USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1957 > Part 28
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A home visit is usually the next step to be taken by the counselor to determine how the parents feel about the problem and to discuss the type of help that seems advisable. An understanding of the child's home and family background is essential. The school needs the steady support of the parents in order to help the child.
To date, forty such homes have been visited-some homes once, others two or three times.
The information gathered from school and home is organized and interpreted in order to make a diagnosis and plan for a program of treat- ment. To help in the interpretation of the data and to suggest methods for dealing with the problem, the school has available the services of Saul Cooper, a clinical psychologist of the South Shore Child Guidance Clinic. Mr. Cooper comes into the schools on a weekly schedule to confer with the teachers and principals concerning pupil problems. Mr. Cooper, the principal, the teacher, and the counselor discuss the problem of the in- dividual child and cooperatively evolve a plan for dealing with the problem.
While the method of treatment is in progress there is follow-up work on the part of the counselor. This consists of periodic conferences with the child, the teacher, and the parent who is advised of what the school is attempting to do. In cases where the proposed treatment is ineffective, there is a re-evaluation of the data, and a new method of treatment is proposed and tried.
In instances where more specialized and professional help is needed the counselor may call upon agencies outside the school department. To date, the following agencies have given assistance: the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Division of Child Guard- ianship, the New England Home for Little Wanderers, the Catholic Boys' Guidance Center, the Children's Medical Center, and Southard Guidance Clinic, the Boston University Speech and Hearing Clinic, the South Shore Child Guidance Clinic, and the Children's Aid Society.
Some children are referred to clinics by parents at the suggestion of the family physician or a member of the clergy. In such instances the clinic gets in touch with the school adjustment counselor and asks for school data pertinent to the understanding of the child and his problem. At times there are conferences set up whereby a social worker representing the clinic involved meets with the teacher of the child, the principal of the school wherein the child is a member, and the adjustment counselor. These meetings are held sometimes at the clinic and sometimes at the school. It
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is through the cooperation of the home, school, and clinic that the child can best be helped.
Testing Program
A study is made of the standarized group mental ability and achieve- ment tests. When there seems to be a discrepancy between the child's ability and his achievement, or when the test results appear questionable, individual tests are given in order to check or correct the impression gained in the group test. There are some children who cannot perform at the maxi- mum in a group situation.
During November an individual Stanford Binet test is administered to each of those children in Grade I who, in the opinion of the classroom teacher, appears to be too immature to be successful in meeting the re- quirements of Grade I. If the results of the test confirm the teacher's judgment, and if it seems advisable that it would be for the child's best interests to wait another year for formal schooling, a home visit is made by the counselor who advises the parent of the situation. The parent then has the opportunity to consider the facts and may withdraw the child.
There are in Grade I some children who will not be successful in attain- ing the minimum requirements for promotion in one year. For these children this first year in school will be a year of readiness. A home visit and a discussion with the parents have indicated that these children would be better served by remaining in school in contact with other children and under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
Mothers of pre-school children at times request an evaluation of a child who will meet the age requirement for school entrance, but who because of some physical impairment or because of immaturity seems to be, in the opinion of the parents, not ready for school. A home visit is made, some testing administered, and some guidance given the parents.
Children from other communities who transfer to Weymouth schools without any record of mental ability or achievement results are tested when their enrollment is brought to the attention of the adjustment counselor. Very few school systems send on the necessary data.
Stanford Binet tests are being given those boys and girls enrolled in the special classes for the educable and trainable children. This is to ful- fill the state requirement.
The adjustment counselor works as a coordinating person in the school to further the adjustment of the child. She helps the teacher to identify and assist the children who present social and emotional difficulties. She serves as a referral agent to obtain specialized and professional assistance in cases which appear to be beyond the resources of the school. She esta- blishes a helpful and kindly relationship with the home.
6. AUDIO-VISUAL INSTRUCTION
Combining the sensory learning of sight and sound, audio-visual materials are fundamental to an educational system which must be geared to meet the increasing demands for more and better learning in less time. Effective communication throughout the total curriculum is largely de- pendent upon the degree to which the right audio-visual materials are presented in the right way at the right time. Such utilization and in- tegration is the function of the Department of Audio-Visual Instruction in close cooperation with teachers, principals, supervisors, and directors in all areas at all levels.
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Requests for audio-visual services continue to exceed the ability of the department to meet them, both physically and financially. Expansion of the Central Filmstrip and Sound-Film Libraries has helped effect better integration with the curriculum. The need for catalogue supplements in these areas will be filled early in 1958 with the most welcome appointment of our half-time secretary to a full-time basis. This will result in much improved communication and the resultant increase in effective utiliza- tion of audio-visual materials.
In-service training of teachers and coordinators has been conducted at all levels as the need has been indicated or requested. However, pro- vision for increment-credit training would be of great value, particularly for those teachers who are new to Weymouth, and who have not recently completed a course in audio-visual instruction.
One of the many audio-visual tools currently engaged in meeting these demands is Educational Television, both open and closed circuit type. A comparative newcomer to education, this medium has unlimited potential for meeting the needs of the future with effective teaching.
According to a summary of research findings published this year by the American Council on Education: . we are getting to the point where educational TV can become part of an operational budget of a depart- ment and be built into the whole structure of an insitution." Weymouth has cooperated with other eastern Massachusetts school systems and Educational Television Station WGBH-Channel 2 in planning for a series of open circuit educational programs for in-school study at the elementary level commencing September, 1958. While this is in no way a program in basic TV research (many such have been completed or are going on currently), both WGBH-Channel 2 and local school systems will be pro - vided excellent opportunities to determine first hand the potential values and limitations of such a program. The year 1958 may very well be mraked for posterity as the beginning of a new epoch in education for eastern Massachusetts.
7. HANDWRITING
Our records show at the conclusion of June 1957 that 96% of the papers scored were Excellent or Good. It is reasonable to conclude, therefore that 96% of the papers were eminently satisfactory. Only 4% of the papers were rated Fair or Unsatisfactory.
During the past school year we graded and diagnosed approximately 84,000 samples of handwriting for your pupils.( A formal test was admin- istered at four teaching-week intervals and a report was furnished each teacher in writing giving a careful diagnosis of the handwriting of each pupil in the room. We supplied the following instructional and motiva- tional materials to your pupils and teachers: teacher outlines and folders, pupil folders, motivation graphs, individual certificates to pupils who qualified, diagnostic charts, handedness tests, envelopes, seals, etc.
Our primary objective is to teach your students to read and write both cursive handwriting and hand lettering in order that they may have these two tools as efficient aids in school, business, and social correspond- ence. At each grade level we attempt to achieve the standard norm in speed and never lose sight of the fact that the concomitments of neatness, accuracy, and attention to detail in doing work are desirable characteristics that need to be developed along with technical skill.
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8. HEALTH
The poliomyelitis clinics, sponsored by the Board of Health and con- aucted in the schools have now been completed. 32,793 doses of vaccine were administered; 19,618 doses in 1956 and 13,185 in 1957. These num- bers include pre-school children and those of 19 years of age who are no longer in school, as well as those in school at the present time. Since three doses of vaccine were necessary for complete immunization, no fig- ures were available for last year. That this has been a successful vaccine seems proved by the fact that no cases of poliomyelitis were reported for 1957. This program exemplifies cooperation existing between the Board of Health, the School Department, and the volunteer agencies in this town. After the clinic was completed the school nurses spent many extra hours doing the secretarial work necessary to have the doses recorded on the health cards of the school children.
In October the Diphtheria prevention clinics were held and 1,567 chil- dren in grades 1, 6, and 10 received booster doses of double antigen. This is an increase of 459 over last year.
It is difficult to convince parents that the family physician should make the physical examinations before children enter the first grade. However, each year more first grade pupils have this done before entering school. This year 62% were examined by their family physicians. The school nurses were at each school during registration and were able to talk to the parents about this as well as the general health of each child. Many important physical conditions are thus reported as a result of these conferences.
The vision and hearing program continues to be a great success. The ccoperation of every principal has made it possible for Mrs. Butler to do the vision and hearing testing in a minimum time with maximum effi- ciency. Absentees and recording results of tests on health cards make it necessary to repeat school visits, but classes are not interrupted for the second visit.
During October and November many pupils were absent with upper respiratory infections. Since laboratory tests are necessary to make a diagnosis of influenza, it is difficult to know how many of these absences were caused by the influenza virus. Some pupils were immunized by their family physician against influenza. With the wide-spread publicity that was given the possibility of an influenza epidemic, it appears that Wey- mouth, to date, suffered only a mild epidemic. Except in a few cases, pupils were back in school after an absence of three or four days.
All school personnel had a chest X-ray. This program is repeated every three years.
Mental and physical health fields are so closely associated they neces- sarily must work together to help and understand a maladjusted pupil. The school nurses work closely with Miss Gallant, who was appointed in September as adjustment counselor.
Plans are being made to have all children in grades two and eleven . examined for tuberculosis. This program will take the place of routine chest X-rays for senior pupils. Pupils in these grades will be tested, at their parents' request, by means of the Mantoux test which is a safe, sure, and simple skin test. Only those showing evidence of having been infected by the tuberculin bacillus will be X-rayed. This change in pro- cedure has been made because of the possibility of radio-active fall-out,
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and the present consensus is that people should be exposed to X-rays only when necessary.
Recommendations:
The time is fast approaching when the administration alone of the school health department of the Weymouth school system will necessarily be a full-time position with a full-time secretary also. This person (be it nurse, health educator, or other person interested in health) should have a title such as Director of School Health, Health Coordinator, or Health Consultant. Quoting from "Health in Schools," published by the American Association of School Administrators, "The title is not important, but the job is."
At present, two other nurses are urgently needed, and we are gratified that at least one will be appointed in September.
9. HOME INSTRUCTION FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
Forty-seven pupils were enrolled in the Home Class for this year, seven more than last year. Mrs. Grace Whittles, the assistant teacher, taught from January to June and October 7th to December. Sixteen are in the class at present. One more goes to school when he is able.
Twenty-two children returned to school, one moved away, one went to a sightsaving class, one went to a retarded children's class, and three died during the year. Of the twenty-three in the class in June, nineteen were promoted (three conditioned), three were incomplete and one un- graded.
Five were members for the whole year, nine from two to seven weeks, twenty-five from two to six months, eight from six to nine months and a sixth attends school when he can.
The disabilities represented were:
12 rheumatic fever - 2 with heart complications; 1 chorea
8 accidents - 3 leg fractures, 1 arm, 1 eye injury, 1 head with concussion, 1 back, 1 multiple injuries
4 operations - 2 leg, 1 hip, 1 foot
4 kidney trouble - 3 nephritis, 1 nephrosis
4 disturbed
4 polio
2 encephalitis
1 of each - pneumonia, back trouble, muscular distrophy, poor vision, asthma, calcium deficiency, hemophilia, leukemia, osteoma
Work with these handicapped children is both interesting and re- warding. The children and their parents both appreciate this opportunity to keep in their grade and age group in spite of their disabilities.
10. DRIVER EDUCATION
The driver education program has continued to grow as the worth- whileness of the training has become evident to pupils and parents. The fact that pupils with licenses issued at school following certification in
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both class work and behind the wheel driver training receive substantial insurance savings has also greatly increased the enrollment in the classes. To meet this expansion, an additional vehicle and more instruction time will be provided early in 1958.
The classroom phase of driver education, comprising 20 to 25 hours of valuable attitude-building instruction, is most suitable as a "required" subject for all students as they become eligible. This area of the organ- ization can be handled with a minimum of scheduling difficulty and with little additional instructional time. It would benefit the small percentage of students (most of whom should have this training) who do not par- ticipate in the program at all.
A brief summary of the activities of the driver education program in both the high and vocational schools follows:
1. Students enrolled in driver education classes - 433
2. Students completing only class work - 382
3. Licenses issued at school (number of students certified in both class work and driver training) - 232
4. Number of qualified students who were not licensed because of scheduling difficulties and/or lack of instructional time - 185
5. Number of seniors ready for practice driving for the school year 1957-1958 - 262
6. Number of juniors ready for practice driving by March 1, 1958 - 320
11. AGRICULTURE
The opening of school in September 1957 showed a total enrollment of 29 students. This drop is due to the changeover from a four-year to a three-year course; an upward trend is now being felt. The 29 students, according to classes, are divided as follows:
Seniors 10 Sophomores 11
Juniors 8
The above students may be geographically located as follows:
South Weymouth
7 Hingham 6
North Weymouth
4
Quincy
4
Weymouth
3
Whitman 2
East Weymouth
2
Abington 1
The following table will show the amount of labor and value received for the work done the past year - October 1, 1956 to October 1, 1957:
Hours of Labor
Value Received
Average
Boys Reporting
Total
Average per boy 1,101
Total
per boy
23
25,326
$21,342.29
$927.82
The above 23 boys worked on 9 farms or agricultural enterprises in Weymouth, 7 in Hingham, and 1 each in Assinippi, Abington, Braintree, Holbrook, Wollaston, Vermont, and New Hampshire, representing 7 green- houses, 6 landscape, 5 dairy farms, 2 nursery and landscape, 1 market garden, 1 dairy and poultry, and 1 golf course.
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12. SCHOOL LIBRARIES
All four school libraries were busy places in 1957, serving teachers and pupils better than ever before. All gained in circulation of books, with the increase at Central Junior High approaching 100%.
At the High School, there were regular exhibits on display from the Children's Museum and from the French Embassy. At Central Junio." High, displays of books have appeared in rotation in the two display cases and book display rack. Each group of twenty new books has been seen in an increasingly prominent position for a period of two weeks before circulation. This has resulted in a better knowledge of the library col- lection and in increased circulation.
In each library, a group of students worked under the direction of the librarian, getting training and serving the school by taking care of such duties as stamping, carding, mending and arranging books. In some schools, there has been some social activity for these assistants. The High School group went on field trips to the Harvard Libraries, the Peabody Museum, the Science Museum and the Mapparium at the Christian Science Monitor. Other groups met as clubs and entertained friends from schools in nearby towns.
Librarians continued to give instruction in the use of the library in the junior high schools. Each student is required to learn how to use the library books, reference material, card catalog, indexes, atlases, gazetteers, dictionaries, encyclopedias and other library tools, by completing practical exercises and related tests.
Statistics:
School
Number of books
Added Borrowed from
1957
Tufts Library
Total Circulation
Weymouth High
5686
272
6,905
Bicknell Junior
2074
726
350
14,941
Central Junior
2198
709
9,178
South Junior
3834
330
215
15,271
School librarians are as follows: Weymouth High - Miss Mary L. Gloster; Bicknell Junior High - Miss Mignon E. Pray; Central Junior High - Mr. Charles W. Adams; South Junior High - Mrs. Ruth M. Con- nors.
13. EVENING SCHOOLS
Evening classes for Weymouth adults were very popular this year, both in the January-March period and in the October-December period. In the latter period, we had nine practical arts subjects which are partly supported by the State, namely Beginning Clothing, Advanced Clothing, Decorative Art, Foods, Cake Decorating, Rug Braiding, Rug Hooking, Fur- niture Refinishing and Upholstery, with a total of twenty-three classes in these subjects. Adult Civic Education is also State supported. In addition, the following eight subjects are supported entirely by the town: Beginning Typewriting, Advanced Typewriting, Beginning Shorthand, Ad- vanced Shorthand, Office Practice, Woodworking, Public Speaking and Oil Painting, with a total of nine classes.
New subjects this year are Rug Braiding, Public Speaking and Oil Painting. Fabric Painting and Millinery are not being given because it was impossible to find qualified teachers. As usual, we have eight Clothing classes. We have waiting lists in Cake Decorating, Beginning Clothing, Advanced Clothing, Upholstery, and Beginning Typewriting.
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The annual exhibition of work done in practical arts and woodwork- ing classes at the High, Bicknell Junior High and Central Junior High Schools took place in the High School Cafeteria on April 2. For South Junior High classes, the exhibition occurred in the school gymnasium on April 1. Style shows in both schools showed the work done by Clothing classes. It was gratifying to teachers and students to have large crowds attracted to the exhibits.
Registration for classes starting in October took place the evening of Thursday, September 12, 1957 at Weymouth High School. A total of 779 people registered then or later. A drawing was held for those classes having too many registrants.
Assignments to classes are as follows:
WEYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Course
Tuesday
Instructor
Beginning Clothing
26
Mrs. Alice M. Cullen
Decorative Art
23
Mrs. Clara M. Taylor
Foods
15
Miss Louise E. Watts
Rug Hooking
18
Mrs. Leona M. Cook
Public Speaking
16
Mr. William J. Longridge
Woodworking
28
Mr. Wallace T. Driscoll
Beginning Typewriting
40
Mrs. Helen P. Collins
Office Practice
24
Miss Olive E. Hackett
Adult Civic Education
8
Mrs. Edna L. Gloster
Thursday
Advanced Clothing
25
Mrs. Alice M. Cullen
Cake Decorating -
two 1/2-year classes
36
Miss Louise E. Watts
Decorative Art
19
Mrs. Clara M. Taylor
Rug Hooking
14
Mrs. Leona M. Cook
Furniture Refinishing
21
Mr. Wallace T. Driscoll
Shorthand, Beginning
27
Mrs. Jane P. Lyons
Shorthand, Advanced
16
Miss Elizabeth L. MacGregor
Advanced Typewriting
27
Mrs. Helen P. Collins
Rug Braiding
19
Mrs. Kay A. Hall
Office Practice
24
Miss Olive E. Hackett
Adult Civic Education
8
Mrs. Edna L. Gloster
BICKNELL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday
Beginning Clothing
20
Mrs. Marion R. Rideout
Thursday
Advanced Clothing
16
Mrs. Marion R. Rideout
CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday
Beginning Clothing
26
Miss Dorothea A. Keaveney
Upholstery
16
Mr. Mariano Comunale
333
Thursday
Advanced Clothing Upholstery
27 16
Mrs. Anne Concannon
Mr. Mariano Comunale
SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday
Beginning Clothing
25
Mrs. Christine M. Gardner
Woodworking
18
Mr. Albert B. Noyes
Thursday
Advanced Clothing
25
Mrs. Christine M. Gardner
Decorative Art
16
Mrs. Alice B. Shields
Rug Hooking
24
Mrs. Frances L. Clifford
Furniture Refinishing
20
Mr. Albert B. Noyes
Oil Painting
20
Mr. Philip S. Dolan
Mr. Francis X. Kelly continues as Principal of the classes at the High, Bicknell Junior High and Central Junior High Schools and Mr. Thomas E. Lambe as Principal of the classes at South Junior High School.
The Evening Vocational program includes four classes which meet both Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are 13 in the Diversified Related Apprentice Class, with Mr. Eric Roy as the instructor. There are 30 in the Trade Extension Class in Printing, with Mr. John F. Collins and Mr. Herman Perry as the instructors. There are 16 in the Sheet Metal Layout and Pattern Drafting Class, with Mr. James Boland as instructor. There are 24 in the Blueprint Reading and Architectural Drawing Class, with Mr. George Klay as the instructor. Mr. Ray G. Parker is the Principal for these classes.
It seems likely that our varied program for adult education will con- tinue to attract several hundred people each year. These people are learn- ing new skills or improving old ones, making new friends, and gaining much personal satisfaction from their accomplishments.
The School Building Program
The first School Building Committee for the post-war building pro- gram was organized in June of 1948. The first two additions to elementary schools were begun in April 1949. In the nine-year period since 1949, seven new buildings and seven additions have been completed. The new twelve-room Thomas V. Nash, Jr. School, replacing the Shaw School at Nash's Corner, should be completed by April 1st. Construction of the three-room addition to the Homestead School was begun in December and it should be finished in time for September occupancy. If funds for the six-room Center School replacement and the six-room Pond School addition are voted at the Special Town Meeting to be held on January 13th, contracts will be signed near the end of January and these buildings could be completed by the end of December.
The defeat of the bond issue for the proposed twelve-room Green Street school in North Weymouth at the November 18th Special Town Meeting means a long delay in the construction of this badly needed school. The Building Committee is now interviewing architects with a view to a complete new start on this project.
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