USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1944 > Part 5
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97
SCHOOL REPORT
The School Plant
Each year we appreciate more fully the functional qualities of this building. The interior is, in general, highly satisfactory for school purposes. It is not perfect but it has fewer faults than many structures of the kind.
Structurally it has shown one minor fault. This is the leaking through the wall, due to some type of porosity of materials. This has been partly treated and partly remedied.
The building custodian has his troubles with some elements in the heating system. The part in the boiler room is highly efficient but some of the automatic elements in the classrooms prove a source of labor and annoyance. These are difficult to cure in these days of scarcity of skilled mechanics available for work not directly connected with the war effort.
After The War - What?
This is the greatest problem facing American educational ad- ministrator today. Committees and commissions made up of the high ranking men of the profession of education are studying and planning for this post war era. It is coming to be universally recog- nized that upon education rests the future of this nation. The prob- lem springs from the question as to what type of education is needed to meet this test.
A brief summation of the conclusions of one important group which has studied and still is working on this problem is the fol- lowing quotation from a pamphlet, "Planning for American Youth", which has been published by the National Association of Secondary- School Principals.
"All Youth Have Certain Educational Needs in Common
Youth have specific needs they recognize; society makes certain requirements of all youth; together these form a pattern of common educational needs, which may be expressed as follows:
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SCHOOL REPORT
1. All youth need to develop salable skills.
2. All youth need to develop and maintain good health and physical fitness.
3. All youth need to understand the rights and duties of the citizen of a democratic society.
4. All youth need to understand the significance of the family for the individual and society.
5. All youth need to know how to purchase and use goods and services intelligently.
6. All youth need to understand the influence of science on human life.
7. All youth need an appreciation of literature, art, music and nature.
8. All youth need to be able to use their leisure time well and to budget it wisely.
9. All youth need to develop respect for other persons.
10. All youth need to grow in their ability to think rationally." We shall have difficulty meeting these needs because of:
a. The wide range of social problems. Industrial reconversion.
International cooperation and peace.
Inter-racial understanding.
Jobs for all.
Relations between capital and labor.
Crime and delinquency.
Poverty and disease.
Protection of natural resources.
Government regulation of free enterprise.
Breaking down world trade barriers.
b. Parents do not agree on the kind of education they want for their children.
c. Communities have such unequal abilities to pay for what they need.
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SCHOOL REPORT
d. The public, as yet, fails to recognize the importance of edu- cation as its investment in good citizenship, health, personal living and occupational competence.
In spite of all difficulties we must, if we trust the judgment of those best qualified to know, get ready for this very trying period which will follow the cessation of war.
A quotation from a publication of The Educational Policies Con- mission of The National Educational Association, entitled, "Educa- tion for All American Youth," is offered for serious consideration.
"Educational Change is bound to come, and to come swiftly. Only the nature and direction of change may be controlled.
No one can surely foretell the future of American education, for no one knows what American educators, boards of education, and legislatures will do during this critical period. We can, however, forsee the alternatives. And, by a study of our past experience, we can predict the general consequences of each of the lines of action - or inaction - which the public schools may pursue.
The alternative possibilities, very briefly stated, are these:
1. A federalized system of secondary education may be created, at first to compete with and ultimately to replace the tra- ditional American system of state and local control of education.
2. A wisely planned and vigorously implemented program for the improvement, adaptation, and extension of educational services to youth may be developed by the local and state educational authorities.
The Commission strongly and unanimously favors the second alternative and rejects the first.
Nevertheless, the Commission firmly believes that if local and state planning and action are lacking, a federal system of secondary education is scarcely less certain to occur than the succession of the seasons."
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SCHOOL REPORT
Departmental Reports
Appended hereto will be found various reports of my associates in the department. These are worthy of careful consideration. They serve as evidence that thought is being given to something more than the "Three R's."
Conclusion
For thoughtful consideration and cheerful cooperation of all of my associates, I render sincere thanks.
To the School Committee, I wish to express appreciation for their very courteous consideration and highly efficient assistance.
Respectfully submitted,
Stephen G. Bean,
Superintendent of Schools.
February 1, 1945.
ENROLLMENT STATISTICS-Table No. 1 Age-Grade Distribution-Registration October 1, 1944
Grades
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
T
I. -
10
18
3
34
II. -
5
20
5
4
III. -
4
17
11
1
1
34
IV. -
6
10
9
4
29
7
16
9
3
2
37
V. -
1
9
16
12
5
4
47
VI. -
10
18
6
6
3
43
VII. -
5
16
8
4
2
35
VIII.
Total
10
23
27
28
33
35
40
38
29
18
7
2
290
SCHOOL REPORT
101
31
102
SCHOOL REPORT
Table No. 2 Teacher-Grade Distribution October 1, 1944
-
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
Tot.
Miss Devane -
31
31
Miss Lawrence -
34
34
Miss Flynn
34
34
Miss Shinnick
29
29
Miss Hinckley - -
27
27
Mrs. Sylvester
10
18
28
Mrs. Thistle
29
29
Miss Mack
43
43
Miss Manning
-
35
35
Total
31
34
34
29
37
47
43
35
290
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SCHOOL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
In abnormal times such as we are experiencing now, the universal problem of increased costs of school supplies, scarcity of necessary equipment, and inferiority in materials, has also con- fronted the School Department in Middleton. However it has been the policy of the School Committee to purchase school supplies in advance whenever the opportunity presented itself in as large a quantity as possible to insure efficiency in school management.
Transportation and new tuition rates with a somewhat larger enrollment at Danvers High School increasing each year, has made increased demands on the school appropriation.
The east wall of the school, which has been of grave concern for sometime, has been partially waterproofed this year, with a remaining portion to be completed as soon as weather permits.
It has been the desire of the School Committee to assist in every way the promotion of the project of a new school cafeteria. This project, sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Association needed equip- ment before success could be realized .. With the surplus remaining from nineteen forty four school expenditures, adequate equipment has finally been purchased. By March first, it is the aim of the Parent-Teacher Association, to furnish the pupils of the Howe- Manning School with hot lunches.
There has been one change in our school personnel during the past year. Mrs. Leonard Willey has replaced Mrs. Bernice Sher- wood as School Nurse. Mrs. Willey comes to us well known and highly regarded since she was substitute nurse for Mrs. Kingsley a few years ago.
May we extend to Mr. Bean, Miss Manning and members of the teaching staff our sincere appreciation for the outstanding work accomplished through these most difficult years of adjustment of students to existing conditions in a war torn world.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Raymond Silvernail, Ch. Seaver Macdonald Alice K. Cass, Sec.
104
SCHOOL EPORT
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
To Mr. S. G. Bean and members of the Middleton School Committee Madam and Gentlemen :-
In compliance with your request I submit a report for the year.
In general our schedule has continued as in recent years, al- though changes in grade registration has made necessary changes in room assignments. This will always be the situation as large and small grades pass along, and seating capacity of rooms remains as at present.
In response to government communications, all schools to-day are confronted with projects not in former curriculums, but in general these serve as just another opportunity to foster commu- nity spirit and group cooperation. In a town where there is only one school building, competition is impossible and extra effort is needed to keep up interest. Our paper drives, milk weed pod col- lections, Junior Red Cross quotas, soup and cocoa projects in which the children have participated for many years, have been worthwhile training in citizenship, and organized group work.
Our War Stamp and Bond sales have continued, goals raised and exceeded, and Grade VIII pupils have become salesmen, mes- sengers etc. assisted and supervised by teachers.
We pledged first one Jeep @ $1165 and two parachutes @ 65, getting seven extra parachutes; next we decided on a field ambulance and two more parachutes, getting two extra of the latter.
Class of 1944 bought $25 and $50 bonds and the school pur- chased a $50 one.
Flags-both 90% and 100%-made by the pupils, and charts for each room have helped to increase room and individual participation. We flew our 90% flag every month till June when we dropped to 88.9%. Our total sales from Sept. 1943 through June 1944 were $5021.35.
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SCHOOL REPORT
May I add that sales from September 1944 through January 30, 1945 have totaled $4164.15. We are climbing. We now have citations for two field ambulances and two bomb trailers, which bear our school name and address.
We had two paper drives last year, and two this year collecting four tons and two tons respectively in the latter. Lack of room for storage will prevent more drives, although we plan to pack flat scrap paper in boxes.
A serious problem to-day is attendance. Irregular attendance has increased noticeably and is still continuing. Reasons vary, lack of home supervision and control, desire to earn money, and as usual, health. This irregularity results soon in poor class room ยท work, as any pupil soon loses connection with subject matter covered in recitations. Daily class work is difficult to make up in grade school classes.
We planned the coach groups for that purpose but absences have so interrupted the program that it has not been a success. The reports written monthly in coach book prove that the pupil often has had little profit from coach classes on account of absence on the days, class was scheduled. There has been a growing feeling of dependence on coach work in the pupil's mind which has resulted in a lessened effort in general class work.
The short noon lunch hour and fifteen minute earlier closing is proving a success as we see the situation.
Conditions, such as we all face to-day, present new and varied problems which must be dealt with to the best of our ability and judgment as they appear.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the teachers, supervisors and Mr. Clinch for their cooperation in the execution of the school program, and the members of the School Committee and Super- intendent of Schools for their loyal support and assistance.
Respectfully submitted,
C. Alice Manning, Principal.
106
SCHOOL REPORT
HOWE-MANNING SCHOOL HEALTH REPORT
Children are measured and weighed in January, May and September. Cards are sent to the parents after each weighing showing the child's height, weight, and the correct normal weight. Lists are also kept to show whether the children are over or under weight.
Heads and hair are examined often for pediculosis.
Physical examinations are given to all pupils by Dr. E. P. Fleming, School Physician. Notices are sent to parents for defec- tive tonsils, glands and teeth requiring attention. Total number of children examined 250.
Immunization Given Against Diphtheria
All children between six months and high school age should be immunized with diphtheria toxoid without having the Schick test performed on them. The majority of children of this age group are susceptible and therefore the Schick test is not necessary.
Number of children who received toxoid this year:
Grade 1
14
Grade 2 3
Grade 3 1
Grade 4
1
Grade 5 3
Grade 6 3
Grade 7
1
Grade 8
1
Total 27
The School Clinic conducted by the State and County Sana- toria was offered to two children who reported for periodic check-up Two other children in another family were done for the first time.
Respectfully submitted,
Alexis K. Willey,
School Nurse.
107
SCHOOL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
To the Superintendent of Schools and the School Committee of Middleton, Mass.
The music program in the Howe-Manning School continues much the same as in the last few years.
The first part of the year we had a good sized orchestra but most of the players graduated in June, leaving us at present with four violins and piano. We hope to add other players soon.
The seventh and eighth grade chorus, besides furnishing the music for graduation, also presented the pageant, To Make Men Free, with the assistance of pupils from all the other rooms. The results were well worth the hard work done by Miss Manning and the other teachers.
At Christmas time all the pupils sang carols together and each room gave separate selections, making a very fine assembly.
The supervisor enjoys teaching in a school so well conducted and where there is such fine cooperation as he finds at the Middleton school. He wishes however, that there might be a little more time for music in the schedule.
I wish to thank Principal C. Alice Manning, Superintendent Stephen Bean and the members of the School Committee for their kind support.
Respectfully submitted,
Horace N. Killam, Supervisor of Music. Middleton, Mass. February 1, 1945
FLINT
MIDDLETON
PUBLIC
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