USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1936 > Part 26
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Interest on deposit Quincy Savings Bank 96 59
$5,288 95
402
CITY OF QUINCY
Payments :
Patterson's Flower Store a/c funeral of Mr. Lyons
$ 4 00
Abbie G. Dana, interest on mortgage 122 50
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank 74 83
Principal in Quincy Savings Bank
3,207 12
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
2-$1000 Kansas City Terminal bonds, cost .. 1,880 50
$5,288 95
Alice G. White Fund
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1935
1-$1000 American Tel & Tel 5% gold bond 1960, cost $ 980 25
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank 7 30
Interest American Tel & Tel bond
75 00
Interest Quincy Savings Bank 72
Sale American Tel & Tel bond called Jan. 1, 1937 1,100 00
$1,183 02
Payments:
B. F. Wood Music Co.
$ 2 11
Boston Music Co.
56 33
E. C. Schirmer Music Co.
13 64
Mattapan Cooperative Bank, 5 matured shares 4%
991 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank
119 94
$1,183 02
Securities on hand Dec. 31, 1936
5 matured shares Mattapan Cooperative Bank (cost)
$991 00
Ellery Channing Butler Fund
Principal in Quincy Savings Bank Dec. 31, 1935 .$1,000 00
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank 13 61
Interest on deposits Quincy Savings Bank 30 29
$1,043 90
Payments :
Abbie G. Dana, interest on mortgage
$ 25 00
Galen W. Hill, fees for staff courses, etc. 18 62
Balance in Quincy Savings Bank 28
Principal in Quincy Savings Bank
1,000 00
$1,043 90
PAUL A. COLETTI, Treasurer.
HENRIETTA C. THOMAS, VINCENT J. READDY, Auditing Committee.
403
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
To the Trustees of the Thomas Crane Public Library:
In a recent address, President Robert M. Hutchins of the Uni- versity of Chicago stressed the importance of the public library as an instrument of popular education. Among other pertinent remarks, he said: "If we are going to have leisure in good times as well as bad, we must expect the circulation of libraries to continue its ex- pansion. We must not only expect it, we must hope for it, plan for it, and encourage it. There are two advantages in a library educa- tion,-you must get it yourself and you must get it through books. The excellence of British university education has rested on these two characteristics. American colleges and universities are gradu- ally coming to see that the student should read widely, independ- ently, and at his own pace. This opportunity the library offers in a fashion superior to that of universities. . .. The library will be, in my view, the great instrument of popular education in the future. . .. To supply the service the country needs libraries will have to have more books and better ones."
I have quoted these words of one of the most forward looking educators of our times, not because they offer a new conception of the public library-most librarians would regard them as axiomatic -but because it is a conception that is not as generally recognized as it should be. I also wish to point out the goal before going on to the more discouraging business of recording some of the diffi- culties this library is encountering in trying to measure up to it.
During the year 1933 the number of books borrowed from the Thomas Crane Public Library totaled 901,823 volumes. In 1934 the circulation dropped to 847,399 volumes. A further drop in 1935 brought the figure to 765,727 and another loss is recorded for 1936, the circulation for the past year being 711,746 books. In these years the loss in circulation has reached the rather staggering figure of 190,077 or over 21 per cent of the 1933 circulation. Statistics show- ing the expenditures for books, number of books added and with- drawn, in comparison with the circulation figures indicate only too well the direct relationship of the drop in circulation and the reduction in book budgets during these years. Because I have con- sidered this problem at length in my last two reports I do not propose to dwell on it again, especially as I appreciate you are as concerned about it as I am and likewise feel that the only remedy lies in the restoration of the book appropriation of 1932, that is, $18,000 as against the average of $10,400 of the last four years.
However, it is gratifying to report that the loss in the circulation of non-fiction was proportionately less than that of fiction, being under 10 per cent of the total. There is a reason for this. While the problems of book selection and purchase under the reduced budgets have been difficult and perplexing, I have felt that as the library is primarily an educational institution, as many as possible of the more solid and worthwhile books should be added, though the purchase of fiction be curtailed. But it has not been possible to duplicate many of these books for the branches and very few reference books have been added to our collection.
With one exception, all the various agencies of the library have been maintained with no changes in hours open. The exception is the service which the library has been engaged in since 1924 of supplying graded class room libraries to the teachers in the ele- mentary schools of Quincy. This service, a widespread feature of
404
CITY OF QUINCY
public library work, was started with a great deal of enthusiasm by Mr. Temple, my predecessor. A thoroughly worth-while work of great value and much appreciated by the teachers, it entailed the building up of a special collection of books for its sole use, and, as children's books are naturally subject to excessive wear and tear, keeping up the collection involved a good many replacements each year. When the first reduction of nearly 50 per cent in the book budget came in 1933, it was decided to stop buying books for these classroom libraries for at least one year. The continuance of the cut made necessary the continuance of this policy and no new books were added in the past four years. Classroom libraries were, how- ever, delivered in 1933, 1934 and 1935 to such teachers as desired them, but they were smaller in size and the number sent out was greatly reduced. But the collection had become so depleted that this last fall it was decided to discontinue this service entirely and to allow the branch librarians to add to their shelves such books as were left. Personally your librarian regretted very much to give up this valuable feature of library work, but saw no alternative under present conditions.
In spite of the drop in home loans, there has been no abatement in the reference work, especially at the main library. The handling of the work that is required of the reference department by the students of the Quincy High School has always been something of a problem due in part to the physical limitations of our building to serve a large number of people at one time and, in part, to lack of knowledge in advance of the sort of information which was to be required. The high school teachers in those departments which depend on the public library for much of the outside work of these students realized the situation and suggested a conference to discuss the problem of closer cooperation. This conference was attended by department heads, teachers, and the high school librarian, the reference librarians at the main library and myself. It proved very successful. The exchange of points of view led to a better under- standing of the problenis of the school and the public library, and ways and means were found to overcome some of the difficulties and to facilitate the work. As a result, a service more mutually satisfactory to both high school and library has been established. It is gratifying indeed for me to record the fine spirit of cooperation shown by Miss Coulman, the high school librarian, and by the teachers in taking the initiative in arranging for this conference.
There is little to report regarding the branches. There have been no changes in location of hours of opening. With two exceptions, all showed losses in circulation, the exceptions being the Squantum and Temple Branches. The Squantum Branch's gain was small but the Temple Branch had a marked increase, the gain being nearly 4,000 volumes over last year's circulation. In fact, the popularity of this branch has created a problem as the present quarters are definitely too small to meet the requirements of the Quincy Point district.
The Hospital Library Service also had a big year with a twenty per cent increase in circulation. The razing of the old administra- tion building in anticipation of the erection of the new building necessitated a change in the location of the library quarters. The hospital authorities· generously gave us the only room available on the first floor which, though inadequate as a reading room, did provide enough room for our books and has been fairly satisfactory as a distributing center. In the new administration unit now nearly completed, the library has quarters which should meet its needs for many years to come.
405
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Last April Mrs. Zayma Chapelle tendered her resignation as a member of our staff after twelve years of service, during ten of which she acted as hospital librarian. The growth and popularity of the library at the Quincy City Hospital were due almost wholly to lier work there, for which her interest, enthusiasm and personal qualifications admirably fitted her. As her successor, Miss Helene Hodgkinson, who had been assistant in the children's department, was chosen and she has taken hold admirably and is carrying on the work as a worthy successor to Mrs. Chapelle.
Besides Mrs. Chapelle, the library lost two members of the staff. Miss Mabel S. Baxter retired at the end of November. To Miss Baxter's long and devoted service to the Thomas Crane Public Li- brary we paid our tribute in the annual report of 1933. May she long enjoy the freedom she has so well earned. In December Miss Virginia Giles resigned to become Mrs. Henry Fuller after serving faithfully and efficiently for three years as a general assistant at the main library. In cooperation with Miss Ponti she was respon- sible for many of the original and effective posters which have attracted favorable attention from the public.
In May Miss Flora DiBona, a graduate of the Simmons College School of Library Science, became a member of the staff, her assignment being chiefly reference work and the indexing of the files of the Quincy Patriot Ledger. At the December meeting of your board, Miss Dorothy Newton, also a graduate of Simmons College was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Miss Giles, to begin work the first of January, 1937.
The collection of overdue books which do not come back following the sending of the usual two weeks notice is a vexing problem in all public libraries. Various methods have been devised and tried out with indifferent success here as elsewhere. Collecting, by private messenger and by the police have been ways of coping with the problem. This year we seem to have found the most satisfactory solution yet tried. The collection of these books has been put in charge of our chauffeur, Mr. White, who takes the car on a regular schedule between the hours of five and eight p.m. when people are most likely to be at home. In difficult cases he occasionally has police assistance, but this is not often required. Mr. White's per- sistent efforts have brought results.
In the fall of 1935 the Quincy Women's Club through its Commun- ity Service Committee purchased a "talking book" for the use of the blind people of Quincy. This "talking book" is an electric phonographic machine which reproduces vocally books and other reading matter. The American Foundation for the Blind hold the patents for the machine and the records or discs are distributed by the Library of Congress free. The Perkins Institute for the Blind in Watertown is the distributing agency for Massachusetts. This li- brary has cooperated with the Community Service Committee of the Quincy Women's Club by undertaking the delivery of this ma- chine and records to the local blind. The machine and a certain number of records are loaned to each blind person for a period of two weeks. When the rounds have been made the records are returned to Perkins Institute and new ones obtained. At the present time there are eight blind people enjoying in turn the "talking book" and all are very enthusiastic and grateful for the service.
In February four exhibit cases for the Alice L. Campbell collection of dolls were completed and installed in the Boys and Girls House. These cases were built by the boys at the Quincy Trade School under the supervision of Mr. Gustin and Mr. Estes of the Woodworking Department. The librarian takes this opportunity to
406
CITY OF QUINCY
express his appreciation to these teachers and to the boys for the fine cooperative spirit shown in undertaking and carrying out the job.
During the fall as time permitted, your librarian was engaged in writing a history of the Thomas Crane Public Library. This work was undertaken by request of the editor of the Quincy Patriot Ledger and it appeared in the Anniversary Edition of that paper on January 7, 1937. Suggestions have been made that as it is the only up-to-date history of the library, it might well be reprinted in pamphlet form for more permanent preservation and for a wider distribution.
In closing this report, I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge my indebtedness to Miss Callahan and to all the other members of the library staff for their loyal cooperation and to your board for your continued confidence and support and for your whole-hearted interest in the work of this library.
Respectfully submitted,
February 5, 1937
GALEN W. HILL, Librarian.
407
REPORT OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Statistical Summary
Population served, 71,956 (1930 census).
Free for lending and reference.
Total number of agencies, consisting of:
Central Library Branches
12
Stations :
Hospital service
1
Deposits
5
Number of days open during year:
For lending
303
For reading
329
Hours open each week for lending
72
Hours open each week for reading
76
Total number of staff
27
Total valuation of library property
$599,824.54
Adult Juvenile
Total
Number of volumes at beginning of year
71,504
32,883
104,387
Number of volumes added by purchase ..
3,716
1,304
5,020
Number of volumes added by gift
150
5
155
Number of volumes added by binding and number of volumes reaccessioned
73
73
Number of volumes lost and withdrawn
2,053
1,279
3,332
Total number at end of year
73,390
32,913
106,303
Volumes of fiction lent for home use
359,778
141,874
501,652
Number of volumes lent for home use .
482,577
229,169
711,746
Number of registered borrowers
23,520
Number of publications issued :
7
Number of publications received: 191 titles, 380 copies
Library Expenditures 1936
City Appropriation
Endowment Funds
Books
$ 8,980 75
$72 08
Periodicals
1,018 84
Binding
1,965 78
Library Service
34,332 05
Janitor Service
7,219 00
Police Service
392 00
Rent
3,540 00
Gas & electricity
1,108 32
Heat
1,752 04
Maintenance supplies, telephone, printing, etc.
2,136 65
Repairs, replacements, equipment
1,665 51
Miscellaneous
95 29
261 62
Automobile maintenance
6 08
Insurance
132 90
Interest
459 65
$64,695 21
$793 35
408
CITY OF QUINCY
Books in Library January 1, 1937
Adult Juvenile
Total
General
1,166
444
1,610
Periodicals
3,607
40
3,647
Philosophy
1,386
38
1,424
Religion
1,467
278
1,745
Sociology
5,774
2,105
7,879
Language
506
26
532
Science
1,866
1,170
3,036
Useful Arts
4,109
1,263
5,372
Fine Arts
3,926
1,198
5,124
Literature
6,978
3,182
10,160
History
7,698
4,245
11,943
Biography
5,212
1,648
6,860
Fiction
29,695
17,276
46,971
Total
73,390
32,913
106,303
.
Circulation by Classes 1936
BRANCHES
Juvenile Department
CENTRAL LIBRARY
Parkway
Atlantic
Temple
Wollaston
Baxter
Norfolk Downs
Squantum
Manet
General Palmer
Hospital
Montelair
Lakin Square
Merrymount
Boys' and
Girls' House
Schools
TOTAL
General.
11,146
2,646
1,971
1,439
5,620
1,057
3,269
1,238
2,612
2,443
1,390
1,761
2,318
2,557
997
42,464
Philosophy
2,499
148
234
51
779
40
386
40
119
24
22
64
116
47
41
10
4,620
Religion
965
206
175
45
425
87
145
44
138
18
18
18
67
39
244
332
2,966
Sociology
5,976
1,079
1,205
895
2,740
780
1,298
392
898
520
102
536
589
389
2,156
1,946
21,501
Language.
632
62
41
37
132
11
81
3
19
10
2
21
3
24
1,078
Science ..
3,164
517
365
268
1,118
243
514
192
268
120
28
223
198
138
847
777
8,980
Useful Arts
7,879
926
854
558
1,551
397
843
312
842
146
161
369
321
313
951
254
16,677
Fine Arts
6,561
504
690
431
1,645
159
737
382
590
501
46
305
287
209
872
211
14,130
Literature.
6,899
4,651
2,888
3,062
5,738
2,223
3,155
1,637
2,518
2,664
380
1,962
1,530
1,609
5,055
1,187
47,158
History
3,847
416
682
539
1,439
230
671
182
447
245
46
255
381
312
785
1,113
11,590
Travel.
4,978
1,412
1,692
1,000
3,729
934
1,832
519
1,169
878
285
631
780
86
1,320
1,572
23,598
Biography
5,269
807
873
619
2,296
583
786
250
566
287
143
208
609
561
900
575
15,332
Fiction
87,843 32,411 35,070 33,280
88,030 21,044 37,395 14,747 29,053 17,699 10,619 20,688 22,456 15,245 25,872 10,200 501,652
Total
147,658 45,785 46,740 42,224 115,242 27,788 51, 112 19,938 39,239 25,555 13,240 27,022 29,673 22,289 40,064 18,177 711,746
Circulation per capita Circulation per registered borrower 30.26 Maintenance expenditure per capita.
9.89 Maintenance expenditure per volume circulation
$.091
$.908
410
CITY OF QUINCY
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF QUINCY, MASS.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1936
Chairman HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN, Mayor
Vice-Chairman MRS. BEATRICE W. NICHOLS
HON. THOMAS S. BURGIN Term expires Dec. 31, 1936 131 Monroe Road, Quincy
MRS. BEATRICE W. NICHOLS Term expires Dec. 31, 1936 45 Elm Street, Quincy
MR. JOHN H. TAYLOR Term expires Dec. 31, 1936 108 Warren Avenue, Wollaston
MR. GEORGE W. ABELE Term expires Dec. 31, 1937
103 Greenleaf Street, Quincy
MR. ROY PROUT Term expires Dec. 31, 1937
44 Highfield Road, Quincy
MRS. ESTHER V. PURCELL. Term expires Dec. 31, 1938 33 Dorchester Street, Squantum
MR. JOSEPH J. KENDRICK Term expires Dec. 31, 1938
110 Harvard St., Wollaston
Secretary to School Committee and Superintendent of Schoois
JAMES N. MUIR, B.S. 132 Winthrop Avenue, Wollaston
The regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7.30 o'clock P.M. on the last Tuesday in each month.
411
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION
WILLIAM A. BRADFORD, Chairman
ALBERT C. BLACKMAN FRANK FOSTER CONRAD HALLGREN
ALBERT W. Koss
GEORGE A. OSTER ARCIIIBALD WESTHAVER
OFFICE STAFF
Secretary MARION NILSEN 33 Nilsen Avenue, Quincy
Bookkeeper HELEN M. CANTY 65 Safford Street, Wollaston
Clerks ANNIE M. OHMAN 71 Bennington Street, Quincy
THERESA V. KROESSER 18 Thornton Street, Wollaston
Office : School Committee Rooms, Quincy High School Building, Coddington Street.
Office Hours: 8 A.M. to 5 P.M .; Saturday, 8 A.M. to 12 M.
Supervisor of Attendance HARRY G. BURNHAM 226 Everett Street, Wollaston Office: School Committee Rooms.
Office Hours: 8 A.M. to 12 M., 1.30 to 5 P.M. Saturday, 8 A.M. to 12 M.
412
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Quincy:
Your School Committee submits to you the following report for the year 1936.
The completion and occupancy of the west wing of the North Quincy High School has been the most outstanding event of the year 1936.
Twenty-six additional rooms have been provided and your Com- mittee is of the opinion that the present facilities will be sufficient to take care of the public school needs in the northern end of our city for the next few years.
The establishment of an enclosed athletic field, known as the North Quincy High School Athletic Field on Birch Street, fills a long felt need. This field almost adjacent to the North Quincy High School will, without doubt, prove to be one of the strongest links in our entire athletic program.
The year 1936 has seen the establishment of the most compre- hensive health program ever attempted in our school system as the result of a motion passed by your Committee April 14, 1936: ... voted unanimously that the health program be adopted as recommended by the Superintendent in the Superintendent's An- nual Report for 1935."
This department is headed by Mr. James J. Carter, who comes to Quincy from Lynbrook, Long Island. His work in this particu- lar field has been outstanding in its results and has attracted the attention of educators throughout the country. All the health and athletic activities have been coordinated and placed under his control and we believe we can look forward with confidence to an era of improvement in this most important field.
The program of Guidance and Research has been finally adopted and enlarged and is now on a city wide basis extending to all grades in the school system. Miss Mildred Harrison who has been so successful in this special field of work has been elected Direc- tor in charge.
The class of physically handicapped children at the Thomas B. Pollard School is now in its second year. No finer or more humane thing has ever been attempted in our school system. It fills a great need and the citizens of Quincy may well point with pride to the splendid work it is doing.
The demand for the free use of school halls and rooms by the W. P. A. classes and other groups of our citizens has become a serious problem to your Committee. It has placed a burden of ex- pense on the schools due to extra heat, light, and janitor service not heretofore provided in our budget. If this free use is to con- tinue, the City Council and the citizens in general should recog- nize the necessity of placing a sufficient amount of money in our budget to provide for it.
The drift of our school population is definitely towards the north- ern end of our city There is a serious overcrowded condition in the Wollaston School which can only be relieved by the addition
413
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
of four to six rooms. This matter should be given serious and im- mediate attention.
The following statistics should prove interesting to our citizens. We now have 25 school buildings with a total estimated valuation for buildings, equipment, and sites of $6,239,959. The enrollment on September 14, 1936 was 14,485 :- boys, 7,349; girls, 7,136 of whom 7,665 are in the elementary schools; 3,673 in the junior schools; 3,147 in the senior high schools.
There are 570 in the personnel of the School Department includ- ing Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Supervisors, Princi- pals, teachers, clerks, custodians and cleaners.
The budget for the year 1936 was $1,210,000. By virtue of the schools the City Treasury has received approximately $131,500, making the net cost of running the schools $1,078,500. The per capita cost per pupil for the year 1936 based on the above budget is approximately $83. The net per capita cost per pupil for the year 1936 due to the receipts of $131,500 from outside sources is approximately $74.
The cooperation of the Mayor in providing materials and equip- ment for W. P. A. projects for repairs and maintenance work on school property is greatly appreciated by your Committee.
To the Superintendent, Mr. Muir, and his corps of teachers and personnel we owe our sincere appreciation for the excellent stand- ing of Quincy's schools.
The foregoing report was presented by Mrs. Beatrice W. Nichols and Mr. John H. Taylor and adopted by the School Committee as its report for 1936.
414
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee of Quincy:
Ten years ago, Wednesday, January 6, your Superintendent of Schools began his work in the Quincy Public Schools. On taking up the superintendency one must of necessity assume grave re- sponsibilities. Ten years in active service in Quincy has served to increase that feeling of responsibility. On the outset it may be of interest to know that during all these years I have not been absent a day on account of sickness or ill health. In this respect I have been greatly blessed for which I am thankful.
I am profoundly grateful for the strong support you have given me and the staff during these years and appreciate the inter- ested and splendid manner in which you have faced the difficult problems.
It would seem fitting at this time to point out in review some of the significant facts in the educational progress of the Quincy School system during these ten years.
The enrollment in September, 1926, was 12,101 pupils. Of this number 2,232, or 18.4% of the pupils, were enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, or what is known as the high school under the 8-4 plan.
The net enrollment on the first Monday in September, 1936 was 14,485. Of this number 4,275, or 29.5% of all the pupils in the school system were enrolled in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.
You will observe that a great increase in enrollment has come in the secondary schools. The enrollment for the entire city over the ten year period has increased 19.7%. The enrollment in the last four grades over the same ten year period has increased 91.5%. That is, the actual number of pupils enrolled in the corresponding grades in the high school during this ten year period is almost doubled.
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