USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1926-1930 > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
In conclusion of the topic of Costs per Pupil in Education we must assert that there are many contributory factors which must be taken into consideration in interpreting cost statistics. Some pertinent questions are as follows :- Is there a small or a large pupil population to care for? Does the town favor a modern and progressive type of school? Does the school budget contain all the items in its set up which are generally placed in a school budget? The census report gives an affirmative answer to the first question. The citizens of Agawam have not been satisfied to accept half-way measures in education. They have shown an ardent desire to have full time schooling for every boy and girl and have made provision for the same. They have also accepted whole-heartedly the philosophy of education which
88
permits an equal opportunity to each boy and girl not alone in the informational subjects but also in the cultural.
The Agawam school budget does contain in full measure the items that are commonly placed in school budgets. A study of comparative costs of education reveals clearly that Agawam, without slighting the accepted public school educational pro- gram, is maintaining her schools well within the average costs per pupil. Such a policy is dictated to the Town by the fact of the large pupil population for which provident care must be given.
PROMOTION, AGE AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION AND ATTENDANCE
We now turn from the cost survey of our schools to a presentation of statistics relating to Promotion, Distribution, and Attendance of Agawam pupils during the school year 1927-'28.
PROMOTION TABLE
No. of Pupils on Roll June, 1928
No. of Pupils not Promoted June, 1928
School
North Agawam
332
49
Springfield St.
311
32
Agawam Center
243
23
Feeding Hills
168
16
West St.
33
3
Suffield St.
25
4
South School
20
1
Junior High
187
22
Senior High
219
14
Per cent of pupils not promoted, all schools-10.6.
Per cent of pupils in elementary schools not promoted-11.3.
The perfect school would promote every pupil, for such a school would have a curriculum so elastic that it would fit the mentality of every type of mind within its province. This ideal does not prevail as yet but the tendency in curriculum making and in school construction is in that direction.
The per cent of promotions in our schools has not changed
89
much during the past three years. Every pupil is given promo- tion if there is a possible chance for such a step, and the result- ing per cent of non-promotions does not vary to any great de- gree from that which is found in every other town. When we have established classes for those children who need special at- tention, we may be able to lower the number of non-promotions.
AGE-GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS
Promotion of pupils has a very close relationship to the Ac- celeration and Retardation of pupils. In 1927 the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made an Age-Grade study of the children of Massachusetts. This in- vestigation found that the average ages of children in the ele- mentary schools of the State are as follows.
Grade Kindergarten 1
Average Age-Boys and Girls 4 years 7 months 5 years 11 months
2
7 years 1 month
3
8 years 2 months
4
9 years 3 months
5
10 years 2 months
6
11 years 6 months
In the Junior-Senior High School the average ages are as follows :
Grade
7
Average Age-Boys and Girls 12 years 3 months
8
13 years 2 months
9
14 years 1 month
10
15 years 11 months
16 years 9 months
11 12
17 years 3 months
Acceleration and Retardation as shown by the State Age-Grade Survey.
An accelerated pupil is younger than the average age for his grade. A retarded pupil is older than the average age for his grade. The following table includes the towns which are in the vicinity of Agawam and presents the findings of the State
90
in regard to acceleration and retardation of pupils in said towns.
Accelerated
Retarded
Cities
Total Average Membership
Boys
Boys
and Girls Per cent and Girls Per cent
Chicopee
6,603
2,230
33.8
908
13.8
Westfield
4,030
458
11.4
590
14.6
West Springfield
3,269
816
25
353
10.8
Easthampton
1,694
603
35.6
271
16.
Palmer
2,255
931
41.3
197
8.7
Ludlow
1,676
410
24.5
288
17.2
Ware
1,406
437
31.1
170
12.1
Monson
688
185
26.8
91
13.2
Agawam
1,567
449
28.7
174
11.3
Another way of reading these tabulations is as follows. In Agawam 28.7 per cent of the pupils in the public schools are under-age for their grades; 60.2 are of normal age for their grades; and 11.1 are over-age for their grades. In the entire State the per cents are as follows :- Under-age 27.7, normal age 62, over-age 10.3. The State survey shows that Agawam in so far as the graduation of her pupils is concerned is a good average town in which the per cent of accelerated pupils is one above the State average, and the number of retarded pupils is .8 of one per cent more than the State average.
There are numerous factors which influence the per cents in these tables. Obviously, where a foreign population is pre- ponderous and the mother tongue is neglected in the home, retardations will be more numerous. Again, where there is a shifting population with the consequent changing of schools from time to time, retardation will be more in evidence. And a fertile cause of retardation is poor attendance. The following table presents the statistics for attendance for the first four months of the present school year.
91
ATTENDANCE REPORT FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL YEAR September 4-December 21, 1928
Total Average
Average
Per
Mem-
Daily At- cent At- Tardi-
bership
Mem- bership
tendance tendance ness
High School
Senior High III
22
21.82
20.25
92.80
19
Senior High II
45
43.82
41.74
95.25
15
Senior High I
81
78.91
75.86
96.13
19
Junior High III
106
98.67
94.14
95.41
34
Junior High VIII-3
43
41.55
39.10
94.10
16
Junior High VIII-2
38
36.82
35.38
96.09
3
Junior High VIII-1
+1
40.07
38.55
96.21
11
Junior High VII-2
29
28.31
27.07
95.6
5
Junior High VII-I
32
30.37
29.5
97.13
6
Feeding Hills School
Grade VII
27
25.83
24.71
95.66
2
Grades V-VI
40
39.25
38.29
97.45
3
Grades IV-V
38
37.78
36.50
96.61
7
Grades II-III
46
44.34
42.99
96.96
7
Grade I
24
20.92
20.23
96.70
6
North Agawam School
Grade VIII
38
36.08
34.39
95.32
2
Grade VII
36
33.62
31.99
95.15
7
Grade VI P. M.
26
23.05
22.
95.44
11
Grade VI A. M
27
26.04
25.27
97.05
6
Grade V
40
37.36
36.4
97.43
5
Grades IV-V
33
32.27
31.23
96.78
6
Grade IV
37
36.12
34.95
96.76
11
Grade III
35
33.70
32.66
96.91
2
Grade II
41
39.47
37.84
95.87
6
Grades I-III
32
31.89
30.31
95.05
3
Grade I
38
35.19
33.16
94.23
17
Springfield Street School
Grade VII
34
32.38
30.65
94.66
13
Grade VI
43
42.06
39.71
94.42
14
Grade V
44
41.92
39.3
93.76
11
92
Grade IV
46
43.97
41.84
95.16
10
Grade III
40
36.66
33.32
90.89
4
Grades II-III
34
32.61
29.43
90.24
4
Grade II
42
41.15
36.70
89.18
10
Grade I
41
39.38
34.42
87.40
18
Grade I
13
12.38
10.92
88.21
5
Agawam Center School
Grade VI
41
38.98
37.5
96.2
22
Grade V
40
39.46
38.07
96.47
26
Grades IV-V
37
34.84
33.40
95.85
12
Grade IV
37
33.41
30.91
92.52
19
Grade III
36
32.28
29.90
92.62
12
Grade II
39
34.87
32.18
92.28
29
Grade I
45
37.93
33.15
87.39
26
West St. School
34
28.66
28.35
98.92
43
Suffield St. School
25
23.06
20.80
90.20
4
South School
23
21.06
20.39
96.81
3
Total Membership for Town
1689
Average Membership for Town
1600.31
Average Daily Attendance for Town
1515.45
Per cent Attendance for Town
94.70
Tardiness for Town
514
Total Membership January 1, 1928
1668
Increase over last year
21
The per cent of attendance for the entire school year 1927- 1928 was 94.65. This is the highest per cent that has yet been made in the Agawam schools in recent years and, in my judgment, is commendable in view of the fact that a large number of the pupils live in rural sections and at quite some distance from the schools centers.
Absence from school because of sickness may temporarily check a pupil's progress in the work of the school but such absence does not make for retardation, since in most cases those afflicted with sickness lament the fact that they are missing school and when they return to school they make a renewed effort to catch up with their classes. On the other hand, those pupils who are irregular in attendance, whose names are frequently referred to the attendance officer are on their way to retardation and if the
93
findings of social investigators are reliable, they are also the ones found most often in the police courts.
The report of the attendance officer follows.
To the Superintendent of Schools:
Nunber of calls at the homes for the schools 608
Number of calls at the schools 532
Number of calls at the homes and places of employment to see about certificates 30
Number of truants 45
Number of investigations for other cities and towns
20
There were no court cases this year.
The Town has only one boy in the Hampden County Train- ing School.
Respectfully submitted,
DANIEL O. CESAN
HEALTH
During the first three months of the present school year excellent averages in attendance were made in all of the grades. These good records were somewhat offset by the many cases of sickness which came in December. In Agawam, as well as in our neighboring towns and cities, the per cent of attendance of school children fell. Measles, scarlet fever, chicken pox, diphtheria, la grippe and flu make a formidable array when they combine their forces for an attack. The State, County, Town, and school health forces have co-operated in every way to check the sickness.
Scarlet fever proved the most baffling foe with which to cope, due to the subtle nature which the disease has assumed in recent years. When trained doctors must defer their diagnosis because of the scarcity of symptoms, it is not surprising that some parents have paid less and less attention to the dangers of spread- ing scarlet fever. Very often when one member of the family has been attacked and no physician has been called, the patient having been treated with home restoratives was soon apparently well,
94
but when other members of the family show similar symptoms, the doctor is summoned and the malady is diagnosed as scarlet fever. In the meantime the original patient has been spreading the infection in those centers in which he moves and the net result is more and more cases of fever. My object in giving so much space to scarlet fever is to ask each parent to help out in full measure in fighting contagious diseases. If, when symptoms ap- pear, such as sore throat, nausea, and rash, no matter how slight these symptoms may be, parents would inform the community or school health departments, greater headway could be made in checking the spread of all contagious diseases.
During the first week of May, Child Health Day was cele- brated in all of our schools. An appropriate program was enacted and, in general, the suggestions of the State Department of Health were given emphasis. Health tags were awarded to the children on the basis of Weight, Posture, and Care of Teeth. Our child- ren made an excellent showing in every respect except that of Care of Teeth.
Care of teeth is of great importance for the health and hap- piness of all persons. In the case of children in the lower grades a dental clinic is necessary if any positive results are to be obtained. It is not in place here to repeat the well known arguments for such a clinic, for no person is ignorant of the facts in regard to the care of teeth.
With the exception of Infantile Paralysis, Diphtheria is the most feared disease which preys upon children of school age. In Agawam we have a few cases each year and at the onset of every case we pause for reflection and wonder how we can prevent the spread of the malady. In other words, we wait until the house is on fire before we attempt to put out the flames. Such a dilatory practice is not necessary in dealing with diphtheria. The Shick Test and the Toxin Anti-Toxin vaccination are a positive preven- tion of the disease. Nearly all of our neighboring towns have recognized this fact and have taken steps to immunize the school children from the devastations of diphtheria.
From a legal standpoint, dental clinics and the Shick test for diphtheria must be sponsored by the Board of Health in a town. The School Department can, however, make its recommendations and lend support to these measures. And I take this oppor- tunity to assert that a song about a toothbrush may have some
95
value but it will not fill a decayed tooth, and the burning of a sulphur candle may give confidence but it will not prevent the onset and spread of diphtheria. Let us then give our support to those agencies of health which are effective and preventative.
Reports of the school nurse and the school doctor follow.
96
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL DOCTOR AND SCHOOL NURSE
January 1928, to January 1929
Number of Schools Visited 8
Number of Visits to Schools
980
Number of Visits to Homes 860
Number of Treatments 480
Number of Pupils Inspected
4132
Number of Pupils taken to Oculist and Physician
20
Number of Cases of Scarlet Fever
50
Number of Cases of Whooping Cough
16
Number of Cases of Chicken Pox
107
Number of Cases of Mumps
5
Number of Cases of Diphtheria
12
Number of Cases of Measles
57
Number of Cases of German Measles
4
Number of Cases of Pediculosis
14
Number of Tonsils and Adenoids
414
Number of Defective Teeth
526
Number of Glands
170
Number of Rapid Cardiac Cases
8
Number of Orthopedic Cases
6
Number of Cases of Slight Goiter
8
60 pupils were examined at the Chest Clinic given at the North Agawam School on February 28.
New cases 37; 1 suspicious, 36 negative.
Returned Cases; 4 suspicious, 13 negative.
4 suspicious cases were taken to Westfield Sanatorium for X-Ray. All were found negative.
40 Von Pirquets Tests were given. 14 X-Rays were advised.
97
May Health Day: 43 Pre-school children were vaccinated ; 55 were examined.
Pupils were measured in October and March; weighed in October. December, January, and May.
2 children were taken to Shriners' Hospital for advice and examination, and fitted with braces.
My sincere appreciation to the parents, superintendent, princi- pals, and teachers, for their courtesy and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
MARY LOUISE BLACK
REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL SYSTEM
Two years ago the burden of the school report had to do with the reorganization of our school system. In this report it was proposed to change our system from thirteen to twelve grades. Such a plan was at that time put into force and at the present time is well on the way to consummation. By September first our schools will have a definite program of organization, the important feature of which is that there will be six grades in the Elementary Schools and six grades in the Junior-Senior High School. Such an organization has not been possible heretofore because of lack of room in the Junior-Senior High School building. This lack will have been removed by September first when the addition to the Junior-Senior High School will have been com- pleted.
During the present school year housing conditions have de- manded that three seventh grades and one eighth grade meet in rooms outside the High School building. By such an arrange- ment two distinct types of school organization for children of junior high school age have been in force; namely, that type of school in which one teacher gives instruction in all of the subjects of study and the pupils remain in the same room for all classes, which room is a part of an elementary school: and that type of school which features all of the advantages of an up-to-date jun- ior high school including departmental instruction and classes in manual training, physical training and domestic science, plus important club activities.
98
The addition to the high school offers the equivalent of six- teen modern classrooms with up-to-date equipment, and will make it possible for all boys and girls in the upper six grades to have equal school opportunities in a school building second to none in the State of Massachusetts. In this building are also provided two modern gymnasiums with appropriate bath, toilet and locker facilities; one large manual training shop and an auxiliary room for shop purposes; a complete unit for teaching domestic science ; a large auditorium, and a lunch room. The above mentioned units are significant in a modern school plant.
In this plan, or reorganization, provision is also made for at least two groups of children that need special attention. In the Junior-Senior High School building one large room is allotted to that group of boys and girls who are of junior high school age chronologically but whose mental age is below that of their associ- ates. At the present time these children are worrying along in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. In this new room they will find the educational opportunity more in harmony with their beings. In the North Agawam School a special class will be formed for the same type of children as they are found in the lower grades. These children have their special problems which must also be approached from the standpoint of their natural endowments.
A brief summing up of this reorganization is found in the statement that the Agawam school system is designed to accord to every pupil in the Town an equal educational opportunity, bearing in mind that such an equality of opportunity can only be realized when due consideration is given to the natural endow- ments and potentialities of our children.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation of school children in Agawam in past years has been somewhat of a piecemeal and part time undertaking. Such a condition was natural because the children in most cases were transported for only three months of the school year, and the compensation for this part time service was not sufficient to make the job more than a secondary consideration for the driver.
The compulsory insurance law has made it imperative that the drivers use a higher standard of equipment. This demand has been met in the Feeding Hills section of the Town by the employ-
99
ment of Louis DePalma, who contracts to transport all of the school children of Feeding Hills. He has purchased three modern school busses and is giving a high standard of service. In the Agawam section of the Town no single driver has been found who is willing to contract for the entire project of transporting the children, but the number of drivers has been reduced from six to three and these three drivers, with improved equipment, are giving excellent service.
I am reminded at this point of the fact that many of our former drivers had been in the service over a long period of time. during which time they met .the previous requirements of the job in a satisfactory manner, and in many instances gave a type of service worthy of commendation. The new requirements of the service made it necessary to reduce the number of drivers and, in consequence thereof, several of our former drivers could not be given employment.
INSTRUCTION
The progress of our pupils up through the grades as shown by the promotion, and age and grade tables is reasonable; that is, if the standards of the present day are worthy of merit as a meas- uring instrument.
The Class of 1928, Agawam High School numbered forty- five. This is the largest class that has been given diplomas since the founding of the school in September, 1922. It is significant that this class to the last member has found a place in the work- aday world and, according to the reliable reports which have reached the office, each member is a worthy representative of the Agawam High School.
The success of our pupils, either at home or abroad, is due to various factors, but no one would deny the statement that any appraisal of said success could not leave out of consideration the instructional force of the schools. The following statistics will present the status of our teaching force both as to training and experience and, in conclusion of this topic, I wish to state that a table of statistics can in no way convey the spirit or soul which pervades a group of workers. That condition can be discerned, however, by going into the classroom and meeting the teachers and pupils, and I take this opportunity to invite the parents and friends of our schools to visit our schools.
100
CONCLUSION
Once more I wish to refer you to the reports which follow and urge that they be given your attention. And, in conclusion, I wish to express my appreciation of the hearty response given by our citizens to the efforts of the School Committee to reorganize our schools on the 6-6 years program. This has resulted in a splendid Junior-Senior High School and made it possible to start the coming school year with two classes for children needing special attention. These accomplishments are far-reaching in their influence, and progressive in character. In view of such co-optration I havt found my work in pleasant surroundings.
Respectfully submitted, BENJAMIN J. PHELPS,
Superintendent of Schools.
101
REPORT OF THE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Benjamin J. Phelps, Superintendent of Schools, Agawam, Mass.
My dear Mr. Phelps :
In this, my second annual report, I am happy to account for a very satisfactory year in all the departments of the Junior and Senior High School. In the academic and technical courses and in extra curricula activities the quality and extent of achievement have been generally commendable.
I am also pleased to state that this school has again been classified in Group A of the high schools of this Commonwealth by the State Department of Education. Our graduates who are attending advanced institutions of learning are carrying on to the credit of their Alma Mater, while those who entered the business world are also contributing to the prestige of the Agawam High School.
With the acquisition of a new department by the next school year, it seems advisable to briefly outline the nature and scope of this new service of the school-Vocational Agriculture. As de- fined, "Agricultural education means that form of vocational education which fits for the occupations connected with the tillage of the soil, the care of domestic animals, forestry, and other wage-earning or productive work on the farm." Direct prepara- tion for pleasant and profitable farming is the principal purpose of a four years' course of vocational education in Massachusetts. It is of "less than college grade" and designed to meet the needs of pupils over fourteen years of age. A boy not ready for admis- sion to high school classes in such subjects as algebra, geometry or Latin may still be able to profit from the agricultural course,
102
in which he is especially interested. At the same time a boy may take sufficient academic work to gain entrance to the Agricultural College at Amherst. Each member of the class carries on a home project of his own choosing and under the guidance of the instruc- tor. These projects enable the boy to learn and at the same time to gain considerable profit. During the year 1927 statistics show that 700 boys were enrolled, who together netted $200,000. In addition there were valuable prizes offered to those who excelled in their respective projects.
Another distinct innovation is the instruction given in auto- motive engineering which trains a boy to care for and operate automobiles, tractors and farm machinery. This course is given during the winter months when outdoor work is less important. The taxpayers will be interested to know that two-thirds of the salary of the agricultural instructor and director is reimbursed by the Commonwealth. From my point of view, knowing the results obtained in other high school agricultural departments, and aware of the natural opportunities offered by this particular locality and of the ability already so much in evidence I feel confident that we can look ahead to having one of the strongest units in the State. "By their fruits ye shall know them".
For the past year the type of classroom procedure and instruc- tion of our teachers has continued up-to-date and effective. I am glad to say the question and answer method is being largely supplemented by more efficient and logical methods. Without question, the daily recitation is primarily a test period and the assimilation period is obviously one of supervised study. I am of the opinion that any method of instruction is good which arouses the curiosity of the student, and which develops the capacity for voluntary application along given lines. In words of Marcus Aurelius "Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observations." For the first time a weekly conference period is being given to members of a class. This is an improvement over the ordinary directed study plan in that the student receives more personal and timely help. This proved to be of considerable value.
The Student Council of last year should receive favorable comment for their excellent work in publishing "The Guide". This little handbook reveals the organization and activities of the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.