USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Randolph > Randolph town reports 1944-1949 > Part 7
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Drainage systems were cleaned and repaired, patch- ing, sweeping, brush cutting and also the tarring of Canton Street from High Street to the Canton Line.
SNOW REMOVAL
With our Nation still at war, the Highway Surveyor's duty to keep our highways open for travel becomes more difficult, due to the shortage of help and light equipment we are forced to use. Everything goes well until heavy storms force us to our very limits.
So far this year it has been about the severest winter that I have seen during my terms in office. Let us hope that the snow fall will let up the rest of the winter, and thereby relieve some of the hardship that is caused by heavy snows.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Citizens and Town Officials for their fine co-operation and assistance during the past year.
JOHN A. FREDERICKSON, Highway Surveyor.
146
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS. Report of the Committee on Public Safety
January 20, 1945
To the Citizens of the Town of Randolph:
I respectfully submit herewith an account of receipts and expenditures, together with a statement of the activities of your Committee on Public Safety
January 1, 1944 Balance Appropriated
$1,360.56
400.00
$1,760.56
Transferred to Belcher School rebuilding fund
1,050.00
$710.56
Expense 1944
665.08
Balance
$45.48
Expenses
Clerical
$115.00
Electricity
66.74
Telephone
282.70
Painting Sirens
25.00
Canteen Supplies
43.14
Medical Supplies
18.33
Insurance
5.00
Miscellaneous
4.42
Auxiliary Police Expense
Janitor
93.75
Movies
10.00
Postage
1.00
Total Expenses
$665.08
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
During the year 1944 the members of Civilian Defense have "stood by" ready for an emergency. From time to time, after consultation with the Board of Selectmen, the telephone facilities have been curtailed. Other expenses have been carefully watchd.
Air Raid Warden Service Personnel Inactive
Air Raid Sirens have been kept in working order and tested.
Canteen
Personnel Inactive
Headquarters
The Report Center stands ready to be activated if necessary. The First Aid Stations have been maintained ready for use.
Auxiliary Police
This is the most active group in Civilian Defense.
Members total forty-nine men. Meetings are held every third Tuesday of the month. Lectures by State of- ficials on Police Work, Rifle Practice, or Movies on Police Work constitute the activities of this group.
Under the direction of Mr. Perley Evans these men have assisted the Chief of Police on Halloween and Fourth of July, and stand ready and trained for emergency police work at any time.
Medical Section
Inactive but ready to function if necessary.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
Auxiliary Firemen
This group numbers twelve men, trained under the direction of the Chief of the Fire Department and his Deputy Chief. They have assisted the regular firemen at house fires and forest fires. According to the Chief they have been a great help duing this acute manpower shortage.
The Federal Government has loaned a Skid Pump and a large number of Gas Masks to this department.
I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen, the Chief of Police, the Chief of the Fire Department, and all members of Civilian Defense for the wholehearted cooperation and ' support.
Respectfully submitted,
C. LLOYD CLAFF, Chairman, Randolph Committee on Public Safety.
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
Report of Rationing Board
January 20, 1945
Board of Selectmen
Town Hall L
Randolph, Mass.
I wish to submit herewith for incorporation in the forth- coming Town Report, the report of the activities of the War Price and Rationing Board for this town during the past year.
Rationing and Price Control are still with us, and be- cause of conditions incident to the war the rationing pro- gram has been enlarged so that at the present time it is stricter than it has been heretofore. Our price control pro- gram has also become increasingly active.
We members of the local War Price and Rationing Board, most of whom have served on the board for more than three years, wish to express our appreciation and gra- titude for the co-operation and assistance which has been rendered to us and to the employees of the board in the per- formance of our duties.
It is anticipated that rationing and price control will continue probably for sometime after the termination of the war.
The members of this board, all of whom serve without any renumeration, are required by regulation to have ra- tions which are issued to them supervised by the State Board.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
It has been our earnest endeavor to so administer the affairs of the board, in this town, that all persons who are required to come before the board for assistance of any na- ture are treated alike. We believe we have succeeded sub- stantially in this respect.
May I not, for the members of the board, express my appreciation for the co-operation which has been rendered to us by the townspeople; and may I not, also, express the hope that we will continue to receive the financial assistance from the town, which has thus far been so liberally given, in order that the board may continue to render the efficient service to the town which is now being rendered.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE N. WELCH, Chairman, EDGAR B. COLE,
WILLIAM S. COLE,
BENJAMIN CROWELL,
EDMUND R. FLAHERTY,
WALTER J. GOOD,
WALTER C. KANE,
WILLIAM J. LEAHY,
TIMOTHY LYONS, JR.,
ERNEST C. MARTIN, EUGENE MCAULIFFE,
JAMES D. MacKINNON,
WILLIAM J. MCLAUGHLIN,
ALBERT C. WILDE, MARTIN E. YOUNG.
151
ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
Veterans Rehabilitation
At the request of His Excellency, Governor Leverett Saltonstall, Chairman Charles F. Blakely, of the Board of Selectmen, called a meeting, January 31, 1944, of a group of citizens representing many of the patriotic, fraternal and civic organizations of the Town. for the purpose of forming the Randolph Veterans Rehabilitation Committee.
After due deliberation, the Committee organized as follows :
Chairman William S. Cole
Vice Chairman . . William L. Hurley
Vice Chairman Murray Lewis
Vice Chairman Martin Young
Secretary Ellsworth Randall
Treasurer . Mrs. Elizabeth Merriken
It was further decided to follow the plan outlined in the Governor's letter and appoint various sub-committees to handle separate angles of the committee work.
The Committee also voted to add to this Committee from time to time, other citizens who would be interested in this Rehabilitation work.
Throughout the past year, meetings have been held at Grand Army Hall and are now being held at new Head- quarters in the Turner Library Building.
Finances for necessary committee expenditures were obtained through a fund established under the control of the Board of Selectmen. On March 17, 1944, through the courtesy of Mr. Hubert Gilgan, Mr. Arthur Brennan, and pupils of the Stetson High School, a repeat Minstrel Show was given at the Town Hall which netted a sizeable profit for work of the Committee.
152
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
During the summer months, the Service Committee distributed to the home of every serviceman and woman in Randolph, a two-page Summary, giving information for Vet- erans, Servicemen and Dependents, a copy of which is in- cluded in this report.
This Summary, which was the first one made up and distributed by any City or Town in the State, has been ap- proved so highly that the State Committee has seen fit to print and send a copy of it to the Rehabilitation Committee of every City and Town.
The Committee, although following the Governor's out- line, has found that some changes in set-up have been necess- ary. As in any new work, progress is slow. Many cases have been brought to the attention of the Committee and its members. Proper information and assistance, if necessary, has been given to the end that the Servicemen, Veterans and Dependents would not be given the so-called "run- around" but be sent to the proper person to assist them.
The Committee has been fortunate in having as mem- bers of the Committee, Mr. George N. Welch, Chief Attorney of the Veterans Administration in this Area, and Ellsworth Randall o fthe State Veterans Aid and Pension Department. They have made the work as a whole, much easier for your Chairman and the Committee.
Besides the officers mentioned above, Committee mem- bers are as follows: Selectmen Charles F. Blakely, Theodore S. Luddington Ralph H. Hutchinson, Mrs. Bertha Soule, Mrs. Elizabeth Merriken, Mrs. Mae V. Scott, Mrs. Alice Ran- dall, Frank Downes, Ernest Martin, Walter J. Good, George N. Welch, Herman Heim, William S. Condon, Edmund R. Flaherty, William L. Hurley, Arthur McKenna, John E. Kelley, Frank Gaffney, Arthur Doody, John Collins, Law- rence Chatfield, Roland Marden, Albert Wilde, Francis Hicks, Walter Stephens, Edgar B. Cole, Dr. William E. Buck, Dr.
153
ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
George Higgins, Perley Evans, Herbert Mixer, Richard Smith, Girard Essembriere, Eugene McAuliffe, John Hurry, Carroll Paine, Harry Williamson, Russell Bennett.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM S. COLE, Chairman.
E. Randall, Secretary.
How Massachusetts Cares for War Veterans, Servicemen, And Their Dependents, Together With Notes On Benefits From The United States Government.
WAR ALLOWANCE: Can be applied towards ordinary needs of food, shelter and clothing, as well as for medical or hospital care for ordinary illnesses, and for maternity care for wives of men while they are in service and for the many other emergency cases that may arise. Can provide for de- pendents until Federal Allowance and Allotment has been re- ceived. It extends financial support to wives, children, moth- ers, fathers, and minor brothers and sisters who were depend- ent upon the man before he went into service. The State con- tributes $50. a month towards this dependency, and if more is needed to live up to the suggested budget, it is paid in the form of Soldiers' Relief by the city or town of settlement. MILITARY AID: Is granted to sick or disabled Veterans, regardless of whether their illness or disability was service connected-and can be granted to the Veteran to supplement his Federal compensation. The Veterans' service must have been credited to the State of Massachusetts. The amount paid is shared equally by the Commonwealth and the city or town of settlement of the veteran concerned. Any amount needed in addition for the family is given from Soldiers' Relief.
STATE AID: Is given to the Veteran to supplement his Federal Compensation. The Veteran's service must have
154
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
been credited to the State of Massachusetts. Under certain conditions, State Aid may be paid also to widows and chil- dren. Any money needed in addition to State Aid is paid by the City or Town of settlement in the form of Soldiers' Relief.
SOLDIERS' RELIEF: Is paid by local communities and is not restricted as to what it may be spent for, as long as the Veteran has an Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard. He does not have to have enlisted to the credit of Massachusetts, but he must have a settlement in some city or Town of the State. It can be paid during unemployment or for hospitalization, doctors' bills, etc., where the income of the family is below the suggested budget. It is paid solely at the discretion of Soldiers' Relief Agents of cities and towns. However, Vet- erans or their dependents, feeling they are not getting a square deal, may appeal in writing to the Commissioner, Veterans Aid and Pension Department, Room 123, State House, Boston.
BURIAL ALLOWANCE: For Veteran and needy depend- ents (wives, children, mothers, fathers), World War No. 2 cases eligible now also. Death or burial must have taken place in this State. If burial expense does not exceed $250. and there is no property or insurance, claim can be made to the Burial Agent of the Town or City in the case of a Soldier, Sailor, Wife, Widow, needy Father or Mother. In the case of a child up to age of 13, burial expense cannot exceed $150; in case of a child from 13 to 18 years, burial expense cannot exceed $250. Application must be made to the Burial Agent of Town or City within thirty days of death or burial; $100. for grown-up; $50. for dependent child up to age of 13 years.
SOLDIERS' HOME AND HOSPITAL: The State maintains a Grade A-1 Home and Hospital on Crest Ave., Chelsea, for Veterans of all wars. To be eligible a Veteran must be hon-
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.ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
orably discharged from all enlistments and show service to the credit of Massachusetts during time of War. However, if a Veteran is legally settled in some city or town of this State, he will not be refused admission. A Veteran must be physically disabled and in need of medical care to be eligible for admission. Have your Doctor call or you may call Com- mandant Lawrence Quigley, or Adjutant Joseph Martin, at the Home-Chelsea 0115. Out-patient Department open between 9 and 11 A.M., any morning, EXCEPT SUNDAY.
Notes On Federal Benefits
1. Allotments of pay and Family Allowances-For inform- ation write to:
ARMY-Office Dependency Benefits, War Dept., Newark, 2, New Jersey.
NAVY-Bureau, Naval Personnel Casualties and Al- lotment Section, Navy, Department, Washington. D. C.
MARINES-Commandant, USMC, Washington, D. C. COAST GUARD-Commandant, USCG, 13th and EE Sts., NW., Washington, D. C.
When writing any Government Agency, always mention man's name, service number, rank, Company, Regiment, Ship or Station, also give place of birth and date.
2. INSURANCE INFORMATION, write:
H. L. McCoy, Director, Insurance Section, Veterans Administration, Washington, D. C.
3. Compensation, information-write George E. Brown, Director of Compensation, Veterans Administration, Washington, D. C.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
4. Maternity and Infant Care- Assistance given only to wives and infants of men in 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th pay grades of Armed Forces and of Aviation Cadets. For further information. write or contact Dr. Florence L. Mckay, Director-Division of Child Hygiene, 73 Tre- mont St., Boston, Mass., or ask your own Doctor about it.
After Honorable Discharge
1. WHO ARE CLASSED AS "VETERANS" OF WORLD WAR NO. 2?
Any person who served in the ACTIVE military or naval service of the United States ON OR AF- TER DECEMBER 7, 1941, and before ending of hostilities as determined by Proclamation of the Pres- ident, or joint resolution of Congress. (For benefits under G. I. Bill, date is Sept. 16, 1940.)
2. DOES THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDE VETERANS' BENEFITS ?
YES ! ! ! (a) DISABILITY COMPENSATION
(b) GOVERNMENT INSURANCE
(c) HOSPITALIZATION, and OUT-PA- TIENT TREATMENT
(d) BURIAL AND FUNERAL EXPENSE ($100.)
(e) VOCATIONAL TRAINING (At pres- ent, given service-connected cases only ) .
For further information-call or write to:
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, ROOM 608, POST OFFICE BLDG., BOSTON
TELEPHONE LIBERTY 5600
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL, CEN- TRE STREET, WEST ROXBURY,
TELEPHONE PARKWAY 7700
or
Your Local Veterans Rehabilitation Committee.
3. Does the Government help Veterans to get "JOBS"? YES ! ! ! Apply to U. S. Employment Service- 24 Ward St., Brockton, Telephone-Brock- ton 8100
Apply to U. S. Employment Service-9 Bea- con St., Boston, Telephone-Lafayette 4525.
Naturally, only a few subjects can be taken up in this summary.
For further information on "BENEFITS FOR VET- ERANS, SERVICEMEN OR THEIR DEPENDENTS" Get in touch with
Randolph Veterans Rehabilitation Committee
Town Hall, or Turner Library Building
WILLIAM S. COLE, Chairman. ELLSWORTH RANDALL, Secretary.
158
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS. Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Randolph :
The School Committee herewith submits its report for the year 1944.
Matters pertaining to school work are treated in detail in the report of the Superintendent of Schools and in the reports of the various departments of the school system, which are a part of this report and which are printed imme- diately following the report of the School Committee. We earnestly recommend that you read them that you may the better know what is being done for the school children of Randolph.
Early in the year 1944, a serious fire in the Belcher School required that the children of the seven grades in that district be immediately transferred to other quarters. Without the loss of any school time these seven grades were placed in the Prescott School building on a two platoon sys- tem alternating with the first seven grades of the Prescott Building.
Within one week rooms had been prepared, furniture salvaged from the fire had been repaired, cleaned and in- stalled in the Tower Hill School to accommodate the first four grades and within two weeks thereafter portable blackboard partitions had been provided, desks and chairs salvaged from the fire had been mounted on portable runners and were installed in the Congregational Church ready to receive the next three grades.
Were it not for the patience of the great majority of the parents and the unselfish co-operation of the teachers, many difficulties might have been encountered. The Com-
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
mittee wishes most sincerely to thank each one for his help and understanding patience.
This Committee is deeply grateful to the pastor of the Congregational Church and his congregation for their gen- erosity in permitting the School Department the use of their Sunday School rooms, assembly hall, and recreation room for the children of the 5th, 6th and 7th grades of the Belcher School. These rooms were made available to the School Department without thought of remuneration except for the knowledge of having done a kind and generous act. With- out their help it is difficult to see how we could have arrived at a solution of the problem without cost to the Town and inconvenience to the parents. For the Town of Randolph we sincerely thank them.
The children being housed moderately comfortable, the Committee requested the Board of Selectmen to call a special town meeting for the purpose of appointing a committee to act with the School Committee to report its findings and recommendations to the Town at a later meeting called for the purpose.
This committee, however, was not appointed; instead, a committee was appointed to reconstruct the Belcher School. This committee acted quickly, intelligently, and with a deter- mination to have the building ready to receive the school children after the Christmas vacation. This purpose was accomplished. The building was completed with many additional improvements and is now a modern school build- ing in every respect.
The School Committee in their report for the year 1932 and again in 1933 recommended that School Lane, so-called, be closed to public traffic within the bounds of the school property. This recommendation we wish to renew again this year.
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TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
School Lane, so-called, originally extended from North Main Street to the school property. Only in later years has this Lane become a through way between North Main Street and Belcher Street.
With the closing of this Lane, the school property on the northerly side of the Lane might be used as a school play yard without the necessity of crossing the Lane and would permit of an orderly development of the whole school property.
The Belcher School Building Committee is sponsoring an article in the Town Warrant calling for the closing of this Lane and an article also for the appropriation of a sum of money for the surfacing and grading of the school yard. We sincerely hope these articles will meet with favorable consideration.
The School Committee wishes to call the attention of the citizens of the Town to the dangerous and unsatisfactory condition of the Prescott School buildings. During the year 1935 conditions at these buildings required the expenditure of a sum of money from the School Department expense account, the Town having refused an appropriation for the purpose, before the sanitary conditions could be made satis- factory to the State Department of Public Safety. The School Department was compelled to install modern sanitary toilet accommodations with proper ventilation for these toilets.
In the year 1940, your committee was refused an appropriation for the installation of fireproof stairways and other necessary improvements. The committee had hoped by these appropriations, in easy stages, to modernize the buildings.
This Committee feels deeply the responsibility of being compelled to house the children of the Prescott district in
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
buildings that are not in conformity with the state laws and which are not certified by the State Safety authorities.
This year the School Committee is inserting an article in the Town Warrant asking for the appointment of a com- mittee to investigate housing conditions at these schools. We ask that this committee be instructed to present a detailed report with recommendations at the next annual town meeting or, if war emergency conditions permit, at a special meeting called for the purpose. Your committee hopes that the modernization of these buildings or some sound program of improvement for the housing conditions in the Prescott School district will be an immediate after the war project.
For a number of years the high school roof has been in a very bad condition. Some few years ago this Committee requested an appropriation to rebuild and flash the parapet walls which were leaking badly. One-half of the appropria- tion requested was granted, and the Committee was able to effect a permanent repair on the south and east sides of the building. Conditions have become so bad that it is nec- essary to continue the work on the parapet to the north side and to re-coat the entire roof, repair all flashings, ven- tilator hoods, skylights, etc. The School Committee received tentative bids and are asking for an appropriation of $4,000.00 to complete the work. Each year the Committee is compelled to spend sums of money for temporary repair work which is never permanent and seldom effective.
The heating conditions at the high school are bad. Many times in the past attempts have been made to remedy these conditions without success. Improvements have been made insofar as the school budget would permit, but the boilers are not of sufficient size to carry the load imposed and a complete job would require a considerable appropriation of money. At the present time the Committee is endeavoring
162
TOWN OF RANDOLPH, MASS.
to have installed in the Science Room a gas-fired unit heater to relieve conditions there.
The regrettable death of Mr. Sullivan, Custodian of the Gabriel Devine School, was a severe blow to the school pop- ulation of that district and a great loss to the Town of Ran- dolph. Mr. Sullivan was a tireless worker, reliable and conscientious. The Committee sincerely mourns the loss of a friend and an employee whose every thought was to serve the interests of his building and the children in the Devine School district.
For years it has been the job of the janitor of the De- vine School to fire two large coal burning boilers in addition to his other duties. This work is more than one man can rightfully do, a fact that had never been driven home to the Committee because of the uncomplaining attitude of Mr. Sullivan.
This year the School Committee is asking for an appro- priation in the school budget to cover the cost of oil burner equipment.
It has been the policy of the school department for many years to furnish free transportation for all children in the first six grades living one mile or more from the school. For the children in the next two grades, the junior high grades, free transportation to all pupils living one and one-half miles or more from the school, and free transporta- tion for high school pupils living two miles or more from the school.
Because of this necessity of conserving gas, rubber, etc., it has been necessary to modify this program for the dura- tion. Your committee is compelled to restrict transporta- tion in obedience to an O. D. T. ruling on the matter.
The new schedule offers free transportation to all chil- dren of the first eight grades living one and one-half miles
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ONE HUNDRED AND NINTH ANNUAL REPORT
or more from their schools, and for all high school pupils living two miles or more from the high school.
It is the duty of the attendance officer to see to it that all children over seven and under sixteen years of age are at school. It is the solemn responsibility of the parents to be assured that their children are attending school regularly. Transportation difficulties may not be used as an excuse for laxness in this respect. The Committee cannot, even if it should feel so inclined, favor one person or section of the town above another in respect to free transportation.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN E. KELLEY, Chairman RALPH H. HUTCHINSON, FRANK H. LINFIELD, SIDNEY G. FLETCHER, PHILIP L. BOYLE, Randolph School Committee.
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