USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1923 > Part 9
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Second only in importance to relief in the Hadley School is the question of increased facilities in our high school. It has been pointed out in the report of the superintendent and high school principal for several years that enlargements were needed in this building. Here two propositions are open to us: one is to add to our present high school four or eight rooms, which the size of the lot and the nature of the present building will readily permit. The other is to build a new high school in perhaps a more central location of the town, leav- ing the present building, after remodeling, for elementary school purposes in the section where it stands and where it is logical to expect a rapidly increasing school population will accumulate in the years to come. The first of these plans is doubtless the more eco- nomincal, the second the more desirable from the standpoint of loca- tion and educational efficiency. It cannot be denied that our present high school, while in a most attractive location, is not conveniently located for the great majority of pupils attending there. In the winter months the distance and the condition of the streets leading to it prove a distinct handicap to good attendance and punctuality.
At this time we should consider carefully the desirability, almost the necessity, of adding to our high school equipment facilities for the · introduction of an industrial arts course. At the present time we offer to the youth of Swampscott only academic and commercial courses. As has been said before, there is in our school department but one teacher of domestic science and art and one teacher of manual training, both of whom have completely filled schedules from the junior high school, as a result of which no girl above or below the junior high school is receiving in our schools instruction in cooking, sewing or allied subjects, and only the junior high school boys and a very small group of senior high school boys who come to the junior high school for that purpose are able to obtain any training in manual arts. Boys and girls who begin these subjects in the junior high school, show progress in them and wish to continue them are unable so to do because no facilities are offered them along these lines.
We will grant without question that this form of education is expensive, both in equipment and maintenance, but it has become in- creasingly apparent to those close to school affairs that we have in our schools a comparatively large number of young people who would benefit from advanced instruction in these subjects and no plans for the enlargement of our high school can be complete until they em- body some scheme to add to the high school equipment room and apparatus necessary for the introduction of an industrial arts course in that building. It would seem desirable for steps to be taken at once for the laying of definite plans for the execution of this project in 1925.
94
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[ Dec. 31
Longer School Days.
A subject which has been discussed, not only in the school depart- ment but in the town, is that concerning the lengthening of the present school day, and although it has been apparent that there is no unanimity of opinion in the matter it seems well to take a stand in regard to it at the present time. For several years Swampscott has had the rather unique arrangement of a one session day for all grades, with five hours as the gross amount of time spent by any pupil at school, exclusive, of course, of such afternoon sessions as may be necessary for makeup work or disciplinary measures. It would be a very simple matter to present statistics showing the in- creasingly large number of cities and towns whose school day is in excess of ours, but it seems we should decide this matter not on the basis of what other towns are doing, but rather on the grounds of what is best for those boys and girls in our school system.
It has been repeatedly pointed out during the past few years that here and elsewhere conditions have changed markedly in the school world as well as in the world outside. Additions are constantly being made to the curriculum, outside interests are demanding more of the pupils' time, colleges are raising their entrance standards year by year, and yet we find on the part of children no greater, and probably less, inclination to study than ever before. Assignments given by teachers for preparation at home are not, as a rule, satisfactorily done, . and indeed in a great many homes conditions do not exist favorable to the proper preparation of home work. In other words the schools are having an increasingly heavy burden to carry, while the pupils are devoting more and more of their attention to outside activities and interests.
I believe that at least an hour per day should be added to the time spent in the junior and senior high schools. That is an increase of twenty percent, a far smaller percent, it is certain, than the losses we have suffered from an educational standpoint from the causes enumerated above. It is an old and trite saying that "there is no royal road to learning." The boys and girls of today must pursue the same pathway that boys and girls have followed in the past if they are to reach the same goal, yet today that road is more tortuous and beset with obstacles than ever before. We of the Swampscott schools earnestly desire to prepare the youth committed to our charge for their higher education as well as for the duties of citizenship which are to confront them through their life, but we are having difficulty in doing this, we are falling short of the ideals we hold most highly and we feel that we need the boys and girls in school a longer time if we are to do our full duty by them. The addition of an hour per day will allow us to increase the length of each period of the junior and senior high schools ten minutes, not much it is true, but it seems safe to say that this extra hour in school would equal the equivalent of an hour and a half or two hours' study in the average home, for it would mean study under the supervision of the teachers in a school atmosphere, where it can best be done.
I recommend, then, to the School Committee that beginning with
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
the opening of school in September, 1924, we increase by one hour the length of the school day of the junior and senior high schools.
Physical Education.
During the past two years and a half we have gradually devel- oped our physical training program until at present our staff in- cludes Mr. Cuddy, who has charge of boys' athletics and physical training in the senior high school; Mr. Quinlan, who fills a similar position in the junior high school, and Miss Boynton, who has charge of the physical training activities of the elementary grades, junior and senior high school girls.
We feel that this department is doing exceedingly well, a branch of work which is most vital in the present day curricula, but possi- bilities for further development in this field are very great. We need, specifically, additional space in or about the junior high school, additional apparatus in the high school gymnasium and on the public play grounds of the town, and we could use to very good advantage an additional teacher to assist Miss Boynton.
Further, I have watched with interest the activities of Swampscott Community Service during the summer months with an ever in- creasing feeling that much of the work carried on by this organ- ization should be done by the school department. Swampscott offers to its boys and girls during the summer unusual recreational possi- bilities with its play grounds and beautiful beaches. It would not be an expensive matter, then, for our department to take over the general supervision and control of directed play through the summer months. Here again it would be possible to cite innumerable cases where this work is done by school departments, but it seems unnecessary so to do.
It is my hope and recommendation that we may include in the budget of 1924 a modest sum which will enable us to make a start towards maintaining and developing supervised and directed play for our boys and girls during July and August.
Our Budget.
We find each year, in spite of earnest efforts to conduct our affairs in the most economical manner possible, that we are con- fronted by a budget in excess of that of years previous. The year 1924 will prove no exception to this, as it is already apparent that the amount necessary to carry on our schools will exceed the amount expended in 1923. There are several reasons for this. First, we be- lieve that we are improving our schools each year by the addition of modern equipment and supplies facilitating the process of instruc- tion. Such improvement is necessarily costly. Secondly, we have had over a period of years a number of repairs and replacements to make and the amount which we purpose spending in 1924 for re- pairs will be somewhat larger than the amount expended the past year. Third, the greatest increase in our or any school budget, the salary item. This is due to several reasons, the increase in the num- ber of teachers, the higher maxima salaries towards which teachers
96
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
are approaching, but most of all because there is an awakening con- sciousness that teaching is becoming one of our most important pro- fessions, and that as such it must receive the compensation due its importance. No higher tribute can be paid to a community than to state that it has constantly and generously increased the amount contributed toward teachers' salaries.
Our experience this past year, however, shows conclusively that our salary schedule still needs further upward revision. We are paying to our teachers today about an average salary, and it must remain Swampscott's lot to lose many of its most proficient teachers each year if it only pays an "average" salary. But, it is my as- sumption that our citizens desire to see the Swampscott schools giv- en a higher rating than "average," and one of the best ways of se- curing this higher rating is to retain our most efficient teachers, and when we have vacancies fill them with others equally efficient. In nine cases out of ten this resolves itself into a question of dollars and cents. With salary conditions equal, teachers will generally be as willing to teach here as elsewhere, and we must continue to increase our salary schedule until it is higher than the "average" salary sched- ule and nearer on a level with those places that pay the highest salaries, if we desire to attract to and retain in our teaching staff men and women of the highest calibre.
If this principle is acceptable to you as a committee I earnestly commend for your immediate consideration the desirability of estab- lishing a salary schedule which shall be in accordance with the views expressed.
No report emanating from this office could be deemed complete without an expression of appreciation for the co-operation which has been received from all members of the teaching staff .· Whatever suc- cess has been attained in our schools in 1923 is mainly due to super- visors, principals and teachers, all of whom have had their shoulders to the wheel at all times. May I also express to you, the committee, my personal gratitude for the assistance and friendship which have so markedly characterized our associations.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD F. DOW,
Superintendent.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
APPENDIX A.
Census Statistics.
SCHOOL YEAR, SEPTEMBER, 1922, TO JUNE, 1923
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 16 805
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 16 819
Total
1,624
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 7
117
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 7
134
Total
251
Number of boys 7 years of age or over and under 14
535
Number of girls 7 years of age or over and under 14
547
Total
.
1,082
Number of boys 14 years of age or over and under 16
153
Number of girls 14 years of age or over and under 16
138
Total
291
APPENDIX B.
Table of Enrolment and Attendance. SEPTEMBER 1922-JUNE 1923
School
Grade
Whole Average Average % of number member- attend- enroled ance ance
attend- tardy
No. dis- missed
High
10-12
274
262.6
247.3
94.1
383
165
Jr. High
7 - 9
409
385.9
362.4
93.9
134
111
Hadley
1 - 6
239
217.9
202.6
92.9
222
69
Clarke
1 - 6
346
304.6
279.2
91.6
252
58
Machon
1 - 5
228
217.9
202.0
91.9
240
60
Palmer
1 - 6
130
126.0
119.0
94.4
155
36
Total
1626
1514.9
1412.5
93.2
1346
499
No.
ship
98
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
APPENDIX C.
Age-Grade Table: 1922-1923 Enrolment. Exclusive of Special Class (16 Pupils)
Ages in years and months
-
II
Grad
Grad
III
IV
Grad
Grad
Grad(
Grad
Grad‹
Grad‹
Grad
Grad
XII
Total
6.0- 6.11
97
6
1
104
7.0- 7.11
57
75
10
142
8.0- 8.11
11
32
70
17|
2
132
9.0- 9.11
5
14
44
54
15
2
134
10.0-10.11
2
5
19
55
68
25
3
177
11.0-11.11
1
17|
41
65
26
150
12.0-12.11
1|
1|
3| 14
13
39
63
21
155
13.0-13.11
1
3
7
17
53
33
18
11
-
143
14.0-14.11
1|
1
3
6.34
28
30
22
7
132
15.0-15.11
1|
1| 19
9| 44
43
23
3|
143
16.0-16.11
2
6
19|
23
42
17|
109
17.0-17.11
1
3
4
9|
17
29
63
18.0-18.11
1
5|
17
23
19.0-19.11
1
2
7
10
20.0-20.11
1
3
4
Totals
173 133 150 161|150 155 201 100 116|110 96| 76 |1,621
APPENDIX D.
Tabulation of Accelerated and Retarded Pupils - by grades
Accelerated
Normal
Grade
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Retarded Number
Percent
Totals
I
3
5
154
89.01
19
10.98
173
II
6
4.5
107
80.45
20
15.03
133
III
11
7.33
114
76
25
16.66
150
IV
17
10.55
109
67.7
35
21.73
161
.1
17
11,33
109
72.66
24
16
150
VI
27
17.41
104
67.09
24
15.48
155
VII
29
14.42
116
57.71
56
27.86
201
VIII
21
21
61
61
18
18
100
IX
18
15.51
74
63.79
24
20.6S
116
XI
30
31.25
59
61.45
7
7.29
.96
XII
20
26.31
46
60.52
10
13.15
76
Totals
229
14.12
1,119
69.03
273
16.84
1,621
VI
VII
VII'
IX
×
XI
110
33
3
66
6
11
1
-
Grad‹
V
Grad
99
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
APPENDIX E.
Comparative Cost of Swampscott Schools (From Report of Mass. Dept. of Education.)
Per pupil cost (exclusive of Gen. Control)
Population census of
1920
Valuation
April,
1921
Expended for
support of
schools, year
ending June,
1922
Amount ex-
pended per
valuation
Per pupil
cost
Elementary
schools
High
School
Belmont
10.749
$16,726,417
$181,019.62
$10.82
$ 74.86
$68.15
$128.28
Winchester
10,485
23,348,425
169,655.83
7.27
98.98
86.34
128.61
Milton
9,382
21,803,790
176,936.05
8.12
112.70
98.64
147.81
Swampscott
8,101
15,628,379
127,749.52
8.17
85.05
74.56
99.51
Reading
7,439
9,513,847
121,549.76
12.77
82.30,
69.14
107.48
Concord
6,461
7,499,209
131,098.03
17.49
116.22
76.40
124.86
Lexington
6,350
10,263,804
125,573.60
12.23
82.07
66.25
103.88
Wellesley
6,224
19,120,295
141,988.75
7.43
107.08
86.29
126.04
APPENDIX F.
Cost of Instruction in Swampscott, 1923.
Valuation of Town of Swampscott
$17,311,179
Total raised by taxation
$471,853.59
Total expended for support of schools
$135,036.74
Average membership
1,520
Amount expended for support of school, per pupil
$88.83
Amount received by town from State (School return) Net cost of school to town
$11,687.50
$123,349.24
Net cost of school to town, per pupil
$81.09
$1000
100
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[ Dec. 31
APPENDIX G. Swampscott's School Dollar - 1923
5
10
T
15
20
25
30
54c Teachers' Salaries
35
40
45
50
1
55
60
65
20.7c Administration and Super- vision
70
75
80
13.6c Operation
85
90
05.6c Books and Supplies
95
03.3c Repairs
01.5c Auxiliary Agencies
100
01.2c New Equipment
101
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
SWAMPSCOTT'S SCHOOL DOLLAR-1923
Teachers' Salaries
54 c
Administration and Supervision 20.7c
Operation 13.6c
Books and Supplies
05.6c
Repairs
03.3c
Auxiliary Agencies
01.5c
New Equipment
01.2c
The above table and the figures immediately preceding the table show how the Swampscott school dollar was expended in 1923. It is largely self-explanatory, but one or two of the items are more com- prehensive than the titles indicate.
Under "Administration and Supervision" are grouped the salaries of superintendent, supervisors, principals, clerks, attendance officer and expenses of the committee and superintendent. "Operation" in- cludes janitors' salaries, light, heat, power and water. "Repairs" in- clude replacements and "Auxiliary Agencies" include libraries, health, transportation and tuition.
102
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Report of High School Principal.
To the Superintendent and School Committee of the Town of Swamp- scott :
MRS. HARDY AND GENTLEMEN :- I hand you herewith my fourth annual report as principal of the Swampscott High School.
The High School opened in September with an enrollment of 264 pupils, and although this is not as large a number as was anticipated in my report of one year ago, still the additional teacher which was placed in the High School last September has allowed us to organize smaller classes and has done away with the necessity of three teachers in the building carrying an excessive load as was the case last year. This arrangement should insure a better grade of instruction.
The question of the elimination of pupils from the Senior High School seems to be a very serious one and one which should receive immediate attention. During the last school year (1922-23) a total of 34 pupils, or 12.1% of the registration, have left the High School for the reasons indicated:
Table 1.
1. To go to work 13
2. Left town 8
3. Gone to other schools 4
4. Other reasons 9
The ability of the pupils in groups 1 and 4 in table 1 was below normal in every case except one as shown by the standard intelligence tests used in connection with our school work.
Up to the Christmas vacation of the present school year 14 pupils, or 5.5% of our registration, have left school for the reasons indi- cated :
Table 2.
1. To go to work 3
2. Left town 9
3. Gone to other schools 2
14
The intelligence of pupils in groups 1 and 3 of table 2 was likewise below normal, and in as much as table 2 covers practically one third of the school year, it seems that the rate of elimination will be much the same this year as it was last.
One of the functions of a Junior High School is to prevent pupils from dropping out of school during the seventh, eighth and ninth grades and our Junior High School undoubtedly does this, but on the other hand this scheme of things passes more pupils of ordinary ability on to the High School. The Senior High School has nothing in the way of manual instruction to offer to these pupils except typewrit- ing, and it is certainly poor policy to urge the boys in this group to take typewriting on account of competition from the girls in this field. Of course the boys may elect manual training at the Junior
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
High School but the facilities of this school are already much over- taxed. The older boys dislike to be placed in classes with the younger boys, and the daily trip between the two buildings is undesirable. We have nothing whatever to offer the girls in the way of practical arts.
If our High School is going to perform successfully the democratic function of offering varying types of curricula to meet the varying degrees of intelligence, I believe the school committee should consider very seriously the matter of placing wood working equipment in the High School and some offering should be made to the girls in the way of cooking, sewing and allied subjects.
In the town report of one year ago some mention was made of the desirability of a longer school day. With the increasing number of pupils preparing to attend higher institutions, together with the cor- respondingly greater selection which these institutions are making, it seems entirely unreasonable to expect a school to meet increased requirements of preparation without granting to the school increased time. It is also true that some parents who seem to believe that the Public Schools are not suited to the needs of their children send these pupils to private schools which have control over the entire time of the pupil, establishes definite periods for study and the pupils thus succeed in subjects where the Public School had apparently failed. In other word, this scheme of things brings unfavorable comment upon our Public Schools, when the chances are that the Public Schools could have succeeded equally well if they had been given an equal chance.
The following facts are taken from a pamphlet printed by "The New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools", and is a part of the report of the committee on College Entrance Re- quirements.
1. The chief function of the Public High School of today is not preparation for college.
a. Only 24% of the pupils who graduate enter any college.
b. Only 5.6% of the graduates enter college demanding entrance examinations.
In order to compare the status of our own graduating class of last year with the general facts stated above the occupation of these pupils as far as is known follows:
Ruth Ashton
Helen Atwill
Marion Beckwith
Salem Normal School Drew Seminary Sargent School
William Bessom
Springfield Y. M. C. A. College
Edith Breed
Post Graduate Classical
Elsea Bridgess
At home Post Graduate Swampscott Work
Henry Bufalino
Bentley School
Robert Byrne James Cafferty
Burdett College Work
Alexander Cameron
Winnefred Cameron Julia Cappuccio
Work Work At home
Marion Bridgess
Gordon Brown
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Paul Chaisson Eleanor Chapin Zelma Cloutier Louis Cohen Hollis Currant Winnefred Davis Mary Donlan William Edson Eleanor Farrell Hilton Fisher
Charles Flagg Mary Gannon Stuart Graham
John Hanifey
Ruth Harlow Martha Hatch John Healey John Hennessey
Roger Howes
Gilmour Knowlton
Edwin Moran
Mabel Manchester
John McLearn
James Moses
Wilbur Moulton
Robert Mower
Mildred Murphy
Elsie Nevers
Harvey Newcomb Harry Page
Dorothy Prentiss
Frederick Rowe
Lawrence Sager
Evelyn Sampson
Dorothy Smith
Eleanor Sofer
Elizabeth Spofford
Helen Thomas
Norbert Ulman
Eleanor Valpey Earl Vaux
Ada Weinstein
Chandler School
Charles Wilson
School of Practical Arts At home
SUMMARY
Continuing Education
30
At work
20
At home
6
Occupation Unknown
TOTALS
G. E. Apprentice School Boston University C. S. S. Post Graduate Swampscott Harvard University Work Boston University C. L. A. Chandler School Brown University Work G. E. Apprentice School Work Work
Post Graduate Swampscott Work Salem Normal School
United Fruit Co. Law School Work Work Work Hospital Work North Eastern University G. E. Apprentice School Boston University C. B. A. Boston University C. B. A. Work
At Home Boston University C. B. A.
New Hampshire University Post Graduate Swampscott G. E. Apprentice School Work Work At home Work At home Work
Salem Normal School Work
Christine Yasi
2
58
105
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1923]
These figures show that 50% of our last year's graduating class are continuing their education in representative higher schools and col- leges. In spite of the fact that the modern High School does not exist primarily for college preparatory pupils our school seems to be doing well in this preparation.
During my stay in Swampscott it has seemed a very serious fault with our High School has been an attitude of indifference on the part of the pupils. This attitude can be translated into dollars and cents as follows: There are at present 59 pupils in our High School who are repeating subjects in which they have previously failed. These subjects all come five times a week, so that this amounts to 295 pupil periods, or a teaching load which would occupy one half the usual time of a teacher. Assuming that the usual salary of a teacher in the Swampscott High School is $1700 or $1800 a year these 59 pupils are costing the town $800 or $900.
The writer is very grateful for the spirit of co-operation which has been shown at all times by the school committee, superintendent, and corps of teachers.
LEIGHTON S. THOMPSON,
Principal.
106
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
SWAMPSCOTT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT DIRECTORY.
High School.
Leighton S. Thompson
Harriet M. Dillon
Mildred C. Fraser
Rena Jenne
Mrs. Florence Norton
A. Lillian Rideout
Joseph Stanton
Charles Cuddy
Maebelle Adams
Anna Remmert
Mrs. S. Langford
Lucille Burleigh
Edna S. Bennett
Margaret Thompson
6 Prospect Ave.
56 Greenwood Ave. 32 Greenwood Ave. 76 Banks Road 20 Ware St. (Suite 3), Cambridge
15 Farragut Road 329 Eastern Ave., Lynn 29 Norfolk Ave. 117 Paradise Road 82 Walker Road 43 Dana St., Cambridge 82 Walker Road 25 Cedar Hill Terr. 80 Banks Road
Junior High School.
Alice L. Shaw
Jean G. Allan
Marion Stevens
Beatrice L. Cook
Madeline MacDonald
Mrs. Cecil H. Doe
Alice Durgin
Pauline Flagg
Dorothy Slator
Yvette LaPointe
Marion Burlingame
Helen Fielden Marion Drew
. Frances A. Gould Helen Warren S. Perry Congdon Walter Quinlan
38 Outlook Road Fuller Ave. 57 Devens Road 111 Redington St. 28 Norfolk Ave. 24 Maverick St., Marblehead 43 Pleasant St. 978 Humphrey St., Beach Bluff 76 Crest Ave., Winthrop 56 So. Russell St., Boston 80 Banks Road 46 Chestnut St., Marblehead 42 Humphrey St. 199 Burrill St. 11 Outlook Road 45 Thomas Road 44 Humphrey St
Hadley School. .
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