USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medfield > Town annual reports of Medfield 1930-1939 > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
Departmental: Public Welfare Schools
399.61
158
Water:
Recorded as Liens on
Real Estate
$365.87
Rates
1,508.11
1,873.98
Revenue 1931
$112,414.54
Less-Estimated Receipts Collected 8,505.25
103,909.29 198,000.00
Loans Authorized
Overdrawn Accounts: Overlay 1930 Cemetery
$ 2,164.40 505.80
2,670.20
$336,609.72
$336,609.72
Debt Accounts
Net Funded or Fixed Debt $84,000.00
Town Hall Loan
$16,000.00
Fire Equipment Loan
4,000.00
School Loan
50,000.00
Water Loan 1921
2,000.00
Water Loan 1930
12,000.00
$84,000.00
$84,000.00
159
Trust Accounts
Trust Funds:
School Trust Funds
$ 3,681.25
Cash and Securities:
Library Trust Funds
7,745.64
In Custody of Treasurer
$30,343.01
Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds
18,916.12
In Custody of Selectmen
2,828.24
War Veterans' Trust Fund
2,828.24
$33,171.25
$33,171.25
ANNUAL REPORT of the
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
and the
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS of the
TOWN OF MEDFIELD
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1931
ANNUAL REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Town of Medfield for the Year Ending December 31, 1931
School Committee
FRANK H. CLOUGH, M. D., Chairman, Term expires 1932 MRS. ALICE W. CONWAY, Secretary ......... Term expires 1933 MRS. EVELYN BYNG Term expires 1934
Regular meetings first Tuesday of each month at 2.30 p. m. Wheelock School.
Superintendent of Schools
Lyman R. Allen, 19 Beech St., Framingham Tel. Fram. 194-R
Regular visits Tuesday after 1st and 3rd Mondays; others unannounced or by appointment.
High School Principal
Alton H. Hartford North St.
School Physician
H. L. Park, M. D.
Miller St.
School Nurse
Mrs. Martha E. Blood, R. N. Park St.
Janitors
Martin Sweeney John Dyer
School Calendar 1932-1933
Opening days: 1932-Jan. 4, Feb. 29, April 25, Sept. 7; 1933-Jan. 3, Feb. 27, April 24.
Closing days: 1932-Feb. 19, April 15, June 24, Dec. 23; 1933-Feb. 17, April 14, June 23.
School holidays: Good Friday; May 30; Oct. 12; Nov. 11; Thanksgiving and day following.
163
A REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Medfield:
The School Committee continues to meet at 3 o'clock on the first Tuesday of each month of the school year, usually at the office of the Ralph Wheelock School. Parents and citi- zens who wish to confer on any school matter or pupil prob- lems are invited to meet the Committee at any of their meet- ings.
During the year there have been four resignations in our teaching force. These are mentioned in detail in the Super- intendent's report. As required by State law, we have engaged an extra teacher commencing January 4, 1932, to assist in the first grade and to teach a class of retarded scholars.
In addition to the usual routine duties there have been sev- eral special matters requiring attention, they include the fol- lowing:
1. The tops of desks in the fourth and fifth grades were so marred that it was very hard for the pupils to write on them. We had them sanded and oiled, thus saving the neces- sity of buying new ones. We hope to finish the remaining ones in the first, second, and third grades this coming year if possible.
2. We found in the latter part of June that the two large ventilation tops on the Wheelock School were corroded and some of the supports were so bad that they were broken off and so had to be replaced.
3. At the Pfaff School we had a four-inch water pipe laid from the new main into the building, which will give water- pressure enough to connect with the fire hose already installed but never connected.
164
4. During the Christmas vacation a platform was built for use in the assembly room of the High School. Since this consists of two connecting rooms with large folding doors it has always been hard to see or hear assembly exercises; the platform has been made removable so that it does not inter- fere with other uses of the rooms.
Four typewriters have been bought in exchange for ma- chines in use four years. One of the replaced machines was retained for use at the Wheelock School. The sum of $782.14 has been expended the past year for text books which were badly needed.
For a detailed report of the various departments see the reports of those departments.
We ask for the sum of $32,500 for the year 1932. FRANK H. CLOUGH, MRS. ALICE W. CONWAY, MRS. EVELYN H. BYNG, School Committee.
165
FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Town Appropriation
$32,500.00
From Town Treasurer, Interest on School Funds
169.81
$32,669.81
Expense of General Control
Alton Hartford, Postage
2.70
Anna Regish, Clerical
30.00
Isabel Chisholm, Clerical
20.00
166
Dr. F. H. Clough, Transportation
12.00
Lyman R. Allen, Superintendent
875.00
Lyman R. Allen, Expenses
135.04
Mrs. M. E. Blood, Attendance
30.00
Millis Press, Stationery
2.00
$ 1,106.74
Expense of Instruction
Salaries of High School Teachers
Alton H. Hartford
2,500.00
D. Vincent Kenefick
726.16
Marion A. Bagley
562.50
George W. Cosgrove
480.00
Estelle W. Lord
780.00
Theresa E. McMurray
1,440.00
Elaine G. Benedict
1,340.00
Marion C. Strode
1,360.00
Isabel Chisholm
480.00
Anna M. Regish
720.00
Estelle Harlow (half time)
620.00
Mrs. George Spring (substituting)
77.00
Freida Fine
4.50
$11,090.16
167
Salaries of Elementary Teachers
Dorothy J. Brown
1,400.00
R. Estelle Harlow (half time)
620.00
G. Evelyn Oliver
1,040.00
Elizabeth S. Buck
1,200.00
Lillian F. Bearse
400.00
C. Louise Barber
630.00
Anna M. Daddario
1,040.00
Grace E. Whelan
1,300.00
Mrs. Mildred Kingsbury
25.00
Mrs. Grace Abel
15.00
168
Freida Fine
4.50
7,674.50
Salaries of Special Teachers
Nettie Hamant
320.00
Evelyn H. Judd
700.00
Wilma Cole
2.80
1,122.80
Text Books
High Jr. High
Elem.
J. L. Hammett Co.
6.29
E. E. Babb & Co.
22.90
John C. Winston Co.
20.01
Silver Burdett & Co.
3.58
10.42
Houghton, Mifflin
5.53
The MacMillan Co.
19.71
49.25
American Book Co.
5.51
34.95
Ginn & Co.
3.76
56.62
273.39
J. B. Lippincott Co.
83
Scott Foresman & Co.
53.10
44.57
Laidlaw Bros.
.32
48
.54
Charles Scribner Sons Co.
5.10
7.63
Gregg Publishing Co.
2.06
D. C. Heath & Co.
39.12
Benj. H. Sanborn Co.
51.03
Lyons & Carnahan
63.85
Wright & Potter Printing Co.
4.15
102.06
191.24
491.40
$784.70
169
Supplies
E. E. Babb & Co.
122.53
171.72
266.21
J. L. Hammett Co.
11.03
Walter A. Gilbert
1.96
2.94
1.40
Bertha Conners
66
Wright & Ditson
10.05
Millis Press
2.25
Remington Rand, Inc.
3.66
W. K. Gilmore
3.25
L. C. Smith and Corona
45.00
Royal Typewriter Co.
135.00
Victor Adding Mach.
8.55
Bastien, pencils
5.00
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins
2.00
Nettie F. Hamant, music
1.16
15.40
Theresa McMurray, stencil
3.25
Carbide & Carbon Co.
8.40
5.60
Central Scientific Co.
8.91
8.91
345.01
204.57
295.26
$844.84
21,517.00
170
Expense of Operation Janitors 1,377.00 1,377.00
John Dyer Martin Sweeney
Janitors' Supplies
E. E. Babb & Co.
.66
1.00
Dept. of Correction
1.74
2.61
4.35
Workshop for Blind
1.70
.53
.45
Reformatory for Women
1.96
2.94
4.90
Dust Relief Mfg. Co.
2.00
4.00
L. M. Glover
11.08
16.62
30.75
A. P. W. Paper
28.35
Medfield Auto
1.40
2.10
Waldo Fitts
5.02
7.54
3.30
53.91
37.34
43.75
135.00
2,754.00
171
W. K. Gilmore
Fuel 277.20
415.80
987.00
N. Duhamel
14.00 $1,694.00
Water Dept.
Water 28.00
42.00
70.00
140.00
Other Operation Expenses
Luther Cheney
7.50
Edison Electric Co.
86.90
109.03
66.75
New Eng. Tel. & Tel.
22.08
33.12
50.25
Amie Newell
15.00
390.63
$5,113.63
172
Expense of Maintenance
Chas. Brooks
1.00
Allen & Brooks
4.00
Underwood Type. Co.
3.75
F. A. Smith
51.77
Johnson Service
1.72
74
William Clancy
6.00
9.00
3.50
Roy Kerr
20.85
6.30
11.95
Albert Dean
80
1.20
Amie Newell
26.25
Waldo Fitts
10.40
15.60
3.67
William Hayward
8.00
Martin Sweeney
4.00
6.00
Medfield Plumbing and Heating
400.87
Walter A. Gilbert
12.95
Clark & Brock
57.14
47.52
38.84
581.21
667.57
Auxiliary Expenses Promotion of Health
Dr. H. L. Park
225.00
Mrs. M. E. Blood
500.00
Clement Drug Co.
6.90
MacGregor Ins. Co.
24.25
P. J. Noyes
1.80
757.95
Transportation
Amie Newell Johnson Bus
2,745.00
78.00
$2,823.00
173
Miscellaneous Auxiliary Expenses
Martin Company
48.70
Ambrose Press
12.50
Weiker's Express
4.00
Alton Hartford, graduation
11.10
Sentinel Press
9.50
85.80
Tuition
Boston Trade School
291.74
291.74 $3,958.49
174
New Equipment
Central Scientific Co.
15.50
E. E. Babb & Co.
4.17
Clark & Brock
41.30
A. Daddario
159.63
Mary Jackson
9.60
Royal Typewriter Co.
25.00
254.20
Summary
Expense of General Control
1,106.74
Expense of Instruction
21,517.00
Expense of Operation
5,113.63
Expense of Maintenance
667.57
Auxiliary Expenses
3,958.49
New Equipment
254.20
$32,617.63
Total receipts
32,669.81
Total expenses
32,617.63
Unexpended balance
52.18
$52.18
175
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Medfield:
My third report to you is one of encouraging progress in many ways, due for the most part to hearty and happy co- operation of a loyal group of teachers and to increasing pupil- interest in the work. This is notwithstanding changes in almost one-third of our full-time teaching force. Miss Mar- ion Bagley left us after nearly six years of increasingly ef- fective service here; Mr. D. Vincent Kenefick of Norwood, a Harvard graduate, took her place. Miss Estelle Lord, af- ter two years, and Miss Anna Regish, after one, left our Commercial department to accept more attractive teaching positions. Mr. George W. Cosgrove and Miss Isabel Chis- holm, both graduates of the Salem Normal School, the latter with teaching experience, carry on their work well. Miss C. Louise Barber resigned from the third grade to be married and Miss Lillian Bearse, of the Framingham Normal School, is in charge.
In the High School this employment of two men has proved, as anticipated, of great help. Every school system needs the influence of both manly men and womanly women. These men are strong in the classroom, placing that always first in their efforts. At the same time with their hearty and competent assistance Mr. Hartford is accomplishing more in sports and athletics and consequent school spirit among both boys and girls in the school. The Medfield High boys had a fall season successful from every point of view and demonstrated that they can play football. The Principal's report, herewith in- cluded, gives some details of the school's athletic progress. Quiet, persistent, skillfull coaching and loyal pulling together by the pupils gave increasing confidence and called out more general support. Practically without funds except by sub- scription and with little opportunity to collect admission fees at games, they have been not only self-supporting but are
176
providing the needful equipment for the basketball season, in- cluding portable baskets and a protecting net to surround the court.
The girls not only show fine spirit in increasing support of the boys' teams, but are developing their own basketball and other activities under the leadership of Miss Chisholm, ably assisted by Miss Wilma Cole of Millis. Such spirit and ac- complishment by the whole school deserve heartiest support of the whole Town. Medfield has capable boys and girls and teachers. She can have good teams and good schools; but the greatest help in its speedy accomplishment will be the active, outspoken and financial support of the townspeople, who really are vitally interested in both schools and scholars.
Valuable material help in sports, health work, and physical education has been furnished by Miss Wilma Cole, who has volunteered her services since September. Trained and skilled, the effectiveness of her work in lines urged by our School Physician in his report has been immediately evident. Many homes must have felt its influence. I urge that her regular services for one day per week be engaged at once.
While it is with pleasure that I record progress along some lines in which I asked increased support in my report one year ago, I feel we have only begun to realize what we can and shall do. There is increased attention and effort in school work. Lines have been more closely drawn in mak- ing promotions and more attention given to careful marking. These marks, as sent home on report cards, are not always understood alike. Marks are among the hardest problems to the teacher, often provocative of most friction and misunder- standing, but capable of being of greatest help. Teachers are instructed that C should be the average mark-the one given most people in most subjects. If all received A those A's would mean nothing. Marks should reveal whether pupils are making serious effort and in what lines they are average, inferior, superior. Thus they may guide in selection of school courses and life work. "Signing" a report card does
177
not imply approval but acknowledges its receipt; if unsat- isfactory it invites conference, to the end of better mutual understanding of pupil, parent, and teacher.
Necessary and useful as they are, even just marks may degrade effort and develop false standards. The commercial teacher may try to enthuse, inspire, direct, force to 100% correctness in the business letter handed in; yet the pupil must be "passed" if it is 70% correct in spelling and punctua- ation, if a strict percentage basis of marking is followed; and the home often demands promotion if "there is only one D". But the business letter of application in actual life, if it is only 70% correct, loses the job. Nothing short of one's best holds one's place at quarterback, goalie, or pitcher; even that is not enough if another's best is better. It is but human nature to pay no more for "passing" in school than the low- est price demanded-if getting on in the grades is the prime object. We want gaining the most knowledge or skill or doing one's very best as the aim. We want each pupil to be responsible increasingly for his own work, progress, plans for future school and life. We want each, as far as possible, to be do- ing what he finds worth his while-not the teacher's daily stint and just enough of that to "get by". The gradual lead- ing toward self-reliance and self-direction is our aim. May we have the active support and help of the homes?
Last year's report called attention to serious problems of promotion and grading. Nearly one-fifth of our pupils are retarded one or more years; there is a range of five or even six years in ages of pupils in a single grade. (See age-grade table.) Such repetition of grades increases the cost of school- ing to the town and seriously injures the retarded pupil. We are beginning to meet the situation through the recent ap- pointment of Miss Katherine Drogue as special help teacher in the Wheelock School. She assists in our over-crowded first grade; she also works with groups of retarded pupils both on subjects where they need help and in ways which stimu- late their general development. Being a teacher of experience her influence is already felt.
It is a pleasure to note the continued careful and wise ex-
178
penditure of funds appropriated for school use. The town may feel confident it has full return for every dollar expended and that all is used for those essential things which it wants to give its pupils. We are fortunate, too, in the generous aid of the Visiting Nurse Association in the conduct of our Pre- school clinic; and in having the Dental clinic provided through help of that Association and the Red Cross. The ef- fective work of each is reported elsewhere. Grateful acknowl- edgement is made of books presented to the schools by Mrs. Evelyn Byng.
For the continued confidence and ever-ready support of School Committee and all teachers, supervisors, and workers in the work to which we are all giving our best thought the Superintendent hereby returns his hearty thanks.
Respectfully submitted,
LYMAN R. ALLEN.
179
REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
To the Superintendent of Schools, Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my report as principal of the Medfield High School for the year 1931.
In June a class of 22 pupils was graduated, the largest class yet, I believe. Of this number, four are at present en- rolled in higher schools and four others are planning to enroll next year.
The program presented at the graduating exercises con- sisted of scenes depicting various educational methods from- primitive times to the present, each scene introduced by a brief essay. The entire program was the work of the mem- bers of the class, who under the direction of the English teacher, Miss Strode, looked up material and wrote out each scene in its entirety. This type of program is more inter- esting to the general public than the older essay type of pro- gram and really offers the pupils more opportunity for orig- inal work than the essay does. Much research work is re- quired in order to get historical accuracy in language, cos- tuming, and action. Such a program also gives all the mem- bers of a large class a chance to participate in the exercises. , We find that this type of work arouses more interest and leads to a greater degree of cooperation among the members of the class and school than the older type of graduation pro- gram did. The fact that members of lower classes are called upon to fill minor parts in these programs leads to a feeling that the graduation is an affair for the success or failure of which the entire student body is responsible and not merely the class which may be graduating. This leads to a healthier and more cooperative school spirit.
180
Our enrollment in September of this school year was somewhat lower than that of a year ago due to the size of the graduating class in June and to the removal of several families from town. Since the first of the year, however, we have had some additions which make the total enrollment now not far from what it was last year. As mentioned in my last report, there is no apparent prospect of much change in enrollment for several years.
Athletics properly carried on are a valuable means of edu- cation. The boy or girl who is not willing to cooperate with fellow pupils and coaches, the one who constantly loses his temper, who resorts to tricky means to win what he wants, who tries to be "the whole show", will never be a complete success on the playing field, in the classroom, or in life. Proper instruction in athletics where the game is played as it should be, not just to win but as a game, and where every member engaged realizes that through cooperative effort the team, win or lose, has done the very best it can, does much to develop the character of those who take part. We have been particularly fortunate in our athletics this year. During last winter the girls, directed by Miss Regish and working under all sorts of handicaps, had a basketball team that made a very good showing. In the spring the girls developed a track team that took third place in the league track meet.
The girls, under the direction of Miss Chisholm, are play- ing basketball again this year and are again planning track work in the spring. I wish there were some means of financ- ing field hockey for the girls. This is a game that a larger number of girls can play and is used in many schools as a part of the physical training program. Equipment for the game is rather expensive, however, and we have never seen our way clear to purchasing it.
With the use of the Town Hall for basketball, the girls' team should make a much better showing and the boys will be able to have a team again. With portable baskets and backboards which do not need to be fastened to the wall at
181
any point and a netting completely surrounding the playing floor there should be no injury to the hall in any way.
This fall we have been fortunate in having developed through the efficient coaching of Mr. Cosgrove and Mr. Kene- fick, a football team that won 8 games and tied one game out of a total of 11 played, scoring a total of 149 points to our opponents' 44. It is also worthy of note that our oppo- nents were able to score against us in only the two games in which we were defeated. After the third game of the sea- son, no one crossed our goal line. The material which made up this team was not better than much that we have had in the past, but the winning season was the result of cooperative action among the members of the team, a willingness to be taught (which has sometimes been lacking in the past), and a feeling that the town and the school were behind the team with both moral and financial support. One noticeable result. of this attitude toward athletics is an improvement in schol- arship and in attitude toward school on the part of some of the pupils participating.
This naturally leads to another subject-marks, promotions, and graduation. These matters are of vital interest to each parent and yet too often they are not well understood. In our marking system C is the average mark. The large majority of the pupils should receive this mark. Those whose work is better than average may get B or A. Those whose work is below average may get D or F. For a mark of F no credit is given, for a mark of D one-half credit is given, for C, B, or A full credit is given. Promotion in Grades 7 and 8 depends upon the number of A, B, and C marks a pupil has. A majority of D's and F's will result in non-promotion. Beginning with Grade 9, promotion is by units. Each full course counts one unit. To rank as a regular second year pupil, 4 units must be passed, as a third year pupil, 8, as a Senior, 12, and for gradu- ation, 16. No pupil is allowed to take any Senior class sub- jects unless he has gained at least 11 units. On the first of March, a pupil must be passing in enough units to make 16 in
182
1
order to be a candidate for graduation the following June. No pupil in any year may take less than four subjects. The pupil's attitude toward life as indicated by attendance at school, promptness to school and classes, behavior towards fellow pupils and teachers, responsibility, honesty, co-operation, etc., is summed up in the word "citizenship", is marked satisfactory or unsatisfactory, and no pupil whose citizenship is unsatis- factory for 3 out of the 5 marking periods in any one year is eligible for clear promotion or for graduation at the end of the year, regardless of what the subject marks may be.
Pupils who wish to attend higher institutions must decide as early as possible for best results during the first year where they want to go and must remember that a mark below B in any subject will not be accepted for entrance to college or nor- mal school and does not even qualify the pupil to take an en- trance examination in that subject. When a pupil is disap- pointed in an attempt to enter a higher school, it is usually for one or more of the following reasons: (1) not deciding where the pupil is going until late in the high school course, (2) not taking proper subjects in high school to meet the re- quirements of the school finally chosen, or (3) discovery dur- ing the Senior year that marks during the 1st or 2nd year were not high enough to be credited towards college entrance. Pupils and parents must remember that because of the number trying to enter colleges now, practically every device used to- day to decide on entrance to college is designed for the pur- pose of keeping pupils out rather than getting them in. Every teacher in our high school is ready and willing to assist any pupil, both with advice on courses and by giving extra time for preparation. But the pupil must not wait until it is too late before he decides where he wants to go and must be willing to put in extra time in preparatory work.
In behalf of the entire school faculty, I wish to thank you and the Committee for the kind assistance given us through- out the year.
Respectfully submitted, ALTON H. HARTFORD.
183
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
To the Superintendent of Schools,
Dear Sir:
Each year, as I am allowed the privilege of submitting my report of the art work in Medfield, it seems wise to consider the general trend of the work as a whole, and check over some of our mistakes as well as the favorable points of the situation.
Looking backward four or five years, there is no doubt that we have made much progress; but looking ahead at the un- limited possibilities and great variety of methods by which we can broaden our interests and improve this part of the school work, we are humble indeed. We wonder how anyone can dare take the responsibility of judging wisely which pro- blems are for the children's best welfare and happiness. Dis- carding things which are too expensive and things which take too long to complete successfully in class periods, we con- stantly have a mass of new material before us for considera- tion.
Tinted charcoal pictures, glass and tinfoil pictures, colored paper designs on tin utensils, envelope linings glued on vari- ous objects, and block printed cards and book plates have recently proven practical additions to the course.
During the past year, the upper grades and the High School classes took part in both the Massachusetts Savings Banks Association and the S. P. C. A. poster contests. Several Medals and many honorable mentions were awarded in this town.
Our annual exhibition was held in the Town Hall in connec- tion with the Health Day program. It was impossible to mount the work so as to do it justice, but many people seemed to feel that it added to the success of the whole affair.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.