USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1947 > Part 15
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345.42
2,415.29
10,222.05
Balance to Excess and Deficiency $1,513.35 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCH ACCOUNT For plan of administration and financing, see report of Superintendent.
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A. FOOD ACCOUNT
RECEIPTS-To Town Treasurer :-
Sale of Lunches $7,963.38
From Federal Grants (Food) 3,406.85
Total
$11,370.73
PAYMENTS :-
Salaries
$4,117.60
All other (Except equipment) 7,806.76
Total
$11,924.36
B. EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT
RECEIPTS-To Town Treasurer :-
From Federal Grant $1,092.92
PAYMENTS :- Total $2,415.29
(See itemized preceding list)
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
TEACHERS' SALARIES
The appropriation for 1947 enabled the Committee to take a first step toward adjusting teachers' salaries to the new schedule described in our report of last year. This schedule recognizes both the professional training and the experience of the teacher. Women teachers of like training are éligible to the same salary scale regardless of the grade level on which they are teaching. Likewise, men teachers of equal training are eligible to the same salary scale, which is $400 higher than the scale for wo- men. Though the Committee increased salaries in 1947 toward the amounts due the teachers on the new sched- ule as indicated by their preparation and experience, certain limits were set, namely, $150 as a minimum to any teacher and $350 as a maximum. Due to these limits, only one-fourth of the staff reached the salaries due them on the new schedule. Substantial progress toward ad- justment was made in the case of the remaining three- fourths, who were, for the most part, elementary teach- ers and women of long experience in the Junior and Senior High Schools.
The average salary of Plymouth teachers has increased a total of 56.6% since the school year 1940-41 when the cost of living began to increase markedly. During the same period the cost of living has increased 60.1%. Wages of industrial workers have more than doubled. Until still further improvement in the compensation of teach- ers takes place generally over the country, altogether too few capable young men and women will feel that they can afford to consider teaching as a life work. It must be clear to all thinking citizens that there is no. place in the life of America today where our most able young men and women are more needed than in the public schools as teachers of our boys and girls.
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NEED FOR ADEQUATE STATE AID
It should be clear to all that the rapid increase in school costs coupled with that in other public services cannot and should not be borne by real estate. Other types of wealth as well as of earning and producing abil- ity should share in meeting these increased costs. Since public services, of which education is one of the most important, are of value to all our citizens, the increased costs of these public services should be shared by all and not met from local real estate taxes alone. Massachuset1 contributes from the State Treasury only 7.2% of th cost of schools and ranks 44th among the 48 states in th: respect. On the average, the 48 states contribute .34% ( the local school costs. Since the state is a much mor effective collecting agency of many types of taxes tha the Town could possibly be, state revenue should bea a much larger share of the costs of education and th real estate taxes collected by the towns should bear smaller part of the cost. We call upon our citizens, there fore, to support such a plan as sponsored by Governc Bradford and various state commissions in 1947 lookin toward a marked increase in state aid for education Though the General Court failed to adopt the measur last year, a continuing and concerted effort is being mad again this year by important state organizations, incluc ing the Mass. Association of School Committees, th Mass. Teachers' Federation, the Mass. Parent Teacher: Association, the Mass School Superintendents' Associa tion, and the Mass. League of Women Voters. The prc posal now being urged is that the state increase its cor. tribution to education from general revenues to th extent of $28,500,000 annually. Plymouth's share woul be about $140,000. Such a measure would enable th towns and cities of the Commonwealth to make the nec essary increases in teachers' salaries and to reduce de cidedly the present tax now required from real estate toward the support of the public schools. Though the citizens of all communities would contribute toward this
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larger state support, the methods of state taxation would doubtless distribute the cost more generally over the population, rather than add it to the already high real estate tax.
SALARY INCREASES FOR 1948
In view of the fact that the anticipated amount of state aid has not yet materialized, the Committee does not feel warranted in requesting the Town for sufficient funds to complete the adjustment of all salaries to the new sched- ule in 1948 as asked by the Plymouth Teachers Club. When the salary schedule was adopted last year it was stipulated that further adjustment of salaries to the new schedule would be dependent on our receiving further financial assistance from the state and upon salary trends generally. The legislature in 1947 did enact a law pro- viding for a relatively small measure of new assistance effective in 1947, namely, about $1,000,000 to be distrib- uted to those towns that have unusually large transport- ation costs. Plymouth received from this source in 1947 the sum of $6,841.50. This aid is not ear-marked for trans- portation, but is an extra financial credit to the town on account of schools and comes to us in view of the fact that we have unusually large transportation costs due to our large area. Were it not for these exceptionally large transportation expenses a greater proportion of our school appropriation would be devoted to teachers' sal- aries. In the light of this new receipt from the state and in view of the fact that our receipts from tuition in 1947 were greater by $4,198 than in 1946, the School Commit- tee asks that the Town apply approximately the sum of these two additional amounts of income toward adjust- ment of salaries to the new schedule. This will permit us to make limited increases within a maximum of $150 to any teacher and a minimum of $100. There can be no doubt that these increases are fully warranted in the light of salaries now being paid in towns of our class as well as in the light of salaries now being paid to gradu- ates of teachers' colleges without experience beyond that
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of practice teaching. The cost of living factor, too, has continued to decrease the purchasing power of the dollar through 1947 until it is worth but 63c as compared with the pre-war dollar. The average increase we contemplate for teachers will no more than offset the lowered value of the dollar. It is our hope that the 1948 salary appropri- ation will also enable us to make an increase of 15% to $300 to the health staff, clerical workers, janitors, and lunch staff members as is being recommended for. the employees of other town departments.
NEW HEATING PLANT AT HEDGE SCHOOL
Though there have been some delays in securing all the accessories in connection with this new plant, the furnace has been in operation throughout the heating season and the contract is now nearly completed. The new oil burning plant with the vacuum system is proving to be very efficient. Rooms formerly hard to heat are now comfortable. The services of a part-time woman for help in sweeping and cleaning are found to be necessary since the elimination of one janitor. We estimate that the net saving in operation for the year 1947-48 from the installation of the new furnace will be about $700.
NEW ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS - NECESSARY
The most important need occupying our attention is that of new and additional elementary school accomoda- tions. The Cornish-Burton and Cold Spring buildings should be abandoned as soon as modern schoolhousing facilities can be provided. The impending growth in the school population as set forth in the 1947 report of the School Department, together with the oversized classes we now have, make the construction of two new element- ary buildings of early concern. Our Committee has been in consultation with the Special Town Survey Committee on questions of location. Five different sites other than the present one have been uder consideration for a new Cornish-Burton School. Several of these would involve
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an extraordinary amount of grading as well as the pur- chasing of a considerable amount of property. The pres- ent site is not adequate for a large centralized school, but would accommodate a building of moderate size. A loan has been secured from the Federal Works Agency to pay for plans and specifications for a new Cornish-Burton building of 12 classrooms and supplementary rooms. That such a building is very much needed to replace the two antiquated wooden buildings is clear to all. We expect to present the plans to the Town for consideration as soon as building costs recede from the extraordinary peak they have now reached and again show some de- gree of stability. It is clear, however, that if it should be decided to construct a new Cornish-Burton building of not more than 12 classrooms, this would be only a partial answer to our problem since a building of this size would house scarcely more than the number of pupils already housed there in the 11 classrooms. You are referred to the following report of the Superintendent of Schools for data showing the trend of growth in school popula- tion and the indicated date when further facilities will be required.
Respectfully submitted,
E. HAROLD DONOVAN, Chairman FANNIE T. ROWELL, Secretary DAVID A. CAPPANNARI WILLIAM E. CURTIN
WILLIAM H. ARMSTRONG RALPH WEAVER
Plymouth School Committee
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RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY MEMBERS OF PLYMOUTH SCHOOL COMMITTEES, FEBRUARY, 1948
WHEREAS, Mrs. Fannie T. Rowell has served the Town of Plymouth during the past twenty-five years as a member of its School Committee and as the Commit- tee's Secretary for the entire period, during which time we, the present and former members of the School Com- mittee undersigned, have been witnesses of the valuable service she has rendered and;
WHEREAS, Mrs. Rowell now finds it necessary to re- linquish the responsibilities of service on the School Committee,
BE IT RESOLVED, that we convey to her an express- ion of our good will, of our highest esteem, of our most sincere appreciation of her eminently fair judgments, of her steadfast adherence to high standards and ideals in the administration of our public schools, and of her long continued devotion to the educational interests of the boys and girls of Plymouth, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we express ", Mrs. Rowell our earnest hope that her customary vigor will be restored and that in the years ahead she may enjoy the deep satisfactions that come to a citizen who has served the public interest so ably, conscientiously, and honorably through so many years.
Former Members: Present Members:
Frederick D. Bartlett Edward R. Belcher Ellis W. Brewster A. Perry Richards Harry W. Burns Francis E. LeBaron
E. Harold Donovan, Chm. David A. Cappannari
William E. Curtin
William H. Armstrong
Ralph C. Weaver
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Members of the School Committee:
It is a pleasure indeed to submit for your consideration a report dealing with certain changes required to meet changed conditions and with certain evidences of pro- gress made in our schools during 1947. I am also em- phasizing several important needs with which we are confronted.
INEVITABLE GROWTH IN SCHOOL POPULATION
By a strange coincidence our elementary school en- rollment in December 1947 was identical with our enroll- ment in December 1946, namely 1204 pupils. Our Junior and Senior High School membership shows twenty-two more pupils than one year ago. We should not be put at ease by the fact that our elementary membership showed no increase during 1947. Plymouth will not be deprived of the exceptional growth in school population that in- evitably follows a war period. Our births in Plymouth during the past two years when contrasted with those in the previous ten years show incontrovertible evidence. The average number of births in Plymouth for the dec- ade 1936 to 1945 was 203. However, the year 1946 brought 266 births and 1947 brought 329. Table I below shows the number of births by years for the decade 1938-47 as well as the estimated number of births for the next six years 1948-53 inclusive. In forecasting the births for the latter six years I have projected the Plymouth birth rates by applying the same variations that appeared in the Mass. birth rate during a similar period following World War I. At that time the peak of the birth rate was reached in 1920 and 1921, two or three years after the close of the war. The 1947 birth rate promises to be the peak follow- ing World War II as marriages in Plymouth in 1947 were about 10% less than in 1946.
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Table I. Births in Plymouth for Ten-Year Period 1938- 1947, and Forecast of Births for Six-Year Per- iod 1948-1953.
1938
190
1946
266
1939
176
1947
329
1940
201
1948
296
1941
202
1949
292
1942
226
1950
299
1943
252
1951
303
1944
221
1952
282
1945
176
1953
271
Table II. Approximate Relation of Births to Grade En- rollments.
(Plymouth experience over a period of years shows the following relation between grade enrollment in any year and the number of births from 6 to 11 years earlier).
Grade I
119% of births 6 years earlier
Grade II
105% of births 7 years earlier
Grade III
101% of births 8 years earlier
Grade IV
98% of births 9 years earlier
Grade V
96% of births 10 years earlier
Grade VI
92% of births 11 years earlier
Table III. Forecast of Elementary Enrollments from 1948-1959, also of the Number of Classrooms needed to Accomodate These Enrollments.
Enrollments
Classrooms Needed **
1948 - 1208
41
1949 - 1281
44
1950 - 1308
44
1951 -- 1297
44
1952
1375
47
1953
- 1516
52
1954 - - 1582
54
1955 - 1623
55
1956 - 1701
58
1957 - 1821
62
1958 - 1829
62
1959 - 1769
60
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* Enrollments forecasted for 1954 to 1959 are based on estimated births during the period 1948 to 1953.
** On basis of 30 pupils per classroom as an average plus two rooms for 30 practical arts pupils.
ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS NEEDED BY SEPTEMBER 1952
On the basis of the pupil-teacher ratio used, namely 30 pupils to the teacher as average, we are now in 1948 short by four classrooms since we have but 37 full-size classrooms in our seven elementary buildings. These in- clude one basement room. This situation accounts for our relatively high pupil-teacher ratios. We now have 28 classes over 30 and ten classes under 30.
NEW CORNISH-BURTON
As indicated in the School Committee's report of last year a very urgent school building need is the replace- ment of the two old wooden buildings known as the Cornish-Burton School by a modern building. Unfort- unately the size of a new Cornish-Burton School is re- stricted by the size of lots available or that can be made available. Eecause of the irregular terrain in this part of the village and because of the density of population a site of suitable area for a large sixteen or twenty-room elementary building cannot be provided without an ex- cessive expenditure for grading and for the purchasing of taxable property. A building with twelve classrooms on the first and second floors and probably two or three classrooms on the basement floor if contours are such as to permit of a well lighted basement floor seems to be as large a building as we can hope to provide for in this area. Even then play areas and areas for landscaping to make the building attractive would be very limited. This section however has the largest school population and the children attending this school are much in need of a modern building and equipment.
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NEW COLD SPRING
A new elementary building of eight classrooms and supplementary rooms is indicated for the Cold Spring area because of the following circumstances: First, a building in that location can readily relieve the pressure on both the Cornish-Burton and the Hedge buildings. Second, the Cold Spring area is growing in school pop- ulation and the prospects are that the growth will be even greater in the next several years. Third, the pres- ent building is extremely old and is located on a much traveled artery. Fourth, the town owns in that area a spacious site, formerly known as the Murray lot. This has approaches from three streets and is adequate for enlarging the school building as occasion may require and for suitable play areas.
BUILDING NEEDS BY 1958
In considering the forecast of increasing enrollments in our elementary grades for the next twelve years, it must be borne in mind that there are factors that might affect the forecast very materially. The birth rate may decrease more rapidly than it did in Massacuhsetts after the first World War. Industrial conditions may change so that more families with children will move to Plym- outh or away from Plymouth than has been the case in the past decade or two. There may be the continuance of the decentralizing movement of the population away from our larger centers out into the smaller communities such as Plymouth. Indications of such trends will re- qu re study during the next several years. In the mean t.me plans should be made for the erection of two new elementary buildings as indicated above. A new and larger school for the Manomet area may be required as well as an addition to the Mount Pleasant providing not only classrooms but an assembly hall which that school very much needs. The extent of our growth and the lo- cation of new housing developments will be the factors that will determine the location of our new elementary buildings as well as the order in which they should be
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constructed. The indicated needs in Table III suggest the possibilities that we face in regard to school housing 1 equi: ements for our younger pupils. The new buildings and additions suggested above would furnish about 19 of the 25 new classrooms required by 1958 if the element- ary population should reach the number forecasted for 1958.
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL
Several of our teachers who have rendered worthy service in the Plymouth schools for many years resigned during 1947. Miss Flora Keene, teacher in the Knapp School from 1912-21, in the Alden Street School 1921-26, and in the Cornish School grade 2 for the past twenty- one ears, retired after a total of thirty-five years as teacher in Plymouth. Mrs. Helen Perrier Muthig, a member of the Plymouth staff since 1922, resigned as teacher of grade 3 at the Cornish in order to be married. Mrs. Muthig continues in her position as Director of Americanization. Mrs. Beatrice Garvin, supervisor of physical education in elementary schools from 1924-34, adding the Junior High School girls in 1934, and from 1939 giving full time to the Junior and Senior High School girls, was granted a leave of absence in the fall because of her health and later resigned. Miss Katherine Lang, teacher of commercial subjects in the High School for the past seventeen years, resigned to accept a similar position in Haverhill.
Four other teachers who have been with us for shorter periods terminated their services in June. Mrs. Emma Anderson, teacher of grades 1 and 2 at Manomet for the past two years and earlier in various elementary schools in Plymouth, resigned because of home duties. Miss Eleanor Anifantis, Supervisor of Vocal Music for the past two years, resigned because of home ties and ac- cepted a position in Winchester. Mrs. Dorothy Morton Sturtevant, teacher of primary grades at the Hedge for the past two years, resigned to be married. Mrs. Edith Matthews of Wareham, who taught grade 1 at the Hedge during 1946-47, resigned to take a school near home.
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Miss Evelyn Peck, teacher of grade 4 at the Hedge, was granted a leave of one year for the purpose of further study at Concordia Teachers College. Mrs. Marjorie Viets was granted a leave for the fall term on account of her health. Mrs. Marie Southwell Amaral, clerk at the Cornish since 1945, resigned in November, her place be- ing taken by Mrs. Barbara Raymond Bissonnette, class of 1947, Plymouth High School.
New appointments were made as follows: Miss Max- ine Swett, formerly at Mt. Pleasant, to grade 3 Hedge; Miss Mary Connolly, formerly a teacher in high schools of Hanover and Boston, to the social studies position in Senior High taking the place of Mrs. Helen Bagnall, who was transferred to the commercial department; Mrs. Amedea Parkhurst, formerly a teacher at Cornish, to grade 2 Hedge; Mrs. Jeanette Shaw of Carver, and form- erly teacher in Attleboro, to grade 4 at Hedge as substi- tute for Miss Peck; Mrs. Rose Watkins, formerly teacher in Winthrop, to Oak Street grades 1 and 2; Mrs. Evelyn Gellatly, formerly teacher at North Adams Training School, to grade 3 Burton; Miss Ann McNamara of Hav- erhill and graduate of Bridgewater Teachers College 1947 to grades 1 and 2 Manomet; Mrs. Frances Picard, formerly supervisor of music in Plymouth to the position vacated by Miss Eleanor Anifantis; Mrs. Gladys Higgins, formerly teacher at Mt. Pleasant, to the position of assis- tant in grade 1 at Manomet; Miss Jeanne Fabian, a grad- uate of Posse School of physical education in 1947, as substitute supervisor of physical education for girls; and, Mrs. Jean Patenaude, formerly teacher of English in the Junior High School, as substitute for Mrs. Marjorie Viets in English and Latin.
Transfers were made as follows; Mrs. Olga Anderson, grade 2 Hedge, to grade 1; Miss Dorothy Judkins, grade 2 and 3 Burton, to grade 2; and, Miss Janet Broadbent, grades 1 and 2 Oak Street, to grades 2 and 3 Cornish.
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VETERAN'S EDUCATION
The Veteran's Education Center at the High School was continued throughout 1947. Classes are held on Mon- day and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. The pur- pose is to serve the veteran's education needs in Plym- outh, Carver, Kingston, Duxbury, and other nearby towns. 'Classes are conducted on the tutorial self-study basis. The state pays instructors and provides outlines, the town of residence furnishes textbooks, and Plymouth furnishes the meeting place.
Since the veteran's educational interest is in refresher work for higher schooling and the obtaining of credits for a high school diploma, the subjects being offered are: English, U. S. history, Algebra, geometry, basic mathe- matics, chemistry, and physics. Mario Romano is serving as instructor-coordinator and is being assisted by Arthur Pyle and Carlo Guidoboni as instructors.
Up-to-date, ninety-eight veterans have enrolled in the school. Of these many have taken subjects not for credit but for refresher purposes. Others have enrolled for the purpose of keeping up an interest in school with the hope of entering higher training schools sometime in the future. Twenty-six have gone on from the regional center to colleges or technical schools, eight have re- ceived high school diplomas, and fifteen are continuing to work for them.
DRIVER EDUCATION
The course in Driver Education and Training being given by Richard Smiley of the High School staff has as its principal object the saving of lives and reducing in- juries through the teaching of safe-driving practices. The main emphasis is on developing right attitudes in pupils who are beginning to drive and the secondary object is to teach the the skills and technique needed in driving. The fact that drivers in the sixteen-to twenty-year group have the worst accident record of any age group ex- plains the need for the course during the senior high years. Carefully obtained statistics show that such train-
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ing definitely reduces accidents in this age group as much as fifty per cent.
In Plymouth High School, this course is planned to cover a half-year, with two and a half points credit being given toward graduation. Each class has two periods a week of classroom instruction and three periods of actual driving instruction, observation, and practice. Any pupil sixteen years of age or over may take the course. Forty- four pupils elected it during the first half year. The na- ture of the work is such that the classes must necessarily be kept small ..
While it is difficult as yet to appraise fully the results of this course, it seems evident that the pupils are de- veloping good safety attitudes and it is probable that at the conclusion of the course many of them will have ac- quired sufficient driving to pass the state drivers' test and secure their licenses, if they wish to do so. In fact in the first group to try the test for a license, 13 of the 14 pupils taking the test were successful, and 33 of 39 pupils who took the written examination received a mark of 80% or better.
IN AID OF OTHERS
Junior Red Cross
During the year 1947, the Junior Red Cross has sent candy and holiday favors to the West Roxbury General . Hospital.
Small articles such as soap, toothpaste, pencils, cray- ons, and similar things have been collected in the ele- mentary schools for gift boxes which are sent to Europ- ean children.
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