USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1913-1916 > Part 63
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73.40
999.92
Stock on hand
77.12
Credit by cash received .
922.80
922.80
Unexpended balance .
$ 1.000.00
REPORT OF WATER AND SEWERAGE BOARD 85
Construction
Appropriation for Overlook Road and
Nowell Road, Main Street and Richardson Street
$ 3,979.44
Expended for labor and materials
2,417.88
Unexpended balance
1,561.56
Connections
Applications for house connections to
date
814
Number of connections made
772
Number of connections during the year
27
WATER DEPARTMENT
Annual Financial Statement
Receipts :
From water rates
$29,945.85
Services
1,009.14
Rents
240.00
Sales (horse, wagon, junk, etc.) .
218.03
Total receipts
31,413.02
Expenditures :
By maintenance
16,238.28
Commissioners' salaries
300.00
Services
1,081.38
Construction
3,938.98
Bonds (Town Treasurer)
12,000.00
Interest (Town Treasurer)
8,303.75
Total expenditures
41,862.39
Statements of receipts and expenditures under the several appropriations follow:
Maintenance
Appropriation
$16,250.00
Expended
16,238.28
Unexpended balance
11.72
Construction
Appropriation
4,000.00
Expended
3,938.98
Unexpended balance
.61.02
-
1
86
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Construction work:
Green Street, north end
6 inch pipe 726 feet
Druid Hill Avenue
6 inch pipe 34 feet
Grafton Street
6 inch pipe 421 feet
Vernon Street, north
6 inch pipe 475 feet
Wharton Park
6 inch pipe
491 feet
Morrison Road West
6 inch pipe 82 feet
Kendrick Road
6 inch pipe
314 feet
Ames Street
4 inch pipe 369 feet
Minot Street
4 inch pipe 134 feet
Babson Street
4 inch pipe
208 feet
Total
3254 feet
Meters
Balance of appropriation available . $ 223.18
Expended
223.18
Commissioners' Salaries
Appropriation
$ 300.00
Expended
300.00
Services
Appropriation
$ 1,200.00
Expended
$1,081.38
Credit by cash collected
1,009.14
Net expenditures
72.24
New services added during year .
53
Services relaid during year
17
-
Total
70
On private land
On public land
Total
New services
1,152 ft.
1,404 ft.
2,556 ft.
Relaid services
337 ft.
612 ft.
949 ft.
Totals
1,489 ft.
2,016 ft.
3,505 ft.
REPORT OF WATER AND SEWERAGE
BOARD 87
Hydrants
Number of hydrants Jan. 1, 1916
240
New hydrants added during the year
8
Present number of hydrants
248
Location of New Hydrants
Vernon Street, north of Lowell Street.
Wharton Park.
Green Street, near Main Street.
Green Street, near Dillaway Street.
Grafton Street, east end. 1
Greenwood Avenue, south end.
Greenwood Avenue, near school house.
Center Street.
Water Pumped During the Year
Gallons
January
18,766,566
February
19,387,626
March
18,449,884
April
16,839,552
May 17,531,238
June
21,700,270
July
24,198,321
August
19,680,572
September
17,781,318
October
18,064,498
November
17,150,296
December
16,826,088
Total
226,376,229
Greatest amount pumped in 1916, July 20 .
1,059,996
Greatest amount pumped in a week, July 17 to 20
5,834,724
Average daily pumping
618,514
Average daily per head of estimated population .
47.6
Uncollected service bills . $92.30
·
·
Respectfully submitted, HERVEY J. SKINNER, JAMES H. KIMBALL, CHARLES H. LEAROYD,
Commissioners.
88
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Assessors
State Tax
$ 20,720.00
County Tax
13,371.48
Metropolitan Sewer Tax
10,720.06
Metropolitan Park Tax
6,741.68
Charles River basin
1,108.27
$ 52,661.49
APPROPRIATIONS
Moderator
$ 25.00
Selectmen Dept. 850.00
Town Accountant, salary and expenses
1,825.00
Treasurer, salary and expenses
1,100.00
Collector, salary and expenses
1,125.00
Assessors, salary of board and expenses
2,550.00
Town Clerk, salary and expenses
800.00
Finance Committee
65.00
Election and Registration
1,200.00
Legal Dept.
1,365.00
Town Hall
4,300.00
Vital Statistics
150.00
Police Department
10,475.00
Fire Department
17,732.14
Fire Alarm system
1,200.00
Rifle range account
400.00
Inspector of buildings
500.00
Sealer Weights and Measures
175.00
Moth Department
5,000.00
Tree Warden Department
600.00
Forest Warden Department
275.00
Accident Comp. Acct.
2,000.00
Board of Health
6,260.00
Sewer Department
2,100.00
Highway Department
18,440.00
Poor Department
13,375.00
State Aid
3,300.00
Military Aid
200.00
Soldiers' Relief
3,500.00
School Department
87,800.00
Library
2,195.00
Park Department
2,650.00
REPORT OF ASSESSORS
89
Reserve Fund
2,000.00
Insurance account
1,875.00
Miscellaneous account
1,350.00
Light Department
24,400.00
Water Department
42,053.75
Cemetery Department
750.00
Interest account
19,800.00
Bonds and notes
38,900.00
Lowell street
2,000.00
Oak street land damage
269.50
Viola Slocumb land damage
100.00
Fire Alarm box
110.00
Post 12, G. A. R.
$50.00
Spanish War Veterans
50.00
July 4 celebration
500.00
Street Railway Fare Revision
100.00
Street lights, Herbert street
100.00
New street lights
300.00
Main street sewer extension
600.00
Appropriations
State charges
329,140.39 52,661.49
Grand Total
$ 381,801.88
RECEIPTS 1916
Tax titles
$ 646.40
Interest on tax titles
58.85
Interest on deposits
919.67
St. Ry. tax
3,600.18
St. excise tax
3,346.88
Nat. Bank Tax
2,722.29
Public service tax
1,960.96
Business corp tax
4,180.09
Military Aid
110.00
State Aid
2,836.00
Burial Soldiers and Sailors
50.00
Junk dealers' fees
200.00
All other fees
149.00
Milk inspector dept.
30.00
Court fines
477.00
90
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Wakefield estate
341.00
Town Hall
631.00
Insurance forms
5.35
Rent of hose house
58.75
Fire dept.
14.47
Sealer Weights and Measures
104.83
Moth dept.
. 49.50
Poor Department
2,078.51
School tuition
2,586.72
Water dept.
41,733.65
Water services
860.27
Rent Lakeside house
240.00
Sewer connections
851.94
Cemetery dept.
69.25
Sidewalks and curbing
527.79
Tax certificates
14.00
Sewer cards
2,011.86
Bug tax
1,669.10
Tax collector, interest
4,912.07
Board of Health
1.00
Library rec.
210.31
Telephone tolls
.20
Dec. levy of 1914 cash 1,726.00
Middlesex County, Lowell street
2,000.00
State of Massachusetts, Lowell street
2,000.00
Sewer connections
601.43
Industrial school fund
789.41
Total
$ 87,375.73'
Personal property
$ 2,324,595.00
Buildings
6,783,973.00
Land
3,588,060.00
Resident Bank stock
127,818.00
$ 12,824,446.00
Gross Levy
$
381,801.88
Less 3823 polls at $2.00 7,646.00
Less receipts
87,375.73
To enter the levy
$ 286,780.15;
Rate
23.20
Overlay
.
$ 10,747.00
91
REPORT OF ASSESSORS
NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ASSESSED ON PROPERTY
Individual
2002
All others 339
Total 2341
NUMBER OF NON-RESIDENTS ASSESSED ON PROPERTY
Individuals 614
All others
101
Total
715
NUMBER OF PERSONS ASSESSED
On property
3056
For poll tax only 2668
Total 5724
Number of poll tax payers 3823
Number of dwellings
2398
Acres of land
.3987
Number of horses April 1, 1916
317
Number of cows April 1, 1916
261
Number of neat cattle April 1, 1916
3
Number of swine April 1, 1916
125
Number of fowl April 1, 1916
2160
Number of automobiles April 1, 1916
Pleasure cars
224
Commercial cars
30 254
PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION
The First Baptist Church of Wakefield
Trustees, land and buildings $ 3,000
First Parish (Congregational) 134,275
First Baptist Society land and building 59,000
Episcopal Society land and buildings 30,000
Rom. Cath. Society land and buildings 60,000
Congregational Society (Greenwood) 4,900
Methodist Society land and buildings 21,525
Universalist Society land and buildings 26,500
Mont. Chapel Society land and buildings 3,225
1
92 TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Mass. Baptist Woodville S. S. Ass'n
2,200
Young Men's Christian Ass'n
39,500
Home for Aged Women
8,050
State Armory
54,500
Quannapowitt Agricultural Soc.
25,000
Mass. Baptist Ass'n land and buildings
12,000
ABATEMENTS ON THE 1916 LEVY
Soldiers' polls, soldiers' wives and widows $ 1,567.66
Widows and spinsters
1,146.39
Poll tax payers deceased
4.00
Inability
64.00
Over valuation
980.71
Moth tax
2.15
Sworn off by filing statement (personal)
1,638.92
Re-assessed
425.79
LIST OF MATURITIES PAID IN THE 1916 LEVY
Water Loan
$ 8,000
Water Meters, 1st
1,500
Water Meters, 2nd 1,500
Main Street Water Main 1,000
Junction School
1,500
Byron Street Sewer, 1st
1,000
Insurance Premiums, 2nd
500
North School
1,000
Sewer Loan, 1st
5,000
Greenwood School
1,000
High School Site
2,500
Main Street Construction, 1st
6,000
Elm and Armory Streets, sewers
1,000
Main and Franklin Streets, sewer
500
Main Street Construction, 2nd
6,000
Upper Gould Street, sewer
500
Motor Fire Apparatus
900
Byron Street Sewer, 2nd
500
Highway Construction (1915)
6,000
Lowell Street Construction (1915)
4,000
Extension of Sewers (1915)
1,000
$ 50,900
93
REPORT OF ASSESSORS
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
School property, land and buildings $ 339,483.00
School property, furnishings 18,000.00
Town Hall, land and building
150,000.00
Town Hall, furnishings
9,000.00
Public Library, 18,500 vols.
22,500.00
Fire Stations, land and buildings
26,475.00
Fire Apparatus
25,000.00
Almshouse, land and buildings
31,800.00
Almshouse, personal property
3,500.00
Highway property including stone crusher
10,000.00
Trust funds
25,980.00
Cemeteries
12,500.00
Band Stand
1,500
Public Lands
Town Common 54,450.00
Town Rockery 6,250.00
Town Park
147,015.00
Town Park - Lakeside
24,530.00
Town Park - Hart's Hill
15,000
All other town lands exclusive of tax
titles .10,000.00
Water Works
331,000.00
Sewer System
335,500.00
Gas and Electric Light Plant, exclusive
of land
268,000.00
Gas and Electric Light Plant, land 11,750.00
Bonded Debt Jan. 1st, 1917
$ 1,879,233.00 529,400.00
Assets above liabilities
$ 1,349,833.00 For department expenses see Accountant's report.
Samuel T. Parker, Chairman George H. Stowell, Secretary Charles A. Cheney
94
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Financial Report of Sweetser Lecture Committee
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen.
Gentlemen :- The Sweetser Lecture Committee submits here- with its financial report for the year 1915-16. Attached hereto are receipts for each and every item of expenditure.
RECEIPTS
Nov. 4 C. H. Howe-Season tickets .
$329.50
Nov. 11 Income C. Sweetser Lecture Fund 400.00
Nov. 17 3 Admissions .75
Nov. 17 5 Season tickets 2.50
Nov. 18 L. L. McMaster-100 Admissions 25.00
Nov. 18 L. L. McMaster-190 Season tickets 95.00
Dec. 1 7 Season tickets 3.50
Dec. 1 30 Admissions 6.00
Jan. 5 27 Admissions . 5.40
Jan. 19 18 Admissions 3.60
Feb. 2 26 Admissions
5.20
Totals Receipts
$876.45
EXPENDITURES
Nov. 17
1 Ticket punch $ .65
Nov .. 17 David Redfearn-Taking tickets 1.50
Nov. 19
J. F. Parker & Co-Torches 4.50
Nov. 19
Boston Regalia Co .- Badges . 6.30
Nov. 19 William H. Taft-Lecture & Expenses
310.46
Nov. 22 G. D. Chapman-Drum Corps
9.00
Nov. 30 A. L. Ripley-Music 15.00
Dec. 1 H. W. Gleason-Lecture . 50.00
Dec. 4 M. H. Carter-Decoration
5.00
Jan. 5 A. L. Cutler-Lecture & Expenses 60.00
Jan. 19
Charles E. Fay-Lecture . 50.00
Feb. 2
L. Dupriez-Lecture
30.00
Feb. 2 A. L. Cutler-Stereopticon 10.00
REPORT OF OVERSEERS OF THE
POOR 95
Feb. 2 H. S. Parker-Police and Fireman . 19.50
Feb. 2 Wakefield Daily Item-Print. & Adv. 47.30
Feb. 2 Norman Hudson-Selling tickets 5.50
Feb. 2 Albert Hudson-Taking tickets 5.50
Feb. 3 Scott Printing Co .- Adv. 12.00
Total Expenses $642.21
Balance paid to Mrs. Rosa B. Cutler,
Treas. Sweetser Charity Fund $234.24
.
$876.45
Respectfully Submitted,
W. S. PERKINS, J. LOWE McMAHON, EDWIN C. MILLER,
HARRIS M. DOLBEARE,
HARRY M. WHEELER.
Report of Oveersers of the Poor
The Overseers of the Poor herewith submit their report for the year 1916.
There are ten inmates at the Home, four women and six men.
The Home is in excellent condition and the inmates are well cared for by the Superintendent and Matron, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Blick, Jr.
HUGH CONNELL, Chairman, ALBERT D. CATE, Secretary, GEORGE E. ZWICKER.
1
96
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of School Committee
SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1916-1917
Arthur H. Boardman, Ch'n, 56 Pleasant St. Mrs. Ida Farr Miller, Sec., 21 Richardson Ave. J. Lowe McMahon, Treas., Prospect St. Mrs. Eva Gowing Ripley, 40 Emerson St. Dr. Charles E. Montague, 15 Richardson Ave. Edward E. Lee, Greenwood, Mass.
Term expires 1917
1918
66 1919
66
66 1919
1917
66
66
1918
SUB-COMMITTEES
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Dr. Montague Mr. Lee Mr. Boardman
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS
Mr. McMahon Mr. Lee
Mr. Boardman
TEACHERS AND SALARIES
Mrs. Miller
Mr. Lee Dr. Montague
Mrs. Ripley
COURSES OF STUDY Mrs. Miller Dr. Montague
Mr. Lee
TEXT BOOKS AND SUPPLIES Mrs. Ripley Mr. McMahon
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Willard B. Atwell, 20 Stedman St.
OFFICE HOURS
Mondays, 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 to 8.30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, 4 to 5.30 p.m. Office, Flanley Block.
Telephone, Office, 122. Residence, 363-J.
Clerk, Miss Gertrude V. Lofstrom. Hours, 8 to 12 and 1.30 to 5 on school days.
REGULAR MEETINGS OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Second and fourth Fridays of each month at 8 p.m. at Com- mittee Rooms, Flanley Block.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The Committee suggested in its last report the purchase of a two-room portable building for the Lincoln School. This would have pro- vided accommodations for all the grades at that school for full time and
97
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
would also have provided for the transfer of a few pupils from the Woodville School to relieve the crowded condition in the lower room.
The refusal of the town to appropriate money for the purchase of such a building has necessitated the continued division of the first grade, a part attending the morning and the remainder the afternoon session. The teachers of these sections have assisted each other in their respective classes. This seems to be the only schedule possible at the present time. The committee does not consider this arrangement satisfactory and hope that accommodations may soon be provided for regular sessions.
Because of previous reports of the School Committee and the Principal dealing with the High School situation and because of the continued increase' in enrollment, the committee feel that it ought not to be necessary to present any further arguments indicating the need of a new high school building.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS
Further improvements have been made to the Franklin School playground. The remainder of the low ground has been filled in and the banking on the Nahant Street side has been graded and an iron fence with cement posts has been erected. Two hundred and fifty dol- lars was expended from the school appropriation and the balance of the cost of the improvement was paid by individuals living in the dis- trict. The work was done under the supervision of the Superintendent of Streets.
FIRE PROTECTION
In our last report we mentioned changes made in several of the buildings to better protect them against fire. At the Hurd and Hamil- ton Schools brick walls have been built about both basement stairways and fire doors installed, thus shutting off the corridors and exits by these walls and fire doors. At the High School a sprinkler system has been installed in the basement and chemical laboratory with stand- pipes to the top floor with two outlets on each floor with fire hose.
HEALTH CONDITIONS
The epidemic of Infantile Paralysis last fall caused many cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts to delay the opening of schools. After careful consideration, and conference with the Health Authori- ties, it was decided to keep our schools in session unless cases actually occurred among pupils, but to further safeguard the liability of con- tagion, three nurses were secured to give their entire attention to look- ing after the health of pupils in schools and particularly to following up and investigating all known cases of illness in the family at home unless under the care of a physician. After about three weeks, two nurses were released, but the services of one has been retained and
98
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
we are asking an appropriation to make this a permanent position. We consider a school nurse almost a necessity. She has proven of great assistance to the school physician, to principals and to teachers in discovering and following up in school and at home parasitic and contagious skin diseases and in looking after the general welfare from a health standpoint. The Board of Health strongly recommend her re- tention.
PARENT-TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION
The committee appreciates the interest taken in the schools by the Parent-Teachers' Associations which is being manifested in many helpful ways. The Association of the Franklin School has provided suitable apparatus for the new playground. The Greenwood Associa- tion which was last year instrumental in organizing supervised play at the Greenwood School has continued its interest, and is now em- ploying a teacher of physical training who gives instruction two days a week during the recess periods. This association has made a trial of furnishing paper towels.
The Committee believes in physical education and hopes in the near future to be able to provide for the schools a director in physical training.
The Associations connected with the High School, the Warren, Hurd, Montrose and Woodville Districts have shown great interest and enthusiasm and are proving helpful to the schools and the school management.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
The committee this year has again seriously considered the ques- tion of salaries and decided to recommend that the town appropriate a sum sufficient to increase the salaries of all women teachers fifty dol- lars and the men teachers one hundred dollars from January 1, 1917. This would raise the salaries of the women teachers in the grades now receiving the maximum to seven hundred dollars and in the High School to eight hundred and fifty dollars.
The Committee appreciates the fact that many places the size of Wakefield or larger and some towns smaller, pay salaries consider- ably in excess of those proposed, and if the town were in a better finan- cial condition the committee would gladly recommend a more substan- tial increase believing that it would be justified in so doing.
Since the budget was prepared a petition was presented from the grade teachers asking for one hundred dollars increase January 1. 1917 and fify dollars increase January 1, 1918.
The committee has prepared and presented to the Finance Com- mittee an estimate showing the additional amount needed to carry this into effect and also to give a like increase to the women teachers in the High School.
99
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
APPROPRIATIONS
We recommend the following appropriations:
Salaries
$ 76,659.00
Contingent
7,000.00
Supplies
4,000.00
Fuel
6,000.00
Evening School
1,100.00
Practical Arts
900.00
$ 95,659.00
The receipts are estimated to be $3000.00.
For a more complete account of the work of the schools, we would refer to the reports of the Superintendent and of the Principal of the High School and urgently invite a careful reading of the same.
A. H. Boardman
Mrs. Ida Farr Miller
J. Lowe McMahon Mrs. Eva Gowing Ripley
E. E. Lee
Dr. C. E. Montague
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee.
Ladies and Gentlemen :- I hereby submit my sixth annual report, the twenty-third in a series of such reports.
CROWDED CONDITIONS
Last year I reported that in some districts the buildings were badly overcrowded. Conditions have not improved any, but are worse.
The Woodville building has room enough upstairs because we took the fifth grade from there and divided it between the Lincoln and Franklin Schools. We felt compelled to do this because of the large numbers at Woodville and because there were three grades in the room. The lower room has about fifty pupils. Nearly all of the entering class are non-English speaking, making the work here very hard. Some assistance should be given the teacher for full time.
In the Franklin buildings the rooms accommodating the first four or five grades have more pupils than they should, and this is in spite of the portable building which has been in use for some time. No teacher should be compelled to teach fifty pupils, but two or three teachers in this building do. The sixth, seventh and eighth grades are not at all crowded, the congestion coming in the preceding
100
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
grades. It looks, now, as though it is only a short time before we shall have to have added accommodations here. Until such are fur- nished by the town we should employ an extra teacher to help, par- ticularly in grade one and in others if occasion permits.
In the Lincoln building conditions are very bad. The first grade is still divided, one-half of the class attending mornings and the other half afternoons. Some of the other rooms are badly over- crowded, having fifty or more pupils enrolled. We have a teacher here who does individual work with the slow and backward pupils and she is doing the work well. ,
The three central districts, Woodville, Franklin and Lincoln are in the poorest shape for accommodations and urgently need relief.
The other buildings, with the exception of the eighth grade room in the Warren School, are comfortably able to take care of the pupils in their respective districts. It may be possible to re-arrange the Warren and Hamilton districts and add one or two grades to the Hamilton school to more easily take care of the situation on the West Side.
FIRE-PROOFING
During the past year the committee did considerable work in fire-proofing the buildings. The High, Lincoln, Hurd and Hamilton schools are now well protected. There is some work still which should be attended to. Every building in town now has self-closing doors leading to the basements covered with metal, and orders have been given to have these doors closed all the time school is in session. Every exit is thus guarded against fire breaking out into the corri- dors from the basements.
WIDER USE OF BUILDINGS
The town has a valuable plant in the school property and it seems a pity that this vast plant cannot be utilized to a greater extent. At present all but two buildings are used some, though not as much as they might be.
The High School is the most widely-used school building in town. During the fall, winter and spring for four nights per week some parts of this building are in use from eight o'clock in the morning to nine-thirty or ten at night. The High School students use it from eight to five o'clock, and the Evening School from seven-thirty to nine-thirty at least, often for more than this time. Different organ- izations of the High School also use it during the winter, as well as the Parent-Teachers' Association and the Wakefield Improvement Society.
The Franklin School while well situated is not used as much for a civic center as it should be. Besides the Parent-Teachers' Association meetings, the Kosmos Club is conducting classes for the
101
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
mothers of the district, making provisions for taking care of the little children whom the mothers may bring with them.
The only extra use the other buildings have is the meetings of the Parent-Teachers' Association or Improvement Association of the re- spective districts.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
The question of adequate salaries for teachers is ever present, and it seems to be more pressing than ever just now. There is no need of giving any arguments on the high cost of living. We all know it is here and we know that it affects all alike. Industries are giving their employees substantial increases in wages with a result in many cases, that unskilled labor is receiving more than the teach- ers of our town. The teacher has many demands both for time and money, and after these have been satisfied together with the actual cost of existence, a teacher has very little chance to lay anything aside for a rainy day or for old age. I know that both the tax rate and assessed valuation of property are high, but I sincerely hope the town may see its way clear to make a sufficiently large appropria- tion so the committee may grant a substantial increase in salary to each teacher.
DENTAL WORK
Last year I reported that the dentists in town had freely and voluntarily offered their services to examine the teeth of the school children in the first five grades. They have continued their work this year adding the pupils of the sixth grade. The dentists find that since the last inspection many children have had work done on their teeth. Last spring many children whose parents could not afford to pay for dental work were given treatment gratis. I cannot speak too highly of these busy men who have so generously given of their time for the benefit of the children. They have eased much pain and increased the efficiency of the boys and girls.
SCHOOL NURSE
Nearly every principal reports that the school nurse is doing a valuable work in the schools in conjunction with the school physi- cian. Her following up of the parasitic diseases and skin troubles saves many children considerable time that they would otherwise lose. I hope we may add a nurse permanently to our staff.
NEW FORM FOR REPORT CARDS
, Believing that a new style of report card would better meet needs of this line of school work, we have adopted new forms. Now, instead of giving a letter or figure indicating the kind of work a pupil is doing, the teacher tells in plain English in a few words
102
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
what the weakness or strength of the pupil is. At the end of the half-year and at each report thereafter she also states the chances of promotion of each child. The parent thus has plenty of time to know what to expect and to assist in the work to make up the deficiencies. The parent is requested to sign the card, not as an indication of ap- proval but to show that he has read over the report. Judging from comments that I have heard, I believe that parents generally like this new form of report card.
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