USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1928 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
Some one has said "A man never stands so straight as when he stoops to help a child." All possibilities of future usefulness are embodied in the youth of to-day, and as play ground influence will extend through the generations to follow, the enterprise is surely worthy of heartiest support from Fairhaven townspeople.
Respectfully submited,
MABEL OBER DUTTON.
NORTH END PARK. .
The average attendance was 175 which on league ball games was increased to 300.
On hot days the attendance decreased, possibly indicating the need of more shade trees.
Great interest was taken in base ball both by the boys under twelve and older members of the league teams.
Cricket was also played and seemed to be greatly en- joyed. Almost without exception good sportsmanship pre- vailed and the few simple rules were cheerfully lived up to.
Signed,
FRANK VELHO.
Report of the Board of Fire Engineers
January 2, 1929
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
Gentlemen :
The Board of Fire Engineers hereby submits its annual report for the year ending December 31, 192S.
This department during this year has answered 121 alarms, comprising 41 Bell and 80 Still alarms. One out-of- town call for assistance in Acushnet was answered.
The two stations of this department, one located on Oxford Street and the other located on Adams Street are both in good condition.
The apparatus is in good condition. The apparatus con- sists of the following : one 750 gallon Triple Combination, hose, chemical and pumpng engine; three combination hose and chemical trucks ; one Type 14 City Service ladder truck equipped with a chemical tank; one combination hose and chemical truck, equipped with a 350 gallon capacity Barton fire pump, and a Ford roadster which is used by the Chief.
The Barton fire pump has conclusively proved its worth at beach fires to relay through long lines of hose and its ability to get into and operate from hitherto inaccessible places. It would also prove invaluable at a large fire as it would make two more high-pressure streams available.
64
The Fire Alarm System consists of 25 miles of wire, connecting 45 Street Boxes, 4 bell strikers and one steam fire whistle, all of which is connected with the Water Works Pumping Station as well as all three fire stations.
The Board recommends an appropriation of $15,000 for the maintenance of this department, which is the same as last year.
It is also recommended that an appropriation of $400.00 be made for the maintenance of the Fire Alarm System.
Respectfully submitted,
ALEXANDA PRICE, Jr. GEORGE E. JENNEY, AUDELL W. MONK, EDWARD G. SPOONER, Jr.
Board of Fire Engineers.
Report of the Board of Health
The Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen :-
The Board of Health hereby submit their annual report for the year ending December 31st, 1928.
There were reported for the year two hundred sixty three cases of communicable diseases as follows : Diphtheria, nine; Chicken Pox, nine; Scarlet Fever, forty-one ; Whoop- ing Cough, fifty-eight; Tuberculosis (all forms) eighteen; Measles, one hundred ten ; Mumps, one; Eye Infection, two; cerebrospinal Meninigitis, five; Lobar Pneumonia, three; Dog bite, one; Typhoid Fever, four; Influenza, two.
The Board has issued one hundred thirty burial permits and made one hundred three inspections
The sanitary conditions at Pope Beach and Harbor View are much better than ever before.
The last of November the Board cooperating with the School Department and the Community Nursing Association began the immunization of all school children both public and parocihal in the lower grades. The work was done by R. P. MacKnight, M D. the district Health Officer assisted by Dr. Thompson, the school nurse and the community nurses. The work was very successful. Seven hundred fifty- four children received the treatment. We wish to call the attention of heads of families to the necessity of reporting all cases of communicable diseases in their families. This is
66
required by the state department of Public Health under Section 109 of Chapter 3 and Section 15 of Chapter 76 G. L.
The executive officer wishes to thank the citizens of the town for their cooperation also the Community Nursing Association.
Respectfully submitted,
CLARENCE A. TERRY, W. FRED DELANO, Board of Health of Fairhaven, Mass.
January 10, 1929
Report of the Slaughter Inspector
January 21, 1929.
Board of Health,
Fairhaven, Mass.
Dear Sirs :
The annual report of Inspector of Slaughtering for the year ending Dec. 31, 1928 as submitted by Thos. Livesey, Inspector.
Cattle
none
Swine
47
Sheep
none
Condemned
none
Yours truly,
THOS. LIVESEY,
Inspector.
Inspector of Animals
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :-
Gentlemen :
Following is the report of the Inspector of Animals for the year ending Dec. 31, 1928.
During the general inspection I visited 107 places, in- spected 886 animals, 654 dairy cows, 135 swine, 78 young cattle, 19 bulls.
Found 7 places poor ventilation, 5 poor light, 2 bad drainage.
During January and September 2 lots of pigs were quarantined for hog cholera, after being innoculated, re- covered. 2 cows slaughtered during the year were found affected with tuberculosis and condemned.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT L. AUSTIN,
Inspector.
Report of the Tree Warden and Moth Superintendent
To the Citizens of Fairhaven:
The Tree Warden hereby respectfully submits his annual report.
The trees of the Town are in very good condition due to the constant spraying of them from year to year. I feel that the number of bugs are greatly lessened each year and I am in hopes that there will come a time when I can stop spraying for the "Elm Leaf Beetle". By so doing I can give more time to the trimming and also be able to plant more young trees from year to year.
This year I planted one hundred young Maple trees and there is plenty of space where there could be several hundred more planted which I am in hopes of doing from time to time.
In order that we may be able to continue the preservation of the trees and thus beautify the town I would recommend the appropriation of twenty-five hundred dollars for the work of the Tree Department.
Respectfully submitted,
PETER MURRAY,
Tree Warden.
I would recommend the appropriation of three hundred dollars for the suppression of the Gypsy and the Brown Tail Moth.
PETER MURRAY,
Moth Superintendent.
Sealer of Weights and Measures
January 12, 1929.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
I herewith submit my annual report as sealer of weights and measures from January first 1928 to December thirty- first 1928 during which time work was performed as follows :
Adjusted
Sealed
Not Sealed
Cond
Scales
Platform
33
76
3
10
Counter
39
88
4
Beam
2
3
Spring
32
69
3
2
Computing
25
52
6
Personal Weighing
8
Prescription
3
Weights
Avoirdupois
51
691
Apothecary
28
Metric
6
Measures
Liquid
234
Dry
27
Measuring Devices
Gasolene Pumps
42
57
8
12
Kerosene Pumps
5
11
2
Oil Pumps
25
41
35
1
Molasses Pumps
1
2
Stops on Pumps
194
285
Yard Sticks
11
Total
454
1700
53
39
.
Fees collected and paid to the Treasurer
$143.36
71
Number of Reweighings
Correct
Under
Over
Bread
36
11
3
22
Butter
76
57
19
Dry Goods
86
49
1
36
Coal in Bags
28
10
18
Flour
10
10
Fruit and Vegetables
14
14
-
250
131
23
76
Number of Inspections
-
Paper Cartons
116
Pedler's Scales
7
Pedler's Licenses
6
Milk Jars
66
Labels on Bread
48
Wholesale Milk Cans
23
Clinical Thermometers
3
Ice Scales
2
Junk Scales
5
Ice Cream Cans
5
281
Number of Tests
Paper Cartons
10
Milk Jars
32
Gasolene Pumps
6
48
Many other reweighings and tests were made of which no records were made.
During the year it was discovered that crackers from the Johnson Educator Food Co. of Cambridge were short in
72
weight and count. Visits were made to the stores and in all instances where they were short, the sale was stopped. The company collected all short weight packages and replaced them with others of full weight. I assisted in apprehending pedler from New Bedford who was selling oleomargarine for butter to many of our citizens and the amount so sold was short of weight indicated. This matter is in the court at the present time.
I state the above instances to show to your board that the work of the sealer is not confined to the testing and sealing of the different devices, but the most important is the enforcement of the law, which carries with it full pro- tection to the consumer.
As an appropriation for the year 1929 I would recom- mend the amount of $865. to be divided as follows :
Salary $600.00
Transportation 165.00
Equipment Etc. 100.00
I am asking for a slight increase in the salary as I feel that for the amount of work involved this amount is none too much, also I would state that other towns of ap- proximately the same population are paying much more than Fairhaven, and I hope that gradually the salary can be advanced to a suitable figure.
I also recommend an appropriation of $312.25 to re- place the standard weights which have been condemned by the state department as being unfit for further use. These weights have been in use since 1848 and are not within the specifications of National Bureau of Standards. During the past year it has been necessary to carry work to New Bedford as the Fairhaven standards could not be depended upon.
Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. P. THATCHER,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Auditor's Report
Fairhaven, Mass., January 1, 1929.
We hereby certify that we have examined the accounts of the Tax Collector, Treasurer, Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor and the School Committee of the Town of Fair- haven, for the year ending December 31, 1928, and find them correct.
CHARLES E. SHURTLEFF, RALPH E. LUMBARD,
Auditors.
Report of the Planning Board
Early in 1928 the Board met with the Selectmen and State and County Engineers to discuss, and eventually ap- prove the contemplated layout of Bridge Street. This includes widening the east side of Adams Street at the head of Huttleston Avenue; removing a portion of the corner of Bridge and Adams Street; widening Bridge Street; building a new section of highway connecting Bridge with Spring Street; and taking some of the curves from Spring Street as it approaches Madison Square. This project is designed to speed up through automobile travel and .will probably be carried out when financial conditions are favorable.
A portion of the base curbing of the Rogers' Memorial Shaft, in Rogers' Square, has been removed during the year without detracting from the beauty or dignity of the monu- ment and this has taken away much of the danger to traffic caused by the former low lying curbing.
Several street locations were approved during 1928. Changes from Single Family Zones to Business Districts were recommended by the Board and later accepted by the citizens in Town Meeting.
The Fifteenth Annual Conference of Town and City Planning Boards was held at the New Bedford Hotel, Oct. 4 and 5, 1928. Many of the meetings were attended by mem- bers of our Board who found in the messages of the speakers much inspiration and instruction.
Early in the fall we suffered an irreparable loss in the death of D. C. Potter who had been associated with the
75
Planning Board from its beginning and might indeed be called the Father of Fairhaven's Zoning. His wise and kindly counsel will be greatly missed in days to come.
Meetings of the Board are held the third Wednesday of each month.
PLANNING BOARD,
WILLIAM TALLMAN, Chairman, LEWIS F. POOR, VICTOR O. B. SLATER, SAMUEL DUDGEON, JAMES A. STETSON, KENNETH S. PEIRCE Secretary, GEORGE H. ATWOOD, Sec. Pro. Tem.
Report of the Board of Appeals
The Fairhven Board of Appeals held six Public Hear- ings during the year 1928.
The board recommended that permits be granted for the following :
Additions to garages 1
Remodel dwelling for use as a garage 1
Remodel dwelling from a one family to a 2 family 1
One family dwelling in small area lots 2
Total 5
The following petitions were given leave to withdraw :
To build a three car garage in residential district 1 To remodel and add to a garage, to be used as dry cleaning establishment in Residential district 1
Total 2
Meetings are held the last Wednesday evening of each month, subject to the call of the Inspector of Buildings.
MR. KENNETH PIERCE, Chairman, WILLIAM TALLMAN, Z. R. PINAULT, CHARLES W. KNOWLTON, VICTOR O. B. SLATER, Secretary.
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN
MASSACHUSETTS
AIRH
OF
M
NM
TO
SS.
INCORPOR o
TOWN HALL
22- 1812.
OR
TED
FEB
FOR THE
YEAR 1928
FAIRHAVEN STAR
School Committee
EDWARD L. BESSE
WILLIAM B. GARDNER MISS SARA B. CLARKE
MRS. ELLA H. BLOSSOM ORRIN B. CARPENTER
JAMES A. STETSON
Term expires 1929
Term expires 1929
Term expires 1930
Term expires 1930
Term expires 1931 Term expires 1931
Chairman WILLIAM B. GARDNER, 39 Union St.
Secretary and Superintendent of Schools CHARLES F. PRIOR, 30 Green Street
School Department Clerk HELEN M. BRYANT, 143 Pleasant Street
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE HOURS : Town Hall
8:15-9:00 A. M .- Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
4:00-5:00 P M .- Every school day unless absent on special business.
Open by appointment- Wednesday evenings, 7:00-8:00.
The Superintendent's office is open with a clerk in charge daily from 9-12 and 1:30-5, except Saturdays, when it is open only in the forenoon.
Telephone call at Town Hall, Fairhaven,-Clifford 3891. Telephone call at residence, 30 Green St.,-
Clifford 6714-W
School Calendar
1929
Wednesday, January 2
Schools re-open
Thursday, February 21
Schools close
Monday, March 3
Schools re-open
Friday, April 19
Patriot's Day (Holiday)
Friday, April 26
Schools close
Monday, May 5
Schools re-open
Thursday, May 30
Memorial Day (Holiday)
Friday, June 28
Schools close
SUMMER VACATION
Wednesday, Sept. 4 Schools re-open
Monday, November 11
Armistice Day (Holiday)
Wednesday, noon, Nov. 27
Friday, Dec. 20
Monday, Dec. 30
Thanksgiving recess Schools close (Christmas vacation )
Schools re-open
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL, 22
'The signal at 7:15 A. M. indicates no forenoon session for any of the eight grades of the elementary schools.
The signal at 12:45 noon indicates no afternoon session for any of the eight grades of the elementary schools.
The no-school signals do not apply to the High School.
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Fairhaven :
Herewith is presented the annual report of the School Committee for the year ending December 31, 1928.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
(Elementary Schools) RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation, 1928
$102,700.00
Henry H. Rogers Trust Fund
4,702.68
Edmund Anthony, Jr., Trust Fund
480.63
Pease Fund
363.27
County Dog Fund
1,897.75
Refunds
14.10
Total
$110,158.43
EXPENDITURES
General Control
$5,176.26
Superintendent
$3,700.00
Clerk
921.00
Attendance Officers,
213.83
School Census
124.98
School Committee
150.00
Miscellaneous
66.45
Instruction
$82,734.48
Teachers' Salaries
$17,893.30
Text Books
1,836.53
Supplies
3,004.65
Operation and Maintenance $14,070.06
5
Janitors' Salaries
$6,722.00
Fuel
3,132.69
Building Supplies
2,011.94
Repairs
1,717.23
New Equipment
496.20
Other Agencies
$7,666.30
Transportation
$5,250.00
Health
2,005.50
Insurance
410.80
Miscellaneous
$283.78
$109,930.88
Balance
227.55
$110,158.43
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
(High School)
RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation
$23,300.00
From H. H. Rogers Trust Fund Fire Insurance
26,100.00
1,850.00
$51,250.00
6
EXPENDITURES
Instruction
$38,840.17
Teachers' Salaries
$34,837.00
Text Books
1,912.14
Supplies
2,091.03
Operation and Maintenance
$11,414.15
Janitors' Salaries
$5,630.66
Fuel
1,262.49
Building Supplies
1,403.46
Repairs
2,698.84
New Equipment
418.70
Other Agencies
$564.50
Health
$189.50
Insurance
375.00
Miscellaneous
$248.07
$51,066.89
Balance
183.11
$51,250.00
APPROPRIATION FOR WATERPROOFING BASE- MENT OF JOB C. TRIPP SCHOOL
$3,795.00
Appropriation Expenditures : J. W. Bishop Co. $3,795.00
7
The following major repairs have been made since the last report :
HIGH SCHOOL
Relaying and renewing the floor tiling on the south side of the building. This has leaked for several years and had begun to do serious damage to the walls and to the ceilings underneath.
Repair of electric clock system and installation of a new master clock movement.
Installation of fourteen metal diaphragm thermostats.
A fire occurred in the basement last spring damaging the walls, floor tiling and electric fixtures of the basement, besides discoloring ceilings throughout the corridors on the first and second floors. Insurance companies awarded $1,850 for injury to property. This proved sufficient to make all repairs and retint both corridors.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
In our report of last year, attention was called to the serious condition which existed in the basement of the Job C. Tripp school and an appropriation for water proofing this was recommended. The Town voted favorably on the recommendation and your Committee awarded the contract for the work to the J. W. Bishop Co. under a legally binding guarantee that the area waterproofed would remain water tight for a period of five years. At the end of that period it was thought it would be safe to assume the problem was solved. The work was done during the summer and indica- tions are that it will prove very satisfactory. The storage room, boiler room, coal pocket and area were done. One other smaller area in the fan room needs water proofing but this can probably be accomplished without a special appro- priation for the purpose.
8
In May, the Committee visited the several buildings to in- vestigate the need of repairs and authorized the following : Repair of the roof and tower at the Rogers school, laying a concrete walk from the steps of the portable at the Rogers school to the main entrance walk, re-painting of two port- ables, renewing water piping in the basement of the Rogers school, repair of the roof and bulk head at the Ed. Anthony School. These and several other minor repairs were made during the summer.
During 1929, your Committee wishes to re-point the High School and the Rogers school. In both cases, money will be saved by doing the work now. The re-pointing of the High School has already been postponed rather too long. The walls and ceilings of the Rogers school throughout are very badly discolored and should be re-tinted, nothing having been done in this direction for fifteen years. Some rooms at the Oxford and Washington St. schools are also much in need of the same treatment. This work should be done this year and the Committee has included in its budget a sum deemed sufficeint to accomplish it.
The Committee has considered carefully the report of the Superintendent of Schools regarding the prospective need of school accommodations for the upper grades and high school. We recommend that an article be inserted in the warrant for the Annual Meeting authorizing an investigation of the problem by the Selectmen and School Committee.
The budget for high and for elementary schools follow :
9
BUDGET FOR 1929
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Estimated
Expended in 1928
for 1929
General Control
$5,230.00
$5,176.26
Instruction
84,100.00
82,734.48
Operation and Maintenance
14,820.00
14,070.06
Other Agencies
7,500.00
7,666.30
Sundries
250.00
283.78
$111,900.00
$109,930.88
From Outside Sources
7,500.00
Appropriation required
$104,400.00
BUDGET FOR 1929
HIGH SCHOOL
Estimated for 1929
Expended in 1928
Instruction
$38.000.00
$38,840.17
Operation and Maintenance
11,850.00
11,414.15
Other Agencies
700.00
564.50
Sundries
250.00
248.07
$50,800.00
$51,066.89
From H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
$26,100.00
Appropriation required
$24,700.00
10
The Committee requests the following amounts for ele- mentary and high schools, viz., elementary schools, $104,400; high school, $24,700; total appropriation for schools, $129,100.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM B. GARDNER, Chairman JAMES A. STETSON, EDWARD L. BESSE, ORRIN B. CARPENTER,
MISS SARA B. CLARKE,
MRS. ELLA H. BLOSSOM,
Fairhaven School Committee.
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Fairhaven :-
The sixteenth annual report of the present Superinten- dent of Schools is herewith submitted.
ATTENDANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
The total enrolment of the schools for the year ending June 1928 was 2240 as compared with 2202 in 1927; the average membership 1924 as against 1976 for the previous year. The percentage of attendance, 95.8, was the highest reached in many years.
In the report of last year a slight decrease was noted in the number of children in town between the ages of 5 and 16, as ascertained by the annual school census. It was ex- pected that this year's returns would be considerably less owing to the effects of the textile depression in this vicinity. The difference in number is so slight as to be negligible, being 2352 as against 2388 in 1927.
The actual membership of the schools on December 21st was 2005.
The average membership for the month of November was 2028, distributed by buildings as follows :
12
School
Grades
No. of rooms Membership
Oxford
1-6
10 (with portable)
355
Edmund Anthony, Jr. 1-7
8
285
Job C. Tripp
1-7
7
255
Washington St.
1-4
8
240
Rogers
5-8
11 (with hall and
portable )
385
East Fairhaven
1-6
5
152
High
9-12
356
Total
2028
Although the average membership has shown little general increase in two years, there has been an appreciable gain in the enrolment of the two upper grades. The fol- lowing table shows this trend and the unusual increase for the year just closed.
Year
Number in Grade 7
Number in Grade 8
1925
125
89
1926
133
110
1927
160
111
1928 (to June)
161
112
Present Membership 177
154
The membership of grades 7 and 8 was 214 in 1925, and is now 331. The seventh grade has increased 52%, the eighth, 75%. This gain in upper grade enrolment has developed a housing problem. Regard for the educational needs of these grades, as well as lack of room in other build- ings, brought about the effort to segregate them at the Rogers School for departmental work. Until this year, every upper grade in town except the seventh at the Tripp School has been housed here. As the number increased it became nec- essary to use the assembly hall on the third floor, and finally to purchase a two-room portable. In September of this
13
year the problem was faced of providing room for 320 pupils in seven rooms, including the assembly hall. If they had been distributed equally irrespective of grade, the result would have been over 45 in a room, altogether too many for one teacher in these grades where so much must be ac- complished. To relieve the situation transfers to other build- ings were made from the two sixth grades at the Anthony School, these were then united in one room, and a seventh grade of 32 pupils was opened in the room thus left available. This has temporarily relieved the congestion at the Rogers School. Provided there is no further increase in the en- rolment of these grades, present accommodations may be made to suffice, although it will remain necessary to continue the use of the hall on the third floor. As has been stated in previous reports, the hall is inadequately lighted and this, together with its location, make it very undesirable. Present indications point to a further increase in the number of upper grade pupils. The present larger seventh grade pro- phesies an increase in the eighth, while the sixth grade, numbering now 219, forecasts a substantial gain in next year's seventh. If these anticipated increases occur, pro- vision of more school rooms cannot be longer delayed. If, however, through revival in the textile industry of New Bedford, employment becomes more plentiful, this may result in a larger percentage of upper grade pupils leaving school, thus relieving the situation. On the other hand, it must be remembered that better business conditions in this vicinity may bring some increase in the population of the town, neutralizing in this way the effect of losing pupils through their employment. Another year will, perhaps, give some decisive indication of what the future will bring forth.
The next step in providing school accommodations will be a very important one in respect to the building site, the type of building needed, and provision for future high school pupils. In 1926 the School Report included a rather tho- rough discussion of the fundamental questions involved, and
14
the recommendation that a preliminary investigation be made. The need for action is apparently becoming acute. It would seem to be sound policy for the town at its meeting in February to authorize the Selectmen and School Committee to investigate the problem and report to the voters at some time during the year.
Fads versus Sound Educational Policy
There are many who regard with disfavor everything recently adopted in the public schools. To these everything they do not understand the purpose of is "foolishness," and because they have not followed with any care the changes that are being made and advocated, they call them "fads." The "fad knockers" are not peculiar to this generation. In former days history, geography, physiology and hygiene, and even arithmetic were objects of the same type of attack. If these fad objectors had prevailed these highly valuable subjects would not now be included in the curriculum. In a period of mounting costs the fad critic becomes especially active. At the present time it is unusually desirable that intelligent people, who are sincerely interested in the welfare of children seek to understand better the conception of edu- cation underlying changes made or advocated. It is not expected in so doing that there will be complete agreement in every respect as to what is best but, through investigation, will come the ability to criticize constructively, thus helping in the right solution of important problems.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.