USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1931 > Part 11
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
We have in Ipswich few people who are successful in the art of living, willing to devote time and energy in the direction of community activity, to help build up the right standards for our young people. Our library is one of our most effective community centers at the pres-
-
40
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
. ent time and many of our young people are developing good habits in reading. We appreciate the excellent work and sincere interest Mrs. Baxter is devoting to the library, especially for the pupils in our school. I sincere- ly believe the demand for the use of the library would justify keeping the library open every evening in the week. The work of the school is seriously affected by the way in which pupils use their time out of school hours. There are activities and individuals with whom our young people come in contact that do not tend for their best development.
In so far as possible, we are organizing constructive activity for our pupils outside of school hours. Every teacher is putting in a full day in the direction of these activities and many of our evenings are devoted to activi- ties for the benefit of the school. I am not going to take time to discuss these activities in detail, but music, dra- matics, and social activity all tend to develop a better and bigger personality.
I personally feel that the athletic program of a school does more in the development of those people par- ticipating than most people realize. To be an athlete one must have reasonably good habits of living, he must forget his own interest for the good of the group, he must do his part of the job at a certain time. The athlete must co-operate, must take orders, and must be able to execute orders. We have a very limited number profiting from our athletic program because of lack of equipment and time. During the winter, the greater part of the school year, most of the activity must be inside. We have been fortunate in having the use of Town Hall for basketball games and for some practice when the hall is not needed for other purposes. This year we have had very little
41
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
opportunity for practice, because of other demands on the hall.
Football is a popular sport and should pay for the expense of other activities from which we get no revenue. We find that people of Ipswich, even though interested in the game, are not interested in paying for it. Last fall we had good crowds at our games, especially at two of the games when we had well over twenty-five hun- dred people. At one of these games we took in $76.30, at the other $86.29, or about three cents per person. Our sellers of tags had many interesting stories and formed some very definite opinions of some of our people this fall. One typical situation was the case of a group of four people in an expensive car. When asked to buy tags, the person in charge passed out a dime, demanding four tags and at the same time uttering an uncalled for re- mark. (Young people form their idea of life from the people with whom they come in contact.) We managed to pay the expense of our football season through play- ing games out of our class for which we received large guarantees. This is not an ideal situation, but if we are to continue our athletic work even on the present scale, we must of necessity play out of town for a guarantee, or provide an enclosed field where people will feel an obli- gation to pay an admission without insulting our high school girls when they ask for a contribution. Hockey and baseball are run at a total loss financially and basket- ball only partially pays expenses.
We have only a comparatively few pupils in school capable or interested in doing work in preparation for college or any higher institution, but we have a large group looking for some help in their adjustment to life. The study of civics, government, economics, and prob- lems of demorcracy are all helpful, but pupils are de-
12
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
.
manding that our people of the present generation show some interest in law enforcement, in management of government, and in provision of civic improvements of which they read. It is hard to teach patriotism when few people are interested in town meeting, when our police and public officials are not supported in the en- forcement of law, and when they see the careless and lazy apparently enjoying the same pleasures and priv- ileges as the prudent and thrifty.
Fifteen years ago, the high school was made up of those who hoped to prepare for some definite career. They came from homes with ideals and there was a much stronger interest in scholarship. Now a large pro- portion of our student body is uninterested beyond spend- ing the required time in school. We are interested in doing everything we can to help the average pupil in school, but I feel that with the changing school popula- tion our efforts to bring the poor student up to our pass- ing grade has tended to deaden the interest of our better pupils. We are sacrificing the development of those who show the most promise for the sake of getting a larger proportion of our pupils over the passing line. In order to raise the value of our three higher marks, it seems best to change our four mark system to five marks, ex- pressing a little more definitely our judgment of the pupil's work.
The system now provides for the "A" for those pupils who daily prepare their work to a high degree; "B" for those pupils who do consistent work but fail to reach the excellence and show the degree of ability of the "A" pupil; "C" for those pupils who do fair work but do not remain at the task until completed with any degree of accuracy; "D" for those pupils who either through lack of ability or consistent effort but apparently
43
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
deserve some recognition if they are to remain in school ; "F" for those who do not succeed in any degree of ac- complishment.
A pupil to be certificated to college or Normal School must maintain a rank of "A" or "B" throughout the four years. A pupil without a large proportion of "A"'s will not ordinarily meet with a high degree of suc- cess in college. The "C" mark gives credit for gradua- tion and if improved during the latter part of the course may warrant acceptance in certain schools. The "D" mark does not justify a continuation of a particular sub- ject and certainly does not give evidence of interest or ability to continue formal school work beyond high school. If we are to maintain our present standing with the colleges, we must accomplish the work outlined for preparation. The pupil hoping to go to college must do a little more and better work than the large group in the class. He must of necessity give up some of the school activities in which he is interested and devote time to real study. We have had some outstanding students in college and they are outstanding because they learned to study in spite of all other interests.
The class of 1931 is the largest to graduate from our high school to the present time, and even though an unfavorable time in many ways to start on a new ven- ture, the record so far is rather pleasing. Many are not yet doing those things which they hope to do, but it is interesting to see the present status.
Name
Joseph Adamovicz
Manuel Alexopoulos
Present Occupation
Tufts College
Restaurant (New York)
44
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
Fabian Ciolek
Dartmouth College Working
Boleslaw Cynkus
Gladys Durham
Massachusetts State College
Grace Heard
William and Mary College
Ralph Ladd
William and Mary College
Robert Lord
University of Maine
John Patch
Post Graduate
Roger Raymond
Wentworth Institute
Norma Tozer
At home
Helen Brown
Salem Normal
Freda Dodge
Hayward Hosiery
Statia Egounis
At home
Beatrice Laite
At home
Irene Lampropoulos
Salem Commercial
Gordon Player
First National Stores
Frank Machaj
Ipswich Tonic Company
Richard Mason
Working
Angus McLeod
Post Graduate
Henry Minichiello
Post Graduate
Harry Munro
Working
Eleanor Peabody
At home
John Rhodes
Bentley School
University of Virginia
Joseph Ross Vera Scotton
Patterson's
Vinson Sheppard
Working
Webster Stone
Working
Howard Stultz
Essex Agricultural School
Sarah Torpey
At home
John Wegzyn
Walter Comeau
Essex Agricultural School Working Fort Devens, U. S. Army
William Grover
Marion Ford
Telephone operator
Ruth Gillis
Post graduate
Helen Hebb
Salem Commercial
1
45
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
Marion Henley Josephine Kozeneska
Howe's Store
Working in Cambridge
Sophia Murdza
Working in Cambridge Hospital Porter Brothers
Gilda Orsini
Mary Perkins
At home
Virginia Scotton
Garret's Bakery
Catherine Sojka
Gloucester (Hosiery)
Muriel Riley
Hospital Training
Rena Samatas
At home
Marguerite Wile
Burdett College
Winifred Austin
Simmons College
Ruth Beals
Tea House (Florida)
Phillip Blaisdell
Northeastern University
Helen Callahan
Miss Graves' School
Evelyn Comeau
At home
Elmer Dunbar
At home
George Dziadose
At home
Ruth Flewelling
Salem Normal
Harriet Glover
Deaconess Hospital, Training
Harriette Goodhue
Designer's Art School
Atherton Howe
Working
Anthony Jedrey
At home
In connection with the graduation program of last year the following awards were announced :
Roxanna Cowles Scholarship
Four awards of $200 each
Edward Dolan Class of 1930
Ralph Ladd Class of 1931
Ruth Flewelling Class of 1931
Helen Brown Class of 1931
46
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
Woman's Club Scholarship - $100 1
Ralph Ladd
Washington Franklin Medal
for excellence in the study of American History presented by the Massachusetts Society Sons of American Revolution
Ralph Ladd
School Honor
Four year award
Gladys Durham
Two year award
Evelyn Dodge
John Patch
Frank Machaj
One year award
Helen Callahan
Ralph Ladd
Norma Tozer
These awards are significant in that they show with- out a doubt the outstanding pupils in school from year to year.
Acknowledgements
The school is indebted to all those who help to make the work a success, and I assure you that we have many interested and helpful friends, but each year I am es- pecially mindful of some outstanding acts. This year I wish to acknowledge publicly the very definite assistance to and professional assistance of Dr. B. B. Mansfield in our athletic work. This assistance has not only been a
47
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
source of satisfaction to us but a very substantial finan- cial saving to the individual and school. I have refrained from public acknowledgement in previous years even though this assistance has come to us each year during our formal football history. I want also to recognize publicly the very sincere interest and kindly suggestions of Howard N. Doughty.
The school is indebted to Mrs. Baxter for her special effort in the interest of the school; to the Ipswich Wom- an's Club for its interest expressed through its scholar- ship and by invitations to their lectures, and to the American Legion Post 80 for their interest expressed in very definite ways. We are indebted to the business and professional men for their contributions in advertising, to the police department for services donated and co-opera- tion in our activities, and to the news correspondents who have given our activities the right sort of publicity.
In conclusion allow me to express my sincere appre- ciation to the members of the committee who put in hours of planning and effort that we may have suitable equip- ment with which to work. To you, sir, the Superinten- dent of Schools, belongs the credit for whatever degree of success we may attain and I wish at this time to express to you my gratitude for your wise counsel and sincere devotion to educational work in Ipswich.
Respectfully submitted,
RALP C. WHIPPLE.
Principal.
48
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
1
WINTHROP SCHOOL
To the Superintendent of Schools,
Ipswich, Mass.
Dear Sir:
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the Win- throp School.
Our total enrollment is four hundred fourteen pupils which is nine less than last year. Of this number the Junior High has two hundred fifty-three, there being eleven less in these grades than the preceding year. Only one change has occurred in the teaching force this year. This meant no perceptible loss of time in September.
At the beginning of the school year we placed the pupils who failed of promotion in classes by themselves, hoping they may be able to do more work than is usually exacted of pupils in that particular grade. This should enable them to grasp the work of the following grade with better understanding.
Two seventh grade rooms are overcrowded making it almost impossible for the teachers to do justice to the children. Miss Stella Ciolek came to their assistance. She has been a great help, giving her mornings to these class- es. From each room she takes a small number of pupils who need individual work. We find that some of these
49
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
pupils are beginning to understand their work, and, no doubt, will be promoted. If it were not for this individ- ual attention I feel quite certain all of these children would fail to be promoted.
Outside of these few changes our program is essen- tially the same as last year.
Each morning we have on our program a five min- ute period where the pupils write a paragraph or a short story on subjects from personal experience or imagina- tion or maybe they reproduce facts obtained from study. The teachers feel that this practice of writing each day has developed in the pupils a greater ability to compose good paragraphs in which the ideas are more clearly related, in good English, properly capitalized and punc- tuated.
The teachers are making a great effort to get every pupil to read and report on ten books which they may read during the school year, the books to be selected from the approved Massachusetts library list. This read- ing should arouse in the pupils a growing interest in a wise choice of books and should lead them to enjoy good literature and to form permanent interests in reading, that will help them to make profitable and enjoyable use of their leisure time. To aid the child in this last project a library table has been placed in the eighth grade room, upon which may be found many books ob- tained from our small school library, together with those brought in by the pupils.
We have received from the Junior Red Cross two interesting portfolios compiled by children in Europe. In return we have sent samples of our work to them. In October the pupils of the school brought small toys, hair ribbons, dolls' clothes, etc., to fill ten small boxes to be sent abroad, by the Junior Red Cross as Christmas gifts
50
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
to the little people of foreign lands. Not forgetting our friends at home this Christmas each class sent little re- membrances to the Cable Hospital and Coburn Home. Scrap books of all kinds, calendars, and boxes containing home-made candy were made and distributed. A few gifts were sent to the Reading Sanitorium.
A demonstration of the Physical Training was given at the Playground in June. A little different plan of pro- cedure was followed this year, which worked out very successfully, - various stunts, dances and drills were all going on at one time.
Our annual exhibition of school work in the build- ing was omitted. This may have saved a little time ; but our exhibition work has always been a collection of the work which the pupils have done from time to time dur- ing the school year.
On the second Monday of each month at the request of the supervisor of penmanship each teacher sends to her, samples of the pupils' handwriting. These papers are ranked and returned to the teachers. On the whole, both teachers and pupils are eager to earn a good per cent and anxiously look forward to the return of the papers.
The first Monday of each month every class writes a friendly letter to Mr. Horton. How pleased the chil- dren were a month ago, when these letters were returned to them with a long note or letter from Mr. Horton at- tached. His letters contained words of praise or valuable and interesting information on subjects which the chil- dren had touched upon in their letters. Even where the child was rebuked for penmanship, grammar or content of letter the criticism was given in such kind, witty and terse words that the pupil smiled and made up his mind to do better the next time.
51
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
Early in the school year a parent of one of the eighth grade pupils, a kind friend of the school, and one who is extremely interested in having boys and girls write good English, offered to give a prize to the child who wrote the best composition, on some subject upon which the children had spent time in study and with which they were very familiar. The prize, an inter- esting book, given by Mrs. Hayward was won by John McKerron. We have just received word of the results of another contest in English. The pupils of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades were requested to write a composition on "How To Beautify Ipswich." These com- positions were referred to a committee of three judges who awarded the prizes as follows: The first prize of five dollars will go to Priscilla Bailey of grade seven ; the second prizes of three dollars each were won by Althea Hebb and Ruth Stone of grade six; and the third prizes were won by pupils of the other schools. The kind donor of these prizes is Mrs. Richard Sears.
Over two hundred forty people called to see their children working in school on the occasion of the eve- ning session, thus proving that the opening of schools for one evening during educational week is still pleasing to parents and friends.
The teachers and pupils are much pleased with the many new textbooks received this year. They fill a long felt need, as many of our books were beyond use and in many instances there were not enough of one kind to supply a copy to each member of the class. We are still in great need of English books for all classes. We would also be pleased to receive a set of encyclopedias for the Junior High School and an electric clock for the prin- cipal's room. At present all our clocks keep different time. A great many of our desks and chairs in the vari-
52
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
1
ous rooms are not adjustable. These should all be changed.
The teachers and pupils of the Winthrop School wish to express to Miss Stewart their grateful apprecia- tion for her untiring labor among them so many years. They sincerely wish that she will soon be able to be with them again.
The largest class of one hundred ten pupils yet to graduate received diplomas in June, 1931. The majority of the class have entered High School. The program of the graduating exercises and the list of graduates follow :
GRADUATION
THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
June 16, 1931
F
-
PROGRAM
1. Invocation
2. Piano Selection
Rev. Frederick C. Wilson Barbara Schofield
3. Recitation "Sea Fever" Virginia Patch School Chorus
4. Song "A Night In June"
5. Composition "An Adventure of David Livingston" Charles Sayward
6. Recitation "Little Black Boy" Ernestine Austin
7. Selection Junior High School Orchestra
8. Composition "History of Aeronautics" David Claxton
1
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
53
9. Recitation "Different Kinds of Gossip"
10. Song"Hard-a-Lee'
11. Recitation "Two Little Pickanins"
12. Composition "Some Works of Nature"
13. Song "Happy Birds"
14. Recitation "Leetle Yawcob Strauss'
15. Recitation "Wynken, Blynken and Nod" Barbara Wood
16. Selection Junior High School Orchestra
17. Composition "An Unlucky Day" James Doughty
18. Recitation "Penrod's Busy Day"
19. Awarding of Diplomas
20. Class Song
21. Song "Star Spangled Banner"
22. Benediction
Helen Frydrych School Chorus Angie Jianakountzos John MacKerron School Chorus Anthony Kuconis
William Poor
GRADUATES, JUNE 1931 GRADUATING CLASS
1
?
Nicholas Peter Argeropoulos Ernestine Austin
William Edward Barney Stella Barowy
Louise Bartnicky
Frank Benedict Bies
Helena Bella Bizeska Joseph Blunda John Nicholas Bokron
Katherine Mary MacLeod Etta Magana
Charlotte Wheeler Mallard
Louis Stephen Maniates
Mary Angelica Markos
Pansy Markos
Pota Markos
Theodore Anthony Mavroides
Edna McGregor
54
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
1
Christine Bouranis
Sophie Mergo
Alice Winifred Budzianowski
Benedict Burek
Mary Olympia Minichiello
Theodore Frank Mozdzicz
Charles Melburn Chambers
Evelyn Emma Choinard
Ruth Mary Christian
Katiga Angela Christopoulos
Rena Mary Christopoulos Frank Ciolek
Elizabeth June Claxton
Burton Brooks Comer
Kathleen Gwendolyn Chisholm
David Ross Claxton
Mildred Elizabeth Day
David DeAmario
Georgianna Demetrakopoulos
James Appleton Doughty
Stanley Dziadosz
Wayne Elliot Eustace
John Flumachi
Grace Evelyn Rutherford
Charles Warren Sayward
Bessie Galanis
Ruth Garrett
Thomas Atherton Gauld
Lionel Hawthorne Sheppard
Russell Leonard Sheppard
Sophie Annie Sikora
Virginia Soffron
Grace Stansfield Joseph Stasiak
Edward John Steffanek
Kendall Tilton
Alfred Louis Tobiasz Mary Eva Tougas
Ruth Frances Greene
George Amos Hayward Norma Elizabeth Jewett
Donald Mullen Atella Ellen Ogiba
Jeremiah Orsini
Alice Lona Ostrega
Tassia Paganis
George Peter Pappalimberis
Sophie Marie Pappalimberis Virginia Addie Patch
George Arthur Pechilis
Phyllis Frances Phelan
Joseph Chester Player
William George Poor
Maurice John Quinn Harry Spyros Retalis Ethel Elizabeth Robichau Marshall James Rogers
Helen Frydrych
George Anthony Georgeopoulos
Nicholas Anthony Georgeopoulos Stella Georgeopoulos
Jeanette Louise Gillis
Francis Mark Girard Stella Gorski
Barbara Edith Schofield Annie Mae Scott
Sadie Ann Michon
Anna Frances Buturla
55
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
Angie Anthea Jianakountzos James Nicholas Karahalios
Joannos Vilandenis
Robert Irving Vincent
Raymond Allen Klinger Sophie Wanda Kicnizcz Anthony Charles Kuconis Stella Josephine Kuconis
George Julian Warner Leslie Douglas Weiland
Joseph Wegzyn
Joseph Benedict Weltchek
Helen Ellen Lampropoulos
Fred Joseph Wengzyn
:
Stephen Lampropoulos
Margaret Witham
Arnold LeClair
Barbara Wood
Czeslawa Machaj
Vivian Augusta Weiland
John Louis MacKerron
George Langes
Lillian Irene MacLean
Joseph Bialek
In behalf of the teachers and myself allow me to express my gratitude for the many kind words of en- couragement and appreciation received from parents and friends during the year. We would also thank the school board for considering our requests, and especially would we remember our superintendent for his many acts of kindness and thoughtfulness.
Respectfully submitted,
KATHERINE F. SULLIVAN.
56
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
1
LINEBROOK SCHOOL
Mr. Joseph I. Horton,
Superintendent of Schools,
Dear Sir:
The enrollment at Linebrook School is seventeen pupils. Out of this number there are thirteen girls and four boys distributed in seven grades.
The school has been improved considerably in ap- pearance and comfort since new desks and seats have been installed for the children. The inside of the build- ing, however, needs to be painted. We hope that in the near future this will be accomplished.
The new books that have been put into use at Line- brook School this year are proving to be useful and help- ful. Since it is difficult to keep the standard of each grade up to the standard of the other schools in town, these books will help us to do the same work that is required in the respective grades.
With the help of the Linebrook Parent-Teacher Association and the money we received on the returns of the play "Alice in Wonderland," a small radio has been acquired for the school. In order that the radio might be safe a closet has been built in the school. This closet is also an added convenience for supplies and books.
We received also this year a very much needed water cooler which is sanitary and easy to handle.
Respectfully submitted,
ELEANOR M. CASALI.
57
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
-
BURLEY SCHOOL
Mr. Joseph I. Horton,
Superintendent of Schools,
Dear Sir :
I herewith submit the following annual report of the Burley School.
Due to working conditions a few children moved from this district but others came to take their places. Our enrollment this year is three hundred five, only two less than last year.
We have many more pupils in the upper grades and less in the first grade. On this account we did away with one first grade thereby losing Miss Williams, who did excellent work in our school. What was our loss is some one's gain for Miss Williams was transferred to the second grade in the Payne School. The fifth grade which occupied the basement room moved upstairs into more comfortable quarters. We have as yet one basement room in use for a four B class.
The attendance thus far this year has been excellent but at present many are absent with the prevailing colds. There has been very little absence among the teachers, so the work has gone along without a break.
58
IPSWICH SCHOOL REPORT
We greatly miss our school nurse, Miss Stewart, who guided so well our health work. Both pupils and teachers are anxiously watching for her recovery. We were pleased this past week to welcome to our school, Miss Fowler, who is taking up Miss Stewart's work.
The new books just received were greatly appre- ciated as they filled a long felt need. In many grades children had to share their books on account of the poor condition of material on hand. The Weekly Readers are much enjoyed in all grades. They are timely and very interesting. Many reading certificates and diplomas is- sued by the Public Library are earned by pupils of grades four, five, and six.
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.