USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1932-1940 > Part 41
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Everett Pickens, posting warrants 9.00
Elizabeth P. Bacon
$14.50
Ernest L. Bacon
6.00
John J. Lyons
11.00
6.50
1.50
55
George W. Robbins &.Sons Co., lumber, etc., for booths 14.80
$138.05
CONTINGENT -- OFFICE SUPPLIES
A. H. Bartlett Co., welfare orders, print- ing billheads
$21.15
H. & B. Service Co., printing letterheads
3.50
Conklin Supply Co., bookkeeping book, clasp envelopes, adding machine rolls, ink pads, etc. 20.10
Hobbs & Warren, forms, licenses
11.89
James B. Logan, stamped envelopes and stamps
36.88
John C. Moore Corp., welfare forms
3.19
R. H. Smith Co., rubber stamp
1.28
$97.99
$852.09
Unexpended Balance
3.41
$855.50
INSURANCE AND BONDING
Appropriation
800.00
From Reserve
37.25
$837.25
William F. Logan:
Treasurer's Bond
$86.50
Tax Collector's Bond
180.00
Town Clerk's Bond
7.50
Compensation
488.50
Town Barn
33.75
Contents Town Office
41.00
$837.25
56
INTEREST, ANTICIPATION OF REVENUE LOAN
Appropriation
$300.00
Third National Bank
$37.15
$37.15
Unexpended Balance
$262.85
OFFICE RENT FOR TOWN OFFICERS
Appropriation
$144.00
Town of Wilbraham, Public Library
$144.00
$144.00
HYDRANTS
Appropriation
$2,190.00
City of Springfield
$210.00
Town of Wilbraham
1,980.00
$2,190.00
WATER NOTES AND INTEREST
Appropriation
$3,337.50
Palmer National Bank, interest
$337.50
Palmer National Bank, notes
3,000.00
$3,337.50
COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE
Appropriation Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture $75.00
$75.00
$75.00
TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL ASSESSMENT
$437.50
Appropriation John J. Murphy, County Treasurer
$437.27
Unexpended Balance
.23
$437.50
57
SCHOOL BONDS AND INTEREST
Appropriation
$3,120.00
First National Bank of Boston (Payment on Bonds)
$3,000.00
First National Bank of Boston (Interest)
120.00
$3,120.00
WATER BONDS AND INTEREST
Appropriation
$5,040.00
First National Bank of Boston (Payments on Bond)
$3,000.00
First National Bank of Boston (Interest)
2,040.00
$5,040.00
PRINTING TOWN REPORTS
Appropriation
$265.25
Anker Printing Co.
$265.25
$265.25
Safety Committee
FOR PROTECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN
Appropriation
$600.00
Giacomo Alberici, special traffic officer $180.00
John E. Backus, special traffic officer 105.00
Jerry Donohue, special traffic officer 180.00
Augustus F. Friend, special traffic officer
75.00
Unexpended Balance
$60.00
Safety Committee Expense
Appropriation
$50.00
Augustus F. Friend
$5.00
Hampden County Safety Council, 1940 Membership dues 25.00
Wm. F. Logan. reimbursement for cash
paid for police badge 1.50
$31.50
$18.50
Unexpended Balance
$540.00
58
Safety Pays Big Dividends
Over 400 days without a fatal accident.
Cooperation is necessary to insure safety.
DR. F. T. STEFLE
B. W. GOWELL
W. F. LOGAN
FRED PHELPS G. M. GREEN HAROLD MURPHY
W. F. BERRY
Facts
Tax Rates
State Tax
County Tax
1935
$32.00
$4,700.00
$4,841.51
1936
$28.00
$4,700.00
$4,523.19
1937
$27.00
$5,757.50
$4,832.00
1938
$26.00
$8,670.00
$5,522.05
1939
$35.52
$9,180.00
$4,352.23
1940
$31.00
$8,160.00
$4,352.23
No. Polls Assessed
No. Old Age Assistance Recipients
No. Welfare Recipients
1935
864
10
365
1936
892
32
277
1937
830
41
260
1938
898
54
421
1939
1055
65
312
1940
1101
58
226
59
Cash on Hand
Fixed Debt
December 31, 1935-$53,943.28
1935-$79,000.00
December 31, 1936-$44,340.34
1936 -- $72,000.00
December 31, 1937-$45,017.21
1937-$66,000.00
December 31, 1938-$32,979.78
December 31, 1939-$26,205.94
1939-$69,000.00
December 31, 1940-$33,420.55
1940-$60,000.00
Land, Buildings and Personal Property Valuations
1935 -- $3,070,986.00
1938-$3,068,579.00
1936-$3,117,313.00
1939-$3,068,729.00
1937-$2,999,139.00
1940-$3,155,585.00
Report of Assessors
Total appropriation for town purposes
$163,289.11
State Tax
$8,160.00
State Audit
538.07
State Park and Reservations
124.23
County Tax
4,352.23
Overlay
2,648.83
179,112.47
Estimated Receipts
Income Tax
$8,262.90
Gasoline Tax
6,532.37
Corporation Tax
8,899.03
Reimbursement State Owned Land
119.03
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
6,000.00
Utility Refund
305.63
Schools
5,500.00
Veterans' Exemptions
27.21
Licenses
3,000.00
Charities
1,500.00
Old Age Assistance
4,500.00
Public Service Enterprises
7,500.00
Interest
500.00
Health and Sanitation
300.00
Fines
200.00
General Government
100.00
1938-$60,000.00
60
Overestimates-State Parks Total Available Funds
Adjustment
$ 17.56 10,000.00 .09
$63,263.82
Net Amount Raised by Taxation 1101 Polls
100,025.29
2,202.00
Amount Raised on Property
$97,823.29
Value of Personal Estate
$328,802.00
Tax on Personal Estate
10,189.77
Value of Real Estate
2,826,883.00
Tax on Real Estate
87,633.37
Total Valuation
3,155,685.00
Adjust Overlay
.15
Total Tax on Property
$97,823.29
Tax Rate $31.00 on $1,000.00
No. Dwellings 710
No. Fowl 8,106
No. Horses 67
No. Neat Cattle 507
No. Sheep 7 No. Ducks, Rabbits, etc. 138
No. Swine 44
No Acres land assessed
13,263.04
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise Tax
Value on above $256,915.00 Total tax on above 7,940.78
Respectfully submitted, HENRY I. EDSON, F. RAY PEASE, CHARLES W. VINTON, Board of Assessors.
Assessor's Expense
Appropriation $100.00
A. H. Bartlett, punching sheets and binder $5.35
Gladys M. Clark, transfer cards and postage 56.26
Hobbs & Warren, forins, books, etc. 31.04
The Stoneham Independent, tax cards 1.00
Unexpended Balance
$93.65 $6.35
61 School Committee's Report
To the Citizens of Wilbraham:
Your school committee respectfully submits the following report for the year 1940.
Financial Statement for 1940
Appropriation for School
Support
$63,200.00
Interest, Deacon Warriner
Fund
27.86
Interest, School Lot Fund
90.00
Total available
$63,317.86
Total expenditures for school support,
(Itemized state- ment follows) $60,342.74
Less :
Tuition refunds,
1940
68.88
Net expenditures for school support
$60,273.86
Unexpended balance $3,044.00
Appropriation for American-
ization Class
375.00
Expenditures for Americani-
zation Class
373.41
Unexpended balance 1.59
Appropriation for improving
Pines School Grounds
200.00
Expenditures for improving
Pines School Grounds
183.67
Unexpended balance 16.33
Total net expenditures
$60,830.94
Total unexpended balance
$3,061.92
Net Cost of Schools to the Town for 1940
Total net expenditures above $60,830.94
62
Credits
From the Commonwealth:
General School Fund, Part I $2,470.00
Vocational Education 4,469.36
Superintendent's Salary Re- imbursement 859.25
Tuition State Children
179.01
Americanization Class 142.50
8,120.12
From other sources:
Tuition refunds, 1939
83.00
Evanore O. Beebe,
savings bank book 5.85
Deacon Warriner Fund
27.86
School Lot Fund
90.00
Town of Hampden, rental of sander 4.40
Miscellaneous credits, sup-
plies, tickets, telephone
29.62
240.73
Total credits 8,360.85
Net cost of schools from local taxation
$52,470.09
Itemized Statement of Expenditures
School Committee
H. W. Cutler, salary
$50.00
Mrs. Mary S. Merrick, salary
50.00
Horace J. Rice, salary
50.00
$150.00
Superintendent's Salary
Burr F. Jones $1,644.42
Expenses of Superintendence and Enforcement of Law
Mrs. Jennie T. Abbott, labor certificates $26.75
Conklin Office and School Supply Co., filing case .95
Emily O. Cormier, clerical services 555.48
63
Burr F. Jones. travelling and office expenses 296.23 Charles Lapine, supervisor of attendance 70.00
Wright and Potter, account blanks 6.11
$955.52
Supervisors' Salaries
Mrs. Ethel C. Morse
$414.00
William L. Rinehart
50.00
Mrs. Helen B. Tower
760.00
$1,224.00
Teachers' Salaries
Mrs. Carol B. Allen
$8.00
Mrs. Melby W. Brady
52.00
Mrs. Miriam P. Bryans
8.00
Judith V. Carlson
400.00
Mrs. Mildred P. Daniels
1,070.00
Mrs. Liane S. Fontaine
1,197.00
Mrs. Pearl S. Gendreau
4.00
Mrs. Millicent G. Green
1,215.00
Katherine A. Hart
1,200.00
Marion L. Holland
1,200.00
Mrs. Esther L. Johnson
717.00
Marion F. Kelley
1.350.00
Mrs. Lucy B. Kerr
66.00
Helen S. Kochanek
1,200.00
Mrs. Mary G. Logan
1,300.00
Mrs. Adella P. Olin
12.00
Mrs. Olive L. Radebaugh
8.00
Mrs. Isabel Riddle
14.00
Mrs. Lois H. Russell
4.00
Mrs. Minnie M. Sanderson
1,200.00
Mrs. Agnes I. Simmington
1,372.00
Mrs. Clara W. Strasburg
474.00
Mrs. Ruth G. Sullivan
714.00
$14,785.00
Textbooks
American Book Company
$15.54
American Education Press, Inc.
18.88
Beckley-Cardy Company
2.94
Ginn and Company
63.93
64
Houghton Mifflin Company
3.92
Laidlaw Brothers 1.06
The Macmillan Company
33.64
The Methodist Book Company
.69
Scott, Foresman & Company
96.60
O. H. Toothaker
1.96
The John C. Winston Company
2.89
$242.05
Supplies
American Book Company, workbooks $22.10
American Education Press, Inc., news sheets 88.00
Edward E. Babb & Co., general supplies
79.04
Beckley-Cardy Co., paper cutters
11.52
Milton Bradley Co., general supplies
66.17
Broadway Pet Shop, aquaria
9.00
Carlisle Hardware Co., physical educa- tion supplies 24.26
Civic Education Service, news sheets
24.00
Columbia University Press, music note- books 9.36
F. E. Compton, war supplement .53
Franconia Press, printing
18.58
Ginn and Company, workbooks
12.10
Gledhill Bros., general supplies 49.63
Mrs. Millicent G. Green, postage, stars, etc. 1.43
Hagen's Handicraft Supplies, mallets, hammer, etc. 1.95
J. L. Hammett Co., general supplies 69.37
Holden Patent Book Cover Co., covers 9.24
Burr F. Jones, express on supplies, pam- phlets, etc. 10.10
Nathaniel N. Love, duplicator rolls
20.43
The Macmillan Co., workbooks
28.06
Mrs. Ethel C. Morse, music
1.20
National Highway Beautification Coun- cil, courses 5.40
New York World Telegram, World Al- manacs 2.20
Papercrafters, Inc., general supplies 83.45
The Plymouth Press, seat work 3.77
65
The Quarrie Corporation, World Book Encyclopedias
$145.60
Reformatory for Women, classroom flags 15.87
Geo. W. Robbins & Sons Co., materials
4.34
Scott, Foresman & Co., workbooks
122.81
Shaw-Walker Co., cards
3.63
Mrs. Helen B. Tower, art supplies
3.91
W. M. Welch Mfg. Co., science supplies
166.45
Windsor Pad & Paper Co., paper
20.03
Henry S. Wolkins Co., gereral supplies
20.10
World Book Co., tests
21.02
1,174.65
Janitors
Henry Hyde
$780.00
Charles Lapine
1,299.96
$2,079.96
Fuel
Walter H. Clark, coal
$423.60
E. F. Peck Wood & Coal Co., coal
44.00
Springfield Coal Co., coal
36.60
$504.20
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
Carlisle Hardware Co., Dustbane, in- cinerator, windex, glass $22.17
Central Massachusetts Electric Co., light and power 211.76
Community Feed Stores, Inc., wrenches, hammers
1.94
C. B. Dolge Co., floor seal, cleaner
129.00
David K. Farrelly, disinfectant
3.60
LaMaison Products, Inc., Penetone
8.50
New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., telephone service 146.40
Papercrafters, Inc., towels
14.50
City of Springfield, water
28.38
State Prison Colony, brushes
13.11
Thacker-Craig Paper Co., towels and cabinets
76.85
Town of Wilbraham, water
28.00
$684.21
66
Repairs
Division of the Blind, repairing and tun- ing piano $7.00
Carlisle Hardware Co., switch, plug, cord, paint, etc. 17.49
Carter Paper Co., wax
48.00
Chamberlain Metal Weather Strip Co., weatherstripping 226.00
Commissioner of Public Safety, boiler inspection 5.00
Community Feed Stores, Inc., paint 6.50
Construction Service Corporation, sand
2.40
F. J. Cummings, paint, enamel, etc.
30.06
The Cutler Co., cement 15.75
Day Lumber Co., flooring materials
662.02
C. B. Dolge Co., Dolcovar
114.00
Jerry Donohue, trucking, helper
12.30
Forbes & Wallace, blanket, rug, case
5.64
Ralph B. Grout, repairs on radio
6.50
Gordon T. Hay, belts for sander
7.20
Henry Hyde, painting
3.50
Joseph Ladue, labor
126.60
Edmond Lapine, labor
325.50
Charles Lapine, mileage on car
87.50
Leo W. Meunier, registers, pipe
18.18
Morrissey Bros. Co., paint, brushes
25.86
Palmer Electric Co., installing clock
6.06
Porter-Cable Machine Co., belts for sander
8.84
Reformatory for Women, schoolhouse flags
13.95
George W. Robbins & Sons Co., lumber
11.61
Sherwin-Williams Co., wax
31.00
Vernon Simmington, labor
323.70
James S. Stephens, window shades
43.00
True Brothers, clock 7.50
Valentine Lumber and Supply Co., win- dows, frames, etc. 392.67
Victor Animatograph Co., repairs on pro- jector 15.27
$2,606.60
67
Health
Mrs. George A. Clark, services $8.75
A. L. Damon, M. D., school physician 328.00
Federal Pharmacy, supplies 17.22
Burr F. Jones, paid for lenses for eye testing 1.22
Mrs. Lauretta McInnis, services 7.00
Signe L. Polson, salary, postage, telephone 755.90
$1,118.09
Elementary School Transportation
Adelbert J. Brooks, contract
$243.00
Mrs. Mildred Brooks, contract
164.25
Leon A. Jewell, contract
60.75
Town of Ludlow
53.85
George W. Motyka, contract
1,489.20
Bernard L. Rochford, contract
225.00
Nicholas J. Samble, contract
740.00
$2,976.05
High and Trade School Transportation
Interstate Busses Corporation, tickets
$9.00
Town of Ludlow 20.40
George W. Motyka, contract
4,453.60
Mrs. Elsie M. Samble, contract
260.00
Springfield Street Railway Co., tickets
164.00
John Tupper
20.00
$4,927.00
High School Tuition
Town of Ludlow
$57.24
Town of Palmer
620.00
City of Springfield
15,296.90
$15,974.14
Elementary School Tuition
Town of Ludlow
133.64
Continuation School Tuition
City of Springfield
21.60
Trade School Tuition
City of Springfield 8,715.80
68
Miscellaneous Auxiliary Expenses
Emily Cormier, lettering certificates, ribbon $5.00
Forbes & Wallace, kettle, towels, dish cloths 2.47
Mrs. Millicent G. Green, dish pan, soap shaker, drainer 1.00
William F. Logan, insurance 22.33
Mrs. Agnes I. Simmington, postage, grad- uation supplies, etc. 15.24
Whitehead & Hoag Co., badges . 5.66
$51.70
New Equipment
Edward L. Canter, Inc., floor machine
$148.25
Irving A. Clark, sound projector 117.86
Weidenmiller & Magovern, power mower 108.00
374.11
Total expenditures for school support
$60.342.74
Americanization Class
American Education Press, news sheets
$3.20
Mrs. Esther Goggin, teacher 150.00
D. C. Heath & Co., books
14.14
Mrs. Lucy B. Kerr, teacher
200.00
Josephine D. Mason, supervisor
5.00
Wilcox and Follett, dictionary
1.07
$373.41
Improvement to Pines School Grounds
American Tar Company
$102.17
Walter Clark
4.50
Constructions Service Corporation, sand
2.00
William Ernst
8.00
B. M. Lynch
8.00
William North
10.00
Fred Phelps
15.00
John Piscor
30.00
Tools and Machinery Account
4.00
$183.67
69
Appropriations Needed for 1941
General Expenses
School Committee
$150.00
Superintendent's Salary
1,711.11
Expenses of Superintendence
970.00
Expenses of Instruction
Supervisors and Teachers
16,050.00
Textbooks
525.00
Supplies
800.00
Expenses of Operation
Janitors
2,080.00
Fuel
1,200.00
Miscellaneous
650.00
Maintenance
Repairs and Replacements
1,000.00
Auxiliary Agencies
Health
1,150.00
Transportation
8,950.00
Tuition
26,940.40
Miscellaneous
23.49
Total for support of schools, transporta- tation, and trade school tuition
$62,200.00
Americanization Class
325.00
Improvement to Pines School Grounds 200.00
Estimate of Credits on Account of Education for 1941
General School Fund Law, Part I $2,412.00
Superintendent's salary reimbursement 859.25
Vocational Education 4,625.06
Tuition, State Wards
150.00
Total $8,046.31
Respectfully submitted, H. W. CUTLER, Chairman, MRS. MARY S. MERRICK, HORACE J. RICE.
70
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Wilbraham:
It is with pleasure that I submit below my fourth annual report.
Changes in the Teaching Staff
At the close of the last school year Mrs. Ruth G. Sullivan, teacher of grades 3 and 4 at North Wilbraham, retired from teaching to devote full time to her home duties. Mrs. Sullivan was graduated from North Adams Normal School and com- pleted eleven years of teaching in the Wilbraham schools, having taught for several years at The Pines before coming to North Wilbraham. Mrs. Sullivan was a capable teacher and brought to her task special talent as a pianist. Her resignation was accepted with regret.
The position vacated by Mrs. Sullivan was filled by the election of Mrs. Clara W. Strasburg, formerly a resident of Wilbraham and now of Springfield. Mrs. Strasburg had pre- viously served very acceptably as substitute for Mrs. Sullivan for a considerable period of time. Mrs. Strasburg is a graduate of the New Britain State Teachers College and has had six years of teaching experience in the primary grades of Middle- town, Connecticut.
In August the school committee accepted with regret the resignation of Mrs. Esther Johnson, teacher at The Pines school, who retired from school work to give full time to her family. From 1929 to 1937 Mrs. Johnson taught grades 4, 5, and 6 at the Springfield Street school. Since 1937 she has taught in the middle and upper grades at The Pines school and for two years was departmental instructor in elementary science in grades 5 to 8. Mrs. Johnson was graduated from Westfield Normal School in 1927 and had taught in Becket. Massachusetts, before coming to Wilbraham. In 1938 to 1939 she was president of the Wilhameadow Teachers' Association, the professional organization of the teachers in Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, and Hampden. Mrs. Johnson was a very efficient member of our staff.
Miss Judith V. Carlson of Springfield was elected to the position vacated by Mrs. Johnson. Miss Carlson was grad-
71
uated from Classical High School, Springfield, in 1935, Bridge- water Teachers' College in 1939, and Springfield College with Master's Degree in 1940. At both Bridgewater and Springfield College Miss Carlson achieved honor standing.
School Enrolment Trends
A study of our school reports over a period of year sshows that the elementary membership reached its peak in 1925, when there was a total membership of 516 pupils. Since that time Wilbraham has experienced a decline in its elementary school population even more drastic than the decline for the Commonwealth as a whole. It should be said, however, that Wilbraham's experience in this matter has not been different from that of numerous other communities that could be men- tioned. Table I in the statistical section of this report shows that the numbers attending the elementary schools in 1927 and 1932 were identical, namely 460. After 1932 there was a steady decline to 1938, when the attendance reached a low of 278 pupils. In 1939 there was practically no change, the number being 279. Last year we had a slight increase to 285. From these figures it seems possible that we may have passed the low point of the decline in the elementary school membership.
In contrast to the trend of the elementary school mem- bership during recent years, the secondary school enrolment has shown a striking increase. In 1925 when the elementary school enrolment reached its peak, Wilbraham was sending only 80 pupils to the high and trade schools, the ratio of high and trade school pupils to elementary pupils at that time being 1 to 6.45. From 1925 to 1938 the numbers of secondary school pupils increased during eleven of the thirteen years. In 1938 when the elementary school enrolment had reached its lowest point thus far, the secondary school membership reached its highest point, namely 193, and the ratio of secondary school pupils to elementary school pupils in Wilbraham was 1 to 1.4. In 1939 the enrolment of secondary school pupils was 191, and this year it has fallen to 174. It seems possible that just as Wilbraham may have passed the low point in its elementary school enrolment, it has also, for a number of years at least, passed the high point in its secondary school enrolment.
72
Education and the Defense Program
Fast moving events abroad and in this country have caused the schools to raise the question "In what way should the work of the schools of America be modified in the face of the national emergency?" School officers and teachers have been giving much thought to this question. In Wilbraham our local res- ponsibility is that of wisely directing the elementary schools. The responsibility for directing the education of our secondary school pupils rests elsewhere.
The attention of our teachers has been drawn to the following suggestions bearing upon this general subject:
(1) That we should give our best efforts to doing well the work regularly expected of the elementary schools, namely the laying of strong foundations for useful and happy living in a dem- ocratic society. This is a concern of all teachers in every elementary school.
(2) That certain objectives of the elementary school program should receive special emphasis, namely:
(a) That special effort be made to develop in our children a clear understanding of how the American way of living differs from life under a dictatorship in order that our children may gain an increasing appreciation of those principles that America has stood for down through the years and that we in America are now preparing to defend. This also is a concern of all teachers as all schools should be communities where democratic attitudes and ideals are so fostered and inculcated in their members that democratic methods and practices are used, appreciated, and enjoyed to an ever increasing degree.
(b) That special effort be made to help our children develop sound bodies in order that their contributions to the country's defense and general welfare, whatever such con- tributions may be, shall be made as effectively as possible. This also is a concern of all classroom teachers as they have a general oversight of the pupil's environment and health status while in school. It is perhaps unnecessary to say that this objective is a special responsibility of the school physician, schocl nurse, school dentist, physical education instructors, and Well-Child Conference Staff.
73
(c) That a love of country be especially encouraged through music, art, literature, and the social studies. Mrs. Tower, supervisor of art, is employing very effectively the patriotic motive in the creative art work throughout the schools. Looking toward the fulfillment of other of these aims, special committees of teachers have been appointed as follows :
1. Committee on Patriotic Music. Leonora Dougan, chairman, Florence Blish. Gertrude K. Holland, Jennie B. Johnson, and Bessie E. Smith.
2. Committee on Patriotic Literature. Marion E. Kelley, chairman, Mildred P. Daniels, Helen C. Flynn, Minnie M. Sanderson.
The committee on patriotic music has suggested a graded list of patriotic songs to be memorized by the pupils and a supplementary list of such songs for use in school exercises. -
This report has been presented to the school committee and adopted.
It is believed that such emphases as are suggested above will yield desirable results under any circumstances and partic- ularly worthwhile results under the circumstances now con- fronting us as a people. If we are to be successful in this pro- gram of "total defense," all Americans, children as well as adults, should feel that they have contributions to make and should know what those contributions are to be. Our efforts should grow out of understanding and appreciation. There should be a willingness to make sacrifices as well as an assur- ance that the cause is just and will ultimately succeed. The schools of America are rightly regarded as a major line of defense.
Enrichment of School Experience
A number of measures have been taken during the past year that tend to enrich and extend the school experience of children. Among these measures are the work that has been done in audio-visual education, elementary science, physical education at The Pines, concerts by the W. P. A. bands and orchestra, and the provision of up-to-date reference materials.
(1) Audio-Visual Education.
During the early part of the year the school department procured the loan of a silent motion picture machine by means
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of which eight films were shown pupils in all schools. These films set forth in a vivid fashion such matters as animal life, how flowers grow, safety measures, child life in Africa, in Arctic regions, and in Holland, industrial development of Manchu- kuo, and the new Turkey. A representative of the Registry of Motor Vehicles showed a film on Safety Education, and Mr. Irving Clark of Wilbraham showed a travel film of Africa and another film representing the various methods of gathering and distributing news throughout the world.
Through the cooperation of the parent-teacher associations and the school committee the schools are now equipped with a sound motion-picture projector. The Wilbraham Parent- Teacher Association contributed $75 to this purpose and with the cooperation of the school pupils and Mr. Irving Clark raised enough money in addition to provide a motion picture screen for the Springfield Street school. The North Wilbraham Parent-Teacher Association also contributed $75 toward the projector and purchased a screen for that school. The Pines teachers contributed $25 from funds belonging to the school and also bought a large screen for the assembly hall there. The school committee contributed $117.86 from the interest of the Deacon Warriner and School Lot funds. A purchasing committee consisting of Mr. Wesley Holdridge of North Wil- braham, Mr. Bert Gowell of Wilbraham, and the superinten- dent of schools cooperated with the teachers in investigating the merits of the most commonly used projectors and made a choice.
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