USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1938 > Part 7
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The ledger accounts were analyzed, the appropriations, loan orders, and transfers being checked with the town clerk's records of town meetings and with the records of the finance committee. The necessary adjusting and cor- recting entries resulting from the audit were made, and a balance sheet, showing the financial condition of the town on September 10, 1938, was prepared and is appended to this report.
Treasurer .- The records of the treasurer were examined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts were analyzed and checked with the accounting officer's books, with the departmental records of payments to the treasurer, and with other sources from which money was paid into the town
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treasury, while the disbursements were checked with the treasury warrants.
The cash balance on September 10, 1938, were verified by a reconciliation of the bank balance with a statement furnished by the bank in which town funds are deposited.
The payments on account of debt and interest were veri- fied by a comparison with the cancelled bonds and coupons on file and with the amounts falling due.
The securities and savings bank books representing the investments of the trust funds in the custody of the town treasurer were listed, the income and transfers to the town being verified.
The income from the Henry H. Rogers High School Fund as entered on the treasurer's books was verified with a state- ment furnished by the City Bank Farmers Trust Company of New York, Trustees.
The records of tax titles held by the town were examined. The taxes and assessments added to the tax title account were compared with the collector's records, the recorded re- demptions, disclaimers, and foreclosures were verified, and the tax titles on hand were listed and reconciled with the accounting officer's ledger.
Contributory Retirement System .- The records of the con- tributory retirement system were examined. The receipts were verified and the recorded disbursements were check- ed. The cash balance on September 10, 1938, was proved by verification of the cash in the office and by inspection of the savings bank book.
Tax Collector .- The books and accounts of the tax col- lector were examined and checked in detail. The taxes and assessments outstanding at the time of the previous ex- amination were audited, and all subsequent commitments were proved to the warrants issued for their collection. The recorded receipts were checked with the payments to the treasurer and with the accounting officer's books, the abate- ments as recorded were compared with the assessor's rec- ords of abatements granted, and the outstanding accounts were listed.
Licenses and Permits .- The records of licenses and per- mits issued by the selectmen, town clerk, and the health
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department were examined and checked, and the payments to the State and the town were verified.
Departmental Accounts Receivable. - The commitments of departmental accounts receivable were examined and checked. The recorded receipts were checked with the pay- ments to the treasurer and with the accounting officer's books, the abatements as recorded were compared with the records in the departments authorized to grant abatements, and the outstanding accounts were listed.
Outstanding and Overdue Accounts .- Verification of the correctness of the outstanding tax, assessment, and depart- mental accounts was obtained by mailing notices to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, the replies received thereto in- dicating that the accounts, as listed, are correct.
An examination of the outstanding tax, assessment, and departmental accounts indicates that many accounts are long overdue. A determined effort should be made at once to secure settlement of these outstanding accounts, and any departmental accounts found to be uncollectible should be abated by the departments committing the accounts for col- lection.
Surety Bonds .- The surety bonds of the officials required by law to furnish them were exmained and found to be in proper form.
Conclusion .- In addition to the accounts mentioned, the records of all other departments collecting money for the town or committing bills for collection were examined and checked in detail.
Appended to this report, in addition to the balance sheet, are tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's and the tax collector's cash, summaries of the tax, assessment, tax title, and departmental accounts receivable, together with tables showing the condition and transactions of the trust and retirement funds.
While engaged in making the audit, cooperation was re- ceived from the officials of the town, for which, on behalf of my assistants and for myself, I wish to express apprecia- tion.
Respectfully submitted,
HERMAN B. DINE, Assistant Director of Accounts.
HBD:FC
Report of the Park Commission
To the Board of Selectmen and Citizens of Fairhaven :
The Park Board organized in March with the same setup as for the last two years and has held seven meetings during the season. 1938 brought the usual activities and problems in the care of the eight diverse reservations, for the most part running smoothly with the same three employees.
The revamped Chevrolet proved a far more efficient truck than the discarded Model T Ford. Major repairs were nec- essary, for staying gun carriages at Fort Phoenix, for wire screen of the tennis courts and for the broken driveways of Cushman.
For the playgrounds some changes were necessitated. Ex- tensive work on reconditioning Livesey Park left no ade- quate space for children; after two weeks the session was closed and the faithful instructor was used as an assistant at the center. At Anthony School the rather indifferent atti- tude of the last few years suggested closing that playground altogether, but Mrs. Dutton, the Director, wanted to try it out for three mornings a week. The attendance more than doubled for a six weeks session, showing that proper super- vision is the key to interest. At East Fairhaven Mrs. Rogers carried on for six weeks with a rising attendance. Mrs. Dutton at Cushman, afternoons for eight weeks, reports a registration of 1,050 with an average daily attendance of 258, which speaks for itself.
On July 28 a program was arranged for a National Joseph E. Lee Day (the founder of the playground movement in America), and with fitting ceremony the American Legion presented a flag and flagpole located near the play center at the Walnut street approach. This was a distinct and ap- preciated asset-until Hallowe'en. Then along with a series of other "pranks" which merit a harder name the flagpole was broken beyond repair. Adequate police protection seems the only answer if we are to preserve decency and beauty for the majority.
Plans were made for some final tree pruning, incidental planting and an early closing, when came the disaster of
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September 21, the aftermath of which meant six weeks of hard work for the three men. Cushman, Marine, Bridge and Cooks Memorial were tide swept, some thirty large trees were down, shrubbery and lawn damaged and the mess of debris included lawn furniture and boats with animals in variety, fish, squirrels, cats and dogs! Other town depart- ments have come in where necessary-in removing large trees and stumps, in building a new bulkhead at the south Bridge Park, so that by mid-November conditions were fair- ly normal. The comeback of grass, trees and shrubs cannot now be determined with any certainty, but there is no ques- tion but that a deal more of reconditioning will be necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
MABEL L. POTTER, Chairman, ARSENE G. DUVAL, HAROLD B. DUTTON, Secretary.
Report of Town Physician
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :
The total number of calls made on Welfare cases during the year 1938 was 1704, an increase over the previous year of 394 calls.
From 1929 to 1933 the total number of calls (5 year period) 2985
From 1934 to 1938 the total number of calls (5 year period) 9728 an increase of 6743 calls over previous 5 year period
The average number of calls per year from 1929 to 1933 inclusive is 597
The average number of calls per year from 1934 to 1938 inclusive is 1945 an increase of 1348 calls per year.
The above figures will convey some idea of the growth of the Welfare Department over the years designated and with this increase in numbers comes new problems which must be met for the best interests of the voters and tax payers.
Most of those on the roles of the Welfare Department are unaccustomed to living on a budget and when they receive their Welfare slip for food they are in reality now living on a budget for the first time and have difficulty in keeping within the figures as outlined on the slips. New additions to the Welfare are especially prone to select foods which do not give the most nourishment to the family and often consume the greater portion of their allotment within the first three or four days and then have nothing left for the remainder of the seven days. To these must come a realization of the fact that their slip is for a full week and that they must select adequate foods which will give the greatest amount of nourishment to be allocated over a seven day period.
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Proper clothing and conservation of fuel are vital prob- lems to the tax payer and considerable time is necessary to impress the importance of the care and saving of these two important items.
If the time ever comes that these Welfare cases are taken off the rolls and placed in employment, I believe that the importance of the budget system under which they have been compelled to live will prove beneficial to them and perhaps keep them off the roles of the Welfare Depart- ment in the future because of having learned the value of budgeting their income and better planning of household necessities.
CHARLES E. P. THOMPSON, M. D.
Town Physician.
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN MASSACHUSETTS
FOR THE
Year 1938
THE A. E. COFFIN PRESS-PRINTERS NEW BEDFORD, MASS, 1939
School Calendar
1939
Tuesday, January 3
Schools re-open
Wednesday, February 22
Holiday
Friday, February 24
Schools close
Monday, March 6
Schools re-open
Wednesday, April 19 Holiday
Friday, April 28
Schools close
Monday, May 8
Schools re-open
Tuesday, May 30
Friday, June 23
Wednesday, June 28
Thursday, June 29
High School Graduation Eighth Grade Promotion Exercises
SUMMER VACATION
Monday, September 11
Schools re-open
Thursday, October 12
Holiday
Saturday, November 11
Wednesday noon, November 29
Holiday
Monday, December 4
Thanksgiving Recess Schools re-open
Wednesday, December 20
Schools close
(Christmas vacation)
1940 Monday, January 2
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.
Holiday Elementary Schools close
School Committee
Mrs. Ella H. Blossom Mrs. Elisabeth M. Knowles
Term expires 1939
Term expires 1939
Orrin B. Carpenter
Term expires 1940
Frank M. Babbitt
Term expires 1940
William B. Gardner
Term expires 1941
George F. Braley
Term expires 1941
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.
The Superintendent's office is open with a clerk in charge daily from 9:00-12:00 and 1:30-5:00, except Saturdays when it is open only in the forenoon.
Telephone at Town Hall, Fairhaven-3891
Telephone at residence, 30 Green Street -- 8653-M
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Fairhaven:
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the School Committee for the year ending December 31, 1938.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT (Elementary Schools) RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation, 1938
$ 98,130.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
3,710.12
Edmund Anthony, Jr. Trust Fund Pease Fund
201.46
County Dog Fund
1,364.58
$103,681.16
EXPENDITURES
General Control
$
5,129.84
Superintendent's Salary
$
3,750.00
Office Clerk
934.50
Attendance Officer
177.00
School Census
125.00
Miscellaneous
143.34
Instruction
$ 74,475.29
Teachers' Salaries
$ 68,857.07
Text Books
2,839.26
Supplies
3,048.96
Operation and Maintenance
$ 15,363.91
Janitors' Salaries
$ 7,271.56
Fuel
3,368.27
Building Supplies
2,240.85
Repairs
2,058.41
New Equipment
424.82
275.00
5
Other Agencies Transportation : Public Schools
Parochial Schools
$ 4,879.29 350.00
Health
1,500.00
Tuition Insurance
857.50
Miscellaneous
$ 433.33
Total
$103,144.91
Balance
536.25
$103,681.16
FINANCIAL STATEMENT (High School) RECEIPTS
Town Appropriation
$ 36,000.00
H. H. Rogers Trust Fund
19,594.14
Total
$ 55,594.14
EXPENDITURES
Instruction
$ 39,907.49
Teachers' Salaries
$ 36,720.89
Text Books
1,696.79
Supplies
1,489.81
Operation and Maintenance
$ 13,417.92
Janitors' Salaries
$ 6,333.35
Fuel
1,715.69
Building Supplies
1,934.63
Repairs
1,728.30
New Equipment
1,705.95
Other Agencies
$ 670.00
Health
$ 350.00
Insurance
320.00
Miscellaneous
$ 272.89
Total
$ 54,268.30
Balance
$
1,325.84
$
7,742.54
155.75
6
FINANCES
The impossibility of predicting correctly the income from the various trust funds is again illustrated this year. The high school budget for 1938 was based on prospective fund receipts of $17,600; the actual income has been $19,594. It is pleasant to have the fluctuation on the right side of the ledger and to be able, therefore, to return to the Town an excess instead of being compelled, as in 1937, to ask for an appropriation to make up a deficit. It will be noted that the total balance returned to the treasury, elementary and high, is $1,862.09. This amount represents part of the dif- ference between estimated and actual receipts.
REPAIRS AND NEW EQUIPMENT
A total of $5,917. has been expended for repairs and new equipment. The major item under the former was for com- pletely retubing and reconditioning one of the high school boilers. The two largest expenditures for new equipment were for seventeen typewriters and for the installation of a new refrigeration plant in the high school lunchroom. None of the old typewriters replaced were less than eight years old, whereas the usage received by a school ma- chine warrants exchange every three years. As to the need of an adequate refrigeration plant, it requires only to be pointed out that the old one had been in use over thirty years and was installed when the school membership was less than 200, whereas there are today 900 pupils as pos- sible patrons of the lunchroom.
In addition to routine jobs and minor repairs, the fol- lowing items may be mentioned :
Renewal of return-pipe system at Rogers School. Repointing of East Fairhaven School, the portable at Rogers and the ventilators on the Anthony School. Repairs of plumbing at Tripp; also the heating system due to damage by water.
Repair of plumbing in toilets at Anthony.
New curtains at Tripp and Anthony Schools.
Fire proofing south basement door at Rogers, as per order of District Police.
7
New rigging for high school gymnasium and curtains for girls' showers.
Repair of floor in Addition auditorium. The unusual dampness caused the floor to "buckle" and necessi- tated considerable expenditure to reduce it.
Installing tar and gravel roofing on two leaky areas at High School.
Repainting flag poles.
Hurricane Damage
Included in the Special Appropriation, made by the Town, for hurricane damage, was an item of $4,549. for the School Department; the actual expenditure for this pur- pose was $4,991.
The Rogers School suffered most. The weather vane, weighing approximately one thousand pounds, was dam- aged and blown askew. Its supports were so weakened that it had to be removed for repair, and when it was found that the wood in the tower, to which it was secured, had decayed so as to render it soft, it was decided that it would be dangerous to replace this old land mark. On the south side of the building a very heavy metal ornamental piece was tilted and required repair and resetting. Two chimneys were badly damaged; one being split nearly its entire length, the other having its two hundred and fifty pound cap broken, and the brick underneath blown out or loosened. Guttering on tower and elsewhere was left hang- ing with inadequate supports. On the west side of the building, the ivy was blown away and this revealed a con- siderable section of the wall destroyed. Water had gotten in from leaky gutters and loosened the brick badly across the entire side. Whether the hurricane caused all or re- vealed, in part, this damage cannot be known but its repair was urgently necessary. A damaged section of the gutters was replaced and the rest repaired. Portions of the wall were repointed. Slate was ripped off and dangerously lifted all over the building so that safety required the whole surface to be gone over. On other buildings the damage was comparatively light, but, in the aggregate, its repair amounted to a considerable sum. In the case of the high
8
school, the weather vane on the gymnasium roof had to be taken down, rebuilt, and put up again. Most of the repairs made necessary by the hurricane were paid out of the Special Appropriation but items amounting to $500. or more were cared for from the school budget.
BUDGETS FOR 1939
The High and Elementary School Budgets for 1939 fol- low :
(Elementary)
The elementary school budget requires the same Town appropriation as in 1938, namely, $98,130; this is asked for despite the fact that the income from outside sources was less by $617. this year. It is expected, however, that the transfer of $536. to the high school account to enable the return to the Town of the difference between ex- pected and actual receipts from that trust fund will be unnecessary in 1939.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUDGET
Budget for 1938
Expended in 1938
Budget for 1939
General Control, (Including Supt., Clerk, Truancy, Census, Office Expense) $ 5,100.00 $ 5,129.84 $ 5,155.00
Instruction, (Including Teach- ers, Books, Supplies)
75,380.00
74,475.29
75,430.00
Operation and Main- tenance (includ- ing Janitors, Fuel, Bldg. Supplies, Repairs and New Equipment)
15,750.50
15,363.91
15,300.00
9
Other Agencies (including Trans- portation, Health, Tuition, Insurance)
8,075.00
7,742.54
7,525.00
Sundries
475.00
433.33
475.00
Total
$104,305.00
$103,144.91
$103,885.00
From Outside Sources 6,175.00
5,551.16
5,755.00
Appropriation required
$ 98,130.00
$ 98,130.00
(High School)
The high school budget is based on a conservative estimate of the amount that will be received from the H. H. Rogers Trust Fund. Although the receipts are larger this year, the Trustees state, in a recent letter, that we cannot rely upon the same amount for 1939. In view of this fact, and previous experiences of the Committee with the fluctuations of this income, the Committee estimates that in 1939 the receipts may be about $18,000., that sum is, there- fore, made the basis of our request for the appropriation.
HIGH SCHOOL BUDGET
Budget for 1938
Expended in 1938
Budget for
1939
Instruction, (Including Teach- ers, Books, Supplies)
$ 40,000.00 $ 39,907.49
$ 41,150.00
Operation and Main- tenance (Including Janitors, Fuel, Bldg. Supplies, Repairs & New Equipment 12,425.00 13,417.92
13,400.00
10
Other Agencies, (Including Trans- portation, Health, Tuition, Insurance)
900.00
670.00
650.00
Miscellaneous
275.00
282.89
300.00
Total
$ 53,600.00
$ 54,278.30
$ 55,500.00
From the H. H. Rogers Trust Fund, 1939
18,000.00
Appropriation required
$ 37,500.00
SEWING AND MANUAL TRAINING
Your School Committee wishes to call special attention to that section of the Superintendent's Report recommend- ing the expansion of the high school curriculum. It registers its complete approval of the recommendations given there for the restoration of the teaching of sewing in the high school and the provision of equipment and teachers for more extended courses in manual training. The Committee has not included in the regular budget the amount necessary to carry out these recommendations this year. It is proposed, however, to present the matter to the Finance Committee and discuss with it the feasibility of doing so.
The School Committee wishes to express its appreciation of the efficiency in and devotion to their work shown by all its employees. It is appreciative also, of the splendid co- operation shown by the general public.
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM B. GARDNER, Chairman MRS. ELLA H. BLOSSOM MRS. ELISABETH M. KNOWLES ORRIN B. CARPENTER GEORGE F. BRALEY FRANK M. BABBITT
Fairhaven School Committee
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee of Fairhaven:
Herewith is submitted the twenty-sixth annual report of the present Superintendent of Schools.
ATTENDANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
The total membership of the schools for the year ending June, 1938 was 2,277, as compared with 2,363 in 1937; the average membership was 2,102 as against 2,160, and the percentage of attendance 93.6, exactly the same as for the year previous.
The school census returns for 1932, the year when our schools reached the peak of membership, showed 2,445 children in town between the ages of 5 and 16; the census of this year gives 2,257. Last year it gave 2,150. Although there is a net loss of 188 pupils since 1932, assuming the returns are equally accurate, this year shows an increase of 107 over the number reported in 1937.
The actual membership in our public schools on October 1, 1938 was 2,140 as compared with 2,093 at the same time in the previous year, a gain of 47 pupils. Most of this gain in membership is due to increase in high school enrollment from 670 last year to 703 this.
Decline in the birth rate has been referred to in former reports. The membership of the first grades in October of 1930 was 277; this year it is 187. Its lowest point was last year at 185.
The increase in high school membership this year was surprising, as it had been expected to remain practically stationary or show some decline. It is safe to assume that a chief cause of the increase is the fact that fewer pupils are leaving school after reaching the age of sixteen. This
12
may or may not continue, dependent upon business con- ditions. The following membership figures for grades 4, 5, 6, 7 indicate that unless there are additions, due to new families in town, there will be smaller freshmen classes for several years:
Present Grade Membership
4 157
5 181
6
170
175 7 8 200
SCHOOL ROOMS
There is at present a slight shortage of classrooms in the high school and Addition. The State Department requested us, in the fall, to employ two more teachers this year in order to bring the teacher-load within Class A school standards, but there were not enough recitation rooms to enable the profitable use of more than one more. If the future pointed to a continued increase in the number of high school pupils, provision of more rooms immediately would be desirable. At present, however, as indicated by the figures above, there is not such a prospect; instead there is in sight a small decline in numbers.
The Oxford School has at present the highest member- ship of any elementary building. Its increase is due, in large part, to the fact that the 7th grades of the district, heretofore sent to the Anthony School are now housed at Oxford. As a result of the transfer, the Anthony School has one vacant classroom. There is also, a room at Rogers School and the two-room portable, which are available to house classes. In East Fairhaven, the enrollment is such that by combining grades, it would be easily possible, in case of need, to provide another room.
COST OF SCHOOLS
Figures relating to the comparative cost of schools in 1938 are not available as this report is prepared. Undoubt- edly the Town's rank in the 1938 State Report, when re- ceived may be a little higher but will not differ materially from that of previous years. In 1937, in a group of 83
13
towns, with a population of 5,000 and over, Fairhaven ranked 74th in its total per pupil cost and 83rd in its cost from local taxation. Among 355 towns and cities in Massa- chusetts, Fairhaven ranked 331st in total per pupil cost, and 335th in cost from local taxation.
TEACHERS
One less teacher has been employed in the elementary schools since September; one additional teacher has been engaged for the high school. These changes leave the staff with the same number as last year.
A perennial subject of discussion in the School Report has been the number of teachers who leave our system annually to accept higher salaries elsewhere. It is pleasant to be able to note an improvement in this respect during the current year. In 1936 there were seventeen resigna- tions, twelve of which were to go to positions paying better compensation; in 1937 seven out of twelve left our service for the same reason; in 1938 only three out of eight did so. No policy except the employment of less attractive teachers will enable us to curtail losses due to matrimony. The loss of teachers because of low salaries paid here has been greatly reduced this year, especially among second and third year teachers, because of the relatively small increase in the Town appropriation for instruction, which was applied to raising the annual increment. The result has been dis- tinctly better teaching, due to the presence of fewer begin-
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