USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1936 > Part 11
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REPAIRS BY W. P. A. IN 1936
Full advantage was taken in 1936 of the offer of W. P. A. labor for repairs on school buildings, both interior and exterior work being done. Interior work necessitates some loss of school time. In the Old Building at Princeton St. this averaged four and one-half days to the room. In this building all stair treads were renewed, one weak floor was strengthened by pulling floor timbers back into place with tie-rods, two storage closets for books and supplies were provided, the belfry was repaired and bell-frame rebuilt, many clapboards were re- placed, doors either rebuilt or replaced, and bulletin boards placed over the blackboards. Plastering was repaired, and then the building in- side and out was given two coats of paint. Considering its age, this building is now in very good condition. It can never be brought up to accepted standards. For one thing the rooms have windows on oppo- site sides, producing the injurious effect of cross-lighting. The floors are in bad condition, due to long years of use. Taking up desks and relaying floors could hardly be done except in the summer vacation.
The New Building at Princeton St. was in better condition so far as the interior was concerned. Some stair treads were renewed, win- dow sash repaired or replaced, the plastering was patched as necessary and the ceilings calcimined. On the outside many clapboards were re- placed, and new doors hung at both ends of the building. In the rear the entrances to the boys' and the girls' basements were enclosed and covered. These had previously been both cold and dangerous. The front steps and entrance were repaired to keep water out of the coal pocket underneath. For several years every workman who had had
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occasion to go onto the roof had reported the ornamental cupola to be in a very weak condition, being held in place only by the rods which tied it to the rafters. There was possibility of a high wind rip- ping it off the building, with danger to both life and property. It seemed wise to remove this altogether, instead of repairing it, and to close up the roof opening smoothly except for a new skylight. This building was also given two coats of paint on the outside. The in- terior is in fair condition.
At South Chelmsford the wood work was repaired and sheathing put on in halls and stairways. Then the plastering was repaired and the interior painted one coat.
At the Westlands the ceilings were calcimined. The walls and woodwork generally are in excellent condition.
At East Chelmsford the attic had never been cleaned up thoroughly after the fire of 1928. At one end the rafters and roof boards were badly charred, constituting in the opinion of insurance inspectors a fire hazard. A lower rate was offered if the rafters and boards were scraped and treated, and if the cupola were screened to prevent sparks entering. This was done, and with the P. W. A. work of the previous year that building is now in good condition.
The labor cost of these repairs was handled by the W. P. A. Material cost as follows : paint, varnish, etc., $566.44; lumber, $791.24; hardware, $88.93; slate, $26.64; a total of $1,473.25. Of this amount $825 was paid in 1935.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS
A few facts taken from the History of Chelmsford may be an interesting introduction to a description of the present buildings. The first school master was appointed in 1696. His work was probably with older boys who wished to prepare for Harvard. There was no school house, this first "grammar school" being held in rotation in homes in different parts of the town. The first school house was built in 1718 on ground furnished by the town, but the cost of the building was met by private subscription. Later this building was replaced by the brick building in Forefathers Cemetery now used as a tool house. The first appropriation of public funds for building school houses was in 1794, when the sum of 250 pounds was voted. This amount, perhaps increased by private subscription, provided in 1800 twelve district schools, two of which were in the present limits of Lowell and one probably in Carlisle. A little later the "grammar school" was dis- continued. In 1825 the Chelmsford Classical School was established in the Center, held in a house which is a part of the Baptist parsonage on Academy St. It had a brief existence, but names of men eminent in the literary and political life of the XIXth century are associated with it.
The town report for 1877-78 shows a two-room school at the Cen-
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ter, a three-room at North Chelmsford, a two-room at the West, with six one-room schools. There were 430 pupils in attendance in the fall of 1877. The present Old Building at Princeton St. housed the three schools of 1877. It was a two-room building at first, to which the two rear rooms were added at some time previous to 1877. The two front rooms measure 31 ft. by 36 ft .; the two rear rooms 28 ft. by 29 ft.
In the forty years from 1850 to 1890 the population of the town increased from 2,097 to 2,695. The next twenty years are the period of the most rapid growth, from 2,695 to 5,010, almost 86%. Naturally school accomodations were increased during these years. In 1899 $3,550 was appropriated for the site of a new building in North Chelms- ford, and $10,700 for the building. This is the so-called New Building on Princeton St. It has four classrooms, approximately 28 ft. by 31 ft.
In 1903 an appropriation of $5000 was made for a site and a new two-room building in East Chelmsford. From the record the building itself seems to have cost $6,248. It consisted of the two rear rooms of the present building, 28 ft. by 32 ft. in size.
On May 21, 1904, $10,000 was appropriated for the construction of the school we know as the Corp. George R. Quessy School in West Chelms- ford. It was built in the rear of the older two-room school, and was occupied in January 1905, when three rooms were used. The building has four rooms, approximately 26 ft. by 30 ft.
The needs of South Chelmsford were met next, by an appropria- tion of $6,500 in 1908. The building has two rooms, 24 ft. by 28 ft.
From 1908 on the school reports emphasize the urgent need of in- creased school accomodations both at North Chelmsford and at the Center. In both villages the high school departments were using rooms in the lower town halls, and enrollements were growing each year. After considerable delay an appropriation of $1650 was made in 1910 for the lot on which the Highland Ave. School stands, and $13,500 for the building. It has four rooms, 24 ft. by 30 ft.
The disadvantages, financial and otherwise, of the town's main- taining two high schools are discussed in the reports from about 1910. An appropriation of $4,500 was made for a site of a new High School in the Center on Sept. 29, 1913, and on Feb. 7, 1916 one of $65,000 was made for the building. The building was first used in the fall of 1917, when the enrollment was 161. The building has on the first floor two rooms approximately 24 ft. by 29 ft., three rooms 20 ft. by 24 ft., a small principal's office and a small teachers' room; on the second floor are two rooms 24 ft. by 29 ft., two rooms 20 ft. by 24 ft., and one room, used as a study hall, 20 ft. by 59 ft. In the basement are two rooms 20 ft. by 26 ft., used for classrooms, and two rooms 26 ft. by 29 ft., used as locker rooms. The heating and ventilating is by forced draft system several fans being used. The toilet rooms are on the first and second floors.
An appropriation of $3000 was made for the site of a new school in the Westlands on June 11, 1920, and the town voted $50,000 for the
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building on Feb. 14, 1921. There was an unexpended balance of $4,679.19. The building has four rooms measuring 21 ft. by 28 ft.
In 1923 the twenty-year-old building in East Chelmsford was overcrowded, and on July 2nd $20,000 was voted for converting the one and one-half story building into a two and one-half story building with two additional rooms. This plan was found not feasible, and on August 13, 1923, a request was made for $35,000 additional, with which to construct an addition of four rooms. This request was denied, but on Feb. 11, 1924 $10,000 additional was voted. Two rooms were added in front of the former building, with new toilet rooms. These rooms are 28 ft. by 31 ft., and are connected by sliding doors which can be pushed back so as to convert the two class- rooms into one large room for community purposes. The school desks are of the movable type.
Finally, on Feb. 9, 1925, it was voted to build a new twelve-room building at the Center and to discontinue use of the old grade building on North Road. For this purpose $140,000 was voted, to include the cost of the site, $4,875. Four rooms are 22 ft. by 30 ft., and eight are 21 ft. by 30 ft. There is a play-room in the basement, used as such by the pupils of the McFarlin School in inclement weather, used by the High School as an assembly room and for basket ball (although it has two iron posts in the court), used as a lunch room by both schools, used by both schools for rehearsals and for special purposes of all kinds. There is little of the school day when this room is not occupied, although it is very poorly adapted to many of its uses.
Attention is called to the size of the rooms in our buildings. Old buildings everywhere have large rooms. Aisles are 18 to 24 inches. The rooms will hold 40 desks without seeming to be crowded. About 1920 college departments of education and school authorities began a study of school housing in order to set standards which would tend both to economy in construction and efficiency in school work. One result was to define a "standard classroom" for elementary schools as one 22 ft. by 28 or 30 ft., with positive requirements for lighting, heating, and ventilating. Such a room will hold 35 desks without crowding, with aisles of 16 or 18 inches, and 40 desks can be set in. No elementary classroom should contain more than 40 pupils.
When the number of pupils given a teacher is in excess of 40 a situation is created which is fair neither to the pupils nor to the teacher. We have been tolerating such situations during the last few years, but with the coming of better times we may hope that the voters will pro- vide means by which these crowded rooms may be avoided.
THE SPECIAL APPROPRIATION
The last annual meeting voted $2000 for the general purpose of fitting a part of the McFarlin School for use by the High School. The 3d and 4th grade rooms were moved from the first floor to the second, so that the High School might have the two rooms most conveniently located, reached by the entrance and stairway in the rear of the Mc-
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Farlin School. The walk between the buildings was extended and re paired at a cost of $276.18. Additional desks of high school size cost $890.60. Moving desks, putting up blackboards, sound-proofing parti- tion, $133.83. Enclosing the kitchen in the basement, $301.90. Building seats in the basement for assembly purposes, $215.26. Additional tables and benches, $58.75. Total, $1876.52
The use of these two rooms in the McFarlin School, together with the additional teacher, has relieved somewhat the over-crowding in the High School classrooms. It has not been necessary this year to use loose chairs in the rooms, but some rooms are still filled above the standard set by state regulations. There are a number of marked dis- advantages in the use of McFarlin classrooms by the High School. Perhaps the least of these is the loss of school time and inconvenience caused by classes every forty-five minutes passing from one building to the other, although in bad weather this is a danger to health. A greater detriment to orderly school work is the noise which is unavoid- able in the passing of classes, in the use of the basement by either school while the other school is in session, and in the noise about the building during grade recess periods. The teachers, both High School and grade, are working under a tremendous handicap due to unavoidable conditions. We accepted the refusal of the voters to provide the addi- tion to the High School and their readiness to vote the special appro- priation asked for as indicating their desire to have full use made of all possible facilities in the McFarlin School. The arrangement, however, is very far from ideal, and in the interests of both elementary pupils and high school students steps should be taken as early as is reasonably possible to provide the High School with all necessary rooms in its own building.
ENROLLMENT
Attention is called to the tables showing enrollment by buildings on October 1, 1936 and the comparative enrollment for the last ten years. Note that the peak of elementary enrollment was reached in 1933, when it was 1265; in high school in 1935, when it was 436; and in all schools in 1934, when it was 1650. Elementary enrollment dropped to 1193 this year, and the High School had on October 1st 434 students. En- rollment in the four upper grades is large, and unless many more than the usual number drop out of High School during the next year or two that school will be somewhat larger. Could we divide the 1193 ele- mentary pupils evenly among the 36 elementary classrooms there would be 33 pupils to a teacher, an ideal number. Obviously such an even division will never be possible. In two schools the situation next year will be difficult.
At East Chelmsford the enrollment has grown from 133 in 1930 to 170 this year. Three of the four rooms have over 40 pupils each. Pro- vided the same families send pupils to that school next September each room will have over 40, and apparently that room enrollment will
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exist for several years. This is assuming there is no change in popula- tion in that part of the town. But some building is being done, and it seems probable that East Chelmsford will grow, due to several factors. It is on a state road, is near Lowell, and now has a water supply. If there is only a slight increase in pupil enrollment the need of more room will become urgent. Possibly the town would have been wise in 1923 if the four-room addition had been made.
In the Westlands the 7th and 8th grade room next September will apparently have over 40 pupils. It is doubtful whether it will be physically possible to seat in that small room all who will be entitled to be in those grades. A few years ago a similar situation was met by requiring all pupils on Golden Cove Road to attend the McFarlin School, which they continue to do. It is not easy to see how the problem can be solved next year. Provided the population of the town con tinues to increase it would seem that added school accomodations will in time be needed in three places, East Chelmsford, the Westlands and the High School. I would suggest that voters keep these three principls in mind in planning new schools or enlarging old ones.
1. Build for permanence. A school building is subjected to hard usage. Re pair bills can be kept down by building solidly at the start.
2. Anticipate as wisely as possible future needs. Generally speak- ing school building have proved too small within ten or fifteen years of use especially in suburban towns.
3. Always plan so that additions can easily be made in the future. This will be possible in the case of the McFarlin School, but not easy at East Chelmsford or the Westlands.
The report of 1905 gives the names of the graduates of the two high schools up to that time. The first class to graduate at the North was in 1879 and had three members. There were 108 graduates up to 1904. At the Center the first class was in 1888 and numbered thirteen. The names of 89 graduates are given. The school department does not have a complete list of the graduates of these two schools from 1905 to the opening of the present school. The compiling of such a record, and also the writting up of the old school houses which were discon- tinued as the present ones were built, would constitute a valuable appendix to the History of Chelmsford.
There are 596 pupils being transported this year, 285 to the High School, 145 to McFarlin, 71 to Princeton St., 63 to Quessy, and 32 to South. The multiple-trip system in use, each bus making three or four trips, provides transportation at low cost compared to what many other towns pay, but has the disadvantage of bringing some pupils to school buildings long before school starts and of keeping others at school till some time after the hour of closing. I refer you to the report of Mr. Burns for our solution of the problem of the safe loading of the high school busses in the afternoon.
Many outside of the school department render valuable service each year. The Parent-Teacher Associations provide equipment we
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could not buy, arrange and supervise school lunches, etc. Leaders of Boy and Girl Scouts and of 4-H Clubs give training to groups of pupils which is of great worth. Bus drivers give assistance beyond their routine work, the Police Department gives special services. Cadet teachers from the Teachers Colleges aid in some rooms. Students in the commercial department do such clerical work as is possible. To all these and other citizens who have given time and energy, and especially to you, the members of the School Committee, I give in behalf of pupils and teachers our hearty thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE S. WRIGHT, Superintendent of Schools.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
January 22, 1937.
Mr. George S. Wright Superintendent of Schools Chelmsford, Massachusetts
My dear Mr. Wright :
This is my seventh annual report as principal of Chelmsford High School.
There were 201 boys and 215 girls enrolled in September 1936. Since September 15 boys have entered, 15 boys have left, 15 girls have entered and 8 girls have left, making a total enrollment of 446 up to January 1, 1937. This is one less than last year at the same time.
There are 150 pupils enrolled in the classical curriculum, 176 enrolled in the commercial curriculum and 97 enrolled in the general curriculum.
There are twenty-four more pupils enrolled in the commercial curri- culum this year than last. This, with the steady increase in the growth of the commercial enrollment during recent years makes it advisable to use room five (one of the largest rooms in the building) for the typewriting room. Also, an additional commercial teacher was elected to the high school faculty this year. Three classes of commercial English have been added to the program of studies.
One more room in the McFarlin School is being used by the high school. With practically the same enrollment, one more teacher and the use of this extra room, the classes are a little smaller than last year.
This year a change was made in loading the busses. With the increased traffic over Billerica Road and the greater number of high school pupils being transported, it seemed advisable not to load on Billerica Road. During the fall all busses were loaded on the play- ground near the McFarlin School. At the present time high school pupils are getting on the busses in the drive in front of the high school building. This arrangement makes it possible for pupils to wait inside. There is no danger from traffic in loading and there is very little op- portunity of getting wet or cold while waiting for or getting on the bus.
Each member of the faculty stays for at least two afternoon sessions (from 2:30-3:45) each week to help pupils who for any reason need assistance in their work. Most parents co-operate with the school in having their children present at these afternoon sessions. When this is done there is small chance for failure. Those pupils who fail do so because of lack of effort on their part.
Following is the report of the high school fund :
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CHELMSFORD HIGH SCHOOL FUNDS
1. GENERAL FUND
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ 441.57
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
231.61
673.18
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
228.66
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ 444.52
2. ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ 263.24
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
1,326.56
1,589.80
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
1,261.57
$ 328.23
3. BLUE MOON
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ 198.32
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
27.34
225.66
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
49.90
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ 175.76
4. HEALTH CLUB
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ .90
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
6.15
7.05
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
7.05
5. MAGAZINE FUND
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ 62.05
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936 11.10
Balance Dec. 31, 1936 $ 50.95
6. CHEMISTRY CLUB
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ 11.31
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
9.75
21.06
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
10.00
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ 11.06
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7. DEBATING CLUB
Balance, Jan. 1. 1936 $ 8.08
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
7.00
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936
$ 1.08
8. DRAMATIC CLUB
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936 $ .25
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
7.20
7.45
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
7.00
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ .45
9. FENCE FUND (Gift of Class of 1935)
Receipts, June 30, 1935 $ 50.00 $ 50.00
10. PROJECTOR FUND (Gift of Class of 1936) Receipts, June 30, 1936 $ 40.00 $ 40.00
11. LATIN CLUB
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936 $ 15.90
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
15.40
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ .50
12. CLASS OF 1936
Balance, Jan. 1, 1936
$ 1.69
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
302.50
304.19
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
304.19
13. YEAR BOOK OF 1936
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
$ 642.02
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936 642.02
14. CLASS OF 1938
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936 $ 25.41
Less : Deficit, Jan. 1, 1936
.48
24.93
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
20.75
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936 $ 4.18
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15. CLASS OF 1939
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936 $ 9.81
Less : Deficit, Jan. 1, 1936
4.05
Balance, Dec. 31, 1936
$ 5.76
TOTAL BALANCES
$1,112.49
16. CLASS OF 1937
Receipts, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
$ 526.90
Less : Deficit, Jan. 1, 1936
18.32
508.58
Less : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
525.94
Deficit, Dec. 31, 1936
$ 17.36
17. CLASS OF 1940
Receipts, Sept. 9-Dec. 31, 1936
$ 9.05
Less : Payments, Sept. 9-Dec. 31, 1936
15.10
Deficit, Dec. 31, 1936
$ 6.05
18. MUSIC FUND
Deficit, Jan. 1, 1936
$ 11.36
Plus : Payments, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1936
19.00
Deficit, Dec. 31, 1936
$ 30.36
TOTAL DEFICITS
$ 53.77
NET BALANCE IN ALL FUNDS
$1,058.72
Distribution of Money-Dec. 31, 1936
In checking account-Union Old Lowell
National Bank
$ 392.13
Less : Outstanding Checks
2.25
$ 389.88
On interest-Lowell Institution for Savings
585.89
Cash on hand
82.95
TOTAL CASH $1,058.72
I am pleased to acknowledge, with many thanks, the kind assistance and hearty co-operation that I have received from you, Mr. Wright, the School Committee, parents, the faculty and student body, in trying to make our school what it should be.
Respectfully yours,
LUCIAN H. BURNS.
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REPORT OF MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Chelmsford, Massachusetts January 10, 1937
Mr. George S. Wright Superintendent of Schools Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Dear Sir :
In this trend of modern education where teaching is defined as guidance in learning, we wish to enable the child to adjust himself more sympathetically to his environment. School music today is more than a restricted study of song material through the sight reading approach. Song material must remain the core of the elementry course, but the need of a broader presentation has emerged from the demands of time. Thus the purpose of public music is to help the child find joy in living. It presents to him the spirit of play and opens the imaginative world that he finds so delightful.
The children learn the simple songs, beautiful in melody, with swinging rhythm that appeal to all. In instrumental music as well as in song material, they recognize the rhythms, respond to them, and discover the mood that the music expresses.
Sight reading is started in the second grade and is continued in part throughout the entire course, taking the technicalities as the need arises.
In the Junior High, three part music is sung, and where a piano is available, unison songs are also used. A more extensive study is being made of folk music, dances, and instruments.
In the High School music classes the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "Pinafore" is being studied. This is a minor classic and should con- tribute much to the social development of the student. The orchestra meets once a week for rehearsals with two new members this term. They have been faithful, and play selections intended for a much larger orchestra. The girls glee club, consisting of twenty-five members, meets once a week for rehearsal, and has enjoyed social times during the year. Both glee club and orchestra have appeared before the High School assemblies.
Thanking each teacher for his or her co-operation, I am,
Yours truly, CHARLOTTE L. HYDE, Supervisor of Music.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
Mr. George S. Wright
Superintendent of Schools
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Dear Sir :
Following is a summary of my activities as school nurse for the year ending December, 1936 :
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