USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1926 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
The committee wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the two citizens who, as members of the School Building Com- mittee, have assisted them so ably. The committee also wishes to commend the superintendent and the teachers for their loy- alty and the efficient manner in which they have met the prob- lems and perplexities of the last term.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR E. CURTIS WILLIAM T. MARTIN School Committee.
Report of the Superintendent
To the School Committee of Middleton :
Gentlemen :
Pursuant with the annual custom I am hereby present- ing my third annual report as Superintendent of Schools.
71
SCHOOL REPORT
Because the fiscal year of the town covers parts of two separate school years, a report of this kind sometimes needs to be two distinct reports. Ordinarily two successive school years will be very much alike in their general tenor, but an occasional complete upset occurs which makes two successive years differ greatly, even though there be but a space of a few weeks between the end of one period and the commencement of the other. Such is the present condition.
GENERAL
It is only natural that for this town the report should deal almost exclusively with the change in building conditions and the results springing from the change.
Of course it is common knowledge that during all of the school year ending in June the Middleton school system was hopelessly overcrowded in the four rooms at our disposal.
Not only was the building overcrowded but hygienic con- ditions were very inadequate. Lighting and ventilation were poor; sanitary provisions were insufficient ; and the seating capacity was taxed to the uttermost, so that the children were unable to reap the benefit of the one element of the situation which was up to standard, that is, the number of teachers.
When the school census was taken last spring, it became evident from the returns that unless some unexpected migra- tion occurred before September, the existing school accommo- dations would be completely inundated. It seemed on the basis of figures from previous years that any migration would be more likely to be inward than outward. There was but one logical course left for us. We must prepare for the overflow. It was unfortunate that the school census was not completed before the town meeting in March. If action could have been taken then, much of the delay later experienced might have been escaped. It is natural that in a town where school build- ing is of such unusual occurrence, a longer period of delibera-
72
SCHOOL REPORT
tion is required before action is final. This proved true when the proposal to increase school accommodations came before a special town meeting.
After due consideration the town voted to enlarge the existing school plant by the addition of a two room wing with basement, and to make such changes in the then existing rooms as to bring them up to modern standards of school room archi- tecture and planning.
When the date for opening the schools arrived the usual experience had to be met. The building was not ready for occupancy. And when after a period of waiting it became evident that the delay would be too great, the expedient of making use of the Town Hall was adopted. This was done with a full realization of the inadequacies of this building for school purposes. It was the only solution of the problem which seemed workable.
It was here that the quality and loyalty of the teaching corps was put to the test. Without murmur of protest they faced the difficulties, and the manner in which the school functioned in those trying conditions is beyond what I had be- lieved possible. Here, without desks or even tables, with tiny improvised blackboards, with children crowded on long settees, with six grades grouped in three corners of the comparatively small hall and the other two grades in the tiny lower room, a quality and amount of school work was accomplished which is almost beyond belief. As their supervisory officer I wish to express pride in and commendation of the excellent service rendered under those most trying circumstances by the Middle- ton teachers.
Weeks became months and the fall term had passed before the school building became available for use. And in this time true winter weather had come. This threatened to com- plicate matters at times due to the lack of heat in the lower
73
SCHOOL REPORT
room of the Town Hall. There were days when all eight grades were gathered in the upper auditorium for the sake of comfort of body. And it should be said of the Middleton children, that in all this time and under all of these difficul- ties they conducted themselves as good school citizens should. If equal self restraint could or would carry over into later life the outlook for this nation would be very bright.
The temptation is strong to sermonize on this point, but this is a report and not a tract. Suffice it to say that it seems strange that as the contacts with the world outside of school widen, those qualities which the schools are supported to pro- duce tend to become less valued. One sometimes wonders whether America really wants her children taught to live, or merely to make a living.
This report would normally close with the close of the year. This would mean leaving the schools en route from the Town Hall to the renewed building. But such a procedure seems not quite fair since the improvements are the product of the reported year.
BUILDING CONDITIONS
Three days after the close of the fiscal year found the children again within the walls of the Center School. But what a changed environment they find. It is almost like step- ping from 1876 to 1926.
As seen from the street the building seems slightly differ- ent. The added wing does not abtrude on the notice like a wart, as is sometimes the case with remodelled buildings. Perhaps the greatest improvement, as viewed by a person interested in school building, is the grouping of the windows across the front of the structure. This is an outward evidence to every interested person passing the building, that the town has given thought to the health and comfort of her school chil-
74
SCHOOL REPORT
dren. This shows the prospective resident that here is a town which is looking forward.
Entering the building on the side of the new addition no great change is noted other than the better light in the hall- way. The glazed door of the lower room of the addition faces you and through it can be seen the thoroughly modern, well lighted classroom.
On the left of the door, before entering, is seen a commo- dious supply closet in natural wood finish ; and on the right a door leading to the fine new sanitary equipment for the girls, which is duplicated in a similar place on the second floor.
Within the new room will be found seating accommoda- tions for thirty-five children. Seats face the front, or en- trance, and have a flood of light from six large windows on the left. Back of the teacher's desk and across the front of the room are patented clothes closets, with swiveled doors, and ventilation outlets to help in drying clothing on stormy days. On this wall is also to be seen a large closet for the books and supplies used by the children of this class.
No mean improvement is the method of tempering the light which at times is very strong. Shades have been pro- vided which are adjustable to any part of the windows, they being mounted on rods so that not only the fabric but the roll- ers can be raised or lowered. This permits having windows open at the top without the distracting flapping of window shades. The fabric itself is duck of a very light brown which, when covering the window completely, allows sufficient light to pass to give comfortable light to every child.
Opposite the windows and across the back of the room excellent slate blackboards have been installed, and eventually blackboards will be fitted in the large panels of the wardrobe doors in front of the room.
On the back wall of the room is a semi-automatic auxil-
75
SCHOOL REPORT
iary to the heating system of radiators. This is a direct con- nection to the outer air whereby the air passes over heated fin coils and aids in maintaining the purity and the tempera- ture of the air of the room.
The room on the second floor is a duplicate of the one just described and is equally pleasant and comfortable. One of our substitute teachers, who has had experience in much larger towns, calls this the finest school room in which she has ever taught.
The rooms in the original building, though not as new looking are almost equally pleasant and comfortable. The lighting is now excellent and is regulated by the same shade equipment as the new rooms. The change is of special note in the rooms in the back of the building. These were former- ly very poorly lighted but are now as light as could be desired.
All seats are now placed so that the children have light from the correct direction and angle. It is safe to predict happier school children from this one improvement.
The rear room on the lower floor is serving as a utility room. Its uses are various. At noon it serves as a lunch room and later as a playroom for girls. On certain days it is used for manual training for the boys and later will be utilized as a sewing room.
Last to be provided for but not least in importance is the new heating plant. Its care may involve more labor than did the old one but it seems far more adequate to the situation and should give far better working conditions in the school rooms.
The value of the changed building conditions can be sum- marized by the statement of the teachers. "We have been through a hard seige but the result is worth it."
TEACHING STAFF
The only change in teaching personnel is the employment
76
SCHOOL REPORT
of Mrs. Mabelle B. Titsworth of Danvers to take the position temporarily held by Mrs. Anna Winslow for the last part of the last school year. Mrs. Titsworth is a normal graduate with several years of experience and fits in very nicely with our old organizaion. Taking charge of the second grade and a section of the third grade the opportunity of the children in the first four grades is greatly improved by the work of this teacher.
PROGRESS
In view of the unfavorable circumstances surrounding the work of the fall term we cannot expect to have as successful a year as we would have obtained had the new accommodations been ready in September, but I venture to predict that by June the children will have done as much work in their respective classes as would have been done under the old conditions. And I further believe that the children and teachers will finish the year in far better physical condition.
Below will be found the usual tabulations of distribution of pupils. They will show a smaller number of pupils to each teacher which should produce a proportionally better educa- tional opportunity for every child.
The first grade is unaccountably small. The school census showed a very much larger entering class in prospect. Never- theless this class is large enough for the best interest of the children concerned.
CONCLUSION
May I express my appreciation of another year of co-oper- ative helpfulness by the members of the Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
STEPHEN G. BEAN. Somerville, Mass., January 14, 1927.
-
77
SCHOOL REPORT
AGE AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION December 31, 1926
6 7 8 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
T U. A. % 0. A. %
I
15
6
21
0000
II
1
11
8 11 1
23
1 4.3
3
13
III
6
11
3
1
21
0
0
4
19
IV
2
7
3
5
17 | 2
12
5
29
V
3
6
4
2
1
20 3
15
3
15
VI
2
4
2
3
2
13|
2
15
5
39
VII
6
5
6
1
|1 |1
20 6
30
3
15
VIII
4
4
1 1
10
0
0
2
20
16
17
16
22
15
21
11
15
8
2 2
145| 14
7.9
25
17
Report of the School Building Committee
This committee wishes to state that while the alterations and the addition have cost more than was anticipated last spring we found as the work progressed it would be necessary to do work that we had not planned at the start.
This work consisted in part as follows : New walls under old building, cementing basement floor in old building, hard pastering the entire basement, installing fire doors, installing both direct and indirect heating system, chimney to care for new boiler, rewiring the entire bell system, storage closets for the classrooms, finishing floors and painting walls.
The new heating system is ample to heat the building and has worked to good advantage this winter.
The two old chimneys would not take care of the new boiler and it was necessary to build a chimney 32 inches square and 50 feet high.
78
SCHOOL REPORT
The bell system was in bad shape and it was necessary to rewire the entire system and install new bells both in the rooms and the fire alarm bells.
The State Fire Marshal recommended plastering the base- ment ceiling, fire doors and a change in the boys' toilet.
We had space for storage closets for the teachers-some- thing the rooms had always lacked-and had some built in by the contractor.
The building is in very good shape at the present time and the addition of the windows in the old building are a great improvement.
There are at the present time two or three small jobs to be completed. When completed the cost of the entire work will be approximately $22,500.
The building will be open some afternoon and evening soon for public inspection and we hope that the citizens will avail themselves of this opportunity to visit the school and see the vast amount of work that has been done.
Respectfully submitted, A. E. CURTIS
W. T. MARTIN
G. B. OGDEN
E. O. CAMPBELL School Building Committee.
School Enrollments, 1926-1927
Danvers High School
30 pupils
Peabody High School
9
Beverly Industrial School
2
Essex County Agricultural School
8
Grammar School, Middleton
153
202 pupils
79
SCHOOL REPORT
Middleton Grammar School Class of 1926
Graduates
WILMAR FRANCES BUTLER
SARA ALICE COLE
FLORENCE INEZ DALE JOHN WILLIAM DALE
SEFTON EARL
HARRIET JOSEPHINE GILES
HARRIS CLINTON GILES
TERENCE CHESTER KLOSOWSKI
FREDERICK DANIEL LANG
ALLAN GIBB MARSHALL, JR.
WILLIAM THOMAS MARTIN, JR.
NEWTON ALDRICH MAXWELL
RUTH NETTIE MAXWELL ANGELINA MENESALE
CONJETTA MENESALE
DOROTHY IRENE OGDEN
PHILIP COVELL PARSONS
ROGER EVERETT PHILBRICK
ALBERT ARTHUR ROBERTS
ESTHER ADELAIDE ROBINSON
CAROLYN ELIZABETH WILKINS
RALPH PARKER WOODS
SIDNEY CLARENCE WOODS
80
SCHOOL REPORT
Middleton Pupils Graduating from Danvers High School, Class of 1926
HAROLD TYLER DONALD McSHEEHY HELEN JANKOSKI CHARLES GOULD
Beverly Industrial School, Class of 1926 PORTER GOULD EMILE PHANEUF
School Calendar for 1927
January 3-Winter term begins.
February 28-Winter term ends.
Vacation-1 week.
March 7-Winter spring term begins. April 29-Winter spring term ends.
Vacation-1 week.
May 6-Spring term begins. June 24-Spring term ends.
Vacation-10 weeks.
September 7-Fall term begins. December 23-Fall term ends.
Holidays-January 1; February 22; April 19; May 30; October 12; November 25.
RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE
TOWN WARRANT
AND THE
BALLOT
OF THE
TOWN OF MIDDLETON
MARCH, 1927
PART III
83
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Recommendations of Finance Committee for the Year 1927
TOWN OFFICERS' SALARIES
Selectmen
$300 00
Town Treasurer
300 00
Town Clerk
200 00
Town Accountant
300 00
Tax Collector
400 00
Assessors
600 00
Registrars
18 00
Moderator
25 00
Inspector of Slaughtering
25 00
Inspector of Cattle
150 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
100 00
Constable
35 00
Overseers of the Poor
100 00
Superintendent of Burials
15 00
Water Commissioners, serve without pay
Cemetery Commissioners
30 00
$2,598 00
Janitor of Town hall, 35 cents per hour.
PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY
Police
$1,000 00
Building Fires
150 00
Forest Fires
500 00
Firemen's Wages
65 00
Fire Hose, double jacket
300 00
$2,015 00
84
FINANCE COMMITTEE
FORESTRY DEPARTMENT
Tree Warden
$500 00
Moth Department
681 49
$1,181 49
HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES
Highways and the Selectmen be authorized
to apply to State Highway Dept. for aic $3,625 00
Sidewalks and Fencing
350 00
Snow Removal
1,000 00
Bridges
500 00
Gasoline Cement Mixer
150 00
Cab for Tractor
150 00
$5,775 00
EDUCATION
Schools, including tuition and transporta-
tion of pupils to vocational schools $19,600 00
Center School alterations to finish work on school 3,000 00
$22,600 00
HEALTH AND SANITATION
Board of Health
$ 50 00
Essex to Sanitorium
337 24
Dental Clinic
100 00
$487 24
Poor Department
$1,800 00
Soldiers' benefits
84 00
$1,884 00
85
FINANCE COMMITTEE
UNCLASSIFIED
Contingent
$1,200 00
Insurance
575 00
Town Hall
800 00
Memorial Day
225 00
American Legion
110 00
Cemeteries
800 00
Interest
2,600 00
Municipal Indebtedness
3,000 00
Middleton Electric Light, including depreciation
2,500 00
Danvers Water Board, unpaid bill for
material on Essex and East streets
228 64
$11,038 64
J. WARREN OSBORNE, Clerk of Finance Committee.
86
TOWN WARRANT
Town Meeting Warrant
Essex, ss. To William H. Young, Constable for the Town of Mid- dleton, in the County of Essex:
GREETINGS :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town qualified to vote in elections and in Town affairs, to meet at the Town Hall, in said Town, on
Thursday, the third day of March, next
at 7.30 o'clock P. M., for the following purposes :
ARTICLE 1. To authorise the Selectmen to appoint 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 for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 3. 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. And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting attested copies thereof, one at the Town Hall; one at the Center Post Office and one at the store at Howe Station, in said Town, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
87
TOWN WARRANT
ARTICLE 4. By petition of Edwin B. Meade and ten others, to see if the Town will make a special appropriation to gravel East Street from Locust Street to the Boxford line.
ARTICLE 5. By petition of Frank B. Tyler and ten others, to see if the Town will make a special appropriation to resurface Lake Street.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Assessors to use the money in the Reserve Fund to help lower the tax rate.
ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate money to purchase a one ton Ford dump truck.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of said meeting aforesaid.
Given under our hands this 22nd day of February, 1927.
MAURICE E. TYLER, E. STIMPSON HUTCHINSON, WILLIAM H. SANBORN,
Selectmen of Middleton,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.