USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1916 > Part 8
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
We are glad to announce that a fully equipped and independent children's room is expected to be in service by February 1st, 1917, in charge of Miss Wells, a trained specialist in such work. The present children's room will be used as a general reference and reading room, thus relieving the often crowded conditions of the present rooms de- voted to these purposes. This extension of the children's department will involve considerable extra expense, but by careful planning and slight curtailing in some departments, the Trustees believe that for this year the same appropriation, from the City as last year, namely, $7800, can be made to answer. As stated last year, however, this appropriation must soon be increased to meet the naturally growing expenses of a growing Library.
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Trustees of the Attleboro Public Library,
JOSEPH L. SWEET, Chairman, LEONARD I. LAMB, THOMAS E. McCAFFREY, ELIZABETH J. WILMARTH,
ELEANOR S. CARPENTER, CHARLES S. HOLDEN,
MARK E. ROWE, IRENE T. HILL, JOHN J. THACHER.
109
ANNUAL REPORT
Attleboro, Mass., January 2, 1916.
To the Trustees of the Attleboro Public Library:
I have the honor to submit the report of the progress of the Attleboro Public Library for the year ending January 1, 1917.
Books Lent.
The year 1916 brought with it new conditions of industry and of population. The general exodus from Attleboro to the districts where war munitions are manufactured, during the previous year of poor business, and the business revival during 1916, when borrowers have found less time for reading, are now plainly shown in the decreased figures which represent the number of books lent during the year:
Number of days on which the library was open for the circulation of books: 305.
Number of books lent, divided as follows:
Adult department
43,360
Children's department
23,837
Outlying schools
5,597
Dodgeville library
891
High School library
920
The total circulation, by classes of literature, follows:
Per Cent.
General works
1844
2.74
Philosophy
427
.63
Religion
492
.73
Sociology
2883
4.29
Philology
162
.22
Natural science
1233
1.83
Useful arts
1894
2.85
Fine arts
1822
2.71
Literature
2742
4.07
History
1130
1.68
Travel
1621
2.44
Biography
1426
2.12
Fiction
49,521
73.69
Total
67,197
100.00
Four thousand two hundred and twenty-eight less books were loaned during 1916 than in the previous year, a decrease partially due, we believe, to the industrial conditions before mentioned.
A large advance in book circulation among the schools is notice- able. This is the direct result of the new system of loans to the out- lying schools, installed early in the year. By this system, 3102 more books were this year lent to the boys and girls of the city than during 1915 by the earlier method.
Registration.
The necessity for a new registration of borrowers became appar- ent early in the spring. Many library patrons had permanently left the city without notifying the library of their removal, many others
110
ANNUAL REPORT
had changed their addresses within the city without notice to the library, library cards of people long removed from the city were being used by regular library borrowers, and overdue notices sent to addresses given on the library records were returned to the library with the post-office stamp "Unclaimed" or "Address unknown."
With June the new registration was in progress and borrowers' cards of a new type to fit the book-pockets now provided were sub- stituted for the kind formerly used.
On January 1, 1917, the library registration-book showed the total number of borrowers registered since June: 2352.
Number of cards cancelled since the new registration: 18.
Total number of borrowers, January 1, 1917. 2334
Accessions.
Books in library, Jan. 1, 1916.
18.484
Volumes added from Jan. 1, 1916 to Jan. 1, 1917:
By purchase 1293
By binding periodicals 97
By gift 43
Total 1433
Volumes withdrawn during the year 14 Number of books replaced. 226
Actual number of books in the library Jan. 1, 1917. 19,903
Care of Books.
Lost from shelves during 1915:
Adult department 27
Children's department 33
Reference department 3
The above figures can be but tentative During 1916 many books reported lost in the last library report were later found in good condi- tion again on the shelves. Just how these books return to their places is always a mystery to library attendants, but the happy fact remains that books which figure among the lost in one report often reappear among the found in the next.
Selection of Books.
Out of the mass of good, bad, and indifferent literature published during the past year, only those books have been purchased which were, to our best judgment, suited to the needs and wishes of the people of Attleboro. Not what Attleboro people ought to want, but what they actually do demand (exclusive, of course, of the trashy and immoral) has been the ground on which a book has been accepted or refused. It is because the librarian is confident that, above the cry for the trashiest of current fiction, is the more insistent demand for the better type of the new novel, that books by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and Booth Tarkington have been added and most novels by Robert W. Chambers and Elinor Glyn refused. The fact that more current fiction has been added this year has been appreciated by a public which constantly registers a big demand for the "latest books."
.
111
ANNUAL REPORT
A "best books" case has been an innovation planned for the en- couragement of the reading of better books among the library public. On this the so-called twenty "best" novels were first placed, together with the famous Harvard Classics. Later, the "best books of 1915", as recommended by authorities, were exhibited there, with the result that more of the better literature of last year was circulated than by any other means.
The librarian's confidence that the best of the non-fiction, if dis- played to advantage, would also prove interesting to library patrons, was not misplaced. The series of exhibits of the latest and best of the non-fiction, placed with appropriate bulletins in the library foyer, brought good results. The need for a regular exhibit table with 4 bulletin-board attachment, in place of the amateur product pressed into service by necessity, is steadily growing.
During 1916 a large addition has been made to the music collec- tion, with the help and advice of members of the Chaminade Club.
A large number of French books and some in the Portuguese lan- guage, to meet an increasing demand, have been purchased.
The growing work with the outlying schools made the purchase of more children's books for the establishment of a school collection imperative.
Requests by library patrons for books not in the library have been encouraged and, when possible, gladly complied with.
The Daniel H. Smith Fund has again made possible the addition of books of a valuable nature to the reference collection.
Binding.
Number of books rebound. 378
Periodicals bound 86
Total. 464
Gifts.
The generosity of the Attleboro public has been repeatedly felt during 1916, in the receipt of the magazine subscriptions many times before acknowledged, and in the other following gifts:
Fourteen juvenile books, from Mrs. Walter Hayward.
Sanley's "Reminiscences of My Life," from Rev. R. S. Moore. Lauriat's "Lusitania's Last Voyage" and "Great Men and Famous Women" series, from Mrs. Irene Hill and Mrs. A. W. Sturdy.
Woman's National Weekly, from Mrs. Mary A. Sias.
"Sweden: Historical and Statistical Handbook," 2 v., from the Attleboro Chamber of Commerce.
Atlantic Monthly, 1862 and 1867; Century Magazine, 1896 and 1897; Harpers' Magazine, 1879; McClure's Mazagine, 1895; Godey's Lady Book, from Miss Lydia Peck.
Shaw's "Misalliance, etc.," from the Dramatic Committee of the Attleboro Round Table.
"Christian Science, Its Results," Gladden's "Christian League of Connecticut, Edwards' "A New Misionary Gazeteer of All the Protest- ant Missionary Stations," from Miss Lucy Sweet.
Reference Work.
Library workers have often had occasion during the past year to rejoice in the excellence of the reference collection so judiciously organized by Miss Henry, former librarian. That Attleboro is gradu-
112
ANNUAL REPORT
ally becoming conscious of the help which the library through this unusual collection, is able to give, is evident from the increasing number of questions which come to the desk, especially by telephone, from the shops and offices of the city.
To make the card catalogue easier for reference purposes, and more comprehensible to the library public, directions for its use were this year typed on blue cards and placed at the beginning of each catalogue drawer.
School Work.
The new system of loans to the outlying schools was installed in January. By this system individual grade libraries are set up in each school room in the outlying districts and pupils may borrow books from these collections at will, without the necessity, as for- merly, of returning each book to the public library for exchange. At the end of every two months the libraries are collected and a new selection sent to each school.
During 1916 the story hour was resumed and had a successful season, due to the interest and ability of Mrs. Leonard I. Lamb, who told the stories to groups of children never numbering less than sixty.
We rejoice in the fact that we are to have a fully equipped, new and independent children's room, to be opened about February 1st, 1917, in charge of Miss Blanche I. Wells, who has had special train- ing for chlidren's work.
Branches.
In October, 1916, the High School Library, organized under the public library's direction, was opened for regular work. The orig- inal plan of sending a public library assistant to the High School Library for one hour daily, for the handling of reference questions and for the charging of books, became impossible with the resigna- tion of Mrs. Regnell in September, and, later, of Miss Fears. As a result the librarian undertook the High School work until further plans could be made and found satisfaction in coming in actual con- tact with a work the problems of which would have been otherwise unknown. The beginning made with the High School work must neces- sarily have been small, with a limited book capacity, still more limited seating capacity, and no regular librarian. Circulation figures for the High School show, however, that a reasonably satisfactory beginning has been made, under handicap, which Miss Wells, school librarian, will undoubtedly carry on to success.
In cooperation with the Dodgeville Social Center, a small branch has been started at Dodgeville under particularly interesting con- ditions. To distribute books to people who are really eager for them has been the task of Miss Dorothea Wetherell, who, lately in charge of the work, has repeatedly given of her time and thought to give a little of the right sort of environment to people really in need of it.
Picture Collection.
The impetus given to the picture collection by the purchase of a filing cabinet in which it might be placed resulted in a total circula- tion of 2,294 pictures during 1916. Circular letters announcing the collection were sent to all teachers in the city and did much to incite interest in the pictures among the schools.
113
ANNUAL REPORT
Exhibits.
The annual Christmas exhibit of books as Christmas gifts for children was held from Dec. 4 to Dec. 11 in the library foyer, this time in larger form and with larger results. Through the cooperation of several New York and Boston publishers, a selection of books for adults as well as children was also displayed. In response to last year's demand that library patrons be allowed to order through the library any books on exhibit, this privilege was this year granted. The result was approximately one hundred books ordered in this way. It was gratifying to realize that the aim of the exhibit, the encouragement of the giving of the best books as Christmas gifts, had been, however modestly, fulfilled.
During Health Week, an exhibit of books on health was held by the library at the Y. M. C. A.
Lectures.
The Swedish people of the city were invited on March 29th to a lecture on "Sweden's Contribution to Literature," given in their honor by Mr. J. Urban Edgren of Providence, R. I.
In March a meeting of the librarians and trustees of five libraries of the district was held at the library, with accompanying talk by Miss Wheeler, librarian of the Leominster Public Library.
Library Hall was open once during December for an hour of story-telling by Miss Gragg of the Lowell Normal School, under the auspices of the Attleboro Teachers' Association, and on the first Mon- day of each month for the meeting of the Hospital Aid Association.
Advertising.
The library's need of making known its privileges has been par- tially met by several innovations in advertising.
Through the courtesy of Mr. McCaffrey of the trustees, Mr. Smiley, manager of Wells Block, and Mr. Barden, of the Bronson Block, three store windows have been used for the exhibit of books as advertising material by the library.
Posters placed in the railroad station, advertising the picture collection, and requesting picture post-card material for use in con- nection with the schools, have been entirely successful and the means of adding interesting cards to the library's collection.
The publication of lists and book-notes in the Attleboro Daily Sun has been a continual means of keeping the public in touch with the library, for which the librarian is indeed grateful.
Bulletins of new books on health and athletics have been occa- sionally posted on the Y. M. C. A. bulletin board, lists of books in foreign languages have been distributed to the evening schools, and other lists freely distributed from the library loan-desk.
Talks on the library and its books have been given by the libra- rian to the evening school, to the Minute Men of the Baptist Church, to the Universalist Y. P. C. U., and on the eve of "Good Book Week," at the Sunday evening service of the Universalist Church.
From Dec. 4 to Dec. 11 "Good Book Week" was observed at the library by the exhibition of "Good Books as Christmas Gifts," the distribution of pamphlets on children's reading and of the lists, "Books Boys Like Best," "Good Books for Girls," and "Books as Christmas Gifts for Children." In the interest of the week, sermons and talks were given in all the Protestant churches of the city on
114
ANNUAL REPORT
the subject of better reading. Articles and lists were published daily in the Attleboro Daily Sun, "Good Book Week" exhibits were held in two store windows, announcement of the exhibit was made through- out the city, and a week of general advertising for the library was brought to a close.
With the New year a continuation of this wholesome publicity should be made.
Staff.
The year 1916 brought many changes to the staff of the library. In October, after years of capable service, Mrs. Regnell left us to join her husband in Canada. Though regretting Mrs. Regnell's resig- nation, we were yet glad to find in Miss Laura Monnier, a former library substitute and a graduate of Simmons College Library School Summer Course, a very able and conscientious worker. The news that Miss Gertrude Fears, who had been with the library practically since its beginning, had also resigned to give her entire time to the music which she had always hoped to make her life work, was a matter of surprise and regret to her library friends. Miss Dorothea Wetherell has worked untiringly to take the place left by Miss Fears' resignation until Miss Blanche I. Wells, whom the trustees selected for the permanent position, could begin her work on January 1, 1917.
Miss Wetherell is a recent addition to the library's substitute list, which, with the removal of Miss Lincoln, Miss Richards and Mrs. Paul, is much depleted.
Conclusion.
In spite of the decreased numbers of the library public, due to industrial conditions, in spite of handicaps imposed by an unsettled staff, the librarian feels that the year 1916 has been one of distinct progress for the Attleboro Public Library. Extension there has been through the new work at the High School and at Dodgeville; but the intensive work of the library, which, as such, is not so appar- ent to the outsider, has been of even more importance. The hours spent by library assistants in the perusal of the many magazines to which the library subscribes, in the sole hope of recommending an article to a library patron at a happy moment; the time given to the individual, not the mass, in the search for some item of im- portance to his work; the hours of planning and of consultation by all members of the library staff for the perfection of some detail which might bring better library service to the people of the city; the increasing interest of the library staff in the worth and meaning of library work :- these are the great things in the library's achieve- ment.
For the fine response of the library trustees, for the splendid co- operation of the members of the staff and their competent help and untiring energy in facing the difficulties entailed by a crippled staff, the librarian is increasingly grateful.
The past year was one of progress. The new year will be one of new energy, plus new understanding of the beauty of our work.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN M. CLAFLIN,
Librarian.
115
ANNUAL REPORT
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council,
Gentlemen : -
I have the honor to submit, herewith, the second annual report of the Public Works Department, of the City of Attleboro, for the year ending Dec. 31, 1916.
This department has the general care of all public highways (streets and sidewalks), construction of new streets and sidewalks, street lighting, street sprinkling, street signs and house numbering, street cleaning, and all work connected with surface drainage; sewers, including filter beds; water system, including reservoir, filter beds, standpipe and pumping station, except the collection of water rates and other bills incident to the various departments; and general supervision over all engineering work which is done by the engineer of this department. The design and construction of the new rifle range was also under the care of this department.
The present organization of the department is as follows: Samuel Dyer, Engineer; Robert Beverage, Foreman Water and Sewers; Lester Ainsworth, Foreman Highways; George Cook, Engineer Pumping Station; Lula B. Allen, Clerk.
PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE.
Contracts have been made for tar concrete, cement concrete, curbing, water pipe, etc. Minimum rates and excess water bills, service connections, repairs, and other charges of the various depart- ments have been billed and delivered to the City Collector, and detail accounts of expenditures of all the departments have been recorded.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
This department has been called upon to do work for nearly all the departments of the city, viz., Mayor's office, Assessors, City So- licitor, Police, Board of Health, Planning Board, Rifle Range, School Department, Highway Department, Water Department, Sewer Depart- ment, and various committees of the Municipal Council.
HIGHWAYS.
In the spring all the streets in the city were scraped, gutters cleaned and put in good condition for the summer travel and the usual amount of street cleaning was done in the fall.
Our principal work of this year has been a continuation of last year's scheme of getting all the main arteries of travel into and
116
ANNUAL REPORT
from the city in especially good condition. Working along this line, we regraveled Park Street, from the Attleboro Sanitarium to Briggs Corner. This road was badly worn and in a very dangerous con- dition so that it necessitated an average fill of about ten inches in order to bring it up to a uniform grade of five inches above the street car tracks. The material used was the gravel from the Attle- boro Sanitarium bank, as it came through the crusher without screen- ing, and proved a very satisfactory material.
The very unusual weather conditions of last January developed very bad conditions on two of our other main arteries, one on Pleas- ant Street at the end of the State Road, and one on South Main Street near Thacher Brook. These were repaired by excavating a V-shaped section of the sub-grade ten feet in width on Pleasant Street, and twelve feet in width on South Main Street, and of a depth of eighteen inches; and refilling with field stone. After thor- oughly rolling, a surface coat of crushed stone six inches in depth was placed and the top three inches in depth penetrated with Tarvia X.
Macadam Streets Resurfaced and Repaired.
Pleasant Street, Park Street to Taunton Branch Railroad.
Pine Street, Pearl to Orange.
Dean Street, Bank to Perrin.
Peck Street, Bank Street to Railroad Crossing.
South Main Street, Park Street to Mill Street.
Streets Resurfaced With Gravel.
Turner Street, from N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Crossing to Cum- berland line.
McMann Street, Turner Street to Pawtucket line.
Highland Avenue, two sections.
Newport Avenue, near North Attleboro line.
Sections of Bishop Street, Steere Street, and Pike Avenue.
Lamb Street, Thacher Street to River Bridge.
Thacher Street, South Main Street to River Bridge.
Streets Scarified and Reshaped.
North Main Street, West Street to Dr. Holden's.
North Avenue, westerly side, West Street to North Attleboro line.
Bank Street, Bungay River to Holden Street.
OILING.
A total of 32.62 miles of streets have been oiled this year, divided as follows:
Heavy Asphalt 9.83 miles
Light Asphalt 6.66 66
Tarvia 6.71
66
Non-asphaltic 9.42
In addition, 13.2 miles of street car tracks have been oiled.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT.
The usual amount of small tools have been purchased this year. The engine at the crusher in Forest Street yard was in such shape
117
ANNUAL REPORT
it was deemed wise to replace it with a 30 H. P. electric motor. A 20 H. P. motor was also purchased for the portable crusher, thus leaving the portable boiler free to be used in unloading oil.
The final payment of three thousand ($3,000) dollars on the Buffalo Maintenance roller was made this year.
A Kent oil heater and forcer, and one 600-gallon oil distributor have been added to our street oiling equipment this year.
BRIDGES.
The River Bridges are, with few exceptions, in very bad shape. The floor timbers and flooring are badly rotted, and it is only a question of a short time when they will all have to be rebuilt. The usual maintenance repairs have been made on the various bridges.
Tiffany Street Bridge, the completion of which was held up last year by reason of the cold weather, has been finished.
A new bridge of concrete on Holman Street crossing Thacher Brook drain has been constructed this year.
The following bridges have been replanked this year: Bank Street river bridge.
County Street river bridge over Seven Mile River.
Hebronville Railroad bridge.
CROSSWALKS.
Five cement and two tar crosswalks have been constructed this year, as follows:
Cement Crossings.
Thirteenth Street at County.
Mechanics Street at North Main Street.
Hayward Street at North Main Street.
South Main Street at County Street.
Pleasant Street at Falmouth Street.
Tar Crossings.
Dean Street at Bank Street.
Peck Street at Bank Street.
STREET SWEEPING.
Three street sweeping patrols have been maintained this year in the center of the city.
DRAINS.
The need of a complete drainage system for the city is more apparent each year. It was well illustrated this year when during the summer an unusually heavy storm flooded Union Street, Pleasant Street, under the railroad bridge, and under the Peck Street arch. There are surface drains at these places but they are not adequate to take care of the water. Constant requests are being made from citizens of all parts of the city for relief from the surface water conditions. This we could not do to any large extent, as there was no special appropriation made for the purpose and what little we did do was charged to Highway and Sewer maintenance accounts.
118
ANNUAL REPORT
We have endeavored to keep the few catch basins, which we have, clean and in a sanitary condition, but as many of them are small, it is next to impossible to keep them in such shape that they will take care of the water during heavy storms.
New Catch Basins.
Lamb Street near Mossberg's factory 2 Park Street at C. R. Remington's 1
Park Street at Sanitarium. 1
Pleasant Street at corner of Emory 1
South Main Street at corner of Beacon 1
South Main Street at corner of Mill 1
Turner Street at Standard Oil Co 1
Turner Street near Crown Mill.
1
-
Total 9
.
SIDEWALKS AND CURBING.
Bids were received this year for both concrete and tar concrete walks, but as the abutters chose cement, no tar concrete was laid.
Granite curbing with cement gutters, and cement curb and cement gutters have been laid this year. As cement curbing is somewhat cheaper than granite, this department would recommend that only cement curb and gutter be laid, especially on residential streets.
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.