USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1927-1931 > Part 38
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** Excluding four cities (Boston, Fall River, Lawrence, and Revere). Group I Cities.
Group II Towns of 5,000 population or over.
Group III Towns of less than 5,000 population and with public high schools.
Group IV Towns of less than 5,000 population and not maintain- ing public high schools.
Note :- In 1926 the average salary paid High School Teachers in Westford was greater than 1921 by $112.00. Westford belongs in Group III.
TEACHERS LEAVING WESTFORD JUNE 1931 FOR OTHER POSITIONS
Teacher
Westford Salary
New Position
New Salary
% Inc.
Miss Marjorie E. Smith $1350
Danbury, Conn.
$1600
18%
Miss F. Ruth Hewitt 1250
Winthrop, Mass.
1400
12%
Miss Katherine Hanley
850
Marlborough, Mass. 1250
47%
Mr. Albert Trask ..
1400
West Hartford, Conn. 1700
21%
Mr. Stephen R. Tompkins 1300
Central Village, Conn. 1600
23%
31
REPORT OF WESTFORD ACADEMY JANUARY 1, 1932
Mr. H. D. Sylvester,
Superintendent of Schools,
Westford, Mass.
Dear Sir:
Following is my report as acting principal of Westford Academy.
Owing to the illness of Principal W. C. Roudenbush I was asked to carry on during his absence.
The Academy began its year with an enrollment of 154, the largest in its history. We have lost only a few members, some to go to work, but none from conduct troubles.
Under the present conditions some parents are wondering about the practicability of continuing their children's training. There is a feeling that every vocation and profession is already overcrowded. It must be remembered, however, that although every profession may be overcrowded it is with the unsuccessful, and that there is always room at the top for those who have mastered any profession. TO decide against any profession or vocation on the ground that it is overcrowded is a confession of weakness, and the chances are good that only a mediocre success would be had by choosing something else. One should choose the profession or vocation he really likes, and then endeavor to become a master in that line.
All cannot go on from our school to a higher one, but they should have every encouragement to finish their four years here. The value of a high school education is being recognized more and more; not only for the knowledge and training one receives, but also for the fact that one must have perseverance, mental capacity, and ambition if one is to complete such a course. All people who do not complete their high school course sooner or later regret it. Many succeed without it, but they would have had even greater and easier success with it.
We have had several pleasant social events this year. The first of these was a Hallowe'en party in the town hall, which the Seniors had tastefully decorated for the occasion. The Athletic Association on the evening of Dec. 11 gave a play "Chintz Cottage" under the direction of Mr. Merrill Jenkins. The proceeds of this play are being used for the expenses of the basketball teams. The closing day of fall term the school had an impromptu Christmas program. In addition to readings and solos, the entire school joined in singing Christmas carols. The evening of Dec. 23, the last day of the fall term, the Seniors gave an entertainment and dance in the school assembly hall.
32
The Academy this year withdrew from the Lowell Suburban Basketball League. The reason for doing so was largely a matter of expense. The other members of the league also have a lower eligibility standard for their players than we have. The boys' team is being coached by Lawrence C. Woodbury, and the girls' team by Mr. Chester V. Sweatt. Following is our basketball schedule for 1931-32.
Dec. 11 Pepperell at Pepperell.
18 Acton, at Westford.
Jan. 6 Townsend, at Townsend.
8 Ayer, at Westford.
13 Acton, at Acton.
15 Groton, at Westford.
20 Chelmsford, at Westford.
22 Pepperell, at Westford.
27 Lunenburg, at Lunenburg.
29 Kimball School, at Westford.
Feb. 3 Ayer, at Ayer.
5 Littleton, at Westford.
10 Lunenburg, at Westford.
12 Groton, at Groton.
17 Chelmsford, at Chelmsford.
19 Townsend, at Westford.
24 Lawrence Academy, at Groton.
Mar. 4-5 Fitchburg Tournament.
9 Lawrence Academy, at Westford.
11 Littleton, at Littleton.
18 Kimball School, at Lowell.
The honorary members of the Tadmuck Club from the class of 1932 are Mary Bohenko and Selma Williamson.
Following this report is the program of the graduating exercises of June 24, 1931. It contains also the names of the class of 1931 elected to the Pro Merito Society, and the winners of prizes during the last school year.
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED F. GAY,
Acting-Principal of Westford Academy.
38
GRADUATION EXERCISES OF WESTFORD ACADEMY Assembly Hall Westford, Massachusetts Wednesday, June 24, 1931, at 8 o'clock P. M.
PROGRAM
March and Overture School Orchestra (Conducted by Mrs. Irene F. Weston)
Prayer
Reverend John Day
Salutatory, with Essay Marjorie Elizabeth Wilson Russia From Its Origin Through The Revolution
Starry Night-Densmore Girls' Glee Club
(Conducted by Mrs. Peter Perry)
Class History Frances Lucille Shugrue
Class Will Harold Ellsworth Wright
Selection School Orchestra
Class "Grinds" George Edward Reeves, George Stockwell Wilder
Class Prophecy Evelyn Katherine Remis
Presentation of Class Gift Richard Aaron Tuttle
President of Graduating Class
Acceptance of Class Gift Principal W. C. Roudenbush
Agnus Dei-Bizet Girls' Glee Club
(Violin Obligato by Miss Mildred Precious)
Essay with Valedictory Phyllis Gertrude Hall
Russia Following The Revolution
Presentation of Prizes William R. Taylor, Trustee
H. D. Sylvester Remarks
Superintendent of Schools
Address Dr. Warren Stearns
Selection School Orchestra
Presentation of Diplomas Mr. Albert Forty
Chairman of the School Committee
Class Song Written by Bernice Evelyn Hall
GRADUATES
Classical Course
Frederick Delaney *Richard Aaron Tuttle
*Marjorie Elizabeth Wilson Commercial Course Bernice Evelyn Hall
*Phyllis Gertrude Hall Helen Rose Socha Blanche Mary Stepinski Susan Edwards Whitney Sophie Worobey Bernice Mona Yorke
General Course
Inez Claire Blaney
Wallace Edward Downing Jean Bernadette Dumont George Edward Reeves
*Evelyn Katherine Remis Frances Lucille Shugrue George Stockwell Wilder
*Harold Ellsworth Wright
*Pro Merito Society
34
Class Motto-He Conquers Who Endures Class Colors-Orchid and Silver Class Flower-Yellow Tea Rose
WINNERS OF PRIZES Public Declamation (Given by Alumni)
Lida Succo, '32
Ten Dollars
Mary Bohenko, '32
Five Dollars
Dennis Barretto, '32
Honorable Mention Essay (Given by Trustees)
Evelyn Remis, '31 Ten Dollars
Bernice Gould, '32
Five Dollars
Elizabeth Bosworth, '34
Five Dollars
Stenography and Typewriting (Given by Trustees)
Stenography-Lida Succo, '32 Two and one half dollars
Typewriting-Helen Socha, '31 Two and one half dollars
CLASS SONG (Tune, "Wabash Moon") (Verse) Oh, these four years have left us
A memory, so dear,
Of friends and classmates we've had;
Of teachers we's revered.
We'll always think of Westford
As being kind and true, --
Cheering us along the path
To future things we'll do.
(Chorus)
From our school we go today To enter a new life: To join the throng of students
Pressing onward in their might. W. A. will always be A mem'ry we'll hold dear,-
To cherish with a heartfelt love Throughout remaining years.
Bernice Evelyn Hall.
35
Notices
1. Graduation Dance in Town Hall Thursday, June 25, 8.00 P. M.
2. The Academy building will be open to Alumni Visitors Saturday Afternoon, June 27.
3. Alumni banquet and business meeting in Town Hall, Saturday, June 27, 7.00 P. M. Alumni meet at Academy at 6.00 P. M., prior to the banquet.
4. Washington and Franklin Medal not awarded this year.
Ushers
Joseph Ackerman, '32
Dennis Barretto, '32
Robert Bettencourt, '32
Cyril Blaney, '32
36
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. Harold D. Sylvester,
Superintendent of Schools,
Westford, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
Following is my report as supervisor of music.
The number of so-called monotones, or those unable to carry a tune, is very small, due to the intensive drill and training the children get in the lower grades. Most of them are "cured" at the end of the first year, and those who aren't, get special help in the second grade.
We are using the same series of music books in the grades-the "Music Hour" which is published by Silver Burdett, and "Music Edu- cation" by Ginn and Co. It may be of interest to many to add that Mrs. Reuben Taylor has written many delightful poems which have been set to music and used in the Music Education Series.
Most of the teachers, of course, conduct their own classes in music, except where the departmental work is carried on. Miss Lillian Wright at Sargent School has grades seven and eight; Miss Ava Swett at Cameron School, has charge of all the music in grades five, six, seven and eight. Mrs. Blodgett of Sargent School has grade three in addition to grade four.
I feel that we have accomplished a great deal during the past year in music. Beginning with grade one, we try to give the child a reper- toire of songs which he can understand-songs of home, animals, na- ture, songs of the seasons, etc. Later he is taught the scale with simple skips and phrases. In grade two staff notation is begun, and from then on the pupil acquires an increasing knowledge of time, tune, rhythm, etc. Two part music is usually begun the latter part of the year in the fourth grade; three part music during the latter part of the fifth grade and continued through grades six and seven. Grade eight also has more advanced three and sometimes four part music, depending upon the quality and maturity of the boys' voices.
The Rhythm Bands for children in grade one and the Harmonica Bands for grades four, five, six, seven, and eight are successfully car- ried on from year to year.
Our concerts and entertainments for the past year were as fol- lows :- 1. Special Christmas programs in all grades were held at the school. The Cameron School program was held in Abbot Hall. 2. Spe- cial Lincoln and Washington programs were given by various grades in their own rooms. 3. A combined concert representing the four schools was given in the Academy gymnasium the latter part of May. The fol- lowing grades were represented:
37
Rhythm Band, Nabnassett-Grades 1-2-3 Tambourine Drill, Frost-Grades 3-4 Rose Drill, Sargent-Grades 5-6 Three Part Songs, Cameron-Grades 6-7-8
4. The Academy Girls' Glee Club gave several selections at the Mem- orial Day exercises held at the Town Hall, assisted by George D. Wilson, bass. The grammar school grades 6-7-8 sang at the exercises at the Civil War and World War monuments. 5. Grades 7-8 partici- pated in the graduation exercises of the eighth grades at Cameron and Sargent Schools.
The Frost School presented the operetta "China Silk" at the eighth grade graduation. 6. The Academy Girls' Glee Club program at the graduation exercises was as follows:
1. Agnus Dei-Bizet Glee Club Miss Bernice Hall, soprano Miss Mildred Precious, violinist
2. Starry Night-Densmore Glee Club
I want to thank the teachers for their splendid help and coopera- tion in making this a successful and a happy year.
Respectfully submitted,
DAISY P. PERRY.
38
CHAPTER 76-GENERAL LAWS
Exclusion from School
Section 15. An unvaccinated child shall not be admitted to a public school except upon presentation of a certificate like the physician's certificate required by section one hundred and eighty-three of chapter one hundred and eleven. A child from a household where a person is ill with smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles or any other ill- fectious or contagious disease, or from a household exposed to con- tagion from any such disease in another household, shall not attend any public school during such illness or exposure until the teacher of the school has been furnished with a certificate from the local board of health, or from the attending physician, stating that danger of con- veying such disease by such child has passed.
Chapter 71-General Laws
Section 53. The school committee shall appoint one or more school physicians, shall assign one to each public school within its jurisdiction, shall provide them with all proper facilities for the per- formance of their duties and shall assign one or more to the examina- tion of children who apply for health certificates required by section eighty-seven of chapter one hundred and forty-nine, but in cities where. the medical inspection hereinafter prescribed is substantially provided by the board of health, said board shall appoint and assign the school physicians.
Section 54. Every school physician shall make a prompt examina- tion and diagnosis of all children referred to him as hereinafter pro- vided, and such further examination of teachers, janitors and school buildings as in his opinion the protection of the health of the pupils may require. Every such physician who is assigned to perform the ยท duty of examining children who apply for health certificates shall make a prompt examination of every child who wishes to obtain an employment certificate, as provided in section eighty-seven of chapter one hundred and forty-nine, and who presents to said physician the pledge or promise of the employer. as provided in said section; and the physician shall certify in writing whether or not in his opinion such child is in sufficiently sound health and physically able to per- form the work described in said pledge or promise.
Section 55. The school committee shall cause to be referred to a school physician for examination and diagnosis every child returning to school without a certificate from the board of health after absence on account of illness or from unknown cause, and every child who shows signs of ill health or of suffering from infectious or contagious disease, unless at once excluded from the school by the teacher. But in the case of schools remotely situated, the committee may make such other arrangements as may best accomplish the purposes of this sec- tion.
.
Section 56. The committee shall cause the parent or guardian to be notified of any disease or defect from which any child is found to be suffering, or of any defect or disability requiring treatment, ascer- tained under the following section. A child showing symptons of small- pox, scarlet fever, measles, chicken-pox, tuberculosis, diphtheria or in- fluenza, tonsilitis, whooping cough, mumps, scabies or trachoma, shall be sent home immediately, or as soon as safe and proper conveyance can be found; and the board of health shall at once be notified.
39
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
Westford, Mass., January 18, 1932.
Mr. Harold D. Sylvester,
Superintendent of Schools,
Westford, Mass.
Dear Sir:
Following is the report of the School Nurse from January 1, to December 31, 1931:
School Visits 383
Absentees visited in their homes 153
Children examined for minor ailments 75
Children sent home for illness, Impetigo or Pediculosis 48
Dressings and First Aid
121
Child Welfare Visits
76
Observation and Advisory Home Visits
602
Social and Business 23
Children taken to School Dental Clinic
370
Contagious Disease Cases visited 149
To Hospitals for T. & A. Operations
11
To Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Lowell 56
To Pediatric Clinic, Lowell 52
To Skin Clinic, Lowell
21
To Orthopedic Clinic, Lowell
12
To Children's Hospital, Boston 2
Class Room Inspections made.
State Re-Examination Clinic held at Westford.
Pupils weighed and measured.
Eye and Ear Tests made. Vaccinations checked.
Assisted School Physician with annual Physical Examination of Pupils in all Westford Schools.
Respectfully submitted,
C. VERONICA MEAGHER, R. N.,
School Nurse.
40
REPORT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Members of the Committee:
Following is my report as Medical Inspector of the schools of Westford for the year ending December 31, 1931.
In my general inspection of the children, I was ably assisted by Veronica Meagher, whose services were offered by the Board of Health.
While making these inspections and examinations of the children many defects were found and reported to the children's parents, who accepted these reports. Many of these defects were promptly at- tended to by the follow up work of the nurse.
There seems to be a greater interest in the work being done by the Board of Health in the prevention of diphtheria by the number of children who avail themselves of this opportunity by taking this Diphtheria Toxin Antitoxin treatment. This year no child was absent from school with diphtheria and no case was contracted in the town.
The general health of these children has steadily improved from year to year and I hope the parents will still continue to cooperate with the School Nurse and the School Physician, in their many duties for the children's welfare.
Respectfully submitted,
DR. C. A. BLANEY,
School Physician.
41
REPORT ON THE RE-EXAMINATION OF THE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS OF WESTFORD
State House, Boston, January 13, 1932.
Board of Health,
Westford, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I am enclosing a copy of our report on the re-examinations of the children in the schools of Westford for the year 1931, who are being followed up annually under the State's Ten Year Program. This report is self-explanatory.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the splendid cooperation you gave the Clinic when the work was being done in Westford.
Very truly yours,
DAVID ZACKS, M. D., Supervisor of the Clinic.
Number of children recommended for re-examination 18
Number of children re-examined 15
Number of children improved 13
Number of children unimproved
2
Number of children x-rayed 15
Number of children discharged from the Clinic 5
Annual Report~
OF THE
J. V. FLETCHER LIBRARY
OF THE
TOWN OF WESTFORD, MASS.
J.V
ARY
0
1895
For the Year Ending, December 31, 1931
3
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE J. V. FLETCHER LIBRARY .
January 1, 1932.
The trustees of the J. V. Fletcher Library respectfully submit their annual report for 1931, including the report of the librarian and the list of books added in 1931.
The trustees ask for the following appropriations, viz .:
1. The sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000) to meet the current expenses of the main library and its branches.
2. The receipts from the dog licenses in 1931.
JULIAN A. CAMERON, Chairman, WILLIAM C. ROUDENBUSH, ALICE M. HOWARD, Secretary.
FINANCIAL REPORT OF LIBRARY FOR 1931
Salaries and wages
Librarian
$ 700.00
Assistants
205.13
Janitor
375.00
$
1,280.13
Books
$
638.16
Periodicals
137.05
Binding
166.68
Fuel
219.00
Light
31.11
Telephone
23.16
Buildings
Repairs
150.40
Water rates
23.00
Janitor's supplies
12.80
186.20
Stationery and postage
18.05
Express
15.99
Cartage
39.50
All other
36.46
$ 2,791.49
Income
Appropriation from the town
$ 2,000.00
Dog licenses for 1930
552.11
Interest of funds
239.38
$ 2,791.49
4
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
January 1, 1932.
To the Trustees of the J. V. Fletcher Library:
The report of the Library for the year ending December 31, 1931, is herewith presented.
Though statistics may not be particularly interesting reading they make the only visible report of the year's work. The increased use of the library by all sections of the town and for reference work among the students still continues so that the circulation of the main library has made a gain of 1,701 over last year.
This year many more children take the opportunity of visiting the library by riding up in the barges when they make their second trip after the high school pupils. The children are willing to walk home because of the pleasure of choosing their books from the larger collection at the library. This makes the library a very busy place just after the close of school. The noon hours of Tuesdays and Thursdays are still rush times when the children from the grammar and high school who ride in barges come to get their books. As the noon hours of both schools are the same this year it makes it much more crowded and harder to wait on the children as all come at once and the time is so short. The time is too limited for satisfactory reference work.
The library has been open 154 days and the average day's loan was 127 books and 23 magazines, besides pictures. Thirteen days had a record of more than 200 books, the highest being 281 on Febru- ary 17. The smallest was 46 on September 5. Though January had the largest monthly circulation, 2,225, its daily average was only 159, as there were 14 library days in the month, while November, which has held the banner record for two years, had a daily average of 180, though its monthly circulation was only 1980, as there were 11 library days in the month. July was the only month to have had less than 1000 circulation (990).
The adult fiction circulated in the town was 11,298 volumes. Among non-fiction, literature, essays and poetry led with 778. This is largely due to the extensive use of books of poetry by the pupils who were making notebook collections of famous poems last year. Biography came next with only 591 volumes, not equaling last year's record. Travel was third with 559 books. The total circulation of non-fiction was 3,411. The circulation statistics make no record of the amount of time spent in looking up references for serious work and yet such demands take a great deal of the librarian's time and are well worth while.
The sum of $41.75 in fines was collected and turned over to the town this year.
5
The Girl Scouts made use of Library Hall for their meetings once a week last winter. This fall they changed to the fire house as they needed a place where they could play more active games than was possible at the library.
Again we have made frequent use of the privilege of borrowing books of non-fiction from the Division of Public Libraries, the Con- gregational Library and other libraries, a total of 31 and have loaned four to others.
We have welcomed the opportunity of supplying readers with books in foreign languages and have been able to do so by the aid of the Department of Library Work with Foreigners at the State House. The books in Russian have been used by the most readers. Swedish, French and Polish books have also been read.
The librarian attended the Library Institute for small libraries held at Hyannis Normal School in April under the direction of the Division of Public Libraries; the meeting of the American Library Association at New Haven in June and the fall meeting of the Massa- chusetts Library Club at Martha's Vineyard in September.
During 1931 one hundred and sixty-seven certificates were given to the children of the grade schools for reading and reporting on five books chosen from a reading list made out by the Division of Public Libraries. The children at Sar- gent School received 120. This fall the fourth grade of Frost School has already earned 18 certificates. The review of "Child's Garden of Verses" written by Dorothea Nixon was especially delightful showing imagination and understanding of the book. It came to the attention of Miss E. Kathleen Jones of the Division of Public Libraries who gave a copy of it to the Department of Educa- tion that it might be used in talks for promoting the use of their reading lists.
Much credit is due to the teachers to whom the children make their reports for their assistance in the work, as it would not be possible for the librarian to look them all over. In many of the grades silent reading is an important part of their school work and they make use of the books on these lists for that purpose. After the teacher is satisfied that the pupil has read the books, the child makes out the list of books read to be given the librarian; the names of the books being put on the back of each certificate. Twenty-four honor certificates were given to pupils who had read 20 books of which five were non-fiction. The pupils who received these certifi- cates were-Cameron school, sixth grade, Burt Kazeniac; Sargent school, fifth grade, Sophie Beskalo, Sophie Bubeshko, Barbara Chandler, Mary Counter, Mildred Richard, Stella Wilk; sixth grade, . Rita Canton, Kenneth Carbo, Chandler Davidson, Mary Rose Lamie, Henry LeDuc, Mary Minko, Esther Poznick, Helen Reeves, Frank Stepinski, Michael Wolkowich; seventh grade, Jeannette Beaudette, Wallace Bechard, Sadie Bileda, Regina Borodowka, Luba Britsko, Florence Richard, Annie Tandus.
6
Through the courtesy of the Division of Public Libraries the children of the third and fourth grades of Frost school had an un- expected treat during Children's Book Week. The children came to the library Tuesday afternoon and Mrs. Mildred Talmadge told them stories. One of the stories was from "Pinocchio", a copy of which was then presented to the library.
Last January the library had an exhibition of Christmas cards and posters to show the value of books and reading drawn by pupils of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades of the Frost school so that parents and friends of the young people would have a better oppor- tunity to see them.
In spite of the decreased appropriation this year the library has tried to meet the added demands made upon it. The income per capita was 77.5 cents instead of 83 cents of last year, while the mini- mum standard set by the American Library Association is one dollar per capita. In what other way can more of recreational or more of educational value be obtained for the same amount of money? Even the schools require more than that.
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