Stoneham High School - Wildlife Yearbook (Stoneham, MA)

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JUNE 1951 STDNEHAM SCHDDLS PAGE THREE Winter Carnival - 1951 Adult Education Stoneham takes great pride in the opportunity it offers adults to continue their education. It A leader in student member- ship, the Blue and White Club exemplifies school spirit with its aim of scholarship, loyalty, and sportsmanship. Besides the Boy’s Glee Club and the Blue and White Scholarship, it sponsors the Win- is the only town in this vicinity which maintains an evening school and makes it possible, through the payment of a small fee, to have non-residents take advantage of its eiducational courses. The school is in session from Oct. 1 until the end of March and meets Monday and Thurs- day evenings. An enthusiastic class of 64 members received certificates this year in either shorthand, typewriting, English, or sewing. As part of the closing exercises, the sewing class presented a fashion show, demonstrating the work that was done. The sew- ing teachers served as commen- tators in giving details of com- parative costs, modern methods, etc. Students in the commercial subjects were presented certifi- cates not only for the comple- tion of the prescribed courses but also some received awards for special work in shorthand and typewriting. These special awards were for eligibility for membership in the Order of Gregg Artists or for artistic or speed typewriting offered by the Credentials Department of the Gregg Publishing Company. It is commendable to note that the work for these special assign- ments was done outside of class hours since the class schedule does not allow for extra work of this nature. Because there is no age limit or educational requisite for those who wish to enroll, the members range from those who were unable to graduate from ' high school to those with col- lege degrees who wish to take refresher or new courses. This means the courses must be made flexible in order to meet the needs of all students. However, the requirements are stringent enough to make pupils feel a sense of accomplishment when ter Carnival, a fun filled week of hockey, skating races, skiing and basketball, climaxed by the coro- nation of the king and queen at the spectacular Carnival Ball. This 1951 version of the glitter- ing spectacle featured a winter wonderland motif. A spectacular series of acts and skits — featuring such talented performers as John Burr and John McLaughlin in “The Spaniard That Blighted My Life,” and the Junior High group in “Frosty the Snowman,” — was presided over by beautious queen Ann MacLean and popular king Richard Shurtleff. they complete the course or courses satisfactorily. In order to offer a flexible course and at the same time maintain high standards, this means a great deal of extra and individu- al work must be done by the teachers. The teachers ac- cept this as a challenge and feel that it is a joy to teach students who attend from choice and ' who are eager to learn. This attitude on the part of the students inspires the teachers to give their best because they feel their efforts yield commensurate returns. Writing Committee Education is in the process of change and development. Every scientific study shows that man- uscript writing is the most suit- able for the child’s early writ- ten expression. It is now used in the vast majority of the cities of our country. A writing committee consist- ing of Misses Irene Bagley, Jo- aquina Malva, Louise Wood, Es- ther Melkonian, Marguerite Ver- rill, and Ruth Gerrish, chairman, was appointed September, 1951 by Miss Alice E. Fernow, Ele- mentary Supervisor, to study the writing situation in the Stone- ham Schools and to compare the results of cursive and manu- script writing. This committee has come to the conclusion that manuscript writing is best suit- ed to the muscular development of both hand and eyes in the primary grades. Manuscript writing is much simpler than cursive because letters are easi- ly formed, using only straight lines, circles and curves. The familiar symbols which the child sees every day in his •reader are the symbols which he sees when he writes. A dou- 1 ble set of symbols is confusing to the child and difficult to re- member. Manuscript writing is accurate, neat and legible. In manuscript basic handwriting the transition from unjoined to joined writing is accomplished without confusion. Many courses of study have been compiled to develop the manuscript type of writing. This committee has met month- ly and after listening to an ex- pert from each company stress the good points of his system of manuscript writing, the com- mittee has agreed that the books School Costs In Stoneham In a study made by Superin- tendent Raymond C. Burdick out of twenty-five towns in Massa- chusetts with populations be- tween 10,000 and 20,000, Stone- ham’s educational cost in 1950 was very low — $173.63 per pu- pil. Eighteen schools had a high- er cost and the average cost was $187.19 while the state’s average was $203.94. Another in- dication that Stoneham is low in cost is that only 31c of the town tax dollar is spent on schools and the average 38c is spent by these same towns. According to a study of sal- aries in these towns, Stoneham had an average of $3032 per year and the towns’ average was $3129. This indicates that the salary schedule is about av- erage with other comparable communities. On the other hand a further analysis shows the per pu- pil wealth (assessed valuation) is higher than the average of these towns. Stoneham has $9778 per pupil while the average is $9560. In other words, Stoneham can afford a better educational program including kinderga ' rt- ens and industrial arts, if the tax payers are willing to pay for it. Certainly there is need for improving the maintenance of the Junior-Senior High School, by Stone and Smalley, published by Charles Scribners’ Sons, will benefit the Stoneham Schools to a greater degree than any other system. The committee recommends that manuscript writing be adopted in grade one in the Stoneham Schools starting Sep- tember, 1951. Cursive writing will be introduced in the second half of the second grade instead of in the beginning of the first grade. Open House During the year every school had had at least one “Parent Night.” Picture shows a science class in high school in which each parent attends the classes of their children. Parents have shown much interest in meeting the teachers and discussing the work of their children. School exhibits and special programs were also carried on in the elementary schools. When the parent shows interest in the school system, the children will certainly do a better job.

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PAGE TWO STGNEHAM SCHDDLS JUNE 1951 Stoneham Baseball 1951 Faced with the well nigh im- possible task of duplicating the star-studded record of last year’s Stoneham High team, the present edition of the DeTesomen have their hands full. Last year’s lea- gue champs presented their suc- cessors with but one returning veteran, Eddie Casey; the rest of the present squad had to be select- ed from a mediocre and youthful junior varsity nine. Accordingly, the present team, composed as it is of sophomores and juniors, presents a task of building for future seasons. A better than average junior varsity team this year, plus a junior high aggrega- tion that represents encouraging ninth grade potentials, a zeal and spirit that pervade all squads — these are the factors that promise bright skies on Stoneham’s future baseball hori- zon. S toneham Schools | Junior-Senior High Have Good Attendance School Enrollment The following is the attend- ance record during 1950-51 East School 95 percent Emerson School 94 percent North School 95 percent South School 93 percent Robin Hood School 94 percent Junior High School 96 percent Senior High School 96 percent Average 95 percent The children are to be con- gratulated on a record of 95 per cent attendance during the past year. According to the best possible figures there will be another in- crease of over 100 in the Stone- ham Junior-Senior High School next year. If this continues, the problem of looking after these increases will become more acute. In 1960 there will be at least 1600. The present high school building has a capacity of 750 and some kind of a build- ing program is needed to care for the future enrollment of Stoneham Schools. A phase of the School Health Program is the testing of ears. The pupils of grades 2 through 11 are tested in groups. The first grade pupils and those discovered to have defective hearing, after the group testing has been checked are then tested individually. Miss Viola Hathorne, the school nurse, is testing Paul Farrell in the picture shown above. Demand For Business Course Graduates Still High Don’t try to tell Stoneham High School girls that thirteen is unlucky! That’s the number of seniors from the business course already happily at work in desirable full-time positions, positions with starting salaries that average better than $30 a week. That is the proud record thus far for 1951 of the high school placement office under its capable director, Mrs. Mar- garet G. Garvin, but it should be no surprise. Last year, too, every qualified graduate was successfully placed. Such results are not an acci- dent. Repeatedly, now requests for girls come from business concerns which have previously employed graduates of 1950 and or funds for further education are not available, the opportu- nities of this course deserve seri- ous consideration. The business world i s constantly seeking skilled help and is prepared to pay for it. The work of the placement office, of course, neither begins nor ends when a girl gets a job. Much preliminary work in contacting business firms pro- vides a list of the jobs that will be available, and later on, tests and interviews are arranged. Once the girls start on the job, the school follows their progress very closely. As a result it is often possible to help employers adjust minor difficulties, and al- so to secure valuable informa- e arlier years. These calls reflect the continued confidence of em- ployers in the sound business training Stoneham girls receive. They reflect too their confidence in the judgment of the place- ment director. The simple truth is that there are more jobs for skilled gradu- ates than there are qualified candidates, according to Mrs. Garvin. This fact, she continues, has special significance for par- ents with children going into grade nine and about to choose a course of study. Certainly in cases where either the interest Training For Citizens S t 0 n eham’s Americanization class is conducted on Monday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 at the High School. Older per- sons and those unable to go to school evenings receive help at their homes on Thursday after- noons. The course begins on Oc- tober first and concludes on April first each year. The subjects taught are: 1. Study of the United States Government and its Constitu- tion. 2. Simple reading and writing for illiterates. 3. English construction for the advanced pupils. 4. Backgrounds of American History. 5. American way of life. Pupils are shown an occasion- al film — one which has to do with government study. Also, they are introduced to our Pub- lic Library and its privileges. Once a year the classes con- tion for further improving the training which the school offers. Although the work of the placement office deals principal- ly with students in the business course, it is not confined to this group. On several occasions stu- dents in both the college and general course have been suc- cessfully placed, and it is hoped to expand this service as time goes on. Part-time placement is also handled at the school, and increasingly townspeople have begun to call this office when they need help of this kind, as noted in the above picture of Leo Barbo, Shirley Ewing and Margaret Gavvin. Teachers Visit Homes Last fall the elementary teach- ers took over the job of visit- ing every home and taking a census of all boys and girls be- tween ages of five and eighteen years of age. This contact made it possible for parents to be- come better acquainted with the teachers and aided the School Committee in getting the cor- rect information for the state aid. duct an exhibition of treasures which they brought from their native countries. First and second papers are filled out, checked and mailed to the Naturalization Bureau. Everything is done to develop in these pupils the highest stan- dard of citizenship. Besides our own Stoneham foreign-bom, we have pupils from Woburn, Read- ing and Wakefield who pay tui- tion to get into this course.

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PAGE FOUR STDNEHAM SCHDDLB JUNE 1951 instrumental Music Arithmetic Workshop Continued tnnn Piuje One Spring Concert girls of the violin section to trim their fingernails short enough to allow the proper left hand technique!” In more serious vein, he went on to express the warmth of sat- isfaction we all feel in the num- ber of alumni, former members of the orchestra, who come back to play again witn us, ana he praised highly the present mem- bers of the orchestra for their accomplishments. Democracy At Work October is election month at Stoneham High, a month filled with the bustle and enthusiasm of colorful political campaigns as classes go to the polls to choose their leaders. The whole procedure under Student Coun- c i 1 direction duplicates that which adults know, with nomi- nation papers, campaign ora- tory, and the secret ballot. This is but one of many Stu- dent Council contributions to making democracy work at the local school. Representatives elected from all home rooms and school organizations make it an effective voice of the stu- dents. Here school-wide prob- lems are considered; here too adjustments and solutions often follow. One striking example this year was Clean-Up Week, and its notable sequel. Litter and un- tidiness in the gym and about the grounds, largely the result of inadequate cafeteria facilities, have long been a problem, and the Student Council searched for ways to attack it. The result was Clean-Up Week, student-planned and stu- dent-operated. Cartoons and pos- ters dramatized the problem, and appeals by representatives for student co-operation paid off. Student monitors provided nec- essary supervision. 1 The improvement was very Interest in the revision of the arithmetic course of study in the elementary schools has spurred nearly all of the elementary teachers to enroll in a work- shop course in arithmetic taught by Mrs. Elizabeth Berglund of Lesley College during the latter half of this school year. The elementary teachers have met weekly to study recent trends in the teaching of arith- metic, to examine textbooks and courses of study in order to set up a new curriculum in this field, and to improve the arith- metic work in our schools. The new course which is be- ing developed by our elementary teachers will be initiated and carried out in the elementary grades during the oming school year. Participation in the arithmetic workshop has been of great val- ue to the teachers profession- ally and will guarantee a better arithmetic program for the ele- mentary pupils in the immedi- ate future. Council Presidents For 1951-52 Parent-Teacher Assn. Officers For 1951-52 North School: Mrs. George Swendeman South School: Mrs. True L. Bar- nett East School: Mrs. Niel Knudsen Emerson School: Mrs. Leslie E. Roberts Robin Hood School: Mrs. Robert E. Robertson President: Mr. Edward B. Wood- bury Vice-President: Mr. Donald H. Pelton Secretary: Mrs. George A. Rams- dell Treasurer: Mrs. Thomas F. Walsh School Committee Members Mrs. Hazel C. Johnson, Chair- man Term Expires 1954 Mr. George E. MacNeil, Sr., Vice Chairman Term Expires 1953 Mrs. William W. Mackay Term Expires 1952 Mr. John E. O’Doherty Term Expires 1952 Mrs. John P. English Term Expires 1954 Physical Education The Health Department in the Stoneham Schools has been or- ganized as a Health Council. Mrs. Vera Lawson, chairman of this group has been serving on the Physical Training Program for the State of Massachusetts. The committee is working on a general health program and is also planning a revised physical education program for next year. noticeable, best of all, the situa- tion continues to be much better. This is but one example of de- mocracy at work. It can be mul- tiplied many times over, both in class situations and extra-cur- ricular groups. Safety Education The Stoneham Public Schools have been made safety-minded during the past year. Through the co-operation of the Police Department, a program of saf- ety patrols has been organized. Pupils from grades five and six serve as patrol leaders in the elementary sbhools. As a result children are being taught to make the playgrounds and the crossing of streets safer. Different patrol leaders are se- lected every semester, thus de- mocracy is made to work in con- nection with the safety program. In the High School a regular safety drivers’ program will be offered in the fall under the guidance of Principal William N. Nadeau. Mr. Roger Lamson will spend a part of his time as teacher in the drivers’ train- ing course next year. A car h a s been obtained through the co-operation of the American Automobile Associa- tion and Lane’s Pontiac Com- pany of Stoneham. The plan will provide actual driving ex- perience to juniors and seniors over sixteen years of age who want to learn to drive an auto- mobile.