USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1938 > Part 14
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Number of dogs inoculated against rabies
202
Number of conferences
836
Number of inquiries
1441
Laboratory supplies furnished
205
Letters written ....
674
Number of telephone calls
3804
Number of persons visiting office
4119
Miscellaneous
3257
Permits and Licenses Issued
The following permits have been issued during 1938:
To keep ducks
1 73
To keep fowl
To torch for fish
2
To keep goats
1
To keep horses
2
To keep rabbits
3
To construct cesspools
7
To maintain dumps
1
To undertakers
2
To bury
67
The following licenses have been issued during 1938:
To sell alcohol
6
To collect soap grease, etc.
1
To sell non-alcoholic beverages
1
Miscellaneous :
Victuallers' licenses approved
14
Victuallers' licenses not approved
1
The sum of $28.00 has been collected for licenses and permits issued during the year and said amount has been paid to the Collector and his receipt obtained.
CLARENCE W. HORTON,
Health Officer.
Milk Inspector
To the Board of Health:
I herewith submit the following report for the year ending De- cember 31, 1938:
The following licenses and permits have been issued during the year: To dealers 33
To stores 49
To sell ice cream in stores 33
To sell oleomargarine 5
The sum of $60.00 has been collected for the licenses issued dur- ing the year and the said amount has been paid to the Collector and his receipt obtained.
CLARENCE W. HORTON, Milk Inspector.
180
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Health Nurse
To the Board of Health:
I herewith submit the following report for the year ending De- cember 31, 1938:
Communicable diseases placarded
32
Communicable diseases investigated
68
Examinations for contagious diseases
6599
Examinations for release
20
Exclusions from school
14
Physical examinations
1613
Pre-school examinations
59
Dental examinations
2046
Home visits
956
School visits
192
Kindergarten visits
12
Tuberculosis patients visited
126
Follow-up visits
64
Sanitary investigations
1
Clinics and meetings
32
New baby conferences
90
Consultations
63
Violation of quarantine
2
Clinic children weighed
40
Eyes tested
238
Tuberculosis clinic
129
Examinations for hearing
72
Miscellaneous
181
MARY G. KELLY, R. N.,
Health Nurse.
Dental Clinic
To the Board of Health:
I herewith submit the following report of the activities of the Dental Clinic for the year ending December 31, 1938:
The following is a detailed summary of the work:
Extractions (perm. teeth)
17
Extractions (temp. teeth)
234
Local anaesthetic 191
Pulp capping's
1
Fillings (perm. teeth)
457
Fillings (temp. teeth)
579
Prophylaxis 334
103
Examinations
1549
Dental charts made out 550
Notification cards sent to parents
550
Miscellaneous
JAMES J. FENELON, D.M.D., Dentist in Charge.
181
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1938]
School Committee, 1938
Philip H. Stafford, Chairman
Br. 2927-M
Marion D. Morse
Br. 3168
Edgar U. Burdett
Br. 9165
63 Orchard road
Amos E. Russell
Br. 3696
85 Kensington lane
Br. 6464
Regular meeting, second Wednesday of each month.
Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the School Committee Frank L. Mansur
88 Banks road Br. 2193
The office of the Superintendent of Schools is open on school days from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M .; Saturdays from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 M.
School Calendar 1939
Winter term begins Tuesday, January 3
Winter term closes Friday, February 17
Spring term begins Monday, February 27
Spring term closes Friday, April 14
Summer term begins Monday, April 24
Summer term closes Friday, June 16
Fall term begins Wednesday, September 6
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
In submitting its annual report, the School Committee calls the attention of the townspeople to the report of the Superintendent of Schools, herein printed, and urges that it be carefully read. The Committee has interested itself in the subjects discussed by the Superintendent and believes that our citizens can profit by keeping in touch with and learning about our school system.
A number of matters, not covered in the above mentioned report, will be presented here.
During the year a cumulative sick leave plan was put into effect for the benefit of the teachers. Previous arrangements permitted sick leave with no pay deduction for ten school days (two calendar weeks) in any one year. Over a period of years some teachers would use very little sick leave time but then, due to serious illness, had to be out a number of weeks. The plan now adopted gives the teacher having less than fifteen years service the benefit of unused sick leave time for the past two years, up to a total of twenty days (four calen- dar weeks) sick leave with pay in a given year. For those in service fifteen years or more unused sick leave time for the previous three years, up to a total of twenty-five days (five calendar weeks) is al- lowed. It is believed that this will add to the feeling of security on the part of our teachers.
After some delay, an amicable settlement in connection with re- tirement, has been made with Miss Ada Lewis, who had served faith-
26 Banks road
7 Millet road
56 Elmwood road
Bernard F. Carey
182
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
fully and capably for many years in our schools. Miss Lewis has been accepted by the State Teachers Retirement Board for disability pension.
The Superintendent has discussed the subject of the budget in his report. 'The Committee has spent many hours with him in considering the budget and in attempting to maintain a balance between a high standard in teaching and equipment, and in economy of operation.
While Swampscott was fortunate in not being hard hit by the September hurricane, the Superintendent by his prompt action saw to it that school property was protected to the fullest extent. Our schools were among the few in this vicinity which were able to open the day following the big storm.
The successful records of graduates of our High School in passing college entrance examinations as well as their marks while in college justifies us in believing that the college preparatory course as given in the High School is fully up to standard. Equally important is the preparation of students who intend to go directly into business or other vocations. Adequate, up-to-date equipment in both the com- mercial and domestic science departments is essential. This year the Committee has added to the equipment of each department, thus increasing their efficiency.
The Committee wishes to commend the Superintendent, princi- pals, teachers and all others connected with the school system for their continued loyalty and interest in the education of the youth of our community.
Respectfully submitted,
PHILIP H. STAFFORD, Chairman,
MARION D. MORSE, EDGAR U. BURDETT, BERNARD F. CAREY, AMOS E. RUSSELL.
FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
$197,247.00
Appropriation Expenditures
General Control
$6,915.32
Instructional Service
154,454.22
Operation of Plants
25,813.45
Maintenance
4,232.88
Capital Outlay
1,107.15
Auxiliary Agencies
4,603.93
197,126.95
Unexpended balance
120.05
Credits to the Department
General Receipts
$195.69
Tuition received-general
747.20
Tuition, State Department Public Welfare 64.86
State refund, Adult Alien Education
189.87
State refund, Trade and Vocational Schools
170.22
State refund, General School Fund
14,894.40
$16,262.24
Net cost of schools
$180,864.71
183
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1938]
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the School Committee of the Town of Swampscott.
Mrs. Morse and Gentlemen:
It is my privilege to submit herewith my annual report as super- intendent of the schools of the town.
Looking back over the year from the standpoint of educational progress, it seems to me that our greatest gain has been in the field of reading. The new reading systems which we had introduced seem, from all tests that we have applied, to have given appreciably im- proved results after a full year of trial, and so to have fulfilled the outcome that we had anticipated.
The close of school in June found our first grades completing our first year of experience with the systems. We applied at that time the best tests that were available and suitable. An analysis of results showed an increased power to read material of the grade level and a noticably decreased spread between the abilities of the best and the slowest readers in each group. We felt warranted, there- fore, in drawing the conclusion that, without sacrificing in any way the better readers, we had found a means of definitely improving the accomplishment of those who otherwise might have had difficulty in completing the work of the grade satisfactorily. We are entering on the second grade work with the expectation of similar results at that level, and progress at the present time seems to indicate that we shall not be disappointed.
At the higher levels we have in the past always had pupils who suffered from reading difficulties. These difficulties were real and obvious obstacles to the progress of the pupils. They have their origin in many and varied mental and physical sources. Reading skill enters into practically every major school activity which a child encounters after he reaches the middle grades. Inability to read and understand at a given level is a substantial reason for unsatisfactory work, for example, in geography, or history, or literature, and even in certain parts of arithmetic. Moreover, it does not appear that a defective reading power cures itself over a period of time or with maturity. Apparently it persists through life to a considerable extent. Studies made in the field of reading do indicate, however, that definite improvement can be obtained by intelligently applied corrective work; and that pupils who, in the past, we were accumtomed to deem slow or incompetent may, by persistent treatment, be brought to a level that will save them from the discouragement that would otherwise be theirs. We have attacked this problem seriously through our build- ing assistants, each of whom herself had made a study of the approved methods of procedure under competent instructors,
Typical results from such corrective work are those quoted below from one of our fourth grades. The pupils referred to, all in a fourth grade, had the special work from September, 1937, through June, 1938. The first reference shows the reading level indicated by a test in May 1937; the second, that on a test in June, 1938:
Pupil A Grade 3, 2nd month-Beginning of Grade 5 Pupil B Grade 3, 2nd month-Grade 4, 9th month Pupil C Grade 3, 2nd month-Grade 4, 7th month
Pupil D Grade 3, 2nd month-Grade 4, 7th month
Pupil E Grade 3, 2nd month-Grade 4, 6th month
Pupil F Grade 3, 2nd month-Grade 4, 8th month
In other words, each of these six pupils was not less than eight months retarded in reading ability when he entered grade four. In
184
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
the ten-month period that followed, the least gain in power that any one of them made was that expected from fourteen months of regu- lar schooling. One pupil actually regained all his lost ground, and no pupil showed more than four months retardation as he entered grade five, as against eight months the year before. It is possible from our records, to point out similar conditions, and even more striking cases in grades five and six.
For the first time we were able to consider our postgraduate group at the High School as a single unit in any subject. Their presence in senior English classes this year presented a problem in class size that was solved by organizing a postgraduate English division with a study outline patterned somewhat after those cus- tomary in Junior Colleges. The change, which gave the pupils con- cerned not only fresh materials but a less restricted field of study than they would ordinarily have encountered, and is proving stimulat- ing, if the interest and reaction of individuals is any criterion.
High School enrollment is at the highest point it has ever reached with a membership of 439 pupils as of December 1. There is no present prospect that it will decrease immediately.
In his annual report recently submitted, Mr. Gray, Principal of the School, makes the following comments: "One member of the class of 1937 and twenty-seven members of the class of 1938 entered col- leges last September; thirty-three other members of the class of 1938 are continuing their education in secondary schools, commercial schools, art schools, and junior colleges. Seven members of the class have steady employment, a few others are employed irregularly.
"The High School through its commercial department maintains a placement bureau, and an earnest effort is made to find employment for as many graduates as possible. Letters to prospective employers in metropolitan Boston acquaint them with the various kinds of work which our graduates are prepared to do and ask for an opportunity to make recommendations when vacancies occur.
"More than half of the High School pupils participate in the various activities of the school-opera, glee club, orchestra, band, debating, science club, football, field hockey, basketball, baseball, ten- nis, and golf. This diversified program appeals to a wide variety of interests and talent, contributes to the building of good school and community citizenship, and has great educational value."
The success of the move to augment our music department by the addition of Louis Marino as assistant in charge of instrumental music became most apparent in September when a band, composed of Junior and Senior High School pupils, appeared at the first football game. The immediate public reaction was most favorable, and con- tinued to be so throughout the season. The organization showed a musical ability and a precision in playing and maneuvering that was not only evidence of the interest and morale of its members, but of the thorough leadership of the instructor. The public should know that this band to date has cost the Town of Swampscott nothing ex- cept for the music books from which it plays. The entire cost of equipping the group with uniforms was borne by various pupil organi- zations, musical and otherwise. Most of the pupils own their own instruments; but the High School itself owns ten instruments bought from the income of its annual operetta.
Domestic Science and Household Economics at the High School has taken a new lease of life. Interest in this work decreased to the point that it was discontinued about six years ago, but the new facilities in the building apparently acted as revivifying agents. Pupils are again electing the Household Arts course. Moreover, pupils in other fields are evidencing a real interest and special sec- tions have been organized for them. Where no classes at all existed two years ago, now there are fifteen class periods a week in this work.
185
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1938]
The close of a calendar year presents the problem of a budget for the new year. The puzzle is always how to keep within the bounds that the town can afford, and at the same time go forward to greater accomplishments and to keep up with the constant new demands upon the schools. The product of the schools is an intangible thing. The outcome of education cannot be laid out on the counter for imme- diate inspection. A demonstration or an exhibition is merely a public display of symbols, and not the real result of the educational process at all. That still lies inside the pupil, and neither its breadth nor its depth may be disclosed until the pupil has passed beyond the direct influence of the school altogether. We have only our own faith that it is there. The wonder is, then, that the public displays as much generosity towards us as it does, when we ourselves must confess to the apparent futility of presenting them with much more than a firm conviction based on past experience, instead of immediate and tangi- ble proof.
Our budget has certain constant demands. The first is that for salaries. Instructional salaries alone have amounted to approximately $147,000.00 during the past year, a sum close to three-fourths of our entire budget. To this amount must be added the salaries of the superintendent, janitors, nurse, and school physicians-in all, about nine per cent more. There remains, therefore, a little less than twenty per cent for all other demands of the department, and these in their turn allow little leeway for curtailment. For example, we must have fuel-$6,200.00; we must have light and water-$3,600.00; and we must have text books and supplies-$7,000.00; we are obligated by statute to pay certain tuition charges-$1,000.00; we must keep the buildings in repair and replace worn out equipment-$4,500.00 under normal conditions, and this, I believe, a small enough amount for upkeep on property worth almost a million dollars.
The difficulty is to set a budget figure that will be a minimum and yet allow a margin of safety in case of emergency. Quite properly, the Finance Committee scans our estimates closely. Our de- partment has never exceeded its budget, and to the best of my knowl- edge never consciously padded its estimates of necessities. However, we have been seriously put to it during the past two years to make both ends meet, because of happenings that could not possibly be fore- seen at the time the budget was presented. I refer to such things as the breakdown in the heating system at the High School last winter, the breaking of the water mains to the Hadley School a year ago, and the hurricane this fall. These were unpredictable events for which nobody was to blame, but they cost money to repair. They were not in the budget. The money to pay for them had to be skimmed from other items, which consequently had to be curtailed or postponed to another year.
There are still further financial problems that make budgeting a puzzle. Last year I pointed out that our school enrollment had a distinctly downward trend in the primary and elementary grades but that the location of our buildings and children prevented us from tak- ing financial advantage of the fact. That situation continues; and as a complication a baffling congestion has taken place in our fifth grades, especially in the Stanley School district, that to properly cure may require the services of another teacher, presumably until this particular class has entered the Junior High School. In that case, the saving we made by eliminating one Special Class at the Machon School may be offset by needs at the Stanley School for two years to come.
Again: the state legislature has a way of placing on us certain compulsory requirements. During last session it enacted two such statutes. One makes the teaching of the Italian language compulsory in Senior High Schools if a certain number of pupils indicate a desire
186
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
to study it. The other requires evening classes for adult aliens to be held in a community under certain conditions, which have already to all purposes been met. Those two statutes bid fair to add between five hundred and a thousand dollars to this year's budget for the school department.
We are faced, therefore, with a kind of paradox. The decline in enrollment certainly indicates that the budget should not increase; but the opportunity to take advantage of the decline does not present itself, due to the geographical location of population. Certain new demands, and other matters beyond our immediate control, are at hand to add to our costs. In the face of this, some increase seems to me unavoidable, but I firmly believe that every effort should be made to keep it below a $200,000.00 peak.
In the matter of maintenance, I recommend a continuance of the policy of painting at least one building each year-this year, the High School building. All buildings have had recent attention inside except the Stanley School. A start should now be made on redecorat- ing this building in order that such work may not pile up for future attention.
Parts of the masonry joints in stone trim on both the Hadley An- nex and the main building are beginning to show need of repair. We are advised that unless attended to soon, the section about the seal may become positively dangerous within a year or two, aside from the damage that leakage may cause inside. No previous attention of this kind has been given to these particular sections, though some other parts of the building have been pointed.
One High School boiler is out of use because of defective tubes. This boiler is not essential to the operation of the school except in an emergency that would put the other two boilers out of commis- sion. It is not oil-equipped. The age of the boiler raises the question of the condition of its shell, a matter that cannot be determined until the old tubes are removed. The cost of retubing will approach six hundred dollars. This raises the question of whether the expense is warranted in view of the results. Under normal circumstances the boiler will never be used, although it proved valuable when the other boilers were out of order last winter. Presumably it will deteriorate further if allowed to stand idle over an extended period. It may possibly be wise to consult with the Finance Committee as to what steps to take in this matter so far as the present budget is concerned.
There has been some talk of improving the cliff behind the High School by W. P. A. help, so as to protect the now unprotected edge and to provide an approach from Fuller Avenue. There is, I under- stand, some difference of opinion as to whether such a project is feasible, a matter that I am not qualified to discuss. I would merely point out that any substantial improvement of the area is greatly to be desired, from the standpoint both of safety and of convenience. Automobiles must pass into that part of the grounds in order to deliver any heavy materials to the building. The possibility of slipping over the edge of the bank-or in the dark, of actually driv- ing over the edge-is always present, since there is no barrier of sufficient strength to prevent it. Moreover, the natural approach on foot to the school from that part of town is up that hillside. My personal feeling would be favorable to any project that would per- manently improve the situation providing it could be performed under supervision sufficiently qualified to handle the engineering problems involved.
There has been little change in our teaching force this year. Miss Molly Goldberg and Miss Emma Perry both resigned to be mar- ried, and were replaced by Miss Eleanor Chaisson and Miss Rose- mary LeClair respectively. Miss Evelyn Lovejoy succeeded Miss Ada S. Lewis in the sixth grade at the Machon School.
187
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1938]
Miss Frances Newell and Miss Marjorie Webb, secretaries in the office of the School Committee and of the Junior High School respec- tively, also resigned to be married during the year. Miss Newell's position was filled by the promotion of Miss Marion Clinch from the High School; and Miss Audrey Witherell and Miss Janice Halvorson were elected to fill the vacancies.
You will be interested in the following bit from a report made to me by a representative of the State Department of Education who made an official visit to our High and Hadley Schools recently:
"Superlatives apply to your new high school building. In many ways, I believe Swampscott pupils are as fortunate as pupils in any town or city in the state. ... It seemed good to visit a school where there is not the least congestion.
"Principal Gray has the school well organized, and I was favor- ably impressed with the attitude of the pupils and teachers in various classrooms that I visited.
"I was impressed also with the service that Miss Shaw is giving in the way of health, particularly in the eye examinations. Possibly some time in the future, a better gymnasium can be secured for this school."
And from a building committee from another town came this, after they had looked over our High School plant:
"We have never seen a building so well taken care of from a custodial standpoint."
The school department has provided quarters for two W. P. A. projects in school buildings. The tree survey group were quartered at the High School during the spring and summer, and are now at the Machon School. A book mending project, working on school books, began at the Junior High School in July and is still in operation at the High School. This group does no rebinding, but confines itself to minor repairs and cleaning.
Our hearing tests were conducted again by the Boston Guild for the Hard of Hearing who sent technicians with an audiometer to make the tests. They report fifty-two children who should have atten- tion given their ears either because they are already hard of hearing, or because they exhibit symptoms which may lead to becoming hard of hearing later in life. Such symptoms are running ears or earaches. Their report reads in part:
"We are enclosing final report of the hearing tests of pupils in the school system of the Town of Swampscott. Comparison of find- ings of last year and this year are most interesting. Of all of the schools we have tested within a period of five year we found that last year Swampscott had the most cases needing medical attention. This year we find that of all of the schools Swampscott has the best program of follow-up. This is most commendable.
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