USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1916 > Part 4
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Union Street. Eleanor A. Barden, Principal, Grade 2, 85 Pearl Street. Laura H. Hudson, Grade 1, 69 Centre Street. Lottie N. Lang, Grade 3, 15 Union Street. Alice M. Ward, Grade 4, 18 Pearl Street.
FOREST STREET PRIMARY SCHOOL.
Forest Street.
Flora M. Clark, Principal, Grade 1, 18 Forest Street. Irene L. Sullivan, Grade 2, 114 So. Main Street.
WEST SIDE GRAMMAR AND PRIMARY SCHOOL. West End Avenue.
Mary H. Head, Principal, Grades 5 and 6, 212 Centre Street.
Lucy E. Merrihew, Grade 4, 22 East Grove Street. Etta W. Toothaker, Grades 2 and 3, 141 Centre Street. Annabel Landgrebe, Grades 1 and 2, North Street.
SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.
Pleasant Street School, Maude DeMaranville, Lakeville. Plymouth Street School, Elsie M. Landgrebe, North Street. Purchade School, Clara C. Wood, 14 Elm Street. Thompsonville School, Mary D. Begley, Thompson Street. Soule School, Mary R. Wanner, Winter Street. Waterville School, Abby S. Westgate, 3 Rock Street. Green School, Mary R. Burke, East Main Street. Fall Brook School, Alta E. Battles, 5 Myrtle Street. Rock School, Myra A. Andrews, 77 So. Main Street. Thomastown School, Freda Goodell, Purchase Street. South Middleboro School, Irene J. Hatch, 36 North Street. Highland School, Nellie S. Burkhardt, Rock. Wappanucket School, Rachel Mostrom, No. Middleboro.
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SUPERVISORS.
Manual Arts, Mary L. Cook, 23 Webster Street.
Music, Grace G. Pierce, 47 Courtland Street.
Penmanship, Raymond S. Dower, 45 Courtland Street.
Stamp Saving System, Lizzie E. L. Tillson 11. North Street.
SCHOOL SESSIONS.
High School from 8.15 to 1.15.
Central Elementary Schools from 9 A. M. to 12 M. and from 1.30 p. M. to 3.30 P. M.
Half-time plan from 9 A. M. to 11.45 A. M., and from 1.15 P. M. to 4 P. M.
Four-hour plan from 9 to 11 A. M., and from 1.30 to 3.30 P. M.
Suburban Schools from 9 A. M. to 12 p. M. and from 1 P. M. to 3.30 P. M.
Fall Brook, Rock and Green Schools from 8.15 A. M. to 12.15 P. M. and from 1.15 to 4 P. M.
STORM SIGNALS.
Revised September 1914.
The signal, 2 1 2, will be given upon the fire alarm bell and by whistles at 8.15 A. M. for the suspension of the morn- ing session of the Central Elementary Schools, and at 12.30 P. M. for the suspension of the afternoon session.
There are no signals for the High School and Town House School.
FIRE SIGNAL.
Two strokes of gong-pupils will march out without hats and coats.
Two strokes, followed by one-pupils will march out with hats and coats.
Fire drills shall be given at least once a week.
64 SCHOOL CALENDAR. HIGH SCHOOL.
1917.
Spring term opens April 9, closes June 29. Fall term opens Sept. 5, closes Dec. 21.
1918.
Winter term opens Jan. 2, closes March 22. Spring term opens April 1, closes June 21.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 1917.
Spring term opens April 9, closes June 29. Fall term opens Sept. 10, closes Dec. 21.
1918.
Winter term opens Jan. 2, closes Feb. 21. Spring term opens March 4, closes April 26. Summer term opens May 6, closes June 21.
HOLIDAYS. 1917.
April 19, May 30 Oct. 12, Nov. 29, 30, Teachers' Convention.
1918.
Feb. 22, April 19, May 30, Oct. 12, Nov. 28, 29, Teachers' Convention.
Graduating exercises Elementary Schools, Town Hall, Thurs- day, June 28, at 2 P. M.
Graduating exercises High School, Town Hall, Friday, June 29, at 8 F. M.
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REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK.
January 1, 1917.
The following is an abstract of the Town Clerk's records for the year 1916:
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, MARCH 6, 1916.
The meeting was called to order by Moderator, Alvin C. Howes, at eight o'clock in the forenoon and Waraant was read by the Town Clerk. The several articles of the Warrant were acted upon as follows:
Voted :- That the polls be not closed before 6.30 P. M.
Article 4. Voted that the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, or a majority thereof, be and hereby is authorized to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the municipal year beginning January 1, 1916, to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of ninety thousand dollars ($90,000.00) and to issue a note or notes therefor payable within one year, and any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue. of said Municipal Year.
Article 24. Voted that the Town instruct the Selectmen to grant to the Middleboro Firemen's Relief Association the use of the Town Hall, one evening in each year, free of charge.
Article 15. Voted that the Town appropriate the sum of three hundred dollars ($300.00) to be expended for the employment of a District Nurse, and that the Town Treas- urer be authorized to pay the same to the Treasurer of the Middleboro District Nurse Association on order of the Select- men.
Article 14. Voted that the Selectmen be. authorized to institute, defend or compromise suits for or against the Town during the ensuing year.
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Article 17. Voted that the Selectmen be authorized to sell the right to take alewives from the river for one year or a term of years, not to exceed five years.
Article 8. Voted that all moneys received from dog licenses and other licenses during the year be appropriated for the use of the Middleborough Public Library and payable to the Treasurer of the Library.
Article 7. Voted that the yards of persons chosen Field Drivers shall be Town Pounds as long as they remain in office, provided they shall be chosen Pound Keepers.
Article 10. Voted that the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) be appropriated for the use of E. W. Pierce, Post 8, G. A. R., to be expended on Memorial Day, and payable to the Quartermaster of the Post.
Article 19. Indefinitely postponed.
Article 5. Voted that Committee on Increased School Accommodations make their report and the following was submitted :
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The committee appointed by the Town at the annual- meeting in March, 1914, to investigate the need of more adequate and better school accommodations, wish to present to the citizens of the Town in connection with its recom- mendations, a brief survey of the conditions now existing in the several central school buildings in order that they may have a more comprehensive idea as to the need of more adequate accommodations as well as a better knowledge of the educational and economic values which they believe their recommendations merit. The committee believes that the best solution of the congestion problem is the erection of a new high school building, the giving up of the present high school building for grammar grades and the using of the School Street building for the primary grades. Such a plan your committee believes will meet the housing condi- tions for the schools for at least a period of ten years if not for a longer time. As showing to you just how your com- mittee is planning to carry out this idea which they believe will work out to the best advantage of both the High School and Elementary school congestion, they invite your attention to the arrangement and conditions in each of the central buildings at the present time. Beginning at the West Side School we have a four-room building, with two school rooms
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on the lower floor arranged for 48 pupils each, and two school rooms on the second floor with a seating capacity of 42 pupils each. These rooms at the present time house 7 grades, the two upper grades going to other schools, the seventh to the School Street School and the eighth to the Town House School. These rooms have had an enrollment this year beyond their seating capacity, extra seats having been placed in three of the rooms, giving them an overcrowded appear- ance and much restricting necessary floor space. If the report of the building committee is accepted and a new high school building erected, then by transferring the three upper grades-the 5th, 6th, and 7th to the old High School build- ing and removing the portable building in the rear of the School Street building to the west side grounds, five school rooms would be available. By regrading these schools so that 6 grades could be accommodated there would be a seat- ing capacity for 220 pupils, 62 more pupils than are now attending those grades. This arrangement would give satisfactory accommodations and also the best system of grading, the building has ever had; and would meet the growth of school enrollment for several years, or to such a time when it would be necessary to have a new building at the West Side.
Next comes the Forest Street School where we have a two-room building, housing the pupils of the first two years. This building was erected several years ago to relieve the congestion in the old School Street building. Many of the pupils were transferred to that school, then, who had to walk a longer distance from their homes than to the School Street building. The lines of this district have been changed several times. If necessary in the future such changes could be made whereby those living on the streets east of the building and now attending that school could attend the School Street school, which under the new plan would be used for primary grades. By such arrangements the Forest Street building for many years would serve that community for a two-grade school building. It would seem best to keep such an arrange- ment than to plan to have two-first-grade schools in the future, transferring the second year to the School Street building. Next in order is the Union Street School, a build- ing originally planned for two schools now occupied by four. The plan up to a few years ago was to have a principal and an assistant in each school, the two small rear rooms being used for recitation rooms. Owing to the congested condi- tions the two rooms in the rear have been used as separate
.
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school rooms for several years. The total membership of these four schools is over 175. The sub-primary grade using one of the small rooms has to be divided into two sections, one attending the morning session and the other the after- noon. The housing of so many pupils where formerly the membership at times was not much over 120 has resulted in crowding into the building more pupils than the conditions would justify. While the building might be placed in good condition by the installation of a new heating and ventilating plant, a complete renovation of the two large rooms, closing the two smaller rooms as school rooms, and a renovation of the sanitary arrangements in the basement, the com- mittee feeling that the building being no longer necessary if the School Street building is used for the primary grades would recommend its being retained for possible service in the future when such changes could be made if it were neces- sary to provide for a temporary overflow.
Coming now to the Town House School we have a school of ninth year pupils from all but two of the schools in town which formerly had such a grade. Last year this school enrolled 93 different pupils while this year it had 82. Next year it will be larger. To relieve the congestion in the School Street building two years ago permission was obtained of the State inspector of public buildings to occupy this build- ing, two rooms in the Town House temporarily with the understanding that when the town erected a new building this school should be housed in more approved quarters. It is the plan of your committee to recommend that this grade be a part of the High School to be known as the prep- aratory department of the High School, and should be housed in the new high school building and be under the super- vision of the high school principal. There would then be 5 grades in the new high school building, 3 grades in the old high school building and 5 grades in the School Street building. The elementary schools will then have 8 grades. In this way the sharp break between the grammar, and the high schools will be avoided. At the School Street building are 8 rooms well filled and because of the fact that the grades , to be promoted to this building from the West Side, and Union Street are larger than last year the rooms will be occupied to their full seating capacity next September.
The future congestion in this building, therefore, is evi- dent, and the plan of the committee will readily solve this future congestion problem. By the erection of a new high school building an opportunity for using the present build-
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ing for the grammar grades and the School Street building for the primary grades will easily provide suitable accommo- dations. The six class rooms in the present high school building with a seating capacity for 288 pupils will house two 8th year classes, 2 seventh year classes and 2 sixth year classes, while the School Street School with a seating capacity for 388 pupils would house the remaining five years. These grammar grades now number 242 and the primary grades 231 pupils. This arrangement of the grades will prove a great advantage to the schools by being able to give to the elementary schools a well planned course of study that can be carried out in excellent quarters. Such a system of edu- cational work will be highly creditable to the town and give a good return on the money invested. Your committee in presenting conditions at the High School would respectfully submit a portion of the report of Mr. Clarence D. Kingsley of the State Board of Education, special agent for the high schools of the State, who at our invitation inspected the High School and looked into the matter of school accommo- dations for the grades. Mr. Kingsley in this report says :-- "As the school will have nearly 300 pupils next fall ten to twelve teachers in addition to the principal will be needed in order that the school may be rated by the State Board of Education as a Class A High School. The present build- ing contains too few rooms for that number of teachers. This building does not provide facilities for modern lines of high school work. Even the commercial department does not have proper facilities, as the two rooms used for type- writing are not fit for use, as they are too small to make super- vision practical, and without supervision instruction in type writing is ineffective. The two laboratories are not properly ventilated and are located directly under the roof so that the heat in the fall and spring renders them unfit for use. The present building could not be made over economically into a modern high school building, but is adapted to the use of elementary pupils and is needed for this purpose, as many of the classes in the elementary schools are entirely too large and the number of pupils in the elementary schools is in- creasing each year. A new modern building is, therefore, needed for the high school. In deciding upon the size of the building it should be borne in mind that the population of Middleboro is growing and that the proportion of pupils of school age who attend high school is increasing in all parts of the Commonwealth. Practically every town that has constructed a new high school building has underestimated
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the growth in the high school and consequently even when allowance has been made for an increase of 20% to 30% in the high school membership, the building has been over- crowded within a short space of time. Consequently, the new building should be planned to accommodate a consid- erable increase and so constructed that it can be readily enlarged. A modern high school building is a great asset to any town. Many communities recognize this and regard a modern building as one of the best investments that can be made, not only because it provides better educational opportunities for the boys and girls now living in the town, but also because it proves an important factor in bringing new residents to the town."
Briefly then the plan provides for future congestion at the West Side and Forest Street Schools, eliminates for the present the use of the Union Street building, accommodates the primary grades in the central part in the School Street building, with the necessary room for a large future enroll- ment, gives to the grammar grades the use of the present High School building with its six class rooms for six schools and its Assembly Hall for music and rhetorical exercises and its present laboratories for special work in domestic science and manual training, allowing room for future in- crease in these schools, provides for the High School a build- ing with modern equipment capable of housing 500 pupils with an assembly hall to seat 600, with excellent laboratory facilities and well arranged commercial rooms, with a prep- aratory department under the supervision of the principal, and all the necessary equipment that is included in an up- to-date building for High School purposes. The matter, of congestion in the central schools is the result of a steady increase in membership from year to year during the past four years.
In November, 1911, there were 956 pupils enrolled in the central schools, a loss of 9 over the previous November. In November, 1912, there were enrolled in the same schools 1002, a gain of 46 over the previous November. In November 1913, the enrollment was 1067, a gain of 65 over the previous November. In November 1914, the enrollment was 1110, a gain of 47 over the previous November. In November 1915, there were enrolled 1148, a gain of 38 over the previous November. The increase in the central schools including the High School, has grown from 956 in November 1911 to 1148 in November 1915, a total gain in four years of 192 pupils. In the High School the enrollment in November
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1913 was 217, in November 1914, it was 243, in November 1915, it was 258, a gain of 41 pupils in two years. If there is a corresponding gain in the next four years there must be accommodations to meet the growth. Your committee would recall to the attention of the citizens of the town the fact that although a new eight room building was erected in 1907, no add tional room was secured for the elementary grades, as it simply took the place of the four rooms in the High School building, formerly occupied by the grammar grades, and the four rooms in the old School Street building which was sold at auction. Even on the occupancy of the new School Street building, it was necessary to secure the Chapel building for the first two grades and when that was given up owing to a pronounced dissatisfaction, several of the schools were placed on the half-time plan. Three years ago a portable building was placed in the rear of the School Street building and two years ago two rooms in the Town House were secured for relieving the congestion. Exclusive of the portable and Town House rooms the elementary schools have the same number of rooms that they had 15 years ago. Your , committee feels that any further delay in the settle- ment of this question only means a loss of efficiency in the work of both the elementary schools and the High School. That any make-shift proposition would be an unfortunate expenditure as it would fail to settle satisfactorily the problem and would only postpone for a year or two the final adjust- ment along similar lines advocated in this report. The time for action is now, and the work of securing good results in our schools should not longer be impeded by' lack of suitable accommodations. A loss of efficiency means a loss in the school appropriation, and the longer the settlement of the question is deferred the more difficult will be the work of keeping the Schools abreast of those in other towns. As the congestion problem is a two-fold nature concerning the grades as well as the High School, it is evident that a solu- tion that only affects one will fail of a satisfactory adjust- ment. If the congestion in the grades were the only ques- tion a new grammar school building would answer the pur- pose, taking care of the Town House and Union Street pupils, affording opportunities for relieving congestion at the West Side and Forest Street buildings, and giving room for further increase in membership. If the congestion in the High School was the only question, the building of an annex might be a partial adjustment, although it would be an, expensive outlay considering that the present building with its too
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small Assembly Hall, poorly adapted commercial rooms and inadequate laboratory facilities, with no quarters for household arts, drawing or manual training, is not even ade- quate for an up-to-date main High School building. If it were advisable to place these special rooms in such an annex, together with the necessary class rooms, it would incur such a large expenditure that it would be better to erect a new building even at a considerable increase in cost and have a structure well adapted in every way for its purpose, an honor to the town and to the cause of education, than an old building with a modern appendage, an outfit still poorly adapted for a modern High School. To erect an annex of eight rooms with commercial and other departments at an approximate cost of $45,000, to build an eight room grammar school building at an approximate cost of $40,000 when for $40,000 more a modern High School building could be erected which would always be a source of pride to the town, seems to your committee a step which the town would in the future deeply regret.
Your committee, therefore, would recommend the erec- tion of a new High School building because it believes it the best solution of the congestion problem from an educational and a financial stand-point, and because as a strictly business proposition such a recommendation is for the best interest of the town.
Lorenzo Wood
Granville E. Tillson
Morrill S. Ryder Alton G. Pratt
William G. Boynton.
Article 1. The following named persons were duly chosen Measurers of Wood, Bark and Lumber:
Nathaniel S. Cushing, Jr.
Benjamin C. Shaw
Charles N. Atwood
Albert T. Savery
John L. Benson
William G. Wilcox
Isaac E. Perkins
Robert R. Melville
George A. Robbins
Henry W.Sears
James A. Thomas
Charles N. Warren Albert S. Sparrow
Nathaniel A. Shurtleff Edwin F. Witham
Joshua D. Bishop
Chester E. Weston Levi O. Atwood
Albert F. Mitchell Frank S. Thomas
Myron W. Baxter
Ernest S. Pratt
Gilbert H. Simmons
Leroy C. Decker
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Article 1. The following named persons were duly - chosen Field Drivers:
Seneca T. Weston Francis Terrill F. Herbert Batchelder
William F. Clark John H. Ryder Erastus B. Shaw
Voted that persons chosen Field Drivers shall also be Pound Keepers.
Article 5. Voted to receive report of committee on by-laws as follows, together with printed copies of proposed by-laws, which were distributed by the voters.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE TO REVISE BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN.
Your Committee heretofore appointed to revise the By- Laws of the Town have met a number of times, and have carefully considered the needs of the Town.
Wherever we have found sufficient legislation, we have carefully avoided adding anything thereto in the shape of a By-Law. We have been asked to incorporate into these By-Laws something that will regulate or do away with un- necessary whistling from one of our factories which apparently is a source of annoyance to the neighborhood; but have con- cluded that this subject is beyond our authority and can only be abated, if it is a private nuisance, by equity pro- ceedings for an injunction.
We have been asked to incorporate something that might cause some of our thrifty, but unpatriotic citizens to remove from an otherwise respectable neighborhood unsightly and dilapidated buildings, but find that to be beyond the scope of our authority; but we respectfully urge the citizens to adopt the provisions of Revised Laws, Chapter 101, first four sections, and all acts in addition to or amendment thereof.
NATHAN WASHBURN AUGUSTUS M. BEARSE HENRY B. SCHLUETER
Committee.
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Article 13. The following named persons were duly appointed Committee on Appropriations:
William G. Boynton Jesse F. Morse
Harry LeBaron Sampson
George E. Doane Albert A. Thomas Lyman P. Thomas
Carlton W. Maxim.
Article 9. Voted to lay on table.
Article 16. Voted to lay on table.
Voted that when we adjourn it be to Wednesday, March 15, 1916, at 6.45 P. M. at Town Hall.
Voted to take recess until 11.30 A. M. and at close 'of polls the meeting stand adjourned.
The following named persons were duly sworn as Election Officers:
Henry W. Sears
Michael J. Baker
Sylvanus L. Brett
Roger Wood
Grover Bennett
Chester E. Weston
Michael J. Cronan
Walter L. Beale
Benjamin W. Bump James F. Roberts
John V. Sullivan
John J. Mahoney
Ernest M. O'Toole
Luke F. Kelley
The result of the balloting was as follows:
Total vote cast, including seventeen women's votes (823).
FOR MODERATOR.
Alvin C. Howes had 654
Scattering votes and blanks 152
FOR TOWN TREASURER FOR ONE YEAR.
Albert A Thomas had 724
Scattering votes and blanks 82
COLLECTOR OF TAXES FOR ONE YEAR.
Albert A. Thomas had 709
Scattering votes and blanks 97
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SELECTMEN FOR THREE YEARS.
Abisha T. Clark had
339
Bourne Wood had
431
Blanks 36
ASSESSOR FOR THREE YEARS.
Leonidas Deane had
139
Benjamin C. Shaw had
579
Blanks 88
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