USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1957 > Part 12
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Joshua Eaton School
Panic bar and all gymnasium locks repaired Installed outlet for movies and sound rear of auditorium Audio-visual blinds installed in auditorium Front of auditorium and proscenium arch repainted Entrance lobby off stage repainted and plaster repaired
Damaged gutter removed and all roof and gutter repairs made Shelving and bench and racks installed in old shower room to make custodians' supply room 2 Corridor walls and classroom doors repainted
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Univent in gymnasium repaired
Light switch in refrigerator replaced
Made new guard for back of rotary mower
Repaired clock in tower Repaired and replaced broken and loose ceramic tiles in corridors Repaired fence Repaired backstop Trimmed Shrubbery
Spread 1 ton fertilizer on lawns
Repaired traverse rods in Rooms 1 and 8 through 18
Repaired roof by gym exhaust fans
Vacuum pumps rebuilt
Retaining wall 150' long constructed Hot-topped area of 825 yds.
Painting
Clock hands
Lown mower room, walls and floor
Room 5 - counter top
Room 15 - Dado, cabinets and sink
Room 16 - Dado, cabinets and sink
Room 17 - Dado, cabinets and sink Playground equipment
Room 7 - Cabinets and sink Long corridor Gymnasium doors Electrical cabinets
Highland School
Shelves and racks installed in matron's closet Racks for ladders installed
Outside door locks repaired Rack made for storage of paper towels Incinerator room cleaned out and painted
Radiation repaired and cleanouts replaced after fire Dishwasher repaired
Furniture dismantled and sent off to be refinished after fire Books and furniture moved to other schools
Lowell Street School
New flagpole and flag Made book panel and reorganized custodian's supplies Repaired 3 light fixtures Roof shingles repaired 30 lights of glass replaced in first 3 weeks of summer Railing and newell caps repaired Openings around air ducts stuffed with fiberglass Grilles on janitor's room window Venetian blinds in classrooms
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Grilles on 8 basement windows Wooden shingles repaired on outside All outside door locks repaired Fence repaired - Hartshorn St. side
Painting
Stairwells, basement floors and exterior doors
Prospect Street School
New flagpole and flag Patched all holes in boiler room
Exit and fire escape signs Masonry stop between boiler room and oil tank room Door check on boiler room door
Repaired front door lock
Painting Boys' and girls' lavatories Basement floor Stair risers
Pearl Street School
Installed new dishwasher
New bracing and door check installed at north end New ceiling installed in unfinished part of cafeteria New light fixture installed at end of cafeteria Enclosed pipes under basket in gymnasium New coat hook strips put up in basement corridor Put panels in 5 doors New lock put on one outside door
New hinge fastenings installed on 3 classroom doors
Laid 2 asphalt tile floors in Rooms 203 and 208
Installed corkboard in back of 4 display cases Installed new shades in Rooms 101 and 103 Hot water connected to custodians' closets on 1st and 2nd floors Light fixtures lowered in activity room Activity room repainted
Railings refastened to building
Checked part of Powers thermostats and controls
Removed and capped toilet off Room 103
Repaired linoleum and removed partitions Put in medicine cabinet for Health Room
All lost tiles replaced Replaced floor tiles under dishwasher
New work bench in custodian's room Repaired merry-go-round
Repaired stoker platform Repaired shelf in cafeteria
Installed map strip in basement classroom
Installed brackets on cafeteria table
Repairs to fence - rear of school New door check brace at south exit of building
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Painting
Main corridor inside of exit doors
Auditorium doors and front of stage Activity room
Basement corridor
Exterior window sills
Playground equipment
Bike racks
Cabinet and dado in Room 103, also walls and small room adjoining Baseboards in all rooms
Inside stoker bins
Cabinets and clothes closet doors in Rooms 104, 105, 107, 201, 206, 207, 208
New Equipment
Dishwasher 36' magnesium extension ladder
Tornado vac
School Safety Equipment Senior High School
Fusible links on 2 sets of crawl space doors under stage
Fire alarm system with 35 detectors and 17 alarm stations connected to town alarm system (Not zoned)
Emergency unit for lights, sump pump, circulating pump, audio system, RCA
Oil burners Fire blanket for Chem Lab
4 Mechanical fire alarm bells
Fire extinguishers: 38 soda and acid; 15 CO2; 1 Foam; 10 DCs
Junior High School
Removed gas emergency lights and capped
Installed wire glass in all basement, shop and classroom doors
Door check on boiler room door
Exit signs on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors - King Street stairwell
7 Emergency light units with 26 heads to cover gymnasium, cafeteria, King St. stairwell, and corridors and auditorium
Exit sign over boys' locker room outside door
Installed 2 fire bells
Fire blanket for cooking room
Fire extinguishers: Seven 10-1b. CO2; two 10-1b. DC; four 4-1b. DC; 19 soda and acid
Fire alarm system connected to town master box with 6 alarm stations
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Birch Meadow School
Fire alarm system with 28 detectors and 10 call stations with four zones to be connected to Town Fire Alarm System
Fire extinguishers: two soda and acid; two 10-1b. CO2; two 20-1b. DC; three foam
Joshua Eaton School
Fusible link on crawl space door
Boiler room repaired and door check installed
Bricked up hole in chimney
Fire alarm system installed in attic and boiler room with stand-by battery operation connected to master box of Town Fire Alarm System
(Detectors operate on attained 160ºF or upon rate of rise of over 15ºF per minute)
Fire extinguishers: seven soda and acid; three 10-1b. CO2; one 5-1b. CO2; two 10-1b. DC; one foam
1 fire blanket for kitchen
Lowell Street School
Installed 7 fire bells
Fire extinguishers: two 10-1b. DC; 4 soda and acid
Pearl Street School
Door check on two janitors' room doors
Removed and capped all gas emergency lights
Installed 5 emergency light units with 21 heads to cover gymnasium, cafeteria, assembly hall, halls, stairwells and corridors
Installed 4 fire bells
Fire extinguishers: two 10-1b. DC; one 5-1b. CO2; one 10-1b. CO2; 12 soda and acid
Prospect Street School
Fire extinguishers: two 10-1b. DC; one foam; one soda and acid; installed 5 fire bells
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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
William W. Rodgers, Principal
I. Enrollment - September, 1957:
In spite of the fact that approximately 54 pupils transferred to North Reading in June 1957, the enrollment at the High School has increased as follows:
Grade
Boys
Girls
Total
9
167
143
310
10
142
134
277
11
106
115
222
12
89
106
194
P.G.
3
3
Total
1,006
II. Staff Changes:
For the school year, 1957-1958, Mrs. Jane Cutcliffe has been appointed Head of the English Department. Mr. Clifford W. Baker is now the Head of the Mathematics Department; Mr. Alton C. Bennett serves in a similar capacity as Head of the Social Studies Department.
Mr. Ara A. Karakashian, our able Director of Guidance, has been' serving this year as Acting Assistant Principal and Dean of Boys. The following teachers have been helping this year on a part-time basis as Guidance Counselors: Miss Helen Hart, Mr. Robert Bronner, Mr. John Pacino, and Mr. Clifford Baker.
In the high school office Miss Jean Underhill has replaced Mrs. Myrtle W. Tilton as Secretary to the Principal. Our other capable secretaries are Miss Anna G. Freeman and Miss Louise Davis.
III. Class Size - Building Capacity:
In many communities in the U.S. today high schools are over- crowded or operating on a double shift. Many teachers are faced with the problem of instructing classes consisting of thirty-five or forty pupils, an almost hopeless task. The young people of high school age in Read- ing are fortunate indeed in having a new, modern high school staffed by an able, dedicated group of teachers.
In October 1957, using criteria recommended by the Massachusetts State Department of Education and the U.S. Office of Education, the capacity of the Reading High School was computed and found to be 1,125. Our high school enrollment will not exceed this figure for several more years.
Reading High School is also fortunate in the size of its individual classes. A recent survey of class size reveals that our average class consists of between 23 and 26 pupils, an ideal situation which permits teachers to teach and pupils to learn.
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IV. Educational Highlights, 1957-1958:
The current school year has brought many changes to our school. Listed and described below are a few representative activities which will indicate how our staff, our teachers, and our pupils are constantly working together to improve the educational effectiveness of our school.
A. This year our Band has been scheduled as a regular subject during the school day. The resulting improvement in our Band has been most gratifying. In addition to 54 pupils enrolled in our Band, there are approximately 100 pupils enrolled in choral music, also rehearsing in school time. We also have the nucleus of a school orchestra of twenty-two members which meets for two rehearsals a week.
B. This year we have had many faculty meetings devoted to a profitable discussion of common school problems. Our Teachers' Insti- tute on September 4, 5, and 6 was very worthwhile. Along with other activities the entire Faculty was divided into four discussion groups to study and to report on the following topics:
1. The School Schedule.
2. Our Marking System and Examinations.
3. Challenging the Exceptional Pupil.
4. Promoting Self-Discipline Among the Student Body.
C. Our Heads of Department are meeting regularly with the mem- bers of their departments to improve teaching procedures and cur- riculum content. This year the curriculum in the Social Studies will be intensively studied and revised. This year also the Heads of De- partment are meeting regularly with the Principal and the Assistant Principals as an Advisory Council.
D. Increased emphasis has been placed this year upon the Honor Roll. As a result of faculty discussions two categories of Honors have been established: High Honors and Honors. For High Honors a student must receive at least three A's and one B. For Honors he must receive a minimum of four B's.
A list of all students making the Honor Roll has been posted in every homeroom, as well as being sent to the newspapers for publi- cation. At the end of the first marking period 22% of our student body received Honors or High Honors, indicating that our students do take pride in academic school achievement.
E. For the fourth year in succession the Reading High School Yearbook, the "Pioneer", has won a first-place award in the competition conducted annually by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. A large group of students are already hard at work on the Yearbook for this year, ably directed and guided by Miss Roy, Miss Alden, Miss Stembridge, and Mr. Lorden.
F. This year we are encouraging our Student Council to take a more active role in the affairs of our student body. Under the able leadership of the faculty sponsor, Mr. James Aldrich, the council has elected officers and has selected committees who are actively under- taking many projects which promise to promote student morale and self-government.
136
G. The daily bell schedule of the school has been revised so as to provide greater flexibility. Actually four schedules are available making it possible to have a long guidance or assembly period in the morning, or a long guidance, assembly, or activity schedule at the end of the day while having a full schedule of regular classes. The sched- ule for every day is announced at least a week in advance through the medium of a printed daily bulletin.
Our pupil report card has been revised and brought up to date. More emphasis is being placed upon the role of the homeroom teacher; all pupils now report to their homerooms in the morning before going to their first period class.
H. Our school library has now grown to 3,060 volumes; total circulation for 1956-1957 was 9,253 books. A staff of 12 student librarians has worked voluntarily and effectively to make the library more useful to more students. All 9th grade classes have been given instruction in the use of the library by our librarian, Mrs. Macdonald. Each year our school library becomes more and more an integral part of our instuctional program.
V. A Look Into the Future:
World events in 1957 have imposed upon our American Public Schools an ever-increasing responsibility to develop to a higher degree the scientific and intellectual abilities of our students. Our compet- itors in the struggle for world domination are using public education as an instrument of national policy. To improve our public schools even further has become one of the primary considerations of our national defense and struggle for survival.
The staff and faculty of the Reading High School realize that we must constantly examine and re-examine our present school practices, ever striving to improve the educational effectiveness of our school to all of our students. Some of the problems which concern us and which we feel need further study in the months ahead are as follows:
1. We have too many pupils at present in study hall. We are using our cafeteria and auditorium during some periods of the day as study halls. Possibly our pupils should be encouraged to carry an additional subject; in the case of our able pupils this would be most desirable. Possibly we should have fewer class periods each day with more teaching time for each period.
2. We need to increase our pupil enrollment in art, in home eco- nomics, and in our shop courses. Instead of having a study hall, I feel confident that many of our pupils would be better off to take art, music, home economics, or shop as a fifth subject. For many pupils the taking of a fifth subject as an elective in one of these areas would be a way of enriching their programs.
3. In the next few years Reading High School must do more to challenge its able pupils who could progress in school at a much faster rate than is the case at present. We have already made plans to set up accelerated classes for gifted students in the fall of 1958. It is our belief that not only can many of our students do more, but, given the chance, they would actually enjoy doing it.
137
Not to challenge our able people to work up to the level of their capacity is a serious waste of human resources. In the future we must create more and more enriched and accelerated classes for our able, gifted pupils.
4. Just as we need to create special classes for our very able pupils, so we also need to do more for some of our pupils who are handicapped by poor reading skills. Until these pupils receive special help in reading, they will be handicapped in their regular school work. In our present 9th and 10th grades we have enough pupils of average ability but low reading ability to constitute four special classes in remedial reading. While these pupils do receive some help from their regular English classes, it is not enough. In addition to their regular English class, they should be given special help in remedial reading in a small class taught by a teacher who has special training in remedial reading.
5. We need to increase our guidance staff at the high school in order to meet better the needs of our students. In the future we should try to reach the goal of having the equivalent of three full-time people on our guidance staff, the minimum number recommended for a school the size of Reading High School.
These are only a few of the problems which we shall face in the future. There are others which have not been mentioned because of the limitations of time and space. Since a school is a living, dynamic organization, there will always be problems, some minor - some major. Our school will continue to progress only as we continue to identify and solve these and similar problems. This is our responsibility and our challenge for the future.
VI. A Word of Thanks:
In conclusion, I should like to express my personal thanks to all of the people at Reading High School with whom I have been associated since August, 1957, and who have helped me in so many ways. I should like to thank particularly Mr. Robert Perry, Mr. Elmer Young, Mr. Ara Karakashian, and the secretaries in our school office.
It is a genuine pleasue and privilege to be associated with such professionally-minded colleagues in Reading, a town where public edu- cation receives the wholehearted support of all citizens.
WALTER S. PARKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT 1957
During the calendar year of 1957 we lost the services of 7 teachers. Two of these transferred within the Reading system, two married women left because their husbands accepted work which took them to another state, one left to enter an industrial field, one failed of reappointment, and one retired. Mrs. Margaret Tyacke left us on November 15 after
138
teaching in Reading for 31 years, and was the last of the original faculty of this school. Mrs. Tyacke was an unfailing source of help and in- spiration to both students and teachers, always being willing and eager to help others in any way possible. We have been fortunate in finding satisfactory replacements to maintain the high quality of our staff.
With the opening of the Birch Meadow School we no longer have the four 6th grade groups with us. We were able to offer quarters for one Grade 2 group of the Highland School while repairs were being made to that building. Our total enrollment dropped from 663 to 490, but the larger entering 7th Grade of September 1958 will increase the number of pupils to about 575 at that time. In September 1959 we will be well over capacity unless additional facilities are provided.
The program of studies in Grade S allows pupils to make one elective choice for the first time in their school program. Pupils may select from French, Latin, or Business Training, or may take additional periods of Home Economics or Industrial Arts, or have additional study periods. This gives an opportunity for experience and background in these fields as a basis for High School electives. The various electives are chosen by approximately the same proportion of pupils each year.
Results of the Stanford Achievement Test given to Grade 8 in May indicated that our average pupil was a year in advance of the national average. While the test scores are gratifying they also point out areas in which we can accomplish more than we have, and indicate common types of subject deficiencies. In this connection it should be noted that our teachers meet regularly by departments to discuss and analyze materials, methods, and techniques being used, and ways in which their teaching may be made more effective. Grade and department chairmen also spend much time with our new teachers to help them become thoroughly acquainted with our program, and be better inte- grated members of our school system.
Our two activity periods a week are used primarily for extra work in music - such as Glee Club and Orchestra, or for service to the school as a whole. Such organizations as Student Council, Engi- neers, Traffic Leaders, and others give valuable experience in certain areas while carrying out duties of great help in operating the school more effectively. About 80% of all eligible pupils engage in activities of these kinds.
The school continues in good physical shape. The Maintenance Department operates efficiently in making needed repairs and replace- ments, and the custodians keep the entire plant in excellent operating condition.
This fall the Adult Education program in Reading got under way with four classes meeting in this school one night a week. From the interest shown to date it is evident that a greatly expanded program will be necessary to meet the needs of local adults. Programs of this type put to good use the facilities of our educational plant which other- wise would be idle outside of regular school hours.
ALBERT H. WOODWARD
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ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1957 THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF READING
The elementary school educational scene has undergone consider- able change since the close of 1956. The extensive fire damage at the Highland School, the subsequent inauguration of the double session at the Pearl Street School, the redistricting of the elementary school population, and the opening of the Birch Meadow School in September, 1957, constituted the essential nucleus of administrative detail during the course of this year.
On March 6, 1957, the Highland School was partially destroyed by fire. The condition of the building immediately following the fire was such that the children could no longer be housed there until major repairs and renovations had been made. After a delay of only one week, a double session program was inaugurated at the Pearl Street School with the Pearl Street students attending the morn- ing session and the Highland School students attending the afternoon session. Much credit is due to the staff of both schools that this pro- gram was put into operation with as little disruption of the school program as possible. Emergency bus schedules were set up to trans- port the Highland School pupils to the Pearl Street School each day. This plan was continued again in the fall. At the opening of school in September of 1957, three rooms at the Birch Meadow School were used to house two Highland School first grades and one second grade. One Highland second grade was housed at the Junior High School. These children attended school on a regular session.
As of January 2, 1958. the entire Highland School student body will once again be housed in the newly renovated Highland School. The repairs made at Highland have been extensive and have included such major changes as new lighting, a new roof, repairs to the heating system, new electrical wiring, the installation of additional closet and storage space, new bulletin boards, as well as new flooring and com- plete redecoration of the building. On their return to Highland School, the pupils will find their building more attractive, more functional, more modern than ever before in its sixty year history.
The new eighteen room Birch Meadow School opened on September 23, 1957, with an initial enrollment of 555 pupils, including three rooms from the Highland School on a temporary basis. Several weeks of staff meetings and organizational planning preceded the opening of the school. The open house in October provided the townspeople with an opportunity to view the new building in its final stages of construction. The unique design of this building in its natural wooded setting, its colorful classrooms, its all purpose cafetorium and play- rcom made this one of the most modern and attractive elementary schools in this area.
The opening of the school plant at Birch Meadow made it possible for the elementary schools to resume operation on a grade one to grade six basis - the organizational set-up which is considered most desir-
140
able for elementary schools according to child growth and develop- ment studies. All sixth graders who have been housed in the Junior High School and the Senior High School for the past several years were able to return to the elementary school in their district. The above factors and the geographical location of our elementary schools demanded townwide elementary school redistricting.
The redistricting program was based on the principle that pupils should attend the school which was nearest to their home. The gen- eral aim was to provide a reasonable teacher-pupil ratio in each class- room and to avoid any unnecessary financial outlay in terms of pupil transportation costs. Pupils who were within walking distance of each elementary school were initially assigned. The assignment of pupils who lived beyond the transportation limits was then determined, considering the most reasonable bus routes possible. Thus, the re- districting program has resulted in a pupil-teacher ratio of twenty- nine pupils for each teacher as compared to a 1956 pupil-teacher ratio of thirty-two pupils for each teacher. The desirable classroom size of twenty-five pupils for each teacher has therefore, become closer to reality in Reading.
The following figures show the distribution of the elementary school pupils for the year 1956-1957:
Grade 1
325
354
Grade 2
306
315
Grade 3
338
311
Grade 4
366
346
Grade 5
334
351
Grade 6
247
326
1916 (October 1, 1956) 2003 (October 1, 1957)
With the continued growth of the elementary school population and the problem of making maximum use of school facilities, the re- districting of our elementary schools on a limited basis will become an annual problem.
Staff
As in recent years, the problem of obtaining qualified elementary teachers has remained as one of great importance. The addition of the Birch Meadow School to our physical plant created several new teaching positions which increased the total number of our elementary school staff to seventy, sixteen of these teachers are new to Reading this year. Because of the reorganization of the elementary school grade structure, many teacher reassignments were made in order to provide a favorable townwide balance of talent and teaching experience in every elementary school. Despite the nationwide shortage of well- qualified elementary teachers, it is our feeling that the new teachers who were hired represent outstanding additions to our teaching force.
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