USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Williamsburg > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Williamsburg 1941-1950 > Part 14
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The health department has been under the direction of Dr. Ruth V. Hemenway and Dr. Charles H. Wheeler as school physicians, and Mrs. Nan C. Dunphy as school nurse. Dr. Joseph Kisiel has served as our school dentist. In order to present more information in regard to dental health, Dr. Kisiel has begun the use of films. This, no doubt, will give the students a better understanding of the need for the care of the teeth. No epidemics have oc- curred and the health of the children has been good. This department deserves a great deal of credit and praise for the constant care which it exercises over the health of our pupils. The resignation of Mrs. Louise Jones, as school nurse, which came early in the year was received with deep regret. Mrs. Jones had served faithfully and well for many years, and her withdrawal from the work was a distinct loss.
The supervision of the work in music has been under the direction of Miss Olive Healy and excellent progress has been made. Miss Healy's work has been increased by the addition of Mrs. Porter's class and two regular re- hearsals of the high school orchestra every week. The orchestra has gained in ability and has played well in pub- lic on several occasions.
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The work in drawing has been under the leadership of Mrs. Olive Thayer of Cummington. Mrs. Thayer has secured some very fine results. One special project was the making of calendars. Children made drawings to represent a scene for each month. Those selected were autographed, then duplicated, so that a number of calen- dars could be made. The results were excellent.
The organization for the high school for 1944-1945 was as follows: Principal, Anne T. Dunphy, two classes in Latin, two in French ; Miss Helena Webber, five classes in mathematics, one in U. S. History, coaching debates; Mr. Edward C. Foster, five classes in science, one in World History; Mrs. Esther Thornton, five classes in English, one in spoken English, assembly programs; Mrs. Madeline Brown, three classes in typing, one in stenography, one in junior business, and one in bookkeeping; Miss Olive Healy, one class in glee club, and two orchestra rehearsals. · Beginning January 3, 1945 the school will operate on a one session. It will open at 9 A.M. and close at 3 P.M. Pupils whose work is completed may leave at 2:20. There will be eight regular periods and a lunch period. This pro- gram will be on trial until the winter vacation.
The teachers at the Helen E. James School were: Miss Martha Dickerman, grades seven and eight; Miss Nelle Dolan, grades five and six; Mrs. Dorothy Colburn, grades three and four ; Mrs. Irene Porter, grades two and three ; Mrs. Sophia Eaton, grade one.
The Haydenville School was organized as follows: Principal Margaret Trainor, grades seven and eight; Miss Margaret Gore, grades five and six; Miss Louise Gagnon, grades three and four; Miss Mary Crampton, grades one and two. Miss Olive Healy was supervisor of music and Mrs. Olive Thayer drawing supervisor.
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The number of pupils transported showed a slight in- crease over the number carried last year. There were 122 as against 120 the previous year. The number on each route was as follows. Mountain Street, 23; Haydenville to Williamsburg, 33; Searsville and Old Goshen Road, 35; South Street, 13; Chesterfield Road, 6; Nash Street, 12. Total 122. In addition to these, Chesterfield sends 8, Goshen 9, and Cummington 5. All buses have remained in operation except the Nash Street bus which broke down in November. Application for a new chassis has been made. No accidents or injuries occurred, and this work has been done efficiently.
The use of the Helen E. James building by community organizations was more extensive than during the preced- ing year. Three hundred and seven meetings were held there. These were of all types and kinds from the meet- ings of the American Legion to the classes in rug making. All meetings served useful community interests.
The high school can become the educational center of this and surrounding communities if its program is ex- panded to serve more of the needs of youth and adults. It should offer study, and work for adults as well as for students of high school age. Classes might very well be organized to meet the needs and desires of many older people who might like to study such a variety of subjects as radar, agriculture, horticulture, typing, or any of the various crafts such as weaving, carving, rug making, or home beautification, to mention only a few examples.
It is difficult to give an adequate and complete picture of such a program in a short paragraph, but the communi- ty would be greatly benefited by it. Products made would have definite value, knowledge gained would increase the satisfactions that complete living requires. It would tend to raise the general standard of living for the community.
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Recommendations :
1. That a course in agriculture be started.
2. That a shop be provided where boys and girls may receive some training in repairing farm machines and home equipment.
3. That a cafeteria to provide well-balanced noon meals for student be put into operation at the high school.
4. That domestic science courses be provided for girls.
5. That a gymnasium for student and community use be built.
My sincere thanks are extended to parents, pupils, teachers and members of the School Committee for their helpful co-operation during 1944.
Respectfully submitted, L. A. MERRITT,
Superintendent of Schools.
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WILLIAMSBURG SCHOOL CALENDAR January 3, 1945 to June 21, 1946
Schools open Schools close
January 3, 1945 February 16, 1945 7 weeks
Winter Vacation
Schools open Schools close
February 26, 1945 April 13, 1945 7 weeks
Spring Vacation
Schools open April 23, 1945
Grade Schools close June 15, 1945
8 weeks
Total
38 weeks
High School Graduation June 21, 1945
High School closes June 22, 1945
9 weeks
Total
39 weeks
Summer Vacation
Schools open Schools close
September 5, 1945 December 21, 1945 16 weeks
Christmas Vacation
Schools open Schools close
January 2, 1946 February 21, 1946 7 weeks
Winter Vacation
Schools open
March 4, 1946 April 18, 1946 7 weeks
Schools close
Spring Vacation
Schools open Grade Schools close
June 14, 1946
8 weeks
Total
38 weeks
High School Graduation June 20, 1946
High School closes June 21, 1946
9 weeks
Total
39 weeks
All schools will close at noon on Good Friday. The usual holidays will be observed.
April 29, 1946
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SCHOOL CENSUS, OCTOBER, 1944
Over
Williamsburg
5-7 yrs. 7-14 yrs. 14-16 yrs.
16 yrs.
Boys
8
56
8
5
Girls
9
62
14
5
Total
17
118
22
10=167
Haydenville
Boys
9
50
8
.
3
Girls
8
36
8
2
Total
17
86
16
5-124
Combined Totals
34
204
38
15-291
NET EXPENDITURE FOR SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS YEAR 1944
Total Expenditures for Support from All Sources
$35,683.42
Income on Account of Schools :
1. General Fund, Part I
$3,965.00
2. Mass. School Fund 3,409.38
3. Reimbursement on Account of Superintendent 930.53
4. High School Grant
1,250.00
5. State Wards' Tuition
541.69
6. Boston Wards' Tuition
521.20
7. High School Tuition
3,409.46
8. Smith's School Reimbursement 266.82
9. Ethel Curry Fund 81.67
10. Collins School Fund 250.09
11. Byron Loomis Fund 602.16
12. Spelman School Fund Total Income
820.35
$16,048.35
Net Expenditure from Local Taxation
$19,635.07
--
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Organization
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Warren E. McAvoy, Chairman, Tel. 4663 1945
Lauri S. Ronka, Secretary, Tel. 281 1946
William G. Loomis, Tel. 4743 1947
SUPERINTENDENT
Office, High School Tel. 4911
Lucius A. Merritt, Williamsburg
Tel. 229
Marion R. Culver, Clerk Tel. 4442
SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC
Olive A. Healy, West Chesterfield
Tel. 2273
SUPERVISOR OF ART
Mrs. Olive Thayer, Cummington
Tel. 2133
SUPERVISORS OF ATTENDANCE
Wilfred Johndrow, Haydenville
Tel. 3291
Charles Sabo, Williamsburg
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS
Dr. Ruth V. Hemenway, Williamsburg Tel. 3241
Dr. Charles H. Wheeler, Haydenville Tel. 260
SCHOOL NURSE
Mrs. Martin Dunphy, Haydenville Tel. 3362
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MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE Last Friday of Each Month.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS
At Call of Superintendent.
HELEN E. JAMES SCHOOL Tel. 4911
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SCHOOL STATISTICS
June 30, 1944
'Boys Enrolled
Girls Enrolled
Average
Membership
Average
Attendance
Per Cent of
Attendance
Aggregate
Attendance
Williamsburg High
47
57
98
88
90
15,973
Grammar
15
16
29.6
27.6
93
4,897
Intermediate
14
20
34.5
32.5
94
5,733
Second Primary
19
24
40.6
37.1
89
6,521
First Primary
21
22
41.3
36.8
91
6,469
Grades 7 & 8,
Haydenville
4
16
19.5
18.1
93
.3,169
Grades 5 & 6,
Haydenville
16
12
26.2
23.5
90
4,136
Grades 3 & 4,
Haydenville
18
12
26.9
24.8
92
4,348
Grades 1 & 2,
Haydenville
17
9
25.3
21.7
86
3,850
Totals
171
188
341.9
310.1
91
55,096
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REPORT OF SCHOOL NURSE
Mr. L. A. Merritt,
Superintendent of Schools, Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir :
The annual report of the School Nurse is herewith submitted.
Assisted Dr. Hemenway with the physical examina- tions of pupils in Helen E. James School in Williamsburg.
Assisted Dr. Wheeler with the physical examinations of pupils in Haydenville, Center School.
The audiometer was used for hearing tests, 271 pupils examined, 15 with defective hearing were referred to ear clinic.
Eyes were tested once during year. All pupils in grades I through VIII weighed and measured three times during the year.
High school students weighed and measured once dur- ing the year.
Red Cross dental clinic was held in January.
Five (5) pupils sent to Camp Hodgkins Health Camp for four weeks during summer months.
Thirty-six (36) pupils had chest X-rays.
Well child clinic held in June.
Dr. Hemenway examinating pediatrician.
Many cases of scarlet fever, chicken pox and whoop- ing cough during school year.
I wish to thank Mr. Merritt, the School Committee, teachers, pupils and parents for their co-operation in as- sisting in my work.
Respectfully submitted,
NAN C. DUNPHY, R. N.
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Report of Town Physicians'
Mr. L. A. Merritt, Superintendent of Schools, Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit the annual report as school phy- sician of the Williamsburg school.
There was quite an epidemic of measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough last year during the winter and spring months. Many of the measles cases could have been pre- vented if children had not been permitted to attend school with "head colds" which often turned out to be the be- ginning symptoms of an attack of measles. Whooping cough epdidemics would not occur if parents would get their children immunized against this disease early in life. Children can be immunized for diptheria and whooping cough at the same time and thus avoid two series of im- munizations .
Mrs. Dunphy and I examined all the school children during October. As usual there were many cases of faulty posture. This is important because a poor posture often entails trouble later in life. These cases could be cor- rected by a course of training by a teacher of physical edu- cation.
There were a large number of pupils needing tonsil- lectomies but not much can be done about that at the pres- ent time because of the shortage of specialists to do this work.
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There has been great improvement in the dental con- dition of the children which is due to the fine co-operation of parents, school staff, school nurse and Dr. Kisiel.
I am sure we are all looking forward to the day when we will have a community center in our midst, with a gymnasium and club room for the young people, along with a swimming pool and all the other things that this town might have. As our future citizens who will some day take on the responsibility of the upbuilding of this town, we owe to our young people every opportunity, physically mentally, spiritually and socially to develop into well- rounded personalities who will give of their best in con- structive work for the community.
Respectfully submitted,
RUTH V. HEMENWAY, M. D.
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Mr. L. A. Merritt, Superintendent of Schools, Williamsburg, Mass.
Dear Sir:
It is a pleasure to present herewith my report as school physician at the Haydenville school.
The examination of the pupils was made in September with the efficient aid of Mrs. Nan Dunphy, School Nurse. The usual defects were found and the parents notified thereof.
For several years considerable stress has been laid on the poor posture of the average growing child, resulting in more or less successful correction by exercise. In this connection it is alarming to note that the Army has re- jected about 23 per cent of draftees and enlistees because of physical or mental defect. Posture, and some physical defects, could be improved by exercise and calisthenics in the lower grades, continuing in the High School with more strenuous work in a properly equipped gymnasium which we hope to see in town in the near future.
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES H. WHEELER, M. D.
1945
1771
175th ANNIVERSARY 1946
,
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS
OF THE
Town of Williamsburg
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1945
GAZETTE PRINTING COMPANY PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS NORTHAMPTON, MASS.
1
Warrant for Annual Town Meeting
Article 1. To elect a Moderator. To elect three Select- men, who shall be Overseers of Public Welfare. To elect one Town Clerg, one Treasurer, one Elector under the will of the late Oliver Smith, Esq., two Constables, one Tree Warden, all for one year; one Water Com- mission, one Assessor, one School Committeman, one Commissioner of Trust Funds, one Library Trustee, one Tax Collector, one Recreation Commissioner, all for three years; also three members of the Board of Health, one for a term of three years, one for a term of two years, and one for a term of one year, and one Water Commissioner for a term of two 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 January 1, 1946, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable 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.
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Article 5. To hear the report of the Selectmen, Treasurer, School Committee, Water Commissioners, and other Committees and act thereon.
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 1945 out of the 1946 appropriation.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of one thousand dollars to pay the note which is due in 1946 on the Spelman Annex to the High School and to instruct the Assessors to use the income from the Onslow G. Spelman School Fund (not to exceed one thousand dollars) as an estimated receipt in determining the tax rate.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to transfer and appropriate the balance of $2,832.50 in the Road Ma- chinery Earnings Account of 1945 to the Road Ma- chinery Account of 1946.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Assessors to use from Free Cash a sum not to exceed ten thousand dollars to reduce taxation.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to co-operate with the County and State under the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, for construction, and to vote to appropriate the sum of $1,000.00, the Town's share of the expense,
7
and to vote to appropriate the sum of $3,000.00, the County and State's share of the expense, and in an- ticipation of re-imbursement from the County and State under the provisions of this Chapter, the Town's share to be raised by taxation and the County and State's share to be taken from the Surplus Revenue Account and returned to the Surplus Revenue Account when received from the County and State, or take any other action thereon.
Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to co-operate with the State under the pro- visions of Chapter 81 of the General Laws, and to vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $3,150.00, the Town's share of the expnse, and to vote to ap- propriate the State's share of the expense, and in anticipation of reimbursement under this Chapter, such sum to be taken from the Surplus Revenue Ac- count , the State's share to be returned to the Surplus Revenue Account when received, or take any other action thereon.
Article 13. To see whether or not the Town will vote to establish a garbage collection route and raise and ap- propriate a sum of money for that purpose, the con- tracting and management of same to be under the direction of the Board of Health, or take any other action thereon.
Article 14. To see whether or not the Town will vote to establish a rubbish collection route, and raise and ap- propriate a sum of money for that purpose, the au- thority of making rules and regulations to be an obli- gation of the Board of Selectmen, ortake any other action thereon.
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Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to celebrate the one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary of the in- corporation of the Town, or take any other action in relation thereto.
Article 16. To see whether or not the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 for the re- pairing and cleaning of water holes for fire purposes, which were built under the direction of the WPA, or take any other action thereon.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of three thousand dollars to cover the cost of publishing the Town History books as re- quested by the Town History Committee, or take any other action thereon.
Article 18. 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 rods wide and approximately twelve hundred feet long, extending from South Main Street in Williamsburg, along the Westerly side of Mill River, to near the residence of Adolph Boewig, and being approximately at the same location where there now exists a dirt 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 River Road, and raise and appropriate one thousand dollars for that purpose.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to have the Select- men appoint a Committee of seven members, com- prised of three from Precinct A, three from Precinct
9
B and one Selectman, who shall act as a Building Com- mittee, and whose duty it will be to supervise the development of plans for the following: a) Town Hall and/or Community House; b) Gymnasium; or take any other action thereon.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to amend its vote under Article 18 of the 1945 Annual Town Warrant, which stated that "the Methodist Church on Main Street shall be used as a Recreation Center and con- trol and management of said building be placed in Recreation Committee," to the effect that the use, control, and management of this building be placed under the control of the Building Committee, or take any other action thereon.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to amend its by- laws at the next annual town meeting, by adding thereto the following section: "The Board of Select- men, consisting of three members, shall be elected for a term of three years. However, at the annual meet- ing in 1948, one shall be elected for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, and thereafter one shall be elected at each annual meeting for a term of three years", or take any other action thereon.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate $300.00 for a new sidewalk on the east side of Main Street in Williamsburg, from a point begin-
10
ning near the blacksmith's shop to in front of Graves Garage.
Article 23. To see whether or not the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money to re-imburse Eugene R. Sylvester, Jr., for a portion of the damage caused to his automobile by an icy road condition, or take any other action thereon.
Article 24. To see whether or not the Town will vote to increase the pay of its laborers to a sum not exceeding 75¢ per hour.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the selectmen to use funds from the Soldier's Relief Ac- count of 1946 to pay the Town's share of the expense of operating a Veterans' Service Center.
Other articles may be added to the posted warrant.
The Polls may close at 7 P. M.
11
Selectmen's Report
Your Selectmen herewith submit their Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1945.
The Board organized on February 12th, 1945, with Leon B. Sanderson, Chairman, and Oakley Ames Clerk. Meetings as usual are every Monday evening at 8 o'clock. The following officials were re-appointed: Mr. L. H. Cran- son as Superintendent of Roads, Bridges and Fences ; Mr. Albert Lawton as Inspector of Barns, Animals and Meats ; Mr. C. K. Hathaway as Fire Chief and Forest Warden; Mr. B. L. Dobbs as Moth Superintendent ; Mr. Leslie Taylor as Sealer of Weights and Measures ; and Mr. A. J. Polma- tier as Inspector of Dairies. On November 1st, Mr. L. H. Cranson resigned as Superintendent of Roads, Bridges, and Fences, and Mr. Cecil Loomis was appointed to take his place. Your Board regretted very much the resignation of Mr. Cranson, as we considered him a very capable man for the position, but no amount of persuasion on our part could make him reconsider. However, we feel that Mr. Loomis will be a very good successor to Mr. Cranson.
There was no Chapter 90 Construction in 1945, al- though we had our regular Chapter 90 Maintenance. We expect to have some Chapter 90 Construction this next year, and hope to construct a hard surface road from our Mountain Street Road to the Northampton line, called the North Farms Road. We do not expect to have any Chap- ter 90 Maintenance in 1946.
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The Walpole's Hill Road and the Hosford Road were constructed as voted at our last Annual Town Meeting, and we expect that they will need a surface treatment this next year, as most newly constructed roads of this type usually do.
After the Special Town Meeting of October 29th, 1945, at which the Town voted to buy some much needed snow removal equipment, your Board after considerable investi- gation decided to buy a new Heavy Duty Chevrolet Dump Truck with a Coleman Four-wheel Drive attachment, and two Ploughs, one a Vee and the other a Blade, with a widen- ing wing, all of which are gydraulically operated, and al- though the equipment did not arrive on schedule, we now have it and hope it will prove satisfactory.
Due to the shortage of time and labor, following the Special Town Meeting, we were unable to accomplish what we had hoped in the matter of improving the condition at the Town Dumps, consequently not much of the monies appropriated were spent, and we hope that this work can be done early in 1946.
In regard to the Recreation Center Building in Hay- denville, we were not able to accomplish all that we had hoped. After doing the things that were necessary, such as making the buildings fireproof to the satisfaction of the State Fire Inspector, and re-roofing a section of the roof and putting in new concrete entrances so that they would be safe, we found that we had only about five hundred dollars left, and with the price of labor and material today, that was not enough to do a satisfactory paint job, con- sequently we did not get the building painted as we had hoped. We hope to have money enough appropriated this year so that it can be painted, and when this is done, we
13
feel that it will make a very satisfactory building for a recreation center. We hope that the Veterans will make good use of it, and judging by the activity which there is there now, we feel that they will do so. For the infor- mation of the town's people, I wish to say that the present Veterans' organizations have from their own funds re- decorated practically the entire first floor and some of the upper floor, and are keeping the building heated so that it is comfortable at all times. Now, let us give them a good looking building by painting it.
The year 1945, as everyone knows, saw the end of rationing for nearly everything, so that the Rationing Officials decided that it would not be necessary for the small towns to maintain Rationing Boards, and we feel that it must have been quite a relief to our Ration Board members who had served so long and faithfully without complaint, and that the townspeople owe them at least a debt of gratitude. We as the Board of Selectmen extend to your our deep appreciation.
This year again we were able to finance the operation of the town's affairs without the necessity of any short term loans, and we hope it can be continued.
We hope that everyone is interested in celebrating the 175th Anniversary of our town, and that we can make it a gala affair.
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