USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Southbridge > Town annual reports of the officers of Southbridge for the year ending 1947-1951 > Part 42
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We are happy to report that our Library, which was started last year, is showing marked growth, and we hope that within a few years the Library will be adequate to meet the needs of the school.
We are also happy to report that ninety per cent of our graduates are employed in the trade that they were trained for. The remaining ten per cent are either in the service or em- ployed at a non-related occupation.
The Trade School Alumni Association presented a cup to Roland E. Fontaine as the outstanding student in the Senior Class and to Steven R. Waskiewicz as the outstanding athlete. These were presented by Mr. Edgar Tremblay, President of the Association.
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The Director's Gold C for four years' highest average was awarded to Roland E. Fontaine.
American Legion Post No. 31 presented awards for the best school citizens to Charles F. Colwell, Jr., and Roland E. Leduc. These were presented by Mr. Arthur J. Eno, Commander, and Mr. Lectance J. Landry, Senior Vice-Commander.
The Student Council Award was given to Robert J. Shaw, President of the Student Council.
The Athletic Association presented awards to the following members of the Senior Class:
Steven R. Waskiewicz, Baseball and Basketball.
Roger G. Renaud, Baseball.
Roland E. Leduc, Basketball.
James D. Yates, Basketball.
Rudolph A. St. Martin, Jr., Basketball.
The Library now has a set of books donated by the Class of 1950.
Our membership between December 31, 1949 and Decem- ber 31, 1950 was 278 students in Day School and 58 in the Co- operative School, a total of 336 students.
GRADUATES Trade High Diplomas
John Paul Bernardone
Electricians Roger Charles Rheault
Leon Joseph Leduc
Rudolph Alexander St. Martin, Jr.
Roger Gerard Renaud Robert John Shaw
Factory Maintenance George Raymond Bruso
Draftsmen
Roy Robert Budrow
Charles Frederick Colwell, Jr.
Roland Ernest Fontaine
Apostol Martiros Ernest Patten Scott James David Yates
Machinists
Samuel Earl Alger Stanley Roger Bachand
Donald James Curboy
Arthur Richard Tucker
Patternmakers Roland Roger Tremblay
Metal Smiths
Roland Edward Leduc
Steven Ralph Waskiewicz
Printing Bernard Philip Rutan
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CLASS OFFICERS
Bernard P. Rutan
President
Roger G. Renaud
Vice-President
James D. Yates Charles F. Colwell
Secretary
Treasurer
EVENING SCHOOL PROGRAM
No.Enrolled
Woodworking
Frank P. Skinyon
16
Drafting
George H. Braman
16
Electrical
Rosaire Pariseau
12
Machine
Nels H. Johnson
18
Plumbing
Joseph Chagnon
11
Auto Mechanics
Anthony Capozzo
12
Furniture Refinishing
Harold Andrews
14
Related Carpentry and Steel Square
William A. Julien and Wiliam C. Nickerson 13
Respectfully submitted,
RAYMOND L. W. BENOIT, Director,
Cole Trade High School.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
To the Superintendent of Schools:
I herewith submit the following report of my work which covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 1950.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
Our present Physical Education program involves over 400 pupils participating in regular Physical Education classes. All 7th and 8th grade students in our elementary schools, the entire student body of our Trade School, and the special classes aver- age one hour weekly of Physical Education activities. Calis- thenics, Formal Activities, Games and Relays, Stunts, and Rec- reational Sports make up our Physical Education program. The curriculum is flexible in order to provide a wide range of activ- ities for the many interests and needs of the students. All ac- tivities are supervised and in many cases modified to meet the abilities and age levels of the students. Special attention has been placed on the program which is offered for the special classes.
All students participating in this program have been ex- amined by the School Physician and the School Nurse. The
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suggestions and recommendations of the School Health Services Department are being carried out.
AFTER-SCHOOL ATHLETIC PROGRAM
A general program of athletics and intramural sports has been organized for the elementary and special schools. Two leagues have been organized for the athletic program. One is designated as the Junior Trade League and is composed of pupils at River Street School, in the manual arts class at the high school building, and in Section A, and another in Section B of the general vocational classes at the high school. The other is designated as the Junior High League and is composed of three departmental grades of the four elementary schools. Boys play touch football, basketball, and baseball. A woman or man teacher of each school supervises the girls' league bas- ketball and softball practice and games. In most of the schools the supervisors devote considerable time to the work. A great deal of enthusiasm has been aroused in the elementary schools for the contests between schools.
Intramural sports are organized for boys and girls of grades 4 to 7 who do not participate in the league sports. Boys play basketball and softball; girls play dodgeball. These sports, also, are supervised. Data on numbers of pupils of the four elemen- tary schools, participating, were as follows:
Marcy Ch'lton Eastford West
Street
Street
Road
Street
Boys Intramural Sports
28
68
49
14
Girls Intramural Sports
17
71
55
20
Football
16
16
18
16
Basketball
15
15
98
38
Baseball
25
15
72
32
In the Junior Trade League over 70 students participated in touch football, basketball, and softball.
Some of the students in the numbers stated above are, of course, duplicates, because a pupil in football is likely to be in- terested, also, in basketball or baseball.
The results of the after-school athletic program are listed below:
Elementary Leagues
Boys (final standings) Touch Football
Girls (final standings) Basketball
Name
Won Lost Tied
Name
Won Lost Tied
Charlton
5
1
Eastford
8
1
West
3
2
1
West
7
2
Eastford
2
3
1
Charlton
6 3
Marcy
0
4
2
Marcy
0
9
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Basketball
Softball
Charlton
8
1
Charlton
6 0
Eastford
7
2
Eastford 3
3
West
3 6
West
3
3
Marcy
0 9
Marcy
0
6
Baseball
Charlton
6
0
River Street Girls partici-
Eastford
4
2
West
2
4
Marcy
0
6
pated in the above girls sports on an informal basis.
Junior Trade League
Football
Softball
Section A 4
2
Section B 6
0
Section B 3
3
Section A 4 2
Manual T 3
3
River St. 2 4
River St. 2
4
Manual T. 0
6
Basketball
Section B 6
0
Section A 4 2
River St. 2 4
Manual T. 0
6
Section B of the General Vo- cational Department won the Junior Trade Sportsmanship Cup. This cup was presented by the Director of the Trade School to the captains.
All the students participating in the above leagues were properly supervised by coaches. All teams in the Elementary League were properly clothed and examined before they were allowed to participate.
The Director of Physical Education has prepared an Ath- letic Manual for the above leagues for the guidance of pupils, teachers, and principals. This is useful in setting and maintain- ing standards for the program. Practice and games are held on the playgrounds of the several schools.
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, and the After-School Athletic Program.
Respectfully submitted, LEWIS A. KYRIOS, Director, Physical Education.
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REPORT OF THE SCHOOL NURSE
To the Superintendent of Schools:
In this present world of turmoil and unrest I would like to say a few words on "better health for school-age children"- a challenge to medicine, education, and the people of our Town.
Medicine and Education have always had much in com- mon-but in recent years they have come closer together in the fundamental concepts which underlie their approach to the specialized problems with which each deals.
Both, obviously, serve people. Both influence the behavior and attitudes of people, adults, as well as children-my chief concern and interest. Both are concerned with the growth and development of well and sick human beings. Both are moti- vated by a desire to contribute to happy and vigorous living.
Today's doctor and educator, thanks to their own better un- derstanding of the way human beings grow in physical and mental health, and thanks to the contributions that science is making to everybody's thinking, are aware that they must deal with the whole body and person of a child, not just with a part of his anatomy or a fraction of his life or education.
Education has come a long, long distance from the days when it measured its success by the number of facts it had crammed into a child's head. It is recognizing that its real job is to prepare a child for living in a constantly changing world -a world in which the magic of science and the gadgets of liv- ing not only fascinate us but threaten our very lives. Teachers know now that a child's attitude toward himself and his neigh- bors, his capacity to meet new conditions and new relations, are much more important than knowing what happened in the year 1020-more important in terms of his own living and in the lives of those around him.
Similarly, psychosomatic medicine has made some doctors more aware that a child's health is not necessarily just a prob- lem of absence of germs or viruses. What happens to a child in school may produce an illness every bit as serious as an illness of definitely physical origin. We know, too, that a well child is not just a child who has no visible handicaps, or unidentifi- able aches or pains-one reason why I feel statistics on physical defects can be eliminated from this report for one year.
What both doctors and teachers are after is to help in rear- ing a new generation of boys and girls who are buoyantly healthy in body and spirits; whose creativeness and sense of social responsibility are given the greatest opportunity for expression; who have an unshakable conviction of their own
49
worth and the worth of other people-our future leaders, no less.
This is the kind of positive health I mean and now all teach- ers and medical workers are after it. This is the quality of people who, we are convinced, can build a truly democratic so- ciety. And that is the kind of society we are intent on culti- vating now, the kind we believe in. If you will recall, in my 1949 report, our department was already thinking in terms of "health" rather than in terms of "sickness"-of "prevention" rather than "cure"-the positive approach which, incidentally, in 1949 was the new trend in the school health services, as ac- cepted by the Massachusetts Public Health Department.
What are some of the facts that face us as we plan for the future health of our school-age children? Let us quickly go over them. The first fact is that the health problems of our chil- dren are not what they used to be. School medical services in this country started about in 1894 in Boston and I believe in 1897 in New York. The chief reason for starting these services appears to have been the fear, and, to be sure, the actuality of contagious diseases. In the beginning medical service in schools was almost limited to detection and the barring from school of children who showed signs of a contagious infection.
Years passed and, as new techniques developed, the need for the above routine almost disappeared. For example, let us take diphtheria. This disease, dreaded a half a century ago, has been practically conquered-not only by the device of examin- ing school children, but chiefly by immunizing children in in- fancy. Hence, this is the reason for our yearly sponsorship of diphtheria and booster-shot clinics. In 1900 the death rate from diphtheria was about 40 per 100,000 population. Now it is less than 1 per 100,000-a tremendous reduction.
Present-day interest in making our school medical services more effective for our children arises not merely from the fact that we have about conquered the contagious diseases, but we now realize that many, many other conditions handicapping children need attention, and that some of them are not detect- able by the routine physical examination in our schools.
Recently, I read that the Children's Bureau estimates that among people under 21 years of age in the United States, some 175,000 have cerebral palsy (with no noticeable defect) and 200,000 have epilepsy-neither condition as far as it is known, being contagious-but conditions very often not detected and even ignored by routine physical examination. This is one rea- son why we urge a complete report on each child entering school from the child's own family physician who has usually
50
been in contact with him since birth, thus giving us informa- tion which might go unrecognized by us and which might be vitally important in case of accident at school, etc. Let us sur- mise that a child is a known epileptic to his family and friends but not to the school authorities. He may have a mild attack at school which, unless one is well versed in taking care of sick people, might look almost as if the child had had a fainting spell. And on recurring mild seizures, the child may suffer in- juries which could easily have been prevented if the school authorities had been made aware of the child's defect by the parents.
To go back to the alarming number of cases, as stated above, these children not only need the best that medicine and educa- tion have to give, but in the vast majority of cases, can really profit from that best. A half million children have handicaps requiring orthopedic or plastic treatment and possibly another quarter million, if not more, need Child Guidance help. Some of these are receiving good care, either privately or under the aus- pices of the State Crippled Children's Clinics, which since 1935 we have recognized as most deserving of the support of the Federal Government as well as of State and local governments. But despite the devoted service given to children by State crip- pled children's agencies, they are being forced every year to turn down thousands of children whose crippling condition could be improved, if not completely corrected, simply be- cause there is not enough money. At present Southbridge has over 50 children attending the State Crippled Children's Clinic in Worcester which has as its specialist none other than Dr. J. O'Meara, one of the best orthopedic men in this area. But this clinic, like all other clinics, is getting quite congested and lately our referrals have had to wait a few months before admission. One of these children might even be your own child-so why not if need be remember that a few pennies more or less as far as the tax rate is concerned will not inconvenience you too, too much and that those few pennies may mean the difference in the life of a child. One must always remember that today it is a neighbor's child; tomorrow it may be your own little Jimmy who is in need of help.
In the beginning of 1945 the States reported that they knew of 30,000 crippled children who would have to go without the medical or hospital care they needed unless additional funds were forthcoming.
In my report to the State, listing our physically handi- capped children as per the 1949 school census, 170 were re- ported, 32 new cases and 138 already reported as per law. Some of these are under private care, some are receiving care provided by the State, and some are without care at all. And
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the above are our very own children of Southbridge-our fu- ture leaders.
Two major difficulties still need special emphasis: (1) Acci- dents are the leading cause of death for children over one year of age. Some excellent work on accident prevention is going ahead, but we still do not know why it is that some children seem so much more prone to accident than other children. Could it be that it is a deep psychological problem in the child? We need to explore. (2) Among all diseases, rheumatic fever is the leading cause of death in children of school age. Right now at least a half million children have this disease or have had it. Just now some thrilling developments in the treatment of rheumatic fever by Cortisone or ACTH are going on, but we still know much too little of the underlying cause of the disease to prevent it.
Research in the whole field of child growth and develop- ment is moving ahead, but slowly. Two years ago the Federal Government spent, with Congressional approval, $625,000,000 for research alone, and only a few thousands of this money was spent on problems of child health. Yet our children are the next in line to run our Government.
There is a definite relation between our school health pro- gram and the whole community health picture. Every doctor and teacher dealing with a 6-year-old who is in trouble knows well how often the roots of the trouble go back into that child's pre-school years. So very often I wish I could have been in on the trouble at the beginning to help both the child and his par- ents. There is something really heart-breaking to see this troubled child not knowing just what it's all about, yet realiz- ing that he just isn't like the other kids. We are not really going to build better health in school-age children if the services we provide them are developed in isolation from, or in competition with, our health program as a rule. It is high time we face up to this and do something about it.
Another thing we are not doing too well and surely not as well as we should. We are not helping parents with the rearing of children. Probably never before were parents so eager for guidance and assurance in their job as they are today. While I can point many excellent demonstrations of close teamwork between doctors, teachers, and parents, we need to multiply these many times and to spread them far and wide-all over Southbridge. No one can dispute that the better understanding of infant care has contributed greatly to reducing infant mor- tality in this country, from 10 deaths per 100 live births in 1915 to 3 per 100 live births last year. Parents' education was not, of course, the only factor in bringing about this great improve-
52
ment, but it certainly was one big factor. We need more than parent education, of course. We need to make them full-fledged partners in the development of our health services for school- age children. How we should go about it deserves yours as well as everyone's thinking.
I have delved into many specific problems, and now I am challenging you all with them. If we are all sincere about fac- ing the health needs of school children, here, indeed, is common ground on which doctors, teachers, parents, and citizens can and must meet. The health of your future leaders demand it. Now is the time to forget our differences and to join our forces.
Our future leaders' health and strength are much like stands of tall timber. We cannot take from them more than we plant without imperiling our survival. We must summon all our talents, all of our wisdom in education and in medicine to build sturdy mental and physical health for all of our children.
As I look back, I feel that we have come a long, long way in the last five years along a healthy path but, unless we con- tinue going forward and improving, we could very soon be like "the little lambs who have lost their way."
Yearly "thank yous" are usually in order now but I feel that anyone who has either directly or indirectly rendered help in any way-financially or otherwise-knows that I am most grateful to him and do extend a sincere "thanks for everything." And may I, before signing off, extend my sincerest thanks to our new superintendent of schools, Mr. R. H. McCarn, for his unexhaustible patience in listening, trying to understand, and acting upon some of the problems I have had to take to him from time to time. Some may have seemed rather small and trivial and possibly not as important as some of his many other problems but never has the problem seemed too small to him that there was no time available for Mr. McCarn to sit, and make me feel that I was not taking up some of his precious time for unnecessary matters. And that is just one minute example.
Respectfully submitted, EDNA C. PINSONNEAULT, School Nurse.
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REPORT OF THE ATTENDANCE OFFICER
To the Superintendent of Schools:
In accordance with your instructions, I herewith subr my second annual report for your consideration and approv
In fulfilling the duties of attendance officer my main co sideration has been to interpret the State and Federal laws p taining to school attendance to parents and children, and point out their duties and responsibilities under the laws. It important also to make an investigation and to look for und lying causes. In many of my investigations, the facts surrour ing absences reported to me were quite similar. Howev whether it be unwholesome physical surroundings, a wrong titude, irresponsibility on the part of parents, or any oth cause, corrective measures were proposed whenever possibl
A vast portion of the time of the Attendance Officer v devoted to conducting the school census. It may be said tl he spent some time daily, from October 1, 1950 to December 1950, on the census and it is expected that this work will co tinue to the middle of February, 1951.
A further duty of the Attendance Officer is to measure d tances between homes of school pupils and their respecti schools to see if they qualify for bus passes.
In addition to the above general outline, the following de specifically with his detailed work:
1. Investigate cases referred to him by the school principals.
2. Submit a written report to the Superintendent on ea home visit, and a telephone report to the principal.
3. Make any follow-up investigations needed.
4. Administer the Cole Fund.
5. Bring to court confirmed truants.
6. Bring to court irresponsible parents.
7. Conduct the annual school census.
Attendance problems are usually identified with one more of the following:
1. Poor home environment.
2. Irresponsibility of parents.
3. Poor mental attitude.
4. Dislike of school.
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL A. DUHART, Attendance Officer.
54
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF VISUAL AIDS
To the Superintendent of Schools:
At your request, I am submitting the annual report on the activities of the Audio-Visual Aids Department for 1950.
REORGANIZATION
The reorganization of the entire Audio-Visual Aids Depart- ment, started in late 1949, was well under way by 1950. Infor- mation on sources of equipment and materials was continually added to the files and is now of invaluable aid in the selection of materials for purchase; most of the latest catalogs of films, filmstrips, lantern slides, charts, flat pictures, maps, globes, models, objects and specimens, are now available to the teach- er who is interested in becoming acquainted with progressive tools of modern education; several new textbooks, owned by the director, and two of the most widely recognized periodicals in the field were added to the professional literature available to the teacher.
No department can operate efficiently without some form of systematization. Another phase in the total reorganization of the Department, therefore, was the preparation of a series of forms that would meet our needs. Accordingly, the following forms were prepared: "Film Travel Card," "Memorandum to the Teacher," "Instructor's Report Form," "Daily Film Sched- ule Form," "High School Weekly Film Schedule Form," "Order Blank," and "Lubrication Record Chart."
The foregoing factors of organization together with the area especially provided for teachers to preview projected pic- tures such as films, filmstrips and lantern slides have established the Audio-Visual Aids Department as a truly functional unit in the total education of our pupils.
TEACHER COMMITTEES
In order to correlate the elementary film program with the curriculum, Audio-Visual Aids Committees made up of teach- ers of different grade levels were formed in September of 1950. The committees formed are the following: Primary (Grades 1- 2-3), Intermediate (Grades 4-5), Departmental Science (Grades 6-7-8), Departmental Social Studies (Grades 6-7-8), and De- partmental English (Grades 6-7-8). This is a real step forward in establishing sound audio-visual instruction.
In addition to film selection, Audio-Visual Aids Committees will reveiew and advise on audio-visual materials before pur- chases are made. Since teachers know perhaps better than any-
55
one else what the educational needs of the pupils are, the direc- tor feels that the teachers, therefore, should play a major role in the selection of audio-visual materials. It is encouraging to observe the interest teachers show in this approach which is perhaps the best single insurance for a successful audio-visual aids program.
STUDENT PROJECTIONISTS
Student projectionists or operators of audio-visual equip- ment were trained by the director under a program of instruc- tion initiated in early 1950. These students set up and operate the equipment used by teachers and thus relieve the teachers of many projection details which might serve to discourage the use of such valuable equipment.
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