Wilbraham annual report 1932-1940, Part 41

Author: Wilbraham (Mass.)
Publication date: 1932
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 956


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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