USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1915-1919 > Part 29
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8 Olga Cheyunskis
12 Rita Marjorie Anderson 15 Joseph Alves 26 Dennis Costdio Barges Dec.
4 Theresa Brown
5 Ralph Armond Gardner, Jr.
9 Mary Anna Czyanbor
11 John Layton Hayward
12 Joseph Vieira Pacheco 13 Maria Dorothy DiGiano
22 Donald Francis Welch
George and Libbie Morses Manuel C. and Lucy Piver Harry R. and Mary H. Goodwin
Clifford W. and Jennie W. Worcester Henry A. and Mae Paradise
Harry G. and Helen Aveda Winberg Samuel I. and Mabel F. Lynch
Stephen F. and Alice M. Murphy Oscar B. and Ellen S. Fyhr James H. and Eliza Beech
Bruno R. and Virginia P. Allen
Owen M. and Alice M. Washburn
Walter L. and Mary D. McLennan Manuel and Albina Ventura Augustinho C. and Umbelina P. Chaves Leo C. and Lillian R. Molito Leonard A. and Grace M. Bearce
Frank J. and Nellie Mashdalanskis Charles O. and Adga J. Benson Jose V. and Maria A. E. Santos Joseph and Mary E. Costdio
Walter W. and Ellen O'Brien Ralph A. and Edna M. Jones Julian and Anastasia Ayaviskusga John L. and Arora J. Lyon Joseph and Mary Vieico Frank and Theresa M. J. Carrinolo Everett E. and Edith F. Godfrey
Number of Births recorded, 57.
90
MARRIAGES RECORDED IN WEST BRIDGEWATER IN 1919.
Jan. 1. David L. Johnson of West Bridgewater and Ellen M. (Fowler) Cleveland of Milton.
3. Howard L. Brown and Lucy W. Revere both of West Bridgewater.
" 22. Ralph T. Willis of Easton and Gladys E. Smith of West Bridgewater.
" 25. Ralph A. Gardner of West Bridgewater and Edna M. Jones of Brockton.
" 25. Henry A. Parry and Mae V. Paradise both of West Bridgewater.
Mar. 1. Peter B. Piver, Jr., of West Bridgewater and Nellie Souza of New Bedford.
" 26. Ray S. Tufts of West Bridgewater and Hazel Briggs of Brockton.
July 17. Frank E. Parker of Brockton and Maud E. Brown of West Bridgewater.
" 20. Edward J. Brown and Margaret W. Guenther both of West Bridgewater.
" 28. Howard N. Walker of West Bridgewater and Iris A. Sabin of Brockton.
Aug. 23. Sidney E. Kates and Zelda Sagarin both of West Bridgewater.
“ 30. Sumner T. Johnson and Lila J. Fongeallaz both of Brockton.
Sept. 28. Walter Crocker and Clara E. Cook both of West Bridgewater.
Oct. 30. William E. MacTighe of West Bridgewater and Leora A. Daniels of Brockton.
Nov. 8. Fred Bergman of Scituate and Stella Olson of Brockton.
" 8. Alfred S. Blanchard of West Bridgewater and Aurea M. Trottier of Brockton.
91
" 28. Oscar E. Anderson and Rose M. Peterson both of Brockton.
“ 26. Fred W. Holmberg of Brockton and Inez E. Amero of West Bridgewater.
Dec. 11. Thomas F. Carr of Brockton and Mary Norris of West Bridgewater.
" 24. Alfred H. Macomber of Bridgewater and Irene A. Boudreau of West Bridgewater.
27. Joseph Mideiros Salvador and Helen S. Chaves both of West Bridgewater.
" 29. Theodore Boise of Bridgewater and Mary L. Chas- sey of West Bridgewater.
" 31. Charles R. Hunt of West Bridgewater and Lillian M. Baxter of Avon.
Number of marriages recorded, 23.
EDWARD H. CROCKER,
Town Clerk.
92
DEATHS RECORDED IN WEST BRIDGEWATER IN 1919.
Date
Name
Age
Cause of Death
Jan.
4 Fannie C. Howard
23
5
27
Influenza
11 Theodore R. Chase
18
0
29
Influenza
25 E. Arthur Gaskill
4
0
1
Acute nephritis
Feb.
5 Lucy E. Burrill
87
9
13
Myocarditis
15 Ebenezer A. Pratt
83
6
15
Cerebral hemorrhage
Mar.
1 George H. Davenport 3 Stillborn
85 2
13
Chronic cystitis
4 Warren C. Kinney
28
0
15
Pneumonia thorax
5 Amanda H. Wilcox
32 11
27
Influenza
9 Mary B. Andrews
68
2
18 Cancer of stomach
24 John S. Hallamore
69
- Endocarditis
31 Bessie E. Bolinder Apr.
19
4
15
Pulmonary tuberculosis
10 Albert P. Thomas
2
22
Homathlas and enteitis Myocarditis
May
23 Hannah Atwood
72
8
5 Chronic Interstitial nephritis
28 Lewis Gibson
84
9
20
Chronic Myocarditis
30 Felomena J. DeGloria
49
8 25
Myocarditis
June
1 Charlotte A. Smith
76
1 25
Cirrhosis of liver
5 Rozalie Simono
83
7
11
Chronic interstitial nephritis
22 William L. Woodworth
71
3
16
Chronic endocarditis
24 Susan M. Kimball
33
5
-
Acute gastro-enteritis
July
23 Mary H. Ryder
88
6
14
Senectus
28
Joseph Polus
-
16
Inanition
Aug.
11 Charles A. Macomber
87
6
20
Chronic endocarditis
15 Horace Bartlett
82
3
27
Arterio sclerosis
24 Elsie M. Bernier
28
2
3
Myocarditis
Oct.
11 Marietta F. Gandner
75
4
21
Cerebral embolism
15 Carrie E. Harlow
68
2
0
Arterio sclerosis
22 Harriet E. Hicks Nov.
83 10
29
Cancer of breast
8 J. Edward Ryder Dec.
86 9 12
Cerebral hemorrhage
7 Bertha A. Johnson
63
7 16
Gangrene of foot
2I
Charles H. Fuller
24
2
1
Ac-cholecystitis
Number of Deaths recorded, 32.
EDWARD H. CROCKER,
Town Clerk.
11 Malachi Donahue
89
1 16
YMD
93
ABSTRACT FROM CHAPTER 99 OF THE REVISED LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Sec. 3. Physicians and midwives shall, within forty-eight hours after the birth of every child in cases of which they were in charge, mail or deliver to the clerk or registrar of the city or town in which the birth occurred a notice stating the date and place of the birth, giving the street number if any, color and the family name. They shall within fifteen days after the birth, mail or deliver to the clerk or registrar of the city or town in which the birth occurred a report of the birth, stating the date and place, the name, if any of the child, its sex and color, and the names, ages, places of birth, occupations and residences of the parents, giving the street number, if there be any, and the number of the ward in a city, the maiden name of the mother, if the full return is not made within the forty-eight hours.
The fee of the physician or midwife shall be .twenty-five cents for each birth so reported. A physician or midwife who neglects to report each birth within forty-eight hours or fifteen days thereafter, shall for each offence forfeit a sum not exceeding twenty-five dollars.
Sec. 6. Parents within forty days after the birth of a child and every householder within forty days after a birth in his house, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the city or town in which such child is born.
The facts required for record, as stated in section 3, shall so far as known or obtainable, be included in every notice given under the provision of this section.
Sec. 8. A parent, or other persons, who by section 6 is required to give, or cause to be given, notice of a birth or death, who neglects to do so for ten days after the time limited therefor, shall forfeit not more than five dollars for each offence.
94
Sec. 24. The Town Clerk will furnish blanks for returns of births to parents, householders, physicians and midwives who apply therefor.
REPORT OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE TOWN OF
WEST BRIDGEWATER
FOR THE YEAR 1919.
A. H. WILLIS, PRINTER, BRIDGEWATER, MASS.
1920
Report of School Committee.
CALENDAR FOR 1920.
HIGH SCHOOL.
First Term-January 5 to March 26. Twelve weeks. Vaca- tion, one week.
Second Term-April 5 to June 18. Eleven weeks. Vacation, eleven weeks.
Third Term-September 7 to December 24. Sixteen weeks.
GRADE SCHOOLS.
First Term-January 5 to February 20. Seven weeks. Vacation, one week.
Second Term-March 1 to April 16. Seven weeks. Vacation, one week.
Third Term-April 26 to June 25. Nine weeks. Vacation, ten weeks.
Fourth Term -- September 7 to December 17. Fifteen weeks.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Mrs. A. S. LeLacheur, term expires 1920.
Walter C. Dunbar, term expires 1920.
Edwin H. Thayer, term expires 1921.
4
Lester M. Fairbanks, term expires 1921. Mrs. Corelli C. Alger, term expires 1922. Dr. W. C. Whiting, term expires 1922.
ORGANIZATION.
Chairman, Mrs. A. S. LeLacheur.
Secretary, Mrs. Corelli C. Alger.
Supply Agent, Supt. E. H. Grout.
Truant officers, J. C. Howard, E. H. Grout, Edwin H. Thayer.
Superintendent of Schools, Edgar H. Grout.
Office at High School building, East Bridgewater.
Office hours, Mondays and Thursdays, from 3.30 to 4.30 p. m.
The beginning of a new year finds us endowed with new cares and larger responsibilities. We can now keep in touch with every child who begins his school life with us, continu- ing under our care and guidance until he graduates from our High school, well equipped, I trust, to enter college without examination of any kind, ready to enter upon a professional life, or to assume business or commercial duties.
Through the earnest endeavors and excellent judgment of our superintendent we have been able to keep the ranks of our teachers filled as usual with desirable teachers, a blessing that does not come to all.
Mindful of the increased cost of labor and material we have striven to observe economy in all that concerned school repairs. The reshingling of the Center Grammar school seemed to us at once wise and imperative.
Again I would emphasize the closing words of our last year's report. Parents are especially invited to visit schools. The relation between parent and teacher should be most intimate, affording a mutual assistance in the work of the
5
school room, and a corresponding better development of child life in the home.
We respectfully suggest the following appropriations for the coming year:
APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMENDED.
General control,
$ 1,200.00
Teachers' salaries,
21,495.00
Text books and supplies,
1,600.00
Janitors,
1,800.00
Janitors' supplies,
400.00
Repairs,
2,000.00
Fuel,
1,700.00
Transportation,
3,000.00
Medical inspection,
90.00
$33,285.00
ANNA S. LELACHEUR,
CORELLI C. ALGER,
LESTER M. FAIRBANKS,
EDWIN H. THAYER,
WALTER C. DUNBAR,
W. C. WHITING,
School Committee.
Twenty-eighth Annual Report of . the Superintendent of Schools.
*
To the School Committee of West Bridgewater, Mass. :
The one big problem confronting the superintendent of schools today is that of providing a corps of teachers ade- quately trained for the teaching profession. From statistics compiled early in the present school year, it was estimated that throughout the country there was a shortage of 30,000 teachers and that 50,000 schools were being taught by teach- ers without adequate training or experience.
During the past year the schools of West Bridgewater have experienced an unusual number of changes in the teaching force. Seven of the fifteen grade teachers in ser- vice one year ago have resigned their positions in our schools. Some of the vacancies thus occasioned were filled by trans- fer of teachers from other schools in town. As a result of this arrangement only four of our grade teachers are today holding positions they occupied one year ago. This lack of permanency in our teaching force makes it difficult to pre- serve the traditions for loyalty, good behavior and diligence that our schools have hitherto enjoyed. That these qualities have been preserved to an unusual degree speaks well for the efforts of our teachers to adjust themselves to new condi- tions. The suggestions made by your superintendent in
7
teachers' meetings and in personal interviews with individual teachers have been carefully observed.
In my last report reference was made to state legislation providing for a minimum salary of $550 per year for all teachers in communities not exempt from the provisions of the law. Since that time additional legislation has been enacted whereby a portion of the State Income Tax is distri- buted for the purpose of improving the public schools of the state. Section three of this new act provides that "for each person employed for full-time service for the entire school year as teacher, supervisor, principal, assistant superintend- ent, or superintendent of schools, the city or town shall be reimbursed as follows:
(1) "Two hundred dollars for every such person who has received as salary not less than eight hundred and fifty dol- lars and who is a graduate of an approved normal school or college and has had at least two years' teaching experience or who possesses preparation and teaching experience accep- ted in lieu thereof.
(2) "One hundred and fifty dollars for every such person, not included in the foregoing classification, who has received as salary not less than seven hundred and fifty dollars and (a) who has satisfactorily completed one year of professional training in an approved normal school or teachers' training school, and has had at least three years of teaching experi- ence; or (b) is a graduate of an approved normal school or college, and has had at least one year of teaching experience; or (c) who possesses preparation and teaching experience accepted in lieu of either of the foregoing requirements in this paragraph.
(b) "One hundred dollars for every such person, not in- cluded in either paragraphs (1) or (2), who has received as salary not less than six hundred and fifty dollars."
Provision is also made for reimbursement of the town for teachers employed for less than full-time service.
8
There is also a supplementary reimbursement for cities and towns in which the valuation of real and personal property, when divided by the net average membership of the public day schools, gives a quotient less than forty-five hundred dollars. This supplementary reimbursement is intended as additional help for places having a relatively low valuation together with a relatively large number of pupils.
In the distribution made last November the town of West Bridgewater received nearly eleven hundred dollars. In order that the town might share to the fullest extent in the distribution for the present year and that the teachers might have a compensation more nearly adequate to their needs, the Committee voted a new schedule of salaries retro-active to September first. To this increase in teachers' salaries is due a considerable portion of the increased appropriation asked by the Committee for the present year. Because of the new salary schedule adopted by the Committee and the fact that high school teachers' salaries become a factor in the reimbursement this year, the town's share in the next distri- bution will approximate six thousand dollars.
Though the salaries of our teachers have been increased very materially during the past year they are still much be- low the salaries paid in surrounding towns. They are not large enough to attract teachers already at work, whenever a vacancy occurs on our force, nor are they sufficient, in gen- eral, to hold teachers more than a year or two. Because of these frequent changes in the teaching force the work of the superintendent is made exceedingly difficult. The new
teachers need much help in adjusting themselves to their new conditions, at just the time, perhaps, when the superin- tendent is busy filling vacancies. The town of West Bridge- water suffers no worse in this respect than other towns in the state, as it is only one of many that serve as training places for the larger towns and cities.
Such conditions, however, should not exist. Some solu-
9
tion must be found for the problem of equalizing educational opportunities, at least so far as they can be equalized by the quality and stability of the teaching force. The time must come when it will no longer be possible for a town or city to take at one time twenty-five per cent of a town's grade teachers for its own schools. The nation is becoming aroused to the danger that threatens from the present teacher short- age and from the unscrupulous manner in which teachers are lured from one school system into another.
At the risk of tiresome repetition it must be said that the peak has not yet been reached in the cost of living, even though there are predictions for some reductions during 1920 and 1921; nor has the movement of teachers out of the pro- fession been checked. Attractive offers are being made to teachers to accept positions in commerce and the industries which provide not only better salaries but better working conditions than the classroom can offer. Likewise, the con- ditions which attract teachers away from their profession operate to decrease the enrolment at normal schools and in the college departments of education. Such conditions must exist until the salary and living conditions of the teacher are made as attractive as those offered in the business and indus- trial world.
The law relating to compulsory school attendance has been amended by striking out the word "fourth" and substituting the word "sixth." Under this new provision every child under sixteen years of age, who does not possess such ability to read, write and spell in the English language as is required for the completion of the sixth grade, must attend school during the entire time the public schools are in session. The law became effective last October but does not apply to those who had previously obtained employment certificates. This amendment is in harmony with the findings of the Children's Bureau in their stay-in-schools campaigns carried out last year. The report says in part: "Communities are becoming
IO
awakened to the needs of the working child. They have dis- covered that the million or more children under sixteen who leave school each year to go to work are not forced into work by poverty; many of them are unaware of the advantage of an education or are moved simply by youthful restlessness or distaste for school. They have found that many children begin their working lives with only a scant educational equip- ment and before they have had a chance to develop physically. They are more and more becoming aware of the waste of early employment and are recognizing the fact that every child who goes to work prematurely contributes to ill health, industrial inefficiency, unemployment, low wages, poverty, and illiteracy."
These are strong words but none too strong to describe the situation as it really is, and as we see it, in a measure, in our own community. Investigation reveals the fact that many of our boys and girls leaving school at the age of fourteen are not forced into work by poverty, but their earning capac- ity is exploited to swell the family income. Children brought up with the thought that they are to become wage earners as soon as the law permits, lose interest in school work and acquire habits of indolence which follow them into their industrial life. Such persons can not hold their positions for any length of time and return frequently to the superinten- dent's office for new employment certificates.
The work in sewing in our schools seems to meet a need in this community, though the exhibit held during the year did not receive the recognition it deserved. About one hundred girls completed their dresses and deserve considerable praise for the quality of their work. The course has been extended to the High school this year and machine stitching is being introduced. Three sewing machines have been purchased for use of the different classes, in both grade and high school work.
During the past year our schools have been changed over
II
to an eight grade system and in the future pupils will pass directly from this the eighth grade into the High school. Some of the pupils, though completing their grammar grade work with credit, seem slightly immature on taking up high school work, though the percentage of failures is but little, if any, greater than in the upper classes. The difficulty is largely one of adjustment, a difficulty that has always exis- ted in classes passing from the grades to the High school. Succeeding classes, however, should experience less difficulty in making the transfer from one school to the other, as we have introduced a measure of departmental work into the seventh and eighth grades. These pupils in their grammar school work are gradually becoming accustomed to high school organization and methods of procedure. The socialized recitation in the seventh and eighth grades is being conducted successfully and is developing in our boys and girls a spirit of self-reliance and responsibility in schoolroom management. To such an extent has this sense of responsibility been devel- oped that pupils, on their own volition, carry on the work of the recitation when the teacher's attention is necessarily directed to other matters. It is hoped that this form of reci- tation, which has already been tried successfully in some of our high school work, can become an established practice throughout the school.
For a statement of the work and needs of the High school you are referred to the report of Principal Smith. It is un- fortunate that the attempt to establish a course in Domestic Science encountered so many obstacles at the very beginning. Every effort was made to provide suitable equipment, but here we were confronted with the same shortage of material that men in the business and industrial world are experienc- ing. Orders were placed for equipment early enough to ensure delivery for use at the beginning of the year in Sep- tember, but delivery was postponed week after week until a considerable part of the school year had passed. Because of
12
this inauspicious beginning it has seemed best to discontinue the course for the balance of the present year. It is hoped, however, that suitable provision can be made for the course next year. As recommended by the principal, we should employ a teacher especially trained for this work and arrange such a program as would open the course to a larger number of pupils.
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
My dear Mr. Grout:
I herewith hand you my third annual report as Principal of the Howard High School, and the first since the school be- came a town high school.
Since my last report we have graduated a class of 18. Of this number ten were prepared and ready to enter higher institutions. Eight actually entered on the school certificate but two were obliged, for financial reasons, to postpone their college work until next September. The remaining eight secured good positions in the business world and have been successful.
At the close of school last June we had 78 pupils enrolled in the three remaining classes. Of this number two moved to Brockton and thus were prevented from returning to us. Out of the remaining 76 pupils 73 returned to school when it opened in September. This means that we retained over 96% of our pupils, a record of which we are justly proud, and one which can be surpassed by very few schools any- where in the State. In the entering class there were 51 pupils giving us a total enrollment of 126, distributed as fol- lows:
13
Freshmen,
51
Sophomores,
36
Juniors,
20
Seniors,
18
Post Graduate,
1
126
The rapid growth of the school with the consequent in- crease in the number and size of the classes, made it neces- sary to engage an additional teacher. Miss Mary F. Toland, a graduate of Radcliffe College, Class of 1919, was secured. Miss Toland has had practice teaching in the Cambridge High School and is well qualified to carry on the work as- signed. We now have a faculty of seven teachers including the principal.
The enlarged enrollment has also made necessary many changes and additions in equipment. A room has been fitted up with new desks for the use of the Senior class; in the commercial room we have installed new bookkeeping desks, three new typewriters and a filing cabinet. In the physics laboratory we have added equipment which makes it possible now to perform any experiment called for by the various col- leges and technical schools.
A new department, that of Domestic Science, was added to our curriculum this year. Miss Metcalf, although not trained for the work, consented to take charge of it and do the best she could. The course had to be divided into two sections on account of the impossibility of giving a double period to the work-one section in cooking and the other in table service. Twenty-four girls elected the course, twelve in each section. The section in Table Service has had only three weeks of work this year owing to the fact that we have no tables and no dishes to work with, and also because Miss Metcalf is busy with commercial work and cannot supervise
14
the pupils in the only period in which the work can come. The section in cooking has dwindled to six girls and so little actual work has been done by them that very little credit can be given. Much credit is due Miss Metcalf for her untiring efforts to overcome obstacles and make the work of some value.
If we are to have this work a permanent feature I recom- mend that a teacher trained in this line of work be engaged, for it is impossible for any of our regular teachers to devote the time and energy necessary to the successful conduct of a full course, and Miss Metcalf's full time will be needed in the Commercial Department next year.
One feature of our school life which was begun last year as an experiment has proved so successful that it has been enlarged and made a regular part of the school work. I refer to the school orchestra. Under Miss Damon's direction the orchestra has held regular practice and has played at several school functions, meeting with the enthusiastic ap- proval of all who have heard it. The members now receive credit toward graduation for work done in the orchestra.
While we place greatest stress on the scholastic side of our work, we endeavor to give our pupils as much physical train- ing as is possible with our facilities. Our limited use of the gymnasium is proving a handicap and means that we must turn away many who want and need the physical work be- cause we have to share the use of the gymnasium with the Seminary. Our girls have taken a keen interest in tennis this year but again we are handicapped in that we must share the court with the Seminary, thus limiting us to two days' use of it. The boys are kept from this branch of sport entirely because of restrictions placed upon their use of the court. I hope that we may soon have a court of our own and develop more thoroughly this branch of sport. 1
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