Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962, Part 39

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 1048

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962 > Part 39

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ARTICLE 45. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Twelve hundred fifty ($1250.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of further extending its water mains and water supply system by laying approximately Three hundred ninety (390) feet of mains of not less than six inches but less than sixteen inches in diameter in and along a portion of a private way known as Oak Road, in Nabnasset, the entire cost of said extension to be paid by the Takers to be served thereby pursuant to the provisions of section five, clause one of the By-Laws governing the operation of the Water Depart- ment, as amended, and as more particularly set forth in an Agreement dated February 13, 1960 executed by and with said Takers and the Board of Water Commissioners, and, for the purpose aforesaid, to determine whether any portion or all of said sum shall be provided for by appro- priation from any available funds in the treasury, by taxation, or by borrowing under the authority of section eight, clause five, of Chapter forty-four of the General Laws and other applicable provisions of said chapter, or by any or all of said methods; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 46. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from any available funds, a sufficient sum of money to de- fray the cost of printing and making available to the taxpayers a com-

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plete list of the real estate valuations as required by ARTICLE IV of the Town By-Laws; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 47. To see if the Town will vote to further amend its By-Laws by striking out in section 5, clause (3) of ARTICLE V, the sentence beginning with the words "Any taker who elects" and ending with the words "served by such extension"; so that said clause, as amended, will read as follows :-- (3) to pay the entire cost of such extension; or --; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 48. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of paying unpaid bills of previous years; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 49. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install one street light on Concord Road on Pole No. LEL-W 19; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 50. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install one street light on Patten Road on Pole No. 34; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 51. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install one street light on Vose Road on Pole No. 77/55 or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 52. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install two street lights on Main Street on Poles No. 43/5 and No. 121; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 53. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install one street light on Depot Road on Pole No. 18/46; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 54. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds a certain sum to be deducted by the Assessors under the provisions of Section 23 of Chapter 59 of the General Laws, as most recently amended, from the amount required to be assessed by them; or act in relation thereto.

And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting up true and attested copies thereof at the Town Hall and at each Post Office in said Westford, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.

Hereof fail not, and make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding the first meeting aforesaid.

Given under our hands this tenth day of February in the year of our Lord, 1960.

John J. Kavanagh Horace F. Wyman Edward F. Harrington SELECTMEN OF WESTFORD

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Annual Report

OF THE

School Committee

OF THE

TOWN OF WESTFORD

WEST

For the Year Ending December 31 1959

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ORGANIZATION - SCHOOL COMMITTEE

R. Andrew Fletcher, Jr. Robert J. Spinner, Chairman

Term expires 1960

Norman E. Day

Term expires 1961

Term expires 1962

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Lloyd G. Blanchard

Office - Westford Academy

Telephone MY 2-6561

SECRETARIES

Mrs. Emma G. Egerton

Mrs. Vera E. Bettencourt

SCHOOL TELEPHONES

Westford Academy MY 2-6771

Cameron School MY 2-6542

Roudenbush School MY 2-6911

Sargent School MY 2-6553

Wm. E. Frost School MY 2-6230

Nabnasset School MY 2-6233

Guidance Department

MY 2-8825

SCHOOL PHYSICIAN

Maurice Huckins, Jr., M. D., Westford, Mass.

Tel. MY 2-8090

SCHOOL NURSE

Dorothy Healy, R. N., Westford, Mass. Tel. Office MY 2-8431, Academy

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J. Austin Healy, Jr. Arthur A. Abbood, Secretary

Everett E. Miller

REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF WESTFORD, your School Committee respect- fully submits this report for the year ending December 31, 1959.

Rather than presenting the all inclusive type of report submitted in 1958, this report will concentrate in the area of The Educational Pro- gram including the Testing Program and student follow-up. Community Relations, Staff and Plant will be referred to briefly, summarizing progress towards the goals listed in the 1958 Report and the outstand- ing needs remaining in these areas.

During the 1958-1959 School Year it became increasingly evident to the Academy Principal Joseph E. Joyce and his staff that the Academy school day was too short to provide the educational opportunities for the children of Westford which today's competition for College admission and for preferred jobs, demands. February 23rd your School Committee gave formal approval to the Academy Principal to build his 1959-60 program around a seven period school day. The Program which was for- mally accepted by your School Committee March 9th included the follow- ing special features:

1. For the top grade 7 group, selected on the basis of potential and achievement, Latin I is offered.

2. The top grade 8 group will start Algebra and also take Latin I

3. The top grade 9 group will take Biology.

4. The two top groups in grades 7, 8 and 9 will take a three period a week course in Accelerated Reading.

5. An additional one period a week Course in English and in Mathematics will be taken by all other students in grades 7 and 8.

6. Homemaking and Shop will be assigned to Junior High School students as space and scheduling permit.

7. A three period a week Speech Course will be required of all grade 10 students.

8. Basic Electronics will be offered Juniors and Seniors inter- ested in a Technical Career.

9. In addition to the regular English Course, all Seniors inter- ested in admission to a four-year College are urged to take a five period a week Course in Composition, if the student's program permits.

The Academy Principal and his Staff are to be commended for the thoughtful research and discussion which has resulted in this forward looking Program of Studies for 1959-60. The implementation of this broadened Program for a student body numbering almost one hundred more than optimum capacity for the Academy Plant was also a major accom- plishment. Almost every available instructional space is in use throughout the school day. The Cafeteria is serving as a Study Hall.

Where Lowell Trade has been unable to take additional Westford en- trants the past two years, Shop facilities at the Academy must be made available first to our upper grade boys, leaving little space or time for grade 7 and 8 boys. However, a double period of Homemaking has been successfully scheduled for our grade 7 and 8 girls. It is un- fortunate that all 7 and 8 grade boys cannot have the benefit of an

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Introductory Industrial Arts Course this year as this is an important exploratory experience for Junior High School boys. It is unlikely that a student interested in college or a commercial career will find time for Shop beyond grade 8.

During the past half century there has developed the unfortunate prac- tice of gathering a great variety of important skills and apprecia- tions under the single course name English and allowing but five peri- ods a week for this instruction. The introduction of many new courses to the High School curriculum during this period of time has no doubt contributed to this unfortunate situation. The Westford Academy 1959- 60 Program of Studies recognizes that the thorough teaching of English is our most important single instructional obligation to our students, and that a comprehensive English Program demands more than five periods a week. As noted above, Junior High School children, with the excep- tion of the two top groups, are receiving additional periods of in- struction in English, while for the top groups special instruction in Accelerated Reading is provided. Both Accelerated Reading and Remedi- al Reading Assistance is also offered all other pupils who are fortu- nate enough to have a spare period when an instructor is available.

Speech is a required three period course for Sophomores and Composi- tion, a five period Course, is urged for all College Seniors. Fur- thermore, there is much emphasis on Composition at all levels, filling a need revealed by Dr. Conant and by many other authorities in the field of education, as well as by sixteen of our own 1959 graduates who appeared before the Academy Juniors and Seniors just before the Christmas Holidays to tell our students, perhaps more convincingly than our teachers to date have been able, that today's High School students, in order to be properly prepared for College, or a career, must "read, read, read and write, write, write."

A major obstacle to good Composition Instruction has been the enormous amount of time involved in the correction of weekly pupil themes (from eight to ten sentences at grade 7 to five pages for Seniors). Some school systems hire non-teaching readers to assist the Composition teachers. Westford Academy has attempted to solve the problem through a reduction of the teaching load, enabling the teacher to stay in closer touch with the student and his Composition problems. It is hoped that the present emphasis on clear expression, both oral and written, will place our graduates in a more favorable position for success in College Boards (which now include a Composition exercise) , in College admission and in job placement. The complete Academy Pro- gram of Studies is included in the statistical section of this report.

Westford Academy is presently undergoing an Evaluation Program which will span the entire 1959-60 School Year. The Academy Principal has requested this evaluation in order to gain admittance for Westford Academy to the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the accrediting agency for the northeastern section of the United States. In May 1960 this Association will send an inspection team to Westford to spend three days observing, questioning and re- porting on all phases of Secondary School Education in Westford. Ad- mittance will be approved or denied on the basis of this three day inspection.

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The real significance of such an evaluation is not the rating, but rather the improvement of the total program through correction of dis- covered weaknesses. An exhaustive self evaluation, extending over a period of five months, will precede the arrival of the Inspection Team. This self evaluation must adhere strictly to a procedure outlined by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

Here follows the Time Table for Westford Academy Evaluation as estab- lished by Principal Joyce :

1. The Committees on "Pupil Population and School Community" and "Educational Needs of Youth" will have their reports completed on or before December 11th.

2. Subject area committees and major section committees will start January 4, 1960 and complete reports by March 25, 1960.

3. Tentative date for the visiting Evaluation Committee is May 1960.

As an indication of the magnitude of the self evaluation phase of the total Evaluation Program, there are 112 staff names listed on the Com- mittee rosters for a school of but 36 staff members, including Princi- pal and two system Supervisors. Community residents have been invited to participate and many have responded.

The report of the "Pupil Population and School Community" Committee, Mr. Eugene Hayes, Chairman, is here reproduced:

This report is based on individual research and group discussion on the part of several members of the Westford Academy faculty. It is the result of study of School and Town records, questionnaires to both students and parents and information gained from both members of the community and faculty members. While its findings may not be exact, due to the fact that it was impossible to canvass all sources of in- formation exhaustively, the Committee feels that its findings are highly significant for all interested in the improvement of Secondary School Education in the Town of Westford.

PUPIL POPULATION

* 1. Since 1955 the total enrollment at Westford Academy has in- creased 73%. As of October 1, 1959 the enrollment at the Academy was 598 while at the same time in 1955 the enrollment stood at 346. In 1955 the 7th grade enrollment was 81, it is now 135. Similarly, the Senior Class enrollment has increased from 43 to 72 students over the same period of time.

2. Age-in-grade is normal. The intelligence of our students fol- lows the normal curve rather closely.

3. The majority of our students have been attending Westford Acad- emy for their entire Secondary School Education. Our study indicates that less than 5% of all students of Secondary School age attend pri- vate school. The number of students who leave the Academy because of

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lack of interest in school, military service, or poor scholarship, is very small.

4. By means of a questionnaire, which students were not required to sign, we found that 46 of the 75 members of the present Senior Class intend to seek education beyond the Secondary School level. 48 of the same group intend to seek employment in the professional, clerical, agricultural or similar occupational areas. During the past few years about 40% of each graduation class has entered some type of institution offering post-secondary school education or training.

THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

1. Westford is a rural community of nearly 6000 people. Its pop- ulation is made up of various social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. Each section of the community enjoys its own unique personality.

2. The majority of the adult members of the community are employed in one of the following occupational areas: professional and semi- professional, proprietor and managerial, clerical and sales, skilled and semi-skilled. Over 40% of the adult women of the community are employed on either a part time or full time basis.

3. The adult population of the community has, for the most part, received an average education. Many have completed post-secondary school education or training, while several are still engaged in fur- ther study.

4. Westford spent between $430. and $440. per student for his Secondary School Education in 1958-59, but the actual cost to the Town was about $340. since approximately $90. per student was returned to the Town as a result of State and Federal refunds and miscellaneous receipts.

5. 85% of the students attending Westford Academy are transported to and from school by school bus.

6. The many community agencies which assist, directly and indirect- ly, in the educational process include several churches, a Library, many civic organizations and societies as well as several youth groups. Facilities for recreation and social functions for youth exist in all sections of the Town.

Finally, the community in general looks to the school to provide an academic college preparatory type of course of study for the majority of its youth. However, there are indications that less than 30% of the student body profits from this type of course and that the com- munity does not fully appreciate the amount of work required of the student and the degree of responsibility this type of course demands of the community.

* Figures do not include tuition students.

The report of the "Educational Needs of Youth" Committee, Miss Irene Mitchell, Chairman, is here reproduced in full. There were eight

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staff members assigned to this Committee and a total of fifteen inter- ested residents of Westford rendered invaluable assistance as full fledged Committee participants. This report keynotes the philosophy which will guide all major section and subject area Committees :

"The faculty of Westford Academy with the assistance of interested citizens of the community has developed the following philosophy: We hold that education exists to meet and fulfill in as many areas as pos- sible the needs of all of the pupils entrusted to us by their parents. In a democracy the purpose of education is to develop the abilities of men in a free society which must be perpetuated; to produce responsi- ble, purposeful, competent citizens. Education must be an instrument of American democracy which shapes and secures the foundations of free- dom. We believe that the home, church and the community share the responsibility with the school in order that the following objectives may be realized:

1. To develop an understanding of the interdependence of man in the world and to acquire a knowledge of the problems which must be faced in his environment.

2. To develop an understanding of his responsibilities, duties and rights as a member of a democratic society in a world society.

3. To develop the pupil's ability to understand and to live in the natural and scientific environment.

4. To assist each student in knowing himself as an individual and to aid him to take his place in society.

5. To teach the pupil to think logically and to express himself clearly. 6. To prepare the student for work, for future education or for both.

7. To teach the pupil to achieve and maintain mental and physical health. 8. To assist the pupil in the planning of his leisure activities in order to acquire a purposeful balance with other aspects of life.

9. To promote the appreciation of beauty, harmony and utility in literature, art, music and nature.

10. To instill in the student the realization that the quest for intellectual improvement is a primary goal of the school and of life.

In summary, the school accepts its share of the responsibility in the adequate preparation of each student to live a useful, enjoyable and morally sound life in this society. With homogeneous grouping and differentiated assignments to make allowances for the levels of abil- ity, we feel that each student is assisted to achieve to the best of his ability. But, whatever the individual's goal and potential, there must be a healthy relationship between faculty, student and parent. Such a relationship is a foundation stone of learning which lends it- self to good educational communication."

The National Defense Education Act, signed into law September 2, 1958, is designed to bolster National Defense through direct aid to educa- tion. The sections which pertain to Westford's educational program are Title III, Mathematics, Science and Modern Foreign Language and Title V, Guidance, Counseling and Testing.

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Federal funds are made available, through the several State Departments of Education, to local communities whose School Committees vote to participate and budget a sum of money to match the Federal grant. The local project must be prepared in detail, both as to cost and purpose, and accepted by the State Department of Education. There are specific limits to the amount of matching Federal money available to a community and the type of procurement or contract acceptable as a project. June 23rd your School Committee approved Westford's participation in the National Defense Education Act. Due mainly to the energy and enthusi- asm of Mr. John Gordon, Guidance Director 1958-59, a project was pre- pared on very short notice in April 1959 making available on a non- matching basis the sum of $90.86 for testing under Title V. Shortly thereafter in June, Mr. Gordon was again successful in having accepted a project involving strengthening the Guidance Reference Library and financing in part the printing of our new pupil cumulative record fold- ers. The sum approved, again on a non-matching basis, was $527, max- imum amount allowable for a school of Westford's size. Both these al- lotments were for Title V fiscal 1959. Notice was received December 28th that the project submitted by Westford's new Director of Guidance, Mrs. Mary Quinn, had been approved on a matching basis for fiscal 1960 totaling $570. (less $2.10 unencumbered funds from the 1959 project.) This sum was once again the maximum allowable for Westford.

A major project prepared under the able direction of Science Depart- ment Head, Mr. Theodore Lapierre, last June during the week following the closing of schools, received State Department approval for fiscal 1960. The project "Strengthening and Implementation of Existing Sci- ence Program" has been approved for $1,876.54 matching Federal funds, again the maximum amount for the Town of Westford. There is a possi- bility that an additional $500. may be approved for the previous Fed- eral fiscal year 1959. Prompt and efficient action by members of the Westford Staff has realized for the Town of Westford to date the sum of $3,062.30 in Federal Funds towards the improvement for Westford's children of the Guidance and Science Programs. For the next phase is planned the strengthening of our Modern Foreign Language Program.

Progress has been made in improving the Educational Program at the Academy over the past year as evidenced by the foregoing summary but there is one area where the program has taken a backward step. Due to the heavy enrollment the Library has of necessity been converted to a classroom. So the progress of the 1958-59 school year, the procure- ment of part time Librarian services and the strengthening of our Reference Library has been interrupted. Reference books are on loan to the Town Library pending the reopening of the Academy Reference Library when adequate classroom space might be available. The opening of a new Elementary School and the assignment of only grades 8 - 12 to the Academy will provide this additional space for but a very lim- ited period of time.

This leads into the other need at the secondary level, additional classroom space possibly as early as September 1962. The enrollment forecast distributed through the mail in November 1958 was based upon annual enrollments 1954-1958 and on births to Westford residents 1948- 1952. This forecast indicated 576 Academy students grades 8 - 12 by September 1962. The October 1959 registration indicates an accelera-

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tion in pupil growth. A revised forecast places the 1962 September enrollment for grades 8-12 at 611. If the acceleration continues the enrollments will continue to grow beyond the forecasted expectancy. The point seems clear that planning for additional pupil space cannot for long be delayed without injury to our Program even more serious than the loss of a Reference Library.

The more sensational Program news has been provided over the past year by the Academy but the Elementary School Program has made commendable progress in a quiet manner. The success of our one day Elementary Science Workshop of December 1958 prompted planning for a solid three day Workshop with the opening of school in September 1959. The area selected was Language Arts, the learning of which demands up to 50% of the Elementary pupil's time and energy and is the gateway to his future academic success.

A Steering Committee of Elementary Teachers and Principals met in May. Thence on through the summer there were meetings, conferences and cor- respondence. Miss Margaret Shea, the State Department's Senior Super- visor of Elementary Education, was most helpful in procuring speakers. The Workshop took place in the Roudenbush School September 9-10-11. The entire Elementary Staff assembled to listen and to discuss. Speakers included the Deputy Commissioner of Education, William F. Young, Jr., and eight subject area specialists. Members of our Ele- mentary Staff introduced the speakers and recorded their presentations. A ten page summary of the three day Workshop was made available to each member of the Staff and to each speaker. Several textbook com- panies cooperated to provide an interesting and instructional book ex- hibit. It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of a Workshop but the enthusiastic participation of our teachers promises a total strengthening of our Elementary Language Arts Program.

Permanent Committees of Teachers have recently been appointed to sur- vey and evaluate texts currently in use, review new texts and make recommendations for future adoptions of textbooks where needed. These Textbook Committees will be alert to the use of Television in the classrooms as well as the advisability of an early introduction of For- eign Language Instruction at the Elementary level. As these Committees are composed of teacher representatives from all schools, it is hoped that a bi-product might be better coordination of our Elementary Pro- gram and better articulation between Elementary and Secondary Schools.

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Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962, Part 39

Author: Westford (Mass.) Publication date: 1956 Publisher: Westford (Mass.) Number of Pages: 1048

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 1048