Town annual report of Swampscott 1946, Part 11

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1946
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 232


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Due in 1957


3,000.00


Due in 1958


3,000.00


Due in 1959


3,000.00


$199,030.00


Issued Outside Debt Limit:


Due in 1947


$13,000.00


Due in 1948


13,000.00


Due in 1949


13,000.00


Due in 1950


13,000.00


Due in 1951


13,000.00


Due in 1952


13,000.00


Due in 1953


13,000.00


Due in 1954


13,000.00


Due in 1955


13,000.00


Due in 1956


13,000.00


130,000.00


Sewer Loans Issued Outside Debt Limit:


Due in 1947


$1,500.00


Due in 1948


1,500.00


Due in 1949


1,500.00


Due in 1950


1,500.00


Due in 1951


1,500.00


Due in 1952


500.00


8,000.00


Total Debt


$337,030.00


117


TREASURER'S REPORT


1946]


TEMPORARY LOAN NOTES Issued in Anticipation of Revenue


No. 710


Date


June 25, 1946


Payable at Merchants Nat'l Bank, Boston


Rate When Payable 0.465% May 25, 1947 ....


Amount $25,000.00


711


25,000.00


712


25,000.00


713


25,000.00


714


25,000.00


715


25,000.00


716


....


25,000.00


717


Total Temporary Loan Notes Outstanding as of December 31, 1946 ... $200,000.00


TOWN DEBT DECEMBER 31, 1946


General Debt Bonds and Notes:


Inside Debt Limit Issues


$199,030.00


Outside Debt Limit Issues


130,000.00


Sewer Loan Bonds and Notes (Outside)


8,000.00


Total Debt


$337,030.00


GENERAL DEBT STATEMENT INDICATING BORROWING CAPACITY AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1946


Valuation 1944, Less Abatements


$23,843,153.00


Valuation 1945, Less Abatements


23,584,554.00


Valuation 1946, Less Abatements


24,251,105.00


Gross Three Years' Valuation


$71,678,812.00


Average Valuation


23,892,937.34


Three Per Cent of Average Valuation ... $716,788.12


Less: Bonds and Notes Issued Within


Debt Limit


199,030.00


Borrowing Capacity $517,758.12


....


....


....


....


....


25,000.00


....


118


TREASURER'S REPORT Principal and Interest Due in 1947


GENERAL DEBT


SEWER LOANS


TOTAL


Inside Debt Limit Principal


Interest


Principal


Interest


Principal


Interest


Principal


Interest


January


$ 682.70


$13,000.00


$ 682.70


February


................


1,574.95


$13,000.00


$1,300.00


$188.72


3,063.67


March


$ 2,000.00


400.00


2,000.00


400.00


May


3,000.00


85.00


3,000.00


85.00


June


8,540.00


682.70


8,540.00


682.70


August


16,490.00


1,574.95


1,170.00


$1,500.00


188.78


17,990.00


2,933.73


September


....... ...


........


...


October


November


2,000.00


433.75


2,000.00


433.75


December


$32,030.00


$5,404.05


$13.000.00


$2,470.00


$1,500.00


$377.50


$46,530.00


$8,281.55


Total of Principal and Interest


$54,811.55


...


...


...


..


...


.....


...


.......


..


...


..


...


...


..


..


...


...


...


Totals


[Dec. 31


TOWN DOCUMENTS


........


...


.........


July


..


..


..


Outside Debt Limit


April


119


TREASURER'S REPORT


1946]


Trust Funds


Joanna Morse Library Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$5,196.00 104.43


Less Withdrawals


104.43


Balance December 31, 1946


$5,196.00


Ellen R. Whittle Library Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$2,000.00


Income Accrued 1946


40.20


$2,040.20


Less Withdrawals


40.20


Balance December 31, 1946


$2,000.00


Mary L. Thompson Library Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$1,000.00


Interest Accrued 1946


20.10


$1,020.10


Less Withdrawals


20.10


Balance December 31, 1946


$1,000.00


Hattie Sherman Cemetery Lot Trust Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$500.00


Interest Accrued 1946


10.00


4


$510.00


Less Withdrawals


10.00


Balance December 31, 1946


$500.00


Emma Y. Stocker Cemetery Lot Trust Fund


Balance January 3, 1946


$500.00


Interest Accrued 1946 (credited January 1,


1947)


10.05


Balance January 2, 1947 $510.05


Fund for Perpetual Care of Cemetery Lots


Balance January 1, 1946


$18,244.47


Deposited February 2, 1946 9,544.09


Interest Accrued 1946 (credited January 1, 1947)


335.52


$28,124.08


Income Accrued 1946


$5,300.43


120


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Less Withdrawals:


January 3, 1946 $ 9,497.20 January 4, 1947 10,639.20


20,136.40


Balance January 4, 1947 $7,987.68


Phillips School Medal Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$2,733.69


Interest 1946 (credited January 1, 1947) .... 54.92


$2,788.61


Less Withdrawals January 4, 1947


60.72


Balance January 4, 1947 $2,727.89


Municipal Insurance Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$10,398.56


Interest 1946 209.00


Balance January 1, 1947 $10,607.56


The Manual Ross Scholarship Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$1,005.00


Interest 1946 (credited January 1, 1947) 30.45


Balance January 1, 1947 $1,035.45


High School Alumni Fund


Balance January 1, 1946


$372.57


Interest 1946 (credited January 1, 1947) Bond Interest


7.90


100.00


$480.47


Less Withdrawals


100.00


Cash Balance January 1, 1947 $ 380.47


U. S. A. Savings Bonds, Series G 4,000.00


$4,380.47


(Note-This is not a trust fund of the Town of Swampscott as defined by Chapter 282 of the General Acts of 1915, but is held by the Town Treasurer in behalf of the Swampscott High School Scholarship Fund Committee. It is included in this report in order that the mem- bers of the High School Alumni may be kept informed of its existence.)


Respectfully submitted, LESTER B. MORLEY, Town Treasurer.


Treasurer of Trust Funds and Custodian of all Funds and Securities, as provided for by Chapter 282 of the General Acts of 1915. HENRY S. BALDWIN, CONRAD P. RICHARDSON, HAROLD R. AUSTIN, Trust Fund Commissioners.


121


SCHOOL REPORT


1946]


School Report For the Year Ending December 31, 1946


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1946


Marion D. Morse, Chairman 7 Millett Road LYnn 2-2203


Madeline M. Clark 29 Outlook Road


LYnn 2-6625


Bernard F. Carey


63 Orchard Road


LYnn 3-3693


Ralph N. Murray


79 Banks Road


LYnn 5-0597


Robert O'Neill


LYnn 2-6580


30 Stanwood Road


Regular meeting, second Wednesday of each month.


Superintendent of Schools and Secretary of the School Committee Frank L. Mansur


2 Palmer Avenue


LYnn 3-2193


The office of the Superintendent of Schools is open on school days from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M .; Saturdays from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.


School Calendar 1947


Winter term begins Thursday, January 2


Winter term closes Friday, February 14


Spring term begins Monday, February 24


Spring term closes Friday, April 12


Summer term begins Monday, April 21


Fall term begins Wednesday, September 3


REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


The School Committee submits the following report for the year 1946:


The most important business of 1946 is thoroughly covered in the report of the Superintendent. This report has been approved by the Committee and is submitted herewith. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, as requested by the Board of Selectmen, the attention of the townspeople is called to the Superintendent's report for that in- formation not mentioned in the Committee records.


However, the Board wishes to express its recognition of the very great loss in the retirement of two of the school principals, Miss Doyle of the Stanley and Clarke Schools, and Miss Shaw of the Had- ley Junior High and Elementary School. Their long years of superior service have left indelible marks on the school system and in the memories of those associated with them.


* *


* *


The new plan, unifying the English, Mathematics and Foreign Language Departments of the Junior and Senior High Schools, has


122


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


been mentioned in the Superintendent's report. The Committee feels that this is one of the most progressive steps of the year.


Swampscott will be interested in an unsolicited letter from Mr. Mack of the State Department of Education relative to the High School:


"It was my good fortune to observe the program, per- sonnel and plant at Swampscott High School throughout on the occasion of my recent scheduled visit.


I have no criticism on the program. It is to be com- mended. A full spread of subject matter is presented. Prin- cipal Gray spoke to me re to consumer education. About twenty high schools in the state offer the specific course, and many of the others include it as a unit in such subjects as economics, problems of democracy, citizenship, etc.


It was possible for me to visit all teachers briefly, and I felt that an excellent spirit of cooperation and of atmos- phere of purposeful activity prevailed. Principal Gray was obviously proud, and I believe, justifiably so, in the personal interest in the individual pupil, with testing programs and follow-up.


The building is one of the best in the State. Auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria, library, classrooms in the addition, may all be classified as Very Superior. All in all, I felt that the youth of secondary school age in Swampscott are fortunate."


The School Committee has given every consideration to requests by civic organization:


A collection for the March of Dimes was permitted in the schools.


Blue Cross information pamphlets were distributed.


Membership dues for the Parent-Teachers' Association were handled at the schools.


Meetings with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion were held and their requests for the use of the High School gymnasium were willingly granted.


The gymnasium was opened earlier than usual to permit basketball games for these veteran groups.


The gymnasium is being used by the following Church clubs: Holy Name Church, First Church, Congregational, St. John's Catholic Church (2 groups).


Suggestions of the Boosters' Club were approved and tried out.


The school auditoriums have been in use by this club and by other civic organizations; namely, the Parent-Teachers' Association, the Civic Improvement Association, and the Boy and Girl Scouts.


The problem of kindergarten is still before us. There has been no change in the situation since last year. The project is by no means


123


SCHOOL REPORT


1946]


dropped, however, but until building materials, classroom equipment and teachers are available, nothing can be done.


* *


A new step in our health program is the requirement of chest x-rays for all department employees.


Once again the Committee calls to the attention of the Town the policy relative to No-School signals. School will be closed only in case of extreme weather. Conditions vary widely in different parts of the Town, making it difficult to reach decisions fair to all. Parents are urged, therefore, when schools are open on stormy days to exer- cise their personal judgment as to the wisdom of sending their children to school.


* *


Our financial statement for the year is as follows: Appropriation


$255,513.00


Refund 34.62


$255,547.62


Warrants Payable 645.00


$254,902.62


Expenditures :


General Control


$ 8,425.04


Instructional Service


193,210.45


Operation of Plants


39,377.16


Maintenance


5,574.03


Auxiliary Agencies


7,709.90


254,296.58


Unexpended Balance


606.04


Credits to the Department:


General Receipts


$ 242.08


Tuition Received-General


933.00


State Refund, Trade and Vocational Schools


115.62


State Refund, General School Fund


14,415.00


$ 15,705.70


Net Cost of Schools $238,590.88


Respectfully submitted,


MARION D. MORSE, Chairman MADELINE M. CLARK RALPH N. MURRAY BERNARD F. CAREY ROBERT O'NEILL


To the Members of the School Committee of Swampscott, Ladies and Gentlemen:


I submit herewith my report as Superintendent of Schools for the year ending December 31, 1946.


The year has been marked by the largest turnover in teaching staff within the past fifteen years. No less than eleven members of our corps left us at the end of June. An analysis of reasons for these withdrawals is of interest. It appears that three persons re- tired under the Contributory Pension Act; five withdraw from teach-


124


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


ing entirely because of home responsibility or to take up another occupation; one withdrew by request. Only two accepted teaching positions elsewhere. If this picture is typical of that which existed in other communities, it sheds some light on a certain factor in the present shortage of teachers. So far as we were concerned, the ten- dency was not to transfer to some other school system, but to get out of the teaching profession entirely.


As is usually the case, retirements on pension mean that veteran teachers have left the profession. Our cases were no exceptions to this rule. Miss Alice Shaw, Miss Blanche Doyle and Miss Amy Fen- wick had served the town a great many years. Practically their entire teaching careers had been in Swampscott.


Miss Fenwick was the steady substantial teacher of the old school. She was the kind of person upon whom one might always depend to be on the job and performing it. Her record, with the exception of a period of recent serious illness, is almost clear of absence from her classroom over a more than thirty-year span. This record is characteristic of her whole attitude towards her profession and her duty.


Miss Shaw and Miss Doyle had exceeded forty years each of teaching in Swampscott. Each had begun as an elementary school teacher and earned her way to a principalship. Each had contributed immeasurably to the formation of the system as it now exists, and left an imprint on it that will remain for many years to come.


The Junior High School as it stands at the moment is almost entirely the achievement of Miss Shaw. Exacting in her demands, zealous in pursuing the interests of her faculty and pupils, she used her forceful personality to build up the school and hold it to its high level of achievement. Her retirement because of ill health was a source of deep regret to all us to whom she had shown such friendly and unreserved loyalty.


Miss Doyle's retirement was but the practicing of her own wholesome philosophy that the time to leave was while one could do so with health and faculties unimpaired. Mentally and physically Miss Doyle was fully able to continue as principal of the Clarke and Stanley schools. She chose not to do so with a finality that was characteristic of her decisive personality. I looked upon Miss Doyle not only as a friend but as a wise counsellor, and I regretted her decision to leave; but I can only envy the peace of mind and the enjoyment that she is so obviously experiencing in her retirement.


I feel that we were extremely fortunate in finding successors both for Miss Shaw and Miss Doyle. Howard Batchelder, who had been outstandingly successful as a High School teacher prior to his enter- ing naval service in 1942, received his discharge from that service just as Miss Shaw's resignation became effective. I immediately recommended his election to fill the vacancy, and I am certain you made no error when you approved the recommendation.


Miss Hilda Thacher succeeded Miss Doyle. Here, too, I feel that the selection was a happy one. Miss Thacher is a young lady of culture and personality. Her background is adequate, and she has demon- strated her desire and ability to keep abreast of the times educa- tionally. Her successful experience as a classroom teacher in our own system since 1932 had clearly indicated her ability to handle this position of new and greater responsibility.


I have referred briefly to the existing shortage of teachers. Tak- ing cognizance of that fact, the School Committee on March 13, 1946, voted "to suspend to July 1, 1946 all regulations of the School Com-


125


SCHOOL REPORT


1946]


mittee relative to the employment of married teachers." Without this change in your rules, I doubt if one or two of the vacancies in our elementary grades could have been satisfactorily filled, for the short- age is particularly acute in that area. In fact we still need a qualified person as building assistant at the Clarke School. There seems little prospect that the situation will change for a year or two, or until the State Teachers Colleges begin to graduate their normal numbers of students. Fortunately, enrollments in those schools now appear to be close to pre-war figures.


Other new teachers who began work with us in September for the first time are:


Robert Rathbone, from Glen Falls, New York, to High School English.


Felix Palubinskas, from M.I.T., to High School Science.


Katherine M. Carroll, from Marblehead, to Junior High School Social Studies.


Phyllis L. Sherman, from Walpole, to Junior High School English.


Anne Shattuck, from Danbury, Conn., to Building As- sistant, Hadley School.


Mary M. Chaisson, from Chelsea, to Art Supervisor.


Ruth E. Boyce, from Saugus, to Hadley School, Grade 3.


Emma Blossom, formerly of Stanley School, to Hadley School, Grade 5.


By June 1, 1946, the High School band, of which we had been so proud six years before had dwindled away to the point that it was non-existent. The process of dying had been a progressive affair, covering in the main about four years, but with the decline most rapid and pronounced since the fall of 1944. The reasons were several, and for the most part sufficient to the extent that no amount of effort on the part of the school or of the Band Parents' Association would overcome them. At any rate, it had become obvious by early spring of '46 that only a complete reorganization and housecleaning would be of any avail, and I went to work on that basis under your authority. As a result, Mr. Donald C. Hammond of Saugus was elected Director of Instrumental Music on a full-time basis.


Mr. Hammond came to us with a full understanding of what our situation was and with the promise that as a specialist he would not be hampered by demands from above, and that he need pay no atten- tion whatever to pressure from without so far as you or I were con- cerned. He was to set up a sound program of instrumental music of which a band would be an outgrowth.


Obviously no football band was possible. By November 1st there were available at the High School only sixteen students capable of playing even reasonably well. At the Junior High School there were but twenty-seven. There was, however, an awakened enthusiasm. Fifty new students had begun taking instrumental lessons in those two buildings, and a class of elementary school drummers was under way. A full program of instrumental instruction had been set up, on school time when necessary. The pupils, who are as quick to know when they are progressing as anybody else, had begun to regain the confidence they had lost. Mr. Hammond now foresees a capable band of between forty and fifty pupils by next fall.


With a view of unifying and coordinating to a greater extent than ever before, we have reorganized three departments in the


126


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Junior and Senior High Schools so that supervision of them extends downward vertically from the twelfth through the seventh grade. The departments affected are English, which has been placed under the supervision of Mr. Walter Henshaw as head; mathematics ,under Miss Marjorie White; and foreign languages, under Mr. Brooks K. Blos- som. In the case of this last department the change goes farther than in the others, for it eliminates the separated French and Latin de- partments as they had previously existed and combines them under the one head. Should there ultimately come a demand for another foreign language, such as Spanish, that, too, would be placed within this same organization.


One of the main problems of the year centered around finances. The progress of the year saw a steady and rapid rise in cost of materials for which our appropriation had made no preparation. Be- tween January 1, 1946 and today, the increase in this particular has been about twenty-five percent on the average for the common ma- terials used in the classroom-textbooks, papers, etc .- and in jani- tors' supplies. The cost of maintenance bears no relationship at all to what was estimated as budget requirements, due to this element and the skyrocketing of labor charges. On one job which was de- layed by a shortage of materials, labor cost increased over seventy percent between the placing of the order and the completion of the work. Under such circumstances there was but one thing that could be done: re-vamp our plans and re-apportion our money. This we did, and we shall come through the year without overspending our appropriation.


It may be of interest to you to compare some items of our 1945- 1946 per pupil costs with those before the war:


Textbooks


1940-1941 $1.66


1945-1946 $2.24


Supplies


2.55


2.84


Fuel


4.14


5.59


Repairs


2.52


7.05


Operation Exp. (water, light, janitor supplies)


3.42


4.80


You will note that these are items that in terms of use are reasonably constant. We require about the same number of text- books and the same amount of supplies year in and year out. Our yearly demands for water, light, and cleaning supplies remain sub- stantially unchanged. Repairs may vary somewhat, but not materi- ally, and fuel is subject only to the variation in weather. It follows then, that the differences that show above are those of unit costs.


Forecasting expenditures for 1947 with any degree of accuracy will be quite as impossible a task as it proved to be for 1946. One can only go in accordance with known tendencies, add a moderate percentage to take care of anticipated changes, and trust to fortune. We can only hope, for example, that fuel oil which rose from $1.99 a barrel to 2.805 during the past year has reached its peak, and that classroom papers will not exceed the 30 percent increase that they have made since our last budget was presented.


*


One of the most important projects in building repairs and alterations was installing oil burners in the Hadley School. The work, authorized through a special appropriation by the Town Meeting, was carried out during the early fall, and the first burner put into opera- tion the first week in November. The results in available heat were noticeable immediately. As the janitors become more accustomed to its possibilities and through experience are able to adjust the auto-


127


SCHOOL REPORT


1946]


matic features to the peculiarities of the building, the results be- come more and more satisfactory. The weather up to the first of the year has been such as to offer no real basis for estimating fuel con- sumption; but on the one or two coldest days thus far we compute that the oil consumed represented a less expenditure in dollars and cents that would the coal we might have used. More important still, we know that the building was more evenly and sufficiently heated than it has ever been.


Other maintenance problems during the year were more or less routine. The usual classrooms and corridors were painted, and the always present heating, lighting and plumbing breakdowns were cared for as they occurred. For the first time since the outbreak of the war typewriters became available to a limited extent, and we were able to make half a dozen badly needed replacements to the High School Commercial Department. This renewal of equipment must continue not only there but in other buildings as well where replacement of classroom furniture has been neglected out of neces- sity during the war years. Fortunately one of our own janitoring staff has been able to do very satisfactory repair and renovating work, so that we have salvaged during the year the equivalent of several hundred dollars worth of furnishings that might ordinarily have gone into the junk pile.


For the coming year there are several obvious jobs to be done. The stage draperies at the Junior High School must be renewed. Velour curtains on the large auditorium windows at the High School have rotted under sun action to the point that they are falling from their fastenings by their own weight, and these must be completely renewed. The exterior of the High School must be painted; and some redecorating done in this building, the Machon School and the Junior High. There will be many steam traps to replace at the High School as they wear out, since those originally installed are one by one com- ing to the end of their effectiveness. The exterior lamps on the front of the building were put up with copper exterior frames but steel interior braces. They have suddenly begun to slump on their fasten- ings, and examination reveals that the steel has corroded away. An estimate on renewing these lanterns was about $400 apiece, which is, of course, out of all reason, but we have got to devise some way of lighting the front and sides of the building, if not with these, then with some other type of fixture.


No problem has more pressingly demanded the attention of school afficials than that of teachers' salaries. Both to our teachers and to yourselves the need for adjustments in remuneration for teaching services had become apparent early in 1946, in spite of the fact that in previous years there had been certain increases effected, either temporary or permanent. To our teachers the constant yearly campaigning and manoeuvering to secure support at the Town Meet- ing was a distasteful process, and they expressed themselves to the School Committee as much preferring a salary schedule which would adequately meet their needs over a period of time, even if at less immediate gain. With such a schedule they would be content and not become involved in the yearly competitions. Such a schedule they presented to the School Committee.


The schedule was not immediately adopted as a whole. There were features which both parties agreed could be improved; but the Committee did accept the introductory provisions. It further asked the Special Town Meeting in May to provide sufficient money to make a salary schedule effective as of September 1st, instead of re- questing a sum to cover all teachers with a temporary increase for the year as granted to other Town employees. The sum thus requested




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