USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Williamsburg > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Williamsburg 1931-1940 > Part 20
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 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
$53,324 86
No. of polls assessed,
510
persons assessed on property,
548
horses assessed,
73
cows assessed,
419
neat cattle assessed,
233
sheep assessed,
111
swine assessed,
41
poultry assessed,
11,148
all other live stock assessed,
68
dwelling houses assessed,
473
acres of land assessed,
15,201.625
39
RECAPITULATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAX
Number of Vehicles assessed,
574
Value of Vehicles assessed, Total Excise Tax,
$98,900 00
$2,882 95
Respectfully submitted, WARREN E. MCAVOY, J. O. JONES,
FREDERICK A. NOBLE,
Board of Assessors.
640 25- 3200 1280 50,00 1 64.000
40
Library Report
The Trustees of the Haydenville Library submit the following report for the year 1938.
Number of books, 3,132.
Number of books added, 132.
Circulation of books for year, 4,625.
Money collected for fines, $10.00.
Amount appropriated by Town, $300.00.
EXPENDITURES
Librarian's Salary,
$55 50
Janitor,
27 50
Books,
184 45
Insurance,
14 00
Janitor's Supplies,
6 12
Fuel,
8 00
Total,
$295 57
Balance,
4 43
$300 00
LULA B. SMITH,
HATTIE A. METCALF,
MAUDE E. SANDERSON,
Trustees.
41
REPORT OF MOUNTAIN STREET CEMETERY
Appropriation, Expenses,
$50 00 48 80
Balance,
$2 20
Respectfully submitted,
A. B. ADAMS,
Caretaker.
REPORT OF MOTH WORK
Number of clusters destroyed,
100,250
Expended,
$499 95
Respectfully submitted,
B. L. DOBBS,
Moth Supt.
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
Appropriation, Additional Appropriation,
$50 00
60 00
Expense of Labor and Trucking,
$110 10
Respectfully submitted,
$110 00
SPENCER BICKFORD,
Tree Warden.
42
Report of Trust Fund Commissioners
-
ONSLOW G. SPELMAN SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank,
$20,706 53
Conway Savings Bank,
5,000 00
Easthampton Savings Bank,
3,500 00
Nonotuck Savings Bank,
2,500 00
Florence Savings Bank,
1,500 00
Bond Accounts :
Florida Power & Light Co., 5% of 1954,
1,000 00
Interstate Power Co., 5% of 1957,
1,000 00
Indiana General Service Co., 5% of 1948,
1,000 00
Indiana Gas Utilities, 5% of 1946,
1,000 00
$37,206 53
WHITING STREET FUND
Deposit in the Nonotuck Savings Bank, $5,574 25
LYMAN D. WAITE FUND
Deposit in the Nonotuck Savings Bank,
$700 00
ELECTA WAITE FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $1,773 51
A. S. HILLS FUND
Deposit in the Easthampton Savings Bank, $5,000 00
C. J. HILLS FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $5,000 00
43
DR. HENRY M. HILLS FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $15,046 40
BYRON LOOMIS SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the
Holyoke Savings Bank,
$3,381 51
Haydenville Savings Bank,
2,030 00
Bond account :
Railway Express Agency, 5% of 1941,
2,000 00
$7,411 51
COLLINS SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $3,766 70
Bank Stocks:
20 shares Northampton National Bank & Trust Co.,
$2,000 00
20 shares National Shawmut Bank of Boston,
500 00
63 shares First National Bank of Northampton,
1,260 00
210 shares First National Bank of Greenfield,
2,100 00
10 shares Chase National Bank of New York,
200 00
12 shares Mechanics National Bank of Worcester,
1,200 00
1 share Amerex Holding Corporation
$11,026 70
WARREN-WARNER FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $304 08
BAKER-GRAVES FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $862 50
FREDERIC W. MAIN FUND
Deposit in the Haydenville Savings Bank, $103 53
WILLIAM G. LOOMIS, ROSWELL S. JORGENSEN, ARTHUR J. POLMATIER, Commissioners.
44
Report of School Committee
-
The School Committee, in presenting its report, wishes to note that the year just past was one of quiet and retrenchment following the completion of the Elizabeth Spelman Annex to the Helen E. James School the year previous.
In that building, a new stoker was installed in the boiler thus effecting an economy in fuel. The basement of this building was painted, also.
Before we make our next report, we hope to be able to install four more toilets in the girls' lavatory, as the number is not large enough for the number of students enrolled.
At the Haydenville School, the major endeavors were the grad- ing of the playground and the installation of a 6-inch drain pipe from the boiler pit to the brook to carry off water when it runs into the cellar.
We are hoping to be able to secure a WPA grant to grade the lot donated to the school by Mrs. Wilbur M. Purrington.
All the repairs and improvements were made out of our regular budget.
Before concluding, we wish to thank all those who have co- operated with us for the betterment of our schools.
Respectfully submitted, RICHARD F. BURKE, Chairman,
EDWARD H. SCHULER, WILLIAM G. LOOMIS,
School Committee.
45
WILLIAMSBURG
Calendar for 1939-1940
Schools open
September 5, 1939
Schools close
December 22, 1939
Christmas Holiday
Schools open
January 2, 1940
Schools close
February 16, 1940
Winter Vacation
Schools open
February 26, 1940
Schools close
April 12, 1940
Spring Vacation
Schools open
April 22, 1940
Grade schools close
June 14, 1940
High school closes
June 21, 1940
Summer Vacation
The usual holidays will be observed
46
SCHOOL STATISTICS June 30, 1938
.
School
Boys enrolled
Girls enrolled
Ave. membership
Ave. attendance
Per cent of
attendance
Aggregate
attendance
Williamsburg High,
61
74
131
123
92.76
22,139
Grammar,
22
25
42.26
39.23
92.83
6,768.5
Intermediate,
16
20
32.98
31.55
95.63
5,442
Second Primary,
13
17
30.01
28.72
95.66
4,922.5
First Primary,
16
21
36.98
34.95
94.53
6,043.5
Haydenville Grammar 8,
15
13
28.52
27.37
95.95
4,805
Grades 6 and 7,
17
15
31.97
30.16
94.84
5,258
Grades 5and 6,
16
16
30.54
28.69
93.97
5,036.5
Grades 3 and 4,
11
11
21.31
19.99
93.68
3,560.5
Grades 1 and 2,
8
17
25.30
22.26
87.27
3,903
Totals,
195 229 410.87
385.92
93.71 67,878.5
NET EXPENDITURE FOR SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS
Total Expenditure for Support from All Sources, $34,459 09
Income on Account of Schools:
General Fund, PartI,
$6,439 50
Mass. School Fund,
3,689 92
High School Tuition,
2,430 33
High School Grant,
1,250 00
Smith's School Reimbursement,
1,007, 94
Reimbursement on Account of Superintendent, 947 54
Boston Wards', Tuition,
408 57
State Wards', Tuition,
631 89
Mass. Schools,
213 00
Helen E. James Fund,
500 00
Collins School Fund,
248 17
Byron Loomis Fund,
259 60
Part of Spelman Fund, Available for
Support,
384 57
($1,000.00 used for bond),
Total Income,
$18,411 03
Net Expenditure from Local Taxation,
$16,048 06
47
Superintendent's Report
To the Members of the School Committee:
The annual report of the Superintendent of Schools is herewith submitted. It is the eighteenth of the present series and the thirty- seventh since the formation of this school union.
There was only one change in the teaching force at the end of the school year in June. Miss Elizabeth Moody did not return as supervisor of Music, and Mr. L. B. Lincoln of Waltham was engaged to do that work. At the end of one month Mr. Lincoln resigned. His place was filled by the election of Mr. John Moran of Newton. Mr. Moran is a graduate of the New England Con- servatory of Music and holds a bachelor's degree in music. He has had experience as supervisor of music in Farmington, Connecticut. At present he is teaching music at Acton as well as at Williamsburg. Mr. Moran is a capable leader in music and has been successful in his work here.
In the elementary schools there continues to be a decrease in the enrollment each September. At Williamsburg there was a de- cline from 149 in 1937 to 140 in 1938. Haydenville suffered an even greater loss when its enrollment dropped from 135 in September, 1937 to 120 in September, 1938. Its present enrollment is 126. This decline in the number of new pupils entering each year will no doubt make it necessary to change the organization of that school.
The sigh school, however, present an entirely different picture. Its growth has been steady and continuous. There are at this writ- ing one hundred and sixty pupils attending. All seats are filled and any new entrants would make it necessary to buy new furniture. In 1920 the membership was fifty-two. From that number there has been an increase each year until we have reached the one hun- dred mentioned above. This is a growth of 307 per cent in eighteen years.
This school has been benefited by the large number of tuition students who come from neighboring towns. They are people of high ability and make an excellent addition to the life and work of the school. Because of the tuition that they bring, it is possible to
48
offer a broader program of studies for all of the Williamsburg stu- dents. Without this aid our offerings would of necessity have to be much more limited than they are.
Students from other towns are as follows: Worthington, six; Chesterfield, fifteen; Goshen, twelve; Peru, two; Conway, two; Westhampton, one; State Wards, seven; and Boston Wards, three. The total number of tuition pupils is at this time forty-eight. Of this group thirty-eight bring us $3,210. The ten wards bring in $660. The total income, $3,870, is more than one-third of the total cost of operating the high school. While there is a decided financial benefit in having these students their contributions from the social and educational side are of far greater value.
The high school had the honor of being host to the Massachu- setts Pro Merito Society in the fall. Here were gathered two hundred and thirty-two members from many high schools all over this state. These young people represented the best achievement of students in our high schools. They presented an emphasis on high scholarship and ability which should become the ideal of all institutions of learning. It was a privilege and honor to have them here.
The high school boys' basketball team again went through a successful season. After a number of close games, where a last minute basket brought victory, the team won the championship of the Franklin League. Athletic activities are healthful and develop boys and girls. They are to be encouraged as much as possible.
This year again brought national recognition to Williamsburg High School when its representatives at Fall River, Massachusetts and Wooster, Ohio received, for the school, the Distinguished Service Plaque from the National Forensic League. This plaque was awarded for 53 citations of "outstanding service in arorusing in- terest in speech in the high schools of Massachusetts." The N. F. L. had chartered 824 schools throughout the United State, but only nineteen had ever won this honor up to that time. W. H. S. was the twentieth. This year also marked the tenth graduation at which NFL keys have been awarded. In 1928 the first key was presented. Since then NFL keys have been awarded to 26 students and one coach at graduation and Mrs. Warner who coached all but five of these students was awarded the Distinguished Service Key at the National Tournament in Jacksonville, Illinois in 1937. It has always been the policy of this department to encourage in every way possible this worthwhile extra-curricular activity.
One hundred and seventy-nine pupils are transported to our schools each day. The same buses have been used that were in
49
service last year. £ This year because of the heavy load from Hay- denville, two buses have been in operation on that line. The routes and the numbers being carried are as follows: Mountain Street to Haydenville, 24; Haydenville to Williamsburg, 88; South Street, 13; Nash Street, 26; Searsville, 21; Chesterfield Road, 7. These chil- dren have been carried safely and well. The operators and owners of the buses deserve credit for the good job they have done.
Some changes in teaching assignments were made at the open- ing of schools in September. Miss Lillian Curran was given full time work in the commercial department. The complete assign- ments follow : Principal, Anne T. Dunphy, two classes in Latin, one in French; Mrs. R. A. Warner, four classes in mathematics, two in U. S. History; Mr. Edward Foster, five classes in science, one in World Geography; Miss Mary T. Walsh, four in English, two in French; Mr. Philip Melody, two in English, two in Spoken English, one in World History, coaching assembly programs; Miss Lillian Curran, four in typing, one in stenography, and one in business; Mr. John Moran, two in music. There are two sessions and seven periods in the high school day. The grade assignments at Williams- burg follow: Miss Edith Derosia, grades seven and eight; Miss Nellie Dolan, grades five and six; Mrs. Jane Scully, grades three and four; Mrs. Sophie Eaton, grades one and two.
At Haydenville the organization was: Miss Margaret Trainor, principal and grade eight; Mrs. Marion Hickey, grades six and seven; Miss Alice Dansereau, grades five and six; Mrs. Mary Breguet, grades three and four; Miss Mary Crampton, grades one and two. Mr. John Moran is supervisor of music in all grades. All of our teachers are trained and are graduates of approved teachers' colleges or liberal arts colleges. They have efficiently carried on the work assigned to them and are to be commended for their good work.
Dr. Charles Wheeler and Dr. Joseph Hobbs have served as school physicians during the year. They have been ably assisted by our school nurses, Mrs. Cressa Campbell and Mrs. John Jones. All health examinations have been made and necessary clinics held. Dr. Joseph Kisiel has served as our school dentist. The increasing number of operations needed on the teeth of our school children could be greatly reduced if more use were made of the dentist when he is here. Parents are urged to see that their children's teeth are kept in good condition. Generally the health of the children is reported as good.
One of our problems is having children sent to first grade when they are too young to profit by the instruction offered. The present
50
entering age of five and one-half years is really too low. Among children six and one-half there are very few failures. When studies are made of children between five and six the percentage of failure in grade one runs as high as thirty. If these children have a chance to develop mentally and physically the probability of failure is re- duced to almost zero. The child is spared the danger of being a failure and forming a complex against school and all learning.
A discussion of the needs of the schools will not be out of place here. There is always the need of a gymnasium so that our present limited physical education program may be put on a full time basis and furnish all pupils with suitable physical training. The girls' lavatories at Williamsburg are not adequate for the number of girls enrolled. This is a need that should be cared for this year. The office of the prinicpal at Haydenville should be furnished, also. Since there will probably be only about one hundred and twenty pupils at the Haydenville School, it would seem advisable to re- organize that school on the basis of four teachers.
Recommendations :
1. Increase lavatory facilities for girls at the Helen E. James School.
2. Furnish principal's office at Haydenville.
3. Raise entering age to six years for Sept., 1939 and to six and one-half in Sept., 1940.
The loyal cooperation and sincere efforts of all who have worked with me during the year are deeply appreciated and gratefully ack- nowledged.
Respectfully submitted, LUCIUS A. MERRITT, Superintendent of Schools.
51
Report of Town Physicians
Mr. L. A. Merritt,
Superintendent of Schools,
Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir:
This year we were able to give the students at the Center School there examinations in one of the converted downstairs class- roims which proved much more convenient than the small room formerly used, although, in some ways more public.
The students seemed in much beter health than usual and no students were missed because of prolonged serious illness.
A fair sized epidemic of measles which occurred during the summer very fortunately had run its course before school had started and no new cases developed following the opening of school.
The usual average of students were referred to the Chest Clinic in Northampton.
Those high school students expecting to play basket ball were again checked with this in mind and found in good general physical condition.
We wish it were possible for some simple calisthenic exercises to be given routinely to help remind the students of good posture.
As usual we were ably assisted by Mrs. John O. Jones, the school nurse on duty.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH R. HOBBS, M. D.,
School Physician.
52
Mr. L. A. Merritt,
Superintendent of Schools,
Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir:
It is a pleasure to submit again my annual report of the Physi- cal Examination of the school children of Haydenville.
The September examinations did not show any unusual defects. Quite a percentage of previously reported defects were found to have been corrected. It is also a particular satisfaction to note improvements in some of the chest cases, as evidenced by the X-ray reports of Dr. O'Brien.
I think the health of our children may be compared very favor- ably with that of any similar group of public school children.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. WHEELER, M. D., School Physician.
53
REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSES
Mr. L. A. Merritt,
Superintendent of Schools,
Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir:
The annual report of the school nurses is herewith submitted.
All grade pupils were weighed and measured three times dur- ing the school year.
The audiometer was used for hearing tests and 338 pupils were examined.
Eye tests were made in al grades.
Assisted Drs.' Wheeler and Hobbs with physical examinations of all pupils.
A Well-child Conference was held in June. 54 children at- tended, of these 8 entered school.
There was no Chadwick Clinic this past year.
37 pupils were taken to the Hampshire County Sanatorium for Chest X-rays.
The Red Cross Dental Clinic will come into the schools in February.
W wish to thank Mr. Merritt, the school committee, teachers and pupils for their cooperation and willingness to assist in our work.
Respectfully submitted, LOUISE M. JONES, R. N., CRESSA S. CAMPBELL, R. N.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN OFFICERS OF WILLIAMSBURG MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31 st
1939
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Williamsburg
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1939
GAZETTE PRINTING COMPANY PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS NORTHAMPTON, MASS.
Town Warrant
Article 1. To elect a Moderator. To elect three Select- men, who shall be Overseers of Public Welfare and act as Board of Health. To elect one Town Clerk, one Treasurer, one Tax Collector, one Elector under the will of the late Oliver Smith, Esq., two Constables, one Tree Warden, all for one year; one Water Com- missioner, one Assessor, one School Committeman, one Commissioner of Trust Funds, one Library Trus- tee, all for three years.
Article 2. To choose all necessary minor Town Officers for the ensuing year.
Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning Janu- ary 1, 1940, and to issue a note or notes therefor, pay- able within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44 of General Laws.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate such sums of money as shall be deemed necessary to defray the expenses of the current finan- cial year.
Article 5. To hear the report of the Selectmen, Treasurer, School Committee, Water Commissioners, and other committees and act thereon.
4
Article 6. To choose a committee to expend the income from the Whiting Street Fund.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer to pay the unpaid bills of 1939 out of the 1940 appropriation.
Article 8. To see if the Town will appropriate from the income of the Onslow G. Spelman School Fund the sum of one thousand dollars to pay off the note which is due in 1940 on the Spelman Annex to the High School.
Article 9. To see whether or not the Town of Williams- burg will accept from the trustees under the will of Albert D. Sanders the balance of money in their pos- session as trustees for the benefit of School District Number 3 in said Williamsburg to be expended under the direction of said trustees, or to be received or ex- pended or both under whatever conditions under which said fund may be turned over to the Town of Williamsburg.
Article 10. To see whether or not the Town of Williams- burg will accept from the trustees under the will of Ellsworth H. Hyde the balance of money in their pos- session as trustees for the benefit of School District, Number 3 in said Williamsburg to be expended under the direction of said trustees, or to be received or ex- pended or both, under whatever conditions under which said fund may be turned over to the Town of Williamsburg.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate a sum of money to purchase and install and operate an automatic chlorinator in the Town's Water
5
System and erect a suitable building for chlorinator, or take any other action thereon.
Article 12. To see whether or not the Town of Williams- burg will accept, lay out and forever maintain as a road, town way, or street, over a strip of land two (2) rods wide and approximately two hundred fifty (250) feet long, extending between Kingsley Avenue and Hatfield Road, so called, both in that part of Williams- burg known as Haydenville, at a location a short dis- tance Easterly from the tracks of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, and being ap- proximately at the location where there now exists a dirt road connecting said Kingsley Avenue and said Hatfield Road ; the exact location to be marked by pins, bounds or other monuments to be placed in the ground by the Town ; said way, road or street to be known as Dansereau Road.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $2,550.80 to the Road Machinery Expense account of 1940. (This amount is the Truck and Tractor earnings).
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the overlay Reserve Fund, Two thousand dollars to the Reserve Fund of 1940.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to discontinue the use and maintenance of the sidewalk on the west- erly side of South Street in Williamsburg, along the property of Raymond A. Warner, or take any other action thereon.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Assessors to use from Free Cash a sum not to exceed seven thousand dollars to reduce taxation.
6
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Road Machinery Expense account a sum not to exceeding seven hundred dollars for the purchase of highway machinery equipment.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to accept from Miss Dorcus Brigham, the gift of a piece of land, lay- ing between the New and the Old layout of the Chest- erfield Road, bordering on the brook which runs alongside the Goshen Road at that point.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of two hundred fifty dollars to con- struct a new sidewalk, 650 feet in length, on the East side of South Main Street, Haydenville, providing a WPA project can be obtained to furnish labor and ma- terial for the balance ; or take any other action there- on.
Article 20. To see if the Town will authorize the Select- men to dispose of the Purrington School Building (so- called) or take any other action thereon.
Article 21. To see what action the Town of Williamsburg will take in regard to the payment of two statements of $195.00 each, rendered to the Town by the North- ampton Electric Lighting Company, for the extension of their lines on Nash Hill and Adams Roads.
Article 22. To see if the Town will assume liability in the maner provided by section 29 of Chapter 91 of the General Laws and Chapter 513 of the acts of 1939, for all damages that may be incurred by work to be performed by the department of Public Works of Massachusetts in rivers and streams of the town in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 513, and authorize the Selectmen to execute and deliver a bond of indemnity therefor to the Commonwealth.
The Polls may close at 3 P. M.
7
Selectmen's Report
Your Selectmen herewith submit the following report:
The Board organized on February 13th, 1939, and elected L. B. Sanderson, Chairman, and Oakley Ames, Clerk. Meetings have been held every Monday evening, except on Holidays, and then held the next evening. The following officials were re-appointed: Mr. L. H. Cranson, Superintendent of Highways; Mr. Albert Lawton as In- spector of Barns, Animals and Meats; Mr. F. A. Shumway as Inspector of Dairies ; Mr. C. K. Hathaway as Fire Chief and Forest Warden; Mr. George H. Bisbee as Sealer of Weights and Measures; Mr. B. L. Dobbs as Moth Super- intendent; and Mr. Jesse Wells as Superintendent of Bridges and Fences.
During the year Mr. Fred A. Shumway resigned as Inspector of Dairies, and Mr. E. Raymond Sylvester was appointed for the balance of the year.
Our WPA projects certainly relieve welfare load, and we are also getting some permanent benefits from the projects which have been sponsored, such as the Hayden- ville Atheltic Field, the improvement of the playground in back of the Haydenville School, the work on the Water- shed, and we feel that the work on our secondary Roads, have improved them so much that they are second to none in Towns of equal comparison.
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.