USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1920-1926 > Part 22
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Arbor Day falls on the last Saturday in April, and is not a legal holiday.
Flag Day falls on June 14th, and is not a legal holiday. It should be observed by proper exercises by any school in session on that day.
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Teachers in Service, 1923
Academy
Teacher Grades Taught
Where Educated
Home Address
William C. Roudenbush
IX-XII
Williams
Westford
Katherine Ott
Salem Normal
Shrewsbury
Dorothy Latham
Boston University
Waltham
Daisy Bashford
Boston University
Norwood
Cameron School
Mary C. Bergstrom
I Salem Normal
Gloucester
Louise E. Thompson
II Lowell Normal
Lowell
Annie B. Dudley
III Fitchburg Normal
Townsend
Ruth A. Walker
IV-Pt. of V
Lowell Normal
Lowell
Mary M. Reynolds
VI-Pt. of V Lowell Normal
Lowell
Mrs. Letitia O'Clair
VII-VIII
Hyannis Normal
Forge Village
Wm. E. Frost School
Edith Wright
I-II Westford Academy
Westford
Ruth Tuttle
III-IV Lowell Normal
Westford
Pauline Larson
V-VI Fitchburg Normal
Fitchburg
Charles G. Carter
VII-VIII Gorham Normal
Westford
Sargent School
Veronica McNiff
I Fitchburg Normal
Lowell
Rubie Willey
II Hyannis Normal
Charlemont
Catherine Mulligan
III Lowell Normal
Lowell
Lillian Wright
IV-V Lowell Normal
Graniteville
Stanley C. Jones
VI-VII Mass. I. T.
Baldwinville
Issie A. Parker
VIII Westford Academy
Graniteville
Parkerville School
Mrs. Charles G. Carter
Fitchburg Normal Westford
Nabnassett School
Catherine Wrenn
I-II-III Lowell Normal
Lowell
Charlotte Kemp
IV-V-VI Lowell Normal Lowell
Music
A. Pamelia Precious
Forge Village
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Superintendent's Report
TO THE WESTFORD SCHOOL COMMITTEE :
Ladies and Gentlemen : I offer my third annual report and the thirty-first report in the series of superintendents' reports since Westford has formed a part of a union district.
Many changes in the teaching force have taken place during the past year. Notably among the changes were those made by the retirement of Miss Mattie A. Crocker of the Wm. E. Frost School, who had faithfully served the Town in the different schools for many years, and by the death of Miss Mary B. Raynes who for more than a decade had been the efficient instructor of music in the Westford schools.
During the past summer four of the six teachers at the Cameron School resigned ; one to be married and three to teach in other cities and towns at salaries larger than those paid by us (Westford) .
The school at Parkerville, taught by Mrs. Ruth Robbins, has been taught since September by Mrs. Charles G. Carter, as Mrs. Robbins resigned during the summer to teach in her home town, Carlisle.
Last spring we placed an extra teacher in the Wm. E. Frost School so that each of the four-room school centers, Cameron, Wm. E. Frost and Sargent Schools, respectively, had six teachers. With the opening of the Nabnassett School in September, the number at the Wm. E. Frost School was reduced to four, but the total number remained the same. At the present time there are nineteen elementary teachers and at the Cameron and Sargent Schools additional teachers must be hired as soon as funds are available. This will necessitate returning to the two-platoon system, which at best is only a make-shift.
The Nabnassett School opened on Monday, September the eighteenth with sixty-three pupils. This number has increased to about seventy-five. The capacity of the building is eighty.
This building is modern with all that the term implies, with unilateral lighting and adequate ventilation.
The playground is spacious, and when the grading is completed it will lack only equipment to make it the equal of the grounds at Cameron and Wm. E. Frost Schools.
Modern education recognizes the value of play as an educational factor. With play that is directed there can be taught lessons of fairness and equality, and good citizenship. Of so great importance is this part of the school life that the physical education program promulgated by the State Department of Education is built around games and exercises that are recreational. Last October Miss Louise French, assistant State Director of Physical Education, came to Nabnassett School and gave a working demonstration to about fifty persons including the Westford teachers and those from other towns, school committee members, nurses, and school physicians.
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This meeting was a practical one and has proved to be helpful to all who were present.
In November we held a special meeting of the elementary teachers to discuss spelling. There has been placed in the hands of the different teachers, a book which emphasizes the testing of the child's ability before studying. In this way each child is shown what words in a lesson he needs to study. Special methods of teaching spelling are given, and as a result of the use of the text, increased interest is following.
Outlines in Geography have been given to the teachers, and the State Department has sent for distribution history outlines for grammar grades. These have been placed in each elementary building where seventh and eighth grades are taught. There also have been placed at the disposal of the teachers, outlines from the State Department for work in physical education.
The work done in the superintendent's office should have a word of mention. In eleven months 1,651 pieces of mail were sent from the West Acton office alone. This includes bulletins, reports, outlines and mis- cellaneous material sent to the teachers in the district, as well as corre- spondence included in ordering books and supplies, and answers to people who have written about other matters. Here records are kept. Letters are placed on file, and repeatedly information is obtained that in previous years was impossible to get without spending much time. A full time clerk for the entire district should be employed, so that the multiplicity of detail could be handled by some one to whom this work would become a matter of routine, thus saving to the schools, the time of the superintendent.
It is only due the teachers that we say a word about their work. To the superintendent the spirit of co-operation on the part of teachers and pupils alike has been manifestly gratifying.
The attitude toward continuance in school is to be commended, and this is due to the inspiration of the teacher. There has been increased respect shown toward school property and again the teacher is the helpful person. In many instances children have shown an increased desire to attend school. All this is indication of the splendid work of the teachers.
Schools opened in September without a nurse. Miss Eva Lord, who had acted for several years as district nurse, and who had gained the hearty co-operation of teachers and pupils, severed her connection with the district to enter the employ of the Abbot Worsted Co. as nurse. Later the Board of Health engaged Miss Harriet Horton to act in a similar capacity.
Last June for the first time there were held graduation exercises in connection with the closing of the grade schools. The eighth grades of the Cameron and Sargent Schools combined their exercises, which took place in Abbot Hall, Forge Village. The pupils of the William E. Frost School held their exercises the following week in the Town Hall. The interest in these graduations were general and the pupils acquitted themselves in a manner that reflected credit upon their instructors.
For the first time in several years the N. E. A. (National Educational Association) held a summer meeting in Boston. At this meeting teachers from all parts of the United States and Peninsular Possessions, Canada and even from Europe were present.
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Since the opening of schools in September all the teachers of the William E. Frost School have become N. E. A. members. The school has been presented by the N. E. A. with a certificate which is given to schools whose teaching staff is 100% members of this organization.
Considering the general opinion that the schools in Westford cost too much, it is of interest to note that in the "Statistics of the Public Schools for the School year 1921-22," this being the latest set of figures available from the State Department of Education, Westford is grouped with four other towns of nearly the same number of population. The towns com- prising this group are Warren, Barre, Westford, Holbrook, and Westport, with a population ranging from 3,115 to 3,467 in the inverse order. In the items of General Government, salaries of teachers, text-books and supplies, and promotion of health, Westford is fourth, third, fifth and fifth in the list respectively. When the items fuel, and care of building, repairs, and trans- portation are considered, Westford occupies first place in each of these three phases of school expense. It is apparant that in the items of salaries of teachers, text-books and supplies, health and superintendent's salary and other expenses pertaining to that office, the expense is not out of proportion when the position of Westford is considered in its group.
Since the previously mentioned statistics were reported, transportation expense has been reduced. Cost of janitor service and fuel must necessarily increase. Buildings have to be shingled and painted, and this explains the large items of upkeep.
In the near future additional teachers must be hired, and in this con- nection it is only fair to point out that we have lost valuable teachers during the past year because other towns paid better salaries. If we keep the teachers that are of the desirable type, salaries must increase.
Our schools sustained a serious loss in the death of Mr. Arthur Day, a member of the Westford school committee. The wise council of Mr. Day and his spirit of justice to all, besides his genuine interest in the schools lent weight to his opinions, and your superintendent feels a personal loss in his death.
In closing this report I wish to acknowledge the co-operation of the teachers, and to express my appreciation of your support of the policies of the administration.
Very respectfully submitted, HERMAN C. KNIGHT,
Superintendent of Schools.
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Report of Westford Academy
To Mr. H. C. Knight,
Superintendent of Schools.
The following is my eleventh annual report as principal of Westford Academy :
The Academy opened its sessions on September 6, 1922, with an enroll- ment of 35 girls and 24 boys, since which time four girls have left school and two boys have entered, making the present numbers 31 girls and 26 boys. By classes the school now consists of 8 Seniors, 14 Juniors, 12 Sophomores and 23 Freshmen.
The present faculty are :- Principal W. C. Roudenbush, foreign lan- guages ; Miss Dorothy Latham, English and History ; Miss Daisy Bashford, Science and Mathematics ; Miss Katherine Ott, Commercial subjects ; Miss A. Pamelia Precious, Music; Drawing, position not filled.
The course in Domestic Science was dropped from the Curriculum in 1922.
In tracing events for a report of this kind which covers parts of two different school years, it is convenient to follow a chronological order. We therefore proceed somewhat in line with a journal of Academy news which we keep throughout the year.
In January of 1922 much interest was manifest in basket ball on the part of both boys and girls, and early in February two games were played in Westford on the same afternoon with the Bromfield School of Harvard. The Academy teams won both games, the boys winning by a score of 12 to 10, the girls by a score of 19 to 4. In a return game the Bromfield girls won by a score of 24 to 20. A little later the boys' team played Ayer High School in Ayer, and were beaten 54 to 16.
The first game of the present season was played in Lowell the evening of December 20th, the Lowell Vocational School being our opponents. We lost by a score of 22 to 11.
From March 22 to 25 inclusive the Principal was in attendance upon the sessions of the Junior-Senior High School Conference held in Boston and Bridgewater under the direction of the Massachusetts State Board of Education.
In April a representative of the Ladies' Home Journal appeared before the school to interest us in canvassing for subscriptions, the school to receive fifty cents for every new subscription or renewal. The result was a sum of $26.50 which was turned into the treasury of the Athletic Association to help run the base ball team. This money, together with some raised by the sale of candy, provided funds with which to purchase new uniforms for the team.
The base ball schedule this year comprised ten games with the teams of Lowell Vocational School, and high schools of Ayer, Littleton, Billerica, Pepperell, Groton and Townsend.
The Senior Class Play, "The House Next Door," was given in the Town Hall on the evening of May 5th before a large and appreciative
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audience. The parts were well acted, and credit is due the class for giving a good performance. The proceeds were about $130.
During the month of May, the boys of the two upper classes took part in the "All-Student Track Meet" which was participated in by 25 high schools throughout the State. This project represents a move by the State director of physical training to enlist the schools in a campaign to arouse general interest among the students in physical culture. The events listed this year were the running-broad jump, running-high jump, putting the 8 lb. shot, 100 yard dash, 220 yard run. The Academy boys ranked sixth among the 25 schools participating.
On September 25th several boys went to Groton Fair and took part in the athletic contests of the "Inter-School Meet." Raymond Shea was the star performer for Westford, winning first in the running high and standing broad jumps, and second in the hop, step and jump, with a total of 13 points.
Late this fall, by the sale of candy, and through proceeds of a Hallowe'en party, given in the Town Hall, enough money was realized to purchase a new basket ball, fit out the team with new uniforms, and buy two pair of first-class boxing gloves.
Following the custom of years, the Senior class took June 2nd for their outing, going by automobile to Nantasket Beach. Here they spent the day, and returned in the evening to Boston, dined at Victoria Hotel, and then attended the Copley Theatre to see the Jewett Players in "Raffles."
A new feature of the school work this year is the organization of a Girls' Glee Club under the direction of Miss Precious, the Music teacher. The club meets regularly once a week on Thursday afternoon for practice and instruction.
Upon invitation of the Tadmuck Club, the Academy members who chose to do so attended a series of four lectures on citizenship given by Mr. Wentworth Stewart of Groton during the months of October and November.
The girls of the Senior class drawn for honorary membership in the Tadmuck Club for the year 1923 are Alice Swenson and Genevieve Healy.
The Public Health Nurse, Miss Harriett Horton, has given several talks to the school on subjects of interest concerned with her duties in the schools. Miss Horton plans to give a course in "First Aid" some time during the present school year.
We expect to have printed soon a pamphlet entitled "Curriculum and General Information," copies of which will be placed in the hands of every Academy student, and will be available for any person seeking information about the school.
This pamphlet is a revision of one printed in 1913, and includes the readjustments which have developed during the past ten years.
On the last day of the term, Thursday, December 21st, special exercises were held appropriate to Christmas. Several of the old carols were sung by the School, and selected readings from Dickens were given by members of the Sophomore class.
Death has come close home to the school the past year.
Edith Lawrence Hildreth died February 3, 1922 having served most acceptably as a teacher in the Academy for a total period of six and one half years. Another teacher of long and unusual service was lost to the schools of Westford in the decease of Miss Mary B. Raynes, Supervisor of Music, who died March 30, 1922. With sorrow we report the death of Miss
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Helen M. McCoy in Portsmouth, Virginia, October 29, 1922. Miss McCoy graduated in 1915 at the head of her class, studied physical culture, and taught this branch with marked success as supervisor in the public schools of Portsmouth.
Last in the list of deaths of those closely associated with school affairs, comes the name of Mr. Arthur E. Day, who died December 21, 1922.
Mr. Day was a member of the School Committee upon which he had faithfully and efficiently served for ten years, much of the time as secretary.
In closing this report we call particular attention to the first clause in the plan below which outlines the prize awards for the year 1922-23. We take this opportunity to thank the Alumni for their interest and generosity shown by this gift.
PRIZES 1922-1923 I.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The Alumni of Westford Academy offer prizes of ten and five dollars to those members of the school who excel in a public-speaking contest to be held in the local Town Hall in April.
II.
SCHOLARSHIP PRIZES
1. Five dollars to that member of the freshman class who obtains the highest general average for the year.
2. Five dollars to that Senior, Junior or Sophomore who obtains the highest general average for the year.
3. Three dollars and two dollars to the members of the school irrespec- tive of class who rank second and third in general average for the year.
4. Five dollars to the Senior, Junior or Sophomore who makes the highest percentage of improvement over his rank of the previous year.
5. Three dollars and two dollars to the Seniors, Juniors or Sophomores who rank second and third in order of improvement over the percentage of the previous year.
III.
DEPORTMENT
Deportment will be considered in awarding the prizes.
Owing to the fast that the program of graduation exercises of 1920 was not printed in the Town Report of that year, we beg leave to insert it this year, along with the program of 1922. This we do in order that a complete file of these programs may be kept for future reference.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM C. ROUDENBUSH, Principal of Westford Academy.
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Graduation Exercises, Westford Academy, Westford, Mass. AT THE TOWN HALL, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1920, AT 10 O'CLOCK A. M.
PROGRAM
March with Overture
TITANIA ORCHESTRA
Invocation
REV. O. L. BROWNSEY
Salutatory
JULIA KELSH DONNELLY
Chorus by School
"O Sole Mio" di Capua
Class History
JOHN ALBERT MARTIN
Class Prophecy
FORREST SHERMAN WHITE "Mate o' Mine" CONRAD EDMUND JOSEPH COTE
Elliott
Class Will
ANNIE PAMELIA PRECIOUS
Essay
The Pilgrim Forefathers, the Real Founders of Our Republic MARION MARTHA WOODBURY
Presentation of Class Gift
EDNA MAY SARGENT
Acceptance of Gift
LILLIAN MAY HUNT, Class of 1921
Chorus by School
"The Beautiful Blue Danube" Strauss
Par Epreuves a Triomphe
PRIN. W. C. ROUDENBUSHI
Essay with Valedictory "The Character of the Pilgrims" MILDRED VERONICA PRECIOUS
Presentation of Prizes
HON. H. E. FLETCHER
Presentation of Diplomas
SUPT. H. C. KNIGHT
Girls' Chorus
(a) "Hark the Lily Bells are Ringing" (b) "In Old Madrid" Spence Trotere
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Class Motto -- Par Epreuves a Triomphe Class Colors-Crimson and Silver Class Flower-American Beauty Rose
GRADUATES
¡Morton Rice Seavey Yvonne Marion Anctil: Conrad Edmund Joseph Cote Julia Kelsh Donnelly Webster Elbert Flagg Frederick Collins Griffin *John Albert Martin₿
*Mildred Veronica Precious?
*Annie Pamelia Precious} Edna May Sargent Dorothy Gertrude Shugrue Raymond Agnew Wall} *Forrest Sherman White} Marion Martha Woodbury}
Winners of Prizes Given by Academy Trustees
Highest percentage of improvement in scholarship, (second, third. and fourth year students ) over the year 1919.
First Prize-Henry Daniel Harrington, '22, Ten Dollars.
Second Prize-Raymond Agnew Wall, '20, Five Dollars.
Third Prize-Conrad Edmund Joseph Cote, '20, Five Dollars. Honorable Mention-Annie Pamelia Precious, '20. Highest Average Rank for First Year Students Prize -- Alice Viola Swenson, '23, Five Dollars.
Honorable Mention-Walter Raymond Shea, '23.
Honorable Mention is made of the Essay on the Pilgrims by Yvonne Marion Anctil.
#Post graduate in Science and Mathematics.
*Names starred are graduates in Academic course.
#Elected to the "Pro Merito" Society of Secondary Schools.
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Graduation Exercises, Westford Academy, Westford, Mass.
AT THE TOWN HALL, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1922 AT 10 O'CLOCK A. M.
PROGRAM
March with Overture
AMPHION ORCHESTRA
Invocation
REV. JOHN H. BLAIR
Salutatory Greeting
JESSIE CAROLYN BELL
Class History
NORMAN LESLIE CUTTER
Chorus by the School Ole Uncle Moon Class "Grinds"
Charles P. Scott
ALICE MARY WALSH
Class Prophecy
GORDON BAILEY SEAVEY
Selection by the Orchestra
Girls' Chorus Sunshine and Music
Paul Ambrose
Class Will
FLORENCE ELIZABETH CAUNTER
Declamation
Parrhasius and the Captive N. P. Willis
LAWRENCE ALVIN INGALLS
Chorus by the School
Moonlit Meadows Czibulka
Declamation
The Soul of the Violin Margaret Merrill CATHERINE MARGARET O'NEILL
Salutatory Essay -- The Passion Play JESSIE CAROLYN BELL
Presentation of Class Gift ALICE EDITH HOSMER
Acceptance of Gift
WALTER RAYMOND SHEA, Class of 1923
Chorus by the School
The Lost Chord
A. S. Sullivan
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Essay with Valedictory
Re-Armanent in the Near East Helen Mae Kimball
Presentation of Prizes
HON. H. E. FLETCHER
Presentation of Diplomas
PRIN. W. C. ROUDENBUSH
Class Ode-Sung by the Graduating Class
Class Motto-Honor Lies in Honest Toil Class Colors-Crimson and White
Class Flower -- Sweet Peas
GRADUATES
Eric Julian Anderson
** Jessie Carolyn Bell Florence Elizabeth Caunter ¡Frances Margaret Courchaine ** Norman Leslie Cutter Helen Lucy Griffin
¡Alice Edith Hosmer Lawrence Alvin Ingalls Kathleen Mary Kelly
** Helen Mae Kimball John Allen Kimball
Vanner William Lundgren Frederick Martin Leo Courtney McDonald ¡Catherine Margaret O'Neill Gordon Bailey Seavey Rupert Sundberg #Orrin Augustus Treat, Jr. ¡Alice Mary Walsh
* Academic Course ¡Elected to the "Pro Merito" Society of Secondary Schools *Three Years' Certificate
Winners of Prizes Given by Academy Trustees
Highest percentage of improvement in scholarship for second. third. and fourth year students over the year 1921.
First Prize-Frank Jarvis, '24, Ten Dollars. Second Prize-Ethel Ingalls, '24, Five Dollars. Third Prize-Alice Hosmer, '22, Five Dollars. Honorable Mention-Herbert Shea, '23.
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Highest Average Rank for First Year Students Prize -- Hazel Sweetser, '25, Five Dollars. Honorable Mention-Philip Prescott, '25.
CLASS ODE (To the tune of "Maryland, My Maryland") 1. The Class of Nineteen Twenty Two.
Is here to show its best to you ;
And with our worth-while purpose set,
To win the strife before us yet.
And let it be for us to lend A helping hand to foe or friend,
To ne'er forget the folks we knew In dear old nineteen twenty-two.
2. But now the time is drawing near
When we must leave our classmates here,
And in this world to find a way To right the wrong, to win the day.
So now with pride our motto tell
To those we knew and loved so well
And we shall not from work recoil, For "honor lies in honest toil." -Norman Leslie Cutter.
Report of the Commercial Department of Westford Academy
The details of the work of the Commercial Department for the time between September 6 and December 21, 1922 are practically the same as those recorded in last year's Town Report.
One change in text-books has been made. The Barnes Edition of Pitman Shorthand, by Mrs. Arthur J. Barnes, has taken the place of the "Phonographic Amenuensis," by Howard, which has formerly been used.
A new Remington typewriter was added to the department in September. The number of pupils taking the business subjects is as follows :
Arithmetic 19
Shorthand 12
Typewriting 17 Bookkeeping 23
There are forty-eight different pupils taking some part of the Com- mercial Course.
Thirty of these are Freshmen and Sophomores, in whose classes only one commercial subject is offered.
Of the remaining eighteen-Juniors and Seniors-ten are taking the three subjects; five two subjects; and two, one subject.
Respectfully submitted, KATHERINE L. OTT.
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Report of Supervisor of Music
MR. HERMAN C. KNIGHT,
Superintendent of Schools,
Westford, Mass.
Dear Sir :
Following is my report for the Music department of the Town of Westford.
My work in this department began in April, 1922. The last week in April, I attended the Eastern Music Supervisors' Conference in Springfield, Mass., receiving from it much value.
The High School for graduation sang "The Lost Chord," "Moonlit Meadows," "Ole Uncle Moon," and as an added interest a group of girls sang a trio, "A Laugh Is Just Like Sunshine."
Graduation in the grammar grades also took place for the first time. In March, an operetta entitled "Mother Goose's Birthday" was very successfully given by the pupils of Cameron School in Abbot Hall.
This year two Girls' Glee Clubs have been started, one in the High School, which has been doing fine work; the other at Cameron School, in the nature of an experiment, but which, I hope, will prove of sufficient interest to enable the starting of several more in the different schools, not only girls' clubs, but boys' clubs as well.
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