USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts for the year ending 1947 > Part 16
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NEW CORNISH-BURTON
As indicated in the School Committee's report of last year a very urgent school building need is the replace- ment of the two old wooden buildings known as the Cornish-Burton School by a modern building. Unfort- unately the size of a new Cornish-Burton School is re- stricted by the size of lots available or that can be made available. Eecause of the irregular terrain in this part of the village and because of the density of population a site of suitable area for a large sixteen or twenty-room elementary building cannot be provided without an ex- cessive expenditure for grading and for the purchasing of taxable property. A building with twelve classrooms on the first and second floors and probably two or three classrooms on the basement floor if contours are such as to permit of a well lighted basement floor seems to be as large a building as we can hope to provide for in this area. Even then play areas and areas for landscaping to make the building attractive would be very limited. This section however has the largest school population and the children attending this school are much in need of a modern building and equipment.
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NEW COLD SPRING
A new elementary building of eight classrooms and supplementary rooms is indicated for the Cold Spring area because of the following circumstances: First, a building in that location can readily relieve the pressure on both the Cornish-Burton and the Hedge buildings. Second, the Cold Spring area is growing in school pop- ulation and the prospects are that the growth will be even greater in the next several years. Third, the pres- ent building is extremely old and is located on a much traveled artery. Fourth, the town owns in that area a spacious site, formerly known as the Murray lot. This has approaches from three streets and is adequate for enlarging the school building as occasion may require and for suitable play areas.
BUILDING NEEDS BY 1958
In considering the forecast of increasing enrollments in our elementary grades for the next twelve years, it must be borne in mind that there are factors that might affect the forecast very materially. The birth rate may decrease more rapidly than it did in Massacuhsetts after the first World War. Industrial conditions may change so that more families with children will move to Plym- outh or away from Plymouth than has been the case in the past decade or two. There may be the continuance of the decentralizing movement of the population away from our larger centers out into the smaller communities such as Plymouth. Indications of such trends will re- qu re study during the next several years. In the mean time plans should be made for the erection of two new elementary buildings as indicated above. A new and larger school for the Manomet area may be required as well as an addition to the Mount Pleasant providing not only classrooms but an assembly hall which that school very much needs. The extent of our growth and the lo- cation of new housing developments will be the factors that will determine the location of our new elementary buildings as well as the order in which they should be
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constructed. The indicated needs in Table III suggest the possibilities that we face in regard to school housing requirements for our younger pupils. The new buildings and additions suggested above would furnish about 19 of the 25 new classrooms required by 1958 if the element- ary population should reach the number forecasted for 1958.
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL
Several of our teachers who have rendered worthy service in the Plymouth schools for many years resigned during 1947. Miss Flora Keene, teacher in the Knapp School from 1912-21, in the Alden Street School 1921-26, and in the Cornish School grade 2 for the past twenty- one ears, retired after a total of thirty-five years as teacher in Plymouth. Mrs. Helen Perrier Muthig, a member of the Plymouth staff since 1922, resigned as teacher of grade 3 at the Cornish in order to be married. Mrs. Muthig continues in her position as Director of Americanization. Mrs. Beatrice Garvin, supervisor of physical education in elementary schools from 1924-34, adding the Junior High School girls in 1934, and from 1939 giving full time to the Junior and Senior High School girls, was granted a leave of absence in the fall because of her health and later resigned. Miss Katherine Lang, teacher of commercial subjects in the High School for the past seventeen years, resigned to accept a similar position in Haverhill.
Four other teachers who have been with us for shorter periods terminated their services in June. Mrs. Emma Anderson, teacher of grades 1 and 2 at Manomet for the past two years and earlier in various elementary schools in Plymouth, resigned because of home duties. Miss Eleanor Anifantis, Supervisor of Vocal Music for the past two years, resigned because of home ties and ac- cepted a position in Winchester. Mrs. Dorothy Morton Sturtevant, teacher of primary grades at the Hedge for the past two years, resigned to be married. Mrs. Edith Matthews of Wareham, who taught grade 1 at the Hedge during 1946-47, resigned to take a school near home.
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Miss Evelyn Peck, teacher of grade 4 at the Hedge, was granted a leave of one year for the purpose of further study at Concordia Teachers College. Mrs. Marjorie Viets was granted a leave for the fall term on account of her health. Mrs. Marie Southwell Amaral, clerk at the Cornish since 1945, resigned in November, her place be- ing taken by Mrs. Barbara Raymond Bissonnette, class of 1947, Plymouth High School.
New appointments were made as follows: Miss Max- ine Swett, formerly at Mt. Pleasant, to grade 3 Hedge; Miss Mary Connolly, formerly a teacher in high schools of Hanover and Boston, to the social studies position in Senior High taking the place of Mrs. Helen Bagnall, who was transferred to the commercial department; Mrs. Amedea Parkhurst, formerly a teacher at Cornish, to grade 2 Hedge; Mrs. Jeanette Shaw of Carver, and form- erly teacher in Attleboro, to grade 4 at Hedge as substi- tute for Miss Peck; Mrs. Rose Watkins, formerly teacher in Winthrop, to Oak Street grades 1 and 2; Mrs. Evelyn Gellatly, formerly teacher at North Adams Training School, to grade 3 Burton; Miss Ann McNamara of Hav- erhill and graduate of Bridgewater Teachers College 1947 to grades 1 and 2 Manomet; Mrs. Frances Picard, formerly supervisor of music in Plymouth to the position vacated by Miss Eleanor Anifantis; Mrs. Gladys Higgins, formerly teacher at Mt. Pleasant, to the position of assis- tant in grade 1 at Manomet; Miss Jeanne Fabian, a grad- uate of Posse School of physical education in 1947, as substitute supervisor of physical education for girls; and, Mrs. Jean Patenaude, formerly teacher of English in the Junior High School, as substitute for Mrs. Marjorie Viets in English and Latin.
Transfers were made as follows; Mrs. Olga Anderson, grade 2 Hedge, to grade 1; Miss Dorothy Judkins, grade 2 and 3 Burton, to grade 2; and, Miss Janet Broadbent, grades 1 and 2 Oak Street, to grades 2 and 3 Cornish.
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VETERAN'S EDUCATION
The Veteran's Education Center at the High School was continued throughout 1947. Classes are held on Mon- day and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. The pur- pose is to serve the veteran's education needs in Plym- outh, Carver, Kingston, Duxbury, and other nearby towns. 'Classes are conducted on the tutorial self-study basis. The state pays instructors and provides outlines, the town of residence furnishes textbooks, and Plymouth furnishes the meeting place.
Since the veteran's educational interest is in refresher work for higher schooling and the obtaining of credits for a high school diploma, the subjects being offered are: English, U. S. history, Algebra, geometry, basic mathe- matics, chemistry, and physics. Mario Romano is serving as instructor-coordinator and is being assisted by Arthur Pyle and Carlo Guidoboni as instructors.
Up-to-date, ninety-eight veterans have enrolled in the school. Of these many have taken subjects not for credit but for refresher purposes. Others have enrolled for the purpose of keeping up an interest in school with the hope of entering higher training schools sometime in the future. Twenty-six have gone on from the regional center to colleges or technical schools, eight have re- ceived high school diplomas, and fifteen are continuing to work for them.
DRIVER EDUCATION
The course in Driver Education and Training being given by Richard Smiley of the High School staff has as its principal object the saving of lives and reducing in- juries through the teaching of safe-driving practices. The main emphasis is on developing right attitudes in pupils who are beginning to drive and the secondary object is to teach the the skills and technique needed in driving. The fact that drivers in the sixteen-to twenty-year group have the worst accident record of any age group ex- plains the need for the course during the senior high years. Carefully obtained statistics show that such train-
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ing definitely reduces accidents in this age group as much as fifty per cent.
In Plymouth High School, this course is planned to cover a half-year, with two and a half points credit being given toward graduation. Each class has two periods a week of classroom instruction and three periods of actual driving instruction, observation, and practice. Any pupil sixteen years of age or over may take the course. Forty- four pupils elected it during the first half year. The na- ture of the work is such that the classes must necessarily be kept small.
While it is difficult as yet to appraise fully the results of this course, it seems evident that the pupils are de- veloping good safety attitudes and it is probable that at the conclusion of the course many of them will have ac- quired sufficient driving to pass the state drivers' test and secure their licenses, if they wish to do so. In fact in the first group to try the test for a license, 13 of the 14 pupils taking the test were successful, and 33 of 39 pupils who took the written examination received a mark of 80% or better.
IN AID OF OTHERS
Junior Red Cross
During the year 1947, the Junior Red Cross has sent candy and holiday favors to the West Roxbury General Hospital.
Small articles such as soap, toothpaste, pencils, cray- ons, and similar things have been collected in the ele- mentary schools for gift boxes which are sent to Europ- ean children.
During the November enrollment drive $155.61 was collected in the schools bringing the total amount of cash on hand to $592.75. These worthy activities were under the direction of Janet Broadbent of the Cornish School staff.
Save The Children Federation
In October "Bundle Day" was held in the Plymouth schools for the purpose of making the annual collection
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of used clothing for the benefit of needy children in European countries. The sponsoring organization is Save the Children Federation with headquarters at 1 Madison Avenue, New York. The collection in the Plym- outh schools was the fifth annual collection that has been made and yielded 2,260 pounds of clothing. The Hedge School assembled the largest amount with Mount Pleasant taking second place. The total amount of cloth- ing collected during the last five years in this way has reached 9,779 pounds or nearly 9 tons.
It is believed that such efforts will not only help to meet the needs of distressed children but will serve to strengthen the attitude of good will among our own pupils.
THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
The elementary school lunch program is now serving about 300 pupils in three different schools, Cornish-Bur- ton, Hedge, and Manomet. The Cornish lunch was opened in the spring of 1943, the Hedge in the fall of 1946, and the Manomet in the fall of 1947. The subsidy from the Federal Department of Agriculture together with sur- plus commodities received from the same source enable us to furnish the children with a complete nutritious meal at a very nominal price. The original price of the meal was 15c. Owing to the rapidly increasing cost of food it has been necessary to increase this price first to 20c and more recently to 23c. All food is prepared at the Cornish and transported in vacuum containers to the Hedge and Manomet Schools.
The Town appropriates the funds needed to provide lunches for the fiscal year. Receipts from the sale of lunches and reimbursements from the Federal Depart- ment of Agriculture are turned over to the Town Treas- urer. The elementary school lunch is maintained on a self-supporting basis over a period of years-except in the matter of equipment which the town provides. In the four years, 1943 to 1946, balances exceeded deficits by $249.96. During 1947 food costs continued to rise and the
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Federal assistance decreased so that expenditures ex- ceeded receipts by $553.63. There was an inventory value of approximately $150 at the end of th year. The higher price of meals will enable us by the close of this school year to balance the books for the five-year period.
These lunches serve not only transported pupils but but those whose parents are working and cannot be at home during the noon period. Such lunches are also available to some children who live such distances from school that it is difficult to walk both ways during the noon period. The meals served to the pupils in our el- ementary school lunches are required to meet certain standards of nutritional value and balance prescribed by the State Office of the Community School Lunch organ- ization. Our lunch accounts are audited by the same of- fice as well as by the Federal Department of Agriculture.
ACHIEVEMENT IN THREE R'S
During the elementary period of the child's school life, the schools endeavor to help him develop those attitudes, habits, and ideals that make for good citizenship. Teach- ers observe that some pupils make faster progress than others toward this goal. The rate of progress in these aspects of growth. however is not susceptible to math- ematical measurement.
During this same elementary school period, teachers have the much more definite task of helping pupils ac- quire the elementary tools of learning familiarly called the three R's. The child's progress in this direction can be measured with some degree of accuracy by the use of the standardized tests. Such tests are given in the schools of Plymouth each May and enable teachers to determine the achievements of each child in each tool subject in terms of grade standards. In May of 1947 the Metropoli- tan Achievement Test, Form C was given in Plymouth grades one and two, and the revised Stanford Achieve- ment Test, Form E was given in grades three, four, five, and six. The results shown in the table below reveal that' the average achievement of Plymouth pupils was
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above standard in all the tool subjects in all grades ex- cept in second-grade number work which was at the exact standard of the test.
ACHIEVEMENT TESTS, MAY 1947
Grade I
Grade II 2.9
Grade III
Test Standard for Grade ... 1.9*
3.9
Plymouth Averages :-
Reading
2.2 **
3.4
4.1
Numbers ...
2.5
2.9
4.3
Spelling
(None)
3.0
4.0
Grade IV
Grade V 5.9
Grade VI 6.9
Test Standard for Grade ... 4.9 ...
Plymouth Averages :-
Reading ...
5.3
6.3
7.2
Language
5.9
6.6
7.5
Arithmetic
5.0
6.1
7.5
Spelling ...
5.7
6.3
7.3
Should be read-"Grade one, ninth month".
Should be read-"Grade two, second month".
COMPARATIVE DATA ON SCHOOL EXPENDITURES - PLYMOUTH AND 24 MASS. TOWNS (12 Next Largest and 12 Next Smallest Having Elementary, Junior and Senior High Schools)
1945 Pop.
1947 Valuation Per Capita
1946 (Fiscal Year) School Tax
1946 (Fiscal Year) % School Tax of Total Tax
1946-47 (School Year) Expenditure Per Pupil
Belmont
28866
Wellesley
$2739
Northbridge
$20.80
Northbridge
58%
Norwood
$225
Framingham
25502
Winchester
2331
Athol
20.67
Athol
54
Belmont
199
Milton
21718
Needham
2157
Bridgewater
19.18
Shrewsbury
51
Wellesley
199
w. Springfield
19453
Swampscott
2040
Adams
17.92
Bridgewater
5.
Swampscott
188
Winthrop
18696
Belmont
187?
Shrewsbury
17.67
Needham
48
Webster
184
Wellesley
17581
Marblehead
1852
Webster
15.52
W. Springfield
45
Andover
184
Greenfield
17020
Norwood
1817
Winthrop
15.21
Adams
45
Winchester
182
Norwood
16508
Milton
1810
Natick
15.05
Belmont
43
Needham
182
Natick
15789
Lexington
1788
Reading
15.03
Winthrop
43
Milton
173
Winchester
15300
Reading
1633
Rockland
4.91
Winchester
41
W. Springfield
171
Needham
14507
Plymouth
1616
Norwood
14.04
Greenfield
40
Reading
166
Lexington
14452
Andover
1569
Stoneham
13.33
Lexington
40
Greenfield
158
·Plymouth
$13536
W. Springfield
1510
Lexington
13.29
Milton
40
Shrewsbury
157
Webster
13534
Greenfield
1469
Needham
13.27
Reading
40
Lexington
153
Adams
12724
Framingham
1436
Framingham
13.01
Webster
39
Marblehead
152
Marblehead
12524
Stoneham
1311
W. Springfield
12.71
Norwood
37
Stoneham
152
Reading
12327
Winthrop
1291
Andover
12.5?
Plymouth
35
Winthrop
150
Stoneham
12032
Natick
1291
Plymouth
12.46
Andover
34
Plymouth
146
Andover
11920
Shrewsbury
1109
Winchester
12.39
Rockland
33
Framingham
145
Swampscott
11835
Rockland
990
Greenfield
12.01
Framingham
33
Natick
144
Athol
11804
Athol
905
Belmont
11.98
Wellesley
33
Rockland
14:
Northbridge
10212
Adams
833
Milton
11.13
Natick
33
Athol
139
Shrewsbury
9296
Webster
755 Marblehead
10.68 Swampscott
32
Northbridge
132
Bridgewater
8641 Bridgewater
754
Swampscott
10.01
Marblehead
31
Bridgewater
129
Rockland
8603 Northbridge
698
Wellesley
8.83
Stoneham
31
Adams
128
"Median
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PLYMOUTH SCHOOL COSTS
Though the state makes certain minimum require- ments upon the towns and cities as to school privileges that shall be made available to all children, neither the state nor any higher authority indicates how much a community should tax itself to provide these opportun- ities or how much should be spent for each pupil per year for school purposes. Our standards for comparing school costs therefore must be found in the practice of Massachusetts communities that have a similar type of school system to ours, namely, elementary, junior, and senior high schools and communities nearest the size of Plymouth. In the table above such a comparison is given. The towns in this group are the twelve next larger than Plymouth and the twelve next smaller that have ele- mentary, junior, and senior high schools.
It is clear from this table that our valuation per capita of $1616 is above that of the median town in this respect, West Springfield, which is $1510. This indicates that Plymouth is in a relatively favorable position in the amount of its taxable property to support its school pro- gram as compared with that of towns taken for compar- ison. There are ten towns that have more taxable prop- erty per capita but there are fourteen that have less. The table shows where Plymouth stood on three different indices of schools costs. First, how did our school tax rate for 1946 compare with that of the other communi- ties? In seventeen towns the school tax was higher and in seven lower. Second, how did the proportion that the Plymouth school tax bears to the total town tax compare with that of the other twenty-four towns? In sixteen towns the schools received a large share of the tax dol- lar than in Plymouth and eight a smaller share. Third how did Plymouth's cost per pupil in 1946-47 compare with that of the other twenty-four towns? Seventeen towns expended more per pupil than Plymouth and seven less. On all three indices of school costs Plymouth is found in the lower third of the group. This is due in
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large part to the fact that we do not have as many teach- ers for our pupil population as does the average town in the group. As indicated earlier in this report we are at present in need of more classrooms and more teachers in order to eliminate or reduce the number of our over- sized classes. That this need will steadily increase begin- ning as soon as September 1949 is clearly indicated in Tables I to III preceding.
In closing this brief report may I say that I find much personal satisfaction in cooperating with the mem- bers of the School Committee and of the Department staff, both in pursuing our immediate purposes of pro- viding worthy educational opportunities for the boys and girls now in our schools and in the necessary advance planning for the larger numbers anticipated in future years.
Respectfully submitted,
BURR F. JONES
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REPORT OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
On January 1, 1947, the enrollment in the high school was 439. On January 1, 1948, the enrollment is 459. This increase was absorbed in the present school organiza- tion without adding to the faculty because distribution of pupil choices of subjects permitted increase in the size of class divisions, and, since many more pupils than formerly are now carrying five rather than four sub- jects, increase in the number of class divisions was offset to some extent by decrease in the number of study-halls. This made it possible to reassign teachers released from study-hall responsibilities to class rooms. This has not been effected without some minor hardship such as over- sized class divisions and teaching schedules of five rather than four periods but the inequities have been kept at a minimum.
However, with a graduating class of 124 and a probable entering class of 175 the increase in next year's school will almost certainly call for an additional staff member and classroom. At present, with 171/2 rooms at our dis- posal for six periods a day, only one room, one period a day, is not assigned.
At the beginning of the second semester in February of last year Mr. Packard returned from service in the Navy and resumed his duties as head of the Science Depart- ment. Mr. Young, who had been teaching those classes, Įthereupon moved into the Biology position to which he had been elected when Mr. Kingman's illness made it impossible from him to continue, and Mr. Smiley as- sumed the duties entailed by the establishing of a course in Pre-Driven Training at the direction of the School Committee.
During the spring semester Mr. Smiley worked with Mr. Fanning of the Motor Vehicles Division of the De- partment of Public Safety to re-organize this course, with the result that on the opening of school this past September we were able to announce a course in Driver
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Training with behind-the-wheel instruction. The dual- control training car is provided by the Pontiac Division of General Motors.
This year, as last, admission to the colleges have about six times as many applications as they have vacancies. !Because of this pressure most of the colleges have changed their admission procedures and for the most part are now requiring examinations-either scholastic aptitudes, or achievement tests in three major fields, or both-to help them in processing this tremendous num- ber of applicants. This school, to help its students who hope to go to college, has set up a schedule of special classes meeting after school hours each day in the week. A different subject is scheduled for each day.
During the past school year the following items of equipment were purchased out of funds raised by the student body through plays, club, etc .:- (1) From the War Assets Administration a radio transmitter and re- ceiver, value $1000, by the Science Club for only $15; (2) A wire recorder purchased by the English Depart- ment for use in "Correct Speech," $170; (3) A radio tuner to make possible the reception of outside programs, such as Columbia's School of the Air, for use in class rooms, $35.
EDGAR J. MONGAN,
Principal
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REPORT OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Since the opening of the present school year Sept. 3, 1947, 605 students have been enrolled, the largest number at any one time being 598. Of these 21 are from Carver and 21 from Plympton.
There are five seventh-grade divisions averaging 38 pupils. The seating capacity and varying sizes of avail- able classrooms will require the division of the present seventh grade into six eight-grade classes next year, if the pupils of this grade are to be served satisfactorily.
A minimum amount of music work is carried on in the Junior High School because of the limited number of periods in the school day. All music classes are assigned to the supervisor of music, who is forced to cancel them when special duties arise demanding her presence else- where. Thus, fully one-third of the work was omitted during the fall term. If the high standards of group music established in the past are to be maintained, it would seem advisable to assign this work to a teacher of music to serve under the direction of the music super- visor.
Work in the shops is expanding. The report of the Manual Arts Department sets forth this situation as follows:
"With materials now available, more attention is being given to metal work. Projects in wood, wood and met- al, or all metal tend to add interest as well as to broad- en the scope of our work. Both wrought iron and the thinner sheet metals are being used.
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