Report of the city of Somerville 1939, Part 6

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1939
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 434


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1939 > Part 6


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24


Adjustments


37.43


15.14


7.87


60.44


Total Credits


$126.06


$1,756.28


$174.91


$187.72


$1,034.78


$3,279.75


Balance to 1940


$85.12


$1,563.65


$137.91


$236.68


$468.79


$2,492.15


...


..


............


............


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


101


DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS FOR COLLECTION DECEMBER 31, 1939


Balance Dec. 31, 1938


Committed $18,440.48


Adj.


Refunds


Total $38,904.42


Abated $612.08


Collected


Adj.


Balance


Contagious


Hospital


21,667.73


5,219.00


26,886.73


4,922.79


5,210.00


16,753.94


Insp. Milk and Vinegar


175.00


2,078.50


2,253.50


2,084.00


169.50


Sanitary Dept ...


518.88


518.88


518.88


Sanitary Bldgs.


2,640.00


..


..


..


..


... .........


..


. .


..


2,640.00


Highway Maint.


271.42


544.00


815.42


411.00


404.42


Welfare Misc. ..


456,566.19


331,640.39


3,494.10


1,253.94


792,954.62


37,717.11


296,845.06


*28,806.002 577.875 767.24


429,008.58 7,659.67


351.885


Welfare City


Home


3,832.70


5,510.57


226.00


9,569.27 195,935.12


4,114.68


2,479.78 172,646.77


1,907.86


17,265.81


Contingent ....


5,302.02


29,813.07


35,115.09


7,926.13


19,918.55


7,270.41


School Bldgs. ..


415.00


415.00


415.00


Soldiers' Relief


45.00


45.00


30.00


15.00


$528,993.50


$623,041.37


$34,037.10


$1,253.94


$1,187,325.91


$55,500.30


$589,889.86


$32,509.97


$509,425.78


$ ..


..


....... ..


...


............


............


.........


.....


..


...


..


....


..


.. ......


..


..


...


..


2,640.00


..


..


Welfare A.D.C.


52,114.98


*28,806.002


81,272.86


207.51


72,638.44


451.00


6,638.49


Old Age Assist. School


17,555.62


177,220.38


1,159.12


$


$21,081.08


Health Dept .....


$20,463.94


$17,211.26


102


ANNUAL REPORTS


WATER CHARGES 1939


Quaterly Meters Charges


Monthly Meters Charges


Maint.


Add'l.


Service Assts.


Water Liens


Total


Balance Dec. 31, 1938


$37,626.45


$21,000.08


$184.25


$1.50


Committed


259,339.35


191,135.33


986.87


2.00


$684.31


$93.12 3,178.21


$58,905.40 455,326.07


Refunds


47.36


18.00


30.00


95.36


Adjustments


13.00


1.00


14.00


Total Charges


$297,026.16


$212,135.41


$1,190.12


$3.50


$714.31


$3,271.33


$514,340.83


Collected


250,281.75


196,133.54


944.67


3.50


529.50


108.62


448,001.58


Abated


746.95


51.39


13.50


811.84


Water Liens


1,125.97


1,942.04


110.20


3,178.21


Water Liens in Taxes 1939


383.11


383.11


Adjustments


.50


.50


Total Credits


$252,155.17


$198,075.58


$1,106.26


$3.50


$529.50


$505.23


$452,375.24


Balance to 1940


$44,870.99


$14,059.83


$83.86


$184.81


$2,766.10


$61,965.59


..


..


.. .......


..


....


..........


.......


....


............


............


............


............


..


..


......


..


.....


..


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


103


..


104


ANNUAL REPORTS


1939 TEMPORARY LOANS IN ANTICIPATION OF REVENUE


Balance from 1938


$2,800,000.00


Dated


Due


Rate


Amount


Jan. 25, 1939


Nov.


6, 1939


.37


$500,000.00


Feb. 17, 1939


Nov.


6, 1939


.39


500,000.00


Mar. 14, 1939


Nov. 22, 1939


.39


500,000.00


Apr. 13, 1939


Nov. 30, 1939


.39


400,000.00


Apr. 13, 1939


Dec. 15, 1939


.39


300,000.00


May 11, 1939


Jan. 22, 1940


.34


500,000.00


May 15, 1939


Feb. 20, 1940


.34


200,000.00


May 15, 1939


Mar. 20, 1940


.34


100,000.00


June 29, 1939


Apr. 12, 1940


.34


250,000.00


June 29, 1939


May 17, 1940


.34


250,000.00


Aug. 22, 1939


June 14, 1940


.387


250,000.00


Aug. 22, 1939


July 12, 1940


.387


250,000.00


$4,000,000.00


Renewals


Jan. 20, 1939


Mar. 14, 1939


.15


400,000.00


Nov. 22, 1939


Mar. 14, 1940 ·


.25


500,000.00


Nov. 30, 1939


Apr. 12, 1940


.25


400,000.00


$1,300,000.00


$8,100,000.00


Notes paid in 1939


$5,400,000.00


Balance to 1940


$2,700,000.00


TAX TITLE LOANS


Balance from 1938


$399,412.94


Dated


Due


Rate


Amount


Mar. 17, 1939


Mar. 17, 1940


1 %


$15,000.00


July 3, 1939


July 3, 1940


1%


3,400.00


Sept. 28, 1939


Sept. 28, 1940


1%


4,100.00


Dec. 6, 1939


Dec. 6, 1940


1 %


29,900.00


Dec. 23, 1939


Dec. 23, 1940


1%


100,000.00


$152,400.00


$551,812.94


Paid in 1939


$198,538.27


Balance to 1940


$353,274.67


105


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


FUNDED DEBT AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1939


Date of Issue


Due


Amount


Rate


*Water Loan


Oct. 1, 1937


1942


$48,000


21/4 %


*Water Loan


July 2, 1934


1949


20,000


31/2


*Water Loan


Apr. 1, 1938


1953


70,000


21/4


*Water Loan


Oct. 2, 1939


1944


25,000


2


Lowell St. Bridge


Apr. 1, 1909


1949


10,000


31/2


Sewer Loan


Apr. 1, 1910


1940


1,000


4


Sewer Loan


Apr. 1, 1913


1943


4,000


41/4


Sewer Loan


Oct. 1, 1937


1967


51,000


23/4


Sewer Loan


July 2, 1934


1964


25,000


33/4


Sewer Loan


Jan. 1, 1939


1969


100,000


21/2


Sewer Loan


Oct. 2, 1939


1957


90,000


13/4


Highway Loan


July 1, 1930


1940


20,000


4


Highway Loan


Apr. 1, 1932


1942


75,000


41/2


Highway Loan


Oct. 1, 1933


1943


20,000


41/2


*Highway Loan


July 2, 1934


1944


76,000


31/2


Macadam Pavement


Oct. 1, 1937


1942


48,000


21/4


Macadam Pavement


July 1, 1939


1944


80,000


1


Schoolhouse


Apr. 1, 1922


1942


48,000


4


Schoolhouse


Oct. 2, 1922


1942


36,000


4


Schoolhouse


Jan. 1, 1923


1943


60,000


4


City Hall Add.


Oct. 1, 1923


·1943


28,000


41/4


High · School


July 1, 1927


1947


100,000


High School


July 1, 1927


1947


300,000


High School


July 1, 1928


1948


99,000


4


4


So. Jr. High School


Apr: 1, 1931


1951


30,000


31/2


Western Jr. High School


Oct. 1, 1930


1950


165,000


4


Western Jr. High School


Apr. 1, 1931


1951


43,000


31/2


*Elementary School


Oct. 1, 1931


1946


44,000


41/2


*School Loan


July 2, 1934


1954


231,000


31/2


School Loan


July 1, 1936


1941


58,000


13/4


Garage


Jan. 1, 1932


1952


26,000


4 3/4


*Police Station


Jan. 1, 1932


1947


120,000


514


*Tax Funding Loan


Oct. 2, 1939


1944


153,000


2


*Emergency Storm Damage


Oct. 2, 1939


1949


50,000


21/4


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1935


1945


90,000


21/4


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1936


1946


156,000


2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1936


1946


121,000


2


*Municipal Relief


Apr. 1, 1936


1946


140,000


134


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1937


1947


120,000


21/2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1937


1947


219,000


21/2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1937


1947


128,000


21/2


*Municipal Relief


Apr. 1, 1938


1948


135,000


21/2


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1938


1948


157,000


2


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1938


1948


108,000


13/4


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1938


1948


45,000


2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 1, 1938


1948


82,000


13/4


*Municipal Relief


Apr. 1, 1939


1949


100,000


13/4


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1939


1949


150,000


11/4


*Municipal Relief


July 1, 1939


1949


100,000


11/2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 2, 1939


1949


60,000


21/4


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 2, 1939


1949


64,000


11/2


*Municipal Relief


Oct. 2, 1939


1949


113,000


13/4


* Outside Debt Limit


$4,701,000


312 4


So. Jr. High School


July 1, 1930


1950


259,000


106


ANNUAL REPORTS


YEARLY BOND MATURITIES WITH INTEREST


Municipal Relief Loans


Year Due


Principal


Interest


1940


$258,000.00


$41,392.50


Total $299,392.50


1941


253,000.00


36,182.50


289,182.50


1942


251,000.00


31,050.00


282,050.00


1943


249,000.00


25,957.50


274,957.50


1944


248,000.00


20,907.50


268,907.50


1945


248,000.00


15,877.50


263,877.50


1946


233,000.00


10,847.50


243,847.50


1947


174,000.00


6,330.00


180,330.00


1948


116,000.00


2,767.50


118,767.50


1949


58,000.00


842.50


58,842.50


$2,088,000.00


$192,155.00 $2,280,155.00


All Other Loans


Year Due


Principal


Interest


Total


1940


$405,000.00


$87,258.75


$492,258.75


1941


380,000.00


73,958.75


453,958.75


1942


350,000.00


61,573.75


411,573.75


1943


265,000.00


50,373.75


315,373.75


1944


237,000.00


41,577.50


278,577.50


1945


171,000.00


33,625.00


204,625.00


1946


169,000.00


27,057.50


196,057.50


1947


161,000.00


20,600.00


181,600.00


1948


96,000.00


14,841.25


110,841.25


1949


85,000.00


11,476.25


96,476.25


1950


76,000.00


8,581.25


84,581.25


1951


37,000.00


5,916.25


42,916.25


1952


33,000.00


4,858.75


37,858.75


1953


31,000.00


3,918.75


34,918.75


1954


26,000.00


3,082.50


29,082.50


1955


11,000.00


2,302.50


13,302.50


1956


11,000.00


2,047.50


13,047.50


1957


11,000.00


1,792.50


12,792.50


1958


6,000.00


1,537.50


7,537.50


1959


6,000.00


1,370.00


7,370.00


1960


6,000.00


1,202.50


7,202.50


1961


6,000.00


1,035.00


7,035.00


1962


6,000.00


867.50


6,867.50


1963


5,000.00


700.00


5,700.00


1964


5,000.00


560.00


5,560.00


1965


4,000.00


420.00


4,420.00


1966


4.000.00


317.50


4,317.50


1967


4,000.00


215.00


4,215.00


1968


3,000.00


112.50


3,112.50


1969


3,000.00


37.50


3,037.50


$2,613,000.00


$463,217.50 $3,076,217.50


BONDS DUE IN 1940


January


Water


.. ....


April $5,000.00 1,000.00


July $2,000.00


October $5,000.00 16,000.00


Total $12,000.00


Bridge


17,000.00


Sewer


$4,000.00


2,000.00


1,000.00


7,000.00


14,000.00


Highway


25,000.00


36,000.00 16,000.00


5,000.00


66,000.00


Macadam Pavement


16,000.00


32,000.00


Schoolhouse


15,000.00


16,000.00


12,000.00


43,000.00


City Hall Addition


7,000.00


7,000.00


High School


61,000.00


61,000.00


Southern Junior High.


3,000.00


24,000.00


27,000.00


Western Junior High


4,000.00


15,000.00


19,000.00


Elementary School


7,000.00


7,000.00


School


45,000.00


45,000.00


Garage


2,000.00


2,000.00


Police Station


15,000.00


15,000.00


Tax Funding


33,000.00


33,000.00


Emergency Storm Damage


5,000.00


5,000.00


$36,000.00


$56,000.00


$185,000.00


$128,000.00


$405,000.00


MUNICIPAL RELIEF LOANS DUE IN 1940


January


Bonds Interest


7,262.50


April $45,000.00 $13,658.75


July $93,000.00 7,262.50


October $120,000.00 13,208.75


Total $258,000.00 41,392.50


$7,262.50


$58,658.75


$100,262.50


$133,208.75


$299,392.50


..


..


...


....


..


..


..


..


..


..


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


107


..


BOND INTEREST DUE IN 1940


January


April


July


October


Total


Water


$350.00


$1,577.50


$350.00


$1,521.25


$3,798.75


Bridge


175.00


157.50


332.50


Sewer


1,718.75


1,593.75


1,668.75


1,552.50


6,533.75


Highway


1,730.00


2,137.50


1,730.00


1,575.00


7,172.50


Macadam Pavement


400.00


540.00


400.00


540.00


1,880.00


Schoolhouse


1,200.00


1,680.00


900.00


1,360.00


5,140.00


City Hall Addition


595.00


595.00


1,190.00


High School


9,730.00


9,730.00


19,460.00


Southern Junior High


5,180.00


525.00


5,180.00


472.50


11,357.50


Western Junior High


4,052.50


3,982.50


8,035.00


Elementary School


990.00


990.00


1,980.00


School


4,550.00


4,550.00


9,100.00


Garage


617.50


570.00


1,187.50


Police Station


3,150.00


2,756.25


5,906.25


Tax Funding


1,530.00


1,530.00


3,060.00


Emergency Storm Damage


562.50


562.50


1,125.00


$28,626.25


$15,958.75


$27,835.00


$14,838.75


$87,258.75


ANNUAL REPORTS


108


109


SANITARY DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT


To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville


Gentlemen :-


The report of the Sanitary Department for the year 1939 is respectfully submitted herewith :


COLLECTIONS OF ASHES AND REFUSE


Loads


Yards


Tons


January


2,100


13,650


4,725


February


2,150


13,975


4,837


March


2,200


14,300


4,950


April


2,200


14,300


4,950


May


2,000


13,000


4,500


June


1,900


12,350


4,275


July


1,850


12,025


4,162


August


1,700


11,050


3,825


September


1,800


11,700


4,050


October


2,000


13,000


4,500


November


2,050


13,325


4,612


December


2,100


13,650


4,725


Totals


24,050


156,325


54,111


COLLECTION OF PAPER


Yards


Tons


January


3,675


490


February


3,825


510


March


3,525


470


April


3,750


500


May


3,900


520


June


4,125


550


July


3,600


480


August


3,900


520


September


3,900


520


October


4,125


550


November


3,900


520


December


4,500


600


Totals


46,725


6,230


110


ANNUAL REPORTS


The above figures are approximate and are based on the general average of amounts carried by the trucks.


The ashes and refuse are being collected with motor trucks on account of the distance to the Medford dumps, which are being used by this department subject to the rules and regula- tions of the Board of Health of the City of Medford.


There is a general increase in the amount of paper being collected due to the fact that so many householders have in- stalled oil burners in their kitchen ranges and heaters. This paper is collected and taken to the incinerator, thereby, decreas- ing the fire hazard on the dumps.


The total estimated collections of garbage amounted to 4,000 cords.


The garbage has been collected by contract which provides for collection twice a week throughout the year which as a whole, I believe has been pretty faithfully adhered to.


The department as a whole is operating efficiently and with the citizens co-operation we shall continue to carry on in the usual manner.


I wish to thank His Honor the Mayor, the Board of Alder- men and the employees of my department for their co-operation extended during the year.


Respectfully submitted, JOHN F. MESKELL, Superintendent of Sanitary Department


111


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


CITY OF SOMERVILLE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


SHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS


December 16, 1939.


Ordered, that the Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools be adopted as the Annual Report of the Board of School Committee, it being understood that such adoption does not commit the Board to the opinions or recommendations made therein ; that it be incorporated in the reports of the City Officers, and that six hundred copies be printed separately.


EVERETT W. IRELAND, Secretary of School Board.


112


ANNUAL REPORTS


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1939


WILLIAM J. KOEN . WALTER E. WHITTAKER


Chairman Vice-Chairman


Members


EX-OFFICIIS


JOHN M. LYNCH, Mayor 52 Porter St .. EDWARD F. MOYNIHAN, President, Board of Aldermen, 905 Broadway


WARD ONE


WALTER E. WHITTAKER ·


135 Walnut St.


WARD TWO


LAWRENCE J. DONOVAN


WARD THREE


25 Munroe St.


EDITH L. HURD


WARD FOUR .


125 Central St.


WILLIAM J. KOEN


34 Lexington Ave.


EDWIN A. SHAW


63 College Ave.


CHARLES A. CAMPBELL


WARD SEVEN 22 Barton St.


Superintendent of Schools EVERETT W. IRELAND


Office: West Building, High School, Highland Avenue.


Residence: 97 College Avenue.


The Superintendent's Office will be open on school days from 8:00 to 5:00; Saturdays, 8:00 to 10:00. His office hour is 4:00 o'clock on school days and 8:30 on Saturdays.


Assistant Superintendent of Schools WALTER P. SWEET 71 Hume Ave., Medford


Superintendent's Office Force


Mary A. Clark, 15 Pleasant Avenue Mildred A. Merrill, 108 Highland Avenue Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman Street S. Regina Truelson, 38 Rogers Avenue Margaret R. O'Connor, 2 Adrian Street Frances C. Geaton, 29 Tennyson Street


68 Elm St.


JAMES C. SCANLAN .


WARD FIVE


WARD SIX


113


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Standing Committees


NOTE: The member first named is Chairman; the second, Vice-Chair- man.


SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS


Scanlan, Koen


TEACHERS


Whittaker, Shaw


FINANCE


Koen, Whittaker


CURRICULUMS AND INSTRUCTION


Hurd. Scanlan


INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION


Donovan, Campbell


HEALTH, PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ATHLETICS


Campbell, Donovan


RULES AND REGULATIONS


Shaw, Hurd


Board Meetings


January 2


April 24


October 30


January 30


May 29 November 27


February 20


June 26


December 18


March 27


September 25


114


ANNUAL REPORTS


TO THE HONORABLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS


Dr. Hurd and Gentlemen :


In accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regula- tions of the Somerville School Committee, the Superintendent of Schools has prepared and submits herewith his twelfth an- nual report, which is the sixty-eighth in a series of annual re- ports of the Somerville public schools and covers the calendar year 1939.


Part I of this document is the report of the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee. It comprises a discus- sion of the matters involved in the outstanding activities of the School Committee. These activities represent the expenditure of much time, energy, and serious thought on the part of the very conscientious, educationally minded, and forward look- ing group of individuals comprising the School Committee.


In addition there is a discussion of the conditions of the schools with respect to changes, improvements, and progress, which includes statements regarding personnel, membership, and buildings, with recommendations concerning the immediate and necessary needs of our educational system.


Part II is prepared as a report of the School Committee to the citizens and consists of (1) a description of the school property, (2) statistical tables which set forth comparative figures covering a period of years concerning enrollment, mem- bership, attendance, cost of instruction and maintenance, and other matters of organization, and (3) tables showing sta- tistics, not necessary for comparison, covering the last fiscal vear.


Part III presents the organization of the school system at the close of the year 1939, and the lists of graduates of this year from the secondary schools, the evening high school, and the vocational schools.


Respectfully submitted,


EVERETT W. IRELAND,


Superintendent of Schools


115


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1939


Another fiscal year for the schools has come to a close and it becomes the privilege and duty of the Superintendent of Schools, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes of the Commonwealth and the Rules and Regulations of the School Committee, to prepare and submit a report to the School Committee upon the progress, growth, and improvement of the schools attained during the year. Such a report may deal with matters covering a variety of interests with varying de- grees of expanse, but it seems pertinent and advisable in re- porting upon the activities of the schools during the year 1939 to confine this discussion to matters of local interest and to stress the distinctive features of the progress made which are significant in the attempt of the legislative and administrative officers of our school system to make the schools of greater service to the students and to the community of which they are an important part.


Each year the Superintendent submits to the School Com- mittee and the citizens of Somerville a progressive record of progress and attainment for that year, so that the series of reports will constitute a history of the changes and accomplish- ments of the educational system.


The public schools of the country are administered locally. Our forefathers, in framing the Constitution, very wisely left the responsibility for the establishment and development of the educational program to the individual states. Massachu- setts, in turn, realizing the complexities arising from the prob- lems of the different communities, through legislation delegated to local community school committees the right and obligation to organize and administer their own educational systems.


The duties and responsibilities of school committees have been construed in various ways by different committees. When the legislative control of the schools is delegated to a board


116


ANNUAL REPORTS


of lay people, as is the American practice,-and there has been found no better way of handling the educational units-it is inevitable that the membership of the committee will bring to it varying and often conflicting ideas, ideals, attitudes, policies, and influences.


In our city, therefore, where it is possible for the personnel of the School Committee to be changed completely every two years, due to the inadequacy of our city charter, it is encum- bent upon each biennially elected committee to establish its policies for the duration of its term.


In formulating these policies the members must keep in mind always (1) that the proper conduct of the schools re- quires unanimity of purpose and action on the part of the School Committee, (2) that only by being informed and co- operative can their responsibilities be fulfilled, (3) that their actions should be influenced only by pronounced interest in the needs and activities of children and earnest desires to pro- mote human welfare, (4) that their efforts should be exerted to meet their responsibilities as educational leaders without regard to their political status, and (5) that their perspectives should be broad enough to enable them so to visualize the problems that an adequate educational program will be devel- oped instead of one characterized by immediacy and expediency.


The resulting policies and attitudes will then be for the educational welfare of the children of the community and prog- ress will be sustained. There is no need to stress the retrogres- sion which would result from attitudes of a contrary nature, for at least, during the few recent years, there is material evidence that the School Committee has given serious atten- tion to the problems confronting it in accordance with the ideas heretofore outlined. Intermittently some very few individuals have perhaps, under pressure, forgotten their responsibilities and obligations, but errors in judgment by the entire Commit- tee have been so infrequent that they surely can be considered quite negligible in comparison with the magnitude of the ac- complishment.


From personal observations of the activities and attitudes of the individual members of the School Committees of Somer- ville over a period of nearly twenty years, it is a privilege to state that the associations with the Committee of 1939 have been extremely pleasurable because of the fact that during the


117


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


many hours spent in careful deliberation over the important and even grave problems confronting it, conclusions and re- sults have been attained strictly upon the merits of the cases, and always from the viewpoint and with discussion of the ed- ucational values, and never with so much as a stray word which would indicate a thought of political attitude or in- fluence.


Confronted this year as it was in 1938 with the same prob- lem of making a determined effort to ameliorate in as great a degree as possible what the Committee assumed to be a serious mistake of policy on the part of some previous School Commit- tees in providing an instructional organization in excess of actual need, the Committee further applied itself to the serious study of making a material reduction in expenditures without affecting the efficiency of the educational attainment.


Working from a possibly negative premise that oftentimes too much organization can affect efficiency adversely, a definite policy was formulated which over a period of time would bring about, through a series of not too drastic steps, a more efficient instructional organization and at the same time effect an economy of financial expenditure.


Among the matters considered were reduction of personnel, reorganization of the supervisory structure, realignment of school districts, and a revision of the program of studies.


In general it would seem paradoxical to presume that in- creased efficiency and economy could result from the same act, but in the plan evolved it would appear that it can be done.


There has been during the past two years, 1938 and 1939, an absorption of twenty-nine teaching positions. Except for the few teachers who were dismissed because of the fact that they were married women residing with husbands physically and mentally able to support them, no persons were deprived of their positions. In many cases, when vacancies occurred through death, retirement, or resignation of teachers, the posi- tions left vacant were not filled. The work was distributed among the remaining members of the faculty, but in no case was the teaching load increased to a degree where the efficiency of the instruction was decreased.


Through the operation of this absorption plan, there will be an eventful saving of approximately $55,000 per year.


118


ANNUAL REPORTS


During recent months, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent and with the interest and approval of the School Committee, another matter has been given consideration which, if authorized, will effect another eventual reduction in cost of approximately fifteen to twenty thousand dollars an- nually. This study is one of those forward looking, long term projects for which recent School Committees have been noted, and carries with its economy a resulting increase in the ef- ficiency and effectiveness of our High School departmental supervisory organization.


In consequence of its policy to make effective changes and economies at times when opportunity arises, it is necessary that many plans be formulated for the years to come with a definite understanding that the plans formulated may not be completely effective for several years.


When an important supervisory position became vacant in the High School last June by the retirement of the very efficient teacher and writer, Harriet E. Tuell, Head of the History De- partment, it was deemed advisable to take at least the first step in a plan which had been given much consideration over a period of time. The thought prompting this action was that more intensive and effective supervision would be possible through a reduction in the number of heads of departments, which would be accompanied by a reduction in the cost of supervision. To accomplish this, it is proposed to combine the supervision of certain departments under one head and within departments to make certain other combinations of subjects. It was felt that history, being one of the social studies, could be combined with other social studies or sciences and the com- bination could compose a Department of Social Studies.


With this idea well conceived and planned it was feasible to make a thorough study of the whole supervisory organiza- tion of the High School and through this study bring forth a long term plan of combinations which would eventually meet the School Committee policy.


The Curriculum Committee of the High School cooperated with the Superintendent in making this study and in the for- mulating of the recommendations. The plan, which has been submitted to the School Committee, and which, pending minor adjustments, awaits final approval of the Committee, reduces the supervisory organization from the present set-up of fourteen




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.