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ROBBINS LIBRARY, ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 3 4860 00739 3173
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1
. FOUNDED
BY DR. EBENEZER 1 8 3 5
LEARNED
. BUILDING . GIVEN . BY- MARIA . C. ROBBINS . IN . MEMORY. OF.
ELI.ROBBINS .1892
THIS . BOOK. BELONGS . TO . THE ~ROBBINS . LIBRARY?
. ARLINGTON . MASSACHUSETTS .
121st ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Arlington
AND
THE TOWN RECORDS
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1927
CAMBRIDGE
EURH
WICTOMWY
IJROPYCNATIO
HEREDITAS
Property of
Robbins Library
Arlington, Mass.
Founded by DR. EBENEZER LEARNED, 1835
Endowed by DR. TIMOTHY WELLINGTON, 1853 NATHAN PRATT, 1875 HENRY MOTT, 1889 ELBRIDGE FARMER, 1892
Building Erected by MARIA C. ROBBINS in memory of ELI ROBBINS, 1892
Arlington, Mass. Selectmen. 1.1
121st ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Arlington
AND
THE TOWN RECORDS
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1927
CAMBRIDGE
HEREDITAS
BOSTON, MASS. GRIFFITH-STILLINGS PRESS 1928
BASEMENT
COLLECTION 192481
974,44 Arlington
6
TOWN OFFICERS, 1928 Elective
TOWN CLERK E. Caroline Pierce (Term Expires 1930)
Moderator (1 year) John G. Brackett
Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor
Nelson B. Crosby. Term expires 1928
Hollis M. Gott Term expires 1929
Luke A. Manning Term expires 1930
Board of Public Works
James R. Smith . Term expires 1928
Walter F. Robinson
Term expires 1929
William S. Fairchild .
Term expires 1930
Assessors
Charles H. Gannett Term expires 1928
Martin J. Gallagher . Term expires 1929
Egbert E. Stackpole Term expires 1930
Treasurer
Charles A. Hardy.
Term expires 1930
Tax Collector
Edward A. Bailey Term expires 1930
3
4
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
School Committee
Ethel S. Downs Term expires 1928
John A. Bishop
Term expires 1928
Elliott R. Barker
Term expires 1928
Laura D. Hardy
Term expires 1929
George E. Russell
Term expires 1929
M. Norcross Stratton Term expires 1929
William M. Hatch
Term expires 1930
Eugene F. Freeman
Term expires 1930
Alexander H. Rice
Term expires 1930
Planning Board (3 years)
Charles M. MacMillin, Chairman Term expires 1928
Carolyn B. Reed
Term expires 1928
+Walton H. Sears Term expires 1928
Cyrus E. Dallin
Term expires 1929
*J. R. Foster.
Term expires 1929
Herbert M. Dutcher
Term expires 1930
Park Commissioners (3 years)
Robert M. Boyd, Chairman Term expires 1928
+Frank W. Wunderlich Term expires 1928
*Charles E. Fitch, Chairman Term expires 1929
Percy A. Goodale
Term expires 1930
Board of Health (3 years)
Alfred W. Lombard, Chairman Term expires 1928
Ernest R. Brooks Term expires 1929
Charles F. Atwood. Term expires 1930
Commissioners of Sinking Fund (3 years)
Joseph C. Holmes Term expires 1928
Charles W. Allen Term expires 1929
Frank H. Walker Term expires 1930
*Resigned tAppointed to fill vacancy
5
TOWN OFFICERS
Trustees of Pratt Fund (5 years)
Charles W. Allen . Term expires 1928
Joseph C. Holmes Term expires 1929
George Hill . Term expires 1930
Arthur J. Wellington
Term expires 1931
Frank H. Walker
Term expires 1932
Charles A. Hardy, ex officio
Trustees of Robbins Library (3 years)
Mary Helen Teele Term expires 1928
Arthur J. Wellington
Term expires 1928.
Charles J. Walsh .
Term expires 1929
Therese N. Turner
Term expires 1929
William A. Muller Term expires 1930
Cyrus E. Dallin Term expires 1930
Trustees of the. Edwin S. Farmer Poor Widows' Fund and Trustees of the Edwin S. Farmer Fund for Needy Persons (5 years)
George Hill . Term expires 1928
Joseph C. Holmes Term expires 1929
Charles W. Allen
Term expires 1930
Frank H. Walker Term expires 1931
Arthur J. Wellington Term expires 1932
Trustees of Elbridge Farmer Fund (not elective)
Frank H. Walker
James A. Bailey
Eben Dewing
John A. Bishop
William D. Elwell
John G. Brackett
Cemetery Commissioners
George G. Allen .
Term expires 1928
Warren A. Peirce, Chairman Term expires 1929
J. Edwin Kimball . Term expires 1930
Tree Warden (Elected annually) Daniel M. Daley
Fence Viewers (Elected annually) Arthur P. Wyman George W. Kenty
6
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Field Drivers
Thomas O. D. Urquhart
John Duffy
F. Joseph Cahalin
Edwin C. Jacobs
Thomas F. Priest
Daniel P. Barry
Daniel M. Hooley
Charles E. Carroll
Fish Preserver (Elected annually) Everett S. Chapman
Measurers of Wood and Bark (Elected annually)
Patrick F. Brosnahan Edmund L. Curtis
Eugene W. Cole
APPOINTMENTS Appointments Made by the Selectmen
Term Expires
John A. Easton, Clerk . April 1, 1928
Clarence Needham, Town Accountant
April 1, 1928
William Gratto, Inspector of Buildings
April 1, 1928
George W. Day, Inspector of Plumbing
April 1, 1928
Harold R. Webb, Town Physician
April 1, 1928
Erwin F. Schroeder, Inspector of Animals
April 1, 1928
Thomas O. D. Urquhart, Burial Agent
April 1, 1928
Daniel M. Daley, Suppressor of Moths.
April 1, 1928
Arthur B. Peirce, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Horace W. Peirce, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Walter H. Peirce, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Warren A. Peirce, Weigher of Hay and Coal April 1, 1928
David Lynch, Weigher of Hay and Coal April 1, 1928
William Coughlin, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Jennie E. Timmons, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
John L. Kelly, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
James P. Kelly, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Joseph Kelly, Weigher of Hay and Coal .
April 1, 1928
Marguerite O'Donnell, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Thomas O'Donnell, Weigher of Hay and Coal .
April 1, 1928
Robert J. Kelley, Weigher of Hay and Coal.
April 1, 1928
Charles E. Hale, Weigher of Hay and Coal
.April 1, 1928
William C. Scannell, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
John O'Brien, Weigher of Hay and Coal .
April 1, 1928
Charles O'Brien, Weigher of Hay and Coal
April 1, 1928
Thomas O. D. Urquhart, Keeper of Lockup.
April 1, 1928
James Carmody, Superintendent of Town House . April 1, 1928
*Louis V. Witherell, Sealer of Weights and Measures April 1, 1928
tAllan E. Cowie, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
April 1, 1928
*Resigned tAppointed
7
TOWN OFFICERS
Appointment Made by the Overseers of the Poor John A. Easton, Secretary and Agent. April 1, 1928
Appointment Made by the Board of Suppressing Moths Daniel M. Daley, Local Superintendent . April 1, 1928
Appointments Made by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works
John A. Easton, Clerk . April 1, 1928
Paul M. White, Town Counsel April 1, 1928
George E. Ahern, Town Engineer and Superintendent of Public Works. April 1, 1928
William E. Mason, Superintendent of Wires April 1, 1928
Appointments Made by the Board of Public Works +S. Alfred Benson, Water Register and Clerk . April 1, 1928
Appointments Made by the Board of Health
William H. Bradley, Sanitary Inspector April 1, 1928
Alfred W. Lombard, Inspector of Milk April 1, 1928
William H. Bradley, Clerk April 1, 1928
Registrars of Voters
Eben F. Dewing, Chairman
May 1, 1928
John W. Dacey . May 1, 1929
William H. Keefe
May 1, 1930
E. Caroline Pierce, ex-officio.
Police Department
Thomas O. D. Urquhart, Chief
Charles E. Carroll, Sergeant
John Duffy, Sergeant
Daniel M. Hooley, Lieutenant Harold F. Pick, Sergeant Edwin C. Jacobs, Sergeant
Patrolmen
Thomas F. Priest F. Joseph Cahalin Felix Lopez
William A. Scanlan John Roche William Burns
T. Arthur Nolan Thomas M. Donovan
Charles O. Toomey
Daniel P. Barry
Charles J. Tynan
T. Francis Meagher, Jr.
Thomas F. Sullivan
Lester H. Peabody
Maurice J. Scannell' M. James Coughlin James J. Flynn James R. Burus Archibald F. Bullock *Resigned +Appointed
Albert E. Ryan Denis F. Shea
George E. Moore William P. Mahoney
Thomas M. Curran
Thomas R. Pigott Thomas E. Burns James F. Ryan
8
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Guy Kneeland ยท Lee Thomas Thomas Keefe
Reserve Patrolmen
Arthur Keaney Raymond L. MacLean James J. Donovan
Charles Scannell
Police Doctor and Surgeon Dr. Harold R. Webb
Special Police (Without pay) (Term expires at pleasure of Selectmen)
James Carmody Harold R. Webb
A. Leach John Campbell
Everett S. Chapman
Roscoe C. Kimball
Leroy B. Currier
Erwin F. Schroeder Daniel M. Daley Daniel Bosquet
Frank Hutchinson
Constables Thomas O. D. Urquhart, Daniel M. Hooley, John A. Easton, Charles E. Carroll, John Duffy, Edwin C. Jacobs, Allan E. Cowie, Harold F. Pick
Fire Department Headquarters Station Chief, Daniel B. Tierney
Captains-George W. Corbett, Patrick O'Brien.
Lieutenant-Lorne S. McEwenn.
Privates-Thomas H. Egan, John J. Beasley, John E. Barry, Bartholomew J. McGreevey, Jr., Charles J. Flynn, John H. Harwood, Harold C. O'Leary, Daniel J. Mahoney, James P. O'Brien, William A. Libby, Judson S. Aiken, John M. Tierney, Daniel V. Coughlin, J. F. Shaw.
Call Lieutenant-A. Allan Kimball.
Call Men-James M. Keene, William P. Luddy, George McK. Richardson.
Highland Station
Captains-William C. Mead, John F. Sweeney.
Privates-Ernest H. Griffin, George J. W. Kenney, Lawrence F. Beasley, Richard J. Tierney, William T. Burns, William P. Slattery, Edward J. Ryan, W. H. Madden, H. G. Aiken.
Call Men-George A. Finley, Richard O. Jenkins, George N. White, Robert J. Murray, William P. Dale, M. Joseph Cadigan, John J. Donahue, Daniel F. Hourty.
. 9
TOWN OFFICERS
Department Physician-Winslow M. Kingman, M.D.
Park Circle Station
Captain-Albert V. Jones.
Privates-John Barry, John J. Kennedy, Anthony P. Lopez, Ervin V. Gay, William P. Moynihan.
Undertakers (licensed)
Leslie E. A. Smith
. April 30, 1928
Daniel W. Grannan
. April 30, 1928
William D. Grannan
April 30, 1928
William P. Dale.
April 30, 1928
Leonard B. Saville
April 30, 1928
Edwin L. Derby
April 30, 1928
Joseph Quinn .
April 30, 1928
Thomas S. Bonney
April 30, 1928
Joseph M. H. Forest.
April 30, 1928
Joseph H. Rockett . April 30, 1928
1
RECORDS OF TOWN MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS DURING THE YEAR 1927
TOWN WARRANT
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Middlesex, ss.
To the Constables of the Town of Arlington, in said County :
Greeting:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the legal voters of the Town of Arlington to meet in the Town Hall, in said Town, on Thursday, the 20th day of January, 1927, at 8.00 o'clock P.M., to act on the following Articles, viz :-
Article 1. To hear and act on the reports of the com- mittees under vote of the Town passed May 28, 1925, to con- sider the amendment, alteration, repeal or revision of, or additions to the Town's by-laws; of the committee under vote of the Town passed April 5, 1926, to investigate and consider the securing of land adjacent to the present Reservoir of the Town at Arlington Heights; of the committee under vote of the Town passed April 5, 1926, to investigate and consider the matter of additional school accommodations; of the committee under vote of the Town passed April 5, 1926, to investigate and consider the matter of a memorial or memorials com- memorating the services and sacrifices of persons who served in the World War; and the Finance and other committees heretofore appointed.
Article 2. To see if the Town will amend section one of article fifteen of the Town's by-laws relating to an Inspector of Buildings so as to provide for the appointment, qualifications
10
11
TOWN RECORDS
and term of office of such inspector and for his powers and duties, including among others those relating to the construction, altera- tion, repair and maintenance of buildings now or hereafter . owned by the Town; otherwise alter, amend, add to or repeal said section; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
Article 3. To see if the Town will appoint a committee of three to consider the matter of sewers and sewer assessments; make an appropriation therefor; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Finance Committee)
Article 4. To see if the Town will appoint a committee of five to procure plans and estimates for the construction of a Junior High School building on land of the Town situated on Tufts Street, or on any other land within the area bounded by Foster Street, Massachusetts Avenue, Harlow Street and Broad- way; make an appropriation therefor; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Committee on Additional School Accom- modations)
Article 5. To see if the Town will adopt a by-law to provide for the removal of snow and ice from the sidewalks of the public ways adjoining property used for business purposes; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Board of Public Works)
Article 6. To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Public Works to make a charge for the collection of ashes, refuse and rubbish from places of business in the town, such charges as may be made to be paid to the town through its Collector of Taxes; or take any action in relation thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Board of Public Works)
Article 7. To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Public Works to discontinue the practice of charging rent on water meters; or take any action thereon.
(Inserted at the request of the Board of Public Works)
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to elect its Town Clerk for a term of three years; or take any action relating thereto.
12
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to elect its Town Treasurer for a term of three years; or take any action relating thereto.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to elect its Col- lector of Taxes for a term of three years; or take any action relating thereto.
And you will notify and warn the voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place herein specified by leaving at every dwelling house in the Town a printed copy of this Warrant, and also by posting a copy of the same at the doors of the Town Hall, and in a conspicuous place in each of the seven precincts of the Town, seven days at least prior to the time of said meeting.
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands, at said Arlington, this twenty- seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six.
FREDERICK W. HILL, NELSON B. CROSBY, HOLLIS M. GOTT, Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
13
TOWN RECORDS
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, Mass., January 14, 1927.
Middlesex County :
By virtue of this warrant I have notified and warned the legal voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place and for the purposes herein named by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at every dwelling house in the Town, and by posting an attested copy at the doors of the Town Hall seven days at least before said day of meeting and by posting attested copies in two or more conspicuous places in each voting precinct in the Town. A notice of the time, place and objects of the meeting was published in the local paper.
(Signed) DANIEL M. HOOLEY, Constable, Town of Arlington, Mass.
Arlington, January 20, 1927.
Pursuant to the warrant of the Selectmen served according to law upon the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, by a Constable of the said Town, and sent by mail by the Town Clerk seven days before the day of meeting to the Town Meet- ing Members duly elected and qualified to act in Town Meetings in Arlington, the Town Meeting Members met at the Town Hall in said Town on Thursday, January 20, 1927, at eight o'clock in the evening. Notice of the special meeting was published in the local paper and posted in two places in each precinct.
Lists of the duly qualified Town Meeting Members were used at the entrances of the meeting place and were in charge of James F. Higgins and Philip T. Robinson.
14
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The Check Lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that one hundred and seventy-six members attended the meeting.
The Moderator called the meeting to order at eight o'clock P.M. The Clerk read the Call and the Constable's Return of the Warrant, the reading of the remainder of the Warrant being waived by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
The Town Meeting Members not already sworn were sworn by the Moderator.
Printed copies of the Report of the Finance Committee were supplied to the Town Meeting Members.
On motion of Frederick W. Hill:
Voted: That if all the articles contained in the warrant calling this meeting are not finally disposed of on this date, the meeting adjourn to Tuesday evening, February 1, 1927, at eight o'clock.
On motion of J. William Fellows:
Voted: That Article 1 be taken up.
Article 1 taken up. (Reports of Committees.)
Elliott R. Barker, Chairman of the Committee on the World War Memorial under vote of April 5, 1926, submitted a verbal report of progress.
On motion of Elliott R. Barker:
Voted: That the report on World War Memorial be received.
On motion of Alexander H. Rice:
Voted: That the following final report of the Committee on the construction of the Peirce School building on Park Avenue, as presented by Mr. Elliott R. Barker, Chairman of the Committee, be accepted and the Committee discharged.
15
TOWN RECORDS
Arlington, Mass., January 15, 1927.
Mr. Moderator, and Town Meeting Members:
Your Committee on the construction of the Peirce School on Park Ave., North, begs leave to submit the following final report:
In February, 1923, the Moderator, complying with the vote passed in the Town Meeting of October 6, 1922, appointed a Committee on Additional School Accommodations, as follows: Elliott R. Barker, William C. Scannell, Howard B. S. Prescott, Thomas J. Donnelly, Jr., and Harry C. Lear. Mr. Prescott resigned and R. Walter Hilliard was elected to fill the vacancy.
After an extensive study of our school housing conditions, this committee recommended that the Town build an eight- room elementary school building on Park Ave., North.
Two architects, Howard B. S. Prescott and Charles G. Loring, submitted plans and estimates in competition for the design of the building, those of Mr. Prescott being recom- mended and used as the basis for an appropriation in Town meeting.
The Town Meeting of July 11, 1923, appropriated $95,360 for the construction of the building and grading around it, and the Moderator appointed Charles H. Higgins, John A. Bishop, Elliott R. Barker, Henry S. Adams and Charles A. Hardy as a building committee. The subsequent resignations of Messrs. Bishop, Adams and Higgins, and the election of Thomas J. Donnelly, Jr., Charles B. Devereaux and Foster P. Doane gave us the final building committee.
On April 2, 1924, the Town voted an appropriation of $700 for additional fire protection and $7,500 for the original equip- ment and furnishings. The following financial statement shows the appropriations, expenditures and balances:
Construction
Appropriation $95,360.00 700.00
Expended $94,597.49 683.07
Balance $762.51
Fire Protection
16.93
Furnishings
7,500.00
7,437.93
62.07
$103,560.00
$102,718.49
$841.51
2
16
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
We are pleased to thank the architect and contractors for their cooperation on this building. The architecture is pleasing and dignified, and the building is a valuable asset to the Town.
We have completed the task assigned us to the best of our ability, and now respectfully request that we be discharged.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES A. HARDY, Secretary, THOMAS J. DONNELLY, JR., CHARLES B. DEVEREAUX, FOSTER P. DOANE, ELLIOTT R. BARKER, Chairman.
On motion of Earl A. Ryder, Chairman of the Committee on Additional School Accommodations under vote passed April 5, 1926:
Voted : That the following report be received as a report of progress.
Mr. Moderator:
Your Committee appointed to consider the matter of addi- tional school accommodations begs to report progress; and supporting that is an Article in the WARRANT before you this evening calling for a JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL EAST.
We consider it wise at this time to give you some of the information we have relating to the present school accommoda- tions, in the hope that it will put you in touch with and en- lighten you upon this important subject.
In 1916 the total pupils numbered 3,235, and up to and including 1920 the total was only 3,335. In 1921 the total jumped to 3,562, in 1922 to 3,666, in 1923 to 3,898, in 1924 to 4,220, in 1925 to 4,627, and in 1926 to 5,058; so that in ten
17
TOWN RECORDS
years there has been an increase of 1,800 pupils-1,500 of which has been during the last five years.
CROSBY SCHOOL has 560 pupils. It has 16 class rooms used by 16 classes; 3 small rooms used as office, teachers' room and sewing class; 5 rooms in the basement used for various purposes; and auditorium in the attic.
CUTTER SCHOOL has 573 pupils. It has 16 class rooms, and has 17 classes; one of the 3 small rooms being used as a class room, while the other two are used as office and teachers' room; 4 rooms in the basement used for various purposes, one of which is a lunch room; and auditorium in the attic.
This school is overcrowded, and everything points to using the basement or auditorium for class rooms.
HARDY SCHOOL has 496 pupils. It has 16 class rooms used by 16 classes; 4 small rooms used for offices and teachers; and auditorium in the basement.
LOCKE SCHOOL has 577 pupils. It has 16 class rooms, and has 17 classes; 3 small rooms used as office, teachers' room and library; 3 rooms in the basement used for various purposes; and auditorium in the attic which is used for one regular class.
This shows signs of overcrowding.
PEIRCE SCHOOL has 255 pupils. It has 8 class rooms, and has 9 classes; 2 small rooms used as office, teachers' room and one class. In the basement is the auditorium, used as boys' playroom, and one room used as girls' playroom and sewing room.
This shows signs of overcrowding; 9 regular classes in an 8 room building; the sub-primary class uses the teachers' room, the teachers use the principal's room, and the prin- cipal uses the small "waiting room." Next Fall there will probably be 11 or 12 classes, which will mean 3 classes in the basement, one in the girls' playroom and two in the boys' playroom by a partition in the middle of the room.
18
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
RUSSELL SCHOOL has 408 pupils. It has 12 class rooms, and has 13 classes; 3 small rooms now used as class room, teachers' room and principal's office; 3 rooms in the base- ment used for various purposes.
NEW PARMENTER has 185 pupils. It has 8 class rooms used by 8 classes (one of which is Junior High); 2 small rooms used as Principal's office and teachers' room; base- ment used for playroom, and Junior High science classes; and auditorium in attic.
OLD PARMENTER has 264 pupils. Including the portable it has 6 class rooms, and has 8 classes. The basement has 2 rooms used as gymnasium and class rooms.
JUNIOR HIGH CENTER has 429 pupils. It has 13 class rooms and has 14 classes; 3 small rooms used as Principal's office, teachers' room and class room; basement has 4 rooms used as shop, sewing room, cooking room and lunch room; and auditorium in attic.
JUNIOR HIGH WEST has 510 pupils. Including portable it has 13 class rooms, and has 15 classes; 5 small rooms used as shop, cooking room, Principal's room, nurse's room and teachers' room. Both the shop and cooking rooms are used as regular class rooms for English and French.
This school is in an extremely crowded condition in spite of the one room portable; over 500 pupils in a build- ing to accommodate 400. Next year there will be 18 or 19 class groups, which will force the school on part time with two shifts.
HIGH SCHOOL has 801 pupils, and all of the rooms used. With 1,200 pupils in the Junior High schools, it is evident that an addition to that school is in the offing.
Superintendent Moody writes, "In the fall of 1922 there was an even balance between the number of Junior High School class rooms and the number of class groups. At that time the Junior High Schools were understood to be well filled., Since
19
TOWN RECORDS
that time there has been an increase of 329 pupils or 10 class groups (by the fall of 1927, 444 pupils or 16 class groups), with no additional rooms provided except the extremely temporary makeshift at the old Parmenter property."
The above statement makes obvious the fact that the Junior High School situation must be distressingly overcrowded. In the Junior High School West there are 15 groups in a 12- room building and one-room portable. This means that every available space whether suitable or not must be used for class rooms.
Academic classes are being taught in the cooking room and the wood working shop, amid surroundings and equipment not adapted to the work, and without needed equipment, which cannot be accommodated under the conditions. Use must be made also of the auditorium and teachers' room, and none of these rooms is adapted to academic class work.
In Parmenter Junior High School, a branch from Junior High School Center, use is being made of rooms in three dif- ferent buildings, none of which is adapted to Junior High work. A two-room portable, 4 rooms and 2 basement rooms in the old Parmenter building, a basement room, a second floor room and an attic room in the New Parmenter are all needed to accommodate the work of this Junior High unit. This sounds bad enough, but a better conception can be obtained of the conditions under which students and teachers work if this organization is likened to a seven-story building with two rooms on each of four floors and one room on each of the other three floors. The amount of climbing in such a building would illustrate exactly what the Parmenter Junior High pupils have to go through each school day.
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