USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Harwich > Town annual reports of the selectmen and overseers of the poor of the town of Harwich 1927 > Part 3
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Article 36. To see if the town will vote to create a Town Ordinance, providing that no member of the Board of Selectmen shall be eligible to serve or shall serve as Town Accountant, and that such action shall stand until rescinded by express vote of the town to take effect this year.
Article 37. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,750.00 to pur- chase a five hundred gallon Pumping Engine with 3,000 feet of 21/2 hose, four lengths of 4 inch suction hose, and other necessary small equipment. This appropriation to be taken from the surplus now in the Town Treasury, a committee of seven citizens to be appointed to select the apparatus and equipment.
Article 38. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,000.00 for the purpose of establishing supplies of Water in the various parts of the town, by building a 30,000 gallons cistern in Harwich Centre, and 30,000 gallons cisterns or wells in Harwich Port and West Harwich, and preparing suitable approaches to our natural sources for the pumping apparatus.
Article 39. To see if the town will vote to purchase a piece of land on Bank street for the pur- pose of erecting thereon a Fire Engine House, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 for this purpose, and to act fully thereon.
Article 40. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $7,000.00 for the purpose of building a fire engine house and install- ing a fire alarm; a committee to be appointed to select the design, let the contract and supervise the erection of the same.
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Article 41. To see if the town will vote to pay a salary of $1200.00 per annum to a man to be stationed at the fire house at all times, as a driver of the apparatus, and to maintain the equipment, house and grounds.
Article 42. To see if the town will vote to elect a committee or commission of six to be known as the recreation committee under the provisions of Chap. 45, Sec. 14, of the General Laws of the Com- monwealth; and that they be appointed by the Mod- erator and serve without pay.
Article 43. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1000.00 the same to be expended under the direction of the recreation committee or commission.
Article 44. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of $150.00 to harden with screenings or cinders the road in Harwich Centre leading from Main street to Island Pond Cemetery, and act fully thereon.
Article 45. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money to top coat or reconstruct with bituminous concrete the road in Harwich Centre beginning at the Harwich- Brewster road and extending to the Harwich R. R. station, and act fully thereon.
Article 46. To see if the town will vote to install and maintain four electric street lights on Cross street, Harwich Port, and act fully thereon.
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Article 47. To see if the town will vote to use the ambulance for the fire department to aid in carrying light equipment.
Article 48. To see if the town will vote to raise the pay of 10 Volunteer Firemen who may or- ganize as such, from fifty cents per hour to seventy- five cents per hour, and act fully thereon.
Article 49. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate $1000.00 for stone or other suitable material to rip rap the jetty on the east side of Allen's Harbor, to keep same from breaking through, and also ask the State to make an appro- priation to go with same.
Article 50. To see if the town will vote to accept the road known as Hiawatha road, as laid out by the Selectmen in 1927, or make any changes that may seem best for the proprietors, and make an appropriation for the same.
Article 51. To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars for the purpose of cleaning up, and improv- ing, the old cemetery back of the West Harwich Baptist church.
Article 52. To see if the town will vote to accept the Park in Harwich Port known as Doane Park, providing the corporation under the name of the Village Improvement Society will agree to turn this Park over to the town, with the understand- ing that it shall always remain a Park and be known as Doane Park, and that a committee be appointed to consult the members of this corporation, in regard to the matter, and report to the Town at the next Special or Annual Town meeting. By request.
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And you are directed to serve this Warrant, by posting up attested copies thereof, one in each Post Office in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due returns of this Warrant with your doings thereon; to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of meeting, as aforesaid.
Given under our hands this 23d day of January, in the year of our Lord 1928.
CHARLES T. CHASE, HENRY T. COBB, JABEZ W. CROWELL,
Selectmen of Harwich.
A true copy Attest :
ISAIAH KELLEY,
Constable.
2
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND THE
SUPERINTENDENT of SCHOOLS
TOWN OF HARWICH MASSACHUSETTS
For the Year 1927
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
HENRY M. SMALL, Chairman Term expires 1928 RALPH W. DOANE, Secretary Term expires 1929 CHARLES D. HOLMES, Treasurer Term expires 1930
Union Superintendent-WILLIAM F. SIMS Attendance Officer LABAN SNOW, Harwichport, Tel. 92-4 School Physicians
H. D. HANDY, M. D. J. P. NICKERSON, M. D.
School Nurse IDA H. BREIDENBACH, R. N.
CALENDAR FOR 1928
Winter Term 7 Weeks-January 3, 1928 to February 17, 1928
Spring Term 7 Weeks-February 27, 1928 to April 13, 1928 Summer Term
9 Weeks-April 23, 1928 to June 22, 1928
Spelling Match Monday, June 4, 1928, 8 P. M., at Orleans Town Hall
Graduation Friday, June 22, 1928, 8 P. M. Fall Term 16 Weeks-Wednesday, September 5, 1928 to December 21, 1928
Winter Term 7 Weeks-Wednesday, January 2, 1929 to February 15, 1929
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
In the past year much has been done for the betterment of our schools. The addition to the High School building has made it possible to bring the six upper grades together and to have departmental teaching which is showing gratifying results, also to have a complete commercial department.
All the grade schools have been equipped with a system of heating and ventilating. At West Harwich inside sanitary toilets have been installed and it is hoped to have the other grade school. buildings likewise equipped in the near future. The wisdom shown on the school question by the voters in the Town Meeting of 1927 reflects great credit to our town in caring for its greatest public insti- tution. The pupils appreciate the interest shown in them, progress is already apparent, and a higher standard is gradually being reached.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY M. SMALL, RALPH W. DOANE, CHARLES D. HOLMES, School Committee.
4
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Harwich School Committee-Expenditures for the Fiscal Year, January 1, 1927 to December 31, 1927.
General Class
Specific Class
Amount
Total
Needed for 1928
General Control
Committee
$225.00
Superintendent
1,360.20
Taking Census
15.00
Attendance Officer
67.50
Office Supplies
8.75
Clerical Services
19.34
Printing Miscellaneous
113.79
$1,822.78|$2,312.70
Expense of Instruction
Teachers' Salaries
18,530.32
Books
876.01 1,161.98
20,568.31|22,350.00
Operation of School Plant
Fuel
900.02
Janitors' Wages Miscellaneous
1,304.00
304.89
2,508.91| 3,950.00
Maintenance
Repairs & Upkeep
1,042.20
1,042.20| 2,000.00
Health
650.00|
Auxiliary Agencies
Transportation
4,592.50
Library
25.50
5,268.00
4,850.00
Outlay
New Equipment
1,782.92
1,782.92
1,000.00
Total
32,993.12
32,993.12|36,462.70
Appropriation
$33,000.00
Expenditures
32,993.12
Unexpended Balance
$6.88
Supplies
13.20
5
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
TEACHERS' SALARIES
High School
Edmund C. Eastwood,
Principal
$2,340.00
Rachael A. Davis
720.00
Mildred J. Howland 780.00
J. Murray Baker
560.00
Mabel M. Ott
600.00
Martha Farnsworth 450.00
Mary J. Ingaham 432.00
Mrs. Ada Lovering, substitute 45.00
Mrs. Mary A. Cushman, substitute 7.50
Mrs. John A. Cobb, substitute
22.50
$5,957.00
Center Elementary Schools
Hillary M. LeClaire, Grades 7 & 8 $ 671.50
Allie C. Crowell, Grades 5 & 6 1,151.51
Mary C. Eldredge, Grades 2 & 3 657.25 Ethalene B. Nickerson,
Grades 1 & 2 1,218.88
Alberta T. Wicks, Grades 3 & 4 440.00 Vivian Newton, substitute 40.25
Mrs. Ada Lovering, substitute
30.00
Mrs. Benjamin Smith, substitute 61.25
Dorothea D. Allen, examination of retarded children 17.96
$4,288.60
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Harwichport
Flossie H. Chase, Grammar $1,150.00
Ethel Myshrall, Primary 1,100.00
Dorothea D. Allen, examination of retarded children 5.00
$2,255.00
West Harwich
Hillary M. LeClaire, Grammar $960.00
Cora Doane Chase 1,100.00
Virginia D. Small 440.00
Dorothea D. Allen, examination
of retarded children 3.00
$2,503.00
North Harwich
Mary A. Sylvia, Grammar
$1,121.25
Marjorie R. Hammond, Primary 1,012.50
Mrs. Ada Lovering, substitute 56.25
Rebecca A. Knowles, substitute 18.75
Dorothea D. Allen, examination
of retarded children 17.97
$2,226.72
Supervisor of Music
Mabelle B. Dumont $720.00
Supervisor of Drawing
Virginia Dowling
$348.00
Ethel H. Curry
232.00
$580.00
Total for teachers $18,530.32
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Superintendent's Salary
William F. Sims $1,360.20
Health
Maria Putnam Bearse,
School Nurse $210.00
Ida H. Breidenbach, School Nurse 140.00
J. P. Nickerson, School Physician 150.00 H. D. Handy, School Physician 150.00
$650.00
Janitors
John J. Erickson, Centre
$604.00
Willis C. Newcomb, Port 202.50
Arthur C. Thivierge, West 200.00
Holland G. Rogers, North 200.00
William P. Nichols, High 97.50
$1,304.00
FUEL Harwich Center
Isaiah Kelley, wood
$32.00
Holmes, Bros., coal
236.00
J. J. Erickson, wood
3.00
E. Harold Ellis, wood 9.00
S. B. Moody, wood €
18.00
Charles D. Hall, coal
262.50
$560.50
Harwichport
S. R Kelley, coal
$128.52
Charles H. Taylor, wood 12.00
$140.52
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West Harwich
S. R. Kelley, coal $44.00
Alonzo Nickerson, wood
16.00
Alexander Chase, wood 26.00
$86.00
North Harwich
Charles D. Hall, coal
$87.00
Alexander Chase, wood
26.00
$113.00
Total for fuel $900.02
TRANSPORTATION
E. Harold Ellis $4,589.00
Harwich Independent, Printing
transportation schedules 3.50
$4,592.50
REPAIRS AND INCIDENTALS Harwich Center
Arthur H. Chase, repairs $4.00
J. F. Tobey & Son, supplies 26.18
Alpheus Howes, supplies 59.33
Standard Oil Co., supplies
8.90
Milton Bradley Co., supplies
3.62
Charles D. Holmes, supplies
10.00
Charles D. Holmes, express
2.89
I. W. Eldredge, supplies
1.25
J. J. Erickson, cleaning, etc. 45.10
Reformatory for Women, flag
4.72
Alston D. McIntyre, repairs 69.73
Henry M. Small, repairs 24.00
A. J. Mercier, repairs
55.00
9
Cape & Vineyard Electric Co.
29.47
F. D. Young, labor
3.00
William Moore, repairs 38.50
Albert L. Baker, repairs
34.40
Harwich Lumber Co., supplies
24.42
Nickerson Drug Co., supplies
2.25
E. Harold Ellis, trucking 12.00
Fred Crabe, labor 6.40
Edward E. Babb Co., supplies
24.30
Heman E. Bassett, labor
38.94
Henry Small, labor
27.30
Henry Nickerson, carting
.75
$556.45
Harwichport
J. O. Hulse, supplies
$2.31
F. A. Small, repairs
6.50
W. C. Newcomb, repairs and cleaning 32.00
R. W. Doane, repairs .90
P. L. Nickerson, supplies 2.00 .
Ellis Garage, supplies 3.50
William A. Eldredge, repairs 3.25
Standard Oil Co., supplies 4.00
Reformatory for Women, flag
4.71
$59.17
West Harwich
Arthur E. Thivierge, repairs $126.50
Heman E. Bassett, repairs 23.10
Charles M. Smith, supplies .35
George T. Sisson, labor 6.00
Fred Crowell, labor and material 38.50
Albert L. Baker, labor and
material 46.03
Reformatory for Women, flag 4.71
$245.19
10
North Harwich
Holland G. Rogers, cleaning
and repairing
$47.51
Charles D. Holmes, supplies 4.50
J. B. Holt & Co., fire escape 285.00
Sylvia & Higgins, labor
30.00
S. A. Cahoon, supplies
2.16
Gerald P. Ryder, supplies
2.70
Harwich Lumber Co., supplies
109.70
Reformatory for Women, flag
4.71
$486.28
Total for repairs and incidentals
$1,347.09
OFFICE
Henry M. Small, printing school reports
$10.00
Harwich Independent, printing teachers' contracts 3.20
Lucy Eldredge, clerical work
1.00
Earle L. Sims, clerical work 7.00
Clenric H. Cahoon, counsel
5.00
William F. Sims, expense account 98.29
H. M. Meserve & Co., stamp pad 1.70
New Bedford Typewriter Co.,
repairs 4.25
H. M. Small, expense Union Committee meeting 4.50
Evelyn M. Bearse, clerical work 2.34
Laban Snow, Attendance Officer 67.50
Laban Snow, taking census 15.00
J. J. Erickson, care committee room 6.00
Elizabeth B. Sims, clerical work 9.00
H. M. Faust & Co., file guards 2.80 *
$237.58
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BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
Milton Bradley Co. $113.26
Henry Nickerson, frt. and carting
7.11
Arthur H. Chase
1.10
Edward E. Babb & Co.
1,078.97
J. L. Hammett & Co.
15.20
D. C. Heath Co.
7.63
Ginn & Co. 145.77
C. C. Birchard & Co.
33.56
Hall & McCreary
14.18
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins
66.421
The Outlook Co.
4.32
John C. Winston Co. 30.20
American Book Co.
136.49
Denoyer-Geppert Co.
75.81
Wright & Ditson
54.76
Harwich Independent
16.00
Allyn & Bacon 14.80
The Gregg Writer 4.00
L. W. Bradbury, carting 8.00
New Bedford Typewriter Exchange 7.50
S. Everett Eldredge, carting
1.00
C. F. Williams & Son
12.14
C. H. Congdon
3.84
Central Scientific Co.
8.25
L. E. Knott Apparatus Co.
23.30
The Gregg Publishing Co.
72.98
Standard Oil Co.
25.30
Loose Leaf Education, Inc.
15.00
Henry M. Small, express
1.76
Nichols & Atkins
3.00
Oliver Ditson Co. 17.16
N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co., freight 1.97
Johnstone, jeweler
9.75
C. G. Conn
1.00
Wright & Potter
6.46
$2,037.99
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LIBRARY
Frontier Press Co. $25.50
NEW EQUIPMENT
Underwood Typewriter Co., type-
writers and shields $287.25
Royal Typewriter Co., type- writers 292.00
Charles D. Holmes, desks,
chairs and curtains 418.00
J. L. Hammett Co., desks and chairs 332.40
Bernard Small, foot rests
14.40
Edward E. Babb & Co., flag pole and freight 69.70
Edward E. Babb & Co., desks
95.40
Neostyle Sales Agency, neostyle
62.00
F. D. Underwood, fire ex- tinguishers 20.00
Fred S. Garland, electrical fixtures 75.00
Arthur H. Chase, typewriter shields 3.75
F. D. Young, sign
2.50
Heman F. Bassett, labor 81.70
Henry Nickerson, freight and carting 15.84
William F. Sims, express on electric clock 11.58
Alpheus Howes, ropes and hooks
for flag pole 1.40
$1,782.92
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
The past year has been one of remarkable im- provement in the schools of Harwich. The additions and alterations made at the High School have made possible a more efficient organization of our schools as well as the introduction of some highly desirable courses of study.
ORGANIZATION
At the present time we are organized on the six-six plan. That is, six years of elementary and six years of secondary work. The greater part of the work in the elementary grades consists in a mastery of the school arts, reading, writing and arithmetic. Some other matters are also learned here. Health education particularly is here stressed. Through the avenues of history and geography the pupil acquires some general information about the world in which he lives. In short, the work of the elementary grades prepares the pupil for a more definite pursuit of knowledge in the secondary school. We have a splendid corps of teachers in charge of these grades and good results are being obtained. Better results, however, will be obtained when we can organize in such a manner as to reduce the number of grades per teacher. Not more than two grades and not more than thirty-five pupils should be the maximum num- ber of grades and pupils to be tolerated for an effi- cient organization. How best to obtain this better organization is a matter that deserves our earnest consideration. A solution satisfactory to all con- cerned is not an impossibility.
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VENTILATION
All the grade schools have had an improved system of ventilation installed this past year. It is quite satisfactory for the type of buildings occupied by our elementary grades.
TOILETS
At the West School the outdoor toilets have been replaced with indoor sanitary toilets that are very satisfactory. The same kind of improvement should be made for the grade schools at Harwich- port, Harwich Center, and at North Harwich.
SPECIAL CLASS
There are a number of pupils in our schools who are three or more years retarded. Not all of them are legal residents of Harwich. These pupils were examined last May by the State Department of Mental Diseases and many of them were recommend- ed for a special class. The fact that some of these so recommended were State and City wards relieved us of the necessity of establishing a special class in Harwich. More would have been recommended for a special class had conditions been such as to war- rant the establishment of two classes for pupils of different ages. It was thought best not to place certain of the older pupils in a special class with the younger children.
It appears that ere long we will be under the necessity of establishing a special class for retarded pupils, and room for such a class is not readily avail- able. And thus is added another problem to our unsettled housing situation.
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SPELLING IN THE GRADES
Spelling is regularly and systematically taught in the grades by the Horn-Ashbaugh method. We believe it is attended with good results.
By means of a spelling match in which two re- presentatives from each grade above the fourth in each school participated, Miriam Baker won title of Town Champion. Alyrio Nunes, Jean Eldredge and Mary Kingsley won the position of school champions for Harwichport, Harwich Center and North Harwich. On April 19, Miriam Baker represented the Town in a spelling contest held in New Bedford for Southeastern Massachusetts. This is a worth while contest and we have again been invited to participate.
SPELLING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
The third annual high school spelling match was held in Chatham on the evening of the first Monday in last June. A program of the contest is printed elsewhere in this report. It was the longest and hardest fought spelling contest we have had. The contest was won by Evelyn M. Bearse of the Class of 1927 of the Chatham High School. Chatham has now won the contest in two successive years. If Chatham High School wins again on the first Monday evening of next June it will acquire permanent pos- session of the spelling trophy that was donated by the Educational Department of the Orleans Woman's Club.
Gold keys donated by the Women's Clubs in Chatham, Harwich and Orleans were won by Evelyn M. Bearse, C. H. S. '27, Elizabeth Nickerson, H. H. S.
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'27 and Louise Williams, O. H. S '28. This is the second time that Misses Bearse and Williams have won gold keys in these interschool contests.
Analogous, physiology, porcelain, adoptable, statistician, veracity and unrivaled were the words missed.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Due to remodelling and enlarging the High School, we have been able to establish a modern and well equipped Business Department. Our equip- ment consists of eight typewriters, sixteen book- keeping desks, one Neostyle, one filing cabinet, one stop watch, and eighteen rhythmic records, together with all the books and blanks needed for giving a thorough training for office work. The Department is in charge of a competent teacher and the progress of the pupils so far has been very satisfactory. The pupils not only in this Department but throughout the school show a more commendable spirit towards their work than at any time previous to the present school year. This splendid spirit is due largely to having a better place in which to do high school work.
COLLEGE PREPARATORY WORK
What I wish to say about the work of the high school applies in a general way to nearly all the high schools on Cape Cod. There are many who think that a small high school should not attempt to prepare pupils for college or technical school. I am not one of those. I have never seen a small high school that could not prepare pupils for college and
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17
yet was doing a superior grade of secondary work in other courses. Most of the courses offered in small high schools are college preparatory. The pupils taking these courses are generally the best scholars in the school. Their attitude towards school work is more earnest. The more highly trained and the more experienced teachers are those giving the college preparatory courses. A poor grade of work in these courses then generally indicates a poor grade of work in all courses. There may be ex- ceptions to this last statement.
HIGH SCHOOL STANDARDS
What I am pleading for is not more college pre- paratory courses. Rather would I see fewer courses and higher grade of accomplishment. Conditions, however, are such that we cannot very well curtail our present curriculum in this direction. I would readily consent to offering courses in current events in place of college preparatory courses provided the community wanted that kind of a high school and provided further that current event courses were organized in such a manner as to give to the pupils of the school a training that would be worth while. The fact is, however, neither of these conditions are true.
We then have no choice as to the courses we are offering. Our business is to pursue them in such a manner as to obtain worth while results. If we are to build and equip adequate laboratories for teach- ing science we have a right to demand that the pupils who take the science courses be able at the end of the course to pass a reasonable examination upon the work which the course is designed to cover. If we are to teach algebra and geometry is
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18
it unreasonable to insist that the pupils be able to pass a fair examination with only a mark of 60? Why attempt to teach a foreign language if at the end of the course the pupil has not a fundamental knowledge of the inflections and syntax of the language? Why require every pupil every day for six years to take English if at the end of the course the brightest pupils cannot pass a fair examination with a mark so low as 60? Why teach world history or American history if at the end of the course the pupil's rating in that subject is below 60? Is it wrong for you and me to endeavor to find out what is a fair rating of the brightest pupils in the several courses offered in the high school? Is there a fairer way to find out if the pupils' work in the various courses has been worth while than by the College Entrance Examinations? What standard of attain- ment are we holding before our pupils if not that of the college entrance examination? This is not the highest standard for secondary schools. It is not uncommon for pupils in our better preparatory schools to be able to pass the college entrance ex- aminations, yet fail to reach the diploma grade of the school.
SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS
I am not unmindful of the fact that the high school teachers are trying to make the work of the school worth while. What I am trying to say is that we have not the results to show that in the college preparatory courses which constitute the greater part of the high school our pupils are able to pass the college entrance examinations. Few are the reci- tations that show that the pupils have made adequate preparation of the work of the hour. In order to make the recitation period proceed the teacher must
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do too much reciting. The teacher spends too much time in quizzing the pupil in order to ascertain if the pupil has learned the day's assignment. And too often the teacher finds it necessary to repeat the statements after the pupil. This excessive quizzing and repetition and long dissertations by the teacher kill time and then the teacher complains that the recitation period is too short. Too frequently the pupil when called upon to recite says "I do not know that," "I am not prepared on that," or "I did not have time to prepare my lesson for today," or "I could not do that," or "I did not know that we were to have that today," et cetera. Is it strange then that at the end of the course the pupils are not able to pass a reasonable examination upon the work when many of the daily recitations proceed in this slow, uninteresting and halting manner? Snap, interest, enthusiasm are all present in the recitation when the work is being done in a creditable manner.
HIGH SCHOOL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In my plea for a higher standard of work I do not wish to give the impression that our high school work at the present time is inferior to that of the past. It is not. We have never had a better high school than we now have. We never enjoyed more certificate privileges than now. . We never had so well equipped and efficient a business department in the high school as now. Work in physical train- ing, meagre as it now is, was never better than now. Dramatic work which offers wonderful possibilities for growth and culture was never done more thoroughly and beneficially than now. School or- ganizations which also when rightly conducted pro- vide a splendid training were never in a more whole- some and praiseworthy condition.
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A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL
A high school such as ours with six teachers and one hundred twenty pupils should not be thought of as a small high school. There is no reason why in a school of this size full and complete secondary courses should not be given. To think of offering only two years of college preparatory work is sheer folly. Do so and your school will never acquire a creditable standing. No certificate privileges to higher institutions, the brighter pupils removed from the school and denied the benefits of home training at a time when most needed are some of the certain and undesirable results that would follow. Rather, let us perfect the work we are now trying to do. Let us even offer more courses if we can make them more worth while for those not going to school beyond the high school.
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