USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1931 > Part 10
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On another page is a table showing the distribution of the school population of Saugus. A few figures will suffice to show the over-crowding in the Senior High School.
124
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
On January I there were 681 pupils enrolled in the Senior High School, according to the figures of Principal Evans. Of this total 110 were seniors who will graduate this spring; 96 were juniors : 163 were sophomores, and 309 were freshmen.
In June 110 members of the Senior class will leave the school. There are, however, 260 pupils in the eighth grade of the two Junior High Schools. If they all graduate into the High School, which is, of course, unlikely, there would be 150 coming into the High School more than will leave by gradua- tion. It is estimated, however, that 10 per cent will not enter the High School. This would leave 124 more to enter the school than will graduate, or a total enrollment of 234.
This will mean that in September of this year there will be approximately 805 pupils in the Senior High School. The building will comfortably house between 550 and 600 pupils, although there are 681 there at present. That it will house 800 pupils, however, does not seem possible, although this will have to be done even if the new school is authorized this year, for it will not be ready for occupancy until the fall of 1932.
It is obvious from the foregoing that the situation can only be alleviated by the construction of a new Senior High School. Even then the situation at the Junior High School will be serious. This year there are two elementary grades at the Sweetser Junior High School. In September it will be neces- sary to take two additional rooms for this purpose. There will be a normal growth of two rooms at the Central Junior High School, which with the addition of two rooms from the Sweet- ser, will make it necessary to use 14 rooms of the present Senior High School building in the afternoon. There will be only five rooms left for future growth. The growth this year is four rooms and will not, in the opinion of Superintendent Lambert, be less than three and possibly four rooms in 1932.
Superintendent Lambert is convinced that the next problem of. the town will be in the Junior High School. With the con- struction of the new Senior High School, however, this could probably be met for several years by opening several rooms there for Junior High School purposes. The construction of a six-room addition to the Felton School for elementary purposes would also relieve the situation at the Sweetser School and this
125
ANNUAL. TOWN MEETING.
1931]
could again be converted into a Junior High School. This situation, however, will probably not have to be faced by the town for the next five years.
It should be emphasized that it is necessary to look two years into the future on the schooling question. Even if the contract is awarded this spring, the school would not be ready for occupancy before September 1 of 1931 and previous experience has indicated that another six months delay might be reasonably expected. By 1932 all of the available space at the High School will be exhausted in both the morning and afternoon sessions.
The Finance Committee is unanimously convinced that the problem is an actuality and that it must be faced by the town. Eduation of its children is the most manifest duty of any muni- cipality and Saugus must care for the situation this year.
Members of the School Housing Investigating Committee have spent two years working on the problem. Last year they secured permission from the General Court to borrow outside of the debt limit for the construction of the new school. It was estimated then that the building would cost $550,000. Since then, however, the committee has revised its figures. The committee finds that building conditions, in their opinion, are 10 per cent lower than last year. They have secured the other savings indicated by postponing the construction of a proposed wing on the building and have decided to leave unfinished the cafeteria under the same. They have also the space for the same. They have also decided to eliminate a proposed fly gallery for the auditorium and eliminating one of three balconies for spectators in the gymnasium. The committee has also voted to eliminate that portion of the gymnasium roof above the third floor, to eliminate the dental clinic and provide at this time only the landscaping absolutely necessary.
The building as planned by the School Housing Investigating Committee would have 29 classrooms, three laboratories, three lecture rooms, and five special rooms, making a total of 40 rooms. In addition there would be an auditorium seating 1, 200, library, lockers, showers, and a gymnasium. The toilet facili- ties would be sufficient to care for 1,200 pupils.
MEMBERSHIP BY GRADES AND BY SCHOOLS, JANUARY 1931
ELEMENTARY
JR. HIGH
HIGH SCHOOL
1
2
3
4
5
7
9
IO
II
12
P.G. Total
Armitage
34
35
36
36
3I
40
212
Ballard
36
39
45
35
40
35
230
Ballard
74
C'littondale
46
27
37
28
138
Emerson
27
13
75
Emerson
[ 2
27
31
70
Felton
44
44
40
44
36
37
245
Mansfield
+
34
40
40
155
Lynnhurst*
15
9
28
II
19
II
93
North Saugus*
21
16
16
21
20
5
109
Oaklandvale
15
20
9*
15*
17*
15*
91
Oaklandvale
7*
7
Roby
47
41
42
43
41
42
256
Roby
23
1 5
II
31
80
Centre
14
1 5
12
20
61
Sweetser (Grades)
40
Sweetser (Grades)
41
Junior High
335
310
645
High
309
163
96
110
3
681
Opportunity Ungraded
25
349
319
342
316
355
296
335
310
309
163
96
IIO
3
3,328
126
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
-
*Two grades in a room
40
41
6
S
35
39
3.5
SCHOOLS
:27
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
1931 ]
The building as outlined by the School Housing Investigating Committee would be as follows :
The building is to be a three-story brick building of Colonial design, having its principal facade towards the Newburyport Turnpike, but the entrance to the school grounds will be from Main street and from Highland avenue. The building will be placed far enough from the Newburyport Turnpike to admit of a 30-foot driveway from Main street to Highland avenue in front of the building and at the same time leaving parking space for 100 automobiles between the driveway and the Turnpike avail- able only from the driveway. The building is an I shaped structure with the gymnasium and class room wing on the south end, and the auditorium and future manual training room on the north end. The main entrance to the building is a Colonial portico on the long side of the building facing the Turnpike flanked by the auditorium wing on the north and the class room wing on the south. The building has been designed to admit of future extensions in three directions, two to be visible from the Turnpike which when completed will give a symmetrical facade from the front, the third to be a continuation of the manual training wing. The elevation presented shows three class rooms of the future addition on the north end extending towards Main street. The building is to contain an auditorium, a gymnasium, a library, a cafeteria, and lecture and laboratory rooms for phy- sics, chemistry, and biology, also specially equipped rooms for typewriting, bookkeeping, office appliances, banking, manual training, mechanical and free hand drawing, domestic science.
The main entrance leads into a 12-foot corridor extending the entire length of the building. At the left of the entrance is the Night Principal's office, storage closet and toilet and small wait- ing room. This waiting room in the daytime becomes a part of the general office of the Day Principal, which will contain the general school and clerical files, program system, telephone system, teachers' time clocks, information, etc. Connecting with this general office in the Principal's private office with a vault for school records and a storage closet and toilet. This office may be entered either from the general corridor or from the Principal's outer office. The Principal's office connects also with the office of the Dean of Girls, which has a small waiting room with a toilet which connects with the girls' rest room.
[ Dec. 31
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
METHOD OF RETIREMENT AND YEARLY COST
4%-15 Year Serial Bonds For Construction of Proposed High School
Dates
Bonds Outstanding
Principal Payment
Interest
Total to be ap- propriated by tax rate during year included
$25,000 00
Jan., 1932
256,666 66
$18,333 34
5,500 00
29,333 34
Jan., 1933
July, 1933
238,333 33
18,333 33
5,133 34
28,600 00
Jan., 1934
July, 1934
220,000 00
18,333 33
4,766 67
27,866 66
Jan., 1935
4,400 00
July, 1935
201,666 66
18,333 34
4,400 00
27,133 34
Jan., 1936
4,033 33
July, 1936
183,333 33
18,333 33
4,033 34
26,400 00
Jan., 1937
165,000 00
18,333 33
3,666 67
25,666 66
Jan., 1938
3,300 00
July, 1938
146,666 66
18,333 34
3,300 00
24,933 34
Jan., 1939
2,933 33
July, 1939
128,333 33
18,333 33
2,933 34
24,200 00
Jan., 1940
2,566 66
July, 1940
110,000 00
18,333 33
2,566 67
23,466 66
Jan., 1941
2,200 00
July, 1941
91,666 66
18,333 34
2,200 00
22,733 34
Jan., 1942
1,833 33
July, 1942
73,333 33
18,333 33
1,833 34
22,000 00
Jan., 1943
55,000 00
18,333 33
1,466 67
21,266 66
Jan., 1944
1,100 00
July, 1944
36,666 66
18,333 34
1,100 00
20,533 34
Jan., 1945
18,333 33
18,333 33
733 34
19,800 00
Jan., 1946
366 66
July. 1946
18,333 33
366 67
19,066 66
July, 1931
$275,000 00
$5,500 00
July, 1932
5,133 33
4,766 66
3,666 66
July, 1937
1,466 66
July. 1943
733 33
July, 1945
129
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
At the right of the main entrance is the Medical Quarters and quarters for the School Board ; the Doctor's office is entered from the front entrance, and connects with the small waiting room also entered from the front entrance, and with the Nurse's room which is entered either from the waiting room or from the main corridor. The Nurse's room connects with the supply room and toilet.
The quarters for the School Board consist of a larger Board Room serving as a general office for the Superintendent of Schools and meeting of the School Board with a small office for the Superintendent of Schools with a storage closet and toilet. Off the general office is an ante-room and a vault for the storage of school records.
The Auditorium wing contains an Auditorium with total seating capacity of 1,200-850 in the orchestra and 350 in the gallery. The Auditorium has a typical theater stage with dressing rooms, toilets, property room, and stage vents to com- ply with the Massachusetts law for theatres, thus making the auditorium available for plays and motion pictures in addition to the regular school work. The Auditorium is so arranged that it can be cut off from the school building and thrown open to the public. The Library is also to be located in the Audit- orium wing and will contain a large reading room with a small room for the librarian and a small room for book repairs and stack room. The large seating capacity of the library will re- lieve to a considerable extent the study halls : consequently these halls are made up of two rooms with a capacity of about 70, but the rooms are to be so laid out that they can be used as individual class rooms. The total number of class rooms necessary for home rooms is based on seating 35 pupils in a room. Thus a total number of 1,200 pupils is provided for. This would require a total of 35 home rooms ; but some of the special rooms and the study halls already mentioned will be available for home rooms.
The gymnasium provides in a half basement, rooms for in- structors, field equipment, boys' lockers, shower rooms, girls' lockers and shower rooms together with toilet rooms and stor- age space for equipment and a room for visiting teams, janitor's room and plenum for the ventilation of the gymnasium. The
130
TOWY DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
first floor of the gymnasium is of sufficient size to house a 45×75 basketball court, and provides for a division which will make it possible for boys and girls to use the gymnasium at the same time. The second floor of the gymnasium contains a visitors' gallery.
The boiler room is to be isolated and located on the northeast corner.
The building would be of second-class sprinkler construction. The building committee finds that a building of first-class sprinkler construction would cost $150,000 more. The reduc- tion in the insurance cost would be only $243 yearly. The cost to the town, however, of the additional $150,000 would result in a raise in the tax rate of 90 cents additional in 1931, grad- ually reducing to 30 cents in the latter years of the bond issue. It would appear much more economical for the town to bear the additional insurance of $243 annually than to raise the tax rate to this extent.
The proposed site of the new building is on land owned by the town on the Town Infirmary property on the Newburyport Turnpike. The new school would face the turnpike. There would, however, be no entrance from the turnpike and a high fence would be erected along the entire turnpike at this point. A road would be cut in from Main street. There is a 30-foot driveway provided for in the front of the building and parking space for 100 automobiles between this road and the steel fence by the turnpike. The School Housing Investigating Committee finds that there will be practically no grading at this site, only $5,000 being provided for this item. There is land sufficient for the school and for a football field and one quarter mile track at the rear of the school. Sufficient land is also contained in the tract to allow for the construction of three future wings to the school. It is estimated that the town would not outgrow this site in 50 years. Sufficient land also remains on the Town Infirmary property at the opposite side of Highland avenue to allow for the construction of a baseball diamond, tennis courts, and bleachers in the future.
The School Housing Committee finds that if the town does not take this site that it will be necessary to procure a large plot of land.
131
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
Not only will it be necessary for the town to purchase this land but there will be a natural condemnation of property for taxable purposes. If an addition was to be constructed on the present inadequate structure in Saugus Center, it would be necessary to condemn some $30,000 worth of taxable property, bringing into the town considerable revenue each year.
Several sites have been considered by the committee. It has been suggested to them that they take Fiske's Field in Clifton- dale. Here, however, there would be a tremendous cost for filling. The so-called "Unity Camp" site has also been suggested. Here, however, the committee finds that there is not sufficient land at their disposal. There are many objections to any proposed site, the principal one being that the cost would be prohibitive. Here the town can build a school with- out purchasing a foot of land for the next 50 years.
Members of the Finance Committee have given the subject of the erection of the proposed new school considerable thought and study. There is no question in the mind of the committee but what a school must be erected this year. The committee is unanimously convinced that there is no other alternative. The Finance Committee does not, however, believe that $400,000 is necessary for this purpose and does not believe that the town of Saugus can afford such an exceptional expenditure at this time.
To appropriate $400,000 for the school would cost the tax- payers of Saugus approximately $2.65 on their tax rate this year. In 1932 the cost would be still greater and $3.12 would have to be allowed. This is because the town will experience in 1932 the full force of the principal plus the interest charges.
Members of the Finance Committee, by unanimous vote, have decided to recommend to the Limited Town Meeting that a bond issue,of $300,000 be authorized for the construction of a new school. On another page will be seen the effect of this upon the tax rate and the amount which must be spent by the town for the 15 years covering the issue.
By borrowing $300,000 for the new school, the town must pay from this year's tax levy, $25,000. This will mean an ap- proximate raise in the tax rate of $2.00 against the $2.65 estim- ated by the School Housing Investigating Committee. This
132
TOWN DOCUMENTS. [Dec. 31
will mean a saving of 60 cents in the tax rate. The proportion of increase in 1932 will also be lower.
The Finance Committee has carefully studied the plans sub- mitted by the School Housing Investigating Committee. The plans were prepared by Ralph Temple Jackson of Boston. The plans indicate a beautiful building which would undoubtedly be an asset to the community but the Finance Committee is unani- mously of the belief that the plans are entirely too elaborate for the needs of the town. In the opinion of the Finance Com- mittee, the crying need of the school system of Saugus lies in additional classrooms. Other things can well wait until this necessity is cared for. The town should bend its first efforts towards providing the children of the town with proper classrooms.
The Finance Committee has no quarrel with the general plan of the building. It believes, however, that many changes may be made in the interior layout which will result in vast savings to the town and will enable a school to be constructed within the $300,000 recommended by the Finance Committee.
The committee is not opposed to the construction of an audi- torium and gymnasium in the school. It believes that these two features are necessary in a modern school and that they should be provided at this time. The layout of the lower part of the gymnasium, however, is, in the opinion of the committee, rather elaborate. The committee sees no necessity for rooms for the boy's instructor and the girl's instructor and private waiting rooms adjoining each. Other things of this nature might, in the opinion of the committee, be well postponed until future expansion necessitates the addition of a wing.
On the proposed first floor, however, the Finance Committee finds several things with which it cannot agree. It finds a large room for the Dean of Girls and another smaller waiting room for those who may wish to interview her. It finds a room for the "Night Principal," although Saugus High School has not yet reached that dignity. It finds a private office for the physician and another for the nurse, although one room might well be assigned to both. The doctor also has a waiting room for his patients.
133
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
The Finance Committee finds that the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools also plan to change their head- quarters to the new building and commodious quarters have been provided. With this thought the Finance Committee is also at variance. The School Committee has quarters at the High School at present, conveniently located, and it is believed that they will serve for some time to come. The Finance Com- mittee again reiterates that the most pressing need of the town is for classroom space. The room assigned to the School Com- mittee would make an excellent classroom.
The Finance Committee finds, also, that the janitor is pro- vided with an office and a storage room on two of the three floors. In addition he has a room in the basement of the gym- nasium and a large storage room in the boiler plant. The janitor would appear to be well provided with facilities.
Two vaults have been provided, one in the principal's office and another in the School Committee's office. The Finance Committee believes that one of these could be eliminated.
The second floor of the proposed school brings to light again many of the same objections. There are two typewriting rooms and another for office appliances. The committee believes that one of the trio might well be eliminated for the present. Two bookkeeping rooms are also provided.
The Finance Committee finds several things in the third floor plan which it believes might be eliminated. The committee finds a physics laboratory of generous dimensions and a physics lecture room side by side. The committee finds a chemistry laboratory, a chemistry storage room, and a chemistry lecture room. There is also a general science lecture room. It would appear that this was far more than is necessary to handle the situation existing at the school at present. There are also two sewing rooms and another room for domestic science. A large library is provided, with which the committee is in concord, but there is, in addition, a private office for the librarian, who also has a desk in the main library. A work room, a biology lecture room and a biology laboratory are also provided.
It should be understood, that the Finance Committee is not questioning the value of many of these things. If the town
134
TOWN DOCUMENTS.
[Dec. 31
could afford such a structure as outlined, it would be well to have all of these splendid facilities. The committee is, how- ever, faced with the fact that the town of Saugus is faced with an abnormal year coupled with the fact that there must be additional school facilities.
Many of the things outlined above, the Finance Committee believes, can be eliminated and the size of the building cut down in proportion without decreasing the number of classrooms. The suggested 29 classrooms would appear to be necessary to handle the capacity of the school at 1,200. The Finance Com- mittee is inclined to favor the construction of as many class- rooms as possible for every indication is that they will be needed in the near future.
The Finance Committee believes that the recommended $300,000 will build a school sufficiently large to care for the town's needs for several years to come. The committee calls attention to the fact that the valuation of the town is growing at the rate of $500,000 annually. The longer the town can post- pone the construction of many of the "luxuries" contained in the original plan, the greater valuation there will be to levy the cost against with a consequent decrease in the tax rate. The committee favors the construction of a school capable of caring for 1,200 pupils and believes that future growth should be cared for by the construction of additional units.
The Finance Committee believes that the town can build more economically at present than has been possible for some years. The opinion of the committee is that building costs are some- what lower than the 10 per cent suggested by the Housing Com- mittee and that additional savings can be effected in this wise.
The Finance Committee, in conclusion, does not wish to con- vey the impression that there is any effort to belittle the work of the school Housing Committee on the subject of a new high school. The Finance Committee has been given complete and courteous information upon the subject by the committee and has been impressed with their thorough knowledge of the sub- ject. The committee, however, is unable to agree with many items in the Jackson plan for the new building.
135
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1931]
The Finance Committee, therefore, by unanimous vote, recom- mends to the members of the Limited Town Meeting the appro- priation of $300,000, by bond issue, for the construction of a new Senior High School.
ART. 27-Request of the School Housing Investigating Committee for an appropriation of $2,000 to take land for the construction of a road for the new Senior High School.
This is to enable the town to construct a road from Main street to the new Senior High School on the land of the Town Infirmary. The construction of this road is necessary if an entrance from the Newburport Turnpike is to be avoided. The Finance Committee unanimously recommends the appropriation of $2,000 for this purpose.
ART. 28-Request of the Board of Fire Engineers for a bond issue of $50,000 for the construction of a fire station at the rear of the Town Hall.
This is the third year that the town has faced the responsi- bility of constructing a new fire station. On the two previous occasions the Annual Town Meeting has refused to authorize the construction of the new building.
The Finance Committee, however, is convinced that the town is sadly in need of a new fire station. The present building is in deplorable condition. It is admittedly a fire menace and is not in any sense a proper building to house men. The Board of Fire Engineers and Chief Mellen R. Joy of the department have repeatedly brought to the attention of the Finance Committee the serious situation with relation to the town's fire station. The Finance Committee is convinced that this is a project which should have been undertaken several years ago and which would now be well out of the way.
Postponement of pressing problems confronting the town is not, in the opinion of the Finance Committee, a proper method for the town to pursue. It will inevitably result in all of these crushing burdens falling upon the municipal shoulders of the community in one year. Sewers, increased school facilities, a fire station, and other things of this nature are marked for early delivery. The town can only increase the proportional burden by delaying their construction.
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