USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Harwich > Town annual reports of the selectmen and overseers of the poor of the town of Harwich 1932 > Part 3
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Article 36. To see if the Town will vote to appropri- ate the sum of Three Hundred ($300.) Dollars for the bene- fit of the Chase Library, West Harwich.
Article 37. To see if the Town will vote to appropri- ate the sum of Three Hundred ($300.) Dollars for the bene- fit of the Harwichport Library Association.
Article 38. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Three Hundred ($300.) Dollars for the purchase of one or two lights to post the entrance of Wych- mere Harbor.
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Article 39. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Five Thousand ($5,000.) Dollars for the general improvement, dredging, etc., of the entrance to Wychmere Harbor.
Article 40. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of Two Thousand Dollars to build a sidewalk southerly on the West side of Belmont Road, West Harwich, and act fully thereon.
Article 41. To see if the town will appropriate a sufficient sum of money to install a trip-signal at the in- tersection of Belmont Road and Lower County Road, West Harwich. To be operated from June 1st. to October 1st.
Article 42. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of Five Hundred ($500.) Dollars to make into a Memo- rial Square, a plot of land of triangle design located at the intersection of Belmont Road and Lower County Road, West Harwich, and act fully thereon.
Article 43. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money not to exceed Twelve Hundred ($1200.) Dollars, under the provisions of sub section 21 of Section 1 of Chapter 371 of the Acts of 1921, and any and all amendments thereof and additions thereto for the em-
ploying of a nurse through the Harwich Visiting. Nurse Association, Inc.
Article 44. To see if the Town will vote to take the unexpended Reserve Overlay Surplus of $1,922.99 and trans- fer the same to the Reserve Fund.
Article 45. To see what action the Town will take in regard to abolishing the Herring Committee.
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Article 46. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Thousand ($2000.) Dollars to be used under the direction of the Selectmen for the pro- motion of public recreation. and amusement in the form of Baseball, in accordance with Legislative Acts of 1930, Chap- ter 12, Section 1.
Article 47. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred ($400.) Dollars to reimburse the State for jetty construction done at West Har- wich, and act fully thereon.
Article 48. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum not to exceed Five Hundred ($500.) Dol- lars to be paid to the Cape Cod Hospital for the establish- ment and maintenance of a free bad in the hospital for the care and treatment of persons certified by the Selectmen to be residents of the Town and unable to pay for such care and treatment, in accordance with Section 74, of Chapter 111 of the General Laws, or take any action in relation thereto, and act fully thereon.
Article 49. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate the sum of Twenty-five Hundred ($2500.) Dollars for the improvement of the Town Landing at Wychmere Harbor, under the direction of the Selectmen.
Article 50. To see if the Town will vote to rescind the action taken on Article 10 of the Town Warrant of Feb. 7, 1922 whereby it voted to combine the offices of Town Treasurer and Tax Collector, and act fully thereon.
Article 51. To see if the Town will accept the layout from the State Highway to the Town Landing, known as Harbor Road, and act fully thereon.
Article 52. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the moderator to appoint a committee of five (5) to draw up a new set of By-Laws for the Town of Harwich.
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Article 53. To see if the Town will vote to erect and maintain a diving float at the foot of Bank Street, Har- wichport, and opposite Ocean Grove, Harwichport, and act fully thereon.
Article 54. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5500., providing Mr. Engstrom subscribe $1000. and the State $6500., to rebuild the jetties at Allens' Harbor with stone, and act fully thereon.
Article 55. To see if the Town will vote to use toward the maintenance of Brook's Free Library the money received from Dog Taxes, and act fully thereon.
Article 56. To see if the Town will vote to make a town ordinance for Main Street under the Acts of 1928, Chapter 357, Section 5, for one through way traffic begin- ning at the Dennis line and extending through West Har- wich, Harwichport, South Harwich, to the Chatham line, and act fully thereon.
Article 57. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6000.00, providing the State will give $7500.00 and the County $1500., for shore protection.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
TOWN OF HARWICH
MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE YEAR 1932
2
ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 1932
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Ralph W. Doane, Chairman
Grace M. Fifield Nichols, Secretary
Henry M. Thompson, Treasurer
Term expires 1935
Term expires 1933
Term expires 1934
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Charles H. Pratt, A. M.
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS H. F. Rowley, M. D. John P. Nickerson, M. D.
SCHOOL NURSE Hope Becker, R. N.
SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE
John T. Wood
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
A school organization that runs smoothly through any one year attracts attention. This is the record of the schools of Harwich the past year. It has been brought about by the efforts of our Superintendent with the hearty co-operation of our capable corps of teachers, reflecting a fine spirit in the pupils.
We submit reports of the Superintendent, Principal of High School, Supervisors, Physicians and Attendance Officer which will be found on following pages and should be read carefully.
What Manual Training lacks in room and tools is made up in interest taken by the boys, but larger quarters are needed for this work.
Last fall an Oil Burner was installed in the heating plant at the High School and a saving in fuel costs is ex- pected.
The wire fence erected along the roadway of the playground at the Center Grade School for protection of the children also adds to the appearance of the school property.
It is a pleasure, in these times, to be able to offer this cheerful report.
Respectfully submitted,
Ralph W. Doane Grace M. Fifield Nichols Henry W. Thompson School Committee
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HARWICH FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Needed
Expenditures in 1932
1933
GENERAL CONTROL :
Salaries
$2,593.65
Other Expenses
319.02 $ 2,912.67 $ 2,758.00
INSTRUCTION
Supervisors
1,600.00
Principal and Teachers
24,258.00
Textbooks
1,307.95
Supplies
1,772.48
28,938.43 26,525.00
EXPENSES OF OPERATION
Janitors
2,092.00
Fuel
1,738.68
Miscellaneous
498.66
4,329.34
4,375.00
MAINTENANCE
Repairs, Replacement,
Upkeep
1,031.00
1,031.00
700.00
AUXILIARY AGENCIES
Libraries
60.95
Health
632.54
Transportation
4,449.00
Miscellaneous
186.84
5,329.33
5,474.00
OUTLAY
New Equipment
718.50
718.50
200.00
Total
$43,259.27 $40,032.00
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NET COST OF SCHOOLS-1932
Total Expenditures in 1932
$43,259.27
Receipts from Outside Sources :
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Tuition and Transportation $1,476.84
City of Boston
Tuition and Transportation 907.14
General School Fund Part 1 3,710.00
6,093.98
Expenditures Less Receipts
$37,165.29
SPECIAL APPROPRIATION
Appropriated for Vocational Education Expended :
$150.00
Tuition to New Bedford Vocational School 90.00
Balance $ 60.00
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Harwich :
Herewith I submit my third annual School Report which is the thirtieth since the formation of the present School Union.
In view of the fact that much of our attention is now focused on matters of economic nature, and in view of the fact that there is a general demand for reduction in cost of government, I shall give the matter of school costs major emphasis in this report.
Since governmental activities are supported by gen- eral taxation and since cost of schools is one of the major expenses of local government, it naturally follows that we think of a material reduction in school expenditure as a direct method of tax relief.
The money expended for support of schools may be considered as an investment. It is an investment in the de- velopment and training of our human resources. Our mod- ern standards of living have been attained largely by the development of human resources by means of education. Natural resources were present in all their original abun- dance in the days of the American Indian. It remained for the trained human mind to release and develop those riches which were inaccessible to him though they lay so near his hand. Present accomplishments serve to suggest the possibilities for the future and stimulate us to greater ef- fort. Each generation should start fully possessed of the heritage of the race. Theirs is the admonition "Greater things than these shall ye do."
Rapid industrial reorganization has made it difficult for us to adjust ourselves socially and politically to the new life which has evolved so rapidly. Future problems of
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social and political nature may be even more momentus. We are said to be engaged in "A race between Education and disaster."
This report does not seek to sidestep the problem of immediate financial difficulties, nor to becloud the issue by vague philosophy.
Some of the immediate and practical questions are these :
1. What part of our local tax burden is caused by support of schools ? In 1930 our school tax was $6.24 per thousand. The total tax rate that year was $25.00 per thousand dollars valuation. Thus one fourth of that year's taxes were on account of schools. A survey of a ten year period shows that on an average, schools have taken about one third of the taxes. State figures show that in 1930, $9.74 per thousand was the average school tax for towns of our group (108 towns of less than 5,000 population and maintaining a high school.) State figures are not available for comparison later than Dec. 31, 1930. Our total appro- priation for 1932 in Harwich amounted to $132,065.50, and the School appropriation was $44,000.00 or one third of the whole.
2. Have not school costs increased unduly in recent years ?
It might be of interest to compare school costs with other expenditures which have been approved by public consent.
We have shown that schools took one third of the town appropriations in 1932. In 1922 the total appropria- tion was $70,106.00. School appropriations were $25,103.27 that year or 35.79 percent. In 1917 the total appropriation was $42,200.00 and school appropriation $13,472.01 or 31.9 perecnt. While the total present cost $44,000.00 seems like
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a large sum we see that schools take no larger percent of the total than in earlier years. Moreover if we say that since 1917 school costs have increased from $13,472.01 to $44,- 000.00 we should not credit ourselves with undue generosity in education when we have been equally liberal in other expenditures.
3. Even though we do pay less than others and though other expenditures have increased as much as schools, are not the schools costing too much anyway ?
Naturally this is a relative matter. If we value what we get more than we value our money, our transaction gives us pleasure. If we prefer the money, then we regret the exchange.
During the year ending June 30, 1932 there was spent $45,074.02 for schools. The average membership during that year was 494 pupils. This is a yearly cost of $91.24 per pupil. There were 183 days in that school year thus mak- ing a daily cost of fifty cents per child. Salaries for instruc- tion cost fifty-eight percent of the total which gives us a daily cost of twenty-nine cents per child for a teacher.
When we think of taxes as a whole, the bill looks large. It all comes at once and it is in payment for those services which we have become accustomed to receiving with little consideration as to their value. Yet who could purchase education for his child alone at fifty cents per day or hire a teacher for twenty-nine cents per day? Are these amounts excessive ? The public must decide.
The Research Department of the National Education Associaion is responsible for the following statistics :
1. Schools have never absorbed as much as four per- 1 cent of our national income.
2. We spend about five times as much for passenger automobiles as for school.
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3. Schools cost 20.32 percent of the total tax collec- tions in Massachusetts in 1930.
4. A larger part of the national income of Great Britian, France, Italy and Germany is consumed by taxes than is the case in the United States.
It may seem that too much space has been devoted to the matter of expense. It has been done with the thought that these facts might prove interesting and helpful dur- ing this time when finance is so much on our minds.
Matters of great importance have been omitted for lack of space.
I call your attention to the high school report sub- mitted by the Principal, also to the departmental reports of the Supervisors.
The report of the School Nurse shows real accom- plishment and growing appreciation in this field. Due credit is given to our local School Physicians for their full coop- eration.
I must not neglect to mention the excellent work in Manual Training which is being carried on by Mr. Fraser without salary cost to the town. He is doing the work as a 4H Club activity. The one day per week which he gives us is showing great results. The cost thus far for the town has been less than $600. for equipment. About sixty boys have the opportunity to discover their interest and apti- tude in that line. Many more boys would like to have the work. Many of these should be allowed more opportunity in this field if time and space were available. I believe this is a line which should receive early consideration and great- er support.
We feel that the year has been productive of some measureable results. Health conditions have been good. At-
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tendance is good and is improving. The work of Mr. Wood is seen to count.
Whatever progress we may be making or may show in the future will be the result of continuance of the coop- erative effort of our public, the parents and our excellent staff of teachers. Let me thank the School Committee for the time, thought and counsel which have meant so much.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles H. Pratt. . Superintendent.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
To the Superintendent of Schools :
The total enrollment by classes in the High School. to date is as follows:
Grade 7 39
Grade 8
46
Grade 9 27
Grade 10
29
Grade 11
18
Grade 12
11
P. G.
2
Total
172
In September, we expect an entering class estimated at 60, which will make a net increase of 47 and a probable enrollment of 219. In the building there are 194 seats for pupils.
Taken on the whole, the attendance record is good. The percentages stand high. Yet there are opportunities for improvement. Too many pupils are absent for a half day or a day for inexcusable reasons; such as; doing er- rands, going away on visits, or staying home to tend the baby. I wish that parents would not only cooperate to a higher degree with the school, but would also be more care- ful in observing the law relative to school attendance.
I feel confident that a high standard of discipline is being maintained. The school is quiet and orderly. Occa- sionally minor infractions of rules may occur, as may be expected, but, generally speaking, the rights and property of others are respected, and the attributes of good citizen- ship are exemplified.
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I regret that the work in Music, Drawing, Manual Training, and Physical Education is not all that it might be. This statement is not in any degree to be interpreted as a reflection on the ability of any of the instructors, but is due in each case solely to a lack of room to carry on the program.
Music in the Senior High school has necessarily been made an elective subject in order to eliminate numbers. We now have two pupils in a seat, but found it impossible to have three in a seat.
Drawing is carried on with two instructors in the same room at the same time, each with a class. This is certainly not a satisfactory condition.
The Manual Training room, good though it may be, is overcrowded. Twelve boys work at one time in a room which is just about large enough for four.
Physical Education is carried on in the Brett field and the Exchange Hall, mostly with equipment which the pupils themselves purchase. Activities are somewhat lim- ited. The chief obstacle is that of time. In order to provide an exercise period daily, the school day must be lengthened.
During the year I have heard many favorable and complimentary comments made by the citizens of the town concerning the various activities carried on by the school. I think it will be interesting and enlightening to scan a partial list of them. This list is not complete, as it does not include strictly intra class productions, but it does embrace those activities which have been open to the school as a whole, or to the public.
CLUBS
1. 4H Arts and Crafts
2. Orchestra
3. Manual Training
/
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PLAYS
This list is by no means complete.
1. When George and Martha Returned
2. The King of Good Grammar's Revenge, by Ruth Holmes
3. Snowdrop, by Ruth Ellis
4. Who Murdered Mother Goose ?, by Evelyn Chase
5. Friends in the Forest, by Lillian Kelley
6. Green Apples, by Marguerite Jenkins
7. At Candle Light Time
8. The Little General
9. Ashes of Roses
10 The Evacuation of Boston
11 Senior Entertainment
12. Dramatizations from "She Stoops to Conquer"
13. Dramatizations from "Treasure Island"
14 Dramatizations from "Christmas Carol"
15. Third Annual Prize Speaking Contest
16. Operetta, "El Bandido"
CLASS PROJECTS
Many more projects than these listed have been carried on, but these are outstanding.
1. Poster making for Health, Science, and Education Week
2. Stenographic reports of 1931 Town Meeting
3. Travel notebooks of Grade 7
4. George Washington Bicentennial notebooks
5. Interesting Persons, Places and Things on Cape Cod
ATHLETIC CONTESTS
1. Girls' Basket Ball 10 games
2. Girls' Baseball 2 games
3. Boys' Basket Ball 10 games
4. Boys' Baseball 5 games
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OTHER CONTESTS
1. Junior High Spelling, won by Beryl Hardacker
2. Senior High Spelling, won by Harwich
3. Kiwanis Essay, Meaning of Armistice Day, won by Helen Baker
LECTURES
The following persons have been at the school and lectured either to a limited group or the entire school :
1. Leon S. Kelley " America "'
2. Capt. Percy Creed "George Washington"
3. Mr. Lawrence "Washington Bicentennial"
4. Mr. Manning
"Community Planning"
"S. P. C. A."
5. Miss Marryott
6. Mr. Howes "State Teachers College"
7. Mr. Hersey "Cape Cod"
PUBLICATIONS
1. The Arden Gazette A newspaper with a Shakespearian atmosphere.
2. Oak Leaves, The school annual.
OBSERVANCES
1. Lincoln's Birthday
2. Washington's Birthday
3. National Boy's Week
4. Arbor Day
5. Constitution Day
6. Armistice Day
7. Education Week
8. Thanksgiving Day
9. National Book Week
10. Christmas
11. School Exhibition
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MISCELLANEOUS
1. Junior Prom
2. Senior trip to historical Atwood House, Chatham
3. Exhibition of Glass Blowing, Mr. Cahoon, Sand- wich
4. Visual Education by means of motion pictures
5. Science class visit to industrial plant
In addition to the above, the faculty of this school, with the cooperation of the School Committee and the Su- perintendent, has been trying to maintain an educational institution which will satisfy the educational needs of the youth of the town, and justify the loyal support of the citizens.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul A. Morris, Principal.
Harwich, Mass., December 28, 1932.
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REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF ART
To the Superintendent of Schools:
During the year all classes in the elementary schools have been visited once a week by the Supervisor of Art and a lesson outlined for the teacher to complete during the week. A great deal of thought has been given to make the lessons attractive to the pupils. This has been done through cut work, crayon work, design, charcoal and pen and ink work. Special work has been done in observance of all the holidays during the school year. Special poster work for entertainments in the school have been done. In the Junior High School a class in Mechanical drawing has been conducted and tied in with Manual training so that the boys draw their plans for the work which they later do in the manual traning class. Painting, designing, picture bind- ing and silhouette work has been introduced for the girls. A course in Freehand drawing and Costume designing has been introduced for the Senior High School.
Much favorable comment was aroused by the school exhibit held last Spring in the Exchange Hall. Our present plans contemplate a similar exhibit in the coming Spring.
The interest of the pupils generally has been keen. Many instances of individual achievement above the average could be pointed out. The primary object of the apprecia- tion of beauty of form, color and symmetry has been kept in mind. The work and lessons have been planned in such a way as to arouse and keep the interest of the pupils in this necessary phase of their education and after life.
As a suggestion for your consideration I would bring forward the idea of a class in the high school for the more advanced pupils who are desirous of carrying their art
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studies further than the present course and who possibly are considering it as their life work.
I would express my appreciation of the cooperation and effort of the teachers who have been of material assis- tance in making the year's work a success.
Respectfully submitted,
Myrtle E. Kennedy, Supervisor of Art.
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REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF VOCAL MUSIC
To the Superintendent of Schools :
The five school days of each week are employed by the Supervisor of Music in meeting classes in the four towns of Harwich, Chatham, Orleans and Eastham. Pupils are found in numbers nearly proportional to the time spent in each town. Of the 1271 pupils enrolled in the district 520 are in Harwich, 373 in Chatham, 285 in Orleans, and 93 in Eastham. Two days are spent in Harwich, one day and a half in Chatham, one day in Orleans, and one-half day in Eastham.
In Harwich 504 of the 520 pupils enrolled are taking music. It is required in the first eight grades, but is option- al in the high school. The Supervisor meets each class once a week in periods varying in length from thirty to forty minutes. The high school period is always forty minutes and junior high periods each thirty minutes; but the length of the lesson in the primary and intermediate grades is slightly more elastic. If necessary to complete the study of a song or to more fully explain a technical prob- lem, the lesson may be longer. The grade teachers are very cooperative in this.
The one lesson a week is all the time which the high school and the eighth grade spend on music. In the seventh grade, this year for the first time, Mrs. Lovering gives a few minutes of every day to music. In the third through the sixth grades fifteen to twenty minutes is spent daily by the grade teacher. In this time songs are studied which have been started previously, and general reviews are given for fun. In the first and second grades the rote songs are re- viewed by the teacher and additional songs for cor- relation with the daily work are taught by her. We try to choose songs for all groups, particularly the first and second grades, which are appropriate to the season, cur-
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rent topics, or events of national importance. During the Supervisor's lesson the grade teacher observes and studies the needs of the class. Frequently the Music Supervisor assists the regular teacher in preparing special programs.
During each term short tests are frequently given to see whether or not the children are understanding the tech- nical work as we go along. Every seven or eight weeks an examination on theoretical work such as key signatures and the syllables for sight reading is given. to everyone in the third through the seventh grade.
The value of the Supervisor lies in her concentration on the one subject in contrast to the teacher's divi- sion of her time on many subjects. The Supervisor with wider experience in her one field can give helpful sugges- tions to each group, and by planning the music program relieve the daily teacher. Then too, the Supervisor becomes an audience, critical of the results of the weekly work. So while the grade teacher's daily work is of great importance -more so than some teachers believe- the Supervisor's lesson should give added impetus and motivation to both teacher and children.
Growth and progress along these lines are rather hard to measure, but the ultimate goal of public school music is fairly clear - a love of music and the ability to read vocal music intelligently. A gradual progress is seen in the grades with individuals in their ability to read notes in the tests, and in the group in the quickness and ease with which they learn new songs. Two part music, is, of course, harder than unison singing, and three and four parts even more difficult. With the added difficulty in parts, how- ever, comes to the real music lover the increased pleasure and enjoyment of appreciated harmony. Toward this end we are working.
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