USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts 1947 > Part 5
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To maintain communications with our headquarters while out at one Forest Fire and to aid us in dispatching equipment and men at all fires I recommend the installa- tion of another two-way radio at our fire headquarters, at a cost of $750.00. This estimate includes the installa- tion of the radio, cables, etc., but not the radio mast which we feel we can erect ourselves and save the Town some $300.00.
Forest Fires today are one of the most serious threats to our Town. With no permanent force of men to combat these fires the situation becomes desperate. I believe that it is possible to build up a force of fire fighters trained in this work that would more than pay for the cost of training if sufficient funds are provided for that purpose.
Respectfully submitted,
VICTOR M. FRENCH
Forest Warden
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REPORT OF TOWN PLANNING BOARD
Immediately following the Town Election and An- nual Town Meeting the members of the Planning Board held their organizational meeting, reelecting Timothy Crimmins as Chairman and Steven Scudder as Secretary. Pursuant to the appropriation and preparation of a base map for a comprehensive Zoning by-law a contract form was obtained from Maynard O. Saunders, Planning En- gineer of the City of Springfield, which was submitted and approved by the Town Counsel and then signed by the Planning Board and by Mr. Saunders.
The Planning Board held nine regular meetings throughout the year, with Mr. Saunders meeting with the Board at the last five of these meetings to report on his progress on the proposed Zoning by-laws and maps.
The Planning Board regrets that due to Mr. Saund- er's serious illness which delayed completion of his work it is not possible to present the tentative Zoning Map and by-law as an article on the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting. However, Mr. Saunder's work has now been completed as this report goes to press, and it is the in- tention of the Planning Board to lay plans for the an- nouncement of formal and informal public hearings at its organizational meeting immediately after the 1948
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Town Election and Meeting so that the proposed Zoning by-law and base map may form part of a Warrant for a special Town Meeting to be held as early in 1948 as possible.
TIMOTHY D. CRIMMINS, Chairman KENNETH H. MARCY
CLEOPHAS R. POTVIN PATRICK J. NAGLE MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN STEVEN SCUDDER, Secretary
1:31
Auditors' Report
TOWN'S INFIRMARY
Receipts
Total Receipts, 1947
$907.50
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer
$907.50
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Receipts
Fees Collected
$215.23
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer
$215.23
TOWN CLERK
Dog Licenses
Receipts
Fees Collected
478 @ $2.00
$956.00
94 @ 5.00
470.00
193 @
2.00
386.00
1 @ 10.00
10.00
1 @ 50.00
50.00
$ 1,872.00
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer
$1,718.60
Paid John T. Brown
153.40
$ 1,872.00
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TAX COLLECTOR Account of 1945
Outstanding January 1, 1947
$193.77
Interest and demands
9.13
$ 202.90
Paid Treasurer
$188.30
Abatements
14.60
$ 202.90
Accounts of 1946
Outstanding January 1, 1947
$19,596.78
Additional Assessors' warrants
to be collected
553.01
Interest and demands
397.93
Motor vehicle excise taxes
abated after payment
13.99
$20,561.71
Paid Treasurer
$20,255.90
Abatements
105.69
$20,361.59
Outstanding December 31, 1947
$
200.12
Account of 1947
Assessors' warrants to be
collected
$335,419.64
Interest
126.20
Poll taxes abated after payment Real estate taxes
4.00
abated after payment $2,106.00
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Motor vehicle excise taxes abated after payment 218.35
$337,874.19
Paid Treasurer Abatements Added to Tax Titles
$300,108.95 7,023.51 84.00
$307,216.46
Outstanding December 31, 1947
$ 30,657.73
Fox Street Sidewalk
Outstanding December 31, 1947 $ 97.74
TREASURER'S ACCOUNTS
Receipts
Balance on hand January 1, 1947 $379,355.97
John T. Brown, Tax Collector :
Taxes, 1945 $179.17
Interest and Demands, 1945 9.13
Taxes, 1946
19,857.97
Interest and Demands, 1946 397.93
Taxes, 1947 299,982.75
Interest, 1947 126.20
Withholding Tax Deductions 25,892.05
Sale of Tax Possessions 500.00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
Taxes, Reimbursements, etc. 218,547.50
Chapter 90, Contract No. 10122 13,302.19
County of Hampden :
Chapter 90, Contract No. 9776 999.97
Chapter 90, Contract
No. 10122 6,651.08
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All other sources
40,720.09
627,166.03
$1,006,522.00
Disbursements
Paid out on Selectmen's Warrants
$608,021.74
Balance on hand December 31, 1947
398,500.26
$1,006,522.00
CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS' ACCOUNTS
Receipts
Appropriation
$8,000.00
Expenditures
Expenditures as per books
$7,796.42
Balance, Dec. 31, 1947 203.58
$8,000.00
Care of Cemeteries Receipts
From Perpetual Care Funds
$952.03
For Soldiers Graves
196.00
All other Sources
2,935.65
$4,083.68
Expenditures
Paid Town Treasurer $4,083.68
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Perpetual Care Funds
Receipts
Balance, December 31, 1946
$47,591.96
New Funds Received during
the year
2,775.00
Interest, 1947
952.03
Added Fund and Interest
101.04
$51,420.03
Expenditures
Care of Lots
$952.03
Balance, Dec. 31, 1947
50,468.00
1
$51,420.03
Respectfully submitted,
GARTON J. QUIMBY
JOHN D. ALDRICH
KENNETH P. KEEFE
Auditors
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
TOWN of PALMER
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 1947
138
CALENDAR
Winter Term :
Begins January 5, 1948; ends February 20, 1948
Spring Term :
Begins March 1, 1948 ; ends April 23, 1948
Summer Term:
Grades
Begins May 3, 1948; ends June 11, 1948
High
Begins May 3, 1948 ; ends June 25, 1948
Fall Term:
Begins September 7, 1948; ends December 24, 1948
Winter Term:
Begins January 3, 1949; ends February 25, 1949
Spring Term :
Begins March 7, 1949 ; ends April 29, 1949
Summer Term :
Grades Begins May 9, 1949; ends June 17, 1949
High Begins May 9, 1949; ends July 1, 1949
139
VACATIONS
Winter:
February 21, 1948, to February 29, 1948
Spring :
April 24, 1948, to May 2, 1948
Summer:
Grades
June 12, 1948, to September 6, 1948
High
June 26, 1948, to September 6, 1948
Fall :
December 25, 1948, to January 2, 1949
Winter:
February 26, 1949, to March 6, 1949
Spring :
April 30, 1949, to May 8, 1949
Summer:
Grades
June 11, 1949, to September 6, 1949
High
June 25, 1949, to September 6, 1949
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School Committee 1947-1948
GARRETT P. T. CAVANAUGH, Chairman
CLIFTON H. HOBSON, Secretary
JOSEPH S. GILL
Term expires 1950
PAUL HEINE, JR.
Term expires 1950
TREVOR BAKER Term expires 1949
GARRETT P. T. CAVANAUGH Term expires 1948
STANLEY W. WISNEWSKI
Term expires 1948
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held at 7 p. m. on the Tuesday before the last Friday of each school month.
All bills must be in the hands of the Superintendent on the Monday before the above date.
Superintendent of Schools, Clifton H. Hobson
Office Hours: 8 a. m .to 12m .; 1 to 5 p. m.
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Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of the Town of Palmer:
I herewith present my thirty-seventh report as Su- perintendent of Schools in Palmer. This is the fifty-fifth in the series of reports issued by the superintendents of the Town.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The public schools of our country have always had the real support of the public, in general. At times, and in places, the public sometimes have failed to furnish enough money to properly man and operate the schools. The public often criticize the schools. They fail to appre- ciate them because they have had education so long at no expense to themselves personally, other than what they pay in taxes, that they have lost all sense of appreci- ation. They fail to realize that, if they were sending their children to a private school, while living at home, that the average private school would charge, at least, $250 tuition per year.
When one pays $250 in taxes, he is not only getting the education of his chidren, but also, police service, fire service, roads, walks, sewers, street lights, plus many oth- er things. Actually, he gets more from a tax dollar than
142
from any other dollar he spends. Whenever he is not too tax-conscious, he really, deep in his heart, knows what the public schools do for his children and his neighbors' children.
As I have often said, America without the public schools would not be America. The difference between America and every other country in the world is quite largely due to the democratic form of education. As Dan- iel Webster once said about Massachusetts, paraphras- ticly speaking-"They need no defense".
ATTENDANCE
The attendance statistics for the school year 1946- 1947 were as follows :- Enrollment, 1,366; Average Mem- bership, 1,257.195; Average Attendance, 1,197.137; Per Cent of Attendance, 95.22; Tardinesses, 165.
Our percentage of attendance, 95.22, is about the average maintained over a thirty-six year period. Ninety- five percent is regarded as an ideal percentage of attend- ance.
Attendance statistics are much more indicative than the layman appreciates of the healthy condition of a school system.
GRADES
The same quality of work as has been done for years is still maintained. Whereas there are many weaknesses, as there always are and will be where human instrumen- tality comes into play, the work as a whole will stand comparison with that done in other school systems. In the fundamentals, our work is good. We have not as many
143
of the frills as have some systems. We have always been honest with the public and have never pretended to do things which we are not doing. We have never gone out of our way to advertise; we have always felt it better for people to discover themselves what we are doing. We wel- come, at any and all times, an appraisal by any individual or any group of individuals. None will admit our weak- nesses more quickly than we ourselves.
We have many different individualistic methods of doing our work in reading, arithmetic, English, spelling, etc. They may not be the best methods but they do ac- complish a reasonably good degree of work.
HIGH SCHOOL
Last year, we went into some detail relative to the High School and its functions. We do not intend to re- peat.
100th Anniversary. I do want to remind you, neverthe- less, that in three years-1951-the 100th anniversary of the founding of the school should be observed. If plans which we now have in a somewhat embryonic stage materialize, we shall try to make the ob- servance fitting and worthwhile.
Addition. The town approved the acceptance of $9,200 from the Federal Government for the draw- ing-up of plans for an addition to the High School. The money has been received and turned over to the Town Treasurer and a part of it has been paid to the architect. The plans are progressing very well. They have been studied carefully by the Superintendent and additional suggestions have been made. When finished, and if ever carried out, a very substantial, desirable addition will be made to the High School which will make possible the
144
elimination of the use of the Old High School and will give a better auditorium, a better gymnasium, a sound- proof room for music, and many desirable and necessary features. We do not expect this addition will be under- taken at once. We feel that eventually there may be sub- sidization from the Federal Government for public build- ings; if so, Palmer should grasp the opportunity because we will be in a position to "jump on the bandwagon".
Accounts. You will find a statement of the Palmer High School Accounts for the school year 1946-1947. Briefly, they show :- Balance on hand, September 1, 1946, $2,915.70; Receipts for the year, $14,245.34; Total Re- ceipts, $17,161.04; Expenditures, $14,340.78; Balance on hand at the end of June, 1947, $2,820.26. This statement appears on next page.
STATEMENT OF PALMER HIGH SCHOOL ACCOUNTS School Year September, 1946 - June, 1947
Balance
Account
Sept., 1946
Receipts 1946-1947
Total Receipts
Total Payments
Balance. June, 1947 $ 211.00
Assembly
$ 164.25
$ 117.77
$ 282.02
$ 71.02
Athletic Association
303.28
5,145.09
5,448.37
4,621.00
827.37
Band
21.89
1,243.60
1,265.49
1,104.36
161.13
Dramatic Club
273.51
180.50
454.01
108.58
345.43
French Club
9.28
3.00
12.28
0.00
12.28
Glee Club
25.38
0.00
25.38
0.00
25.38
Orchestra
17.04
0.00
17.04
0.00
17.04
"Palmer, The"
244.57
522.25
766.82
518.12
248.70
Pep Club
31.13
585.72
616.85
542.40
74.45
Pro Merito
5.70
6.00
11.70
1.00
10.70
Student Council
95.53
0.00
95.53
29.50
66.03
Class of 1947
191.39
3,885.48
4,076.87
4,076.87
0.00
Class of 1948
127.75
1,750.83
1,878.58
1,477.96
403.62
Class of 1949
81.00
181.32
262.32
107.14
155.18
Class of 1950
0.00
50.75
50.75
5.00
45.75
General Fund
268.71
39.03
307.74
100.00
207.74
Treasurer's Fund
11.46
0.00
11.46
0.00
11.46
Student Activity Fund
0.00
534.00
534.00
534.00
0.00
Football Equipment
Fund
1,043.83
0.00
1,043.83
1,043.83
0.00
$2,915.70
$14,245.34
$17,161.04
$14,340.78
$2,820.26
145
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Lunchroom. The Federal Government is still giving a subsidy on certain types of menus served in our High School Lunchroom. We receive 2; on half- pints of white milk; 5¢ on hot dishes without milk; and 7¢ on hot dishes with milk. The subsidy on the hot dishes, with or without milk, has been cut 2¢. This is because Congress did not appropriate a sufficient amount of money to maintain the former rate of subsidy. Also, be- cause of the lack of sufficient appropriation, there is no furnishing free of refrigerators, dishwashers, and equip- ment in general.
Personally, I feel Congress is in error. I believe in financial support of Europe on the basis of the Marshall or a similar plan; I feel it is simply an insurance premi- um against future wars, which will be a lot more costly. My quarrel is this-if we can subsidize European and Asiatic countries to the extent of, say, seventeen billion dollars over a period of years, I feel we should make it · possible for the boys and girls of our schools who, as fu- ture tax-payers, will have to bear this burden to receive a nutritious meal at a very reasonable cost. This is a fact which I think no one can dispute.
In spite of the increasing prices of food, we have not, with one exception, raised our prices. We went through last year without doing this. We trust we may be able to go through this year. It may be that we cannot. We do not want to lower our balance too much for fear of a "rainy day" in the future. Our prices are the lowest in the state.
We have also received, as a gift from Federal Com- modities, during the school year of September, 1946, to July 1, 1947, the following :- 12 cases of beets, 8 cases of carrots, 10 cases of crushed pineapple, 4 cases of to- mato flakes, 2 cases of peach jam, 4 cases of peach hal-
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ves, 2 cases of powdered milk, 6 cases of tomato juice, 3,600 lbs. of potatoes, 500 lbs. of onions, 500 lbs. of cab- bage, and 120 lbs. of cheese. The total value, roughly, is $511.72. This has helped us greatly in keeping prices down. There seems to be a tendency now to lessen these commodities. A lessening of subsidy and a lessening of the commodities may force us to raise prices.
We had hoped to get a dishwasher, and would have, had not the Federal Government cut out all money for equipment.
A financial statement on the lunchroom from Sept- ember 1, 1946, to July 1, 1947, shows the following :
Balance on hand, September 1, 1946 $ 851.39
Receipts
7,955.26
Total Receipts
$ 8,806.65
Expenditures :
Labor
$1,72232
Equipment
1,200.25
Supplies
4,920.81
Miscellaneous
130.05
Total Expenditures
$ 7,973.43
Balance on hand, July 1, 1947
$ 833.22
Food Inventory, July 1, 1947
646.37
Total-Balance and Inventory
$ 1,479.59
Athletics. The financial statement of the Athletic As- sociation for the school year 1946-1947 is as
follows:
Balance on hand, September 1, 1946 $ 303.28
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Receipts
5,145.09
Total Receipts Expenditures
5,448.37
4,621.00
Balance on hand, September 2, 1947 $ 827.37
Our three main athletic functions are baseball, foot- ball, and basketball. As a whole, the teams have had a very successful year. They have caught the fancy of the public and, with the possible exception of baseball, the games are well attended. I sometimes wish that, when the schools are looking for an adequate appropriation to make it possible for them to function as they should, we could have the same loyal support that the football team has when it plays Ware. Almost everyone in town is a royal rooter. It is a happy condition. I would be the last one to gainsay it. I say this kindly, but meaningfully.
Band. The addition of the band at the football games is an added attraction. The band has performed well with the new uniforms, majorettes, baton twirlers, and pennant carriers. The band makes a very fine im- pression.
Much credit is due to the members and their leader, Mr. Turner.
The band has appeared, upon many occasions, at out- side functions. They have always made a good impres- sion. At West Springfield last spring, they won first prize for drilling.
A good band is a great morale builder, not only for the pupils but for the public at large. Our great difficul- . ty is that each year as Seniors graduate, we often loose our mainstays. It is a constant process of rebuilding.
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All of these extra curricula activities-athletics, band, dramatics, etc .- add to the all-round development of the pupil.
The financial statement of the Band for the school year 1946-1947 is as follows:
Balance on hand, September 1, 1946 $ 21.89
Receipts
1,243.60
Total Receipts $1,265.49
Expenditures
1,104.36
Balance on hand, July 1, 1947
$ 161.13
Veteran's Regional Service Center. The following statistics upon the Veteran's Regional Service Center of the Palmer High School are given:
1946-1947
Center Opened January 28, 1946
Center Closed August 27, 1947
Enrollment by Terms: January, 1946 - June, 1946 -63 July, 1946 - September, 1946-35 September, 1946 - June, 1947-54 July, 1947 - September, 1947-26
Enrollment by Divisions: For High School Diploma-49 -54 For College Entrance
For Refresher Courses -- 10 For Self-Improvement -8
Enrollment of Individual Students from January, 1946,
to 1947 -121
Diplomas
1916 Palmer High School - 8
1947 Palmer High School -15
1947 Other Towns
2
20
Entered Colleges Entered Other Schools -- 12
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Faculty :- Members of Palmer High School and Nearby Towns.
TERESA BOYLAN
PAULINE MONAHAN
MARY FORGARTY
LEO SANTUCCI
JOHN P. MOORE
English, Spanish Mathematics Mathematics Mathematics Chemistry, Physics
FRANCES CHANDLER
MARY SULLIVAN
LUCY AUSTIN
English Typewriting Mathematics, English History, Civics
MARGARET DONOVAN
HELEN DALTON
English, French
FREDERICK O'NEILL
History, Civics
ALICE MOHAMED
Typewriting
P. H. PAYTON
French, Latin, Coordinator
Memorial Plaque. Last year, we included in this report the names of the graduates and non- graduates who made the supreme sacrifice in World War II, totaling 25. We also included the names of graduates and non-graduates, totaling 964, who had participated in World War II.
At the last Alumni dinner in June, 1946, a committee was appointed to secure a plaque bearing the names of the graduates and non-graduates who had made the su- preme sacrifice, the same to be installed in the High School Auditorium, or corridor.
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We are very anxious that this shall be done and hope that the committee will get busy at once. This is a suggestion-not a command.
PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS
Last June, Parent-Teacher Associations were formed for the following schools :- Park Street, Quabaug, Three Rivers, and Thorndike. These Associations have been very helpful. They are taking the right attitude-that of helpfulness and, if necessary, wholesome criticism.
The Park Street School Parent-Teacher Association has started to secure necessary and long-neglected im- provements in lighting and re-decorating in that school. This is a very worthy project. It entails a fair-size ex- penditure-no more than is to be expected in view of the fact that this building is forty-six years old and has not been re-decorated, if I err not, in near thirty-seven years, with one exception-in 1934 under the C.W.A., a forerunner of the W.P.A., at which time we got from the Federal Government about $.82 out of every dollar expended.
The building is situated fairly near the Boston and Albany tracks so that it gets the benefit of smoke and cinders. It is a well-constructed building and needs re- decoration badly. We have constantly repeated the fact that, with a half-a-million dollars in school property, and with only $1,500 to $2,000 for repairs, very little can be done to school buildings. They have all reached a condi- tion where they must all be put into shape. You have an accummulation of failure to provide over a long stretch of time.
School buildings are like your homes-if they are not kept up, the deterioration is much more rapid than
152
if they were given reasonably good care. Palmer must spend, over the next five years, over $10,000, or better a year. We sometimes wonder if parents would house their children in homes with conditions as poor as they are in some of our schools. Eyesight is too precious to be injured needlessly. It costs money, but the money will be well expended. Your child is your most precious pos- session. Sometimes when the schools ask for money, this is lost sight of.
The Quabaug School Parent-Teacher Association has put on a very fine soup program. This is a matter which we took up with the Federal School Lunch Program sev- eral times and they advised against our attempting to do anything because we had no accommodations for a lunch program. There is no hot water, no sink, no range, no room large enough for the accommodation of the pu- pils. The school has some 220 pupils; 140 of them come from outlying districts and spend their lunch hour at the school. Some of the lunches brought by these child- ren would make your heart sick. They need something warm, from November 1st through April 1st. The Parent- Teacher Association has taken this on and are doing a mighty fine job. They get federal subsidy of three-cents on their soup. Their soup is not a clear soup; it is one containing vegetables, meat, fish, etc.
The Thorndike and Three Rivers Parent-Teacher As- sociations are also doing a good job. Both associations staged a real Christmas party. Thorndike held theirs in the St. Joseph's Hall; Three Rivers held theirs in the school building.
Each Parent-Teacher Association, in proportion to size and financial standing, has done a really good job. They are a real addition to the work of the schools. Their attitude has been excellent. They have not made the mis-
153
take that some Parent-Teacher Associations have made, in years gone by, in thinking they were a clearing house for all the difficulties which arise; that they should as- sume any of the prerogatives of the School Committee. We know that, when they learn more and more, some of which they have already learned, about the work that is being done in the schools in the way of teaching, health examinations, safety instructions, etc., they will have a much greater appreciation of the schools and will be anxious and willing to do as much as they can to make conditions for pupils and teachers as good as possible.
SCHOOL SUPPORT
The cost of operating the schools has greatly in- creased for the very same reasons that your business and household expenses have increased. The schools have to buy in the same market, both for labor and materials, as you do. They have to pay current prices.
Last year, I gave you a somewhat lengthy dissera- tion upon the fact that the present method of raising money for the support of the public schools was wrong, antiquated, and archaic. Real estate cannot, and should not bear the entire burden. There are other means of taxation which should be used. "Like it or lump it", the day has come when there must be more support from the State, and even from the Federal Government. This should be granted upon the basis that the local autonomy shall not be disturbed. In brief, though money is fur- nished by the State and Federal Government, the con- trol of the schools shall still be in the hands of the local city or town. The great fear of subsidization is al- ways that the State or Nation will step in and tell you when, how, and what to do. This need not occur and will not occur.
154
Rather than say anything personally, we will include some material furnished by Mr. Pitkin, Director of Re- search for the Massachusetts Teachers Federation, on "Adequate State Aid". Mr. Pitkin is an expert in his line. We quote from him :- "State aid for the support of schools in Massachusetts now amounts to only about $6,000,000. This is about 8% of the total cost of the schools. Massachusetts ranks about fifth from the bot- tom of the forty-eight states in that respect. State aid for the support of schools in Deleware, Washington, New Mexico, California, and Michigan averages about $3,150 per classroom. In this state it is about $270 per class- room.
"In this state the average per-capita income for 1944 was $1,200. This gave our state a rank of eleventh from the top of all the states in per-capita income. This in- dicates that Massachusetts stands high among the states in its ability to support public education."
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