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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