USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1920 > Part 2
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429 20
State Treasurer :
Income tax, general
420 00
3,627 21
35
RESERVE FUND ACCOUNT
Corporation tax, public service
109 84
Street railway tax
41 18
National bank tax
33 78
Street railway tax
41 18
State aid
1,068 00
Soldiers' exemption
63 73
Soldiers' reimbursement
43 08
Income tax
475 00
Compensation, Inspector of Animals
75 00
Loss of taxes
389 46
Town of Danvers, tax around pond
200 00
Support of paupers
203 00
Appropriation in December by the Town
3,500 00
$10,648 35
EXPENDITURES
Transferred to forest fires
$945 45
Transferred to interest electric light note
07
Transferred to poor department
553 62
Transferred to police department
340 77
Transferred to pupils' carfare
397 71
Transferred to school department
1,451 20
Transferred to school books and supplies
16 20
Transferred to school incidentals 1 76
Transferred to soldiers' relief
101 07
Transferred to tree warden
13 04
Transferred to High school tuition
592 00
Transferred to military aid
26 27
Transferred to bridge department
18 09
Transferred to forest fire special
49 09
Transferred to electric light home special
83 61
Used to lower tax rate
3,062 74
Unexpended balance
2,995 66
$10,648 35
36
ASSESSORS' REPORT
Assessors' Statement of Valuation of Property
Real estate assessed
$988,187 00
Personal estate assessed
130,914 00
Number of polls assessed 276
1,380 00
Tax on real estate
24,704 67
Tax on personal estate
3,272 85
$29,357 52
Amount assessed on property including overlay and polls $29,357 52
$29,357 52
Amount used to lower tax rate
$3,062 74
Summary of Town Expenditures
Abatement of taxes
$256 46
Board of Health
46 96
Cemetery
499 50
Contingent Fund
2,096 43
Electric Light, Depreciation
255 15
Electric Light, Street
1,033 98
Electric Light, Home
2,016 71
Fire Department, Building
85 81
Fire Department, Forest
1,712 95
Highway
2,455 95
Highway, Snow Removal
2,187 74
Interest
1,618 50
Interest on Electric Light Note
148 82
Memorial Day
175 00
State Highway
9,859 77
Moth, Gypsy
1,817 78
Municipal Notes
3,100 00
37
ASSESSORS' REPORT
Revenue Notes
20,000 00
Poor
1,255 62
Police
540 70
Pupils' Carfares
597 71
School
8,198 11
School Books and Supplies
316 20
School Incidentals
201 76
- Soldiers' Relief
301 07
State Aid
570 00
Tree Warden
363 04
Town Officers
1,753 51
County Tax -
1,735 84
State Tax
4,235 48
Endowment Lots
200 80
Tax Collector
220 62
High School Tuition
1,177 00
Sidewalks
112 00
Military Aid
90 00
Bridge
218 09
Library
200 00
Lake View Avenue
46 75
Piano
543 98
Electric Light, Home Construction Special
583 61
Electric Light, Street Construction Special
617 87
Electric Light, Forest Street Construction
Special
556 20
Forest Fire Supplies
199 09
Reserve Fund
806 87
$75,092 64
Total Selectmen's Orders
74,522 64
Regular State Aid
570 00
Balance
8,949 03
$84,041 67
38
FINANCIAL CONDITION
Report of the Auditor
Middleton, January 21, 1921.
To the Board of Selectmen :
This is to certify that I have examined the books and vouchers of the receipts and expenditures of the several de- partments of the Town of Middleton and find them correct.
FRANK B. TYLER,
Town Auditor.
Financial Condition of the Town January 1, 1921
Balance in Town treasury $8,949 03
Due from State, account regular State aid 570 00
Due from State, account of paupers 224 00
Due from electricity, sold account of Home street 305 40
Due from moth account 608 35
1919 Uncollected taxes 3,196 99
1920 Uncollected taxes 11,251 36
Electric light construction bills 896 33
H. K. Richardson's, salary as selectman 100 00
LIABILITIES
Revenue notes $20,000 00
Demand notes 2,800 00
Outlay notes, State highway, Fletcher's
bridge, South Main Street, water 1,200 00
Electric light note 3,000 00
39
FINANCIAL CONDITION
Recommendations of the Finance Committee for Year 1921
General Government :
Town Officers' Salaries :
Selectmen
$300 00
Assessors
500 00
Auditor
50 00
Registrars
30 00
Constable
50 00
Inspector of Slaughtering
50 00
Cattle Inspector
100 00
Moderator
12 00
Overseers of Poor
75 00
Superintendent of Burials
15 00
Town Clerk
200 00
Town Treasurer
250 00
Town Accountant
300 00
Water Commissioners
35 00
Tax Collector
250 00
$2,217 00
Janitor of Town hall, 20 cents per hour
Protection of Persons and Property :
Police Department
$400 00
Fire Department :
Building fires
100 00
Forest fires
250 00
Firemen's wages
65 00
Building fire, new hose
300 00
Forestry :
200 00
Tree warden
407 44
Moth work
40
FINANCIAL CONDITION
Health and Sanitation :
Board of Health
100 00
Highways and Bridges :
Highways
2,500 00
Sidewalks
150 00
Bridges
300 00
Lighting streets
800 00
Charities :
Poor Department
700 00
Soldiers' benefits
250 00
Education :
Schools, general
7,000 00
School books and supplies
200 00
School incidentals
200 00
Transportation, High school
600 00
Library
200 00
Unclassified :
Contingent account
2,000 00
Memorial Day
175 00
Public Service Enterprises:
Electric light depreciation, interest electric light note 116 00
Cemeteries
500 00
Cemetery tomb, (from reserve fund)
900 00
Interest
1,200 00
Municipal indebtedness 1,600 00
Electric light construction, special home
333 60
Electric light construction, special street Unexpended balance 101 00
Electric light construction, Forest street Unexpended balance and 52 00
41
PUBLIC LIBRARY
FLINT PUBLIC LIARARY
Trustees' Report
M. E. Tyler, Treasurer, in account with Flint Public Library
Charles L. Flint Fund $5,000 00 61 63
Unexpended Interest
$5,061 63
Deposited in Banks as follows :
Andover Savings Bank $334 56
Broadway Savings Bank, Lawrence 1,866 96
Essex Savings Bank, Lawrence
1,000 00
Salem Five Cents Savings Bank 916 51
Danvers Savings Bank 943 60
$5,061 63
January 1, 1921, Cash in hands of Treasurer as per last report $99 14
Received from A. F. Henderson, B. F. Emerson Fund 450 62
Received from Town Treasurer, Town Appropriation 200 00
Received from Salem Five Cents Savings Bank 85 00
Received from Essex Savings Bank, Lawrence 50 00
Received from Broadway Savings Bank, Lawrence 93 30
Received from Danvers Savings Bank
65 00
Received from Edith L. Fletcher, Cash for Overtime on Books and Papers Sold 29 21
Received from M. E. Tyler for Grass 3 00
$1,075 27
1
42
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Amount of Bills Paid for Books :
Charles E. Lauriat Company
$136 72
Library Bureau
4 59
Hiram Goldberger
52 00
Topsfield Historical Society
1 06
$194 37
Miscellaneous Bills Paid :
Middleton Electric Light Department $ 29 40
Edith L. Fletcher, Services as Librarian 400 00
Thomas M. Robinson, Electric Light Work 9 56
Gordon Archibald, Snow Work 5 90
Edward B. Woodbury, Coal for 1919 87 00
Danvers Water Board, Water and Repairs 15 88
Herbert E. Richardson, Snow Work 2 00
Thomas R. Dickie, Repairing Clock
8 50
Guy P. Pope, Treasurer's Bond
7 50
Magee & Geary, Flowers for Emerson Lot
3 00
M. E. Tyler, Labor on Screens and Cash Paid Out 16 97
E. Howard Clock Co., Repairing Town Clock 14 80 Joseph A. Lewis, Trimming Hedge 4 00
E. 'S. Hutchinson, Fertilizer 5 50
Laura E. Peabody, Repairing Chair 2 50
J. A. Atwood, Care of Cemetery Lot and Dressing 5 00
Ernest S. Richardson, Repairing Mower 1 50
C. R. Tapley, Insurance on Building 73 50
Caskin & O'Connel, Repairing Furnace 3 42
Edward B. Woodbury, Coal for 1920
34 00
Edward E. Vaughan, Care of Lawn
14 00
Charles W. Hutchinson, Care of Lawn
15 00
Edith L. Fletcher, Insurance 33 75
Edith L. Fletcher, Cash for Labor, Exp., etc. 38 21
$830 89
8835 7544
129%
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Bills Paid for Books
194 37
$1,025 26
Cash on Hand
50 01
$1,075 27
GALEN B. HOWE
HENRY A. YOUNG
MAURICE E. TYLER
CHARLES W. HUTCHINSON
WILLIAM R. GODFREY GEORGE E. BARNABY
Trustees.
Librarian's Report-Annual Statistics
Volumes in Library January 1, 1920
8,355
Volumes added by purchase 86
14
Volumes added by gift, Mrs. Margaret Wade
1
Volumes added by gift, Mr. Henry White
7
Volumes added by gift, Mr. J. L. Hill, Salem
7
Volumes added by gift, Public Library Commissioners
5
Volumes added by gift from other sources
14
Total number of volumes added
134
Total number of volumes discarded
6
Net gain 128
Volumes in Library, January 1, 1921
8,483
Circulation of books, year ending Janunry 1, 1921
7,544
Largest circulation, August, 1920
793
Smallest circulation, December, 1920
520
Average monthly circulation 628
New borrowers registered
72
Number of times Library has been opened
109
Number of visitors registered
66
Number of worn volumes replaced
7
Volumes added by gift, Mrs. A. W. Leavitt
44
PUBLIC LIBRARY
During the past year the Library has had the use of two exhibits of pictures, loaned by the Woman's Educational Association of Boston. Each exhibit has been with us about three weeks. The following magazines are to be found upon the reading table :- American, American Boy, Atlantic, Cen- tury, Country Life, Harper's Monthly, McClures, Munsey's National Sportsman, Review of Reviews, St. Nicholas, Scrib- ner's, Woman's Home Companion, Our Dumb Animals, Open Road, Life, Outlook, Scientific American, Youth's Companion.
Ten months of the year the Library has been open, Sat- urday 3 to 5 P. M. and 7 to 9 P. M., also on Tuesday, 7 to 9 P. M. During July and August the Library was open in addi- tion on Thursday, 7 to 9 P. M.
It is gratifying to note such an increase in the circulation over past years. At the March meeting of the Trustees it was voted to make all new books "ten day books" until they had been in circulation for three months. It is believed that this plan has given the regular borrowers a better chance to read our "new books," while they were still new. Up to this time, all books were allowed to be retained three weeks, if desired. We have been unable to purchase as many books as previously, because of the increased cost.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Trustees for their hearty cooperation and willing support in the manage- ment of the Library during this past year.
Respectfully submitted,
EDITH L. FLETCHER, Librarian.
Town Hall Report-Year Ending December 28, 1920
Received from Improved Order Red Men $ 95 40
Received from Middleton Grange 43 00
Received from entertainments and dances 145 20
Received from piano / 22 75
$306 05
Henry Young services as janitor $181 50
45
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Trustees' Report-B. F. Emerson Fund
To the Board of Selectmen : Middleton, Mass.
Dear Sirs : The Trustees of the B. F. Emerson Fund wish to submit the following report showing the standing of the fund as of December 31, 1920, together with the detail of in- come for the year 1920 and the disposition that has been made of it.
INVESTMENTS
BOOK VALUE INCOME
33 shares Atchinson R. R. Preferred (Par $100) $3,482.81 at 5%
$165 00
$2,000 Atchinson R. R. General Mortgage Bonds
at 4%
80 00
$1,000 N. Y. Cen. and H. R. R. Debenture Bonds
1,031 25 at 4%
40 00
$1,000 Western Tel. and Tel. Co. Coll. Tr. Bonds
1,002 50 at 5%
50 00
CASH IN SAVINGS BANKS
Andover Savings Bank
$1,201 67 at 5%
$57 87
Danvers Savings Bank
988 25 at 5%
45 30
Salem Savings Bank
1,039 19 at 5%
50 42
Broadway Savings Bank, Lawrence 1,332 22 at 5%
64 17
$10,077 89 $552 76
DISPOSITION OF 1920 INCOME
Paid M. E. Tyler, Account Library
$450 62
Paid Naumkeag Trust Co., box rent
4 00
Savings Bank interest left in fund
98 14
$552 76
Respectfully submitted,
MAURICE E. TYLER
H. HERBERT WILKINS
ALBERT F. HENDERSON
HARLEY M. TYLER
ARTHUR E. CURTIS
Trustees B. F. Emerson Fund.
TOWN MEETING WARRANT
Essex, ss. To Will A. Russell, Constable for the Town of Middleton, in the County of Essex:
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Middle- ton qualified to vote in election and Town affairs to meet at the Town Hall in said Town on
Monday, the Seventh day of March, next
at 5.30 A. M. for the following purposes, viz:
To choose by ballot the following Town Officers for the ensuing year, viz :
Moderator, Town Clerk, three Selectmen, one Assessor for three years, one Overseer of the Poor for three years, one Overseer of the Poor for two years, one School Committee for three years, Highway Surveyor, two Trustees of Flint Public Library for three years, Constable, Treasurer, Tax Collector, Auditor, three Fence Viewers, Tree Warden, Superintendent of Burials, Janitor for Town Hall, one Water Commissioner for three years, one Trustee of the David Cummings' Fund for three years.
Also on the same ballot to give their vote "Yes" or "No" in answer to the following question : Shall licenses be granted for the sale of certain non-intoxicating liquors in this Town?
The polls will be open at 5.30 A. M. and may be closed at 3 P. M.
(46)
47
TOWN MEETING WARRANT
You are hereby required to notify and warn said qualified voters to meet at an adjourned meeting at the Town Hall, on Thursday, March 10, 1921 at 7.30 P. M. for the following purposes, viz :
ARTICLE 1. To choose such other Town Officers as are required to be chosen annually.
ARTICLE 2. To see what action the Town will take in regard to defraying the Town expenses the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 3. To see what action the Town will take in regard to enforcing the liquor law.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to require the Highway Surveyors to provide a suitable quantity of sand and use the same on the sidewalks when covered with ice.
ARTICLE 5. To see what action the Town will take in regard to compensation for fire work.
ARTICLE 6. To see what action the Town will take in regard to letting the Town Hall.
ARTICLE 7. To see what measures the Town will adopt for the removal of snow from the sidewalks.
ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen to borrow money in anticipation of the revenue of the current financial year, and expressly made payable therefrom by this vote.
ARTICLE 9. To see what action the Town will take in regard to compensation of Town Officials.
ARTICLE 10. To see what action the Town will take in regard to building a new fence between the School house yard and the Merriam Cemetery.
48
TOWN MEETING WARRANT
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to accept the gift of the small lot of land from Mrs. Katherine Dorr, be- tween the Library lot and Pleasant Street.
ARTICLE 12. To see what action the Town will take in regard to Town Auditor and Town Accountant.
ARTICLE 13. By petition of Charles E. Walker and nine others to see what action the Town will take in regard to extending the street lights on Boston Street as far as Eli E. Richardson's home.
ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will re-appropriate the sum of $900.00 for a new receiving tomb in the cemetery.
ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum of money for the care of soldiers' graves required under Chap- ter 218, Acts of 1920.
ARTICLE 16. By petition of J. W. Osborn and others to see what the Town will do towards furnishing some adequate system of ventilation for the Town Hall and appropriate money for the same.
ARTICLE 17. By petition of J. W. Osborn and others to see what the Town will do towards helping the school pay for a new piano.
ARTICLE 18. By petition of William H. Young and others, to see what action the Town will take in regard to appropriating money for the maintenance of American Legion Headquarters in accordance with Senate bill 408, Chapter 254, Acts of 1920.
HAZEN K. RICHARDSON MAURICE E. TYNER WAYNE A. GILES Selectmen of Middleton.
1
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE
TOWN OF MIDDLETON
FOR YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1921
SALEM, MASS. MILO A. NEWHALL & CO., PRINTERS 1921
SCHOOL REPORT
Middleton, Mass., January 1, 1921. To the Citizens of Middleton :
The School Committee herewith submits the annual reports of the Superintendent of Schools, School Nurse and the Special Teachers of the Middleton Schools. We would respectfully refer you to these reports for detailed information concerning the work of the school. It is the desire of the committee to maintain our school at its present high standard, although maintainance and operating costs have nearly doubled those of pre-war days. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Townspeople for their earnest and unfailing support of our work.
Respectfully submitted, ARTHUR E. CURTIS MRS. RUTH HASTINGS GEORGE E. GIFFORD School Committee.
Superintendent of Schools
School Committee, Middleton, Massachusetts.
Madam and Gentlemen :
Your Superintendent has the honor to submit to you this his fourth Annual Report, and through you to the citizens of the Town.
As has previously been said in these reports, it is a pleas- ure for a school officer to work in Middleton, as the residents are always interested in maintaining a high standard, and have always heartily indorsed anything for its maintenance or improvement.
(51)
52
SCHOOL REPORT
While at times a hardship seems to involve an individual by the requirement of a rigid scholarship, on the other hand it would be an injustice to the rest of the school should the re- quirements for all be relaxed in favor of one. It is not a pleasant task for a teacher to be obliged to give deficient marks to any pupil, and contrary to popular belief, the teach- ers have no grudges which they pay in this way. It is much easier and far more pleasant to say that all children of the class are doing satisfactory work, and are in no danger of fail- ing to secure promotion. Should a teacher be so lax, a certain number of pupils would be promoted to the next class without proper preparation. The child then finds himself beyond his capacity and makes another failure that is self-evident. The task of the teacher is to keep all of her class doing the required work and to meet the problem squarely should the occasion arise.
The table showing the distribution of the pupils by age and grade gives a very clear cut answer to the question as to how our teachers have met their problems. Out of one hun- dred and twenty-four pupils enrolled in the school there is but one who is three years retarded. All together there are eigh- teen who are retarded one or more years, two who are two years behind their class and fifteen who are one year below the normal. Reduced to a percentage basis these figures are not high, and when the individual cases are studied, the results are especially gratifying. Almost all the cases of retardation in this school are due to sickness and absence, late entrance, and frequent transfers. Had there been ten or more mentally retarded three or more years, the State Law would have obliged us to provde classes for special instructions. We are well below this number set as a minimum. The first two rea- sons given for our over age pupils depend almost entirely upon one factor : the health of the individual. Physical and mental health are closely related. Some time we may be developed to
53
SCHOOL REPORT
such a stage that Society will regard disease as a crime. Just now health is a matter of education and personal habit. It is said that could the public have proper knowledge and train- ing that contagion would be eliminated. Because bacteria are not visible to the eye is no reason they do not exist. Our health work in the school follows along this line, that of pre- vention and education. Prevention in the matter of discover- ing a possible source of danger and education in habits of right living and health.
Nutrition, in so far as it relates to the school child is of special interest at the present time. Proper food habits should be established in the home long before the child enters school. Food that will nourish the body does not have to be expensive. On the other hand, the converse is usually true. The psychol- ogy of the lunch box is an interesting study. When we look at the waste can at the close of the noon hour, we often re- mark that it is no wonder that we are poor, we are such a wasteful people. Here we find slices of bread with a single mouthful gone, cake, cookies and pie in equal confusion. The child prefers to throw away the remains of his lunch rather than take it home. Possibly it may be occasionally because of a penalty received for not eating his lunch, or most likely through habits of carelessness and disinclination to bother. On the other hand let us sit in the rooms while the children eat. The answer is thus clear why the lunch is thrown away. It does not appeal to the eye. The same food if packed in a tasteful way would appeal to the child's mind in such a way that it would be appetizing instead of distasteful. Many communities have found that wonderful success has been obtained by furnishing a ration of milk at the morning recess. In other places hot soups and cocoa are the media by which the child is fortified against disease. Whatever means is used depends entirely on local conditions and resources. That some- thing is necessary is the conclusion of all individuals and com-
54
SCHOOL REPORT
munities who have given the subject any time in investigation. It is a very natural tendency for us to wonder what is exactly the function of the public school. It certainly has changed from what we remember in our experience as children. It has been said that living is the greatest job of life, and certainly training and preparation for life ought to be the chief func- tion of our schools. With this view, any study or activity which will make a generation stronger in health, mind, morals, or enjoyment, has a place in our curriculum. It is not that the home has fallen down, but that the home of the next gen- eration will be stronger in influence than that of the present.
During the last few years, extensive studies have been made as to the mental capacities of children. It has been found that children have an intelligence varying with each in- dividual : that the growth of this intelligence varies but little in relation to the chronological age, and whatever variations that are evident in the development of the individual are due to changes in the physical conditions. It is unusual to find a strong mind in a weak body. One fallacy often made is con- fusion between ignorance and intelligence. An illustration of this is that a pitcher is frequently not filled to its capacity.
These measures of intelligence are being developed to such a degree that they are used by the courts to determine the cause for juvenile delinquences. They may be used to in- dicate the best choice for a life work. At present it is pro- vided by law that these tests be given to mental defectives. This value is thus being demonstrated and it is safe to say that these tests will be available for all in a short time.
The need of a new modern building by the school has been brought to your attention before. During the past year the manual training class was obliged to vacate the quarters form- erly used, and after several changes at last located in the Town hall.' In respect to internal conditions it is satisfactory, such as heat, light and room. On the other hand the distance
55
SCHOOL REPORT
from the school is an objection, and the fact that smaller materials in use must be carried back and forth for each class, and also the danger that the children may do some injury to the property of others. The needs of the school in respect to class activities, such as sewing, manual training, school lunch- es and physical training, emphasize more strongly each year our need of a new school building. It has been suggested that a separate building to be used for these activities be provided near the old building. Possibly this may prove the solution of the problem,
It was with regret that the resignation of Mrs. Elizabeth Henderson was received last fall. Her solicitude in the care of the children placed in her charge, her energy in routine works, and the kindly feeling of confidence with which she in- spired the parents of the community, made the loss to the school of considerable moment. The vacancy was filled by the election of Miss Althea Page of West Medway who began her work November 1.
It is indeed fortunate that we have not been obliged to replace our teaching force during the past few years. Even at the present time the profession is still feeling the effects of competition with industry. Many were attracted to teaching because of the increased salaries, who now finding themselves judged in comparison with the trained teachers have eliminated themselves. It was valuable to establish the fact that the pub- lic school teachers could successfully compete with commercial workers in their own field. Now that business is beginning to reach a stable condition the number enrolled in our Normal Schools shows a slight increase. During the war the Normal Schools lost in numbers all they had gained in ten years. Another encouraging feature is that the mental quality is re- ported much superior. One valuable though costly lesson which both the teaching profession and the public learned dur- ing the war was the value of the trained teacher, and now in
-
56
SCHOOL REPORT
these days of reconstruction, instead of the salaries of the teachers being reduced, they will advance. Fortunately the teachers have seen the emptiness of false professional ethics, and are now demanding and receiving a little nearer their true value. At the same time, from within the teaching body comes the demand for professional training for entrance into the work. If a physican who can protect life is worthy of his demands upon society, how much more is the value of a teacher who makes that life useful?
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