USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1952-1954 > Part 29
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Route A
Prescott A. Damon
Route F
Russell H. Dyer
Route C
Andrew Finnie
Route B
James Finnic
Route H
C. Alan Merry
Route D
William Steverman
Route E
Mrs. Malvina Young
Route J
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
LONG RANGE PLAN OF SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT SCITUATE, MASSACHUSETTS
by WILLIAM K. WILSON, Ph.D. Educational Consultant, Scituate Schools
April 1953
Introductory Remarks
Some steps were taken in the Town of Scituate to expend the school plant to meet the growth of the Town, before a decision was reached to have developed a long range plan of expansion, based upon a study made by someone from outside the Town, but experi- enced in the field of school plant surveys and school building planning.
In March of 1950, at the regular town meeting, a high school building committee was appointed and authorized to obtain pre- liminary plans and cost estimates for an addition to the high school building. The architectural firm of Perry, Shaw, Hepburn, Kehoe, and Dean was employed for this work, and Dr. Jesse B. Davis was retained as educational consultant on the work. In 1951 the com- mittee reported favorably on the results of the study, and recom- mended an appropriation of $980,000 for the construction of the extension as planned. Upon the receipt of bids on the project some reductions in the plans were necessary, but the construction is now under way, with the hope that the new facilities may be available in the fall of 1954. The extent of this addition and its relation to the recommended ultimate school plant will be discussed in a later section of this report.
Early in 1952 the Elementary School Investigating Committee was appointed to study elementary school housing needs for the Town, with special reference to the needs in the area formerly served by the Jenkins School, now abandoned. This committee, with the help and advice of Superintendent Edward K. Chace, reached the tentative conclusion that a new primary school should be located on the site of the Jenkins School. Then in November of this year this committee conferred with the writer on the question of the need for and value of educational consultant services, and agreed tenta- tively to employ the writer to (a) make a long range study of both elementary and secondary school housing development for the Town of Scituate, and (b) to guide an architect in the planning of a new elementary building to be located on the Jenkins site, provided that,
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
in his judgment, this was the reasonable location for such a school. This employment was dependent upon authorization at a special town meeting to be held in December of 1952.
On December 3 authorization was given to employ the writer for the work mentioned, to employ an architect to prepare plans and a cost estimate for the aforementioned elementary building, and to appoint an elementary building committee to administer the projects as authorized. In the meantime the writer had analysed the data used by the Elementary School Investigating Committee, and concurred in the recommendation for a new primary school on the Jenkins site, but with certain minor additional recommenda- tions which will be discussed in a later section of this report.
The chairman of the Elementary School Building Committee is Jackson E. Bailey, and Harry J. Korslund of Norwood, Mass., was employed as architect for the elementary building. Plans and the cost estimate have been completed for this project, and bids will be opened on Thursday, June 18. A special town meeting has been called for June 22 to ask for an appropriation for construction of the building. The amount to be sought will depend upon the acceptability of the bids.
Plan of the Study
The plan of such a study is relatively simple, although it takes careful and intelligent analysis of pertinent available data to develop the details of the study. The growth of a school plant depends essen- tially upon the growth of the Town or district it serves. The direc- tion of the expansion of the school plant depends naturally upon the spread of residential areas of the Town. The amount of expan- sion of the school plant required depends upon the growth of school enrolments, and the relation of this growth to the availability of existing usable school plant facilities. The type of facilities needed will depend upon the type of educational organization and admin- istration desired, and the suitability of the existing facilities to these criteria. The rate of expansion will be dependent upon the urgency of need for expanded facilities, and the financial ability of the Town to meet that need. Five fundamental steps are necessary in the preparation of a report of this kind.
1. From pertinent reliable data, attempt to make some reason- able forecast of the growth of school enrolment, and the probable distribution of school children over the school district.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
2. Determine the school housing necessary to meet the needs of the ultimate school enrolment, in terms of the desirable school organizations, the educational and community activi- ties to be fostered, and the teaching and administrative methods to be used in carrying on those activities success- fully.
3. Evaluate the existing school plant and its facilities, in order to determine which of these are to be considered usable in the ultimate school plant.
4. Outline the ultimate school plant in terms of the usable existing facilities and the anticipated new facilities.
5. Set up a tentative schedule of development for the expand- ing school plant, in terms of the growth as it may occur. The ability to finance is of necessity an important factor in the rate of progress of the expansion of the school site. But because of unpredictable changes in costs, in the wealth of the district, in economic changes generally, and because of the ever-present possibility of an imperative need for new or expanded facilities due to unprecedented growth or loss of some existing unit of the school plant, no attempt is made in this report to estimate the changing ability of the Town to finance the gradual school plant expansion.
Indications of Town and School Population Growth
TABLE I gives the data which most accurately indicates the growth of the town and the school population. The annual resi- dential births, as reported to the town clerk, are given from 1925 through 1952. The enrolments for the public schools are shown from the school year 1936-37 through 1952-53. These figures as of October 1 of each year, are grouped for grades 1-6, 7-9, 10-12, and 7-12 for the entire period, and for grades 1-12 through 1949-50. Kindergartens were initiated in 1950, and these are listed for the past three years. The totals for these three years include not only the kindergarten children, but some special pupils not listed sepa- rately. The population of the town by five-year periods is given from 1920 through 1950. The accuracy of all these data is unques- tionable, except for the births. There is no way to check on the degree of accuracy of recording the annual residential births, but for the purpose of this study it is assumed that these figures arc ยท comparably reliable enough throughout the years to be usable.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
TABLE I RESIDENTIAL BIRTHS AND ENROLMENTS SCITUATE, MASS.
Enrolments
Year
Births
1-6
7-9
10-12
7-12
Kg Totals
Popula- tion
1920
2534
1925
71
2713
26
60
27
72
28
73
29
66
1930
67
3118
31
66
32
60
33
69
34
68
1935
65
3846
36
72
415
204
156
360
775
37
52
388
188
170
358
746
38
67
410
195
164
359
769
39
68
412
181
190
371
783
1940
74
415
186
173
359
774
4130
41
60
449
188
18
375
824
42
97
452
212
162
374
826
43
96
488
201
139
340
828
44
121
492
201
156
357
849
1945
85
487
198
166
364
851
4837
46
106
489
199
167
366
855
47
144
472
214
159
373
845
48
149
516
220
160
380
896
49
138
584
212
17]
383
967
1950
139
675
229
179
408
105
1203*
5282
51
129
704
255
174
429
127
1282*
52
148
792
259
175
434
126
1409*
5993
NOTE: Births are for the calendar year. Enrolments are as of October 1st.
*These totals are for K-12, plus specials not listed - 15 in 1950, 22 in 1951, and 57 in 1952.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
These trends are worthy of close scrutiny. Except for 1945, the number of recorded annual residential births from 1944 through 1952 varied from 106 to a high of 149, while previous to 1942 the high number was 73 and the low, 52, with an average of 66.5. The population increased from 2534 in 1920 to 5993 in 1952, or nearly two and a half times in 32 years.
Comparing enrolment with population increases, the increase in grades 1-6 was from 415 in 1936 to 792 in the current year, or 91% over the base year. For grades 7-12 this increase was 21%, while for the total enrolment the increase, including kindergarten and special children for the past three years, was 82%. The popu- lation change from 1935 to 1952 was from 3846 to 5993, or an increase of 56% over the base year. The higher percentage increase in elementary enrolment over the same period reflects the increase in the birth rate. The high number of births since 1946 indicate that, if the rate of new home construction remains about as it has been for that period, the differential between population and elementary enrolment increases will be still greater.
Enrolment Estimates
TABLE II shows the data used in estimating future enrol- ments in the elementary and secondary grade groups. These data include the annual residential births accumulated into six-year over-lapping groups, the past enrolments in grades 1-6 for the period 1936-37 through 1952-53, and the enrolments in grades 7-12 for the period of 1942-43 through 1952-53. The method used in handling these data for estimating purposes is as follows:
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
TABLE II RATIOS OF ENROLMENT GRADES 1-6 to 6-YR. BIRTH GROUPS, ENROLMENT 1-6 to 7-12, AND ESTIMATES ON FUTURE ENROLMENTS
Birth Years
a 6-Yr. Births
Enrol Years
b Enrol R1 Gr 1-6 b/a
Enrol Years
C Enrol R Gr 7-12 c/b
1925-30
409
1936-37
415
1.01
1942-43
374
.90
26-31
404
37
388
.96
43
340
.88
27-32
404
38
410
1.01
44
357
.87
28-33
401
39
412
1.03
1945-46
364
.88
29-34
396
1940-41
415
1.05
46
366
.88
1930-35
395
41
449
1.14
47
373
.83
31-36
400
42
452
1.13
48
380
.80
32-37
386
43
488
1.26
49
383
.79
33-38
393
44
492
1.25
1950-51
408
.83
34-39
392
1945-46
487
1.24
51
429
.88
1935-40
398
46
489
1.23
1952-53
434
.89
36-41
393
47
472
1.20
37-42
418
48
516
1.23
38-43
462
49
584
1.26
39-44
516
1950-51
675
1.31
1940-45
533
51
704
1.32
41-46
565
1952-53
792
1.40
1958-59
(697) (.88)
42-47
649
43-48
701
44-49
743
1945-50
761
46-51
805
47-52
847
1958-59
(1152) (1.36)
1964-65
(1014) (.88)
In general a normal child born in any given year will be in the first grade of school six years later. With the acceptance of this statement, it is reasonable to assume that the major portion of a group of children born in any six-year consecutive period will be found in grades 1-6, six years after the last year of the six-year birth period. TABLE II shows a series of comparisons between the six-year overlapping groups of residential births and the enrol-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
ments in grades 1-6, six years later. These comparisons are expressed as a series of ratios, obtained by dividing the enrolments by the birth groups, and shown in column R1. A similar series of ratios, obtained by dividing the enrolments in grades 7-12 by the enrol- ments in grades 1-6 six years earlier, are shown in column R2. These ratios are used, with due regard for possible fluctuations in succeeding years, for estimating elementary enrolments through 1958-59, and secondary school enrolments through 1964-65.
It will be noted that, with the exception of the year 1937-38, the enrolment in grades 1-6 was greater than the six years of births from which the enrolment is assumed to accrue. This could occur only if the births were incorrectly reported, or if there were chil- dren enrolled each year who had moved into the district after birth elsewhere, or possibly from both conditions. And since it is assumed that the births have been reported with a high degree of completeness, it must follow that the excess of enrolment over births, as indicated by the ratios greater than 1.00, has come from the regular addition of new families into the town. This con- clusion is born out by the regular increase in total population as shown by the five-year census figures.
If the present high birth rate is maintained for the next five or six years, and if the present trend in new home construction is maintained, then it is reasonable to assume that the ratio of ele- mentary enrolment to births will stay around an average of 1.36, as indicated by the superimposed smoothed curve over Curve 1. And since the sum of the latest six years of recorded births, 1947 through 1952, is 847, this ratio of 1.36 would predict an enrol- ment of 1152 in grades 1-6 for the school year 1958-59. A ratio of 1.18, the average of the 17 ratios shown in the table, would pro- duce an enrolment of 1000 in grades 1-6 in the year indicated.
The percentage of children of grades 1-6 moving up into grades 7-12 in six years (together with those of secondary school age who moved into the district) has remained fairly constant from 1942-43 through 1952-53, as indicated by the ratios shown in column R2 in TABLE II. Because seven of these 11 ratios range from .78 to .90, the median .88 seems more indicative of the trend than the average .86-, therefor this figure is used in estimating the prob- able enrolment of 697 in grades 7-12 for 1958-59, and later of 1014 for 1964-65.
In summary, the following estimates, with the conditions under which they are made, are used as the basis of this report and rec- ommendations for school housing:
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
1. By the school year 1958-59 the enrolment in grades 1-6 should approximate 1150.
2. If kindergartens are maintained, by 1958-59 the enrolment in grades K-6 should approximate 1340.
3. These elementary enrolment estimates are based upon fig- ures for children of pre-school age already born and living within the district.
4. By 1958-59 the enrolment in grades 7-12 should approxi- mate 700.
5. By 1964-65 the enrolment in grades 7-12 may approximate 1000.
6. The estimated enrolment for grades 7-12 for 1958-59 is based upon children now enrolled in the elementary schools.
7. The estimated enrolment for grades 7-12 for 1964-65 is based upon the estimated elementary enrolment for 1958-59.
8. These estimates are based upon a continuance of new home construction or immigration of new families that will keep the ratio of elementary enrolment to births near the 1.36 value, at least for the next six years. THIS CAN CHANGE EITHER WAY, MAKING IT NECESSARY THAT THE BIRTH AND ENROLMENT STATISTICS BE CHECKED ANNUALLY TO ANTICIPATE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.
As stated in steps 3 and 6 above, the estimates for both ele- mentary and secondary school enrolments for 1958-59 are based upon actual children most of whom are presumed to be living within the district. But what of the following years? Will the present high birth rate continue, and if so, for how long? Will the present rate of immigration of new families continue, and if so, for how long? These are the conditions that must be watched carefully year by year, and even month by month, in order to try to anticipate the direction of the enrolment curves beyond the points noted. In planning the ultimate school plant, planning for economical future expansion rather than attempting accurate fore- casting of enrolments is the practicable solution to this problem. This will be discussed further in a later section of the report.
There are two major traffic barriers within the town of Scituate. These are the New Haven Railroad and State Route 3A, both running generally north and south through the town. The popula- tion is fairly evenly distributed throughout the town, with the least density west of Route 3A. During the past five years there
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
have been 481 new homes constructed, and 46 summer homes winterized for all-round use. Of these slightly over 400 are now occupied. The record of the location of these new homes indicate that the growth has been general throughout the town, in line with the previous distribution of homes. There seems no indica- tion that further growth will come to any major degree of con- centration in any particular part of the town, although there is more open land available west of Route 3A. There are now approximately 125 children in grades K-6 living in that part of the town; that is about 13% of the total present K-6 enrolment.
The Ultimate School Plant
The word "ultimate" as used here may be misleading in terms of the volume of school housing that may be required eventually in Scituate. Housing recommendations are given here in terms of the enrolment estimates given in the report. These are 1350 children in grades K-6 and 700 in grades 7-12 for 1958-59, with a further increase to 1000 in grades 7-12 by 1964-65. It has been pointed out however that if the present rate of growth is main- tained, these estimates will be exceeded, and perhaps to a significant degree.
In order to maintain good teaching standards in the elemen- tary grades, kindergarten groups should not exceed 25, and grades 1-6 should be kept at a figure somewhere between 25 and 30. At these standards the kindergarten enrolment for 1958-59 would require eight kindergarten rooms for full day activities, and four if the kindergartens are operated on half day sessions. At an average of 27 pupils per room, the enrolment for grades 1-6 would require a total of 42 or 43 classrooms.
There is considerable agreement among elementary school authorities that the ideal elementary school will have not less than 12 class groups and not more than 18 for the pupils of grades 1-6, with the kindergarten groups additional to these. The argument for the upper range is largely educational. The enrolment in the larger school would approximate 550 to 600, and it is felt generally that enrolments beyond these figures tend to create some of the individual and group problems of mass education that are detri- mental to good teaching and to sound child development. The argument for the lower range is both financial and educational. There are many facilities besides the classrooms that are necessary for the administration of a well-rounded program of child develop- ment, but it becomes too costly to provide these in many small buildings. These facilities might well be afforded in two 18-room
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
buildings, or even in three 12-foot buildings, but would be entirely too expensive to provide in six 6-room buildings. If they are not provided, the educational program suffers.
Considering the geography of the town of Scituate, the esti- mated enrolment for grades K-6, and the expressed desire to operate kindergartens on single sessions, the ideal elementary housing plant under these conditions would be three elementary buildings, each housing grades K-6. Two of these buildings would contain 12 classrooms and two kindergartens, while the third would contain 18 classrooms and four kindergartens. Each building would con- tain all of the related facilities necessary for activities in health, physical education, music, dramatics, remedial reading, library work, plus a lunch room for those children who could not get home for the noon meal.
For the estimated enrolment in 1964-65 for grades 7-12, a com- plete comprehensive high school would be required for a minimum of 1000 pupils. This building, located on an ample site for the provision of all outdoor activities in health, physical education, and recreation, should provide all of the facilities necessary for a complete comprehensive program for both college and non-college bound students. The details of such a building will be discussed in the section of the report on recommendations for expansion of the school plant.
The Existing School Plant
The present school plant in Scituate consists of two elemen- tary buildings and one junior-senior high school building. The elementary buildings are designated as the Hatherly school and the Central Elementary school. A third elementary building, known as the Jenkins school, has been abandoned for several years, and is now being replaced with a modern building, as was noted in the introduction to the report.
The Hatherly building is located in North Scituate, on the east side of Country Way and near the intersection of Hollett St. The site contains approximately 3.5 acres, but adjacent land is available which could extend the site to about five acres. The building was constructed in 1896, of wood, and contains six class- rooms. A portion of the building is two stories high, and the second story is served by two open wood stairs that practically come together at the same landing. The toilets are in the base- ment, where their access is very unsatisfactory. There are no auxil- iary facilities, such as a lunch room, playroom, or library, or a room for group music and dramatics. Naturally this school is too small to foster most of such spaces. The rapid growth of the town,
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
together with the age and condition of this building, dictate the total abandonment of this building in the very near future, and its replacement with a modern building of larger capacity. This building now houses kindergarten and first grade children only.
The Central Elementary building is a modern fire-resistive building located almost exactly in the center of the town, on a very ample site that recently has been extended further. Constructed in 1950, the building is two stories high, and contains 20 class- rooms, two kindergartens, and a library. This building houses all of the children of the town in grades K-6, except those housed in the six rooms of the Hatherly building. Central Elementary has a large cafeteria dining space with a platform stage at the front. Unfortunately there is no physical education room (gym- nasium) in this building; at the time of construction it was assumed that the dining space could be used for dining, assembly, and physical education and indoor play. The dining equipment is such that it is somewhat impracticable to use this room for either assembly or dramatics. The equipment, appointments of the room, and lack of sufficient janitorial service in removing and replacing the equipment, render it virtually impossible to use the room for physical education or indoor games. It is not unreasonable to say that it was "penny wise and pound foolish" to eliminate through the loss of the gymnasium, one of the most important activities of the educational program of this school, - the development of healthy bodies and that fine sense of fair play and comradeship that can come from well-organized games. One of the most im- portant objectives of the long range program should be the res- toration of the gymnasium to this building, and the equipment of the dining room in such a way that it can be used more readily for assemblies, dramatics, and other group activities.
The original Jenkins building, now abandoned, was an eight- room wood building, built in 1900, two stories high, located on a small site on the north side of Vinal Ave., midway between Tilden Road and Kent St. As noted in the introduction of this report, a new school is being planned for this area, and will be voted upon in June of this year. The plans of this building call for ten classrooms, two kindergartens, a playroom, a combination lunch and assembly room, and other necessary administrative and personnel spaces. The site has been extended slightly, and the building, for the present at least, is expected to house only kinder- garten and first and second grade children from that section of the town. The small site was approved by the Massachuestts State School Building Assistance Commission under those conditions.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
This building, if approved by the voters, will be known as the Jenkins school, retaining the name of the former school.
The High School building was constructed originally in 1928 and was extended in 1930, when a classroom wing and a combina- tion auditorium-gymnasium were added. According to records, the original capacity was listed as 250, and with the extension this was increased to 360. This building was planned originally to house grades 9-12, but now houses grades 7-12 for the entire town. Again as noted in the introduction, this building is now being extended to a capacity listed as 660. Further detailed comments on this extension, along with recommendations for consideration of further necessary extension, will be made in the following section of the report.
Planning for the Year 1958 - The Elementary Schools
Planning the elementary school plant for 1958 is a relatively simple problem, considering the steps that have already been taken along this line. If approved by the voters, the new Jenkins school should be ready for occupancy by the fall of 1954, if not sooner. This, together with the Central Elementary building, will provide a total of 30 classrooms and four kindergartens. At 27 to the room these classrooms would provide space for 810 children in grades 1-6; at 30 to the room, there would be room for 900 children in those grades. The four kindergartens would provide for 200 children if double sessions are used.1 But since at that time there probably will be not more than 150 such children, it would be possible to use one of the kindergarten rooms for a first grade, thereby in- creasing the housing for grades 1-6 by 27 to 30 children.
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