USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1932 > Part 17
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Outside activities have gone on in the usual way, and I believe they have been very much worth while in stimulating a healthy interest in both physical and mental development. The addition
212
of tennis courts to our athletic field has been beneficial both to our students and to the townspeople. Reasonable expenditures to in- terest the youth of the town in physical activities do much to re- lieve the gloom and depression. While our football season was not highly successful, we have had excellent results in baseball, basketball and track. We have endeavored to use as many boys as possible, for I think that the training and physical develop- ment of a large number of boys is more important than overem- phasizing the drill of a small squad for the winning of games.
There seems to be no depression in the educational field in so far as numbers and work are concerned. In fact, in times such as these we always have to care for many who would otherwise be gainfully employed. I am submitting a few tables showing statistics in regard to our enrolment and subject distribution :
BY SEX
Boys
Girls
Total
Freshmen
189
185
374
Sophomores
189
189
378
Juniors
151
I56
307
Seniors
72
142
214
Post Graduates
I7
19
36
618
691
1309
BY COURSES
Fresh.
Sopho.
Juniors
Seniors
P. Grad.
Total
Classical
II5
8 I
65
45
6
312
Technical
41
38
35
18
4
I36
Business
132
175
132
II3
18
570
General
17
20
30
26
8
IOI
Agriculture
8
6
5
6
-
25
Practical Arts
12
20
14
6
52
Vocational
49
38
26
-
-
I13
Total
- 374
378
307
214
36
1309
SOURCES OF FRESHMEN
Bicknell
59
Hunt
58
Junior Annex
76
Nevin
53
Pratt
21
Shaw
I3
Other Schools
57
Repeaters
37
Total
374
1
213
I think that it might be a matter of interest to the towns, people to know that during the past two years the teachers have done much to relieve the needs of those pupils who have lacked clothing and food, through the agency of our school nurses and through contributions by the teaching force. It is somewhat dif- ficult to find out just who needs assistance, and we probably could do more if we had better information in regard to home con- ditions. Sometimes the most worthy cases are the last to come to our attention. We hope, however, that none of our young folks have gone without necessary food and clothing.
The scholarship awards, given for worthy attainment to those who are desirous of continuing their education, are as follows :
Monday Club
Weymouth Teachers' Association
Weymouth Teachers' Association
Weymouth Teachers' Association
Marie P. Galligan Marguerite Goodrich Marie P. Galligan Loretta Buchan
Weymouth Teachers' Association George E. Monroe
Weymouth High School Alumni Association
Marguerite Goodrich
Weymouth High School Alumni Association Matilda Pflaumer Medal for Meritorious Progress Richard Zeoli
(Gift of W. H. S., Class of 1921)
Washington and Franklin Medal for Excellence in United States History Samuel Scott
While teachers and parents may do all in their power to further the education of our young people, pupils must not forget that it is largely through their own efforts that they are able to make' progress and that their success is a measure of their own work. Regular home study, from two to four hours daily, is certain to secure beneficial returns. There is also a need for regular at- tendance to classes and an attentive interest in the work of the school.
In closing, I wish to thank to thank the parents, teachers, and students for their helpful co-operation.
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL (Report of Mr. Francis E. Whipple, Jr., Director)
The end of this year will mark the suspension of a venture into co-operative education which, at the time of its inception in 1927, had every good prospect for success. Shoemaking was, and I believe will continue to be, the leading industry in Weymouth. One of the functions of a vocational school is to prepare students for in- dustry, and what could be more logical than that a school should prepare boys for the leading industry of a community ?
214
Until recently I believe that our shoemaking department has been doing that job with credit. Graduates showed a high place- ment percentage, and many earned respectable incomes. During the time the boys were in school they also earned for their parents or themselves nearly twice as much money per year as the depart- ment, taking into account the fifty per cent reimbursement from the State, cost the Town. Shoemaking has been in operation five years. The total earnings of the boys in that time amounted to $24,949.19, an average of practically $5,000.00 a year. It is a fact that in the past two years the income from the work of some of the boys was the sole source of income in their families
Of course, it was impossible to continue the department, be- cause there has been practically no work at the factory, through conditions beyond their control, for some time. For that reason the expense of maintaining the course could not be justified. All the boys in the department on December 31 will be transferred to other departments of this school or to the High School.
The Stetson Shoe Company is entitled to credit for the time, money, and resources which they have so generously given to carry on this venture. The relations we have enjoyed with the officials of the company and with the foremen in the factory have always been pleasant, and they have tried to carry out their part of the agreement to the best interests of all concerned.
As the Vocational School is conducted in Weymouth, aside from its function of training boys for industry, which, by the way, must be done for them by some one, either now or at some future date, it serves as a valuable agency in the operation of the School Department. Appropriations and maintenance and supplies would be greatly increased, were it not for the work done in the different shops.
A list of a few of the products of the carpentry shop made this year which would otherwise have to be purchased from other agencies, and hence add a great deal to the maintenance budget, may be of interest. Perhaps the largest single job was the con- struction of all the pupils' desks needed for the new Adams School. The value of this item alone was $1,050.00. The material used cost $276.12. Other jobs were shelving, kitchen tables, doors, and partitions in the High School lunchroom; forty-eight drawing tables with adjustable tops for the Hunt School; basketball back- boards for the schools in South Weymouth; and overhauling more than two hundred pupils' desks in the High School. One hundred twenty-seven different jobs were done for the School Department.
The printing department furnishes the printing needed for the conduct of the schools, such as report cards, record forms of every
215
description, stationery, graduation printing, and many other items. In addition to work for the schools, it also does printing for the different extra curricular activities, such as those of the Athletic Association, operetta, and various classes. The Reflector, publica- tion of the High School, is printed here at cost, with the idea of enabling the students to have as fine as magazine as it is possible to give them at a reasonable price.
The automobile department does the maintenance work on the School Department's trucks, a considerable item. It also fills a large need for those boys who are mechanically inclined and who would rather work with tools around a machine than pursue cultural studies.
Taken as a whole, considering the productive work done for the School Department, considering the Federal aid from Smith- Hughes funds, and considering reimbursement from the State of fifty per cent of the school's maintenance cost, the annual net cost of the school to the town is a very reasonable figure.
The enrolment this year stands higher in Printing and Car- pentry, but slightly lower in the Automobile Department. The net total increase in the enrolment of the school is fourteen. We have one less teacher than last year, resulting in our doing less out-of-shop work in Carpentry .:
The table below shows in detail the enrolment for the present school year :
I
II
III
Total
Auto Repair
17
16
II
44
Carpentry
II
CI
5
26
Printing
14
II
4
29
Shoemaking
7
I
6
14
-
-
Total
49
38
26
II3
At the Trade Show in South Weymouth in April, given by the Weymouth Chamber of Commerce and directed by Mr. Walter M. Field, we were again generously allowed to place an exhibit of our work in the balcony. A great many people inspected our products and spoke highly of the quality of them. The illus- tration reproduced in connection with this report shows the dis- play better than any description could do it.
Our Carpentry Department was organized in the beginning as a building course. with the idea of teaching boys to become house carpenters. During recent years we have done practically no house carpentry or construction work and have concentrated
216
HINOWA3M
217
largely on mill and cabinet work. It seems to me that we might well continue on that line and change our aim and title from Car- pentry to Cabinetmaking.
The past year has been, on the whole, an especially pleasant and successful one. made possible through the whole-hearted co- operation of students, faculty, parents and authorities.
AGRICULTURE
(Report of Mr. Hilmer S. Nelson, Agricultural Instructor in charge of the Weymouth Branch of the Norfolk County Agricultural School)
The year 1932 brings to a close the sixteenth of continuous agricultural instruction in the Weymouth High School. We doubt very much if there has been another similar department in the State which has enjoyed such lasting success. We know of de- partments that have come and gone since 1916. It can truthfully be said that those responsible have had the vision to see the im- portance of agriculture in the life of the community, for it has filled a gap much needed in a well-rounded educational program.
On December 31, 1932, there was a total enrolment of twenty- six, divided according to classes as follows :
Seniors
6
Juniors
5
Sophomores
6
Freshmen
9
The total enrolments since 1925 have been as follows :
1925
17
1926
18
1927
20
1928
19
1929
24
1930
.
24
1931
21
1932
26
The yearly average enrolment is about twenty-one, which is the normal carrying capacity of a vocational teacher.
The graduating agricultural students in June, 1932, entered the following fields of endeavor :
Agricultural College
3
Poultry Work
2
Tree Surgery and Garden Work
I
High School Post Graduate I
218
In other words, six out of seven, or about 86 per cent entered the work for which they were trained. In past years approximately 80 per cent of the graduates have followed this vocation, which is a very healthy result. ‘
Home ownership projects have been successful to the extent that they have been profit-making, even during this period of de- pression. The student seeking work on the farm as a part of his course requirements has had a difficult task because he has to com- pete with the unemployed, who have had the "right of way" to most jobs, as rightly they should. The ownership project of the boy at his home is one of the most valuable assets that he can possess; it gives him responsibility, foresight, individuality, and courage to profit by his own mistakes., "Give a boy responsibility and you give him the tool of success."
During the school year of 1932-1933 the general course of study for the combined classes is as follows:
Freshmen and Sophomores: Poultry, small animals, biology, agricultural survey, accounts, diaries and home project problems, together with actual farm practice on a market garden in Hingham.
Juniors and Seniors: Dairying, farm drawing and farm man- agement, fruit growing, types and breeds, soils and soil fertility, accounts, diaries and actual farm practice on a dairy farm in Hing- ham. During the third term, January through February, this group will have Auto-Mechanics
Items of Interest :
1. Again I wish to thank Mr. Albert Kress of Hingham for the privilege of using his dairy farm as a laboratory of work one forenoon each week.
2. To Mr. Paul Kress of Hingham we are indebted for the use of his market garden farm one forenoon each week, where we find a vast amount of practical experience.
3. To Mr. E. A. Hirt of South Weymouth we owe a great deal of gratitude for assisting us in our poultry problems and allowing us to use his poultry plant as a laboratory of in- formation.
4. The C. L. Merritt Award of $5.00 in cash was given this year to James H. Smith, Jr., of the graduating class of 1932. This money is awarded to the agricultural student for meritorious progress in agricultural work during his years as a student of this department. To Mr. Merritt, our Town Tree Warden and trustee of the Norfolk County Agricultural School, we extend our appreciation.
219
5. Special recognition should be given at this time to two students who within one year's time judged separately at two dif- ferent national poultry judging contests in New York City. Both were members of the State teams which represented Massachusetts at these national contests. Space does not permit us to designate the honors they received. They were James H. Smith, Jr., at the National Poultry Judging Contest in January, 1932, and Harold W. Fay at a similar contest in November, 1932. Financial assist- ance was given freely by the Weymouth Chamber of Commerce, Weymouth Rotary Club and Weymouth Lions' Club.
6. We cannot close without extending to our Superin- tendent of Schools, Mr. Parker T. Pearson, and to our Principal of the High School, Mr. F. W. Hilton, our sincere appreciation of their willing co-operation in supporting the activities of this de- partment.
COURSES OF STUDY
(Report of Mrs. Flora Haviland McGrath, Director of Courses of Study)
One of the outcomes of successful teaching is uniformity of results. There is no definite method of determining these results other than through careful supervision, testing, and comparing. In order to maintain the high standards set and to raise those standards in classrooms and schools where it seems necessary, a carefully planned program of revision, testing, comparing, and general supervision has been carried out.
Complete records have been made of the results of testing, and comparisons have been made between the same grades in the various parts of the town.
The following is a report of the testing program :
ARITHMETIC
Modern School Arithmetic by Clark-Otis-Hatton has been adopted in all grades up to the seventh. The report given here- with is based on testing given in connection with the use of these books. The results were compared with those of the Providence Public School System, where these same books are used. It is interesting to note here that the Providence testing was given to show the results in arithmetic after these books had been in use a year. The New Stanford Arithmetic Tests were used in Provi- dence, and a great improvement in both computation and reasoning was indicated. The same tests were given in the Weymouth Public School System in February 1932.
220
A preliminary arithmetic test (not standardized) was given in December 1931 in Grades V and VI throughout the entire town. These tests were corrected and the results recorded. In February, the New Stanford Tests were given in Grades V and VI. After the medians were found, they were compared with those of Decem- ber 1931 and later compared with those of Providence. As there was no Providence report available other than that for September 1931, the Providence results of 1931 were compared with the Weymouth results of February 1932. This may account some- what for the position of the Weymouth pupils on the graph. The results of the testing of over 800 pupils are noted in this graph.
ENGLISH
An extensive program is being carried on for the general im- provement of language activities in the elementary schools. Com- plete new courses of study have been written, and a carefully planned program of testing and comparing has been conducted.
The results for September and October 1932 show a remark- able improvement over those for September and October 1931. A steady improvement has been noted as a result of the testing.
REPORT ON WILSON LANGUAGE ERROR TESTS IN GRADES IV and V (Comparison to show general improvement)
Date
Grade Approximate Number of Pupils Tested
Median
Oct.
1931
IV
4.00
7.5
Feb.
1932
IV
400
14.0
May
1932
IV
400
19.0
Oct.
1932
440
II.O
Note. Increase in median for October 1932 over that for October 1931 is the result of greater attention to com- mon errors in Grade III. These children, like those of the previous year, had never seen the test before.
Oct.
1931
V
400
13.0
Feb.
1932
V
400
17.0
May
1932
V
400
21.0
Oct. 1932
V
435
19.0
During the fall of 1932, a complete testing program in English was carried out in all grades. The Wilson Language Error Tests were used in Grades IV and V; tests for paragraph recog- nition and common errors were used in Grade VI; tests for parts of speech, sentence and paragraph recognition were used in Grade
221
STANFORD
ARITHMETIC TEST
GRAPH FOR GRADES V AND VI
COMPUTATION GRADES
VAND VI
STAN.M.
PROV.M.
WEY. M.
SEPT.
SEPT.
FEB.
36
34
O
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
18
16
17
REASONING GRADES V AND VI
WEY.M.
STAN.M. SEPT.
PROV.M SEPT.
FEB.
/8
IT
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
7
222
VII; tests for sentence analysis, sentence structure, and parts of speech were used in Grade VIII.
Approximately 2100 tests were given and corrected. The medians were recorded and a careful comparison made in the results accomplished by the various teachers.
NEW COURSES OF STUDY COMPILED
ENGLISH
1. Completed all work in compiling of new courses of study in English for Grades IV through VIII.
2. Completed a syllabus for language activities and related sub- jects for Grade I. This contains a new outline in spelling made by the following first grade teachers : Miss Susan M. Tracy of the Hunt School, Miss L. May Chessman of the Edward B. Nevin School, and Miss Mary C. Shea of the Jefferson School.
GEOGRAPHY
1. Completed geography syllabi for Grades III and IV. These courses are based on the Worcester Course of Study, which was compiled under the supervision of the Department of Geography of Clark University.
OTHER REMARKS
At the beginning of the school year, September 1932, every grade from the fifth through the eighth was provided with an eighteen-page chart containing habit forming drills for use in the elimination of common errors. The lettering of these charts was done by the Weymouth High School Mechanical Drawing De- partment.
FURTHER AIMS
A marked improvement has been made in English in a few of the grades through a change in teaching methods. We hope that this change may be carried out successfully in all grades. to the end that there will be a noticeable reduction in the number of failures in English during the pupil's first year in high school.
In the field of social studies, we hope to establish in the student a deeper consciousness and finer attitude in his civic and social contacts.
1
223
In conclusion, the aim is not only to maintain the high stand- ards of the past, but to raise those standards wherever possible.
DENTAL CLINIC (Report of Miss Alice A. Conroy, Dental Hygienist)
The Dental Clinic continued as a prophylactic clinic until April, when the proposed change of 1931 was made. This change necessitated purchasing a permanent chair and equipment. Previous to this the portable type had been used. As an ideal room was available at the Hunt School, the clinic was permanently es- tablished there.
The clinic has two objectives. The first is to prevent trouble later in life by filling baby teeth and newly erupted six-year, molars or second teeth. This is done for a certain group of first- grade children. The second is to relieve pain and remove definite sources of infection for all children who under present conditions cannot go elsewhere.
Examinations were made throughout the town as usual. Of the 2,515 children examined, 2,293 had carious teeth, and notifi- cation cards were sent home to this effect. A careful check was made for evident sources of infection, and 525 children were suf- fering from such. By this is meant broken-down baby teeth with visible gumboils or very badly decayed second teeth with history of toothache. A certain percentage of these cases can be taken care of by the parents, while the remainder are being cared for at the clinic.
The following is a summary of the clinic activities :
Number of Patients
166
Number of Visits Made by Above Patients
293
Number of Fillings:
261
Temporary Teeth 178
Permanent Teeth
83
Number of Teeth Extracted :
..... 329
Temporary Teeth 245
Permanent Teeth .84 Number of Cleanings. . . . 317
The present clinic was made possible by the local dentists' giving a certain portion of their time to the work, by the general financial support from organizations of the town, and through the co-operation of the teachers who provided transportation for the children.
224
DRAWING (Report of Miss Evelyn Silvester, Supervisor of Drawing)
"Art is the expresson of life itself."
"We can live without Art, but not as well."
In America we have in the past taken pride in the fact that we have lived materially well, but we have given little thought to the way to live culturally and beautifully. One may be poor, but still live culturally well, if one knows the secret.
It is in the hope that the oncoming generations may be given the open eye to beauty and the understanding of the underlying principles of Good Taste that we are teaching Art, fine and ap- plied, in the schools of our country today.
By this instruction, difficult as it is, we hope to give our future citizens the key to the life beautiful, the useful life and the happy one.
There is so much to learn that is not in books, and those are the things that we hear, see, touch and feel.
People are happy when busy, and though children may rebel at study they never rebel at creating and building and working out things with their own hands. A child builds a crude toy. To him it is wonderful, and it IS wonderful, for it is an expression of something of consuming interest to the child, performed with the child's greatest skill. As time passes he may wish that his toy could do more things, and so he sets about devising ways to improve it to meet his new or revised conception. He may ask for advice as to how certain things may be worked out, and he should receive sincere help and interest at such times. So his fund of knowledge increases step by step until, as a man, nothing short of perfection satisfies him.
"Art is the best way of doing a thing."
"It is the excellence with which a thing is done that makes it Art."
It is the daily art work in our public schools that fills one of the vital needs of all children, that of creating something of their own. It may be a design, or a picture, a toy, or a useful article but it answers the purpose of the free expression of an idea.
I wonder how many times in the life of the average adult it, is of help for him to draw what he wishes to make clear. How many times does the person who thinks he cannot draw feel it would help him to explain something better if he could put it on paper. If one cannot draw it certainly is a great handicap.
225
"Drawing is the only universal language," the only language which can be understood by all nationalities alike. So why should we not learn to be at least reasonably proficient in it ?
Drawing is an excellent means of focusing attention, and as such should be a great help to the teacher in her teaching generally.
"When you are most sensible you are most likely to exercise Good Taste."
If you dress appropriately and becomingly, if your home is pleasant and well ordered, if when you purchase a picture, vase, chair or whatever it may be, your selection is a good one, then you have merely followed the laws of order which are the underly- ing principles of good taste and good design. You will do this consciously if you know what good design is, but much depends upon luck if you do not understand these principles.
How many people say, "Oh, I know what I like, but I don't know why"? That remark is one which is an admission of the need of the study of art, not to become an artist, but to be able to intelligently select and equip oneself for the great adventure of every day living. It requires many things to make a home, and one of the principal ones is the expression of taste. It is the ap- propriate thing that is always the best thing.
In our school work we firmly believe that we should make the following attainments our goal :
I. The development of good taste.
2. The knowledge that a thing need not be expensive to be beautiful.
3. Development of the creative imagination.
This is a goal of greater proportions than would appear at first glance and one toward which we have been slowly evolving. Each new course of study we have hoped would bring better results, and with one which we have placed in the primary grades this fall we seem to be getting our best results. As this course marks a very different manner of approach, we do not intend to place it im- mediately in all grades, but by next year add the intermediate and later the Junior High and High School. In this way the children will more nearly grow up with the method which we believe is necessary for the best results.
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