USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1940 > Part 36
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(Central Library) 66
INCREASE
Number of volumes at beginning of year
60,605
Number of volumes added during year by purchase 4,226
Number of volumes added during year by gift or exchange 122
Number of volumes lost or withdrawn dur- ing year 2,386
Total number at end of year
62,567
Number of volumes of fiction lent for home use 207,688
2
670
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Number of volumes of non-fiction lent for home use 120,103
Total number of volumes lent for home use
327,791
Pictures circulated 694
REGISTRATION
Number of registered borrowers December 21, 1940 18,107
Number of borrowers registered during 1940
1,943
Registration period, years
3
Number of periodicals and newspapers re-
ceived :
Titles
198
Copies
260
Number of publications issued during year :
Booklists
6
Number of staff, library service (including part-time)
14
Number of staff, janitor service
3
Full-time
1
Part-time
2
ROBBINS LIBRARY LIST OF LIBRARY FUNDS
Robbins Art Fund $42,974.42
Henry Mott Library Fund
5,200.00
Timothy Wellington Fund 100.00
Ellen W. Hodgdon Fund
1,000.00
Children's Book Fund 5,003.00
Nathan Pratt Library Fund
10,000.00
Elbridge Farmer Fund
54,033.77
E. Nelson Blake Fund
4,073.75
Dexter Rawson Fay Fund
1,741.60
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation by Town $32,620.00 Expenditures :
Salaries-Library Service .. $17,414.36
671
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
Salaries-Janitor Service, etc. ..
2,455.64
Supplies and Expenses :
Books
5,715.08
Periodicals
532.38
Bindery
1,988.43
Fuel
1,499.75
Light
859.62
Building and Grounds
1,010.12
Telephone
137.47
Other Expenses
1,006.00
$32,618.85
Unexpended Balance Reverts to Town Surplus $1.15
$1.15
Library Trust Funds Income Bal- ance January 1, 1940
$ 2,041.70
Expenditures :
Salaries
$ 63.58
Books
31.24
Periodicals
2.45
Bindery
300.94
Other Expenses
572.81
$ 971.02
Library Trust Funds Income Bal- ance December 31, 1940 Carried Forward to 1941
$ 1,070.68
Income during 1940
Carried forward to 1941
1,959.91
Total Library Trust Funds Balance $ 3,030.59
672
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Arlington :
The personnel of the School Committee for 1940 was unchanged, making the second year in succession that the same nine members have striven to give Arlington the best possible school system within the budget as voted at the annual town meeting.
The total budget for 1940 was $661,519. of which $7,463.25 was returned as an unexpended balance. The great- er part of this saving was in the salaries' account which was brought about by consolidation and elimination of grades, due to the decrease in enrollment in the elementary schools, and the replacement of teachers at lower salaries.
The net cost of education to real estate taxpayers is materially reduced by revenue accruing to the town from the Commonwealth and from other sources. The receipts on account of education during the year 1940 are as fol- lows :
General School Fund $51,030.63
Tuition of State Wards
2,895.56
Other Tuition
355.60
Rentals
412.50
Miscellaneous
549.10
$55,243.39
These receipts added to the unexpended balance re- duced the school cost to the real estate taxpayer $62,706.64 or slightly more than one dollar per thousand on the tax rate.
When one considers that the school budget for 1931 was $736,399. for almost a thousand fewer pupils and that the
673
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1940 budget was $661,519., the difference of $74,880. is an- other saving of over one dollar per thousand in the tax rate. Part of the reductions have been made by putting off neces- sary repairs and paring to the bone purchases of textbooks and supplies. It is a question whether we have gone so far in this direction that we may be called upon to increase these items in the future.
A much needed paint job at the Senior High School has been deferred so that now it is one of the "must" jobs of the year and will require a large appropriation. The School Committee is ready to report on the plans for the comple- tion of the George H. Lowe, Jr., Memorial Auditorium. It is hoped that civic-minded citizens of Arlington will see to it that this much needed improvement is started toward its completion.
The townspeople should feel proud of the quantity and quality of the athletic teams representing the school sys- tem, at a low cost to the taxpayer. The High School Ath- letic Association is in a healthy condition with all bills paid and a substantial balance in the bank.
A study of our salary schedules, which are much lower than most of the suburban school systems, resulted in in- creasing the maximum for men teachers from $2,400. to $2,600. In order to be eligible for this increase, the men teachers must meet specific rules and regulations formu- lated by the Superintendent and approved by the School Committee.
Marks and marking systems are always open to criti- cism and in this respect Arlington has not escaped. The Superintendent, with approval of the Committee, has de- voted much time in attempting to have the teachers human- ize their marks. In this connection, beginning with the next school year, the X mark, which was the lowest possible pass- ing grade, will be eliminated.
674
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
It is our duty to call to your attention the following matters which will require action presently :
Completing inside telephone system in the new high school building and altering system in the old high school building so that both may be connected to one desk-type switchboard.
Replacement of the sixty-nine year old Russell School building which is no longer serviceable for the needs of the district it is trying to serve.
The addition of a vocational school to relieve the crowded condition at the high school, and help in the defense program. State and Federal aid are available for a school of this type.
Restore kindergartens in the school system, which were eliminated because of lack of classrooms. Space is now available in every elementary school building except the Hardy School.
For further information regarding the operation of your school department, we respectfully refer you to the report of the Superintendent of Schools.
We pay tribute to two of our teachers who retired in 1940. Both have given long service to the Arlington schools and have made a distinct contribution to the system. We refer to Miss Evangeline Cheney and Miss Edith W. Emer- son. Miss Cheney began her teaching in Arlington thirty- five years ago in 1905 and at the time of her retirement, she was head of the Stenographic Department of the Senior High School. Miss Emerson's service began in 1921, cover- ing a period of nineteen years as Principal of the Russell School. The Committee expresses its gratitude to both for their loyalty and for their valuable contributions to the educational system of Arlington.
We express our appreciation to the school officials,
675
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
teachers, and employees for their loyal support, and we thank the members of the various town boards and depart- ments for their cooperation.
Respectfully submitted, (Signed) JOSEPH J. BEVINS,
Chairman.
676
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1940
To the School Committee of Arlington,
Ladies and Gentlemen :
I hereby present my fourth annual report as Superin- tendent of Schools in the Town of Arlington. I shall try to make this report as brief as possible, considering only the details of the Arlington school system that are of immediate and important public interest. Included in this report will be excerpts from the reports of the senior high school principal, the junior high school principals, the elemen- tary school supervisor, and the supervisor of maintenance, as well as an appended report by Mr. Roens of the Harvard- Arlington Guidance Study.
ENROLLMENT
The enrollment table shows that the trend which has been evident for the past few years still continues, namely, a decrease in the elementary school enrollment and an in- crease in that of the high school. It has been pointed out in previous reports that the cost per pupil in the high school is thirty or more dollars than in the elementary schools. This, naturally, has its effect on our budget. I believe that the peak load in the high school has been reached and that there will soon be a reflection of the decreased enrollment in the grades below unless we have a material growth in population due to more home building in Arlington.
Arlington is a growing town with a great future. In view of this fact, it is most desirable to give consideration to taking care of children in the various districts in our town. I believe we should give careful thought and plan- ning for the future. The children in the Morningside dis- trict at the present time must attend the Russell School. This school has surely served its time to the community and should be renovated or abandoned. The Morningside dis-
ENROLLMENT BY GRADES, DECEMBER, 1935-1936-1937-1938-1939-1940
Dec., 1935
Dec., 1936 | Dec., 1937
Dec., 1938
Dec., 1939 | Dec., 1940
1
High School
Post Graduates
46
39
31
39
42
33
Seniors
264
313
333
351
424
420
Juniors
.....
528
544
537
637
590
634
Sophomores
704
692
729
724
764
768
Industrial Class
32
32
28
30
23
27
Total High School
1,574
1,620
1,658
1,781
1,843
1,882
Junior High
Grade 9
537
556
586
590
632
561
Grade 8
580
611
593
641
575
577
Grade 7
608
615
656
569
590
586
Total Junior High
1,725
1,782
1,835
1,800
1,797
1,724
Junior High Industrial
20
25
23
21
27
18
3rd year 2nd year
25
24
24
29
22
28
1st year
22
24
29
25
23
11
Total Junior High Industrial
67
73
76
75
72
-
57
1
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
677
678
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Elementary
Grade 6
606
646
580
596
602
530
Grade 5
629
587
593
599
558
505
Grade 4
564
597
597
551
516
518
Grade 3
589
592
554
530
519
500
Grade 2
585
584
542
525
492
477
Grade 1
550
508
507
476
482
485
Special Class
28
27
27
27
20
20
Total Elementary
3,551
3,541
3,400
3,304
3,189
3,035
Total of all grades
6,917
7,016
6,969
6,960
6,901
6,698
...
679
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
trict is growing and should have a school in that vicinity. I believe that the citizens should consider building an elemen- tary school in that district to meet the needs of the children there. A six room bungalow type of building could be erected for between $50,000. and $60,000. and would take care of the school needs there for some time to come. Such a building would mean that more homes would be built in that section and would increase the valuation of property there.
A modern school system consists of three coordinated, sequential units, namely, the elementary schools which now usually include the kindergarten and the first six grades; the junior high school which consists of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades and introduces pupils to the sec- ondary school studies at the beginning of the seventh year ; and the three year senior high school which prepares for college and offers a broad program pointed toward the devel- opment of intelligent citizens and some pre-vocational prepa- ration for pupils who do not plan to go to college.
ECONOMICAL TYPE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
There are several types of elementary school organi- zation. In Arlington we are at the present time organized in perhaps the most economical manner, with a superin- tendent of schools who devotes considerable time to class- room supervision, and an elementary school supervisor who is an active classroom worker and spends most of her time in the various schools and coordinates the entire elementary school system.
EDUCATIONAL AIMS
For some years the attention of professional people and the general public has been directed toward the prob- lem of expanding or contracting the curriculum of the
680
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
American public schools, with the purpose of clarifying the problem. Leading educators were recently asked to answer briefly and pointedly the question, "What shall our schools teach?" In each answer pedagogical discussions or arguments were clearly avoided. Little attention was given to the teaching of mere facts. The emphasis was laid upon the need of a curriculum that would fit the pupil for actual life and make him a more useful and moral citizen. John J. Tigert, former United States Commissioner of Educa- tion, condensed his reply into the following: "I believe the general objectives of the public schools to be health, voca- tional training, culture, character, and training for future citizenship."
A generation ago the answer to this question "What shall our schools teach?" would have been "the subjects which people need to know." Today the answer commonly given is, "They should teach children and not mere text- books." Education must care for its pupils in body, mind and spirit. Reading, writing and arithmetic are as basic as ever. More attention is given to them than ever before but no longer does education confine itself solely to the three R's. Education, like everything else, changes.
As time passes our attitude toward life changes. Auto- mobiles, airships and radios are more common. We build better houses. We have reduced working hours and in- creased social activities. The schools, too, have moved for- ward and have kept pace with the general progress. The three R's have not suffered from the change, rather they have been enriched. We have added to these three C's, char- acter, culture and citizenship.
EDUCATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL
It is the firm belief of your superintendent that it is the duty of the public schools to meet the needs of each individual child in accordance with the child's ability. To this end he has spent many hours in the classroom during the past year.
681
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
One of the most important outcomes of a study of child life has been a better understanding of the many individual differences. That children differ in many ways we have al- ways known, but not until recently has the significance of these differences been understood. Modern schools are now making every effort to discover individual differences and to provide for them in the general organization. This is part of the work now under the direction of Mr. Roens of the Harvard-Arlington Guidance Study. Mr. Roens' re- port is appended.
The schools of today are facing a problem which was unknown two generations ago. We are attempting to edu- cate all of the children of all of the people. Formerly, only the brightest pupils continued their education to any ex- tent. The others were encouraged to drop out. Therefore, the tendency of public education is rather toward larger schools and crowded classes. The present age regards quan- tity production as justified by common sense and sound economy. Therefore, mass education is considered highly desirable from an economic point of view, but sometimes we forget that the child is a personality not to be compared with factory production in any way.
In ancient and medieval times teaching was all individ- ual. In modern times, with the increased demand for edu- cation, the class became the unit of instruction. The trend now is again toward the individual. There is an effort to fuse the two divergent ideas of individual and class teach- ing. A modern teacher must be at the same time both a teacher of one and a teacher of many. It is comparatively easy to instruct children as a class or as individuals. It is extremely difficult to combine the two. The dual problem of the individual and the class should not discourage us but should be regarded as one of the evidences of the alertness of public education. It is true that the public schools can- not at present hope to meet the standard of private schools in the matter of small classes but we do understand the meaning of individual differences better than we have in the
682
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
past and we are meeting the needs of each child more sympa- thetically and effectively than ever before.
It is perhaps not an extravagant statement to say that the measure of education today is to be determined in no better way than by the extent to which it successfully meets the needs of the individual child. No one plan for individual instruction will adequately meet the needs of all school systems. We must be constantly searching for ways best adapted to our situation. We of the Arlington schools have been making a conscientious effort along these lines throughout the past year.
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The following excerpts are taken from the report of the high school principal :
"Last spring the School Committee appointed as head of the commercial department Mr. W. Ray Burke who has been teaching commercial subjects in our school for the past eleven years. Mr. Burke is well qualified to fill this position and has already improved the coordination of the work of the commercial teachers.
"Miss Evangeline Cheney, who had taught in our school since September 1905 and for many years had been head of the shorthand and typewriting work, resigned and retired from teaching. Miss Cheney will long be remembered for her high standards, her sincerity, and her great desire to help her pupils to do better and better work. Her loss to the school is a decided one and is much to be regretted.
"Our second outdoor graduation last June was even more successful than the first one. The largest audience enjoyed the program presented by the largest graduating class in the history of the school. Fair weather helped to make the exercises very successful.
683
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
"Although Mr. Roens will present a report on the Guid- ance Department, I want to express my appreciation of the fine work this department has done and is doing. It has proved, I believe, that through its efforts in guiding the many pupils who have come to it for help, it has actually saved money for the town. I believe that such a depart- ment is practically a necessity in our school system and I hope it will be made a permanent part of the Arlington school system."
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS
Following is report of the junior high school principals :
"The high spots in junior high school work for the cal- endar year 1940 are exemplified as follows:
Organization of tentative course of study or syllabus for the following subjects :
A. Mathematics
The mathematics outlines are now available for grades seven and eight, and for algebra, business arith- metic, and general mathematics in grade nine.
B. English
The English program is organized for grades seven, eight and nine and includes literature and spell- ing in addition to prescribed grammar and rhetoric.
C. Social Studies
The social studies course of study provides for the correlation of geography and history in grades seven and eight and a study of economics and social life of other lands in grade nine.
684
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
D. French
This syllabus is now being revised to meet the modern trend toward more natural aims and to corre- late with the new textbook adopted.
E. Science
The present outline is being studied. Adjustment and enrichment are in progress to insure a try-out ex- perience in grade eight and a complete unit carrying college credit in grade nine.
"The reorganization of the unit in French represents administrative study and planning. Previously, French had been offered three times a week in grade eight and five times a week in grade nine. This offering in a foreign language in addition to Latin created a constant problem. Classes, because of many levels, frequently were too small to be economical or else pupils with preliminary training were combined with those who had no previous experience. The percentage of failures was high, especially in advanced courses.
"This led to offering French five times a week in grade nine only in' 1939, but we continued our study. We found as a result of our research that try-out courses in French were definitely the trend in most communities about us and that such courses required a more modern text. This selec- tion was made and French is now offered purely as an ex- ploratory and cultural unit. This enabled us to provide for individual pupils of the junior high schools more ideal programs.
"Our marking scheme was simplified to A, B, C, D and E, eliminating the uncertain X, and has been approved by parents since it is the same as that of the elementary schools.
685
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
"Campaigns for courtesy and improved penmanship inaugurated by the superintendent already give evidence of worthwhile results. Due emphasis is also given to safety by the three schools. The successful observance of Ameri- can Education Week insured a friendly contact between parents and teachers."
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Following are excerpts from the report of the elemen- tary school supervisor :
"Improvement of instruction or setting the best learn- ing situation is always the most important single item in supervision. Classroom visiting is the basis of both my remedial and creative supervision. I have visited every teacher several times during the year, our new teachers and our weaker teachers more often than others, giving counsel and demonstrations where needed and the time feasible. This remedial supervision can often be given to greatest profit at the time of the visit. In other cases further visit- ing and conference with both teacher and principal are necessary before suggestions for improvement can be offered. Frequently, the way has to be paved. We are mak- ing progress with this method.
"Conference with the individual principals when I have visited the buildings has helped more this year than before to improve classroom procedure. We have learned to understand each other's philosophy and have been able to analyze our teacher and pupil problems together with much more profit. We go over the record sheets, the test- ing scores, the pupils' special problems and the teaching difficulties. From these mutual understandings we agree upon help which is given, and the principal follows up with the teacher and reports on it at my next visit.
"The principals' meetings have numbered fifteen in the past year. While we plan for one a month some months
686
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
have necessitated three. The principals' meetings are one of our most profitable sources of creative supervision. At these meetings we discuss our common problems covering subject matter, local tendencies, curriculum set-up and any common weaknesses and difficulties that the supervisor finds in her visiting. At these meetings we have agreed on policies, programs and methods, and as a result have made much improvement. Conservation of time has been one of our outstanding problems. The plan book has helped a great deal. Careful and consistent lesson preparation recorded daily and followed faithfully can do much to cut down wasted time and energy. We still have farther to go in this line, however. Comparison of results at various levels and exchange of experiences help us to give all our children equal chances. Into these meetings I have brought returns from our two great national meetings and several state meetings. Through reports from universities, conferences with outstanding educators, articles and new professional books I have tried to widen and deepen our understandings on the best thought in the educational world and apply it to our local situation.
"The year has brought us six new teachers and seven transfers either to new grades or new buildings or both. Helping these teachers to adjust themselves has been a social as well as an educational project. For the most part the changes have been successful but some of them need to make much more progress. It means helping them to gather material, study curriculum and pupils on a new grade level and supplying them with reading material and opportuni- ties to do directed visiting within the system. I am always glad to teach for young or weak teachers and have given scores of demonstration lessons during this year.
"The reading has steadily improved, especially in the first three grades. As the teachers grow familiar with the system they show much more skill and ease in handling it this year. We have our weak spots due to poor teaching but even they are not as poor as the general situation was three
687
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
years ago. The reading in grades five and six needs more work focused on comprehension and interpretation during this coming year. It is our weakest spot. We are ready now for a course of study or teachers' guide, in which our mate- rial and methods in reading are stated. We have a commit- tee working on this project and the course should be out by April.
"The committees on social studies in grades five and six finished their work in June and the new courses of study were placed in the hands of the teachers in September. They are tentative and are being tried out slowly. One of their greatest values is their definite statement of subject matter to be covered. Method of teaching is being studied carefully, and while the course in social studies is giving great assistance in forming units, any change in methods is optional with the teacher. For the most part the work is taking on a naturally more active aspect.
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