USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1938 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14
4,400.00
Assessors' Department
6,500.00
Law Department
1,750.00
Town Clerk's Department
1,550.00
Engineering Department
900.00
Planning Board
250.00
Election and Registration
2,600.00
Maintenance of Town House
2,500.00
New Furniture for Town House
500.00
Maintenance of Town Hall
6,000.00
Police Department
37,681.00
Fire Department
46,006.00
Inspection of Buildings
300.00
Sealing Weights and Measures
2,850.00
Sealing Weights and Measures (1938 salary)
175.05
Moth Suppression
6,000.00
Tree Warden's Department
3,000,00
Forest Warden's Department
3,500.00
Inland Fisheries
300.00
Plymouth County Hospital Maintenance
10,987.59
Health Department
18,500.00
Piggery Maintenance and Garbage Disposal
12,455.00
Inspector of Animals
400.00
Public Sanitaries
2,600.00
Sewers
4,000,00
-236-
Street Cleaning
5,000.00
Roads and Bridges
43,500.00
Highway Construction and Reconstruction (see also Article 10)
7,800.00
Hard-Surfacing Streets
4,500.00
Gurnet Bridge Tax
2,122.67
Sidewalks
6,000.00
Granolithic Sidewalks and Curbing
3,000.00
Snow and Ice Removal
6,500.00
Street Sprinkling
1,500.00
Street Lighting
20,000.00
Traffic Lights
300.00
Harbor Master
150.00
Public Welfare Department
80,000.00
Aid to Dependent Children
12,000.00
Old Age Assistance
68,000.00
Soldiers' Relief, 1938 Overdraft
2,493.90
Soldiers' Benefits
10.000.00
School Department
247,950.00
Park Department
10,010.00
Pensions for Town Laborers
3,280.00
Contributory Retirement System :
Pension Fund
8,401.75
Expense Fund
100.00
Insurance on Town Property
4,700.00
Sexton
200.00
Miscellaneous Account
3,000.00
Water Department Maintenance
25,000.00
Water Department Construction
3,000.00
Water Department, Truck Replacement
450.00
Town Wharf Maintenance
960.00
Town Forest Maintenance
1,000.00
Oak Grove and Vine Hills Cemetery
10.000.00
-237 ----
Burial Hill Cemetery
1.500.00
Preservation of Old Headstones
300.00
Chiltonville, Manomet, Cedarville and South Pond Cemeteries
800.00
Town Debt and Interest
52,000.00
Total of Article 5 $831,857.96
Art.
6.
Plymouth Public Library
$8,850.00
Art. 7. Plymouth Public Library, Loring Reading Room Branch 3,000.00
Art. 8. Manomet Public Library 750.00
Art. 9. County Aid to Agriculture
150.00
Art. 10. Highway Construction and Re- construction from Highway Fund *17,000.00
Art. 11. Rifle Range Expenses 400.00
Art. 12. Memorial Day 400.00
Art. 13. Armistice Day 250.00
Art. 14. July Fourth 500.00
Art. 15. District Nurses 2,000.00
Art. 16. Shellfish Protection 1,450.00
Art. 17. Federal Furnace Road 1,250.00
Art. 18. Water Street
3.500.00
Art. 20. For payments to widow of Her- bert R. Benton and parents of James H. Devitt 300.00
Art. 22. Diesel Engine and Pump for Water Department 7.200.00
Art. 23. Purchase of Pope Property for School Purposes 2,000.00
Art. 25. Seats on Cole's Hill 500.00
Art. 26. New Truck for Forest Warden 3.000.00
I
-238-
Art. 27. New Ladder Truck for Fire De- partment 14,500.00
Art. 28. Easements for Intercepting
Sewer 100.00
Art. 29. Mosquito Control 500.00
Art. 30. Land for Rifle Range *1,838.00
Art. 31. Unemployment Relief (WPA) *50,000.00
Art. 32. Sewer Committee Expenses
500.00
Art. 33. New Grader for Highway De- partment 4,500.00
Art. 34. Old Home Day, November 30 150.00
Art. 36. Advertising Town's Resources and Maintenance of Informa- tion Booth 3,000.00
Art. 37. Advertising Town's Resources, Sect. 6A, Chapter 40, General Laws 1,100.00
Art. 38. Convention Expenses, Clause 37, Sect. 5, Chapter 40, General Laws 1,100.00
Art. 40. Road Scraper for Park Depart- ment *350.00
Art. 41. Acquiring Titles, Off Savery
Avenue
100.00
Art. 42. Acquiring Titles, Ocean View Road 100.00
Art. 44. Improvements in Harbor
5,000.00
Art. 45. New Fence for Veterans Field 1,000.00
Art. 46. Hard-Surfacing Roads in Ceme- tery *500.00
Art. 47. Agawam and Halfway Pond Fisheries, for Rebuilding Fish House 150.00
Art. 48. Gov. Carver Square 100.00
Art. 50. Nick's Rock Road 150.00
-239-
Art. 57. Medical Examinations of Civil Service Employees of the Town
250.00
Total of Special Articles
$137,488.00
Total of Article 5
831,857.96
Total of Warrant
$969,345.96
(*) $64,538.00 of the total of special articles, (items marked with * in above list) from other sources than the tax levy.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
OF THE
Town of Plymouth
CH
1820.
G
For the Year Ending December 31, 1938
-- 3-
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Term Expires
Dr. E. Harold Donovan, Chairman
1939
Fannie T. Rowell, Secretary
1939
David A. Cappannari
1940
Harry W. Burns
1941
J. Frankland Miller
1941
Dr. William E. Curtin (unexpired term Edward. W. Bradford)
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OFFICE HOURS
Office open from 8:00 a.m. to 12 m., and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. every school day. Saturdays : 9 to 12 m. It would be advisable to make special appointments with the super- intendent.
Vacations and summer schedule: 9 to 12 and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays: 9 to 12m.
SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1939
Winter Term-Tuesday, Jan. 3-Friday, April 14. Recess: February 20-24.
Spring Term-Monday, April 24-Friday, June 23.
Holiday: May 30 (Tuesday).
Fall Term-Wed., September 6-Friday, December 22. Holidays :
Thursday, October 12-Columbus Day.
Friday, October 27-Teachers' Convention.
Wed .- Fri., Nov. 29-Dec. 1-Thanksgiving.
NO SCHOOL SIGNALS 2-2 on Fire Alarm Code
7.05-No School for Junior-Senior High School.
8.15-No morning session for grades I to VI inclusive, schools closing at 12.30.
11.15-One session for Grades I to VI inclusive, schools closing at 12.30.
12.45-No afternoon session for grades I to VI.
A radio station, probably WEEI, will broadcast the no school signal at or just before 7 A. M.
-4-
FINANCIAL REPORT
RECEIPTS
Appropriation March 1938 $240,000.00 Trust Fund 11.03
-$240,011.03
PAYMENTS
General Expenses
$8,032.99
Teachers' Salaries
161,762.24
Americanization Salaries
2,296.00
Text Books and Supplies
11,474.88
Tuition
1,528.28
State Vocational Education
62.40
Transportation
15,868.20
Janitors' Services
12,683.81
Fuel, Light and Gas
8,764.75
Repairs and Maintenance
8,193.41
Furniture and Furnishings
726.64
Diplomas and Graduation
246.81
Rent of Memorial Hall
270.00
Medical Inspection
7,702.44
Unexpended balance
$239,612.85 * 394.78
3.40
* Special State Aid for 1938 only, thus reducing cost of vocational household arts salaries to this amount.
REIMBURSEMENTS
From the State for:
Teachers' Salaries
$18,180.60
Americanization
1,155.00
State and City Wards
692.30
Vocational Household Arts
487.48
Town of Plympton-tuition
859.36
Miscellaneous Receipts
634.18
$22,008.92
State-Aid for Household Arts due : $979.58.
Note: The actual cost to the town for current expenses of the schools was $217,603.93.
---- 5 --
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET FOR 1938
General Expenses-
Superintendent's Salary
$4,700.00
Clerk and substitute
1,525.00
Supervisor of attendance
600.00
Stationery, Postage, Printing
325.00
Telephone
110.00
Travel expense in state
100.00
Automobile expense
400.00
School Census
125.00
Care furnace and cleaning
165.00
All Other
25.00
$8,075.00
Teachers' Salaries-
*Day
167,000.00
Summer School
350.00
Americanization
2,150.00
169,500.00
Text Books and Supplies-
Text and Reference Books
4,500.00
Paper, Blank Books
4,000.00
Manual Training Supplies
950.00
*Domestic Science Supplies
700.00
Athletic Supplies
600.00
Gym towels-laundry
675.00
Typewriters and Supplies
500.00
All Other Supplies
75.00
12,000.00
Tuition- Out of Town State Vocational Education
1,700.00
200.00
-6-
Transportation-
Pupils
Teachers
17,625.00 475.00
18,100.00
Janitors' Services-
*Day
12,450.00
Americanization
100.00
Watchman, July 4th
50.00
Snow Removal
100.00
12,700.00
Fuel and Light-
*Coal and Wood
6,500.00
*Gas and Electricity
2,300.00
8,800.00
Maintenance-
Building Supervisor's Salary
2,600.00
General Repairs
4,000.00
Flags and Flagstaffs
50.00
Janitors' Supplies
1,000.00
Telephones
425.00
Ashes Removed
100.00
All Other
100.00
8,275.00
Furniture and Furnishings-
Desks and chairs
100.00
Window shades
100.00
All Other Equipment
500.00
700.00
Rent of Memorial Hall
450.00
Diplomas and Graduation
250.00
-7-
Medical Inspection-
Physician
1,800.00
Nurse and Assistant
2,600.00
Dental Hygienist
1,600.00
Dental Clinic
750.00
All Other-Medical supplies, etc. 450.00
7,200.00
Total $247,950.00
*Includes provision for state-aided vocational house- hold arts.
STATE-AIDED VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (George-Deen Funds for Pottery Instruction)
Receipts :
Cash from State
$616.00
Balance from 1937
396.00
$1,012.00
Payments :
Salary of Pottery Instructor
936.00
Balance $ 76.00
-8-
EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION
Adopted April 12, 1938
Herewith the Plymouth School Committee records with deep sorrow the death of Edward Winslow Brad- ford, a member of this committee since March, 1931. Previously he had served on the committee from 1912 to 1918 and was chairman when he resigned to become a Captain in the American Red Cross service in Greece and the Balkans, for which he was decorated by King Alexander of Greece with a silver cross of the Royal Order of the Savior. Upon his return he was reappointed to the School Committee in October, 1919 and served until March, 1924, during which period he was chairman for three years. He was also a member of the committees which enlarged the Morton School in 1913, the Senior High School in 1914 and the new high school building in 1936. As a result of his long years of service, Mr. Bradford had a thorough knowledge of the changing needs of the schools to better fit pupils for life. He wanted them to have the best, ever mindful, however, of the ability of the town to support its educational pro- gram. His unselfish devotion, his fine cooperation, his practical common sense, his geniality, his keen interest, his splendid idealism for the schools made him a valuable member of the School Committee. The town has lost a worthy citizen and the schools a staunch friend.
We direct that this expression of appreciation be sent to his wife and family and that a copy be spread upon our records.
Plymouth School Committee,
E. HAROLD DONOVAN, FANNIE T. ROWELL, HARRY W. BURNS J. FRANKLAND MILLER DAVID A. CAPPANNARI
-9-
NATIONAL SURVEY OF PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
In 1936 a National Committee was appointed by the American Council of Education for the "Cooperative Study of Secondary Schools." This committee chose two hundred secondary schools representing all sections of the United States, some private and some public, some large and some small, thus securing a cross section of the entire country. The general purpose was to deter- mine satisfactory standards for measuring secondary schools. A very thorough study of each school was made and the comparative scores of the 200 schools tabulated on many points. Plymouth Senior High School was one of the schools studied and was visited in the fall of 1936 by a special committee, consisting of Paul Elicker, Prin- cipal of Newton High School, Arthur Lowe, Principal of Portland (Maine) High School, and Prof. C. W. Bush of the University of Delaware. The survey was made at the opening of the new school building before the reor- ganization of the Junior and Senior High school was completed. Many changes have been made since so that in some respects the scores would now be higher. A report of the survey showing the standing of Plymouth among these two hundred schools has been sent to the School Department. The following is a summary of the most important facts disclosed in the survey.
1. Curriculum Offerings
The English work, commercial courses, health and physical education program were rated superior, the social studies as excellent, foreign languages, mathema- tics and science were on a par with the average of public schools. With the introduction of Italian and more gen- eral advanced science for the non-college group the
-10-
ratings would now be higher. Music and Art work had a rating of good, but with the increase in musical organi- zations and the further development of the art work since the survey these fields would also be rated higher now. Homemaking was rated good. With the develop- ment of vocational household arts, the rating should also be higher. As there are no industrial arts offered, the school received no score.
2. Outcomes
The outcomes are the results secured in the subjects enumerated above. In the opinion of the members of the committee, based on their own observation of class- room work and school records, the high school ranked in general in the upper thirteen per cent of the schools and very much above the average of public schools. Only 26 of all the schools, public and private, had a rating equal to or higher than Plymouth, while 110i had a rating equal to or above the average of public schools.
3. Instruction
In measuring the instruction the following factors were used : teacher plans, teacher activities, teacher and pupil relations, use of tests, teacher load and committee judg- ment as a result of classroom visitation. The rating of the quality of instruction was on a four-point scale with four as the highest. Plymouth rated 3.58, while the pub- lic schools averaged 3.12. Only 22 of the 200 schools had a rating equal to or slightly higher.
4. Pupil Activities
A superior rating was given Plymouth with respect to its pupil activities which embraced participation by pupils in the school administration, home room activities, school assemblies, clubs, school publications, physical activities and financing their activities. Only 34 schools had a rating equal to or higher than Plymouth.
-11-
5. Guidance
The guidance program was rated on five points :
(1) Articulation or correlation between schools. (2) Information given. (3) Operation of the guidance pro- gram. (4) Relations maintained with graduates. (5) The organization of the staff to carry out the program. Of the 200 schools, 144 rated lower than Plymouth. With the present revision and recent extension of the guidance program, the rank should now be higher.
6. Library
In the old high school building with its serious con- gestion it was impossible to maintain a library. Since moving into the new building, funds have been lacking. Plymouth has less than 500 books, while the average pub- lic high school has 1800. The score given the library was low.
7. Staff
In general the academic and professional training of the staff is just the average of all the schools. With, however, more professional study taken during the past two years, the rating should be higher. Group profes- sional improvement, which consists of improvement made in our system, is very high. Only 32 schools have shown a better rating in this latter respect.
8. Plant
The school plant was first rated with respect to health and safety. In this respect the building was very superior (rated 5 on a five-point scale) and placed at the head of the list. In equipment it was superior, rating 4.5. Only six schools had a better rating. While the rating of the site was superior, 70 of the schools had better sites. In regard to the plant's adaptability for conducting its edu- cational program, the building was rated as superior,
-12-
with 26 being equal or better ; in equipment, as excellent with 16 equal or better; in site, as average with 70 being equal or better. When all factors were combined the plant was rated as one of the twenty best schools.
9. School Administration
Six tests were applied with the following ratings: (1) The organization was superior. (2) The supervision superior. (3) The budget a little below average. (4) The business management better than average. (5) The size of administrative staff less than average. Combined, these tests placed the school in the upper 28 per cent, with a score of 65 as against an average score of 47 for the public schools. The lack of adequate funds to finance on a somewhat broader basis the operation and admini- stration brought down the general average.
10. College Success
The college records of students entering college in September, 1932, was secured from the institutions at- tended. 92.6 per cent of Plymouth graduates passed 75 per cent of their work as against 89 per cent of those from private schools and 90.2 from public schools. On the question of hours of failure in college, 5.2 per cent were failed, while in public schools 6.2 per cent and in private schools 7.3 per cent were failed. In the percentage above the freshman average, Plymouth had 56 per cent, while public schools had 57 and private schools 50.5 per cent.
-
In combining these results Plymouth ranks 61, while the public schools' average was 50 and private schools' average was 44.
11. Non-College Success
A special study was made of graduates and non-gradu- ates of 72 cooperating schools, who did not enter any higher educational institution. This includes the judg-
-13-
ments expressed by former pupils who had been to school in the old high school at a time when it was seriously over-crowded and on part-time. The school's rating placed it just above the average of all schools, public or private, or of any section of the country.
12. Evaluative Criteria
The above factors, curriculum offerings, outcomes, pupil activities, instruction, guidance, library, staff, plant, administration were combined into what is called the Evaluative Criteria. The scores were combined into one composite score. Plymouth High School received a rating of 68, while the average of all public schools was only 48 and of private schools was 59. The average of the New England group of public and private schools was 51. Fifty schools ranked as high or higher and 149 schools ranked lower than Plymouth.
13. Budget
The budgets of 196 schools were available for study. Of these, 110 schools had better budgets than Plymouth and 85 less favorable. The average cost of the public schools was higher than the local.
From the above summary of the important facts of the survey it is evident that Plymouth has secured re- sults very much above the general average at a less than average cost to the town. Further developments of the educational offerings are dependent upon more adequate financial support. Minor improvements which did not involve additional cost have already been made. Others will follow after further study by the school.
-14-
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the School Committee :
I herewith submit my thirteenth annual report as Superintendent of Schools, together with the reports of principals and supervisors.
There are three major problems which confront every school system :
1. To maintain high standards of achievement.
2. To offer a program of education which will meet the needs of all youth according to their varied interests and abilities, which will fit them for life in society.
3. To maintain high standards and a broad program at a minimum cost to the taxpayers.
HIGH STANDARDS OF ACHIEVEMENT
A. Senior High School
In the school year 1936-37 a broad and careful study of the Senior High School was made by a national commit- tee of noted authorities in secondary education. The "out- comes" or results in the classroom were rated after per- sonal visitation by the committee. Of the two hundred high or private schools studied by them, some of which were nationally known for their excellence, there were only 26 equal to or better than Plymouth. In college success the local pupils ranked well above the average of either public or private schools studied. In many other directions as explained in a detailed report of the survey printed elsewhere, the school was distinctly above the average.
B. Junior High School and Elementary Grades
For several years standard achievement tests in read- ing, arithmetic, language or English, and spelling have
-15-
been given in grades one to eight. The median scores of the 48 tests given in May are summarized as follows :
30 were above even June standards.
8 were at June standards.
7 were at May standards.
3 were below May standards.
Of the three below, two were below only one or two points. The third test below was in second grade arith- metic. This test required knowledge of multiplication and division facts, work which is not done locally until the third grade. The test in arithmetic at the end of the third grade, however, scored ten points above the stand- ard set for grade three, thus showing that the second grade work was not low in work accomplished.
The elementary schools and Junior High School are furnishing an excellent education in the fundamentals of reading, arithmetic and language. The standard achievement tests clearly indicate that the results se- cured are above the average of many towns and cities. This does not mean that all children have secured results up to the grade standards in which they work. There will always be those who are below and those who are above, varying according to the individual abilities and interests, emotional stability, health or physical defects. The general average of all local pupils is distinctly higher than the standards set.
These classroom achievements as measured by standard tests and the relatively high standing accorded the high school after a careful survey by nationally recognized authorities in secondary education, conclusively prove that Plymouth schools are distinctly above the average.
PROGRAM FOR ALL YOUTH
While the general results obtained in the schools are outstanding for those whose ability lies in the academic field there is a large number who are not academically inclined but whose interests lie in the mechanical field,
-16-
involving the so-called skilled trades. If the schools are to meet the needs of all youth and prepare all for suc- cuessful living in today's society, a program of education related to the mechanical abilities of many youth should be developed.
How these two groups, the academic and the mechan- ical-minded, gradually diverge in the grades is easily ex- plained. In the elementary grades the work is largely the mastery of the simpler fundamentals. Special atten- tion is given to pupils who are weak in reading skills and in arithmetic. A few who are mentally retarded three years as determined by a state psychiatrist are sent to the Individual School for special training. There are others, however, who are distinctly mentally slow and retarded in school work who, because of their chrono- logical age, are passed on from the sixth grade into the Junior High School, without a high standard of grade achievement.
In the Junior High School these boys are given their first real experience in manual training and the girls in household arts. Many make an outstanding success in these activities but are seriously handicapped in the academic studies, although these studies are somewhat simplified to meet their range of abilities. The school offers an excellent preparatory program for those who plan to go to college or higher institutions, or who wish to enter a business office, or occupations for which a gen- eral academic training is desirable. For those who would enter a skilled trade, there should be the beginning of an educational program which will meet their needs in mechanical occupations.
In the Senior High School a similar problem exists. although many of the non-academic and uninterested have left school, having reached their sixteenth birthday. Many stay on because there is no employment, uninter- ested in studies having no relation to their abilities or their future needs.
-17 ----
The program of academic work in the Junior and Senior High Schools does not train all youth for success- ful living nor does it appeal to many boys. They become restless in attempting work above their intellectual abil- ity and not adapted to their interests. The state law, however, requires youth to stay in school until sixteen unless they secure regular employment. Also, industry and business have no place for those under sixteen and prefer those who are older. Hence, such boys wait im- patiently until they are sixteen when they leave school, frequently to idle their time away in unemployment or they may even indulge in petty crime.
There is no apprentice training as formerly for the trades, such as those of the carpenter, the electrician, the printer, the machinist or the automobile mechanic. This training should be provided by schools.
Society would be greatly benefited if adequate prepara- tion for definite mechanical occupations were given these youth according to their interests and abilities.
The cost of prevention of crime is less than the cost of crime itself. The preparation of the youth for living is better than drifting into jobs with no future.
The educational program should be broadened to pro- vide for all youth healthy living, character training, in- telligent citizenship and preparation for making a living according to the interests and abilities of each individual which will contribute to the welfare of the state. The program must be varied enough to provide opportunities for the non-academic and mechanically minded pupils, which is not done at present.
Such a training a state-aided vocational school gives. The mechanical training is supplemented by correlated science, mathematics, English and mechanical drawing. A background of history and civics is necessary to make them intelligent citizens. Preparation for worthy use of leisure and a sound health program supplement these. It is called state-aided because one half the entire net cost
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.