Town annual report of the officers of the town of Hancock Massachusetts for the year ending 1951, Part 2

Author: Hancock (Mass.)
Publication date: 1951
Publisher: [Hancock , Mass. : the Town]
Number of Pages: 120


USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Hancock > Town annual report of the officers of the town of Hancock Massachusetts for the year ending 1951 > Part 2


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39 61


7 65


31 96


1947 Per. Prop.


7 82


7 82


1947 Poll


6 00


6 00


1947 M. V. Excise


11 13


11 13


1946 Real Estate


7 91


7 91


Interest


364 96


*Plus $7.92 abated, but not refunded in 1950.


$35,001 78


643 71


125 56


36 14


23


TRUST FUNDS


As of December


Reynolds Fund


$ 244 86


Taylor Library Fund


373 84


Eldridge Fund 1,188 36


Hiram Whitman Fund


415 91


Noah Gardner Fund


127 00


Taylor Cemetery Fund


133 85


Central School Fund


6,127 54


Six Victory Bonds-$1,000.00


(Value as of February 10, 1951, $4,440.00)


Hancock Cemetery Lots Fund


240 00


Your Tax Collector wishes to take this opportunity to thank the taxpayers for their cooperation in a responsibility which is hard for all, but which all of us share.


To those who do not pay promptly, may I urge that an extra effort be made- not as a favor to your Tax Collector, but as a means of keeping your Town finan- cially strong.


Respectfully submitted,


JENNIE G. WHITMAN, Collector and Treasurer.


Trust Funds


Eldridge Fund


James F. Nelson, repairs to mower


$23 02


Hiram Whitman Fund


Floyd Barber, labor


30 00


Travelers Ins. Co.


173 80


Workmen's Compensation


Appropriation $150 00


Reserve Fund 23 80


24


ASSESSORS' REPORT For the Year Ending December 31, 1951


All


Number of persons Assessed


Individuals


Others


Total


On personal estate only


19


6


25


On real estate only


94


5


99


On both real and personal estate


86


86


Total number of persons Assessed


210


Number of polls Assessed


124


Value assessed personal estate


Stock in trade


$11,400 00


Machinery


97,650 00


Live Stock


48,060 00


All other tangible personal property


27,150 00


Total value of assessed personal property


$184,260 00


Value of assessed real estate


Land exclusive of buildings


$201,805 00


Buildings exclusive of land


276,990 00


Total value of assessed real estate


$478,795 00


Total value of assessed estate


$663,055 00


Tax Rate per $1,000-$41.00


Taxes for State, County, and Town purposes including overlay


On personal estate


$ 7,554 66


On real estate


19,630 60


On pools


248 00


Total taxes assessed


$27,433 26


Town Appropriations


Appropriations voted at annual Town Meeting


$43,672 96


Special Town Meeting of 1950


5,950 00


Dog Fund 1951


172 20


Total


$49,795 16


25


State Tax


State Parks and Reservation


$ 74 83


72


State Audit Mosquito Control


166 39


$241 94


County Tax


$2,158 04


$2,158 04


Overlay of Current year


1,985 97


Gross amount to be raised by taxation and estimated receipts


$54,181 11


Estimated Receipts


Income Tax


$5,214 29


Corporation Taxes


1,279 50


Reimbursement on account of public owned land


1,823 28


Old Age Tax (Meals)


77 02


Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise


1,500 00


Licenses


1,524 00


Fines


40 00


Health and Sanitation


50 00


A.D.C.


741 78


Old Age Assistance (Other than Federal Grants)


2,598 16


Schools


5,408 56


Interest


93 24


Old Age Assistance Tax (Meals)


67 39


Gas and Electric Franchise Tax


2 41


$20,419 63


County Tax (over estimate 1950)


$ 200 32


Mosquito Control (over estimate 1950)


5 70


Voted from Available Funds


6,122 20


$ 6,328 22


Total Available Funds


$26,747 85


Total Amount to be Raised by Taxation


$27,433 26


Received from Polls


$ 248 00


Received from Tax on Personal Estate


7,554 66


Received from Tax on Real Estate


19,630 60


$27,433 26


26


Motor Vehicle Excise


Number of cars assessed


Value of cars assessed


Excise tax


193 $68,420 00 3,179 89


Number and Kind of Live Stock Assessed


Horses (1 year old, or over)


39


Neat Cattle (1 year old or over) Cows (Milch)


300


Bulls 16, Oxen, Yearlings, steers, heifers, 40


57


Swine (6 months old or over)


1


Sheep (6 months old or over)


8


Fowls


775


All others, Goats


5


Number of acres of land assessed


17,261


Number dwelling houses assessed


142


Respectfully submitted,


C. WELLS CONKLIN HOWARD D. WHITMAN HENRY O. RODDA


Assessors of Hancock


27


TOWN CLERK'S REPORT For the Year Ending December 31, 1951


VITAL STATISTICS


Marriages


James A. Maston-Marguerite A. Langlois


January 20, 1951


Charles H. Christiansen-Geraldine C. Conklin


August 18, 1951


Francis R. Gagnon-Elizabeth C. Clancy


August 25, 1951


Chandler W. Brown-Frances Glenn Reed Wadlund


August 29, 1951


Births


Nancy Lou Southard


January 17, 1951


Susan Eva Hartwell


March 18, 1951


Terry Marvin Gerald Demary


April 21, 1951


Sharon Ruth Koepp


April 22, 1951


Gloria Jean Williams


June 6, 1951


Lauralie Jean MacDonald


August 2, 1951


LeRoy Harvey LaPier


October 9, 1951


Francis Joseph Gagnon


October 26, 1951


Mark Dorman Gould


November 28, 1951


Charles Wells Christiansen


December 10, 1951


Deaths


Barbara Slayton Brown


January 22, 1951


Emerald Jones


January 18, 1951


George Edward Hadselle


February 12, 1951


Curtis White


February 21, 1951


Charles E. Kellyhouse


September 20, 1951


LeRoy Harvey LaPier


October 9, 1951


At the close of registration on January 15, 1952 there were two hundred and thirty-eight (238) registered voters in the Town of Hancock.


The 1950 Census of the Town of Hancock was four hundred and forty-five (445).


28


Hunting-Fishing-Trapping Licenses 1951


No. 1 Resident citizen's fishing licenses


15


$26 25


No. 2 Resident citizen's hunting licenses 40


70 00


No. 3 Resident citizen's sporting licenses 36


108 00


No. 4


Resident citizen's minor and female fishing 8


8 00


No. 5 Resident citizen's minor trapping licenses


0


No. 6 Resident citizen's trapping licenses


0


No. 7 Special non-resident fishing licenses


0


No. 8 Non-resident citizen minor fishing


0


No. 9 Non-resident citizen's fishing licenses 3


15 00


No. 10 Non-resident citizen's hunting licenses


7


70 00


No. 11 Non-resident citizen's sporting licenses


0


No. 11 Non-resident citizen's trapping licenses


1


15 00


No. 12 Duplicate licenses


1


50


No. 14 Non-resident Military or Naval sporting


0


No. 15 Resident citizen's sporting free


5


No. 16


Resident citizen Military or Naval sporting


free


0


No. 17 Resident citizen fishing Old Age free


2


$312 75


Paid Division of Fisheries and Game, Boston


Dog Licenses


Number of licenses issued


91


Number of males


58


Number of females


13


Number of spayed females


19


Kennel licenses


1


Paid Town Treasurer, Dog License


$224 00


Respectfully submitted,


PERRY A. WHITMAN,


Town Clerk.


118


$312 75


29


REPORT OF AN AUDIT


April 27, 1951


To the Board of Selectmen Mr. Henry Blair, Chairman Hancock, Massachusetts


Gentlemen:


I submit herewith my report of an audit of the books and accounts of the town of Hancock for the period from July 31, 1949 to February 10, 1951, made in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, General Laws. This is in the form of a report made to me by Mr. Herman B. Dine, Assistant Director of Accounts.


Very truly yours,


FRANCIS X. LANG, Director of Accounts.


30


Mr. Francis X. Lang Director of Accounts Department of Corporations and Taxation State House, Boston


Sir:


In accordance with your instructions, I have made an audit of the books and accounts of the town of Hancock for the period from July 31, 1949, the date of the previous examination, to February 10, 1951, preparatory to transfers of books and accounts and of cash, savings bank books, and securities to the newly elected treasurer and a recommitment of taxes and motor vehicle and trailer excise to the newly elected tax collector, the following report being submitted thereon:


The financial transactions, as entered on the records of the several depart- ments receiving or disbursing town funds or sending out bills for collection, were examined and checked in detail.


The books and accounts of the treasurer were examined and checked in de- tail. The receipts, as recorded, were analyzed and checked with the departmental records of payments to the treasurer and with the other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury. The payments were checked with the orders approved by the selectmen, the cash book additions were verified, and the cash balance on February 10, 1951 was proved by reconciliation of the bank balance with a statement received from the bank of deposit and by actual count of the cash in the office. -


A considerable amount of detailed checking was required in order to prove the payments, which materially added to the cost of the audit.


The records of payroll deductions for federal taxes and the county retire- ment system were examined and checked. The deductions were listed, the pay- ments to the Collector of Internal Revenue and the county treasurer were veri- fied, and the cash in the general treasury on February 10, 1951 was proved.


The savings bank books and securities representing the investments of trust and investment funds in the custody of the town treasurer were listed and checked, the income being proved and the withdrawals being verified.


The receipts for licenses issued by the selectmen were checked with the records of licenses granted, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.


The receipts of the sealer of weights and measures were checked with the record of work done, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.


The books and accounts of the tax collector were examined and checked in detail. The taxes and excise outstanding at the time of the previous examination and all subsequent commitment lists were audited and compared with the asses- sors' warrants. The collections, as recorded, were checked with the payments to the treasurer, the recorded abatements were verified, and the outstanding ac- counts were listed and proved.


The outstanding accounts were verified by mailing notices to all persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, the replies thereto indicating that the outstanding accounts, as listed, are correct.


31


The total amounts outstanding on each of the tax and excise levies were given to the assessors for use in preparing the recommitments for the new tax collector, and detailed lists of all the outstanding accounts were obtained by the collector.


It is urged that determined action be taken by the new collector to obtain prompt settlement of the overdue tax and excise accounts recommitted for col- lection.


The financial records of the town clerk were examined and checked. The receipts from dog and sporting licenses were checked with the record of licenses granted, the payments to the treasurer and to the Division of Fisheries and Game being verified.


The surety bonds of the town officials required to furnish them for the faith- ful performance of their duties were examined and found to be in proper form.


The appropriations, as voted by the town meetings, were listed from the records of the town clerk and were compared with the aggregate amounts raised by the assessors in the determination of the tax rate.


The recorded receipts from town property rentals were checked and the pay- ments to the treasurer were verified.


The records of bills sent out for collection by the public welfare and cemetery departments were examined and checked. The departmental records were ana- lyzed, the recorded collections were compared with the payments to the treasurer, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.


Ledger accounts were compiled, and a balance sheet, which is appended to this report, was prepared showing the financial condition of the town on Febru- ary 10, 1951.


In addition to the balance sheet, there are appended to this report tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's cash, summaries of the tax, excise, and departmental accounts, as well as tables showing the transactions and condition of the trust and investment funds.


While engaged in making the audit cooperation was received from the town officials, for which, on behalf of my assistants and for myself, I wish to express appreciation.


Respectfully submitted,


HERMAN B. DINE, Assistant Director of Accounts.


TOWN OF HANCOCK Balance Sheet-February 10, 1951 GENERAL ACCOUNTS


Assets


Liabilities and Reserves


Cash,


$6,410 35


Payroll Deductions:


Federal Taxes, $236 40


Accounts Receivable:


Taxes:


Levy of 1946,


$ 7 91


Levy of 1947,


53 43


Levy of 1948,


183 97


Levy of 1949,


1,817 85


Levy of 1950,


6,303 91


$8,367 07


Cemetery Sale of Lots Fund,


170 00


Federal Grants:


Aid to Dependent Children: Aid,


$416 63


Levy of 1947,


$ 11 13


Levy of 1948,


79 76


Levy of 1949,


131 13


Levy of 1950,


889 27


1,111 29


Administration,


140 07


2,897 00


Departmental:


Temporary Aid,


$1,119 91


Aid to Dependent children 243 30


Old Age Assistance,


2,763 20


Stabilization Fund,


2,000 00


Cemetery Sale of Lots, 40 00


4,166 41


Reserve Fund-Overlay Surplus,


2,615 18


County Retirement System, 9 44


$245 84


Overestimates 1950:


County Tax,


$200 32


State Mosquito Control Assessment, 5 70


206 02


Administration,


24 37


Old Age Assistance:


Assistance,


2,315 93


Appropriation Balances: General,


$33,806 43


Repairs to Town Hall


Building, 500 00


36,306 43


Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise:


Aid to Highways: State, County,


$11,000 00 800 00


11,800 00


Revenue 1951:


$43,672 96


Less Estimated Receipts Collected to Date, 163 32


43,509 64


Overlays Reserved for Abatement:


Levy of 1946,


$ 7 91


Levy of 1947, 53 43


Levy of 1948, 183 97


Levy of 1949,


630 71


Levy of 1950,


675 90


1,551 92


Revenue Reserved Until Collected: Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise, $1,111 29


Departmental, 4,166 41


Aid to Highways, 11,800 00


17,077 70


Surplus Revenue,


16,804 66


$77,874 75


$77,874 75


TRUST AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS


Trust and Investment Funds: Cash and Securities,


$12,975 29


Reynolds School Fund,


$ 240 04


Taylor Library Fund, 366 48


Eldridge Cemetery General Care Fund,


1,181 67 Taylor Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund,


132 20


Hiram E. Whitman Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund, 434 99


Noah E. Gardner Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund, 125 44


Post-War Rehabilitation Fund 4,440 00


! *Stabilization Fund, 6,054 47


$12,975 29


$12,975 29


*Includes $2,000.00 in General Treasury.


Underestimate 1950: State Parks and Reservations Assessment, Overdrawn Account 1950: Highways, Chapter 81,


13 00


2,496 99


ANNUAL REPORT


of the


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


of the


TOWN OF HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS


For the Year Ending DECEMBER 31, 1951


36


SCHOOL OFFICERS i


Ernest Maynard


School Committee Dorothy I. Leab, Chairman


Charles McDonald, Secretary


Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Addison Wilk Cheshire, Massachusetts Tel. Adams 465-J


Teachers


Miss Florence R. Chittenden Mrs. Isabel B. Conklin Mrs. Laura A. Page Mrs. Nellie L. Cameron Mr. Louis Virgil Bedard


Village School, Grades 1-2 Gorton School, Grades 3-4 North School, Grades 5-6 Village School, Grades 7-8 Supervisor of Music


School Nurse Mrs. Ruth T. Bennett, R.N. Cheshire, Massachusetts


School Physician Dr. Lawrence D. Greene Stephentown, New York


Supervisor of Attendance Dr. Joseph Addison Wilk


Janitors


Mrs. Johannah Hadselle Mrs. Alice Jones Mrs. Ruth Towne


Village School Gorton School North School


School Committee Regulation on School Entrance


A child must have reached the age of five years by February 15th in order to enter school the following September. No child may begin school unless he or she presents a birth certificate and a vaccination certificate, or an exemption-from- vaccination certificate. These must be presented to the teacher on or before the first day of school.


37


SCHOOL CALENDAR 1951-1952


Opening Day of School-September 5, 1951


FALL TERM


September 5, 1951 to December 20, 1951 inclusive


Holidays: October 12-Columbus Day


October 26-Teachers' Convention November 12-Armistice Day November 22 and 23-Thanksgiving Recess


Vacation period: December 21 to January 1, 1952 inclusive


WINTER TERM


January 2, 1952 to February 21, 1952 inclusive Holidays: February 4-Annual Town Meeting February 22-Washington's Birthday Vacation Period: February 22 to March 2, 1952 inclusive


FIRST SPRING TERM


March 3, 1952 to April 10, 1952 inclusive Holiday: April 11-Good Friday


Vacation Period: April 11 to April 20, 1952 inclusive


SECOND SPRING TERM


April 21, 1952 to June 6, 1952 inclusive Holiday: May 30-Memorial Day Summer Vacation Period: June 7 to September 2, 1952 inclusive


Total Number School Days-171


Graduation-Thursday, June 5, 1952


Opening Date 1952-1953 School Year-September 3, 1952


No School Policy


The Hancock schools will be in session each school day in conformity with the above school calendar unless the teacher is unable to reach her school due to inclement weather or other reason. Whenever storm conditions of unusual severity arise, the No-School announcement for Hancock pupils will be broadcast over radio station WBRK at Pittsfield before 8 A. M.


38


ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1951


To the Citizens of the Town of Hancock:


Your School Committee respectfully submits the following report of expendi- tures for school purposes during 1951.


Salaries


Miss Florence R. Chittenden, Grades 1-2, Village School


$2,200 00


Mrs. Isabel B. Conklin, Grades 3-4, Gorton School 2,200 00


Mrs. Laura A. Page, Grades 5-6, North School


2,100 00


Mrs. Nellie L. Cameron, Grades 7-8, Village School


2,200 00


Dr. Joseph A. Wilk, Superintendent of Schools


960 00


Mr. Louis V. Bedard, Supervisor of Music


300 00


Mrs. Ruth T. Bennett, School Nurse


300 00


Mrs. Elizabeth Maston, substitute teacher, 1 day


8 00


$10,268 00


Tuition


New Lebanon Central School, New Lebanon, New York


$910 00


Pittsfield (Elementary, High, Vocational) Schools


961 26


Berkshire School for Crippled Children


189 49


Town of Richmond


60 00


Town of Williamstown


174 80


$2,295 55


Transportation


George Harold Hadselle


$3,242 50


New Lebanon Central School


498 00


Dr. Joseph A. Wilk


96 00


Interstate Busses Corporation


50 10


Mrs. John C. Nicholson


50 00


Francis McSorley


42 40


Arthur Williams


42 00


Eleanor Trottier


39 60


Suzanne Trottier


37 60


Kent Hanson


41 20


Donald Rancourt


25 20


$4,164 60


39


Janitor Service


Lawrence Whitman, Janitor, Village School Mrs. Dorothy I. Leab, Janitor, Village School Mrs. Johannah Hadselle, Janitor, Village School Mrs. Alice Jones, Janitor, Gorton School Mrs. Ruth Towne, Janitor, North School Arnold Alderman, Water Boy, North School


$128 00


64 00


128 00


200 00


192 00


2 00


Sherman Derby, Water Boy, North School


00


Donald Leab, Water Boy, Gorton and North Schools


14 00


Dennis LeBarron, Water Boy, Gorton School Paul Neumeister, Water Boy, Village School Francis Trottier, Water Boy, Village School


24 00


$788 00


Fuel


Robert E. Leab, 1 load wood


$ 8 50


Harry D. Sharp, 8 cords wood, Village and Gorton Schools


140 00


Allen Towne, 3 cords wood, North School


51 00


$199 50


Supplies


Ruth T. Bennett, medical


$ 2 34


Carr Hardware Company


15 40


Cascade Paper Company


129 28


George H. Hadselle


5 63


Iroquois Publishing Company


8 44


Dorothy I. Leab


10 29


Marsten, Inc.


3 80


New Lebanon Central School


73 62


Charles McDonald


5 69


Park St. Drug Store, medical


30 00


Professional Drug Company, medical


10 36


Stanley's


6 52


Walter C. Sykes


14 45


Ruth Towne


2 74


$318 56


Books


American Book Company


$ 31 60


Iroquois Publishing Company


3 25


D. E. Knight


3 05


Charles E. Merrill Company


19 76


8 00


12 00


40


G. Schirmer Company Silver Burdett Company Scott Foresman Company


$ 6 10


22 82


64 72


34 56


Wilcox and Follett Company Willis Music Company


7 65


$193 51


Repairs and Maintenance


Robert Blair, repairs at Village School


$43 00


Leon Roberts, repairs at Village School


46 00


Emma Blair, cleaning Village School


28 00


Mildred Southard, cleaning Village School


28 00


Donald Rancourt, mowing Village School lawn


11 50


Francis Trottier, snow shoveling, Village School


4 00


Stanley Cooke, cleaning Gorton School


12 00


Charles McDonald, labor and painting at Gorton School


98 50


Donald Leab, mowing school lawns


15 00


Allen Towne, cleaning toilets


10 00


Robert Rathbun, cleaning toilets


10 00


Dorothy I. Leab, washing toilets


4 00-


Floyd Barber, repairs


12 00


Harry B. Hicks, lumber


18 42


John Kalinsky, cleaning school yard


8 00


Ruth Towne, cleaning North School


20 21


Mark Gould, cleaning North School


9 00


Charles McDonald, labor, North School


17 25


Mark Gould, repairs at North School


4 50


$399 38


Miscellaneous


Eagle Printing and Binding Company, printing school reports


$50 00


Charles W. Gilbert, fire extinguisher for Gorton School


35 00


George H. Hadselle, miscellaneous


6 87


J. L. Hammett Company, diploma cover


2 29


Dorothy I. Leab, cleaning church for graduation


3 00


Dorothy I. Leab, salary as school committeeman


100 00


Charles McDonald, salary as school committeeman


100 00


Ernest Maynard, salary as school committeeman


100 00


Dorothy I. Leab, keeping school books and expenses


148 00


Charles McDonald, transportation and telephone expenses


16 00


Ernest Maynard, school committee expenses


00


Harold J. Millett, graduation speaker


10 00


41


Northern Berkshire Gas Company, lights Walter C. Sykes, pipe for 3 flag poles Dr. Joseph A. Wilk, misc. administrative expenses


$ 51 20


27 48


12 41


$669 25


Recapitulation


Town Appropriation for Schools, 1951


$19,301 00


Expenditures:


Salaries


$10,268 00


Tuition


2,295 55


Transportation


4,164 60


Janitor Service


788 00


Fuel


199 50


Supplies


318 56


Books


193 51


Repairs and Maintenance


399 38


Miscellaneous


669 25


Total Expenditures


$19,296 35


Unexpended Balance


4 65


$19,301 00


State Reimbursements for Education in 1951


School Aid, Chap. 70 as amended


$4,421 40


School Transportation


3,647 10


Superintendent's Salary


597 33


State Wards, Tuition and Transportation


613 92


Vocational Education, Tuition and Transportation


297 10


Total State Reimbursement in 1951


$9,576 85


Total Hancock Expenditure for Education in 1951


$19,296 35


Less Total State Reimbursement for Education in 1951


9,576 85


Net Cost of Education to Town of Hancock in 1951


$9,719 50


42


New High School Policy


At a meeting of the Hancock School Committee on August 8, 1951, the Com- mittee voted unanimously to designate the New Lebanon Central School of New Lebanon, New York, as the official secondary school for Hancock school pupils. New pupils, residents of Hancock, wishing to attend any other high school in the area, other than the designated high school, may do so but will be required to pay the difference in tuition between the current New Lebanon or designated high school rate and the rate charged by the high school attended by the pupil. As to future transportation commitments, the Hancock School Committee will only approve the payment of transportation costs equal to the then prevailing rate at the New Lebanon or designated school.


In estimating the budget requirements for 1952, we recommend the appro- priation of $19,906.00 for school department purposes.


Respectfully submitted,


DOROTHY I. LEAB, Chairman CHARLES McDONALD, Secretary ERNEST MAYNARD


Hancock School Committee.


43


REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS


To the School Committee of the Town of Hancock:


Gentlemen:


I herewith submit my sixth annual report as Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Hancock, Massachusetts.


Foreword


To resolve the tensions which now divide the nations of the world, destroy the peace and threaten civilization will take many years. Success in the battle of ideas in which we are engaged will depend on the children who are now in the schools. Through them and them alone we can secure the future of our country. If ever America needed the best possible schools it needs them now. And yet our schools are faced with a grave crisis.


There is a serious school-building shortage which has been accumulating since the beginning of World War II. There is a rapidly increasing school enrolment resulting from the high birthrate of the war years. We shall have eight million more children in the public schools in 1957 than there would have been had the birthrate of the prewar years continued. Then too there is a serious shortage of adequately prepared teachers for our elementary schools at present salaries.


The schools are under malicious attack from powerful enemies. Inflation is again upon us. Schools are forced to compete for personnel, finance, and materials with colossal military expenditures. There is a strong trend toward militarism. Rapid technological change is constantly forcing upon our people adjustments in their ways of living that place heavy strains upon character and home life.


If ever Hancock needed to do its utmost for the general educational welfare of its children it is now. The crying need of the moment is a physical structure worthy of housing Hancock's school populace. The report of the Hancock School Building Committee, therefore, is eagerly awaited.


Teachers and Instruction


There were no personnel changes in the Hancock schools during 1951. In- struction in the three schools continues satisfactorily. New geography books and dictionaries were provided upper grade pupils at the Village School during the year.


Some overcrowding of pupils prevails at the Gorton School but this condition should be noticeably alleviated in September. A slight decline in pupil enrolments has been noted at the remaining two schools.


School banking, introduced in the Hancock schools on November 14, 1950, showed marked improvement during 1951. A good majority of the pupils in each school make deposits weekly with the City Savings Bank of Pittsfield.


44


ENROLMENT IN HANCOCK SCHOOLS, DECEMBER 31, 1951


Grades


School


1 2


3


4


5


6


7 8 Total


Village (Primary)


4


6


10


Gorton School


13


13


26


North School


11


4


15


Village (Upper)


12


3 15


66


SCHOOL CENSUS


As has been the practice in recent years, another complete census of the town's children was taken this year. The school census figures for 1951 indicate that there are 142 children in the Town of Hancock. These census figures include all children of pre-school age as well as those of pupils now in attendance at the local Gorton, North, and Village schools or as tuition pupils in the New Lebanon, Pittsfield, and Richmond schools.




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