USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1959 > Part 27
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In the junior high schools, seventh and eighth graders receive regular instruction in the use of the libraries' facilities. Teachers make many assignments calling for use of the libraries, and pupils come to feel at home in them.
Students continue to assist librarians with the many operations re- quired to put new books on the shelves and to keep them circulating. Library Clubs meet regularly and visit other clubs in nearby schools.
The school librarians meet three or four times a year to discuss their problems and exchange ideas, in order to improve the services of the lib- raries to pupils and teachers.
Statistics:
School
Number of books
Added Borrowed from
1959
Total Tufts Library Circulation
Weymouth High
5,120
165
6,690
Bicknell Junior
2,721
254
200
14,751
Central Junior
3,987
633
150
15,692
South Junior
4,527
273
150
14,191
13. EVENING SCHOOLS
Our evening classes in practical arts, commercial subjects, woodwork- ing, oil painting and adult civic education continued in 1959 to attract and hold the interest of several hundred Weymouth citizens. Most classes meet one night a week for three hours. Commercial and adult civic edu- cation classes meet for two hours. Registrations in September totalled 992.
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There are twenty-six practical arts classes, for which we receive 50% state aid. There are six commercial classes, three oil painting classes, two woodworking classes and one adult civic education class. There is also one new class in International Relations. Waiting lists exist for cake decorating, beginning clothing, furniture refinishing, rug braiding, beginning typewriting, and upholstery.
The annual exhibitions of work done in practical arts and woodwork- ing classes took place at South Junior High on March 30 and at the High School on March 31. These exhibits annually attract large crowds of people who appreciate the fine work done in the classes under the direc- tion of our excellent staff of teachers.
Classes and instructors are as follows:
WEYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday Courses
Enrollment
Instructor
Beginning Clothing
25
Mrs. Alice M. Cullen
Cake Decorating-two half-year classes
32 Miss Louise E. Watts
Beginning Decorative Art
23 Mrs. Clara M. Taylor
Rug Braiding
27 Mrs. Helen Jordan
Beginning Rug Hooking
19 Mrs. Leona M. Cook
Woodworking
20
Mr. Wallace T. Driscoll
Beginning Oil Painting
15 Mr. Brian Doherty
Beginning Typewriting
48 Miss Olive E. Hackett
Beginning Shorthand
25 Mrs. Irene K. Jackmauh
Beginning Office Machines
25 Miss Louise J. Hill
Adult Civic Education
9
Mrs. Edna L. Gloster
Thursday Courses
Advanced Clothing
25 Mrs. Alice M. Cullen
Cake Decorating-two half-year classes
32 Miss Louise E. Watts
Advanced Decorative Art
15 Mrs. Clara M. Taylor
Fabric Painting
22 Mrs. Marjorie Margeson
Furniture Refinishing
24 Mr. Wallace T. Driscoll
Rug Braiding
25 Mrs. Anna M. Emond
Advanced Rug Hooking
19 Mrs. Leona M. Cook
Advanced Typewriting
26 Miss Olive E. Hackett
Advanced Shorthand
24 Mrs. Irene K. Jackmauh
Advanced Office Machines
22 Miss Louise J. Hill
International Relations
27 Mr. William L. Concannon
BICKNELL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday Course
Instructor
Beginning Clothing
26 Mrs. Marion R. Rideout
Thursday Course
Advanced Clothing
24
Mrs. Marion R. Rideout
CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday Courses
Beginning Clothing
25 Mrs. Anne Concannon
Beginning Upholstery
16 Mr. Vincent G. Houten
Thursday Courses
Advanced Clothing
23 Mrs. Anne Concannon
Advanced Upholstery
15 Mr. Vincent G. Houten
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SOUTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Tuesday Courses
Beginning Clothing
25 Mrs. Christine M. Gardner
Beginning Oil Painting
16 Mr. Philip S. Dolan
Woodworking
15 Mr. Albert B. Noyes
Thursday Courses
Advanced Clothing
24 Mrs. Christine M. Gardner
Decorative Art
14 Mrs. Alice B. Shields
Furniture Refinishing
28 Mr. Albert B. Noyes
Rug Braiding
27 Mrs. Kay A. Hall
Rug Hooking
25 Mrs. Frances L. Clifford
Advanced Oil Painting
16 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 Trade Extension cours- es; Blueprint reading and architectural drawing, taught by George Klay; Printing, taught by John Collins; Sheet Metal Layout and Pattern Drafting, taught by William Sullivan; and, upgrading courses for Licensed Practical Nurses, taught by Miss Ann Naliwaika and Mrs. Jean N. Baker. Mr. Ray G. Parker is the Director for these classes.
Course
Number
Blueprint reading and
architectural drawing
11
Sheet Metal layout and
pattern drafting
13
Printing
13
(days) Licensed Practical Nurses
16
(nights) Licensed Practical Nurses
39
14. SUMMER SCHOOL
The Weymouth Summer School completed its first session on August 7, 1959, and had an enrollment of 285 students. Of this number, 86 students came from junior high schools, 194 from senior high schools, and 5 from colleges. Of the total 285, nine students were from non-resident families. This number included four from Abington, one from Dorchester, two from Marshfield, one from Newton, and one from Quincy. Non-resident students pay a registration fee of $30 per course. Resident students pay a regis- tration fee of $10 per course.
Two hundred two students each enrolled in one subject and eighty- three students each enrolled in two subjects. The subject enrollment was as follows:
Algebra
73
General Mathematics 14
Chemistry
22
History
11
Driver Training
30
Latin 16
English
50
Plane Geometry
11
French
24
Typewriting 117
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A majority of students enrolled in subjects taken during the previous school year. Reasons given for this type of enrollment were to raise grades, to make up work which was incomplete, and to take remedial work which would strengthen past weaknesses before proceeding to more advanced studies. Eleven students elected to do preview work in subjects which they planned to take in the fall.
The large enrollment in typewriting resulted from the fact that 105 students elected personal typing. These students are college preparatory students and they were unable to include typewriting in their college pre- paratory program during the regular school year.
The School Building Program
The new six-room William Seach School, replacing the old portable Center School, was occupied in February, and the new twelve-room John F. McCulloch School, the long-awaited school on Green Street, was occu- pied late in December. Both of these elementary schools have all-purpose rooms, and the McCulloch has a remedial reading room. It is a pleasure to report that the Center Portable School was turned over to the Selectmen and was torn down and removed from the site. It is the only school build- ing to be abandoned since the present building program began in 1949.
In less than eleven years, since April of 1949 when the first construc- tion projects were started, Weymouth has built ten new schools (8 ele- mentary, 2 junior high), two additions to new elementary schools, and seven additions to older buildings, a truly tremendous achievement. These nineteen projects have cost approximately $9,760,000. Bond issues have totalled $90,073.000; of this amount as of January 2, 1960. $2,991,000 has been paid, and the balance outstanding is $6,082,000. The amount of State reimbursement available over a thirty-year period, 1950 through 1979, to defray a portion of the cost will be about $3,125,000.
Double sessions became necessary in North Weymouth in the fall because the McCulloch School was not ready in September and because it was no longer possible to transport North Weymouth children to the Washington and Jefferson Schools. These double sessions, involving nine- teen Johnson School classes and twelve Green Street School classes, ended on December 18th and once again all elementary classes are on regular session.
The increasing number of children in East Weymouth schools has led to the use of five classrooms at the Washington School this year, and will result in the use of all six rooms in September 1960 and it will also be necessary to transport one fifth grade class to the Adams School. Some addition to existing elementary school facilities in East Weymouth will be a necessity in two or three years.
The three junior high schools were planned for about 2300 pupils. This year we have 2597 junior high school pupils. To take care of the excess, about 300 seventh graders are going to school in elementary build- ings. Two groups of 150, or five classes each, are attending Jefferson School one-half of the school year and are at the Central Junior High the other half-year, together with their teachers. In South Weymouth, two classes of seventh graders are housed in the Nash School and three classes are at the Pond School for the school year. It is not possible to provide the regular junior high program for these pupils.
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In September 1960 the shortage of junior high classrooms will grow from the present ten to seventeen, enough for another junior high school. Unfortunately, a fourth junior high school will not be available until the new high school is built and occupied, some time in 1962 at the earliest. At that time it is planned to renovate the present high school and voca- tional buildings to make them adaptable for a junior high program. The old school will also house some senior high pupils for a number of years.
The seventeen overflow classes will be distributed as follows: five in the Jefferson School, five in the Shaw School, two in the Nash School, one in the Nevin School, and four in the Pond School. The old frame Shaw School at Nashs Corner, which was closed in March of 1958, will need to be renovated and reopened for this purpose. This placement of junior high pupils in elementary buildings will mean that all the class- rooms in all the school buildings in town will be occupied.
The High School Building Committee, which was appointed in No- vember 1957, plans to advertise for bids this winter and to seek an ap- propriation for the new school at a Special Town Meeting in April.
The 1960 School Budget
The estimates for the School Budget will be found following the report of the School Committee. The Budget is 9.2 per cent larger than last year. This is the smallest percentage increase in ten years, and in the last five years only one year had a smaller increase in dollars. Approxi- mately $300,000 of the $318,000 increase, or 94 per cent, is for salaries.
The School Committee adopted a revised teachers' salary schedule on December 15th, increasing salaries $200 at all levels. The maximum will still be reached in four annual increments of $200 each, and eight annual increments of $150 each (see the revised salary schedule on page ?). Most school systems now have all $200 increments and Quincy and a few others have $250 increments. This serious defect in our schedule should be remedied at an early date.
The salary increase, which is the smallest since 1952, will be effective on September 1st, so that only one-third of the cost or $29,733 appears in the 1960 Budget.
The Budget provides for ten new positions in September, the smallest increase in eleven years. Last year's budget provided for 33 new positions, with 34 new positions actually being added in September 1959. This de- crease in the number of additional teaching positions together with the smaller general salary increase will result in a big decrease in the carry- over salary increase for teachers, viz., the provision for twelve months' salaries instead of four months in the 1961 budget, viz., about $110,000 in 1961 contrasted to $192,000 in 1960.
The greater portion of the academic staff for a fourth junior high school in 1962 (to be located in the present High School building) will be provided by the seventeen junior high teachers who will be located in elementary buildings next year. Special teachers for guidance, library, art, music, industrial arts and home economics will have to be added in 1962.
Our cost per pupil for current day school expenditures continues low among the large communities of the State. Of the fifty-four cities and towns with a population of 20,000 or more, only fourteen have a lower
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per pupil cost than Weymouth. Nine of the fourteen are industrial cities: New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton, Chicopee, Haverhill, Taunton, Chelsea, Attleboro and Gardner.
Federal Aid to Education
Federal aid to education has long been a bugaboo among people inter- ested in public school education. Opponents have argued that aid would be accompanied by undesirable controls, and proponents have claimed that only the federal government has the taxing power necessary to raise the funds that will be needed, and further, that controls would not neces- sarily follow.
During the past six years, we have asked for and received federal aid to education for two purposes. Our experience with these federal grants indicates that we must, after accepting federal funds, expect a check to be made of the facts on which our claims are based, and that we must prove that we have spent the money for the purposes for which we claimed it. Beyond this, there are no other controls.
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For example, we have received over one half million dollars to date from Washington under the provisions of Public Law 874, passed by the 81st Congress in 1950. Because local real estate taxes cannot be assessed against federal property like the Naval Air Station in South Weymouth, the federal government helps local communities by giving them money to help educate the children of parents living or working on federal prop- erty. For 1958-59, by keeping records on over 1750 children whose parents were connected with a federal property, we expect to receive over $120,000. Our records have been checked by a representative of the Office of Edu- cation, whose aim was to make sure that our claims were substantiated by the signatures of parents both at the beginning and at the end of the school year. However, he had no interest whatever in how we plan to spend the money we receive.
Federal aid has come to us also this year under the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Under Title III of this act, we have applied for and received funds to purchase equipment for strengthening instruction in science, mathematics and foreign languages. In order to obtain these funds, we must spend at least as much of our own money. In 1959, we received $8,323.35 of Title III money and spent all of it as well as more than that amount from our own budget. A thirty-position language laboratory at Weymouth High School was the first and most expensive of our purchases. Others included much equipment for science and many audio-visual aids for science, mathematics and languages. For instance, we have new elementary science films, science demonstration tables and supplies for some junior high classes, especially for seventh graders at Jefferson, Nash and Pond Schools, much apparatus and some projectors, microscopes, minerals and charts for the high school. New overhead projectors are available for mathematics classes. New television sets and tables are enabling more elementary classes to view science and language programs on the 21 Inch Classroom and to learn from master teachers.
Under Title V of the National Defense Education Act, Congress pro- vided funds also for guidance, counseling and testing. Under our state plan, we received 100% reimbursement for certain guidance materials and for equipment needed in doing the statistical work on test results. We obtained and administered Differential Aptitude Tests and a scholastic
353
aptitude test in Grade VIII, also school ability and educational progress tests in Grade X. Results of these tests, which reveal academic strengths and weaknesses, are available to students and their parents. We were able to add one counselor to our high school staff. For three years, we will receive 50% reimbursement on a matching basis provided we maintain a full-time counselor-pupil ratio of 1-500 and reduce the ratio to 1-400 during the next two years. We have received additions to the library of occupational and educational materials. Also, three of our counselors received fellowships to attend the Boston University Counseling Institution under NDEA auspices.
The National Science Foundation, with funds provided by Congress, has for several years offered full-year fellowships for teachers of science and mathematics at certain colleges and universities, as well as summer scholarships. Under this plan, two of our high school men have had their tuition paid for a year and have received awards of $3,000 plus allowances for dependents, one for the study of mathematics and one for the study of science. Some twelve or fifteen high and junior high teachers have received awards for summer study in science and mathematics, with payments large enough to enable them to pass up summer employment opportunities.
These National Science Foundation awards, making it financially desirable for our instructors to keep up with developments in their fields, are already helping to improve our instructional program. A committee has been appointed to review our secondary mathematics program, and changes to bring it up-to-date may be expected. Later on our science program will be revised.
Conclusion
The rapid growth of the school system in the decade of the fifties has brought many problems which pressed for decision. The proper solu- tion of these problems, together with the need for maintaining the high standards of our schools during this period of expansion, has meant long hours of work for everyone connected with the Weymouth Schools. We hope progress has been made in the improvement of our instructional program guided and directed by a staff of competent principals, directors, and supervisors. The Weymouth schools are staffed by capable, consci- entious and enthusiastic teachers who deserve all the credit due them in their all-important job of molding the minds and characters of the citizens of tomorrow.
To the School Committee, I extend appreciation for friendly counsel and support and full recognition for the countless hours they selflessly give to the many problems confronting our schools. Finally, to the office staff I wish to extend my thanks for their efficient service and for their wholehearted cooperation throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted, ELMER STEPHENS MAPES Superintendent of Schools
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SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM CONSTRUCTION REPORT OF FLORA H. MCGRATH
Director of Instruction
Today, suggestions for change and additions in the many areas of public school education are sweeping over us so fast as to be overwhelming, making it difficult to screen the wise and sound from the superficial. This, along with foreseeable necessary changes, make experimentation a neces- sity.
One of these experimental areas is the use of television as a teach- ing aid which is being studied through control groups in grades IV and V, using French in grade IV and natural science in grade V as the media. The evaluation of this method will determine its future adoption or re- jection.
Mental Ability Tests
It is customary annually to give to all children in grades I, IV, and VI a mental ability test. Because of the fact that in 1958 a mental ability test was also administered to all pupils in grade V in anticipation of their participation in the standardization of the new Metropolitan Achievement test, it became unnecessary to test grade VI this year. However, all pupils who had not been previously tested and who were in need of individual study have been given the Binet or the Wechsler-Bellevue tests.
Achievement Tests (Metropolitan)
The interesting and detailed results of the participation of the Wey- mouth pupils in the standardization of the new Metropolitan Achievement tests were received in June 1959. A summarization of all scores is as fol- lows:
Grade IV median range for all subjects-grade 3.6 to grade 6.5
Grade V median range for all subjects-grade 4.3 to grade 7.7
Grade VI median range for all subjects-grade 5.6 to grade 9.1
STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST
Date
Grade
No. Tested
September & October
IV
927
October
III
953
IOWA SILENT READING TEST
Date
Grade
No. Tested
October & November
V
925
OTHER TOWN-WIDE TESTS
During the year, all grades I through VIII are given tests on a town- wide basis. These tests are scored, graphed, and the results analyzed in order to determine areas where improvement is needed.
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Date
Test
Grade
No. of Pupils Tested
January
Spelling
IV
882
January
Spelling
V
907
February
English
VII
885
* April
Arithmetic
III
882
May
Spelling
III
912
May
Spelling
II
913
May
Spelling
I
954
*Of the 882 pupils who took the arithmetic test which consisted of the 100 addition facts, 430 had perfect scores and a median for the entire town of 99, with a time range of from four to seven minutes and a median time of five minutes.
COURSES OF STUDY
The courses of study in grades VII and VIII in English need revision. However, as the entire English program should be coordinated from grade I through XII, no revision will be made in grades VII and VIII until the results of planned meetings with the high school English teachers are con- sidered.
All of the fourth grade pupils have joined with pupils in many towns and cities in eastern Massachusetts participating in the "Parlons Francais" program offered by The 21-Inch Classroom. This project is supported by the Ford Foundation and Title VII of the National Defense Education Act of 1958.
Grade V pupils are taking advantage of the natural science program on The 21-Inch Classroom and as a result are motivated to bring to class for study many species of living things. The instructor, a specialist in the field of natural science, gives a well-planned program which stimulates the interest of pupils on this level.
REMEDIAL READING
This year one more remedial reading teacher was added to the staff, making a total of nine teachers working with pupils who have difficulty in keeping up with the work of the regular class because of reading and language deficiencies.
From January 1959 to January 1960, these remedial teachers helped 656 pupils, 411 of whom were boys. Among the common causes of read- ing deficiencies among these boys were mental immaturity in grade I, ex- cessive absence in grade I, numerous transfers from other towns and cities, and lack of sufficient mental capacity to warrant learning success.
The intelligence quotient range in these classes is wide, indicating that some pupils of above average ability for one reason or another are unable to learn to read with any degree of skill.
The improvement measured at the end of this school year indicates that some pupils have shown a reading growth of from three months to three years. These pupils who have shown marked improvement are dis- charged as soon as their actual grade level is reached.
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SPEECH CORRECTION
In September, 204 children were screened for speech defects needing correction. Of these, 110 children were selected for the program. Follow- ing ten weeks of therapy, eleven children were corrected and dismissed.
The speech disorders found are categorized as follows:
Lateral (S) sound 12
Lingual (S) sound 20
Stuttering 22
Voice Defect 5
Sound Substitution 40
Delayed Speech 10
Cleft Palate Speech 1
Sixteen schools are included in the program, three of which are visited three times a week, six visited twice a week and seven visited only once a week, depending on the needs of the children. Approximately eighty per cent of the time is devoted to the children in grades II through IV. The remainder of the time is given to grades V through VII.
Referrals are made largely by the teachers and principals although several requests for therapy have come from parents.
In order to supplement the work of the teacher, instructions are sent home to parents as to how they may help to carry out the therapeutic work which is being done in school.
COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Parent-Teacher Association Council
The Elementary Science Fair was conducted again this year in re- sponse to the Parent-Teacher Council request. The exhibits were held in the elementary schools with several combining their work. The exceptional response of hundreds of pupils to this project confirms belief in the value of this cooperative activity.
Rotary Club
In order to point up the need for greater recreational facilities in Wey- mouth and to stimulate thinking about this need, the subject presented by the Weymouth Rotary Club essay contestants was entitled "Recreation for Youth in Weymouth".
From approximately 700 contestants from grade VIII, the following winners were chosen:
Paula Peterson Pamela Peterson Margaret Mitchell
Central Junior High School South Junior High School Central Junior High School
Kiwanis Club
For the past few years, the Weymouth Kiwanis Club has sponsored a Student Government Day contest for the pupils of grade VI throughout the town. The results of this plan, which has as its aim a better under- standing of the meaning of democracy, an understanding of our town government, and the place of the taxpayer in the financial support, have been excellent.
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