USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Rockland > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Rockland Massachusetts for the year ending 1936 > Part 35
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DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS
The outcome of the professional meetings held the past year in which we discussed the "Superior Teacher" cul- minated in the formulation of a Code of Ten teacher Ten- ets for Professional Progress which was distributed to each teacher at the teachers' opening meeting in Septem- ber. The Code follows:
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1. PERSONALITY: The superior teacher dresses ap- propriately; has excellent posture and carriage; speaks clearly with modulated voice; has poise and confidence.
2. Habits: The superior teacher establishes habits in health conservation, sustained effort, observance of school regulations and obligations.
3. CO-OPERATION: The superior teacher gets the viewpoint of pupil and parent; gains the respect and con- fidence of the pupil; strives to understand the child's ca- pacity to learn.
4. EQUIPMENT: The superior teacher knows the subject matter; has enthusiasm, patience, adaptability and sympathetic understanding.
5. ATTITUDE: The superior teacher honors his profession; has confidence in his ability; is interested in the welfare of the community which he serves.
6. CULTURE: The superior teacher enriches his ex- perience through advanced study, intelligent social con- tacts, and travel.
7. CHARACTER: The superior teacher is depend- able, courteous, kind, honest and fair.
8. TECHNIQUE: The superior teacher is orderly; has detailed plans; uses helpful methods and devices; ap- proaches new material through the pupils' understanding; has firm discipline; is a friendly adviser.
9. RELATIONS: The superior teacher is a personal friend and counselor to each pupil; inspires the pupil to creative work. He participates in school activities; is loyal to the administration of which he is a valued mem- ber; willingly accepts resposibilities as opportunity for professional growth.
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10. ACHIEVEMENT: The superior teacher awak- ens the pupils' active interest in better health, habits of honor and industry, creative activities, and the develop- ment of responsible citizenship.
Since the September meeting we have had two out- standing speakers and discussions on fundamental school problems. Dr. Lura Oak of the State Department of Public Health spoke on "The Modern Eye Test in Rela- tion to Other Diagnostic Measures Used in Studying the Reading Problem." Dr. Oak's wide experience and exper- iments in the field of reading presented many helpful sug- gestions to teachers both in the elementary grades and high school to assist in diagnosing reading difficulties. The question and answer period proved beneficial to our teachers.
Another vital topic discussed by Mrs. T. Grafton Ab- bott, Consultant in Parent Education in the Division of Child Hygiene of the State Department of Public Health was "Understanding Human Behavior." A general invi- tation to the public was presented through the local press. Mrs. Abbott, a very fluent, versatile speaker, who is both a parent and teacher gave a practical discussion of the topic. An expression of opinion on the part of the teach- ers indicated the effectiveness of these meetings.
DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS
JUNIOR RED CROSS
The Junior Red Cross has re-established itself in our elementary schools under the very efficient direction of the town representative, Mrs. Esther Rawson, ably assist- ed by a teachers committee. The matter was discussed at a teachers' meeting and the consensus of opinion was that we should assist in whatever ways possible by spon- soring activities to render aid to children who needed help to remedy physical defects, requiring teeth repair, tonsil
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and adenoid removals. In addition to these services the money raised by this organization has been used to pur- chase shoes, rubbers and an occasional pair of eye glasses for pupils whose economic status would not permit these necessities. The money to finance this program has been raised by the voluntary contributions of pupils who have placed their donations in Red Cross boxes placed in each room with the "Red Cross Lady" Mrs. Rawson, making monthly collections. Some of the buildings sponsored an afternoon health program followed by a tea which raised several dollars for this program. The chief source of money supply came from the receipts received through a "Style Show" presented under the auspices of the Red Cross Committee by the pupils in the elementary schools. The entertainment was held in the high school auditorium in the fall and was well supported by the public. We are very grateful to Ferber's Specialty Shoppe in town for furnishing the garments and equipment used in the "Style Show." These activities to raise money for the Junior Red Cross are essential in order that the organization may be self-supporting. The chairman of the School Red Cross Committee is to be highly complimented for her ear- nest and efficient efforts in the work of her committee members and their activities.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
This past year a somewhat new departure from the usual procedure in this department was attempted by cor- relating the music with other Social Studies. This has stimulated interest and enthusiasm for both subjects and we believe it will continue. Some new music textbooks were placed in the second grades and we hope that addi- tional books will be forth coming. Our Supervisor of Vo- cal music is preparing a New Course of Study in Music which will be presented later.
MILK FUND PROJECT
We are indeed grateful to the Rockland Kiwanis Club
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for their interest in sponsoring the milk fund which has made it possible for 181 children in our schools to receive a half pint of pasteurized milk along with two graham crackers daily while schools are in session for a period of ninety-three days from November 15, 1937 until April 14, 1938. Those who received this luncheon were the boys and girls of parents who financially were unable to furnish this food to their children. Our weight charts which are posted in each room have proved conclusively that these pupils have benefited greatly from this service. The teachers in our schools assisted the Kiwanis Club in sponsoring the "Movie Queen," to raise money for the milk fund. Through the efforts of the committee assist- ed by the club members and other interested citizens the function was very successful and resulted in raising six hundred dollars for the fund. The good that is being ac- complished by the milk fund from the health standpoint is very much worthwhile and should be continued.
GROUP PIANO LESSONS
We have continued to encourage and provide in our pro- gram for group piano lessons although the cost of this specialized program is borne by the parents as no funds in the school budget are available. Miss Maude F. Burn- ham of Taunton is the instructor in these group lessons which are presented in the Lincoln and Mckinley build- ings. Miss Burnham has had excellent training at Lasell and Boston University. The course is designed to afford parents an opportunity to ascertain their children's tal- ent in order to determine the advisability of more ad- vanced music training. Also, it teaches the rudiments of piano music and how to play the easier grade selections. The lessons are given in groups and are not intended to take the place of private instruction. Miss Burnham has presented the past two years in June a recital of the work accomplished in her classes. Several parents have spok- en with enthusiasm concerning her work with their chil- dren.
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SCHOOL LIBRARY
The library in our high school has been greatly im- proved since the books have been recatalogued, additional shelves installed and a system of student librarians in- troduced. We are grateful to the alumni of our school for the generous contribution of books which they have presented to the high school. Although, with student help we are able to use our library more effectively than before, it is quite essential to have a trained librarian who can give instruction to our pupils on the use and choice of books.
It is hoped that when an additional teacher is added to our staff she may be one who can give some assistance in our library. Those pupils who graduate from our high school are handicapped in going to institutions of higher learning if they have not had instruction in the proper use of books and library methods.
ELIMINATING SCHOOL FAILURES
Whenever a child is not promoted to the next higher grade or in the high school fails in one or more subjects, the cost of educating that pupil increases. Besides the additional cost the personality of the child may be warp- ed by repetition of the work. It is therefore highly desir- able that each pupil be carefully placed in order to avoid as many failures as possible. Each child ought to be al- lowed to progress continually and at a speed normal to him. We are attempting to eliminate school failures as much as possible by the use of a number of different types of tests which may be given individually or in a group, in an attempt to adjust that school work to the mental capacity and achievement of the individual child. The use of these tests of mental ability, achievement, and ap- titude tends to clear up many misunderstandings regard- ing individual children. A given pupil who is doing only fair school work may be shown by the tests to have only fair ability or to be exceptionally brilliant. After inter-
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preting the test results, an attempt is made to discover the specific causes of school failure and to begin a reme- dial program based on these findings. In no case can the teacher cope with the problem adequately unless she has a knowledge of the facts made available from test results obtained in a scientific manner.
Many times a pupil who is doing unsatisfactory acade- mic work in the Junior High and is therefore more or less a behavior problem shows himself superior in the mechan- ical line. The past few years this situation has caused our enrolment to increase rapidly in the Weymouth, Quin- cy and Boston Vocational Schools as we are not able to provide similar training in our high school because of the expensive equipment and additional teaching force which would be necessary. Half of the expense for such train- ing is borne by the town and the other half by the State. In general it is found that some pupils do certain things better than others. They may have abilities in certain fields of endeavor. The school attempts to discover these abilities and to develop them to the best advantage of so- ciety and the individual child.
HIGH SCHOOL
It is indeed encouraging to know that the morale in our high school is improving and one can see evidences of re- sponsiveness in our pupils as it grows from year to year. The credit for this improvement goes to the teachers, to the pupils and the principal whose leadership has been in- telligent, aggressive and on a high plane.
We are very much concerned about these pupils who are graduating from our high school and who are unable to go on to college because of financial inability or be- cause of scholastic reasons. Industry does not seem to be able at present to absorb them, so many of these pupils find themselves unemployed. Our post-graduate stud- ents have increased in numbers the past few years and
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possibly the solution to this problem will be the establish- ment of a 13th year. Whenever that is done a planned program of studies for the year should be offered which will parallel the first year's training of a Junior College. In some parts of the country, notably in California there have been established a large number of public junior colleges which extend the work of the high school, two years.
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION ACT AS IT AFFECTS SCHOOLS
We have continued our plan of cooperation with the town officials and the federal government in providing suitable quarters for the Recreation and the Sewing Pro- jects of the W. P. A. in the Mckinley School Building. Although the citizens of the town in their annual meet- ing have raised and appropriated $400 to help defray the additional expense of opening the building for these pro- jects the past two years money must also be taken from the school budget to meet this expense.
We have availed ourselves again this year of the op- portunity of the National Youth Administration as it op- erates in schools and colleges throughout the United States. Our quota in Rockland since the opening of schools in September is set at $72.00 per month. We have at present eight high school girls and four boys who are receiving this financial aid of $6.00 per month for which each renders twenty hours of services to our schools. The assistance is clerical or janitor service. The money is given by the government to assist them in pay- ing for school lunches or to purchase necessary clothing in order to continue their attendance in high school.
NURSERY SCHOOL
The Nursery School authorized by the Works Progress Administration has continued to operate throughout the
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year at the Mckinley School. The sessions are held in the gymnasium of that building. The enrolment comprises children from three to five years of age whose parents are on W. P. A. or low income. The unit includes two teach- ers and a cook. The federal government pays the wages of the employees, the Town and the School Department handle the other expenses of the project. We have twen- ty-six enrolled at present with an average attendance of twenty-two. The session of the school is from 9:15 A. M. until 2:00 P. M. with a noon luncheon. This project where children are systematically trained and cared for has proved beneficial to both pupils and community.
TEACHER REPLACEMENT
In August of this year Miss Marguerite Croak, for the past five years head of our Commercial Department re- signed to be married. Her place as a teacher in the de- partment has been taken by Miss Helen M. Miley of Win- chester, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Boston Un- iversity with the degree of Master in Education. Miss Miley had two years of teaching experience in New Hamp- shire before entering our service. The past three sum- mers she has been a Girl Scout leader in a New Hamp- shire camp.
Miss Constance Tobey resigned in December to be mar- ried. She has taught Sewing in the Junior High and So- cial Science in the Senior High. This combination of subjects is rather unusual and it has been difficult to find a qualified candidate for this opening. At present Miss Marion T. Hall of Morrisville, Vermont, a graduate of the University of Vermont is handling Miss Tobey's classes as a substitute teacher.
During the summer months Miss Isabel Philbrook, our special class teacher resigned to accept a similar position in her home town of Randolph. Her place was filled by the appointment of Miss Rita Kennedy of Newtonville,
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Massachusetts. Miss Kennedy graduated from the Sal- em State Teachers' College and has had a year's experi- ence in special class work in Kingston, Massachusetts.
Miss Helen Kovalchuk, resigned her position as teacher in the upper room at the Gleason School in October. Her place was taken by Miss Catherine M. Reilly of Salem Street, Rockland, a graduate of our local schools and the State Teachers' College in Bridgewater 1936. Miss Reilly had been a teacher in our Nursery school in Rockland for several months and had cadet teaching experience in the Abington grades I-VI.
Miss Marion Whiting, our Art Supervisor the past eight years resigned in February to accept a teaching pos- ition in her home city, Chelsea, Massachusetts. Her place was taken by Miss Eleanor Costa of Revere who had several months of substitute teaching in the Revere High School. Miss Costa was a graduate of Boston Uni- versity. In October Miss Costa was appointed to a teach- ing position in the Revere Junior High School and her pos- ition as Art Supervisor was filled by the appointment of Miss Nora van der Groen of Needham, Massachusetts. Miss van der Groen, a graduate of Boston University and the Amsterdam Art School had previously supervised art in Grades 1-6 in Needham.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH
Since my last report the drainage system for the high school in accordance with plans outlined by the Special Committee appointed by the town at its March meeting 1936 has been completed. It is my understanding that the sewage line has been hooked into the pipe line carry- ing the surface water and thus to the seepage bed rather than conducting the sewage line directly to seepage bed apart from the pipe line carrying the surface water as or- iginally planned by the Special Committee.
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In May we received a report from the State Depart- ment of Public Safety through the State Building In- spector requiring certain changes and repairs in our school buildings in accordance with Chapter 143 of the General Laws. Several of the requirements necessitated a substantial expenditure of money. The important changes in the Junior Senior High were as follows:
1. Doors in stair towers to open into stair towers.
2. All chairs in auditorium to be secured in place by providing chair clamps.
3. Removal of inflammable scenery.
4. Provide pilot light gas mantles in auditorium light- ing system.
5. Provide self-closing device on boiler room door.
The mastic floors in the corridors and toilets have been repaired by our janitors and all wooden floors refinished. Due to the great amount of water which has entered the building since its construction, the window shades have been soaked and over a period of years have rotted so sev- eral were of necessity replaced this year. From year to year as these give out they will be replaced. Because of unforseen additional expenses required by the state build- ing inspector's report it was necessary to postpone the major repairs on our mastic floors which must be replac- ed every four or five years. Likewise we were unable to replace the exit doors in the building that were scheduled for renewal. /
Additional physical education equipment will make our program more effective as soon as sufficient funds are available. The Printing and Manual Training Depart- ments need added aquipment and the old Golding printing press should be replaced.
MCKINLEY SCHOOL
The drainage of the playground has been inadequate
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the past two or three years on account of the additional use of the building by the Nursery, Sewing and Recrea- tion projects. The system being over taxed with addi- tional sewage caused the constant overflow of the cess- pools and the additional stagnant water to stand on the surface. This condition was very unhealthful and the School Committee engaged the services of an expert San- itary Engineer, Mr. Howard E. Bailey, who previously had planned the drainage system for the Jefferson School, to prepare plans and specifications for a sewage treat- ment plant adequate for our present needs. These plans were used as the basis for a W. P. A. project. Work was started very soon after the closing of schools in June and was completed the latter part of September. The situa- tion has improved immensely and sanitary conditions pre- vail. Roof repairs have been needed and this year we installed copper snow guards to eliminate the hazard of sliding snow. The former guards were rusted and worn out. Several pieces of slate were cracked and these were replaced to prevent leaks in the roof. We may expect a major operation in the replacement of water pipes in the building as they are badly corroded and thus the water pressure is greatly reduced. This past summer the three boilers were thoroughly cleaned internally so that we are getting more efficiency from our heating system this fall than formerly. It was necessary in conjunction with the cleaning to have many of the air valves on the radiators changed.
The state building inspector imposed several require- ments upon us in this building. Some of the most im- portant which have been completed are as follows :
1. Provide an automatic fire alarm system with break glass stations on each floor, including basement break glass stations wired in such a manner that the gongs, when the glass is broken will ring simultaneously.
2. Provide floor cleates and clamps to seats in audi- torium.
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3. Provide metal covered door between basement and boiler room with a self-closing device.
4. Renovate and put in working condition the origin- al ventilating system for the building.
It was further stated in the report that it was doubtful if the slate urinals could be sufficiently cleaned to be useful. Each unit should be ventilated in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department and provided with a vent fan to insure proper removal of air at all times.
LINCOLN
The side walk on Howard Street adjoining the school property has been constructed by the town but there is still need of a cement curb on the West side of the pro- perty to prevent drainage on the land of Franklin Avenue residents.
Complying with the request from the State Inspector of Buildings we have installed an automatic fire alrm system for the building, also provided T turn panic bolts on doors leading to fire escapes. In addition we have placed the ventilating system in working order.
This past summer the boilers were thoroughly cleaned and sections of the grates were replaced.
There is need to repaint sections of building on the out- side as the paint is badly pealing.
Some of the blackboards in the building have been re- finished.
Repairs in the girls' and boys' toilets have been made and the floors treated.
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JEFFERSON
A self-closing device, required by the state inspector, has been installed on the boiler room door. The desks, blackboards and floors have been refinished. Repairs were made in the toilets and the boiler grates were re- placed.
WEBSTER STREET
The heating unit in this building is very old and pre- sents a dangerous situation. We have had asbestos in- stalled overhead for safety reasons. The ventilating sys- tem has been placed in good working order. The black- boards and floors were refinished during the summer months. Additional grading in the yard will improve the limited playground area.
The ventilator on the roof was badly damaged by the hurricane, causing necessary repairs to be made.
GLEASON
We have provided an automatic fire alarm system for this building and placed the ventilating system in good working order.
There is need to repair the outside fire escape from both floors by eliminating a long flight of stairs, which may be accomplished by building an intermediate plat- form at the first floor level and connecting the two floors to the same stairs, thus eliminating one set of stairs. We should provide hand rails on the inside stairs from the first to the second floors.
The blackboards and floors were refinished. The water bubblers were replaced.
The lighting in this building has been inadequate so new fixtures supplying fifteen foot candles of light for
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each child has been installed in the lower room. The upper room should have its lighting improved as soon as possible.
CENTRAL STREET
The state inspector is requesting another means of egress from this building at the rear so a door will be installed to comply with these orders.
The bubbler and water pipe systems have had repairs and the blackboards and floors were refinished.
MARKET STREET
The ventilating system has been renovated and placed in working order. Repairs were made in the shed in order to make room for supplies. The hurricane caused some necessary repairs on the roof and also on the shed. The front steps have been repaired.
SPECIFIC NEEDS
In addition to the specific requests of departments list- ed in my 1937 report there are several other needs not mentioned in that report which are herein listed.
When the main electric service line was installed in the Mckinley School building it was located in the boiler room and the switch boxes were not enclosed. Over a long period of years the soot and dust from the soft coal have covered the contacts and caused high degrees of heat. This in turn has caused the fuses to blow and thus leave the building without light and power. This main line entering the building should be enclosed and new equipment installed to prevent this hazardous condition.
A portable piano which could be used in our high school library for club work, especially for small groups, such as glee club would improve our school program greatly.
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The circular drive in front of the high school should have a cement curb and be finished with a hard surface. It will greatly improve the appearance of the school build- ing and grounds. At present considerable grit and gravel are tracked into the building on our mastic and wooden floors thus damaging the finish and surface. Undoubted- ly the surface of the floors must be refinished more often as a result. Therefore in the long run it will be econom- ically a good project.
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