USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1927 > Part 8
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121
ORGANIZED PLAY
Obviates crime Restrain the bully Generates good feeling Assists in discipline Nullifies selfishness Inculcates self-control Zests Citizenship Encourages the timid Develops the body
Promotes health Limits accidents Awakens the spirit Yokes social elements
More playgrounds are needed for the youth of our town. Several of our schools lack sufficient ground for play activities. Where this is true, more land should be taken by the town for development as play- grounds. Our playground at the High and Center Grade Schools should be graded and improved at the first opportunity. Last fall the High School boys with a few interested persons, who volunteered their ser- vices, did much for three or four weeks to make the field suitable for football and still it is not sufficiently up to grade to mark out the field for this very desirable game.
Mr. Ellsworth R. Thwing, who was elected as Supervisor of Physical Education in all our schools and Athletic Coach in the High School has rendered yeoman service and the splendid results he has obtained and is obtaining are truly remarkable, when we consider the many handi- caps he has had to contend with. I hope all will give his report more than a cursory reading.
Shortly after school had commenced in September Miss Elsie Burne resigned as Supervisor of Music and Miss Charlotte L. Hyde of the North village was elected to fill her position. Just before the Christmas va- cation Miss Marian C. Bradley resigned as teacher of grades 1 and 2 at the Westlands and Mrs. Marion S. Adams was elected to fill the vacancy. All our new teachers are giving excellent satisfaction and our other teachers are rendering the same faithful and efficient service as in the past.
SCHOOL COSTS
We hear much carping criticism of the increase in school expendi- tures in recent years from certain quarters as well as criticism for about .all other payments made for the public welfare. The single item of greatest expense in the support of schools, as in all commerce, agricul- ture and industry, is the expense of labor, or for schools, teachers' salaries.
The following chart illustrates graphically the position of teachers in 1913.
122
CHART I.
Average income salary or wage of several groups in 1913:
U. S. Government Employees $1136
Ministers 899
All gainfully occupied persons 864
Factory workers 578
Teachers
512
Based on data from table 21, May, 1927, Research Bulletin of the National Education Association.
CHART II.
Comparison of teachers' salaries with earnings and incomes of vari- ous groups of gainfully occupied persons in 1926:
Average income of all gainfully occupied persons. $2010
Average income of all persons having incomes less than $3000 1693
Average earnings of workers in 25 mfg. industries 1309
Average earnings of trade union members 2502
Average salary of routine clerical employees working under supervision 1200
Average salary of high grade clerical workers. 1908
Average salary of U. S. Government Employees 1809
Average salary of teachers, principals, and superintendents in public schools 1275
These figures based upon a number of income and wage investiga- tions cited in the May 1927 Research Bulletin of the National Education Association.
The above two charts sum up graphically the recent history of teach- ers salaries and incomes of gainfully occupied persons in general as do also the following statements:
1. In the pre-war period teachers were the lowest paid of any group of workers for which figures are available.
2. Salaries and wages of the population in general have substan- tially increased over pre-war figures.
3. Teachers' salaries have been substantially increased over pre- war figures.
4. Teachers' salaries still occupy a disadvantageous position when compared with those of other groups.
5. Further increases will be necessary in teachers salaries to lift them to an appropriate place in the economic scale.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
Maximum salaries of teachers fall of 1926, in the ten towns larger and the ten towns smaller than Chelmsford; towns arranged larger to smaller in population according to State Census of 1925:
123
Grade Principals Teachers
Grade High Sch. High Sch. Teachers
Prins.
Men
Women
Maynard
$1550
$1300
$3000
$1800
$1500
Stoughton
1500
1200
2500
1800
1650
Whitman
2000
1300
2000
2000
1600
Lexington
2000
1500
3000
2300
1800
Concord
2400
1500
3000
2400
1800
Franklin
1400
1300
3300
1700
1600
Grafton
1900
1350
2800
2000
1700
No. Andover
2000
1450
2500
2000
1800
So. Hadley
1700
1500
2500
1500
1700
Mansfield
1500
1200
2500
1800
1800
Chelmsford
1500
1300
2600
2100
1600
Spencer
1800
1618
2000
1500
2000
Walpole
1900
1500
3200
2000
1700
Millbury
1500
1500
2800
1600
1600
Gt. Barrington
1750
1350
2600
2000
1750
Dracut
1800
1400
Westborough
1350
1250
2000
1900
1600
Agawam
1800
1350
2500
2000
1800
Winchendon
1500
1300
2500
1900
1900
Uxbridge
1600
1600
2600
2000
1800
Hingham
1500
1400
3300
2700
1700
$35950
$29168
$53200
$39000
$34400
Averages
1711
1360
2660
1950
1720
Medians
1650
1341
2533
1914
1687
X Dracut has no High School.
From the above study we observe that both the average and median salaries for the group of 21 towns is greater in every instance but one than for Chelmsford. By median is meant that there are just as many towns that pay more as there are others that pay less.
From a similar study of the salaries of superintendents for the 10 towns larger and the ten towns smaller than Chelmsford it is found that the average salary of superintendents for the group of 21 towns is $4197.00 and the median salary is $3583.33.
Teaching is yet far short of being a profession as to financial re- ward given those who take up the work, which is now so exacting in requirements as to character, professional training and successful experi- ence. The income promised by a line of work largely determines the type of human material doing the work, particularly if the compensation approaches closely the level of subsistence.
124
A reduction in teachers salaries, which was the virtual result of the loss in the purchasing power of the dollar around 1920, caused a rapid loss in normal school enrollments. Thousands of the best teachers left the profession. They could no longer maintain the standard of living teaching required. Increases in teachers salaries since 1920 has resulted in growth in attendance in teacher training institutions.
Recently it has been said there is an over-supply of teachers. There is an over-supply of people who are willing to keep school, but there is not an over-supply of trained teachers. There are really fewer teachers who have training equivalent to normal school graduation, than there are teaching positions in the United States and even normal or college graduates are not truly fully trained teachers until they have served their apprenticeship in the actual job of teaching for at least two or three years.
Teaching today is a highly skilled profession and two or four years training in the theory of Education does not complete ones training for teaching any more than a like amount of training completes the prepara- tion of the lawyer, doctor or engineer. Actual experience is just as essential to develop skill in the one as in the other profession.
The following study with respect to valuation or ability to pay; total payments for school support from local taxation; and the rate of total tax per $1000.00 valuation; for the seven towns larger and the seven towns smaller than Chelmsford in group 2, or the 79 towns of the state of over 5000 population, shows three facts:
1. Close correlation between valuation and rank of Chelmsford with respect to the average for the 15 towns of group II.
2. A low expenditure for support in Chelmsford with respect to the average for the 15 towns of group II.
3. A low tax rate in order to maintain schools in Chelmsford with respect to the average for the 15 towns of group II.
125
DATA FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPT. OF EDUCTATION FOR YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1927.
Valuation of 1926 per pupil in net
average membership,
vear ending June 30, 1927
Total for School Support from
local taxation, year ending Dec. 31, 1926, per $1000
Valuation.
Rate of total tax per $1000 valuation 1926.
Rank in
Amt.
Rank in Group to
Rank in Group 2
Lexington
$8507.
22
$9.77
49
$33.50
. 20
Concord
7071.
38
13.99
9
37.80
8
Franklin
5647.
57
12.20
23
32.50
33
Grafton
4450.
71
16.30
4
36.00
17
No. Andover
7043.
39
11.04
35
36.80
11
So. Hadley
5414.
64
12.19
24
30.00
50
Mansfield
.5849.
53
12.61
18
34.40
23
Chelmsford
.5848.
54
11.79
28
30.00
48
Spencer
.5752.
55
12.49
19
38.00
7
Walpole
.7641.
51
10.11
46
30.40
46
Millbury
5881.
51
13.22
12
36.50
13
Gt. Barring
. 7492.
33
8.71
59
26.00
69
Dracut
.2803.
79
18.74
1
42.00
2
Westborough
.5347.
65
12.47
20
35.90
18
Agawam
6052.
48
12.03
25
28.80
57
Totals
$90797
760
$187.66
372
$510.60
422
Averages for $6053.13 the 15 towns.
50 2-3
12.51
24 4-5
34.04
28
Amt.
Group 2
Amt.
Table on next page shows the low cost of schools for Chelmsford with respect to the average for the following seventeen towns about Chelmsford.
126
Data from Annual Report of Dept. of Education for year ending Nov. 30, 1927; for the school year ending June 30, 1927.
Total for support per pupil in average membership.
Chelmsford
$ 76.61
Dunstable
178.85
Westford
89.40
Groton
104.62
Pepperell
73.61
Tyngsboro
115.96
Dracut
63.55
Tewksbury
91.02
Billerica
80.61
Lowell
93.20
Carlisle
134.33
Littleton
103.65
Acton
87.30
Bedford
106.39
Concord
116.07
Lexington
97.61
Wilmington
63.35
Totals
$1,676.13
Average for the 17 towns
98.60
From the above studies, charts and tables, it is very evident that Chelmsford rather than reduce its expenditures for schools needs to increase them, if she is to keep pace, with other towns of her size and ability to pay, in respect to the type of service rendered
ATTENDANCE
The per cent of attendance, 95.75 for all schools last year is the best record made in the past 12 years and is one very important fac- tor providing the opportunity for the best of results from the school work. Last year a total of only 659 cases of tardiness was the best record with respect to tardiness for the past seven years. Both of these splendid records indicate most of our teachers, with fine co-opera- tion of parents and pupils themselves, are succeeding in training our children in the essential habits of regularity and punctuality in school attendance.
HEALTH SUPERVISION
The "Health Supervision Summary" when compared with that of the previous year shows excellent results from the medical examination. The total number of defects found this fall was 1383, whereas the pre- vious fall, 1248 cases were found. Nearly 100 less cases of carious teeth were found than the year before due largely no doubt to the work
127
3
of the dental clinic in the different schools. Almost twice as many cases of pediculosis and over 100 more cases of enlarged tonsils and cervical glands each were noted than in the previous fall. Such defects as poor vision and hearing, adenoids, enlarged tonsils or glands, to say nothing of malnutrition are particularly harmful to the physical and educational growth of our boys and girls. The number of cases treated during the . year or 959 was a few more than was treated the previous year, when the number was 922. This indicates that parents are wisely heeding the reports of the results of the examination and the "follow up" work of the school nurse.
EVENING SCHOOL, PRINCETON STREET, NO. CHELMSFORD Summary for School Year Oct. 27, 1926 to Apr. 7, 1927
Total enrollment, 42; membership at close of year 20; average at- tendance, 21.81; number certificates 19, (one blue seal) ; number ses- sions, 42.
NATIONALITY
Canadian French, 24; Finnish, 4; Polish, 4; Russian, 1; Swedish, 4; Lithuanian, 4; German, 1.
No. receiving first papers during school year, 7.
Men
Women
No. between, 21-25 inclusive
14
2
No. between 26-35 inclusive
4
1
No. over 35
15
1
No. between 16-18
1
4
TEACHERS
Beginners Class, Miss Genevieve E. Jantzen.
Intermediate Class, Miss Lucy T. Nordon.
The Evening School which started Nov. 7, 1927 for this year has been quite successful so far, having an average membership of about twenty-five students, though it is a pity that we could not double the membership. It is surely inspiring to see the matter of twenty-five adults who faithfully attend the evening school two nights a week, after laboring at their posts in the mill, factory, or quarry all day long, and many of them walk from two to three miles in order to be present. Truly it is remarkable how rapidly they learn to speak, read and write our language and this result of their eagerness to learn can only tend to make them a greater influence for good citizenship in our commun- ity.
In closing, I wish to say that I appreciate exceedingly the advice and loyal support of the School Committee, the splendid co-operation of the teachers, parents and pupils, as well as that of the different parent-teachers associations, in the interests of the schools.
Respectfully submitted,
January 23, 1928.
C. H. WALKER.
128
FINANCIAL SUMMARY PAYMENTS 1997
Grand
Amounts
Totals
Totals
General Control-
Expenses School Committee
Expenses Attendance Officers
Expenses School Census
Expenses Graduations ..... $ 933.70 $ 933.70
Expenses Travel
Expenses Superintendent's Office
Expenses All Other
Salary Superintendent
$ 3,349.92 $ 3,349.92
$4,283.62
Instruction-
Teachers' Salaries:
High
$14,440.00
Elementary
44,257.70
Supervisors
2,790.00
Evening School
306.00
1
$61,793.70
Books:
High
$ 624.27
Elementary
1,238.52
Evening
32.77
$ 1,895.56
Supplies:
High
$ 723.80
Elementary
1,924.62
$ 2,648.42
$66,337.68
Operation and Maintenance-
Janitor Service:
High
1,997.99
Elementary
6,175.11
$ 8,173.10
129
Janitor Supplies:
High
128.04
Elementary
$
279.44
Fuel:
$
1,391.29
High
$ 4,068.03
Elementary
$ 5,459.32
Water, Light and Power
1,209.15
$ 1,209.15
Repairs and Expenses:
$ 365.38
High
1,506.29
Elementary
$ 1,871.67
$16,992.68
Auxiliary Agencies :
Transportation :
.$ 4,455.09
High
4,454.81
Elementary
$ 8,909.90
Health :
Salary School Nurse
95.54
Supplies School Nurse
300.00
Salary School Physicians
$ 1,895.54
$10,805.44
Outlays:
New Equipment $
991.55
$ 991.55
Plans Toilet System Quessy School
73.50
73.50
New Toilet System Quessey School ..
3,228.52
3,228.52
New Heating Unit South School
2,700.95
2,700.95
New Centre Grade School *
270.00
270.00
$ 7,274.52
130
$ 151.40
1,500.00
Other Payments:
Insurance *** $ 488.41
488.41
Lowell Vocational School ***
2,792.12
2,792.12
$ 3,280.53
Total Payments $108,974.47
* Paid by Special Building Committee *** Paid by Selectmen.
RECEIPTS 1927
Appropriation, Feb. 1927 $99,500.00
Refund, during 1927, (Vocational School) 1,536.10
Refund, (Dividend on Insurance Policy) 5.40
Received on Sale of Old North Row School 550.00
Received from Dog Tax 992.12
Reimbursement on account of Teachers' Salaries from State ..
9,100.00
Reimbursement on account of Tuition and Transportation State Wards 1,078.11
Received from all other tuition
562.68
For plans and specifications Toilet System Quessy School
Carried over from 1926 73.50
Appropriation for New Toilet System Quessy School. 3,500.00
Appropriation for New Heating Unit South School. 2,800.00
Balance carried over from 1926 New Centre Grade School.
469.45
Refund on General Control 3.00
Refund on Instruction 3.94
Transfer from Reserve Fund of Finance Committee. 275.00
Total Receipts $120,449.30
SUMMARY DECEMBER 31, 1927
Appropriation, not including any other receipts. $99,500.00
Payments on account of current expenses of the schools. 99,410.97
Unexpended balance $ 89.03
Unpaid bill, salary of one School Physician $ 300.00
Total payments for schools, not including those from special Appropriations, or for Insurance and Vocational School 99,410.97
Total reimbursements, including Dog Tax and other tuition
but not including refund from Vocational School 11,739.85
Net payments for schools, from local taxation 87.671.12
131
SCHOOL BUDGET FOR 1928
Appropriations for 1927
Payments for 1927
Proposed for 1928
General Court
$ 4,150.00
$ 4,283.62
$ 4,200.00
Instruction
66,350.00
66,337.68
65,500.00
Operation and Maintenance
17,000.00
16,992.68
17,500.00
Auxiliary Agencies
11,000.00
10,805.44
11,175.00
Outlay
1,000.00
991.55
1,500.00
$ 99,500.00
$ 99,410.97
$ 99,875.00
INVENTORY OF SCHOOL PROPERTY
Buildings
Land
Total
High School
$100,900.00
$ 3,000.00
$103,000.00
New Center Grade School
150,000.00
5,000.00
155,000.00
Princeton St. (New)
50,000.00
$ 3,000.00
53,000.00
Princeton St. (Old)
7,000.00
7,000.00
Highland Av. School
50,000.00
1,000.00
51,000.00
Quessey School
50,000.00
350.00
50,350.00
South School
25,000.00
200.00
25,200.00
South Row School
5,000.00
150.00
5,150.00
East School
45,000.00
300.00
45,300.00
Westlands School
45,000.00
3,000.00
48,000.00
$527,000.00
$ 16,000.00
$543,000.00
132
SCHOOL STATISTICS-1926-1927
ATTENDANCE
School
Number of
Days in Session
Girls
Boys
Average Daily
Membership
Average Daily.
Attendance
Attendance
Per Cent
Tardiness
High
188
138
88
202.50
195.35
96.46
71
Center Grade 1
182.5
16
22
33.72
31.12
92.03
10
Center
Grade
2
183
11
18
26.10
23.98
91.87
5
Center Grade 3
183
16
16
29.13
28.01
96.00
4
Center Grade 4
183
12
14
24.17
22.96
94.91
2
Center Grade 5
183
14
21
33.01
31.52
95.49
5
Center Grade 6
183
19
15
33.00
32.11
97.27
6
Center Grade 6 & 7
183
11
19
28.67
27.10
94.52
13
Center Grade 7
183
19
16
32.91
32.00
97.23
4
Center Grade 8
183
12
18
29.80
28.75
96.48
22
East Grade 1 & 2
183
17
24
33.35
30.61
91.83
20
East Grade 3 & 4.
183
20
14
33.28
31.55
94.68
73
East Grade 5 & 6
183
11
19
29.53
ยท 28.63
96.98
13
East Grade 7 & 8
183
10
21
28.15
26.67
94.70
19
Westlands Grade 1 & 2
183
23
16
38.78
35.87
93.94
19
Westlands Grade 5 & 6
183
19
11
28.79
27.83
96.66
8
South Grade 1 & 2
183
8
12
19.95
18.54
92.93
7
South Grade 3, 4 & 5
183
10
11
19.25
18.29
94.40
8
South Row Grade 1, 2, 3 &
4 183
8
7
15.33
14.55
94.80
46
Princeton Street Grade 1
183
23
19
33.72
31.41
93.01
23
Princeton Street Grade 2
183
16
18
32.22
30.49
94.63
22
Princeton Street Grade 3
183
18
22
39.58
37.16
95.28
18
Princeton Street Grade 4
183
15
15
33.01
31.68
95.97
25
Princeton Street Grade 5
183
14
18
30.63
28.61
96.65
25
Princeton Street Grade 6
183
18
15
29.05
28.18
97.01
4
Princeton Street Grade 7
183
19
14
30.69
30.07
97.98
6
Highland Ave. Grade 1. &
2
183
18
16
37.19
35.83
96.48
13
Highland Ave. Grade 3 & 4
183
22
21
39.67
38.06
95.92
19
Highland Ave. Grade 5 & 6
.. 183
20
21
36.93
36.01
95.57
23
Highland Ave. Grade 7 &
.. 183
23
14
36.88
36.04
97.70
6
Quessey School Grade 1 & 2 ..
183
17
21
42.43
39.33
92.94
16
Quessey School Grade 3
183
17
23
37.35
35.06
95.40
16
Quessey School Grade 5 & 6 .. 183
12
15
26.40
25.03
95.80
25
Quessey School Grade 7 & 8 .. 183
16
15
30.40
28.95
94.80
10
7
21.17
20.70
97.78
8
Westlands Grade 3 & 4
183
20
16
33.09
31.93
96.46
11
Westlands Grade 7 &
183
15
Princeton Street Grade 8
183
17
17
30.44
29.59
97.20
34
Total or Average
183.13 712
694 1316.81 1260.86 95.75 659
133
CHELMSFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS Enrollment, October 1, 1927
Grades:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Totals
Center
. .
.
. .
(5
18)
Center
35
34
21
32
31
41
31
35
260
Princeton
42
27
29
41
27
27
28
43
264
Highland
36
(17
24)
(19
23)
(13
24)
156
Quessey
(22
25)
(18
19) (19
17) (8
19)
146
Westlands
(25
17) (25
15) (20
15)
(18
14)
149
East
(19
16)
(19
18)
(14
11)
(5
11)
123
South
(10
12)
(10
8
4)
. .
. .
4
4
4)
20
Totals
196
152
150
156
138
124
129
140
1162
High
Freshman 83
Soph. 65
Junior 44
Senior 31
P. G.
Total
1
224
1386
..
44
South Row
(8
134
135
COMPARATIVE TABLE FOR SEVEN YEARS
1920-21
1921-22
1922-23
1923-24
1924-25
1925-26
1926-27
No. Pupils Enrolled
1210.
1153
1214
1326
1386
1364
1406
Average Membership
1084.78
1116
1119.67
1221.69
1337.42
1288.44
1316.81
Average Daily Attendance
991.05
1047
1038.75
1156.67
1262.65
1222.12
1260.86
Per Cent of Attendance
91.06
93.82
92.77
94.68
94.50
94.85
95.75
Av. No. in High School Membership
142.84
166.27
180.76
195.38
200.08
185.75
202.50
No. of Tardinesses
1553
1007
788
938
1163
750
659
High School, cost per pupil in Av. Membership ...... $
152.75
$ 127.67
$ 141.09
$ 137.92
$ 135.71
$ 129.36
$ 136.75
Elementary school, cost per pupil in Av. Membership .. $
65.36
56.64
62.67
66.73
59.64
59.52
63.34
Cost of Transportation
10513.18
8464.05
8968.94
7895.58
8371.10
8279.49
8777.70
Per mile, per pupil per day, fiscal year
.285
.22
.195
.306
.305
For private owned busses
.18
10
.097
.107
.107
For town owned busses
.15
.14
117
.11
:111
.
AGE
AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION TABLE-OCT. 1, 1926
Totals
No. Normal
% Normal
No. Over Age
% Over Age
No. under Age
% Under Age
Ages
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Grade 1
25
70
58
9
2
2
166 128 83.1
13
7.8
25
9.1
Grade 2
6
25
82
40
7
6
154 113 73.4
8
5.2
33 21.4
Grade 4
138
75 54.3
23 16.6
22 16.5
27 19.3
Grade 6
141
86 61.
30 21.2
25 17.8
Grade
7
2
45
53
34
14
7
155
87 62.6
21 13.5
47 23.9
Grade
8
1
30
48
21
13
1
114
69 61.4
14 12.3
31 26.3
Totals or Average
31
95
173
177
113
120
142
140
111
43
24
1
1
1171 768 65.5 144 12.3 259 22.2
HIGH SCHOOL
Grade 9
1 27
33
15
7
83
48 57.8
7 8.4
28 33.8
Grade 10
2
17
27
13
1
1
61
40 65.5
2 3.2
19 31.3
Grade 11
15
25
4
1
2
47
29 61.7
3
6.4
15 31.9
Grade 12
1
18
1
1
33
12 36.3
2
6.1
19 57.6
Post Graduate
1
1
-
2
1 50.
0
0.
1 50.0
Totals or Average
1
29
50
58
63
13
8
3
1
226 130 57.5
14
6.2
82 36.3
--
-
25
48
38
20
6
3
2
1
137
88 64.2
13
7.8
31 18.7
Grade 3
33
87
26
5
2
1
23
15
6
2
Grade 5
1
26
57
31
12
7
136
-
-
--
-
-
..
The figures in bold faced type show the number of pupils of normal age for the grade; those at right of bold faced type show the number above normal age or "over age"; those at the left show the number be- low normal age or "under age." With a well adapted curse of study and not too arbitrary system of marking, a school system in general should show about the same percentage of "over age" and "under age" pupils.
.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
40 29.1
40
52
166 122 73.5
HEALTH DIVISION-SUMMARY Sept. 1926-Sept. 1927
Approximate date of examinations Sept. 1926 to Dec. 1926. .1361
Cases Treated
Sept. 1926 to Sept 1, 1927
Defects Found
Number Notices sent Parents
Skin
38
3
Cleft Palate
1
Cervical Glands
90
4
Carious Teeth
639
801
Heart
30
2
Impetigo
2
2
Lungs
8
6
Throat
7
Nasal Obstruction
73
5
Pediculosis
58
40
Scabies
6
6
Spine
2
Thyroid
10
4
Tonsils-Adenoids
291
50
Defective Vision
18
Ear
8
Injury
1
General Condition
1
Blood Test Taken
1
Totals
1248
959
SCHOOL CENSUS
Oct. 1, 1927
5-6
7-13
14-15
16-21
Totals
Boys
109
454
102
4
669
Girls
116
442
106
1
665
Totals
225
896
208
5
1334
Private School
1
8
9
Not Enrolled
98
2
30
130
Night High
5
5
Vocational
10
10
Public Day
126
S86
163
5
1180
Totals
225
S96
208
-
5
1334
137
Number of children examined
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. Chas. H. Walker, Superintendent of Schools,
Chlemsford, Mass.
Dear Sir:
It is with pleasure that I submit my first annual report as the Prin- cipal of Chelmsford High School.
School opened in September with an enrollment of 225. This num- ber has been divided into six homeroom groups, with the object of mak- ing each class group a unit. Room 10 is not used this year as a home- room. All of the desks have been removed and placed in other rooms. By doing this, we have obtained a room which will seat all of the stu- dents in a general assembly. This general assembly has value in get- ting the students all together, at least once a week and enables us to get information across to them in a body. We have also had outside speakers address the assembly at different times, and have now institu- ted a form of rhetoricals or assembly performances weekly, in which the pupils take part. We have not a sufficient number of the auditorium type of chairs for this room and so every time that we have an assem- bly we have had to borrow and carry over from the grade school, 50 or 60 of those chairs. Another thing which we sorely need in our audit- orium is a platform in the front. At present we have none and there is consequently a great deal of unrest in the rear of the room when a person is speaking in the front, and cannot be seen because he is not elevated above the level of the students. When the chairs are removed to the side of the room we have a very fine room in which the pupils may hold their various parties and receive social recreation under the direction of the teachers.
Under the able direction of Miss Harmon and Miss Reed we have revived the old school paper and have developed the "Blue Moon" (a contraction of the school colors, blue and maroon.) This paper is con- structed entirely within the school and appears about six or seven times a year at the time of the holiday seasons.
The five class periods have been lengthened to fifty-five minutes thereby giving the opportunity for the teachers to give ten or fifteen minutes a day to study in class under the direct supervision of the teacher of the subject pursued. This teacher is, I believe, best suited to give guidance to the pupil. By giving this short period of time every day, to the study of the subject, the student should be trained to study effectively, essentials of the advance assignment may be pointed out and emphazied by the teacher and attention may be given to the indiv-
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