USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > St Johnsbury > Annual report and financial exhibit town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont 1949 > Part 6
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Mr. Mold, science instructor, has made his work very in- structive and interesting for all classes.
Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Blodgett at the Athenaeum gave the sixth grade lessons in using reference books, indexing and the card catalogue.
Mrs. Campbell assisted by Mrs. Brunelle, brings library books to the schoolhouse every second Thursday.
The school patrol made up of six members from the sixth grade has functioned successfully.
Mrs. Ava Burgess, Assistant Director of Health and Physi- cal Education, spent two days with us helping each teacher with her physical education plans.
At Christmas the grades entertained parents and friends with plays, choruses, and an operetta. Miss Teresa Grace, music instructor, directed the music.
In closing I wish to express my sincere thanks and appre- ciation to Superintendent Frank R. Adams, the teachers, the janitor, and the children and their parents, for their helpfulness, cooperation and understanding.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
PORTLAND ST. SCHOOL (Eleanor Dahlbergh, Prin.)
School opened on the beautiful fall morning of September 6, with 238 children enrolled in the eight grades, and the regular teaching staff on duty, there being but two changes made during the summer, Mrs. Norma Chase coming to the sixth grade and Mrs. Lucy Birch transferring to the seventh. Since then, the enrollment has reached 250, the largest in the fifty years history of the school.
All during the year the teachers have striven earnestly to foster and develop the intellectual, emotional and social promo- tion of their pupils, and no day goes by without one or more classes coming under the tutelage of the special teachers of natural science, music, manual training, home economics, nurs- ing and the Athenaeum. Each Friday afternoon an average of two movies from the Robert Hull Fleming Library Fund are shown to a responsive audience. A handy View-Master Pro- jector, with several new films has recently been purchased, the chief value of this visual aid being that the slides may be shown to individual grades.
Since the middle of November 5,440 half-pint bottles of Kilfasset Farms chocolate and plain milk have been served at mid-morning, and the 45 fortunate bus children, who enjoy a Type A Lunch served by Mrs. Flossie Beck, have been benefited immensely. Much credit should be given to these children who so willingly do their share of the work required to make these hot lunches a success.
Several projects have been sponsored by the P.T.A .; a more attractive girls' basement, well-attended seventh and eighth grade square and ball-room dances, the hot lunches and a skating rink, well patronized whenever the weather permits.
On January 11, the children enjoyed a holiday and the teachers enjoyed a visit to the schools of Barre and Montpelier.
To the casual observer, the pleasures and problems of each succeeding school day may seem routinely similar. Such is not the case. Because people are not static, the life of a school is not. It could not be otherwise, nor would we wish it. And so, to all those who have helped to make the school year thus far a period of progress, to the children, parents, teachers, custodian, and Superintendent Frank R. Adams and the School Board, we thank you.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
HOME ECONOMICS (Avis P. Winchell)
I hereby submit the following report of the home economics department of the public schools for the year 1949-1950. Classes began September 12th. with a schedule and time allotment sim- ilar to that of last year. The present enrollment is 104 pupils, of which 55 are in the seventh grade, and 49 in the eighth. This is a slight increase over that of last year, but because of the changes made in the program at Arlington School, classes from North Hall are larger than formerly.
The plan of work for this year is quite similar to that out- lined for last year. According to our state course of study, units appropriate for each grade are listed and it is advised that each teacher select at least one unit from each of the fields represent- ed in home making education : foods, clothing, housing, home- management, and family living. Much is left to the teacher as far as final choice is concerned. Because classes in St. Johns- bury meet only two days each week, we lack sufficient time to include work in each area, but effort is made to prevent any whole year being devoted to a particular phase of the work.
Several small articles of equipment have been added to the department. A set of text books "Young Folks at Home" is be- ing enjoyed by all groups. The boys in the woodworking de- partment, under the direction of Mr. Herbert Wormwood, built a storage cabinet for large pieces of equipment.
The elementary school holds a strategic position for strengthening education for family living. School experiences must be made an integral part of living together in the school, yet developed so that the child is led to see the relationship between them and her home living. I wish to express my most sincere thanks and appreciation to those parents, who realizing this fact and that the "in school" experiences are necessarily limited, can see these as activities to be continued in the home for greatest development and training. Also I wish to thank our superintendent, Mr. Adams, and the members of the school board for all help and cooperation they have given me this past year.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
SUMMER ST. SCHOOL (Velma J. McAllister, Prin.) (Mrs. Helen Stearns, Prin.)
We hereby submit the following report of Summer Street School :
The fall term opened with an enrollment of 386. The teach- ing staff remained the same with one exception. Mrs. Fannie Silsby transferred from Grade 8 in Arlington to replace Miss Holmes in the history department.
Many activities have been carried out in both buildings during the year. Parents' Night was observed at North Hall and a party was given at Christmas time for parents and friends.
The Student Government now in its third year of operation has done much to develop responsibility among its members.
The School Patrol with its efficient captain, jean McGregor, is functioning satisfactorily.
Class lessons in violin and wind instruments are held each week under the able direction of Mr. J. Leo Messier. An orchestra made up of pupils from grades 7 and 8 is supervised by Miss Teresa Grace.
Children are receiving a splendid background from classes held twice a month at the Museum. They are fortunate, indeed, in having Mr. Mold as their instructor.
Much credit is due Mrs. Eunice Martin for her efficient work as school nurse. Periodic health check-ups of pupils have been carried out with many of our local physicians giving gen- erously of their time.
Approximately 150 bottles of milk are served each day.
Mrs. Burgess, Supervisor of Physical Education, was invit- ed to meet with our teachers to help in planning a physical education program providing for pupils at different grade levels.
The skating rink on the common is providing healthful recreation for pupils during their leisure time when weather permits.
New books have been added to our school libraries.
Through the splendid cooperation of Mr. Adams, school directors, and P.T.A. new playground equipment was purchased last fall and is in operation at this time. Visual aid materials are on order and will be a valuable addition to our school.
To Mr. Curtis and Mr. Gilfillan, our janitors, go much credit for their help in making our classrooms comfortable.
In closing we wish to thank Superintendent Adams, school directors, Dr. Smith of the Academy, teachers, parents, pupils and all others for their fine cooperation during the school year.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM (Eunice Martin, R.N.)
We have several more clinics to be held for immunizations and physical examinations; Summer St. School, North Hall, East St. Johnsbury and the Center School.
The School Health Program is in affect again. They are assisting the doctors in the clinics.
The physicians of St. Johnsbury are giving hours every week to the school children and are very interested in having their health safeguarded.
The schools have not had the state audiometer yet.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
INDUSTRIAL ARTS (Gilbert D. Johnson)
I herewith submit my annual report of the Industrial Arts Department.
The most emphasis is on woodwork as a little knowledge of this material and the tools with which it is worked will prob- ably be of more use to a greater number. Plastic is still a popular material with the boys and is a growing branch of our shop work, rightfully so because of its growth in industry and every day use. It has been a slow process collecting electrical supplies with which to start that subject, we should have enough to start work in it soon.
This fall both the 7th. and Sth. grades had about eight weeks of free hand sketching to learn the fundamentals of Blue Print Reading and Drafting.
Although shop work is only scheduled for the 7th. and Sth. grades, several of the teachers in the Summer Street Building carry on projects with their classes for which they borrow tools from the shop or send a few boys in to use the shop facilities.
Last spring term the classes were mostly a good average size for the shop with a few rather small ones. This Fall with the combining of the Arlington and North Hall classes they run much larger with several taxing the shop facilities to the limit. Classes from all the schools are larger making the total number of boys taking shop about eighteen more than last year. This trend will continue for ten or more years with the biggest in- creases starting in about five years. At that time there will have to be more space and equipment or a cut back in the amount of shop work each boy will receive. Now is the time to think about this problem and plan for the future so we will be in a position to give as much or more to those coming along.
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ST. JOHNSBURY TOWN REPORT
ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES
Parents of today whose sons and daughters attend high school expect the high school to provide not only intellectual training but guidance in basic problems of life. The great under- lying principle of the wide concept is to teach the pupil while teaching the subject. The teacher's personal influence upon the pupil is so strong that he must live the pattern he wishes his pupils to follow.
The teacher will find in his class pupils at many levels of maturity. The teacher must take these pupils just where he finds them and lead them onward from that point. The advan- tages of forming a habit of affirmative thinking early in life are countless for this habit will bring results in every aspect of education and life.
Parents, teachers and boys and girls themselves all share in educating youth for democratic living through self-discipline. America needs self-disciplined men and women.
Before taking radical steps, however, the nature of the pupil must be considered. It is not for the teacher any more than for the parent or for the state, to determine exactly what interests every young person should have or how rapidly he should de- velop emotionally and socially. Teachers have no moral right to try to mold all pupils into one form or pattern.
I wish to thank the School Directors, Principals, Special Teachers, P.T.A. Organizations and parents for their coopera- tion and assistance during the past year.
Respectfully submitted, FRANK R. ADAMS,
Superintendent.
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WARNING
FOR ANNUAL TOWN AND TOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1950
.The citizens of St. Johnsbury who are legal voters in An- nual Town and Town School District Meeting are hereby noti- fied and warned to meet at the Vermont State Armory, in the Village of St. Johnsbury on Tuesday, March 7, 1950, at nine o'clock in the forenoon to transact the following business :
ARTICLE 1. To elect all Town and Town School Dis- trict Officers required by law. (Polls on this Article to close at 2 p. m.)
ARTICLE 2. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money to be used in defraying the expense of a proper observ- ance of Memorial Day, and if so, how much ?
ARTICLE 3. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money not to exceed $1,500.00 toward the expense of a District Nurse for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 toward the expense of maintenance of the Athenaeum for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 toward the expense of maintenance of the Fairbanks Museum of Natural Science for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 6. To see what action the Town will take pur- suant to Section 3649 of the Vermont Statutes of 1947 with respect to appropriating such sums of money as may be deemed necessary for the support of Brightlook Hospital, a non-sectarian hospital established within the County of Caledonia.
ARTICLE 7. To vote upon the following questions :
Shall licenses for the sale of malt and vinous beverages be granted in this town?
Shall spirituous liquors be sold in this town? (By Ballot. Polls on this Article to close at 3 p. m.)
ARTICLE 8. Shall Eastern Daylight Saving Time be ob- served in the Town of St. Johnsbury from 2 a. m. on Sunday, April 23, 1950, to 2 a. m. on Sunday, September 24, 1950? (By ballot. Polls on this Article to close at 2 p. m.)
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ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to collect 1950 taxes by its Treasurer and if so, to fix a date or dates for the payment of taxes; and to direct the Treasurer, as receiver of taxes, to deduct a per cent to be fixed by vote, not to exceed 4% from the tax of a person who pays his taxes on or before such date or dates.
ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will appropriate the sum of $25.00 per mile, or $2,073.00 to take advantage of the extra $25.00 per mile granted to the Town by the State under Sec. 4913 of the Vermont Statutes.
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise money to defray the expenses and liabilities of the Town for the current year, and if so, how much?
ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise money for the maintenance of its highways, and if so, how much ?
ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town School District will vote to pay the tuition of its advanced pupils attending a High School or Academy, including St. Johnsbury Academy, to an amount not to exceed One Hundred Eighty Dollars per pupil per school year, as provided by Sec. 4339 of the Vermont Stat- utes, Revision of 1947.
ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town School District will vote to raise money to defray the expenses of maintenance of its public schools, and if so, how much?
ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will vote to authorize and instruct its Selectmen and Treasurer to borrow money, if necessary, to defray current expenses of the Town, prior to the collection of 1950 Town taxes.
ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will authorize the auditors of the Town to employ the services of an accountant from the office of the Auditor of Accounts as provided for in Vermont Statutes, Revision of 1947, Sections 3603 to 3608 in- clusive.
ARTICLE 17. To transact any other business proper to be brought before said meeting.
FRED G. JOHNSON MILTON F. KUMPF STEPHEN C. CREE Selectmen of the Town of St. Johnsbury.
Dated at St. Johnsbury, Vermont this 20th day of February, A. D. 1950.
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Index
Page
In Memoriam-James Cosgrove, Edwin A. Gray. Lucien E. Leclerc
Town Officers
1
Report of Treasurer
3
Treasurer's Report, Town School District
7
Auditors' Report
14
Town Manager's Report
15
Recapitulation by Departments
31
List of Personal Property
32
Fairbanks Museum Report
33
Librarian's Report
36
Town Budget
39
Vital Statistics
40
School Report
73
School Officials
74
School Calendar
75
Teachers
76
Graduates
78
Report of School Directors
80
School Budget
82
Report of Superintendent
87
Warning
101
Municipal Telephones
Inside front cover
COWLES PRESS ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT
273-Yes 3 3 zda Na
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