USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1953 > Part 6
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70
ANNUAL REPORT
.. The sponsoring of the Girls' League provides a medium for working closely with many of the girls, This organization for all has as its Creed:
"I believe, as a high school girl of Middleboro, that I should do the right thing in a quiet way. I should work hard for the good of my school; I should do what has to be done with a smile; I should have a desire and a will to learn every day;
I should be courteous to my fellow students and . respectful to my teachers; I should be 'sincere and loyal to all my colleagues; I should be a real "pal" in time of need."
To carry out the purpose and to conduct the business, an executive board composed of the four officers, chairman of standing committees, typists, and a representative from each home room meet once a month. Throughout all activities the dean meets with the following standing com- mittees: program, entertainment, refreshment, publicity, decoration and sunshine. Each year, also, this group sponsors a dance, the annual Christ- mas assembly, a Mother-Daughter Party, a community or school project and last year an outing for all girls. Last spring the girls helped with the cerebral palsy children at the Lakeville Sanatorium.
In addition to counseling individual girls and sponsoring the Girls' League, the dean of girls is also social advisor for the entire school. These duties include the encouraging of wearing proper clothing, issuing (with the help of the Student Council officers) guest tickets for dances, the main- taining of social decorum throughout the building, the attending of social functions, and the sponsoring of social gestures at time of illness or death.
AGRICULTURE
William H. Tufts, Head of Department
September 30, 1953 terminated the thirteenth year of the history of the Memorial High School Agricultural Department.
The year 1952-53 found the farmers in this community still pressed hard for labor. We were able to find, without difficulty, full time place- ment jobs for every agricultural boy that wanted to work. Numerous re- quests were made locally for workers after school and week-ends during the school year and were given special attention by the agricultural staff. When we ran out of recruits in the agricultural group, we contacted Mr. Ernest Thomas, Assistant Principal, who would secure help from the students enrolled in other courses.
In several instances, farm help of draft age was called in the service rather suddenly or individuals enrolled of their own accord because they knew that eventually they would be drafted, and this left vacancies which had to be filled in a hurry. Milking time on a dairy farm rolls around before you realize it and there is no way devised yet where you can turn off the milk supply on short notice.
It is more a must today than ever before that the agricultural pupils be carefully and thoroughly trained for the very responsible and important job that they soon will pursue full time. Back at the turn of the century, practically nine out of ten people were engaged in some sort of agricul- tural endeavor in the United States. However, just the reverse is true
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ANNUAL REPORT
today. One person out of every ten is needed to provide food, clothing, lumber etc. for the other nine. In return, the other nine released from agriculture are given an opportunity to produce other commodities which. we in this country consider essential such as cars, radios, washing machines and thousands of other things which we believe are important in order to maintain the high standard of living we presently enjoy and are constantly working to improve.
The age of mechanization has made it possible for a boy in Middle- boro, after school with his truck, tractor, chain saw or some other piece of farm equipment, to often earn more than an adult working full time a few years ago.,
There are four chain saws owned by boys in the Middleboro Agricul- tural Department. Next year our chain gang will be still larger and so will the number of boys that operate tractors and trucks. The machines I previously mentioned greatly increase the output of work, but, unless in the hands of trained individuals, can be very hazardous. We must never forget that one of the most important crops we raise on the farms in this country are the boys and girls, and their welfare and safety is of paramount importance. Therefore, I am making plans to have experts from Tractor Companies and from Chain Saw Distributors to give field demonstrations to our local agricultural groups to drive home the proper methods of handling farm equipment, so they can skillfully handle the new machinery at their disposal and produce the goods safely. Even though my own personal record for the past year, so far as fire and accident are concerned, has plenty of room for improvement, still I would like to display in our classroom and in the farm buildings used most (such as the barns and machine sheds on the home farms of our agricultural students) the following poster with which many of the workmen of the Telephone Company are familiar. "No job is so important and no service is so urgent that we cannot take time to perform our work safely."
Conservation of our natural resources is something we did not aim to overlook during the past year. Our graduates while only a few years out have made an excellent showing in adopting some of the fundamental practices so ably taught by former teachers, Jack Sturtevant and Stanley Reed.
Land judging contests have been held in the West and Middle West sections of the United States. A similar program was planned early in December to be launched in this department before the agricultural pupils are dismissed for summer placement experience. We intend to make judging land as serious a business as judging cows, chickens and other classes of livestock.
Mr. John Chambers and I have found a definite improvement in the way the Future Farmers conduct their weekly meetings. They have taken the initiative this year to secure Green Hands and Future Farmer Pins and not settle for anything less than a real live program of work.
Gardner Sherman, in charge of the Farm Mechanics Course, which the boys take once a week, is constantly striving to cover more of the fundamental skills in shop work in which we want all the agricultural pupils to be trained.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The following is a list of the items made in shop. More could have been accomplished, but keep in mind we are teaching the boys fundamen- tals, proper skills, accuracy, and workmanship, in making a product, not speed.
3 hog feeders
6 poultry rollaway nests
1 ladder
1 hog brooder
1 wall cabinet
1 lamb brooder
2 sheep hay and grain racks
2 hay racks
calf pen
4 work benches
2 filing shelves
10 pair saw horses
1 egg carrying case
4 saw bucks
1 pair fender skirts
7 feed scoops
4 windows
5 tool.boxes
2 hardware holders
1 tree seat
Many tools sharpened and articles repaired.
A joint meeting of the Middleboro Advisory Council and the School Committee was held in early December with both instructors of the de- partment, Mr. Ernest Thomas and Mr. John Small, Director of the agri- cultural department.
This type of meeting gives your officials a chance to review and evalu- ate the work being done in the department and an opportunity to suggest and help formulate a stronger and improved program of school work for the new year. Such procedure is an accepted policy in business and is certain to help our agricultural program keep in step with the new trends and developments in Middleboro.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION Henry E. Battis, Supervisor
Weather conditions for the year 1953 have been more beneficial to our Physical Education Program than during any year which I can re- member. Realizing that fresh air and sunshine are as essential to robust health as exercise, we conduct just as much of our program out of doors as possible. An early spring, coupled with a late fall, enabled us to spend approximately 70% of our time outside this past year.
In these outdoor classes, football, field hockey, softball, track and tennis were taught, with most of the time being spent in the actual par- ticipation in these sports. We have felt right along that the advantages of a group game program far outnumber the disadvantages. In previous reports, I have pointed out many of these advantages. Another one has become quite evident lately. There has been an alarming increase in the number of boys who cannot seem to get along with one another. Our game program has by no means eliminated this problem, but has cut it down markedly. All teams are controlled by carefully chosen captains. All games are run by the boys themselves, without the help of referees or umpires. The inability to get along with our neighbors is one of the
6 flats (wood)
2 wall tool cabinets
1 poultry killing stand
1 shadow box
1 counter top for kitchen
9 poultry feeders
1 bench for power tool
3 milk stools
2 wheelbarrows
1 milk can wagon
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ANNUAL REPORT
biggest problems confronting our country today. Our present program gives our youngsters valuable experience with this problem that they would seldom get in a more formal type of program.
The lack of facilities for our indoor program has made it as difficult as ever. About the only progress we have made is in our girls' program. Miss Bartlett has organized a group of junior and senior girls who are free during "activity" period to form a gym class. This is the first time we have been able to offer physical education to any junior or senior girls.
The lack of facilities for our indoor program has been stressed so many times now that it seems unnecessary to do so again, but we would like to remind you that they still exist. We also want it known that this same lack of facilities is rapidly forcing us into a situation where we will find ourselves in or near the "cellar" of the Old Colony League in basket- ball year in and year out.
BATES SCHOOL Henry B. Burkland, Principal
Opening in September to serve the Town for its 67th year, the Bates School building found itself with three sixth grades, four seventh grades and four eighth grades with 371 assigned pupils. In order to avoid "platoon", the third sixth grade had been added during the summer planning, and the Art room again had to be used as a "homeroom".
This is my twenty-sixth annual report as Principal of Bates School, and in a number of past reports I have described, at length, certain procedures, organizational set-ups, and curriculum adjustments. I trust that in their small way they have proven useful as data for the various committees on school needs and housing over the years.
Overstreet has stated that "the central function of schools is to help young life grow into mental, emotional, and social maturity", and this is certainly true of the Junior High School years especially since its chief purposes for existence are (a) Articulation, (b) Exploration, (c) Guidance, and (d) Activity.
Last March the one fifth grade that had been housed at Bates School was moved to the West Side School, and two sixth grades were trans- ferred from the Washburn Unit - these with the additional sixth grade already mentioned, now house all "in town" sixth grades in Bates School in addition to the normal seventh and eighth grade membership. In spite of this overcrowding and due to a faculty of devoted teachers, most of the regular activities possible in this restricted plant have been maintained. The Middleboro Y. M. C. A. and the Memorial High School have cooper- ated by allowing the use of their gymnasiums for socials and sports; the public library has loaned its facilities for a course in Library Science; and the Town Hall has been used for three all-school assemblies. Housing then continues to be a major problem since it greatly affects the curriculum which should be the dynamic stream of activities affecting the lives of these young people.
In addition to the regular meetings of the Parent-Teacher Associa- tion, helpful grade conferences have been held, office hours for parents by the teachers after each marking period, and a special evening meeting with parents of pupils planning to attend Memorial High School and the
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ANNUAL REPORT
Taunton and New Bedford Vocational High Schools have also been held. The cooperation of the high school principal, the Dean of girls, the Guid- ance Director, and the ninth grade teachers was much appreciated in this set-up.
One more room was redecorated the past summer making the total of five that have been so renovated in the past three years. It is hoped that this plan may be followed for whatever the future housing of schools in Middleboro may hold, the Bates School building will be used for some grades for many years to come.
One of the greatest needs of the transitional years represented in this building is that of "special education" of some sort for the handi- capped and retarded. Having seen the worth of this sort of specialization in the past, I urge its reactivation at the earliest possible time.
With the demands for school records by the Armed Forces, by the in- crease of school services and guidance functions, the school becomes an all-year-round institution. During the past summer, outstanding work was accomplished at the school by the Educational Secretary and by four active Faculty Committees. The duties of school personnel have increased by "leaps and bounds" over the period of my teaching. Some of these duties should have been cared for by the home, but in our complex society we find them now as established school procedures.
How then have we met those four purposes of the Junior High School ? In ARTICULATION we have tried, in spite of handicaps, to help children to go from elementary school to the senior high and vocational schools with as little difficulty as possible. The curriculum has been geared to some EXPLORATION in order that abilities and choices of future schooling might be developed. The GUIDANCE program, under the di- rection of the Guidance Director, has been increased for both pupils and parents by counsel, testing, and interview. The ACTIVITY experiences have been developed by Activity Periods, Musical Organizations, Councils and Sports. The offerings in Industrial and the Fine Arts have been widened by the interest of three teachers taking after-school groups. The lack of Home Economics in the school is still keenly felt.
Bates School has also served in the capacity of assisting the Agri- cultural Department of Memorial High School in the Farm Mechanics Course every Wednesday all day using the school facilities and teacher. Another teacher in the school has had the sixth grade Art Work at the West Side School weekly. The school has also been a central meeting place for many inter-school and inter-grade meetings.
Teacher Changes 1953
Resignations :
Norman R. Bergeron
Valerie Gibbs
Laura B. Grota Elsie LeBlanc Lindsay J. March Alban Richey, III Bernard M. Walder Norma D. Woodburn
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ANNUAL REPORT
Withdrawals:
Bessie B. Bailey (retired) Lewis T. Voultos
Appointments :
Alice G. Austin (part-time)
Veronica L. Hawkins
Michael A. Hennessy Joseph G. Jerrard
Joseph L. King Ethel H. Manwaring (part-time)
Robert A. Martin
Joan M. McNeil A. Margaret Mitchell John A. Small Bernard M. Walder
Transfers:
Louis J. Rando, Washburn Unit to West Side School, Principal Rena Bell, Washburn Unit to Bates School Lorraine E. DiMuzio, Washburn Unit to Bates School Fred Kiamie, Washburn Unit to West Side School, to Memorial High School
Rose A. Sweeney, Washburn Unit to West Side School R. Naomi Simon, Union Street School to Washburn Unit, Principal Carol A. Chaplain, Union Street School to Washburn Unit Ruth A. Cushing, Union Street School to Washburn Unit Kathryn M. Mclaughlin, Union Street School to Washburn Unit Meredith G. Pickett, Union Street School to Washburn Unit Mildred K. Bowman, School Street School to Union Street School E. Fen Carpenter, Bates School to West Side School
The decision of Mr. March to accept a principalship in the town of Andover came as a great surprise to parents and pupils. His professional leadership of Memorial High School over 22 years had been recognized by his friends and associates. Advancement in the educational field could not further be denied him and our loss became the gain of others.
We were fortunate in securing as his successor, Mr. John A. Small, Principal of Black River High School, Ludlow, Vermont, a teacher and administrator of excellent experience and success.
Conclusion
Many of the important phases of our year have not been mentioned. No mention has been made of the splendid cooperation of our supervisory and teaching forces and all other school employees.
To all these, and to you, the School Committee, I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation. It is such cooperation, interest, as- sistance and loyalty that makes it possible to promote educational progress.
Respectfully submitted, J. STEARNS CUSHING, Superintendent of Schools.
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ANNUAL REPORT
PART II
STATISTICS and OTHER INFORMATION
FINANCIAL REPORT
Receipts
State Aid for Public School, Chap. 643, G. L.
$79,633.26
State Transportation Reimbursement,
Chap. 71, G. L.
36,841.97
Tuition, State Wards
3,636.95
Tuition, Outside Towns
12,390.80
Federal Aid, George-Barden Fund
3,850.00
Federal Aid, Smith-Hughes Fund
523.31
Vocational Agriculture Reimbursement
2,807.38
Vocational Tuition and Transportation Reim- bursement
2,309.93
Evening Practical Art and Adult Civic Education Reimbursement 53.73
High School Lunch Program
17,179.71
Elementary Milk Program
4,616.16
Athletic Fund
4,259.71
Other Receipts
42.08
$168,144.99
Disbursements
Expenses of Instruction :
Salaries
$295,148.44
Textbooks
9,407.80
Physical Education Program
3,499.69
Supplies and Other Expenses
11,125.56
319,181.49
Expenses of Operation of School Plant:
Salaries
$16,383.57
Fuel
9,187.62
Other Expenses
6,202.80
Expenses of Maintenance of School Plant:
Salaries
$2,840.00
Replacement and Upkeep
5,343.66
Repairs (Town Manager)
11,106.34
Expenses of Auxiliary Agencies :
Salaries, Promotion of Health
3,730.80
Expenses of Promotion of Health
65.91
Libraries
268.35
Transportation
44,978.54
Other Expenses
326.85
31,773.99
19,290.00
49,370.45
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ANNUAL REPORT
Expenses of General Control: Salaries Expenses of Administration
8,632.00 617.49
9,249.49
Vocational Education Salaries
4,594.13
Vocational Tuition and Transportation
8,835.04
High School Lunch Program
16,492.06
Elementary Milk Program
4,273.56
Athletic Fund
4,440.98
George-Barden Fund
4,930.34
Smith-Hughes Fund
287.95
$472,719.48
SCHOOL CENSUS October 1953
Distribution of Minors, October 1, 1953
5 years or 7 years or over and
under 7
over and under 16
(a) In the registration of minors (ages as of October 1, 1953) : The registration of minors should include all persons of the specified ages who re- side in the town (city) whether they attend school or not. Pupils attending private schools should be recorded in the town where such pupils have their residence. Boys : Girls:
228
812
183
804
Totals
411
1616
(b) Distribution of the above minors, October 1, 1953: In public school membership
119
1574
In continuation school membership
9
In vocational school membership In private school membership (see above)
1
22
In State and County Institutions and schools for defectives and delinquents Not enrolled in any day school (Should equal corresponding totals in (a).)
291
10
1
Totals
411
1616
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ANNUAL REPORT
STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1952 - 1953
Number of Teachers
Number of
Enrolled Pupils
Non-resident
Pupils
Enrolled
Average Daily
Attendance
Average
Membership
Per Cent of
Attendance
Supervisors
3
Memorial High School
27
515
88
468.1
492.1
95.1
Grade IX
148
Grade X
145
Grade XI
131
Grade XII
91
Post Graduate
0
Bates School
15
350
4
322.9
339.9
95.2
Grade VI
69
Grade VII
142
Grade VIII
139
Washburn Unit
5.
143
0
136.9
143.8
95.2
Grade III
143
School Street School
8.5
279
1
263.2
279.0
94.3
Grade IV
130
Grade V
149
Union Street School
9.5
241
0
219.8
236.2
92.7
Grade I
132
Grade II
109
West Side School
8
225
5
206.8
219.8
94.1
Grade I
31
Grade II
26
Grade I
24
Grade IV
25
Grade V
38
Grade VI
81
Flora M. Clark School
2
50
0
47.0
49.6
94.8
Grade I
31
Grade II
19
0
18.9
19.7
95.8
Grade II
8
Pleasant Street School
1
23
0
19.9
20.8
95.8
Grade III
11
Grade IV
12
Pratt Free School
2
42
0
40.9
42.4
96.4
Grades V 12, VI 6
18
Grades VII 13, VIII 11
24
Rock School
2
64
4
55.6
60.5
91.9
Grade I
32
Grade II
32
South Middleboro School Grade III
2
47
3
44.8
47.0
93.5
Grade IV
19
Totals
86
1998
105
1844.8
1950.8
94.5
1
19
Plymouth Street School Grade I
11
.
28
Yearly
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ANNUAL REPORT
Teaching Staff, December 31, 1953
Memorial High School
John A. Small, 9 Nemasket Street, Principal
*Ernest E. Thomas, 38 Peirce Street, Assistant Principal
*Rachel Alden, 7 Coombs Street, English
*Elliot R. Allen, 51 Vine Street, Social Studies
*Virginia Bartlett, 39 Oak Street, Physical Education
*Henry E. Battis, 66 School Street, Head of Physical Education De- partment
*Laureat J. Bernard, 25 Webster Street, Social Studies
*Mary Brier, 63 Pearl Street, French, History
*Harold E. Card, 13 West Grove Street, Science, Mathematics, Driver Education
John H. Chambers, 1093 High Street, Bridgewater, Agriculture
*Samuel Deich, 67 Pearl Street, Director of Guidance, Mathematics
* Anna C. Erickson, 61 Wood Street, Mathematics
*Alfred E. Farley, Mitchell Street, Physical Education
*Walter G. Hicks, Highland Road, Lakeville, Head of Commercial De- partment
Fred Kiamie, 82 Pearl Street, English
Joseph L. King, Wareham Street, Head of Science Department
*Virginia Lewis, 24 Pearl Street, English
Robert W. Martin, 87 South Main Street, Science
Joseph A. Masi, 54 Everett Street, Social Studies, Physical Education *Esther L. Moore, East Grove Street, Commercial
*Lillian M. O'Neil, 21 Pearl Street, Commercial
*Helen A. Pardey, Pearl Street, Dean of Girls, Latin Philip A. Rapisardi, 87 South Main Street, Art
*Margaret H. Ryder, Main Street, Lakeville, Librarian
*William H. Tufts, 108 Canton Street, North Easton, Head of Agri- cultural Department
*Dorothy L. Wetherell. 7 Coombs Street, English
*Evelyn F. Whitty, 11 Everett Street, Mathematics, Science
Bates School
*Henry B. Burkland, 50 School Street, Principal
*Norman W. Lindsay, 327 Wareham Street, Assistant Principal, Science
*Mary Anacki, 4 Maple Avenue, English Rena Bell, 82 Pearl Street, Grade VI
*George Borges, Pleasant Street, Dighton, Mathematics
*Frieda H. Churchill, 71 School Street, Mathematics
*Faye H. Deane, 63 Oak Street, Social Studies Lorraine E. DiMuzio, 82 Pearl Street, Grade VI
*Martinia K. Donahue, 2 Reland Street, English
*Robert W. Gross, 81 Oak Street, Social Studies Michael A. Hennessy, 17 Pearl Street, Social Studies, Physical Education Joan M. McNeil. 80 South Main Street, Music Ann Minott, 82 Pearl Street, Art
*Gardner P. Sherman, North Street, Industrial Arts, Farm Mechanics Bernard M. Walder, 435 Mill Street, New Bedford, Literature
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ANNUAL REPORT
Washburn Unit
*R. Naomi Simon, 39 Oak Street, Principal, Grade IV Carol A. Chaplain, 249 North Main Street, Grade III
*Ruth A. Cushing, East Grove Street, Grade III Kathryn M. Mclaughlin, Grove Street, Sandwich, Grade III Meredith G. Pickett, 94 Maple Avenue, Bridgewater, Grade III
School Street School
*Edward W. Sawicki, 547 Center Street, Principal, Grade V Alice G. Austin, 35 Peirce Street, Grade V, Part-time
*Leah M. Boutin, 60 Everett Street, Grade IV
*Elsie A. Cahoon, 71/2 Rock Street, Grade IV
*Edith Frost, Wood Street, Grade V
*M. Alice Jones, 12 Court End Avenue, Grade V
*Rose Maley, 71/2 Rock Street, Grade IV
*Esther M. Spooner, 12 Court End Avenue, Grade V
*Anne Lee Washburn, County Street, Lakeville, Grade IV
Union Street School
*Alice R. Begley, 7 Benton Street, Principal, Grade II *Amelia L. Boutin, 60 Everett Street, Grade I
*Mildred K. Bowman, 44 School Street, Grade II Evelyn Elliott, 230 North Main Street, Grade I *Marjorie M. Hanson, 41 Lane Street, Grade II *Mildred Hopkins, 18 Webster Street, Grade I Ethel H. Manwaring, 9 Reland Street, Grade II, Part-time
*Louise C. Matheson, Benson Street, Grade I
*Elsie L. McCarthy, 514 Center Street, Grade I
*Eleanor H. Thomas, Wareham Street, Grade II
West Side School
*Louis J. Rando, 298 North Warren Avenue, Brockton, Principal, Grade VI * Mary R. Hammond, 70 Barden Hill Road, Assistant Principal, Grade IV *E. Fen Carpenter, Bay Road, North Falmouth, Grade V Florence K. Churbuck, 111 Bedford Street, Bridgewater, Grade II Joseph G. Jerrard, 20 Benson Street, Whitman, Grade VI
*Sara E. Matheson, 66 Everett Street, Grade I
*Margaret E. Peck, Main Street, Lakeville, Grade III Rose A. Sweeney, 47 Hale Strect, Bridgewater, Grade VI
Flora M. Clark School
*Raye F. Guidoboni, 14 Southwick Street, Principal, Grade II *Frances A. Starck, 39 Oak Street, Grade I
Plymouth Street School
* Marjorie C. Huntley, Plymouth Street, Grades I, II
Pleasant Street School
* Maude DeMaranville, Bedford Street, Lakeville, Grades III, IV
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ANNUAL REPORT
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