USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1928 > Part 8
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In building an addition to the Abraham Lincoln . School, I most strongly would urge that such work be placed entirely in the hands of the School Committee as a Building Committee for the best interests of the Town from every point of view, not alone for the best interests of the School Department. In the first place, four members of the School Committee have served on school buildings committees within the last five years,
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and three of the four have only recently completed' their work on such committees, therefore, all the prob- lems confronting the work of such committees with the: information relating thereto is fresh in their minds and much time could be saved in making decisions, and. obstacles which may have previously been encountered. would, from experience, be more likely to be readily avoided. In building an addition to an already exist- ing construction there is a serious and closely related problem of the operation of a school program and the continuance of school with children- about a building where construction work is simultaneously being done ..
I feel that few may know of the numbers of chil- dren in our schools, and how these children are likely to pass along into our High School. Our total mem- bership in the High School this year so far is five hun- dred eighty-five, and of this number ninety-six will leave the school in June. We have at present two hun- dred five eighth grade pupils, which class enters High. School next September, and we have two hundred fifty-nine seventh grade pupils, which class would en- ter High School in September, 1930, and three hun- dred one sixth grade pupils, which class would enter- High School in September 1931. The present classes: in High School number, seniors and post graduates, ninety-six, juniors, one hundred thirty-six, sophomores,. one hundred fifty-seven, and freshmen, one hundred ninety_five. We found last year that the mortality- pupils who drop out of school for one reason or another -figured just under 8%. Considering these facts a. tabulation of membership will show a membership in the High School next September very close of the ca- pacity of the building, with more than the capacity in September 1930, and crowded conditions in September 1931, which will make additional room quite desirable.
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With this situation in mind, one can see the rea- : son for anxiety in regard to a distribution of the bur- den of construction required by the School Depart- ment. In addition to the foregoing facts, it may be observed from a study of the table of grade distribu- tion, that in the near future some consideration will have to be given to the Hollis School as it is, especially in grades below the fifth, more than up to capacity and developement and construction of houses is going on in sections of the Town accommodated by this . school.
Some review of the organization and size of this department may not be out of place at this time in . showing the demand for an expenditure in 1928 of $272,419.69, and the request for a budget in 1929 amounting to $284,260.00. A little over 68% of this amount is for Teachers' Salaries, whereas it is gener- ally recognized that 70 to 75% of a school depart- ment's budget is for this purpose. At present the De- partment has one hundred twenty-one teachers and principals, twenty-six of whom are in the High School for full time, and in addition there are four teachers of special subjects who spend part of their time in the High School. In General Control, i. e. for administra- tion of this Department, there is spent 2.8%, which is $2.62 per pupil, and that is $.63 per pupil less than the average by the towns in this State in our Group which is Group II, and numbers seventy-nine towns. Oper- ating expense, one-half of which is for Janitor's Sala- ries, and about one-third for fuel is 10.4% of the total expenditures. Miscellaneous Operating expense is the balance, and of this amount, about $4000.00, 621/2% of it is spent for electricity and water, i. e. it goes right back into Town business. Text Books and Supplies is about 4.9%, Maintenance 5%, Transportation 4%,
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Tuition 1.3%, Health .9%, Outlay 1.7%, Miscellane- ous .8% .
After the Town has made its appropriation of the School Department Budget the fact should not be lost sight of, or lightly passed over, that nearly 10% of this appropriation comes back to the Town from vari- ous sources as shown in the financial statement at the end of this Department's report, which in fact reduces the actual cost by that amount: thus, for example, ap- propriating and spending $10,000.00 for transportation the actual cost to the Town is but $9,000.00.
The idea of "keeping up with the Jones" may not be a good basic policy, but, nevertheless, in municipal affairs it is that community which has attractive con- ditions to offer which grows and draws people to settle within its boundaries. It may be of interest to note our standing in relation to other school systems in the State in our group which is made up of seventy-nine towns. The following facts are taken from the statis- tical tables in the last report of the State Department of Education :
Group II average per pupil cost for the calendar year $87.53.
Braintree average per pupil cost for the calendar year $80.46.
Braintree's rank fifty-one, which means that twen- ty-eight towns show a lower cost per pupil, and fifty towns show a higher cost. In the calendar year of 1922, Braintree showed an expenditure for support of education of $11.30 per thousand of valuation, and constantly since that time has decreased until the last.
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figures available show $10.11: at the former figure there were fifty-three towns in Group 11 where it cost less and now there are but thirty-three where it costs less.
The various reports following this give more de- tailed information as to what is being done and how it is being done in the various activities of the Depart- ment, and I feel that there is adequate reason for being satisfied with what is being accomplished in our schools, but not to the point of ceasing to strive to better them for it can be done. I wish we might feel that the Town could afford to spend more for various purposes, for example, text books. Our schools have increased in numbers to such an extent annually that the expenditures on account of books will only allow of necessary replacements, and increase in numbers with no increase in variety which would increase the stand- ard of our work, for to teachers books are what tools are to the workmen : the greater the variety the better and more rapid work can be accomplished. Large. sums of money could be well spent on our school. grounds to improve them and this is slowly being done : the installation of facilities for providing running hot. water in some of our buildings as a measure of clean- liness might be a paying investment, not alone on that score but as well as a means of possibly prolonging the life of our text books. Radios and moving picture ma- chines are valuable and effective means of education today, and as time goes on are undoubtedly to play a much larger part in educational practices in our schools than they do today, although even today many communities have felt that these facilities are worth the price and have provided them for their schools.
In some places we hear a cry against the cost of education and its increase, but in the same breath we
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hear a demand for this and that additional or special feature to be added to the already rather long list of things for our teachers to do and our schools to ac- complish, and most, if not all, are apt to mean an in- crease in the cost of education. There are today two distinctly different and apparently contradictory ten- dencies in educational practice, one toward mass in- struction and one toward individual instruction. There also seems to be no limit to the variety of specialized trade instruction which the public expects to see fur- nished by its schools, and these all are bound to be valuable and it is simply a question of "are you able and willing to pay the price." With a per pupil cost of $80.00 the education of an individual in this com- munity through the High School represents an invest- ment of about $1,000.00. Now if the time required qan be reduced, and there are many cases where it has been done, there is a corresponding reduction in cost. But many argue that a speeding up in grade school work brings the child to his secondary school work too young and immature : however, I feel that the present generation at twelve is more mature in many ways, if not every way, than the previous generation was at sixteen, and there should be more flexibility in our school organization so as to allow the child capable of more rapid progress the opportunity, not alone for the dollars and cents savings to the com- munity, but for the best interests of the child. We are giving all kinds of consideration and attention to the unfortunate and slow, and it is about time some atten- tion was given to the other end of the line. I honestly believe that 50% of our children could do in six years' time what is accomplished now in eight years, and do it better if our organization was such as to allow and encourage it. I certainly would like to make the ex-
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periment, and yet I hardly think it fair to call it an ex- periment for I know it is being done elsewhere.
With the opening of our schools this Fall, we found it necessary to increase our teaching force by engaging two additional High School teachers, and five additional grade school teachers. At the close of school last June there were thirteen resignations: three on account of marriage, one death, and nine se- cured other positions: one teacher returned from a year's leave of absence, and one teacher was trans- ferred, thus we find of our one hundred twenty-one teachers, eighteen who are new to the system. About 53% of our teachers have been with us more than three years, 13% are teaching for us the third year, 19% the second year, and 15% the first year. The average experience of our teaching force is nearly eleven years, while the average experience of the teachers new to our schools is nearly three and a half years. These facts show quite clearly that our teach- ing force is a trained and experienced one, for no one is appointed to the force who is not a Normal School or College graduate with experience.
In closing this report I wish to invite and urge- and I am sorry it is necessary to do so-citizens of the Town to visit our schools and familiarize themselves with the organization and its work, for I am sure that an intimate knowledge of facilities, conditions, organi- zation, and objectives, would satisfy the public that appropriations are wisely spent and that the Town is fully justified in continuing the liberal policy now for several years followed. I wish to thank the personnel of this Department, one hundred fifty-three people, for the strong and effective cooperative action so much
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, in evidence. Each has played his part and consci- entiously, meriting a "Thank You" as well as a check from the Public.
Respectfully submitted,
C. EDWARD FISHER.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
January 2, 1929.
- Dear Sir :
Mr. C. Edward Fisher, Superintendent of Schools, Braintree, Mass.
Herewith is submitted the report of the High School for 1928.
MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE
The figures on membership and attendance for the . school year 1927-1928 were as follows:
Total Membership 543
Average Membership 502
Percentage of Attendance 94.6
These figures show an increase over the previous year of ninety-eight in total membership and ninety- two in average membership, with a decrease of about one per cent in attendance figures for the year. This was accounted for by the large amount of illness dur- ing the first five months.
Although we graduated a class of ninety-four last June, twenty-one more than the previous year, our reg- istration for this school year shows a substantial in- crease over last. Below are the figures on registration - to date :
Boys
Girls
Total
Post Graduates
3
3
6
Seniors
39
51
90
178
Juniors
73
63
136
Sophomores
78
79
157
Freshmen
102
93
195
Totals
295
289
584
With a first year class of about 190 due in Sep -- tember, 1929, and a graduating class somewhat smaller · than last June's, there should be a moderate increase in numbers next September, while September, 1930, owing to the present seventh grade, will see the build -. ing filled to its comfortable limit.
TRANSPORTATION
If the present system of bus transportation for East Braintree pupils living a distance of two miles or- greater is to continue, it will be necessary to add at. least one more bus next year. At present there are 172 pupils riding in four buses, and of that number only- twenty-six are members of the graduating class, while there are in the Watson and Perkins School a total of approximately seventy eighth grade pupils. Although it is felt that the bus system has been an advantage in many ways, especially in promoting better attendance, the fact that certain pupils who have such transporta -- tion misuse the privilege, raises the question whether they appreciate it enough for the Town to continue the service.
TEACHING FORCE
Four vacancies occurred in the faculty last June, two teachers leaving to be married, one to go into busi -- ness, and the fourth to accept a college position. New teachers were secured to fill these vacancies, and in addition, two teachers were added to the force, one to the Commercial Department and one to take care of
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the overflow in the work in English and History. Al- though it will mean several over-large classes, an effort will be made to carry on the work next school year starting September, 1929, with no increase in the fac- ulty. September, 1930, however, will see the need of a material increase in the number of teachers.
CURRICULUM
Thre have been no changes in or additions to the program of studies during the year, and with the pres- ent teaching force, no changes are anticipated for next year.
EXTRA-CURRICULA ACTIVITIES
The importance of extra-curricula activities prop- erly supervised and directed is everywhere recognized. Of such activities the work of the school publications, "Wampatuck," is outstanding. It has maintained its high standing in the face of ever-growing keener com- petition, and in last year's annual contest was awarded second place, giving it a record of three first and two second awards in five years. The paper for the fifth consecutive year was self-supporting, although certain difficulties presented themselves in that respect. Our request for formal approval of the privilege of solicit- ing advertisements was turned down by the local Board of Trade with no explanation-a situation unparalleled in any other town included in the league of nearly thirty schools. This action made it necessary to solicit advertisements to a greater degree in Quincy and Wey- mouth, and the response of store keepers there indi- cates that they do not consider it "charity" when they give an advertisement to the "Wampatuck." The pa- per has a circulation of 500 or more, and is probably read by at least two thousand people, and must have some real advertising value. In order to continue pub-
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lication of the paper advertising is necessary, because it costs considerably more than the sale price to print each copy. We consider that it is worth while to con- tinue the "Wampatuck." Not only does it tie up close- ly with the work of the English classes, but it offers a splendid training in business management for the boys and girls who are actively interested in its pro- motion.
Athletics in the school are on sound basis so far as their relative position in the general plan is con- cerned. Considering the over-emphasis on athletics which is charged, and with reason in many places, Braintree is quite conservative. It is natural for teams to like to win, but not too much importance is attached to that particular phase of contests. On the other hand, we do not wish to develop teams that are satis- fied to lose. The aim that is in view is to teach them to play hard and to win or lose gracefully ; not to exult unduly when they win; to keep their heads up when they lose, because for every winning team there must be a loser. These are the ideals which justify athletics and teach the participants the same lessons which they must know when they get out into life's work. Some- times they forget, but for the most part they are pro- gressing in the right direction.
The fact that all of our contests except basketball are played on a public play grounds, unfenced, makes the problem of financing the games a serious one. If * it continues to be necessary to play in an unenclosed field, the time will come when it will be necessary to either drop athletics from our list of extra-curricula ac- tivities or to ask for appropriations for their support as is done in many towns. An attempt is being made to get more and more pupils actively interested in the games. For several weeks since the close of the foot- .
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ball season, about sixty boys have been playing class basketball, and approximately the same number of girls are now engaged in the same activity. The fact that twenty-six boys received their school letters in football, six boys their letters in cross country, and six- teen girls their letters in field hockey during the same period of time indicates a steady growth in the active interest which they take in athletics.
Musical organizations comprising glee club, or- chestra, and band, furnish valuable training along another line. We have an orchestra of nearly sixty pieces, a glee club of boys and girls selected from all classes, and a band of about twenty-five pieces, the members of which performed creditably in the Mem- orial observances last May.
Debating, School Banking, and various clubs offer a wide choice of activities to meet different interests of the pupils, and all serve the same common purpose of character development and citizenship training.
EQUIPMENT
In addition to having a splendid building we have for the most part excellent equipment for the work of the different departments. More tables and chairs were added to the cafeteria to take care of the needs of the present year, also several additional bookkeep- ing tables were purchased to take care of the larger classes in that department. Our Science equipment which we have been building up for several years is gradually coming to a point where it meets the needs of any school of our size. The appropriation which is asked for science apparatus for 1929 will complete the program in the science department which was planned to cover a period of three years instead of ask- ing for the whole amount in a lump sum with the open-
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"ing of the new building. Among science equipment which is especially needed now are a radio suitable : for use in the auditorium and which can be used for bringing in the many educational programs which are now on the air, especially the Symphony Orchestra broadcasts, and a moving picture machine which could be utilized for so many different purposes in visual in- :struction.
NEEDS
Curbing should be placed at once on both sides . of the driveways and on the sdiewalk side of the front lawn to discourage automobiles from crossing and parking on the lawn. During the celebration last Fourth of July, hundreds of cars drove across the lawn at the north of the building to get to and from the Hollis Field.
A fence should be erected at the rear of the school yard with openings sufficient to allow pupils to pass to and from athletic field, but too small for the passage of .- automobiles.
No provision was made for parking space for auto- mobiles anywhere about the building. While the prac- tice of pupils driving to school daily is not encouraged, it is increasing more and more. The suggestion is made that it might be economical to either sell the loam in the rear of the building or use it in grading at some «of the other school buildings, and replace it with sand or gravel, making a definite parking space for the use of pupils and teachers who use their automobiles as a means of transportation to and from school.
Proper signs should be provided and set in place :making the north driveway one-way passage for en- trance only, and the south driveway for exit, as this
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would seem to be the logical direction of the line of traffic, particularly in view of the discharge of pupils. from the buses in the rear of the building each morn -- ing.
The most outstanding need of the school today is the room and equipment for work in manual train -- ing. We have excellent courses in college and normal school preparation, office work, and domestic arts, but. in hand work for boys we have nothing outside off drawing. No high school can be considered complete when that most important phase of education is com- pletely neglected. Within two years; the Town must seriously consider additional rooms, through an exten- sion of the wings of the building, and when that time- comes provision should be made for shop work ..
PROBLEMS:
Presumably our problems are in common with those of other high schools everywhere .. One of the- outstanding ones is that of persuading pupils that they' need to devote a greater amount of time to home study if they are to do well in their school work .. A large. proportion of our pupils, more common with boys than with girls, are content to "just get by." That is, to do only as much work as is necessary to secure promotion, or graduation at the end. of four years .. Perhaps this: situation is not surprising in view of the many things which there are to distract the pupils' attention, but the lack of study is a most serious problem, and one' which can be corrected only by team work between teachers and parents. Too much time is spent by high school boys and girls in the streets, automobiles, at the movies, and, in short, everywhere except at home .. The teacher has an almost hopeless fight. against. sucht odds.
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Another serious problem is that of unnecessary absence. In many instances pupils are absent fron. :school, with the knowledge and apparent approval of parents, for the most trivial reasons. In many other occasions actual truancy is the cause of absence. This is more common in the case of the pupils above the age of sixteen, but is not confined wholly to those within the compulsory age limit. At the present time there is listed in our Freshman register the name of a fifteen- year-old boy who since the opening of school in Sep- tember has been present only twenty-four days out of a total of seventy-three. Such a boy does not belong in a public high school, but it is demoralizing to have him in the street because of his influence on others. He should be in a school for truants.
The Braintree boys and girls are no different than those of other communities, but this does not seem to relieve us of the duty of trying to make them see that the habits of work which they form in their school life are the habits which prevail in their later work, and that success is purchased only at the expense of honest effort all the time. The ability and the energy are there in our young people today as never before. It needs directing into proper channels. The teacher needs the help and cooperation of parents, and confer- ences between parents and teachers, and visits to classes by parents are invited.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES L. JORDAN.
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REPORT OF CONTINUATION SCHOOL
January 2, 1929.
Mr. C. Edward Fisher, Superintendent of Schools, Braintree, Mass.
Dear Sir :
I hereby submit my report for the Boys' Depart- ment of the Continuation School.
The enrolment at the opening of school was some- what less than September, 1927. This was due to a depression in the local shoe plants, and market garden business. Fewer boys were employed by the market. gardeners than the previous year.
I find every boy is interested in some one particu- lar trade, but the home conditions make it difficult for him to follow it. I have had several boys come to me who are clerking in grocery stores, and some splendid reports have come to me from their managers.
In our school shop we have made up play blocks for children, tables, "cat" chairs, and duck rockers for Christmas. We were unable to supply the demand for the "cat" chairs. The boys took quite an interest in building and decorating aeroplanes.
The following subjects are taken up in our acade- mic classes, related mathematics, English, spelling, citi- zenship, mechanical drawing and hygiene.
In closing I wish to thank all those who have co- operated with us in any way.
Respectfully submitted, JAMES 1. ALLEN.
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REPORT OF CONTINUATION SCHOOL
January 2, 1929.
Mr. C. Edward Fisher, Superintendent of Schools, Braintree, Mass.
Dear Sir :
I herewith submit my fourth annual report for thè Girls' Department of the Braintree Continuation *School.
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