Town annual report of Berkley 1946, Part 6

Author: Berkley (Mass. : Town)
Publication date: 1946
Publisher: The Davol Press
Number of Pages: 130


USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Berkley > Town annual report of Berkley 1946 > Part 6


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Storey, Elliott


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Reardon, Raymond J.


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Sullivan, Austin


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Remy, Louis P.


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Swift, Lawrence Jr.


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Rezentes, Manuel Costa


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Swift, Lawrence


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Rines, George R.


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Sylvester, Irving G.


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Robbins, Arthur


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Sylvester, Grafton


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Rogers, William


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Sylvester, Maynard


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Roman, Barney


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Sylvester, Warren


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Roman, Edward


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Sylvester, Thomas


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Rose, Anthony


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Sylvia, Anthony


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Rose, Benjamin F.


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Sylvia, Antone


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Rose, Manuel


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Sylvia, John


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Rose, Frank


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Sylvia, James


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Rose, Harold E.


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Stauch, Edward


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Rose, Joseph D.


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Taber, George E.


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Rose, Richard


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Talbot, Allen


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ANNUAL REPORT


Tavares, Joseph


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White, Lawrence


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Tavis, John C.


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White, Perley 2.00


Thornton, Felix


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White, Stewart


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Thompkins, L. Loyd


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Whittaker, Elmer


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Trigerio, Francisco


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Whittaker, Linneus


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Turner, Henry


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Whittaker, Norman


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Townley, Alfred Jr.


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Williams, Lester


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Townley, Alfred


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Wilson, John


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Trenouth, Clarence


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Wilson, Meredith


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Tround, Stanley


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Wilson, George


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Trzcinski, Joseph Jr.


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Winchoba, Frank


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Trzcinski, Alexander


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Winchoba, Walter


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Turcott, George H.


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Wing, Elmer


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Travers, George J.


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Winslow, Edward


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VanHyfte, Gaston E.


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Wood, Wallace


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Victurine, Joseph


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Wordell, Charles B.


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Victurine, Joseph, Jr.


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Young, Hiram


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Victurine, Edward


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Young, Hiram Jr.


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Veira, Joseph


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Young, Adelbert


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Washburn, Forest


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Zrebrec, John


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Westgate, D. Wallace


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Zrebrec, Martin


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Westgate, Harold


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Zrebrec, Walter


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White, Chester


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Zeithler, Charles


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White, Lewis


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Zuichi, Charles


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1


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


School Committee


OF THE


TOWN OF BERKLEY


For the Year Ending December 31, 1946


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


Arthur E. Robbins, Chairman Berkley, Mass.


Term Expires 1947


Bion Pierce 1948


Berkley, Mass.


William A. Cox, Secretary Berkley, Mass.


1949


Superintendent John J. Rolfe, B. Ed., M. Ed.


Residence: 117 School Street, No. Dighton.


Office : Dighton High School, Segreganset.


Telephone : Dighton 3361 (Office) Taunton 2435 (Home) Office Hours : Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M .- 9:30 A.M.


Secretary Marjorie A. Travis Assonet


School Physician C. M. Souza, M. D.


School Nurse Ella Dillingham, R. N.


Attendance Officer William A. Cox Berkley, Mass.


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3


ANNUAL REPORT


GENERAL INFORMATION


Birth Certificates


Presentation of a birth certificate is required for entrance to first grade.


Vaccination


Every child who enters school for the first time must present a certificate of vaccination or a statement from his physician that vaccination is inadvisable.


No School Information


When weather conditions are such that our buses are unable to run, a no school notice will be broadcast over Radio Station WEAN at 7:05 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. and over Radio Station WBZ at 7:05 a.m., 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Parents are urged to use their own good judgment about sending their children to school on stormy days. The fact that school is in session does not mean that attendance by all pupils is ad- visable.


Transportation


The law requires that transportation be provided for pupils residing more than two miles from the school attended or more than one mile from the nearest bus stop. Many pupils living at lesser distances along established routes are trans- ported if the seating capacity of the bus will permit. From time to time it is necessary to refus transportation to some of these living under the required distance when our buses are filled to capacity with children living at a greater distance.


Entrance Age


First grade registration in September of any year will be limited to those children who are at least six years of age or who will become six years of age on or before the following January first. There will be no exceptions to this ruling. Registration must be during the first three weeks of school in September.


4


ANNUAL REPORT


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


To the Citizens of the Town of Berkley :


The report of the School Committee is incorporated in this report which is the fourth submitted by me as Superin- tendent of Schools for the Town of Berkley. No attempt will be made to discuss the various philosophical phases of educa- tion or to set forth at length our many administrative, or- ganizational, or supervisory problems. The primary value of this report lies in its immediate interest to those seeking in- formation relative to specific financial data and general school conditions of the past school year. Its value as a record for the future is beyond question.


Educational Costs


The net cost of operating the Berkley Schools has in- creased from $9,213.84 in 1940 to $15,615.53 in 1946 or 69%. The gross cost advanced from $21,604.52 to $27,350.66 or 26% The difference in percentage is attributed to fluctuations in State reimbursements. Increases in teachers' salaries account for the largest amount but advances have been experienced in all of the educational items. For the fiscal year 1947 it will be necessary to add substantially to our budget, particularly in the salary item. It becomes more and more necessary to set salaries in accordance with factors of supply and demand rather than those of increased cost of living.


Teachers who will graduate from the various teacher training institutions in June will receive minimum salaries of $2,000 except for a few who are willing to teach for less in their home communities where lower salaries are paid. This situation will make adjustments necessary for experienced personnel already in our system. Costs of coal, textbooks. supplies, repairs, and replacements have changed appreciably during the past few years, but particularly so during this year.


There is general agreement that the local real estate tax must be supplemented by some form of State Aid especially in those towns having a comparatively low ability to pay. Massachusetts stands far down the scale in the amount of aid


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ANNUAL REPORT


given to the local communities for educational purposes. Several plans for State Aid will be presented at this session of the Legislature and it is reasonable to assume that an equalization bill will be passed whereby a town such as Berk- ley will be aided appreciably. Under one of these plans Berk- ley would receive in 1949 and for each year thereafter approx- imately 50 per cent more in State Aid than under the present plan. There is a possibility that some assistance may be forth- coming for the year 1947 in addition to the reimbursements that we already receive.


School Personnel


Most communities continue to experience a teacher re- placement problem that is becoming more acute and that is expected to continue to hamper education for many years. This condition will exist until teaching becomes attractive enough for girls to go to teachers' colleges in much larger numbers. Approximately 250 teachers will graduate from the teachers' colleges of Massachusetts this year. Of this num- ber probably not more than 190 will be available for elemen- tary school work or less than one teacher per community. Those school systems that are willing and able to pay higher salaries will attract those who are available while the rest will feel the pinch more than ever before. To retain our present faculty we shall probably have to meet the Taunton salary scale which provides for a maximum of $2,400.00. This maxi- mum is extremely low compared to that established in other cities. Fall River has recently adopted a schedule providing for a maximum of $3,000 for all classroom teachers.


At this writing the Berkley School Committee has voted to increase the salaries of the teachers $300, effective Jan. 1, 1947. With this increase the average income of the Berkley teachers will be approximately $2,000, the same amount as will be paid to most of those who will graduate from our teachers' colleges in June.


School Plant


At the regular 1946 Town Meeting the School Committee presented to the voters the problem of certain school improve- ments that seemed advisable. A committee was selected to study the needs of the Berkley Grammar School and to bring


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ANNUAL REPORT


its recommendations before a special meeting to be held at a later date. This committee presented its recommendations through an article in the warrant for a Special Town Meeting held on July 1, 1946. The Article read as follows :


"To see if the Town will vote to raise through a bond is- sue or through the issuance of notes, the sum of fourteen thousand three hundred dollars (14,300.00) and appropriate the said sum to be expended by the School Committee for the following purposes or to take any action relative thereto. Heating plant. $12,000.00; lighting, $1,500.00; insulation $800.00."


Each item was taken up separately. The item providing for a new heating plant was accepted, while those for lighting and insulation were defeated by narrow margins. Although the School Committee had been advised by legal counsel re- garding the proper wording of the article and its legality, it was later learned that borrowing for alterations or repairs is not authorized by the provisions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws. Borrowing for alterations or repairs can be authorized only by special action of the Legislature. A petition drawn up by the School Committee and signed by the Selectmen of Berk- ley was presented for Legislative action in order that the necessary borrowing as approved by the Town at the July 1 Special Town Meeting might be permitted. Later, however, when the School Committee inquired in Boston relative to the progress of the petition it was informed that the Selectmen had withdrawn it from the Legislative Committee. The School Committee was given no information by the Selectmen either before or after the withdrawal action. Future steps toward procuring a new heating system will depend upon the amount of interest that the townspeople have in the project.


In September a new tar and gravel roof with copper flash- ing was laid to replace the roof on the old portion of the build- ing at a cost of $919.64. This work was done by the McGuire Roofing Company of Taunton. The Committee had advertised for bids but this was the only company interested.


In December, after encountering trouble with the septic tank on two occasions the School Committee voted to have a cesspool dug. Because of this trouble it was necessary to close school a week early for the Christmas vacation and to start a week carlier after Christmas. The work on the cesspool was


7


ANNUAL REPORT


undertaken by the McCabe Sand & Gravel Company at a cost of approximately $550.00.


In addition to many miscellaneous repairs our redecora- tion program has been completed with attractive colors being used to improve lighting and relieve monotony. All class- rooms are painted in different color schemes with green, peach, yellow, blue, and white being used. All of this work was done during the summer by Mr. Walter Hamilton, the school jani- tor.


General


I wish to call to the attention of the parents of high school students that instrumental instruction is provided free of charge to any who might be interested. This service is limited to those who are beginners but is not available to any who have had private instruction for any appreciable length of time. For those who cannot obtain an instrument through their own efforts arrangements can be made for procurement through the high school. Instruction is limited to those in- struments ordinarily found in a band or orchestra.


Our milk program whereby each pupil may purchase a bottle of milk each day for three cents continues to be suc- cessful. Federal subsidy is limited to white milk only.


From time to time we have requests for an extension of our bus routes to pick up pupils who live at a lesser distance from the bus stop than the law recognizes. The School Com- mittee does not wish to make exceptions for any one indivi- dual. If the Town wishes to appropriate the funds necessary to pick up every pupil at his door it may be possible to make arrangements accordingly for all who live on roads that can be safely traversed by a bus.


A good dental program is especially needed in Berkley. The need can be met only by town subsidiation whereby each pupil would pay a nominal sum, the additional amount neces- sary being paid from a town appropriation. Arrangements could be made with a reliable dentist whereby all work would be done in his office, the pupils being transported there. The travelling dentist program such as we have had in the past is not satisfactory. Under such a plan the parent would pay one dollar per dental operation and would be transported free in school time. The dentist would be paid by the hour for his work.


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ANNUAL REPORT


Conclusion


In spite of the many handicaps under which we operate in these times we have been able to improve school conditions as a whole. I' wish to express my appreciation to the School Committee for its courage, determination, and cooperation in helping to improve school conditions, and to the teachers for their interest in providing a better education for the boys and girls. The excellent spirit of the town officials and towns- people who are interested in the education of the boys and girls of Berkley is to be commended.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN J. ROLFE, Supt. of Schools


MUSIC SUPERVISOR'S REPORT


Superintendent John J. Rolfe


Berkley, Mass.


Dear Mr. Rolfe :


Again it is my pleasure to submit to you a report on the work done in music in the Berkley School this past year.


May I first tell you how much I enjoy my duties in the schools of your system. With many years of experience and under happy conditions in most cases, I never have had more courteous cooperation or seen a finer spirit of willingness than exists in the Berkley Common School.


When school opened in September a thorough test was made of the voices in Grades I and II and a record kept of those who had difficulty in carrying a tune or matching simple tonal groups. Some of the children find their singing voices in a week or two while with others it is a matter of months before they finally know how to vocalize properly.


For the little children a number of rhythmic rote songs are taught. These are supplemented with hand, foot, or body motions for precision and concerted action. Little choirs are organized to lead and to stimulate the slower children.


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ANNUAL REPORT


Songs for technical drill are emphasized in Grades ITI and IV. The work in these grades is particularly gratifying because it is the first positive opportunity the teacher has of realizing how much musical knowledge the pupils have acquired and how much of the basic training has been ab- sorbed as a guide and help to further progress. When these pupils can take up a new song and sing it with a neutral syl- lable observing the tonal skips and sequenced and keeping the right time, then they have a secure foundation on which to build.


One of the first milestones for the young child is to recog- nize the fact that two notes in the same place on the staff must represent the same tone. This is a delightful revelation to the note beginner both in singing and in writing.


In Grades V and VI aside from the regular music lesson as prescribed in the text books, work was done with the rhythm band. The group learned to play ANITA'S DANCE from the orchestra score and a pleasing little Christmas selec- tion entitled SANTA'S COMING.


During the warm days of the fall the whole school met in the auditorium twice a month for community singing. Each room had an opportunity to sit on the platform and furnish two or three special numbers.


The seventh and eighth grades quite frequently had their lesson in the auditorium and enjoyed the privilege of choosing songs to sing. These two upper grades have done music in three parts.


The school entertainments given each year afford a fine opportunity for bringing to the people of Berkley the talent found in the school children. Girls and boys like to perform especially if they have an audience. The amount of time and drill required in preparing an entertainment are indeed great. Much thought is given to having something different each time and to have something suitable so each child may take part and to provide appropriate costumes. The costumes fur- nish variety and relieves any monotony and also add realism to the character portrayed.


In closing this report I wish to express my appreciation and thanks to the personnel of the school system with whom it is my good fortune to be associated.


Yours truly,


LOIS J. SNOW


10


ANNUAL REPORT


REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN AND SCHOOL NURSE


Mr. John J. Rolfe


Supt. of Schools


Berkley, Mass. Dear Mr. Rolfe:


The annual report of the school physician and the school nurse is hereby submitted.


Except for colds, the pupils have been free from other contagious diseases during the school year.


More than half the absences from school are caused by colds. The common cold is a communicable disease. The early symptoms of a cold vary in different pupils and have dif- ferent degrees of severity. The first twenty-four hours after the onset of a cold is the period when germs are most danger- ous to other pupils. Parents should not send their children to school if they show acute symptoms of a cold.


. The audiometer ear test was given to the pupils with three pupils showing a slight hearing loss.


The diphtheria prevention clinic was held in April. Twenty children completed the treatment. Twenty-eight were given booster doses. The pre-school clinic was held in May with three children attending.


We regret that we do not have a dental clinic at present. Mr. Rolfe and Dr. Charles Souza are trying to work out a plan whereby pupils may have the advantage of dental care. In the meantime, I would like to urge parents to take their children to a good dentist at regular intervals.


A physical examination was given to each pupil by Dr. Charles Souza. A notice was sent to the parents concerning all remediable defects. Correction of these defects is the re- sponsibility of the parents.


Home visiting is a most important part of school nursing. I have visited in several homes during the school year. It is important for the school nurse and the parents to work to- gether in helping children realize the importance of good health.


In closing I would like to thank the teachers, pupils, and parents for their help and cooperation in the health program of the Berkley school.


Respectfully submitted, CHARLES M. SOUZA, M. D. School Physician ELLA F. DILLINGHAM, R. N. School Nurse


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ANNUAL REPORT


GRADUATION PROGRAM BERKLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL Auditorium 8 P. M.


June 4, 1946


PROGRAM


PROCESSIONAL


INVOCATION


Rev. Wayne Philbrook


RESPONSE "Now the Day is Over"


Graduates


ADDRESS OF WELCOME John Rose


CHORUS


(a) "Song of the Cowboy" (b) "Burro Bells in the Moonlight"


RECITATION


"Myself" Patricia Young


RECITATION


"Old Stone Walls"


Eva Briggs


RECITATION "June" Sally Milko


CHORUS (a) "Shine, Glorious Sun" (b) "The Dance"


ESSAY


"Boulder Dam"


Robert Hunter


RECITATIONS "Our Country" "My Native Land"


Margaret DeMoura Richard Longton


CHORUS


(a) "The Dune Hills" (b) "Music in the Air"


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ANNUAL REPORT


PRESENTATION OF AWARD FROM BERKLEY MEN'S CLUB Mr. Warren L. Ide


ADDRESS


Mr. Leonard W. Terry Dighton High School


PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS


Mr. John J. Rolfe Superintendent of Schools


CLOSING ADDRESS


"Future Opportunities"


Elsie Furtado


CHORUS "Commencement Song"


BENEDICTION


Rev. Wayne Philbrook


RECESSIONAL


Music under the supervision of Mrs. Lois J. Snow


List of Graduates


John William Barrow, Jr.


Charles Gil Bettencourt


Eva Romaine Briggs


Rose Mary Cambra


Mabel E. Clemishaw


Margaret Lorraine DeMoura


Elsie Marie Furtado


Donald F. Harrison


Robert Henry Hunter, Jr.


Richard L. Longton


Vincent F. McCrohan


Sally Ann Milko


Edna Paige John Rose


Ralph E. Sherman


Lois Ashton Townley


Patricia Ann Young


Marion Joyce Lawry


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ANNUAL REPORT


BERKLEY PUPILS ATTENDING DIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL DECEMBER, 1946


Freshmen


John Barrow, Jr.


*Charles Bettencourt Eva Briggs Mabel Clemishaw


Andrew Crane


Georgette DeMille


Margaret DeMoura Elsie Furtado Robert Hunter


Elaine Lefaivre *Richard Longton Isabel King


Sally Ann Milko *John Rose Ralph Sherman Lois Townley *Paul Trenouth Walter Wonchoba


Patricia Young


Sophomores


Martha Bindon Emily Crimlisk Priscilla Dillingham +Frances Crimlisk Audrey Francis *Stanley Hadro


Lorraine Mederios Frances Moskal Betty Poole June Reed Evelyn Remy *Francis Rose


Dorothy Stetson


Juniors


Edith Baldwin Joseph Cambra Emily Dulak Josephine Furtado Rita Garrity


*Lester Makepeace +Lorraine Nunes Nelson Pittsley Robert Rose Catherine Sellars


Alice Young


Seniors


Helen Adams Susan Atterbury Patricia Blanchette


*James Bindon


*Kenneth Combs Laura Fernandes *Ernest Gutholm


Douglas I'de Doris Raymond Lillian Rose *Alexander Reed Elizabeth Sellars Robert Shepard


*Vocational Shop students +Household Arts students


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ANNUAL REPORT


FINANCIAL STATEMENT - 1945


Appropriation


$ 27,350.66


Expenditures


General Control


$ 855.69


Teachers' Salaries


8,296.88


Books and Supplies


662.01


Janitor's Salaries


1,567.00


Fuel


1,081.78


Repairs


1,243.68


New Equipment


23.40


Health


· 536.40


Transportation


6,592.50


Tuition


5,981.23


Electricity


104.97


Miscellaneous


112.40


Insurance


289.10


Balance


$ 27,350.66


Net Cost to Town


Expenditures


$ 27,347.04


Receipts - 1946


Reimbursement Teachers' Salaries,


Part I $ 1,410.00


Reimbursement Teacher's Salaries,


Part II


1,577.25


Reimbursement Voc'l tuition and transportation


1,227.10


Reimbursement Supt's salary and travel


196.07


State Wards, Tuition and Trans.


950.49


High School, Tuition


3,382.50


High School, Transportation


2,988.10


TOTAL RECEIPTS 11,731.51


NET COST TO TOWN $ 15,615.53


3.62


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ANNUAL REPORT


ENROLLMENT - October 1, 1946


Grade


1 2


3


4


5


6


7 8


Total


Marion E. Redford 22


22


Clementine Magliano


21


7


28


Catherine Kula


9


22


31


Edna Smith


19


18


37


A. Louise Unsworth


21


15


36


Totals


22


21 16 22


19


18


21


15


154


AGE-GRADE ENROLLMENT - October 1, 1946


Grade


Age


5


6


7


8


9


10


11


12


13


14


15


Totals


1


3 14


4


1


22


2


5


10


5


1


21


3


7


2


4


2


1


16


4


3 12


2


4


1


22


5


4


8


4


3


19


6


1


9


7


1


18


7


7


12


1


· 1


21


8


1


6


7


1


15


3


19


21


11


21


13


25


24


8


8


1 154


SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1947


School opens January 6, 1947


closes February 21, 1947


School opens March 3, 1947


closes April 18, 1947


School opens April 28, 1947 closes June 6, 1947


School opens September 3, 1947 closes December 19, 1947


School will close on the following days:


May 30 - Memorial Day


October 13 - Columbus Day October 24 - Teachers' Convention November 11 - Armistice Day November 27-28 - Thanksgiving Recess


BERKLEY SCHOOL FACULTY


School


Teacher


Degree


Address


Education


App'd


Berkley


A. Louise Unsworth, Prin.


15 Forest St., Taunton


Bridgewater


1939


Grammar School


Catherine Kula


B. S. in Ed.


Park Street, Taunton


Bridgewater


1944


Clementine Magliano


B. S. in Ed.


37 Porter St., Brockton


Bridgewater


1945


Marion Redford


B. S. in Ed.


35 Jefferson St., Taunton Bridgewater


1945


Edna C. Smith


B. S. in Ed.


38 Ingell St., Taunton


Bridgewater


1942


MUSIC SUPERVISOR


Lois J. Snow


27 Couch Street, Taunton


JANITOR


Walter Hamilton


Pleasant Street, Dighton





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