Norwood annual report 1923-1927, Part 78

Author: Norwood (Mass.)
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1656


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1923-1927 > Part 78


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Following four of the severe storms during the past season I found it necessary to furnish feed for game.


There appears to have been an increase in the number of pheasants. It is estimated that there are in the neighborhood of one hundred quail at the beginning of the winter season of 1926, which appears to be an increase of about thirty-three per cent in comparison with conditions in 1925. There is an apparent decrease in the number of partridges, being a smaller number this past year than during any year since 1922.


Arrangements have been made between the State Department of Con- servation with the Proprietors of the New Pond whereby a five-year agree- ment or lease has been entered into which continues the condition that persons fishing in the New Pond must have a State License or conform to the other provisions of the law.


It is expected that New Pond will be stocked by the State Department of conservation in the spring of 1927 with white perch.


Respectfully submitted,


WALTER H. HOBSON, Town Game Warden.


224


REPORT OF THE FIRE ENGINEER


Board of Selectmen, Norwood, Mass.


January 24, 1927.


Gentlemen:


I have the honor to submit hereon the annual report of the Fire De- partment for the year 1926. Figures as to value of buildings and con- tents, damage to buildings and contents, in fires which occurred prior to May 1, 1926, are not available. The total number of alarms responded to during the year are on record here however.


Alarms for the year were recorded as follows:


From Street Boxes 58


By Telephone 64


Total


122


These alarms were divided as follows:


Automobiles


7


Business Buildings 17


Chimney Fires


9


Dumps 9


Dwellings


15


False Alarms


14


Garages


2


Grass, woods, etc.


49


Total


122


Assuming command of the Department on May 1, 1926, I at once made an inspection of apparatus, appliances, tools, quarters, etc. One thousand (1,000) feet of double jacketed hose, variaus tools and appliances were bought and one additional man was placed on the permanent force. In- spections of buildings, cellars and attics were made throughout the Town, and merchants were directed to clean up all rubbish; in many cases this was complied with and it has aided considerably in keeping down the number of fires. Engine and Hook and Ladder were overhauled and put in best of shape.


A new indicator system and a take-up rcel for fire alarm tape were pur- chased and installed and are working very satisfactarily. Some of the


225


antiquated fire alarm boxes were replaced by up-to-date non-interfering boxes; alarms from street boxes are now received with greater assurance that two or more boxes are not interfering if pulled at the same time, if on the same circuit.


One member of the Department lost his life while responding to an alarm for fire from Box No. 28. No lives were lost at any fire, nor were any animals burned to death. All vacancies created by resignations have been filled in the call department and it is now up to its capacity. Drills and instructions were held weekly during the summer months and until cold weather interfered; they are to be resumed as soon as weather permits. The morale of both the paid and call members of the Department is on a par with that of any other fire department throughout the State.


The following resume, shows the fire loss, risks involved and the in- surance on buildings and contents:


Risks Involved, Buildings


$ 571,600.00


Risks Involved, Contents


4,052,000.00


Insurance on Buildings 908,250.00


Insurance on Contents


3,527,500.00


Damage to Buildings


2,103.00


Damage to Contents.


3,550.00


Total Loss on Buildings and Contents. . . 5,653.00


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN J. HANNIGAN, Chief.


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


OF THE


TOWN OF NORWOOD


Massachusetts


FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1926


229


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


School Committee 1926


Frederick A. Cleveland, Pleasant Street, term expires 1927.


Arthur S. Hartwell, 90 Winter Street, term expires 1927.


Edward F. Brennan, 1 Walpole Street, term expires 1928.


Charles J. Rich, 67 Beech Street, term expires 1928.


Christine L. Probert, 11 Marion Avenue, term expires 1929. .


Julia R. O'Brien, 4 Railroad Avenue, term expires 1929.


Organization


Dr. Frederick A. Cleveland. Chairman


Irene D. Readel Secretary


Standing Committees


Education Program Committee: Dr. Cleveland, Miss O'Brien, Dr. Hartwell.


Finance Committee: Mr. Rich, Dr. Brennan, Mrs. Probert.


Janitors, Schoolhouses and Grounds: Dr. Brennan, Mr. Rich.


Fuel, School Books and Supplies: Mrs. Probert.


Committee Meetings


The regular monthly meeting of the School Committee is held at the School Committee Rooms, Junior High School, at eight o'clock p. m., on the first Monday of each month.


Superintendent of Schools


Herbert H. Howes, 55 Florence Avenue. Telephone, Norwood 0482-J. The office of the Superintendent of Schools is at the Junior High School, and is open from 8.00 a. m. until 5.00 p. m. every day except Saturday, when it is open from 8.00 a. m. until 12.00 m. Telephone Norwood 0133.


Clerks


Irene D. Readel, 506 Walpole Street. 1


Elizabeth Zurba, 49 Saunders Road.


230


SCHOOL CALENDAR 1926-27


First term begins September 7, 1926, ends December 23, 1926 16 weeks


Second term begins January 3, 1927, ends February 18, 1927 7 weeks


Third term begins February 28, 1927, ends April 15, 1927 7 weeks


Fourth term begins April 25, 1927, ends June 24, 1927 9 weeks


First term begins September 6, 1927, ends December 22, 1927


16 weeks


Holidays


October 12, Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday, Good Friday, May 30 and June 17.


No School Signal 2-2


Repeated at 7.15 a. m. No forenoon session for any school.


Repeated at 8.00 a. m. No forenoon session for first six grades.


Repeated at 12.15 p. m. No afternoon session for any grades below the Senior High School.


Repeated at 12.30 p. m. No afternoon session for first six grades.


Repeated at 6.15 p. m. No session for evening school.


231


NEW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, NORWOOD, MASS.


232


4


K


LIBRARY-NEW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL


233


COOKING ROOM-NEW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL -


234


GYMNASIUM-NEW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL


235


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


This is the fourth annual report in which the School Committee has presented an analysis of statistical information-the purpose of which is to enable the Finance Commission and the citizens to think of school problems in terms of historic perspective. To this end accumulated data has been presented, showing each year comparatively: (1) population since 1912; (2) school membership since 1912; (3) enrollment by grades since 1921, with a statement of losses in going from grade to grade; and (4) in- creasing per capita and per pupil cost of education, etc. These tabular statements of facts have been accompanied by interpretation and dis- cussion of questions of policy bearing on educational standard, tax rate and other matters of public interest. In this report the same general form is followed as in the three previous reports; and in addition, certain new questions are raised for consideration.


Increasing Population and School Membership


Increasing population and school membership is shown by Table I. The increase in the membership of the elementary school grades is to be


Table I. Average Day-School Membership for Senior High, Junior High and Elementary, 1912-1926


Year


Elemen- tary Grades


Junior High Grades


Senior High Grades


Total


Average Attend- ance


Popula- tion


1912-1913


1341


261


105


1707


1618


9,793


1913-1914


1447


319


103


1869


1760


1914-1915


1484


387


118


1989


1886


1915-1916


1543


406


148


2097


1984


10,977


1916-1917


1573


376


153


2163


2036


1917-1918


1718


374


158


2250


2096


1918-1919


1631*


519*


188


2338


2202


1919-1920


1727


536


198


2461


2329


12,627


1920-1921


1872


503


254


2629


2510


1921-1922


1826


577


278


2681


2550


1922-1923


1902


611


300


2813


2672


1923-1924


1975


682


310


2967


2852


1924-1925


1985


745


341


3071


2901


14,151


1925-1926


2063


802


394


3259


3099


14,456 +


Increase in


percentages


53.8


207.3


275.2


90.9


91.5


1912-1926


*9th grade abolished.


Estimate.


236


almost wholly accounted for by the fact that Norwood is a growing town. In 1910 the population of Norwood was 8,014; for 1912 the estimated population was 9,198; in 1925 the population was 14,151; and for 1926 it is estimated at 14,456. From this it will be seen that the population increase since 1912 has been 57.2%, whereas the increase in the member- ship of the elementary school grades has been only 53.8%. The fact that there has been a slight falling off in the percentage of increase of attendance in the first six grades as compared with population is presumably accounted for by the operation of the laws restricting immigration-the effect of which has been to make it impossible for a considerable number of men to bring their families with them. Presumably this restrictive legislation would have had the same effect on the increase in attendance in the Junior and Senior High Schools notwithstanding the restriction; however, from Table I it will be seen that in both these cases the increases in membership have far out-run the increase in population. The Junior High School in- crease has been 207.3%; the Senior High School increase in membership has been 275.2% as compared with the population. As compared with the elementary grade increase, however, the increasing disposition to con- tinue in the Junior and Senior High Schools is even more marked. The increase in the membership of the Junior High School during this period has been 3.85 times as great as the increase in the elementary grades; the increase in the Senior High School has been 5.11 times the increase in the elementary schools.


Enrollment by Grades


As shown by Table II, the losses in going from grade to grade in the elementary schools have been negligible. During the last two years the increases and decreases have almost exactly balanced. This is, of course, to be expected in a compulsory school system. The unexpected result is to be found in the Junior and Senior High Schools. As the law stands, the compulsory feature does not apply arbitrarily in Norwood after the pupil has arrived at the age of fourteen. Following the experience of years gone by, it would be expected that there would be large losses in passing from the elementary to the High School grades and in going from grade to grade through the high school. This expectation, however, is not borne out in experience since 1921-the period covered by our statistics. Taking all Junior High grades together, the losscs in passing through the three years averaged over a period of the last five years are only 7.4%-an average loss of 2.4% per year. Taking the Senior High grades together, the losses in passing through averaged (for the period of five years) only 20.9%, or an annual loss of 6.9%. In other words, 92.6% of the number of pupils who entered the seventh grade in the Junior High School passed on through that school; and 79.1% of the number of pupils who entered the tenth grade in the Senior High School continued for three years-whether they graduated or not. The large increase of losses in going from grade to grade in the Senior and Junior High Schools during 1926 is explained


237


Table II. Showing Enrollment by Grades and Losses from Year to Year in Going from Grade to Grade


Enrollment


Losses Between Grades


Grade


Dec. 1 1921


Dec. 1 1922


Dec. 1 1923


Dec. 1 1924


Dec. 1 1925


Dec. 1 1926


1922


1923


1924


1925


1926


Senior High


283


307


319


353


409


444


57


55


83


69


119


12


67*


91*


74*


97


103


111


11


13


10


10


13


11


102*


87*


107


113


124


135 198


19


20


48


40


59


Junior High


579


628


693


763


821


821


71


70


36


22


77


9


148


158


191


222


257


222


33


28


10


7


44


8


191


219


232


264


266


266


21


19 23


6


11


32


7


240


251


270


277


298


333


17


20


4


1


Elementary


1826


1902


1969


2021


2059


2023


23


6


24


11+


10


6


268


293


297


302


334


286±


7+


1


5


286


298


312


336


3041


398


3


9


10 10+ 26


2 12+


** 42+


4


295


321


326


292±


356


350


13


11


2+


20


3


334


337


318±


354


370


341


14


32+ 17


4+ 2


3


16


1


292±


367


366


340


331


308


Special


18


29


27


25


11


2


2


* Small numbers probably due to withdrawals for war industries during years 1916 to 1918


+ Increases.


+ Membership reduced by increasing entrance age.


** Due to double promotion of bright group in Balch School.


Table III. Showing Reasons for Losses in Going from Grade to Grade, December, 1925 to December, 1926


Senior High:


Gone to work .


89


Moved away .


6


Miscellaneous


24


Total.


119


Junior High:


44


Moved away


28


Miscellaneous


5


Total


77


Elementary:


Moved away


10


Special.


Left on 16th birthday 2


2+


4+


2


351


2861


350


368


337


315


6


22


25


19


47


10


114*


129


138


143


182


27


Gone to work.


-


18


238


in part at least by the more severe economic conditions. From Table III it will be seen that 133 withdrew to go to work in addition to the 29 who moved away from town, which separations were also partly due to lack of parental employment. All together there were 196 withdrawals for 1926, as against 91 for 1925.


Shortage of Buildings and Equipment


It may seem quite unnecessary to recount the historic fact of the large shortage of school buildings and equipment in Norwood at the end of the war. However, because we have not entirely overcome this shortage, we may keep the facts before us.


In 1921, $75,000 was appropriated to complete the west wing of the Washington Street High School-now the Junior High. In 1922, $80,000 was appropriated to build a new eight-room addition to the Balch School. For the new Senior High School, various appropriations have been made. In 1923, $100,000 to start work; during 1924, $300,000 more to meet the general contract; in 1925, $50,000 on the basis of estimates for equipment; and in 1926, a still further sum to complete plant, furnishings, grounds, athletic field enclosure, etc. These several amounts will total something over $560,000.


There is still a school building shortage in the town as is evidenced by statistics set forth under the titles which follow. How much it will cost to overcome this shortage is more or less uncertain because of the con- tinuing increase in school demand. We may say, however, that we have entirely overcome the shortage for the Senior High School. We still lack on the basis of present school attendance about 150 seats for the Junior High School, and there is obviously need for elementary school building equipment in that large area of Norwood which lies south of the Wrentham Branch of the railroad.


Table IV. Number of Children Attending Elementary Schools Who Live East of Railroad and South of Wrentham Branch, 1926-1927


Grades


School


Total


1


2


3


4


5


6


Special


East


34


31


65


Guild


22


18


47


64


46


59


256


Beacon


1


3


3


6


13


Balch


7


10


8


8


10


4


2


49


Totals


63


59


55


73


59


66


8


383


239


Need for Elementary School Buildings South of the Wrentham Branch


Geographically, the area which lies south of the Wrentham . Branch constitutes about one-half of the area of the Town of Norwood. As a matter of development, this has been slow in providing housing facilities, and therefore there has been a delayed demand for school facilities. How- ever, during the last few years house building has increased in that area to such an extent that there are now 383 children on that side going to school. For them no provision whatever is made except in the little old, two-room East School, where provision is made for taking care of some of the nearby small children. The other 318 are required to cross the tracks and find seatings in the Guild, Beacon and Balch buildings. The facts as they present themselves are shown by Table IV.


In order to meet the situation of a fast-growing population in the area above described, Fisher Hill on Neponset Street, east of Railroad Avenue has been purchased (about eight acres-with a conditional arrangement for two more acres if approved). This is not only destined to be the center of a large population, if Norwood continues to grow, but Fisher Hill is one of the most sightly and best adapted pieces of real estate in Norwood, both for school use and for neighborhood playground purposes. The grounds were obtained at a very low figure due to the fact that the Fisher heirs were interested in having this part of the family property dedicated to a public use. There is, however, a long stretch between Fisher Hill and areas that are filling up between East Cross Street and the Neponset River shown by chart on p. 241. The School Committee are of the opinion that some provision should also be made for acquisition of adequate acreage centrally located within this broad area while the land is unencumbered by develop- ment.


Table V. Estimated Junior and Senior High School Requirements for Next Five Years


Corrected Estimates (This Report)


Estimated in Report of 1925


Year


Jr. High


Sr. High


Total


Jr. High


Sr. High


Total


Dec. 1, 1926


S21


444


1265


856


525


1381


1927-1928


850


488


1338


870


662


1492


1928-1929


950


555


1505


934


705


1639


1929-1930


952


632


1584


990


728


1718


1930-1931


1004


656


1660


1024


751


1775


1931-1932


924


756


1680


240


Need for Junior High School Addition


In order that we may face the future needs for Junior and Senior High School building and equipment on the basis of past experience, a forecast of probable attendance has been prepared for the next five years. This is presented as Table V.


Since the Washington Street High School has been re-adapted to fit it for Junior High School work, its normal seating capacity is about 750. The estimated need for Junior High School seating is shown in the first column of the table above referred to. In planning and purchasing the grounds, it was contemplated that the original structure might be added to from time to time as wings or bays in the rear. While the Junior High School attendance may be accommodated as in the past by continuing to use the old Everett School building (and this may be supplemented by use of rooms in the Guild School), it goes without saying that this arrange- ment is unfortunate; it detracts from educational results by having the classes broken up and the Junior High School program limited by temporary housing.


Senior High School Situation


The Senior High School situation is this: The new Senior High School has been planned so that ultimately it can accommodate a membership of from 2000 to 2500. All of the general facilities are based on this calcula- tion. The coal pocket, the boiler room, the chimney, the ventilation and heating systems, the water distribution, the fan room, the lunch room and kitchen, the library, the double gymnasium, the double athletic field have all been constructed with a view to accommodating the Senior High School population of a town of from 30,000 to 35,000 people. The added building cost to achieve this end, over and above what would have been necessary for the classroom equipment of what was erected, was $108,000. The added cost of field and grounds and facilities for out-of-door sports will be when completed approximately $32,000. In other words, in the construction of the new High School with its varying equipment there was put into the cost about $140,000 which would not have been necessary if these auxiliaries had been of such size only as would have been needed for the school membership accommodated by the classrooms. The classroom accommodation is about 650 pupils. The average high school attendance for 1926 was 444. It is estimated, however, that the present classroom capacity will be reached in the year 1930, so that if some further provision is not made to meet the situation, the Senior High School will have an at- tendance in 1932 of approximately 100 more than the existing classrooms of the new school will accommodate. A possible relief from this situation is discussed below under the title "The Henry O. Peabody Fund."


Increasing Cost of Construction


When accounting for the increase in the financial burden upon the tax- payers by reason of the steps taken to meet the educational demand of the


From


Winslow School


Owinslow Sthe. 1


@Fisher H.11


7


1/2 Mile radius from Fisher Hill


PLAN OF THE TOWN OF NORWOOD MASS.


SCALE


/2 Mile radius from Balch School


Geo A Smith Town Engineer


Chart showing Balch, Winslow, Shattuck and East School districts with half mile circles around building sites, also area south of track havidg no school location.


242


town, it is necessary to take note of the fact that the average price level was much higher during the years when our most extensive and expensive equipment was being provided. Furthermore, there was also a change in type of building made necessary because of the increased population-with a corresponding increase in fire risk, requiring the use of brick or stone. What this increased burden has been has been shown in previous reports, but we may well keep the facts before us. The cost of each building per pupil, assuming thirty-five pupils per room, has increased as follows: $69.54 for the West School; $81.51 for the Guild School; $114.60 for the East School; $123.82 for the Shattuck School; $157.57 for the Winslow School; $285.70 for the new wing on the Balch School. In high school construction the cost cannot be figured on a per room basis for the reason that there are so many general or common facilities. Taking advantage of the increase in the number which can be accommodated in the Washing- ton Street High School since it has been adapted to Junior High School use, the cost per pupil is about $533. Subtracting the cost of construction for future enlargement, as chargeable against future construction, the cost per pupil in the new Senior High School, including gymnasium, grounds, etc., is $646 per pupil. When, however, the plant is developed to capacity by the addition of auditorium and further classroom facilities, the cost of the entire plant per pupil (on basis of present prices) will be ap- proximately $450. The economies that were conserved in the new structure were those which were made possible by the utilization of the gymnasium, auditorium and out-of-door facilities to relieve classrooms, and by pro- viding facilities for care of the belongings of students in lockers and dressing rooms, thereby doing away with home room requirements.


Table VI. Increase in School Membership and in Amount Expended for School Support from 1912 to 1926-Population and Per Capita


Year


Average Member- ship


Amount Expended (Direct)


Cost per Pupil


Population


Cost per Capita Population


Cost per Family


1912-13


1707


$ 56,576.22


$33.14


9,793


$ 5.78


$28.90


1913-14


1839


66,679.52


36.26


1914-15


1990


68,348.98


34.34


1915-16


2097


74,109.04


35.34


10,977


6.23


31.15


1916-17


2163


77,801.45


35.97


1917-18


2250


87,571.84


38.92


1918-19


2329


97,967.41


42.06


1919-20


2461


137,414.81


55.84


12,627


10.88


54.40


1920-21


2629


180,025.65


68.48


1921-22


2681


205,965.16


76.82


1922-23


2789


226,774.25


81.31


1923-24


2967


238,824.45


80.49


1924-25


3071


235,423.73


76.66


14,151


16.64


83.20


1925-26


3259


265,877.89


82.32


14,456 (Est.)


18.39


91.95


1926 (Calendar Year) see Table VII.


Increasing Cost of Operation


What the increasing cost in operation has been is shown by Table V. This is the direct cost-largely due to increase in the salaries of teachers,


:


243


necessary to meet competition from other towns and from other employ- ments than teaching. The increase in the average salaries to teachers is shown by Table VI. From this it will be seen that the average salary reached its maximum about 1923-since which time the average of salaries has been practically at a standstill. Provision has been made for higher maximums. The average, however, actually decreased from 1923 to 1925 inclusive-from $1587 to $1548. This was made possible by bringing into the system teachers of less experience but of high educational standard -the theory being that a certain percentage of younger teachers should be taken in each year. It is probable that the increased maximum will carry the average salary up to and maintain it at $1600 a year or above. To the direct cost we may add the interest and overhead charges. What would be the average cost per pupil in such event is shown by Table VIII.


Table VII. Annual Expenditures Against Appropriations for Schools, 1926. Less Reimbursements from State Funds


Total Expenditures-1926


Administration


$ 8,962.67


Instruction:


Instruction Salaries


206,376.80


Textbooks


6,405.29


Instruction Supplies


9,114.71


Operation:


Janitors' Salaries


16,739.02


Fuel . . .


12,473.18


Operating Expenses.


5,795.13


Maintenance:


Repairs and Replacements.


11,353.70


Auxiliary Agencies:


Health


4,637.66


Tuition


412.83


Libraries .


474.91


Transportation .


2,243.50


Rentals and Other Expense


8,261.93


Capital Outlay:


Grounds, Equipment and Alterations


7,886.43


$301,137.76


Less $4,930.27 Junior High Equipment


$296,207.49


Receipts to Town on Account of Schools


Reimbursement from State on Account of Teachers' Salaries Tuition


$ 22,675.75


2,850.44


244


Reimbursement from State on: Evening Vocational Classes. Adult Alien Education Classes


$ 782.21


4,615.55 419.46


Miscellaneous.


31,343.41


Net Expenditures, 1926.


$279,894.35


Table VIII. Cost per Pupil (Direct and Indirect) for Elementary, Junior and Senior High, 1925-26




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