USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1930 > Part 4
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The general scholastic tone of the school maintains its customary high standard. I have been told by wholly disin- terested parties that Middleton pupils hold their own very well in their classes in the high school in Danvers. It is note- worthy that those pupils who receive the unqualified recom- mendation of the local school administation, seldom have to drop out of high school because of inability to keep up to the school's standards. This is a good test of the effectiveness of the local school system.
Fortunately there were no changes in the teaching corps
98
SCHOOL REPORT
during the year. This is generally a help in maintaining the morale of a school : provided of course, that the teachers are all worth retaining. Naturally the younger teachers profit enormously from each year of teaching experience. Given the basis of a normal school training, a bright young teacher learns more from a year of actual independent teaching than from several years of purely academic study. My criticism of the young normal graduate as a genius is the lack of a proper balance in her training. Theory and technique are given to the exclusion of needed knowledge and practical independent experience. The young college graduate usually suffers from a complete reversal of these elements.
There is opportunity for a great improvement in the play- ground of the Center School which should receive serious con- sideration. The Committee should be provided with funds to grade this plot so as to remove the puddles of water which at times assume the proportions of miniature ponds. It is well nigh impossible to keep every one of two hundred active youngsters dry and clean where so many tempting puddles are available. To be sure they serve a certain purpose in winter when frozen over, but for the greater part of the year they are not coated with ice. A quantity of loam or ashes covered with gravel and surfaced with trap rock would provide a greatly needed improvement.
A very decided change in the administrative branch of the system came during the year as a result of a reorganization of the superintendency union. Boxford was displaced by Tewks- bury in the new lineup. This change resulted in the Superin- endent of Schools spending just half as much time here as has been the practice for many years. At present Middleton gets one tenth of his services, that is, he spends two days each month here instead of four days as formerly. As long as the school system is confined to one small school under efficient
99
SCHOOL REPORT
leadership as that of Miss Manning this amount of supervision may prove adequate, but under a weaker and less as efficient prinicpal it might easily prove disastrous. It is probable that Middleton will eventually be linked with other adjacent towns in a more compact supervisory unit.
Following this report will be found the two customary tables which show the number and distribution of the school children as to age and grade as well as teacher-grade distri- bution. These tables have a value for purposes of comparison from year to year.
CONCLUSION
The School Committee and Superintendent continue to function together in peace and harmony. This fact is fully appreciated by your superintendent. Such a condition light- ens materially the burden of his reponsibility and serves to stimulate to increased endeavor.
Relations between the teaching corps and their supervis- ory officer are very pleasant indeed. There seems to be an unusual spirit of mutual good will which is a source of great satisfaction to the writer.
Respectfully submitted,
STEPHEN G. BEAN.
December 31, 1931.
100
Age-Grade Distribution, October 1, 1930
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
T
UA
%.
OA
%
I
6
14
5
II
5
7
7
1
20
5
25
1
5
III
6
17
2
25
6
24
0
0
IV
1
8
10
8
2
29
9
31
2
7
V
4
12
6
3
25
4
16
3
12
VI
7
7
10
4
28
7
25
4
14
VII
8
4
4
3
19
0
0
7
34
VIII
8
5
2
1
16
8
50
1
13
O.C.
2
6
5
3
16
6
38
0
0
Total
6
19
19
32
17
27
17
29
19
11
7
203
51
25
18
9
UA Represents puplis young for the grade
OA Represents pupils old for the grade
OC Represents opportunity class
Heavily leaded diagonal steps show rormal age grouping for the grades
SCHOOL REPORT
0
0
25
6
24
101
SCHOOL REPORT
Teacher Grade Distribution October 1, 1930
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
Tot.
Miss Manning
19
16
35
Miss Hinckley
29
9
38
Miss Berry
16
28
44
Miss Lawrence .
14
25
39
Miss Donovan
.
25
6
31
Miss Littlefield .
1
5
5
5
16
Total
25
21
30
29
30
33
19
16
203
TOWN WARRANT
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE
FINANCE COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MIDDLETON
MARCH, 1931
PART III
-
105
TOWN WARRANT
Town Meeting Warrant
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex ss. To William H. Young, Constable for the Town of Middleton, in the County of Essex :
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealh of Massachusets, 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
Tuesday, the Tenth Day of March Next
at eight o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articles :
ARTICLE 1. To authorize 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 year, and expressly made payable therefrom by this vote.
ARTICLE 4. To see if the refund of dog taxes shall be transferred to the Library Fund.
106
TOWN WARRANT
ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will rescind the vote passed at a special Town Meeting held on the third day of October, 1929, authorizing the expenditure of $12,000 for the construction of a power line from the sub-station to the property of the Boston Blacking Company at South Middleton, and to rescind all action in and concerning the same and inclu- ding the authority to borrow money by virtue thereof.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to accept a gift of $600 and accept permanently a burial lot located upon the Flint farm, so called, agreeably to the petition of O. W. Richardson, Executor of the will of Cora E. Kingman, late of Reading, Mass.
ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will authorize the trans- fer of the unexpended balance of the electric light department of 1930 to the credit of the department of 1931 agreeably to the petition of the Electric Light Commission.
ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Electric Light Department to use the earnings of the de- partment for the ensuing year, agreeably to the petition of the Electric Light Commission.
ARTICLE 9. On petition of Harley M. Tyler and twenty- eight others, to see if the Town will amend its by-laws, with building laws or zoning laws, or take any action thereon.
ARTICLE 10. On petition of Edwin B. Meade and ten others, to see if the Town will accept the provisions of Section 45 of Chapter 41, and elect three commissioners of Trust Funds.
107
TOWN WARRANT
ARTICLE 11. On petition of Edwin B. Meade and ten others, to see if the Town will accept the provisions of Section 13 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, and appropriate a sum of money for a municipal buildings and property insurance fund.
ARTICLE 12. On petition of Edwin B. Meade and ten others, to see if the Town will vote to buy a suitable piece of land to be used as a gravel pit, and appropriate money for the purpose.
ARTICLE 13. On petition of Caroline M. Knight and ten others, to see if the Town will appropriate the sum of $200 to tar Gregory street from Dow's corner to the entrance to Middleton Colony.
ARTICLE 14. On petition of Ernest A. Curtis and ten others, to see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $700 for gravel on Peabody street.
ARTICLE 15. On petition of Archibald L. Jones and forty-seven others, to see if the Town will appropriate the sum of $360 to be expended under the joint direction of the Board of Selectmen and the Electric Light Department for the purpose of re-lighting Middleton Square with suitable light control street lighting equipment.
You are hereby required to notify and warn said qualified voters to meet at an adjourned meeting at the Town Hall, on Monday, March 16, next, for the following purposes, viz :
To choose by ballot the following Town Officers for the ensuing year :
108
TOWN WARRANT
Moderator, Town Clerk, three Selectmen, one Assessor for three years, one member of Board of Public Welfare for three years, one School Committee for three years, Highway Sur- veyor, two Trustees of Flint Public Library for three years, Constable, Treasurer, Tax Collector, three Fence Viewers, Tree Warden, Superintendent of Burials, Custodian of Town Hall, one Water Commissioner for three years, one Trustee of the David Cummings' Fund for three years, one Cemetery Commissioner for three years, one Electric Light Commission- er for three years.
The polls will open at 6.15 o'clock, A. M. and may be closed at 3 o'clock, P. M.
And you are directed to serve this Warrant, by posting up 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 meetings.
Hereof fail not, and make due return of this Warrant, with our doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of meeting, as aforesaid.
Given under our hands this third day of Februrary, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-one.
GEORGE B. OGDEN, HARRY B. CROXFORD, WILLIAM H. SANBORN, Selectmen of Middleton.
A true copy.
Attest : WILLIAM H. YOUNG, Constable.
109
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Recommendations of the Finance Committee For the Year 1931
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
Registrar of Voters
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
Board of Public Welfare
100 00
Superintendent of Burials
15 00
Cemetery Commissioners
30 00
Custodian of Town Hall
500 00
Electric Light Commissioners
(to be taken from department earnings)
150 00
POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Police
$1,200 00 (a)
House fires
350 00 (b)
Forest fires, including 1,000 feet of hose
700 00
Chief of fire department
15 00
Salary of firemen
55 00
New double jacket hose
300 00
110
FINANCE COMMITTEE
FORESTRY DEPARTMENT
Tree warden
$200 00
Moth department
698 15
HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES
Highways
$3,750 00
Sidewalks (not recommended)
Fencing
300 00
Snow removal
800 00
Bridges
300 00
EDUCATION
Schools, including tuition and
transportation
$22,000 00
Vocational education and transportation
450 00
Library
300 00
HEALTH AND SANITATION
Board of health
$625 00
Dental clinic
260 00
BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Relief (local, state and other towns) $5,500 00
UNCLASSIFIED
Town officers' expenses
$ 500 00
Contingent fund
1,000 00
Soldiers' relief
48 00
State aid
480 00
Insurance
850 00
Town hall
900 00
Memorial day
250 00
American Legion (not wanted)
111
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Interest
$2,400 00
Municipal indebtedness
3,000 00
Street lighting (basis of present hours)
2,000 00
Cemetery
800 00
Town counsel 250 00
Essex Sanitorium
696 81
Supplies for the town treasurer
150 00
(a) It is recommended that $511.00 of this amount be used to purchase a new Ford touring car. This car is to be used for police work only and to be plainly marked M. P. D.
(b) It is recommended that $55.00 of this amount be used for changing left hand hydrants to right hand ones.
The following are the recommendations of the Finance Committee covering the articles contained in the Town War- rant for 1931.
Article 4. Favorable action.
Article 5. Favorable action.
Article 6. Favorable action.
Article 7. Favorable action.
Article 8. Favorable action.
Article 9. Favorable action.
Article 10. Favorable action.
Article 11. Favorable action.
Article 12.
Favorable action.
Article 13. It is recommended that the sum of $150.00 be appropriated.
Article 14. It is recommended that the sum of $500.00 be appropriated.
- Article 15. Not recommended.
112
TRUST FUNDS
Trust Funds Report
Believing that the following will be of interest to the Citizens of Middleton, we are enclosing it in the Report of 1931
ABSTRACT FROM THE WILL OF THE LATE
CHARLES L. FLINT, OF BOSTON
NINTH : I give and bequeath to the Town of Middleton, in Essex County, the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars, to be expended under the direction of the Trustees of the Flint Public Library of said Town in erecting a suitably permanent building for the use of said library. I also give to the said Town of Middleton the sum of Five Thousand ($5,000) Dollars to constitute a permanent fund for the support of the public library, the income only to be used for the purchase of books and periodicals, the Town to provide for the care and main- tenance of the library.
THE CHARLES L. FLINT SCHOLARSHIP
"This scholarship, known as the Charles L. Flint Scholar- ship, was established in 1890 by a fund of five thousand dol- lars, the income of which may be used to defray the tuition and other expenses of worthy students in the Academic Depart- ment, Phillips Aacdemy, preference to be given to students from the adjacent town of Middleton."
At the time of the establishment of this scholarship, the tuition rates were lower, and the income was sufficient to assist more than one student each year. Now the tuition charge is $350 per year, so this scholarship does not provide a full tui- tion scholarship but can cover the major part of the tuition charge.
113
TRUST FUNDS
ABSTRACT FROM THE WILL OF THE LATE DAVID CUMMINGS
To the Town of Middleton, Massachusetts, the sum of Five Thousand ($5,000) Dollars to invest and hold and each year to pay the income thereof to poor persons in said town.
The residue of the estate was divided into two hundred and fifty parts, of this, Middleton received five additonal parts.
ABSTRACT FROM THE WILL
OF THE LATE
BENJAMIN F. EMERSON
"EIGHTH I give and bequeath to the Public Library of the Town of Middleton, in said County of Essex, Massachusetts, the sum of $10,000.00 to be controlled, managed and invested by the trustees in this paragraph named. It is my wish that the said sum of $10,000.00 shall be invested by the five trus- tees hereinafter named in good and prudent manner, and that they shall pay over to said Public Library monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, the net income thereof. I direct that, after the death of my said mother, my said executors shall pay over to the said five trustees the said sum of $10,000.00, and that this fund shall be kept separate and apart from any other fund belonging to said Public Library, and shall be known and designated as the "B. F. Emerson Fund." I do hereby nomi- nate and appoint Ansel P. Tyler, of Middleton, Essex County, Massachusetts, Samuel Fletcher, of Middleton, Essex County, Massachusetts, and Milton J. Emerson, of Middleton, Essex County, Massachusetts, as three of the five trustees, and I de- sire that the selectmen or Town Board of said Middleton shall nominate and appoint the remaining two in number of such trustees. As soon as one or more of the trustees which I have
114
TRUST FUNDS
nominated and appointed in this paragraph shall die, or if one or more of the same shall refuse or decline to act as such trus- tee, then, in such an event, it is my wish that said selectmen or Town Board shall fill such vacancy as soon as such vacancy shall happen."
ABSTRACT FROM THE WILL OF THE LATE HARRY K. MANSFIELD
All the rest, residue and remainder of my property, both real and personal, and wherever the same may be situated, of which I may die seized and possessed, I give, devise and be- queath to the Old Colony Trust Company, a corporation duly organized by law and having an usual place of business in Boston aforesaid, but in trust nevertheless, upon the following trust, viz : To pay over the net income thereof semi-annually or as much oftener as my trustee shall deem advisable, to the Selectmen of the Town of Middleton, to be expended by them a follows :
First: One third to be distributed among the worthy poor of the Town of Middleton at Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.
Second : One third for band concerts in said Middleton during the summer months.
Third : One third for a picnic for the children of the residents of Middleton, including the children of summer res- idents, and the balance, if any for other entertainments for such children at any time during the year.
AUSTIN C. PEABODY, JR., Chairman EDWIN B. MEADE
W. P. EARLY, Clerk
J. W. OSBORNE H. M. RICHARDSON
FLINT
MIDDLETON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
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