USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1949 > Part 6
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Yes, this was the report seventy-five years ago and today we again come to what we think the most important matter to be con- sidered in the present report namely, Housing.
At the present time, we have over 130 children attending the Union Street School on part time. These children are in the first two grades and are receiving only three hours of actual school time instead of the usual five hours in classroom work. If this condition were temporary, it would not be too serious for with special attention in the higher grades the children would not lose too much educationally. However, the ever increasing number of births and the subsequent increased enrollments indicate this condition will continue to grow worse each year.
To understand better the conditions, let us look at a few facts. In September 1938 the first classes attended the new Union Street School. At that time, there were 441 children in membership in the first three grades in the town. During the next six years there was an increase in that membership of only twenty-six children. In the last six years, 1944-49, there has been an increase in membership of 106 in the same three grades.
In 1938, the year the Union Street School was opened, there were 190 children born in Middleboro. During the last four years over 290 children have been born each year and these children have not yet entered our schools. Since no more classrooms are available, still more children and more grades will necessarily be on shortened school time next year.
The Schoolhouse Building Committee will probably make their report to the town very soon now. Even with immediate favorable
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action toward a new building, there can be no relief before September 1951.
Four part-time or platoon classes have been formed in grades one and two and four additional teachers added to the staff. Class size, in most instances, is conducive to excellent educational practice.
In the Bates School, conditions for a full Junior High School pro- gram are most unsatisfactory. Yet, in spite of the lack of all facilities necessary, able leadership and excellent teaching lead the school in the meeting of the educational objectives.
The Bates School (from the annual report of Henry B. Burkland, Principal)
"Democracy" is the word that we use to best sum up the ideals covered by the dominant philosophical guidance of life in America today. What any school can accomplish along the willing association of individuals in a social whole depends greatly upon the philosophy of life held to lead to self-realization and social welfare. It must include ideas and ideals of duty, happiness and pleasure, discipline, and culture."
"Broken down these ideals are still best expressed in the so-called main objectives of education; health, command of fundamental pro- cesses, worthy home membership, vocational education, citizenship, worthy use of leisure time, and above all, ethical character."
"The Junior High School is expected to accomplish these by: a. humanizing the education of adolescence, b. economizing school time, c. preventing unnecessary withdrawals from school and d. furthering the above stated democratic principles. In this process the Junior High School is expected to: a. produce better curricula and courses of study for early adolescence, b. develop teachers for this specialization, c. provide for individual differences, d. retain more youth in school by motivation of effective character training."
How are we at Bates School meeting the above conditions?
I. HEALTH
During the past year through the cooperative endeavor of the Trustees of the Estate of Thomas H. Peirce and the School Department, new sanitary toilets have been installed for both girls and boys at the cost of $7,000. This is the major improvement of the past year.
Under the leadership of the Bates Parent-Teacher Association and with the cooperation of the Middleboro Lodge of Elks and Lions Club, modern bicycle racks have been installed, but many more will be needed, and it is hoped they will be installed and added from time to time.
Under the direction of Supervisor of Physical Education, a pro- gram of football, baseball, and basketball for boys has been as success- fully as possible carried out. Through the kind cooperation of the Middleboro Young Men's Christian Association, the basketball was possible. The lack of any gymnasium in the school is a major dis- couragement in this work, and the deplorable condition of the so- called boys' playground makes it unfit for use in almost every season. It is evident that Middleboro citizens are more interested in good parking space for cars than for boys.
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The girls work is altogether too limited, but the pioneer work both in Health Education and out of door exercise has overcome many obstacles, but the same handicaps exist.
II. COMMAND OF FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES
I cannot speak too highly of the work in the academic subject fields carried on by all teachers in their departments. Middleboro citizens are fortunate, indeed, to have the devoted service of these teachers, who, in the face of constant change, which does not always denote progress, try to hold to a standard of educational level which not only compares favorably with that of many larger and more prosperous communities, but which from the personal testimony of many former pupils, gives, along with the work received in the primary and elementary grades, a basic foundation for further educational and vocational achievement. The faculty members are continually taking refresher courses as well as work leading to advanced degrees.
The place of audio visual aids in life is certainly apparent. Our adults now prefer picture magazines, television, radio, and cinema not only as entertainment, but also as the leading methods of learn- ing the current news, plus travel, science, and invention, and other educational experiences. The school now owns four electric phono- graphs plus four old type machines, a motion picture machine, two filmstrip machines, one opaque projector, two stereographs, many models, and last but still first in importance, many bulletin boards. The auditory and visual aids contribute to educational growth not only through the reality which it is, but through what it represents. Real situations such as trips, specimens, and excursions are also used, but these involve direct action on the pupil with the realia of physical environment.
In the area of fundamental processes the following lacks are evident: (a) the size of classes is still too large for individual help and instruction. This can only be remedied by the building of more school facilities. Already the Rounseville addition has been outgrown and this year one unit of the Sixth Grade is housed in the School Street School building; (b) the lack of opportunity or special classes affects not only the Bates School but every grade from one to twelve. The addition of space it is hoped will also help in this problem for at least two such classes are needed for younger and older pupils in order to carry out the obligations of the Junior High School in the matter of individual differences. Our teachers are constantly working to improve class productivity in every way possible.
III. WORTHY HOME MEMBERSHIP
The 4-H work in Clothing and Foods, while a most worthy begin- ning, needs to be extended to a major department of the school. At the present writing these courses are the only ones being given in our entire school system in a fundamental basic training. This is not only regretable but a major problem of our school system, which must be remedied if we are to uphold our standard in preparation for life.
IV. VOCATIONAL UNDERSTANDING
Probably the most practical avenue in this direction at the Bates School can be found in the development of Industrial or Manual Arts.
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Our shop has grown both in importance and service. An evening course being given this winter for adult groups shows a tremendous interest among the older persons.
Here again we find this the only shop work in our schools when it should be a major department of all schools from grades six to twelve.
V. CITIZENSHIP
Both the direct and indirect methods of character education are used at the Bates School. The daily "homeroom period" has been found most useful and helpful with pupils of this age. The word "discipline" seems to have unhappy connotations for many people, but no life is free from various disciplines. Discipline to be effective does not necessarily have to be disagreeable, but it must teach the necessity of being able to take loss and disappointment in life. Life is not all "winning" and education should prepare our children for a normal adult life.
Our new Civics course inaugurated a year ago has proven valu- able and has become an integral part of our social studies instruction.
The work in personal guidance continues to be an important func- tion of the school and many problems now reach a much earlier decision. Each pupil in the eighth grade meets for a personal interview with the Principal during the spring term. It should be stressed that any anecdotal guidance records are personal and are guarded as such. A very complete Permanent Record Card is begun in grade six and continued throughout the Senior High School. The school can best serve the child if vital information concerning the child is available. Teachers are more and more expected to be experts in human relations in order to guide the child's development not only in the learning process, but also in learned behavior patterns. Since heredity and environment play such a large part in unlearned behavior patterns the implications of these factors are most important in the guidance process.
VI. WORTHY USE OF LEISURE TIME
The great cultural areas of Art, Music, Literature, and Special Interests are well cared for under the able direction of the Supervisors of Art and Music and teachers of various club activities.
VII. ETHICAL CHARACTER
Only time can measure this aim, which is the sum of all that goes into the child's development. The part played by the home, church, and community forces such as Library, Y. M. C. A., Motion Pictures, Radio, Television, and "Funny Books" are vital in this educational factor.
THE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL (from the report of Lindsay J. March, Principal)
The report of last year was written as a survey of current con- ditions and as a guide for long term planning for the high school. It may continue to be a timely introduction to subsequent reports and hence is referred to here as background for this report.
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The goals of "education for all pupils and education to meet all the needs of each pupil to the extent that it is feasible to provide the facilities," will continue to stand as objectives we shall try to attain.
A course in consumer education has now replaced the traditional instruction in economics, following the organization by the committee of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The in- structor is using the monographs specially written for the course. The large enrollment requiring two divisions seems to indicate that the instruction meets felt needs.
If it is feasible to increase the staff to divide the excessive number of boys enrolled in agriculture, a man might give part of the day to other subjects, thus permitting another teacher, who has become qualified, to offer the safe driver-training course. Few schools the size of Memorial High School fail to provide driver education, so we are striving to plan teacher assignments so as to make this training available.
A brief program has been carried on to acquaint pupils with the nature of the work customarily offered in practical arts courses. Hav- ing had an opportunity to look over the outlines explaining courses in practical arts, all pupils were asked to express their interests in the various fields. Seventy boys have definitely expressed interest in shop work as a major subject to be carried each year. Ninety-four others have an interest in shop work as an elective for the training they would receive for ordinary living. Of the three fields mentioned, woodworking, metal working, and automobile repairing, the greatest number showed interest in automobile repairing although there is a substantial number (30) interested in woodworking.
Sixty-one girls have expressed interest in courses in household arts to be taken each year as a major subject. One hundred six girls, in addition, would like some traning for home making as an elective in the regular programs which they carry. The greatest interest is in home management.
Even if only half of the pupils who have expressed these interests were to actually enroll, there would be sufficient numbers for a full- time person in each of the fields of shop work and household arts. When it is realized that many pupils have already left school, who might have continued had courses in practical arts been given, there can be little question as to the need for the program. Since school training is meaningless unless it contributes to daily living, it is urged that every effort possible be made to speed the day when proper facilities may be made available for a modern high school program that will include practical arts.
Real progress is being made in both educational and social guidance. Fifty-one pupils of the one hundred six who graduated last year continued in some school. This number of nearly half of the class is much in excess of the thirty to thirty-five who have gone in previous years. While economic conditions do influence the numbers who go to schools of higher learning, there is definite evidence to indicate that the personal attention given each pupil resulted in more pupils finding their proper fields of work, and being prepared to enter the same.
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The trends in admission procedures to schools of higher learning are becoming quite definite. Colleges prefer now to accept only applicants for whom the particular college is the first choice. In order to receive serious consideration in more than one college as one should do, a plan of pre-selection becomes necessary which often involves considerable correspondence with the directors of admission by the principal, before the senior can feel safe in naming one college as his first choice.
Another trend in college and school relations is that of leaving the choice of subjects in high school more largely to the guidance officer, basing the decision regarding acceptance on marks, ratings of ability, and the recommendation of the principal. Such responsibilty on principals and guidance officers is a second reason for close contacts between the high school and the colleges. It involves the keeping of very complete and accurate records of interests, aptitudes, and achievement, as well as teacher estimates of traits of character and personality for every pupil if the principal is to be able to make recommendations based on fact rather than upon personal opinion.
The duties here described might answer in part the question the principal is so often asked in July or August, namely: "What do you find to do at school in the summer?" These explanations and the fact that many pupils find difficulty in making final selection of programs of studies until after the school year has closed, constitute the reasons for the recommendation that the director of guidance be employed on terms that will make it fair to ask him to be on regular duty at the high school for the month of July to handle the problems in guidance which arise then, thus leaving the principal more free to organize the school for the coming year. Careful planning for the new year seems to pay big dividends in the smooth running of the school the whole year long.
In social guidance, a study has been made of the handling of school social functions and a manual prepared for the guidance of teachers and pupil officers who conduct parties. A committee of teachers is making a study of the bases for citizenship marks and a system of recording that will distinguish between marks for the mischievous conduct of fun-loving pupils and that which is more vicious in nature, indicating tendencies toward anti-social behavior in years to come.
There is an increasing need for some record of citizenship that will furnish a basis for character references. It is hoped that a system may be developed that will provide a record suitable for use by school officers who may not have known the pupil and yet be fair to him. It would be unfortunate for a person to be reported as of poor character because of low marks in citizenship caused by the poor judgement or fun-loving disposition of an adolescent. On the contrary, some pupils do begin to show in high school the traits of character which indicate real moral turpitude, dishonesty, and a lack of dependability. School records, today, furnish a much used record on which to judge merit for positions of trust.
A suitable plaque has been promised each year to the school, on which the names of the two best school citizens, a boy and girl, may be inscribed.
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The special appropriation for science equipment is rapidly provid- ing the facilities for a stronger program in science. A similar plan for the securing of business machines will result in much needed improvement in the facilities for the commercial department.
The department of health and physical education is finding increas- ing difficulty in providing financial support for that portion of its program which has always been supported by gate receipts. Regard- less of the success of teams, schools everywhere are finding it difficult to draw paid admissions. To what extent the broadcasting of big games is responsible, no one can be sure, but the fact remains that valuable sports programs are increasingly harder to support. Towns generally are finding it necessary to bear a greater share of cost than in the past.
The new arrangement of having a maintenance man for school buildings has been most satisfactory at the high school. Prompt handling of emergencies has been possible with corresponding con- venience to all concerned. Repairs are being made systematically with the more serious needs being cared for first.
In addition to the usual repairs expected in general upkeep of the property, it is desirable that some street lighting be provided in front of the building, and for the parking area in rear. Not infrequently there are several hundreds of people at the school on an evening with real danger of accident in the poorly lighted areas.
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE
(from the report of William H. Tufts, Head of Department)
In keeping with the ideal for brevity, only the highlights of the year will be covered, for though the Agricultural Department has carried through many programs of scholastic, vocational, social, and civic tendencies, many were on the patterns carried over from the past.
The end of 1949 found the numbers down from the beginning of the year when 36 students were carried over. Four had dropped out of school by April, and 2 more during the summer, 7 were graduated but were replaced by 7 new freshmen, 1 new sophomore, and 2 new juniors. Since September, 3 have left, 2 for the armed forces, 1 moving out of town; accordingly, the year closes with 30 enrollees. It is of interest to note, however, that of the seven graduating, six are con- tinuing their agricultural pursuits at this time. The new students are showing more adaptabiliy to the course, coming mostly from farm homes, being more exposed to the continued screening activities carried on by the department and by the director allowing only the bonafide agricultural applicants to transfer from other courses, with emphasis on agricultural education.
The classwork has continued with the alternation of courses of subject matter for each class, shifting this September from poultry and small animals to vegetables and small fruits in the younger class, from orcharding and floriculture to dairying and farm management in the upper group. Textbooks are, in general, too ill-adapted due to provincialisms and rapid change of farm practices, but the refer- ence books on hand, the renewed supply of constantly changing bulletins obtained from the University of Massachusetts, and a steady flow of industrial material serve to replenish and keep the class up
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to date. Films are still being used extensively for their specific educational objectives and for the general educational background that affords interesting survey material. More film-strips were used this year. Incidently, the Middleboro Kiwanis Club has voted the funds for the purchase of a strip-film projector for the Department to be used in the high school, and this will be presented in the near future.
The trips this fall, during class time, have been in the nature of farm management trips with an opportunity for much comparison and discussion of methods, possibilities, and problems.
In the project year ending September 1, much was accomplished. In the supervised project wherein the student works for experience and finances for a farmer, the trend was heavy to poultry, with 15 boys on poultry projects; 8 were in dairy, 4 in floriculture and land- scaping, 2 in vegetable work, 2 in general farming, and 1 in cranberries. The experience derived was extensive and varied with the 32 students working, in all, over 50,000 hours. Thirty-five thousand were paid hours at which the boys earned about $19,700 and 15,000 were unpaid hours with an average value of about $5,500.
This money has, in some cases, been invested in student-owned projects which program has developed rapidly during 1948 and 1949. This year 18 students had 20 different ownership projects. It might be interesting to note that if all the ownership projects were together on one farm they would easily have supported a farm family. There were 1,200 laying birds, 1,000 broilers, and 300 capons raised, 7 milking cows, and 11 heifers and calves, 60 turkeys, 3 pigs, and 1 lamb, besides a quarter acre of crops. The value of the commodities of these ran about $12,000, with an investment of about $8,000. And to show that the instruction is not all from the classroom, the instructor made over 400 visitations besides telephone calls and chance meetings, and the Future Farmer of America held summer meetings where projects were discussed.
The outstanding ownership development is probably that of the Future Farmers of America chapter president. At the end of the year, he has 7 milkers, 2 heifers, and his own buildings and equipment with an investment of about $3,500, earned and invested by himself. One of the sophomores has developed a 300 bird-laying project with the birds raised in a brooder house and two shelters built by himself, with half of the birds finally housed in a large pen he built. These boys are outstanding examples of individual development with whole- hearted parent cooperation.
In line with this vocational training, a trend that has developed has been the tendency of less absence from school for agricultural work, with the early Spring dismissal and the summer work affording more skill opportunities. However, no emergency call has gone unanswered as the department still strives to serve the area in its ways. The department continued the make-up of orders by car-load lot of the government potatoes for live-stock feeding, moving 8 cars through the community. During the year, over 30,000 birds were vaccinated for Newcastle and Fowl Pox when the disease problem attacked the poultry population, these figures being in addition to those cared for by the students as part of their project work.
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In February, the department played host to the district F. F. A. public speaking contest with representatives present from Jamaica Plain and Worcester North High Schools. The contest was held during school hours with assembled English classes and study hall students serving as audience. One student of Middleboro received second award.
The Future Farmers of America organization has had a full and busy year. Summer activities were carried on as in the previous summer. Baskets of food were made up and distributed at Thanksgiving and Christmas. A donation was made by them to the St. Luke's Hospital Fund. The greatest honor has come to the local chapter with the receipt of the award of Star Farmer of Massachusetts by Richard Picone for his project development, his scholastic work, and his leadership in the chapter which he has served for two years as president. It should be mentioned here that he, realizing the need for mechanics in the course, spent many hours in contact with machinery concerns all over Plymouth County to secure, by loan or other methods, equipment that could be used for class instruction work in operation and adjustment.
In short, the needs of the department could be lined up briefly under the headings of mechanics equipment, facilities paid for in some way to allow more farm visitation for class work.
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