USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1952 > Part 7
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The Remedial Reading instructor, Mrs. Packard, starting in September has been able to meet many of our students on an individual basis for instruction. She has also provided material and has explained the technique she has used with these children to the child's classroom teacher so that definite carryover can be accom- plished when she is not with us.
The Elementary Athletic Program has continued to function. This past spring we introduced Tennis for the girls in grade 7 of all schools. Mr. Rogers took charge of this group and gave instruc- tions in tennis one day a week at the playground courts. An average of 20 girls each week took part in the phase of the program. We also had softball for the girls in grades 5-6-7, softball for boys in grade 5, hardball for boys in grades 6-7. In the fall of this year we had touch football league for grades 5-6-7. For the girls we tried to intro- duce volleyball in grades 6-7 with limited success. The game of soccer was intro- duced to boys of all schools grades 6-7 and the response shows that this can be developed into a regular fall sport. We hope to introduce badminton for girls in the spring as well as to continue tennis and the softball and hardball. Badminton could later be moved to the winter period
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when we have a place to work indoors.
Under Testing Program we have set down as our program the giving of Science Research Primary Mental Ability Test in the first, fourth and seventh grades. The giving of the Metropolitan Achievement test in the month of Oc- tober to grades 2-3-4-5-6 and in May to grade 7. All cases of difficulty are referred to this office and if it seems necessary or desirable an individual Binet is administered. Under this testing and given at this time we have found that we can best plan our work and thus provide a better program for the individual stu- dents within a grade.
This report would not be complete however unless some mention of the physical changes that have been made to the plant, during the year and during the summer. In the Burley school, the heating system was changed over from coal to oil, the room used for music was transferred back to a classroom and the 4th grade assigned to use it. The 3rd grade was moved into the old 4th leaving the vacant room for the extra 1st grade. This meant that both 1st grades were side by side, in the hopes that the two grades would be able to join together for many activities throughout the year. New curtains were hung in two classrooms, and two sets of movable furniture were installed. New lights were placed in the new 4th grade room.
In the Shatswell school the music 100m was made over to be the 3rd grade room and the new first grade took over in the vacant room. New movable furni- ture was installed in the 3rd grade room. During the summer the office wall was fixed, new tile floor laid and the entire room painted.
Both schools have used the visual aid cquipment in the various buildings. We now have 4 sets of film strips, 2 projec- tors, a record player, a combination radio and phonograph, the use of the 16 MM projector and the use of the tape re- corder. The 16mm projector is no longer reliable and as such has discouraged teachers from ordering free films.
I believe the health of the students has been above average and due to the con- tinuous checking by teachers and school nurse and the overall policy that a child
is better off home not feeling well than in school exposing other children to whatever happens to be around. Both the school nurse and the school doctor have been the strongest advocates of this policy and parents are beginning to see it that way too.
The spirit and cooperation and energy that the teachers have shown should not go unnoticed. They have been willing for the most part, to undertake anything and everything that would seem to bene- fit the children and that would continue to make our schools a better place to work and play. As we continue to grow as a unit the results of these past years and future years will have a far reach- ing effect up on the children under our care now and in years to come.
Respectfully submitted,
Bertram H. Bennett, Principal, Burley - Shatswell Schools.
REPORT OF THE WINTHROP SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
To the Superintendent of Schools, to the School Committee, and the Town of Ipswich:
To you I submit my report of the Winthrop School activities from Septem- ber to December, 1952.
On September 3rd an enrollment of 257 pupils confronted me with an over- whelmingly large first grade. This mat- ter was immediately rectified by placing an extra first grade in another school.
Since then eight grades, averaging in many cases over 35 pupils and directed by teachers with many years to their credit (excepting the teachers of grades I and V), have been actively engaged in carrying on their school duties. Many new ideas have been injected into the school procedure in conformity with the trend of the times. An effort has been made to correlate the regular routine work with the ideas of the art, music, and science supervisors. Interesting and instructive projects have been developed in these various fields.
Two rooms in the Winthrop School Building have been equipped with mov-
74
Burley Pupils Transported To Winthrop Cafeteria
able furniture. This allows for group work among the pupils in the field of research, children giving assistance to classmates, large circles for story telling and small groups for reading. The pupils are also more relaxed than in the old stereotyped placement of desks and chairs.
Emphasis is being placed, and will con- tinue to be placed, on the subject of reading. Throughout the town the same basic system is used and with the assist- ance of Mrs. Packard, the new remedial reading instructor, each teacher has been able to give attention to many individual cases with considerable success. It is to be hoped that Mrs. Packard may be al- lowed to give more time to the Ipswich Schools in the future, rather than being allowed, at the most, two days out of three weeks.
Also a help to the child learning to read is the Kittle System of penmanship. This system correlates the handwriting with the printed page thus avoiding con- fusion in the child's mind. It is to be hoped that manuscript penmanship will be extended through the fifth grade, at least.
The Winthrop School being old and so termed "obsolete" presents special prob- lems. It is the policy of the personnel to stress safety from every standpoint. Fire drills are held at intervals and dis- cussions suggested by the State Safety
Council concerning bicycle riding, con- duct on the bus, keeping exits free from obstructions, and many other items are allotted considerable time.
The lunch room, though small, is an important factor in the Winthrop School life. No less than one hundred sixty children participate in its facilities. The rules of courtesy and good manners arc here enforced and pupils are taught to be self reliant members of society.
Parent-Teacher Meetings have been very pleasant. So far this year one meet- ing has been held. Parents have been very co-operative at these meetings and it is hoped that more will be planned for the ensuing year.
Co-operation between the Public Li- brary and the school has been both inter- esting and instructive. Miss Mitchell has visited the various classes at intervals and many grades under teacher supervision have enjoyed story hours at the library. Individual members of the second grade visited the library this week seeking in- formation for their Holland project. This is far removed from the interest the small children of olden days took in such matters. Closer contact between the li- brary and school is anticipated as the year goes on.
Perhaps the facilities for work in the Winthrop School are not of the highest caliber but any educational system is no better than its teachers, whether housed in an up to the minute building or one that perhaps does not measure up too well. May I state here that the assistance and resourcefulness of my corps of teachers is on a very high plane and to them I feel most grateful. It is through their co-operation that any measure of success has been made possible.
In closing I wish to thank all who have contributed toward making the school year a success. Especially may I mention our new Superintendent, Mr. Savitt, and members of the Ipswich School Depart- ment who have made possible our ad- vancement in the field of education.
Respectfully submitted.
Lena J. Atherley Principal, Winthrop School
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REPORT OF THE MUSIC SUPERVISOR
To the Superintendent of Schools, the School Committee, and the Town of Ipswich:
MUSIC ACTIVITIES DURING 1952-
Grades I and II: Rhythm band instru- ments, which had previously been used sparingly or not at all, procured for all first and second grades and these were used in conjunction with the regular music program (rhythm band instru- ments supplied rhythm for the rote songs, they helped to provide a better sense of rhythm and beat as the children learned to play along with their records, these instruments were the means through which the children supplied their own rhythm to live music performed by the teacher, and the children could play and march, thus supplying their own rhythm for marching). This activity proved so successful that in May the first and second grades were able to participate in the concert by supplying the rhythm for the flutophones.
Grade III: Flutophones were intro- duced in all third grades. These instru- ments provide a meaningful method of teaching the fundamentals of music to children at this level. Flutophones are used in conjunction with the vocal program-the children learn to play and distinguish the notes in the songs that they are singing. This activity proved itself to be highly successful; not only did the third graders give a creditable performance at the concert in May, but when school reopened in September and the instrumental program got under way, the pupils who chose to take instruments found it much easier to overcome the mechanics of their particular instruments than did the pupils with no previous ex- perience with the flutophone.
Grades IV through VII: Vocal pro- gram carried out with special attention given to the fundamentals of music and music appreciation.
Instrumental rental program was in- troduced whereby, any pupil from Grade IV through Grade VII could rent an instrument for three months with an
opportunity to purchase such instrument it so desired. The response to this pro- gram was most favorable as we received sixty-two applicants and only lost about twelve after the three months trial period. An original type of group instruction, not offered elsewhere in public school music, was introduced at no cost to the parents, and with this instruction plus the enthusiastic group of young instru- mentalists we were able to stage a band which performed very creditably at our concert in May. The response to this in- strumental program was even greater when it was offered this year, as we now have about one-hundred nine new in- strumentalists in addition to the fifty more advanced pupils. Through this type of program the Town of Ipswich can look forward in the near future to a well-balanced band in the High School supported and supplemented each year by pupils from the Elementary Schools.
Grade VIII: At this level the pupils go into a general music class made up of vocal music, instrumental music and music appreciation.
High School: Music is optional in the High School, and we provide instru- mental instruction for those interested in the band, Girls' Glee Club for fresh- men and sophomores, Girls' Choir for juniors and seniors and Boys' Glee Club for all boys in High School.
Problems: There is the problem of the expanding music program-right now it has expanded as far as it can go without sufficient working facilities and also ad- ditional personnel. The working condi- tions for the instrumental instruction are very poor in two of the three elementary schools, as the classes have to be held in the basement. However, the vocal classes (Girls' and Boys' Glee Club) in the High School are next to impossible to conduct, as they are held in the cafeteria while the lunch for the day is being prepared. At times, there is so much noise and con- fusion that these classes have to be dis- missed, because it is impossible to hold the attention of the pupils under such conditions. Additional personnel will have to be secured very soon, or it will be impossible to expand the instrumental program any further. One person cannot
76
hope to teach more than one-hundred fifty-nine instrumentalists weekly and at the same time maintain a proper standard throughout the rest of the music pro- sram.
Respectfully submitted, Raymond Hill, Music Supervisor
REPORT OF THE ART SUPERVISOR
To the Superintendent of Schools, the School Committee, and the town of Ipswich:
Background on Art Instruction
The art courses in our school system have been in a state of transition for three years. Previous to 1950 our work was based on the academic concept of art instruction and, on that basis, was a sound and constructive course. However, in mid-1949 after thorough study and convincing experimentation, it was de- termined that our needs would best be met by an elective course, a combination of "academic" and "free expression" methods of instruction. The success of this innovation was immediate and gave substantial proof that we were meeting essential needs of our student body.
Present Activities
If an interested person were to take the time to view the multifarious experi- ences and activities engaged in by our pupils he would doubtless be amazed.
Small children boldly design neckties and sweaters, plan and execute murals up to twelve feet long with aplomb, illus- strate stones from classroom texts, rep- resent historical and geographical sub- jects and, in general, give expression to their creative instincts in countless ways.
The intermediate grades do much the same type of work, but of course at their own various age levels. There is also more direct correlation in these grades and more sophisticated use of their art abilities. Often the subject matter is the choice of the pupils who voice a need for instruc- tion in some special field of art such as
perspective or figure proportion and action. This correlation brings about a continual accumulation of beneficial re- sults to art and the correlated subjects.
The High School classes are handled in a much different manner due to the fact that the art course is an elective and in each class there are pupils of varying ages and interests. The instructor here cutlines a course for each pupil as an individual adapted to his or her needs and interests, leading them through these in- terests and needs to wider concepts and uses of their creative abilities.
In general we may state that our pres- ent activities in art stand as follows: we are consolidating our gains of the past several years and are probing to find new lines of endeavor and experience, weigh- ing them for their long term value as in- tegral parts of our curriculum.
Problems
Our principal difficulty at present is our over-large classes combined with lack of space and facilities for doing the type of work we ought to be doing.
Another difficulty arose this year with the addition of extra classes and en- rollment growth in the regular classes, forcing a shortening of teaching time in the individual classrooms. Where before the supervisor had from thirty to forty minutes in each grade he now has but fifteen to twenty. This time is adequate for a "visit" but not enough to begin or demonstrate new work or projects un- familiar to pupils and their teachers. There is a continual race with the clock and a consequent feeling of hurry on the part of both teacher and pupil.
The lack of teacher training in art work has been something of a problem in the past and still offers difficulties under the shortened supervisory visiting schedule. However, some of this defici- ency has been taken up with in-service courses. The teachers themselves recog- nize these limitations and all have shown a strong disposition to overcome them and to improve their understanding. Their growth along these lines has been remarkable, particularly in the past two years.
77
Another problem is the lack of time for the supervisor to carry out super- visory work. The pupil load, teaching problems and other obligations have grown so fast lately that there is not time enough to do all that should be done as well as it ought to be done.
There is also a certain lack of ma- terials this year due to the fact that last year a budget limit was set which made no allowance for the unprecedented growth in enrollment. Also the method lately adopted of dumping all school supplies, including art materials, in the High School storeroom has caused much trouble and extra work.
However, some of these problems we have always had and have learned to live with them. Others may be solved by our new (projected) school buildings.
Accepting the conclusion that there are inhibiting factors to growth and ex- pansion the problem is how to overcome them.
It is certain that we can continue to carry on the type of work we have been doing even though the difficulties are greater, and in addition, probe new lines of endeavor. Steps have already been taken along these lines and it is antici- pated that further steps will be taken in the near future.
In submitting this report I am con- scious of the fact that if our course has grown in value to our student body it has done so only through whole-hearted cooperation all along the line. If there are features that need revision or elimi- nation they are my responsibility in hav- ing let them develop or exist.
I wish to thank the Superintendent, the School Board and all the staff for the constant guidance, cooperation and help I have received.
Respectfully submitted,
Frank H. Chadbourne, Art Supervisor
REPORT OF THE IPSWICH SCHOOL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
To the Superintendent of Schools, the School Committee and the Town of Ipswich:
During 1952 students in grades 8-12 were given an opportunity to have the Tuberculin Patch Test done. In Decem- ber 1952 students in grades 9-12 re- ceived a chest X-ray when the Mobile Unit was in Ipswich. 389 children were immunized or received a booster shot for diptheria during the past year.
The annual "Spring Round-up" for children entering the Ipswich schools for the first time in the fall of 1952, was held at the Shatswell School, April 28, 29, and 30, and resulted in a registration of 125. Each child received a physical ex- amination by the school Physician and the parent urged to have any defects found, attended to before the child en- tered school.
Early in January, the Massachusetts Vision and Hearing Test was done on all children in the first, fourth, and seventh grades, as well as on any child in the other grades who was recommended by the teacher for the test. Notices were sent home on all children failing in either of these tests, and follow-up work was done on all cases. In cases where the family was unable to bear the financial burden involved, help was given with funds available to the School Nurse. Two high school and four elementary students were given eye examinations, and re- ceived glasses.
Two major changes have taken place in the health program during the past year. The first concerns the dental pro- gram and the second the physical ex- amination program.
This dental program consists of send- ing home dental cards urging parents to take their child to the family dentist. At the completion of any work necessary the child was given a dental certificate and the dental card, signed by the den- tist, to be returned to school. If the family was unable to finance the work, the card was returned with this infor- mation, and, if upon investigating it was
78
felt that the family needed help, this help was given with funds allocated for that purpose. Eight children received help in this way. These cards were given out in February and by the close of school, in June, over 50% of the children had been attended to and about 10% were still having treatment. We felt this was a very good return for the first year of the program. Cards were distributed shortly after school started in the fall and the returns, up to the present time have been most gratifying. Follow-up work will be started next month for the pres- ent year.
Perhaps the greatest change in our pro- gram was the change in the methods of giving physical examinations. Under the new laws, which became effective Sep- tember 1, 1952, "every child in the Public Schools will be examined sepa- rately and carefully by a physician duly registered in Massachusetts within six months before entering school or during the first year after entrance and at in- tervals of either three or four years there- after." With this staggered program of doing physicials, it was decided that the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 11th grades be ex- amined each year. Any child entering the Ipswich Schools from another commu- nity would receive a physical examina- tion unless they presented a health card showing that this examination had been done within six months. Notices were sent home to the parents of the children in the above mentioned grades telling them that their child was scheduled for a physical examination done by the school physician. If the parents wished to have the examination done by their family doctor, the slip was returned to me the school nurse and a special "family physician report" was sent home. Follow- ing the examination, this report was re- turned to the nurse and attached to the child's physical health card. 503 exami-
nations were done by the school physi- cian and 41 done by the family doctor. This number included 74 students on the girl's basketball squad, 51 on the boys and 72 on the football squad. Regular ap- pointments were given to all children on the list in the 1st and 4th grades and parents notified of the day and time and invited to be present. Sixty parents came for the examinations. This new method involves a great deal of time and office work, but we feel it is a tremendous im- provement over the old method. Ample time is allotted for each child so that a thorough examination can be given. With the privacy connected with this method of examination, the doctor was able to talk to the child and gain his confidence, which we feel is important.
We feel that the first year of this program has been very satisfactory and that the parents have liked it better than the old method. "Teacher-Nurse Con- ferences" will be held starting next month. The nurse plans to spend some time with each teacher, in the elemen- tary grades, discussing each child in their grade acquainting the teacher with the results of the physical examination. It is hoped that as a result of these con- ferences both the teacher and the nurse will be better acquainted with the child's physical needs.
In closing I wish to express my thanks and appreciation to Mr. Harry Merson, our superintendent, for the 1st six months of this year, and to Mr. Savitt, our present superintendent, for their help, advice, and understanding of these prob- lems; to the principals and the entire teaching staff for the co-operation and help that they have given to this depart- ment.
Respectfully submitted,
Eleonore Richardson, R. N. School Nurse
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DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS BY SCHOOL AND GRADE Enrollment - October 1, 1952
School
Grades
Į
II
III
IV
V
VI VII
VIII IX
X
XI XII P.G. Total
Burley
59
37
32
35
31
24
28
246
Shatswell
59
35
35
38
31
29
32
259
Winthrop
28
34
38
51
37
34
36
258
Ipswich High
115 103
57
76
65
2
418
146 106 105 124
99
87
96
115 103
57
76
65
2
1181
ENROLLMENT CHART BY GRADES
1943 - 1952
Grade
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
I
77
85
102
90
96
98
116
101
99
143
II
73
68
82
89
89
92
87
116
95
106
III
88
84
68
80
95
95
85
94
122
105
IV
69
76
77
68
80
96
92
89
90
124
V
86
77
78
77
68
80
92
92
88
99
VI
88
83
74
77
78
64
75
95
95
87
VII
98
79
79
73
77
75
68
82
87
96
VIII
70
87
88
73
69
73
73
68
95
115
IX
122
92
100
107
94
97
99
106
73
103
X
81
86
62
74
95
85
86
70
80
57
XI
62
67
79
65
70
76
69
72
68
76
XII
57
45
53
68
55
52
80
60
56
65
P. G.
1
1
1
6
2
2
2
Totals
972
930
943
941
972
985
1024
1045
1048
1181
ENROLLMENT STATISTICS - 1946 - 1952
Enrollment:
1946
1947
1948
1949
High School, gr. 9-12
324
320
312
336
1950 308
280
303
Grade VIII
73
69
73
73
68
94
115
Elementary, gr. 1-5
560
583
600
615
669
682
763
Total
957
972
985
1024
1045
1056
1181
1951
1952
80
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE AND GRADE
October 1, 1952
BOYS
Age
21 or
Grade
1 5
6| 7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 | 13 |14 |15 |16 |17 |18 | 19 |20 over
TI.
I
26
45
II
13
41 13
35
5
1
54
IV
15
42
6
2
1
68
V
18
28
9
55
VI
e
14
8
3 8
1
1
47
VIII
13
30 11
27
19
6
63
X
7
16
6
1
30
XI
3
21 5
22
4
P.G.
Total
26
58 | 54 | 53
|66
49|56 75 |51 |46|38
29 | 9 |
612
GIRLS
Age
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