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"In all probability the reason for so many running ears and hear- ing defects in your town is due to the fact that you are on the coast and have ideal opportunities for swimming. Extensive diving often causes difficulties.
FRANK L. MANSUR,
Superintendent of Schools.
188
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
SWAMPSCOTT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Cash Report, December 1, 1937, to December 15, 1938 Receipts
Football:
Balance, December 1, 1937
$4,007.74
Gate receipts
3,666.70
Change fund deposited
60.00
Refund-Marblehead officials
35.00
Legion canvas rental
30.00
Guarantee
50.00
Basketball:
Gate receipts
242.45
Baseball:
Sale of shoes
22.30
Charity fund
36.27
Total receipts
$8,150.46
Payments
Football:
Cleaning and equipment
$1,978.16
Officials
250.00
Police
245.00
Transportation
126.00
Medical service and supplies
361.85
Guarantees and contracts
592.25
Field expenses
72.28
Prize awards
109.00
Honorariums
55.00
Advertising
50.46
Miscellaneous
(dues, printing, etc.)
69.48
Total
$3,909.48
Baseball:
Cleaning and equipment
$304.84
Officials
25.00
Transportation
45.00
Guarantees and contracts
8.00
Miscellaneous (telephone, etc.)
4.03
Total
386.87
Deficit, December 1, 1937
281.61
Boys' Basketball:
Cleaning and equipment
$351.30
Officials
40.00
Police
43.38
Transportation
94.00
Guarantees and contracts
17.00
Miscellaneous (telephone, etc.)
12.15
Total
557.83
Deficit, December 1, 1937
119.75
Girls' Basketball:
Cleaning and equipment
$41.22
Officials
25.00
Transportation
23.00
Miscellaneous
(telephone, postage)
1.33
Total
90.55
Deficit, December 1, 1937 92.95
189
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
1938]
Field Hockey :
Cleaning and equipment
$208.59
Officials
22.50
Transportation
29.00
Miscellaneous
7.39
Total
Deficit, December 1, 1937
314.20
Track:
Equipment
$59.30
Transportation
3.38
Total
62.68
Golf:
Equipment
$22.50
Transportation
2.15
Total
24.65
Total
6,108.05
Cash balance, December 15, 1938
$2,042.41
(Bills outstanding and receipts recorded this year, but credited to last year, resulted in a fiscal surplus of $625.64.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL NURSE
To the Superintendent of Schools:
I herewith submit my annual report for the year ending Decem- ber 31, 1938. The following figures seem worthy of your attention:
School visits, regular
336
School visits, extra
442
Children referred to family physician
306
Children referred to school physicians
23
Children excluded for illness
63
Notes to parents
440
Home visits
446
Children taken to clinics
68
Physical examinations
1200
Defects found
332
Defects corrected
172
Defects under treatment
98
Examination for defective vision
643
Glasses provided
37
Examination for defecting hearing
1066
Defects found
52
Chest X-ray for tuberculosis
22
Report of attendance
Visits for attendance
75
Truants
32
Home adjustments
72
Taken to court
4
I wish to express my sincere appreciation of the assistance ren- dered by the various individuals and organizations during the year.
MARY K. HAMMOND, R. N., School Nurse-Attendance Adjuster.
267.48
190
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE AND GRADE, OCTOBER 1, 1938
Boys
Age
Grade
5 14
6
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Tot.
2
..
18
44
3
1
8
2
1
....
....
....
...
....
....
....
....
70
4
....
...
....
....
....
....
5
....
....
....
....
....
....
6
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
7
....
....
....
....
....
....
85
9
....
....
....
....
...
...
..
10
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
11
....
....
....
...
....
....
12
....
..
....
..
....
....
....
....
....
0
1
1
1
1
...
...
10
Total
14
62
69
52
57
71
59
71 72
61
77
64
53
23
4
809
Girls
Age
Grade
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1
21
33
2
32
1
2
...
...
....
....
...
..
...
....
....
...
48
4
....
5
....
....
1
30
26
7
1
..
....
....
....
....
....
80
7
....
....
....
....
....
....
...
70
8
....
....
....
...
....
...
72 77 92
11
....
....
....
....
....
....
12
....
....
....
....
....
....
..
....
...
....
1
3
5 11 5
.. 2
11
P. G. Un- graded
....
....
....
....
....
1
....
...
..
....
....
...
...
..
1
Total
21
55
53
44
73
57
79
63
76
80
87
69
45
22
2
826
....
....
...
..
....
....
....
...
66
3
....
1
24
34
23
12 35
22
11 25
6
....
....
4 9
3
10 15 18
11
3
17
28
23
7
21
11 1
2
42
P. G. Un-
graded
....
....
....
2
0
0
14 3
10 35 18 2
41 17
14 37
22
6
1 10
1
48 78 64 70
8
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
...
...
1
3
....
..
1
.. .
....
58
1
43
1
...
..
....
....
....
...
2
57
3
....
...
19
22
6
1
3
1
1 0
..
..
...
....
57 66
6
....
....
....
3
27
43 26
33
9
25
34 29
1 1 2 11 34 31
1 9
4
1
....
....
10
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
1
43 33
15 23 26
1
1
..
..
66
9
....
....
....
20
32
...
...
1
4
2
....
....
...
..
...
..
....
....
...
12
1
....
....
....
....
....
....
2 5
....
3 3
2
...
19
Tot.
56
22
1 25
...
...
...
...
....
....
....
...
12 28
73
1
....
...
13 14 15 16 17 18
1
56 77 82
4
....
1938]
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
191
School Census-October 1, 1938
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 7 94
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 7 93
Total
187
Number of boys 7 years of age or over and under 14
560
Number of girls 7 years of age or over and under 14 535
Total
1095
Number of boys 14 years of age or over and under 16
153
Number of girls 14 years of age or over and under 16
144
Total
297
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 16
807
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 16
772
1579
Pupils Enrolled-November, 1938
Total
High School
Sophomores 168
Juniors 154
Seniors 108
P. G. 10
440
Class I
Class II
Class III 134
433
Grades
1
2
3
4
5
6
Spec. Cl.
Clarke
36
33
34
37
35
40
215
Hadley
28
36
25
23
35
41
188
Machon
30
28
26
21
30
26
11 172
Stanley
22
29
35
25
43
38
192
High School
440
Junior High School
433
Elementary Schools
767
1,640
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT DIRECTORY
High School
Lee T. Gray, Principal
John I. McLaughlin
Howard E. Batchelder
Edna I. Morrison
Brooks K. Blossom Flora A. Boynton
Gladys W. Parsons
Arthur G. Cronk
Dorothy C. O'Keefe Mildred J. O'Leary
James H. Dunn
Agnes T. Santry
Walter R. Henshaw
Theodore C. Sargent
Antoinette Lambert Mary Mallery
Amy D. Thissell Marjorie White
Total
Junior High School
142
157
Warren W. Morton
Harriet M. Dillon
1579
192
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Junior High School
Alice L. Shaw, Principal
Jean G. Allan
Crandall P. Nodwell
Mary G. Boyce
Lena M. Patchett
Marion P. Burlingame
M. Shirley Perry
Eleanor J. Chaisson
Eleanor Sanborn
Mary Sexton
Alice T. Durgin
Virginia Tague
George E. Hutchinson
Helen Warren
Florence L. Melanson
Emma S. White
Marjorie A. C. Young
Clarke School
Blanche E. Doyle, Principal
Eleanor C. Parsons
Edith A. Farnum
Dorothea Paulson
Marjorie Kiernan
Evilena B. Snider
Helen B. Lewis
Katherine F. Wilson
Hadley School
Alice L. Shaw, Principal
Marion F. Newcomb
Louise A. Cerica
Hilda J. Thatcher
Amy M. Fenwick
Maxine Walker
Ruth K. James
Anna F. Willey
Machon School
Mary I. Perkins, Principal
Evelyn H. Lovejoy
Eleanor Birch
Elsie B. Oakes
Hazel D. Chase
Phyllis G. Smith
Mae E. Graham
M. Elizabeth Wade
Rosemary LeClair
Stanley School
Blanche E. Doyle, Principal
Hilda Hennigar
Charlotte N. Conners Jessie C. Martin Clara Waterman
Hazel Dullea
Grace M. Farrell
All Schools
Clara B. Chase, Supervisor of Art Louis J. Marino, Teacher of Instrumental Music Harold S. Martin, Supervisor of Physical Education Esther Nazarian, Supervisor of Music Marion E. Tyler, Supervisor of Penmanship
Superintendent of Schools Frank L. Mansur
Secretaries Janice H. Halvorson, Hadley School Audrey L. Witherell, High School Marion E. Clinch, Superintendent of Schools
Janitors
Thomas Bailey, High School Frank Coletti, High School Elizabeth Kehoe, High School Daniel Myers, High School Harold Wheeler, Stanley School
Herbert E. Wood, Hadley School Rudolph Woodward, Hadley School John F. Wilson, Clarke School Simeon J. Strong, Machon School
Beatrice L. Cook
Oella Minard
Geraldine E. Minton
193
IN MEMORIAM
1938]
In Memoriam
JOHN B. CAHOON
Member of the Board of Health 1909 until time of death Died April 18, 1938
EDWARD C. EAMES
Town Meeting Member Died March 6, 1938
MAURICE YOZELL
Zoning Committee 1923, 1924 Board of Appeals 1925-1928 Town Meeting Member Died April 8, 1938
JAMES T. LYONS
Tree Warden 1900 Park Commissioner 1916-1928 Sewer Commissioner 1908-1911 Member of Board of Registrars 1904-1907 Died September 21, 1938
CHARLES S. DOUGHTY
Town Meeting Member Died December 16, 1938
194
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Inspector of Plumbing
To the Board of Health:
I herewith submit the following report for the year ending De- cember 31, 1938:
Plumbing permits issued 107
Installations approved 104
The sum of $310 has been collected for the plumbing permits issued during the year and said amount has been paid to the Collec- tor and his receipt obtained.
EDWARD C. PHILLIPS, Plumbing Inspector.
Park Department
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
Herewith is submitted the Annual Report of the Park Commis- sioners for the year ending December 31, 1938.
Abbott Park
With the discontinuing of baseball at this playground more space has been made available for the playground activities of the younger children. The Recreation Center has supplied supervision during the entire summer and as a result, the playground has been well used the entire year.
Badminton courts and horseshoe courts were put in and the de- mand has been so heavy for these activities that more space will be needed next year.
Blaney Beach
The administration building, damaged slightly by the hurricane, has been placed in good repair again with the windows reglazed, flashings repaired and weather vane replaced. A special patrolman, Leon Pappas, was again assigned to the Blaney Beach reservation to enforce the rules and regulations applying to the beach. Once more the need for this police supervision was apparent as the beach seems to become more popular each year. The increased numbers on the beach and in the water demand that the lifeguard spend all of his time watching out for the safety of the people, making it impossible for him to control the actions of those on the beach.
Jackson Park
The present tennis courts are being enlarged to include one more court and through a W. P. A. grant three new courts are in the progress of construction.
Phillips Park
During the past year much fill has been secured for this park and it has been possible to construct a much-needed practice field located in the rear of the football gridiron.
195
REPORT OF PARK DEPARTMENT
1938]
This new playing space, although not of regulation size, will pro- vide not only an excellent practice field for the high school teams, but also a playing area for the teams of the younger boys. This area will be seeded in the spring and ready for fall use.
The area of Phillips park now occupied by the baseball diamond is still in very poor condition, due to its low grade. Inasmuch as play- ground space is very much at a premium in town, fill should be ob- tained as quickly as possible to make available this large area.
A new tennis court fence was erected this year doing away with the unsightly and dangerous wooden posts and chicken wire formerly enclosing these courts.
Due to the kindness of Osmund Kiever we now have a large permanent score board at Blocksidge field. This board was erected in time for the Marblehead game and was much appreciated by the townspeople.
Monument Avenue
Again during 1938 improvements were made in the appearance of the park located in the center of the Town.
The appearance of the Soldiers' Monument plot this year justi- fied the regrading and seeding done last fall. Further reseeding will be carried out next spring so eventually the entire Monument avenue area will present a better appearance.
The hurricane destroyed many trees in the Howland park area and these are being replaced as rapidly as possible.
An additional tulip and flower bed was opened up this fall so that next spring and summer will see additional color along Monument avenue.
General Comments Soft Ball
The playing of soft ball has increased tremendously during the past year. A regular league was operating practically the entire sea- son and with such a start no doubt this game will grow more import- ant during the next few years.
Playground facilities which up to now were no more than ade- quate to take care of the demand for diamonds on which to play regular baseball were totally inadequate to take care of both games.
By putting Phillips park in suitable condition we could have two soft ball diamonds and help out the present bad situation. However, what is really needed is a new playing area to take care of the in- creased demands for baseball and soft ball diamonds and football fields.
We wish to thank the following citizens for their donations of trees, shrubs, etc .: Arthur Lonval, Axel Bolinder, Mrs. Clarence Delano, and Frank Morrisson.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN HOMAN, FREDERICK C. BURK, RALPH I. LINDSEY.
196
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Public Library
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
The members of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library herewith present their annual report for the year ending December 31, 1938:
Public Library Standards
According to the standards adopted in 1933 by the Council of the American Library Association, the public library in a town the size of Swampscott should have two books per capita, forty per cent of its population registered as borrowers, and a circulation of nine books per capita.
There should be a minimum allotment of fifty-five per cent of the annual budget for the salaries of the library staff (not including jani- tors), twenty-five per cent for books, periodicals, and binding, and twenty per cent for all other expenditures.
In Massachusetts the standards set up are as follows:
A. Staff: One full-time worker for every 20,000 to 25,000 books circulated.
B. Budget: One dollar per capita, minimum.
C. Book Circulation: Seven per capita, minimum.
D. Registered Borrowers: Forty per cent of the popu- lation.
E. Hours Open: Forty-eight, minimum.
In Swampscott some of these standards are met, and others are exceeded.
The library staff consists of four full-time workers; the budget submitted for 1939 calls for an expenditure of $1.20 per capita of population; the book circulation for 1938 was 101,081; the number of registered borrowers is 4000; and the number of hours that the library will be open during 1939 is fifty-two per week instead of forty-two, as heretofore.
The library will be open from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. on Tuesday and Saturday. On the other days, excluding Sunday, the hours will be 2 to 9 P.M.
The trustees believe that the opening of the library at nine o'clock in the forenoon two days per week will enable the library to render greater service to the community.
Attendance and Circulation
The circulation of adult non-fiction, fiction, and periodicals con- tinues to increase, and it is gratifying to know that the library is to a greater degree than ever meeting the needs of its borrowers.
Adult attendance showed a small decrease. The fact that the library has not been open on Sunday, beginning November 1, 1938, partly accounts for it.
The juvenile circulation of both fiction and non-fiction fell off slightly, while that of the periodicals increased a little.
Juvenile attendance also showed a slight decrease.
For eight months the children's librarian served as acting libra- rian and could not give the usual amount of time to her department. This demonstrates the necessity of having a trained children's libra- rian who is giving full time to that work.
The decrease in adult and in juvenile attendance is, of course, too small to be significant, but the total increase in circulation of
197
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
1938]
8023 books is important, since it indicates a much greater use of the library.
For complete details as to attendance and circulation, please con- sult the data at the end of this report.
Librarian
After interviewing several candidates, the Board of Trustees elected as librarian Arthur H. Parsons, Jr.
Mr. Parsons brings to the position an excellent educational back- ground, fine training, and valuable experience in a college library and in the public library of New York City.
He received his bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University in 1932, studied at the Universite de Grenoble (France) during that sum- mer, spent the following year in graduate study at Harvard, and de- voted the year of 1937-1938 to professional study in the School of Library Science at Columbia University.
By education, training, and experience, Mr. Parsons is well equipped to properly organize and efficiently administer our public library.
Retirement
On January 21, 1939, Miss Pauline Bain will retire as an assistant in our library. She has given faithful, conscientious, and excellent service since August, 1915, when she began her duties in the Swamp- scott Public Library. It is with deep regret that the trustees announce her retirement.
Resignation
The trustees have accepted with regret the resignation of Mrs. Esther C. Forrest as children's librarian, a position in which she has given excellent satisfaction since she began her service in 1931.
Through her superior administration of this department, more than 18,000 children under high school age are being served, and the circulation of juvenile books has grown to more than 25,000 per year.
Exchange of Land
Access by truck to the rear of the library is impossible without trespassing on the land of the Universalist Church. This is due to the fact that the distance from the rear of the building to that lot is about three and a half feet. At the front, however, from the building to the church lot, the distance is about sixteen and a half feet.
The entrance to the children's room in the library is at the rear of the building, and those who use that room take a short cut by crossing the land of the church.
The trustees of the church have asked the trustees of the library to give to the church 210.85 square feet of the land, belonging to the town, in exchange for 335.75 square feet of land, belonging to the church.
The trustees of the library have been asked also to build a fence on the new line, running back a distance of about 1241/2 feet from Burrill street.
The Board of Trustees recommends that the exchange of land be made and that a suitable fence be built.
Data
The report giving the circulation, the attendance, the number of books added and discarded, and the amount of the fines collected follows:
198
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Circulation : Adult fiction, Adult non-fiction,
56,328
16,431
Adult periodicals,
3,164
75,923
Juvenile fiction,
18,603
Juvenile non-fiction,
5,280
Juvenile periodicals,
1,275
25,158
Attendance:
Adult attendance,
62,787
Juvenile attendance,
18,004
80,791
Books:
New books added,
2,030
Books discarded,
723
Books in the library, January 1, 1939,
20,782
Fines:
Fine receipts turned over to the town,
$544.59
Respectfully submitted,
LEE T. GRAY, RALPH H. NUTTER, GUSTAVUS J. ESSELEN,
Board of Trustees.
Contributory Retirement Board
To the Citizens of Swampscott:
From December 27, 1937, until March 19, 1938, no regular meet- ing of the Retirement Board was held. In March, 1938, the chairman, Mr. Redfern, and Mr. Sylvester, resigned. Roger J. Connell was ap- pointed to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Sylvester on March 10, 1938, by the Board of Selectmen. The term expires July 1, 1940. On March 17, 1938, Ralph S. Maxwell, a member of the system, was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Redfern which expired July 1, 1938. Mr. Parker remained a member by virtue of his office.
Because of Chapter 284, Acts of 1938, which bears an emergency preamble, and which changes the appointment by the Board of Select- men of the member of the board who is a member of the System, from appointment by the Board to election by the members, an elec- tion was held upon the expiration of Mr. Maxwell's term on July 1, 1938. Ballots were mailed to all members of the System and on July 1, 1938, were opened and tabulated with the following result:
Whole number of ballots received 61: Ralph S. Maxwell had 32 and was elected; Pearl D. Morley had 6, James W. Libby had 5, Ed- ward A. Sawyer had 5, Howard L. Hamill had 3, Fred C. Burk had 2; the following had one each: Horace R. Parker, Carl J. Berry, Marion E. Clinch, Joseph A. Levesque, Harold Wheeler, Clarence Horton, Roy F. Olson, James Warnock.
199
CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT BOARD
1938]
The present board met for organization at 10:00 A.M. on Satur- day, March 19, and organized with the choice of Roger J. Connell as Chairman and Horace R. Parker as Secretary.
When the present board organized in March it was felt that the previous board had not been holding sufficient meetings to properly conduct the business involved and a new policy was adopted which called for regular weekly meetings, to be held Saturdays. This pro- cedure was followed and the members have attended weekly meetings ever since.
The Board laid down rules for the conduct of business. In connec- tion with this Dr. H. P. Bennett and Dr. Ralph E. Bicknell were ap- pointed to examine those members of the system who should apply for disability benefits.
The most important business before the Board during the current year was the investment of $8,663.00 as the Town's share to the Permanent Retirement Fund, and which is established by the State Department of Insurance. After a complete survey of investment conditions the funds were deposited in savings banks where a return of 3% or more was reasonably certain.
According to the present set-up all persons who become em- ployees of the Town in any department must join the system, intend- ing to put the pension system of employees on a regular basis. This will avoid in the future vexatious and expensive law suits against the town, due to the fact that in the future all liability of the town will be established under the Retirement System.
During the current year the following were given membership certificates: Lucy M. Eveleth; Thomas A. Bailey; John G. McLearn; Leonard H. Bates; Malcolm F. Maclean, Jr .; Anthony J. Queena; Walter M. Champion, Jr .; Barbara M. Tirrell; Janice Halvorson; Audrey L. Witherell; Timothy J. Ryan, re-instated; William F. Dur- gin, Jr., transferred from Group II to Group I.
The following were pensioned and their annual compensation established by the State Department of Insurance: Clarence D. Kend- rick, Lucy Eveleth, Jefferson G. Owens, Sr., Pauline W. Bain, appli- cation pending and approved.
Members of the system who resigned or were otherwise separated from the service of the town, and who were refunded their deductions: Ralph D. Merritt, Harold F. Merrill, L. Virginia Tirrell, Marjorie Webb, Esther C. Forrest.
From time to time the Board handed down opinions relative to pension matters to department heads and employees of the town. The Board made strenuous efforts to see that those who applied for a pension under the system were given compensation in respect to their rank and duration of service. In some instances the Board felt it necessary to call additional facts to the attention of the State De- partment of Insurance to the end that the applicant for pension might secure their just compensation.
There are at present 84 members of the Retirement System.
ROGER J. CONNELL, Chairman, RALPH S. MAXWELL, HORACE R. PARKER.
200
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Fourth of July Committee
This committee takes considerable pride in submitting report covering its activities on July 4, 1938, which materialized into what is generally accepted as the Town's greatest and most extensive celebration.
Last year's functioning committee experienced considerable diffi- culty in lining up a well-rounded program due to insufficient funds. In the report for 1937 it was strongly recommended that subsequent appropriations for this observance be sufficient in order to eliminate the necessity for solicitation of additional funds from public spirited citizens and merchants as well as embarassment on the part of well- meaning committeemen.
The regular Town Meeting of 1938 took steps to remedy this situation and we thank the members, particularly those who spoke in favor of the larger appropriation, for having performed not only a great service to us as a committee but also for making it possible for us to encounter a larger degree of success. We strongly urge that this amount be continued.
In the morning the most colorful and longest parade in our his- tory took place. Military and civic units from many distant towns and cities participated. During the afternoon, races were held at all three parks, after which ice cream and candy were distributed to the children of the Town. Band concerts were held during the afternoon at both Phillips and Abbott parks. In the evening at Jackson park, music and dancing were provided and the day's festivities concluded with a brilliant display of fireworks.
We desire to express our appreciation to all those who assisted in a financial or otherwise material way. The cooperation which was received from all Town departments including the fire, police and park departments was spontaneous and praiseworthy.
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