USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1918 > Part 4
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Briefly, then, the future of each branch is "up to" the residents of each village. They can have as much or as little as they show, by their use, that they desire.
WAR WORK
This year the library collected from its friends and patrons some 1,200 books, which it sent for use of soldiers and sailors.
It has also acted as publicity agent for various war activities.
Surely one thing has been forced upon the mind of the public by the late war-the necessity of reading. . The educational and moral value of good reading cannot be evaluated. The value of the right kind of a library to a community can never be honestly questioned. Its place in the educational scheme of a democracy cannot be denied, for it is the "people's university." One great truth has certainly stood forth in strong relief-the importance of right education to the welfare of the world. The library must be included in any "safe and sane" educational
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scheme. The public support of such an institution is mere- ly a business proposition, is simply the payment of a premium upon a sound insurance policy.
STATISTICS
CIRCULATION
Main Library, Fiction,
23,875
Main Library, Non-Fiction,
5,254
29,129
Branch Library, Three Rivers,
10,096
Branch Library, Bondsville,
4,670
Branch Library, Thorndike,
1,505
16,2:1
Total,
45.400
Last year,
49,408
Decrease,
4,008
BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Books on hand January 1, 1918,
12,942
Purchased during .year,
496
Received by gift,
14
Books on hand January 1, 1919,
13,452
Number of papers and magazines supplied,
74
Respectfully submitted,
CLIFTON H. HOBSON,
Librarian.
Palmer, Mass., January 1, 1919.
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TREASURER'S REPORT
RECEIPTS
Balance, Jan. 1, 1918,
$ 80.88
Received from Town of Palmer,
3,000.00
Received from Fines,
58.73
Received from Old Papers sold,
6.16
$3,145.77
PAYMENTS
Miss May Robinson, attendant,
$683.30
Miss Grace Swann, assistant,
475.00
Ed. Spaulding, janitor, 156.00
Miss Lizzie Fletcher, Branch Library,
136.00
Mrs. Katherine Loftus, Branch Library,
104.00
L. R. Holden, Branch Library,
104.00
Miss Helen Weeks, work,
57.90
Miss Mabel Cole, work,
21.31
Fuel and Lights,
370.98
Books and Magazines,
836.87
Miscellaneous expenses,
46.05
Cash on hand,
154.36
$3,145.77
Respectfully submitted, LOUIS E. CHANDLER, Treasurer.
Town Warrant.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
County of Hampden, ss. Town of Palmer
To either of the Constables of the Town of Palmer, in said County,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn all the inhabi- tants of the Town of Palmer, qualified to vote in elections of town officers, to meet at the several polling places in said Palmer, designated by the Selectmen, to wit: In Precinct A, at Holbrook Hall in the Holbrook Building on Main Street in the Depot Village; in Precinct B, at Temperance Hall on High Street in Thorndike; in Precinct C, at Polish Lyceum Hall on East Main Street in Three Rivers, and in Precinct D, at Boston Duck Company's Hall on Main Street in Bondsville, on Monday, the third day of February, A. D. 1919, at six o'clock in the forenoon, then and there to give in their votes on one ballot to the precinct officers of the several voting precincts of said town for the following town officers, to wit: Three Selectmen, a Town Treasurer, a Tax Collector, two Auditors, five Constables, three License Commissioners and a Highway Surveyor, all for the term of one year; one Assessor, one Overseer of the Poor, two members of the School Committee, one member of the Board of Health, and one Cemetery Commissioner, all for the term of three years; also to vote by ballot, which shall be "Yes" or "No," in answer to the question "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?"
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The polls will be open at six o'clock in the forenoon and will be closed at three-thirty o'clock in the afternoon.
And you are further hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Palmer, qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at the Town House at Four Corners, in said Palmer, on Monday, the tenth day of February, A. D. 1919, at seven o'clock in the evening, then and there to act on the following articles, viz :
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to preside at said meeting.
Art. 2. To choose one or more Measurers of Wood and Bark, and all other usual town officers.
Art. 3. To act on the reports of the town officers.
Art. 4. To raise money and make appropriations to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year.
Art. 5. To see if the town will authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow during the ensuing financial year, in anticipation of the revenue of said year, such sums of money as may be neces- sary for current expenses of the town, but not exceeding in the aggregate the amount permitted by law, giving the note or notes of the town therefor, payable within one year from the date thereof; all debts incurred under authority of this vote to be paid from the revenue of the said financial year.
Art. 6. To hear and act on the reports of committees.
Art. 7. To choose committees and give them instruc- tions.
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Art. 8. To determine the manner and state the terms and conditions of collecting the taxes for the ensuing year, and fix the compensation of the Collector of Taxes.
Art. 9. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money to suppress the illegal sale of intoxicating liquors.
Art. 10. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money for the Young Men's Library Association, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 11. To see if the town will raise money to convey pupils to and from the public schools, and instruct the School Committee as to the manner of letting the contract for such conveyance.
Art. 12. To see if the town will vote to raise money for the observance of Memorial Day.
Art. 13. To see what action the town will take in rela- tion to sewers.
Art. 14. To see what action the town will take in respect to lighting the streets, and whether it will authorize the Selectmen to make contract therefor, and raise and ap- propriate money for the same.
Art. 15. To see what action the town will take in reference to the planting and preservation of shade trees.
Art. 16. To see if the town will raise and appropriate money for the care and improvement of cemeteries.
Art. 14. To see what action the town will take in re- gard to sidewalks and curbing.
Art. 18. To see if the town will vote to maintain night police in the several villages, authorize the Selectmen to employ and appoint in addition a chief of police and to make
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rules and regulations for the government of all the police officers of the town, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 19. To see what action the town will take relative to suits and claims now pending against the town.
Art. 20. To see if the town will appropriate money for the suppression of gypsy and brown-tail moths and elm tree beetles.
Art. 21. To see if the town will vote to raise and ap- propriate money for the repair and maintenance of the clock located in the Universalist Church tower, in the De- pot Village, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 22. To see if the town will vote to raise and ap- propriate $300.00 for insurance and maintenance of the auto fire trucks for the ensuing year, or see what action it will take relative thereto.
Art. 23. To see if the town will appropriate money for defraying the town's share of the support of the District Court.
Art. 24. To see if the town will appropriate such sum of money as may be necessary to defray the cost of the rent. janitor service and maintenance of the town offices in the Holbrook Building.
Art. 25. To see if the town will vote to sprinkle or spread upon its public ways, or parts thereof, water or any liquid or material suitable for laying or preventing dust and preserving the surface of such ways and for sanitary purposes, the cost thereof to be assessed upon abutting estates, or take any action relative thereto.
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Art. 26. To see if the town will raise and appropriate any sum of money to be paid to the Wing Memorial Hos- pital Association for the charitable purposes of said asso- ciation in this town, or for the care and support in said hospital of persons wholly or in part unable to support or care for themselves, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 27. To see if the town will vote to grade and harden the northerly end of Holbrook Street in the Depot Village, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 28. To see if the town will vote to build a catch basin in Pleasant Street in the Village of Three Rivers to connect with the present sewer, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 29. To see if the town will make provision for reimbursing the police officers for expenses incurred in the investigation of cases and otherwise in the discharge of their duties, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 30. To see if the town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $1,000.00 and pay the same to the Springfield Street Railway Company under authority of Chapter 353 of the Special Acts of the year 1917 entitled "An Act to authorize the Town of Palmer to appropriate money toward the cost of a street railway bridge over Ware River."
Art. 31. To see if the town will vote to macadamize or otherwise improve the public way in the Village of Thorndike beginning at the junction of Commercial and High Streets and extending to Lake Junction, so-called, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 32. To see if the town will macadamize or other- wise improve Depot Street in the Village of Bondsville, extending from Main Street to the bridge over the river.
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Art. 33. To see if the town will vote to construct a sewer in Pearl Street in the Depot Village from the east- erly terminus of the present sewer in front of the residence of H. S. Hobson to a point opposite the residence of Robert E. Stebbins, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 34. To see if the town will vote to revoke its acceptance of Section 336 of Chapter 11 of the Revised Laws whereby it determined to elect a highway surveyor annually.
Art. 35. To see if the town will vote to elect by ballot three Road Commissioners, one for the term of one year, one .for the term of two years and one for the term of three years from the next annual meeting and thereafter at each annual meeting one Road Commissioner for the term of three years, as provided in Section 409 of Chapter 835 of the Acts of 1913.
Art. 36. To see if the town will vote to locate and maintain two electric lights on Foundry Street in the Depot Village, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 31. To see if the town will vote to locate and maintain two electric lights on Main Street in the Village of Thorndike, between the residence of Albert Kolbusz and the Town House, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 38. To see if the town will vote to locate and maintain two electric lights on Pleasant Street in the Vil- lage of Thorndike, between the house of John Kosmider and the Szymon Jorczak place, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 39. To see if the town will vote to construct a storm water sewer in Foundry Street in the Depot Village
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and through land of the Marcy Lumber Company to the Quaboag River or to a connection with an existing sewer in land of the Marcy Lumber Company, and raise and ap- propriate money for the same.
Art. 40. To see if the town will vote to connect the sewer in Walnut Street with that in Central Street, through Converse Street, in the Depot Village, and raise and ap- propriate money for the same.
Art. 41. To see if the town will vote to reimburse to M. H. Davitt and Bessie E. Davitt taxes collected from them in 1918 for street sprinkling.
Art. 42. To see if the town will vote to purchase a card system or provide other means for compiling and preserving the records of the men who entered military or naval service from this town and choose a committee to have charge of the work, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 43. To see if the town will vote to build a new sidewalk on the northerly side of North Main Street in the Depot Village, from a point at the end of the tar concrete sidewalk at Point of Rocks, so-called, westerly to Shearer Street, and raise and appropriate money for the same, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 44. To see if the town will vote to macadamize or otherwise harden Central Street in the Depot Village. between Main and Park Streets, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 45. To see if the town will vote to macadamize or otherwise improve the public way in the Depot Village beginning at the end of the present improved road in South Main Street and extending to the Fay Bridge, so-called, and raise, and appropriate money for the same.
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Art. 46. To see if the town will vote to reconstruct with a solid foundation any part of the improved road in North Main Street in the Depot Village, or pass any vote relative to the reconstruction or improvement of said street, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 47. To see if the town will vote to accept the road from North Main Street to the campground in the Depot Village as a town way; also grade and harden the same, and make an appropriation therefor.
Art. 48. To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of $350.00 to be expended within the town under direction of the Hampden County Improvement League for the promotion of boys' and girls' work in agriculture, home making and country life, and the improvement of agriculture and country life in the town, including agricul- tural demonstration work on land owned by the town or owned by any resident of the town, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 273 of the Acts of 1918.
Art. 49. To see if the town will vote to harden the highway on Bridge Street, in the village of Three Rivers, beginning at the intersection of Main Street and Bridge Street and extending to the railroad crossing of the Athol Branch of the Boston & Albany Railroad, and raise and ap- propriate money for the same.
Art. 50. To see if the town will vote to construct a cement sidewalk on the westerly side of Bridge Street in the village of Three Rivers, from Main Street to the cross- ing of the Athol Branch of the Boston & Albany Railroad, and put in the necessary stone curbing, and raise and ap- propriate money for the same.
Art. 51. To see if the town will vote to construct a cement sidewalk on the easterly side of Bridge Street in Three Rivers, from the north end of the stone bridge to the
-
railroad crossing of the Athol Branch of the Boston & Al- bany Railroad, and put in the necessary stone curbing, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 52. To see if the town will vote to construct a cement sidewalk on the easterly side of Bridge street in the village of Three Rivers, from Main Street to the end of the stone bridge, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 53. To see if the town will vote to locate and maintain two additional electric lights over the highway leading from Three Rivers to Ludlow, one light to be lo- cated about opposite the Otis Company's power house dwelling and one to be located about half way between the proposed light opposite the power house dwelling and the last light now located on Springfield Street, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 54. To see if the town will vote to locate and maintain a cluster of three electric lamps over Main Street in the village of Three Rivers, about opposite John Wilson's dwelling, in place of the present single lamp, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 55. To see if the town will vote to put in a catch basin in the street in front of S. H. Dupuis' property on Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
Art. 56. To see if the town will vote to construct a cement sidewalk on the northerly side of Main Street in the Village of Three Rivers, from the easterly end of Main Street bridge to a point about opposite L. L. Keith's drug- store, and raise and appropriate money for the same.
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Art. 57. To see if the town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $829.21, or any sum, for an addition to the Reserve Fund and to be used under the provisions of Chapter 645 of the Acts of 1913, or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 58. To see if the town will vote to erect a memorial to the soldiers from this town serving in the World War and raise and appropriate money for the same .. or take any action relative thereto.
Art. 59. To see if the town will vote to reconsider and rescind the action taken at the last annual meeting whereby it adopted certain by-laws.
Art. 60. To see if the town will adopt by-laws, with appropriate penalties, relating to the following subjects, viz: (1) The use and occupation of public ways by drivers of vehicles, particularly at street crossings and intersections and at places of congested travel ; (2) the use and occupa- tion of sidewalks for purposes other than public travel; (3) the preservation of ornamental and shade trees, shrubs and vines, and fixtures of ornament or utility in public ways and places; (4) the use of lands acquired for public dumping grounds ; (5) the licensing of the use of vehicles for hire; (6) the making and filling of openings or excava- tions in the public ways; (?) the appointment and govern- ment of the police; (8) other subjects having to do with maintaining the internal police and government of the town.
And you are hereby directed to serve this warrant by posting up attested copies thereof in some one public place in each of the four villages of the town, known as the Depot Village, Thorndike, Three Rivers and Bondsville, seven
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days at least before the holding of said meeting, and by publishing an attested copy thereof in at least two issues of the Palmer Register, a newspaper published in said Pal- mer, the first publication to be not less than seven days be- fore the holding of said meeting.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at or before the holding of said meeting.
Given under our hands this twenty-first day of January, A. D. 1919.
HAROLD W. BRAINERD WILLIAM B. KERIGAN, FRANK G. ROGERS,
Selectmen of Palmer.
Town of Palmer
School Report
For the Year Ending December 31, 1918
School Committee 1918 --- 1919
Dr. George A. Moore, Chairman. Clifton H. Hobson, Secretary.
Henry M. Foley,
Term Expires 1921
Dr. John F. Roche,
Term Expires 1921
Samuel E. Thayer,
Term Expires 1920
James Wilson,
Term Expires 1920
Dr. George A. Moore,
Term Expires 1919 Term Expires 1919
John F. Shea,
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7.30 p. m., on the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
All bills must be in the hands of the Superintendent before the above date.
Superintendent of Schools, Clifton H. Hobson.
Office, High School Building. Telephone, 54-W.
Residence, 30 Pearl Street. Telephone, 34-R.
Office hours : 8+a. m. to 12 m., 1.30 to 5 p. m .; Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 12 m .; Tuesdays, 7 to 8 p. m., except the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
TRUANT OFFICERS
George A. Bills, T. J. Crimmins,
Patrick Nagle,
Thomas Holt, William Smith, John Mansfield, Arthur Bennett,
Depot Depot Thorndike Three Rivers Three Rivers Bondsville Forest Lake
JANITORS
Patrick McKelligett, Patrick McKelligett, Patrick Nagle, C. E. Fuller, William Smith,
High School Palmer Thorndike Bondsville Three Rivers
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ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
January 2, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Thayer, Mr. Foley, Mr. Wilson.
January 21, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Shea, Mr. Thayer.
February 12, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Shea.
March 26, 1918. Mr. Thayer, Mr. Foley, Dr. Roche.
April 23, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Shea.
May 28, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Foley, Mr. Shea, Mr. Thayer.
June 25, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Thayer, Mr. Wilson.
July 30, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Wilson.
August 13, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Shea.
September 24, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Shea.
November 12, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Thayer.
December 17, 1918. Dr. Moore, Dr. Roche, Mr. Foley, Mr. Thayer.
Calendar
HIGH SCHOOL
Winter term begins December 30, 1918; ends February 21, 1919. Spring term begins March 3, 1919; ends April 25, 1919. Summer term begins May 5, 1919; ends June 27, 1919. Fall term begins September 2, 1919; ends December 19, 1919. Winter term begins December 29, 1919 ; ends February 20, 1920. Spring term begins March 1, 1920; ends April 23, 1920. Summer term begins May 3, 1920; ends June 25, 1920.
OTHER SCHOOLS
Winter term begins December 30, 1918; ends February 21, 1919. Spring term begins March 3, 1919; ends April 25, 1919. Summer term begins May 5, 1919; ends June 13, 1919. Fall term begins September 2, 1919; ends December 19, 1919. Winter term begins December 29, 1919; ends February 20, 1920. Spring term begins March 1, 1920; ends April 23, 1920. Summer term begins May 3, 1920; ends June 11, 1920.
VACATIONS-ALL SCHOOLS
Winter-February 21, 1919, to March 2, 1919, inclusive. Spring-April 25, 1919, to May 4, 1919, inclusive. Summer-(Grades) : June 13, 1919, to September 1, 1919, inclusive. (High) : June 27, 1919, to September 1, 1919, inclusive. Fall-December 19, 1919, to December 28, 1919, inclusive. Winter-February 20, 1920, to February 29, 1920, inclusive. Spring-April 23, 1920, to May 2, 1920, inclusive.
HOLIDAYS
Fair Day. Columbus Day, Convention Day, Thanksgiving (with the day following), Washington's Birthday, Patriot's Day, Memo- rial Day, Labor Day.
School Committee's Report.
To the Citizens of Palmer :
The School Committee submits herewith its annual report, of which the report of the Superintendent of Schools to this board constitutes the major portion.
All are aware that the problems of school maintenance exist in an aggravated form at present. The principal ob- jects are maintenance of sufficient housing with healthful and comfortable conditions; maintenance of a sufficient teaching force; maintenance of strict vigil in relation to health of pupils; provision of adequate transportation facilities of a safe and comfortable type ; and keeping with- in the bounds of reason in the costs of all these and other things as well.
Over the cost, we in common with all other lines of endeavor, have had but little control. We have done the best we could.
We have had interruption of our school work by the epidemic of so-called influenza. While the schools were in session the absence of pupils in great numbers-and at times teachers too-modified the result of the work. How- ever, with all these things, by means of added intensity in application, some portion of the loss has been recovered.
Atttention is called to the portions of the Superinten- dent's report speaking of school accommodations and transportation.
During the year past $65,210.69 were expended, and it is expected that this year we will need $71,113.
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COMPARISON OF RECOMMENDATIONS
1918
Increase
General Expenses,
1919 $4,140.00
$3,615.00
$525.00
Teachers' Salaries,
39,622.00
33,535.00
6,087.00
Textbooks and Supplies,
3,000.00
3,000.00
0.00
Transportation,
4,870.00
3,970.00
900.00
Janitors' Services,
3,496.00
3,135.00
361.00
Fuel and Light,
5,150.00
5,900.00
*- 750.00
Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds,
1,600.00
1,200.00
400.00
Rent,
325.00
300.00
25.00
Repairs of School Buildings,
1,500.00
1,000.00
500.00
Rent,
325.00
300.00
25.00
Music, Manual Training and Drawing,
2,400.00
2,400.00
0.00
Commerical,
3,800.00
3,800.00
0.00
Furniture and Furnishings,
6,00.00
300.00
0.00
Other Expenses,
1,210.00
2,035.00
*- 825.00
$71,713.00
$64,490.00
$7,223.00
denotes decrease.
Respectfully submitted,
DR. GEORGE A. MOORE,
JOHN F. SHEA,
DR. JOHN F. ROCHE,
SAMUEL È. THAYER,
JAMES WILSON,
HENRY M. FOLEY.
School Committee.
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of the Town of Palmer :
Gentlemen :- I herewith present my eighth annual re- port as Superintendent of Schools in Palmer. This is the twenty-sixth in the series of reports issued by the superin- tendents of the town.
INTRODUCTION
This report will consist of two main divisions : (1) Those features of the regular work of the schools that have been, or should be, done; (2) the effects that have been, or will be, produced upon the schools because of the war. The first calls for a recital of facts, mostly spoken of in the past tense; the second for statements, more or less in the nature of prophecy, or, more accurately stated, of prediction without inspiration.
PART I. REGULAR FEATURES. ATTENDANCE
The percentage of attendance for the past school year was 95.06 per cent, which is .9 per cent less than that of the previous year. The tardy cases numbered 165, a decrease of 43. In view of the severe winter and the closing of our schools because of lack of fuel, the attendance was good.
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