USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1935-1939 > Part 8
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$1,208.62
Payments to treasurer $901.22
Abatements 133.81
Outstanding December 31, 1935,
and January 8, 1936, per list 173.59
$1,208.62
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAXES-1935
Commitments per warrants $5,595.43
Abatements and payments, refunded 23.54
$5,618.97
Payments to treasurer
$4,878.39
Abatements
292.64
Outstanding December 31, 1935
447.94
$5,618.97
Outstanding January 1, 1936
$447.94
Payments to treasurer January
1 to 8, 1936 $17.66
Outstanding January 8, 1936, per list
411.78
Cash balance January 8, 1936
18.50
$447.94
INTEREST AND COSTS ON TAXES Collections, 1935 :
Taxes :
Levy of 1929
$1.81
Levy of 1930
6.95
Levy of 1931
27.76
Levy of 1932
76.77
Levy of 1933
1,384.32
Levy of 1934
919.46
Levy of 1935
43.40
$2,460.47
169
Motor vehicle excise taxes :
Levy of 1929
$25.52
Levy of 1930
31.27
Levy of 1931
35.92
Levy of 1932
22.29
Levy of 1933
53.37
Levy of 1934
39.29
Levy of 1935
6.88
214.54
$2,675.01
Payments to treasurer, 1935
$2,674.23
Interest and costs on taxes re-
ported as taxes, 1933
.78
$2,675.01
Collections January 1 to 8, 1936:
Taxes :
Levy of 1934
$8.26
Levy of 1935
7.26
$15.52
Motor vehicle excise taxes :
Levy of 1933
.90
Levy of 1935
.22
1.12
$16.64
Payments to
treasurer January
1 to 8, 1936
$13.97
Cash balance January 8, 1936 :
Taxes :
Levy of 1935 1.55
Motor vehicle excise taxes :
Levy of 1933 $ .90
Levy of 1935 .22
1.12
$16.64
170
TAX TITLES
Balance January 1, 1935
$10,192.42
Tax titles taken:
Taxes, 1933
$960.80
Interest and costs
401.75
1,362.55
Added to tax titles :
Taxes, 1934
$986.73
Taxes, 1935
2,347.98
Interest
61.56
3,396.27
$14,951.24
Tax titles redeemed
$6,211.75
Balance December 31, 1935
8,739.49
$14,951.24
Balance January 1, 1936
$8,739.49
Tax titles redeemed January 1 to 8, 1936
$249.26
Balance January 8, 1936, per list
8,490.23
$8,739.49
DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Outstanding January 1, 1935 :
Public Welfare
$2,254.82
Old Age Assistance
416.00
State aid
192.00
Soldiers' Relief
11.00
$2,873.82
171
Charges :
Public Welfare
$2,400.74
Old Age Assistance
2,800.59
State Aid
192.00
5,393.33
$8,267.15
Payments to treasurer :
Public Welfare
$4,193.76
Old Age Assistance
2,313.59
State Aid
192.00
Soldiers' Relief
11.00
$6,710.35
Outstanding December 31, 1935 :
Public Welfare
$461.80
Old Age Assistance
903.00
State Aid
192.00
1,556.80
$8,267.15
Outstanding January 1, 1936
$1,556.80
Payments to treasurer January 1 to 8 1936 : Public Welfare $70.30
Outstanding January 8, 1936, per list :
Public Welfare
$391.50
Old Age Assistance
903.00
State Aid
192.00
$1,486.50
$1,556.80
172
TOWN CLERK
Dog Licenses
Cash balance January 1, 1935 $36.80
Licenses issued :
Males
263 @ $2. $526.00
Spa'd females 62 @ 2. 124.00
Females 36 @ 5. 180.00
Kennels
2 @ 25.
50.00
880.00
$916.80
Payments to treasurer $842.40
Fees retained, 363 @ 20c
72.60
Cash balance December 31, 1935
and January 8, 1936 1.80
$916.80
Sporting and Trapping Licenses Licenses issued, 1935 :
Resid. citizens' fishing 37 @ $2.00 $74.00
Resid. citizens' hunting 53 @ 2.00 106.00
Resid. citizens' sporting 23 @ 3.25 74.75
Female & minors' fishing 4 @ 1.25 5.00
Resid. citizens' trapping 8 @ 5.25 42.00
Minor trappers' 5 @ 2.25 11.25
Overpayment to Division of Fisheries and Game 3.00
$316.00
Payment to Division of Fisheries and Game, 1935 $283.50
Fees retained, 1935, 130 @ 25c 32.50
$316.00
173
Licenses issued January 1 to 8, 1936 :
Resid. citizens' fishing 5 @ $2.00 $10.00
Resid citizens' hunting 9 @ 2.00 18.00
Resid. citizens' sporting 14 @ 3.25
45.50
Resid. citizens' trapping 2 @ 5.25
10.50
$84.00
Cash balance January 8, 1936
LICENSES AND PERMITS
Licenses and permits issued, 1935 :
Automobile dealers'
$40.00
Beano
2.00
Beer, wine and liquor
443.25
Dance
5.00
Oleomargarine
4.50
Pasteurization
50.00
Pedlar's
18.00
Pistol
18.00
Slaughtering
5.00
Sunday
14.00
Undertaker's
.50
Victuallers'
26.78
Payments to treasurer, 1935
$627.03 $627.03
Licenses and permits issued January 1
to 8, 1936 :
Auto dealers'
20.00
Pistol
1.00
Victuallers'
18.00
$39.00
Payments to treasurer January 1 to 8, 1936
$39.00
$84.00
174
TOWN HALL RENTALS
Charges, 1935
$435.00
Payments to treasurer $375.00
Outstanding December 31, 1935
and January 8, 1936, per list 60.00
$435.00
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Fees 1935
$37.91
Payments to treasurer, 1935
$37.91
WATER RATES AND SERVICES
Outstanding January 1, 1935
$7,250.05
Commitments
17,116.68
$24,366.73
Payments to treasurer
$18,496.35
Abatements
143.82
Outstanding December 31, 1935
5,726.56
$24,366.73
Outstanding January 1, 1936
$5,726.56
Commitments January 1 to 8, 1936
3,218.03
Overpayment to collector, to be refunded .50
$8,945.09
Payments to treasurer January 1 to 8, 1936
$181.75
Abatements January 1 to 8, 1936
7.75
Outstanding January 8, 1936, per list 8,501.84
Cash balance January 8, 1936
253.75
$8,945.09
175
LIBRARY TRUST FUNDS
Securities Deposits Savings
Total
On hand at beginning of year 1935
$500.00 $18,669.61
$19,169.61
On hand at end of year 1935
500.00 18,472.38
18,972.38
RECEIPTS
PAYMENTS
Withdrawn from
Transferred to town $769.60
savings deposits $197.23
Income
572.37
$769.60
$769.60
CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUND
On hand at beginning of year 1935
$4,459.44
$4,459.44
On hand at end of year 1935
4,853.45 PAYMENTS
4,853.45
RECEIPTS
Withdrawn from
savings deposits
$5.99
Bequests 300.00
Transferred to town 140.52
Bequest not entered by former treasurer 100.00
Added to savings deposits $400.00
Income 134.53
$540.52
$540.52
Savings Deposits Total
TOWN OF WEST BRIDGEWATER Balance Sheet, December 31, 1935 GENERAL ACCOUNTS
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Cash :
General
$27,008.36
Library (Petty Cash) 25.00
$27,033.36
Special Accounts : Westdale Improvement Society Gift $174.76 Surplus War Bonus Fund 540.32
Accounts Receivable :
Taxes :
Levy of 1932
$204.17
Levy of 1933 927.43
Levy of 1934
12,379.87
Levy of 1935
30,367.78
43,879.25
Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes :
Reserve Fund, Overlay Surplus
6,517.83
Levy of 1932
$214.48
Levy of 1933
213.87
Levy of 1934 173.59
Levy of 1932 $204.17
Levy of 1933 72.77
Levy of 1935
447.94
1,049.88
Levy of 1934 1,332.45
$715.08
Unidentified Receipts, Treasurer
43.25
Highway Grant, Chapter 464, Act of 1935 849.37
Appropriation Balances
4,652.15
Water Department-Available Surplus 12,935.36
Overlays-Reserved for Abatement of Taxes :
Tax Titles
8,739.49
Levy of 1935 1,383.02
Departmental
1,556.80
Water Rates and Services
5,726.56
798.00
399.00
Tax Title
8,739.49
Departmental
1,556.80
Water
5,726.56
105.00
17,072.73
Surplus Revenue
43,573.43
$89.351.61
$89,351.61
DEBT ACCOUNT
Net Funded or Fixed Debt
$23.390.00 Water Loans
$23,390.00
TRUST ACCOUNTS
Trust Funds, Cash and Securities
$23,825.83 Library Trust Funds $18,972.38 Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds 4,853.45
$23,825.83
$23,825.83
2,992.41
Revenue Reserved Until Collected : Motor Vehicle Excise Tax $1,049.88
State Aid to Highways County Aid to Highways Overlay Deficit : Levy of 1931 Old Age Assistance Taxes Abated to be provided for
64.27
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
OF THE TOWN OF
WEST BRIDGEWATER
FOR THE YEAR 1935
AH.WILLIS PRINTER E HOLDT WATER
MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Harvey A. Scranton, Chairman
Mrs. Corelli Alger, Secretary
Mrs. Edith Alger
Faelton Perkins
Clare E. Parker
Lloyd P. Tyrer
Term expires 1936 Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938
Term expires 1936
Term expires 1937 Term expires 1938
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Ernest W. Robinson Office, Howard High School Telephone Brockton 5094
Residence, 40 Ash St., West Bridgewater Telephone Brockton 6811-W
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN Dr. Walter C. Whiting
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICER Ervin W. Lothrop
Report of School Committee
To the Citizens of West Bridgewater :
We submit herewith the following analysis of expendi- tures for 1935 and estimates for 1936 :
Administration
1935 Expenditures $4,033.19
1936 Estimates $3,800.00 30,700.00
Salaries
29,614.86
Books and Supplies
2,003.47
2,000.00
Janitors
2,221.39
2,250.00
Fuel
2,720.58
1,000.00
Repairs
1,118.30
750.00
Transportation
3,791.29
3,800.00
Tuition
1,567.13
1,500.00
Health
816.85
1,100.00
Miscellaneous
99.57
100.00
$47,986.63
$47,000.00
Although the proposed budget of $47,000.00 is the low- est submitted for many years, we feel that present conditions demand the strictest economy and hope to keep within this amount.
With the assistance of Mr. Bryant, the federal admin- istrator, we finally succeeded in obtaining approval of the Sanitation Project for the Center School for which the town voted $2,000.00 at the March meeting. This work is well under way at this time. When completed we shall have mod- ern sanitation at all schools except Jerusalem, and plans are now being made to improve conditions there.
182
The crowded conditions at the Sunset Avenue School continue to present a problem to your committee. As the trouble lies largely in two grades at present, we expect to be able to provide proper instruction. However, a recurrence of unusually large entering classes will make additional space necessary.
The portable building at Matfield is at best a makeshift, and should be replaced by an addition to the main building as soon as possible.
At the suggestion of state officials many improvements have been made at Howard High School. The School Com- mittee wishes to thank the Trustees for their cooperation in meeting state requirements. Contrary to reports Howard High School still maintains its "A" rating for towns of this class. The Committee believes the change in the high school curriculum to be a step in the right direction and recom- mends careful consideration of the principal's report.
Respectfully submitted,
HARVEY A. SCRANTON,
Chairman.
Report of Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee :
I herewith present my seventh annual report. The schol- astic growth of the past year in our schools has proceeded satisfactorily, and effective educational results have been at- tained by the intelligent and progressive methods of instruc- tion consistently employed by a competent staff of teachers in both elementary and high school grades.
An important development in high school administra- tion has been a modification of the curriculum, with a view of its closer adaptation to the needs of students of the present day, when they finish their formal education and enter the various activities of the work-a-day world. Principal Lin- dell has prepared a careful analysis of these modifications in his excellent report, which is to be found in subsequent pages of this annual report.
In the resignation of Miss Miriam G. May, of the English department of the high school, we suffered the loss of an unusually talented and capable teacher, whose teach- ing interests embraced a wide field of intelligent and pur- poseful activity, both in the regular program of school sub- jects, and extra-curricular work in music, drama, and athletics. Miss May left us to take up her professional duties in a larger field of service in one of the most modern high schools in New England. Her work in our own community has long been highly appreciated.
184
The English department of the high school is now in charge of Miss Louise Scott a teacher of successful exper- ience, who is maintaining a high level of achievement in all her courses.
Miss Ruth Sanford, formerly teacher at Cochesett and later at Sunset Avenue School, resigned to accept an attrac -. tive offer elsewhere. Her place in the latter school has been taken by Miss Myrtle Davison who assists Miss Mildred MacDonald, room teacher of grades three and four whose membership at present writing is fifty-five pupils. Such a number of pupils in two grades in one room, presents a vexa- tious problem of health, teaching, and management. During the year 1934-1935, this problem was solved to a larger degree by a part-time schedule of attendance in the first four grades of the school.
Other problems developed, however, of a domestic na- ture in many cases, which caused so many difficulties for parents, that it was deemed advisable to restore the full-time schedule. This has been done, and every effort is being made to bring the pupils of this over-crowded room as nearly up to grade as conditions will permit.
A study of age and grade distribution as of January 1, 1936, shows a loss of nine pupils in the complete enrolment of the Sunset Avenue School from last year's total member- ship, which was 172, and now is 163. The original cause of the enlarged enrolment was an entering class of over thirty pupils in 1933, which was double the ordinary entering class. As this class progresses annually, it will crowd each room where it is for two years, until it finally moves out by grad- uation from the eighth grade in five and one-half years from now. It is possible, however, that its numbers will lessen before that time, as a perceptible diminution in the member- ship of the public elementary schools has been observed throughout the country in the last two years, the cause of which is not yet apparent.
185
Repairs and betterments in sanitary conditions have been made at Cochesett, and are now underway at the Center School, as a part of a federal project in community improve- ments. Approval of an application for sanitary betterment at Jerusalem is confidently expected in the near future. Con- siderable repair work will have to be done to the roof of the portable building at Matfield to make it possible to conduct this school properly.
The following table reveals the membership for five years :
Comparative Membership Table
School
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
Howard High
142
138
141
132
134
Center
209
219
223
209
219
Sunset Avenue
152
150
167
172
163
Matfield
65
68
66
62
62
Cochesett
52
66
57
57
57
Jerusalem
24
26
24
23
27
644
667
678
655
662
In conclusion I wish to express appreciation of the con- stant cooperation of all the teachers in our schools, and to acknowledge gratefully the helpful support of the School Committee in all my administrative efforts.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST W. ROBINSON,
Superintendent of Schools.
186
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Ernest W. Robinson,
Superintendent of Schools, West Bridgewater, Mass.
Dear Sir :
As Principal of Howard High School, I have the honor to submit my annual report.
Since its organization in 1881, the high school and its educational program has moved quietly and steadily for- ward. Throughout the fifty-four years of service, it has been constantly alert to meet new demands made upon it by changing conditions in our social, economic, and political life. In this respect, 1935 has been unusually active. The long recognized truth, that a small high school can no longer justify college preparation as its major educational objec- tive, has become operative in practice as well as in theory. Howard High School no longer centers its program about less than 15% of its pupils but instead is attempting to meet the educational needs of all the students under its control. This fundamental policy of assuming definite responsibility for the educational preparation of all students is being set in operation by rather an extensive revision of the subject offerings of the school with a more equitable distribution of emphasis upon college and non-college preparatory courses.
English is by far the most important subject taught in the school. No matter what life activity is entered, English, the expression of thoughts and the communication of ideas both oral and written, is more likely to contribute more to success than any other single educational factor. Good citi- zenship, for example, demands of an individual among other things the ability to understand and evaluate discussions of
187
questions of public concern appearing in newspapers, maga- zines, books, and speeches, and the separating of facts from emotional appeals. Such ability to use English aids in cast- ing an intelligent vote.
Because of these and other reasons English is of para- mount concern to the school. In building a strong course in this vital study the basic foundations of grammar and rhet- oric are laid in the ninth and tenth grades, and in the eleventh and twelfth grades all college preparatory students are now grouped together for special instruction in meeting college entrance requirements, while the remainder of the pupils in these grades are organized for instruction without any lim- itations imposed upon them other than that of meeting the individual's needs. In short, 85% of the pupils are no longer compelled to follow the same course of study as those of the college preparatory group. As a matter of economy business English is no longer taught as a separate course. The im- portant material of this subject is now taken up in the reg- ular English classes.
For many years, history has been taught in three full year courses, United States History, Ancient History and Modern and European History. The two last named sub- jects which were wholly college preparatory in nature, have been combined into a single course in World History. The purpose of this change is to provide a historical background beneficial in interpreting the present and future events to 100% of our students. The teaching time saved by this ar- rangement has opened the way for the introduction of an approriate course in economics. It is hoped that the prin- ciples developed in this widely recognized course will not only focus attention upon our present economic problems but that the men and women of tomorrow will be better qualified to solve economic problems than the present gen- eration.
188
In order to meet an apparent need indicated by the number of boys seeking courses covering knowledge of poul- try, cattle, sheep, and hog raising, dairy production, garden- ing, and small fruits, a two year course in agriculture has been established. With the assignment of practical projects and the splendid cooperation of local farmers in providing practical demonstrations, the course should prove of great value to those boys who are considering entering this type of work.
A place in the teaching schedule for agriculture was provided by applying the principle of alternation to second year algebra and plane geometry. By this plan sophomores and juniors are combined into one class in algebra this year and the sophomores and juniors will be combined into one class in plane geometry next year.
A working knowledge of means of communication, checks, bank drafts, stocks, bonds, loans, mortgages, busi- ness arithmetic, accounts and related items are necessary for the successful conduct of affairs in everyday adult life. The study of such items is included in the course of Junior Business Training which has replaced the study of commer- cial arithmetic.
In previous years the two year course in bookkeeping was completed in the eleventh grade allowing a full year to pass before it could be used by students after graduation. Because of this elapse of time, and because of the vocational aim of the work, it seemed advisable to move this course up to the eleventh and twelfth grade in order that the course be complete at the time of graduation.
The decreasing number of pupils electing Latin with the resulting small classes in recent years seriously chal- lenged the teaching of four years of the subject. The solution of this perplexing problem of preparing small numbers of pupils in the field of Latin at an exorbitant cost to the tax- payer was offered by the colleges themselves. Most colleges
189
have now removed the strict entrance requirement in Latin which have been in force for a long time. This action facili- tated the elimination of the third and fourth years of Latin from our course of study. The remaining two years of Latin together with the three years of French which are also taught meet the language requirements for admittance to almost any college.
The curriculum has been further enriched by the return of both mechanical and free-hand drawing. The addition of mechanical drawing was made possible by adjustments with- in the school, and the free-hand drawing became a reality by the generous offer of Miss Mary Nelson to give her services.
The whole purpose of this curriculum revision is to bet- ter serve the educational needs of all the boys and girls in the school instead of just those who plan to continue their educa- tion in institutions of higher learning. In this respect the school is becoming truly democratic. With the setting up of this dual object, in fact as well as in theory, in which the education of the non-college preparatory student is consid- ered of equal importance to that of the college preparatory student, it might be thought that while the former group gains, the latter group loses. This contention is a fallacy. As a matter of fact, the segregation of those pupils preparing for college into special classes in English and mathematics strengthens a position already strong as testified by the four year certificate privilege given the school by the New Eng- land College Entrance Examination Board and by the Class A rating given by the State Department of Education.
Even in the face of the changes made in the subject of- fering of the school, it must not be interpreted that the work of revision is either wholly satisfactory or entirely complete. As a matter of record the program of studies should never be considered as fixed for then it would fail in being al- ways sensitive to changing conditions. Moreover, there are
190
subjects such as household arts, shop work, problems of democracy, and physical education that should find a place in the modern curriculum. My belief in the soundness of changes already in operation is supported by the approval of the State Department of Secondary Education.
A distinct honor has come to the school by reason of the fine work done by Warren Gardner in a nation wide prize es- say contest conducted by the International Business Ma- chines Corporation. The subject of the paper was "Time In Education". Of the hundreds of essays submitted in Massa- chusetts, Warren Gardner's was awarded first place. In addi- tion to a gold wrist watch for the author, the school was pre- sented with an electrically operated athletic timer which will be installed in the gymnasium together with a bronze plaque to stand as a lasting testimony of the whole achievement.
The orchestra is particularly fortunate in having for its director Mr. Donald Hayward, a graduate of this school and now a student of the New England Conservatory of Music, and who has offered his services to the school gratis. Al- though somewhat handicapped by the absence of freshmen to replace those members who were graduated last June, ex- cellent work is being accomplished. It is, indeed, regrettable that more parents do not urge their children to study some musical instrument.
Last year because of the sharp increase in the cost of printing accompanied by the difficulty of securing additional advertisements the school's magazine "The Climber" adopted the policy of issuing less material printed on inferior paper stock under the disadvantage of syndicate printing. With the return of more reasonable printing costs and with the opportunity of receiving valuable instruction in magazine make-up by close contact with the printer's representative, a return to the old policy of publishing a high-grade paper was voted by the staff. As a result the December issue was, in the opinion of many people, the best ever produced by the school. Issues are now planned for March and June.
191
"Reading For Fun" was the slogan for book week in November. This event was observed in the school by the sponsoring of a unique poster contest out of which originated many excellent ideas, a colorful exhibit of modern and old books printed in many foreign languages, each of which were designated by a doll dressed in the beautiful costume of the nation represented, and an appropriate and well executed assembly program staged by the student librarians.
A new dramatic club called the Thespians Juniors was recently organized. This activity aims, among other things, at the correction of defective speech, the development of self confidence, poise, self expression and the art of dramatic production. Two one act plays were excellently done at our Christmas assembly, and two plays are being prepared for presentation at the Parent-Teacher Association meeting in February.
The Girls League is a club whose function is to promote the general welfare of the school with a special emphasis upon the schools social activities. As an additional objective the League sponsored at Christmas time the collection of food, clothing, and toys for distribution by the Welfare De- partment of the town. The response to this work was so en- thusiastic and gratifying, it is hoped that this spirit of help- fulness and consideration for others will become a yearly tradition which will ultimately flourish the whole year round.
The school has long subscribed to the policy of athletics for everyone, but it is handicapped by the absence of a physi- cal education department. However, the program is partially carried out by encouraging participation in both interclass and interschool basketball and baseball. Efforts begun last year to revive interest in baseball will be continued this year. Ideally, not only should everyone take part in this program but they should be urged to take part in those athletic activ- ities which will be of great value to them long after gradua-
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