USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1936 > Part 21
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The reports of the treasurers of the Athletic and Lunch Accounts are published elsewhere in the school report. Both have been audited by Mr. Horace Ramsdell, treasurer of the Saugus Trust Company up to July 31, 1936.
In closing this report I desire to extend my sincere thanks to my superiors, the members of the School Committee. They have been most loyal in the performance of their many duties.
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Also may I extend my thanks to the teachers of the system for their loyalty and most generous cooperation. Parents have been fair and helpful to me at all times. I have given unstint- ingly of my time and abilities for the good of the system. My only wish is that each boy and girl in the schools of Saugus may profit greatly in 1937 from the educational opportunities placed before them by the citizens of the town.
Respectfully submitted, VERNON W. EVANS, Superintendent of Schools.
Report of the School Physicians
December 21, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendent of Schools, Saugus, Mass.
DEAR MR. EVANS :-
Herein I submit my report as school physician for the present year. Sanitary conditions in and about the school buildings at Oaklandvale, North Saugus, The Roby School and the high school are quite satisfactory. The incidence of diseases of a serious nature has been non-existant in our pub- lic schools during the year just passed. Improved economic conditions are definitely shown in the general nutritional changes that are evident in many cases.
Adenoids, tonsils and teeth show a remarkable improvement in consequence of the attention that they have received.
There have been no cases of pediculosis in my schools dur- ing this year.
School nurse, teachers and parents have cooperated effec- tively to rid our schools of conditions of a serious or objec- tional nature. From the standpoint of health and sanitation, our schools are in the best condition that they have been in at any previous time during my time of service.
Very respectfully,
MYRON H. DAVIS
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December 21, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendent of Schools, Saugus, Mass.
DEAR SIR :-
I herewith submit my report as school physician for the vear 1936.
Following are defects found in the High School students after routine annual examination.
Enlarged tonsils 54 Spinal curvature 4
Slightly enlarged tonsils 81 Deflected septum 2
Palpable glands 41 Cardiac defects 2
Dental cavities
116 Skin 1
Lack of dental hygiene seems to be the most noticeable fac- tor in the general condition of the students, which, I believe, is a result of present general conditions.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES A. CLARK, M. D.
December 21, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendent of Schools,
Saugus, Mass.
DEAR MR. EVANS :-
I herewith submit my annual report for the year 1936 :
On examination of pupils in the Ballard, Emerson, Lynn- hurst, and Mansfield Schools, the following defects were found :-
Enlarged Tonsils 131 Defective Heart 4
Adenoids and Tonsils 28 Pediculosis 1
Cervical Glands 17 Eczema 1
Defective Teeth
19 Bronchial Asthma 1
Poor Nutrition
2
The school nurse has excluded several cases of Impetigo, and we have had a few cases of scabies, but on the whole, our schools have been very free from communicable diseases.
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The Riverside Club and The Women's Civic League spon- sored the Spring Pre-school Clinic. About 150 children were examined-all the physicians in the Town of Saugus gave freely of their time to make this Round-up a success, as did many of our efficient nurses.
Respectfully submitted,
MARY M. PENNY, M.D.
December 21, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendent of Schools, Saugus, Mass.
DEAR SIR :
Herewith I submit my annual report for the year 1936.
It is gratifying to note the decrease in the number of defects found in the pupils of my schools. This I believe is partially due to the periodical examination and the vigilance of the school nurse.
The pupils in the following schools-Armitage, Cliftondale, Felton, and Sweetser-were examined at the beginning of the school year and defects found as follows:
Tonsils 55 Pediculosis 2
Poor Posture
4 Heart 1
Yours very truly,
LEROY C. FURBUSH, M.D.
Report of Attendance Officer
December 23, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendant of Schools,
Saugus, Mass.,
DEAR MR. EVANS :-
I herewith submit my annual report as Attendance Officer of the public schools of Saugus.
The attendance record is much improved. I have had sev-
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eral boys in court, two of whom were sent away. Most of the other absences were caused by sickness and the lack of co- operation on the part of parents.
Respectfully submitted,
GEO. I. HULL,
Attendance Officer.
Report of High School Principal
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendant of Schools, Saugus, Mass.,
DEAR MR. EVANS :-
School opened on September 9th with the following enroll- ment :
Post-graduates
10
Grade 8 313
Grade 12
144
Grade 7
147
Grade 11
222
Grade 10
264
Total in J. H. S.
460
Grade 9
276
Total in S. H. S.
916
Total of 1376 pupils in the building.
This past year has been one of progress in the Saugus High School. Through the cooperation of the teachers in the build- ing we have made several changes.
The School Committee adopted a new Program of Studies in April. A résumé of the curricula follows: The Social Arts Curriculum is recommended for all those not preparing for college. It provides for a broad civic, scientific, and cultural training for a life of active, intelligent citizenship. This type of general education should extend at least through High School with the majority of pupils. In this course the School is entirely free to adapt the work to the capacities and inter- ests of the individuals and the aims of secondary education without dictation from the colleges; hence a much more sat- isfactory course of study can be built for the pupils.
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The College Curriculum should be taken only by pupils of superior mental ability preparing for Class A colleges. Ad- mission to college is steadily growing more restrictive and difficult. Many of the colleges are limited, with the result that only the strongest candidates are accepted. More and more the High Schools are developing selective processes which rest chiefly upon strong scholastic ability and demon- strated seriousness of purpose. The increased demands of the colleges have naturally reacted seriously upon the High School situation. Only those pupils who have made good Junior High School records and who have a serious attitude about their work may look forward to reasonable success in the college curriculum. A definite amount of ground must be covered each year in the subjects offered in this curriculum. Pupils must have sufficient ability to keep up with the class and carry the work with credit grades-an average of "B" work in the eighth grade is the minimum requirement necessary to indi- cate success in this curriculum. The colleges set the work and the standards to be attained; it is intended to be selective and pupils who cannot reach the desired standards without extra help should not continue in this curriculum.
The Scientific Curriculum prepares pupils for the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology, Worcester Polytechnic In- stitute and for studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in other colleges.
The Commercial Curriculum is designed to prepare for po- sitions as stenographers, typists, bookkeepers and clerks. Rather few should choose bookkeeping and stenography be- cause of the following facts: An investigation indicated that of male commercial workers only 9 per cent do bookkeeping, only 8 per cent use shorthand. Of women commercial work- er's only 6 per cent use bookkeeping and only 21 per cent use shorthand. The largest per cent of the commercial workers are engaged in selling. Other commercial workers operate machines, do typing, filing, copying, addressing, filling en- velopes, recording, sorting, tagging, checking, operating switch boards, etc. Too many pupils have been choosing the commercial curriculum with the result that in general only a few of the upper half of the class have been able to secure real business positions.
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On September 22nd, the School Committee adopted a new marking system for the Senior High School. A brief expo- sition of marks follows:
A-Unusually good work, and with initiative. The A pu- pil is regularly ready with his assignment on time with work of outstanding quality. He recites readily and contributes freely and constructively to class discussions. He is wholly cooperative in all his class room relationships and gives evi- dence of working at somewhere near his capacity. Probably not more than five to ten per cent of the class can attain this grade.
B-Better than average. The B pupil usually has all the characteristics of the A pupil of slightly lower or lesser de- gree. He may be a pupil of outstanding capacity who is not doing his best. Probably not more than twenty-five per cent of the class will attain this grade, making about a third of the class in both the A and B groups. A and B in college preparatory subjects are certification grades for colleges and teachers' colleges.
C-The C pupil usually turns in his work on time, fairly well done. He does reasonably well the minimum require- ments of the class and contributes when called on. His class room attitude is acceptable. He may be consistently medium in quality or he may be strong in some items and weak in others. About a third or more of the class will receive this grade.
D-Poorer than average work. The pupil is likely to be irregular in doing his work and in the quality of work he does. He masters the minimum essentials less well than the average pupil. The irregularity and poor quality of his work may be the result of irregular attendance, lack of effort and cooperation. The D work is passing but is not satisfactory. Probably less than twenty-five per cent of the class will fall into this group. A mark of D usually will not permit a pupil to continue a sequential subject. This does not apply to English.
F-Unacceptable work. The F pupil seldom has his work ready on time and then it is of doubtful quality. He does not master even the minimum essentials. He may occasionally
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be a conscientious pupil who has been absent so much that he cannot have full understanding of the work but is usually one whose situation is the result of his own carelessness, irregu- lar attendance, lack of study and effort, poor class room atti- tude or other weakness. This mark is almost never due to lack of ability alone for effort will usually bring a D even with scant accomplishment. Frequently lack of ability combined with some other bad qualities, may bring a failing mark. Probably not more than five to ten per cent of the class should ever fall into this group.
Since school opened in September we have organized a Girls' Club under the direction of Miss Haywood and Miss Motherwell. "Previous to this year a peculiar situation ex- isted in our high school. Approximately one half (four hundred and sixty one girls to be exact) of our student body had no representation nor activities. These girls have braved the weather at the games, waited on the students at the cafe- teria and yet received no recognition. With such an active group great possibilities presented themselves. Why could not they have interclass games, social events, and a goal toward which to work?
A small group of seniors and juniors met last year to discuss such a possibility. This fall we were fortunate to have Miss Wolf of Gloucester High school (a similar organ- ization has been successful there for many years) address the girls. She was accompanied by the president of their club. After this meeting various committees were formed to act for the girls.
Any girl is eligible for membership who was in the high school at the founding of the club, and any girl upon her en- trance becomes a member after having suscribed to the club code, and having signified her willingness to work for the best interest of the club. The meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. There are no dues, so that every girl may belong and enjoy the club."
Mr. Donald Hammond was appointed by the School Com- mittee early in the fall to reorganize the band. Since his appointment Mr. Hammond has held rehearsals twice a week and has given private lessons to many pupils. By the end of
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this school year we shall have a band of which we shall all be very proud.
Miss Elizabeth Goss who was recently appointed to take Miss Gertrude Hickey's place, is doing an especially fine piece of work with the high school orchestra.
Since school opened in the fall Mrs. Kellogg has been hold- ing art classes for the Senior high school pupils one day a week. These classes are very popular and the pupils are doing some fine work.
This past fall we have organized "Saugus High School Stddent Activities" under the leadership of Mr. Ashton Davis. Pupils by paying an initial fee of 25 cents and 10 cents each week until $2.25 has been paid or $2.00 if paid in one pay- ment, receive the following :
1. One Sachem insignia at$.50 $ .50
2. Admission to 5 football games at .25 1.25
3. One subscription to the Focus at .35 .35
4. Admission to one Amateur Night at .25 .25
5. Admission to three Assembly Artist programs at .25 .75
6. Admission to one spring inter-class track meet at .25 .25
7. Admission to three afternoon dances at .10 .30
8. Admission to 8 baseball games at .10 .80
Total $4.45
The heads of departments in the high school are now as follows: English-Ruth Motherwell. Modern Language- Bernice Hayward. Commercial-Hazel Marison. Social Studies-Welcome Mccullough. Mathematics-Elmer Wat- son. Science-John Gifford.
The following are extracts from their reports :
ENGLISH. "We are beginning definite work in Public Speaking in senior English. By experimenting with two or three divisions we hope to work out a course that will lead to a student demand for a Forum or Debating Club.
Our school paper-"The Focus" is slowly but surely im- proving. The Art Department and Language Department are cooperating with us now in addition to the Commercial Department.
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The Dramatic Club under Miss Hallin's direction has 64 members. It meets once a month to discuss or demonstrate some phase of dramatic work. The club recently presented a play at the Christmas Assembly.
There are 996 pupils registered in 32 divisions of English in the Senior High School. This load is too heavy to permit effective classroom work or sufficient outside preparation and paper correcting. We definitely need two new teachers-one full time and a second teacher whose program would be light enough for her to have charge of a central book closet. This would save the town money in books and would improve the efficiency of the Department."
MODERN LANGUAGE. "Many pupils are non-language mind- ed, that is to say, they cannot assimilate the mechanics of grammar. However, these same pupils, upon graduation, may find themselves a candidate for a position in which a knowledge of the culture or civilization of a foreign country is a requisite, or at least, useful. Our high school with no facilities for the manual or the household arts gives pupils, with no desire for the languages at all, no other choice than of the languages. To meet the needs of these pupils this department has added several new courses to the curriculum this year. These courses are non-college Latin I and II, and non-college French I and II. They differ from college French and Latin in several respects. First, formal grammar is omitted. We adapt the material to the ability of the pupil, by lessening or increasing requirements according to the in- dividual. We emphasize the literature, life, institutions, and culture of the Romans and French.
To successfully carry out our program in the future we need three full time teachers in the department. We need a wall map of France urgently. It would be appreciated if the department might have several subscriptions yearly to some French magazines or newspapers. The Latin first year sec- tions should have work books. Certain reference books should be in our classical library."
COMMERCIAL. "The following things have been accomp- lished in this department during the past year: (1) The segregating of commercial pupils into classes by themselves.
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(2) The introduction of a general course in Bookkeeping for pupils who do not wish to do straight commercial work. (3) The employing of commercial pupils in the office as part of their office practice work.
We need the following in our department : (1) An outline map of the United States for the Commercial Geography class- es. (2) New books for some classes. The Filing and Short- hand Reading books are in terrible condition. (3) A larger office practice room with more typewriters."
SOCIAL STUDIES. "Since our organization meeting early in October, effort has been made to correlate the work of the various subjects of the department, so that each instructor in a given subject, will be covering at the same time, approx- imately the same field of operation, whether in Ancient, European or United States History or Civics.
I have requested that there be a uniform method in giving our assignments, and that a satisfactory explanation be given so that the student will be able to acquire a better idea of what he is supposed to get out of the assignment.
I have also urged that they make every effort to introduce such methods and practices of teaching as will enable them to get rid of, in part, the old fashioned type of question and answer recitation. This to be accomplished by the introduc- tion, whenever it is wisely possible, of modern political questions and social problems as may best fit in with the particular type of work at hand thus enabling greater student participation in the recitation.
In regard to future needs, I would urge that we adopt a new textbook in Civics. The present books are very old, rather dense in their reading and should be replaced by a text that will readily inform the student in a single and direct way not only the problems before the American people but which will develop in him personally the attitudes and habits which will make of him a better citizen on leaving school. We are now using several sets of old textbooks in United States History which should be replaced by a new modern text. There seems to be two subjects well worth future consideration for this department, namely some sort
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of a simple but direct course in General Psychology for first and second year pupils, and a course dealing with modern problems of Democracy for Juniors and Seniors."
MATHEMATICS. "At present I can see no need of dis- tinguishing between General and College divisions in Plane Geometry. A minimum has to be taught anyway for a good understanding in a geometry class. In any class certain additional exercises should be assigned for the better pupils. If the Scientific Course is to be preparatory to Massachu- setts Institute of Technology or other technical schools where the most important requisite is mathematics, should not such pupils pursue all mathematics courses offered in high school? I believe that these pupils should take Advanced Algebra in order to get the fundamentals in Calculus and Analytic Ge- ometry."
SCIENCE. "During this school year it is the purpose of those in the department to determine just what material contained in the texts is worth while, what should be added and what should be omitted, how duplication can be avoided, and at the same time blend all four science courses into a more united whole.
But, even the most skillful of teachers can not do justice to a subject unless he has adequate and appropriate appa- ratus. Taught solely from a textbook, biology is very likely to be dead; but, give a man a microprojector with which to flash the images of living organisms on the screen and the subject becomes fascinating. Couple with this a certain amount of laboratory work and the whole takes on meaning.
In general science there are also crying needs. Here one finds an instructor trying to carry on in a room not at all suited to the subject. With only a makeshift table, no run- ning water, no sink, no gas, no electrical wall outlets, he must perform his demonstration experiments. Then again as in biology, large charts visible from the back of the room should be on hand.
Uppermost in our minds at the present time is the desire for a physical change in the outline of the chemistry and physics laboratories. In each of the two rooms is a closet
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which can be enlarged with a small outlay of money. It is our purpose to keep in these enlarged closets all supplies and apparatus used by the pupils. These enlarged closets will provide good dark rooms for photographic work and many experiments in light. We should like to have the two science rooms equipped with opaque curtains so that movie and stereopticon machines can be used on clear days. A high demonstration desk is needed for the chemistry laboratory that experiments performed for the class can be seen by all."
At the beginning of school in September Mr. Earl Chadsey took over the position of teacher of Chemistry left vacant by the death of Mr. Delbert A. Wheeler who had been connected with the Saugus High School since 1921.
Miss Victoria Borys became teacher of Mathematics in the Junior High School, a position made vacant by the transfer of Miss Josephine Ready to the sixth grade.
During the summer vacation additional office space was made so that now the principal and sub-master have separate private offices. This was made possible by doing away with a small supply closet adjoining the main office.
SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS
1. Gates in the corridor near the assembly hall.
2. Weather stripping in several rooms.
3. Replacement of old desks in Study Hall.
4. New treads on stairways where needed.
5. Repair of desks throughout the building.
6. Enlargement of athletic program especially for the girls.
7. Better facilities for Mr. Friberg's classes.
8. Chorus singing in the Senior High School.
9. Introduction of courses in Industrial Arts.
10. Revision of the Junior High School program of studies.
In closing I wish to thank you Mr. Evans, and the School Committee for your helpful advice and encouragement.
JOHN A. W. PEARCE,
Principal.
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Report of Art Supervisor
332 Lincoln Avenue, Saugus, Massachusetts, December 19, 1936.
Mr. Vernon W. Evans, Superintendent of Schools, Saugus, Massachusetts.
DEAR SIR :
I am pleased to offer my annual report as teacher of Art in the public schools of Saugus.
It is especially gratifying that the suggestion which ap- peared in my report of last year: to make Art an elective subject in the Junior and Senior High Schools has become a reality.
Last January special time was granted the Senior High School pupils to enter the Poster Contest for "Better Motion Pictures" which was sponsored jointly by the Women's Civic League of Cliftondale and the Riverside Club. About forty students completed large posters. The first prize was award- ed Malcolm Nicoll, second prize Merle Britt, third prize John Hatch. These prize winning posters were entered with those of other contestants throughout the state at the State Federa- tion Meeting in June. Of the state awards Malcolm Nicoll received third prize.
This contest proved that the subject of Art was not only desired, but was a worth while subject. It has formed the corner stone upon which to build a substantial and useful course in Art education for the boys and girls of Saugus.
At the beginning of the school year in September 1936 about sixty-five students in the Senior High School signed up for classes in Art, and are loyally coming to class once each week for instruction. One half point of credit is re- ceived for this one period each week.
A definite course of instruction has been planned and will be filed in the office of the high school principal as soon as the typing is completed by the commercial department.
It is my desire that the Art classes in the high school be
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1936]
of practical service not only to the individual but to as many school and civic activities as is possible.
The American Legion Auxiliary to Post 210 sponsored a poster contest for both junior and high school classes, to which the boys and girls eagerly responded.
Several other local and state organizations were granted assistance in which practical application of Art principles were made.
There has been need for much help and guidance this past year. From each member of the school committee, from Mr. Evans, Mr. Pearce and Mr. Young, I have received an ever present helping hand. For this I am most grateful.
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