USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1949 > Part 10
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Health
Our objective is a healthy and happy group of school children. In order for them to achieve success it is important that they be able to work at their highest peak of physical efficiency. Our staff is always on the alert for deviations from normal. Much time is spent on hearing and vision testing. These are two defects that develop so gradually that parents are generally unaware of the trouble until it has reached an advanced stage. We are pleased that so many parents have responded to notices sent home regard- ing physical defects.
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Dental Clinic Operated by Board of Health in the Elementary Schools
136
The dental program has shown a tremendous improvement in one year, with results far in excess of our anticipations.
In fact, the entire Health program has been voluntarily com- mended in writing by the State Department of Health and rated as one of the outstanding programs in the Commonwealth. .
The demand for recreational opportunities from the students and the public is being well satisfied by the facilities of the new gym. The locker rooms provide adequate space for showers under ideal hygienic conditions. Towel service provides a clean towel for each individual as a means of creating a wholesome attitude toward personal hygiene.
The athletic program continues to answer one of the needs of the community in providing after-school activity under compe- tent supervision.
Guidance
Growth of the child, in the fullest meaning of the word, is the basic conception of education, and the chief concern of all who made guidance function. No child will work long and hard at his growth unless he gets the proper encouragement, and tastes of some success as he studies. Guidance endeavors to assist the youth in choices of subjects, courses, and career goals so that direction can be given to his efforts. Discovery of his talents through inventories, and measurements are phases of this program which is carried on in the high and elementary schools by competent persons specializing in the adjustment of individual difficulties. To give adequate attention to this work for the 4,000 school children of Braintree constitutes a great challenge to which the Guidance Director, counselors, remedial reading specialist and attendance officer and nurses are responding with great effectiveness.
Classroom Requirements
By September, 1950, all available classrooms, including nine undesirable basement and attic rooms, will be in use. In addition there will be three classes in the East District, and four in the North District for which no rooms are available.
The East District situation will be relieved by the opening of the new school about February, 1951. In the North and South Districts continued increase calls for provision of additional facili- ties by September, 1951. The School Committee, Survey Com- mittee and Advisory Committee are all working on these problems and will have recommendations concerning sites and building plans to make to the Town at intervals.
School Committee
All of the activities mentioned in this report are conducted under the supervision and in accordance with policies thoroughly discussed by the School Committee. Braintree is fortunate in hav-
137
ing a Committee composed of such conscientious members who give a great amount of their time, are conscientious in attendance at meetings, and thorough in their follow-up of questions raised by themselves or others for the improvement of our schools. With- out their inspiration, guidance and special help none of the ac- complishments listed would have been possible.
Improvements in Braintree Public Schools Since 1946
Maintenance
Safety: Auxiliary Lights, Fireproofing
Fluorescent Lighting in all classrooms
Interior and Exterior Painting, Floor De-Oiling
Drives: Macademized at Lincoln and Monatiquot Schools Toilets: Watson and Perkins Schools
Boilers: Hollis, Perkins and Noah Torrey Schools
Grounds: Watson and Lincoln Schools
Plant
Addition to Braintree High School Hollis auditorium divided into classrooms
Elementary School approved Lincoln Auditorium remodeling plans New sites recommended
Federal Lunch Program
Athletics on expanded basis for all
Teaching Procedures
Elementary Institutes
Extension Courses for Teachers
Courses of Study (Elem. & B.H.S.) revised
Textbooks modernized
Visual Education services expanded Maps and Globes completely replaced
Improvements in Organization
Guidance Department-testing, counseling, remedial services Seventh and Eighth grades consolidated in all districts Rinehart Penmanship Program
Industrial Arts Department organized in secondary schools Salary Schedule improved
Adult Evening School organized
Health
Massachusetts Vision Test to replace Snellen Charts Audiometer replaces whisper test Dental Clinic Nurses' services Post-Index record system
Safety Program extended
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v
Per Pupil Cost
Data taken from studies made by Massachusetts Teachers' Federation, and is latest material ava labie on school cos.s for 1948-49. Cities and towns, arranged in order of population, include all cities and towns in 15,000-30,000 population range.
1948-49
1949 Tax Rate
% School Tax of Total Tax 1948
Belmont
28,866
3,742
$3,377
$37.00
42.8
Melrose
27,972
3,517
3,437
42.00
40.9
Weymouth
27,957
3,567
3,027
33.50
39.7
Beverly
26,814
3,503
2,853
49.80
35.3
Framingham
25,502
3,556
3,171
42.00
33.2
Northampton
24,977
2,618
2,973
44.00
39.1
Gloucester
24,862
3,570
2,933
52.60
30.0
Leominster
23,549
2,448
3,137
52.00
35.9
Methuen
23,160
2,715
3,098
52.00
42.0
Attleboro
22,375
3,178
2,797
40.70
40.8
Peabody
22,303
2,750
2,933
62.40
39.4
North Adams
22,230
3,052
2,665
53.00
37.4
Milton
21,718
3,006
3,246
38.00
35.5
Braintree
20,279
3,786
2,966
42.40
43.0
Gardner
20,245
1,887
3,142
40.00
34.7
Westfield
19,956
2,732
3,659
46.00
48.3
Woburn
19,886
2,817
3,287
39.20
51.4
W. Springfield
19,453
2,774
2,900
38.80
48.1
Winthrop
18,696
2,924
2,939
42.00
45.1
Wakefield
18,677
2,778
3,020
41.60
39.7
Wellesley
17,581
2,834
3,100
36.80
31.9
Southbridge
17,561
1,601
2,912
56.00
32.9
Greenfield
17,020
2,324
2,831
38.00
42.4
Saugus
16,662
2,949
2,737
38.90
47.1
Dedham
16,659
2,542
3,076
42.00
41.6
Norwood
16,508
2,128
3,347
37.80
49.4
Milford
15,801
1,358
2,785
53.00
40.0
Natick
15,789
2,801
2,924
45.60
38.8
Marlboro
15,680
1,694
2,674
47.80
30.8
Winchester
15,300
2,481
3,323
36.00
35.7
Braintree Rank 14
1
17
14
7
City or Town
1945 Pop.
ship
Average Member- Av. Staff Salary
It will be seen that, although Braintree is exceeded in popula- tion by thirteen other cities or towns, the pupil enrollment in Braintree is the largest on the list. The town that compares most nearly in pupil enrollment, spent over $200,000 more for the sup- port of schools, at a pupil cost of $60 per pupil more than Braintree. The explanation of this is apparent from the comparison of Brain- tree and Belmont in the columns headed "Average Staff Salary" and "Pupil-Teacher Ratio."
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City or Town
Pupil- Teacher Ratio
Support of Day Schools
1948-49 Sch. Sup. Per Pupil
Rank Per Pupil Cost
Belmont
21.8
$827,650
$233.31
4
Melrose
22.7
750,443
219.63
5
Weymouth
29.2
802,197
172.32
25
Beverly
21.9
706,654
208.71
11
Framingham
26.3
609,078
182.01
20
Northampton
23.2
511,180
194.74
16
Gloucester
25.3
685,610
195.98
15
Leominster
22.7
529,091
234.00
3
Methuen
26.9
490,093
182.89
19
Attleboro
25.8
572,247
186.47
18
Peabody
22.9
547,457
209.24
10
North Adams
24.4
469,564
170.19
26
Milton
24.6
590,264
196.75
14
Braintree
24.9
623,771
172.80
23
Gardner
23.3
394,909.
215.58
8
Westfield
25.1
555,374
246.63
2
Woburn
23.9
535,063
198.88
13
W. Springfield .
22.6
536,002
204.12
12
Winthrop
26.3
455,591
163.00
28
Wakefield
27.2
441,768
179.76
21
Wellesley
21.0
614,248
218.33
6
Southbridge
23.9
281,984
191.46
17
Greenfield
25.0
401,801
175.60
22
Saugus
30.4
383,470
136.59
30
Dedham
22.7
487,648
212.97
9
Norwood
21.7
529,617
+259.53
1
Milford
24.9
299,609
165.57
27
Natick
28.9
417,912
155.15
29
Marlboro
24.9
245,154
172.43
24
Winchester
24.8
501,943
215.61
7
Braintree Rank
12
6
23
¡Includes cafeteria expenditures
Financial Statement
Teachers' Salaries (including Prin- cipals, Directors, Supervisors and 6 Secretaries)
$492,095.34
Administration
15,910.65
Telephone, Printing, Postage, etc.
2,520.25
Research and Prof. Study
593.68
Textbooks and Supplies
35,132.56
Athletic Activities
3,968.48
Principals' and Supervisors' Travel ..
2,394.98
Custodians' Salaries
39,118.46
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Fuel
14,676.18
Light, Water & Misc. Operating
12,922.56
Repairs and Improvements
27,894.79
Nurses, Physicians and Health Sup- plies
6,803.32
Transportation
20,956.62
Tuition
4,372.86
Miscellaneous Auxiliary
673.11
Outlay
9,005.71
Evening School
4,343.18
$693,382.73
Receipts of the Town on Account of the School Department
Receipts from the State:
School Fund and State Aid
$78,944.80
Tuition (State Wards) 2,409.07
Reimbursement on Evening
Practical Arts School 565.00
Smith-Hughes and George Deen Funds for Evening School.
657.86
Other Receipts:
Tuition (Day and Evening
Schools)
319.40
Miscellaneous
244.12
83,140.25
NET COST TO TOWN FOR
SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS
$610.242.48
Thayer Public Library
STACY B. SOUTHWORTH, Chairman
MABEL S. ROGERS, Sec'y. RALPH B. WOODSUM
MORRILL R. ALLEN CLARA G. WETHERBEE MIRIAM HALL, Librarian
The trustees of the Thayer Public Library earnestly request of every citizen who has a copy of the annual report of the Town of Braintree for 1949 to thoughtfully read our librarian's resume of the Thayer Public Library and its branches. It reveals the utter inadequacy of our library facilities to meet the reading needs of our children and our citizens.
The chairman of the trustees who is also chairman of the State Library Commission and knows the library situation through- out the Commonwealth, has no hesitation in declaring that Brain- tree has the most deplorable library conditions of any town or city
141
Waiting for the Doors to Open at East Braintree Branch Library
in Massachusetts included within the range of population of 15,000 to 25,000.
The chairman is proud of the response our citizens have made when asked to make an adequate appropriation for the construction of a modern high school and a gymnasium. The buildings con- structed are worthy of the times in which we live.
Now, as we face the beginning of this second half century let us make amends for a half century of apathy and negligence in reference to library affairs by approving in the next annual town meeting the construction of a modern library that shall be worthy of the town of Braintree.
A conversation overheard between two young men at the catalog.
"Wow, what a small library!"
"Oh, I dunno-yer usually get what yer want here."
The first speaker, a visitor, was apparently impressed only by the physical size of the building. The second, a regular user of the library, had found that the size and quality of its contents was important to him. Yet, the contents and service could be so much better with a better building.
Small? Why wouldn't the building be small, since it was built 75 years ago? The library has just completed 75 years of
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At the Highlands Branch Young Borrowers Enjoy Their Own Room
service to the town, yet, in all these years the size of the building has remained the same. The founder of the library had vision in providing a building in 1874. He would expect the building to keep pace and grow as the use of the library and size of the town increased. He would still have vision and expect the town to provide a new building as services outgrew his original gift.
Seventy-five years ago, this building served a population of 4,156 adequately. The town was compact. There was no need for branches; there was no need for a children's room; little reference work was done and there was no need for a separate room for that work. There was no need for a browsing room, for housewives and their husbands had no time left from their home chores to spend reading magazines and new books in a comfortable chair in the library. There was no need for a large work room to process thousands of new books and periodicals, and prepare thousands more for branches and schools. Today with the town's population of 21,000 five times as great as in 1874, the library's use is sixteen times what it was then. Circula- tion alone in 1949 was just under 200,000-in 1875, 13.000. · 'In 1949, 9,120 residents of the town were registered as borrowers, or 44% ; in 1875, 587, or 14% of the population.
With this great increase in the number of users. there is also great increase in the assistance rendered to the individual. In the
143
early years, the emphasis of the library was simply on acquiring books, whether they were used or not. The modern library empha- sizes putting the books to work. The human element is important; bringing the books and the reader together. The library is the first place to which the individual naturally turns when he has a prob- lem to be solved. The staff member spends time in helping a bor- rower select the book which suits his needs; she compiles lists of books on special subjects for individual borrowers; she makes displays that tell borrowers what the library owns. She shows the reader how to use the catalog, and the indexes such as the magazine index, the index to plays, the index to poetry and the index to essays.
As the town spread out, it was necessary to increase the delivery points of the library by providing branches. This phase of the library's service means more work and requires space at the main library, for here branch deposits are made up and records must be kept.
The East Braintree Branch is a vigorous branch on Quincy Avenue in a busy section of the town. Miss Isabel Handy, the capable librarian, has all she can do to answer questions of both grade and high school students each day. The users of this branch live far from the main library, so they must count on the branch to do their reference work as well as supply them with good reading. The time has come when the interior furnishings of East
A Satisfied Borrower at the Braintree Branch
144
Braintree should have a face lifting. A drab store building could be made much more attractive and inviting by new chairs, tables and curtains.
Braintree Branch is attractive in its setting in an old house, one room of which has an old fireplace with baking oven. Located near the North shopping center of the town, it attracts readers on the way to the stores. Mrs. Gertrude Bates, the genial librarian here, finds in spite of its attractiveness that this branch is very crowded for shelf space. There is not adequate room to keep a large collection of reference books, so that the comparative near- ness to the main library is at times an advantage for borrowers in this vicinity.
Braintree Highlands is a rapidly growing residential section of the town, and near the Norfolk County Hospital is the youngest of our branches. Mrs. Edith Emerson is most helpful in assisting both young and old to select suitable reading. This year, we have added a table and small chairs for the little room which the children are happy to call their own.
Another important development in library service in 75 years is the Children's Department. The circulation of children's books in the early years was about 10% of the total; in 1949, 46% of the total circulation. You have but to take a look in the children's room at the attractive books, from the picture books for the youngest child, to the exciting horse stories for young people, to see the reason for this change in 75 years. Also, increase in school population means increase in library business, yet increase in facilities for library work has not kept pace with the increase in facilities for school work. There is no school building which has been in constant use for 75 years, and is still being used for work which has increased more than 16 times.'
The practice of sending classroom deposits to the schools continues. Mrs. Blair believes this also helps to make children better users of the library. Three special trends in the types of reading have been noted this year. Children are asking for more and more Biography. Older boys are finding that they like stories with Historical settings. There has been a 30% increase in chil- dren's Religious material, largely by Sunday Schools.
Mrs. Blair has also continued the practice of holding story hours during the months of July and August. Twice each week children thronged into the tiny children's room; in July 265 and in August 498, a total of 763 for two months. This fact in itself speaks for the need of new children's library space.
Reference work is an important development in the Adult Department, and a glance at some of the questions which have been asked in 1949 will show what is involved in this work.
145
"A picture of an Irish band costume."
"What are the weights of elephants at different ages?"
"How do you make sails for a boat model?"
"Material on raising a Dalmatian puppy."
"Routine for the minuet with variations."
"Material on principles of foreign trade, importing and exporting, for organizing a course at a university."
Foreign brides come to the library for books in their native languages. We have had requests for books in the following languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Norwegian and Hungarian. One borrower came to the library with a letter she had received written in German. She came to the library to have us translate it for her, as she said, "I have always been able to get help for my problems at the library." The library did not fail her this time, as one of the staff members is a very good Ger- · man student, and was able to translate the letter for her.
Looking up historical facts for the Braintree England Com- mittee in preparation for the booklet was a phase of reference work this year which required a great deal of digging and hunting. The adult department not only answers the questions of indi- viduals, but also supplies the needs of three secondary schools, the High School, Thayer Academy and the new Archbishop Williams Catholic High School. While some questions may seem trivial to the reader, yet they are important to the inquirer.
With the beginning of 1950 there is a definite trend which libraries, including your own Thayer Public Library, must recog- nize. The purpose of library service is the dissemination of knowledge and information. Seventy-five years ago books and periodicals were the sole means of distributing this information. In the present modern world, there are developing many other media for the acquiring of knowledge: radio, television, films, microfilming of permanent records, music, records and recordings of speeches.
Microfilm is something which we must come to before long in order to save our local newspapers. This past year, the gathering of historical information to send to Braintree, England, has shown the scarcity of Braintree local history material. The library has the only copies in existence of some of the early Braintree news- papers. These are crumbling away in the cellar for lack of proper place to put them. The only way to preserve this material for future use is to have them microfilmed immediately.
In past reports we have mentioned the interest in musical records. About a month ago, in one week, three borrowers asked if we had records which could be lent. Taxpayers are beginning to demand them as a rightful part of library service. High School and College students are expected to use records in doing special
146
projects. Many patrons have their own record players, and wish to supplement their own collections of records by borrowing them from the library, just as they supplement their own book collections by borrowing books.
We have also had some requests to lend films. Attendance at a teachers' institute shows that books are not what teachers are talking about. If these new media are to become an accepted method of learning and teaching, then we must take them into consideration as part of the equipment of a modern library. Is the library the logical place for these new materials to be collected? These are important questions for us to consider.
The Braintree England Committee has already given to the library for safe keeping the Recordings of the original transcriptions of the program broadcast to Braintree, England, in June; also the photostatic negatives made from the album sent to Braintree, England.
We now come to the everpresent remarks from patrons about the new building. A gentleman asked when we were going to have the new building; he would like to see a large enough build- ing. "The present building is a disgrace to a town this size." Another borrower commented that you would be able to work so much more efficiently if you had more private and adequate workspace. A little boy said he was eagerly waiting for the new library because it would be on his side of the street. This topic is more in the minds of intelligent citizens and the 9,000 registered borrowers than almost any other current topic in Braintree.
To return to the remarks of the two gentlemen, the building is woefully small; it served well the population of the day. Now, it is filled to more than capacity with material which the second gentleman found worthwhile. However, this material can be made much more efficiently available to all, and new important material can be added when we have a library building adequate in floor space and in modern facilities that will enable our library staff to render the kind of service the public has a right to expect. Our aim is to serve each individual, "at the highest he can achieve."
To this end a new library building is imperative.
Statistics of Library Use 1949 Registered Borrowers
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Borrowers January 1, 1949
7,039
1,658
8,697
Registered during 1949
978
423
1,401
Cards expired and moved during 1949 ..
714
264
978
Registered Borrowers Dec. 31, 1949
7,303
1,817
9,120
44.9% of the Population
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Books Loaned
Adult fiction
71,334
36% of total circulation
Adult non-fiction
36,113
Juvenile books
92,009
Total books loaned
199,456
Books loaned from branches .. 83,674
Circulation per capita 9.8 books
Total increase in circulation .. 7,859
Book Stock
Adult
Juvenile
Volumes January 1, 1949
33,289
9,172
Total 43,001
Volumes added 1949
1,234
1,046
2,280
Volumes withdrawn 1949
1,164
699
1,863
Total Volumes Dec. 31, 1949
33,359
10,059
43,418
18% of total circulation 46% of total circulation
41% of total circulation
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