USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1951-1955 > Part 50
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Superintendent of Schools
This second annual report of your school superintendent must, of neces- sity, be a reflection of the first report given to you for 1954. The same type and character of problems face the school committee and the school super- intendent.
The increase in birth rates and new homes in Agawam points directly towards a recognized need for new elementary schools. A sixteen room elementary school on South Street at a cost which Mr. John Marshall, the Director of the School Building Assistance Commission, termed $106,000 under the cost of a comparable building in the state of Massachusetts is the im- mediate need in Agawam. Your full cooperation as parents and taxpayers in Agawam is requested to obtain this new plant. The elementary building committee members have estimated that the change in tax rate for this new school would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.30 per year during the first few years of operation. We expect to receive approximately the same ratio of state aid which was received on the new high school.
The shortage of trained teachers is acute. Agawam is not in a good com- petitive situation with several of the surrounding communities to obtain teachers to staff our system. We had to obtain thirty-two teachers last sum- mer and found their procurement difficult.
The need for psychological counseling plus adjustment classes plus remedial classes represents a definite shortage in our school system. We further find that clerical help for principals and teachers in our six schools is in short supply for the best operation of these schools. We do not meet recommended state standards in guidance, in physical education, and in special class work.
The National Association of Manufacturers is continually calling for more trained personnel in the math and science fields. We need more teaching personnel in this area in our new high school to meet these ever increasing demands. The State Commissioner's office and the National Education office recommend not over thirty students per class and we find many of our grades in the Agawam system with more than thirty children per room. This again suggests a need for more school housing.
Each year we move closer to additional state support to help out the local taxpayers. Massachusetts ranks 46 out of 48 states in this respect. The effort in Massachusetts on a State level has been rather poor. We observe that there is pressure in the state legislature at the present time to double the amount of state aid returned to the local community. We ask for your support of this type of legislation.
Your superintendent of schools has made every effort to keep up the high
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level of maintenance in your school buildings and improve recreational facilities such as outdoor play areas.
It has been a pleasure to work in the Town of Agawam and the superintendent wishes to thank members of the school committee, members of the building committees, the town officials, the principals, teachers and students for the fine cooperation received.
COSTS OF SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN
Total Expenditures by the Town
$649,617.12
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 $ 94,422.65*
For Transportation of Pupils
42,764.38 **
For Agricultural Instruction
2,716.78
For Household Arts Instruction
2,361.65
On account of Trade School Tuition
3,458.65
Tuition of State Wards
438.66
Transportation of Pupils to Voc. Schools
424.22
Tuition received from other Towns Braille Teacher
641.20
Rec'd from Manual Training Dept.
214.83
Rec'd from Rental of School Prop.
127.00
Miscellaneous Receipts
66.59
$150,396.61
Amount paid for Schools from Local Taxation
$498,989.39
*$44,422.65 due from state and not yet received
** $42,764.38 due from state and not yet received
REIMBURSEMENT BY COMMONWEALTH AND OTHER RECEIPTS
1954
1955
Chapter 70 (Teachers' Salaries)
$ 89.547.65 $ 94,422.65
Chapter 71 (Transportation)
25,872.42
42,764.38
Agricultural Instruction
2,524.97
2,716.78
Vocational Household Arts
1,248.02
2,361.65
Trade School Tuition
3,160.36
3,458.65
Tuition of State Wards
833.14
438.66
Transportation of Pupils to Voc. Schools
424.22
Tuition received from other towns
1,705.35
2,760.00
Manual Training Department
352.35
214.83
Rentals of School Property
207.00
127.00
Miscellaneous Receipts
69.06
66.59
Braille Teacher
641.20
$125,520.32 $150,396.61
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2.760.00
Budget Total
553,787.90
649,736.00
Reimbursements
125,520.32
150,396.51
Cost of Schools to Town
$428,267.58 $498,989.39
High School Principal
Herein is my eighteenth annual report on the senior high school.
The termination of the two platoon system for the junior and senior high schools was very welcome because it was impossible to present a whole program in either school in the limited time allotted to each one. Such organizations while sometimes necessary during emergencies are nevertheless harmful because educational opportunities lost by students in any school year can never be regained, and during such periods of time many harmful habit patterns are formed.
Classes started in the new building with the minimum amount of con- fusion that would characterize such a drastic change in environment and program. Currently, the school procedure is entirely normal. Many com- pliments have been received on the building and equipment from the educators and laymen who have inspected it. All agree that it is completely equipped and beautiful.
Following are the names of those students who carned membership in the Pro Merito Society:
Cynthia Allen
Alice Harpin
Alice Arnold
Donald Hastings
Elizabeth Behrens
Jane Masure
John Bumsted
Phyllis Misischia
Jerome Doolittle
Joyce Minney Margery Morton
Carolyn Fogg
Albert Girotti
Anita Rosso
Elizabeth Guidi
Carole Sulborski
The above honor attests that the students maintained an average of 85% in all subjects for four years. Not included are the names of the many students whose names appeared on the periodic honor rolls.
Awards for achievement beyond the ordinary in the academic presenta- tions are presented each year during commencement exercises. Following are the names of those so honored.
Citizenship, Daughters of the American Revolution ... Alice Arnold
Art, Agawam Women's Club, $5 Jean Brezinski History Award, Veterans of Foreign Wars, $10 John Bumsted Music, Agawam Women's Club, $5 Sara Jo Cameron English Award, Excellence in Literature, $5 Jerome Doolittle Literature Award, Agawam Women's Club, $5 John Bumsted International Relations Prize, Agawam Women's Club, $5 Sandra Fagnani Valedictorian Prize, Reader's Digest Albert Girotti Latin, Benjamin J. Phelps, Agawam Lions Club, $10 John Bumsted Commercial Award, Agawam Women's Club, Stenog- raphy, $5 Carolyn Fogg Mathematics & Science, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute Albert Girotti Industrial Arts Award, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, $5 Martin Lehberger
Personality Club Awards, $5 each ... Jane Masure, Chester Nicora Agriculture, American Agriculturist Foundation, Scroll & Book, Avon Perkins, in absentia Commercial Award, Becker Junior College, Book- keeping, Key . Carmela Petruzzello Julian Magiera Student Council Award, $5 Chester Nicora
Vocational Household Arts, American Agriculturist Foundation. Scroll Avalon Safford Science, Bausch & Lomb Carole Sulborski Music, Band Fund, $5 Joseph Wollner
Donated by Mr. & Mrs. Frank Cataldo, Agawam
Food Mart, Highest Academic Averages for
T
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Boys and Girls, $50 each Carolyn Fogg, Albert Girotti The school is grateful to the above prize donors and will welcome like gifts from other organizations or individuals.
The usual valuable extra-curricular program was presented with fa- vorable results.
The past year was one of success and progress due to the cooperation of all concerned.
School Health Department
As the School Program has grown in complexity it has brought the need for better co-ordination of activities of all school health personnel. Newer concepts of health education and health specialists of the school health family have been established.
During the year 1955 Mrs. Kane and I assisted the school physician Dr. Ramah, the school dentist, Dr. Dalitsky and Gerald Hoag, the chiropodist. Dr. Ramah did physicals on both pre-school and school children and held vaccination clinics in all schools.
Eyes examined as in the past years. All grades.
As was done last year the volunteer workers from all four Parent- Teacher Associations will complete the hearing tests with the nurses doing
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rechecks on questionable cases.
Mrs. Mark Davenport continues to do excellent work with the speech defects in the grades.
Physicals done by Dr. Ramah
1,150
(grades 3, 5, 7 and 1st grade not done preschool clinic day) Physicals done by Dr. Ramah at Pre-school Clinics
190
(Defects-tonsils, rheumatic heart, polio history, allergy, teeth,
posture, speech, eyes, feet, no boosters, not vaccinated and icthyosis)
Weighed and measured (All Junior High and Elementary) 2,128
Field Visits to Homes 158
Office-First Aid 1,131
Children Sent Home Ill
144
Children Taken Home Ill
Arrangements made for 12 children to attend a summer camp.
105 Clinic arrangements made for 8 children.
The clinics used during the year were much the same as in the past, State Orthopedic Clinic through the Shriners Hospital, the hard of hearing league for speech and hearing tests, the guidance clinic, tonsils clinic through the Community Chest, the Westfield Camp for underweight children and the Mental Health Clinic in Holyoke.
Miss O'Brien attended the state nurses' convention at Swampscott.
Miss Fitzgerald, state supervisor visited the school and discussed testing of children.
Once more we extend our appreciation to the Parent-Teachers' Associa- tions, the Lions Club and others for their generous help.
We also appreciate the co-operation of the superintendent, the school committee, principals, teachers, health council, parents and the Agawam health agent.
Junior High School Principal
September of this year was a very important month for the school chil- dren of Agawam. Our new $2,100,000 high school was opened which made it possible to do away with double sessions and return to a normal program.
Early in 1955, we anticipated an enrollment of 717 but shortly after we opened in September our enrollment was close to 740. Looking forward to September of 1956 there is a possibility that we will need to find space for at least two more classrooms. Presently we are housing the following:
5-Fifth grades 7-Sixth grades
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7-Seventh grades 3-Eighth grades 1-Special class
Next year's fifth grade presently numbers 340. This is the reason for the need of additional rooms. By using our present library and art room, or rcom 17, which is almost too small for a regular classroom, we would have two additional classrooms. However, it would be necessary to buy classroom furniture to make them acceptable for use.
A large enrollment has already made it necessary to hold four lunch sessions. Each group numbers between 175 to 200 pupils. The new com- bination tables and benches which were purchased for September's opening filled a definite need and also added greatly to the general appearance of this area. We are serving between 400 and 475 hot lunches daily and are averaging more than 600 bottles of milk each day.
The seven women, including the manager Mrs. Daisy Baker, do an excellent job and are serving fine meals from their crowded and not too well equipped kitchen. Items badly needed for this are:
1. New kitchen work tables.
2. Exhaust fan.
3. Kitchen sink (stainless steel).
4. Linoleum or tile floor in kitchen.
The students in grades five and six are well adjusted in the junior high building. They are housed on the second floor of the building and do not meet the students from grades seven and eight during the school day. They have their own recess and lunch period. The new toilet facilities which are now being installed for both boys and girls will do much to modernize the second floor. It will also end the need of going down two floors for basement privileges.
Three innovations are taking place in our junior high school building this year. Typewriting is being offered to eighth grade students three periods a week. This is proving to be a very valuable and popular course. For the first time in the history of the school, we are able to offer sixth grade pupils physical education and industrial arts.
I strongly urge a return of penmanship training to our fifth and sixth grade students. We tried dropping it this year as an economy move but it has proven to be unwise. The penmanship of our boys and girls has been neglected at an age where neatness in writing should be encouraged.
Through our school fund, which is made possible by our magazine cam- paign drive, we completed two worthwhile projects. We purchased three new sets of World Book Encyclopedias and mobile book carts for a total of $375. These sets are to be placed permanently in the social studies rooms. The second project was made possible through the efforts of Mrs. Etta Stetson and Mrs. Alice Dean who made forty-two skirts for our junior high majorettes. Our school supplied $125 for the materials needed and the two women men-
53
tioned did all of the work. After the majorette uniforms were completed, eight members of this group appeared on the Tom Colton television show.
Our junior high students assisted in our Centennial celebration by taking part in several projects. The majorettes and band marched in the parade. Well over fifty students made posters advertising Centennial Books and many boys and girls from our school participated in the field day events and the little league ball game.
Due to the Y.M.C.A. program and the evening school our building is open five or six nights every week. These activities are well supervised and the building is in good condition thanks to a good janitorial staff.
Several major changes were made in our building during the summer vacation period. The following is quite a complete list of the improvements made.
1. New basketball backboards at the rear of the building on the hard surface area.
2. A new hard surface parking area on the north side of the building.
3. Two beautiful classrooms made from room 26 which was formerly known as the study hall.
4. New movable furniture for rooms 15 and 19 which now makes them ideal elementary classrooms.
5. A new teachers' room next to the superintendent's office which was formerly the music room.
6. A new nurse's office which was formerly the women teachers' room.
7. New combination folding tables and benches which were purchased for our cafeteria.
8. Several areas were completely redecorated including classrooms and the upper corridors. The desks were sanded and refinished in all except four classrooms.
9. Venetian blinds were added to the four rooms at the rear of the building.
10. Five classrooms were equipped with new fluorescent lights.
The usual maintenance and painting which is part of our summer pro- gram will bring our building into good condition again next summer. Our long range planning will allow for new fluorescent lights in three or four classrooms.
With the present shortage of teachers as it is today, we in Agawam are blessed with an excellent staff in our junior high school building. It is also gratifying to be a part of a system that has a superintendent and school com- mittee that recognizes the needs of the youth of Agawam and also a citizenry who provides so generously these needs for our children.
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Elementary School Principals
The elementary school program in Agawam has undergone a revision during the past year. Due to the greatly increased enrollment all fifth grades except one at Granger School and one at Danahy are now located in the Junior High building.
The present enrollment by schools is as follows:
Danahy-280 Granger-268 Peirce-230 Phelps-625
Our thrift program amounted to $22,478.20 from January to December 1.
Close cooperation with community projects was given to the Junior Red Cross, Phelps Scholarship Fund, March of Dimes, and United Fund.
Pupils participated in programs for the West Springfield and Agawam Y.M.C.A. Memorial Day exercises, and Agawam Centennial.
Little League Physical Fitness Tests were administered by Springfield College students to boys of grades three, four and five.
Stanford Achievement tests were given in grades two, three, four, and five.
1,022 students and personnel purchased the insurance offered by Mass. Casualty Insurance Company.
Much credit should be given to our special teachers: Mrs. Davenport, Mrs. Cunningham, Mr. Crotty, Mr. Coulombe, and Mr. O'Brien who have worked so diligently with teachers and pupils in carrying out the year's program.
Miss O'Brien, Mrs. Kane, Dr. Ramah, Dr. Hoag, and Dr. Dalitzky have made great contribution to the general health of the children.
The weekly meetings of the principals with Mr. Clark have been of
55
great benefit, since they have helped to co-ordinate the elementary course of study and have resulted in a uniformity of procedure. We have been pleased to have the opportunity to meet the representatives of the State Department of Education and of the leading book companies.
To Mr. Clark, the School Committee, teachers and parents, we express our sincere thanks for your continued co-operation and assistance.
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Health Agent
I hereby submit my report for the year 1955.
This was an eventful year in both expected and unexpected events. This year saw the successful vaccination of 486 first and second grade children with the new poliomyelitis vaccine. In 1956 it is hoped that all children, between the ages of five and fifteen years of age, will receive two doses of vaccine either in Health Department clinics or by their family physician. The Health Department participated in the Centennial Celebration in respect to sanitation and medical facilities for the centennial parade. The Depart- ment in spare time was also privileged to construct a float for the Agawam Health Council.
The Health Department facilities and personnel were integrated with Civil Defense during the August flood emergency. We aided in the evacuation of people and maintained a medical team in the evacuation center. During the months following the flood, this office worked with the Highway and Engineering Departments in connection with the many hazardous conditions created by the flood.
A major activity this year was the promotion of a 'Home Accident Prevention' campaign. This campaign was carried on with the aid of the schools, newspapers, and civic organizations.
Over 10,000 pieces of health education literature pertaining to all phases of health were distributed through pamphlet racks, schools, and organizations. In September, this office took over the inspection of outside sewers and septic tank installations. A new set of regulations and a new system of permits and inspection was initiated.
Licenses and Permits issued:
Ice Cream Manufacturing 6
Piggeries 10
Transportation of Garbage
9
Slaughter Houses 3
Day Camps 1
Camps, Trailer Parks and Motels 3
Burial Permits (local deaths) 49
Kindergartens and Day Nurseries 4
Oleomargarine Registrations 12
Pasteurization of Milk 2
Milk licenses (stores)
24
Milk licenses ( dealers) 23
Manufacture of Non-alcoholic Beverages 2
Sale of Methyl Alcohol 13
TOTAL 161
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Sanitation:
Investigation of environmental sanitation complaints 217
Food establishments inspected (all types) 89
Camps and Trailer Parks 16
Piggeries Septic Tanks
28
Outside Sewers
39
Housing Inspections
56
Dwelling places declared unfit for occupancy
3
School inspections 24
6
TOTAL 493
Laboratory Analyses:
Pasteurized milk samples
21
Satisfactory 15
Unsatisfactory 6
Raw milk samples
6 Satisfactory 5 Unsatisfactory 1
Ice Cream samples
2 Satisfactory 2
Bathing beach samples
8 Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 3
5
Stream pollution tests
10 Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 5
5
Drinking water tests
6 Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 1
5
Restaurant eating utensils
195
Satisfactory 70
Food contamination
1 Unsatisfactory 1
Urinalysis 15 Satisfactory 15
Resident Cases of Communicable Diseases:
During 1955 a total of 502 communicable diseases were reported
p.
CE
ot
do
do
by
15
Playgrounds
Unsatisfactory 125
to the Health Department. In 1954 a total of 357 diseases were reported. The increase is due primarily to the fact that 1955 was a measles epidemic year. This year we had 173 more cases of measles than in 1954. The year also saw a devastating poliomyelitis in Massachusetts. Agawam was very fortunate in escaping the brunt of the epidemic. We had five reported cases all occurring in the space of one week. These five cases resulted in one death, the other four cases have responded very well to therapy.
Disease
Cases
Scarlet fever
32
Mumps
5
Chicken-pox
175
Measles
233
Dog Bites
44
Whooping Cough
1
Tuberculosis (pulmonary)
1
Salmonellosis
2
Poliomyelitis, Paralytic
4
Non-paralytic
1
Syphilis
2
Infectious Hepatitis
1
Meningitis
1
TOTAL
502
Town Nurse
The total number of nursing calls made from January 1st to December 31, 1955, were 3210. These calls consisted of bedside care, dressings and in- jections of all types. All the above are done under written orders by doctors in charge of case. We teach new mothers how to bath their babies, make formulas and any other care a patient might need. We make home visits on pre-natal and post natal cases. There are numerous other calls that come under nurses department such as inspection with Mr. Murphy in day care centers, rest homes, playgrounds, etc.
Our Well Baby Conference is doing wonderful under the fine supervision of Dr. Mildred Hausmann, whom we are most fortunate to have as our clinic doctor. We had 23 clinics. The clinics are held every other Wednesday from 10 A. M., to 12:30 P. M. Every family who does not have a private doctor and lives in the Town of Agawam is welcomed to the conference clinic by appointment only.
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Total visits made by babies to clinic 530
Total of 1st triple antigen injections 72
Total of 2nd triple antigen injections 66
Total of 3rd triple antigen injections 55
Tetanus injection 1
Total of vaccination 52
Total of 1st triple antigen boosters 59
Total of 2nd triple antigen boosters 47
Check visits made 178
Fifty-five out of 72 babies completed their 3 injections. The vaccine and serum is furnished by the state. Our town and surrounding towns and cities give this service free to all who do not have a private doctor.
Forty-seven appointments were made at out-patient departments in hos- pitals.
Mrs. Cascella and I attended many interesting and helpful meetings throughout the year. We are taking a 16 week refresher course in Modern Medicine at the Springfield Hospital.
April 18, 25 and May 2 we gave 9 Highway and Water men injections of Poison Ivy Serum.
May 17, 11 men received their Tetanus Booster shots and 2 men had a series of 3 injections of Tetanus.
August 24 and September 6 two people received Typhoid injections be- cause they lived in flooded area where the water was contaminated.
On April 25 Dr. Ramah, Dr. Kohn, Mr. Murphy, the school nurses and we, the Public Health Nurses, met in our office to make arrangements for our Polio Clinic which was held May 23, 24 and 25. The make-up clinic was June 1st. The Salk vaccine was given to the children in the 1st and 2nd grades of the Agawam elementary schools. A total of 428 inoculations were made in the four schools.
The inoculations were made by two teams of doctors and nurses, one headed by Dr. Simon Ramah, school physician, and the other by Dr. Kurt Kohn, a volunteer. Assisting were the Public Health Nurses, Mrs. John Cas- cella and Miss Williams, and the School Nurses, Mrs. Ruppert Kane and Miss O'Brien. Also a group of volunteer nurses, Mrs. Stacia Egbert, Mrs. Lewis Fox, Mrs. Joseph Paquin, Mrs. Edward Flynn, Mrs. James Chandler, Mrs. Joseph Shannon and Mrs. Francis Barry.
The Congregational Church School gave canned food which was dis- tributed at Thanksgiving time to 7 families. Also at Christmas time they made up a large number of gifts which we took up to Munson State Hospital. Besides this trip we made three trips to Munson Hospital with clothes for the people there.
The Lions Club gave money at Christmas time and we made up 9 baskets for shut-ins.
In closing I would like to thank all who have been cooperative with my
1
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department throughout the year, and all are welcome to come and visit us in our new, well equipped office by our Conference Clinic Room.
Plumbing Inspector
During the year 1955, the year just past, 1,020 inspections were made covering Industrial buildings, new homes, alterations, hot water tanks and heaters, refrigeration work, safety valves and (sewers and septic tanks up to September 6, 1955).
I have been informed that several new Industrial buildings, new homes and two new projects on new homes which will mean continued high level of Plumbing installations.
At this time I wish to call to your attention the new law pertaining to safety devices that are to be installed on all hot water tanks, tankless heaters, and water heaters which became effective on October 28, 1955 and signed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This means more protection for all the people in Agawam as well as the Commonwealth.
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