USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > Town annual report of the offices of Fairhaven, Massachusetts 1958 > Part 7
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99.00
School Bus
100.00
Library and Office Supplies
1,145.83
Repairs to Equipment
70.85
Building Maintenance
548.35
Bookmobile Maintenance
666.99
29,997.01
$ 28.76
Investments
1,600 shares of Fairhaven Water Company
Endowment with Commonwealth of Massachusetts $100,000.00
Grace Dana Fund
1,037.92
Examined and approved January 6, 1959
R. M. MITCHELL (Signed) (Signed) GEORGE A. GREENE,
EVERETT S. ALLEN (Signed)
Treasurer
147
STATISTICAL REPORT THE MILLICENT LIBRARY, FAIRHAVEN, MASS. American Library Association Form of Statistics
Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1958
Name of Library-The Millicent Library
Librarian-Rita E. Steele
Town-Fairhaven, Massachusetts
Date of Founding-1893
Population served 13,376
$15,211,330
Term of use-Free for lending and reference.
Total number of agencies
10
Consisting of- Central Library
4 Stations (Bookmobile, High School Library, King's Daughters Home, Our Lady's Haven)
5 Schools (92 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)
305
Hours open each week for lending
63
Hours open each week for reading
63
Book Stock
Adult
Juvenile 10,572
Total
Volumes at beginning of year
38,349
48,921
Volumes added by purchase
1,204
479
1,683
Volumes added by gift
181
7
188
Total volumes added
1,385
486
1,871
Volumes lost or withdrawn
153
207
360
Total volumes at end of year
39,581
10,851
50,432
Periodicals currently received
146
Publications issued
Annual report, monthly list of books
Use
Adult 59,273
Juvenile 32,546
91,819
Circulation per capita
6.9
Circulation per registered borrower
18.4
Registration
Adult
Juvenile
Total
Borrowers registered during year
.....
666
446
1,112
Total of registered borrowers
3,088
1,895
4,983
Percent registered borrowers of population served
37%
148
Total
Total volumes loaned
Assessed valuation of town (1957)
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, 1958
Officers
President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary
Lord Fairhaven William Tallman
George A. Greene
Rita E. Steele
Trustees
* Everett S. Allen
Henry Rogers Benjamin Eldred E. Besse
Morris R. Brownell
** James B. Buckley
Mrs. Orrin G. Carpenter Mrs. Hugh B. Darden, Jr. Earl J. Dias
Lord Fairhaven
George A. Greene
Raymond M. Mitchell
Miss Mabel L. Potter
Mrs. F. A. Silveira, Jr.
Walter Silveira
William Tallman Mrs. Alfred P. Wilbor
Standing Committes 1958-1959
BOOK COMMITTEE
Lord Fairhaven, Chairman
Mrs. Darden Mr. Dias
Miss Potter Mrs. Silveira
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Mr. Greene, Chairman
Mr. Allen Mr. Benjamin
Mr. Brownell Mr. Mitchell Mr. Silveira
HOUSE COMMITTEE Mr. Besse, Chairman
Mr. Buckley Mrs. Carpenter
Mr. Tallman Mrs. Wilbor
Officers and Committees appointed biennially.
* Appointed February 1958
** Appointed November 1958
149
Former Trustees 1893-1957
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
Stuart M. Briggs
1951-1957
Elwyn G. Campbell
1942-1957
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
Mrs. Lothrop Hedge 1939-1956
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
150
LIBRARY STAFF
Rita E. Steele Librarian
Lillian Schmidt Assistant Librarian and Cataloger
Helen Freitas Extension Librarian
Ruth Barnes Secretary Agnes F. Hewitt Assistant in Charge of Periodicals and Binding
Arthur J. Boucher Building Custodian
Part-Time Workers
Daniel Foley *Ruth Gast
Marilyn Gardner
** Evelyn McNeil
Alice Rapp
* Left in September
** Came in September
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
151
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
BOOKMOBILE (Winter Schedule)
Tuesday - North Fairhaven
St. Mary's Church
2:30-2:45 p.m.
Oxford School Yard
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Hedge St. at Main St.
4:15-5:15 p.m.
Wednesday - East Fairhaven
Mill Rd. at Prince St. 2:30-2:45 p.m.
Weeden Rd. at Dartmouth St. 3:00-3:30 p.m.
Tilo Roofing Yard 3:45-4:15 p.m.
East Fairhaven Improvement Asso. 4:20-4:30 p.m.
Narragansett Blvd. 4:45-5:00 p.m.
Thursday - Sconticut Neck
Little Bay Market
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Sconticut Nk. Rd. at Rockland St. 3:45-4:00 p.m.
Andrade's Store
4:15-5:00 p.m.
152
SCHOOL REPORT
OF THE
TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN
MASSACHUSETTS
RHA
OF
EN
N
NA
A
TO
SS
INCORPO
TOWN HALL
22-1812.
R.
T
ED
FEB
FOR THE
YEAR 1958
School Committee
Terms Expire
Clarence I. Bangs, 125 Laurel St.
1959
John T. Morgan, 10 Coggeshall St. 1959
Albert M. Gonsalves, 145 Washington St. Chairman
1960
Waldo E. Haydon, 43 Hedge St. 1960
Cecil H. Whittier, 68 Laurel St. 1961
Vice-Chairman
Francis P. Delaney, 143 Pleasant St. 1961
Regular meetings are held in the Superintendent's Office in the Fairhaven Junior High School on the second Wednes- day of each month at 7:30 P.M.
SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY TO THE COMMITTEE
Lynwood P. Harriman, 128 Pleasant St.
Office WY 3-1241 - Residence WY 3-8977 OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT Fairhaven Junior High School Building Helen R. Porter,
Rounseville Rd., Rochester Co-ordinator of Elementary Education
Beatrice M. DeCoffee,
212 Main St. Secretary to the Superintendent
Grace M. Battistelli, 73 Main St. Financial Clerk
The office of the Superintendent is open daily from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., except Saturdays when it is open in the forenoon only.
Personal appointments with the Superintendent may be made by calling the office.
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN Harold W. Woodcock, 27 Fort Street SCHOOL NURSE AND SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE Louise F. Dennie, R.N., Water St., Mattapoisett
154
School Calendar
1958-59
Weeks
Open
Close
Days
First Term
16
Mon., Sept. 8
Tues., Dec. 23
72
Second Term
7
Mon., Jan. 5
Fri., Feb. 20
35
Third Term
7
Mon., Mar. 2
Fri., Apr. 17 34
Fourth Term
9
Mon., Apr. 27
Wed., June 24
43
39
184
1959-60
Weeks
Open
Close
Days
First Term
15
Wed., Sept. 9
Wed., Dec. 23
70
Second Term
7
Mon., Jan. 4
Fri., Feb. 19
35
Third Term
7
Mon., Feb. 29
Thurs., Apr. 14 34
Fourth Term
9
Mon., Apr. 25
Wed., June 22
42
38
181
There will be no school on the following days which occur during the scheduled terms of 1959:
March 27
Good Friday
May 30
Memorial Day
Sept. 5 Labor Day
Oct. 12
Columbus Day
Oct. 30
Bristol County Teachers' Convention
Nov. 11
Veterans' Day
Nov. 26-27 Thanksgiving Recess from noon Nov. 25
NO-SCHOOL SIGNAL 22
7:00 A.M. Indicates no school for all day.
11:30 A.M. Indicates no afternoon session from 1 to 8.
Announcement will be made as early as possible on Radio Stations WBSM and WNBH.
It is the policy of the School Committee to order the no-school signal only in the most severe weather conditions or when road conditions are such as to make transportation extremely hazardous or impossible. When school is held in inclement weather, parents are expected to use their own judgment in sending children to school.
155
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Fairhaven :
MEETINGS
Your School Committee has held 34 meetings averaging three to five hours each during the year at which public and press were welcome, except during personnel problems when the Committee met in executive closed session. In- dividual committee members have met at other times with groups of townspople, other town committees, P. T. A.'s and school staff on special problems of interest to the town and the School Committee as a whole. Within personal limita- tion, members welcome the opportunity to discuss school problems with interested groups of citizens at any time.
ENROLLMENT
Your public school system had an enrollment on October 1, 1958 of 2499 students, which is an increase of 112 over 1957, 199 more than in 1956. Projecting total enrollment for the next few years would indicate an enrollment of 2522 in 1959, 2589 in 1960, 2621 in 1961, 2661 in 1962, and we should hit a peak of 2713 in 1966. With this in mind, we feel that it is very important to the citizen to remember that the High School is dangerously overcrowded this year and will continue to be until the ninth grade is removed to the Junior High School and our school system is converted to a 6-3-3 system. This will in turn mean that an addition will be needed soon (desperately before 1961) and in addition something must be done soon to alleviate the overcrowded conditions at the East Fairhaven School.
BUILDING NEEDS
Due to this overcrowded situation and in view of the fact that extra classroom space cannot be used without trans- porting children from areas where this exists into buildings which are not overcrowded, but which are not equipped to handle students through the noon period without cafeterias. We feel that present estimates indicate a need for at least six more classroom spaces in the Junior High School as well as possibly two classrooms in East Fairhaven School.
156
We would like to have a committee appointed by the town to study population trends, to survey needs in school build- ings and report to the town independently of the School Committee on the need and desirability of securing new school sites or adding to present school buildings.
TEACHER SUPPLY
The critical teacher supply in some areas of training appeared this year to be lessened somewhat. We believe that with very few exceptions, we have a fine group of teachers this year who are well qualified to hold their positions. The faculty of all schools as a whole this year have worked very hard, not only in their teaching assignments, but also serving on evaluation committees, and advisory committees. Many of them have given hours for the advancement of the system as a whole.
As of November 24, 1958, the legal minimum salary for all teachers regardless of training became $3600.00, which is $200 more than the minimum salary schedule adopted by this committee in December 1957 to become effective in September 1958. The Committee in keeping with the new legal minimum salary for teachers adopted a new salary schedule for the Fairhaven teachers providing for a mini- mum salary of $3600.00 with corresponding adjustments on nine steps to reach a maximum base pay of $5100.00 for the Bachelor's Degree.
We have attempted to keep teachers' salaries consistent with the salaries for similar positions throughout the Com- monwealth on the average. We have included in our salary schedule this year levels beyond which a teacher may not progress without satisfying the Committee that they have completed at least three semester hours of credits in ad- vanced work.
COMPARATIVE EXPENDITURES
Our cost per pupil in average membership for the school year ending June 30, 1958 was $221.23 in comparison with other towns with populations of 5,000 and over whose aver- age cost was $281.44. These figures include all expenditures for support which includes transportation but not capital outlays or general control.
157
1958 APPROPRIATIONS AND COURT ACTION
Because of the deficiencies in the school budget in 1958, our teachers have been paid at a rate of from $150 to $300 less per annum than the adopted salary schedule of the Committee adopted in December 1957 and our budget was re- vised in every respect possible in order to keep expenditures within the available funds. Although we did not find our- selves able to keep within the available funds completely, we only exceeded the allowed items by approximately 1% of the alloted budget. Since the close of the 1958 fiscal year, the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth has ruled in favor of the petitioners in the first case of Graves vs. the Town of Fairhaven, in which the Town was ordered to pay into avail- able funds of the Schools $10,841.43 to be applied to de- ficiencies in the 1957 budget plus a penalty of $2,710.36 which is to be applied to the 1958 budget. Pending final action by the Town, the School Committee intends to use this money to meet the deficits in salaries for the 1957 fiscal year and other items which were originally budgeted.
Your School Committee regrets the necessity for taxable inhabitants of the town to bring a court action for the restoration of funds in order to operate the schools. We feel that we have tried as conscientiously as any of your town departments to keep costs to a minimum, even by going to the point of having certain items of capital outlay and repair put into special articles so that no one would have any recourse if the town saw fit to eliminate them from the budget. Since we work continually with the operation of the schools and with the figures in the budget, we feel that it is almost impossible for anyone to completely understand the needs and expenses from any report, so the School Com- mittee must, on behalf of the town, do all in its power to co- operate and keep expenses to a minimum.
TRANSPORTATION
In keeping with the expressed will of the people, your School Committee has provided a more expanded service this year. New buses were added to provide service from Weeden and Gelette Roads to the East Fairhaven School as well as transportation from the Fort Phoenix and North Fairhaven areas to the Junior High School. It is still the general policy of the Committee to provide both public and parochial school students with transportation when they re-
158
side more than one and one-half miles from the school they attend. The only exception to this rule is in East Fairhaven where hazardous conditions along Route 6 on Washington St. make bus transportation necessary.
NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS
We are extremely pleased with the opening of the new Fairhaven Junior High School, which has been needed for such a long period of time. This magnificent structure opens the way for some very interesting and rewarding school programs in preparing students for High School. The pleasant physical surroundings make working and studying there a pleasure. We are extremely proud of this structure and intend to make as much practical use of this as possible.
The fine new addition to the Rogers School is also sincere- ly appreciated as it allows much more flexible use of the school building and relieves the overcrowded condition to the point where there is some extra space for the present.
The Committee would like to express its appreciation for the long and tireless hours spent by the Junior High School Building Committee and the Rogers School Building Committee in studying needs and in building and equipping their new buildings.
THE SUPERINTENDENCY
It was with regret that the School Committee accepted the resignation of Mr. Flavel M. Gifford after twenty years as the Superintendent of Schools for the Fairhaven Public School System. His long and faithful service and his careful attention to the problems of his office have been greatly appreciated.
Mr. Gifford terminated his service on March 31, 1958 and was succeeded by Mr. Lynwood P. Harriman, who has since continued the detailed attention to the position and duties of the office that have been the rule and the guide of our School System in the past.
With the problems engendered by the increased enroll- ment and resulting problems of transportation, supply, and reorganization of staff responsibility, the position of the superintendency becomes increasingly more difficult; in ad- dition to the necessity of working with two building com- mittees as well as the School Committee. Speaking engage-
159
ments, committee meetings, and related school activities make it almost a 16 hour per day position, as evening meet- ings have averaged from three to four almost every week until December.
The increasing load upon the Superintendent and his clerical staff has increased to the point where very little of his time could be spent in profitable use toward improving instructional methods and supervision. For this reason, the School Committee established the position of Elementary Co-ordinator, who is charged with the responsibility of su- pervising and providing the instructional leadership for the elementary school programs. This position was estab- lished by eliminating the two Supervising Principals at Tripp and Anthony Schools and establishing temporarily two Teaching Principals. In May, the Committee appointed Mrs. Helen R. Porter to this position. Her work in the co- ordination of curriculum alone made the establishment of this position very worthwhile. The feeling of unity with all schools working as a team instead of working in their own separate spheres makes a very much better school sys- tem, and also enables the Superintendent to be freed for administrative work without endangering the instructional program. The only real problem which is being encountered in the Superintendent's office at present is the lack of clerk- cal and secretarial help to keep up with the work load of reports and bookkeeping as we are at present running from two weeks to one month behind in much of the routine office business.
ARTICLES RELATING TO SCHOOLS-1959 WARRANT
High School Heating. The Babcock-Wilcox coal-fired boilers have been in use for over 50 years and have deterio- rated to the point where something must be done as soon as possible. The efficiency of the present high-pressure steam system is so low that in order to do the heating of the building, we find it necessary in cold weather to operate the gas-fired boiler in the High School Addition which is so ex- pensive to operate. We have developed many serious steam leaks in lines going to various rooms, which have added to the deterioration of the building itself. If a leak should occur in the boiler room itself it could be serious enough to do a great deal of damage and possibly result in some deaths. We believe this item to be one of the greatest priority. We
160
are deeply indebted to the Heating Survey Committee for their time and attention to this problem, and to the neighbors for enduring the smoke nuisance.
High School Scrubcoating. The project of scrubcoat- ing and repointing of the high school building is another project which has been neglected over too long a time. Each additional year that this project is put off will add ten to fifteen precent to the cost of doing this. There are also many resultant dangers involved in this neglect, which we feel should be pointed out. The capstones over many of the entrances have had their cement work deteriorated to the point where they are in danger of falling with resultant risk to life and property. These things are secondary per- haps in importance to nothing, but it would be an injustice if we did not add that we should preserve the beauty of one of the landmarks of the area, which would be impossible to replace at any cost.
Oil Conversion at Anthony and Tripp Schools. This item is not to be considered as a must and could be deferred, but we wish to point out to the town that the expense in- volved in heating these two plants could be cut down as well as the incidental saving over a period of time in upkeep costs due to the dirt involved with coal heating plants.
Stadium Repair. The condition of the High School Stadium is serious and seems to be the source of concern to many people. The canvas has been in yearly use for over twenty years and has been patched and mended until now there is not nearly enough to enclose the stadium. The stadium wall has reached the point where it would be more expensive to repoint it than to build a new wall. We would propose to have this torn down to the base and have a steel chain link fence erected in its place with a new canvas at- tached to the inside of the fence.
Tennis Court Repair. We have been petitioned by many of the taxpayers to include money in our budget for the repair and renovation of the tennis courts during the coming summer. These tennis courts are used as public tennis courts for most of the year, and are never closed to use except when being used as a part of our organized athletic and physical education program. The condition of the fence and court surface is such that they should be completely re- surfared and refenced.
161
CONCLUSION
We would like to thank the many individuals who have served on advisory committees, on P.T.A.'s, and other in- terested groups as well as the Finance Committee and other town departments for their interested help and support during the past year. We would like to express our willing- ness to reciprocate in any way possible in the future.
Your attention is called to the reports of the Superin- tendent of Schools and other members of the School System staff which are included herewith as a part of the School Report.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT M. GONSALVES, Chairman
CECIL H. WHITTIER, Vice-Chairman
CLARENCE I. BANGS FRANCIS P. DELANEY
WALDO E. HAYDON JOHN T. MORGAN
The Fairhaven School Committee
162
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the Fairhaven School Committee:
I am pleased to submit herewith my annual report as Superintendent of Schools.
ATTENDANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
1954-55
1955-56
1956-57
1957-58
Average Membership
2103
2220
2276
2333
Percent of Attendance
93.11
94.34
95.07
93.06
Further information on school attendance and enroll- ment by grades may be found in the enclosed tables of sup- porting information.
TEACHER CHANGES
Name
Began
Left
Memo
Theresa J. Henderson
9-3-57
2-14-58
Resigned
Roger Lemenager
9-3-57
6-18-58
New Bedford, Mass.
John W. Mort
9-3-57
6-18-58
In Business
James Parkinson
9- - 19
6-18-58
Retired
Ellen E. Rex
9- - 32
6-18-58
New Bedford, Mass.
Doris A. Gifford
10-7-57
6-18-58
West Tisbury, Mass.
Mildred R. Hall
9-4-23
9-5-58
Retired
Barbara A. Barba
9-7-54
6-18-58
Haverhill, Mass.
Richard T. Saunders
9-3-57
6-18-58
New Bedford, Mass.
Eliza M. Tetrault
9-4-56
7-18-58
Deceased
Caroline R. Gilmore
9- - 22
6-18-58
Retired
Earl J. Dias
9- - 32
8-7-58
New Bedford I. Tech.
The following teachers are now on leave of absence :
Name
School
Reason for
Date of Termination of Leave
Frances T. Duff
High
Illness
September 1, 1959
Marilyn F. Kollmeyer
Oxford
Illness
September 1, 1959
Hazel B. Raymond
Jr. High
Illness
Indefinite
163
The teacher shortage seems to be alleviated in so far as demand, however the source of teachers still seems to be in the local area. With this mind, it must be evident that these people become residents of Fairhaven or the Greater New Bedford area. Of 23 new teachers this year, 14 were begin- ners and 9 were teachers with 4 to 10 years of experience. All of our teachers are certified in their subject matter or grade level area with the exception of three. Only one position was not filled permanently and this has been filled with a capable substitute teacher.
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS
We have changed the organization of our school system this year from an 8-4 system to a 6-2-4 system with the ad- dition of the new Fairhaven Junior High School. With this improvement, we feel we are able to make many educational strides which were heretofore impossible. We have set up a program with course offerings similar to an elementary school, but with a departmental schedule and with addition- al offerings in a differentiated mathematics program, a manual training program, a homemaking program, a labora- tory science program, and a guidance program, which in- cludes the beginnings of vocational guidance, group guid- ance and counseling and group dynamics. We are especially proud of the library program which has been started here as the skills and sturdy habits learned will stand our youth in good stead throughout their high school and post-high school days.
ORGANIZATION OF SUPERVISION
The organization of supervision has changed somewhat this year with the establishment of the position of Elemen- tary Co-ordinator. It is the responsibility of the Co-ordinator to do classroom visitation in the elementary schools with the help of the elementary school principals. Each principal is expected to visit each of their classrooms at least once per month with an observation report being sent to the office. The principals of each of the high schools are expected to do the supervision in their own building and request consulta- tion with the Superintendent on problems. We have felt that much more supervision was possible in this way.
164
MAINTENANCE
The maintenance staff under the direction of Mr. Robin- son have done an excellent job this year in taking care of the major amount of the repairs. Among the more important items taken care of are the following :
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