USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1943 > Part 4
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The books and accounts of the town treasurer were examined and checked. The recorded receipts were analyzed and compared with the records in the departments collecting money for the town and with the other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury, while the payments were checked with the select- men's warrants authorizing the disbursement of town funds.
The cash balance on June 15, 1943, was verified by reconcilia- tion of the bank balance with a statement furnished by the bank of deposit and by actual count of the cash in the office.
The payments on account of debt and interest were proved with the amounts falling due and with the cancelled securities on file.
The savings bank books and securities representing the invest- ments of trust funds in the custody of the town treasurer, the library trustees, and the Naumkeag Trust Company, were examined and listed. The income was proved and the expenditures were verified.
The records of tax titles taken by the town since the previous audit were checked with the deeds on file. The amounts added to the tax title account were compared with the collector's records, the recorded redemptions were checked with the receipts as shown on the treasurer's cash book, and the tax titles on hand were listed, proved, and checked with the records in the Registry of Deeds.
75.
STATE AUDIT REPORT
The books and accounts of the tax collector were examined and checked. The taxes outstanding at the time of the previous exami- nation and all subsequent commitments of taxes, were audited and reconciled with the assessors' warrants. The payments to the treasurer for the several levies were compared with the treasurer's cash book, the abatements were checked with the assessors' records of abatements granted, and the outstanding accounts were listed and reconciled with the accounts as shown in the accountant's ledger.
Verification notices were mailed to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, the replies received thereto indicating that the outstanding ac- counts, as listed, are correct.
The town clerk's records of sporting and dog licenses for the current year were examined, the payments to the State being veri- fied by comparison with the receipts on file and the payments to the town treasurer being compared with the treasurer's cash book.
The records of the electric light department were examined and checked. The commitments were verified, the collections were compared with the payments to the treasurer, and the outstanding accounts were listed and reconciled with the accountant's ledger.
The accounts of the public welfare department, including the bureau of old age assistance, as well as of all other departments collecting money for the town or committing bills for collection, were examined, checked, and reconciled with the accountant's ledger.
The surety bonds of the financial officials bonded for the faithful performance of their duties were examined and found to be in proper form.
In addition to the balance sheet referred to, there are appended to this report tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's and the tax collector's cash, together with summaries of the tax, departmental, tax title, and tax possession accounts, as well as tables showing the trust fund transactions.
For the cooperation extended by the various town officials during the progress of the audit, I wish, on behalf of my assistants and for myself, to express appreciation.
Respectfully submitted, Herman B. Dine
Assistant Director of Accounts
76 RECOMMENDATIONS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Recommendations of the Finance Committee For the Town of Middleton Upon the Warrant For the Annual Meeting to be held March 14, 1944 TO THE VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLETON:
The heads of several of the various departments have met with your committee and have shown a very helpful spirit by presenting their budgets and assisting us in determining the sums of money necessary to run their departments without curtailing the services now being rendered.
We therefore, submit for your consideration the following recom- mendations:
ARTICLE I. To authorize the Selectmen to appoint such other Town Officers as are required to be chosen annually.
No recommendation required.
ARTICLE II. To see what action the Town will take to defray the Town expenses for the ensuing year.
Itemized recommendation as per attached.
ARTICLE III. To see if the Town will vote to authorized the Town Treasurer, with approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1944, and to issue a note or notes there- for, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
Recommended.
ARTICLE IV. To see if the Town will vote to accept the sum of $2,000.00 from the earnings of the Electric Light Department.
Recommended.
ARTICLE V. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Electric Light Department to use the earnings of the Department for the ensuing year, agreeable to the petition of the Electric Light Commissioners.
Recommended.
77
RECOMMENDATIONS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE VI. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $330.15 from the Dog Tax Refund to the Library Fund.
Recommended.
ARTICLE VII. To see what action the Town will take in regard to letting of the Town Hall.
No recommendation required.
ARTICLE VIII. To see if the Town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $4,500.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 81- Roads; said money to be used in conjunction with any money which may be allotted by Federal, State or County, or all, for this purpose.
Recommended that $3,750.00 be appropriated.
ARTICLE IX. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for the maintenance of Chapter 90-Roads; the same to be expended in conjunction with State allotment.
Recommended $1,000.00 be appropriated.
ARTICLE X. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the expen- diture of $2,500.00 from the Road Machinery Fund to maintain equipment.
Recommended the sum of $2,500.00 be expended.
ARTICLE XI. To see if the Town will vote to pay the Highway Surveyor a salary of $1,750.00 per year, this sum to be taken from the various highway appropriations.
Recommended.
ARTICLE XII. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Assessors to use such free cash in the Treasury as they, in their best judgment, feel is warranted, and is approved by the Commissioner of Corporations and Taxation, for the purpose of re- ducing the tax rate.
Recommended.
ARTICLE XIII. To see if the Town will vote to raise and approp- riate or transfer from available funds in the treasury, the sum of $2,000.00 for the purchase of war bonds or other bonds that are legal investments for savings banks, in order to establish post-war rehabilitation fund, in accordance with the provision of Chapter 3, Acts of 1943.
Recommended that the sum of $2,000.00 be transferred from available funds for the purchase of War Bonds only.
78
RECOMMENDATIONS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE XIV. To see if the Town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $1,500.00 to provide for an adequate heating plant for the Town Hall, or take any action in relation thereto.
Recommended the sum of $1,500.00 be so appropriated and expended under the jurisdiction of the Selectmen or a committee appointed by them.
ARTICLE XV. To see if the Town will vote to accept the remain- ing section of Woodland Road.
No recommendation required.
ARTICLE XVI. To see if the Town will vote to raise and approp- riate the sum of $200.00 for the Post-War Rehabilitation Com- mittee.
Recommended.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN PICKERING, Chairman WILLIAM W. RICHARDSON, OSCAR H. BELLE, WALTER L. PAINE, HAROLD Y. SMITH,
Middleton Finance Committee.
79
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Recommendations of Finance Committee for the Year 1944
I .- GENERAL GOVERNMENT:
SALARIES:
Called for
Recommended
Moderator
$ 25 00
$ 25 00
Selectmen (three)
525 00
525 00
Accountant
500 00
500 00
Treasurer
500 00
500 00
Collector
500 00
500 00
Town Clerk
200 00
200 00
Assessors
1,200 00
1,000 00
Town Counsel
600 00
Electric Light Commissioners ( three)
* 150 00
* 150 00
Town Officers' Expenses
1,200 00
1,200 00
Tax Title Expenses
300 00
300 00
ELECTIONS AND REGISTRATIONS:
Salaries
120 00
120 00
Expenses
300 00
300 00
TOWN HALL:
Maintenance
600 00
600 00
Custodian, salary
730 00
600 00
II .- PROTECTION OF PERSONS
AND PROPERTY:
Police, salary and maintenance
$1,250 00
$1,250 00
Equipment and maintenance
250 00
250 00
Constable's Salary
35 00
35 00
Fire Maintenance and Salaries
2,500 00
2,500 00
Fire Alarm equipment
1,000 00
1,000 00
Civilian Defense
200 00
200 00
Ration Board
100 00
100 00
Sealer of Weights and Measures, salary 125 00
100 00
III .- FORESTRY:
Moth
$882 34
$ 882 34
Moth, Private work
300 00
300 00
Tree Warden
500 00
500 00
Tent Catipillar, control
100 00
100 00
* To be paid from earnings of Electric Light Department.
80
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Called for
Recommended
IV .- HEALTH AND SANITATION:
Board of Health
$ 1,200 00
$1,200 00
Essex Sanatorium
1,170 48
1,170 48
Dental Clinic
500 00
500 00
Inspection of Slaughtering, salary
50 00
50 00
Inspection of Cattle, salary
175 00
175 00
V .- HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Highway
$1,650 00
$1,650 00
Chapter 81 Maintenance
4,500 00
3,750 00
Chapter 90 Maintenance
1,000 00
1,000 00
Snow Removal
Street Lighting
2,500 00
2,250 00
VI .- CHARITIES:
Public Welfare, Salaries
$ 375 00
$ 250 00
Public Welfare, Maintenance
2,500 00
2,500 00
Aid to Dependent Children
2,500 00
2,500 00
Old Age Assistance, Aid
17,000 00
17,000 00
Old Age Assistance, Administration
500 00
500 00
Aid Dependent Children, Administration 50 00
50 00
VII .- SOLDIERS' BENEFITS:
State Aid
$150 00
$150 00
Soldiers' Relief
500 00
500 00
War Allowances
400 00
400 00
VIII. - EDUCATION:
School Maintenance
$32,830 00
$32,830 00
Library
900 00
800 00
IX .- CEMETERY :
Sup't. of Burials, Salary
$15 00
$15 00
Commissioners' Salaries (three)
30 00
30 00
Maintenance
1,200 00
1,000 00
Graves
350 00
350 00
X .- PARK:
Maintenance
$250 00
$250 00
XI .- INTEREST AND INSURANCE:
Interest
$ 600 00
$ 600 00
Insurance
1,566 00
1,566 00
81
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
XII. - MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS: School Construction
$3,000 00
$3,000 00
XIII .- UNCLASSIFIED:
Contingent Fund
800 00
$ 800 00
Reserve Fund
1,500 00
1,500 00
Memorial Day
275 00
275 00
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
School Committee
Superintendent of Schools AND
Yearly Statistics
OF THE
Grammar School
OF THE
Town of Middleton
FOR THE
Year Ending December 31, 1943
85
SCHOOL REPORT
SCHOOL REPORT
School Committee
DR. RAYMOND SILVERNAIL, Chairman Term Expires 1945 MRS. ALICE K. CASS, Secretary
MR. SEAVER MacDONALD
Term Expires 1944 Term Expires 1946
Supt. of Schools, STEPHEN G. BEAN, Wilmington, Mass. School Physician, ADRIAN MOULYN, M. D. Topsfield, Mass. School Nurse, MRS. PATRICIA KINGSLEY, R. N. and MRS. BERNICE SHERWOOD, R. N. Attendance Officer, MR. CHARLES PASQUALE
TEACHING CORPS
MISS C. ALICE MANNING, Principal Grade VIII.
MISS MARIE KEEGAN, Ass't. Grade VIII., & Coach Class Grade VII.
MISS ETHEL MACK
MISS NATALIE SMITH
Grade VI.
MISS FANNIE HINCKLEY
Grade IV. & V.
MISS ANNABELLE SYLVESTER
Grades V. & VI.
MISS MARY SHINNICK
Grades III. & IV.
MISS ALICE FLYNN
Grades III.
MISS MADELYN LAWRENCE Ass't Prin. Grade II.
MISS CATHERINE DEVANE
Grade I.
MR. HORACE KILLAM, Supervisor of Music
MISS MARY SHEA, Supervisor of Art
MR. CHARLES CLINCH, Janitor
86
SCHOOL REPORT
School Calendar 1944
January 3 to February 26
WINTER VACATION
March 6 to April 29
SPRING VACATION
May 8 to June 24
SUMMER VACATION
September 6 to December 23
CHRIRTMAS VACATION
HOLIDAYS
January 1 February 22 Good Friday April 19
May 30
October 12
November 11
November 23 and 24
No School Signal
Two Blows on Fire Alarm at 7.45 o'clock A. M. Two Blows on Whistle at the Blacking Factory at 7.45 o'clock A. M.
87
SCHOOL REPORT
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the School Committee, ยท Middleton, Massachusetts
Madam and Gentlemen:
It is my privilege to submit herewith my TWENTIETH AN- NUAL REPORT as Superintendent of Schools. This being an- other war-time report, it will necessarily be colored by such war-time activities as have entered into the schools. These extend from sale of war stamps and bonds through rationing periods to salvage drives for paper and scrap. It is shortened for the sake of saving paper and to make it easier for short-handed publishers.
The activities mentioned above, which are wholly within the school, are but a small part of the war's effect and impact on the lives and characters of the children of school age. One has but to read current newspapers and the various informative type monthly publications to realize the force and the universality of these impacts. Much of the difficulty is traceable to unusual home environment resulting from economic conditions which have called more and more mothers into industry, but even more power- ful is the peculiar type of nervous tension and consequent reaction which is much more difficult to diagnose and to control.
The inordinately great demand for labor, both skilled and unskilled, to meet the requirements of the very successful arming of this nation has reached into and upset the order of all too many homes. Mothers who, in normal times, would never have thought of seeking employment have, as a result of propaganda presenting such labor as a patriotic duty, left their normal home pursuits for various types of factory activities. In many cases, both parents are employed either during the same hours or in alternating shift periods, so that the family is almost never to- gether as a unit and naturally disintegrates as a basic educa- tional force. If continued long enough the results of this condition will be a little short of appalling. The initial effects are already plainly visible the world over. Not a day passes that we do not read or hear of some misguided activities of children, still of school age, which might have been avoided. At present the ill effects are showing in children of the early teen ages, but the lack of home control and discipline is appearing in children much
88
SCHOOL REPORT
younger. If continued for any extended period the results will truly justify the word "appalling" used above.
It would seem that in this day and age parents have failed to acquire a true conception of the part that family life, of the right kind, can play in the true education of a child. The family unit is not the closely knit organization that it was in earlier generations and was always intended to be. Community of in- terests between parents and children has gradually grown less and less as our means of enjoying common interests has increased. We see many of these very important aids become actual causes of family disunion. More than one father has literally been driven out of the house by the sob-sister stories and soap programs blared by the radio, or driven nearly to distraction by screaming con- troversy as to who shall have first chance at the comic section of the paper that he wants to read. In all too many families the peace and comfort of parents is overshadowed by the demands of the children. We, as parents, have grown soft and have thereby done actual harm in the true education of our children.
Too many people believe that education is wholly a matter of training in a classroom under a trained teacher. This is really but that part known as formal education. There is immeasurably more which is also education, in the sense of learning things-some of it miseducation, to be sure-which is acquired subconsciously during these waking hours outside of the five hour school day. This part of the store of learning, often in direct opposition to the teachings in school, is more easily acquired and more immediately effective because it is acquired without compulsion from any out- side source and without conscious effort. Some of it is adopted out of sheer perversity-just because it is something that should not be learned-a sort of forbidden fruit. We, as parents, need to see to it that opportunities for such miseducation are reduced to a minimum. This can be accomplished by supervision of leisure time and selection or control of the type of associates. It is not easy to accomplish, but is much worth while.
We would also do well to supervise our own conversations and vocabularies in the home. Too often that old adage, "little pitchers have big ears" is forgotten and sometimes to our great embarrassment or even sorrow. It is so easy to say things in the family circle which we would not venture to whisper outside. Children do not always know the true force or value of what they hear and are very likely to misunderstand and repeat incor-
89
SCHOOL REPORT
rectly things not intended for publication. There are also those little social insincerities and 'white lies' which seem so innocent to us but which are an example of grave import in the spiritual growth of a child. We send a child to the door to tell an un- welcome caller that we are not at home. Does that add to the child's respect either for us or for the truth? We can recall many such cases of failure to do our duty by means of that greatest teacher, EXAMPLE. Teaching based upon precept alone was long ago discarded as futile.
All that has gone before is but preliminary to the thought that upon those of us engaged in the profession of teaching has been placed an awful-in the sense of awe inspiring-responsibility. Not only must we provide 'all of the children of all of the people' with the basic elements of academic learning: we also perform many of the educative functions of the home and some which belong to the church. For the home we teach obedience, politeness, consideration for the rights of others, selfcontrol, fair play, kind- ness, helpfulness, thrift, community spirit, loyalty and patriotism. For the church, because so many do not have regular church privileges, we must teach love of truth, honesty, morality, respect for authority, respect for parents, clean speech and freedom from malice. Not all of these and perhaps not any of them appear as separate subjects in the curriculum, but they are all taught day in and day out, year in and year out, by precept by implication and by example, in every classroom where the teacher is worth her salt. And now as a result of this present horrible world con- flict we must also teach that "blood and tears shall be the in- heritance of that people who neglect to learn and to teach that the earth has grown smaller, that all men on it are fundamentally alike, that no human being need now lack food or shelter, and that science has made it necessary for men to live in peace if they want to live at all."
TEACHING PERSONNEL
Good fortune has continued with us during the year in that our staff of teachers has remained almost intact. There were but two changes. One of these occurred fairly early in the year and the place was filled by a substitute until June. Later, Miss Staples resigned her position in the sixth grade. The position as assistant to the principal and coach teacher was filled in September by the election of Miss Marie Keegan of Lawrence, a graduate of Salem
90
SCHOOL REPORT
Teachers' College in 1943. To replace Miss Staples, the services of Miss Natalie Smith were secured. She is also a graduate of Salem Teachers' College. Both of these young teachers show promise of becoming valuable acquisitions to our staff.
TEACHERS' COMPPENSATION
During the year it was found necessary, because of mounting living costs, to give certain salary increases to all school employees. Later in the year an enactment by the legislature made other in- creases practically compulsory. The result is a somewhat higher figure for teaching in our next budget. This is in keeping with the practice throughout the Commonwealth. Our increases were modest when compared to the demands of some groups of teachers in other communities. Payments in any town are bound to be effected by the rates paid for such work in other towns.
SCHOOL COSTS
There is a natural increase in every element of our school costs, natural, that is, for these times of short supply and low value of money. Books and supplies, while not high in price as compared to food and clothing, are of necessity higher than in normal times of more balanced supply and demand. The same condition applies to fuel, transportation, repair supplies and main- tenance costs in general. There is no certainity that the cost of tuition and transportation of high school pupils will stay at the same level as for several years past. Throughout the State, in- creases in school budgets of from sixteen to twenty percent are not unusual.
SCHOOL ENROLLMNENT
The elementary school enrollment for the town on October 1, 1943 was almost identical with that of the same date of 1942. Later in the year there was a time when the number exceeded that of the year before. Throughout the present school year the number has ranged just under three hundred. Tables found later in this report will show how these pupils were distributed.
OUR WAR SERVICE
Twice during the past year the schools have been called upon to do an important work in service to the nation. These efforts
91
SCHOOL REPORT
were war work in a very true sense because they had to do with helping in the equitable distribution of commodities which the na- tion had to share among its armed forces and their civilian sup- porters. There was probably no other group of people equipped to carry out these intricate jobs of registering for and distributing the ration book. The public owes a debt of gratitude to those who did this work so capably.
Another very important activity which is very intimately con- nected with the war economy is the promotion of the sale of war bonds and stamps, especially stamps. This Middleton school has done an unusually fine piece of work in this connection. I hope Miss Manning in her report will give figures to show what has been done. The Minute Man flag flown on the school flagstaff is evidence of the support given to this activity by local children.
Of course, our children have had their part in the various drives for the collection of scrap and paper. In consideration of the small number of children involved, the amount collected is surprising.
The Junior Red Cross is a proverbial part of work in this school. I have seen it in operation here for twenty years. At present the work done is only changed in character from previous years. The spirit has always been good and the articles produced of excellent quality and careful workmanship.
One room in the building has a collection of citations for excel- lent work in connection with other patriotic activities. Gardening and canning have been a part of the work directed by this teacher. In general this work is under the auspices of the 4-H Club move- ment. Here again the children of Howe-Manning School prove far above the average in their accomplishment. Credit for such records belongs, in part at least, to enthusiastic leadership.
THE PLANT
The school building is maintained in excellent condition of repair and is kept clean and warm. There is little more that can be done for housing conditions. There are defects which will be remedied as soon as man power and materials are available. These are not serious at present but must be cared for before a more serious condition comes in the future.
92
SCHOOL REPORT
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
Appended to this report will be found the reports of the Principal and of the supervisors of special subjects. These are worthy of examination because of the evidence they give of the well rounded care which is given to local children.
CONCLUSION
I extend thanks for cooperative and courteous consideration rendered by all of my associates.
Respectfully submitted, STEPHEN G. BEAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. February 7, 1944.
ENROLLMENT STATISTICS-Table No. 1
Age-Grade Distribution-Registration October 1, 1943
Grades
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
T
I. -
7
25
2
34
II. -
5
9
11
1
36
III. -
6
13
7
2
28
IV. -
9
18
9
2
41
V. -
9
20
7
3
1
42
VI. -
8
21
4
5
2
40
VII. -
7
16
10
5
2
40
VIII.
10
14
5
3
1
33
Total
7
30
17
33
35
39
38
35
32
14
5
1
294
SCHOOL REPORT
93
94
SCHOOL REPORT
Table No. 2 Teacher-Grade Distribution October 1, 1943
I
II
III
IV
v
VI
VII
VIII
Tot.
Miss Devane -
34
34
Miss Lawrence
36
36
Miss Flynn
28
28
Miss Shinnick
30
30
Miss Hinckley -
11
21
32
Mrs. Sylvester
21
13
34
Miss Smith
27
27
Miss Mack
40
40
Miss Manning
33
33
Total
34
36
28
41
42
40
40
33
294
95
SCHOOL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The general activities of the Middleton School Committee continue much the same as those described in previous reports.
War has brought inevitable and serious changes in the daily and home lives of our pupils, creating a much more difficult task for the teacher in molding those lives in her charge and building worth while citizens. We suggest the community take a tolerant attitude towards the behavior of these children reared under the abnormal conditions existing in the world to-day over which they have no control. In many instances both parents are employed while in other cases the fathers who are in the service, can not exercise the control in the home as in normal times.
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