USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1926 > Part 10
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Dr. J. William O'Connell, Fairmount Avenue
Term Expires 1928
SUB-COMMITTEES
Mr. Rogers
Public Property Mr. Allman
Mr. Sawyer
Finance and Accounts Dr. O'Connell Mr. Sawyer
Mr. Allman
Teachers and Salaries
Mrs. Ripley
Mr. Sawyer
Mr. Rogers
Dr. O'Connell
Courses of Study Mrs. Ripley Mrs. Miller
Mrs. Miller
Textbooks and Supplies Mrs. Ripley Dr. O'Connell
Superintendent of Schools
Willard B. Atwell, 94 West Chestnut Street
Secretary to the Superintendent Muriel Lance, 15 West Water Street
162
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Office, High School Building. Hours: 8 to 12 and 1:30 to 5.
Monday Evening 7 to 8. Saturday 8 to 12. On Wednesday and Friday the office is open until 5:30 p.m.
Office telephone 0122. Superintendent 0363. Secretary 0074.
Regular Meetings of the School Committee: Second and fourth Fridays of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Committee Rooms.
Report of School Committee
INTRODUCTION
To the Citizens of Wakefield: The following is a compilation of the reports of the various departments as arranged by the Superintendent of Schools. We are presenting this as the report of the School Committee for the past year.
HIGH SCHOOL
Last year there were 689 pupils enrolled in the High School. The registration has increased to 735, enrolled as follows:
Boys Girls Total
Post Graduates
6
10
16
Seniors
52
77
1:29
Juniors
63
89
152
Sophomores
62
99
161
Freshmen
134
143
277
Total
317
418
735
We have been in the new building for about three and one-half years, during which time the membership has increased from 612 to 735.
Early in the Fall the school suffered a severe loss through the death of Miss Elizabeth F. Ingram, who was serving as Head of the English Department. She loved the school and everything connected with it and had a wonderful influence over her pupils. She gave many a word of en- couragement and stimulated her students to do their best and inspired
163
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
35 25 3425 3325
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2125
2025
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1917 1918
1919
1920 1921 1922 1923
1924
1925 1926
Total Enrollment
Average Membership
Average Attendance
3225 3125 3025 2925 2825 2725 2625 2525 2425 2325 2225
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164
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
them with a desire for further study. Miss Ingram gave herself to the school.
The students are using the library more and more. During the school year of 1923-24, the circulation of books was 1521; in 1924-25, 3,029; in 1925-26, 3,844. 185 new books have been added to the library during the past year. Miss Lydia M. Colby gave a recital in the High School Auditorium and donated one-half of the proceeds for the purchase of new books. Mr. and Mrs. Edward E. Lee have donated books to the value of one hundred dollars ($100) as a memorial to their daughter H. Gertrude, who was a graduate of the Wakefield' High School and who served as librarian in the Beebe Memorial Library for many years. We have another citizen who is interested in the library but we cannot give his name as his gift of one hundred dollars ($100) each year for the pur- chase of new books is given anonymously. The Beebe Memorial Library gives us hearty co-operation and we wish at this time to express our ap- preciation of their work. We are teaching students to use the library as a reference room rather than as a study hall.
Our school is the comprehensive type of High School. In it we plan to give a good education to all who are admitted. Consequently we do not feel that our task is done when we have prepared students for col- lege, normal school, or other higher institutions of learning. Most of the graduates of the Commercial Department go into some form of business upon graduation; in fact, we do not have enough students in this Depart- ment to meet the demands. There are now 89 students taking Wood- working, 34 taking Printing, 138 taking Mechanical Drawing, 118 taking Freehand Drawing, and 115 taking Cooking, Sewing, or Millinery. The classes in the Domestic and Manual Arts Departments are increasing so rapidly that elections for these subjects will soon have to be curtailed.
As a school grows extra curricula activities play an important part in the life of the school. We have the following activities: Athletics, Boys' Debating Club of 18 members, Girls' Debating Club of 20 members, Hi-Y Club of 25 members, Boys' Glee Club of 24 members, Girls' Glee Club of 15 members, Stamp Club of 18 members, two History Clubs of 19 and 26 members respectively, French Club of 17 members, Dramatic Club of 60 members, Civics Club of 23 members, and a weekly paper with a. staff of 17. Each club is sponsored by some one teacher who does this work in addition to his or her regular classroom work. Therefore it must be self-evident that the teachers are freely giving of their time to work which helps in an all-round development of the student. We wish to ex- press our appreciation of the co-operation which is apparent in all de- partments of this school.
The students are taking as much care of the building as though it
165
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
were their own home. There is cordial co-operation between teacher and pupil. The Student Self-Government is doing much for the general wel- fare.
Another manifestation of the co-operation of the different depart- ments is shown in the preparation for the Dramatic Club entertainment. The Fine Arts, Industrial Arts, and Household Arts Departments worked together to produce such settings as are worthy of commendation.
When Miss Ingram was in France several years ago she became ac- quainted with two French orphan boys. Upon her return she explained their situation to the students who volunteered to pay for their education. This year the school donated 961 francs for this purpose.
Last summer we erected a wire fence about the athletic field. The Athletic Association, with the assistance of the Parent-Teacher Associa- tion, purchased bleachers with a seating capacity of about 1,100. During the football season we had a larger squad than ever before. The en- couraging part was that practically the entire squad stayed out through- out the season. The season was not particularly successful as far as number of games won was concerned. With a better choice of plays we would have had more wins to our credit. We want to acknowledge the receipt of a beautiful flag 12 ft. x 15 ft. which was given by the Wo- men's Auxiliary of the United Sons of Veterans for the flagpole on the athletic field. The pole itself will be given by the Class of 1926.
The Parent-Teacher Association has undertaken constructive work for the benefit of the school. Last winter they provided refreshments for the Basketball teams after each home game. They are planning to continue this work during the coming year. During the fall they gave one dozen blankets to the football squad. They have established a fund to be known as the Elizabeth F. Ingram Scholarship Fund, which will be used for some deserving student who is planning to go to college.
The Arts Department furnished the cover design for the Annual Re- port of the School Department. This same Department has also designed the bookplate for the High School Library.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
It is said that parents send the whole child to school with the ex- pectation that he will be trained mentally, physically, morally, and spiritually. For the past three years we have been giving more and more attention to the physical training. There are now three on the staff who have particular charge of this work; one man, as Head of the Depart-
166
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
ment, has the planning and laying out of the work as a whole; one wo- man gives full time to the training of the girls in the High School, and one woman gives full time to the same kind of work in the grades. The Head of the Department, in addition to other duties, has full charge of the physical training of the boys in the High School, including sports, and also full charge of the boys of the eighth grade. The work is being uni- fied and graded through carefully planned lessons. Special attention is being given to supervised play during the recess period. In order to maintain interest inter-school games are being fostered from time to time, where the spirit of fair play, good sportsmanship, and team work are inculcated.
The Elks offered a cup for the baseball league. The Chairman of the Committee of the Elks, who had the championship in charge, pre- sented the cup to the Lincoln School team at an assembly in front of the building. In presenting it he spoke particularly of the fine sportsman- ship spirit displayed by the boys and complimented the girls for their part in cheering the team. One of the principals writes: "We have en- deavored to inculcate a spirit of true sportsmanship in all of our con- tests, to play the game for the benefits and pleasure obtained regardless of whether winning or losing; to lose as gracefully as to win; win if pos- sible fairly, but prefer to lose rather than to win unfairly."
HEALTH
The School Physician reports that there were several cases of scarlet fever in the early part of the year considerably beyond the usual amount, particularly among the students of High School age. Repeated examina- tion of the whole school failed to discover its source and no common factor outside of the school could be found. He states that this has been his usual experience; namely, that scarlet fever in the schools can rarely be traced. This is quite at variance with the other contagious diseases which can usually be accounted for, though diphetheria is evasive. The first and fifth grades and the first year of High School pupils have been examined and the data recorded on cards furnished by the State. All the rest of the pupils have been examined for defects of teeth, throats, and also for nasal defects. Some notion of the progressive care of the teeth may be gained from the results. In the Lafayette School, one hundred and seventy-two notices were sent home for defective teeth; in the first year High, ninety-nine; while only seventy-six were found in the three upper classes. A total of nearly eight hundred notices were sent home on teeth alone. It is not the usual practice to send notices on temporary teeth unless they are very bad. This is not because the care of temporary teeth is useless, but because our experience has shown that it is very dif- ficult to persuade the average parent to do anything in the way of dentistry for the temporary teeth and we feel that if for two or three
167
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
years we send notices that are bound to be ignored it is much more likely that subsequent notices as to the permanent teeth will 'also be ignored. Nearly five hundred notices of nose and throat defects were sent home, largely relating to tonsils and adenoids. About thirty-five notices of an abnormal condition of the heart were sent and a very few of suspected disease of the lungs. Of the thirty-five notices relating to the heart, probably less than one-half represent definite organic disease. The re- cent examination by the State Board of Health of underweight and ex- posed pupils ought to discover every probable case of tuberculosis. As a whole the health of the pupils is excellent and the neglected physical de- fects are on the decrease.
The School Nurse, while giving four and one-half days to the schools, has been doing some follow-up work. Many home calls were made in connection with the work done at the Clinic for possible tubercular sus- pects. Two cases have been sent to the North Reading Sanitarium. In co-operation with the Board of Health Nurse, the School Nurse weighed and measured every child in the schools under High School age, tabulating those who were 10% or more underweight. They found 326, or approxi- mately 12% of the total number enrolled in the grades as being pupils 10% or more underweight. The Nurse visited the homes of each of these children to explain the object of the Clinic and to obtain, if possible, the consent of the parent to have his child attend, and 143 consented to have the examination made. The report of the doctors has just been received, but not in time to tabulate for this report.
TESTING
Last year we reported that we had been admitting to the first grade certain children who were under the prescribed school age, but who showed by examination that they had a mental age at least equal to that otherwise required by the regulations. Last Fall 63 pupils were tested for admission. Of these, 22 were given permission to enter Grade I. Checks on the work being done by these pupils show that 14 of them are in the A Division, 5 are in the B Division, and 3 are in the C Division. Checks have also been made on the work being done in the second grade by those who were admitted last year upon these tests and we find that 13 are in the A Division, 4 in the B Division, and 2 in the C Division. Of the two in the C Division, one has been kept out twice by quarantine for contagious diseases. The regulation for admission to the first grade is now as follows: "Voted to admit children who are under the school age and who satisfy the Department by test that they have a mental age of six years and are fitted to enter." All who are five years old on April 1 preceeding the opening of school are admitted without examination.
The last school year is the first during which we have done any amount of work with testing under special leadership. During this time
168
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
every pupil from the third to the eighth grade, inclusive, was given an Achievement Test. These show what the pupils can do in reading, arith- metic, geography, history, literature, language usage, and spelling. There- fore they show the strong and weak points in a school, in a class, and in an individual pupil. It gives a uniform basis for comparing the indi- viduals in a class, the different classes in the same grade throughout the town, and our town with other towns. Children who showed special ability as a result of this test have been checked with other tests and have been moved to some higher class in which it seems they should be work- ing. On the other hand the test indicated in some instances that pupils were floundering in a class which was entirely beyond their capabilities, at least at the present time. These pupils have been placed in other classes in which it appeared they might be able to work. In several cases individual pupils have presented special problems. These have been given tests which we have tried to use for diagnosis. Two of these problems were taken to the Psychopathic Hospital for observation and advice. The Supervisor of Standards and Guidance is now giving group intelligence tests to the pupils in the grades. When these are completed comparisons will be made to see whether pupils are doing all that they are capable of doing, or more, or less. Then we shall make further adjustments as may seem for the best interest of the pupils.
During the current year we shall give follow-up tests on those sub- jects which were low at the last examination to ascertain whether or not improvement has been made, for the principals have received instructions to give special attention to those subjects which ranked below the standard.
SPECIAL CLASSES
We are operating two special classes for those pupils who are more than three years mentally retarded, one in the Lincoln district, and one in the Franklin district. The Special Class which held its sessions last year in one of the rooms at the Lafayette building has been transferred to the vacant room in the portable building at the Lincoln School. This was made necessary because of the increased registration in the eighth grades.
The process of adjustment for this work has been rather slow, ap- parently because we have found difficulty in finding teachers who thoroughly understand this kind of work and who are in sympathy with it. At the present time it looks as though the problem were solved. Some parents have been somewhat reluctant to have their children attend such a class, but the situation is improving, for more and more are feeling that it is beneficial to their children to attend such a class rather than at-
169
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
tempt the regular work as done in the regular classroom. At least one more class should be formed in the fall if we can find proper housing conditions.
SCHOOL SAVINGS
The schools have continued the teaching of thrift in all of its mean- ings. Six districts have continued using the School Savings Bank as one of the means for teaching thrift. As these are conducted the deposits of the pupils are absolutely safe-guarded, but the work is making so much demand upon the time of the principals and teachers that some way must be found in the near future to alleviate the situation. It almost seems that too large a proportion of time is required for this work. Some sys- tems are using vending machines, but these do not seem to protect the children satisfactorily. Our experience of several years ago with stamps seemed to leave too large a loophole for loss. The amount of money in- volved in these banks shows that the work has been successful and we hope that some way may be devised whereby a large saving to time can be made. The statement of the banks of the different schools follows:
170
SCHOOL SAVINGS BANKS
Lincoln
Hurd
Greenwood
Franklin
Woodville
Warren
Total
Active Accounts
251
105
440
227
110
150
1,283
Amount of Deposits
$819.41
$430:04
$1,744.76
$522.81
$270.29
$339.19
$4,126.50
No. Deposits 1926
1,960
946
2,856
1,351
680
875
8,668
No. Withdrawals
103
46
43
68
64
35
359
Amount of Withdrawals
$324.22
$74.79
$29.03
$34.99
$17.83
$25.77
$506.63
Amount transferred to pupils' Accounts in Savings Bank
$501.63
$355.25
$1,616.22
$488.00
$248.00
$274.61
$3,483.71
Balance in Custody of Principal
$2.19
$249.98
$70.39
$35.42
$39.21
$397.19
No. Savings Bank Books Issued
14
22
62
84
34
3.9
255
Summary for Fourteen Years
No. Deposits 94,594
Amount of Deposits Amount of Withdrawals
Amount Transferred To Pupils' Accounts
No. Savings Books Issued
$40,202.84
$4,970.54
$33,443.55
2,761
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
171
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
TRANSPORTATION
As no pupil lives more than two miles from the school which he at- tends, the School Committee has not been interested in the problem of transportation. During the Fall we had a request for a hearing from parents who live at the head of Lake Quannapawit and whose children attend the Hurd School. They set forth the complaint that during the winter months when there is snow on the ground travel from the head of the lake to Cordis Street is particularly dangerous to small children. Added to this they presented the fact that for this distance children are exposed to very severe weather because of the wide stretch across the lake. There are forty children living in that part of the old fair ground which lies in Wakefield, and the new settlement growing up between Lowell Street and the Rifle Range. After careful consideration of the petition, the Committee. believing that there was jusice in the complaint of the parents, voted to transport the children living in these sections, during the winter months and they contracted with the Eastern Massa- chusetts Street Railway for bus service.
PRIMARY SUPERVISOR
Because of the rapid growth of school enrollment and feeling the need of closer contact with the grade work, we have appointed a Primary Supervisor to begin work January 1927. Miss Ethel M. Wilson has re- ceived this appointment. For the present, at least. she will continue with supervision of the work in testing in addition to her work with the pri- mary grades.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT
For the past several years we have had enough teachers interested in some particular Harvard-Boston University Extension Course to enable us to have a professor come to Wakefield to give the instruction in such a course. Each year it has been increasingly difficult to find some subject which would interest enough teachers to warrant holding a class. This year we could not secure the required forty. Consequently there has been no course held here during this fall. Many teachers, however, are going to Boston or Cambridge for advanced work.
At the present time the number of teachers who have received credit for advanced work and the number who have received increases for this work is as follows:
172
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Total Teaching Force: 48 have received credit or 39% of the whole
34 have received increases or 27% of the whole.
High School Teachers: 11 have received credit or 29% of H. S. teachers 8 have received increases or 21% of H. S. teachers.
Elementary Teachers : 37 have received credit or 43% of the elementary teachers
26 have received increases or 30% of the elementary teachers.
The program for securing credits for professional improvement has been in force since December 1921. Some weak spots have become ap- + parent and it seems as though it might be wise to revamp the whole pro- gram.
MANUAL TRAINING
The work in Manual Training has continued along the same lines as in previous years. We have continued the practice of making the work practical as well as educational. To that end the boys do as much work as possible for the schools. The following is a brief resume of some of the work which they have done:
HIGH SCHOOL PROJECTS
Cost
Approxi- mate Value
Bread boards, book ends, bird houses. book racks.
broom holders, key boards, handkerchief boxes
$18.40
$38.45
10 Cedar Chests Floor Lamps
60.85
190.00
19 Hall Trees
21.00
76.00
18 Taborets
9.50
36.25
13 Radio Tables and Consoles Drawers, shelves, frames
32.58
181.00
2.29
5.75
21 Tables: end tables, ironing tables. library, serving telephone, and writing
37.01
187.25
6 Cabinets of various kinds
25.02
82.50
22 Lamps, Candlesticks, and other turned work
3.76
20.85
3 Chests, boxes, etc.
4.31
20.00
16 Miscellaneous furniture, including 5 piano benches
22.28
99.50
36 Miscellaneous pieces
40.50
157.50
$284.90
$1,116.05
7.40
21.00
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
173
GRAMMAR SCHOOL PROJECTS
Bird houses, broom holders, bread boards, tie racks, book ends, boats, boxes, footstools, taborets, hall trees, radio tables, telephone tables, weather vanes, etc.
$116.88
$487.48
PRACTICAL WORK DONE FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
2 Panels, 2 flights of stairs, and fireplace for stage settings
$30.00
$90.00
480 Specimen Boxes for Biology Dept.
7.50
32.50
Drying Rack for Athletic Uniforms
1.65
4.65
Built-in Shelves for Storeroom
51.00
101.00
Clamp Racks
2.70
10.70
Miscellaneous Cabinets
17.25
132.25
Record Boxes
6.00
36.00
Frames, Shelves, and Drawers
8.10
31.60
Frame for Belt Sander
13.50
37.50
Moulds for Cement Drinking Fountain
3.75
13.75
Table
2.55
8.55
20 Tee Squares
1.35
16.35
Weather Cap for Drinking Fountain
.60
1.60
Stakes for Football
2.40
3.90
Boxes for Drafting Room
.75
9.75
5 Bulletin Boards
1.50
10.50
Costumer for Medical Room
2.00
7.00
Beat Board for Gymnasium
4.00
11.00
6 Benches for Athletic Field
28.69
60.03
Notebook racks for Commercial Dept.
6.60
42.60
Lamp standards for Drawing Dept.
4.50
16.80
Boiler Certificates framed
2.10
6.60
Box covers for football equipment.
1.45
2.05
.
$199.94
$686.65
JOBS COMPLETED IN PRINT SHOP
Approximate
Value
$216.65
Stationery, Office Forms, Certificates. Order Books, School Manuals
High School : Office Forms, Courses of Study, tickets, etc.
352.33
1
.
Superintendent's Office :
174
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Athletic Association :
$41.45
Tickets, Posters, Programs
Class Entertainments and Dances : 165.95
Tickets, Programs, Dance Orders, Posters
Club Activities : 96.95
Programs, Tickets, Stationery, Posters
Parent-Teacher Associations : 44.90
Tickets, Posters, Programs
Grammar Schools: 80.60
Report Cards, Office Forms, Stationery
Evening School : 48.80
Office Forms, Programs, Posters
Library Booklets 38.65
Total Estimate of Jobs Completed $1,086.28
Note: These estimates are based on the formulae given out by the Boston Typothetae.
SALARIES
Last year we stated in a report that we had added to the budget i n order that we might increase the maximum salary for both grade and High School teachers. We made our increases in May, effective as of September 1. The State Board of Education has issued a bulletin of salaries of teachers in the public day schools of Massachusetts, which is compiled as of January 1, 1926. The cities and towns are divided into four groups. Group I includes the cities; group II includes the towns of 5,000 population or over; group III includes towns less than 5,000 popula- tion and maintaining a High School; group IV, towns of less than 5,000 population and not maintaining a High School. Wakefield falls in group II, which consists of 74 towns. Wakefield is 14th in size and ranks 28th in average salary for elementary teachers and 19th in average sal- ary for High School teachers. The maximum received by the Wakefield elementary teachers, for the school year 1926-27 is $1550; for 1927-28 it will probably be $1650. The average salary for elementary teachers in this group is $1478. The maximum paid to the High School teachers for this year is $1800; for the next school year it will probably be $1900. The average salary for High School teachers in this group is $1765. The
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