USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1934-1936 > Part 12
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Philip Rudolph,
117.88
Eugenia Lothrop,
123.48
-----
-
-266-
Lucia S. Griffin,
111.78
Anna B. Humphrey,
113.49
Mercie F. Morse,
128.66
Anna M. Shepard,
341.42
Martha A. Morton,
111.91
Nellie E. McCloskey,
209.38
Johnson, Davee, May & Simmons,
229.75
J. Sumner Wood,
110.07
Frank Quartz,
245.57
Clarence W. Burgess,
196.32
Emma F. Caldwell,
303.53
Aaron Sampson,
120.68
Robert Thom,
113.85
Ella Bugbee Lee,
121.74
Sophia P. Mawbey,
111.64
Nathan S. Torrance,
116.22
Anthony Atwood,
249.98
Thelma Weston,
252.38
Robert & Mary McKinnon,
107.53
Charles G. Burgess,
460.46
Sarah A. Bartlett,
107.54
Elizabeth S. McHenry,
109.23
Anna V. Robbins,
110.42
Job Churchill,
232.43
Job Churchill (Burial Hill),
257.36
Abner H. Harlow,
278.13
Rufus Sampson,
113.64
Phineas Wells,
109.65
William B. Taylor,
218.77
John F. Raymond,
109.98
Oliver S. Holmes,
162.62
William Sykes,
110.34
Henry Armstrong,
110.24
T. Allen Bagnell,
227.53
Frank Rogers,
111.98
William Hodgkins,
170.47
Mary B. Shephard,
177.43
Alexander A. Robbins,
111.30
Chandler Holmes,
107.03
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Albert Lundgren,
110.75
Ignatius F. Pierce,
163.02
Lucy L. Hoxie,
68.87
Harriet A. Shaw,
107.80
Frank Ellis,
169.54
Harriet A. Corey,
135.72
John M. Kingsley,
114.88
Helen H. Swanstrom,
140.35
Edward Millburn,
104.29
Robert C. Swift,
221.99
Edward G. Ellis,
126.89
Emily E. Campbell,
167.72
Charlotte A. & Winslow Bradford,
232.12
John A. Spooner,
107.71
Warren L. Rich,
110.54
Harrison C. Beckman,
1,170.43
Gladys J. Campbell,
157.56
Alexander Wasson,
110.06
William Sargent Holmes,
225.21
Annie C. Stoddard,
342.80
Gannett Fund,
229.54
Caroline B. Warren,
103.59
Alice B. Ball,
56.29
Fannie T. Rowell,
109.72
George Asa Whiting,
113.47
George I. Hodgson,
164.74
Rebecca B. Robbins,
239.68
Lucia C. Freeman,
219.12
William S. Robbins,
592.23
Solomon E. Faunce,
231.94
Hannah M. Jackson,
104.37
Lydia G. Bradford,
210.73
William Langford,
228.27
William W. Brewster,
320.50
Henry L. Sampson & Christiana R. Leland,
330.10
Edwin L. Edes,
536.38
Oliver Edes,
543.33
Henry L. Stegmaier,
215.14
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-268-
George W. Bosworth, 108.14
George H. Doten,
141.30
Benjamin F. Raymond,
108.56
Martha J. Clarke,
103.95
Jessie F. B. Warren,
211.94
Priscilla A. & William H. Barrows,
163.47
Eva Bartlett Watson,
237.38
Martin F. Benson,
81.60
James Warren,
164.00
George Edgar Smith,
223.77
Charles B. Harlow,
157.57
Adelbert L. Christie,
212.15
Frances W. Harris,
170.47
Charles T. Holmes,
110.07
Myra W. Clark,
218.52
Lillie M. Sherburne,
104.47
Sarah H. Burr,
109.12
Mary Cromwell,
51.40
Abraham O. Brown,
311.55
George Churchill,
324.87
Judah Bartlett,
103.69
Ellen E. Sanderson,
216.51
Jacch Reidenbach,
213.85
Laura E. Jones,
104.64
Lewis Sampson,
107.79
Clara F. Robinson,
54.14
Faustina M. Holmes,
70.77
Mary B. Lanman,
158.55
Warren R. Surpluss,
100.53
Sarah E. Manter,
210.56
Lumb & Garside,
162.18
William H. Osmond,
105.71
Lloyd C. & Mary E. Gould,
136.76
Annie Holmes, 216.74
Mary Deane Keith,
106.11
Edward W. Belcher,
105.63
Leander M. Vaughn,
101.85
James H Chapman,
156.49
Emma A. Osborne,
155.77
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Eri C. Oakes,
213.06
Calvin T. Howland,
102.17
Harry A. Holmes,
209.66
George F. Howard,
210.36
Lucy E. Frasier,
101.64
Peter Schneider,
101.21
Mary E. Estes,
151.02
Emma L. Churchill,
154.03
Jennie F. Langford,
201.08
George H. & Florence Blanchard,
100.54
William F. & Martha A. Doten,
151.29
Charles Hellstrom,
100.27
Elizabeth C. Coupe,
204.54
Warren S. Bumpus & Nathaniel T. Clark,
153.30
Robert A. Brown,
509.16
David Brown,
304.12
Fred A. Jenks,
201.15
Robert R. Bartlett,
152.26
Annie L. Jarvis,
102.62
Tom Haigh,
177.03
Julia M. Sampson,
100.17
Stephen C. Nickerson,
100.02
Carrie L. Frink,
151.37
Mary E. Pierce,
100.00
Julia A. Remington,
100.00
Harriet J. Swan,
100.00
Frederick Dittmar,
152.62
Margaret M. Hill,
150.00
Philip Dries,
100.00
Isaac T. Holmes,
500.00
Clara H. Hemmerly,
100.00
James M. Cameron,
150.00
James S. Clark,
200.00
Robert B. Phillips,
100.00
George H. Jackson,
200.00
Catano Fratus,
150.00
J. Hovey Harlow,
150.00
Mary A. Sampson,
100.00
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Harriet E. Merriam,
200.00
William S. Pratt,
150.00
Henry P. Steidle,
56.00
John Jordan,
100.00
Mary E. Holmes,
14.54
Alice L. Lanman,
200.00
Deborah Whitaker,
100.00
Helen P. Whiting,
150.00
Isabel H. Warren,
300.00
Elijah H. Atwood,
200.00
Wesley A. Kinzie,
125.00
Helen M. Holmes,
150.00
Total, Plymouth Savings Bank, $55,145.91
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ST. JOSEPH'S CEMETERY FUND Deposited in Plymouth Savings Bank, $106.51
ABNER AND CHARLES H. LEONARD Deposited in People's Savings Bank, Worces- ter, Mass., $152.11
DEPOSITED WITH STATE TREASURER Phoebe R. Clifford Fund, $200.00
Total, Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds,
$108,633.50
NATHANIEL MORTON PARK FUND Plymouth Savings Bank, $2,000.00
MURDOCK POOR AND SCHOOL FUND Plymouth Savings Bank, $730.00
FRANCIS LEBARON POOR FUND
Plymouth Savings Bank,
$675.00
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank,
675.00
CHARLES HOLMES POOR FUND
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank,
$500.00
JULIA P. ROBINSON POOR FUND
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank,
$300.00
WARREN BURIAL HILL CEMETERY FUND
Plymouth Savings Bank,
$1,482.50
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank,
143.87
MARCIA E. JACKSON GATES PUBLIC LIBRARY FUND
Plymouth Savings Bank,
$1,000.00
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank,
1,000.00
PLYMOUTH NATIONAL BANK STOCK INVESTMENT FUND
Plymouth National Bank Stock,
$2,000.00
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SCHEDULE J
Valuation for 1932, less abatements on $176,900.00, $23,484.025.00 820,670.00
Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1932,
Valuation for 1933, less abatements on $85,600.00, 22,896,450.00
Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1933,
762,020.00
Valuation for 1934, less abatements on $110,400.00, Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1934,
22,624,150.00
731,255.00
Total, Average, 3%,
$71,318,570.00 $23,772,857.00 $713,185.00
Total Debt Incurred and Outstanding, $220,000.00
Less :
Water Loan, Comprising Total Loans Outside of Limit, 70,000.00
Total Outstanding Within Debt Limit, $150,000.00
Borrowing Capacity, January 1, 1935,
$563,185.00
Percentage of Bonded Debt to Valuation, for year 1933 .09+%, for year 1934 .09+%.
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APPROPRIATIONS ON WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
MARCH 23, 1935
ARTICLE 5.
Selectmen's Department $4,200.00
Accounting Department
2,550.00
Treasury Department 2,000.00
Tax Collector's Department
4,100.00
Assessors' Department
6,500.00
Law Department
1,000.00
Town Clerk's Department
1,600.00
Engineering Department
700.00
Election and Registration
900.00
Maintenance of Town House
2,250.00
Maintenance of Town Hall
6,000.00
Police Department
30,625.80
Police Department, for 1934 Overdraft
699.53
Fire Department
44,476.02
Inspection of Buildings
300.00
Sealing of Weights and Measures
2,682.00
Sealing of Weights and Measures, for 1934 Overdraft 65.00
Moth Suppression
5,000.00
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Tree Warden's Department
3,000.00
Forest Warden's Department
3,500.00
Forest Warden's Department, for 1934 Overdraft 322.01
Inland Fisheries 300.00
Plymouth County Hospital Maintenance 10,661.19
Health Department 18,400.00
Piggery Maintenance and Garbage Disposal
8,395.60
Piggery Maintenance and Garbage Dispo- sal, for 1934 Overdraft
360.04
Inspector of Animals
360.00
Public Sanitaries
2,750.00
Sewers
5,000.00
Street Cleaning
5,000.00
Roads and Bridges
40,000.00
Hard-Surfacing Streets
4,500.00
Highway Construction and Reconstruction
20,400.00
Long Pond Road Resurface 2,000.00
Court Street and Sandwich Street Resurface
5,000.00
New Truck for Highway Department 3,300.00
Fence at Playground on Summer Street 420.00
Shore Road Hard-Surface 5,000.00
Royal Street Hard-Surface 750.00
Cedarville Road Hard-Surface
750.00
Directional Signs to Ponds 250.00
Gurnet Bridge Tax 668.16
Sidewalks 6,000.00
-275-
Granolithic Sidewalks and Curbing
3,000.00
Snow and Ice Removal
12,500.00
Street Sprinkling
2,500.00
Street Lighting
20,000.00
Traffic Lights
250.00
Harbor Master
150.00
Pensions for Town Laborers
2,210.00
Public Welfare Department, including
Mothers' Aid
110,000.00
Bureau of Old Age Assistance
30,000.00
Bureau of Old Age Assistance, for 1934 Overdraft
3,867.47
Soldiers' Benefits
10,000.00
School Department
226,000.00
Park Department, for Parks, Playgrounds and Camping Places
10,407.90
Park Department, for 1934 bills
336.75
State Census, 1935
567.94
Sexton
200.00
Miscellaneous Account
3,100.00
Water Department, Maintenance
26,000.00
Water Department, Construction
2,000.00
Town Forest 1,200.00
Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemetery
10,000.00
Burial Hill Cemetery
1,200.00
Burial Hill Cemetery, for Protecting Headstones 300.00
... . -
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Chiltonville Manomet, Cedarville and South Pond Cemeteries
800.00
Town Debt and Interest
42,000.00
Total of Article 5
$781,325.41
Art.
6.
Plymouth Public Library
8,850.00
Art. 7. Manomet Public Library 750.00
Art. 8. Plymouth County Aid to Agriculture 250.00
Art. 9. Mosquito Control Maintenance 500.00
Art. 10. Rifle Range Expenses
200.00
Art. 11. Memorial Day
400.00
Art. 12. Armistice Day
250.00
Art. 14.
District Nurse
1,000.00
Art. 15.
Town Wharf, Maintenance and
Caretaker
700.00
Art. 16.
Town Forest Extension
500.00
Art. 17. Boutemain Avenue
100.00
Art. 18.
Cordage Street
100.00
Art. 19.
Union Street Widening
1,500.00
Art. 22. Water Street Widening
100.00
Art. 25. Shellfish Protection
300.00
Art. 26. Federal Furnace Road
3,500.00
Art. 27.
Bridge at White Horse Beach
750.00
Art. 28. Federal Emergency Relief Ad- ministration 30,000.00
Art. 33. Rental of Plymouth Savings
Bank Building
2,500.00
Art. 34. Plans and Specifications for
Town Offices 500.00
Art. 35. Dredging Anchorage Basin
10,000.00
Art. 37. Advertising the Town's Resour- ces, etc. 1,100.00
Total $845,675.41
500.00
Art. 13. July Fourth
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
OF THE
Town of Plymouth
TH
* *
M
1620.
LA
WN
TOW
ETT
For the Year Ending December 31, 1934
-3-
SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1935
Winter Term-14 weeks.
Begins Wednesday, January 2-ends Friday, April 12. Recess : February 18-22.
Note : February 22 and April 19 are in vacation.
Spring Term-9 weeks.
Begins Monday, April 22-ends Friday, June 21.
Holiday: Thursday, May 30-Memorial Day.
Fall Term-16 weeks.
Begins Wednesday, September 4-ends Friday, Decem- ber 20.
Holidays :
Friday, October 25-Teachers' Convention.
Monday, November 11-Armistice Day.
Wednesday - Friday, November 27-29-Thanks- giving.
NO SCHOOL SIGNALS 2-2 On Fire Alarm Code.
7.05-No school for Junior and Senior High Schools. Does not apply to freshmen. -
8.15-No morning session for the grades I to VI in- clusive.
11.15-One session for the grades I to VI, inclusive, schools closing at 12.30.
11.45-No school for the freshmen.
12.45-No afternoon session for grades I to VI. This must not be confused by the freshmen with their no school signal.
-4-
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Term Expires
Dr. E. Harold Donovan, Chairman,
1936
Fannie T. Rowell, Secretary,
1936
Albert L. Mellor,
1935
Harry W. Burns,
1935
Edward W. Bradford,
1937
Edward A. Buttner,
1937
The regular meetings of the School Committee are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Anson B. Handy
Office hours of the Superintendent of Schools: 8.00 to 9.00 a. m., and 4.00 to 5.00 p. m., every school day, except as special duties may prevent. Special appointments may be made at other times.
OFFICE SECRETARY
Ruth F. Thomas
Office open from 8.00 a. m. to 12 m., and 1.00 to 5.00 p. m. every school day. Saturdays : 9 to 12 a. m.
Summer Schedule: 9 to 12 a. m. and 1 to 4 p. m. Sat- urdays: 9 to 12 a. m.
SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE
Ralph F. Matinzi
-5-
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
In preparing the school budget for the past year, every item was reduced as low as possible consistent with efficiency. In fact, items involving cost of materials were estimated too low, as prices under the N.R.A. code rose much higher than was anticipated. The budget will need to be increased for the year 1935, due to three factors.
1. Supplies
In purchasing paper supplies, instead of a uniform price irrespective of quantity as in former years, there is a sliding scale dependent upon quantity. This price varies from seven to even fifteen cents per package, de- pending on the quantity ordered. It is not often that sufficient quantity is needed to secure the lowest price.
2. Coal Costs
In purchasing coal a decided increase in cost per ton was evident. Instead of competitive prices from local coal companies, all submitted the same price. Soft coal which cost $5.85 per ton in 1933 advanced to $7.75 and $8.00 while hard coal advanced from $10.65 to $13.25. As the School Department uses about 900 tons per year, this increase in cost per tons would mean a total increase of about $2000. However, two factors were used to keep down the cost for the past year: (1) Less coal was put into the schools in the summer and none in December, so that there were about 150 less tons of coal on hand December 31; (2) More soft coal was used to replace hard coal. By the use of vacu-drafts, installed during the past two years, between 250 and 300 tons of soft coal were substituted for hard coal. This has meant a saving of five dollars a ton, or a total saving of $1250 to $1500, which has already paid for their installation. The vacu-drafts are also a help to the janitors in securing heat more readily and more uniformly.
-- 6-
3. Salary Costs
The budget provided for the return of the automatic increases to teachers in September. This permitted 27 teachers to receive an increase at the rate of $90 a year, . or a total expense of approximately $800 in the current year, and $2500 for the year 1935. Owing to the large number of pupils at the Junior High School it was neces- sary to have an additional teacher, restoring one of the two positions eliminated two years ago as an economy measure. The total increase in salaries will be approxi- mately $4000 for 1935.
With the above increases in cost, the budget for 1935 will need to be increased about $7500.
Repairs Under Civil Works Administration
Under the C.W.A. grants from the Federal Govern- ment, much renovation of the interiors of school build- ings was accomplished at a cost to the School Department of about $494 for materials. The labor cost borne by the Federal Government was approximately $3300. As a result the interiors of the Hedge, Cornish, Knapp, Mt. Pleasant, and Junior High Schools were greatly im- proved by painting. The roof of the portable building at the Knapp School was strengthened, reshingled, and a new foundation put in. This building gives excellent indoor facilities for recreational activities.
Under the Emergency Relief Administration (E.R.A.), plans were started for developing playground facilities in the rear of the Mt. Pleasant School. This work will be completed during the ensuing year.
E. HAROLD DONOVAN, Chairman, FANNIE T. ROWELL, Secretary, EDWARD W. BRADFORD, EDWARD A. BUTTNER, HARRY W. BURNS,
School Committee.
-7-
FINANCIAL REPORT
RECEIPTS
Appropriation March 1934, $218,550.00
Travel Outside of State 1934, 75.00
Income from Trust Fund, 12.87
$218,637.87
PAYMENTS
General Expenses,
$7,325.16
Travel Outside of State,
75.00
Teachers' Salaries,
148,679.88
Americanization Salaries,
2,634.00
Text Books and Supplies,
8,762.88
Transportation,
16,397.65
Tuition,
633.65
Janitors' Services,
11,349.04
Fuel, Light, Gas,
8,400.95
Repairs and Maintenance,
6,895.77
Furniture and Furnishings,
198.22
Diplomas and Graduation,
301.37
Rent of Memorial Hall,
350.00
Medical Inspection,
6,634.29
218,637.86
Unexpended Balance,
$ .01
-8-
REIMBURSEMENTS
From the State for :-
Teachers' Salaries,
$18,710.80
Americanization,
1,385.57
State and City Wards,
1,035.95
Bourne Household Arts, 109.65
Miscellaneous,
351.66
$21,593.63
Note :- The actual cost to the town for current expenses of the schools was: $197,044.23
-9-
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR 1935
General Expenses-
Superintendent's Salary,
$4,230.00
Clerk,
1,325.00
Supervisor of Attendance,
600.00
Stationery, Postage, Printing,
265.00
Telephone,
100.00
Travelling Expense in State,
50.00
Automobile Expense,
400.00
School Census,
125.00
Marking Streets,
90.00
All Other (Office Supplies),
150.00
$7,335.00
Teachers' Salaries-
Day,
$152,300.00
Summer,
350.00
Evening,
2,800.00
155,450.00
Text Books and Supplies-
Text and Reference Books,
$3,750.00
Paper, Blank Books,
3,750.00
Manual Training Supplies,
500.00
Domestic Science Supplies,
450.00
Athletic Supplies,
350.00
Typewriters and Supplies,
600.00
All Other Supplies,
100.00
9,500.00
Tuition-
Out of Town, 600.00
State Vocational Education,
200.00
-10-
Transportation- Pupils and Teachers,
16.500.00
Janitors' Services-
Day,
$11,325.00
Evening,
90.00
Watchmen, July 4th,
60.00
Playground-Summer,
100.00
11,575.00
Fuel and Light-
Coal and Wood,
$8,400.00
Gas and Electricity,
1,700.00
10,100.00
Maintenance-
Building Supervisor's Salary,
$2,340.00
General Repairs,
3,500.00
Flags and Flagstaffs,
100.00
Janitors' Supplies,
600.00
Telephones,
350.00
Ashes Removed,
300.00
All Other,
50.00
7,240.00
Furniture and Furnishings-
Desks and Chairs,
$100.00
Window Shades,
200.00
All Other Equipment,
100.00
400.00
Rent (Memorial Hall),
350.00
Diplomas and Graduation,
250.00
Medical Inspection-
Physician,
$1,620.00
Nurse and Assistant,
2,290.00
Dental Nurse,
1,440.00
Dental Clinic,
750.00
All Other-Nurse's Car, Sup- plies, Etc.,
400.00
6,500.00
Total,
$226,000.00
-11-
In Memoriam
Miss Faith C. Stalker
Instructor In Drawing In Plymouth Schools
September 1925 - October 1934
-12-
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee:
I herewith submit to you my ninth annual report as Superintendent of Plymouth Schools.
The following quotations pertaining to education from national leaders are pertinent to our local situ- ation.
"We have faith in education as the foundation of democratic government . .. Our schools need the ap- preciation and cooperation of all those who depend upon them for the education of our youth-the state's most valuable asset."-Franklin D. Roosevelt.
"Our nation faces the acute responsibility of provid- ing a right-of-way for the American child . .. There is no safety for our republic without the education of our youth. That is the first charge upon all citizens and local governments . . . The proper care and training of our children is more important than any other pro- cess that is carried on by our government."-Herbert Hoover.
"Education for the children of all the people, ex- tending from the primary grades through the uni- versity, constitutes America's noblest contribution to civilization."-Calvin Coolidge.
"Whatever may be the exigencies, one thing most not happen. There must be no curtailment of educational facilities ... It goes without saying that at this critical period it would be a great mistake to weaken the
-13-
services of any of our educational institutions. On the other hand, they should be strengthened, no matter what the drain may be."-Alfred E. Smith.
"We owe it to our country that there should be no im- pairment of education, sustaining as it does citizenship, bringing as it does service of incalculable worth to the next generation. There should be no curtailment of the schools ... "-David I. Walsh.
Every one who has studied carefully the local situ- ation, especially at the Senior and Junior High Schools, must realize the very serious curtailment of educational opportunities, a condition which has existed now for six years. If the above national leaders are right, then this problem should receive the immediate attention of the citizens of Plymouth.
While the adverse conditions have been presented in previous reports it seems best to briefly summarize them again.
1. At the Senior High School
While many pupils are making excellent records in high school and in college, showing that their prepar- ation was satisfactory, they are doing this in spite of serious handicaps. There are, however, many of the less gifted pupils who need more individual help but who cannot receive it because of large classes, the shortened recitation periods, and the inability to receive help after school due to the double sessions. Moreover, there is a serious lack of modern educational facilities to give that type of training needed by so many pupils not academically gifted but who would do excellent work in mechanical lines.
The number of pupils in the upper four grades is nearly 700. From all indications of future trends there will be no appreciable decrease. Here, then, are nearly 700 pupils not receiving all the educational advantages
-14-
so necessary to prepare them for the life just ahead of them.
In a building fitted for modern needs the same per pupil costs would produce better educational results.
2. At the Junior High School
With practically all classes numbering 40 to 45 pupils and a total enrollment of 487 (Sept., 1934) the teachers are under a serious handicap in securing time for the individual help so necessary. The lack of a gymnasium and assembly hall are exceedingly serious for the development of types of training very worth while. Miss Mary M. Dolan has discussed the difficulties in her annual report found on a later page. Here there are nearly 500 pupils not receiving the full advantages of a modern system of education.
3. In the Elementary Grades
While the Individual School is an excellent institution for those pupils whose mental handicap is the most serious and gives an excellent training for two per cent of the elementary children, there is an additional six to eight per cent who are seriously retarded in the grades and become over-age. In mental ability they are be- ยท tween those in the Individual School and those able to do regular grade work. These enter the Junior High School, decidedly handicapped from the academic side. They then go on to the Senior High School, again con- fronted by a program not adapted to their abilities or needs. A differentiated program should be provided, beginning at about the fifth grade level and broadened and extended through the following grades, involving less of the academic and more of the mechanical types of education. Much of the training would develop into trade or vocational education, the expense of instruction being borne by the Federal and State Governments as is done already in many communities. Such a type of edu- cation could be well housed in the present Senior High
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School building. Such a revised program as suggested above would directly benefit 100 to 150 pupils and would relieve the Junior and Senior High Schools of one of their serious problems.
Conclusion
The building program as recommended by the School Committee in previous reports would remedy the crowded conditions, give modern facilities and would permit a complete reorganization of the educational program from the fifth to the twelfth grades, affecting directly the training of at least thirteen to fourteen hundred pupils. With the cooperation of the federal and state governments the cost to the local taxpayer of the operation of the program suggested above should be no more than at present and probably less. Undoubtedly there would be a greater educational return on the costs as the boys and girls would receive a more complete education, better adapted to their needs and abilities.
SUB-PRIMARY AT THE HEDGE SCHOOL
For many years the Plymouth Cordage Company maintained a kindergarten which gave excellent train- ing to many children of its employees preliminary to first grade work. This was especially valuable at the Hedge School where approximately ninety-five per cent of the children come from homes of parents whose background of language is chiefly foreign. Since the discontinuance in 1931 the children have lacked this special training. The seriousness of the situation is indicated by the fact that forty-three per cent of the pupils now enrolled have repeated one or more grades, half of the repetitions being in the first grade. The special training given in the sub-primary group to children under the usual school age, should not only reduce the number of repetitions but should give the others a better foundation for their work. Owing to a slightly decreased number of pupils in the first three
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grades, it was possible to regroup them and assign the sub-primary training to one of the two regular first grade teachers without involving any additional ex- pense for salaries.
CHANGE AT CEDARVILLE SCHOOL
The bringing into town of the Cedarville pupils attending the Junior and Senior High Schools proved so satisfactory that it was decided advisable to bring pupils in grades five and six to the Manomet School, rather than send them to Bourne. Cedarville pupils thus have the full advantages of attending Plymouth Schools at a decrease in cost to the town.
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL
The year has been marked by the untimely death of Miss Faith C. Stalker, Supervisor of Drawing in the Elementary Grades, but who, temporarily, was instruct- ing in the Junior and Senior High School in place of Miss Virginia Dowling, who was on a leave of absence. Miss Stalker entered upon her work in September but was seized with a serious heart attack which resulted in her death on October 12th. She had given faithful conscientious service for nine years .. Miss Hazel Bates, who had taught the first grade at the Hedge School for several years and who had taken many courses in draw- ing, was appointed to succeed Miss Stalker.
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