USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oxford > Town annual reports of officers of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts for the financial year ending 1932 > Part 10
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$55.00
Cash on hand March 10, 1932, verified $55.00
HUGUENOT HALL
Rentals 1931
$26.00
Payments to Treasurer $26.00
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Fees 1931 $85.05
Payments to Treasurer $83.75
Outstanding December 31, 1931, per
list 1.30
$85.05
FOREST FIRES
Outstanding January 1, 1931 $178.20
Outstanding December 31, 1931, per list $178.20
1
257
BOARD OF HEALTH ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Outstanding January 1, 1931
$267.17
Charges
$940.74
Outstanding December 31, 1931, per
$940.74
list
LICENSES
Licenses issued 1931 :
Oleomargarine
$2.50
Milk
9.50
Alcohol
1 1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
9.00
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
$21.00
Payments to Treasurer
Outstanding January 1, 1931
$488.37
Charges
5.34
$493.71
Payments to Treasurer
$5.34
Outstanding December 31, 1931, per
list
488.37
$493.71
1
1 1
$21.00
PUBLIC WELFARE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Outstanding January 1, 1931 $3,846.31
673.57
258
Charges
3,496.85
$7,343.16
Payments to Treasurer
$3,365.68
Abatements
683.00
Outstanding December 31, 1931, per list
3,294.48
$7,343.16 -
INFIRMARY
Outstanding January 1, 1931
$49.66
Charges
1,253.27
$1,302.93
Payments to Treasurer
$1,253.27
Abatements
30.16
Outstanding December 31, 1931
19.50
$1,302.93
Outstanding January 1, 1932
$19.50
Charges January 1 to February 29,
1932
49.88
$69.38
Payments to Treasurer January 1 to February 29, 1932 $49.88
Outstanding February 29, 1932, per list 19.50
$69.38
259
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Outstanding January 1, 1931
$348.00
Charges
$880.00
Payments to Treasurer
$352.00
Outstanding December 31, 1931
528.00
$880.00
LIBRARY
Receipts 1931 :
Fines and cards
$63.21
Lost books
$73.96
$73.96
Payments to Treasurer
CEMETERY DEPARTMENT
Outstanding January 1, 1931
$727.00
Charges
1,031.30
$1,758.30
Payments to Treasurer
$906.00
Abatements
166.00
Outstanding December 31, 1931
686.30
$1,758.30
Outstanding January 1, 1932
$686.30
532,00
10.75
260
Charges January 1 to February 29,
1932 10.00
$696.30
Payments to Treasurer January 1 to February 29, 1932 $97.75 Outstanding February 29, 1932, per list 598.55
$696.30
.
261
RUFUS G. ALVERSON CHARITY FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$300.00
$300.00
On hand at end of year 1931
$300.00
$300.00
Receipts
Payments .
Income
$14.25 Transferred to Town
$14.25
HANNAH HARWOOD HOSPITAL FUND
Securities Par Value
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
On hand at end of year 1931
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
Receipts
Payments
Income
$350.00 Transferred to Town
$350.00
MARY DEWITT HIGH SCHOOL FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$278.00
$278.00
On hand at end of year 1931
$278.00
$278.00
Receipts
Payments
Income
$13.21
Transferred to Town $13.21
262
CHARLES C. LAMB SCHOOL FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$1,518.47
$1,518.47
On hand at end of year 1931
$1,591.43
$1,591.43
Receipts
Payments
Income
$72.96 Added to savings deposits $72.96
SARAH P. JOSLIN LIBRARY FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
On hand at end of year 1931
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
Receipts
Payments
Income
$48.06
Transferred to Town
$48.06
COLONEL NELSON H. DAVIS LIBRARY FUND
-
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$502.37
$502.37
On hand at end of year 1931
$523.93
$523.93
Receipts
Payments
Income
$21.56 Added to savings deposits $21.56
263
MATTIE SAWTELLE LIBRARY FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$1,068.10
$1,068.10
On hand at end of year 1931
$1,113.97
$1,113.97
Receipts
Payments
Income
$45.87
Added to savings deposits $45.87
WILSON OLNEY LIBRARY FUND
Savings Bank
Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$1,262.59
$1,262.59
On hand at end of year 1931
$1,316.79
$1,316.79
Receipts
Payments
Income
$54.20
Added to savings deposits $54.20
264
MAUD R. TAFT LIBRARY FUND
Securities Savings Bank Par Value Deposits. Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
On hand at end of year 1931
$800.00 $19.17
$819.17
Receipts
Payments
Sale of securities
Purchase of secu-
(par value)
$1,000.00
rities (par value) Deposited in sav-
$800.00
Premium on secu- rities sold
25.00
ings bank 19.17
Accrued interest
Premium on secu-
on securities sold
11.67
rities purchased
211.50
Income
74.00 Commission on se-
curities purchas- ed 6.00
Transferred to
Town 74.00
$1,110.67
$1,110.67
CHARLES LARNED ENTERTAINMENT FUND
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
On hand at end of year 1931
$10,660.13 $10,660.13 $10,420.52 $10.420.52
Receipts
Payments
Withdrawn from savings bank
$239.61
Transferred to Town
$751.95
Income
512.34
$751.95
$751.95
265
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS
Savings Bank Deposits
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1931
$27,235.68 $27,235.68
On hand at end of year 1931
$27,735.68 $27,735.68
Receipts
Payments
Income
$1,280.69
Added to savings de- posits
$500.00
Bequests
500.00
Transferred to Town 1,280.69
$1,780.69
$1,780.69
TOWN OF OXFORD Balance Sheet-December 31, 1931 GENERAL ACCOUNTS
ASSETS
LIABILITIES AND RESERVES
Cash :
In Bank and Office -
$1,375.26
Temporary Loans : In Anticipation of
Accounts Receivable :
Revenue
$75,000.00
Taxes :
Special State Tax (Old
Levy of 1920, Walter
Age Assistance)
18.00
Taft, Collector
$461.59
Hannah Harwood Hos-
Levy of 1921, Walter Taft, Collector
567.06
Charles C. Lamb Fund Income
200.00
Levy of 1922, Walter Taft, Collector --
3,365.18
Sarah P. Joslin Library
Fund Income
56.39
Levy of 1929, W. A. Lovett, Collector Levy of 1930, W. A.
1,681.90
Cemetery Sale of Lots Fund
476.00
Lovett, Collector _ 25,864.61
Sale of Land-Infirmary
200.00
Levy of 1931, W. A. Lovett, Collector _ 57,919.04
Sale of Land-School Lot 25.00
89,859.38
pital Fund Income 386.94
E. S. Dickerson Gift (School Grounds) 100.00
-
Old Age Assistance Taxes 1931
Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes : Levy of 1929 1
$12.75
Levy of 1930
172.96
Town Forest
161.81
895.67
Special Assessments :
Unapportioned Side- walk, 1928
$208.39
Unapportioned Side-
walk, 1929
288.22
Levy of 1929
101.64
Unapportioned Side-
Levy of 1930
405.70
walk, 1930
198.54
Levy of 1931
866.13
Committed Interest-
Sidewalk, 1929
12.87
Committed Interest-
Sidewalk, 1930
12.22
Revenue Reserved Until Collected : Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
$895.67
Special Assessment -
720.24
Tax Titles
1,075.86
Tax Title
1,075.86
85.00
Tailings
33.97
Appropriation Balances : Charlton Street Ma- cadam
$5,000.00
Levy of 1931
709.96
5,161.81
Reserve Fund-Overlay Surplus
1,635.53
Overlays Reserved for Abatements :
Levy of 1921 .40
Levy of 1922
117.12
1
1
1
1,490.99
720.24
Forest Fire 1
$178.20
Health
940.74
Highway
488.37
Public Welfare
3,294.48
Infirmary
19.50
Old Age Assistance -
1,003.37
State Aid
410.00
Military Aid
15.00
Schools
528.00
Cemetery
686.30
7,563.96
State Aid to Highways
79.26
Loans Authorized
4,000.00
Revenue 1931 Deficit
1,020.44
Appropriations 1931 to be raised in 1932 _
3,435.72
$110,110.79
$110,110.79
-
DEBT ACCOUNTS
Net Funded or Fixed Debt
$67,000.00
Sutton Avenue Macadam Loan 1929 $12,000.000
I
1
Departmental 7,563.96
10,255.73
Surplus Revenue
15,070.43
1
1
1
1
1.
1 1
1
1
New School Building Loan 55,000.00
$67,000.00
$67,000.00
TRUST ACCOUNTS
Trust Funds, Cash and Securities
$50,099.49
Rufus G. Alverson Cha- rity Fund. $300.00
Hannah Harwood Hos- pital Fund 5,000.00
Mary DeWitt High
School Fund
278.00
Charles C. Lamb School Fund
1,591.43
Sarah P. Joslin Library Fund 1,000.00
Nelson H. Davis Library Fund 523.93
Mattie Sawtelle Library Fund
1,113.97
Wilson Olney Library
Fund 1,316.79
Maud R. Taft Library
Departmental : Fund 819.17
Charles Larned Enter- tainment Fund 10,420.52 - Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds 27,735.68
$50,099.49
$50,099.49
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF OXFORD
MASSACHUSETTS
OF
X
WMOL
FORD
INCORPORATED 0703
MASS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING
December 31, 1932
.2
SCHOOL DIRECTORY, 1932
Walter Dimock, Chairman
Mrs. Emily Chaffee, Secretary
James F. McWilliams
Term expires 1933
Term expires 1934 Term expires 1935
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS C. C. Ferguson, Millbury Tel. 538 Millbury or Oxford 111-12 In Oxford, Mondays and Wednesdays
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Herbert F. Hale, M. D. Tel. 107
SCHOOL NURSE May A. Stafford, R. N. Tel. 5-3553, Worcester
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Hall Siddall
HIGH AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
Frank Sannella, Principal, Tel. 2-0638 40 Adams St., Worcester
Carl Richardson, Asst. Principal, Science Millis
Helen Lupien, French and English East Pepperell John Ambrose, Arithmetic and History 17 Fox St., Worcester
Marguerite Burke, Commercial Work Chestnut Hill
John Chaffee, Mathematics and History Oxford Miriam Manning, English Boylston
3
Helen Kennedy, Mathematics and Hygiene 10 Lee St., Worcester Attleboro
Evelyn Griffiths, Latin and History
Fall River
Jessica Leonard, English and Geography
Ruth Hofstra, Civics, Penmanship and
Drawing Maple St., Millbury
Marcia Colby, English and Music No. Grosvenordale, Ct.
ALLEN L. JOSLIN SCHOOL
Josie Tyler, Principal, Tel. 22, Grade I
Oxford
Belle Putnam, Grade II
Oxford
Catherine Murphy, Grade IV
28 Maywood St., Worcester
Helen Buckley, Grade V
28 Blossom St., Worcester
Nola Porter, Grade V Holden
Clara Turner, Grade VI (a)
Oxford
Amelia Snow, Grade VI (b)
No. Oxford
WOODWARD SCHOOL
Thomas McGovern, Principal,
Grades VII-VIII, Tel. 5-9060 28 Clifton St., Worcester
Mary Cairns, Grade VI 64 Mulberry St., Worcester
Marguerite Jacques, Grade V No. Oxford
Ruth Bradley, Grades III-IV 27 Harlow St., Worcester
Oxford
Gertrude Gahagan, Grades I-II
HAMMOND SCHOOL
Clara Lupien, Principal, Grades I-II
East Pepperell Keene, N. H.
Beatrice Nye, Grades III-IV
THAYER SCHOOL
Gertrude Foley, Principal, Grades III-IV Tel. 3-6596 401 Hamilton St., Worcester
Ruth Clement, Grades I-II 15 Amesbury St., Worcester
Sutton
Mildred Brown, Grade III
4
SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dorothy Grenier, Grades I-II-III, Tel. 801-M
19 Elm St., Webster
SUPERVISORS
Leona T. Butkiewicz, Drawing 8 Bedford Ave., Worcester Marcia Colby, Music and Orchestra No. Grosvenordale, Ct.
JANITORS
High and Allen J. Joslin
Hall Siddall
Woodward
Hammond
David LaCombe Louis Smith
Thayer
South Primary
Joseph Amiot Andrew J. Browning
BUS DRIVERS
Buffum and So. Oxford Routes, Tel. 2-13 Mrs. E. E. Keith Sutton Road Routes, Tel. 18-4 Victor Naramore Walter E. Gould
Federal Hill Routes, Tel. 27-12
West Oxford Routes John Chalupka
Rochdale, Cominsville, and No. Oxford, Tel. 227-2
Louis McKenney
SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1933
Winter Term, January 3, 1933 to March 24, 1933 12 Weeks Spring Term, April 3, 1933 to June 23, 1933 12 Weeks Fall Term, September 5, 1933 to December 22, 1933 16 Weeks
SCHOOL SESSIONS
9:00 to 12:00 A. M. 1:00 to 3:00 P: M: Grades I-II, all schools, 9:00 to 11:30 A. M. 1:00 to 3:00 P. M.
5
FLAG DAY
Every school day the flag must be displayed unless the weather is very inclement, and then it must be displayed within the school.
HOLIDAYS
There will be no school on legal holidays, on Good Friday and on the day following Thanksgiving.
6
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Oxford :
The School Committee respectfully submit their re- port for 1932 to which are appended the reports of the superintendent of school and his associates. These reports and the statistics they contain should interest all Oxford people.
The year 1932 has been a most trying one for a school committee. With greatly diminished appropriations, due to a serious town economic condition with resulting curtail- ment of expenses in every department of school work neces- sitating reduced wages, reduced transportation rates, re- duced expenditures for fuel, repairs, books and supplies, and a greatly shortened school year, we have done our best with the money at our disposal to see that the schools suf- fered no more loss in efficiency than under the conditions was necessary.
In closing the Comins school and in discontinuing tui- tion of pupils to Leicester, we acted contrary to the ex- pressed wishes of the people of that section and of the voters of the town. The saving of more than $3,000 made possible by our action seemed too large a sum to be disre- garded when the town was seeking in every way to make economies in costs. The State Department of Education when the matter was referred to them approved the action of our Committee as legal and, under the circumstances, commendable.
A pleasant feature has been the fine spirit of co-opera- tion that our teachers have all shown in helping us to keep within our appropriations and in remedying as far as they could the bad results to the progress of their children of the shorter year. They and the Superintendent of Schools all
7
contributed generously of their salaries, over $2,000, when they were under no legal obligation to do so to help reduce the town expenditures.
Usually at the end of the year we have on hand fuel to last through to April. We finished December with no sup- ply on hand in the buildings. In this way we were able to reduce the cost of fuel to $1,787.70 or to only about one half the average cost of fuel for the past five years. In a like manner we have put off repairs and the purchase of books and supplies in the hope that next year the town's financial condition would better enable it to bear the added cost. Schools ran for from two to five weeks less time than usual. This made a large emergency saving for 1932. We believe that people wish to have their children attend school the standard forty weeks a year. Therefore the natural expenditures for 1933 will be more than the $54,051.48 spent in 1932 because :
(1) We should meet the cost of the schools for forty weeks.
(2) We must meet the cost of a full year for fuel, repairs, books and supplies.
(3) We must meet the cost of a larger high school. We therefore respectfully ask for an appropria- tion of $55,000 for 1933.
EXPENDITURES-1932
Control
$1,934.17
Teachers
32,484.41
Text-books &. Supplies
1,730.60
Janitors
2,882.86
Fuel
1,787.70
Miscellaneous
743.85
Repairs
1
1
1
1
1
1 1
I
I
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
I
1
1 1
1
1
I
1
1
844.59
1
8
Health
903.81
Transportation
7,264.43
Tuition
3,475.06
1
1
I
1
Total
$54,051.48
SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENTS-1932
I. From the State as re-imbursement for teach- ers' salaries $11,485.90
II. From the State as re-imbursement for super- intendent's salary 773.33
III. From the State as tuition for State Wards
819.25
IV. From Charlton as tuition for Charlton pupils 730.00
V. Sale of supplies and tickets, etc. 11.35
VI. Other re-imbursements (Salary refunds, Superintendent of Schools and Miss Tyler) 183.75
Total $14,003.53 Total net cost of schools for 1932 $40,003.95
Of this required appropriation of $55,000 approxi- mately $15,000 will come back to the town as tuition and re-imbursement for teachers' salaries leaving a net cost to be assessed for taxation of $40,000 approximately.
We believe that you wish your schools to remain Grade A schools and that you will not wish anything to happen that will make it impossible for us to maintain them as such.
WALTER DIMOCK, Chairman,
MRS. EMILY CHAFFEE,
Secretary,
JAMES F. McWILLIAMS,
School Committee.
1
I
I
9
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the Oxford School Committee:
I respectfully submit my twenty-first annual report and the forty-third in the series of reports by Oxford School Superintendents.
In this report also will be found various school statis- tics for 1932 and also the reports of the High School princi- pal, the school physician, the school nurse, and the super- visors of music and drawing.
The Oxford School Department owing to the financial stringency has had probably the most difficult year in its history. Many unusual problems have developed and these unpleasant to bring to a solution satisfactory to even a small part of the people involved.
At the beginning of the year it was obliged to accept a cut in its appropriation for 1931 of $5,500, from $63,000 to $57,500. (a) This necessitated the discontinuance of the instructors in domestic science and manual training which had been in the schools for over twenty years and of physic- al training which had been in more than ten years. (b) It compelled a 10% cut in teachers' and janitors' salaries be- sides stopping all automatic increases for teachers receiving minimum salaries which for them was equivalent to another cut of nearly 10%. (c) All bus drivers were required to ac- cept contracts based on not over 30 cents a mile for the dis- tances actually traveled. This meant a substantial reduction in the previous conveyance cost.
10
In May, the Finance Committee asked the School Com- mittee to close the schools one week early in the High School and two weeks early in the grades and to ask the teachers to release their salaries for these respective pe- riods. This caused a further reduction in salary of 21/2% for the High School teachers and 5% for the grade teach- ers. The teachers generously gave the release asked though they were under no legal obligation to do so.
For several years Oxford had been paying tuition for an increasing number of pupils from the Rochdale district to the town of Leicester. For 1931-1932 this amounted to $3,537.36. The Comins School in the same section, a one room school with six grades was costing between $1,500 and $1,600 a year. Also along the same route to Oxford Center pupils were being transported to the High School by the Acme Bus Line at a cost of approximately $600 or more per year. The School Committee found that by clos- ing the Comins School and conveying its pupils and also the tuition pupils in Leicester to the Thayer and Woodward Schools and the High School pupils along the way to the High School an estimated saving of over $3,000 per year could be made. Therefore in consideration of the fact that the town was able neither to pay its teachers nor its con- tracted bills, the Committee felt it had no discretion but to make this needed saving.
An appeal from the decision of the School Committee was made to the State Department of Education. Mr. Burr F. Jones of this department came to Oxford, went over all the routes involved, saw the town treasurer and wrote an opinion approving the position of the School Commit- tee.
A town meeting was then called and it voted to reopen the Comins School, etc. As the School Committee under Massachusetts law has full authority over all matters relat-
11
ing to transportation of pupils and closing of schools, it seemed to them that they under present financial condi- tions and because of contracts already entered upon could not comply with the vote of the town without involving it in large increased and unnecessary expense. The State Department of Education advised the School Committee under the circumstances to go on as it had planned, clos- ing the Comins School and transporting the children as before indicated.
The School Committee were asked to dismiss all jani- tors and to put their jobs out to bids. They felt this was un- fair to employees who had been giving faithful service, and that it was not good economy to place over $200,000 worth of public property in the hands of inexperienced men whose greatest recommendation was perhaps that they would work cheaper than anybody else. Instead they voted to cut salaries of janitors 10%.
Early in September the School Committee were asked by the Finance Committee to release $4,000 of their already reduced appropriation to the town treasury. This was done under protest. It was explained that already the schools for the calendar year of 1932 had been shortened two weeks in the High School and three weeks in the grades, and this reduction in the appropriation would mean the further loss of at least two or three weeks with possible hazarding of the State re-imbursement for teachers of a sum in excess of that to be saved by this means.
All schools as a result of this action except the High and Junior High were closed two weeks early in December. For the calendar year 1932, the High School was in session 38 instead of 40 weeks, the Junior High, 37 weeks instead of 40, and the other schools 35 weeks instead of 40. This is the poorest record in more than twenty years.
12
Teachers besides not getting their usual increases which have always heretofore been given, besides receiving a 10% cut in their salaries, have also lost from two to five weeks in salary. In addition to this their salaries have been in arrears at times as much as two months and at the close of the year, December 31, had not been fully paid.
It is bad enough in good times but it is worse in bad times to have children on the streets for several additional weeks. Our teachers have been under these trying circum- stances extremely loyal and have done all they could to make the best of the situation, but no teachers can do as much for their children in a school year so seriously short- ened.
ECONOMIES PRACTICED
1. Elimination of manual training, physical train- ing and sewing
II. Reduction in cost of transportation by
(1) Reduction in mileage rate
(2) Discontinuance of No. Oxford Station route
(3) Substituting private busses for Acme busses
III. Temporary reduction in school year from two to five weeks
IV. Reduction in expenditures for fuel, books, sup- plies, repairs
V. Discontinuing all Leicester tuition
VI. Closing Comins School
13
VII. Reduction of salaries
(1) Contribution by High School teachers of one week's pay in June
(2) Contribution by Elementary teachers of two weeks' pay in June
(3) 10% cut beginning with September
(4) Three weeks' loss of wages for elementary and one week's loss for High School teachers in the fall term
(5) Corresponding cuts in janitors' salaries
(6) Usual increases to low paid teachers not given in June
VIII. Increasing the teacher load. Over 100 pupils were added to the enrollment and only one teacher for half time added to the teaching force.
A teacher employed in the first six grades of the Ox- ford Schools lost not only her annual increment in salary but also lost for the period from June 1st to December 31st.
Nearly 10% through the reduction of her salary 25% through closing the schools 1/4 of this time, five weeks.
BRIGHT SPOTS
While the year as a whole has been one with discourag- ing features with the loss of instruction in manual training, domestic science and physical training, with the loss of five weeks of school for the children of the first six grades, with reduction also of repairs, supplies, of books, paper, etc. be- yond the efficiency limit, there have been some bright spots that also should be enumerated.
14
Our competent teaching force has been exceedingly loyal and devoted in spite of great reduction of salary and delay in securing its pay. Only one teacher left during the year and her place was taken by a man who had one year of successful experience. It has been very fortunate for us in this shortened year to have been able to retain our experi- enced teachers. But for this the progress of the children would be much more handicapped than it is. For the chil- dren to lose five weeks of schooling in one year was serious but to have lost many teachers in addition would have made this condition much more difficult to meet.
Further consolidation of the schools by the closing of the Comins School and the conveyance of its pupils and those attending the Leicester Schools has brought about a saving of more than $3,000. It has also made it possible for a better organization of the No. Oxford Schools through the transfer of the fifth grade from the Thayer to the Woodward School, and the separation of grades five and six at the latter school into two rooms with one grade to the room. The transported children of grades one to four go to the Thayer School, those of five to eight to the Wood- ward School and those of nine to twelve to the High School.
The High School has had its largest school member- ship, 192. This is an increase from 1927-1928 of 97 pupils. The average membership for that year was 95. The more than doubling the size of a High School in five years with- out much increase in the population means that practically all young people of High School age are now attending school and that few are working. The hard times have at least given the benefit of longer schooling to many who otherwise could not have enjoyed this privilege. Then, 1927-1928, six teachers were employed for the 95 pupils. Now with more than twice as many we have only seven full time teachers and one part time teacher. This means that all teachers have larger classes and some teachers also
15
more classes per day than previously. Whether this in- creased teaching load with larger classes will mean a less efficient school will depend largely upon the ability and experience of the teachers. It seems probable there will be further increase in September, 1933, as there are over 85 pupils completing the eighth grade in June while the graduating class at the High School will be only thirty- three.
The total school membership at the present time is 916 which is 104 more than it was last year at this time. Our teaching force in the meantime has only been increased by one part time teacher. This may not seem a bright spot es- pecially in a year when this increase has been accompanied by a shorter school term. Our good result, however, will be increased reimbursement from the State of $50 for each whole time teacher employed or a total increased reim- bursement of over $1,500.
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