USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Merrimac > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Merrimac 1939 > Part 5
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
JAMES P. DONAHUE,
Constable.
Merrimac, Mass., February 8, 1940.
99
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of the Town of Merrimac:
In accordance with the By-laws of the Town of Merrimac and the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Finance Committee recommend the following appropriations to be made for the year 1940.
General Government
Moderator
$12.00
Selectmen (Chairman)
$450.00
Selectmen (Clerk).
125.00
Selectmen (Other)
100.00
675.00
Selectmen's Departmental Expenses ..
Public Welfare (Chairman)
200.00
Public Welfare (Clerk)
200.00
Public Welfare (Other)
100.00
500.00
Town Accountant.
1,300.00
Town Accountant's Expense
125.00
Treasurer
450.00
Treasurer's Expense.
800.00
Tax Collector
800.00
Tax Collector's Expense
600.00
Assessors (Chairman)
275.00
Assessors (Other two each $187.50).
375.00
650.00
Assessors' Expense
175.00
Town Clerk .
225.00
Town Clerk's Expense.
50.00
Registrars of Voters.
112.50
Town Hall Maintenance :
Janitor of Town Offices.
240.00
Maintenance
1,000.00
1,240.00
Town Hall Repairs.
100.00
Bonding Town Officers
310.00
Election Officers
240.00
400.00
100
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
Protection of Persons and Property
Police.
$3,450.00
Fire Engineers.
200.00
Fire Department.
2,800.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
90.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures Expen- ses.
40.00
Inspector of Wiring
90.00
Inspector of Wiring Expenses.
5.00
Dog Officer (to cover fees)
100.00
Moth Department.
900.00
Tree Warden.
250.00
Town Forest
500.00
Forest Fire Warden
150.00
Health and Sanitation
Board of Health
1,250.00
Public Health Nurse and Expense.
1,050.00
Inspector of Animals.
100.00
Inspector of Slaughtering
20.00
Inspector of Milk.
20.00
Essex County T. B. Hospital.
769.53
Highway Department
Highway Department, Chap. 81 Streets
4,650.00
Snow and Washouts.
1,500.00
Sidewalks, Railings and Bridges
100.00
Rocks Bridge.
650.00
Street Light.
3,595.83
Charities
State Aid
120.00
Public Welfare.
18,000.00
Soldiers' Relief
3,600.00
Aid to Dependent Children or Mothers' Aid.
1,500.00
Old Age Assistance.
25,000.00
101
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
Schools and Libraries
School Committee (Chairman)
$50.00
School Committee (Clerk)
75.00
School Committee (Other)
50.00
$175.00
School Department.
27,450.00
Public Library.
1,000.00
Unclassified
Memorial Day (American Legion) . .
150.00
Vocational Aid .
300.00
Lighting Town Buildings
563.48
Insurance.
2,300.00
Reserve Fund .
500.00
Interest.
500.00
Cemeteries.
.
1,000.00
Municipal Loan Note
1,000.00
Vital Statistics.
75.00
Water in Town Buildings
317.64
Printing Town Reports.
275.00
$114,870.98
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN K. SARGENT, Chairman, W. H. FRANKLIN, Secretary, HERMAN F. DAVIS, HARRY A. PEASE, JAMES T. COLGAN,
Merrimac Finance Committee.
102
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
VOTE FOR OFFICERS, ANNUAL ELECTION March 6, 1939
Votes Cast (536 Men, 471 Women), Total 1,007
Moderator, for one year :
*Clifford R. Howe, Forest Street.
809
Blanks. 198
Town Clerk, for one year :
*C. Howard Phillips, Church Street. 823
Blanks 184
Selectmen, for one year :
Hazen M. Emery, Judkins Ct .. 403
*Fred T. Hopkinson, Locust Street. 466
Andrew O. Nicol, Pleasant Street . 228
*Richard E. Sargent, Bear Hill Street 467
*Frederick A. Small, East Main Street 471
Albert P. Wadleigh, Church Street. 413
Blanks 573
Board of Public Welfare, for one year:
*Hazen M. Emery, Judkins Court. 466
*Fred T. Hopkinson, Locust Street. 534
Edwin S. McKay, Nichols Street 134
Andrew O. Nicol, Pleasant Street. 366
Albert P. Wadleigh, Church Street 390
*Ellen M. Wallace, Central Street. 449
Blanks 682
Assessor, for three years:
*Clifford R. Howe, Forest Street. 565
Harry A. Pease, Main Street. 365
Blanks 77
Treasurer, for one year :
*Roy C. Journeay, Prospect Street. 833
Blanks. 174
103
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
Collector of Taxes, for one year :
Edgar J. Davis, Main Street . 107
*Fred C. Twombly, Grove Street. 841
Blanks . 59
School Committee, for three years:
*Annie L. Tucker, Locust Street. Blanks. 248
759
Trustee of Cemeteries, for three years :
Arthur D. Bridge, Union Street. 357
*Richard A. Sargent, Main Street. 500
Blanks. 150
Trustee of Kimball Park, for three years:
*Herman F. Davis, Main Street 634
Blanks. 373
Library Trustees, for three years:
Harriet J. Davis, Main Street 302
*Grace F. Gibbs, Locust Street. 488
*Abbie W. Sargent, School Street. 454
Louise M. Waterhouse, Bear Hill Street 288
Blanks. 482
Light Commissioner, for three years:
*Irvine G. Burbeck, East Main Street. 461
Charles A. Lancaster, Locust Street 452
Blanks . 94
Water Commissioner, for three years:
Irvine G. Burbeck, East Main Street 421
*Charles A. Lancaster, Locust Street 497
Blanks. 89
Constables, for one year :
George R. Buzzell, School Street. 454
*James P. Donahue, Lincoln Street 746
*Leon L. Dow, Mechanic Street. 735
*George W. Goldsmith, School Street. 486
Blanks. 600
104
MERRIMAC TOWN REPORT
Surveyors of Lumber and Measurers of Wood and Bark:
*Ralph L. Buzzelle, School Street. 652
*George R. Hoyt, Birch Meadow 655
*Edson C. Walker, Birch Meadow 709
Blanks 1,005
Tree Warden, for one year :
*Samuel C. Doust, Church Street.
704
Blanks 303
Playground Commission, for one year :
*Kenneth G. Fowle, Church Street. 635
*Willard T. Kelly, Birch Meadow. 590
*Burton C. Lafaver, Lincoln Street 667
*Isaiah S. McClure, Bear Hill Street. 492
*Harvey A. Miner, Bear Hill Street. . 490
William H. Rafferty, Lake Attitash. 397
Blanks. 1,764
*Elected
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
1939
EF
OF
TOWN
MASS
INCOR
1876.
ORATED
3
SCHOOL REPORT
SCHOOL REPORT
In accordance with custom and with the Acts of the General Court, 1859, Chapter 57, we herewith submit to you the 70th Annual School Report.
WILLARD T. KELLY, Chairman, ANNIE L. TUCKER, Secretary, HOWARD L. DeLONG,
School Committee.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
(Continued from Calendar in 1938 Report) All Dates Inclusive
February 26, 1940 to April 18, 1940 for all schools. ... 8 weeks
April 19, 1940 to June 14, 1940 for Port and Centre Schools . 7 weeks
April 29, 1940 to graduation for High and Prospect Schools. 8 weeks
September 4, 1940 to December 20, 1940 for all schools. 15 weeks
December 30, 1940 to February 21, 1940 for High, Port and Prospect. 8 weeks January 6, 1940 to February 21, 1940 for Centre School 7 weeks Monday, June 17, 1940, Prospect Street School graduation.
Wednesday, June 19, 1940, High School graduation.
September 3, 1940, Registration Day for all entering pupils. Union Teachers' Meeting in the afternoon.
All schools will be closed on the following days: Memorial Day, May 30; Armistice Day, November 11; Thanksgiving recess, November 28 and 29; New Year's Day, January 1 (for High, Port, Prospect).
4
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
7:15 a.m. 11-11-long pause-1.
7:15 a.m. 11-11 -11.
11:20 a.m. Same signals.
12:30 p.m. Same signals.
No school in grades only. No school in all schools. One session. No school in afternoon
SCHOOL OFFICERS
John C. Page, Ed.D., Superintendent 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. 4531
A. Frances Davis, M.D., School Physician Address: 16 Main Street Tel. 4311
Jean Badashaw, School Nurse Address: 5 East Main Street Tel. 3738
DIRECTORY OF SCHOOL STAFF-OCTOBER, 1939
Position
Training
Total years experience
Years in M errimac
High School
Prin., math., science
Chauncey D. MacKay
15
11
English . .
Isaiah Chase
5
4
French and Latin.
Maolyn D. Osgood
1
1
History . .
Roberta C. Annon Everdene Wiley
B.S.E., Boston University, 1924 A.B. '30, A.M. '32, Harvard Ph.B., University Vermont, 1938 B.S., University New Hampshire '31 B.S. in Ed., Salem Teachers '36
2.6
1.6
Prospect Street School Prin. Grade 8.
Ralph V. Murray Vera Dealy
B.S. in Ed., Salem Teachers '35 B.L.I., Emerson College, 1933
3
3
Centre School
Prin., Grade 6.
A. Frances Pow*
Hyannis Normal
7
0
Grade 5.
Marion E. Journeay
Portsmouth Training School '12
26
2
Grade 4.
Edith A. Gillen . . .
Bridgewater Teachers, 1934.
5
5
Grade 3.
Sarah B. Titcomb
Salem Normal, 1905
25.5
18
Grade 2.
Helen K. Manning
Bridgewater Normal, 1918
15
12.5
Grade 1.
Elaine Blackden
Aroostook State Normal, 1923
13
3
Merrimacport School
Special Class. . . ..
Howard G. Patchett
B.A., Union '14; M.A., Clark '26
17
8
Drawing Supervisor.
Mass. School of Art, 1906
29.5
13
Music Supervisor .. . .
Annie A. Kelly Doris C. Currier
Institute of Music Pedagogy
17.5
8
SCHOOL REPORT
1.5
1
Grade 7.
Commercial.
8
8
*Mrs. Pow substituting for Mrs. Hardy during a leave of absence.
5
6
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
At the Centre School, following the order of April 6 of Mr. Harold J. McCann, State Building Inspector, changes were made to comply more nearly with Item M of a communication to the chairman of the school committee dated September 12, 1934, namely, "Provide an approved heating and ventilating system capable of supplying at least thirty (30) cubic feet of fresh air per minute per pupil, and the removal of an equal volume." To this end, mixing pipes were installed for carrying outside fresh air to the middle and back furnaces. On the roof in back, two T-shaped Anti-Back-Draft tops were installed on the foul-air exit duct in order to attempt to prevent the occasional back-draft of cold air into the classrooms.
The W.P.A. project on school buildings did not mature in 1939 as was hoped. This project at both the High School and the Prospect Street school was for painting the buildings, putty- ing and weather-stripping the windows, and constructing walks; at the Centre School it was for refinishing the ceiling in the hall and office, and dividing the playground in the rear of the build- ing.
Minor maintenance items during 1939 included the repair of curtains and desks, the usual summer cleaning and renovating supplemented by the painting of the boys' and girls' basements at Centre School, the building of a rack for twenty bicycles at the High School, the addition of one more section to the book- case in the eighth grade room, and the raising of some of the desks in the sixth grade room which had previously been used for a lower grade.
On Wednesday, October 11, during Fire Prevention Week the Merrimac fire department, represented by Mr. Irvine G. Burbeck, again responded to the invitation to make its annual inspection of school buildings. The clearance time for fire drill in each building was well under a minute, even at Centre School.
ENROLLMENT
On the first of October the enrollment in the Merrimac public schools was 433, distributed as follows: At Centre 220, at Pros-
7
SCHOOL REPORT
pect Street 68, at Merrimacport (special) 18, at High School 127. Further distribution was: At Centre, Mrs. Blackden (Grade I) 45, Mrs. Manning (Grade II) 28, Miss Titcomb (Grade III) 40, Miss Gillen (Grade IV) 38, Mrs. Journeay (Grade V) 38, Mrs. Pow, temporary (Grade VI) 31. At Prospect Street, Miss Dealey (Grade VII) 30, Mr. Murray (Grade VIII) 38. At High School, (Grade IX) 44, (X) 32, (XI) 27, (XII) 24.
TEACHING STAFF
During 1939 there were no resignations from the teaching staff but beginning in September Mrs. Elaine Blackden was transferred from the fourth grade to the first grade, Miss Edith Gillen from the first to the fourth, and Mrs. Louise Hardy was granted a leave of absence. In Mrs. Hardy's place Mrs. A. Fran- ces Pow of Salisbury was temporary acting principal and sixth grade teacher. At the high school in early spring Miss Belle V. Larsen, a senior at Simmons College, was a cadet teacher in English under Mr. Isaiah Chase for a period of two weeks. During the summer Miss Everdene Wiley of the commercial department took a course at Boston University for credit towards a degree of Master of Commercial Science. On December 27 Miss Vera Dealy became Mrs. Dewar.
GENERAL SCHOOL NOTES
Throughout the winter and spring terms the pupils of Merri- mac had considerable opportunity for visual education both through the combined film service arranged for with the use of the machine at the high school and through the "Chronicles of America" historical films issued by the Yale University Film Service and obtained at nominal cost with the use of a machine in combination with other towns of the district and neighboring cities and towns.
The annual standardized achievement tests in the various school subjects which are filed at the superintendent's office as a record of pupil and class progress were given to pupils below the high school on Monday, April 10. According to the 1939 results of these tests the work of grades two and seven deserve special commendation for showing total class medians well above
8
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
the national standard medians. Arithmetical reasoning and computation in the second grade and language usage, literature, and history and civics in the seventh grade were the highest points.
On Monday forenoon, May 29, at Sargent Hall, the usual combined Memorial Day exercises were held, Guests of honor, on the stage, were Mr. Edward Germain of the American Legion, Mrs. Frances Weeks of the Legion Auxiliary, and Mrs. William Dwyer of the Women's Relief Corps. The address was by Mr. J. Bradford Davis of Haverhill.
On Wednesday evening, September 27, the school staff were guests of the Merrimac Grange 171.
During the days preceding the beginning of the dial telephone system in Merrimac on December 6, instruction for its use was given in the schools by representatives of the telephone com- pany to pupils in grades five to twelve.
At the Centre School in February the attendance was very bad on account of colds, especially in the three lower grades. From a third to half the class were often absent. In November again an epidemic of whooping cough decimated the lower grades, especially the first two.
In September the enrollment of the first grade was so large that it was decided, beginning the thirteenth, to conduct the class in two platoons, in order that the children might be able to obtain the individual attention that they need. The morning platoon, from 8.30 to 11.30 contained twenty-four pupils in- cluding the eleven first-grade bus pupils, and the afternoon platoon from 12.30 to 3.30 contained nineteen pupils. In this extra work Mrs. Manning assisted Mrs. Blackden from 12.30, to 12.55 and from 2.45 to 3.30. In music and writing Mrs. Man- ning and Mrs. Blackden also exchanged; Mrs. Manning taught all the music for both first and second grades and Mrs. Blackden all the writing for both first and second grades.
In September the room of the principal and sixth grade teacher was moved downstairs, in front, and the fifth grade room up- stairs, in front. New desks are needed here and in many other places throughout the building. New desks, in fact, are also needed at the Prospect Street School.
9
SCHOOL REPORT
Throughout 1939 the art work in Merrimac schools seemed especially interesting and fruitful. Details will be found in the report of the art supervisor elsewhere. Suffice it here to note that the use of art as a means of understanding, interpreting, and knowing intimately the variety and beauty inherent in the facts of history, geography, literature, science, and everyday life is public school art at its best, call it functional art or cor- related art or what you will. The story of how Miss Kelly has guided and stimulated the pupils and teachers in this sort of art is well told in her report. Many parents and citizens have had the opportunity to see exhibits of this 1939 art work in May at the schools or in the library. Miss Kelly has been much pleased with the work in art that Mr. Patchett's class has done at the Port school. In the window of Heath Ins. Co. there was an exhibit in May of the handiwork of this class. It included lamps, tables, book shelves, sleeve boards, tie racks, a Chinese checkerboard, bird houses, and ash stands.
At the Port school the emphasis in 1939 has remained on in- dividual help in academic work, in spite of the large amount of hand work which has given variety and interest to the class- room. Early in the year, on Tuesday, January 24, Dr. Sidwell telephoned to notify this district that the clinic examiners were to come shortly in order to determine the class for the fall. The clinic came to Salisbury the following day and to Merrimac early in February. The question has been asked whether a pupil may go from the Port school directly to the high school. The answer is yes, if he has received in June a special class diploma he may in the fall go on to our own high school under the same conditions that a pupil who receives a diploma from the special class in Newbury or from the special class in Salisbury may go on to the neighboring high schools. (Neither Newbury nor Salisbury has its own high school.) The conditions are that he may enter in September on trial until the second set of ratings come out (which, in Merrimac, is early in January). If, at that time, he has passed three out of four of his full-time subjects he may stay as a regular freshman, if not he must go to eighth grade to try over again for the fall. For the benefit of any who are not clear as to the requirements for a special class diploma, these requirements will here be stated. Special class practical
10
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
arts diplomas are granted to pupils who are to become sixteen years of age on or before the first day of October following the June in which they are granted, provided the pupil has attended school eight years altogether and provided further that the full school year which ends in the June when they are granted was spent in the special class and the work done during that year was pronounced satisfactory by the special class teacher.
Reports of Mr. Murray and Mr. MacKay concerning the Prospect Street School and the High School respectively are included at a later point in this report. Early in the year a few pupils under Miss Dealy conducted a project on the history of Merrimac which deserves mention. The pupils were Margaret Tanguay, George Lay, Nancy Clark, Shirley Breed, and Jean Foisy. The seventh grade in art work produced Patio Strings and various other art products of clay and other materials which were exhibited in November in the window of Mr. Phillips. The Christmas play which was produced in December was original and was written by Jean Carden. At the graduation exercises of the eighth grade on Tuesday evening, June 20, at Sargent Hall, Eleanor Brown received highest honors, Wilfred Soper, Jr., second highest, and Jean Manning third highest. Other honor ratings went to Harriet Child, Richard Harrison, and Benjamin Patten. Features of the graduation were a solo by John Mader and a little play by the graduates, "America the Free", de- picting scenes in a country without a constitution. A list of the graduates will be found elsewhere. Data concerning the High School graduation which was held in Sargent Hall on Thursday evening, June 22, will be found in the report of Mr. MacKay, together with honors and other 1939 records. In addition to the fifteen graduates that comprised eleven girls and four boys, a post-graduate certificate was given to Mary Frances Whiting. During the year the high school had two N.Y.A. pupils. Among the many high school activities which characterized the year, the story of Young Lincoln, with the character part portrayed by Kenneth MacDonald, deserves mention. The play was given in Grange Hall on February 10 and repeated on February 23.
TRANSPORTATION
On the first of October, 124 of the 433 Merrimac school pupils
11
SCHOOL REPORT
(or 28.6%) were transported regularly by the Massachusetts Northeastern Transportation Company. This included 29 of the 127 High School pupils, 20 of the 68 Prospect Street School pupils, 62 of the 220 Centre School pupils, and 13 of the 18 Port School pupils. From Birchmeadow there were 29, from Bear Hill and Lake Attitash 51, and from the Port 43, and one on tickets.
VOCATIONAL
During 1939 three Merrimac citizens have taken advantage for short periods of various sections of Chapter 74 of the General Laws pertaining to vocational education. In June one entered the Making Course of the Lynn Independent Industrial Shoe- making School, in November one entered the Machine Shop class of the Everett Evening School and another entered the Steam Engineering course at Lawrence Industrial School. These tuitions are sometimes considerable if the pupil stays and the course is long, but part of them is reimbursable. Some appropriation provision should be made in 1940 for vocational education. The 1939 cost was only $63.
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
To Dr. John C. Page, Superintendent:
Number of school visits. 345
Number of home visits. 133
Number of children visited. 261
Number of children examined . 426
Number of children examined by Dr. Davis (annual physi-
cal examinations) nurse assisting. 426
Number of children having defective teeth, 163, corrections 69
Number of children having defective posture 65
Number of defective hearts, (slight) .. 38
Number of children having defective vision 11, corrections 5
ยท Accompanied five school pupils to Haverhill for glasses. These glasses were procured through the Red Cross fund.
Accompanied one pupil to the Amesbury Hospital, (fractured leg.)
12
TOWN OF MERRIMAC
On April 20 accompanied one pupil to Newburyport High School for X-ray. This was a follow-up clinic sponsored by Essex County T. B. Association.
Pupils at Centre and Junior High Schools were examined daily for symptoms of scarlet fever from February 3 to February 14, March 15 to March 22, also April 4 to April 20.
The pre-school clinics were held at Dr. Davis' office May 19 and 26. 23 children were examined.
On October 5 and 26, and November 16, clinics were held at Centre School to immunize children for the prevention of diphtheria. 25 children were given treatments. This treatment was given by Dr. Davis, Nurse assisting.
We also went to five homes to give toxoid to seven children.
On November 20, 86 children who had had toxoid in previous treatments, were given Schick tests to determine if immunity was negative. Readings were given November 24. Results, 13 positive and 73 negative tests.
Went to 8 homes for histories February 21 and 23 (school clinic records).
Miss Marion Grout, Health Educational Secretary of Essex County, visited and showed moving pictures on health, at Centre, Junior High and High Schools on January 9 and 12.
On July 1, accompanied one school pupil to Essex County Health Camp.
Respectfully submitted,
JEAN BADASHAW,
School Nurse.
REPORT OF ART SUPERVISOR
Dr. John C. Page, Superintendent of Schools,
Merrimac, Mass.
Dear Sir:
It is with special pleasure that I present this report of the Art work in the Merrimac Schools.
13
SCHOOL REPORT
While there are some activities in this department that are distinctive, many of the principles can be taught while combining Art with almost any of the regular school subjects, and to the advantage of both. Sometimes a section may be particularly difficult for a class to understand, but may be made clear through drawing or construction. I think the Merrimac teachers use the Art work for this purpose.
In one such instance a series of friezes was planned illustrat- ing a particular period in mediaeval history. Leaders were chosen for each frieze, each leader chose others who formed his group, until the whole class was included. The groups discussed the development of the pictures, while the leaders assigned various parts to their group members. Thus the friezes were developed and the history of this particular period was under- stood, became real, and was impressed upon the minds of the pupils.
Geography, health, citizenship and safety can very well be correlated with Art by means of friezes, individual posters, illustrated note books, "movies," toy theatres, sand tables, puppets and various methods of construction.
During the past year one subject has been developed in each grade with satisfactory results. In Grade I, Nursery Rhymes were the subject of posters. Each child made a drawing and one was mounted to display. In Grade II, The Experiences of Little Black Sambo were illustrated by a series of pictures, each child contributing something to the series. Grade III made a frieze of Winter Sports in the same way. Grade IV studying various countries in Geography, decided to make four friezes, two Eskimo, one Arab and one Indian. Each child contributed his drawings to these which created much interest and were an attractive decoration for the school room walls. The fifth grade made two friezes, Indians and Pilgrims, illustrating their history, while Grade VI, made four panels of history by the group method mentioned above. This group method, very effective above the fifth grade, develops leadership, depend- ability, initiative and much interest. In the Junior High School four panels were made of the Development of the United States, and in Grade VIII individual posters of interesting scenes in United States history were made.
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.