USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1962 > Part 7
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(d) Sewer lines excavated and repaired 15
(e) Manhole frames raised to grade 12
(f) Worn manhole frames replaced 6
(g) Sewage Pumpings for 1962 412,780,000 gallons
WATER DIVISION
During the year 1962 the following was accomplished by the Water Division:
Forty-seven (47) service leaks re- paired; 19 services renewed; 44 new services installed; 18 services cleaned out; 33 services renewed from main to curb cock; 10 services renewed from the side- walk to the meter; 90 service boxes re- paired; 14 frozen services thawed; 14 frozen meters repaired; 90 meter leaks repaired; 260 meters turned on and off; 15 hydrants repaired; 3 broken hydrants
replaced; 50 meters repaired; 108 meters replaced. Meters were read quarterly.
Breaks were repaired in the 6" mains at Pleasant Street and Worcester Avenue, and in the 2" main at Vinnin Street.
Old iron services were renewed with copper tubing from the main to the side- walk in all streets reconstructed, namely, New Ocean Street, Burrill Street, Lodge Road, Bates Road, Beverly Road, also located, raised to grade and painted for identification all valve and curb boxes in all streets where road work and side- walk construction was scheduled.
All hydrants were flushed in the spring and inspected and winterized in the late fall, at which time all departments were notified in writing to report the use of any hydrant during the winter months.
Continued progress is being made in the direction of improvements to the system. All cast iron pipe now used is cement lined.
The 8" main in Parsons Drive was extended 639 feet, 115 ft. of 6" pipe was installed from the dead end in Crest Road to Bay View Avenue to complete a circuit and bolster the supply in that area.
1720 feet of 10" pipe was installed in Forest Avenue from Humphrey Street to Laurel Road, and 90 feet of 6" pipe from the dead end in Whitman Road to the 10" pipe in Forest Avenue, thereby completing two more circuits.
A contract was awarded to install ap- proximately 6600 feet of 8"-10"-12" pipe from the 12" main in Paradise Road to the 10" main in Rockland Street. When the project was shut down on December 14, 1962 for the winter months, there had been installed in Walker Road 1473 feet of 12" pipe, 1 Hydrant and 3 12" valves and 2 6" valves in Banks Road; 435 feet of 12" pipe and 1 12" valve in Redington Street; 221 feet of 10" pipe and 2 10") valves, and in King Street, 104 feet of
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10" pipe and 1 10" valve, representing approximately one-third of the project.
This year the Division had an 8 year old light duty air compressor replaced by a new one, more suitable for all around purposes; and an 8 year old truck was also replaced with a new one, and a pipe locating device was purchased. The roofs of all the Division buildings were sealed against leaks, the buildings were painted and a hot-top surface laid in the shop yard. Also, a new plow was purchased and installed on the new truck. This makes all trucks of this Division avail- able with plows in the event of a snow- storm.
PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE
This Division has two mechanics and they are responsible for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of all the motorized equipment in the Public Works Depart- ment. A preventive maintenance program has been put into operation, and this has checked many large repairs jobs on the equipment.
The mechanics have completely over- hauled the front end of the SNO-GO, replacing all gears, cutters and chute. The Public Works Department's 47 pieces of mechanized equipment have all re- ceived minor overhaul, tune-up and minor repairs. It is planned to construct a new building to house the Public Works Garage, to give needed space for a more efficient operation, and to install hy- draulic or air-powered equipment for lubrication, etc. As workload increases, a third mechanic may be required to continue the efficiency of this preventive maintenance program.
SUMMARY OF MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Chapter 90-1962-Financed by State- 50%, County-25%, Town-25%
Burrill Street - from State Road to Essex Street, 1660 lin. ft.
New Ocean Street - from Burrill Street to Lynn Line, 820 lin. ft.
Town Approved Road Construction
Article 45 - 1962 - Bates Road - Humphrey Street to Charlotte Road, 690 lin. ft .; Beverly Road - Puri- tan Road to Shelton Road, 630 lin. ft .; Sargent Road - Pine Hill Road to Ocean View Road, 700 lin. ft .; Lodge Road - Bates Road to Phil- lips Park, 315 lin. ft .; Charlotte Road - Bates Road to Phillips Park, 370 lin. ft.
Article 42 - 1960 - Aspen Road -
Sargent Road to Dead End, 360 lin. ft.
Article 36 - 1960 - Administration
Building Parking Lot, 2410 sq. yds.
Article 52 - 1959 - Harrison Ave- nue - Humphrey Street to Stearns Street, 260 lin. ft.
Article 54 - 1961 - Fuller Avenue- Forest Avenue to Bay View Avenue, 1280 lin. ft .; Bond Street - Fuller Avenue to Sherwood Road, 250 lin. ft.
In conjunction with the new con- struction of the above streets, the fol- lowing work was accomplished:
(a) New Bituminous Concrete Side- walks both sides of street
(b) New Granite Corner Curbs
(c) Bituminous Concrete Curb on remainder of street
(d) 60 new Copper Water Services from main to sidewalk
(e) 885 lin. ft. of 12" R.C. Pipe Drains
(f) 15 new Manholes and Catch Basins constructed
(g) 65 Manholes and Catch Basins removed and reset.
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Seal Coat with Pea Stone and Asphalt: Aycliffe Road Lawrence Road Manton Road Priscilla Road Dennison Avenue Lincoln Circle Banks Terrace
Brooks Terrace
Hampden Street Pleasant Street Francis Road Magnolia Road Morton Road Sumner Street Harrison Avenue
Bay View Drive
Burpee Terrace
Greenwood Terrace Berkshire Street
Seal Coat with Sand and Asphalt:
Lombard Terrace
Hanley Street
Eastman Avenue
Jackson Park - roads and parking areas Fairview Avenue Brookview Road Walnut Road
Continuous Sidewalk Program:
Shepard Avenue - Atlantic Avenue to Ocean Avenue Nason Road - Orchard Road to Laurel Road Cedar Road - Nason Road to dead end Bradlee Avenue - No. 3, No. 15 and No. 4.
Sidewalk Replacement Program:
Bristol Avenue - both sides
Minerva Street - both sides Mountwood Road - both sides Suffolk Avenue - both sides
Norfolk Avenue - State Road to Stetson Avenue Stetson Avenue - Suffolk Avenue to Norfolk Avenue Barnstable Street - Stetson Avenue to Nantucket Avenue
Buena Vista Street - Roy Street to Cherry Street
Plymouth Avenue - Worcester Ave- nue to Plymouth Lane Forest Avenue - Walnut Road to Shaw School.
Chain Link Fences:
Forty Steps - Rockland Street to Ingalls Terrace, 220 lin. ft. Buena Vista Street Back Stops and Wings - Phillips Park, Jackson Park and Stanley School New Wooden Guard Rail - Haw- thorne Brook - Humphrey Street.
Chain Link Fence and Steel Guard Rail: Essex Street Bridge, 525 lin. ft.
New Salt Treated Decking-Essex Street Bridge, 1800 sq. ft.
Bituminous Concrete Construction of Highway and Water Division Yards.
Metal Posts and Metal Street Signs: Pitman Road
Aspen Road
Fuller Avenue
Sargent Road
Greenwood Avenue
Lexington Circle Walnut Road Pleasant Street
Atlantic Avenue
Humphrey Street
Magnolia Road Sherwood Road
Hardy Road Thomas Road Burrill Street
Hampden Street
Blaney Street
Berkshire Street Pine Street Columbia Street
Bay View Avenue Beverly Road Stanley Road
Francis Road
Lincoln House Avenue
Puritan Road Essex Street
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Orient Court Mapledale Place
Puritan Avenue
Puritan Park Puritan Lane Plymouth Avenue Worcester Avenue
Construction of Hadley School Play Area:
Chain Link Fence
Grading and sodding, 21,000 sq. ft.
Major Sewer and Water Trenches Repaved:
Salem Street
Essex Street
Laurel Road Drain - 42" R.C. Pipe, 300 lin. ft.
Claremont Terrace - 8" C.I. Sanitary Sewer Main, 130 lin. ft.
Windsor Avenue - 8" V.C. Sanitary Sewer Main, 120 lin. ft.
Glen Road - 8" V.C. Sanitary Sewer Main, 180 lin. ft.
Jackson Park Tennis Courts: Bituminous Concrete Paved Asphalt Seal Coat Bituminous Concrete Berm
Article 56 - 1961 - Marshall Brook Drain - New Tide Gate Constructed
Article 39 - 1962 - Building Repairs: Fish House Completely Repaired, Painted and Re-wired Water Division Roofs Repaired and All Buildings Painted Highway Division Roofs Repaired
Article 40 - 1962 - New Equipment Purchased :
1-Platform Dump Truck
1-21,000 G.V.W. Dump Truck
2-Portable 85 Compressors
By using the capabilities of the person- nel assigned to the various Divisions of the Public Works Department, the fol- lowing work is accomplished:
Layout, Grades and Inspection of all Projects
Replacing old Water Services
Installing Drains
Installation of Granite Curbing
Inspection and Repair of Main and Particular Sanitary Sewers
Repair and Construction of Manholes and Catch Basins
Removal of Trees, Stumps and Roots Hauling, Placing, Grading of Loam and Gravel
Excavation and Grading of Roadbed and Sidewalks
Fine Grading and Rolling in Prepara- tion for Bituminous Concrete.
The existing area for development of the Swampscott Cemetery will provide graves until approximately 1975. There- fore, the Board of Public Works recom- mends that additional land be purchased now for future use.
An extensive examination is being made of our sanitary sewer pumping facilities to determine the present and future requirements. This study will pro- vide the town with valuable information for making appropriations for future repairs, maintenance and operation of the Pumping Station.
The Board of Public Works wishes to extend its thanks to the Finance Com- mittee, the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, the Town Counsel, the Citizens of Swampscott, the Supervisors and Personnel of the Public Works De- partment for the assistance and coopera- tion given to the Department in making the seventh year under Public Works a success.
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SCHOOL REPORT
Seated, left to right, Theodore C. Sargent, Charles F. Buckland; Standing, Philip H. Stafford, George A. Chadwell, Jacob Shactman.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1962
CHARLES F. BUCKLAND, Chairman (Term Expires 1963) 46 Lewis Road
THEODORE C. SARGENT, Vice-Chairman (Term Expires 1965) . 64 Bay View Drive
GEORGE A. CHADWELL (Term Expires 1963) 96 Stetson Avenue JACOB SHACTMAN (Term Expires 1964) 89 Gale Road
PHILIP H. STAFFORD (Term Expires 1965) 26 Banks Road Regular meeting, second Thursday of each month. Public is welcome.
CHARLES L. WHITCOMB, Superintendent of Schools PHILIP A. JENKIN, Assistant Superintendent of Schools The office of the Superintendent of Schools, located at 24 Redington Street, is open every week-day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
SCHOOL PRINCIPALS
John I. Mclaughlin, High School LYnn 2-2574
Keith L. Jordan, Alice Shaw Junior High School LYnn 2-7540
Jane T. Rogers, Stanley School LYnn 2-1954
Esther K. Heikel, Machon School LYnn 2-5730
J. Richard Bath, Hadley School LYnn 3-7973
Madelaine M. Murphy, Clarke School LYnn 8-2659
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To the Citizens of Swampscott
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Nineteen sixty-two was a difficult year. In March the community and the school system were saddened by the sudden death of Dr. Robert D. Forrest, Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Forrest at the time was on leave of absence as field coordinator for the Study of Boston School Facilities which Harvard University was making for the Boston Redevelopment Authority. It was a severe blow to the Town and the school system to lose the wise counsel and experience of a very able administrator.
Mr. Philip A. Jenkin was named in- terim Superintendent until a successor could be appointed. Mr. Jenkin willingly shouldered the heavy load of helping the School Committee prepare for the annual town meeting as well as adding the duties of the chief administrator of the school system to those of assistant.
The 1962 annual town meeting author- ized the development of the Hadley Ele- mentary School playground, and the con- struction of additions to the Machon Elementary School and the High School. The Public Works Department was given the responsibility for developing the Hadley playground. A building commit- tee under the Chairmanship of Selden D. Hulquist was appointed to construct the Machon addition. The School Committee was authorized to act as the building committee for the High School addition.
Construction bids were taken by the respective building committees in Septem- ber and construction was started early in October. J. J. Welch and Company of Salem and Frasca Construction Company of Lynn were the successful bidders on the Machon and High School additions respectively.
As soon as the High School addition construction plans were approved by the Massachusetts School Building Assistance Commission and the financing was ap- proved by the Massachusetts Emergency Finance Board, the School Committee started a search for candidates for the position of Superintendent of Schools. Forty applications were screened and the list narrowed to ten for interviews. The successful candidate was Charles L. Whit- comb, Superintendent of Schools, New- ยท we hope will strengthen substantially the
port, Rhode Island. He was appointed in June to become Superintendent of the Swampscott Public Schools on August 1, 1962. In the short time he has been with us, Mr. Whitcomb has shown a good understanding of the problems of the system and we are convinced that we have a top-flight school administrator.
In April the School Committee was privileged to be in attendance at the National School Boards Association an- nual meeting in St. Louis. As its National President, Committeeman Theodore C. Sargent presided. The highlight of the convention for your School Committee was the banquet in honor of the retiring president. It was gratifying to witness the high esteem in which Mr. Sargent is held by the officers of the association and the school board members across the country. Local respect was demonstrated by the attendance of many national leaders in education at the testimonial dinner in Mr. Sargent's behalf which was sponsored by the Swampscott Teachers' Association at the Tedesco Country Club in May.
Fortunately the School Committee has been able to devote some of its time dur- ing the year to curriculum - learning more about present programs and coun- selling with the administration concern- ing long range planning. In particular, the retirement of two department heads, Mathematics and Science, provided an opportunity to examine in depth our pres- ent programs. As a result new depart- ment heads were procured with special qualifications for development of these two areas. The administration was auth- orized to proceed with changes which
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mathematics and science programs. The details of these new programs and other important matters are covered in the re- port of the Superintendent. We direct your attention to the pages that follow.
Charles F. Buckland, Chairman Theodore C. Sargent George A. Chadwell Jacob Shactman Philip H. Stafford
To Members of the School Committee Gentlemen:
In these final days of my first four months as your superintendent of schools, it is my pleasure to submit this initial annual report. I of course can speak at first hand only about that portion of the year which has been directly under my stewardship; for the rest, I draw gratefully upon what I have learned with generous help from you of the Commit- tee, Mr. Jenkin, the central office force, and members of our Swampscott staff.
As I write, jackhammers and steel- work herald the new Machon and High School additions. Just as substantially, however, though perhaps with less visibly dramatic effect, other building goes on also in curriculum and personnel. All this makes for the atmosphere of change and challenge that I have found here. Yet, I know well, it has been achieved at the cost of no slight stress and strain.
Death Ends Dr. Forrest's Superintendency
Beyond any measure of doubt, the saddest single blow to strike the Swamp- scott schools was the death on March 9th of Robert David Forrest, who with- in a few weeks of that date would have returned to the superintendency from his 1961-62 leave of absence.
The news came, as I can understand, with a great sense of shock and deep personal loss to members of the Commit- tee and to the acting superintendent. It
made more than normally difficult, too, the attainment of objectives of major importance on the timetable for the im- mediate future. Two building programs and the 1962 budget awaited final draft- ing and community approval, with Town Meeting less than three weeks away. Throughout Dr. Forrest's leave, since the previous June, he had served as consult- ant in matters affecting both the build- ing and the financing of our schools. His . help, at that particular time, was sorely needed.
New Projects Materialize
Thanks, however, to the cooperation and special efforts of a great many peo- ple, plans long in the making now met with success. Showing itself sensitive and alert to the pressing needs of Swamp- scott's schools, Town Meeting members gave unanimous approval to three projects of incalculable importance.
It appropriated the sum of $15,000 for the completion of the Hadley School play area. Public Works, removing one and demolishing two other buildings, has subsequently provided an attractive and valuable addition to the Town's play- grounds, appropriately graded, turfed, and fenced. It is difficult to realize that the Hadley School ever existed without it.
The Meeting also voted $195,000 for an addition to the Machon School that would bring that building up to the level of other elementary schools in Swamp- scott. Members of the Machon study group, now perpetuated as the building committee, retained the architectural firm of Harvey and Provost, which had prepared preliminary plans and specifi- cations, to complete the addition. The James J. Welch Construction Company broke ground in October. When com- pleted, the structure will provide a kin- dergarten room, an all-purpose room, and: new administrative offices. It should be ready for occupancy by September of 1963.
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ADDITION TO MACHON SCHOOL
O
000
ADDITION TO SWAMPSCOTT HIGH SCHOOL
.
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Third, the Meeting voted $600,000 for an addition to the High School. The School Committee, perhaps uniquely in the history of Swampscott affairs, now became the building committee. It re- engaged the firm which had carried out preliminary architectural studies, Perley Gilbert Associates, and let the general contract to the low-bidding Frasca Con- struction Company. Ground was broken on October 2, at ceremonies attended by town officials.
The High School addition will result in a net gain of ten rooms. It will make available two music areas, a corrective exercise room, a lecture hall, rooms for remedial reading and student activities, and storage space.
This transition year has posed real problems of phasing school routine and construction requirements. Students and faculty, however, have taken the many inconveniences in good spirit and at no point thus far have allowed themselves to be thrown off stride.
Almost immediately, for example, the school found itself without an indus- trial arts shop. Mr. Thomas Eickelberger, department head, promptly re-activated the old manual training area at the Had- ley School, moving into it equipment from the High School, and his pupils now walk down the hill for their indus- trial arts classes. Also, as "hams" may be well aware, the Radio Club's amateur station KIBCL followed Mr. Eickelberger to his temporary quarters and is now on the air from the Hadley School.
With previously inadequate space still further curtailed by construction work, Principal John Mclaughlin, without lengthening the school day, re-scheduled major classes in "blocks" to meet four times a week instead of five and for fifty-six minutes each instead of forty- seven. The arrangement, though reduc- ing student activity periods from one a day to two a week, has had the effect of freeing up classrooms throughout the day
that would not otherwise have been avail- able.
Since the first day of work in October, the roof and walls of the old industrial arts room have been razed; over the area they once occupied now stands a net- work of steel girders that will frame the new wing. At the rear of the build- ing, on the Greenwood Terrace side of the gymnasium, still other steel girders indicate what will be the corrective exer- cise room and two areas for music. All construction, according to the architect, is in step with its timetable and will be completed in time for the opening of school in September of 1963.
Curriculum Changes Help Shape the Future
Mathematics, science, library programs -these areas, as well as others, have felt the impact of new thinking and planning on the part of both faculty and School Committee. Let me briefly review a few highlights.
(1) Mathematics
Perhaps most apparent have been the changes in mathematics, for it has been in this field that in recent years there has been a nation-wide (and, indeed, world-wide) explosion.
The first half-year continued the mod- ern mathematics workshops which School Committee and administration arranged with Professor J. Franklin Fitzgerald of Boston University to provide for Swamp- scott's high and junior high school teachers. These classes Mr. Roger Hooper, who in September became chairman of the department, has now carried on, adding others for teachers of grades four, five, and six, and planning still others to begin in the fall for teachers of prim- ary grades. In January, as part of the Adult Education program, Mr. Hooper will offer for parents and other towns- : people evening classes related to the new mathematics that pupils are taking in the Swampscott schools.
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Currently, about one third of our junior and senior high pupils from grades seven through eleven are engaged in the new mathematics program. It is planned that the program next year will be ex- tended to more divisions on the secondary level and introduced into grades four, five, and six.
(2) Science
Science, which nationally got some- thing of a head start on mathematics a few years ago and therefore has been less sensational in its recent strides, still comes in for a share of attention.
Mr. Verne L. Bixby, who joined this department as its chairman in September of 1962, has organized workshops for teachers of primary grades. This present work, however, continues and extends earlier changes that since 1956 have in- troduced PSSC physics at the High School and new materials, texts, and methods down through the junior high and intermediate grades.
(3) Conversational French
Back in 1959, spoken French, with the aid of Channel 2 Parlons Francais in-school telecasts, made its debut into all fourth grades of Swampscott's public schools. Since then it has advanced at the rate of one grade level a year, mov- ing last fall into the junior high, where now four divisions of seventh graders meet three times a week for training through audio-lingual methods and ma- terials. Hardly a word of English is spoken, and each pupil reinforces class- room practice with phonograph records he or she takes home. After opening weeks of pattern-drill, pupils move on to reading and writing in the language, anticipating formal grammar and com- position in later grades.
(4) Libraries
In the Hadley building last September we began a central library to serve all of the elementary schools. Mrs. Priscilla
Moulton, who in 1960-61 and 1961-62 organized and put into operation the Shaw Junior High library, now under- took a new program to serve all grades from kindergarten through the sixth.
A bright, attractive room was pro- vided during the summer in space that once housed Hadley Junior High home economics classes. Shelving, floor tiles, and new paint and draperies have brought into being a practical and colorful read- ing room for elementary grade young- sters. We hope in the year ahead to re- place its present makeshift furniture with tables and chairs appropriate in size and design.
Already a collection of thirteen hun- dred volumes, primarily standard works, are on the new shelves and circulating at the rate of about fifty titles a day. Hadley children from the primary grades make weekly class visits for stories, selec- tion of books, and informal instruction in borrowers' opportunities and respon- sibilities; older children come in indi- vidually and voluntarily.
During the current school year Mrs. Moulton is working with elementary principals and teachers to arrange space within each of the three other elemen- tary buildings to serve as outlets for books from the central library at Had- ley.
To prepare themselves to make the fullest possible advantage of the new service, fourteen of our elementary teachers are now enrolled in a weekly course in the use of library materials taught Thursday afternoons at the Had- ley School by Boston University's Dr. Lorraine Tolman.
(5) Some Other Areas
The appointment of Mr. David Kon- toff as instrumental music instructor to assist Mr. Donald Hammond allows for the rehearsing of pupils in separate be- ginning and intermediate classes; previ- "ously, all boys and girls in each elemen-
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tary school had to be combined into a single group. Furthermore, the services of the new instructor make possible both increased development of woodwind and brass ensembles and addition by next year of the string program in which many parents and pupils, along with the School Committee, have expressed in- terest.
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