USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Eastham > Town of Eastham Annual Report 1923-1931 > Part 16
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technical school. I am not one of those. I have never seen a small high school that could not prepare pupils for col- lege and yet was doing a superior grade of secondary work in other courses. Most of the courses offered in small high schools are college preparatory. The pupils taking these courses are generally the best scholars in the school. Their attitude towards school work is more earnest. The more highly trained and the more experienced teachers are those giving the college preparatory courses. A poor grade of work in these courses then generally indicates a poor grade of work in all courses. There may be exceptions to this last statement.
What I am pleading for is not more college preparatory courses. Rather would I see fewer courses and a higher grade of accomplishment. Conditions, however, are such that we cannot very well curtail our present curriculum in this direction. I would readily consent to offering courses in current events in place of college preparatory courses, provided the community wanted that kind of a high school, and provided further that current event courses were or- ganized in such a manner as to give the pupils of the school a training that would be worth while. The fact As, however, neither of these conditions are true.
We then have no choice as to the courses we are offer- ing. Our business is to pursue them in such a manner as to obtain worth while results. If we are to build and equip adequate laboratories for teaching science we have a right to demand that the pupils who take the science courses be able at the end of the course to pass a reasonable examination upon the work which the course is designed to cover. If we are to teach algebra and geometry is it unreasonable to insist that the pupils be able to pass.a fair
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examination with only a mark of 60? Why attempt to teach a foreign language if at the end of the course the pupil has not a fundamental knowledge of the inflections and syntax of the language? Why require every pupil every day for six years to take English if at the end of the course the brightest pupils cannot pass a fair examination with a mark so low as 60? Why teach world history or American history if at the end of the course the pupil's rating in that subject is below 60? Is it wrong for you and for me to endeavor to find out what is a fair rating of the brightest pupils in the several courses offered in the High school? Is there a fairer way to find out if the pupils' work in the various courses has been worth while than by the College Entrance Examinations? What standard of attainment are we holding before our pupils if not that of the college en- trance examination? This is not the highest standard for secondary schools. It is not uncommon for pupils in our better preparatory schools to be able to pass the college entrance examinations, yet fail to reach the diploma grade of the school.
SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS
I am not unmindful of the fact that the high school teachers are trying to make the work of the school worth while. What I am trying to say is that we have not the results to show that in the college preparatory courses, which constitutes the greater part of the work of the high school, our pupils are able to pass the college entrance examinations. Few are the recitations that show that the pupils have made adequate preparation of the work of the hour. In order to make the recitation period proceed the teacher must do too much of the reciting. The teacher spends too much time in quizzing the pupil in order to
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ascertain if the pupil has learned the day's assignment. And too often the teacher finds is necessary to repeat the statements after the pupil. This excessive quizzing and repetition and long dissertations by the teacher kill time, and then the teacher complains that the recitation period is too short. Too frequently the pupil when called upon to recite says, "I do not know that," "I am not prepared on that," or "I did not have time to prepare my lesson for today," or "I could not do that," or "I did not know that we were to have that today, " et cetera. Is it strange then that at the end of the course the pupils are not able to pass a reasonable examination upon the work when many of the daily recitations proceed in this slow, uninteresting and halting manner? Snap, interest, enthusiasm are all present in the recitation when the work is being done in a creditable manner.
HIGH SCHOOL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In my plea for a higher standard of work I do not wish to give the impression that our high school work a' the present time is inferior to that of the past. It is not. We have never had a better high school than we now have. We never enjoyed more certificate privileges than now. We never had so well equipped and efficient a business depart- ment in the high school as now. Work in physical training, meagre as it now is, was never better than now. School organizations which also when rightly conducted provide a splendid training were never in a more wholesome and praiseworthy condition.
A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL
A high school such as ours with seven teachers and
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one hundred thirteen pupils should not be thought of as a small high school. There is no reason why in a school of this size full and complete secondary courses should not be given. To think of offering only two years of college preparatory work is sheer folly. Do so and your school will never acquire a creditable standing. No certificate privileges to higher institutions, the brighter pupils re- moved from the school and denied the benefits of home training at a time when most needed are some of the cer- tain and undesirable results that would follow. Rather, let us perfect the work we are now trying to do. Let us even offer more courses if we can make them more worth while for those not going to school beyond the high school.
Space forbids comment upon other activities such as lunch, domestic arts, manual training, physical education, etc. These are matters that merit our earnest consideration, and if we wish to make our school system compare favora- bly with that of other progressive communities we must give attention to these matters.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM FISHER SIMS,
Superintendent of Schools.
January 17, 1928.
95 Principal's Report
In spite of the upsets and calamities of the world in 1927 we have had another school year of progress and peace. During the Christmas vacation of 1926 two new north windows were put in the Intermediate and Primary rooms. A marked improvement has been made by this, but on dark, stormy days we really feel the need of some artificial lighting. Can this not be made possible with electricity passing so near but yet so far from us?
Many new projects have been started during the year. The Primary has its modeling clay as a special feature in its drawing classes. One of the very latest methods of reading (similar to the Bolenius method) is being success- fully tried out in Grade I. The toy symphony orchestra work in both the lower rooms is a great help in music.
In the upper grades much interest has been aroused with harmonicas as an aid to better music. Additional picture project work in geography is very popular. The Junior Audubon Clubs formed in the upper rooms are en- thusiastically carrying on their meetings the second Friday afternoon of each month.
The good work throughout the schools can, I think, be easily attributed to the fine spirit shown by all the scholars and teachers.
Respectfully submitted,
OTTO E. NICKERSON,
Principal.
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Report of Music Supervisor
The music of the last Eastham graduation program was much improved by the combination of all the grades from IV to VIII. The chorus sang with much more enthu- siasm because it was possible to do three-part songs with the larger number of singers. We have started a harmonica band of twelve players, which promises interesting results. The band accompanies the singing of some familiar songs, and by this effort some of our hitherto uninterested boys have now found a pleasant method of musical expression.
In grades I to V we have introduced the use of toy instruments for the purpose of developing a keener rythmic sense. Some surprising individual results have been ob- tained, all of the children deriving great pleasure from playing them, and many displaying interesting skill. We anticipate that the combination of the harmonica band and toy orchestra groups may result in creating a desire to play more useful orchestral instruments later.
Respectfully submitted,
MABELLE B. DUMONT,
Supervisor.
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Report of the Supervisor of Drawing
The development of taste of appreciation of beauty is the fundamental reason for the existence of an art course, and it underlies every school problem in the various fields of design, construction or representation presented to the children.
Elementary
The Elementary and Junior High work strives to estab- lish the beginning of an appreciation of beauty in art and nature, and the ability to freely express ideas by the use of drawing.
Construction or handwork in the primary grades is limited to modelling with plastercine and paper folding. However, with these two, the child develops the habit of invention and an increasing skill in the use of materials. I find the pupils very much interested in this type of work and I am very pleased with the results.
High School
The free-hand work in the High School carries on the ideals that are aroused in the lower grades. Much of the work is done in correlation with other subjects. New mediums of expression are introduced and further prin- ciples of advanced drawing are taught.
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Mechanical Drawing
The problems in this course include lettering, geometric construction, fundamental principles of projection, and the general theory of dimensioning a working drawing. Each pupil is allowed to work individually and independently of the class, and in this way is able to progress as rapidly as he is capable and masters each assignment.
Respectfully submitted,
ESTHER H. CURRY,
Supervisor of Drawing.
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County Health Department
January 1, 1928.
I have the honor to submit a very brief and general report of the work of the County Health Department of Barnstable County for the year 1927. The usual work has consisted as heretofore of medical and sanitary inspections in connection with communicable diseases, correction of nuisances, and general improvement of conditions; inspec- tion and physical examination of school children, etc. The condition of all pupils improves from year to year especially as regards correction of defects and cleanliness. The testing of cattle for tuberculosis has progressed very favorably and the great majority in the County are now tested. The work, as has been stated before, may be divided under the following heads: (1) medical work in connection with com- municable and other disease, (2) medical inspection of schools, (3) sanitary inspections including inspections of food places, the disposal of sewage and garbage, and work in connection with milk and shellfish. Of course there are numberless sub-divisions and details as in any health or- ganization
Barnstable County has been fairly well off as regards the question of communicable disease. There has been some scarlet fever, all of a mild type; a little diphtheria, and a certain number of minor diseases. Only two cases of infantile paralysis developed, one extremely mild and
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one of a more severe type. The infection in the serious case was contracted outside of the County. This absence of in- fantile paralysis was extremely fortunate, as otherwise business during the summer would have been seriously in- terfered with .
As usual, the sanitary condition at the County Fair at- tracted favorable attention.
The Health Officer again attended the New England Health Institute and gave a talk on rural health work. This meeting was held in Providence, R. I., this year, and was at- tended by health officials from all of the New England States and many others.
A meeting marking the installation of the County Health Department was held in January and was remarka- bly well attended. The speakers were Dr. George H. Bigelow, Commissioner of Public Health, representing the Governor, Assistant Surgeon General W. F. Draper, U. S. Public Health Service, Surgeon L. L. Lumsdens, U. S. Public Health Service, Mr. John D. W. Bodfish, County Commissioner, Dr. R. P. MacKnight, and Mr. C. R. Bassett.
Students from the Harvard School of Public Health have visited the District during the year, as have also rep- resentatives of various health organizations such as the International Health Board, American Public Health Asso- ciation, etc.
The regular spring and fall meetings of the Cape Cod Health Bureau Association were held with excellent attend- ance in every case. The officers of this association are Mr. G. W. Hallett. Mr. E. T. Chase, and Mr. C. R. Bassett.
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It should be noted that the County Health Officer is now empowered to authorize the issuance of shipping per- mits for shellfish, and it is believed this arrangement is sat- isfactory and undoubtedly it is of great benefit to the fishermen of Cape Cod.
The work during the year has, it is believed, proceeded in a satisfactory manner, and the unfailing cooperation of all officials and citizens of the various towns and the County is hereby gratefully acknowledged by the Health Officer. The work of all individuals connected with the organization has been entirely satisfactory.
Respectfully, A. P. GOFF, M. D.,
County Health Officer.
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Report of School Nurse
The routine physical examinations of the school chil- dren by the school physician were made and the children were found to be in excellent physical condition. Eastham school has been exceptionally free from sickness, even "colds" this year.
I have made the weekly visits to the school, weighing and measuring the pupils and helping and advising the teachers in keeping up the standard of health in the school.
The children's teeth are not taken care of as well as I wish they would be but we are doing all we can along this line in the school by talks on the care of the teeth, diet to build good strong teeth, and furnishing tooth brushes and urging the children to go to the dentist.
The Eastham Grange has made it possible for us to serve hot soup to the children this year. This we consider a most important addition to the school lunch and is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully, ADA S. CREELMAN,
School Nurse.
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ATTENDANCE DATA FOR SCHOOL
Year Ending June, 1927
Number State and City wards 4
Resident pupils
64
Total
68
Aggregate attendance
10,501
Average daily attendance
57
Average membership
62
Percentage of attendance
92
Total number of days in session
184
Pupils in Orleans High School
17
SCHOOL CENSUS
Boys Girls Totals
Children in town between 5 and 7 years 8 14 22
Children in town between 7 and 14 years 35
20 55
Children in town between 15 and 16 years 5 7 12
Illiterates between 16 and 21 years
None
- -
48 41 89
Actual number enrolled December, 1927, Elementary 67
Actual number enrolled December, 1927, High 17
Total 84
Pupils to begin school next September 11
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PUPILS CLASSIFIED BY GRADES December, 1927
School
Grade Boys
Girls
Total
Grand Total
Grammar
VIII
4
4
8
VII
4
3
7
VI
6
1
7
22
Intermediate
V
4
7
11
IV
8
1
9
20
Primary
5
5
10
II
2
1
3
I
4
8
12
25
Totals
37
30
67
67
PERFECT ATTENDANCE RECORD (Neither absent nor tardy)
Name
School
Grade
Age Term of Yrs.
Natalie Chadbourn
Grammar
VII
13
2
Elizabeth Douglas
Grammar
VII
12
1
D. Wilbur Sparrow
Intermediate IV
9
1
FAITHFUL ATTENDANCE RECORD
(Not more than three days absence allowed for a very
good reason)
Name
School
Grade
Age Term of Yrs.
Marie Knowles
Intermediate V
9
3
Mathel Turner
Intermediate IV
9
1
Aaron Chadbourn
Intermediate
V
10
2
Charles Escubar
Intermediate IV
10
1
Florence E. Widden
Primary
I
6
1
Ruth Green
Primary
III
9
2
Frank Kempt
Primary
II
8
1
-
-
-
CORPS OF TEACHERS. JANUARY. 1928
NAME
SCHOOL
PREPARATION
Date of
Appointment
Experience
prior to
Sept. 1927
Salary
Home Address
Otto E. Nickerson
Grammar
Hyannis Normal
1924
8 years
$1,600
Orleans
Virginia Nickerson
Int.
Bridgewater
1925
4 years
$1,300
Orleans
Florence W. Keith
Primary
Bridgewater
1906
28 years
$1.350
Eastham
Mabelle B. Dumont
Music
N. E. Cons.
Feb. 1924
13 years
180
Chatham
Esther H. Curry
Drawing
Mass. Normal Art
1927
None
145
Whitman
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Graduating Exercises EASTHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL Town Hall, June 22, 1927
Invocation Rev. W. E. Newton
Salutatory, Essay "Nicaragua"
Almond Linwood Nickerson
Class Prophecy Florence Angeline Knowles
Essay, "The Chinese Problem" Henry Edward Saunders
Music a. "In the Canoe" b. "The Birds' Singing School" School
Class History, Essay "The Panama Canal" Stanley Freeman Knowles
Essay, "Herbert Clark Hoover" Louis Young Fulcher Class Will and Presentation of Gifts
Cora Frances Fulcher
Music a. "The Street Band" b. "The Road to Happiness" School
Essay, "Conquering the Air" Valedictory William Horton Knowles
Address, Mr. Arthur B. Lord Agent, State Board of Education
Presentation of Diplomas Benediction
Supt. W. F. Sims
Rev. W. E. Newton
107
CLASS ROLL
President, Almond L. Nickerson
Vice-president, Louis Y. Fulcher
Secretary, Cora F. Fulcher
Treasurer, William H. Knowles
Florence Angeline Knowles
Stanley Freeman Knowles
Henry Edward Saunders
Class Colors
Purple and White
Class Motto
"Be Prepared"
108
October 28, 1927.
To the Board of Selectmen,
Mr. Arthur W. Parnell, Chairman, Eastham, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
I submit herewith my report of an audit of the accounts of the town of Eastham for the period from January 1, 1926, to September 17, 1927, made in accordance with the provi- sions of Chapter 44 of the General Laws. This report is in the form of a report made to me by Edward H. Fenton, Chief Examiner of this Division.
Very truly yours,
THEODORE N. WADDELL,
Director of Accounts.
Mr. Theodore N. Waddell,
Director of Accounts.
Department of Corporations and Taxation, State House. Boston.
Sir :
In accordance with your instructions. I have made an audit for the town of Eastham for the period from January 1, 1926 to September 17, 1027, and report thereon as follows :
The financial transactions of the town as recorded on the books of the several departments were examined and checked for the period covered by. the audit. and a balance
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sheet, which is appended to this report, was prepared, show- ing the financial condition of the town as of September 17, 1927.
The appropriations voted by the town, as recorded by the town clerk, were examined, and the payments were checked by a comparison of approved bills and pay-rolls with the warrants authorizing disbursements and with the treasurer's books.
The books and accounts of the treasurer were examined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts were checked with the records in the several departments collecting money for the town and with other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury ; and the payments were checked with the selectmen's warrants authorizing the treasurer to disburse town funds.
The cash book was footed and analyzed, the cash on hand September 17, 1927, was verified by an actual count, and the bank balance was reconciled with a statement fur- nished by the bank.
The books and accounts for the collection of taxes were checked. The commitments were examined and verified and the receipts were checked with the payments to the treasur- er. The abatements were checked with the assessors' re- cords of abatements granted, and the outstanding taxes were listed and proved. A further verification of the out- standing accounts was made by mailing notices to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, and from the replies received I am satis- fied that the accounts as listed are correct.
The town clerk's records of dog and of fishing and
110
hunting licenses issued were examined, and the cash on hand and the payments to the State and county, respectively, were verified.
The accounts of the moth department were checked. If this department is to do private work, its appropriation should be increased sufficiently to take care of such work, as the cash receipts on the charges for private work should not be credited to the department appropriation. The assessors, however, may use the receipts for private work in fixing the tax rate, so that the increased appropriation will in no way increase the tax rate. In connection with departmental re- ceipts, I wish to call attention to the provisions of Section 53. Chapter 44, General Laws, as amended by Chapter 205, Acts of 1926, which reads as follows :
All moneys received by any town officer or department, except as otherwise provided by special acts and except fees provided for by statute, shall be paid by such officer or de- partment upon their receipt into the town treasury. Any sums so paid into the town treasury shall not later be used by such officer or department without a specific appropriation thereof, except that sums allotted to towns for highway purposes by the Commonwealth or a county, which shall be used only for the purposes specified by the officials making the allotment or to meet temporary loans issued in anticipa- tion of such allotment as provided in section six or six A, shall be available therefor without any appropriation.
The receipts for library fines were checked with avail- able records, it being found that these receipts are not paid into the town treasury but are being expended for library purposes, which is contrary to the statute as quoted above.
The accounts of the treasurer of the library trustees were
111
examined, the receipts and payments being checked and the. cash on hand verified. The surety bond of the library treas- urer was not on file, as required by Section 10, Chapter 78, General Laws.
The records of receipts of the sealer of weights and meas- ures were examined, and the cash on hand and the payment to the treasurer were verified. Payments should be made to the treasurer monthly as required by Section 34, Chapter 98, General Laws.
It was noticed that several appropriation accounts were overdrawn in 1926 and 1927, which is contrary to the pro- visions of Section 31, Chapter 44, General Laws, which reads as follows :
No department of any city or town, except Boston, shall incur liability in excess of the appropriation made for the use of such department, except in cases of extreme emer- gency involving the health or safety of persons or property, and then only by a vote in a city of two thirds of the mem- bers of the city council, and in a town by a vote of two thirds of the selectmen.
Department officials should not incur liabilities in excess of the sums appropriated by the town. If their appropria- tions are insufficient to permit the performance of work which, in their judgment, should be done, they are neverthe- less bound by the amounts appropriated and should curtail the work so as to bring the costs within the sums available ; except that in cases of unforeseen or extraordinary expen- ditures additional funds may be obtained if voted by the town, as provided in the section above quoted, or by a trans- fer from the reserve fund in towns having such a fund.
112
in order to prevent future overdrafts or the necessity of calling special town meetings to make additional appro- priations to meet expenditures, I would therefore recom- mend the establishement of a small reserve fund in accord- ance with the provisions of Section 6, Chapter 40, General Laws, which reads as follows:
To provide for extraordinary or unforeseen expendi- tures, a town may at an annual town meeting appropriate a sum not exceeding five per cent of the tax levy of the preceding year, to be known as the reserve fund. No direct drafts against this fund shall be made, but transfers from the fund may from time to time be voted by the finance or appropriation committee of the town, in towns having such a committee, and in other towns by the selectmen; and the town accountant in towns having such an official, and in other towns the auditor or board of auditors, shall make such transfers accordingly.
The surety bonds furnished by the town treasurer, the tax collector, and the town clerk were examined and found to be in proper form.
The bank books representing the investments of the trust funds were examined, the income and withdrawals be- ing proved and found to be correct.
Appended to this report are tables showing a recon- ciliation of the treasurer's and the library cash, summaries of the tax accounts, together with tables showing the tran- sactions of the trust funds.
While engaged in making the audit, I received the co- operation of the town officials, and on behalf of my assist- ants and for myself, I wish to express appreciation.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD H. FENTON
Chief Examiner.
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ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT 1928
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Barnstable, ss.
To the Constables of the Town of Eastham, in the County of Barnstable Greeting :
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