USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1925 > Part 12
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Blood Smears
3
Urethral Smears
36
Total 433
Dispensary Report
Patients examined at Tuberculosis Dispensary 49
Visits to homes of tuberculosis patients 18
Report of Physician
Visits to homes for investigation and release
of persons recovered from communicable diseases 38
Office examinations 2
Bakery employees examined 7
I also assisted at the Schick test clinics held during the year.
Respectfully submitted, EZEKIEL PRATT, M. D.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH NURSE AND DENTAL ASSISTANT
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report for the year ending December 31st, 1925.
Number of visits to homes of communicable diseases 516 Visits to homes while assisting in work conducted
by State Department of Health, on Ten Year Health program. 71
224
225
BOARD OF HEALTH
Assisted with work performed in Board of Health
Dental Clinic and Dental examination of children in the 2nd grade of Parochial and Public Schools. Assisted Drs. Atwood and Pratt with Schick Test Clinics held during the year. Total number chil- dren Schicked 348
Assisted Drs. Atwood and Pratt with immunization of Diphtheria contact cases 15
Cultured Diphtheria contact cases for Diagnosis For release 12
16
Cultured Typhoid patient (convalescent) 1 Suspicious carrier 1
Patients examined at Tuberculosis Clinics 49
Tuberculosis patients under supervision at this date 92
Tuberculosis patients in State Sanatoria at this date
6
Patients taken to No. Reading Sanatorium for
examination
2
Patients taken to Cambridge T. B. Hospital for admittance 2
Boarding Homes for Infants inspected and approved
2
Respectfully submitted, LOUISE L. LaPORTE, R. N.
REPORT OF THE DENTAL CLINIC
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit the annual report of the work performed in Dental Clinic during the year ending December 31st, 1925.
Extractions Deciduous teeth
527
Permanent teeth 81
Deciduous teeth 662
Fillings
Permanent teeth
1456
Deciduous teeth
130
Treatments
Permanent teeth
285
Prophylactic treatments
217
Total number of operations
3358
226
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Total number of sittings
1359
Total number of new patients 243
Total number of cases dismissed 199
Home visits by Dental Assistant
18
During the week of the reopening of the schools for the fall term the usual examination of the children of the second grade was made. Eighty-seven per cent of the five hundred and sixty-six children examined were found to have defective teeth. Cards were sent to the parents and the clinic has been well attended.
During the first week in June an examination of the children worked on the previous year was made in an effort to determine the value of the work done. One hundred and fifteen children were examined, thirty-four were found perfect, seventy-six in fair- condition and four in poor condition. This was all of last year's work available for examination due to changing schools and families moving from Town.
Respectfully submitted,
EDGAR F. MACKAY, D. M. D.
REPORT OF MILK INSPECTOR
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Milk Inspector for the year ending December 31, 1925.
The milk supply of Arlington during the past year has continued to improve both from the standpoint of food value and health. The average amount of milk solids has increased while the bacteria content has decreased. The dealers are making every effort to improve the quality of their supply and are handling their product more carefully. The increased competition has helped to bring about this result. A summary of the year's work follows.
227
BOARD OF HEALTH
For sale of Milk from stores 150
Licenses Issued
For sale of Milk from vehicles, 43
For sale of Oleo from stores 37
Total 230
License fees paid to Collector of Taxes
$115 00
Milk Plants 24
Inspections
Dairies
5
Total 29
Taken from vehicles on street
238
Taken from schools 10
Samples of Milk
Taken from private residences
5
Analyzed
Taken from Lunch Rooms 12
Left at Laboratory
23
Total 288
Ice Cream analyzed. (Taken from Ice Cream Parlors) 8
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED W. LOMBARD,
Inspector.
228
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF AGENT
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Agent of the Board for the year ending December 31, 1925.
In so far as possible weekly inspections of all food producing and distributing establishments have been carried out. The number of such inspections together with other work in connection with the duties of the Agent follows :
Stores and Markets 871
Fish Markets
208
Bakeries
208
Lunch Rooms
228
Inspections
Lunch Carts
94
Ice Cream Parlors
174
Fruit Stores 114
Delicatessen Stores
65
Chain Stores
230
Total 2192
Other Inspections 75
One hundred and eighty-six complaints requiring investigation were received and adjusted. Numerous minor complaints were adjusted by the Agent without action by the Board.
Upon request of physicians hospitalization for per- sons afflicted with communicable diseases was provided as follows.
Patients placed in contagious hospitals for Scarlet Fever 14
Patients placed in contagious hospitals for
Diphtheria 11
Patients placed in contagious hospitals for Whoop- ing Cough 2
Patients placed in Tuberculosis Hospitals 7
Patients placed in State Sanatoria for Tuberculosis 6
229
BOARD OF HEALTH
Legal settlements investigated 35
Tenements inspected upon the completion of reno- vation after the recovery or removal of persons afflicted with communicable disease 9
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM H. BRADLEY, . Agent.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as In- spector of Slaughtering for the year ending December 31, 1925.
Calves slaughtered
2430
Condemned
52
Sheep slaughtered
230
Condemned
00
Lambs slaughtered
158
Condemned
00
Goats slaughtered
21
Condemned 0
Total 2891
Ninety inspections. Time required two hundred and fifty-nine hours and forty-five minutes.
Respectfully submitted, CHESTER L. BLAKELY, M. D. V.
Inspector.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen : I herewith submit my report as In- spector of slaughtering for the year ending December 31, 1925.
Calves slaughtered 143
Condemned
4
Lambs slaughtered
18
230
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Condemned
0
Sheep slaughtered
1
Condemned
0
1
Cows slaughtered Condemned
0
Total 167
Seven inspections. Time required fifteen hours
and thirty minutes.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM H. BRADLEY, Inspector.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR 1925
To the Citizens of Arlington:
Your School Committee organized for its year of work with one change in its membership of last year, the loss of the services of Mr. Myron W. Dole, who re- tired after five years of service. The Committee and the Town are under a debt of obligation to Mr. Dole for a record of uncommon devotion, both of time and effort, to the interests of the schools. He was a worker, willing to shoulder any amount of labor and responsibility, ac- tive in loyalty, punctual and thorough in the discharge of duty. The place left vacant by his retirement was filled by the election of Mr. Bradford E. Swift.
The two outstanding points of interest in the Com- mittee's work for the year have been its reorganization of the school system with a view to the greatest pos- sible economy of administration, and the continuance of its building program to meet the imperative demands of our rapidly growing school population.
Following the plans set forth in the Superinten- dent's report of last year, a great deal of time and effort has been given by your Committee and the Superinten- dent to strengthen the structure of our school system at points where weaknesses appeared, and to cut expendi- ture in every possible way compatible with efficiency. Further progress has been made in secure uniformity of school practice throughout the system and in elim- inating experimental work, in favor of essentials, in the grades and in the Junior High School. How successfully the revision of methods of business administration has served the interests of the taxpayers is best shown by the most recent report of the State Board of Educa-
231
232
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
tion. Here may be found the following facts, of interest to every citizen :- (1) the school population of Arlington has, in the last three years, increased more rapidly than the population of the Town; (2) in the same period the cost per pupil in Arlington, higher than the state average in 1922, is lower than the average in 1925; and the number of pupils per teacher, below the state average in 1922, has risen only to normal; (3) Arlington is one of the very few communities in which during this period, the annual cost per pupil has decreased. In this connection, it is almost superfluous to call atten- tion to a fact of which so many citizens are now aware, that the chief factor in the success of this consistent policy of rigid economy has been the efficiency of our Superintendent of Schools.
Our building program, announced last year, is work- ing out according to the plan - adopted after a great amount of study and discussion, by the Committee and the Superintendent. That plan called for the erection of a new school in the Lake Street district for 1925; a new Parmenter building for 1926; a Junior High East for 1927; and relief for the Cutter-Peirce district, the Junior High West, and the High School, in the three years to follow. Thanks to the co-operation of the Finance Committee of the Town, the Planning Board and the voters of the Town, we have been able to carry through the first two steps in this program. The Hardy School on Lake Street, the newest and most finely appointed schcol in Arlington, has been put into service this year and was recently dedicated. Already the Town has voted the appointment of a committee to consider plans for a new Parmenter School for use the coming Septem- ber. The next step is provision for a Junior High School East, the one point where our system most needs relief. An important question to be decided within the next year or two is what addition to our present High School will best meet the interests of our High School pupils-who
233
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
constitute one of the largest High Schools, in relative size, in the state. Your committee is strongly in favor of separate High Schools for boys and girls and recom- mends serious consideration of this question by the citizens.
Two other feature of the year's work seem worthy of mention. The Committee has this year abandoned the no-school signal on stormy days, leaving to parents the option as to attendance of pupils This policy, recommended by the Superintendent of the Boston schools, and followed by many of the better school sys- tems, has already justified its adoption. We have also made during the year several slight modifications of the division lines between districts, with a view of making it unnecessary for the children of any district to cross Massachusetts Avenue. Within a year or so this can be worked out, it is believed, so as to do away altogether with this danger.
The Committee has this year been the fortunate recipient of a large number of beautiful pictures, copies of famous masterpieces and photographs of special literary and historical significance, provided through the generosity of the Arlington Woman's Club. It is a pleasure to acknowledge our gratitude to the Club for this gift, and an appreciation of the invaluable aid given by Mrs. Dallin, who made the selection. Our gratitude is also due to the Woman's Club and to the Arlington Heights Study Club for the establishment of funds for scholarships.
Respectfully submitted,
A. H. RICE,
Chairman of School Committee.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
January, 1926.
To the School Committee and Citizens of Arlington :
It is a pleasure to record at the beginning of this third annual report that practically all the reorganiza- tions which seemed necessary three years ago have been completed, and the department has been reaping the benefits of the improvements resulting from such changes. It might not be out of place to list the more important benefits, giving a resume of three years' ef- fort as reflected in the improvements accomplished :
1. Reorganization of departments resulting in the reduction by twenty of the number of teaching posi- tions. The resultant savings are not for one year, but continue and increase each year.
2. Reduction of the average cost per pupil from 1922- 1924 by five dollars in spite of the fact that the State average cost per pupil increased during the same period by five dollars and sixty-five cents, an improvement of ten dollars and sixty-five cents per pupil in Arlington's favor.
3. Improvement of business methods resulting in fur- ther savings.
4. Elimination of unproved and experimental pol- icies.
5. Introduction of greater uniformity in school plan and practice.
6. Doubling the ground covered by the physical training department with small additional expense. 7. Revision of the grading system in elementary schools.
234
235
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
8. Reduction of turnover in teaching corps from 25% per year to less than 10% per year with re- sulting improvement in faculties.
9. Partial improvement in salary situation for teach- ers. (Much more must be done along this line at once.)
Our unfinished work lies at present in the follow- ing fields :
I. REORGANIZATION OF SUB-PRIMARY ON KINDERGARTEN BASIS
This would make possible a change in the entering age requirement, from four years, eleven months to four years, eight months. There are three chief reasons for the change other than the desirability of kindergartens in the school department :- first, it will eliminate the controversies and disappointments resulting from chil- dren becoming five years old a few days too late; sec- ond, it will complete the plan for reorganization of the elementary department begun three years ago; third it will help materially in the effort to get the children into and through the Junior High School before they have lost their enthusiasm for school work.
II. ADDITION TO THE CORPS OF SUPERVISORS
We have full time supervisors for Music, Art and Physical Training, and part-time supervisors for Mechanic Arts, Household Arts, Special Classes, and Pen- manship, and the Superintendent of Schools is expected, in addition to his other duties, to supervise all other sub- jects in all schools. The size of the department requires, in order to carry on this general supervision effectively, that a supervisor for the elementary schools be provided to assist the Superintendent. In the Junior High School department such assistance can be cared for by having one of the active principals act as supervisor of the other Junior High Schools. This should go into effect when the Junior High School East is in operation.
236
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
III. IMPROVEMENT OF THE SALARY SITUATION FOR TEACHERS
This is necessary in order that we may not be handi- capped in competition with our neighboring depart- ments in securing services of good teachers. The salary situation has not materially changed in Arlington with- in the last five years. Many other school departments with a lower or equal salary schedule have recently established maxima higher than ours. Two years ago attention was called to the fact that the Superintendent was finding it increasingly difficult to obtain satisfac- tory teachers at the salaries our schedule allowed. Un- less something is done soon to improve the situation, the result will be reflected in the quality of our teaching personnel and the Arlington School Department will be in danger of being forced into a "back seat" from its present position among the foremost school depart- ments of the Commonwealth. It is recommended that the salary maximum in each department be increased as soon as possible, and further, that a credit system be established by which teachers may earn an advance in salary beyond the maximum and by which the Ar- lington School Department may retain the services of the most desirable teachers in spite of higher maximum salaries elsewhere.
IV. EXTENSION OF THE PLAYGROUND FACILITIES
In Spring and Fall, because there are so many teams in so many different sports for both boys and girls, the size and facilities of Spy Pond Field are not only strained to the utmost, but are wholly inadequate to the situation. This is true in spite of the relief af- forded by the Crosby playground, the Cutter play- ground and whatever other places are available. The recreation program has begun to function to the ex- tent that it is necessary for an athletic field to be pro- vided in the rear of the High School Building and the
237
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Junior High School West Building, unless the health, happiness. and well being of the young people are to be allowed to suffer from the failure to provide recreation- al centers adequate to handle the numbers wishing to avail themselves of such training.
V. EXTENSION OF BUILDING ACCOMMODA- · TIONS TO INCLUDE
1. A new eight room Parmenter building for Fall of 1926;
2. A new sixteen room Junior High School East for Fall of 1927;
3. A new four or six room addition to Junior High School West for Fall of 1928;
4. A new eight or twelve room elementary school in Brattle Street section for Fall of 1929;
5. A new High School or addition to present plant for Fall of 1930.
In this Building Program are reflected really press- ing needs, not those of a remote or imaginary nature. We do not ask for a new building as soon as the maxi- mum capacity of the old one is reached, but only after it has been far exceeded. For example, the normal capacity of the two Junior High Schools is twenty-four class groups, the maximum crowded capacity is twenty- eight groups. When school opens this September we shall have thirty-six class groups, with forty in sight for September, 1927 __ all this without any additions for increases from out of town. It is not surprising that we have been clamoring for relief in the Junior High School situation for two years and insisting that a Junior High School East Building for use in the Fall of 1927 is imperative.
The Parmenter shows no great increase in enroll- ment during the last four years. It might be thought, therefore, that a new Parmenter School is not neces- sary, but this school has been sadly inadequate for years, with one class housed in a portable, one at the
238
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Russell School, and one in the corridors-seven classes in a four room wooden building. At present the three extra classes are housed in three rooms of portable buildings.
A new eight room Parmenter building would make possible the use of the old four room building and por- tables for relief of the Junior High Schools during the school year 1926-27, relief which will be desperately needed.
In addition to these immediate needs, there is evi- dence that early relief will be needed for the Cutter School and the Senior High School. At the present rate of increase, before September 1930, we shall have doubled the number of students in the High School and shall have had in operation for two years a double shift with the upper classes in the morning and the lower classes in the afternoon, a very undesirable arrange- ment, unfair to students, teachers and parents alike.
Although the Cutter School has at present two un- used class rooms, the Highland park section is rapidly developing and bids fair to crowd the Cutter School in a short time. The situation is more acute than is ob- vious because there is a "saturation point" for a grade or group of classes in any grade beyond which the ac- quisition of only a few pupils will cause organization of additional classes. Every grade in the Cutter School is at this saturation point of enrollment and will not take many more students to force the organization of six or seven extra classes. As soon as this is done, and it will probably come in September, 1927, the Cutter will be badly crowded, and the Brattle section building will be needed.
So much for the immediate future. For the out- look beyond the year 1930, there will be needed as a total equipment, eight elementary schools of sixteen- room capacity, four on either side of Massachusetts Avenue, four Junior High Schools of sixteen-class room
.
239
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
capacity, each with auditorium-gymnasium, lunch room and shop, the equal of twenty-room buildings, and two High Schools of 900 to 1000 pupil capacity each. This layout would care for the children of an Arlington of 50,000 population, twice the present size. To complete this program, not as great an amount of building as will appear at first thought will be necessary because the foundation is already laid, and the program for the period to 1930 cares for a considerable part of the work.
Purchase of adjoining property and a four or six room addition to Junior High School Centre, including gymnasium, lunch room and shop; purchase of adjoin- ing property and a four or six room addition to the Russell School, including auditorium-gymnasium, lunch room and shop, for use as a Junior High School; a new sixteen room elementary school on Mystic Street to take the place of the Russell in the Centre, Mystic and Morn- ingside sections for elementary school children; an eight room addition to the Peirce School ; an eight room addition to the new Parmenter, and an addition to the new school in the Brattle Street section, will complete the program to care for the needs of the children of an Arlington upwards of 50,000 inhabitants.
Through the medium of this report, I wish to ex- press my appreciation to the employees of the School Department of their devotion, their loyalty, their splen- did spirit of co-operation with the administration and with each other. Not only does the Superintendent ap- preciate these qualities on the part of the members of the Arlington faculties, but many persons acquainted with the Arlington schools pay high tribute to the teach- ers and principals of our schools in the statement that here is exemplified as nowhere else in their acquaint- ance the spirit of co-operation so important and so de- sirable in a school system.
It is a pleasure to state in concluding this report that the hearty co-operation, the generous support and
240
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
the sympathetic understanding of the School Commit- tee in my work as Superintendent of Schools, turn that work from an effort to a satisfaction and a pleasure.
Respectfully submitted, CHESTER A. MOODY, Superintendent of Schools.
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1924-1925
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS
GRADES
Enrolled
for Year
Membership Average
Average
Daily
Attendance
Per cent of
Attendance
HIGH SCHOOL.
X-XI-XII
657
616.7
585.7
94.9
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, CENTRE .
VII-VIII-IX.
503
494.8
470.4
95.1
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, WEST.
VII-VIII-IX.
393
368.5
351.6
95.4
CROSBY SCHOOL:
Mary F. Forrest
VI
39
37.4
35.2
94.1
Bernice H. Newell.
VI
39
38.2
36.4
95.3
Helen M. Fogg
VI.
42
40.7
38.6
94.8
Alice W. King
V.
39
40.2
37.5
93.3
Mary E. Shields
V.
34
34.2
32.4
94.7
Ethel G. Higgins.
V.
41
40.4
38.5
95.3
Mary G. McCusker
IV.
43
38.4
36.2
94.3
Marie A. Berg
IV
34
37.8
34.9
92.3
Mary E. Burns
IV
39
40.1
38.8
96.8
Catherine E. Enright ..
III
33
30.9
28.9
93.5
Helen Knowles
III
39
36.8
35.1
95.4
Isabel L. Rae.
III
35
35.8
33.7
94.1
Gertrude L. Toomey.
II
39
38.3
34.4
89.8
Sara M. Henderson.
II
38
42.1
39.1
92.9
Marion B. Johnson
42
41.1
38.6
93.9
Annie B. Kimball .
49
42.2
36.8
87.2
Mildred M. Lougee
I
38
39.5
36.6
92.7
Ellen E. Sweeney .
I
42
40.5
38.1
94.1
Annie W. Cobb.
I
38
37.4
34.7
92.8
Grace E. Fettretch.
Sub-primary .
37
32.7
28.4
86.9
Catherine E. Cody (two groups) . . ..
Sub-primary .
65
63.4
58.2
91.8
Josephine M. Gold- smith
Special Class.
22
17.7
16.2
91.5
90€
887.1
825.7
93.1
II
39
41.3
38.4
92.9
Elizabeth L. Holton.
II
I
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1924-25
SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS
GRADES
Enrolled
' for Year
Average
Membership
Average
Daily
Per cent of
Attendance
CUTTER SCHOOL :
Edith P. Willey
VI
33
34.7
33.3
95.9
Francese Curtis.
VI
28
24.4
22.8
93.4
Mae F. Merrill
V.
34
33.8
31.9
94.4
Mildred A. Fogg.
33
29.5
27.5
93.2
Dorothy B. MacPeck .
IV
34
36.9
35.2
95.4
Hazel Hurd
IV
32
31.3
28.8
92.0
Ruth J. Loring
III
37
33.8
32.3
95.6
Louise M. Barber .
III
31
33.3
31.5
94.6
L. Francis F. Knowles
II
40
37.6
35.1
93.4
Hazel E. Ripley
II
31
33.9
31.3
92.3
Arline Avery
I
40
35.3
32.3
91.5
Elizabeth M. Clark
I
37
33.4
30.5
91.3
Ida C. Hunt.
I
32
31.3
29.9
95.5
Louise Galvin
Sub-primary
41
39.9
37.3
93.4
483
469.1
439.7
93.7
LOCKE SCHOOL:
Helen Roberts.
VI
30
26.9
25.1
93.3
Bertha W. Richards ..
VI
32
31.0
29.1
93.9
Adeline Bligh.
V
28
27.4
25.6
93.4
Ellen Pollock.
V.
30
29.4
27.6
93.9
Florence W. Cromwell
38
35.5
32.9
92.7
Hazel Woodsome
IV.
37
35.9
33.1
92.2
Miriam Braley
III
30
30.0
28.3
94.3
Edna MacArthur
III
28
30.7
28.8
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