USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1922 > Part 11
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Deputy Warden, George H.Shaw, 270 Union Street; Deputy Clerk, John J. Santry, 214 Pond Street.
Deputy Inspectors, Kenneth L. Brennan, 98 Union Street; John Reidy, 49 Union Street: Nathaniel A. Thomas, 735 Main Street: Edwin Leo Madden, 189 Central Street.
Precinct Six
Warden, Charles E. Dunbar, 777 Broad Street.
Clerk, Chester W. Healey, 39 Shawmut Street.
Inspectors, John H. Tobin, 48 Shawmut Street: Arthur M. Hawes, 41 Myrtle Street: Horace M. Randall, 297 Middle Street; Eugene E. Smith, 671 Broad Street.
Ballot Box Officer, Edward F. Butler, 1021 Pleasant Street: Con- Stable, Thomas A. Boyle, 24 Drew Ave.
Deputy Warden, Arthur L. Blanchard, 587 Broad Street: Deputy Clerk, George E. Cuniff, 1125 Pleasant Street.
Deputy Inspectors, Henry C. Pratt, 18 Cedar Street: Daniel Reidy Jr., 1060 Pleasant Street: Harry C. Belcher, 12 Myrtle Street: William H. Murphy, Jr., 101 Hawthorne Street.
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East Weymouth, Mass., January 10, 1923.
Clayton B. Merchant, Town Clerk Town Offices, East Weymouth, Mass.
Dear Sir:
By a vote passed at the annual Town Meeting held March 6, 1922, the Selectmen were directed to make a division of Precinct 4 into two precincts.
At a meeting of the Selectmen held January 2, 1923, it was voted to divide precinct 4 into two precincts, that division known as the Lovell Corner end to be Precinct 7, and that division known as Nas's corner to be Precinct 4. The division takes the following course :
Commencing at the division line on Middle Street between Precinct 6 and Precinct 4; thence southerly by the centre of said Middle Street to its intersetcion with Washington Street, thence southerly in a straight line to the intersection of Park Avenue and Pleasant Street; thence southerly by the centre of said Pleasant Street to the division line between Precinct 4 and Precinct 5; all other boundary lines between the two precincts thus formed and the adjourning precincts to remain as heretofore.
All of which appears on a plan handed you herewith, made by Russell H. Whiting, Town Engineer, and three copies of which we have posted in three different places in each precinct, 4 and 7, and also a copy delivered to the Board of Assessors and Registrars of Voters, together with a list of names and residences of the Registered voters therein. All according to Section 1, Chapter 61 of the Acts of 1921.
Very truly yours
ALFRED W. HASTINGS
Clerk of Selectmen
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
-
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF WEYMOUTH
1922
139
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Weymouth :
The School Committee herewith presents for your consideration the annual report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
The citizens of the town have had a year to consider what is best to do in regard to the crowded conditions at our High School. One year ago the Board brought to the attention of the people that beginning September 1, 1922 there would be a large increase in the number of pupils attending our High School and there was an article put in the Annual Warrant to see what sum of money the Town would vote to raise and appropriate for the construction of an additional building to be located on the grounds of the Wey- mouth High School, or for an addition to the old building, and also to take any other action relative to providing for the increased attendance at the High School. At that meeting the people were not ready to raise and appropriate such a large sum of money as was considered necessary. The Town Meeting voted to appoint a Building Committee to consider plans for a new building. This unusual increase was due partly to the inability of the boys and girls between the ages of fourteen and sixteen to obtain employ- ment in the factories of the town. As no provision was made for this increase, the High School has had two sessions since September 1, 1922, one session in the morning from eight until twelve, and one in the afternoon from twelve-thirty to four-thirty, the three upper classes attending the morning session and the Freshmen the afternoon session. This arrangement has been more satisfactory than was expected but still has many disadvantages. A number of the parents of the Freshmen decided to send their children to private schools rather than have them attend the afternoon ses- sion as this arrangement necessitates their coming home after dark, so that the actual number enrolled is five hundred and thirty- nine. The present High School was built to accommodate not more than three hundred and fifty and the portable cares for about seventy, so it is very plainly to be seen that either a new building or an addition to the old cannot be delayed much longer. The Board sincerely hopes that the people of the Town are ready to consider the plans that the Building Committee will present to them in the near future.
At the Adams School the Board has decided to use the lower room. A new sanitary and a new furnace have been installed and a new floor has been laid. On the outside the fence is being rebuilt and would have been finished but for the inclement weather.
The Washington and Shaw Schools have had new Sanitaries installed and plans are under consideration to furnish the Franklin and Jefferson Schools with the same modern arrangements.
The Evening Schools, especially the classes in Millinery and Dressmaking, are proving to be very popular, three hundred and twenty-one attending these classes alone.
The Town is paying tuition for the pupils in the Industrial Schools of Quincy and Boston. If there were room and equipment at our High School their work could be done at home.
The grading that has been done at the Nevin School has im- proved the appearance of the yard, but something ought to be
140
done to drain the playground in front of the building. With every rain this place is a mass of mud causing much trouble for both teachers and parents.
On December twenty-seventh last the Town lost one of its oldest and most faithful teachers, Miss Katherine C. Keohan, of Weymouth. Miss Keohan has taught continuously from 1881 to the time of her death, a period of nearly forty-two years.
As the population of the Town increases, so the requirements of the schools increase. The Board earnestly desires the citizens of the Town to give serious consideration to the needs of the schools and especially at this time to make adequate provision for the High School.
We respectfully submit the following estimates for school expenditures for the coming year :-
Expended
Estimate
Superintendent
$ 3,300.00
$ 3,500.00
Other General Salaries
1,879.35
1,500.00
Other General Expenses
1,032.62
1,200.00
Teachers' Salaries
118,955.80
127,900.00
Text Books and Supplies
9,627.76
7,500.00
Tuition
1,766.40
2,000.00
Transportation
9,309.90
11,000.00
Support of Truants
262.90
275.00
Janitors
9,874.62
10,250.00
Fuel
7,483.86
9,000.00
Light
782.77
1,000.00
Repairs
9,481.40
11,000.00
Water Rent
455.00
460.00
Other expenses
704.15
750.00
Continuation School
1,949.68
1,980.00
Evening School
2,047.25
2,000.00
Americanization
74.00
160.00
$178,987.46
$191,475.00
Respectfully submitted
PRINCE H. TIRRELL
SARAH STETSON HOWE
EDWIN R. SAMPSON
FRANCIS W. REA
JOHN P. HUNT
J. HERBERT LIBBY
141
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Members of the School Committee:
I herewith submit my fourteenth annual report, the same being the thirty-seventh annual report of the superintendent of this town.
SCHOOL ACCOMODATIONS
School Census Children between 5 and 7 573
and 14 1959
14 and 16 502
3034
School Registers
Pupils enrolled High 453
Elementary 2632
Continuation 49
3134
A comparison of the figures from the school census and school registers with those of preceding years shows that the town is making the same steady growth in its school population as for the last ten years. Since the opening of the schools in September over three thousand two hundred pupils have been enrolled. The time has arrived when we shall have to make provisions for ad- ditional accommodations for the pupils. Every building and every room in town is used to full capacity. There are two two-room portables in use and the High School is being run on the two-ses- sion plan, the senior, junior and sophomore classes in the morning and the freshman in the afternoon. If we have a further increase in September, which will undoubtedly happen, there will be no room for the additional children unless new portables are purchased or, by new construction, rooms provided for expansion. The most feasible plan would seem to be to start the construction of an ad- dition to the High School as soon as the weather will permit in the spring and by rushing the work make it possible for all High School pupils to attend full time. This could be done by making interior changes in the old High School, completing a certain num- ber of new rooms and installing a new boiler plant, leaving the hall and gymnasium to be completed during the balance of the year. It will be necessary to provide for a heating plant at the High School before the opening of the schools in September, as the in- spector informs me that without question the present boilers will not be approved again. They have been in constant use for twenty- five years. Last year a two by three foot patch was placed on the shell of one boiler and a patch of smaller size on the second this year. In this connection it may be well to state that reorganiza- tion of the entire plan of the grades will be undertaken as soon as additional room is provided at the High School. For many years we have been running a nine-grade system which no other town or city in this vicinity is using at present, and a majority of the cities and towns in the state have abolished. The change to an
142
eight-grade system has not been made carlier because there has been no place to provide for the ninth grade in the High School, were the change made. If an addition to the High School is built, making it possible to accommodate eight hundred, the building will be filled to capacity as soon as it is completed. It may be well to consider for a moment the effect of abolishing the ninth grade. Now a child requires thirteen years to pass through the grades. Under the new system it would take twelve. The entrance age would probably be raised to five years and five months, the average age in the state for allowing a child to enter school. The present system is expensive as we are employing ten or twelve more teachers than would be necessary under an eight-grade system. By abolishing the ninth grade the pressure would be removed on the buildings in the different wards of the town. As it is now, we are faced with the prospect of additional construction in Wards One, Three and Five.
COST OF INSTRUCTIOIN
Average cost per pupil
From Local Taxation
$49.70
From all Sources
55.62
From all Sources-State
78.13
Average Cost per Pupil from All Sources
Surrounding Towns
Towns of Same Com- parative Size.
Abington
$70.62
Framingham
$74.89
Braintree
62.94
Greenfield
74.17
Hingham
86.12
Plymouth
85.49
Holbrook
74.27
Winthrop
67.34
Quincy
65.10
Weymouth
55.62
Rockland
64.93
Weymouth
55.62
The above figures taken from the state report covering the cost of education for the year closing June 30, 1922 show that the average cost of educating a child in this town is $22.51 less than the average cost for the state. From the same report we learn that the average cost in Wemouth is less than the cost in any of the surrounding towns or in places of the same comparative size. These figures do not mean necessarily that we should be proud of them, for it may well be that the interests of the children are being sacrificed, due to conditions which make for enforced economy. Owing to lack of building space we are running many rooms with more children than a teacher can handle. The teachers' salaries are also less than in any of the towns with the exception of Holbrook. These two elements alone account for a large part of the difference in cost.
143
Maximum Salary Paid Elementary Teachers.
Abington
$1350
Braintree
1350
Canton
1400
Hingham
1350
Holbrook
1150
Quincy
1600
Rockland
1400
Whitman
1300
Weymouth
1200
CHANGES IN TEACHING FORCE
During the year eight additional teachers have been employed, two in the schools of East Weymouth and six in the High School, the increase in the teaching force at the High School being due in part to the two-session plan. Seventeen teachers have resigned, seven leaving to be married, eight to accept positions paying higher salaries and two giving no reasons. For the first time in many years death came to claim one of the teachers. Miss Katherine C. Keohan, who had taught for forty-two years continuously, thirty- one of which were spent in Ward 3, died suddenly during the Christmas vacation. Her death is a great loss. She was one of our most faithful and conscientious teachers, devoting herself un- reservedly to the care and training of the children in her charge.
DENTAL CLINIC
At the regular Town Meeting in March money was granted tc the District Nurse Association to provide for a Dental Clinic. Dr. M. J. Sweeney was employed during the spring months to carry on this work, and cared for the children in East Weymouth and a part of the children in Weymouth Landing. Beginning the first of November Miss Alice A. Conroy, a graduate of the Forsythe Dental School, was employed to continue the work. All children of the Town will be given instruction as to the care of the teeth and such children as desire will be given the opportunity to have their teeth cleaned at a nominal charge of fifteen cents. It is doubtful whether anything beyond the most simple form of treat- ment and instruction is advisable, as all work in the public schools should be educational in its nature and not go into the field of professional treatment or filling. For further information relative to this work I refer those interested to the report of Miss Mac- Davitt, the school nurse, who has considered this subject fully in her report.
SCHOOL SAVINGS
Reference to the table submitted below shows that the amount deposited by the children in the schools of Weymouth is practically the same as last year. This is not a satisfactory showing, as there should be an increase in the amount from year to year as the children learn the value of saving. The success of the work depends wholly upon the, attitude of the teacher. In those build- ings in which the teacher keeps the need of thrift and saving be- fore the minds of the children the response is good. The pupils
144
in East Weymouth contributed over one-half of the total amount deposited in the bank. The Jefferson School, a four-room, primary building, with a deposit of $1609.88, made a truly remarkable showing, being an average of $10. per pupil. If all the children in the town had deposited on a like scale, there would have been deposits amounting to over $32,000. The James Humphrey School, an eight-room, grammar building, came second with a de- posit of $1331.95. We trust that we may be able to make this system a continued success, as the Weymouth Savings Bank is giving excellent service by sending a collector to the buildings regularly to receive the money for deposit.
Deposits Withdrawals
School
Balance 1922
and
and
Withdrawals Balance
Transfers Transfers For B. B.
1923
Humphrey
$469.86
$1331.95
$144.46
$1282.21
$375.14
Franklin
113.49
350.88
55.19
270.02
139.16
Jefferson
359.79
1609.88
125.18
1571.43
273.06
Adams
44.23
101.32
7.45
93.00
45.10
Athens
465.98
706.65
231.34
490.89
450.40
Washington
302.80
553.59
109.03
460.38
286.98
Shaw
94.39
138.51
2.51
117.40
112.99
Nevin
223.96
509.80
124.24
353.40
256.12
Hunt
493.09
1018.89
250.92
774.13
486.93
High
54.79
230.88
11.32
207.70
66.65
Pratt
66.65
16.98
14.73
8.97
59.93
Pond
2.59
1.22
1.37
Hollis
1.48
1.48
2693.10
6569.33
1077.59
5629.53
2555.31
DRAWING
(Report of Miss Evelyn Silvester, Supervisor of Drawing.)
We are developing a new course of study in the Drawing De- partment this year, basing the work upon design principles and comparative forms in a more definite way than before. The child- ren seem to be grasping the ideas and we feel that this course is a distinct improvement over the old ones ..
More reference material is now necessary and we hope soon to add a few folios of illustrations dealing with various phases of art which will help the child to select the good things.
Again this last year in grades eight and nine we have made posters for a Health Contest. This time emphasis was placed on "cleanliness" and a great variety of ideas have been worked out. The quality of the poster work this year averages higher than be- fore and more pupils have work suitable for entry. The prize winners have not yet been decided by the judges but will be re- nounced at an early date. Excellent as contests are to carry home an idea to the pupils we really find it impossible to keep them from interfering with regular course. If we could know about them at the beginning of the year and fit them into our course in the proper place it would save a great deal of time and energy and prevent the breaking up of regular work.
On May 4, 1922 Miss Helen E. Cleaves, of the Boston Normal School and First Assistant to the Director of Manual Arts in Bos-
145
ton Public Schools, gave an illustrated lecture on "Life with Art in it," in the High School Hall. This lecture was primarily for the teachers, tho interested friends were invited. The lecture was an indirect plea for more art education in school and Miss Cleaves gave a resume of the many ways in which art enters into the life of us all. Because of this fact we should be trained to know the best and how to appreciate the truly beautiful. Many useful hints were given to aid us in our teaching. The lecture was both interesting and profitable. We hope to be able to have similiar talks from time to time that will spur us on in our educational efforts and broaden our teaching vision.
MANUAL TRAINING
(Report of Miss Alice L. Tucker, Supervisor of Manual Training)
Owing to the large number of boys in the three upper gram- mar grades, it was impossible for one teacher to meet all the classes each week, so Mr .. C. Y. Berry, the principal of the Hunt School, took the work there, using the same outline as was given in the other buildings.
The seventh grade were taught the use of the ordinary tools and made articles containing the following exercises; broad and narrow surface planing, end planing, gauging, rip, cross-cut and back sawing, spoke-shaving, nailing, boring, counter-sinking and screwing. They were also taught to read and to make simple working drawings.
The work in the eighth grade involved more difficult problems as well as a review of all of the exercises used in the seventh and special attention was given to accuracy and speed. The chisel, hand drill, hack-saw, file and various other tools were introduced.
In the ninth grade joinery was begun and articles containing half lap, miter, mortise and tenon, dowel and grooved joints were made. Many pieces of useful furniture were finished, including tabourets, book ends, medicine cabinets, telephone stands and stools, magazine racks, umbrella/stands, upholstered foot stools, library tables, piano benches and an elaborate sewing table with drop leaves, a drop shelf and drawers. The boys were also taught to sharpen planes, knives, chisels and spokeshaves.
The interest and appreciation of the boys and the co-operation of the teachers have been a great inspiration and help to me ..
SEWING
(Report of Miss Edith M. Picken, Supervisor of Sewing)
The following covers the work of the sewing department from September 1922 to January 1923.
The pupils of the seventh grade, being beginners, were first taught the use and care of sewing equipment. Their first problem was a linen sewing bag which involved the fundamental stitches: basting, hand-machine stitching, overcasting, hemming and over- handing. Colored applique was used for decoration, blanket stitch and outline stitch being used in its development. The seventh grade Christmas problem was an embroidered animal some of which were stuffed with cotton and others with beans. They are now starting a gingham apron chosen principally to teach the putting on of a band.
The eighth grade first made a dimity sewing apron. This was
146
their last hand-made problem and included as review basting, hand- machine stitching, hemming, overcasting, overhanding and gather- ing. The new steps were french seam, putting on belt and sewing on lace. Their Christmas project was a small bag with contrasting colored applique and lining. This problem included the choosing or' making of an appropriate design as well as the sewing. This grade has started lessons on the use and care of the sewing machine.
The ninth grade made a cotton chemise for their first article. This was mainly a stitching problem. However, the use of a pat- tern was taught. The simple stitches and the french seam were reviewed. The felled seam, french hem and putting on of a ham- burg ruffle were the new steps in this problem. This class made a childs cretonne apron for their Christmas work. The apron was . bound with bias binding which furnished an excellent test for ac- curate stitching. The buttonhole was taught and applied to the apron. The ninth grade's new project is a petticoat. After that is completed the rest of the year will be spent on the making of outside garments of simple construction and design.
SCHOOL GARDENS
(Report of Miss Sarah E. Brassill, Supervisor of School Gardens)
The work has been on the whole a repetition of last year's program; in the seventh grade, nature study to develop the story of plant life through the year; in the eighth grade the story of biennial and perennial plant life; in the ninth grade, garden plans and the care of home and school grounds. This has included les- sons on trimming of trees, grafting, making cuttings of soft and hard wooded plants, dividing hardy perennials, transplanting and the care of bulbs.
At one building the pupils have set out about one hundred bulbs; at another they have undertaken to clear a lawn overrun with weeds; and in another they have taken care of training and extending a hedge of Dorothy Perkins roses on the border of the school lot. Pupils in the three grades are encouraged to plant home gardens, and are supervised in their attempts during the summer as far as time will allow. The older pupils and those having the largest gardens are visited first. There are now more gardens undertaken than one person could adequately supervise. Fortunately, some of the older pupils are helping the younger ones in their neighborhood.
The poultry work ranks next to gardening. At the Boston Poultry Show seven boys made entries in the junior department and all succeeded in placing their birds among the prize winners. Three Weymouth boys took part in the educational part of the pro- gram as a demonstration team. At the Weymouth Fair in com- petition with adults the boys placed in every class where they entered showing that they have learned to select from their small fiocks the birds that have quality. Two boys acted as assistants in the poultry department at this fair.
At the New England States Fair at Worcester two boys were entered on the judging teams on vegetables and on poultry and placed first in one case, second in the other. At the Eastern States Fair at Springfield, and again at Needham the club members were again successful. One member who competed with the adults at the Chelsea show won two ribbons there. The club has twenty- four entries in the 1923 Boston Show.
147
The Small Fruit Club has five members. Strawberry and Raspberry are the favored crops. One boy is interested in grapes, At the field day at Walpole last August these boys demonstrated how to grow raspberries.
Our Garment Making Clubs do good work. They have the bene- fit of the lessons in sewing given in the grades. We have fifty- nine members in five clubs and seventy-four in the bread-making clubs. The canning was as popular and as successful as usual. Two exhibits were made; at the Weymouth Fair and with the Old Colony Club. One thousand and forty-seven jars of preserves were reported by the clubs.
Among the older club members we have one who is assisting as a "junior leader;" and three who have completed four years of work and hold a certificate from Massachusetts Agricultural Col- lege certifying to this. Of the boys who began the work with us (and later took the Agricultural Course in the High School) one is managing a dairy and milk route, one is partner in a prosperous poultry business, two are cultivating the home farms and three are studying at Massachusetts Agricultural College. We are sure that many find an outlet for their activities in these forms of work.
As always-perhaps more this year than ever before, success has been due to the kindly co-operation of the teachers who have carried on so much of the work.
SCHOOL NURSE
(Report of Miss Anna A. MacDavitt, R. N., School Nurse)
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