USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1953 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
Miscellaneous Additions
209.55
$ 213,201.95
Paid on Interest and Bond
$ 93,377.08
Paid to Town in lieu of taxes.
25,000.00
Transferred to Profit and Loss
$ 94,824.87*
BALANCE SHEET
Assets
Plant Investment
$3,547,694.30
Petty Cash
200.00
Special Cash for Construction
71,420.10
Special Bond Fund for Plant Expansion
111,287.90
Cash from Premium on Bonds ..
1,310.90
Cash Reserved for Payment of Bonds and Interest
73,864.58
Special Deposits
11,053.22
Accounts Receivable
73,218.56
Materials and Supplies
32,573.99
Depreciation Fund
229,693.95
Prepaid Insurance
4,608.89
TOTAL ASSETS
$4,156,926.39*
Liabilities
Accounts Payable
$ .00
Consumers Deposits
11,053.22
Bonds and Notes Payable
1,330,000.00
Interest Accrued
9,697.91
Premium on Bonds
1,310.90
Loans Repayments
203,000.00
Appropriation for Construction Repayments 46,168.74
Profit and Loss
2,555,695.62
TOTAL LIABILITIES
$4,156,926.39*
114
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
BRAINTRHE $ 9,884.97
EAST BRAINTREE 8,122.63
SOUTH BRAINTREE
22,534.93
CONTRACTS & SPECIAL RATES
28,532.67
MUNICIPAL
4,143.36
$
73,218.56 *
DEPRECIATION ACCOUNT
January 1, 1953, Balance
$ 121,737.25
Net Transfer from Income
124,560.98
Interest
520.00
$ 246,818.23
Expenditures
$ 17,124.28
DEPRECIATION BALANCE, DEC. 31, 1953
$ 229,693.95*
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT
January 1, 1953, Balance $ 57,719.86
Expended for Construction
57,678.04
Balance .
41.82
Transferred from Operating Balance, December 31, 1953
71,378.28
CONSTRUCTION BALANCE, DEC. 31, 1953 $ 71,420.10*
CASH RECEIVED 'AS PER CASHBOOK ..
$ 900,755.64
PAID TO TOWN TREASURER. $ 900,755.64
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE .00
OPERATING BALANCE, DEC. 31, 1953. $ 145,242.86
Transferred to Construction Acct .. 71,378.28
Transferred to reserve for payment of Bonds and Interest 73,864.58
OPERATING BALANCE, JAN. 1, 1954. . ..
.00*
MUNICIPAL LIGHT BOARD
Debit
BALANCE, JAN. 1, 1953. $ .00
ERNEST T. FULTON, Manager
900,755.64
$ 900,755.64*
Credit
Paid by Order of the Commissioners
$ 755,512.78
Cash Balance, December 31, 1953 145,242.86
$ 900,755.64*
115
Board of Water Commisstoners
THOMAS E. SEARS, Chairman JOSEPH LANDERS WILLARD P. SHEPPARD GEORGE N. WATSON, Superintendent
To the Citizens of Braintree :
The increasing cost of operation has continued through 1953 to such an extent that it has been necessary for us to curtail our much needed main pipe extension, whereas our budget contained an item of approximately $32,000.00 for this purpose in 1953, and we have been able to spend $22,400.00 on main pipe extension.
We are confronted with a two-fold problem: -
a. The Town continues to grow with new houses and new business installations and
b. Our existing pipe system continues its normal deterioration.
Last January we advised you that our 1946 program was short of completion by some $87,200.00 for the addi- tion of new and larger mains. In addition we now have some 45,000 feet of 4" pipe that, owing to age and size, should be replaced with larger pipe. The cost of this work is estimated at $270,000.00. These projects are neces- sary for the maintenance of our fire protection on a sound basis. During 1946 we borrowed $242,000.00 - $180,- 000.00 of which was for new and larger mains. Since then we have paid out of our income for the retirement of these loans and aggregate of $120,000.00. We have also recently borrowed $45,000.00 to help pay for our new stand-pipe on West Street that will cost us approximately $70,000.00.
Since 1946 we have also spent $128,000.00 for main pipe extension, an average of $16,000.00 per year out of our current income during this period as compared with approximately $30,000.00 that we have carried in our budget each year.
The rapid growth of the Town with the correspond- ing increase in consumption, especially during the sum- mer months, requires us to consider an addition to our fil- tration plant in the near future. We are continuing our studies for an increased water supply.
116
The contribution of the Town for maintenance of fire protection, based on a charge of $25.00 per hydrant, con- tinues to be inadequate. We have been advised by the Department of Corporations and Taxation, Division of Ac- counts, that a charge of $40.00 for hydrants is fair and reasonable when you consider the amount of money that we have spent for fire protection.
We continue to call the attention of the citizens of the town to the operation of the Betterment Act. This Act was designed to relieve the town of a portion of the cost of improvements in unaccepted streets. It frequently ap- pears that improvements of the street itself are less ex- pensive than the installation of the water main therein. As a result there has been a tendency on the part of the Selectmen and Finance Board to leave out the cost of the water main from the operation of the Betterment Act. Then as soon as the street is completed and accepted the heat is turned on the Water Board to install, at its own expense, a larger water main.
The Superintendent's Report giving detailed data on the activities of the Department is attached herewith.
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Water Commissioners THOMAS E. SEARS, Chairman JOSEPH LANDERS WILLARD P. SHEPPARD
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
To the Braintree Water Commissioners :
I have the pleasure of presenting to you the 63rd An- nual Report of the Water Supply System, showing the present condition of the Department and the extensions and improvements made, together with a statement in detail of the cost of operating the system during the year.
This year 10,074 linear feet of new main pipe and 20 fire hydrants have been added to our distribution system and 1060 feet of old small pipe has been replaced with larger pipe. We also installed 214 new services, renewed 47 old services and made repairs on 42 services.
The program of cleaning and lining some of the older cast iron water mains was continued and this year about 4000 feet of 6 inch pipe in Liberty Street, running south . from Lincoln Street was cleaned and lined.
117
We had a total of 16 main pipe breaks during the year; five of these were caused by Contractors installing sewer pipes, two were caused by Contractors installing storm drains, one by a Contractor installing a Gas Main, one by the Highway Department and the remaining breaks from causes unknown. Three hydrants were slightly dam- aged and four were damaged beyond repair by automo- biles this year. Where possible, the owners of the auto- mobiles were charged for the cost of the damage.
Contracts for the new 1 Million Gallon Standpipe at Dearing Park have been awarded; the concrete founda- tion has been placed and it is expected that the new stand- pipe will be in service by next June. The elevated storage tank in the Highlands has been wire brushed, cleaned and painted with two coats on the inside and three coats on the outside.
A section of Oak Street at the upper end of our Reser- voir in Randolph, has been raised about 12 inches in order that we may impound more water without flooding the road.
There has been no shortage of water in our Reser- voirs this year and the citizens of Braintree are fortunate in having such an excellent supply as many nearby com- munities have had restrictions placed on the use of water during the summer months due to inadequate supplies,
Samples of water have been tested regularly by the State Board of Health and all samples were found to be of excellent quality. Periodical tests have also been made by our Chemists, Weston & Sampson, and hourly tests have been made by our own men at the Filtration Plant. During the year we had practically very little red water trouble and this was on dead end lines.
I have consulted with the Water Commissioners of both Holbrook and Randolph relative to problems con- cerning the joint water supply, and I have attended hear- ings before the Randolph Planning Board in connection with proposed sub-divisions of land adjoining our property.
I am particularly grateful to you for your continued confidence in my administration of the Department.
Respectfully submitted, GEORGE N. WATSON, Superintendent
118
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Outstanding January 1, 1953
Current Bills
$ 24,720.97
Liens Committed to Assessors
644.87
$ 25,365.84
Charges Made
224,947.75
Abatements
237.39
224,710.36
$250,076.20
Collections
On Current Bills
On Liens Committed
$216,274.66 3,543.03
219,817.69
Outstanding December 31, 1953 On Current Bills
29,073.93
On Liens Committed to Assessors
1,184.58
$ 30,258.51
CASH
Balance January 1, 1953
$ 49,150.86
Transferred to Special
Account
28,000.00
21,150.86
Collections
219,817.69
Refunds
1,025.94
$241,994.49
Expenditures
218,091.32
Balance December 31, 1953
$ 23,903.17
119
$ 30,258.51
Tax Collector Year ending December 31, 1953
1952 Uncollected Tax Balances January 1, 1953
$ 163,757.67
1953 Commitments
2,746,754.35
Total 'Accounts for Collection
2,910,512.02
Credits by:
Collections
$2,606,578.72
Abatements
$69,186.25
Less: Refunds
31,108.47
38,077.78
Tax Titles
5,071.47
Committals
1,600.00
Judgments
101.64
Journal Adjustments
2.93 Dr.
. Returned for Apportionment
48,443.74
2,699.870.42
Outstanding Balances December 31, 1953
210,641.60
120
121
Itemized Outstanding Balances
Real Estate
79,776.86
Sewer Betterment Apportionments
1,174.54
Sewer Connection Apportionments
389.53
Street Betterment Apportionments
128.20
Water Liens . .
797.24
Committed Interest
424.14
Poll
210.00
Excise
14,999.81
Personal
4,357.48
Sewer Betterment 'Assessments
74,012.65
Sewer Connection Assessments
25,248.00
Street Betterment Assessments
6,602.42
Sidewalk Betterment Assessments
2,520.73
Total $ 210,641.60
GEORGE H. GERRIOR, JR. Tax Collector
Board of Assessors NORRIS H. PINAULT, Chairman CHESTER W. NELSON, Clerk ARTHUR W. BOYNTON
Conforming with the By-Laws of the Town, we here- with submit our Annual Report for the year ending De- cember 31st, 1953.
Signs of disturbance over Municipal costs here ir Braintree are beginning to show. At the moment they are only a small murmur in the wind. It may be possible that some of our business men and thinking people are now asking "Where is it going to end?" One fact is positive. If Braintree continues in the same direction as it has in the past five of six years, then its taxpayers will most certainly be burdened with a terrific tax rate.
Figures as dry as they may appear to the average citizen, or as uninteresting as they may be to some tax- payers, always seem to tell the truth. We compare some figures of 1947 with 1953 to give you some idea of the tremendous increase in the financial operation of your town.
The Gross Amount to be raised in 1947 was $1,946,- 628.11 as compared with $3,875,993.75 in 1953 (100% increase). The Real Estate and Personal Property valu- ations have increased from $29,951,025.00 in 1947 to $43,213,765.00 in 1953 (50% increase). The Tax Rate has gone from $37.00 in 1947 to $53.80 in 1953 (45% increase). One of the most controversial subjects is school costs. The school budget in 1947 was $584,824.75 while in 1953 this has grown to $1,581,377.00 (close to a million dollar increase.)
These figures show a trend which can well lead Braintree into a financial situation of such serious pro- portions that whatever plans we may have for the future of sewer construction and other major improvements may have to be curtailed.
We recommend that the Town Meeting Members. in their deliberations of the Appropriations to be voted on at the 1954 Town Meeting, consider two questions :
1. Are there any projects which can be deferred or halted, to reduce Funded Debt Service payments ?
2. What are the absolutely necessary items in the proposed 1954 Annual Warrant?
122
1953 RECAPITULATION
Figures Used In Fixing Tax Rate G.L. Chap. 59:23,25
All Appropriations Voted since 1952 Tax Rate Was Fixed : Overlay Deficits
State : Tax and Assessments
County : Tax and Assessments
Overlay of Current Year
$3,557,777.15 86,690.31 78,566.74 100,025.14 52,934.41
$3,875,993.75
Gross Amount to be Raised Estimated Receipts Available Funds
$ 979,273.67 557,434.45
Total Deductions
$1,536,708.12
Net Amount to be Raised by Taxation on Polls and Property $2,339,285.63
Number of Polls: 7,075 @ $2.00 each
$ 14,150.00
88,975.25
Valuations: Personal Estate-$1,653,815.00 Real Estate-$41,559,950.00 (Tax Rate $53.80) Gain to avoid fractional division of tax rate
2,236,160.01
.37
Total Taxes Levied on Polls and Property
$2,339,285.65
123
Braintree School Committee
Archie T. Morrison, Chairman
Almeda Cain, Secretary
Ovidio D. Chiesa
Roger Arnold James L. Jordan
Next March will mark the completion of eighteen years continuous membership on the Braintree School Com- mittee, and as Chairman for 1953-1954 of that Committee it is expected that I will make an annual report. You will find the complete story of the details of the plans and preparations and the actual operation of the schools (Grammar, Junior High, and Senior High) in the attached reports of the Superintendent (Mr. Ralph W. Proctor, ) the Principal of the High School (Mr. Stanley L. Clement), the Supervisory Principals, and the various Supervisors of all the other groups.
However, I decided not to follow the usual type of Chairman's report. As the result of eighteen years' ex- perience, I believe it would be well to point out some of the things that people generally are not aware of. For instance ; when you elect anyone to the School Committee, the legal aspect of it is that the School Committee is a State Agency elected locally and it must operate within the State Laws applying to Public Education. Within reason, the Town has the obligation to furnish the money to produce the educational system that within the best judgment of the School Committee the children should have (Chapter 71, Section 34). That is an attitude that has been defended time and time again, and I doubt if there are more successful and consistent legal decisions over the last 150 years on any other subject. Legally the School Department is not a town department the same as the Police Department or the Fire Department, but prac- tically the Town of Braintree does pay for the School De- partment-therefore, the financial picture is resolved best by the complete co-operation and understanding between the School Committee and the Finance Committee.
In the last few years the School Committee has found it advisable to surround itself with many citizens who have given of their time, talents, and complete co-opera- tion on many committees that have been appointed by the School Committee such as School Study Committee, Low Cost Schoolhousing Committee, School Sites Committee, Schoolbuilding Study Committee which resulted in the
124
Hollis School Development and Perkins School Develop- ment Committees. This has been necessary because of the complete overturn of educational needs during the last half century. Fifty years ago the total school popula- tion of Braintree was 1240-83 graduated from the eighth grade and 49 of that 83 entered High School, and there was a total High School student population of 140. Last year the total school population of Braintree was 5353-285 graduated from the eighth grade, and of that number 284 either entered Braintree High School or went on to some other form of higher education, so that we had 250 students in the Freshman class-but the point is that today 285 children graduated from the eighth grade and 284 went on to secondary education, while fifty years ago 83 children graduated from the eighth grade and 49 went on to secondary education.
The change in the Law which made it necessary for children to study in school until they were 16 instead of 14 years of age plus the change in our standards of living and the expanding economy brought about a tremendous change in the school population, and while it is a fact that the total school population has increased four times, the greater and more astonishing fact is that the increase in High School students in that fifty years is very much greater. For instance; the student population of the High School today is 965 against 140 fifty years ago.
Before this remarkable change the students in the High School were an exclusive group-a select group if you wish-and there was little trouble carrying out the educational program for them because they were the children of parents who planned a higher education, pos- sibly a college education, for their children, but today when we are not educating any privileged, exclusive or selected group, we have a very much different problem. Today we have the responsibility of educating all the children of all the people. Think of it, in 1900 there were 600,000 boys and girls in all the High Schools of the whole nation. At the beginning of this schoolyear (1953-1954) there are 7,000,000 High School students-a twelvefold increase while the population has doubled. So today we have to carefully check every student, keep his record through all his classes until he graduates because of the tremendous variety of pupil potentialities. We have to screen for aptitudes and that is where our guidance pro- gram come into effect. Actually we will have to do a
125
better job in guidance. Probably we could get assistance in some of our most troublesome personal problems by the introduction into our Guidance Department of psycho- logical and psychiatrical help. These sound formidable but basically they mean that with such a variety of chil- dren in the High School age group the problem becomes more complex, and the trend is to try to teach the child to make the most of his greatest values, and that is re- sponsible for a great variety of things that are offered to- day inside and outside of the High School curriculum. Actually while it used to be simple to train a specialized group for college or business, today we have to try to successfully train a very much larger group notwithstand- ing all of their different abilities.
In England the 11 to 15 year old students are divided, each class or grade, into three groups-the highly in- telligent, the medium intelligent, and the low intelligent. What they are getting is a stratified student population- the highly intelligent look down on the medium intelligent -the medium intelligent look down on the low intelligent -and because of this simple and arbitrary but not very happy solution of a complex problem there is a constant atmosphere of resentment between the groups, a most un- fortunate and unsatisfactory condition in any school.
It is the constant effort of the members of the School Committee, the Superintendent, the Headmaster, the Dis- trict Principals, the Supervisors, and Heads of Depart- ments in the High School to continue to analyze and revise courses of study and study methods, to improve the gen- eral educational studies of the great majority of our stu- dents whose interest are those other than academic, to train and teach them for future citizenship in a demo- cratic society, to teach them to think and evaluate rather than to memorize, to constantly broaden the educational base, to continue to reach the people, the citizens, through the various Parent Teachers and Parent Council Associa- tions because the nearer the schools are to all the people, the better education will be.
The way ahead is difficult and our job will not be too easy. Criticism is both easy and inviting. However, to solve big problems there must be. strength in support of what is right, effort to develop what is needed, and adherence to principles which will best serve the needs of our children. As in the past, I am confident that our ef- forts are going to be actively supported by all School De-
126
partment personnel in positions of authority as well as all faculty members who have the responsibility of carrying out the program.
Superintendent's Report LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FIVE FIVE YEARS
An educational system, in present day society, can- not stand still and be content with its present condition or achievements. As society becomes more complex, more problems must be met and solved, more and different adjustments made by the next generation of citizens. The needs of pupils and the needs of society determine an edu- cational program. In the long run, the efficiency of the schools in meeting these needs depends upon the support which the community is willing to give to its schools, and the provision of funds which are necessary to achieve a continuously improving program.
Junior Red Cross in Grade 4 Lakeside School working on packages to be sent overseas.
127
Service to the School. Pupils at new Lakeside School act as guides at Open House.
In Braintree the securing of funds for improvement of the present organization is complicated by the needs of the schools to continually expand physically to accommo- date more children. In the period 1946-1960 the public school enrollment will double itself. Provision of addi- tional classrooms, increase in operating expenses because of enlarged faculty, operation of new building, capital out- lay,etc. cause an ever increasing budget which seriously strains the ability of the town to provide. Yet no invest- ment pays better dividends.
Our planning for the future is undertaken with these factors in mind, yet forward steps must be taken. Many of the future needs are common to most school systems; some few very important needs, pertain only to Braintree. Only by a co-operative effort can enriched and improved educational services be offered to the young people in Braintree and Massachusetts.
128
Extension of the Classroom. All seventh grade students visit Museum of Science acompanied by Rrepesentative Herbert B. Hollis, Senator Charles W. Hedges, Educa- tional Director of Museum Dr. Norton, Superintendent of Schools Ralph W. Proctor.
Organizational Needs
1. Secondary School Re-organization
With the completion of our elementary building pro- gram, the needs at present rate of growth for elementary classrooms should be satisfied up to 1960. However the 7th and 8th grades plus the 9th grade now in the High School will be forced out and only the Hollis School (12 rooms) available to house 1400 pupils grades 7-9 by 1955. This situation forces Junior High School organization based on the Hollis building plus an addition, and a new Junior High School in the South District.
2. Salaries
An upward revision of all salary schedules must be continued even if the decline of the dollar is halted. Since 1940 the average income in Massachusetts in terms of
129
purchasing power has increased 42%, teachers income only 11%. Married men teachers with families just can- not maintain a decent standard of living and so are unable to enter or forced to leave the profession.
3. Administrative Assistance
With organization problems created by increased pupil enrollments requiring new facilities, and moderniza- tion of old facilities, it is desirable to provide additional administrative assistance to the Superintendent of Schools, especially in the business administration field. The prep- aration of budgets, financial reports, purchasing, specifi- cations for bids, state reports, accounting on new construc- tion projects are at present consumming too large a per- centage of the Superintendent's time. The burdens of business and other routines should not handicap educa- tional improvements and supervision.
4. School Administrative Center
The supervisory and administrative staff should be centered in one building for purposes of co-ordination. The complete use of the Pond School for this purpose plus professional library and workshop center should be ar- ranged as soon as present classes can be transferred back to the Torrey Schools.
5. Additional School Clerks or Cadet Teachers
Our district principals are each responsible for ad ministration of three school buildings housing 1200 or more pupils. In each school, the building principal teaches full time, answers telephone, meets parents, plans general school programs. These activities, and other daily rou- tine matters interfere with her regular classroom teaching. Some relief should be afforded by employment of a clerk in each building to take over routine duties, and relieve the principal for a period each day to enable her to give attention to the functioning of the school as a whole.
6. Instructional Needs
One unmet and pressing need is in speech. We have many children with deficient speech who should have special training beyond the attention that can be given by the classroom teacher. Remedial work of this type
130
calls for a specialist to plan and carry through with cor- rective exercises.
7. School Band
The School Band needs about $2,000 for the large instruments to provide a better balance. Our reports from the Festivals usually read "Excellent individual work, but the highest rating cannot be awarded because of a lack of balance." The School should own these in- struments which are too large and expensive to expect in- dividuals to purchase.
8. Audio Visual Aids
"Seeing is believing." It is estimated that about 90% of learning comes through the eyes. The Armed Services have amply demonstrated the value of this type of ap- proach in education. We are continually enlarging our program as funds become available; in recent years the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.