USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Ipswich > Town annual report of Ipswich 1953 > Part 3
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BOY'S AND GIRLS' DEPARTMENT: Activities in the Rogers Room included 22 story hours with a total attendance of 1,138 chil- dren. The Library Boys' Club, composed of all interested seventh grade boys in Town, has had excellent meetings with such speak- ers as Fire Chief, Samuel W. Atherley, Town Photographer, Peter Zaharis, and
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT.
NOV.
DEC.
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-
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3500
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1
3000
/
1
1953
2500
1
2000
1952
1500
-1951
1951
1952
-1953
1000
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NUMBER OF COPIES BORROWED
LIBRARY CIRCULATION STATISTICS
23
Guidance Director, James McKenna. In addition to regular activities, special events, including Spring Book Festival in May and National Children's Book Week in Novem- ber, helped to make the total number of books borrowed by boys and girls during the year, 13,724.
YOUNG ADULT SECTION: The former High School Shelves have been converted to a section for young people offering a selection of recreational reading grouped under the following titles: Travel and adventure, Careers, Famous People, Sports, Science, and including two shelves for teacher reference material. This is a temporary measure, as it is hoped to have a Young Adult Room for high school people before the new year ends.
INTER-LIBRARY-LOAN SERVICE: This year more books than usual were borrowed from out-of-town libraries for public use. Ap- proximately fifty were secured from such libraries as Harvard University, Boston, Cambridge, Brookline, Newton Public Li- braries, and from the State Division of Public Libraries in Boston. Anyone wishing a book not owned by the library may request Inter-Library-Loan service.
THE NEW LOOK: Through the thought- fulness of a friend of the library, Sylvania fluorescent lighting has been installed in the main reading room, periodical rooms, lower stacks and office, appreciated both by those who work in the building and public who use the library. The 1953 edition of the World Book Encyclopedia was presented by the Friends of the Library, and other gifts included 414 individual book donations plus flowers and Christmas decorations made by the Ipswich Garden Club. Finally, with the addition by the trustees of a new clock in the main reading room, the library is really catching up with the times.
LIBRARY STATISTICS:
Total number of books circulated 36,068
Total number of adult books 22,344
Total number of juvenile books 13,724
Total number of books added 1,284
Total number of gifts 414
Total number of registered bor-
rowers 2,098
LIBRARY HOURS:
Mondays and Wednesdays 10-6
Tuesdays and Fridays 1-8:30
Thursdays and Saturdays 1-6
Librarian Hester Mitchell and Police Officer William Matous at one of the popular story hours
24
GROUNDS AND BUILDING DIVISION
Gardner Caverly, Foreman
Twenty-two young trees were planted at Upper River Road and Linebrook Play- ground. One hundred large shade trees were pruned.
A line-clearing program completing two years of a three-year program was continued. This operation has generally improved con- sumer service rendered by the Electric Department.
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS: New modern mowing equipment has cut down substan- tially the cost of maintenance on the various lawn areas which make up the public parks and playgrounds. The new cub tractor with a Worthington Mower unit, purchased earlier in the season, mows approximately 14 acres of grass in 16 hours time. Formerly 60 man hours were required to do the same work.
The Town Hill and Dow Park areas were brushed out early in 1953, and the same maintenance program will be continued in 1954. Seven hundred red pine seedlings were planted early in April at the rear of the skating ring at Linebrook Playground, and at the gravel pack well on High Street.
FORESTRY: Three shade trees were removed during the year by petition, three because of heavy storm damage, and three due to their dying condition. Also, the six public shade trees infested with Dutch Elm Disease were removed.
ROADSIDE MOWING: Roadside mowing and brush activities were carried out during the summer months on 20 miles of roads. The
No. of Employees 1953 Expenditures
$18,833.31
N
New Tractor-Mower in operation
new cub tractor with a cutterbar attach- ment again saved part of the cost of this program which was formerly done with hired equipment. In many areas larger growth has become so heavy, it is necessary to do a considerable amount of hand cut- ting before the roadside mower can be operated.
PEST CONTROL: Three sprays were applied to all elms along all highways between April 1 and July 15 with satisfactory results. The first spray of 12 per cent D.D.T. was applied for Dutch Elm Disease control by the elimination of the bark beetle, and the following two sprays of 25 per cent solution was aimed at the control of the leaf beetle.
There was practically no damage in the Town by the Gypsy, Brown Tail, and Tus- sock Moth and the Spiny Elm Caterpillar.
Twenty-five samples were sent in to the University Shade Trees Laboratory in Am- herst to be checked for Dutch Elm Disease.
SANITATION DIVISION
John Ladderbush, Foreman
SERVICE: During 1953 refuse and garbage collection routes were extended to cover all the streets in Town. This was accom- plished by adding one more man to the Department, and manning both the refuse packer and the sanitary garbage truck with two men on a full-time basis. In addition,
No. of Employees 4 1953 Expenditures $13.90 ;. 41
rubbish collections are now made weekly instead of every two weeks.
WORK LOAD: During the year this Division picked up and disposed of 625 tons of garbage and 6,006 cubic yards of rubbish. The garbage truck traveled 7,061 miles, and the refuse packer traveled 6,631 miles.
25
HIGHWAY DIVISION
Joseph H. Doty, Foreman
No. of Employees
1953 Expenditures : Summer Maintenance
Winter Maintenance Construction
$ 46,605 98 11,840.76 41,642.91
$100,089.65
SUMMER MAINTENANCE: General main- tenance of roads and sidewalks was con- tinued in the usual manner in 1953. A total of 25,224 gallons of asphalt was used in resurfacing 19 streets. In addition the Department applied 7,380 gallons on the school yards and driveways, 715 gallons on Cemetery drives, 617 gallons at the Electric Light Pumping Station, and 16,535 gallons on various streets under construction appro- priations. Also, 5,409 gallons was used in making 350 tons of patch and another 227 tons of patch was purchased and used on the Town Streets.
A total of 271 catch basins were cleaned out, and 29 large speed limit signs were bought and erected on the various streets. It was necessary to rebuild a section of the stone wall at Green Street Bridge, and as- sistance was furnished the contractor in this work. Leslie Road was widened, several trees removed, and 560 yards of gravel used in its resurfacing. About 1,200 yards of gravel was used in resurfacing Town Farm Road, Greens Point Road, and Lowes Lane.
A total of 21,196 gallons of gasoline was supplied the various departments through the Highway Department tank.
Under Chapter 90 Maintenance, 3 catch basins were put in on Linebrook Road, and 786 fect of drainage pipe was laid. In addi- tion, 230 feet of cable fence was erected on Linebrock Road and Lakemans Lane.
Surface Drainage on Farley Avenue
12
Chapter 90 Construction on Argilla Road
WINTER MAINTENANCE: A total of 44 tons of salt and 472 tons of sand was used in clearing ice from the roads. Hired plows worked 101 hours, hired trucks, 73 hours, and hired bulldozers, 91/2 hours, pushing snow into the river. Town-owned plows worked 298 hours, Town-owned trucks, 1541/2 hours, the snow loader 47 hours, the sidewalk plow 861/2 hours, and the front- end loader 38 hours in plowing and re- moving snow from the streets and the parking area.
NEW CONSTRUCTION: Under Chapter 90 Construction in April and May a section of Topsfield Road was resurfaced at the rail- rcad crossing. A total of 1,230 tons of bituminus concrete was required to complete this work.
In the fall, Chapter 90 work was started on the Argilla Road. Several trees were removed, the road widened, and a causeway built across the marsh to eliminate the curve at Cranes entrance. Eight catch basins were built, and 1,558 feet of drainage pipe laid. The road is now ready for resurfacing in 1954.
With Special Construction Appropria- tions, Arrowhead Trail and Damon Avenue
26
Newly Converted Bulldozer in Operation
were graveled and ciled. Four catch basins and 640 feet of drainage pipe were put in on Farley Avenue, two catch basins and 170 fect of pipe cn Bay View, and four catch basins and 250 feet of pipe on Stage Hill Road.
A total of 407 yards of gravel ard 5,007 gallons of oil were used in widening and resurfacing Island Park. Two curves were eliminated in Jeffries Neck Rcad, and the road widened in these places requiring the use of 1,275 yards of gravel and 5,429 gallons of asphalt. Hillside Rcad was oiled and also the intersection of Hillside, Stage Hill and Plover Hill Road. This work re- quired 2,932 gallons of asphalt.
Versatile New Backhoe
Goulds Bridge was replanked and the Willowdale Bridge was completely rebuilt including a new guard rail on the ap- proaches.
NEW EQUIPMENT: During the year the following equipment was added to the De- partment:
An Oliver Tractor equipped with a dig- ging bucket, a grave digging bucket, and a front-end loader; a new F-6 Ford truck, a power sweeper, and a materials spreader. Also the Cletrac was converted into a bull- doze:, and a trailer purchased to haul it. A new line maiker and a grease machine were also added.
Foreman Joseph Doty and Operator Chester Wells look over the new Elgin Street Sweeper
27
CEMETERY DIVISION
Benjamin W. Homans, Superintendent
CEMETERY OPERATIONS: There were ninety- three interments during 1953 in the five Ipswich Cemeteries. This was three more than in 1952.
One eight-grave lot, three four-grave lots, and two single graves were sold. Ten lots went under perpetual care, and additional funds were added to the old funds. Lots awarded in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery included two four grave lots and fifteen six grave lots.
MAINTENANCE: Seventy graves were raised during the year, and foundations for head stones and monuments were prepared. One and one-half tons of fertilizer were applied to the Highland Cemetery in October. Mow- ing operations started on April 8 and con- tinued throughout the summer and the fall.
Flowers in blcom at the Highland Cemetery
Two dogwood trecs were planted in the Locust Grove and three in the Highland Cemetery. Tulip beds were replaced with geraniums and summer plants in May, and all flower beds were cultivated and watered regularly. The drought during the latter part of the summer kept mowing to a minimum. Much time was spent scything wild growth and using the rotary mowers on all the lots. It is expected to experiment with a weed killer in 1954 to cut down on the wild growth.
No. of Employees : Permanent Seasonal
2 5
1953 Expenditures $16,458.03
Six and one-half tons of patch were ap- plied to the avenues in the Highland and Cowles Memorial Cemeteries, and seven hundred and fifteen gallons of tar were used to surface the Highland Cemetery. The flag
General View of the Highland Cemetery
in the Highland Cemetery and the Cowles Memorial Cemetery was raised and lowered each good working day by employees of this Department.
EQUIPMENT: One new power lawn mower was purchased to replace an old one, and a half-ton pick up truck was added to the Department.
REVENUES: Office records were kept up-to- date and all bills due the Town were com- mitted to the Collector for collection. Per- petual care bills were made out and turned over to the Treasury-Trust Fund Commit- tee. Revenues to the Cemetery Department for 1953 were as follows:
New Perpetual care funds .... $1,450.00
Sale of lots & graves 245.00
Liners 130.20
Annual Care 610.50
Interments & removals 2,719.00
Foundations & setting posts. 665.41
Perpetual care revenues 2,417.30
28
ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
Charles Mallard, Manager
GENERATING PLANT: A total of 13,319,- 500 kilowatt hours were generated during 1953 which represents a 13.5 per cent in- crease over the total of 11,738,832 kilowatts generated in 1952. The peak demand was 3,125 kilowatts, representing an increase of 155 kilowatts over 1952. The Plant has a total capacity of 4,115 kilowatts so that the peak demand without doubt will in- crease to 3,350 or 3,400 kilowatts during 1954. The reserve capacity of 700 kilo- watts thus left will not be enough to insure a constant supply of electricity to con- sumers. Additional capacity should be ob- tained not later than September or Octorber of 1954.
Also, a thorough study should be made by qualified engineers to ascertain what policies should be followed regarding the future supply of electricity for the next ten years.
During the year all of the units at the Plant have been maintained and checked at regular intervals and complete records kept regarding the maintenance program. The inside walls were painted and the lighting system was renewed or repaired. The stor- age building was moved to a new location
No. of Employees
18
1953 Expenditures: Construction $ 28,795.53
Operation 262,556.75
1953 Revenues :
Cash Receipts 311,039.81
at the rear of the yard, and plans were de- veloped for a new cooling pond. This pond should be completed by spring of 1954, thereby conserving on the amount of cool- ing water now being used.
The operation of the Power Plan has been under the supervision of the new Plant Superintendent, Ralph W. Wetmore, who was given a month's training at the Fair- banks-Morse Factory in Beloit, Wisconsin.
OUTSIDE DISTRIBUTIONS SYSTEM: A fourth wire was added to three already in use from the Generating Plant to the Rowley Town line, supplying the Town of Rowley, and the voltage increased from 2400 to 4160. In addition, step regulators were installed to maintain proper voltage.
The No. 1 Circuit was equipped with a set of capacitors installed near the Syl- vania Plant, and step regulators should be installed in the near future to care for load growth. On No. 2 Circuit a set of step regulators were installed at the entrance of Island Park to correct voltage fluctuations in the summer colony. It is proposed to in-
Generating Plant on the Rowley Road
29
1
1
crease the voltage on No. 3 Circuit from 2400 to 4160 in 1954.
No changes were made on the No. 4 Cir- cuit, but the third phase wire should be installed as soon as possible. It may be pos- sible to do this by changing the present series type of street lighting to the parallel type of lighting to eliminate one of the present street light wires which could then be used for the third phase wire.
STREET LIGHTING: The improved type of Mercury-vapor lighting fixtures were in- stalled on North Main Street from Market Square to High and East Streets as the
second step of the overall street lighting in- provement program. It is planned that the third phase be carried out in 1954 as modern lighting of the streets are not only a safety factor, but also good advertising for the Town.
FINANCE: Total sales of electricity in- creased from $285,982.00 in 1952 to $320,- 688.20 in 1953.
Much of the financial operations were transferred to the Central Finance Office in the Town Hall during 1953, and elec- tric bills are still being prepared on post cards on an automatic bookkeeping machine.
WATER DEPARTMENT
Ralph Preble, Manager
There is an old adage which states, "That which man altereth not for the better, Time altereth for the worse". The 1952 Water Department Report outlined a reorganization plan for the Department. This 1953 Report will show the progress which has been made toward the goals established.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Two important steps were instituted in the Water Depart- ment this year. The first of the year saw the new billing machine employed in the processing of water bills achieving consider- able savings in time, effort, and money.
In order to achieve the necessary improve- ments to the system and keep pace with the increased cost of materials, the water rates were increased effective January 1 for the first time since 1920. The overall increase amounted to about 35 per cent and still leaves Ipswich with a low water rate in comparison to surrounding communities.
WATER SUPPLY: During 1953, 242,415,000 gallons was pumped as compared to 206,- 728,700 gallons in 1952. This is double the amount of water that was pumped ten years ago, and triple the amount of water that was consumed in Ipswich twenty years ago.
Although no official request was made in
No. of Employees G
1953 Expenditures : Construction $ 2,141.82
Operations 52,745.08
1953 Revenues : Cash Receipts 74,791 51
the restriction of water usage during the August and September drought, the supply was critically low.
In the late fall Consulting Engineers were contacted regarding the investigation of ad- ditional ground water supply, and at the same time, the Office of Soil Conservation was contacted to give the Town assistance in the study of a possible additional surface water supply.
Also, plans for a new cooling pond for the Electric Generating Plant have been developed, and the pond is now under con- struction. This new pond should save ap- proximately 10 per cent of prior water con- sumption.
The problem of developing an additional water supply is a critical one. Of the present four sources, the major source, the Browns Well, is becoming increasingly hard, and if this trend continues, will soon be unfit for consumption. The Mile Lane Well is of good quality but has a capacity of only two to three hundred gallons per minute. The Dow Brook Reservoir is of fair quality and has a capacity of sixty-five million gallons, but the water shed area draining into this reser- voir is such that it does not refill quickly once it has been emptied. The Bull Brook
30
Reservoir has water of such quality that it is below minimum standards.
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM: Much of the dis- tribution system of the Ipswich Water De- partment was installed over fifty years ago, and many of the main lines are becoming weakened. The Town should expect that some time within the next ten years a major replacement project must take place on sev- eral of the main lines.
During 1953 two bad breaks occurred, one on the 12 inch main line on High Street at the height of the drought season. Also, an 8 inch main was broken on Argilla Road during the reconstruction project there, and four minor leaks occurred in various parts of the system.
Four services were completely replaced, eight partially replaced, six were repaired without tubing, and nine required miscel- laneous minor repairs during the year. In addition six services were disturbed or dam- aged during drainage construction.
EXTENSIONS: During 1953, 3,239 feet of 6 inch main, and 1,014 feet of 4 inch main was installed replacing 4,253 feet of small diameter galvanized piping. An addi- tional 2,696 feet of main was installed to satisfy residential building demands.
One summer service was installed, fifty- seven summer services were replaced with
New Back Hoe Digs Water Trench
buried tubing, and forty-eight new services were added.
METERING PROGRAM: During the year thirty-one new meters were added, seventy- six inoperative meters were replaced, and thirty-five meters were exchanged.
MISCELLANEOUS: A new Utility Truck was added to the Departments transporta- tion equipment, and a complete set of tools were purchased. Three hydrants were dis- continued, and two hydrants were replaced. The goal for 1954 is the replacement of ten hydrants.
31
LIST OF JURORS These are the citizens who are eligible to be drawn for jury duty during 1954
Gny W. Bragdon
Newmarch Street
Carpenter
William Carstones
Lafayette Road
Manager
IIallett D. Pickard
High Street
Retired
John W. Hubbard
Woods Lane
Retired
Althes R. Mathews
71 High Street
Housewife
Wendell L. Hill
17 Turkey Shore Road
Clerk
Daniel B. Lunt
3 Payne Street
Merchandise Man
Frank Oliver
1 Woods Lane
Stone Cutter
George W. Ford
Labor-In-Vain Road
Telephone
Albert R. Hammersley
8 Liberty Street
Bank Clerk
Moses J. Harris
21 North Main Street
Salesman
Jerome Richardson
County Road
Wool Broker
Joseph T. Chase
18 Linebrook Road
Retired
Harry F. Cole
7 Woods Lane
Salesman
Julius C. Peterson
Old England Road
Retired
Mary M. Sullivan
74 County Road
Housewife
Ann K. Ross
16 Green Street
Clerk
Albert C. Burrage
Heartbreak Road
Retired
Walter R. Bailey
Newmarch Street
United Shoe
Aphrodite Galanis
28 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Secretary
Ann D. Jean
1 Elm Street
Clerk
Margaret U. Farley
53 East Street
At Home
Philip F. Ward
Eagle Hill
Salesman
Chester Wiles
9 Argilla Road
Sprayer
Chester F. Bowen
Town Farm Road
Tel. Operator
Joseph Whelan
Upper River Road
Sylvania
James R. Marsh
23 High Street
Salesman
Joseph E. Thomas
Linebrook Road
Superintendent
Barclay H. Warburton III
Jeffries Neck Road
Farmer
Jeannette D. Gunn
9 Liberty Street
Housewife
Ben P. P. Moseley
Spring Street
Broker
George J. Soffron
1 Pleasant Street
Merchant
Peter Speliotis
High Street
Clerk
John Wegzyn
35 Linebrook Road
Farmer
John P. Hills
73 Central Street
Sylvania
Richard B. Carman
Topsfield Road
Manager
Helen K. Lunt
3 Payne Street
Housewife
John Farquhar
7 Spring Street
Chauffeur
Claude L. Crossman
Linebrook Road
Retired
Rose A. Lezon
49 Brownville Avenue
Housewife
Arthur P. Marc Aurele
North Ridge Road
Merchant
Edward J. Marcorelle, Jr.
High Street
Manager
Elmer J. Barth
3 Turkey Shore Road
Accountant
Winthrop A. Jackson
52 High Street
Advertising
John II. Hill
17 Turkey Shore Road
Merchant
Stephen J. Prescott
Farley Avenue
Mechanic
Frank O'Malley
53 East Street
Retired
Theodore J. Ciolek
17 County Manor
Clerk
Gretchen Perkins
Manning Street
Housewife
Fred F. Chapman
16 Kimball Avenue
Merchant
Benjamin H. Davis
6 Linden Street
Salesman
Blanche Michon
9 Prescott
Clerk
Everett Morrill
North Main Street
Retired
Amy Goodhue
Labor-In-Vain Road
Housewife
Margaret Warburton
Jeffreys Neck Road
Housewife
Marion Titcomb
Ward Street
Housewife
Charles Bird, Jr.
Waldingfield Road
Farmer
Jane Bird
Waldingfield Road
Housewife
Robert Hills
Iligh Street
Unemployed
Brainard Wallace
North Main Street
Retired
Kitty Robertson
Argilla Road
Editor
Holen Frame Peters
East Street
Reporter
Martha Brennan
East Street
Reporter
Clifford Comeau
Brown Square
Unemployed
Mary Sullivan
Lafayette Street
Sylvania
Stanley Eustace
High Street
Knitter
James Cunningham
Wayne Avenue
Knitter
George Riel
Summer Street
Knitter
Henry Hills
High Street
Registrar
Cathleen Brockelbank
North Main Street
Housewife
Catherine Comeau
North Ridge Street
Retired
Clarence Miller
East Street
Painter
Seward Tyler
Newmarch Street
Merchant
Carl Crafts
Turkey Shore Road
Retired
Wallace Cromar
Manning Street
Retired
Charles Rose
Jeffries Neck Road
Insurance
George Comeau
Lafayette Street
Mechanic
Ruth Chadbourne
East Street
Housewife
Joseph Carey
Central Street
Knitter
Manuel Alexoupolos
Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Shoe Worker
Klaas Van Twuyer
North Ridge Road High Street
Gardener Housewife
Edna Callahan
Harry Edwardson
Central Street
Retired
32
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT 1953
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Term Expires
JOHN V. HUBBARD, JR. 1956
WILLIAM J. WALLACE 1956
HAROLD E. STAUNTON 1955
SEWARD S. TYLER 1955
EDWARD T. FOLEY 1954
RICHARD R. MANSFIELD
1954
C. LOUISE RICHARDSON 1954
C. LOUISE RICHARDSON, Chairman
Meetings of the Committee:
Regular meetings of the School Commit- tee are held on the first Thursday of each month at the office of the Superintendent at 7:30 p.m. at the Ipswich High School. ROBERT F. SAVITT
Superintendent of Schools
ADELAIDE HODGKINS Secretary OFFICE Ipswich High School OFFICE OPEN-School days from 8 to 4 and by appointment FRANK L. COLLINS, M.D.
School Physician
ELEONORE RICHARDSON, R.N. School Nurse
Changes in Teaching Personnel:
The following persons terminated their employment since the last annual report was submitted:
John A. M. Dow, Jr., teacher of wood- working at the Ipswich High School, re- signed June 30, 1953, to accept a teaching position in Marblehead.
Ruth A. Lord, teacher of Latin, Algebra and English at the Ipswich High School, retired from teaching June 30, 1953.
Mary E. Boylan, teacher of grade 1 at the Burley School, resigned on June 30, 1953.
Violet L. Hawkins, teacher of grade 4 at the Winthrop School, retired from teach- ing August 3, 1953.
G. Otis Mudge, 8th grade teacher and faculty manager in the Ipswich High School, resigned June 30, 1953, to accept a position as director of the Golden Rule Farm School in New Hampshire.
Barbara J. Waitt, teacher of grade 1 at the Winthrop School, resigned on June 30, 1953.
Miriam R. Woolley, teacher of clothing at the Ipswich High School, retired from teaching on June 30, 1953.
Elected to the teaching staff were the following:
William DeStefano, A.B. in Economics and Mathematics, Dartmouth College, A.M. in Economics and Education, Calvin Coolidge College, was elected and assigned to grade 8 in the Ipswich High School.
Walter C. White, B.E. in Industrial Arts, Keene Teachers College, was elected and as- signed to woodworking in the Ipswich High School.
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