USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tewksbury > Town of Tewksbury annual report 1917-1925 > Part 15
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 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
82
by loan or otherwise to remodel the Library School. or take any other action relative thereto.
ART. 28. To see what provision the Town will make toward compiling a complete record and memorial of the persons who have been in the service during the recent war, and make appropriation for same, or take any other action relative thereto.
ART. 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate a sum not to exceed $150, and elect a di- rector for demonstration work in agriculture and home economics. The money to be expended by and the director to serve in co-operation with the Coun- ty Trustees for aid to agriculture of Middlesex County Bureau of Agriculture and home economics under the provisions of Chapter 273, General Acts of 1918.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by post- ing up attested copies thereof, one at each of the Public Meeting Houses, one at the Town Hall, one at each of the Post Offices, and leave one hundred copies for the use of the citizens at the Post Offices in said Town, 10 days at least, and over two Sundays, before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due returns of this War- rant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting as aforesaid.
Given under our hands this fifteenth day of Janu- ary, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and twenty.
IRVING F. FRENCH, HARRY L. SHEDD, JOHN T. GALE, Selectmen of Tewksbury.
83
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF TEWKSBURY
TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31
1919
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
If conditions during the war occasioned disturbances felt in all branches of School work, the year following the .signing of the Armistice has been none the less full of difficulties.
Undoubtedly the most important of these has been the question of securing teachers. This matter is dealt with more minutely in the report of the Supt. of Schools. Suffice it to say here, that the shortage of competent teach- ers to fill vacancies has been felt severely. The majority of our teaching force has remained intact, and given high grade service in our schools. Salaries have been raised, but it will be necessary, and it is the plan of your Commit- tee, to adopt at once in Jan. 1920, a higher schedule of sal- aries, which will place our schools on a plane at least approaching what other schools are doing today, and which will protect us from deliberate attempts on the part of other Towns to buy off our best teachers.
In this effort to meet the salary requirements of the present day, we are aided by the New Mass. School Fund which reimburses the Town from $100 to $200 per teacher according to the salary paid by the Town. The first amount received by our dept. last Fall was $540.00. With the sal- ary schedule proposed to go into effect Feb. 2nd, 1920, we should receive from the State $1750.00 next Fall.
Satisfactory arrangements have been made with those who manage the barge routes, for the remainder of the School year. It has been necessary however to consider our janitors in the general salary increase, particularly in view of the good service rendered.
With all this in mind we can feel encouraged at least to consider that the School Dept. will not commence the year 1920 with an account of over $1100 unpaid bills to clean up, as was the case in 1919.
Your Committee have felt that with the cost of build- ing as high as it is today, it would be wise to increase the insurance on our Schools still more. In our estimates for
3
1920, $400 is asked for to cover renewals coming due, $240 more is included for added insurance.
At the North School many improvements have been made including a complete renovation of the interior. The results are satisfying and pleasing to the eye.
The West School had a new coat of paint last summer on the exterior and is in good condition within and without.
This year, the Committee plans to complete the work of putting up a metal lathe and plaster ceiling in the Shaw- sheen School. Last summer a portion of this work pre- scribed by the Building Inspector was put up and a similar job completed at the North School, according to building regulations for school houses.
It has been the belief of the Committee that the Shaw- sheen and North Schools, termed training schools, are keeping up a high standard in scholarship and discipline, and that the aid of the Lowell Normal School officials has been very beneficial.
Up to the spring of 1919 however this work was being carried on under only a verbal agreement with our Dept. Deciding that it would be more businesslike, and that a more satisfactory understanding of the requirements of the situation could be arranged on paper, a written agreement was drawn up and signed by your Committee and the Comm. of Education, on April 5, 1919.
This agreement is similar to that entered upon by other cities and towns, and assures us high teaching stand- ards, the benefit of additional salary offered by the Normal School in order to secure and hold a satisfactory teaching force, also certain sums of money spent by the Normal School for the maintenance of superior practice facilities. Other clauses arrange for "mutual understanding in regard to the conduct of these schools." If for any possible reason this arrangement becomes unsatisfactory to either party, the agreement may be abrogated by mutual consent, or by either party alone after one year's notice in writing shall have been given to the other party thereto.
An effort is being made to start a Branch Library at
4
the Shawsheen School for the benefit of those in the South- east section of the Town.
At the Foster School, Pickering Hall has been in much demand during the past year. A considerable amount has been realized on rent of the Hall, but it is doubtful as to just how much of this amount is offset by expense of janitor, police, lighting and heating, and general wear and tear. Then again the hall being on the third floor not only offers difficulties to elderly people desiring to attend certain meet- ings but also results in the tracking of mud and dirt over a large area of the school. It is the interest of the School Board that this Hall be used whenever necessary, but we look forward to the day when the new Town Hall and Church will take care of functions which are properly their own.
A new piano has been bought and placed in Pickering Hall. It has good tone and is meeting the requirements of the Hall, much better than the old one.
Three items which are costing us more than ever be- fore are, transportation, fuel, and all labor connected with the upkeep and repair of the Schools.
A special appropriation is asked for this year to cover the expense of remodelling the Library School. It is ex- pected that the Public Library will be moved into its new room at the Town Hall in the Spring. This will leave the School Dept. much needed space, which must be fitted up as a modern school-room, and which will delay for a few years the necessity of erecting a new School building. It is the intention of your committee also to provide this school with much needed sanitary requirements, and a suit- able arrangement for drinking water.
It has been a source of great satisfaction to the School Committee to feel that we have the backing of the Towns- people so strongly in our effort to keep the Schools in good condition, well equipped as they should be for all work to be done in them, and attractive and safe as possible for teachers and children, as well as a credit to the Town as public buildings.
:
5
We recommend the following sums be raised to cover expenses as enumerated below, for the year 1920: Unpaid bills $ 736.73
Tuition
2,500.00
Medical Inspection
100.00
Insurance
640.00
Transportation
4,048.00
Supervision
900.00
Teachers
9,520.00
Fuel and Janitors
3,800.00
School Houses
2,000.00
Books and Supplies
1,000.00
Miscellaneous
500.00
$25,744.73
Expected from State
4,295.00
$21,449.73
HERBERT L. TRULL, Chairman MAY L. LARRABEE FRANKLIN F. SPAULDING
School Committee.
6
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Lowell, Mass., Jan. 7, 1920.
To the School Committee of Tewksbury:
Mrs. Larrabee and Gentlemen :-
I herewith submit my seventh annual report which is the twenty-ninth in the series of Superintendents' reports. Owing to the increase in all supplies and materials, and to the marked shortage of teachers the past year has been a strenuous one in which to maintain the standard of the schools.
Supervision. Miss Edith Merchant who is serving her second year as drawing supervisor in the district is doing excellent work.
Miss Mildred Brennon who taught music in the dis- trict last year resigned last June to be married.
Miss Georgia Within, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music with three years' experience, was selected for the position. She has made an excellent be- ginning in the music of the schools, and has the support of teachers and pupils.
Teachers. Miss Hazel Weinbeck resigned in June to be married.
Miss Annie M. Wylie for many years teacher of the West school resigned in Oct. to accept a better position in another town. Miss Wylie deservedly had the good will and affection of both pupils and parents.
Miss Ella E. Fleming, for many years principal of the Foster School, on account of home duties resigned her position Nov. 10, 1919. Losing Miss Fleming from the teaching force of the town was felt as a distinct personal loss by the pupils of the eighth grade, their parents, and also by the many young people who have graduated from the school. The loss is, however, more far reaching than this, as it is an actual loss to the town at large. I know of no one separate agency which has tended more fully toward the making of good citizenship in the town than the
7
eighth grade of the Foster School as conducted by Miss Fleming.
Mr. Reginald Webster, a man with a fine record as a student, a teacher and a soldier completed the fall term after Miss Fleming's resignation.
Beginning with the winter term, Miss Gladys Arnold assumes the principalship of the Foster School, and Miss Elizabeth Dowler, takes the seventh grade. So far as can be judged in this short time these changes are proving successful. It seems that Miss Arnold who has taught in the Foster school for more than seven years will make a worthy successor to Miss Fleming. Miss Abbie Whitney, a recent graduate from Lowell Normal was placed in charge of the second primary room in September.
Mrs. Lilla McPherson, a graduate of Framingham Nor- mal, has taken charge of the Library School.
Miss Helena McGowan, a graduate of Lowell Normal, is at the West School. We have been fortunate in retain- ing so many of our teachers this year. Especially is this true when considering the fact that five of the town teach- ers have been offered increased salaries since the Christmas vacation.
The Teacher Situation. The shortage in the available supply of teachers is alarming. It is officially reported that 3,800 teachers are lacking in the United States this school year. The neighboring state of New Hampshire has already closed fifty schools and contemplates closing eighty more.
While Massachusetts has probably closed no schools this year it has certainly placed teachers in the schools who have not sufficiently prepared themselves for the important position held by teachers.
In the case of your own town and the other towns of my district thus far the shortage has been felt only in that teachers of less experience than formerly have been as- signed to important rooms. However, the situation has recently become more intense and in filling the positions left vacant at the Christmas vacation I was obliged to use all the teacher material I knew of, and for other vacancies
8
and for substitutes I have been obliged to call upon the Lowell Normal School to furnish undergraduates.
Massachusetts School Fund Law. The fact that Mas- sachusetts realizes the gravity of the teacher situation and the inadequacy of the teacher's salary, is proved by the passage of the long contended "School Fund" bill. This law provides for reimbursement as follows :
(1). "Two hundred dollars for every such person who has received as salary not less than eight hundred and fifty dollars and who is a graduate of an approved normal school or college, and has had at least two years teaching experience, or who possesses preparation and teaching ex- perience accepted in lieu thereof."
(2). "One hundred and fifty dollars for every such person, not included in the foregoing classification, who has received as salary not less than seven hundred and fifty dollars, and who has satisfactorily completed one year of professional training in an approved normal school or teach- ers' training school, and has had at least three years of teaching experience : or is a graduate of an approved normal school or college, and has had at least one year's teaching experience : or who possesses preparation and teaching expe- rience expected in lieu of either of the foregoing require- ments in this paragraph."
(3). "One hundred dollars for every such person, not included in either paragraphs (1) or (2) who has re- ceived as salary not less than six hundred and fifty dollars."
This law was approved July 24, 1919 and took effect at once, consequently in November 1919 the sum of $540 was turned into the town treasury on account of salaries paid during the school year ending June, 1919.
In order to take as great advantage of this law as pos- sible for the present school year the salaries of the teach- ers must be so adjusted that the teacher may receive an increase and the town may also draw back a larger reim- bursement, for example teacher receiving $800 should be raised to $850 or more.
The estimated amount to be received by Tewksbury
9
in accordance with the salaries asked for in the annual budget will total $1,750.
Salaries. The above described law was passed with the definite purpose of securing increases in the teaching sal- aries throughout the state, thereby giving an impetus to the movement already begun of attracting and retaining competent and trained teachers in the schools. For years teachers have been notoriously underpaid.
Campaigns have been waged for increase in salaries either on the ground of fairness or charity, and when in- creases have been gained they have in general been inade- quate, as for example the case in which teachers received a raise of one dollar per week, but board was increased at the same time a dollar and a half per week.
The above state of affairs has changed rapidly since the outbreak of the late war. Wages and salaries have been so large and so easily obtained in office, shop, factory, and even housework, that girls upon the completion of their high school course, or even before, have scorned taking a course in one of the State Normal Schools, but have gone directly to work at a larger salary than they would be able to receive after graduation from a normal school and after several years of experience. I offer as proof of the above statement the fact that there are but sixty-odd students at Lowell Normal School where there should be one hun- dred and seventy-five.
In view of the shortage of teachers, the new law men- tioned above, and the fact that living expenses have in- creased 88 per cent within two years, I urge you to give such substantial increases to your teachers and super- visors that the former good standing of your schools may be maintained, and that teachers of worth who are in your schools may be retained and that new teachers of merit may be attracted.
I recommend that the minimum salary be increased to $650, and the maximum to $1000, with corresponding increases to the supervisors.
This will call for an appropriation of $8400 for teach-
10
ers, but you must remember that this salary schedule will return as reimbursement under the new law $1750, mak- ing the net appropriation practically what it was last year.
As all the towns in the vicinity of Lowell Normal School have either passed a similar salary schedule, or will ask for an appropriation sufficient to do so at the coming town meeting, I can see no recourse left except to fall into line.
Tewksbury need not attempt to compete with cities in the salary question, but it must maintain an approxi- mate equality in this respect with the other towns of the locality, or it must suffer the serious penalty of seeing its schools deteriorate.
Library Building. Before the outbreak of the Euro- pean war the town of Tewksbury passed a vote to build a new school building, and appointed a building committee with instruction to investigate and report at the next an- nual meeting. The war broke out and prices soared. The report of the "building committee" was that it was not feasible for the town to build at that time. As a temporary remedy the "committee room" at the Foster school was en- larged into a small class room capable of seating thirty pupils.
Later the disastrous fire which destroyed the public buildings of the town made it necessary for the town to use its resources in building`a new town hall.
As this hall will furnish room for the public library it seems a fitting time to make use of the entire Library building for school purposes. I recommend that the build- ing be renovated, remodeled, and fitted up as a primary two- room school, equipped with modern lighting, heating, and ventilating, with running water, toilets, and basement play room ; in short, made into a modern, sanitary school, not as a temporary expedient, but with the idea of permanency.
With the two rooms of the Library school used for primary grades, and the four large rooms and one class room at the Foster employed, the school building situation will be cared for for many years.
11
The immediate need of the additional room may be judged from the fact that for several years it has been necessary to "split" some of the grades, that is, put part of a grade in one room, the rest in another.
Graduation. Thursday evening, June 19, 1919 occurred the most unique graduation exercises I have ever witnessed. The principal of the school decided that she wished her class to present something in the way of a local historical drama or pageant, but found that no material was avail- able. The teachers of the building arose to the emergency and themselves wrote an original historical drama of Tewksbury based on what facts were found to be authentic and covering from Indian times to the European war, un- der the title,
Scenes from the History of Tewksbury
I. An Indian Uprising.
II. A Women's Meeting 1734.
III. Town Meeting 1734.
IV. April 20, 1775.
V. Civil War Period.
VI. A Red Cross Meeting, 1918.
After appropriate recitations and songs Chairman H.
L. Trull presented diplomas to the following pupils :
Alma I. Anderson
Anna MacKillop
Ralph A. Anderson
Stanley C. Newhall
Charles A. Battles
Sadie A. Penny
William H. Braley
Victoria A. Pincos
Barbara Cameron
Jackson A. Shedd
Mary E. Clancy
Mildred G. Smith
Eunice Dodge
A. Pearl Starbird
Myrtle V. Flint
Lillian M. Sutherland
George H. Garside
Kenji M. Tashiro
Clifford H. Haines
Bessie E. Tenney
Hazel Marie Haines
Eunice Toothaker
Eugene Hunt
A. Ernest Treadwell
Frances J. Johnson
Elsie Wright
Jesse L. Labonté
Helen D. Wright
Hubert J. McCoy
12
Of these twenty-nine graduates nineteen entered high school, two entered vocational school, the rest remained at home, or went directly to work.
Manual Training. Miss Lena Coburn who did excellent work in sewing last year is continuing this year with equal satisfactory results. The hand work with the boys which was given up last year on account of the great difficulty of finding a teacher has been resumed this year. Mr. Myrton L. Harris of Leominster, a senior at Fitchburg Normal School and an ex-service man has charge of the work.
He has made a satisfactory beginning.
High School. In spite of the fact that the war is over there is no increase in high school attendance, in fact there are only forty-five enrolled in Lowell High School from Tewksbury as compared with fifty-one a year ago. The following pupils entered or continued at high school this year: Alma Anderson, Ralph Anderson, Charles A. Battles, Barbara Cameron, Ruth W. Cameron, Mary E. Clancy, Mar- tha L. Coolidge, Orrin L. Darby, Samuel Dickson, Myrtle Flint, George H. Garside, Marion E. Greene, Clifford H. Haines, Hazel Haines, Josephine Hernden, Lester B. Holt, Miles Johnson, Irene J. Kelley, Hubert J. McCoy, Raymond McCoy, William A. McGoogin, Belle MacKillop, Charles T. Nash, Olga Osterman, Helen Patten, Madeline Parsons, Sadie A. Penney, Archie M. Pillsbury, Samuel Saluskopski, Esmond Senior, Lillian Simpson, Mildred Smith, William A. Smith, Ada Starbird, Thomas Sullivan, Kenneth Sun- burg, Bessie Tenney, Archibald Toothaker, Eunice Tooth- aker, Ernest A. Treadwell, Alice E. Trull, Anna L. Walsh, Dora E. White, Elsie J. Wright.
Conclusion. I wish to call attention to the reports and tables which follow this report, and again I wish to express my appreciation of the cordial support of the School Board.
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES L. RANDALL,
Superintendent.
13
:
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
Mr. Chas. Randall, Superintendent of Schools, Tewksbury, Mass. Dear Sir :
At your request, I hereby submit my first annual report as Su- pervisor of Drawing in the Town of Tewksbury.
Practically every supervisor's outline is briefly-Fall, color and lettering; Winter, object drawing and landscape; Spring, design; Summer, nature's work. These, of course, are interrupted by special work at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. The difference comes in the emphasis. While one instructor spends many weeks on color seales, the next is spending an equal time on landscapes. To me, a very important part of the work seems to be the construction work, which carries with it a knoweldge of the ruler and of lettering. It ' calls for accuracy as does nothing else.
All work, I endeavor, whenever possible, to correlate with that of the teacher. As an example, the free hand cutting of leaves and the making of covers for books of "leaves" in connection with Mr. Weed's nature work in your Normal Practice Schools. We have also, in the upper grades, done considerable work in cardboard con- struction, such as loose leaf books for geography, etc.
May I, at this time, express my appreciation of the unfailing kindness of the Superintendent and teachers since I undertook the work a year ago.
Respectfully submitted, EDITH C. MERCHANT, Supervisor of Drawing.
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF SEWING
Mr. C. L. Randall, Superintendent of Schools : Dear Sir :
I take pleasure in submitting for your consideration my second annual report as Supervisor of Sewing in the Foster School, Tewks- burv.
My outline of work is planned to be as practical as possible. The high cost of material makes it rather difficult.
The girls of the upper grades have made aprons of all kinds, bloomers, underclothes, smocks, middy blouses, and several dresses.
The girls in the lower grades have finished bags, small and large aprons and underclothes.
I wish to take this opportunity for expressing my sincere appre- riation of the hearty co-operation of the teachers and Superintendent.
Respectfully submitted, LENA M. COBURN.
January 8, 1920.
Mr. Charles L. Randall, Superintendent of Schools.
14
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. Charles L. Randall, Superintendent of Schools. Dear Sir:
I hereby submit my report as Music Supervisor of the Schools of Tewksbury.
We endeavor to teach the children in the Primary grades to love music and to love to sing through rote songs, singing games and folk dances. Special attention is given to the individual voice so that the greatest difficulties may be overcome before the child reaches the more advanced grades.
In the Intermediate grades we require more formal drill on the technical problems of music as the pupils at this age are more able for independent technical mastery of their work. A part of each music lesson is used for individual sight reading.
We do part singing in the Grammar grades and become familiar with the patriotic, old standard songs and Christmas carols. The study of the composers and their compositions is taken up and we get better tone quality and song interpretation.
Throughout the rooms we do work in music appreciation with carefully chosen records which can be correlated with other sub- jects taught in the schools. Thus, through these listening lessons the pupils are taught to know and appreciate good music. The Vietrola is put to good use in this phase of music and in folk danc- ing. The hall at Tewksbury Center School gives fine opportunity for this work.
In conclusion I wish to express my appreciation of the hearty co- operation of the teachers and the support tendered me by the Super- intendent.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGIA F. WATHEN.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Winter Term, 12 weeks: Dec. 29, 1919, to Mar. 19, 1920. Spring Term, 12 weeks: Mar. 29, 1920, to June 18, 1920. Fall Term, 16 weeks: Sept. 7, 1920, to Dec. 24, 1920. Winter Term, 12 weeks: Jan. 3, 1921, to Mar. 25, 1921.
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.