USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1937-1941 > Part 31
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There were no changes in the personnel of our committee this year, as Mrs. Dorothy E. Chandler and Albert G. Forty were re-elected.
During the past year we have adopted a new curriculum in the Academy, which makes it possible to fit the individual needs and abilities of each boy and girl more closely than the old course of study made possible. We have also adopted the Rinehart Functional Handwriting System, and it has already shown very good results.
The fire escape at the Academy has been condemned by the State inspector, so it will be necessary for us to make several changes, at an estimated cost of $2,600. We are also planning to make several repairs at the Academy.
We respectfully request the sum of $68,000 for expenses to operate the public schools this year, and $400 for vocational tuition.
Respectfully submitted,
ERIC J. ANDERSON,
Chairman.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee:
I submit, herewith, my second annual report as Superintendent of the Westford Public Schools to you and the citizens of Westford whom you represent. As the year nineteen hundred and forty reaches its close one thought is foremost in my mind. It is this: that a tre- mendous amount of progress and improvement is possible in this or any educational system without the expenditure of additional money if only the right conditions to foster this growth exist. The first requisite of these conditions is the underlying idea of service in the attitude of the teaching personnel towards its work. When present, this transforms teaching into professional endeavor which knows no limits of hours, initiative, interest, or satisfaction. This prime requisite is guaranteed by a mutual trust, respect, and appreci- ation between the teaching force and the people of the town and its agent the school committee.
Significant gains have been made during the past year. A revital- ized professional spirit on the part of our teachers has made possible a sustained and painstaking study of revaluation of our course of study in the three major fields. This has been immediately reflected in more effective teaching, teaching in which the all important vital spark is noticeably present. Equal credit for these gains is due to the Westford School Committee for its willingness to pioneer by putting its stamp of approval on a number of new procedures and techniques, tested elsewhere, and sorely needed here. In the imme- diately following paragraphs specific mention of some of these inno- vations is made.
The New Academy Curriculum
Westford Academy now offers each entering student an oppor- tunity to choose a course of study definitely adapted to his individual needs. After long and careful deliberation a modern core curriculum has been adopted to replace the old college-entrance-or-commercial program. It probably is not necessary to point out that an enforced choice between these two former courses was bound to result in mal- adjustment for many of our boys and girls who didn't happen to fit into either category.
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Under the core curriculum only basic English and social studies (a background of history and citizenship) are required of all students. The remaining subjects in each year's program are chosen under guidance to fit the particular student. This guidance is accomplished by means of a conference between the principal of the high school, the pupil, and his parents. At this time the hopes, plans, likes, and needs of the boy or girl are carefully recorded and a tentative program of studies is laid out for the four years on the basis of this information. The parents have responded loyally this first year by coming to these conferences and helping with the planning. A number of new courses are being introduced to broaden the choice of subjects. This new curriculum is flexible and provides an opportunity for further growth in the effectiveness of our secondary education.
Handwriting
Writing is a part of our regular school work that too often has been neglected and allowed to deteriorate to a dull routine procedure. Such, I believe, was the case here. In an effort to correct this condition, the School Commmittee have wisely installed the Rinehart System of Functional Handwriting and supervision. It is distinctly refresh- ing to visit classrooms now and find the children actively interested in what had always been a boresome subject before. Results are already manifesting themselves in improved penmanship, not only in formal writing classes, but in written papers in other subjects. It is this carry-over into daily use which is the heart of any handwriting program.
Report Cards
In addition to the traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic, American schools have long aimed at health, character, and citizenship as equally important objectives. It seemed that the time had arrived to give these worthwhile goals a place on our periodic reports of progress. All the Westford teachers went to work on the problem and, after studying report cards from all over the country, worked out a new attractive card which placed definite emphasis on these three features: health, character, and industry. A simplified marking system which placed more emphasis on learning for its own sake was included. These new cards have met a very favorable reception from pupils and parents.
Fire Drill Reorganization
Realizing the dangers inherent in the usual routine fire drill planning, teachers and pupils have cooperated heartily in working
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out a safer way of evacuating the buildings in case of fire. This is especially necessary where most of our buildings are old and of wooden frame construction. It is terrible to think what might happen if there were a fire and the children came pouring down the stairways in the manner of the usual routine fire drill only to find the exit blocked by death-dealing flames.
Briefly the new plan is this. When the fire alarm rings the children stand and wait until a runner from their room has gone ahead and found the way out to be clear. He then signals the room to advance. In the case he finds the exit blocked the children are signalled to use an alternate exit. Every room has at least two means of exit. Emergency situations are rehearsed by means of fire flags (symbolic of actual fire) placed at unexpected places in the paths of exit. Children are carefully taught to proceed slowly and care- fully as they file out to predetermined locations outside and away from the building. Teachers call the roll immediately after the build- ing is cleared in order that any stragglers may be found or accounted for. Runners check the toilets and rooms to be sure that no child who might be hurt or ill is left behind. Fire drills are held in all schools not less than once a month throughout the year and more often in the early fall until the plan is thoroughly understood by all.
While mention is being made of fire drills it should be noted that the fire escape on the Academy is not adequate to accommodate the number of pupils which must use it. Neither does it meet the require- ments of the Department of Public Safety inspection. When we stop to consider the probable path of a fire up the central stairs in this three story wooden building, it becomes clear that action should be taken on this hazard at once.
Professional Program
One good index of the quality of a teaching force is the extent of the professional program carried on by the teachers of their own initiative, outside of school hours, for the betterment of the educa- tional system of which they are a part. The past year has seen a flourishing and sincere program in action among our teachers. The' Westford Teachers' Association carries out a live program building morale and unity in the group. The regular monthly general teachers' meetings are the scene of lively discussion on many of our most crucial problems.
The most significant activity in this field has been the building of a course of study in the three major fields .The three committees, under able leadership, have met regularly-often several times a month-for work-meetings on this vital project. Subcommittees have met between regular meetings and the task is progressing well.
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June should see the work of these three committees completed. Our teachers, almost all of them, have participated in this undertaking with enthusiasm and hard work.
Educational Materials
During the summer a complete set of new arithmetic books was purchased. The choice of books was made after a careful study of all the available books on the market by a committee composed of all the mathematics teachers in the system. Several much-needed refer- ence works have been placed in the various schools. An Americana and a World Book Encyclopedia are now in active use in the Academy. A set of Compton's Pictured Encyclpoedia has been placed in the Cameron, Frost, and Sargent Schools. All schools have been provided with an up-to-date edition of the full unabridged Merriam Webster Dictionary.
There are three pressing needs in materials. The first is for a sus- tained annual program of standard tests to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and to diagnose individual pupil difficulties. A good testing program, properly administered, is in my opinion the simplest way of definitely improving efficiency at small cost. There is no basic spelling textbook in our schools. Teachers are using whatever miscellaneous materials are available. This is a major need. Our stock of map materials for the teaching of history and geography is very meager in some of our schools. A survey of our needs has been made and purchases to complete the stock are planned.
Financial Summary
The total expenditure for schools in Westford for the fiscal year 1940 was $64,884.46. Reimbursement from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the Town of Westford under Chapter 70, Part I. of the General Laws amounted to $7,855.00. This figure varies from year to year and is determined by the salaries paid to teachers in the Town. For the tuition and transportation of state wards Westford received $1,516.63. Tuition amounting to $47.15 was received from the Town of Tyngsboro. By subtracting these three items from the total expenditure we find that the net cost of schools in Westford from funds raised by local taxation was $55,435.68.
Let us compare these figures with those of last year. If we use gross expenditures as the basis of comparison there is a saving of $1,096.87 over 1939. If, however, we use actual net cost from local taxation for our comparison we find that a reduction of $1,270.20 has been effected. It should be pointed out that this reduction of the budget has been carried to the point where proper upkeep of the
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buildings has been sacrificed. It is imperative that funds be available in the coming years to keep both the interiors and exteriors of the school buildings in reasonable condition as to paint at least.
For purposes of comparison with costs elsewhere some figures from the Annual Report of the Massachusetts Department of Educa- tion may be helpful. Compared with the group of 110 towns of approxi- mately the same size we find that the annual cost per pupil in the net average membership in Westford, based on the total expenditures from all sources was $90.51 as compared with $97.27 which is the average for all the towns in this group. On this basis our per pupil cost was 71st in the group of 110 towns.
Christmas Gifts
Once again it is my pleasant duty to convey to the Abbot Worsted Company and the C. G. Sargent's Sons Corporation the sincere thanks of our school children and teachers for the generous gifts made to the boys and girls of all elementary schools at Christmas time. They most certainly are appreciated.
Personnel Changes
Since June, the resignations of the following teachers have been accepted: from the Cameron School Miss Josephine Mardas, Miss Olga A. Remis, and Miss Madeline Stone; from the Sargent School Miss Margaret Curley; and from the Frost School Miss M. Claire LeDuc. Their respective places have been filled by the election of Miss Marian K. Kelly, Miss Eleanor Murphy, Mrs. Alice Cullen, Miss Pauline Shugrue and Miss Shirley Coughlin, as regular teachers. These new teachers have proved themselves to be valuable additions to our teaching staff.
Our Part
The coming years may give American Democracy the severest test in its history. The time has certainly come for American schools to answer the challenge as to what their part shall be in stiffening our national moral fiber to meet the test. It is the American way that to each town and city shall fall the responsibility to meet this great need in its own way. We don't know whether the greatest danger will come from without or within but we do know that our youth must be ready and willing to face it unflinchingly. How can our schools best help them to prepare for wliatever may come?
Our part, as teachers, lies not in establishing a miniature mili- tarism in our schools. Rather, we must teach our boys and girls the
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true value of liberty and freedom, must make it as dear and as sacred to them as it was to our forefathers who fought to win it. It may well be that these boys and girls will save this freedom at the ballot box just as gloriously as did their forebears at point of bayonet. We pray that they will not be called upon to give their lives for it but if that, too, is necessary they must answer the call with fine courage, secure in the knowledge that what Americans mean by freedom is worth even that cost.
It shall be our part as teachers to show these boys and girls that freedom cannot be taken for granted. We must banish the compla- cency with which many of us today forget that all the myriad small freedoms we have in our daily lives had and still have a price-sacrifice, unselfishness, and vigilance. Our teaching in every subject, in every school, on every day, must implement the meaning of freedom with knowledge of it, and loyalty to it.
Respectfully submitted,
ROGER K. POOLE, Superintendent.
REGISTRATION-WESTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS October 1, 1940
SCHOOL BY GRADES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
P. G.
Total
Academy
61
44
53
38
8
204
Wm. E. Frost
13
14
19
19
25
19
22
24
Sargent
19
16
26
28
13
11
24
26
163
Cameron
26
24
30
28
25
35
25
21
214
Nabnassett
7
6
1
12
6
5
37
65
60
76
87
69
70
71
71
61
44
53
38
8
773
Registration of Minors October 1, 1940
MINORS BY AGE GROUPS
5-7
7-16
Total
Girls
57
317
374
52
301
353
Boys
-
109
618
727
1
1
-
1
155
CORP OF TEACHERS, DECEMBER 31, 1940
Date of
School
Teachers
Where Educated
Appointment
CAMERON SCHOOL .. Peter F. Perry, B. S., Ed. M. (Prin.) .. Hyannis Normal, Boston University Sept.
1921
Marion E. Carroll, B. S. E. .Lowell State Teachers College Sept. 1937
Alice M. Cullen, (Mrs.) .Lowell Normal School Dec. 1940
Marian K. Kelley, A. B., A. M. Hunter College, Columbia University Sept.
1940
Eleanor Murphy, B. S. E. .Bridgewater State Teachers College
Sept.
1940
Letitia W. O'Clair (Mrs.) .Hyannis Normal School
Sept.
1908
Louise E. Thompson, B. S., Ed. M. .Lowell Normal, Boston University
Sept. 1922
Ruth A. Walker Lowell Normal School
Sept. 1922
WM. E. FROST
Clifford M. Hunt (Prin.)
Eastern State Normal, Boston Univ.
Jan. 1937
Shirley M. Coughlin, B. S. E.
.Lowell State Teachers College
Dec. 1940
Rita H. Edwards, B. S. E.
.Lowell State Teachers College Sept. 1939
Mary E. Healy, B. S. E.
.Lowell State Teachers College
Sept. 1936
Kathleen R. Hammersley, A. B.
D'Youville College
Oct. 1938
Ruth P. Tuttle
.Lowell Normal School,
... .....
.. Sept. 1903 Sept. 1922
NABNASSETT
.Gertrude F. Donahoe (Prin.)
. Lowell Normal School
Sept. 1927
Mary M. Reynolds
Lowell Normal, Boston College
Sept. 1922
SARGENT SCHOOL .... Chester V. Sweatt, B. S. (Prin.)
.Univ. of Maine, West'n. Reserve Univ. .... Sept. 1931
Jean E. Bell
Fitchburg Normal School Apr. 1930
Lottie D. Blodgett (Mrs.)
Farmington State Normal Sept. 1921
Ann Harrington .. Lowell Normal School
Sept.
1926
Mary L. Meehan, B. S. E.
Lowell State Teachers College
Sept.
1938
Pauline R. Shugrue, B. S. E.
.Lowell State Teachers College
Sept. 1940
Muriel Thornton, B. S. E. Salem State Teachers College
Sept. 1939
Lillian G. Wright Lowell Normal School
Sept.
1914
WESTFORD ACAD. .... Julius H. Mueller, Jr., B. S., Ed. M.
(Prin.)
Bates College, Boston University Sept. 1937
Ethel N. Caldwell, A. B., M. A. .Boston University, Harvard University .... Sept.
1930
George O. Charron, A. B., M. A. New Hampshire University Sept. 1937
Frederick Delaney, A. B. .Boston College, Boston University
Sept.
1935
Walter T. Pulsifer, A. B., Ed. M. .New Hampshire Univ., Harvard Univ. ....
Sept.
1937
Mary L. Robinson (Mrs.) Fh. B. . University of Chicago, Bates
Sept. 1927
Anne M. Shugrue, B. S. .. Regis College Sept. 1939
Ethel T. Tewksbury Chandler Normal, Simmons
Jan.
1936
MUSIC SUPERVISOR .. Lilley Mae Moran
Nov.
1935
SCHOOL NURSE ......... C. Veronica Meagher, R. N., (Mrs.) ......... St. John's Hospital
Sept. 1927
SUPT. OF SCHOOLS .... Roger K. Poole, B. S., Ed. M.
.Tufts College, Boston University
Aug. 1939
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADUATES June 1940
CAMERON SCHOOL
Alexander Alec Bobryk
James Joseph Brown
Mary Ann Brown
Rose Marie Cosgrove
Germaine Eva Lamy
Thomas Francis Costello
Julian George Martin
John Frederick Flanagan
Francis Joseph Mulligan
Francis Joseph Szylvian
Shirley Thompson
WILLIAM E. FROST SCHOOL
Robert Anthony Abreu
Lillian Rita Barretto
Madeline Theresa Bechard
John Clarence Burne
Thomas Winfred Caless Ruth Evelyn Chamberlain
Bryant Read Chaplin
Avis Evelyn Day
Mary Angela Gerace
Rita Marilyn Healy
Gloria Annabelle Hebb
Muriel Evelyn Johnson Constance Teresa Lemire
Henry Mack Macentee Helen Emilie Marshie Francis Lawrence Nowers
Donald Frederick Robinson Harvey Maurice Swanson Gwendolyn Margaret Walker George Robert Young
Norman Herbert Young
SARGENT SCHOOL
Phyllis Beebe
Dorothy Carbonneau
Real Cote
Vivian Cote
James Fyfe Nora Gagnon Louise Gagnon Denise Gervais Thomas Gower Mary Harasko
Robert Hemon
Vera Kovalchek Claire Langley Samuel Milot Emil Nadolny Raymond Nadolny
Doris Parmentier
Yvette Perron
Patricia Sargent Helen Soubosky
William Chandler Gordon
George Richard Haley
Daniel Joseph Hartley Marea Roberta Kelly
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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF WESTFORD ACADEMY
For the Year Ending December 31, 1940
January 1, 1941
Mr. Roger K. Poole,
Superintendent of Schools,
Westford, Massachusetts.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit with pleasure my fourth annual report as principal of Westford Academy.
1. ENROLLMENT
The number of pupils enrolled in the Academy as of November 22, 1940 was 197, distributed among the various classes as follows:
Class
Boys
Girls
Total
P. G.'s
3
5
8
1941
13
25
38
1942
19
32
51
1943
19
23
42
1944
34
24
58
-
Total
88
109
197
Note: We require 15 credits to be a Sophomore, 35 credits to be a Junior, 60 credits to be a Senior, and 80 credits to graduate. This means that a pupil may have fewer credits than his class and still catch up.
It is interesting to note that the number of post graduates in school has increased. They comprise for the most part recent graduates who for one reason or another were prevented from continuing their education, and who have returned to the Academy to review certain subjects taken as undergraduates, or to take subjects which were not part of the curriculum they pursued as undergraduates. We are glad to have them with us and are pleased that they are making a real
115
effort to extend their education. It is hoped that all of them may find the means to continue their education in their several fields of interest at advanced schools or colleges at the beginning of the next school year.
II. CURRICULUM
In my last annual report your attention was called to some of the more significant trends in secondary education, especially as they relate to the high school curriculum. Among these was the trend towards universal secondary education resulting in a school population with a range of interests, special abilities and aptitudes, vocational purposes, and life plans representative of the entire population. And this trend in turn has produced another, namely, that of providing a secondary school program or curriculum which through subject matter content and method of instruction, will be capable of meeting and serving the capacities and needs of all types of youth. Among leaders in the educational world it has become increasingly apparent that the traditional curriculum with its emphasis on preparation for college was unable to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all the pupils forming the growing secondary school population. Rather what was needed was a curriculum designed purposely for the 90% of the school population which would not attend college, whose empha- sis would be on preparation for living and getting along in the modern complex society which is ours today. This 90% of the school population has long been termed the "educationally neglected" by leading educa- tors in recognition of the fact that the traditional college preparatory subjects to which this large group were exposed and forced through, failed to equip them to meet real life situations. It was my suggestion in that report that there be introduced into our curriculum courses of greater social utility which would be of more real value in preparing the boys and girls of Westford Academy, who did not intend to go on with their formal schooling, for a more successful and useful life after their graduation from school.
Subsequent to the annual report and at your request, a more detailed report on the curriculum of the Academy was prepared and submitted to the School Committee for their consideration. The problem as set up in this report was: "To determine in what way the curriculum of the Academy could be changed or modified in view of certain definite trends in modern secondary education and in light of the probable future needs of the community of Westford to best meet and serve the interests, abilities, and needs of Westford's boys and girls of high school age." The report dealt with a history of the high school curriculum, past and current trends in the field of curri- culum revision at the secondary school level, and the import of these
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trends as they pertained to the curriculum of Westford Academy. In conclusion the report presented three possible courses of action. They were:
1. Continue the present curriculum and let the "educationally neglected" continue to be neglected. This procedure would of course, fit in admirably with the oft expressed belief that "what was good for Dad is good enough for his son Johnny too."
2. Modify the present curriculum offerings by adding a special curriculum designed primarily to meet the needs and interests of this group. This would then give us three curriculums: one for the college minded; one for the commercial minded; and one for the "educationally neglected."
3. Revamp the compartmentalized setup of the various curricu- lums substituting in its place a General Education Course, which would comprise a core of subjects to be taken by all students irrespective of after graduation intentions; supple- mented by a sufficient number and variety of elective subjects, which when selected by the individual pupil under the princi- pal's guidance, would lend enough flexibility to the curriculum to care adequately for the future needs of every individual boy and girl, whether these be preparation for college, for business, or for life.
Each of the above plans of action were considered carefully by the Committee, and the merits and demerits of each noted. As you know, it was voted to adopt the third plan, with the changes to be put into effect with the class which entered the Academy as Freshmen in Sep- tember 1940.
I would like to take this opportunity to describe in some detail the new curriculum which has been adopted, its purpose, some of its chief features, and to include a copy of the program of studies for 1940-1941, used for the first time with the Class of 1944.
Purpose-As has already been stated the purpose of the new curriculum is to provide a program of courses for Westford Academy which would best meet and serve the needs of the students attending the Academy. It was further the purpose to provide courses of greater sccial utility whose practicality would more adequately prepare our students to become useful members of the community.
Chief Features-The plan adopted provides many excellent fea- tures, the chief ones being;
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1. Core-The inclusion of a full four year sequence of courses in both English and the Social Studies for every student. It is cur aim that every boy and girl working under the new plan, shall possess a practical and workable knowledge and use of the mother tongue; to be able to express his ideas clearly and correctly, whether the expression be written or oral in form; and to be able to read with discrimination. It is our further aim that every boy and girl shall have a good understanding of the social order in which he or she is to live. The sequence of subjects in the Social Studies field has been so designed that the student will become acquainted early in his high school work with the Community and its problems; roam through the history of the world during his second year as a background for an intensive course in United States History in his third year; and conclude with a practical dis- cussion course in his fourth year of some of the foremost problems of Democracy, past, present, and future. With so much being written and said about Democracy at the Cross- roads, the timeliness and value of such a program in both English and the Social Studies is obvious.
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