USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1947-1951 > Part 31
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RESEARCH AND STAFF ASSISTANCE
A fifth and final area included in the scope of guidance serv- ices provides for research and staff assistance. In the light of these special services, the guidance department is currently developing a pupil follow-up form to be sent to all graduates and "drop-outs" in order to determine what happens to pupils who leave school, to what extent they feel that the school did or did not meet their needs and what pertinent suggestions they have to make, how they would evaluate the present guid- ance program, etc. In the light of these results, we can then make modifications and revisions to the current services avail- able in the guidance field and offerings in the curriculum with reasonably valid justification.
Some research is being conducted with special reference to present-day college entrance requirements, particularly with respect to foreign languages. Also the department is working on a project which will provide college preparatory students with a one-page synopsis of the important and relevant data concerning each post-secondary professional school. In addi- tion, students in both the academic and commercial depart- ments are provided with the means of gaining effective ex- periences by working in the guidance office, including a plan for the future coordination with the commercial department in providing a work-experience program in office work for com- mercial course seniors. A research project in the form of a community occupational survey is contemplated in the spring. Also, the director is currently engaged in a research project at Harvard University in the form of a seminar composed of guidance directors, personnel officers, college professors, and psychologists in an effort to evaluate present-day guidance practices and to determine the scope of guidance services.
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On November 22, Mr. Warren E. Benson, State Supervisor of Guidance and Placement visited this department for the pur- pose of evaluating the present program in the light of meeting the state requirements for approval and reimbursement. He had but three suggestions to make. All three of these have been included in this report and pertain briefly to: (1) Additional counseling time, (2) more adequate guidance-type records, and (3) an annual follow-up study.
The guidance department is grateful for the splendid co- operation of all those who have contributed to the reorganiza- tion and development of the present guidance program, and particularly to Mr. Robertson who has been most cooperative and generous in granting the requests of the department for time, space, and equipment.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER F. MERENDA, Director, Guidance and Placement.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
To the Superintendent of Schools:
I herewith submit the following report of my work which covers the period from the opening of school in September to December 31, 1949.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The general function of our Physical Education program is to assist in providing a medium for the normal growth and nat- ural development of each pupil. The basic aims and objectives are the same as those of education in general, for the total proc- ess of education must be considered in providing a program of education for the proper development of the child.
Our Physical Education Program emphasizes perhaps to a greater extent than other fields such phases of education as the Physical, the Social, the Emotional, and the Recreational devel- opment of each pupil; there are also certain very important re- sponsibilities for the intellectual development of pupils in the Physical Education Program. The specific responsibilities of physical education will, at all times, harmonize with the total process of education.
One of the primary functions of physical education is to develop each individual to his greatest possible physical ca- pacity within the range of accepted educational objectives. This implies development in skill and ability as well as organic development.
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The social objective is another important function of physi- cal education. Experience has shown that the kind of associa- tions found in competitive physical activities is very helpful in securing durable social adjustment to school life. Pupils learn to understand each other better through the informal work provided in physical education.
The growing emphasis on emotions in education in recent years has served to reassure physical educators in their long- held belief that proper emotional development is an important objective in the schools. The nature of physical activities in- volved in our Physical Education Program gives the pupils an opportunity to secure desirable results in emotional develop- ment.
It is the duty of the schools to assume a large share of the responsibilities in training pupils to make intelligent use of lei- sure time. Our program is constructed with both the present and future recreational needs of the pupils in mind. Our pro- gram activities are fundamental to physical development and basic to recreation.
In physical education there is a unique opportunity to develop citizenship through putting principles into actual prac- tice. We know behavior is conditioned by actual practice in the proper situation. Loyalty, cooperation, and teamwork is en- couraged. Since a large part of our Physical Education Program involves participation in activities, it is conclusive to the de- velopment of a well-rounded individual. This balance contrib- utes to desirable and effective citizenship.
Our present Physical Education Program involves over four hundred pupils, participating in regular physical educa- tion classes. All the boys and girls, in grades seven and eight in our Elementary schools, have two periods of physical educa- tion each week. The boys in the Manual Training classes have two periods each week. Boys and girls in our "Opportunity School," River Street, have two periods each of physical educa- tion every week. A Physical Education Program, now being developed under the supervision of the Director of our Trade School, will assure two hours of physical education each week for all Trade School students.
A typical Physical Education Program comprises the following: Calisthenics, Formal Activities, Games and Relays, Recreational Sports.
The curriculum is flexible in order to provide a wide range of activities for the many interests and needs of the students.
All students participating in this program have been ex- amined by the School Physician and School Nurse. The sugges-
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tions and recommendations of the school Health Service Depart- ment are being carried out.
My teaching program includes 29 periods per week. Twen- ty-four are used for instruction in physical education and the other five are used for classroom instruction in Health at the High School.
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM
The reasons for Health Education may be summarized in outline:
I .- The individual is increasingly the object of attention by those concerned both with public health and with educa- tion.
II .- Children need training and instruction in healthful living for:
1. Present health practices are poor as evidenced by "Draft data and other medical records, observations concerning the spread of communicable diseases, the increase in organic and nervous diseases and the development of physical defects during childhood.
2. Some elements in modern complex civilization are unhygienic.
3. The traditional attitude toward disease is unsound.
4. Pupils have insufficient health knowledge.
III .- Habits affect health as shown by
1. Sanitarium treatment for tuberculosis.
2. Athletic training.
3. The results of improvement in diet and other conditions.
IV .- The Public School can improve habits, for
1. Youth is the time of habit formation.
2. The school can supplement the home acceptably in health training.
3. The school can reach the whole population.
4. Health education has been proved to be practicable and successful.
The objectives of our School Health Program are as follows:
1. The reduction of communicable disease.
2. The development of healthful school living.
3. The development of health knowledge.
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4. The development and maintenance of desirable health habits.
5. The interpretation of the school health program in home and school cooperation.
6. The development of desirable mental attitude toward health, health practices, and life situations.
Safety
Safety is a health program, a problem of "life and limb." The school's responsibility for the health and welfare of the child certainly includes accident prevention and safety education.
During 1946, one out of every three children who died was killed in an accident. One out of every thirteen men, women and children in the United States had an accident resulting in a somewhat disabling injury. Over 370,000 of these individuals suffered permanent impairment. The 1946 economic loss from accidents is slightly greater than all governmental expenditures -including all grants in aid, operating costs, and retirement of debt-by all the individual states in 1944. There are, roughly, 100,000 deaths and 10,000,000 injuries from accidents in the United States each year.
The objectives of the Safety Education Program are as follows:
1. The development of individual and group safety con- sciousness.
2. Prevention of accidents in the schools.
3. The elimination of hazards in the schools.
4. The development of wholesome attitudes, habits, and practices pertaining to safety.
5. The development of individual and group responsibility for safety.
6. To impart knowledge for an understanding of the en- vironmental hazards in the modern industrial world.
7. To impart knowledge for an understanding of the meth- ods of safe conduct in the ordinary activities of life.
8. To teach the relationship of safety to individual and group progress.
My duties as Director of Health and Physical Education are as follows:
1. To develop a strong health education curriculum.
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2. To aid the teachers in developing health education and in measuring results.
3. To coordinate the work of the teachers with that of the Health Services so that there shall be more interpretation in both the direct and indirect health learnings of the pupils.
4. To establish healthful relationships between health educa- tion in the school and in the community.
5. To help utilize the school physicians' services to the best advantage.
This year a Health and Safety course has been added for grades 7 and 8. All students in these grades are taking the course. A new course called "Health and Safety" has been added to the High School Curriculum. This course is given to all Juniors and is carried out according to the wishes of the State Department of Education. The course is taught by the Director of Health and Physical Education. Approximately 90 students are taking the course once a week.
THE AFTER-SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM
The objectives of the After-School Athletic Program are as follows:
1. To provide opportunities for participation in some rec- reational activity.
2. To provide opportunities for the development of quali- ties of leadership in both boys and girls.
3. To establish a natural coordination between formal classroom teaching and informal school activities.
4. To provide additional opportunities for pupils to de- velop physically, socially, and emotionally.
5. To provide the opportunity to develop the fundamental skills in activities.
6. To teach sportsmanship in relations with the individual and the group.
An Athletic Manual has been written by the Director of Physical Education to serve as a guide to all students partici- pating in the program so as to coordinate the proper physical development with an efficient academic program. The After- School Athletic Program has two distinct phases: The sports program and the intramural program. In the sports program, two leagues have been formed-the Junior Trade League and
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the Junior High League. The Junior Trade League is com- posed of River Street, Manual Arts, General Vocational, sec- tions A and B. Football (touch), basketball, and baseball are the sports played. The Junior High League is composed of the four elementary schools. The sports offered are football (touch), basketball (boys and girls), baseball and girls' softball. All games are played after school hours and are strictly supervised.
The intramural activities are sponsored for pupils in Grades IV, V, and VI, in all the elementary schools. Activities offered are basketball (boys and girls), boys' softball and dodgeball for girls. Coaches have been appointed so as to assure proper supervision.
During the past football season, the teams completed a 24-game schedule, with Charlton Street School winning in the Junior High League, and Section B winning the Junior Trade League. Over 125 pupils participated without a single injury.
Our basketball schedule will include 66 games and over 200 boys and girls will participate. Our intramural basketball pro- gram in all schools will attract over 100 students.
My duties as coordinator of elementary athletics are as follows:
1. To carry out the policies and program established by the Superintendent of Schools.
2. To assist the Superintendent in formulating programs and conducting surveys.
3. To coordinate all activities with the Health Service Depart- ment and the Principals.
4. To make out all activity schedules.
5. To establish and maintain a central athletic supply depart- ment.
6. To aid the coaches in securing the best possible results in their activities.
All participants in the After-School Athletic Program have been examined by the School Physician and School Nurse.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the Principals, the School Health Services, and the School Department for their generous collaboration and cooperation in establishing the Physical Edu- cation, the Health and Safety, and the After-School Athletic Programs.
Respectfully submitted, LEWIS A. KYRIOS, Director, Health and Physical Education.
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF COLE TRADE HIGH SCHOOL
To the Superintendent of Schools:
In accordance with your request, I submit herewith a first report to cover the period from mid-October to December 31, 1949.
MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS
In school at end of the year (Dec. 1949)
15
Day 171
Tot. 186
Graduated
26
10
.36
Certificated
2
2
Entering Industry trained for
1
4
5
Entering other occupation
2
46
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Armed Service
Unfit for trade subjects
6
6
Returned to Grammar or High School
11
11
Entering other schools
3
3
Left because of illness
1
9
10
Left town
4
4
Transferred to Coop. School
14
14
Transferred to Day School
18
18
Total membership for the year 1949
63
280
343
Enrolled during year
16
138
154
GRADUATES-TRADE HIGH DIPLOMAS
Cabinet Course
Gerard Joseph Roy
Edward Joseph Kolodziejczak Kenneth Allen Smith Edwin George Stalec
Furniture Finishing Gerard Armand Fournier
Machine Course
Guy Brown Armstrong Michael Belba
Paul Joseph Boniface Henry Francis Boucher, Jr. George Francis Butterworth Normand George Danis Harry Stephen Dimetri Felix John Gwozdz Michael Francis Mangan George Albert Parenteau
Electrical Course
George Israel Renaud Clarence Leo Standrowicz
Civil Engineering Drafting Richard Norman Allard Robert Francis Para
Printing Course Ronald Eugene Aucoin Raymond Gerard Lemire
Sheet Metal
Marc Archile Arsenault Steven John Mosio Robert Roger Trahan
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Coop.
VOCATIONAL HIGH DIPLOMAS
Drafting Course Leland Barrett Miller
Electrical Course
Alfred Ernest Marchessault Bernard John Milczewski Joseph Theodoss
Machine
Edwin Albert Carvalho
Paul John Snyder
VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL DIPLOMAS
John Paul Lipski
Drafting Arthur William Olson, Jr. Rene Phillipe Trahan EVENING SCHOOL PROGAM
Courses
Instructor
No. Enrolled
Cabinetmaking
Frank P. Skinyon
13
Drafting
George H. Braman 21
Electrical
Francis E. Couture 13
Furniture Refinishing
Irving Harding 13
Machine
William Paul 10
Lawrence Swenson
9
William A. Julien 12
Plumbing-Related and Apprentice
Antonio Blanchet
17
Reorganization
On October 17, 1949, I reported for duty as Director of the Cole Trade High School. Normal paths of human behavior were followed and much time was spent on reorganization. Reor- ganization has been delayed considerably because of an imme- diate situation that required adjustment. The problem con- cerned was the closing down of the D3M School at the American Optical Company. The American Optical Company had voted to discontinue this school as a measure of economy. The move was to take effect December 1, 1949 but, because of the resig- nation of a Machine teacher at the Cole Trade High School, the School Committee requested that the immediate closing down of the D3M Shop be considered, whereby the Machine teacher at the American Optical Company could then be made available to the Cole Trade High School. The number of pupils affected in this move created a class larger in number than that allowed by the State Vocational laws. Another problem created was the dire need of additional equipment to serve such a large group and any future groups that would require training to meet industrial needs.
.----
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Applied Mathematics
Building Estimating and Related Carpentry
In our reorganization, close cooperation with our full-time Guidance Director was inaugurated. Today all candidates for trade schools are being interviewed and screened by the Guid- ance Department. All who drop out are being counseled by this same department, to see where trade education has failed to meet their educational needs. In a like manner, all cases of pos- sible failure are being referred to Mr. Merenda, who attempts to discover cause and then suggests methods that might remedy the situation. This is done only after the Trade School faculty has exhausted methods to remedy this situation.
The School Physician and School Nurse have completed physical examination for our junior high section and will con- centrate on the senior high next. I am happy to report that we have been able to develop a complete physical record through this hearty cooperation.
In studying trends in Vocational Education in the United States, we have learned that more stress is being placed on a Vocational Technical program. More consideration is being given to the academic and related side of the trade. There is a recognized need for the development of the social side of the boy.
In the trade schools, lack of reading comprehension is prev- alent, and this problem is a recognized one throughout the na- tion. It is suggested that a remedial reading program be started in Southbridge.
Educational Considerations
I believe that the Town of Southbridge should be given the philosophy of the new Director, because one's philosophy is a major control of one's thinking. I believe that a philosophy of education comes from the realm of educational experiences; passes through its refinement in the administration of a school system; is transmitted from the Principal to the teachers, and eventually finds its level in the lives of the pupils. Education is rapidly swinging around to the idea that what citizens need most is not exposure to standard knowledge, but the ability to meet the situations of life. Only those who have this ability have learned somehow to analyze every problem they meet; to find what usable facts are necessary to solve it; to take stock of the usable facts that they already know apply; to get the miss- ing facts. They need to think with these facts in order to arrive at decisions; to use those decisions to make a plan; to execute this plan of meeting the problem; to check up on the results, and to profit by the experience by improving this procedure on the next problem. This is precisely what all real vocational and practical arts education does for pupils, and no other school work, with the possible exception of laboratory work in science,
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has any comparable facilities for such training. In preparation, as vocational experiences are made real, the vocational school excels the science laboratory as a training device for teaching thinking, as well as doing.
Awards
At the graduation exercises in June, the Cole Trade Alumni awarded Marc Arsenault a trophy for being the most outstand- ing student of the graduating class. Bernard Milczewski was awarded the trophy by the Cole Trade Alumni for being the most outstanding athlete of the Graduation Class. These pres- entations were made by Mr. Arthur Eno, President of the Alumni Association.
New Equipment
I take this opportunity to thank, publicly, members of the American Optical Company who so generously contributed their time and effort in procuring for the Cole Trade High School additional equipment for our Machine Shop. This equip- ment has saved the Town of Southbridge many thousands of dollars.
I thank my faculty and my office staff for their hearty co- operation in making my duties more simple. I also thank the Superintendent of Schools and the School Committee for their sage advice, which every new director must need to meet his problems in a professional manner.
Respectfully submitted,
RAYMOND L. W. BENOIT, Director, Cole Trade High School.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL NURSE
To the Superintendent of Schools:
"What we do for the health of our children and youth to- day will influence the whole world tomorrow."
In a first annual report submitted in 1946, the emphasis then was placed on the physical health of the child with much stress on correction of defects. In 1947, the emphasis was laid on the whole child entirely omitting the word "physical"- which is only one limited conception of the child's health. The child is not a mere bundle of organs but an entity. In 1948, we were considering the total health program on a long-time basis with much stress on the acquisition of desirable attitudes, knowledge, and practices.
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This year's activities and achievements reveal that we have been thinking in terms of "health" rather than in terms of "sickness"-of "prevention" rather than "cure." The positive approach to health, which incidentally is the present trend in school health services as accepted by the Massachusetts Public Health Department, seems to have impregnated itself in our program without too much effort on our part-possibly due to the fact that our program was planned on a long-time basis and on all phases of the child's make-up and not only on the physical aspect.
Gradually we have been getting away from the detection of symptoms and defects per se, and have steered toward health guidance for the pupil, the teacher, and the parents. At one time, it was possible for us to evaluate our services by a survey of the number of physical defects corrected. But now the story of the correction of physical defects is no longer the basis for evaluating our school health services to the child. At present, the criteria for evaluating our services are based upon educa- tional totals-the degree of pupil, parent, and community con- sciousness of personal health and public health as shown by their participation in our school health program. We also find that we are able to use as criteria in our evaluation the medical profession's consciousness of our program as shown by their response, acceptance, contribution and participation. They have gradually become aware of our aims and goals and have done much by interpreting our work, our clinics, our need for necessary information relative to the child's health to parents.
A primary duty of the School Nurse is to cooperate with all health workers as well as all members of the school personnel. No one phase of health work is complete in itself. We must have concerted effort as well as teamwork. Due to the fact that about 50% of the time is spent in making home visits, it would seem that the School Nurse is the person to link the home, the school, and the child-and interpret the child's needs accord- ingly.
Our present policy in our total health program is based up- on the needs of our children. The newer concepts of the core of the curricula in our schools point toward health-physical, mental, emotional, and social. Only through the provision of a healthful environment and continuous health education will we be able to safeguard the child during the critical formative years; therefore, the purpose of our program can be stated as follows:
1. To provide for the child, and all other school personnel, the necessary environment for the development of maximum health-physical, mental, emotional, and social-of which the individual is biologically capable.
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The one and only great change in our school health pro- gram has taken place in our "home-visit" program. More than twice the usual number of home visits were made this year for various purposes. It is most gratifying to be received gracefully and accepted, however bad our mission may be and find our- selves talking to an "open ear" mother who is most receptive to accept any suggestions and most willing to cooperate and help. In evaluating the results as accomplished, I often feel a sense of defeat. The problems which warrant a home visit are usually of such long duration that improvement and results may not be seen or noted for a long while, and quite often I feel that I am beating my head against a stone wall and have accom- plished "next-to-nothing" only to hear from a mother that John's problem is entirely a "thing of the past." I have had to teach myself that in this phase of our program our progress may seem to be very slow, but it is sure and most deserving.
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