USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1941-1945 > Part 7
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 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
The sum of $6,100.00 was appropriated the Cemetery Department for 1941 and the sum of $2,352.90 (amount received for interments, annual care of lots, etc.) has been returned to the Town Treasury, leaving $3,747.10 as the net indebtedness of the department to the Town.
We would again express our thanks to all those who by payments for annual care, rebuilding lots,. etc., all of which helps the department in the upkeep of its Ceme- teries.
The Trustees wish to express their appreciation of the manner that the superintendent and the men in his em- ploy have performed their duties.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD S. SOULE, Chairman THEODORE W. GLOVER, Secretary ERNEST H. BAILEY,
WILLIAM O. DYER, HARRY A. TAMMETT,
Trustees.
-171-
Report of Duxbury Town Historian
FOR THE YEAR 1941
Presumably, like other Town Departments the report of the Town Historian for the year 1941 is somewhat perfunctorv. With our minds on the daily war bulletins and what is happening in many places, it is distinctly difficult to focus attention on what seems in comparison rather trivial. Without doubt Myles Standish, John Alden, and Elder Brewster had their trials and tribulations as great to them in their day as those this generation must face. The same beautiful Duxbury Beach existed in those days without a Powder Point Bridge to be sure, but free from the menace of submarines. One often wonders what those old settlers would think of constant guarding of the beach by soldiers ever on the lookout for trouble makers.
Be that as it may, we must carry on until those who menace our liberties and the old way of living have been overcome and times are more normal. We are ready to make the sacrifices if by so doing this small part of the nation may be preserved in democratic ways.
Last year's report spoke of the photographs of Dux- bury scenes and events being taken for preservation. This work is almost finished and will be a most complete photographic picture of Duxbury scenes and people. In order to provide for the payment of the expense of these pictures, no new marker has been erected. However, it is hoped that work will be resumed shortly, although one
-172-
never knows when priorities will interfere with the erec- tion of even markers.
Respectfully submitted,
REUBEN PETERSON, M. D. Duxbury Town Historian.
Duxbury, January, 1942
-173-
Care of Playgrounds
January 26, 1942
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen :
Due to the use of Train Field road, which was resur- faced last year, making a better exit for the School Buses ; I found it necessary to give the road a top coating of tar this year. The balance of my appropriation has been used for general upkeep of grounds and buildings.
Respectfully submitted,
EBEN N. BRIGGS.
-174-
Plymouth County Extension Service
The Plymouth County Extension Service during 1941 has carried on its usual work of assisting rural and vil- lage people with their problems pertaining to agriculture, homemaking, and 4-H training. Demands are ever- increasing on the Extension Service to organize, admin- ister and teach programs of national, state, county, and town importance. In view of the present crisis programs of work are being organized so that every effort will be directed towards informing the farm people of the ever- changing developments in agriculture, and to assist them with their problems during these critical times.
The agricultural department is organized primarily on a commodity basis, working with commodity committees, associations and groups of farm people. Major agricul- tural enterprises are cranberries, dairy, poultry, vege- tables and fruit, but many smaller projects are covered such as forestry, general livestock, farm accounts, etc. The agricultural department renders service and receives fine cooperation from such agencies as Agricultural Con- servation Program, Farm Security Administration Sur- plus Marketing Administration, Farm Credit Adminis- tration, and various cooperatives.
The Home Demonstration Department conducted some work in each of the towns of the county during 1941. The major program during the spring and fall was in clothing construction. Emphasis was also made on the care, repair and renovation of clothing.
-175 -
Over five hundred different women attended nutrition meetings held during the year. More families were helped this past year to plan home gardens and 18 food preserva- tion demonstration working meetings were conducted.
Homemakers were also helped in various ways in the fields of home management, home furnishing, home grounds improvement and recreation.
Four-H Club work is that part of the Agricultural Ex- tension Service which deals with rural youth. Young people between the ages of 10 and 21 in a community organize themselves into a group with their own officers and own local program with the guidance of an adult man or women leader (who serves voluntarily). Each member has an individual project centering around a problem of the home or the farm. They raise livestock, crops, make clothing, prepare foods, etc. They serve as officers and on committees of their own club. They have camps, games, songs, exhibits, tours, hikes, and social meetings. They work and play together. They learn to cooperate by cooperating.
COMBINED STATISTICAL OF THE THREE
DEPARTMENTS
Days in office
68314
Days in the field
98734
Leaders and Committeemen
465
Farm and Home Visits
2,783
Office and Telephone Calls
9,716
News Articles
418
Individual Letters
4,392
No. Circular Letters Copies
340
124,247
-176-
Total number of meetings participated in by agents
804
Attendance 31,053
Total number of 4-H club members enrolled 1,701
Total number of different women attend-
ing meetings 3,097
The financial assistance and moral support of Duxbury is greatly appreciated by the people the Extension Service assists. A continuation of its support is justified on the record it has achieved. Its influence can not be measured by monetary values, but its educational programs and individual assistance constitutes one measure in the first line of national defense.
ERNEST W. CHANDLER,
Town Director.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
Town of Duxbury
MASSA
H
R
NCORP
LES STANDISH
ATED
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31 1941
-178 -
School Committee
For the year ending December 31, 1941
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Joseph W. Lund, Chairman
Kenneth G. Garside, Secretary
Term expires 1942 Term expires 1944 Term expires 1944
Herbert C. Wirt
J. Newton Shirley Term expires 1942
Walter G. Prince
Term expires 1943
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held in the Duxbury High School building at eight o'clock on the evenings of the first and third Wednesday of each month.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS George E. Green, Duxbury, Massachusetts Office Telephone : 346
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Dr. Connie H. King, Telephone: Duxbury 212
SCHOOL NURSE
Miss Susan E. Carter, R. N., Telephone : Duxbury 175
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Earl W. Chandler, Telephone : Duxbury 358
-179-
STAFF
George E. Green Superintendent B. S., Bates College; graduate work at Boston Uni- versity.
Leroy N. MacKenney Submaster B. A., University of Maine; graduate work at the Uni- versity of Maine.
Kenneth O. Macomber Manual Training, Print Shop Gorham Normal, Bates College.
Nancy Horton French
B. A., Elmira College
Ruth K. Manter
Latin and History Director of Orchestra Coach of Girls' Basketball
B. A., Pembroke College; graduate work at Brown; Harvard.
A. Kempton Smith English B. A., Brown University; graduate work at Boston University.
Jean B. Pittman Commercial
M. A. Boston University
Hazel M. Cornish Home Economics
Simmons, University of Maine, George Washington University, Harvard, Boston University.
Ellen W. Downey Junior High School Subjects
Partridge Academy; State Extension Courses.
-180-
Phyllis M. Johnson Sixth Grade B. S. in Ed. Salem Teachers College.
Marguerite Brooks
Wheelock, Perry Normal.
Fifth Grade
M. Abbie Baker Tarkiln Primary School Partridge Academy; Hyannis Normal School; State Extension Courses.
Constance Lee Newton Tarkiln Primary School B. A., Smith College; graduate work at Boston Uni- versity.
Sara E. Paulding Village Primary School Partridge Academy ; Study at Columbia University and Harvard; Hyannis Normal School Diploma; State Ex- tension Courses.
Florence E. Johnson Point Primary School
A. B., Wisconsin University, Tulsa University.
Helen Snider DeWolfe Village Primary School
B. S. in Ed., Bridgewater Teachers College.
Richard E. Bradford Opportunity Class B. S. in Ed., Bridgewater Teachers College, Harvard, Boston University.
Ralph N. Blakeman Physical Education Athletic Coach
B. S., Boston University ; M. Ed., Boston University.
Samuel Warner Supervisor of Drawing Boston Art Club; New England Conservatory Art De- partment.
-181
May Blair McClosky Supervisor of Music
Margaret K. Elliott Educational Adviser Ed. M. Harvard, B. S., Simmons ; A. B., Smith.
SCHOOL CALENDAR 1942
Winter Term: Begins January 5.
Winter Vacation: February 21-March 1, Inclusive.
Spring Vacation : April 18-26, Inclusive.
Memorial Day: May 30. Graduation: June 19.
Reception : June 20.
Fall Term: Begins September 7.
Teachers' Convention : October 23.
Armistice Day: November 11. Thanksgiving Recess: November 26-29 Inclusive. Christmas Vacation: December 24-January 3, 1942 Inclusive.
-182-
Report of School Committee
January 26, 1942
To the Citizens of Duxbury :
Due to conditions forced upon us by causes beyond our control, we are faced with serious problems in connection with our school operations. The higher cost of ordinary living and competition for the services of well educated and trained personnel will make it necessary for us to increase substantially the salaries of our teachers if we are to maintain the present standards of teaching in our school system.
Recognizing the possibilities of this, many of our teach- ing staff received increases when their contracts were renewed in June. The competition which we have had for several years by larger towns in obtaining the services of teachers was one factor in our decision to grant those increases. For the same reasons and to secure better talent if possible, the average starting salary for new teachers in the fall of 1941 was higher than has previously been the case. This situation is more serious today than it has been, so that we feel that further increases are necessary if we are to maintain a stable teaching staff.
In addition to the salary question, the prices of our other supplies, such as paper, books, and fuel, have started to rise and will undoubtedly continue to do so.
The question of air raid protection has received a great deal of attention by the Committee. We have ap- proved the program for protection, as planned by Miss
-183 -
Elliott and the school staff. Some parents, however, may prefer to take their children to their homes in case of a raid or a raid warning. If any parent wishes to do this, he must come to school in person or send a written mes- sage, to be submitted to the warden or teacher in charge. No child can be released under other conditions, as the School Department must assume responsibility for the children's welfare unless directly relieved of its duty by the parent.
There is a growing sentiment in town that the school auditorium and cafeteria should be available for use by the different clubs and organizations in town. It has been our policy to allow such use free of charge for educational purposes or meetings which benefit the general welfare of all the townspeople without discrimination. In allow- ing its use for Civilian Defense and Red Cross First Aid classes, the Committee has been following the precedent of previous years. During this school year, especially this has added to our expenses a fairly substantial sum. Extra fuel, lights, and janitor and cleaning services, though not a large item in themselves, have made it neces- sary for us to figure small savings here and there, in order to stay within the carefully planned budget.
A separate appropriation for the expense thus caused should be provided for by the Town, and organizations which use the place for private purposes should pay a fair fee for the use of the facilities.
It is unfortunate that our building is not well adapted for such use, with separate entrances and toilets avail- able apart from those in daily use by the children. How- ever, this situation cannot be remedied at present, and if the townspeople wish the building to be used for these purposes, funds must be provided in order to prevent an
-184 -
unfair additional burden on the regular school staff. We think that the sum of $500 should be voted for the above purpose.
The Americanization class, for which an appropriation was made last year, is continuing and seems a useful project. We recommend that the sum of $500 be raised to carry on this program.
We must also continue our annual appropriation of $500 for the Vocational and Trade School tuition.
For the regular school purposes, because of increased expenses, we request the sum of $51,000, plus the Dog Tax, for the use of the School Department.
A survey made by the State Department of Education last autumn commended many features of our school system and pointed out certain weaknesses which we hope to correct. We are all striving to give our children the best education we can afford, and we hope that the parents will cooperate with us in trying to attain this important goal.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH W. LUND, Chairman KENNETH G. GARSIDE. Secretary HERBERT WIRT WALTER G. PRINCE J. NEWTON SHIRLEY
-185-
Report of Superintendent
To the School Committee of Duxbury :
I present herewith, a statement covering the operation of the schools during the year 1941, together with such reports as have been presented by supervisors, special teachers, the nurse, the school physician, and the educa- tional adviser.
One of the most serious problems confronting the school system in Duxbury at the present time is the ex- tremely large turnover in our teaching personnel. This situation is brought about by several conditions, foremost of which is a salary schedule which is lower than that of the larger towns with which we are competing. There is noticeable among the townspeople in Duxbury a very real evidence of lack of sympathetic cooperation with the workers we employ in our schools. Teachers are as a whole well trained specialists in their line, but they are also human beings, and, as such, are likely to make the errors common to human beings in general. Over empha- sized criticism of these mistakes is unfair and does not lead to improvement. There is also, at present, the dis- tracting influence of more attractive positions in other fields.
Against some of these influences we have very little defense, but in the matter of salaries some relief is possi- ble. Other departments of the town have increased wages twelve and a half percent during the past year, and in other communities there is a trend towards higher sal- aries. The school committee can also wage an aggressive defense of the teachers they employ. To carry on through the daily trials which she faces in the classroom, a teacher
-186-
should never have a doubt that her decisions will be backed to the limit.
Miss Dorothy Rust and Miss Jane White, both of whom had taught in Duxbury for a period of nine years, accepted contracts to teach in Melrose. Their places were filled by Miss Florence M. Johnson and Miss Marguerite Brooks. Miss Dorothy Cushman, three years in Duxbury, and Miss Jane Schopfer, with us two years, were called to the school system in Concord. The vacancies caused thereby were filled by Miss Phyllis Johnson and Miss Hazel M. Cornish. Miss Jean B. Pittman was selected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Miss Anna Cussen, who went to a school in Connecticut. Robert A. Girardin went to Foxboro at the end of the school year, and Richard Bradford was elected to carry on the work in the Opportunity Class. Miss Annie L. Williams, who had been school nurse for nearly twenty years, felt that her health would not permit her to continue with the work, and Miss Susan B. Carter was selected as her suc- cessor. Educational Guidance, sponsored by the Parent- Teacher Association during the previous school year, had proved so valuable that Miss Margaret K. Elliott was induced to become an official member of the teaching staff in order that she might carry on the work she had started.
THE LUNCH PROGRAM
I believe that one of the major accomplishments of the year was the successful launching of a school lunch pro- gram through which every school child could have a hot lunch each day.
Lunches had been served at a cafeteria in the high school ever since we entered the new building. For vari- ous reasons only a small number of children availed them- selves of this service. As a consequence the cost was high,
-187 -
and the mounting prices on food were making these costs even higher. To relieve this situation a request was made for surplus commodities. We cut the cost of the meal to the pupil and increased the quantity of each serving. Business picked up immediately. The kitchen force we had been using was unable to take care of the increased traffic. Since available student help was found inadequate to handle the constantly increasing output of food, a com- plete reorganization was necessary.
As a last resort we requested that the project be placed under the W. P. A. This new departure released the Do- mestic Science Teacher from much of the supervision and meal planning she had been forced to handle. It released a number of children from non-educational drudgery for which they had been volunteering during study periods. It reduced the cost of pupil lunches to about twenty-five percent of what they had been during the past ten years.
Three months of operation proved this program so suc- cessful that it seemed expedient to attempt to set up a similar project for the elementary schools. For several years there had been an increasing demand for hot lunches for the younger children, but no practical way for satis- fying the demand had been found up to this point. One of the difficulties which confronted this expansion was the non-existence of an adequate kitchen in any of the school buildings. Added to this was the difficulty of pro- viding a quick, economical, sanitary method of trans- porting the hot food to the serving places. Equipment for cooking, handling, and serving the food also had to be provided. A place in which to eat and a place for wash- ing dishes had to be found. There finally developed a scarcity of W. P. A. labor available for the project, and to cap the climax a vociferous minority of people attempt- ed to defeat the plan.
- 188 -
In the solution of these problems the Red Cross early enlisted its services. It bought kitchen ware, containers for transporting food, and dishes for serving. It provided cars for drivers for the transportation of the food, and its workers assisted in the serving and washing of dishes after the lunch. The Parent-Teacher Association took on the responsibility of renovating the kitchen at the Abbott House. It spent money for materials, and the members gave labor for cleaning and making the repairs. It secured one oil and three gas ranges. Many of its members assist- ed in serving the food and in cleaning up each day after lunch. The selectmen permitted the use of several rooms at the Abbott House and made many repairs to the prop- erty which were necessary before the kitchen equipment could be moved in. Many extra responsibilities fell to the teachers of each school room who helped with the organi- zation and execution of the program.
The expense to the school department for setting up this program has been comparatively slight, and such changes as have been made will continue to serve a practi- cal purpose even though lunches be served no longer. In each of the three schools additional plumbing was neces- sary in order to provide for washing dishes. At the Point School carpenter work on shelves and counters was neces- sary for the east entrance which was used for a kitchen- ette. A small amount of electrical work was also neces- sary there to provide light and an outlet for a stove. The basement of the Village School was found quite adequate for kitchenette and dining rooms. The necessary paint, lumber, and labor were provided to make the place con- venient and sanitary. The corridor between the two school rooms at Tarkiln was selected for a kitchenette, and by cutting a recess into the wall quite serviceable accommo- dations were provided.
-189 -
The period between January 1 and the close of school in June might be considered an experimental period. Many unforseen obstacles were encountered and sur- mounted, but the scheme was proved conclusively to be feasible. However, when school opened in September, two major problems remained. The transportation which had been handled throughout the spring by the Red Cross Motor Transport Corps had to be reorganized on a perm- anent basis. Bids were requested and a contract was awarded for handling this item. The other difficulty, the securing of people eligible for W. P. A. employment, ad- justed itself soon after the close of the summer season.
To date we have been able to secure adequate supplies of food to carry the program along smoothly, and there seems every reason to believe that this condition will con- tinue indefinitely. The daily routine is so well worked out that the project now rolls along under its own momentum and very little supervision is necessary.
GUIDANCE
Sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Association, a trial guidance program was instituted during the school year 1940-1941. Under the supervision of Miss Margaret K. Elliott, the work proved so beneficial that the program was given official approval by the school committee, and Miss Elliott was placed on the teaching staff of the High School. Although her contract calls for only one day in the school each week, she has been generously giving more than two days of her time regularly to the work.
AMERICANIZATION CLASS
The class for adult aliens wishing to prepare for naturalization opened officially early in January 1941. The classes were held three times each week at the rooms
-190-
of the Portuguese-American Citizenship Club at Fer- nandez' store. About twenty-five adults met regularly with Mr. Robert A. Girardin throughout the remainder of the winter months and completed their first unit of work in April. This class is ready to re-open early in January under the direction of Mr. Richard A. Bradford. In 1941, $173.54 was expended for this work, and since this expense can not be charged to the regular appropria- tion, I suggest that $500 be raised to carry on the work through 1942.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The school newspaper publishes eight issues each year. There is a magazine supplement which appears in the late winter or early spring. The record of important events and outstanding accomplishments during the year is incorporated into a year book which contains pictures of every class, club, and interesting activity. Here one will also find the class parts as delivered at commence- ment. From the staff of these publications the teacher chairman of the executive committee of the Southeastern Massachusetts League of School Publications for the present year was drawn. On this project all writing, editing, make-up, and printing are done by pupils within the school.
In athletics we continued with success in both basket- ball and baseball. In the spring the girls played intra- mural hockey and soft ball. We are quite seriously handi- capped in the roughness of the playing field and in keep- ing the grass properly mown for field hockey. The field in back of the Abbott barn is used for this game. I sin- cerely hope that the appropriation for playgrounds may be sufficient to improve this situation another year. The pond at the rear of the High School continued to be a
-191 -
source of pleasure and healthful exercise during the skat- ing season.
The Student Council has added to its usual responsi- bilities those of planning and directing the student de- fense activities. It has gone actively into pressing the sale of defense stamps on the student body. Through assembly programs it is attempting to preserve the morale of the school. It has sponsored a first aid club in which there are nearly forty members, and at the present mo- ment is engaged in the formation of an amateur radio club.
The Senior Play, The Mad Hatters, was given before a large audience on November 28, 1941.
GIFTS AND DONATIONS
I have mentioned already the assistance given to the hot lunch project by the Red Cross, The Parent-Teacher Association, and by many individuals.
United States flags for out-of-door use have been given us by the American Legion, and flags for the class rooms have been supplied by the Sons of Veterans.
At Christmas time the Parent-Teachers Association continued the custom of giving the children a party. This year the entertainment was in the form of a moving picture.
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.