USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1957 > Part 12
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT
REIMBURSEMENTS AND RECEIPTS
From the Commonwealth:
1. General aid for public schools $58,672.39
2. Aid for specific purposes
(1) Transportation
36,816.65
(2) Vocational Tuition
1,042.32
(3) Vocational Transportation 505.83
(4) Special Classes
15,747.74
(5) Americanization Salaries
337.50
(6) Pottery School
207.95
3. Tuition, State Wards
1,403.15
From Other Sources:
1. Tuition, Pottery School
295.05
2. Miscellaneous Receipts
1,870.89
$116,899.47
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EXPENDITURES
General Control
Salaries:
Superintendent
$9,300.00
Administrative Assistant
6,000.00
Superintendent's Office Clerks
8,154.87
Supervisor of Attendance
1,060.00
Office Supplies
835.52
Professional Books
179.79
Telephone
289.15
Travel Expense in State
224.38
Automobile Expense
400.00
School Committee Expenses
253.41
Out-of-State Travel
$200.00
200.00
Expenses of Instruction
Salaries:
Principals
$35,792.72
Supervisors
18,216.72
Regular Teachers
473,266.20
Substitute Teachers
6,458.07
Home Teachers
86.00
Summer School Teachers
850.00
Audubon Teachers
1,293.75
School Clerks
8,762.46
Text and Reference Books
11,034.90
Maps and Globes
488.97
General Supplies
14,199.25
Manual Training Supplies
2,811.51
Domestic Science Supplies
1,038.15
Typewriters and Supplies
1,938.04
Audio-Visual Supplies
1,146.50
Driver Training Expenses
709.39
Travelling Expenses of Prin., Teachers, Supvs.
383.25
Curriculum Study
224.40
$26,697.12
578,700.28
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Operation of School Plant
Salaries of Custodians
$38,275.00
Janitors' Supplies
3,208.50
Telephones
1,350.18
Removal of Rubbish, Ashes, and
Snow
2.00
Coal and Oil
19,234.76
Gas
1,235.86
Lights
7,083.00
70,389.30
Maintenance of School Plant
Salary of Supv. of School Buildings $5,250.00
Miscellaneous Repairs and
Improvements 7,827.49
New Floors at Hedge School
1,169.50
Lighting at Hedge School
2,800.00
Painting Exterior of Mt. Pleasant School .
1,045.00
Heating Controls at Hedge School
3,337.00
Emergency Repairs at Cornish- Burton School
2,234.59
Repairs to Equipment
669.09
Truck Expense
410.66
Replacement of Desks and Chairs
4,999.30
Replacement of Window Shades
395:15
Replacement of Equipment
1,636.49
31,774.27
Auxiliary Agencies
Promotion of Health:
Salaries
$13,248.18
Medical Supplies
167.39
Nurse's Car Expense
375.81
Libraries
1,033.27
Public School Transportation
49,995.60
Private School Transportation
1,444.75
Tuition
890.00
Athletic and Band Expenses
3,700.00
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School Lunch Expenses
1,600.00
High School Graduation Expenses
430.78
Salaries of Noon Supervisors
4,353.45
77,239.23
Outlay
Filing Equipment
$676.38
New Equipment
1,832.99
2,509.37
Vocational Education
Tuition
$2,593.57
Transportation
849.00
3,442.57
Adult Education
Salaries:
Americanization Teachers
$675.00
Evening School Teachers,
Custodians, Clerk
1,811.30
Pottery Teacher
1,031.28
3,517.58
Replacement of Nurse's Car
(Special Article)
$1,388.47
1,388.47
Total
$795,858.19
Reimbursements and Receipts, account of schools 116,899.47
Net Expenditures for Schools, Exclusive of Building Program
$678,958.72
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Annual Report of School Committee and Superintendent of Schools
The two major school problems facing the Town of Plymouth are the provision for additional secondary school building facilities to accommodate increasing en- rollments and improved curriculum offerings, and the replacement of the Cornish-Burton Schools.
The final report of the School Study and Site Com- mittee, appointed following the March Town Meeting of 1955, was made at the Town Meeting of March, 1957, with the following recommendations being presented:
1. Build a new four-year high school on the 50 acres of land between Stafford Street and Braley Lane, the purchase of which was approved by the Town Meet- ing in March, 1956.
2. Use the present Junior-Senior High School building for a four-year intermediate school to house all pupils in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8.
3. Abandon the Cornish-Burton Schools.
4. Use the other elementary school buildings to care for the pupils in grades 1 through 4, including the pupils · from the present Cornish-Burton District.
A new committee consisting of five members was authorized at the March, 1957, Town Meeting to make another study of school needs, including a study of the advisability of a regional high school with the Town of Carver. This committee has been meeting regularly since August, 1957, and will make its report and recommenda- tions at the March, 1958, Town Meeting.
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School-Plant Improvements
During 1957, the following major improvements were made in the school buildings:
1. Emergency repairs in the Cornish-Burton School were required by the State Building Inspector. Four new ceilings were installed as well as bracing and ties in the Cornish attic to strengthen the framework of that building.
2. All exterior wood trim was painted on the Mt. Pleas- ant School.
3. At the Hedge School, two new floors were installed, automatic heating controls were completed for four classrooms, and the new fluorescent lighting, started in 1956, was finished in 1957.
The School Committee is asking for funds for the following plant improvements for 1958:
HEDGE: ($3200)
Two new floors Repairs, outside doors Paint and repair basement
MT. PLEASANT: ($1050)
New incinerator Repair chimney flashing's Install new fencing
COLD SPRING: ($2275)
Paint exterior trim Waterproofing wall of east wing Paint exterior
CAK STREET: ($800)
MANOMET: ($1200)
Repair wall around glass blocks in auditorium
SENIOR HIGH: ($1200)
Paint cupola and front of building
JUNIOR HIGH: ($2000)
Replace half of gutters
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JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH: ($6400)
Install new electric cable Modernize clock system Install fluorescent lights in 12 classrooms Replace heating traps
Professional Growth
Plymouth teachers have continued to add to their educational backgrounds. Many took advantage of the opportunity of enrolling in the Boston University-Harvard University course in "Audio-Visual Aids and Materials" which was completed in 1957. This was the sixth in a series of college courses offered in Plymouth during the past several years for the teachers of Plymouth and surrounding towns. Another course, "Teaching the Lan- guage Arts" will be given in Plymouth during the second semester of the present school year. In addition to en- rolling in these educational courses offered locally, many teachers have enrolled regularly in courses at Tufts, Northeastern, Clark, Harvard, Boston College, Boston University, and Bridgewater. During 1957, five teachers completed enough extra college courses to qualify for advanced degree status on the salary schedule. The ma- jority of the teachers are earning enough course credits to fulfill the School Committee requirements for regular step changes in the salary schedule.
Two State-wide conferences were held in Plymouth during the year. Principal Emmett Finck of the Cold Spring School was in charge of arrangements for a one- day conference of Special Class Teachers. Mr. Richard Smiley, Senior High School Driver Training Instructor, arranged for the annual conference of School Driver Trainer Instructors.
Several college professors were invited to lecture to Plymouth teachers. Dr. Fred Weaver of Boston Uni- versity and Miss Evelyn Lindquist of Bridgewater State
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Teachers College talked to teachers in connection with work on the revision of the arithmetic course of study. Dr. Fletcher Watson of Harvard, one of the leading sci- ence instructors in the State, discussed trends in the teaching of science in the elementary schools. Dr. Olive Niles, instructor at Boston University and Reading Con- sultant for the City of Springfield, Massachusetts, talked with the Junior-Senior High School staff on methods of meeting reading needs on the secondary school level. Four demonstrations in techniques of teaching reading were conducted on different grade levels by Miss Ethel Niergrath, Reading Consultant from Wesleyan University.
Curriculum Changes
Following a two-year study of the Junior-Senior High School curriculum, several changes have been made in course offerings. In September, 1957, Writers' Workshop, Fundamentals of Speech, Business Law, and Consumer Economics were added to the Senior High School curri- cula. An additional teacher was added to the Physical Education Department to work with both Junior and Senior High School students. The School Committee voted to lengthen the school day in the secondary schools, effective September, 1958, at which time the new school hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Summer School
Seventy-five boys and forty-six girls participated in the Plymouth Summer School program for grades 4 through 8. Classes were held in the Burton School from July 8 to August 16, 1957. The major purpose of the pro- gram is to remedy deficiencies and to convert failing grades to passing grades in reading, English, spelling, and arithmetic.
For the first time, a special course in remedial read- ing was offered to students needing this type of help. The results were most encouraging and it is expected that this program will be continued during the summer of 1958.
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Adult Education
This is the second year for the adult education courses in Plymouth. During the first two semesters, over 260 people took advantage of the courses offered.
At the present time, 133 students have completed the first semester's work in cake decorating, furniture refin- ishing, beginning sewing, intermediate sewing, jewelry making, intermediate shorthand, and typing. All but the last two courses are given 50 per cent reimbursement by the State.
A course under the sponsorship of the Plymouth Woman's Club was offered in silk screen painting.
Upon the request of members of the community, new courses in intermediate typing and Business English are being offered for the first time during the second semester.
Classes are held on Wednesday evening from 7 to 10 p.m., are usually limited to an enrollment of 20, and cost $1.00 for the registration fee.
During the school year, the Plymouth Junior-Senior High School is used extensively for the adult education classes and regular school activities as well as the sports- sponsored programs of the Council of Churches, Plymouth AA, St. Peter's Parish, and St. Mary's Parish. The Plym- outh Philharmonic Orchestra holds practices and three concerts a year and other organizations are granted per- mission for the use of these facilities. An effort has been made to make this school and others "community schools" in the student and adult life of our local citizens.
Parent-Teacher Associations
The past 10 years have shown an invigorating growth in Parent-Teacher Associations in Plymouth. This year, all of the elementary schools have had interested parents and teachers actively participating in varied PTA pro- grams that included guest experts in the fields of health, juvenile delinquency, audio-visual aids, testing, art, and science as well as activities centered around Christmas, American Education Week, auctions, and book fairs.
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During 1957, members provided valuable assistance in money and other aid to each of the elementary schools. Several hundred dollars were provided to finance field trips and to purchase library books and files and to pro- vide equipment for playground, audio-visual, and safety patrol needs. PTA mothers have helped to chaperone field trips, set up book fairs, and assist at various school clinics and services. Men of the Manomet PTA pur- chased and installed an inter-communication system for this school.
A PTA Council has been established and is moving toward a more effective consolidation of the work of these PTAs.
Current data on the Plymouth PTAs is listed below.
CORNISH-BURTON-OAK:
Organized 1949 - Membership 98
President - Mrs. Clyfton Chandler
Vice Presidents - Mr. Wesley Knight Mrs. Carl Stinnett
Corresponding Secretary - Mrs. Charles Edwards Recording Secretary - Mrs. Arthur Gordon
Treasurer - Mrs. Hyman Sherman
COLD SPRING:
Organized 1954 - Membership 127
President - Mrs. Beecher A. Clausson
Vice President - Mrs. Louis Muthig
Secretary - Mrs. David Brewer
Corresponding Secretary - Mrs. Royal Randall, Jr. Treasurer - Mrs. Joseph Giovanetti
HEDGE:
Organized 1949 - Membership 92
President - Mrs. Donald McLean
Vice President - Mrs. James Rae
Corresponding Secretary - Mrs. Nicholas Vernazzaro
Recording Secretary - Mrs. Edward Silva
Treasurer - Mrs. Leonard Reynolds
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MANOMET:
Organized 1950 - Membership 116
President - Mrs. Philip Godfrey
Vice President - Mr. Oscar Marsh
Secretary - Mrs. Mary Ellis
Treasurer - Mrs. Edward Karklin
MT. PLEASANT:
Organized 1948 - Membership 79
President - Mrs. Clifford Sampson
Vice President - Mr. James Caramello
Secretary - Mrs. Molly Skulsky
Treasurer - Mrs. Anthony Caramello
HOW MUCH OF THE TAX DOLLAR FOR SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS
32 %
MUNICIPAL
COSTS
68 %
It has been universally true that school costs cus- tomarily consume one-third to one-half of the tax dollar. The 32 per cent for the Public Schools of Plymouth reflects costs well within this national picture.
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HOW THE SCHOOL DOLLAR IS SPENT
General Administration:
This item includes the salaries of the superintendent of schools, administrative assistant, supervisor of attend- ance, personnel of the office of the superintendent, and expenses relative to the operation of this office.
Expenses of Instruction:
Text and reference books, maps and globes, work- books, general and specialized supplies, driver training, audio-visual, and other related instructional materials are included in this item.
Operation of Plant:
Approximately 9 cents out of the dollar covers cus- todial salaries and their supplies and other costs of oper- ation such as fuel, light and power, telephones, and gas.
Maintenance of Plant:
Repairs and replacements in maintaining our school plant cost approximately 4 cents out of every school dollar expended. It is accepted as sound economy to expend sufficient funds annually to keep the buildings in good repair, thus eliminating very costly appropriations for major replacements. This item also includes the salary of the supervisor of maintenance.
Auxiliary Services:
A large part of this item is the cost of transporting students to and from school. Other expenditures in this category are for school libraries, tuition, graduation, band, school lunches, athletics and physical education, and health services including the salaries of the medical and nursing staff.
Outlay:
This item includes desks and chairs, window shades, filing equipment, and other equipment such as projectors, commercial machines, laboratory apparatus, sewing ma- chines, etc.
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Vocational Education:
The cost of tuition and transportation for daytime and evening students participating in vocational programs in Quincy, Kingston, Weymouth, and New Bedford are included in this category.
Instructional Salaries:
This item includes salaries of all principals, super- visors, teachers, substitutes, and school clerks as well as the salaries of the Americanization, pottery and adult education programs.
HOW THE SCHOOL DOLLAR IS SPENT
GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
3€
EXPENSES OF INSTRUCTION
4¢
OPERATION OF PLANT
9¢
MAINTENANCE OF PLANT
4¢
AUXILIARY SERVICES
10¢
OUTLAY
12¢
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES
69¢
COMPARATIVE DATA ON SCHOOL EXPENDI TURES - PLYMOUTH AND 24 MASS. TOWNS (12 Next Larger and 12 Next Smaller having Elementary, Junior, and Senior High Schools) 1957 Tax Rate
1955 Pop.
Offi- cial
Adjust- ed
1957 School Tax Rate (1)
1957 (Fiscal Year) % School Tax of Total Tax
1956-57 (School Year) Expenditure for School Support per Pupil
Milton
24043
Billerica
$84.00
$40.59
Billerica
$38.23
Auburn
65%
Wellesley
$341
W. Spring.
22871
Northbridge 80.00
27.86
Auburn
38.12
Wakefield
58%
Walpole
334
Wakefield
22115
Dracut
72.00
28.62
Dracut
37.08
Walpole
56%
Needham
317
Wellesley
21759
Stoughton
70.80
36.13
Wakefield
36.26
Agawam
53%
PLYMOUTH
306
Needham
21560
Ludlow
70.00
25.33
Northbridge
36.00
Dracut
52%
Winthrop
301
Norwood
21052
Andover
64.00
26.78
Agawam
33.85
Wellesley
47%
W. Spring.
299
Winthrop
18704
Agawam
64.00
33.17
Walpole
32.97
Somerset
47%
Milton
296
Greenfield
18059
Wakefield
62.80
28.19
Stoughton
28.90
Billerica
46%
Dracut
*286
Stoneham
15817
Stoneham
62.00
29.47
Andover
28.89
Andover
45%
Northbridge
285
Andover
14535
Randolph
61.20
32.73
Ludlow
28.17
Northbridge
45%
Norwood
277
Billerica
14403
Shrewsbury
60.50
29.36
Shrewsbury
26.75
Shrewsbury
44%
Andover
275
Webster
13934
Walpole
59.00
32.58
Randolph
26.55
Randolph
43%
Barnstable
272
PLYMOUTH
13892
Auburn
58.80
13.08
Wellesley
24.51
Needham
42%
Agawam
271
Stoughton
13754
PLYMOUTH 58.40
18.94
Stoneham
23.74
Winthrop
41%
Shrewsbury
271
Randolph
13539
Winthrop
56.60
29.63
Winthrop
23.32
Stoughton
41%
Stoneham
252
Agawam
13177
Milton
56.20
23.68
Needham
21.75
Ludlow
40%
Ludlow
246
Shrewsbury
13103
Norwood
56.00
29.65
Milton
21.00
Stoneham
38%
Auburn
242
Adams
12789
Greenfield
54.00
25.69
Greenfield
19.55
Milton
37%
Wakefield
241
Auburn
12442
Adams
54.00
18.34
PLYMOUTH
18.86
W. Spring.
*36%
Billerica
237
Barnstable
12051
Needham
52.00
29.98
Adams
17.94
Greenfield
36%
Webster
235
Walpole
11293
Wellesley
51.90
21.51
Somerset
17.81
Barnstable
*36%
Stoughton
231
Dracut
11050
W. Spring.
46.00
28.53
Norwood
16.90
Adams
33%
Greenfield
229
Somerset
10646
Somerset
38.00
19.94
W. Spring.
*16.70
PLYMOUTH
32%
Somerset
227
Northbridge
10626
Barnstable
37.40
18.18
Barnstable
*13.59
Norwood
30%
Randolph
223
Ludlow
10530
Webster
36.40
18.09
Webster
9.48
Webster
26%
Adams
218
Median
13892
58.80
28.19
24.51
42%
271
Average
15510
58.64
26.64
25.48
43%
268
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*Figure for preceding year.
(1) Local tax per $1,000 for school.
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SOME SCHOOL EXPENDITURE COMPARISONS
The chart on the preceding page compares Plymouth with 24 other towns in respect to certain school costs and ability to support schools. Towns chosen are the 12 next larger and 12 next smaller which have the same type of school organization as Plymouth, the so-called 6-3-3 plan.
The figures for the school year, 1956-1957, show that our official tax rate, $58.40, is slightly below the average for the group. An adjusted tax rate ($18.94), based on a study of property revaluations in all Massachusetts towns, is fifth from the bottom, well below the average of $26.64. Plymouth's tax support for schools per thousand valu- ation is well below the average, $18.86 as compared with the median of $24.51 reported by Wellesley. The per cent of tax money used for the Plymouth schools is third from the bottom of the list. At 32%, it is far below the median of 42% (Needham).
The amount expended for school support per pupil for the school year is shown in the last column and is well above the median of the group. Plymouth paid $306 per pupil as compared with the median of $271. Two factors contribute heavily to this relatively high per pupil cost. The Plymouth schools have a large proportion of teachers of long experience who are at or near the top of the salary schedule. Our transportation costs are much higher than most other towns in the Commonwealth. The area covered by Plymouth school busses is one of the largest in the State.
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH C. WEAVER, Chairman, MAURO J. CANEVAZZI, Secretary, ROBERT B. BOWLER,
SPENCER H. BREWSTER, ALTON S. CAVICCHI, JOSEPH S. CONTENTE,
Plymouth School Committee.
DONALD T. WELCH,
Superintendent of Schools.
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Annual Report of the Principal of the High School
One of the last items to reach my desk as I was assem- bling the material for this annual report was the report from the National Merit Foundation giving the scores of the thirty-four members of the senior class who took the Scholarship Qualifying Test on October 22nd. The report and the preliminary analyses have already been turned over to the Superintendent of Schools, and a more detailed discussion of it will be prepared as a supplement to this report and submitted for press release at an early date. It will suffice to say at this time that here we have wholly disinterested and objective confirmation of the effectiveness of the school in one important aspect of its work: the preparation of its students for admission to college. The record of the students in the test percentiles and the estimated national percentiles computed by the Foundation is one the school can be proud of, and when it is remembered that no attempt was made to screen or select in advance those who were to take the test - and, by doing so, eliminate poor scholastic risks - the record looks even brighter. The supplement and press release will provide the detail on all this.
The problem of "drop-outs" would appear to be at the opposite end of the scholastic spectrum yet the connection between the two is nevertheless a close one. In the school year ending last June, 30 pupils left school before com- pleting their courses. This number, no matter how viewed, nor compared with what other figures, is too high, for it means that our school system had not the means to hold these young people and provide them with the kind of education that would better fit them to become effective citizens. Whether such means call for additional
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personnel, or expansion of facilities, or changes in either or both, are questions that every citizen of the town must give sober thought to. For the problem that lurks in the dropping-out of 30 pupils last year does not affect these 30 alone but is symptomatic of the lacks in our program of studies that have from time to time been pointed out in these reports and that were underscored by the survey completed by the faculties of the Junior High School and the Senior High School last year. Until we provide for the boy or girl who is not going to college, and not going into business or secretarial skills, facilities equal in char- acter and degree to those now provided by our college preparatory curriculum and our commercial curriculum we are inviting more "drop-outs"; we are, as I have put it on more than one occasion, "short-changing" this seg- ment of our school population. And these people deserve an opportunity to develop their talents, no matter how humble, just as much as does the boy or girl headed for the halls of higher learning, or the office of some profes- sional or business man. Furthermore, their skills, their brains are needed by the nation. I think it was Theodore Roosevelt who said when someone spoke admiringly of the work of Col. Goethals and his engineers at the digging of the Panama Canal, "Don't ever forget that we need trained men to run these excavators and donkey-machines and cement-mixers and steam-shovels, too."
But to get back more closely to "drop-outs." The rea- sons given for leaving are many: to go to work, to get married, to enter the service, moving out of town, transfer to another school, disciplinary difficulties, to name a few. And these are the surface reasons; beneath and behind them are others that have their roots in such things as domestic conflict at home, lack of parental interest or supervision, the yearning for a car of his own, modern day distractions and frustrations. This makes it clear, of course, that no matter what more may be provided in the form of new courses, new personnel, new plant, we will
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still have "drop-outs." But until we do provide such broader and more attractive opportunities we are doing less than we should be doing. The social cost is wasted talent, thwarted ambition, distorted attitudes, and human misery that is represented by the juvenile delinquent, added to the monetary cost of maintaining the courts and penal institutions to take care of him, should convince us of the need for spending almost any amount of money to meet this problem decently in the interests of our chil- dren. For our children will have to meet the problem whether they themselves are delinquent or not.
Another thing that must be borne in mind is that the education which provided the boy or girl of fifteen or more years ago with a fair chance to seize the oppor- tunities of those days is no longer adequate to qualify a boy for present day opportunities. If it were reports like this would not need to be written and there would be less sputtering about the Sputniks. To give our young people the same chance that we had in our day they must be fitted to compete in a technological world for jobs that didn't even exist prior to World War II. To cut educa- tional plans designed to give more opportunity through broader and better training to our young people is not to save money but to mortgage their future to outmoded and obsolescent ideas. No patchwork job unless forced upon us by dire emergency can ever be excused.
In assigning responsibilities to teachers beyond those that are a necessary part of their own subject-matter fields the prime consideration is the welfare and progress of the pupils - but this has to be modified by such other considerations as the interests and the abilities of indi- vidual teachers, the prestige of the school as an institu- tion, the pupil-load in certain courses, and the health, the stamina, of staff members. To find people fitted for such diverse tasks as organizing, training, and supervising stu- dent library clerks, acting as sponsor to the S.A.S.,
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