USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1934 > Part 4
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Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expended 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
Porter Sargent (Bailey Sargent lot)
150.00
156.89
5.12
7.00
155.01
Addie F. Sawyer (Charles W. Sawyer lot)
100.00
112.72
3.67
3.00
113.39
Melville S. Gibbs
50.00
50.04
1.62
1.00
50.66
Arthur C. Sargent
100.00
112.69
3.67
3.00
113.36
Heirs of A. L. Kimball
100.00
106.60
3.47
3.00
107.07
George E. Ricker (J. W. Sargent lot)
100.00
100.23
3.27
3.00
100.50
Alfred G. Wells (A. G. Wells, Rufus K. Nichols and Patrican
100.00
225.73
7.37
5.00
228.10
Stephen C. Parson
200.00
219.19
7.18
5.00
221.37
Alfred H .Colby,( A. M. Colby lot)
100.00
103.47
3.38
5.00
101.85
George S Sargent
100.00
107.78
3.51
4.00
107.29
Frank E Ward
200.00
232.85
7.60
8.00
232.45
R. W. Sargent and Moulton
100.00
109.61
3.57
3.00
110.18
Samuel C. Pease
150.00
157.09
5.13
7.00
155.22
Agnes F. Judkins (George W. and Olive O. Judkins lot)
150.00
167.56
5.47
5.00
168.03
Willard D. Sargent (Edward P. Sargent lot)
200.00
243.06
7.95
4.00
247.01
Everett Carlton (Richard Stoyle Lot)
100.00
109.73
3.57
3.00
110.30
A. E. Porter (S. L. Porter and Mary Emery Lot)
150.00
177.46
5.79
4.00
179.25
Donald Mac Diarmid
150.00
171.18
5.60
4.00
172.78
William H. Young
100.00
102.96
3.34
3.00
103.30
Mary Abbie Hoyt (Thomas Hoyt lot)
200.00
196.58
6.43
4.00
199.01
Willard D. Sargent (Moses Sargent lot)
50.00
54.11
1.77
1.00
54.88
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
69
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS (Continued)
Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expended 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
Willard D. Sargent (Nicholas Sargent lot)
50.00
54.11
1.77
1.00
54.88
Lilla P. Laraway (H. W. Laraway lot)
100.00
105.29
3.44
3.00
105.73
Warren E. Wallace
100.00
123.77
4.03
3.00
124.80
Justin Clement
75.00
86.39
2.81
2.00
87.20
Emma P. Emerson (Alfred S. Chase lot)
100.00
102.30
3.34
3.00
102.64
John W. Foster
150.00
167.80
5.47
4.00
169.27
M. A. Gassett
100.00
114.01
3.73
3.00
114.74
John H. Cleary
100.00
109.37
3.57
3.00
109.94
J. W. Johnson
100.00
101.30
3.31
3.00
101.61
William Greeley
100.00
115.10
3.77
4.00
114.87
Moses S. Brown
100.00
107.81
3.51
4:00
107.32
John B. Judkins
350.00
490.71
16.06
6.00
500.77
Herry C. Fox
100.00
112.22
3.67
3.00
112.89
George G. Larkin (Little and Larkin lot and Ol- iver Larkin lot)
300.00
304.86
9.97
10.00
304.83
Addie Haley
100.00
106.39
3.47
3.00
106.86
Jacob T. Crosby
100.00
107.53
3.51
3.00
108.04
Willis H. Scott
75.00
92.11
3.01
3.00
92.12
Herbert F. Chase (Enoch Chase lot)
100.00
102.38
3.34
3.00
102.72
Joseph H. Leavitt
100.00
118.27
3.86
6.00
116.13 :29 .1
William Betts
150.00
156.18
5.10
3.00
.. . 158.28
Horace J. Batchelder and George H. Nichols
200.00
213.25
6.96
5.00
215.21
James D. Pike
100.00
114.72
3.73
3.00
115.45
70
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
¿METERY PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS (Continued)
Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expenided 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
Gustavus D. Veal (Gustavus Veal and George
Grant lot)
100.00
103.54
3.38
3.00
103.92
Edward C. Sherman
100.00
101.52
3.31
3.00
101.83
Charles E. Rowell
150.00
168.83
5.51
4.00
170.34
Erastus Sargent
100.00
116.68
3.80
3.00
117.48
Mary E. Robinson
150.00
162.32
5.31
4.00
163.63
Charles Wallace and Helen Chamberlain
100.00
103.03
3.36
3.00
103.39
Frank C. Williams
100.00
109.57
3.47
3.00
110.04
Melville A. Cunningham
100.00
110.43
3.60
3.00
111.03
Daniel M. Means
100.00
107.42
3.51
3.00
107.93
Judson C. Jewett
100.00
111.41
3.64
3.00
112.05
Conrad Kippenberger
50.00
50.75
1.64
1.00
51.39
Herbert C. Oak
150.00
158.21
5.16
4.00
159.37
Walter K. Chaloner
170.00
191.00
6.25
5.00
192.25
Benjamin Rowell
50.00
64.24
2.10
66.34
Moses Sawyer
50.00
60.83
1.97
62.80
Charles S. Lockwood
100.00
106.05
3.46
3.00
106.51
Fred B. Porter
100.00
104.81
3.41
3.00
105.22
Rufus H. Bennett
100.00
107.56
3.51
3.00
108.07
Thomas H. Hoyt
150.00
150.22
4.90
3.00
152.12
N. L. and Ella S. Howe
100.00
106.70
3.47
3.00
107.17
Edmund Ricker
100.00
104.06
3.40
3.00
104.46
Tappan, Sargent and Franklin Mason
100.00
104.04
3.40
3.00
104.44
Austin W. Sawyer
..
100.00
107.04
3.49
3.00
107.53
71
..
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS (Continued)
Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expended 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
George H. Tilton
100.00
106.04
3.46
3.00
106.50
Moses C Flanders
50.00
53.13
1.73
54.86
Edward F. Goodwin (Edward F. and Thomas Goodwin lot)
150.00
152.84
4.99
6.00
151.83
Fred W. Cate
100.00
101.28
3.31
3.00
101.59
Mary A. Noyes
100.00
107.25
3.51
1.00
109.76
Clara M. Kendall
200.00
209.11
6.83
3.00
212.94
Daniel M. Gould
100.00
106.57
3.47
3.00
107.04
David Tewksbury and Thomas Merrill
150.00
150.29
4.90
4.00
151.19
Stephen Nichols
100.00
102.98
3.34
4.00
102.32
Betsey A. Veal
100.00
101.68
3.31
3.00
101.99
Frank H. Hargraves
100.00
105.31
3.44
3.00
105.75
John Logan
100.00
101.90
3.31
3.00
102.21
Charles Colman
100.00
102.90
3.34
3.00
103.24
Julia Whaland
150.00
156.81
5.12
3.00
158.93
Norman S. Cole
100.00
100.43
3.28
3.00
100.71
Mary Ordway
100.00
101.60
3.31
3.00
101.91
John Lovett
100.00
102.35
3.34
3.00
102.69
William H. Franklin
100.00
101.98
3.31
3.00
102.29
Helen G. Linden
100.00
101.98
3.31
3.00
102.29
Clifton B. Heath
150.00
154.38
5.05
3.00
156.43
Mary E. Sargent (Orlando Sargent lot)
100.00
101.23
3.29
3.00
101.52
John K. Sargent
100.00
100.86
3.28
104.14
Mary H. Sargent (Hayden Sargent lot)
100.00
100.86
3.28
3.00
101.14
72
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUNDS (Continued)
Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expended 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
Roswell J. Eaton
100.00
100.51
3.28
3.00
100.79
John E. Currier (Joshua Currier lot)
150.00
152.47
4.99
5.00
152.46
John E. Currier (Church Street Cemetery)
125.00
126.45
4.12
3.00
127.57
Annie W. Sargent (John L. Sargent lot)
125.00
125.36
4.09
3.00
126.45
Single Grave lots in Locus Crove Cemetery
10.00
10.11
45
10.56
Sirigle Grave lots in Locust Grove Cemetery
* 20.00
20.00
Fred R. Weed
* 200.00
4.18
204.18
Mary J. Murphy (J H. Murphy lot)
*
100.00
1.00
101.00
Edward H. Preble
* 125.00
1.25
126.25
Edwin S. Lane
* 100.00
.75
100.75
Elbridge D. Young
* 100.00
.50
100.50
Mary Emma Hoyt (Frederic Nichols lot)
* 150.00
150.00
Harriet E. Story (F. A. Sargent and Story lot)
* 100.00
100.00
Philip Quimby
* 100.00
100.00
19,722.48
622.18
534.30
19,910.36
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
* Deposited since December 31, 1933.
73
PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUST FUNDS
Name
Original Amount
Balance Dec. 31, 1933
Interest 1934
Expended 1934
Balance Dec. 31, 1934
James Whittier
$487.07
$712.21
$23.32
$18.00
$717.53
D. J. Poore
500.00
681.18
20.81
100.00
601.99
A. E. Goodwin
200.00
296.13
9.70
100.00
205.83
Laura Patten
*500.00
2.50
502.50
Thomas H. Hoyt
Merrimac Savings Bank
9,719.63
316.49
*150.00
*262.50
600.00
9,848.62
785.32
Haverhill Savings Bank
5,000.00
150.00
150.00
5,000.00
Danvers Savings Bank
7,500.00
262.50
262.50
7,500.00
23,909.15
1,197.82
1,230.50
24,376 47
KIMBALL PARK FUNDS
Amos Weed
1,860.86
2,010.20
65.85
39.15
2,036.90
Judith W. Kimball
1,000.00
1,000.09
32.76
32.85
1.000.00
LOCUST GROVE CEMETERY (Contingent Fund)
715.00
302.71
9.89
312.60
0.00
PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE FUNDS
Electric Light
*297.47
Depreciation
17,616.01
583.35
18,496.83
Reserve
1,708.23
55.96
1,764.19
.
* Deposited since December 31, 1933.
..
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
74
75
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT OF PLAYGROUND COMMISSIONERS
The Playground Commissioners herein submit their third annual report for the year ending December 31, 1934.
The financial assistance received from the "E. R. A." has made the year exceptionally successful.
A project, including the construction of 8 (eight) swings, 4 (four) Teeter Boards, 2 (two) large Sand boxes, numerous benches and the ex- tensive grading of the entire Baseball area has been completed.
A stone drain, 200 (two hundred) feet long, has been laid through the center of the playing field; the steep grades on either side of the field have been lowered and the filling used to build up the center-field; the area thus filled is 125 (one hundred and twenty five) feet in width, 200 (two hundred) feet in length, and from 18 (eighteen) inches to a maxi- mum of 6 (six) feet in depth. The entire baseball area has been loamed, sown in grass seed and rolled.
The project, extending over a period of six months and employing 35 (thirty five) men (part time or full time) ; the majority of whom were the sole supporters of large families; incurred an expense of less than $45.00 (forty-five dollars) to the town. Other expenses, amounting to $27.00 (twenty-seven dollars) were paid for with money donated by Dr. F. E. Sweetsir, Byron H. Sargent, C. Lester Sweeney and "The Engle-Lewes Counter Co."
We wish to thank all those who have helped us in our endeavor to supply our local baseball and football players with a "Playing Field" that is worthy of the name.
Respectfully submitted, ALEXANDER M. SULLIVAN FREDERICK E. SWEETSIR WILLARD T. KELLY RAYMOND J. BAGLEY KENNETH L. BREED
Playground Commissioners.
70
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
SCHOOL REPORT
To the Citizens of the Town of Merrimac :
In accordance with custom and with the Acts of the General Court, 1859, Chapter 57, we herewith submit to you the 65th Annual School Report.
HOWARD L. DeLONG, Chairman. ANNIE W. HOYT, Secretary. WILLARD T. KELLY
School Committee.
MERRIMAC SCHOOL CALENDAR
(Continued from Calendar in 1933 Town Report) March 1935 to March 1936
February 25, 1935-All schools open for third term.
April 18, 1935-All schools close for Easter vacation.
April 29, 1935-All schools open for Spring term.
May
30, 1935-All schools close, Memorial Day.
June 14, 1935-Elementary schools close.
During week ending
June 21, 1935-Junior and Senior High graduations.
September 3, 1935-Parents' Day, registration for all entering pupils.
September 4, 1935-All schools open for Fall term.
November 11, 1935-Al schools close, Armistice Day.
Nov. 28 & 29, 1935-All schools close, Thanksgiving recess.
December 20, 1935-All schools close for Christmas vacation.
January 2, 1936-High and Junior High Schools open for Winter term.
January 6, 1936-Elementary schools open for Winter term.
February 21, 1936-All schools close for Washington's birthday vacation.
March 2, 1936-All schools open for third term.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
7:30 a.m. 11-11-long pause-1. No school in grades only.
7:30 a.m. 11-11-11. No school in high schools and grades.
11:40 a.m. Same signals. One session.
1. : 30 p.m. Same signals. No school in afternoon.
SCHOOL OFFICERS
John C. Page, Ed. D., Superintendent of Schools Address: West Newbury Tel. W. N. 52
Margaret R. Sawyer, Secretary
Address : West Newbury
`Tel. W. N. 52
Alexander M. Sullivan, Supervisor of Attendance Address: Locust Street
Tel. 238
F. E. Sweetsir, M. D., School Physician
Address: 19 Main Street Tel. 49
Jean Badashaw, School Nurse
Address: 29 Mill Street Tel. 52-11
DIRECTORY OF SCHOOL STAFF, SEPTEMBER 1934
Position
Training
Total Years Experience
Years in Merrimac
HIGH SCHOOL
Prin., math., science English
Wilfred G. Purdy Barbara Morrell Isaiah Chase Roberta C. Annon
B. S. E., Boston U. Sch. of Ed. 1924 B. S., Mass. State '30, M. S., Ohio State '34 A. B., Bates, 1915 Harvard-A.B. '30, A.M. '32, U. of Bord. B. S., Univ. N. H., 1931 B. S. in Ed., Salem Teachers Col. 1934
12
8
0
4
0
0
JUNIOR HIGH
Prin., Soc. science English and math.
Howard G. Patchett Frederick A. Small
B. A. Union Col. '14, M. A. Clark U. 26
12
3
B. S. in Ed., Boston U. Sch. Ed. 1934
0
0
CENTRE SCHOOL
Prin., Grade 6
Wilma B. Kingsbury
Castine Nor. 1896, 4 summer sessions
19
10
Grade 5
Louise E. Hardy
Framingham Normal, 1928
6
1
Grade 4
Theresa Kondrat
71/2
4
Grade 3
Sarah B. Titcomb
201/2
13
Grade 2
Helen O. Manning
10
. 71/2
Grade 1
Helen J. Kennedy
I esley Normal, 1927
51/2
4
MERRIMACPORT
Grades 1-3 Drawing Supervisor Music Supervisor
Edith A. Gillen
0
0
261/2
8
Annie A. Kelly Doris C. Currier
Bridgewater Teachers Col. 1934 Mass. School of Art ,1906, 3 summers Institute of Music Pedagogy
121/2
3
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
Chauncy D. Mackay
10
6
0
0
French & Latin French & Latin sub. History Commercial
0
4
Evelyne F. E. Oliver
Lowell Normal, 1926, 2 summer sessions Salem Normal, 1905 Bridgewater Normal, 1918
77
78
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
On June 30 the school committee and superintendent made the annual tour of inspection of school buildings, accompanied by Mr. Charles A. Potter. The fol- lowing work resulted. The buidings were cleaned in July by Mr. Potter, assisted by welfare workers. At the high school in August all ceilings and walls, including halls and corridors, were washed; all ceilings were calcimined and the walls painted or calcimined. At the Centre School two rooms were painted and the boys' toilet in the basement was calcimined. At the junior high school the - plaster in the upper corridor was repaired.
Many repairs are needed at the Centre School. Fourteen items of change were ordered by Mr. Harold J. McCann, State Building Inspector, in his letter of Sep- tember 12 to the school committee, following his inspection of September 10. Of these items only a few were possible within the time and budget allowance of 1934. On October 17 Mr. McCann agreed what these first items might be. During Thanks- giving recess new steel beams were placed beneath the sixth grade room, fire es- capes were partly repaired, a section of the foundation was repaired and a new sill was placed on the South side. Other items were begun during the Christmas vacation, but most of the items listed by Mr. McCann have yet to be faced. The decision of the town to abandon the consolidated school project focuses the at - tention on these needs.
1934 started inauspiciously at the Centre School buiding. At the very first of the year the extreme cold froze the pipe in the basement and caused other dam- age.
MERRIMAC HIGH SCHOOL
In September, 1934, there were three new teachers on the staff at the Merri- mac High School: Miss Evelyne F. E. Oliver of Malden in the commercial de- partment, Mr. Wilfred G. Purdy of Merrimac in the department of English and elementary science, and Mr. Isaiah Chase of West Roxbury, substituting in the department of French and Latin during a leave of absence of Miss Barbara N. Morrell. Miss Oliver is a graduate of Everett High School and of the State Teach- ers College in Salem. She has the degree of Bachelor of Science in, Education. Her practice teaching was in the Malden High School. Mr. Purdy is a graduate of Merrimac High School and of the Massachusetts State College at Amherst. He has the Master's degree from Ohio State University. He took further sum- mer courses at his alma mater during 1934. Mr. Chase is a graduate of the Rox- bury Latin School and of Harvard. From Harvard he has both the bachelor's and the Master's degrees. During the school year 1930-31 he studied in France at the University of Bordeaux. For somewhat more than a year prior to coming tc Merrimac, he taught in the Roxbury Latini School.
79
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
The tuition rate at the Merrimac High School has been set for the year at $85. For state wards it is $82.69; state fees are established on an actual cost basis. The total cost in the Merrimac High School (without reckoning reim- bursements) dropped during three years an average of $11.44 a year. Part of this may be accounted for by increased enrollment.
According to regulations adopted by the state department of education in the summer of 1933, no class of over thirty pupils can be taught by a teacher of less than two years' experience if a school is to be approved in Class A. With re- cent large classes this has presented a problem of some difficulties. Merrimac is approved in Class A and desires to remain there.
The increased enrollment of the typewriting department of the Merrimac High School made it necessary in the summer of 1934 to buy six additional ma- chines to take care of the classes. Space for tables has been a problem; it has involved the use of the chemical laboratory which is not heated and is not, there- iore, suitable for winter use. At the end of 1934 Miss Oliver reports the fol- lowing :
"Hortense Sande attained an official record of 51 words a minute in type- writing.
"The Stenography II students participated in a 'Business Problem' interna- tional Contest sponsored by the Gregg Writer, a magazine used in Commercial Classes. Howard DeLong, Jr., received one of the 25 prizes awarded in the con- test, which was an amusing shorthand book.
"Howard DeLong, Jr., Arlene - Hirst, Marie Busch, Lucille Schiavoni, and Norma Mader were awarded certificates by the Gregg Writer -for artistic type- writing.
"William McCarron received an O. G. A. pin for submitting the best paper in the O. G. A. Contest sponsored by the Gregg Writer.
"Bronze pins were given by the Woodstock Typewriting Company for accu- racy and speed in typewriting to the following students: J. Donald DeLong, Hor- tense Sande, Howard DeLong, Jr., Arlene Hirst, and Gladys McGregor "
Further high school data concerning enrollment, honors, activities, and other details will be fourid under the principal's report, beyond.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
On Tuesday evening, June 19, in Sargent Hall, a class of 25, consisting of 10 boys and 15 girls, graduated from the eighth grade. The address was by the Reverend Leon A. Dean, the valedictory by Beth Whiting, and the salutatory by Mary Whiting. Other honor pupils were Elinor Wormhood, class history, and Dorothy Vincent, class poem. The preceding Friday afternoon had been devoted to Class Day exercises.
80
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
At the fall opening day of school on September 5, the enrollment was 76,- 37 for the seventh grade and 39 for the eighth. The new teacher, who took over the position formerly held by Miss Lydia Risi, was Mr. Frederick A. Small of Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Mr. Small is a graduate of Yarmouth High School and of Bridgewater Normal School. At Boston University he finished for his Bachelor of Science in Education. His practice teaching was in the high school at Watertown, Massachusetts. At the Merrimac Junior High he teaches English, mathematics, spelling and permanship to both classes, while Mr. Howard G. Pat- chett, principal, teaches history, geography and science. Mr. Small is the son of Mr. Alberto W. Small, a former superintendent of the union including Merrimac.
In 1934 Mr. Howard G. Patchett was re-elected president of the Wenemesane Club, comprising all the teachers of the district.
During the summer, Mr. John LaBrie resigned as janitor, after several years of faithful service. The newly elected janitor is Mr. Guy E. Sheldon of Pine Street.
In 1934 the junior high school carried on various clubs and activities.
Improvements during the year included the purchase of a McPhail Upright prano from Mr. M. S. Cutler, and the installation of bubblers in the cellar to replace those formerly in claassrooms.
CENTRE SCHOOL
Centre School was fortunate in holding its same staff of teachers throughout 1934 and in maintaining the same friendly spirit of cooperation throughout the building. In the spring the work was interrupted by epidemics of measles and mumps. These epidemics followed upon the heels of a hard, cold winter. Dur- ing the week of March 12 the attendance fell off so rapidly that on Thursday only 85 of the 239 then enrolled were present. On Mach 20 only 6 of the 40 pupils of the first grade were present. It was necessary for a few days to do some actual closing.
On the opening day of the fall term in September the enrollment was 233, distributed as follows: Grade I-30, II-33, III-37, IV-40, V-52, VI-41. Late entrants increased the total by four on October 1.
The special problem was the fifth grade,-the same large cass for which rooms have had to be shifted year after year. This class needed to be divided Into two sections, under two teachers, but neither the extra teacher nor the extra classroom was at hand. If a dozen or fifteen of the slowest pupils from grade five could have been given individual attention by a special teacher, and three or four pupils from each other grade could have been helped by the same special teacher, all the pupils of Centre School would have profited thereby. Mrs. Hardy is to be commended for the patience and perseverance with which she has faced and carried on the work of the fifth grade without the help of arty such special teacher.
1
81
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
On May 10, standardized tests were administered to all pupils in order to determine how each pupil and each class stood in regard to the school funda- mentals, in comparison with the standards for the country and for other towns of the district. The results were mimeographed in detail and distributed to all teachers.
Throughout 1934 there have been many stimulating projects and events in addition to the routine work. These have included, among other things, a Centre School Gazette, i. e., a weekly bulletin board newspaper by the pupils, scrap books in sixth grade geography,-one by Albert Lay was particularly good,- and sil- houette projects by pupils in the fifth grade
At Christmas time Mr. Zenas Lovell again gave a Christmas tree to each class and an orange to each pupil.
The elementary tuition rate for the year for non-residents of Merrimac is set at $50, and transportation at $.50 a week. State wards, both here and in grades seven and eight, pay $46.06, against a state average in similar towns of $63.56. Figures, by regulation, are based on costs as recorded in state reports a year back. $46.06 is very low considering three separate schools and the high per pupil cost at the Port on account of its small number of pupils.
MERRIMACPORT SCHOOL
The Port School opened in September with an enrollment of 17, viz, Grade I-5, II-8, III-4. The new teacher was Miss Edith A. Gillen of Merrimac, a graduate of the Merrimac High School, class of 1930, and of the Bridgewater State Teachers College, class of 1934. At Merrimacport she is making every ef- fort to keep in constant touch with the work of the first three grades at Centre School, in order that all Merrimac pupils of the same grade may have parallel work.
The epidemic of mumps struck the Port School in March and lasted well through the month, about the same time that the Cenre School was struggling with measles.
The condition of the ground at the Port School was improved early in the year by the addition of gravel. In April a flag staff was installed for saving the wear on the large flag during bad weather.
TRANSPORTATION
Throughout 1934 the Massachusetts Northeastern Street Railway Company continued, with satisfactory service, to transport the Merrimac pupils by bus. The cost of transportation was somewhat increased by the addition to the original contract of a Rocks Village route, (" the bus to turn around at the corner of the River Road and the read entering the Sargent place"), and by an extension at the Birchmeadow end for picking up a boy at the Lord place. The extra cost is lightened, however, by the discontinuance of tuition at Rocks Village School.
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MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
FERA EDUCATIONAL CLASSES
On Monday evening, February 5, at the commercial room of the Merrimac High School, an FERA Educational Project was started in the form of a type- writing class for men. The class, which was taught by Mrs. Ruth E. Chapdelaine of Merrimac, began with an enrollment of 13, and met five times a week .. Alto- gether about 25 enrolled. The class ran for thirteen weeks.
In the fall a Nursery School was organized ,to be held at the home of Miss Sadie E. MacDougall. On November 7 Mrs. Andon, District Nursery School Su- pervisor, visited and reported conditions to be very satisfactory. The school failed to open as a federal project because the economic status of the proposed teachers did not meet the requirements which were set up late in 1934 by federal officers, and passed upon in individual cases by state ERA boards.
ART AND MUSIC
Art and music continue to prosper throughout the schools under the same supervisors, Miss Annie A. Kelly and Mrs. Doris C. Currier.
In her ninth year-end report to the superintendent Miss Kelly writes, for the art department :
"The Art Department has been carried on very much the same as last year, teaching the required principles in each grade.
"At the High School a class in handicraft is working on leather, jewelry, soap sculpture and casting. This is voluntary and encourages the urge to create. The Port School pupils, taking advantage of the available floor space, construct toy villages in connection with their study of people and countries. All grades made gifts as usual at Christmas time. A splendid cooperative attitude is maintained in all classes as is shown by the creditable results. Throughout the year work is displayed at the library and in store windows as in previous years.
"An effort is being made to keep the cost of materials at a minimum by using free and inexpensive paper, cartons and card board, which have been generously provided by the store keepers."
In music, Mrs. Doris C. Currier writes, in her fourth year-end report :
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