USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1924-1931 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
Adams, G. Frank
$16.91
Brewer, Edward H.
6.00
Bruuer, Laura
6.00
Butler, Phillip M.
5.50
45
Butler, William
4.65
Clark, Henry
5.25
Danks, Hiram
10.50
Fuller, F. A. and C. F. and M. A. Lane
10.50
Jones, Eliza M.
5.00
Knowlton, Abraham
4.80
Potter, Ira G.
6.00
Potter, P. P.
3.50
Stebbins, Chloe Bliss
4.00
Stebbins, L. and M.
6.00
$94.61
USED FROM TRUST FUNDS
Adams Cemetery
For care of lots
$68.66
East Wilbraham
For care of lots 25.95
$94.61
B. B. GREEN
L. W. RICE
HENRY I. EDSON
Cemetery Commissioners
46
Report of Tree Warden
Tree Warden's Report for Year Ending Dec. 1927. Appropriation
$200.00
EXPENDITURES
Central Mass. Electric Co.
$36.68
F. C. Phelps
37.00
R. K. Bennett
12.00
Wm. North
12.00
Peter Collette
8.00
Geo. Wescott
8.00
John Carr
12.00
Leon Stoonk
8.00
Stephen Megizski
4.00
C. E. Pease
16.00
Albert Minoski
8.00
Geo. Lemon
20.00
Harold Brown
6.00
Total
$187.68
FRED C. PHELPS
Tree Warden
47
Forest Warden's Report
Forest Warden's Report for Year Ending Dec. 1927 Appropriation $250.00
EXPENDITURES
Fire Equipment Co.
$85.85
Ray Bean
2.00
Haroid Brown
7.00
Earl Brown
2.50
Fred Babineau
1.00
Thomas Coote
1.00
Peter Collette
5.00
John Cotter
1.00
Albert Edwards
1.50
Theodore Gebo
1.50
Ellery Gebo
1.50
Wilbur Gebo
1.50
Walter Heath
1.00
Charles Hitchcock
5.50
Myron Hitchcock
3.00
George Herter
1.50
Fred Herter
1.00
Wm. North
2.50
Edward Metager
2.00
C. E. Pease
.50
F. C. Phelps
5.00
Peter Pretz
1.00
Walter Presz
1.00
48
Joseph Presz
1.00
Wallace Ripley Harold Willard
2.00
1.00
H. E. Skinner
.50
Wilbur Stewart
1.00
Edw. Stevens
3.00
C. H. Willard
.50
Total
$144.35
FRED C. PHELPS
Forest Warden
49
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures for 1927:
Platform scales over 5,000 lbs
3
Platform scales under 5,000 lbs
9
Counter scales under 100 lbs.
3.
Beam scales under 100 lbs
3
Spring scales over 100 lbs.
1
Spring scales under 100 lbs.
6
Computing scales under 100 lbs.
10
Weights
38
Measures liquid
40
Gas pumps
41
Kerosene pumps
3
Oil pumps
13
Quantity measures on pumps
243
Sealing fees collected
$44.24
Respectfully submitted,
C. W. VINTON
Sealer
50
Memorial Day
Appropriation
$300.00
Rev. D. L. Campbell
$ 10.00
Arthur Rudman
10.00
L. O. Blanchard
10.00
Mrs. Thomas Bower
10.00
Denver Melberg
5.00
Clifford Rogers .
3.00
Bronislaw Petska
2.00
W. H. McGuire
4.00
W. H. Graves
20.00
Cutler Co.
8.70
Wm. F. Logan
15.00
Wm. Day
3.00
Geo. Herter
40.00
W. L. Dempsey
.
106.00
Springfield News Co.
7.50
$254.20
51
Report of the Trustees of the Free Public Library
Number of Volumes in Library Jan. 1, 1927
4,945
Number of Volumes added by purchase 151
Number of Volumes donated
6
5,102
Number of Volumes discarded
189
Number of Volumes in Library Jan. 1, 1928
4,913
Circulation
Borrowers
North Wilbraham
9,252
479
Stony Hill
243
26
9,495
505
Rural School Deposits
2,255
11,750
RECEIPTS
Appropriation
$ 800.00
Dog Fund
523.66
$ 1,323.36
EXPENDITURES
Town Water Dept., water con-
nection
$
90,76
C. E. Stacy, connecting town water 5.44
52
Town Water Dept., water rental 5.00
Cutler Co., Water rental
9.00
C. W. Vinton, painting and papering 8.00
W. F. Berry, roof paint
27.50
M. L. Farnum, painting roofs, etc.
36.29
T. Baldi, sand 3.00
John Ventura, laying retaining
wall
134.50
Library Bureau, cards
3.60
Frontier Press, books
15.50
National Library Bindery, bind- ing magazines
22.75
Gaylord Brothers, repair material
10.30
Library Book House, books
151.76
H. R. Huntting Co., books
60.65
M. L. Edgerton, magazines
29.00
John Ventura, care of yard
65.00
James Jaffrey, care of heater
62.00
The Cutler Co., coal
357.01
Central Mass. Elec. Co., current
29.10
The Cutler Co., fertilizer
10.80
Mrs. J. T. Abbott, services librarian
100.00
Mrs. Chas. Hitchcock, Stony Hill
Branch
5.00
1,241.96
Used less than appropriation Gross Expenditures as above
$
1,241.96
Less-Insurance rebate
1.42
Fees and cards
4.45
Junk sold
1.40
Rent Town Offices
144.00
66
Int. Henry Cutler Legacy
45.50
Chloe Bliss Stebbins
4.55
66
Int. Abner E. Bell Fund
1.80
Books sold
2.11
205.23
Net Expenditures
$ 1,036.73
$
81.40
53
Besides the foregoing, the Librarian has received from fines during the year-$29.33 and sale junk $1.40- total $30.73 which was paid out as follows : Wall paper and paint and labor 17.10
Cleaning
3.50
Sundry supplies and express
4.28
Paid Town Treasurer
5.85
$ 30.73
MORTON L. DAY TRUST FUND
On hand January 1, 1927
$680.40
Interest credited since
30.94
$ 711.34
Paid out for Christian Herald
11.00
On hand, January 1, 1928
$ 700.34
See Auditor's Report for Statement of
HENRY CUTLER LEGACY
ABNER BELL FUND
Respectfully submitted,
A. L. DAMON,
MRS. FRED W. GREEN,
H. W. CUTLER,
Trustees.
54
School Committees' Report
To the Citizens of Wilbraham :-
Your School Committee respectfully submits the following report for the year 1927
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 1927
Appropriation for school support
$ 57,540.00
Interest, Warriner Fund
29.18
Interest, School Lot Fund
32.00
Total available for School Support $ 57,601.18
Total expenditures, itemized statement follows $ 57,881.29
Less-
Car tickets sold
297.18
Refund
1.28
Supplies
7.75
306.21
Net expenditures $ 57,575.08
Less than total available $ 26.10
COST OF SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN IN 1927
For Support
Net expenditures above $ 57,575.08
5ɔ̃
Credits
Continuation school $ 416.76
General School Fund Law, Part I
3,434.40
Superintendent's salary
579.69
Vocational School
1,127.49
Tuition of Lyman School Boys
72.27
Tuition of State Wards
334.03
Interest, Warriner Fund
29.18
Interest, School Lot Fund
32.00
Tuition, Monson
16.00
6,041.82
Amount paid from local taxation
for school support $ 51,533.26
ITEMIZED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
School Committee
Evanore O. Beebe
$
50.00
Thomas S. Bower
50.00
H. W. Cutler
50.00
$ 150.00
Superintendence of Schools and Enforcement of Law
F. A. Wheeler, salary 1,132.50
F. A. Wheeler, travelling allowance and expenses 209.38
Mrs. Jennie T. Abbott, labor cer- tificates 9.50
John Ashe, Jr., attendance office
15.00
Emily O. Cormier, superintendent's clerk 356.25
Mrs. Helen Kochanek, interpreter
1.00
Frank Patnaude, attendance officer 49.00
56
Mrs. Fannie R. Pease, labor cer- tificates 8.70
Wright & Potter Printing Co.,
account blanks 6.09
Sackett's Typewriter Exch., mul- tigraphing 7.90
A. B. Sanderson, taking school census 30.00
$
1,825.32
Supervisors' Salaries
Mrs. Ethel C. Morse
448.00
Mrs. Helen B. Tower
497.72
$ 945.72
Teachers' Salaries
Mrs. Bertha H. Amo
$ 1,200.00
Mrs. E. V. Barnes
6.00
Mildred E. Connelly
1,170.00
Edith S. Feustel
1,150.00
Katherine A. Hart
1,020.00
Mrs. Nellie J. Hinchcliffe
684.25
Marion L. Holland
1,170.00
Marion E. Kelley
250.00
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kelly
1,270.00
Esther I. Lindell
70.00
Mrs. Mary G. Logan
1,170.00
Susie R. McCorrison
1,170.00
Loretta K. McDonald
1,120.00
Hazel Marsden
400.00
Ruth M. Mason
1,080.00
Mrs. Eleanor B. Parsons
1,010.00
Mrs. Fannie R. Pease
1,220.00
57
Mrs. Minnie M. Sanderson
1,200.00
Mrs. Martina M. Squire
1,120.00
Helen B. Stacy
630.00
Pearl C. Supernaw
1,020.00
Ferne E. Terwilliger
460.00
Mrs. Mabel E. Welch
1,170.00
$ 20,760.25
Textbooks
American Book Company
$
64.52
The Arlo Publishing Company
16.86
Edward E. Babb & Co.
1.31
C. C. Birchard & Co.
4.16
R. Claire Carven
1.60
The Frontier Press Company
15.50
Ginn and Company
200.98
J. L. Hammett Company
8.63
Houghton-Mifflin Company
40.21
Laidlaw Brothers
146.74
The Macmillan Company
9.05
G. & C. Merriam Company
16.00
Newson & Company
5.12
The A. N. Palmer Co.
15.69
Raymond Patnaude, carting books
1.50
Rand McNally Co.
8.86
Benj. H. Sanborn & Co.
.71
Charles Scribner's Sons
145.18
Silver, Burdett & Co.
36.24
Wheeler Publishing Co.
14.49
The John C. Winston Co.
24.99
$ 778.34
58
Supplies
Mrs. Bertha H. Amo, Palmer Cer-
tificates $ 12.83
Art Craft Industries, net, needles, yarn 20.39
Edward E. Babb & Co., supplies
12.20
Emile Bernat & Sons Co., carpet warp 8.03
Milton Bradley Co., supplies
590.30
Carlisle Hardware Co., supplies
41.23
The Carter's Ink Co., ink
3.00
Forbes & Wallace, paint, beads, cotton, etc 34.47
A. L. Fredette, cards
20.15
J. L. Hammett Co., supplies
148.50
Heywood, Wakefield Co., reed
7.83
The Holden Patent Book Cover Co., book covers 33.57
Johnson's Bookstore, envelopes,
ink, etc. 17.45
Mrs. Elizabeth C. Kelly, Palmer awards 2.87
Meekins, Packard & Wheat, ribbon
2.56
Mrs. Ethel C. Morse, note books
.90
Newson & Company, chart and seat work 10.86
Mrs. Eleanor B. Parsons, Palmer awards 2.88
Geo. W. Robbins & Sons Co.,
materials 55.60
Sackett's Typewriter Exch., mul- tigraphing 5.45
R. L. Studor, lettering certificates 9.50
Mrs. Helen D. Tower, paints, cards, etc. 2.45
59
F. A. Wheeler, expressage
3.25
World Book Co., spelling scales
4.04
$ 1,050.31
Janitors
R. K. Bennett, mowing grass
12.00
Hollis R. Collins, mowing grass
12.50
Myron Hitchcock
85.00
Mrs. Robert McClelland
350.00
David J. Menard, carting ashes
19.00
Frank Patnaude
1,317.00
Mrs. Minnie M. Sanderson
80.00
Mrs. Louis G. Stacy
48.00
Mrs. Harriet Swetland
357.00
C. W. Vinton
80.00
$ 2,360.50
Fuel
J. W. Baldwin, coal
55.57
M. S. Converse Coal Co., coal
412.94
The Cutler Company, coal
552.43
B. B. Green, wood
82.75
C. B. Hitchcock, wood
5.00
Wm. H. McGuire, coal
91.36
Maynard Coal Co., coal
25.50
66.00
A. B. Sanderson, wood Three Rivers Grain Co., coal
514.50
$ 1,806.05
60
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
E. E. Babb & Co., Kaustine 20.03
Carlisle Hardware Co., dustbane,
lantern, key, etc. 76.06
H. W. Carter Paper Co., towels 54.40
Central Mass. Electric Co., light and power 177.92
Collins Mfg. Co., wipers
2.50
Division of the Blind, brooms
7.62
James B. Logan, soap
7.50
George H. McClean Co., flue brush
1.50
Massachusetts State Prison, brushes 9.78
City of Springfield, water
35.90
Wadsworth, Howland Co., Savogran 11.19
$ 404.40
Repairs
Mrs. Jennie T. Abbott, freight paid .40
Adams & Ruxton Construction Company
61.62
C. A. Authier & Son, painting No. 8
300.00
Edward E. Babb & Co., inkwells
5.72
S. E. Bennett, repairing fence
12.00
Boston & Albany Railroad, freight
3.40
Alfred H. Bosworth, trucking, etc.
30.79
Thomas S. Bower, freight paid
1.28
George E. Burke, labor
6.80
Carlisle Hardware Co., fencing,
flag holder, etc.
131.23
Commissioner of Public Safety,
boiler inspection 5.00
61
The Cutler Company, cement .90
Forbes & Wallace, shades and slats
17.89
Charles H. Hardie, shades 22.50
Keenan Structural Slate Co., blackboards
53.43
Kenney Brothers & Wolkins, chairs,
desk stands 59.13
F. C. McClean, grates, repairing furnace
68.40
E. D. McNamara, hardware 4.00
Meekins, Packard & Wheat linoleum 5.58
David J. Menard, trucking
6.00
Morrissey Brothers Co., nails, screen, etc. 2.78
Parker Roofing Company, re-shing- ling No. 4 315.00
Raymond Patnaude, trucking
3.50
Henry Peltier, repairing flagpoles
40.00
George W. Robbins & Sons Co.
34.83
N. J. Samble, trucking
4.00
A. B. Sanderson, repairing fence, shades
30.80
A. M. Scott, grading
309.38
Charles S. Stacy, heating and vent.
system, repairs
746.98
H. F. Swetland, repairing chairs, shelves, etc.
768.48
H. S. Thomas, supplies
7.27
C. W. Vinton, repairs
143.30
Wadsworth, Howland Co., supplies
16.75
T. M. Walker Co., supplies
8.58
Frank Welch, filing saws
1.25
$ 3,228.97
62
Health
Mrs. George A. Clark, services
7.00
Dr. A. L. Damon, services
350.75
Dentists & Surgeons Supply Co., supplies 4.50
Hamilton & Jerome, thermometer
1.40
Signe L. Polson, school nurse, supplies
825.72
Sweet Drug Co., supplies
18.99
$ 1,208.36
Elementary School Transportation
Santi Belli, caring for children at
The Plains
98.50
Gideon Dickinson, transporting children
945.00
$ 1,043.50
High and Vocational School Transportation
Gilbert Allyn
26.40
Josephine Allyn
65.12
Mary Boden
6.72
Louis Cloutier
58.80
Gideon Dickinson
2,300.80
Homer Goodrich
36.20
Homer Howard
43.00
Town of Monson
80.00
Annie Nietupski
63.11
Burt Nietupski
69.21
Kasimer Nietupski
75.53
Alton Nordin
121.35
63
Clement Smith
61.94
Springfield Street Railway Co.
3,321.00
Barbara Ward
28.80
$ 6,357.98
High School Tuition
Town of Ludlow
125.00
Town of Monson
125.00
Town of Palmer
125.00
City of Springfield
11,496.00
$ 11,871.00
Elementary School Tuition
Town of Ludlow
7.80
$ 7.80
Continuation School Tuition
Town of Ludlow
304.00
$ 304.00
Vocational School Tuition
City of Springfield
3,302.25
$ 3,302.25
Miscellaneous Non-Expenses
William F. Logan, insurance
406.43
$ 406.43
64
New Equipment
J. L. Hammett, loom 21.91
Singer Sewing Machine Co., sewing machine 42.50
Yawman and Erbe, section file 5.70
$ 70.11
Total of school orders drawn
$ 57,881.29
APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED FOR 1928
General Expense :
School Committee, salaries
$ 150.00
Expenses
20.00
School Superintendence and Enforcement of Law:
Salary
1,155.00
Other Expenses
800.00
Expenses of Instruction :
Supervisors' Salaries
975.00
Teachers' Salaries
21,300.00
Textbooks
600.00
Supplies
1,000.00
Operating Expenses:
Janitors
2,400.00
Fuel
1,800.00
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
300.00
Repairs
1,000.00
Health
1,300.00
Tuition
17,250.00
Transportation 8,400.00
Miscellaneous Non-Expense Account :
Renewal of Insurance
500.00
$ 58,950.00
65
ESTIMATE OF CREDITS ON ACCOUNT OF EDUCATION FOR 1928
General School Fund Law,
Part I
$
3,434.40
Superintendent's salary
580.00
Continuation school tuition reim-
bursement
152.00
Tuition, state wards and Lyman
School boys
500.00
Vocational school tuition reim-
bursement
1,500.00
$
6,166.40
Respectfully submitted,
EVANORE O. BEEBE
THOMAS S. BOWER
H. W. CUTLER
School Committee of Wilbraham
66
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Wilbraham:
Herewith is submitted my report as Superintendent of Schools for the year ending December 31st, 1927.
CONDITIONS OF THE SCHOOL HOUSES
For several years each annual school report has carried a paragraph calling attention to repairs in the nature of permanent improvements in the school houses. During the past summer:
a. Jacketed stoves with ventilating systems were installed at the East Wilbraham and Stony Hill schools. All the school houses of the town in use, with the excep- tion of the old Pines school, now meet the state re- quirements with reference to heat and ventilation. In this one school house are still found stoves in the center of the classrooms radiating heat toward the outside walls, and ventilation is secured through doors and win- dows.
b. Fences were erected at the East Wilbraham and Glendale schools.
c. The north side of the Wilbraham Street school house was reshingled.
67
d. `The interiors of the North Wilbraham school house, the Wilbraham Street school house, with the ex- ception of one room, and the old building at The Pines were redecorated.
e. Much needed grading was done at The Pines school.
f. Flagpoles at Glendale, North Wilbraham, and Stony Hill schools were repaired and painted.
g. The last of the old-fashioned double desks dis- appeared from our schools when the desks at East Wil- braham were replaced by single desks taken from the Mountain school.
CLOSING THE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL
For several years the enrolment in the Mountain school has been small. Last year the average member- ship was 9.3. It was found that if the seventh grade pupils, following the custom of other years, should go to North Wilbraham for the eighth grade work, there would be but one child of last year's enrolment left to attend this year. Accordingly, the school has been closed and the pupils of the Mountain district are enrolled either at Glendale or at North Wilbraham. In my opinion the pupils are likely to get along better in their studies from being in larger classes. The closing of the school means an annual saving of not less then one thousand dollars in the school budget.
THE SPECIAL CLASS
A year ago attention was called to the fact that Wilbraham was required by law to establish a special class for children who, for one reason or another, had got behind in their work. It was determined to place
68
this class in the portable building at The Pines. Accord- ingly the building was re-equipped with a heater, black- boards, work benches, a loom, a sewing machine, tools, movable chair desks, and other materials fitted for use in carrying out the program of study in the class. The building was painted, new shades purchased, and in general everything put in excellent condition. As in- structor in the class, Miss Ferne Terwilliger, a graduate of the Westfield High School and Nasson Institute, with special training and with experience in special class work was secured. Owing possibly to some misapprehension regarding the character of the work to be carried on, some parents at first were reluctant to have their child- ren placed in the class, but I believe that both pupils and parents now appreciate the advantages which come from membership there.
The major part of the day's program is devoted to academic work, but at least two hours of each day must be given to manual or constructive work. This latter part of the program is much enjoyed, is profitable of itself, and gives significance to the academic work. On a recent visit to the school I found every girl in the class wearing a dress which she herself had made as part of her work. Perhaps it will do no harm to add that Mr. Arthur B. Lord, State Supervisor of Special Classes from the Department of Education, recently visited the Wil- braham special class and spoke in terms of praise of the work that Miss Terwilliger and her class are doing.
EXAMINATIONS BY A DENTAL HYGIENIST
During the month of May a dental hygienist from the State Department of Health visited the schools of Wilbraham, North Wilbraham, and The Pines, and ex- amined and cleaned the teeth of more than 200 child- ren. Most of these children were in grades 1 and 2,
69
although a few were in higher grades, and some were children who were planning to enter school next fall. The Wilbraham Study Club paid for the dental hy- gienist's services and Mrs. Stocking boarded the hy- gienist during her stay in Wilbraham without charge. As instructed by your board, I wrote letters of apprecia- tion for this valuable contribution to the welfare of the schools to the secretary of the Study Club and to Mrs. Stocking.
CHILD HEALTH DAY PROGRAMS
During May, also, Child Health Day programs were given and pre-school clinics held at North Wilbraham, Wilbraham Street, and The Pines. The Glendale, Moun- tain, and East Wilbraham schools participated in the program at North Wilbraham, and the Stony Hill school in the program at Wilbraham Street. Fifty-seven child- ren of pre-school age were examined and vaccinated at the clinics. Many of these came with their parents, thirty-five parents being present for consultation dur- ing the examination. Eighteen of the children examined were found to have enlarged tonsils, and forty-one to have defective teeth. I have no data showing to what extent remediable defects found were attended to dur- ing the summer, but I believe that very generally they were given attention. The Child Health Day observance project proved well worth while and should be given a permanent place in the program of school enterprises.
PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS
During the year two Parent-Teacher Associations have been organized in town, one at Wilbraham Street, and one at North Wilbraham. These organizations are unofficial in that they are not recognized by law, have no legal authority in the schools, and the school board
1
has no control over them. But the great extension of the Parent-Teacher Association movement during the past few years indicates clearly that these associations are believed to be capable of giving valuable service. They furnish an agency through which parent and tea- cher can discuss in friendly fashion the problems of child training and public education. As an organization they can carry out certain projects of great value which fall outside the official field of the school board. Several such projects have already been taken up by the Parent- Teacher Associations of Wilbraham.
The report of Dr. Damon, Wilbraham's efficient school physician, follows. During the past six year Dr. Damon has given the diptheria immunization treatment to 467 Wilbraham school children, 7 more than the num- ber reported in the December, 1927, enrolment of schools. However, many of those immunized are no longer in the schools, and other children not immunized have entered. I join with Dr. Damon in wishing that every child in the schools might take this treatment. The treatment is so easily given and so free from unpleasant after- effects, and yet apparently so effective in protecting a child from diphtheria that it seems a pity that any child should be without it, especially when it is offered without cost.
To the Superintendent of Schools, School Committee, and Parents of Wilbraham:
I have examined 463, vaccinated 35, Schick tested 43, and immunized 60 children at the schools this year. The work of immunization for diphtheria has given good results. I sincerely wish that more parents would avail themselves of this safeguard for their children.
Respectfully submitted,
A. L. DAMON, M. D. School Physician.
:1
FEWER LOCAL AND MORE TUITION PUPILS
In December, 1925, the town had 516 pupils in its local schools and 80 pupils for whom it was paying tui- tion. In December, 1927, the number of pupils in the local schools has fallen to 460 and the number of high and Vocational school pupils has increased to 107, mak- ing a total of 567, or 9 pupils less than there were two years ago.
This shift in the distribution of pupils has tended to decrease the part of the appropriation expended for local support and increase the part expended for trans- portation to other towns and for tuition. The annual charge for tuition of the pupils listed as in high and Vocational school in December, 1925, was $12,510. The annual charge for the tuition pupils listed as of Decem- ber, 1927, is $2,630 more, or $15,140. There is a corres- ponding increase in the payments for transportation.
In the school report for 1926 I stated that the sup- plementary reimbursement on the salaries of teachers amounting to nearly $1,000 annually, received in 1926, would have been lost in 1927 had the law not been amended. In this I was wrong. The supplementary re- imbursement was lost. My estimate of the amount to be received under Part I of the General School Fund Law as published a year ago was $4,305.50. At the end of the school year it was found that the claim to which the town was entitled was $3,434.40, and this was the amount received.
The supplementary reimbursement on the salaries of teachers from the State Treasury referred to depends upon the part of every million dollars of state tax which the town pays for each child in the net average member- ship of its public schools. If this part is 95 cents or less, the town is entitled to supplementary reimburse-
72
ment. In the Town of Wilbraham there was a falling off in the net average membership for the year ending June 30th, 1927, causing an increase in the proportionate amount of state tax to 98 cents per pupil, and the loss of the supplementary reimbursement.
The popularity of the Springfield Vocational School among the boys of the town enters in to affect the situa- tion. These boys are not included when the net average membership for the year is being determined. Probably if they were all in high school instead of in Vocational School, for the year ending June 30th, 1928, supplemen- tary reimbursement would be secured. On the other hand, the contribution of the State toward the Vocational School tuition of these boys will be approximately twice the amount of supplementary reimbursement that would come to the town if they were in high school, so that after all the town gains rather than loses financially by their decision to attend the Vocational School. I believe, also, that the school admirably meets the needs of the boys who are enrolled there.
SAND TABLES
The sand table in many places has come to be re- cognized as part of the regular equipment of primary and elementary schools, just as valuable in its place as are the globes and wall maps. Sand tables are rather ex- pensive to buy of school supply houses. The schools of Wilbraham have largely been equipped with sand tables with very little cost to the school department. Re- cently Mr. Patnaude, janitor at The Pines, in addition to his regular, designated duties, made several accept- able sand tables at a cost to the school department of $2.80 each for materials. These could not have been purchased of school supply houses for less than $15 and $20 apiece.
73
NEW TEXTBOOKS
New textbooks in hygiene, English, and spelling have been introduced, replacing series in these subjects which were old and out of date.
THE TEACHING OF THRIFT
The duty of promoting habits of thrift in their pupils is laid upon public school teachers. Opportunity for the discharge of this duty is found in connection with the use by the children of the school books and supplies furnished them at public expense. Good citizenship on the part of the pupil means that he will care for the books loaned and will not waste the supplies furnished him. The full discharge of her obligation on the part of the teacher means that she will continually present to her pupils the merit and satisfaction that come from worthy use and restraint from abuse of school property.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.