Wilbraham annual report 1951-1955, Part 49

Author: Wilbraham (Mass.)
Publication date: 1951
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 634


USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1951-1955 > Part 49


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BUDGET ESTIMATE, 1956


General Expenses


Expense of School Committee


$ 100.00


Superintendent's Salary


7,250.00


Expense of Superintendence (to include out-of-state travel) 5,373.00


Expense of Instruction


Supervisors' Salaries


17,546.00


Principal's Salary


4,950.00


Expense of Principalship


3,802.00


Teachers' Salaries


139,907.00


Textbooks


5,095.00


Supplies


8,595.00


Expense of Operation


Custodians' Salaries


17,771.00


Fuel


8,130.00


Miscellaneous


9,366.00


Maintenance


Repairs and Replacements


4,179.00


Auxiliary Agencies Health


4,275.00


Transportation


46,614.00


Tuition


74,237.00


Miscellaneous Auxiliary


3,550.00


Outlay


New Equipment


700.00


$361,440.00


Community Program


$4,000.00


Contingency for Opening New School


$2,900.00


1956 ESTIMATES OF CREDITS ON ACCOUNT OF EDUCATION


Chapter 71, Section 7A, Transportation


$25,000.00


Chapter 643


60,000.00


Vocational


3,000.00


Tuition for State Wards


600.00


$88,600.00


The primary duties and responsibilities of the Wilbraham School Committee are the continued development and improvement of the educational opportunities offered the children of this community. Faced by rising costs, expanding enrollment, a teacher shortage, and lack of classroom space, your committee has difficulty in maintaining


34 A


SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT (Continued) 1956 Est. of Credit on Acct. of Education (Continued)


the basic instructional program. Let us face the fact that good schools cost money to build and to operate, but no better investment of individual or community funds can be made than in the education of your children. It is the most important factor in the future existence of this nation as a free democracy that it be the best educated nation in the world to forestall another war; and, if war comes, to win it. An unusually high percentage of Wilbraham's chil- dren have the native intelligence and the family finances to attend college. Unless your schools, from the first grade through high school, are of the highest standards, college entrance is difficult and successful college work is most doubtful. Competition for college entrance will be increasingly difficult in the years ahead. Equal or better facilities than other communities must be provided if our chil- dren are to be accepted by our colleges. Double sessions or over- crowded classrooms of forty or more pupils may appear reasonable to some people as a makeshift or temporary arrangement. It should be remembered that those children thus handicapped in their early educational training will continue to be at a disadvantage as they compete for college admission and employment. As parents and taxpayers, it is your responsibility to rectify this situation by pro- viding the necessary classrooms, facilities, teachers, and financial support.


A succession of inexperienced teachers can hardly produce the best results, even if classes are held to a workable size. Every effort must be made not only to attract interested, qualified teachers, but to hold these teachers in this community so that the students will benefit by the experience they gain here. In-service courses, pro- fessional advice and leadership, combined with classroom supervision, methods demonstrations, and necessary materials and equipment, will assure a rapid adjustment of beginning teachers, improve the present teaching staff, and most important of all, provide a better education for the children. At present, too much of the teachers' day is spent on non-teaching duties. Counting and rolling cafeteria money, making reports, checking notices, duplicating class materials, and answering telephone calls require many hours a month that could better be employed in working with the children. With our present salary schedule, it is poor economy to occupy teachers with non- teaching duties. These duties will be better carried out by less costly and more qualified personnel.


As the number of pupils and classrooms continues to increase in the Wilbraham schools, there is an equal increase in the requirements of the art, music, and physical education programs. If the pupils are to receive the quality of training and instruction traditional with the Wilbraham schools, additional personnel must be provided. No longer can one person, no matter how well trained and experienced, correctly teach all the pupils in this town in each of these subjects. In the interests of financial economy, this instruction could be re- duced to the minimum required by law, but your children would not receive the instruction which has been previously provided. The law of the Commonwealth now requires any community with five or more retarded pupils to establish a special class for their instruction. At the present time, Wilbraham has more than the required number of children as determined by the standards of the Department of Edu- cation. To meet the requirements of this law and to improve the educational opportunity for these children, your committee will estab- lish a special class in September, 1956.


The 1956 budget request for $361,440.00 is an increase of $71,734.00 over the 1955 budget. This increase is caused by expanding enroll- ment, additional teachers, a higher salary schedule both in starting


35 A


SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT (Continued) 1956 Est. of Credit on Acct. of Education (Continued)


salaries and increases to the present staff, additional classroom space to heat and maintain, and a major repair item in a new roof and classroom lights at the Springfield Street School. This increase is partly offset by the additional reimbursements that will come from the Commonwealth.


The enrollment table below shows the continued growth of the community. With 144 pupils in grades 10-12, 987 in grades 1-9, and 729 pre-school children, the years of greatest enrollment are still ahead.


ENROLLMENT FIGURES 1949-1957


Year


Grades 1-6


Grades 7-9


Grades 10-12


Total Grades 1-12


(Enrollment Figures)


1949


311


92


90


493


1950


367


89


93


549


1951


449


104


103


656


1952


523


132


93


748


1953


612


167


99


878


1954


679


225


115


1019


1955


723


264


144


1131


(Census Figures)


1956*


773


279


196


1248


1957*


806


296


234


1336


* No allowance made for move-ins


Each year, as of October 1st, a school census is taken. The purpose of the census is to determine the number of children between the ages of seven and sixteen residing within the community, and is the basis for the distribution of funds as an aid to education. At the same time a count is made of all pre-school children to determine the size of entering classes and make possible orderly planning for classrooms, teachers, textbooks, and supplies.


The October 1, 1955 census follows. You will note that the pupil count by birth years shows a remarkable increase over those regis- tered in 1954, 1953, and 1952. The continued high percentage of families moving into this community with pre-school and school age children has made the previously satisfactory method of school plan- ning by counting births no longer accurate as a guide. Each year the entering first grades are larger than any figures indicate and the number of move-ins into grades already in school has been very high.


COMPARISON FIGURES ON 1955, 1954, 1953, 1952 CENSUS


Year to Enter School


October 1, 1955


October 1, 1954


October 1, 1953


October 1, 1952


1955


131


120


118


112


1956


143


128


111


111


1957


136


128


113


95


1958


114


104


103


95a


1959


134


117


74a


1960


139


91a


1961


63a


a. 9/12 of the year recorded.


Based on actual enrollment figures and the October 1st census, the following tables show the expected future enrollment and the number of classrooms needed to carry on the educational program. No allowance has been made for move-ins.


36 A


SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT (Continued) 1956 Est. of Credit on Acct. of Education (Continued)


1


2


3


4


5


6


Total


7


8


9


Total


9


10


11


12


PG


Total


Grand Total


September of 1955


131


135


145


116


103


93


723


100


86


78


264


1 69


48


25


1


144


1131


September of 1956


143


131


135


145


116


103


773


93


100


86


279


79


69


48


196


1248


September of 1957


136


143


131


135


145


116


806


103


93


100


296


86


79


69


234


1336


September of 1958


114


136


143


131


135


145


804


116


103


93


312


100


86


79


265


1381


September of 1959


134


114


136


143


131


135


793


145


116


103


364


93


100


86


279


1436


September of 1960


139


134


114


136


143


131


797


135


145


116


396


103


93


100


296


1489


Rooms available :


Rooms needed : Year


Needed


Available


Shortage


Springfield Street School


3


September, 1955


34


31


3


The Pines School


6


September, 1956


38


31*


7*


Memorial School


22


September, 1957


40


39


1


31


September, 1958


42


39


3


September, 1959


44


39


5


Stony Hill Road School, 8 rooms under construction, started December, 1955.


September, 1960


46


39


7


September, 1961


47


39


8


* This shortage will be eliminated if the elementary school on Stony Hill Road is completed by September 1, 1956.


37 A


SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT (Continued) 1956 Est. of Credit on Acct. of Education (Continued)


At present, it appears that the new school will not be ready for occupancy in September, 1956. If this happens there will be an actual shortage of seven rooms. In order for Wilbraham pupils to attend school, a double session program, using seven classrooms and involving 14 classes of pupils must be organized unless the necessary rooms can be located within the community. In 1955, with a shortage of three rooms, the cafeteria, stage, teachers' room, and hallways were used. Forty pupils were placed in some rooms with a helping teacher. This has not provided a satisfactory educational program. An attempt was made last year to place some of the overload in nearby towns on a tuition basis; however, these towns, faced with the same overcrowded conditions, did not have facilities to take our children.


Again this year, notice has been received that Springfield's tuition rate for high school pupils will be increased. Based on the new tuition rate, the 1960 cost to the Town of Wilbraham will be approx- imately $136,500.00. The fact that this tuition rate is steadily in- creasing, the strong possibility that the City of Springfield will be unable to take our tuition pupils in a few years, (The Committee has already been notified that the Town of Palmer can no longer accept tuition pupils.) and the knowledge that the number of high school pupils will continue to increase, caused this committee to establish a study group to conduct a Community Conference on Janu- ary 31, 1956. This conference is in line with President Eisenhower's educational program as endorsed by Governor Herter which urges all communities to hold such conferences on the educational problems. The members of this group, representatives of seventeen civic organ- izations in the community, were divided into four teams to gather information and prepare reports for the Community Conference. Its purpose is to present to the voters of this community recommenda- tions for the solution of Wilbraham's high school problem. Each team was assigned a specific area of study so that the final report would be factual and complete. The four basic areas of study are enrollment, curriculum, a local high school, and a regional high school. Since the answer to the high school needs as determined by the voters of this community will, in a large manner, influence the solution of our elementary space needs, the study has been confined to the high school. The study groups have visited nearby local and regional high schools, and have met with regional study groups from East Long- meadow and Hampden. The School Committee is very appreciative of the way the members of the study groups have worked to gather information needed and in giving their time in analyzing and pre- senting it to the community. It is this awareness of civic responsi- bilities which will assure our children of good educational oppor- tunities.


With the opening of school in September, 1956, a new schedule of school hours and transportation routes will go into effect. It will eliminate the present inequality where some elementary pupils are arriving at school thirty-five minutes before school starts and do not leave school until thirty-five minutes after classes are dismissed. Some first grade pupils spend an eight and one-half hour day away from home though only six hours are spent in the classroom.


After evaluating the costs and available state-aid of the transpor- tation program, the School Committee will continue its present policy of requesting additional sidewalks in all the areas where pupils may walk safely to school. This is one budget item where the operating costs can be reduced without adversely affecting the educational program.


38 A


SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT (Continued) 1956 Est. of Credit on Acct. of Education (Continued)


During the summer months, the projection room on the second floor of the Memorial School was converted into a combined business office, committee meeting room, conference room, and Superintendent's office. This space, previously used for storage of minor supplies, now provides adequate space for the necessary records and adminis- trative and policy meetings required to efficiently plan and operate the schools.


The members of the Wilbraham School Committee wish to express their personal and official appreciation to all members of the staff for the excellent work being accomplished with the pupils of Wilbra- ham. With your continued effort and the support of the citizens of this community, our schools will continue to show improvement and development. We realize that overcrowded conditions make teaching and administrative work most difficult and we appreciate your willing cooperation and patience.


MARSHALL E. ROPER, Chairman


LOUISE D. SCHATZ


DORRANCE T. GREEN


Members of the Wilbraham School Committee


Report of the Superintendent of Schools


(By vote of the Wilbraham School Committee, the report of the Superintendent of Schools has been adopted as part of the Wilbraham School Committee's report.)


To the School Committee of the Town of Wilbraham:


As Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Wilbraham, I sub- mit my fourth annual report.


Changes in school personnel not shown on the chart on the follow- ing page are as follows:


Mr. Frank Ballas, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


Miss Marguerite Meehan, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


Miss Phyllis Parsons, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


Miss Janet Smith, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


Mrs. Mary E. Travis, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


Miss Maxine J. Westfall, teacher, resigned, June 30, 1955


ENROLLMENT


The enrollment of pupils by grades as of October 1, 1955 is shown below.


Grade


1


2


3


4


5


6


7


8


9 Total


Spfld. St.


25


27


31


83


Pines


28


30


33


32


33


29


185


Memorial


78


78


81


84


70


64 100


86


78


719


39 A


PERSONS EMPLOYED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS


Name


Position


Year Appointed


Education and Professional Training


Office


Irving H. Agard Christine Clark


Superintendent


1950


Secretary


1950


B.A., M.Ed., Lafayette, Fitchburg Ac.S., B.S., Bay Path, A. I. C.


Springfield Street School Millicent G. Green


Principal, Grade 3


1938


North Adams


Myra D. Stetson


Grade 2


1954


Salem Normal


Merilis M. Scott


Grade 1


1953


B.S., Fitchburg, Springfield


Henry Hyde


Custodian


1954


The Pines School


Principal, Grade 6


1953


B.S., Tufts


Helen S. Strauss


Grade 5


1930


B.S., M.S., Columbia, Springfield


Ruth G. Backus


Grade 4


1953


Framingham


Esther L. Johnson


Grade 3


1949


Mary E. Johnston


Grade 2


1950


Ruth Lesser


Grade 1


1954


William E. Tupper


Custodian


1950


Memorial School


Principal


1954


B.S., M.Ed., Rhode Island State


Evelyn E. Nowak


Secretary


1954


High School of Commerce


Marilyn E. Stone


Junior High


1952


B.A., M.A., Smith, Columbia


Helen A. Walinski


Junior High


1953


B.A., College of Our Lady of the Elms


Alan J. Rubin


Junior High


1955


B.A., M.A., A. I. C.


Clinton Hanscom


Junior High


1954


B.A., M.A., A. I. C.


Robert P. Garvey


Junior High


1955


B.A., St. Anselm's


Eleanor P. Wolfson


Junior High


1955


B.A., A. I. C.


A. Louise Bradley


Junior High


1952


B.A., M.A., A. I. C.


Edward L. Germain


Junior High


1954


B.A., A. I. C.


Julia Rosenbeck


Junior High


1954


Framingham State Teachers' College


Norma P. Dunphy


Junior High


1955


B.A., Tufts


Jane S. McMahon


Grade 6


1953


B.S., Bridgewater


Richard J. Curry


Grade 6


1954


· B.A., M.A., A. I. C.


Audrey L. Church


Grade 5


1954


B.A., St. Xavier


Gina Impoco


Grade 5


1954


B.A., M.Ed., A. I. C., Springfield


·Westfield State Teachers' Westfield State Teachers' B.A., A. I. C.


Lincoln A. Dexter


Worcester State Teachers'


Robert D. Bengle


40 A


41 A


Pearl R. Adams


Grade 4


1955


New Paltz Normal School


Mary Moody


Grade 4


1955


Fitchburg State Teachers'


Alice Foley


Grade 4


1955


Westfield State Teachers'


Marguerite G. Brady


Grade 3


1942


Perry Normal


Annamae Martin


Grade 3


1954


B.A., College of St. Rose


Marion L. Holland


Grade 2


1922


Frances A. Ward


Grade 2


1954


B.S., Worcester State Teachers'


Joanne S. Ewig


Grades 1, 2, 3


1955


Stella C. Mondoux


Grade 1


1954


Clara B. Merrill


Grade 1


1944


Madeline L. Harrington


Grade 1


1952


John Polaczak


Custodian


1949


George Morrison


Custodian


1953


Andrew Rogerson


Custodian


1953


Supervisors


Helen B. Tower


Art


1921


Massachusetts Normal School of Art


Dwight D. Killam


Music


1955


B.Mus., Syracuse


Therese A. Bailey


Reading


1950


B.A., M.A., Westfield, A. I. C.


Richard P. Spencer


Physical Education


1953


B.A., University of Massachusetts


Health


Janet M. Horacek


Nurse


1954


R.N., Springfield Hospital


Arthur H. Goodwin


Physician


1947


M.D., Tufts


Irving P. Dinneen


Dentist


1929


D.M.D., Tufts


Hot Lunch Program


May Jenkins


Manager


1950


Marjorie Bartlett


Cook


1950


Mildred Cotter


Cook


1950


Rose Morin


Cook


1953


Winifred Bennett


Cook


1953


Pauline Harvey


Cook


1953


Isabella Rollins


Cook


1954


Julia Dougal


Cook


1952


Honorata Opalinski


Cook


1953


Transportation


Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Samble Mr. George W. Motyka


1930


1932


B.S., Skidmore


B.S., Westfield


Farmington State


B.S., M.S., University of Massachusetts


Springfield Teachers'


REPORT OF THE SUPT. OF SCHOOLS (Continued)


HEALTH


The following is a summary of the health report submitted by the school nurse.


December 1, 1954 - December 1, 1955


Physical Examinations


219


Parents Present


53


Notices Sent for Physical Defects Noted


8


Dental Examinations


932


Dental Notices Sent


476


Dental Repair


11


Weight and Height


981


Vaccinations Scars Checked


980


Notices Sent for No Vaccination


2


Audiometer Tests


448


Hearing Notices Sent


12


Visual Acuity


941


Notices Sent


67


Examined by Family Eye Specialist


57


Fitted with Glasses


33


Pre-School Vaccinations


29


Children Sent to the Child Guidance Clinic


2


Children Sent to the Springfield Hospital Clinic


1


Children Sent to Camp Frederic Edwards


4


Home Calls and Children Taken Home


213


Contagious Diseases


72


Head Examinations


1484


Notices Sent


26


Polio Vaccine (1st Injection only)


181


Mrs. Janet Horacek continues to look after the health of the school children. Her program of classroom and home visits has aided greatly in the advancement of good health practices. She and Dr. Goodwin share the credit for the excellence of the school health record. Additional duties were assumed by them last year when 181 children received their first injection of the polio vaccine.


HOT LUNCH PROGRAM


The pupil participation in the school lunch program continues at a high level. A comparison of the figures in the table below indi- cates the continued growth.


1952


1953


1954


1955


Class A, Hot Lunches


full meal, milk, dessert


73,480


85,976


97,785


117,452


Additional servings of milk


12,202


17,976


25,483


111,045


Claims received, U.S.D.A. $ 6,845.58 $ 8,005.08 $ 9,967.07 $13,713.35 Cash received for lunches


15,302.91


18,060.60


20,894.29


24,616.49


Salaries to Lunchroom


Personnel


5,227.50


6,195.50


8,552.00


8,890.50


Payments for Food and


Supplies


14,412.89


19,044.16


21,357.89


25,589.98


In September, the price of lunches for the junior high school pupils was increased to $0.25 per day in order to provide a larger meal for the older children. The large increase in the servings of milk is the result of the special federal program that makes milk available at $0.02 for 1/2 pint carton. For the first time, the cafeteria workers have been placed on a weekly basis for pay, rather than on an hourly rate. The costs have more than been offset by the increased productivity resulting from steady employment. The com-


42 A


REPORT OF THE SUPT. OF SCHOOLS (Continued)


plete program continues to operate on a self-supporting basis without aid of local funds.


The full responsibility for this fine program belongs to Mrs. May Jenkins and her staff. Since the first meal was served in 1950, Mrs. Jenkins has been manager. The Memorial School cafeteria was in operation during the August flood and served meals to evacuated people, indicating the possibilities of a major feeding station if another disaster should strike.


The lunch program has been operating under difficulty because of crowded conditions. With the opening of the new school on Stony Hill Road, facilities will be available to prepare lunches for The Pines and Springfield Street Schools, thus freeing the Memorial School kitchen from the overload problem.


PUBLIC LAW 874


Again, this year, the Wilbraham schools qualified for federal funds under Public Law 874 for aid in operating costs. These funds are directly available for expenditure by the School Committee. In this area, the Armory and Westover Air Base are the main federal places of employment. Their cutting back policies indicate that the Town of Wilbraham will no longer meet the requirements to receive aid. At least 3 per cent of the total of pupils enrolled must have a parent employed in a non-service federal establishment to qualify for reim- bursement. In 1954, $3,939.70 was received and carried forward into 1955 for emergency use. In 1955, $3,869.11 was received. $3,536.86 has been expended for textbooks and supplies, leaving a balance of $4,271.95 which will be carried into 1956 as an emergency account.


Continuing with the repair policy established by the School Com- mittee - one of the planned, yearly upkeep and maintenance to prevent major repairs - the exterior of the Memorial School was painted by contract, three classrooms were painted with custodial labor, and minor repairs were made throughout the school plants to keep them in their generally good condition. One of the storage closets in the auditorium was converted into a dual library and physical education storage room and another into storage space for audio-visual equipment.


The community use of the school buildings has increased over last year. Throughout the winter months, local organizations have sched- uled regular meetings in the two auditoriums. A revised schedule of rentals has placed these activities on a more self-supporting basis.


The full potential of the educational program has not been realized this year because of the overcrowded classes and lack of necessary facilities. Regular classes have been held on the stage and in the cafeteria. Elementary grades of 40 pupils were slightly relieved by assigning an additional teacher to help with the instruction. While this has helped, conditions are not such as to get the best results. Large classes do not allow for individual help, and the confusion inherent in make-shift arrangements makes strong discipline difficult to maintain.


One of the most serious aspects of the situation is the inability of providing a satisfactory challenge to the superior pupils. With a large group, the program is geared to the medium or average ability, with little opportunity to provide the enriching and stimulating situ- ations necessary for stronger pupils. One of the greatest oppor- tunities facing a school system is more efficient use of present facilities and equipment. With over-loaded classes and pupils failing to show the desired gain, empty classrooms in the summer months invites a possible solution. This past summer, the Wilbraham School System had a six-week summer school, designed to give concentrated assistance to pupils having difficulty in the elementary grades. Since the classrooms, textbooks, and materials were available, the only


43 A


REPORT OF THE SUPT. OF SCHOOLS (Continued)


cost to the community was the teachers' salaries. One hundred and twenty pupils attended the school and each showed excellent individual progress. Several were able to make up a grade deficiency. The greater number of pupils succeeded in learning parts of the work missed through absence or lack of individual attention. It is planned to offer a similar program in 1956. Only after the results of several years of regular classroom progress has been studied and evaluated, will it be possible to determine whether or not a summer school pro- gram is of long term value to the community.


After seeing the excellent results of the Opportunity School for a one year period, a corresponding program for the gifted and advanced pupil seems to suggest itself. It would give these children the correct motivation and encouragement with the opportunity to in- crease their normal abilities.


The educational policies of the past three years have been continued. In the elementary grades, the major emphasis is on the mastery of the basic skills. Continued studies show that a high percentage of junior and senior high school failures are the result of weaknesses in the basic study skills. The use of phonics in all elementary grades, stressing the arithmetic program, insisting on good handwriting, daily spelling drills, all combined with practical discipline is develop- ing a better prepared pupil. The transition from the elementary program with its single homeroom teacher to the departmentalized junior high schedule has been difficult for some pupils to make. The first introduction to independent study and thinking and daily home- work assignments have shown a need for better reading skills. To meet this deficiency, a reading program with the purpose of increas- ing reading speed and, more important, comprehension has been added to the seventh grade program.




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