USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1942 > Part 9
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610.40
610.80
570.40
570.40
116
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Sweetser Lecture Committee
SEASON OF 1942
Receipts
Income from invested funds
$226.28
Received from sale of tickets:
Season tickets sold by pupils
139
118.15
Door sales
148.46
Season tickets sold by stores
53
45.05
Greenwood Pharmacy
13
Smith's Drug Store
15
Nat Eaton's Drug Store
3
Nagle's Drug Store
2
Item Office
5
Cataldo Pharmacy
4
Himmel's Drug Store
11
Tax collected on free tickets
6.40
Total
$544.34
Expenses
Oct. 14, 1942-Richard W. Rowan
$ 75.00
Oct. 21, 1942-Charles O. Malley
50.00
Oct. 28, 1942-Harry J. Robinson
50.00
Nov. 4, 1942-Lawrence L. Barber
50.00
Nov. 18, 1942-John C. Walker
85.00
$310.00
Daily Item Advertising and Printing
76.10
Ticket boys
15.00
Police and Firemen at lecture
30.00
Janitor-Care of Screen
8.00
Telephone, postage, miscellaneous
1.56
Income Tax Collector (admission taxes)
39.58
170.24
$480.24
V
REPORT OF SWEETSER CHARITY FUND
117
Balance to Sweetser Charities 64.10
Total $544.34 CHARLOTTE R. FITZ CHARLES J. PETERSON THOMAS F. KENNEY GEORGE E. POTTER E. V. YEUELL EDWARD A. RICH HARRY I. REED
Report of Sweetser Charity Fund
January 1, 1942 - January 1, 1943
Receipts
Brought forward January 1, 1942 $166.00
From Sweetser Lecture Committee January 1942 proceeds from 1941 lectures 76.58
Dividends Wakefield Savings Bank 2.99
From Sweetser Lecture Committee December 1942 proceeds from
1942 lectures 64.10
Total receipts $309.67
Expenditures
For Charity January 1, 1942 - January 1, 1943 $ 9.07 Leaving balance on hand January 1, 1943 In Wakefield Trust Company $148.30 In Wakefield Savings Bank 152.30
$300.60
$309.67
CHARLOTTE R. FITZ,
Treasurer.
118
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Town W. P. A. Agent
January 20, 1943. Wakefield, Massachusetts.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
I wish to submit the following report of the activities of the W. P. A. projects in the Town of Wakefield for the year of 1942. Mr. Harold Buxton, Sponsor's Agent, left in November to enter private employment so Select- man William R. Lindsay, in charge of W. P. A., was appointed Sponsor's Agent for the remainder of the year, and as such Agent renders this report.
The following projects were worked during the past year:
Sidewalks, Drainage, Geodetic (discontinued in August) Morgan Avenue (discontinued in October) Madison Avenue (discontinued and to be completed by Highway Department) Crystal Lake Park Sewer (discon- tinued and to be completed by Water Department) Surplus Commodities continued by the Welfare Department after the Board of Selectmen dis- continued all W. P. A. projects on the first of December.
The total spent by the Town of Wakefield was $15,420.28.
I wish to thank the other members of the Board of Selectmen, Mr. Walter F. Como, Director of Operations, all W. P. A. field engineers as well as the entire personnel of the W. P. A. for their co-operation and helpful- ness.
Respectfully submitted,
SELECTMAN WILLIAM R. LINDSAY, Sponsors' Agent and Co-ordinator.
119
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
January 1, 1943
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen:
I respectfully submit the following report:
Adjusted
Sealed
Condemned
Platform 10,000 and over
4
Platform 100 to 500
14
19
Counter 100 or over
4
Counter under 100
2
23
Beam over 100
1
Beam under 100
1
Spring over 100
1
1
Spring under 100
3
49
1
Computing over
100
1
3
Computing under 100
13
54
Personal scale
8
Prescription scale
4
Avoirdupois
164
Apothecary
36
Metric
60
Vehicle tanks
2
Meters 1 inch outlet
3
67
Meters over 1 inch outlet
17
21
17
Yard sticks
13
Fees collected $126.35.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES J. DEVLIN, Sealer
120
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of the Board of Assessors
January 15, 1942
To the Citizens of the Town of Wakefield:
We herewith submit the annual report of the Assessors' Department for the year ending December 31, 1942.
State Tax
$51,300.00
Charles River Basin Tax
1,878.91
Metropolitan Parks Tax
4,855.34
Nantasket Beach Maintenance
427.66
Boston Edison Co. Abatements: 1939-1940-1941
75.72
Metropolitan Sewerage Tax (No System)
18,184.81
Smoke Inspection Service
233.81
Auditing Municipal Accounts
226.51
Boulevards
805.94
Canterbury Street
.10
$ 77,988.80
Underestimated Charges for 1941:
Charles River Basin
40.29
Nantasket Beach Maintenance
30.46
Metropolitan Planning Division
29.67
West Roxbury-Brookline Highway
.15
Hospital and Home Care for Civil War Veterans
36.61
County Tax
210.14
$ 347.32
Estimated County Tax for 1942
26,781.29
Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
9,284.22
$ 36,065.51
Total State, Metropolitan and County Charges $ 114,401.63
Total Charges to Enter into Levy for State, Metro- politan, County and Town: Charges for Town Purposes
977,777.79
Overlay for 1942
23,956.20
Total Gross Levy
$1,116,135.62
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS
121
Estimated Receipts:
Total Town Receipts
$267,326.25
Total Credits from State
114,911.14
Free Cash
20,000.00
Transfer from Light Dept. to Treasury
30,000.00
Transfer from Overlay Surplus to Reserve
8,000.00
$440,237.39
5591 polls @ $2.00
11,182.00
$ 451,419.39
Net Levy
$ 664,716.23
Rate of Taxation $30.40 per $1,000.00
TOWN VALUATIONS
Buildings
$ 16,903,450.00
Land
3,896,740.00 1,065,476.00
Personal Property
Total Valuations
$21,865,666.00
Gain in Valuation 1942
623,591.00
Bonded Debt of Town Jan. 1, 1942
318,000.00
Payments made in 1942
74,000.00
Balance of Bonded Debt
244,000.00
New Bonds Issued (Water)
50,000.00
Bonded Debt of Town Jan. 1, 1943
294,000.00
Assets of Town including Land and Buildings Municipal Light Plant, Water Works, Sewer and Tangible Property
4,818,021.00
Less Bonded Debt
294.000.00
Assets Above Liabilities
$ 4,52₺,021.00
PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM TAXATION
United States of America
$ 88,450.00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Land and Buildings
179,075.00
Literary Institutions
133,800.00
Benevolent Institutions
23,350.00
Houses of Religious Worship
573,825.00
Cemeteries, Land and Buildings
69,200.00
Tangible Personal Property
16,650.00
Parsonages
24,300.00
Total
$1,108,650.00
122
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Number of Polls assessed (a gain of 49 since date of Tax Levy)
5,640
Number of Motor Vehicles assessed
4,241
Excise Tax committed in 1942
$ 33,679.81
Number of Dwelling Houses assessed
3,752
Number of Persons, Partnerships and Corporations assessed
5,241
Value of Assessed Stock in Trade
$ 235,655.00
Value of Real Estate assessed
$20,800,190.00
Value of Live Stock assessed
$ 19,225.00
Value of all other Ratables assessed
$ 601,821.00
Number of Horses assessed
19
Number of Cows assessed
120
Number of Mink assessed
80
Number of Goats assessed
28
Number of Swine assessed
77
Number of Fowl assessed
8,550
Number of Turkeys assessed
6
Number of Ducks assessed
20
Number of Geese assessed
7
Number of Acres of Land assessed
4,947
Number of Acres in Lake Quannapowitt
247.94
Number of Acres in Crystal Lake
82.86
Number of Acres in Town Common
2.5
Number of Acres in Park at Lakeside
6.75
Number of Acres in Hart's Hill Park
23.06
Number of Acres in Cemetery on Church Street
4.14
Number of Acres In Cemetery on Lowell Street
35.00
Area of Town Rockery
4,300 sq. ft.
Respectfully submitted by the Wakefield Assessors,
GEORGE E. BLAIR
LEO F. DOUGLASS
GEORGE H. STOUT
CHARLES WARDWELL MORRILL Member of the Town Planning Board 1940 to 1942 Born in Berlin, N. H., May 31, 1904 Died in Wakefield, Mass., February 26, 1942
A graduate of Bowdoin College in 1927, and of the Harvard Law School in 1931, Mr. Morrill spent the following ten years in our town, where he entered with enthusiasm into the civic life of the community.
Mr. Morrill was trusted and loved by all who knew him, because of his fine mind, his kindly heart, and the complete fairness of his judgment. He could always weigh with sympathy and generous thought the claims and the opinions of others. He had a large and genuine loyalty to this town, and was keenly interested in its progress and future. We shall all miss him deeply, and we are grateful for the privilege of having known him.
His reverence for God, his warm interest in people and his public spirit made him a strong, useful citizen and a cherished friend.
123
BOARD
REPORT OF THE TOWN PLANNING
Report of the Town Planning Board
To the Citizens of the Town of Wakefield:
The Town Planning Board presents its report for the year ending December 31, 1942.
Regular meetings have been held at the Lafayette Building on Friday evenings throughout the year. Public hearings have been held and mem- bers of the Board have attended various local hearings.
Four amendments to the Zoning By-law, approved by the Board, were adopted at a Town Meeting held March 16.
The Board has kept itself informed about the Reading Drainage Pro- ject, also, the changes in the plans for Route 128.
Realizing that as the population of Wakefield increases the present methods of disposing of garbage and rubbish must be changed, the Board has acquired considerable knowledge regarding the methods used in other communities. The Board is of the opinion that the trench method for disposal of garbage will be the most practicable method for Wakefield to adopt when the present method will have to be discontinued because of excessive cost, caused by restrictions placed by other communities upon the carting and selling of garbage.
The Board has continued to give consideration to the question of a large, well supervised municipal dump and is of the opinion that Wake- field should cooperate with Reading in filling ir. the low land east of North Avenue and northwest of Quannapowitt Boulevard.
The Board believes that its statement in the report of 1941 in regard to revision of the Zoning By-law should receive continued consideration, and that from it constructive action may be had in the future.
The Board wishes to place on record its profound regrets for the loss of our esteemed member, Mr. Charles W. Morrill, who died suddenly on February 26. Mr. Morrill was a conscientious and efficient member, and gave generously of his time and thought to his work. He served most acceptably as Secretary of the Board for one year and six months.
The vacancy caused by the death o' Mr. Morrill was filled by the election of Mr. M. Gardner Clemons at a Town Meeting held March 16.
Respectfully submitted,
FITZEOY WILLARD, Chairman M. GARDNER CLEMONS, Secretary DR. FRANK T. WOODBURY EDWARD G. LEE EDVARD M. BRIDGE
124
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Board of Health
To the Citizens of the Town of Wakefield:
The Board of Health herewith presents its report on health conditions and on the varying activities of the Board for the year 1942.
Wakefield has been fortunate during 1942 in that there have been no serious outbreaks of any of the contagious diseases. The accompanying comparative table shows quite a decrease in the prevalence of the more serious diseases-measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough. Fewer dog bites have been reported in 1942 than in any of the three preceding years.
Early in the year, at the urgent request of the State Health Depart- ment, a special anti-rabic dog clinic was held which materially increased the expense chargeable to contagion.
The Board continues its four-year comparison of reportable diseases and the annual cost for tuberculosis and contagious diseases for these years.
The total receipts of the Health department for 1942 were as follows:
Milk and Food Inspector
$116.00
Plumbing Permit:
284.00
Reimbursement and Licenses 330.80
These amounts were deposited with the Wakefield Trust Company to the credit of the town.
The tuberculosis subsidy from the Commonwealth for 1942 and pay- able in 1943 amounts to approximately $1,704.00.
Tuberculosis
Contagion
1939 $6,092.00 58400
1940 $6,203.76 255.25
1941 $6,911.13 772.00
1942 $6,224.75 677.09
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
1939
1940
1941
1942
Tuberculosis
11
9
7
Diphtheria
2
0
0
0
Pneumonia
18
21
6
12
Poliomyelitis
1
0
1
0
Measles
37
37
294
95
Chicken Pox
16
9
5
41
Septic Sore Throat
0
1
0
0
Scarlet Fever
6
12
29
19
Typhoid Fever
0
1
0
0
Conjunctivitis
1
1
1
0
Whooping Cough
4
6
64
14
Trichinosis
0
0
1
1
Tetanus
0
0
1
1
Mumps
37
20
97
4
Dog Bites
74
50
69
44
125
REPORT OF BOARD OF HEALTH
VISITS MADE BY MISS RUSSELL
Chicken Pox 38
Scarlet Fever 46
Tuberculosis and Contacts
502
Measles 168
Whooping Cough
10
Dog Bites 4
During the year Miss Russell made the following hospital visits in connection with patients being X-rayed and examined:
25 trips to North Reading State Sanatorium, North Reading, Mass.
20 trips to Middlesex County Sanatorium, Waltham, Mass.
2 trips to Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass.
3 trips to Melrose Hospital, Melrose, Mass.
2 trips to Essex County Sanatorium, Middleton, Mass.
2 trips to Tewkesbury State Infirmary, Tewkesbury, Mass.
Respectfully submitted,
WESLEY S. GOODWIN, Chairman
ROBERT DUTTON, M.D., Secretary NED C. LOUD
Report of Board of Health Agent
To the Wakefield Board of Health:
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report as Health Officer for the year 1942.
The work of this office has been of the usual nature. There were many complaints of all kinds, which had to be investigated and adjusted with diplomacy.
Last year the Board asked the citizens not to throw their refuse and rubbish on the streets, but to take it to the dumps. It is gratifying to report they have done so, and very rarely do we see refuse and rubbish on the streets near the center of the town.
The dumps have been kept in their usual good order by Mr. Joyce and Mr. Welford. The Board is fortunate in having caretakers who take such pride in keeping the dumps looking so good. We have the usual trouble with overflowing cesspools but they are getting fewer each year as the public sewer is extended.
I have made 652 visits and inspections which have to do with health matters only.
Respectfully submitted, DAVID MARTIN, Health Officer and Agent
126
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Middlesex County Extension Service
For the Year 1942
This is a report of the work done in Wakefield in 1942 by the Mid- dlesex County Extension Service :
One hundred sixty-nine boys and girls were enrolled in 4-H Club work and helped in the war effort in production and conservation by carrying on activities in clothing, food, home furnishing, canning, handicraft and garden. These clubs were under the supervision of the following vol- unteer leaders: Mrs. Walter N. Jones, Mrs. George Stoddard, Mrs. Eugene Clark, Miss Jeanne Evangelista, Mrs. Robert Mathias, Mrs. Daniel Raus- tis, Mrs. Edmund Becker, Mrs. Emily Climo, Miss Bertha Climo, Mrs. Lyle Courage, Miss Evelyn Cardillo, Miss Helen Colucello, Mrs. Aida Strong Roberts, Miss Ethelyn Ramsdell, Miss Alice Climo, Mr. Frederick Cook, Mr. George Stoddard and Mr. Gaston Loubris. Mrs. Edmund Becker was chairman of the committee which sponsored 4-H club work in the town. A well-attended achievement program and exhibit brought the winter season to a close. Canning members exhibited at Horticultural Hall in Boston and also had a store window exhibit. Philip Sousa won recognition on his excellent garden record.
Miss Alice Climo attended the leaders' camp at the State College in Amherst. Several club members won prizes at the Topsfield Fair. Elinor Coggin received a cash prize for canning at Horticultural Hall in Boston. Alma Becker and Beverly Clark exhibited at the local Hobby Show. Nancy Stoddard participated in the Singer Sewing Machine con- test in Boston, winning third place among twelve contestants. The George Stoddard family were written up in the National 4-H Club News as outstanding 4-H'ers.
Club members held their annual rally in Wakefield, which was very well attended. Enthusiasm prevailed as sixteen clubs participated in the skit, demonstration, song and identification contest.
A variety of courses for women were given in various sections of the town. Food preservation headed the list, with five meetings held with an attendance of 165. Other classes were held in slip covers, reupholstery, reseating of furniture and refinishing of furniture.
The victory garden program was presented in a talk to the Green- wood garden club and at a church group. The home gardeners were sent insect and disease control charts to aid them in their garden work.
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127
TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY REPORT
Tuberculosis Dispensary Report
To the Wakefield Board of Health:
Gentlemen:
The annual report of the Tuberculosis Dispensary is herewith re- spectfully submitted.
The Tuberculosis Dispensary is open the first and third Friday eve- nings in the month from 8 to 9, and the second and fourth Tuesday after- noons from 3.30 to 4.30.
The number of examinations made at the Dispensary in the year 1942 were fewer than in any previous year. This is due to the patients being educated to the value of X-ray in the diagnosing and treatment of tuber- culosis. Another reason is that the majority of ex-sanatorium patients return regularly to the sanatorium for chest examination and X-ray, also treatment when necessary.
Patients are being educated to accept sanatorium care, because nearly everyone with active tuberculosis can best be treated in a sanatorium.
The chief reason why sanatorium treatment is more successful than home treatment is that in a sanatorium, mental and physical rest are enforced. Other reasons are: the patients are under daily medical obser- vation; X-rays and other things necessary for treatment are available; good nursing care is provided; the patient learns how he should take care of himself when he goes home. The sanatorium also has another impor- tant advantage; it prevents the spread of tuberculosis to other members of the family. Special measures which are often life-saving can be used in many cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. These are the various methods of collapsing the diseased lung-by injection of air into the space between the lung and the chest wall (pneumothorax) by crushing the nerve which supplies one side of the diaphram-(phrenictomy)-by removing parts of ribs and allowing the chest wall to compress the diseased portion of the lung (thoracoplasty).
We have at the present time two patients in the Middlesex County Sanatorium, Waltham; two patients in the North Reading State Sana- torium, North Reading; one patient in the Essex County Sanatorium, Middleton.
Seven cases of tuberculosis were reported in the year 1942.
Respectfully submitted,
IRA W. RICHARDSON, M.D., Dispensary Physician
NELLIE B. RUSSELL, R.N., Dispensary Nurse
128
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Milk and Food Inspector
-
To the Wakefield Board of Health:
Gentlemen:
Herewith is submitted my report as Inspector of Milk and Food for the year ending December 31, 1942.
As in other years the work to date has consisted of numerous visits to all dairies, both in and out of Massachusetts selling milk to Wakefield dealers or direct to Wakefield consumers.
In spite of the difficulty of obtaining farm labor the milk supply while not so abundant, has been of good standard quality and cleanly handled.
Of 168 samples, laboratory tested for fats, solids, bacteria and correct pasteurization, none was found to be below the legal requirements.
Pasteurization, which is an especially important function in processing milk and cream, has been watched carefully and such plants employing these methods have been inspected at intervals throughout the year.
The food situation, which at times has become critical, has been han- dled by the stores in a creditable manner. While the refrigerators were almost bare of meats and many changes had to be accepted, only in one instance has a complaint come to this office of foul quality, and that was more oversight than deliberate intent.
The following office records sum up in detail the work through the year:
Retail Milk Licenses issued
52 @ $ .50
$ 26.00
Dealers' Milk Licenses issued
36 @
.50
18.00
Pasteurization Licenses issued
5 @
10.00
50.00
Ice Cream Manufacturing Licenses issued
3 @
5.00
15.00
Oleomargarine Permits issued
14 @
.50
7.00
$116.00
Dairies under direct supervision
30
Dairy Inspections made in Massachusetts
40
Dairy Inspections made out of State
14
Dairy Permits approved
30
Dairy Permits not approved
2
Food Inspections made
41
Laboratory Examinations made
168
Conferences attended
6
Respectfully submitted,
LAWRENCE E. DOUCETT, Inspector of Milk and Food
129
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
Report of Plumbing Inspector
To the Wakefield Board of Health:
Gentlemen:
I herewith submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1942.
Number of Permits granted
192
Number of Fixtures installed
1012
Divided as follows:
Bath Tubs
144
Sink and Tray combinations
100
Lavatories
180
Water Closets
198
Bath Showers
141
Stall Showers
10
Sinks
63
Pressure Boilers
89
Tankless Heaters
63
2 Part Trays
24
Total
1012
-
The sum of two hundred and eighty-four dollars ($284.00) has been collected for these permits, and same has been deposited in the Wakefield Trust Company to the credit of the Town of Wakefield.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID MARTIN
Plumbing Inspector
B/ g
130
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Library Trustees
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LUCIUS BEEBE MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Mrs. Florence L. Bean Richara Dutton, M. D. Arthur L. Evans Walter C. Hickey
Albert W. Rockwood John J. Round Hervey J. Skinner Mrs. Alice W. Wheeler
Frank T. Woodbury, M. D.
ORGANIZATION OF TRUSTEES Hervey J. Skinner, Chairman Mrs. Florence L. Bean, Secretary
BOOK COMMITTEE Frank T. Woodbury, M. D., Chairman All members of the Board
BRANCH COMMITTEE John J. Round, Chairman
Richard Dutton, M. D. Arthur L. Evans
CHILDREN'S ROOM Mrs. Alice W. Wheeler, Chairman
Mrs. Florence L. Bean Albert W. Rockwood
CIRCULATION COMMITTEE Arthur L. Evans, Chairman
John J. Round
Richard Dutton, M. D.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Richard Dutton, M. D., Chairman
Mrs. Florence L. Bean
Hervey J. Skinner
FINANCE COMMITTEE Hervey J. Skinner, Chairman
Richard Dutton, M. D.
John J. Round
GROUND COMMITTEE Albert W. Rockwood, Chairman
Walter C. Hickey
Mrs. Alice W. Wheeler
REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
131
HOUSE COMMITTEE Walter C. Hickey, Chairman
Albert W. Rockwood
Frank T. Woodbury, M. D.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE Mrs. Florence L. Bean, Chairman
Hervey J. Skinner
Frank T. Woodbury, M. D.
LIBRARY PERSONNEL LIBRARIAN Helen Frances Carleton
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN AND CHIEF CATALOGUER H. Gladys Mackenzie
ADULT DEPARTMENT Marian F. Beliveau Violet E. Bostwick * Alma M. Sullivan Jean MacDonald
PICTURE COLLECTION Clara G. Wilson € BOYS' AND GIRLS' DEPARTMENT Madeline G. Howe
GREENWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY Clara G. Wilson
SENIOR PART-TIME ASSISTANT Etta F. Smith
JUNIOR PART-TIME ASSISTANTS
Donald Bye Carolyn Cook Evelyn Darling
Resigned
* James Findlay, Jr. Howard Jolliffe Fillon Knish
Arnold MacDowell
REPORT OF THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES
The Trustees of The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library herewith submit the eighty-seventh annual report, for the year 1942:
The Library has always tried to meet the needs of Wakefield citizens and today under war conditions, the Library is still fulfilling its obliga- tions.
132
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Naturally the entrance of the United States into the war brought an increased demand for information about the countries involved, their leaders and their customs. To make the books on such subjects easily accessible they have been grouped in one room, called the Victory Room. Technical works on aviation, navigation, engineering and allied subjects of special interest to those preparing for defense work or war service have also been placed on shelves in this room. Nearby maps, including "World News of the Week" (with a new issue each week) furnish a convenient means of following the progress and location of the war.
Other war services offered by the Library include a complete file of civilian defense pamphlets and a War Information Directory compiled by the staff.
During the drive for books for service men of the United States, 4477 books and over 1300 magazines were collected and forwarded to the Bos- ton Headquarters through the courtesy of Eaton's Express Company and the Motor Corps of the Wakefield Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The Lecture Hall of the Library building has been used by the local chapter of the American Red Cross for classes in First Aid and Nutrition, by the Wakefield Committee of Public Safety for the registration of women for volunteer service and by the women air-raid wardens for classes of instruction. There have been some weeks when the Lecture Hall was used nearly every afternoon and evening; in fact, it has been utilized dur- ing the year, 250 separate times.
In compliance with defense requirements, the Lecture Hall has been prepared for air raid protection. Blackout curtains have been hung at the windows and first aid equipment provided. Practice drills have been held and each member of the staff is thoroughly familiar with her duties at the time of a blackout. During the summer the room was designated as the shelter for the children from the Park playground, should a raid occur.
As in every organization, public or private, the war has brought ad- ministrative problems. For some years there has been a desire for a Branch Library in the Montrose section of the Town. With the restricted use of gasoline, the need has become greater, and finally the Montrose Parent-Teacher Association and the Community Association, each made a formal request to the Trustees for such a Branch. The Trustees believe that it should be established. Tentative plans are being made and it is hoped that the request can be granted early in the coming year. The School Department is willing to cooperate and it now remains for the financial plans to be worked out.
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