Town annual report of Chelmsford 1909, Part 8

Author:
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Town of Chelmsford
Number of Pages: 194


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1909 > Part 8


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


Those who purchase books for a library are not merely entertainers of the public; they become of necessity, educators, mentors, trainers of literary taste. The individual may select


175


and purchase for himself such books as he pleases, but when one has this to do for hundreds of readers, one immediately begins to feel the responsibility of one's position. The ques- tion "What does the public desire to read?" is met by the question " What ought the public to read?" This question must be considered.


There are some books, like the Bible and Shakespeare, the dictionary and encyclopedia, which, for its own dignity and well-ordering, should be in every library. To these should be added yearly, by the expenditure of a just portion of available funds, sets of standard authors and works on special subjects, biographies and books of travel, which give more permanent value and higher usefulness to the library. As to the selection of books, customs vary. With us books are purchased by the librarian, subject to the approval of the trustees. No book may be added to the library without such approval. In the selection of books the purpose is not only to meet the needs and desires of the public, but as far as possible, to anticipate them.


The circulation for the year has been 12,164.


The character of the circulation is as follows :


Fiction, 64.6; General Works, 17.6; History, 3.2; Travel and Description, 2.9; Literature, 2.2; Natural Science, 1.6; Biography, 2.1; Fine Arts, 1; Useful Arts, 1.2; Religion and Philosophy, 2 6; Sociology, 1.


The library has been open to the public 200 sessions.


The attendance in the reading room has averaged fifteen each session.


Number of borrowers 490


Number of volumes purchased 288


Number of volumes purchased to replace worn books 33 Number of volumes from U. S 3


Number of volumes from State .. 9


Number of volumes donated by Mr. A. F. Adams. .. 41 Number of volumes donated. by Mr. G. L. Raymond. 3


176


Magazines bound, 31 volumes, included in books purchased. Number of volumes in library, 8,544.


The work of extending the stone curbing around the library grounds is in progress, and will be completed this season.


No money has been drawn from the "Joseph Warren Fund " which amounts to $811.66, or from the " Adams-Emer- son Fund " which amounts to $102.39.


J. ADAMS BARTLETT, ALBERT H. DAVIS, WILSON WATERS, A. HEADY PARK, EMMA J. GAY, FRANCES CLARK.


177


ACCOUNT OF TREASURER


RECEIPTS


Balance on hand


$ 13 84


Received from Town


800 00


Balance of fines from Librarian


12 80


$826 65


EXPENDITURES


E. R. Clark, Librarian.


$240 00


G. T. Parkhurst, printing


15 75


Lowell Gas Light Co


71 46


Books .


153 09


Periodicals


75 00


Box for transportation of books


9 27


N. Lovely, work


5 80


Barnard & Co., binding


16 90


Farquhar, binding


45 92


Courier-Citizen, adv. for bids


2 00


Bartlett & Dow, merchandise


3 60


J. R. Parkhurst, work on grounds


11 20


Welch Bros., plumbing.


4 94


H. L. Parkhurst, fuel


101 01


Smith & Brooks, surveying


10 00


Mack, repairs on furnace


21 15


A. H. Park, transporting books


13 00


Postage and stationery


1 60


Balance on hand 24 96


$826 65


WILSON WATERS,


Treasurer.


178


Report of the North Chelmsford Library Corporation


At the annual meeting of the North Chelmsford Library Corporation held March 3, 1909, the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year :


Directors : A. H. Sheldon, President; F. E. Varney, H. Ellen Sargent; Vice-President, D. A. Hudson; Secretary, Otis P. Wheeler ; Treasurer, Stewart Mackay.


OTIS P. WHEELER,


Secretary.


For the year ending March 1, 1909, your Directors make the following report :


The library has been open 151 sessions.


There are seventy-five new borrowers, making 374 bor- rowers in all.


The circulation is now 6,600.


Two hundred and fifty-nine new books have been added during the year; including two books from the U. S. Govern- ment, two McClure's Magazines given by Mrs. Sargent and bound at the expense of the Library Corporation.


Two volumes are missing, leaving 5,667 volumes on the shelves.


Eighty-three books are to be sent to the bindery.


ARTHUR H. SHELDON, President. FRED E. VARNEY. H. ELLEN SARGENT.


North Chelmsford, Mass., March 3, 1909.


179


ACCOUNT OF TREASURER


.ECEIPTS


Balance on hand, March 2, 190S


$ 34 58


Town Appropriation 400 00


Miss Emma J. Gay


8 10


Miss Anna Mackay


1 00


Library drawer


15


443 83


EXPENDITURES


Librarian.


100 00


Janitor and assistant Librarian


20 00


Electric light


17 20


Printing


13 25


Insurance


2S 20


Books


188 31


Bindery


15 58


Carrying books to West Chelmsford


9 60


Supplies


12 05


Fuel .


7 50


Librarian's expenses, expressage on


5 89


books, etc.


1 35


Cleaning library


1 25


Repairs


420 18


Balance on hand, March 3, 1909


23 65


$443 83


STEWART MACKAY,


Treasurer.


Warrant For Annual Town Meeting


At Town Hall, Chelmsford Centre


Monday, March 22, 1909


COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS


MIDDLESEX, SS.


To either of the Constables of the Town of Chelmsford, in said County, GREETING.


In the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid you are here- by required to notify the legal voters of said Chelmsford to meet in the Town Hall at Chelmsford Centre, on Monday, the twenty-second day of March, current, being the fourth Mon- day in said month, at eight o'clock in the forenoon. The polls will be opened at 8.15 A. M., and closed at 1.15 P. M. ; and they are then and there to act upon the following articles, viz. :


Article 1. To choose a Moderator.


Article 2. To bring in their votes for Town Clerk, one Asses- sor, one School Committee, two Trustees of the Adams Library, one Cemetery Commissioner, one Sinking Fund Commissioner, and one Road Commissioner, all for three years. Five Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor, Town Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, three Auditors, seven Constables, and one Tree Warden, all for one year. Also to vote on the follow - ing questions: " Shall license be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town? "


182


To see if the Town will vote to accept the Provisions of Chapter 209 of Acts 1908, entitled an Act to provide for the protection of forest or sprout land from fire.


To see if the Town will vote to adopt the Provisions of Sections one to fourteen inclusive, of Chapter 28 of the Revised Laws, authorizing cities and towns to lay out public parks within their limits.


Article 3. To choose all other Town officers necessary to be chosen by hand vote, or act in relation to the same.


Article 4. To hear reports of Town officers and committees and act thereon.


Article 5. To raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be required to defray Town charges for the cur- rent year.


Article 6. To see if the Town will authorize the Treasurer to borrow, subject to the approval of the Selectmen, such sums of money as may be required for the demands upon him, in anticipation of the taxes of the current year, and payable therefrom.


Article 7. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to act as its agent in any suit or suits which may arise during the current year; also in such other matters which may arise requiring, in their judgment, the action of such agent, and to employ counsel therefor.


Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to buy a lot of land at the Centre village, supposed to belong to James P. Emerson, at a price not exceeding $1,000, for the pur- pose of enlarging the grounds of the Centre School- house, so-called, and raise, appropriate or borrow a sufficient sum of money to pay for the same, or act in relation thereto.


183


Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to enlarge the New Schoolhouse, so-called, at the North village, choose a building committee, and raise, appropriate or borrow a sufficient sum of money to pay for the same, or act in relation thereto.


Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the School Committee to place insurance upon the School Buildings at the North and Centre villages, or act in relation thereto.


Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to reduce the num- ber of Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor to three ; choosing one for three years, one for two years, and one for one year, at our next annual meeting, and each year thereafter choosing one member for three years, or act in relation thereto.


Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) for the purpose of widening, straightening, grading and paying land damages on the Golden Cove road, so- called, from the intersection of said road with the State Highway on Chelmsford street, to the Town Farm, at the intersection of the road leading from Chelmsford Centre to Billerica with said Golden Cove road, as ordered by the County Commissioners Sept. 1, 1906, or act in relation thereto.


Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of fifteen hundred dollars ($1500) to be paid to the North Chelmsford Fire District for hydrant service for the current year, or act in relation thereto.


Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25) for the observance of Memorial Day, or act in relation thereto.


184


Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to provide telephone service for the use of Constables in the Centre and North villages, or act in relation thereto.


Article 16 To see if the Town will accept and adopt the By-laws as prepared by the Selectmen, or act in rela- tion thereto.


Article 17. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150), to be paid to the Firemen's Relief Association of Lowell, in recognition of the services of the Lowell Fire Department in Chelmsford, or act in relation there- to.


Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to grant permission to Eugene Sullivan of East Chelmsford, to appropri- ate and use certain land on East Chelmsford road, containing 20 acres, for the purpose of a Jewish cemetery and burial, said land and location having been approved by the Board of Health of the Town in pursuance to Acts of 1908, Section 1 of Chapter 379.


And you are directed to serve this Warrant, by posting up attested copies thereof at Post Offices in the Centre of the Town, South Chelmsford, North Chelmsford, West Chelms- ford, and at the schoolhouse at East Chelmsford, ten days at least before the time appointed for holding said meeting.


Hereof fail not, and make return of this Warrant with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk at the time and place of holding the meeting aforesaid.


185


Given under our hands this tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and nine.


EBEN T. ADAMS, D. FRANK SMALL, JOHN J. DUNN, WILBUR E. LAPHAM, CHARLES F. DEVINE,


Selectmen of Chelmsford.


I have served the foregoing Warrant, by posting up true and attested copies of the same at the places above mentioned, more than ten days before the day of holding said meeting.


CURTIS A. AIKEN,


Constable of Chelmsford.


INDEX


Aggregate of Appropriations, Receipts and Expenditures. 124


Appraisers' Report-


Property of Centre Fire Department 78


Property of Highway Department 76


Property of Moth Department .. 79 79


Property of North Chelmsford Fire Department


Property at Town Farm.


74 80


Assessors' Report


43


Auditors' Report


46


List of Jurors


122


Report of Board of Health .


Report of Cemetery Commission


121 113 103


Report of Chelmsford Centre Fire Department


Report of Inspector of Animals 119


Report of Inspector of Meat. 120 81


Report of Forest Warden.


Report of Moth Superintendent . 115


Report of North Chelmsford Library Corporation. 178


Report of Road Commissioners 105


Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures 117


Report of Trustees of Adams Library 173 129


School Committee's Report.


Course of Study . 143


Financial Report. 162


Graduating Exercises Chelmsford High School


158


Graduating Exercises North High School


160


Roll of Honor 151


School Statistics 154


School Superintendent's Report. 134


Summary of Receipts and Expenditures. 169


Teachers 156


Selectmen's Report-


Care and Improvement of Cemeteries 56


Cattle Inspection . 58


Cemetery Trust Funds 57


Collection and Abatement of Taxes 60


Drainage of Lowell Road. 58


Property of Weights and Measures Department.


187


Enforcement of Liquor Law


59


Fire Apparatus, Centre Village.


60


Grading at South Village School


54 50


Highways .


Hydrant Service, North Village


55


Indigent Soldiers and Sailors


Insurance Sinking Fund


Land Damage, Littleton Street


Libraries


Loans and Interests


Meat Inspection


58


Memorial Day


Military Aid. ..


Miner Lot, North Village


Miscellaneous Expenses


Moth Work


North Chelmsford Schoolhouse, Plumbing


Repairing Town Records.


54


Sealer of Weights and Measures


60


Schoolhouse, South Village.


54


State Aid


59


Street Lighting


53


Town Officers and Committecs


61


Tree Warden


56


Village Clock


55


Support of Poor-


Expense at Almshouse


70


Inmates at Almshouse


72


Outside Poor 72


Town Clerk's Report-


Annual Town Meeting, 1908


18


Births Recorded in Chelmsford in 1908.


9


Deaths Recorded in Chelmsford in 1908.


14


Dogs Licensed for 1908.


17


Marriages Recorded in Chelmsford in 1908


12


Special Town Meeting, May 16, 1908


27


Special Town Meeting, Dec. 7, 1908


29


Special Town Meeting, Jan. 18, 1909.


31


State Election. 32


Tax Collector's Report


40


Town Officers


3


Town Treasurer's Report.


35


Tree Warden's Report 117


Warrant for Annual Town Meeting, 1909


181


59 55 55 55 59


55 59 55 64 64 58 55


Repairs of Public Buildings


£




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.