USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1922 > Part 9
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THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
STATISTICS, 1922.
*Number of books in the library 21,261
*Number of books added during 1921
500
Number of books circulated during 1922 32,075
Number of books circulated in East Braintree. during 1921 4,742
Largest daily circulation March 11th 283
Average circulation 110.6+
-
Percent of fiction circulation 71.56+
Total number of days library was open. 290
Number of borrowers since new registration, January 1,098
Number of borrowers in East Braintree
109
*This includes bound magazines.
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PERIODICALS.
The library receives regularly the periodicals on the fol-
lowing list :
America
American City
American Cookery
American Magazine
American Poultry Journal
Antiques
Arts and Decoration
Asia
Atlantic Monthly
Bird Lore
Book Review Digest
Booklist
Bookman
Boston Evening Transcript
Braintree Citizen
Braintree Observer
Bulletin of Bibliography
Carnegie Pittsburg Bulletin
Catholic World
Century
Collier's Magazine
Country Gentleman
Country Life
Cumulative Book Index
Current Events
Current Opinion
Delineator
Dial
Education
Etude
Everybody's
Forum
Garden Magazine
Good Housekeeping
185
Harper's Monthly Hibbert Journal
House Beautiful
Illustrated London News Illustrated World .
Ladies' Home Journal
Library Journal Life
Literary. Digest
Literary Review (N. Y. Post)
Living Age
London Punch
McClure's Magazine
Modern Priscilla
Musician
National Geographic Magazine
New Republic
New York Times Current History
Nineteenth Century and After
North American Review
Outing Outlook
Pictorial Review
Popular Mechanics
Popular Science Monthly Public Libraries
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature
Review of Reviews, American St. Nicholas Scientific American Science and Invention Scientific American Monthly Scribner's Magazine
Survey System Woman Citizen Woman's Home Companion
186
World's Work Yale Review Youth's Companion
4
TRUSTEES OF THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY. John W. Harding, Treasurer.
Treasurer's Report for the Year Ending December 31, 1922.
RECEIPTS.
Cash on deposit January 1, 1922
$543.66
From Town Treasurer, Appropriations
2,750.00
Fines, Lost books, etc.
183.18
Interest on Bank Balances
9.30
Income from Foundation Fund
483.95
Income from Caleb Stetson Fund
132.50
Income from Rachael R. Thayer Fund
7.74
From sale of old books
25.43
$4,135.76
EXPENDITURES.
Salaries
$2,050.00
Coal
177.00
Books
87.73
Binding
237.76
Insurance
82.40
Repairs to Building
157.92
Janitor Service at East Braintree
110.67
Transporting Books
46.00
Electric Light
55.70
Water
6.00
Supplies
106.14
Rent of Safe Deposit Box
10.00
Printing, postage, stationery, etc.
64.25
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Miscellaneous Librarian's Expenses
6.00
106.76
Cash on hand, December 31, 1922
831.43
$4,135.76
We have examined the account of John W. Harding, Treasurer of the Trustees of Thayer Public Library, and find it correct with all bills and receipts properly vouchered and balance of $831.43 in State Street Trust Company, December 31, 1922.
We have also examined the assets and income of the Foundation Fund, the Caleb Stetson Fund and Rachael R. Thayer Fund, which we find correct.
RALPH W. ARNOLD,
PAUL MONAGHAN,
Auditors for 1922.
FUNDS AND ASSETS OF THE TRUSTEES OF THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
FOUNDATION FUND.
Principal Account :
$7,500 Fourth Liberty Loan Bonds 414% (at cost ) $6,479.09
750 Town of Braintree Note, due 1923, 4% .. 750.00
750 Town of Braintree Note, due 1924, 4% .. 750.00
700 U. S. Treasury Certificates, 534% 700.00
Weymouth Savings Bank 1,320.91
$10,000.00
Income Account :
Income 1922
$483.95
Paid Trustees Thayer Public Lbirary
$483.95
$483.95
$483.95
CALEB STETSON FUND.
Principal Account :
$1,000 U. S. Treasury Certificates, 53/4 %
$1,000.00
Braintree Savings Bank
1,500.00
$2,500.00
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Income Account : Income 1922 $132.50
$132.50
$132.50
$132.50
RACHAEL R. THAYER FUND.
Principal Account :
Home Savings Bank, Boston
$172.50
Income Account :
7.74
Paid Trustees of Thayer Public Library
$7.74
$7.74
$7.74
NATHANIEL H. HUNT LEGACY INCOME ACCOUNT. John W. Harding, Treasurer.
INCOME.
Cash on deposit January 1, 1922
$423.35
Income received for year 1922
1,076.12
Interest on Bank Balances
4.60
$1,504.07
EXPENDITURES.
Books
$704.03
Magazines and Papers
221.75
Balance on deposit, December 31, 1922
ยท 578.29
$1,504.07
We have examined the account of John W. Harding, Treasurer, showing income and receipts of Nathaniel H. Hunt Legacy Income Account and find it correct and properly vouchered. Balance on hand December 31, 1922, in State Street Trust Company-$578.29.
RALPH W. ARNOLD, PAUL MONAGHAN,
Auditors for 1922
-
Paid Trustees of Thayer Public Library
Income 1922
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
OF THE
TOWN OF BRAINTREE
FOR Year ending December 31, 1922
Printed by Order of the Town
1640.
SSA
HUSET
Printed by
The Braintree Observer
1923
190
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Dr. Franklin H. Merriam, Chairman, 1000 Washington Street, South Braintree. Mrs. Alida M. Stevens, Recording Secretary, 75 Tremont Street, South Braintree.
Mr. C. Frederick Tarbox, 27 Willard Street, East Braintree.
Mrs. Carrie F. Loring, 110 Front Street, East Braintree.
Mr. Henry D. Higgins, 490 Washington Street, Braintree.
Mr. Ralph B. Woodsum, 45 Hollis Avenue, Braintree.
Superintendent of Schools
C. Edward Fisher, 26 Frederick Road, South Braintree. Office tele- phone 0574-M.
OFFICE HOURS
On school days-Monday and Wednesday, 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 4 to 5 p.m.
Clerk
Emily Erickson, 766 Washington Street, South Braintree.
Office Hours
Eight to 12, 1 to 5 on days when schools are in session. On Satur- days 9 to 12.
Meetings of the Committee
Second Monday evening of each month at 8 o'clock in the Town House, Washington Street, South Braintree.
School Nurse
Mrs. Mary M. Bjorkman, Liberty Street, South Braintree.
Attendance Officer
C. S. Hannaford, 32 Summer Street, South Braintree.
Janitors
Albert F. Hollis, 39 Taylor Street, South Braintree-High School. Edward C. Holyoke, 24 Liberty Street, East Braintree-Jonas Per- kins School.
F. F. Tupper, 44 Central Avenue, South Braintree-Noah Torrey School.
Omer W. Hollis, Union Street, Braintree-Penniman School.
Charles F. Saunders, 32 Tremont Street, South Braintree-Pond School.
Nelson E. Hayden, 305 Pond Street, South Braintree-South West School.
John O'Rourke, Peach Street, South Braintree-South School.
Parker W. Brown, 23 Willow Street, East Braintree-Abraham Lincoln School.
Frank E. Drake, 36 Central Avenue, South Braintree-Hollis School. J. A. Akerstrom, 130 Hayward Street, East Braintree-Quincy Avenue Portable.
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191
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
January 2, 1923.
To the Citizens of the Town of Braintree :-
During the past year a great deal has been accomplished in the way of repairing the school plant, and it is to be hoped that this particular line of work may be completed so that hereafter it will be necessary to appropriate a smaller sum, just merely that which will be necessary to keep the plant in repair.
Briefly, to enumerate some of the things which have been done, it may be said :
At the High School a new roof, walls painted except the third floor, basement whitened, some changes in the piping for steam to secure more satisfactory results, desks in three rooms resurfaced, storm door at front entrance, and new floors laid in corridors, new treads on stairways and new curtains.
At the Hollis School a part of the roof new, all outside walls waterproofed, foundations inside waterproofed, damp- ers placed in ventilating ducts, for more effective control of heat, and some desks resurfaced.
At the Pond School two new furnaces, glass placed in outside doors to make corridor better lighted and shelving placed in supply room.
At the Noah Torrey School, toilets painted and new seats installed, new treads on stairs from basements to playgrounds, porticos painted and roofs of same repaired, finials on roof repaired and painted, new water spout, chimneys pointed, and one room portable painted inside and outside, coal bin in one room portable rebuilt as it collapsed from the weight of coal, principal's office and toilet painted.
At the South West School both buildings painted inside and outside, shed to main building jacked up and new sills placed, as shed had tipped away from main building; outhouse relocated and repaired and painted.
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At the South School, painted inside and outside, new windows, half of the roof shingled, new sills for shed and rear wall shingled, new outside doors to the shed and repairs to the outhouse contained therein, a wire fence on one side of the school grounds, and water pipes boxed in to prevent repeated breaking of pipes because of freezing.
At the Penniman School three new furnaces, new front doors, new basement doors and repairs to chimneys and roof.
At the Jonas Perkins School motor installed to run the fan for more effective and satisfactory ventilation and heat, painted outside, chimney relaid, leak in roof remedied, sup- ply room with shelving built in a corner of the principal's office, new treads on stairs from basement to grounds and some repairs to boilers.
At the Abraham Lincoln School a large part of flooring relaid, roof repaired, exterior painted, walls waterproofed, and new water spouts with repair to all gutters, also dry wells.
In addition to the above all door checks were repaired, all window cord and catches cared for, a large number of chairs re-caned (there are still some to be done) and immediate attention given to broken window glass, which requires fre- quent attention ; broken door knobs, locks, desks, chairs, and curtains. There is such a large amount of attention required to keep in good condition the ten school plants that a man has been engaged to give his whole time to the School De- partment for this purpose, and has proven very satisfactory in every way. Our school plant, once we have placed it in good condition in every respect, may be kept in good condi- tion much more economically by constant attention, than by allowing deterioration to continue to that point where the repair becomes a necessity. Most of our work has been re- pairs and replacements, very little having been done in the way of introducing improvements or betterments.
Your Committee sees no reason for a change of attitude in regard to the erection of a new high school building, which question has now been before the Town for some time. At
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our Annual Town Meetings last year and at a special meet- ing when the question was voted upon several times, there was without exception a majority vote in favor, but the two- thirds vote necessary for a bond issue lacked a few votes of the number necessary. This would seem to settle without a doubt the question as to public opinion being in favor. The question is not one allowing of any sectional feeling, for the Town must be a unit on this question as it has but one High School and it must serve all. The total membership in the High School last year was 333 and this year to date, the total membership is 394. This is a larger increase even than was expected, as an examination of the High School princi- pal's report for last year shows that he said, "We can rea- sonably expect a membership of at least 375 in September, 1922.'' '' It may be expected that a similar increase in mem- bership at the High School will continue for the next few years, and to build a high school of too small size would be a short-sighted policy considering the location of Braintree and its prospects for growth. In the last few years Braintree has passed six towns in its growth of population, and been passed but by one; which fact, together with a consideration of the congestion of population between here and Boston with our transportation facilities, would strongly indicate that the crest of the wave of migration is about to hit Braintree. A look around town now will show a considerable amount of building going on, and more in prospect.
All the half-time work which existed in our grade schools last year has been eliminated, but an examination of the num- bers in the intermediate grades would indicate that the enter- ing class in High School is likely to be larger each year than the preceding year, which would suggest the probability of the reappearance of half time in our High School before we will again have it in the grades. In addition to the above we have to face the possibility of our State law being amended so that the age of compulsory school attendance will be raised from 14 to 16, which would cause practically all children to complete the first two years of High School. and this would
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very materially increase the membership in the High School. Similar laws have been passed in several States, and such a law is before the present session of our Legislature for con- sideration. The question of a new high school building should be placed in the hands of the School Committee in such a way that it may take action on this question as a Committee and not contribute its information as individuals to some committee not familiar with school conditions. In this way we could present to the citizens of the Town a complete de- tailed study and plan with estimates which would bring about more concerted action and meet more fully with the approval of the voters.
The new school building on Quincy Avenue will un- doubtedly be opened at the beginning of school in September, and will prove a great convenience to a large number. The School Committee gave careful consideration to the naming of the school and after some investigation came to the con- clusion that the preponderance of sentiment in that section of the Town favored Thomas A. Watson for a name rather than the Robert Taft, which had been suggested. This unani- mous vote of the School Committee was approved unanimous- ly by the Building Committee, and so it was thus named. Per- haps it is not generally known that this building is named for one who for many years faithfully served the Town as a member of the School Committee, frequently visiting the schools and personally met the expense of establishing kinder- gartens and sloyd classes for the Town schools. These facts, together with many benefactions which the Town received from him, would seem to warrant this expression of appre- ciation.
This Committee strongly desires and has unanimously voted to request the Town to purchase a parcel of land ad- joining the present school boundaries about the Monatiquot School, in order that entrance may be had to this school from the new street recently run north from Academy Street and then west. This land is a protection and real necessity in
195
anticipation of the land development and probable building which is to take place in this vicinity.
The budget as requested of the Appropriation Commit- tee is as follows :
General Expense
$6,700.00
Instruction
126,700.00
Operating
20,000.00
Maintenance
15,000.00
Auxiliary Agencies 7,600.00
Outlay
3,000.00
Total $179,000.00
This Department in its request for appropriation for the year 1923, has most carefully considered not alone the needs of this Department, but has weighed the financial needs and conditions of the Town as a whole in an effort to keep within reasonable limits, which means eliminating some things that. are immediately desirable, but may be postponed for another year.
Respectfully submitted, FRANKLIN H. MERRIAM, ALIDA N. STEVENS, HENRY D. HIGGINS,
RALPH B. WOODSUM,
CARRIE F. LORING, C. FREDERICK TARBOX,
School Committee.
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
January 2, 1923.
To the School Committee :
I herewith submit my report for the calendar year of 1922, accompanied by various statistical tables, lists of gradu- ates, etc.
Although much has been done in the way of repairing our school plant, it is desirable that as soon as financial con- ditions will permit, the following improvements be made.
Provide electric lights in all class rooms not at present so equipped, in order that children may be able to see to use their books and the blackboards with less eye strain, for there are many times during the school year when it is almost im- possible to see the writing on a blackboard across the room, it is so dark.
Provide facilities for running hot water in all schools in order that children may more effectively wash their hands, not merely because "Cleanliness is next to godliness," but that the life of the text books handled by the child may be made longer and the book be kept in better condition during its use ; provide slate blackboards in several places where now black plaster walls or other makeshift arrangements are in use; provide the installation of storage batteries with auto- matic charging devices for running the clock systems and con- nect up fire alarm system with clock system; electric clock systems with fire alarm system connected, installed in the High School and Jonas Perkins School; purchase additional land in rear of the present High School Building; fence in Noah Torrey School grounds ; purchase additional land north of Penniman School grounds and grade these grounds; pur- chase additional land south of Abraham Lincoln School grounds and grade these grounds ; grade grounds about Jonas Perkins School; purchase grounds for school site in the vicin- ity of Braintree Highlands adequate in size to provide for the future. The foregoing would all be very desirable at once, but it is unreasonable to expect any community to undertake all these projects at one time, and I would therefore urge
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careful consideration of these suggestions in order that they may all be accomplished ultimately, but the burden of ex- pense distributed over a period of three to five years. The condition of our school text books has been very materially improved by the purchase of new books to replace old and badly worn out copies and a sufficient number has been pur- chased so that now every child has a book. The subjects of study in which this has been done are Penmanship, Arith- metic, Geography, History and Grammar. There still re- mains a great deal to be done in this line of work, particu- larly in the High School, and especially in the subject of read- ing and in introducing a series of books for work in physi- cal education, health and hygiene work, which is much needed.
For the Superintendent of School's office there was se- cured a storage cupboard, filing cases and a safe for the pro- tection of school records.
In the High School, besides the miscellaneous books pur- chased to replace books so thoroughly worn out that it was a necessity, the large increase in the number of pupils in all the classes required the purchase of additional copies.
In the Commercial Department four additional type- writers were purchased, filing cases installed, a Burroughs Calculating Machine, a Burroughs Listing Machine, and an Edison Dick Mimeograph and Mimeoscope, and several old typewriters were exchanged for new ones. If we are to con- duct a commercial department in the High School the equip- ment provided for the student's use must be all that is today to be found in the modern up to date business office, just so far as it is possible to do so, in order that our students, when they graduate and go out into these offices to work, may be as familiar as possible, not only with office practice and pro- cedure, but as well, necessarily, if they are to be a credit to the school and its training, with office equipment and its use, which are inseparably connected. With the opening of the High School in September, because of the large increase in numbers, it was necessary to have two additional teachers, one of whom was a man, to look after the work in the Com-
198
mercial Department, thus giving us four teachers for this work.
A safe was purchased for the High School principal's office to provide for the security of records and funds, of which frequently considerable sums are on' hand from the class socials, sale of car tickets, and the school lunch room money. The principal now has more time to attend to the duties of administration, having been relieved of the neces- sity of conducting as many classes as in the past, and the time is fast approaching, because of the increase in the size of our High School, when all of the principal's time will be required for the administration duties and it will not be pos- sible for him to teach any classes regularly.
In the Continuation School, which is now conducted in the basement of the Hollis School, there have been placed wooden floors over the cement, which was last year very cold and uncomfortable. In the girls' room have been placed a sink, gas ranges and the necessary equipment in order that the pupils may be taught cooking as well as sewing. It is hoped that the necessary funds may be provided this year, so that we may provide the boys with a lathe and Universal saw and jointer, in order that more extensive practice may be secured in woodwork. Bulletin boards, medicine cabinets, cupboards, etc., have been made for the various schools, which have proven very useful. The number of certificates issued to boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 16 is so large that there is absolutely no prospect of an opportunity to dis- continue this school so long as Rice & Hutchins continue the practice of employing children under 16 years of age.
The teaching force has been organized into sections with a leader for each section, for the purpose of making our Teachers' Meetings more effective and practical, as questions to be discussed affecting first grade work will not usually apply to eighth grade work. We have a High School Sec- tion, a Continuation School Section, a Kindergarten Section, and the eight grades are divided into four sections of two grades each. In this way by having meetings in sections,
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work is discussed and planned so as to get more nearly the same amount of work done in the various schools, and it offers an opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas on work which all in that section are doing. Before the end of the present school year, it is hoped that courses of study for the various grades by subjects can be put in written form, indicating text books to be used and the maximum and mini- mum amount of work to be covered month by month during a school year. This will be a great relief to a teacher, as it will establish a definite goal of attainment for which to work and put her mind at ease as to whether she is doing what some other teacher is doing or as to whether she is doing what she is expected to do.
During the year speakers of well recognized reputation and authorities in their respective fields of work address our teachers on various topics pertaining to their work. We have had Dr. Carl L. Schrader, Director of Physical Education, of the State Department of Education, who spoke on Physi- cal Education, and gave a demonstration with a grade from one of our schools and also with a group of boys and a group of girls from our High School. Dr. F. M. McMurray of Teach- ers' College, Columbia University, also has spoken on "The Art of Questioning." It should be noted, too, that in addi- tion to these speakers secured by the Superintendent of Schools for teachers' meetings, the Braintree Teachers' Asso- ciation at its meetings have speakers who address them on topics pertaining to their work.
With the closing of the schools last June there was pre- sented to the Superintendent of Schools the most important of his many duties,-that of selecting teachers for the opening of schools to fill the places of those who would not return for various reasons, such as matrimony, having accepted better salaried positions, sickness, etc. Before the close of the year resignations were received so that three positions were being filled by temporary substitutes which, with the thirty-three resignations received, to take effect with the closing of the schools, made necessary the securing of thirty-six teachers,
200
an immense task for so small a school system and a particu- larly difficult one if he was to get good ones, considering the salary your superintendent could offer. Since the opening of school in September seven resignations have been received, of which only four were from teachers who were here last year. We cannot expect to keep teachers here with our present salaries, for two reasons: First, there is not an adequate sup- ply of good teachers; second, Braintree is located in the Metropolitan District and it is very convenient for a super- intendent of schools needing a teacher to visit our schools, and it requires but a short time to go from one of the teachers' agencies in Boston to any one of our schools. This last is a great help in securing teachers, but a most serious handicap to retaining them with our present salary schedule. Our sal- ary schedule might retain teachers if Braintree was located where it was not so readily accessible, but with all the condi- tions as they are we face a choice between the two alterna- tives,-pay larger salaries or gracefully expect and accept a change of 60% to 75% in the personnel every year.
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