USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1920-1925 > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
107
GRADUATING EXERCISES Partridge Academy The Duxbury High School June 24, 1925
1. March
ORCHESTRA
2. Invocation
REV. JOHN HENRY WILSON
3. Response HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS
4. Conservation of Our Forests
ANTONIO DE LORENZO
5. Class History PHILIP EDMUND COVELL
6. Selection
ORCHESTRA
7. Presentation of Gifts
HELEN FRANCES ELLIS
8. "June Is in My Heart"
Graham Vaughan
DORIS ELIZABETH GILMAN
9. Class Will WADSWORTH CLIFFORD JONES
10. "Song of Dawn" "Joy of Summer" Chippingdale
Saint Saens
HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS
11. Economics Resulting from Highway Improvement JOHN BERE MACFARLANE
108
12. Class Motto, "By Virtue Not By Words" CHARLES EDWARD SPRAGUE
13. Selection
ORCHESTRA
14. The Organization of the World for the Prevention of War
ROBERT ETHAN MERRY
15. Class Prophecy
PAUL NEWEL SWANSON
16. "Song of Armorers" Nevin
"The Evening Wind"
Saint Saens
17. Presentation of Medals and Diplomas
FREDERICK E. BRAGDON Superintendent of Schools
18. School Song HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS
19. Benediction
REV. LEWIS J. THOMAS
INDEX
Accountant's Report
6
Assessors' Report
77
Balance Sheet
11 56
Births
Cemetery Trust Funds
Deaths
43 64 65
Deaths, out of Town
Dog Licenses Issued
76
Duxbury Cemetery Trustees
97
Duxbury Free Library
85
Fire Department Report
80
Forest Warden Report
81
Marriages
52
Moth Superintendent's Report -
82
Overseers of the Poor
78
School Department
89
Selectmen's Report
5
State Audit
51
Street Department
84
Town Clerk's Report
62
Town Dump
79
Town Meetings
67
Town Officers
B
Treasurer's Report
61
Tree Warden's Report
82
Zoning Committee
Town of Duxbury
Report of
COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN
ON THE
SCHOOL SITUATION
Issued to the citizens of Duxbury
February 23, 1926
Town of Duxbury
Report of
COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN
ON THE
SCHOOL SITUATION
Issued to the citizens of Duxbury
February 23, 1926
NEW SCHOOL-HOUSE
10% DUXBURY MASSACHUSETTS GRADES 5 TO 12 INCLUSIVE 1
1
ANTE RMI
STAGE 40 × 16
SEAT
STORACE
SHOWERS
Bors LOCKERS
&
LOCKERS
>
SHOWER
.
01 DOYS TOILET
GIRLS TOILET
SFATS GALLERIES TOTAL 590
0/9/9/10
CLASS 6
CLASS 9 30.0 8 11 - 6 SEATS 35
SRATS 40
STOCK
WAITING RM
O
CLASS 5
CLASS 7 27.6 × 41 6 SLATS SO
CLASS 8 27 · > 21.6 SEATS JO
SEATS 35
NURSE
PRINCIPAL ١٤٠٥ ( 11.00
FIRST FLOOR. PLAN . SCALE HEILO
GYMNASIUM AND AUDITORIUM 39 x € 4
-5-
ANTE ROOM
ANTL ROOM.
UPPER PART STAGE
> >777 5
OR SOIS 1877749
10
3 BOYS
8888
LO TOILET
GIRLS IO TOILET
10
TEACHER
DRESSING ROOM.
PICTURE BOOTH
CLASS IL
LABORATORY
LIBRARY
STU
--
BOOK+ PING KEEPING
-
1
T
- -
=
1
. SECOND . FLOOR . PLAN .
8 CALE /8"RI-0"
UPPER PART OF AUDITORIUM
GYMNASIUM
-
10000
coor?
COAL
FINISHIM KM.
DOILER
CM.
3
111111115'1.
STAGE.
SHOWIK
DOMESTIC SCIENCE
MANUAL TRAINING
16
UMALA
COUNTER
ocTIE
JECTION THRU GYM. AUDITORIUM
LUNCH ROOM SEATS 235
5-
UP
*
U
N
E.
×
C
A
V
A
TED
BASEMENT
PLAN
-6-
CLILINET
WIEDER/
-7-
MAJORITY REPORT
February 8, 1926. To the Citizens of Duxbury :
On March 7, 1925 it was voted unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,000 to procure plans, specifications and estimates of cost of a school building or buildings and that the moderator within one week appoint a committee of fifteen members to include the school committee, for the purpose, which committee shall make a survey of the school situation as regards housing and building sites, and report with recommen- dations at a future town meeting.
The moderator appointed the following: John Sim- mons, Elizabeth A. Phillips, Alpheus H. Walker, School Committee; and the following: Mrs. Charles Bittinger, Harry B. Bradley, Franklin Brett, Dr. H. C. Bumpus, Charles S. Clark, George B. Cushing, Benjamin F. Good- rich, H. E. Merry, Edward S. O'Neil, Mrs. Josephine H. Shaw, Harry F. Swift and Percy L. Walker. Mr. Brad- ley did not care to serve and Mr. Theodore W. Glover, Jr. was appointed in his place. On December 31, 1925 Mrs. Bittinger resigned from the committee because of her inability to attend the meetings and Mrs. A. E. Raymond was elected in her place.
The committee have held many meetings and consult- ed with several experts. Reports from some of these experts as embodied herein, namely :
Report of Prof S. F. Browne with advice of Prof. L. O. Cummings, Harvard Graduate, School of Education.
Report of Mr. Carl L. Schrader, State Supervisor of Physical Education.
Report of Prof. C. Emanuel Ekstrom, Graduate School of Education, Brown University.
Report of Mr. A. B. Lord, State Department of Edu- cation.
-8-
On December 19th, 1925, a two thirds majority of the committee voted to recommend to the Town the con- struction of a building for the upper eight grades of the Town, thus making it possible for either complete con- solidation or the three school system to develop in the future. At present the lower four grades are to be left in the neighborhood schools, with two grades to a room so far as practicable.
The committee find that the High School, more than any other part of the school organization is inadequate in accommodations and housing. Owing to the increased number of subjects taught in the modern High School rather than to any great increase in number of pupils, the present building is too small. At present we have five teachers with only four rooms, one of which is divided by a low partition in an ineffectual attempt to improve conditions. So that from a practical point of view, the High School should have one more room or one less teacher. If we reduce the number of teachers we shall impair the work of the High School and possibly lose our Grade A rating. The lighting of the building is very poor and it is only a question of a year or two be- fore a new heating system will have to be installed.
The building of a six grade High School building whereas it might fit in with the school organization of the west side of the town, would leave in the Village Grammar School only the fifth and sixth grades, com- prising about 35 or 40 pupils of the east part of the town. This involves an expenditure of $400 per year for a janitor in addition to heating, cleaning and upkeep which is very expensive housing for so few children.
If the eight grade building is built the town can, by a very small change in plumbing at the Village Grammar School, place the first and second grades under one teacher in one room and the third and fourth grades under one teacher in the other room, thus making it poossible to close the three small district schools in the
-9-
east part of the town and dispense with the services of one teacher and three janitors and the upkeep of three buildings. Should the people prefer to use the, three neighborhood schools (Point, Millbrook and South Dux- bury) the Village grammar school property can be sold, thus stopping any further expenditure for maintenance, etc.
The organization in the west side with the new eight grade building, could be two grades to a building in the Tarkiln grammar and intermediate buildings, thus sav- ing the expense of maintaining Temperance Hall which has been loaned to the town by private citizens of that neighborhood. The efficiency of school instruction would also increase from the fact that present day teachers are trained to be specialists in one or two subjects or grades.
A building according to this plan, will contain a Se- nior High School located on the second floor,-it will contain besides the home rooms or grades ten, eleven and twelve, a room for bookkeeping, typewriting, study hall, library, a laboratory, boys' toilets, girls' toilets, girls' dressing room and teachers' room.
The first floor will contain the three home rooms of the Junior High School, comprising grades seven, eight and nine, a stock room, waiting room, principal's office, nurse and doctor's room and at one end of the building a home room for grade five and home room for grade six and girls' toilet and boys' toilet for these two rooms. Sepa- rate coat rooms will be provided with each home room throughout the building. There will be a gymnasium- auditorium seating 430 and galleries seating 160 addi- tional, total 590 people. There will be a moving picture booth, stage, anti-room, girls' showers and lockers, girls' toilets, boys' showers and lockers, boys' toilets, and stor- age room for seats when the auditorium is to be used for gymnasium. The basement will contain a lunch room, domestic science room, manual training room with
-10-
lumber rack and finishing room, boiler room and coal pocket.
This will furnish the upper eight grades of the town with the best possible housing conditions and school or- ganization with economy of operation and administra- tion. The scholars of Duxbury will get a greater per- centage of the time of the superintendent.
By having the fifth and sixth grades in one end of the first floor by themselves, and the seventh, eighth and ninth grades in the other end of the first floor, with the upper three grades on the second floor, the town can give the consolidated school ideas as applied to country towns with a school population similar to Duxbury, scattered over an area like that of Duxbury, the best possible trial without committing the town to complete consolidation for all time. If, however, the parents of the children and the people of the town, after this eight grade or- ganization has been tried out, are satisfied that it is for . their best interests to have complete consolidation, it may be had by adding to the building, or building a four grade school house near the eight grade building. If it seems best after a trial of the eight grade building that a six grade building be built on the west side and a six grade building on the east side, it can be done without any loss as the two additional rooms vacated in the eight grade building can easily be used for school purposes. Should the eight grade proposition prove satisfactory, a new four grade building can be built in the west part of the town and a new four grade building can be built in the east part of the town more conveniently located as to school population, and the present village property be sold.
We believe that the eight grade building housing two- thirds of the grades of the town under the best possible housing conditions is the most practical and satisfactory step to take at present.
L
-11-
A plan for consolidating the lower six grades in each side of Town, and building a six grade high school build- ing is a more expensive plan. It involves an expenditure of from eighteen thousand to twenty thousand dollars on the village grammar school site in order to house the lower six grades of the east part of the Town. It also involves an equal expenditure of from eighteen thousand to twenty thousand dollars in the west part of the Town. The eight grade building plan would make it possible to house all the children of the lower four grades of the west part of the Town in the Tarkiln intermediate and grammar buildings. The fifth and sixth grades of the whole town are thereby cared for at a cost of about twelve thousand dollars.
The committee are submitting herewith preliminary plans, estimates of cost, etc., from Brainerd & Leeds, architects, 89 Franklin Street, Boston, who were em- ployed to help the committee. To provide for any in- crease in growth, the building is planned to accommo- date at least 25 per cent. more children than the school report showed in these grades in 1924.
The votes pursuant to which this majority report is written, were taken December 19, 1925 as follows: "Voted: That the Committee recommend to the town the construction of a building for the upper eight grades of the town, thus making it possible for either complete consolidation or the three school system, the lower four grades to be left in the neighborhood schools, with two grades to a room so far as practicable." Ten voted in favor and four opposed. Those in favor were Messrs. Brett, Simmons, Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. Phillips, Messrs. O'Neil, Swift, Goodrich, Merry, A. H. Walker, Percy L. Walker. Those opposed were Mrs. Bittinger, Messrs. Clark, Cushing and Glover. (Dr. Bumpus was absent but later approved the action of the majority.)
It was also voted on December 19, that the Committee recommend the Alden Street site to the town. Six
-12-
voted in favor, four opposed, three did not vote. Those voting in favor were Messrs. Goodrich, Merry, Swift, Mrs. Shaw, A. H. Walker and Percy L. Walker. Those opposed were Mrs. Phillips, Messrs. Brett, O'Neil and Simmons. (Dr. Bumpus and Mrs. Bittinger were ab- sent.)
The committee have secured for the town an option for one dollar on about seven and one-half acres of land south and west of Train Field and adjoining Alden Street. A copy of the option is embodied in this report. This option holds until May 27th, 1926, and the price of the land if bought under this option will be $3,000. This, together with Train Field which adjoins, would give the town about 12 1-2 acres of land of proper topo- graphy, good drainage, freedom from noise and danger and with a proper elevation for the building. The use of Train Field for athletic purposes has been considered in connection with the Alden Street site. Train Field is used very little, if at all, during school months and the town spends considerable money each year for the up- keep and improvement of this field. Authorities demand athletics for an up-to-date school system. Train Field will be a great help toward providing the accommoda- tions necessary. The nearness to the Public Library is another advantage of the Alden Street site. The new State road covering Union, Congress and West Streets will facilitate transportation to this site from the north- erly part of the town.
Regarding complete consolidation, of which much has been said, very few towns are doing this, and reports are not by any means uniformly favorable.
Attention is called to the saving in interest money as stated in Prof. Brown's report, which would result from issuing bonds for a short period of say 5 or 10 years in- stead of for 20 years as is usually done.
The sale of some fairly valuable school property, which will result if this plan is put in operation, will reduce the amount of money which the town will have to hire.
-13-
The following statement of outline specifications by Brainerd & Leeds is submitted :
OUTLINE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE DUXBURY SCHOOL BUILDING
February 9, 1926.
Foundations: 12 inches thick.
Concrete: 1:3:6 mix.
Exterior Walls: 12 inches thick, "4 water struct brick backed up with 8" structural tile.
Corridor Walls : 8 inch tile.
Roof: Fading green slate.
Floor and Roof
Construction : Floors framed with 2x12 joist; roof with 2x10.
Finished Floors: Maple, 2 1-4" face.
Standing Finish: N. C. Pine.
Paint: All exterior work 3 coats lead and oil. Standing finish 2 coats Minwax. Interior walls, a coat of size, two coats of Lithophone paint.
Plumbing : Cold water, galvanized iron; hot water, brass or copper.
Heating: Fan system.
Electric : Direct lighting in all classrooms; inter-com- municating house automatic telephone system.
BRAINERD & LEEDS, Architects.
-14-
On February 13, Mr. Brainerd wrote as follows: "I find that the $107,000 mentioned by Mr. Leeds will build the building complete, all grades, as he told you .. There are certain other charges which you may have: to include in your appropriation, which I will give you :
Building, all grades,
$107,000
Furnishings,
7,500
Grading,
2,000
Fees,
6,500
Incidentals and contingencies and overlay,
3,200
Total,
$126,200
I think that you may have on hand materials to cover the items of furnishings, or at least part of it, and it is possible that you may have old material, such as black- boards that can be transferred from other buildings, to save you somewhat, but to be sure to give you full information I have quoted you in full for everything, above the price of the land.
I wish to confirm my telephone statement that the cost of a pitched roof covered with slate and a wood cornice, would be approximately $500,000 more than a flat roof building with a 20 year guarantee Barrett Roof, stone cornice, brick parapet and stone coping.
Now, as to the building itself :
Foundations will be concrete.
Exterior walls will be waterstruck brick backed with tile, furred and plastered.
Trim of doors and windows to be cast stone.
Cornice of the building will be wood.
Roof will be slate.
The window frames and sash will be rolled steel.
-15-
The corridors and stairs would be fireproof throughout. Classroom floors would be constructed with wood joist
with finished surface of 2 1-4" face matched maple flooring.
Standing finish, N. C. Pine, stained a tobacco brown, finished with two coats of waterproof wax.
Walls of all rooms and corridors, painted.
Plumbing of a substantial quality with hot and cold water supply to lavatories, sinks and shower baths. Heating, a split system, that is, direct radiation in the rooms with fresh, warmed air for ventilation sup- plied by a fan. This will insure a positive ventilation and prevent back drafts in the vent flues.
Electric Equipment includes incandescent lighting, in- tercommunicating telephones and a clock system. Building will be fitted with the risers for vacuum sweepers.
It would be possible to cut the price of the building five to eight per cent., but to do so would mean cutting the quality seriously and much imparing the wearing qualities of the structure."
The majority of the committee therefore recommend the erection of a building for the upper eight grades of the entire town on the Alden Street site, substantially in accordance with the plans herewith submitted.
The majority of the committee also recommend hous- ing the lower four grades of the town in the Village Grammar building and in the Tarkiln Grammar and In- termediate buildings and improving the lighting, heat- ing and toilet facilities in these buildings, pending the time when the town decides whether (1) to build a new building or buildings for these four grades; (2) or to make substantial additions and alterations in the present buildings; (3) or to transport these four grades to another center or centers.
The only expense at the Village Grammar School would be a small change in the plumbing. The expense
-16-
at Tarkiln would be greater but the committee believe it is warranted.
Respectfully submitted,
DR. H. C. BUMPUS, Chairman, FRANKLIN BRETT, GEORGE B. CUSHING, THEODORE W. GLOVER, JR., BENJAMIN F. GOODRICH, H. E. MERRY, EDWARD S. O'NEIL, MRS. WENDELL PHILLIPS,
MRS. A. E. RAYMOND,
MRS. JOSEPHINE H. SHAW, JOHN SIMMONS, HARRY F. SWIFT, ALPHEUS H. WALKER, PERCY L. WALKER, Secretary.
-17-
COPY OF OPTION FOR PURCHASE OF LAND FOR SCHOOL BUILDING SITE
I, Charles L. Alden of Boston, Massachusetts, in con- sideration of one dollar, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby grant an option to the town of Duxbury for the purchase of about seven and one- half (71/2) acres of land located on Alden Street in said Duxbury and bounded as follows: beginnig at a point in the southerly line of Alden Street distant 275 feet easterly from the northeasterly corner of land of Cow- din; thence running easterly by said Alden Street to land of the Town of Duxbury known as Train Field, and acquired by the said town under two deeds; thence run- ning southerly easterly and northerly by Train Field to said Alden Street; thence running northeasterly by Alden Street to land of Macomber; thence running southerly by said land of Macomber to a fence corner located about 259 feet southerly from the southeasterly corner of said Train Field; thence running westerly by the fence line to a point in said fence line 238.5 feet easterly from the southeasterly corner of said land of Cowdin; thence turning and running northerly in a straight line to the point of beginning.
In case the above described premises are sold pur- suant to this option, a right of way for the said Charles L. Alden and his heirs and assigns forever and for all purposes is to be reserved across the conveyed premises from Alden Street southerly along the line of land of Macomber to the remaining premises of said Alden, which remaining premises lie southerly of the said premises to be conveyed; and the premises shall also be conveyed subject to the right of way as stated in deed
-18-
from Georgianna B. Wright by Executor to said Charles L. Alden dated May 28, 1920, and recorded in Plymouth County Registry of Deeds, Book 1358, Page 416.
This option is to hold good for four months from the date hereof and in case of transfer the said town shall pay for the said land the sum of $3,000, for a good and clear record title free from encumbrances except as aforesaid.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-seventh day of January, 1926.
(Signed) C. L. ALDEN.
Witnessed by A. W. Alden.
-19-
REPORT ON SCHOOL BUILDING SITE BY MR. CARL L. SCHRADER, STATE SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Jan. 11, 1926.
To the Duxbury School Building Committee : Dear Sirs :
In the following I am offering you a brief report of my visit to Duxbury as to the comparative fitness of the two lots which are being considered for a new high school. My estimate of the two sites available is based entirely on the opportunities they offer for the physical education program which must receive careful consid- eration in planning the new high school.
While the Academy site has certain advantages, par- ticularly those of utilizing the high embankment for the accommodation of spectators for games and competi- tions, the available actual play surface is far too limited for the use of extensive recreation activities for the boys and girls of the school. While, by grading, the present available level surface might be increased to an oval with a quarter mile running track, a football field and a baseball diamond, it would fall short on many other op- portunities which belong to an athletic field today. The football field, for example, during the fall season would occupy only twenty-two boys, and thus not only shut out all other boys from participation in other types of games, but would leave entirely out of consideration the activities of girls which are of equal importance and which require space equal to that of the boys' games.
The Alden Street site where a playground including a diamond has already been created, permits of enlarge- ment of facilities, requiring comparatively little outlay
-20-
in addition to the original purchase of additional lands. Here it would be possible to lay out the necessary fields for the different types of activities. The administration and supervision of the various play activities on this large and prospective play field would be comparatively simple and still effective, as all the activities would then be in easy sight of those in charge, and definite instruc- tion in the various kinds of activities made possible thereby.
The question of spectators, while worthy for consider- ation, is not the most essential one in the problem with which Duxbury is confronted. The main purpose to bear in mind in the creation of this new school building including playfields, is to secure the best possible op- portunities for a modern educational program, at the same time answering for the growing demand for op- portunity of participating in recreational activities of the citizens.
I feel quite sure that a modern program of physical education and public recreation would be best feasible on the Alden Street site.
CARL L. SCHRADER,
State Supervisor of Physical Education.
-21-
LETTER FROM A. B. LORD OF STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Mr. A. H. Walker,
Chairman of the Committee on
Better School Accommodations, Duxbury, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Walker:
I was very glad after visiting the schools of the town to meet with your committee of fifteen.
In my opinion better schools in Duxbury depends upon first, a reorganization of your school system made possible by a building program, and second, by retaining trained, experienced, well-qualified teachers which is only possible when working conditions and salary max- ima are comparable with the more progressive towns of the State.
Your first consideration must necessarily be the pro- vision of adequate buildings. The advantage of consoli- dated schools has at various times been presented to the town and I will not take the space to review them in this report. (Attached hereto is a report of Consoli- dated Schools in Massachusetts.)
I am convinced that for an efficient school system a central junior-senior high school made up of grades six to twelve inclusive and with grades one to six brought together in one or two centers is most desirable. Many towns have found a central building for all schools has many advantages. Chatham offers an example of this plan. It has much to commend it. Teachers would have but a single grade, making more efficient use of time and making it easier to attract and hold trained, experienced teachers.
-22-
The plan of two centers for grades one to six is, how- ever, worthy of consideration. This plan would provide for two grades to a teacher. It would provide for cen- tralized community interest, transportation distances would be shorter, and the operating cost somewhat less. The town of Lynnfield offers an excellent example of the successful operation of schools on this basis.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.