USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1955-1957 > Part 31
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Thomas E. Abbott, new Principal of the Central School, states: "Although there is a scarcity of good teachers in the state, we were able to hire well-trained and competent teachers who have added strength to the teaching staff."
READING: Mrs. Gertrude Russell, Co-ordinator of the Reading Program, reports that the complete testing program administered by the Reading and Guidance Offices insures that each teacher will know in advance the capabilities of her class so that she can plan her methods of completing the year's work. Testing shows her the weak as well as the strong points. Thus the teacher knows where to strengthen and where to enrich.
"A good reading program," says Mrs. Russell, "considers the child's individual differences in mental maturity, rate of learning, physical maturity, social and emotional adjustment, and experience and interests. At no time must there be pressures on a child to do more than his total development warrants, yet the standards should be high enough to challenge him and to extend his reading ability. Children of approximately the same maturity and level of achieve- ment should be grouped together for basic reading instruction.
"Remedial teaching," she says, "is often simply good teaching applied at the point of weakness. It differs from regular classroom instruction in being preceded by more careful diagnosis and accom- panied by carefully planned motivation and recognition of successes.
"We hope to reduce the span of abilities found in the class- room," says Mrs. Russell.
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GUIDANCE: Samuel J. Tilden, Director of Guidance, reports that the testing program is administered in all schools. Academic ability tests are administered at the end of the Kindergarten year, and in the second, fifth, seventh, and ninth grades. Achievement tests are given at the end of each year, grades one through twelve. Individual Stanford-Binet tests and Wechsler-Bellevue tests are administered throughout the school system at the request of the principals. The College Preparatory Seniors are now taking both the College En- trance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude and three Achieve- ment Tests at the end of their Junior Year and again in January and March of their Senior Year.
Those not going to college take the aptitude testing battery of the United States Employment Service.
Mr. Tilden two years ago set up a Placement Bureau as an aid to both the pupils and the tradesmen. His office attempts to serve as a clearing house, but does not attempt to interfere with the valuable student experience of applying for and obtaining a job on one's own.
The guidance program is based on the individual needs of the student, and, as such, must be flexible. These needs vary from year to year. For example, 75% of the present Senior Class plan to take more formal education. 45% will go to four-year colleges, 15% to two-year schools, and 15% to schools of nursing or other specialized schools. 25% plan to work or enter the armed services.
Dr. Saul Cooper, South Shore Guidance Center, serves us as a consulting psychologist each Monday.
Mr. Tilden has office hours at the High School every Tuesday from 7:30 till 10:00 p.m. for the benefit of parents who cannot see him during the school day.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION: Herschel G. Benson, Director of Phy- sical Education and Athletics, reports that 60% of the high school pupils are now participating in school sports. This is an excellent representation for a school of 700 pupils.
Girls have the opportunity of participating in field hockey, basketball, baseball, and tennis. Boys may participate in football (junior high school boys in touch football), cross country, basket- ball, wrestling, baseball, and track.
The girls' tennis team was undefeated in regular competition, Linda Stewart, being a finalist in the New England Girls' Cham-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
pionship. The girls' basketball team was co-champion with Marsh- field in the South Shore Basketball League.
The boys' cross country team was undefeated in regular season meets. This team won the South Shore Interscholastic Champion- ship, South Shore Class A Championship, and Massachusetts Class A Championship. They were chosen as one of three teams to rep- resent Massachusetts in the New England Cross Country Champion- ships held at Colby College, Waterville, Maine. Here they placed second against the 18 best teams in New England.
The boys' basketball team won the South Shore Basketball League championship.
Our fields, Mr. Benson reports, are doing double duty and are slowly being spoiled for play areas for all groups. In the Spring, for instance, girls' baseball, boys' baseball, and track must use the same field as do hockey and football in the fall. We need additional playing fields as soon as possible.
Although Mr. Benson fails to mention it, I know that he is concerned about our running track which is in deplorable condi- tion and which is a fifth of a mile to a lap rather than the conven- tional quarter mile. How he has developed such excellent runners on such a poor running surface I do not know.
Physical education in the schools is hampered by the fact that Central School, housing 700 pupils, has no facilities for indoor training. There is a great need for a playroom in that school. The outdoor facilities at Jenkins will be ready next fall. Wampatuck as well as Jenkins will have then ample out-door and indoor facilities.
HEALTH: Pupils in Grades 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 receive a thorough physical examination from Dr. Max D. Miles, School Physician, or from the parents' physician. All boys and girls planning to par- ticipate in competitive sports and those recently moved to Scituate are examined by Dr. Miles. All pre-school children are examined about four months before entrance into the schools.
Where defects are found, parents are notified at once. "It is our task," says Dr. Miles, "to discover handicaps, not to treat them."
Beginning this year, all school personnel are required to take a physical examination once every three years. Cafeteria workers must take the Wasserman test as well. Chest X-rays every three years have been required since the state law was passed.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Dr. Miles and our nurses, Miss Margaret O'Donnell, and Mrs. Flora D. White, worked with the Board of Health at five of their polio clinics, administering the Salk vaccine.
Too much of the nurses' time is demanded by pupils who come to school with cuts and bruises which were gained at home. Our nurses will administer first aid when a child is hurt or is taken ill in school. However, parents are requested to take the child to their family physician for difficulties which have their origin at home. Naturally, we cannot say that we shall refuse to administer first aid to a child who comes to school with a home-gained injury, but we do request parents to care for such things at home.
Our nurses are required to do these things: Examine the hear- ing and vision of all pupils annually. Check all returning pupils whose absences have been caused by illness. Check all pupils re- ferred to her by teachers because of suspected illness. Check all pupils whose absence has been frequent because of unexplained illness.
She shall transport to the home and deliver to parents ill chil- dren whose parents cannot call for them. She shall keep interlock- ing office hours so that one of the two nurses is available at all times during the school day. They are to be on duty from 8:00 a.m. till 3:30 p.m.
She shall administer first aid to pupils who need it, minor cases only. She shall notify parents at once in other cases and shall request the parent to take the child to the family physician. When parents cannot be located or when they give their consent, the nurse may take the child, after consultation with the school principal, to the school physician or another available physician. The nurses shall not prescribe.
The nurses shall assist the school physician at all physical exam- inations, shall check the buildings once each month for health con- ditions, shall make monthly reports in duplicate to the principal, shall set up a program in health instruction approved by the Scitu- ate School Health Council, shall measure each pupil's height and weight annually, shall take steps as may be necessary to see that remedial suggestions resultant from physical examinations are followed, shall, with cooperation of school physician and physical education teachers set up a plan of corrective exercises for pupils who need them; shall keep up-to-date records of each pupil in her schools on the health record form provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
SCITUATE ADULT EVENING SCHOOL: The Scituate Eve- ning School, directed by Judson R. Merrill, Administrative Assist- ant, includes in its curriculum three classes in wordworking; two in sewing, one beginning and one advanced; two in ceramics, one beginning and one advanced; ladies' gymnasium, needlecraft, braided rugs, hooked rugs, photography, and navigation.
The people seem to favor the vocational courses rather than cultural. The classes in languages, English, and great books as well as classes in typewriting, not too successful last year, were not re- peated this year.
Mr. Merrill who believes the Adult Evening Program to be one of the best on the South Shore, is desirous of keeping it so, and requests that residents who have ideas and suggestions contact him. He states: "These evening classes belong to you, the people of Scituate, and it is our desire to offer the courses you want."
The 1956-1957 faculty of the Adult Evening School:
Director: Judson R. Merrill Woodworking: Robert D. Burgess and Dominic Bonanno Ladies' Gymnasium: Mrs. Eleanor Keenan Needlecraft: Mrs. Jeannette Moody
Ceramics: Mrs. Whitton Francis-Smith Sewing: Mrs. Shirley B. O'Donnell and Mrs. Gloria White Hooked Rugs: Mrs. Gladys Cockburn Braided Rugs: Mrs. Eleanor Muncey Navigation: Thomas R. Stearns Photography: Charles L. Stearns
SCITUATE'S CAFETERIAS AND SCHOOL LUNCH PRO- GRAM: In September this year the High School, Central School, and Jenkins School Cafeterias as well as the Hatherly School Milk Program were consolidated under the supervision of Mrs. Gertrude Timpany. To effect this, the Massachusetts School Lunch Program, the Town Treasurer, the Town Accountant, the school principals, and the cafeteria managers, collaborated to set up the new program under one head.
At the suggestion of the state, we adopted a uniform menu on an a la carte basis with only the Type A menu. The 1955 and 1956 percentages of pupils buying the platters and milk (type A) shows how successful this change has been:
October 1955: 55% of pupils buying Type A Lunch September 1956: 65% of pupils buying Type A Lunch
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
October 1956: 75% of pupils buying Type A Lunch
November 1956: about 85% of pupils buying Type A Lunch
The Office of the School Lunch Program has commended Mrs. Timpany on the results in a November 16 letter from Mr. Stalker.
In September (or later) the new Wampatuck School Cafeteria will open.
Under the consolidated plan, all receipts and expenditures are combined as one account to the Town Accountant and Treas- urer. However, the office books show expenditures and receipts for each school separately. In this way, there is control of profit and loss in each cafeteria.
All schools continue to operate under the rules and regulations of the School Lunch Program. We have one standardized Type A menu consisting of 2 oz. of protein; 6 oz. of vegetable and/or fruit; a serving of bread, muffins, etc .; 2 teaspoonfuls of butter and 1/2 pint of whole, white milk. The government continues to send us sub- sidies each month for which we pay 40 cents a case to defray trans- portation expenses. We are reimbursed 9 cents for each complete meal and 4 cents for milk alone, with the exception of Hatherly School milk for which we receive 3 cents. Meal prices remain at 20 cents, although the majority of school lunches throughout the state are 25 cents. Milk alone sells for 3 cents and adults' meals are 30 cents, since we receive no reimbursement for them.
More and more, educators throughout the country are finding that the school lunch plays an important role in the school curricu- lum. What is taught in the four walls of the classroom and from between the pages of books has a great deal more effect upon men- tally and physically alert students. Statistics have found that there is a great deal of malnutrition among our teen-agers. We wonder in this day and age, how this can be true? Yet, surveys show that serious deficiencies do exist in the diets of students from all eco- nomic levels. This is due, they say, to a great number of working mothers, indifference on the part of some parents, and the bad eat- ing habits of the children themselves.
CAFETERIA FINANCIAL REPORT HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
Receipts:
Balance on hand September 1, 1955 $ 15.00
Cafeteria Sales
17,054.86
Government Subsidy
6,857.78
$23,927.64
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Expenditures:
Food
$20,649.23
Labor
1,620.00
Equipment, transportation, supplies, etc.
763.95
Balance on hand September 1, 1956
$23,033.18 $ 894.46
CENTRAL SCHOOL CAFETERIA
Receipts:
Balance on hand September 1, 1955 $ 2,253.28
Cafeteria Sales
15,305.47
Government Subsidy
....... 6,603.22
$24,161.97
Expenditures:
Food
$17,703.21
Labor
2,841.00
Equipment, transportation, supplies, etc.
859.63
$21,403.84
Balance on hand September 1, 1956
$ 2,758.13
JENKINS SCHOOL CAFETERIA
Receipts:
Balance on hand September 1, 1955
$ 3,300.02
Cafeteria Sales
8,801.83
Government Subsidy
4,220.49
$13,022.32
Expenditures:
Food
$ 9,230.82
Labor
405.00
Equipment, transportation, supplies, etc.
1,893.78
$11,529.60
Balance on hand September 1, 1956
$ 4,792.74
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Here in Scituate, with the one Type A lunch, we hope to teach our students the importance of nutrition and to get them to eat what is served each day. True, there are some dishes that do not appeal to their likes, but with the cooperation of cafeteria, parents, teachers, and students, we hope (for their own sakes) they will learn to eat everything. The meal each day supplies them with one third to one half of the daily nutritional diet. Charts have been issued everyone showing the importance food plays in our lives. Let us all recall the famous adage that "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree".
LIBRARIES: The high school library, directed by Miss Eleanor Gile, Librarian, owes its growth to approximately 3350 volumes in the school year of 1955-1956 to several factors. In the first place, the townspeople have been alert to the need of good books for their children and have appropriated the necessary funds. Secondly, the Scituate Parent-Teacher Association has continued to support the library with a generous gift, spent this year on reference books. The junior high students have contributed money from a magazine project to buy 50 new books which they have enjoyed reading. And lastly, many friends of the school have donated books from their personal collections.
Because we have more books, both fiction and non fiction, we are able to be of greater service to the student population. Many boys and girls, not living near a public library, can now avail them- selves of the oportunity to obtain good reading material here in school. Each additional reference book means further aid to the development of good study habits which are essential in preparing for college.
This year we have felt able to start duplicating books most used by teachers who send their pupils to the library for reference work. We hope to be able to add more such books another year. In time, we should have sufficient copies to lend to individual teachers for classroom libraries.
Each year, the English classes in Grades 7 and 8 are given lessons on the use of the library by the librarian. The seventh grade has a week of fundamentals; the eighth receives instruction on how to do more difficult reference work, including the use of the Reader's Guide. Other classes come to the library for whatever instruction their subject teachers deem necessary.
Many students show an interest in the library other than in coming in to read or to do reference work. In September, about 35
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
students signed up to work as student-librarians. They are required to know the fundamentals of filing cards and of putting books back in their proper classifications on the shelves. They learn responsi- bility of doing their tasks well, no matter what they may be. For relaxation, they have a library club which entertains occasionally. The big event of this year was a Christmas party to which were in- vited student-librarians of neighboring South Shore high schools.
We like to feel that we are working side by side with the town librarians to aid in the mental growth of the youth in Scituate. Occasionally, the librarians meet to discuss common problems. This fall, for the first time, the three libraries sponsored a Book Week Contest, which was considered sufficiently successful to bear repeti- tion another year.
MUSIC PROGRAM: The following musical activities were fea- tured in the elementary grades during the past year:
Programs by the Central School Boys Glee Club at the Annual Spring Concert and the Boys Glee Club and bands at the May P.T.A. meeting.
A variety show presented by the sixth grades in June.
Christmas assemblies in the three elementary schools with all classes participating.
A program of Christmas music by the combined sixth grades under the direction of Mr. William Lincoln.
We are grateful to the Parent-Teacher Association for its gift of records and subscriptions to "Keyboard Junior."
The inclusion of grades five and six in the Jenkins School led to an extension of the instrumental program to a third school. This expansion, combined with the largest enrollment of beginners, re- sulted in 173 students registered for lessons in October. We put students on a rotating basis and elminated, for the time being, ele- mentary school band rehearsals.
Instrumental Music Instruction Policy Adopted by the School Committee:
1. School instrumental music instruction shall be provided only for groups of three or more pupils playing the same or related instruments and only for the purpose of furthering group partici- pation. Parents shall provide individual instruction in techniques. The schools shall not provide individual lessons at any time.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
2. Classes or groups of the same or related instruments must number at least three pupils, preferably more, never less.
3. Group instruction shall be provided for pupils only when practicable and possible and only for instruments which are nor- mally considered a part of a band or orchestra. Instruction, for instance, on piano and accordion shall not be provided.
4. Pupils shall be assigned to group music lessons by the prin- cipals assisted by Director of Music in such a manner that the pupil's academic work does not suffer. This may be done in free periods or on a rotating schedule. Principals shall see that all groups have at least three pupils as noted above.
5. The underlying purpose of school-sponsored group instruc- tion shall be participation, immediate or future, in the school band or orchestra and to that end such instruction shall be in groups as noted above to stimulate group playing and techniques.
The purchase of cymbals, a sousaphone, bassoon, French horn, piccolo, and tympani greatly enhances the potential of the high school performing groups. Scituate was represented by students in the All-State Band, Chorus and Orchestra and, for the first time, in the All-New England Band and Orchestra.
All students in the junior high school were given a voice test to determine the type of voice, quality and range. This test deter- mines the placement of each voice to its respective part. As a result, two and three part singing can be accomplished successfully. Records are played as a means of audio-aids to develop a keener sensitivity and appreciation of all music.
The High School Glee Club stresses greater exactness of musicianship. The results of continuing interest is evident with a volunteer Glee Club of sixty voices and a Girls Choir that together with Orchestra performed at the Thanksgiving Assembly, the Christmas Concert and Christmas School Assemblies. The choral groups and Band participated in the Southeastern Massachusetts Music Festival in May.
ART EDUCATION: The Art Education Program includes the teaching of drawing, painting, design, lettering, clay and paper sculpture crafts, and we continue to work towards a creative art program which is devoted to freeing the child from the use of patterns, and copying adult art projects.
There seems to be a widening acceptance on the part of the public of truly creative drawings and paintings by children.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Many prizes were awarded Scituate School children by the Mass. S.P.C.A. for their "Kindness to Animals" posters, as well as the Book Week contest sponsored by our local libraries.
A six hour Art Workshop, given by a well known Art Consult- ant, was attended by over 50 teachers and provided an opportunity to observe and work with new media in art education.
We have rented several movies in color which showed children working on interesting crafts, providing added stimulus to class- room activities.
Photographic records have been made of the many "Open House" art exhibits.
DRIVER EDUCATION AND TRAINING: The Driver-Educa- tion Course is offered as an extra-curricular activity in the High School to students over sixteen years of age. The program has been expanded last year by the addition of another faculty member as an instructor. Thus, the program has doubled its capacity to bring this worthwhile activity to our students. Clarence O. Atkinson and A. Leslie Faulkner are the instructors.
The course includes both classroom work and behind-the-wheel instruction. In order to meet state requirements there must be at least twenty class sessions of one hour's duration plus a minimum of six hours behind-the-wheel driving.
Students must satisfy two requirements in order to qualify for a certificate. First, they must successfully complete our own class- room and road tests. Second, they must have obtained a license issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The certificates are issued by the Registry but are not valid until signed by the Driving Instructor.
We continue to enjoy the full cooperation of our local auto- mobile dealers. Without it our program would have little value. At present, we are using a 1957 Ford donated by Front Street Sales and Service and a 1957 Plymouth donated by Paul Young Motors.
EDWARD K. CHACE,
Superintendent of Schools.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
GRADUATION EXERCISES Scituate High School Class of 1956
Class Motto: "Achievements, Not Words" WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 13, 1956 HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM 8:00 O'CLOCK
PROGRAM
Processional: "Land of Hope and Glory" Elgar-Glenn High School Orchestra
Invocation
Rev. Allan D. Creelman Minister, First Baptist Church, North Scituate
Address of Welcome Robert Lopes, President Senior Class Presentation of Awards and Scholarships
Mr. Edward L. Stewart, Principal
Presentation of Class Gift President of Senior Class
Selection - "This Is My Country" Jacobs
High School Chorus
Address Mr. Honore E. Savaria Former President Massachusetts Association of School Committees Presentation of Class for Graduation
Mr. Edward L. Stewart, Principal
Acceptance of Class for Graduation Mr. Edward K. Chace, Superintendent of Schools
Conferring of Diplomas
Class Ode
Mr. George C. Young Chairman, School Committee Joan V. Turner, '56 Graduating Class
Benediction Rev. Allan D. Creelman
Recessional: "Land of Hope and Glory" Elgar-Glenn
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
CLASS OFFICERS
President, Robert John Lopes
Vice-President, Lawrence Percy Mayo Secretary, Mary Susan Curran Treasurer, Deborah Lillis Brigham
AWARDS
The Bausch-Lomb Award - For highest average in Science. Pre- sented by the Bausch-Lomb Optical Company. A bronze plaque. Awarded to Charles Rodgers.
Good Citizenship Pilgrim of 1956 - To the Senior girl deemed best in good citizenship by the class and faculty. Presented by the Chief Justice Cushing Chapter, D.A.R. Certificate and Pin. Awarded to Anne Gardner.
Norman L. Walker Award - To the boy and girl deemed best in good sportsmanship by classmates and faculty. Established by Class of 1951 in memory of Norman L. Walker, one of its advisers. Pins and names engraved upon Award Plaque in trophy cabinet. Awarded to Mary Sue Curran and Dean Shea.
Reader's Digest Award - Presented to the Senior with highest Academic Average for four years. One year's subscription to the Reader's Digest. Awarded to Beryl Sylvester.
P.T .- A. Awards - To students with highest academic standing in the college business and general courses. Awarded to Beryl Sylvester, Mary Sue Curran and Rosalie Alves.
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