USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1954 > Part 14
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170
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Industrial plants have been very generous to the School and during the past year two of the latest type automobile transmissions have been given to the Vocational School to be used for instructional purposes. Various supplies of material from the Massachusetts State Agency for Surplus Property have been received including a 1946 Ford Tudor Sedan which has been put in as good running order as possible and is being used by the Arlington Public Schools to trans- port handicapped children to special schools in Greater Boston.
PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES
In the past years, on the section of Pupil Personnel Services, there were included statements of the activities and accomplish- ments of each of its many divisions. Since these have not changed extensively from year to year as an examination of the Annual Reports of the past few years will indicate, it was decided to allocate the space of this section of the report to three phases of the work in Pupil Personnel Services to which considerable time and thought have been devoted during the past year.
Gifted Pupils. One of the most neglected areas in our school program, (not only in Arlington, but throughout the public schools in the country) has been making adequate provisions for the edu- cation of gifted pupils. It has been demonstrated from a compre- hensive national study that the brain power of about half of our gifted youngsters in this country is going to waste, especially at a time when we are desperately in need of an expanding supply of highly trained and specialized personnel. In the long run, the survival of a democratic society is dependent upon the contributions of its superior people. Failure to cultivate this precious human re- source is to waste talent and to delay progress.
The first problem in dealing with gifted pupils concerns their identification. We have made considerable progress in this phase by making use of improved psychological tests, and by developing a keener awareness on the part of administrators and teachers so that these pupils become known to us earlier and with greater accuracy.
Formulating a program for them, now that they are identified, is what we are most concerned with at present. There are several practices worthy of consideration such as:
1. Special classes with a similar organization as now exists locally for retarded pupils. Our study of this practice reveals that it is feasible only in large cities and would be unworkable in our own community.
2. Special classes for particular . subjects which might meet at certain times of the day or week. Since our gifted elementary pupils are spread through nine differ- ent schools, the difficulty of transporting them to a cen- tral meeting place for part of each day poses a diffi- cult problem. There are not sufficient pupils to form a class in any one or two schools.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
3. Double promotions which usually result in a social maladjustment, because these pupils who are advanced in grade are usually physically and socially immature as compared to the others who are chronologically older.
One workable alternative seems to be in terms of enrichment of individual needs of each of these gifted youngsters. This means that within his own classroom, the gifted child might be offered a program which emphasizes exploration, research, creative expres- sion, problem solving and individual study. Much of this can be done by individual assignment by the regular classroom teacher who would need special instruction in dealing with this type of pupil. To explore these possibilities becomes our next task.
Reading. In this section of the Report, it has been our inten- tion to present the philosophy and "modus operandi" that has evolved in our reading program as explained by our Reading Consultant, Ruth A. Scallan.
Reading is a complicated process and it is important to bear in mind that a long period of preparation and maturing must come before any printed words are even presented. We have in our schools what is known as a Reading Readiness program. This program commences in the kindergarten and continues through the early part of the first grade. It is designed to help each child develop left-to-right eye movements and eye and hand coordination. During this stage of development, children need extensive oppor- tunity to develop richer vocabularies and correct speech habits. further step in getting ready to read is the development of auditory sensitivity. A child who hears words correctly can use what he hears later as a clue for identifying a printed word. Reading, furthermore, calls for accurate visual discrimination. A child must be trained to see words, to read them. Eyes must be trained to move properly across a page, keep words in focus, and distinguish the tiny marks that make one word different from another.
Also closely connected with learning to read is the ability to remember. One has to remember what one sees and hears in order to read. Memory is basic to all learning. The kindergarten teacher cannot increase a child's innate power to remember, but she will try to strengthen it so that he will use it to its greatest capacity. The first grade teacher also continues to develop all of the above- mentioned skills.
Finally the "miracle" moment arrives when the child is ready- to read. He has now reached the pre-primer stage of his de- velopment. Gradually the child acquires a basic reading vocabulary of fifty-eight "sight" words. The child identifies a sight word by associating meaning and sound with the whole word as the teacher says it. Next the child is ready to move ahead into the primer stage, where his basic sight vocabulary continues to grow steadily. At the primer stage, one hundred words are taught as sight words. Then finally, beginning with the first reader, the basic reading vocabulary has both sight words and attack words. An attack word is one that the child identifies the first time he
A
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
sees it, through an analysis of its parts. Known sight words are used to develop word-attack skills in attacking words he has never before seen in print. This type of word-attack is called "phonetic" analysis, because it depends upon recognizing the letters that rep- resent certain sounds.
Numerous reports have been published recently which have attempted to convey the impression that thet schools of today do not teach phonics as a vital part of their reading program. This assumption is not true of the Arlington reading program. We have a very definite program in phonics which starts in the kindergarten and continues on through grade six. However, it is not the only method of independent attack that we present. In our basic read- ing program, children learn to apply five major aids in getting new words independently. By this method, a child possesses ver- satility of attack and if one of these methods fails to unlock the words, he has other approaches to try. We must bear in mind that our English language is not a phonetic language. Phonics will help him with "hat" or "rake" or "man", but not with "ache", "words" or many other non-phonetic words. The five major aids are:
1. Meaning or contact clues whereby the child must be read- ing for meaning - not word calling.
2. Word-form clues which help children to distinguish one word from another by careful observation of likeness and differences.
3. Phonetic analysis which enables children to unlock many words by associating sounds with appropriate letter sym- bols and blending the series of sounds into a word whole.
4. Structural analysis which helps children to recognize basic root words, compound words and contractions. Then in the intermediate grades he meets words of more than one syllable which must be divided into pronunciation units be- fore sounding out is possible.
5. The dictionary which acts as a key to unlock any word that will not readily respond to other more easily applied clues. Dictionary readiness lessons commence in the second and third grades and lay the foundation for middle-grade dictionary work.
To clarify Arlington's phonetic program, the following five levels represent the basis of our sounding program:
Level One - Grade I
The first phonetic step the child is introduced to is a work- ing knowledge of the consonant elements in words. The consonants are presented first as they are the most stable elements in our language unaffected by accent or vowels. Consonants alone provide useful phonetic clues to word wholes, while vowels alone do not. At this level the child also develops the ability to apply consonant substitution. This skill enables them to attack any word that is like a known word except for an initial or final consonant element.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Level Two - Grade II
At this level the child applies the knowledge of two-letter consonant symbols known as consonant blends. He also learns to apply the special symbols wh, th, ch, sh, and ng. He also identifies root words in inflected forms in which the final consonant is doubled before the ending. Gra- dually the child becomes familiar with the vowel sounds.
Level Three - Grade II and Grade III
It is at this period that the child applies his knowledge of vowel elements to attack any one-syllable word and learns to apply the general principles that aid in determin- ing vowel sounds.
Level Four - Grade III and Grade IV
At this level the child applies both structural and phon- etic analysis to words of more than one syllable. He further learns to apply his knowledge of the general prin- ciples that aid in determining vowel sounds, as well as his knowledge of accent. Simple prefixes and suffixes are introduced at this level as well as the rules of sylla- bication.
Level Five - Grade IV, Grade V and Grade VI
This level introduces the child for the first time to words which are unfamiliar to him in sound and meaning as well as in form. It is here that the child uses the dictionary to derive both the sounds and the meaning of words.
The actual mastery of the skills in these five levels will come only with an abundance of application in genuine reading situa- tions. It is here that our program becomes a practical working plan in comparison with the isolated teaching of phonics which places the emphasis on mechanics rather than meaning. The at- titude of demanding comprehension is emphasized throughout our entire program of reading instruction. Phonics is never con- sidered the total reading program. It is merely one part of the total program and will prove helpful only if it is part of a thought- getting activity and thus we keep proper balance between mechan- ics and meaning.
While we strive to develop all the techniques of reading, the ultimate, desired outcome of our entire reading program is to develop in our children the joy of reading. The parents and the teachers are partners in this important task of teaching children to read. Children learn to read by reading. The more they read the better readers they usually become. The habit of reading for pleasure has its roots in the home.
SUMMER INSTITUTE
The fifth Institute this summer included a maximum enroll- ment of 231 pupils and a waiting list of 93 pupils who were unable to participate because of limited facilities and personnel.
In addition to the usual activities of crafts, radio, electricity, photography, printing, nature study, dramatics and remedial read-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
ing, there are added a group in physical science for "gifted" ele- mentary pupils and a remedial arithmetic group for sixth grade pupils. The science group was most enthusiastic and the progress made by these pupils would have done credit to a good High School group. It was an excellent demonstration of how far gift- ed pupils can progress under proper motivation and leadership. Maintaining interest and satisfactory attendance for the remedial arithmetic group was difficult but for those pupils who participated actively, the results were most gratifying as demonstrated by their marks in seventh grade arithmetic.
The interest and the enthusiasm and the achievement of the participants in the Summer Institute program certainly justifies its continuance.
JUNIOR HIGH INDUSTRIAL ARTS SCHOOL
The reports of former years have mentioned the purpose of the Junior High Industrial Arts School, the unique methods used, the flexible program followed, the varied work done, the practical every-day training in Citizenship actually carried on through the organization of the school as a Junior Citizens' Club and various other essentials involved in a special school program.
This year marks the Silver Anniversary of the school or- ganized as a unit in special education in 1930. The school was housed for 20 years in the wooden building recently removed from the lot at the corner of Irving and Academy Streets and for the last five years in a portion of the brick building at the corner of Academy and Maple Streets. Two members of the present teaching staff have served in this school for the entire twenty-five years. The rest have served over a long period of years. It seems fitting and justifiable to pay tribute to the girls and boys who have at one time or another received training as members of the school. We feel that the hundreds of youth, who through special education have attained high standards of living, should receive deserved credit, for they, too, like many others, have served their country in time of need, even to making the supreme sacrifice. They have acquired and held positions of trust. They have become both em- ployer and employee in various kinds of businesses. They also have been respected, law-abiding citizens; they have struggled and achieved against odds; and generally speaking, they have travelled a rough road to success which too few people seem to realize.
SCHOOL SAFETY
Safety and accident prevention is a never-ending campaign against carelessness and thoughtlessness. Safety requires a con- stant vigilance, strict adherence to rules, ceaseless education, pro- per procedures and conduct. In Arlington we seek constantly for improvement in these aims. This year the Cutter School won the Roy Rogers Award for the best school safety program in Massachu- setts. This award is presented to one school in each state annually by the Farmer's Insurance Company.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
The Crosby School fire exemplified the value of school fire drills and further showed the values in keeping fire exits, fire alarms and stairways in excellent condition. Arlington is outstanding in its inspection system and its immediate attention to details re- quiring correction. This year we have 181 patrol leaders. The Arlington Public Schools have issued ninety traffic belts, seventy- five badges and twenty-five large red stop flags. In September our Kindergarten children wore big orange tags with their names and safety rules printed on them. This identified new pupils to police, motorists, and patrol leaders. This system originated in Arlington and has proved very successful.
The American Legion presented a pair of white woolen mittens to each patrol leader at the second general patrol meeting. At this meeting it was announced that at the close of the school year awards would be made to the Boy Patrol Leader of the year and the Girl Patrol Leader of the year. These awards will be known as the Edward C. Monahan trophies and will be presented by Mr. Monahan, our Town Manager.
On November 15 a First Aid Course was started with forty- six teachers in attendance. This course is unique in that safety for children and Civil Defense First Aid will be stressed throughout the course. In response from teachers, a similar course will be presented next fall.
We have cooperated with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a trial community in the prevention of home accidents. During November we distributed 6000 check pamphlets for the homes of every school child. The continuance of the standard accident report form and group pupil accident insurance has aided in rounding out our safety program. This year we are attempting to enroll every elementary school in the National Safe- ty Council Honor Roll group. This group has very high qualifi- cations and last year there were no schools in Massachusetts on the Honor Roll. We hope that Arlington will be the first 100 % group qualifying.
The worth of any safety program can be measured through effectiveness of the agencies cooperating. We are fortunate in re- ceiving every service and courtesy from the Police Department and its safety officers. Other town departments likewise give us every possible service.
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The Department of Health and Physical Education began this school year with several changes of personnel. Mr. Ralph Bevins was appointed as Director of Health and Physical Education to succeed Dr. Carl Erickson who resigned to become Director of Athletics at Southern Illinois University.
At the primary level in physical education, body mechanics has replaced remedial gym as part of the over-all program. The
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
intramural program in grades 5 and 6 have been expanded. In tramural tag football under faculty supervision is now offered to boys from grade 5 through 9. The 5th and 6th grade girls at the Hardy and Crosby Schools are given intramural soccer to supple- ment their physical education classes which have been shortened by the two sessions. The girls at the Junior Highs, through the joint efforts of the School and Park Department, now have the opportunity to participate in intramural tennis. A more extensive program in combatives to develop individual initiative is now of- fered the boys in Junior and Senior High Schools.
The health examinations conducted by the school physicians with the assistance of the school nurses have been continued for boys and girls in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10. Trips to the Forsyth Dental Clinic are also being continued as in the past.
The Arlington Public Schools cooperated fully in the national program involving the use of the new vaccine for the prevention of polio.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION
The resignation of Mr. Joseph H. Gaudet from the Arlington Public Schools to accept the position of Superintendent of the Hopkinton Public Schools in Ashaway, Rhode Island, was an ir- reparable loss to our community. The program that Mr. Gaudet developed in Adult Education was one of the most outstanding contributions made in the educational progress of the Town of Arlington.
As evidence of the popularity and interest in this program almost 5,000 people attended the traditional Exhibition and Fash- ion Show at the High School on April 5, 1954. Over 1100 persons registered for the current program in Adult Education.
A program of this sort, catering to the educational needs of so many citizens, surely needs no argument to insure its continuance. There is probably no other activity in the Town, official or other- wise, which is so much in demand and where the participation as measured by average daily attendance, is so satisfactory. At a cost of $12.00 or $13.00 per pupil, 50% of which is returnable to the Town of Arlington from State and Federal funds, our ef- forts in behalf of Adult Education are very much worth while.
SCHOOL CAFETERIAS
The volume of business in our three school cafeterias in- creases annually and when we take into account our daily cafe- teria receipts, the eleven cent subsidy we receive from the State and our appropriation from the Town, our books show a $90,000 business. However, we operate as a non-profit institution and after our expenditures are deducted we maintain a small balance. This
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
fall the State Office of School Lunch Programs offered a new spe- cial school milk program which was authorized by the Agricultural Act of 1954. The State of Massachusetts was given an initial allot- ment of $1,169,000 in Federal Funds for 1954-1955. The purpose of the program is to increase the consumption of milk by children over and above the sale of milk during the previous year in all non-profit schools of High School grade and under. A daily and monthly base for 1953-1954 was established for each school and on November 9, 1954 we reduced the price of milk to four cents per half pint and then became eligible to receive maximum subsidy of four cents for each additional half pint of milk sold over our base.
Our Junior High Cafeterias are now too small to adequately take care of increasing enrollments and participation in the School Lunch Program. The immediate need is for an extension of the facilities.
In the Senior High Cafeteria some of the large equipment has seen long service and needs replacement. A walk-in refrigerator and two heavy duty ranges were installed this past summer. These pieces of major equipment greatly facilitate the preparation and serving of an average 500 hot meals per day.
One of the main objectives of the School Lunch Program is to serve school children good nourishing food and thereby contribute to their improved health and physical fitness.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, may I express to the School Committee, to all fellow workers in the Department and to other officials, my ap- preciation for your kind help and support.
Respectfully submitted, /s/ CLIFFORD R. HALL
Superintendent of Schools
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Report of the Board of Health
To: The Town Manager
Dear Mr. Monahan:
We submit herewith the report of the Board of Health for 1954.
The usual services of the Board of Health were performed during the year.
On April 16, 1954 the Board was notified that the Town of Arlington was eligible to participate in the Polio Vaccine Field Trials, which were to be conducted under the auspices of the Na- tional Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and the State Department of Public Health.
Approval to participate in this project was obtained from the Town Manager.
At a special meeting of the Board of Health, April 28, 1954, it was unanimously voted to conduct the Clinics in Arlington. The Agent was instructed to proceed with plans to organize clinics ac- cording to the manual issued by the National Foundation, and to supervise this project in Arlington to its completion. Expenses for supplies used at these clinics were borne by the National Foun- dation.
A complete report of this project, and statistical reports of the activities of the Board, its appointed officers and other per- sonnel is appended.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN S. CROSBY, Chairman CARL E. BARSTOW, M.D. PAUL F. BURKE, D.M.D. ARLINGTON BOARD OF HEALTH
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
FINANCIAL REPORT
Appropriation
Personal Services $ 15,675.76
General Expense
1,800.00
Communicable Diseases
12,900.00
Mosquito Control Project
2,000.00
Premature Baby Care
1,500.00
Removal of Garbage
83,675.42
Total Appropriation $117.551.18
EXPENDITURES
Personal Services
$ 15,544.76
Collection of Garbage
83,607.42
Mosquito Control Project
2,000.00
Premature Baby Care
1,164.00
Communicable Diseases:
Hospitalization for Tuberculosis:
Middlesex County
Sanatorium $6,082.50
Lakeville State
Sanatorium
318.00
Rutland State Sanatorium .. 18.00
Other Hospitals
396.00
Ambulance Service
10.00 $ 6,824.50
Hospitalization for
Whooping Cough
453.50
Antirabic Clinic:
Vaccine $ 295.37
Expense
298.24
593.61
Polio Field Trial Clinics
268.91
Miscellaneous Expense ...
43.60
Total for Communicable Diseases
S.184.12
General Expense:
Maintenance of office
$ 345.92
" automobile ..
41.45
Dental Clinic Supplies
191.98
Telephone
250.00
Laboratory
28.29
Milk Inspection
567.00
Miscellaneous
61.78
1,486.42
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$111,986.72
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
RECEIPTS
Licenses Issued :
Manufacture of Frozen Desserts or
Ice Cream Mix (Retail)
$ 25.00
Manufacture of Frozen Desserts or
Ice Cream Mix (Wholesale) 100.00
Practice of Massage and giving of
Vapor Baths 3.00
Practice of Massage and giving of
Vapor Baths (Establishment Owners) 2.00
Collection of Meat Trimmings
8.00
Sale of Oleomargarine
32.50
milk from stores
54.00
„, vehicles
17.50
To operate Pasteurizing Plants
20.00
To construct Cesspools
12.00
To pick up garbage
2.00
To conduct Day Nurseries
4.00
Total Receipts from licenses
issued
$ 280.00
Receipts from Dental Clinic
859.50
Receipts from Communicable
Diseases (Tuberculosis )
4,292.13
Miscellaneous Receipts
.75
TOTAL RECEIPTS
$ 5,432.38
Total Expenditures $111,986.72
Receipts
5,432.38
Net cost to operate
$106,554.34
Cost per Capita
2.40
Including debt and maintenance
of Middlesex County Sanatorium
$ 51,540.04
Net cost to operate
106,554.34
$158,094.38
Cost per Capita
3.56
REPORT ON CLINICS CONDUCTED BY BOARD OF HEALTH
DIPHTHERIA PREVENTION BY IMMUNIZATION
Year
Number of Children Immunized
Percentage below Age 5 of those Immunized
Percentage between Age 5-10 of those Immunized
Diphtheria
Cases
Deaths
1950
12
75
25
2
0
1951
21
87
13
1
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