USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1936 > Part 1
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FROM
Walter LT Beals
Class Nº
974.4T
Book Nº
Middleborough, Mass.,
May 1949
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO MASSACHUSETTS
1936
Annual Trophy of Massachusetts Selectmen's Association
Significance of the Trophy
The awarding of the silver cup to any town in Massachusetts indicates that in the judgment of the Cup Committee of the Massachusetts Select- men's Association, this town had published a report that came nearest to fulfilling the requirements for an ideal report.
The cup was donated by the Memorial Press of Plymouth, with the thought that it would be con- tested for over a period of ten years and that the rivalry thus created would go a long way toward improving the Annual Report of the various towns.
The method of arriving at the final ownership of the cup has not as yet been determined.
The points used by the Committee in selecting the winner are: (1) Comprehensiveness, (2) Clar- ity, (3) Readability, (4) Arrangement, (5) Gen- eral Appearance, all of which bear equal weight.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF
Middleboro, Mass.
E
LE
R
COUNT
PLYMOUTH
INCORPOR '>
0 16
For the Year Ending December 31
1936
SANDERSON BROTHERS NORTH ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
MIDDLEBOROUGH
"HEAD-O'-THE-CAPE"
Elevation-100 feet above sea level Settled-1660
Incorporated as a town-1669 Population 1935 census-8865 Valuation-$7,964,255.00 (exclusive of Automobiles)
Municipally owned-water, gas, electric light plants Tax rate-$37.60 per thousand Area-68.1 square miles Miles of street-146 Motorized Fire Department Well equipped Hospital
Schools in Class A
Principal Industries :
Fire Apparatus
Varnishes
Shoes Drug Sundries
Brass Goods Caskets
and thirty other products
The center of the cranberry industry
Located :
35 miles from Boston 22 miles from New Bedford 30 miles from Providence, R. I.
Railroad Center Direct rail connections with
Fall River New Bedford Brockton
Provincetown
Taunton Boston
New York
Providence 56360
AND
TWENTY MILES
LEBORO
Hanover
Stoughto
Whitman
BROCKTON
Marshfield
.N Edston O
Easton Mathield
Duxbury
The-
Gurnet
Mansfield
Bridgewater
Plympton
Affleboro
N Carver
Plymouth
MIDDOE BORO
TAUNTON
Astawamsett
Mynais
Tremont
onset
Buzzards
Bay
Wareham
Marion kay
LIVER
Mattaporsette
A
Fairhaven
NEWBEDFORD O
B.U Z
AROUND
Kingston
Lake
W.L Beals
Gables
5
TOWN OFFICERS 1936
Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Welfare
FREDERIC H. NOBLE
ROMEO MILLETTE
FREDERICK LOBL LEWIS F. HARDING, Chairman
Term expires 1939
CHARLES S. CARVER
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938 Term expires 1938
Term expires 1939
Town Manager HARRY J. GOODALE
Moderator
FLETCHER CLARK, JR.
Term expires 1937
Town Clerk and Town Accountant
WALDO S. THOMAS Term expires 1939
Treasurer and Collector
CHESTER L. SHAW
Term expires 1937
Town Counsel
LUKE F. KELLEY
Term expires 1937
School Committee
KENDRICK H. WASHBURN
Term expires 1937
PRISCILLA S. ALGER
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938
ROBERT G. BUTLER L. FRANCIS CALLAN FRED B. ALGER, Chairman LORENZO WOOD
Term expires 1938
Term expires 1939 Term expires 1939
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Superintendent of Schools J. STEARNS CUSHING
Assessors
FRED F. CHURBUCK HARRISON F. SHURTLEFF
BENJAMIN C. SHAW, Chairman
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938 Term expires 1939
Members of the Planning Board
EVERETT M. WILLIS
Term expires 1937
ENID S. CROSIER
Term expires 1938
RUSSELL A. TRUFANT, Chairman
Term expires 1939
ABNER H. SMITH
WILLIAM D. CHURCH
Term expires 1940 Term expires 1941
Finance Committee
HIRAM J. ARCHER
Term expires 1938
BERTRAM L. THOMAS
ANATOLE BOURGEOIS
JOHN V. GALLAGHER
Term expires 1939
ALBERT W. CHARBONNEAU, Chairman
CHARLES V. GIBERTI
JOHN R. THOMPSON
Term expires 1940 Term expires 1940 Term expires 1940
Registrars of Voters
SARAH A. SHEEHY Term expires 1937 ADNAH H. HARLOW, Chairman Term expires 1938 WILLIAM P. SCANLON Term expires 1939
Trustees of the Public Library
ALLAN R. THATCHER MARION K. PRATT THEODORE N. WOOD, President WALTER L. BEALS
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1937 Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938
Term expires 1938 Term expires 1939
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LEONARD O. TILLSON
Term expires 1938
FRANK C. WHITNEY, deceased Term expires 1938 LUCRETIA D. C. HARDING, Appointed for unexpired term Term expires 1938
GRACE H. NOBLE
Term expires 1939
THOMAS H. KELLEY
Term expires 1939
H. JANE BENNETT
Term expires 1939
Bureau of Old Age Assistance
WILLIAM C. KILPATRICK ROMEO MILLETTE FREDERIC H. NOBLE
Chief of the Fire Department
GEORGE A. PHILBROOK
Superintendent Gas and Electric Department GEORGE A. PHILBROOK
Health Officer LOUIS C. LITTLEJOHN
Superintendent of Streets PAUL F. ANDERSON
Constables ALDEN C. SISSON ALFRED M. BUTLER HARRY S. ALLEN ROBERT E. HEWITT J. ADRIEN BISSONNETTE
Tree Warden HARRY J. GOODALE
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Forest Warden HARRY J. GOODALE
Moth Superintendent GEORGE W. STETSON
Sealer of Weights and Measures LOUIS C. LITTLEJOHN
Inspector of Animals LESLIE N. CLARK
Inspector of Wires RALPH SAMPSON
Inspector of Plumbing JOHN J. PEARSON
9
REPORT OF THE TOWN MANAGER
Honorable Board of Selectmen, Middleboro, Mass.
Gentlemen:
I herewith present my sixteenth report as Town Man- ager, together with the annual reports of the heads of the various departments, to which reference should be made for the detailed accomplishments of each depart- ment.
At the annual appropriation meeting, the voters were "tax conscious" and refused to consider the budget as presented by the Board of Selectmen, and voted to turn it back to them to bring in a new budget that would not show a tax rate in excess of that of 1935. The Board endeavored to fulfill the commands of the voters and presented another budget. This was not pleasing to the voters and was turned down. A third budget was then presented by Selectman Millette which was accepted by the meeting.
In order to meet the wishes of the voters it was neces- sary for Mr. Millette to cut all of the departments, in some instances, below the actual fixed charges. The Highway Department suffered the most as it was re- duced about $8000 or 25%. This reduction necessitated the laying off of two regular men and also reduced the activities of the department to such an extent that the roads had to suffer for it.
To make up the deficits in the other departments a Town Meeting was called for November 9, at which meeting there was appropriated from the Excess and Deficiency account for the Welfare Department $5,000,
10
Old Age Assistance $7,736 and for Soldiers' Relief $1,200. The Reserve Account took care of the deficits in the rest of the departments that needed additional funds, except that there were unpaid bills in the School Depart- ment amounting to $595.05. There were sufficient bal- ances in the other departments to have paid the remain- ing unpaid bills had they been presented in time. By carefully watching the expenditures in the other depart- ments and including the additional appropriations from the Excess and Deficiency Account, the budget balance turned back to the Excess and Deficiency Account was $1,847.95, largely from the Water Department and the moncy held in reserve in the Highway Department for December snow removal.
TREASURER AND COLLECTOR DEPARTMENT
The cash balance at the end of the year was $76,959.15 and we were enabled to meet all of our obligations and pay off the $100,000 borrowed the latter part of 1935, without borrowing any more in anticipation of taxes.
The total of the Excess and Deficiency Account is now $92,002.14.
The total amount of outstanding taxes December 31, 1935, was $135,775.36, while those outstanding Decem- ber 31, 1936, were $123,262.19, a reduction of $12,513.17, showing the business conditions in Middleboro to be very much better and that many more of the taxpayers are employed at a wage which enables them to pay their taxes more promptly.
Our bonded indebtedness paid from taxation has de- creased $27,000. The Water Department debt paid from income has been decreased $2,000, to a total amount outstanding of $13,000. The last note on the Brockton High Tension line was paid this year, leaving the Gas and Electric Department free from debt.
11
COURT HOUSE - POLICE STATION
At a Special Town Meeting, held April 8, 1935, it was voted to borrow $35,000 for the purchase of the P. H. Peirce Grocery Store from the Peirce Trustees, and to remodel this building into quarters for the Police De- partment and for the Fourth District Court, and also to provide Comfort Stations for men and women. It was intended at that time to do this work under WPA, but before an application could be made, the President issued orders that any project, the cost of which ex- ceeded $25,000, must be done under PWA. To meet these requirements the plans were revised, which brought the estimated cost up to $46,000, and the United States Government was petitioned to, through the Pub- lic Works Administration, to make a grant to assist in this work. A grant of $20,700 was made and accepted by the Town and on December 23, 1935, the contract for remodeling this building was awarded to Joseph N. Fish of Dorchester, Mass. Work was begun on that date and continued through to September, 1936, at which time the building was finished and accepted by the Government and the Building Committee.
As the work progressed on this building many changes had to be made in the original plans, due to conditions that could not be foreseen during the original examina- tion of it. The final cost of the building is $65,000, of which the Government pays $20,700.
This building as completed provides adequate quar- ters for the Police Department, an exceptionally fine main Court Room for the Fourth District Court, a small . Second Session Court Room, Comfort Stations for men and women and a four-car garage; thus supplying the needs of the town along these lines for many years to come.
The reason for remodeling this building was to pre- serve an old Colonial type of building that was built
12
in 1808 and in which was made the fortune of over . $500,000 which was left to the town in trust, the income of which was to be used for the benefit of the Town and handled by a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees.
From the time this building was built until the last member of the Peirce family died in 1901, the old time grocery business was carried on by one family.
The town, in carrying out the project has not only preserved a fine old building but has remodeled it into a fine new building that will meet the needs of the town for many years to come, without disturbing the outward appearance of the original structure.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
This department is manned by the same personnel that has existed for a number of years. Located in their new quarters, they have taken on a new lease of life. For several years past their quarters have been about as poor as any police quarters could possibly be, no privacy, unsanitary, crowded, and such a fire trap that it is a wonder somebody has not been burned to death in the cells. Their new quarters are everything that an up-to-date police station should be and have so perked up the personnel that the services rendered by the department have been greatly improved.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department still maintains its high state of efficiency. The fact that it has had but few calls for its services this year is something for which we should all be thankful, for the lack of calls for the service of this department means that no property is in danger and therefore no losses occur. We should consider the expense of maintaining this department as addi- tional insurance.
13
There have been no buildings destroyed or seriously damaged, in the center of the town this year. In the few calls they have had there were possibilities of a large fire, but due to the effective work of the depart- ment, the losses were very small. The only other loss in the town was the destruction of one house in North Middleboro where there was no water available, and four small sheds or hen houses.
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
The change in the Charter this year did away with the Welfare Board and placed these duties on the Board of Selectmen.
The personnel of this department was not changed by the change in the Charter and they have functioned as well as could be expected considering the large amount of additional work placed upon them by the Social Security Act. This Act required a large amount of paper work to satisfy the requirements of the United States Government and the State Authorities.
Due to the reduction in the amount allowed for ad- ministration, Miss Whittemore and Mr. Boynton were compelled to put in a considerable amount of extra time to protect the town's interests, and for which there was no way by which they could be compensated. This is one of the many penalties a public official must en- dure if he is conscientious in his work.
The decrease in the age eligibility for Old Age Assis- tance, from seventy years to sixty-five years, and the change in the Mothers' Aid regulations in the Social Security Act, will necessitate an increased cost in ad- ministration and also in the appropriation that must be made to carry on the work of this department, but the reimbursements by the State and United States Gov- ernment will make the net cost to the town less.
14
Under the able supervision of Mr. and Mrs. Grant, the Town Farm is being carried on in a very efficient man- ner. The home is nearly filled to capacity by our own people and boarders, and the income from the pigs very nearly offsets the garbage collection, thus render- ing this service to the town at practically no expense. The cost per inmate, based on the State regulations, is $5.25 per week.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
The change in the method of administration of this department this year has resulted in a saving to the town without reducing the service rendered.
There have been no serious epidemics of contagious diseases this year and we have only one additional patient at the County Tuberculosis Hospital.
The State-wide program for the control and eradica- tion of this disease is showing very good results as we observe it.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Owing to the reduction of $8,000 in the budget for this department, the activities of this department had to be curtailed this year.
The South Middleboro Patrol, which had been main- taining about thirty miles of road in that section of the town for the past thirteen years, had to be abolished, and many roads that should have been oiled had to be neglected. The highways are always the first to suffer in an economy wave, and if this wave lasts too long it will take years to bring them back to their original condition.
MOTH DEPARTMENT
The Moth Department was another department which had its appropriation substantially reduced. As the
15
moth infection was the worst that we have experienced for a number of years, it was most unfortunate that so little money was given this department to work with.
For years there has been a large enough appropria- tion for the use of this department to keep our road- sides reasonably clean, but it could not be done this year, with the result severe stripping was noticable on nearly all of the roadsides. It will take some years to overcome the damage done this year.
As has been the case for a number of years, there has been complete co-operation between the heads of the various departments and the Town Manager's De- partment, and between the heads of the departments themselves. All have worked together to give to the town the best service possible within the appropriation made available for each department's use.
I wish to thank you, the Board of Selectmen, for your timely advice, the heads of the various departments for their fine co-operation and the employees for their faithful service.
Respectfully submitted,
H. J. GOODALE,
Town Manager.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee OF
Middleboro, Mass.
E
C
RC
JUTH
COUNTY,
MI.
LASS
GH
-
INCORPORATED
AD.1665
For the Year Ending December 31st
1936
PLYMOU
18
SCHOOL COMMITTEE Organization 1936
FRED B. ALGER, Chairman
Members
Term expires
Fred B. Alger, 5 Court End Avenue
1939
Lorenzo Wood, Jr., Plymouth Street 1939
Priscilla S. Alger, 10 Southwick Street 1937
Kendrick H. Washburn, 70 South Main Street 1937
Dr. Robert G. Butler, 1 Williams Place 1938
L. Francis Callan, 10 Clifford Street 1938
Superintendent of Schools
J. Stearns Cushing, 16 Court End Avenue Residence Telephone 643-W Office, Room 7, Town Hall, Telephone 81
Office Hours, School Days, Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3:30 to 5 P. M .; Tuesday and Thursday, 8 to 9:30 A. M.
School Committee Meetings
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held in Room 7, Town Hall, on the first Thursday of each month, excepting July and August, at 7:30 P. M.
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School Physician
Dr. A. Vincent Smith, 35 Pearl Street Telephone 50
School Nurse
Miss Helen B. Pasztor, 132 North Main Street Telephone 81
Supervisor of Attendance
Thomas E. Hirst, Pleasant Street Telephone 169R-5
Census Enumerator
Mrs. Carrie L. Jones, West Street
School Calendar
First Term, January 4 February 19.
Second Term, March 1-April 16.
Third Term, April 26-June 11; Elementary Schools. April 26-June 18; High School.
Fourth Term, September 8-December 22.
No School Days
May 31, October 12, November 11, November 25-26.
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REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the Members of the School Committee :
I herewith present the annual report of the schools of the Town of Middleboro and my tenth as Superinten- dent of those schools.
NEW SCHOOL HOUSING
The most important subject for consideration at the present time is the proposed building to replace the present Union Street School. For some years in these annual reports your attention has been called to the urgent need of relief for the over-crowded School Street School; to the very poor conditions in the Union Street School; and last year to the deplorable condition of the West Side portable building.
At the last annual town meeting a committee of fifteen was appointed with Mr. Levi O. Atwood as its chairman, to study school housing conditions in the town. This committee visited and inspected the above buildings and surveyed the school population. At the Special Town Meeting this Fall the Committee unanimously reported that a new eight-room building should be erected to replace the Union Street School.
Such a school would solve the three problems that confront the Town. By its added rooms it would care for the extra pupils from the School Street School; it would furnish modern, sanitary, safe quarters for the small children now housed in the old Union Street School; and by the transfer of grades five and six of the West Side School the portable building could be razed and the large building there used for the first four grades only.
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A committee of five was appointed at this Special Town Meeting to "receive detailed plans and specifica- tions for a new school house at Union Street and have the same available for the next town meeting, such plans and specifications to be procured without cost to the town." This committee with Romeo Millette as its chairman, has been meeting with architects and Public Works Administration officials and are ready to sub -. mit their proposal and plans to the town at a Special Town Meeting January twenty-fifth in accordance with the vote.
I sincerely trust this new building proposal will re- ceive favorable consideration by the citizens of the town in order that the three aforementioned problems may be speedily and satisfactorily solved and the children of Middleboro may receive the educational benefits that such a building may bring.
WATER INSTALLATION AT THE GREEN SCHOOL
During the summer the school at the Green was con- nected to the town water supply and proper wells dug to receive and care for the waste from the sink. During the cold weather the supply is shut off every night with- in the building to prevent freezing, as no heat is carried overnight. The installation of this water aids greatly to the convenience and health of the children attending the school.
WATER AT SOULE AND WATERVILLE SCHOOLS
Consideration should be given the water conditions at Soule and Waterville Schools. The wells at both these schools are unsatisfactory and should have attention. In the former school more depth is probably necessary to eliminate the quicksand condition while at the latter school a new well should probably be dug close to the school and pumped directly into the sink within the building.
22
RESTORATION OF THE NO-SCHOOL SIGNAL
Early in the year the Committee voted to restore the No-School signal. This signal, 6-2-2 blows, is given three times on the fire alarm system one-half hour prior to the school session. Arrangements are also made with the broadcasting stations so that the information may be received over the air from the Boston stations at fifteen minute intervals. It is expected however, that parents will exercise their own judgment as to sending their children on stormy days when the signal is not sounded as the transportation system is so involved that it is not always feasible nor possible to have the sessions in all schools cancelled.
EXTENSION OF TRANSPORTATION
The number of children of High School age now in the France district has made the extension of the bus route in that section compulsory under the laws of the State. The additional mileage covered means addi- tional expense and will somewhat increase the trans- portation item in the budget for the coming year, over the expenditure for 1936.
SUBURBAN SCHOOL JANITORS
Beginning in September a new schedule of pay, to- gether with a new set of regulations, was adopted by the Committee, in regard to suburban school janitors. This adoption equalizes the pay in schools of a similar size and with similar janitorial duties.
SAFETY FENCING
In previous years I have brought to your attention the dangers present at the Waterville and Bates School playgrounds and I wish again to present the subject together with my recommendation.
23
At Waterville the school is situated on a very bad, blind curve and on a through route from Middleboro to Plymouth where the traffic is heavy. The playground is sloping toward the street and the dangers of children running into the street before oncoming cars after balls, etc., is very acute. A wire fence should be built around the curve in front of the lot before a serious or fatal accident occurs.
At the Bates School the playground is located next to and used for a parking area for cars. During the day many cars turn off Union Street and cut diagonally across the playground, even during the recess period. A wire fence should be built along Union Street side of the playground with a pedestrian entrance at the south corner and an entrance for cars and busses at the north- ern end of the playground lot. This entrance for cars would allow the use of the space near the railing for parking and would in no way interfere with full park- ing at night, yet it would assure SAFETY to the children in their play.
HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM FLOOR
The floor of the High School gymnasium has become a serious menace to the physical safety of those using its surface. When the building was built no space was provided under the floor area for the circulation of air. The result has been that the floor timbers have gone to pieces with dry rot allowing the floor boards to rise since nailing into the timbers is impossible.
Already minor accidents have occurred because of this condition and either the floor should be immedi- ately taken up and re-layed properly or the gymnasium closed for use.
HIGH SCHOOL FURNISHINGS
When the new High School was built some of the rooms were furnished with chairs and desks from the
24
old building. Two years ago the town replaced the fur- niture in one of the rooms. It is now imperative that another room be refurnished if we are to provide proper seating for the children. The desks and chairs have constantly been repaired and many are now in such a condition that further repair is impossible. I would recommend that the Committee include a sum in the annual budget for this purpose.
PRACTICAL ART COURSES
Practical Art courses for both boys and girls should be organized as soon as possible and feasible. The num- ber of boys attending Vocational and Trade Schools from our town has steadily been increasing each year and the budget item of Tuition necessarily has to be increased to meet this outside education cost. A large percent of the elimination in the High School would be saved if some work of a practical nature was provided.
OTHER REPORTS
I wish to urge all of our citizens to carefully read and study the reports of the different department heads of the school system in order that they may obtain a clear picture and understanding of the workings of the system as a whole educational unit.
At this time I also wish to thank the members of the School Committee for their cooperation in receiving and carrying out suggestions for the good of the sys- tem; the supervisors and administrative officers for their earnest helpfulness; and all teachers for their un- failing endeavors in carrying on the work of Education in the schools of Middleboro.
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