USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Abington > Town annual report of the officers and committees, 1948 > Part 4
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$509.20
Two Polls at $2.00
4.00
Real Estate, December assessment, $4,850 at $51
247.35
Total amount committed to Collector .
$306,420.30
TOTAL ABATEMENTS GRANTED IN 1948
Levy of 1947
Polls
$6.00
Personal Estate
27.30
Real Estate
130.00
Levy of 1948
Polls
94.00
Personal Estate
521.48
Real Estate
5,166.07
Total
$5,944.85
RECAPITULATION OF MOTOR EXCISE
Number of Motor Vehicles Assessed
2,391
Value of Motor Vehicles Assessed
$659,170.00
Tax on Motor Vehicles Assessed
19,716.90
TOTAL ABATEMENTS GRANTED ON MOTOR VEHICLES 1948
Levy of 1947
$52.75
Levy of 1948
1,028.04
Total
$1,080.79
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DISPOSAL OF FORECLOSED TOWN PROPERTY
Five parcels of land, acquired through foreclosures of Tax Titles, were disposed of by the Custodian of Town Property, and the sum of $97.50 was turned over to the Treasurer. One parcel was added to this department in 1948, from the Tax Title Account, and four more will be transferred in the early part of 1949.
After the passing of Mr. Harriss in October, the Selectmen appointed Benjamin W. Farnham, Chairman and Clerk of the Assessors, to act as Custodian.
CUSTODIAN'S SALARY
Appropriation 1948 Expended
$250.00 250.00
EXPENSES
Balance from 1947 Expended
$108.65 32.25
Unexpended balance to 1949
$76.40
Respectfully submitted,
BENJAMIN W. FARNHAM, HERBERT D. SAMPSON, ROY C. LUCAS.
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REPORT OF THE TAX COLLECTOR
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my report as Tax Collector for the collections and outstanding taxes as committed to me by the Assessors of the town.
Outstanding taxes January 1, 1948
$24,927.59
Commitments 1948
325,959.79
Refunds
813.51
Paid to Treasurer
$318,714.86
Abatements
7,025.64
Added to Tax Title Account
952.09
Balance outstanding Jan. 1. 1949
25,008.30
$351,700.89
$351,700.89
SUMMARY OF OUTSTANDING TAXES
Levy of 1947 Levy of 1948
$148.20 24,350.90
Special Commitment
509.20
Total
$25,008.30
WATER LIENS
Commitment
$177.41
Paid Treasurer
$120.01
Balance Outstanding Jan. 1, 1949
57.40
$177.41
$177.41
ADDED PAYMENTS TO TREASURER
Interest Paid to Treasurer $697.31
Costs Paid to Treasurer 332.42
Respectfully submitted,
INA A. GOULD, Collector of Taxes.
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REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Abington :
Gentlemen :
I herewith respectfully submit my annual report of the Police Department of the Town of Abington ending December 31, 1948.
Chief of Police John A. Litchfield
Patrolmen
John H. Manley
Stephen J. O'Brien
Special Police
John H. Murphy D. Fred Phillips Francis T. Condon Lawrence J. Griffin
Arrest Report
Offense
Male Female Total
Drunkenness
31
3
34
Disturbing the Peace
4
0
4
Assault and Battery
4
1
5
Assault
1
0
1
Non-Support
9
0
9
Lewd and Lascivious Speech and Behavior
1
0
1
Illegitmate Child Act
1
0
1
Statutory Rape
2
0
2
Armed Robbery
1
0
1
Larceny
1
0
1
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Registering Bets on Speed of Horse Failing to Stop for a Police Officer Health Nuisance
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
Malicious Destruction of Property
2
0
2
Maintaining a Nuisance
1
0
1
Stubborn Child
0
1
1
Failing to Display Price Sign on Gasoline 1
0
1
- Operating Under the Influence
9
0
9
Operating After Suspension of License
3
0
3
Operating After License Expired
1
0
1
Operating to Endanger
2
0
2
Leaving Scene Causing Property Damage
2
0
2
Using Automobile Without Authority
3
0
3
Automobile Violations (Traffic)
18
0
18
Failing to Attach Registration Plates
1
0
1
Habitual Truant
1
0
1
102
5
107
Intermediate Sentences or Otherwise Disposed Of
Number of Fines
48
Suspended Sentence
6
House of Correction
5
Probation
4
Continued
11
File
13
Released
4
Not Guilty
6
Dismissed
8
Held for Grand Jury
3
Total
108
Miscellaneous
Amount of Fines Imposed
$232.00
Amount Returned to Town from Fines Levied
199.55
Calls Investigated
340
Automobile Sales
795
Automobile Accidents Personal Injury
46
Automobile Licenses Suspended
72
Automobile Registrations Revoked
12
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Summons Served 71 7 State Hospital (Insane) Stolen Cars Recovered 6 Arrest for Out of Town Police 1 Capias 2
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen, the Courts, Citizens of Abington and Police Officers for the cooperation given me.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN A. LITCHFIELD, Chief of Police.
REPORT OF THE DOG OFFICER
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen: -
Gentlemen:
I submit my report as Dog Officer for the year 1948 :
241 Calls 30 Stray dogs 18 Dog bites 15 Dogs returned to owner
Respectfully submitted,
TRACY B. SHURTLEFF
63
Station No. 1 and Equipment
64
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Abington, Mass.
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit to you the annual report of the Fire Department for the year 1948 and my recommenda- tions for the year 1949.
MANUAL FORCE AND APPARATUS
On January 1, 1949, the manual force consisted of two permanent men and thirty-two call men.
The apparatus consists of
One Seagrave 750 gallon per minute triple combin- ation purchased in 1921.
One Seagrave 500 gallon per minute triple combin- ation purchased in 1942.
One Seagrave 750 gallon per minute triple combin- ation purchased in 1948.
One Seagrave double bank ladder truck purchased in 1930.
One Reo hose wagon purchased in 1920 and now used in repairs to the fire alarm system.
The department has in service 6,000 feet of 21/5 inch hose, 1,400 feet of 11/2 inch hose, 1,400 feet of 11/8 inch forestry hose and 950 feet of booster hose.
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Station No. 2 and Equipment
I recommend that $800.00 be appropriated for new hose.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
The fire alarm system consists of one Gamewell three- circuit switchboard and battery, one three-circuit rectifier set, one motor generator set, one transmitter, two tower bells, one compressed air whistle, six tappers in the homes of members of the department, three tappers in the fire stations. two tape registers, forty-one street boxes and about twenty miles of wire.
Boxes 14 and 32, two of the old boxes that have been burned out on several occasions have been replaced with new boxes.
I would recommend that two more of the older boxes be replaced and that $325.00 be appropriated.
FIRES AND ALARMS
In 1948 the department responded to 100 telephone calls. 23 box calls and eight verbal calls. for a total of 131 calls.
Two of these calls were for false alarms.
The value of buildings and autos $41,450.00
Insurance on buildings and autos 29,200.00
Loss on buildings and autos 6,922.90
Insurance paid 6,522.90
The value of contents
$18,650.00
Insurance on contents
11,000.00
Loss on contents
2.258.26
Insurance paid on contents
683.26
CONCLUSION
In concluding this report I wish to call your atten- tion to a law enacted by the General Court.
An act to provide for the furnishing of gas masks for the use of members of the Fire Departments. That two oxygen type be on each piece of Fire Apparatus.
67
To comply with this law the town will have to pur- chase eight masks. The prices range from $198.00 to $237.00 each.
I wish to thank the Abington Rotary Club for the donation of an Iron Lung to be used in all cases of emer- gency where artificial resuscitation is required.
I wish to thank the officers and members of the Fire and Police Departments and all who have assisted me- in the performance of my duty as Chief of the Fire Department.
ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES FOR 1949
Payroll and Maintenance $12,428.54 800.00
New Hose
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN L. CASEY, Chief of Fire Dept.
REPORT OF THE FOREST WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit to you the annual report of the Forest Warden for the year 1948 and my recommendation for the year 1949.
In the past year there have been sixty-one brush, grass and dump fires. This is fifty-five less than in the previous year.
On Sunday, April 25th, the most serious fire took place off North Quincy Street; this fire, like many in the Cleve- land pond section, was of incendiary nature. I will recom-
68
mend that a reward be offered for information that would lead to the arrest of those guilty of the act of setting fires in woods or grass.
Permits are required for all fires in the open and can be secured by calling the fire station-Tel. Rockland 620.
I recommend that $650.00 be appropriated for the control and extinguishing of forest fires.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN L. CASEY, Forest Warden.
69
REPORT OF THE TREE WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
- Abington, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit the report of the Tree Warden for the year 1948.
With the appropriation of $2,500.00 and including $500.00 transferred to this department the following work has been done during the past year: Seventeen dead elm trees removed, four maples and one pine removed.
On fifty-five trees, broken and damaged limbs have been removed; damage caused by past hurricanes and storms. The following streets have been completely trimmed : Morton Street, Highland Street, Harrison Ave- nue, and Arnold Park.
Several large trees and limbs have been removed from gutters and drains to aid drainage. A good many tree stumps have been removed at ground level that have been standing for a good many years.
At this time I wish to state that I did some work on the eradication of poison ivy the past year, as much as the present budget would allow.
During the past year I have had experts from the shade tree disease laboratory, University of Massachu- setts, Amherst, Mass., go over the town on the control of Dutch Elm disease. Also a representative of a gas company for the purpose of inspecting trees for damage due to gas leaks.
I wish to submit the amount of five thousand two hundred ($5,200.00) dollars for the 1949 appropriation . for the Tree Department Town of Abington.
70
I have recently taken a survey and there are 1,676 elm trees in town. Some 40% of these trees need attention and 5% are completely gone and should be removed. This also holds true with other trees in town. There should be a good deal of trimming done around the street lights of the town thereby obtaining better results from the lighting.
With Dutch Elm disease in this locality, considerable amount of work should be done for the control of this disease in the town.
Poison ivy in all parts of the town has caused con- siderable damage to trees and some have had to be removed. Also it should be controlled along sides of town roads for the protection of its citizens.
With the new developments in town and loss of so many trees due to storms and high winds I recommend that for every tree that has been removed in the past year a tree should be replaced.
I recommend that the town purchase a small chain saw.
I recommend that the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) be appropriated for the repairs to the tree department building.
General tree work
$3,100.00
Control of Dutch Elm disease
500.00
Poison ivy control
500.00
Replacement of trees
500.00
Mall chain saw
500.00
Repairs to tree department building
100.00
$5,200.00
At this time I wish to express my thanks to the citi- zens and officials of the town for their kind co-operation given me throughout the past year. Also to feel free to call upon me at any time about any matter concerning the Tree Department.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. WRIGHT, Tree Warden.
71
REPORT OF THE MOTH SUPERINTENDENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Abington, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit the report of the Moth Superin- tendent for the year 1948.
During the year 1948, all town shade trees were sprayed twice, and all elm trees were sprayed three times.
During the year 1949 I recommend that the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) be appropriated in accordance with Section 11, Chapted 660, Acts of 1948, Department of Conservation, Division of Forestry, Com- monwealth of Massachusetts.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM J. WRIGHT,
Moth Superintendent.
72
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
The Board of Health respectfully submits its annual report for the year ending December 31, 1948.
Considerable attention has been given to the town dump located on Groveland Street. We had an attendant there seven days a week for two months during the sum- mer but this proved unsatisfactory. Throughout the year the dump required frequent use of a bulldozer to keep refuse pushed back. We thank the Tree Warden, William J. Wright, for spraying the town dump for the prevention of the spread of insects and disease.
This year we had a decided decrease in the number of contagious diseases, reported-but we do feel a great number of minor diseases were not reported for the record. We urge everyone to report such cases although they do not require the services of a physician. We wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the school nurse, teachers and physicians in preventing the spread of contagious disease by their early reporting of such cases.
The Board handled 150 nuisance complaints under the sections adopted from the General Laws pertaining to public health.
At this time there are two cases in the Plymouth County Hospital.
During the year the following diseases dangerous to the public health were reported :
Chicken Pox 16
Dog Bite 24
Measles 10
73
Town Dump
Mumps 1
Pneumonia, Lobar
1
Scarlet Fever
4
Tuberculosis
1
Whooping Cough
2
Respectfully submitted,
ANTHONY F. GAWRONSKI,
JOSEPH A. VALATKA,
RAYMOND J. LIROSI,
Board of Health.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Animals for the year ending December 31, 1948. During my inspec- tion of animals there were: 336 cows, 5 bulls, 8 horses, 717 swine, 11 goats, 1 sheep.
Respectfully submitted,
EUGENE J. HARKINS
75
ABINGTON VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION, INC.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
It is a pleasure to submit, herewith, the Annual Report of the Abington Visiting Nurse Association for the year 1948.
The Annual Membership Drive was conducted in May and the Executive Board is sincerely grateful to all con- tributors and extends grateful thanks to the Captains and Solicitors.
The Sale of Christmas Seals was conducted as usual with splendid results, and three children were sent to the Bailey Health Camp for eight weeks. Plans were made for a Chest X-Ray Survey in Abington, made possible by the Seal Sale. Rehabilitation work was continued and Abington patients in T.B. sanitariums have been remem- bered with gifts periodically.
Monthly Well Child Conferences have been held with Dr. Alice E. Butler, pediatrician, in charge, assisted by Mrs. Hazel Mansfield, the Visiting Nurse, and members of the Executive Board.
A committee from the Association has remembered the Friendship Circle for the Blind and Chronic monthly with visits and gifts on special occasions.
The Association has had a successful year and the President wishes to express her thanks to the Executive Board for helping her make this possible.
Also the President and Executive Board convey their thanks to all-organizations and individuals-who have helped in any way to make this a successful year.
ABINGTON VISITING NURSE ASS'N, INC.
Louise D. Sanderson, President
76
VISITING NURSE REPORT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
I submit the following report for 1948:
No. of Bedside Visits
3,028
Visits in Behalf of Well-Child Conference
17
Follow-up Visits for Tuberculosis
8
3,053
Paid and Part-Paid Visits
1,172
Free
1,881
3,053
No. of Morbidity Patients :
Adults
2,570
Infants
373
School-Age
53
Pre-School
32
Morbidity Patients divided into :
Medical
2,084
Surgical
464
Post-Natal
438
Pre-Natal
42
Confinements
4
Toxoid Clinic
25
Well-Child Conference
136
. A Diphtheria Immunization Clinic was sponsored by the Board of Health last spring and twenty-five children attended.
77
There is a Well-Child Conference held at the Legion Hall every third Friday of the month. This Conference is for any infant or pre-school child. Dr. Alice E. Butler examined one hundred and thirty-six babies last year.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the people - in town who have donated cloth, clothing and various articles to the organization and to thank the members of the Visiting Nurse Board for their cooperation in the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
HAZEL MANSFIELD. R. N.
78
: FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE ABINGTON VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION, INC., FOR 1948
RECEIPTS
January 1, 1948 cash balance
$1,414.82
Nurse collections
361.25
Membership drive
1,613.17
Donations
100.00
Receipts-Tuberculosis Fund
682.27
$4,171.51
EXPENDITURES
Nurse's salary
$543.72
Substitute nurse's salary
425.20
Withholding taxes
147.04
Telephone service
67.09
Servicing car
270.01
Car insurance
54.54
Well-child clinics
352.00
Rent for Well-child clinics
52.00
Nurse's supplies
38.53
Annual meeting expense
5.00
Printing and Postage
45.07
M.O.P.H.N. due
3.00
Hospital bed
47.50
Freight charges
3.50
Tuberculosis work
660.46
$2,714.66
January 1, 1949 balance
$1,456.85
$4.171.51
Appropriation paid directly to Nurse.
Respectfully submitted,
MELBA SMITH, Treasurer
79
REPORT OF THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES FOR 1948
ABINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
The trustees submit their seventy-first report.
Noah Webster defines a library as a depository for books-but this is only a foundation for a description of what, today, the library stands for. It is the source of reading whether for pleasure, self-culture or information. Today the public library is as much part of the town's educational equipment as the public school itself. It is the complement of the school.
A successful library is many things to many people to the community and to the individual. The report of the varied services given throughout the year emphasizes the value of the library to the community. Help is asked for, and is given, in such widely divergent instances as the planning of a Memorial Service and the completion of a difficult anagram.
The following specific instances will cross-section the work of the library in this field.
Private conferences and discussions were held out of library hours with parents and teachers in the fields of child psychology, juvenile delinquency and the relation of supervised reading to the development of social con- sciousness and responsibility. Among the interesting small human problems with which the library was able to help are the following: Mending a broken doll; finding a "baby sitter" in an emergency ; outlining a vacation itinerary ; planning a budget; providing character references; and planning a menu of "foolproof" recipes for a nervous bride who was planning her first family dinner.
Special story hours were held at the library for indi- vidual children who needed special help in establishing the reading habit. Basic vocabulary work was correlated with the program.
80
Ninety-three hours, outside of regular library hours, were spent in arranging and delivering reading material to people who could not come to the library for valid reasons.
Contact was maintained with the work of the Chil- dren's Foundation in which the library has interested itself for the past several years. In line with this work books and magazines were collected and sent to areas, both here and abroad, where the need was greatest.
During the course of the year thirty-four school and town libraries were visited for a comparison check on work, methods and community service.
Much time was spent during the year on integrating the work of the Dyer Memorial Library with that of the Public Library. The Dyer Memorial Library's specialized collection of Abingtonia and other Massachusetts history supplements the Public Library's general collection and is invaluable in providing source material needed for local research projects such as authenticating early Abington History for school and scout work ; providing accurate his- torical details for the Abington High School Alumni Association Celebration ; supplying genealogical material for family historians and authors.
The Library has carried out a planned program of close cooperation with the local school program. Extra- curricular work was planned with the teachers; special collections of books, magazines, newspapers, pictures, clip- pings and bibliographies were made available and parts of the work supervised by the library staff.
During Children's Book Week forty-three juvenile classics in modern editions were added to the shelves in the Children's Room. This completes the program of replacements in this section of obsolete and inferior editions which has been one of the major projects for the past several years. A group of current books ranging in interest from the pre-primary to the young-adult group was also placed in circulation during Book Week.
Eight hundred books purchased and given have been added to the library collection. The following special books
81
were added to the Reference Collection: Webster's Bio- graphical Dictionary, The Readers' Encyclopedia, Guide to the World's Best Books, Book Review Digest, Collec- tors' Handbook, Crafts Handbook, Goodes' Atlas, and United States Government Manual.
Several groups of books have been donated to the library and have been personally acknowledged with many thanks at time of receipt.
The circulation of books and magazines show an interesting increase and the non-fiction reading is noted with genuine satisfaction. One hundred and seven new registrants, during the year, shows an increased interest.
The following list of magazines and periodicals are gratefully acknowledged: Field Afar, Miss Ellen Dono- van; Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Mr. Thomas Buckley; Parent Teachers' Association Bulletin, Abington P. T. A .; Christian Science Monitor, Mrs. John Hanson; second subscription, Mrs. Robert Abby ; Harpers, Miss Alice Farrar.
To the Publishers-Common Weal, Plain Talk, Abing- ton Advertiser, Journal of American Insurance, Specialty Salesman, Mazda, Our Dumb Animals, Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin, National Grange Monthly, Army Life, Travellers' Standard and Watchman.
APPRECIATION
Among the many qualifications one should look for in a librarian the American Library Association notes these-The librarian who works with the general reader must be something of a sociologist, psychologist and practical student of community work; for their work is with individuals of many different kinds. Readers advis- ory service should be greatly extended so that all readers may have an opportunity to use such service. Much appreciation goes to the librarian, Miss Thelma Stone, and her assistant Miss Waitstill Freeman, who give such valuable service in conducting an efficient and modern library.
82
NORTH ABINGTON LIBRARY
The North Abington Library has had a satisfactory year, distinguished by increasing usefulness to the read- ing public. During 1948 the number of card-holders has increased by 73, recruited for the most part from new- comers to the town. In addition to the regular library service, special attention has been given to college students whose courses call for research and specific reading lists. The regular readers have found at their disposal, the newest books in fiction and biography, travel, and miscel- laneous subjects.
Exhibitions held during the year have concentrated on the work of home-town artists and craftsmen. In February a group of posters on sport subjects by students of Abington High School was shown. For Boy Scout week the Scouts assembled an interesting window of their craftswork and projects. In March the oils and water colors of Mrs. Louise Hudson of Adams street were on display ; and in May pottery by Mrs. E. A. Pierce of Pearl street was shown.
In July a collection of lithographs by the talented young Rockland artist, Constance Flavell, recent graduate of the Massachusetts School of Art, brought visitors from the vicinity and neighboring towns. In October the library sponsored hand-painted trays by Mrs. Carl D. Schmidt of West Abington. Designs for these trays were based on plates from the book "Early American Decoration" by Esther Stevens Brazier. In December water-colors of nearby scenes were exhibited by Ernest Sawtelle, Jr., teacher in the Vesper George School of Art in Boston, and now a resident of Highland Street, North Abington.
During the year the library room has on three differ- ent occasions been opened for registration of town voters. Also in line with town interests, the display window held for several weeks a large map arranged under the auspices of the School Committee, showing the distribution of school children, and indicative of a need for more adequate school housing.
A feature of the year and the continued interest in the library has been the donation of an unusually large
83
number of books from generous friends. Of these more than 300 have been Pocket paper-covered editions, which have helped to a wider circulation of popular fiction.
During the year the two librarians, Miss Alice Arnold and Miss Amy Glidden, with the able assistance of Mrs. James Morse, as substitute, have made the annual survey of books, discarding such as have become outmoded, and selecting those in need of rebinding.
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