Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1960, Part 9

Author: Reading (Mass.)
Publication date: 1960
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 242


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78


0 0 Apoplexy


5 8 Bronchopneumonia


October


5 Florence A. Vallely (Malloy) 73


9 Avis R. Brackett


3 19 Bronchopneumonia


75 0 13 Arteriosclerotic heart disease


104


22 Elizabeth Glen Rawlings


22 James Emmell Johnson


27 George E. Fennelly


81 68


Cerebral hemorrhage


3 Carcinoma of esophagus


86 2. 15 Arteriosclerosis


14 Peter John Tubek or Tubec


75


71


Skull Fracture


DEATHS REGISTERED IN READING FOR THE YEAR 1960


Date


Name


YMD


Cause of Death


October


9 Richard Wyman MacHugh 44


11 Gertrude M. McCarty (Eldridge) 87


14 Vera Emerson Scott 78


19 Bertha Ellen Peters Conway 89


6 7 Heart disease-sudden death


5 18 Acute Myocardial Infarction


4 18 Coronary Thrombosis Arteriosclerotic heart disease


21 John Francis Murphy


87


9 2 Coronary Thrombosis


6 19 Myocardial Infarc


3 27 Coronary Thrombosis


28 Pearl R. (Clarry) Campbell 85 9 9 Arteriosclerotic heart disease


28 Dorothy S. (Marston) Carey 64


9 27 Carcinoma of Caecum


1 29 Heart disease-sudden death


November


4 Alfonso Jackson


6 Ella Mae MacFarland Jackson 75


13 Phillip Goddard Parker


14 Henry F. Johnson


17 Elfreda Thrush (Osmond) 82


18 Mary Currier (Babcock)


21 Carolyn F. Morrison


26 William Henry Fracker


28 Frank Besso


83 11 23 Arteriosclerotic heart disease


10 6 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease


48


0 14 Cirrhosis of Liver


69


2. 28 Cancer of Lung Carcinoma


87 7 21 Cerebral Hemorrhage


84


6 26 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease


88


3 6 Coronary Thrombosis


56


3 13 Pulmonary edema


December


3 Lena M. (Temple) Cook


4 Ethel Elizabeth (Anderson) Carlson 52


8 Agnes S. Kezer


84


5 9 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease


9 George Cowles


13 Margaret Coyne Kelso


18 Martha C. Baxter (Leckey)


22 Mary Louise Lowande (Galvin) 83 7 26 Heart Disease


22 Emma S. (Hutchinson) Nelson 95


85


Arteriosclerosis


2 12 Massive Intestinal Bleeding


67 11 2 Heart Disease


90 10 13 Contusion Left Temporal Lobe of Brain


94 4 18 Uremia


6 2 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease


105


25 Charles M. Cullinane


72


26 Mabe C. (Souther) Hillman


75


31 Sidney A. White 60


DEATHS REGISTERED IN READING FOR THE YEAR 1960


Date


Name


YMD


Cause of Death


December


22 Emma Porter (Grant)


92


7 22 Generalized Arteriosclerosis


22 George Taylor Oliver


65


8 6 Ruptured of Aortic Aneurysm


26 George Stephen Lehr


53


7 6 Acute Myocardial Infarction


26 Alfred Raymond Langiell


62


5 4 Heart Disease


28 Arthur Farnham Stiles


64


5 20 Metastatic Carcinoma


30 Emma Isabella Coburn Hopkins


85 10 15 Arteriosclerosis


31 Stephen James Berry


3 0 18 Compressed Fractured Skull


DELAYED RECORD OF DEATHS FOR THE YEAR 1959


Date


Name


YMD


Cause of Death


July


23 Harry Irving Flint


86 7 25 Ch. Myocarditis


Noyember


9 Harold E. Thurlow


53 11 19 Sudden death


106


NOTICE TO PARENTS, HOUSEWIVES, PHYSICIANS AND MID-WIVES


Your attention is called to the sections below taken from the revised laws. Blank forms for return of birth can be obtained from the Town Clerk.


General Laws, Chap. 46. Sec. 3 (Tercentenary Edition) (As Amended By Chapter 326, Section One, Acts of 1939)


Every physician, or hospital medical officer registered under section nine of chapter one hundred and twelve, in this chapter called officer, shall keep a record of the birth of every child in cases of which he was in charge, showing date and place of birth, the name, if any, of the child, its sex and color, the name, age, birthplace, occupation and resi- dence (including the street number, if any, and the ward number if in a city) of each parent, the maiden name of the mother and the name of the physician or officer, if any, personally attending the birth. If the child is illegitimate, the name of and other facts relating to the father shall not be set forth except upon written request of both the father and mother; provided that if an illegitimate child shall have become legitmate by the intermarriage of his parents and the acknowledgement of his father, as provided in section seven of chapter one hundred and ninety, prior to the mailing or delivery of any report herein required, such report shall read in all respects, as if such child had been born to such parents in lawful wedlock. Said physician or officer shall, within 15 days after such birth, mail or deliver to the clerk or registrar of the town where such birth occurred, a report stating the facts herein above required to be shown on said record and also the said written request, if any; provided that if said report is not so made within forty-eight hours after such birth, said physician, or officer shall, within said forty- eight hours mail or deliver to said clerk or registrar a notice stating the date and place of the birth, the street number, if any, the ward number, if in a city, and the family name. Upon presentation to him of a cer- tificate of the town clerk stating that any such birth has been duly reported, the town treasurer shall pay to such physician or officer a fee of twenty-five cents for each birth so reported. Any physician or any such officer violating any provision of this section shall forfeit not more than twenty-five dollars. The said town clerk or registrar shall file daily with the local board of health a list of all births reported to him, showing, as to each, the date of birth, sex, color, family name, residence; ward and physician or officer in charge.


Within sixty days after the date of the birth of any child born in the commonwealth with visible congenital deformities, or any condition apparently acquired at birth which may lead to crippling, the physician in attendance upon said births shall prepare upon a form provided by the state department of public health and file with the clerk of the town where such birth occurred a report setting forth such visible congenital deformity, or any condition apparently acquired at birth which may lead to crippling.


107


Said clerk shall transmit forthwith to said department such supple- mentary report of such birth. The contents of such report shall be solely for the use of said department in connection with its functions relative to crippled children, and such report shall not be open to public inspection or constitute a public record.


General Laws, Chap. 46, Sec. 6


Parents within forty days after the birth of a child, and every householder, within forty days after a birth in his home, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the town where such child is born.


General Laws, Chapter 111


Sections 110 and 111, require physicians, registered hospital medical officers, nurses or other attendants to report at once to the local board of health, every child one or both of whose eyes become inflamed, swollen and red and show an unnatural discharge within two weeks after birth.


108


ANNUAL REPORT of THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE of


The Town of Reading, Massachusetts


for the year ending December 31, 1960


RETIRED


MISS ELIZABETH A. BATCHELDER, B.S.Ed. Teacher of Commercial Education


Appointed 1916 Retired 1959


MR. FREDERICK J. POPE B.S., Ed.M. Head of Science Department


Appointed 1922


Retired 1959


ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS


Mr. Edward W. Palmer, 45 Pratt Street


Term Expires 1963


Mr. Stanley I. Robinson, 273 Pearl Street


"


1963


Mr. Newell H. Morton, 198 Woburn Street


1962


Dr. Henry M. Paynter, 132 West Street


1962


Mr. Paul R. Bergholtz, 20 Puritan Road, Chairman Mrs. Barbara E. Winkler, 52 Pearl Street


1961


1961


School Committee Office


High School Building


62 Oakland Road


Telephones 944-0180 and 944-5220


Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During summer vacation 8:00 to 4:00


Superintendent of Schools


Robert F. Perry


22 Dudley Street


Secretary to the Superintendent


Mae A. Tanner


24 Federal Street


Clerks in School Committee Office


Anna G. Freeman, Bookkeeper


Norma C. Walsh, Payroll Clerk


48 Grove Street 10 Temple Street


School Physician


Dr. Robert W. Wakeling


60 Lowell Street


Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools Supervisor of Maintenance Mr. Roderick E. Macdonald


11 John Carver Road


Supervisor of Cafeterias


Mrs. Lois C. Piper


268 Franklin Street


110


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


To the Citizens of Reading:


The School Committee herewith submits its annual report.


This report will only touch on some of the highlights of the School Department operations in 1960. More detailed school information will be found in the individual reports of the Superintendent, Principals and Directors.


Administration Staff Changes


The School Committee was pleased that there were qualified edu- cators within our own system to fill some of the vacancies that appeared in our administration staff this year. Mr. Ara A. Karakashian was ap- pointed Principal and Mr. Ernest G. Spence was appointed Assistant Principal of the Senior High School. Mr. John R. Copithorne was ap- pointed Principal of the new Arthur W. Coolidge Junior High School. Mr. Dennis F. Murphy was appointed Principal of the Birch Meadow Elementary School, and Dr. Helen R. Zimmerman was appointed Head of the Science Department, Senior High School.


Buildings and Grounds


The Committee is impatiently looking forward to the completion of the new Arthur W. Coolidge Junior High School and hope their day of acceptance will be early in 1961. The division of the town into two parts and the assignment of teachers and pupils to both junior high schools was completed early this fall.


Completion of outside painting and a new electrical system was the first step of a three-year plan to renovate the Walter S. Parker Junior High School.


The grading of a section of Birch Meadow and the seeding of an in- field area was also the first step of a three-year plan to provide a new baseball field for Reading.


Salaries


The action of the State Legislature in raising minimum salary for a BA degree to $4000.00 necessitated the adoption of a new salary schedule that went into effect September 1, 1960.


The Committee authorized a special study committee to work with Mr. John Harker to explore new ideas in relation to the structure of salary schedules for members of the professional staff of the School De- partment.


A new salary schedule was adopted for all cafeteria managers and workers.


Other Highlights


A new report card was developed for elementary schools.


111


'The evaluation of Reading Memorial High School was completed by a special committee appointed by the Executive Secretary of the Na- tional Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges.


A summer school was conducted for the third consecutive year pro- viding greater participation by secondary school pupils in programs of enrichment and courses set up to give students advanced placement.


The Reading Teachers Club brought the New England Opera Com- pany to Reading and received a citation for special outstanding achieve- ment in public relations for this project. Reading was host to the Fall Music Festival of the Massachusetts Northeastern District, representing over 40 schools.


Accomplishments like those listed above are possible only through the cooperation of school personnel, committees, groups and townspeople working together toward the best possible education for the students of Reading. In this respect we warmly welcome the formation of the Reading Council for Better Schools and look forward to many co-opera- tive studies and projects for the future.


A glance to the future, based on recent long-range studies for our town, indicates increases in homes, families and children. To a school committee this means only one thing - GROWTH in students, teaching staff and school buildings. We suggest a permanent or continuing town school building committee with responsibility for long-range studies, site locations and additional school building facilities.


Respectfully submitted,


PAUL R. BERGHOLTZ, Chairman


NEWELL H. MORTON


EDWARD W. PALMER


DR. HENRY M. PAYNTER


STANLEY I. ROBINSON


BARBARA E. WINKLER


112


SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET - 1960


Appropriations, Transfers & Refunds 1960


Expended 1960


SALARIES:


$


56,771.12


Supt., Clerks & Enf. of Law


$ 55,605.71


55,716,.64


Directors


55,120.36


3,000.00


Misc. Salaries of Instruction


2,740.03


51,983.31


Principals


52,838.76


794,021.46


Teachers


791,631.85


96,615.00


Custodians & Matrons


96,442.64


12,556.65


Health


12,250.70


$1,070,664.18


Total Salaries


$1,066,630.05


MAINTENANCE:


$ 1,000.00


Supt. Office Expense


$ 861.34


400.00


Research & Prof. Study


400.00


975.00


Printing


714.00


500.00


Travel Expense


117.09


800.00


Prin. Office Expense


1,053.28


3,450.00


Telephone


3,554.77


765.00


Evaluation - Senior High


538.54


$ 7,890.00


Total General Control $ 7,239.02


INSTRUCTION:


$ 1,200.00


Travel Exp. Directors & Prin.


$


933.03


15,560.00


Textbooks & Supplementary Books


15,592.15


15,150.00


Supplies - School


13,239.83


2,500.00


Supplies - Shop


2,575.94


1,000.00


Supplies - Dom. Science


1,110.55


2,474.95


Audio-Visual


1,851.73


965.00


Educational T. V.


965.00


1,420.00


Physical Ed. Equipment


1,524.73


2,055.00


Tests


2,334.18


5,529.16


Instructional Apparatus


7,810.58


100.00


Express Charges


28.89


$ 47,954.11


Total Instruction


$ 47,966.61


OPERATION OF PLANT:


$ 25,500.00


Fuel


$ 22,717.49


2,500.00


Water & Sewer


2,435.47


20,500.00


Electricity


20,225.18


500.00


Gas


435.37


150.00


Laundry & Summer Cleaning


76.97


113


220.50


936.23


Travel & Operation of Vehicles Janitors Supplies


7,353.09


$ 57,150.00


Total Operation of Plant


$ 54,400.30


MAINTENANCE OF PLANT


$


2,895.00


Grounds


$ 2,945.47


9,445.00


Buildings


12,546.29


645.00


Service System


664.90


6,395.00


Plumbing & Heating


6,137.44


476.40


Furniture Repair & Replacement


463.01


$ 19,856.40


Total Maintenance of Plant $ 22,757.11


AUXILIARY AGENCIES:


$


3,400.00


Library


$ 3,022.09


650.00


Health Expense


572.19


450.00


Commencement


519.46


$


4,500.00


Total Auxiliary Agencies


$ 4,113.74


CAPITAL OUTLAY:


New Equipment & Furniture


$ 1,011.78


$ 139,209.91


Total General Maintenance


$ 137,488.56


$1,070,664.18


Total Salaries


$1,066,630.05


$1,209,874.09


Grand Total


$1,204,118.61


34,230.00


Transportation


33,445.70


5,000.00


Vocational Tuition


3,342.77


15,224.00


Athletic Account


15,224.00


4,470.00


Adult Education


3,166.75


114


$


1,859.40


Ash Removal


300.00 700.00 7,000.00


READING SCHOOL COMMITTEE - 1960 Receipts not from Tax Levy - Showing Net Cost to Town January 9, 1960 GENERAL ACCOUNT


Estimate 1961


1960


Appropriation


Credits $1,392,031.34


Total Expenditures (less transportation) (less Vocational Tuition)


$1,204,118.61


Receipts:


$ 158,897.00


State Reimbursement


$ 147,521.71


4,000.00


Tuition - State Wards


3,981.01


5,000.00


Mentally Retarded


6,390.83


4,500.00


173,397.00


1,000.00


Sundry


1,849.84


164,243.39


$1,273,133.54


Net Cost to Town


$1,039,875.22


VOCATIONAL TUITION


$


5,000.00


Total Expenditures


$ 3,342.77


Receipts:


State Reimbursement


1,591.91


Net Cost to Town


$ 1,750.86


TRANSPORTATION


Total Expenditures


$ 33,445.70


Receipts:


1,250.00


State Reimbursement


1,292.88


$ 33,290.00


Net Cost to Town


$ 32,152.82


Reim. on Salary of Youth Counselor


4,500.00


$


1,600.00


$ 34,540.00


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


To the School Committee and Citizens of Reading:


I herewith submit the report of the Superintendent of Schools for the year ending December 31, 1960, it being the sixty-eighth in a series of such annual reports.


Enrollment


l'he enrollment of the public schools as of October 1, 1960, was 4022, an increase of 162, or 4.2%, over the total enrollment in 1959. There were 582 pupils enrolled in St. Agnes' Parochial School in grades one through eight. The pupils of the public schools were distributed to the various buildings as follows:


School


Grades


Enrollment


Lowell


1- 4


106


Prospect


1- 4


118


Pearl


1- 6


477


Highland


1- 6


399


Joshua Eaton


1- 6


572


Birch Meadow


1- 6


474


Junior High


7- 8


718


Senior High


942


1142


Special Education


16


Staff


Two hundred and thirty-seven persons serve in various capacities in the total operation of the School Department including 156 classroom teachers: 18 administrators, supervisors and directors; 13 secretaries; 23 custodians; 23 cafeteria workers; 2 nurses and 2 physicians.


During the year it was necessary for the administrative staff to re- cruit a total of 21 teachers to replace 17 teachers who resigned plus 4 new teachers to take care of the increased enrollment. The following table compares the turnover in personnel in 1960 with changes in our staff in 1958-1959:


1858


1959


1960


Additional teachers


2


5


4


Left system


20


15


17


Turnover


13.5% : 10.1%


12.5%


Reasons for leaving:


1. To accept positions in other school systems


13


7


6


2. To accept positions in industry


1


3. Retirement


2


4. Family reasons


3


4


5. Leave of absence


1


1


6. Not reappointed


3


Two highly respected members of our teaching staff retired at the end of the school year, after long and faithful service to the students of the Reading Memorial High School.


116


1. Mr. Frederick J. Pope, 1922 to 1960 - Head of the Science Depart- ment, Reading Memorial High School - 38 years.


2. Miss Elizabeth Batchelder, 1916 to 1960 - Teacher in the Com- mercial Department, Reading Memorial High School - 44 years.


During the past three years it has been necessary for the adminis- trative staff to recruit each year twenty to twenty-five new teachers for the teaching staff at various grade levels. This problem requires the combined effort of the principals and the Superintendent of Schools over a period of several months. As far as Reading is concerned there is no shortage of applications for vacancies which occur on our teach- ing staff; our problem is to locate those capable, qualified and well- trained people who do apply for teaching positions on our staff. The quality of education cannot rise above the character and competence of those who teach. Teachers of mathematics, science and industrial arts are still in short supply.


There continues to be no stability in the whole salary structure for teachers here in New England or other parts of the Nation. The School Committee found it necessary to revise the salary schedule effective on September 1, 1960, as the result of the action of the General Court in establishing a minimum salary of $4,000.00 for all teachers in the Com- monwealth.


Salary Schedule For Teachers Effective September 1, 1960


I. Raise minimum of $3900 to $4300, BA; $4500, MA; $4700, MA+30.


II. Establish maxima at $6000, $6200, $6400 for 3 classifications of training.


III. Establish Career-Maximum Schedule of $6600; $7400; $7600.


Salary Schedule


Step


BA


MA


MA+30


1


$4300


$4500


$4700


2


4400


4600


4800


3


4500


4700


4900


4


4650


4850


5050


5


4800


5000


5200


6


4950


5150


5350


7


5100


5300


5500


8


5250


5450


5650


9


5400


5600


5800


10


5550


5750


5950


11


5700


5900


6100


12


5850


6050


6250


13


6000


6200


6400


Career


Maxima


6600


7400


7600


117


1. Effective in September 1960, all teachers to receive salary on next higher step. Salary increase amounts to $400 plus established an- nual increment, except those teachers now on Step #11 of the 1959-60 schedule, who will receive an increase of $600 and move to Step #13 of the new schedule.


2. Career-Maximum Schedule. Career maxima are established with no definite annual increments. These maximum salaries will be paid on the basis of additional responsibilities and duties assumed by those teachers who are willing to be employed on a 12-month basis. These teachers will be employed at the discretion of the School Commit- tee and will take over whatever duties the administration of the schools may direct; such duties as working singly or on committees dealing with research and development of the school curriculum; assuming lead- ership in workshops designed to improve instruction in the Reading Schools; special professional study related directly to problems of the local school system; service as instructors in special summer school programs, etc.


In connection with the preparation of the 1961 School Budget the School Committee decided that it was necessary to again revise the sal- ary schedule if we are to retain on our staff those strong, capable teach- ers who have accumulated a number of years of experience either here in Reading or in other communities, and at the same time be attractive enough for our young teachers to want to stay in Reading to work toward maxima that are realistic and competitive with maxima in surrounding communities.


SALARY SCHEDULE September 1, 1961


Step


Inc.


BA


MA


MA+30


1


$4600


$4800


2


100


$4300 4400


4700


4900


3


100


4500


4800


5000


4


150


4650


4950


5150


5


150


4800


5100


5300


6


150


4950


5250


5450


7


150


5100


5400


5600


8


150


5250


5550


5750


9


150


5400


5700


5900


10


150


5550


5850


6050


11


250


5800


6100


6300


12


250


6050


6350


6500


1.3


250


6300


6600


6800 Max.


Career Maxima


6900


7800


8000


118


Reading Career-Leadership Program


1. Teachers who desire to participate in the Reading career teach- ing and leadership program are eligible to do so one year after reach- ing the maximum salary established for any one of the three-degree classifications of the regular salary schedule for teachers.


2. This program makes it possible for teachers to reach a salary which is $600 above the normal maximum for those teachers with a BA degree and $1200 above the normal maximum for teachers with an MA or MA+30 hours degree.


3. No definite salary increments are established for this super- maximum schedule. Salaries beyond the normal maxima will be deter- mined by the School Committee on the basis of the amount and degree of extra responsibility and duties assumed by those teachers who are willing to be employed in the program on a 12-month basis.


4. Teachers who desire to participate in the career-leadership pro- gram will be employed at the discretion of the School Committee for the purpose of taking over whatever duties and responsibilities the admin- istration of the schools may suggest, direct, or approve; such duties as (a) working singly or on committees dealing with research and develop- ment of the school curriculum; (b) assuming leadership in workshops or programs to assist other teachers at this grade or departmental level to become more effective teachers; (c) special professional study re- lated directly to the improvement of the instructional program of the Reading schools; (d) active leadership and superior teaching effective- ness in the interpretation of the Reading school programs to the parents and citizens of this community; (e) service as instructors in special extended school programs for pupils at either the elementaary or sec- ondary level.


5. The procedure used in making recommendations to the School Committee for the employment of a teacher under this program will be as follows:


A. The teacher will file a form "Request to participate in the Career-Leadership Program" with the Superin- tendent of Schools. This form should be filed with the Superintendent of Schools on or before October 30th of each year.


8. In relation to this request, the principal and/or depart- ment head, administrative or supervisory personnel will make recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools concerning those areas to which they are as- signed and are familiar.


C. Based on a joint conference with those administrative or supervisory personnel concerned with the teacher par- ticipating in this program, a recommendation will be made by the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee.


119


6. All forms used in connection with the career-leadership program will be approved by the School Committee. It shall be the annual re- sponsibility of the Superintendent and his staff to review the procedures and forms in this program, and to recommend to the School Committee such changes as they deem desirable.


The Budget of the School Department continues to increase annual- ly at a rate that is of serious concern to many of our citizens. Salaries of School Deparment personnel account for 84% of the total estimated budget for 1961.


In the various reports of the Supervising Principals reference is made to the following significant items relating to the instructional pro- gram and operation of the schools during the past year:


1. The formal evaluation and report of the operation of the Read- ing Memorial High School by the visiting committee representing the new England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.


2. Preparation for the reorganization of the secondary schools on the 6-3-3 plan as the result of the opening of the Arthur W. Coolidge Junior High School.


3. Additional guidance personnel added to our staff to meet those standards recommended under the National Defense Education Act and by Dr. Conant in his report The American High School Today.


4. Expanded programs of instruction utilizing Educational Televi- sion, including French for all pupils in grades 4 and 5.


5. Revision of the elementary school report card.


6. Extensive study of arithmetic curriculum and adoption of the Winston series as basal books for the arithmetic program in the elemen- tary schools.


7 Expanded program of the summer school sponsored by the P.T.A. Council for the third consecutive year.


School Plant


As the result of hard work and the conscientious devotion to duty of Mr. Macdonald and our custodial staff, our school buildings are in excel- lent condition. During the year all of the items planned for in the budget and the special articles of the Town Warrant were completed, as well as many items in connection with the program of preventive maintenance. Items of major importance are as follows:




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