USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1922 > Part 7
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The total circulation for the year shows 374 more books circulated at the High School this year than in 1921. The following comparative table shows the increase or decrease in the circulation of various classes of literature:
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ANNUAL REPORT
1921
1922
Periodicals
267
230
Philosophy
5
19
Religion
18
24
Sociology
373
357
Philology
40
16
Science.
84
65
Useful arts
130
155
Fine arts.
29
48
Literature
489
590
History
3
130
Travel
311
243
Biography
1,288
1413
Total non-fiction
3037
3290
Fiction
1740
1861
TOTAL.
4,777
5151
The fact that the greater gain in circulation has been made in the non- fiction classes is a hopeful sign that the library is succeeding in its purpose of encouraging informational reading.
The librarian found an interesting work awaiting her in awakening in the students an appreciation of the worth of good reading. The difficul- ties in the way of such an accomplishment were so great, however that it has seemed necessary to emphasize them in this report, since these defects. are unfortunately the outstanding features in the library's condition to-day.
The foremost difficulty was the library's total lack of books on many of the important subjects of the school's curriculum. There were almost no books on biology, physics, or chemistry. Material for supplementary reading on any topic in biology had to be brought from the Public Library. The commercial geography classes encountered the same difficulty. Books on timber and allied subjects for the manual training department were also lacking.
As only those students who have been assigned a topic for study are allowed to spend a period in the library, it was apparent how little help the library could give to any students of the subjects mentioned above.
This obstacle can be overcome if the school department will each year include in its annual budget an appropriation of $100.00 or more for the purchase of books for the High School Library, surely a small amount for the large, permanent returns from such an expenditure. A live collection of books for the school library is no longer a luxury. The modern teacher knows this to be a necessity and the National Education Association, realizing the importance of the school library in any educational system, has published its stand on this question as follows-
.
"The requisites of a standard library organization are: (1) appropriate housing and equipment of the school library; (2) professional trained librarian; (3) scientific selection and care of books; (4) instruction in the use of books and libraries as a unit course in high school curricula; (5) adequate annual appropriations for salaries and for the maintenance of the library and for the purchase of books, etc.'
For a work of such recognized importance, is $100.00 a year too much for the school department of the city to spend for the equipment of what should be the laboratory of every department of the high school?
542 books have been brought from the Public Library as a temporary loan to the High School Library, as many of these as possible having been returned to the Public Library as soon as the students had finished using them. The fact that all these books have been in constant use for study and reference shows how much a permanent, wisely selected collection is needed at the school library.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The library room has been given an air of welcome and made a cheer- ful, attractive place in which to study by the addition of flowers, plants and pictures.
Special exhibits of books on subjects of interest to young people have been displayed in the library each week. It has been surprising to see how much these exhibits have encouraged good reading.
In order to keep constantly informed of the ground being covered by those departments which use the library most, the librarian has each week asked all teachers of these subjects for a list of the topics to be studied the following week. Working from this list, the librarian has often been able to bring to the attention of the teachers helpful material which might have otherwise passed unnoticed.
As previously, lessons on the use of books and the library have been given to all members of the freshman class and an attempt will be made this year to give some talks on this subject to the present senior class which has never had this instruction.
With the hope of creating more interest in good literature, the school librarian has begun to give a series of readings from some of the library's best books to students who have the last period on Friday for a study period. The large attendance at the one reading already given makes the outlook for this department of the library's work very encouraging.
The librarian has tried to get acquainted with as many as possible of the students who come to the library in order to be able to guide their reading along wholesome lines.
The school department has purchased 59 volumes for the library during 1922, and from the Richardson School Fund a new edition of the New International Encyclopedia.
Another year should find the High School Library doing a greater work for the school and occupying its rightful place as a workshop for every department.'
Dodgeville Branch.
The circulation at the Dodgeville Branch shows an increase over last year. This we take to mean that more and more the people of the village are making use of the opportunities offered by the Public Li- brary for enjoyment and information.
The work has been difficult on account of the lack of proper equipment. Through the efforts of the Dodgeville Neighborhood Association the seat- ing problem has for the present, been solved, as a new table has been placed in the room. It has seemed wise during the past months to request all children below the working age to cooperate with the Branch by coming in the afternoon rather than in the evening. This gives the adult public who cannot come during the day a better opportunity to use the room in the evening. Again, as last year the Association gave the Branch a num- ber of magazines.
The aim has been to bring to the people of Dodgeville the true library atmosphere. To accomplish this in a greater degree in the coming year, and to get the people into the reading habit means that books and more books and the right kind of books must be always at hand.
Hebronville Branch.
The library work at Hebronville continues to be an important part of the community work which is carried on at Hebronville school under the direction of Miss Martha Roberts. Miss Zilpha Bennett has had direct charge of the library work and through her efforts, it has had satisfactory success.
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ANNUAL REPORT
The magazines used at the Branch were provided through the endeavors of the pupils of the Hebronville School. Here more books of especial appeal would have a worth while use.
In closing the report of the Branches I wish to emphasize the fact that the success of these agencies is due, here more than anywhere else in the library system to the enthusiasm and untiring efforts of the assistants in charge.
Publicity and Special Service.
Satisfaction is felt for the number of times the library has been used for real community interests. A successful Art and Crafts exhibit, the work of the Etaerio and Pikerian Clubs was held in the hall for a week. This proved to be one of the most popular affairs ever held in the hall.
A very instructive course in Contemporary Literature under the auspices of the Massachusetts Extension had a membership of 87.
The Etaerio, Pierian, Round Table, and Community Fellowship made use of the hall for some of their regular meetings and lectures.
The Attleboro Sun still continues to be a friend to the Library cause, and at no time has it failed to assist the Attleboro Public Library, by printing lists of books, special exhibits and announcements. Would that every city library had as loyal a friend in its local newspaper.
In the spring, an all day meeting of librarians from the surrounding towns was held at the Library. Miss Tillinghast gave a mending demon- stration in the morning and in the afternoon, Miss E. Kathleen Jones of the Massachusetts Library Commission gave a talk on "Books for small libraries."
Good book week was successfully carried on. The librarian consulted with many teachers and parents as to the best books to buy.
Monthly lists of recent additions have been available for borrowers.
The telephone has been used constantly to give information and make known the resources of the library.
The Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Baker, consented to put library publicity in the envelopes of mail to its members. He also called attention to the use of the library in the official sheet of the Chamber.
Gifts.
Generous gifts have enabled the library to carry on in many cases where otherwise its usefulness would have much curtailed.
The service in the children's room has shown the effects of the gift of $600.00 for books from Mrs. Gertrude H. Sweet.
The Chaminade Club gave $70.00 to be applied to the Music Fund. Mr. Joseph L. Sweet presented the library with a flag, and for the Children's Room a rug and had extensive repairs made on the floor.
A gift of $189.00 from Mr. Fred E. Briggs to be used for incidentals came at a time when it was much appreciated.
Added attractiveness has been given the Children's room by a picture "The Boyhood of Sir Walter Raleigh"-a present from the Etaerio and Pierian Clubs.
A much needed piece of furniture, a combination bulletin board and exhibition book case for use in the foyer was received from Mr. Raymond Horton.
Books have been received from Rev. John Gathanay, Mrs. Sidney Smith, Mrs. Annie Lewis, Mrs. E. Louise King.
101
ANNUAL REPORT
Staff.
Fortunately, no changes came to the library staff until September when Miss Margaret Brewer, High School Librarian, resigned to become School Librarian at the Silver Bay School for boys.
However the library was fortunate in securing for the position, Miss Helen Claflin, who for the past four years was head cataloguer in the Brookline Public Library.
The Librarian and assistants have attended as many Massachusetts Library Club, Children's Round Table and group meetings as could consistently be arranged for with a small staff, a staff where such a large proportion of the work is dependent on the time of the part-time worker.
Assistants at different times have visited the Newton, Watertown, Medford, Quincy, and Waltham libraries and observed the various methods in which they were particularly interested.
Miss Brewer attended the summer school at Columbia University.
The Librarian has spoken at various clubs, on books, and civic problems.
The work of the past year would have been impossible without the loyal support of the staff who in emergencies have often worked many hours overtime ..
We live in a city that shows itself eager for books as shown by the growth in the use of the library.
We have a beautiful and well equipped Central Library building. We need to extend our work to South Attleboro, one of the most attractive and growing parts of our City. To give this service means, first a place for a Branch or deposit station, second, an added trained assistant, and third, and adequate supply of books.
Let me express the pleasure and satisfaction I have found in working for the people of Attleboro and my appreciation of the friendly and sympa- thetic support received from the Trustees.
Respectfully submitted,
(MRS.) LUCINDA FIELD SPOFFORD, Librarian.
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ANNUAL REPORT
American Library Association form of Library Statistics. Annual report for the year ending December 31, 1922.
Name of Library-Attleboro Public Library.
City-Attleboro, Mass.
Population served-19,731.
Terms of use-Free for lending. Free for reference.
Agencies-Central Library, 3 Branches in 2 School buildings and 1 Com- munity house, 4 School buildings, (17 class rooms).
Number of days open during year-304 for lending, 340 for reading.
Hours open each week for lending (Central Library) 66
Hours open each week for reading (Central Library) 72
Number on staff (Library service, adding part-time employees to make whole units, Dec. 30, 1922) 11
Total
Number of volumes at beginning of year.
23,645
Number of volumes added during year by
Adult
Juvenile 270
purchase
966
1,236
Number of volumes added during year by gift or exchange
47
581
628
Number of volumes added during year by binding material not otherwise counted 50 6 56 Lost and missing volumes restored 7
Number of volumes withdrawn during year
648
Total number of volumes at end of year. . . . 20,545
4,379
24,924*
Number of volumes of fiction lent for home
use. 58,843
28,955
87,798
Number of volumes lent for home use. . 77,123
48,625
125,748
Number of borrowers registered (Registration period, 2 years)
968
Number of newspapers and periodicals currently received
150 titles
154 copies
Miscellaneous Statistics.
Largest issue in one month-Mar. 1922 15,382
Smallest issue in one month-July, 1922. 7,134
Largest issue in one day-Mar. 11, 1922. 898
Smallest issue in one day-Dec. 20, 1922
154
Average daily issue. 144
37
Number of Sunday visitors.
2,279
Number of out-of-town borrowers
284
Number of borrowers registered during year.
Number of Sundays Library was open.
Per capita circulation. 6
103
ANNUAL REPORT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council:
I have the honor to submit herewith the eighth annual report of the Public Works Department of the City of Attleboro for the year ending December 31st, 1922.
The reaction locally against the previous tax rate was felt in this department in 1922 by having the recommendations for the current year shaved closely all of the way through. The watchword was economy and the problem was to increase the efficiency of the department to meet the demands for economy. I feel safe in saying that continuous hard work applied after deep study, and a balanced coordination of the forces at our command, successfully solved the problem. The record of accounts of the money appropriated and the work authorized balanced against the ex- penditures and work completed will bear out the truth of this assertion.
In obtaining the results recorded I believe the wishes of His Honor, the Mayor, and the Honorable Municipal Council were carried out in such a way as to meet with their approbation.
The personnel of the several divisions were called upon for efforts in excess of those required heretofore and it gives me pleasure to state that in most cases the response was magnificent. Too much cannot be said for the interest taken in performing excellently the tasks assigned to them by the bulk of the labor employed.
The jurisdiction of this department includes the care of all public highways, construction of new streets, sidewalks, street lighting, oiling, street signs, house numbering, street cleaning, surface drainage (con- struction and maintenance), sewers and sewage disposal; the water system, its care, upkeep and extension, the Pumping Station, filter beds, storage reservoir and standpipe, and the maintenance of the A. B. C. St. Ry., as well as supervising the contract operation of same.
The engineering for all of the work connected with our different divi- sions, and the laying out and beginning of the city survey, were properly taken care of by this department. Incidental to these numerable and varied duties, the cost data and accounting for all expenditures by the department were handled through the office and cooperation on several different projects was given to the state and county authorities as well as to the public service corporations doing business in our city.
The outstanding features affecting our work were as follows:
(1st) The adverse weather conditions for outside work which we faced in the early months of the year and during what should have been our best season, the summer months from June to September, and included an early setting in of real winter conditions in November, the current year.
(2nd) The adoption by the Council of a beginning for improving surface drainage conditions in our city, the decision being made in the late summer when railroad strikes and the big increase in business caused freight embargoes which prohibited the arrival in seasonable time of the materials required for the work.
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ANNUAL REPORT
(3rd) The substantial improvement recorded in constructing per- manent bridges over the Bungay river at Bank Street and Water Street. On both of these structures the concrete work is complete.
(4th) The projection of a proper city survey and the beginning of work in the southerly end of the city where the most immediate need for it has developed, and the securing of the services of a competent man thoroughly familiar with the locality to start the work.
(5th) The active steps taken to properly establish the water division on an entirely self-supporting and self-sustaining basis.
(6th) The focusing of public attention upon the municipally owned A. B. C. Railway, which had been purchased a few years ago as junk and has since operated with a considerable gross deficit.
(7th) Timing work upon a comparison of different jobs so that the work on one was developed to assist in carrying on the others-thus re- ducing the unit costs of all. This really was the essence of our success in obtaining the ample results produced from the allowable maintenance funds.
BUILDINGS.
Primary consideration should be given the consolidation and upkeep of the buildings under the jurisdiction of this department. Heretofore no account has been recorded in appropriations as applicable specifically to buildings. The land having been purchased for a consolidated yard last year, it seems to me only logical that the same reasons which governed the purchase should be the driving force for beginning work to allow the completion of the proposed consolidation of the several divisions.
HIGHWAYS.
The problem of keeping abreast of the continuously increasing main road traffic compels me to call to your attention the need of extending our hard surface, particularly on our main north and south highway, as well as the main road to and through South Attleboro. As you all know, be- ginning at the Seekonk line on South Main Street there is a mile and one- half of gravel road, blanket top, which is too light to sustain the traffic it has to bear, particularly in the winter and spring. Just north of Thur- ber Ave., by the cemetery, the Interstate Railway has a siding which should be thrown to the easterly side of the main line, thus doing away with a really dangerous condition. Steps should be taken to have the New Haven Railroad construct immediately a permanent structure at Dodgeville so that a final location can be established for the roadway there and the work on improving same allowed to go ahead. Coming to the city, notice of a properly laid out building line, prior to widening the street, should be given out and a decision made with exactness as to its location. The de- mand for widening North Main Street and straightening the same north of Simmons' crossing is constantly increasing and deserves immediate attention. A permanent hard road should be placed in North Main Street, from West Street to Claflin Street, laid upon a properly established grade line and the reverse curve at Sheffield's should be eliminated at once. From Sheffield's up North Main Street and Commonwealth Avenue to the North Attleboro line it is noticeable that the traveled way is too narrow and it seems to me that if the grading, particularly in the cuts, could be taken care of in the coming year, 1924 would perhaps see us able to com- plete the widening.
The blanket road on Thacher Street, from South Avenue, should be replaced with a heavy stone road and West Street, from the Braid Mill to Newport Avenue, is going to demand attention in the coming season.
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ANNUAL REPORT
As quickly as a grade line is established through South Attleboro village for Newport Avenue the work of improving the existing conditions in this locality should be commenced. On Newport Avenue, from Highland Avenue to the State Line, a grade line should be projected and established and the construction of the grade and culverts started immediately. The present condition of this stretch of road is nothing to be proud of and a real first-class job is a sound answer for its improvement.
Highland Avenue which is a main thoroughfare to the Blackstone Valley Road from Washington Street should be permanently improved to adequately support the traffic using it.
An easier grade line than the 1212% on the Pond Street hill, leading to St. Jean Plat from Leedham Street, should be established and a start made to improve this condition.
Bacon Street, as already accepted, should be improved and the pre- liminary work of putting it in shape for service between Allen Street and Washington Street should be started.
Oak Hill Avenue, between Handy Street and Seekonk, outside of the one-half mile constructed this year, is in deplorable condition and because it skirts the town on the extreme outside is not used much by Attleboro folk. It is, however, a through line from Pawtucket to Taunton and lying within our limits demands attention. It will take considerable money to properly repair this extensive stretch and I feel that sturdy efforts should be made to obtain assistance on the work from the county and state.
BRIDGES.
As mentioned in the 1921 report the bridge problems which face us here in Attleboro are serious owing to the local conditions and the very heavy loads which modern trucking compels us to handle. Three hazard- ous structures have been replaced during 1922, namely: Bank Street over Bungay river; Water Street over the Ten Mile River; and the concrete crossing over Thacher Brook at Emory Street. In these three cases not any of the old structures could be considered safe for our own fire apparatus and of course would not handle a steam roller or heavy truck; therefore it was with pleasure that this department undertook the work of replacing them with sturdy, durable structures of reinforced concrete. The two river crossings should be completed and open early in 1923. The need for replacing several of our outside bridges is immediate and I believe the worst condition that faces us is the creek crossing on Wilmarth Street. It is also fair to bring to your attention the need of placing concrete slabs over Thacher Brook at all of the street intersections.
SIDEWALKS AND ROADS
The public demand for better sidewalks to insure the safety of our pedestrians is to my mind a very just one and it seems to me that the plans for improving same should be connected and distributed over a period of years. The first step toward this improvement in the center, to my mind, would be to have all of the wires of the public service corpora- tions and fire-alarm placed underground in properly constructed duct lines; and dead or undesirable trees should be removed from the walks so that a maximum benefit will be obtained from the improvement.
As much work as possible should be done on widening and surfacing our outside roads because, with the advent of reasonably priced automo- biles, they ceased to be in the unused class and some of them are at this time supporting very considerable traffic. Main road improvement should be carried forward to completion.
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ANNUAL REPORT
WATER
The Water department, it must be remembered, because of its age and growth, demands more constant and close attention each succeeding year. The statistics accompanying this report, showing the extensions, the ser- vices installed, the meters changed and the complaints answered and re- paired, as well as current main line repairs, such as blown joints, replacing broken hydrants, etc., will bear out this assertion and prove conclusively the need for a close follow-up system herein. A start has been made in this direction and has developed more rapidly in each succeeding quarter of this past year. Printed statistics from previous reports convince the writer of the need of a Pitometer survey and details for the same were obtained in January 1922, and submitted for consideration. Since that time a consulting engineer employed by the Mayor and a Council committee has confirmed this recommendation. The need for this survey is immedi- ate.
The laying out of future water developments necessary to the best interest of the city should be started at once so that some of the work could be taken care of year by year.
Changes in the pumping facilities at the pumping station have been up for consideration but no definite action has been taken and I believe that. the sooner this matter is brought to a head and a decision arrived at, the better it will be for all concerned.
The replacement of any mains less than 6" in diameter should be started immediately and in several places the dead ends should be coupled up into gridirons so that a maximum benefit may be obtained for the users thereon and for all of the citizens by increasing the city's rating on the in- surance examination.
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