USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > Town annual reports of Acton, Massachusetts 1926-1930 > Part 38
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Success in music is, after all, attained in about the same manner as are successes in other fields of education. It is a matter of practice. If regular time is given and there is a definite aim in view, results are bound to come-and with them, confidence and a certain degree of satisfaction con- ducive to added interest and effort. It is a cumlative affair.
It takes some time for teachers to arrive at the point where they can efficiently help to carry on the work. One of the most successful primary teachers I have ever known is unable to sing a tune. However, she knows her limita- tions and more than makes up in other phases of the work. She exerts a powerful influence for good in the character of the work her pupils do in later grades. In short, a good teacher can teach anything (she chooses to). It is a mat- ter of common sense in direction and establishing habits of industry, of letting the pupils do the work. I think teachers have a better idea of the part they have to do than they did a number of years ago, as regards employment of time dur- ing a supervisor's visit.
The practice of part-singing is a team job; it is a lesson in cooperation and in no other subject are the demands so con- tinuous or more exacting.
In dealing with such a situation, one is constantly beset with problems of administration. To illustrate, if one is dealing with the whole high school there is the question of age differences. Between a freshman and a sophomore there is a considerable one but that between a freshman and a senior is greater than that in any equivalent period in human life-and the senior feels it. To continue, let us consider what a boy endures from grades six to twelve:
1. Thickening of vocal cords and changing voice, necessitating
2. Reading and singing a third part.
21
3. Subsequent changes to bass, requiring practice with a fourth part.
4. Also learning to read from a new clef, involving new positions of pitch names.
5. Learning to pitch the speaking voice lower so as to avoid the "yodling" effect due to too high pitching around that point where head, matches on to chest tone.
Then, too, there are problems having to do with reper- tory. What material shall we choose for a given period? Is this song one they have had too much? Is that song one that grades too hard as to time? Is the text one that is likely to appeal? Is the tune one that is likely to interest the student body as a whole? How long shall we try it this period? And we might go on.
We are doing fairly well with grades seven and eight considering that we have but forty-five minutes per week. About ninety minutes of constructive work per week is standard. Insufficient practice retards development of power in reading and consequent singing of many songs.
I have been impressed with the improvement in the senior high school. There are a number of pupils who have a great deal of talent.
I wish to thank all concerned for the purchase of the new high school song books. We have been rather limited in student songs-those of a light popular nature to mix with more serious ones. This need has been well-met in the new material. In a check-over of the songs it was found that there were over one hundred fifty songs which did not appear in the other books we have, which is quite good con- sidering that most assembly song books are a re-hash of material found in a large number of similar ones. I am sure this will prove a good investment.
I wish to thank all teachers and others for help and coop- eration.
All of which is respectfully submitted,
Yours very truly,
ELMER E. PIERCE, Supervisor of Music.
January 18, 1931.
22
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Mr. John Hough, Superintendent of Schools, Acton, Mass.
Dear Sir :
I herewith submit my annual report as school physician. Physical examinations were completed in November.
During the year we have had very little contagious disease, and the general health of the school population has been very good.
Posture of the pupils has improved noticeably.
Our pre-school clinics are working to very good ad- vantage, and we see healthier children entering school.
Parents are cooperating to make our work more worth while and we appreciate it.
I wish to thank the superintendent, teachers and nurse for their valuable assistance.
Details will be found in the nurse's report.
Respectfully submitted,
E. A. MAYELL, M. D.
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
Mr. John Hough,
Superintendent of Schools,
Acton, Mass.
Dear Sir:
The physical examinations for the year were completed early in October with the following result :
Total number of examinations by doctor 664
Defects found : 34
Tonsils and Adenois
Glands 150
Poor Posture 145
Teeth
190
Heart
25
23
Report of school examinations during the school year done by the nurse :
Special examinations 1963
Simple dressings 215
Individual talks on Personal Hygiene 120
Sanitary inspections of all buildings 148
Home visits 260
Pupils excluded from school because of communicable disease 30
Number of children taken home ill
53
In March three pupils were taken to Littleton for X-ray and the same three taken to Ayer for physical examinations. These were the remainder of the children examined by the State Department for under weight three years ago. They had all improved to such an extent that the doctors for the department did not consider it necessary for them to return another year for examination.
A dental contest was held among the three grade schools, a banner being awarded to the school having the largest number of children with all dental work completed by June first. The banner went to the West Acton school.
The Schick test for diphtheria was given to twenty-seven pupils in May. Seven of this number were positive and all but one of the seven received three more doses of T. A. T. Twenty-one received it for the first time, five of these were pre-school children, to enter school in September.
The summer round up conferences were held early in June for the second year. The response was much more satisfactory as nearly half of the entering classes were ex- amined at this time by the school doctor, with the exception of one or two. The remainder were examined by their fam- ily physician before September 1.
Many of the defects were corrected and in most instances the children came on the first day of school with their birth and vaccination certificates, thus, saving delay for the teachers in complying with the state laws. We feel very grateful for the hearty cooperation of the parents in this matter.
Three children were taken to Bolton Summer camp this year. All showed great improvement for the treatment there. We owe much to our local T. B. League for their generous help in making this possible.
The lower grades are using health posters to good ad- vantage this year.
Respectfully submitted,
LILLIAN E. FROST, R. N.
24
REPORT OF DRAWING SUPERVISOR
"The eye so soon as ever it is opened beholds all the stars of our hemisphere." The physical eye beholds much but without the interpretation on an aid of our mental and spiritual eye things are meaningless. We feel, therefore, that it is important that the child should learn to see and observe-and seeing, to comprehend. Without mental ob- servation and vision certainly a person cannot express him- self with pencil or paint brush or other means of graphic expression. And so, while we strive to help the pupil to ex- press himself on paper, we also try to sharpen his powers of observation and mental vision.
In the lower grades we have tried to give a foundation in color design, representation, construction, and picture study and appreciation. It is important that these fundamentals be taught from the beginning since all the art work in the upper grades is based on these five principles-increasing, of course, in difficulty according to the grade.
Problems of drawing and construction for the various seasonal holidays were arranged so that the children had an opportunity to design and make their own Halloween masks, Thanksgiving place cards, Valentines, May baskets, etc. When the children have an opportunity to apply their lessons in color and design to problems of particular sig- nificance to themselves then they begin to realize and ap- preciate the laws of design and color and careful workman- ship.
Posters were submitted to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the annual poster contest, and awards were received as commendation for the effort put into the project by the children.
From time to time picture study and appreciation of some of the masterpieces of art have been our lesson topics and we have had the opportunity of seeing these pictures through the courtesy of the Worcester Art Museum.
The cooperation and help of the teacher is very essential for successful work in the art period and I am very grateful for the cooperation I have received.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH A. FARMER.
INDEX
Accountant
78
Auditor
102
Appointments by Selectmen
4
Assessors' Report
42 44
Board of Health
By-Laws
47
Cemetery Commissioners
Collector's Report
Finance Committee
Fire Department
Forest Warden
Health Nurse
Inspector of Animals
Inspector of Slaughtering
45 6
Library Report
49 46
Public Welfare
12 45
Selectmen's Report
11
Superintendent of Streets
43
Births
24
Deaths
29
Dog Licenses
31
Marriages
27
Non-Resident Burials
30 13
Town Meetings
3 7
Treasurer's Report
34
Cemetery Funds
37
Elizabeth White Fund
36
Firemen's Relief Fund
40
Luke Blanchard Cemetery Fund
39
Nineteenth of April Fund
39
Wilde Library Fund
40
Trustees Goodnow Fund
41
Trustees Elizabeth White Fund
41
61 74 76 77 60 44 45
Jury List
Middlesex County Extension Service
Police Department
Town Clerk
23
Town Officers
Town Warrant
SECOND SECTION
School Report :
Domestic Science
18
Financial Statement
7
Legal Holidays
2
Organization
2
School Calendar
2
School Committee
4
School Nurse
22
School Physician
22
Superintendent's Report
14
Supervisor of Drawing
24
Supervisor of Music 20
Teachers 3
L 13
WELLS BINDERY, INC.
OCT
1976
WALTHAM, MASS. 02154.
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