USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1941-1945 > Part 29
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It is evident that co-ordination of this type will result in more lasting municipal expansion and affect sound economy. Admitting that the study thus far is in its initial stage, we ask that the Board be granted $300 for use at their discretion in retaining an architect to further examine the present Center School Building with respect to conversion to Town Office use.
We all realize that through depreciation and additional demand the location and capacity of our present Municipal Buildings must be given careful study.
The Highway Department will unquestionably need a Fire Resistant Building to house more and heavier equipment.
With the co-operation of the Board of Selectmen, the ser- vices of the New England Fire Insurance Rating Association will be made available to the town without charge. The survey to be made by them will result in recommendations for added
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fire protection for many years to come. In this regard it seemed advisable to view the present Fire Department Head- quarters Building with respect to its continued use. We have asked therefore for $50, to be used in getting qualified advice on this subject.
We wish to thank all department heads and town organiza- tions for their valuable assistance to us this past year.
Respectfully submitted,
C. K. FITTS, Chairman, W. E. LOVEJOY, Secretary, R. D. DONALDSON, J. O. WILSON, HAYWARD PIERCE.
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REPORT OF BOARD OF APPEALS
REPORT OF BOARD OF APPEALS UNDER THE ZONING BY-LAWS FOR THE YEAR 1944
To the Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
The Board organized for the present year with Harland B. Newton, Chairman, and Anthony J. Doherty, Clerk. During the year two Petitions were received and acted upon.
(1) Meeting, February 14, 1944
Petition of David W. Mann to permit the use of a building located on his property on the North Great Road, so-called, in the northerly part of the town to be used for the carrying on of war work. Hearing on this Petition was held on February 14, 1944, and a decision rendered by said Board, which de- cision however was recalled later owing to the fact that one member of the Board was away and out of the State at the time of the hearing and was unable to be present and that by a recent decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court holding that a ruling or decision of the Board of Appeals must be unanimous and rendered by the full membership of the Board . present at the hearing and voting.
As the Zoning By-Laws of the town made no provision for associate members to serve in case of a vacancy or inability to act on the part of a member of the Board, it was necessary to make provision for the appointment of associate members. This was accomplished by having an article inserted in the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting held on March 6, 1944, at which meeting it was voted that the Selectmen shall appoint two associate members to serve on the Board. This amendment to the By-Laws was approved by the Attorney- General on March 14, 1944, and two associate members, namely, Daniel Everett Sherman, Jr., and Henry B. Hoover, were appointed to the Board by the Selectmen.
On March 27, 1944, and after due notice to parties who might be interested, the Board held a meeting on application of Mr. Mann, which application came before the Board on the refusal of the Building Inspector to grant a permit to make
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certain alterations and changes to his building on North Great Road. This application was denied by the Building Inspector on March 16, 1944, who found that the same would not con- form to Section 7 of the Zoning By-Laws.
On this application the Board made the following decision and notified Mr. Mann of the same by the following letter, dated March 29, 1944. (Letter hereto attached and made part of this Report.)
March 29, 1944.
Mr. David W. Mann,
Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Dear Mr. Mann: - We wish to express our appreciation of the manner and completeness with which Mr. Donaldson presented your request to the Board of Appeals. We also welcomed the frank and broad discussion indicating the in- terest of everyone present. The Board does regret, however, the turn which some of the discussion took, suggesting that there might have been prejudice on the part of Board members, lack of appreciation of your ability or the importance of your efforts in war work, the character of the business you propose to carry on or the implication that the Board or any citizens of Lincoln might not be as distressed as anyone at possible delay of important war work. Concerning all these points, the Board wants you to know that it is unanimous in its feeling that we all should do everything possible to encourage and aid you to expedite your war work.
The responsibility which rests in this Board is simply to make the best decision possible `under the Zoning By-Law which governs our actions. The spirit of Captain Evans' and Commander Monks' remarks as well as the comments of almost everyone present was that action should be taken to make it possible for you to proceed at once with your military contracts even if on a temporary basis. This we believe can be made possible and to this end the Board unanimously and individually makes the following decision and proposal:
1. We find that the purposes for which you intend to use the premises in the North Lincoln Business Zone do not fall under Section 7, but do fall under Section 8C and your petition is, therefore, denied.
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REPORT OF BOARD OF APPEALS
2. However, while no further specific request has been made for a temporary permit, the Board in order to expedite the war effort and avoid the necessity of further delay, grants permission to carry on such work as is involved in your military contracts as outlined for one year in ac- cordance with Section 21A.
3. The Board further recognizes that the law permits no longer period of variance than granted in item 2 above. We further recognize that it is almost impossible for you to complete your war contracts on such a basis due to the fear of a sudden termination of this permit; and, there- fore, we personally promise to use our influence and vote to extend your permit annually as granted in item 2 above for two additional years, or for the duration of the war plus one year, whichever is the greater.
We believe that the decision and promise above outlined will permit you to undertake and successfully complete your military contracts and at the same time maintain the integrity of the Zoning By-Law.
We trust that this decision and promise will be accepted in the spirit with which it is made and will meet your needs as completely as possible under the circumstances.
Very truly yours,
BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN OF LINCOLN, By ANTHONY J. DOHERTY, Clerk.
On December 16, 1944, the Board received a communication from Mr. Mann requesting that its ruling made at the hearing held on March 27, 1944 be corrected by striking out all that part which follows paragraph No. 1 of said decision. Replying to this letter, Mr. Mann was informed that the Board was without authority at this time to correct or modify its decision as Section 30 under (3) of Chapter 40 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth provides the only remedy for a party aggrieved by a decision of the Board of Appeals is appeal to the Superior Court sitting in Equity, which appeal must be filed in said Court within 15 days after such a decision is recorded, and
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no such appeal had been taken within the time allowed by law.
(2) Meeting May 8, 1944
Application of Warren E. Rice for permit to install two 10,000 gallon underground tanks for storage of heating oils, same to be located on his property on Concord Road, in the southerly part of the town of Lincoln.
Mr. Rice, the Petitioner, stated that he had carried on the business of selling heating oils for about 25 years and before the adoption of the Zoning By-Laws. This business was carried on at his present location and in connection with a garage and gasoline station. Mr. Rice further explained the dimensions of the tanks and the location and manner of their installation.
All the abutters having been notified, and no one appearing in opposition to this application, and after a statement made by Mr. Rice that he had talked with Mr. Knowles, one of the abutters, and a Mr. White who represents the heirs of the late Addie Jennison, and was assured by both that they had no objections to the installation of the tanks, the Board made the following decision :
It was unanimously voted by the five members of the Board present that the application be granted subject to the following conditions: That said tanks will be located at least 50 feet back from the line of the highway, and an equal distance from the boundary line of the nearest abutter.
Respectfully submitted,
BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN OF LINCOLN, By ANTHONY J. DOHERTY, Clerk.
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REPORT OF WORK OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY
REPORT OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE - 1944
Due to a shortage of manpower in the County Extension office a general report is given rather than a detailed report as has been done during previous years.
The Extension Service during 1944 turned over all its facili- ties to the war effort in the production and conservation of food and other factors necessary to help win the war. The County Trustees, Town Directors and Local leaders gave freely of their time in spite of the fact that most of them were fully occupied with other duties.
Under agriculture most of the time was spent in co-opera- tion with Selective Service Boards in furnishing information relative to registrants employed on farms. This probably was the most important job of the year as the food production program would not continue unless the key men on our farms were retained.
Farm labor is probably the next important item, with the local director co-operating with the school system in helping to make available all the boys and girls within the town and any other available people to help meet the extreme labor shortage on farms. The County office was instrumental in finding some outside available help and especially during the harvest season various types of help were obtained to harvest the crop.
General assistance was given in all production problems in order that the maximum amount of food could be produced.
Homemakers were assisted, especially in the conservation and preservation of food, a better understanding of wise use of ration points and food that had to be purchased along with greater use of home-grown foods. Good nutrition for the family was especially stressed in order that the health of the family could be maintained under war conditions. Clothing renovation and construction, refinishing and upholstering furniture were all projects emphasized to help the homemaker carry on more efficiently under war conditions.
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With Boys' and Girls' 4-H Club Work, it was difficult here to carry on due to lack of available local volunteer leaders. Much credit, however, should go to the leaders who gave all their available time to help our boys and girls carry on with their various projects. The club members of your town were part of the 1,700,000 in the United States who helped 4-H earn the recognition of having made the largest contribution in the war effort of any of the youth organizations of the nation. Food Production, Food Preservation and Home- making were the clubs given the greatest emphasis during the year.
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REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
REPORT OF TREE WARDEN
The work of this department was greatly hampered by the shortage of labor to do the work that should be done on the trees, such as removing dead limbs and dead trees and clearing the brush on the highways. We were very fortunate to be able to obtain the help from the Highway Department to do some of this work. This work could not have been done without their help. The spraying was carried on this year with very good results. There is a noticeable decrease in the number of Gypsy Moth nests in most sections of the Town.
We will have to depend on the spraying to control both the Gypsy Moth and Elm Leaf Beetle until such time as we are able to get help, which I hope will be in the near future as there is a large amount of work to be done.
The total expenditure this year was $1,250.13 and it is recommended that $2,375.00 be appropriated for the year 1945.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN J. KELLIHER, Tree Warden.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
1944 LINCOLN PLAYGROUND REPORT
The playground enjoyed one of its most successful and useful years this past summer.
General supervision of all activities was under the direction of Mr. James Dudley with the part-time assistance of the Misses Victoria Henderson and Barbara Palmer. The en- couragement and help of Mr. John Todd and Mr. William Holmes in organizing and instruction of baseball to the older boys was greatly appreciated by the committee.
The program consisted of tennis, softball and baseball for boys and girls of all age groups. Twilight baseball along with the occasional Sunday afternoon games for men and older boys was as successful as the previous summer.
The Tennis tournament and playoffs for the ball teams were a feature of the closing week of the playground.
In the near future it is hoped that the summer rehearsals of the school band and handcraft classes can be resumed.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH DOHERTY, EVELYN WINCHELL, ETHAN A. MURPHY.
143
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
REPORT OF THE LINCOLN COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
With the establishment of a Western Front in Europe and the favorable movement away from the English Channel, the need for protective measures on the part of the Committee has been materially curtailed. Air raid practises and blackouts have ceased to exist and the military feels we are reasonably safe from attacks by air. Likewise, Lincoln is not a town that is apt to be subject to sabotage dangers.
We did have one incident during the year in the form of a forced landing on the part of a pilot of the Civil Air Patrol which was ably handled by members of the Auxiliary Police and Air Raid Wardens. In fact, it was so ably handled that the Police were especially complimented by State Officials.
Two issues of the Bulletin were sent out during the year to all citizens of the Town, which we feel proved to be of interest and help. We are hoping to increase the number of issues dur- ing 1945 and make them somewhat broader in scope.
There were three paper drives conducted with the able help of the Boy Scouts and members of the Town who not only gener ously gave their time but also the use of their automo- biles in order to obtain this critical material. Lincoln was credited with turning in approximately 30 tons of scrap paper.
Tin cans were collected at regular intervals and we were able to salvage about 4 tons.
While it is still our hope that the need for the Committee is rapidly dwindling, nevertheless should an emergency exist, there is an organization at hand properly trained to cope with any situation necessary to protect the citizens of the Town.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
We are listing below our expenditures for the year as applied against the budget for $500:
Bulletins
$43 35
Cost of Mounting Pump 30 00
Repairs
9 55
Property Officer's Bond
5 00
Miscellaneous
5 10
$93 00
Respectfully submitted,
LINCOLN COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY,
WILLIAM N. PAGE, Chairman.
REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
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REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
I herewith submit the Annual Report of the Building Inspector of the Town of Lincoln for the period of February 7, 1944 to December 31, 1944.
Permits Classification
Estimated Value of Work
1 New Residential
$3500 00
6 Residential Alterations and Additions 4450 00
4 New Accessory Buildings 790 00
3 Alterations and Additions to Acces- sory Buildings. 335 00
1 Alteration to Business Building 3000 00
4 Moving Existing Structures
No value
6 Plumbing 650 00
4 Electric 245 00
Total
29 Total Estimated Value
$12,970 00
1 Application Refused
Total Fees Collected $47.50
Respectfully submitted,
CYRUS W. MURPHY, Building Inspector.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
COMMITTEE FOR INVESTIGATING THE NEEDS OF THE LINCOLN SCHOOLS
In accordance with an article in the warrant voted at the regular Town Meeting held March 6, 1944, the Moderator appointed the following committee to prepare plans to meet the growing needs of the Lincoln Schools:
Mr. James DeNormandie Mr. Charles K. Fitts Mrs. Paul L. Norton Mr. William N. Page Mr. Albert A. Schaal
The Committee was organized on May 23, 1944, with Mr. William N. Page as Chairman. At that time, it was felt that a consultant, familiar with school planning, should be engaged to make a survey of the Town of Lincoln school building situation and to make recommendations as to how proper improvements might be effected.
In a discussion of the matter with Dr. Albert Simpson of the Harvard School of Education, who recently made a survey and report of the Lincoln school system, he suggested that one of the most capable men he knew for the job we wanted done was Mr. John E. Nichols, Supervisor of School Buildings and Plans, Department of Education of the State of Connecticut. In this capacity, Mr. Nichols is called upon to furnish advisory ser- vices to local communities on schoolhouse planning, construc- tion and equipment. He is Chairman of the Standards and Executive Committee of the National Council on Schoolhouse Construction; a member of the Special Advisory Committee on School Building Problems to the United States Office of Education; Vice-President of the Connecticut Chapter, American Institute of Architects; a member of the Advisory Committee of Connecticut Standard Building Code. As re- gards school survey projects, he was a member of the Profes- sional Staff of the Legislative Inquiry into the Administration of the New York City Schools in 1942; a member of the Pro- fessional Staff of the Boston School Survey in 1944; and is presently engaged as Consultant in school building problems
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COMMITTEE ON NEEDS OF LINCOLN SCHOOLS
for Wellesley, Massachusetts; Brattleboro, Vermont; Hing- ham, Massachusetts; and Cohasset, Massachusetts.
Mr. Nichols was engaged as Consultant for this Committee and has rendered a splendid service. We are very appreciative of the time and effort he has given and we believe you will find his report to be a capable and careful analysis of our problems together with a sound solution to them.
REPORT TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Initial Premises
In 1941-42 the School Committee of the town of Lincoln undertook a study which served as a basis for the reformula- tion of its policies affecting the future of the Lincoln schools. In making this study the School Committee had the able assistance of Dr. Alfred Simpson and Dr. Edgar Fuller of Harvard University. Certain of the conclusions growing out of that study which have a bearing upon the question of school facilities are worthy of review. It was recommended that:
1. "That no high school be constructed in Lincoln either now or in the foreseeable future." Briefly this conclu- sion was based upon the improbability of any pro- nounced growth of the high school enrollment; upon the relatively excessive cost of constructing and operating a small high school; and upon the practical impossibility of providing for small numbers the educational oppor- tunities which are usually found only in larger schools.
2. "That the Lincoln schools be organized on the 8-4 basis instead of 6-3-3"; that is, eight elementary grades with grade nine sent to a neighborhood high school along with grades ten, eleven and twelve. This conclusion was based upon the disadvantages pupils face in entering a four-year high school one whole year behind their
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classmates; upon the comparative meagerness of the facilities that could be provided them as high school freshmen in the Lincoln school; and upon the need of the elementary grades for the space at that time being occupied by the ninth grade.
3. "That planning be begun for the postwar construction of a combination auditorium-gymnasium at the Center School, together with shower rooms, health offices and clinic, classrooms (to replace South School) and a cafe- teria. . . . " This recommendation was based upon the conclusion that the present educational program suffers through the absence from the present Center School of those facilities mentioned.
4. "That the South and Center Schools be consolidated as soon as possible." This conclusion was based upon the desirability of promoting through physical unity the' integration of the program of the first and second grades with the others and of providing for those first two grades the advantages of the proposed additional facilities.
The foregoing conclusions have been incorporated into the policies of the School Committee. Without any question they can be regarded as substantially sensible and sound and accepted as a part of the premises upon which the conclusions and recommendations of the School Building Committee may be based. On only one item, number 3, does any question arise. And that question deals not with the aims to be achieved but merely with the manner of achieving them.
The Existing Facilities
At the present time Lincoln's elementary school children are housed in two buildings about 1.7 miles apart. To one of these, the South School, are sent all the pupils of the first and second grades - about sixty in number. The remaining pupils, about a hundred and fifty in grades three through eight, attend Center School. Here, too, is situated the kinder- garten which was established this year.
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COMMITTEE ON NEEDS OF LINCOLN SCHOOLS
South School
The South School, built over fifty-two years ago, was de- scribed as follows in the report made by the special committee on matters pertaining to the Lincoln schools in 1930:
"The South School, as we have already pointed out, is a wooden building of an age that makes it increasingly a burden to keep in repair. To make only those repairs which would make it safe and healthy for those using it, it would require approximately $1,500. This building was closed for a considerable period and its reopening in 1921 was considered only as a temporary measure until in- creased facilities were available at the Center School (See School Report 1921). Three years later the then Superin- tendent, Mr. Lowe, in his report says: 'As it now stands, the present South Building is wasteful.' Some of the short- comings of this building are so obvious that hardly a glance at them is necessary to be convinced of their seriousness. Although only a two-room schoolhouse it requires two heaters. Much of the time there is water in the cellar. The toilets are of the open type and in the open cellar, necessitating a considerable effort to keep them in a clean and sanitary condition. There is no suitable room for the teachers. From the point of view of fire protection, the building can only be tolerated on the excuse that the class rooms are on one floor and there are two exits. Since artificial lighting is missing, the children are handicapped on cloudy days.
"There are to be sure, advantages which this school possesses: such as the segregation of the first two grades and the separate playfield for them, and its nearness to one of the more populous areas of the Town. But the committee does not believe these are sufficient to warrant continuing indefinitely the use of this building."
In the fourteen years since that report was written the building has remained essentially unchanged except for the installation of electric lights and proper heating. The base- ment toilets are unsatisfactory. The stairs leading to them steep and dangerous. The classrooms under-equipped. There is still no lunch room for the children who, living at a consider-
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able distance, must have their noon meal there. Although the site is adequate for the enrollment, the building itself is decidedly unsatisfactory for school purposes.
Center School
The Center School, now about thirty-five years old, is a two-story and basement building which, though well built, is of non fire-resistive construction. It is situated on a fairly large, attractive and centrally located site but like the South School, it is too close to a busy highway. This building's rather pleasing exterior appearance belies the inadequacies of its interior provisions for an up-to-date educational program.
The school has six rather small classrooms, three to a floor. In addition it contains an office on one side of the entrance doorway and a combination health room and teachers' room (now pressed into use as a second office) on the other. Above these rooms, on the second floor, is a library. The basement houses the toilets, the boiler room and two additional rooms - one used as a kindergarten and the other for storage and by the school nurse, Girl Scouts, etc.
It is a building that was fairly well adapted to the highly formalized type of school program in vogue when it was con- structed. But educational methods and needs have developed greatly in thirty-five years. These developments were in no way anticipated in the building's design. Now its inadequacies place increasingly heavy limitations on Lincoln's educational program.
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