USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1940-1942 > Part 39
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SATUIT
RP
For the Year Ending December 31 1942
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
School Calendar-1943
WINTER TERM-January 4 to February 19 inclusive.
One Week Vacation.
March 1 to April 16 inclusive.
One Week Vacation.
SPRING TERM-April 26 to June 18. Summer Vacation.
FALL TERM-September 8 to December 23 inclusive.
Holidays-October 12, November 11, 25 and 26.
The calendar for 1943 must be considered as tentative as war conditions may make changes necessary.
"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 7:20 a. m. to designate the omission of school sessions for the first six grades -e. g. the Hatherly and Jenkins Schools. If the signal is repeated at 7:30 a. m., it will indicate no school in the High School. It is, how- ever, the general policy of the Committee to hold regular sessions when- ever it is practicable 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, inclusive.
Appointments with the Superintendent may be made upon request.
The age of admission to Grade One of the Hatherly and Jenkins Schools is five years and four months on the day of the opening of school in September.
No child will be admitted to school for the first time after Octo- ber 1, unless, before this date, permission has been granted by the Superintendent for a later entrance.
A vaccination certificate 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 Scituate.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Directory of School Department SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Mrs. Emma L. Damon Thomas W. Macy Fred T. Waterman Harold C. Wingate
Chairman
Secretary
Superintendent
HIGH SCHOOL
Wallace A. Parkhurst
Edward L. Stewart
Nels H. Sandberg
Practical Arts
John T. Samuelson
Music, Mathematics
Erroll K. Wilcox
Science Mathematics .
Richard M. Rogers
Bessie M. Dudley
Esther M. Harrington
Ruth E. Hawkes
Eleanor Gile
Mary S. Kingsbury
Virginia E. Vines
Physical Education, History
Art
English-Grades VII & VIII
Math., Science-Grades VII & VIII
Geography, Hygiene-Grades VII & VIII History, Civics-Grades VII & VIII
JENKINS SCHOOL
LeRoy E. Fuller
Principal
Grade VI
Grade V
Marguerite I. O'Hern
Grade IV
Eunice M. Cole
Grade III
Grace E. Hague
Grade II
Rose M. Fisher
Grade I
Winifred L. McAuliffe
Special Class
HATHERLY SCHOOL
Robert L. Stevenson Carol Vollmer
Principal, Grade VI
Grade V
Helen Pearl
Grade IV
Ruthe Hughes
Grade III
Ruth W. Neville
Grade II
Barbara O. Annis Priscilla Kelley
Grade I
Assistant
Commercial Subjects English
French, Latin
Commercial Subjects
English, History
Household Arts
Doris M. Rowell
Anne L. Cunneen
Clare Walker
Dorothy L. Maxim Elizabeth Giles
Mildred S. Young
Bessie M. Monahan
Acting Principal
Athletics, Science
Robert L. Douglas
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SUPERVISORS
Mrs. Doris D. Ward
Gertrude M. Reynolds
Art-Elementary Schools Music-Elementary Schools
HEALTH OFFICERS
Max D. Miles, M.D.
School Physician
W. B. Parsons, D.D.S.
School Dentist
Margaret J. O'Donnell
School Nurse
SUPERVISORS OF ATTENDANCE
Margaret J. O'Donnell Joseph Dwyer
Elementary Schools
High School
JANITORS
Louis H. Madore
High School
Augustus Abbott
High School
Charles Peirce
Hatherly School
Frank Young
Jenkins School
HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
Ina L. Wilder
Manager
BUS CONTRACTORS
Mrs. Malvina H. Young
Route A
Prescott A. Damon
Route B
George Webb
Route C
Joseph W. Appleton
Route D
Wilson S. Brown
Route E
Robert E. Huntley
Route F .
Harold C. Whittaker
Route G
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Scituate:
The School Committee presents herewith the following report of the Superintendent of Schools, which also includes reports of the sev- eral principals and various departments of education.
We wish to pay tribute at this time to over 150 former students of our schools who are in the armed forces of our country. We feel that this is a record to which we can point with pride. During the past year, three High School teachers have been granted leaves of absence to enter the service: Mr. Frederick A. Calkin, principal; Mr. Michael B. Gillespie and Mr. Clarence O. Atkinson. Our thoughts and best wishes are with them all.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
In keeping with the war effort, several additions have been made to the courses at the High School. You will find detailed accounts of these in the following reports. Every effort will be made to include such courses as will prepare our pupils to meet the changing demands of the times. It is very difficult under present conditions to plan a policy very far in advance, but the Committee is earnest in its desire to maintain a high standard in our schools, and will always continue to work for the best interest of the pupils.
The Committee wishes at this time to thank the citizens of the town for their most generous support of the schools. Your continued support and co-operation will be deeply appreciated.
Respectfully submitted,
MRS. EMMA L. DAMON, Chairman, THOMAS W. MACY, Secretary, FRED T. WATERMAN,
School Committee.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Scituate:
I take pleasure in submitting my seventeenth annual report for your consideration.
The school year opened for the fall term of 1942 on September 9. The October 1 census showed a total enrollment of 827 in the three schools, compared with 824 last year. The Hatherly School numbered 212; the Jenkins School, 242; and the High School, 373.
TEACHING STAFF CHANGES
During the year 1942, six teacher resignations were received, three from the High School, two from the Hatherly School and one from the Jenkins School.
Principal Frederick A. Calkin, Assistant-Principal Michael B. Gil- lespie, and Clarence O. Atkinson of the commercial department are all serving in the armed forces of the United States as commissioned offi- cers. These men were all granted leaves of absence.
Mr. Wallace A. Parkhurst of Dartmouth, Mass., a graduate of Tufts College, 1930, and a student in summer courses at Harvard Uni- versity, was appointed as acting-principal. Previous to his appoint- ment here Mr. Parkhurst was a teacher at the Dartmouth High School for eleven years, being assistant-principal for five years and acting- principal for one.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Robert L. Douglas of Bellows Falls, Vermont, was appointed as instructor of mathematics. Mr. Douglas is a graduate of the Uni- versity of Maine, with summer study at Boston University. He has had fourteen years' experience, the last seven as teacher of mathematics and science at the Bellows Falls High School.
Mr. Richard M. Rogers of Pawtucket, R. I. was appointed to the vacancy in the commercial department. Mr. Rogers attended the State Teachers' College at Albany, N. Y. for several years and later was graduated from Northeastern University. He has had seventeen years of teaching experience in the commercial field, the last seven being at Kinyon's Commercial School at Pawtucket, R. I.
At the Hatherly School, Miss Evelyn Ames, for the past two years teacher of Grade II, resigned to take a similar position at Winchester. Her successor is Miss Ruth W. Neville of Woburn, a graduate of the Lowell Teachers' College and the Boston University School of Edu- cation. Miss Neville has had nine years' teaching experience in the elementary field.
Miss Jeanne H. Lockhart, teacher of Grade III, resigned to take a position in the Milton schools. This vacancy was filled by the appointment of Miss Ruth Hughes of West Concord, a graduate of the Fitchburg Teachers' College with two years' experience in grades three and four at Ashby, Mass.
At the Jenkins School, Miss Mary A. Tenney, assistant teacher in Grade I, resigned to take a school position in Kittery, Maine. Mrs. Madeline Vickery, one of our substitute teachers, is serving in this position at the present time.
UPKEEP OF SCHOOL PROPERTY
The usual routine repairs and replacements were made at the different school buildings during the year. In addition, for the Hath- erly School, four new teachers' desks and chairs, four visitors' chairs, and forty-eight chair backs for pupils' seats were purchased. A reading table was bought for the second grade room, and nine benches to accommodate four pupils each were made and placed in Grades III, IV and V. Two Goal-Hi standards were purchased for playground use.
At the Jenkins School, during the summer vacation, the partition between the two front rooms on the lower floor was moved to make more space for a larger Grade II that was anticipated for the fall term. The dentist's room on the third floor and the boys' toilet room in the basement were painted. Pupil desk tops throughout the building were refinished. Seven teachers' chairs and sixty chair backs for pupils' seats were purchased. In addition, a new electric service line was run to the building and new lighting fixtures were installed in all of the classrooms.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
All of the pupil desk tops in the rooms of the central section of the High School were refinished and the ceilings and lower walls of the rooms in the east wing of this building were painted. In the House- hold Arts building new shades were installed and the walls and ceiling of the dining room were painted. The chimney of this building was retopped. A section of the Civic Center Grounds that remained unfin- ished after the parking place adjoining the tennis courts had been remade last year was levelled off, loamed, and seeded down.
SCHOOL PROBLEMS
It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain our schools as usual. Last year I stated that because of the draft, greater financial rewards in other fields and the scarcity of teachers in certain branches we faced a serious problem in keeping our teaching forces intact.
The draft took three of our teachers last year. It may possibly take others. We have lost no teachers to defense work although the high pay offered in many of these positions causes some unrest among men in the teaching field. There is a critical shortage of teachers in branches such as science, mathematics, practical arts and physical education with a consequent bidding up of salaries in these depart- ments by towns and cities with vacancies in them. To retain competent teachers and to make replacements in case vacancies occur, it is neces- sary for towns to maintain adequate salary schedules.
There are certain teachers, however, who, fearing a more drastic curtailment of motor travel and other forms of transportation, leave their positions in order to be more accessible to their homes. When this is the case, and where there is no dissatisfaction with local teaching conditions or with salaries paid, we can do little to improve the situation.
There have been more interruptions than usual in the school cal- endar during 1942. This is likely to be repeated and even increased in 1943. The two principal causes of this are the scarcity of fuel and the use of school houses and teachers in the rationing registrations. Thus far, in Scituate, the general lack of fuel has not caused any incon- venience as our three principal buildings have coal-burning heating plants and we have sufficient fuel for the present school year. In the rationing periods, however, the schools have generally been closed for all or for part of the time. Such interruptions are unavoidable, as we realize that there is no other organized group that can as effectively take over these rationing registrations.
CURRICULUM REVISION
The needs of the nation in this war period have made necessary certain changes in our courses of study in the high school. In all grades-elementary as well as high school-the teaching of the funda- mental subjects is being emphasized. In all grades the responsibility
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
of the individual to the state is stressed. The will to help the war effort in such ways as the scrap drives and the purchase of war stamps and bonds by all pupils is encouraged.
For the details of what is being done in the High School to meet the new conditions, I invite your attention to the reports from the several high school departments that are a part of the school report this year. The physical education program-especially for the boys of the upper classes-has been broadened to meet the need for physical fitness. The mathematics and science courses are placing more em- phasis upon those sections that will be especially helpful to the boy who may be inducted into the armed forces. In the industrial arts department aeronautics is being emphasized by the construction of a large airplane model, with a study of its parts and how they work. Geography and current events become subjects of vital interest and importance.
SCHOOL BUILDING ACCOMMODATIONS
For the last several years I have called your attention to the in- creased school population and to the strain it places upon the capacity of our buildings. We have no spare rooms in any of our school build- ings. Eight of the fourteen elementary rooms enroll over thirty-five pupils each, three over forty. Our two seventh grade rooms are very crowded with a total of eighty-six pupils. The high school science laboratory is inadequate in size and lacking in proper storage space for supplies and equipment for the large present day classes.
I fully realize that further plant expansion is impossible for the present, but we must not lose sight of the fact that we have an important building problem to meet as soon as conditions make it possible.
Your attention is called to the following reports of school officers and teachers, together with the various statistical tables and to the Financial Statement for 1942.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD C. WINGATE, Superintendent of Schools.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
-
Mr. Harold C. Wingate, Superintendent of Schools, Scituate, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
I herewith present my first annual report as acting principal of the Scituate High School.
School opened in September with an enrolment of 375 pupils, a number very nearly the same as last year. With decreasing registration in secondary schools and colleges this would seem to indicate that our school has not yet been affected by war conditions. There is, however, a noticeable decrease in the number of Seniors and Post-Graduates which has been offset by an unusually large class in Grade 7.
The smaller number of Seniors and Post-Graduates is indicative of the war trend and draws attention to a rapidly changing situation which is of direct concern to every parent and pupil. All high schools must make adjustments necessary to the furthurance of the nation's war effort. Some of the changes will be quite radical but educational and governmental leaders are urging all possible haste in making these changes. The need for men and women trained along scientific lines grows day by day and any new courses or changes will be made with that end in view.
Nearly every graduate this year will find himself faced directly with the situation whereby his immediate future will be decided for him by the nation's man power needs. The Draft and Industry will absorb him where he can best be used. With many of the colleges subject to government control as training centers for the Armed Forces under a special program there will be little chance for college entrance to the regular candidate for admission. There is greater opportunity for the girl graduate in industry than ever before and many girls will probably plan their high school courses accordingly.
Our school must plan to emphasize those courses which stress mathematics, science, vocations, and physical education, which the times call for. It is to be hoped that these changes and additions can be made with a minimum of rearrangement in our curriculum. For the second half year it is planned to add new courses in Pre-Flight Aeronautics and General Military Mathematics. These courses will include so far as possible the basic elements of aeronautics, navigation, elementary surveying, meteorology, mapping, etc. These courses will
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
be available to the students in the upper classes. For the lower class groups more emphasis, and perhaps additional classes, will be needed to meet the science demands.
All pupils who are able will be urged to take a more active part in our gymnasium classes and athletic groups. Many of the newer fea- tures of a stepped up gymnasium program will be introduced in order that we may give our pupils the benefit of a start in the type of physical training to which they will later be subject.
Our Practical Arts and Household Arts courses will continue to provide the type of training which is so vital today and they will play an even greater part in the curriculum of the future. They are ideally adapted to the changes which are taking place in education today.
The school has felt the impact of the war in many different ways and has helped to carry its share of the war effort. All the teachers put in many extra hours during the fuel oil rationing period and many of our students aided local farmers during the critical harvest period of this last fall.
Insofar as possible every attempt has been made to continue the usual school activities of past years. Among those activities the All- School Play, "Salad Days", and the magazine subscription drive for the motion picture projector with sound equipment met with notable suc- cess.
Interscholastic sports, especially in the smaller schools, have been hard hit by the problems of transportation. The members of the South Shore League were able to play abbreviated schedules in football and hope to be able to carry through a basketball schedule. Girls' sports have also been curtailed by transportation problems. An attempt will be made to play many basketball games in the afternoon to help over- come transportation and dim-out problems. Several local citizens con- tributed to make it possible for the football squad to attend the B.C .- Fordham football game in Boston.
Many adjustments must and will be made from time to time to keep pace with the rapid changes brought about by the war. Every effort will be made to keep abreast of the nation's needs and it is to be hoped that these revisions will not interfere too seriously with the daily programı.
I wish to express my appreciation at this time to all those in the school system and to all the citizens of Scituate who have by word or deed helped to promote the interests of the Scituate High School.
Respectfully submitted, WALLACE A. PARKHURST, Acting Principal.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SCIENCE IN WAR TIME Erroll K. Wilcox Teacher of Science, High School
War developments have thrown the light of necessity on science work in our schools. Industrial plants and the Army and Navy are calling for workers with varying stages of science training.
This demand for young men and women trained in fundamentals of science will no doubt increase as war progresses.
To help in winning the war our schools must not only continue with such science courses as have customarily been given but must add more.
Those young people going into the service must be helped to find their own level of work in the Army. If this is not done while they are in school it must be done after induction which will slow up the entire work of the Army.
Our work in science must be increased and encouragement given to those who are not enrolled to enroll in science courses which are so planned that they will be of future help to the individual and the nation.
MATHEMATICS IN WAR TIME Robert L. Douglas Teacher of Mathematics, High School
With the entrance of the United States into the world conflict there came an unprecedented demand for mathematics instruction.
The armed services found that a large majority of the men coming to them lacked a sufficient back-ground of basic mathematics to enable them to quickly and readily grasp the training presented; also from the defense industries came a call for men and women with training in mathematics. The colleges, high schools and other educational bodies in this country responded rapidly. New courses are being introduced, old courses gone over with the idea of condensing their content. More and more students are being guided into mathematics courses.
That the public and students also realized this need is indicated by the greatly increased enrollment in mathematics courses and the fact that mathematics texts for the layman are among the best sellers on the book lists.
Recently, the army made available outlines in a number of courses of the basic material that they consider most necessary for the inducted man to have. These have made it possible for the schools to plan courses covering exactly what is needed. Arithmetic, algebra, geometry
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
and trigonometry are especially stressed. Pre-flight aviation courses have apparently come to stay and many colleges are offering courses in navigation. Refresher courses for those whose mathematics has be- come "rusty" are very popular.
At our High School, the mathematics courses are supplying the basic knowledge necessary. The mathematics classes have grown greatly in size and new divisions in algebra and general mathematics will be available for those not now enrolled in similar courses. New courses and divisions will be added as the necessity arises.
INDUSTRIAL ARTS AS A WAR TIME SUBJECT Nels H. Sandberg Teacher of Industrial Arts, High School
In our Industrial Arts work it has been our constant effort to intro- duce and develop subjects that are worth while.
The school's most important task at any time is to build morale and develop high ideals of Americanism, but in this immediate crisis the schools must also make practical contributions to the defense programn.
Industrial arts education is standing at the threshold of a new era. The crying need of our nation is for trained men. The class room and school shop should be the source of supply for this need.
Since aviation is commanding such public attention, we believe it worth while to direct and stimulate this interest. This can be most easily accomplished by constructing model airplanes, miniature gliders, air tunnels, and plane parts. We can show how the pilot controls the various parts of his plane and can do much to make these elementary aeronautics applied knowledge, where boys can learn, at least partly, by actually doing.
Our school shop is adequately equipped to handle various ele- mentary phases of aviation. It is our aim at the beginning of the New Year to introduce work along these lines in addition to our present industrial arts program.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AS A WAR TIME SUBJECT Edward L. Stewart Instructor of Physical Education
Recently one of the training Institutes of Physical Fitness held a Regional meeting in Boston. The purpose of the institutes was to put forth in definite form what the Army and Navy and Health Educators considered to be the most efficient program to make the pupils physi- cally fit to carry their responsibilities as members of the armed forces and as efficient workers in the war effort.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
The armed forces prefer health and physical education programs to programs of military training in high school. To them a person who is physically fit is one capable of carrying on a sustained effort with speed and skill. Hence they stress means of developing strength, stamina, endurance, aggressiveness, leadership, and coordination. It was recommended that instructions and practice in aquatics, gymnastics, combatives and sports and games should be emphasized in high school.
The objectives in aquatics are to stay afloat, to swim under water, and to swim long distances while fully clothed. Gymnastics should include running, tumbling, conditioning exercises, grass drills, and ranger eexrcises. Combative activities refer to hand to hand fighting, boxing and wrestling. Under sports and games come group games, hiking, camping, football, skating, soccer, basketball, and other strenu- ous team games.
Pupils should be urged to make efforts to meet certain standards or to show definite improvement in the efficiency of the muscles of the arms and shoulders, abdomen, legs, and back.
Beginning the next half year we plan to adapt ourselves to present day needs and follow through with the recommendations of the armed services. The objective is one hour of physical education work each day, and two hours of interscholastic work or intramural activities each afternoon. Each boy will be examined by the school physician to preclude the possibility of some boy overexerting himself.
In this way we hope to send out boys better able to take care of themselves, because they will be physically fit, aggressive and plenty tough.
REPORT FROM THE HATHERLY SCHOOL Robert L. Stevenson Principal
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