USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1917-1919 > Part 27
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NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
(2-2-2-2) on the fire alarm and street lights turned on five minutes.
At 7 A. M., means no High School session for that day At 8 A. M., means no session for the grades in the forenoon. At 12.45 P. M., no afternoon session for the grades.
Report of School Committee
To the Citizens of the Town of Saugus :
The School Committee of the Town of Saugus herewith sub- mits its annual report.
In March, following the annual town election, the Committee organized with Lawrence E. Morse, Chairman, and Dr. Ernest W. Homan, as Secretary.
The Committee has held 41 meetings during the year, and all have been well attended.
At the annual town meeting in March, the sum of $77,730 was appropriated for general school purposes and $5,000 for school repairs. These appropriations were $10,000 and $3,000 respectively, less than what the Committee estimated to carry on the work successfully for the year.
It was known at the beginning of the year that these amounts would be insufficient, but notwithstanding the fact that the Com- mittee have practised the utmost economy to keep within the appropriations at all times, it was necessary to request an addi- tlonal appropriation of $6,000 at the special town meeting in October to finish the balance of the year, which was voted.
Your Committee have been confronted with many problems during the past twelve months. School accommodations, trans- portation, teachers' salaries, tuition of non-resident pupils, and general maintenance of the school system are some of the most important subjects which have been discussed during the past year.
Teachers' Salaries
The personnel of our corps of teachers has changed to a greater extent than in any previous year. Owing to the small salaries paid in comparison with those paid in other nearby places, thirty (30) teachers, representing 40% of the entire staff, have left the schools, and while the resignation of every teacher was voluntary and accepted with regret by the Committee, we feel that many of these teachers would have remained in Saugus if the town had been able to pay larger salaries.
4
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
During the early part of December, the Saugus Teachers' Association, whose membership is made up of every teacher in the town, presented your Committee with a petition for a flat raise of $400 and a bonus of $50.
Your Committee, realizing that to grant their request would mean an additional expenditure of approximately $33,750 for the year, voted to hold a public mass meeting in the Town Hall on December 8, 1919. At this meeting opportunity was given to all citizens to express their views on the question and at the close, it was the unanimous sentiment that the increase should be granted.
· Accordingly, your Committee, drew up the following schedule of salaries which was unanimously voted to take effect January 5, 1920.
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS-First year $850, second year $900, third year $1,000, fourth year $1, 100, fifth year $1,200.
JUNIOR HIGH-First year $900, second year $1,000, third year $1, 100, fourth year $1,200, fifth year $1,300.
SENIOR HIGH-First year $1,000, second year $1, 100, third year $1,200, fourth year $1,300, fifth year $1,400.
HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS-First year $1, 100, second year $1,200, third year $1,300, fourth year $1,400, fifth year $1,500.
PRINCIPALS-$25 additional for each room under their super- vision.
A special article is inserted in the Town Warrant calling for an appropriation of $23,000 to take care of these increases. We ask the citizens to approve our action inasmuch as it will enable your Committee to retain the services of the present staff of teachers and also maintain the school system at its present efficiency.
Owing to the fact that other cities and towns nearby have already granted their school teachers substantial increases and other towns will soon follow, these increases must be granted if our school system is to be maintained at its present standard.
This schedule of salaries will place the town on a par with other nearby towns and cities and will have a tendency to keep our teachers from accepting positions in other towns and cities which heretofore have been able to pay much larger salaries than Saugus
It is not, however, the desire of your Committee to pay salaries equal to wealthier towns and cities, but our aim is to pay the same salaries which are paid by towns of similar population and wealth.
5
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1919]
Janitors Salaries
A petition was received signed by the janitors of the larger buildings requesting an increase of $200.
Owing to the fact that other town employees, has been granted substantial increases during the past year, the Committee voted unanimously to grant their request also a new schedule was adopted for the janitors of the smaller buildings, which now provides $150 for the first room and $75 for each additional room.
Election of Officers
The Committee has adopted the policy of leaving the choice of teachers mainly with our Superintendent of Schools, relying at all times on his judgment as to a teacher's qualifications and fitness.
During the past year many local applications have been filed with the Committee and so far as possible preference has been given to local candidates when vacancies occurred.
This policy will be continued and your Committee hope that more graduates of our High School will avail themselves of the opportunities to teach in their home town.
Appropriation
The Committee feels compelled to ask for a larger appropria- tion for the year 1920 than was granted in 1919.
The rapid rise in the cost of supplies, fuel, etc., makes this request absolutely necessary.
During 1919, the Committee has purchased much smaller amounts of supplies than usual. Consequently, the reserve sup- ply at the Roby School has been entirely exhausted and will have to be replenished. Therefore, larger amounts than last year will have to be purchased.
Athletic Field
For a number of years your Committee has recommended an athletic field to be used as a public playground.
At the present time there is no suitable place for athletic contests conducted by our High School teams.
It would be indeed gratifying to your Committee if the Town would vote an appropriation for this purpose to commemorate those who died and for those who have returned from service in the recent World War.
9
6
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Sick Leave for Teachers
An additional appropriation has been included in our budget sufficient to cover granting each teacher of the school system, three (3) days' sick leave without loss of pay. For a long time the Committee has felt that when a teacher is absent from her classroom one or two days owing to illness it was most unjust to deduct such absence from her pay.
Substitute Teachers
With the present small salaries allowed for the employment of substitute teachers, it has been almost impossible to procure competent substitutes to fill regular positions when teachers are absent. The work required of substitute teachers is often over- looked. In many cases, a substitute teacher must possess quali- fications not possessed by a regular teacher. She must be able to discipline a new school. She must be a specialist in many branches of study whereas all that is required of a regular teacher is special preparation in two or three subjects.
Your Committee recommends that substitute teachers be paid the same salary that the regular teachers receive and an appro- priation has been requested covering this recommendation.
Permanent Clerk
The Committee recommends that its appropriation be made large enough this year to permit the employment of a clerk in the office of the superintendent of schools who shall give to the town all of the time.
This recommendation is not based upon any dissatisfaction with the present clerk, but upon our feeling that the amount of clerical work to be done in the office is so much larger than when the present arrangement for a clerk was made, that any- thing short of a person's whole time is inadequate for the present needs of the department.
Tuition
In accordance with the vote of the special town meeting held in October the subject of tuition for pupils whose parents do not reside in the town has been given much consideration and study.
Letters have been sent out by the Superintendent of Schools with a bill enclosed, but the replies received indicate that in many cases the town is obliged to educate the children.
7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1919]
All cases are being investigated personally as time permits and the Committee is endeavoring to the best of its ability to carry out the wishes of the town in this respect.
School Accommodations
During the early part of December, the Committee invited Burr F. Jones, Deputy Commissioner of Education of the Commonwealth, to make a survey of the schools of the town.
In company with Superintendent of Schools Jesse W. Lam- bert, Chairman Lawrence E. Morse, Secretary Dr. Ernest W. Homan, and Mrs. Anna C. Parker, Deputy Jones visited every school building in town and the citizens are requested to give his report careful consideration.
The report is given in full and is as follows :
Report of Deputy Jones
PAYSON SMITH,
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 1
Commissioner of Education. January 22, 1920.
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON.
Mr. Lawrence Morse, Chairman, School Committee, East Saugus, Mass. :
MY DEAR MR. MORSE,-Pursuant to my recent visit to the schools at Saugus, and the conference with your committee, I am glad to submit the following recommendations relative to the more urgent needs by way of school accommodations :
I. An enlargement of the high school building so as to provide adequate accommodations and facilities for the junior and senior high school.
It is apparent that the enrollment of grades seven to twelve, now being housed in the high school building and already over- taxing its capacity, will enroll next fall from 150 to 200 pupils more than the building can accommodate. It will be possible to secure temporary relief by using for the next school year the four vacant rooms at the Ballard School for the accommodation of the pupils in grades seven and eight who live in that section of the town. In my opinion, this should be but a temporary arrangement, however, as the pupils in that vicinity should have the advantages of the junior high school privileges as well as seventh and eighth grade pupils in other sections of the town.
There would seem to be strong secondary reasons why the Ballard School should not be permanently used to house the
8
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
seventh and eighth grade pupils of that section. The enroll- ment of the first four grades at the Emerson and Mansfield Schools is already too large in about half the rooms in those buildings. If the school population should continue to increase in these sections, much of the room now available at the Ballard School will soon be required to house the overflow from the Emerson and Mansfield Schools.
In my judgment your Committee should urge that the town take any steps necessary to make the Junior High School fully adequate to meet the needs of all pupils in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades. The Junior High School movement is con- stantly growing in strength. The rapid increase in the number of such schools in this and other States is due to the fact that this is an institution which meets an outstanding education need. The assembling of all the upper grade pupils in one building makes financially possible the offering of a varied course of study to suit the needs of several different groups of pupils ; those who will take the classical courses in higher schools, those who will take commercial and industrial courses in higher schools, and those who will find it necessary to leave school at an early age to enter employment.
The location of the Junior High School in close connection with the High School plant makes it financially possible and feasible to establish for the use of both schools well equipped workshops and laboratories for teaching manual and domestic arts, and the sciences, also to provide for the common use of both schools an auditorium for assemblies, and a gymnasium for the necessary physical training.
The Junior High School permits of departmental teaching which allows a teacher to specialize in the one or two subjects in which he is strongest, thus providing superior instruction. The Junior High School also serves as an excellent introduction to High School work. It encourages self-dependence and initia- tive, and gives the pupils a foretaste of a number of so-called High School subjects. All of these advantages of the Junior High School tend to create a strong interest in school work on the part of the pupils, and the power of the school system to hold pupils beyond the compulsory school age is thereby greatly . enhanced. For these reasons I am of the opinion that a town or city supporting an adequate Junior High School can provide its youth with a wealth of school privileges that could never be secured through the medium of scattered grammar schools. As adequate provision for the Junior and Senior High School pupils is of prime concern to all sections of the town, I am of the
9
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1919]
opinion that this need should be very carefully studied by your Committee and plans for the necessary extension be presented to the town as soon as possible.
2. A new building at North Saugus.
The urgent need for accommodations in that section of the town has already been widely discussed and is generally recog- nized by your townspeople. The old building is badly defective in respect to heating, lighting, ventilation and sanitation. The heating of the portable is also inadequate. Any detailed discus- sion of the need is unnecessary as your Committee is fully acquainted with the conditions that now obtain.
In my judgment a four-room building with an assembly hall, seating two hundred, would provide adequate accommodations for the needs of the school and the needs of the community. Three rooms would be used for classrooms, each accommodat- ing two grades, and the fourth room for the community library. The assembly hall would not only provide opportunity for exer- cises in which all pupils could easily and frequently unite, but it would also be of great value to the adults of the community for holding gatherings of an educational nature, and for other pur- poses that promote community welfare.
3. A new building in West Saugus.
The school population in this section of the town is increasing rapidly. Two of the four classrooms at Cliftondale have over forty pupils and one over fifty pupils. Five of the six class rooms at the Felton School also have over forty pupils. These numbers not only overtax the physical capacity of those buildings, but make it very difficult for the teachers to give due attention to individual needs. According to the best educational thought and practice an elementary school class should not number more than thirty-five or forty pupils at the most.
I, therefore, recommend as one of the more pressing needs, a new six room elementary school building with assembly hall to relieve the congestion in the vicinity now served by the Clifton- dale and Felton Schools.
If our office can be of any further assistance to your committee and town in connection with the necessary extensions of the school plant that you are now facing, I should be very glad to have you advise me.
Very truly yours, (Signed) BURR F. JONES, Agent for Elementary Education.
A copy of this letter has been sent to Superintendent Lambert.
IO
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
High Schools
At the present time, the present High School building is accommodating 760 pupils and is already crowded to its capacity.
In the fall, there will be approximately 250 pupils to enter the Junior High School from the 6th grades. As there are only 65 to graduate next June, your Committee must make arrangements whereby 185 pupils may be accommodated. It will be impossi- ble to accommodate them at the present High School building.
Consequently, to relieve the situation temporarily, plans have been made whereby the extra four rooms of the Ballard School, East Saugus, will have to be used to accommodate the 7th and 8th grade pupils fromn that section of the town.
Inasmuch as the furniture in two of the rooms of this school has been removed at various times to other buildings, it will be necessary to provide new furniture for these rooms, entailing the expenditure of about $850.
In the future, if occasion required, these arrangements might be made. The extra room of the Lynnhurst school may be opened to accommodate the pupils of the same grades of that district and the 4th room of the proposed new building at North Saugus may be used to accommodate the 7th and 8th grade pupils of that section. This plan would alleviate the situation tempo- rarily. By adopting this plan, it would mean the discontinuance of the school barge running between North Saugus and the High School. This would not only save the town considerable money, but would also be better for the pupils from a health standpoint.
The Committee deems it necessary to call to the attention of the citizens that if the present Junior High School system is to be continued, another addition to the present high school building will have to be built and plans toward that end should be started immediately.
North Saugus School
Immediately following the Town Meeting last March, your Committee granted a hearing to the residents of North Saugus relative to the construction of a new school building for that district.
As a result of this hearing, your Committee has spent much time endeavoring to solve this problem.
A committee consisting of Robert Pike, Robert Evans and Harry W. Merrill of the North Saugus Improvement Club has
I I
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1919]
been in conference with the Committee. As a result, plans have been drawn by two architects and bids will be obtained on two sets of these plans.
Your Committee goes into the Town Meeting with a request for an appropriation for the construction of a new four room building which we believe will meet the school needs of this district for some time to come.
West Cliftondale and Oaklandvale
The old buildings existing at Oaklandvale and West Clifton- dale are entirely inadequate at the present time to meet the needs of these districts.
Rather than go to the expense of expending a large amount of money to put these buildings in proper condition, your Com- mittee recommends the construction of a new six-rooms building at West Cliftondale, and heartily endorse the recommendations of Deputy Jones in this respect.
School Repairs
Many improvements have been made to the school buildings and grounds during the past year.
A new heater has been installed at the Manual Training building which will make it necessary to run only one boiler at the Roby School except in the coldest of weather.
The roofs of the High, Roby and Cliftondale Schools have been repaired and put in proper condition.
The window area of the Oaklandvale School has been increased and the lighting of the room is much better than" heretofore. A chemical closet has also been installed at this school.
Concrete curbings have been placed around the Roby School and the grounds have been regraded and a granolithic entrance has been constructed.
The wall of the Emerson School yard has been rebuilt and improvements have been made to the grounds.
The retaining wall surrounding the Mansfield school has been rebuilt and the Committee feels that this situation has been satis- factorily taken care of and will be safe for a number of years to come.
The granolithic walk leading to the Felton School has been completed. Unforeseen repairs to the heater at this school entailed an additional expenditure of $284, for which the Com- mittee requests an appropriation under " Unpaid Bills."
I 2
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Recommendations
Your Committee recommends that the following work be undertaken during the present year and suitable appropriations made to cover the same.
A new granolithic walk constructed at the Lynnhurst and a curbing at Cliftondale School.
That the furnaces at the High School be removed and the necessary connections made so the entire heating system will come from the two boilers.
That the walls and ceilings of the four rooms at the Ballard School be painted and put in proper condition.
That two new furnaces be installed at the Mansfield School and also a third furnace be put in for the heating of the hallways and basements.
That the steam pipes in the basement of the High School be recovered and boxed in.
That a G. & G. telescope hoist be installed at the High School to facilitate the removal of ashes.
That a proper concrete capping be placed on the old well in the Roby School yard with suitable drains constructed to take away the surface water.
That two additional radiators be installed in the Manual Training Building.
That the Manual Training Building be painted.
That a new heater be installed at the Oaklandvale School.
That the water pipes be covered with felt at the Emerson and Felton Schools and the heat pipes covered with asbestos.
That walls be painted and ceilings tinted and seven doors painted at the Lincoln School.
That the walls and ceilings at Armitage School be tinted and painted.
Conclusion
In closing, your Committee desires to thank the superinten- dent, teachers and parents for their assistance and co-operation in carrying on the work of the department for the past year.
Your attention is respectfully invited to the reports of the Superintendent of Schools and Principal of the High School.
LAWRENCE E. MORSE, Chairman, DR. E. W. HOMAN, Secretary, ANNA C. PARKER, HENRY O. WESTENDARP.
I3
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
1919]
FINANCIAL STATEMENT EDUCATION School Department
General Expenses.
Superintendent's salary . $2,033 33
Athletic coach 300 00
Attendance officers .
150 00
School physician
300 00
Clerk
324 80
Printing, postage and
stationery . 193 81
Telephone .
115 22
Traveling expense . . 179 88
School census
85 20
$3,682 24
Teachers Salaries.
· High and Junior High $23,019 60
Elementary . · 30,731 00
Music, drawing, sewing and manual training . 5,239 40
58,990 00
Text Books and Supplies.
High and Junior High.
Books . . $1,256 39
Supplies . · 1,082 09
-- 2,338 48
Elementary.
Books .
$784 26
Supplies
1,521 75
2,306 0I
Manual Training.
Supplies and equipment 352 45
Commercial Department.
Supplies
6 16
Amount carried forward, $67,675 34
14
TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Dec. 31
Amount brought forward, $67,675 34
Tuition.
Tuition
647 41
Transportation.
Street Railway
$77 00
Barges .
1,240 00 -
1,317 00
Support of Truants.
Essex County 123 57
Janitor's Service.
High
· $2,121 76
Other .
· 4,258 73
6,380 49
Fuel and Light.
High
Coal and wood . $1,862 61
Gas and electricity
315 89
2,178 50
Other.
Coal and wood
. $4,403 14
Gas and electricity
178 43
4,581 57
Buildings, Interior Repairs.
Carpentry and painting $628 81
Plumbing
·
1,493 47
Masonry
65 35
Electrical ·
187 44
Glass, shades, etc.
97 44
Electric clock and system, 425 00
Oiling floors
. 104 28
Outside Repairs.
Carpentry and painting 614 42
Masonry (retaining walls) 840 00
Granolithic walks . ·
394 35
Granolithic curbing
213 75
Grading and repairing bank wall
225 00
Amts. carried forward, $5,289 31
$82,903 88
1919]
Amts. brought forward, $5,289 31 $82,903 88
Repairing fence
48 00
Grading
48 00
Repairs to barge
41 40
Hedges and plants
23 25
5,449 96
Furniture and Furnishings.
High
$34 75
Other
112 15
146 90
Janitor's Supplies.
High
$117 05
Other
118 31
235 36
Other Expenses.
Diplomas, graduation
expenses
$35 00
Water .
262 25
Disinfectant .
9 81
Express
78 70
Cleaning cesspool
27 00
Tuning piano
6 00
Cotton flags
33 69
Rent at No. Saugus
100 00
552 45
Unpaid bills, 1918, general,
$335 16
Unpaid bills, 1918,
repairs
10 58
345 74
Total for education .
89,634 29
15
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.
16
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee and Citizens of Saugus :
Your Superintendent has the honor to submit his second annual report of the condition, progress and needs of the schools of Saugus, the same being the twenty-seventh annual school report.
More than one-third of our teaching force left us during the summer vacation and two more in December mainly because the funds at our disposal were inadequate to meet the salary increases obtainable elsewhere.
After much hunting and many refusals, we succeeded in fill- ing all vacancies with teachers of high standing. Just what changes took place may be ascertained by comparing the lists of teachers forming a part of this report.
Teachers and Their Work
Generally speaking, the work of our teaching force is excel- lent. The administration of the several buildings is efficient and the spirit of co-operation between principal and teachers is, in the main, all that could be desired.
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