USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1931-1935 > Part 9
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Winter Term-January 3 to February 24
Spring Term-March 6 to April 28
Summer Term-May 8 to June 16, Elementary Schools
Summer Term-May 8 to June 23, Junior-Senior High School
Fall Term-September 6 to December 22
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OFFICE HOURS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT High School Building-School Days, 8.30-9.30 a.m., and by appointment.
SECRETARY Emma Mellor Telephone : 4-1630
HOURS OF SESSIONS Elementary Schools 9.00-12.00 a.m. 1.00-3.30 p.m.
Junior High School 9.00-12.00 a.m. 12.30-3.00 p.m.
Senior High School 9.00 a.m .- 12.30 p.m. 1.00-3.00 p.m.
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REPORT OF School Committee
Agawam was incorporated as a town June 15. 1855. From that date on up through to the present time various customs and regulations have become part of our by-laws and of our history. In accord with such traditions the School Committee are expected each year to give an ac- count of their stewardship of the public schools during the year preceding. As economy is the slogan everywhere these days we shall endeavor to be as brief as possible in our report for the year 1932.
The year just closed was like 1931, one of unprecedented deflation along industrial and agricultural lines. This condi- tion in our business affairs has made practically everyone realize, as never before, the critical state of finances; na- tional, state and municipal. Regardless of political plans and promises, and without sales taxes and farm relief pro- grams, we must eventually work out our own salvation here in Agawam. As a Committee, we have economized at every possible point, and in 1933 we shall have to cut expenses until we are right down to the bone, so to speak. Whatever cuts we make in our School Budget, we must not sacrifice the efficiency of our schools and we cannot afford to lower their standard. At the National Educational Conference, recently held in Washington, much stress was placed upon the matter of stricter economy in school administration, but even greater emphasis was placed upon the thought that "no damage to the child" should be caused by false ideas of economy. The Federation of Labor, through its representa- tives at that Conference, was the strongest proponent of that
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idea. We were told in our younger days that, "the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children even unto the third and fourth generation." If the efficiency of our schools is lessened at this time, and the standard and morale of our teaching force and of our student body lowered also. there is no doubt but what it would take us several generations to regain our present high scholastic rating. Bearing these thoughts in mind we must save where the savings will be the greatest and where the damage to the present, as well as to succeeding generations, will be the least.
Since our last annual report our school enrollment has increased to the high-water mark of 1921 pupils. Most of the increase appears in the High School, where there are probably more than a hundred pupils in attendance who in normal times would be at work rather than at their studies. Daniel Webster once said: "Open the doors of the school- house to all the children in the land. On the diffusion of education among the people rests the preservation and per- petuation of our free institutions." The industrial and com- mercial stagnation now prevalent has, without a doubt. brought into the public schools everywhere hundreds of boys and girls who ordinarily would be at work in the of- fices, the shops, the stores and the mills of our industrial centers. Webster's conception of the public school would appear to be more applicable in 1933 than in his time.
In March, 1932 our teachers took a voluntary cut of ten per cent on their salaries. Agawam teachers were among the first to take such action and should be heartily com- mended therefor. Many of our surrounding towns have not even as yet given their teaching force a cut in wages. Let us all give our teachers our hearty support and show them that we appreciate their action.
We would report that the problem of the so-called South School in Agawam has been settled. The Committee voted to close that school and to transport the pupils attending there to the Agawam Center School. This step seems to have been approved by all parents who send children there,
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and the children themselves are, of course, enjoying much better advantages than before.
As an item of fuel economy, we have had installed in one of the boilers at the Feeding Hills Center School a blower system which enables us to burn there buckwheat coal in- stead of the furnace size. We expect a considerable reduc- tion in coal tonnage, as well as a very substantial saving due to the use of a cheaper grade of coal. At present we have at that school but one boiler in service as the other one has been out of commission for several months. Various plans for repairing it have been discussed by your Com- mittee, but the steamfitters whom we have consulted in the matter are agreed that it would be very poor policy to lay out any great amount of money upon such an old obsolete type of boiler. Consequently, we must at an early date pro- vide funds for the purchase and installation of a new heat- ing unit in that building. If anything should go wrong with our present overworked unit we would have no spare to fall back upon. The State Boiler Inspector, when he made his annual inspection, insisted that something should be done to remedy this situation. As we have had no funds available for the purchase of a new boiler, it would seem that for the present we must get along with what we have.
As a matter of economy we have been obliged to lay off our truant officers. In years past they have rendered very efficient service in their respective sections of our town and though our percentage of school attendance is still very high, we feel that they should be re-instated as soon as money is available for their remuneration.
Our budget for 1932 was $145,000 which was about $11,000 less than in 1931. For over twenty years your School Department expenses have been kept within the confines of the annual appropriation. This is a record of which any municipal department can well be proud. During the year 1932 we received from the State School Fund and other sources about $25,000, leaving the sum of about $120- 000 to be raised by local taxation. Taking these facts into
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consideration you will find that the cost per pupil for edu- cation in Agawam is much lower than that of most of the adjoining towns, and is also far below the average cost per pupil for the 83 towns of the group in which Agawam is listed. When you also take into consideration the high standards maintained in both our grade schools and our High School you should feel pride in your school system. Our High School is attracting more pupils from other towns each year. One fact about our High School, which probably very few of our citizens know, we would like to mention at this time. The Agawam High School, before it had even graduated its first class, was granted the certifi- cate privilege by all New England colleges that have the certificate privilege in vogue. This action was almost un- precedented in New England scholastic circles, and makes it possible for all graduates maintaining satisfactory stand- ing in their studies to enter colleges without examination. This privilege will not be taken away from us as long as we maintain the required standards in our schools.
In conclusion we wish to thank all loyal supporters of our public schools, and we would like to leave with them as a parting thought the words of that great man Charles Sumner : "In a republic, education is indispensable."
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFFORD M. GRANGER, Chairman SIDNEY F. ATWOOD JOSEPH L. ROY WARREN C. BODURTHA E. J. DEMARAIS JOHN J. CALDON
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Financial Statement
DECEMBER 31, 1932
Appropriation
$145,000.00
EXPENDITURES
General Expense
$ 6,101.45
Salaries of Teachers, Supervisors and Principals
93,200.90
Text Books
1,840.70
Stationery, Supplies, etc.
3,613.99
Wages of Janitors
9,703.60
Fuel
5,496.10
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
2,835.54
Repairs and Replacements
2,473.46
School Libraries
54.16
Health
2,154.53
Transportation
II,045.36
Tuition
3,087.76
Insurance on Buildings and Equipment
248.80
Miscellaneous Expenses
487.II
Outlay-New Equipment 318.02
Agriculture
2,335.06
Total
$144,996.54
SMITH-HUGHES FUNDS (Federal)
Appropriation
$322.42
Expenditures, Agricultural Dept., High School 322.42
GEORGE-REED FUNDS (Federal)
Appropriation $34.59
Expenditures, Agricultural Dept., High School 34.59
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RECEIPTS TO THE TOWN
Received from State :
*Reimbursement on account of Teachers' Salaries $ 20,391.33 Reimbursement for Agricultural Instruction in High School 1,522.65
Reimbursement on account of Vocational School Tuition 1,533.22
Reimbursement on account of Continuation School Tuition 84.32
Tuition for State Wards 820.52
High School Tuition received from other towns 765.99
Received for Rental of School Buildings .. 311.00
Received from sale of Manual Training Supplies
160.73
Total $ 25,589.76
Total School Department Expenditures $144,996.54 Total Receipts to Town on account of Schools 25,589.76
Net Cost of Schools to Town $119,406.78
* One of the determining factors of the $20,391.33 reim- bursement is the training and experience of our teachers. The rate of reimbursement is as follows: For an inex- perienced teacher who is a graduate of a normal school the town receives $100. If, however, such a graduate has had two years of experience the rate of reimbursement is $150, and for three years of experience the rate is $200. We find, then, that an experienced and well trained group of teachers brings, in addition to high achievement in the classroom, a considerable sum of money to the treasury of the town.
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REPORT OF THE Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee and the Citizens of Agawam :
I hereby submit the annual report of the Superintendent of Schools.
Last year my report was written about school costs. In that report the school costs of the different towns and cities in Group II, in which Agawam is classed, were compared and contrasted. Since the publishing of that report there has been considerable change in the costs of education in the town of Agawam; therefore it is quite fitting that the topic of "School Costs" should be the burden of this year's report. I hope that the interest of our citizens in the cost of our schools will encourage them to review last year's re- port, in order that there may be a better understanding of this report.
PART I
COSTS OF EDUCATION
The following table presents the per pupil expenditures for school support for the school year 1931-1932.
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PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE FOR SCHOOL. SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1931-1932
(By Major Divisions of the School Budget)
Expenditure per pupil-
State as a whole
Expenditure per pupil-
Group II of 83 towns-
in which group Agawam
is classified
in Agawam
General Control
$ 3.78
$ 3.22
$ 3.65
Salaries
69.89
63.69
56.03
Text Books and Supplies
4.22
4.36
3.20
Operation
10.48
10.22
10.00
Repairs
4.58
2.90
1.62
Libraries
.12
.I5
.05
Health
1.6I
1.51
1.29
Transportation
2.66
3.36
6.30
Tuition
I.II
.55
.I2
Miscellaneous
.74
.77
.24
Total
$99.19
$90.73
$82.50
Expenditures per pupil
These tabulations were furnished by the State Depart- ment of Education and contain the very latest figures in school returns for the year which closed June 30, 1932. There are some outstanding contrasts presented in this table and, as such, there is a need for interpretation.
SALARIES
The average expenditure per pupil for teachers' salaries for the state as a whole is $69.89. For the group of 83 towns in which Agawam is classified the per pupil expenditure for salaries is $63.69. In the town of Agawam the per pupil ex- penditure for salaries is $56.03. In other words, in the year
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1931-1932 the average expenditure per pupil for salaries in the state as a whole was $13.86 per pupil more than was spent for salaries in Agawam. Again, Agawam spent $7.66 less per pupil for salaries than the average of her group. If Agawam had met the average expenditure per pupil of the state as a whole, it would have been necessary to ap- propriate $23,950 additional to our school budget. If Aga- wam had met the average expenditure per pupil of Group II, $9,406.48 additional would have been necessary. These figures are based on an average membership of 1728, which was the average membership of our schools for the year ending June, 1932. There is a very remarkable difference here, and from the standpoint of economy it is in favor of Agawam. How then, the question may arise, can Agawam make such a favorable showing? Some of the reasons are as follows :
In the first place, the Agawam teachers accepted a cut in salary of ten per cent. This cut was put into operation in March, 1932. It is true that cuts in teachers' salaries were given in other towns and cities, but in most cases the cuts were of less per cent and were not put into effect until September, 1932, that is six months later than in Agawam.
In the second place, there is a large number of pupils in Agawam, and fewer teachers are employed for their instruc- tion than is the case in the state as a whole, or in the group to which Agawam is allocated. In particular is this true of the Agawam Junior-Senior High School where, during the present year, 75 new pupils were registered without any in- crease whatever in the administrative staff.
Again, the organization of the entire school system is designed to give the greatest efficiency at the least expense. In short, that organization is Grades I-VI in the Elementary School; Grades VII-XII in the Junior-Senior High School.
TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLIES
Here again the balance of saving, if such it should be termed, is predominantly in our favor. The average ex- penditure per pupil for textbooks and supplies for the state
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as a whole is $1.02 more per pupil than is spent in Agawam. In Group II, to which Agawam belongs, $1.16 more per pupil is spent on these items than is spent in Agawam. We should have spent $2,004.48 more on books and supplies in order to meet the average of our group. This is a low esti- mate, since the figures are determined by use of the average membership of the Agawam schools as of June 30, 1932. The last four months of the school year ending December 3I would show an average membership considerably larger, because of the increased membership since the opening of schools in September. At the present time there is need for increased expenditures for books and supplies. Our pupils and teachers have been wearing out the old books and equipment for the past three years.
REPAIRS
Our table of costs presents another striking contrast in the item of repairs. The figure for the state at large is $4.58 per pupil, for Group II $2.90 per pupil, for Agawam $1.62 per pupil. The low cost per pupil in repairs is due to the fact that our old buildings have always been kept in good repair, and that our new buildings have been so con- structed that a minimum amount of repairs has been found necessary.
It should be noted here that the repairs made by the Welfare Department do not enter into these figures, for the School Committee did not employ welfare assistance before June, 1932. The Welfare Department has given consider- able assistance since July I, especially in outside repair work. By its help the chimney of the West Street School was rebuilt; the steps of the Feeding Hills School were re- modeled and replaced; the walls of the same school were pointed up, and minor repairs were made in the High School Building.
HEALTH
The health program of our schools has been conducted at a cost of $1.29. This expense in Agawam is 21 cents per pupil less than the average expense per pupil in Group II
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cities and towns, and 31 cents less than was expended on each pupil of the state as a whole. The reasons for this saving in Agawam are as follows: We have always paid our nurse considerably less than other towns in our class expend for such services. Again, we administered cuts of Io per cent to our nurse and school doctor during the past year.
TRANSPORTATION
In transportation the per pupil average for the state is $2.66, or $3.64 per pupil less than is expended in Agawam. In Group II this per pupil expense is $2.94 less than is the cost in Agawam. This difference in costs is due to the fact that there is much more transportation in Agawam than is the case in the state as a whole, or in the towns of Aga- wam's group. There is difficulty, then, in making an exact comparison in the matter of pupil expenditure for trans- portation. This point is clarified somewhat by the follow- ing comment. There is approximately 100 per cent com- parison in the item of salaries, for every town and city employs teachers to about the same pupil ratio. In the case of textbooks and supplies we have an item also that affords a 100 per cent basis of comparison, and the same, too, can be said in reference to repairs and health, but in the case of transportation there are many towns and cities that have scarcely any transportation at all.
In conclusion let us look at the per pupil expenditures in their totals, for in such a perspective we are able to get a summary of the various items which have been commented upon in this report. The expenditure per pupil in the state as a whole for these major items was $99.19: for the 83 towns listed in Group II, of which Agawam is one, the ex- penditure was $90.73 per pupil; the same expenditure in Agawam was $82.50. Another way of presenting this inter- esting contrast is as follows: The average expenditure per pupil in the state is $16.69 greater than in Agawam; the average expenditure per pupil in the towns of Agawam's class is $8.23 greater than is the case in Agawam.
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No school system can be properly evaluated on a dollar and cents basis. We are interested most of all to know that we are not paying too dear a price for what we are receiv- ing. At the same time we must not forget that too cheap a price is very often the substance of a very dear bargain. The second part of this report will deal, then, with this question. "What are the Citizens of Agawam receiving for this Expenditure ?"
PART II
OUR SCHOOLS
Our school program is based upon an accepted philoso- phy of education which has been evolved out of the ex- perience of the race and has had a special growth here in America. America differs somewhat from the rest of the world, especially in its educational system. In brief, that philosophy is as follows :
Every child has innate potentialities, or gifts of nature, or talents. These natural endowments vary to a high de- gree. Some of our children have many gifts, others are less favored, and some have scarcely any endowments at all. In a democracy such as we maintain in our country, our program of education must advance to all an equal oppor- tunity for the development of their various potentialities. That is, our educational system does not function in the main for the training of the bright child, it gives equal at- tention to the child of average ability and to the pupil of below average ability. too. Moreover, provision is made for the education of the deformed and unfortunate. for the deaf and the blind, and for the rich and the poor. In short, whatever children live within the commonwealth, who are not subjects for institutional care, must be given a proper place in the public school program, unless their parents or guardians wish to educate them in a private school. As a matter of fact. most of our children attend public schools, for only the rich can afford to educate their children in private schools.
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DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS
In order to give our numerous pupils a proper place in our school program, it becomes necessary to have various types of schools and curricula. By any other procedure we would be placed in the position of offering our boys and girls a stone when they are asking us for bread. Our citi- zens have not been insensible to this condition and have intelligently sanctioned, for many years, those studies which give their children a well-rounded education. Such studies include Art, Music, Health, Physical Training, Home Mak- ing, and Manual Training, as well as Foreign Languages, History, Science, Business Practice. English, and Agricul- ture. It is not necessary for this report to devote space to the defense of this educational program. Its support and maintenance are deep rooted by the basic fact that our democracy predicates an equal educational opportunity for all of its children. Only a program of education varied to meet the unequal endowments, aspirations and ambitions of our school population can in any sense be in keeping with the spirit of America.
Agawam has met the demands of a modern public school program, and is providing at the present time a proper place in her school system for all of the children in her confines ; and is making this provision at a per pupil expenditure con- siderably less than is the case of the average town in her classification.
MUTUAL BENEFITS
What are some of the returns that we as citizens de- rive from this expenditure? For whatever money we ex- pend upon our children, to a very high degree, we are in- vesting in ourselves. Our boys and girls are not left to themselves but are brought into daily contact, to their own preferment, with an earnest, able-minded, conscientious, co- operative, unselfish group of teachers. Boys and girls must grow up. They must be trained to noble purposes in life. The graduates of our High School find congenial work and are uniformly successful therein, or enter higher institu- tions of learning where they are able to carry on.
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Where can our children go, or where can we as parents maintain them otherwise than in our schools? There is no place in industry for children of school age,-this formerly was not so. In the years 1830-1870 many of our industries in the North were employing children from six years of age up for sixteen hours per day at a wage of from six to twenty-five cents per day. The abolition of slavery in the South was immediately followed by crusades against child labor in the North. The great injustice of this form of labor was soon apparent and many laws were enacted pro- hibiting such practice; until we find that children under sixteen cannot be employed in our mills and factories. And along with these laws come other restrictions that prevent youngsters under sixteen years of age from entering trades. The apprentice system of trade education has entirely gone by the boards. It was natural, then, that our schools should increase in number, that enrollments should quadruple, quintuple and sextuple, and that a new type of education should be developed.
We cannot go back to the good old days because the good old days are gone never to return. In the good old days our pioneer society had great powers of absorption ; that is, whenever the boys and girls dropped out of school, as they usually did at the end of the sixth grade, they could be readily absorbed into some other occupation. The boys could go to farms and find work, or enter as apprentices to all sorts of trades. The girl could go back home to take up housework. In fact, there was room outside of the class- room for all of the group; but today the schools are the only place in which our youth from the ages of five to nine- teen can be employed. How natural that the youth of our country should have their formative years set aside for them by the laws of our commonwealth and by the organ- ization of our industries and our homes, and devoted to their education! How profitable for our children and for our parents, too!
The administration of any school system in these days of depression is a rather difficult problem. The responsi- bility resting upon the parents. the school committee, the
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teachers and the superintendent is quite heavy. The schools must be kept up to standard; even in the face of falling funds there must be no retreat. The call for sacrifices on the part of all to meet this obligation is unmistakable. The willingness of all parties concerned to do their part in meet- ing this obligation has been conspicuous. By the continu- ance of such cooperation our future plans can be prospered and our schools maintained in efficiency.
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN J. PHELPS, Superintendent of Schools
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ATTENDANCE REPORT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL YEAR
September 7, 1932-January 27. 1933
Total Mem- bership
Average Average Mem- bership
Per cent
Daily At-
At-
Tardi-
tendance tendance
ness
High School
Senior High III
82
79.58
75.27
94.58
46
Senior High II
77
72.49
69.01
95.20
59
Senior High I
102
97.16
93.30
96.03
32
Junior High III
168
150.52
154.16
96.64
39
Junior High VIII-I
40
38.63
37.66
97.48
2
Junior High VIII-2
39
35.13
3.3.83
96.30
22
Junior High VIII-3
40
38.74
36.57
94.37
0
Junior High VIII-4
19
16.19
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