USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1920-1925 > Part 22
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Gravel was put on the following streets : Mill, Short, Canton, Chestnut, South, Maple, Howard, Center, High, Oak and Lafayette. All the catch basins were cleaned out in the Spring and again in the Fall.
Sidewalks were built in several parts of the town, No. Main, West, South, Cottage, Warren, School and Short streets. Tar Patches were put on North, Cottage, West, Warren and Union streets and on account of the bad holes I had to go over them the second time with a finer grade of stone. Then tarvia was applied on Union north as far as the bridge and on Cottage and Warren streets to the railroad bridge.
Fences were repaired on North, Lafayette and West streets. The stone bridge was fixed on Highland avenue. The last part of the season several big boulders were taken out on Center street.
Respectfully submitted,
C. H. TRUELSON,
Highway Surveyor.
50
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
Randolph, Mass., January 1, 1923 To the Board of Selectmen :-
Gentlemen :-
The following report of Randolph Fire Department is submitted for the year 1922.
The Department was organized May 1, 1922 as fol- lows :-
Board of Engineers Elmer P. Vaughn, Chief Henry J. Mann, 1st Assistant Frederick A. Diauto, Clerk
Combination Co., No. 1 Henry Kiley, Captain Harold L. Bailey, Driver William Connell, Clerk Fifteen Men
Steamer Jesse Taber, Engineer Charles E. Young, Stoker
Report of alarms answered by company from May 1st, 1922 to December 31st, 1922.
Date Box Name Address
May 10 47 Ford auto in Blue Hills.
May 13
26 Bolin's house, So. Main St.
May 17 41 Woods fire, Canton St.
June 9 52 Daniel McCarthy's auto, Warren St.
July 8 51 Lyon's house, Cross St.
July 15 27 Loague house, So. Main St.
July 15 34 False, North St.
July 17
51 False, West St.
51
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
July 19 35 False, North St.
July 20 51 False, West St.
July 21 24 E. C. Young house, So. Main St.
July 23 54 False, Warren and Fowler Sts.
Aug. 16 45 Cameron's house, Jones Ave.
Aug. 19 42 Louis De Cota house, Pleasant St.
Aug. 29 56 Michael Ford house, Vine St.
Sept. 12 54 False, Warren and Fowler Sts.
Sept. 15 23 False, Central Sq.
Sept. 24 61 Mark Tirrell greenhouse, Lafayette St.
Sept. 26 61 Frank French's chimney, High St.
Sept. 29 Still alarm, Automobile, unknown.
Oct. 12 .41 Hicks' house, Canton St.
Oct. 19 23 Porter's Block, Main St.
Oct. 20 42 John O'Neil's barn, Main St.
Oct. 22 31 False, North St.
Oct. 29 47 Auto, unknown, No. Main St.
Oct. 30 43 Owen house, chimney, Allen St.
Oct. 31 25 House owned by Swanson, Ledge Rd.
Nov. 4 61 False, Lafayette St.
Nov. 5 25 False, So. Main St.
Nov. 5 34 False, Liberty and North St.
Nov. 01 46 False, No. Main St.
Nov. 5
27 False, South St.
Nov. 7
24 John Wren's auto, So. Main St.
Nov. 25 52 Kelliher Shoe Co., Warren St.
Dec. 7 Still alarm, chimney, No. Randolph.
Dec. 9
56 False, West St.
Dec. 9 61 False, Lafayette St.
Dec. 11
31 Maria Good's house, Mill St.
Dec. 19 Still alarm, Howard House ruins, Central Sq.
Dec. 20
Still alarm, Howard House ruins, Central Sq.
Dec. 23 61 George Faunce house, High. St
Dec. 28 47 Baker's house, Pond St.
Dec. 31 47 Jerome Patteete house, Pond St.
52
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
It is recommended that the following amounts be raised as follows for the ensuing year :
General expense
$500.00
Salaries, fifteen men at $30.00
450.00
Hour service at fires
350.00
Driver of truck
1,500.00
Engineers' Salaries
150.00
Engineer of steamer
20.00
Stoker of steamer 15.00
500-ft. of hose
375.00
2 new mud guards for truck
100.00
Painting of fire truck
250.00
Painting of Engine House
100.00
Total $3,810.00
Apparatus in good condition outside of painting and two rear mudguards, in need of 500-ft. of hose for em- ergency. Engine house No. 2 is in good condition. Respectfully submitted,
BOARD OF ENGINEERS.
Randolph Fire Department Fire Alarm System
Box
21 So. Main St., near residence of J. V. Beal.
23 Crawford Square.
24 So. Main St., near residence of Francis B. Thayer. So. Main St., near residence of Edwin F. Knight.
So. Main St., near residence of Albion B. Nelson.
25 26 27 South St., near residence of Frederick R. McAvoy.
28 Union St., near residence of J. J. Lynch.
29 Junction of Main and Warren Sts.
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EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
31 Junction of Mill and North Sts.
34 Junction of Liberty and North Sts.
35 Junction of North and Oak Sts.
41 Junction of Canton and High Sts.
42 Junction of West and Main Sts.
13 Mt. Pleasant Square.
15 No. Main St., near Baptist Church.
46 No. Main St., near residence of Edwin Mann.
17 McDonald Square.
51 Junction West and Cross Sts.
52 Depot Square.
54 Junction of Warren and Fowler Sts.
56 West St., near residence of A. C. Archer.
61 Tower Hill.
121 Junction of South and Centre Sts.
Signals
2 Blows after an alarm, Recall.
2 Blows 12:55, daily test.
8 Blows, Aid Call out of town.
5 Blows, Forest Fire Warden.
3 Blows, repeated at 7:15 A. M., no session of High School.
3 Blows, repeated at 8:00 A. M., no morning session for Grades.
3 Blows, repeated at 11:30 A. M., no afternoon ses- sion for Grades.
Telephones
Central Fire Station-Randolph 134.
Residence of Driver-Randolph 349-J
Chief Elmer P. Vaughn-Randolph 334-J.
1st Asst. Henry J. Mann-Randolph 319-W. 2nd Asst. Fred Diauto-Randolph 343-R.
To give alarm for fire, pull hook down once and let go.
54
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Trustees of the Turner Free
Library 1922
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
TURNER FREE LIBRARY
Trustees for 1922 -
Winthrop B. Atherton President
Herbert F. French Vice-President
N. Irving Tolman Treasurer
William H. Leavitt Secretary
Robert T. McAuliffe
Richard F. Forrest James E. Foley (Selectmen of Randolph, Ex-Officiis)
John V. Beal* Mrs. Helen W. Pratt
Asa P. French
Frank C. Granger
Seth Turner Crawford
Frank W. Belcher
Mrs. Alice M. T. Beach
Charles C. Farnham
Librarian Alice M. Belcher Librarian Emeritus
Charles C. Farnham
Assistant Librarian Sarah C. Belcher
PUBLIC LIBRARY
To the Citizens of Randolph :
Pursuant to the provision of Article 3 of the By- Laws of the Turner Free Library, this the forty-seventh annual report is submitted, showing the condition of the trust, consisting of the building, library and funds, to- gether with the reports of the Librarian and Treasurer and so much of the reports submitted by the various
57
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
committees to the Trustees as seem of general interest.
The Library Committee, consisting of Winthrop B. Atherton, Mrs. Helen W. Pratt, Herbert F. French, Frank W. Belcher and Charles C. Farnham, with the assistance of the Librarian, has found the books, charts and furnishings in good condition. All books were ac- counted for by the Librarian.
Randolph, Mass., January 1, 1923. To the Trustees of the Turner Free Library :
At the present time there are some quite necessary repairs needed to the building and an appropriation of $150 is requested.
WINTHROP B. ATHERTON N. IRVING TOLMAN FRANK W. BELCHER
Randolph, Mass., January 1, 1923. To the Trustees of Turner Free Library :
Your Committee on Finance submits the following report :
The Committee has audited the accounts of the Treasurer for the year 1922, and found them correct. All money received have been duly accounted for, and no money has been paid out except upon vouchers properly approved.
The Committee has examined, also, the securities representing the investment of the funds of the Library and has found them to be intact.
ASA P. FRENCH, Chairman.
It is gratifying to note that the Library is becoming more and more of benefit to the citizens of the town. This is shown in the report of the Librarian where it is stated that 239 new borrowers applied during the past
58
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
year. Instances occur from time to time showing that many of the citizens of the town, including some of the older ones, do not realize the scope or the benefits to be derived from the use of the Library. The more than 28,000 volumes cover a wide field of reading and the many popular magazines received weekly and monthly offer an opportunity for one to pass interesting and in- structive hours in the quiet of the pleasant reading room. We are fortunate in having in Miss Alice M. Belcher a librarian intensely interested in her work and ever alert to grasp new methods and improvements of benefit to the library. Always willing to assist an applicant in the selection of books for reading or reference and with the co-operation of her assistants we have one of the best conducted libraries of its size in the East.
On the last day of the year John V. Beal, Esquire, the only survivor of the original Trustees, passed on to his Reward. The unanimous action of the Board of Trustees regarding his decease accompanies this report.
The report of the Librarian statistically showing in detail the doings, management and results of the various departments of the library and the report of the Treas- urer showing the investment of the funds and the re- ceipts and the expenditures of the library are hereby subjoined.
Respectfully submitted,
WINTHROP B. ATHERTON,
President of the Board of Trustees. Randolph, Mass., January 1, 1923.
59
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
Randolph, Mass., January 1, 1923.
To the Trustees of the Turner Free Library :
I have the honor to submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
While the year just closed has, I trust, been one of general progress, there is little change to report in the regular routine work, or any new work undertaken in the different departments.
Most of our time and effort is necessarily confined to the work at the desk, reference work, cataloguing, mending and the general work that must be done every day in a library. Therefore, the time for new activities is limited.
During the year 244 volumes have been added to the library making the total of accessioned books, 28,568. Of the additions 212 have been acquired by purchase, 7 by the binding of periodicals and 25 by gift. We have also received numerous pamphlets from various sources.
The library has been opened to the Public 303 days, the total circulation being 30,430. There have been 435 unbound magazines circulated. The total number of borrowers is now 1491.
The sum of $111.60 has been received for fines and collections and turned over to the Treasurer.
It is encouraging to note that we have an increasing number of readers who enjoy books on travel, history, science and biography. Wells' "Outline of History" has had many readers; the "Autobiography of Edward Bok" has had a steady demand and the "Outline of Science" by Thomson, recently added, is being called for.
While books of fiction have their place, and in a
60
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
Public Library the greater demand is, as it is expected to be, for current fiction, a library serves the community best, when people look to it for help and information along all lines of knowledge, rather than for mere enter- tainment.
That our library does serve the community in this way, is shown by the readers of non-fiction, also by those who visit our reference department. This department is well patronized, both by students and those looking for information on different subjects. Every effort is made to assist these patrons and if the information or book desired is not available in our library, we are glad to send to one of the larger libraries for it. We have done this several times in the past year.
The reading room is well patronized but we wish there might be more adult readers. We have twenty-one monthly magazines and six weeklies on our tables; a number of these being circulated after they have been on the reading room table for a week or a month.
Our number of borrowers is increasing, 239 new ap- plications being received this year. It is interesting to note that many of the people moving into the town, find the way to the library after a few weeks' residence. They are always cordially welcomed and every effort made to make them feel the privileges of the library are theirs.
This year the principal work with the schools has been in assisting the pupils who have come to the library for reference work.
In the Fall Miss E. Louise Jones, Field Secretary of the Massachusetts Library Commission, spent two days at the Library, examining the books and discarding those that were out of date, in all departments. This gives more shelf room which was much needed.
61
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
In February, Miss Sarah C. Belcher, assistant libra- rian, was granted a leave of absence for three months, which she spent in traveling, visiting among other places of interest, the Panama Canal and Honolulu. During her absence Miss Dorothy Harris who had been a sub- stitute for some time took her place and did excellent work.
I wish to thank Miss Belcher at this time for her loyal support and the Trustees for their interest in the work of the library.
Respectfully submitted,
ALICE M. BELCHER, Librarian.
ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT OF THE LIBRARY BY MONTHS.
January
3,292
25
132
February
2,718
23
118
March
2,992
27
111
April
2,738
24
114
May
2,426
26
93
June
2,228
26
86
July
2,206
25
88
August
2,181
27
82
September
2,170
25
87
October
2,202
25
88
November
2,943
25
11S
December
2,331
25
93
30,430
303
100
62
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER
Randolph, Mass., January 2, 1923. To the Trustees of the Turner Free Library :
In compliance with the requirements of the by-laws I herewith submit my annual report as Treasurer of the Turner Free Library.
Receipts
Income Turner Fund
$522.75
Income R. W. Turner Fund
653.45
Rent Randolph Savings Bank 360.00
Rent C. Fred Lyons 300.00
Interest on Boston Elevated R. R. Bonds . .
225.00
Randolph Savings Bank, Fuel 1921
252.14
Fines-Collections
111.60
Town Appropriation
150.00
Balance on hand January 1, 1922
332.97
$3,107.91
Disbursements
Paid for books
347.92
Paid for Periodicals
99.66
Paid for Rebinding books
84.94
Salary Librarian
600.00
Salary Assistant Librarian
225.00
Salary Janitor
300.00
Two extra help
70.80
Electric light and lamps
125.25
Supplies
25.78
Fuel
280.84
Printing
16.00
63
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
Rent Safe Deposit Box
10.00
305.41
Repairs Sundries Balance on hand December 30, 1922
15.67
600.64
$3,107.91
The Turner Fund is invested in :
1 Third Liberty Loan Bond $1,000.00
1 Third Liberty Loan Bond 50.00
1 Old Colony R. R. Bond 1,000.00
1,000.00
1 Western Tel. and Tel. Bond
1 N. Y. Central & Hudson River R. R. Bond 1,000.00
3 Union Pacific R. R. Bonds, each 500.00
3 Pere Marquette R. R. Bonds, each 1,000.00
3 Pere Marquette R. R. Bonds, each 100.00
33 Shares Union Pacific preferred, each .. 100.00
The Royal W. Turner Fund is invested in :
10 Old Colony R. R. Bonds, each $1,000.00
5 American Tel. and Tel. Bonds, each 1,000.00
5 New York Tel. Bonds, each 1,000.00
Deposit in Randolph Savings Bank 650.00
The remaining funds are invested in
5 Boston Elevated Bonds ,each. 1,000.00
Respectfully submitted,
N. IRVING TOLMAN, Treasurer.
64
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
RESOLUTION
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
The Trustees of the Turner Free Library desire to spread upon the records of the Board their profound sense of the loss which they and the community which the Library serves have sustained by the death, at his home in Randolph on December 31, 1922, of JOHN V. BEAL, Esquire, who, until recently, and for many years, has held the office of President of the Trustees.
Mr. Beal was the son of Col. Eleazer and Mary (Thayer) Beal, and was born in Randolph on July 3, 1842. He has lived here all his life. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, and at Phillips Andover Academy from which he graduated in 1863. Because of ill health he was regretfully obliged to forego the college course for which he had fitted himself, and, from the time of his graduation from Andover until 1871, he taught school.
Mr. Beal attended the Harvard Law School for a year and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in that institution in 1872. He thereupon entered the law-office of Jewell, Gaston & Field in Boston. Mr. Gaston sub- sequently became Governor of the Commonwealth, and Mr. Field Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. He remained in this office until he was admitted to the Suffolk Bar on June 10, 1873. Upon his admission, he began the practice of law and remained actively engaged in that profession, with an office in Boston, until a year before his death. His reputation as a lawyer was an en- viable one. His honor and integrity were above re- proach, and his fidelity to his clients brought him a large and lucrative practice. He was always interested in the
65
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
welfare of Randolph, and was ever ready to devote his time and energy to matters in which its interests were involved. For many years he was Chairman of the Ap- propriation and Finance Committee of the Town, and town counsel. In 1911, he served as representative to the General Court from the Ninth Norfolk District.
He was also deeply interested in church affairs, was a member of the First Congregational Church of Ran- dolph, and, from 1890 to 1896 Superintendent of its Sun- day School.
From the date of its foundation until his death he was president of the Trustees of the Seth Mann 2nd- Home for Aged and Infirm Women, in Randolph.
On May 10, 1910, he married Edith Alden Belcher, who survives him.
It is especially ,however, to his services as a mem- ber of the Board of Trustees of the Turner Library that our tribute of respect and gratitude is directed. At his death, he was the only survivor of the original Trustees named in the deed of the Turner family under which the Library was founded, in 1875, and his interest in it was unceasing and active until a short time before his death. He was president of the Board from April 15, 1907 un- til April 17, 1922, when he resigned.
The loss which this institution and his associates on the Board of Trustees have suffered by reason of his death cannot be exaggerated. It is fair to say that his interest in the development of the Library has been deep and constant, and has been reflected in the administration of its affairs to a greater degree, perhaps, than that of any other individual member of the Board. To it he gave a considerable portion of the leisure moments of a busy lawyer, and that the Library has efficiently per-
66
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
formed its highly important purpose in the community is in no small degree due to him.
We are confident that our appreciation of his ser- vices to the town, not only in connection with the Lib- rary, but in other positions of trust and importance to which we have alluded, will be universally shared by his fellow citizens. The place in the community rendered va- can by the death of a man of his character and ability is one which it is difficult, if not impossible, to fill.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1922
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
School Committee
James F. Kennedy Chairman
Marshall W. Leavitt . Secretary
Marshall W. Leavitt Term Expires 1923
James F. Kennedy Term expires 1924
Charles R. Kiley
Term expires 1925
Trustees of Stetson School Fund
Charles R. Kiley Chairman George V. Higgins, M. D. ... Secretary
Marshall W. Leavitt Term expires 1923
James F. Kennedy Term expires 1924
Charles R. Kiley
Term expires 1925
Superintendent of Schools
ADOLPH O. CHRISTENSON
Residence, Avon Telephone, Brockton 5324-R
Regular meeting of the School Committee last Friday of every month at 7:30 P. M.
71
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
To properly provide for the needs of the pupils now in attendance at the schools of your town we ask that the town raise and appropriate the following amounts for the year ending December 31, 1923 :
For Teaching
$26,290.00
For fuel
3,800.00
For care of rooms
3,000.00
For books and supplies
4,000.00
For general expense
4,000.00
For transportation
2,000.00
For School Committee
300.00
For Superintendent of Schools
1,150.00
For School Physician
100.00
For School Nurse
1,000.00
For Stetson High School
10,025.00
$55,055.00
Report of the School Committee
Randolph, December 31, 1022. To the Citizens of Randolph :
We submit herewith our Annual Report as required by law, calling your particular attention to the report of our superintendent wherein is outlined to you, as thor- oughly as is possible to give it in a necessarily condensed form the urgent and pressing requirement of a compre- hensive addition to our High School sufficient to take care of the overcrowding at that school, as well as relieve the prevailing congestion existing at the Belcher and Prescott Schools.
72
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
Had provision for possible growth of the school population been made at the time of the erection of the High School somewhat over 10 years ago, space might now be avilable to provide for our present day increased attendance, and construction could then have been erected at one-half the approximate cost of present day building costs.
We urge that the present day enlargement be made sufficient to meet reasonable expectation of growth in the school population, thereby profiting by the example of the 1909 High School construction.
In connection with the pressing need of action on this matter, we direct your attention to repeated calls which we have had from the State Department of Public Safety calling our attention to and pointing out the need of immediate provision to remedy the present existing overcrowding in the schools of Randolph, particularly the Belcher, Prescott and High Schools.
In case of failure to provide for this existing con- tingency, we submit that the responsibility, therefore, will rest with the citizens of the Town, the school board, to the best of its ability, having called your attention to the situation.
Increasing School Costs
We note with increasing concern the growing An- nual School Budget. We wish that this were avoidable or remediable, but regret to state, however, that it is not. As children come along their education must be provided for by the community. Like everything else the cost of education has been growing by leaps and bounds since pre war days; with a proportionate increase in the school population commensurate with a similar growth in the town population.
It behooves all who feel the pinch of taxation to
73
EIGHTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
manifest more than a passing interest in the schools, to learn the why and wherefores of these expenditures, to show a public spirited co-operation with the school au- thorities in these matters for economic as well as educa- tional reasons.
Gift
We gratefully acknowledge the gift of a tract of land for playground, near the Belcher School, presented by Mrs. Helen W. Pratt.
Repairs
We have endeavored to put all buildings and sanitary connections pertaining thereto, in the best possible con- dition, consistent with the amount of money available for this purpose. Two or three things yet remain to be done; namely, the improving and renovating of all the old school desks; the relaying with hard pine of many of the badly worn floors and freshly painting and kalsomining most of the school rooms, to give them a better, lighter and more cheerful appearance.
All of this cannot be done in one year, but if a small amount is voted for this purpose each year considerable progress may be made each year.
Transportation
There is no legal compulsion for transportation with- in the two mile limit; the matter of granting free con- veyance to those within that limit rests within the dis- cretion of the school committee. As the Tower Hill and North Randolph districts are provided for by school which accommodate their six grades, and as West Corner has accommodation for the first three grades and is just about within a mile of the Belcher School for the remain-
7.4
F
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
ing upper grades, we have no problem to meet in these localities.
As the children from the south end of the Town from the vicinity of the residence of Edwin Knight and beyond have no school in that locality, we give the child- ren in the first four grades transportation both ways. For those above the 4th, to and including. the 6th grade, one way transportation only. A similar condition exists at the Braintree Line End of North Street with nearly as many school pupils attending as from the South Main Street section. As the South Braintree electric line has for sometime past been undependable, we have been obliged to contract for their transportation by jitney with Mr. Stephen Hart. For the present we have decided to give those attending the 7th and 8th grades from outly- ing districts transportation one way.
In individual cases this restriction and cancellation of transportation has occasioned complaints. We felt, however, that the time had arrived for a firm, definite at- titude on the matter and this decision, coupled with the opening of the new school rooms at Tower Hill and North Randolph, has enabled us to reduce the annual transportation cost which, on the basis of former existing regulations, would now be costing the town $4,500. per annum, to about $2,000. per annum.
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