USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1918 > Part 2
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Schools
The condition of our schools, notwithstanding the heavy inroads made upon the teaching force as a result of national activities con- tinues to be most satisfactory, barring of course the interruptions caused by the recent epidemics, and it will give encouragement to the pessimistic to know that even in the face of the temptation to leave school to enter gainful pursuits often yielded to by reason of the attractive wages offered, the school enrollment for the present year was increased by eighty-one. This fact, supplementing that of the increase in the number of assessed polls, is a clear indication of the healthy growth of the city and is of itself a testimonial to the ex- cellence of our schools and the efficiency with which they are con- ducted.
For the reasons heretofore stated, the additional costs of our schools is out of proportion to this growth in enrollment and will amount this year to about $16,000.00 over the original appropriation for the past year to which an additional sum of $3,400.00 was later added. This increase is mandatory and will be forthcoming.
The foresight of the School Committee in adding a course in Spanish to the Commercial Courses is to be commended as this is the language almost universally spoken in the republics to the South with which our country has set about securing better commercial relations through better banking facilities and closer intercourse of the com- mercial bodies of the different countries. The extension of its ser- vices to these countries by the Associated Press is but one indication of the closer business relations between our country and the Latin republics that will follow the efforts to secure some of the trade of these countries that heretofore has gone largely to Germany. As Por- tuguese is the main language of Brazil, it may be advisable later to add this language to the commercial courses. The importance of co- operating with our government in these plans should be brought to the attention of high school pupils as the next few years may see con- siderable change in our international relations. Our country has not adopted the plan that has proved so successful in Japan of sending its scholars to be educated in other countries so this work must be done at home.
The failure of so many young men to pass the physical examination for the army raises the question whether greater attention should not
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be paid to their physical condition when boys leave school to begin work. The requirement of the State laws is merely a certificate that they are physically strong enough to perform the work they are about to do. This seems a shirking of some part of the responsibility; the examination should be complete and thorough. Physical exercises in the schools would have a good effect in correcting these conditions and bring about some of the changes we all noticed in our soldiers after they had a few months training in camp.
In addition to the present grading of the schools, I would suggest a grading in the matter of health and the starting of at least one open air school.
An effort should be made to arouse greater interest in vocational training in the schools. Something of this nature was manifest in the interest taken in war gardens, and the school agricultural exhibit of the past Autumn was of a character to challenge the ability of older persons.
Community Market
Attention should be called to the notable advance made by the Community Market during the past season and the fine showing made on a small outlay. It is now provided with a substantial ornamental building centrally located and accomplishes a fine service in bringing producer and consumer in closer touch with one another.
Community Fellowship
Another civic institution that is accomplishing good results in the field of general education, though not under the control of the City government, but having its hearty endorsement and support, and the free use of the high school auditorium, is the Attleboro Community Fellowship with which we meet tonight. This unique institution is performing a most useful work in the development of civilian morale and good citizenship and its program of Americanization is one that is most vital to the integrity and progress of our Country and has already met with an encouraging response locally.
Dodgeville Neighborhood House
In a smaller field, but having the same praiseworthy objects, is the excellent work that is being carried on successfully by the Dodge- ville Neighborhood House.
Attleboro Public Library
During the year the Public Library has been constantly used for community work, and more and more it is becoming a community centre. There have been Red Cross meetings, surgical dressing classes, and lectures on food conservation aside from the many kinds of work ordinarily considered part of Public Library work.
The Library has collected, and with the help of the High School students, has prepared over three thousand books which it sent through the American Library Association to our soldiers in the various cantonments. The American Library Association as its share from the United War Drive, received from the city, $1326.27.
The Library serves many people; the man and woman who read for entertainment, the student, the professional man, the artisan, the
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designer, and the children. Here children whose homes are without books enjoy the pleasures of literature and acquire the reading habit.
The Library co-operates with the schools as an aid in promoting profitable reading, and sends deposits of books to the school build- ings which are so distant from the Library, and its Branches, that the children are unable to reach them.
A Branch Library is maintained at the High School during the school year. In April 1918, a Branch Library was established at the Hebronville School as a part of the community work. For nearly two years a Branch Library has been maintained as a part of the Dodge- ville Neighborhood House. Here the men and women who have little time to read find profit and entertainment. For boys, who have no particular place to go, the Branch is a centre to spend a few profitable hours, and-"All to the end that more may find pleasure and profit from books and through them multiply their interests, moderate their prejudices, and broaden their sympathies."
Health Department
During the past year the Health Department has continued the excellent work it has been doing in insuring the purity of the milk supply although handicapped by having two inspectors respond to the call to arms. But its greatest work was done in combatting the in- fluenza epidemics which were the severest and most fatal that have ever afflicted our people. The short space that necessarily must be given this subject in this address would be wholly inadequate to do justice to the manner in which the situation was handled by the Health Officer ably seconded by the Red Cross, the Home Defense Nurses and the many volunteers and owners of automobiles who hastened to his assistance and organized the city into districts to com- bat the disease. The printed reports of this department deserve care- ful reading and will show that the work done deserves all praise.
Sturdy Memorial Hospital
The noble response to the demands made upon it by the local hos- pital during the year and especially during the recent trying epidemic was not alone in favor of our people. Many calls came from outside, both for accommodations and nurses and it is gratifying to the Board of Managers that they were able to answer so many of these. Although its facilities were taxed to the utmost, it was not found wanting.
During the year, it has been designated by the State Department of Health as one of the hospitals for holding clinics for diagnosis and treatment of all venereal diseases on methods approved by the State Department of Health and the War Department.
Filling as it does so important a place in the economy of our city, it continues to draw a large part of its support from the generosity of our citizens who responded very liberally on Tax Day. This voluntary support should be supplemented by a larger financial contribution from the city than the payment of its insurance bills and water rates.
Charity Department
During the past year, the Charity Department, in common with all others, has felt the effect of high prices brought on by war con- ditions and the consequent decreased purchasing power of its appro- priation, making an added appropriation of $4,000.00 necessary toward the close of the year. It may be reasonably presumed that even thoughi
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there be no increase in the number of applicants for relief, at least the same amount will be required to carry this department through the present year. The City Farm is in excellent condition and con- tinues to be efficiently managed by Supt. Hagar and his family. During the past year there has been no material increase in the num- ber of people at the farm and for this reason, we have been enabled to get along without an increase in the buildings which was the threat- ened need some years ago. The season has been a very successful one at the farm and ample crops were raised to carry its people through the winter. In connection with other charitable work, due recognition must be made of that performed by the Associated Chari- ties, The District Nursing Association, The Anti-Tuberculosis Society and the Attleboro Chapter of the American Red Cross which have done devoted work during the year, not only among soldiers' families, but among the people generally during the last and present epidemics of influenza. I feel that I should not leave this subject without renew- ing the recommendation made by my predecessor that the Charity Department of the City should be under a single head. The amount of the appropriation for this department being between $25,000.00 and $30,000.00 would seem to demand the whole attention of one adminis- trative head with an adequate salary and justify the hope of better results than from a board of three who are only partially paid.
Soldiers' Benefits
It may be necessary to make a liberal appropriation for soldiers' relief owing to the many instances where the allotments of soldiers and sailors have 'n'ot reached' their taniflies. ; It is regrettable that higher authorities have fallen down in such an' important part of their war program as the hardship occasioned "has'been very great and an ill return for the readiness with which our soldiers and sailors hastened to the colors when called. It undoubtedly will be your desire that the dependants of soldiers ahd sailors be given every care until the matter of their allotments be straightened out by the National Government.
The Planning Board
The planning Board has continued its good work during the past year and has given its indorsement to some important improvements that must meet with very general approval. First in importance was the widening of Park Street from Railroad Avenue to South Main Street, increasing the open space at this junction of four streets and making the approach to Park Street from County Street and South Main Street much easier. Next in importance is the plan recom- mended by this board for the layout of a new street, forty feet wide, from Union Street to Pine Street, South of the Post Office building, already referred to. The board renews its recommendation for the widening of South Main Street and urges the improving of Mechanics Street in accordance with plans that have been discussed by my prede- cessor as well as by the Selectmen of the Town, and also advances very strong reasons for the extension of Cliff Street to Hayward Street. This is a desirable improvement but it is doubtful if the means can be found this year to carry the same into effect. Other recom- mendations of the Planning Board will be discussed with your Honor- able Body during the course of the year.
The City Forester
It is a pleasure to note from the report of the City Forester that the brown tail moths have been almost exterminated but increased
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vigilance will be necessary in order to cope with the increase of the gypsy moth. Additional equipment will be required if this department is to function efficiently during the year though it is questionable whether we will be able to comply with the request for a truck from this year's appropriations.
Parks and Playgrounds
During the year, Capron Park has maintained its popularity as a place of recreation, not only for the young, but for those who are no longer young, and has justified the care and expense that have been expended on it as well as the far-sighted generosity of its donors. I recommend liberal treatment in the way of appropriation for con- tinuing the work that is in progress there with such satisfactory re- sults. You may, however, feel that during the present year we cannot make all the improvements that are called for by the Commissioners' report. The supervision of the playgrounds at this Park has been under the immediate care of Miss Helen Haynes and that at the Bungay Field has been under the care of Miss Isabel Perry, both under the direction of Henry H. Reinhardt, Supervisor of Playgrounds. You will be interested to know that under their direction 10,281 visits of children were made to these playgrounds during the year.
General
There are a number of other matters which, although of minor importance, may well engage your attention during the course of the year. Among these, it might be advisable to take up with our repre- sentatives in the Legislature 'the question of a larger expenditure of State Highway appropriation in this section. It would be interesting to have a survey made for instance of the amount of travel between Attleboro and North Attleborough and of the travel between Attleboro and Pawtucket, via Seekonk as compared with the travel between At- tleboro and Norton and Norton and Taunton, a portion of both of which have State Highway construction.
If it were possible to secure the engineer to do the work, I would follow the recommendation of my predecessor that a survey of the City should be made for the use of the Assessors as undoubtedly much property is untaxed owing to the inability of the Assessors to ascertain who are the owners.
Further effort should be made to quiet the city's title to the San- ford Street School land to which claim has been threatened upon the expiration of the present lease of the property.
The policy of having a monthly financial report printed for dis- tribution among the members of the city government and interested citizens should be revived and the Council should familiarize itself with the needs and problems of the various departments of the city by occasional visits and inspections of these departments so that intelligent and sympathetic treatment may be accorded.
It is in an humble and contrite spirit that I include among my recommendations the following suggested to me by my predecessor:
The Municipal Council should give specific consideration, discus- sion or action for or against recommendations of the Mayor. Last year as some of you may know, the various recommendations of the Mayor's inaugural address were referred to appropriate committees and in some instances failed of action.
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Industrial Conditions
Attleboro has been through a period for the past four years more critical at times than is probably fully realized by our people not- withstanding the fact that newspaper reports and current opinion in- dicated from time to time the seriousness of the situation.
At the outset of the war, a depression of business in our prin- cipal industry, combined with the exodus of a great many to munition centers and other places engaged on war work, materially affected our prosperity and made extreme caution in our municipal affairs abso- lutely necessary.
With the advent of the United States into the war, the with- drawal of still more through enlistments and the draft and into other industrial centers, combined with governmental restrictions both direct and indirect, so affected the jewelry industry that despite a tremen- dous revival in demand for our products we were not able to approach a normal output; indeed, only those intimately conversant with the state of affairs knew how near, right up to the time of signing the armistice, our manufacturers were to being put out of business alto- gether.
Had the war continued, Attleboro would have faced 1919 with very material cause for misgiving as to its industrial future, whereas under existing conditions we have every occasion, I believe, to be hopeful and, indeed, optimistic, as to what the new year holds in store for us.
The financial policy pursued by the first city administration, be- cause of local conditions noted above, has caused us necessarily to mark time so far as our municipal development was concerned; in- deed, many things have been left undone that should have been done and expenditures for mere maintenance of various departments have been kept down to as low a figure as possible consistent with existing labor and material cost. It is a fact easily capable of demonstration and not merely a general statement that the entire amount spent for municipal business in the year 1918 was not as large, based on the purchasing power of a dollar, as was spent by the Town in 1914.
In the face of the rising cost of everything, we have kept our tax rate considerably below the average of other municipalities of our size throughout the Commonwealth; have reduced our net indebted- ness more than a quarter of a million dollars with the consequent saving of interest and have at the same time financed the purchase of the Rifle Range, steam roller, pumping engine, the widening of Union and Park Streets-as yet uncompleted but largely provided for-and the purchase of the A. B. C. Street Railway-an unique municipal experiment not yet long enough in operation to determine definitely the results to be obtained therefrom but certainly encouraging, to sav the least, and affording a precedent which is already being followed in a very similar way by other municipalities in this State in treating with the most perplexing problem of trolley car transportation.
The city financially is in a position to finance a larger program of municipal development in years just ahead of us; physically it is in such shape that a start must be made in such a program immediately, wisely and carefully with even more insistence than ever before that we get full value for every dollar expended, demanding the utmost in the way of service and the exercise of strict economy and intelligent and close supervision by those charged with conducting our various departments.
A policy of development, however, must mean more funds for municipal purposes, for the normal increases called for each year can hardly be met by our revenue based on our present valuation and tax
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rate. The increase of any appreciable amount in our valuation does not seem possible at present and we therefore must, in my opinion, reconcile ourselves to an increase in the tax rate, providing thereby for some substantial, if not extensive, improvement each year like, for instance, permanent highway construction on one of our main arteries of travel.
I know a raise in our tax rates does not meet with popular approval but our situation is such at the present time that I do not see how it can be avoided.
Such a policy was advocated by my predecessor in his 1916 inaugu- ral but owing to the uncertainty of the future due to war conditions and the greater need of the national government since that time for all the money that could be saved, this policy was not carried out. It is the only way that we can secure needed improvements and adhere to a pay-as-you-go policy.
We can, however, by the addition of $1.00 to our tax rate, as pointed out in the 1918 report of the Superintendent of Public Works, finance the permanent improvement of certain definite sections of our highways in the years just ahead. A well thought-out plan, prepared with vision and care and above all consistently adhered to year by year, will in the course of eight or ten years result in such a marked in- provement in our highways as to silence the protests that are sure to greet a raising of the tax rate.
The increase of our valuation by the introduction of new indus- tries would help to solve some of the problems that confront us and this policy will be pursued by every means during this administra- tion and those we have will be encouraged to increase and enlarge.
It must be remembered, however, that industries like birds have a habit of flocking by themselves and settling in cities and towns where the workmen are trained in their particular line of production. While we are waiting for new industries, let us make the best of what we have by getting out and hustling for new markets and getting some of the trade of foreign countries that has heretofore been monopolized by European countries with which we are now in a better condition than ever to compete.
I cannot close without expressing my great gratification at the prospect of shorter hours of labor in our factories. For reasons re- ferred to when speaking about our schools, I am convinced that our workers are too closely confined and I feel that as good, if not better results may be accomplished during more limited working hours by workers who approach their work with greater eagerness and enthu- siasm, for in the last analysis the health of our people is their greatest asset. A change that has already taken place and promises to be more general in the habits of many people will without doubt help this situation, so that with a better feeling prevailing between employer and employed, I am confident that our city may look forward to a period of production and prosperity such as we have not had before.
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TREASURER'S REPORT
To His Honor the Mayor, and the Municipal Council :-
Gentlemen :-
I herewith submit the annual report of the finances of the City of Attleboro, for the year ending December 31, 1918, together with a statement showing the amount which the city is within the debt limit, a classified statement of the debt, and the amount of interest and debt to be paid in 1919.
Cash on hand, Jan. 1, 1918:
Revenue
$19,010.15
Revenue Receipts 1,127,430.97
$1,146,441.12
Revenue Payments
$1,118,777.48
Cash on hand December 31, 1918.
27,663.64
$1,146,441.12
Debt Statement.
Gross City Debt, January 1, 1918. $1,248,900.00
*Tax Notes issued during the year. 458,000.00
Time Notes issued during the year.
10,000.00
Bonds issued during the year. 22,500.00
Paid on above debt during the year
$1,739,400.00 502,800.00
Gross City Debt, January 1, 1919
$1,236,600.00
Less Sinking Fund Assets :-
Water Department
$160,387.48
General Department
29,905.23
Sewer Assessment Investment Fund. 136,912.52
$327,205.23
Net City Debt, January 1, 1919
$909,394.77
The total Debt is as follows:
Water Bonds:
31/2% Bonds due Apr. 1, 1921. $20,000.00
31/2% Bonds due Jan. 1, 1921. 10,000.00
4% Bonds due Oct. 1, 1922. . 25,000.00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1923 35,000.00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1924. . 40,000,00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1926. 25,000.00
*This amount includes renewal of note of $50,000 making amount issued $408,000 under authority of vote of council for $450,000.
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4 % Bonds due July 1, 1927. . 10,000.00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1928.
13,000.00
31/2% Bonds due July 1, 1929. 15,000.00
312% Bonds due July 1, 1930
12,000.00
31/2% Bonds due Apr. 1, 1932. 30,000.00
4% Bonds due Oct. 1, 1933. 30,000.00
4% Bonds due Oct. 1, 1934. 20,000.00
31/2 % Bonds due Mar. 1, 1935. .100,000.00
31/2% Bonds due Nov. 1, 1935. . . 50,000.00
4% Bonds due Apr. 1, 1919-1934 32,000.00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1919-1930
12,000.00
4% Bonds due July, 1, 1919-1941 69,500.00
$548,500.00
Sewer Bonds :
4% Bonds due July 1, 1919-1940 $144,000.00
4% Bonds due July 1, 1919-1942 151,000.00
4% Bonds due Oct. 1, 1919-1941 72,000.00
$367,000.00
31/2% School House Bonds due Nov. 1, 1920.
30,000.00
4% Fire Engine Station Bonds
due May 1, 1918-1920. .. 7,600.00
4% High School Building Bonds
due Aug. 1, 1918-1932. . 121,000.00
41/2% A. B. C. Street Railway Bonds due Oct. 1, 1919-1928. 22,500.00
Time Notes: :
Bliss School House, 4% due May 1, 1919
$5,000.00
Park Street Improvement,
514% due April 1, 1919-1920 4,000.00
514% due May 18, 1921-1923 6,000.00
$15,000.00
Tax Notes:
Notes dated July 26, 1918, and
due Jan. 27, 1919, discounted at 4.37% $50,000.00
Notes dated Nov. 25, 1918, and
due May 25, 1919, discounted at 4.39% 50,000.00 Notes dated Dec. 31, 1918 and
due June 30, 1919 25,000.00
$125,000.00
Less Sinking Funds
$1,236,600.00 327,205.23
$909,394.77
Amount of debt authorized by Special Laws and not subject to the debt limitations.
Water Bonds
$548,500.00
Sewer Bonds
367,000.00
A. B. C. Street Railway Bonds
22,500.00
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