USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Carver > Town annual reports of Carver 1949 > Part 4
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A generous amount of playground equipment has been acquired, through permission of the Committee, and as weather permits will be erected on the grounds of the two primary schools. All of this equipment is such that it can be removed and relocated in the event that the schools are consolidated at one new location and mean-
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while, will provide for a definite lack which has heretofore existed in playground provisions. Equipment has also been supplied to the Center School for playground pur- poses and will be put into use as weather permits. Steps have been taken, also, to provide further equipment for the teaching of cooking and sewing at the Center School. Electric stoves are now on hand to replace the old oil cooking stove which was both unsafe and offensive be- cause of bad odor. Both of the stoves have been purchased at a huge discount, under the Plymouth County Electric advertising policies and furthermore, will be exchanged annually for five years for a new and similar stove, at no cost to the Town beyond the original price already paid. Two school-model electric Singer sewing machines have also been installed. All of this equipment is such that it can be readily moved to a new school building if such should become a reality.
The teachers have co-operated among themselves and with others from the towns in this Union in working on course-of-study materials, graduation programs and other matters pertaining to curriculum of the schools. It is to be regretted that the superintendent has had so little time to give to this work during the past year but time has been demanded on matters pertaining to school buildings throughout the Union and of necessity other matters, such as curriculum, have had to wait. Even so, some progress has been made in this important field and it can be hoped that more time will be available during the coming year.
The action of the Union committee, in voting to place the School Nurse on full time has been a step in the right direction. For some time it has been increasingly evident that time could not be made available for all the items which were thought desirable in the program of the School Nurse. Resulting from this vote, it may be expected that a program will be developed so that we can see and measure just what is getting done in the health work and what needs to be done. While the schools have had only
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limited part-time service, it has been necessary to touch on only the most essential matters. It should be noted here, too, that full time service, as described here, means full time for the Union No. 42 out of which Carver will receive its share but the portion of time allotted to Carver will provide more time than available previously.
I am taking this opportunity to express appreciation to the members of the School Committee for their co-opera- tion in working together on the matters of policy pertain- ing to the schools and for their sincere and straightforward manner in which problems are met. A town as well served as Carver by its School Committee cannot help but even- tually find the right solution to its many problems.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE R. AUSTIN, Superintendent of Schools, Union #42.
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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE CENTER SCHOOL
To the Superintendent of Schools:
The Center School opened in September with an en- rollment of 138 pupils, distributed among the four grades as follows:
Grade V 34 Grade VI 38
Grade VII 29 Grade VIII 36
Grade VI has been divided into two sections for home room purposes and for instruction in the basic subjects of Arithmetic, Language, Reading, and Geography. In other subjects, the grade meets in one section thus freeing a teacher for work in Domestic Science and for depart- mental work in Grade VIII.
For the second consecutive year the staff at the Center School remains unchanged. Mrs. Morrison who is with us for ten periods a week now devotes six periods to Manual Training, and two periods to Drawing to each of the two upper grades. The art work in Grades V and VI is handled by Mrs. Moore under the supervision of Mrs. Morrison.
During the school year of 1948-49 courses of study for English VII and VIII were drawn up by a committee of teachers from School Union No. 42 under the chairman- ship of Mrs. Hattie Griffith. Another group of teachers outlined a program for History VIII. These projects are now in use and will be revised after being tried for one year. Similar work is under way for Social Studies for Grades V and VI under the direction of Mrs. Moore and a committee of teachers from the three towns. Other fields remain to be covered, notably Health and Geog- raphy.
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I have asked Mrs. Hattie Griffith to write of her work in the field of Domestic Science. Her report follows:
Due to increased enrollment in all grades, it was deemed advisable to teach sewing in grade 7 and cooking in grade 8 this year rather than both subjects in both grades.
Our two new electric Singer sewing machines are a tremendous help to the sixteen girls using them. So far, the girls have learned the basic stitches through the making of stuffed animals, dirndl skirts and blouses and are looking forward to making school dresses.
We are indeed fortunate that our school officials took advantage of an advertising plan whereby electric ranges are sold to schools for use in cooking classes at a very low price. Each year, for five consecutive years, these ranges will be exchanged for new ones at no additional cost. These modern ranges have replaced two old oil stoves which were considered to be unsafe.
Such foods as yeast rolls, muffins, biscuits, cookies, cakes, pies, candies, canned tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, sal- mon croquettes and meat loaf have been prepared and consumed by the girls. Experience in meal planning and serving was acquired when seventeen girls from grade eight cooked a delicious meat loaf dinner for the twenty- six teachers from School Union No. 42. Emphasis for the remainder of this year is to be upon menu building.
Information concerning Manual Training for the boys will be found in Mrs. Morrison's report to you.
For the current school year our magazine drive was limited to the pupils of Grade VIII. In previous years pupils from all grades have served as salesmen flooding the Town with magazine canvassers. In one such year our total sales exceeded eight hundred dollars. Under the new arrangement, subscriptions totaling two hundred
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and seventy-five dollars were sold. The decrease in sales is more than compensated by the general approval of the new sales scheme by the people of the Town. With the money thus earned, we have assembled a radio- phonograph under the most capable supervision of Mr. Charles Pratt, the cabinet being built by boys in the Manual Training class.
Our milk program is being continued with only forty of the one hundred and thirty-four pupils availing them- selves of the benefits and savings offered. Defense stamps are being sold weekly, the sales this year averaging seven dollars and seventy-five cents as against fifteen dollars a week for the last school year. For the school year of 1948-49 a total of $354.35 was saved by the pupils of the Center School through this feature of the school pro- gram.
During the spring of 1949 the boys' baseball team was coached by Mr. Dana Ward who devoted two afternoons a week to the team and attended the four games played. Mr. Ward's help was greatly appreciated by the boys and was reflected in their skill and sportsmanship on the field. One game of tag football was played with Rochester early last fall. The success of the game encourages us to add it to our limited sports program. Not to be out- done, the girls, under Mrs. Moore's direction, formed a softball team playing games with Rochester and Lake- ville. Considerable improvement was in evidence during the course of the season.
We at the Center School are ever conscious of the teaching aids that are made available to us through the suggestion of the Superintendent of Schools, the School Committee and by the generosity of the voters of the Town. In the field of visual aids we have a sound film projector, an opaque viewer, and a still film projector. The effectiveness of these aids was demonstrated at a
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recent meeting of the newly organized Parent-Teacher Association.
Textbook material is generously supplied. This year a new dictionary was added for use in Grade VIII, a new music series for Grades V, VI, and VII. The school is not wanting in reference material as indicated in the following list of sets found in the building:
The Book of Knowledge
The World Book
Compton's Encyclopedia The Lincoln Library Webster's Geographical Dictionary
Books for the enrichment of the curriculum are placed in each classroom and are read by many of the pupils. A weekly news map gives added meaning to the daily headlines and to radio reports.
An excellent duplicator is found in the school office. This eases the work of the teacher, yet at the same time challenges her to produce teaching material of lasting worth.
From the school fund which is raised largely through the magazine drive and the sale of pupil pictures we pay over half the cost of the Boston trip. From this source we have purchased some playground material, records for music appreciation, staging for our school plays, and have repaired the back-stop of the school yard. At the present time a balance of $119.77 remains in the fund.
Our graduation exercises were planned by a committee from the three towns of the Union. The theme centered about the attempts of England to control the colonies
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and the resulting break for independence. A list of grad- uates follows:
a-Richard E. Arponen
a-Arnold E. Jokinan
a-Susan Bailey
a-Janice Kingman
b-Emily Bumpus a-Ella L. Knight
b-Anthony J. Correia
a-Walter Orzechowski
a-Jane E. Dempsey
b-Ruth J. Pimental
a-Frances M. Dunham
a-Alan W. Roby
a-Joseph Fontes
b-Charles R. Shurtleff
a-Priscilla Gonsalves
a-Isabelle M. Silva
a-James A. Goodreau
b-Peter Silva
a-Geraldyne A. Holmes
a-Benjamin Thimas
a-Sarah E. Holmes a-Henry Thimas
a-Constance L. Jennings
a-Priscilla Tillson
a-Plymouth Junior High School b-Left School
The teachers of the Center School are much indebted to our drawing supervisor and to the school nurse for the important part each plays in the activities of the school. Our local library and the librarian do much to add to the scope of the school curriculum. To the custodian goes much credit for providing comfortable conditions under which we work. To you and to the school com- mittee we are greatly indebted for your guidance and support.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY M. SHAW Principal
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REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF ART AND MANUAL TRAINING
Mr. George R. Austin Superintendent of Schools, Union No. 42 Middleboro, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Austin:
In compliance with your request, I herewith submit the annual report of the Art and Manual Training De- partments for the year 1949.
"Art Education in the public school holds a most im- portant position not only because of its ethical and aes- thetic values, but also because it has a practical and vocational bearing upon the processes of education, lead- ing the child to keener enjoyment of life and opening the path to finer recreation."
"It is only necessary to observe any of the articles commonly made and sold today, to realize how the small amount of education the American people have had in art in the past fifty years, has found its way into beauti- ful houses, automobiles, furniture, clothing, and even smaller articles of utility sold in the ten-cent stores."
A very comprehensive study guide has been prepared by the supervisor, and given to the teachers of grades one through eight. It includes suggestions as to teaching procedure, supplemented by a wealth of patterns, de- vices, and projects. These teaching aids have been unan- imously approved, appreciated, and adopted.
Each teacher also has a copy of New Art Education for the respective grade. These booklets are arranged by Elise E. Ruffini and Harriet E. Knapp, instructors in the Art Department of Columbia University, and they pro- vide an abundance of ideas, projects, and suggestions to
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stimulate interest. Accompanying each booklet is a man- ual which explains the individual lesson thoroughly.
Grades one and two have developed power of expres- sion through pictorial drawings and illustrative work in murals, sand-tables, and posters.
COMMUNITY HELPERS was a sand-table project of great interest to the pupils, introducing the doctor, den- tist, fireman, milkman, and grocer.
HOME LIFE was depicted in a series of illustrations showing the homes, neighborhood stores, churches, Eda- ville Railroad, parks, picnics, and boating on the lake.
The children relate experiences and suggest what should be put into the picture to tell the story. Thus each individual uses his own unique way of expressing ideas.
Paper projects included booklets, masks, boxes, May- baskets, and nut cups for the Veterans' Hospital.
Grades three and four also continued Creative Art proj- ects with sand-tables and murals. Units on INDIAN LIFE, HEALTH, SAFETY, and various SEASONAL proj- ects were planned and successfully completed.
In the first three grades the child should be encouraged to express his ideas freely. Each pupil should unfold and grow through his own intensely interesting experiences connected with the routine of daily living. As the child grows older the quality of expression is less expression- istic, and becomes more naturalistic. In grade four, chil- dren become more conscious of the actual appearance of things. Their representations should continue to be large colorful pictures.
The Art Study as prepared in my course for grades five and six has been carried out by Mrs. Moore, in order that the supervisor may have more time for Manual Training.
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Grade seven has made a study of color theory in corre- lation with design. They learned to select and recognize the six standard and the six intermediate colors from a large color wheel on display in the classroom. Pictures, textiles, advertisements, and museum materials may be shown in presenting color facts. The cool and the warm colors were recognized, with discussions as to significance or symbolism.
A. WARM COLORS SIGNIFICANCE SYMBOLS
1. Yellow sunny, joyous, happy sunlight
2. Orange warm, luminous, heat, flame,
abundant harvest
3. Red hot, vital, aggressive fire, blood, war
The pupils noted the significance of these colors in paintings, interiors, dresses, theaters, and posters.
B. COOL COLORS
1. Green cool, restful grass, trees
2. Blue cold, reserved, quiet, ice, sky, sea
constant
3. Violet subdued, mysterious, mourning,
regal royalty, dis- tance, shadows
The symbolism of these colors was discussed, and their uses in signals, hospitals, libraries, moving-picture houses, and theaters were noted.
The development of CRAYONEX ETCHINGS was an- other surprisingly artistic process which proved to be very popular and many artistic effects were produced. The etchings were rendered as follows:
1. Use paper with a fairly smooth surface. Lay out an area 5" x 7" in size, and cover this with an even tone of dark yellow crayonex.
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2. Apply a tone of blue-green crayonex over the yel- low.
3. Block in a simple landscape sketch on thin paper and trace this over the crayonexed area by means of car- bon paper.
4. With this as a guide, scrape away the sky and other background portions with a penknife. The scraping will remove the green leaving the yellow exposed. The effect can be regulated according to the color scheme desired.
5. After the scraping is complete, other colors such as black and red-orange may be added wherever desired.
The combination of knife scraping and added layers of crayonex makes a most flexible medium.
There is probably no more fascinating subject for a CORRELATED study unit than COLONIAL LIFE. This project is filled with interesting topics which appeal to boys and girls alike. It does involve a vast amount of work, research, and time for the pupil to be successful in his efforts.
A twelve-foot mural has been completed which is quite impressive. It represents the thirteen colonies; over them hovers a spread eagle, bearing an inscription in his claws; "Under My Wings Everything Prospers." Flags of the colonies adorn the upper part of the mural, and life in the thirteen original states is represented below the in- scription. Related posters were made by groups of pupils, thus lending a colorful, colonial atmosphere to the unit.
Grade eight has also studied color, making color wheels, and designs of triad and complementary colors have been successfully rendered.
These pupils developed a History project in a twelve- foot mural and illustrative posters. The center of interest is THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, with the golden dome CAPITOL at Washington, D. C. On either side the
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possessions are represented; Porto Rico, Philippines, Alaska, Panama, and Hawaii.
The composition of the project was discussed, and the principles of design and perspective applied in the ar- rangement of the picture.
CRANBERRY WEEK was observed by a mural show- ing bogs, houses, and train.
EDAVILLE and the CRANBERRY INDUSTRY are al- ways glamorous projects of unlimited interests, because they are so closely interwoven in the home life of many pupils who live in the vicinity of Edaville, where their parents are employed. All Carver children are extremely proud to be citizens of a town which EDAVILLE has made nationally famous through promotion of the Cran- berry Industry.
This mural, with related projects will eventually be presented to "E. D. A."
FINGER PAINTING is enthusiastically carried on in all classes. It affords opportunity for release of ideas, in- formation, and the emotions, through creative processes; it stimulates imagination through experimentation, and gives pupils a desire to wish to use finger painting as a recreational activity during periods of leisure.
Primary classes made interesting abstract and progres- sive designs, and pictures which interested them. The older pupils completed telephone and book covers, as well as large portfolio covers in correlation with His- tory.
Grade seven, beginning this work, started with smaller projects. As the individual progresses, and excellent work is accomplished, a list of larger models is given for choices. This plan furnishes quite a bit of competition.
Grade eight continued this year with the more ad-
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vanced projects as Costumers, Magazine Racks, Book- cases, Sewing Boxes, and Milk Bottle Containers.
In connection with regular shop work, articles of brass and copper were made. A most interesting feature was the Repousse work, which consists of a moulded design on the metal and mounted on finished wood.
Many of the boys use brass and copper in connection with their wood projects, as pierced brass for book ends, candle sconces, and tea tiles.
CERAMICS or working with clay and glazes, proved to be an added inspiration to the eighth grade pupils. Many beautiful tiles were completed.
Discs of PEWTER were fashioned by use of molds and wooden hammers into plates which were polished to a bright finish with very fine steel wool.
Bracelet blanks were designed, painted with asphaltum, and etched with acid, shaped with a bracelet form, and worn with equal pleasure by boys and girls.
This material made by the boys in the shop classes was exhibited in the Town Hall, at the graduation in June 1949.
RED CROSS WORK: An immense amount of various types of RED CROSS WORK was accomplished by all classes. Hundreds of novelties were made for the different holiday festivals at the Veterans' Hospital at Bedford, Mass. Fifteen boxes were filled and sent overseas to the boys and girls of Finland and Denmark. The Middle- borough Chapter complimented the school children of Carver for their very generous response.
BE KIND TO ANIMALS POSTER CONTEST: Silver pins and bronze pins, and a year's subscription to "Our Dumb Animals" were awarded at the graduation exer-
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cises, to the pupils who competed for the state-wide Animal Poster Contest. This is conducted every year by the Society For Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to in- still in youth a spirit of kindness and love for our animal friends.
Everyone has been more than busy in the many classes in which I teach, and I am glad of this opportunity to express again my sincere appreciation for the friendly cooperation which characterizes our school department, and which has expressed itself throughout the year in so many helpful ways.
Respectfully submitted, STELLA F. N. MORRISON
SCHOOL NURSE
Middleboro, Mass., December 31, 1949.
To the Superintendent of Schools:
Herewith I submit my fifth annual report for the Town of Carver, year ending December 31, 1949.
Mass vision tests were conducted in all rooms, one in January and again in November at the Centre School, making a total of 335 pupils examined. There were 43 complete and 13 partial failures. Parents were notified and to date 17 students have been fitted with glasses. Re- ports from 5 others state they will have them early in January.
The early fall examination was made possible when your school nurse became a full-time worker November 1st by vote of the Union Committee. This was most pleas- ing as the classroom work has increased to such an extent
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that on a part-time schedule too little time was available for early testing and the subsequent follow-up visits. I now have five days weekly or such days as schools are in session to be divided between the three towns which make up School Union 42. Because one of the major activ- ities is home visiting, it is my hope that at least a part of my extra time may be used in this way.
In the spring, group hearing tests were conducted in Grades 3 through 8 by means of the Pure Tone Audio- meter loaned by the Mass. State Department of Health and operated by Miss Christine Higgins, Nursing Super- visor, from the same department. This was used in place of our own Pure Tone machine which at that time was adapted to individual testing only. However, in the early summer by vote of the Union Committee, it was con- verted for multiple use, and we are now equipped to test 20 pupils at one time. This has already been put into use and is an added asset, both in time and accuracy.
All pupils were weighed and measured twice during the year, 4 Underweights and 3 Overweights being re- corded. Home visits have been made regarding these pupils, and parents were found to be most interested and co-operative.
Lunches as a whole seem to be adequate and many take advantage of the milk which is delivered daily at each building.
In April we again held a Diptheria Prevention Clinic at the Town Hall presided over by Dr. William Mayo and assisted by your School Nurse. Mrs. Bernard Tillson was also present and her help with pupils and records was indeed very much appreciated. Toxoid was administered to 75 children, 50 of whom were given booster shots. 20 had 3 treatments three weeks apart and 5 were incom- plete having failed to report at the last clinic. We are
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again indebted to the local Board of Health for sponsoring this splendid program.
Questionnaires were sent to the parents of each child entering school in September. These were filled out and returned to the Nurse in order that all necessary informa- tion could be entered on the health cards before the clos- ing of school in June.
During the year we were visited with measles, mumps and chicken pox which were confined chiefly to the lower grades.
It is to be noted that according to law a child may not return to school after an illness with a contagious disease unless he brings a certificate from the local Board of Health or physician. I urge the cooperation of every parent in carrying out this ruling.
Since the Tuberculosis routine follow-up clinic was not held this year all contacts were taken to the Plymouth County Hospital in Hanson for Chest X-rays. All reports were negative. None were discharged and all are to be re-examined in one year.
The annual physical examination of all school children was again conducted by Dr. Wm. Mayo, school physician. Two pupils were excluded because of skin infection, four referred for Tonsillectomys; one for further examination by his family physician because of glandular deficiency and thirty-eight for dental defects. I sincerely hope 1950 may see steady progress in the field of dental health.
In reviewing my work I find I made 137 calls to the schools; 269 classroom and 69 home visits. These con- sisted of routine inspections, first-aid treatments and con- ferences with parents, teachers and pupils. I have at- tended conferences at the Taunton State Hospital, Plym-
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outh Co. Tuberculosis Assn. in Hanson, and at Sherborn Reformatory in the interest of Public Health.
It has been a pleasure to serve your Town as your School Nurse. Once again I am grateful to Mr. Austin, to the School Committee, Teachers, Parents and American Red Cross for their continued interest and co-operation.
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