USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1940-1942 > Part 27
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Necessary equipment for the ktchenette in the fire quarters was provided, furniture for the living and sleeping rooms for the fire department and - office furniture for the police was installed.
A detailed list of expenditures will be found in the report of the town accountant.
Respectfully submitted,
M. E. STEWART, Chairman, EBEN B. PAGE, Clerk GEO. W. VOLLMER, EDWARD P. BREEN, FRANK L. WESTERHOFF,
Special Committee.
148
DR. THOMAS BRANCH ALEXANDER
Born November 12, 1875 - Died August 28, 1941 School Physician 1913 - 1941
In Memoriam LILLIAN MAUDE WEEDEN Born April 28, 1872 - Died March 28, 1941 Teacher at Jenkins School from 1921 - 1941
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF SCITUATE
SETT'S
INC
SATUIT
RPORAT
E
For the Year Ending December 31 1941
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SCHOOL CALENDAR-1942
WINTER TERM-January 5 to February 20 inelusive.
One Week Vaeation. Mareh 2 to April 17 inclusive.
Holiday-April 3.
One Week Vacation.
SPRING TERM-April 27 to June 19 *. Summer Vacation.
FALL TERM-September 8 to December 23 inclusive.
Holidays-October 12, November 11, 26 and 27.
This date is tentative. The statutes require high schools to have one hundred eighty sessions per year.
"NO SCHOOL" SIGNAL
The "No Sehool" signal is 3-1-3, and will be sounded from the fire stations at North Seituate, Seituate Harbor and Greenbush at 7:20 a. m. to designate the omission of sehool sessions for the first six grades-e. g. the Hatherly and Jenkins Sehools. If the signal is repeated at 7:30 a. m., it will indieate no school in the High School. It is, however, the general poliey of the Committee to hold regular sessions whenever it is praeticable to maintain transportation service.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The regular meetings of the Committee are held monthly, at the office of the Superintendent, Old High School Building, September to June, inelusive.
Appointments with the Superintendent may be made upon request.
The age of admission to Grade One of the Hatherly and Jenkins Sehools is five years and four months on the day of the opening of sehool in September.
No ehild will be admitted to school for the first time after October 1, unless, before this date, permission has been granted by the Superintendent for a later entranee.
A vaeeination certifieate must be presented to the school when the pupil enters for the first time.
A birth certificate must be presented by those pupils whose births were recorded outside of Seituate.
Directory of School Department
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Mrs. Emma L. Damon Thomas W. Maey Fred T. Waterman Harold C. Wingate
Chairman Secretary
Superintendent
3
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
HIGH SCHOOL
Principal
Mathematics Practical Arts
Edward L. Stewart
Athletics, Science
Clarence O. Atkinson
Math., Business Subjects
Edward W. Whitmore John T. Samuelson
Science
Math., General Science, Music
Bessie M. Dudley
English
Franch, Latin
Commercial Subjects
Eleanor Gile Mary S. Kingsbury
Household Arts
Virginia E. Vines
Doris M. Rowell
Anne L. Cunneen
Clare Walker
Grade VIII
Grade VII
Grade VII
JENKINS SCHOOL
LeRoy E. Fuller
Principal VI V
Mildred S. Young
Bessie M. Monahan
Marguerite I. O'Hern
IV
Eunice M. Cole
III
Grace E. Hague
II
Rose M. Fisher
I
Mary A. Tenney, Assistant
I
Winifred L. McAuliffe
Special Class
HATHERLY SCHOOL
1
Robert L. Stevenson
Principal, VI V
Helen Pearl
IV
Jeanne H. Lockhart
III
Evelyn C. Ames II
Barbara O. Annis
I
Priscilla Kelley, Assistant
I
EVENING AMERICANIZATION SCHOOL
Anne L. Cunneen Florence M. O'Hern
Advanced Class Beginning Class
SUPERVISORS
Mrs. Doris D. Ward Gertrude M. Reynolds Virginia Vines
Art-Elementary Schools Music-Elementary Schools Physical Educ., Elementary Schools
HEALTH OFFICERS
Max D. Miles, M. D. W. B. Parsons, D. D. S. Margaret J. O'Donnell
Acting School Physician School Dentist School Nurse
4
Frederick A. Calkin M. B. Gillespie Nels H. Sandberg
Esther M. Harrington Ruth E. Hawkes
English, History
Physical Educ., History
Art Grade VIII
Dorothy L. Maxim Elizabeth Giles
Carol Vollmer
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SUPERVISORS OF ATTENDANCE
Annie M. S. Litchfield
Joseph Dwyer
Elementary Schools High School
JANITORS
Louis H. Madore
Augustus Abbott
Lewis B. Newcomb
High School High School Hatherly School
Frank Young
Jenkins School
HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
Ina L. Wilder Mary Curran
Director Assistant
BUS CONTRACTORS
Mrs. Malvina H. Young Prescott A. Damon
Route A
Route B
George Webb
Route C
Joseph W. Appleton
Route D
Wilson S. Brown
Route E
Robert E. Huntley
Route F
Whittaker Bros.
Route G
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Scituate:
The School Committee presents for your consideration the following report of the Superintendent of Schools. You will find in it a detailed account of what has been accomplished during the past year.
Last April, at a joint meeting of the Union, Mr. Wingate was re-elected as Superintendent of the Schools of Scituate and Marshfield for the regular period of three years.
With sorrow we note the passing of Dr. T. B. Alexander, who for twenty- eight years served faithfully and well as school physician.
The resignation of Mrs. Marion C. Alexander was accepted with sincere regret. Mrs. Alexander was a faithful and competent member of the School Committee for over twenty-three years, and always felt a deep interest in the schools of the town. Mr. Fred T. Waterman was appointed to fill the unexpired term.
All precautions possible have been taken to protect the children of the schools in this time of crisis. A detailed account of what has been done will be found in the Superintendent's report.
We wish to express our appreciation to the eitizens of the town for their generous support, and to state that the welfare of the schools is our first con- sideration.
Respectfully submitted,
MRS. EMMA L. DAMON, Chairman, THOMAS W. MACY, Secretary, FRED T. WATERMAN.
School Committee.
5
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Scituate:
I take pleasure in submitting my sixteenth annual report for your con- sideration.
CHANGES IN SCHOOL STAFF
When the Scituate Schools reopened on Monday, September 8, there were five new teachers on the faculties of the different schools. The greatest number of changes occurred at the Hatherly School where three of the seven teachers resigned at the close of the last school year. Mrs. Souther and Mr. Burrill both retired after long service in the teaching field. Miss Cushing resigned to be married.
The teacher selected for Grade I was Miss Barbara O. Annis of Quincy, a · graduate of the Lowell Teachers' College in 1940 with one year's experience as teacher of the primary grades at Salem, New Hampshire. The teacher elected to the third grade position was Miss Jeanne H. Lockhart of Milton, a graduate of the Perry Kindergarten School, with three years' experience in the primary grades of schools in Carver and Middleboro, Massachusetts. In the sixth grade position-and in charge of the building-is Mr. Robert L. Stevenson of Lynn, a student at Northeastern University for two years and a graduate of Bridgewater State Teachers' College. Mr. Stevenson has had several years' experience, last year being principal of a four-room elementary school at Auburn, Massachusetts.
At the Jenkins School, Miss Grace Hague was transferred to the second grade position made vacant last spring by the death of Miss Lillian M. Weeden. Miss Rose M. Fisher of Fort Fairfield, Maine, a graduate of Washington State Normal and the Perry Kindergarten School, was elected to the first grade position. Miss Fisher has had eighteen years' experience in the public schools of Fort Fairfield. The large enrollment in Grade I made it necessary to provide a full- time assistant for this grade, and Miss Mary A. Tenney of Gardner, Massachu- setts was appointed to the position. Miss Tenney is a graduate of the Perry Kindergarten Normal School.
The vacancy in the Art Department at the High School, brought about by the resignation of Mrs. Barbara Arnold, was filled by the election of Miss Doris M. Rowell, a graduate of the Massachusetts School of Art, and for the past two years supervisor of drawing in the schools of Holbrook and Avon, Massachusetts.
At the end of the fall term Mr. Edward W. Whitmore accepted a position as head of the science department of the Middleboro High School. Mr. Whitmore came to the Scituate High School in September, 1930, serving first as principal of the two junior high school grades and later as teacher of science in the senior high school. A permanent appointment has not yet been made.
Mention has been made above of the retirement of Mrs. Sara M. Souther and the death-while in service-of Miss Lillian M. Weeden. Mrs. Souther retired after nearly forty-four years service in the Scituate schools. Miss Weeden, a teacher at the Jenkins School since 1921, died at the Cohasset Hospital on March 28 after a short illness. They were both faithful teachers, greatly interested in their work, and I am glad to pay tribute to their long and useful service in the community.
Dr. Thomas Branch Alexander, school physician since 1913, died on August 28. He was a sincere friend of the schools and he had the respect and confidence of teachers and parents. His loss to the department is keenly felt.
6
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT-OCTOBER 1 Ten-Year Period
Elementary Grades
High School
Grades
I-VI
VII-XII
Total
1932
436
272
708
1933
443
304
747
1934
440
333
773
1935
400
341
741
1936
412
356
768
1937
388
358
746
1938
409
357
766
1939
411
368
779
1940
415
359
774
1941
449
375
824
There has been a decided increase in the number of pupils enrolled in our schools this year. The increase is general, but more marked in the elementary grades. Compared with last year the total increase is fifty, and in both the elementary and high school departments the enrollment on October 1 was the highest in the history of the Scituate schools.
The desirability of carrying forward the school building program for Scituate was recognized several years ago. At the special Town Meeting held on Nov. 29, 1938, an article, sponsored by the School Committee, was acted upon by the appointment of a committee to report on the purchase of land for a central elementary school. This was followed, through action of the next annual town meeting, by the appointment of a committee of five to look into the matter of school housing for the elementary grades,-to investigate present conditions and deter- mine future requirements. This committee made a careful study of the problem, having the buildings inspected by representatives of the State Building Inspection Department, the State Fire Marshal's office and the Scituate Fire Department, as well as by a school architect, and reported back to the Town Meeting of 1940. The Committee recommended that no building for elementary schools be con- sidered at that time, particularly in view of the more imminent need of an addi- tion to the High School.
For several years previous to this your attention had been called to the rapid increase in High School enrollment and the probable need of additional class- rooms at an early date. Acting upon this knowledge, the School Committee placed an article in the Warrant for the 1940 Town Meeting to see if the Town would vote to authorize the School Committee to secure detailed plans and specifications for an addition to the present high school building. This article was indefinitely postponed by the Town Meeting.
In the present national emergency, with everything subordinated to the "all- out" war effort, we fully understand that it is impossible to engage in a major school building progranı. On the other hand, we should report the situation as it exists. The enrollment has increased by fifty this year and this trend may well continue: all buildings share in the growth; the lack of room creates difficult problenis: we must be ready to carry forward our building program as soon as conditions make it possible.
TEXTBOOK ADOPTIONS IN ELEMENTARY GRADES
In the elementary schools, during the year, the use of the "New Work-Play Books" by Gates, Huber, Ayer and Peardon has been extended to the second grade. The "Daily-Life Arithmetics" by Buswell, Brownell and John have been introduced in Grades III-VI, and the "Essentials of Everyday English" by Ferris and Keener have been adopted in Grades II-VI.
7
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Closer contact between the teachers of our elementary schools is being secured by monthly meetings held alternately at the two buildings. "Administra- tive procedures are presented and school problems are discussed. One meeting this year was devoted to an explanation of the best use of the new arithmetic series, another to a discussion of the program of studies for the first six grades, and a third to a presentation of plans made for the protection of pupils during air raids.
UPKEEP OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
In addition to the usual routine yearly repairs and replacements at the Hatherly School, the interior of the sixth grade room was painted and in several rooms the desk tops were refinished. Black shades were installed in one of the rooms to make possible the use of the movie projector presented to the elementary schools by the Parent-Teacher Association.
At the Jenkins School, the partition between the two small classrooms on the upper floor was removed, and a section of the room parted off to provide an office. Up to this time there has been no adequate place in the building where the principal could meet parents for conferences. All classroom walls and ceilings throughout the building were painted. A new combustion chamber was installed in one of the furnaces and the two outside basement doors were replaced with new ones. Black shades were installed in one of the rooms and a new steel cabinet was furnished for the office.
Included in the repairs and replacements at the High School were three storage batteries used with the clock and bell system, a new outside door for the girls' entrance at the rear of the building and seventeen woodworkers' benches and vises for the shop. These benches were made by the boys of the Practical Arts Classes, thus saving considerable expense to the school department. A new maple table was likewise made by the Practical Arts department for the Cafeteria. More of these tables will be made during 1942 to replace those that have been used for many years for lunchroom purposes. In addition, six black shades were installed in one of the Junior High School rooms, and forty-eight chairs were purchased for use in the Cafeteria. The top floor of the Household Arts building was insulated with rock wool to help cut fuel costs in the heating of this building.
The parking place adjacent to the tennis courts was repaired and resur- faced; curbings were placed around it and a section of the cement walk leading to the High School was rebuilt.
PRESENT DAY PROBLEMS
Several of the more serious problems confronting school administrators today have to do with the difficulty of securing materials for school house construction or enlargement, the increasing problem of keeping teaching staffs intact, and the scarcity and higher costs of most supplies and materials for operating schools and maintaining school plants.
Towns with rapidly-growing populations are particularly affected by lack of building materials and by higher construction costs. The position of Scituate in this respect has been discussed earlier in this report.
For some years past the supply of teachers in most branches of school work has been greater than the demand. That situation is rapidly changing, however. On account of the draft and because of greater opportunities in other fields, many teachers have already left the service. The yearly turnover is likely to be con- siderably larger, and teachers of high educational qualifications and successful experience are likely to move on to communities that offer greater advantages and that have higher salary schedules.
8
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
The third problem is a part of the general inflationary tendency brought about by the unusual demand for products that are limited in quantity. It can be partly solved by practicing greater economy in the use of all supplies, particularly those used by pupils in their regular school activities. There has been a decided in- crease in the cost of all paper products, so that the care of textbooks and library books, the use of school papers and other scholars' supplies and the use of paper towels is being carefully supervised by teachers.
DEFENSE MEASURES
The question of providing the best possible protection to the pupils of the Scituate schools in the event of enemy air raids has been a matter of the utmost concern to the school authorities since war began. Acting upon the most reliable information available, the Committee has adopted measures that seem most likely to secure this result. It is entirely obvious that ideas of different individuals will vary as to the proper steps to take, and it is possible that further information from time to time may cause some revision of measures being taken.
It is the opinion of all local school officials that pupils should be evacuated from school buildings if there is time to get them safely to their homes by the regular bus trips. That means that there must be not less than one hour from the time the alarm is sounded until raiders are expected to appear. The bus conveyors have been asked to be on call at any time during the school day.
The procedure adopted is as follows: In case of an air raid aların the air warden notifies the High School, giving available particulars. The Principal or officer in charge decides whether or not evacuation is feasible, and reports to the Principals of the Hatherly and Jenkins schools. If evacuation has been decided upon. each school notifies certain designated bus drivers. If the time is insuffi- cient for this, the air raid alarms are sounded in each school, and the pupils are sent to the prepared air raid shelters under the supervision of the teachers.
In the Hatherly and Jenkins schools the air raid shelters are the basements of the buildings. Sandbags have been placed outside of each window, making adequate protection against flying shell fragments. Methods are being taken to prevent the glass from shattering and flying into the shelters. More electric lights have been added, and several battery-type lanterns have been provided for each school in case the electric current is eut off.
At the High School the air-raid shelter is in the basement and consists mainly of the Cafeteria room and the long corridor leading from it through the middle section of the building and into the east wing. In this part of the basement the windows are smaller or fewer in number. As this report is being written, plans are under way to protect the Cafeteria windows by arcaways that will allow some light and air for this room. Methods of blacking out the building are also being considered.
In connection with the measures adopted for air raid protection, all teachers who have not already taken courses in first aid, are now taking the regular Red Cross first-aid course. Miss Bessie M. Monahan of our own staff is the instructor.
Your attention is called to the several reports of school officers and teachers, together with the various statistical tables and the Financial Statement for 1941.
Respectfuly submitted,
HAROLD C. WINGATE, Superintendent of Schools.
9
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. Harold C. Wingate Superintendent of Schools Scituate, Massachusetts
Dear Sir:
I submit herewith my seventh annual report as principal of the Scituate High School.
At the time of writing, our school numbers 381 students. Several now must sit in armchairs in home rooms and in some subject classes because of the crowded conditions throughout the building. It is hoped that additional class- rooms, shop space, and laboratory room may be added soon.
With the recent declaration of war some of the older boys of the school have shown a desire to enlist in some branch of the service, but, as a group, were discouraged by the principal who thought that they could be more value to their country with at least a high school diploma. In fact our government needs young men of more than a high school education for responsible positions in the army and navy. I am glad to say that recent graduates of the Scituate High School are enrolled in the following colleges: Boston College, Boston University, Brown, University of California, Duke, Fitchburg Teachers College, Harvard, University of Los Angeles, Lowell Textile Institute, Mary Washington College, Massachusetts State College, Massachusetts School of Art, University of New Hampshire, North- eastern, Simmons, and the United States Naval Academy-a fine showing for a school of our size.
Troubled times are a great incentive to Junior Red Cross activities. In the 1941 membership drive about 90% of the School enrolled and a large proportion of these members shared in the projects completed during the year. The girls of the Household Arts Department made dresses, petticoats, night clothing, babies bibs, and toys made of face cloths. They also made candy in their cooking classes for the Red Cross sale at the school play. The boys of the Practical Arts Department made 27 wooden toys, 10 combination trays and reading tables for sick war veterans, and repaired dolls for the Christmas baskets. The Art De- partment completed 200 menu covers, painted toys and dolls made or restored in the Practical Arts Shop, while pupils thru their rooms filled 25 individual Red Cross gift boxes. All of these articles were sent to hospitals for children, veterans' hospitals or similar institutions. Much credit should be given to Miss Anne Cunneen for her untiring effort in organizing these Junior Red Cross projects and to the teachers in the departments doing hand work. Teachers and pupils alike have been given much satisfaction from letters of commendation received.
The course in Character Guidance given during home room periods in grade 9, started in 1940, has been continued this year. Many favorable comments have been heard from parents and pupils as a result of these discussions of school problems.
Our physical education program, the most extensive of any South Shore high school, is giving supervised exercise to a large proportion of the boys and girls of our school. Friends of the school gave complimentary banquets to the football and hockey teams after successful seasons in competitive play.
10
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
The fall sports schedule was made more enjoyable by the fine work of our newly organized band of twenty-five uniformed musicians. This organization also furnished music at the football banquet and at patriotic assemblies in school. The high school orchestra, which numbers about forty pieces this year, has also shown that the school is very music-minded. Thc fine work of this department of the school has been recognized by the State Department of Education and some experimental work has been requested of the school by the State Supervisor of Music.
After our conferences on Air Raid Precautions, rules were put into effect in the High School to safeguard the children in case of an air raid, and drills will be practiecd with this end in mind.
I wish again to thank you and the members of the school committee for the helpful suggestions given to me during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
FREDERICK A. CALKIN.
Principal.
THE CHANGING ENGLISH CURRICULUM Bessie M. Dudley Teacher of English, High School
In changing times such as these increasing attention is given to curriculum revision, especially in the non-vocational subjects. So today teachers of English are analyzing the content of their courses to determine what subject matter should be discarded, what retained.
The procedures in English courses arc designed to promote three main values: the practical, the cultural, and the inspirational. The practical values need no justification. Most people would agree that cvcryone should know how to read his own language intelligently and appreciatively, to write it clearly and accurately, and to speak it correctly and effectively. This phase of English is surely vocational, and it provides the basie requirements of the subject. Un- doubtedly, however, to vitalize our courses, some modern techniques can be ap- plicd, such as integration and correlation with other subjcets, the use of the English class room as a workshop for various projects, increasing attention to magazines, newspapers, and radio, and other devices.
During recent years the literature studied by juniors and seniors has been a survey of American and English literature, presenting the chronological develop- ment of various types with representative reading from outstanding writers of each period, including many moderns.
It would seem, at first consideration, that in such a study the values are largely cultural. Perhaps we should omit or place less emphasis on this phase of the course,-at least in divisions of pupils who are not preparing for college. We have already eliminated the intensive study of eachi selection which used to be the practice. It is true, however, that reading enduring books is not only cultural, but is also practical in that it provides acquaintance with other times, other ways of life that can be known from one's own experience. Then too the classics present a challenge to onc's reading ability; to get an idea when it is figuratively ex- pressed or bigger than can be caught at a cursory glance is good training in reading.
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