USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1920-1926 > Part 49
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Our educational system works in many directions. It enlarges the earning value of the child to its parent and to the nation. It brings an Americanizing influence to bear on the lives of our foreigners. It steps forth to rehabilitate the delinquent child, to restore the falter- ing physically. It develops research students, trains teachers and makes possible the professions.
These are all essential in our scheme of things. However, education is especially concerned with the many. They hold the balance of power at the ballot. It is important, therefore, that they have an interest in and an understanding of public issues. It is to them we look for establishing a wholesome social morale. It is important, then, that they be educated in an atmos- phere of Faith and Hope. It is important that they be educated to relish their work, and with a proper bal- ance between work, worship and play, they may enjoy toil and utilize the increasing leisure allotted them with- out being bored or tempted to dissipation.
It is a misconception to conclude that educating a person is reducing his efficiency to toil. His capacity to work should be none the less because he has been schooled.
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Mind helps muscle. A young college man who dug ditches during his vacation, to gain health and wealth for the next school year, recalls the Italian work- man who would hum snatches of opera while he labor- ed; an Irishman who would discuss political issues while he picked; an American who would analyize economic conditions while he worked. None of these men was less efficient with pick and shovel because in a degree intellectually developed. Yet their lives were richer, their resources greater. It would be unfortunate were it necessary to conserve ignorance in order to furnish an adequate labor supply.
The welfare of this country centers around the training of the many. It depends upon a high social morale, an increasing number of mentally alert pro- ducers. It requires a citizenry with intelligence to value and enjoy social contacts, with sufficient educa- tional foundation to admit of self-development, equip- ped to improve its leisure and imbued with sufficient sportsmanship to play the game. This is a contribution education makes; a contribution with intelligence, not ignorance, as to the foundation.
Education should make more palatable the hum- bler tasks in life.
WHAT PRICE EDUCATION ?
Football looms large in the interest of the nation. It is associated almost wholly with our institutions of learning and is conceeded the leader of sports, both in college and high school.
This leads to a speculation as to the relative po- sition of the country's sports and its education. Educa- tion is the very life of the nation-sports its pastime. The former, like our water and air, is taken for granted and almost considered routine; the latter is dramatic, impulsive and full of motion.
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We are not belittling the value of sports in the life of people. We recognize their unifying influence in our institutions. It is a healthful sign when our citizens grow in their love for outdoor play. There is a ten- dency, however, to indulge in these exercises and sports purely by proxy.
It is a fact that the nation's expenditure for spec- tacular sports makes the outlay for education look insig- nificant. We have recently completed the World Base- ball Series which approached a million and a quarter gate receipts; our last big prize fight, two million dol- lars. This latter figure is but a fraction of the cost of the fight when the other expenses of the fan are estim- ated. The American public paid this price for a two-man combat that lasted a total of thirty-nine min- utes, and yet in this country we spend but a billion and a half dollars yearly to train twenty-three million boys and girls for a fight that lasts an average approximat- ing thirty-nine years.
There is another angle to this viewpoint of relative values. A middle western metropolitan newspaper sold 50,000 more copies the morning after the Dempsey- Tunney fight than it did the morning after the election November 2nd. Sport news is, therefore, looked upon as a matter of great importance by the newspapers, and, based upon public demand, naturally so. As a special- ized subject it increasingly outranks the space of any other department in the day's news. When the Corbett- Sullivan fight took place in 1892 a newspaper not overly devoted to sports printed more than seven columns about it during the two weeks immediately preceding the contest. In 1923, for a like period previous to the Dempsey-Firpo battle, the same paper used thirty-eight columns. In the Dempsey-Tunney fight this year, the same paper used ninety columns.
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No process of thinking can lead us to conclude that education has gained a corresponding emphasis, Nor will it, until we have a shifting of demand on the part of the public.
We believe in the manly art of self-defence. Our conception of the greatest self-defence, either for the individual or the nation, is education. It costs less and gives more.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS
Each month your superintendent plans a teachers' meeting at one of the school buildings. He always has one or more educational speakers. Several of the speakers have come to these meetings from our own State Department of Education and from the State Nor- mal Schools. Each speaker takes up some part of the educational program.
This year all the teachers had the opportunity of attending the Middlesex County Convention held in Bos- ton all day and the Northwest Middlesex County held in Ayer in the afternoon. Your superintendent feels that this a very good arrangement.
SALARIES-TEACHERS
Maximum $1,200.00 with a super maximum $1,300.00 Minumum $ 850.00
PRINCIPALS
Maximum $1,650.00
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MUSIC
The vocal work is carried on in our schools by our grade teachers under the able supervision of the Super- visor of Music Miss A. Pamelia Precious. Much attention is being given to part singing in the upper grades. Sev- eral new books of two and three part singing are being used in the upper grades.
It is the wish of the superintendent that more time could be given to instrumental work. (Classes for junior bands and orchestras.)
Several musical programs have been given during the past year by the pupils.
Now, kindly give your attention to the report of the Music Supervisor found elsewhere in this book.
PLAY AND THE PLAYGROUND
There are a great many people who believe that play is an excess of animal spirits which must be tol- erated. Also there is an increasing number of people who see in play a wise provision of nature for the de- velopment of the human race. It does not require much study of the manner in which a child plays, and, in later life the manner with which he works and plays, to see that they both are closely connected. It is said, "As a child plays so the man works". A child up to the age of twenty needs the fine spirit of play if he is to grow into the fullness of strong manhood.
Our present generation of teachers should feel that it is a duty to provide and develop the play spirit which is considered one of the duties which many homes can- not see their way clear to do for a great many reasons,
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The child inherits the play instinct but does not in- herit games. Because of the abnormal repression of movement, school room conditions are very likely to in- duce nervous strain and often cramped posture. This should all be relieved by physical play during the re- cesses and noon hour. The teachers have been urged to supervise the physical play at the recess periods.
Play is a basis for education and a moral safe- guard. It has been said, "That the child is educated through play."
The following are developed by play : self-control, perseverance, obedience, unselfishness, good judg- ment, co-operation, initiative, coolness, leadership, re- spect for others and alertness.
The teacher is the natural play leader.
THE PLAYGROUND
At the William E. Frost School, the pupils of the school use one of the best playgrounds in this state. The playgrounds at all the schools are equipped with swings and see-saws. At the four larger schools the equipment includes the giant stride which is one of the safest and most useful of all playground equipment, providing it is properly used. Volley Ball courts have been provided at all the schools. Some of the schools have basket ball courts.
The Cameron School at Forge Village has and is still using the land owned by the Abbott Worsted Co. for their playground.
The Sargent School needs to have work done to make their playground ample for the eight rooms of the school.
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In order to promote a finer spirit of play and make our playgrounds more useful, the past two years we have had a field day.
Saturday afternoon, May 22, 1926, the schools of Westford gave the following program:
1. Grand March a. Salute to the Flag
2. Selection Abbot Worsted Co. Band
3. Pageant Sargent School
4. Selection Band
5. Three Dance Parkerville School
6. Dodge Ball Nabnassett School
7. Physical Exercises Frost Schol Boys
8. Selection Band
9. Folk Dance (Girls) Frost School a. Bean Bag Game, 4th Grade Frost School, b. Dramatization, 3rd. Gr., Cameron School
10. Selection Band
11. Folk Dances (Girls) . Cameron School a. £ Pantomime Cameron School
12. May Pole Dance Cameron School
13. Selection . Band
14. Contests and Games . All Schools
It was well attended by parents and other interest- ed people of the town.
This last September Westford shared with the Town of Ayer the privilege of having a Physical Educa- tion Supervisor, namely Miss Marion Welch of Worces- ter, Mass. At this time I wish to call your attention to her report.
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THRIFT
Early in the year Mr. and Mrs. Oscar R. Spalding gave to the Superintendent enough books on, "Outline on Thrift Education" by Florence Barnard, so that he could place one in the hands of each elementary teach- er. Each teacher has been asked to give a place to thrift on their program with other school subjects.
School banking has been carried on in all the schools again this year. Some over $5,000.00 has been deposited in the bank during the past two years. Three hundred seventy-one pupils are participating in the school savings bank.
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
Fire Prevention Week was observed in all the schools of the town this year. Fire Prevention pro- grams were held in the schools and were well attended by the parents. At the Sargent School, they had a special attraction by having Lt. Hogan of the Lowell Fire Department give a very interesting talk on Fire Prevention.
A survey of the extinguishers has been made and a number of new extinguishers have been provided in each school. The ones loaned from another depart- ment have been returned. The Prinicipals have been asked to have frequent fire drills.
VISITING DAY FOR PARENTS
During Education Week the schools gave a visiting day for parents. The Cameron, Sargent and Nabnass- ett Schools had sessions of school from 7.00 P. M. to 9.00 P. M., carrying on the regular program of the day. At this time I wish to congratulate the parents for the interest they showed by visiting these schools on the evenings mentioned above.
The other schools kept their regular sessions.
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REPAIRS
Several much needed repairs have been made this past year. Namely, Cameron School; painted inside ; a new ceiling in the basement of the Frost School; and several repairs in general about the building. General repairs at the Parkerville School. General repairs at the Sargent School.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 1927 REPAIRS
Parkerville School; painted outside, and a new floor. Work and grading on the playground at the Sargent School.
NIGHT SCHOOL
On February first, 1926 the School Department of Westford opened a night school at Forge Village. The school proved to be a great success and at this time I wish to call your attention to the report of the night school principal, Peter F. Perry.
SPECIAL CLASS
This year in accordance with the State Law we had to open a special class. Thereby making it necessary for us to use the supply room at the Cameron School. There are thirteen pupils in this small room. The sixth grade of the Cameron School is still being transported to the Sargent School. The cost of transportation of the two named classes is three dollars per day for thirty- eight weeks. You doubtless will find a remedy for this elsewhere in the town report.
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HEALTH WORK
Dr. C. A. Blaney and Miss Ruby McCarthy have charge of the health work in our schools.
Hon. Herbert Hoover has said: "There should be no child in America who is not born under proper con- ditions; does not live in hygienic surroundings; ever suffers from malnutrition; does not have prompt and efficient medical inspection and attention; does not re- ceive primary instruction in the elements of hygiene and health".
I wish to call your attention to the reports of the school physician and the school nurse. Next, I wish to call your attention to the report of the dentist. In accordance with customs in other towns of the state, the School Department is at the close of this present year, 1926, turning the dental work of the schools over to the Board of Health.
SUPPLIES
The School Department has a supply room of its own where all necessary supplies can be sent out at short notice, thereby saving great delays. Perhaps the cost was a little more in the beginning but it is a saving in the end.
GRADUATIONS
Last June the schools all united in the graduation exercises. Giving a cantata "The Childhood of Hia- watha"; one evening at the Westford Town Hall, and the next evening at Abbot's Hall, Forge Village. Dr. Percy E. Thomas gave the graduation address at West- ford and Dr. Richard Peters gave the graduation ad- dress at Forge Village.
Mr. Arthur G. Hildreth, Chairman of the Westford School Committee presented the diplomas at both places.
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GENERAL
Miss Ruth A. Walker takes the penmanship in the upper grades at the Cameron School. Miss Mary M. Reynolds has grades three and four at the Sargent School. I wish we might be able to carry out the de- partmental plan in all our upper grades, thereby giv- ing each upper grade teacher their own special subjects. This would keep the grades at the same level. A teach- er who has specialized in a certain subject is better qualified to teach that subject and the children gain much more by having the departmental system.
I do recommend that the special class be given some space in the basement of the Cameron School as soon as possible after the first of January in order that they may be given hand work.
In closing I wish to thank the School Committee, Supervisors, Principals, teachers, citizens and pupils for their hearty co-operation.
Respectfully yours,
CHARLES G. CARTER, Superintendent.
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REPORT OF WESTFORD ACADEMY
January 1, 1927.
To School Committee. and Citizens of Westford :
The following is my fifteenth annual report as prin- cipal of Westford Academy :
ENROLLMENT
Boys
Girls
Total
Post-graduate
0
1
1
Special
0
1
1
Seniors
4
9
13
Juniors
7
16
23
Sophomores
9
12
21
Freshmen
15
18
33
-
35
57
92
A sad incident, the third day after the opening of school in September, was the death by drowning of Evangeline Dureault, a member of the Freshman class.
FACULTY
The faculty is the same as last year, viz: Principal W. C. Roudenbush, Latin and French, Hiram S. Taylor, Jr. Science and Mathematics; Bertha E. Veeder, Eng- lish and History; Alice M. Brackett, Commercial De- partment; A. Pamelia Precious, Music.
SCHOOL CLUBS
These organizations for several years past have oc- cupied a place of considerable importance in the pro- gram. They serve to give their members interesting and useful work outside the regular curriculum and are well patronized. Membership in them is entirely vol- untary.
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The Girls' Glee Club comprises all the girls in school and is under the direction of Miss Precious.
The Supper Club, sixteen members, is directed by Mrs. W. C. Roudenbush, and Mrs. Hiram S. Taylor, Jr; the Lunch Box Club, five members, by Miss Estelle Mills; the Handicraft Club, five members, by Percy L. Rowe; the Poultry Club, four members, by Leon Hil- dreth. Some of these clubs have members also from the Frost School.
Late in January 1926, Mr. George E. Erickson, County Club Agent, met the boys of the Academy who were interested in forming a County Fruit Club. Such a club was later organized under the name of the "W. L. G. Fruit Club," the initials W. L. G. standing for the towns Littleton, Westford, and Groton. This club won first prize in a state-wide apple judging contest at the Brockton Fair held in October, 1926. Besides the cup won by the team as a whole, which included boys from all three towns, special credit belongs to Elmer Bridg- ford of Westford who won the highest individual prize of $15.00, and a scholarship of $60.00 for the Mass- achusetts Agricultural College.
Arnold Wilder and Elmer Bridgford, together with representative boys from Littleton and Groton, were in charge of a fruit booth at the Brockton Fair. These boys gathered and labeled specimens of insect pests and diseases which interfere with the successful raising of apples.
Helen Gallagher of Westford represented the Clothing Club at Brockton, and, assisted by a girl from Stow, demonstrated the cutting and making of kimonas.
John O'Connell of Westford exhibited his pure-bred Ayreshire heifer at the Eastern States Exposition held in Springfield in September 1926, and won a prize of $25.00
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ATHLETICS
The Academy is a member of the North West Mid- dlesex Interscholastic Baseball League, comprising the towns of Ayer, Groton, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell and Westford. Littleton won the championship in 1926. The Basket-Ball Team of 1925-26 had a record of 17 games won out of 19 played. Much credit is due the coach, Mr. J. H. Fitzgibbons, principal of the Sargent School, for the season's success. The members of this star team were :-
Martin Sinkewic Jr. (capt.) l. f. William Supple, r. f. Leo Soubosky, C. Gustaf Peterson, 1. g.
Edward Stepinski, r. g. Stephen Remis, sub.
Roger Hildreth, Manager
For the present season of 1926-27, Gustaf Peterson has been elected captain, Arnold Wilder, manager, Edmer Bridgford, assistant manager.
Owing to the illness of Mr. Fitzgibbons, Mr. Harry Corbett, principal of the Nabnassett School, has been appointed coach for the ensuing year. He is now en- gaged in the task of trying out candidates for the three positions made vacant by the boys who left school in June.
Again for the fourth successive year, the Academy received honors in the "All Student Track Meet" in May, 1926. The schools of the State who compete in these events are now divided into four classs according to their enrollment. Class D, to which Westford be- longs, comprises school of less than 100 pupils. Only our boys competed in the events this year which includ- ed the 100 yard dash, the running high jump, and the running broad jump. The highest possible score is 30 points.
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The Academy had the highest average score per pupil among all the contesting schools, viz: 24.9 points; the next highest was Williamstown with 21.4 points. The high schools of Brockton (class A over 1,000 pu- pils) ; North Adams, Chicopee, Norwood (class B, 500- 1,000 pupils) ; Williamstown, Needham, Wellesley, Ayer, Lee, Webster (class C, 100-500 pupils) ; and Westford (class D, below 100 pupils) were the competi- tors interested. The Academy was awarded a plaque and certificate of accomplishment by the State Depart- ment of Education, and Martin Sinkewic, Jr., was pre- sented a special certificate for his high individual score.
During the spring and fall, when weather permits of outdoor exercise, the boys play soccer football, and the girls various games under the direction of the teach- ers.
During the winter months exercises suited to in- doors are supervised by the instructors.
PRO MERITO SOCIETY AND TADMUCK CLUB
The following members of the class of 1926 were honored with membership in the Pro Merito Society ; Jean Bell, Roger Hildreth, Alice Remis, Martin Sink- ewic, Jr.
Honorary membership in the Tadmuck Club was granted this year to Alice Heywood and Evelyn Rob- inson of the class of 1927.
DRAMATICS
The class of 1926, coached by Miss Veeder, and assisted by Arnold Wilder of 1927, gave a very success- ful performance, May 14, 1926, of a four act comedy entitled "Our Mutual Friend," dramatized from Chas. Dickens by Harriette R. Shattuck.
The net proceeds were $108.00.
2S
Coached by Mr. Irving Weidmiller, representative of the John B. Rogers Producing Co., Fostoria, Ohio, the class of 1927, assisted by members of the other classes, staged the Musical Comedy, 'That's That," in Abbot's Hall, Forge Village, December 22, 1926. Con- sidering the shortness of time available for preparation, and the approach of the holiday season, the perform- ance was a credit to all those who participated. There not being enough boys in the Senior class to take the six leading masculine parts, Gustaf Peterson and Her- bert Hunt of the Junior and Sophomore classes render- ed invaluable assistance. The six principal feminine parts were all taken by Senior girls. The solos and choruses were lively and humorous, the ensemble dan- cing well performed. Miss Betty Prescott assisted by an artistic exhibition of solo dances. Edna Whitney of the Senior class as pianist made every musical number move with sparkle and vim. The net proceeds of "Thats That" were something over $80.00 which the Senior class shared equally with the Rogers Company.
THE ACADEMY AND THE COLLEGES
Since the year 1914 the Academy has been approv- ed by the New England College Entrance Certificate Board which approval places us among those high schools whose certificate is accepted by said Board for entrance, without examination, to any of the colleges which are members of the Board. The following col- leges and universities are included : Amherest, Bates, Boston University, Bowdoin, Brown University, Colby, Massachusetts Agricultural College, Middlebury, Tufts, Wesleyan University, Williams. Two girls now attending the Academy are preparing to enter Wheaton College at Norton , Massachusetts. This collge also accepts our certificate for entrance.
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Admission to the larger colleges, universities, and technical institutions is as a rule by examination regard- less of the preparatory school from which the applicant comes. Furthermore, admission by certificate is grant- ed only to those whose average rank is at least 80% in all subjects.
Westford Academy was last approved in April, 1926 for a term of two years extending until December 31, 1927. This would seem to argue that the Certificate Board has found our candidates for college satisfactory and fitted to do college work.In fact if it proved other- wise our certificate privilege would be taken away.
The requirements for admission to the advanced technical and scientific schools, especially in mathemat- ics, our limitations cannot satisfy. However, there is only an occasional boy who goes to such an institution, and then he has found it possible to take the necessary advanced preparation elsewhere. The Westford pub- lic should appreciate the fact that their local high school is in its very nature limited in the courses of study it can offer compared with the city systems and the best private schools. In these schools the depart- ments are highly specialized, in charge of experienced teachers, many of them long in service. With such teachers and with the equipment of a big system, no small school can hope to compete. Yet it is with a feel- ing of pride that we look back over the years and recall those graduates of Westford Academy who have gone from here directly into higher institions of learning and held their own in competition with the best from the large preparatory schools.
In line with our statement about the standing of the Academy in the opinion of the College Certificate Board, we may add that the State Department of Edu- cation have for years placed Westford in Class A among
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approved high schools of the State. As a consequence, our certificate admits to any Normal School in Mass- achusetts.
Our reason for going into such detail on the above topic is for the information of those who have not un- derstood the position the Academy holds with reference to the higher institutions of learning.
PRIZES 1925-26
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The Alumni of Westford Academy offer prizes of ten dollars and five dollars to those members of the school who excel in a public speaking contest to be held in the Town Hall in the Spring. Persons who have had professional training are ineligible.
ESSAYS
1. A prize of ten dollars to that member of the three upper classes who shall, in the opinion of impar- tial judges, write the best essay of 700 to 1,000 words on a given subject.
A second prize of five dollars will be awarded in this contest.
2. A prize of five dollars to that member of the Freshman class who shall write the best essay of 700 to 1,000 words on a given subject.
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