Town annual report of Ipswich 1930, Part 9

Author: Ipswich (Mass.:Town)
Publication date: 1930
Publisher: Lynn News Press / J. F. Kimball
Number of Pages: 334


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1930 > Part 9


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12


13


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


pioneer in this movement to improve school environment, much has been done towards popularizing this school with a very desirable clientele. You cannot afford to be dila- tory in reference to any matters pertaining to this school, without or within. Here you have a splendid lead, and I sincerely hope that your own personal breadth of vision will enable you to be sufficiently persuasive to carry this project through to the culmination which the situation discloses and demands. Why, some of these good people are already discussing the possibilities of an assembly hall at the western end of the building.


As already mentioned in another connection, the walls of this building that are exposed to driving rain storms need some protective treatment. This is a com- mon occurrence with brick buildings and no doubt will be overcome as soon as the season permits.


The slope of the ground about the eastern front is towards the building and in seasons of continued rainy weather the water stands upon the playground. To over- come this and also to prevent the water from seeping into the building as it did at the Burley School, I would suggest that areas be built about the basement windows along the whole front side of the building and a gener- ous supply of gravel be spread so as to give the surface an outward slope. This would increase the usefulness of the playground and prevent further damage to the building. One of the primary rooms has been refurnished by a full set of adjustable desks and chairs. The old fur- niture has been stored in the basement awaiting the op- portunity of sale.


The trimming of the apple trees on this school prop- erty should be attended to this spring.


Let us now return to the Manning and Winthrop School


14


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


grounds where our most outstanding improvements have been made.


The old zigzag, wooden line fence has been replaced by a six-foot, woven-wire fence that runs straight as an arrow from corner to corner boundary on the north side of the lot. This gives many advantages that can hardly be realized except by those who have suffered by the con- tinual annoyance and irritation forced upon them by the former conditions. Considering too, the amount of de- tail and the time involved for the successful accomplish- ment of this project, I feel that your Board may take a justifiable pride in what has been done. The new line has been established, a real fence stands in place of the old one, the area of the school yard has been increased, scores of loads of loam have helped in the grading at the Shatswell School, and the ownership, control, and up- keep of the fence are vested in the Town.


The line fence against the property of the late Sam- uel Thurston should be replaced by one similar to that at the north. This will require no purchase of land, and abutters should be given some release from the annoy- ance that existing conditons have forced upon them for the last twenty years.


The last improvement I shall mention is the com- pletion of the ice shed at the girls' entrance to the Mann- ing School. This was a most dangerous situation, a con- tinual source of anxiety and worry for all concerned. Had an accident occurred, the Town would have been liable to a heavy fine, if nothing worse, for gross negli- gence on the part of the authorities could have been easily proven.


The elm trees on these grounds need considerable pruning and thinning out. Some dead plants in the hedges should also be replaced.


15


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


To summarize our major property needs I would call your attention to the following items :


1. To a protective coating to be given to the exposed walls of the Burley and Shatswell Buildings.


2. To replace the wooden fences at the Payne and Winthrop Schools by a wire fence of suitable height and size of wire, No. 6.


3. To areas and grading at the Shatswell School.


4. To lowering the return pipe from the basement of the Manning School and installing a reservoir and sump pump in the boiler room of the Win- throp. The saving in fuel would offset the expense of this installation.


5. To slate blackboards at the Linebrook Schools.


6. The purchase of a master clock by which all other clocks in the systems may be regulated.


7. To other miscellaneous items mentioned in other parts of this report.


Enrollment


A glance at the enrollment table will convince you that there has been no large falling off in our member- ship. Last year it was 1514; this year it is 1510. These figure's are for the schools as a whole. One or two grades, especially the first grades, show a reduced membership. This is to the advantage of these beginning classes and gives the teacher the opportunity for individual work- something she has never had before. The mixed class in Miss Sojka's room in the basement of the Burley School


16


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


is fully as large as it should be when the character of the work to be done is considered.


There are some overcrowded rooms in nearly all the schools, but the Junior High is the greatest sufferer. Mrs. Rogers' and Miss Zuoski's rooms have enough for three classes, and it is unreasonable to expect either of these teachers to do the kind of work that could be required were the classes of ordinary size.


The conditions under which some of our single room teachers are working are bad enough, but they are in- finitely worse with the departmental teachers. Here, overloaded programs and excessive pupil-loads are the order of the day and come desperately near the legal lim- it permitted by the authorities of the State. Our cer- tification privileges and accredited standing were se- cured at the expense of much time and effort and we can- not afford to jeopardize our educational standing by per- mitting this overcrowding.


It must be remembered that all our courses carry some electives. In view of the modern and sensible ten- dency towards individual preference and instruction, no one within reasonable limits, can object to this. It is perfectly right and proper, and so we find some of our departments literally swamped by the number of puipls desiring such courses. Neither our Manual Training De- partment nor our Domestic Science Department has the ghost of a chance to give these pupils the adequate train- ing they have the right to demand. In fact the Senior High School alone can furnish pupils enough to give both of these departments full time work.


Of course these classes vary in size and choice from year to year, and they will continue to do so; but we should be able in our boasted democracy to give every boy and girl that preparation for life that will insure


17


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


them the ability to gain a livelihood and to keep their self-respect.


Last year we had five basement and two corridor rooms, each and all lacking in some one or more neces- sary and essential features. We have them still.


1929


1930


Senior High School


333


324


Winthrop School


407


423


Shatswell School


327


328


1 -


Burley School


324


307


.. .


Payne School


107


103


Linebrook School


18


25


1516


1510


Night School


After repeated failures to interest a sufficient num- ber to warrant the opening of a night school, we have at last hit upon a plan which promises to be successful. Heretofore the invitation has been general. All were urged to come and to pursue such subjects as their indi- vidual taste or need might dictate. They came and their enthusiasm was unbounded, but their desires leaned to the social side more than to the educational, and the at- tempts as to a mixed school were given up. The expense far out-weighed the returns, though some few did pro- fit by the experiment.


Recently there has been manifested by different groups of our people who came from overseas, a desire to acquire a reading knowledge of the English language.


18


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


They could speak it sufficiently well for the simple every- day needs of shop and farm, but they depended entirely upon such reading material as came to them in the char- acters used in the homeland. This was both narrowing and depressing ; and kept them in ignorance of what was going on right about them. More than all that, it held the power of concealment of the most mischievous and pernicious propaganda, and without doubt is responsible for many of the shortcomings of some of these people.


But our people are of another sort. They are am- bitious to learn our language, both spoken and written. Their determination and enthusiasm go hand in hand, and a visit to these classes of middle aged, so eager to learn, serves at once as an inspiration and a rebuke.


By segregating these people into racial groups it enables us to take advantage of the law enacted in their behalf. Under the old arrangement of mixed classes in evening school the Town met all the expense. Under this new law the State reimburses the Town for one half the total expenditure provided the school authorities agree to abide by the provisions of the law.


These are very simple and far from burdensome. "The School Committee applies to the State Department for its co-operation in teaching these classes, in such man- ner and by such methods as shall jointly be approved by both parties. The choice of teachers and supervisors is subject to the same provisions. At the expiration of each year, and on approval by the State Department the commonwealth shall pay to every town providing such instruction in conjunction with the Department, one half the amount expended for supervision and instruction by such town for said year."


Thus has another of our troublesome problems been solved. The preparation for citizenship has been ad-


19


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


vanced. The old Bay State extends her best wishes and good will.


The Employment of Home Town Teachers


Beyond all question this policy was conceived in the hearts of men. Its purposes were beneficent and, as an expression of sympathy and good will, it is most commen- dable and greatly to be desired.


But nothing that man has devised has ever been able to stand the shock of time and change without showing some inherent weaknesses that needed strengthening. It is not the use but the abuse of constructive ideas that we have to guard against.


It is some of these abuses that are beginning to ap- pear in the working out of this policy in other places that I wish to call to your attention, not specifically, but in a general way, that we may avoid the evil that might possibly spoil our good intentions.


In the first place the public school is a most impor- tant and beneficient agency, but in no sense can it be con- sidered a charitable institution. Its chief function is to supply the physical, intellectual, and spiritual needs of children to the end that each and all may be developed to a wellrounded, symetrical manhood and womanhood. This is a stupendous undertaking and calls for the very best that can be obtained from every field of right en- deavor. No carelessness in the selection of its agents should be tolerated, mistakes should be corrected at once, and every precaution taken against their recur- rence. Then, and only then, can our schools be placed on a basis of equity to the children and the taxpayer,-


20


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


then and only then can we expect the largest and best return from our investment.


Now wherein lie the dangers of abuse ? Well, chiefly, from two sources, selfishness and mistaken kindness, so called. These are most prolific of failure all along the line, and cause us to hesitate and question the wisdom of such a policy. But we do not wish to dis- turb the policy. We are dealing with its abuses. Is the man in power, the cheap politician, the social lion or lioness, the creditor, the editor, the aspirant for honors or even the fond parent-are any of these best fitted to suggest and prescribe the type of teacher for our children ? I think not, and yet we see in scores of places just this sort of procedure that is destroying the effi- ciency of their schools and smirching the fair name of too many communities. The schools have no need nor use for the rubber-stamp individual. They need men who will "stand for the hard right against the easy wrong," who believe that local anesthesia is all right in surgery but has no place in a school system.


And then, too, there are dangers within the fold that should be recognized as early as possible and as promptly removed. Some teachers rely so much upon their social standing in the community that their educa- tional advancement becomes a matter of secondary im- portance and the schools suffer. Again this feeling of security gives them such a sense of ownership that they sometimes look askance and with disdain upon the su- perior work of others who happen to be born outside their bailiwick. Such conduct strikes at the very vitals of any school system and demands immediate correction.


We have native teachers who are doing some ex- ceptionally good work. These we want to retain and if possible add to their number year by year. We sincerely


21


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


desire that others in the Town, who have taken prepara- tory courses, may measure up to the varied requirements of an efficient teacher. But when a teacher who has been given a reasonable time to show her professional strength, fails to give any evidences of growth, she should be replaced by another of larger promise.


Another matter to which I wish to call your attention is this :- Not a few of our teachers at the close of the school year go directly into some other line of work. This is commedable, and in some cases may be absolute- ly necessary, but some requirements of a professional na- ture should be insisted upon. Every teacher should be required to take some professional course once in three years. These may be taken at summer school, or it might be one of the afternoon or Saturday morning courses offered by our colleges. My choice would be a course taken during the school year and given in our own school rooms by some competent instructor. The courses should carry credits, and consist mostly of the content type, good solid English, or history, mathematics, science, sociology, or biology and possibly a foreign language.


The expense of such courses should be borne by the school authorities ;- otherwise, those teachers who could produce evidence of real work well done, should receive a corresponding increase of salary.


Our salary schedule is only an apology for one. We should make a very poor showing in comparison with other places to which our best teachers are attracted. And so long as we tolerate these terrible inroads into our ranks, a salary schedule based strictly on merit may be as workable as any. This does not imply that a teacher in the grades could not expect an increase in salary sim- ply because she had reached a maximum previously fixed for that grade. Not at all. If her work and influence


22


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


were obviously superior to others in the same grade, she should receive an advance commensurate with her effi- ciency. In this way by breaking down the barriers of mediocrity, we might be able to retain our best teachers for a longer time if not permanently. I think this scheme is worth trying out and I hope it may be undertaken this year.


It will be impossible to maintain the standard of our schools unless something is done to encourage our best teachers to remain with us. We need them in every grade. It is wasteful of time and efficiency to continue along the old lines.


Immunization


In last year's report I tried to set forth some of the dangers of an epidemic of diphtheria. I cited some cases where happy homes were made desolate by the entrance of Death, and I also pointed out a way by which all this sorrow and loss of young lives could be prevented.


It was uphill work, and the responses received were so few, that the season passed without anything being accomplished. But the responsibility so weighed upon my mind that I resolved to renew my efforts upon the opening of the fall term of school.


Fortunately or unfortunately the agent of the local board of health reported a case of diphtheria in the Shatswell School. We had not had death from diphthe- ria among school children, I think, for five years. But this was enough. Our imagined security was rudely shattered. It was imperative that something be done.


With the assistance of the local board of health and the School nurse we secured the cooperation of the State


23


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


Board, two members of which came to town and con- jointly mapped out a plan of campaign which was carried out with a measurable degree of success.


One hundred and twenty-seven children have re- ceived the initial treatment-three injections of toxin-an- titoxin,- and before the schools close in June these will have received the final treatment, the Schick test, which will establish their immunity.


But this was not all. Most of the cases which per- sisted in coming to light were confined to the Shatswell School. The health department decided to go to the roots of the trouble and so cultures were taken, both na- sal and throat, of nearly the entire membership of the school. It was fortunate that they did so, for two children in the school were found to have the disease about them though they were quite unconscious of the fact. The disease throughout its entire run assumed a very light form and these two pupils already mentioned had re- turned to school after but a slight indisposition of a few days' duration.


So far as this school is concerned the work has been thoroughly done. We were thankful to feel that the dis- ease was held and checked where it originated.


May I say in closing this topic that there is a feeling of distrust and fear of this treatment still lingering in the minds of too many parents otherwise considered pro- gressive and of more than a usual degree of intelligence. Let me say that I have yet to receive a single report of any distress, or even temporary inconvenience arising from this treatment. Thousands and tens of thousands have received it and are gratefully happy in the immuni- ty which it brings.


There are about eight hundred pupils who have not availed themselves of this opportunity to secure them-


24


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


selves against the ravages of this terrible disease. When the Schick test is given in May or June, it is to be hoped that another larger installment of these pupils will pre- sent themselves for the initial treatment. Much has been accomplished but much more is to be done. Let us hope that it be done in season. No part of my school work has imposed a greater personal responsibility upon me ; I feel greatly relieved, but I wish I might have that full assurance which the completed work alone can bring.


Extra Curricula Activities


This caption has no reference to football or base ball, but to the efforts that are being made in our schools to teach each boy and girl that most important of all arts, how to live in peace and friendliness with his fellowmen. The method employed is the old one of learning to do by doing, of placing service above self, and of answering promptly every call for sympathy or help as the occasions arise.


This is all done so quietly and in such an unobtru- sive way that only the giver and the receiver know much about it. The attendance is not large, the gate receipts are small; but I feel that deep down in the hearts of these boys and girls has been planted a seed, the fruitage of which will continue to cheer and bless long after our crazy, commercialized athletics have sunk into oblivion.


And these are some of the things they have done :- Made and dressed nearly one hundred dolls which were sent to the children's hospitals in neighboring cities. The same number of candy bags were made, filled, and sent along with the dolls. The boys made and painted, after school, an assortment of wooden animals, the girls made


25


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


others of cloth. These all went to the hospitals. Scrap books, and candy bags, potted plants, and cut flowers, - all find their way into these institutions. The Children's T. B. hospital at Reading was given flower bulbs in pa- per-covered pots that the little sufferers might watch them grow day by day and come into bloom.


Our own Cable Memorial Hospital received number- less articles of children's design and making that bring courage and good cheer to many of its patients, especial- ly to those of tender years.


Neither are the older ones forgotten. The Coburn Home is one of the institutions on our list that received our remembrances on all holiday occasions. Paper can- dles at one time were furnished for every window in the house by pupils of the fifth and sixth grades. Scrapbooks and current events books containing photographs of our tercentenary events have been given the past year.


The Red Cross has helped us in exchanging our Red Cross books and portfolios with the children of Beligium and one other European country.


The work of our Good Citizens Club is reaching out to every pupil in the grades. No classmate who is sick in his home or at the hospital for any length of time but what receives some remembrance in the shape of flowers or individual or class letters. When death occurs a floral tribute is sent to the bereaved family.


The teachers are wholeheartedly committed to this work, and I can think of no better way by which our chil- dren may be trained in the principles and practice of right living.


One of the teachers made a large quilt for a family who, at that time, stood in dire need of such covering. Another teacher insisted that the gifts usually brought to her at Christmas time be given to the poor. It was done


26


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


as requested and a large box was filled and given to Miss Stewart to be distributed according to her judgment.


And this is what many, many of our townspeople are


doing. They have implicit confidence in her integrity and her judgment. For years contributions of money and clothing have been pouring into her hands from sources that desire to remain unknown, and their charities have been dispensed in the same beneficent and self-forgetting way. Her long acquaintance with misery and want and her happy and successful experience in dealing with them, have made her a welcome presence in many a stricken home. No person in this town is so well fitted to give dependable information as to the home and finan- cial conditions of so large a number of families as is she. Many a dollar has been saved to do full duty in places of real need by applying to her for the facts. She knows her business and she knows the town. Fortunate indeed is that community that can count on her superior abilities and unquestioned integrity.


How Are the Standards of Our Schools to be Maintained?


This is a matter of vital importance.


As I wrote last year, "Any school system that fails to provide and systematically maintain a rational stand- ard of achievement for promotion, soon loses its prestige and becomes a nonentity among kindred institutions and even in the community where it is located." The truth of this statement needs to be repeated and driven home with all our powers of persuasion.


Let it be understood at the outset that there is no royal road to an education, and that all education is self-education. In these days of multiplying distractions


27


IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT


and easy-going tendencies among parents and pupils, it becomes necessary to call attention to the disappointing results that are sure to follow this noticeable indifference.


Parents are unwilling that their children should do any home work. Here is where the child and the parent are in perfect agreement and all is harmonious in that family until the season for promotion arrives. Then what a change! The parent seeks out some kindred spirits and the air reeks with the denunciations of the teacher, the school, and the whole school system. But this hurts no one so much as it does the child himself. He dawdles along, wastes his time, and finally becomes a nonentity in this world of opportunity for service.


The last analysis of the situation is just this :- The child had his own way, and the parent permitted him to do so. The fault was theirs ; likewise the disappointment. The educational philosophy of self-expression has a place in the scheme of adult life but very little in that of a youngster in the grades. To feel that so many of these cases might have been saved by a little firmness and self- sacrifice on the part of the parent is most regrettable.


The parents' habits of mind are not easily changed. If the school can change its requirements to meet the situation, and still maintain its high standard, our object will be accomplished. Instead therefore, of giving home work requiring the parents' assistance let work of the informational type be given, such as history or prescribed reading; the responsibility will then be placed upon the child where it belongs. His promotion would depend up- on his own efforts which, in a larger degree, could be regulated by the teacher, and his stock of silly excuses reduced to a minimum.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.