USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Westhampton > Town of Westhampton annual report 1943 > Part 2
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Judged by this standard, we have had good business management in our schools since our boys and girls have benefited from the expenditure of every dollar in our school appropriation.
It is well to keep in mind, however, the experience of Angelo Patri who used to tell about the 80c purchase of a copy of Perkins' "Mexican Twins" bought by the teacher for a classroom library and loaned to the pupils to take home after school. In the course of a year all the pupils in the class had borrowed the book and read it by themselves. In the next year the principal gave an examination on what they had learned from it. He framed two tests as nearly alike as possible, one on facts found only in the twins and one on similar facts found in the class's little textbook. The library book won the con- test. It showed that 80c worth of material used for outside amusement had made more impression on the pupils' education than the full class set of books. Many experiences of this type have led modern schools to build up classroom libraries during the past twenty years. We are beginning to do that in our schools as a part of our curriculum.
With the changing emphasis of subject matter in modern textbooks, with changing methods of teaching, and the continued requests from the national govern- ment to improve education both to win the war and to perpetuate democracy in our United States, some parents are confused. They complain today that children are not getting the fundamentals of learning which they had in the good old days. It would be helpful if they could read some of the reports of earlier schools. For example, the president of Chicago's board of education wrote in his annual report for 1909: "It is a common complaint among business men that young people seeking employment are not well grounded in fundamentals."
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It is true that the earlier school had the pick of the nation's children, especially in the upper grades, for education was not always compulsory, and the less gifted ones quickly flunked out. In spite of this it is clearly evident that today's schools are teaching children to read faster, more smoothly, and with better comprehension than they did before, and this task is accomplished in about one half the learning time required fifty years ago. The emphasis in reading is on the acquisition of knowl- edge from silent reading rather than from oral reading since continued education for the pupil depends almost entirely on his ability to obtain facts and thoughts from the printed page. It is perhaps true that pupils today do not possess the ability to recite glibly the difficult facts of history, definitions, the tables, and memory lists of our own school days, but our present-day school chil- dren are apt to ask us for our scientific evidence under- lying our racial prejudices, the proof of our political con- tentions, or our understanding of international justice in the world that will follow the war.
"Education, once a matter of rote learning, today is seen as being largely a process of growth and adjustment. Emphasis which once was placed almost exclusively on memorizing of facts and figures is now placed more largely upon developments of habits and attitudes, on broader understandings, of concepts, and of social voca- tional skills.
"There was a time when many educators thought memorizing strengthened the mental powers, and the study of difficult materials increased the competencies of brain function. Modern laboratory research has rejected these claims. ... We now emphasize the large objectives of improved home membership, better social adjustment, development of integrated personality, and promotion of effective participation in citizenship duties."
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An army officer says: "Our kids, American boys, are just kind of automatically wonderful. Just through our own way of life they get something that makes them superior fighters. They don't have to be indoctrinated and have it hammered in for months or years. The fighter pilot flies with his heart. The thing that makes him superior in combat is inside him all the time. Our kids have it, and I think it is something they get naturally, something they get just by growing up in this country. I think that the thing that makes them better fighters is an individual sense of responsibility to what they are doing and a capacity to think for themselves."
I do not think any educator could have said it better. "An individual sense of responsibility to what they are doing and a capacity to think for themselves." These are what we want to teach today. Our curriculum has these objectives in mind, and insofar as it is possible with the limitations of war conditions both at home and in school and considering the limitations imposed by our school plant and teaching equipment, we are doing an increas- ingly better job year by year.
I want to thank the members of the committee, teachers, parents, and pupils for their active co-operation in educating our boys and girls.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. MITCHELL.
REPORT OF THE School Nurse
To Mr. Charles Mitchell
Superintendent of Schools.
I have the honor to present to you my 10th report on the Health Activities of the School.
Just as we are getting well under way with our dental clinic, Dr. Ross was called into the service, so we are equipped with about $150 worth of dental equipment and no one to use it ;- all dressed up and no place to go. We were sorry to lose Dr. Ross. He did have the co-opera- tion of the townspeople, and if we had had a little more time we could have cleaned up the worst spot in our school health record. As his orders came so quickly, we had no time to finish up some of our worst cases. How- ever, during the spring Dr. Ross did 48 fillings, 8 extrac- tions, and 2 cleanings. We hope to have a dentist some time during the spring. It is a great advantage to do our dental work on a credit basis, even though we do take a chance on losing some money. However, before we start our clinic again we have to be inspected and licensed.
In September Dr. Manwell examined 51 children. Five children were absent and will be examined in June when Dr. Manwell does her final check-up. One child was sent to Camp Hodgkins in July.
I started out this fall to visit all the homes of school and pre-school children, but I reckoned without consult- ing the old car. After visiting eight families, the old car became so decrepit I didn't dare to drive it so I didn't cover much ground.
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It is with considerable regret that I have decided to give up my work. I find I am not able to do the work as it should be done. In August, 1944, I shall have rounded out thirty-six years of nursing, and I want to retire. When our bodies begin to wear out there are no new parts and no retreads.
I want to close this report thanking you all for your patience, forbearance, and co-operation.
Respectfully submitted,
MABEL CRAIG BRIDGMAN, R.N.
WELL-CHILD CLINIC
To the Board of Health:
The well-child clinic was held June 22 and 23, and twenty-two children were examined. Seven were new cases, fifteen were old cases and two were entering school. The professional staff consisted of Dr. Claire Manwell, and Miss Sally Gibson of the Extensive Service. Mrs. John Hathaway was chairman of the volunteer staff, and serv- ing with her were Mrs. Henry Parsons, Mrs. Richard Warren, Mrs. Webster Judd, registrar, and the school nurse, Mrs. Bridgman. In spite of rationing no increase in nutritional defects was found. Some mothers of small babies found they had not sufficient stamps to buy strain- ed vegetables. In general most mothers are doing good work in planning meals for children. Probably most of us are using the can opener less and the paring knife and chopping bowl more.
It would help greatly in planning the clinic if the mothers would return their cards promptly, as we have to engage our professional workers weeks in advance.
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Last year we could have finished in one day if the cards had been returned immediately. I realize that with moth- ers working, and the gas shortage what it is, it is dif- ficult to plan ahead, but I would like to urge all mothers to be prompt, so that if necessary, others arrangements can be made. We urge all mothers to take advantage of the clinic, because the health of the family is more im- portant than ever before. It is our purpose to help moth- ers train children in proper health habits and to correct defects early.
The toxoid clinics were held August 29 and October 9. Ten Shick tests were given, seven were negative and three positive. Five children received two doses each of toxoids. Three children who reacted were given one dose of toxoids. Six children were vaccinated.
MABEL CRAIG BRIDGMAN, R.N.
Articles of the Town Warrant
TOWN MEETING, MARCH 6, 1944
Ten A.M .- Prompt
Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting.
Article 2. To choose a Town Clerk.
Article 3. To hear and act on all reports presented at said meeting.
Article 4. To choose all necessary officers to serve the ensuing year.
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to leave the care of highways in charge of the Selectmen.
Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to authorize its Board of Selectmen to appoint one of its members to act as Superintendent of Streets, and fix the salary to comply with Section 4A Chapter 41, General Laws.
Article 7. To vote in compliance with Section 108, Chapter 41, General Laws, which requires that salaries of elected officers be fixed by vote of the Town.
Article 8. To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary to defray Town charges the ensuing year.
Article 9. To see if the Town will raise and appro- priate a sum of money for the observance of Memorial Day.
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Article 10. To take action in regard to the collec- tion of taxes.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January, 1943, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
(Other articles may appear in the posted warrant.)
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