Board Agrees On Plan For Kindergarten-This Day in Norwood History-June 25, 1948

The School Committee has outlined plans for the establishment of the kindergarten program in Norwood.

The program as constructed at Tuesday night’s meeting of the following several weeks of consideration on the matter, calls for a morning session for one group of children and an afternoon session for another group.

Double sessions, which are common in many school systems, would probably be held from 8.45 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. One group of children would go mornings’ for one week, afternoons the next week, and so on during the year.

While double sessions were admitted by Committee members not to be an entirely desirable set-up. because children are often tired and restless in the afternoon, they were considered the best solution to the financial and geographical problems which confront the Committee.

Since a budget of $10,000 was appropriated at Town Meeting for the conduct of the kindergarten program for September through December and since it was based on an estimated figure of 125 children and that figure now nearing 200, the double sessions is an economical move. Not to have them would require at least seven teachers instead of the four required under the double sessions program, it was pointed out.

Having double sessions eliminates the one which would have children in the Shattuck School area going down to the Junior High school to attend classes. There is only one available kindergarten room at the Shattuck School and the double sessions arrangement will be adequate for the estimated 52 children in this district who will be sent to kindergarten. Other factors involved included avoiding the use of the West School for a kindergarten and eliminating unnecessary crossing of Walpole Street.

The schools which will be used for kindergartens are the Balch for which 46 children are presently enrolled, the Callahan, which will have some 25 children, the Shattuck with 52, the Winslow with 55 and the Junior High which will have a class of children who do not live close to the previously named schools. Only four teachers will be required since the teacher at the Callahan School will take a morning session there one week with an afternoon session at the Junior High School and will alternate them the following week, and so o

The School Committee has instructed Superintendent of Schools Lincoln D. Lynch to try to obtain kindergarten teachers as soon as possible. Supt. Lynch told the committee that experienced kindergarten teachers are hard to find. The committee must employ teachers with bachelor degrees but some members indicated that if necessary inexperienced teachers would be hired on a temporary basis.

Bus transportation will be furnished children living one and one-quarter miles or more from the school they will attend. Approximately 20 children will be given such transportation.

No announcement has been made of any plans to establish a kindergarten program at St. Catherine’s School.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)