USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1951-1955 > Part 12
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 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
The attention of our taxpayers is directed to the widespread use of our school buildings by community groups. The gymnasium and auditorium at the high school are widely used particularly during the winter sea- son by organizations not directly connected with the schools. The auditorium and lunch facilities of the other schools are also being used frequently by such groups.
The policy of the Committee to carry on from year to year a solid program of building repairs was imple- mented by several projects during the past year. These included the installation of a hard surface on the high school driveway, painting the exterior wood trim on the high school building, painting the exterior wood trim on the Danahy School, and the installation of a new oil burn- er there, improvement of the lighting and painting of and installation of new floor in the kitchen at the Springfield Street School.
In 1952, we plan to paint the metal ventilators on the roof at the high school and Springfield Street School, replace two old boilers with one new one and further modernize lights at the Danahy School, install one new automatic oil burner at Springfield Street School, and to continue the usual redecoration of some classrooms in all of the elementary schools except the Clifford M. Granger School.
The increase in the proposed budget for 1952 is due mainly to increased salaries. It is felt that the increased cost of living plus the desire of the Committee to obtain and to continue to receive the services of high calibre people in the operation of the schools justifies these in- creases.
The Committee recognizes the excellent record of the high school football team, climaxed by the splendid victory over Richmond Academy, the A. A. High School
6
Champions of Georgia, in the Peanut Bowl on New Year's Day.
Our grateful appreciation is extended to all of our citizens and to all persons employed by the Department for their efforts in helping us to make 1951 a successful educational year in Agawam.
Respectfully submitted,
SYDNEY ATWOOD, Chairman PAUL ADAMS, Secretary KATHERINE DANAHY RICHARD TAYLOR DR. HOWARD SIMPSON ARTHUR FOLEY
7
Financial Statement
December 31, 1951
Town Appropriations
$361,236.70
EXPENDITURES
General Expense
$ 10,874.06
Salaries of Teachers,
Super-
visors and Principals
232,277.90
Textbooks
4,382.19
Stationery and Supplies
9,823.57
Wages of Janitors
21,624.94
Fuel
10,938.18
Janitors' Supplies and Operating Expenses
8,768.35
Repairs and Replacements
8,055.14
Libraries
219.49
Health
3,932.21
Transportation
25,648.14
Tuition-Trade School
3,728.22
Insurance
3,668.89
Miscellaneous Expenses
687.80
Memorial Field
549.36
Outlay-Building, Grounds and Equipment
2,575.17
Agriculture
3,880.48
Vocational Household Arts
2,127.08
1950 Tuition Bills
82.70
High School Athletics
1,915.85
$355,759.72
Paid by Federal Funds : Smith-Hughes and
George-Barden Funds for Agriculture $658.91
For Vocational
Household Arts
82.24 741.15
8
Total Expenditures from Town Appropriation $355,018.57
COST OF SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN
Total Expenditures by the Town $355,018.57
Returns to the Town on account
of schools, but not returnable to the School Department
From the State:
School Funds and State Aid for Public Schools $ 60,097.65
For Transportation of Pupils 15,862.50
For Agricultural Instruction 2,324.91
For Voc. Household Arts In- struction
925.10
On account of Trade School Tuition
2,249.89
Tuition and Transportation of State Wards
3,772.48
Tuition received from other Towns
1,179.08
Received from Manual Training Department
228.47
Received from Rental of School Property
336.00
Miscellaneous Receipts
97.60
$ 87,073.68
Amount paid for Schools from Local Taxation
$267,944.89
.
9
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
December 31, 1951
To the Members of the School Committee and to the Citizens of the Town of Agawam :
I herewith submit my second annual report as your Superintendent of Schools.
Home - School - Community
Recently Mrs. John E. Hayes, President, National Congress of Parents and Teachers, said, "There can be no outsiders in education today. From the moment the child wakes in the morning until he climbs into bed at night, he never stops learning. It is necessary, therefore, con- stantly to improve not only the school but also the general environment in which the child receives his education. Recognizing that the lasting defenses of this nation lie in the character and citizenship of its children-homes, school and community share as equal partners. Theirs is the responsibility for the growth of all our children toward maturity into useful, fruitful citizens able to sus- tain and enhance the free ways of free men."
The very foundations of the character and training of our young people are laid in the home. The large proportion of the pupil's time spent under the auspices of the home are of extreme importance and must be discharged with utmost care and planning. The factors which make up the home environment are paramount in the constitution of the child's total surroundings.
The importance of the school in this picture cannot be minimized. The offering of a sound training in funda- mentals, the guidance of pupils into lines of endeavor in which they are interested and for which they are suited and the presentation of a varied curriculum in-
10
cluding vocational education in the higher areas of the Agawam program has been and will continue to be out- standing characteristics of the local educational policy.
Our community has been criticized by some for lack of a comprehensive program of recreational activities for our young people. A possible answer to these critics might be the formation of a youth recreational council to coordinate these efforts, search out new activities and to attempt to interest people of a wide variety of ages and interests in the improvement of facilities for better use of leisure time. The community certainly contributes much to the development of the good citizen. The quality of this contribution will make itself evident in the accom- plishments and in the social and economic strength of its future citizens.
In coordinating the work of the home, school and community in the education of our children the work of our parent-teacher associations is indeed commendable. Our teachers and administrators are always willing to cooperate with parents and community leaders in the improvement of the factors contributing to the training of our young people.
I have a deep-seated faith in the future of our schools. We have many individuals working hard to improve them. With continued cooperation I am sure that we can con- tinue the high level of achievement and production of worthy citizens in years to come.
SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS
The year 1951 has seen some important events in the provision of more adequate housing for our school pupils. The addition to the Benjamin Phelps School will provide a net gain of nine classrooms. Students now housed at the Clifford Granger School at Feeding Hills and in temporary rooms in the auditorium of the Phelps School plus the estimated increase in enrollment will occupy seven of these classrooms in September, 1952. It is estimated that the other two rooms will be occupied in less than two years. The new cafeteria at the Katherine Danahy School will bring about the removal of the eating facilities now located on the third floor of the present
11
building. The proposition to build a new high school and to transform the present high school building into an elementary and junior high school was voted down in a special town meeting. When this report is written cir - cumstances indicate that the two classrooms at the Clif- ford Granger now used by pupils from the Benjamin Phelps School and to be vacated by them when the addi- tion at Agawam Center is opened in September, 1952 will have to be used by classes organized from pupils in the Granger School district. Thus all of the classrooms in the Granger School will be occupied. With growth in elementary enrollments expected to continue, the problem of space to house our pupils is going to be prominent again. Two alternate solutions come to mind. First a new elementary school could be built in the southeastern section of the town. This would relieve pressure on the facilities at both the Phelps and Granger Schools. It was mentioned in the recommendations of the Wilson Report in 1948. Another alternative is carry out the plan of the committee which recommended building a new high school and conversion of the present high school into an elementary school. In the very near future there will be a pressing need for room in both the elementary and high school levels. The enrollment table below is offered to support contentions in regards to building needs :
ENROLLMENT TABLE
Est.
Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. 1948 1949 1950 1951
1952
Total School Enrollment 1590
1677
1821
1908
2100
Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Dec. 31
School
1948
1949
1950
1951
1951
Phelps
365
367
435
483
508
Danahy
248
287
297
294
301
Springfield Street
226
212
224
216
225
C. M. Granger
116
168
172
195
205
Total Elementary
955
1034
1128
1188
1239
Jr .- Sr. High
635
643
693
720
724
Grand Total
1590
1677
1821
1908
1963
12
ATHLETICS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Regular classes in physical education are conducted for both boys and girls in the junior-senior high school. There is a need for this sort of instruction in the elemen- tary schools. Serious consideration should be given to the expanding of the offering of this type of training in all of the elementary schools and the employment of a full-time, professionally-trained superivsor to organize and carry on this work.
The invitation of our football team to play in the annual Peanut Bowl game in Columbus, Georgia, on New Year's Day was a signal honor for the town of Agawam. The excellent account rendered by the team in this inter- sectional classic is indicative of the long hours spent by coaches and players in perfecting individual and team play. The fine type of sportsmanship and high level of conduct throughout the trip was a credit to parents, school and community.
SALARIES OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL
There is in the warrant for the 1952 town meeting an article requesting the appropriation of funds to provide a salary increase of three hundred dollars per year for all teachers, principals, and supervisors. Throughout my service of two years as Agawam's Superintendent I have bcen constantly impressed by the high caliber of work being done by the professional staff of the school system. I sincerely hope that the voters will consider this request favorably in order that we may attract to and retain in our system the well-trained and hard-working type of professional educators and thus help our schools to enjoy the high rating which has been their lot in the past.
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
The serving of hot lunches to large numbers of our pupils continues to be an important factor in the opera- tion of our public schools. Each year a contract is signed with the School Lunch Division of the State Department of Education. In this contract our school committee agrees to furnish lunches to our children which meet the dietary standards of the State and Federal authorities.
13
The State Department agrees to reimburse the town for each lunch served and to donate surplus commodities such as canned fruits and vegetables, cheese, dried milk and some fresh fruits.
The cost to the children as this report is written, is twenty cents per lunch. Due to the rapidly increasing cost of foodstuffs and because of the decrease in quantity of donated commodities it seems that it will be necessary to increase the cost of the lunch to the pupil.
LUNCHES SERVED
School
Type A .
Type C (Milk Only)
Total
Benjamin J. Phelps
37,846
3,551
41,397
Katherine G. Danahy
29,869
4,756
34,625
Springfield Street
18,114
3,856
21,970
Clifford M. Granger
35,538
3,209
38,747
Junior-Senior High
34,236
13,585
47,821
155,603
28,957
184,560
14
FINANCIAL STATEMENT - 1951
School Lunch Program
Phelps
Granger
Spfld. St.
Danahy Jr .- Sr. High
Balance, Jan. 1, 1951
834.06
275.97 Arr.126.19
396.52
976.74
1950 Reimbursement re'd in 1951
Nov. Claim
286.10
299.29
165.48
263.18
340.64
Dec. Claim
259.78
254.19
149.64
237.90
276.52
1,379.94
829.45
188.93
897.60
1,593.90
All Receipts - 1951
12,026.79
10,510.12
5,725.29
9,121.20
15,086.10
13,406.73
11,339.57
5,914.22
10,018.80
16,680.00
Disbursements - 1951
12,148.01
11,165.50
6,820.28
9,942.03
15,842.05
Bal. Dec. 31, 1951
1,258.72
174.07
906.06
76.77
837.95
Arrears
Federal Claims Due, not received
753.06
679.78
335.04
553.10
647.53
Balance Dec. 31, 1951 - $1,441.45
15
PLANNING THE ADDITION TO THE PHELPS SCHOOL
Seated, left to right: Dr. Howard Simpson, Phil V. Hembdt, Chairman; Raymond E. Harris, Mrs. Ruth Ellershaw and Arthur Garvey Standing, left to right: A. Jerome Goodwin, Superintendent of Schools, and Paul B. Johnson, Architect
BUILDING REPAIRS IN 1951
Granger School:
1. Repaired leak in plumbing, lower floor
2. Replaced lath, plaster and acoustic tile damaged by leak
3. Repaired acoustic tile in auditorium ceiling dam- aged by roof leak
4. Shrubbery damaged by fuel oil replaced by oil contractor
5. All floors waxed and resurfaced
Springfield Street School:
1. Repainted one classroom
2. Installed new fluorescent lights in one classroom
3. Painted lunch kitchen
4. Installed new grease-proof asphalt tile floor in kitchen
5. Repaired one univent
6. Repaired outside door
7. Installed new bulletin boards in two classrooms
8. Washed and sealed all floors
Katherine G. Danahy School:
1. Repainted all exterior wood trim
2. Painted one classroom
3. Installed one new oil burner
4. Repaired roof leak
5. Repaired master condensate valve in heating system
6. Resurfaced desks in two classrooms
7. Washed and sealed or waxed all floors
Benjamin J. Phelps School:
1. Repaired second floor window sill
2. Replaced roof slate damaged by storm
3. Overhauled oil burner
4. Repaired leak in boiler
5. Erected temporary partitions for two classrooms in auditorium
6. Washed and sealed all floors
Junior-Senior School:
1. Repainted auditorium
17
2. Painted all exterior wood trim
3. Replaced all cracked and broken glass in outside windows
4. Installed a new asphalt surface in driveway
5. All corridor floors repainted
6. Repainted floors in lunch room and girls' shower and locker rooms
7. Cleaned and resealed gymnasium floor
8. Repaired worn and damaged pupils' desks
9. Repaired roof
10. Repaired and replaced glass in fire doors
11. Washed and sealed all classroom floors
REPAIRS PLANNED FOR 1952
Granger School:
1. Emergency repairs only
Springfield Street School:
1. Paint one classroom
2. Install oil burner in one boiler
3. Install condensate pump in heating system
4. Replace roof gutters to take care of roof drainage
5. Install new lights in one classroom
6. Paint metal ventilators on roof
Katherine G. Danahy School:
1. Replace two old boilers with one larger one with oil burning equipment
2. Paint one classroom
3. Replace window shades where needed
4. Modernize lighting in one classroom
Benjamin Phelps School:
1. Paint one classroom
2. Paint back stairwell
3. Remove partitions in auditorium
4. Seal classroom floors
Junior-Senior High School:
1. Paint metal ventilators and other metal trim on roof
2. Replace glass in girls' locker room windows
18
3. Paint floors of corridors, boys' locker and shower rooms and lunchroom
4. Seal all classroom floors
ยท
REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION
Springfield Street School:
1. Leveling and resurfacing of playground
2. Repainting of auditorium and corridors
3. Continue program of installation of new lights
4. Installation of second oil burner
5. Repaint exterior wood trim 1
Katherine G. Danahy School:
1. Continue redecoration of classrooms
2. Improvement of playground
3. Further modernization of lighting facilities
Benjamin J. Phelps School :
1. Complete redecoration of auditorium
Junior-Senior High School:
1. Installation of hard surface on parking area at rear of building
2. Modernization of kitchen in lunchroom
3. Installation of asphalt tile on corridor floors
BUDGET FOR 1952
The proposed budget for the year 1952 shows a substantial increase over the 1951 figure. A comparison will show that the principal increases are in the categories involving salaries and insurance. The increasing cost of living, the higher expense involved in training and the increasing number of teachers needed because of increased enrollment have made higher salary appropria- tions a necessity.
The school committee has decided to go along with the findings of a survey of our buildings made to deter- mine the proper amount of fire insurance which the town should have in force. The funds for the additional cov- erage plus the added insurance for the two building
19
additions now under construction and due to be com- pleted during the year 1952, are reflected in the 1952 budget estimates.
BUDGET - 1952
1. General Expense
$ 11,550
2. Teachers' Salaries 266,550
3. Textbooks 4,000
4. Stationery and Supplies
7,500
5. Janitors' Salaries
24,786
6. Fuel
13,490
7. Repairs and Replacements
5,185
8. Janitors' Supplies and Misc. Operating Exp.
7,300
9. Tuition
4,000
10. Transportation
29,800
11. Library
300
12. Health
4,250
13. Memorial Field Maintenance
500
14. Insurance
10,166
15. Miscellaneous
900
16. Outlay, New Equipment
1,020
17. High School Athletics
900
18. Vocational Agriculture
3,600
19. Vocational Household Arts
1,800
$397,597
20. Travel Outside Commonwealth
150
$397,747
REIMBURSEMENT BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND OTHER RECEIPTS
The table below shows a comparison of reimburse- ment in the years 1950-1951. It also indicates the effect on the total expenditures for school purposes if the amount were credited to the School Department.
1950
1951
Chapter 70 (Teachers' Salaries)
$ 52,287.65 $ 60,097.65
Chapter 71 (Transportation)
9,014.50
15,862.50
Agricultural Instruction
2,164.23
2,324.91
Vocational Household Arts
941.26
925.10
20
Trade School Tuition
2,294.61
2,249.89
Tuition & Trans., State Wards
3,527.01
3,772.48
Tuitions from other Towns
788.65
1,179.08
Manual Training Department
277.88
228.47
450.00
336.00
Rentals of School Property Miscellaneous
20.82
97.60
$ 71,766.61 $ 87,073.68
Budget Total
312,272.79
355,759.72
Reimbursements
71,766.61
87,073.68
Cost of Schools to Town
$240,506.18 $268,686.04
COMMENDATION
During the year 1951 our schools lost two able and loyal teachers through retirement. In January Mrs. Hazel Aldrich, teacher of domestic science in the high school, retired. Mrs. Aldrich had served the young people of Agawam since September, 1922. In April Miss Jennie Lucas, teacher of Grade I at the Katherine Danahy School, bid farewell to her classroom after fifty years of service. It is sincerely hoped that these teachers will enjoy many pleasant years of retirement. They are commended for their long years of service to our schools.
The efforts of the cooperative planning committee from the high school staff in assisting in the planning of a new high school building is recognized with grateful appreciation.
CONCLUSION
My personal gratitude is extended to the members of our professional staff and to all other employees of the department for their efforts throughout the year in keeping our school system running smoothly and in striving to improve our facilities and services to the young people of our community. Our school committee has been very cooperative and has helped to make the year a pleasant one. Other town officials have been of considerable assistance in carrying on the work of the school department. My thanks go out to the citizens of
21
the community without whose help it would be impossible to make our schools meet the high rating which they have so consistently enjoyed.
Respectfully submitted,
A . JEROME GOODWIN Superintend of Schools
22
STAGE
CAFETERIA 40' x 64'
STORAGE
WOMEN
MEN
HALL
KITCHEN
STORAGE STORAGE
LIBRARY
O
5 10
20
30
ADDITION TO KATHERINE G. DANAHY SCHOOL
Alderman and McNeish, Architects and Engineers
ATTENDANCE REPORT AND ENROLLMENTS FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL YEAR
SEPTEMBER 5 - DECEMBER 29, 1951
Total Average Average
Mem-
Mem-
bership bership
Daily At- tendance
% At- tendance
Tar- di- ness
High School:
Senior High III
75
73.11
69.29
94.77
114
Senior High II
108
106.28
101.30
95.32
102
Senior High I
129
124.85
119.54
95.75
59
Junior High III
115
113.24
108.82
96.09
78
Junior High VIII-1
36
35.04
33.82
96.49
16
Junior High VIII-2
35
35.00
34.23
97.41
4
Junior High VIII-3
37
36.04
34.23
95.21
18
Junior High VIII-4
35
35.00
34.03
97.65
9
Junior High VII-1
39
38.00
36.70
96.59
4
Junior High VII-2
38
37.59
36.56
97.24
19
Junior High VII-3
39
36.87
33.94
95.91
16
Junior High VII-4
37
36.37
34.99
96.22
26
Special Class
17
16.76
14.94
89.15
14
Springfield St. School
Grade VI
32
31.51
30.14
95.64
5
Grade V
33
32.88
31.75
96.55
1
Grades IV-V
25
24.28
23.43
96.49
1
Grade IV
30
29.30
27.32
93.25
5
Grade III
35
33.69
32.07
95.12
3
Grade II-A
23
21.08
19.73
93.59
1
Grade II-B
20
20.00
19.07
95.35
5
Grade I
30
29.11
27.35
93.93
16
Katherine G. Danahy School
Grade VI
26
25.27
24.47
96.85
4
Grade V
35
34.87
33.14
95.03
10
Grades IV-V
33
32.54
31.05
95.45
11
Grade IV
34
32.61
31.30
95.98
3
Grades III-IV
32
31.10
29.56
95.04
19
24
Total Mem- bership
Average Average Mem- bership
Daily At- tendance
At-
Tar- di-
tendance ness
Grade III
37
34.96
33.51
95.87
1
Grades II-III
38
33.93
31.94
94.15
9
Grades I-II
32
31.18
28.72
92.10
11
Grade I
35
32.44
29.11
89.75
9
Special Class
12
9.76
8.82
90.33
1
Clifford M. Granger School
Grade VI
18
17.20
16.91
98.32
0
Grade V
34
32.82
31.87
97.12
1
Grade IV
40
38.94
37.86
97.20
0
Grade III
38
35.32
33.91
95.99
3
Grade II-A
22
20.88
19.68
94.23
0
Grade II-B
21
20.11
19.24
95.66
2
Grade I
39
37.01
34.26
92.57
7
Benjamin J. Phelps School:
Grade VI-A
32
30.81
28.74
93.28
7
Grade VI-B
34
32.96
31.13
94.46
11
Grade V-A
39
38.25
35.99
94.08
1
Grade V-B
37
35.60
33.79
94.95
2
Grade IV-A
37
31.78
29.42
92.57
1
Grade IV-B
33
32.27
30.27
93.30
4
Grade IV-C
33
31.58
30.20
95.62
2
Grade III-A
31
30.18
28.88
95.72
6
Grade III-B
32
29.10
27.35
94.01
3
Grade III-C
31
28.54
26.65
93.40
2
Grade II-A
33
28.08
26.68
95.03
9
Grade II-B
33
29.29
27.51
93.93
4
Grade II-C
30
27.92
25.98
93.03
1
Grade I-A
31
30.74
27.30
88.82
2
Grade I-B
32
29.42
28.39
96.34
1
Grade I-C
31
28.70
26.06
90.80
5
Total Membership for Town
2023
Average Membership for Town
1942.16
Average Daily Attendance for Town
1842.94
Per Cent Attendance
94.89
Total Tardiness for Town
668
Total Membership for Town, December 22, 1950
1903
25
REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
December 7, 1951
Mr. A. Jerome Goodwin Superintendent of Schools
Agawam, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
Herein is my fourteenth annual report on the Junior- Senior High School.
GENERAL COMMENT
This nation continues to mobilize its resourses in preparation for a major conflict in which it may be en- gaged. Preparedness now is a consuming aim and desire so that the country may be ready in case threats materialize and normal industry is restricted in deference to the designated program.
The schools now have the youth who will soon take an active part in the present intensive effort toward the stock piling of materials and the training of man- power. Proper education of these young people is of paramount importance to the organization of the best possible program of national security. At this time schools should present carefully chosen curricula, be adequately staffed, and well-housed. Within the capa- city of its physical equipment, the school is carrying its allotted load.
The student enrollment continues to increase. The seventh grade entering in September numbered 154. It is a group which is too large, according to present day educational standards, for proper supervision by the number of teachers assigned to it and for the number of rooms available for it. All other classes are larger than those of last year.
This year, as an experiment, the parents of the pupils in both the junior and senior high schools were invited to visit on the same Parents' Night. Most parents praised the innovation, and it will be continued. In many
26
cases it eliminates the necessity for parents to visit on two nights. As in other years, the teachers were very pleased with the co-operation of the parents. All mem- bers of the faculty agreed that the children of Agawam were blessed with very fine parents.
The Band Parents Association continues its excellent work. During the year its members aided materially by the purchase of additional uniforms and instruments, and by acting as hosts to the band personnel and cheer- leaders at a banquet and entertainment.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Friendly co-operation of faculty and students throughout the years since the organization of the school has had a favorable effect on academic standards within the school. The past year was characterized by the same good results; grades were uniformly high.
The Pro Merito Society, entrance to which is gained by a maintenance of an academic average of 85 per cent or better during four years of school, enrolled 17. Their names follow :
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.