USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1919 > Part 7
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The addition of the new apparatus for testing was a great help as far as the analysis of the milk was concerned, but to my mind it is not the standard of the milk, as much as the conditions and methods under which the milk is produced that must be watched and improved. Here also lies a great chance for improvement.
As it has been demonstrated by extensive tests, that it is impossible to produce clean milk with a low bacteria count under unsanitary con- ditions, the simplest solution would seem to be the addition of the bac- teria tests and to prohibit the sale of all milk containing over a specified number of bacteria. Also to publish monthly a list of all milk sold in the town with the number of bacteria contained in it.
Of course this would be an added expense to the department, but to my mind it would be well worth the amount expended.
One hundred and four samples of milk and four samples of cream were analyzed this year. Five samples of milk were found to be below the standard and the dealers warned.
91
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING
Twenty-two stores and fifteen dealers were licensed to sell milk in the town and twenty-four stores were licensed to sell oleo-margarine. The total receipts of the department was $30.50. '
CARL M. SMITH, Inspector of Milk, Town of Wakefield.
Report of the Inspector of Slaughtering
The work of this department was as follows:
From April 1st, to December 31st, 1919, 1538 hogs were slaughtered and inspected, and of this amount 15 were condemned as not being fit for food, for various causes.
The two slaughter houses in the Town of Wakefield compare favor- ably for cleanliness, with any slaughter houses of the kind.
Respectfully submitted,
PALMER CORBETT,
Inspector of Slaughtering.
92
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Town Treasurer
To the Citizens of Wakefield :-
I herewith present my report for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 1919.
TRUST FUNDS
The Trust Funds and available income balances now in my hands are as follows:
Cornelius Sweetser Lecture Fund $10,000.00
Cornelius Sweetser Lecture Guarantee Fund 1,230.37
John Gould Aborn Library Fund 1,601.81
Cyrus G. Beebe Library Fund 2,000.00
Flint Memorial Library Fund 1,000.00
Merrill W. Gove Library Fund 500.00
Dr. Francis P. Hurd Library Fund
2,500.00
Franklin Pool Library Fund
500.00
Cyrus Wakefield Library Fund 500.00
Mary E. Aborn Park Fund
2,000.00
Nancy White Park Fund
1,000.00
Nancy White Hurd School Fund
500.00
Nancy White Hurd School Fund, int. balance available 30.47
Jonathan Nichols Temperance Fund
1,000.00
Jonathan Nichols Temperance Fund, int. balance available
7.25
Sarah Burbank Burial Lot Fund
100.00
Sarah Burbank Burial Lot Fund, int. balance available.
5.34
Ezra Eaton Burial Lot Fund
100.00
Ezra Eaton Burial Lot Fund, int. balance available.
20.62
Flint Old Burial Ground Fund
2,000.00
Flint Old Burial Ground Fund, int. balance available.
57.10
Stimpson Family Burial Lot Fund
200.00
Stimpson Family Burial Lot Fund, int. balance available 4.59
500.00
Clarissa E. Swain Burial Lot Fund, int. balance available
3.87
Cornelius Sweetser Burial Lot Fund
1,000.00
Cornelius Sweetser Burial Lot Fund, int. balance available 273.16
50.00
George M. Kelley Burial Lot Fund
25.00
Levi Flanders Burial Lot Fund
100.00
· Total
$28,809.58
Clarissa E. Swain Burial Lot Fund
Jane K. Vinton Burial Lot Fund
93
REPORT OF TOWN TREASURER
The above funds are invested as follows:
United States Liberty Loan 41/4% Bonds ($24,150.00 par) $24,062.55 Wakefield Savings Bank 4,126.41
Blackstone Saving Bank ·620.62
Total $28,809.58 Full detail as to the nature of these funds, their incomes and detailed expenditures will be found in the Town Accountant's report.
LOAN ACCOUNT
The following sums have been borrowed on Temporary Notes in anticipation of revenue, during the year:
$125,000.00 at 4.35 per cent discount 75,000.00 at 4.50 per cent discount
25,000.00 at 4.35 per cent discount
50,000.00 at 4.33 per cent discount
50,000.00 at 4.79 per cent discount
$325,000.00.
Of this amount $200,000.00 has been paid, leaving a balance due in 1920 of $125,000.00 in anticipation of revenue.
Time loans as follows have been issued during the year:
Salem Street construction, 4 months $6,000.00 at 5 per cent
Woodville District School .67,000.00 at 41/2 per cent The latter loan is payable $4,000.00 each year for the first four years, $3,500.00 each year for the next eleven years and $2,500.00 each year for the last five years.
PERMANENT DEBT
Permanent debt, Jan. 1, 1919
$459,400.00
Paid during 1919 40,900.00
$418,500.00
New issues in 1919, as above
73,000.00
Permanent debt, Jan. 1, 1920 $491,500.00
The permanent debt has increased $32,100.00 during the year 1919.
MATURITIES OF TOWN DEBT
Maturing in 1920
.$42,500.00
1921
36,500.00
1922
34,000.00
1923
33,500.00
1924
33,000.00
1925
24,000.00
1926
24,000.00
1927
24,000.00
. 94
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
1928
23,500.00
1929
23,500.00
1930
23,500.00
1931
27,500.00
1932
27,500.00
1933
22,500.00
1934
15,500.00
1935
14,500.00
1936
13,500.00
1937
13,500.00
1938
12,500.00
1939
12,500.00
1940
10,000.00
Total
$491,500.00
The debt is chargeable to the following:
Water Department
$159,500.00
Light Department
46,000.00
Metropolitan Sewer
178,000.00
Highway Construction
6,000.00
School Buildings
92,000.00
High School Site
10,000.00
$491,500.00
CASH ACCOUNT
On the following pages will be found the Treasurer's Cash Account:
REPORT OF TOWN TREASURER
95
Dr.
ARTHUR H. BOARDMAN, Treasurer
To balance from last report, cash
$39,266.32
Borrowed on Temporary Notes
325,000.00
Premium received on same
3.25
Cemetery receipts
275.00
Moth Assessments
190.25
Sidewalks
572.53
Tax Certifications
11.00
Taxes and interest 370,941.59
Tax Title Deeds 1,314.99
Com. of Mass-Burial of indigent soldiers and sailors
50,00
Corporation Tax, Business
7,622,76
Corporation Tax, Public Service
5,429.25
Income Tax
9,413.78
Income Tax, General School Fund
15,730.35
Military Aid
37.50
National Bank Tax
4,722.20
Salem Street Construction
2,999.34
Soldiers Exemption
383.72
State Aid
3,927.00
Street Railway Tax
1,796.59
Court Fines, receipts
633.00
Cour Fines, receipts
49.50
Fire Department, receipts
130.89
Health Department, receipts
99.28
Health Department, licenses
16.00
Highway Department, receipts
1,498.49
Inspector of Buildings, receipts
3.50
Library receipts
289.95
Middlesex County Dog Tax, 1918
799.90
Moth Department, receipts
41.64
Municipal Light Plant, receipts
129,743.09
Poor Department, receipts
2,812.71
Redemption Tax Title Deeds and interest on same
2,234.63
To Refund-Bay State Street Railway Co., postage, etc
1.95
Food and Conservation Branch of Public Service Committee War Emergency appropriation of 1918 224.27
Library, cash advanced
10.00
Municipal Light Plant, cash advanced
100.00
Sale of Lumber, July 4th Committee
6.60
School Department, cash advanced
15.00
Sewer Department, Chlorine from Electrow
Bleaching Gas Co
43.66
Inspector of Milk, receipts
30.50
Middlesex County, Salem Street Construction
3,000.00
Collector of Taxes Receipts-Betterment Assessments
352.32
96
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Dr. ARTHUR H. BOARDMAN, Treasurer
Water Department, account coal in 1918, from New England Fuel Adm 50.79
Water Department, account coal 10.41
1.31
Water Department, International Harvester Co .. Water Department, cash advanced
50.00
Sale of Insurance Forms 1.55
Sale of Salem Street Construction Notė
6,000.00
Sale of Woodville District School Bonds 67,000.00
Premium on same
1,059.27
Accrued interest on same
50.25
School Department, receipts
2,459.74
Com. of Mass. Industrial Schools
627,79
Com. of Mass. Tuition of Children
663.75:
Com. of Mass. Vocational Education1 52.91
Sealer of Weights and Measures, receipts
111.66,
Selectmen, receipts-Auctioneers' licenses
2.00
Circus licenses
30.00
Junk licenses
350.00.
Merry-Go-Round licenses
5.00
Peddlers' licenses
20.00
Pool and Bowling licenses
25.00
Second-Hand Auto license
20.00
Second-Hand furniture licenses
15.00
Rents, Wakefield Estate
150.00
Sewer Department, receipts
3,398.94
Teachers' Retirement Fund Assessments
2,617.76.
Town Hall, receipts
816.14
Trust Fund, receipts
1,221.73
Wakefield Trust Co., interest on Certificates of Deposit
450.40
Wakefield Trust Co., interest on Collector's Balance
403.44
Wakefield Trust Co., interest on Treasurer's Balance
735.44
Water Dept., receipts
51,827.64
Water Dept., rents
20.00
Water Dept., Insurance on Storage Building., and Contents ..
420.00
Water Dept., Travelers Indemnity Co., for damage to hydrants
242.26
$1,072,734.48.
REPORT OF TOWN TREASURER
97
In account with the Town of Wakefield Cr.
By cash paid, Discount on Temporary Notes 8,459.34
By cash paid, Selectmen's Warrants 960,839.01
By cash credit, Account Court Expenses 95.08
By cash credit, Offset State Credits 42,835.30
By cash credit, Tax Collector for Tax Title Deeds
1,314.99
Total payments .$1,013,543.72
Cash in Treasury
59,190.76
$1,072,734.48
,
98
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
FINAL STATEMENT
' During the year 1920, the following time loans will fall due and are to be included in the tax levy of 1920:
High School site
$2,500.00
Junction School
1,500.00
Montrose School
1,500.00
Woodville School
4,000.00
Macadam Construction of Salem Strect 6,000.00
Metropolitan Sewer
5,000.00
Water Meters
3,000.00
Main Street water main
1,000.00
Water Loan
8,000.00
$32,500.00
Light Plant (included in Light Plant appro- priation ) $10,000.00
10,000.00
$42,500.00
There will also be required the following amounts to meet our inter-
est payments :
High School site
$350.00
Junction School
105.00
Montrose School
990.00
Woodville School
2,925.00
Macadam Construction of Salem Street
100.83
Metropolitan Sewer
6,230.00
.Water Meters
386.25
Main Street water main
67.50
Water Loan
5,880.00
Temporary Loans (estimated)
12,500.00
$29,534.58
Light Plant (included in Light Plant appro.) .. 1,820.00
1,820.00
$31,354.58
The borrowing capacity of the town, on temporary notes in antici- pation of 1919 revenue, was $385,823.96, as determined by the State Bu- reau of Statistics. Of this amount, we were only obliged to borrow the sum of $325,000.00, and of this latter amount $200,000.Ci) has been paid, leaving $125,000.00 to be paid in 1920.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR H. BOARDMAN, Treasurer.
99
REPORT OF ASSESSORS
Report of Assessors
State tax
$30,580.00
Met. sewer tax 13,573.05
Met. park tax 7,780.55
Army and navy
1,834.80
Charles River Basin
1,250.87
Total State charges
$55,019.27
County tax $15,710.80
Total State and County charges
$70,730.07
For Town purposes $427,850.25
Grand Total $498,580.32
Total receipts
$155,230.64
3885 Polls at $2.00 7,770.00
Amount to be raised by taxation 335,579.68
Overlay
7,254.00
Rate $25.80.
Number of residents assessed on property
.2,156
All others
344
Total
2,500
Number of non-residents assessed on property
650
All others 135
Total .785
Number of persons assessed :
On property
3,285
For poll tax only 2,640
Total .5,925
Number of poll tax payers
Number of dwellings .3,885
.2,477
Number of acres of land
3,987
Number of horses, April 1st
227
Number of cows, April 1st 263
Number of meat cattle 11
Number of swine, April 1st
194
Number of autos, pleasure cars 410
Number of autos, trucks
87
Number of square miles of area
7.65
Number of sheep, April 1st
6
100
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Number of fowls 1,100
Number of acres in Crystal lake
82.86
Number of acres in Quannapowitt lake
247.94
Property exempt by law from taxation
$578,675.00
Abatements in the 1919 levy
4,414.82:
Re-assessed
478.01
Bonded debt, January 1, 1929
.491,500.00
Bonds retired in 1919 levy
40,900.00
Number of voters in Prec. 1
1,485
Number of voters in Prec. 2
425
Number of voters in Prec. 3
708
Total voters 2,618
Number of poll tax payers in Prec. 1 2,405
Number of poll tax payers in Prec. 2. 582
898
Total poll tax payers 3,885
Property :
Personal
$2,514,581.00
Buildings
7,166,501.00
Land
3,607,045.00
Total value of the Town $13,288,127
Assets
$2,056,035.00
Liability 491,500.00
Assets above liabilities
$1,564,535.00
No. of auto trucks
87
Value of same
$65,250
Revenue from taxes
$1,554.45
No. of auto pleasure cars 410
Value of same
$348,500
Revenue from taxes
8,991.30
Total auto revenue
$10,545.75
SAMUEL T. PARKER, Chairman. GEORGE H. STOWELL, Secretary. CHARLES A. CHENEY.
Number of poll tax payers in Prec. 3.
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE 101
Report of School Committee
School Committee for 1919-1920
J. Lowe McMahon, Chairman; Prospect St. . Term expires 1922
Mrs. Ida Farr Miller, Sec., 21 Richardson Ave
Harry B. Allman, Treas., 55 Greenwod Ave.
66
1921
Mrs. Eva Gowing Ripley, 40 Emerson St
66
66 1922
Arthur H. Boardman, 56 Pleasant St
66
1920
J. Richard Lunt, 213 Lowell St
66
66 1920
SUB-COMMITTEES
Mr. Lunt
Public Property Mr. Boardman
Mr. McMahon
Finance and Accounts
Mr. Boardman
Mr. Allman Mr. McMahon
Teachers and Salaries
Mrs. Miller
Mrs. Ripley Mr. Lunt
Courses of Study
Mrs. Ripley
Mrs. Miller Mr. Lunt
Mr. Allman
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, Odd Fellows Building.
Telephone, Office, 122. Residence, 363-M.
Clerk, Miss Gertrude V. Lofstrom. Hours, 8 to 12 and 1:30 to 5 on school days, and 8 to 12 on Saturday. Telephone 645-W. -
REGULAR MEETING OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Second and fourth Fridays of each month at 8 p. m., at Committee Rooms, Odd Fellows Building. 1
1921
102
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of School Committee
Education at the public expense in the future must grow out of the people's needs, individual and national. It must operate to develop effi- cient and productive citizens. It will be expensive but it will be the only kind the people will be willing to pay for. The terrible upheaval in Eu- rope has changed the environment and point of view of almost every hu- man being thereby necessitating changing methods to meet the new needs of the people. Education is as broad as human life itself. It di- rects man's life, and is responsible for the control of his morals, the es -- tablishment of his ideals, the development of his ambitions.
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
We sincerely hope that conditions will shape themselves so it will be possible to start building operations on the new high school this year. Never has the department been more handicapped for proper facilities to carry on the work of the school. The enrollment in December this. year at the high school was 596, an increase of 62 over last year.
PORTABLE BUILDING
Owing to the large increase in attendance at the high school it was found necessary to purchase a two-room portable building, which we hope will serve until such time as the new high school building is completed. This portable building has been set up with an enclosed entrance connect -- ing it with the old high school building.
WOODVILLE SCHOOL
The new Woodville School building is nearing completion, and it- is hoped that it will be ready for occupancy in April.
The divided session plan is being carried out at the present building and until such time as the new school is completed.
It was found necessary to open the hall of the Montrose School as a class room owing to the large number of pupils from that district. The. services of another teacher were obtained and necessary equipment pur- chased.
REPAIRS
Repairs to school buildings and property could not be fully carried out as planned this year owing to lack of funds.
The heaters in the Greenwood School will have to be replaced this: year, while at the Warren and Franklin Schools repairs to the heating systems of these buildings will have to be made.
Electric lights have been installed in the Prospect School.
MR. PETERSON
The Committee were fortunate in securing the services of Mr. Charles: J. Peterson as Principal of the Wakefield High School to succeed Mr. Charles H. Howe, deceased. Mr. Peterson, prior to his advent in Wake- field, was principal of the Attleboro High School. Although handi-
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE 103
«capped for room and lack of proper equipment, Mr. Peterson entered upon his duties with a knowledge of administration in school matters that gratifies the committee exceedingly, and is conducting the school in a highly satisfactory manner.
SALARIES
To pay salaries that will attract the best intellects to the profession and that will enable those already in the work to gain more professional training is the hope and recommendation of the committee. The efficien- cy of a teacher is dependent upon financial conditions, and in teaching, as in other things we are likely to get what we pay for. The demands upon the teacher have been constantly increasing, no so with the salary.
Normal school or college training or both are essential for the suc- cessful teacher of today. A teacher is a public servant preparing a task of unsurpassed importance to the nation and is entitled to an adequate compensation.
The teachers are the leaders and formers of character of the next generation. We believe that money spent for good teaching is the best possible investment for the town and will recommend an increase of $400 in salaries of teachers.
We also recommend an increase of $208.00 in the salaries of janitors. We feel that they also are entitled to this increase for faithful and efficient service.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend the following appropriations:
Salaries
$155,834
Fuel
11,500
Contingent
12,000
Books and Supplies
6,500
Evening School
2,300
Practical Arts
900
Unpaid Bills
2,000
Total $191,034
The tuitions and receipts are estimated at $19,300.00.
We would recommend for your consideration the report of the Super- intendent of Schools.
J. LOWE McMAHON.
IDA FARR MILLER
HARRY B. ALLMAN
EVA GOWING RIPLEY
ARTHUR H. BOARDMAN J. RICHARD . HUNT
1
104
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Superintendent
To the School Committee :-
Ladies and Gentlemen :- I herewith submit my annual report cov- ering the year ending December 31, 1919:
The statistical tables in the appendix are made from data for the school year ending June 30, 1919.
HIGH SCHOOL
The sudden loss of Mr. Howe one year ago made it necessary to look for a new principal. The Committee, after carefully canvassing the field, unanimously elected Charles J. Peterson, principal of the Attleboro High School. His work since assuming charge of our high school seems to fully justify his selection.
The registration of the high school for December took a sudden jump last fall from 534 to 596. This increase, of course, meant additional classes and recitation periods. As the building could not possibly take care of these extra periods together with some other increases in the number of recitations for some subjects which seemed absolutely neces- sary we had to look for extra quarters. A portable building seemed to be the best and most economical solution, consequently the Committee purchased a two-room portable building and set up on the west side of the school lot By means of this we gained fifty recitation periods, giv- ing us a few more than actually needed at the time.
We have tried to strengthen the work in Military Drill, particularly in the side of the setting up exercises. We have just received word from Adjutant General's Office, notifying us that our high school will receive government aid under Section 56, Act of Congress, June 3, 1916. The section is as follows:
"Section 56. Military equipment and instructors at other schools and colleges, such arms, tentage and equipment as the Secretary of War shall deem necessary for proper military train- ing shall be supplied by the Government to schools and colleges, other than those provided for in section forty-seven of this act, having a course of military training prescribed by the Secretary of War and having not less than one hundred physically fit male students above the age of fourteen years, under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe; and the Secretary of War is hereby authorized to detail such commissioned and non-com- missioned officers of the Army to said schools and colleges, other than those provided for in section forty-five and forty-six of this act, detailing not less than one such officer or non-com- missioned officer to each five hundred students under military instruction."
=
105
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
When the High School Principal made up his program for the year we found it was necessary to have three additional teachers to carry on the work in an efficient manner.
The teachers and students are commended for the spirit with which they work under such handcips in the old building. The idea of soon being in the new and up-to-date accommodation helps them to keep up their courage and do as efficient work as they do at present.
ACCOMMODATIONS .
The congestion in the Lincoln School has been relieved for a time by the erection of a new building in the Woodville District. The last Town Meeting made an appropriation which, at the time, was thought large enough to build a schoolhouse with six rooms and an assembly hall. By the time architects were chosen and bids received prices had advanced so much it was found to be impossible to build within the appropriation without decreasing the size of the building. The Commit- tee did not feel that it was fair to the Town to erect a smaller building, so they explained the situation at a special Town Meeting and asked for a larger appropriation. The contract called for the completion of the building by December 31, 1919, but the condition of the labor market made this impossible. We expect now to occupy the building by April.
The School Committee changed the western boundary of the Wood- ville District by moving it to the brook in the rear of the car barn on Water Street. The pupils of the first six grades who lived within the boundaries of the Woodville District were asked to attend the Wood- ville School even though they could attend only for part time. They did not lose any time, however, as they would have had only part time if they had gone to the Lincoln School. There were seventy-five transferred from the Lincoln School.
We found it necessary to open another room at Montrose because the room seating grades one to four was overcrowded. There was room enough for seating part of them with grades five, six and seven, but we felt it would be unjust to all concerned, for some of the classes could not possibly have received the attention necessary to keep them up to grade.
Those pupils who lived in Oakland Park were given permission to attend the Montrose School, further relieving the Lincoln.
We accommodated this overflow and the new ones in the district by using the assembly hall, but we have kept the hall available for a civic centre by using portable furniture for the children.
No building is at this time badly over crowded.
GARDENS AND. CLUB WORK
The home garden projects have proven so valuable that we have con- tinued with the work, and we have added club work. I believe that these have a distinct value to the child which can hardly be furnished in any other way. Arithmetic has a new meaning when the pupils have to keep
106
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
accounts of the materials bought for the gardens, and language seems. different when used to give reports on work done. I believe these pro- jects tie up the school with daily life which is what we ought to do.
Last year Donald White besides supervising the gardens of the school children had charge of the War gardens, and gave a few lessons in the high school. Beginning 'with last September he took complete charge of the Botany class an'd classes in Agriculture. He will still con- tinue to act as supervisor of gardens, but he will be utterly unable to visit each individual garden. There should be an assistant who could take charge of the home gardens working in co-operation with the Com- mittees from the different Parent-Teacher Associations.
Below are excerpts from Mr. White's report which show the value and character of the work with the results accomplished.
The work in Wakefield may be roughly divided into four classes: Junior clubs, High School class work, School Garden Army and the Community Gardens.
The Junior club work now comprises six lines of endeavor: Gar- den, poultry, pig, home handicraft, home economics and canning. In all of these a certain amount of practical work has to be done, records kept of the money, etc., involved, and a story of the enterprise written at the close of the competition. In some of the projects an exhibit of the products is required. A comparative synopsis of the finished club work for the years 1917-1918 and 1918-1919 is given below, together with the few figures which are already available for 1919-1920.
1917-1918
1918-1919
1919-1920
finishing work ....
Number of pupils
Product.
Value of product . ...
finishing work. .
Number of pupils . ..
Product. .
Value of product. .
starting. . .
Number of pupils + +
Pig, spring 11
2120 1bs $424.0.0
6
1779 1bs
$302.43 *
+
Pig, brood sow 0
0
0
2
2
Home handicraft .... ++
.
+
Home Economics ... 28
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