USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > Town annual report of Chelmsford 1930 > Part 13
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The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of One Thousand Dollars be so raised and appropriated.
ARTICLE 38. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Fifteen Hundred Dollars, or some other amount, for the purpose of paying land damages and defraying the cost of relocating a portion of the Carlisle-Concord Road; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of $1500 be so raised and appropriated.
ARTICLE 39. To see if the Town will vote to amend its by-laws by add- ing to same the following section. Section 12: "The offices of the Town Treasurer and Tax Collector and the records and books incident thereto, shall be located in the Town Hall at the Centre Village"; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee heartily endorse this Article.
189
ARTICLE 41. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $78.09 to care for a deficit in the Election and Registration Department in the year 1930; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of $78.09 be so raised and appropriated.
ARTICLE 42. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $13.67 for the purpose of caring for a deficit in the Board of Health salaries appropriation in the year 1930; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of $13.67 be so raised and appropriated.
ARTICLE 43. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Thirty Dollars, or some other amount, for the purpose of purchasing a fire alarm tapper for the police department; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of Thirty Dollars ($30) be so raised and appropriated.
ARTICLE 44. To see if the Town will vote and appropriate the sum of $100 or some other amount, for the purpose of defraying the legal ex- penses and engineer's expenses incident to any purchase of real estate authorized under Articles 12, 13 and 15, of the within warrant; or act in relation thereto.
The Finance Committee recommend that the sum of $100 be so raised and appropriated.
GEO. W. DAY GEO. E. GAGNON JAMES A. GRANT J. C. MONAHAN EMILE PAIGNON BIRGER PETTERSON Finance Committee.
190
INDEX
Page
Accountant's Report-
Appropriations and Transfers 89
Balance Sheet 96
Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds 82
Payments
66
Payments of Interest 99
Payments of Principal
98
Receipts
62
Trust Funds
81
Reports of-
Assessors 106
Board of Fire Engineers 111
Board of Health 113
Agent of Board of Health 115
Cemetery Commissioners 120
Committee on Flag Pole at So. Chelmsford 121
124
Finance Committee
183
Forest Warden
113
Inspector of Animals
118
Inspector of Markets
118
Inspector of Slaughtering
117
Insurance Fund Commissioners
107
Memorial Day Committee
122
Middlesex Co. Extension Service
119
Milk Inspector
117
North Chelmsford Library Corporation
110
Police Department
111
State Audit
147 Tax Collector
102
Tax Collector for North Chelmsford Fire District.
105
Tax Collector of Chelmsford Water District
Town Treasurer 104
100
Trustees of the Adams Library 107
121
Town Clerk's Report-
Births Recorded 50
Business Meeting, February 10, 1930 18
Deaths Recorded 56
Election of Officers 15
61
List of Jurors 59
Vital Statistics
50
Marriages Recorded
53
Meeting of Town Clerks
47
Officers Elected and Appointed
3
State Election, November 4, 1930
44
State Primary, September 16, 1930 33
Special Town Meeting, September 2, 1930 29
Special Town Meeting, December 15, 1930 48
175
Warrant for Annual Town Meeting
191
Committee on Investigating Water Supply
War Memorial Committee
Financial Report
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND THE
Superintendent of Schools OF CHELMSFORD, MASS.
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31 1930
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
J. EARL WOTTON, Chairman. Term Expires 1931 North Chelmsford.
JOHN A. McADAMS, Financial-Secretary Term Expires 1932 Westlands.
EDWARD B. RUSSELL, Secretary Term Expires 1933 Chelmsford.
SUPERINTENDENT
GEORGE S. WRIGHT, A.B. Office in McFarlin School Chelmsford.
SCHOOL PHYSICIANS
ARTHUR G. SCOBORIA, M.D. Chelmsford FRED E. VARNEY, M.D. North Chelmsford
SCHOOL NURSE
(MRS.) MAE S. LEWIS, R.N.
Office in McFarlin School
ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
HAROLD C. KING Chelmsford
BERNARD McGOVERN North Chelmsford
SCHOOL CALENDAR
The school year is divided into a fall term ending at the Christmas vacation, and three terms after the holidays.
Fall term from September 2, 1930 to December 23, 1930.
Second term from January 5, 1931 to February 20, 1931.
Third term from March 2, 1931 to April 17, 1931.
Fourth term from April 27, 1931 to June 26, 1931.
The school year of 1931-1932 will open on Tuesday, September 8.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL
In case of extremely bad storms or of roads dangerous because of ice, a signal for no school is given on the fire alarms at the Center, North, West, South, and East, three blasts, repeated three times. When given at 7.15 there are no sessions for the day. The signal at 11.15 indicates no afternoon session for the grades.
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TEACHERS
The table shows the teachers at the beginning of the school year 1930-31, the position held, the date when service in Chelmsford began, and the institu- tions in which they prepared.
HIGH SCHOOL
Lucian H. Burns, A.M., Principal. Sept., 1930. University of New Hampshire, Columbia.
C. Edith McCarthy, Vice-Principal, Commercial, Sept., 1923, Salem Normal.
F. Christine Booth, B.A., Latin, Math., Sept., 1927, Colby.
Edith M. Donahoe, A.B., English, History, Sept., 1927, Smith.
Hilda B. Dunigan, B.S.E., Commercial, Sept., 1928, Salem Normal.
Anna B. Monahan, B.S.S., English, Sept., 1928, Boston University.
Daisy B. MacBrayne, English, Sept., 1929, Boston University.
Procter P. Wilson, B.S., Science, Feb., 1930, M.I.T.
George R. Knightly, A.B., Social Science, Sept., 1930, Aurora.
Helen R. Walter, B.A., French, Sept., 1930, Middlebury, Sorbonne.
Morris L. Burdick, A.B., Math., Science, Sept., 1930, Tufts.
McFARLIN
Louis O. Forrest, Principal, VIII, Sept., 1926, Gorham Normal.
(Mrs.) Eva L. Dobson, VII, Nov., 1919, Plymouth Normal. M. Beryl Rafuse, VI, Sept., 1920, Truro Normal. Helena B. Lyons, V, Sept., 1920, North Adams Normal.
Emily Hehir, IV, Sept., 1928, Lowell Normal.
Estelle M. Buckley, III, Sept., 1926, Lowell Normal.
(Mrs.) Esther R. Nystrom, II, Dec., 1911, Lowell Normal.
Eva M. Large, I, Sept., 1917, Lowell Normal.
EAST
Harry Y. Hilyard, Principal, VII-VIII, Sept., 1930, Gorham Normal.
(Mrs.) Jessie F. Brown, V-VI, April, 1930, Boston University.
Ruth J. Harris, III-IV, Sept., 1930, Lowell Normal.
Elna L. Reis, I-II, Sept., 1930, Lowell Normal.
HIGHLAND AVENUE
Harry J. Kane, B.S., in Education, Principal, VII-VIII, Sept., 1929, Bridge- water Normal.
Ella Bailey, V-VI, Sept., 1925, Farmington Normal. Lottie M. Agnew, III-IV. Sept., 1923, Lowell Normal. Katherine G. Dewire, I-II, Jan., 1921, Lowell Normal.
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PRINCETON STREET
Gertrude A. Jones, Principal, VIII, Sept., 1899, Salem Normal.
Ella A. Hutchinson, VII, Sept., 1905, Framingham Normal.
(Mrs.) Elsa Reid, VI, Sept., 1922, Lowell Normal. May D. Sleeper, V, March, 1907, Chelmsford High and Extension Course. (Mrs.) Lilla B. McPherson, IV, Sept., 1920, Framingham Normal.
Genevieve E. Jantzen, III, Sept., 1911, Lowell Normal.
Helen C. Osgood, II, Sept., 1921, Lowell Normal.
Catherine J. McTeague, I, Sept., 1927, Lowell Normal.
QUESSY
V. John Rikkola, Principal, VII-VIII, Sept., 1930, Salem Normal.
Bertha H. Long, V-VI, April, 1896, Salem Normal. Edith M. Grant, III-IV, April, 1925, Salem Normal. Jane E. McEnaney, I-II, Sept., 1926, Lowell Normal.
SOUTH
Myrtle Greene, III-IV-V, Sept., 1928, Lowell Normal. Hazel R. Young, I-II, Sept., 1930, Lowell Normal.
SOUTH ROW
Mary D. McEnaney, I-II-III-IV, Sept., 1928, Lowell Normal.
WESTLANDS
H. Jean Rafuse, Principal, VII-VIII, Sept., 1920, Martin's Point, N. S., High School.
Vera G. Rafuse, V-VI, Sept., 1921, Truro Normal.
Mayme G. Trefry, III-IV, Sept., 1921, Truro Normal.
(Mrs.) Marion S. Adams, I-II, Jan., 1928, Lowell Normal.
Mary H. Ryan, Bldg. Asst., Sept., 1930, Lowell Normal.
SUPERVISORS
Charlotte L. Hyde, Music, Oct., 1927, Lowell Normal.
Robert A. LaFountain, Physical Education, Sept., 1929, Springfield College.
TRANSPORTATION
George W. Marinel, North Chelmsford.
JANITORS
High School, C. O. Robbins, Chelmsford Center.
McFarlin, Otis Brown, South Chelmsford. East, Bernard McLoughlin, East Chelmsford. Highland Avenue, Edward Fallon, North Chelmsford. Princeton Street, John Matson, North Chelmsford. Quessy, John Boutilier, West Chelmsford. South, E. Dyer Harris, South Chelmsford. South Row, Mrs. Hildur Smith, Chelmsford Center. Westlands, Charles Stearns, Chelmsford Center.
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REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE-1930
To the Citizens of the Town of Chelmsford :
We herewith submit the report of the School Committee for the year 1930.
We sincerely urge the citizens to read carefully the extensive Report of the Superintendent of Schools and to study the figures of costs which he presents. We believe a report of this type once in five years would be very valuable.
The most important matter before the voters, so far as the School Department is concerned, is the report of a special committee covering the subject of an addition to the High School. The matter is fully discussed by the Superintendent and Principal in their reports and some action will be necessary in the near future. We do not consider it feasible to use the vacant rooms in the McFarlin School for High School classes. Such an arrangement would require both pupils and teachers to travel back and forth between the buildings. It would also necessitate the installation of a clock and bell system in the two schools, so that classes could be called simultaneously. There will not be room in the McFarlin School for one entire High School class, since one or more of the rooms now vacant must be used for Elementary pupils. We believe the cost of maintaining the High School in two buildings would be excessive as well as extremely inconvenient. At best, it would be only a temporary procedure.
We are half way through the contract for transportation, and thus far, we believe the change in system has fully justified itself. The increase in number of pupils has been surprising, and apparently the number will be larger in the future. We have escaped serious accidents, but in carrying 500 pupils daily, accidents might occur in any system used.
The McFarlin School was dedicated with simple exercises by school pupils early in the fall. Many of Miss McFarlin's friends and former pupils were present.
We express appreciation for the co-operation of the Parent-Teachers Association. Especially in the promotion of health, their services are invaluable. Their relations with the School Department have been friendly and harmonious.
We feel that the town has been exceedingly fortunate in having a man at the head of the School Department with the ability, high character, and personality of Mr. George S. Wright. Under his administration, the School Department has steadily climbed to a point of high efficiency, and we trust it will be our good fortune to keep him for many years to come.
The teaching staff is, we believe, of a high order of merit. We have accepted, with regret, the resignations of a number of teachers, and the filling of their positions has been a very difficult task. We are of the opinion that the standard of teaching in the department, as a whole, is improving.
5
The janitors are rendering faithful and efficient service. The skill with which most of them make small repairs during the year and their work in the summer vacation, save considerable on repair bills.
A summary of the major repairs during the year will be found in the Superintendent's Report.
We have endeavored, at all time, to give the taxpayers of Chelmsford a business-like and economical administration of their Schools.
Respectfully submitted, J. EARL WOTTON, JOHN A. MCADAMS, EDWARD B. RUSSELL, School Committee.
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee :
Herewith is submitted my third annual report, the 57th in the series, together with reports made to me by the Principal of the High School, the supervisors, and the nurse. These I endorse as a part of my report.
Included in the School Department section of this Town Report is given, also, the report of the committee appointed at the last annual meeting, with their recommendations. In this connection I would call attention to pages 94-97 of last year's report, dealing with the crowded conditions in certain buildings. The special committee has given careful consideration to all phases of the problem involved, and recommends that the four-year type of high school be maintained, following the present elementary course of eight years, and that the High School be enlarged to remedy the present overcrowded condition and to provide for the future. This report and the recommendations I endorse. The High School is practically of the same size as last year's school. We have crowded into the Westlands building 20 pupils more than we had last year. That section is growing every year. It is almost a certainty that at least one grade must be brought from that school to the McFarlin next. September, and possibly two. The Town is faced by the immediate necessity of providing additional accommodations in some way, and in the opinion of the special committee, in which I fully concur, the most satisfactory way, and in the long run the most economical, is by adding to the present High School. Citi- zens who can find opportunity to do so before the date for the annual meeting are urged to visit the High School and the Westlands while the schools are in session, in order that they may judge conditions for themselves.
Following my custom of emphasizing one or two features of school administration each year, I am in this report presenting a study of school costs, comparing expenditures in Chelmsford with those in other places, and also discussing in detail how our school money is used.
COMPARATIVE SCHOOL COSTS
The Department of Education publishes annually the financial and statistical returns made by the towns and cities of the Commonwealth, divided into four groups : cities, towns over 5,000 in population, towns under 5,000 which maintain high schools, and towns under 5,000 without high schools. The comparison below is based on the report of November 30, 1930, for the school year ending June 30, 1930. Chelmsford is in Group II, which contains 79 towns. The towns of the group differ so much, especially in wealth, that a comparison of the entire 79 towns has little weight. To show the difference, Brookline, first in the group in population, has approximately- six and one-half times the people of Chelmsford, four times as many children in school, and over twenty-one times the wealth.
In order to present data from places that can reasonably be considered in the same class, I have selected 20 towns, 18 from Group II, and Billerica and Westford from Group III. These towns are all under 8,000 in population by the state census of 1925 ; have less than $9,000,000 valuation as of April 1, 1929, except Billerica ; have a school membership over 1,000, except Westford ; and have a valuation per pupil under $7400. All wealthier towns under 8,000
7
in population are omitted, and also towns having less than 1,000 pupils, except the neighboring town of Westford. Statistics for these towns are given on page 74, and should be read as follows, using our own town as an illustration : Chelmsford had a population of 6,573 in 1925; its valuation in 1929 was $7,591,870; the number of pupils in net average membership was 1,382; the valuation per pupil (valuation divided by number of pupils) was $5,493; the expenditure for administration, or general control, was $4,397.59 ; for instruc- tion, including salaries of teachers and supervisors, books and supplies, school libraries, and tuition, was $68,365.11; for operation of the school plant and maintenance of buildings and grounds, $18,002.82; for promotion of health, $2,282.51 ; for transportation $9,230.10; for miscellaneous purposes, $1,018.74 : making the total for school support, exclusive of capital outlay, $103,269.87. Dividing this last amount by the number of pupils gives the cost of support per pupil, $74.74.
Study of the statistics for these twenty towns shows that Chelmsford is 9th in population ;
8th in valuation ;
6th or 7th in membership, being tied with Ipswich ;
10th in valuation per pupil ;
11th in expenditures for administration ;
15th in expenditures for instruction ;
8th in expenditures for operation and maintenance ;
8th in expenditures for health;
4th in cost of transportation ;
12th in miscellaneous items ;
11th in total for support ;
15th in cost per pupil for support.
Consider for a moment the cost per pupil for support, $74.74. For this amount the school buildings are heated and kept in good condition; teachers, books, and supplies are furnished ; the child's health is given attention by a school nurse and physicians, and over a third of the pupils are carried to and from school. This is done for 180 days and the child is in school five hours. That is, reduced to a per pupil per hour basis, the cost is well under ten cents. Do the schools cost too much? Can you better understand the fact that the amount paid by the American people for such luxuries as tobacco, chewing gum, soft drinks, etc., largely exceeds the whole cost of the public school system?
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Population (1925)
Valuation
(1929)
Membership
Valuation
per Pupil
General
Control
Instruction
and Tuition
Operation
Health
Transportation
Miscellaneous
Total for
Support
Cost per Pupil for Support
Rockland
7,966 $8,239.724
1,401
$5,881
$5,461.18
$89,050.49
$20,319.97
$3,494.97
$1,816.00
$3,008.37
$123,150.98
$87.90
Maynard
7,857
6,890,465
1,715
4,018
4,998.10
83,134.25
11,336.45
2,408.35
885.56
1,631.25
104,393.96
60.87
Stoughton
7,857
8,475,317
1,322
6,411
6,155.98
76,534.81
19,279.12
2,598.93
4,588.08
0.00
109,156.92
82.57
Whitman
7,857
8,046,140
1,437
5,599
5,220.84
89,807.56
23,577.16
2,061.92
1,586.00
3,085.30
125,338.78
87.22
Concord
7,056
8,279,161
1,134
7,301
7,214.17
107,163.66
20,090.70
2,476.34
8,786.80
1,037.94
146,769.61
129.43
Grafton
6,973
4,702,522
1,193
3,942
4,232.34
69,516.41
14,779.24
1,118.97
12,150.20
1,772.53
103,569.69
86.81
North Andover ..
6,839
8,284,242
1,212
6,835
5,457.13
82,923.53
18,857.50
2,350.34
2,920.00
0.00
112,508.50
92.83
Mansfield
6,590
7,578,284
1,347
5,626
4,969.09
80,860.20
16,481.66
2,116.37
5,873.57
251.72
110,552.61
82.07
Chelmsford
6,573
7,591,870
1,382
5,493
4,397.59
68,365.11
18,002.82
2,282.51
9,230.10
1,018.74
103,296.87
74.74
Millbury
6,441
5,598,153
1,062
5,272
3,759.47
60,008.39
17,989.71
1,300.74
7,183.49
0.00
90,241.80
84.97
Dracut
6,400
4,033,772
1,517
2,659
2,682.16
77,220.76
13,397.69
1,780.48
4,513.22
1,085.89
100,680.20
66.37
Winchendon
6,173
5,582,505
1,172
4,763
3,584.43
70,645.01
18,545.96
2,135.29
7,028.05
183.38
102,122.12
87.14
Uxbridge
6,172
7,152,040
1,111
6,437
2,757.05
58,279.64
8,202.43
191.00
2,974.04
989.09
73,393.25
66.06
Ipswich
6,055
7,544,083
1,382
5,459
5,116.93
73,294.61
8,186.27
1,761.53
5,712.73
2,615.18
96,687.25
69.96
Abington
5,882
5,662,582
1,177
4,811
3,820.23
74,322.46
13,587.90
5,402.56
3,200.00
1,892.61
102,225.76
86.85
Shrewsbury
5,819
7,847,269
1,410
5,565
5,441.30
91,765.82
21,243.60
2,460.43
9,812.37
2,434.81
133,158.33
94.44
Randolph
5,644
5,556,550
1,358
4,092
2,804.65
62,345.29
13,721.22
1,423.23
4,579.30
2,339.15
87,212.84
64.22
Easton
5,333
5,097,645
1,051
4,850
5,222.95
70,567.20
12,171.89
1,999.99
9,087.35
1,875.60
100,924.98
96.03
Billerica
4,913
9,112,115
1,233
7,390
4,419.75
66,099.93
16,067.12
1,317.18
16,480.00
55.50
104,439.48
84.70
Westford
3,571
4,174,876
798
5,232
3,551.02
42,223.57
11,029.26
1,935.00
8,741.75
23.50
67,504.10
84.84
1
and Maintenance
EXPENDITURES FOR 1930
Although the comparison of school costs with those of other towns is interesting, a matter of more importance is a discussion of how Chelmsford expended $107,467.05 in 1930. In the discussion below a somewhat more detailed analysis is made than is given in the statement of the Town Accountant on page . Per pupil costs are shown, and are compared with the last figures published by the state, which were for the year ending June 30, 1928, and are for the entire state.
ADMINISTRATION
Administration, or general control, is the overhead cost of running the schools. The salary paid the Superintendent for the year was $3,766.68; expenses of the School Committee, $350; travelling expenses out of town, $56.74 ; truant officers, $23.50; stationery, postage, and office expense, $55.39 ; and telephone, $21.83; amounting to $4,274.14. This gives a per pupil cost of $3.09. In 1928 the state-wide cost of administration was $3.62.
It will be noted that the telephone charge is low. For the last three years the school has had one of the free telephones given the town. A charge of $1.00 a month is made for the extension running from the High School to the Superintendent's office in the McFarlin School, and the balance is the cost of tolls.
For three years the school census, taken annually in October, has been handled by the building principals, assisted by the older pupils. This is a method approved by the State. It means little more than that the older pupils secure the names with date of birth of children who are five years old on October 1st, but are not in school. The students in the business practice course in the High School aid in clerical work in the offices of both the High School Principal and the Superintendent. Acknowledgment is made for the assistance rendered by the pupils in the matter of the census and by the students who assist in clerical work.
INSTRUCTION
This is the largest element in school costs, and by far the most impor- tant. All other expenditures are made in order that the work of the teachers may be more efficient. By commonly accepted standards the cost of instruction should be not less than two-thirds of the cost of support, and it is often three- fourths. The total in Chelmsford, exclusive of the evening school for adults, was $69,126.99, or 64%, somewhat less than the accepted minimum. The salaries of the supervisors are included in the table below showing the division of costs.
High School
Elementary Schools
Total
Salaries
$18,191.63
$46,198.67
$64.390.30
Books
1,080.76
1,697.78
2,778.54
Supplies
810.94
1,147.21
1,958.15
Total
$20,083.33
$49,043.66
$69,126.99
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Dividing the amounts in the first column by 286, net membership of the High School, those in the second column by 1,096, and in the last by 1382 gives per pupil costs.
High School
Elementary Schools
All Schools
Salaries
$ 63.61
$ 42.15
$ 46.59
Books
3.78
1.55
2.01
Supplies
2.84
1.05
1.42
Total
$ 70.23
$ 44.75
$ 50.02
For all day schools in the state in 1928 the cost per pupil for salaries was $67.53; for books, $1.60; and for supplies, $3.01, a total for instruction of $72.14.
Since salaries make up about 93% of the cost of instruction, it is easily seen from the above, and also from the comparison of school costs in the twenty towns, that the teachers in Chelmsford are by no means overpaid. We cannot expect to be able to compete with city salaries, but it may well be questioned whether in some instances our scale should not be increased.
Since the last report was issued these teachers have gone to better paid positions : - C. Owen Greene to Framingham in February, Mary F. Robinson to Lowell in April; and at the end of the year, Principal H. E. Hobbs to Warwick, R. I., Walter D. Hayes to Cranston, R. I., Ellen F. Devine to Hartford, Conn., William H. McLin to Yarmouth, Mary E. Mooney and Grace G. Sheehan to Lowell, and Earle C. Suitor to Dartmouth. Jeanne M. Low declined reappointment in order to study at the Sorbonne in Paris.
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Under this heading are included all the costs of keeping the buildings clean and heated, in repair, and furnished with water, lights, toilet room supplies, etc. It is clearly evident that the expense of maintaining ten separate school buildings for 1,382 children is greater than would be the cost of housing them in three or four large buildings, with a saving in janitor service, coal, number of roofs to keep up, etc.
There are eight janitors on the payroll, Mr. Robbins being paid for the care of both buildings at the Center. Salaries amounted to $8,373.76, and supplies, such as brooms, brushes, paper towels and toilet paper, tools, etc., cost $421.82. Fuel cost $3,718.22. Lights and power cost $1,132.74. The High School and the McFarlin School have separate meters for measuring the current used for power, as each of these buildings has a heating and venti- lating system requiring several motors. The power bill at the High School was $492.68, and at the McFarlin School $162. It should be explained that this use of power is to save coal. If the fans are stopped in the High School for any reason the temperature of the rooms immediately begins to fall, necessi- tating heavier fires. In the McFarlin School pumps are used in connection with the boilers to cause a partial vacuum in the radiators. The cost of lights ran from an average of about $40 in the four-room buildings to $164.85 in the High School. All buildings now have electric lights.
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