USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1956 > Part 11
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Every Wednesday morning for eight weeks during the summer two story hours were held at the library, with an attendance of 1,554 children, or an average of 194 per week.
We are always fortunate to have local talent to draw on for story tellers, and this year Mrs. William H. Rapp, Mrs. Harold B. Dutton, Miss Beatrice C. Mosgrove, Mrs. Harold E. Kerwin, and Mrs. Herman Schwartz each told stories. Miss Dorothy Reynolds from the Dairy Council showed films one week, and the season ended with the showing of two prize-winning movies, "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" and "The Town Musicians." As each entertainer is obliged to perform twice in one morning because the size of the audience necessitates two sessions, we are doubly grateful for the efforts they made on our behalf. The special Book Week story hour featured Mrs. Eldred E. Besse, who gave some of her famous renditions of well-known children's stories.
The reading club conducted through the summer was the Robin Hood Reading Club, appropriately recording the progress of the readers on a target with arrows moving nearer and nearer to the bull's-eye. Participants were re- quired to read only three books a week as a minimum. Book awards, presented during Book Week, were given to Penny Baker and Susan Ross. Bethany Hawes and Jessica Schwartz received certificates of honorable mention.
Mr. James Parkinson, who graciously agreed to print our award certificates, produced some works of art that should receive special commendation here.
Gifts and Exhibits
In November Miss Grace Dana, a lifelong resident of Fairhaven, died and left the Millicent Library the sum of one thousand dollars in memory of her sister, Edith Dana, who served as Trustee of the library for thirty years. It is needless to say that this bequest was received with deep appreciation, as were the services of the person in whose memory it was made.
Each year we have been most fortunate in receiving gifts of a useful and decorative nature which Mr. Boucher has been able to refinish and put into immediate use in the
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library. Two floor lamps for the Reading Room and also a bookcase were donated this year by Mrs. Thomas Robinson, and Mr. Lucien Cyr gave us a beautiful table for the new hi-fi.
We are always grateful to those who remember us with gifts of books. This year our thanks go to Ruth Chandler, The Reverend Alan G. Deale, Mrs. John B. De Graw, Earl J. Dias, Herbert S. Evans, the Estate of Charles G. Harris, John Hayward, Hisakazu Kaneko, Arthur P. Lewis, Mrs. Jean Mauze, Mrs. Robert A. Philip, Alfred L. Poisson, Mrs. Jules Provencher, Dorothy Quick, and Mrs. Dorothy Rogers. Also, Mrs. John Seaman helped fill in some of the gaps in our magazine file.
Our glass exhibit case was kept almost constantly sup- plied by Mrs. Olive L. Brown, who loaned us old U. S. cur- rency, a collection of medals, and other military equipment from the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, and World War I. She also contributed some very unusual spoons for our display of antique silverware.
During the Moby Dick festivities in June, Mrs. Preston Gifford loaned us some scrimshaw, old harpoons, and other implements used in whaling days.
St. Martin's Church in New Bedford contributed a dis- play of facsimiles from the earliest Bibles to those now in use. These huge folders giving the history of each Bible were on display in the Art and Music Room during the week following Bible Sunday.
Trustees and Staff
Mrs. Lothrop Hedge, a Trustee since 1939, resigned be- cause of ill health. We were extremely sorry to lose this conscientious member of our Board, since she had become very closely identified over the years with all that the Millicent Library stands for.
We also lost the services of Mrs. William H. Rapp as a part-time worker at the circulation desk. Since Mrs. Rapp was well versed in the requirements of library work through previous service here on a full-time basis, her loss also is one which we shall feel keenly.
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Conclusion
At the end of the year it is natural to look back and try to pick out those accomplishments which we believe were the most effective in bringing new advantages to our patrons. In surveying the past year, we feel especially pleased to have installed at long last a new charging system. Its advantages, of course, are necessarily more apparent to staff members who work directly with the system, but we believe that in time they will become obvious to the general public as well.
The other innovation which we hope will please our pub- lic is our new record player. Although our collection of records is as yet a small one, we plan to add to it regularly, and we believe that this addition to the library facilities will be a source of great enjoyment to many of our borrowers.
As for our long-awaited bookmobile, even though our ex- perience of it has so far been confined to excited anticipa- tion, our dream is to become a reality within the next few weeks. The process of adapting the activities of the library to the expanded service will not be without its problems of adjustment. However, the meeting of this challenge in the weeks and months to come will be part of the fun, and we feel confident that the results will be worth it all.
Respectfully submitted,
RITA E. STEELE
Librarian
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT Report of the Treasurer for the year ended December 31, 1956
$ 2,758.55
Receipts for 1956
Town of Fairhaven
$ 18,438.00
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
(Trust Fund)
2,500.00
Fairhaven Water Company
4,800.00
Fines
698.72
Duplicate Pay Books
45.86
Miscellaneous items
147.44
Refund on insurance
497.83
Savings account
500.00
27,627.85
Payments
Salaries - Library Staff
$ 14,945.23
Salaries - Janitor
2,465.74
Social Security
328.49
Books
4,088.92
Periodicals
644.54
Book Binding
55.26
Library of Congress catalog cards
246.64
Telephone
216.21
Gas and Electricity
737.62
Fuel
1,085.00
Insurance
192.41
Water
8.00
Annual Report
100.00
School Bus
80.00
Library and Office Supplies
1,572.57
New Equipment
1,054.83
Repairs to Equipment
282.62
Building Maintenance and Repair
91.12
28,205.20
December 31, 1956, Balance cash on hand
2,181.20
$30,386.40
Investments
1,600 shares of Fairhaven Water Company
Endowment with Commonwealth of Mass.
$100,000.00
New Bedford Five Cents Savings Bank
73.10
Philip E. Young Memorial Fund Interest received
$10,000.00
166.13
10,166.13
Less payments on bookmobile
6,780.00
$ 3,386.13
Examined and approved January 7, 1957 STUART M. BRIGGS R. M. MITCHELL, Signed
(Signed) GEORGE A. GREENE, Treasurer.
242
$30,386.40
December 31, 1955, Balance on Hand
STATISTICAL REPORT THE MILLICENT LIBRARY, FAIRHAVEN, MASS.
American Library Association Form of Statistics
Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1956
Name of Library - The Millicent Library
Town - Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Librarian - Rita E. Steele
Date of Founding - 1893
Population served
13,388
Assessed valuation of town (1955)
$14,407,810
Terms of use - Free for lending and reference.
Total number of agencies
11
Consisting of - Central Library
4 Stations (Oxford Branch, High School Library, King's Daughters Home, Our Lady's Haven) 6 Schools (115 classroom collections)
Volumes placed in classroom collections are counted in circulation on the day they are moved from the Central Library and no complete record of use at the school is kept.
Number of days open during year (Central Library)
303
Hours open each week for lending
63
Hours open each week for reading
63
Book Stock
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Volumes at beginning of year
37,156
9,899
47,055
Volumes added by purchase
1,238
481
1,719
Volumes added by gift
101
2
103
Total volumes added
1,339
483
1,822
Volumes lost or withdrawn
929
281
1,210
Periodicals currently received
142
Publications issued
Annual report, monthly list of books
Use
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Total volumes loaned
49,062
26,570
75,632
Circulation per capita
5.6
Circulation per registered borrower
19.7
Registration
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Borrowers registered during year
......
870
487
1,357
Total of registered borrowers
2,397
1,365
3,762
Per cent registered borrowers of population served
28.1%
Total volumes at end of year
37,566
10,101
47,667
243
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 1956
Officers
President. Lord Fairhaven
Vice-President.
Stuart M. Briggs
Treasurer
George A. Greene
Secretary
Rita E. Steele
Trustees
Henry Rogers Benjamin
Eldred E. Besse
Stuart M. Briggs
Morris R. Brownell
Elwyn G. Campbell
Mrs. Orrin G. Carpenter Mrs. Hugh B. Darden, Jr.
Earl J. Dias
Chairman, Board of Selectmen
Standing Committees 1956-1957
BOOK COMMITTEE
Lord Fairhaven, Chairman
Mrs. Carpenter
Mr. Dias
Mrs. Hedge Miss Potter
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Mr. Greene, Chairman
Mr. Benjamin
Mr. Brownell Mr. Mitchell
Mr. Briggs Chairman, Board of Selectmen
HOUSE COMMITTEE Mr. Besse, Chairman
Mr. Campbell Miss Potter
Mr. Tallman Mrs. Wilbor
Officers and Committees appointed biennially
* Resigned October, 1956
244
Lord Fairhaven George A. Greene
*Mrs. Lothrop Hedge Raymond McK. Mitchell Miss Mabel L. Potter William Tallman Mrs. Alfred P. Wilbor
Former Trustees 1893-1956
Miss Ellen H. Akin 1893-1919
Edmund Anthony, Jr. 1902
Mrs. Sarah H. Anthony 1893-1912
Mr. Lyman C. Bauldry 1913-1939
William E. Benjamin 1893-1940
Edward L. Besse 1893-1947
Miss Sarah B. Clarke 1912-1933
Miss Edith Dana
1921-1951
Miss Georgia E. Fairfield
1920-1928
The Lady Fairhaven 1893-1939
William B. Gardner .1917-1941
James L. Gillingham 1893-1912
George B. Luther 1909-1951
Frederick B. Lyman 1904-1909
Mrs. James H. C. Marston 1943-1953
Charles Mitchell 1935-1954
Mrs. Lizzie F. Nye
1893-1919
Mrs. Eliza C. Pease 1919-1943
Harry L. Pope 1912-1955
Henry H. Rogers
1893-1909
Henry H. Rogers, Jr. 1909-1935
Don C. Stevens 1893-1901
George W. Stevens 1893-1908
Mrs. H. H. Stillman
1919-1920
George H. Taber
1893-1901
George H. Tripp 1893-1943
Job C. Tripp 1902-1917
Thomas A. Tripp 1893-1953
Miss Anna B. Trowbridge 1929-1950
Charles W. White, Jr. 1902-1904
Walter P. Winsor 1893-1911
Mrs. Mary B. Winsor 1893-1921
245
LIBRARY STAFF
Rita E. Steele Librarian
Avis M. Pillsbury Cataloger*
Lillian Schmidt Children's Librarian*
Ruth Barnes Secretary
Mona W. Staples Circulation Assistant
Alice Rapp Circulation Assistant
Agnes F. Hewitt
Assistant in Charge of Periodicals and Binding
Susan J. Murphy General Assistant*
Judith Hirschmann Student Assistant
Albin S. Silva Oxford Branch Librarian
Arthur J. Boucher Building Custodian
Former Librarians, 1893-1953
Don C. Stevens Feb. 1, 1893 - May 31, 1901
Drew B. Hall July 1, 1901 - May 31, 1911
Galen W. Hill June 1, 1911 - Jan. 31, 1926
Louis Felix Ranlett Feb. 1, 1926 - April 30, 1928
Avis M. Pillsbury June 8, 1928 - Sept. 8, 1953
* Part-time
** Resigned October 1, 1956
246
.
HOURS
MAIN LIBRARY Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed Sundays and Holidays -
247
Report of State Audit
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Department of Corporations and Taxation Bureau of Accounts State House, Boston 33
October 26, 1956
To the Board of Selectmen Mr. Albert E. Stanton, Chairman Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Gentlemen :
I submit herewith my report of an audit of the books and accounts of the Town of Fairhaven for the period from June 12, 1955 to August 8, 1956, made in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 44, General Laws. This is in the form of a report made to me by Mr. William Schwartz, Assistant Director of Accounts.
Very truly yours,
HERMAN B. DINE, Director of Accounts
Mr. Herman B. Dine 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 for the period from June 12, 1955, the date of the previous examination, to August 8, 1956, and report thereon as follows :
248
An examination and verification was made of the finan- cial transactions as recorded on the books of the several departments receiving or disbursing money for the town or committing bills for collection.
An analysis was made of the accounting officer's ledgers for the period covered by the audit. The receipts were checked with the treasurer's books, and the payments were compared with the warrants authorizing them and with the treasurer's records of payments. The appropria- tion accounts were checked with the town clerk's records of town meeting proceedings, and the recorded transfers from the reserve fund were verified by comparison with the rec- ords of the finance committee. The necessary adjusting entries resulting from the audit of the several departments were made, and a balance sheet, which is appended to this report, was prepared showing the financial condition of the town on August 8, 1956.
The books and accounts of the town treasurer were ex- amined and checked. The cash book additions were verified, and the receipts as recorded were analyzed and compared with the accounting officer's books, with the records of the various departments collecting money for the town, and with other sources from which money is paid into the town treasury. The recorded payments were checked with the treasury warrants authorizing the treasurer to disburse town funds and with the accounting officer's records. The cash balance on August 8, 1956 was proved by reconcilia- tion of the bank balances with statements furnished by the banks of deposit and by actual count of the cash in the office.
The deductions from employees' salaries and wages for Federal taxes, retirement systems, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and group insurance were audited and reconciled with the amounts paid to the proper agencies.
The payments of maturing debt and interest were proved with the amounts falling due and with the cancelled securities and coupons on file. The bond and coupon account was reconciled and the outstanding coupons were listed.
The savings bank books and securities representing the investments of the trust, investment, and retirement funds in the custody of the town treasurer and the retirement board were examined and listed. The income was proved
249
E
and all transactions and balances were verified and checked with the accounting officer's books, and, in the case of the retirement funds, with the books of the retirement board.
A record of the transactions and condition of the Henry H. Rogers High School Fund furnished by the City Bank Farmers Trust Co. of New York, Trustee, for the period of the audit, was examined, and the transfers to the town by the trustee were verified.
The records of tax titles and tax possessions held by the town were examined and checked in detail. The amounts added to the tax title account were compared with the col- lector's records and the accounting officer's books, the re- ported redemptions and sales were checked with the treas- urer's cash book, the disclaimers and foreclosures were veri- fied, and the tax titles and tax possessions on hand were listed and reconciled with the ledger accounts.
The books and accounts of the town collector were ex- amined and checked. The tax excise, and assessment ac- counts outstanding at the time of the previous examina- tion, as well as all subsequent commitments, were audited and compared with the assessors' warrants issued for their collection. The payments to the treasurer were verified, the recorded abatements were checked with the assessors' records of abatements granted, the taxes transferred to the tax title account were proved, and the outstanding accounts were listed and reconciled with the respective controlling accounts in the accounting officer's ledger.
The records of the departmental and water accounts receivable were examined and checked. The commitments were proved, the collections were checked with the treas- urer's recorded receipts, the abatements were verified, and the outstanding accounts were listed and reconciled with the accounting officer's ledger controls.
Further verification of the outstanding accounts was made by mailing notices to a number of persons whose names appeared on the books as owing money to the town, the replies received thereto indicating that the accounts, as listed, are correct.
The records of apportioned assessments were examined. The amounts added to taxes were verified, and the appor- tioned sewer assessments not due were listed and reconciled with the accounting officer's ledger.
250
.
The financial records of the town clerk were examined and checked in detail. The recorded receipts on account of dog and sporting licenses issued, as well as from licenses and permits, recording fees, copies of records, and miscel- laneous charges, were verified and compared with the pay- ments to the town treasurer and to the Division of Fisheries and Game. The cash book was footed and the cash balance was verified by actual count of the cash in the office.
The records of licenses and permits issued by the select- men, the building inspector, and the police and health de- partments were examined and checked. The payments to the treasurer were verified by comparison with the treas- urer's cash book.
The records of guarantee deposits for sewer, sidewalk, and water installations were examined. The amounts paid to the town collector to cover the cost of work done, as well as the refunds to the depositors, were checked, and the de- posits on hand were listed and reconciled with the account- ing officer's ledger.
The surety bonds on file for the several town officials for the faithful performance of their duties were examined and found to be in proper form.
The records of all other departments collecting money for the town or committing bills for collection were examined and reconciled with the treasurer's receipts and with the accounting officer's records.
Appended to this report, in addition to the balance sheet, are tables showing a reconciliation of the treasurer's cash, summaries of the tax, excise, assessment, tax title, tax possession, departmental, and water accounts, as well as schedules showing the condition and transactions of the trust, investment, and retirement funds.
For the cooperation extended by all town officials dur- ing the progress of the audit, I wish, on behalf of my assist- ants and for myself, to express appreciation.
Respectfully submitted,
WS :BAB
WILLIAM SCHWARTZ, Assistant Director of Accounts
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Index
Assessors' Department 66
Building Department 102
Calendar of Board Meetings
Civil Defense 6
122
"Dairy Industry in Fairhaven"
255
Dog Officer 121
Election and Registration
71
Election Results 75
Fairhaven Water Company 124
Fire Alarm 89
Fire Department 87
Health Department 92
In Memoriam - Charles E. P. Thompson
90
Animal Inspection
95
Health Nursing Service
98
Milk Inspection 97 Slaughter Inspection
Highway Department 100
Information About the Town
4
Jury List
231
Millicent Library 235
Officers of Federal, State and County Governments 13
Organization of Fairhaven Town Government 5
Park Department 109
Planning Board 84
Police Department 113
Public Assistance 81
Recreational Committee 107
Retirement Board 106
252
96
School Department 127
School Committee Report 130
Superintendents Report 135
High School Principal 138
School Nurse 143
Teachers, Custodians, Lunchroom Employees 151
Expenditures, (Itemized) 156
Financial Statement 145
Selectmen's Message 14
Sewer and Water Department 99
Shellfish Inspection 104
State Audit 248
Tax Collector
62
In Memoriam - - Thomas J. McDermott 60
Tax Title Report 111
Town Accountant
Analysis of Appropriation Accounts 45
Balance Sheet 17
Cash Receipts and Payments 22
Town Clerk 169
Births 171
Marriages 178
Deaths 183
Town Meeting Members 219
Town Meetings 1956
189
Town Officers
7
Treasurer
Cash Accounts 52
Debt and Interest 1957 55
Outstanding Debt 1956 54
Trust Funds 1956 56
Tree Warden 110
Trust Fund Commissioners 59
Veterans Benefits 112
253
DAIRY INDUSTRY IN FAIRHAVEN
We urban dwellers go about our daily tasks, little real- izing that within our own township we have a very thriving industry-dairying.
There are twenty-two dairy farms producing 4,506,000 pounds of milk a year, with a value of $259,000. This value does not include the dairymen's investments in land, cattle, barns and equipment necessary to the production of fresh wholesome milk.
We take it for granted that the milkman will deliver our milk when we need it, and that the dairy products he handles will be clean, nutritious and free from harmful germs. Milk is a daily necessity for our children's health and we cannot do without it.
There are no vacations in the production of milk-it is a constant daily chore. There are, however, compensations for all this endeavor-dairymen like to be independent and they love their vocation and the out-of-door association with nature.
It is interesting to note that the Dana Farm played an important part in our town's growth and well-being. In 1883 when the Fairhaven Improvement Association was founded, Edward A. Dana was its first president. For over 50 years the Dana sisters, Grace and Edith, saw fit to ex- pand their father's dairy business to one of the largest and most productive in Fairhaven. In the closing of Dana Farm and the passing of its owners, our town will miss their en- terprising endeavors in behalf of Fairhaven. But the Dana sisters have left many bequests to charitable and religious institutions for which Fairhaven people are grateful.
Cover was drawn by Milton K. Delano in collaboration with Kenneth R. Vining's theme "Dairying in Fairhaven."
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