USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1958-1960 > Part 13
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DON'TS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN: Please instruct each child.
DON'T ever get into an automobile with a stranger. Don't even go near the car.
DON'T allow a stranger to pick you up or touch you.
DON'T take candy or money or presents from a stranger.
·DON'T go into a stranger's home or workshop or room.
DON'T let anyone fuss with your clothes.
DON'T go away from the playground or school with any stranger.
SAFETY EDUCATION
Safety education should aim to develop independent, respon- sible actions on the part of your child, as well as provide for his immediate protection. He should be instructed in the following:
I Personal Knowledge
A. He should know and be able to tell distinctly
1. His own name, father's and mother's
2. Street and house number
3. Telephone number
B. He should know how his parents may be reached in an emergency.
II At School
A. In the Building
1. Use all schoolroom materials and equipment properly
2. Conduct self in orderly manner in corridors, on stair- ways and in toilets
3. Use care at drinking fountains
B. On the Playground
1. Keep grounds safe for play by removing harmful objects
2. Do not throw snowballs on playground or to and from school
3. Do not run out into the street after balls
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4. Do not bring to school articles which may cause accidents
5. Avoid strenuous play - younger children frequently try to compete with older children and fail to realize that they cannot play as hard as older children. Sometimes they get hurt.
III In the Community
A. Respect for Authority
1. Respect for, and confidence in police
2. Regard rights of others, don't push in crowds, etc.
B. On the Street
1. Do not loiter on the way home
2. Obey traffic officer's signals promptly
3. Walk between white lines when crossing over to the other side
4. Stop and look in both directions for passing cars when an officer is not on duty.
5. Take care of younger children
6. Walk on sidewalks
7. Do not run from behind parked cars
8. Do not ask for nor accept, rides from strangers
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
Before entering school, your child should have a physical and dental examination and any defects found should be corrected if possible in order that the child enter school in the best physical condition attainable. Such untreated handicaps can seriously retard mental and social development.
The periodic health examination of each school child by the school physician is a "screening" examination to find signs of trou- ble that might not have been recognized before. Lack of time pre- vents complete study of each child. Where serious defect is found, the child should be taken to the doctor of the family's choice, or to a clinic, for more adequate diagnosis, and for treatment. The school physician also examines children sent to him by teachers or the school nurse, for special attention.
GUIDANCE IN OUR SCHOOLS:
The Guidance program in Scituate is organized to assist stu- dents and parents with educational and vocational planning, and with learning and emotional difficulties.
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An important part of any program is testing and evaluation. Academic ability tests are administered at the end of Kindergarten, and in the second, fifth and seventh grades, as well as at least one in high school. Individual Stanford-Binets and Wechsler-Bellevues are given throughout the schools at the request of the Principals or the Reading Consultant. The Differential Aptitude tests are given to high school juniors. The College Board Examinations, the National Merit Scholarship Examinations and the National Quali- fying Scholarship Tests are taken by juniors and seniors in the high school. Achievement tests are given at the end of each year to all grades. The Cooperative tests are given to both the junior high and the high school. The Stanford-Metropolitan and S. R. A. tests are given in the elementary schools. The amount spent for testing in Scituate is actually low in comparison to other communities but we feel we have an adequate program with expensive test batteries eliminated.
The office has had close cooperation with the Quincy Child Guidance Center. Dr. Vernon Drehmel of its staff consults with teachers every Friday afternoon on emotional problems that may arise in the classroom.
The Guidance office has a library of occupational information, college catalogs, nursing schools, special schools and information on scholarships and Armed Services programs. The alumni and townspeople are invited to use this library in the Guidance office on Tuesday evenings at which time the Guidance Director is avail- able for evening conferences.
The Guidance program is being enlarged to give the increas- ingly large number of students entering the junior and senior high school individual counseling. Mrs. Coleman, Miss Murphy and Mr. Finnegan have all been released from some classroom teaching to help with the Guidance program. Although it has always been the policy of the department not to restrict the student to any special counselor, Mrs. Coleman has been concentrating on Grades 9 and 10. Miss Murphy on Grade 7 and Mr. Finnegan on Grade 8. Mrs. Gertrude Russell, the Coordinator of Reading, directs the elemen- tary testing program.
- S. J. Tilden, Director
PROGRESS IN READING
The results of our Achievement Tests in April showed much improvement. These results have been compiled in graph form which I keep on record with each year's statistics. This, in my opinion, is the only way we can prove to ourselves and to the townspeople that we are striving toward excellence.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
A planned phonics program is being given in each first grade class. This has been done by me, mainly: (1) so that each teacher can observe methods of approach, techniques of presentation, and the adaptation of a program for the class; (2) so that each class reaching second grade will have been approached with same mate- rial presented in the same way.
The progress made by our first grades has been remarkable and the teachers have worked very hard to continue through the week with work in phonics introduced in my visits. The teachers have been most kind in passing on to me the expressions of pleasure from the parents.
With a plan of this kind, I am in hopes that by the end of the first grade and certainly in the second, spelling and dictation will be more easily accepted and understood by all of our pupils having this background.
Our basic reading program this year has included a full day each week at the High School working with High School and Junior High School students. Students chosen for testing and help are referred to me by the English teachers. In the Junior High classes, the students chosen have been selected because of my knowledge of their weaknesses from work with me or their adjustment to new programs might bear watching. The continued use of the S.R.A. Reading Laboratory proves challenging and very profitable to each child participating.
Miss Hoar, our speech therapist, continues to work with our children. The number of children needing help seems to grow and if this is to be an effective part of our reading program, we do need more time available.
A program of goals and outcomes for each grade level in the Reading Program has been made and added to our Curriculum Guide.
Our student librarians continue to man the distribution of books from each school library, but we would definitely like to see additional allotments in library appropriations for the elementary school in the near future.
Much talk of the Joplin Plan in Reading set us to thinking and a plan for an experiment was formed. At the present time we are using this plan in one group of fourth graders. Children and teachers have accepted this new technique and look forward each day to their "Reading Hour."
- Mrs. Gertrude Russell, Coordinator of Reading
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
This year the physical education program in the elementary schools has been greatly expanded by the addition of a second full- time physical education instructor. William Smith and Mrs. Anne Murphy are now able to give all students some instruction weekly. The physical education curriculum for each classroom teacher is outlined by the physical education instructor and the program throughout the year is set up to accomplish definite skills and ob- jectives for each grade level. Each child is tested twice a year for physical fitness using the Kraus-Weber Physical Fitness Test. By the use of this test it is hoped that those who show weaknesses in certain areas may be helped to overcome their deficiencies. How- ever, with the limited staff and lack of facilities and equipment in the schools, not as much emphasis is being placed on this as desired.
The winter program in the Central School is limited because very little time is available for indoor activities in the cafeteria. Indoor facilities at the Jenkins and Wampatuck Schools are excel- lent and with the addition of some indoor equipment the program can be greatly improved. Outdoor facilities at the Wampatuck and Central Schools are adequate, but outdoor play area is very limited at the Jenkins School. As our schools grow we will need more physi- cal education instructors in our elementary school. At the present time Mr. Smith and Mrs. Murphy feel that they are presenting only minimum essentials because of the number of pupils they must teach.
Since we have been on double sessions in the Junior-Senior High School, class scheduling difficulties have made the classes too large. There is not enough outdoor area for boys' and girls' physical edu- cation classes because of the high school athletic program which must be conducted at the same time. In the Junior High we now have one instructor for the girls and one for the boys. They teach part time in the physical education department and teach academic courses the remainder of the day. The shortened day has greatly curtailed the activities of the Junior High physical education pro- gram, although each student gets two classes of physical education weekly.
Emphasis on physical fitness for both the boys and girls in the Junior and Senior High School is being stressed this year. By use of the Illinois High School Fitness Test for boys and the National AAU Test for girls, activities are selected, as much as possible, to overcome the individual and general weaknesses of the students as revealed by these tests.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
Our athletic program in the High School is as extensive for the size of our school as in any high school in the South Shore. We have more activities available for our students than most high schools of comparable size. The interest in these activities show that our students do want all the sports that we now have. Naturally the size of the program will be proportionate to the cost.
I feel that if we have students who desire to compete on the interscholastic level and are willing to spend the time in preparation for this competition the opportunity should be presented to them. As our school grows so will the cost of our athletic program. In fact, our athletic program has outgrown our outdoor facilities to a point where our play and practice areas are curtailing our practice time and are not suitable for competition and practice. Last year ice hockey was added to our athletic program. It is an expensive sport, but enthusiastically endorsed by those participating.
We have a very fine staff of coaches who are to be commended for the fine work they have done during the past school year. The girls' basketball team was co-champion of the South Shore League. The girls' softball team was champion of the South Shore League and the girls' tennis team was undefeated. The baseball team was selected to play in the Class "C" baseball tournament and was eliminated by the eventual winner.
Paul Scott was the all-class state champion in cross country and broke the existing record. He represented Scituate and Massachu- setts in the New England Cross Country Championships at Provi- dence, Rhode Island, and was runner-up to the New England Champion.
I want to thank the police, fire, highway and park departments for their wonderful cooperation.
- Herschel G. Benson, Director
MUSIC FOR ALL
The music program in the Spring of 1958 was a continuation of the program begun in the Fall of 1957, with regular classroom work in singing, theory and music appreciation in the elementary grades. Miss Gertrude Reynolds also had a combined elementary school boys' glee club of about 150 voices which sang in the Annual Spring Concert and elementary P.T.A. meeting in May. Several musical programs and short operettas were presented by individual classes and Christmas assemblies were given by the lower and upper grades in the three schools. Group instrumental instruction was also given in grades six and seven.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
In the Fall of 1958 two additional music teachers were hired .: Miss Nancy Little is now assisting Miss Reynolds in the elementary program. Because of this addition to our elementary staff, we now have a girls' glee club in each school and an instruction pro- gram in strings. Both of these activities are handled by Miss Little in addition to her regular classroom work. Mr. Donald Hermance was hired to teach seventh and eighth grade general music and to build a vocal program in the junior and senior high schools. This vocal program at present consists of a junior high glee club, senior high girls' glee club and a girls' choir. Mr. Hermance also assists in the junior high instrumental program.
The instrumental program this Fall began with about 130 students from grades four, five, and six taking part in our elementary instrumental instruction program. From the Central School group has come an elementary band. The junior high instrumental pro- gram consists of a band which meets twice weekly outside of school hours and sectional rehearsals also after school.
The high school instrumental program has been hit hard by double sessions. The band and orchestra must meet in the after -: noon. Many students need or should use this time for studying and homework, especially if they take part in athletics. Detentions, make- up work and extra help must also come at this time. Many students must take the busses home because of the number of books they carry and lack of other transportation. The quality of musicians, in general, is very good. It is quantity that we lack and the situation: next year will not improve. We have individual students who are very good. This fact becomes apparent when we realize that Scitu- ate musicians represent us in the Southeastern Massachusetts Band- masters Association Band and Chorus; the Southeastern Massachu- setts District Band, Orchestra and Chorus; the All-State Band, Orchestra and Chorus; the All-New England Band, Orchestra and Chorus; and the New England Solo and Ensemble Auditions Festi- val. In the latter, all fourteen participants received top rating. All high school groups participated in the Southeastern Massachusetts Auditions Festival in May, and the Choir appeared several times on a local radio station.
The high school orchestra, girls' glee club and choir, and the junior high school glee club combined to present an excellent Christmas concert.
The situation will not improve in the high school next year. However, we are building from the elementary grades, and by the Fall of 1960, ever-improving high school organizations may be expected.
- Robert E. Morrill, Director
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
DRIVER EDUCATION
The driver education program started soon after the opening of school in September with an enrollment of forty-two students. All seniors who expressed a desire to enroll in the class were accom- modated with the balance of the class made up of juniors.
Included in over twenty-five hours of classroom work were such topics as proper driving attitudes, physical and man-made laws governing operation of a vehicle, problems related to driving in the city, in rural areas and on the superhighways, automobile equip- ment and care, physical and emotional conditions of the driver, how to react in emergency situations, automobile insurance, how to react if involved in an accident, etc. As far as possible the class utilized the roads and highways of Scituate as examples when dis- cussing particular driving problems such as blind corners, congested intersections, narrow roads, railroad grade crossings, etc. so that not only would the students be prepared to cope with the problems in any normal driving situation but also in particular to some of the problems in the area where they may do most of their driving.
In order to pass the classroom phase of the work, students were required to maintain in six objective tests an average of eighty per cent. Thirty-five students successfully completed the classroom work.
These students must also complete a minimum of six hours behind-the-wheel in a dual control car and six additional hours of observation in the car with the instructor to satisfy the requirements of the Registry of Motor Vehicles before they may take the driver examination given by the Registry. Upon successfully completing this "road test", the student is entitled to a certificate issued by the Registry and validated by the driving instructor.
At the time of the writing of this report, there is some uncer- tainty as to the donor of the vehicle we shall use.
- William A. Cook, Driver Education Instructor
ADULT EDUCATION
The Evening Practical Arts Division of the Scituate Public Schools began the school year of 1958-59 with a meeting of its advisory committee in September to select the courses to be offered. A formal registration night was announced and held. Those who could not attend the registration night were allowed to register in those classes which still had openings.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
We started the year with some new courses and some new faces in our teaching staff. Miss Sally LeVangie took over the Ladies' Gym class and Mrs. Hazel Kingston took the Rug Hooking class.
Of the new courses offered, two were in Contract Bridge taught by Mrs. Polly Percy and Mrs. Ellen Donoghue. Others were a Shorthand class taught by Mrs. Alice Merz of the Jenkins School faculty, a class in Knitting instructed by Mrs. Louise Schiner and a course in Chair Caning with Miss Esther Bates.
The other courses were the ones that have proven so success- ful in the past. The following is a listing of the courses and the faculty:
Children's Clothing
Mrs. May Merritt
Clothing I
Mrs. Shirley O'Donnell
Clothing II Mrs. Gloria White
Rug Braiding Mrs. Christel Jones
Cake Decorating and Foods Mrs. Frances Monroe
Ceramics
Woodworking for Men Mrs. Whitton Francis-Smith
Mr. Robert Burgess
Woodworking for Women Mr. Dominic Bonanno
Tpying Mrs. Dorothy Foster
Only the course in Advanced Bridge and the course in Short- hand had to be dropped because of insufficient attendance.
Since last year's open house was so successful we will conduct it this year in the same manner. One class night during the last week of March will be set aside so that visitors may come in to see a class in session and an exhibit of finished products. The only exception to this procedure will be an afternoon fashion show put on by the members of Mrs. Merritt's Children's Clothing class.
The past year has been most successful. This is due to the interest in the Evening Practical Arts shown by the people of Scitu- ate and the quality of instruction by a capable faculty.
We welcome your suggestions for ways of making this program even more successful in the future.
- Edward J. Bielski, Director
TIME OUT FOR SCHOOL LUNCH
In this push button age when everyone is discussing taxes, school housing, education and man-made satellites, those of us in school lunch work would like to emphasize the importance of nutrition to the physical well being of our future citizens. Actually nutrition influences every walk of life - infancy, childhood, matur-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
ity and old age. Upon our health depends the well being of indi- viduals, the happiness of families and the stability of our nation. Article after article is written on the malnutrition of our youth. Statistics claim that "our average American child is properly nour- ished only up to the age of two; thereafter his diet declines steadily until it hits an alarming low in the teens." Doctors and nutrition- ists agree that basically two factors are to blame: "dietary ignorance, and lack of parental direction or discipline, which enables children to indulge in their own dietary whims." The answer to all of this is a better understanding of food. When you and your family eat the right food, it helps you to be at your best in health and vitality - it can help you to stay young longer, thus postponing old age. At any age, we are better off when we are better fed.
Our School Lunch Program is a "gold mine" in teaching the basic facts of nutrition to our youngsters. Since the purpose of this program is to promote the health and welfare of our nation's chil- dren, and to encourage the increased consumption of food in tem- porary abundance, it contributes to every aspect of a child's growth both mentally and physically. "A mentally alert mind harbored in a healthy body provides a fertile field for education." Too, this lunch program offers an opportunity for our children to learn food values and the part that they play in the development of the body. For example, pupils may study the daily menu, the type foods and the elements they contain, and also the values received from these same foods. When this is practiced, they develop a deeper apprecia- tion and respect for those who prepared the food and a better atti- tude towards eating. Menu studying can be correlated with spelling, arithmetic, reading and language. We believe that learning to eat a wide variety of foods in an orderly, pleasant manner is as much a part of a child's education as any other phase of the school cur- riculum. Therefore, time out for School Lunch means time in for education.
Listed below is our Minimum Type A Lunch Requirement which each and every child gets every day, and which supplies them with one third to one half of the daily nutritional requirements. Too, we include the comparable figures of lunches served since consolidation.
1. One-half pint of fluid whole milk as a beverage.
2. Two ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish; or two ounces of cheese; or one egg; or one-half cup of cooked dry beans or peas; or four tablespoons of peanut butter; or an equivalent quantity of any combination of the above listed foods.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
3. A three-fourth cup serving consisting of two or more vege- tables or fruits or both. Full strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-fourth cup (2 oz.) of this requirement.
4. One slice of whole-grain or enriched bread; or a serving of cornbread, biscuit, roll, muffin, etc., made from whole-grain or en- riched meal or flour.
5. Two teaspoons of butter or fortified margarine.
In 1956-57 we served 216,587 Type A Lunches (71,880 more than 1955-56).
In 1957-58 we served 260,932 Type A Lunches (44,245 more than 1956-57).
(Participation in 1955-56 was 55% in all schools and has in- creased to 76.6% and over at times, with the one straight Type A. Program).
- Mrs. Gertrude Timpany, Supervisor
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES
Scituate Junior-Senior High School is searching and striving to give each of its students the best possible training consistent with modern concepts.
Departmental meetings and faculty meetings have been held frequently to discuss curriculum changes and recommend desirable revisions.
Of the 80 graduates in the class of 1958 thirty-six are enrolled in 4-year colleges, 12 in junior colleges, and 6 in nursing schools.
In adjusting to double sessions for the second time within six years, one period was dropped from the schedule of grades 9-12. This time formerly was used as an activity period. Study time within the school day is at a minimum. The various clubs and activities are functioning well with after-school meetings.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT
The Key Club entered dramatics this fall with a highly suc- cessful presentation of "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial".
This year the Scituation is to be published bi-monthly. Receipts from the sale of the Scituation will be used for a scholarship award.
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The Scituate High School Student Association sponsored a banquet for members of the National Honor Society last spring. An all-sports banquet, under the sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce, was also held.
During the fall the school library was opened two evenings each week staffed by volunteer students and faculty members.
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In June the graduation exercises were held for the first time in the high school gymnasium. This year exercises will be held either on Lawson Common or in the gymnasium.
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There are five sections of 8th grade and seven of 7th grade with modified homogeneous grouping in each. Two 8th grade groups are being taught first year Latin in addition to their other major subjects. Four sections of 7th grade are being given more demanding work in their classes to challenge their abilities.
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