USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1924 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19
126
TOWN DOCUMENTS [Dec. 31
Hours of Session
Junior and senior high schools and grades V and VI, 8.30 A.M. to 1.30 P.M.
Grades III and IV, 8.30 A.M. to 1 P.M.
Grades I and II, 9 A.M. to 1 P.M.
No School Signal
Two double strokes on the fire alarm, 2-2. Street lights turned on for five minutes.
7.20 A.M. No school in the junior or senior high schools.
7.50 A.M. No session in grades I to VI inclusive.
IMPORTANT: If the signal is not given at 7.20, but is given at 7.50, sessions of school will be held in the junior and senior high schools and no school in grades I to VI inclusive.
127
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of the Town of Swampscott:
We submit again with pleasure the reports covering the work of the School Department for the past year. They will receive, we trust, your thoughtful and careful perusal. We have kept within the allowance granted us, all bills for the year have been paid and a small balance returned to the Town Treasurer. We continue to give the praise for this where the praise is due, to the Superin- tendent. Economy with efficiency has been and will continue to be our policy. We ask you to note that the school budget for 1925 will be little, if any, in excess of that for 1924.
An unusual turn-over in the teaching staff has not in the least impaired the efficiency of the system, and we are of the firm con- viction that the schools still continue on a high level, and offer from the first grade through the senior class of the high school as good an educational opportunity as can be found in any town of our size in the state of Massachusetts. We are a growing com- munity, and immediate and adequate school room must be given to all the children of our town. The Finance Committee have in their hands a report upon which earnest, careful and serious con- sideration has been given over a long space of time by a capable committee of citizens acting with the School Committee. Their favorable report, to which we look forward in the near future, will receive at your hands, we trust, immediate endorsement, so that we can use the new building contemplated and relieve the pressure upon the Hadley School not later than September, 1926. The future building policy is outlined in the report of the Superintendent, and it has our unqualified approval.
We ask your attention particularly to that portion of the high school principal's report where he speaks of the intelligence exam- inations. Our high school for years has been the butt of a good deal of criticism. Some of it has undoubtedly been fair and just; a great deal of it has been that kind of criticism that has been simply passed from mouth to mouth with very little real foundation in fact. We repeat again what we have before said, that the teach- ing staff in the high school will prepare the normal pupil for college, provided he does his work faithfully day by day and avails himself of the help outside of school hours that the teacher stands ready to give. If we can encourage the home so that it will seek through
128
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
the parents a closer tie with the school and co-operate in the pro- gramme of work required by the school, much of this criticism will vanish, and where it is deserving better conditions will be brought about. We ask you again to visit the schools, know your child's teacher and principal, appreciate how they are working for his good, and thus help them to appreciate more deeply this great agency, the pride, with all its faults, of our American Republic, the public school system, the builder of American citizenship and character.
Respectfully submitted, (Signed) EDWARD TILLOTSON, Chairman, JOHN VANNEVAR, MABEL A. HARDY.
129
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
REPORT OF CLERK OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Members of the School Committee:
Following is a classified statement of the expenditures of the School Committee for the year ending December 31, 1924.
Statement January 1, 1925
Expended
Estimated
School Committee
$575 29
$500 00
Superintendent
455 60
400 00
Pay Roll
113,605 91
114,460 00
Text Books-supplies
7,573 79
7,314 00
Fuel
4,763, 17
5,602 00
Miscellaneous Operating
2,893 12
3,300 00
Repairs, etc.
5,469 86
3,775 00
Libraries
78 69
200 00
Medical Attendance
250 00
250 00
Transportation
700 00
800 00
Tuition
227 62
400 00
Sundries
937 54
780 00
New Equipment
2,415 63
2,375 00
Totals
$139,946 22
$140,156 00
Classified Statement
General
High Elementary
GENERAL EXPENSES
School Committee
$815 29
Superintendent
6,365 56
EXPENSES OF INSTRUCTION
Supervisors
11,225 00
Principals
$3,149 94
$8,103 28
Teachers
21,087 00
56,012 23
Text Books
950 99
1,627 63
Supplies
1,205 08
3,790 09
EXPENSES OF OPERATION
Janitors
2,107 00
5,781 50
Fuel
962 92
3,800 25
Miscellaneous
871 73
2,021 39
EXPENSES OF MAINTENANCE
Repairs, etc.
1,042 64
4,427 22
AUXILIARY AGENCIES
Libraries
48 84
29 85
Health
75 00
175 00
Transportation
700 00
Tuition
227 62
Miscellaneous
234 64
702 90
OUTLAY EXPENSES
New Equipment
2,415 63
Totals
$20,811 48
$31,735 78
$87,398 96
130
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Appropriation
$140,156 00
Expended
139,946 22
Unexpended balance $109 78
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR W. STUBBS, Clerk of the Committee.
Da
Se
P
ge
de
F
Mo
has
aST
131
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of the Town of Swampscott:
Mrs. Hardy and Gentlemen :- I herewith submit my fifth an- nual report as superintendent of the Swampscott schools.
The Year in Retrospect
The year just passed has not been eventful from the standpoint of the schools. Rather has it been marked by faithful effort on the part of the teaching staff to carry on the tasks of a modern school with zeal and efficiency. A keen realization has been felt that im- provement and progress are only the result of continued study, constant application and unremitting effort, and our teachers have given these cheerfully and harmoniously. It is my pleasure at this time to commend to you the work and spirit of our supervisors, principals, teachers, and janitors in the strongest terms.
At the beginning of school in September we had new teachers at the high school in place of Mrs. Florence Norton, Mrs. Susie Lang- ford and Miss Lucille Burleigh, and at the junior high school in place of Miss Pauline Flagg, Miss Dorothy Slator, Miss Yvette LaPointe and Miss Marion Stevens. Of these, Miss Burleigh, Miss Flagg, Miss Slator and Miss LaPointe left us to be married, while the others resigned for personal reasons. The new teachers en- gaged for these positions were Miss Stella Greenlaw, Miss Barbara Davison, Miss Lucy A. Young, Miss Lena Johnson, Miss Marjorie Colton, Miss Beatrice Monroe, and Miss Edith Gardner. At the same time Mr. Walter Quinlan, director of Swampscott Community Service during the past two years and for the past year director of Physical Training for the Junior High School, resigned, and his place was filled by the engagement of Mr. George Hutchinson. In general, the efficiency of the schools has been increased rather than diminished by the above changes. Perhaps, also, the number of these changes is not out of proportion to the size of our teaching staff. Yet, from an administrative standpoint, it would be highly desirable to have less of a turnover each year and we should con- stantly endeavor to retain those teachers who have proved their worth to our schools.
It is pleasing to record at this time the progress which has been made toward the erection of a new school to relieve the crowded conditions of the present Hadley School in accordance with the recommendations in the report of last year. A special building com- mittee was appointed at the annual town meeting to investigate school needs and to secure tentative plans and estimates for a build- ing to furnish this relief. This committee, consisting of Messrs. Morrison, Luther, Dillingham, Tillotson, Vannevar, Hardy, Linscott, Humphrey and Mrs. Hardy, was most generous with its time and gave careful scrutiny to this important subject. Their full report has been published, so need not appear here except in its vital aspects. The Committee found definitely the necessity for relief of
132
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
the Hadley School and recommended the erection of a nine-room unit adjacent to the Hadley School, on the property already ac- quired by the town on Redington street. This report was made at a special town meeting in November and was referred to the Finance Committee for their recommendation. The report of this latter committee has not yet been made, but we trust that the next annual town meeting will have a definite project placed before it, backed by the reports of both the Building and Finance Committees with the certainty that if it is, the relief so much needed in this quarter will be available by the time school opens in September, 1926.
A recommendation made in last year's report, which did not meet quite so happy a fate as that granted the recommendation for a new building, was that concerning the lengthening of the school day for the Junior and Senior High Schools. Parental opposition to such extension of hours was so strong that it seemed inadvisable to attempt the execution of the plan as outlined, so for the time being the matter is held in abeyance. The policy of the longer school day, however, is still felt to be sound, and we have witnessed with interest the past few months the adoption of the policy with its subsequent arguments by a nearby community. It is safe to prophesy that within a few years a school day of five hours gross for Junior and Senior High Schools will be the exception rather than the rule.
A slight change was made during the past year in our system of notifying parents and pupils of the closing of schools because of stormy weather. Arrangements were made by the School Depart- ment with the Lynn Gas & Electric Company whereby the street lights are to be turned on for a five-minute period whenever the "no school" signal is rung. Accordingly, when there is to be no school for any of the Swampscott pupils, the signal is given and the lights put on for five minutes at 7.20 A.M. When school is being held only for the Junior and Senior High Schools, the signal is sounded and the lights are put on at 7.50 A.M.
A move of some significance for our high school athletics was the vote passed by the School Committee to withdraw from the North Shore League. This league is composed of the following schools: Chelsea, Winthrop, Revere, Lynn Classical, Lynn English, Peabody and Beverly, all schools larger than our own, and the demands of the schedule frequently were of such a nature that we were compelled to play the larger and heavier schools in sequence early in the season before our small squad was conditioned. More- over, the league is so large that it was not possible for Swampscott to play, especially in football, other teams outside the league with whom we desired to have athletic relations. The North Shore League has been a factor for much good among the high schools of this vicinity and it was with genuine regret that we took this step which severed us from official connection with the league. In this connection it is pleasant to contemplate the fact that the past sea-
133
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
son Swampscott was tied with Lynn Classical for the championship of the league in football, losing but one game throughout its entire season; and it seems perfectly appropriate at this time to express to the Swampscott Club and to the Ionic Club of Swampscott the thanks of this department for the suppers and entertainments which they gave to the members of the football squad on the evenings of December 13 and 22, respectively, in recognition of their achieve- ments on the gridiron. It would be equally pleasing to us if some local organization would become sufficiently interested in the scho- lastic attainments of our youth to the end that some such pleasant social reward might be forthcoming for those boys and girls who achieve scholastic success, such as passing the college entrance examinations or maintaining uniformly high rank in their studies throughout their high school careers.
It is pleasing to record at this time the growth and success of our classes in Americanization during the past year. Especially this fall have they begun to show the results of the time and effort expended on them in the past two years. This year we have main- tained these classes in a central location, namely, the Hadley School, rather than endeavoring to have simultaneous classes at each end of the town. As a result of this, we have been able to offer a greater degree of differentiation-opening classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced groups instead of having only beginners' and advanced classes as in years passed. Credit for the success of these classes is largely due to the personal effort of Miss Ada Lewis, who has had charge of this department of our educational offering and who has been assisted in this by other interested citizens and organizations of the town, especially the Swampscott Women's Club. At the time this report is written these classes have a mem- bership of fifty-one foreign born men, while the average attendance for the months of October, November and December has been thirty- five. We bespeak once more the interest of all Swampscott citizens in this endeavor on the part of the schools to train for American citizenship those who through accident of birth are not as yet en- titled to all its privileges.
Other events of the past school year which seem worthy of com- ment and yet need no lengthy description were the opening of the lunch room in the Senior High School, our third annual observance of National Education Week with "Open House" night, attended by approximately four hundred parents in the various schools of the community, the physical training exhibitions and contests under the direction of Miss Flora Boynton, the high school musical clubs con- cert under the direction of Miss Esther Nazarian, and the Junior High School dramatic club plays produced by Miss Jean Allan.
During the past year we changed our system of penmanship, adopting for future use the Houston system; also adopted the Bo- lenius system of reading for basic use. All classes in arithmetic have used systematically the Courtis drill material, and we have given
134
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
intelligence tests to all pupils above the sixth grade and used the results here obtained for purposes of differentiation and guidance in the selection of courses by pupils.
Recommendations
Palmer School. The prospect of fairly early relief to the Hadley School district permits us to look forward and plan for the next step in a school building program. Without doubt, the next prob- lem of this nature is to be found at the Palmer School. At present, we have here a four-room building housing one hundred thirty-five pupils distributed among the first six grades. In spite of the open- ing in this locality of the North Shore Country Day School and additional loss of some few children who are attendants at the Parochial School, the growth in this district has been noticeable and will, doubtless, be more marked in the near future as the property of this locality is further developed. We shall soon need in this section of the town an eight-room school, and it is my recommenda- tion that the School Committee request the early consideration of this matter by the citizens of the town.
High School. Our department has long had a vision of the edu- cational advantages to be derived from the erection of a new and up-to-date high school in a central, accessible location, and it seems entirely reasonable to prophesy that at some future time this vision will become a reality. In view of the other and more pressing demands for relief in the other schools of the town, it does not seem wise at present to bring this proposition before the town for defi- nite action. It does seem, however, that since the erection of a new high school must be deferred, some steps should be taken to add to the equipment in the present high school in order that we may offer courses in industrial arts for those boys and girls who could derive profit from them, but who at the present time are obliged to fill up their programs with cultural or commercial sub- jects. As was pointed out in the report of a year ago, we lose each year from our school a number of pupils who it is believed could remain in school if such courses were available. We have made inquiries in some of the neighboring towns and find that such courses as we purpose giving, namely, manual training for the boys and cooking and sewing for the girls are available to the youth of Belmont, Concord, Wakefield, Reading and Marblehead. I recom- mend. therefore, to this committee that a request be made for a special appropriation for the purpose of introducing into our Senior High School courses in manual training for the boys and domestic science and arts for the girls.
The 1925 Budget. While it is not possible to say definitely at this time, it seems, however, that we shall need for the schools for the year 1925 a sum only approximately the same as that which was expended in 1924. It does not seem necessary this year to increase our maxima salaries; our buildings call for only ordinary repairs,
135
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
our text books are in good condition. One sub-division of our budget, that of medical inspection, should, however, be increased. We have for the past few years had the services of one of the local physicians for each of our several schools paying each the very nominal sum of fifty dollars per annum. The demands upon the physicians, however, have increased to such an extent that it is my recommendation that this amount be doubled for the ensuing year.
My report could not be complete without a word of appreciation for the support you have given both as individuals and as a com- mittee. It is a distinct privilege and pleasure to serve you and with you, and I feel that the splendid spirit within our system is due in no small part to the interest you have shown in the problems of all.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD F. DOW, Superintendent of Schools.
136
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Report of High School Principal 1
To the Superintendent and School Committee of the Town of Swamp- scott :
Mrs. Hardy and Gentlemen :- I hand you herewith my fifth annual report as, principal of the Swampscott High School.
The enrollment of the Senior High School in September, 1924, was practically the same as the previous year, so that no additional teaching assistance was necessary. The graduating class this year contains fifty-eight pupils, while the incoming class from Class 3 of the Junior High School contains 110 pupils. It appears, there- fore, that the enrollment next September will be around 300, and we shall probably need either one or two additional teachers.
During the past three years the only lunch which has been pro- vided for the pupils of the High School has been a consignment of sandwiches, which have been sent up from the Junior High School, together with ice cream and soup which the teacher in charge was able to buy or prepare hastily between periods. This year the lunch counter has been in charge of Mrs. Bertha I. Wales, who has shown a great deal of interest in preparing warm, nourishing lunches for the pupils, and our present system is a great improve- ment over the past three years.
In my report of last year I wrote at some length concerning the question of elimination from our High School. Without repeating any of this material I feel just as strongly regarding this matter, and I hope that very serious consideration will be given to the recommendations of the superintendent concerning the desirability of introducing manual arts equipment for both boys and girls.
During the past two years an automatic banking machine has been in the High School where all pupils have access to it at all times of day. The following figures, which were received from the Commonwealth Savings Bank at the beginning of the present school year, are rather significant:
(1) Total amount deposited for year 1922-23 $343 02
(2) Total amount deposited for year 1923-24 56 57
These figures show a decided drop in the amount of money saved by the pupils of the High School during the last school year, and while it is probably true that the demands upon the pocketbooks of our High School students are constantly increasing so their earn- ing capacity is also increasing and the saving habit certainly ought to be cultivated during youth. It seems that the parents could co-operate along this line and urge their children to save a certain portion of their allowance each week.
During the past few years intelligence examinations have been used quite extensively in this building for the purpose of grouping pupils in classes and also as a method of guiding pupils in the
137
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
choice of electives. A survey of these tests over a period of three years together with the grades which these pupils have attained in High School reveals this fact that very many of the pupils could do very much better scholastic work than they actually are doing. This condition of things may be explained in either one of two ways:
(1) The home may be falling down in its job of co-operation with the school whereby there is a certain definite time for study set aside each night.
(2) The school may not have time enough at its disposal under our present five-hour day to perform its task in a satisfactory manner.
We hear a great many varieties of criticism concerning the High School pupil of the present day, and whatever may be the merit of these criticisms it is certain that these pupils did not create the situations in which they find themselves. The older generation must be responsible in a large measure for the automobile, the "movie " and the modern dance, and it would seem that the home ought to exercise a reasonable amount of discretion in the amount of these social activities which the children are allowed. The writer believes that the school has a right to expect that the home will at least see that pupils abstain from the above activities during the week, and that a definite period of from two to three hours be set aside each night when the pupil may engage in the work which for him ought to be of supreme importance.
About a year ago there was some agitation in the town con- cerning a longer school day for the High School, and it was the opinion of many people that this would not be desirable. The writer is willing to abide by the opinion of the majority but the fact still remains, as was pointed out above, that many of these pupils are not doing as well as they should or can in their scho- lastic pursuits, and if the home is not willing to assume the re- sponsibility for a large part of the pupils' outside preparation then the school must assume this responsibility and it certainly cannot do so within the time at its disposal at present.
It is customary procedure for the High School to attempt to get some information concerning the plans of pupils after graduation during the Junior year. This information is referred to from time to time during the Senior year, with the idea of getting the pupils to think seriously along these lines.
Out of last year's graduating class there were forty pupils, or 60%, who indicated their intention of continuing their education at various schools. It is interesting to note that at the present time only eleven of these pupils, or 27.5, are attending the schools where they signified their intention of going in May, 1924.
It is doubtless true that the pupil does not always appreciate the gravity of making a choice of schools after graduation and very
138
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
often parents are somewhat lax in this responsibility on the grounds that they do not know anything about entrance requirements; but on the other hand a college education costs from $500 to $1,000 a year, and it would seem that if a man were to invest $2,500 or $3,000 in his son or daughter he would at least be interested in knowing something about the entrance requirements and prestige of the institution where this money was to be invested. It is cer- tainly true that with the varied requirements of the colleges the High School cannot render efficient service to the pupil without some knowledge of the school or college which he expects to enter.
The writer wishes to express his appreciation for the co-opera- tion given by the corps of teachers, Superintendent and School Committee.
Respectfully submitted, LEIGHTON S. THOMPSON, Principal.
139
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1924]
ATTENDANCE OFFICER'S REPORT
To the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools:
I herewith submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1924. The totals would seem to indicate that the enforcement of attendance was not so much of a problem the past year as in other years, but the small number of cases reported is due to the fact that your attendance officer was not able to give as much time to this work as he had done in the past.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.