer, Mass.
ALBERT A. BOISSY Ruggles Court
Three Rivers, Mass.
112
Auditor's Report
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Town's Infirmary
Receipts
Total Receipts (1942)
$
317.20
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer $ 317.20
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Receipts
Fees Collected $ 198.10
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer $ 198.10
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Dog Licenses
Receipts
Fees Collected 458 @ $2.00 $ 916.00
75 @ $5.00 375.00
146 @ $2.00 292.00
679
$ 1,583.00
113
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer
$
1,447.20
Paid John T. Brown, 679 @ 20c
135.80
$ 1,583.00
TAX COLLECTOR'S REPORT
Account of 1937
Tax title disclaimed $3,333.88
Paid Treasurer
3,333.88
Account of 1938
Outstanding Jan. 1, 1942
$301.68
Tax title disclaimed
3,000.49
Interest
49.13
3,351.30
Paid Treasurer
3,351.30
Account of 1939
Outstanding Jan. 1, 1942
569.37
Tax title disclaimed 2,358.90
Interest
60.34
2,988.61
Paid Treasurer
2,961.81
Outstanding December 31, 1942 26.80
Account of 1940
Outstanding Jan. 1, 1942
7,577.74
Tax title disclaimed 2,411.32
114
Interest and demands 453.02
10,442.08
Paid Treasurer
7,536.26
Abatements
2,502.70
Added to tax titles
75.44
10,114.40
Outstanding December 31, 1942
327.68
Account of 1941
Outstanding Jan. 1, 1942
48,425.66
Additional Assessors' warrants
to be collected
18.30
Tax title disclaimed
2,358.90
Interest and demands
1,134.36
Motor vehicle excise taxes
abated after payment
27.43
51,964.65
Paid Treasurer
45,924.86
Abatements
2,731.43
Added to tax titles
48.60
48,704.89
Outstanding December 31, 1942
3,259.76
Account of 1942
Assessors' warrants to be collected
$288,721.13
Interest and demands
158.43
Motor vehicle excise taxes
abated after payment 209.87
115
Real estate tax abated after payment
144.00
Poll taxes abated after payment
4.00
289,237.43
Paid Treasurer
241,588.02
Abatements
3,467.78
Added to tax titles
12,756.74
257,812.54
Outstanding December 31, 1942
31,424.89
TREASURER'S REPORT
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand January 1, 1942,
$79,663.69
Anticipation of Revenue Loan
$150,000.00
Tax Title Loan (Renewal)
19,917.57
John T. Brown, Tax Collector :
Taxes, 1937
3,333.88
Taxes, 1938
3,302.17
Interest, 1938
49.13
Taxes, 1939
2,901,47
Interest, 1939
60.34
Taxes, 1940
7,083.24
Interest & Demands, 1940
453.02
Taxes, 1941
44,790.50
Interest & Demands, 1941
1,134.36
Taxes, 1942
241,429.59
Interest & Demands, 1942 158.43
Sale of Tax Possessions
1,430.00
Tax Title Redemptions
42,202.83
Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
Taxes, Reimbursements, etc. 168,460.74
116
Highway Fund, Chapter 420,
Acts of 1941 19,296.46
Chapter 90 Contracts :
No. 7937, Palmer-Bondsville Road, (1941) 1,960.97
No. 8039, Maintenance, (1941) 316.03 No. 8493, Maintenance, (1942)
745.64
County of Hampden :
Chapter 90 Contracts :
No. 7937, Palmer-Bondsville
Road, (1941) 980.48
No. 8039, Maintenance, (1941) 316.03
No. 8493, Maintenance, (1942) 745.64
All Other Sources
24,499. 64
$735,568.16
$815.231.85
DISBURSEMENTS
Paid out on Selectmen's Warrants $715,125.57
Balance on hand December 31, 1942 100,106.28
$815,231.85
CEMETERY COMMISSIONER'S ACCOUNTS
Receipts
Appropriation
$
5,000.00
Expenditures
Expenditures as per books
$
4,825.02
Balance on hand 174.98
5,000.00
117
Care of Cemeteries
Receipts
From Perpetual Care Funds $ 1,041.75 180.00
For Soldiers' Graves
Other Sources
1,511.98
2,733.73 $
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer $ 2,733.73
Perpetual Care Funds
Balance, December 31, 1941 $ 39,599.61
Receipts
New funds received during year $ 1,516.15 992.95
Interest for 1942
Total Receipts
$ 2,509.10
$ 42,108.71
Expenditures
Care of Lots for 1942
$ 1,041.75
Balance December 31, 1942
$ 41,066.96
(Principal of the Funds is $39,254.98)
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN H. McKELLIGOTT
GARTON J. QUIMBY C. KENNETH SANDERSON
Auditors
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN of PALMER
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 1942
121
School Committee 1942-1943
JOSEPH A. FUREY, Chairman
CLIFTON H. HOBSON, Secretary
FLORENCE CALLAHAN
Term expires 1943
DR. CHARLES GIROUX Term expires 1944
JOSEPH A. FUREY Term expires 1944
DR. WILLARD E. SEDGWICK Term expires 1945
RICHARD T. SANTUCCI* Term expires 1945
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 8.p. m. on the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
All bills must be in the hands of the Superintendent on the Monday before the above date.
Superintendent of Schools, Clifton H. Hobson.
Office Hours : 8 a. m. to 12 m .; 1 to 5 p. m.
* In the Armed Forces, U. S. A.
122
CALENDAR
-
Winter Term:
Begins January 4, 1943; ends February 26, 1943
Spring Term:
Begins March 8, 1943; ends April 30, 1943
Summer Term:
Grades
Begins May 10, 1943; ends June 18, 1943
High
Begins May 10, 1943; ends June 30, 1943
Fall Term :
Begins September 7, 1943; ends December 23, 1943
Winter Term:
Begins January 3, 1944; ends February 25, 1944
Spring Term :
Begins March 6, 1944; ends April 28, 1944
Summer Term:
Grades
Begins May 8, 1944; ends June 16, 1944 High
Begins May 8, 1944; ends June 30, 1944
123
VACATIONS
Winter :
February 27, 1943, to March 7, 1943
Spring :
May 1, 1943, to May 9, 1943
Summer:
Grades
June 19, 1943, to September 6, 1943
High
July 1, 1943, to September 6, 1943
Fall :
December 24, 1943, to January 3, 1944
Winter :
February 26, 1944, to March 5, 1944
Spring :
April 29, 1944, to May 7, 1944
Summer :
Grades June 17, 1944, to September 3, 1944
High
July 1, 1944, to September 5, 1944
124
REQUESTED APPROPRIATIONS-1943
1. General Expenses :
Salaries
$7,075.00
Other General Expenses
625.00 $ 7,700.00
2. Teachers' Salaries: High
34,172.00
Elementary
47,218.20
Substituting
500.00
81,890.20
3. Textbooks and Supplies :
5,000.00
5,000.00
4. Transportation :
Public
8,950.00
Other
50.00
Private School
500.00
9,500.00
5. Janitors' Salaries
10,175.00
10,175.00
6. Fuel, Light and Power:
Coal
5,650.00
Wood
50.00
Light and Power
1,650.00
7,350.00
7. Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds
1,850.00
1,850.00
8. Repairs
2,000.00
2,000.00
9. Music, Manual Training and Drawing:
Salaries
3,200.00
Supplies
320.00
3,520.00
125
10. Commercial :
Salaries
Supplies
7,350.00 970.00
8,320.00
11. Furniture and Furnishings
300.00
300.00
12. Other Expenses :
Salaries
2,500.00
Other
2,469.85
4,969.85
13. Vocational :
Salaries
2,000.00
Other
1,100.00
3,100.00
SUMMARY
General Expenses
$ 7,700.00
Teachers' Salaries
81,890.20
Textbooks and Supplies
5,000.00
Transportation
9,500.00
Janitors' Salaries
10,175.00
Fuel, Light and Power
7,350.00
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds
1,850.00
Repairs
2,000.00
Music, Manual Training
and Drawing
3,520.00
Commercial
8,320.00
Furniture and Furnishings
300.00
126
Other Expenses Vocational
4,969.85
3,100.00
$145,675.05
Less Vocational
3,100.00
$142,575.05
Plus "Bonus"
6,200.00
$148,775.05
COMPARISON
Request-1942
$146,575.05
Request-1943
148,775.05
Increase
$ 2,200.00
Estimated Receipts and Reimbursements
General School Fund
$11,500.00
State-Aided Vocational
1,100.00
State Wards
4,800.00
Other Tuition
1,200.00
Other Receipts
400.00
$19,000.00
Requested Appropriation
$149,462.83
Less Receipts and Re-imbursements 19,000.00
To be Raised by Direct Taxation (This Year)
$130,462.83
Raised by Direct Taxation (Last Year) $124,575.05
127
SEPARATE APPROPRIATION REQUESTED
The School Committee is required by State Law to do, under certain conditions, two additional things. These do not enter directly into the operation of the local day schools and, therefore, are, and should be, kept separate from the regular budget.
They are: (1) State Trade School Tuition and
(2) Adult Alien Education
The Committee has no option in providing for both of these activities; they are mandatory.
Any person fourteen years or older can attend Trade School. The only limitation is the capacity of the school to accommodate.
A petition, signed by twenty or more desiring edu- cation for citizenship, makes necessary the operation of Adult Alien Education Classes. Such a petition, bearing 121 signatures, was filed and pupils are enrolled.
These additional appropriations, separate and apart from the regular school budget, are requested :
Adult Alien Education $2,000.00
Trade School Tuition 2,000.00
Total
$4,000.00
Fifty per cent. is re-imbursed by the State, as follows :
Adult Alien Education $1,000.00
Trade School Tuition 1,000.00
Total
$2,000.00
128
This is the actual picture:
Appropriation Requested $4,000.00
Re-imbursements 2,000.00
Net Direct Cost to Town $2,000.00
The additional request is $4,000.00
TOTAL REQUESTS
In order that there may be no misunderstanding and that the budget requests may be easily visualized, both as to their total and the actual amount to be raised by direct taxation, this tabulation is given:
APPROPRIATIONS:
Regular School Appropriation
$148,775.00
Additional Request
Adult Alien Education
$2,000.00
Trade School
2,000.00
4,000.00
Total
$152,775.00
Re-Imbursements:
Regular School Activities
$19,000.00
Adult Alien Education
1,000.00
State Trade School Tuition
1,000.00
Total
$21,000.00
Appropriations
$152,775.00
Re-imbursements
21,000.00
Net Amount to be Raised by Direct Taxation
$131,775.00
COMPARISON
Increase
1943
1942
or
Requested
Requested
Decrease
General Expenses
$7,700.00
$ 7,470.00
$ 230.00
Teachers' Salaries
81,890.20
85,562.40
-3,672.20
Textbooks and Supplies
5,000.00
5,000.00
0.00
Transportation
9,500.00
9,700.00
-200.00
Janitors' Salaries
10,175.00
10,175.00
0.00
Fuel, Light and Power
7,500.00
7,485.00
15.00
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds
1,850.00
1,850.00
0.00
Repairs
2,000.00
1,400.00
600.00
Music, Manual Training and Drawing
3,520.00
3,520.00
0.00
Commercial
8,320.00
8,470.00
-150.00
129
Furniture and Furnishings Other Expenses Vocational
300.00
300.00
0.00
5,507.63
5,642.65
-135.02
3,100.00
3,100.00
0.00
$146,362.83 $149,675.05
-$3,312.22
Less Vocational
3,100.00
3,100.00
0.00
$143,262.83 $146,575.05
-$3,312.22
Plus "Bonus"
6,200.00
0.00
6,200.00
$149,462.83 $146,575.05
$2,887.78
130
Amounts Less Re-Imbursements :
Appropriation Less Re-imbursements (State)
1943 $149,462.83 17,400.00
1942 $146,575.05 20,400.00
$132,062.83
$126,175.05
Less Tuition
1,200.00
1,200.00
$130,862.83
$124,975.05
Less Other Receipts
400.00
400.00
$130,462.83
$124,575.05
The re-imbursements are estimated as follows: - General School Fund, $11,500; State-Aided Vocational, $1,100.00; State Wards, $4,800.00; Other Tuition, $1,200.00; Other Receipts, $400.00; Total, $19,000.00.
The estimated re-imbursements are $3,000.00 less than last year. The reason is $3,000.CO less under "General School Fund," because of fewer teachers and loss of supplemental re-imbursement.
131
STATEMENT FOR YEAR 1942
Appropriation
Expended
Balance
General Expenses
Salaries
$ 6,843.00
$: 6,965.76
$-122.76
Telephones
400.00
388.32
11.68
Supplies-Printing-Postage
152.00
109.50
42.50
Travel
75.00
44.00
31.00
Teachers' Salaries
85,488.00
86,129.97
-641.97
Textbooks and Supplies
5,000.00
5,073.04
-73.04
Transportation
Bradlenski
8,950.00
8,950.00
0.00
Other
150.00
25.20
124.80
Private
600.00
413.71
186.29
Janitors Salaries
10,175.00
10,411.11
-236.11
Fuel
Coal
5,635.00
5,650.63
-15.63
Wood
50.00
6.00
44.00
Light and Power
1,800.00
1,513.76
286.24
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds Water
350.00
313.14
36.86
Janitors Supplies
700.00
959.50
-259.50
132
Other Repairs
800.00
1,086.91
-286.91
1,400.00
1,855.19
-455.19
Music, Manual Training and Drawing
Salaries
3,200.00
3,241.75
-41.75
Supplies
320.00
397.58
-77.58
Commercial
Salaries
7,320.00
7,407.50
-87.50
Supplies
1,150.00
800.69
349.31
Furniture and Furnishings
300.00
75.65
224.35
Other Expenses
Insurance
1,292.00
1,261.19
30.81
Printing
200.00
166.95
33.05
Graduation Exercises
100.00
66.35
33.65
Diplomas
150.00
134.65
15.35
Medical Inspection
2,500.00
2,437.00
63.00
Tuition
200.00
102.30
97.70
All Other Expenses
1,200.00
1,404.55
-204.55
Adult Alien Education
2,200.00
1,919.05
280.95
Trade School Tuition
3,000.00
1,906.88
1,093.12
$151,700.00
$151,217.83
$482.17
133
134
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of the Town of Palmer:
I herewith present my thirty-second report as Su- perintendent of Schools in Palmer. This is the fiftieth in the series of reports issued by the superintendents of the Town.
ATTENDANCE
The attendance statistics for the school year of 1941- 1942 were as follows :- Enrollment, 1,501; Average Membership, 1,374.04; Average Attendance, 1,308.13; Per Cent of Attendance, 95.20; Tardiness, 292.
The percentage of attendance-95.20-was high. During the past thirty-one years, it has always been high, averaging better than 96.25%.
Such a high average of percentage of attendance is indicative of several things - smoothly running school system, good discipline, good spirit, good co-operation, good results.
EDUCATION'S CONTRIBUTIONS
It is almost a trite saying that the schools are the first line of defense. This has been iterated and re- iterated many times-not by schoolmen, but by states- men.
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America is the America she is because of her school system. The wisdom of our early statesmen dictated that America - to be a successful democracy - must have a wide diffusion of education. Not only the leaders, but the followers as well must be educated. This could be accomplished only by freedom of education. No coun- try in the world's entire history has ever offered such widespread opportunity of education. No country has ever made such a rapid progress in such a short period of time-only four hundred fifty years from discovery by Columbus ; only some three hundred thirty years from time of the first permanent settlement; only some one hundred fifty years from the establishment of the United States of America. The United States is a babe-in-arms among the nations of the world, and yet look at her!
Education has not done all of it-by no means. It has, nevertheless furnished the foundation upon which to rear such a superstructure-a superstructure builded upon good intelligence, sound judgment, strong moral sense, intelligent patriotism, broad vision, high ideals, broad charity, universal justice, and human brother- hood.
If such attributes of the nation are not the product of the American type of education, where, pray, did they come from?
Education in our country is such a common posses- sion that it is not appreciated. People cannot conceive of themselves as being otherwise. If you want a true appraisal of its value, ask those who have not had it.
If you want to know why the Nazis are Nazis, the Facists are Facists, the Japs are Japs, just study the type of education given them and you have the answer. You will discover the most outstanding examples of the
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power of education-rather, mis-education. The results obtained depend entirely upon the type-good or bad- of education given.
Many solutions for the successful peace to follow this war are being offered. Here is one-humble though the offerer. Place those countries under intelligent out- side control for three or four generations; establish a type of education such as ours, with necessary modifi- cations to suit certain differences, during this control. Thus will be uprooted race-superiority, love of war, bru- tality, goose-stepping, etc. It will take several genera- tions to undo the old false educational teachings and sup- plant them with the new.
This may seem to be a world treatise' and not a local school report. It would be, were it not for the fact that nothing can be written that will bring home to all of us the great contribution that American education has been, and is, making to this country of ours-and to the world itself.
LOCAL WAR PARTICIPATION
The local schools have been active in their war par- ticipation.
The teachers have made excellent contributions. They have handled all the registrations for the local Selective Service Board, except the present teen-age reg- istration. It could not have been done as efficiently by any other group.
They have taken care of registrations for sugar, gas, and oil. Again, they did these jobs as no one else could.
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Throughout the country, the teachers were selected to do this, because, in the words of those directing this on a nation-wide and state-wide basis, they were the only group who had the organization and ability to do such a tremendous job.
They did it, and did it gladly, because, in so doing, they knew they were doing a patriotic job-and if any group, as a whole, is patriotic, it is the teaching profes- sion.
Teachers, often, seemed to be unappreciated. They are, often, thought to be theorists. They are, in fact, realists. They must be, for daily they are confronted with real life-situations and real people. They must understand the theory underlying their work, as must all professional people-clergy, doctors, lawyers, archi- tects, psychiatrists, etc.
It is hoped that this effort will be conducive to a better appreciation by the public of the teachers.
The time lost is negligible in the view of the war emergency. Everything is "taking a licking"; why not the schools ?
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