USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Williamsburg > Town Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Williamsburg 1941-1950 > Part 9
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Interest
580.47
Insurance
52.35
Workmen's Compensation
509.30
Withholding Tax
709.50
Dog Licenses from Clerk
388.80
Haydenville School Loan
2,000.00
Spelman Annex Loan
1,000.00
Highway Loan
6,300.00
State Tax
1,150.00
State Park Tax
41.26
County Tax
3,657.13
Tax Refund, Real Estate
43.90
Motor Excise Refund
35.62
Trust Funds
533.46
Total Payments
$113,625.08
Cash on hand Jan. 1, 1944
49,174.55
$162,799.63
33
INCOME OF TRUST FUNDS
Bal. '42
Rec. '43
Exp. '43
Bal. '43
H. M. Hills
$255.26
$325.92
$581.18
Collins
319.57
275.68
595.25
Whiting Street
58.19
111.48
105.00
64.67
Electa Waite
25.33
35.46
29.85
30.94
A. S. Hills
52.56
125.00
120.00
57.56
Spelman
861.16
861.16
B. Loomis
444.08
148.72
139.36
453.44
Ethel Curry
41.67
20.00
61.67
C. J. Hills
16.79
100.00
105.25
11.54
Lyman Waite
8.58
14.00
12.50
10.08
Cemetery
21.50
21.50
.
TRANSFERS
From Truck and Tractor Maint. to New
Machinery
$1,000.00
From Truck and Tractor Earnings to Truck Tractor Maint.
600.00
From Public Welfare to Winter Highways
600.00
From Soldiers' Relief to Honor Roll Expense
500.00
From Reserve Fund to Insurance
12.75
From Reserve Fund to Wood Lot
300.00
From Reserve Fund to Treasurer's Maint.
50.00
From Reserve Fund to Spelman Fund
138.84
From Reserve Fund to County Tax
260.62
From Reserve Fund to Town Clerk's Maint.
8.03
From Reserve Fund to Election and Registration
8.25
From Reserve Fund to Town Dump
9.85
From Reserve Fund to Chapter 90
.01
From Reserve Fund to Winter Highways
180.40
From Reserve Fund to Truck and Tractor Maint.
104.99
HOWARD F. BAKER,
Town Accountant.
34
BALANCE SHEET
December 31, 1943
ASSETS
Cash
$49,174.55
Taxes '41
$60.07 4,801.30
Taxes '42
Taxes '43
13,526.07
$18,387.44
Motor Excise '42
$46.95
Motor Excise'43
246.15
$293.10
Tax Possessions
$306.31
Water Rents
$354.72
Water Miscellaneous
19.23
$373.95
Accounts Receivable :
Public Health
$260.61
Schools
394.10
Public Welfare
236.91
$891.62
Federal Disaster Loan
$607.05
Overlay '41
$22.85
Departmental Revenue
$904.85
Revenue '44
100.00
$71,061.72
35
LIABILITIES
Dog Taxes
$3.60
Tax title Revenue
306.31
Water Surplus
1,631.10
Accounts Receivable :
O. A. A. Mothers' Aid
$1,816.12
7.55
$1,823.67
Highway Loan
$3,477.77
Trust Funds
$1,271.08
Overlay '42
$861.75
Overlay '43
483.89
Overlay Reserve
1,650.96
$2,816.60
State Park Tax
$1.85
Motor Revenue
$272.63
Water Revenue
373.95
$646.58
Truck and Tractor Savings
$1,730.30
A. D. C., Federal
89.60
O. A. A., Federal
1,455.78
A. D. C. and O. A. A., Federal
47.70
Surplus and Deficiency
55,759.78
$71,061.72
HOWARD F. BAKER,
Town Accountant.
36
Report of Water Commissioners
-
During the past year a cover has been placed over entrance to chlorinator building. It was felt necessary to do this because of ice and snow melting on old hatchway entrance and running down into chlorinator pit.
The usual work of cutting grsas between the reser- voir's has been done this year and it was found that the ice storm we had during the winter of 1943 had closed our fire roads which was a very bad hazard and had also done considerable damage to timber. This fall we have had two men under supervision of the Chairman, Mr. Gray, work on clearing these fire lanes and considerable progress has been made, but there is much more to be done. Due to this extreme hazard we have asked for an additional $200.00 this year to continue this work.
We have cut twenty-five (25) cords of good hard wood which we feel will reimburse the town for this extra money we ask for to complete this work.
Respectfully submitted,
RAYMOND GRAY, MARTIN J. DUNPHY, EDWARD BEATTIE, Water Commissioners.
37
EXPENDITURES FOR 1943
Salaries
$200.00
Administration :
Bond
$10.00
Office Supplies
79.81
Postage and Telephone
30.89
Service and Mileage
74.05
$194.75
PIPE MAINTENANCE
Material and Fittings
$205.92
Labor
260.66
Tools and Repairs
3.50
Trucking
7.00
$477.08
WATER SHED
Labor
$602.85
Material and Tools
21.28
Trucking
2.00
$626.13
CHLORINATOR
Chlorine
$40.00
Freight
2.31
Fuel
22.15
Electricity
12.00
Operator
60.00
Supplies
3.81
Labor
10.00
$150.27
Total
$1,648.23
Balance
186.77
Appropriated
$1,835.00
38
COLLECTOR'S REPORT
Uncollected Balance, Dec. 31, 1942
$643.15 Uncollected Misc. Charges, Dec. 31, 1942
17.23
Interest Charges
32.79
Miscellaneous Charges
13.00
Water Charges, Jan. 1 to July 30, 1943
2,184.96
Water Charges, July 1 to Dec. 31, 1943 2,234.01
$5,125.14
Water Charges Collected
$4,467.51
Misc. Charges Collected
13.00
Interest Charges Collected
32.79
Uncollected Water Charges
424.81
Uncollected Misc. Charges
19.23
Abatements Allowed
167.80
$5,125.14
The Water Commissioners wish to call attention to a very serious practice indulged in by a few users of the water supply, namely ; installing new bathrooms, or add- ing sill cocks without notifying the commissioners. This practice is very unfair to the other users who are paying for all privileges for which the water system was installed.
This matter has been called to the attention of the citizens before and it was requested that the commission- ers be notified of any new fixtures that are installed. The rules and regulations specfically state permission must be obtained from Water Commissioners, and if this rule is not compiled with, at their discretion may shut off water any place the above rule applies.
Respectfully submitted,
MARTIN J. DUNPHY,
Collector.
39
Tax Collector's Report
DEBITS
Outstanding Jan. 1, 1943:
1939 Poll Taxes
$2.00
1940 Poll Taxes
18.00
1941 Poll Taxes
64.00
1942 Poll Taxes
118.00
1941 Excise Taxes
17.25
1942 Excise Taxes
115.83
1941 Real Estate Taxes
5,806.97
1942 Real Estate Taxes
13,621.77
1941 Personal Property Taxes
301.78
1942 Personal Property Taxes
1,397.15
$21,462.75
Commitments :
Mar. 17, 1943-Excise Taxes (1942) $8.74
Mar. 17, 1943-Excise Taxes 416.79
Mar. 24, 1943-Poll Taxes
1,170.00
Apr. 26, 1943-Excise Taxes
238.55
June 16, 1943-Poll Tax
2.00
July 8, 1943-Personal Property Taxes 7,205.22
July 15, 1943-Real Estate Taxes
40,417.02
July 27, 1943-Poll Taxes
8.00
Aug. 4, 1943-Poll Tax
2.00
Aug. 31, 1943-Excise Taxes 1,578.47
Sept. 23, 1943-Poll Tax
2.00
Sept. 23, 1943-Excise Taxes
64.88
Sept. 23, 1943-Excise Taxes
15.62
40
Nov. 10, 1943-Excise Taxes 26.42
Nov. 22, 1943-Excise Taxes
39.08
Dec. 2, 1943-Real Estate Taxes
124.20
$51,318.99
Abatement after payment refunded :
1942 Excise Taxes
$15.15
1943 Excise Taxes
20.47
1942 Real Estate Taxes
25.90
1943 Real Estate Taxes
18.00
$79.52
$72,861.26
CREDITS
Collected and paid Town Treasurer:
1940 Poll Taxes
$4.00
1941 Poll Taxes
8.00
1942 Poll Taxes
22.00
1943 Poll Taxes
846.00
1941 Personal Property Taxes
284.11
1942 Personal Property Taxes
1,204.51
1943 Personal Property Taxes
5,820.30
1941 Real Estate Taxes
5,153.92
1942 Real Estate Taxes
8,948.72
1943 Real Estate Taxes
27,784.02
1941 Excise Taxes
4.00
1942 Excise Taxes
60.84
1943 Excise Taxes
2,140.64
$52,281.06
41
Collected but not turned over to Treasurer Dec. 31, 1943 :
1942 Excise Tax
$2.00
1942 Personal Property Taxes
36.08
1942 Real Estate Taxes
1,150.56
1943 Excise Taxes
48.94
1943 Personal Property Taxes
5.39
1943 Real Estate Taxes
944.03
$2,187.00
Transfered to special account by State Auditors :
1941 Real Estate Tax
$607.05
$607.05
Abated :
1939 Poll Tax
$2.00
1940 Poll Taxes
14.00
1941 Poll Taxes
52.00
1942 Poll Taxes
72.00
1943 Poll Taxes
302.00
1941 Excise Taxes
13.25
1942 Excise Taxes
31.93
1943 Excise Taxes
47.78
1941 Personal Property Taxes®
7.60
1942 Personal Property Taxes
29.21
1943 Personal Property Taxes
61.20
1942 Real Estate Taxes
85.10
1943 Real Estate Taxes
608.85
$1,326.92
Outstanding Dec. 31, 1943:
1941 Poll Taxes
$4.00
1942 Poll Taxes
24.00
1943 Poll Taxes
36.00
1942 Excise Taxes
44.95
42
1943 Excise Taxes
162.92
1941 Real Estate Taxes
46.00
1942 Real Estate Taxes
3,463.29
1943 Real Estate Taxes
11,222.32
1941 Personal Property Taxes
10.07
1942 Personal Property Taxes
127.35
1943 Personal Property Taxes
1,318.33
$16,459.23
$72,861.26
Respectfully submitted,
HELENA M. BREGUET, Collector of Taxes.
43
Assessors' Report
Appropriation to be raised
$80.099.00
To be transfered
4,575.12
Haydenville School Loan
2,000.00
Deficits 1938-1941
62.43
State Tax
1,150.00
State Parks and Reservations
43.11
County Tax
3,396.51
Overlay Current Year
1,455.94
Gross Amount to be raised
$92,782.11
ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND AVAILABLE FUNDS
Income Tax
$6,993.57
Corporation Tax
2,220.47
Reimbursement on Acct. State owned land
40.33
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
1,000.00
Licenses
1,300.00
Fines
100.00
Health and Sanitation
100.00
Charities
6,500.00
Old Age Tax
460.38
Schools
9,000.00
Water Dept.
4,000.00
Interest on Tax and Assessments
700.00
Com. letter of approval
11,575.12
Total Estimated Receipts
and Available Funds
$43,989.87
44
Net Amount to be raised by Taxation on Polls and Property at $36.00 per M
$48,792.24
Value of Assessed Real Estate
1,122,695.00
Value of Assessed Personal Estate
200,145.00
Total Valuation of Assessed Estate Jan. 1,1943
$1,322,840.00
No. of polls assessed
585
horses
59
cows
468
yearlings, bulls, steers, heifers
218
sheep 6 mo. or over
70
swine 6 mo. or over
31
fowl
10,146
all others
3,153
acres assessed
14,541
house (dwelling)
442
RECAPITULATION OF MOTOR EXCISE TAX
Number of Vehicles Assessed
535
Value of Vehicles Assessed
$69,790.00
Total Excise Tax
$2,379.81
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Assessors of Williamsburg,
J. O. JONES, Chairman, M. E. JANES,
Assessors.
45
Library Report
The Trustees of the Haydenville Library submit the following report for 1943.
The Library has been opened one evening each week during the year, and a large number of the newest books have been added.
Number of books now on hand, 3,352.
Number added during the year, 106.
Circulation, 3,137.
Fines collected, $21.12.
EXPENDITURES
Librarian
$53.00
Janitor
28.00
Books
190.44
Fuel and Lights
27.52
Janitor's Supplies
.50
$299.46
Respectfully submitted,
HATTIE A. METCALF,
LULA B. SMITH,
MAUDE E. SANDERSON,
Trustees.
46
REPORT OF MOUNTAIN STREET CEMETERY
Appropriation $50.00 Labor 32.00
Balance $18.00
The reason for balance is shortage of labor. Plenty of work should be done.
Respectfully submitted,
ALLEN B. ADAMS,
Caretaker.
REPORT OF MOTH WORK
Egg clusters destroyed 800
$500.00
Appropriation Expended
88.00
Balance
$412.00
There is moth work which has not been done due to lack of help and transportation which will have to be done in the spring of 1944 if help can be secured.
Respectfully submitted,
B. L. DOBBS,
Moth Supt.
47
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
Appropriation at Town Meeting
$100.00
Appropriation at Special Town Meeting
100.00
$200.00
Expended, Labor and Truck
$153.01
Balance
$46.99
Respectfully submitted,
AUSTIN SNOW,
Tree Warden.
48
Report of the Fire Department
The following is the report of the Williamsburg Fire Department.
The department met and organized on January 6, 1943 with Lester Wells as Chairman and Charles Sabo as Sec- retary and Treasurer. Meetings were held the first Wednesday evening of each month.
The Williamsburg Department was called out thirty- eight times during the year to building and grass fires.
One hundred and five fire permits were issued for open air fires but all calls answered by the department were fires without a permit. The law requires that a permit be ob- tained except when the ground is suitably covered with snow.
The following new equipment was purchased for the Haydenville Department-three hundred feet of fire hose, siamese connection, and two shut-off nozzles.
The Williamsburg Forest Warden Department pur- chased three new Indian Pump Cans and four fire rakes.
There has been an emergency fire telephone in Wil- liamsburg manned twenty-four hours a day.
I recommend that an emergency fire telephone be in- stalled in Haydenville and manned twenty-four hours a day.
I am unable to report for the Haydenville Department.
Respectfully submitted,
CHENEY K. HATHAWAY,
Fire Chief.
49
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
Dear Sírs :
During 1943 this department inspected 222 weights and measures.
Paid to Town Treasurer in fees
$28.37
Appropriation
$50.00
Labor and Transportation
$42.47
Supplies
7.53
$50.00
Respectfully submitted, LESLIE TAYLOR,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
50
Report of Trust Fund Commissioners
ONSLOW G. SPELMAN SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in
Haydenville Savings Bank
$12,408.07
Conway Savings Bank
5,000.00
Easthampton Savings Bank
3,500.00
Nonotuck Savings Bank
2,500.00
Florence Savings Bank
1,500.00
Northampton Institution for Savings
1,025.00
Bond Accounts :
United States Savings Bonds, War
Series G, 21%
10,000.00
Florida Power & Light Co., 5% of 1954 1,000.00
$36,933.07
ETHEL CURRY SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the
Northampton Institution for Savings $1,000.00
WHITING STREET FUND
Deposit in the
Nonotuck Savings Bank $5,574.25
LYMAN D. WAITE FUND
Deposit in the
Nonotuck Savings Bank
$700.00
51
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
DR. HENRY M. HILLS FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank $10,046.40
Bond Account:
United States Savings Bonds,
War Series G, 21% 5,000.00
$15,046.40
BYRON LOOMIS SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the
Holyoke Savings Bank
$3,381.51
Haydenville Savings Bank
4,055.00
$7,436.51
COLLINS SCHOOL FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank
$3,766.70
52
Bank Stocks :
100 shares Northampton National Bank $2,000.00
20 shares National Shawmut Bank of Boston 250.00 63 shares First National Bank of Northampton 1,260.00
244 shares First National Bank of Greenfield 2,440.00 10 shares Chase National Bank of New York 200.00 14 4/10 shares Mechanics National Bank of Worcester 1,440.00
1 share Amerex Holding Corporation
$11,356.70
WARREN-WARNER FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank $250.00
BAKER-GRAVES FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank $725.00
FREDERICK W. MAIN FUND
Deposit in the
Haydenville Savings Bank $100.00
WILLIAM G. LOOMIS,
ARTHUR J. POLMATIER,
ROSWELL S. JORGENSEN,
Commissioners.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
OF THE
TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG
FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1943
54
Report of the School Committee
The School Committee presents the following report:
It became necessary to repair the boiler in the Wil- liamsburg School so a new drum was installed this year.
The committee has held twelve regular meetings, one union meeting and three special meetings during the year.
Some thought has been given to the idea of flooding a portion of the school grounds in Williamsburg for a skat- ing rink but no definite plans have as yet been made. We hope that next year the committee will be able to finish this project.
The High School has been reorganized on a five teacher basis.
As a suggestion the committee hopes that arrange- ments can be made this fall to engage another teacher for the grades in the Williamsburg School as it seems quite necessary considering that there are eighty-three pupils in the four grades.
A new state law was passed this year for the benefit of the teachers who are now in the service, which makes it compulsory for the town to pay the retirement for those teachers the same as if they were still teaching. We have two men teachers now in the service. The additional ex- pense has been taken care of in the School Committee budget.
The School Committee gave its approval to allow the use of the rooms in the Williamsburg School for Communi- ty affairs, also to allow the Girl Scouts the use of the athletic room in this building.
55
One room in the Haydenville School is being used three hours a week for Red Cross work and one is being used by the Ration Board five days and one night each week and in this connection the committee wishes to state that the Ration Board is very grateful for the way and manner in which their room is kept and for the excellent co-opera- tion of the janitor and the teachers.
The committee takes this opportunity to thank the Superintendent ,Teachers and Janitors for their co-opera- tion during the past year.
WILLIAM G. LOOMIS, Chairman, LAURI S. RONKA, Secretary, WARREN E. MCAVOY,
School Committee.
56
Organization
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
William G. Loomis, Chairman, Tel 4743 1944
Warren E. McAvoy, Tel. 4663 1945
Lauri S. Ronka, Secretary, Tel. 281
1946
SUPERINTENDENT
Office, High School Tel. 4911
Lucius A. Merritt, Williamsburg
Tel. 229
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 PHYSICIAN
Dr. Ruth V. Hemenway, Williamsburg
Tel. 3241
SCHOOL NURSES
Mrs. John Jones, Haydenville Tel. 4331
Mrs. Martin Dunphy, Haydenville Tel. 3362
57
MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Last Friday of Each Month.
TEACHERS' MEETINGS
At Call of Superintendent.
HELEN E. JAMES SCHOOL
Tel. 4911
TEACHERS
Principal, Anne T. Dunphy, Latin, French,
Haydenville 4781
Helena J. Webber, Math., Hist., 159 West St.,
Winchendon 374-M
Dorothy M. Johnson, English, 46 Eames Ave., Amherst 85-W
Edward C. Foster, Science, Williamsburg
4561
D. Louise McDermott, Commercial, 60 Livingston Ave., Pittsfield 22724
Martha L. Dickerman, 7, 8, 45 High St., Spencer 659
Nellie Dolan, 5, 6, Haydenville 3361
Dorothy Colburn, 3, 4, Williamsburg 4436
Sophie D. Eaton, 1, 2, Williamsburg 4691
HAYDENVILLE SCHOOL
Tel. 4912
TEACHERS
Principal, Margaret Trainor, 7, 8, Haydenville Mrs. Miriam Brainerd, 5, 6, Williamsburg 4641
Louise M. Gagnon, 3, 4, 35 Pratt Ave., Beverly Mary Crampton, 1, 2, Haydenville
58
.
Superintendent's Report
To the Members of the School Commitee:
The annual report of the Superintendent of Schools is herewith submitted. It is the twenty-third of the pres- ent series and the forty-second since the formation of this school union.
A number of changes in teacher personnel took place during the year. Miss Alice Dansereau left us in March to be married. At the close of schools in June, Miss Anastasia Kostek resigned to be married also. Miss Annetta Barrus and Miss M. Norma Lawe joined the WAVES and resigned from teaching. Miss Ruth Merritt accepted a position in the Conneaut, Ohio schools and went to work there in the fall. Mrs. Evelyn Kmit who had assisted in grades one and two did not return in September. This loss of approximately 33 per cent of our well trained and experienced teaching staff was larger than at any time during the last ten years and presented a rather serious problem due to the acute teacher shortage.
In order to fill these positions it was necessary to ac- cept teachers who had little or no experience. These new teachers, however, are all well-trained and are gaining ex- perience rapidly. Miss Doris Whelan, with a degree from Westfield Teachers College was appointed to Miss Kostek's place. In October Miss Whelan resigned to go to Spring- field and her place was taken by Miss Louise Gagnon, a graduate of Salem Teachers College.
Miss Florence Bourgeois, Smith College and Teachers College, Columbia, accepted the vacancy left by Miss
59
Dansereau's resignation. Miss Louise McDermott, who had her training at A. I. C. was appointed to teach the commercial subjects in Miss Lawe's place. Miss Dorothy Johnson, a graduate of M. S. C. and who had her teacher- training at Deerfield High School, was assigned to teach English in the position left vacant by the resignation of Miss Barrus. These teachers are making every effort to get the required work taught, but they could be greatly helped by more co-operation from those students who now neglect to prepare assigned lessons and to do necessary homework.
Miss Olive Healy of West Chesterfield has continued as supervisor of music. This year we have a selected chorus in high school and expect that this group will pro- duce some very good singing.
Mrs. Olive Thayer of West Cummington has directed the work in drawing for the grades. This is the second year and we are beginning to get some excellent results.
Our health department had several changes during the year. Dr. Charles Wheeler has been ill and therefore was not able to do the work at Haydenville. Dr. Joseph Hobbs entered the service of the U. S. Army and is away. Mrs. Jane E. Lenihan moved to Greenfield and could not continue as one of our school nurses. Dr. Ruth Hemenway was appointed school physician and with the help of Mrs. Louise Jones, school nurse, has directed the work of this department. Dr. Kisiel has served as our dentist. The health of the children has been well cared for although mumps, whooping-cough ,and measles caused considerate loss of time to some pupils.
Because of the drop in the enrollment and the loss of three high school teachers, it was thought advisable to re- organize the high school on a five instead of a six teacher plan. This was done by dividing the subjects formerly taught by the sixth teacher among those remaining. The
60
organization for 1943-1944 is as follows: Principal, Anne T. Dunphp, two classe in Latin, two in French ; Miss Helena J. Webber, four in mathematics, one in U .S. History, and one in Problems of Democracy, assistant coach of debat- ing; Mr. Edward C. Foster, five classes in science, and one in World History; Miss Dorothy Johnson, five classes in English and one in Spoken English, coach of debating and forensic work; Miss Louise McDermott, three classes in typing, one in general mathematics, one in general busi- ness, and one in bookkeeping; Miss Olive Healy, the com- bined glee clubs. The school operates on a two session plan. There are seven regular class periods and one for physical education.
The assignments in the Helen E. James School were: Miss Martha Dickerman, grades 7 and 8; Miss Nellie Dolan, grades 5 and 6; Mrs. Dorothy Colburn, grades 3 and 4; Mrs. Sophie Eaton, grades 1 and 2.
At Haydenville Miss Margaret Trainor was assigned to the principalship and to grades 7 and 8; Miss Florence Bourgeois and later Mrs. Lazelle Brainerd to grades 5 and 6; Miss Doris Whelan, then Miss Louise Gagnon, to grades 3 and 4; and Miss Mary Crampton to grades 1 and 2. Miss Olive Healy was supervisor of music for all schools, and Mrs. Olive Thayer, supervisor of drawing for the grade schools.
The number of pupils transported showed a decrease at the opening of schools in September. There were 120 being carried as against 133 the previous year. The num- ber on each route was as follows: Mt. Street, 20; Hayden- ville to Williamsburg, 30; Searsville, 33; South Street, 15; Chesterfield Road, 7; and Nash Street, 15. Total 120. In addition to these routes Chesterfield transports 14 and Goshen 14 to our schools. The work of carrying these pupils has been well done. No accidents or injuries have occurred.
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Suggestions have sometimes been made that commu- nities do not make as much use of their school buildings as they should, and that large investments which towns in school plants should be made to yield larger returns by using them for many community services. The extent to which this has been done in Williamsburg will be evi- dent from the following list of activities which have taken place at the Helen E. James School. There were 296 dif- ferent meetings held at that building during the school year ending in June. One hundred eighty-seven were dur- ing daylight hours and one hundred and nine were held evenings. The list follows and does not include any public school activities: Summer vacation school, 15; Dancing class, 29; State Guard, 104; 4-H Clubs, 9; Women's Club, 4; Red Cross, 16; Civilian Defense, 24; Boy Scouts, 23; Moving Pictures, 9; Girls' Scouts, 37; Basketball, for visit- ing teams, 8; Rationing, 10; Miscellaneous, 8; Total 296. This extra use of the building cannot help but have an im- portant influence for better community life.
It has been the hope of this department for a number of years that the town would build a suitable gymnasium for the high school. However, high costs, and now the needs of war have delayed this project. But the end of the war is approaching, and after-war planning should in- clude a building that will serve many public purposes. For example, in addition to serving as a "gym" the hall could be built to be used as the Town Hall, for other types of meetings, for motion pictures, and for other kinds of entertainment. There should be rooms for town offices, American Legion, and other organization rooms which would always be heated and ready for use.
We shall sometime build a memorial to our citizens who have served our country in its struggles to maintain the democratic way of life. No finer tribute could be paid to them than to build in their honor such a building. It could be called the Williamsburg Memorial Building.
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Therefore, I recommend, that the School Committee together with the other town officials consider plans and possibilities for constructing such a building as a post-war project.
To pupils, parents, teachers and Members of the School Committee, I extend my sincere thanks for their helpful co-operation during 1944.
Respectfully submitted, LUCIUS A. MERRITT, Superintendent of Schools.
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