USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1951 > 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
342,983.62
Teachers
340,937.57
44,859.66
Janitors and Matrons
42,779.23
6,035.78
Health
5,361.64
$457,646.86
$451,351.15
MAINTENANCE:
$ 1,000.00
Supt. Office Expenses
$ 975.63
300.00
Research and Professional Study
255.80
500.00
Printing
415.75
650.00
Travel Expense
821.09
800.00
Prin. Office Expenses
722.06
2,000.00
Telephone
2,221.02
100.00
Travel Expense-Enf. of Law
100.00
$ 5,350.00
Total General Control $ 5,511.35
119
INSTRUCTION:
$ 450.00
Travel Expense of Supervisors $ 398.65
11,870.00
Textbooks & Supplementary Books 11,276.35
9,860.00
Supplies - School 9,442.08
1,500.00
Supplies - Shop
1,471.40
450.00
Supplies - Domestic Science
434.58
800.00
Film
890.41
1,000.00
Physical Ed. Equipment
871.09
1,250.00
Tests
1,299.98
3,851.45
Instructional Apparatus
3,689.61
150.00
Express Charles
341.94
$ 31,181.45
Total Instruction
$ 30,116.19
OPERATION OF PLANT:
$ 14,500.00
Fuel
$ 14,240.69
1,500.00
Water and Sewer
1,502.78
5,000.00
Electricity
5,237.56
100.00
Gas
73.50
500.00
Laundry and Summer Cleaning
375.12
325.00
Ash Removal
284.93
250.00
Exp. of Supt. of Bldgs. & Grounds
426.08
5,000.00
Janitors' Supplies
5,797.11
$ 27,175.00
Total Operation of Plant
$ 27,937.77
MAINTENANCE OF PLANT:
$
3,638.00
Grounds
$ 3,339.97
7,185.00
Buildings
7,132.43
410.00
Service System
919.79
1,795.00
Plumbing and Heating
2,048.84
329.00
Furniture Repair
358.30
$ 13,357.00
Total Maintenance of Plant
$ 13,799.33
AUXILIARY AGENCIES:
$ 700.00
Library
$ 588.23
400.00
Health Expenses
803.15
400.00
Commencement
306.39
$ 1,500.00
Total Auxiliary Agencies
$ 1,697.77
CAPITAL OUTLAY:
$ 2,282.40
New Equipment and Furniture $ 1,776.48
$ 80,845.85
Total General Maintenance
$ 80,838.89
457,646.86
Total Salaries 451,351.15
532,190.04
14,000.00
Transportation
13,254.03
2,000.00
Vocational Tuition
1,750.27
2,500.00
Athletic Account
2,500.00
2,000.00
Highland School Repairs
1,158.00
1,500.00
Junior High Repairs
538,492.71
Grand Total
120
January 2, 1952 READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE - 1952 Receipts not from Tax Levy - Showing Net Cost to Town
Estimate 1952
GENERAL ACCOUNT 1951
Total Expenditures (Less Transportation)
$532,190.04
Receipts:
State Reimbursement (Estimate)
$ 68,581.71
31,000.00
3,000.00
112,441.70
600.00
Sundry
655.85
97,961.22
$502,119.57
Net Cost to Town
$434,228.82
VOCATIONAL TUITION
2,000.00
Total Expenditures
$
1,750.27
Receipts:
477.81
State Reimbursement
805.31
$ 1,522.19
Net Cost to Town
$ 944.96
TRANSPORTATION
$ 16,000.00
Appropriation Credits $614,561.27
$ 77,841.70
Tuition
28,055.28
Tuition - Other
668.38
Transportation $ 13,254.03
READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGE-GRADE TABLE - October 1, 1951
Age Grade
5 6
7
8 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Total
1
72
167
13
2
69
160
15
2
246
3
41
122
73
7
264
4
108
140
11
2
1
2
86
154
15
5
1
1
262
6
71 118
10
10
1
210
78
100
21
6
1
8
68
105
31
7
1
51 100
25
7
2
185
9
63
118
36
16
1
234
10
48
97
28
5
178
11
56
80
27
9
172
12
2
1
3
PG
Total
72 236 214 245
301
243 213
184
190
202
199
197
128
33
9
1
2667
5
206
7
212
252
243
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Reading, Massachusetts
Mrs. Milton and Gentlemen:
Herewith please find my fourth report as Superintendent of Schools, which is the 59th in the series of Annual Reports describing the work of the Reading Public Schools. This report reviews the work of the year 1951 and outlines plans and recommendations for the coming year.
Staff
Reading was fortunate in that it did not lose as many teachers this year as has been the case in previous years. Two of our teachers left to be married; one died; one left to become an elementary school prin- cipal; one left to become a superintendent of schools; three were on military leave; one is on leave of absence as an exchange teacher in England; another is on leave of absence and is teaching under Army direction in Germany.
All of us were grieved at the death of Miss Edith McQuaide, a superior teacher, and assistant principal at the Highland School, and Mr. Simon A. Castine, a quiet but efficient custodian at the Highland and Pearl Street Schools. Mr. Castine was one of the few Americans to receive the Croix de Guerre in World War I. This citation was awarded for courageous behavior, "from the 23rd to the 26th of October, 1918, in the Bois de Belleau, near Verdun; he assured the supply of ammunition and signal rockets under a most violent bombardment during four consecutive attacks."
Mr. Bennett continues in service as a Captain in the Marine Corps and is stationed in Korea. Mr. Copithorne, who has seen two years' military service in Korea, returned to our ranks at the close of the calendar year, and Mr. Philip W. Althoff this Fall was recalled to service as a Major in the Air Corps and is stationed at Presque Isle Air Base. Mr. Carleton F. Rose, the first Principal of the Joshua Eaton School, after a period of service of two years, resigned his position in August to accept a school union superintendency.
We regret the loss of the many fine people who have left our service but feel fortunate in having secured the services of other fine teachers. Because of the lateness of Mr. Rose's resignation, it was decided to ap- point an acting principal to give the School Committee and the Super- intendent time enough to search out the best qualified candidates, and because of the limited number of well qualified men in the New England States, it has been necessary for the acting principal, Mrs. Eleanor M. Skahill, to serve over a long period of time. Because of the length of time involved, Mrs. Skahill has been relieved temporarily from all of her teaching duties so that she may give full attention to her work as acting supervising principal.
123
All changes in the school staff are as follows: On Military Leave Philip W. Althoff Alton C. Bennett John R. Copithorne
Director of Physical Education History, Coach, High School Science, Junior High School
On Leave of Absence
Aline L. Archambault-England A. Josephine Guild-Germany
English, Senior High School Grade 1, Pearl St. School
Left
Mary B. Bailey
Mary L. Brogan
Edward A. Carriger
Malcolm B. Evans
Edith M. McQuaide
Paul Roberts
John M. Shaw
Mary Slattery
Grace Thomas
Arthur E. Willey
Lillian A. Lowell
Hugh S. Macfarlane
Harry M. Berry
Rose Harrington
William P. Muise
Junior High School, Math. Eaton School, Grade 1 Junior High School, Science Pearl St. School, Grade 6 Highland, Asst. Prin. and Grade 6 Junior High School, Shop Highland, Grade 6 Highland, Grade 1 Jr. High School, Household Arts Director of Music School Committee Office, Clerk Maintenance Supervisor High School, Custodian Highland School, Matron All Schools, Custodian
Appointed
High School
Angela C. Martyn Henry Wegiel
Junior High School
Ray Austin Beatrice V. Buttles
Lois E. Baldwin
Fred B. Gibson
Barbara A. McCarthy Ernest G. Spence
Eaton School
Eleanor M. Skahill Nancy Sweet Alice V. Wentworth
Highland School
Dorothy E. Corindia Stella M. Salva William J. Schemack
Pearl Street School
George Hosker Jane Weldon John Peters
English (Exchange Teacher)
Music
Industrial Arts Mathematics Physical Ed., and Hygiene Custodian Household Arts Science
Acting Principal Grade 4 Grade 2
Grade 6 Grade 1 Custodian
Grade 6 Grade 3 Custodian
124
All Schools Douglas Oliver George Castine
Director of Music Custodian
The solid care of the educational program centers around the teach- er with the child in the classroom; it is, therefore, of the utmost im- portance that the teachers in our school system be well trained, have some native talent for instructing children, as well as a deep sympathy and understanding of children. Of great importance, then is the selec- tion of candidates who meet these qualifications, and the Superintendent and Principals have devoted much of their time to interviewing suitable teachers. At the present time our teacher training institutions in the United States are not beginning to produce the number of teachers necessary to teach in the rapidly growing school systems. While it was predicted that the birth rate peak would be reached in 1951, it is apparent that the present trend is still upward and that the problem rather than leveling off will continue to be increasingly complex.
Enrollment in our training institutions has declined in large mea- sure probably because of the great decline in the purchasing power which teachers' salaries provides when related to the increase in pur- chasing power to be found in the salaries in other lines of endeavor. In the past 15-year period in Massachusetts, for instance, data provided by the Massachusetts State Department of Education, the United States Department of Commerce, Office of Business Economics, and the Mass- achusetts Department of Labor and Industries, indicate that the average increase in purchasing power per capita greatly exceeds the increase in purchasing power of teachers in Massachusetts.
An analysis of the situation in Reading reveals the following facts:
Average Teachers Salary
Towns Over
Actual Buying
Year
State
Reading
5000 Pop.
Reading
Teacher Pupil Ratio
1935
$1,767.00
$1,585.00
$1,574.00
$1,585.00
27
1950
3,325.00
3,280.00
3,124.00
1,888.00
1951
3,600.00
3,537.00
no report
2,038.00
25
Power
You will note that while the increase in buying power of Reading teachers in the past 15 years has been increased by only $453.00, before taxes, that this increase is considerably more than the average increase for teachers in Massachusetts. Traditionally, Reading has competed with Wakefield, Stoneham, Concord, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Ded- ham, Marblehead and Swampscott for teachers' services, but we have been unable to compete with wealthier communities such as Newton, Brookline, Belmont, Boston, Springfield, etc., nor have we been able to compete with New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, states which an- nually visit in the Massachusetts Teachers Colleges and offer very much higher salaries than we can afford to pay. The net result of all of these circumstances is that while Reading can continue to compete with the towns with which we have traditionally competed, the scarcity of de- sirable graduates in our training institutions and the raids by out-of- state agencies who normally would not offer employment to Massa-
125
chusetts teachers, severely curtails the number of candidates among whom we can select.
After the best of the Massachusetts teachers have taken positions in those states with the greatest funds to pay teachers' salaries, the people of Massachusetts may be brought to look with a critical eye upon the inadequate tax structure of Massachusetts and the policies of gov- ernment which tend to drive away the existing wealth of the Common- wealth, and to seek for those reforms which will again give to Massa- chusetts the competitive position which it must have. In the meantime, the administration is doing the best it can under the handicaps imposed by the situation described above and the people of the Town of Reading continue to support the educational program as far as the financial means of the Town permit. Increasingly, however, the people of the Town must analyze this critical situation to see that the gap between salaries paid here and elsewhere doesn't increase and thus bring about the loss of the superior teachers now in the system, because if the school system is torn apart in this way when teacher supply is extremely limited, it will take years for that system to return to those high stan- dards which the people of Reading have always demanded in their schools.
Instructional Program
It is highly significant that among the teachers and school ad- ministrators who know of the educational program in Reading that the Reading schools are looked upon with great respect because of the quality of the program. It is significant, also, that because of the deep professional sense of the teachers in Reading, that our teachers have the reputation of devoting more time and effort out of regular class hours to the study of how we may better provide for the education of all of our children. In all of our schools teachers meet regularly once a week for many hours to study immediate and long-range prob- lems and to seek better methods of instruction.
Special meetings arranged by the Superintendent and principals were held last year and several teacher committees worked throughout the year. One committee devoted its attention to the study of the new arithmetic texts which were introduced to establish a common under- standing of how the texts could best be used, and to be sure of integra- tion in the program in arithmetic. Another committee analyzed the needs in the program in social studies and made recommendations for the adoption of basal texts for the elementary schools in social studies. This Fall a new unified series of books was purchased and these are now in use in all elementary school classrooms. Sufficient money was budgeted so that it was possible to purchase numerous supplementary texts to make it possible to meet the differing abilities of the pupils. Another committee examined the report cards now in use and made certain suggestions for the improvement of our reporting system. One committee analyzed the system of block promotion, a modification of the continuous progress plan, and visited in communities where this program is in operation. Teachers are not yet convinced that this pro- gram is wholly desirable as far as Reading is concerned, but studies continue to find ways of better meeting the needs of our slow and brilliant pupils. A significant contribution to this study is being made
126
by Miss Martha Ryder, Special Teacher at the Eaton School, who has inaugurated an unique program in her Creative Workshop. The im- plications of her program may be highly significant within the year.
At the present time other committees are at work. The majority of elementary school teachers are studying ways and means of making the best use of the new social studies texts and are giving particular attention to integrating the program and in finding supplementary aids which can best be used on the various grade levels and subject areas. Another committee is making an intensive investigation of the science program to determine upon that area of study which may be most suitable for pupils in the elementary schools. The program of science instruction in the elemenary school has been inadequate and the results of the committee's work will be evident next September when a co- ordinated program in science will be introduced. Junior High School teachers continue to try to strengthen the guidance program as well as the program for instruction in the various school subjects.
Curriculum
In September the schools undertook an intensive program for the improvement of the penmanship of the children. With the introduction of the Rinehart System, with a special supervisor employed to assist teachers, an important step has been made in this direction and if the success of the program elsewhere is a criterion, parents of children in the elementary schools should note with pleasure a marked improve- ment in the penmanship of their children.
Music
In September a new and broader program in music was introduced. One phase of the program emphasizes an improvement in the quality of the music, and another calls for the wider participation of students in music. The High School band was cut to a size to permit better tone quality, rhythm, and color, and the long-range program to develop musicians, both for the band and orchestra, has been initiated and there are now in all of our schools lessons being given in instrumental music and already there are sizeable orchestras in the Eaton, Pearl and Highland Schools, as well as in the High School. The Junior High School has for some years maintained an orchestra. The emphasis in broadening the program to interest more pupils is to be found in the organization of operettas in the elementary schools in which all ele- mentary school pupils participated, in the strengthening of the chorus at the Junior High School, and in the reorganization of the program in the High School to interest more pupils. While enrollment in the music appreciation course in past years has been very limited, the new program which includes music appreciation but also the newer music, which is more generally popular, has been introduced with the result that many more pupils are engaged in the study of music. Marked improvement in the whole program will be noted as the younger groups now training develop the skill and proficiency necessary if we are to have outstanding school bands and orchestras.
The School Committee has analyzed carefully the further broaden- ing of the curriculum to permit not only classes in life adjustment education, including driver training and courses to train pupils for the
127
distribution occupations, but are frustrated in introducing these new areas because of a swelling high school enrollment in too small a building. With the opening of the new high school, however, it will be possible to provide this broader program.
Guidance
It would be a mistake to assume that because guidance today tends to be a specialized field that this vital matter is not the daily concern of the classroom teacher. Because Reading teachers have been skill- fully trained both in college and within the school system, and because of their basic understanding of children, Reading has for years main- tained a strong program in pupil guidance. Outstanding work has been done in all of our schools; however, with the rapid growth of the system, with the increasing necessity of very much larger classes, and with the growing complexity of our society, it becomes necessary to employ the services of an expert in the field, both to instruct teachers in better guidance techniques, and to bring to the Town specialized knowledge of the vocations and employment trends. The School Committee, has, therefore, incorporated into its budget money for the employment of such a specialist who will begin his work in September 1952. The man employed will be concerned with the program for guidance in all of our schools.
Pupil Adjustment Clinic
Last year the School Committee authorized the establishment of a pupil adjustment clinic mutually supported by towns adjacent to Read- ing. Much study has been devoted to the best means of establishing such a clinic and the Superintendent has met with other school com- mittees as well as the medical staff of the Winchester Hospital, to help to lay a solid foundation before the program is initiated. At the present time the Towns of Reading, Wakefield and Stoneham are engaged in the search for a doctor who is an essential part of the team. The clinic will serve primarily those pupils whose problems are such that the school staff is not qualified by training to help. This clinic is an es- sential part of the guidance program and has been initiated locally because the state organization has failed to meet the very heavy case load.
Health
Reading continues to maintain one of the most effective organiza- tions for health in the State. The town has always been a leader in new and better practices which have been subsequently copied by other communities. Most of the credit for this initiative is due to the high type of physicians which have served the town and to Mrs. Margaret Clewly, the School Nurse, who also functions as nurse for the Town Board of Health.
The pre-school clinic, the immunization clinic, the intensive pro- gram for examination of sight and hearing of all school children, the newly organized pupil adjustment clinic, are among the activities with which the school physicians and the school nurse concern themselves.
128
Physical Education
Since 1917 the educators in this country have placed physical well being of school children in the number one position as far as the public school program is concerned. The program involves the instruction of all public school children in matters of personal health; the physical education program which provides for children that program designed to build physical fitness and to correct minor physical disabilities; and last, the program of competitive athletics which provides an opportunity for large numbers of the older school pupils to engage in interesting, exciting and worthwhile activity. In Reading, as in the majority of communities today, great emphasis is placed on the program of com- petitive athletics, but limits participation to all too few of the children. Cause for this emphasis is the result of public demand for the spectac- ular and a lack of appreciation of the desirability of providing the bene- fits of competitive play to the majority now neglected. Forward looking school systems today are trying to bring into balance the emphasis in the first two areas - the classroom program to improve the health of our children, and the physical training program to build strong bodies. Emphasis is being placed on developing in the boys and girls a broad interest in the so-called carry-over sports; that is, those sports and activities which will interest the young people as they mature into adult life. There is need in Reading for strengthening greatly the classroom instruction in health in grades 1 through 12 and in broadening the physical education program to provide for the great majority of our pupils not now receiving adequate attention. The program at the Junior High School most nearly approaches the proper program in this area and a definite attempt must be made to continue this program on the high school level. The fact that Mr. Althoff, Director of Physical Edu- cation, has been called into service and the position thus vacated, makes it almost impossible to secure a suitable replacement and for the time being stalls the initiation of the broader program.
Report of Progress
Last year your Superintendent recommended that action be taken in ten areas and during the past year action has been taken in four of these areas. The Pupil Adjustment Clinic is functioning, we have supervision of penmanship instruction, we have completed plans for full time guidance service in the system, and a survey to determine the need for additional school classrooms has been completed. The sur- very concerning elementary school classrooms indicates that the schools will be able to operate in 1952 by the addition of a classroom in the basement of the Pearl Street Schools, and the utilization of all class- rooms at the Eaton and Highland Schools. It is apparent, however, that by September 1953 it will be necessary to reopen the Prospect Street School, after it has been renovated. It is also clearly apparent, as a result of the growth of the town, that we must make provision for the building of a new elementary school in the north end of town in the near future if we are to be able to house our pupils. Land for this school should be purchased immediately. Statistics listing the growth of the town in terms of construction of new houses follows:
129
Zone
1938-42
1943-51
Total
I & I-A
50
205
255
II
66
120
186
III
111
138
249
IV
37
78
115
V
9
73
82
VI
48
150
198
Totals
321
764
1085
Boundaries of Zones:
Zone I (Southwest) : Main St. from Stoneham line to B. & M. R.R. to Washington Street, to Lincoln, to Prescott to straight line to Woburn line.
Zone I-A (Southeast) : Main St. from Stoneham line to R.R. crossing and B. & M. R.R. to Wakefield line.
Zone II (Central West): Prescott and Lincoln to Woburn Line, B. & M. R.R. to Wilmington line.
Zone III (Central): High St. from R.R. crossing to Vine along B. & M. R.R. to Wilmington line, Main St., from R.R. crossing to Forest to Grove (opposite No. 200) to Wilmington line.
Zone IV (Northwest): Main to North Reading line, Forest to Grove (opposite No. 200) to Wilmington line.
Zone V (Northeast) : Main to North Reading line; Forest to beyond Haverhill St.
Zone VI (Central East) : Main St. from R.R. crossing to Forest; Forest to beyond Haverhill, B. &. M. R.R. to Wakefield line.
One of the great gains for the school system made during 1951 was the authorization of the Town Meeting to extend the town's debt limit and the vote to appropriate $2,400,000 for the construction of a new high school for 1200 pupils. The necessity for the new building was so clearly indicated to the Town Meeting Members that the vote in favor was recorded as 154 to 1 opposed. Naturally, the townspeople have been looking forward to definite action which has been taken to bring this new school into being. The Committee had previously retained the services of Dr. Homer W. Anderson, education and building consultant, and the architects had the preliminary sketch of the proposed building. The School Committee, after the vote of Town Meeting, met to determine upon an architect and on May 14, 1951, voted to employ the firm of Adden, Parker, Clinch & Crimp for the construction of the new high school.
The Superintendent, working with the High School staff, secured the detailed information which the architects needed for their prelim- inary plans and later the working drawings, and the architects then proceeded to translate these ideas and plans into their drawings. In the process the Superintendent and the School Committee met several times with the architects. The architectural drawings were then trans- mitted to the engineers for the detailed working drawing which have just recently been completed and the estimator has determined upon the cost per cubic foot and has analyzed the quantity of critical ma-
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.