USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1959 > Part 9
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(3) Plus $17,085.72 from Federal Law 874
(4) Based on school year ending June 30, 1959
109
ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
CHELMSFORD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The new High School, opened in September reflects the careful planning and work of the Building Committee over the past four years. The classrooms are refreshingly different in utility and color. The aids for instruction, the Library, Language Arts Room, the Shops, Gymnasium and Auditorium already have made deep and lasting impressions on both students and teachers.
The work of the faculty over the past several years has resulted in an enriched curriculum by the addition of courses in Industrial Arts, Household Arts, Art, Arts and Crafts, German, Speech, Group Guidance, an accelerated reading program and creative writing classes. The first year of French has been introduced into the ninth grade curriculum.
New facilities have made it possible to revise the Science and Mathe- matics courses, and the Activity Program was increased to include a De- bating Club, a Radio Club, a Glee Club for Boys and a Dramatic Club for Freshmen and Sophomores.
This year, for the first time, Department Heads were appointed in several subject areas to assume specific responsibilities for the organiza- tion, development, and improvement of the curriculum; for making recom- mendations for new books and auxiliary aids; for keeping each subject syllabus revised and up-to-date; and for attending conferences in their various fields of interest so that they might be better qualified to meet their changing and growing educational obligations.
The new Library has become an important part of the curriculum. Through the combined efforts of the School Committee, the PTA, the Chelmsford Kiwanis Club, and interested citizens, the Library can serve adequately each pupil in accordance with his purpose and interest.
CHELMSFORD JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The Junior High School is an innovation in the educational system of the Town of Chelmsford. It is a transition school aimed at bridging the gap between the elementary schools and the high school with a bond of academic and social activities unified in one building. The use of the former high school for grades seven and eight has provided the staff with the facilities necessary for the establishment of a modern junior high program.
Consideration is now being given to changes necessary or desirable in the curriculum for grades seven and eight to provide for an accelerated group capable of doing advanced work in certain areas leading toward advanced placement on the college level.
For the first time, an orientation night for parents was scheduled during American Education Week. It is felt that programs of this type make for better communication between parents and teachers.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The major purpose of elementary education is to insure opportunities for all children to develop those fundamental understandings, skills,
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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
habits, attitudes, and appreciations necessary for living in a democratic society.
We believe that each child can make a definite and important con- tribution to society. Our first responsibility, therefore, is to search out his interests, needs, and abilities. It is our further responsibility to pro- vide the environment that will challenge and stimulate every pupil.
The basic skill, more necessary than any other for success in all fields, is reading. Consequently, close guidance is given in this subject by the teacher, principal, and reading teacher. We group our children within the classrooms according to their reading needs.
The reading supervisors assist teachers in all grades by doing group and individual testing; analyzing reading difficulties from a remedial and preventive standpoint, and working with the teacher to make it possible for each child to be successful in this basic area. As much work as pos- sible is done with children who need specific help.
The experiment in team learning started last year is being continued. This experiment is being conducted in conjunction with the development of a flexible curriculum so that each child will have the opportunity for maximum achievement.
This year for the first time, parent-teacher conferences will be in- troduced. The individual conference is an excellent means by which the teacher may report satisfactorily on all phases of child growth - aca- demic, social, emotional and physical. The report of a child's progress is limited within the small space of a report card in many instances. The parent-teacher conference, however, allows for a much more meaningful discussion and interpretation of a child's growth.
By using Federal Funds available under Public Law 85-864, where local funds are matched on a dollar for dollar basis, additional material and equipment have been purchased and made available for the con- tinuous improvement of our instructional .program in the areas of Science and Mathematics.
The Parent-Teacher Associations, instrumental in starting School Libraries, are continuing their Library Programs. This service, augment- ed by appropriations through the School Department, will lead, it is hoped, to good school library facilities.
HERE AND THERE
Guidance
Each individual is unique. Children differ in native ability, in in- terest patterns, in emotional maturity, in educational achievement, in physical development, and in career and educational goals. The unique characteristics of each student must be known, or if not known, should be identified, so that cooperative planning may take place in meeting his needs for present instruction and future educational and vocational training and placement.
One of our primary concerns at present is that of guiding each stu- dent into that curriculum which will best help him develop his own in-
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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
terests and achieve his own personal goals, and at the same time pre- pare him to meet his obligations as a citizen of a great democracy. The guidance counselors give mental, aptitude, achievement, and interest tests, so that our young people can understand more fully their own capabilities and potentialities. Parents are urged to consult guidance counselors and teachers in a concerted effort to determine as nearly as possible the educational needs of every student. Only after real delib- eration and the most careful use of all available data can the choice of a course of study be wisely made, and the choice must be wisely made if the school is to help the student attain his full intellectual development. Art
The art program has been expanded by the hiring of an additional teacher. The work of the art classes is planned so that it becomes effective through successive stages. Considerable attention is given to motivation, since the student's interest is necessary before any significant expression can be brought forth.
Music
Music instruction is given in both voice and instrumental areas.
Vocal music in the elementary grades consists of singing, rhythmic activities, listening, ear training and the understanding of written music; on the secondary level it consists of singing, listening, and music apprecia- tion.
Instrumental music is encouraged at all grade levels. Group play- ing starts in the elementary schools and culminates with the senior high school band.
Physical Education
For the first time, we have two full-time physical education teachers at the Senior High School; thus making it possible for all boys and girls to have the opportunity to take physical education. The new gymnasium with its fine equipment has caused the program to be accepted with con- siderable enthusiasm.
In the Junior High School, an effective physical education progranı has been organized and a broad intramural program introduced. Cafeteria
The interest in the School Lunch Program continues unabated. This year we have served 225,674 meals and 491,496 bottles of milk to the students. The price of 25c for a hot lunch and 3c per bottle of milk re- mains unchanged. The Federal Government through the State Govern- ment, subsidizes the program to the extent of 9c for each pupil lunch and 4c for each bottle of milk. In spite of the ever-increasing costs for food, supplies and labor, the program is completely self-supporting.
Health
The School Health Program continues the same as over the past years except for the increased case load per nurse due to the school population growth.
Physical examinations are done every year in Grades 1, 4, 7 and 1! by the two school physicians.
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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
The Vision and Hearing Tests are done yearly, and all failures are -reported to the parents by the two school nurses. Maintenance
The establishment of the Maintenance Department two years ago is paying large dividends to the Town. This year the department saved the citizens many thousands of dollars when it undertook the renovation of the old high school building, not to mention the numerous repair pro- jects throughout the system.
IN APPRECIATION
The School Department appreciates the dedicated work of the follow- ing who have retired after many years of devotion to the children of our community :
Eva L. Dobson, Teacher IN CONCLUSION Edward T. Brick, Janitor
We are grateful to all who have assisted us in any way - all Town Boards and Committees, the Police, Fire and Highway Departments, the Parent-Teacher Associations, the School Building Committee, and interest- ed citizens.
Special mention should be made of the unselfish contribution of time, .thought, and effort the teachers are giving to make our school system outstanding.
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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
INDEX
Accountant's Report
Balance Sheet
70
Debt Payments Due
73
Debt Statement 77
Payments
65
Receipts
62
Trust and Investment Account
76
Appeals, Board of
91
Appointed Town Officers
4
Assessors, Board of
82
Building Department
90
Cemetery Department ;
Commissioners, Report
89
Chart, Town Finances
61
Civil Defense
102
Dog Officer
97
Elected Town Officials
3
Fire Department
81
Health Department :
Report of Board of Health
92
Report of Plumbing Inspector
93
Report of Slaughter Inspector
97
Highway Department
87
Industrial Development Commission
12
Inspector of Animals
98
Judge John H. Valentine
11
Library Department 98
114
ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
INDEX
Map, Zone 58-59
Park Commissioners 89
Planning Board 88
Police Department 78
Registrars, Board of
19
Sealer of Weights and Measures
97
Selectman
7
Sinking Fund Commissioners
101
Tax Collector 83
Town Clerk:
Annual Business Meeting, March 9, 1959 23
Licenses 14
Jurors Drawn 15
Jury List, Established September 19, 1957
15
Special Town Meeting, June 29, 1959
51
Town Election, March 2, 1959 21
Warrant-Annual Town Meeting, March 2 and 9, 1959 20
Town Officials
3
Town Treasurer
83
Tree Department
95
Veterans' Emergency Fund Committee:
Treasurer's Report
94
Veterans' Sevices
94
Welfare Agent 84
Wire Inspector 96
115
ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
SCHOOL INDEX
Page
Budget Analysis
106
Chelmsford Senior High School
109
Chelmsford Junior High School
109
Elementary School
109
Enrollment Figures 106
Here and There 110
In Appreciation 110
In Conclusion 110
School Committee 105
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ANNUAL TOWN REPORT
Because of the new format of the annual Town Report, some of the statistics and information previous- ly printed does not appear. This information is available to anyone interested at the Center town hall.
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