USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Town annual report of Middleborough, Massachusetts 1954 > Part 6
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35 Box Alarms - 5 False Alarms - 43 Squad Calls - 83 Still Alarms 31 Warden Calls - 42 Still Alarms for grass and brush fires 2 National Guard calls.
Aid to other Towns - Lakeville 4 - Wareham 1 - Carver 1.
Aid from other Towns - Taunton 1 - Duxbury 2 - Whitman 2 - Bridgewater 3 - Wareham 3 - Lakeville 6.
7,723 Burning permits issued in 1954.
South Middleboro Unit - 34 Calls for the year.
Total Calls for Year 281
Property Loss
Valuation
$355,000.00
Total Insurance
357,790.00
Estimated Damage
201,368.42
Insurance Paid
179,328.22
Loss not covered by Insurance
22,040.00
Contents
Valuation
$228,460.64
Total Insurance
181,920.00
Estimated Damage
122,475.71
Insurance Paid
103,643.47
Loss not covered by Insurance
18,832.24
Equipment and Installations
All equipment is in good condition, a 500 gallon Dodge Pumper was purchased and placed in service October 15, 1954 replacing Engine No. 1 which was 30 years old and out of service.
All Fire Alarm circuits except one have been rewired and 18,880 feet of new wire was used to repair the damage done by the hurricane.
Repairs to Building, New Roof on the South wing - Main doors were repaired.
Respectfully submitted, BERTRAM TRIPP,
Chief of Fire Department.
73
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Middleboro, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit for your consideration and approval the report of the Weights and Measures Department for the year 1954.
We are housed at 13 Forest Street, where the State Standards are kept under lock and key at all times. The Town equipment or working equipment have at regular intervals been compared and adjusted to these standards.
The revenue turned into the Town Treasurer's office for the year 1954 are as follows:
Sealing Fees Adjusting Fees
$413.85 1.00
Total
$414.85
Respectfully submitted, LLOYD E. BANKS, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Scales
Adjusted
Sealed
Not Sealed
Condemned
Platform over 10,000 lbs.
3
Platform 5,000 to 10,000 lbs.
1
1
Platform 100 to 5,000 lbs.
67
101
Platform Under 100 lbs.
72
141
3
Weights
13
387
Yard Sticks
9
TANKS
Vehicle 1st 100 gals. or less
2
Vehicle additional gals.
5
Liquid 1 gal. or under
10
Meters 1 in. or less
36
99
Meters more than 1 inch
8
17
Bulk Storage
1
3
Kerosene Oil and Grease
10
43
26
1
Oil or Grease
10
Totals
208
83
26
4
.
74
ANNUAL REPORT
Reweighing
Total Tested
Number Correct
Under
Over
Apples
44
44
Beans
22
22
Bread
22
22
Butter
66
66
Cheese
88
11
77
Confectionary
14
14
Fruit and Vegetables
Flour
Lard
22
22
Oleo.
44
44
Potatoes
198
120
78
Totals
520
175
345
Thermometer (Clinical) observed
10
Reweighing of Coal
4
LLOYD E. BANKS,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
REPORT OF FOREST WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I herewith submit my report for the year 1954. Warden Calls
31
Still Alarms, Grass and Brush
35
Total
66
Estimated Damage
$110.00
Cost of Extinguishing
Wages
$1,152.39
Maintenance and Operation
341.66
Total Cost
$1,494.05
Receipts
$262.00
For Burning Grass
Respectfully submitted,
BERTRAM TRIPP,
Forest Warden.
Onions
75
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
To the President and Board of Trustees,
Middleborough Public Library:
In this the seventy-ninth year of its existence, the present and future of the Middleboro Public Library looks bright indeed. Circulation figures indicate that the use of the library is increasing, registration records show that each year more people are taking advantage of the services offered by the library, and this past year more new books were added by purchase and gift than ever before in the long history of the library. The librarian and staff by means of book talks, exhibits and other pub- licity media, strive unceasingly to reach the many citizens who as yet have not availed themselves of the opportunity to use their public library.
The popular columnist, Bennett Cerf, in the Saturday Review of Literature of February 5, 1955, writing of the splendid new library in Brooklyn which is equipped to serve four times the number of citizens who are availing themselves of the many treasures and diversions the `ibrary has to offer, concludes with this timely comment:
"When were you in your neighborhood Public Library last? Have you any idea of what programs it is sponsoring, whether or not the proper new books are being added to its shelves, or if the local librarians are being paid a living wage? Do your children get the kick out of being a library member that you did when you were young ? If not, how about dropping around one day soon and getting acquainted with your public library ?"
We hope many citizens of Middleboro who are not now users of the library will take this invitation to heart and visit their own public library without delay.
We regret to record that owing to the burning of Bates Junior High School a practice of more than thirty years has been interrupted and the series of lessons in the use of the library usually given to pupils of the eighth grade had this year to be omitted. A visit to the library with a brief talk about various library departments and their functions was the best substitute that could be arranged. There has been no de- crease in interest regarding the State Certificate Reading, 879 of the small certificates for five books and 111 of the Honor certificates for twenty books read having been awarded. There is almost no classroom without a deposit of books from the library, including all central and rural schools.
Because of increased size of classes, it was found necessary to change the procedure governing story-telling during Book Week in November. Instead of inviting the pupils of every grade to attend story hours at appointed periods as in the past, it was deemed best to limit the story hours to Grades One and Two. Next year it will be the turn of the Third and Fourth Grades to enjoy the story hours.
We are always pleased to welcome out-of-town school classes and it was a pleasure to have a visit from the Fifth grade of Assawompsett School of Lakeville under the leadership of their teacher, Miss Mearl Tribou.
76
ANNUAL REPORT
There have been some unusually interesting exhibits at the library during the year. One which excited more than ordinary interest was by nine-year-old Michael Weaver who, using lead soldiers and figures with realistic backgrounds, created life-like scenes of the Civil War, African warriors and Roman gladiators, Troop Twelve of Girl Scouts arranged an exhibit of work required in preparing for their Tree Badge.
The Cranberry Room, which is unique in that the Middleboro Public Library is the only one having such a collection of cranberry literature, has been frequently visited by students and those interested in cranberry culture to make use of the material, much of which is available only in this collection. The Lecture Room has been used extensively by a num- ber of organizations, some local and others sponsored by the State which include members from surrounding towns.
The interior of the library is looking very refreshed and bright with a coat of ivory paint on the central lobby and the acquisition of two new bulletin boards constructed of ivory peg-board. One of these bulletin boards has also been installed in the Young People's Room.
The library column, "What's New at the Library," for which the editor of the Middleboro Gazette has so generously given space each week, has met with a gratifying response from readers of the newspaper, calls about the books coming in by telephone and in person following each week's publication.
We are especially grateful to the Middleboro Garden Club for keeping the library decorated with garden flowers the whole summer long. The library has been generously remembered with gifts and to each donor we extend our sincere thanks.
To the staff and to the library trustees I extend my personal grati- tude for their loyalty, their devotion to service and their ever-ready help and advice.
Respectfully submitted,
MERTIE E. WITBECK, Librarian.
MIDDLEBOROUGH PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS
Circulation of Books:
Central Library Adult
Fiction
25,019
Non-fiction
16,081
Rental books
1,185
Phonograph records
1,068
Pictures
239
Stereoscopes
34
Foreign books
38
43,664
Juvenile circulation
Fiction
13,236
Non-fiction
12,813
26,049
77
ANNUAL REPORT
Branches and Deposits
South Middleboro Branch
1,028
St. Luke's Hospital
628
Cedar Vale Rest Home
100
Montgomery Home
115
Shaw Home
90
High School
1,011
Pleasant Street School
378
Plymouth Street School
484
Pratt Free School
335
Rock School'
30
West Side School
1,103
5,302
Total circulation 1953
71,946
Total circulation 1954
75,015
Increase in circulation 1954
3,069
Number of volumes owned January 1, 1954
59,204
Number of volumes added by purchase
1,410
Number of volumes added by gift
163
Number of volumes added by binding Magazines Newspapers
12
Number of volumes transferred from Rental collection
87
Total number of volumes added 1954
1,674
Number of volumes lost or discarded
766
Number of volumes owned December 31, 1954
60,112
Number of phonograph records owned January 1, 1954
391
Number of phonograph records added by purchase
47
Number of phonograph records added by gift
1
Total number of records added in 1954
48
Number of phonograph records lost by breakage
1
Number of phonograph records owned December 31, 1954
438
Magazines currently received
121
Newspapers currently received
12
Money received from fines on books
$784.60
Money received from Rental books
119.59
Money received for borrowers' cards from non-residents
44.50
54 non-resident borrowers
$1.00 per year; . 50 per 6 months
New borrowers registered, 1954
464
Adult Juvenile 218
246
Borrowers re-registered under 5 year registration plan 370
Total number of active borrowers
3,987
2
60,878
439
78
ANNUAL REPORT
Report of Library Treasurer for the Year 1954 SHOWING EXPENDITURE OF ENDOWMENT FUNDS
Receipts
Payments
Balance January 1, 1954
$2,379.31
Peirce Fund
3,155.59
$2,771.60
Enoch Pratt Fund
272.94
278.00
Mary Hullahan Fund
105.00
92.40
Harriot O. Peirce Fund
12.50
12.50
Copeland Fund
149.09
267.05
Harriet E. Beals Fund
25.00
25.00
Rental Books
119.59
117.85
Book Sales
306.19
306.19
Magazine Account
114.68
Balance December 31, 1954
2,539.94
$6,525.21
$6,525.21
Respectfully submitted, THOMAS H. KELLY,
Treasurer.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES Under the Will of Thomas S. Peirce
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Middleborough, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen:
The Trustees Under the Will of Thomas S. Peirce respectfully submit their customary annual report of the two funds of which they have charge. The following schedules outline the present book valuation of each fund together with statements of Receipts and Disbursements for the year ended December 31, 1954.
Fund Held in Trust for Use and Benefit of Town of Middleborough
Stocks-Inventory value or cost
$146,236.54
Bonds-Inventory value or cost
105,749.67
Mortgages and Notes
91,291.95
Real Estate
68,377.30
Cabinet at Public Library
100.00
Office Equipment
155.50
Savings Bank Deposits
34,000.00
Cash on hand in checking account
1,168.57
$447,079.53
79
ANNUAL REPORT
INCOME ACCOUNT Receipts
Rentals
Dividends
Coupons
$10,180.85 9,574.25 855.00
Interest
5,541.31
Reimbursements
Acct. Taxes
353.03
Acct. Insurance
896.80
$27,401.24
Disbursements
Salaries, Trustees
$2,499.84
Janitor
1,980.00
Insurance
314.57
Repairs
1,914.50
Light and Heat
1,539.39
Water
314.28
Taxes, Real Estate
6,297.07
Taxes, Social Security
37.13
Sundries
170.04
$15,066.82
Net Income for the year
$12,334.42
Balance on hand January 1, 1954
8,321.29
$20,655.71
Paid for Use and Benefit of the Town
Repairs to Town Grader
381.67
West Side Playground
2,773.00
High School Commercial Course
585.00
Bates School, Manual Training
1,790.96
Playground
Tennis Courts
425.00
Attendants
1,511.10
Withholding Taxes
177.50
$7,644.23
Balance on hand January 1, 1955
$13,011.48
Fund held in Trust for the Middleborough Public Library
Stocks-Inventory value or cost
$23,560.94
Bonds-Inventory value or cost
25,489.96
Savings Bank Deposits
10,162.99
$59,213.89
80
ANNUAL REPORT
INCOME ACCOUNT Receipts
Dividends Coupons
$1,963.48 1,192.11
$3,155.59
Disbursements
Paid to Treasurer of the Middleborough
Public Library $3,155.59
$3,155.59
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR D. BENSON FREDERICK S. WESTON FLETCHER CLARK, JR.
Trustees under the will of Thomas S. Peirce.
81
ANNUAL REPORT
REPORT OF PARK DEPARTMENT
To: Members of the Park Board
Trustees under the will of Thomas S. Peirce
Members of the Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen:
In presenting the 1954 Park Department report, I submit my 12th statement of this nature. Each season has proven to be more successful than the previous one. The 1954 season is no exception.
The 1954 season was one of participant expansion. Such growth can be measured and is the result of specific causes. I am strongly convinced that these are the reasons:
(1) An increase in the population of our young people,
(2) An acceptance of the services of the Department by the Towns- people,
(3) A complete trust in the people employed to supervise the par- ticipants in the various activities offered by the Department.
Man-for-man, the 1954 Playground Staff was the best I have ever directed. To them, much of the success of this season is due. It is with sincere pleasure that I present their names as a part of this record.
Joseph A. Masi, Assistant Superintendent and Supervisor of Boys' Activities
James A. Cadorette, Supervisor of Grounds
Boyd A. Iseminger, Supervisor of Aquatics (Left on July 16, 1954)
Charles B. Clark, Acting Supervisor of Aquatics (Appointed July 11, 1954)
William P. Simon, Senior Life Guard
Gordon Fawcett, Junior Life Guard
Russell Austin, Locker Room Attendant
Alan B. Smith, Assistant, Boys' Activities and Assistant, Aquatics Doris Thorson, Supervisor of Girls' Activities
Harriet J. Martin, Assistant, Girls' Activities (Left on August 14, 1954)
Ann Callan, Assistant, Girls' Activities (Appointed on August 15, 1954)
Oliver Washburn, Assistant, Grounds
The objective of recreational management is to provide opportunities for safe and varied activities. This year, the following activities as well as improvements in the physical plant are hereby noted:
1. Our swimming pool provides the greatest opportunities for recre- ation and learning and for more participants than any other area. In the same way, it can be the most dangerous center on the playground from the point of view of sanitation and recreation. Consequently, many man-hours are devoted to supervision and operation in this area. The results are gratifying for we can boast of an accident free aquatic activity.
82
ANNUAL REPORT
The pool is operated seven days a week for one week; and five days a week every other week. On the short period, the time is devoted to emptying, cleaning and refilling the pool. This year, a new seasonal record of 18,877 participants was established. This figure represents an increase of 1,271 over 1953.
In addition to the recreational swim periods in the afternoon, boat- ing, swimming and life saving instruction was offered to 307 people every morning during the 10 week season. An evening adult swim program was incorporated again this year for the benefit of those people who work during the day.
Although attendance is light on Saturdays and Sundays it has been the philosophy of the Park Board and the Superintendent that the swim- ming facilities should be made available to those people who did not care to travel elsewhere. for this type of recreation.
Our swimming pool also has the unique distinction of being the only municipally owned and operated pool that maintains a five cent admission fee. Fees in other communities range from ten to fifty cents per swim period.
The work in the area of pool sanitation has been developed to the extent that conditions for the type pool (fill and draw) can be maintained in an excellent manner. Mr. Paul Anderson with his professional skills and the new (adopted April 1, 1954) Massachusetts Public Health regula- tions of increasing the chlorine content aided greatly in being able to achieve better and more exact sanitary standards.
2. The Division of Girls' Activities provided a full schedule of sports as well as supervised play and crafts. Special functions such as hot dog roasts, games and story telling were included.
3. Senior, Junior and Midget Baseball and Basketball Leagues were offered to the boys five days a week.
4. The Sixth Annual Playground Olympics culminated the sports for the season in an organized play day for all children.
5. Two tennis court dances and a band concert were conducted.
6. The tennis courts were refinished and relined.
7. An outdoor basketball court was installed.
8. Assistance was offered to the Middleboro Twi-light League.
9. The Industrial Soft-ball League was operated by the Department.
10. The driveway near the tennis courts was surfaced with an oil application.
11. New pool water testing equipment was purchased.
12. All of the mowing equipment as well as the portable bleachers were painted.
13. The West Side Playground Kiddie Corner was enclosed with old fence which was reconditioned by our Department. The playground equipment was installed by the Grounds Division and the new grass mowed and trimmed.
14. A diseased elm tree was removed and the bank of maple trees were pruned and trimmed.
15. The bathhouses were reshingled and the field house repaired.
16. The July 4th Celebration Committee was composed of staff mem- bers who cleaned debris and also organized many of the activities.
83
ANNUAL REPORT
Financial Summary
Funds Received and Expended Town of Middleboro Peirce Sstate
$4,268.31
Supervision Refinish Tennis Courts
$1,689.00 425.00
West Side Playground Fence
Seeding
$648.00 2,125.00
2,773.00
4,887.00
George A. Richards Fund Central Playground West Side Playground
$1,198.67
548.92
1,747.59
Playground Store
878.49
Total
$11,781.39
Funds Paid to the Town
Swimming Pool Admissions Fees
$961.85
A Financial comparison between the funds expended in 1954 and those expended in 1953 must be considered on the basis that development and maintenance of the West Side Playground is included.
Sincere thanks are extended to a very cooperative and understanding Park Board, Trustees under the will of Thomas S. Peirce, the Town Man- ager, my staff and other assisting persons and municipal agencies.
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH C. KUNCES, Supt., Park Department.
84
ANNUAL REPORT
Health and Sanitation
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
Although the Health Department is primarily a service giving rather than an income producing department, approximately $1,200 was taken in during the year in license fees and reimbursement for money spent for hospitalization of contagious disease cases. The garbage col- lection service provided garbage for the Town Infirmary Piggery which is now being cooked as provided by State law. This joint activity of the Health and Welfare Departments brought in $3,457.20 to the Town treas- ury. In addition, the Department ended the year with a balance of $1,847.03 due largely to the fact that fewer tuberculosis cases than usual required hospitalization at Board of Health expense.
Sanitation
Garbage and Rubbish collection services have been provided with a minimum of complaints except for a period when service was disrupted following the hurricanes. Expense for repairs to the rubbish truck has been heavy. Replacement of the present chassis with a heavier model should result in more economical maintenance.
The Town Dump has presented the usual problem. Several attempts have been made to relocate the Dump, but to date no suitable location has been found.
Nuisances and complaints of unsanitary conditions have been investi- gated, and in the majority of cases, conditions have been remedied or improved.
For the second year, Middleborough has sponsored a Spring Clean-up Program with excellent results thanks to the cooperation of all Town Departments.
New Sewerage Regulations adopted by the Board of Health provide that approval of sewerage system plans must be obtained before any new building is begun. These regulations are designed to prevent building on any lot which is unsuitable for subsurface sewage disposal.
Restaurant sanitation has improved as a result of the inspection and swab testing program. Over two hundred inspections have been made of food handling establishments including swab tests to determine the effectiveness of dish washing techniques. As a result, nearly 70% of Middleborough restaurants can now be described as good or satisfactory. This percentage will increase as more eating places adopt modern food handling techniques. Much of the success of this program is due to the continuing cooperation of the restaurant owners. The importance of restaurant sanitation cannot be minimized since twenty-eight of the sixty-one known contagious diseases can be spread by lack of sanitation in food handling. All bakeries are now registered and subject to regular inspection.
85
ANNUAL REPORT
Communicable Disease Control
Thanks to the fine cooperation of the School Department through Miss Ila Jackson, School Nurse, reporting of communicable diseases by householders is excellent. Major outbreaks of chicken pox and mumps occurred during the first six months of 1954. This fall an outbreak of severe coughs, many of them diagnosed as whooping cough, has caused considerable absenteeism in the schools. Five cases of scarlet fever were reported throughout the year. Prevention of an outbreak was accom- plished by strict application of isolation requirements. Five cases of poliomyelitis were reported; three of these were adult cases. This is a good record considering the higher incidence of polio reported throughout the State. Hospitalization for five Tuberculosis patients at Plymouth County Hospital and for one at North Reading State Sanatorium has been provided by the Board of Health.
Clinics
The Dental Clinic conducted by Dr. Louis D. H. Fuller with the assistance of the Public Health Nurse, Mrs. Mary Edgerly reports a total of 1,600 children examined. Of these 1,000 had dental defects which were called to the attention of the parents with the recommendation that they see their family dentist. Corrective work in the clinic was done for 194 children in Grades I and II. This work included 278 fillings, 92 extractions and 8 cleaning's.
Immunization clinics were held as usual with Dr. Stuart A. Silliker and Mrs. Mary Edgerly in charge. Total attendance at the three clinics was 475 children, of whom 156 were pre-school age. The increase in the number of pre-school children attending the clinic is gratifying since it means that more children are being protected against diphtheria, whoop- ing cough and tetanus early in life when the need for protection is greatest. Special thanks is due the Middleborough District Nursing Association which provides volunteer workers for the clinics. Not only have these workers given much time to this important work, but they have made valuable suggestions for improving the service. Credit should also go to Miss Ila Jackson and the teachers who cooperate to make the clinic a success.
A Community X-ray Clinic was sponsored jointly this year by the Plymouth County Health Association and the Board of Health. A special attempt was made to have all food handlers X-rayed. Anyone not able to obtain an X-ray at this time may attend the Chest Clinic at St. Luke's Hospital. Mrs. Mary Edgerly, Public Health Nurse, who assists at this clinic, has charge of appointments. A total of 176 patients were seen at this clinic last year.
Public Health Nursing
In addition to providing technical assistance at the Health Depart- ment Clinics, Mrs. Edgerly made a total of 592 visits for the Health Department in 1954. These included maternity and child health visits, visits to crippled children, tuberculosis and other communicable disease follow-up visits. All premature babies were referred for follow-up visits whether or not the Board of Health assumed financial responsibility for their hospitalization.
86
ANNUAL REPORT
Burial Permits
A total of 163 burial permits were issued in 1954. Diseases of the heart and circulatory system still outrank all other causes of death in importance, with cancer and related malignancies in second place. The number of accidental deaths is perhaps higher than it should be partly due to the number of traffic accidents on Route 28.
Licenses
All licenses and permits for which the Board of Health is respon- sible were issued and the necessary inspections made.
Appreciation is expressed to all members of the Department and others who have helped keep Middleborough a healthful place to live.
Respectfully submitted, (Mrs.) MIRIAM M. CAMPBELL,
Health Officer.
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
For the year 1954 I received 230 applications for new and remodel- ling work on plumbing, 43 applications for cesspools and septic tanks.
Three Hundred and Fifty-Six inspections were made of plumbing and 28 inspections of cesspools and septic tanks.
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