USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1948 > Part 16
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Of the 100 pupils in attendance, ninety were present twenty or more sessions of the twenty-nine held. A gain of one-half year or more was made by fifty-six pupils in one or more subjects. An additional fifteen pupils gained at least one-third of a year. Eighty-six of the group were marked "B" or better. The teaching staff was composed of Mrs. Susan Beauregard, principal and teacher of mathe- matics; Mrs. Miriam Raymond, teacher of English and spelling; and Mrs. Alice Graeme-Harrison, teacher of reading and mathematics. The results obtained in this summer session offer good evidence of its value.
DRIVER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
During the second year of our Driver Training Course, 59 pupils have been enrolled. All pupils passed the writ- ten tests prepared by the Registry of Motor Vehicles, most of them with a grade of 80% or over. Of 52 pupils who took the state driving test, 49 secured operators' li-
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censes. The time spent in behind-the-wheel driving has averaged about six hours per pupil, and the average distance driven by each pupil was approximately 50 miles.
Co-operating agencies that reduce the cost of this course to the Town are the following: the Registry of Mo- tor Vehicles, which loans testing apparatus and films; the Pontiac Motor Company and American Automobile Asso- ciation, through which agencies we obtain the loan of the car without charge; and the Bailey Motor Sales Company, which garages the car without charge. The Park Depart- ment has allowed the use of Stephens Field for most of the preliminary driving instruction.
IN AID OF OTHERS
Junior Red Cross
During the year 1948, the Junior Red Cross has used some of its funds to purchase small school supplies for children in Europe where these articles are difficult to purchase. Some materials have been made for the com- fort of hospitalized soldiers.
The annual drive for membership was deferred this year to January, 1949. Membership fees usually amount to about $150. It is hoped that permission can be secured from National Headquarters to use some of our funds for useful work within our own community.
Crusade For Children
The annual all-school music nights held on June 3 by the Junior and Senior High Schools and on June 9 by the elementary schools, took the form of a benefit. The pro- ceeds of the nominal admission fee were donated to the Crusade For Children, a relief measure under the direc- tion of the United Nations Organization. The sum of $152.19 realized for this purpose was increased by pupils of the Mount Pleasant School to a total of $159.33.
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Clothing Collection
The annual clothing collection made in October for use of needy children of Europe and for less favored children in our own country, yielded 1800 pounds, making the total collection during the past six years of 11, 519 pounds or nearly six tons. The distribution of clothing is made by the national organization known as "Save The Chil- dren Federation."
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCH
Elementary school lunches have been maintained in three schools during the year, namely, the Cornish- Burton, Hedge, and Manomet. Larger numbers of pupils have participated this year, there being 164 at Cornish, 90 at Hedge, and 63 at Manomet. Principal Donald Welch of the Cornish-Burton District is business manager of the lunch, and Mrs. Richard Smiley is in charge of pre- paring the lunches at the Cornish preparation center. From this point the food is transported to the other buildings.
The full government subsidy of nine cents a meal was restored in September. With the exception of the cost of equipment, which is provided by the Town and Fed- eral School Lunch Program, our cash income from pupils, teachers, and the Federal Government has now fully cov- ered our expenditures for the five-year period 1943 to 1948.
PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT
Standardized Tests in the Elementary Grades
Along with those fundamental attitudes and qualities needed by our pupils for social living, and which the school tries to help develop in our children, our schools have the very definite responsibility of helping pupils acquire the knowledge and the skills in the "tool subjects" that are required for further education and for successful living. In May of each school year, standardized tests are
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given to determine the achievement and growth of each pupil in the basic subjects. Incidentally, the results, when averaged, indicate whether our pupils are "up-to- standard" on the several grade levels. The results answer the question, "Do our pupils progress as rapidly, on the average, as do the thousands of pupils in various parts of the country who have taken these tests, and together have established the standards?"
In May, 1948, our pupils in grades 1 and 2 were given the Metropolitan tests, form R, and those in grades 3 to 6 were given the Stanford tests, form G. The results on the various grade levels were encouraging. Grade 1 tested, on the average, at the exact test standard of achievement. Grades 2 to 6, inclusive, tested, on the aver- age, above the test standard as follows: grade 2, 3 months; grade 3, 1 month; grade 4, 2 months; grade 5, 4 months; grade 6, 6 months. These over-all results achieved by pupils in the "tool subjects" give evidence of the qual- ity of work being done in this important phase of the school program by our elementary teachers.
Standardized Tests in Grade 10
Prior to the middle of the first year in Senior High School, our sophomore class was given a series of tests on its standing in the fundamental phases of language and arithmetic mastery. These tests are given and scored by the Testing Service of Boston University. They include the following tests in the language field: grammar and diction, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure and spelling. The tests in arithmetic include those in the four fundamental processes.
The results of these two series of tests given in Decem- ber, 1948, showed the Plymouth sophomore class to be one point above the standardized scores achieved by sophomore classes in New England high schools in gram- mar and diction, capitalization and spelling. In sentence structure, our pupils were at test standard, and in punc-
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tuation they were two points below. In the arithmetic series, Plymouth pupils were substantially above test standards in all four of the fundamental processes.
School Competitions
That our Plymouth pupils show relative proficiency in some other phases of educational development than in the "Three R's" is evidenced in certain state and regional competitions. I refer to such occasions as the Eastern Massachusetts Musical Festival held in Brockton in the spring when our girls' High School choral groups and the Junior High Band were given the rating of "superior." Another instance was the Regional Physical Education Demonstration held in Brockton in the spring term, when both the boys' and girls' divisions from our Senior High School were awarded "highest honors" in a 6-town com- petition.
SCHOOL EXPENDITURES IN PLYMOUTH
Even though our school appropriations were increased in 1947 and 1948, the cost of supporting the Plymouth schools, when compared with the costs in twenty-four Massachusetts towns ordinarily used for comparison, show the Plymouth costs to be below the median. This is true on all indexes: the school tax rate, the portion of the total municipal tax that is devoted to schools, and the expenditure per pupil.
The towns included in the accompanying table are the twelve next larger than Plymouth and the twelve next smaller in population and having the same plan of school organization as Plymouth; namely, the elementary, junior high and senior high schools. Though ten of the towns used for these comparisons are wealthier than Plymouth on the basis of the State valuation per pupil, there are fourteen that are less wealthy. Your attention is called to Plymouth's relative standing in the accompanying table.
COMPARATIVE DATA ON SCHOOL EXPENDITURES - PLYMOUTH AND 24 MASS. TOWNS (12 Next Larger and 12 Next Smaller Having Elementary, Junior, and Senior High Schools)
1947-48
1947
(School Year)
1945 Pop.
1947 Equalized Valuation Per Pupil (1)
1947 (Fiscal Year) School Tax (2)
Per Cent School Tax is of Total Tax
Expenditure for School Support Per Pupil
Belmont
28866
Swampscott
$18672 Northbridge
$26.05
Northbridge
63.5 % Norwood
$240.23
Framingham
25502
Wellesley
18342
Athol
22.11
W. Spring.
50.6
Wellesley
225.29
Milton
21718
Norwood
16491
Shrewsbury
21.14
Bridgewater
49.6 Swampscott
211.61
w. Spring.
19453
Winchester
15631
Bridgewater
19.63
Shrewsbury
48.0
Belmont
209.77
Winthrop
18696
Milton
15396
Rockland
19.31
Needham
47.0
Winchester
201.65
Wellesley
17581
Belmont
15275
Adams
18.56
Winthrop
46.4
Milton
195.53
Greenfield
17020
Greenfield
15039
Reading
18.27
Adams
46.4
W. Spring.
192.56
Norwood
16508
Andover
14363
Natick
17.27
Reading
46.4
Needham
191.63
Natick
15789
Webster
13408
Winthrop
17.16
Athol
45.1
Andover
186.85
Winchester
15300
Marblehead
12524
Webster
16.07
Belmont
44.7
Reading
182.36
Needham
14507
Plymouth
11935
Stoneham
14.93
Natick
43.6
Webster
180.35
Lexington
14452
W. Spring.
11912
Needham
14.80 Rockland
41.1
Shrewsbury
180.22
*Plymouth
13536 Needham
11830 W. Spring.
14.77 Andover
40.5
Lexington
177.08
Webster
13534 Framingham
11791 Marblehead
14.22 Lexington
38.3
Marblehead
173.02
Adams
12724
Lexington
11590 Plymouth
13.92
Wellesley
37.7
Framingham
170.39
Marblehead
12524
Stoneham
10288
Belmont
13.85
Winchester
37.5
Greenfield
170.27
Reading
12327
Winthrop
9445
Lexington
13.77
Greenfield
37.4
Plymouth
164.05
Stoneham
12032
Reading
9331
Framingham
13.72
Marblehead
37.4
Stoneham
160.84
Andover
11920
Adams
8956
Greenfield
13.48
Milton
35.4
Natick
160.40
Swampscott
11835
Natick
8890
Andover
13.37
Norwood
35.4
Winthrop
155.83
Athol
11804
Rockland
8753
Norwood
13.10
Framingham
34.3
Athol
150.23
Northbridge
10212
Athol
8354
Wellesley
12.35
Plymouth
33.1
Rockland
148.59
Shrewsbury
9296
Northbridge
8317
Winchester
12.30
Webster
32.1
Northbridge
142.13
Bridgewater
8641
Shrewsbury
8030
Milton
11.81 Stoneham
32.0
Adams
136.38
Rockland
8603
Bridgewater
6818
Swampscott
10.79
Swampscott
30.8
Bridgewater
112.27
* Median
13536
$11830
$14.77
40.5%
$177.08
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(1) Valuation established by State for five-year period 1946-1950.
(2) Local tax per $1,000 for school support (not including outlay).
(Fiscal Year)
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STATE-AID MEASURES
For many years Massachusetts has contributed rela- tively little from the State Treasury to the support of local schools. Until 1948 our local communities received only about 9% of the school costs from the State, while other states have been paying from one-third to one-half or more of local school costs, the national average now being about 40%.
It has been clear for some time that two important objectives can be accomplished through larger state aid in Massachusetts. First, by substantially increased state aid, the less wealthy communities could provide at least a reasonably satisfactory basic program of educational opportunities for their children. Second, through larger state taxation for school support, the tax load now borne almost wholly by local real-estate taxpayers could be lightened since the State has a wide variety of tax re- sources not available to the local communities. If, as normally assumed, it is to the general benefit of the Com- monwealth that its children and youths be guaranteed adequate schooling wherever they may reside, it seems reasonable that the financial support of education should be shared by the population of the Commonwealth gen- erally.
Transportation Aid
Three state-aid laws have been enacted by the Massa- chusetts Legislature during the past two years that in- crease state aid from about 9% to about 17% of the total amount expended for support of schools. The first of these measures is the transportation-aid law enacted in 1947. (Chap. 680, Acts of 1947). Since Plymouth's trans- portation expense is relatively large, we receive a rela- tively large amount of aid from this source. This is paid from the proceeds of the State income tax and amounted in 1947 to $6,841.85, and in 1948, to $10,185.27.
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General Aid
In 1948, the General Court enacted Chapter 643, which repealed existing aid laws and adds about nine and one- half million dollars to the six millions of state aid dis- tributed in 1948. Under the new law, effective Jan. 1, 1949, these funds come from a pooling of various financial resources used for school aid heretofore, including the income from the Massachusetts school fund and the pro- ceeds of the State income tax. To these resources will be added any federal aid that Massachusetts may receive as a result of any new federal-aid-to-education laws. The major present resource is the State income tax receipts, which have increased measurably during the past several years. Plymouth will receive in 1949 as school aid under Chapter 643, the sum of $34,687.00 as compared with $18,055.00 received from the same sources in 1948 as re- imbursement for teachers' salary payments under Chap- ter 70. These increased receipts for schools under Chapter 643 are to be paid in November and taken into account by the assessors in establishing the tax rate for 1949.
School-building Aid
What is perhaps the most important new State-aid law -at least for the immediate future - is Chapter 645, Acts of 1948. This law provides aid to communities for plan- ning and constructing new school buildings and additions to present buildings. The amount of aid to Plymouth will be 26%. Wealthier communities will receive less, the minimum being 20%. The less wealthy communities will receive more, up to a maximum of 55% in the case of regional schools in rural areas.
From these indications of a new interest in larger state aid for schools in Massachusetts, it would appear that the movement in this direction may continue until the State reaches a percentage contribution toward the support of schools that will compare favorably with the contribu- tions made by other states.
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In conclusion, may I ask your consideration of the various specific needs and achievements of the several schools and departments of the Plymouth school system as set forth in the following reports of the principals, supervisors, and directors. It is obviously impossible to meet all of the apparent needs in one year or two. My hope is that each year may make a worthy contribution to the progress of the schools and that the educational opportunities open to our young people may thereby become increasingly helpful to them and to our commu- nity.
Respectfully submitted,
BURR F. JONES
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REPORT OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Five years ago, in the winter of 1943-44, most school men were looking forward to this time in the fond hope that by now the war would be well behind us and prob- lems imposed by war well on the way to liquidation. The present reality falls far short of that hope.
In the teaching of Science (Physics, Chemistry, Bi- ology, etc.) we lived from hand to mouth because of war- time restrictions on chemicals and similar supplies, because of stringencies in equipment as a result of scarcity of materials, or priorities favoring either indus- tries or the college laboratories. So we exhausted reserve supplies, used up old equipment - depleted our slender resources. In the years since the war ended mounting costs have worked against us with the result that much that is desirable is still denied our students. An inventory made within this department discloses that instructors are limited in their presentation of recent scientific ad- vancements (material necessary for successful progress in college and in industry) to demonstrations by analogue or with old out-moded devices that at best give only a partial comprehension of the principles and procedures involved. Comparison with up-to-date high school labora- tories shows the extent of the deprivation imposed on our pupils. Our orders during the last two years have resulted in a stop-gap, piece-meal approach to this problem. We need assurance that we can carry out an organized, in- tegrated purchasing program to rehabilitate the depart- ment on a sound basis.
Prior to the war we made a modest start in establishing a guidance program, and during the war were fortunate enough to lay the foundation for implementing it when we were given permission to use the services of the Boston University Testing Service to determine the mental powers and probable aptitudes and interests of our pupils.
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To utilize to the fullest extent the advantages of such test-result knowledge depended upon the assignment of trained teachers to guidance responsibilities, and it was hoped that with the war's end and the return of our staff members from service, that this step could be taken. However, to release teachers from classroom responsibili- ties means that other teachers, if available, must be assigned to cover classes, or hired if the present staff, as is the case, already has full schedules. In this connection, the Department of Education says that there should be a minimum of one full-time counsellor to every 500 pupils, which means that any teacher released from class- room duties for one period per day cannot be expected to assume responsibility for more than 80 pupils. The foregoing, extended to cover our whole school, would mean that we should either assign six teachers from the present staff (assuming that we have six trained in guid- ance) and hire a teacher or teachers to cover classes thus left vacant, or else hire a director of guidance, responsible for nothing but guidance, and for all the guidance within the school. Our present make-shift arrangement looks far better than it actually is, and at times, I suspect, creates a much greater feeling of confidence than is war- ranted by the facts.
Yet despite the lacks and the handicaps implied in the preceding paragraphs, the school last year prepared and presented a Career Day to help the pupils orient them- selves in regard to future jobs, and a Science Fair to display achievement already made in that field. Both were well received by students and by the general public, and the consensus seems to be that they were more than moderately successful. The school is indebted to Roland Darling, Director of Placement at Bryant & Stratton School, for obtaining the professional and industrial lead- ers who talked to the different vocational groups, and to Mr. Packard, Mr. Guidoboni, and Mr. Young of our Science Department, for organizing and directing the
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Fair. The Rotary Club, which sponsored our Career Day, deserves our special thanks.
Plans are now in process for a Career Day this coming April and for a Science Fair sometime prior to the Boston exhibit and competition in May in which we hope to take part. We feel that both these events will surpass last year's efforts-at least we are working to that end.
The college admissions problem is still with us although the G.I. pressure is greatly relieved. We shall, however, continue the special classes established last year to mini- mize chances of rejection, and we expect to establish more fruitful personal contacts with admissions officers and their staffs in order to insure most favorable consid- eration for our candidates. The regional conferences of College Deans and High School Principals, and the Asso- ciation of New England Colleges and Secondary Schools, which we have attended or sent representatives to, explain to a degree our success in placing our graduates in some institution of higher education. To neglect these contacts is to endanger the admission prospects of our college candidates.
Last year the pupils of the school, realizing the hard- ships to which the children of Europe were being sub- jected, out of the goodness of their hearts, decided to do what they could to help these poor unfortunates. As a result, before the school year ended in June each home- room in the building had sent abroad at least five CARE packages. Some of the rooms sent six - and in all, the school's contributions totalled nearly $1,000.00 This, from the slender resources of the children's pocket money, speaks volumes for their awareness of social responsibili- ties, for their realization of a greater degree of world unity. It is a fine tribute to the soundness and strength of their principles and character.
This year, following much the same procedure, they are raising money to help the Amputees - those young
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people who, in the service of our country, lost an arm, or leg, or eye, or some other part or member of their bodies. The student body feels that it would like to do as much for our own people as was done last year for the people of Europe.
So much attention has already been given to the trip our Girls' Glee Club made to New York City at Thanks- giving time that I shall mention it only briefly here. There were in all fifty-seven members in the party and they spent two days in New York, singing at the Grand Central Terminal on both days, and being photographed, televised, etc., for general publicity purposes. The girls acquitted themselves well in all respects; were excellent representatives of all that we particularly take pride in; reflected great credit upon not only our school, but our town. Reports of this project have come to us from towns scattered all over the country - from Oregon, Idaho, Kentucky, California, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, as well as those states nearer to us. Our sincere thanks to all who helped to make this possible.
EDGAR J. MONGAN, Principal
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REPORT OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
During the first term of the present school year 636 pupils were enrolled, 31 more than during the same period a year ago. The increased number of students necessitated a greater number of classes and caused some congestion. For example, one teacher travels from room to room on the three floors and is seldom in the same room for two consecutive periods. He is handicapped by not having equipment always at hand or blackboard space satisfactorily available. These and other problems arising from an enrollment such as this, point to the need for additional classroom space.
The library, too, must serve as a classroom. It should be open only to library classes and supervised study groups.
The shops have not adequately met our present needs. Neither instructor has had a spare moment and their full schedules forced the elimination of classes in drafting for the ninth grade vocational group.
Some relief is anticipated because a smaller seventh grade will enter in September. By maintaining a teaching staff of the same number and rearranging assignments, it should be possible to restore drafting in Grade 9 and introduce it in Grade 8, to expand the remedial reading and guidance programs, and to use the library more often for the purposes intended. Some provision for corrective work might also be made in the physical education de- partment.
The appointment of a resident music teacher has re- sulted in an uninterrupted program. The appointee was helped immeasurably by Mrs. Martina McDonald Driscoll, supervisor of music, State Department of Education, who devoted six full days to supervising, advising, and
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demonstrating. The service was unusual and deeply appreciated.
During Education Week more than 200 parents conferred with teachers. The conference demands upon an instruc- tor who is in charge of many different classes are too great to allow full satisfaction in the brief interviews that can be given in one evening. Next fall we plan to have two Parents' Nights.
Attention is called to the constantly expanding educa- tional and vocational guidance services offered by the school. The combined efforts of the entire staff are dedi- cated to helping boys and girls formulate intelligent plans for the future and to make satisfactory school adjust- ments. The emphasis here is on the pupil - how he can best get to know himself, his interests, his aptitudes, and his abilities. In our society mere knowledge and skill are no longer sufficient. Shortcomings such as lack of self- control, courtesy, honesty, and dependability are not tolerated. Schools and employers demand good social adaptability as indispensable for educational and occu- pational success. To that end, character traits are empha- sized as being as important as skill and training for vocational success.
In April of the present year, the Student Council will sponsor a Pupil-Parent-Teacher Night. This, coming just previous to the making of program choices, will provide parents of eighth and ninth grade pupils with a chance to hear problems discussed at general and group meet- ings, and they will have an opportunity to consult home- room teachers if further advice is desired. This is part of the guidance program, a program which should be further strengthened by an adequate testing program for which an allowance is recommended.
MARY M. DOLAN,
Principal
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