USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1934 > Part 10
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146
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Sinclair Refining Company Mr. and Mrs. Hervey J. Skinner Spanish War Veterans, Corp. Charles F. Parker Camp 39 Mrs. Sylenda Stearns
Elizabeth B. Thelberg, M. D.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tredinnick
Mrs. Bernard Tyler
S. W. Tyler
Wakefield Daily Item
Wakefield Garden Club
Wakefield Independent
Wakefield Rotary Club
Dana Walsh A. T. Walton
Mrs. Walter Watkins
Mrs. Selim White
Frank J. Wilder
Dr. Frank T. Woodbury
World Tomorrow
147
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
APPENDIX A LIBRARY PICTURE EXHIBITS-1934 From Library Collection unless otherwise marked
MAIN LIBRARY
The tropics American paintings
Birds and flowers in design
Winter birds-(Children's Museum)
Garden and wild flowers
White Mountain photographs-(Gardner E. Campbell)
Paintings-(Boston Business Men's Art Club)
Paintings-(Dr. E. Phillips Osgood)
Paintings-(Edward Liljestrom)
Paintings-(Joseph Fanck)
Paintings and sketches-(Miss Grace Jenkins)
Arts and crafts designs
Children of many lands-(Children's Museum)
Creches through the ages Stamp exhibit (Wakefield Stamp Club)
Opera stars-(Metropolitan Opera Company)
GREENWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY
From the Library Picture Collection:
Nature photography Wild flowers
ยท Gardens Palestine Book jackets Flowers
Special Projects : Pilgrims Elf and the Dormouse Three pigs Eskimo Easter displays
Pied Piper Christmas Eve in Santa Claus Land Christ Child illustrations by the Petershams
Special Loans: Drawings by the 8th grade
148
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
APPENDIX B ERA WORK IN 1934
MEN:
Cleaning walls, floors, ceilings Painting outside woodwork Painting rooms, halls and floors
WOMEN:
Checking registration lists for analyses Copying Old Records of First Parish Counting shelf list of books; counting pamphlets Filing cards, pictures Listing names in History of Wakefield Listing unclassified material Rechecking catalogue cards Typing cards (copying)
..
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
149
TABLE I FINANCIAL STATISTICS 1934
Receipts
Town Appropriation
Dog Tax
$17,500.00 1,442.28
Income from Library Funds:
Junius Beebe Fund
$ 806.27
Marcus Beebe Fund
323.66
Decius Beebe Fund
265.68
Katherine Beebe Fund
225.79
Eleanor H. Beebe Fund
211.27
Frederic Beebe Fund
347.45
Charles S. Beebe Fund
51.91
John H. Beebe Fund
128.62
Alice B. Carpenter Fund
251.25
George O. Carpenter Fund Sylenda B. Stearns Fund
92.33
J. G. Aborn Library Fund Cyrus Gilbert Beebe Fund
70.61
Frederic Beebe Library Fund Rev. Thomas A. Emerson Fund
17.64
Flint Memorial Library Fund
35.30
M. W. Gove Library Fund
16.37
Dr. F. P. Hurd Library Fund
88.25
Franklin Poole Library Fund
17.64
Mary H. Pratt Library Fund
7.05
Cyrus Wakefield Library Fund Melvin Fund
17.64
17.64
$ 3,240.55
Total Income
$22,182.83
51.72
59.63
35.30
150
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
EXPENDITURES
Books Periodicals Binding Salaries:
$ 4,413.39 459.00
1,380.63
Library service
$ 9,966.71
Janitor service
2,026.30
$11,992.01
Other Expenses:
Printing
$ 67.50
Light
691.60
Heat
702.35
Furnishings
78.95
Supplies
1,000.63
Maintenance:
Repairs
$ 509.76
Miscellaneous
886.88
$22,182.70
Library receipts returned to the town for the year
1934; from fines, payment of lost books, etc. $ 745.67
a
151
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
TABLE II CLASSIFIED TABLE OF VOLUMES ISSUED IN 1934
GREENWOOD Trans.
Adult
MAIN Juvenile
Adult
Juvenile Camp
Reference works and bound
periodicals
157
232
48
95
Philosophy
1,224
21
221
13
2
Religion
614
219
151
150
3
Sociology
2,364
1,330
637
631
11
Philolgy (Language)
165
5
6
Natural Science
1,230
777
169
579
2
Useful Arts
3,559
913
430
522
32
Fine Arts
3,654
680
552
249
3
Literature
5,861
1,278
903
505
9
History
1,588
1,254
225
878
103
Travel
3,537
1,862
950
1,149
88
Biography
3,577
836
1,080
643
44
Fiction
95,089
23,087
27,609
11,915
3,951
Little folk's readers
12,259
6,025
Pamphlets
244
11
1
Foreign books which were on loan
174
Current periodicals
5,424
894
2,392
604
128,461
45,658
35,374
23,958
4,248
School books issued
8,653
Total
246,352
Pictures
5,237
BORROWERS REGISTERED
Adult
Juvenile
Main Library Greenwood Branch
3,944
2,358
6,302
1,203
Total borrowers registered
7,505
(School borrowers not registered)
237,699
152
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
TABLE III
RESOURCES
Volumes belonging to Library, January 1, 1934 Additions in 1934
54,656
MAIN LIBRARY, by purchase
New Titles
Adults
1,180
Juvenile
288
1,468
Replacements and duplicates
Adult
411
Juvenile
466
877
GREENWOOD, by purchase
New Titles
Adult
245
Juvenile
166
411
Replacements and duplicates
Adult
4
Juvenile
74
78
Gifts
89
School
54
Bound magazines
161
Total additions
3,138
Volumes withdrawn, 1934
1,609
Volumes belonging to Library, December 31, 1934
56,185
153
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
TABLE IV
American Library Association Form for Uniform Statistics
Population of Wakefield (1931)
16,318
Terms of use of Library: FREE
Agencies: Main Library, one branch, nine schools
Days open during the year-Main Library
3021/2
Days open during the year-Branch Library
150
Hours open each week for lending-Main Library
66
Hours open each week for lending-Branch Library
161/2
Hours open each week for reading-Main Library
69
Hours open each week for reading-Branch Library
161/2
Number of volumes at beginning of year
54,656
Number of volumes added by purchase
3,049
Number of volumes added by gift
89
Number of volumes withdrawn during year
1,609
Number of volumes at end of year
56,185
Pictures (10,431 mounted)
66,000
Pamphlets
4,953
Number of registered borrowers
7,455
Number of volumes lent for home use
246,352
Number of pictures lent for home use
5,237
Registration period
2 years
Number newspapers (one gift) received currently
8
Number periodical titles currently received Main Library 128
Branch Library
35
Library receipts :
Town appropriation
$ 17,500.00
Income from dog tax
1,442.28
Income from trust funds
3,240.55
$ 22,182.83
Library expenditures :
Books
$ 4,413.39
Periodicals
459.00
Binding
1,380.63
Salaries, library service
9,966.71
Salaries, janitor service
2,026.30
Light
691.60
Supplies
1,000.63
Other maintenance
2,550.44
Total
$ 22,182.70
Returned to Town from fines, payment of lost books, etc.
$ 745.67
154
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of School Committee
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
School Committee for 1934
Dr. J. William O'Connell, Chairman 20 Fairmount Avenue
Term Expires 1937
Mrs. Eva Gowing Ripley, Secretary 40 Emerson Street
Term Expires 1937
Mrs. Mabel Wall Sweetser, Treasurer 308 Main Street
Term Expires 1936
Harry B. Allman 43 Greenwood Street, Greenwood
Term Expires 1936
Thomas F. Kenney 23 Charles Street
Term Expires 1935
Gardner E. Campbell 11 Wave Avenue
Term Expires 1935.
SUB-COMMITTEES
The Committee as a whole acts as sub-committees with the following chairmen:
Mrs. Sweetser-Text Books and Supplies
Mrs. Ripley-Teachers and Salaries
Mr. Allman-Finance and Accounts
Mr. Campbell-Courses of Study
Mr. Kenney-Public Property
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Willard B. Atwell, 94 West Chestnut Street
SECRETARY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT Pauline E. Meads, 240 Lowell Street
CLERK
Anna M. Anderson, 17 Franklin Street
155
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Wakefield:
The financial condition of the town for 1934 was no better than it was in 1933, and the problems which faced the School Department were as troublesome as before. Continuing with the idea of co-operating with the Town Finance Committee, the School Committee cut its budget to $250,000.00 which was a reduction of $6,000.00 from the amount appropri- ated for 1933, and kept within this appropriation with a balance of sev- enteen cents at the end of the year. Of course this meant practicing rigid economy in all respects. This was made more difficult because of expenditures that had to be made for work which was done under the Emergency Relief Administration. This work included painting a por- tion of the Greenwood, Franklin and High Schools. Added to this was the cost of repairing breaks caused by freezing during the severe winter.
In making the budget for 1934, we estimated the cost of semi-bitumi- nous coal to be $5.30 per ton. The contract which was let by the Board of Selectmen called for a price of $7.00 a ton. The severe weather during the winter made it necessary to buy an additional amount of coal to fin- ish the school year. This extra amount, together with the decided increase in the price of the semi-bituminous coal, would cause an over-draft of about $1,400.00 in our fuel account. Because of the closeness of the fig- uring in making up the budget, we found we could not pay these extra amounts and keep within the appropriation if we should buy the usual year's supply of coal during the summer. It became necessary, therefore, to cut all fuel orders by 20%. Even then we would have exceeded the appropriation had we not had a large turn-over in the teaching force. These changes in teachers effected a net saving of $2,079.00 for the year 1934.
The total amount spent for the ERA work was $1,714.83. This work covered the following:
High School
Supervision of the drainage of the athletic field.
Painting as Follows
1. Physical directors' offices and anterooms.
2. Gymnasium balcony locker-room, and anterooms.
3. Two stairwells.
4. Boys' and girls' locker rooms on 1st and 2nd floors.
5. Boys' and girls' toilets on 1st and 2nd floors.
6. Corridors on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
7. a. Six classrooms on 1st floor.
b. Nine class rooms on 2nd floor, library and library anterooms.
c. Four class rooms on 3rd floor completed
d. Eight classrooms on 3rd floor, including bookkeeping room, ante- rooms and lavatories.
156
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
9. Auditorium.
10. Gymnasium.
11. Refinished floor of gymnasium.
Greenwood School (Painting)
1. Six classrooms.
2. Six corridors.
3. Three stairwells.
4. Principal's office.
5. Teachers' room.
6. Auditorium and anterooms.
7. Fire escapes.
Franklin School
1. Sixteen classrooms washed and sized.
2. Two stairwells washed and sized.
3. One corridor washed and sized.
4. One corridor painted one coat.
Hamilton School
1. Fire escapes painted.
The expenditures for maintenance excluding that for the ERA work and cost of freeze-ups were approximately the same as the low level of 1933.
Some of the major items of the past year have been as follows:
High School
1. Walls and ceilings patched in preparation for painting.
2. All glass reset in the greenhouse.
3. Additional heating equipment provided for gymnasium.
4. Driveway resurfaced.
5. Nine blocks in the cement walk replaced.
6. Superintendent's suite and principal's suite, including medical room, painted.
Franklin School
1. Walls and ceilings patched in preparation for painting.
2. Rebraced vent covers on roof.
3. Repaired vento system.
4. Additional shelves put up in stockroom.
Greenwood School
1. Brush on a portion of playground removed by welfare workers.
2. Floor of auditorium refinished.
3. Additional heating equipment installed in principal's office.
.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
157
Hurd School
1. Connected school with the new sewer extension.
2. Reset two furnaces.
3. Floors patched and repaired.
4. Front walk repaired.
Lafayette School
1. Broken sashes repaired and glass replaced in the windows.
2. Leak in roof repaired.
Montrose School
1. Installed a hot-water system for the kitchen, teachers' and emergency rooms.
2. Cut down trees, dug out large rocks and smoothed the play- ground. This work was done by welfare workers.
West Ward School
1. Inside walls painted.
2. Playground has received especial attention from the ERA. Trees and brush have been taken down.
3. Chimney taken down about ten feet and rebuilt.
Warren School
1. Two basement stairwells repainted.
Woodville School
1. Erected metal vent covers.
-
2. Chimney built higher because of vent covers.
3. Principal's office refinished (walls damaged by bursting water pipe).
The school buildings are now in very good condition.
Two teachers retired during the Summer after long and faithful service to the town. These were Miss Elizabeth Gardner of the Green- wood School and Miss Clara Davidson of the Lincoln School. Miss Ethel M. Wilson was transferred from the Franklin School to take Miss Gard- ner's place. The classes at the Franklin School were rearranged with the idea in mind of trying to operate the school with one teacher less. This was given a trial during the Fall term, but the principal reports that it has not worked at all satisfactorily. Because of language difficulties and other conditions the lowest classes were losing too much, therefore, we found it necessary to replace a teacher and this was so voted to take effect January 1, 1935.
The registration at the Lincoln School has dropped and we found that it would be entirely feasible to rearrange the classes there and thus it would not be necessary to fill the vacancy caused by Miss Davidson's retirement.
158
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
There were three resignations from the teaching force of the Wood- ville School, but two of these places were filled, leaving the staff one less than it has been heretofore. This compelled a reorganization of the classes, but even with this reorganization the number of pupils per teacher is 31, which is the second lowest in town. The possibility of operating this school with five instead of six teachers is due to the decrease in enroll- ment. We have watched the situation carefully to make sure that the pupils are not losing in their school work. In December, the principal gave achievement tests in the primary grades, the results showing that there was no loss in efficiency and comparing very favorable with those obtained in previous years, during the time of the regular testing program.
Two years ago, as one of the steps in economy, the librarian in the High School was given a leave of absence. This move has proved to be detrimental to the work of the school, even though the library was kept open part time under a cadet teacher. Realizing this handicap, the committee has appointed a librarian to begin work on January 1, 1935.
Cooking and sewing also were dropped from the high school course of study, as was manual training from the course for the eighth grade.
The work in manual training has not yet been restored, but because of the change in curricula, or rather by the addition of another curricu- lum, it seemed to be advisable to replace a part of the work in cooking and sewing. The new curriculum is added to take care of a group of pupils who enter the high school each year without having thoroughly com- pleted the work of the grades. These pupils are usually those who would profit much more by high school contacts than by contacts in the ele- mentary schools. As they have not completed all the work required for general admission to the high school, they are given this special work which is fitted to their needs and is such that they progress at a slower rate of speed.
If any pupil gives evidence by his work in these classes that he could probably do the work of the regular classes, he is then transferred and given a chance to do so. At the present time this course covers two years. It may be changed eventually into a five-year course. It is hoped that many who might become discouraged and drop out may, by moving more slowly, eventually finish the high school course. Most of these pupils, under ordinary circumstances, become repeaters and thereby slow up the work of the regular classes. Now, because they are taken out and given another course, the regular classes are able to proceed more rapidly and more thoroughly.
Some other acts of the committee during the year are as follows:
Recommended that the dance, which in previous years has been held on the Friday evening following the Graduation Exercises of the Senior Class, be held after the Class Day Exercises on the Monday evening of graduation week.
That the Reception, which in previous years has been held on Friday evening following Graduation Exercises, be held directly after the Grad- uation Exercises.
159
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
That informal dress for both of these affairs be followed as the proper custom for the members of the Senior Class.
(The Senior Class later voted to accept the recommendation.)
Granted permission to the Chamber of Commerce to use a portion of Walton Field during the week of August 12, to be observed as Old Home Week.
Granted permission to the Recreation Commission to use the high school gymnasium for women's classes on two nights each week, and also to use Walton Field during the Summer after the high school baseball team has finished its schedule.
Approved the re-establishment of the pre-school centers in accordance with the FERA conditions forwarded by the State Department of Education.
Established the tuition rate for out-of-town pupils for the school year of 1934-35 at $61.18 for the elementary schools and $92.25 for the high school, it being understood that $25.00 be added to the high school rate for Lynnfield pupils.
Granted permission to the Chamber of Commerce to use a room in the high school for the use of its classes in business instruction.
Restored the no-school signals for the high school and eighth grade.
Notified the Town Committee, Harold Merritt, chairman, that if in its opinion, the east wall on the first floor corridor in the high school is as suitable a place as can be found at the present time for the portraits of the thirty Wakefield men who gave their lives in the World War, the School Committee is willing that they should be placed there, it being understood that the School Committee cannot assume expense of installa- tion or lighting, if any.
All appointments to fill teaching vacancies have been made from Wakefield candidates.
An amendment to the Rules and Regulations was proposed in Decem- ber, but action on this must lie on the table until January. The proposed amendment is a substitute for the section which provides that teachers shall be paid monthly and has the following provisions:
1. That the yearly salary of teachers and supervisors be paid in twenty equal payments on the first and the fifteenth of each month of the school year.
2. That the superintendent, secretaries, school nurse, attendance officer and janitors be paid weekly.
3. That payment of all salaries and wages be made by check.
4. That all adjustments to salaries and wages due to absence be made on each pay day for the preceding period.
5. That the first payment of this new arrangement be made on March 15, 1935.
The principal of the High School reports a total enrollment for the regular four years of 1179, 833 of these pupils attending the morning ses- sion. A portion of his report is as follows:
160
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
"The enrollment at the beginning of the school year was as follows:
Boys
Girls
Total
Post Graduates
10
12
22
Seniors
107
123
230
Juniors
131
143
274
Sophomores
156
151
307
Freshmen
182
164
346
586
593
1179
"This gives an enrollment for the four-year high school of 1179, an increase of 59 over the previous year. In the morning session we have 833 pupils which practically fills the building. This year we have had to use the auditorium as a study room the first three periods on Friday; but as a study room, the auditorium is exceedingly poor.
"We lost two English teachers, Miss A. True Hardy and Miss Kath- erine Kelly, who were married. These positions were filled by Mr. John Butler and Miss A. Louise Allman. Miss Thelma Fletcher, teacher of science, resigned, and was succeeded by Miss Eleanor Gleason. Miss Anne Meserve returned after two years' leave of absence, to teach sewing and cooking, which were restored to the curriculum. Also Miss Mildred Moore was appointed librarian. For two years we have had the library open part time under the supervision of cadet librarians and it is very gratify- ing to have the library open nine periods a day out of the eleven. I know it will mean a great deal to the betterment of our school work. We were under a great handicap when it was open only part of the time.
"We have had some serious handicaps this year. Since pupils who were not adapted for the college curriculum were advised to elect other courses, the large majority elected the commercial course. As a result, our typewriting equipment was not adequate for all morning pupils. We have six recitation periods in the forenoon session and we had ten classes of typewriting. This meant that the pupils in the last four classes would have to return to school for one class from 1:54 P.M. to 3:27 P.M. As many adjustments as possible were made so that the pupils from Lynnfield, Greenwood and Montrose could get their work done by 1:00 P.M. or 1:54 P.M. Many pupils did not like the idea of returning in the afternoon for typewriting so dropped it. There were forty-eight pupils who dropped this subject.
"In chemistry, Mr. Myron Gallop had three classes and also three in general science. The chemistry classes come in the forenoon so he can give no assistance to general science pupils and he has three classes in the afternoon in general science and so can give no assistance to chemistry pupils. That makes it very difficult and, consequently, the pupils are not really getting a square deal.
"This year we have had the High School Preparatory Course in oper- ation. There is one class of Sophomores and one of Freshmen. Each
-
161
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
class has thirty-five pupils and I feel that it is solving one of our diffi- cult problems. The pupils in these classes have practically no home work assignments. The work is done in the class room under the guidance of the teacher and the pupils work as rapidly as they can. Some do very little and others vary in the amount of work done. One of the advan- tages is that in any of the other courses these pupils would be failures and in this course they are not. Some do well in sewing; others very poorly. The same is true in cooking. In woodwork some do well; others do not. It seems the same in all of the subjects taken. In one or two subjects they do satisfactory work; in the other subjects they vary from , passable work to almost nothing. It has been a help in the other classes to have this group out as their poor work is not so apparent to them and the other classes can go along a little more easily as this slower group is not present. I am more convinced than ever that this course is a step in the right direction and will accomplish what we hoped it would; namely, help this group to feel that they are not failures.
"The ruling of the School Committee, making physical training elec- tive for seniors, relieved a very unsatisfactory problem. Some of the physical training classes had seventy-five pupils, which would have made the work very unsatisfactory, both on the gymnasium floor and in the gymnasium locker room. As it is, the gymnasium locker room is very inadequate. I hope measures will be taken soon to relieve the congestion there.
"Last June the Senior Class had their reception immediately after the graduation exercises and their dance after their Class Day exercises, . instead of on the Friday evening following graduation. I feel sure that the change is a great improvement. It certainly eliminated the dis- agreeable features of the previous years. I hope this year's class will continue the example set by last year's class.
"I believe the work of the High School is kept up to as high a level as can be expected under the crowded conditions. We cannot expect the same grade as we had previous to the two-session school, inasmuch as the teachers cannot give as much time as necessary to the slow pupils. Teachers have classes which are too large, and too many classes each day, to do much outside work with deserving pupils.
"Under the two-session plan practically all extra curriculum activities have to be eliminated. In many respects these activities are as valuable to pupils as their regular class-room subjects.
"We still have our Boys' Glee Club of 90 pupils. These boys have to practise in the Y. M. C. A. in the afternoon and the Freshmen have to rehearse after 5:00 o'clock. It is practically impossible to have them rehearse together unless they meet in the evening.
"The Boys' Band of 100 pupils have their rehearsals in the evening. The orchestra has to rehearse after 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon, which is a very undesirable time.
162
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
"The Inter Nos Club, which meets once a month, is the only girls' club we have in school. It supplies a great need and does a great deal of good for all who can belong. About 150 girls are members of the club. This club sponsored three dinners at Thanksgiving time to families whose children are members of our school.
"The Hi-Y Club is doing remarkable work among the boys. They are interested in gathering toys at Christmas time which are given to the Welfare Department.
"The boys' basketball team has to practice in the evening or after 5:00 P. M. Even under these conditions, our team has won two championships in three years.
"If we did not have very remarkable instructors in our extra-curricula activities we would not be able to do these things.
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