USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1955-1957 > Part 45
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Some laymen still speak of teaching jobs as "snaps". I have been a teacher and I have worked in offices and in industry. I wish that laymen could change jobs with Miss Jones for one year. . 1 doubt that Mr. Layman would still say that the teacher has a "soft" job.
Why? Say that your little pride and joy who is now in the sec- ond grade suddenly becomes not one child but 30 children, not just like him, so that you have 30 second-graders all different, all as wide- awake, all as eager to be challenged, all as slow to awaken to activity as is your one. Let's say that you have these 30 (you might have 35 or 40, you know! We have classes with over 40 this year) in your charge from 9:00 A.M. till 3:00 P.M. five days a week.
You must be on duty at 8:30 A.M. to check busses, care for the playgrounds or playrooms, get your room ready with a few last- minute touches, take a deep breath, and in they come all 30 (or more) of the little darlings (and they are that). Did you ever try taking off 30 or more snowsuits and putting them on again?
Your job is to teach them reading, arithmetic, spelling, music, penmanship, geography, physical education, manners, kindness, social awareness, and many other things, but at the same time you must keep order (and you can't, you know, in school, apply the hand to the posterior as you might at home), keep them interested (and keep even some awake) , keep others from fighting, others from mutilating the furniture. You must take them to the toilets. You must hold their heads when they are nauseated. You must eat with them. You must comfort them when they cry. You must go out on the playfield with them. From 9:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. they are yours, entirely yours.
But, you say, I can go home at 3:00 P.M. and do what I like! Can you, indeed? School for you isn't "out" until 3:30 and often not until 4:30. You must set up your plans for tomorrow. You must
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
attend faculty and group meetings. You must correct papers. You must record marks. You must put material on the boards. These tasks carry over into the evening hours at home. And then you must take courses so that you can improve your teaching, and, perhaps, get an extra $200 next year after five years such study to get a higher degree. You take courses on Saturdays too and often in the summers.
Some teachers (too many teachers) take part-time jobs to help them support their families. One teacher, a man, told me that he could earn as much in one week in the summer driving a milk truck as he earned in two weeks teaching school! Truck drivers are higher paid than school teachers! The men and women entrusted with the all-important task of teaching our scientists, our leaders, get less money than those who work with their hands.
Are our schools costing too much? Are we paying our teachers, supervisors and administrators too much? The future of our chil- dren rests in their hands, or should I say, in YOUR hands?
Can we afford good schools? Can we afford not to have good schools?
STAFF CHANGES: Royal S. Graves, Principal of the Jenkins School, resigned to accept a principalship in Wayland.
Mrs. Mabel Buck, 4th grade teacher in Central School, resigned to teach in New Hampshire. Ralph J. Fletcher, 5th grade teacher in Central School, resigned to accept a position in business.
Mrs. Barbara G. Kelley, 4th grade teacher, Central School, re- signed to accept a private school position in Wellesley. Leo Collins, 6th grade teacher in Jenkins School resigned to accept a position in business.
Mrs. Patricia S. Lincoln, Ist grade teacher in Hatherly School, resigned her position to keep house for her husband.
B. Norman Dickinson, Director of Music, resigned his position to accept a position on Long Island, New York.
NEW APPOINTMENTS: Miss Doris I. Annis, formerly teacher in the junior high schools in Plymouth and Manchester, was ap- pointed English teacher in Scituate. Miss Annis is a graduate of Bridgewater State Teachers College.
Mario Catinella, graduate of Boston University, where he re- ceived his bachelor's and master's degrees in Education, formerly
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instructor in Manchester, was appointed teacher in French and Latin in the High School.
Paul F. Finnegan, graduate of Boston College, teacher in the junior high school in Everett, was appointed to teach social studies in the High School.
Leon R. Harvey, Graduate of Springfield College, and student at Harvard and Boston University graduate schools from which he received his master's degree, and formerly instructor in Newton, Milton, Braintree, and Montpelier (Vt.) high schools as well as Thayer Academy, was appointed teacher of science in the High School.
Charles Rathclement, 6th grade teacher in the Central School, was moved to a position in Social Studies in the 7th grade, Central School.
Patrick A. Soccorso, graduate of Brown University, and for- merly teacher in Newburyport and Gloucester High Schools, was appointed mathematics teacher in the High School.
Judson R. Merrill, administrative assistant, was appointed part- time acting principal of the Jenkins School to replace Mr. Graves. Mr. Merrill has been recently appointed full-time principal of that school for 1958-59.
Charles E. Bordne, mathematics teacher in the Junior High School, was appointed acting, full-time teaching assistant principal in the Central School where he teaches mathematics. In 1958-1959, he will be assistant principal in the Jenkins School.
Joseph C. Driscoll, social studies teacher in the Junior High School, was appointed full-time teaching acting assistant principal in the Central School where he teaches social studies. In 1958-1959, Mr. Driscoll will be principal of the Wampatuck School.
William A. Lincoln, 6th grade teacher in the Central School was appointed full-time teaching acting assistant principal in the Wampatuck School. For 1958-1959 Mr. Lincoln will be assistant principal in the Central School.
Guido J. Risi, 5th grade teacher in the Jenkins School, was appointed full-time teaching acting assistant principal in the Wam- patuck School. In 1958-1959, he will be assistant principal in that school.
Stuart E. Crapser, science teacher in the High School was ap- pointed acting assistant principal (part-time) in that school.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Mary R. Agnew, graduate of Staley College where she special- ized in speech therapy, is a cadet teacher under the Supervision of Mrs. Gertrude Russell, co-ordinator of reading.
Frances M. Byrnes, graduate of Boston College, is teaching first grade at Wampatuck School.
Mrs. Justine Cook, formerly cadet teacher, and graduate of Connecticut College for Women, is first grade teacher at Central School.
Robert J. Corbin, graduate of Boston University School of Education, and instructor in the armed forces dependents school in Africa, is teaching 6th grade in Jenkins School.
Jean M. Feeley, graduate of Garland Junior College, and for- merly instructor in the Mary C. Wheeler School, Providence, R. I., and Thayerlands School, is first grade teacher in Central School.
Mrs. Mary E. Gardner, graduate of Lesley College, was ap- pointed kindergarten teacher in Wampatuck School. She is pres- ently on maternity leave of absence.
Mrs. Eileen Menslage, Boston Teachers College, and formerly teacher in the Boston Public Schools and substitute teacher in Scituate, is a fifth grade teacher in Jenkins School.
Robert E. Deakin, graduate of Farmington State Teachers College (Maine) and of the University of Maine where he received his master's degree, is 4th grade teacher in the Central School, re- placing Mrs. Elizabeth S. Navin, who resigned following the open- ing of school.
Mrs. Helen M. O'Connor, graduate of Framingham State Teachers College, is second grade teacher in the Wampatuck School. She had previously taught in the Quincy schools.
Mrs. Virginia M. O'Neil, graduate of Emmanuel College, and formerly teacher in the Boston Schools, has been cadet teacher and is now 4th grade teacher in the Wampatuck School, replacing Mrs. Doris Mckinlay, who is on maternity leave.
Mrs. Gladys I. Wiswall, graduate of Lesley College and Beaver Junior College, and formerly teacher in Newton and Braintree, is second grade teacher in Wampatuck School.
Ann Louise Hoar, graduate of Marymount College, and for- merly speech therapist in the J. P. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, is part-time speech therapist in the Scituate Schools. She spends three days in Scituate, and two in Cohasset.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
FINANCIAL STATEMENT - 1957
REGULAR APPROPRIATION
$661,513.00
RECEIPTS FROM FEDERAL FUNDS (Revolving Account)
Balance
$15,314.47
George Barden
100.00
Public Law No. 874
13,596.65
29,011.12
TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE for 1957 BUDGET EXPENDITURES
$690,524.12
Budget
$642,900.79
George Barden
$190.00
Public Law No. 874
24,418.27
24,608.27
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1957
$667,509.06
RETURNED TO TOWN (Unexpended)
$18,612.21
FEDERAL FUNDS (In Reserve)*
4,402.85
TOTAL .....
$690,524.12
SCHOOL MONEY RETURNED TO TOWN (Not Available For School Use)
FROM STATE FUNDS
State Aid, Chapter 70
$51,159.62
Transportation
22,550.12
Household Arts
4,160.51
Vocational Tuition
885.10
State Aid, Chapter 69
3,443.20
State Ward Tuition
219.45
MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS
$82,418.00 793.71
TOTAL CREDITS
$83,211.71
TOTAL APPROPRIATION EXPENDED
$642,900.79
TOTAL CREDITS
83,211.71
NET COST OF SCHOOLS TO TOWN $559,689.08
* Will be used to lower 1958 Budgetary amount to be raised by local taxation.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
GENERAL CONTROL
School Committee Expense
$551.20
Salaries: Administration
10,390.24
Travel: Administration
513.58
Clerk Hire: Administration
5,432.64
Attendance Officer and Census
300.00
Administration Supplies
380.51
Administration Equipment
235.85
Admin., Light, Heat, Phone, Water
1,407.67
$19,211.69
EXPENSE OF INSTRUCTION
High School Principal's Salary
$7,327.60
High School Office Expense
4,022.47
High School Teachers' Salaries
153,654.46
Elementary Principals' Salaries
11,397.89
Elementary Office Expense
5,466.12
Elementary Teachers' Salaries
226,456.89
Phys. Ed. and Athletic Salaries
2,725.00
Supervisors' Salaries
26,601.50
Principals' and Supervisors' Travel
237.60
Textbooks for Pupils
13,462.12
Audio-Visual Aids
284.47
Supplies for Pupils
14,274.23
Athletic Supplies
3,217.93
$469,128.28
PLANT OPERATION
Custodians' Salaries
$35,356.15
Fuel
13,270.97
Electricity and Gas
9,508.33
Custodians' Supplies
5,098.69
Water
732.15
Telephone
1,308.38
$65,274.67
HEALTH
Medical Inspector's Salary
$1,300.00
Medical Supplies
316.55
Nurses' Salaries
7,689.50
Nurses' Travel
92.50
Nurses' Office Expense
229.15
$9,627.70
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
AUXILIARY AGENCIES
Cafeteria Salaries
$19,103.26
Cartage
556.51
Advertising
78.65
Pensions
277.50
Miscellaneous (Driver Ed., Graduation, etc.)
1,719.23
$21,735.15
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Director's Salary
$314.00
Educational Salaries
4,507.94
Travel Expense
12.00
Equipment and Books
76.28
Supplies
372.26
Transportation
425.33
Water, Fuel, Lights
922.18
Repairs to Equipment
10.79
$6,640.78
PLANT MAINTENANCE
(Repairs and Replacements)
Buildings
$2,732.37
Engineering Equipment
1,007.64
Educational Equipment
1,467.92
Office Equipment
242.05
$5,449.98
LIBRARIES
Library Books
$4,611.48
Library Supplies
375.18
$4,986.66
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation (within)
$42,972.03
Special Transportation
1,730.63
$44,702.66
CAPITAL OUTLAY
Alterations on Old Buildings
Furniture and Equipment
$6,684.96
$6,684.96
SPECIAL ITEMS
Tuition
$7,730.34
Overlay
2,555.12
Evening Classes
2,971.68
$13,876.53
$667,319.06
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
GUIDANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS
During the past year the Guidance Program under the direction of Samuel J. Tilden has continued its general policies of testing, student conferences, educational guidance, placement and occupa- tional information.
TESTING PROGRAM IN SCITUATE
The following tests have been or will be administered at the different grade levels during the year.
Kindergarten S. R. A. Primary Mental Abilities Test.
Grade I California Arithmetic and Reading Test.
Grade II California Mental Maturity and S. R. A. Achievement Battery.
Grade V Otis Academic Abilities Tests.
Grades 3-7
Stanford Achievement Tests.
Grades 8-12 Otis Academic Abilities Tests, Cooperative Achievement Tests, Cooperative Reading and Vocabulary.
The eleventh grade will also receive an Aptitude Battery.
Juniors and seniors will take the Scholastic Aptitude Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board and three Achievement Tests. Non-college seniors may take the Aptitude Battery admin- istered by the Massachusetts Employment Service.
Individual Stanford Binets and Wechsler Bellevues are given throughout the system at the request of the Principals.
EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE
The college preparatory group is becoming increasingly larger. This year 63% of the senior class plan to enter four year colleges, with 14% more applying to nursing schools and junior colleges. With applications to the competitive colleges steadily on the in- crease, our geographical distribution of colleges will become greater. Graduates of Scituate High over the last four years are enrolled in a degree program at over forty colleges including: Antioch, Arch- bishop Cushing, Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin, Bowl- ing Green, Brandeis, Bridgeport, Brown, Cornell, Framingham Teachers, Franklin & Marshall, Harvard, High Point, Lesley, Lowell Tech, Maine, Massachusetts, Miami, M.I.T., Michigan, Michigan
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
State, Middlebury, Nasson, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Nor- wich, Pembroke, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State, Rochester, Rol- lins, Russell Sage, Simmons, Skidmore, St. Lawrence, St. Michael's, Swarthmore, Trinity, Tufts, U. S. Coast Guard Academy, U. S. Military Academy, U. S. Naval Academy, Vermont, Wheelock.
Parents of College preparatory students are urged to combine vacation trips with the visitation of colleges before the senior year.
Most boys who do not take advanced training enter the service within a year after graduation. All of the Armed Forces present pro- grams during the year. Girls who do not plan to attend other schools are placed in Scituate and greater Boston business establish- ments according to their abilities as shown by the Aptitude Testing Battery of the United States Employment Service.
This year Vernon Drehmahl from the Quincy Child Guidance Center has been working in the schools on Tuesdays as a consulting psychologist. Mr. Drehmahl's main purpose is to work with the teachers to help them with their classroom problems.
Miss Barbara Murphy continues to expand the Guidance Pro- gram in the Junior High School.
The Alumni and townspeople are invited to use the occupa- tional and educational library in the Guidance Office in the High School on Tuesday evenings at which time the Guidance Director is available for evening conferences.
READING IN OUR SCHOOLS
Results of our Achievement Tests given in April and May were further evidence of good teaching and further proved to us that many benefits are derived from grouping according to reading abilities. This year, because our classes in Grades one and two are smaller, the ability range within a classroom has been narrowed for more effective teaching and more chance for individual help.
We have tried parent-teacher conferences in our first grades to replace a first report card. We hope this has brought the school and home together for a better understanding of the child.
In our Opportunity Class, where children have been placed for extra help in some particular field of instruction, we have planned individual programs for these pupils, who meet with regular classes where we feel they can gain needed security while they are receiv-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
ing instruction to build up skills in their own particular weaknesses in their own classroom with Mrs. Trefry.
We appreciate the opportunity for the afternoon workshops, where we meet with all the teachers for discussion and evaluation of our own reading program. We have heard from and worked with three fine reading consultants, Miss Betty Sylvester from Ginn and Company, Miss Frances Harrington from Macmillan Co., Miss Lynne Tillan from Scott, Foresman Co. In these periods of discus- sion and working together our teachers learned many of the newer practices and ideas for getting most out of the reading program.
The S.R.A. Reading Laboratory has been used in Grade 7 this fall, where one group is working to improve reading ability. Excel- lent progress has been made with this well planned program.
The library in each school building has helped provide much needed material.
In November, in cooperation with our Parent-Teacher Associa- tion, a program was planned for "Know Your School" Night. The main theme of this program was "The Reading Program" and was very well received by all.
The reading department has found the services of our Speech Therapist, Miss Hoar, invaluable. She has helped the pupils and the teachers immeasurably, and by helping these children overcome many of their speech difficulties, this success will, in turn, help alle- viate some of their reading difficulties.
Because we need some form of curriculum guide in reading, we are working with the help of our Cadet teachers on a compilation of outcomes and goals for each grade level, which we hope to have ready for the beginning of another school year. These outcomes, then, can be elaborated upon in the not too distant future.
READING RESOURCES IN OUR SCHOOLS
HIGH SCHOOL: During the past four years, the John J. Heffer- nan Memorial Library in the Scituate High School has developed from a 1700-volume library to one of approximately 4,000 books. This growth is due to several factors: appropriation at the Annual Town Meeting, donations from the personal libraries of friends of the school, and the general interest of all in having an adequate library for the students to use.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
A library is not static. One can never say, "We have sufficient books. Now, we may relax in our efforts to meet the needs of the student." The progress of science pushes us so fast from one devel- opment to another that the reading-learning process can never stand still. For this reason, there is a constant demand for many new science books. Also, in this age, we are ever being brought closer and closer to all other peoples of the world, a world shrinking daily because of the growing speed of transportation and communication. So, we need the latest books on economics, geography, history - all means of helping us to understand ourselves in relation to our neighbors. Lastly, since we pride ourselves in having a cultural background, we must have new fiction as well as the classics; collec- tions of poetry, essays, and plays; and works on art and music. All of these types of reading help make the good student - the future citizen of our town, of our country, and of the world.
Each year, an attempt is made to add new books in all of the broad classifications, stressing the weaker sections as far as possible. During the current year, for example, many new science books have been purchased, including those in the field of mathematics as well as biology, physics, chemistry, etc. For the student who is mechani- cally inclined, there are books on applied science - television, auto- mobiles, engineering, aeronautics (now, with the emphasis on space travel). To strengthen the literature section, a number of poetry collections have been bought; also, several books on modern drama. Since biographies give both pleasure and information to the reader on practically every topic, many books of this kind are added annually.
When one comes to the fiction section, there is no limit to the books that may be purchased. The younger boys and girls at Scitu- ate High School are, apparently, avid readers. They like animal stories, sports stories, adventure stories, romances - all kinds of stories; and they read as long as there is an adequate supply on the shelves. The older students often need greater stimulation than their younger brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, the selection for them is more difficult because of the stark realism of the modern novel. At present, we have a fairly good collection of fiction from the fourth grade level of reading ability to the adult level. This section, however, is one that never stands still. And, although many of the students can satisfy their desires at the public libraries, there are some who are greatly influenced to be readers because of the convenience of the school library. We, therefore, try to have as many novels as possible.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
We, in the library, like to feel that we are doing our share to help mold the boys and girls who come to us into good citizens.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: For many years the library at Central School has been used as a classroom. When plans could be made to use this room as a library this year, the books on library shelves were catalogued and prepared for circulation.
The cataloguing of all library books has been completed in all schools and as new books are added, cards are added to our accession file in each library.
The library at Wampatuck School has started with a much smaller number of books but this has been supplemented with a supply of books loaned to us by the State Division of Libraries.
We now have 13 sets of encyclopedias purchased during the past two years. Two sets are kept in each library and the other sets are distributed to the classrooms as the need arises. A representative from World Book Encyclopedia came to our schools last spring and gave lessons to all children from grades three through six in the use and value of the encyclopedia.
With the help and cooperation of our fifth and sixth grade teachers, we have student librarians who take charge of correctly re- ceiving and discharging books. These children, boys as well as girls, spend a period of one-half hour as their work period according to a posted schedule.
We have tried to keep our books in three sections - pupil library books, pupil reference books which can be used in the library or can be taken to the classroom, discharged to the classroom teacher, and kept as long as the class has need for it or until needed by an- other class. Our third section and at present our weakest spot is the reference shelf for teachers. On this shelf will be kept material of interest to the teachers.
At Jenkins School, through the help of one of our teachers, a collection of 137 back copies of National Geographic Magazines were purchased from an estate. These are presently being cata- logued in a topical index for future use by pupils and teachers alike for enrichment of the school program with excellent material.
Through the budget we have added from 150 to 200 volumes to each library, the majority of these being basic to a good library trying to cater to a wide range of age groups and interest levels. We have made a good start and have a firm basis on which to build in the future.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
ASSISTANCE IN SPEECH PROBLEMS
The children in Speech Therapy classes now number 48, rang- ing from Kindergarten through High School.
Miss Hoar sees all children twice a week in half hour therapy sessions. Some are seen individually, others in groups, depending on the defect and severity.
Types of defects which she treats include articulation errors, baby talk, lisping, delayed speech, foreign accent, voice disorders such as week volume, hoarseness, high or low pitch, excessive nasality, cleft palate, and stuttering.
OPPORTUNITIES IN LEARNING
The Opportunity Class had its beginning in the Spring of 1938. The first class was held in the old Jenkins School, and later in the rooms over the Police Station. When the Central Elementary School was completed, the class was assigned to the building in a specially planned room. It has been held here ever since.
The class has continued to function successfully for nearly 20 years. The regulations, established in accordance with the General Laws, Chapter #71, Section 16, as approved by the Department of Education, concerning the Division of Special Education have greatly benefited the children concerned at little expense to the Town since it is reimbursed by the State for expenses incurred.
Parents, aware of the need, in some instances request that their children be given the benefit of this class, having found that the child has a handicap and needs individual help.
The number of children in the class varies from year to year. The children work at their own level in whatever field help is needed and are seldom frustrated. Many of these children are gifted in art and music. Many of the pupils have gone back to regu- lar classrooms for various subjects. By so doing they feel that they are a part of the school.
Through the co-operation of the High School, some of the boys go to the High School for shop and home economics. This experi- ence benefits those who leave school to earn a living.
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