USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1961 > Part 12
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*Margery Stanwood Wholan Bruce William Wiksten *Martha Ellen Williams *Ralph Arthur Wilson *JOAN KEITH WRIGHT Jacquelyn Claire Zilonis
* National Honor Society Names in Capitals rank in upper tenth of class
ANNUAL REPORT 177
FOLLOW-UP STUDY OF MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Class of 1961
Graduates, 117 No. of pupils
Percent of Class
Degree Granting Colleges
23
19.8
Secretarial and Business Colleges
5
4.2
Nurse Training Schools
6
5.1
Junior Colleges
4
3.4
Professional and Technical Schools
12
10.3
50
42.8
Regularly Employed
General Clerical
15
Telephone Operator
4
Trade Industrial Worker
12
Maintenance
1
Store - Sales - Supply
12
Mechanic
1
Restaurant Worker
5
50
42.8
Armed Services
11
9.4
Married
5
4.2
At Home
1
0.8
117
100.0
Schools Entered by Graduates of Class of 1961
Boys
Girls
Total
Bates College
1
Bridgewater State Teachers College
1
3
Brown University
1
Cardinal Stritch College
1
Framingham State Teachers College
3
Lowell State Teachers College
1
1
Ohio Wesleyan University
1
University of Bridgeport
1
University of Massachusetts
2
University of Maine
1
Wilkes College
23
Junior Colleges
Becker Junior College
2
Colby Junior College
1
Fisher Junior College
1
4
2
Northeastern University
1
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1
University of Michigan
1
Colleges
1
Boston University
Attending Schools and Colleges
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ANNUAL REPORT
Other Schools
Bentley College of Accounting and Finance 1
2
Bryant and Stratton Commercial School Cambridge School of Radio-TV Broadcasting 2
1
1
2
Franklin Institute
1
Newman Preparatory School
2
Newton-Wellesley School of Nursing
1
Peter Bent Brigham School of Nursing Plus School of Business
1
St. Anne's Hospital School of Nursing
1
St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing Wentworth Institute 3
3
Wilfred Academy of Beauty Culture
1
23
50
ADULT EVENING SCHOOL Charles L. Manos, Director
There were 144 students enrolled in the evening adult education course for the 1961-62 session. The following table indicates the subject offerings, enrollment per class and the instructor for each class.
Subject
Enrollment
Instructor
Adult Civic Education
11 : -*
Wilrene Card
Elementary and
Advanced Typewriting
29
Viola Waitt
Bookkeeping
25
Viola Waitt
Beginning Shorthand
13
Viola Waitt
Advanced Shorthand
9
Viola Waitt
Beginning Sewing
21
Gladys Stevens
Advanced Sewing
20
Gladys Stevens
Woodworking
16
Harry Pickering
The purpose of the adult education program is to offer courses de- sired by the people of Middleboro. If anyone is interested in some par- ticular subject area, he should contact the director so that the director may explore the possibility of offering such a course.
1
Capital Radio Engineering Institute Cowan School Chandler School for Women
179
ANNUAL REPORT
DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Edward W. Sawicki, Principal, Southern District Robert W. Gross, Principal, Central District Louis J. Rando, Principal, Northern District Raye F. Guidaboni, Principal, Flora M. Clark School
Last year a comprehensive report was submitted by the Elementary School Principals expounding the facets and accomplishments of the Middleborough Elementary Public Schools. This year emphasis is being placed on a report of the work of the Middleborough Junior High School.
But a word must be said to stress the importance of the first six years of schooling of the pupil. It is here that the lasting foundations of solid academic, moral, and social training are laid. We continue our comprehensive reading program in the elementary grades with group- ing, remedial work, and enrichment programs all leading to mastery of this core subject.
Constant improvement is being sought in all avenues of instruction. A curriculum committee is working on a supplementary worksheet pro- gram correlated with the basic reading program. A Mathematics Curric- ulum Committee is in its third year of developmental work on an over-all program. Various pilot programs are instigated as deemed worthy of a try. Among these is a recent adoption of a semi-departmental academic plan in Grade Six at the Mayflower School. We are pleased, too, to re- port the re-introduction of speech therapy in our school program.
We strive, in the Middleborough Elementary Schools, to present the child with an education comparable to the best. Through professional courses, current literature, professional meetings, and committee work we acquaint ourselves with educational practices and procedures as they exist universally. With adherence to the tested theories, we continually weigh the evidence to try the new and test the experimental.
Edward W. Sawicki Robert W. Gross Louis J. Rando Raye F. Guidaboni
180
ANNUAL REPORT
DIVISION OF MUSIC EDUCATION
Richard E. Nelson, Instrumental Robert L. Mogilnicki, Vocal
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC EDUCATION
It is with a great deal of pleasure that I present my third annual report as Director of Music.
"We live today in one of the crucial eras of world history. We must tap our magnificent resources imaginatively and diligently. A broad and deep awareness of the arts and music encircles the scientist as well as the nonscientist and is indispensable to the full life of all mankind."
Mr. Abraham A. Ribicoff Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
Each year the arts and music are becoming more dominant and recognized in our society. There seem to be two basic reasons for this, one being the historical contention that the arts flourish in times of crises and the other being the easy accessibility to television, radio, and high fidelity.
The magnificent resources that Mr. Ribicoff mentions are our schools. It is evident that the musical activities outside of school tap the resources of our public school music program. There are many civic symphony orchestras in this area that provide an outside interest or activity for students of music. These students are receiving more oppor- tunities now than ever before. One student from Memorial High School has had the opportunity to play with the Greater Boston Youth Sym- phony in Symphony Hall in Boston and in Carnegie Hall in New York. Another student of our High School had a rare opportunity to perform with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at one of its Saturday afternoon concerts last spring.
Other organizations in this State that are tapping the resources of our Public Schools are the following groups:
S.E.M.S.B.A.
S. E. DISTRICT
ALL-STATE
Band
13 students
Band 4 students
Band
2 students
Chorus 18 students
Orchestra 3 students
Orchestra 1 student
Chorus
11 students
Chorus 4 students
Of the seven students who were selected to play in the All-State Organization, five were seniors and are now college-bound. Three have gone into the field of education, one into business training, and the other into engineering. We have enriched the scientist as well as the non-scientist.
181
ANNUAL REPORT
It was with deep regret that we received the resignation of Mrs. Eunice Sherman effective at the end of the school year, 1961. After ma- ny applicants and extensive interviews, Mr. Robert Mogilnicki was elect- ed to the position of vocal music teacher to handle vocal music activities at the High School and vocal music education in Grades 1 - 6.
It was also with deep regret that we received the resignation of Mrs. Berlene Casselberry, music teacher at the Junior High School effective November 24. We were very fortunate to be able to elect Miss Helen Attaquin to this position. She begins her duties on January 2, 1962. Mrs. Margaret Hydorn from the West Side School graciously and capably ac- cepted to substitute during the month of December in order to carry on our program.
At the elementary level, Mr. Mogilnicki has been carrying on with the planned vocal music course of study, visiting each class every other week. The instrumental program is again being offered to the fourth, fifth and sixth grades in the elementary schools. The requirements for this program were slightly revised this year in order that we might treat each individual as a special case.
"Any pupil who is not reading within six months of his grade level, or whose marks in other subjects are unsatisfactory, shall not be per mitted to take instrumental music lessons during school time."
This policy was inaugurated in order to protect the student. This does not deny him the privilege, however, of studying an instrument outside of school time. This year there are seventy-five instrumentalists. Twenty-one were denied the privilege but may be re-considered if their grades are brought up to a satisfactory level next year.
At the Junior High School level there are four active musical groups: the Band, the Seventh and Eighth Grade Glee Clubs which meet during the activity period on Wednesday, and the Orchestra which meets after school on the same day. The activity period has been a great asset to our program where everyone is able to attend without any after- school conflictions; however, some have dropped the Band for some of the academic activities that are offered during the same period.
At the High School level we have maintained and increased the standards of our musical organizations. The scheduling of musically in- terested students has been excellent. Every student who elected music has been able to take part.
The High School Band has grown to such proportions that it became necessary to hold auditions for entrance. The size has been limited to eighty members due to limited space in the Rounseville Building. Even though this building is much too small for our needs, it has taken on a new appearance. The industrial arts class scraped and painted the ex- terior of the building. The custodial staff resealed the floor on two occasions.
182
ANNUAL REPORT
All musical groups in all the schools have participated in numerous public appearances. It has been carefully considered that the bands in the different schools maintain a balanced program between marching and concert performances. The following is a list of the performances.
High School Choir 10 High School Orchestra 4
High School Girls Chorus 3 High School Dance Band 2
Eighth Grade Glee Club 3 Junior High School Orchestra 3 Seventh Grade Glee Club 2 School Street School Orchestra 1
West Side School Choir 2 West Side School Orchestra 1
Mayflower School Choir 2 Mayflower School Orchestra 1
High School Marching Band 12
High School Concert Band 3
High School Symphonic Band 6
Junior High School Band (Marching) 2 Junior High School Band (Concert) 2
Elementary Band (Marching) 2
Elementary Band (Concert) 1
The highlight of all these performances this year was the appear- ance of the Symphonic Band at the Plymouth County Teachers Conven- tion that was held at East Bridgewater High School in October with four hundred teachers in attendance. Such an outstanding performance was presented that it was necessary for the band to play an encore. Many favorable comments were made by the panel of educators as well as by the teachers in attendance.
Once again I would like to publicly thank the Peirce Estate Trustees for the ten additional High School Band uniforms and the seven twirlers' hats. To date they have purchased a director's uniform, seven uniforms for twirlers and ninety-three band uniforms. Also I would like to thank them for the money allotted to maintain, repair, and tune all the pianos in the Middleborough Schools on a revolving plan.
I would like to express my appreciation to all school personnel for their help and cooperation throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
RICHARD E. NELSON
VOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION
I am pleased to present this report as a vocal music specialist of the Middleborough Public Schools, having succeeded Mrs. Eunice Sherman in September, 1961.
At the elementary level we have pursued the objective of appreci- ation through participation. In all of the grades, appropriate skills are
183
ANNUAL REPORT
introduced to parallel the developmental and intellectual level of the students in order to make the experience more meaningful. The rote to note program is based on the following: Singing, Rhythmic, Listening, Note reading, and Creative activities. Every effort is made to provide re- medial work for the children with individual problems. Enthusiasm and interest run high and are reflected in the approximate combined enroll- ment of one hundred seventy-five students in the Fifth and Sixth Grade Choirs at the West Side and Mayflower Schools.
At the Middleborough Junior High School Miss Helen Attaquin suc- ceeds Mrs. Berlene Casselberry on January 2, 1962. The activities out- lined in the elementary program are continued and special interests are accommodated through the elective Choirs which meet during the Act- ivity period.
The vocal music program at Memorial High School includes A Cap- pela Choir, Girls' Glee Club, and Mixed Chorus. The latter two groups are elective and each student is encouraged to participate according to his interest. Public performances extend from School Assemblies to par- ticipation in the All-State Chorus. The A Cappella Choir took part in the annual Thanksgiving Concert at the Town Hall and went caroling to St. Luke's Hospital, Lakeville Sanatorium, and the Shaw Home for the Aged during the Christmas season.
In conclusion, may I express my sincere thanks to all who have helped me in my efforts to make beauty through music a vital value in the intellectual and cultural development of our students.
Respectfully submitted, ROBERT L. MOGILNICKI
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ART
Lucy W. Fearing, Teacher Specialist
The South Middleboro School, Rock School, and two fifth grades at the Mayflower School were visited seven times, and the North Middle- boro Schools and the Flora M. Clark School eight times. I have been to the Union Street School fifteen times and the West Side School fourteen times. As several Thursdays were holidays, there were only twelve visits to the Mayflower School and thirteen to the School Street School.
In addition to making pictures with crayon on white or manila pa- per, the first and second grades learned to fold paper and cut shapes from the fold. Third and fourth grade children have painted with poster paints and the sixth grades have done pop-up cards and paper mosaics. All grades have used water colors and grades one through three have done cut-paper work. Three classes have used modeling clay; one fourth grade has used moist clay; and one fourth grade has used chalk. Many
184
ANNUAL REPORT
have made murals. The second grade did cut-out lettering. Mrs. Hyvonen taught it to her third grade and they now do all the lettering for her bulletin boards.
Craft projects for Christmas included pencils adorned with styro- foam heads made individual with creatively done hats and hair, vege- table and foam-rubber printed wrapping papers, enamel decorated sprinkle bottles, plaster of Paris paper weights with "treasures" embed- ed in them, plaster pins, decoupage vases, marbleized ashtrays, gadget boxes, poster paint decorated wastebaskets, string wrapped vases and carafes, and picture frames of various sorts.
A workshop in techniques and crafts might be offered to elemen- tary school teachers as in-service training in another year.
LUCY W. FEARING
REMEDIAL READING
Leah M. Boutin, Teacher Specialist
Remedial Reading is a relatively young program in the Middlebor- ough Public Schools, having been inaugurated in September, 1956 on a part-time basis and thereafter on full time. Present day inherent condi- tions are making greater demands of our citizens and such a program helps pupils whose capacities are above their achievement. Reading is The most vital subject in the entire curriculum; without reading profici- ency all other subjects suffer. Therefore, it is not necessary to be failing in the regular classroom work in order to be a member of the Remedial Reading Class. Many pupils benefit from extra drill in applying phonic principles to decipher new words and read them with understanding. We can truly think of Remedial Reading as a service to help our pupils meet the future challenges of life.
The so called explosive population has by no means missed Middle- boro. All available rooms are now occupied. Consequently, a reading room below ground level at School Street School has been partitioned off and decorated. It is used by the speech therapist and the music in- structor on Saturday as well as a home station for the many materials needed for remedial reading work.
As our school enrollment increases, so does the number of pupils needing help. All of the buildings housing grade three and grade four pupils avail themselves of remedial services. The buildings having more than one classroom of each grade are visited more often. Our two sub- urban areas receive only one visit each per week.
I think it would be appropriate to close with Bacon's prescription for the full man, the ready man, and the exact man-"Reading Maketh a Full Man." This assumes, of course, the ability to read.
185
ANNUAL REPORT
£
SPEECH THERAPY
Kathryn H. Sibley, Speech Therapist
During the first two-and-a-half weeks of October sixty-five students from the second through the eighth grades were interviewed and tested. These were students recommended by principals or teachers as particu- larly needing some sort of speech therapy. Of these, forty-three were judged to be in need of individual attention. As it was obviously impos- sible to give each child individual therapy in a part-time program, a number of small groups were organized, from two to five in size depend- ing on the nature of the defect and the number of children with like defect in any given school. As a result during October and November, ten children were given individual instruction and the others group in- struction. Two students who were receiving individual instruction moved from Middleboro in November. One of these was succeeded by another individual, the second by a group of two.
At the present time there are three first graders included in the program because of speech defects so marked that their teachers found it difficult or impossible to understand them.
Another exception has been made due to lack of space in the South Middleboro School. There were four children in the fourth grade need- ing attention but would benefit most by group work. However, there was no room to do this. Therefore, it was decided to include the entire fourth grade as an experimental class in general speech. As a result of the in- terest, understanding gained, and general improvement of the level of speech in this class, a recommendation seems to be indicated, namely: that somewhere between the first and fifth grades, every child in the Middleborough Public School System should be exposed to a course in general speech improvement. Were such a course to be instituted, many of the children who, in the ordinary course of events would require the help of a therapist, would be helped at an earlier age in the general speech class before the defective sound could become a confirmed habit of speech. In addition, the general level of communicative skill should be raised with accruing benefits in later school years.
Students in the following schools are receiving therapy:
School Street School
a group of 4 - lispers a group of 2 - stutterers
1 - hard of hearing - general work on sound and lip reading
1 - general work on articulation and or- ganization of spoken material
Union Street School
1 severe articulatory defect. Two les- sons per week
2 "Baby talk" - articulatory defects 1 . Lateral lisper
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ANNUAL REPORT
Mayflower School
a group of 3 - severe articulatory defects
a group of 4 - defective "r" sound and other varied defective sounds
1 - - hard of hearing - general work on sounds hard for her to make
Flora M. Clark School
- "Baby talk" - articulation
1 - defective ch and dge sounds (ts) (dz)
1 - stutterer (twice a week)
1 - defective "s" and "th" sounds
1 - lisper
1 - generally poor speech - indistinct
2 - stutterers Fourth grade class
Middleborough Junior High School
a group of 5 boys - mild but noticeable defective sounds or speech manerisms
a group of 5 girls - 4 lispers, 1 defective "r" sound
1 speech substitution - "f" for "th" general speech - personality lacks 2 - lateral lispers
Plymouth Street School
2 first graders with bad articulatory pro- blems
At the present time, then, there are 11 children with individual instruc- tion, 32 receiving instruction in small groups, and the twenty-three mem- bers of the South Middleboro fourth grade, making a total of sixty-six children in eight different schools. These are cared for in three days of instruction per week.
Definition - Articulatory defects - those resulting from no specific physical cause but generally are a persistent form of so- called "Baby talk"
Lispers - substituting "th" for "s"
Lateral lispers - another substitution for "s" - sounding as though the individual had a mouthful of saliva
West Side School
South Middleboro School
187
ANNUAL REPORT
STUDENT ATHLETICS
Henry E. Battis, Director
The 1961 report of the activities in the Athletic Department is al- most a carbon copy of the 1960 report. Close to 100 boys and girls par- ticipated in the interscholastic basketball program at the High School, where girls' varsity and junior varsity teams and boys' varsity and junior varsity teams and freshman teams were sponsored. As many more participated in the intra-mural program at the Junior High School. In addition the interscholastic basketball program at the Junior High School was outstanding.
One change in the spring for the girls at the High School was a re- turn to intra-mural softball from an interscholastic program, but the change did not make any marked difference in the number of partici- pants. Baseball and track attracted about 65 participants, and teams in these sports represented the school creditably.
In the fall football, field hockey and soccer attracted about 250 boys and girls. The most outstanding activity in the 1961 athletic program was freshman football. Sixty boys reported to Coaches Robert Brown and Robert Thomas and 45 of them were still on the squad after com- pleting the most successful season in history.
Noting the number of boys and girls participating in the athletic program leads me to comment upon a controversial matter which has received much publicity during the past few months. Recent statistics show that the youth of America have become soft. This is a fact that Athletic Directors and Physical Education instructors have known for some time. Tests given in our School System, as well as many others, over a period of years prove this to be true. Publicity, created primarily by President Kennedy's Physical Fitness Program, has stirred the public to the present state of concern.
Physical Educators and Athletic Directors are pleased with this concern, but are disturbed when athletic programs are included as a cause for the lack of fitness in our youth, and well they might be, since a small minority of the girls and boys participating in athletic programs are unable to pass the President's new Physical Fitness Test.
In our School System, as in most others, the trouble lies in the fact that only about 25% of the student body take part in the athletic pro- gram. It is true that our program is not diversified enough to take care of the other 75%, but many more could be accommodated than are at present. This past year tennis was dropped and only a few years ago freshman baseball, because there was not enough interest to continue. There were many reasons for the deterioration of our intra-mural pro- gram, but the main one was that there was not enough students inter- ested to warrant its continuance.
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ANNUAL REPORT
A voluntary, after-school athletic program was never intended to produce physical fitness in 100% of American youth, nor does it prevent the non-athlete from attaining good physical fitness, although it is con- tinually used as an excuse for such. It should not be blamed for the 75% over which it has no control, but commended for the 25% with which it does a good job.
A second controversial matter which has direct effect on our ath- letic program has been brought about by the high death rate in football this past season, plus a few statements made by a few doctors and nation -. wide publicity of these statements made by a few news reporters.
According to the Brockton Enterprise, Dr. Vernon W. Mayo, school physician at our neighbor school, Silver Lake, quotes, "Latest statistics show that 45 high school players were killed as a result of football this past season." This and other incredible statements he has made have aroused enough concern to present the authorities at Silver Lake with the problem of whether or not to continue football.
The authenticity of similar statements appearing throughout the country, is questionable, especially after reading in the report of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations that "15 deaths during the 1961 season were directly attributed to high school football." This organization, directly connected with 20,000 high schools, released its findings after three months of intensive investigation. In five of the 15 cases there was no evidence of any specific contact leading to the fatal injury. Although accurate figures are impossible, over the past 30 years the death ratio in football is estimated to be about one to every 100,000 participants,-less than golf, tennis and many other "saf- er" sports, and insignificant compared to fatalities in hunting, fishing, swimming, cars, bicycles and many other sports.
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