USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tewksbury > Town of Tewksbury annual report 1950-1954 > Part 6
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The service started June 1, 1950. At the beginning there were a few complaints, most of which were a misunderstanding on the days of collection or some street that wasn't on the street list or a street that hadn't been found.
After the first 2 months the board has received a minimum of complaints.
As this was a new service, with no experience by the collector or the board, the cost of the operation has been gone over with the present collector and it seemed advisable to increase the amount appropriated in order to continue these services.
The following figures show the basis for arriving at this conclusion.
WASTE
One man and truck @ $3.75 per hr .- 27 hrs. $ 101.25
One extra man at $1.00 per hr. 27.00
One man burning rubbish 18 hrs. @ $1.00 18.00
Gas and oil for pump
2.00
TOTAL
$ 148.25
For 52 Weeks $7,709.00
GARBAGE
One man and truck @ $3.75 per hr .- 18 hrs. $ 67.50
One extra man at $1.00 per hr. 18.00
TOTAL
$ 85.50
For 52 Weeks $4,446.00
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Cost of bond $150.00 making a total of $12,305.00. The figure of $3.75 per hr. for man and truck was taken from a D.P.U. bulletin issued in 1946 and this is the published rate all contract carriers are obliged to charge for this type of service.
It still may be possible to continue these services without any increase but it seemed advisable by the board to ask for an increase in the appropriation to insure its continuance.
Other matters taken up by the Board of Health was that of water. This problem as it is handled by the State is very un- satisfactory, but there doesn't seem to be any immediate relief.
Other health matters were turned over to the Board of Health agent.
VICTOR N. CLUFF, Chairman ED. SULLIVAN C. ABBOTT BATTLES
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R
ANNUAL EPORT
of the SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Town of
TEWKSBURY
OF
TEW
S
TOWN
URY
INCOR
1734.
0
R
also
Report of Superintendent of Schools for the Year Ending December 31,
1950
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Mrs. Loella Dewing, 1949-1952, Chairman Tewksbury
Ralph S. Battles, 1948-1951, Secretary North Tewksbury
Harold Vinecour, 1950-1953 Tewksbury
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Stephen G. Bean 578 Andover St., Lowell
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Herbert M. Larrabee, M. D.
Tewksbury
SCHOOL NURSE
Mrs. Jean C. Mann Tewksbury
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SCHOOL CALENDAR - 1951
January 2 to February 24 - 8 weeks
VACATION ONE WEEK March 5 to April 28 - 8 weeks
VACATION ONE WEEK
May 7 to June 15 - Elementary
May 7 to June 22 - High School
VACATION TEN WEEKS
September 4 to December 22 School reopens January 2, 1951
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
February 22
Good Friday
April 19
October 12
November 11 November 27 and 28
SCHOOL CENSUS
October 1, 1950
Age 5 to 7
7 to 16
Boys
Girls
Total
229 812
Prospective first grades Sept. 1951
Shawsheen School 47
Foster School 46
99
REPORT OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Madam and Gentlemen:
It is my privilege and duty to present this, my twentieth and final report as Superintendent of Schools for this town. I might well make it an account of the growth of the Tewksbury school system in twenty years, but this would require too much space and probably serve no valuable purpose. In the major part of this period Tewksbury remained a suburb of Lowell with comparative little change in the character of its inhabitants or the number of its people. It is only in the recent years that notable changes have occurred. For a long time the school population remained com- paratively static. Gradually numbers increased but not to a marked extent, but during the past two years, and particularly during the past year the increase has been such as to present housing difficulties.
When growth in a town is comparatively static there is a ten- dency to maintain the existing school plant in the best possible condition. It is difficult to sell to the voters the idea of increasing taxes to build more adequate school plants. I venture the guess that our present high school building would not have been voted had it not been for the generous share available from govern- mental funds.
Once more there is an opportunity to secure aid from the Commonwealth to meet the comparatively sudden emergency. The condition had been predicted for several years but the real squeeze did not come until last year.
Now, in spite of the four room addition to the high school building which served to remove the seventh and eighth grades from the two large elementary buildings, we are faced with at least a two room deficiency in housing capacity for next fall. In view of the large classes in many of the schoolrooms more than two rooms could be used very effectively.
A very efficient committee has been working on this problem for this past year. No doubt a recommendation will come from this committee at the approaching town meeting. Every citizen should weigh this report carefully and very thoughtfully. What-
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ever action is taken at this time can be vital for the future of the children of Tewksbury and therefore for the town. Any hasty and sectional action can well set back progress many years.
We have seen how the birthrate increases in times of war and immediately thereafter. We are now feeling the effects of World War II on the school population. Nearly every community in the country is faced with the problem of the need for increased housing for its school children. Strangely this demand is felt more in the smaller towns than in the cities. Parents are trying to find places where they can bring up their children under clean, normal and spacious conditions. This is made increasingly possible by the family automobile and bus transportation.
Tewksbury happens to be located almost adjacent to a fairly large city and within reasonable automobile travel of one of the largest cities in the nation. Since such cities are the centers of employment it is natural to expect a growth in population from now on. The cities are pressing outward. This pressure combined with the expanded birthrate produced an influx of 136 more chil- dren this last September than in the preceding year at the same date.
We absorbed the extra 136 pupils as we have been doing for several years past. The result has been abnormally large classes for some teachers in the school system. Such classes naturally result in educational loss to the children in them. They are at an unfair disadvantage. This takes no account of the unfair burden placed upon the teachers. Normal progress is impossible under such conditions.
I was interested in the comment of the head of the Massachu- setts School Assistance Commission, the man who determines whether a town gets aid from the state for buildings. He stated flatly that judging from the present school conditions, the people of Tewksbury were not ready to build new schools. Just what he meant was a question. You figure it out. We did know that he was not pleased with what he saw.
The writer will soon relinquish control of the administration of your schools to another. He may well be a young man who has been schooled in the modern theories of conducting a school system. He may not be wiling to "cut his garment according to the available cloth;" he will probably demand a lot of new "cloth." It must be remembered that new cloth costs money, and that money comes from local taxation, in the main. It behooves somebody to rise up and see that Massachusetts takes her rightful position in the roster of the states when support of public education is tabulated. Her present position in this list is disgraceful. State participation in defraying the cost of schools is the only way to
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salvation. Real estate cannot stand much more of a burden. In this connection it is interesting to note that in the current session of the General Court of the Commonwealth there are 30 senate bills and 78 house bills which are to be heard by the Committee on Education. This means that they deal specifically with educational problems. Several of these deal with increased state participation in the support of education. I wonder how many of our voters will take the trouble to find out about this and do anything about it. Legislators are elected by the people and are fundamentally very careful to do what the majority of their supporters indicate that they demand. If they find no such demand, they act according to expediency or their own interests. Many a good cause has been lost to a minority because the majority had not made enough noise.
ENROLLMENT
As indicated in a preceding paragraph, there was an abnormal increase in enrollment in our schools for the current school year. We naturally expected a reasonably large growth, possibly about fifty, in September and made plans accordingly, but instead of fifty we were almost swamped by a hundred and thirty. This should call for at least two more school rooms. They were so distributed however, that by forming inordinately large classes we absorbed them into the system without either platooning or opening new rooms. To be sure there were no rooms available except in the Ella Flemings school which had been closed previously because it was poor economy to operate it. To put this building back in shape for use would have been expensive and time-consuming. It was an emergency and had to be met immediately. As a result we have had serious overcrowding in nearly every room in the Shaw- sheen School. In one room in this building there are 51 pupils, at this writing. Legally this teacher should have an assistant, but there is no place for an assistant to work because the seating capacity of the room leaves not space sufficient to meet legal requirement for passage of children. Seats are placed, of necessity, so near the walls that proper exit would be difficult in an emer- gency. The aisles are also too narrow for safe exit.
Conditions in the Foster School are much better, but even here the class enrollments are too great for efficient teaching. There are at least two rooms in this building where two grades are taught by one teacher. This means that each of these grades can get half as much attention as they would in a single grade room. We always endeavor to keep the enrollment in such classes much smaller than in a normal class. It happens, however, that the normal classes get filled to capacity and overflow both from above and below to the double grade room. The result is that the teacher in the mixed grade room soon has just as many in her class as the room will hold.
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Existing conditions will be worse next September. Allowing only for normal increase from children already in town the picture will be something like this. We will graduate about 40 from the high school in June. In the fall we can expect 93 to enter the first grades, according to the school census. This means 53 new pupils demanding seats in buildings already dangerously overcrowded. Even the high school will feel the pressure. There we lose 40 and take in about 80. The classroom capacity is already overtaxed. The four rooms in the annex will be filled to capacity.
THE SOLUTION
It is of course obvious. We must have more school rooms. We must have them ready for September 4, 1951. If new building is contemplated it must start not later than the middle of March. What form such increase in school facilities should take is the subject of the report of your Special Building Committee. They have made a thorough survey; have consulted every available authority in their endeavor to arrive at the BEST solution. Their findings should receive thoughtful consideration by every voter and should result in IMMEDIATE action. It is important to remember that building aid is available from the Commonwealth at present, but there is a time limit on its availability.
PERSONNEL
Again the changes in personnel in our roster of school employ- ees is comparatively small. In the high school there were two who left us for good reasons. Mrs. Emily Doucette of the Home Economics department was replaced by Miss Rosella Shatz of Marshfield, a graduate of Framingham Teachers College. Mrs. Marjorie Stanley O'Dowd was replaced by Mrs. Helen G. Driscoll of Lawrence. From the seventh and eighth grades Lowell took from us Mrs. Ruth Lyons who had been with us for many years. She was replaced by Miss Eleanor Costello, a graduate of Clark University and a specialist in Geography. From the Art Depart- ment Miss Eeanor Palmer left for marriage and has been replaced by Mrs. Roberta Thresher of Medford, graduate of the Massachu- setts College of Art (the old Normal Art School). Harold Mac- Donnell, director of the band, left us because he felt that the time schedule did not allow him to do a job that satisfied him. Julius Woessner of Lowell has taken over this work and has been able to give more time to it.
SOME PERTINENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Probable reimbursement 1951 Ch. 643-
earmarked School Aid $ 37,805.26
Estimated reimbursement for transportation 6,000.00
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Estimated reimbursement State Minor Wards
1,700.00
Estimated reimbursement City of Boston 200.00
Total $ 45,705.26
School budget 1951
$156,825.00
Estimated Reimbursement 45,705.26
Net cost to town
$111,119.74
CONCLUSION
Since this is my final report as incumbent in this position I might compose a lengthy "swan song." Temptation is strong but time is too short. I do want to take this opportunity to thank the many teachers, both past and present, for the loyalty that they have shown. Doubtless there have been those who have felt that if they were in my position things would have gone better, but they have had the grace not to tell me so, even though they have told others. Loyalty is one of the "horse and buggy" virtues but it is absolutely necessary to a successful conduct of a school system.
To the younger members of the staff I would suggest that rainbows are beautiful to look at but are evanescent. There are many educational rainbows produced by those high in Education. It is well to remember that they may not bear the impact of the sun of practical application. Furthermore, there is an old adage that "figures can't lie, but liars can figure." Don't place too much faith in statistics.
To the members of the School Committees, past and present, who have borne with me when I have had an urgent mood I express appreciation for their forebearance. For the almost universal support that they have given I render heartfelt thanks.
May the schools of Tewksbury, under new guidance, go con- tinually forward in the task of teaching children how to live regardless of whether they teach them how to make a living.
Respectfully submitted,
STEPHEN G. BEAN
Superintendent of Schools
104
REPORT OF THE HEAD MASTER TEWKSBURY HIGH SCHOOL January 1951
To the School Committee of the Town of Tewksbury:
I am happy to present to you at this time my fourth annual report as principal of Tewksbury High School.
In accordance with recent legislation, a special Friday course entitled "Local History and Government" was incorporated in our curriculum in September. This course, in addition to four years of English and one of American History, is required of all secondary school children in the state. Now that printing equipment has been acquired, a course in printing will be added to our most adequate and complete curriculum at the first practical opportunity. The inauguration of a printing course at the school will not only allow for an exploration into the field by interested students but will definitely save the town the added annual expense of printing tickets, programs, athletic schedules, and the like. Hence- forth, this work can be accomplished by members of the printing classes.
Approximately ten percent of our graduates continue their education. This percentage would be much larger if the financial burdens of a post secondary education were not so great. Our graduates of the past three years have been admitted to fourteen different colleges, five hospitals, and many have enlisted in the Armed Services. Schools being attended are: Boston University, Lowell Textile, Clark University, New England Conservatory of Music, Norwich, Northeastern University, University of New Hampshire, Tufts, Lowell State Teachers College, Salem State Teachers College, Boston Dispensary, Lowell Commercial College, Exeter Academy, Vermont Jr. College, Augusta College (Ill.), Emerson and many others. Girls who have chosen the Nursing profession will be found among the classes at Lowell General, MacLean at Waverly, Concord (N. H.) State Hospital, Wrentham, and the Deaconess in Boston. Many of the boy graduates have chosen careers in the Armed Services of their country.
The fifteenth Annual Commencement of Tewksbury High School was held in the auditorium on June 16, 1950 with the following program:
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PROCESSIONAL-Pomp and Circumstance Elgar SALUTATORY
Rita Mathews
LOST CHORD-Girls' Chorus Sullivan-Howorth
HONOR AWARDS-
The Larrabee Scholarship Medals
Highest Ranking Girl Marilyn Larsen
Highest Ranking Boy Ronald MacFarlane
The Melvin Rogers Athletic Medals
Football Medal Richard Fortier
Baseball Medal Dexter Stalker
The P.T.A. Basketball Medals
Outstanding Senior Girl Betty Ryan
Outstanding Senior Boy William Feran
The P.T.A. Citizenship Medal Edna Ferreira
The Washington and Franklin History Medal
Rita Mathews
The D.A.R. Good Citizenship
Certificate Rita Mathews
The Balfour Award for Loyalty, Scholarship and Achievement William Robertson
The Edith Haines Scholarship for
Nurses Training
Cynthia Olson
TREES Oscar Rasbach
Beth Pendleton
ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATES
Mr. Stephen Bean Superintendent of Schools
PRESENTATION OF CLASS GIFT
William Robertson - 1950 Class President
ACCEPTANCE OF CLASS GIFT Owen Lawlor - 1951 Class President
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VALEDICTORY
Marilyn Larsen
IN A MONASTERY GARDEN-Girls' Chorus Kettleby
PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS
Mr. Ralph Battles School Committee Member
RECESSIONAL-Pomp and Circumstance Elgar
CLASS MARSHALL Paul Johnson
JUNIOR USHERS
Betty Gross Thomas Finn Richard Cluff
Ann Furtado
The enrollment on the opening day of school in September was the largest in the history of this school. There was a total of 409 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12, which was an increase of forty-eight students over the preceding year. A much larger number is anticipated for the next school year.
Student Activities remain at their usual high level of achieve- ment. The Glee Club, Dramatics Club, Athletic Teams, Student Publications, Student Council, and the different classes have been actively and successfully engaged in their respective endeavors throughout the year.
Our Glee Club presented a program entitled "The Little Theatre off Times Square" in the auditorium, Friday, April 28. This was the first musical program in which students in grades 7 through 12 participated. This program was produced and directed by Miss Florence Savas, Supervisor of Music, who was capably assisted by Miss Chandler, Miss Palmer, Mrs. Doucette, Mr. Lough, and Miss Lois Winter.
The dramatic club has presented a number of skits throughout the year, and at our Christmas assembly, presented a one-act play entitled "The Master of the Strait." The following students took part in the play: June Anderson, Donald Bennett, Eleanor Daley, William Pennock, Lois Fisher, Ernest Carey, James Allen. All dramatic activities are under the direction of Miss Rita Sullivan.
Insofar as athletic championships are concerned, our Athletic Teams were recipients of two: one in basketball and the other in football. For the first time in the history of the school, our girls' basketball team ended its season as co-champions with Howe High School of Billerica. As a tribute to the fine sportsmanship and
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team play displayed throughout the season, they were invited as representatives of the Lowell Suburban Teams to participate in the small high school girls' tournament at Littleton. They reached the semi-final round where they were eliminated by Lunenburg, the team that subsequently won the championship. The football team added another Lowell Suburban Championship to the six the school had already won. As an added feature, the team had the distinction of being the first to complete a season undefeated and untied. A testimonial, honoring a most successful season, was given the players by the townspeople on the night of December 16 as the final tribute to the boys for a job well done.
Three changes were made in the faculty during the course of the year. In March, Mrs. Helen Driscoll replaced Mrs. Marjorie O'Dowd as teacher of typing, Junior Business Training, Girls' Physical Education, and Accounting. During the summer, Miss Rosella Schatz, a graduate of Framingham Teachers' College re- placed Mrs. Emily Doucette, teacher of Home Economics. Miss Eleanor Costello replaced Mrs. Ruth Lyons, teacher of 7th and 8th grade arithmetic, who had resigned to accept a position in the Lowell School System.
For the fourteenth consecutive year, Tewksbury High School was awarded the Class A certificate by the State Department of Education. In order to receive this award, a school must meet the four main objectives established by the State Department of Education: namely, Organization, Program, Personnel, and School Plant. The organization includes an adequate continuity of in- struction to insure the attainment of objectives, an efficient teacher load, an adequate pupil-teacher ratio, length of school day, and graduation requirements. The program includes meeting the needs of pupils both for life and for entrance into higher schools of learning; College preparatory, Commercial, and General curri- cula must be offered. Teachers and principals shall meet the re- quirements of the State Board of Education. The school plant shall have a site of at least 10 acres and a building containing the following essentials: Classrooms, Principal's office, Library, Lab- oratory, rooms for Home Economics, and Industrial Arts, a Caf- eteria, Gymnasium or Auditorium, adequate Lavatories, and Teachers' Room. The ventilation, lighting, and heating systems must conform with accepted practices. Inasmuch as the State requirements continue to be met, the school has once again been fortunate in receiving this coveted award.
Throughout the year, men and women representing different vocational fields have spoken to assemblies giving practical advice about their respective occupations. The Nursing profession, Teach- ing profession, Occupational Therapy, Armed Services, and In-
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surance are a few of the fields presented. Field trips were made to Simmons College, Massachusetts General Hospital, New England Aircraft School, Logan Airport, The Ford Plant in Somerville, and local business concerns in an attempt to throw some light on occupational possibilities. Furthermore, moving pictures dealing with large industrial organizations have been shown to different classes at various times. This guidance program continues to present to our students possibilities of exploring into the various vocations so that they in turn can choose wisely on a definite career to pursue following graduation.
More students are taking advantage of the School Lunch Program than ever before. A total of 42,196 dinners were served during the year. Wheras an average of 235 daily meals- were served last year, a number approximating 295 are now being served. With growing interest on behalf of parents and children in this project, an even greater increase in the number of daily servings is anticipated. Under the capable supervision of Mrs. Eugene Winter, a variety of nourishing and well-balanced meals, obtainable at a minimum cost, are offered daily.
Our very extensive extra-curricula program included the following:
Winning the 1950 Suburban Football Championship.
Winning the 1950 (Girls') Suburban Basketball Championship.
Gym Night presented at the May P.T.A. Meeting.
Publication of "The Scroll" under the direction of Mrs. Mary Stevens.
Four publications of our school magazine "Hi-Lights" under the direction of Miss Margaret White.
Inauguration of a Local Government and History Course under Mrs. Howard Woolaver.
The reinauguration of a Social Conduct Class and the Student Council.
Solicitations for the Tewksbury Tuberculosis Fund, Junior Red Cross, March of Dimes, and the Lowell Community Chest Fund.
I want to thank Mr. Bean for his keen interest in my problems
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and his valuable suggestions. I also wish to express my apprecia- tion to the members of the school board and to my teachers for their loyal support and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted, LAWRENCE McGOWAN
Principal
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REPORT OF THE TEWKSBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1950
The education and supervision in all the schools has been carried on with efficiency in spite of over-crowded conditions.
This committee has held extra meetings to deal with transpor- tation, repair, and budget problems.
Our teachers received a $100.00 raise.
The damage done to school windows, outside of school hours, has been appalling and needless.
A new link fence on the east side of the Shawsheen yard has been installed.
With the cooperation of our Highway Department, extensive work in grading and leveling the Shawsheen yard to eliminate the mud situation was completed in November.
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