USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1950 > Part 3
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This program is being carried out successfully in spite of the fact that appropriations for school textbooks in Saugus are sub- stantially lower than in most other comparable communities.
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May I say in passing that, in spite of lower textbook appropri- ations, our pupil textbooks are the equal of most communities and are distinctly superior to many.
High School Library
To meet recognized standards a reference library, for a school the size of Saugus High School, should contain approximately 10,000 volumes. Previous to 1951 our High School library numbered less than 2000 readable books.
In 1950 the School Committee and Superintendent decided to initiate a long-range program for bringing the volume strength of our High School library up to generally recognized standards. An item of $500.00 was inserted in the General School Budget for the purchase of high school reference books, classics, encyclopedias and other desirables. In 1950 we were able to purchase approximately $450.00 worth of valuable books. Some valuable books were also donated to the library by interested citizens of the community. If this program is continued year after year we will eventually have an up-to-date High School library. Our High School youths will be the beneficiaries.
An interesting result of the effect of this program has already been evidenced. Mr. Ashton F. Davis, Head of the English Depart- ment, recently reported to me that the student use of the High School library increased by more than 95% in the year 1950. This program also provides an excellent illustration of how a school system can be improved by the expenditure of relatively small yearly sums of money. Who is there who would say that this was not a wise expenditure of public funds ?
Pupil Desk and Chair Units
A long range program of replacing ancient and outmoded pupil desk and chair units has been initiated and should be continued year after year. The old units are being replaced with new portable units of the latest workmanship and design.
By January 1, 1951 ten classrooms in our school system had been completely reequipped with modern pupil desk and chair units. The classrooms already so equipped are as follows:
Armitage School
4 rooms
Felton School
2 rooms
High School 1 room
Oaklandvale School
1 room
North Saugus School
1 room
Legion Building 1 room
In the 1951 General School Budget money has been requested to allow for the continuance of this pupil desk and chair replace- ment program. Under the planned program six more classrooms would be completed during the year 1951. The classrooms to be equipped in 1951 follows :
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Armitage School Felton School
2 rooms
2 rooms
Roby School
2 rooms
By January 1, 1952 sixteen of our many classrooms should be completely reequipped with modern pupil school furniture. This represents real progress although, admittedly, it is not at a rapid pace.
This particular program should not be abandoned in the name of suggested economy. It is a very modest program and a very necessary program. To continue it year after year spells progress. Based on present day costs the amount of money involved each year would be approximately $5700.00.
Classroom Lighting
At the request of the School Committee the annual Town Meeting of 1950 appropriated the sum of $3000.00 to purchase and install new and modern electric lighting fixtures in our school classrooms. I am very happy to report that one school building is now equipped with modern classroom artificial lighting. This is the Ballard School, an eight classroom building.
After completing this building sufficient funds remained to purchase fixtures for three of the large classrooms in the Roby School. These will be installed in 1951.
We still have a long way to go to equip all of the classrooms in all of our school buildings. The important fact, however, is that we have started the program and that one large school building has been completed. Modern artificial lighting in school classrooms is a vital factor in the health and general welfare of school children. In Saugus it has been too long neglected.
I strongly recommend the continuance of this program. It is not a pretentious program and, measured by its benefits, it is not a costly program. To discontinue it, even for one year, is not in the interest of good business or good judgment. The sum of, at least, $2000.00 should be appropriated in 1951 to continue the program. If such is done, the Roby School, another eight room building, should be completed during this year.
In the carrying out of this program the School Committee and Superintendent have had the whole-hearted cooperation of Town Manager Norman G. Young. For this splendid cooperation the school authorities are deeply appreciative.
Teacher Turnover
The wisdom of the action of the School Committee in establish- ing a new salary schedule for teachers early in 1949 became very apparent in 1950. For in this year the Saugus school system lost the fewest number of teachers in the history of the School Depart- ment.
The entire staff of experienced High School teachers returned to us in September 1950. The entire staff of experienced Junior High School teachers returned to us in September 1950. Ninety five
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percent of our experienced staff of Elementary teachers also re- turned to us in the fall of 1950.
The maintenance of an experienced teaching staff is of the greatest importance in any school system. It guarantees to school children the best available teaching. It is of particular importance to Saugus since the experienced teacher offsets the lack of other facilities which a town such as Saugus is not able to afford.
The teacher will always be the most important single factor in any school system. Without the school teacher the school building is but a pile of bricks. Without the teacher the tools of education are of little value. For the above reasons the community that can retain its experienced teachers is indeed in a fortunate position.
The new salary schedule gave the teacher a respectable if not an adequate salary. Without question the new schedule caused many teachers to remain in Saugus who, otherwise, would have left us for more remunerative positions elsewhere.
Saugus citizens should always remember that a teacher prob- ably influences the lives of children more than the parents them- selves. Such being the case, there is no substitute for experienced and capable teachers.
Saugus has a strong qualified staff of school teachers. I would hesitate to exchange them collectively for any other teaching staff which I have seen in comparable communities.
State-Aid To Saugus
This caption and article is respectfully dedicated to one or two local gentlemen who, year after year, shout about the alleged high cost of public education in Saugus.
There are approximately 87 towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with poplations of 5,000 or over. This group of 87 towns includes the Town of Saugus. The actual truth is that Saugus stands nearly at the bottom of this entire group in expenditure per pupil.
In addition to this fact is the sensational truth that all increases in the General School Budget in the years of 1949 and 1950 were paid for by the State of Massachusetts and not by local taxpayers out of local real estate taxes.
This happened as a result of legislation recently enacted by the General Court of the Commonwealth. The effect of the legislation is to give to the poorer communities much larger State financial aid for education than is given to the wealthier communities. The formula is based on the number of children in the community be- tween the ages of 7 and 16 and upon the valuation of the community.
Saugus has a very large number of youth between the ages of 7 and 16. Saugus, also, has a relatively low valuation for a town of its size. Thus Saugus benefits both ways in the operation of the formula and, as a result, receives a very large reimbursement in State-Aid under the new legislation.
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By contrast, Wellesley has relatively few boys and girls be- tween the ages of 7 and 16 for a town of its size. Wellesley also has a very high community valuation. Thus Wellesley loses both ways in the operation of the formula and, as a result, benefits very little financially under the new legislation.
The following figures illustrate strikingly the financial gain to Saugus as a result of the new legislation. I list below, for each year from 1947 thru 1950, the amount of State-Aid to Education received by the Town of Saugus. A glance at the figures quickly shows the net result of the new law.
1947 1948
$25,320.00 1949
83,054.81
25,134.75 1950 96,379.81
The above figures show that Saugus received $57,920.06 more in State-Aid to Education in 1949 than it did in 1948. The increase in the General School Budget in 1949 was approximately $30,000.00. Thus the State paid the whole $30,000.00 increase and the town had $27,920.06 left for the local politicians to wave on their magic wand.
In 1950 Saugus received $71,245.06 more in State-Aid to Edu- cation than it did in 1948. In 1951 our town should receive well over $100,000.00 from the Commonwealth in State-Aid to Education alone.
This new legislation relative to increased State-Aid to Educa- tion was enacted into law very largely thru the efforts of School Committees, Superintendents of Schools, teachers, Parent-Teacher Associations and Leagues of Women Voters.
In short, while others promised oil farms, the schoolmen and women, plus the friends of public school education, secured the passage of this legislation which financially has meant so much to the Town of Saugus.
The Single Session
During the past few months every elementary school in Saugus, with one exception, has been placed upon a single session basis. The School Committee has taken this action because of the desire of a very high percentage of parents to have the single rather than the double session. The action of the School Committee cannot be criticized since their action only reflects the desire of the parents to whom the children belong.
It is my personal opinion that the change from double to single sessions is not wise. Our school buildings were constructed before the days when single sessions were contemplated in elementary schools. Our school buildings are not properly equipped with cafeterias, adequate washing and other sanitary facilities so essential in a single session elementary school.
I sincerely trust that I am wrong, but I do fear that the health of our school children, and possibly their education, will suffer.
I do favor a single session in a modern completely equipped elementary school. The new elementary school on Hurd Avenue will be such a building.
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Reduction In Size of Classes
This topic is of such importance to the school children of Saugus that I am repeating, almost word for word, my remarks in the annual report of 1949.
Educational experts throughout the country agree that twenty- five pupils per classroom should be the minimum teacher load for effective teaching. I do not disagree with their conclusion but I do believe that, all things considered, a maximum teacher load of thirty pupils would be satisfactory in Saugus. Two of the reasons for my conclusion are as follows :
(1) The town does not have unlimited finances.
(2) Saugus does have a very large percentage of strong and experienced teachers.
Our present situation is far from satisfactory. In our elemen- tary schools we have only a very few classes numbering less than thirty pupils. Too many classes number more than forty pupils and some of our double grades are numerically away beyond reason.
This, of course, is a situation which is not peculiar to Saugus alone. We are, however, worse off in this respect than most other communities of comparable size. The general situation is caused by the fact that communities have failed to provide their school systems with adequate school housing facilities. There is a ray of sunlight on the horizon. The opening of the new Hurd Avenue Ele- mentary School will allow a reduction in the size of our elementary classes so that we will have quite a few with a maximum of thirty pupils.
The Hurd Avenue School itself will be designed and constructed so that each of the twelve regular classrooms will house a maximum of thirty pupils. The Special Class room in this building will house a maximum of eighteen pupils. This is the maximum number allowed by legislative statute in this type of a class.
The Tax Rate
In Massachusetts communities the tax rate is a favorite subject for discussion. Saugus is not an exception to the rule. Yet few subjects involve more misunderstanding or more deliberate misrep- resentation.
Public school education, especially in the days ahead, is going to be very closely linked to the subject of taxation. It is, therefore, of great importance that a tax rate be clearly understood.
What then is a tax rate? A tax rate is the amount of money per one thousand dollars property valuation that a property owner is required to pay each year for the support of his community. What are the common misunderstandings and common misrepresenta- tions ?
(1) A tax rate is meaningless unless assessed property valua- tions are considered at the same time.
The important thing is not the tax rate but the size of your tax bill. May I illustrate ?
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You own a six room house in Saugus. Your friend owns exactly the same type of house in a neighboring community. His home is assessed for $5500.00 and your home is asssessed for $3500.00. His tax rate is $38.00 per thousand and your tax rate is $42.00 per thousand. Your friend in the neighboring community often brags about his low tax rate in comparison with yours. Yet, if you figure it out, his tax bill will be $209.00 and your tax bill will be $176.40. You have the high tax rate but he has the higher tax bill. The cause, of course, is that he lives in a community where property valuations are high.
The moral is that it is absurd to compare the tax rate of one community with another.
(2) A tax rate is meaningless when certain service costs are included in it which should not be so included.
May I illustrate ?
In Saugus all Water Department deficits of operation are included in your tax rate. In Saugus all costs of the collection of ashes, rubbish, and garbage are also included in your tax rate. In many other communities the property owner pays a water rate sufficient to eliminate all Water Department operating deficits. He, also, pays a service charge for the collection of his ashes, rubbish, and garbage.
You live in Saugus with a $42.00 tax rate and a house assessed for $3500.00. Your friend lives in another community with the same tax rate, the same type house, and the same assessed valuation. On the surface it would appear that you each paid the same amount in taxes ($176.40). Actually you do not. Your friend pays $10.00 more per year for water since his town has no Water Department operating deficit. He pays thirty cents per week for the collection of his ashes and rubbish. He also pays ten cents per week for the collection of his garbage. Thus for extra water charges, ashes and rubbish charges, and garbage collection charges he is paying an additional $30.80 per year. Thus his real tax bill, on a comparable basis with yours, is $207.20 against your $176.40.
The moral is that it is absurd to compare the tax rate of one community with another.
(3) A tax rate is meaningless when it is a ficticious or a manufactured tax rate. Within our very recent memory some of our tax rates in Saugus have been of such a variety. The State Tax Commissioner refused to approve them. They were reduced and kept low by resorting to various well-known methods of accomplishing such. Our excess and deficiency account was tapped to reduce the tax rate and create the impression that the administration of town government had, all of a sudden, become very efficient. Thus our financial reserves were still further depleted. Instead of paying for costs, as we went, we dipped into our reserves to pay for them. This is the familiar pattern used by politicians who seek to make a magic name for themselves. It is good for the politician and bad for the community.
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The moral once more is that it is absurd to compare the tax rate of one community with another.
(4) A tax rate is meaningless when a community is allowed to retrogress and go to seed.
A case in point is our own community within very recent years. It is not difficult for any citizen to note the many neglects immedi- ately preceding the coming of our present Town Manager. The following are only a few of the neglects which any citizen can note:
(a) Our Police and Fire Departments were allowed to remain seriously undermaned to the detriment of the community.
(b) The same thing was true of our Public Works Depart- ment.
(c) Our highways were neglected and most of the work which was done was virtually wasted and useless.
(d) Vital services were curtailed through the elimination of the police teletype, police boxes, etc.
A low tax rate, under such conditions, is meaningless and ficticious since all things so neglected eventually have to be done and at far greater cost than at the time they should have been done.
So in Saugus today we find ourselves with virtually the same tax rate we had ten years ago. Yet in that ten year period the pur- chasing power of the dollar has decreased tremendously, municipal wages have skyrocketed, and the prices of all materials used in a community have increased in price from two to four times.
One does not have to be an economist to know that only one thing can happen to a community under such a set of circumstances. Retrogression sets in surely and quickly.
And the moral still holds, it is absurd to compare the tax rate of one community with another.
The Hurd Avenue School
Previous to the coming of Town Manager Norman G. Young neither the School Committee nor the Superintendent of Schools were consulted relative to a schoolhouse construction program. The previous Town Manager administration determined the whole plan and policy. After they had determined it they called in the School Committee to approve it. It was quite apparent that it was a question of approving it or getting nothing. Faced with a critical school housing shortage the School Committee had no alternative other than a reluctantly approve.
The net result is the present construction of the new elementary school on Hurd Avenue in the Cliftondale section of the town. The location is good but the particular site is certainly not good. It is an area of land which is a natural water basin for hills which almost completely surround it. It is swampy and will certainly prove costly from the angle of drainage, sewerage, and landscaping. It is also so situated that it will be almost hidden from public view. To see the building when completed, one would either have to go down
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to the end of Hurd Avenue or view it from an airplane. It seems a pitty that such a beautiful building could not have been erected upon a decent piece of land and one more easily seen.
The whole project, however, was approved by the Town Meet- ing and the present Town Manager had no alternative other than to proceed as instructed. Due to his promptness the building is now under construction.
The building itself will be modern in every particular. When completed, it will house approximately 378 pupils.
It is hoped that it will be ready for occupancy in September 1951. With world affairs as they are, however, this hope may not be realized. It will be a miracle if shortages of materials and delays in delivery do not occur. In the event that the building is not ready for occupancy in September 1951 it is quite probable that temporary expedients of one short or another may be necessary to house some elementary pupils.
Town Manager Norman G. Young has been particularly co- operative with the School Committee and with other school officials in the planning of the new school. His attitude has been cooperative and indeed refreshing.
New Athletic Law
A new statute, enacted by the Legislature of 1950, completely changes the operation of the financial end of the high school athletic program.
Henceforth all revenues from athletics must be turned into a municipal revolving athletic fund. Supplementing this fund appro- priations may be made for the support of athletics and the physical education program. All bills must be paid through regular municipal channels and by regular municipal financial procedure. No longer can athletic bills be contracted by other than the School Committee or its delegated agent and all bills must be approved by the School Committee.
During the year 1950 the athletic program was not self-support- ing. There is now a deficit of approximately $1200.00 in unpaid bills with only a small cash balance. High School football, basketball, baseball and hockey can no longer support themselves. Football is the only one of the four sports which produces any sizeable revenue. The other three sports have always operated at a deficit. The prices of admission to football games have not been increased in Saugus but the price of all types of athletic equipment has skyrocketed to unprecedented heights. Therefore, if the high school athletic pro- gram is to be maintained, a municipal subsidy in the form of municipal appropriation must be provided in addition to the revenue from the games.
The School Commttee and the Superintendent of Schools believe that the athletic program is of great value and should be continued along the same lines as at present. A great number of boys partici- pate in the program which develops character, physical and mental growth, and a cooperative spirit.
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Accordingly the School Committee is requesting the sum of $3500.00 in its General School Budget to supplement the revenues and make possible a balanced budget athletic program.
Milk Fund Account
Another new statute, enacted by the Legislature of 1950, requires that all milk funds must be turned into a special municipal revolving fund milk account. It, also, requires that all bills must be paid out of this account and that all bills must be approved by the School Committee.
The School Committee has appointed Mr. John A. Taylor, a teacher-accountant, to keep the books of the milk account and exercise general supervision over the program| He will be paid the sum of $300.00 per year for his services from the funds of the milk account. The milk program is partially subsidized from Federal funds.
Town Accountant Carl E. Chapman has ruled that the operation of the Central Senior and Junior High School Cafeteria does not come under this statute since it is not subsidized at all by Federal Funds.
Clerical Help Needed
Additional clerical help is badly needed in the office of the Superintendent of Schools. This office has but one clerk who handles the entire clerical work which passes through this office. The volume of work is now such that no one clerk can possibly cope with it. The School Department has the largest payroll in our municipal government and this chore alone demands more than two out of every ten days of the clerk's services. The volume of other clerical work is enormous. In 1951 the office will probably issue from 1000 to 1200 working certificates. This is only one small item in a long list involving exacting clerical work.
As a result of the above situation the Superintendent of Schools is now almost totally confined to the office during at least four or five days of each working week. This limits almost wholly his time for the supervision of teachers and instruction, the training of teachers, and other duties of extreme importance. It is indeed ridiculous to pay a Superintendent of Schools a substantial salary and then tie his hands in such important duties. I do not believe that there is another School Department in the Commonwealth, of comparable size, with only one clerk in the main business office.
Two years ago the School Department called the attention of the Finance Committee to the drastic need of another clerk in this office. The Finance Committee turned down the request and deleted the requested money from the School Budget. Rather than create an issue, in an otherwise harmonious year, the School Committee did not press the issue. Now the need is ultra imperative and calls for immediate action.
This year's School Committee has provided in its budget for the employment of one additional clerk in the office of the Super-
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intendent of Schools. The starting salary would be $30.00 per week and the position would be subject to the rules and regulations of Civil Service.
To continue under present conditions is false economy indeed. A failure to correct the situation will seriously hamper the incoming Superintendent of Schools. Such a failure to correct the situation is not fair to the present, only, clerk and is not in the best interests of the efficient operation of the School Department.
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