Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1921-1925, Part 21

Author: Agawam (Mass. : Town)
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Agawam (Mass. : Town)
Number of Pages: 584


USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1921-1925 > Part 21


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McIntire Sanderson


Pease


ENROLLMENT A. M. SESSION


CHAPEL EXERCISES


Monday


Monday Sr .- Jr. Boys (7)


Monday Soph .- Fresh.


Boys (36)


Monday Sr .- Jr .- Soph .- Fresh. Girls (4)


Monday Sr .- Jr .- Soph .- Fresh. (Girls (60)


Fresh. Girls (14)


Tuesday


Sr .- Jr. Girls (31)


Fresh Girls


(8)


Friday


Fresh Girls (22)


(6)


(18)


Anc. Hist


Typ. I


Bkp. I Div. II


Smith


Best


Jauch


9.10 10.00


(29)


(11)


(8)


(58)


2.00


Wednesday Soph .- Fresh Girls (56)


(28)


1924 SCHEDULE OF CLASSES-AGAWAM JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1925


Miss Barnes


Mrs. Phillips


Miss Powers


Miss


Mr. Quirk


Miss Sullivan


Mr. Pease


Dom. Science Miss Cook


Man. Training Mr. Dacey


Phy. Training Mr. Smith


Drawing Miss Pierce


Music Miss Clark


ENROLLMENT A. M. SESSION


CHAPEL EXERCISES


1


3


2


2


2


1


1


1


Hist. 9 (28)


Eng. 8 (29)


Geog. 7 (31)


Arith. 9 (20)


Sci. 8 (24)


Sci. 7 (37)


Eng. 8 (24)


Tuesday Boys 9 (9) Wednesday Boys 8-1 (19) Thursday Boys 7-2 (15)


Thursday Girls 7 (31)


1


1


2


3


2


2


1


1


10 04 11.00


Hist. 7 (37)


Eng. 8 (24)


Geog. 8 (24)


Arith. 8 (29)


Sci. 9 (20)


Arith. 7 (31)


1 Eng. 9 (28)


Monday Girls 9 (20) Thursday Girls 7-2 (16)


Monday Boys 9 (9) Thursday Boys 7 (37)


11.04 12.00


2


2


1


1


1


3


1


2


Hist. 7 (31)


Eng. 8 (24)


Geog. 7 (37)


Arith. 8 (24)


Sci. 9 (28)


Study 8 and 9-2 (49)


Monday Girls 8 and 8-3 (20)


Thursday Boys 9 (12)


Monday Boys 8 (33)


Tuesday Boys 8-3 (14)


Thursday


Girls 9 (27)


LUNCHEON


12.00 12.30 12.30 1.00


Tuesday Orchestra (16) Thursday Chorus (140)


1.00 1.03 1.03 2.00


1


2


1


2


3 Sci. 8 (29)


1 Arith. 7 (37)


2 Eng. 9 (20)


Tuesday Girls 8 (11)


Tuesday Boys 9 (12) Monday Boys 7-1 (22) Friday Boys 9-1 (9)


Monday Girls 7 (31) Tuesday Boys 8 (32)


Wednesday Grade 7-1 (37)


2.04 3.00


2


1


3


2


1


2


Monday Boys 8 (13)


Monday Boys 7 (30) Tuesday Girls 8 (16) Wednesday Boys 9 (21)


Wednesday Grade 7-2 (31)


Hist. 9 (20)


Eng. 7 (37)


Geog. 8 (29) Study 8-2


1 Arith. 9 (28)


1 Sci. 8 (24)


Sci. 7 (31)


Monday Girls 7 (15) Wednesday Girls 9-2 (8)


DISMISSAL


3.00


3.05


ASSEMBLY, CLUB, STUDY, ART AND CHORUS PERIOD


ENROLLMENT P. M. SESSION


2


1


Study 9 (28)


Eng. 7 (31)


Geog. 8 (24)


Arith. 8 (24)


Locke


8.57 9.00 9.00 9.10 9.10 10.00


Tuesday Girls 9 (27) Wednesday Girls 8 (16)


Monday Grade VIII (77)


These time schedules are significant for the following rea- sons :


In the main, the number of pupils per class in the Senior High School is ideal-twenty to twenty-five pupils per class is considered an ideal organization. There are very few classes in the school that trangress this ideal. This means that the classes are such in size that no pupil should be neglected in the daily work of the school, and that no teacher should be overtaxed in the performance of her duties.


Another point of interest is the number of classes per day per teacher. There are six periods per day in the senior high school schedule. Each teacher is scheduled for the six periods but in as much as the hour periods numbering four each day come only four times per week, each teacher has a load of 26 hours per week. This arrangement gives each teacher four free periods each week. On the whole the daily program of each teacher calls for a full day's work yet it does not overburden the strength of the teacher.


The four one hour periods have an important part in the senior high program. A period of 60 minutes is the proper length for cooking, sewing, manual training, physical training, and for all laboratory work except chemistry and physics. The schedule permits of a 90 minute period for those subjects. All of the periods in the junior high school are one hour in length. This gives ample time for supervised study and laboratory work in that school.


These schedules meet the various legal conditions put forth in the Massachusetts School Law. It is not expedient to give the details of these technical matters in this report, but let it be sufficient to state that Agawam believes that the State school laws are sound in principle and that "in the keeping of them there is great reward"-to wit, the benefits the student body receives by the fact that each pupil has two hours per week of physical training.


There are several administrative features in these schedules which contribute no little help in the maintenance of a whole- some school spirit. The chapel exercises, the four minute period between classes, and the luncheon period are worthy of mention. The music, the songs, the scripture reading, the Lord's prayer, and the announcements of the daily chapel exercises invite and hold the interest of all of the pupils. The exercise has a social- izing value of great worth.


91


The schedules are not designed to crowd one class room period into another. There is a four minute breathing spell be- tween classes which gives time to the pupils to readjust them- selves and to enter into the work of the new period in proper frame of mind.


The luncheon period of thirty minutes comes at a different interval for the two schools. The lunchroom is adequate in equipment to accommodate each pupil with a chair and most of the pupils are provided with a place at table. But a chair and table do not tell the whole story. There are good things to eat and an opportunity for self expression in wholesome conversation. The lunch room is a distinct help in the keeping of a good school spirit.


4. Certification of Senior High School Graduates :


The organization and administration of a high school have a direct bearing upon entrance certification to higher institutions of learning. In my last year's report a preliminary statement was made about this subject. At that time Agawam was about to graduate the first class, and the question of the admission of the graduates to college was in the foreground. Since that time the plans of the organization and administration of the High School have been presented to five different certificate boards and have received the approval of all. The list is as follows: New England College Entrance Certificate Board, Dartmouth College Certificate Board, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Board of Ad- missions, College Entrance Examination Board, and the Massa- chusetts State Department of Education.


This approval means that graduates of the Agawam High School who have maintained an average standing of B in their high school course will be admitted to the college of their choice without conditions. Since the State Department of Education has given the High School Grade A rating, those graduates who wish to enter Massachusetts State Normal Schools are accepted without conditions providing they have maintained an average rank of B during the last two years of the preparatory course. At the present time Agawam has a representative in the follow- ing colleges and normal schools: Mount Holyoke College, West- field Normal School, Fitchburg Normal School, Amherst, Dart- mouth, Worcester Polytechnical Institute and Northeastern Uni- versity.


Let it be recorded here that Agawam High School is not merely a college preparatory school. About 40% of the grad- uates desire to enter higher schools. That is sufficient reason for


92


giving some specific attention to their preparation, but in as much as there remains 60% of the class to be trained in different pur- suits, much care and attention must be given to this larger body of students. It is possible for Agawam boys and girls to gain a good preparation for college or normal school in the courses of the local high school, providing that upon entrance to high school work such a purpose exists in their minds. College preparation is another name for four years of earnest, serious work in the school and of long study periods in the home. Too many pupils put off college preparation until the senior year of high school and in the most of those cases failure is the result.


Too often the opinion prevails in rural towns that the grad- uate of a high school is prepared to enter any higher institution of learning he may elect. As a matter of fact thousands of high school graduates are refused entrance to our colleges because of poor scholarship. Less than 50% of those who knock for en- trance are admitted. Furthermore, not all who gain entrance to college can stay there-above 10% high school entrants are unable to make the grade in college. In view of these facts Grades A and B are certificate grades and any pupil who con- sistently falls below such grades in his high school work will experience great difficulty in gaining entrance to college and will have greater difficulty in remaining there if entrance is gained.


5. Awards Won in the Commercial Department :


The following awards were given to students of the Aga- wam High School by the Remington, L. C. Smith, and Under- wood Typewriter Companies during the school year 1923-1924 :


REMINGTON 25-WORD CERTIFICATE


Baldus, Doris


Gosselin, Winifred


Charvat, Mike


Lango, Josephine


Clark, George


Loncto, Myrtle


Cleary, Harold


Nacewicz, Stephie


Cowan, Roy


Pattison, Florence


Crouse, Lucille


Uschmann, Helen


Dumond, Lillian


93


REMINGTON CARD CASE-40 WORDS


Baldus, Doris


Lucardi, Katherine


Caron, Marie-Rose


Madden, Hazel


Charvat, Mike


Mengis, Elizabeth


Daley, Beatrice


Mengis, Marion


Duclos, Rhea


Novelli, Caroline


Dumond, Lillian


Pattison, Florence


Gosselin, Winifred


Wingard, Opel


Lango, Josephine


REMINGTON GOLD PIN-55 WORDS


Bitgood, Marjorie


Scannell, Marion


Duclos, Clara


Tilden, Elizabeth


McLaughlin, Helen


Wells, Gladys


Mengis, Marion


Wilson, Medora


UNDERWOOD 30-WORD CERTIFICATE


Baldus, Doris


Gosselin, Winifred


Caron, Rosaire


Lango, Josephine


Charvat, Mike


Loncto, Myrtle


Clark, George


Nacewicz, Stephie


Cowan, Roy


Pattison, Florence


Crouss, Lucille


Uschmann, Helen


UNDERWOOD BRONZE MEDAL-40 WORDS


Baldus, Doris


Lango, Josephine


Charvat, Mike


Madden, Hazel


Cleary, Harold


Mengis, Marion


Crouss, Lucille


Pattison, Florence


Daley, Beatrice


Wingard, Opel


Dumond, Lillian


UNDERWOOD BRONZE BAR-50 WORDS


Caron, Marie-Rose McLaughlin, Helen


Crouss, Lucille


Mengis, Elizabeth


Duclos, Clara


Mengis, Marion


Duclos, Rhea


Scannell, Marion


Lango, Josephine


Wells, Gladys


Lucardi, Katherine


Wilson, Medora


94


UNDERWOOD SILVER MEDAL-60 WORDS


Bitgood, Marjorie


Tilden, Elizabeth


Duclos, Clara Wells, Gladys


McLaughlin, Helen


Wilson, Medora


Scannell, Marion


L. C. SMITH BROS. 30-WORD CERTIFICATE


Baldus, Doris


Loncto, Myrtle


Cowan, Roy


Lucardi, Katherine


Crouss, Lucille


Madden, Hazel


Daley, Beatrice


Mengis, Elizabeth


Duclos, Clara


Pattison, Florence


Gosselin, Winifred


Uschmann, Helen


Lango, Josephine


Wingard, Opel


L. C. SMITH BROS. BRONZE PIN-40 WORDS


Baldus, Doris Mengis, Elizabeth


Crouss, Lucille


Novelli, Caroline


Daley, Beatrice


Pattison, Florence


Gosselin, Winifred


Scannell, Marion


Lango, Josephine


Wingard, Opel


Madden, Hazel


L. C. SMITH BROS. SILVER MEDAL-50 WORDS


Bitgood, Marjorie McLaughlin, Helen


Caron, Marie-Rose Tilden, Elizabeth


Duclos, Clara Wells, Gladys


Lucardi, Katherine


L. C. SMITH BROS. GOLD MEDAL-60 WORDS Duclos, Clara


6. Senior High School Graduates in Business :


Sixty per cent of the graduates of our first high school class have taken positions with business firms of various descriptions. About forty per cent of these graduates followed the Commercial Course while in high school. At the present time all of the graduates desiring positions are placed, and from reports re- ceived in the Superintendent's office are giving a good account of themselves.


7. New Extra Curricula Activities :


95


Two important activities were added to the High School program this year, namely: Football, and School Literary Maga- zine.


The first football team to represent Agawam, owing to the skillful work of the coach and the hard, persistent efforts of the players themselves, was unusually successful. The team not only won 50% of the games scheduled, but it gave football a strong hold in the list of high school sports. A remarkable and pleasing feature of the season's work was the fact that the boys participat- ing in the game gained both in scholarship and manliness.


The school magazine known as the "Mirror" has won a pronounced and permanent place in the list of the extra curricula activities. The new cover design and the high caliber of its literary contents reveal the fact that literary appreciation is mak- ing headway both in the Junior and Senior High Schools. In the editing and the managing of the "Mirror" several avenues for training in leadership are opened up and the net result is that personality is being developed.


8. Graduation :


The capstone of any public school system is the High School and the culminating event in the high school course is the grad- uation. The honor of giving Agawam the first Commencement fell to the Class of 1924. That class was equal to the occasion and gave Agawam, in full measure, a fitting return for the in- vestment made in the new High School. The class then joined ' the ranks of the first Alumni.


The Class Day and Commencement programs follow :


AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL CLASS DAY PROGRAM TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 10, 1924 Class Motto: Nihil Sine Labore


Address of Welcome Alfred St. John


Gypsy Song Class of 1924


Class History Elise Blish


Piano Solo, "Rondo Capriccioso," Mendelssohn Louise Hawley


Oration, "Nihil Sine Labore" Alfred Gelstharp


Song, "Beauteous Night," Offenbach Girls of Class


Class Poem, "Ayu's Call for Wanedor" Louise Hawley Prophecy Vera Pomeroy


Piano Duet, "Comedy Overture," Bohm


Gladys Wells and Louise Hawley


96


Class Will Caroline Novelli Gifts Alice Matteson and Gladys Wells


Presentation of Gift to School Paul Rudman


Class Song, "1924" Composed by Dorothy Bodurtha


CLASS SONG 1924 To Music of Auld Lang Syne I. The days have swiftly hurried past Since first we gathered here, And now the time has come at last To leave our school most dear.


To leave the school we love so well, And friends that we adore, So, let us sing our parting song, O class of twenty-four. II. From here our paths may wander far, For each will go his way,


To find a place in life's great school And work for every day.


New int'rests and new friends attract, New trials to undergo,


But still we'll dream of High School scenes And friends we used to know. III.


No matter where our paths may lead, We'll find our motto true.


We cannot win life's highest goal, Without the labor due.


Our motto we must not forget, Those words of true success.


And at remembrance we will think, Of days in A. H. S. IV. O Agawam, Dear Agawam, We love thy very name, And we will ever strive to rise And spread abroad thy fame. So now for good old A. H. S. We sing our last good bye. We'll do our best to reach success, And sing your praises high.


-Dorothy Bodurtha


97


AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXERCISES CLASS OF 1924


Thursday Evening, June 12, 1924, at 8.15


PROGRAM


Commencement March Orchestra


Invocation Rev. John G. Dutton


Lost Chord (Sullivan-Proctor)


I'll Sing Three Songs of Araby (Clay-Wills) ....... Glee Club


Commencement Address, "New Americans for the New America" Rev. James Gordon Gilkey


Poet and Peasant Overture (Franz von Suppe) .Orchestra


Presentation of Class for Diplomas Supt. Benjamin J. Phelps


Presentation of Diplomas


Clifford M. Granger, Chairman of School Committee Charity (Rossini)


Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 and 6 (Joh. Brahms) Glee Club


Narcissus (Nevin)


Creole Swing Song (Denza)


Glee Club


Violin obligato, Kenneth Dumas


Benediction


Rev. Arthur Rudman


Soldiers' Chorus (Gounod) Orchestra


SENIOR CLASS ROLL 1924


Name


Course


Norton Austin


General


+Elise Blish


General


*Florence Blish


General


+Dorothy E. Bodurtha


General


Marjorie Louise Fay General


*Alfred Gelstharp, Jr. Edmond A. Gosselin


Classical Commercial Classical


*Louise Rose Hawley


*Elna Hendrickson


General


Everett Allen Kellogg


General


Elizabeth Messenger Marsh Alice G. Matteson


General General Commercial


+Helen C. Mclaughlin


Commercial


+Vera B. Pomeroy


General Classical


Caroline M. Novelli


Paul Arthur Rudman


Orchestra


98


+Marion Agnes Scannell Marion May Seaver Edith Mae Smith Alfred St. John


+Elizabeth L. Tilden


Andrew G. Toussaint Henry Joseph Twine Gladys Wells Medora Wilson


Commercial General Commercial Commercial Commercial General Commercial Commercial Commercial


* High honor pupil (Grade 90-95)


+ Honor pupil (Grade 85-90)


Awarded Special Certificate in English: Rosaire Caron, Marie-Rose Caron.


ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS


1. Enrollment.


The enrollment table at the beginning of this report shows that we have 1499 pupils enrolled in our schools. This is an increase of 66 pupils for the year. The school centers where the growth is most rapid are at the Plains and North Agawam.


2. The New Addition to the Plains School :


The citizens of Agawam are to be highly commended for relieving the congested school conditions at the Plains by voting four new rooms to that school. The School Committee realizing the seriousness of the situation acted with despatch and yet with sound judgment. Because of this team work the four rooms were ready for occupancy the first day of school in September. Three of the rooms are in use at the present time. The fourth room undoubtedly will be brought into service before the close of the present school year.


3. The Need of an Addition to the North Agawam School.


The report of the School Committee emphasizes the need of a permanent relief for the bad housing conditions in the North Agawam School. Some facts of the situation that are imperative in character are as follows:


The Plains School will not be able to accommodate outside pupils next year. There are no rooms available in North Aga- wam for the increase in Grades I' and II. The Principal and her assistants have kept a good school under trying conditions. Those conditions do not improve with temporary makeshift but,


99


on the contrary, grow worse. There seems to be but one solution to this problem and that is to build an addition to the North Aga- wam School. Unless this should be done, it will be necessary to place Grades I-II-III and VI on part time and still continue to use undesirable rooms. Part time school in this wholesale fashion would prove expensive to the town, for the stock room and supply room can accommodate only 20 pupils each which is less than a teacher's load. Many more pupils are retarded which is not only harmful to the pupils but expensive as well. A principal of a school of 350 or more pupils housed under such trying conditions could not be expected to teach as most of her time would be taken by administrative duties. The cost of such a regime amounts to the services of two extra teachers plus the cost of re-educating the retarded pupils.


4. Attendance :


The three factors which operate to keep a low per cent of attendance in all public schools are as follows: (1) Malicious Truants; (2) Habitual Absentees; (3) Sickness.


Malicious truants are few in number in Agawam. During the past year it was necessary to go to court on two occasions for such offenders. This factor does not therefore decrease the per cent of attendance to a marked degree.


Most parents are eager above everything to give their chil- dren the best possible education at their command. Yet in the wear and tear of life too often parents keep a child out of school a day now and a day then, or permit a child to remain home for a trivial matter. To be sure the child returns to school with an excuse but in the meantime two situations are transpiring in the child's life; in the first place he is forming the habit of irregular school attendance which is very difficult to break; in the second place he is falling behind in his work which is very difficult to make up. Many cases of retardation result from these situations and very often retardation ends in elimination from school. Let every parent who is solicitous about the education of his child see to it that, if health permits, his child attends school every day for, as pointed out above, there are grave dangers in irregular attendance. It is the duty of the attendance officer to visit the homes of the children who are forming bad habits of attendance and try to hold them in line. Since the services of our attendance officer for one day per week only are at the disposal of the School Committee, not enough follow up work at the right time can be


100


done. Too often the case is cold and the child is back in school when the attendance officer arrives on the scene. I recommend to the School Committee that the attendance officer be engaged for at least half of the time that the schools are in session. I believe that such policy would, in due season, prove economical, for irregularity of attendance leads to retardation and retardation in the elementary schools adds materially to the expense of edu- cation.


Sick children should not be permitted to attend school be- cause from sickness disease spreads and the net result is more sickness and sometimes an epidemic. Sickness in Agawam last spring materially lowered the attendance in Agawam Center, Feeding Hills and the Plains. There were 209 cases of mumps in Agawam last spring which resulted in 209 children losing at least 15 days of schooling. At the same time because of the quarantine many other children were debarred from school three weeks and in some cases for a longer period. Because of this epidemic the per cent of attendance was materially reduced. However, we maintained the respectable average of 92.4% for the year, The highest per cents made in those places where sick- ness prevailed but little were as follows: Senior High School 95% ; North Agawam School 95.8%.


5. Instruction :


After a year's trial we are glad to be able to report a higher degree of satisfaction with the new text book adoptions in reading and geography and the partial new adoptions in history, arith- metic, English and hygiene. It has been the work of the ad- ministrative officers to define specific, worth while objectives in each study, and assist the teaching staff in the use of most effi- cient methods of attaining these goals. There is a growing and gratifying tendency on the part of individual teachers to ex- amine frankly the results of their class room work, determine points of weakness, discover causes of such defects and adopt remedial measures. To aid in this critical survey of the school product, a speed and comprehension test in reading has been given. The results were tabulated, interpreted in terms of pupils' needs and made the basis for corrective instruction.


During the present school year a close examination of arith- metic attainments and methods of teaching is being made with the hope of realizing the greatest possible efficiency in method and economy of time and a higher degree of mastery in the field of arithmetic. Standard tests in this subject will be given as well


101


as further tests in reading and a measurement of pupils' spelling abilities.


Due to the generosity of the Hampden County Tubercu- losis and Health Association a scale for weighing and measuring the pupils is in the possession of the schools. The children are weighed and measured regularly and records kept. This very important indication of health is proving of great value in arous- ing interest in forming healthful habits especially in regard to diet and sleep. Milk as an important part of the school lunch is encouraged. Every effort is being made to establish habits of healthful living and to develop splendid bodies.


Since schools that consider only the mental and physical needs of their pupils fall far short of their full responsibility, the Agawam schools are attempting through supervised play to in- culcate ideals of fair play, the square deal, the subjection of the individual to the needs of the group, and to develop a capacity to co-operate with one's fellows. The idea of the school as "my school" within "my state" and "my country" as defined in one school creed, is the basis for developing a feeling of individual responsibility toward the school and a finer type of school spirit.


The interest of the parents in the schools is much appre- ciated. The maximum of efficiency can be secured only when the spirit of harmony and co-operation exists between home and school. On one day alone during American Education Week two hundred different visitors were reported in the elementary schools.


6. Curriculum Making.


Curriculum making is the theme of the hour in all public schools. The accepted policy in shaping up the curriculum is that of having the teachers themselves take a leading part under the direction of the superintendent. By such a plan the curri- culum is to be revised and enlarged from year to year, and made to fit the peculiar needs of each community. In accordance with this policy the curriculum adopted by the School Committee two years ago will be revised during the latter part of this school year.


7. Exhibits :


One of the features of our first commencement was the school exhibition in the high school gymnasium. The exhibition was open to the public the night of class day and also com- mencement night. Many citizens of the town and visitors at- tended the exhibition. At the present time plans are being per-


102


fected for another school exhibition to be presented at com- mencement time in June. The exhibits will be made by the Art, Domestic Science, and Manual Training Departments of our schools.




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