USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1933-1934 > Part 14
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Reading
1926
Esther Nichols
Nurse
Wilmington
1922
MacDougall, E. C.
School Physician
Wilmington
1932
Charles F. Perry
Janitor
Wilmington
Ernest Cail
Janitor
Wilmington
Arthur White
Janitor
Wilmington
Wilson Thompson
Janitor
Wilmington
Roland Hinman
Janitor
Wilmington
Harold Crozier
Janitor
Wilmington
Charles Blake
Janitor
Wilmington
Herbert F. Johnson
Janitor
Wilmington
Oliver Newcomb
Janitor
Wilmington
Principal Whitefield
110
111
REPORT OF
HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr. S. G. Bean, Supt. of Schools, Wilmington, Mass. -
Dear Sir:
I submit herewith my seventh annual report.
There have been two changes in the teaching staff during the past year. Miss Doris Wright accepted a position in Malden, and Miss Anne McCarthy, a position in the Danvers' schools. To fill these vacancies, we secured Miss Thelma Roscoe, and Miss Myrtle Colson, both of whom are experienced and capable teachers.
The athletic situation remains about the same, insofar as vic- tories are concerned. The boys met with indifferent success in baseball. In all fairness, it should be said that nearly every school which we played is considerably larger than ours. Another re- markabie season in field hockey has been completed by the girls. No school was able to defeat us, nor could we be scored upon. In fact, in three years of play, the girls have lost but one game, and that was the only game in which our opponents have ever been able to score. This record is all the more remarkable when one considers the size of the schools defeated; namely, the high schools of Somerville, Malden, Methuen, Melrose, Stoneham, Reading, Woburn, and Manchester. Certainly, the team members, and Miss Coburn, their coach, deserve every honor we can give them.
Some of our citizens believe that the school should be represented . by a football team inasmuch as there are three men on the teach- ing staff. Possibly, it is not generally known that this school did make every effort during the years 1926, 1927, and 1928 to in- augurate the sport and keep it alive. The school did more than its part, but the public was not enough interested to support tne team financially. As a result of this lack of interest on the part of the public, at the close of the 1928 season, there were unpaid bills in excess of six hundred dollars, all of which were paid within a year by the school.
Mindful of this past experience, we have refused to contract any bills for the support of athletics, unless we could see some way of paying these bills in the near future. We believe that this school has not been in a position to support a football team at any time during the past ten years. There is one way for the school to have a football team, a way now employed by some towns in the state. That is, at their annual Town Meeting, a sum of money is appropriated for the specific purpose of maintaining an athletic
112
program in the school. We suggest that if there are enough citi- zens interested in having a high school football team, they urge an amendment of five hundred dollars, in addition to the regular appropriation for the support of the schools, this sum to be used for the sole purpose of maintaining high school athletics.
Once more, must we pause to consider the item of school house accommodation. On October 1, we counted 455 pupils enrolled in the high school building, 257 of whom are in the Senior high school. Bear in mind, that these Senior high school pupils attend school only three and one-half hours per day, while the Junior high school pupils attend for the incredibly short time of two and three-quarter hours daily. Consider also that the average Junior and Senior high school pupil receives five hours of schooling each day. Can We so deceive ourselves as to believe that Wilmington pupils are so superior that they can learn as much in three hours or less, as the average pupil learns in five hours? Should we de- cide to restore full-time schooling to these pupils, we would have to build six additional school rooms.
There is another phase of the housing accommodation to be con- sidered. With 257 Senior high school pupils enrolled this year, and 290 expected in September, 1935, we will then have accommo- dations for only 10 more pupils. Obviously, after that point has been reached, the only thing left to do will be to have our eighth and ninth grades attend in the afternoon, remove the seventh grade from the high school building entirely, and probably arrange for the sixth and seventh grades to attend school one-half day each.
With this increased enrollment to be cared for next year, we shall need an additional teacher. The principal is now teaching nearly one-half time, in addition to caring for the administration of a two-session school. Our schedule shows six classes with an enrollment of 45 or more pupils and without an additional teacher, we may be certain that there will be more than six large classes another year. We do not believe there is any one who will seriously insist that pupils in a class of 45 or more, will learn as much as if they were in a class of 30 or 35. Is it absolutely necessary to penalize our pupils with both short hours and over- sized classes ?
And now, permit me to present the greatest problem facing the American high school today; namely, what studies shall be pro- vided for those pupils who are not interested in the College or Business Preparatory courses. It is universally agreed among educators that fully fifty percent of our high school enrollment is dissatisfied, and rightly so, with the present program of studies. We have made no provision for these pupils in past years, in fact, it is only within the past five years that we have become fully aware of their existence. Formerly, these pupils became discour- aged, or were eliminated by the studies offered and dropped out to go to work. There has been no work for these pupils in recent years. yet our school laws compelled them to attend until they reached the age of 16. And what is more serious for both the pupil and the school, is that the incoming state legislature will
113
undoubtedly raise the compulsory school age to 18 years. In all fairness, we must stop spending 80 percent of our high school budget on less than 50 percent of our pupils.
We have spent considerable time investigating the programs of study of other high schools and we find that this above-mentioned condition exists in practically every school. We propose the fol- lowing program of studies to remedy this situation, and can put it into operation next September, if the town of Wilmington can find $300 in addition to the regular school appropriation, for new text books.
For the ninth grade, we suggest English, Industrial Geography, General Science, and Junior Business Training.
For the tenth grade, English, Biology, Modern World History, and Community Civics.
For the eleventh grade, English, United States History and Gov- ernment, Economics, and General Mathematics, and
For the twelfth grade, English, General Physics, Problems of Democracy, and Elementary Bookkeeping.
This course will offer our pupils four years of English; six years of Social Science; one year of Mathematics; one year of General Business Survey; two years of Informational Science, and one year of Personal Accounting. We hasten to admit that a bet- ter program might be arranged, but as we know our school limita- tions and our community, we feel that this program will adequately serve the existing need. As we are to have a New Deal in politics and business, why not extend the New Deal to this other 50 per cent of "forgotten" pupils, or' in other words, the General Course pupil ?
Three problems have been discussed: First, the need of increased school house accommodations; Second, the need of an additional high school teacher; and Third, the need of an increased appro- priation to provide new text books for our General Course. Of these three problems, if a choice must be made, we feel that the third is by far the most imperative.
In closing, I wish to express my appreciation to you, the com- mittee, teachers, and pupils, for the cooperation I have received during the past year.
Respectfully yours,
J. TURNER HOOD, JR.
114
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
Mr. Stephen G. Bean, Supt. of Schools, Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my annual report as school nurse.
As I have often said, my responsibility is the health of the school children. It is and has been a great responsibility during these years of depression, due to the social and economical problems in the homes which are often responsible for the physical handicaps of the children.
My aim is the prevention of disease, thus saving not only the strain and stress of suffering but also money, by reason of better school attendance and children better able to do their school work.
To this end various clinics are held each year, the reports of which follow :
Dental Clinic-5th Annual
Number of children attended 174
Number of cleanings 169
Number of fillings 553
Number of extractions 168
The benefits of this clinic can now definitely be seen in the decreased number of extractions necessary, especially of perma- nent teeth.
Tuberculosis Follow-up Clinic
Number of children examined 29
Number of children X-Rayed 29
Number of children tested (Von-Pirquet)
5
Number of children improved
10
Number of children discharged
1
Number of persons taken to N. R. S. S. for
examination 15
Practically all of these children have been exposed to Tubercu- losis and We are cooperating with the State Department of Health in an effort to keep their resistance built up so they will not suc- cumb to this dread disease.
The Diphtheria Prevention Clinic was due in December, but we found last year that it was impractical because of bad weather. So this clinic will be held in either April or May.
115
All children in the grammar grades were examined by Dr. E. C. MacDougall, school physician, and notices of defects sent to the parents. In urgent cases home visits were made and by cooperat- ing with various hospitals and clinics some of these defects have been corrected. Many children are still suffering from mal-nutri- tion, enlarged or diseased tonsils and decayed teeth.
Through the kindness of a member of the local Masonic lodge, one boy with a partially paralyzed leg was taken to the Shriners' Hospital where a surgical operation has greatly improved his gait. We expect it will be practically normal when he is finally dis- charged.
In January, 1932, an entertainment was given to raise money for health work among the school children. At this time I would like to report how that money was spent.
Number of tonsil and adenoid operations 10
Number of eye examinations and glasses 5
Number provided with clothes for summer camp or while at Sanatoria 5
Number of 12-Ride Railroad Tickets to go to clinics for treatment of tubercular gland and bronchietasis 2
Number of X-Ray of Thymus Gland 1
Number of plaster jackets for spine correction. 1
Number of children having dentistry done 3
Total number of children helped by this fund .. 27
I wish to thank all those who have helped to make the clinics a success, also Mr. Bean and the teachers for their cooperation through the year.
Respectfully submitted,
ESTHER H. NICHOLS, R. N.,
School Nurse.
116
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF DRAWING
Mr. Stephen G. Bean, Supt. of Schools, Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir:
I have the honor to submit my sixth annual report as supervisor of drawing.
Art education has been taught in the schools because it offers a fourfold cultural training impossible of attainment except through this one study. This is accomplished first by representation of ideas from observation, memory, and imagination; second by the creation of pattern as design; third by the use and enjoyment of color to record and enhance the beauty of design; and fourth by appreciation of all forms of beauty. Art as an expression of the beautiful in representation, design, and color promotes apprecia- tion according to the capacity of the individual.
Grades I-VI
My schedule for the first six grades is the same as other years. I teach one forty-five minute period once in two weeks in every class room. In these grades there has been creative work done both in representation and design. There is no grade that devel- ops as fast, or will try anything as quickly, as grade one. In this grade they have had many lessons on color, shape, paper cutting, and design. In one of the second grades a very interesting farm frieze was made, in which the children did all the work, even the coloring of the large background around the wall of the school room. The third grades have been correlating most of their draw- ing with Indian life, including drawings of heads, figures, and Indian designs. The fourth grades have made a booklet on farm life as well as other lessons on design, and at present are drawing boys and girls playing at all kinds of winter sports, which, of course, show a great deal of action. Nearly all the grades have had a try at this, and it is encouraging to see how well even the first grades do this. The fifth grades have made their figures also in silhouette form. This grade last spring spent a long time on transportation lessons. More has been done this year in the sixth grades in water color work, and the results have been very grati- fying. The children are so absorbed in this work that they want to work long over time. They have had several lessons to develop their skill in handling the paints and also to include the theory of color.
117
Grades VII and VIII
These pupils take drawing if they wish from eleven to twelve o'clock on Tuesdays once a week, and those who do this are very faithful and accomplish a great deal. They have learned to use water colors more than ever this year, both in representation les- sons and on designs.
High School
The High School has a long period for drawing, from one until three o'clock on Monday afternoons. The freehand drawing class has made pastel drawings from nature, figure drawings in char- coal from living models, perspective lessons, trees from nature by just drawing their snow-covered branches on black paper, lessons in pencil technique, and posters for the athletic club play. The mechanical drawing class meets at the same time, and though it may be small, they are the ones that are truly anxious to learn.
Art is continually bringing more beauty into the articles with which we have daily contact to enrich everyday life. In normal times opportunities for earning a living through art are many and varied. If the anticipated reorganization of our industrial life and our educational system is to meet the prophecy of increased hours of leisure for people in all walks of life, we shall be faced with a new problem; namely, that of providing cultural and recreational opportunities for the worthy use of this leisure time. In the com- ing years when working days will be fewer, when machines have taken the place of many workers, these machines will still be able to produce only commodities. The creative power, design, beauty and distinctive form of the commodity will still rest with the artist-designer.
In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Bean, principals, teachers, and pupils for their cooperation and activity in making my work successful.
Respectfully submitted,
SHIRLEY H. GULLIVER.
118
REPORT OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Mr. Stephen G. Bean, Supt. of Schools, Wilmington, Mass.
Dear Sir:
I have the honor to submit my fourth annual report as Super- visor of Music.
The Music Education in the schools has, as in other years, been carried out along definite lines, and with the same objectives.
My schedule' is two days a week. Each grade school is visited twice a month with forty-five minutes to a room. The High School Orchestra meets once a week for rehearsals. The Girls' Glee Club has the same time allotment. Extra time is donated to the Junior High School Orchestra which meets once a week.
The course of music study using a modern text which was in- stalled in 1932 continues to show worthwhile results through the first six grades. This basic material has not been carried out through the Junior High School because of the lack of time and money for general music in these grades. As music is a vital factor in the development of the adolescent, this is a serious lack. The right of every child to an education paid for by the public, of which he and his parents are a part, is no longer questioned. It is now being recognized that his education must be both cul- tural and vocational.
The Junior-Elementary School Orchestra which was organized last year has increased its membership. The instruments used are eight violins, 'cello, trombone, cornet, two snare drums and piano. With the addition of the High School instruments, four violins, clarinet, saxophone, and two cornets, the combined orchestras total twenty-two members.
Last year the Junior and Senior High School Orchestras and Girls' Glee Club gave a joint concert in the High School Gym- nasium which was followed by a dance. Most of the music pur- chased last year for the Girls' Glee Club and Orchestras was paid for by the combined music clubs. Weekly dancing classes for the Junior High School students were held in the gymnasium. Five cents admission was charged and the Junior High School teachers and members of the Girls' Glee Club supervised the instruction. The proceeds from these social activities were used to buy music, and to purchase a violin and four stands for the school.
Last June, the High School gave its annual graduation exer- cises in the Congregational Church. The musical part of this program was:
119
March: "Pomp and Chivalry" C. Roberts
Organ Solo: "Toccata from the Gothic Suite" Boellmann
Instrumental Quartette:
"Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes". Old English Air
"Now the Day Is Over". Joseph Barnby Cornet, Georgia Irons Cornet, George Gallant
Clarinet, Frederic Melzar Cornet, Wallace Chase
Girls' Glee Club:
"The Big Brown Bear" Mana-Zucca
"Passing By" Purcell
High School Orchestra:
"Western World Overture" Chenette
March: "Festival March"
C. M. Von Webber
High School Orchestra
Plans are now under way for a concert to be given the latter part of the year by the High School musical clubs and the Junior Orchestra and a demonstration of the vocal work in the Center School.
In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere thanks to you, Mr. Bean, to the principal of the high school, to the principals of the elementary schools, teachers, supervisors, and pupils, for the ex- cellent cooperation given me in my work.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN J. CAZNEAU, B. M.
120
TREASURER'S REPORT SARAH D. J. CARTER LECTURE COMMITTEE
RECEIPTS
January 1, 1934, Balance on hand
$110.42
March 16, F. L. Eames, Treasurer, income
150.00
June 1, interest
. .
.55
$260.97
EXPENDITURES
January 19, 1934, Eric A. Starbuck
$25.00
February 26, Royal Lyceum Bureau
75.00
February 26, Wilmington News
5.00
March 16, Wilmington News
5.00
March 16, Wilmington Grange Hall Corp.
40.00
March 27, Swedish Folk Dance Club
25.00
November 24, Mrs. Annie Cronin, Postal Cards
12.00
December 7, Wilmington News, printing
10.00
197.00
197.00
December 30, 1934, Balance on hand
$63.97
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah D. J. Carter Lecture Committee.
A. F. BLAKE,
Treasurer.
121
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
The Water Commissioners are pleased to submit their annual report for the year 1934.
During January and February 1934 the severe cold weather was the cause of considerable trouble in frozen services and mains. The cost for caring for these freeze-ups was considerable. It meant labor, charges for electricity and the additional cost of pumping which was required as faucets were left open during the freezing weather in order to prevent further freezing. We estimate that the service rendered during this spell cost us in the neighbor- hood of $250.00.
With the assistance of ERA labor we completed the construction of a dam on Salem Street. During the last two years we have flooded our well fields with a temporary dam. This is now covered with a permanent dam which is a valuable asset for the Town. The flooding of the well fields during the winter months is of value both in protecting the wells and suction lines from freezing and also allows the water to penetrate into the ground to feed into the spring from which the water is derived. Materials and cost came out of the department fund for the construction of this dam and the cost was $717.73.
During the year thirty-nine new services were added.
In accordance with the vote of the Town at the annual meeting in March the Department extended the water mains on Salem Street. Due to the cooperation of the ERA Administrator, the labor was furnished by the ERA and this made it possible to ex- tend a great deal more pipe than would have been possible had the entire cost been charged to the amount of the appropriation.
On December first during a thunderstorm the lightning struck one of our mains, causing two breaks. These had to be taken care of at a considerable expense.
There is one project which must be taken care of in the immedi- ate future; that is the painting of the standpipe inside and outside. We have been postponing this work for the last couple of years because of the expense involved and have tried to wait for a more opportune time to spend this money, but further delay is not advisable as the tank will begin to deteriorate unless it receives proper attention.
The receipts and expenditures are tabulated in the report of the Town Accountant. The total expenditures are $12,476.11; included in this amount is $1,116.20 collected for the installment of services, $762.75 for department investment in the services, and also in-
122
cluded is $145.60 for Shawsheen Avenue where it was necessary to lower the mains due to change in grade. There is also included $717.73 for material in the construction of the dam. Deducting these amounts from the expenditures makes the operating cost $9,733.83.
Respectfully submitted,
CALEB S. HARRIMAN, LOUIS T. McMAHON, ALDEN N. EAMES,
Water Commissioners.
WATER DEPARTMENT STATISTICS Water Consumption
Year
Gal. Pumped
Av. Per Day
1929
20,012,700
54,829
1930
26,556,200
72,456
1931
26,384,300
72,285
1932
38,494,200
105,175
1933
39,438,000
108,049
1934
61,122,900
167,460
Fuel Oil Consumption
Year
Gal. Used
Cost
Gal. Per Mil. Cost Per Mil.
1929
1606.
$90.77
80.2
$4.54
1930
2137.
120.73
80.4
4.54
1931
2028.8
109.52
77.7
4.16
1932
3056.3
139.61
79.3
3.62
1933
3129.1
138.99
79.3
3.52
1934
. ... .
5000.8
266.47
81.8
4.35
Lubricating Oil Consumption
Year
Gal. Used
Cost
Gal. Per Mil. Cost Per Mil.
1929
83.25
$54.11
4.1
$2.70
1930
90.00
61.55
3.4
2.32
1931
62.25
46.69
2.36
1.77
1932
88.25
66.19
2.29
1.72
1933
69.00
51.75
1.71
1.31
1934
... .
112.00
84.00
1.83
1.37
Oil Used in Heater
Year
Gal.
Cost
1929
3809.0
$215.23
1930
4204.
237.54
1931
5081.9
279.20
1932
. 4950.7
249.29
1933
. . . ..
3646.9
165.88
1934
. .. .
6442.1
341.99
.
. .
123
Accounts Receivable
Service Accounts :
Balance due 1932
$15.60
Received
15.60
Balance due 1933
$151.59
Addition
11.15
$162.74
Received
162.74
Balance due 1934
$224.20
Water rates account
882.81
Total Accounts Receivable
$1,107.01
Total Construction Cost to Date
Cost of Water System Dec. 31, 1933
$383,701.83
39 Services
$762.75
Salem St. Extension
6,723.77
Salem St. ERA Labor
2,702.65
Material for dam (Labor by CWA)
717.73
10,906.90
Cost of Water System Dec. 31. 1934
$394,608.73
124
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF
WILDWOOD CEMETERY
The work during the year consisting of gradual improvements in the Cemetery and building of a new section.
From the special appropriation made by the Town last year 1200 yards of loam were purchased and moved into the Cemetery.
There is a great need at the present time for a building to be used as a garage, tool house and workshop. If there is a continua- tion of E. R. A. labor during the coming year it may be possible for us to erect some kind of a building for this purpose.
It is the plan of the Commissioners to extend the improvement in the Cemetery as fas as moderate appropriations will permit.
We wish to call attention to the people who visit the Cemetry driving cars to kindly remember that the avenues are very narrow and that in turning corners they should use care so as not run their wheels over any of the lots. Unfortunately the Cemetery was laid out long before automobiles were on the road and for that reason the avenues are not laid out for automobile traffic.
The report of receipts and expenditures will be found in detail in the report of the Town Accountant.
Respectfully submitted,
LOUIS T. McMAHON, Chairman, GUY E. NICHOLS, WALLACE E. BARROWS,
Commissioners.
125
REPORT OF MOTH SUPERINTENDENT AND TREE WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my annual report as Moth Superintendent and Tree Warden.
In the Moth Department, no spraying whatever was attempted, but in some sections of the Town, where egg clusters were found, the customary creosoting was done as long as finances permitted.
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