USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medfield > Town annual reports of Medfield 1930-1939 > Part 51
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Arthur Wills
26.06
$13.85
$11.34
Dept. of Correction
2.75
2.25
Edison Elec. Co.
114.18
132.14
108.10
Fred Dyer
.82
.68
Goodco Sanitary Products
2.92
3.21
2.62
James McKinnon, Jr.
4.81
3.94
John N. Wills
10.50
L. M. Glover & Co.
43.20
Medfield Water Dept.
42.48
44.00
36.04
New Eng. Tel. & Tel.
30.81
28.27
22.86
Thomas Tapley
16.51
13.49
Waldo A. Fitts
2.19
2.06
1.27
$308.59
$248.42
$202.59
$759.51
Total Operating Expense
$4,513.51
12
--
6. Expense of Maintenance
Acme Elec. Co.
$1.31
$1.07
Arthur E. Wills
$5.15
1.25
C. A. Engley
1.37
1.13
Carlson & Johnson
207.00
24.03
19.67
Charles F. Tapley
.83
2.17
E. Roy Kerr
29.50
16.55
13.55
F. A. Smith
5.00
4.00
George L. Bent
34.13
Gilbert Howe Gleason Co.
10.81
8.85
H. B. Smith
7.42
6.08
Hortshorn Elec. Co.
1.64
2.01
J. F. Clark
6.20
John N. Wills
12.00
Johnson Service Co.
6.63
5.42
Medfield Plumbing & Heating
114.00
6.24
5.11
The Std. Elec. Co.
$407.98
$83.08
$69.06
$560.12
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7. Auxiliary Agencies
Health :
Inez Kerr
$235.00
$128.12
$106.88
Dr. H. L. Park
150.00
78.00
72.00
Clement Drug Comany
7.29
2.92
2.39
Horace Partridge Co.
1.35
75
60
$393.64
$209.79
$181.87
$785.30
$2,089.00
Transportation
Amie Newell
$2,041.95
Johnson Bus Lines
48.00
Miscellaneous
Sentinel Press, Inc.
$12.85
Susie Davis
10.00
Hayden Costume Co.
25.00
The Baker Press
13.50
14
A. H. Hartford, Postage 5.35
$66.70
Total Auxiliary Agencies
$2,941.00
Outlays :
F. A. Smith $85.40
$85.40
15
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Medfield :
The following report is submitted for the year 1937 :
During the year the schools suffered a great loss in the death of Martin Sweeney on May 15th. His spirit of kindly service has been missed by everyone.
The Committee has tried over the past twelve months to make every dollar buy more service and goods than ever before. This has been extremely hard because of the increased cost of service and materials. A careful study of our 1937 expenditures will show that each of our main items of expense gives a rather low cost per pupil. Such cost cannot be lowered without injuring our standards of instruction.
Superintendent's Report
The Committee urges every citizen to read the fine report of the Superintendent of Schools. It brings to your atten- tion the type of work we are doing and points out the needs of the next few years.
1
Only by careful study of such a report can everyone be ready to judge wisely when the Committee bring definite recommendations for action upon those matters discussed.
Ralph Wheelock School
The Committee very definitely feel that this building is out-of-date and unfitted for use as a school building much longer.
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Its lighting is bad, its rooms are poorly arranged and ventilated, it is uneconomical to heat, and it is none too safe for children in the elementary grades.
Every year it takes money for repairs and upkeep that could better be spent in other ways.
The Committee feel that as little as possible should be spent here and that plans should be made for a more modern building.
Survey
Before going ahead with any such plans for a better building for the elementary grades an immediate survey of our entire school system should be made.
This should be an expert study of our building situation and needs, of our courses of study, of our teaching meth- ods, and of all matters relating to the organization and functioning of our school system.
Other towns have purchased such surveys at a low cost per pupil and have received large dividends in more efficient and economical functioning.
New Buildings
For the past two years the Committee has brought to your attention the need for additional space, especially in the High School.
Many classes are too large for the rooms, but cannot be split into smaller sections because of lack of space. There are too few rooms to hold all classes meeting at the same time, so that the Library or Principal's Office are often in use or pupils who have study periods are forced to sit in rooms where class recitations are being held.
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It is again called to your attention that, under our pres- ent plan, there is little chance for the practical-minded pupil to get the kind of education necessary for his best develop- ment. Are we thus failing in our duty to this large group?
1938 Budget
The Committee is asking for the sum of $30,450 for 1938.
A study of the recommended budget shows that fixed charges covered by such items as "General Control, Sala- ries of Teachers, Wages, Fuel, Health, and Transportation" will in the coming year amount to $27,950.
This leaves only $2500 for "Texts, Supplies. Other Op- erating Expenses, Maintenance, New Outlays, and Miscel- laneous Items."
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK H. CLOUGH HAROLD F. STEVENS A. HOWARD WILLIAMSON
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Medfield :
Herewith are presented the usual annual reports and tables to indicate the general work, conditions, and pros- pects of the Medfield schools. They merit thoughtful and detailed consideration. We should know whether our school work fits our needs and is being developed in the right direction.
Personnel and Courses
With sincere regret we record the passing of Martin Sweeney, janitor at the High School building since its opening in 1927. Quiet, efficient, respected and liked by teachers and pupils, he performed the exacting tasks of janitor, fireman, painter and handy man in a quiet, efficient and cheerful way. In his stead Guy Sinclair accepted the permanent appointment.
During this year there were four changes in our teaching force. In the high school Roger A. Hardy and Robert D. Russell left us for more promising positions in Boston and in Medford. Margaret Kimball of Grade 5, and Alice C. Murphy of Grade 2, resigned to be married. The average service of these four was just under three years, and Medfield misses their valued help. They were succeeded by Gail Cosgrove of Lynn (a graduate of Bridgewater Teachers' College) in the department of Mathematics and Social Science and John Welch of Beverly (Salem Teach- ers' College) in the Commercial Department. Christina Alach, of Framingham and Rose Pilibosian, of Wellesley,
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both graduates of Framingham Teachers' College, have taken up the work in the grades. All are well trained and work with enthusiasm. A spirit of faithful service and happy cooperation characterizes both schools, and in large measure is reflected in the work of the pupils.
The work in Sewing for some high school classes and the upper grades, begun last January, has been continued throughout the year with as much success as could be expected under our limitations. Since September it has been continued by Priscilla Kingsbury, a Medfield gradu- ate who is a senior at Framingham Teachers' College in the Domestic Science Course.
No means have yet been found to introduce Cooking although it was earnestly desired by many women of the community, whose efforts helped us work out plans for the Sewing.
The schools are grateful for the help in Physical Culture given by Dr. Joel Goldthwait. With an assistant he came to the teachers in October for a lecture and demonstration on body mechanics and the relation of posture to health. He also furnished us with simple exercises which the teachers have used with their classes. Beneficial effects are evident. Pupils appreciate them and call for them.
The schools have been conducted at a net cost to the town of $23,937, and the money has been expended with care. This net cost was made possible by reimbursement of $6,169, mainly from the Commonwealth, which should be credited toward our appropriation of $29,950. While the latter sum is a burden with Medfield's high tax rate. it is less than is raised by the average town of our group (towns of five thousand, with high school) or of the entire state, and the total cost per pupil is also distinctly less than the corresponding averages.
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Group State
Medfield Average Average
Local tax per thousand
$ 8.70 $ 8.92 $ 9.47
Cost per pupil, all sources 77.28 87.33 97.56
School Accommodations
It takes little study of our numbers to convince one that we are in a critical situation as regards school accom- modations. There have been such fluctuations in recent years that one hesitates to make definite conclusions, how- ever. Two years ago our situation looked critical; but a sudden drop in attendance, (due, probably, to removals from town) relieved it. In the Ralph Wheelock School the one small room has 20 pupils ; the other six average 36, varying from 32 to 44 - too large for best work.
In the high school our seven rooms are used every period and the library alcove, in the corridor, is used for recitations several periods daily. Classes for recitation vary from 2 to 41. They average 22. There is prospect of an entering class of 40 next September with 20 pupils graduating, which may mean a school larger by 20 next year. Only one home room in the building can seat over 35, yet we may have two classes of 40. In fact, three of the next four entering classes now number 42 or over. Of course, pupils may leave school, families may remove from Medfield ; or there may be an influx of population as there was in 1935-1936. We are clearly at the point where we may find ourselves overcrowded or we may continue in- definitely at just full capacity. How may we plan for the emergency ?
If next fall we have two classes of 40 or more, one or two more of our rooms could be changed from 35 to 42 capacity by adding another row of fixed desks and seats. This would change our seating from five single to three double rows of seven each. This is, of course, not advisable since
21
35 seats to a home room are as many as a high school should have. It can be done as a temporary measure, and for it there should be an allowance of $85 in our budget for next year. It is not a permanent solution of our problem. It suggests consideration of the whole matter of high school aims, courses, and equipment.
Phenomenal Growth of High Schools
The high school of today is very different from that of even 20 years ago. It cannot be the traditional thing it has been. Since 1890, in the United States as a whole, high schools have doubled in size every ten years. There are now 32 times as many pupils as in 1890. In the last seven years over eight times as many have been added as the total registered in that earlier year. Of course, Medfickl shows no such gain as this.
Frequently during this increase the demand has come (usually more from outside than from within) for liberal- izing the courses from the too narrowly classical to more practical work. Drawing was made compulsory about 1880 because industry wanted it. Since then have come Com- mercial courses, also Technical, Industrial, Vocational, and the rest. All have had as purpose the helping of growing boys and girls to fit better into our changing civilization and industry by helping them become intelligent producers and consumers. Belief in the mystical value of "classical" studies to give "mental training" and open up "white collar jobs" has dwindled. although not disappeared. This high school still does "fit for college" those pupils adapted to it who plan and work for it, but that is not its main task. A disproportionately small number either go to college or elect those courses ; many of those who now remain in school are no more adapted to classical studies than those pupils who formerly left school for work, but most are fitted for some other types of studies.
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Needs of the Adolescent
It is better to adapt to the needs of the adolescent boy than to eliminate him from school. Unless the public high school accepts the call to a larger service to the whole community it will not perform its whole function and may go the way of the Latin Grammar School and the Academy. Medfield has not provided opportunity for these differen- tiated courses. Many pupils have dropped out because their needs were not met and they did not find it worth while to continue. It is better to drop out than continue if they have no definite purpose. To compel high school pupils to go when that is lacking is likely to develop poor habits of initiative, self-reliance or ambition if not to wreck their careers. Medfield can probably continue for several years to accommodate the pupils who choose to remain, by the addition of a few seats, even though some classes continue overcrowded; it can continue at relatively low cost unless another upward fluctuation in numbers crowds us; or we can begin now to plan ahead to increase its accommo- dations and its range of work.
Possible Solutions
Increased accommodations could be secured in the way suggested by the School Committee last year. It was then proposed to erect an inexpensive wooden building, without basement, in the rear of the High School, to be used for industrial work by both boys and girls. The estimated cost, with plans in hand, was $6000. This plan met no favorable response.
Another possibility is the completion of the high school building by the addition of the second story, as projected when the building was planned. This would greatly im- prove the appearance of the structure but would be ex- pensive and perhaps not satisfactory. It might be as well to exchange buildings, putting the elementary grades in
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the one-story building with adequate playground and altering the wooden building (Wheelock, if sound enough) with its larger rooms and greater possibilities for varied high school work. If such alterations are inadvisable, then the older building could be abandoned without further expenditures for roof or steam boiler and a new building be built on the Hannah Adams Pfaff lot with the high school.
These solutions would be expensive. So, too, would it be to transport our pupils to any larger high school, if any could be found with proper facilities and accommodations. In fact, no small town can afford the several types of high school which cities can offer. It would require equipment too large, too varied, too expensive; too many teachers would be needed and those with highly specialized training ; and the classes would be too small. There is, however, an alternative worthy of careful study. Why cannot several towns unite to form a larger unit for offering these many types of high school work? The present superintendency union would be a convenient unit - already organized and officered. Each town could provide one kind of high school opportunity (Preparatory, Commercial, Industrial, Voca- tional, or Technical), sending to the others its pupils whose special interests it cannot meet and receiving from the others those pupils who want its courses ; each could pro- vide a first-class equipment for its own work, and it would have classes large enough for economical instruction. Problems of transportation would be little harder than at present ; problems of hours and relative cost of instruction and equipment could be adjusted. Thus each town would have the same advantages as the large city with its several curricula.
Such High School Specialization Is Already Begun
New conditions demand readjustments or new solutions, which often appear objectionable. This last-mentioned is
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no exception. However, it is not as new as it appears. For years we have had the Norfolk County Agricultural School, of which we are heartily proud. It is County-supported and to it we transport pupils. It takes pupils who have completed the eighth or a higher grade; thus it is essen- tially a secondary school, only a little more advanced than our senior high. Pupils go there for a purpose and achieve results. Similarly, for any boy or girl in this Common- wealth who is apt at a trade there is opportunity, tuition- paid, to attend a first-class Trade school after he has com- pleted the eighth grade. Exhibitions of either of these schools or announcements of the competitions they win show the value of their work.
Similar specialization has long been in effect in our State Teachers Colleges ; one prepares for Commercial, another Manual, another Domestic Science leadership.
This is merely a further step in consolidation of schools- at first opposed everywhere but now almost universal in our State. Still other solutions should be suggested and carefully weighed. Qur problem is clear : we must expect pupils to remain in school years beyond the elementary grades and beyond sixteen; in fairness to all we need to provide broader training to meet their different aptitudes and prospects ; we may see a demand for wider use of the school plants and for adult education or re-education to meet our changing social environment. Two New Jersey communities which support a high school in common started such a movement as a depression help; now, in its fourth year, the work has grown to large proportions and one in ten of their inhabitants is enrolled. (See "School Declares an Extra Dividend" in November, 1937, WOM- AN'S HOME COMPANION). Whatever step we take should be toward the fulfillment of a far-reaching plan, deliberately adopted. Now is none too soon to begin to work it out.
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With hearty acknowledgment of all the faithful support and help of all my associates in my pleasant task - pupils. teachers, Committee, and citizens - this report is respect- fully submitted.
LYMAN R. ALLEN
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
January 20, 1938.
To the Superintendent of Schools,-
I submit my report as principal of the Medfield High School for the year 1937.
A class of nineteen was graduated in June. The gradua- tion exercises commemorated the one hundredth anniver- sary of Horace Mann's appointment as first secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education. A play adapted from material supplied by the State Department, supple- mented by original work from the class, followed Mann's career from early boyhood until old age. The program will be found at the end of this report.
The Hannah Adams Club scholarship for 1937 was pre- sented to Miss Gwendolen Kingsbury, and the Washington and Franklin Medal for Proficiency in United States His- tory, presented by the Massachusetts Society, Sons of the American Revolution, was awarded to Robert Bryant.
Seven members of this class are continuing their studies in higher institutions and two are taking postgraduate work at Medfield High School. According to the latest
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statistics available, 32 of our graduates are at present en- rolled in other schools. This is about 10 per cent of our total graduates during the past four years. These pupils are located in the following schools :-
Bentley School of Accounting 2
Boston University 1
Bryant and Stratton 1
Burdett College 1
Chandler Secretarial School
2
Framingham Teachers' College
3
Franklin Union Institute
1
Gordon College
Goucher College 1
1
Harvard University 2
Massachusetts State College 1
Medfield State Hospital Training School 2
Nasson College 1
New Hampshire State University 1
Northeastern University 4
Plymouth (N. H.) Normal School 1
Portia College of Liberal Arts 3
Radcliffe College 1
Suffolk University
1
Tilton Academy 1
Tufts College 1
Our enrolment at present is 170 pupils. With the gradua- tion of the present senior class of 20 and the promotion of the present sixth grade of 44, our membership next year will tax our seating capacity, especially in the junior high school rooms. It will probably be necessary to add more seats and desks to the room assigned to the eighth grade. We have had some difficulty this year in assigning recita- tion and study groups to rooms. Some groups which are too large to be properly accommodated in the library are forced to use it. When it happens, as is likely at any time. that there are no recitation groups small enough to use the
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library, it will be necessary to put study groups into the same rooms with recitation groups.
Classes in sewing, introduced last winter for grades seven and eight, are a step in the right direction towards domestic science for the girls ; but we still have a problem so far as the boys are concerned. Manual-minded pupils can never adapt themselves to Latin, French, and higher mathematics, or even to commercial subjects.
Last spring we had a very successful baseball season, tying with Sherborn for second place in the Tri-County League. Had we been able to win one more game than we did, we could have tied with Hopedale for first place. Baseball is without doubt our best sport. This fall we at- tempted football again, but did not have a successful season. With all due respect to coaches and players, I still feel that a school of our size should not be playing football : it is too expensive, and we have not enough boys qualified to play to give us the reserve strength needed to cope with the teams we have to meet. There are no schools of our size near Medfield that play football, and we are obliged to play against teams from schools two or three times our size. Consequently our boys are at a disadvantage before they start. Football last fall cost us a total of $118.00, while our total intake from all sources during the same period was only $27.15, leaving us with a deficit of $90.85.
This winter we have been able to play basketball, and considering that we had not played for several years, we are having a fairly successful season. This sport is paying for itself, but will not be able to do much towards making up the deficit due to football.
Unless we can get some financial help from the town in the way of an addition to the school budget, we can not continue our athletics. It is not possible to finance both athletics and class trips for the seniors from receipts from
28
1
dances, dues, plays, etc. In the past this method has taken care of athletics very well, but since seniors have been tak- ing a trip each year we have not been able to pay our way in sports. We will not be able to have a baseball team this spring under present conditions. It will take all that we can possibly earn during the rest of the year to pay off our football deficit. Athletics of some sort are an essential part of every school program and ought to be provided in some way from regular school funds. Both boys and girls should have an opportunity to participate in sports fostered by the school, where they may have a chance to learn sportsman- ship and selfcontrol under competitive conditions. If we should discontinue football, an appropriation of $100.00 from school funds each year, helped out by what we could get by other means, would carry our athletics easily. To carry football properly would take about $100.00 per year more.
In closing I wish to thank you and the members of the School Committee for your kind assistance during the year.
A. H. HARTFORD,
Principal.
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
To the Superintendent of Schools :
I am pleased to submit my annual report as supervisor of art in the Medfield schools.
Art, when really understood, is the province of every human being. It is an established fact that no education is complete without a just proportion of art, for this sub-
29
ject directly touches the life of each individual during every day of his life. His clothing, his home, his school and com- munity, every object he uses makes constant demands upon his powers of selection and appreciation.
Art educators realize their grave responsibility and try their best to cover every phase of their subject, striving to cultivate creative minds as well as creative hands, and above all, hoping to stimulate powers of appreciation for all fine things.
Our own Art outline is growing in value each year, as teachers and supervisor work cooperatively for the chil- dren's best interests. We cannot make artists of all of them, but carefully planned art work is making their school life happier and training them along practical as well as aesthetic lines.
The main emphasis, during the past year, has been upon correlation of ART with CLASS ACTIVITIES. Some fine dolls, made of newspapers, have been dressed in foreign costumes. Large scale construction of homes and other objects has made the study of different countries more in- teresting. Large murals in the upper grades have success- fully carried out the same type of work. The design course has been improved and simplified, with definite accomplish- ment planned for each grade, making it easier to under- stand and teach. We have stressed attractive school rooms, finding many practical problems there. Planned bulletins, careful mounting, chalk blackboard drawings, well arranged flowers and furniture keep everyone busy.
The Medfield grades did very well last year in these new phases of work.
The High School work has definitely improved. Two years ago, drawing was made compulsory in grades seven and eight. Last year an extra class was added between the
30
supervisor's visits. This year we are getting the results of these changes, with more enthusiasm and better work. So many elected drawing from the upper classes this last September that we had to make an extra class of the Freshmen, besides the usual advanced class and mechanical class.
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