USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1949 > Part 15
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Nash's Corner Station, Shaw School, South Weymouth Open 2:30 to 6 and 7 to 8 P.M. Tuesday
Pond Plain Station, 308 Pond Street, South Weymouth Open 2:30 to 6 and 7 to 8 P.M. Friday
Weymouth Heights Station, Adams School, Weymouth Heights Open 2:30 to 6 and 7 to 8 P.M. Thursday
The Library and its Branches are open for circulation of books, refer- ence service and reading as noted above, except on Sundays, legal holidays and the 17th of June.
LIBRARY SERVICES
The Library is for the use of all residents of Weymouth. Temporary residents are entitled to the same privileges as permanent residents.
A library card entitles the holder to borrow books, magazines, pam- phlets and pictures for home use. The library card must be presented when books are borrowed.
The Children's Room at the Main Library and Children's Departments at the Branch Libraries provide books and reading guidance for the boys and girls. Children under Senior High School age are entitled to a card if the application is signed by a parent or guardian. Story hours for the younger children are held on Friday afternoons throughout the Winter months.
Reference service is available at the library or by telephone.
For the convenience of residents in the various parts of the town, there is a weekly exchange of books from all Branch Libraries. A library card is valid at any Branch or at the Main Library.
Telephone:
The Tufts Library - Weymouth 9-1402 North Weymouth Branch - Weymouth 9-1571-J East Weymouth Branch - Weymouth 9-1677-W
188
SEVENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS 1949
The time has come when the town will have to make some arrange- ment for more room at the public library. At the present time, we have about eight thousand square feet of floor space that we can use. If we finish the attic, which is used for storage at the present time, we would have about twelve thousand square feet of floor space and we need sixteen thousand to take care of our population. To make the necessary changes to the present building, it will cost around $150,000.00, and then there will not be room enough to take care of the work we have to do. We do not feel justified in spending that amount of money on the present building. We believe it would be better to take the sum which it would cost to reno- vate the building and sell the present building making a sum which we estimate as over $200,000.00 for use as a nucleus for a new building in a more accessible location. People do not like to have their children cross in the traffic around the library and there is no parking area for cars.
At the present time we need sixteen thousand square feet of floor space. If a new library should be built, we should have to plan for at least a twenty year's growth in the population which, at the present rate of growth would be a population of forty thousand to forty-five thousand by 1970. This would require about twenty-two thousand square feet of floor space to take care of our needs.
CLARANCE P. WHITTLE,
President
On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Tufts Library.
REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN
To the Board of Trustees of the Tufts Library:
With the close of the year 1949, the Tufts Library has completed seventy years of service to the people of Weymouth. It was in January, 1880, that it opened its door in a one room library containing 2,405 books. For ten years it occupied that room and its book collection grew approximately thirteen thousand volumes. In the Trustees' report for 1890, we read "The town has a good library, but its home has become wholly inadequate to its present needs". Generously, the Town of Weymouth responded to that need and the present library building was erected. The large room on the second floor provided a reading room with three tables and seating capacity for as many as thirty people. It also provided twelve book stacks, sufficient to shelve twenty-three thousand books, ten thousand volumes more than the library then owned.
A MAJOR PROBLEM
That was almost sixty years ago. Today the library owns nearly sixty- seven thousand books. Those same twelve book stacks are filled to capa- city and books have had to be put on top of the stacks where borrowers can neither reach them nor read their titles. Books have overflowed to fill all the walls of the children's library and the branches, and books have had to be banished to the attic, but still we have more books to shelve than we have shelves to hold them, and we have had to cramp our readers' space to gain even a little room for shelving. In that sixty years Wey-
189
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mouth has almost tripled its population, an increase of 278%, and it is today a fast growing community. As measured by its book circulation over the same period, the Tufts Library has increased its service to Wey- mouth by 347%. Lack of space for both books and services is today a major problem in the administration of the library.
A PEAK YEAR
The Tufts Library has never been used as much as during this past year. The increase in the use of our reference material is hard to meas- ure but it is substantial. We can measure exactly the book circulation from the library and that has reached an all time high of 195,907. This is a gain of more than 2,300 over our previous peak year which occurred during the height of the depression when people turned to the library to help them through idle days and found in books knowledge, and inspira- tion and recreation.
1949, on the contrary, has been a year of prosperity, and this un- precedented use of our library has been in spite of full employment, and many competing interests. It has been too, in spite of the excessive heat of mid-summer and of the weeks when Washington Street was torn up and traffic routed around the Square; - when it was impossible to find parking space anywhere near the library. Except for those factors, our library would have had even greater use in 1949.
One of our small deposit stations has shown the substantial gain of 44%. This is the Station in the Adams School at Weymouth Heights. The gain is due in large measure to the splendid service which Mrs. Truax is giving in that community. It is evidence of the increased value that a library can have when it is administered by a trained and experienced person. The branch libraries at North and East Weymouth report less book circulation but considerable increase in reference work. This same increase has been felt at the Main Library and we believe it to be partly the result of the teaching project carried on by the Tufts Library in co- operation with the School Department.
With the completion of the 1949-50 school year we shall have com- pleted four years of class instruction in the use of the library and refer- ence tools to all the seventh grades in Weymouth; each grade coming to the library for five lessons. By now, all the boys and girls in Junior High School have had these lessons and we can see the difference in the way in which they use the library as they come to us to prepare their class assignments. Full credit for this work belongs to Mrs. Ruth Connors, our Children's Librarian.
YOUTH IN THE LIBRARY
Also in cooperation with the School Department, collections of books have been placed in sixty-eight classrooms in the elementary schools. These collections totaled 4,566 books, and they had a circulation of 19,966 loans. This service means much to the boys and girls of Weymouth, many of whom live at a distance from the library and branches.
Our Children's Library has again this year awarded reading certificates to the boys and girls. 1,900 certificates, of which 232 were honor certi- ficates, were awarded in the school year ending in June, 1949. This means that a total of at least 9,500 books have been read by the children for this project alone. The physical task of making out more than two thousand certificates has become too time-consuming, and the library will, there- fore, issue only the honor certificates in the future. This will still give the boys and girls a worthwhile goal.
190
Story hours have been conducted every Friday afternoon during seven months of the year and there has been an average attendance of forty children.
THE LIBRARY STAFF
There has been one resignation from the Library Staff during 1949. Elizabeth Taylor, a senior assistant, left us in April to accept a position as Branch Librarian in the Brookline Public Library. Several of the staff members have availed themselves of the opportunity offered through Uni- versity Extension courses, to enlarge their educational backgrounds and to increase their efficiency in their work. All staff members have visited other libraries to study comparative methods and to gain inspiration and practical ideas. Staff members, as well as the Librarian have attended meetings of the American Library Association, the Massachusetts Library Association, and the Old Colony Library Club. Our Children's Librarians are members of the New England Round Table of Children's Librarians and have attended those meetings. The Librarian has also participated in group meetings of librarians held in Boston, both for the discussion of new books and of library problems.
During September and October, the library gave full cooperation to the representatives of the Griffenhagen Associates who were making a study of the town employees for the purpose of evolving a fair classifica- tion and pay plan for all town employees.
MAINTENANCE OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING
Maintenance of the library has involved a series of repairs to our old worn-out plumbing system. After serious trouble with the drain, the library was connected with the new sewer system, but pipes within the building have also developed leaks and had to be repaired. A number of repair jobs have also been necessary on the roof of the building, and a major job of pointing up bricks in the towers is needed, for water seeps through in driv- ing rain storms.
The broken and frayed window cords, all around the building, have been replaced. A much needed fluorescent light has ben installed in the work room, and a desk lamp provided for the main charging desk. More adequate lighting is needed everywhere in the building, but especially for the reading room, the charging desk, and the desk in the children's library.
The Vocational School built a little new shelving for use in the station at Nash's Corner, and are building a magazine case for the Children's Library.
New curtains for our Children's Library were made by the Library Staff and add greatly to the attractiveness of the room. Little chairs for use in our story hours were provided at a minimum of expense, by shorten- ing the legs of some old discarded chairs and painting them in bright colors. This work was done very capably by a Boy Scout.
We are hoping that in 1950 we shall be able to have the interior of the library painted. It has not been done since the days of the W.P.A. and the walls are greatly in need of cleaning and repainting.
MEETINGS IN THE LIBRARY
Our Children's Room has had a little use for civic and educational group meetings. A series of three meetings of Camp-fire Leaders was held there, and it was used during the campaign for chest X-rays when the
191
mobil unit of the Red Cross was parked just outside. The library especially welcomes the use of its rooms for socially useful and cultural activities and the discussion of current public questions.
IMPORTANT FACTORS
1949 has been a good year in the Tufts Library. It has brought many problems but principally they have been the perennial ones that come with an old and crowded building. Whatever our building problems may be, we are striving to give to Weymouth the best library service that we can. Two factors are of prime importance; a well-rounded, adequate book collection, and a Staff that successfully uses those books to meet the need of all our borrowers. We have a loyal, interested Staff, working well to- gether and doing their best for our public. The Librarian is grateful to them, and to the Board of Trustees for their understanding guidance and support.
Respectfully submitted, CHRISTINE E. EVARTS, Librarian
GIFTS OF BOOKS TO THE TUFTS LIBRARY 1949
The Trustees acknowledge gratefully gifts of books from the following persons :
H. F. Bell, Edward L. Bernays, Mrs. Frank Bumpus, Dean F. Coburn, Mr. & Mrs. Hubert Dean, E. Stewart Ferguson, H. D. Fowler, C. M. Goethe, Mrs. Charles E. Goodrow, J. G. Keller, Mrs. Barbara Krabek, Addison Lewis, Ralph Magliozzi, Clifford Murphy, Mrs. Robert Stanhope, Frances Sullivan.
The Trustees also wish to take this opportunity to thank other public libraries and the various government departments for their publications and the following organizations and schools:
American Legion Amoskeag Industries Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Consumer's Union of U. S.
Esso Standard Oil Company Fore River Long Service Club Foundation for Economic Education Grumman Aircraft Hampshire Press
National Broadcasting Company
National Opinion Research Center
New England News Company
Oxford University Press Philosophical Publications Company Pond School Quincy Zionist District
Smith's Book Store
Smithsonian Institution United Palestine Appeal
Standard Oil Company
U. S. Brewer's Foundation, Inc.
U. S. Steel Corporation Town of Weymouth
Town of Weymouth, Board of Assessors Weymouth High School
192
STATISTICAL REPORT OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY 1949
Date of founding
1879
Population served (Federal census 1940)
23,868
Population served (State census 1945)
27,957
Assessed valuation of the Town
$59,455,963.00
Total number of agencies consisting of
Main Library
1
Branches
2
Deposit Stations
4
Schools
13
Classroom Collections
68
Number of days open during the year
307
Number of hours per week open for lending and reading
66
INCREASE
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Number of volumes at beginning of year
50,341
15,676
66,017
Number of volumes added in 1949
1,568
1,289
2,857
Number of volumes withdrawn
1,472
543
2,015
Total number of volumes December 31, 1949
50,437
16,422
66,859
Number of newspapers currently received
7
Number of periodicals currently received
107 titles
171 copies
USE
Number of volumes of non-fiction loaned for home use
32,136
32,739
64,875
Number of volumes of fiction loaned for home use
80,456
50,576
131,032
Total number of loans
112,592
83,315
195,907
Number of volumes loaned through School Collections
19,966
REGISTRATION RECORDS FOR 1949
Number of borrowers registered to December 31, 1948 Number of new registrations in 1949
1,584
Tufts Library (Main
Total
Adult
503
Juvenile
250
753
North Weymouth Branch
Adult
212
Juvenile Juvenile
141
353
East Weymouth Branch
Adult
153
Juvenile
138
291
193
8,805
Weymouth Heights Station
Adult Juvenile
14
49
63
Lovell's Corner Station
Adult
14
Juvenile
37
51
Nash's Corner Station
Adult
3
Juvenile
39
42
Pond Plain Station
Adult
8
Juvenile
23
31
1,584
Number of registrations to December 31, 1949 Number of new registrations in 1949
8,805
1,584
10,389
Number of registrations expired in 1949
1,117
Number of registrations void through death or removal from Town
318
1,436
Total number of borrowers to December 31, 1049
8,953
TUFTS LIBRARY BOOK CIRCULATION IN 1949
THE TUFTS LIBRARY
Fiction
Non- Fiction
Total
Grand Total
Adult
30,725
19,486 10,074
50,211
Juvenile
29,347
39,421
Total
60,072
29,560
89,632
89,632
North Weymouth Branch
Adult
22,170
5,580
27,750
Juvenile
9,791
8,422
18,213
Total
31,961
14,002
45,963
45,963
East Weymouth Branch
Adult
16,719
4,415
21,134
Juvenile
6,328
7,835
14,163
Total
23,047
12,250
35,297
35,297
Weymouth Heights Station
Adult
3,155
1,255
4,410
Juvenile
1,113
1,747
2,860
Total
4,268
3,002
7,270
7,270
194
Lovell's Corner Station
Adult
2,623
629
3,252
Juvenile
1,756
1,865
3,621
Total
4,379
2,494
6,873
6,873
Nash's Corner Station
Adult
1,854
286
2,140
Juvenile
1,226
1,947
3,173
Total
3,080
2,233
5,313
5,313
Pond Plain Station
Adult
3,210
485
3,695
Juvenile
1,015
849
1,864
Total
4,225
1,334
5,559
5,559
Grand Total
195,907
THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE TUFTS LIBRARY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1949
Salaries and Wages
$24,969.89
Janitor Service
2,913.27
Books, Periodicals, etc.
3,917.83
Service to Stations
560.78
Insurance
21.96
Bindery
949.35
Fuel
638.42
Light
490.80
Maintenance
1,652.07
Miscellaneous
1,394.00
Convention Expenses
50.00
$37,558.37
North Weymouth Branch:
Salaries
$3,784.28
Janitor Service
585.00
Books & Periodicals
1,063.67
Rent
1,140.00
Fuel
218.75
Light
44.82
Maintenance
123.09
Transportation of Books
52.00
Sundries
9.19
7,020.80
195
East Weymouth Branch:
Salaries
$2,692.18
Janitor Service
339.50
Books & Periodicals
967.69
Rent
1,200.00
Maintenance
109.25
Light
47.18
Transportation of Books
52.00
Sundries
6.34
5,414.14
Total Expended
$49,993.31
Balance to Treasury
357.08
Balance to 1950 a/c
50.00
Total
$50,400.39
Appropriation Account Appropriation, March 7, 1949
$49,554.10
Income from Other Sources:
Joseph E. Trask Fund
320.12
Augustus J. Richards Fund
130.00
Arthur E. Pratt Fund
82.50
Susannah Hunt Stetson Fund
68.75
William H. Pratt Fund
62.94
Tufts Fund - Books
50.00
Tufts Fund - Reading Room
50.00
Tirrell Donation
27.50
Francis Flint Forsyth Fund
27.50
Alida M. Denton Fund
15,74
Charles Henry Pratt Fund
11.24
Total
$50,400.39
- EMERSON R. DIZER, Town Accountant
January 23, 1950
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF FENCE VIEWERS
January 3, 1950
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town Hall, Weymouth Mass.
Gentlemen:
The Board of Fence Viewers performed their duties during the year 1949 without any outstanding problems. There were many more telephone calls for information concerning the building of new fences than hereto- fore, due probably to the large number of new homes built during the past year. ยท
Each fence viewer performed his duty as assigned and outside of one or two questionable cases was able to complete the year's work admirably. It is suggested that before the appointment of fence viewers for the year 1950-1951 are made, the selectmen obtain assurance from prospective ap- pointees that they will accept the position. It is important that appointees follow through by being sworn into office by the town clerk.
The fence viewers appreciate the cooperation they have had from the board of Selectmen and others this past year.
AMY HILL DUNCAN, Clerk Weymouth Board of Fence Viewers
REPORT OF THE PARK COMMISSIONERS
December 31, 1949
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of Weymouth Massachusetts
The Park Department has carried on its usual playground activities during the past summer. The playground program was coordinated with the bath-house program at Wessagusset beach.
This year the Weymouth Chapter of the American Red Cross pro- vided funds to permit the sending of a person to the Life Saving Course of instruction at Camp Kiwanis. Mr. Joseph Merten of South Weymouth was selected by the Commissioners to attend and upon completion of the Course was employed at the Bath House in North Weymouth during the summer months.
The repair and maintenance of the numerous greens and parks were accomplished during the year.
New bleacher seats and a comfort station were constructed at the Stella Tirrell Playground to satisfy a need that has existed for sometime.
During the year the Commissioners have spent considerable time and effort in a survey of the town with a view to recommending to the Annual Town Meeting the acquisition of property for the construction of new playgrounds and the development of future play areas throughout the town.
We wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Street Department and the Tree Warden for their willing assistance to our department during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS A. MCGRATH, Chairman FRANCIS X. KELLY, Clerk EVERETT J. McINTOSH
197
Annual Report
of the
Water Department
AG
SE
T-1
SS
2
CRARETESTI VINCERE MASSACHUSETTS
W
MO
WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS 1949
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
January 1, 1950
The extreme drought that occurred during the last 7 months of 1949, together with new construction, has so increased consumption of water that additional capacity is necessary to our Pumping Station and Filtra- tion Plant. The 461 new services put in during 1949 is 50% greater than the previous year, which together with drought conditions has increased our consumption 12% as against the average yearly increase of 5% over the past 3 years. This has left our storage in Great Pond supply lower than it has been for many years. While our Pond usually fills each spring season, there is considerable doubt of its doing so this coming season. dependent of course, on the amount of rainfall. Considering this increase in consumption and deficiency of water storage, the Water Board has re- tained our engineers, Weston and Sampson, to consider increasing the capacity of the Pumping Station thru a bond issue of $25,000, and also to seek emergency additions to our supply.
We have continued our program of reinforcement to the distribution system by construction of a new 500,000 gallon standpipe off Randall Avenue, a 16 inch feeder main from standpipe to Broad Street, and com- pleted a section of the 12 inch main from Broad Street to Commercial Street via Philomena and Madison Streets.
Respectfully submitted, WEYMOUTH BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS Stanley T. Torrey, Chairman Harry I. Granger, Clerk Clarence W. Taylor John E. Horace Harry Christensen
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
To the Weymouth Board of Water Commissioners:
A review of the year 1949 shows an unusual amount of new construc- tion, including 461 new services, construction of a new standpipe, and the laying of some 21,600 feet of new mains. This construction, together with repairs of usual leaks, layout and repairs due to sewer and road construc- tion, together with capacity consumption of water during the exrtemely dry summer, has confined the Department activities to necessary imme diate work rather than laying larger mains as planned for reinforcing the system. Department contracts were completed, however, on a 16-inch line from Broad Street to the Randall Avenue Standpipe, and also a 12-inch line on Philomena and Madison Streets.
During the Fall, the Department took advantage of the low level of the Pond to excavate a larger intake channel, and to also clean out the wash water basin.
Operation of the emergency well supply at Circuit Avenue was in- creased this year to a total of 73 million gallons or approximately 101/2 percent of the total consumption.
During the year, we have added a new Ford 11/2 Ton Truck, a new compressor, a service pipe jack, a service pipe cleaner, and a new key- board graphotype machine for the office.
Daily tests of samples taken throughout the town continue to prove our drinking water free from any harmful bacteria.
201
As a result of the heavy drought and of heavy consumption this past year, it is recommended that additional water supply be made available, and that facilities at the Pumping Station be improved to take care of peak loads. With the large amount of trenching done, it is also recom- mended that consideration be given to the purchase of a power digger.
Miss Eleanor Mckenzie has joined our office force as a junior clerk and stenographer.
Your Superintendent wishes to express his appreciation of the con- stant support of the Water Commissioners during an extremely difficult year, and to also thank the many other Town Departments for their cooperation.
The following tables give statistics of the year's activities.
Respectfully submitted, SYDNEY C. BEANE, Superintendent
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS Year Ending December 31, 1949 Weymouth Water Works, Weymouth, Mass.
Population 1945 census: 27,957
Population 1949 Winter 32,000. Summer 33,000 (estimated)
Date of Construction: 1885
By whom owned: Town of Weymouth
Sources of supply: Weymouth Great Pond
Circuit Avenue, gravel packed well
Mode of supply: Pumping to filtration thence to distribution by pumping to standpipes and by gravity flow. Also emergency pump- ing direct from gravel packed well to system.
Capacity of reservoirs: 4,070,000 gallons.
DISTRIBUTION MAINS
Extended, 21,597 feet Replaced, 1,479 feet
Total mains now in use, 127.3 miles
Number of hydrants added, 19
Total hydrants in use, 696 excluding private hydrants)
Number of gates added, 72
Total gates in use, 1184 Number of blow-offs, 90
SERVICES
Number of services added, 461 Total services installed to January 1, 1950, 9,213 Total services listed, 9040 Number of listed services metered, 8,471
Percentage of services metered, 93.7
202
CONSUMPTION
Total gallons Great Pond Station
Total gallons Circuit Avenue Station
615,170,000 73,660,000
Total gallons consumed
688,830,000
Average daily consumption in gallons
1,885,000
Average daily consumption per capita in gallons
58.7
Total gallons through commercial meters
195,024,750
Total gallons through domestic meters
344,408,250
Total gallons measured
539,433,000
Percentage accounted for by meters
78.2
203
TABLE I METERS IN USE DECEMBER 31, 1949
Sizes in Inches
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