USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Dighton > Town annual report of the offices of the town of Dighton 1925 > Part 5
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July 16 Costa July 17 John Medeiros July 19 Carlton Anthony Simmons
July 23 Irene Antunes Aug. 3 Luis F. Davis
Aug. 4 Ruth L. Watterson Aug. 5 Richard James Silvia Aug. 8 Margaret Costa Katon Aug.14 Helen Senesshal
Aug.14 Stillborn Aug. 15 Marjorie Mendoza Aug. 17 William Edward Seekell Aug. 19 Katherine Louise Toner Aug. 31 Joseph Charles Raymond Courcy Sept. 3 Doreen Marsden
Antoni and Mary Jezyk Doras Lucien and Augustine Lawrence Nathaniel and Anna Glade Manuel and Mary E. Goulart Joseph and Mary G. Santos Joseph E. and Florence W.
Francis
Manuel and Gladys M. Sylvia John J. and Gladys Lynch Joseph and Elsie L. Dreis Frank G. and Mary R. Dutra Joseph F. and Georgiana Rose Thomas M. and Rachel Car- lisle
Charles E. and Hattie W. French Clinton B. and Gertrude H. May
Antony and Mary Silvia Howard C.and Marion E. Chad- wick
Manuel and Mary Correia
Amancia M. and Mary Tarceiso Antone and Ruth Costa
Antone and Mary Medeiros George E. and Elizabeth A. Simmons
John and Mary Antunes Patsy J. and Mary Davis
Edgar and Sadie Watterson Joseph S. and Mary J. Sylvia
Joseph C. and Mary F. Katon Pete Joseph and Helen T. Senes- shal
Frank and Mary Mendoza William and Grace D. Seekell John I. and Helen R. Toner
Albert and Adeline Courcy Harold and Elizabeth A. Mars den
103
ANNUAL REPORT
Sept. 20 Frances De Costa Sept. 27 Mary O'Connell
Sept. 28 Clifford Kelton Marble
Oct. 4 Elsie Frances Seekell Oct. 7 Louis Joseph Begnoche Oct. 14 Alfred C. Abren Oct. 18 Virginia Goulart
Oct. 19 Stillborn
Oct. 21 Irene Mendoza
Oct. 31 Joseph Ravello
Nov. 2 Deolinda Ferreira
Nov. 3 O'Connell
Nov. 5 Donald Brayden Carr Nov.13 Elizabeth Jane Graham
Nov.15 Caelast Vincent
Nov.16 Meetis
Nov.24 Carleton Ronald Hayes
Nov.30 William Harrison Reed Dec. 2 Izabel Andrade
Dec. 2 Dwight Francis Perry Dec. 11 Doris Mendoza
Dec. 18 Henry Lyman Horton Dec. 20 Frazer Dec. 26 Ruth Elizabeth Smith Dec. 28 Ballou
Joseph D. and Mary P. Costa Joseph D. and Mary V. O'Con- nell Clifford K. and Harriette B. Marble
Roy B. and Elsie E. Seekell Napoleon and Delcia Begnoche John and Mary Abren Louis and Mary Goulart
Manuel J. and Edna Mendoza David and Mary Ravello Manuel and Marie P. Ferreira William H. and Leona O'Con- nell John C. and Susan L. Carr William and Marguerite Gra- ham
Aimiendo and Mary Vincent Frank and Wilhelmina Meetis Carleton W.and Helen M. Hayes Arthur L. and Ellen Reed Joseph and Mary Andrade Harold and Helen Perry Louis and Annie Mendoza Elwood L. and Lillian I. Horton Everett W. and Anna L. Frazer Samuel S. and Nellie R. Smith Louis L. and Florence I.
Ballou
104
ANNUAL REPORT
DEATHS RECORDED IN 1925
Date
Name
Age
Cause of Death
Jan. 2 Mary Binney
Jan. 8 Hannah Taylor
Jan. 18 John Thomas Adams 75 29 Senile Dementia
Jan. 20 Walter Child
72 19 Carcinoma of Stomach
Feb. 6 Roza M. Rose
Feb. 8 Manuel L. Cabral
Feb. 19 Stillborn
Mar. 7 Verne Warner Colpitt
16
1 23 Fracture base of Scull- Fracture of 1st Rib. Dis- location of spine
Mar. 10 Furtunada Branco
31
Mar. 11 Delia Souza
15
Mar. 14 Mary McSally Corey
42
Mar. 16 John Murray
64
5 14 Dementia praecox Natural Causes-Heart Disease
Mar. 19 Adeline L. Dean 81
0 14 Hemorrhage of Stomach
Mar. 27 Harold Marsden 33
Apr. 4 John Nunes
1
3
3 27 Lobar pneumonia 0 Accidental Scalds
Apr. 16 Albert Lare
Apr. 19 William J. Hoffman
Apr. 26 William J. Mansfield 55
May 3 Elena Reis 43
6
0 Pulmonary Tuberculosis
May 18 Stillborn
June 12 Antonio Costa Pereira 77 0 0 Cancer of bladder
June 18 Clarence D. Hammond 70 1 24 Accident
June 26 Stillborn
July 5 Edna I. M. Shoppee 69 9 7 Cerebral Hemorrhage 0 0 Chronic Myocardelin
July 11 Mary Sweet 66
Aug. 14 Stillborn
Sept. 18 Agnes L. Phillips
65 5 15 Cerebral Hemorrhgea
Sept. 26 Stillborn
Sept. 29 Joaquin Roderick
Oct. 18 Stillborn
79
9 13 Cardio Renal Disease
82 5 29 Carcinoma
58 Arterial Sclerosis
8 9 Acute Indigestion
Pulmonary Tuberculosis Pulmonary Tuberculosis
70 4 23 Pulmonary Tuberculosis 53 Valvular Heart Disease Chronic nephritis
4 Enteritis
105
ANNUAL REPORT
Oct. 15 Elizabeth Paddock Talbot 87 5 19 Heart Disease
Oct. 20 Doreen Marsden
1 17 Gastro enteritis
Oct. 25 Carlos Francesca 33 11 0 Abscess of brain
Oct. 30 Mary Josephine Wood 86 0 20 Cerebral hemorrhage
Nov. 4 Harriet A. Gooding 92 3 28 Broncho pneumonia
Nov. 5 Edward E. Lincoln
35 5 13 Suicide-bullet wound
Nov. 8 Adoniram Goff 7110 Accident-T. Pneumonia
Dec. 4 Antone Souza Gracia 49 0 0 Carcinoma of Stomach
Dec. 13 Francesca C. Tenexeira 60 0 0 Pneumonia
Dec. 22 Daniel T. Wood
93 11 4 Carcinoma of femur
Dec. 23 Ira Pardon Briggs
4 3 Broncho pneumonia
Dec. 23 Marsden Carr
7 11 30 Multiple Injuries, automo- bile accident.
106
ANNUAL REPORT
CEMETERY FUNDS
Amt. of On deposit Interest Exp. for Fund Jan. 1, 1925 Received Care
Name
of lots
Sarah Babbitt
$100 00
$47 28
$6 69
$10 00
Briggs
125 00
49 05
7 90
3 00
Mary F. Briggs
100 00
12 08
5 09
8 00
Geo. E. Francis
100 00
16 79
5 29
3 50
Joseph Gooding
141 75
13 90
5 48
10 00
Trueman N. Goff
100 00
7 82
4 89
3 50
Geo. H. Horton
100 00
33 78
6 05
8 00
Nelson Horton
100 00
23 23
5 61
3 50
Sylvanus Jones
100 00
53 06
6 95
10 00
Josiah R. Talbot
100 00
21 02
5 49
8 00
Dr. A. J. Smith
150 00
12 60
5 15
10 00
Martha L. Smith
50 00
94
1 70
2 00
Nathan Walker
100 00
27 14
5 79
William Walker
250 00
91 06
15 50
10 00
Williams
100 00
40 42
6 37
10 00
Thomas B. Witherell
100 00
3 43
4 68
3 50
Benj. F. Goff
100 00
6 53
4 86
3 50
David W. Francis
100 00
6 40
4 82
3 50
N. Allen Walker
100 00
24 95
7 93
Oliver P. Simmons
721 98
65 78
35 82
65 00
Francis Wheeler
100 00
2 39
4 64
3 50
William D. Goff
100 00
5 10
4 77
8 00
Robert S. Waterman
100 00
1 45
4 59
3 50
Josephine G. Thaxter
100 00
4 15
4 73
8 00
Submit Babbitt
50 00
1 69
2 32
4 00
Ebenezer Gay
50 00
1 69
2 32
4 00
Emerson Goff
100 00
2 14
4 64
3 50
Shubel Wheeler
100 00
3 42
3 50
Westcot & McNally
200 00
3 00
6 00
The Westcot & McNally fund has interest accumulated of $3.00. The Town has expended $6.00 leaving that amount due the Town when there is interest sufficient to pay same.
The Shubel Wheeler fund is short .08 as more was expended than the income.
Respectfully submitted, DWIGHT F. LANE,
Treasurer.
107
ANNUAL REPORT
PUBLIC LIBRARY REPORT
Dighton, Mass., Jan. 1. 1926.
I herewith submit my fifteenth report as Librarian :
Number of Volumes in Library, Dec. 31st, 1924 6,207
Purchased during year 138
Number of volumes presented Library 3
Number of volumes in Library Dec. 31st, 1925
6,348
New borrowers
78
Total number of borrowers
992
Circulation during year
10,446
Adult fiction
5,184
Youth's fiction
2,405
Non-fiction
2,857
Magazines
595
Number of persons using reading room
1,149
Money received from fines and turned over to Town Treasurer 35 77
Books mended 363
A picture of the Rev. A. Judson Rich has been given the Library by his children, Mrs. Eleazer Cate, Miss Martha Rich and Mr. Edgar Rich.
Mrs. Lucie M. Phillips has given an early reprint of the Declaration of Independence.
Mr. John W. Synan has given a muzzle loading pistol of the Revolutionary War period. Hand made nails taken from the Old Mount Hope mill, erected in 1804 and torn down in 1923. Also an interesting collection of old pennies.
Mr. Fred W. Gardiner has given two cases of jack-knife work.
108
ANNUAL REPORT
We have a collection of books printed in the Portuguese language, loaned by Massachusetts Library Commission Department of Education, Boston.
You will find thirty-five magazines-on the table for your use.
Respectfully submitted, LYDIA J. COLE, Librarian.
109
ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Paid Librarian
$300 00
Janitor
131 80
", Labor
54 25
", Supplies
24 34
Fuel
114 11
-
Maps
2 85
Magazines
51 25
Mowing Lawn
20 00
Binding Book
6 75
Books
238 04
Total Payments
943 39
Appropriation
1,100 00
DWIGHT F. LANE,
Chairman of Trustees
110
ANNUAL REPORT
Books Added to Dighton Public Library for the year 1925
ADULT FICTION
Bacheller, Irving
Father Abraham
Bailey, Temple
Glory of Youth
Bailey, Temple
Mistress Anne
Bindloss, Harold
Cross Trails
Blackmore, R. D.
Lorna Doone
Bower, B. M.
Desert Brew
Buck, C. N.
Portuguese Silver
Butler, Samuel
Way of all Flesh
Cobb, Irvin
Alias Ben Alibi
Colver, Alice R.
If Dreams Come True
Comstock, Harriet
Glenn of the Mountain
Curwood, James
Ancient Highway
Curwood, James
Courage of Capt. Plum
Curwood, James
Back to God's Country
Davis, Elmer
Keys to the City
Gregory Jackson
Everlasting Whisper
Gregory, Jackson
Maid of the Mts.
Grey, Zane
Thundering Herd
Gibbs, George
The Love of Monsieur
Haggard, Rider
Cleopatra
Hale, Edward Everett
Ten Times One is Ten
Irwin, Will
Youth Rides West
Kennedy, Margaret
The Constant Nymph
Kyne, Peter B.
Cappy Ricks
Lea, Fanny H.
With This Ring
Lee, Jeannette
Dead Right
Lewis, Sinclair
Arrowsmith
Lincoln, Joseph C.
Queer Judson
Lutz, Grace L. Hill
Ariel Custer
111
ANNUAL REPORT
Lutz, Grace L. Hill Lutz, Grace L. Hill Mccutcheon, G. B. Meredith, George Miller, Alice Duer
Montgomery, L. M.
Montgomery, L. M. Oember, Marie C.
Oppenheim, E. Phillips Pedler, Margaret
The Lamp of Fate
Pedler, Margaret
Red Ashes
Pendexter, Hugh
Wife Ship Woman
Porter, Gene Stratton
Keeper of the Bees
Raine, William M.
Troubled Waters
Rath, E. J.
Gas-Drive In.
Rath, E. J.
Brains of the Family
Rath, E. J.
Mister 44
Ruck, Berta
Lucky in Love
Rinehart
Red Lamp
Sabatini, Rafael
Carolinian
Smith, Harriet L.
Pollyanna's Jewels
Sterrett, Francis R.
Mary Rose of Mifflin
Stringer, Arthur
Never Fail Blake
Stringer, Arthur
Prairie Mother
Tartsington, Booth
Gentle Julia
Tartsington, Booth
Penrod
Tartsington, Booth
Penrod and Sam
Terhune, Albert P. Najib
Weston, George
The Beauty Prize
Wister, Owen
The Virginian
Wright, Harold Bell
Son of His Father
YOUTH'S FICTION
Abbott, Jane D. Aprilly
Altemus, Henry
Flapsy Flopper Four Little Pigs
Altemus, Henry
Enchanted Barn
Finding of Jasper Holt
Brewster's Millions
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel
Reluctant Duchess
Anne of Green Gables
Emily Climbs
His Wife in Law
The Inevitable Millionaires
112
ANNUAL REPORT
Altemus, Henry
Grunty Grunts Indoors
Altemus, Henry
Grunty Grunts Outdoors
Altemus, Henry
Hootie Toots of Hollow Tree
Altemus, Henry Black Sambo and Baby Elephant
Altemus, Henry
Little Dearie Deer
Altemus, Henry
Little Prayers for Little Lips
Altemus, Henry
Little Puppy
Altemus, Henry
Little Sallie Mandy.
Altemus, Henry
Little Squirrelie Squirreliekin
Altemus, Henry
Little Wise Chicken
Altemus, Henry
Peter Rabbitt and Brown Bear
Altemus, Henry
Peter Rabbitt and Terrible Foxes
Altemus, Henry
Peter Rabbitt and Tiny Bits
Altemus, Henry
Peter Rabbitt and the Witch Wo- man Robber Kitten
Altemus, Henry
Altemus, Henry
Slovenly Betsey
Altemus, Henry
Stories from the New Testament
Altemus, Henry
Stories from the Old Testament
Altemus, Henry
Wee Folks Bible A. B. C. Stories
Altemus, Henry
Wee Folks Life of Christ
Altemus, Henry
Wish Fairy and Dewy Dear
Altemus, Henry
Wish Fairy of Sunshine and Shad- ow Forest Every Day Classics First Reader
Baker, F. F. and Thorndike, A. H. Baker, F. F. and Thorndike, A. H.
Every Day Classics Primer
Barrie, James M.
Peter Pan
Burnett, Frances H.
Sara Crewe
Elson, William H.
Primer
Firman, Sidney
First Reader
Firman, Sidney
Primer
Free, M. and Treadwell H. First Reader
Free, M. and Treadwell H. Primer
113
ANNUAL REPORT
Knipe, E. B. and Knipe A. A.
Shadow Captain
La Rue, Mabel G.
F. U. N. Book
La Rue, Mabel G.
Under the Story Tree
Maule, Mary K.
Little Knight of X Bar B
Mulock, Dinah M.
Little Lame Prince
Rand, McNally, Edited by
Mother Goose
Smith, Carrie J.
Easy Road to Reading
Welsh, Charles
Tales of Mother Goose Birds of Christmas Carol
FAIRY TALES
Andersen, Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales Grimm, Jacob and W. K. Grimm's Fairy Tales, Part One &
Lang, Andrew
Two Blue Fairy Book
MacDonald, George
At the Back of the North Wind
MacDonald, George
Princess and Curdie
MacDonald, George
Princess and the Goblin
398
Holbrook, Florence Book of Nature Myths 970.1
Schultz, James W.
Sinopah, the Indian Boy
NON-FICTION
200
Cooke, Richard J. Religion in Russia under the So- viets
Wiggin, Kate D.
114
ANNUAL REPORT
213
Lull, Richard S. The Ways of Life
Osborne, Henry F. The Earth Speaks to Byran
Schumucker, Samuel C. Man's Life on Earth
232
Papini, Giovanni
Life of Christ
327
Dennett, Tyler
Roosevelt and the Russo-Japanese War
353
Beck, James M. Constitution of the United States Yesterday, Today and To-mor- row Follett, M. P. The New State. The Solution of Popular Government
395
Post, Emily
Etiquette
580
Cloud, Dorothy M. P. Culture of Perennials Cloud, Katharine M. P. Practical Flower Gardening
590
Porter, Gene Stratton Tales You Won't Believe
621
French, Thomas E.
Engineering-Drawing
115
ANNUAL REPORT
821
Guest, Edgar A.
All That Matters A Heap O' Living
Guest, Edgar A.
Guest, Edgar A. Just Folks
Guest, Edgar A.
The Passing Throng
Guest, Edgar A.
The Path of Home
Guest, Edgar A.
Poems of Patriotism
Guest, Edgar A.
Rhymes of Childhood
Lowell, Amy
What's O'Clock
Stevenson, Burton E.
Home Verse for Young People
921
Bok, Edward Johnson, Willis F. Dorr, Rheta Childe Isman, Felix
Twice Thirty Life of James G. Blaine A Woman of Fifty Joseph Weber and Lew Fields Life and Letters of Walter H. Page
970
Parkman, Francis
La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West
986
Brebe, William
Galapagos
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
TOWN OF DIGHTON
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1925
2
ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Roy F. Walker, No. Dighton, R. F. D. Term expires 1927 Mrs. Clara L. W. Wyeth, Segregansett Leland Bullard, Segregansett
Term expires 1929 Term expires 1927
Mrs. Sarah C. Hamilton, No. Dighton, R. F. D.
Term expires 1928
Henry W. Horton, Dighton, R. F. D.
Trenor F. Goodell, Dighton
Term expires 1928 Term expires 1929
ORGANIZATION
Roy F. Walker, Chairman Mrs. S. C. Hamilton, Secretary Trenor F. Goodell, Fin. Sec.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Edward L. Hill, No. Dighton, Mass. Telephone, Taunton 3128-W
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
H. C. Briggs, Dighton, Mass. Telephone, 101 Dighton.
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
H. S. Miller, M. D., 2 Pearl St., No. Dighton. Telephone, Taunton 645-W
SCHOOL NURSE
Alice B. MacIntosh, 390 Cohannet St., Taunton, Mass. Telephone, Taunton 697-R
MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Marion H. Martin, Taunton, Mass.
3
ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Winter Term, 7 weeks, Monday, Dec. 28, 1925 to Friday, Feb. 19, 1926.
Late Winter Term, 7 weeks, Monday, March 1, to Friday, April 16, 1926.
Spring Term, 8 weeks, Monday, April 26 to Friday, June 18, 1926.
Fall Term, 15 weeks, Tuesday, Sept. 7, to Friday, Dec. 17, 1926.
Winter Term, 8 weeks, Monday, Dec. 27, 1926 to Friday, Feb. 18, 1927.
Late Winter Term, 8 weeks, Monday, Feb. 28, to Friday, April 22, 1927.
Spring Term, 7 weeks, Monday, May 2, to Friday, June 17, 1927.
HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day following.
DATE OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The regular monthly meetings of the School Committee are held on the last Thursday of each month.
4
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of the Town of Dighton :
I have the honor of submitting my second annual report as your Superintendent of Schools.
The characteristic of present education is transition from the old to the newer types of school work. Parents and the general public are well aware that the schools are not doing the things that used to be done and with which they are accustomed. They do not know what the newer methods mean. In order that parents and citizens of the Town may understand what the various changes that they observe really mean and why they are introduced, I shall try briefly to explain the modern viewpoint and the measures growing out of it.
The basal feature of the newer methods is their departure from tradition. The fact that a thing has been done, or is generally being done, is not considered to justify a school practice. In recent years sociology has become a real and practical science. Social and invididual needs and possi- bilities of progress have been studied and the new education seeks to make these needs and possibilities the aim of school work. The best simple definition of the general aim of education that I am acquainted with is,-first, to enable the individual to do better than he otherwise would those things that he must or would do anyway; and second, to enable the individual to do better and more worth-while things than he otherwise would be able to do.
5
ANNUAL REPORT
This general aim re-stated in specific terms furnished the definite objective of education. These are obtained by the process of observing what people actually do and determining which things are most worth while and which ways of doing them are most efficient. The central idea of modern education is a procedure based upon an actual analysis of real life. The specific aims are variously stated. One statement representative of modern thought gives the specific aim of school work as follows :- Effective social inter-communication, maintenance of physical efficiency, efficient citizenship, appropriate general social contacts and relationship, worthwhile use of leisure, general mental efficiency, proper religious attitudes and activities, ap- propriate participation in family responsibilities, and satis- factory engagement in both occupational and unspecialized activities.
The next step in modern method is a further analysis of such aims as the ones just stated into the requisite know- ledges, attitudes, habits, abilities, skills, interests, etc., that their attainment implies. Any list so derived is certain to be a lengthy one containing many hundred de- tailed items. Obviously no such list need be given here. To illustrate however the general process I will give under each of the headings stated above a few sample items which would in a complete list be given a further and yet more detailed subdivision.
Efficient social inter-communication clearly involves such abilities as the following ;- Ability to use and understand language, both spoken and written; ability to organize and express one's thoughts ; and ability to use reference material to find facts and authorative opinion regarding matters of interest.
Maintenance of physical efficiency involves such items as, -knowledge of the value of and the means of obtaining proper diet, sufficient fresh air and exercise, appropriate care of the body; all possible freedom from contagion and
6
ANNUAL REPORT
preventable accidents; proper lay procedure; and the efficient utilization of professional service in the event of disease.
Efficient citizenship involves a sympathetic understand- ing of the functions of civic institutions; their necessity ; their benefits to the individual; the duties and privileges of individual citizenship; also interest in and the desire to participate in the work of civic progress.
Appropriate general social contacts and relationships imply ability to talk and act in sympathetic, tactful, and human ways, that are most effective in promoting agree- able and beneficial relationships among associates.
Worthwhile use of leisure, which is a topic the great importance of which is just becoming realized, involves the ability of the adult to play and also the possession of real recreational interests upon the part of adults. Probably no feature of newer school practice is so little understood and so regularly misunderstood as the present emphasis upon play in school. It has become well established that after the age of fourteen individuals rapidly lose their ability to play and with it the natural means of healthy growth and maintained vitality. An examination of the use of spare time by typical adults shows that mere idleness without special purpose or interest is the typical situation. For lack of anything to do people simply sit or walk around merely as a change from sitting. People go to places of organized amusement, not because of interest in them, but merely to go somewhere. One of the real contributions of present school methods to future welfare is that they will, if successful, provide adults with wholesome and beneficial recreational interests.
General mental efficiency involves two elements. Know- ledge and the ability to perform the mental activities de- manded by efficient behaviour of any sort.
Proper religious attitudes and activities while not pri- marily a public school responsibility, is nevertheless a matter that cannot be so completely ignored as it has been
7
ANNUAL REPORT
in the past. The essential brotherhood of man is an es- tablished fact. Religious ideals are admittedly of value. These are facts that cannot be disregarded in any complete system of general education. It is well within the province of the school to develop abilities, habits and disposition, to follow the leadership of the highest thought of moral leaders.
Appropriate participation in family responsibilities starts with the appreciation of the child as a participating member of the family group. He is taught to know his part in the life of the family and to become able to do it. Knowledge of and ability to perform the adult responsibilities of family life are built upon this foundation.
Satisfactory engagement in occupational activities so far as general education is concerned, has as its central idea vocational guidance. Appropriate guidance both education- al and vocational is, in fact, the fundamental necessity that makes the junior high school an essential element of any adequate educationl system. It has always been known that individuals differ greatly in ability and apti- tude, both general and special, and also that various occu- pations vary greatly in their demands upon individuals. Taking both of these factors into consideration the modern school attempts to guide each pupil so far as possible into what is the one best job for him. Educational guidance is the application of the same principle to the work of the school itself. It is an attempt to guide the pupil so that he will take those subjects or courses that are, for him, most profitable. Fitting instruction to individual needs, pro- vision for individual progress, and the elimination of wasted time and effort upon subjects for which the parti- cular individual has neither need nor ability, and distinc- tive features of present school practice.
Unspecialized practical activities involve the ability to design, make, and repair, useful or pleasure yielding articles. Such items as the ability to make ordinary household re-
8
ANNUAL REPORT
pairs, or to build a radio set, for boys; and sewing, trimming hats, and candy making, for girls; indicate the general nature of this field.
Of the words, knowledge, habit, skill, and ability,- knowledge is readily understood. The other words have a somewhat technical significance and are not, as might appear, synonymous terms. Habit involves a tendency to do automatically the same thing under the same circum- stances. It does not involve necessarily skill or ability. It is possible to habitually blunder or bungle the doing of something. Ability involves doing a thing in accordance with some ideal or standard. Every person for instance should have the ability to read with ease, rapidity, and comprehension. In this case the thing done is to read and the ideals or standards involved are ease, rapidity and comprehension. Skill involves dexterity, as the result both of practice and of self-controled and directed efforts.
The final step in modern school procedure is to deter- mine what activities in school will result in the habits, attitudes, abilities, skills, dispositions, knowledges, etc., required. The central idea of modern methods is learning through doing. Teaching is no longer regarded as a matter of assigning subject matter or telling facts. Pupils are expected to be engaged in some activity which they consider to be as important for them as grown up activities are for adults. The work of teaching has become that of direct- ing and aiding the purposeful activities of the children. Under these circumstances the old time recitation is rapidly passing into disuse. In its place a type of class work of real social value is becoming established. Under old con- ditions knowledge and ability profited no one but its posses- sor and their lack discommoded no one but the individual concerned. Under new conditions the result is a group accomplishment towards which each must do his part and every participant is dependent upon every other participant for the success of both his part and the final outcome. Under these circumstances school life is actually socialized
9
ANNUAL REPORT
and the individual learns co-operation by actually co-oper- ating.
This general outline of modern method has been given to show what we are trying to do at the present time in the schools of the Town. These procedures are new. Their technique is as yet undeveloped. It must be remembered that present day teachers went to school themselves under old conditions, and except in a very limited way, have never seen modern methods in actual operation. Practi- cally these things are goals toward which we are working in a way that is necessarily somewhat tentative and ex- perimental. Departure from an older established order to establish a newer and better condition is bound to involve some mistakes. Before the transition is successfully com- pleted a new viewpoint must be developed upon the part of the pupils as well as the teachers. Possibly we have overlooked too much this fact, and failure to realize our ends, is often due to an attempt to do things that the chil- dren do not understand and being naturally adverse to change, they consciously or unconsciously resist. Certainly children can not co-operate in an undertaking that they do not understand, and in the natural course of events their ,cooperation is likely to be proportioned to their acceptance of, and enthusiasm for, the ends proposed. One of the distinctive characteristics of the newer methods is that all work is regarded by the child as his work for the attainment of his own ends unless each child is working for results that he understands and definitely purposes to accomplish, the method of instruction employed is not in accord with the modern viewpoint, and no failure under these conditions can be charged against the newer methods because such methods are not in these cases being employed.
The most important change during the last year is the better school organization now in force. The Fish, Brick and Segreganset schools are now Primary Schools with but four grades attending them. The Williams school is the intermediate school for the western part of the town and
10
ANNUAL REPORT
has three grades. The Grammar schools at North Dighton and at South Dighton house the entire seventh and eighth grades of the town. This abolishes the all grades single teacher type of school and gives us a single town wide system of really graded schools. The beneficial results of this change are already evident and each year they will become increasingly apparent. The definite acceptance of the dental clinic as a regular school responsibility, our present complete compliance with the legal requirements regarding vaccination, and the successful introduction of the hot lunch at noon in both North Dighton and South Dighton are also important accomplishments of the year. Substantial pro- gress has been made in providing the pupils with more adequate materials of instruction and, in the lower grades, school furniture adapted to modern methods of instruction. The growing interest of the teachers in Professional self- improvement is a matter that should be not only mentioned but also given substantial recognition.
The outstanding need of the schools is more room. At North Dighton eight grades and a special class, are at pre- sent crowded into seven rooms. Next year this can not be done. The Primary school can hold only grades one to three as at present the Grammar building can care only for grades five to eight. The fourth grade and the special class will be without a place to go next September. Two rooms are absolutely required, and in my opinion the best as well as the least expensive solution of the situation is the addition of two rooms to the North Dighton Primary build- ing.
Below I give a list of town children attending High school and a table of membership for local schools.
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ANNUAL REPORT
HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS
Seniors. Taunton
Marion Andrews Ruth I. Brown Isabel Chisholm
Florence Grinnell Marjorie Stead George C. Thompson
Juniors.
Fall River Taunton
Losi Blinn
Norma Bowen
Alice Goodell
Katherine Menges
Mildred Morrissey
Elwyn Stafford
Verna Staples
Sophomores. Taunton .
Clayton Atwood
Eugenia Barney
Ruth E. Brown
Vivian Frelic
Mabel Gilbert
Eunisa Greenlaw
Lewis Horton
Everett Rock
Russell Smith
Josephine Walker
Helen Wheeler
Irving Wheeler
Fall River
Agnes M. Hornby Avis A. Eddy
Freshmen.
Taunton
Chester Barber Elbert Cameron
Clara Cavanagh, Lucy Cavanagh William Goldrick Eleanor Perry
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ANNUAL REPORT
Harold Phillips Gladys Potter Benjamin Sherman John Synan Mary Varges
Russell Wood Vernon Stead
Fall River
Welton Carr
Harold Wyrus
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ANNUAL REFORT
DIGHTON SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP BY GRADE
School
Grades
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
S
Total
North Primary
31
34
34
99
North Grammar
17
33
35
37
14
16
152
South
38
24
24
15
26
18
13
15
8
181
Broad Cove
3
3
8
5
3
22
Segreganset
4
5
3
12
Flat Rock
6
5
2
5
12
1
2
33
Fish
7
8
7
8
30
Williams
2
15
9
26
Brick
7
14
2
8
31
96
93
77
63
89
63
52
29
24
586
In conclusion I wish to thank school officials, teachers, citizens and all with whom I have come in contact for the interest, consideration, and co-operation that have made the progress of the year possible. In this respect I wish to particularly mention the Dighton Parent teacher's Asso- ciation. The Dental Clinic and the Hot Lunch are directly due to the efforts of this association. The town is fortunate in having an organization willing and able to carry out a successful program of constructive assistance to the Schools and I urge a hearty support of the Association in their helpful activities.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD L. HILL
Superintendent of Schools.
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Dighton :
Having completed the year 1925 your Committee hereby submits its report.
There being a great congestion of pupils at the Fish, Flat Rock and Brick Schools this Committee, beginning last September, has been transporting the seventh and eighth grades to North Dighton. The fifth and sixth grades from the Fish are going to the Williams and the first, second and third grades from the Williams are going to the Brick. Broad Cove and Segreganset children above the fourth grade are being transported to Dighton. This transportation was let out to bids. Mr. Carl Gordon being awarded the trip from Fish to North Dighton and the noon trip to Taunton High School. Mr. John Ingham was awarded the trips from Broad Cove to Dighton and the morning trip to Taunton High School.
This transportation appears to be working out satisfact- orily.
During the year chemical toilets have been installed at the Dighton Grammar School and a new boundary fence erected. The Brick School House has been shingled. Two new stoves have been installed in the rural schools. New furnaces have been placed in the Primary Building and a small auxiliary boiler in the Grammar Building at North Dighton.
Just a word about the increase in our estimated budget for 1926. The increase is due to three causes. Trans- porting children from rural schools, increase of pupils in High Schools and increase in our teaching staff.
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ANNUAL REPORT
SCHOOL BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 1926
Supt. & Law Enforcement
$2,200 00
Teachers
23,359 00
Supplies & Books
3,000 00
Janitors
2,600 00
Fuel
3,000 00
Repairs
1,500 00
Health-Including Dental Clinic
1,750 00
Transportation
5,019 00
Tuition
6,772 00
Contingent
700 00
Total
$49,900 00
Respectfully submitted,
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Dighton, Mass., Jan. 5, 1926.
Edmond L. Hill, Supt. of Schools, Dighton, Mass.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report for the year ending Dec. · 31, 1925. I have made 164 visits to ascertain the cause of absences of children from school. Lack of co-operation of parents or guardian in nearly every case was found to be the cause. Wilful absences is very rare in this Town. I thank all connected with the schools for their cheerful co-operation to better school attendance.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWARD C. BRIGGS,
· Attendance Officer.
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ANNUAL REPORT
PHYSICIAN'S REPORT
To the School Committee of Dighton :
The usual routine examination of children was followed this year as previously. The majority of advised cor- rections were attended to, however, some after much urging -only a few parents refusing to co-operate.
The pre-school clinics held at South Dighton and North Dighton on June 16th., were instrumental in recognizing various defects so that corrections could be accomplished before the children entered school in September. At the South Dighton Clinic 28 were examined and at the North Dighton Clinic 22.
It often occurs that if a child is well enough to go through the first year with a good record of attendance and accom- plishment, a certain pride is established, and there is an incentive for a repetition of the good record in following years. The pre-school clinic, therefor, is to be urged and supported, and it is hoped that the time may soon come when all parents will bring their children for examination, and that all defects are remedied before beginning the first year of school. It is merely a means of giving children an opportunity to make the most of their abilities, and there- for a credit to parents and the school system.
In an effort to protect against disease (smallpox), so far as is possible, each child has been vaccinated, except for a few children not considered good risks for such procedure, in which cases a certificate of exemption was furnished.
The school nurse, Miss Alice B. MacIntosh, has made 165 school-room visits and 408 home calls (as compared with 278 home calls of the preceding year). The increase
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ANNUAL REPORT
in number of home calls is, for the most part, due to the great amount of work accomplished by the dental clinic, where 390 children have been treated (Jan .- Dec. 1925). In the same period of time the tonsil clinic had 36 operations
A clinic for the correction of defects of the eyes, fitting of glasses, etc., may be of equal importance to the dental and tonsil clinics. An optometrist has consented to give his time and part of equipment to such a clinic, but the expense encountered in furnishing the remaining necessary equip- ment seems to make such unlikely at present. A clinic of this sort would give each child an opportunity for a routine examination of the eyes and many mean the relief of many of the headaches of early life, as well as the early correction of many ocular defects, at a time when they are yet highly responsive to treatment. 2
Respectfully submitted, H. S. MILLER, M. D.
2 Pearl St., No. Dighton, Mass. 163 High St., Taunton, Mass.
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ANNUAL REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1925
RECEIPTS
$45,760 00
Appropriation
659 56
Dog Tax
$46,419 56
EXPENDITURES
1
$1,968 66
Supt. & Law
2,086 98
Fuel
18,994 76
Teachers' Salaries
2,045 63
Books
1,656 98
Supplies
560 73 .
Transportation (High School)
1,574 00
Transportation (Elementary School)
5,376 75
Tuition
857 31
New Equipment
2,415 84
Janitors
674 94
Miscellaneous
3,569 14
Repairs
1,024 00
Health
$42,805 72
Total
2,017 00
Unpaid Bills
1,596 84
Bal. Jan. 1, 1926
$46,419 56
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF DENTAL CLINIC
Appropriation Expenditures
$300 00 202 29
Balance
97 71
Respectfully,
T. F. GOODELL,
Fin. Sec.
.
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