USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tewksbury > Town of Tewksbury annual report 1955-1960 > Part 64
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Due to the fact that necessary funds were not allocated at the last town meeting, the Committee was unable to proceed with the work that was planned for the general repair and improvement of the stadium.
The new High School has allowed us to return to single sessions for the present time, but what of the next few years? We must not overlook the fact that with the school population increasing each year, more school construction is required. The most pressing need is at the Junior High level where we now have over 600 pupils in the building that was constructed to accomodate 320 pupils. The present Junior High Schol building is inadequate for conducting satisfactory programs in Physical Education, Industrial Arts, Science, Art and Music. The School Committee sincerely hopes that the residents of Tewksbury realize the seriousness of this problem and the dire need of a new Junior High School which would extend greater opportunities in education for our children.
In conclusion, may I say a sincere thank you to all personnel of
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the Tewksbury school system who have worked tirelessly and un- selfishly to further the standards and goals of our educational system. My special thanks to the teachers in all our schools who play such an important part in sending forth young people of whom we can be proud. Mrs. Sutton and her staff deserve special mention for their efficiency in operating the school lunch programs.
The School Committee could not have functioned properly with-
out the capable assistance of our Superintendent, Dr. Thistle, and our Assistant Superintendent, Mr. Brown. My personal and sincere thanks for the help which they extended during the past year.
DAVID J. BEATTIE, Chairman
The Tewksbury School Committee by formal vote has set the following sums as the amounts required for the support of the Tewksbury Public Schools for the year 1960:
Salaries
$ 820,931.00
Expenses
227,511.00
Outlay
23,355.00
Out of State Travel
500.00
Total
$ 1,072,297.00
The sums above are based on the following estimated require- ments:
A. Salaries and Wages
Teachers
$ 620,671.00
Principals
34,334.00
Supervisors
19,590.00
Substitute Teachers
10,000.00
Home Tutoring
2,500.00
Custodians
75,426.00
Health
13,400.00
Administration
17,650.00
Clerical Services
26,360.00
Attendance Officer
400.00
Census Enumerator
600.00
$ 820,931.00
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B. Expenses
Supplies
$
30,000.00
Office Expense
2,625.00
Building Maintenance
12,750.00
Equipment Maintenance
800.00
Equipment Rental
82,906.00
Travel
1,200.00
Electric Power and Lights
17,500.00
Fuel
35,500.00
All Other
44,230.00
$ 227,511.00
C. Outlay
Permanent Improvement
$ 14,500.00
New Equipment
8,855.00
$ 23,355.00
D. Out of State Travel
$ 500.00
TOTAL
$ 1,072.297.00
The School Committee also controls the expenditures of funds for maintaining the Tewksbury Stadium. The 1960 Requests for these purposes are:
A. Labor ..... $ 800.00
B. Expenses
Supplies
$ 800.00
Building Maintenance
800.00
Equipment Maintenance
200.00
Electric Power and Lights
75.00
Fuel
300.00
All Other
600.00
$ 2,775.00
C. Outlay
Permanent Improvement
$ 1,275.00
New Equipment
300.00
$ 1,575.00
TOTAL
$ 5,150.00
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The estimated requirements in 1960 for Public and Vocational Schools to educate pupils outside of Tewksbury are:
A. Expenses
Transportation $ 2,225.00
Tuition
7,325.00 $ 9,550.00
Discussion of anticipated reimbursements will be found in the Report of the Superintendent of Schools.
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
This report for the calendar year 1959, covering as it does parts of two school years, must recognize as the outstanding events of the past year and "end" and a "beginning." The close of school in June marked the end of an extended five year period when all or major portions of the school population were attending "half-day" sessions. The short sessions together with overcrowded and make- shift classrooms have been a nightmare for parents, children, and teachers who were working conscientiously toward an adequate education.
The opening of Tewksbury Memorial High School in September 1959 marked the "begining." It is the beginning of a period of regular sessions in regular classrooms. It is also the beginning of instruction in a building having adequate facilities for secondary education. The new building has been designed and equipped to offer a broad, well-rounded program to the pupils of Tewksbury. We are not losing sight of the fact that excellent teaching has been done during these past years. It does recognize, however, that this excellent teaching has been carried on despite the limitations of both building and facilities.
We sincerely wish that it were possible to report that our pupil housing needs have been met with the opening of the new high school. Such is not the case, however. The building during the past three years of 26 new elementary classrooms and a 1000-pupil high school have enabled the Town to meet the problem but not to move ahead. The most pressing need is for improved as well as additional space at the junior high school level. Several aspects of this problem are discussed in some detail in the report of the Junior High School Building Committee. We shall not belabor the points here.
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The problems at this level are two-fold. First is the ever- increasing size of the classes moving into an already inadequate building. The second problem is partially an outgrowth of the first. As more pupils are housed in the building, the program of studies must be restricted. Despite our best efforts, the pupils in grades seven and eight are being cheated educationally because of the physical impossibilities presented by the inadequate facilities.
We are unable at this time to figure any possible ways of squeezing out additional classroom space within the framework of the building. Classrooms have been made in the past years in the lunchroom, the shop, the gymnasium, and during the past summer by taking over a girls' locker room. The coal bin had previously been made into a boys' locker room. Any additional provisions will have to be made outside of the present structure.
The organization adopted by the School Committee for the 1960-61 school year has taken into consideration the tremendous efforts made by the Town in providing school rooms. This pattern of organization will help postpone as long as possible the need for new facilities at other than the junior high school level. It is also pointed toward avoiding half-day sessions. The organizational set- up will provide for more pupils in each classroom as well as the construction of two additional classrooms in the Heath Brook School playroom. We all must recognize that there are limits to the number of makeshift arrangements which can be made and also that there are undesirable effects on the educational product as we overtax our facilities.
Briefly, we would highlight some of the many phases of the program during the past year, avoiding where possible duplication of other reports. In the Old Shawsheen School new cold cathode lighting was installed in each classroom and resulted in greatly improved conditions. A fire escape was also installed on this wooden building. Major improvements at the Junior High School included installation of new copper hot and cold water lines to replace the leaking galvanized pipe and new electric service to take care of the added load. Through the courtesy of the Lowell Gas Company a new refriegerator and new stoves were installed in the Homemaking room. A light truck was purchased for the mainte- nance department. This has resulted in better service and in savings to the Town. Much moving was done in this truck rather than hiring outside services. Further savings are resulting from the bulk purchase of supplies for delivery in one location. In this con- nection, a portion of the basement at the Ella Flemings School is being converted to a central maintenance headquarters, shop and storage. The central heating at the Foster School was shifted from a hand-filled coal stoker to gas.
Probably the most significant event for the long term welfare
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and improvement of the schools was the appointment of Ralph Brown as Assistant Superintendent. Mr. Brown has been assigned major responsibilities in the areas of Adult Education, Transporta- tion, and Personnel. In addition, he is working closely with the Superintendent in all phases of the operation of the schools. We are indeed fortunate in securing the services of a person of his initiative, fairness and judgment.
With the opening of the new High School and looking toward expanded facilities at the Junior High School, the program of studies at the secondary level is being reconsidered. A new program of studies with a change in the subjects offered at various grade levels is to be presented to the School Committee in the spring. Our thinking in this area is guided by the eventual organization into three years each of junior high school and high school as well as the present and future needs of our pupils and in light of the recommendations being made nationally. A logical extension of the revised program of studies will be a multiple diploma showing the accomplishments of our graduates in the programs they have carried through school. We will attempt to have our diplomas re- flect the difference between the pupil who has done a good job with a hard program and the pupil who has met the minimum requirements for graduation.
Parents should note the entrance age for admission to school. The policy requires that a child must be five years of age on or before January First of the year in which he is to enter school. We also urge that parents have their children undergo thorough physi- cal examinations prior to entering school. This should be done early enough to allow time for corrective measures where necessary. The requirements and responsibilities of beginning school are such as to make good health essential. We cannot place too much stress on the need for regular and adequate sleep and rest. Most first graders need to be in bed at 700 to 7:30 each evening. Parents who permit these children to be up after 8:00 P. M. regularly are injuring the health of the children as well as placing them under an unnecessary handicap in their school work.
The 1960 Appropriation Request for the operation of the Tewks- bury Public Schools reflects the continued growth in pupil popula- tion. This continuing increase in pupil load requires larger sums for books and materials as well as additional personnel. An im- portant aspect of the problems caused by growing enrollments is the need for expanded facilities.
The opening of Tewksbury Memorial High School in September 1959 made possible, for the first time in three years, regular sessions at the secondary school level. The improved facilities provided space and equipment for a return to a normal program at the high school level. Provision has been made in the 1960 Appropriation
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Request for the added costs of the new building. The new con- struction and the more normal program made it necessary to nearly double the number of personnel working at this level. Another such increase of personnel should not be necessary in the foreseeable future.
Listed below in eight categories are comparisons of the Appro- priation Requests for 1960 with those of 1959. With each set of figures is a short explanation of the major items in each category. The summary of the requests for 1960 is an amount of $1,072.297.
The total requested for any one year is a gross figure and is subject to reimbursement in several areas from funds distributed by the Commonwealth. The reimbursements amount to approxi- mately 25 per cent of the total request. The 1960 reimbursement figure will be about $250,000. This quarter of a million dollars is not used by the School Committee. Even though the money comes to the Town on account of schools, the reimbursements are deposited directly into the general treasury of the Town. The funds are available in the E & D Account and are subject to appropriation by the Town for any purpose.
The breakdown of the 1959 and 1960 Appropriation Requests follows:
For Instruction:
1959 $649,676.00
1960 $745,485.00
Difference +$95,809.00
Instruction, always the major portion of any school appropriation, is involved with such items as salaries for teachers, principals, supervisors, substitutes, school clerks, general instructional supplies and textbooks, and expenditures for various departments such as physical education, industrial arts, summer playground and aca- demic programs.
For Operation
1959 $114,116.00
1960 $145,676.00
Difference +$31,560.00
Operation includes the expenses for the day-to-day operating of the schools with items of custodial salaries, coal, oil, water, gas, electricity, telephone, and custodial supplies.
For Maintenance
1959 $15,050.00
1960 $12,750.00
Difference -$2,300.00
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Under Maintenance are included normal repair of buildings and equipment, upkeep of grounds, cost of labor and materials incident to these items.
For Auxiliary Agencies
1959
1960 Difference
$29,454.00
$30,700.00
+$1,246.00
Auxiliary Agencies involve such items as libraries, health services, school lunch and other items including transportation. (Because of its size Transportation has been set aside.)
For Transportation
1959
1960
Difference
$79,000.00
$82,906.00
+3,906.00
(Including Private Schools in and out of Tewksbury.)
For General Control
1959
1960
Difference
$22,000.00
$30,925.00
+8,925.00
General Control includes items such as School Committee expenses, Superintendent's and Assistant Superintendent's salary and travel expenses, central office clerical help, school census, attendance officer, office expenses.
For Capital Outlay
1959
1960
Difference
$22,150.00
$23,355.00
+$1,205.00
Capital Outlay includes the cost of major expenditures for new equipment, improvements to buildings and grounds, and various major items for various department needs.
For Out of State Travel
1959
1960
$875.00
$500.00
Difference -$375.00
The School Committee administers an appropriation to provide for instruction at public and vocational schools outside of Tewks- bury. Such instruction is provided when adequate training is not available within the schools in Tewksbury.
Many different types of teaching are made available. Adults as well as children are enrolled. The services may vary from Lip Reading for the physically handicapped to Cake Decorating for the homemaker.
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Numerically the most commonly used are the Evening Practical Arts or Apprenticeship Programs. These are designed to make adults more efficient or selfsufficient at home as well as training individuals for advancement in their chosen vocation. Courses in these areas are pursued in Boston, Medford, Haverhill, Wilmington and other communities. The Town of Tewksbury is charged at an hourly rate for each individual.
A second large group are those of regular day school age who are taking advantage of specialized vocational programs. Such programs are not feasible for Tewksbury because of the high costs of operation. Each year from fifteen to twenty Tewksbury pupils are accepted at Lowell Vocational High School. From time to time one or more pupils are in attendance at Essex County Agricultural School. The programs at these schools lead to securing jobs in specialized areas.
Expenditures for those pupils handicapped in sight or hearing, or otherwise physically incapacitated are also made from this account. Recently expenditures were made for the teaching of a pupil confined to a Boston hospital.
The various schools and courses in these programs are subject to State approval. The State encourages activities such as those described above by making reimbursements on account of tuition and transportation as well as on account of the net operating costs. Some help is given to the school district maintaining the school as well as to the town paying tuition or transportation bills. The amount of reiumbrsement can be as much as 100% in some areas.
The anticipated reimbursements on account of the Public and Vocational Schools 1960 Requests amount to about 43% of the ap- propriation. Reimbursements of $4060 are expected, to be credited against an appropriation request of $9550.
Expenditures are shown below for the past two years together with the Request for 1960. The two major divisions of the account are used.
Expended '58
Expended '59
Request '60
Tuition
$6,784.11
$7,760.22
$7,325.00
Transportation
1,907.59
1,851.64
2,225.00
Total for year
$8,691.70
$9,611.86
$9,550.00
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ESTIMATED REIMBURSEMENTS APPLICABLE TO 1960 APPROPRIATION REQUESTS Public Schools Appropriation
1960 Appropriation Request
$ 1,072,297.00
Earnings:
Day Household Arts $ 5,600.00
Ungraded Classes
10,000.00
Tuition and Transportation-Wards ..
5,000.00
Transportation - Chapter 71
46,580.00
School Aid - Chapter 70
180,805.00
TOTAL $ 247,985.00
Net Cost of Day Schools from Local Taxation $ 824,312.00
Public and Vocational Schools Appropriation
1960 Appropriation Request $ 9,550.00
Earnings:
Tuition $ 3,000.00
Transportation
1,060.00
TOTAL
$ 4,060.00
Net Cost from Local Taxation $ 5,490.00
On the following pages are further details of the operation of the schools. They are excerpts from the reports submitted to the Superintendent. Each of these will help to complete the picture of our activities.
DR. EVERETT G. THISTLE Superintendent of Schools
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MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL (Lawrence R. McGowan)
After experiencing three years of double sessions in the old high school building, a normal, full day school situation was resumed September 23rd in our beautiful new building. The handicaps facing us on opening day and the first two or three weeks of occu- pancy were overcome most efficiently and expeditiously through the combined efforts of the Superintendent of Schools, the School Building Committee, the teachers, and a hard working staff of custodians. The custodians, under Mr. Frank McCusker's direction, worked many extra hours immediately preceding the opening day, moved equipment and supplies with care, scrubbed and polished all floor surfaces, and engaged in a myriad of other tasks to preclude further delay in our occupying this modern edifice.
We, the administration, the staff, the pupils, the custodians, the kitchen personnel, and all others connected with the building are proud to be a part of it. It has proved to be ideal in providing facilities we had to curtail or eliminate during the double session period. It has been highly praised by visitors from various parts of New England, parents, educators, and townspeople well versed in the construction of school buildings. Unquestionably, one of its greatest attributes has been its effect upon morale.
DEDICATION
On Sunday, November 8th, a formal dedication and "Open House" was observed. Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers, Mr. John Millane, Supervisor of Secondary Education in Massachusetts, Dr. Everett G. Thistle, Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Daniel O'Connor, Chairman of the Building Committee, Mr. Stephen Haynes the architect, Mr. Frederick Smith, the contractor, Hugh Mahoney, President of the Student Council, and the High School Principal took part in the program. The auditorium was dedicated in honor of Mr. James J. Gaffney, Jr., the gymnasium in honor of Mr. Melvin R. Rogers, and the library to the late Dr. Herbert Larrabee and his wife, Mrs. May L. Larrabee. Following the dedi- cation exercises, approximately 5000 persons participated in a con- ducted tour of the building. Members of the National Honor Society, Senior Class, and Student Council acted as ushers.
HONOR SOCIETY
The second group of top students was initiated into the National Honor Society of May 1st. They were Rita Mooney, Jeane White-
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house, Sandra Palmer, Diane Murray, Roland Guthrie, Linnea Anderson, Carol Burgess, Irene Gelarderes, Patricia Dunn, Jean- nette Marcella, Blanche Oczkowski, Joanne Reese, Pamela Turner, and Lois Whitman. Charter members of our Honor Society con- ducted the induction ceremonies. Mrs. Elsie Woolaver and Mrs. Jennie Basile, society advisors, were in charge of all the activities.
ENROLLMENT
When this new 1000 pupil building opened on September 23rd, a total of 620 were enrolled as compared to 553 at the same time the year previous, and 518 two years ago. Due to the housing shortages at the elementary level, 204 sixth graders are housed in this building. The 123 eniors graduating in June will be replaced by approximately 300 incoming 9th grades next September. It is safe to assume that the enrollment figures next fall will be 780; the following year's figure should approximate 944. When the present 8th graders reach the 12th grade, a reorganization will be in effect, for we will then become a three year high school filled to capacity.
GRADUATION - 1959
On the night of June 12th, diplomas were presented to 80 stu- rents by Mr. Arthur Wells, member of the School Committee, follow- ing brief remarks by Mr. David Beattie, School Committee Chair- man. Presidents of various organizations presented scholarships and awards, members of the clergy participated, and George Garland and Miss Rosemarie Maestri had important speaking parts during the exercises.
A total of $2500 in scholarships was presented during the exer- cises. This figure, in addition to the scholarships won by various members of the class at different institutions of their choice, sur- passes any previous total.
TV COURSE IN THE HUMANITIES
During the spring, an attempt was made for the first time in using television to teach the members of our Junior English classes a course in the Humanities. Devoted primarily to the area of the Theater and Drama, this Pilot series was divided into three groups of four lessons each. The first group introduced the Humanities and the Theater and analyzed Thornton Wilder's classic play OUR TOWN; the second group guided the students through the intricacies of Shakespeare's HAMLET; and the third group interpreted Sophocles' OEDIPUS THE KING in a new translation.
Plans for the production of additional films to examine areas in prose and poetry, history, painting sculpture, architecture, music
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and dance were part of this program. However, during the summer, the Ford Foundation, sponsor of this work, notified the Boston Council that it found the program as planned more expensive than it found itself able to support. Consequently, plans for the produc- tion of additional films have bene temporarily halted.
SCIENCE LIBRARY PROGRAM
Having met the necessary criteria established by the National Science Foundation and the American Association for the Advance- ment of Science, the school has been selected as one of the few in the state to participate in a Traveling High School Science Program.
The general purposes of this program are to stimulate an inter- est in reading science and mathematic books, to broaden the science background of the High School students and to assist students who have a science aptitude in choosing professional careers in science.
DEPARTMENT HEADS
Among the many new outstanding educational features in our new high school is the establishment of Department Heads. In the past, the principal has been solely responsible for the developing of the course of study and in arranging for the proper correlation of subjects. Now, six teachers have been selected to assist in con- tributing to the improvement of classroom instruction in their respective areas :
Mrs. Jennie Basile Modern Foreign Languages
Miss Kathryn Chandler Business
Mrs. Etta Lapniewski Mathematics
Mrs. Mary Stevens
English
Miss Dorothy Woodhams Sciences
Mrs. Elsie Woolaver
Social Studies
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS
Outstanding achievements by some of our top ranking students are worthy of note.
Jeane L. Whitehouse received a letter of commendation for her superior performance on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. She placed in the top two per cent of the 550,000 students on a national basis to whom this test was administered last spring.
George Garland, by virtue of the high grades attained on his College Entrance Examinations and a year of Organic Chemistry (a basic college freshman course) taken at this school, has been
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excused from certain freshman courses at Brown University. This will accelerate his credits for a college degree. Incidently, this student had not only been accepted at M.I.T., Harvard, and Worces- ter Polytechnical Institute, but on a competitive basis had been awarded scholarships at all three institutions.
Members of the June graduating class who have been placed on the Dean's list at their respective institutions are Rosemarie Maestri at Salem Teachers College and Brenda King, a student at Massa- chusetts College of Pharmacy. Among the members of the pre- ceding year's graduating class who have attained this highly coveted honor are Jay Razin (Emerson College) and July Palmer (Boston University).
NORTH STREET SCHOOL AND FOSTER SCHOOL (Francis G. Ciarfella)
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