USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Middleton > Town annual report of Middleton, MA. 1956 > Part 5
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Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
GENERAL GOVERNMENT - 4.44% OF TOTAL
Moderator
1.
Salary
$ 50.00
$ 50.00
$ 50.00
Finance Committee
2.
Expenses
25.44
106.56
100.00
Selectmen
3.
Salaries
900.00
900.00
1,500.00
4.
Expenses
444.68
431.70
500.00
5.
Clerk
250.00
250.00
350.00
Accountant
6.
Salary
933.33
1,200.00
1,400.00
7.
Expenses
66.98
37.75
100.00
Treasurer
8.
Salary
933.33
1,000.00
1,200.00
9.
Expenses
729.35
914.67
1,150.00
10.
Tax Title Ex.
260.95
345.00
400.00
Collector
11.
Salary
933.33
1,000.00
1,200.00
12.
Expenses
725.87
901.57
965.00
Assessors
13.
Salaries (3) 1,500.00
1,500.00
1,800.00
14.
Expenses
707.57
799.98
850.00
Town Counsel
15.
Salary
600.00
600.00
800.00
16.
Expenses
75.50
100.00
Clerk
17.
Salary
400.00
400.00
400.00
18.
Expenses
205.32
433.41
655.00
Elections and Registrations
19.
Salary
195.00
300.00
140.00
20.
Expenses
383.28
1,364.56
565.00
Planning Board 21.
Expenses
172.47
104.30
200.00
Town Hall
22.
Salary
455.33
480.00
480.00
23.
Expenses
624.11
571.81
650.00
24.
Special
233.33
245.50
250.00
100
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Item
Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
No
Memorial Hall
25.
Salary
360.00
360.00
360.00
26.
Expenses
1,773.75
1,852.39
1,800.00
27.
Special
548.15
93.30
275.00
TOTALS
$14,487.07 $16,242.50 $18,240.00 PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY-6.15% OF TOTAL
Constable
28.
Salary
35.00
35.00
35.00
Police Department
29.
Chief Salary 4,010.00
4,420.00
4,680.00
30.
Wages
2,128.54
2,648.78
2,800.00
31.
Expenses
1,800.37
2,640.82
2,205.00
Civil Defense
32.
Expenses
210.50
78.47
100.00
Fire Department 33.
Salaries
1,002.92
1,655.00
2,575.00
34.
Expenses
4,834.25
6,276.61
6,905.00
Building Inspector
35.
Radio
1,416.95
36.
Salary
400.00
400.00
500.00
37.
Expenses
116.67
125.00
200.00
Board of Appeals 38.
Expenses
209.12
266.24
300.00
Wire Inspector 39.
Salary
233.33
300.00
300.00
40.
Expenses
61.35
95.00
125.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures 41.
Salary
125.00
125.00
125.00
42.
Expenses
151.18
75.00
75.00
Dog Officer 43.
Salary
100.00
100.00
100.00
44.
Expenses
153.00
169.00
125.00
Forestry Department
45.
Forestry Expenses
1,530.85
1,191.11
1,300.00
46.
Moth Expenses
1,321.91
1,198.75
1,200.00
47.
Dutch Elm Control
662.48
994.04
1,300.00
48.
New Trees
166.14
200.00
300.00
TOTALS
$19,252.61
$24,410.77
$25,250.00
101
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Item
Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
No.
HEALTH AND SANITATION - 1.60% OF TOTAL
oBard of Health
49.
Salaries
120.00
120.00
320.00
50.
Expenses
1,774.58
3,324.79
2,350.00
Dental Clinic 51.
Expenses
1,235.35
1,036.07
1,500.00
Inspector of Cattle 52.
Salary
166.67
200.00
200.00
53.
Expenses
100.00
Inspector of Slaughtering
54.
Salary
50.00
100.00
100.00
Community Health Program
Expenses
800.00
2,000.00
TOTALS
$ 3,346.60
$ 5,580.86
$ 6,570.00
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT - 13.76% OF TOTAL
Highway
56.
Surveyor Salary
3,618.67
3,848.00
4,160.00
(from available highway funds)
57.
Expenses
5,099.09
5,021.59
5,000.00
58.
Truck
3,113.75
59.
Road Machinery Account
4,390.85
4,549.74
4,500.00
60.
Chapter 81
4,800.00
4,950.00
4,950.00
61. Chapter 81 State
8,800.00
9,075.00
9,075.00
62.
Chapter 90 Construction
200.00
1,500.00
2,000.00
63.
Chapter 90 Construction State
6,000.00
4,500.00
7,500.00
64.
Chapter 90 Maintenance
2,000.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
65.
Chapter 90 Maintenance State
1,000.00
1,000.00
1,000.00
66.
Peabody Street Bridge
1,500.00
67.
Peabody Street Bridge State
4,500.00 500.00
68. Storm Drains
474.58
69. Snow Removal
5,889.67
16,054.85
10,000.00
70. Essex Street Land Takings
200.00
71. Power Sweeper
72.
Street Lighting
3,500.00
3,500.00
4,000.00
TOTALS
$43,479.61
$59,787.51
$56,525.00
55.
102
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Item
Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
No.
CHARITIES - 11.69% OF TOTAL
Public Assistance
73. Old Age Assistance Aid
20,340.70
36,318.51
32,500.00
74.
Federal Grant
75.
Aid Dependent Children
4,197.87
5,560.99
5,500.00
76. Federal Grant
77.
Disability Assistance Aid Federal Grant
860.86
2,598.91
2,000.00
79.
General Relief
3,918.04
3,489.16
6,000.00
80. 81.
Salaries
591.67
800.00
800.00
Expenses
5,247.61
94.92
200.00
82.
Welfare District Administration 618.00
1,162.00
1,006.00.
TOTALS
$35,774.75 $50,024.49
$48,006.0
VETERANS' AID SERVICES - 1.29% OF TOTAL
Veterans' Agent
83.
Salary
250.00
250.00
250.00
84.
Expenses
5.00
50.00
85. Veterans' Aid
4,343.12
5,036.91
5,000.00
TOTALS
$ 4,598.12
$ 5,286.91
$ 5,300.00
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT - 46.04% OF TOTAL
Schools
86. Salaries and Wages
60,944.13
72,309.18
85,510.00
87. Expenses
52,110.37
58,031.03
71,875.00
88. Supt. Out of State Travel
87.50
151.06
200.00
89. Facilities Committee
978.00
100.90
90. Regional Committee
205.02
91. Building Committee
3,129.42
92. Building Addition
14,913.82
93. Regional School
30,545.21
94. Vocational Education
1,385.67
576.74
1,000.00
TOTALS
$115,505.67 $150,417.17 $189,130.21
78.
Public Welfare Board
103
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Item
Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
No.
LIBRARY DEPARTMENT
- 1.10% OF TOTAL
95.
Salaries
1,424.83
1,834.50
1,900.00
96.
Expenses
2,022.40
2,273.98
2,600.00
87.
Dog Tax
723.90
768.76
98.
Special
1,000.00
TOTALS
$ 4,171.13
$ 5,108.48
$ 4,500.00
RECREATION - 0.22% OF TOTAL
Park
99.
Expenses
839.60
845.85
900.00
UNCLASSIFIED - 3.79% OF TOTAL
100.
Retirement Assessment
3,084.98
3,597.67
5,049.66
101.
Memorial Day
373.44
399.85
400.00
102. Printing Town Reports
915.32
999.00
1,025.00
103.
Insurance
3,714.54
3,461.92
4,500.00
104.
Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance
1,500.00
1,950.14
2,500.00
105.
Christmas Tree Lighting
68.92
66.00
75.00
106.
Reserve Fund
1,256.54
1,959.14
2,000.00
TOTALS
$11,013.74
$12,433.72
$15,549.66
PUBLIC SERVICES ENTERPRISES - 0.19% OF TOTAL
Electric Light Department
107.
Salaries
784.33
8,260.00
8,296.00
108.
Wages
14,548.70
15,603.12
17,000.00
109.
Energy
74,335.07
88,536.38
96,000.00
110.
Expenses
17,946.11
17,854.65
18,000.00
111.
Depreciation
4,084.05
7,693.99
7,700.00
112.
Line Clearance
1,827.82
1,324.00
1,500.00
113.
Line Purchase
2,500.00
114.
Truck Purchase
1,500.00
115
Sub-station
2,000.00
116
Emergency Fund
1,000.00
1,000.00
117.
Curtis Ave. Lights
476.42
TOTALS
$$120,585.08 $146,748.56 $149,496.00
104
RECOMMENDATIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE
Item
Item
Average Expended 1953-1955
Expended 1956
Recom- mended 1957
No.
Water Department
118.
Salaries
300.00
119.
Expenses
402.29
500.00
TOTALS
$ 402.29
$ 800.00
CEMETERIES - 1.36% OF TOTAL
120.
Supt of Burials Salary
30.00
30.00
30.00
121. Commissioners Salaries (3)
60.00
60.00
60.00
Cemetery
122.
Expenses
3,496.56
3,849.65
4,200.00
123.
Opening Graves
681.27
759.75
800.00
124.
Hot Top
690.03
479.80
500.00
125.
New Section
214.40
TOTALS
$ 4,957.86
$ 5,393.60 $ 5,590.00
MATURING DEBT AND INTEREST - 8.38% OF TOTAL
126. School Addition Loan
10,000.00
10,000.00
10,000.00
127.
Addition No. 2 Loan
10,000.00
128.
Fire-Highway Building
5,000.00
5,000.00
5,000.00
129. Interest
3,560.00
3,073.75
9,426.25
TOTALS
$18,560.00
$18,073.75
$34,426.25
GRAND TOTALS
$275,986.76 $343,533.32 $410,787.12
RECOMMENDATIONS
1957 BUDGET
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Town of Middleton
500
79
for the Year Ending December, 31, 1956
107
SCHOOL REPORT
SCHOOL REPORT
School Committee
MR. EBEN L. JEWETT, Chairman
MRS. ROSAMOND BASTABLE, Secretary
MR. HENRY LUSCOMB
MR. ELMER MORRILL
MR. JOSEPH R. CHARTIER
Term expires 1958
Term expires 1958
Term expires 1957
Term expires 1957
Term expires 1959
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS RAYMOND S. DOWER, JR.
Office: Howe-Manning School Tel. SPring 4-3517
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Lois K. Rogers, M.D. Topsfield, Mass.
SCHOOL NURSE
Irene Richmond, R.N. Danvers, Mass.
School Calendar 1957
Open January 2, 1957 Close February 15, 1957 VACATION - ONE WEEK
Open February 25, 1957 Close April 18, 1957
VACATION - ONE WEEK
Open April 29, 1957 Close June 14, 1957
SUMMER VACATION
Open September 9, 1957 Close December 20, 1957
School Holidays
Good Friday
May 30 November 28 and 29
November 11
(and such other days as the School Committee may designate) The School Calendar may be subject to change.
108
SCHOOL REPORT
No School Signals
The following no school signals have been adopted:
a. 2-2-2 blast on the fire alarm
b. Two blasts at the B. B. Chemical Co.
c. Street lights on for three minutes
d. Radio Stations WBZ and WESX will carry an announcement on their regular no school broadcasts.
The signal for the High School will be at 7:15 A.M. The signal for the Howe-Manning School will be at 7:45 A.M.
SCHOOL CENSUS
October 1, 1956
Age
Girls
Boys
Total
5-7
60
65
125
7-16
211
240
451
4-5
35
31
66
3-4
39
25
64
2-3
32
35
67
1-2
32
37
69
Under one year
26
48
74
Age of School Admission
All children born on or before January 1, 1952 are eligible to attend school in the coming Fall term. No entrance tests for children under the age requirements will be given.
109
SCHOOL REPORT
HOWE-MANNING SCHOOL Corps of Teachers 1956-1957
Name
George E. Port, Jr., M. Ed.
Boston College
Prin. Sept. 1955
Catherine Devane
Leslie College
1
Sept. 1937
Evelyn Hausman
Westchester Teachers College
1
Sept. 1956
Joanne Belle, B.S. Ed.
Salem Teachers Col. 2
Sept. 1956
Mary Kelley, B.S. Ed.
Boston College
2 Sept. 1956
Eleanor Cassidy, B.S. Ed.
Salem Teachers Col.
3 Sept. 1955
Gladys Williams
Bridgewater Normal
3 Sept. 1954
Fannie C. Hinkley
Salem Teachers Col.
4
Sept. 1914
Maureen Collins, B.S. Ed.
Boston College
4 Sept. 1956
J. Nellie Johnston
Salem Teachers Col.
5 Sept. 1949
Rose E. Durgin, B.S.
Gordon College
5 Sept. 1956
Eugene Winter, B.S. Ed.
Lowell Teachers Col.
6 Sept. 1954
Ann J. Hennessey, B.S. Ed.
Arthur E. Mignault, B.S. Ed. Salem Teachers Col.
Lillian Taylor, B.S. Ed.
Salem Teachers Col. 8 Sept. 1953
Shirley Foley, B.S. Ed.
Salem Teachers Col.
8 Sept. 1955
Supervisors
Doris Ashley, M. Ed.
Edward Bruzzo, B.S.
Doris Nyquist, B.M. William Rinehart, Dir.
Boston University
Read. Sept. 1955 Art Oct. 1953
Music Sept. 1951
Rinehart Handwriting Penman-
ship Sept. 1951
Secretary
Marion E. Seaver Middleton
Janitor and Attendance
Nathan Hayward, Jr.
Middleton
Salem Teachers Col.
6&7 Sept. 1956
7 Sept. 1956
Tufts College N. E. Con. of Music
Date of Grade Appointment
110
SCHOOL REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the citizens of the town of Middleton the school committee submits herewith its annual report.
Again this year, the local committee has been concerned with the spiraling costs of education and the resultant burden on the local taxpayers. Although this trend is nationwide, we have done our utmost to spend wisely and to keep local costs at a minimum. How- ever, we too are caught in this ever-upward spiral and factors beyond our control make for increased per pupil costs in order to maintain a good standard of education.
The serious matter of teacher turnover during the past few years is not peculiar to Middleton alone but it is of real concern to us. The factors of teacher supply and demand are making this a national school committee problem. Our committee has considered carefully what other factors contribute to this problem locally. Again, most of the reasons for turnover in our system are beyond our control. Our geographic location, cupid, the stork, and salary have all played a part in the situation. We are aware of the importance of continuity for a good educational system. With this in mind, we have adopted a new salary schedule with features that we hope will make it attractive for a teacher to continue to teach in Middleton beyond her first or second years. The new schedule has increased the minimum salary from $3,000 to $3,200. It has also changed the flat $200 yearly increment to successive annual increments of $200, $300, and $400. Thus, an inexperienced teacher coming into our system and earning tenure is assured of starting her fourth year of teaching in our system at a salary of at least $4,100 and will enjoy increases of $200 per year each year thereafter to maximum. This year for the first time, in revising our salary schedule, each teacher already in our school was placed where he or she belonged on the salary scale. This phase of salary revision is long past due here. The committee felt that with seven new teachers and with comparatively few veterans this was the year to make the change with the least burden to the local taxpayers. Provisions have been made for teachers with experience outside of our ssytem to come in on scale which should make it easier to recruit good experienced teachers.
111
SCHOOL REPORT
Next September will see our freshman, sophomore, and junior high school pupils going to Salem High School on a tuition basis with only our senior pupils continuing at Danvers High. We have known for some time that Danvers enrollments weer such that they would no longer be able to accept our high school pupils. We feel fortunate in being able to send our pupils to Salem for the next year or two. Although we are confident that this temporary arrangement should work out very well, there undoubtedly will be many individual adjust- ments to be made. We ask of both the parents and high school pupils their utmost cooperation in making the transition a smooth one. We plan to arrange meetings where both parents and high school pupils can become better acquainted with the offerings of Salem High School.
Many other phases of our committee's work are dealt with adequately in the attached school reports which we hope you will read carefully.
We wish to thank our Superintendent, Mr. Dower; our Principal, Mr. Port; our faithful teachers, supervisors, custodians, and cafeteria workers for their cooperation and layalty during the past year. We should also like to thank at this time, Mr. Muzichuk and his bus. drivers for the' efficient and conscientious performance of their duties.
Sincerely,
Signed:
Eben L. Jewett, Chairman
Rosamond L. Bastable, Secretary Henry Luscomb Elmer P. Morrill
Joseph R. Chartier
112
SCHOOL REPORT
ENROLLMENT STATISTICS AGE-GRADE DISTRIBUTION - OCTOBER 1, 1956
Age
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Totals
Grade
I
9
54
3
66
II
12
38
8
2
60
III
13
36
15
1
65
IV
10
45
12
67
V
13
38
5
2
58
VI
11
18
4
2
35
VII
9
20
6
4
39
VIII
1
10
39
7
1
58
Totals
9
66
54
54
75
62
33
36
47
11
1
4418
TEACHER-GRADE DISTRIBUTION - OCTOBER 1, 1956
Teacher
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Totals
.
Miss Devane
32
32
Mrs. Hausman
34
34
Miss Belle
30
30
Miss Kelley
30
30
Mrs. Cassidy
34
34
Mrs. Williams
31
31
Miss Hinkley
33
33
Miss Collins
34
34
Mrs. Johnston
29
29
Miss Durgin
29
1
29
Mr. Winter
25
25
Miss Hennessey
10
15
25
Mr. Mignault
24
24
Miss Foley
28
28
Mrs. Taylor
30
30
66
60
65
67
58
35
39
58
448
113
SCHOOL REPORT
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
To the Middleton School Committee:
Herewith is submitted my annual report as Superintendent of Schools for the Middleton Public School System.
ADMINISTRATION
Since January 1, 1956, the Town of Middleton has had its own separate School Department. This action was brought about by decree of the State Department of Education following petitions of the Towns of Tewksbury and Middleton to dissolve the then existing school union. In granting the dissolution, the State Department decreed that Middleton must appoint a full-time Superintendent of Schools together with a teaching principal. The undersigned has been serving as Superintendent of Schools since the authorization of a separate school department.
In order to more fully comply with the decree of the State Department, George E. Port, Jr., teacher of Science and Guidance, was appointed to the teaching principal post in the Spring of this. past year and provisions were made in September to free him from some of his teaching duties to be able to devote more time to the administrative responsibilities of his new position. Mr. Port retained his responsibilities as Guidance Director and Audio-Visual Aids Director and a report on these activities is rendered as a portion of his report which is printed elsewhere.
Since becoming a separate school system, Middleton has joined the New England School Development Council. This professional organization with headquarters in Cambridge is composed of towns and cities throughout New England who have banded together with the principal aim being the' improvement of school systems through cooperative study and self-evaluation. The Middleton School Depart- ment receives publications on all phases of school life and participates in surveys administered by the' Council.
SCHOOL FACILITIES
Like all other communities throughout the nation, Middleton has been forced to take action concerning the problem of housing its school children. Positive action on the question of housing the elemen- tary school population was taken at the last annual Town Meeting in
114
SCHOOL REPORT
March when a proposed six-room addition to the Howe-Manning School was voted. Construction on this new wing has begun and completion is looked for before the opening of school in the Fall of 1957. The completion of this wing will not come any too soon. A class- room has been located in the gymnasium for the past three school years. This class can be moved to a classroom thus freeing the gymnasium for physical education classes for the lower grades and use for rehearsals for school events such as pageants, assemblies and graduation exercises. Present pre-school census reports indicate the possibility of a third first grade class in September 1957 thus necessitating the use of another room. More positive information concerning this problem will be available after the pre-school regis- tration for first grade which takes place each Spring. It will now be possible to have the school library moved into a classroom where it can form the background for a reading center supervised by the reading supervisor who now is teaching in a converted teachers' rest room. State law now states that towns and cities in Massachusetts having five or more pupils in need of special help to prepare them for the life that lies ahead of them must receive specialized training. This will necessitate the use of still another classroom. Finally, another classroom teacher must be added at the Sixth Grade level as there are now two Fifth Grade classes this year as compared to one Sixth Grade and a combination class housing Sixth and Seventh Grades.
The Howe-Manning School, with the new wing completed, will house twenty classrooms. This is in keeping with the School Depart- ment's long range planning which calls for the Howe-Manning School to be a Grade One through Grade Six elementary school with three classrooms at a grade level and with two special purpose rooms, one of which will house the school library.
Positive action has been taken during the past year by the three towns of Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield toward the formation of a regional high school district. Present plans call for a six year high school. This will alleviate conditions at the Howe-Manning in that Grades Seven and Eight will be eventually placed in the regional high school. The new wing of the Howe-Manning School will take care of this segment of the school population until the regional high school is completed.
The success of the regional high school plan was assured in the Town of Middleton because of the threat of exclusion of Middleton high school pupils at Danvers High School due to increasing enroll- ments at that institution. Because of this situation, the Middleton
115
SCHOOL REPORT
School Committee petitioned the Salem School Committee for entrance at Salem High School beginning in the Fall of 1957 for freshmen, sophomore and junior classes. This action must be looked upon as only a temporary arrangement until the regional high school becomes an actuality.
CURRICULUM
An evaluation of the arithmetic program was carried on by the teachers at the' Howe-Manning School during the past year. This work was done during the one-afternoon a month sessions when the children were dismissed at noon so that the teachers might devote their full efforts to this work. As a result, for the first time, a complete program in this subject matter area has been completed and printed for the use of all teachers. In addition, a series of arithmetic textbooks have been purchased and most closely approach the aims and objectives outlined by the faculty as a result of the year's study.
This year's workshops comprise faculty research and investi- gation in the fields of science, social studies and language arts. It is hoped that two and possibly all three subject matter areas will be ready for publication when the school year ends in June.
As the result of staff meetings held throughout the year, changes have been made in the junior high program to eliminate study periods. This has made possible the inclusion of an extra period of language arts at the Seventh and Eighth Grade levels to help prepare these pupils for high school.
A separate report on reading has been rendered by the reading supervisor, and may be found elsewhere in the school department report.
TRANSPORTATION
This past year saw a renegotiation of school pupil transportation contracts. The successful bidder was John Muzichuk, holder of the previous contract. Transportation contracts are limited to three years and with the awarding of the contract to Mr. Muzichuk this past Summer, Middleton pupils began school in the Fall of this past year' in new busses both at the high school and elementary levels.
School busses continue to be empolyed for athletic events for the transportation of sports teams and for class trips to various points of educational interest in and around Boston. Our children continue to receive compliments on their behaviour by guides and attendants at the various places visited and this can be interpreted as a compli- ment to the community, the teaching staff, and the bus drivers.
116
SCHOOL REPORT
FINANCE
In these days of rising school costs, due to increasing population and basic increase in price for all school supplies, it might be worth- while to review the financial burden the townspeople have assumed for the maintenance of the Middleton School System.
The budget for the calendar year 1956 totalled $134,645.00. However, the Town of Middleton received $37,342.60 from State funds during the latter part of the year. This brings the total school cost down to $97,302.40. Of the total amount received from the State $25,783.93 was returned to the Town on the basis of a State formula which computes the number of children attending school and makes an allowance for each child. A total of $9,890.00 was received for transportation reimbursement. This amount is based on a formula which approximates a cost to the town of $5.00 per child with every- thing above that amount assumed by the State. The final amount of $1,666.67 is reimbursement by the State for employing a full-time Superintendent of Schools. This amount is for only half a school year because the undersigned has only been Superintendent since January 1, 1956. In another year, the reimbursement will be for $3,333.00.
It is possible to estimate State reimbursement funds for the year 1957 and it is expected that these estimates will total more than $45,000.00. It is felt wise to explain to the townspeople this phase of school finance as these funds are returned directly to the Town by the State. They are not used by the School Department but are employed to alleviate the tax burden.
In addition, the vocational education budget for the past year was $1,000.00. State' reimbursement funds for this program amounted to $466.46 or almost 50% of the program.
A third phase of school activity involving funds is the school lunch program. This program is self-sustaining in Middleton, that is it pays its own way through State reimbursements and pupil payments for lunches. This is not usually the case in many towns and cities in the Commonwealth. Funds must be requested from the communities in many cases to give support to the program. Advantage has been taken of the dietetic services offered by the State program and several consultations have been held during the past year with supervisors connected with the State program.
It is expected that school costs will continue to rise. Some thought must be given by residents who, if they wish a modern program of education to continue, must consider not ways for School Committees
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SCHOOL REPORT
to curtail educationally sound programs but ways in which the resident property taxpayer may be relieved of his burden. Ways must be found to increase municipal revenue not only for schools but for other town departments as well which must grow to keep pace with an increasing population. Organized efforts to secure funds from State or Federal sources or to interest the location of industry in this community would go a long way towards lightening the burden of the already overtaxed property owner. Several items of legislation are already on file at both State' and national levels. You should make it your business to be familiar with these proposals. It is to be hoped these bills will be passed to help communities such as Middleton which finds itself building at the elementary level and contemplating further indebtedness with the proposed regional high school.
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