USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1951 > Part 5
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One hundred fifty-three restaurants, roadside stands and stores, 30 milk trucks, 20 dairy barns were inspected for conditions of caring for milk, also 65 inspections were made on dairies and producers for handling milk.
23 Oleomargarine licenses issued
$11.50
75 Store milk and cream licenses issued
38.00
25 Dealers' milk and cream licenses issued
12.50
Total
$62.00
Animals
A survey of 205 premises and 140 herds was made for the State with the following results.
Cattle
1,199 Sheep 300
Calves
200 Bulls
72
Horses
79 Steers 40
Goats
108 Swine 237
Total number of animals 2,235
Thirteen dogs were put under quarantine during the year.
Twenty permits were received from State to ship cattle into Middleboro and 135 head were shipped in under permits.
All cattle in Middleboro were tested for tuberculosis during the year.
Slaughtering
Monthly reports were sent to the Department of Public Health on any slaughtering done in town as required by State.
I wish to thank the Board of Health and all others I have been in contact with doing my work for their assistance and cooperation.
JOHN REBELL
Inspector of Milk, Animals and Slaughtering.
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
For the year 1951 I received 228 applications for new and remodel- ling work on plumbing, 55 applications for cesspools and septic tanks.
Three hundred and seventy inspections were made of plumbing, and fifty-four inspections of cesspools and septic tanks.
All written complaints during the year have been investigated and properly disposed of.
I wish to thank Dr. Cameron, Health Officer, Mr. Macdonald, Town Manager, and the Honorable Board of Health for their cooperation.
HARRY ROWE, Plumbing Inspector.
Board of Public Welfare
REPORT OF THE WELFARE DEPARTMENT
To the Town Manager:
The year 1951 has brought about several changes in the public assistance programs administered by the Department of Public Wel- fare. The Massachusetts Legislature adopted a new category of assist- ance - now known as Disability Assistance - in order to take advan- tage of federal money made available by the revision of the Federal Social Security Act in September of 1950. This program was put into operation on November 1, 1951 and funds to start payments to eligible persons were transferred from General Relief appropriations.
There are no statistics available by which it would be possible to measure the extent to which this category will affect our case load or expenditures for the coming year. It is expected, however, that our General Relief rolls will be reduced by transferring cases from that category to Disability Assistance and, as the State and Federal govern- ment reimburse a portion of our expenditures on Disability Assistance, our net expenses may not increase by any large amount.
The Old Age Assistance Law was also changed by the State Legis- lature. This change did not affect our 1951 expenditures as the effective date of the bill was January 1, 1952. There are several budgetary in- creases to be made on approximately 85% of our Old Age Assistance cases which will cost considerably more money.
61
ANNUAL REPORT
There is one difference in the new law which will be a decided benefit to the various cities and towns. This change to which I refer is a property lien law which charges the Welfare Board with the responsbility of registering a lien against all real estate owned by Old Age Assistance recipients and applicants. This allows the Welfare De- partment to collect from the estate the amount of assistance granted to the individual upon his death or upon the disposal of his property. The estate will be exempted in the total amount of $1500.00. As there are a large number of recipients living in their own homes, I believe that the amount of our recoveries will be considerably increased. Be- cause of all these changes, the Old Age Assistance expenditures of the future are unpredictable.
We have had a rather conservative year as far as General Relief expenditures are concerned. Employment conditions have been gen- erally good. The courts and private charities have cooperated with us and reduced our burden greatly.
We are looking forward to another year of improved employment conditions and hope to be able to keep the expenses of General Relief at a minimum.
The net cost of the Aid to Dependent Children category of relief has been reduced considerably. There has been no legislative action taken in 1951 to alter this category to any extent. .
The Town Infirmary continues to be efficiently operated. A new shower room was installed and toilet facilities improved this year. Sev- eral emergencies arose which used most of the money we had planned to use for painting some of the interior of the main building. We hope to do this painting in 1952 and in other ways improve and make living conditions more pleasant for the inmates.
The income has been increased, and the cost of maintaining each person in the home has been approximately $1.95 per week this year.
Following is a list of expenditures and reimbursement on all cate- gories of relief in the department:
General Relief
Salaries
$4,887.93
Office Rent
195.00
Transportation
65.94
Postage
5.00
Office Supplies
121.18
Telephone
36.45
Social Service Index
70.97
Other Supplies and Burials
337.43
Clothing
331.43
Rent
179.25
Groceries and Meats
6,327.72
Medical Care and Supplies
2,000.51
Fuel, Light, Water
514.63
Board and Care
6,821.87
Cash Grants
11,753.80
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ANNUAL REPORT
State Institutions Other Cities and Towns Hospital Care
1,334.84
3,043.21
5,752.19
Total Expenses
$43,779.35
RECEIPTS
Estimated Receipts
$269.00
Refunds
631.59
Other Cities and Towns
3,717.66
Receipts (State)
7,962.31
Total Receipts
$12,580.56
Net Cost to the Town
$31,198.79
Town Infirmary
Salary - Superintendent and Matron
$2,277.00
Wages - Employees
3,884.38
Transportation Supt.
187.64
Telephone and Supplies
74.48
Dry Goods and Clothing
572.05
Fuel, Light, Water
1,503.79
Grain
2,744.20
Truck and Tractor Repairs
169.87
Gasoline
281.84
Groceries and Meats
5,138.12
Farm Machinery
627.87
Medical Care and Supplies
317.29
Building Repairs
1,103.38
House Supplies
478.32
Barn Supplies
149.00
Livestock
57.91
Seed and Fertilizer
264.70
Bailing of Hay
100.00
Total Expenses
$19,931.84
RECEIPTS
Sale of Produce and Hogs
$7,939.58
Boarders
9,799.29
Refunds
33.28
Total Receipts
$17,772.15
Net Cost to the Town
$2,159.69
Old Age Assistance
Salaries Transportation and Expense Telephone
$7,544.16
310.19
78.60
63
ANNUAL REPORT
Office Supplies
1,141.96
Postage
447.06
Cities and Towns
2,832.73
After Death Payments
2,439.10
Cash Grants
271,792.84
Total Expenses
$286,586.64
RECEIPTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS
Federal Reimbursement (14 months)
$136,903.33
State Estimated Receipts
119,045.33
Recoveries
2,138.29
Refunds
4,093.46
Other Cities and Towns
3,310.35
Total Receipts
$265,490.76
Net Cost to the Town
$21,095.88
Aid to Dependent Children
Salaries
$3,276.70
Transportation and Expense
133.68
Office Supplies
197.85
Typewriter
127.50
Postage
20.00
Telephone
33.50
Cash Grants
58,370.66
Total Expenses
$62,159.89
RECEIPTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS
Federal Reimbursement
$31,315.93
State Estimated Receipts
18,478.35
Refunds
2,117.65
Total Receipts
Net Cost to the Town
$51,911.93 $10,247.96
Our average caseload for Old Age Assistance is 345; Aid to Depend- ent Children, 41, and for General Relief, 38.
The cooperation and the efficient and conscientious work of the employees in the Welfare Department and at the Town Infirmary have made it possible for me to show a considerable savings in the operation of the Welfare Department. To these employees, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation.
I also want to express my thanks to you and to the members of the Board of Selectmen for the excellent manner in which I have been received in my first year as Welfare Agent. I also owe a word of thanks to the other Department Heads and employees who have been so cooperative during this year.
EDWIN O. WILSON,
Welfare Agent.
1
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ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE VETERANS' SERVICE DEPARTMENT For the Year 1951
The past year the cost of Administration of Veterans' Services has increased as of November 1, 1951, on account of the increase of the amount paid by the new state budget. Employment for first eight months of the year was good, but fell off the latter part of the year and at the present time it is not too good. Payment of Veterans' Bene- fits is met by the state, cities and towns on equal basis, each paying half of all Veterans' Benefits cases, when approved by the Commis- sioner.
The case load for the year has been reduced as much as possible by keeping in touch with different employment offices and factories, and finding work for veterans out of work on account of no fault of their own. Hospitalization has been on the increase for both veterans and their dependents this year. The cost has been kept down by plac- ing veterans in Government hospitals, whenever possible, relieving the town of hospital bills.
Office records and amount paid on all Veterans' Benefits cases are checked and inspected from the commissioner's office and all accounts audited by the State Auditors.
The following is a list of cases which have been handled by this office for the year 1951.
Allotment or Allowance
18
Bonus Applications
4
Civil Service
54 13 12
Recorded
12
Education
84 179 41
Flags
Gratuity - 6 months
Grave Marker
Housing
71 3475
Legal Aid
16 1
Readjustment
24
Social Security
116
Taxes
75
Telephone Calls and Letters
3299
Unemployment Compensation
357
Veterans' Administration
124
Burial
6
Compensation
20
Education
57
Training
20
Discharge
Copy
Employment
Finance
9 0 33
Information
Maternity
65
ANNUAL REPORT
Rehabilitation
52
Hospitalization
19
Insurance
35
Interment Forms
5
Legal
5
Loans
30
Medical-Dental
104
Pensions
13
Veterans' Benefits
209
Vital Statistics
160
Miscellaneous
356
Notary Public
621
Terminal Leave Papers
0
Other Records
244
Records of Applicants
153
Investigations Made
67 843 7
Lost Discharges
Veterans put to Work
75 107
Veterans Looking for Work
7
Veterans' Administration Disability Certificate
18
Filing of Widow's Yearly Applications for Pensions
8
Flags for Graves Obtained
8
Veterans Sent to Schools
7
Flags Purchased and Placed on Every Veteran's Grave in Middleboro and Lakeville
864
I wish to thank the Town Manager, Treasurer, Town Clerk and Police Department for their splendid cooperation during the year of 1951.
Respectfully submitted,
LOUIS A. COLE, Director of Veterans' Services.
5
Widow's Pension
4
Photostats for Bills and Discharges
Funeral Arrangements for Burial of Veterans
Applications for Burial Allowances
66
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE
The towns of Plymouth County have the opportunity of contributing directly to the budget of the Plymouth County Extension Service by Town appropriation, which is sent directly to the County Treasurer for the use of this Department. Town Directors are chosen to represent the Town in the administration of the Extension Service wherever possible.
The direction for the Extension Service is by board of nine trustees who are appointed by, and report to, the Board of County Commissioners. In addition, each Department has an advisory council and commodity committees which give counsel in the formation of educational programs for their respective groups.
General educational programs are conducted through meetings, circu- lar letters, newspaper and radio publicity. In addition, farm and home visits are made to promote rural welfare among the men, women and youth interested in better farm and rural living.
The Extension Service is an educational organization sponsored jointly by the County of Plymouth, University of Massachusetts, and the United States Department of Agriculture. There are three Departments within the Extension Service - Agriculture, Homemaking, and 4-H Club Work. The major objectives of the Extension Service are directed to farm and rural people, but since funds from tax sources are used, there is an obligation to all the citizens of the County.
H. ARTHUR STANDISH, Agent.
REPORT OF HOUSING AUTHORITY
Board of Selectmen Middleborough, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
The year 1951 marked the second full year of operation by the Middleborough Housing Authority of the Veterans' Housing Project at Archer Court.
The 28 apartments at the project were fully tenanted throughout the year. Four families moved from the project and the vacancies were imme- diately filled without loss of revenue.
A balance sheet compiled as of December 31, 1951 is enclosed.
Respectfullly submitted,
GEORGE A. DONNER, Executive Director.
ANNUAL REPORT 67
BALANCE SHEET - December 31, 1951 ASSETS
Cash:
Development Fund
$1,791.65
Administration Fund
9,810.29
Security Deposit Fund
280.00
$11,881.94
Accounts Receivable: Tenants' Accounts
Fiscal Agent's Funds :
Debt Service Fund
$7,458.75
Debt Service Trust Fund
1,290.37
Investment Account
3,000.00
11,749.12
Development Costs
280,000.00
Total Assets
$303,631.06
LIABILITIES
Accounts Payable: Development $1,791.65
Accrued Liabilities:
Accrued Fire Insurance
$384.00
Accrued Payment in Lieu of Tax
1,251.20
Matured Interest and Principal
7,458.75
9,093.95
Undistributed Credits:
Tenants' Security Deposits
280.00
Fixed Liabilities:
Bonds Authorized and Issued
280,000.00
Reserves:
Debt Service Reserve
$857.30
Unamortized Bond Premium
4,265.55
Working Capital
490.71
Operating Reserve
4,493.54
Surplus :
Earned Surplus
2,358.36
Total Liabilities
$303,631.06
1
10,107.10
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
MIDDLEBOROUGH, MASS.
E
LE
OR
PLYMOUT
COUNTY
M
GH
*
RINCORPORATED
AD.1669
For the Year Ending December 31 1951
SCHOOL COMMITTEE . Sitting, l. to r .: Miriam Campbell, Virginia C. Smith, Lorenzo Wood, Chairman; Horace K. Atkins, Joseph F. Riley, George A. Shurt- leff, Jr.
70
ANNUAL REPORT
School Committee Membership, 1951
Term Expires 1954
Lorenzo Wood, Plymouth Street, Chairman
Horace K. Atkins, 4 Williams Place 1954
Miriam M. Campbell, Old Thomas Street
1953
Joseph F. Riley, 88 School Street
1953
George A. Shurtleff, Jr., 33 Peirce Street
1952
Virginia C. Smith, 43 Oak Street
1952
Regular meetings of the School Committee are held in Room 7, Town Hall, on the first Thursday of each month, excepting July and August, at 7:30 P.M.
Superintendent of Schools J. Stearns Cushing, 65 Bourne Street
Office, Room 7, Town Hall Telephone 81
The Superintendent of Schools also serves as Secretary to the School Committee.
School Physician Dr. Edward L. Perry, 39 Oak Street
School Nurse Ila P. Jackson, R.N., 106 South Main Street
Supervisor of Attendance
Clifford S. Lovell, 20 Rock Street
Census Enumerator
Albert C. Libby, 7A West Street
SCHOOL CALENDAR 1952
First Term -January 2 - February 15
Second Term -February 25 - April 10
Third Term - April 21 - June 13, Elementary Schools June 20, High School Fourth Term- September 8 - December 19
No-School Days
Good Friday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving Day and day following.
71
ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To Members of the Middleboro School Committee:
Herewith is presented the annual report of the public schools of the Town of Middleborough and my twenty-fifth as superintendent of those schools.
A vote of the town in June appointed a committee to provide some additional classroom space to relieve the platoon grades. One additional room was added to the Rock School building and opened in September. A shop building was built adjacent to the high school and partitioned for five more classrooms. This has the approval of the State only as a temporary building and will be opened on January 2, 1952.
By agreement with the trustees of the Pratt Free School that building has been renovated by them and leased to the town, the latter to staff and operate the school. The large classroom on the lower floor has been divided into two smaller rooms and both will be in use at the start of the new calendar year.
Thus, eight classrooms have been added to our system since the closing of school last June. No classes will be on platoon for the remainder of this school year. However, some grades must, probably, revert to double sessions in September from lack of space.
One of the most important educational steps taken by the Com- mittee this year was the appointment of a Guidance Director for the system. His work will require full time for the entire year. Details will be found in the report of this department.
The Committee has been very active during the past year and some of the accomplishments will be merely here listed for record. Some will be found detailed in the departmental reports.
(a) amended Salary Schedule for teachers and janitors
(b) appointed Assistant Music Supervisor
(c) authorized five classes in Adult Vocational Education
(d) increased Agricultural Department by adding another instruc- tor and a course in Farm Mechanics
(e) signed new transportation contracts for 9 busses
(f) inspected all buildings authorizing repairs and improvements
(g) converted coal pocket at high school into locker room
(h) installed two oil burners in high school
(i) replaced toilets at West Side School through courtesy of the Peirce Trustees.
An annual report is a record of work accomplished, is informative, but says little concerning the aims, ideals and responsibilities of the educational program, or of the vital part played by the efficient work of the teaching staff.
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ANNUAL REPORT
In an address at the annual convention of the American Association of School Administrators in 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine has presented some of these other factors from a national point of view and has emphasized the role of Education as a Hope for Peace in meeting the national and world-wide problems with which we are confronted. The following significant quotations are from that address.
"The state has a right to insist that its citizens shall be educated" "We all owe much to education, for without it life would be a crude existence. By it our lives are shaped. And yet, tragically enough, this vital aspect of our social system is badly in need of reform. Lack of education handicaps our economy. Education is the right hand of American business." ... "In the final analysis, a discussion of educa- tion resolves itself into a discussion of human beings, teachers, princi- pals, school superintendents, parents, governors, senators, and con- gressmen. Education is what these people make it for the school children."
"Too little attention has been given to the public school system by the public as a whole. We expect the teacher not only to teach school efficiently but also to carry on a campaign for better equipment facilities. The salary of the teacher is a public responsibility. We are employing thousands of people in this country for major purposes, to strengthen and sustain and promote what we rightly call the American Way of Life. Yet, these people whom we trust so much are among the least well rewarded of all workers. We, the world's wealthiest nation, employ this vast body of teachers. We pay them poorly. We don't do anything about the overcrowded schools in which they teach. We preach the importance of education, but we don't do so well on prac- ticing it." .
"We did not hesitate to pour millions of dollars and millions of lives into war, but education, the way to peace, we neglect. And unless we pay our teachers as we do our navy, army, marine, and air force offi- cers, we will be confronted by the worst enemy of all democracy - ignorance. Education is no place to economize." "The young people of our nation are our greatest national asset. They are our nation's future. But they can easily become a liability. If the young people are to carry the burden set up through years of depression, war, and inflation, they must be given the best possible tools with which to meet the challenge. We must provide those tools in order to give real meaning to the saying that education is not a means of life; educa- tion is life. Education is our best hope for peace."
"American education must produce leaders and a thinking body of citizens which can arm our country in the future, as in the past, with a just and righteous policy, prejudiced toward none, friendly and helpful to all -leaders and citizens who will resolutely face this era of challenge. That is your job, my job, the job of this great nation of ours, and the people of the world."
Respectfully submitted,
J. STEARNS CUSHING, Superintendent of Schools.
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ANNUAL REPORT
GUIDANCE Samuel Deich, Director
Philosophy of the Program
Guidance services are clearly emerging as necessary parts of every educational activity. As the subject offerings of our schools expand, the need for careful selection becomes more important. As our society becomes more complex, the need for information about that society becomes more critical. As teachers attempt to individualize instruction, they need more information about pupils. As we encourage youngsters to make decisions for themselves, their need for information about themselves becomes more obvious. Because of these and many other similar factors, the Guidance Department of Middleboro is endeavoring to build and offer a program which is a part of the school and not apart from it. This program will offer a continuous series of guidance services as follows: (1) a careful study of the individual, (2) counseling, (3) providing information regarding occupations and post high school edu- cational experience, (4) job placement, (5) follow-up of graduates and school-leavers, and (6) research and study projects which will be a help to co-ordinate home, school and community influences.
Our Progress
At this point, I should like to briefly describe each service in terms of its function in the entire proposed program and show briefly how we are trying to make the service possible. First, a careful study of the individual is essential as a basis for teaching and for the guidance program. The guidance program must constantly endeavor to furnish information about pupils to all teachers concerning the pupils' intellec- tual capacity, achievement, personal characteristics, interests and apti- tudes, social adjustment and home environment. Of course, at the same time, the guidance program must obtain information about the pupils from the teachers. The data secured as a result of this study of the individual will be used for two purposes: (1) to acquaint pupils with their own characteristics; and (2) to provide counselors and teachers with a basis for assisting the pupils of our community to make wise choices, plans, and decisions so that "they may become the kind of per- sons they ought to be" in light of their individual strengths, weaknesses, interests, and background. Guidance folders containing objective as well as subjective information are being maintained for all pupils in the sixth grade and beyond. At present, these folders are centrally located in the Bates Junior High School as well as in the Memorial High School. Permanent record cards and guidance folders are being started in all grades. The objective data is obtained from a system- wide, periodic testing program which has been initiated in the first grade and continues through the twelfth grade.
Second, counseling with individual pupils is the most direct and important responsibility of the guidance program; it is the heart of the guidance program. This function is most profitably conducted at the junior and senior high school levels. At both schools, physical facilities are available for private conferences with individual pupils. At both schools, counselors arrange personal interviews with every pupil at
74
ANNUAL REPORT
least once a year and additional interviews are scheduled as needed upon the request of the counselor or the pupil.
Third, providing occupational information and information regard- ing post high school education is essential in the guidance program if pupils are to make intelligent choices and plans for the future. In the high school guidance office, a file of up-to-date occupational information has been started and contains current job descriptions, opportunities, and trends. The file is catalogued according to the Dictionary of Occu- pational titles as published by the U. S. Department of Labor. Files of catalogs describing the various full-time and part-time educational opportunities after high school are kept in the guidance office.
Fourth, job placement is an activity which provides the connecting link between the school and the next situation that the pupil is plan- ning to enter. As such, placement also includes college selection and part-time education or training as well as placement on a job. This fall, the guidance department conducted a "Career Day" program for all pupils in the high school. The program for this day afforded the pupils an opportunity to hear and speak with people representing a wide va- riety of different occupations or family of occupations.
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