USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Rockland > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Rockland Massachusetts for the year ending 1932 > Part 8
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
the remainder of the school year as a substitute teacher with substitute's pay.
Miss Mary Eastman, a teacher of arithmetic in our Junior High and in the Rockland Schools for more than twenty years, was retired by the State on July 1, 1932. Miss Eastman, a very conscientious, painstaking teacher, a lover of children and the profession in which she was en- gaged, will be greatly missed by all her former students. No teacher was hired to take her place.
Miss Margaret Dailey, who had taught the past five years in our Commercial Department, received a Boston appointment and resigned the last of August. Miss Grace Tanner, a graduate of Simmons, who had formerly held a commercial position in our high school, was appointed to take Miss Dailey's place.
Miss Mary Kirby, for six years an English teacher in our high school, resigned in September to accept a better position in one of the Junior High Schools of Malden. Mr. Kenyon Poole, a resident of Rockland and a graduate of Harvard University was elected to fill the vacancy in the English department.
Miss Margaret Quirk, the director of Matehmatics in the Junior and Senior High School resigned in December to accept a position in the Boston School System. Mr. Mal- colm Pratt of Worcester, a graduate of Dartmouth College and with mathematics teaching experience since graduation in June 1931 in the Oxford High School has been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss Quirk.
In 1920 Rockland had nine years of elementary educa- tion and four years of high school. In 1928 there was a reorganization of the system with the introduction of the Junior Senior High School so that we now have six years of elementary education including three years of Junior High and three of Senior High work. We had an enroll- ment of 261 in 1920 in the high school (4 years) whereas
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
now in 1932, the four upper years of our Junior Senior High number 464. This shows an increase of approximately 80 per cent. At the high school we have passed through a period of active growth. Whether this is the result of the new high school building, or the natural consequence of a period of industrial stagnation, is hard to judge but I assume it is due to both factors. Increases in enrollment inevitably mean additional teachers.
The following figures show our increased enrollment with the paralleled increase in appropriation :
Enrollment
Year
Appropriation
High
Elementary
Total
1920
$ 85,823.75
261
1174
1435
1921
92,597.68
280
1243
1523
1922
105,000.00
328
1211
1539
1923
105,000.00
385
1222
1607
1924
105,000.00
388
1225
1613
1925
105,000.00
381
1094
1475
1926
107,680.00
365
1060
1425
1927
113,732.52
351
1088
1439
1928
119,000.00
674
786
1460
1929
128,500.00
710
746
1456
1930
128,500.00
688
829
1517
1931
128,000.00
694
804
1498
1932
110,000.00
700
833
1533
During the past three years from a total appropriation of $366,500.00 the net cost to the town was $317,901.29, thus affording a saving of $48,598.71.
The annual report of the work accomplished by each of the various school departments has been submitted to me. I am here including a portion of each report.
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
Report of Physical Education Department Boy's Division-William P. Earley
The Physical Education Department for boys during the past year has endeavored to continue the plans and ac- complishments of the previous year, namely, each boy in some form of athletic endeavor.
In working these plans out our activities have taken on various and numerous characteristics all of which have for the main purpose, the complete exercise of the body with the attending principle of coordination of mind with body.
The following list is of main activities which have been of interest during the year: an inter-class track meet, miniature or modified marathon races, basketball leagues, indoor and outdoor baseball leagues, touch football games, soccer races and many other types of competition which have the tendency to increase the competitive spirit of the boy and at the same time to develop the proper sense of sportsmanship on his part. Of course we have had aside from these activities our regular varsity athletics in com- petition with other schools.
The gym work as regular school time activity has been rather closely allied with varsity athletics because in my opinion there is hardly any difference between them inas- much as they both have the main object in view, namely "a sound mind in a sound body." Of course, there is greater variety in the gym class work due to the greater variety of boys who take up the compulsory work.
Our varsity athletic teams during the past year have shown a better knowledge of their respective sports and the boys have shown a vast improvement in their physical efficiency due to their closer attention to the fundamentals of those sports.
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
We are still not satisfied with the turnout of the lower classmen for the varsity athletics of the school even though there has been a slight improvement along this line. In order to increase this interest we have formed for the com- ing season a freshman basketball team which will play a regular schedule of games with freshmen teams of other schools. This will be only one of the many steps we hope to take in interesting the lower classmen in varsity athletics so that they will be much more efficient and confident ath- letes in their junior and senior years of high scohol.
With this idea in mind, the gym is continually in use during the winter until very late in the afternoon of each school day with junior high as well as senior high boys going through their respective paces. The boys find the play most interesting, the contacts they make, lasting, and the exercise of untold value to them in their process of be- ing molded into healthy young citizens.
The path to health is sometimes rocky but it is stable enough if boys will take advantage of facilities offered to them by those interested in their welfare whether it be townsfolk, parent or teacher. The boys of Rockland High School, with the facilities of this beautiful athletic plant at their disposal, should grasp the opportunity of active participation in athletic exercise.
Report of Physical Education Department Girls' Division-Josephine Fitzgibbons
The aims of physical education for girls are, briefly stated, fourfold: (1) to improve the general health; (2) to improve the posture; (3) to cultivate a spirit of fairness, as well as a love of the sport; (4) to improve the carriage and to develop grace of bodily movement.
In the three lower grades the work consists of games, story and rhythmic plays. In the fourth grade simple
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
formal gymnastics are introduced and the work divided among gymnastics, rhythmic plays, tap dancing and games.
In the Junior High School one period a week is re- quired for physical education. The work includes march- ing tactics, running, Swedish and German gymnastics, tap dancing and games. Each pupil in the Junior High was weighed, measured and given a posture test. Exercises were then given to help correct these defects in posture.
As usual two periods a week are required in the High School for physical education. In the Spring and Fall both periods are devoted to outdoor sports. The work here in- cludes advance Swedish, German and some Danish gymnas- tics, marching, running, tap dancing, and all games. Bas- ketball is the principal game and several class teams have been organized. A varsity team has also been organized. This year we were handicapped in not being able to buy equipment necessary to continue our Filed Hockey, which is being universally adopted by all high schools.
Report of Dental Hygienist-Miss Evelyn Delory
A total of seven visits was made to each classroom during the school year by the dental hygienist. The first few minutes of each visit was given over to the inspection of mouths for cleanliness and the children were marked accordingly. At the end of the school year, those children having good marks for these inspections, were rewarded with suitable buttons. 562 children qualified for these buttons. There were 79 children with perfect marks for the year and they were rewarded with tubes of toothpaste in addition to the buttons.
The remainder of the period was given over to lessons in oral hygiene. In the first three grades toothbrushing, care of brushes, and food were stressed. While in grades four to six, more advanced topics such as functions of vari-
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
ous teeth, tooth structure and tooth development were dis- cussed.
The usual routine clinic work namely oral prophylactic and examining was carried on as usual with a total of 1166 cleanings for the year.
A pre-school clinic was held in the spring, at which time 56 children were examined and the defects talked over with the parents.
Due to the very generous donations the teachers gave from their salaries, fourteen children received emergency, dental attention, with a total of 15 extractions and 8 fillings. I wish to extend my thanks to he local dentists for their splendid cooperation during the past year.
Since dental caries is the most outstanding defect in the school children and it has such a tremendous influence on the health of the entire body, some means for correcting would be less emergency extractions in grades four to six, to say nothing of older children.
It is my belief that until we have brought some correct- ive means within reach of the school children, we shall have nothing very definite with which to measure results satis- factorily.
REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIANS AND NURSE
Louise A. Considine, R. N.
Joseph H. Dunn, M. D. Joseph Frame, M. D.
A physical examination was made of all the pupils of the elementary grades. The players on the high school teams, both boys and girls, were given a careful examina- tion before being allowed to participate in sports.
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
We carried out our usual Schick program but omitted the test as the largest percentage of the children react pos- itively therefore we plan to give three innoculations and test the following year. This is the routine procedure in the majority of the towns. We urge all parents to protect their children from Diptheria.
We feel that the Milk Fund is a very worthwhile project and we sincerely hope that it may continue as a benefit to the children.
Following is the list of defects found:
Cases of enlarged tonsils and adenoids 124
Cases of enlarged cervical glands 13
Cases of defective hearing 34
Cases of defective vision
34
Cases of hilum tuberculosis
22
No. given toxin antitoxin innoculations
136
Activities of School Nurse
Classrooms in the elementary schools are visited twice weekly. High School classes are visited whenever re- quested. Pupils of elementary grades are weighed month- ly. Special examinations are made when pupils have been exposed to contagion. An office hour is maintained by the nurse each school day morning from 8:30 to 9:30 o'clock and she may be reached by telephoning the school office.
Number of visits to schools 1795
Number of visits to homes 751
Number of minor wounds dressed 173
Number of emergency treatments 26
Number taken home ill 60
Number sent to school physicians
3
Number sent to family physician 21
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
Number excluded from school 25
Number taken to hospital for X-ray 2 Number taken to hospital clinics 21 Number X-rayed by Chadwick Clinic 22
All cases of attendance which have been reported to me have been investigated.
Much time was spent carrying on the relief work which was made possible by the School Employees' Welfare Fund.
REPORT OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Miss Blanche Maguire
Music in our grade schools is conducted in three divisions :
1. Singing: The work is graded from the first grade to the sixth; from rote songs, to two part and three part songs. Theory of music accompanies these stages. . lines and spaces, value of notes, rests, keys, rhythms, chromatics, time signatures, placement of sharps and flats, major and minor keys, and terminology of ex- pression.
2. Music Appreciation: Selections are played on the vic- trola and conducted in the form of a music memory test.
3. Toy orchestras are introduced for the first, second, and third grades.
The mass chorus practice in both Junior and Senior High School aims to develop concerted singing, correct use of voice and proper interpretation of choral music.
A marked improvement has been noted in the girls' glee club numbering 127 voices since its inception four years ago. They have made many public appearances including gradua-
.
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
tion and the Community Bazaar. Probably the most ap- preciative work was that of the singing of carols on Christ- mas Eve.
REPORT OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT Michael Cassano
Forty-three of our boys and girls are active members of the School Band, twenty-one of the orchestra and sixty- three receive free private instruction during school hours.
The band plays for outdoor school functions and for programs on special holidays; the orchestra performs dur- ing school assemblies and for special occasions such as presentations of plays, commemoration and graduation ex- ercises.
Increased interest is shown by the students, and sev- eral who return for post graduate study have asked to continue their musical training. Several members of the band and orchestra, since their graduation from school, are earning money with their music.
REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL ARTS DEPARTMENT James A. Lynn
The shop slogan of the Manual Arts Department for the year has been: "Seize This Very Minute. What You Can Do, or Think You Can, Begin It."
There are in all 205 boys devoting two periods per week to shop work. Fourteen of this number devoting four periods per week and fourteen devoting from two to four periods per week in the printing department.
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
The following are a few factors in the selection of projects :
They must challenge the boys' interest.
They must be considered useful.
They should require skill.
The following factors govern the marks each pupil receives for work done in the shop classes: Effort, Atten- tion, Accuracy, Skill, and the work done.
The work in the printing department has been a con- tinuation of that carried on last year. There has been a marked improvement in the work and each grade is pro- gressing steadily toward the required standard.
The following is a list of some of the forms printed by the classes in the printing department during the past year.
3000 Junior High Report Cards
1000 Senior High Report Cards
700 R. H. S. Class Play Programs
700 R. H. S. Class Play Tickets
300 R. T. A. Constitution
200 Inventory Forms 500 Tardy Slips
1000 Primary Report Cards
1000 Reports of Attendance
500 Teachers' Contracts
500 College Preparatory Deficiency Reports
500 Senior Deficiency Reports
500 Teachers' Monthly Report of Work Done
500 Notice of Suspension
5000 Passes
500 Superintendent's Letter Heads
185
TOWN OF ROCKLAND
A few of the projects built by the classes in wood work are as follows:
A large picture frame size 15x10 feet, for the audi- torium stage.
A set of book shelves for the Jefferson School.
A set of six pantry panel doors for the Cafeteria. Large Cedar Chest.
Governor Winthrop Writing Desk.
Modified Spinet Writing Desk.
Magazine Stands.
Electric Table Lamps.
Smoking Stands.
Ping Pong Table.
Crutches.
Blotter Pads.
Whisk Broom Holders.
Sewing Baskets.
Model Airplanes.
Serving Trays.
REPORT OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Miss Victoria Howarth
Our English work in the Rockland High School con- sists of the following branches: Language and grammar, oral and written expression and literature. Much time and attention must be given to all of these.
With oral English we have already made considerable progress. From the functional view point it would seem to be the paramount feature of English and it is of vital importance to devote time and care to it, in order to combat the unfortuntate effects of the English used so constantly outside of school.
Training in oral expression, however, must never super sede training in written expression. I believe it would be
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
advisable throughout the whole school system to lay great- er stress on written English. We find pupils in high school who are not sentence-conscious and that is always a deplorable condition. The sentence is, of course, the foundation upon which all composition structures must be built. The study of written English develops clearness of thought, accuracy and precision, and grows in value in ev- ery succeeding school year.
Little need be said at this time of the importance of the study of literature. That importance lies chiefly along the line of character development. Such work should never be made a burden to pupils or it fails in its purpose. We are looking forward to the time when improved econom- ic conditions will permit the purchase of newer and more attractive editions of the classics.
REPORT OF MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT Miss Margaret Quirk
During the year 1932 it has been the primary purpose of the Mathematics Department to reorganize the course of study for the junior high school. Our aim has been to develop a plan for those grades which will combine arithme- tic and intuitive geometry in grade seven, advanced arith- metic and algebra in grade eight, and algebra and numerical trigonometry in grade nine. Our experience with such a course has resulted in a shift of emphasis which makes the arithmetic processes for those grades much more effect- ive and also results in a great saving of time.
Arithmetic should not be completed before the pupil has acquired the power of using algebra as an aid. There- fore we have merged the fundamentals of algebra in the work of grade eight with the result that the applications of arithmetic to business are continued late enough in the course to bring to their study the pupils' greatest maturity,
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
experience, and mathematical knowledge, and to insure real significance of this study in the business and industrial life which many of the pupils will enter upon at the close of the eighth or ninth school year.
In the junior high school it is our aim to give the pupils as broad an outlook over the various fields of mathematics as is consistent with sound scholarship. These years especially are the ones in which the pupil should have the opportunity to find himself, to test his abilities and apti- tudes, and to secure information and experience which will help him choose wisely his later courses and ultimately his life work.
The course of study in the senior high school is de- signed to meet the requirements of the College Entrance Board in algebra, plane and solid geometry, and trigonom- etry and to meet the ideals of the business world in com- mercial mathematics.
In grades ten, eleven, and twelve it has been our aim to encourage a large proportion of pupils to take the courses in mathematics, for apart from the intrinsic interest and great educational value of the study of mathematics, it will in general be necessary for those preparing to enter college or to engage in the numerous occupations involving the use of mathematics to extend their work beyond the minimum requirement of the junior high school.
REPORT OF COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT Miss Ellice Schofield
The commercial department aims to give the boys and girls who intend to enter the business world an opportunity to become acquainted with some of the problems which may arise there. The same principles which apply to any busi- ness are stressed ;- mainly, initiative, reliability, responsi- bleness, and accuracy.
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
Bookkeeping aims for a complete understanding of debit and credit, the purpose of statements, the meaning of other terms, such as, assets, liabilities, profit, loss, trial balance, working sheet and closing entries. After com- pleting the advanced course in accounting, a pupil is pre- pared to reorganize an old out-of-date system, start a new bookkeeping system in a new business, take over an old business and make necessary changes, and audit simple bookkeeping work. Bookkeeping sets are used throughout the course so that the pupil gets a practical knowledge of what he is doing.
Stenography aims to have the pupil realize the value of coordination. The first year includes a mastery of the principles of Gregg Shorthand. This is brought about through word building by means of supplementary material, the memorizing of word-signs and phrases, dictation of - sentences and short business letters involving principles on each lesson. The second year starts with a thorough re- view of the principles of the Shorthand Manual. It includes the building of a vocabulary of proper names, cities, states, and common derivatives. Practice of taking dic- tation of letters and special articles is emphasized this year -accuracy as well as the development of speed is stressed especially.
Typewriting. A mastery of the keyboard with empha- sis on accuracy for speed is stressed from the very first day at the typewriter.
Office Practice. To acquaint the pupils with some of the machines found in an office as well as the problems they will meet there .and to familiarize the student with those principles which everyone should know in order to properly care not only for his own affairs but those in regard to busi- ness positions. This course aims to train students to be intelligent office workers and to emphasize the importance of service and cooperation in any business.
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
The pupils are having an opportunity to work in the office for one period each day for about two weeks which is some of the best experience they can have before leaving school.
Junior business training is taught in the Junior High School at the present time.
REPORT OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT Joseph W. Cogan
The present course in Physics tends to set practical problems rather than artificial, thus causing the students to seek useful information from mechanics, artisans, and engineers whom they meet outside the classroom. The applications of physical principles to the submarine, air- ships, automobiles and radio have been emphasized because of the presence of students who wish additional information on those subjects. Problems are assigned weekly instead of daily and additional time spent on reports of physics as applied to various industries.
In two chemistry classes we have a total enrollment of fifty nine students. The aim of the course is to show the relationship of chemistry to every-day life. Thus the re- lation of chemistry to water purification, fuels and illumina- tion, agriculture, industries and war activities is emphasiz- ed.
Emphasis has also been placed upon writing and the balancing of equations, upon simple volumetric and gravi- metric problems, and the gas laws.
The laboratory work takes a double period once a week and the required number of fifty experiments is com- pleted.
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FIFTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
At the present time we have a total of 122 students in the biology course. This course involves a general knowl- edge of the development of plant and animal life. The vocabularies and diagrams are given considerable atten- tion. There is no laboratory exercise in connection with this course, but as time and materials permit the instructor performs experiments to supplement the classroom work.
All the freshmen are required to take this elementary course in science. There is a total enrollment of 105 stu- dents. The object of the course is to acquaint the students with the factors of our environment, their effect and our control within certain limits.
REPORT OF ART DEPARTMENT
Miss Marian S. Whiting
The Art Department has followed the same line of study as formerly trying to improve the methods of in- struction and always working toward a higher standard of excellence.
Color Harmony and study of values go hand in hand with the first grade child and continue through the Senior High School. This is an important study as good and poor taste often are a reflection of lack of knowledge. De- sign and color are a part of our daily life.
Nature drawing begins in the fall with drawing from flowers, fruits, leaves and berries, continues through the winter with tree study and landscapes, on into the spring with flowers and plants again.
Creative drawing starts with the first grade. Imagin- ation is vivid in childhood and needs only a suggestion to bring it into full play. Creative drawings from the third
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TOWN OF ROCKLAND
grade seem to be richer in imagination and more original in idea. The children in that grade have confidence in their artistic ability whereas older children often see the mistakes in proportion which bother them and therefore can- nct put their thoughts into pictures.
Posters are made during the year to advertise good health, school projects, saving, safety and other ideas for school use. The Senior High School made excellent travel posters in the spring. Small photographs or pen and ink drawings were enlarged to about 12"x18" on white paper. Lettering was added and the colors were limited to three, using as many values as were desired to get the right effect. This fall the first and second year in the Senior High School and seventh grade pupils have made posters for health, safety, saving and school activities. The better of the two groups is to be sent out to the grade schools later.
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