Town of Tewksbury annual report 1945-1949, Part 18

Author: Tewksbury (Mass.)
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: Tewksbury (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 870


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tewksbury > Town of Tewksbury annual report 1945-1949 > Part 18


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Harold J. Patten.


ART. 44. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of Five hundred dollars for the regular maintenance of the Stadium or take any other action. Harold J. Patten. ART. 45. To see if the Town will vote to abolish the Road Commissioners, and have the Board of Selectmen ap- point a Superintendent of Streets, or choose by ballot a Highway Surveyor, or take any other action relative thereto. Edward J. Walsh.


ART. 46. To see if the Town will vote to install one elec- tric light on Fiske Street, pole No. 2188 and make appro- priation for same. Harold J. Patten.


ART. 47. To see if the Town will vote to install one light on Chandler Street opposite the residence of Mrs. White- house, or take any other action relative thereto.


Ethel Whitehouse.


ART. 48. To see if the Town will vote to install five lights on Brown Street on poles numbered 2652, 2446, 2444, 2442, 2440, or take any other action relative thereto. Fenton L. Phelan.


ART. 49. To see if the Town will vote to install one light on the pole at the corner of Elm Avenue and Felker Street, West Tewksbury, or take any other action rela- tive thereto. William Sigman.


ART. 50. To see if the Town will vote to install one light at the corner of South and Franklin Streets, or take any other action relative thereto. Ray Gillespie.


ART. 51. To see if the Town will vote to install one light on Whipple Road on Pole No. 35, or take any other action relative thereto. Arthur Wells.


ART. 52. To see if the Town will vote to install one light on French Street, opposite the residence of John K. Eaton, or take any other action relative thereto. John K. Eaton.


178


ART. 53. To see if the Town will vote to install one light on Pine St. near the residence of Raymond Hopkinson, on pole No. 1983, or take any other action relative there- to. Raymond Hopkinson. ART. 54. To see if the Town will vote to install one street light on Pine St. near the residence of Wilmer Garlick on pole No. 2790. Wilmer Garlick.


ART. 55. To see if the Town will vote to install one street light at Shawsheen St. on pole No. 890. Richard Webb. ART. 56. To see if the Town will vote to install one street light corner of White and Oak St. Edward Walsh. ART. 57. To see if the Town will vote to install one street light at the intersection of Whipple Rd. and- Patten St. Edward Walsh.


ART. 58. To see if the Town will vote to install five street lights on Woburn Street, or install any other number of lights or take any other action relative thereto.


Edward J. Walsh. ART. 59. To see if the Town will vote to install one street light on Main Street, opposite Pike Street.


Edward J. Walsh.


ART. 60. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for a reserve fund under Section 6 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, or take any other action on same. Board of Selectmen.


And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting 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 Office in said Town, 8 days at least, and over two Sundays, before the time of holding said meeting.


Hereof fail not and make due returns of this Warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of Meetings as aforesaid :-


Given under our hands, this 16th day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and forty-six.


. .


IRVING F. FRENCH, VICTOR N. CLUFF, EDWARD J. SULLIVAN,


Selectmen of Tewksbury.


A true copy attest :


Constable of Tewksbury


179


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


OF THE


Town of Tewksbury


OF TEW


S


TOWN


RY


INCORP


34


7


D


R


ALSO


Report of Superintendent of Schools


For the Year Ending December 31, 1946


.


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS


Ralph S. Battles


1945-1948 Chairman


No. Tewksbury


J. Harper Gale


1944-1947 Secretary


Tewksbury


Mrs. Loella Dewing 1946-1949


Tewksbury


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


Stephen G. Bean Wilmington


SCHOOL PHYSICIAN


Herbert M. Larrabee, M.D.


Tewksbury


SCHOOL NURSE


Mrs. E. Althea Knox, R.N. Billerica


ATTENDANCE OFFICER


Jeremiah Houlihan So. Tewksbury


182


SCHOOL CALENDAR-1947


January 6 to March 1 - 8 weeks


VACATION ONE WEEK


March 10 to May 3 - 8 weeks


VACATION ONE WEEK


May 12 to June 21-6 weeks-Elementary


May 12 to June 28-7 weeks-High School + (if 180 days of school) Summer vacation 10 weeks September 8 to December 23-16 weeks


VACATION


School commences January 5, 1948


HOLIDAYS


February 22


Good Friday


April 19


May 30


October 12


November 11


November 27 and 28


SCHOOL CENSUS


OCTOBER 1, 1946


Ages


5-7


7-14


14-16


16-21


Totals


Boys


81


248


66


168


564


Girls


73


317


73


144


607


Totals


154


566


139


312


1171


183


REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE


The work and supervision in the schools has been carried on as usual.


Necessary repairs have been made on school property during the past year.


During the summer vacation the Foster School was repainted. The new deep well pump for the artesian well has been tested by the State Department of Public Health.


At the High School the Lunch room, boys and girls lavatories and corridors were redecorated during the summer.


The new heating system in the Shawsheen School is nearly complete and will probably be in operation when this report is printed. The committee was faced with delays and shortages of materials for this job from the very beginning. At first it had planned to install a cast iron sectional boiler in this building but the delivery of this type boiler would have been ten months to a year from date of ordering.


The heating contractor finally obtained a steel tubular boiler for the job and delivery was made at the first of the year. For the present this new system will heat only the rear corridor and the two classrooms in the rear of the building. It was impossible to obtain new radiators so second hand ones were installed for the present. Your committee feel that at last this probem has been solved. This building has been completely insulated during the past year.


RALPH S. BATTLES, Chairman. J. HARPER GALE, LOELLA F. DEWING,


School Committee.


184


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATIONS


HIGH


Supervisors


$ 1,740.00


Teachers


26,100.00


Janitors


1,820.00


Transportation


2,910.00


Fuel


1,200.00


Books and Supplies


2,000.00


Miscellaneous


1,500.00


Equipment and Repairs


2,500.00


Health


100.00


Library


200.00


Attendance Officer


25.00


Insurance


400.00


Athletics


2,000.00


$ 42,645.00


Total Appropriation


$ 99,533.50


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION ELEMENTARY


Superintendent


$ 912.50


Supervisors


997.00


Teachers


32,700.00


Health


2,100.00


Janitors


4,384.00


Transportation


5,670.00


Fuel


2,000.00


Books and Supplies


3,000.00


District


200.00


Miscellaneous


1,000.00


Repairs


3,200.00


Attendance Officers


75.00


Insurance


400.00


$ 56,888.50


185


REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


To The Tewksbury School Committee


Madam and Gentlemen:


Herewith is presented my sixteenth Annual Report as Super- intendent of Schools for the town. Its brevity is deliberate in view of the continued scarcity of paper for all such publications.


The reports of my administrative and supervisory associates will be found appended to my section of this report and will constitute the major part of the story of the past year in the local school system. Your attention is called in particular to the report of Mr. Lynch be- cause this deals with the only very markedly new departure in the Tewksbury setup. It represents a more ambitious step in the field of Guidance than is found in most towns of our size. This field is so new that we cannot, as yet, determine its efficiency.


The chief problem of the year has been that common problem of most of the smaller communities throughout the state and nation, that is, the endeavor to keep a qualified teacher in every classroom. The fact that we have been able to accomplish this is still a source of wonder to the writer, in view of the ability of most of the neigh- boring towns to outbid us because of their higher salary schedules. It may seem strange to allude to bidding in connection with securing the services of the teachers, but that is exactly the manner in which we have to proceed. It is a natural result of the workings of the law of supply and demand. The supply of teachers is at an all time low and the prospect of an increase in the near future is negligible. So few teachers are being graduated from teachers' college and so many are being taken from service, either by marriage or more attractive conditions in other lines of endeavor, that there just aren't enough qualified people to go around.


That this condition is not peculiar to Tewksbury is evident from almost any of the newspapers and nationally circulated magazines of the better class. Even radio programs on the nation wide hookups, both in news commentaries and commercial broadcasts, are giving more and more publicity to the danger to the nation in the very careless way in which the teaching profession has been treated.


Personnel Changes


Eight new names appear on the roster of school employees as of the time of this writing, and due to the resignation of Mr. Pearson, Headmaster of the High School, and Mrs. Helen Melvin of the Shaw- sheen School, two others must be added. There was still another


186


change which occurred following the retirement of Miss Ethelyn Howard from the principalship of Foster School, when Mr. James Sampson, a returned war veteran, formerly principal of the Shaw- sheen School, served as Miss Howard's successor through the end of the school year in June.


This has meant a teacher turnover of almost thirty-five percent in one calendar year. Such a high proportion of changes is not good. It takes some time for a new teacher to adapt to the aims and conditions of a new organization. There are many minor elements of routine and some differences in educational accent in different systems. There is also the greater and more important element of pupil and teacher adjustment and understanding, especially the teacher's understanding of her pupils as individuals.


There is but one way, under present circumstances, to avoid this annual turnover of teacher personnel. It must be made possible for those charged with keeping a complete teaching staff to be able to pay salaries sufficiently attractive to pursuade desirable teachers to remain here for a period of years. The proposed school budget for 1947 is an endeavor on the part of the school committee to ac- complish this. The major part in the increase of the subject over that of last year is due to this endeavor.


List of Changes


SCHOOL


Former Teacher


Present Incumbent


High-Headmaster


David O. Lynch


# Whitman Pearson


High-Science


* John Avedisian


# Lawrence McGowan


x Lillian Swartz


High-Social Science


* Margaret Ingraham


# Mary Stevens # Etta Lapniewski


Foster-Principal (8)


* Ethelyn Howard


# Doris Barnes


Foster-Grade I


# Norma Simard


Shawsheen-Grade I


* Louise Wood


x Mae Kane


Shawsheen-Grade III


x Mae Kane


* # Mary Shelvey


Shawsheen-Grade IV


x Mary Shelvey


# Gilberta Roy


* Mary Furey Burke


* Resigned


x Transferred # New Teacher


AIDS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH


It is probably not generally known that the town already re- ceives from the State Treasury from one to two hundred dollars refund on each teacher's salary. This comes from a return of income tax collections. It varies in amount per teacher according to the


187


High-Latin & French


* Catherine Maguire


High-Mathematics


x Lillian Swartz


* James Sampson


* Catherine Meloy


training and experience of the individual. Legislation is before the present General Court to increase returns to towns to be spent on education. This legislation is designed to lighten the burden of local taxation for education in those towns least able to bear it, thus enabling them to meet increased payrolls.


A second bill before this same session is one to raise the mini- mum salary that may be paid to any teacher to eighteen hundred dollars. This bill, if passed, will leave us still paying the State minimum when and if the proposed budget is approved by vote of the town meeting.


AID FROM A LOCAL SOURCE


In reading over the report of last year, I note that an important item was omitted. This was not from lack of appreciation.


During the year of 1945 and again in 1946, the Tewksbury Tuber- culosis Association sent the Superintendent a check for one hundred and fifty dollars to be used for the purchase of text books on Health for the elementary grades. These were bought and at present all grades in all elementary schools in town are provided with a copy for each child and teacher of one of the best and most recent books on the subject.


This gift has been greatly appreciated by both teachers and pupils. It seems only just that the community be informed of this most excellent support of Health Education.


SCHOOL PLANT


The several buildings used for school purposes have been given the usual annual care in so far as funds would allow.


Painting projects have been carried through according to an established annual schedule, so that except for those due for treat- ment during the coming fiscal year, all are in reasonable condition.


Two pieces of work have been done with the purpose of main- taining more equable temperature conditions in school rooms. These were partial applications of insulating materials in the Shawsheen and Ella Flemings schools. In the Shawsheen School, the work done aimed at making the two rear rooms easier to heat and accomplished that purpose. A similar treatment of the vertical belts around the Foster School is proposed.


An appropriation made at the 1946 town meeting for a steam heating plant in the Shawsheen School was not used exactly as anticipated. It was found almost impossible to secure the desired boiler, pipes and fittings needed for the job. A compromise was made and an available smaller auxiliary unit was secured near the end of the year. At this writing the installation is nearly completed.


This unit is said to have a capacity to heat the whole building if necessary but at present is hooked up as an auxiliary unit to heat


188


the two rear rooms on the first floor, the rear corridors and the room used as a lunch room in the rear basement. It is probable that the girls' toilet rooms will also be heated from this unit.


HOT LUNCH PROJECTS


The three elementary schools have again had in operation the very satisfactory hot lunch projects which were in operation earlier under O. P. A. They are very satisfactory and certainly add greatly to the health and comfort of the children served.


It is hoped that this type of service may be resumed in the High School during the coming year. This is wholly dependent on the will of the voters in town meeting.


SCHOOL ENROLLMENT


Information on this subject, in statistical form, -will be found in the appendix to these reports. Statistics usually require inter- pretation. An endeavor will be made to call attention to some of the most important implications of these figures.


The most obvious observation in comparing the current figures with those of last year is that the totals, both high and elementary, do not vary to any extent. There has been no marked increase dur- ing the year.


It is noteworthy that the first year class in the high school- grade IX-in nearly 30% smaller than a year ago. This will con- tinue for two years hence and the third year will again show a 30% increase in this same class. The indications at present are that we shall have a school of about two hundred pupils for several years to come.


In the Foster School, the data would indicate a more or less static condition for the next few years with the enrollment hovering around two hundred and fifty.


In the Shawsheen School, however, the trend seems such as to indicate future trouble in housing all of the pupils from the south end of the town. For the current year and the year following, the upper grades are small. In September of 1948, however, the begin- ning of the future problem appears. At that time, if the present trend continues, there will be an eighth grade of over forty pupils. The room to accomodate that grade will seat but twenty-five. Each of the grades below will have an enrollment great enough to allow ; for no doubling up of grades in any room. At this same time, it will be impossible to have them in the Foster School.


The simplest way to avoid a situation which can work hardship on the children is to carry through the project presented last year for building an adjunct to the present high school building to serve as a gymnasium and auditorium. The present gymnasium can be converted into classrooms for housing the seventh and eighth grades.


189


This would leave ample room in the elementary buildings for the first six grades and would allow us to avoid any double grade rooms or any overcrowding of single grade classes.


The project would benefit not only the elementary grades but would be of untold benefit to the high school pupils. At present the activities carried on in the gymnasium on the second floor are very disturbing to nearly all of the classes assembled directly under- neath them.


In the Ella Flemings School at North Tewksbury the enrollment is extremely small and each classroom houses four grades. Fortun- ately the two teachers are excellent and are experienced in handling four classes each. Nevertheless this situation is inefficient both edu- cationally and financially. No teacher, be she ever so capable, can ac- complish with a given grade in an hour and a quarter all that can be done in a much larger class of the same grade in five hours. From the financial angle, which is less important, the inefficiency is glaring, The per pupil cost for teaching alone is one hundred eleven dollars as compared to about forty eight dollars in the two larger elemen- tary schools. And to this the expense of heating, building mainte- nance and janitor service and the comparative per pupil average becomes almost prohibitive.


Let it be clearly understood that the above is no criticism of the present effectiveness of this school. On the contrary, it is interesting to note that the pupils from the North hold their own in their high school classes. This supports the contention of older people that there is something to be said for multiple grade classes.


THE HEALTH PROGRAM


This part of our school program has continued under the ex- cellent teamwork of Dr. Larrabee and Mrs. Knox. The customary examinations and clinics have been conducted as shown in the reports of these officials.


One element of the health program has stirred up at times a wholly unnecessary turmoil in some sections. This refers to the upset state of mind of parents whose children have been excluded from school because of Pediculosis. Parents should realize that this head condition is no disgrace except when allowed to continue. It is an unfortunate affliction which can come, by accident, to the best cared for children. It is not always caught in schools. Any place where people gather in large numbers is a possible focus of infec- tion. Movie theatres probably do their share in spreading the pest.


19


TWO RECOMMENDATIONS


I earnestly recomment that serious consideration be given to the following:


1. That steps be started immediately leading to forming a six- year High School by an addition, to and reconstruction of the second floor of the High School Building.


2. That a man be appointed as Director of Physical Education for all schools in the town. This person should also serve as coach of all sports for the high school as well as of boys in grades seven and eight.


CONCLUSION


My thanks are extended to those who have loyally supported the efforts to give to the children the best education possible with the means at our disposal. When this loyalty to the cause of edu- cation falters or fails, the fate of this nation will be sad indeed.


Repectfully submitted,


January 1947.


STEPHEN G. BEAN, Superintendent of Schools.


191


REPORT OF THE HEADMASTER TEWKSBURY HIGH SCHOOL


January, 1947


To the School Committee of the Town of Tewksbury:


In June 1946, Tewksbury High School was awarded, for the eleventh time since its opening in 1935, the Class A certificate by the State Department of Education.


The eleventh Annual Commencement of Tewksbury High School was held in the high school auditorium on June 14, 1946 with the following program:


Processional


Salutatory Jean Porterfield Girls Ensemble


"Morning"


Honor Awards The Larrabee Scholarship Medals LOIS WINTER and RICHARD COOMBES


The Melvin Rogers Athletic Medals Football-BERNARD CARROLL


Basketball-RICHARD COOMBES Baseball-EARL SANDS


The P. T. A. Citizenship Medal CONCEPTION FREITAS


The Washington and Franklin History Medal SYLVIA BROWNSTEIN


Special History Award SHIRLEY IVES


The D. A. R. Citizenship Award CAROL MULNO


The Balfour Award for Loyalty, Scholarship and Achievement JEAN PORTERFIELD


The Reader's Digest Award LOIS WINTER


Perfect Attendance Awards Address to the Graduates MR. STEPHEN BEAN Superintendent of Schools


192


"Prayer, From Hansel and Gretel" Girls' Ensemble


Presentation of Class Gift


WILLIAM FARRELL 1946 Class President


DONALD SHEEHAN 1947 Class President


Valedictory LOIS WINTER


"One World"


MIXED CHORUS


Presentation of Diplomas MR. RALPH BATTLES Chairman School Committee


Recessional


CLASS OF 1946


Lillian Boisvert


Pauline Carter


Mildred Chandler


Esther Louise Crown


Barbara Frances Davis


Hazel Mary Fisher


Conception Mary Freitas


Barbara Louise MacKay


Mary Ellen Maykovich


Carol Lucille Mulno


Jean Porterfield


Elizabeth Ann Sherlock


Jacqueline Stalker


Sheila Regina Sullivan


Lois Arlene Winter Edna Alice Wojtkiewicz


George Andrew Blanchette Bernard Augustus Carroll Richard William Coombes William Corcoran William Burton Farrell Paul Raymond Goddard Earl Patrick Sands Richard Thomas Sherlock Walter William Strem Eugene Chester Winter, Jr. Edward J. Zelonis


Class Marshal GEORGE A. BLANCHETTE


JUNIOR USHERS Gwendolyn Barker, Rita Laferriere, Richard Dewing, Leo Laferriere


DISTRIBUTION OF COURSES 1946-1947


Commercial College Home


General


Manual Nurses Total Training Training


Freshmen


16


16


4


14


7


1 58


Sophomores


15


18


2


23


3


1 62


Juniors


6


24


14


1


2


48


Seniors


9


9


6


1


2


27


-


46


67


7


57


12


6


195


1


Economics


193


VISUAL EDUCATION-An extensive program utilizing educa- tional films supplied by Boston University, Castle Films, the British Consulate, and many other agencies is now in operation. This is in keeping with modern educational practice and the finding of the Armed Forces that Visual Education was 50% more effective than traditional methods in all subjects. Parents are invited to attend classroom or assembly showings of films to evaluate these teaching aids for themselves. A very small percentage of the films shown at assemblies is selected for entertainment value, and the cost of these "Feature" pictures is borne by the students themselves. Educational pictures have been paid for by the School Committee and Tewksbury Tuberculosis Committee.


VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE-The Guidance program will be aug- mented by the inclusion of a "Career Day" scheduled for March 19, 1947. The purpose of this Day will be to give students an opportunity to gain practical advice about various occupations, from men and women representing different vocational fields.


PHYSICAL EDUCATION-The gymnasium is now very well equipped for the excellent physical education and health program going forward under the direction of Miss Kathryn Chandler and Mr. Charles Hazel.


HEALTH-A room for the use of sick students has been adapted from the storeroom adjacent to the Home Economics Room, by the joint efforts of Mrs. Knox and Miss Lefebvre.


FIRST AID CLASSES-An extensive program of First Aid Train- ing is being carried out under the direction of Mr. Stephen Ashton of the Lowell Chapter, American Red Cross. Certificates and school credit are given to successful graduates of these courses.


MUSIC-The Annual Concert was given under the direction of Miss Olive Littlehale. A number of the students attended a special student's Symphony program in Boston and it is hoped that more educational trips of this type can be arranged during 1947.


DRAMATICS-The students of Tewksbury High School who are interested in dramatics had an opportunity to participate in one-act plays and in the annual three-act play. "Apple Blossom Time", the three act play of the year, was presented in the high school audi- torium on May 10, 1946, under the direction of Miss Rita E. Sullivan. The cast of this amusing comedy included the following well-trained and talented students: Mary Ellen Maykovich, Jacqueline Stalker, Carol Mulno, Barbara Mckay, Regina Sullivan, Pauline Carter, Bar- bara Davis, Donald Aldrich, John Ryan, Bernard Carroll, William Farrell, and Daniel Kehoe.


194


ART-The art students of Tewksbury presented their accomplish- . ments during the May Parent-Teacher Meeting in the High School. Designs, Nature Sketching, Figure Drawing, Color, Holiday subjects and posters comprised work shown by the grade schools. The high school students, displayed sheets of related studies, the outstanding included pen and ink techniques, dress design, tempera painted scenes, and nature selections rendered in water colors and pastels. The dis- play was directed by Art Supervisor (Mrs.) Evelyn R. Anderson.




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