USA > Maine > Oxford County > Brownfield > Annual report of the municipal officers of the town of Brownfield, Maine for the fiscal year ending 1940 > Part 3
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SUMMARY OF SCHOOL ACCOUNTS
Account
Resources
Expended
Balance
Over- drawn
Common school,
$ 6,945.88 $ 6,990.29
$ 44.41
High school,
2,461.30
2,452.57 $ 8.73
Textbook,
574.98
667.22
92.24
Repairs,
328.00
337.32
9.32
Lights,
59.97
48.68
11.29
$10,370.13
$10,496.08
$20.02 $145.97
Net overdraft, $125.95.
RECOMMENDATIONS
During 1939 the town received from the state equaliza- tion fund the sum of $1,159.00. This was considerably less than was received for 1938, with the result that the com- mon school and textbook accounts are overdrawn at this time. This overdraft is further caused or increased by the unforeseen and unexpected conveyance service for a family which moves into and out of the town about twice each year. Such an expense cannot be anticipated. If we knew just where families were to reside and how many children were to be involved, we could more nearly budget our conveyance expenditures. But this is impossible.
The rates of pay for all teachers are the same as for last year. In consideration of the fact that at the begin- ning of the present year we had a balance of $768.56 and now have none, in order to maintain our schools with the betterments now in effect, there should be appropriated for the common school account the sum of $4,565.00.
For the high school at present rates of pay, there should be appropriated $2,030.00. The increase is due to the fact that the fuel for high school purposes this year was paid for from the appropriation of 1938 and also because at the beginning of the year there was a balance on this account of $53.30.
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For the textbook account, from which all instructional material for all the schools is purchased, we recommend an appropriation of $400.00. This is an increase of $100.00 over the appropriation of last year, due to the fact that last year we had a considerable balance from the equal- zation fund.
The repairs contemplated are reviewed in the report of the Superintendent. It was thought that $100.00 would be sufficient this year for the ordinary upkeep and clean- ing of the four buildings now in use. The roof of the Bean building needs painting very badly, and the East Primary building should be repaired extensively inside. For these two projects special appropriations are recommended.
For electric service we recommend the usual amount, $45.00.
SUMMARY
Common school account,
$4,565.00
High school account,
2,030.00
Textbook account,
400.00
Repairs account,
100.00
Lights account,
45.00
$7,140.00
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES O. STICKNEY,
ESTHER W. BOYNTON,
FRANK L. MARSTON.
Committee.
CHARLES A. SNOW, Secretary.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee and Citizens of the Town of Brownfield :
I herewith submit my seventeenth annual report of the progress, condition and needs of the schools of the Town of Brownfield as required by statute.
The teachers employed at the beginning of the present school year, September 11, 1939, were as follows :
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
East Primary-Georgie F. Gatchell, Brownfield.
Center Primary-Doris L. Rowe, Brownfield.
Grammar - Principal, Ashley J. Webster, Castine. Assistant, Helen C. Stickney, Sebago.
West Brownfield-Jessie A. M. Whitten, Brownfield.
Supervisor of Art and Penmanship-Nellie C. Suzedell, Lawrence, Mass.
Supervisor of Music-Herbert A. D. Hurd, Fryeburg.
Bean Memorial High School - Principal, Maynard S. Howe, Brownfield. Assistant, Olive E. Seavey, Brown- field.
Miss Georgie F. Gatchell, for thirty-eight years a teacher in the public schools of Maine and New Hamp- shire but principally in Brownfield, resigned of her own accord at the close of the fall term. We are happy to take this opportunity to express, for a large portion of the citizens of Brownfield, both juvenile and older, a very deep gratitude to Miss Gatchell for her many years of faithful service. She was succeeded by Miss Barbara A. Heald of Belfast.
The advance and the improvements introduced in our schools last year through the agency of a grant from the equalization fund by the Commissioner of Education are
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being continued. Our elementary pupils now have the benefit of thirty-six weeks of school each year and have accordingly at least twenty-four weeks more of prepara- tion for high school work. The courses in Art, Penman- ship and Music, directed by special supervisors, is show- ing results. One cannot expect remarkable evidence of culture in such subjects in so short a time, however. We cannot too strongly urge that these departments be con- tinued to the end that our pupils have the advantage of contact with these fine arts.
New books, supplies and equipment have been pur- chased as needed but not in such quantity as last year.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
Considerable discussion is heard concerning the rates of pay of teachers. This is always a subject of public interest, for a teacher is always a subject of public dis- cussion. The fact that our four women elementary teach- ers receive an average salary of $648.00 per year, which is $131.75 below the class average for Maine in 1939, would not indicate that our teachers are being overpaid. Our one male elementary teacher receives less by $226.52 than the average for his class in this state. The pay of the principal of our high school is $130.72 below the average for male teachers in Maine high schools, and we pay our assistant in our high school $268.71 less per year than the average for such positions in the state.
A sub-primary grade has been organized and with the beginning of the next school year, all beginning pupils will enter such a grade. For most pupils this will mean nine years in the elementary schools. This conforms to an almost universal practice everywhere at the present time.
MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY
No repairs other than the usual upkeep work have been made. Since our last report, nothing has been done
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towards securing a source of water for use in the Center Primary building. The connections between the excellent fountain which the town had formerly established and the building have been severed. Plenty of water runs by, but not into the building. The water now being used there is that which is carried from the home of kindly neighbors of the school. A test of the water used in all the school buildings was recently made. All water was found safe and proper for human use.
The East Primary building is badly in need of renova- tion inside. This building is in the worst condition of any in this school union. The increased enrollment of very recent years make it imperative that the building be improved to more nearly acceptable standards for rural schoolhouses. A special appropriation is recommended for that purpose.
Likewise, a special appropriation is recommended for the purpose of painting the roof of the Bean building. This roof covering is rusting badly.
CONVEYANCE
Four conveyance routes are in operation. These routes cover a large territory. They extend to the Marston's Mill area, nearly to the Denmark line, nearly to the Porter line, and nearly to the New Hampshire line. There appears no probability of a reduction in this service at the present time. On one route we have a sliding scale of pay. When one family is in residence, we pay $12.00 per week. When this family is out of town, we pay $7.50 per week. We have no forewarning either way.
Complacency with things as they are has long been a feature of New England life. However, conditions are not s'atic and unchanging. To view with complacency the changing conditions of American life is to invite disaster. While our ancestors depended upon their famous and honest rugged individualism to sustain them in difficult
60
times, we can no longer do so. Whether we will or not. we belong to and are a part of the community. We can- not be complacent and unheeding concerning the trend of the times. That which was good enough in the old days can no longer be taken as the measure of today. We may not like to change our ways of thinking, but the issue is beyond our control. Competition in human affairs confronts us on every hand. It is to meet this competi- tion that we attempt to educate our youth. It is not a local or a state matter. Rather it is a national, or better. a world-wide condition which we have to meet. Now as never before we are called upon to sacrifice for our schools and for all of our social institutions to the end that the American way of life may prevail. This, we insist, is the way of Democracy, of equality before the law and the way of proper respect for the dignity of man.
Respectfully submitted. CHARLES A. SNOW.
Superintendent of Schools.
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TABULATIONS WINTER TERM, 1939
School
Teacher
Weeks
Salary Week
No. Reg.
Ave. Att.
East Primary
Georgie F. Gatchell,
14
$ 18.50
16
14.11
Center Primary
Doris L. Rowe,
14
18.50
24
21.74
Grammar, Prin.
Ashley J. Webster,
14
19.50
49
41.49
Grammar, Asst.
Helen C. Stickney,
14
17.50
West
Jessie A. M. Whitten,
14
17.50
10
8.47
High, Prin.
Maynard S. Howe,
14
40.28
26
22.81
High, Asst.
Olive E. Seavey,
24.44
Aggregate,
$156.22
125
108.62
Average per school,
$22.31
25
21.72
SPRING TERM, 1939
East Primary
Georgie F. Gatchell,
7
$ 18.50
16
15.11
Center Primary
Doris L. Rowe,
7
18.50
23
22.63
Grammar, Prin.
Ashley J. Webster,
19.50
46
41.33
Grammar, Asst.
Helen C. Stickney,
17.50
West
Jessie A. M. Whitten,
7 17.50
10
9.7
High, Prin.
Maynard S. Howe,
7
40.28
24
23.47
High, Asst.
Olive E. Seavey,
24.44
Aggregate,
$156.22
119
112.24
Average per school,
$22.31
23.8
22.45
FALL TERM, 1939
East Primary
Georgie F. Gatchell,
14
$ 18.50
25
22.21
Center Primary
Doris L. Rowe,
14
18.50
26
23.08
Grammar, Prin.
Ashley J. Webster,
14
19.50
46
42.26
Grammar, Asst.
Helen C. Stickney,
17.50
West
Tessie A. M. Whitten,
14
17.50
13
12.06
High, Prin.
Maynard S. Howe,
14
40.28
26
25.44
High, Asst.
Olive E. Seavey,
24.44
Aggregate,
$156.22
136
125.05
Average per school,
$22.31
27.2
25.01
Supervisor of Music, Herbert A. D. Hurd, $15.00 per week.
Supervisor of Art and Penmanship, Nellie C. Suzedell, $20.00 per week.
SCHOOL CENSUS
Persons in town April 1, 1939, from 5 to 21 years of age : Girls, 77; Boys, 105; Total, 182. Increase of 17 over 1938.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Fall term began September 11, 1939, closed December 15, 1939, First period winter term began January 1, 1940, closed Feb- ruary 16, 1940,
14 weeks
Second period winter term began February 26, 1940, closes April 12, 1940,
7
66
Spring term begins April 22, 1940, closes June 14, 1940,
8
36 weeks
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SCHOOL HOURS
8.30 A. M. to 11.30 A. M. 12.30 P. M. to 3.30 P. M. ENROLLMENT BY GRADES
Elementary
1939
1938
1937
Grade I,
15
14
16
Grade II,
13
15
Grade III,
20
8
Grade IV,
2-
8
13
Grade V,
10
19
14
Grade VI,
17
11
14
Grade VII,
11
12
11
Grade VIII,
12
12
10
105
99
92
High School
1939
1938
1937
Freshmen,
11
8
Sophomores,
9
2-
5
Juniors,
4
4
6
Seniors,
4
2
4
28
25
23
Total Enrollment
Elementary,
105
High school,
28
133, increase of 9 over 1938
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. SNOW, Superintendent of Schools.
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REPORT OF HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
February 1, 1940.
To the Superintendent of Schools, School Committee,
Parents and Citizens of the Town of Brownfield :
I am pleased to submit herewith my sixteenth annual report of Bean Memorial High School.
At the 29th Annual Commencement exercises held on June 9, 1939, the following members of the senior class received their diplomas and joined our constantly increas- ing ranks of alumni: Lawrence H. Boynton, Thelma E. (Burnell) Lowell, Edith R. Connick, Llewellyn A. Day, Noyce E. Eastman, Walter H. Harmon, and Donald A. York. At these exercises, chorus music by the school under the direction of Mr. H. A. D. Hurd added enjoy- ment to the program, and I am mentioning this because of the fact that this was the first time that such a feature has ever been a part of our high school commencement exercises.
On the week-end following graduation, the members of the graduating class and the faculty, with a few friends, enjoyed an auto trip through the White Mountains to Sherbrooke, Quebec, where we were present to enjoy the visit made to that city by King George and Queen Eliza- beth.
Later during the summer our Alumni Association en- joyed their second annual reunion, featuring the Casco Bay Lines boat trip to Orr's Island, where a picnic lunch on the rocks was enjoyed and the officers for the following year were elected.
Our high school opened on September 11, 1939, with a registration of 29 students, an increase of 5 over last year. Our present enrollment is 26. We were pleased to have Mr. Hurd and Miss Suzedell with us again this year for their respective supervision of music and art. Our school work has been progressing in a satisfactory manner, and we have enjoyed our usual extracurricular activities again this year. These have included the Curtis Voca-
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tional Training Week, Hallowe'en Social, Christmas Dinner and Tree, and, through the interest of Mrs. Alice Baker, a class in shorthand has been held after school hours one afternoon each week. We have again sponsored both girls' and boys' basketball this year, and are playing games in the Tri-Lake League and two outside schools, which class for a total of eleven games. Our appreciation is due Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Rowe for their continued interest and valued assistance, to Mr. Donald York of the Class of 1939 for his help in making it possible for us to have a boys' team, and to the good friends of the school who have so kindly helped us to solve our transportation problems. Thanks too are extended to the citizens of the town for their continued support at our basketball games.
Through the interest and kindness of Rev. Harold I. Merrill of the Western Maine Larger Parish, the state- approved course in Bible Study and Character Education was instituted at our high school this year. This class meets every Wednesday afternoon and is very popular with our students. In connection with this class, a Young People's Club has been organized for social activities, and they are now preparing three one-act plays which are to be presented in the near future.
The class in Home Science has been continued again this year, and during the winter term the young ladies in this class have been helping in making it possible to serve warm lunches in the grammar school under the direction of Mrs. Seavey and the faculty of the grammar school.
Plans are being made at the present time to conduct a Prize Speaking Contest during the early part of the spring term, and this will be followed by the traditional Senior Class Play.
Again a cordial invitation is extended for you to visit our school.
Respectfully submitted,
MAYNARD S. HOWE,
Principal.
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ART
The Art Project for this school year is based on the American Scene of our wonderful United States. Each teacher selects the section of the United States he wishes his pupils to study most. Through our Art we try to cypress every important aspect of the states, each school contributing separate units for the exhibit of school work in June. We are trying to have as complete a diorama of the states as will be possible with material, pupil activity, and time on hand. In this time of world stress, this project seems to be the most logical and, we hope, the most inspiring, in stimulating a keener interest in Art through our interpretive study of American life.
Our course in Art Appreciation is a comparative study of the old masters and the new of art, pictorial, sculptural, and architectural.
Great was the participation of American Art Week Fyhibit here held at Fryeburg Academy's Harvey Gibson (mnasium during the week of November 1, 1939. Favor- able comment was received on school talent. Tableaux of paintings by Eastman Johnson, Winslow Homer, and N. C. Wyeth were viewed at Curtis Hall.
The Thursday Afternoon Art Class has been formed. We study the art of water color.
In creating an American taste of beauty, we are revital- izing life.
Submitted by
NELLIE C. SUZEDELL.
PENMANSHIP
In training writers, our aim is to stimulate greater accuracy, fluency, and legibility, through a systematic series of exercises motivated by correlating current thought processes of our day in order to widen pupil per- spective and to more gracefully employ this key to culture as an effective means of communication with others.
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Individualism is encouraged - due consideration given to personal problems in all grades. We try to apply our appreciation of good writing to everyday work with a critical evaluation of all.
Submitted by
NELLIE C. SUZEDELL.
REPORT OF THE SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
To the Citizens of Brownfield, GREETINGS :
It is with pleasure that I present a report of the progress of the music department of the public schools of Brown- field.
The program of theory and practice is much the same as last year. Note reading was introduced in the third grades, rhythm and tone drill in all the grades. This year three-part singing has been presented in the grades at the high school building.
Monthly lessons in music appreciation have been given. The fall term was devoted to music of the Pilgrims, and the Christmas Carols. This was followed by lessons in the form and structure of music composition. The String Quartette and Orchestra have received careful attention and will be followed by the Opera and Oratorio. The purpose of music appreciation is to give the pupil an understanding of music in general, so that greater enjoy- ment may be gained both in participation and in listening.
In the high school a similar program of music appre- ciation has been carried out. Lectures have been given on the different subjects, and synopses written. A Girls' Glee Club has been formed, and two- and three-part music has been studied, with much better results than last year.
In closing, I wish to thank the Superintendent of Schools, the school board, the teachers, citizens, and pupils for their splendid cooperation in carrying out my program.
Sincerely submitted,
H. A. D. HURD,
Supervisor of Music.
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