USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1926 > Part 13
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The interior of the No. Saugus building has been painted but it needs another coat. One new ceiling has been installed and desks have been refinished. This building should be painted outside and the spare-room finished and equipped.
At the Oaklandvale, two floors have been laid, two ceilings installed, necessary painting done and the greater part of desks refinished.
The halls of this building should be heated and the fourth room finished and equipped.
Besides the improvements mentioned other smaller pieces of work have been done. Hand-rails have been placed on stair- ways of all buildings and the general wear and tear looked after from day to day.
In general the interiors of our buildings are in very good con- dition. They should be kept so.
A Few Comparisons
According to the Annual Report of the State Department of Education for the year ending June 30, 1926, the group of which Saugus is one comprises seventy-nine towns having a population of five thousand or more. This group does not include the thirty-nine cities of the Commonwealth.
From this report we submit a brief table that may be of in- terest to those who seek first hand information with respect to relative costs of education.
Rate of Total tax per $1000 Valuation 1925
Expenditure for school support Local taxation for year ending December 31, 1925, per $1000 valuation
Total cost per pupil for year ending December 31, 1925
Cost per pupil from Local taxation for year ending December 31, 1925
State reinbursement per pupil year ending December 1, 1925
Highest $44.40 (1)
Lowest 19.20 (79)
Saugus
37.85 (S)
$17.67 (1) 4.07 (79) 12.74 (15)
$133.73 (1) 57.21 (79) 66.97 (72)
$122.75 (1) 45.12 (79) 55.25 (72)
$19.04 (1) 5.41 (79) 11.39 (5)
The figures in parentheses represent positions in the list of seventy-nine towns. The above table shows that although but
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1926]
seven towns had a total tax rate larger than that of Saugus, four- teen had a larger school tax rate.
Our cost per pupil, both gross and net, was exceedingly low, our town being number seventy-two in the list of seventy-nine, while our state reinbursement was comparatively large there being but four towns in the group that received larger sums than did the town of Saugus.
Our per capita cost is slightly higher now, but is still below the average.
We believe in true economy, but not in the saving of money at the expense of school efficiency. A larger expenditure for education is justifiable.
Our recommendations are as follows :
I. Extension of school grounds. Much building is going on and we are glad of it, but there are certain lots of land that should be annexed to our school grounds-not used for private dwellings.
2. Preparation of a play-ground at the rear of the High School.
3. Completion and equipment of the spare school rooms at No. Saugus and at Oaklandvale.
4. Provisions for the erection and equipment of a new school building near the center of population or for the enlargement of one or more of our present school buildings.
5. The raising of funds sufficient to bring our High School „ laboratory equipment up to date.
6. Completion of equipment for the Sweetser School Building.
7. Super-maximum salaries for teachers of sufficient experience and for those who take special courses in education.
In Conclusion
During the past year we have given special attention to several subjects which we list under separate headings as follows :
Silent Reading
This is simply an extension of an old process so as to include all grades instead of being confined to the first and second. The pupil reads a sentence or paragraph without lip movment and is then called upon to give the teacher the contents of it. In this way the child is taught, not only to read rapidly but to assimilate
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what is read. This training should result in the saving of time and a better preparation of work in other subjects, for it teaches a pupil how to study.
The Course in Geography
Up to last year our geography below grade five was somewhat lacking in continuity, consequently, after a careful survey we decided to place basal texts in the hands of all pupils above grade two. This has been done, and now our course in geography is complete from grade three to grade seven inclusive.
Junior High Course
Believing that the Junior High School should be something more than a name, we introduced at the opening of the present school year as electives in grade eight, Latin, French and Com- mercial Arthmetic, with the understanding that every pupil must choose one of these in addition to the regular fundamental requirements.
Every year we have experienced much inconvenience and loss of time in the Senior High resulting from frequent changing of courses on the part of pupils. We believe that this trouble has been eliminated, in part at least, by having the "trying out" process take place in grade eight. This is one of the advantages of a Junior High School system.
Besides the above outstanding improvements more attention has been given other modern methods of teaching such as super- vised study, socialized recitations and the project method.
On the whole we feel justified in saying that the past year has been one of distinct advancement, but much yet should be done, one of the most pressing needs being a change in certain English texts in order that the subject may be more uniformly taught. We are not giving sufficient attention to technical grammar or the analysis of the English sentence. As a result, teachers of Latin and French in the High School often find it necessary to teach English, as well, or have many failures charged against their departments. This condition results not from any fault of grade teachers, but rather from a modern tendency to shape courses that promise much on paper but are so decidedly lacking in the fundamentals that the promises can hardly be fulfilled.
We shall give this matter our special attention during the coming year.
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For continued support of the School Committee, loyal co- operation of teachers, and general good fellowship of all con- cerned your Superintendent expresses his deep appreciation.
Respectfully submitted, JESSE W. LAMBERT, Supt. of Schools.
SAUGUS, MASS., Jan. 12, 1927.
Report of School Physicians
SAUGUS, MASS., January 8, 1927.
Mr. Jesse W. Lambert, Superintendent of Saugus Schools :
DEAR SIR, -I have the honor of presenting to you my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1926. As school physician I have carefully examined all the pupils in the follow- ing schools. The Ballard, Emerson, Mansfield and Lynnhurst, and find as follows :
Adenoids
4 Deflected septum 7
Adentis tuberculosis
I
Eyesight impaired 6
Catarrh nasal
5
Impetigo contagioso 62
Infantile paralysis 6
Chicken pox 4
causing permanent lameness
Cernical glands, enlarged
14
Conjunctivitis 5
Scabes .
4
Deafness, total
1
Scarlet fever 5
Dog bite
2
Strabismuth 2
Tonsils slightly enlarged 9
Four fingers of left hand, gone, congenital.
I found that the School Houses are kept in a clean sanitary con- dition, by the janitors.
Very respectfully, GEORGE W. GALE, M. D.
January 7, 1927 .
Mr. Jesse W. Lambert, Superintendent of Schools :
DEAR SIR,-Herein please find my annual report as school physician.
We have had no epidemics of communicable disease to interrupt school attendance during the past year. My work has been mostly of the usual routine character. In striving to remedy
Pediculosis T 6
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physical defects, in children, we are receiving very remarkable cooperation from parents and guardians. The teeth of most children are now receiving intelligent care. Sanitary conditions in and about school buildings are excellent. I have found the following defects in pupils during the year :
Adenoids and tonsils 84 Adenoids 2
Enlarged tonsils 71
Heart trouble 2
Enlarged cervical glands 54 Infantile paralysis 2
Pediculosis
9 Spinal defects
3
Deflected septa
29
In my report of last year I recommended that children be tested for their susceptibility to scarlet fever and inoculated, if found susceptible. I still think this should be done.
Very respectfully,
MYRON H. DAVIS.
January 12, 1927. Mr. Jesse W. Lambert, Supt. of Schools, Saugus, Mass. :
DEAR SIR ;- I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending December 31, 1926.
The usual physical examination of the pupils in the Cliftondale, Armitage, Felton and Sweetser schools was made at the be- ginning of the fall term.
I found the following defects :
Tonsils slightly enlarged 293 Seborrhea of scalp 3
Tonsils much enlarged 174 Adenoids 4
Cervical glands enlarged 27 Spinal curvature 5 Pediculosis 25
Impetigo I
Heart defects 3 Infantile paralysis 2
Deflected septum 5
I have made a few calls at the Sweetser School when pupils have been taken ill. In one instance a girl had an attack of epilepsy and there was no place for her to recover from the attack except on the floor by her desk.
I believe there is a very urgent need of a couch in the teachers room which may be used both for teachers and pupils when taken ill.
Respectfully submitted,
LEROY C. FURBUSH.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
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Report of the Attendance Officer
To the School Committee :
The year just closed has been a very busy one on the part of the Attendance Officer. It requires more and more persuasion to keep the young people 14 to 16 years of age at school as they seen to be possessed of the idea to go to work, and in too many instances it has seemed best (on account of need of more income in the home) to grant their request for the necessary working card.
I have committed two boys to the Lawrence Training School this year, and one has been placed in a private school in Boston by his parents.
The installation of telephones in the schools has been a great aid to the attendance but has added much to my work. It often occurs while looking up 3 or 4 pupils that it takes me to Bakers Hill, Blueridge, North and East Saugus, however, the attend- ance this year has been greatly improved.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES E. LIGHT, Attendance Officer.
Report of the High School Principal
Mr. J. W. Lambert, Superintendent of Schools, Saugus, Mass. :
DEAR SIR,-I respectfully submit my fifth annual report.
We have been able, by the erection of the new eight room Sweetser School building, in Cliftondale, to abolish the two platoon system this year. How long we will be able to do with- out the two platoon system is a question, depending upon the number of incoming seventh grade students.
The new building in Cliftondale contains eight rooms ; seating about forty pupils to a room, making the total capacity 320 students. The plan was to have this building accommodate all pupils from that section of the town, or namely ; all incoming seventh grade pupils in the Armitage, Emerson, Felton and all pupils of the Ballard school, who live south of Winter Street ; and all eighth grade pupils who formerly attended these schools. The seventh and eighth grade pupils living in Lynnhurst, North
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Saugus, Oaklandvale, Golden Hills, Saugus Center and the pupils in East Saugus, living north of Winter Street, were to attend the Saugus Center building. To accommodate the number of pupils, who were to attend the Saugus Center Junior High, we were forced to use four rooms for seventh grade pupils, and three rooms for eighth grade pupils, in addition to our regular Senior High pupils.
The time schedule which we are using this year is slightly different from last year's. It was, at first, planned to have a six period day, but when the program was worked out it was found that owing to the large number of classes in the Senior High there were not enough rooms in the building to accommodate these classes, with a six period day, therefore, it was necessary for us to have a seven period day.
In order to get in the seven periods, with recess and physical education, and still have school close reasonably early, it was found necessary to open school at eight o'clock. Following is the schedule :
Opening exercises from 8:00 to 8:10
First period 8:10 to 8 :50
Second period 8:50 to 9:30
Physical Education
9:30 to 9:40
Third period 9:40 to 10:20
Fourth period
10 :20 to It :
Fifth period 11 :- to II :40
Junior Intermission 1 1 :40 to 1 2 :
Senior Intermission 12: to 12:20
Sixth period 1 2 :20 to 1 :
Seventh period 1:00 to 1 :40
You will note by the program that Physical Education is given in the Junior and Senior High at the same time. The exercises are conducted by boys who are instructed by the Physical Director.
NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THE SENIOR AND JUNIOR HIGH
On September 8, school opened with an enrollment in the Junior and Senior High as follows :
JUNIOR HIGH-7th grade, 144 students ; 8th grade, 117 students ; total in Junior High 261 students.
SENIOR HIGH-(Freshman) 9th grade, 256 students ; (Sopho- more) 10th grade, 117 students ; (Junior) 11th grade, 69 students ; (Senior) 12th grade, 63 students; total in Senior High 505 students.
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
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Total number of students who registered at Saugus High School on September 8, 1926, was 766 students.
Number of students who were attending the High School, December 22, 1926, were as follows :
JUNIOR HIGH-7th grade, 129 students ; 8th grade, 1 10 students ; total in Junior High, 239 students.
(Freshman) 9th grade, 232 students ; (Sophomore) 10th grade, 112 students ; (Junior) 11th grade, 64 students ; (Senior) 12th grade, 63 students ; total in Senior High, 471 students.
Total number of students attending Saugus High School, December 22, 1926, 710.
You will notice by comparing the above figures that we have had the following number of students drop out of school during the fall term.
Seventh grade, 15 students ; 8th grade, 7 students ; 9th grade, 24 students ; roth grade, 5 students ; 11th grade, 5 students ; 12th grade, o students ; total number 56 students.
GRADUATES
Diplomas were given sixty-three students last June, thirty-four of whom were girls and twenty-nine boys.
We have, at the present time, eleven of last year's graduates attending colleges. Three are attending business schools. Five are attending normal schools, and twelve are attending other schools of higher education. Making a total of thirty-one or fifty per cent of the class are going to other schools or colleges. Eleven, or eighteen per cent, are attending colleges of recognized standing.
As we look over the records we notice there is an increasing number of students, each year, who are pursuing higher education after leaving high school.
STANDING OF SAUGUS HIGH SCHOOL
In May, 1926, we received word from the New England College Entrance Certificate Board that Saugus High School had been placed on the approved list for a period of four years, ending December 31, 1930. This gives us the privilege to certify any student who received 85 per cent or better in all subjects he has taken while a student in the high school, to enter, without examination, any of the following colleges :
Amherst College Bates College 2
Middlebury College
Bowdoin College
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Boston University Colby College
Brown University Tufts College
Mass. Agricultural College Wesleyan University
Williams College
Owing to the fact that we are on the approved list of the New England College Certificate Board, it enables us to certify students to colleges which are not members of the board. For instance, Simmons College, University of Maine and Wheaton College will accept our certificate for graduates who maintain a mark of 85 percent or better.
From the State Department of Education, at Boston, we have been informed that Saugus High School has been placed on the Class A list for the year 1926-1927. This entitles us to certify, to any State Normal School, students graduating from Saugus High School. The students are, however, expected to receive an average of So per cent in the subjects taken while they are in the high school in order to enter Normal School without exam- ination.
Some of the factors which determine whether a school would be considered a Class A high school or not are as follows :
The number of teachers should be such that the ration of the pupils, to the teachers, should not exceed twenty-five to one. Not more than half of the classes in the school should have over twenty-five students each. A careful record of the students must be kept and at least 15 units be required for graduation. All graduates of the high school, who attend Normal School must do satisfactory work for the first year. If a school complies with the above rules it is rated, by the State Department, as a Class A high school.
To make it clearer I might state, that ; we enjoy all the certifi- cate privileges that any other high school does in this section of the state and can give any student as good an education as they can, in so far as our equipment will permit, provided that each student applies himself while attending school.
SIZE OF CLASSES IN THE SENIOR AND JUNIOR HIGH
In order for Saugus High School to continue to be rated as a Class A High School, it is necessary for us to keep the size of the classes approximately not over twenty-five.
In the Senior High School, at the present time, we have one hundred seven classes, averaging in size from six to thirty-nine students. Seventy-one of these classes have twenty-five or less
(
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REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
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tudents, and thirty-six of the one hundred and seven have twenty- ve or more students per class. As more than fifty per cent of our lasses have less than twenty-five students this fact will assist us n continuing to be rated as a Class A high school.
JUNIOR HIGH
In the Junior High the pupils in each room take subjects to- jether during the day, so that the size of the classes will be roverned by the number of pupils in each home room, except in he case of the Manual Training and Sewing Classes. The verage size of classes in the seventh grade is thirty-three pupils, nd the average size of eighth grade classes is thirty-seven pupils.
The boys in each room report for Manual Training, two periods per week, and the girls for sewing , the same. The average size of seventh grade sewing classes is fourteen girls, of the eighth grade classes, nineteen. The average size of the seventh grade Manual Training classes is nineteen, of the eighth grade classes, seventeen boys.
Cooking is not offered in the eighth grade this year, owing to the fact that in the Sweetser School, no equipment was provided for this subject. Thus, in order to train all pupils in a similar manner, it was thought best not to give cooking to any pupils in the eighth grade.
TEACHING STAFF
We were not as fortunate during the past year in retaining as many of our teachers, as we have been in former years, in that we lost five teachers in the Senior High, namely ;
Miss Elizabeth Marsh, teacher of Latin, who was replaced by Miss Elva Osier.
Mrs. Hazel Reid Williams, teacher of French, replaced by Miss Alice Shattuck.
Miss Miriam Rideout, teacher of mathematics, replaced by Mr. Albion Rice, who also takes the place of Mr. William Bangs, as athletic coach and director of physical training, in the Senior and Junior High Schools.
Miss Ruth Motherwell, head of the English Department, re- placed by Miss Effie Stanhope, who is to teach senior English, but who is not acting as head of the department this year.
In the Junior High School we lost the following teacher :
Miss Martha Walker, who was the teacher of Domestic Science, reading and spelling. As the majority of Miss Walker's work
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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was teaching cooking in the eighth grade, and owing to the fact that this subject was not given this year, we did not need an extra teacher.
After school opened in September we lost three additional teachers, namely :
Mr. Nish, in the Senior High, who was the teacher of mathe- matics, who was replaced by Mr. Elmer Watson.
Miss Hall, teacher of Sewing, in the seventh and eighth grades, replaced by Miss Evelyn Matthews.
Mr. John Carter, teacher of seventh grade geography, replaced by Miss Mabel Nelson.
Saugus has been extremely fortunate, in the past, when we consider the salaries which are paid here, in being able to retain teachers of high standing. Unless something is done in the near future, in regard to the salaries of teachers, many of our ex- perienced and competent teachers will leave us and take positions in more lucrative fields.
CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SENIOR AND JUNIOR HIGH
One of the greatest helps, to the Saugus Senior and Junior High School, was the abolishing of the two platoon system and returning to the single session, which we were able to do by the erection of the new Junior High building in Cliftondale. This brings all of the students both Junior and Senior High to school in the morning, when their minds are fresh and clear, to do the intensive school work which is required.
One change which has taken place in our program has been the offering of French, Latin, and commercial arithmetic to the eighth grade students, in the Junior High. Students, in the eighth grade, at the beginning of the year, are supposed to elect one of the three above subjects and pursue the same throughout the year. These courses are offered to pupils in the eighth grade so as to find out if they will like the subject and care to take it in the Senior High. The purpose of the course is not to cover any definite amount of material, but to adjust the material, to the pupils, who will be taking the subject each year.
Our library equipment has been improved, by the addition of a new bookcase which was purchased by the town, and also, by a gift of one hundred and fifty dollars, which was presented by the Class of 1926, this money to be spent for books which are most needed at the present time in our library. The importance of a library in the high school has been realized throughout the
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1926]
country in the past few years. In fact it is as necessary as the Physics or Chemistry laboratory is, in order to be able to present the subject of Physics or Chemistry to the students in the right light, so the high school library is needed in the school in order that the teachers may send pupils there to look up information not in the text-books they are using.
We were extremely glad to see, at the opening of school, the granolithic walk, extending from the high school, to Central street. The old dirt walk, has always been unsatisfactory in that a great deal of dirt and mud has been tracked into the build- ing during certain seasons of the year.
During the summer the redecorating of the school rooms was continued, from where it was left off the previous year. All of the recitation rooms and halls on the second floor were painted, the ceilings in white and the walls in a steel gray. The color decoration is lighter than it previously was and this has made the classrooms a great deal lighter and more pleasing. The basement also was repainted, the upper half of the walls white and the lower half in a dark gray. This makes the basement appear much neater and cleaner as it had not been painted for some time.
One improvement which has been noticeable during the winter months was the renovating of the heating plant. In the old part of the building two hot air furnaces which were formerly used have been removed and steam heat has been installed, piped from the old boilers. A separate heating unit was installed, to heat the Assembly Hall and the corridors which makes it far more convenient when the hall is used for entertainments, as it is not necessary to heat the whole building.
By the removal of the old furnaces we have been able, on the boys' side of the basement, to partition off a supply closet where supplies needed for school use can be stored. On the girls' side of the basement the extra space has been added to the old cook- ing room, furnishing a sewing room which is at present used by the Junior High sewing classes.
Owing to the fact that we had to use so many of the rooms in the building for the Junior High, we found it necessary to have classes in the cooking room, this means that two classes are in progress at the same time several days in the week.
A closet on the first floor, which was formerly used for draw- ing supplies has been cleared and changed into a small class room. We found it necessary to do this owing to the large number of classes and insufficient rooms.
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TOWN DOCUMENTS.
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SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS
Owing to fact that the building has presented a far better appear- ance under its new coat of paint, I would suggest that the class rooms on the first floor, which is the only remaining part that has not been painted, be redecorated during the coming summer.
I still feel that our library, which is being used by a large number of students, needs more books and equipment to bring it up to the standard. I feel that, every year, a small amount of money should be set aside to purchase books and necessary equip- ment to bring our library up to the standing of other schools of its size.
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