Report of the city of Somerville 1953, Part 16

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1953
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 416


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1953 > Part 16


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150.00


2,100.00


22-Renewals (1954) All Forms Pkg. Goods Licenses


900.00


19,800.00


1-New License (1953) Beer & Wine Pkg. Goods License


300.00


300.00


18-Renewals (1954) Beer & Wine Pkg. Goods Licenses


300.00


5,400.00


6-Renewals (1954) Druggist, Section 30-A Licenses


300.00


1,800.00


72-Renewals (1954) Entertainm't Licenses


5.00


360.00


1-Renewal (1954) Entertainm't Licenses


1.00


1.00


1-Renewal (1954) Dance License


5.00


5.00


1-Renewal (1953) Inn Holder License


5.00


5.00


1-Renewal (1954) Inn Holder License ....


5.00


5.00


116-Licenses (1953) Automatic Amusement Device Licenses


20.00


2,495.55*


111-Licenses (1954) Automatic Amusement Device Licenses


20.00


2,520.00*


16-Transfers (1953) Automatic Amuse- ment Device Licenses


2.00


32.00


45-Special Alcoholic Licenses


5.00


225.00


216-Common Victualler's Licenses


5.00


1,080.00


199-Lord's Day License


5.00


995.00


4-Garage Licenses


2.00


8.00


TOTAL RECEIPTS EXPENSES


$108,431.55


7,599.04


NET TOTAL REVENUE of the Department-1953


$100,832.51


* The fee for an Automatic Amusement Device License is $20.00 per machine on a pro-rate basis


Respectfully submitted,


LICENSING COMMISSION G. VICTOR MURRAY, Chairman JOSEPH D. LONERGAN, Commissioner JEROME MCCARTHY, Commissioner


Attest MARY I. KENNEY, Clerk


253


RETIREMENT BOARD


REPORT OF THE SOMERVILLE CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT SYSTEM


The Somerville Contributory Retirement System under the provisions of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, Sections 1 to 28 inclusive, became operative in the City of Somerville on July 1, 1946. Employees entering or re-entering the service of the city after that date are subject to the provisions of said Chap- ter 32, Sections 1 to 28 inclusive. Employee's contributions under this law are at the rate of 5%.


The Somerville Contributory Retirement System was pre- viously governed by Chapter 184 of the Acts of 1930, as amended by Chapter 222 of the Acts of 1933. Members of this system contribute 4% of their salaries.


The following table shows the membership as of December 31, 1953:


Group


5% System


4% System


Total Both Systems


General Employees:


457


9


466


Women


230


230


Fireman and Policemen


336


336


1023


9


1032


The following table shows the number of beneficiaries on the roll of the 4% system as of December 31, 1953, together with the amount of their annual retirement allowances:


Employee Beneficiaries in Receipt of Service Retirement Allowances


Group


No.


Annuities


Pension Accumulation Fund


Pension Reserve Fund


Total Retirement Allowances


General Employees:


Men


9


$936.36


$6,837.76


$225.44


$7,999.56


Women


9


758.52


6,884.29


659.16


8,301.97


Firemen and Po-


licemen


....


........ ...


..........


........


..........


Total


18


$1,694.88 $13,722.05


$884.60 $16,301.53


Men


..


254


ANNUAL REPORTS


Dependent Beneficiaries of Deceased Employees and Employee Beneficiaries


Group


No.


Annuities


Pension Accumulation Fund


Pension Reserve Fund


Total Retirement Allowances


Men


Women


5


$43.56


$1,984.74


$2,473.13


$4,501.43


Total


$43.56


$1,984.74


$2,473.13


$4,501.43


GRAND TOTAL


23


$1,738.44 $15,706.79


$3,357.73 $20,802.96


The following tables show the number of beneficiaries on the roll of the 5% system as of December 31, 1953, together with the amount of their annual retirement allowances:


Employee Beneficiaries in Receipt of Service Retirement Allowances


Group


No.


Annuities


Pension


Total Retirement Allowances


General Employees:


Men


12


$2,417.16 $14,846.28 $17,263.44


Women


18


2,350.80


17,236.13


19,586.93


Firemen and Policemen


Total


30


$4,767.96 $32,082.41 $36,850.37


Employee Beneficiaries in Receipt of Disability Retirement Allowances


Group


No.


Annuities


Pension


Total Retirement Allowances


General Employees:


Men


12


$1,646.52 $28,384.15 $30,030.67


Women


3


244.56


2,115.24


2,359.80


Firemen and Policemen


..


.....


Total


15


$1,891.08 $30,499.39 $32,390.47


Dependent Beneficiaries of Deceased Employees and Employee Beneficiaries


Group


No.


Annuities


Pension


Total Retirement Allowances


Men


..


Women


11


$883.68


$7,882.56


$8,766.24


Total


11


$883.68


$7,882.56


$8,766.24


GRAND TOTAL


56


$7,542.72 $70,464.36 $78,007.08


SOMERVILLE RETIREMENT SYSTEM


Balance Sheet, December 31, 1953


Assets


Investments


$1,692,116.63


Deposits in Banks


33,000.00


Cash


31,837.74


.......


..


....


..


..


255


RETIREMENT BOARD


Accrued Interest


10,998.88


$1,767,953.25


Liabilities


Annuity Savings Fund, 5 %


$1,152,153.76


Annuity Reserve Fund, 5 %


90,289.27


Pension Fund, 5 %


309,184.23


Special Fund for Military Service Credit, 5 %


24,614.48


Annuity Savings Fund, 4 %


18,169.07


Annuity Reserve Fund, 4 %


10,407.07


Pension Accumulation Fund, 4 %


128,325.58


Pension Reserve Fund, 4 %


31,661.54


Special Fund for Military Service Credit, 4 %


191.20


Suspense Account, 4 %


598.47


Expense Fund


2,115.88


Withholding Tax


242.70


$1,767,953.25


RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES FOR YEAR 1953


Receipts


Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1953


$33,069.96


Contributions by Members:


4 %


$1,374.77


5 %


152,372.37


Redeposits


9,065.38


Transfers from other sys-


tems


2,235.91


165,048.43


Contributions by City:


4 %


8,540.25


5 %


52,577.21


61,117.46


Reimbursement from other systems


36.80


Income from Investments ..


47,779.92


Redemption of Securities


15,510.05


Profit from Redemption of


Securities


287.50


Withholding Tax


969.96


$323,820.08


Expenditures


Purchase of Securities


$179,789.03


Accrued Interest on Securities Purchased


1,097.81


Pension Payments: 4 %


19,128.68


5 %


55,441.80


Annuity Payments:


4 %


1,750.84


5 %


6,580.26


74,570.48


8,331.10


256


ANNUAL REPORTS


Refunds:


4 %


4,973.19


5 %


14,405.90


19,379.09 288.00


Transfers to other systems ..


Pension Reimbursements paid to other systems


4,94


Administration Expenses


7,542.53


Withholding Tax


979.36


Cash on hand 12-31-53


31,837.74


$323,820.08


Respectfully submitted,


SOMERVILLE RETIREMENT BOARD


WILLIAM E. HOGAN, Chairman


GEORGE L. DOHERTY, JR., Vice Chairman


FRANCIS E. WALSH, City Auditor


257


HOUSING AUTHORITY


REPORT OF THE SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1953


The following Members of the Somerville Housing Au- thority assumed office in the year 1953:


CHARLES J. MURPHY Chairman


GEORGE F. HICKEY


Vice-Chairman


ERNEST E. JENNINGS


Treasurer


OSCAR P. GROVE


Member


*WALTER A. BURDETT


Member


* On July 30, 1953, Mr. Francis J. DiCiaccio was appointed as a member of the Somerville Housing Authority in place of Mr. Walter Burdett, whose term expired June 6, 1953.


SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY REVOLVING FUND BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBER 31, 1953


Assets


Cash in Bank


Petty Cash


Accounts Receivable-Linden


117.31


-200-1


6,364.96


-200-2


6,466.40


-31-1


2,291.28


11


-UR A-13


1,124.45


16,364.40


TOTAL ASSETS


$19,000.00


Liabilities


Accounts Payable-Linden


$300.00


11


-200-1


8,700.00


11


-200-2


8,000.00


-31-1


2,000.00


19,000.00


TOTAL LIABILITIES


$19,000.00


$2,535.60 100.00


258


ANNUAL REPORTS


SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY LINDEN AVENUE PROJECT BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBR 31, 1953


Assets


Administration Fund


$2,528.50


Contingency Fund


1.85


Revolving Fund, Etc.


300.00


2,830.35


Tenants' Accounts Receivable


90.00


TOTAL ASSETS


$2,920.35


Liabilities


Contingency Fund Capital


$1.85


Accounts Payable


117.31


Tenants' Security Deposits


40.00


Reserve for Tenants' Accounts Receivable


90.00


Reserve for R. M. & R.


540.00


Reserve for V. & G.


162.00


792.00


Dwelling Rent Income


5,400.00


Less-Expenses:


Management


649.77


Operating


95.27


Utilities


489.48


Repairs, Maintenance and Replacement


657.95


Insurance


1,448.34


Prov. for Tenants' Accts.


90.00


3,430.81


Net Income Due City


1,969.19


TOTAL LIABILITIES


$2,920.35


SOMRVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY SOMERVILLE 200-1 MASS. BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBER 31, 1953


Assets


Development Fund


$20,720.60


Administration Fund


71,745.82


Debt Service Fund


25,008.75


Debt Service Trust Fund


2,739.54


Revolving Fund Advances


8,700.00


Accounts Receivable-Tenants'


2,641.25


Accounts Receivable-Development


4,414.93


Cash Over and Short


5.00


15,761.18


92,466.42


27,748.29


Receivable


259


HOUSING AUTHORITY


Investments


30,000.00


Investments-Debt Service Trust Fund


39,000.00


Insurance Prepaid


Development Costs


2,258,000.00


Less-Dev. Cost Liquidation


35,000.00


2,223,000.00


TOTAL ASSETS


$2,428,052.36


Liabilities


Accounts Payable-Administration


$6,364.96


Accounts Payable-Development


25,135.53


Tenants' Security Deposits


2,070.00


Accrued Insurance


3,565.00


Accrued Pilot


5,038.01


8,603.00


Matured Interest and Principal


43,009.50


Debt Service Reserve


10,843.12


Unamortized Bond Premium


41,739.54


Working Capital


340.36


Reduction of Annual Contributions


14,311.07


Operating Reserve


51,440.00


161,683.59


Bonds Authorized


2,258,000.00


Less-Bonds Retired


35,000.00


2,223,000.00


Net Income (see Operating Statement)


1,195.27


TOTAL LIABILITIES


$2,428,052.36


ANALYSIS OF OPERATING RESERVE ACCOUNT-DECEMBER 31, 1953


Balance-October 1, 1953


$48,200.00


Quarterly Accrual


3,240.00


BALANCE-DECEMBER 31, 1953


$51,440.00


SOMRVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY SOMERVILLE 200-2 MASS. BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBER 31, 1953


Assets


Development Fund


$46,714.05


Premium Fund (National Shawmut)


21.00


Administation Fund


87,381.36


Indeterminate Expenditures


50,000.00


Accounts Receivable-Tenants'


1,887.26


Acounts Receivable-Development


36.00


Accounts Receivable-Administration (Rev. Fund)


8,000.00


Cash Over and Short


10.00


134,116.41


59,933.26


69,000.00 76.47


31,500.49


260


ANNUAL REPORTS


Prepaid Insurance


385.80 2,828,039.28


Development Costs


Incompleted Contracts


1,821.30


TOTAL ASSETS


$3,024,296.05


Liabilities


Accounts Payable-Development


$6,467.90


Accounts Payable-Administration


54,414.93


Contract Retentions


48,187.61


109,070.44


Notes Authorized


3,070,000.00


Notes Unissued


320,000.00


2,750,000.00


Interest Accrued


22,207.79


Tenants' Prepaid Rents


141.30


Tenants' Security Deposits


2,440.00


2,581.30


Contract Awards


1,821.30


Net Income


138,615.22


TOTAL LIABILITIES


$3,024,296.05


SOMERVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY SOMERVILLE UR A-13 MASS. 8-1 BALANCE SHEET - DECEMBER 31, 1953


Assets


Cash


$20.45


Petty Cash


25.00


45.45


Development Costs-Prel. Advance


27,323.12


Development Costs-Final Advance


32,387.59


59,710.71


TOTAL ASSETS


$59,756.16


Liabilities


Accounts Payable


$1,830.39


Notes Payable-Prel. Advance


25,835.00


Notes Payable-Final Advance


29,730.00


Accrued Interest-Prel. Advance


1,488.12


Accrued Interest-Final Advance


872.65


2,360.77


55,565.00


TOTAL LIABILITIES ....


$59,756.16


26Ľ


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 1953 is respectfully submitted herewith:


COLLECTOR OF ASHES AND REFUSE


Loads


Yards


Tons.


January


2550


16575


5738


February


2475


16088


5569


March


2500


16250


5625


April


2350


15275


5288


May


2300


14950


5175


June


2300 2100


13650


4725


August


1950


12675


4388


September


2000


13000


4500


October


2250


14625


5063


November


2600


16900


5850


December


2500


16250


5625


COLLECTOR OF PAPER


Yards


Tons;


January


4000


533


February


3900


520


March


3800


507


April


3750


500


May


3650


487


June


3400


453


July


3350


447


August


3400


453


September


3500


447


October


3900


520


November


4050


540


December


4100


547


14950


5175


July


262


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 rubbish being collected due to the fact, so many householders converted their heaters from coal to oil.


The total estimated collection of garbage amounted to 4200 cords, the work is being done by a contractor who fur- nishes trucks and chauffeurs, the City supplying the laborers and collections to be the same as previously, namely :- two collections a week throughout the year from private dwellings and three times a week from restaurants, stores, etc.


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, and the Board of Aldermen and the employees of my department for their co- operation extended during the year.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN F. MESKELL,


Supt., Sanitary Department .


263/


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


CITY OF SOMERVILLE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


December 28, 1953:


SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS


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 and recommendations made therein; that it be incorporated in the reports of the city, and that the Superintendent of Schools be authorized to have six hundred copies printed separately at the earliest possible date.


EVERETT W. IRELAND,


Secretary of School Committee"


264


ANNUAL REPORTS


SCHOOL COMMITTEE Somerville, Massachusetts 1953


SARAH M. MCLAUGHLIN MARGARET R. MORRISSEY


Chairman Vice Chairman


MEMBERS


Ex-Officiis


JOHN M. LYNCH, Mayor WILLIAM J. DONOVAN President, Board of Aldermen


34 Browning Road 71 Bay State Avenue


Ward One


16 New Hampshire Avenue


FRANCIS H. BROWN


Ward Three


59 Preston Road


SARAH M. MCLAUGHLIN


Ward Five


27 Aberdeen Road


MARGARET R. MORRISSEY


17 Warner Street


Ward Seven


50 A Gordon Street


Superintendent of Schools EVERETT W. IRELAND


Office: West Building, High School, Highland Avenue Residence: 18 Day Street


The Superintendent's Office will be open on school days from 8:00 to 5:00. His office hour is 4:00 on school days.


Assistant Superintendent of Schools


LEO C. DONAHUE 108 Summer Street


Superintendent's Office Force


Marion E. Marshall, 62 Highland Avenue Regina Truelson, 23 Black Rock Road, Melrose Frances C. Geaton, 104 Bartlett Street William E. Hogan, 12 Richardson Road, Newton Julia DiMaggio, 53 Main Street Claire F. McAnneny, 33 Pearson Road Eileen M. Mahoney, 14 Madison Street


JOSEPH F. LEAHY


Ward Two


34 Bow Street


ELEANOR S. COYNE


Ward Four


167 Central Street


WILLIAM J. SHEA


Ward Six


JOHN J. BRENNAN


265


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Standing Committee of the Whole


With Chairman and Vice-Chairman designated to act during such times as the matters set opposite their names are under discussion:


TEACHERS Coyne, Shea (Brennan)


FINANCE Brennan, Mclaughlin (Brown)


CURRICULUMS AND INSTRUCTION Morrissey, Coyne


HEALTH, PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ATHLETICS


Shea, Leahy


INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION Leahy, Brown


SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS Mclaughlin, Morrissey


RULES AND REGULATIONS


Brown, Brennan


Meetings


January 5


April 27


October 26


January 26


May 25


November 30


February 24


June 29


December 28


March 30


September 28


266


ANNUAL REPORTS


TO THE HONORABLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS


LADIES 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 twenty-sixth annual report, which is the eighty-second in a series of annual reports of the Somerville Public Schools, and covers the cal- endar year 1953.


This document is prepared in three sections, Part I of which is the report of the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee, comprising a discussion of (1) the matters involved in the outstanding activities of the School Committee, and (2) the condition of the schools with respect to changes, improvements, and progress, which includes statements re- garding personnel, membership, and buildings, with recom- mendations 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 fig- ures covering a period of years concerning enrollment, mem- bership, attendance, cost of instruction and maintenance, and other matters of organization, and (3) tables showing statistics, not necessary for comparison, covering the last fiscal year.


Part III presents the organization of the school system at the close of the year 1953 and the lists of graduates of this year from the secondary schools, the evening high school, and the trade and vocational schools.


Respectfully submitted,


EVERETT W. IRELAND,


Superintendent of Schools


December 28, 1953


267


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


PART I REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1953


American Education Week, which is jointly sponsored an- nually by the National Education Association and the American Legion, seems to be a very appropriate time for the Superin- tendent of Schools to begin the preparation of his twenty-sixth Annual Report of a series of eighty-two such reports. Armistice Day, coming as it always does during American Education Week, calls to mind the fact that the two philosophies of life, which were the basis of the conflict in World War I are still today competing for the minds and hearts of men of the whole world.


Democracy, in which the state serves all the people, is competing with Totalitarianism, in which the people serve the state, without daring to challenge the policy of the state. To perpetuate the democratic way of life in this country youth must be made a part of it by the development of a belief in it, which is a fundamental obligation of the schools of America. This can be accomplished only by providing such teaching as will include a comparative study of the strengths and weak- nesses of all types of government, for through such analyses of the values and beliefs of each comes the ability to know, to describe, and to defend the democratic way of life.


All children do not profit equally from attendance upon an educational institution, primarily because of varying mental abilities and capacities, and secondarily because of varying ap- titudes, ambitions, and emotions. However, equal educational opportunity is provided for all the children of all the people, or as nearly equal as home environment and local endowment will or can allow.


To accomplish its obligation, the school system must keep the citizens who provide the financial support informed and acquainted about the conditions of the schools, and it is im- perative that the consent of the public be definitely obtained, for an informed and understanding public will support the type of education in which it believes.


It is not always possible for a community to meet all the implications which come from the requests and demands of groups of citizens, or which result from constant and frequent


268


ANNUAL REPORTS


changes in conditions. Change and progress do and will con- tinue. To resist change is usually futile, hence steps must be developed which make for progress.


Constructive criticism is always welcome. The citizen who is genuinely and sincerely interested in understanding the pur- poses and the programs of the schools attempts to bring about an improved performance of the functions of the schools by creating an influence which is constructive, thereby rendering a valuable service to the schools and to the community. How- ever, there are critics who are always protesting the expenditure of tax money for schools regardless of the need. The citizen who through misunderstanding and misinformation conceives and publicizes false charges concerning the schools, in an effort to destroy the confidence of his neighbors in their schools, does his schools and his community a great injustice and disservice.


The wise administrator will recognize the rights of all who have varying shades of opinion and will through study and re- search determine which ideas are valid and sincere and will endeavor to bring about the proper solution in the best inter- ests of the schools.


The needs of our schools, the program, the scope of the activities, and how well the schools discharge their responsi- bilities are of vital concern to all citizens. Therefore, the Superintendent of Schools presents herewith this annual re- port, covering the calendar year 1953, which is a report of the second year of the stewardship of the present school commit- tee. William J. Donovan, President of the Board of Aldermen for 1953, became an ex-officio member of the School Commit- tee by virtue of his aldermanic position, replacing former President Walter W. Whitney.


On the first Monday in January the School Committee for 1953, for the second consecutive time, organized by electing two ladies to preside over the activities of the legislative and policy-making body. Sarah M. Mclaughlin, who, serving her fourth year on the School Committee, had served as Vice- Chairman in 1952, was chosen to be the Chairman, while Miss Margaret R. Morrissey, who had the honor of being selected by the School Committee to complete the unexpired term of her mother, Mrs. V. Theresa Morrissey, and was serving for the second year of a regular term after election, was chosen to be the Vice-Chairman.


In view of the foregoing paragraphs which were intended to give a picture of the duties and responsibilities of those


269


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


charged with the obligation of conducting the schools, in the words of the immortal Al Smith, "Let's look at the record."


Since this committee had but one new member, Mr. Dono- van, and even he had just completed a year of service as a member of a legislative body, it appeared to be hardly neces- sary to spend much time on the task of orientation, usually pursued when the body is composed of several new members. The members realized that immediate study should be given to the bills which had been filed for consideration and action by the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1953, discovering those which would have implications for or effect upon their jurisdiction and actions, and determining the attitudes and actions which the Committee as a body should take with respect to the bills.


The first action of the School Committee along these lines was to adopt the following resolution: "That the School Com- mittee go on record as approving H-1579, which is designed to transfer to the School Committee the responsibility for the care and maintenance of school buildings, bringing Somerville into agreement with the recommendations of educational leaders and public administrators and into agreement with the almost universal practice nationally and in the Commonwealth of hav- ing the care and maintenance of school buildings in the hands of professional school administrators."


Although several times during the last twenty years the matter of the obsolete provision of our City Charter in respect to care and maintenance of school buildings has been brought to the attention of the citizens of our city through (1) the reports of the Superintendent of Schools, (2) newspaper editorials, and (3) through information given in speeches before meetings of parents and citizens, the Superintendent has discovered, even now, that very few parents or citizens realize the real issues of the present arrangements.


The City Charter places all matters pertaining to school buildings and grounds under the jurisdiction and control of de- partments of the City Government other than the School Com- mittee where the responsibilities logically belong. It should further be recognized that the responsibility for such control is divided among four different agencies (the School Commit- tee and the Departments of Public Buildings, Engineering, and Highway) with the School Committee's control limited to the instructional organization within the building. Such a divided control makes efficient cperation practically impossible. As has been previously stated by the Superintendent, "Since the


270


ANNUAL REPORTS


schools of the country are looked upon as tools of instruction and expressions of educational functions and purposes, and in view of the fact that schoolhouse planning is closely related to the processes of instruction, it is evident that the School Com- mittee is the logical agency to plan for, construct, care for, and maintain the school plant." Proof of this statement comes from the fact that over ninety per cent of the city school sys- tems in the country are under the complete control of school committees.


As in previous years, there was no doubt of the soundness of the provisions and the benefits which would be derived from the passage of the bill, yet as usual the bill was not enacted into law, and once again the School Committee, the agency elected by the public to establish and maintain an adequate school system for the furtherance of the welfare of all the chil- dren of all the people of the city, has been prevented from properly performing its fundamental duties and responsibilities.


The general public has shown its interest in matters which will benefit the efficiency of the operation of the affairs of the city, by its overwhelming vote in favor of the establishment of the Department of Public Works. Now that a similar bill to H-1579 has been filed for action by the General Court of 1954, there is hope that the public will be given the opportunity to show those who have previously opposed the provisions of the bill that the logical placement of the control and jurisdiction is the proper action to take. If given the opportunity the public will certainly assure the School Committee that they want the schools controlled by the proper authorities.




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