USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1929 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
The matter of following up absentees has been carefully attended to, as in the past. Each case has to be dealt with on its own merits and many things enter into the understanding of each case. Poor home influences, with sometimes lack of proper food, clothing, and care, are responsible for much of the trouble we have in school. We have called in to help us some of the social agencies in Boston and they have dealt with these poor homes and studied our worst cases for us, but it seems that we need some such agency of our own, perhaps a Reading Family Welfare. The schools have not sufficient money or time for the solving of these complicated problems. Reading should pay for the services received and so we hesitate many times to ask for help from these outside agencies, since we do not feel right about accepting gratuitous assistance that is perhaps needed more by some other community less able to pay for it. Not many persons, outside of those actually in contact with them, realize that Reading has within its borders conditions which need help and enlightenment such as only a special agency can give.
On the whole, although there have been more cases of unemploy- ment this year than usual, Reading suffers less than some places do, but we cannot let that circumstance make us complacent and satisfied with less than the complete attainment of our aim, which is to have every child who is physically and mentally able to benefit thereby in at- tendance every day schools are in session in the school from which he can profit most.
Respectfully submitted,
ABIGAIL H. MINGO, Attendance Officer.
122
REPORT OF MANAGER OF SCHOOL LUNCHES For Year Ending December 31, 1929
Mr. Adelbert L. Safford, Superintendent of Schools, Reading, Massachusetts.
Dear Mr. Safford :
The year 1929 has been a successful one for the School Lunches which have been operated in three schools, the Senior High School, the Junior High School, and the Highland School. We have been able to continue the serving of nutritious lunches at low prices, pay our bills, and, in the Highland and Senior High Schools, put in considerable new equipment. Mid-morning lunches of milk and crackers have been served in all the other schools as well as in the three mentioned above.
The School Committee has fitted up the High School Lunch Room with enough new seats and tables to accommodate about two hundred pupils at a time and, in addition, has enlarged the counter, making it very much easier to serve the pupils and infinitely more in- viting and comfortable for them. The High School Lunch is much cheaper and easier to operate than that at the Junior High School, but, of course, can never equal it in many other ways. The Junior High School Lunch continues to be a worry chiefly because of the large expense incidental to the proper running of it and the very small margin of profit it is possible to make when the lunch management has to pay all the bills. It is impossible to do the work properly with less help. Our standards of cleanliness are very high and cleanliness necessitates much time and labor. Prices cannot be high for school children. Most children have only small allowances; some earn all their own spending money; and not a few find it hard to obtain any money at all to spend for themselves. This last condition is unfortunate but to my mind is better than having too much. In the Highland School most of the children bring their own sandwiches and supplement them by soup, the hot special, cocoa, milk, or ice cream, as they prefer. In this building the lunch room kitchen was completely renovated during the summer, making it as bright and clean as any home kitchen in Reading.
There is no doubt that pleasant surroundings make keener ap- petites and our food does us more good when we are enjoying our- selves, so we plan to serve all our lunches as attractively as possible and under the very best of conditions obtainable. At the close of the year 1929 we find ourselves with our bills paid, a goodly stock on hand, workers who are interested, and equipment ample for our needs. It
123
would seem that 1930 might be more successful than 1929, unless some- thing unforeseen happens.
In closing this report I wish to thank you and the School Com- mittee for encouragement and help whenever I needed it.
Respectfully submitted, ABIGAIL H. MINGO, Manager of School Lunches.
REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND GUID- ANCE, 1929
Directors' Report
Mr. Adelbert L. Safford,
Superintendent of Schools,
Reading, Mass.
My dear Mr. Safford :
It gives me pleasure to report to you that the work of this depart- ment has progressed steadily during the past year. Our files are in- creasing in value with every year that adds valuable data to them so that more and more we are better able to understand the needs of the individual child and to adjust him in the school system so that he may live happily in his surroundings and develop normally in his physical, social and intellectual life.
A new form of report card has been introduced this year in which figures are used instead of letters as formerly. Believing that intellectual achievement is only one part in a well-rounded develop- ment, we have on the report card spaces in which to mark some phases of behavior. The very fact that the teachers consider his behavior important enough to have a prominent place on the report card cannot but help to impress its importance on the child especially if the parents will regard a low mark in scholarship as of much less importance than anything below a "3" in behavior. Knowing how hard it is to mark character we have tried to choose only those traits that lend them- selves rather easily to an objective rather than a subjective rating.
Gradually the school progress in many subjects is being divided into well-defined steps each of which must be mastered before the pupil passes on to the next step. This division makes it possible for each child to progress at his own rate of speed and lends itself to the flexible promotion scheme which is now being followed.
Under the old plan a child who failed to pass the year's work of
124
his grade was not promoted and the next year began back at the very beginning of that same grade and went over the whole work the second time and this regardless of the fact that he had probably done half or more of the work in a fairly satisfactory manner. At the end of the second year he was usually promoted without much regard to scholar- ship. In many different school systems in various part of the country studies of these "repeaters" have been made and it has been pretty conclusively shown that they gain very little if any in scholastic stand- ing and certainly lose many of those intangible things that make for a wholesome attitude towards life. Barring a few exceptional cases, under our present scheme no child should have to repeat an entire grade. The work is so arranged that the pupil may take five, six or seven years to reach the Junior High School. Perhaps the way the plan works can be best explained by taking three cases A, B and C. All three enter the first grade the same September. The next June A has done more than the allotted work of the first grade and is promoted to 21/2, B has completed the grade work and goes to a straight grade 2, for some reason C has done only a part of the required work so is sent into 11/2 group. The room to which they will be assigned will depend upon circumstances but A will have an opportunity to do as much of the third grade work as he can after finishing that of the second, B will do the work of the second grade and more if he can while C will finish the first grade work and do what he can of that of the second grade. 'Just where the half steps will come in a child's progress through the schools is dependent upon his work. The follow- ing table is an illustration of what often happens :
A
B
C
Enters in September grade
1
1
1
Enters his 2nd September grade
21/2
2 11/2
Enters his 3rd September grade
31/2 3
21/2
Enters his 5th September grade 6
5 4
Enters his 6th September grade
Jr. High
6
5
Enters his 7th September grade
Jr. High 6
Enters his 8th September grade
Jr. High
Enters his 4th September grade 5
4
3
These promotions are not given just because a teacher "thinks" that is where A should be placed but upon many factors which are grouped on one paper called the promotion sheet. This sheet is an
125
alphabetical list of every pupil in that grade and contains the following facts about each child of the list: chronological age, intelligence quotient, educational age as shown by results of standard tests, reading age, arithmetic age, grade placement in each of these subjects, grade placement from total score, educational gains as shown by comparison with scores of previous years, his poorest subject, teacher's marks and opinion of best placement for ensuing year, attendance, work habits, behavior traits, health, and any facts that will affect his adjustment. With these facts at hand it is possible to divide the grade into groups for the following year.
The work of the Habit Clinic has continued its regular work and has held monthly clinics every month except August during the year.
There has always been a real interest among our young people in 4-H Club work but the lack of leaders has been a serious handicap. This year several parents and teachers have volunteered to help and as a result we have an unusually large enrollment. There are three Food Clubs for girls with Mrs. Rolland Perry, Mrs. Walter F. Rossman, Mrs. Warren Miller, Mrs. Malcolm Davis and Mrs. Lucas for leaders ; two boys' clubs in Camp Cooking being lead by Mrs. Charles Doughty and Miss Burr of the Junior High School faculty; two Clothing Clubs with Miss Henderson also of the Junior High School and Miss Dorothy Batchelder. There is also a Forestry and a Poultry Club, both of which are carry ing out regular programs of work. All this work would be impossible without the hearty co-operation and help of Mr. George Erickson and Miss Bishop of the County Extension with headquarters in Concord. In April of this year the annual rally and exhibition of the 4-H Clubs of all the surrounding towns will be held in Reading.
Thanking all those whose sympathy and co-operation have helped to make the work of this department of real service to our children and Reading schools this report is respectfully submitted.
IDA C. LUCAS,
Director of Research and Guidance.
REPORT OF TESTING SUPERVISOR AND STATICIAN, 1929 TESTING PROGRAM OF THE READING SCHOOLS 1929-1930
TEST USED Stanford Binet Clinical Testing
GRADES PURPOSE FOR GIVING:
All problem cases and Grade I pupils under the Mental Age of Five. Non-language and Performance tests to pupils of low I. Q. and ex- ceptional cases.
FIRST HALF YEAR SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 1929
Pintner-Cunningham
I
For sectioning into Mental Age Groups
Group Intelligence Otis PPrimary B National A Terman Group
All new pupils II-III
For Group placement
IV-V-VI
VII-VIII-IX
Stanford Achievement
All new pupils Group placement
V and VI
Winnetka Research
Junior High
Diagnosis of Health Knowledge .
Reading Tests
Junior High
Formation of Remedial Clubs
Providence Arithmetic
Los Angeles English
VII and VIII
Formation of Remedial Clubs Inventory and diagnosis of the fundamental processes Inventory and Diagnosis of English Abilities
Arithmetic Tests
Gates Strang Health
SECOND HALF OF YEAR JANUARY TO JUNE 1930 II to VI
Los Angeles Reading Gates Form C Reading
Terman Group Intelligence tests
Stenquist Mechanical Aptitude
Thurston Clerical Tests
Remedial Group in Reading in Junior High Op- portunity and 3 groups of Junior High pupils
Research - to note if improvement in read- ing ability will affect score on Terman tests
To test Special abilities and to assist the Guidance department
Same as above
FEBRUARY
Reading T'ests
Grade I
Stanford Achievement
VII-VIII
To establish standards for grade and check achievement Check ability and Ability grouping
MARCH
Stanford Achievement
IV-V-VI
National Intelligence
IV
Check Annual progress and find Educational Ages of pupils Formal Ability Grouping for the Intermedi- ate school
Dearborn Intelligence
IV-V-VI
Research purposes
APRIL
II-III
Educational Ages and to assist promotions
MAY
Dearborn Intelligence Reading Test
I
I
APRIL TO JUNE PROMOTIONS AND ABILITY GROUPING
For reliable Intelligence Quotient and Men- tal Age Final check on achievement
ALL GRADES
Check Reading Age and Grade and aid cur- riculum research in Reading
128
Health Tests:
The Gates-Strang Health Tests given this year in Grades V and VI showed a marked improvement in health knowledge since the same tests were given in March 1927.
The high standards of these grades in comparison with the given norms show the efficient functioning of the new course of study in Health adopted last year.
Grade V
High
Median
Low
Norms for New York Schools :
28
Reading Schools March 1927 :
54
35
11
Reading Schools November 1929 :
54
39
14
Grade VI
Norms for New York Schools :
36
Reading Schools March 1927 :
55
42
23
Reading Schools November 1929 :
55
44
30
After these tests were tabulated and diagnosed and the results reported to the School Nurse, we returned the test papers to a class- room teacher to be distributed to the pupils and discussed in a health lesson period. The pupils will thereby be shown their mistakes and taught the correct answers to each problem. The general weakness as shown by the tests will form the basis of future lesson plans in Health instruction.
Los Angeles English Tests:
The Los Angeles English tests given in Grades VII and VIII in the Junior High School in November show Reading pupils 4 months above the standard of their grades, also an average individual improve- ment of 5 months since these pupils took the same tests in February 1928. These figures prove the excellence of instruction in English in our schools and the efficiency of the Junior High School Remedial Clubs which were formed after the first tests were given to improve indi- vidual weaknesses.
AGE AND GRADE DISTRUBUTION TABLE, READING SCHOOLS OCTOBER 1, 1929
Grade
Ages
4
5
6
7
8
9 10
11 12
13
14
15
16 17
18
19
Totals 230
1
5 152
66
6
1
II
3
97
71
14 2
187
III
19
88
73
63
69
17
6
1
1
VI
7 58
70
23
3
12
62
55
13 9
151
VII
1
15
77
60
19
5
1
178
VIII
7
73
76
25
3
1
185
IX
7
70
74
26
9
18€
X
5
58
56
17 36
15
2
97
XII
1
4
2
7
Post-Grad.
Ungraded
1
4
4
4
5
3
7
5
6
5
1
45
TOTALS
5 155 183
189
161 170
178 172 176 162
186 174
125
67
24
3
2130
24 5
1
186
IV
174
V
8 72
161
XI
7
1
144
6
38
61 22 9
199
20
130
Promotions and Ability Grouping:
Over 1100 promotions were handled individually in this depart- ment in May and June. By means of our complete files and the cumulative records on the Promotion Lists for the past three years, each pupil's progress in scholastic achievement as well as his changes of school attitudes and personnel factors are carefully noted. His present school achievement as indicated by standard test results and teachers' marks are then considered and his promotion and group as- signed accordingly.
The Reading plan of placing pupils in ability groups has been approved by many authorities in the educational field. Dr. Edward A. Lincoln of Harvard School of Education describes it in his recent article in School and Society for Oct. 5, 1929.
The grouping is not done on the basis of any single factor, but the attempt is made to find and use all the important facts which have a significant bearing on the individual pupil's ability and promise.
The first step in the process of making up the groups is to determine the Educational or Achievement Ages of the pupils, together with their Mental Ages and Intelligence Quotients. This is done by the use of the Stanford Achievement tests and the Dearborn, Otis, National and Terman Intelligence tests, supplemented in some cases by Stanford Binet Individual examinations. The group examinations are given during the spring term.
After the educational and mental measurements are obtained, a preliminary grouping is first made, and then a careful study of each individual child is undertaken to determine his final placement. In this latter phase of the work consideration is given to such things as chron- ological age, school marks, health, previous school progress, work habits, and personality, factors such as attitudes towards school, teacher and school mates, emotional balance, and general behavior.
The grouping is not fixed and permanent An individual may be changed at any time when it is clear that his needs will be better served in another group.
The attempt is made to have the teachers understand the under- lying theory of grouping, and they are carefully informed as to the nature of the different groups and the character of each exceptional individual within them.
Ability grouping is a necessary procedure in the efficient admin- istration of the Reading differentiated course of study, the Three-level Assignment System.
The grouping is not an end in itself. It is chiefly valuable because it is an aid in giving the child as an individual the teaching, oversight. guidance, motivation, help and encouragement which he needs for the full development of all his potentialities.
Case Studies:
131
We have continued our careful study of all problem cases in the schools and have a list of some hundred pupils who have come to us for individual treatment this year. These pupils are out of adjustment with their school situation. Their difficulties range in char- acter from failure to gain a school mark equivalent to their abilities to the more serious need of those pupils hopelessly handicapped by physical and mental weaknesses.
The department diagnoses these cases through the use of the Stanford Binet and performance tests, a careful study of the child's history, and investigation into his school situation.
Adjustments are usually effected through conferences with the teacher in which we secure her assistance in carrying out a special school program for the child. Through home visiting with the parents co-operation is solicited for further remedying of the pupil's difficulty.
Exceptional cases are referred to the Habit Clinic.
Reading Research:
The department is attempting to establish a course of study in reading which will fit with the three-track assignment plan and ac- complish all the goals assigned to each grade by the best known authorities on reading in the country. Briefly the procedure for carry- ing on this work is as follows :
1. Investigation as to what is actually being taught in reading at the present time in each grade.
2. Frequent classroom visits to note standards of teachers' methods and class achievements.
3. Talks and demonstrations of teaching silent reading.
4. Frequent teachers' meetings in each grade for the discussion of plans, aims, methods, and materials best for that particular grade.
5. Intra-building visiting by the teacher for the purpose of noting methods used by other teachers in her grade.
6. Survey and Diagnostic tests in reading.
7. Follow-up and Remedial work.
The investigation included a questionnaire to the teachers asking their cooperation in the work of gathering and organizing material. It asked each teacher to state what she considered the important aims of her grade and was followed by individual conferences in which each teacher discussed her present methods, achievements and needs of her particular class.
In January tests for specific reading abilities will be given in Grades two to six using the Los Angeles and Gates Reading tests. These tests will check the reading age and grade of each pupil on the Stanford tests given last April and will note what improvement has been made since that time. The Stanford Reading tests to be given again in April 1930 will serve as a final check on reading ability.
A special program for remedial reading has been adopted in all
132
the grades. In the Junior High school Remedial reading clubs unusual results have been obtained. In the Intermediate grades, pupils with a low reading grade on the Stanford tests must be a member of the remedial group until his ability improves.
We began the use of a general reading program in the Inter- mediate grades in October which planned for three types of reading ability. Library, Balanced Program and Remedial Reading. We have followed this with a check upon reading materials and a complete revision of the Library reading system.
Each room is grouped according to Reading Age and Grade on standard tests into three reading groups. Directions for handling the groups have been given to the teachers. One may find pupils reading for enjoyment, reading to improve their speed and comprehension in general, and a hard-working group learning to outline or to read aloud properly all in the same period. The general aim is to know the read- ing weaknesses of each individual in the class and to supply his needs in so far as possible.
We hope that by the end of the year we may have in shape a set of reading goals for each grade, a program of work to serve as guide to each teacher, and a series of lesson plans to serve as patterns for the three-step assignment method of teaching reading.
VERNA L. WADLEIGH,
Testing Supervisor and Statistician.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, 1929
Mr. Adelbert L. Safford,
Supt. of Schools, Reading, Mass.
Dear Sir :
I herewith submit the report of the Health Department for the year ending December 31, 1929.
In many respects the year 1929 has been one of the most successful in the history of the department. This period has been marked not only by the introduction of new ideas, but by the intensive carrying out of policies that have been in practice but which, due to the pressure of work and the lack of an adequate staff, have been imperfectly carried out heretofore. The appointment of a second nurse in September has been responsible in part for this satisfactory condition.
133
Medical Department
The plan of work of the school physician has varied little from that of previous years. This year, physical examinations have been made of High School pupils; pupils of the Opportunity School; and first grade children who entered school without having had a physical examination either by their family physicians or at the Pre-school clinic. The ag- gregate number of physical examinations was much less than that of the previous year at which time examinations were made of all pupils through the Junior High School. The matter of physical examinations presents a problem. In order to be of value in detecting defects early in the year and thereby providing time for their correction, such ex- aminations should be made early in the fall. With a part time physician, this is not possible because of the length of time that it takes to make physical examinations and the comparatively little time that the school physician has to devote to school work. Some school systems are solv- ing this problem by having a corps of specialists once a year give thorough physical examinations, with the regular school physician on call for inspections only. In certain cases this type of service is paid for by outside agencies.
The prevalence of skin infections since the beginning of school in September has necessitated close supervision on the part of the school physician and has required daily visits to the schools in many instances.
The addition of an assistant nurse since September has permitted a division of the nursing work. Mrs. Dorothy Walker, the new nurse, has gradually taken over much of the routine work such as inspections, weighing and measuring; some of the clerical work; and part of the home visiting. This will eventually leave me free for the administrative and supervisory functions of the health work as well as to develop new projects as the need arises.
To date, such a division of the work has resulted in more sys- tematic methods of checking up and record keeping and in the realiza- tion of some of the objectives as outlined in last year's report. Fore- most among these is the establishment of classes in Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick. Such classes were held in 1921 and 1922 but had to be dropped because of the growth of the health work. Since September, three classes have been organized at the Junior High School and at the time of writing arrangements have been made to supplement the high school course in Home Economics by the addition of a course in home nursing.
Home visiting has continued to be an important part of the nurs- ing work. Last year 679 visits were made to homes for one reason or another. In addition much has been done in the way of routine pro-
134
cedures, a report of which is as follows :
Number of visits to schools 310
Number of children inspected 11,468
Number of children weighed and measured 4,074
Number of children weighed 1,451
Number of classroom talks given 76
Number of home visits 679
Number of classes held 106
Number of miscellaneous visits 160
Number of children accompanied to hospital 54
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.