USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Littleton > Reports of the town officers of the town of Littleton, Massachusetts, for the year ending 1939 > Part 7
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RECOMMENDED,-$2000.00.
Art. 16. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money to be used by the Board of Health during the ensuing year, or take any action in relation thereto.
RECOMMENDED,-$100.00 for salary for Inspector of animals and $350.00 for ex- penses.
Art. 17. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for a Reserve Fund for the ensuing year, or transfer all or part of such sum from available funds.
RECOMMENDED,-$2500.00.
171
Art. 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of five hundred and eighty dollars for electricity used for Street Lighting, and that sum and the income from the sales of electricity to private consumers or for electricity supplied to municipal buildings or for municipal power, and from the sale of appliances and jobbing during the current fiscal year, be appropriated for the municipal lighting plant, the whole to be expended by the manager of municipal lighting under the direction and control of the Municipal Light Board for the expense of the plant for the fiscal year as defined by in section 57 of Chapter 164 of the General Laws , and that if said sum and said income shall exceed said expense for said fiscal year, such part of such excess as the Municipal Light Board may determine shall be transferred to the construction fund of said plant and appropriated for such additions thereto as may hereafter be authorized by the Municipal Light Board, and the balance of said excess shall be returned to the Town Treasurer.
RECOMMENDED.
Art. 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate a sum of money for Tree Warden.
RECOMMENDED,-$180.00 for wages and $20.00 for expenses.
Art. 20. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for Hydrant Service.
RECOMMENDED,-$1000.00.
Art. 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate a sum of money to be used by the Board of Water Commissioners for running the Water Department for the ensuing year.
RECOMMENDED,-$6400.00.
172
Art. 22. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate or transfer from the Water Surplus Account a sum of money for Old Age Assistance relief.
RECOMMENDED,- $3400.00.
Art. 23. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for Administration of Old Age Assistance.
RECOMMENDED,-$100.00.
Art. 24. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for the Board of Public Welfare for expenses other than Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children and Soldiers' Relief and for administration of the General Welfare cases.
RECOMMENDED,-$2500.00 for relief and $75.00 for administration.
Art. 25. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate money for Aid to Dependent Children and for administration expenses in said cases.
RECOMMENDED,-$1100.00 for relief and$75.00 for administration.
Art. 26. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for Soldiers' Relief.
RECOMMENDED,-$100.00.
Art. 27. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) to be set aside as a fund to furnish service at the Community Hospital in Ayer for such citizens of Littleton as may need it. This money to be used with approval of the Selectmen and without pauperizing the citizen.
RECOMMENDED.
173
Art. 28. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for care, maintenance and support of the schools.
RECOMMENDED,-$30,250.00.
Art. 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate a sum sufficient to pay the County of Middlesex, as re- quired by law, the Town's share of the net cost of the care, maintenance, and repair of the Middlesex County Tuberculosis Hospital, as assessed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 111 of the General Laws an Acts in amendment thereof, including Chapter 400, Section 25 G (6) (a) of the Acts of 1936 or take any action in relation thereto.
RECOMMENDED.
Art. 30. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate: a sum of money for Police protection.
RECOMMENDED,-$2150.00 for salaries and $100.00 for expenses.
Art. 31. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for the Road Machinery Fund for the purpose of purchasing, repairing and operating road machinery, or transfer a part of such from the Machinery Account.
RECOMMENDED,-Raise and appropriate $600.00 and transfer $500.00 from Ma- chinery Account and appropri- ate the same to Mach. Fund.
Art. 32. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money to pay for rental of Whitcomb Field for use of school students, or take any action in relation thereto.
RECOMMENDED,-$75.00.
174
Art. 33. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate sums of money to defray the expenses of various departments and for purposes as follow ; Selectmen, Treasurer, Tax Collec- tor. Assessors, Town Clerk, Town Accountant, Elections and Registrations, Legal, Moderator, Sealer of Weights and Mea- sures, Building Inspector, Finance Committee and for printing Town Reports and Warrants or take an action in relation thereto.
RECOMMENDED,-
Selectmen, Salaries
$330.00, Expenses
$100.00
Treasurer, Salary
300.00
"
430.00
Tax Collector, Salary and
1275.00
Assessors, Salaries, 625.00
375.00
Town Clerk, Salary
75.00
100.00
Town Acc't., Salary
1300.00
50.00
Elec. & Reg., Salary
100.00
200.00
Legal Deartment Salary and
300.00
Moderator Salary
10.00
SealerWh'ts & Mrs.
75.00
15.00
Finance Committee
50.00
,, 300.00
Town Reports and appropriate the receipts for building permits to be used as compensation for the services of building inspector.
Art. 34. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money for Workmen's Compensation Insurance.
RECOMMENDED,-$525.00.
Art. 35. To see if the Town will appropriate the receipts for the care of cemetery lots, construction of foundations, interments, the income from perpetual care funds for 1939 and raise and appropriate the sum of $285.10 for the care and maintenance of the cemeteries under the direction of the Cemetery Commissioners.
RECOMMENDED.
175
Art. 36. To see if the Town will vote to extend the St. Lighting System on Foster Street and Harwood Avenue to the residence of Joseph P. Sullivan and james Rowse.
Art. 37. To see if the Town will vote to extend the St. Lighting System on Tahhattawan Road as far as Harwood Avenue, or such part of that distance as the Town may desig- nate.
Art. 38. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the balance of the High School Addition Construction Fund, amounting to $1422.29, to be used toward defraying part of the expense of the $5000.00 note due this year on account of the addition to the High School building, or take any action in relation thereto.
RECOMMENDED.
Art. 39. T see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $10.22 for the purpose of reimbursing the Local Post of the American Legion for expenses incurred for the Memorial Day Observance in 1939.
RECOMMENDED.
Art. 40. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate a sum of money to be used by the Board of Selectmen for Work Relief or Works Progress Administration.
RECOMMENDED,-$500.00.
Art. 41. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $1200.00, or any other sum, to be used by the Highway Department for the construction of a new bridge on Mill Road at the outlet of Mill Pond.
Art. 42. To see if the Town will vote to amend Art. 7 of the By-laws of the Town of Littleton in the following par- ticulars :-
176
First :- By striking out Sec. 2 (d) of said article, said Sec. 2 (d) being "The inspector shall not be permitted to pass on any work in which he is interested."
Second :- By inserting in Sec.3, between the words "build- ing" and "of" in the fourth line of said section the following words "for use other than as dwellings" so that said Sec. 3 shall read, "Every person intending to erect extend or restore any building, or part thereof, within the Town of Littleton, except one story buildings for use other than as dwellings on a farm and located on a plot of one acre or more of land before proceeding with said work shall file an application for a permit with the Inspector of Buildings on forms furnished Dy him, giving a description of said building, location, also number of lot (if any) on which the building is to be erected."
Third :- By substituting in the sixth line of Sec. 8 in place of the words "Board of Selectmen" the words "Board of As- sessors" so that said Sec. 8 shall read, "Board of Appeal". If a person is dissatisfied with the decision of the Building In- spector he may appeal from said decision within 10 days from the time of said decision. A Board of Appeal is hereby es- tablished to consist of the Board of Assessors. No member shall act in any case when he is interested; or if any mem- ber shall be disqualified or for any reason cannot be present the remaining members may appoint a substitute and he shall have all the powers conferred upon a regular member. Every decision must be unanimous and must be in writing. Any expense incurred shall be borne by the side against which the decision is made."
Fourth :- By striking out Sec. 9 and inserting in place thereof the following, "Sec 9 .- Foundations. All dwellings hereafter erected shall have masonry foundations, with a min- imum thickness of eight inches, extending below frost action, that portion being above grade to be laid in or pointed with mortar."
177
Fifth :- By striking out in Sec. 10 (a) after th word "mortar" in the third line, the words "like that specified for foundations", so that said Sec. 10 (a) shall read as follows,- "Chimneys. All chimneys hereafter to be erected to be of brick or other fireproof and non-conducting material laid in mortar. Walls of chimney, if less than eight inches thick to be lined with terra cotta flue lining, with joints laid in mor- tar."
Sixth :- By striking out in Section 10 (c) the words "out at least two feet above the highest point on roof and not less than 3 feet above point where it passes-through the roof" and inserting in place thereof the following words, "not less than three feet above the roof at point of contact" so that said Sec. 10 (c) shall read as follows, "Sec. 10 (c) All chimneys hereafter constructed shall be topped out not less than three feet above the roof at point of contact and shall be capped with stone, iron or concrete."
Seventh :- By striking out in Sec. 10 (d) after the word "except" in the second sentence the words "as provided in Sec. 3 General Provisions" and inserting in place thereof the following words, "in one story portable buildings on a farm." so that said Sec. 10 (d) shall read as follows .- Sec. 10 (d) No smoke pipe shall pass through a stud or wooden partition whether plastered or not unless protected by a suitable metal collar with holes for ventilation or by a soapstone ring. No pipe shall pass through an outside wall, roof or window ex- cept in one story portable buildings on a farm."
Eighth :- By inserting between the word "dwelling" and the word "and" in the second sentence of Sec. 12 (a) the words "above ground" so that the section shall read as follows :-
178
"Sec. 12 (a) Location of building on lot. In any section of the town that is subdivided into building lots, no building shall be within 15 feet of the front or street line of any lot and no building of second or third class construction, except a gar- age shall be built within eight feet of the party line of any lot. No garage or other building shall be built in front of the rear line of any dwelling unless the same is attached to said dwelling above ground, and in no case shall any garage or other building be within 5 feet of the party line of any lot. The intent and meaning of this section is that no part of the building except cornice or steps shall project into these areas "
Ninth :- By inserting between Sec. 12 (c) and Sec. 13 the following section to be known as Sec. 12 (d) .- "Sec. 12 (d) All gas stations and pumps, or roadside stands, hereafter to be established, shall be at least 25 feet from the street line, and suitable driveway shall be constructed off the highway."
or take any action thereon.
Art. 43. To see if the Town will appoint or authorize the appointment of a committe of three members to inves- tigate the subject of a fire alarm system to take the place of the present system, when and if the present telephones are changed to the dial type, and instruct said committee to re- port at the next annual meeting.
Art. 44. To see if the Town will vote to instruct the Selectmen to petition the Department of Corporations and Taxation, Division of Accounts, to make an audit of the books of the Town as soon after January 1, 1941 as may be.
or act in any way on the foregoing articles as they shall see fit when met.
179
Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at the place and at the time appointed for the meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands this fifteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and forty.
WALTER H. TITCOMB, ROBERT M. LINGHAM, CLARENCE W. BROWN, Selectmen.
180
REPORTS OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
1714.
713.
SHOBAH PLANTAT
OF THE
TOWN OF LITTLETON MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1939
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Harold N. Caldwell, Chairman, 1940 Ruth M. Frost, Secretary 1942 Ernest H. Robinson, 1941
SUPERINTENDENT
Blynn E. Davis
HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY
John G. Moran, Principal Frances Dee Elma J. DeBrune Helen L. Thurston George A. Braman
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY
E. Carl Parmenter, Principal Lucie E. DeHaro
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FACULTY
Margaret Tobin, Principal Mary J. Blood
Effie Sarris Marion W. Flagg
Elizabeth H. Hull Elsie M. Webb
SUPERVISORS
Helen L. Sawyer, Household Arts Dorothy N. Jacobs, Art Mary Breen, Music
CUSTODIANS
James J. Chaple Franklin P. Plummer
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Doctor James D. Christie, Littleton, Mass.
182
SCHOOL NURSE Mrs. Mildred E. Powers, R. N.
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
John Sargent, Chief of Police Mrs. Mildred E. Powers
Meetings of the School Committee are held on the Friday before the first Monday of each month, at 8 P. M. Special meetings of the committee may be called when necessary.
LITTLETON SCHOOL CALENDER 1940
First winter term: January 2, 1940, to February 16, 1940. Seven weeks. One week vacation.
Second winter term: February 26, 1940 to April 12, 1940. Seven weeks. One week vacation.
Spring term: April 22, 1940 to June 14, 1940. Nine weeks. Eleven weeks vacation.
High School Graduation, Tuesday, June 18, 1940.
Fall term: September 4, 1940 to December 20, 1940. Sixteen weeks. One week vacation.
First winter term begins December 30, 1940.
183
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Littleton, Massachusetts, January 10, 1940.
To the Town of Littleton, the School Committee presents its annual report for the year 1939:
The committee was organized as last year with Harold Caldwell, chairman and Ruth Frost, secretary, Ernest Robin- son, third member. There have been eleven regular meetings, two meetings with the joint committee of Union Number 70, and eight special meetings. Four times the committee met with the Selectmen to arrange for razing the Union school building and grading the playground, as instructed at the last town meeting. Routine business connected with the care of buildings, the teaching staff, curricula, and transportation occupied most of the regular and several special meetings.
There has been a growing tendency on the part of the five separate committees of the union for a more closely knit joint committee. Partly the cause and partly the result of this are several joint projects such as the hiring of a secretary for the Superintendent, who keeps' many of the school records re- quired by the state, and the project in money management in which the union has been assisted by the Middlesex County Extension Service. For three years the joint committee has held semi-annual meetings, not required by law, in October, not so much for the transaction of business as for the discus- sion of mutual problems and policies.
184
The various committees accepted the offer of the Exten- sion Service of having a method of money management as taught in several school systems, explained to the teachers of the union by Miss Florence Barnard, Director of the Ameri- can Association for Economic Education. To attempt to fit our youth to earn a living wage and not to teach it how to spend that wage to the best advantage, is inconsistent. The process of actually inculcating this science in the curricula has been slow but promising.
The experiment of hiring a helping teacher whose work and duties are explained in the Superintendent's report, has proved its worth from the standpoints of both economy and education. It is felt by one educator that this class for reme- dial work is the greatest step forward in our educational system since the placing of one grade in a room.
The Frank M. Kimball award for character, scholarship. and financial need went by vote of the committee to Theresa McManus and Mary Pickard.
In remodeling the home economics department and cafe- teria, the committee with the Superintendent availed them- selves of the aid of several state experts. The results, it is felt, will continue to justify the expenditure.
A good bit of discussion time was given this year to the problem of transportation. The bus routes were revised and put to bid, and the busses themselves brought up to date to afford a greater margin of safety to the school children. The committee feels it relevant at this time to express its apprecia- tion of Mr. Nahum Whitcomb, who terminated last spring twenty years of unusually fine service as a bus driver. The drivers of our busses have an integral part in the discipline and character-building of our school system.
185
The school entrance age was again carefully considered this year, with particular regard for reading readiness and failures. It was voted that pupils six years old on or before October 1, would be admitted: others, on the recommendation of the state psychologist. As has been intimated in previous reports, a child does not grow teeth, or learn to walk, or learn to read until he is ready. To force a child not ready to learn to read, into school, is probably to start him on an unhappy road of discouragement for twelve years. He may just "get by" each grade which a year later he might thoroughly enjoy.
And educating for the pursuit of happiness is, after all, one of the foundations of our cherished democracy, for which American citizens have been willing to pay the price. We of the committee wish to thank the Superintendent and the members of the teaching and maintenance staff who have assisted us in our efforts to carry out the duties with which we have been entrusted.
Respectfully submitted,
RUTH M. FROST,
Secretary of the School Committee.
January 4. 1940.
5
186
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation
$30,250.00
Transfer from Reserve Fund for Tuition Refund
30.00
Total for Schools
$30,280.00
EXPENDITURES
General Control Expenses
$ 1,328.65
Teachers
18,485.24
Text books
610.78
Supplies
1,271.05
Janitor
1,776.42
Fuel
879.93
Miscellaneous Operation
576.60
Maintenance & Repairs
651.00
Transportation
3,824.16
Health
110.00
Miscellaneous Auxiliary Agencies
766.03
Total expenditures for 1939
$30,279.86
Balance
$ .14
State Reimbursements to Littleton for 1939
School Fund, Part I
$ 2,508.60
School Fund, Part II
1,035.89
Supt. of Schools
579.62
Vocational
80.00
State Wards
156.40
Total
$ 4,360.51
187
Reimbursements from Local Funds for 1939
Lucy Houghton Zappey Fund $ 37.50 Lydia Johnson High School Fund 100.00
John Goldsmith Common School Fund 53.55
Sampson Educational Fund 776.51
Sampson Relief of Animals Fund 108.96
Hildreth School Fund 319.02
Total
$ 1,395.54
Tuition Received From Other Towns
Town of Harvard $ 410.00
Town of Boxborough 440.00
$
850.00
Total Reimbursements $ 6,606.05
Amount expended for Schools in 1939 $30,279.86
Reimbursements and School Income 6,606.05
Net Cost of Schools for 1939
$23,673.81
188
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
Littleton, Massachusetts, January 2, 1940
The School Committee Littleton, Massachusetts :
In the educational history of the Town of Littleton, the year now closing has been highly significant. On January 3, 1939, all grades of the Elementary and Junior High Schools held their first sessions in the new building. Both teachers and pupils, however, reacted efficiently and harmoniously to their new environment, and with no confusion "they kept the noiseless tenor of their way." Six months ago the last vestiges of the Union School building disappeared from the landscape, and the organization known as the Union School came to exist only on the pages of local history and in the memories of those who were once its pupils.
During the year, many adjustments had to be made. The school program had to be adjusted around the gymnasium- auditorium ; recess periods had to be staggered and the cafe- teria expanded to provide for an increased patronage; admin- istrative problems had to be settled and janitorial service ad- justed to fit the situation.
A vital problem of adjustment was to make the school budget fit the demands of the new situation. With unforeseen expenses continually arising, it was imperative that we spend cautiously. We practiced economy in every department, striv-
189
ing at the same time to furnish needed supplies and equip- ment, so that the efficiency of the instruction would not be impaired. Conservation was the watchword; waste and ex- travagance were discouraged. With the excellent co-opera- tion of the teachers, it was possible to make many necessary repairs and to provide some much-needed equipment within the limits of the budget.
In the north section of the building, the High School ex- panded somewhat as the junior high classes and the shopwork were removed. The former eighth grade room was trans- formed into an attractive and commodious cafeteria adequate to meet the demands of all grades. The renovations were completed during the summer, and under the direction of the cafeteria manager, Miss Helen Sawyer, the system has been entirely reorganized to meet the requirements of the three schools. Considerable work was necessary to prepare this room for its new functions, but the light, well-ventilated lunch room is well worth the time and effort expended. The house- hold arts equipment has been moved up to this room from the basement room formerly occupied, and Miss Sawyer holds these classes in the lunch room. Lunch periods have been staggered so that each school has twenty minutes by itself, and this makes it possible to take care of the larger number of pupils now being served.
Early in the year, the Manual Training Department was moved from its cramped quarters in the basement of the old high school building and installed in the commodious shop provided under the new auditorium. Both Mr. Milton Jeffrey, who resigned his position in June, and Mr. George Braman, our present shop instructor, have devoted considerable time and attention to the problem of organizing the shop equip- ment, and the department now enrolls a total of 111 pupils in grades five to twelve. We need, however, a great deal more equipment before our department can do its best work. It is interesting to note that this department has saved the town
190
many dollars in making minor repairs around the schools, such repairs as, fixing typewriters, soldering water pipes, making and installing screens in the cafeteria, adjusting soap and towel dispensers and racks, repairing chairs, desks, maps and door locks.
This department furnishes the type of education especial- ly adapted to the needs of many high school pupils. In the grades, it is largely exploratory, but in the high school, it is largely vocational. The boys who can not go to college should have an opportunity to gain this sort of training. The college preparatory student may desire it also, but his daily program is generally too rigid to permit any electives in this field. with the exception of mechanical drawing for the boy who is pre- paring for the scientific school.
The Commercial Department furnishes additional voca- tional training under the direction of Miss Frances Dee, and when it becomes possible to move this department to the large classroom now occupied by the laboratory, it will be in a posi- tion to do greater service. At present, the department is greatly handicapped because the room is small and the type- writers have to be moved many times a day to and from the desks to accommodate the different classes. We need the larger room and we need regular desks for the typewriters. We also need more office machines.
When this department is moved and better equipped, it will deserve a much larger enrollment than it now has. The ability to use a typewriter is becoming increasingly important for every pupil in our secondary schools, and provision should be made so that our ten machines may be used to the max- imum every period of the school day.
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