USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1920-1924 > Part 15
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400
8.40
8.40
6,100
128.10
128.10
1,000
21.00
21.00
Fitchburg R. R. Co ..
900
18.90
18.90
Gile, Flora J., Concord. .
150
3.15
3.15
50
1.05
1.05
Gourgas, Francis R., Heirs of, Concord Graves, Albert S., Brookline .
16,000
336.00
336.00
100
2.10
2.10
139.65
100
2.10
141.75
Harrington, T. F., Waltham.
7,100
149.10
149.10
Hay, Robert T., Melrose ....
5,500
115.50
115.50
Hayden, Nellie B., Lexington.
200
4.20
4.20
Heywood, C. Fay, Concord
500
10.50
10.50
Higginson, Henry L., Est., Boston.
70,000
1,470 00
1,470.00
Homes, Sarah E., Somerville
200
4.20
4.20
Hunt, Lewis E., Somerville.
1,000
21.00
21.00
Jenks, Albert R., W. Acton.
1,500
31.50
31.50
Kaizer, Horace, Concord.
2,500
52.50
52.50
Keyes, Prescott, Concord
11,000
231.00
231.00
Locke, Isaac, Heirs of. Boston.
200
4.20
4.20
Loring, Augustus, P., Jr., Boston
4,500
94.50
94.50
Lovett, Robert W., Boston ...
6,000
126.00
126.00
Lima, Anthony J., Lexington.
500
10.50
10.50
Lynski, Thomas, Waltham.
2,500
52.50
52.50
Malloy, Mrs. John, Waltham
600
12.60
12.60
Marr, John W., Waltham. ..
500
10.50
10.50
McGrath, Patrick, Concord. .
1,050
22.05
22.05
Moore, Sarah B., Concord.
300
6.30
6.30
Green, Grace, Willow Springs, Wis.
. . . .
Grimwood, Henry A., Weston. .
6,650
101
Name of Resident
Aggregate Value of Personal Estate
Tax on Personal Estate
Aggregate Value of Real Estate
Tax on Real Estate
Total Cash Tax on Personal and Real Estate
Munroe Felt & Paper Co., Boston
1,000
21.00
21.00
Neville, Henry P., Bedford.
8.50
17.85
17.85
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co ..
10,562
221.80
3,600
75.60
297.40
Norton, Mrs. T. M., Ayer
15
.32
.32
Paine, Horace G., Concord .
150
3.15
3.15
Paul, William B. W. ..
1,500
31.50
31.50
Richardson, Annett, Weston
300
6.30
6.30
Richardson, T. C., Weston.
150
3.15
3.15
Rodman, Emma, Nahant. .
5,000
105.00
105.00
Rogers, Edward H., Cambridge
1,875
39.38
12,000
252.00
291.38
Root, Frank K., Chicago . .
600
12.60
12.60
Scully, James J., Cambridge.
5,000
105.00
105.00
Shaw, Nellie S., Woburn .. .
100
2.10
2.10
Sherman, Herbert A., Weston.
100
2.10
2.10
Smith, Eugene H., Waltham. .
100
2.10
2.10
Smith, Eliza A., Portsmouth, N. H ..
200
4.20
4.20
Sousa, Joseph
1,200
25.20
25.20
Stewart, Frank, Waltham.
100
2.10
2.10
Storrow, Helen O., Boston.
4,000
84.00
84.00
Storrow, James J., Boston. .
5,725
120.23
141,000
2,961.00
3,081.23
200
4.20
4.20
Stow, Elizabeth, Concord . . Thorndike, Sturgis H., Boston
2,000
42.00
42.00
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
.
102
Walker, A. Bruce, Milwaukee, Wis .... . Western Union Tel. Co ..... .
1,970
41.37
41.37
Wheeler, Frank, Est., Concord.
2,500
52.50
52.50
Wheeler, Henry A., Weston. .
100
2.10
2.10
Wheelwright, Mary C., Boston
2,675
56.18
15,000
315.00
371.18
1,000
21.00
21.00
White, Robert, Lexington Wilcox, Charlotte W ...
6,000
126.00
126.00
Woodard, Arthur, Weston
1,000
21.00
21.00
Worcester, Alice, Waltham
1,000
21.00
21.00
250
5.25
5.25
.
103
TREASURER'S REPORT
The receipts into and payments from the Treasury for the year 1922 have been as follows:
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand January 1st, 1922
$ 5,553.19
T. L. Giles, Collector of Taxes
46,808.76
Highway Department
3,271.30
Moth Department
251.10
Dog Tax 1921
251.29
Town Hall, use of
20.00
Selectmen's Orders
83,814.82
Town Loan. Anticipation of Taxes ($3.58)
20,000.00
Balance on hand January 1st, 1923
29,644.77
School Department, from Trustees Grammar School Fund 1921
61.21
from New England Tel. & Tel. Co.
a/c error
29.89
School pupils (1920)
574.20
from Mass. a/c Mass. School Fund 1921
294.36
from Mass. General School Fund ..
1,510.00
from Mass. Vocational Education ..
26.45
from Mass. Tuition of Children
921.00
from South School. Coal used 1921 ..
102.00
from Material and Damage
9.33
Concord Court
Transfer from Sinking and Trust Funds
Massachusetts
Corporation Tax. Domestic
14.82
=
1920
20.17
1921.
25.41
9.50
1920.
28.50
494.00
40,743.41
39.44
Concord Road
6,683.33
Cambridge, City of-Tax
340.85
Miscellaneous from Tel-phone calls Outside
1.85
Lincoln Library 1921 a/c Janitor
200.00
Cemetery from Cemetery Fund
389.95
District Nurse from Town of Sudbury
87.50
Lincoln School
483.33
Nurse
171.60
Interest on Deposit
120.13
PAYMENTS
Massachusetts Corporation Tax 1921-Public Service- over paid
$ 114.30
Transfer to Sinking and Trust Funds 11,000.00
Middlesex County Tax 2,744.21
Town Note 20,000.00
104
$147,318.10
C. LEE TODD, Treasurer.
..
.. .
1921
.
1922
Compensation of Animal Inspector
..
Middlesex County, Concord Road
6,683.33
96.90
11,000.00
Income
1919.
$147,318.10
from Mass. Transportation High
105
REPORT OF COLLECTOR OF TAXES
There remain unpaid of the taxes assessed in 1920. . $384.00
For the year 1921 1,415.45
And for the year 1922 6,932.51
Making total uncollected taxes to Jan. 1, 1923 .... $8,731.96
THOMAS L. GILES, Collector.
106
WATER WORKS DEPARTMENT
Outstanding Bonds January 1, 1923
Issue of 1900 due 1930 Coupon 33s, J. & D.
$10,000.00
Issue of 1900 due 1930 Reg'd. 33s, J. & D. (name of Common- wealth of Massachusetts 13,000.00
Issue of 1902 due 1932 Coupon 32s M. & S. 6,000.00
Issue of 1902 due 1932 Reg'd. 33s M. & S. (name of Com- monwealth of Massachusetts)
3,000.00
Issue of 1903 due 1934 Coupon 33s, M. & N.
5,000.00
Issue of 1904 due 1934 Coupon 4s. M. & S.
5,000.00
Issue of 1906 due 1936 Coupon 4s, M. & S.
14,000.00
Issue of 1907 due 1937 Coupon 4s, M. & S.
4,000.00
Issue of 1907 Serial Coupon 4s, M. & S. ($500 due each year ) 2,500.00
Issue of 1911 Serial Coupon 4s, M. & S. ($500 due each year) 500.00
$63,000.00
107
REPORT OF BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
The Board of Water Commissioners respectfully submit the following report for the year 1922.
The pumps have given good service and have always been in condition to work. ' Most of the pumping has been done with no operator in attendance, therefore making a saving in salary.
An unusually small amount of leaks have occurred, and no new construction has been started, affording another saving.
The reservoir bank, gate house wall, and coal pocket need repairing, and the hydrants would be improved by painting. Otherwise the plant is in good condition with the exception of the cement-lined pipe on the station road, which the Board intends to commence renewing this year.
A few years ago the Town voted to make an extension in North Lincoln to the sight of the old North School, but no appropriation was made, and the interested parties have never yet made any formal guarantee, consequently the Board has done nothing about the extension.
The Profit and Loss Sheet shows the present financial con- dition of the Water Works, and it can be seen that the net gain was the largest in the history of the Department.
Probably many people think they pay high water rates, especially those with many fixtures and small families. At any rate, the Board heard only two formal complaints from people who previously had paid water taxes in cities. These people raised the common question that because they had numerous fixtures they did not use any more water than if they had half as many fixtures. The Board does not attempt to deny the contention, but the taxes must be collected, and
108
the Board has not yet found a better system of charging than the one in use. It has been proved here conclusively that the meter system is out of the question, and any other system which the Board might operate to gain the revenue would probably not please every one, therefore the Board decided to leave well enough alone and kept on with the old system. However, it would seem that the consumers who have only one faucet do not pay in proportion to what they use. It is significant that the average number of gallons of water pumped per month in the winter is nearly as much as in the summer, and the inference is that water must be left running to keep it from freezing, and usually the most danger from freezing is in the houses with no furnace and generally one fixture. Water is not unduly wasted here, for the average daily per capita consumption is only a little larger than the average in many cities.
SUMNER SMITH, JOHN J. KELLEHER, ROBERT R. HUNTER, Water Commissioners
Summary of Statistics for Year Ending December 31, 1922
PUMPING STATISTICS
Rumsey Triplex Pump, 101/2" x 12", 25 H.P. motor.
Rumsey Triplex Pump, 12" x 14", 40 H. P. motor.
Power furnished by Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston.
Total water pumped for year 77,134,000 gallons.
Cost of pumping, figured on Pumping Station's expenses (including salaries and power), $34.63 per million gallons.
Cost of pumping, figured on Pumping Station expenses, power, salaries, interest, repairs and renewals and depreciation, $211.20 per million gallons pumped.
109
Statistics Relating to Distribution System
Mains
1. Kind of pipe used, cement lined, cast iron, wood stave, galvanized iron.
2. Sizes, 11/2" to 12".
3. Extended during the year, none.
4. Discontinued during the year, none.
5. Total now in use, 26.571 miles. Hydrants re- placed, 1.
6. Number of hydrants added during the year, 0.
7. Number of hydrants (public and private) now in use, 126.
8. Number of stop-gates renewed, 1. Number of stop-gates added during the year, 0.
9. Number of stop-gates now in use, 136.
10. Number of blow-offs. 30.
11. Range of pressure on mains, 40 pounds to 10. pounds.
Services
12. Kind of pipe, galvan- ized iron and cement lined.
13. Sizes, 3/4" to 4".
14. Renewed, 7. Discontin- ued, 0.
15. Number of service taps added during the year, 4.
16. Number now in use, 349.
17. Average length of serv- ice, 12' +.
18. Meters now in use, 13.
Water Report PROFIT AND LOSS Year Ending December 31, 1922.
Dr.
Cr.
Expense
$ 119.09
Rates
$11,406.38
Power
1,672.65
Meter
783.27
Salaries
874.68
Sundry
103.58
Interest
2,465.86
Repairs and Renewals
759.10
Net Gain
6,401.85
$12,293.23
$12,293.23
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Construction
$187 410.22
Bonds outstanding
$63,000.00
Sinking Fund
35,312.13
Town of Lincoln, Loan 1912
4,787.51
Coal on Hand
200.00
Surplus
158,659.33
Wire on Hand
100.00
Water bills uncollected
550.00
Cash on Hand
2,874.49
$226,446.84
$226,446.84
C. LEE TODD, Treasurer.
110
111
REPORT OF FIRE ENGINEERS
To the Board of Selectmen:
The Board of Fire Engineers herewith submit their 15th annual report ending December 31, 1922:
Force
The Fire Department consists of the following : one chief, six engineers and ten call men.
Apparatus
The apparatus belonging to the Department is as follows: Two combination trucks; twenty-five extinguishers; three ladders, hose, axes and plaster hooks.
Location of Apparatus
No. 2 Combination truck at Doherty's Garage, So. Lincoln. No. 3 Ford Combination truck at John Dee Farm, Virginia Road, North Lincoln.
Fires
During the past year the truck has been called out as fol- lows: 7 chimney; 11 grass and wood; 5 houses; 1 barn; at a loss of $9,000.
ISAAC N. MACRAE, Chief, THOMAS DEE, HERBERT FARRAR, H. S. COUSINS, J. J. KELLIHER, ANDREW DOUGHERTY, MATTHEW H. DOUGHERTY.
112
TREE WARDEN'S REPORT
I herewith submit a brief report on the work done on the trees and against the Gypsy and Browntail Moths for the year ending December 31, 1922:
The methods used in handling the Gypsy Moth problem this year have been practically the same as in past years, namely creosoting nests on trees along the highways, followed by spraying. We find this the cheapest and most efficient way of carrying on the work. I am pleased to say that the Gypsy Moth infection is not as severe as it has been in past years, conditions as a whole show an improvement, due largely to parasitic attack and disease. I sincerely hope the same agencies will continue their good work. We found it necessary to go through some of the orchards and remove the Browntail Moth webs so as to prevent any further spread, there being three bushels of nests cut this year.
The work of removing the broken branches from the trees has been done on some of the highways, but not all, as it is a very slow and expensive job. I had the assistance of Dr. Stone of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, than whom there is no better authority on shade trees. In our opinion, the most important work is to remove the broken branches; after this is done, permanent shaping and pruning can be undertaken. Little, if any, injury will result to the tree if several years are taken for this work; in the meantime, it will give nature an opportunity to readjust herself.
The total expenditure of this Department is $4,304.17, of which there has been charged up to property owners $968.50 on account of private work, leaving a net cost of $3,335.67 to the Town.
I recommend that $3,500.00 be appropriated for Moth and Tree Work.
Respectfully submitted, JOHN J. KELLIHER.
113
LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Trustees on the following pages submit the report of the Treasurer and Librarian for the year ending December 31, 1922.
The Trustees ask for an appropriation of $800.00 and the Dog Tax.
C. LEE TODD, Chairman of the Trustees.
1
DR.
REPORT OF TREASURER OF LINCOLN LIBRARY FOR YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1922.
CR.
RECEIPTS
Balance on hand, Jan. 1, 1922
$6.08
Cash received from fincs, sale of books
44.74
Income from Liberty Bonds
8.50
Income from Codman Fund
43.75
Dog Tax, 1921
251.29
Income from Trust Funds, as follows:
G. G. Tarbell Legacy
$114.29
John Pierce Legacy
53.50
Abbie J. Stearns Legacy
119.25
Julia A. Bemis Fund
57.00
344.04
Town Appropriation
800.00
77.20
Books
172.81
Salary of Janitor
200.00
Income of Pierce Fund paid Librarians
53.50
Salaries of Librarians
500.00
$1,200.29
Balance on hand 298.11
$1,498.40
EXPENDITURES
Water Rate
$10.00
Clerical Work
10.00
Delivery of Books to South Lincoln .
19.50
Sundries, by Librarians
12.99
Telephone
22.20
Light
54.34
Repairs, as follows:
Caning Chairs
$13.32
Windows
47.75
61.07
Supplies from Library Bureau
6.68
Magazines
...
114
$1.498.40
The Codman Fund is invested in five shares of Boston and Albany stock. The Library Trustees also hold $200 in Liberty 474's.
JOHN F. FARRAR, Treasurer
115
LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS
Annual Report for the year ending Dec. 31, 1922 Library open Wednesday and Saturday from 3 to 9 P.M., except legal holidays.
Number of volumes at beginning of year 11,291
Number of volumes added by purchase 111
Number of volumes added by gift 2
Number of volumes withdrawn during year
30
Number of volumes at end of year 11,374
Number of volumes of fiction lent for home use
3,664
Number of volumes of non-fiction lent for home use 2,254
Number of volumes of children's books lent for home use 2,138
Total number of volumes lent for home use 8,056
Number of days Library was open 102
Gifts of books, periodicals, etc., have been received from the following persons :
Mr. A. N. Parks
Mr. J. Baker
Miss Elsie Pierce
Miss A. Bartlett
Miss J. Peirce
Mrs. Brokenshire
Miss B. Scripture
Mrs. Wm. Blodgett
Mr. J. W. Smith
Mrs. S. Blodgett
Mr. M. Story
Mr. E. Farrar
Mr. G. G. Tarbell
Mrs. W. Harrington
Miss M. Washburn
Mr. D. Mann
Mrs. Wilcox
Mr. A. J. Parker
The usual number of reports and bulletins have been re- ceived from various libraries and other public institutions.
116
LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY
Accessions to the Library for 1922
FICTION
Ashmun, Margaret. Isabel Carleton at home 1013.29
Isabel Carleton's friends 1013.28
Isabel Carleton's year .. 1013.27
Bacheller, Irving. In the days of Poor Richard.
724.26
Benchley, Robert C. Of all things
728.38
Birmingham, G. A. Lady Bountiful.
1017.29
Blanchard, Grace. The island cure ..
1038.27
Braley, Berton. Sheriff of Silver Bow
1038.26
Burnett, Frances Hodgson.
Head of the House of
1038.28
Canfield, Dorothy. Rough-hewn
1016.32
Clemens, Samuel L. (Mark Twain). Mysterious stranger: and other stories.
1022.26
Comfort, Will Levington. This man's world.
728.37
Cooper, Francis L. Captain Potts minister.
1016.29
Deland, Margaret. The vehement flame.
711.29
Gerould, Katherine Fullerton. Lost valley
918.30
Gowing, Sidney. The joy of living
1018.32
Grey, Zane. Light of Western stars: a romance. To the last man.
927.31
Hawes, Charles Boardman. A romance of 1826, wherein are recorded the experiences of Josiah Woods of
Topham, and of those others with whom he sailed for Cuba and the Gulf of Guinea
925.37
Hèmon, L. Maria Chapdelaine: Tale of the Lake St. John country
723.30
Hough, Emerson. The covered wagon.
711.28
Hutchinson, A. S. M. Once aboard the lugger: Story of George and his Mary This freedom
723.31
1015.34
Kyne, Peter B. Pride of Palomar.
723.28
Lewis, Sinclair. Babbitt
1014.29
Marshall, Archibald. Big Peter
726.46
Peter Binney 1038.24
Pippin 1014:30
927.30
Coombe Robin
711.32
117
Merrick, Leonard. One man's view 1038.25
Nicholson, Meredith. Broken barriers 1014.31
Oppenheim, E. Phillips. Evil shepherd. 1015.32
Paine, William Mcleod. Fighting edge. 1015.33
Parker, Gilbert. Carnac's folly .. 1016.30
Payne, E. S. All the way by water
1012.28
Porter, Eleanor. Tangled threads. 756.30
Rinehart, Mary Roberts. At the breaking point.
724.25
Ruck, Berta. Wrong Mr. Right
726.24
Sabatini, Rafael. Captain Blood.
1016.31
Sawyer, Ruth. Silver sixpence.
1014.28
Sedgwick, A. D. (Mrs. Basil de Selincourt.) Adrienne Tower 723.29
Sinclair, May. Mr. Waddington of Wyck.
927.28
Singmaster, Elsie. Bennett Malin
918.31
Tarkington, Booth. Gentle Julia
726.45
Titus, Harold. Timber.
1038.29
Walpole, Hugh. Young enchanted: a romantic story ...
927.29
Wharton, Edith. Glimpses of the moon .. 711.30
Wilson, Harry Leon. Merton of the movies 728.36
Wodehouse, P. G. Three men and a maid.
728.35
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Atkinson, Wilmer. Autobiography. Founder of Farm Journal
646.22
Garland, Hamlin. Daughter of the Middle Border. 646.23
Lane, Franklin K. Letters of F. K. Lane. Personal , and political. Edited by A. W. Lane and L. H. Wall 635.20 Paine, Albert Bigelow. In one man's life. Being chap- ters from the personal and business career of Theo- dore N. Vail. 646.21
Van Loon, Hendrik. Story of mankind. 362.1
Wells, H. G. Outline of history: a plain history of life and mankind. 364.5
JUVENILE
Alden, Raymond Macdonald. Why the chymes rang .. 1223.30
Barbour, Ralph Henry. Forward pass. Story of "New football" 1236.31
Turner twins. 1222.29
118
Beard, D. C. Field and forest handy book 1243.29
Brown, Abbie Farwell. Round Robin. 815.33
Burgess, Thornton W. Blackey the crow 823.29
Granny the fox. 823.30
Lightfoot the deer. 835.27
Carpenter, Frank George. How the world is clothed.
(Readers of commerce and industry) 1214.29
How the world is fed. (Readers of commerce and industry) 1214.28
How the world is housed. (Readers of com- merce and industry) 1214.30
Crump, Irving. Boys' book of railroads
827.31
Deland, Ellen Douglas. Secret stairs
1218.1
Gray, Joseph. Newcomer in Penny Lane.
1223.31
Linderman, Frank B. Indian Old-man stories: more sparks from War Eagles Lodge-fire. 815.35
Lothrop, Mrs. Harriet M. (Margaret Sidney Pseud.) The stories Polly Pepper told: to the five little Peppers in the little brown house .. 831.35
Macdonald, George. Princess and goblin. 1223.32
Mathiews, Franklin K. Boy Scouts book of camp fire stories
821.32
Boy Scouts year book.
821.33
Morgan, Alfred P. Boys home book of science and construction
1243.28
Maule, Mary K. The Bryne girls.
1218.4
North, Grace Mary. Adele Doring in camp.
1222.28
Parkman, Mary A. Conquests of invention: Cyrus McCormick-Elias Howe-Thomas A. Edison- William Murdock-Robert Fulton-Guglielmo Mar- coni-Charles Goodyear-George Westinghouse-Eli Whitney-George Stephenson-James Watt-Wilbur and Orville Wright-Alexander Graham Bell. .
1218.2
Patteson, S. L. When I was a girl in Switzerland. 1218.3
1218.5
Pearson, Adelaide. The Laughing lion: and other stories Peary, Robert E. Snow-land folk
1246.31
Perkins, Lucy Fitch. Cave twins
1246.33
Eskimo twins
1246.34
Mexican twins
1246.32
Puritan twins 1246.35
Rolt-Wheeler, Francis. Book of cowboys 815.32
Boy with U. S. Secret Service 815.34
119
Schultz, James Willard. Seizer of eagles 823.28
Trail of the Spanish horse 1222.27
Spyri, Johanna. Moni the goat boy. 1214.31
Squier, Emma Lindsay. The wild heart. Introduction
by Jean Stratton Porter. 823.29
Terhune, Albert Payson. Further adventures of Lad. . . . 835.26
Tomlinson, Everett T. Mysterious rifleman. Story of the American Revolution . 821.34
White, Eliza Orne. Peggy in her blue frock. 835.28
TRAVEL
Hamilton, Lord Frederic. Here, there and everywhere 437.19
Hyatt, Verrill A. Panama past and present. 427.28
O'Brien, Frederick. Atolls of the sun. 416.31
MISCELLANEOUS
Francis, David R. Russia from the American Embassy.
April, 1916-November, 1918. 1542.8
Gibbs, Philip. More that must be told. 1311.19
Howe, Frederic C. Denmark: a co-operative Common- wealth 1542.9
John Fritz Medal
1542.7
Leacock, Stephen. My discovery of England.
1542.10
M. T. G. My Chinese marriage.
1542.11
Palmer, Frederick. Folly of nations
1515.13
Robinson, James Harvey. Mind in the making: relation 1 of intelligence to social reform. 1542.5
Underwood, William Lyman. Wild brother. Strangest
of true stories from the North woods. 1542.4
Wells, H. G. Salvaging of civilization. Probable future of mankind 1515.12
Welsh, Herbert. New gentlemen of the road. 1542.6
Wister, Owen. Neighbors henceforth 1315.22
USEFUL ARTS
Richardson, A. W. Poultry 214.15
120
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ENLARGING THE SCHOOL HOUSE
The Committee, consisting of the School Committee and three others appointed by the moderator, as voted at the Annual Town Meeting in March 1922, to look into the neces- sity for enlarging the present schoolhouse, or of providing in some way added schoolrooms to care for the increased number of pupils, makes the following report :
The Committee finds that all grades, with the exception of the 7th, 8th and 9th, are so large that each grade must occupy one schoolroom by itself. The Center School has six main rooms, suitable for classrooms, and one small recitation room, which can be used as a classroom for a grade of 15 pupils. It has been used for a class of 19, but was overcrowded with this number. This leaves us the necessity of providing two extra rooms as classrooms, as a minimum with which to func- tion properly. During the past year, the School Committee has taken care of this situation by opening the South School- house. A new heating plant was installed, many minor repairs made, the trim of the building painted, and the walls and ceilings of the classrooms were painted and calcimined. The building is now in good condition, and adequately cares for the first two grades. This leaves seven grades in the Center School, which can accommodate them only so long as at least one grade is small enough to use the small recitation room. It seems to the Committee that there is no immediate prospect that the 9th grade will be too large to be so cared for. When that time comes, however, there will be no alternative but to enlarge the present schoolhouse, or to erect another building, at which time provision should be made for enough rooms to
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house all nine grades at the Center School, with due considera- tion given to the possible necessity for a High School at some time in the future.
In making final recommendation to the town, the Committee has considered the advantages and disadvantages of continuing to operate the South School. It seems to the Committee that this additional expense of operation is not much greater than would be the expense of operating an addition to the present school building. In a central plant there would probably be a small saving in fuel. The extra expense for janitor service could perhaps be cut $100 yearly. It is doubtful if any saving could be made in transportation, as the barges are now crowded to capacity and if the children from the south part of the town who now attend the South School were carried to the Center, additional transportation would have to be furnished, which would doubtless cost more than under the present arrangement by which Mr. Doherty carries those children who attend the first and second grades from the north, east and center of the town, on his return trip.
If an addition at the Center were now authorized, proper provision should be made for a room or rooms in which the children could find recreation during recess on stormy days, and also for a general assembly room. These two features could be easily combined. Modern schoolhouse construction demands them both. It is evident that proper indoor recrea- tion facilities should be provided for the children. An as- sembly room is desirable, but not necessary.
The operation of the South School is desirable in that it greatly relieves the crowded condition of the school barge. The School Committee quite properly placed the first two grades in this school for the following reasons : the necessity of transporting the children of the north, east and center of the town to the South School makes necessary a shorter session in the South School, not only at the start of the school day, but
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also at its close, so that the barges may be ready to leave the Center School at its closing hour. The upper grades cannot afford this loss of time. The shorter session is a distinct advantage to the 1st and 2nd grades, not only because they do not need the longer hours, but because at their age the children becomes less fatigued and consequently do better work par- ticularly towards the close of the school day. In addition, the small children are able to play by themselves. In every school there is the problem of restraining the older boys from teasing the younger ones. This teasing, done thoughtlessly, of course, and without malice, is unfortunately a part of the human nature of a boy, and is a disagreeable and often a detrimental feature in the early school years of the younger children. The placing of these grades by themselves of course solves this problem.
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