USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1941 > Part 13
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Abner & Charles H. Leonard 156.08
ST. JOSEPH'S CEMETERY FUND
Deposited in Plymouth Savings Bank 104.57
DEPOSITED WITH STATE TREASURER
Phoebe R. Clifford Fund
200.00
Total, Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds
$134,711.86
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 1,061.31
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank 173.67
MARCIA E. JACKSON GATES
PUBLIC LIBRARY FUND
Plymouth Savings Bank
1,000.00
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank
1,000.00
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PLYMOUTH NATIONAL BANK STOCK INVESTMENT FUND
Plymouth National Bank Stock 2,000.00
RETIREMENT SYSTEM FUNDS
Plymouth Savings Bank
$5,443.67
Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank 3,523.06
Plymouth National Bank 2,713.32
U. S. Government Bonds Owned 4,079.16
Other Bonds Owned
8,440.90
Bank Stock Owned
8,093.75
Cash on Hand 71.24
$32,365.10
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SCHEDULE J
BORROWING CAPACITY, JAN. 1, 1942
Valuation for 1939, less abatements on $303,590 $21,242.760.00
Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1939, less abatements 664,057.00
Valuation for 1940, less abatements on $335,370 21,384,050.00
Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1940, less abatements 732,180.00
Valuation for 1941, less abatements on $144,290 21,607,385.00
Valuation of Motor Vehicles for 1941, less abatements 872,268.00
$66,502,700.00
Average 3%
22,167,566.00 665,027.00
Total Debt Incurred and
Outstanding $173,500.00
Less:
New High School Loan 124,000.00
Total Debt Within Debt Limit, 49,500.00
Borrowing Capacity, January 1, 1942
$615,527.00
Percentage of Bonded Debt to Valuation, 0.8%.
PART III
Annual Report
OF THE
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
OF THE
Town of Plymouth
1820
CH
For Year Ending December 31,
1941
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Dr. E. Harold Donovan, Chairman 1942
Fannie T. Rowell, Secretary
1942
David A. Cappannari 1943
Dr. William E. Curtin
1943
Dr. Francis LeBaron 1944
J. Frankland Miller 1944
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OFFICE HOURS
Office open from 8:00 a. m. to 12:00 m., and 1:00 to 4:30 p. m. every school day. Saturdays: 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 m. It would be advisable to make special appointments with the superintendent.
Vacations and summer schedule: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. to 12 m.
SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1941 - 1942
Fall Term-Monday, Sept. 8 to Tuesday, Dec. 23. Holidays:
Monday, October 13-Columbus Day
Friday, October 31-Teachers' Convention
Tuesday, November 11-Armistice Day Wed. - Fri., Nov. 19- 21-Thanksgiving
Winter Term-Monday, January 5 to Friday, April 17.
Vacations: Feb. 23 - 27, April 20 -24.
Spring Term-Monday, April 27 to Friday, June 19.
NO-SCHOOL SIGNAL
2-2 on Fire Alarm Code
7:05-No school for Junior and Senior High Schools.
8:15-No morning session for Grades I to VI inclusive.
11:15-One session for Grades I to VI inclusive, schools closing at 12:30.
12:30-No afternoon session for Grades I to VI inclusive.
The radio station WEEI will broadcast the no school signal at or just after 7:00 a. m., and again at about 7:40 a. m.
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FINANCIAL REPORT
RECEIPTS
SALARY APPROPRIATION, March 1941 $180,475.00
PAYMENTS
1. Supt., Principals, Supervisors, Teachers, Clerks $156,949.03
2. Americanization 2,040.00
3. Summer School 336.00
4. Janitors, Building Supervisor 13,992.74
5. School Physicians, School Nurse, Asst. to Nurse, Dental Hygienist 6,068.00
6. Pension for School Physician, retired
900.00
7. School Census
152.75
$180,439.00
Unexpended Balance $36.00
RECEIPTS
GENERAL APPROPRIATION, March 1941
$46,750.00
Trust Fund 11.20
$46,761.20
PAYMENTS
General Expenses
$978.26
Text Books and Supplies
11,402.33
Transportation
17,012.50
Tuition
637.12
Tuition for State Vocational Educ.
168.76
Fuel, Light and Gas
7,733.34
Repairs, Improvements and Maint.
6,423.89
Furniture and Furnishings
859.64
Medical Inspection
1,100.71
Diplomas and Graduation
269.46
Rent of Memorial Hall
175.00
$46,761.01
Unexpended Balance
$ .19
1
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REIMBURSEMENTS
From the State for:
Teachers' Salaries
16,396.40
Americanization
1,005.00
Vocational Household Arts
1,637.81
Vocational Tuition
122.65
State and City Wards
986.73
Town of Plympton-Tuition
2,211.69
Town of Carver-Tuition
5,205.78
Miscellaneous Receipts
384.73
$27,950.79
Note: The actual cost to the town for current expenses of the schools was $199,249.22.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRUST FUND U. S. GRANT
George-Deen Funds for Teaching Pottery Making
Balance from 1940 $18.00
Cash from State 1,548.00
$1,566.00
Payments:
Salary of Pottery Instructor
936.00
Balance Remaining
$630.00
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRUST FUND U. S. GRANT
Smith-Hughes Fund for Day Household Arts
Balance from 1940
$144.63
Cash from State
245.50
$390.13
Payments:
Salary of Domestic Science Teacher $134.78
Travel
9.85
144.63
Balance Remaining $245.50
BALANCE FROM 1939
APPROPRIATION FOR CONTRACT
$432.50
Payments: Stanley Newman Company
$432.50
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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET for 1942
SALARY APPROPRIATION
*1. Supt., Principals, Supervisors, Teachers, Clerks
$160,000.00
2. Americanization
2,000.00
3. Summer School
350.00
*4. Janitors, Building Supervisor
14,200.00
5. School Physicians, School Nurse, Asst. to Nurse, Dental Hygienist 6,250.00
6. Pension for School Physician, retired
900.00
7. School Census 150.00
Total $183,850.00
GENERAL APPROPRIATION
General Expenses
Stationery, Postage, Printing
$325.00
Telephone
125.00
Travel expense in state
75.00
Automobile expense
400.00
Office supplies
25.00
$950.00
Text Books and Supplies
*Text and Reference Books $6,000.00
*Paper, Blank Books, Supplies 5,000.00
Manual training supplies 1,000.00
*Domestic science supplies
800.00
Athletic supplies
400.00
Typewriters and supplies
900.00
Visual education
200.00
14,300.00
Transportation
Pupils
$18,050.00
Teachers
150.00
18,200.00
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Tuition
Out of Town
$800.00
State Vocational Education
300.00
1,100.00
Fuel and Light
*Coal and wood
$7,200.00
*Gas and electricity
2,200.00
9,400.00
Maintenance
Repairs and improvements
$5,750.00
Flags and flagstaffs
50.00
Janitors' supplies
1,400.00
Telephones
400.00
Ashes, etc. removed
100.00
School defense
400.00
8,100.00
Furniture and Furnishings
Desks and chairs
$100.00
Window shades
300.00
Filing equipment
100.00
Other equipment
300.00
800.00
Medical Inspection
Dental Clinic
$750.00
Medical supplies
150.00
Nurse's car expense
350.00
1,250.00
Rent of Memorial Hall
315.00
Diplomas and Graduation
300.00
Total
$54,715.00
*Includes provision for State-Aided Vocational Household Arts.
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REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The past year has brought changes in the personnel of our board and administrative staff. Mr. Harry W. Burns, who has served the town on this board most faith- fully and ably during the past twelve years, found it necessary to relinquish his school duties. Resolutions relative to Mr. Burn's service were adopted by the School Committee and follow this report.
Superintendent of Schools Anson B. Handy after fifteen years of notable service here resigned to become Presi- dent of the State Teachers College at Hyannis. During this period important changes marking significant pro- gress in our school system were made. Perhaps the most noteworthy advance step was the erection of the new High School building completed in 1936. Further refer- ence to Mr. Handy's services in Plymouth is made in the resolutions adopted by the committee and printed at the conclusion of this report.
After conferring with many candidates for the super- intendency, the committee invited Burr F. Jones, Super- intendent of Schools in East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and Hampden, to a conference at Plymouth with the re- sult that Mr. Jones was offered the position and accepted, his services beginning May 1 on a part time basis and full time on July 1. The committee feels their choice has been a wise one, as Mr. Jones is serving in a highly efficient manner. He was educated at Colby College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was High School Pincipal at Waterville, Maine and Superintendent of Schools in South Paris, Maine, and in Amesbury, Mass- achusetts. For sometime he was in the service of the commonwealth in the State Department of Education. Thereafter he was engaged in making a survey of the elementary schools of Fitchburg and later became Super- intendent of Schools in the East Longmeadow, Wilbra- ham, and Hampden District, where he had served four
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years before coming to Plymouth.
We feel it to be in accord with sound business to keep our school buildings in good repair. During the past year and in addition to the usual minor repairs, we have given the Hedge School two coats of exterior trim and repainted four classrooms. At the Junior High School six class- rooms and the first floor corridor were repainted and seven ceilings calsomined. At the Manomet School the basement walls were repainted and the classroom ceil- ings retinted. A new cesspool was required at this school. Substantial areas on the Cornish and Hedge school play- grounds were hard surfaced. The south and west sides of the Oak Street School were reshingled. Modern lights were installed in the sixth grade room at the Mount Pleasant School and new flooring material purchased for this room.
Two of our vacated school buildings, namely, the Old High School and the Knapp School, are now partially occupied by our military forces. We have been assured that the use of these buildings for quartering soldiers will in no way affect our insurance protection, and that any damage to school property by reason of its occupancy by military forces will be made good by the federal gov- ernment after the termination of the war.
The School Committee is very conscious of the contin- ued need for vocational training opportunities in Ply- mouth. The importance of such training both to individu- als and to the nation becomes increasingly evident. Our committee is hopeful that circumstances will be such that the dream of a trade school for Plymouth will before long come true.
E. HAROLD DONOVAN, Chairman. FANNIE T. ROWELL, Secretary DAVID A. CAPPANNARI WILLIAM E. CURTIN FRANCIS LeBARON J. FRANKLAND MILLER
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RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION
Adopted by Plymouth School Committee March 21, 1941
Whereas, Mr. Harry W. Burns has served with honor to the town as a member of the Plymouth School Com- mittee for twelve years, a position to which he was elec- ted in March 1929, and
Whereas these twelve years, due to the effects of the recent depression, have been exceedingly critical years for maintaining high standards of school accomplishment and at greatly reduced costs, requiring a keen sense of discrimination of values and careful economy in spending the taxpayers' money,
Be It Resolved, that we the members of the Plymouth School Committee who have served with Mr. Burns through a part of the whole period of his membership extend to him our sincere appreciation for his whole- hearted cooperation and untiring efforts in solving the serious problems which have confronted the school sys- tem, for his splendid idealism and his staunch adherence to and advocacy of the fundamentals of a broad edu- cational program to meet the needs of the Plymouth boys and girls, for his insistence not only upon high profession- al standards and character for all those concerned with the educational system but for a fair salary schedule commensurate with the responsibilities inherent in the positions. He also assumed his full share in the planning and construction of the new senior high school building, one of the outstanding secondary schools in New England. To these problems in these critical years he has devoted unreservedly his time and thought and strength. For these years of faithful service to the schools the Town of Plymouth owes Mr. Burns its deep gratitude.
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Be It Further Resolved that we extend to Mr. Burns the wish that his remaining years may be filled with the satisfaction which comes from the consciousness of having faithfully and efficiently discharged the many duties of his office and from the realization that he has played an important part in shaping and in maintaining the out- standing reputation of the Plymouth schools.
E. HAROLD DONOVAN, Chairman FANNIE T. ROWELL, Secretary WILLIAM E. CURTIN J. FRANKLAND MILLER DAVID A. CAPPANNARI
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EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION to ANSON B. HANDY
Adopted by School Committee April 1, 1941
We, the present and former members of the Plymouth School Committee, wish to extend to Mr. Anson B. Handy, Superintendent of Schools, our sincere appreciation for his fifteen years of faithful service in this position. In these days of stress and strain when morale and character are at the breaking point, we find it especially difficult to lose our Superintendent who has been a bulkwark in our town, in defense of the highest standards of moral and educational attainment, in support of civic and church advancement, and in every way commendable.
He came to us with the highest recommendations and during these years of labor together, we have fully ap- preciated the fulfillment of all that was said of him.
Our present high standard in the Plymouth school sys- tem is directly due to his efficient management. He has obtained the good will and cooperation of everyone in the department.
However, despite our regret at his leaving, we recognize the honor which has been accorded Plymouth in having our own Superintendent of Schools chosen from the vast field of educators, to the important position of President of the Hyannis State Teachers College. Truly our loss is their gain. He leaves with our best wishes and we realize that his professional advancement is richly de- served. We anticipate continued success in his new posi- tion, and what is more, we feel we have had a small share in it.
Former Members
Harry W. Burns Edward R. Belcher A. Perry Richards Frederick D. Bartlett
School Committee
E. Harold Donovan, Chairman Fannie T. Rowell, Secretary Francis LeBaron, M. D., D. O. David A. Cappannari William E. Curtin, M. D. J. Frankland Miller
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee:
It is with much pleasure that I submit for your consid- eration my first annual report. In so doing I am keenly aware of the fact that the school progress made in any one year is in large part the result of efforts made in previous years. The fine work that I have observed in the Plymouth schools during the past several months is an outgrowth of the joint efforts of the School Committee as the board of control and of the teaching staff working under the conscientious and able leadership of my prede- cessor, Anson B. Handy, for a period of fifteen years closing last May when he became President of the State Teachers College at Hyannis. Having been chosen by you to become the executive head of the Plymouth schools as Mr. Handy's successor, I wish to express my appreci- ation of the honor and my earnest hope that the schools of Plymouth will continue to serve the children and youth of the community with ever increasing effectiveness.
THE SCHOOLS AND THE WAR EMERGENCY
Absorbed in the task of training the children and youth for living peacefully, happily, and usefully in this dem- ocracy, teachers and school administrators greatly deplore the circumstances that have lead us as a nation into war. We have shared with the parents of our pupils the fer- vent hope and prayer that America might be guided so wisely in our relationships with other nations that she would not be drawn into the present conflict. Indeed, we have strongly cherished the hope that our country would never become involved in a test of armed might with any nation or nations. We hoped to be spared the day when every known measure to avoid strife would fail and the security, sovereignty, and honor of our country would be at stake and the existence of the democratic way of
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life so dear to Americans and to many other peoples seri- ously threatened. Suddenly we have found ourselves facing exactly this eventuality. No course was left open except war. Our defenses must now be made secure and our national competency unquestioned. It is for us now to stand firm in the belief that no needed sacrifice of prop- erty or indeed of life itself can be too great for the defense of a heritage so dearly bought by our fathers and so full of promise for our children.
Protective Measures
No such revolutionary change in our national outlook and purpose as we have experienced in recent months can take place without affecting our schools in manifold ways.
In recent weeks school officials and teachers of necessity have devoted much thought and time to the planning of ways and means of safeguarding pupils and school prop- erty in case of possible air raids. Pursuant to the action of the School Committee in authorizing the superintend- ent to decide under what conditions pupils may be dis- missed from school to their homes in the case of a threatened air raid, it was decided to dismiss children only in case there should be satisfactory evidence of their having sufficient time for a safe journey to their homes. A procedure for dismissal under such circum- stances is being practiced. Pupils are organized into groups, each group being in charge of a teacher or of one or more pupils who will be responsible for making an accurate accounting of pupils as they are left at or near their homes.
In the event of a threatened air attack when there is not satisfactory evidence of our having enough time for a safe dismissal, the pupils are to be retained in school buildings. With the aid of the supervisor of school build- ings and the school principals, certain rooms-usually school basements or interior corridors-have been chosen as safety rooms. The pupils have been trained to take assigned stations in these rooms. About one-third of the
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children at the Cornish and Burton Schools cannot be accommodated satisfactorily in those buildings. The county officers have kindly offered these children a shel- ter in a new basement room of the Registry of Deeds building located near the schoolhouse. Similarly the children at the Cold Spring School have been offered the basement of the Plymouth Motor Sales Company as an air-raid shelter.
In the selection of safety rooms consideration has been given to the requirement of two or more exits and to the provisions for drinking water and sanitaries. Heavy wooden shutters have been constructed for windows of safety rooms as a protection against flying glass. Pupils proceed to safety rooms on the sounding of a given signal on the school fire-alarm system and remain there until the "all-clear" signal is received.
Under the general direction of Mr. Richard Smiley assisted by other members of the Junior-Senior High School faculty, Miss Whiting, Mr. Guidoboni, and Mr. Patenaude, also by Mrs. Thomas Fogarty, nearly all the teachers on the school staff are receiving first-aid train- ing. First-aid kits supplementary to those already in- stalled in school buildings have been prepared by the pupils under the direction of the health staff.
The ordinary measures have been taken to protect school buildings against fire in the event of possible air raids with incendiary bombs. Ladders have been installed leading to open areas under the roofs and water pipes with hose connections have been extended so as to give more adequate protection to these areas.
Patriotic Service
One of the best channels for patriotic service on the part of school children is the Junior Red Cross. It is most gratifying to observe that our pupils are enthusiastic in their support of this work now under the local direction of Miss Hilda Swett. All of the Plymouth school pupils are members and contributed a total of $93.46 in the an-
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nual membership canvas. The later campaign for war relief funds was conducted most successfully in the schools by the Junior Red Cross, the total amount raised being $241.64. Pupils in all schools participated in this campaign, the Junior High School taking the lead with a contribution of $134.60.
Another important activity of the Junior Red Cross is the making of many articles of clothing. The junior and senior high school girls working under the general over- sight of Miss Blackmer, Miss Boucher and Mrs. Raymond have completed since September more than two hundred fifty such articles. Other girls volunteer their services as telephone attendants at the Red Cross headquarters on Saturdays and still others do typing for the Red Cross officials as needed.
Immediately after the assault upon Pearl Harbor and our declaration of war, school pupils and teachers took a very active interest in the purchase of United States Defense Bonds. The total amount of these bonds pur- chased by the pupils of the several schools according to latest reports represents a face value of $15,350. One thousand five hundred forty-eight or 69% of our total enrollment of pupils have school savings accounts. Funds for the purchase of defense bonds are accumulated regu- larly and rapidly. Nearly all of the teachers as well as a large number of pupils have shared in such purchases.
Physical Education and Health Program
Our war emergency brings to the foreground with re- newed emphasis the fundamental importance of good health and physical stamina as a national asset. Although the standards of physical fitness applied to draftees by our present selective service boards have been higher than heretofore it is not pleasant to contemplate the fact that about two in five from the supposedly healthiest reservoir of American manhood are being rejected for military service on grounds of physical defects, nor is it pleasant to consider the further fact that one-third
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to one-half of these defects are correctable but have not been corrected.
In response to this situation our state departments of public health and education are making a joint appeal to local school and health officials of Massachusetts to strengthen our health programs. The following questions are being raised by the state departments:
"Does your school system adequately provide for: The sanitation of the school?
The hygienic arrangement and conduct of the school program?
The control of communicable diseases?
The discovery and correction of illness and physical defects ?
Attention to the indirect and concomitant health learnings of pupils?
Adequate direct health instruction?
A suitable program of physical education?
Individual attention and guidance where necessary to improve mental health and nutritional status?
Committee planning to improve the school health program?"
Knowing that Plymouth has provided a school health program that compares very favorably with those to be found in other communities I have nevertheless, appoint- ed a committee to examine our program in its various particulars with a view to determining at what points it may be strengthened. This committee consists of our health and physical education staff, ex-officio, and the fol- lowing teachers: Richard Smiley, Arthur Pyle, Miss Cath- erine Welsh, Carleton Rose, Miss Kathryn McCarthy, Miss Eleanor Schreiber, Miss Marjorie Cassidy, Franklyn O. White, Miss Louise Peterson and Miss Elouise Ellis.
In this connection it should be said that the Senior High School is one of twenty-five secondary schools in Massachusetts that are being studied by a state committee
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with particular reference to the health condition and health knowledge of the pupils and the measures being taken to meet such health needs. It is anticipated that the recommendations of this state committee will be found valuable as we undertake to strengthen the health service in our secondary grades.
SUCCESSFUL WORK IN FUNDAMENTALS
Each year in the spring term the School Depart- ment gives printed standardized tests in the tool subjects of the curriculum, reading, language, spelling, and arith- metic in the elementary schools and first two grades of the Junior High School. The standards for these tests in each grade are the average actual results achieved on these tests when taken earlier by thousands of school children in corresponding grades of representative school systems in this country. What the Plymouth children do on these tests is measured, therefore, not in terms of what educators think they ought to do but rather in terms of what many children in corresponding grades actually have done in very recent years.
It is a source of satisfaction to report that the average grade achievement of Plymouth pupils on these tests last May exceeded the test standard in seven of the eight grades and equalled the test standard in one grade. No Plymouth grade was below standard on the basis of the average results in the several subjects. It should be said in this connection, however, that the average ages of the Plymouth children in the various grades is a little higher than those of the children who established the test stand- ards. In the Plymouth sixth and eighth grades but not in the grades below, our children scored enough above the test standards to offset fully their advantage in age.
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