USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1951-1955 > Part 25
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Your School Committee has enjoyed its work during the past year. We feel we have made real headway in solving many of the problems that have confronted us, and we hope you will agree that the education we are providing your youngsters is constantly improving. We should like to "highlight," below, some of the important matters that have received our attention during the year 1953.
First of all we should like to report that problems of morale have been under constant study, and we are extremely pleased with the progress shown to date. It should be pointed out that the maintenance of high morale amongst several hundred teachers and pupils is a continuous problem, rather than a single problem to be solved by a single solution. Perfection is never reached. We shall continue our efforts towards that goal, however.
The overall problem of adequate school housing and equipment and its auxiliary problems of maintenance and repair take much of our time. Your committee maintains that a good maintenance program, planned at budget time, reduces the need for unscheduled and costly repairs. 1953 saw the need for many repairs to both our buildings and the 1954 budget includes amounts for considerable more repair work.
Duxbury should take pride in the fact that none of its
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children are housed in buildings over twenty-five years old. It should express generous thanks to the many committees who have worked so hard on our building problems. We are most appreciative of the efforts of this year's Building Committee and the Stage Committee. They have been most considerate in providing complete liason with us so that we could work with them towards common goals. While it is perfectly obvious that build- ings and equipment do not, in themselves, guarantee or even provide good education, it is equally obvious that given identical teachers, pupils and programs, a better job may be done in good, efficient, attractive surround- ings than can be done otherwise. It is our hope that you will approve our plans to refinish all the remaining "old rooms" in the High School during the next two year period. Accomplishment of this purpose will mean that every Duxbury youngster is being taught in a classroom built or modernized during the previous six year period. In addition, it will be possible to plan a continuous, long range maintenance program from that point on that is free of the occasional heavy expenses in this area, since so much will be planned for each year on a long range basis.
Naturally, the educational program itself has been of primary concern to your committee. Here we rely heavily upon the advice of our Superintendent. He is a professional educator, and was selected largely for this purpose. As he presents his many suggestions, propos- als, and plans on educational matters, we ask the ques- tions that you would ask. We apply the tests to each proposal that you would apply. In the final analysis, we try to determine the desirability of the end-result, and to compare this with the costs involved, if any. It is through such processes as these that 1953 found us unanimously supporting plans for remedial reading at all grade levels, and testing and guidance activities -
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all to be conducted by well selected professionals in these fields.
Year after year the question is raised - are we providing proper emphasis on college and non-college courses in the high school? Our attitude on this has been as follows. We adapt the school program to meet the needs and desires of the pupils then in school. We do not, however, neglect any segment of our school popu- lation. Pupils requiring general, commercial, vocational, or college preparation receive this training in Duxbury. The only exception to this is the advanced vocational study provided some Duxbury boys at other vocational schools. Duxbury pays the tuition and travelling ex- penses of these boys, as provided by state law. The problem does not lie in whether to offer these various courses. They have been provided in our school system for years. Our problem is to correctly interpret the need of our youngsters so that we do provide them with each of these courses to the proper degree. Currently there is a very heavy interest in college courses. This is partly due to the current economic prosperity and may change with any major economic change, or may change as new generations or segments in our town population appear.
The long range aspects and planning of both our physical setup and our educational programs has received our earnest attention. We also have encour- aged co-operative efforts with other committees in this regard. An example is our support of current efforts to co-ordinate our entire park and playfield efforts with the Selectmen, the Park Department, the Highway Depart- ment, and all others concerned with either current maintenance problems in this area or with long range planning problems. We have also made every effort to co-operate with our town Finance Committee, so that we keep them informed on our long range plans as well as
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our immediate budgetary problems. We have enjoyed working with them this year. We are proud that one of the results of proper financial planning and of co-oper- ation with the Finance Committee has been that for the fourth successive year the School Department has operated within its budget. The laying out of such a budget takes tremendous time and effort. The following of such a budget is a continuous job. Over the past few years we have been most fortunate that unbudgeted repairs and other items of expense have been afforded within our budgetary means.
The key as to how well Duxbury is doing its educational job is becoming increasingly simple, just as the problem of doing a good job has become more complex. The key is in one form - competition. All across the nation colleges are reporting more applica- tions than openings. We are beginning to see more competition for available jobs as well. Scholastic aver- ages of both applicants and students in colleges are many points higher than before World War II. Jobs are harder to keep. We must prepare our youngsters to face these prospects and to meet them.
In conclusion, we are happy to report that we have worked in close harmony within our own ranks and also with our school administrative and teaching personnel Workable common policies have been adopted on a variety of subjects, while variances in individual opinion have received full voice in the formulative stage of each policy. We sincerely hope that there will continue to be full communication between the many groups interest- ed in our school problems. The PTA is a particularly helpful instrument in this regard - with the many parent-teacher conferences that result. It is our hope that all parents will discuss their youngsters' progress and problems with the teachers involved, rather than
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relying solely on the periodic report cards. They should also feel free to turn to the Principals when their problems warrant this. The Superintendent can often be of additional help. We want teachers to feel free to discuss matters with their Principals and the Superin- tendent. We encourage taxpayers, voters, and parents to make comments and suggestions on policy matters to their elected representatives in the department - their School Committee members. Ask questions of us or of the Superintendent if there are things you do not understand. We cannot finish this report without ex- pressing our gratitude to Dr. Handy, our Principals, Mr. Macfarlane and Mr. Delong, and to our teachers for the co-operative effort they have made this year. We also feel that our school doctors, dentists, nurse, custodians, and many others have all contributed in large measure towards our common goal - an education for Duxbury youngsters that we can all be proud of.
Respectfully submitted,
MORRISON M. BUMP, Chairman, ELIZABETH NICKERSON, Secretary, ALBERT P. RICHARDS, EARLE C. GRENQUIST, DOMINIC E. LaGRECA,
Duxbury School Committee.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Honorable School Committee
Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
One of the most significant matters I wish to report is the high level of morale existing throughout our school system. It is evident in the friendly co-operation of staff members, in the accomplishment in different departments, and in the attitude of everyone toward the future of our schools.
Some accomplishments during 1953
1. The establishment of a remedial reading program from grades one through twelve under the direction of a specialist in this field.
2. The development of new forms of reporting to parents both at the elementary and high school levels.
3. The redecoration of part of the high school.
4. The organization of curriculum committees.
5. The establishment of a vocational program for high school girls.
6. The carrying out of an art workshop for elementary school teachers.
7. The conduct of a tuberculosis x-ray survey, and blood and urine tests.
8. The organization of a teachers' club for all staff members. (Almost 100 per cent membership).
9. Instrumental music program extended down to grade four.
10. Beginning of the construction of a new wing for the elementary school.
11. Maintenance of a per pupil cost that compares favorably with towns in our size group and with the state as a whole.
12. Reduction in the amount of teacher turnover.
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Some continuing problems
1. To further improve our curriculum.
2. To develop a more effective guidance program.
3. To strengthen our program of public relations.
4. To complete the redecorating of the old part of the high school.
5. To develop an organized plan for present and future play areas.
6. To give further consideration to our program of health services.
7. To extend the work of curriculum committees, making use of lay participation whever possible.
8. The further development of long range plans to meet future school building needs.
The 1953 report deals with the details of a number of the accomplishments and problems mentioned above.
CURRICULUM
The curriculum of a school includes all the activities -teaching of subjects, athletics, social activities, etc. - carried on under the guidance and direction of the school. It is different for children of different age levels, and it changes in accordance with the needs of the pupils and the community. Therefore the curriculum is an area requiring constant study and revision. This year three curriculum committees have been organized with teachers representing elementary and secondary grades. The subject areas being studied include: English, social studies, commercial and science and mathematics. The annual reports of 1951 and 1952 gave special attention to this problem as it was being worked out at the high school level. This report wished to call attention to changes underway in the elementary grades and to the vocational programs.
Without losing emphasis on proficiency in the fundamentals or tool subjects, teachers have been re-
. ..
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vising their daily programs on a "Broad Fields" plan. This means that instead of listing out every activity of five, ten or fifteen minutes' duration and carrying out these activities "by the clock," certain broad groupings of activities are set up. The new arrangement gives a teacher an apportunity to carry on her teaching more in accordance with children's needs. It enables the teacher to correlate skills taught. Activities can be presented in units which give meaning and significance to the skills and understandings being developed. The teacher has greater freedom in planning her daily work.
The following chart indicates the new organization plan.
TEACHER'S DAILY SCHEDULE Grade 3
8:45- 9:15 Opening exercises, planning, sharing, oral talks, current events.
9:15-10:30 Language arts. (Includes reading skills, phonics, spelling, writing, literature.)
10:30-11:00 Recreative arts. (Includes: physical educa- tion, free play, games.)
11:00-12:00 Arithmetic.
12:00- 1:00 Lunch and recess.
1:00- 2:15 Creative arts (art and music) and/or Lan- guage arts.
2:15- 2:45 Social studies or science.
During 1953 the home economics program was re- organized as a vocational household arts course and was approved by the Division of Vocational Education of the State Department of Education. This new program for girls is under the guidance of the state supervisors in the vocational field. Under the new arrangement a more effective program is possible and part of the cost is reimbursed to the town from the state. This year a cash payment of $1,000 was received from the state from
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George-Barden funds. In general, local expenditures are reimbursed at the rate of fifty per cent of the total expended. Part of the superintendent's salary is also reimbursed to the town because of his services as director. Reimbursements are usually received a year after expenditures are made. They are paid to the town treasurer.
This year was the second for the Evening Practical Arts program. These courses are for adults and meet once each week (Monday evenings, 7:30-10:30) for a twenty week period. Courses offered this year are rug making, clothing, and decorated ware. Since these are vocational courses, they are supported in part and receive some supervision from the Division of Vocational Education. There are three instructors. During 1953 the town re- ceived $550 from the state to be applied to instructors' salaries.
Another adult program is provided for those seek- ing to qualify for American citizenship. This program has been in effect for a number of years and is taught by Mrs. Ella Donovan of Plymouth. About forty classes are held during the late fall and winter months. Fifty per cent of the instructor's pay is also reimbursable by the state.
The superintendent of schools serves as director and supervisor of all vocational programs.
SPECIAL SERVICES
Special services indicate the nature and extent of the school program. The following services are now provided: Guidance, remedial reading, transportation, library, health, and cafeteria.
Guidance service includes counseling and testing and covers grades one through twleve. At the elementary level counseling involves problems of pupil adjustment.
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.
At the high school level counseling deals with educa- tional and vocational choices as well as problems of pupil adjustment. Testing includes the giving and interpret- ing of standardized tests of mental ability, subject achievement, and aptitude. Guidance activities are car- ried out by the school principals.
Remedial Reading is a special kind of instruction given to students at any grade level to improve their reading skill. Such child is started at his reading achievement level and is helped to build confidence and independence in reading.
Pupils of normal mental ability, who are reading one or more years below actual grade placement are considered remedial cases. Under usual conditions, when classroom enrollments are between 25 and 30, there will be between 10 and 15 percent of the pupils experiencing some retardation in reading. Many factors contribute to reading difficulty such as: large classes, starting reading before a child is ready to read, insuffi- cient and improperly graded materials, habitual absent- eeism, too many transfers from one school to another, and lack of interest in reading.
In September, 1953, a total of 79 children from grades 2 through 6 were referred to the remedial teacher for diagnosis of reading difficulty. All were reading one or more years below their actual grade placement and were started on a program of remedial instruction.
During the remainder of the school year a start will be made at the high school level to help poor readers. It is planned to schedule this instruction in regular class periods. Research indicates that reading retarda- tion is the basis for 25 per cent of high school failures.
Miss Betty Lou Stahl, A. M., University of Minne-
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sota, conducts the remedial program. This is Miss Stahl's first year in the Duxbury schools and a considerable part of her time this year will be devoted to organizing the program.
Library service is provided both at the high school and elementary school levels. A central library housing more than 3000 volumes is located in the high school. Room libraries are in use in the elementary grades. Visual aids, such as films, slides, etc., and visual aid equipment are part of the library resource material. Mrs. Elesebeth Bencordo is librarian.
Transportation services are provided by contract with Mr. Waldo Herrick of Duxbury, who has been transporting pupils in the town for 28 years. Regular daily transportation is provided for nearly all pupils. In addition, late busses are provided for pupils who re- main after school for special help, etc. Transportation is also provided so that pupils may be taken on trips of educational value.
Health service is involving more and more of the time of the school nurse. An examination of the follow- ing list of her activities will show the extent of the health program and indicate the need for a greater amount of the nurse's time in the schools.
LIST OF ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHOOL NURSE DURING 1953
Routine activities: Giving first aid, checking pupils on return to school after illness, assisting in physical examinations, testing vision and hearing of pupils, assisting in blood and urine tests, general supervision of the dental program, conducting follow-ups on exam- inations, keeping dental and physical records.
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Home visits: 60 this year.
Tuberculosis x-ray survey: Getting out notices, filing and listing permissions received, and filing results.
Pre-school roundup: Arranging for medical and dental examinations of pre- school children. This involves scheduling, recording results, and follow-ups.
The School lunch program is conducted in the elementary building and serves elementary as well as high school pupils. This organization is supported by the income from the sale of lunches and by federal subsidy. During 1953 the total income from the sale of lunches was $19,080.22. Federal subsidy amounted to $5,980.82. All bills and payrolls are approved for payment by the School Committee. The superintendent serves as supervisor of the program. Mrs. Gilbert Redlon is the lunchroom manager.
The following tabulation indicates the number of lunches served during 1953:
Type A lunches (includes milk) 69,803
Type A lunches (without milk) 294
Type C (milk only) 27,562
PERSONNEL
The typical teacher in the Duxbury schools has 8 years of experience, holds the bachelor's degree, earns. an average salary of $3203.85, is married, takes a minimum of six semester hours of advanced study at a teachers' college or university every three year period, and teaches 29 pupils per class at the elementary level and 18 per class at the high school level. Twenty-four per cent of the teaching force hold master's degrees. Almost all make their homes in Duxbury. The list of personnel follows.
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Distribution of School Personnel - 1953
Elementary School Teachers 19
High School Teachers 12
Supervisors
5
Superintendents
1
Principals
2
Special Instructors (part-time)
3
Janitors (full-time)
3
Janitors (part-time)
1
Clerks
2
Dentists
2
Physicians
1
Nurses
1
Attendance Officers
1
Lunchroom Staff
5
Total
58
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ELEMENTARY TEACHERS Telephone 465
Years of Service in Duxbury
Name J. Donald DeLong
Position Principal
Training E.M., New England Conservatory of Music; M.A., Florida State University
1
Mrs. Marion K. Baker
Kindergarten Kindergarten
New England Conservatory of Music, Curtis Institute of Music
1
Mrs. Flora Ann Wood
Kindergarten
A.B., Tufts College
4
Mrs. Lena A. Macomber
Grade One
Salem Normal School, Bridgewater State Teachers' College 12
Mrs. Mildred E. Glass
Grade One
Bridgewater Normal School, Bridgewater State Teachers' College 3
Mrs. Caroline L. Fife
Grade One
B.S. in Ed., Ohio State University
1
Mrs. M. Abbie Peckham
Grade Two
Partridge Academy, Hyannis Normal
43
Miss Roberta L. Pelley
Grade Two
Lesley College
1
Mrs. Sally McGarigal
Grade Two
B.S., Bridgewater State Teachers' College
1
Mrs. Josephine L. Bush
Grade Three
A.B., University of Washington; A.M., Teachers' College Columbia University 3
1
Miss Catherine P. Welch
Grade Three
B.S., Lesley College
0
Miss Sara E. Paulding
Grade Four
Partridge Academy, Hyannis Normal, Columbia, Harvard 49
Mrs. Beatrice A. Chase
Grade Four
Lesley College, Boston University
2
Mrs. Alice L. O'Neil
Grade Five
North Adams Normal School; Bridgewater State Teachers' College 13
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Mrs. Emily P. Loring
Grade Three
Bridgewater State Teachers' College
Perry Kindergarten School 1
Mrs. Dorothy J. Scott
Years of Service in Duxbury
Name
Position
Training
Alfred J. DeCastro
Grade Five
B.S., Boston College 0
Mrs. Martha A. Greenberg
Grade Five
B.S., Lesley College
0
Richard W. Beveridge
Grade Six
A.B., Westminster College
2
James F. Queeny
Grade Six
B.A., Harvard University; M.A., Trinity College-
Dublin 0
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS Telephone 346
Hugh O. Macfarlane
Principal
B.S., Boston University; M.Ed., Harvard University 1
8
Mrs. Elesebeth Bencordo
Librarian
Partridge Academy
2
Shop
B.S. in Ed., Boston Teachers' College
0
Science
B.S., Bowling Green State University
0
Languages,
A.B., Maturite Reale, College DeGeneve;
English
A.M., Middlebury College 2
1
Walter T. Kennedy John T. McGarigal
Commercial
A.B., Montclair Teachers' College
1
Robert B. Mendenhall
Social Studies
B.S. in Ed., Boston University; M. in Ed., Boston University B.S., Northeastern University
1
Albert Rothfuss
Science, Math.
1
Miss Ellen Simpson
English
B.S. in Ed., Simmons College; Boston University
0
Miss Kathryn Stover
English
A.B., Wheaton College; A.M., New York University
1
Mrs. Henrietta Wheeler
Vocational
Household Arts
B.S., Farmington State Teachers' College
0
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Mrs. Elinor K. Churchill Francis S. Churchill Pelton Goudey Mrs. Florence J. Harrison
Commercial
B.S., Boston University
Social Studies
B.S., Providence College
SUPERVISORS
Ralph N. Blakeman Physical Educ.
Miss Margaret M. Coleman
Mrs. Ella B. Hebberd
Physical Educ. Art
Bridgewater State Teachers' College 10
Roger E. Jarvis
Music
B.M. Ed., Westminster College 0
Miss Betty Lou Stahl
Remedial Reading
A.B., MacMurray; M.A., University of Minnesota 0
CLERKS
Mrs. Muriel O. Ferrell Mrs. Eileen P. Jones
High School
Partridge Academy; Bryant and Stratton 8
Superintendent's Office
Katharine Gibbs School
5
B.S. in Ed., M.Ed., Boston University ; Bloomsberg State Teachers' College B.S. in Ed., Boston University 1
14
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JANITORS
Name
Charles W. Schwab
Ellis F. Harrison
Michael J. Sheehan
Charles E. Delano
Position
Years of Service in Duxbury
Head Janitor 7
Elementary School Janitor 8
High School Janitor 2
Elementary School Janitor 1
HEALTH SERVICE
Miss Susan E. Carter, R.N.
School Nurse, Tel. 175 or 465 11
Dr. Walter E. Deacon
School Physician, Tel. 84-W 4
Dr. Francis C. Ortolani
School Dentist
0
Dr. Gillis K. Turner
School Dentist 4
Dr. John Bisbee
School Dentist
1
SPECIAL SERVICE
Harry Iovinelli
Band Instructor 2
Mrs. Emily McWade
Tutor of Physically Handicapped Children 1
Mass. Audubon Society
Mr. Harry Levi
Science Courses-Elementary 3
Handwriting Instructor 3
Attendance Officer
18
T. Waldo Herrick
Transportation 28
Mrs. Ella S. Donovan
Americanization Classes 7
LUNCHROOM STAFF
Mrs. Thelma P. Redlon
Manager 5
Mrs. Gladys R. MacKeown
Cook 11
Mrs. Marie Caron
Assistant
7
Mrs. Laila Wadsworth
Assistant 2
Mrs. Clara Benevides
Assistant 0
EVENING PRACTICAL ARTS
Mrs. Barbara Arnold
Mrs. Helen B. Burgess
Mrs. Hazelle Kingston
Decorated Ware
Clothing
Rug Making
Miss Ardelle Wilbur
Earl W. Chandler
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TEACHERS RETIRE
Two Duxbury teachers will retire at the close of the current school year with a total of 93 years of teaching service. Miss Sara E. Paulding, teacher of grade 4, is completing her fifty-first year of teaching, fifty of which have been in Duxbury. Mrs. Ella B. Hebberd, super- visor of art, is completing her forty-second year of teaching, ten of which have been in Duxbury. We are all grateful to Miss Paulding and Mrs. Hebberd for their many years of service to young people, particu- larly to the youth of Duxbury. The following state- ments about each of these teachers tell of their many years of teaching in Duxbury and elsewhere.
MISS SARA E. PAULDING
Sadie Paulding graduated from Partridge Academy in Duxbury in 1903 at the age of sixteen and immediate- ly began her teaching career in Newbury, Vermont, where she taught an ungraded school covering kinder- garten to high school for one year. The next year, 1904, Sadie was back in Duxbury as a regular member of the Duxbury teaching staff. She was assigned to teach grades 1 through 7 at the Ashdod School. The 1904 class register indicates that her pupils included Mabel E. Baker, M. Abbie Baker, Herbert L. Belknap, Harold W. Mann, Elsie M. McAuliffe, Eva A. Nickerson, Ber- nice H. Randall, Lester L. Randall, Leon H. Baker, Harry F. Douglas, Lillian M. Douglas, Inez E. Baker, Mary D. Britto, Arthur N. Rouillard and Walter L. Rouillard.
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