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 1940-1944 > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
In the gymnasium we find that the window sills are approx-
168
imately four feet above the top seat of the bleachers. There are one-half inch mesh screens which are hinged and swing into the gymnasium. These screens are fastened with buttons. Once the screen has been swung back, shutters must next be opened to the sides of the windows and the window must be unlocked and raised before one can get out.
Teacher's Room-The only room available is one which must be reached by going through a regular class room and the library.
In this teacher's room there are no toilet facilities. The only toilet available is located near the south entrance to the building, one half floor below the teacher's room.
In this toilet room there is no wash bowl. It is necessary for teachers to go up this half flight, across the building to the north side and go down one-half flight in order to reach a wash bowl. Incidently, no toilet or teacher's room is provided for men teachers.
Emergency Room-The only room available for emergency purposes, including care of girls and boys, as well as teachers, who may be taken ill, is the teacher's room, and as has been previously stated in order to reach this room it is necessary to go through a class room and the library.
Library-In order to reach the school library it is necessary to go through one of the large rooms. This large room is used for classes and the passing causes unnecessary interruption. If more than a dozen pupils are in the library there is no opportunity to do any work in a satisfactory manner, and it is of practically no use for class work. Space provided for books is inadequate.
Offices-The superintendent and principal share one office, a room about 12' x 14'. Such an arrangement, even if the room were sufficiently large, is most unsatisfactory for the proper ad- ministration of a school system.
Gymnasium-This room is a gymnasium in name only, al- though it does serve as a place where setting-up exercises may be conducted, and basket ball games are played there.
169
The fire hazards have been dealt with elsewhere in this report.
We find neither sufficient space nor facilities for installation of equipment necessary for a suitable program of physical education.
The floor space as well as the height of the ceiling is in- adequate for proper conduct of basket ball games.
There is no office or other space available where an instructor may keep supplies, records, etc., so necessary in this type of work.
Only two showers are provided, both for boys, and these are located in the boys' toilet room.
Restricted use of the gymnasium makes it impossible for boys and girls on the school teams to have practice sessions for much more than an hour on three afternoons a week. This neces- sitates evening practice sessions.
Converted closets serve as dressing rooms for the boys and are inadequate for even the routine gymnasium classes. Each of these rooms is approximately 4' x 15'. There are no windows, no heat, and no means of ventilation in these rooms. Visiting teams as well as our own boys use class rooms as dressing rooms when games are played in the building.
A space approximately 12' x 10', partitioned from the house- hold arts room is used as a girls' dressing and locker room. This locker room is not available during the day when household art classes are in session and girls taking gymnasium work must change their clothing in the toilet room.
When girls' games are played in the gymnasium, the visiting teams, as well as our own players, dress in this 10' x 12' locker room and in the adjacent household arts room.
Toilet Facilities-Those we have are satisfactory from a san- itary point of view.
There are too few however. Only four toilets and one wash bowl are provided for ninety-eight girls, while three toilets and four urinals must suffice for seventy boys. The situation is worse
170
even than it seems when we consider that under normal conditions our enrollment would be larger than at present.
In fact the toilet facilities are so inadequate that it is neces- sary to divide the school into two groups for the recess.
Lunch Room-Practically all of the pupils eat a lunch dur- ing the recess period. Some bring lunches from home while others buy sandwiches, soups, etc., prepared by the Household Arts classes. Tables are set up in the gymnasium for forty to fifty pupils. The others sit on the bleacher seats as they eat.
Assembly Hall or Auditorium-Every High School should have an assembly hall so equipped as to provide for the proper development of a sound extra-curricula program.
Such a hall should have an adequate stage and dressing rooms. It should be easily accessible, not only to school pupils, but also to others who would attend the various public programs offered. It should be large enough and so equipped as to afford sufficient opportunity for the educational and social development of the student body.
Present facilities in no way satisfy these requirements. Only restricted use of the present assembly hall is permitted. All fur- niture is movable and no provision has been made to hold seats in position.
Special Rooms-No rooms are available for guidance and conference rooms. There is constant need for individual confer- ences between teachers, parents, and pupils. It is essential that such meetings be held under best possible conditions and in the privacy and quiet of rooms adapted to the purpose.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE January, 1945
We believe that the foregoing report gives a true picture of the general school housing situation in West Bridgewater. More details would unduly lengthen an already voluminous report ..
171
We have tried to be fair in our appraisal of the facts, and we be- lieve that our recommendations are based solely upon these facts.
It seems quite evident that the citizens of the town should have insisted long since that better facilities be provided for the education of the town's children. Especially is this true with re- spect to the building which has been used for so many years as a high school. We believe that it is time that some radical action be taken, and we recommend to the town that a definite building program be launched at once.
This program must be based on a long range plan and must relieve the present need for housing as soon as the war emergency will allow. It should have a two-fold purpose.
(1) It must plan for the replacement of our outmoded buildings by the establishment of certain elemen- tary school centers, so equipped as to be able to offer proper educational facilities and so located as to best serve the children of the town during the future years.
(2) It must plan for the immediate erection of a six- year high school building. The study which the committee has made regarding our school building and equipment convinces us that this is the first thing to be done.
Construction of such a secondary school building would serve definitely two purposes. It would house all of the seventh and eighth grade pupils in the town, as well as those pupils who are now in the regular high school. Such a plan would provide the proper housing, at least, for an up-to-date secondary school pro- gram. Secondly, it would relieve the pressure of numbers in the various elementary grades and grammar schools and would allow for a redistribution so that our instruction could be placed more nearly on a single-grade-per-room basis.
The logical locations for the development of these elementary
172
school centers seems to be at the sites of the Sunset Avenue and Center Schools.
We would recommend that in planning for the six-year high school building:
(1) The building should be sufficiently large to satisfy the anticipated demands for a period of not less than ten years after the building has been erected.
(2) That in addition to the regular classrooms there should be an auditorium, and a gymnasium ade- quate for the physical education program and for whatever social and indoor athletic program the school authorities consider advisable.
(3) Rooms suitably equipped for instruction in house- hold arts and manual arts such as local situation may demand.
(4) Installation of sufficient extra room space so that provisions may be made for teachers' rooms, emer- gency room, clinics, general conference and guid- ance rooms, and administrative offices.
(5) Provision should be made for the adequate lunch- room. Such a lunchroom should provide proper space and facilities.
(6) Proper provision should be made for the installa- tion of physics, chemistry, and other science lab- oratories, properly equipped.
(7) Adequate provision should be made for library and reading-room facilities.
It would seem to the committee that per- haps we would do well to possibly step out- side our authority in connection with this matter to make some suggestions relative to the general library situation in town. It is our belief that it might be well in considering the erection of a new high school, to consider
173
the possibility of housing our town library in the same building. We have a very fine library organization and have a very fine library insofar as books are concerned. We believe that it might be an even better, and stronger part of our educational program if its resources could be made even more easily and extensively available for our school pupils.
We further recommend that a building committee be ap- pointed. We have had inserted in the warrant an article for this purpose
LLOYD TYRER, ROGER TRACY, MRS. GRACE KEENAN, MRS. STANLEY FREEMAN, CHARLES TAYLOR, LEON LOTHROP, RALPH S. FRELLICK,
Chairman.
175
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
We have been confronted with many requests for an increase in pay to help meet the increase in the cost of living. After careful consideration we have recommended an increase of approximately 15% over last year's pay to all employees with the exception of the School Department, which has been granted increases by the School Board. This recommendation is for the year 1945 only.
The Fire Department is in need of a new chassis for the forest fire truck, and we recommend the sum of $2500 be approp- riated for this purpose.
We recommend the sum of $10,000 be appropriated from Available Funds in the Treasury for the purchase of U. S. Gov- ernment Bonds. This is less than last year, but we feel that with the reduced surplus revenue shown on our balance sheet this sum would be justified this year.
We recommend the appropriation of not over $15,000 from Available Funds in the Treasury for the purpose of reducing the tax rate.
We have revised the Budget Report this year in an endeavour to make it of more value to the town's people. We welcome any comments or criticisms that will improve the report.
A table of Estimates by Departments, amounts recommended by this Committee, and report of Recommendations on articles in the Town Warrant appear on the following pages.
ALFRED T. WELLS, Chairman JOHN C. ELDRIDGE, Secretary LEON H. BELDEN HENRY C. BRADFORD WALTER D. CROWLEY HARRY J. POMEROY ARTHUR E. RYDER
176
REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE ON ARTICLES IN TOWN WARRANT
Article 1. To elect the following Town Officers by Official Ballot: One Town Clerk for one year, one Moderator for one year, one Assessor for three years, one Selectman for three years, one member of the Board of Public Welfare for three years, one Treasurer for one year, one Water Commissioner for three years, two School Committee for three years, one Tax Collector for three years, two Trustees of Public Library for three years, one for two years to fill vacancy, one Tree Warden for one year, two Constables for one year.
The polls will be open at 9 o'clock in the forenoon of March 5, 1945 and close at 8 o'clock p. m.
Article 2. To choose Town Officers for the ensuing year not elected on the Official Ballot.
Article 3. To hear the reports of all Town Officers and Committees and act thereon.
Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1945, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any
177
note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with Section 17, Chapter 44, General Laws.
Article 4. The Finance Committee recommends such author- ization.
Article 5. To raise such sums of money as may be neces- sary to defray the Town charges for the ensuing year, and to make appropriations for the same.
Article 5. The recommendations of the Finance Committee for each Department appear in the Tables included in their report.
Article 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 90 Highway Maintenance, or take any action relative thereto.
Article 6. The Finance Committee recommends the appropria- tion of $1,000.00 to be used with any sum allotted thereto by State and County.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate, or transfer from available funds in the treasury, a sum of money for the purchase of war bonds or other bonds that are legal investments for savings banks, in order to establish a post- war rehabilitation fund, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3, Acts of 1943.
Article 7. The Finance Committee recommends the appropria- tion of the sum of $10,000.00 from available funds in the treasury, to be used in the purchase of United States Government Bonds.
178
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of $75.00 for a clinic by the School Physician to immunize school children and pre-school children against diphtheria.
Article 8. The Finance Committee recommends this approp- riation.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $50.00 for a "Well Child Conference".
Article 9. The Finance Committee recommends this approp- riation.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $100.00 for the use of Plymouth County Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture (Plymouth County Ex- tension Service) and choose a Town Director as provided in Sec- tion 41 and 42 of Revised Chapter 128 of the General Laws and act thereon.
Article 10. The Finance Committee recommends this approp- riation.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate money to build a side walk on Copeland Street from North Main Street to the Brockton line.
Article 11. The Finance Committee does not recommend building this sidewalk this year.
Article 12. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $300.00 for maintenance of Visiting Nurse Service in West Bridgewater.
Article 12. The Finance Committee recommends this approp- riation.
179
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate the sum of $50.00 for the purpose of preserving the Town Records.
Article 13. The Finance Committee recommends this approp- riation.
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, in his discretion, but with the written approval of the Board of Selectmen, or a majority thereof, to sell any land acquired by the Town through foreclosure of a tax title and to execute and deliver in the name and behalf of the Town all deeds necessary to effectuate any such sale.
Article 14. The Finance Committee recommends this author- ization.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate a sum of money to be used for the purchase of a new chassis for the forest fire truck and conversion of same.
Article 15. The Finance Committee recommends the sum of $2,500.00 be appropriated for this purpose.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Assessors to take from available funds in the Treasury a sum of money not to exceed $15,000.00 to be used for the purpose of reducing the tax rate for the current year.
Article 16. The Finance Committee recommends this author- ization.
Article 17. To see if the Town will authorize the moderator to appoint a special building committee; appropriate a sum of money, not to exceed $1,000.00, for the use of the committee; to
180
authorize this committee to determine a building site; to retain an architect; to obtain estimates; to consult experts if necessary; and to have plans drawn for a six year Senior-Junior High School Building, in accordance with recommendations of the Special Committee. They shall be authorized to render a report at the next annual Town meeting.
Article 17. The Finance Committee recommends the approp- riation of $1,000 for this purpose.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the special account surplus, $39.75, remaining in Military Retire- ment December 31, 1944, into Surplus Revenue.
Article 18. The Finance Committee recommends this transfer.
Article 19. To see what action the Town will take relative to the collection of Dog License Tax.
Article 19. The Finance Committee refers this Article to the voters.
Article 20. To transact any other business that may le- gally come before the meeting.
181
BUDGET REPORT
Item No.
Average Expended 1941-1943
Expended 1944
Estimated 1945
Recom- mended 1945
GENERAL GOVERNMENT - 8.5% of Total
1
Moderator
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
2 Finance Committee
3.17
12.50
15.00
15.00
Selectmen:
3
Salaries
470.00
386.00
430.00
495.00
4
Expense
200.86
389.09
470.00
470.00
5
Town Accountant
739.52
804.30
820.00
920.00
Treasurer
6
Salary
800.00
800.00
1,200.00
975.00
7
Expense
427.40
381.01
500.00
500.00
Collector :
8 9
Salary
1,333.33
1,400.00
1,600.00
1,600.00
Expense
613.13
420.61
455.00
455.00
Assessors :
10
Salaries
1,040.95
939.00
1,200.00
1,380.00
11
Expense
342.66
418.10
500.00
500.00
12
Other Finance Offices
25.00
25.00
Town Clerk:
13
Salary
653.33
720.00
870.00
825.00
14
Expense
87.30
85.65
105.00
105.00
15
Election & Registration
. 516.51
1,126.62
600.00
600.00
16
Law
283.33
187.50
250.00
250.00
17
Town Hall & Offices
2,544.94
2,329.06
3,125.00
3,125.00
18 Preserving Old Records
6.27
24.66
50.00
50.00
Total General Government PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY - 8% of Total
$12,315.00
19
Police
2,780.86
3,194.32
3,425.00
3,575.00
20 Dog Officer
46.00
60.00
60.00
60.00
21 Fire Department
2,720.94
2,572.54
3,100.00
3,145.00
22 Hydrants
1,406.67
1,490.00
1,490.00
1,490.00
23 Sealer of Weights & Measures
76.43
84.70
100.00
100.00
24 Moth Suppression
2,137.37
2,011.28
2,350.00
2,450.00
182
Item No.
Average Expended 1941-1943
Expended 1944
Estimated 1945
Recom- mended 1945
Tree Warden:
25
Salary
305.44
350.00
300.00
345.00
26
Expense
310.22
550.00
475.00
535.00
Total Protection of Persons and Property HEALTH AND SANITATION - 1.8% of Total
$11,700.00
Health:
27
Salary
50.00
50.00
28
Expense
1,054.43
1,087.66
1,900.00
1,900.00
29
Inspector of Animals
61.17
93.21
125.00
125.00
30
Inspector of Slaughtering
2.45
100.00
100.00
31
Visiting Nurse
308.33
300.00
300.00
300.00
32
Diphtheria Clinic
58.33
75.00
75.00
75.00
33
Well Child Conference
50.00
50.00
50.00
Total Health and Sanitation HIGHWAYS - 12.3% of Total
$2,600.00
34
Highways
9,376.95
10,061.04
10,000.00
10,000.00
35 Chapter 80 Maintenance
968.18
967.49
1,000.00
1,000.00
36 Road Machinery
947.24
598.14
1,000.00
1,000.00
37 Snow Removal
774.16
607.48
2,000.00
2,000.00
38
Street Lights
3,769.07
3,762.48
3,793.68
3,793.68
Total Highways CHARITIES 20.6% of Total
Public Welfare Administration:
39
Salary
187.00
121.00
140.00
140.00
40
Expense
405.23
425.78
389.00
389.00
41
General Welfare
7,379.38
4,151.69
6,000.00
6,000.00
Old Age Assistance:
42
Administration
340.92
439.39
682.00
682.00
43 Expense
16,027.05
17,407.44
19,500.00
19,500.00
Aid to Dependent Children:
20.80
21.00
158.00
158.00
45 Expense
1,398.61
961.60
3,000.00
3,000.00
Total Charities
$29,869.00
ยท
1
$17,793.68
44 Administration
183
Item No.
Average Expended 1941-1943
Expended 1944
Estimated 1945
Recom- mended 1945
46 Soldier's Benefits
775.16
1,634.18
2,160.00
2,160.00
Total Soldier's Benefits
$2,160.00
47 Schools
50,672.51 1,251.75
1,317.91
1,763.00
1,763.00
Total Education
$64,984.00
RECREATION - . 6% of Total
Monument Grounds & Parks
632.49
731.82
850.00
850.00
Total Recreation
$850.00
CEMETERIES - . 1% of Total
0 Care of Cemeteries
93.03
57.50
150.00
150.00
Total Cemeteries
$150.00
UNCLASSIFIED - 1.2% of Total
1 Town Reports
462.70
462.40
2
Memorial & Armistice Day
178.93
140.35
200.00
200.00
3 Insurance
1,578.23
1,246.26
1,388.04
1,400.00
1
County Aid to Agriculture
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
Interest
100.00
100.00
5 Reserve Fund
1,054.37
465.08
*3,000.00
* 3,000.00
Total Unclassified * Taken from Overlay Surplus
$1,800.00
Civilian Defense Ration Board
1,959.97
1,495.75
900.00
900.00
644.63
306.21
Total Civilian Defense
$900.00
19
EDUCATION - 44.8% of Total
58,788.99
63,221.00
63,221.00
48 Library
SOLDIER'S BENEFITS - 1.5% of Total
CIVILIAN DEFENSE - . 6% of Total
184
Item No.
Average
Expended
Expended
Estimated 1945
Recom- mended 1945
PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE
Water Department:
59
Salary
440.75
469.80
500.00
550.00
60
Expense
10,127.97
10,369.00
9,850.00
9,850.00
Total Water Department
$10,400.00
MATURING DEBT AND INTEREST
61 Water Bonds & Notes
3,046.67
2,500.00
2,000.00
2,000.00
62 Interest
157.47
60.00
30.00
30.00
Total Maturing Debt and Interestt + Taken from Water Revenue
$2,030.00
63 Total budget recommendations
145,121.68
64 Total recommended, special articles
3,500.00
65 Total, all recommendations
$148,621.68
66 Estimated State charges, county taxes, T. B. hospital assess- ment, assessors' estimate of overlay, and other amounts required by law to be raised
24,696.82
67 Grand total, Recommendations and Estimates $173,318.50
68 Deductions to compute estimated tax rate:
Estimated receipts, income, corporation, gasoline taxes, from State, motor vehicle excise and other local receipts from other sources than taxation
45,995.27 2,200.00
48,195.27
$125,123.23
69 Amount taken from Surplus Revenue to reduce tax rate
15,000.00
70 Estimated balance to be raised by taxes
$110,123.23
71 Estimated tax rate based upon above recommendations, using assessors' current valuations $30.46
1941-1943
1944
185
RECORD OF TRANSFERS FROM RESERVE FUND
Insurance
$3.95
Tree Warden, Salary Acct.
50.00
Tree Warden, Expense Acct.
100.00
Election & Registration
126.62
Fire Department
122.54
Highway Department
61.97
$465.08
-
-
INDEX
TOWN REPORT
Town Officers 3
Report of Town Clerk
9
Annual Town Meeting, March 6, 1944
9
Presidential Primaries, April 25, 1944
21
State Primaries, July 11, 1944
25
State Election, November 7, 1944 29
Special Town Meeting, December 14, 1944
33
Vital Statistics-Births
35
-Deaths 38
40
Licenses (Dog, Sporting)
Jurors
Report of Town Accountant
49
Statement of Trust Funds
78
Report of State Auditor
81
Report of Superintendent of Streets
85
Report of Inspector of Animals
87
Report of Town Treasurer
88
Report of Rationing Board
90
Report of Tree Warden and Moth Superintendent
92
Report of Board of Health
93
Report of Tax Collector
97
Report of Assessors
98
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
102
Report of Selectmen 103
Report of Chief of Police 104
Report of Fire Department 107
110
Report of Water Department
119
Plymouth County Aid to Agriculture 120
Civilian Defense Committee 123
Report of Finance Committee 175
176
Articles in Town Warrant
Budget Report 181
-Marriages
45
46
Report of Trustees of Public Library
INDEX
SCHOOLS
Committee
126
Calendar, 1944-1945
127
Membership (Table)
127
Financial Statement
128
Superintendent
133
Music Supervisor
137
High School Principal
142
Physician
146
Nurse
148
Commencement, 1944
152
Teachers
155
Housing Committee
156
INDEX
TOWN REPORT
Town Officers
3
Report of Town Clerk
9
Annual Town Meeting, March 6, 1944
9
Presidential Primaries, April 25, 1944
21
State Primaries, July 11, 1944
25
State Election, November 7, 1944
29
Special Town Meeting, December 14, 1944
33
Vital Statistics-Births
35
-Deaths
38
-Marriages
40
Licenses (Dog, Sporting)
45
Jurors
Report of Town Accountant
Statement of Trust Funds
78
Report of State Auditor
81
Report of Superintendent of Streets
85
Report of Inspector of Animals
87
Report of Town Treasurer
88
Report of Rationing Board
90
Report of Tree Warden and Moth Superintendent
92
Report of Board of Health
93
Report of Tax Collector
97
Report of Assessors
98
Report of Sealer of Weights and Measures
102
Report of Selectmen 103
Report of Chief of Police 104
107
Report of Trustees of Public Library
110
Report of Water Department
119
Plymouth County Aid to Agriculture 120
Civilian Defense Committee 123
Report of Finance Committee
175
Articles in Town Warrant
176
Budget Report 181
Report of Fire Department
46 49
INDEX
SCHOOLS
Committee
126
Calendar, 1944-1945
127
Membership (Table)
127
Financial Statement
128
Superintendent
133
Music Supervisor
137
High School Principal
142
Physician
146
Nurse
148
Commencement, 1944
152
Teachers
155
Housing Committee
156
4732 21
3 1611 00143 0948
...
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.