Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1961-1965, Part 61

Author: Duxbury (Mass.)
Publication date: 1961
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 1508


USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Town annual report for the town of Duxbury for the year ending 1961-1965 > Part 61


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1965 Liens added to Real Estate


3,818.37


Cash Refunded


76.50


Audit Adjustment


12.00


Abatements


125.50


Cash Receipts


3,035.22


746.15


$11,699.06


$92,977.89


$90,612.85


$14,064.10


Duxbury Hydrant Service


1965 Appropriation


$26,700.00


Closed to Estimated Receipts


$26,700.00


Balance


Balance


1/1/65


Receipts


Transfers


12/31/65


Guaranty Deposits


244.00


Transferred to Service Connections


5,306.06


Cash Receipts


5,604.92


Balance 12/31/1965


542.85


WATER DEPARTMENT - Analysis of Appropriation Accounts


Account ID:


Balance 1/1/65


1965 Appropriation


Expended 1965


Closed Out


Balance 12/31/65


Commissioners' Salaries


Water, Maintenance-Operation


$450.00 54,304.00 200.00


$450.00 54,287.09 190.56


$16.91


Water, Out of State Travel


9.44


Four 2-way Radios


$.25


.25


Water Mains, Franklin St. Art. 42 of 1961 (loan)


352.00


$352.00


Franklin St. Mains Art. 42 of 1962


432.36


432.36


Cross St. Mains


Art. 44 of 1962


5.54


5.54


....


233 -


1963 Loan for


Franklin St. Mains


725.46


... .


. . . .


725.46


New Sources & Eng. Studies Art. 41 of 1963


195.65


195.65


Church and Moulton, Mains Art. 50 of 1964


15.39


15.39


Autumn and Oak Mains Art. 52 of 1964 (loan)


4,846.38


*4,671.56


174.82


Gravel Packed Well


Art. 33 of 1965 (loan)


44,000.00


.


.


.


. .


.


44,000.00


Install Altitude Valve and


Surge Control Device


WATER DEPARTMENT - Analysis of Appropriation Accounts - Continued


Art. 34 of 1965


6,000.00


6,000.00


Water Search and Testing


Art. 35 of 1965


7,000.00


330.22


6,669.78


Water Dept. Motor Vehicle Art. 36 of 1965


2,400.00


2,156.50


243.50


Water Mains Lincoln St.


Art. 39 of 1965


*4,000.00


Appropriation Loan


17,000.00


19,276.78


1,723.22


Replacement Mains, West St. Art. 44 of 1965


3,400.00


3,194.87


.


205.13


East Street Mains


Art. 60 of 1965 (loan)


......


24,958.00


21,490.55


3,467.45


Tobey Garden & Chestnut


Art. 1 of Special Town Meeting, 1965 - (loan)


38,000.00


18,100.21


19,899.79


$6,573.03


$201,712.00


$124,343.99


$47.53 83,893.51


.


.


- 234 -


.....


*$4,000 transferred to Lincoln St. Mains from Autumn and Oak Mains


-- 235 -


MEMORANDUM ACCOUNT


Water Excess and Deficiency - December 31, 1965


Jan. 1, 1965, Memo Surplus


$5,830.39


Audit Adjustment


Amortization 1962 Appropriation


11,560.14


Adjusted Deficit Jan. 1, 1965


$5,729.75


RECEIPTS


Hydrant Rental


$26,700.00


Water Department Receipts


83,186.19


Tax Leins added to Taxes


3,232.32


Transferred to


Town's Estimated Receipts


Appropriation Balances


47.53


Autumn and Oak Balance


4,000.00


Transferred to


Town's Revenue Account


Total Receipts 117,166.04


$111,436.29


APPROPRIATIONS


Commissioners' Salaries


$450.00


Water, Maintenance-Operation


54,304.00


Water, Out of State Travel


200.00


Search for New Sources


7,000.00


Altitude Valve, etc.


6,000.00


Motor Vehicle


2,400.00


Lincoln Street Mains


4,000.00


Replacement Main, West St.


3,400.00


Interest on Water Debt $9,510.25


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Refund to Town's


Revenue 218.63 9,291.62


Bonds and Notes Retired


31,848.10


Total Appropriations 118,893.72


Deficit December 31, 1965


$7,457.43


DEFERRED LIABILITIES


Balance of Outstanding Loans $336,958.00


Interest on Outstanding Loans 60,567.12


$397,525.12


ANNUAL REPORT


OF THE


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


OF THE


TOWN OF DUXBURY


MASS


FOR THE YEAR ENDING


DECEMBER 31


1965


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School Committee Year Ending December 31, 1965


SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP


Term Expires


Mr. Edward L. Butler, Chairman


1968


Mr. John F. Spence, Jr., Secretary


1967


Mr. Walter B. Collins 1966


Mr. Herbert R. Nelson 1966


Mrs. George G. Palfrey


1968


SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


Everett L. Handy


SECRETARY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT


Helen F. Hanigan


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Report of the Duxbury School Committee


To the Citizens of Duxbury:


At this time a year ago we had four major concerns and they are still with us, although progress is being made in connection with them.


Perhaps the most important one is the need for addi- tional general classroom space at both the elementary and high school levels. The 1965 Town Meeting approved a School Building Needs Study Committee, which under the able chairmanship of Howard Clark, has studied the needs and will present a solution to the 1966 Town Meeting. We hope the proposal will receive favorable action at that time.


Another concern, the need for more adequate voca- tional training than we are presently able to provide, has received preliminary study by the Regional Voca- tional School District Planning Committee authorized by last year's Town Meeting. In conjunction with similar committees from Marshfield, Plymouth, and Carver meetings have been held and survey of the area's voca- tional needs prepared by the State Department of Edu- cation. Walter Collins of our committee is chairman of this group and we hope this year's Town Meeting will vote to continue this important study project.


A third concern was for the updating of our proce- dures in the handling of school records and reports. Through the use of Public Law 874 money several pieces of data processing equipment have been leased and are now in operation at the High School Building. Presently report cards and attendance records are being processed by all machines and we plan as soon as possible to move into other areas such as the accounting of school finances. Much credit is due to the several members of the School Department who worked long and hard to get this proj- ect off the ground.


- 240 -


Another of last year's concerns was to what extent our program and practices might be affected by the report of the so-called Willis Commission. To date the report has not developed to the point where this question may be answered, and we await further details.


This past year has seen much new federal legislation pertaining to education. Many of these bills appear con- structive, others seem to be hastily drawn up and in need of additional study and possible amendment. It is evident that education today is a legitimate national concern and federal aid is here to stay. We must learn to live with it and benefit from it whenever possible and beneficial. Some federal programs tend to encroach upon lay and local control of schools, and these, we feel, must be strongly resisted.


Another concern to school committees is the new state law, effective in February, which grants collective bargaining rights to teachers. This could lead to much difficulty if improperly handled. However, we believe relations with our teachers are on a professional and friendly basis and do not anticipate serious problems.


The 1966 Budget has been carefully arrived at and calls for the expenditure of $871,973.00 some 10.3 per cent in excess of the 1965 budget. Approximately nine tenths of this increase is for salaries, which figure includes all personnel salaries. About 74 per cent of the total budget for 1966 is for instruction which includes: increase in teachers' salaries according to schedule, a full year's salary for teachers added in September 1965, and one- third of the yearly salary required for additional teach- ers for 1966. The instruction category of the Budget also includes amounts for textbooks and supplies. Our regular salary schedule continues to be based on the principle of merit. As in past years a sub-committee of the Finance Committee sat in with us at a series of meetings to discuss the budget. Their thoughts and com-


-241 -


ments were most helpful. We extend our thanks to Dr. Gillis K. Turner, Mr. Harold L. Emerson, and Mr. James Kelso, the sub-committee representing the Finance Com- mittee.


We sincerely believe that Duxbury has good schools and, of course, the credit for this goes to our fine staff of teachers, supervisors, and administrators, supplement- ed by competent and loyal non-teaching personnel. To Dr. Everett L. Handy we again express admiration for and appreciation of his many skills and outstanding lead- ership. We feel Duxbury is fortunate to have many individuals and organizations working in many different ways for the welfare of our schools. We wish to thank them all for their important contributions.


Respectfully submitted, EDWARD L. BUTLER, Chairman


WALTER B. COLLINS HERBERT R. NELSON MARTHA M. PALFREY JOHN F. SPENCE, JR.


- 242 -


Report of the Superintendent of Schools


In presenting this account of our schools for the year 1965 I would like first to give a report of progress in regard to the "four matters of major concern" de- scribed in the 1964 annual report. These four areas of concern to our schools included: school building needs, the problem of up-dating our administrative procedures through the use of data processing, providing vocational education, and meeting the recommendations of the Massachusetts Education Study Commission. Secondly, I would like to call attention to an additional matter of major concern to our schools, namely, the increased activity of the federal government in education. Other areas of this report will deal with personnel, school costs, and the curriculum. Finally, special reports deal- ing with a variety of school services will be presented.


SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS


Since May, 1965, a school building study committee has met regularly to consider the building needs of our schools. This committee consists of Mr. Howard M. Clark, Chairman, Mr. Walter F. Kopke, Jr., Vice Chairman, Mr. John F. Spence, Jr., Secretary, Mrs. George G. Palfrey, Mr. Allan A. Eaton, Mr. Lucius A. Howard, and Dr. Gillis K. Turner. A report prepared by the Superinten- dent dealing with our school building needs was studied and adopted by the Committee. The report was then presented to the Massachusetts School Building Assist- ance Commission, which accepted it as an excellent analysis of our building needs. A summary of the main features of this report are presented here.


One feature of primary importance was the deter- mination of the extent of future school population growth in Duxbury. Several growth studies were made rather than to rely on the results of a single investiga- tion. The results of three of these studies are shown


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in Table A, which follows. An examination of this tabu- lation indicates an estimated population of the town in 1975-76 of 11,700 persons, and a total school population at that time of at least 2,248 pupils. As of October 1,


TABLE A COMPARISON OF POPULATION PREDICTIONS


Town


School


Population Building est. by Committee


Planning


Study


Total


School Building Committee Study


Total


Planning Board Study (K-6) (7-12) (K-12)


Year


Board


(K-6)


(7-12) (K-12)


(K-6) (7-12) (K-12)


1965-66


6550


957


618


1575


965


620


1585


965*


620*


1585


1966-67


6950


1002


690


1692


1021


653


167.4


1002


655


1657


1967-68


7400


1024


749


1773


1080


695


1775


1063


694


1757


1968-69


7850


1026


808


1834


1146


737


1883


1132


740


1872


1969-70


8350


1057


843


1900


1210


784


1994


1204


787


1991


1970-71


8850


1060


896


1956


1283


831


2114


1276


834


2110


1971-72


9400


1075


941


2016


1363


883


2246


1363


891


2252


1972-73


9950


1097


972


2069


1442


935


2377


1435


937


2372


1973-74


10,500


1117


1003


2120


1552


987


2509


1515


990


2505


1974-75


11,100


1154


1014


2168


1609


1043


2652


1600


1046


2645


1975-76


11,700


1215


1033


2248


1696


1099


2795


1687


1102


2789


NOTE:


Bold numbers indicate the point at which buildings will be at capacity.


As of October 1, 1965.


this year (1965) the total town population was esti- mated to be in excess of 6,200, and the total public school population was recorded as 1,575.


The report next considered the availability of space in the present buildings. The results of this phase of the study are shown in Table B. This table indicates the capacity of each building and the date each would be expected to reach that capacity. Thus, it is seen that the high school is already at capacity, that the inter- mediate school (old high school) will be at capacity in 1967, and that the primary school will be at capacity in 1969. Comparing building capacities with population growth it becomes clear that more building space is needed and should be provided now.


Total


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TABLE B: PRESENT SCHOOL FACILITIES


Rooms Rooms re- Enroll


Room


Avail- quired


ment


School


Organization


able 9/10/65 9/10/65


Capacity


Est. date Capacity Reached


Primary


K-3


24


23


534


600


1969


Intermediate


4-6


15


15


414


450


1967


High School


7-12


26


26


608


600


1965


A space problem, not indicated in the above tabula- tion, also presents itself at this time. The industrial arts program, which is housed in a shop area in the intermediate school (old high school), is now at capacity in relation to space needs. When the new high school was built, it was planned to build a future addition to the new school to provide adequate space for the indus- trial arts program when the present quarters became too small. Thus, not only is the new high school at capacity, but the high school industrial arts program is in need of larger facilities. A careful consideration of space needs must take this into account. A regional effort to provide a vocational school in this area may solve this problem, but there is no assurance, at this time, that such a school will be established.


SOME PROPOSED SOLUTIONS


Several possible solutions to our space problem have been studied. The first proposed additional space for the high school only. The second provided for the transfer of grades 7 and 8 from the high school to the Intermediate School building and the construction of a new elemen- tary school. The third suggested the use of the primary and intermediate school buildings as a "middle school" (grades 5-8) and the construction of a new primary school. The fourth proposal suggested the construction of a middle school to provide for grades 5-8, leaving grades 9-12 in the high school building and utilizing the primary and intermediate school buildings for grades K-4.


-245-


The first proposal - adding to the present high school - was suggested because of the urgency of the need for space in this building. This plan suggested that, since the present high school has already reached its capacity, and, since it was designed to take an addition, the problem could be solved by adding to this building now. Further, if this plan could be followed, it might be the least expensive. However, our population growth studies showed that additional space will also be needed for the primary and intermediate buildings by 1967 and 1969. By the time an addition was completed for the high school an additional school for the elementary grades would be required. Hence, this proposal could well become the most expensive solution to the problem.


Again, the proposal described above would perpe- tuate an educational organization in which grades 7 and 8 could not be separated from grades 9-12 for many years. Organizing grades 7-12 in one school was justified when our enrollments were smaller, but present enroll- ments and future growth do not require this arrange- ment. Educationally, grades 9-12 form a unit which is complete in itself. These grades encompass an educa- tional program which is complete in relation to college entrance requirements. They enroll an age group with common interests. Students in these grades are at the mature level of public school experience, and are at the time of specialization in their studies. Grades 7 and 8, on the other hand, provide the opposite situation. The education of these children is general not specialized. This is a period of immaturity, and a time when future goals are considered. It is not the time to begin specific training. It is also an in-between period when children are not ready for the social practices of older students, but are often eager to imitate them in order to gain recognition. Their placement apart from grades 9-12 could better serve their needs and interests and prob- ably slow down their social life.


-246 -


The second proposed solution provides for the trans- fer of grades 7 and 8 from the high school building to the intermediate school building thereby establishing a two-year junior high school in this unit. This building would be adequate for these two grades to 1975 and possibly beyond this date depending on the rate of pop- ulation growth. Under this plan grades 4, 5 and 6, which now occupy this building must be provided for elsewhere. This plan would call for the construction of a new ele- mentary school in some other part of the town. This new school should include the pupils in that area of the town who would attend grades K-6. The present pri- mary school would be reorganized to provide for the re- mainder of the pupils who would attend grades K-6. Thus, there would be under this plan: one high school including grades 9-12; one junior high school including grades 7 and 8; and two elementary schools each con- taining grades K-6, and each serving a different part of the town.


The location of a second elementary school would present certain problems not present in a centralized school system. A second elementary school should be equal in facilities and equipment, and provide the same educational program. It should be large enough for a school population of 700 to start, and should make provi- sion for new developments in teaching and educational programs.


There are certain other problems related to this plan. One is the return to a more traditional type of grade organization. A more modern type of organization pro- vides for a middle school including grades 5-8. Further, if this plan is followed new shop facilities would have to be added to the high school, since the present shop area is no longer adequate for both grades 7 and 8 and grades 9-12. Should a regional vocational school be estab- lished, the problem of space for the industrial arts (shop)


- 247 -


program would be met, but it is fair to say that this is a possibility not likely of achievement for several years. Finally, there would be the problem of space for instruc- tion in home economics for girls. From the standpoint of cost this plan would not be inexpensive, since there would be involved: some alterations for instruction in home economics, a possible addition to the high school for industrial arts (shop), and the construction of a 700- pupil elementary school.


A third proposal suggests the use of the present pri- mary and intermediate school buildings as a middle school for grades 5-8, and the construction of a new pri- mary school. While this plan has the advantage of being a one-building solution, it does not solve the problem of additional space for industrial arts. The wing of the pri- mary school building is designed for very young chil- dren, and kindergarten areas would not be suitable for older children without some remodeling. The present classrooms do not lend themselves to team teaching and other modern teaching procedures. It would be trying to house a new program in an unsuitable physical set- ting. Both buildings lack special instructional areas for art, music, and reading and speech. The primary school building does not have a library - a strong recommen- dation of the Massachusetts Education Study Commis- sion. On the other hand, the space available would pro- vide a sufficient number of classrooms to 1975. In addi- tion, a new primary school could be constructed which would be modern in all respects. The choice here is between a new primary school and a less than satis- factory arrangement for a middle school (grades 5-8), or a satisfactory primary school unit and a new middle school building.


The fourth proposal utilizes the primary and inter- mediate school buildings for grades K-4, the high school for grades 9-12, and provides for the construction of a new "Middle School" for grades 5-8. This new school


- 248 -


would be planned to include grades 5-8, but would be flexible to include other grade groupings if enrollment pressures indicated the need for a different combination of grades. This school would be planned for the educa- tional needs of a special age group, but would be adapt- able to changing conditions of school growth. In our pres- ent situation a "Middle School" for grades 5-8 would relieve the high school by providing for grades 7 and 8, and would relieve the elementary school by including grades 5 and 6. The following chart compares projected enrollments with building capacities using the "Middle School" plan.


School


(1)


Capacity (2) 875


865


Middle School


700


705


High School


600


636


(1) Includes two buildings - Present Pri- mary and Intermediate.


(2) Twenty-five pupils per teacher.


(3) New School capacity to start.


Projected en- rollment 1975


Primary School


(3)


As indicated earlier the middle years of a child's education, approximately grades 5-8, offer the schools an opportunity to provide a program of instruction and activ- ities specially suited to this group. Pupils in these grades have acquired a working knowledge of the fundamental skills of learning, but have not reached the period of specialization provided at the high school level. In these middle years these pupils need an opportunity to make meaningful transition from the period of training of the early years (Primary School) to the time of specializa- tion of the mature years (High School). Such a transi- tion period will provide opportunity for team teaching methods, non-graded progress through school, counsel-


-249 -


ing, and independent study opportunities so that pupils may discover their fields of interest and competence. Socially, this arrangement would remove this age group from the pressures of high school, and would prevent their identification with children of Primary School age.


Again, as pointed out previously, organizing the high school as a 9-12 unit presents a logical arrangement from the standpoint of the instruction and maturity of the young people in these grades. Grades 9-12 cover the years of concern to colleges in relation to admission re- quirements. For the non-college student these grades provide opportunities for training in a saleable skill. For all pupils the high school provides a time for mature study in the arts, in literature, in science, and in gov- ernment.


Our present school organization places grades K-3 in the Primary School, grades 4-5 in the Intermediate School, and grades 7-12 in the High School. An arrange- ment of grades that includes K-4 in the Primary School, 5-8 in the proposed new Middle School, and 9-12 in the High School would not only meet our problem of needed space, but would provide the framework for a more ef- fective educational program.


The Building Study Committee recommends the con- tinuation of a centralized school system and the con- struction of a Middle School as described in the fourth proposal presented in the previous pages. This plan is recommended for the following reasons:


(1) It provides the facilities for a modern edu- cational program.


(2) It meets the special needs of this age group.


(3) It solves our building problem by the con- struction of a single unit.


-250 -


(4) It solves the problem of space for the indus- trial arts program in the event a regional school is not organized.


(5) It has flexibility in that the assignment of pupils in grades 5-8 is not a rigid organ- ization and may be varied to meet enroll- ment pressures elsewhere.


(6) By providing for grades 5 and 6 it allows for a pupil enrollment of approximately 1,000 pupils in grades K-4 in the present Primary and Intermediate buildings.


(7) By providing for grades 7 and 8 it allows again for growth in the High School to approximately 600 before an addition is required.


Another important consideration in the building needs study was the location of a new school. One basic question to be answered was whether to continue our plan of a centralized school system, or to plan for the location of a new school in another part of the town. Building a new school in another part of the town would start a plan of decentralization, which might not be ne- cessary if suitable land could be obtained in the present location of our school buildings. Keeping our school cen- tralized has many advantages. One such advantage is size. Centralizing schools creates school units of suffi- cient size so that modern programs and procedures are educationally and economically feasible. For example, although Duxbury is a small town, our present elemen- tary schools are as large as those in much larger towns thereby making it possible for us to equal the facilities and programs of instruction of these larger school dis- tricts. Use of personnel is another advantage of centra- lization. It makes possible the immediate availability of many janitors for any large operation. It reduces the


-251 -


travel time of teachers who work in more than one school. It makes it possible to handle cafeteria services more economically both as to equipment and personnel. In some instances duplication of costly equipment is avoided. Educationally, it makes possible a more effec- tive working relationship for all faculty members in car- rying out the instructional program. From the stand- point of administration it makes it possible to use such modern procedures as data processing. Socially, cen- tralization provides equal facilities for all. There are no sectional boundary lines limiting attendance to certain geographic areas. The dislocation and resulting friction created when boundary lines are changed are eliminated.




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