USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1928 > Part 13
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1,146,695
18 00
1861
889,693
286,189
1,175,88
7 86
1860
877,605
301,087
1,179,592
6 80
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
Superintendent of Schools
OF THE
Town of Saugus
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1928
. SAUG
U
162.9
1815.
LYNN, MASS. FRANK S. WHITTEN, PRINTER
1929
2
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
WELCOME MCCULLOUGH, Chairman, Term Expires, 1931 280 Central Street Tel. 284-J
ELLERY METCALF
Term Expires, 1929
7 Howard Street Tel. 566-J
MRS. MILDRED DINSMORE Term Expires, 1930
53 Birch Street Tel. 40
LAURENCE F. DAVIS
Term Expires, 1931
321 Central Street Tel. 496
ALDEN C. LORING
21 Emory Street
Term Expires, 1929 Tel. 179-R
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
JESSE W. LAMBERT
Residence, 279 Central Street Tel. 267
Office, High School Building Tel. 775
Office Hours-8.30 to 9.00 A.M. 4.00 to 5.00 P. M. on every school day except Friday
CLERK ;- MRS. MARY O. BURTON
319 Central Street
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
CHARLES E. LIGHT
30 Stone Street Tel. 376
MEETING OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held the first and third Mondays of each month (excepting July and August) at & o'clock P.M.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
At a meeting of the School Committee held January 15, 1929 it was "voted to accept the Annual Report of the Superintendent as the report of the School Committee required by the statues."
WELCOME MCCULLOUGH, Chairman.
3
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS
NAME AND ADDRESS
PRECINCTS
TELEPHONES
Dr. Myron H. Davis
24 Main Street I-2
235
Dr. Leroy C. Furbish
272 Lincoln Avenue
2-4
120
Dr. G. W. Gale 68 Lincoln Avenue
3-5
638-J
SCHOOL NURSE
Mrs. Mary Donovan Broadway, Lynnfield
Breakers 75090
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Fall Term, 1928
Opened September 5, 1928
Winter Term, 1929
Opened January 2, 1929
Second Half, 1929
Opens March 4, 1929
Closes April 26, 1929
Spring Term, 1929
Opens May 6, 1929
Closes June 21, 1929
Fall Term, 1929
September 4, 1929
Holidays :- October 12, November 11, Thanksgiving Recess (Wednesday noon to following Monday), February 22, April 19, May 30, June 17.
NO SCHOOL SIGNALS
2-2-2-2 on the fire alarm and the street lights turned on five minutes.
At 8 A. M. means no morning session for grades.
At 12.45 P.M. means no afternoon session for the grades.
At 7.00 means no school for High and Junior High.
SCHOOL TELEPHONES
Armitage
1090
Mansfield 1096
Ballard
1091
No. Saugus 1098
Cliftondale
1092
Roby 1099
Emerson
1093
Oaklandvale
731
Felton
1094
Sweetser Jr. High 1097
Lynnhurst
1095
High School 260
Closes December 21, 1928
Closes February 21, 1929
4
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee and the other Citizens of Saugus :
It becomes the duty and pleasure of your Superintendent to submit at this time his eleventh annual report on the condition, progress and needs of the schools of Saugus, the same being the thirty-sixth annual report of the School Department.
Principals and Teachers
It is a matter of pride and satisfaction that a larger proportion of our teaching force has remained with us than has been the case in previous years, also that those who have taken up the work in this town for the first time this year have proven themselves to be fully capable of filling the various positions. In the list below is given the names of those leaving our school system with the names of their successors, also, names of the teachers transferred :
Mrs. Marian Burwell was succeeded by Mrs. Janet Tarbox. Miriam Mabee by Dorothy Meeker.
Mrs. Jeanette Johnston by Leora Tomlinson, grade 5, and Miss Tomlinson by Miss Rich, grade 4.
Miss Mary Wood succeeded Miss Rich.
Pearl Peterson was transferred to Sweetser Junior High and was succeeded by Mildred Willard of grade 3, Mansfield. Marlea Graves succeeded Miss Willard.
Mrs. Janet Tarbox was succeeded by Mary Walsh.
Eleanor Knowlton by Hilda Cole and Dorothy Cross by Mrs. Florence Gibson.
Hilda Cole resigned in October. No permanent successor has been appointed.
Archibald Coldwell. No permanent has been appointed.
Gwendolyn Walters was transferred to Central Junior High and succeeded by Elsie Anderson.
Helen McDuffee was transferred to Senior High and succeeded by Dorothy Eyre.
Vera Wentworth was succeeded by Pearl Peterson.
5
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
Elizabeth Taylor was transferred to Central Junior High in ex- change with Mabel I. Nelson of Sweetser Junior High.
Mabel Brown was succeeded by Gwendolyn Walters.
Alice Shattuck by Helen Moore.
Elva Osier by Helen McDuffee ..
Emily Woodbury resigned, as Senior Domestic Science Classes were removed.
Mrs. Gwendolyn Lambert Goodnow was succeeded by Ruth Anthony.
Helen Stevens. No permanent successor has been appointed.
Albion Rice, was succeeded by Fred Beresford.
Mrs. Marian Bartlett was employed to take on the music of the first six grades, formerly taught by Miss Loretta Mullen, assistant to Miss Edwards.
Catherine Casey was employed as teacher of grade 4 and 5 and Rosa Bannon was transferred to grades 2 and 3 in the old Center building.
Lillian Pooler was employed as additional teacher at No. Saugus and Mary Cassidy as additional teacher at Oaklandvale.
In general the work of our teaching force is excellent. The principals of our several buildings have shown an efficiency and a spirit of cooperation which has been a great help to the teachers and a cause of much encouragement to the Superintendent. Teachers also have shown a very fine professional spirit. Quite a large percentage of our teaching force are taking a course in Psychology of Learning now being conducted in town.
The Student Body
It would be difficult to find a more earnest and willing company of boys and girls than we have in our schools. Clashes between pupils and teachers are practically unknown in our school system. We feel that this is due largely to the cooperation of the home with the school, to a better understanding by the teachers relative to the treatment accorded to those under their supervision and to the placement of teachers where they are able to do their best work. I wish to congratulate the boys and girls on their good behavior during the past year. Only by cooperation and sincere application to our problems can we expect to succeed. Regu- larity of attendance is also a large factor in educational progress, therefore, we urge parents to make every effort possible to keep their children in school during the entire time it is in session,
6
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Cost of School Support
The expenditure for educational purpose during the past year has not. been overlarge considering the unusual growth of the town. As shown on page 40 of the School Report of 1927 the enrollment for the fall term was 2,988. The enrollment for the corresponding term this year is 3,094. We have opened one additional room at Oaklandvale, one at North Saugus and two in the old Center building near the Roby school. The cost per pupil, however, is lower than that of 1927. The following financial statement is self-explanatory :
Appropriation General Fund
March, 1928 $190,230 00
Received from state (income tax) $33,091 00
Received from state tuition, state
wards . 1,363 79
34,454 79
From local taxation . $155,775 21
Enrollment, October, 1928, all schools, 3,094
Per pupil, cost (net) $50 35
Enrollment, 1927, all schools .
2,988
Per pupil cost (net) . 51 8I
The above figures are based on appropriations. This year the expenses have been kept below the amount appropriated.
Supervisors
The Superintendent is of the opinion that more supervisory work would make for a higher degree of efficiency particularly in the elementary grades where uniformity of preparation is quite necessary for satisfactory results in grade seven of the Junior High school. It is much better to incur additional expense in keeping pupils up to grade than it is to wait until they fail and then provide space and special teaching for repeaters. A Supervisor of Penmanship, also a Supervisor of Reading ard Elementary English would, in the opinion of the Superintend- ent, add much to efficiency along these lines.
Transportation
The problem of transportation assumes greater proportions as the school population increases. We are now providing for
7
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
transportation of pupils living at North Saugus, Lynnhurst, Gol- den Hills and vicinity. Difficulties in connection with transpor- tation from Golden Hills have become almost insurmountable. The private way over which pupils must be transported cannot be well understood unless one drives over it, especially in the winter time. The Superintendent hopes that better conditions may prevail next year in order that the work may be done with- out danger to driver and those whom he conveys. We have only words of commendation for those who have been employed to do the work.
Special Reports
You are advised to read the special reports which constitute a part of this report. They cover the following lines of work : High and Central Junior High school. Sweetser Junior High school, work of School Physicians, General Attendance, Music, Drawing, Junior High school Sewing, Manual Training, work of the School Nurse and Dental Clinic.
Physical Education
The Superintendent would call special attention to work of the School Nurse and that covering Physical Education. Mrs. Don- ovan; the School Nurse, is very much overworked. The duties of her position have increased very much during the past few years and yet there are some lines of work in the Junior and Senior High schools which cannot be followed out at present. An assistant nurse should be employed in order that the health program, than which nothing is more important, may have the attention it deserves. Mrs. Donovan is exceptionally efficient and her plans for the improvement of health throughout the entire school system should be generously supported. Your attention is also called to the importance of PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
At the present time we are employing a trained director for the first six grades while work in the second six grades assumes the characteristics of a side line, most of the entire time of the director being employed in the teaching of an academic subject. If we are to give our student body the benefit of scientific physical training we should employ a man fully equipped to carry on this work and give him time to study the problem as a whole and also the needs of individual pupils. It is hoped that we shall soon have a complete and effective department of Physical Education. Your Superintendent is writing this in full realization of the high stand- ard now being maintained in that portion of the system where full time supervision can be given.
8
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Housing Conditions
Notwithstanding the fact that four additional rooms have been added, overcrowded conditions still exist in several sections of the town. In order that we may have a clear understanding, conditions in each and every building are briefly summarized as follows :
NORTH SAUGUS SCHOOL. We could accommodate ten or fifteen more pupils in each of the first and second grade rooms.
LYNNHURST SCHOOL. This school building is comfortably filled.
MANSFIELD SCHOOL. Grade one of this school has an enroll- ment of fifty pupils. Other rooms are filled to capacity.
BALLARD SCHOOL. In this building we have the two-platoon system in grades one and four, other rooms are filled to capacity.
EMERSON SCHOOL. All rooms in this building have as many pupils as can be handled properly.
CLIFTONDALE SCHOOL. This building is comfortably filled. ARMITAGE SCHOOL. This building has more pupils than should be housed in it.
OAKLANDVALE SCHOOL. A very few more could be housed in grade one. Other rooms are filled to capacity.
ROBY SCHOOL. In spite of the fact that two rooms have been added by using the lower floor of the old building near the Roby school, several teachers have crowded conditions.
FELTON SCHOOL. This building is over-crowded in general.
CENTRAL HIGH AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. This building is much overcrowded. The Superintendent believes that a two- platoon system is inevitable next year.
SWEETSER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. This building is com- fortably filled.
From the above it will readily be seen that one of our most difficult problems is found on the east side of the town. A two- platoon system, especially in the Elementary grades, is a distinct menace to educational efficiency. Something should be done without delay to relieve the situation.
The two-platoon system in the High school and Junior High school is also to be deplored. However we may look at the situation, a considerable expenditure of money has already be- come necessary to secure housing of our school population. Several suggestions have been made. These are submitted for your consideration.
I. The erection of a new Senior High school building, the present High school building to be used as a Junior High school
9
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
by the entire town, and the employment of the Sweetser Junior High as a grade building.
2. The erection of a larger Junior High school building, making the present Sweetser Junior High available for grade purposes.
3. The addition of four rooms to the Sweetser Junior High school building and six rooms to the Felton school building or two rooms to the Cliftondale school building.
We ask that you give serious consideration to the above sugges- tions or to make additional suggestions relative to the matter.
Retarded Pupils
Section 46 of Chapter 71 of the Revised Statutes as amended in 1922 is as follows : "The School Committee of every town shall annually ascertain under regulations prescribed by the department and the commissioner of mental diseases, the number of children three years or more retarded in mental development in attendance upon its public schools, or of school age and resident therein. At the beginning of each school year, the com- mittee of every town where there are ten or more such children shall establish special classes for their instruction according to their mental attainments, under regulations prescribed by the department. No child under the control of the department of the city of Boston who is three years or more retarded in mental development within the meaning of this section, shall after com- plaint made by the school committee to the department of public welfare or said division, be placed in a town which is not required to maintain a special class as provided for in this section."
In February, 1929, a clinic examination is to be given under the direction of the State Department and there will be approxi- mately forty pupils to take this examination. It would seem reasonable to suppose that there will be considerably more than ten who should have the advantages of special training in accordance with the statute. In that case it will be necessary to provide an additional room for this work next year with a teacher in charge. The matter should be given our attention at an early date.
Repairs
At the last annual town meeting we were granted one per cent (1%) of school property valuations at that time. This amounted to $3,750. This seems like a small percentage for the upkeep of our school buildings yet it has proven adequate to meet
IO
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
the outstanding needs. Many of the minor repairs have been made by the janitors of the respective schools, resulting in quite a material saving.
The general appearance of our buildings is good but they should have attention given to those needs not so apparent to the casual observer, for example-the floors in several building are in very bad condition, as is also the plumbing.
A few weeks ago we secured from principals and janitors of the respective schools their opinions as to repair needs and desirable improvements on school buildings and grounds. The following is a summary of these needs :
Armitage School
Since the School Board was unable to do much repair work at the Armitage last summer we are recommending practically the same work as that of last year.
Walls in each room should be painted and ceilings whitened.
Woodwork needs to be shellacked.
Fire doors and partitions in halls need painting.
Partitions in both girls' and boys' toilets repainted.
Windows throughout the building are very loose, those in rooms I and 3 especially so. Weather strips for those rooms would make them much more comfortable.
The steps and brick work on the west side need to be repaired.
I think the original plans for the building called for roofs over the basement steps. If these could be built much cold as well as water and snow would be kept out, and mischief which occurs during the night or late evening would be prevented.
Swing doors and partitions in hallways repainted.
Ballard School
Would like to have trimmings on the Ballard School painted. Fences repaired.
The room where grade 4 is placed, I would like painted and the walls made neat in appearance.
Cliftondale School
A two room addition to the building to accommodate grades 5 and 6 of our locality.
A door in boys' basement from out doors.
New steps in the girls' basement leading from outside entrance.
Attention given to grounds. A wire fence to replace wooden fences around Cliftondale yard.
II
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
Four new floors.
Complete window (4th grade. )
Emerson School
Walls tinted, ceilings whitened.
Granolithic walks from each entrance to corner of retaining wall, with three or four cement steps to the sidewalk.
Additional cement steps on Atlantic street side of building. As much grading of playground and rock removed as is possible. Window shades altered so as to roll from sill upward.
Drinking bubbles in lower hall.
Slate blackboards in grades 1-3-5.
Roller blackboards (at least two-four if possible.)
One movable desk and chair in each room at least.
New toilets. Time clocks.
Felton School
Four new floors.
Lynnhurst School
Additional radiation for room 3-grades 3 and 4, also front hall. Repair ceiling room 3 and 4.
Plumber needed to make repairs on flush tank in girls' and boys' basement.
School grounds in need of improvement very much, such as : rocks removed ; leveling of ground ;. gravel to keep the mud down : a fence of some nature the length of the rear of the lot would stop a thoroughfare and short cut for vehicles. It is im- possible to teach children neatness and to appreciate the beautiful with untidy grounds.
Halls painted.
Ceilings whitened in rooms I and 2.
Repair leak, in roof over rooms I and 2.
Mansfield School
New fence badly needed.
Boards refinished in back of room.
North Saugus School
Door and steps facing North Saugus square need repairing. Book closet in the second grade room needs a door. A flush tank is needed in the teachers' toilet.
I2
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Drinking fountain on the second floor, supposed to have been repaired does not work well.
The bells are now running on batteries - these are constantly giving out. A bell ringing transformer would be much more economical and satisfactory.
Grading and general improvement needed on school grounds. New blackboards for westerly side of the two old rooms.
A book case for the principal's room.
New lights for three rooms.
Chairs need reseating.
The boiler needs an overhauling and drains need cleaning. Steam escapes in the indirect pipe and should be looked after for the noise is very bad.
The tank in the private closet needs repairing.
Need a wire brush for cleaning tubes.
Something ought to be done about the flag pole. The brace from the pole to roof interferes with putting the flag up on windy days, also in taking it down.
Oaklandvale School
Suggestions for repairs and improvements.
Roof protection over rear basement door. Door brake on same door.
New east front door, or repair work to bring safer and easier opening and closing.
Repair work on latch of upper door opening from front hall to girls' basement, and on the latch of door opening into boys' base- ment from lower floor.
Door knobs on doors between classrooms on upper floor in place of old latches which will not stay closed though repair work has been done many times in the past four years.
Shelves now in smaller upper classroom should be cut and extra part placed in small corner of the larger lower room where there are no shelves of any kind.
Closet on lower floor for general supplies and book storage.
Cloth covered adjustable screens for windows to aid ventilation on days too windy to have windows open directly. Two needed for each room. Eight in all. A clock is needed in new class- room.
Loose plaster on eastern section of hall.
Blackboard on second floor.
Two new outside doors are needed at the front of the building. New window shades are needed for the windows which were
13
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
put into the room used by grade 6. Weather strips for the same.
Boys' and girls' toilets should be painted.
Roby School and Center School
Cement walk to Taylor street.
Entrances need painting.
New stool in toilet (first floor.)
Plaster down in following places : Teachers toilet first floor, Boys' basement. Girls' basement. Dressing room (near room 5). First landing Main street side. Basement stairs Taylor street side. Entrance to boys' basement. Dressing room (near room 6.)
Door checks for front and basement doors.
Cement work in entrances.
Sewer pipe in coal bin.
Metal, lathe and plaster in coal bin.
Basement steps, Main street.
Smooth basement floor.
Brick work in boilers.
Conductor over basement entrances, Main street.
Fence on Main and Taylor streets.
One low table for library, Miss Webber.
Three curtains from window sill, Miss Webber.
300 feet x I-foot tack board for rooms 4, 5, 6, 7.
Aluminum paint for radiators.
Lights in children's cloak room.
Sweetser Junior High School
Stop leaks as suggested by the expert who examined the build- ing about a year ago. Rain gets into the building in several dif- ferent sections.
Provide some sort of curtain for the four skylights in the audi- torium.
Make front of the stage fireproof according to Mr. McCann's plan.
Have a small Telechron clock placed in the Teachers' room.
New door mats in boys' and girls' corridors, also the two grade corridors.
Approximately 90 feet of steel fence to replace the present broken wooden fence in rear of the school. It is very unsightly now.
Cement walks to pupil entrances.
Continual flush over slate in boys' room.
Grading lawn and planting several shrubs. A hedge if possible.
14
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
Several lights of glass are cracked (rear of building).
Fix locks on seventh grade side, and front door.
On each side of building there is a crack due to settling of the building. This extends through brickwork and plaster. It seems no larger than at the time the building was first occupied.
Some play space should be provided.
Machinery is needed in Manual Training division.
Sometimes teachers remark about "poor blackboards" yet they work fairly well.
It is impossible to regulate the ventilating system in the assembly hall.
New lock on outside door on east side of building. This door when closed tight cannot be opened without using the bolt. Painting of iron grills on basement windows. Painting of wood- work on outside of buildings especially on east side. Leaking of water through walls and windows on east side. This has been going on ever since school was built. There are bad cracks in walls in some of the rooms which should be filled.
Grounds. Fence in rear of lot falling down, fence approxi- mately one hundred feet long. Cement walk from Lincoln avenue to door on west side used by library. Grading and seed- ing of front lawn. Window poles.
Central Senior High School
We would suggest that a partition be placed in the Denver street end of the basement which would form a room suitable for a supply room.
The purchase of new window cords to replace cords at present broken throughout the building.
A new power lawn mower.
Three dozen desk covers to be used to replace old worn-out covers on present desks.
Connect rooms 11 and 17 to cast-iron boiler in boiler room.
One new toilet bowl for boys' toilet in basement.
Six shades to replace worn-out shades throughout the High school.
Several conductor pipes need replacing owing to the fact that they have been broken due to the freezing of same in winter.
Board guides in assembly hall to hold chairs in place.
A new fence to be placed from Central street, running east toward the High school building for a distance of 95-feet 8-inches then south along the High school auditorium for a distance of 100 feet.
15
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
1928]
New treads and a new landing and a railing should be placed on the back steps leading from the assembly hall, known as fire exit. The landing is 2-feet 2-inches wide, 6-feet long and the steps are 6-feet long by 2-feet wide, six steps in all.
The first and second floor corridors in the old part of building need painting very badly. Also the walls in rooms 1, 2 and 4 would look much better if redecorated with color to match the walls and other rooms nearby.
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