USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1936 > Part 7
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W. P. A. Project No. 11154-To lay 512 feet of 12 inch and 232: of 8 inch drain pipe pipe from an existing catchbasin in Adams St. 232 feet north to Bridge to an existing catchbasin, then 512 feet. west on Bridge, constructing 2 catchbasins at Jefferson St. and' entering existing drain. Drain laid in sidewalk .. Estimated Con --
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tributory Cost $602.00. Actual Cost to Town: Material $388.41, Equipment Rental $47.63, Contributory Labor $29.75. Total Cost to Town $465.79. Started No. 18, 1936. Completed Dec. 17, 1936.
W. P. A. Project No. 10840-Reconstruction of South St. from Laurel St. east line of Pleasant St. 18 inches of excavation and relaid with 12 inches gravel base rolled in one course. Top of 6 inches of crushed stone laid two courses 4 inches and 2 inches each rolled, penetrated and sealed. Cobble curb reset. 4 catch- basins and 1 sandcatcher built, 100 feet of corrugated iron pipe laid and 40 ft. pipe relaid. Estimated Contributory Cost $1599.34. Actual Cost to Town: Material $772.92, Equipment Rental $887 .- 42, Contributory Labor $209.70. Total Cost to Town $1870.04. Started October 28, 1936. Completed Dec. 17, 1936. All crushed stone and 1500 gals. asphalt, was supplied by W. P. A. Job worked on double shift.
W. P. A. Project No. 556-To excavate, reset on present stone piers, with new gravel fill, 3561 lineal feet of curb in Bridge and Park Streets and repave 3561 lineal feet of gutter 3 feet wide. This project was started on Nov. 12, 1935, and was suspended Feb. 11, 1936 because of weather conditions making it impractic- able to work. It has never been reopened. Approximately 80 % completed. Estimated Contributory Cost $373.25. Actual Con- tributory Cost, at the time of suspension : Material $29.63, Equip- ment Rental $171.00, Contributory Labor $63.50. Total Cost to Town $264.13.
PROJECTS OPERATING AT THE END OF 1936
No. 2400-To construct a wooden addition 7 feet by 20 feet to the present building, used as a fire station, on Adams St. in No. Fairhaven. Remove shingles from side of the main building and reshingle with asphalt shingles; to extend the present concrete floor to full length of the building; install two new windows and one door and paint the outside trim. Project started Dec. 28, 1936.
No. 2419-To excavate and resurface with gravel in two courses, each rolled, 498 lineal feet in Rotch St., 27 feet wide; 876 lineal feet in Hawthorne St., 24 feet wide; 1250 lineal feet in Morgan St., 30 feet wide also in Morgan 1060 lineal feet, 14 feet wide; 790 lineal feet in Church St., 24 feet wide. Rotch St., Mor- gan St., and Church St. completed, Hawthorne St. operating at end of year. Started Dec. 30, 1935. Suspended because of wea- ther conditions Jan. 27, 1936. Reopened May 18, 1936. Suspend- ed Oct. 27, 1936. Reopened for completion Dec. 7, 1936.
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No. 6435-Millicent Library, to mend, re-back, re-case and re- cutter also reletter books. Started Jan. 28, 1936.
No. 6920-Operating in Town Hall. Women knitting woolen socks for distribution to needy of the community. Started March 2, 1936. Stopped June 11, 1936. Reopened August 10, 1936.
No. 7931-Construction of granolithic sidewalks to be laid over a 12 inch cinder base with a 4 inch top. Various streets and loca- tions throughout the town. Started June 1, 1936. 5437 square yards laid up to the end of the year.
No. 7999-To prepare and serve hot lunches for undernourished school children, from relief or needy families, who can not get home to the noon meal. Started Dec. 7, 1936.
No. 8144-Control of gypsy moth, browntail moth, etc., this includes creosoting gypsy moth egg clusters; cutting browntail webs and spraying; also includes thinning of woodland wherever necessary to facilitate creosoting and spraying work. Started June 1, 1936, for the spraying portion. Completed that portion July 23, 1936. Creosoting started Nov. 23, 1936. Thinning started Dec. 28, 1936.
No. 11019-Transcribe, catalogue, cross-index and file records in public office of Town Clerk and Treasurer. Started Nov. 16, 1936.
No. 11052-Making garments and household articles from ma- terial supplied by Federal Funds. Garments, etc. to be distributed to the needy of the community. Project operating in banquet hall of Town Hall. This is a new project, supplemental to Pro- ject No. 933 previously shown as completed. Started Nov. 30, 1936.
No. 11305-Supplemental project for the completion of Her- ring River Drain to Elm Ave. This is a supplement to Project No. 8677 previously shown. Was started Dec. 28, 1936.
No. 13328-Remove 18 trees, excavate roots, fill and regrade. All salvaged wood from the project to be sawed and delivered to Town Yard for distribution to Welfare recipients. Started Nov. 30, 1936.
No. 11735-Operating on Sconticut Neck Rd., a cut-off to eliminate a dangerous curve, this involves the excavation and plac- ing of fill through a low swamp area for a distance of approxi- mately 1000 feet necessitating about 3926 cubic yards of excava- tion and a gravel fill of approximately 8000 yards. Project started Dec. 29, 1936.
Commodity Distribution Center
Mr. F. Eben Brown, Chairman Board of Public Welfare
Dear Sir :
The following is a report showing the food and clothing dis- tributed by our department from January 1, 1936 to December 31, 1936:
CLOTHING
A total of 16,138 articles of clothing issued; averaging 1,344 5/6 pieces per month.
FOOD
LBS.
Doz.
Butter
1428
Apples (fresh)
5760
Eggs
480
Flour
128621/2
Onions
3800
Peas (dried)
1480
Beef (canned)
18315
Oatmeal
2800
Prunes
2012
Grapefruit
9200
Turnip
1400
Totals
59057 1/2
480
The above figures show that close to thirty tons of food was distributed.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM GALLAGHER,
State Auditor's Report
Mr. Theodore N. Waddell Director of Accounts Department of Corporations and Taxation State House, Boston
Sir :
As directed by you, I have made an audit of the books and accounts of the town of Fairhaven from the beginning of the fiscal year '1935 to August 8, 1936, the following report being submitted thereon :
The financial transaction as recorded on the books of the several departments receiving or disbursing money for the town, or committing bills for collection, were examined and reconciled with the books and records of the accounting officer.
The books and accounts kept by the accounting officer were examined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts were verified by a comparison with the treasurer's books and with the records in the several departments making the original charges. The disbursements were checked with the warrants authorizing the treasurer to disburse town funds and with the payments as shown by the treasurer's books. Approved vouchers and pay- rolls were examined and checked, and the recorded appropria- tions, loan orders, and transfers were checked with the town clerk's records of town meetings and with the finance commit- tee's records of transfers from the reserve fund.
The ledger accounts were analyzed, the necessary adjusting and correcting entries resulting from the audit were made, and balance sheets, which are appended to this report, were prepared showing the financial condition of the town on December 31, 1935, and on August 8, 1936.
The books and accounts of the town Treasurer were examined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts were analyzed and compared with the collector's records of payments to the treas- urer, with the records in the several departments collecting money for the town, and with the other sources from which money was paid into the town treasury, while the payments were checked
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with the selectmen's warrants to the treasurer. The cash balance on August 8, 1936, was proved by actual count of the cash in the office and by a reconciliation of the bank balance with a state- ment furnished by the bank in which the town funds are deposited.
The payments of debt and interest were checked with the amounts falling due and with the cancelled securities and coupons on file.
The securities and savings bank books representing the invest- ments of the trust funds in the custody of the treasurer were examined and listed. The income was proved and the with- drawals were verified.
In checking the transactions affecting the trust funds in the custody of the town treasurer and managed and controlled by the commissioners of trust funds, it was noted that in January, 1936, securities with a par value of $5,000 in the Henry H. Rogers Elementary School Fund were called and the proceeds received were deposited in a savings bank in the name of the Julia A. Stoddard Charity Fund. The commissioners of trust funds should notify the savings bank of the error in order that this deposit may be credited to the proper fund. Interest accruing on this savings deposit to August 8, 1936, and incorrectly credited to the income account of Julia A. Stoddard Charity Fund has been ad- justed on the books of the town.
It was also noted that the proceeds from the sale in January, 1936, of bonds in the amount of $9,000, held as an investment of the Julia A. Stoddard Charity Fund, had been invested in stocks of a national bank of Massachusetts. While the legality as an investment of the stock purchased cannot be questioned, attention is, nevertheless, called to the fact that the satisfactory condition and earnings of the trust fund in the past hardly warrant the exchange of conservative, sound bonds for speculative, fluctuating stocks.
The income from the Henry H. Rogers High School Fund, as entered on the treasurer's books, was verified with a statement furnished by the City Bank Farmers Trust Company of New York City, Trustees.
The tax title deeds on hand were examined and listed. The amounts transferred from the several tax and assessment levies to the tax title account were verified, and the tax title deeds as listed were checked with the records in the Registry of Deeds.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in reconciling the tax title records kept by the town treasurer with the balance as shown
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on the ledger of the accounting officer, due to the fact that the clerical work was incomplete and a number of accounts were missing from the files. It is recommended that more care be taken in recording the various transactions affecting the tax titles.
The books and accounts of the tax collector were examined and checked. The levies outstanding at the time of the previous examination were audited, and all subsequent commitment lists were added and reconciled with the warrants of the assessors committing the taxes and assessments for collection.
The collector's cash books were footed, the payments to the treasurer by the collector were checked to the treasurer's and the accounting officer's books, the abatements were compared with the assessors' records of abatements granted, and the out- standing accounts were listed and reconciled with the accounting officer's ledger accounts.
Verification of the outstanding accounts was made by mailing notices to many persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town. Among the replies received was a claim from a taxpayer to the effect that his tax had been paid but not credited on the books of the collector, and proper credit was given when this claim was called to the attention of the collector. From the other replies received it would appear that the outstanding accounts, as listed, are correct.
The records of licenses and permits issued by the selectmen, town clerk, inspector of buildings, and the health department were examined and checked, and the payments to the State and the town were verified.
The surety bonds of the financial officials bonded for the faith- ful performance of their duties were examined and found to be in proper form.
The records of departmental accounts receivable committed for collection were examined. The payments to the treasurer were verified, the abatements were checked, and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved.
Prompt action should be taken to collect accounts which are long overdue, and uncollectible accounts should be adjusted by the departments committing them.
In addition to the departments mentioned, the books and ac- counts of the sealer of weights and measures and of the fire, public welfare, and school departments were examined and check- ed, and the payments to the treasurer were verified.
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Appended to this report, in addition to the balance sheets, are tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's and the col- lector's cash, summaries of the tax, assessment, tax title, and departmental accounts, as well as tables showing the condition and transactions of the various trust funds.
While engaged in making the audit, co-operation was received from the officials of the town, for which on behalf of my assist- ants and for myself, I wish to express appreciation.
Respectfully submitted, HERMAN B. DINE, Assistant Director of Accounts.
Report of the Park Commission
To the Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Fairhaven :
The Park Commission hereby submits its report for 1936.
The work of caring for the park system of the town, viz., Cush- man, Livesey, Cook Memorial, Willow, Bridge and Marine, Garri- son Lot and Benoit Square-has been carried on during the past season with small changes. Seven months activity from April to December, with some lesser attention during the winter, keeps the parks in better than fair order. The force of two are em- ployed as constants, with one man additional through the heavy mowing season.
The machinery upkeep has been too high with a worn power mower, which should be replaced for the coming season.
On the Green street side of Cushman some rearrangement and new planting were necessitated by digging for a sewer from Christian street. It is hoped that this planting will later be a decided improvement to this south east corner.
Mrs. Dutton's report follows :-
PLAYGROUND REPORT
The total registration at Cushman Park playground for 1936 was approximately 1,800 with daily average attendance of 235- an increase of 20 over the previous season.
About 400 were registered with James Heyes at North Fair- haven, 160 at Anthony School playground under supervision of Daniel Buckley. Mrs. John Rogers was in charge at East Fair- haven where the registration was 175.
Assistance of young people from the N. Y. A. was helpful in supervising apparatus; and they were very efficient in conducting games and aiding with the weekly sports.
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Athletic contests as in former years were held weekly at each playground-ribbons awarded the winners as usual.
The 10th Annual Doll Show and vehicle parade at Cushman park was well attended and proved intensely interesting.
Over 100 small stuffed animals were made by the children under direction of the Supervisor.
No Tennis Tournaments were played this year due to lack of interest among the players, though the courts were re-surfaced in the Spring.
East Fairhaven play ground children were transported by Town trucks twice during the season to engage in competitive sports at Cushman Park.
Our guest book this season contained names from 14 States and Canada, all of whom commented most favorably on the work being done.
Respectfully submitted,
MABEL O. DUTTON,
Supervisor.
The four playgrounds were most successfully maintained, with benefits in health and summer morale which can scarcely be esti- mated.
MABEL L. POTTER, Chairman, H. B. DUTTON, L. F. POOR, Secretary,
Park Commissioners.
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE
Year 1936
School Calendar
1937
Monday, January 4
Schools re-open
Monday, February 22
Holiday
Friday, February 26
Schools close
Monday, March 8
Schools re-open
Monday, April 19 Holiday
Friday, April 30
Schools close
Monday, May 10
Schools re-open
Monday, May 31
Holiday (May 30)
Friday, July 2
Schools close
SUMMER VACATION
Monday, September 13
Schools re-open
Tuesday, October 12
Holiday
Thursday, November 11
Holiday
Wednesday noon, Nov. 24
Thanksgiving Recess
Monday, November 29 Schools re-open
Friday noon, Dec. 24
Schools close (Christmas vacation) 1938
Monday, January 3
Schools re-open
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.
School Committee
Orrin B. Carpenter
Term expires 1937
Frank M. Babbitt
William B. Gardner
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938
George F. Braley
Term expires 1938
Mrs. Ella H. Blossom
Term expires 1939
Mrs. Elisabeth M. Knowles
Term expires 1939
CHAIRMAN William B. Gardner, 35 Union Street
SECRETARY AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Charles F. Prior, 30 Green Street
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT CLERK Beatrice DeCoffe, 212 Main Street
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE HOURS
Town Hall
8:15-9:00 A.M .- Every school day. 4:00 5:00 P.M .- Every school day. Wednesday evenings, 7:00-8:00.
The Superintendent's office is open with a clerk in charge daily from 9:00-12:00 and 1:30-5:00, except Saturday's, when it is open only in the forenoon.
Telephone at Town Hall, Fairhaven-3891 Telephone at residence, 30 Green Street -- 6714-W
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Fairhaven:
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the School Con- mittee for the year ending December 31, 1936.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
(Elementary Schools)
RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation, 1936
$ 96,740.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
3,946.27
Edmund Anthony Jr. Trust Fund
300.00
Pease Fund
220.35
County Dog Fund
1,377.32
$102,583.94
EXPENDITURES
General Control
$ 5089.49
Superintendent's Salary
$3,750.00
Office Clerk
823.00
Attendance Officer
183.50
School Census
125.00
Miscellaneous
207.99
Instruction
$ 72,861.37
Teachers' Salaries
$67,352.72
Text Books
2,702.68
Supplies
2,805.97
Operation and Maintenance
$ 15,531.52
Janitors' Salaries
$7,506.68
Fuel
3,637.39
Building Supplies
2,230.07
Repairs
1,454.96
New Equipment
702.42
5
Other Agencies Transportation Health Tuition Insurance
$4,978.31 $ 7,642.14
1,797.32
255.46
611.05
Miscellaneous 369.85
Total Balance
$101,494.37 $ 1,089.57
Note: Under fuel, building supplies, new equipment, health, re- pairs and miscellaneous are included $1,600.29 in High School expenditures.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT (High School) RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation
$25,960.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
23,048.91
EXPENDITURES
Instruction
Teachers' Salaries
$34,723.54
Text Books
1,472.55
Supplies
1,806.36
Operation and Maintenance
$10,663.16
Janitors' Salaries
$5,368.02
Fuel
1,757.13
Building Supplies
1,657.02
Repairs
1,835.79
New Equipment
45.20
Other Agencies
Health
Insurance
. .
Miscellaneous 341.57
Total Balance
$49,007.18
1.73
Note : Additional High School expenditures, amounting to $1,600 .- 29 are charged in the Elementary account.
$49,008.91
$38,002.45
6
REPAIRS AND NEW EQUIPMENT
Your Committee has expended for repairs, high and elementary schools, a total of $3,290.75. This is slightly less than last year, and not so much as the budget called for. Uncertainty as to what is to be received from endowment funds, mentioned hereinafter, is one obstacle to doing as much as is possible along this line. For illustration, the amount returned to the general treasury this year from the elementary school appropiation could have been expended in this direction if the Committee had known early enough that it was available.
There are (8) school buildings in Town, valued conservatively, at, approximately, $1,500.00. They could not now be replaced for that sum. A private owner, interested in not having his prop- erty depreciate unduly, keeps it in good repair. The School Com- mittee, on whom the Town places the responsibility of caring for school property, tries to do all possible with the money that is furnished it. The Elementary school plant is in fair condition, partly due to W. P. A. projects carried on in 1934-35. But the high school, now twenty-nine years old, requires more and more work on it each year. It cannot be done with the decreasing funds available. The present urgent needs include more re-pointing of the brick and stone work, thorough treatment of the various roofs and surfaces on the building to stop leakages, and, at least, a beginning in re-varnishing and re-tinting the interior. Nothing has been done in respect to the last named since the building was opened. These and other larger jobs cannot be done out of the ordinary allotment. It requires all of this for the minor repairs and replacements necessary in a building so long in use. Only its substantial construction has, up to this time, kept the cost of these so low.
Out of (72) payments listed for repairs during the year, the following larger items are mentioned as typical :
Mort than $550. for re-pointing brick and stone work at high school.
$288. for repointing walls of tower at Rogers School.
$323. for new ceilings in two rooms at Rogers School.
$273. for fire escape on east wall of high school gymnasium, ordered by the State Building Inspector.
Installation of new receiving tank for high school boilers.
Installation of five new tubes in high school boiler.
Repair of leakage on terraces and roofs of high school building.
7
Repair of leakage in roof and walls of high school addition.
Re-finishing (49) old classroom desks. Repair of ceiling in alcove of high school lunchroom.
Repair of sewer connection at Oxford School.
New grate bars and doors for boilers at Rogers School Repairing gutters at Washington St. School.
FINANCES
School funds come from two sources,-the town appropriation and income from endowments. Fairhaven citizens are aware of this, but, perhaps, do not fully understand how it complicates planning and expending the budget. The difficulty lies in the fact that the fluctuating returns from the investments in trust funds make receipts from this source variable. Especially has this been true during the last four years. It has been impossible to know what the income will be until the last installments come in, and these do not arrive until December. Unless the Committee gets an appropriation larger than it expects to use, which has never been its policy, it must hold in reserve, until its trust fund pay- ments are assured, a margin sufficient to cover a possible deficit. To risk a deficit, or go to the town for a special appropriation are the only alternatives. The records show that in a period of twenty- five years the School Department has done neither. As a matter of fact, there has usually been, as is the case this year, a balance returned to the town. The balance is there to return chiefly be- cause the Committee had to carry a reserve until too late to ex- pend it wisely. Your schools are run on a low level of expendi- ture, and the budget never calls for money that should not be expended. The end of the year always finds repairs, textbooks, equipment, higher salaries of teachers, etc., which were really needed and would have been paid for, as far as possible, if the Committee could have known in advance there would be funds available for them. The following table shows the variation in endowment income in five years:
INCOME FROM SCHOOL FUNDS
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
High School
Trust Fund
$26,299.
$26,070. $26,495.
$24,309.
$23,048.
Elementary School
Funds, including Dog Fund 7,115.
6,441.
6,347.
6,047.
5,843.
8
Total income out-
side Town Appro-
$33,414. $32,511. $32,842. $30,356. $28,891. priation
There has been a decrease in revenue in five years, from sources other than taxation, of $4,523. Last February the Coni- mittee asked for an increase of $1,500. in the high school appro- priation to offset a prospective decrease of $2,000. in the H. H. Rogers Trust Fund. The actual decrease was $3,252. This illu- strates the uncertainty in regard to receipts with which the Com- mittee contends.
The high school budget for 1936 called for $50,260. Only $49,008.91 was actually received. The budget as presented was "pared to the bone." In September fifty additional pupils made necessary new typewriters, chairs and desks, more books and supplies, and the extension of the service of a part-time teacher to full-time. It was impossible to cut expenditures to fit actual receipts. The total cost of running the high school for the current year has been $50,607.47. In order to meet this, $1,600.29 was transferred from the elementary school account. Funds from this happened to be available because of unexpected resignations of experienced teachers and their replacement by beginners at lower wages. Furthermore, curtailment of repairs on elementary schools, and purchases of books, supplies and equipment for them became necessary. In short, the money was available for the high school at the expense of loss in efficiency of the grade schools.
Both high and elementary schools have a per-pupil cost far, far below State averages. For 1936 Fairhaven stands 330th among 355 towns and cities in Massachusetts in its per capita cost of education from local taxation; 331st in its cost from all sources. This is the lowest rank the town has ever reached. In 1929 it stood 293 and 262 respectively; in 1932 it stood 309 and 314; in 1935 it stood 317 and 310. The fact that Fairhaven stands 331 in its total per-pupil cost from all sources in 1936 is because other towns have increased their school appropriations from the low point reached in the depression. While Fairhaven has not. In justice to teachers, for continued efficiency, and for the good name of the town, expenditures should be increased as rapidly as the financial condition of the town makes it possible.
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