USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1940 > Part 7
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It has been most heartening to find Welfare cases pay- ing more strict attention to the selection of foods and better preparation of the same for the promotion of health and nourishment in the home. This program was instituted by your Town Physician some time ago with some trepidation as to how it might work out but the whole hearted response has justified its purpose. A budget system has become familiar to many of the Welfare cases who never under- stood the meaning or advantages of the plan before. The Town Physician is able to make recommendations and changes in the homes that would be considered "interfer- ence" by any other agency.
CHARLES E. P. THOMPSON, M.D.,
Town Physician.
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN MASSACHUSETTS
FAIRH
F
C
N
NM
ASS
INCORPOR
TOWN HALL
22 - 1812. 2
AT
2
ED
FEB
FOR THE
Year 1940
THE A. E. COFFIN PRESS-PRINTERS NEW BEDFORD, MASS.
1941
School Calendar
1940 Monday, December 30
Schools re-open
1941
Friday, February 21
Schools close
Monday, March 3
Schools re-open
Friday, April 25
Schools close
Monday, May 5
Schools re-open
Friday, May 30
Holiday
Friday, June 20
Elementary schools close
Wednesday, June 25
High School Graduation
Thursday, June 26
Eighth Grade Promotion Exercises
SUMMER VACATION
Monday, September 8
Schools re-open -
Monday, October 13
Holiday
Tuesday, November 11
Holiday
Wednesday noon, November 26 Thanksgiving recess
Monday, December 1
Schools re-open
Friday, December 19 (noon)
Schools close
CHRISTMAS VACATION
Monday, December 29
Schools re-open
1942
Thursday, January 1
Holiday
Friday, January 2
No School
NO-SCHOOL SIGNAL
2-2
7 :15 A.M. Indicates no school for all day 12:45 P.M. Indicates no afternoon session for the first seven grades.
It is the policy of the School Department to order the no-school signal only in the most severe weather conditions or when the transportation system is disrupted. At other times parents are expected to use their own judgment in sending children to school.
School Committee
William B. Gardner George F. Braley Mrs. Elizabeth M. Knowles John S. Rogers, Jr. Orrin B. Carpenter Frank M. Babbitt
Term expires 1941
Term expires 1941
Term expires 1942
Term expires 1942
Term expires 1943 Term expires 1943
CHAIRMAN William B. Gardner, 35 Union Street
SECRETARY AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Flavel M. Gifford, 51 Green Street
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT CLERK Beatrice DeCoffe, 212 Main Street
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE HOURS
Town Hall 8:30-9:00 A.M .- Every school day. 4:00-5:00 P.M .- Every school day.
The Superintendent's office is open with a clerk in charge daily from 9:00-12:00 and 1:30-5:00, except Saturdays when it is open only in the forenoon.
Telephone at Town Hall, Fairhaven 3-1241
Telephone at residence, 51 Green Street 2-1355
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Fairhaven :
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the School Committee for the year ending December 31, 1940.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Elementary Schools
Including also General Control, Private School Transport- ation, and Adult Alien Education.
RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation $ 94,580.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
3,447.80
Edmund Anthony, Jr. Trust Fund
250.00
Pease Fund
188.96
County Dog Fund
1,374.94
Total
$ 99,841.70
EXPENDITURES
GENERAL CONTROL
$ 4,940.89
Superintendent's Salary $ 3,280.08
Other Expense
1,660.81
INSTRUCTION
$ 71,237.74
Teachers' Salaries
$ 66,961.32
Text Books
1,767.72
Supplies
2,508.70
OPERATION, MAINTENANCE & OUTLAY $ 15,074.51
Janitors' Salaries $ 7,716.42
Fuel
2,820.69
Misc. Operating Expense
3,176.16
Repairs and Replacement
854.71
New Equipment
506.53
OTHER AGENCIES
$
7,820.33
Transportation :
Public Schools
$
3,369.90
Parochial Schools 432.50
Health (School Nurse)
1,684.54
5
Tuition
203.00
Insurance
804.22
Sundries Adult Alien Education
448.56
877.61
Total Expenditures
$ 99.073.47
Unexpended Balance
768.23
Total Receipts
$ 99,841.70
High School
RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation
$ 38,420.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
18,386.03
$ 56.806.03
EXPENDITURES
INSTRUCTION
$ 42,871.83
Teachers' Salaries
$ 38,252.41
Text Books
1,765.63
Supplies
2,853.79
OPERATION, MAINTENANCE & OUTLAY $ 10.950.84
Janitors' Salaries $ 6,350.28
Fuel
1,799.07
Misc. Operating Expense
1,404.26
Repairs and Replacement
1,100.30
New Equipment
296.93
OTHER AGENCIES
$ 2,198.88
Health Physician
350.00
Sundries
121.45
Transportation
1,407.43
Insurance
320.00
Total Expenditures Unexpended Balance
$ 56,021.55 784.48
Total Receipts
$ 56,806.03
6
SPECIAL REPAIR APPROPRIATION RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation
$ 7,000.00
EXPENDITURES
Survey and Architect $ 342.66
Repairs to schools as follows:
High School
278.14
Rogers School
5,219.10
Anthony School
186.81
Tripp School
505.94
Oxford School
427.76
E. Fairhaven School
39.59
Total Expenditures
$
7,000.00
REPAIRS
The Committee has made some extensive and neces- sary repairs this year particularly in the Rogers School. A list of the major items for each school is presented :
High School
Repairs to timbers under stage.
Roofing and Plumbing Pointing brick work.
Rogers School
Complete renovation of toilets, including the install- ation of new equipment, metal partitions, new floors and plumbing. Painting of basement rooms and assembly hall.
Repairs to corridors and supply room.
Electrical work, including installation of electrical clocks, lights in basement and on stairways, switches in classrooms.
Repairs to ceilings, walls, and windows.
Painting of all exterior woodwork.
Pointing of all exterior brick and granite work.
Repair of slate roof and sheet metal work.
Tower completely reslated.
Tripp School Replacement of conductor pipes. Repairs to heating system. Replacement of water pipes.
7
Oxford School
Replacement of fire alarm, as ordered by inspector.
New furnace in portable.
Miscellaneous plumbing, carpentry, masonry and roof work.
East Fairhaven School Repair of Ventilators.
A total of $1,955.01 was spent for repairs from the regular appropriation in addition to $7,000.00 from the special appropriation. A great deal of work remains to be done to put the school property in good condition. The Committee hopes to continue the repair program in 1941 and consequently recommends that $7,000.00 be appropri- ated for that purpose outside of the regular appropriation.
REORGANIZATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The decrease in number of elementary school children warranted the closing last June of the Washington Street School which had served the town for thirty-eight years. During the year 1940-41 this has allowed a reduction of five teaching positions. It is expected, however, that the normal reduction will be only four, and that the Rogers School will need two sixth grade teachers instead of one. In this connection your attention is called to the table, "Ele- mentary Enrollment by School and Grade."
INSURANCE
The insurance on school buildings and contents on Dec- ember 31, 1940 was $357,000. divided as follows: $258,000. in stock companies, $10,000. in direct writing mutuals, and $89,000. in other mutual companies.
Since the appointment of an insurance committtee to study the whole matter of insurance of town buildings the School Committee has purchased one-year policies only so as to interfere as little as possible with any action the Town Meeting might take later.
EXPENDIBLE RECEIPTS
The following is a report of the expendible receipts outside of appropriations :
8
Elementary
Received 1939
Received 1940
Estimated 1941
Rogers Trust Fund
$ 3,767.67
$
3,447.80
$ 3,400.00
Anthony Fund
250.00
250.00
250.00
Pease Fund
188.96
188.96
188.00
County Dog Fund
1,300.91
1,374.94
1,362.00
$ 5,507.54
$ 5,261.70
$ 5,200.00
High
Rogers Trust Funds
$ 17,846.96
$ 18,386.03
$ 17,500.00
Total, High and Elementary
$ 23,354.50
$ 23,647.73
$ 22,700.00
BUDGETS FOR 1941
Elementary Schools
Expended 1939
Expended 1940
Budget 1941
General Control Instruction
$ 4,990.58 74,591.85
$
4,940.89 71,237.74
$ 5,020.00
69,850.00
Operation,
Maintenance and
New Equipment
15,763.41
15,074.51
14,790.00
Other Agencies, (inc. Sundries and Out of
State Travel
8,591.84
7,820.33
7,290.00
Total
$103,937.68
$ 99,073.47
$ 96,950.00
From Outside Sources
5,507.54
5,261.70
5,200.00
From Appropria- tion
$ 98,430.14
$ 93,811.77
$ 91,750.00
9
High School
Expended 1939
Expended 1940
Budget 1941
$ 41,525.01
$ 42,871.83
$ 45,425.00
Instruction Operation,
Maintenance and New Equipment
12,927.89
10,950.84
11,220.00
Other Agencies (inc. Sundries)
580.99
2,198.88
2,105.00
Total
$ 55,033.89
$ 56,021.55
$ 58,750.00
From Outside Sources
17,846.96
18,386.03
17,500.00
From Appropria- tion
$ 37,186.93
$ 37,635.52
$ 41,250.00
IN CLOSING
The School Committee has appreciated the cooperation of the school staff, pupils, and parents during the past year. This cooperation was particularly evident when the closing of the Washington Street School and the subsequent re- organization involved the transfer of fifteen teachers and over two hundred children.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM B. GARDNER, Chairman MRS. ELIZABETH M. KNOWLES ORRIN B. CARPENTER GEORGE F. BRALEY
FRANK M. BABBITT JOHN S. ROGERS, JR.
Fairhaven School Committee
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Fairhaven:
I submit herewith my second annual report as Superin- tendent of Schools.
ATTENDANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
School Year
1937-38
1938-39
1939-40
Average Membership
2,102
2,066
1,976
Percent of Attendance
93.6
94.1
93.8
The membership figures for the past school year show a continuation of the trend toward a lower enrollment of pupils. This change has occurred chiefly in the elementary school with the high school remaining near what seems to be the peak of its enrollment. Further information in re- gard to the trend from 1930 to 1940 is given in an attached table entitled "Summary of Enrollment."
CLOSING OF WASHINGTON STREET SCHOOL
At the close of school in June the Washington Street School pupils and teachers were transferred to other schools. The first seven grades were then organized with five less teaching positions. The double grades at East Fairhaven were given up and a single grade was assigned to each room. Mr. Hadfield's bus, formerly making three trips from Sconticut Neck to the schools in the center, now makes one trip to the Tripp and Rogers schools and two to East Fairhaven.
The Washington Street pupils from the center were transferred to the Tripp and Rogers and the bus pupils to East Fairhaven. Pupils of the sixth and seventh grades from East Fairhaven and Sconticut Neck now attend the Tripp and Rogers schools. Because of the number it may be necessary in September to restore one of the teaching positions omitted this past year. A table showing the as- signment of pupils to school and grade is attached to this report.
11
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
A new unified department of instrumental music was set up when Miss Elizabeth Hastings was appointed as Supervisor. This appointment provides for the better co- ordination of work with the band and the several orchestras of the high and elementary schools. The High School Band under the direction of Mr. Clarence W. Arey was given a "first division" rating in its class at the State Music Festival held last May in Wellesley. The band and orchestras are doing excellent work and we hope that many pupils will continue to take advantage of the opportunities they afford.
Interest in instrumental music is evident throughout the schools and parents deserve considerable credit for en- couraging their children to participate. Organized instru- mental music begins in the first grades with rhythm bands. The next step is the formation of "baby symphonies" and "tiny tot" orchestras. Primary orchestras lead to the more advanced musical organizations and players who show promise are advised to take private lessons for greater im- provement. At the high school level we have three voluntary organizations, a 48-piece band, a junior orchestra of 66, and a senior orchestra of 41.
The final step in the music program, while not under our jurisdiction, is an added proof of the effectiveness of the program-participation in community life. Our pupils have formed small groups to play for their own pleasure, others have played in churches and before civic groups. Some have been welcomed into adult orchestras. Such activity is beneficial to the pupils and to the community as well.
THE HIGH SCHOOL
Your attention is called to the report of the High School Principal in which are taken up some interesting matters pertaining to the High School and Addition. Worthy of particular note are the items regarding additional guidance work, more offerings in household arts, good school spirit in athletics, and the desirability of certain improvements in the building and equipment.
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Each year some new material should be added to the High School Library. This past year the collection has been improved by the addition of sets of "Smithsonian Scientific Series," "Picturesque Tale of Progress," " "Copeland's Treasury," "March of Democracy," and "Our Times," and several books on vocational subjects have been added. The circulation figures are larger this year than last. In addition to the material belonging to the school we have borrowed many books from the Millicent Library and appreciate the cordial helpfulness of its librarian, Miss Avis M. Pillsbury.
I should be glad to see a greater amount of time de- voted to instruction other than that of a strictly academic nature. Mr. Downing has suggested in his report that we might do more with our present equipment. Consequently I recommend that arrangements be made to have more time devoted to manual training.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
For the first time in thirty-eight years the Rogers School has taken in the first four grades. With this change of pupils has come an almost complete change of faculty as six of the eight Washington Street teachers were trans- ferred to the Rogers staff.
The East Fairhaven School has been changed from a four-teacher six-grade school to a five-teacher five-grade school. There are doors in the assembly room which suggest that two more rooms were originally planned. If the rooms were there, as may be hoped for at some time in the future, they could be used at once for the sixth and seventh grades which are now transported to the center.
Repairs to the elementary schools have been very much appreciated. While the Rogers School has had a great deal of renovation there are still some improvements to be made, and there is much to be done on the other schools also. I feel that a great deal of improvement was made in 1940 and recommend a continuance of the program.
ADULT ALIEN EDUCATION
The "Oxford Evening School" is now in its second year of operation with five teachers and an enrollment of
13
110 pupils. The chief subjects are Reading, Writing, American Government and English Language. The classes have proven valuable in assisting many in obtaining their American citizenship papers and in giving a better under- standing of town, state, and national affairs.
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are considered by some as unnecessary and by some others a necessary evil. In my opinion, how- ever, they should serve a very desirable purpose in telling the parent and the pupil how well the pupil is getting along. Consequently marks are not primarily for encouragement, or for improvement, but rather to give the facts so that par- ents and pupils may not be confused or deceived. The mark should be an honest estimate of the pupil's achieve- ment.
The next consideration is a definition of marks that is understood by all concerned. If B is designated only as "Good", no parent knows how good. If B is "80%", no one knows of what it is 80%. But we all have an idea of what "Average" means. When applied to school work it is easy to understand that it refers to what may be expected of the middle of a class, neither remarkably good or remarkably poor.
With the purpose of making reports mean more to pupils and parents we have decided upon a more definite interpretation of the marks. The 1940-41 cards define the marks in terms of what is expected of an average pupil.
Grades 1-7 Grades 8-12
Interpretation
A
A Superior. Considerably above average.
B B Excellent. Above average.
C C Good. Average work.
D C- Below average but passing.
E
D &E Below passing.
ARITHMETIC
A committee of principals has been working for some time to select new arithmetic texts for grades three to seven. The books which have now been placed in the schools pre- sent the arithmetic material according to what is generally
14
called "the new grade placement." It has been found that while many arithmetic facts can be taught for example in the third grade, the same facts can be learned more quickly, and with more understanding in the fourth. The new ar- rangement will not give our pupils less arithmetic but will give it at a time when it can be more efficiently absorbed.
CONCLUSION
The year 1940 has been one of progress. The reorgan- ization of elementary grades has been completed. An ex- cellent beginning has been made in the repair program. Our teachers have done fine work. Our buildings are kept clean and comfortable. Our pupils are making normal progress.
I appreciate the interest in the schools that parents have shown at various times through the year. I feel grate- ful for the cooperation of the school staff, and I thank the School Committee for its confidence and support.
Respectfully submitted, F. M. GIFFORD
Superintendent of Schools.
Report of the High School Principal
To the Superintendent of Schools:
The following is my fourth annual report as principal of the Fairhaven High School and Addition.
The table below gives the enrollment figures for Oct- ober 1, 1939 and October 1, 1940.
ENROLLMENT BY CLASSES AS OF OCTOBER 1
Boys
1939 Girls
Total
Boys
1940 Girls
Total
Post Graduates
4
9
13
1
9
10
Seniors
56
54
110
62
85
147
Juniors
68
90
158
82
74
156
Sophomores
120
115
235
83
99
182
Freshmen
93
93
186
102
93
195
Eighth Grade
94
81
175
90
89
179
435
442
877
420
449
869
It will be seen that there is little change in the total enrollment of the high school or the eighth grade. As a result some home rooms are still overcrowded and we are using the typewriting room, library, and the small lecture hall as home rooms although pupils there have poor faci- lities for writing and have no desks in which to store books. Last June a class of one hundred twenty-nine, the largest in the history of the school, was graduated and the present indications are that the 1941 graduating class will be even larger.
Miss Mary Durfee, a graduate of the State Teachers College at Framingham, was added to the faculty last September. This addition made it possible to reopen classes in sewing which were discontinued several years ago.
Ten of our teachers have taken courses for professional improvement during 1940.
Last June the graduation program was built around a consideration of the skills and personal traits needed for
16
success after leaving high school. Two recent graduates of the school as well as four members of the graduating class formed a panel that discussed preparation for college and business from the standpoint of the alumni and the undergraduates.
The following awards were made at the graduation exercises :
The Lady Fairhaven Cup for Scholarship and Service Donald W. Astin Marjorie W. Wilbor
The Lady Fairhaven Citizenship Award George A. Bunnell, Jr.
The Fort Phoenix Chapter D.A.R. Citizenship Award Gladys E. Poenack
The Julia A. Sears Essay Prize Gladys E. Poenack
The Harvard Prize Book Richard Stetson
The College Club Prize Book Ruth Patasini
Besides the ten members of the Class of 1940 who are post graduates this year twenty others have gone away to school or college. Graduates from the business course who earned high marks have found themselves prepared to enter at once upon office work.
During the year one borrower repaid in full his indebtedness to the Huttlestonian Scholarship Loan Fund and four new loans were made to members of the Class of 1940. The financial condition of this fund is shown below.
Cash in bank $1,034.60
Outstanding loans to 14 persons 1,941.39
Total of Loan Fund $2,975.99
First prize in the contest conducted by the Fairhaven Planning Board was won by Allan Dunham for his plans for the development of Livesey Memorial Park. The Plan- ning Board this year is asking contestants to select a section
17
of the town in which they are interested and show by sketches and essays how they would zone and beautify it. "The American Magazine" conducted an essay contest for high school students in which over 400.000 papers were received from all parts of the country. Ruby Helford of the Class of 1941 was awarded an honorable mention by the judges.
Visitors' Night was held as usual in Education Week. Parents conferred with teachers and were entertained by the Oxford Ensemble composed of high school students and by an original one-act play written by Robert Knipe of the Class of 1940.
Additional guidance is being given the two lower classes this year in an attempt to reduce failures, improve the selection of courses, and help pupils secure full benefit from the classes and other activities of the school. The guidance of sophomores is given by Mr. Walter Wood, assistant principal, and that of freshmen by Miss Elizabeth Hastings.
Our athletic program is making encouraging progress. The baseball team won a fair share of its games. The track team had few boys to work with but it had a champion high jumper in George Hadfield. The football team this fall was light and inexperienced, but it lost only three games out of nine and had one tie score. There was con- siderable evidence that the school spirit on the part of the team and the student body was very high. The athletic field is now provided with an attractive and useful score board presented by the Class of 1940. Among the girls there is greater interest than ever before in field hockey and basketball.
In spite of the excellent condition of our beautiful high school building, repairs and replacements become necessary with the passing years. Painting is needed in classrooms and in the old auditorium. New window shades are needed in a number of rooms in the old building. A good start was made this year by painting one class room and installing new curtains in three rooms. Careful watch is kept of our plumbing since corrosion can be seen at many points.
Considerable attention has been given to the matter of adequate lighting. It has not been possible to eliminate a
18
troublesome flicker when our generators are in use. In most classrooms the chandeliers are of a type no longer in common use. Better diffusion and absence of glare could be secured without using additional current by installing modern fixtures. Additional chairs are needed for science classes.
Our typewriters are now thoroughly up to date and we have a new mimeograph. No change has been made for several years in our calculating machines, however. It is desirable that the pupils in our senior office practice course learn to operate as many machines as possible in order that they may be well prepared for office work when they leave school. On this account one or two of our oldest adding machines should be exchanged for newer models.
At the present time there is an increasing recognition of the importance of skilled workers for American industry. While most high schools are not in a position to do much in training industrial workers, those that are properly equip- ped can teach the fundamentals of hand and machine work as well as the related drawing and science. We might do a little more in this direction by using our present equipment a larger part of each school day.
A second teacher in the Department of Home Econom- ics has made it possible to offer more advantages to girls. Eighth grade girls are given fundamental work in the use and care of equipment, food values and food preparation. Freshmen girls now have cooking and home management lessons for one year instead of only a half year. Food values and economy in buying as well as preparation of foods are stressed. Sophomore girls are given fundamental work in sewing. Their first project, an attractive apron, has created a great deal of interest. Draperies are now being made for some of the windows in the school where the old curtains are worn out. There is also a class in ad- vanced cooking for upper class girls.
The sewing classes are held in a small but serviceable room on the third floor of the high school building. The cooking classes meet in a class room in the basement which is used also for preparation of lunch. If we could equip another basement room as a kitchen for the lunch room, we could make larger and more effective use of our
19
cooking laboratory for class instruction. The equipment in this room has been kept in excellent condition, but it is too high for many of the girls. This increases the danger of accidents. Modern installations for school cooking labor- atories provide lower units with gas, oven, desk, sink, and water for groups of four girls.
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