USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1928-1930 > Part 20
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This arrangement should give ample seating capacity at gymnasium and basket ball games and also furnish fixed seating sufficiently large to take care of school assemblies. When the hall is in use for town meetings and other outside purposes the floor of the gymnasium would be set with mov- able chairs.
202
Report of Schoolhouse Committee
A large and well arranged lunch room will be placed below the gymnasium floor and so arranged that it can be used either by the school or in connection with the assembly hall and gymnasium for outside purposes. A manual train- ing workshop is also included.
This plan makes a very good arrangement for the use of this part of the building for community purposes without in any way interfering with the school proper.
To make the building architecturally the most promi- nent in the group, it is suggested that a pitched roof be placed over the present high school and that the front en- trance motif be changed to give the effect shown in the perspective drawing submitted.
Such a building would make a large and imposing struc- ture and give Scituate a building comparable to any and one of which the citizens may well be proud.
As has already been stated in this report the taxpayer will probably be called upon to provide the money for a town office building before long and in looking at the building of the school from the financial side the committee has taken this into consideration.
To complete the Civic Center group a town office build- ing further from the street and architecturally in harmony with the school should be erected on the westerly side of the oval. This would properly balance the composition of the Center with the Old Cudworth House on the east and give to the town adequate and modern town office facilities.
We believe that the sketch of the whole Civic Center group will give a comprehensive idea of the proposed devel- opment.
With each suggested plan the cost to the Town was care- fully considered and it became clearly evident that the cost of enlarging the present school building plus the erection of a new, modern office building would be no more than the erection of an entirely new school building having the same accommodation and we would still need to provide a town office building.
Messrs. Mclaughlin & Burr have consulted with several construction firms and have submitted to us costs.
4
203
Report of Schoolhouse Committee
The estimate of the cost of an entirely new building which would give us the same accommodations as we are to get in adding to the old building is $230,000.
Following are costs of the school building in accordance with the plan, also the cost of the proposed town office build- ing:
HIGH SCHOOL
Additions
$114,000
Alterations . 25,000
Furnishings
12,000
Contingencies
5,500
Fees, etc.
8,500
Total cost
$165,000
OFFICE BUILDING
Building
$50,000
Fees, etc.
3,000
Furnishings .
10,000
Contingencies
5,500
Total cost.
$65,000
In concluding our report we recommend that the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $165,000 for the additions and alterations to the present high school in accordance with the plans submitted by Messrs. Mclaughlin & Burr.
Respectfully submitted,
W. CLEVELAND COGSWELL,
WILLIAM F. SMITH,
MRS. MARION C. ALEXANDER
MRS. BELLE CHAFLIN, DANIEL A. VINES,
HENRY A. LITCHFIELD,
ARTHUR H. DAMON,
HAROLD C. WINGATE,
PHILIP S. BAILEY,
Schoolhouse Committee.
204
Report of Schoolhouse Committee
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF COMMITTEE March 4, 1929: Appropriation . $1,000 00
Payments:
Mclaughlin & Burr, Architects, for preliminary plans . $700 00
Franklin Publishing Co., advertising . 4 00
$704 00
Balance in appropriation $296 00
205
Report of High School Building Committee
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE Appointed June 28, 1929
To the Citizens of Scituate:
The High School Building Committee appointed at the Special Town Meeting, June 28, 1929, submits for the in- formation of the voters and taxpayers the following report of progress on the new and remodelled building.
The committee held its first meeting Wednesday even- ing, July 8, for the purpose of organizing. The firm of Mclaughlin & Burr, architects, was employed to perfect plans and draw up specifications for the alterations and additions to the present high school building in accordance with the vote of the Town at the Special Meeting, and was also authorized to advertise for contractors qualified by experience and of sufficient financial standing to erect such a building. Twenty firms submitted applications and after careful consideration and investigation the committee asked eleven firms to figure the plans.
Bids were publicly opened Wednesday evening, August 28, at the high school building and the lowest bidder was John M. Hartwell of Boston at $163,895, the work to be completed in three hundred days. While this bid was under the appropriation of $165,000, it was not sufficiently low to permit the committee to award the contract. It was de- cided to have the three lowest bidders refigure the plans after the committee had eliminated certain allowances which had been included as fixed sums in the first specifica- tions. The bids for the refiguring were carefully considered and the sub-contractors investigated. Contractor John M. Hartwell was awarded the work and the contract signed for $147,895, September 25. Work was started on the founda-
206
Report of High School Building Committee
tion within the following ten days and the contractor bonded for the performance of the work as provided by statute.
The committee held frequent meetings until the work was well under way, members visited the work daily, keep- ing in touch with the progress. Conferences were held with the inspector on the job, the state inspector, the contractor and architect, all of whom cooperated in every way to make the building the best that could be erected and one of which they as well as the citizens of Scituate could be proud. Work on the building proceeded faster than was anticipated, partly on account of the favorable weather conditions and more especially through the splendid organization of the contractor. So well was the work advanced at the Christ- mas vacation that it was decided to construct the new slate roof on the main building if the weather permitted. This was accomplished, and the rapid progress will allow the use of the new auditorium for the graduating class of 1930.
The Building Committee is asking the Town to make appropriations to provide for those items which were omitted when the work was refigured and for certain other improvements and equipment that have come to its atten- tion since starting the work. You are, therefore, asked to consider the recommendations in Article 39 of the warrant for the Annual Meeting, asking for an appropriation of $14,500. The additional furnishings, equipment and work provided for in this sum will give a modern and up-to-date school with gymnasium and auditorium and with the grounds about the building properly laid out when the contractor completes his work.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Appropriation . $165,000 00 Contract for addition, including all
trades as of January 1, 1930 $148,345 00 Architect's fees, etc. . 8,655 00
Incidental expense (Reserve) 500 00
Balance of appropriation . 7,500 00 _
- $165.000 00
207
Report of High School Building Committee
Estimated cost of school furnish- ings:
Classroom equipment. $1,930 00
Shop equipment. 2,000 00
Lunchroom .
3,000 00
Assembly hall chairs. $2,600 00 Curtains, platform, etc., gymnasium equip- ment 2,400 00
5,000 00
Library furniture .
700 00
Shower and locker rooms
1,400 00
Toilet and miscellaneous equip- ment.
315 00
Miscellaneous items, fire extin- guishers and shades for new building .
550 00
Connecting and installing
605 00
Grading and planting
4,000 00
Finishing floor, old and new
1,300 00
Miscellaneous contingencies :
Boiler room stairs, sump pump,
drainage from old building. . . 1,200 00
Total required to furnish and equip .
$22,000 00
Balance of appropriation 7,500 00
Total additional appropriation
$14,500 00
FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF PAYMENTS MADE AND CONTRACTED FOR AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1930
Contract amount. $147,895 00
Orders for additions
450 00
Net contract . $148,345 00
208
Report of High School Building Committee
Amount of work performed:
Bond . .
$2,200 00
Field office expense.
1,800 00
Liability insurance
850 00
General items.
1,000 00
Excavation and drains
5,135 00
Foundation
4,000 00
Masonry
36,400 00
Reinforced steel
150 00
Cast stone .
1,275 00
Structural steel, iron
8,835 00
Erect steel
1,000 00
Roofing .
2,650 00
Lathing and plastering
2,500 00
Carpentry
18,284 00
Painting .
125 53
Plumbing and gas.
4,665 32
Heating .
15,000 00
Electric work
3,487 00
Extras No. 1 and No. 2
450 00
Amount performed to date $109,806 85
Less 15 per cent reserved 16,471 03
Payments to contractor $93,335 82
Balance due on contract. 55,009 18
- $148,345 00
Respectfully submitted,
W. CLEVELAND COGSWELL, ARTHUR H. DAMON, HENRY A. LITCHFIELD, MARION C. ALEXANDER, BELLE H. CHAFFIN, DANIEL A. VINES,
PHILIP S. BAILEY,
WILLIAM F. SMITH,
HAROLD C. WINGATE,
Building Committee
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF SCITUATE
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31
1929
SET
IS
N
SATUIT
POR!
PRINTED BY THE BOUNDBROOK PRESS, NORTH SCITUATE, MASS.
INDEX
1
SCHOOL CALENDAR 5
ORGANIZATION 6
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
8
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
10
REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN 20
REPORT OF SCHOOL DENTIST 22
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE 23
REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICER 24
STATISTICS.
25
TRANSPORTATION ROUTES . 29
COURSES OF STUDY 30
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 32
GRADUATING CLASS. 35
3
In Memoriam
WALTER THOMAS NEWCOMB
Born in Scituate October 24, 1856 Died in Scituate June 30, 1929 Age 72 years
Mr. Newcomb was appointed janitor of the Hatherly School, North Scituate, in September, 1900, and served in that capacity until October, 1928, when he was given leave of absence on account of illness.
4
In Memoriam
CHARLES GREY EVERETT Born May 15, 1864 Died April 25, 1929 Age 64 years
Mr. Everett served as janitor of the Scituate High School from May, 1921, until 1929.
5
School Calendar
SCHOOL CALENDAR
1929
Fall Term - September 9 to December 20.
Holidays - November 11, November 28 and 29. Christmas Vacation.
1930
Winter Term - January 6 to March 28. One Week Vacation
Spring Term - April 7 to June 20 .* Holiday - May 30. Summer Vacation.
Fall Term - September 8 to December 19.
Holidays - October 13, November 11, November 27 and 28. Christmas Vacation.
*This date is tentative. The statutes require high schools to have one hundred eighty sessions per year.
"NO SCHOOL" SIGNAL
The "No School" signal is 3-1-3, and will be sounded from the fire stations at North Scituate, Scituate Harbor, and Greenbush at 7.45 a.m. It is, however, the policy of the committee to hold regular sessions whenever it is practicable to maintain transportation service.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The regular meetings of the Committee are held at the office of the Superintendent, Old High School Building, at 8 p.m., on the second Wednesday of each month, September to June inclusive.
Appointments with the Superintendent may be made upon request.
6
Directory of School Department
DIRECTORY OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
W. CLEVELAND COGSWELL
Chairman
MRS. MARION C. ALEXANDER
Secretary
MRS. BELLE H. CHAFFIN
HAROLD C. WINGATE
Superintendent
HIGH SCHOOL
A. RUSSELL C. COLE
Principal
M. G. GILLESPIE
Mathematics, Science
ROBERT F. RILEY
Manual Arts
BESSIE M. DUDLEY
English
MARION FREEMAN
Languages
Commercial Branches
KATHLEEN E. CRAIG
Household Arts
GEORGE F. FELLOWS
Science, Athletics
GLEA M. COLE
Cafeteria
JENKINS
LEROY E. FULLER
Principal, Grade VIII
MARION I. DICKSON
Grade VII
KATHRYN J. WILSON
Grade VI
Grade V
Grade IV
Grade III
LILLIAN M. WEEDEN
Grade II
ARLENE WEEDEN
Assistant
GRACE E. HAGUE
Grade I
HELEN L. JONES
Assistant
HATHERLY
GEORGE W. BURRILL
Principal, Grade VIII
ANNE L. CUNNEEN
Grade VI, VII
EDITH A. DANN
Grade IV, V
SARA M. SOUTHER
Grade III
BLANCHE E. HAYNES HELEN G. KNOX
Grade II
Grade I
FLORENCE M. TOOMEY HELEN PEARL MRS. EUNICE M. COLE
NETTIE E. ELLIOTT
7
Directory of School Department
SUPERVISORS
JEANNE E. BRADFORD
DORIS D. WARD
Music Art
HEALTH OFFICERS
T. B. ALEXANDER, M.D.
School Physician
W. B. PARSONS, D.M.D.
School Dentist
MARGARET J. O'DONNELL, R.N.
School Nurse
ANNIE M. S. LITCHFIELD Attendance Officer
JANITORS
LOUIS A. MADORE
LEWIS B. NEWCOMB
FRANK YOUNG
High School
Hatherly School Jenkins School
8
Report of School Committee
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of the Town of Scituate:
The School Committee presents herewith its annual re- port for the year ending December 31, 1929.
Three outstanding losses occurred this year in our school system, namely, the retirement of Miss Gertrude Gardner and the death of two janitors, Mr. Charles Everett and Mr. Walter Newcomb, both of whom were much beloved and had given many years of valuable service to the Town. De- tails of their lives may be found elsewhere in this report.
The honor and respect due to Miss Gardner can be no better expressed than in the following tribute given by Mrs. Adair Yenetchi, October 14, 1927, when a reception was tendered to Miss Gardner by the Woman's Club :
"Out of the present and the festivities of this evening let us wander a bit in memory's garden. Many are the little byways leading into broader paths and all along the way are many, many flowers, blooming so brightly and so sweetly in the light of other days.
"There's rosemary for remembrance, pansies for thoughts, violets, lilies, daisies, buttercups and oh, so many, many forget-me-nots peeping here and there.
"The path that some may take tonight will lead to a little schoolhouse some distance away; others a way leading to a bridge, a brook and a school that stood by it. Still others, because time turned the way, will mount the hill nearby. But at the end of each of these paths we find the same patient, faithful teacher, meeting happily the little folk and trying to start them right on the royal road to learning.
"And because we often find these walks and ways so pleasant, we are tonight giving Miss Gardner a testimonial of our appreciation, hoping that it will make a little lighter, a little brighter, a little sweeter the golden glow that gleams o'er the pathways in her garden of memories."
9
Report of School Committee
The School Committee appreciated the generosity of the Town in providing the great improvements to the High School building; the school will now be a distinct credit to our School System.
We commend to your attention the detailed accounts of the organization and activities of our schools to be found in the report of the Superintendent of Schools.
W. CLEVELAND COGSWELL, MARION COLLIER ALEXANDER, BELLE HOWES CHAFFIN, School Committee.
10
Report of Superintendent of Schools
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Scituate:
I have the honor to submit my fourth annual report for your consideration.
OUR TEACHING STAFF
During the winter term of the last school year the resig- nation of one of Scituate's most esteemed teachers was re- ceived. Miss E. Gertrude Gardner, after forty-eight years splendid service to the Town of Scituate, asked to be released from further duty in the schoolroom. It is certainly a pleas- ure to pay tribute to the untiring zeal of Miss Gardner to the cause of educating the boys and girls of Scituate. Her clear understanding of the natures of the little people under her charge, of their desires and interests, made for mutual confidence; there were always sunshine and happy faces in her room - a condition so important to children's progress. Toward the school organization her spirit was always one of loyalty and cooperation. I am sure that the people of the community she served so faithfully wish her many years of happiness.
At the end of the school year the resignation of Miss Bessie L. Carter, for three years a teacher at the Hatherly School, was received. Miss Edith A. Dann, a graduate of North Adams Normal School, 1927, was elected to fill the vacancy.
Following the resignation of Miss Gardner at the Jenkins School, Mrs. Josephine I. Dwyer acted as substitute to the end of the year. Miss Weeden, at her own request, was then transferred to the second grade. The vacancy in Grade I was filled by the appointment of Miss Grace E. Hague, Keene Normal School, 1927, as regular teacher, and Miss Helen L. Jones, Bridgewater, 1926, as assistant.
11
Report of Superintendent of Schools
During the summer one vacancy occurred at the High School. Miss Marcia G. Russlow resigned to take up a posi- tion in Connecticut. Mr. George F. Fellows, Tufts College, 1929, was appointed as teacher in the Science Department, and as director of High School Athletics.
UPKEEP OF BUILDINGS
In my last year's report I made several suggestions con- cerning the repair and improvement of the Jenkins School Building. These recommendations, which included (1) the retopping of the chimney, (2) the painting of the outside of the building, (3) a larger water supply pipe from the street main, and (4) the resurfacing of the ground around the school house, were all carried out during the summer vacation.
The repairs that were recommended for the High School Building, relating particularly to the relaying of the parapet wall and to waterproofing, are being taken care of as a part of the construction work being done at the present time.
There are no major repairs that are necessary to con- sider for the coming year. There will be the usual routine upkeep of the buildings and grounds, including the regular yearly examination and repair of heating systems, and some interior painting. In the near future, however, a new fence ought to be provided at the Hatherly School.
AMERICANIZATION
The Americanization classes last year, as in the previous year, met at the Hatherly School three evenings a week for a total of seventy sessions. They were again under the direc- tion of Miss Cunneen and Mrs. Burrill. The total enrollment was eighteen, somewhat smaller than the year previous, but the interest was maintained and excellent progress made. The closing exercises were held in the High School Assembly Hall on May 2. Five of the students took part in the program and showed conclusively the very practical value of Americanization. Certificates were awarded for the comple- tion of the year's work.
This year the school opened on October 14 and is being
12
Report of Superintendent of Schools
carried forward in the same way as |the two previous years. The enrollment is considerably larger, however. It may be interesting to know that in the past three years eleven pupils of these classes have taken out their first papers, three their second, and two have been naturalized.
THE HIGH SCHOOL
In his third annual report Mr. Cole writes as follows: "The true measure of the effectiveness of the methods employed in any school unit is the results as shown by the graduates in their adaptation to the work in the vocation which they enter or their application to the courses of study in higher institutions of learning. This would, of course, re- quire a period of years to definitely determine their success or failure but reports received at the office during the past year give evidence that their initial endeavors are proving satisfactory. It is gratifying to know that practically all re- cent graduates are socially efficient to the extent that they are engaged in some gainful occupation or making further satisfactory preparation for their future work. There is, I believe, an increasing tendency among the pupils of the school to hold definite aims relative to the kind of work they plan to do following their graduation.
"Since the beginning of the work on the new additions which blocked two of our main egresses no assemblies have been held, as requested by State authorities. This has some- what curtailed the school's Social Activities, but the use of the assembly room as a Library-Study is proving most bene- ficial. All pupils having a study period go to this room for their work where they have access to reference books and such equipment as our library affords. This room is at all times under the supervision of a teacher who can give assist- ance when needed. The number of books in our library is comparable with these of many other schools of its size but no library is complete and many useful books can profitably be added.
"The school this year has maintained its Class A rating for certification to Normal schools, and a few weeks ago
13
Report of Superintendent of Schools
formal application was made to the New England College Entrance Certificate Board for the certificate privilege. Blank forms sent by the Board were filled in and other data submitted. Whether this privilege will be granted to our school will be decided at the April meeting of the Certificate Board. A favorable vote by the Board would permit the certification, to colleges on the certificate list, of pupils who had maintained for the four years a grade of A or B in their subjects. We are at present on the certificate list of Simmons College having been placed on their approved list last May following our application and submission of data relative to our school.
"Our basketball, baseball and football teams have gone through successful seasons, winning the major portion of the games played. The Championship of the girls South Shore League in basketball was won by the Scituate High girls.
"Equipment was purchased last year for track work and interclass meets were held. This year we are working for a greater development in this branch of athletics. With the prospect of an adequate Auditorium-Gymnasium school activities can be made to include, in both mental and physi- cal work, every boy and girl in the school.
"The various Departments of the High School are as units of the whole progressing in a satisfactory manner. This is due to the recognized responsibility and the individual interest of the teacher in charge.
"The latter part of this year has brought activities out- side of our school building as well as in but it has not brought, as one might suppose, periods of interruption and distrac- tion. The noises which accompany the progress of the new buildings have since the first few days become a matter of no concern to those within unless it has been that during a mo- ment of leisure thoughts were turned to a visualization of the hopes and opportunities for the coming year."
Mr. Cole, on behalf of the School, wishes to thank the Woman's Club for the gifts of new books presented each year, and also to the Town Officials who have generously granted privileges and given assistance.
14
Report of Superintendent of Schools
In those High School departments in which there are occasional interschool competitions the Scituate students have ranked consistently high. This is true of the Art De- partment in connection with poster contests and Fair ex- hibits. It is also true of the Commercial Department in com- petitive tests in Shorthand and Typewriting. In the Fourth Annual Contest in these subjects held in Brockton last May, the Scituate girls won four cups and as many individual prizes. Four students were sent to the State Contest in Bos- ton, in which eighty-seven schools were represented, and suc- ceeded in winning the cup for First-year Shorthand and second place in Second-year Shorthand.
The girls of the Household Arts Department again re- ceived recognition in the annual Butterick Dressmaking contest. A dress submitted by one of the Sophomores who has had only one half year's experience in the sewing labora- tory was given one of the awards this year.
It is gratifying to note that we seem to have an increas- ing number of High School graduates attending higher schools of education. According to the records there are at the present time twenty of our graduates attending such in- stitutions, and nearly two-thirds of these are enrolled in normal schools and colleges, or schools of college grade.
MUSIC AND ART
In her report for the year 1929, Mrs. Ward suggests a number of ways in which the work of her department may be carried to a fuller expression of usefulness.
The new art room at the High School will contribute materially to this result, and it will be available to a much larger group of pupils through the revised arrangement of the grades.
Mrs. Ward's recommendations include the further de- velopment of an Art Library which has been created through gifts of local clubs and prize money awarded to the depart- ment.
"The study of art in nature, in home building and in civic planning is invaluable. Such books as Henry Turner
15
Report of Superintendent of Schools
Bailey has written bringing to life the beauties of our com- munity should be open to every student."
She also recommends that proper equipment for further work in block-printing be provided, and that the work of the Manual Training Department be brought in closer relation- ship to the Art Department, thereby creating a greater interest in art among the boys of the High School.
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