USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Town annual reports of the officers of Mendon, Massachusetts 1928-1932 > Part 14
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Meetings of the trustees have been held each month of the year except July and August, also a few special meet- ings. The time of the regular meeting is 8 P. M., the second Tuesday of the month.
The old plaster of the ceiling in the lower room was re- moved and a new ceiling put in at a cost of $128.64. This work was well done and greatly adds to the attractiveness of the room. Except for minor repairs on the steps this is the only repair work done on the building this past year.
The woodwork of the lower room is very much in need of varnish. Also the floor of the main room must be re- finished by shellac and varnish or some other floor prepara- tion. The finish which was put on two years ago is all off in some places and the floor is becoming badly worn. The trustees urge that an appropriation be made at the coming town meeting for this work. The cost of this need not be large.
The question of burning coal instead of wood was care- fully considered by the trustees. Some of the members feel that there would be a real advantage in burning coal. Wood is still being used.
State officials have recently been insisting that the de- partments of town affairs follow strictly the letter of the law governing town receipts, appropriations, and expenditures. For some time it has been a matter of law that all receipts whatsoever by any department must be turned over to the town's general fund. Expenditures can be made only from appropriations made by the town. Hence this year the town officers felt that these matters of law should be followed, and the book fines which the library has had for its use in years past was withheld.
The Board of Trustees greatly appreciate the valuable assistance given by Mrs. George and the secretary in the selection of the books and magazines, and other interests of the library. We can not speak too highly of the service rendered by the librarian, Mrs. Daley.
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We assure the townspeople that the Taft Public library has been commendably satisfactory during the year 1931.
Respectfully submitted,
CARROLL H. DROWN, Chairman, EDWARD F. BLOOD, Secretary,
LENA W. GEORGE,
WILLIAM A. BARRY, LESTER P. MANN,
Library Trustees.
REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
OF THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriations
$500 00
Special appropriation for ceiling
100 00
$600 00
EXPENDITURES.
The Personal Book Shop, books $57 09
Uxbridge Printing Co., supplies 5 00
Gaylord Bros., supplies 8 90
H. R. Hunting Co., supplies
3 68
Edric Temple, trucking
1 50
Herbert C. Forbes, supplies
1 50
F. M. Aldrich, new ceiling, repairs ... 130 99
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Junior Literary Guild, books
18 50
Fuller & Wilson, express 50
Carl M. Taft, wood
12 00
Anderson & Mattson, wood
22 00
Cahill's News Agency, magazines
36 50
Verena R. Daley, salary
250 00
Joseph H. Dudley, services and sup- plies 51 84
$600 00
FLETCHER FUND. EXPENDITURES.
Ginn & Co., books $34 18
Dodd, Mead & Co., books
7 00
H. W. Wilson Co., books
7 00
The Personal Book Shop, books
233 16
$281 34
Respectfully submitted,
LESTER P. MANN,
Finance Committee.
73
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT.
TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TAFT PUBLIC LIBRARY :-
The circulation for the year (103 days) was 9807 vol- umes. The largest number given out in one day was 196, the smallest, 31; the average, 95. The circulation by classes was as follows: Fiction, 7221; Magazines, 1453; Bound Magazines, 15; Biography, 358; Travel, 107; History, 166; Literature, 208; Useful and Fine Arts, 118; Science, 69; all others, 107.
There are 7371 volumes in the library. 404 volumes were added the past year and 63 were taken out. 54 were bought by the town and 195 by the Fletcher Fund. The balance were given by H. Houghton, Mrs. A. Knight, N. R. George, Mrs. L. Drown and the Secretary of the Common- wealth.
The library subscribes to the American, American Girl, Boy's Life, Child Life, Collier's, Country Gentleman, Deline- ator, Field and Stream, Harper's Monthly, House and Garden, Ladies' Home Journal, Life, Literary Digest, McCall's, National Geographic, Nature Magazine, Pictorial Review, Normal Instructor, Saturday Evening Post and St. Nicholas. The Library Commission sent the American Boy, Good Housekeeping, Popular Mechanics, World Work. The Farm- er's Wife, Dumb Animals, National Republic, Elk's, Colum- bia, Rotary, New England Poultryman are given.
There were 18 pupils in the Intermediate School who received State Reading Certificates for reading five books and one pupil who read twenty books received a large cer- tificate this past year.
$19.29 was received in fines during the past year.
Respectfully submitted, VERENA R. DALEY,
Librarian.
Mendon, January 1, 1932.
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BOOKS ADDED IN 1931.
FICTION :--
Ariel dances.
E. C. Eliot.
An end to mirth.
Adam and some eves.
Ambrose Holt and family.
E. Glaspell.
Bitter tea of General Yen.
G. Z. Stone.
Bug eye.
A. LeMay.
Basque people.
D. Canfield.
Bayberry Lane.
S. W. Bassett. P. G. Wodehouse.
Big money.
Bull moose.
R. Cullum.
Basquerie.
E. Mercein Kelly.
Belle-Mere.
K. Norris.
Company of shadows.
Captain Cavalier.
J. Gregory.
Crock of gold.
J. Stephens.
Captain Blood returns.
R. Sabatini.
Deepening stream.
D. Canfield.
Doctor of Lonesome River.
Detective story book.
Desert brew.
Dying alderman.
Dean's Elbow.
Fair tomorrow.
Finch's fortune.
Five on parade.
Gitana. Gringo privateer.
Glory trail.
Good companions.
Gloucester fishermen.
Hidden city.
Hanging woman.
Killing of Judge MacFarlane. Lively lady.
E. Marshall.
L. Tracy. B. M. Bower. H. Wade.
A. E. W. Mason.
E. Loring. M. DeLa Roche. D. Peel.
R. Chambers. P. B. Kyne. M. Reed.
J. B. Priestly. J. B. Connolly. P. Gibbs.
J. Rhode. M. Plum. K. Roberts.
B. A. Williams. C. Merrel.
J. M. Walsh.
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Miss Mole.
Murder off stage.
Murder in Paris.
Murder at the pageant. Marivosa.
Modesta. Mrs. Fischer's war.
Murder of some importance.
Mystery of 31, New Inn.
Mystery of Hunting's End.
Mr. Fortune explains.
Man of the North.
Monkey in silk.
Murder through the window.
Midnight mail.
Miss Welby ay Steen.
Mysterious Waye.
One of us is a murderer.
On Forsyte change.
Quest of youth.
Rowena rides the rumble.
Rynox Murder mystery.
Silver flute.
Sunset Pass.
Starry adventure.
Stories of today and yesterday. Set a thief.
Short stories of today.
Scaramouche the king maker. Suspicion. Swan Island murders.
Square circle. Sea change.
Singer in the wilderness. Shortest night. Susan Spray. Ships of youth.
E. H. Young. M. Barrett. A. Campbell. V. L. Whitechurch. B. Orczy. G. B. Stern.
H. Leslie.
B. Graeme.
R. A. Freeman. M. G. Eberhart. H. C. Bailey. J. B. Hendryx.
M. Turnbull. F. Everton. H. Holt.
A. Marshall.
P. C. Wren.
A. LeMay. J. Galsworthy. J. Farnol.
E. Hueston.
P. MacDonald. L. Larrimore. Z. Grey.
M. Austin. F. H. Law. L. Thayer. Hanson and Gross.
R. Sabatini. F. Riddell. V. Lincoln. D. MacKail. E. Mercein Kelly.
W. B. Mowery. G. B. Stern. S. Kaye-Smith. M. Diver.
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Song-bird. Sixth journey.
Solange stories.
Shorn lamb.
Shadows on the rock. The runner.
Talleyrand Maxim.
Tragedy on the line.
Thirty fathoms deep. The promise. The shadow.
Up the ladder of gold.
Ten commandments.
Vintage of Yon Yee.
Vantine diamonds. Villa in Brittany. William. Windmill on the dune.
Windlestraws.
Wildfire. Whereabouts unknown.
Winging lane.
Windymere.
Water. White fawn. Windfall. White bird flying.
NON-FICTION.
Audels radiomans guide. Adventure.
Achievement.
American writers.
S. Cleugh. A. G. Rosman. F. F. Jesse. W. J. Locke. W. Cather.
R. Connor.
J. S. Fletcher. J. Rhode. E. Ellsberg.
J. B. Hendryx.
H. B. Jones. E. P. Oppenheim. W. Deeping.
L. J. Miln.
J. A. Small. D. Moffat.
E. H. Young.
M. E. Waller.
P. Bottome Z. Grey. Mrs. B. Reynolds. P. Gibbs. A. R. Colver. R. C. Mitchell.
O. Prouty. R. Andrews. B. S. Aldrich.
F. D. Graham. Cross, Smith and Stauffer. Cross, Smith and Stauffer. Cross, Smith and Stauffer.
77
American standards and planes of living. Adventures in the African jungle. Across the plains. Adventures in a suburban garden. Bird guide.
Best plays of 1929-1930.
Back to Montparnasse.
By way of Cape Horn.
Charles W. Eliot. Vol. I, II.
Challenge of Russia.
Costume throughout the ages.
Care and repair of the home. Craft work.
Commercial art.
Dictatorship on trial.
Desserts. Education of a princess. English writers.
Easter. Field book of wild birds and their music.
Five French books.
Fall of the Russian Empire.
Four contemporary novelists. Fundamentals of health.
Flower guide. Games for two.
Henley's ABC of gliding and sailflying. How to be interesting. Italian Lakes. Jobs for girls. Knute K. Rockne.
Life of Philip Brooks.
T. D. Eliot. C. and M. Akeley. R. L. Stevenson. L. B. Wilder. C. A. Reed.
B. Mantel, ed. S. Huddleston. A. J. Villiers. H. James. S. Eddy. M. Evans.
V. B. Phelan.
E. S. Cave.
C. E. Wallace.
F. DeBattaglia.
A. Bradley.
P. Marie. Cross, Smith and Stauffer.
R. H. Schauffler, ed.
F. S. Mathews.
E. A. Walsh. W. L. Cross. Kirkpatrick and Huettner. C. A. Reed. Mrs. P. Warren
V. W. Page R. E. Rogers.
R. Bagot. H. R. Cades. B. S. Rockne. W. Lawrence.
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Lauterbach of the China Sea. L. Thomas. Lowell; vital records. Vol. III and IV. Little America.
R. E. Byrd.
Learndo the Florentine.
Life story of King George V.
R. A. Taylor. R. C. Dent. Life and times of Lydia E. Pinkham. R. C. Washburn. Lucy Stone. My story.
Major European governments.
Magnetism and electricity.
Mother India.
National governments.
New American literature.
New International year book.
Our times-Pre-war America.
Out of the dark.
Our heritage.
Personality of a house.
Practical public speaking.
Plays for graduation days. Pershing. Story of San Michele. South American.
Stage scenery and lighting.
Secretary's handbook.
Short plays for modern players. Tree guide.
Twelve one-act plays Types of poetry.
Ten modern poets.
The quick and the dead.
Universal history. Washington's birthday.
Watching Europe grow.
World's best loved poems.
Yule tide in many lands.
A. S. Blackwell. M. R. Rinehart. P. O. Ray. M. Meister. K. Mayo. F. A. Magruder. F. L. Pattee. 1930. M. Sullivan.
Mrs. L. M. Drown.
Mrs. N. W. P. Smith.
E. Post. B. Lyon.
A. P. Sanford.
H. McCracken. A. Munthe. A. Rothery. Selden and Sellman. Taintor and Monro. G. Hughes.
J. E. Rogers. S. M. Tucker. Hall and Moore.
R. Brenner.
G. Bradford. Ploetz. R. H. Schauffler, ed. C. S. Parker. J. G. Lawson. Pringle and Urann.
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JUVENILES :-
Alice, Thomas and Jane. At home.
Adventures of Peter and Lotta.
Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Andy and Polly.
Alaska, the great bear's cub.
Americas.
Bar-rac. By reason of strength.
Bucaroo.
Beethoven.
Boy scouts' year book.
Big book of boy's hobbies.
Children's book of celebrated legends. L. M. Bryant.
Coral Island.
Children's short story index.
Dog named Chips.
Four gypsy children.
Good times for all times.
Games and recreational methods.
Home life in far-away lands.
House in hidden lane.
Happy boy. How they carried the mail. Judy.
Jock the Scot.
Jane's Island. Long defence. Learning to fly for the navy.
Little world children.
Magic loaves. Max.
Melissa Ann.
Merry adventures of Robin Hood. Making an orchestra.
E. Bagnold.
C. M. Martin. E. Beskow. M. Twain. R. Wells. M. L. Davis.
Atwood and Thomas.
V. J. Hoyt. G. W. Johnson. F. Hess. M. Goss.
K. K. Mathiews.
A. N. Hall.
I. Wilder.
D. A. Wurzburg.
A. P. Terhune.
C. Morris. N. B. Lamkin. C. F. Smith. Atwood and Thomas.
A. J. Seaman.
B. Bjornson. J. Walker.
F. Balwin.
A. G. Rosman. M. H. Allee.
F. Donauer.
B. Studley.
E. E. Scantlebury.
H. Brister. M. H. St. Clair.
E. Parton. Dietrick and Walsh. D. M. Commins.
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My wild animal guests. Nations beyond the seas.
Ood-le-uk the wanderer.
Our children.
Once there was and was not.
Painted arrow.
F. Gaither.
Polly's shop.
E. A. Brown.
Play the game.
M. Charnley.
Roundabout turn.
R. H. Charles.
Red Horse Hill.
S. W. Meader.
A. H. Bill.
C. L. Skinner.
Sun-up.
W. James.
Secret cargo.
H. Pease.
Spice and the devil's cave.
A. O. Hewes.
Tales and travels.
C. M. Martin.
Tinka, Minka and Linka.
M. McNeer.
Tales of a Basque grandmother. With the eagles.
F. Carpenter.
P. L. Anderson. Aldredge and McKee.
Wags and Woofie.
When grandfather was a boy.
C. S. Bailey.
Wandering Monday.
R. Chevalier.
Eighteen Primers and Readers were added.
This is a list of the new books which were added the past year. Many of the books which were given were duplicates or old books and anyone may see the complete list of books at the Library at any time.
Red Prior's legacy.
Red man's luck.
E. H. Baynes. Atwood and Thomas Lide and Johansen. A. France.
B. and G. Dane.
81
AUDITOR'S REPORT.
Mendon, Mass., January 25, 1932.
This is to certify that I have examined the accounts of Town Officers who have received and disbursed funds belong- ing to the Town of Mendon for year ending December 31, 1931, and find they correspond.
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH W. COFFIN, Auditor.
REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF MENDON
FOR THE
SCHOOL YEAR 1931
SCHOOL DIRECTORY, 1931-1932. SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Lester P. Mann, Chairman ..
Term Expires 1934
Frank J. Leonard
Term Expires 1932
Ina Irons, Secretary
Term Expires 1933
Regular meetings held at the Center School building on the first Thursday of each month at 7 P. M.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS-CARROLL H. DROWN.
Office-High School Building, Hopedale. Telephone, Milford, 1630.
Office open 8-12 A. M. and 1-5.30 P. M. on school days and during summer vacation. Employment and 84
educational certificates granted at any time during office hours.
TEACHERS.
Name.
Subject or Grade. Preparation.
Years of Service in Town.
HIGH SCHOOL.
Henry P. Clough, Principal
Mathematics and Science Dartmouth College and
Worcester Normal, 4 years N. H. Univ .- Harvard
Fourth
Marion Remmert
English and History
Second
Ida M. Grover
Latin and French
Boston University
Second
CENTER SCHOOL.
Orrilla F. Park Martha E. Ryder
6, 7, 8
3, 4, 5
Castleton, Vermont, Normal Seventh Hyannis and North Adams Normals Fourth
Edith Davenport
Assistant
3, 4, 5
Framingham Normal
Framingham Normal
Second
Mary M. Ross
1 and 2
Second
EAST MENDON.
Etta Christiansen 1-7
Hyannis Normal First
MUSIC SUPERVISOR. 85
Amy Young Burns
Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, Study in Germany, etc. First
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN.
K. A. Campbell, M. D. Telephone, Milford, 102
SCHOOL NURSES.
Helen C. Grady, R. N. Milford District Nursing Association, Telephone, Milford, 862 Mildred Salmond, R. N., Assistant
JANITORS.
Raymond Barrows Fred Bullard
Center School
East Mendon
TRANSPORTATION AGENTS. Harold C. Barrows Kenneth Taft M., F. & U. Coach Co.
TRUANT OFFICER. Harold C. Barrows
86
87
MENDON SCHOOL CALENDAR. 1932.
ELEMENTARY.
WINTER TERM.
Opens January 4, closes March 18 (eleven weeks) Vacation two weeks
SPRING TERM.
Opens April 4, closes June 10 (ten weeks) Summer vacation
FALL TERM.
Opens September 6, closes December 16 (fifteen weeks) Vacation two weeks
WINTER TERM.
Opens January 3, 1933
HIGH SCHOOL
WINTER TERM.
Opens January 4, closes March 25 (twelve weeks) Vacation one week
SPRING TERM.
Opens April 4, closes June 24 (twelve weeks) Summer vacation
88
FALL TERM.
Opens September 6, closes December 23 (sixteen weeks) Vacation one week
WINTER TERM. Opens January 3, 1933
LEGAL HOLIDAYS.
New Year's Day, January 1; Washington's Birthday, February 22; Patriots' Day, April 19; Memorial Day, May 30; Labor Day, September 5; Columbus Day, October 12; Armistice Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, November 24; Christmas Day, December 25.
When a holiday comes on Sunday the following Monday becomes a holiday. There will be no session of schools on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day.
NO SCHOOL SIGNAL.
Siren blast 2-2 sounded at 7.15 closes all schools for the day. It is important for parents to note the time and man- ner of this signal.
The closing of all schools always involves considerable misunderstanding and difficulty because it is impossible for a no-school signal to be heard over the entire territory of the town. Therefore this signal is rarely used.
89
ATTENDANCE LAWS.
The state laws governing school attendance require that:
Every child from seven to fourteen years of age unless he is physically or mentally unfit, and until he is sixteen years of age if he has not completed the sixth grade, shall attend school all the time it is in session. Every child from fourteen to sixteen years of age shall attend school unless such child has received an employment certificate and is regu- larly employed according to law for at least six hours per day. All minors under sixteen working in towns or cities which maintain continuation schools must attend the continu- ation school as prescribed by law.
If a child fails to attend school according to law for seven day sessions or fourteen half-day sessions, the child shall be considered an habitual truant and may be sent to a truant school.
If a parent or guardian fails to cause the child under his charge to attend school according to law, he shall be fined not over twenty dollars for each offense.
90
SCHOOL FINANCIAL REPORT.
RECEIPTS.
For current expenses
$17,003 93
General appropriation, 1931 $16,300 00
Appropriation for physician and
nurse
300 00
Appropriation for 1930 bills 96 88
Transfer from Emergency Fund 307 05
For Trade School tuition 18 40
Grand total
$17,022 33
EXPENDITURES.
Current expenses $16,994 26
Regular school expenses, 1931
$16,897 38
1930 bills 96 88
Trade School tuition, 1930
18 40
Grand total
$17,012 66
Balance on hand
$9 67
(Unpaid bills, $59.00)
REIMBURSEMENTS.
General school fund, Part I $1,600 00
General school fund, Part II 1,484 53
Superintendent's salary 386 66
Tuition from State and City of Boston
772 83
High School grant
666 67
Total
$4,910 69
TAXATION COST OF SCHOOLS.
Total school expenditures $16,994 26
Reimbursements 4,910 69
Net cost of schools by taxation $12,083 57
91
SUMMARY OF CURRENT EXPENSES.
Total
$16,994 26
Teachers
$10,080 67
Transportation
1,845 35
Fuel
1,366 26
Care of buildings
1,036 75
Superintendent
800 00
Textbooks
463 85
Health
352 19
Supplies
339 77
Repairs and replacement
266 81
Clerk and other expenses
219 57
Tuition
111 15
Expenses of operation-lights, floor
oil, etc.
51 26
Miscellaneous
37 38
School Committee expense
23 25
ACCOUNTS ITEMIZED.
Textbooks
$463 85
Allyn & Bacon $7 67
American Book Co. 21 89
Edward E. Babb & Co. 42 33
Beckley-Cardy Co.
6 69
C. C. Birchard & Co.
39 76
Dura Binding Co.
77
Ginn & Company
97 45
Globe Book Co.
44
D. C. Heath & Co.
50 91
Iroquois Publishing Co.
11 65
Macmillan Co. 43 51
Rand McNally & Co. 55 92
Benj. H. Sanborn & Co.
14 01
Scott Foresman & Co.
2 20
Silver Burdett & Co.
27 84
Webster Publishing Co.
34
92
Wheeler Publishing Co. 2 14
John C. Winston Co.
2 32
World Book Co.
36 01
Supplies
$339 77
Avery & Woodbury Co., curtains
$24 75
Edward E. Babb & Co. 4 77
C. C. Birchard & Co. 8 25
Boston Music Co.
11 08
Charlescraft Press
2 95
Charles E. Cooney
1 17
George F. Cram Co.
22 98
Denoyer-Geppert Co.
3 29
Dowling School Supply Co.
18 32
Carroll H. Drown
6 80
Forbes Press
2 72
Fuller & Wilson Express
3 00
J. L. Hammett Co.
136 89
Charles W. Homeyer & Co.
5 22
Miller & Lord
10 50
Morgan Paper Co.
14 00
F. A. Owen Pub. Co.
3 75
Rand McNally & Co.
20 62
O. H. Toothaker
2 00
Webster Publishing Co.
2 16
World Book Co.
2 05
Wright & Potter Printing Co.
2 07
E. A. Wright Co., diplomas
30 43
Repairs and replacements
$266 81
F. M. Aldrich $3 50
Avery & Woodbury
2 05
Raymond Barrows 7 00
W. A. Barry
1 25
H. M. Burr
1 00
Maurice Carlson
16 50
H. S. Chadbourne Co.
70 73
93
Frederick A. Gould 1 44
Grafton & Upton R. R. Co.
3 29
Town of Hopedale
19 00
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, seats 27 75
E. T. Powers 82 00
Sears, Roebuck Co., desk
19 95
Reynolds' Music Store
2 50
Carl M. Taft
1 00
F. C. Townsend 7 85
Expenses of operation-light, floor oil, etc. $51 26
Commissioner Public Safety $5 00
L. M. Glover Co. 2 18
J. L. Hammett Co. 1 22
George H. Locke
2 80
Massachusetts State Prison
1 44
Masury-Young Co.
21 25
Henry Patrick Co.
60
Chester C. Shattuck
3 69
George E. Thayer
2 00
Worcester Suburban Electric Co.
11 08
Transportation
$1,845 35
Harold Barrows
$720 65
Lester Hodgkins
119 20
Johnson Bus Lines
100 00
M., F. & U. Coach Co.
635 50
Kenneth Taft
270 00
Care of buildings and grounds
$1,036 75
Mrs. Alfred Auty
$51 75
Raymond Barrows
380 00
Fred Bullard 45 00
Harold Parkinson
490 00
Mrs. George Thayer
50 00
Others
20 00
94
Health $352 19
District Nursing Association
$250 94
Dr. K. A. Campbell 50 00
Dr. K. A. Campbell, 1930 bill
50 00
J. J. Gibbs
1 25
Fuel
$1,366 26
Fred Bullard
$11 50
H. M. Curtiss Coal Co.
1,304 16
Carl M. Taft
50 60
Tuition $111 15
Town of Uxbridge
$64 27
Town of Uxbridge, 1930 bill
46 88
(Trade school, not included in total
because not regular school ex- pense
18 40)
Miscellaneous
$37 38
Herbert J. Mann, lettering diplomas
$3 13
Carroll H. Drown, postage and tele- phone
28 95
Milford Daily News
5 30
Teachers
$10,080 67
Superintendent-salary
800 00
Superintendent-clerk and other
ex-
penses
219 57
School Committee expense
23 25
Total current expenses
$16,994 26
95
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND
CITIZENS OF MENDON :-
This is the thirty-eighth report of the superintendent of schools.
As this report must be brief, only the outstanding feat- ures can be considered.
Especially good work has been done in the schools the past year. There has been an attempt for better instruc- tion and good general organization in the school program.
The schools in the Center building are becoming very much crowded. This condition is caused by the large number of State and City Wards placed in town, the lowering of the age of entrance, and new families moving into town. Unless some of these conditions are changed, more school room will soon be imperative.
Because there are no Normal School training students available this year, the Intermediate School could not have the assistance of one of those students as in the past few years, so Miss Davenport was engaged as full time assistant in that school. The Primary school of nearly fifty pupils should have a full time assistant. At present a capable Kindergarten Training student, Miss Symonds, is giving free assistance in that room a portion of the time. This help may not be available much longer. The Grammar and High School rooms are well filled.
Because of the very small number of pupils, the Albee- ville school was closed this fall, and Mr. Kenneth Taft was engaged to transport the pupils to the Center. This change is of advantage because the cost is less than maintaining the school, and it gives larger advantages to the children. The
96
small number of pupils from that school distributed about in the various grades at the Center do not materially increase the enrollment of any school.
New arrangements for janitor work at the Center build- ing were made in August. At a small increase in salary, the janitor is employed on full time during the school week. Among the advantages of this plan is that many minor re- pairs on the building and improvements on the grounds have been made this fall without additional cost.
On account of the location of the new state road through the East part of the town, the East school building had to be moved. As provided by law, by vote of the town the select- men purchased a site on the west side of the old road about one-fourth mile south-east of the former location. One-half acre was secured at first, and later one-half acre more was bought. This additional land provides a good playground.
The building was moved and placed on a good cement foundation with some grading about the building by the state authorities. The state officials willingly fulfilled the contract of locating the building in as good a condition as it was form- erly.
The new location is pleasant and satisfactory except that the land is very wet and muddy at times. If funds were available, a large amount of grading about the building would be a great improvement. It is well that it is located some distance from the new road speedway.
The conditions of the deed made to the selectmen require that a fence shall be erected and maintained forever on the boundary of this land. Hence it will be necessary for the town at the coming town meeting to appropriate funds for this fence.
Some of the needs of the schools are: more room, some new adjustable seats and desks, storm windows, two new teacher's desks, a better water supply, and a toilet system in the Center building.
A sanitary toilet system in a school building is an es- sential convenience in these modern times. Most of our
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homes have many modern conveniences, streets are lighted, and there are miles of good roads, but the school sanitary con- veniences are ancient, no better than they were fifty years ago. The present arrangements are not only uncomfortable, but they are unsanitary and injurious to the health of the children. We all appreciate the importance of the comfort and health of our children. The demands of physical nature can not be met when children have to go out in the rain, snow, mud, and cold to an unsanitary out-building. Parents should realize the advantage of clean, warm toilet facilities. Parents are constantly demanding more for their children, especially in transportation. Mendon's transportation cost for this year will be about $2100. School sanitary conditions are more essential for health than transportation.
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