USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1933-1934 > Part 13
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In the fall the garden and canning clubs had attractive exhibits in conjunction with the Grange Fair. The cooperation of Grange members was appreciated. They furnished their hall free of charge for the town rally, the exhibit, and awarded cash prizes at the fall exhibit.
Edward Hansen and Marjorie Clinch were awarded two-day trips to the Massachusetts State College on their fine work. Florence Bousville was given a week at Camp Gilbert, and Margaret Thomas was appointed a delegate. Miss Henrietta Swain, Margaret Thomas and Duncan Currier spent a week at Camp Middlesex.
In the fall some of the leaders were obliged to give up their work and Mr. and Mrs. John Bishop, Mrs. Alphonse La Freniere, Mrs. Alice Findlay and Miss Ruth Maynard have taken their places.
The local organization was extended to include sub-chairmen as follows:
Girls' Club, Mrs. Helen Blake.
Boys' Club, Rev. A. A. Simmons.
Publicity, Mrs. Arthur Kidder.
Club Activities, Mrs. Donald Foster.
It should be remembered that the work of the Middlesex County Extension Service is free to all citizens of the county who desire to participate in its work. It is organizer primarily to serve far- mers, homemakers and boys and girls residing in rural sections, but homemakers, back yard gardeners and boys and girls in villages may also avail themselves of this service.
95
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Citizens of the Town of Wilmington:
During the year of 1934, the Board of Health of this town has had the following reportable diseases recorded with them:
Epidemic Parotitis (Mumps) 15
Pulmonary Tuberculosis
6
German Measles 1
Measles
48
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
18
Dog-bite
20
Pneumonia (Lobar) 11
May I call it to your attention again that this year as during last year, there was not a single case of diphtheria reported to this board. By continued support of the practice of early immunization of our children, the disease will become practically extinct. The number of cases of Measles reported does not represent anywhere near the true number of cases in town last year because of the fact that a great many families did not have the services of a physician at the time.
The increase in numbers of dog-bite cases calls for special atten- tion to our stray dog problem.
Respectfully,
ERNEST C. MacDOUGALL, M. D.,
Agent for the Board of Health.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Together with the Report of
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
For the Year Ending December 31, 1934.
99
REPORT OF THE WILMINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1934
The School Committee takes this opportunity to express its appreciation not only of the very willing and efficient service of all members of the Wilmington School Department, but of the co- operation and assistance rendered to it by the other branches of the Town Government.
Conditions in the School Department remain practically un- changed from those of a year ago.
There is some crowding in the upper grades and the necessity for the double use of the high school building will stay with us until that building is enlarged. It is hoped that the efficiency of the high school has not been impaired as yet, but it is believed that satisfactory results can no longer be obtained under existing arrangements. Elsewhere may be found detailed figures showing these conditions.
During the past year the operation of the Federal Civil Works Act has been both a benefit and a detriment to the schools.
With labor paid for by the National Government, we have been able to paint the Centre, Walker, Whitfield and West school houses inside and on the exterior. In addition, a large area has been graded around the Centre and High School buildings for play- ground purposes and this work is continuing. The construction of a field for baseball and a football gridiron west of the Whitfield school house is nearing completion. All of these improvements will bring real benefits to the School Department.
Unfortunately, the cost of tools and material used fell upon the department and reduced school funds to the amount of eight hundred dollars in a year when the money could not be well spared. If such government works are to be continued during the coming year, it would be well to make provision for the expense which will fall upon the Town in connection with them.
JOHN W. HATHAWAY, Chairman, HELEN H. BUCK. OLIVIA H. NORCROSS, HARRY W. DELORIEA, PETER NEILSON, EDWARD C. MANNING,
Committee.
100
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
-
To the School Committee of Wilmington:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I submit herewith my eleventh annual report as Superintenden of Schools. The report is brief, as has been customary, to avoi expense of publication.
A report on the progress of the lower half of the school systen the first six grades, could be given in a sentence. The year ha been one of normal progress for the children involved accordin to the ability which they have as a natural endowment.
There were four changes in the teaching corps in these grade therefore little time lost in new adjustments. One teacher wa granted a year's leave of absence. This was Miss Richards of th Maple Meadow School. She has been replaced for the year b Miss Anne Merritt, a graduate of one of the large private norma training institutes. One other change was occasioned by the res ignation of Miss Elizabeth Taylor who secured a more lucrativ position in Dean Academy. Miss Elizabeth Giles was transferre to this position from the fifth grade and Miss Helen Nelson, a full trained teacher of much experience was elected to the vacanc thus created. None of these changes resulted unfavorably for th classes involved because the new teachers were selected with car and were highly competent.
The most severe blow to the system came at the very close of th fiscal year at which time Miss Edna Coburn who has been Super visor of Physical Education for several years was offered a positio in the Boston schools at a salary which we are unable to mee This young woman has done a remarkably fine piece of work fc the children of this town. The value of this work has not alway been fully appreciated by the public because it has not been full understood.
As a successor to Miss Coburn another graduate of the sam School, Posse-Nissen, has been put in charge of this department. am happy to say that Miss Margaret Bradley is progressing ver well towards that regard and respect given to Miss Coburn.
Consideration of the progress in the grades above the sixth not pleasant for one held responsible for educational results. It not possible to report progress when the opposite is in evidenc We cannot expect anything but a slow retrograde as long as w have to operate under the part time plan now in force. It ha been told to the people repeatedly that nothing but education disaster can result from continuing the present condition.
101
If this was a community where the school day could be length- ened even two hours, the danger would be somewhat reduced. Such an increase is impossible here because of the transportation problem. Transportation is now much higher in cost than it would be if it were not for the double session necessary in the upper grades. To lengthen the day would increase this from twenty-five to thirty percent more.
Since it is not feasible or advisable to lengthen the school day, and since we are steadily losing ground under the present plan of operation, it is evident that it is squarely up to the citizens of this town to decide whether they are satisfied to continue in the present course. The alternative is, of course, to spend at once a compara- tively large sum which will eventually be saved by lowered cost of transportation and by increased effectiveness of the six upper grades. Of these two the actual financial loss or saving will be much greater as a result of the latter. It is a simple problem for a layman, given the facts, to figure the saving in transportation but it requires intimate and expert knowledge to evaluate fully the loss or gain incident to changed conditions in the educational oppor- tunity of four or five hundred school pupils in a six year period which is supposed to be the culminating section of their educational lives. 1 fear that even those of us who are closest to the factors involved in this situation are, because of this very closeness, unable to appreciate the real gravity of the situation.
It is useless to expect that this condition will improve with the passage of time. A little study of the data on school enrollment makes it very evident that instead of ameliorating, in the next five or more years the condition is likely to grow steadily worse. The figures given in the table below show this very clearly.
TABLE I
Estimated High School Enrollment
Grade
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
VII
194
112
97
106
192
113
VIII
56
100
110
95
104
100
IX
106
SO
95
105
90
100
55
98
SO
90
100
85
XI
50
52
95
77
85
90
X11
40
50
50
90
75
80
441
492
527
563
556
578
In the above tabulation due allowance has been made for the dropping out which takes place throughout the passage of any class through the high school. If laws were to be enacted such that this annual decrease would not be possible the figures for the years 1935 through 1939 would be greatly increased. The same effect will probably come if economic conditions continue such that there is no employment for these young people of high school age. It does not seem likely that there will ever be such a condition as to permit of much employment for young people. It is almost certain that there will soon be legislation which will force children
102
to attend school until the age of sixteen. This is the normal age of the third year high school. Usually a pupil reaching the junior year completes his course. It seems almost certain that the facts indicated in the table above are an underestimate of the probable future conditions.
The solution of the problem is obvious. There is crying need tor increased accommodations for the upper half of the school system. This need is immediate. It is not a requirement which may eventu- ate in the future. It is present now and has been repeatedly called to the attention of the townspeople. Repeated endeavors have been made by the school authorities to forestall this emergency but to no avail. In 1930 a project was advanced by those interested to secure the six extra rooms which have been so very sorely needed during these past two years. Adverse influences were then able to cloud the issue and persuade' the voters that the school authorities were false prophets. The people were persuaded that another fad in the form of a gymnasium was the main objective of the propon- ents of the high school addition. No consideration was given to the fact that six new rooms were also to be secured by the plan pro- posed. At that time the town was in much better condition finan- cially to carry the project through. Within two years of the time that this endeavor was made the very conditions arose which had been prognosticated. Up to that time we had had a high school of which we were justly proud. If present conditions must continue the school must fall into a very low scale of rating.
In private conversation, if not in public, the school department has been charged with having insufficient regard for the taxpayers. That this is grossly unfair seems to be indicated in consideration of the fact that in the past ten years the people of this town have been saved from $200,000 to $300,000 in comparison to what it has cost on the average to accomplish the same result throughout the Commonwealth. This is due to the fact that we have been educat- ing our children at about $30 per pupil less than the state average.
Of course the reason for this saving would seem to indicate to an educational expert engaged in a survey of the system that the edu- cation given must be inadequate. It is of course true that these savings have come by way of very low salary payments and a de- cidedly limited course of study. We have given only the minimum essentials of the regular academic type of schooling. There has been none of the expressive vocational training, considered very essential by the modern educational expert. Any vocational train- ing received by the local children has been in schools in other towns or cities. We have had a class for retarded children in which some manual training has been given. This class has been a godsend to some boys and girls. As for any general offering of any type of vocational training in the elementary or high schools, there has been none other than the commercial courses offered in the high school. The training along purely academic lines has been very good indeed, however, as has been evidenced by numerous gradu- ates from the local schools.
103
While considering educational costs there is an element worthy of consideration which has earlier appeared in the local newspaper. No claim is made here that the schoo ldepartment has any earn- ings, but it is absolutely certain that a substantial part of the money spent from local taxation for schools is reimbursed by the Commonwealth, or by other communities whose children are in the local schools. It is an incontrovertible fact that during the fiscal year just ended there was payable from these sources $19,464.00. This money, paid directly into the town treasury and not handled in any way by the school department, was divided as follows:
State Income Tax (for employment of certain teachers) $15,340.00 On account of salary and expenses of Supt. of Schools .. 1,170.00
On account of State Minor Wards 1932-1933 1,166.82 On account of State Minor Wards 1933-1934 1,187.18
High School Tuition and Transportation, Burlington 600.00
$19,464.00
A simple arithmetical computation easily shows that instead of the $65,000.00 appropriated last year, the town actually had a net expense of $45,536.00 for the upkeep and operation of all of its schools. There is one item of expense for education, however, which does not appear in the local school accounts. That is the expenditure for vocational education which is paid directly through the Board of Selectmen, out of a separate appropriation. One half of this expense is also reimbursed by the Commonwealth.
It would seem only fair, in view of the facts cited, to state that if taxes are high in the Town of Wilmington it cannot be ascribed to the extravagance of the school department. In fact it is not even because of the proportionally high cost of the local schools. It may be true, as has been suggested by some, that the proportion of child- ren in school to the total population is high. This is indeed a fact. About one-fourth of the total population of the town is school child- ren. The usual proporion is nearer one sixth. Naturally this does throw an extra burden on the other three fourths, or perhaps more accurately, on about one fourth of the population. That however, is a natural phenomenon over which we have no control. It is all the more reason to be thankful that those charged with spending the school appropriation have kept school expenses so far below the state average. This can be concretely illustrated by stating that if we had maintained the state average cost the figures would have been
1110 x $91.98 or $102,097.80
Let's do a little more arithmetic.
What it might reasonably have cost $102,097.80
What was actually appropriated 65,000.00
What the tax payer escaped $37,097.80
What was reimbursed 19,000.00
What you did not have to pay $56,097.80 There is a saying that "Figures do not lie, but liars do figure," These figures, however, can be substantiated by documentary evi-
104
dence either in my office or in the State House in Boston. They are not based on estimates but on cold hard facts.
As has been stated earlier in this report, the solution of our problem is increased accommodations for the six upper grades. These are now organized as a single unit under the name of a six year high school. Such a type of organization is not unique. It is commonly advocated for communities where this combination of grades does not exceed a thousand pupils. There is much in favor of such an organization from the standpoint of both economics and and educational efficiency.
To function at its best, such a school should be housed as a single unit, as is the local practice. There should not, however, be the necessity of reducing the number of hours of schooling by part time classes that is now in force locally. The school day should be lengthened rather than reduced. The only way this can be done is by the provision of at least six large classrooms in connection with the present building.
Not only are classrooms needed but a gymnasium and auditor- ium are equally necessary. There are those who cannot see this necessity, but they are not familiar with the problem of maintain- ing the morale of a group of adolescents. They forget that any mass organization is only as strong as the esprit de corps i. e. the "get together" spirit, of its members. This spiritual quality is built up more in the assembly hall, the gymnasium, or playground, than in the classroom. These are the places where a major part of the work in character education is most successfully carried on. They are the "get together" units of the school plant, where the individu- als are welded into a spiritual unit. Without them the morale of the student body begins to deteriorate and the school becomes a penal institution rather than a center of happy cooperative endeavor.
To show that this lack of morale and esprit de corps is not something imagined by those in charge of the school, a concrete example of the attitudes of the pupils may be of interest. In an English class in the high school an informal debate was conducted on the question of publication of a school paper. The gist of the argument for such a publication was that it would promote school spirit which was claimed to be sadly lacking. The negative argu- ment was based almost solely on the fact that such a paper could not be produced because of the lack of school spirit. On the fol- lowing day oral themes were requested on the reason for the lack of school spirit. The universal reason for the condition, according to the pupils, is the fact that the school never meets as a whole in any form of assembly. The fact was also brought out that there is no opportunity for any form of social intercourse as a body. One young man even suggested that a portable platform be put in the so-called gymnasium for use of assembly speakers. This idea was not acceptable because it was recognized that this room is too small to hold the 250 high school pupils.
105
There we have the point of view of the pupils themselves, a point of view of special value because this particular class had been in school long enough to have seen the benefits of the assembly pro- grams possible when the school was smaller.
The pupils are equally unsettled because of the lack of adequate space for indoor athletic sports and the lack of support for outdoor games. For indoor sports something like a standard playing sur- face is necessary, and for both indoor and outdoor sports shower and locker rooms for both sexes are imperative.
Our program of physical education and athletics for high school boys has been criticized freely with no consideration given to the fact that money has not been available to secure trained coaches and buy expensive equipment. School department funds may not be used for such purposes according to law. Dependence for coach- ing has to fall upon a member of the staff who is hired primarily as a teacher and to whom coaching is a side issue. So-called teacher coaches are procurable but not at the salaries paid here. They are usually less teachers than coaches and hence require a stretch of the school administrators conscience to justify their pay- ment from school department funds. As for tlie purchase of equip- ment, that is wholly illegal.
By virtue of aid given under C. W. A. and E. R. A. several further improvements have been made in addition to those commenced last year. The painting project was completed so that all of the ele- mentary schools are much improved in appearance. The projects on improvement of school grounds will show their value when spring comes again. At the Walker school a grading and planting project has been completed, including the closing of a driveway from Church Street diagonally across the lot. This was an unauth- orized driveway and a menace to the safety of the school children. At Whitefield school a large playground is being created from what was a thicket of scrub birches. The work in the rear of the High School is still in progress. This will be of value if and when addi- tion to that school is made .
Should there be additional funds available for work projects, especially under more liberal allowances for cost of materials, some action should be taken to improve the toilet facilities in our four room schools. Now that running water is available it does not seem advisable to continue to use old fashioned outhouses. It is difficult to understand how any inspector would countenance the use of them in these days. Any change in this condition would be fairly expensive and would have to be covered by a special appro- priation. The usual school budget could never take care of this extra burden, hence any government aid would be very welcome.
Changes in the personnel of the teaching corps have already been noted for the lower grades. In the High School including grades seven and eight a few other vacancies had to be filled. During the summer Miss Doris Wright secured a more lucrative position in the Malden system. She was succeeded by Miss Thelma Roscoe, a teacher of excellent training and experience. Miss Ros-
schHETle M DITETS WES MOTE ELMENT sting in Wilrengior so the Miss Ante Ture of the salary check. In her place LESDE PIEL, A ETBETETE of Boston Nor ud Elorumm degree from Bosen Thir Colson Lnd Elso bad considerable experi Boston schools. Ill beath has preTexte vorigring heer posicion And Miss Rosabe Es ber stischtie tau ber return. Just Mon Miss MarT Hoot was offered & sob the TEVI of North Reading and Miss Ex
frures shev that there has been & sig the rimber entering the first grade in ILI erpermed there were bm 100 End Let there world bare keen an increase
Conclusion
STEP
AGE . GRADE DISTRIBUTION October 1, 1934
10 11 12 13 11 15 16 17 18 19 :0
106
1
13
73
17
17
68
17
63
8
1
1
107
109
IV
...
=
.20
11
3
1
121
VII
1
20
:10
=
101
VIIII
11
10
11
12
13 90 102 92 107 99 10%
37
IN
1
1X
12
40
20
14
11
1
109
X
1
10
10
1
×1
.......
10
18
D
50
X11
1
11
20
N
42
13
48
69
50
63
16
256
Te xx 13 90 109 92 107 99 108
87
54
10
1114
......
11
67
21
x
-
1
V
VI
12
1
107
6
7
X
108
SCHOOL-GRADE DISTRIBUTION October 1, 1934
Grade
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 Sp.
T
South
6
7
6
19
West . .
18
20
38
North ..
UNGRADED
12
12
Silver
Lake .
20
23
25
22
90
Maple
Meadow
14
11
14
13
52
Walker .
30
38
31
32
25
156
White-
field .
18
19
31
42
32
142
Center
35 121
159
High
.
104
86 107
55
50
42
2
446
Totals 106 118 107 109
95 121 104
86 107
55
50
42
2 1114
£
Roster of School Employees
NAME
POSITION
HOME DATE APPOINTED
Stephen G. Bean J. Turner Hood, Jr.
Superintendent
Wilmington
1924
Principal H. S.
Wilmington 1928
Samuel F. Frolio
Science H. S.
N. Wilmington 1924
George C. Kambour
Math. and Athletics
Wilmington 1930
Laura N. Marland
English and History
Ballardvale 1919
A. Stephanie Bean
English and Dramatics
Wilmington
1931
Alice Hathaway
Latin and English
N. Wilmington
1932
Dorothy Giles
French and English
Arlington
1933
Gladys Alexander
Commercial
Tewksbury
1923
Alice Stanton
Commercial
Worcester 1930
George C. Webber
Commercial Sub.
Wilmington
1933
Margaret Bradley Shirley H. Gulliver
Phy. Ed. Supervisor
Brookline
1935
Newton
1929
Helen Cazneau
Wilmington
1931
Sylvia Neilson
History and Geography
Wilmington
1933
Caroline Swain
History and Arithmetic
Wilmington
1889
Thelma Roscoe
Arithmetic
Everett
1934
Myrtle Colson
English
Jamaica Plain
1934
Margaret Delaney
English
Lowell
1932
Rossalie Gately
Substitute
Lowell
Barbara Stuart
Substitute
Melrose
John W. Crediford
Principal Center
Hamilton
1930
Lena Carter
Grade VI Center
Albemarle, N. C. 1930
Elizabeth Giles
Grade VI Center
Springfield
1932
Helen Nelson.
Grade V Center
Upton 1934
Henrietta Swain
Principal Walker
Wilmington
1893
Olive Oman
Grades III and IV Walker
Wilmington
1933
109
Drawing Supervisor Music Supervisor
Sybil Weiberg Ellen Cannon A. Estelle Horton
Grade II Walker Grade I Walker
Reading 1927
Decatur, Ga. 1929
Greenwood 1922
Lena Doucette
Grades II and Ibl
Wilmington 1918
Virginia Nodding
Grades I and III
Reading 1933
Mary C. Meadows
Grade IV Substitute
N. Wilmington
1931
Lena M. Eames
West
Wilmington
1927
Ruth S. Maynard
Sp. Class South
Pepperell
1929
Olive Littlehale
Tyngsboro
1934
Mildred Rogers
Silver Lake
Lowell
1929
Alma E. Mason
Silver Lake
Malden
1929
Anne Merritt
Maplemeadow Substitute
Middleton
Helen Patten
Maplemeadow
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