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.