USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1927 > Part 23
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Popular science monthly. Primary education.
¡Protectionist. Publisher's weekly.
Radio broadcast.
Radio news.
¡Raja Yoga messenger.
Reader's guide to periodical lit- erature.
Reference shelf.
Review of reviews (American)
+Rotarian.
St. Nicholas.
Saturday evening post.
+School. School and society.
School arts magazine.
Scientific American.
Scientific monthly.
Scribner's magazine.
+Service talks.
Sunset. Survey.
¡Theosophical path. Time. Travel.
U. S. air services. ¡Weymouth Baptist. ¡Weymouth gazette script.
and trans-
¡Weymouth item.
Woman's home companion. World's work. Youth's companion.
East Weymouth Branch
American Boy. American magazine. Atlantic monthly. Child life. +Christian science monitor. Country gentleman. Current history. Delineator. Etude. Everyland.
Literary digest. Mentor. Munsey's magazine.
National geographic magazine.
Nature magazine.
Pictorial review.
Popular mechanics.
Popular science montlily. St. Nicholas. Saturday evening post.
1
Book review digest. Bookman. Educational review. Electrical world. Elementary school journal. Etude. Everybody's magazine. Everygirl's. Forest and stream. Forum. Garden and home builder.
Good housekeeping.
Harper's bazar.
Harper's magazine.
+Horticulture.
House and garden.
House beautiful.
Illustrated London news.
Independent.
Industrial education magazine.
Journal of education.
Journal of the national tional association.
educa-
Junior liome.
Ladies' home journal.
Libraries.
Library journal. Literary digest. Living age.
McCall's magazine.
Marine engineering and Ship- ping age.
¡Massachusetts health journal. Mechanical engineering. Mentor.
Missionary review of the world. Modern Priscilla. Munsey's magazine.
¿Museum of fine arts bulletin, Boston, Mass.
Nation.
National geographic magazine. +National humane review.
+National republic. Nature magazine.
¿New England conservatory of music bulletin. ¡New Near East.
265
Forest and stream. Garden and home builder.
Good housekeeping. Harper's magazine.
Scientific American. Scribner's magazine. Travel. Youth's companion.
North Weymouth Branch
American boy.
Literary digest.
American magazine.
McCall's magazine.
Atlantic monthly.
Munsey's magazine.
Century.
National geographic magazine.
Child life.
Nature magazine.
¿Christian leader.
¡Christian science monitor.
Country gentleman.
*Rotarian.
Current history.
St. Nicholas.
Delineator.
Saturday evening post.
Etude.
Travel
Everybody's magazine.
Woman's home companion.
Garden and home builder.
Good housekeeping. Harper's magazine.
Youth's companion. +Gift.
THE FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1927.
Salaries and wages:
Librarian and assistants
$3,361.35
Janitor
1,300.00
$4,661.35
Books and Periodicals, etc .:
DeWolfe & Fiske Co.
2,689.98
The H. R. Huntting Co.
769.05
Herman Goldberger
265.00
Miscellaneous
660.77
4,384.80
Binding Books
639.73
Fuel
850.37
Light
178.08
Maintenance of Building
361.53
Other Expenses :
Printing, telephone, supplies, etc.
603.76
Transportation and Delivery of Books
362.00
Insurance
15.18
Total
$12,056.80
North Weymouth Branch:
Librarian
$512.25
Rent
600.00
Periodicals, etc.
399.91
Maintenance
8.78
Light
42.94
Sundries
140.31
1,704.19
East Weymouth Branch:
Librarian
$700.00
Rent
780.00
.
Pictorial review. Popular mechanics.
266
Periodicals, etc.
507.95
Transportation and delivery of books
78.00
Maintenance Light Sundries
36.75
59.51
20.24
2,182.45
Fogg Library Reading Room
1,200.00
Total expended
$17,143.44
Balance to treasury
103.28
Total
$17,246.72
Appropriation, March 7, 1927
$15,910.00
Income from other sources:
Tufts Fund-books
125.00
Tufts Reading Room Fund
125.00
Joseph E. Trask Fund
601.72
Augustus J. Richards Fund
235.00
Susannah Hunt Stetson Fund
125.00
Tirrell Donation
50.00
Francis Flint Forsyth Fund
50.00
Charles Henry Pratt Trust Fund
25.00
Total
EMERSON R. DIZER, $17,246.72
Town Accountant.
Annual Report
OF THE
School Committee
SET 1622
WES
LAVORARE
INCERE
MASSACHUSETTS
16
835
WEYMOUTH, MASS.
1927
269
i
SCHOOL COMMITTEE PRINCE H. TIRRELL, Chairman MRS. SARAH STETSON HOWE, Secretary
JOHN P. HUNT Term Expires April 1, 1928 99 Front Street, Weymouth. Telephone Wey. 1889-M.
J. HERBERT LIBBY, M.D. Term Expires April 1, 1928 707 Broad Street, East Weymouth. Telephone Wey. 0216
EDWIN R. SAMPSON Term Expires April 1, 1929
19 Lincoln Street, North Weymouth. Telephone Wey. 0434
SARAH STETSON HOWE (Mrs.) Term Expires April 1, 1929
9 Burton Terrace, South Weymouth Telephone Wey. 0788-W
FRANCIS W. REA Term Expires April 1, 1930
706 Pleasant Street, East Weymouth Telephone Wey. 1198-M
PRINCE H. TIRRELL Term Expires April 1, 1930 167 Pleasant Street, South Weymouth Telephone Wey. 0662-W
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
PARKER T. PEARSON
590 North Street, East Weymouth Telephone Wey. 0520
Office :
Weymouth High School, East Weymouth. Telephone Wey. 1460 Office hours -- At High School daily 9.00 to 9.30 a.m .; 3.30 to 4.30 p.m. HELEN G. TONRY, Secretary
79 Chard Street, East Weymouth
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Fall Term-Opens September 6. Closes December 23. Winter Term-Opens January 3. Closes February 17.
Opens February 27. Closes April 13.
Spring Term-Opens April 23. Closes June 21.
Holidays-Columbus Day, Thanksgiving and the day following, Good Friday, Memorial Day.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
2-2-2 2-2-2
At 7.30 A.M .- No session in any school during the morning. At 8.00 A.M .- No session in grades I to IV, inclusive, during the morning.
At 11.45 A.M .- No session in grades I to IV, inclusive, during the afternoon.
At 12.45 P.M .- No session in any grade during the afternoon.
270
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Weymouth:
Since September school enrollment has exceeded four thou- sand, an increase of about fifteen hundred in ten years, and a num- ber which reflects the recent growth of the town. The building pro- gram adopted at the last annual town meeting meets this growth- everywhere except at the Landing. Here every school facility will be taxed to the utmost.
With the second closing of the Franklin School there will be kept but one unsuitable school building, the Old Hunt. Like the Franklin, it cannot be modernized or properly altered. The New Hunt School was originally designed to take an addition which would replace the old building. The next school to be built will need to be in the Landing, and plans for its erection should be made within the coming year.
Since June the number of teachers has likewise increased con- siderably, and more teachers will be required next fall. The abso- lute enlargement of school membership accounts for the present increase in teachers. A few additional teachers will be required when certain classes, now overcrowded, will be brought to a normal average of about 35. The smaller class is a better class than one numbering between 45 and 50. Conditions requiring the larger class should not continue longer than necessary.
The new wing at the High School is rapidly progressing and will be ready for the upper grade pupils of East Weymouth in September. The new Pratt School is now finished, ready to be opened, and the six new rooms at Pond Plain should be ready in the fall.
Your Committee believe that school progress has been marked by more than mere increase in numbers and simple improvement in physical conditions. Vocational work, somewhat new in our schools, but long needed, has in many cases given boys and girls a knowledge and a confidence not to be obtained from books. Voca- tional training looks toward the doing of something lasting or use- ful. The real can be of greater use than the theoretical, especially to the young; the useful can serve better than the experimental. The parent has yet to be found to complain of the good work of his child in school, vocational or otherwise.
The increased size of the High School requires that some respon- sible person or persons be in attendance upon the premises at all times. To this end we recommend the erection on the grounds in the rear of the building of a cottage where the fireman or some other responsible employee shall live. This work will be done by the boys who are working at carpentry as a part of their school work. There is some doubt whether this work could be done in connection with the new wing. We recommend that funds allow- ing for this work be furnished under the maintenance account, or under the amount for the vocational school.
Were your Committee free under the salary budget to recognize special merit to a greater extent, important vacancies could more easily be filled. At present the salary schedule is no more than normal. Continued improvement among teachers might well be further rewarded; in like manner long continued and faithful ser- vice might be recognized. The estimates which follow are based upon existing salary rates and do not provide for any but the so- called regular increases.
271
The following is a summary of expenditures for the past year, „and estimates for the coming year:
1927 Expenditures
1928 Estimates
Administrative Salaries
$ 4,500.00
$ 4,500.00
Other General Salaries
1,832.75
1,950.00
Teachers' Salaries
177,775.73
201,800.00
Supplies & Text Books
15,400.97
18,000.00
Tuition
460.28
1,000.00
Transportation
14,502.40
17,000.00
Support of Truants
54.58
150.00
Janitors
17,326.30
19,600.00
Fuel
10,826.64
12,700.00
Light
1,662.55
1,500.00
Maintenance & Water
27,216.80
25,000.00
Other Expense
817.45
1,000.00
Continuation School
2,563.85
2,000.00
Day Industrial School
17,858.14
19,100.00
Shoemaking Class
3,300.00
Day Household Arts School
4,538.37
5,000.00
Evening Practical Arts
653.38
1,000.00
Americanization
141.00
100.00
Total
299,500.00
336,200.00
P. H. TIRRELL Chairman.
SARAH STETSON HOWE, Secretary.
JOHN P. HUNT J. HERBERT LIBBY, M. D.
FRANCIS W. REA
EDWIN R. SAMPSON
Other General Expense
1,368.81
1,500.00
272
REPORT OF THE' SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Members of the School Committee:
I herewith submit my nineteenth annual report, the forty- second in the series of annual reports of the superintendents of this town.
COST OF EDUCATION
One of the myths firmly believed by the general public is that the cost of education is high. If a person considers merely the total appropriation of $300,000.00, the amount on the surface may appear large, but if this total expense is analyzed and brought down to the ultimate cost to the individual, it is more easily understood.
The census of 1925 gave 17,625 as the population of this town. At present we have well over 20,000 people. Dividing $300,000.00 by the population gives a per capita cost of less than $15.00
Taking the home as a basis for computation, the cost appears even more reasonable. Speaking in terms of general average:
The valuation of a home is under $4,000.00.
The tax rate is $24.75.
The total tax for a family is less than $100.00.
According to the last State Report, $7.12 on a thousand dollars is appropriated by this town for the use of the schools.
In other words, the average home contributes less than $30.00 for the education of its children, regardless of number.
Education is a business, and should be so considered. Does any other activity give an equal return, when one considers that the schools are maintained for over 180 days per year, that the children are housed and kept warm from five to six hours per day, that instruction, books and supplies are furnished, and that the health of the child is guarded and improved through medical in- spection and the supervision of nurses ? Crime costs more than education. Luxuries cost more than education. The abolition of crime would be of benefit to the community, and the abolition of luxuries would cause no permanent injury. On the other hand, curtailment of the educational privileges of the children, upon whose proper training depends not only their happiness but the success of the next generation, would mean disaster.
Instead of being self-conscious over evils that do not exist, would it not be better to consider those things that are good in the schools, and at how small a comparative cost they are being ac- complished ?
Good will and harmony exist throughout the School Depart- ment, and between the public and the schools.
Our teachers are well educated.
Our buildings are comfortable.
Our pupils are happy in their work.
We have certificate privilege to all the colleges allowing ap- plicants to enter on that basis, and are rated "Class A" by the State Department of Education.
Our graduates enter other institutions which require examina- tion without difficulty.
Their progress in institutions of higher learning has been creditable.
We are offering more types of education than other places of the same comparative size, or larger, at a less cost.
We have the only shoemaking department in the State, and probably in the country.
273
Our vocational department has been visited by delegations, not only from this State, but from at least six others.
Practically all the children in town under sixteen are in school and a large proportion of those over sixteen complete their courses in the High School, showing that they realize the value of an education.
The Department aims to give full value for every dollar spent, as is evidenced by the following facts:
Average cost per pupil in High Schools of State $132.79
Average cost per pupil in High School-Weymouth 100.47
Average cost per pupil in elementary grades of State $78.72
Average cost per pupil in elementary grades-Weymouth 65.51
TEACHERS' SALARIES
In December a committee from the Weymouth Teachers' As- sociation appeared before the School Committee, asking that the salaries be raised.
The schedule now in force does not give an opportunity for advancement equal to that offered in the majority of places in the Metropolitan District, and in those places of the same comparative size as Weymouth. There are two ways of meeting this need: first, by means of a horizontal increase, which would affect equally all teachers who have reached the maximum; second, by granting fixed sums to those who increase their fitness for teaching by tak- ing additional courses along educational lines. This latter method is one which has been used most commonly during the last few years by towns and cities desiring to recognize the need for higher salaries, and to reward the teachers for improvement in their chosen profession. School reports show that there is a wide varia- tion in the exact method of procedure. The following excerpts from reports received during the year may be of interest: QUINCY
"In Quincy the last $300.00 of a teacher's salary must be obtained through professional improvement work under proper guidance. To facilitate the work, courses for teachers are given in Quincy each year through the co-operative efforts of the Quincy Teachers' Association and the School Department. Many teachers are taking late afternoon, Saturday, and sum- mer courses in higher institutions of learning. At the present time there are 181 teachers registered for professional improve- ment work, and 130 teachers submitted evidence of work done during 1926. Since the beginning of this system, 36 teachers have completed the necessary work, and are receiving the maximum salary."
CHICOPEE
"1. The professional improvement of teachers in service is gen- erally recognized as a necessity in any progressive school system.
2. The initial professional training by the teacher received in normal school or college must now be supplemented by continued professional study.
3. The salary increments for professional improvement shall amount to $200.00 in addition to the established basal maxi- mum for each teaching group and shall be divided into four increments of $50.00 each. Not more than one such incre- ment may be granted to a teacher in any year.
4. Increments will be granted upon formal presentation by the teacher of evidence that units of study have been com- pleted at least with a satisfactory or passing grade.
274
5. Professional study amounting to a total of 360 college hours may receive consideration in units of 90 college
hours each. Only one unit will be accepted for salary increment in one year, but credit for additional hours com- pleted may accumulate and apply to units in a succeeding year."
BEVERLY
"Since the establishment in 1918 of a plan to recognize by salary increases the efforts of teachers to improve their pro- fessional equipment by attendance at summer schools, . . . 54 members of the staff have met the requirements, although the terms were none too liberal or generous."
I recommend that a liberal policy be adopted to recognize professional work and other means that tend to improve the value of teachers as instructors of the children. Such a course would do more to benefit the schools in the future than any one thing that could be done at the present time. It would add power to the younger teachers who will serve the town the longest, and should be made to include those teachers who in the past have enriched their teaching by study and travel. Some consideration should also be given to those teachers who have devoted practically their en- tire lives to the work of the schools.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
According to the report of the principal of the High School, 17% of the entire student body are now taking courses in voca- tional education. The two new courses opened this year have been shoemaking and automobile repairing. We now offer home-making courses for the girls, and carpentry, printing, shoemaking, auto repairing and agriculture for the boys. All of these courses are made as practical as possible and seek to teach by the project method. They carry with them some opportunity to earn money.
The agricultural department, which was the first started, has had hitherto the greatest opportunity along this line, the boys being encouraged to have home projects or to get experience by working on farms. During the present year 17 boys enrolled have earned or received from their projects the total amount of $3746.51. The boys in the carpentry department do not have the same oppor- tunity, as their work tends to give them sufficient instruction so they become apprentices with a better background than the ordi- nary person who starts in that trade. We have, however, given to the boys some employment during the summer months at a nom- inal compensation. The shoemaking department, which has been started in connection with the Stetson Shoe Company, offers the best opportunity for a boy to secure an education, and at the same time earn nearly if not all of his expenses while attending school. Those entering this department last April received $10.00 per week, and this amount was increased to $12.00 in November. The mana- ger of the factory informs me now that he intends to give a further increase in a very short time. The boys will also have every op- portunity to learn the operation of those machines requiring an expert to run them. I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. Stan- ley Heald, the Manager of the Stetson Shoe Company, for his will- ingness to undertake this type of work, and for the time and thought he has given to making it valuable. I also wish to thank the foremen for their hearty spirit of co-operation. With no his- torical background for guidance, there will be errors, but with the
275
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL BUILT BY BOYS View from Center Street
276
assistance that is given, there is every indication that these can be remedied and the work made of true value to the pupils, to the community, to the shoe industry and to the town.
In printing we are faced with still another phase of vocational training. With 17 boys, the shop is capable of a large amount of productive work. It is without question the most successful of any of our departments, both in its actual value to the school as a printing plant, and in its power to give the other pupils in the school an opportunity to express their ideas, both literary and ar- tistic, in a visible manner. All School Department printing is now being produced by this plant. It is large in amount and in many cases complicated in nature. The material for "The Weymouth High School Reflector," which is a good-sized magazine, is written as part of the English work. The drawings for the cover and the cuts are made in the Art classes.
In addition to the school printing we have done some work along the line of community service, for non-profit sharing or- ganizations: as, for example, the Monday Club, The Old Colony Club, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, and other organizations of a similar nature. Contrary to the opinion held by some, we do very little commercial printing. We do not cater to that class of trade and do not want it. Our charges for this type of work during an entire year have been $96.55. Two jobs for Boston concerns, the charges upon which were $48.50 and $14.40 respectively, account for the larger part of this, and would have never come to printers of this town. They were taken at a time when we wished to have a type of practice represented by them for the students of the print- ing department. The other forty jobs of a commercial nature, with charges amounting to $33.75, have been done to a large extent for pupils in the school. In fact, twenty-seven jobs have been for calling cards. The other thirteen jobs have been of a miscellaneous nature, such as letter heads, envelopes and work of that character brought in by the pupils. I am giving these facts concerning the printing activities in detail in order that there may be no mis- understanding over the character of work that we are doing, and that there may be no feeling that we are trying to run a printing department in opposition to the regular commercial plants of the town at reduced rates.
SCHOOL SHOP
The final figures giving the distribution of costs on the new shop built by the boys of the carpentry department as filed with the State Department of Education are reported here as a matter of record.
Expenditures
Contract:
Material
$7,134.42
Labor
10,399.65
$17,534.07
Pupil :
Material
10,514.09
Labor
1,784.54
12,298.63
Equipment
5,167.30
Total Cost
$35,000.00
277
$44,992.00 29,832.70
Estimated Value Cost of Construction State Reimbursement
$2,490.55 has been sent to the Town as reimbursement from the State on account of the boys' work. This makes the actual construction cost of the building to the Town $27,342.15.
MAINTENANCE
More money is being asked for the support of schools next year, the increase being due in part to the additional expense of running the new rooms, some of which will be opened on January 1, 1928, and the balance before September 1, 1928. These rooms total 28, and the expense of new teachers, janitors, fuel, light, etc., will be considerable.
Under maintenance is asked less than 2% of the value of the school property. It has been the policy of the School Department during the past few years to place the older buildings of the town in good repair. The work is nearly finished on major changes, but many things should be done in the line of beautifying grounds and improving the external appearance of the buildings.
REPAIRS COMPLETED IN 1927
BICKNELL SCHOOL
Grading and seeding of grounds.
ATHENS SCHOOL
Yard leveled and treated with tarvia.
ADAMS SCHOOL
New steam heating plant with univents for two rooms; basement excavated, cemented and walls pointed, and drain dug to remove ground water; metal ceiling, furniture and toilets for new room; interior of entire building painted. HIGH SCHOOL
Four rooms which constituted the shop painted and equipped for class purposes; gymnasium and one stair well painted; laboratory and lecture room in Science Department remodeled and painted; stenography and typewriting rooms painted; two ceilings patched and tinted; extensive work on clearing and grading grounds.
JAMES HUMPHREY SCHOOL
All rooms and basement painted and repaired and parti- titions in corridor removed.
LINCOLN SCHOOL
Partitions erected, making four rooms out of two; steam heating plant installed with univents; basement pointed.
SHAW SCHOOL
Building thoroughly painted inside and outside; basement plastered and whitened; half of roof shingled.
EDWARD B. NEVIN SCHOOL
All interior woodwork varnished, walls painted, ceilings and basement whitened; macadam drive and part of grounds graded and seeded.
278
REPAIRS RECOMMENDED FOR 1928
HIGH SCHOOL
Original building and west wing painted outside; macadam drive and further grading.
JEFFERSON SCHOOL
Paint one coat oustide; one new combination boiler and furnace.
WASHINGTON SCHOOL
Paint one coat outside; new steam heating plant.
JAMES HUMPHREY SCHOOL
Exterior painted.
NEW HUNT SCHOOL
Interior woodwork varnished; walls painted; ceilings and basement whitened.
OLD PRATT SCHOOL
Exterior stuccoed; buttress walls to entrance re-set; boiler and partition walls removed from basement; new toilets in- stalled; grounds graded and seeded.
EDWARD B. NEVIN SCHOOL
Exterior painted and further grading on grounds.
CONTINUATION SCHOOL
The Continuation School should be closed in January. The total number of different pupils, according to our certificates, who have been obliged to attend the school for varying periods has been thirty-six during the past year. At the present time there are only two girls and six boys in attendance. The school has been gradu- ally decreasing in numbers, and the above record shows that prac- tically all of the children in this town between the ages of fourteen and sixteen are in the regular grade schools.
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