USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1953 > Part 4
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(a) That the fund shall be used for a building, books and other equipment of a public library to be located in said Town of Braintree.
(b) That the said Library shall be known as the COLBERT PUBLIC LIBRARY and that name shall never be changed.
(c) That the library shall never be a Branch or sub- sidiary of any other library in the Town.
(d) That the said library shall be a separate unit, with a separate Board of Trustees consisting of no more than (6) members and no member shall be chosen who is a Trustee or Officer of any other library in the Town.
(e) That the said Town shall vote to accept or reject said offer and conditions attached thereto at a regular or special Town Meeting within (1) year from the date of the offer. If no action is taken by the Town of the acceptance of this gift within the one year period, such failure on the part of the Town to act shall be considered by my Trustee as an irrevocable rejection on the part of said Town."
The status of the fund as of the date of your Com- mittee's consideration was as follows :
Principal from the bequest $40,443.76 Interest accumulated to Sept. 30, 1952 4,916.91
Total available $45,360.67
This fund is growing by approximately $1,100.00 per year, as a result of its investment. The Town Treasurer acts as Trustee.
4. The committee further considered what use might be made of this fund under the vote we were ordered to prepare. The following possibilities were examined :
(a) The construction and equipment of a library in East Braintree. Preliminary cost estimates were obtained. Sites were viewed. Our conclusions were that almost the whole of the money in hand would be required to construct and equip the building, and establish an initial book supply. The Town would then be called upon for annual
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appropriations to pay for supervision and jani- torial services, for utilities such as light, heat and water, and such repairs for upkeep as necessary, as well as the annual purchase of books and periodicals. Our estimate is that this annual cost would not be less than $5,000.00. In this connec- tion, the possibility of building a physical plant and making arrangements with the Thayer Pub- lic Library for the exchange of books, or the use of the building in lieu of the Thayer Library Branch now operating in East Braintree was found to be not feasible.
(b) The possibility of establishing a Youth Library in East Braintree to offer facilities to children rather than to adults. This would require the same expenditures as have just been recited.
5. The following possible use of the fund was also considered : The establishment of a Youth Library avail- able to children in all parts of the Town by the following plan :
The Colbert will also establish a School Fund which can be used only to construct an addition to the Colbert School. This fund has as its principal a be- quest of $25,000.00 which to December 31, 1951 had earned an additional sum of $5,188.43 as interest. The Town could vote, if it chose, to build an addition to the Colbert School with the Colbert School Fund, to be known as the Colbert Library. The supply of books, periodicals and films could then be purchased from the accrued interest on the Library Fund and the annual interest on the residue of the Library fund could be used for running expenses. Cooperation be- tween the School Department and the Colbert Library Trustees would be essential in such a plan to devise a distribution system so that all school children might benefit. The Colbert School is located in the south- west district and is far removed from library facilities of any kind.
6. Because of the limited scope of the vote under which they acted, the Committee feels that they should not make any definite recommendations on such alterna- tive suggestions at this time.
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References :
Extracts from the Will of James W. Colbert. Annual Town Report 1951 .
Survey of the Braintree Public Library System by the Division of Public Libraries of the Mass. Dept. of Education, 1945.
JOHN ALDEN RICHARD A. HUNT MRS. R. P. PALMER HAROLD F. ROBINSON, Sec. HENRY H. STORM, Chairman.
Voted: That the report be accepted with thanks.
Salary Survey Committee
Our 1952 Annual Town Meeting approved the fol- lowing motions :
March 17, 1952 : Mr. H. W. S. Roberts moved, under Article II: That a Committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to study the salary scale of the Fire and Police Departments in comparison with surrounding cities and towns and report to the Finance Committee before the next Annual Town Meeting, and also report to the Annual Meeting their recommendations .- So voted.
March 31, 1952: Mr. William Belcher moved: That a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to study the problem of the establishment of proper salaries and wages for all town employees, giving specific consid- eration to the establishment of a job evaluation and/or wage survey officer or board, and to report their recom- mendations to the next Annual Town Meeting inserting, if necessary, an Article in the Warrant for that meeting .- So voted.
Moderator E. Curtiss Mower, Jr., appointed one com- mittee of five members to deal with both of these votes.
Your committee has reached the conclusion that the March 31st vote, calling for recommendations regarding the establishment of proper salaries and wages for all town employees, supercedes the vote of March 17th, which re- lated solely to a fire and police department study. Your committee has discussed this conclusion with a committee
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representing firemen and policemen and we are pleased to report that that committee agrees with us.
Nevertheless, in all fairness, we wish to point out that figures obtained on salaries paid to firemen and policemen in surrounding towns indicate that Braintree salaries ave- rage lower than those surrounding towns.
Our studies of cost-of-living indexes from both United States Government and State of Massachusetts show that living costs are virtually unchanged, as compared to a year ago. There is no need, therefore, for this town meet- ing to consider any salary changes based on cost-of-living adjustments.
Your committee is of the unanimous opinion that it would be advantageous to set up a long-range compensa- tion plan that is based on a complete survey and evalua- tion of all town jobs. Your committee is not qualified to do this work, and feels that it would be unfair and unwise to attempt to find a group of Braintree citizens to carry on any such original study. We recommend, therefore, that a professional organization be engaged, which can furnish the experience and time needed to make such a survey and present a long-range plan for approval.
Months of work will be needed to make a careful evaluation of the various town jobs, and to make compari- sons with similar jobs in private industry, and in other communities. Should a professional consultant be selected this spring, however, a definite plan would be available late in 1953, so that it could be adequately studied and discussed, prior to its presentation at our 1954 Annual Town Meeting.
Your committee also feels that when such a plan is presented to the 1954 Annual Town Meeting that it should be accompanied by suggestions for by-law amendments that would prescribe the manner in which such a program should be administered and amended. We feel further that these by-law changes should include a provision for the creation of a personnel board of Braintree citizens, other than town employees or elected officials, but not excluding Town Meeting Members, to be responsible for the administration of the program.
Your committee is prepared to submit a suitable mo- tion, under Article I of the Special Town Meeting, to give you an opportunity to consider our recommendations.
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We respectfully request that this report be accepted and that this Special Salary Committee be discharged.
JOHN J. CANAVAN, SR., Chairman CHARLES D. CURTISS, JR. HENRY G. GALEBACH CARL W. R. JOHNSON HIRAM C. TOWNE
Voted: That report of committee be accepted with thanks.
Committee To Study Flow of The Monatiquot River
It was voted under Article 52 of the 1951 Annual Town Meeting: "That a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to study the problem of the flow of the Monatiquot River with specific reference to the backing up of water in South Braintree and to report their recom- mendations to the next Town Meeting either Annual or Special inserting, if necessary, an Article in the Warrant for that Meeting."
The committee made a progress report at the Special Town Meeting on June 25, 1951. It was stated at that time that the problem of the Monatiquot River is not restricted to the section between Pearl and Union Streets since any corrective measures taken in that section would be likely to adversely affect other sections and that an investigation should be made from tidewater to the upper end of the various tributaries. As the watershed included several towns it was recommended that the investigation be made by the State. It was further recommended that the Town Meeting pass a resolution to that effect and the Repre- sentatives to the General Court be requested to file the Resolve as prepared by the Committee. It was so voted.
The Committee made the following report of further progress at the 1952 Annual Town Meeting :
"That the General Court acting on request, as de- scribed in the progress report of the Committee to the Special Town Meeting on June 25, 1951, voted, as Chap- ter 64 .of the Resolves of 1951, that a special commission be established consisting of the Commissioner of Public
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Health, Commissioner of Public Works, Chairman of the State Reclamation Board, and report to the General Court on
(a) Flooding conditions on the Monatiquot River and the adequacy of existing bridges and culverts.
(b) Mosquito control along the river.
(c) Stream pollution control.
(d) Investigate the water rights of riparian owners and determine what effects changes in the flow would have on such water rights.
"The Commission is to file said report with the clerk of the House of Representatives on or before the first Wednesday of December, 1952.
"Engineers and representatives of the State boards have met with members of the Committee and have in- spected the various culverts and bridges on the River. Samples have been gathered and arrangements for gaug .. ings of stream flow have been made.
"Your committee makes this report of progress and asks to be continued. It is anticipated that a complete re- port can be made at the Annual Town Meeting of 1953."
The Special Commission reported to the 1953 Legis- lature in House Document No. 2207, a copy of which has been filed by the Committee with the Town Clerk.
The report of the Special Commission contains con- siderable information and several recommendations of interest to the Town of Braintree. With respect to im- proving flood conditions on the river, the report recom- mends improvements to certain bridges and channel im- provements between Adams Street and a point about 1,000 feet upstream from Pearl Street. The cost of these im- provements has been roughly estimated to be $200,000.00. The Committee is of the opinion that these recommenda- tions should be carried out. It is understood that the im- provements could be undertaken in part under funds made available by General Laws, Chapter 91, Section 11, as amended, under which the State may pay half the cost.
The Board of Selectmen has been appraised of the situation by this committee and has made the initial steps to secure funds amounting to $20,000.00, under the above- mentioned Chapter 91. The committee has appeared be-
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fore the Legislative Committee on Public Health and re- quested that an item be inserted in the appropriation bill for adequate funds to undertake improvements to the Monatiquot River.
These actions have been taken prior to Town Meeting because of expiration of time limits for the State's action. It is understood that no commitments are binding upon the Town unless acted upon by Town Meeting.
Recommendations: It is recommended that a start be made upon the construction program as outlined in the above-mentioned Report of the Special Commission. The program of construction should be established by the Board of Selectmen and the Commonwealth.
It is further recommended that the Town Meeting pass a resolution or a vote of intent to raise a sum not to exceed $10,000.00 to match such sum as the Legislature may authorize during the current session. The actual appropriation by Town Meeting to be made at the next Annual or Special Town Meeting following such legisla- tive action.
FRANK L. HEANEY, Chairman RALPH M. SOULE, Clerk JOHN J. DRINKWATER GEORGE F. BROUSSEAU A. WILLIAM ALBERT
Voted: That report of committee be accepted with thanks.
School. Study Committee
1. Accomplishments to date
During the past five years, the Town of Braintree has accomplished a great deal in meeting the needs of the ex- panding school population.
The 1948 Wilson Survey pointed out the needs and recommended a program; in 1952 a restudy by Wilson showed the original figures too conservative and new esti- mates were made.
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The Senior High School Addition eliminated double sessions of long standing and provided, temporarily, rooms for the North Grammar School.
The Ross School met the needs of the East District and releived the Penniman School also.
The Monatiquot and Penniman Annexes, together with the Lakeside School in the North District, the Foster School and the Highlands Addition will provide the fa- cilities to keep abreast of the elementary enrollments in those districts.
How those enrollments have grown since 1946, and will continue to grow, is shown by the following table :
II (A) Enrollments : Past, Present and Predicted
Year
Births K 1-6
7-8
7-9
9-12
10-12
Total
1943
3395
1946
463
279
1728
571
880
3439
1948
510
465
1898
517
884
3764
1950
505
407
2367
550
912
4236
1952
520
556
2867
623
937
4983
(Est)
1954
500
560
3400
780
(881) (1063)
980
5720
(Est)
1957
500
530
3500
945
(1395)
1390
(940)
6340
(Est)
1960
500
550
3550
1200
(1650)
1700
(1250)
7000
(B) Elementary School Facilities
Available
Used Sept.
School
Classrooms
1953
Need 1957
Perkins
9
10*
13* over capacity
Watson
10
10
10
Ross
15
15
15
Lincoln
11
1.1
11
Highlands
13
13
13
Colbert
2
2
2
Torrey
16
16
16
Pond
2
2
2
Monatiquot
13
13
13
Penniman
15
15
16
Foster
7
6
7
Lakeside
20
18
20
Hollis
x
X
x
Trans. to J.H.S.
133
131
138
The five additional Classrooms needed 1953-1957, should be built at the Perkins School.
III Notes and Recommendations on above estimates :
(a) Elementary K-6
All Elementary schools in Braintree, including those under construction, (excluding Hollis) have 133 class-
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rooms, five more to be built at Perkins will bring total to 138 classrooms, and these should just meet the require- ments up to 1960-provided an average of no more than 200 new houses per year are built.
From the Lincoln and Torrey schools the 7th grades must be taken in 1953 and the 8th grades in 1954 to make room for additional elementary classes. The same sched- ule applies to elimination of 7th and 8th grades from the High School building. These grades must be moved to the remodeled and enlarged Hollis School.
Additional elementary sites should be secured in areas that have possibilities of future development as recom- mended by School Site Committee of 1952.
(b) Senior High School Capacity of building - 1200 Est. 1960 enrollment - 1700
The situation of the Senior High School makes it impossible to expand beyond another addition of 9 rooms -250 pupils, or total of 1450. This situation will force the 9th grade out within three years.
(c) Junior High School
With all elementary schools (except Hollis) in use for grades K-6, provision must be made for grades 7 and 8 and grade 9 from the Senior High. This forces a 7-8-9 grade Junior High School organization. It is recommeded that this consolidation process for grades 7-8-9- be insti- tuted gradually.
Sept. 1953-All 7th grades in Hollis School-remodel present building)
Sept. 1954-All 7th and 8th grades in Hollis School (en- larged to 800 capacity)
Sept. 1955-New South Junior High School ready for occupancy.
This gradual transition can be accomplished as seen below :
In 1953 the 7th grade pupils will number 338, to be accommodated in Hollis School after remodeling.
In 1954 the 7th and 8th grade pupils will number 763, to be accommodated in Hollis School after addition is built.
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In 1955 the 7th, 8th and 9th grade pupils will number 1228, to be accommodated in Hollis School plus new South Junior High School.
By 1960 the J.H.S. enrollment will reach 1650.
IV. The School Building program 1953-1960 therefore is determined by the need as:
Approp. Needed
For Use
Project Approp.
Mar. 1953 Sept. 1953
Remodel Hollis School for 7th Grade (Cap. 360)
$100,000
150,000
Mar. 1953
Mar. 1953 Sept. 1953 Annex for Perkins School (5 rooms) Future school sites as previously recommended plus a site for future second Junior High School obtained now
Mar. 1953 Sept. 1954
Addition to Hollis School (Cap. to 800) 600,000
Mar. 1954 Sept. 1955
New South Junior High School Cap. 800) 900,000
Mar. 1959 Sept. 1960
'Addition to Braintree High School (Cap. to 1450) 250,000
TOTAL (Exclusive of requirements of new developments) $2,000,000
V. COSTS
In 1954, school building costs will be $3.60 on tax rate; the new program will add a total of $2.50 to this at various intervals over 1953-1960 period, while other bonds are being paid off, interest charges reduced, and valua- tion of the Town increasing.
ALMEDA W. CAIN JACK R. AINSLEIGH JOHN F. HARKIN
RONALD W. SCOTT
CHARLES W. BALDWIN
EDWARD J. ROSE OVIDIO D. CHIESA,
Chairman RALPH W. PROCTOR, Supt. of Schools and Educational Advisor
Voted : That the report be accepted with thanks.
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School Survey Committee
The Braintree School Survey Committee was ap- pointed by the Town Moderator following the 1948 Town Meeting and was instructed to make a study of the school needs of the Town and report their findings and recom- mendations to the next Town Meeting. The basis of the Committee's study was the report of a school survey by Dr. W. K. Wilson of the State Education Department of the State of New York who had been commissioned by the Braintree School Department in October of 1947 to make such a study.
As a result of Dr. Wilson's findings plus further study and investigation by the Committee, it became crystal clear that action must be started as soon as possible. The report of the Committee to the 1949 Town Meeting there- fore set up an immediate program with recommendations toward a future larger program. The immediate recom- mendations were to convert the Hollis School auditorium into two classrooms, convert the Lincoln School into a. Junior High School for the East District and at the same time build a new 14-room K-6 school in the vicinity .- of Hayward and Commercial Streets.
The Committee's recommendations were adopted and the following appropriations were made :
Converting Hollis auditorium $ 3,000
Repairing and converting Lincoln 28,500
Building new 14-room school 700,000
Unfortunately no land was provided for the new school and the Committee was instructed to return for a special meeting with further recommendations. On July 18, 1949, a Special Town Meeting by vote of 127 to 1 accepted the site which the Committee had originally of- fered in April. Although the State School Building Assis- tance Commission had been provided with a statement of intent plus a plot plan, and copy of preliminary plans on April 7, it was not until August 15 that conditional ap- proval of the site was received. This condition required the acquiring of additional acreage in order to get State Aid on the project. The Committee felt the plot was ade- quate but the Commission insisted otherwise. The plans were approved on September 22 but it was not until No- vember 18 that the Commission agreed in writing to accept the original site enlarged by two further pieces of property
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at the corner of Hayward and Commercial Streets on which dwellings stood. The occupants having agreed in writing to sell their property a Special Town Meeting was called and on December 19 the Town Meeting approved the pur- chase of the necessary additional acreage.
In the meantime, during the summer of 1949, the Hollis School auditorium was converted into two class- rooms ready for occupancy at the start of the school year in September.
Plans for the new school were drawn by Adden, Par- ker, Clinch & Crimp who had ben so co-operative in pro- viding the Committee with preliminary information with- out cost in order that the facts might be clearly presented to the Town at the earliest possible moment. The Com- mittee had hoped to have the new school in operationby September 1950 but the delay in site approval made such plans impossible. Bids were taken on May 16, 1951, and contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, S. Volpe & Co., Inc., May 22, 1951.
At the same time plans had progressed for the Lin- coln School conversion. The original idea had been to convert the old auditorium into a combined gymnasium and auditorium with showers and toilets in the basement. The terrain was such, however, that suitable disposal fields for waste water could not be found and the work went ahead without the showers which may be added at such time as the Town provides sewer connections for this area. Bids were received on June 28, 1951, and the con- tract let to the low bidder, the Proia Construction Com- pany. Work progressed satisfactorily and was completed in September without undue disturbance to the fall ses- sion of school.
The new K-6, now named the Donald E. Ross School by the School Department in honor of a Braintree teacher who lost his life in the service of his country, was designed to house 450 pupils in its 14 rooms. The opening enroll- ment was 441 and the library was therefore converted into the 15th classroom. Open House for public inspection was held without formal exercises on September 23, 1951. A copy of the Committee's information report and analysis of cost are attached to this report.
The Committee is pleased to state that it was success- ful in completing the three projects within the appropria-
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tion even in the face of rapidly rising costs, as shown by the following analysis :
Unspent
Appropriation
Spent
Balance
Hollis conversion $ 3,000.00 $ 2,510.15 $ 489.85
Abraham Lincoln
28,500.00
26,771.11
1,728.89
Donald E. Ross
700,000.00
689,641.46 10,357.54
Under Article 26 of the 1949 Town Meeting an appro . priation of $1,200.00 was made available for preparation of plans, drawings and reports. All such costs, however, were allocated and paid from the respective projects and this money is returned intact to the Town by the Com- mittee.
The Committee wishes to express its sincere thanks for the co-operation and help of many friends. We are also deeply grateful to Mr. Ralph W. Procter, who, as educational consultant, provided the Committee with ex- haustive material so that decisions in the best interests of the Town might be best determined, and for carrying out many of the Committee's decisions at their request.
It has been a privilege and pleasure to be of service to the Town and as our mission is now accomplished, the Committee presents this final report with the request that it be discharged.
JOHN ALDEN WILLIAM B. BELCHER GORDON W. BRYANT OVIDIO D. CHIESA HELEN M. HARMON EDWIN N. RICHARDSON R. STANLEY McCONNELL, Chairman
Voted: That the report be accepted with many thanks for commendable service rendered.
Fluoridation Committee
At the Annual Town Meeting in March 1952, the Town Moderator was instructed to appoint a committee to study the advisability of the fluoridation of the town water supply.
This committee finds these facts as follows:
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This matter has been studied for some time and in fact prior to the 1952 Annual Town Meeting a joint discus- sion on the subject was held between the Board of Water Commissioners and the Board of, Health. The Board of Health went on record as favoring this program and rec- ommended same to the Water Department.
A survey of all practicing dentists in Braintree was made and it has been found that they are all in favor of fluoridation of the public water supply.
Data prepared by the U. S. Public Health Service shows that on a country-wide basis there were as of Sep- tember 15, 1952, a total of 427 communities in the United States adding fluoride to their drinking water. These water supply systems serve a total population of 8,446,774. About 300 more communities have approved a fluorida- tion program which will increase the population served with fluoridated water to more than 15,000,000.
Your Committee is informed that the fluoridation of public water supplies has been endorsed by the American Public Health Association, the American Dental Associa- tion, American Medical Association and several other sim- ilar organizations. Because of the interest in the matter of fluoridation the National Research Council appointed a Committee to study fluoridation and their report, dated November 1951, recommended that any community which included a child population of sufficient size and which obtains its water supply from sources which are free from or are extremely low in fluorides should consider the practicability and economic feasibility of adjusting the fluoride concentration to an optimal level.
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