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 1960-1963 > Part 22
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2
11
Myocardial Infarction
30 Gussie Reardon
78
Cerebral Vascular accident
November
7 Arthur Edgar Dunham
86
1
2
Cerebral Thrombosis
15 Eugenia Ermine Packard (Young) 95
4
14
General Arteriosclerosis
18 Edith Louise (Ford) Ward
79
11
10
Bronchial Pneumonia
18 Ellen F. Maguire
92
10 25 Cerebral Hemorrhage
19 Henry W. Knight
79
6
4 Heart Disease presumably Coronary Thrombosis
8 John Miles Holmes
85
9 29
Arterio-selerotic heart disease
30 Albert Morse Bump
75
4 9 Cerebral Hemorrhage
-
-
Multiple sclerosis and pending further investigation Leukemia Lymphatic
Date Name
YMD
Cause
December
3 Dorothy (Reed) Knight
70
11
21 Cerebral Hemorrhage
+ Ida Frances Congdon
89
11
3 Rupture Aortic aneurysm
15 Maria P. Braga (Chaves)
62
-
-
Suddenly, Presumably of Heart Disease
15 Lillian Mae Andre (Fongellaz)
64
3
0
Presumably of Heart Disease, Found Dead in Bed
45
46
Fish and Game Licenses Issued, 1962
Res. Citizen Fishing Lic.
172
@$4.25
$731.00
Res. Citizen Hunting Lic.
223
4.25
947.75
Res. Citizen Sporting Lic.
68
7.25
493.00
Res. Citizen Minor Fishing
45
2.25
101.25
Res. Citizen Female Fishing
29
3.25
94.25
Res. Citizen Minor Trapping
5
2.25
11.25
Res. Citizen Trapping Lic.
6
7.75
46.50
Non-Res. Fishing (Special)
1
4.25
4.25
Non-Resident Citizen Fishing
1
8.75
8.75
550
$ 2,438.00
Less Clerk's Fees
550
.25
137.50
$ 2,300.50
Duplicates
7
.50
3.50
Archery Stamps
2@1.10 2.20
Less Clerk's Fees
2
.10
.20
2.00
Number of Licenses Issued
559
Amount Paid to Division of Fisheries and Game
$ 2,306.00
Res. Citizen Sporting Lic. (Free)
20
Res. Citizen Fishing (Old Age Asst.) 1
ANNA E. BROWN Town Clerk
47
Dog Licenses Issued in 1962
Male
324
@$2.00
$648.00
Female
60
5.00
300.00
Spayed Female
195
2.00
392.00
Kennel
18
10.00
180.00
Kennel
2
25.00
50.00
600
$1,570.00
Less Clerk's Fees
600
.25
150.00
Paid to Treasurer
$1,420.00
1961 Licenses Paid in 1962
Spayed Female less Clerk's Fee
1 2.00
.25
1.75
Total Receipts from Dogs
$1,421.75
ANNA E. BROWN Town Clerk
LIST OF JURORS 1962-1963
Name
Residence
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business
Ahlborg, Arnold W.
70 Prospect St.
Almquist, Kenneth O.
8 Purchase St.
Almquist, Robert W.
149 Copeland St.
Andrews, Charles
80 Maolis Ave.
Anglim, William
9 Crescent St.
Barros, Arthur
15 Progressive Ave.
Bishop, Henry A., Jr.
273 Crescent St.
Carlson, Rebecca
491 West St.
Eaton, Alton S.
141 Crescent St.
Drake, Mary
18 Bryant St.
Dufault, John E.
17 Vital Ave.
Frates, John
102 W. Center
Gillis, Robert C.
494 E. Center
Gordon, Herbert G. Hamilton, John, Jr.
2 Crescent St.
2 Copeland St.
Horton, Earle L.
94 East St.
Johnson, Charles
19 Lincoln St.
Keeler, Florence
352 W. Center St.
Ass't Treas., Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Proj. Eng., N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton
Carpet Installer & Salesman, H. W. Robinson Carpet, Brockton
Retired Rural Mail Carrier
Off. Mgr., Nat'l Biscuit Co., N. Montello St., Brockton Shoeworker, Knapp Shoe Co., Brockton
Mach. Op., Ind. Nail & Packing Co., Bridgewater Husband, Warehouseman, Ind. Nail Co., Bridgewater Supt. of Buildings, Howard School for Girls, W. B'water Payroll Clerk, V.A. Hospital, Brockton
Brockton Taunton Gas Co., Main St., Brockton Real Estate Broker & Operator, The Country Shop, W. Bridgewater Foreman, N. E. Trans. Co., 402 Congress St., Boston Real Estate & Ins. Agent, Self Employed Foreman Construction, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Stockkeeper, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Generating Station Operator, Boston Edison Co., Boston Husband, Retired, U. S. Civil Aeronautic Admn.
48
Name
Residence
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business
Keith, Richard E.
Krugger, Richard E.
Lendh, Alton J.
47 Sunset Ave.
Lendh, Helen C. Lindskog, Harold L.
57 Sunset Ave.
69 Belmont St.
Lovell, Gordon
16 Oliver
Lynch, Alice V.
120 Matfield St.
Mahoney, Eleanor
365 N. Elm St.
Manugian, Michael 25 Ash St.
Mazza, Matthew
154 Matfield St. 449 Spring St.
Ohman, Emil H.
5 Norman Ave.
Store Mgr., Atherton Furniture Co., Brockton
Olson, Lawrence E.
431 N. Elm
Foreman, C. S. Pierce Co., Brockton
Parker, Charles L.
253 Matfield St.
Pratt, Richard C.
135 Walnut St.
Raleigh, John S.
76 S. Elm St.
Rodenbush, Gerald Shurtleff, Robert A.
466 Matfield St. 40 Highland Ave.
Dispatcher, W. Bridgewater Fire & Police Dept. Sales Rep., Ogden Grain Co., Utica, N. Y. Pro. Exp., Simplex Wire & Cable Co., 79 Sidney St., Cambridge
Bank Clerk, West B'water Savings Bank, W. B'water Truckdriver, Intercity Trans. Co., Brockton Mgr. of Order Entry Dept., Foxboro Co., Foxboro Husband, Tel. Serviceman, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Husband, Guard, Reed & Barton, Taunton U. S. Gov't Insp., U. S. Army Signal Supply Agency, Phila., Pa.
Foreman Ice Cream Prod., Bay State Co., N. Abington Correction Officer, Mass. Correction Inst., Bridgewater Engineer, Taunton Engineering Works, W. Water St., Taunton Repairman, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton Die Setter, Campello Shank Co., Brockton
49
Manager, Small Loan Consumer Finance Co., Boston Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
Noyes, George
17 W. Center St. 71 Pinecrest Rd.
Name
Residence
Business or Occupation and Address of Employer or Business
Sigren, Fred S.
75 East St.
Factory Worker, Circle Products Corp., S. Main St., Brockton
Silva, Emily R.
11 Arch St.
Husband, Troubleman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton Serviceman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
Slaney, Elmer
487 W. Center
Walsh, John H.
24 East St.
Cable Splicer, N.E.T.&T. Co., Brockton
Wardwell, Lawrence W.
395 Crescent St.
Williams, Albert E.
231 River St.
Shoe Last Maker, Woodard & Wright, E. Bridgewater Mechanic, Self Employed
Willis, Mildred I.
408 Crescent St.
Husband, Foreman, Brockton Edison Co., Brockton
50
JURORS DRAWN IN 1962
Harold F. Colby
Criminal Session
Mario Falzarano
Civil Session
Raymond L. Newman
Civil Session
John S. Raleigh
Civil Session
Nina M. Rohnstrom
Civil Session
Elmer Slaney
Civil Session
Arthur Steptoe
Grand Juror
John H. Walsh
Civil Session
51 BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Total Appropriations at Annual Town Meeting, March 12, 1962
$1,009,312.50
Other Amounts to be raised
31,191.22
Total Appropriations
since 1961 Tax Rate was Fixed:
$1,040,503.72
State Parks & Reservations
2,713.01
State Audit of Municipal Accounts
1,615.95
County Tax
24,707.84
Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
17,591.61
Plymouth County Mosquito Control
2,243.60
$1,089,375.73
Overlay
14,391.51
Total Amount to be raised:
$1,103,767.24
Less: Total Estimated Receipts
376,143.58
$727,623.66
Less: Overestimates of Previous year, County Tax
and State Recreation areas
1,399.55
$726,224.11
Less: Amounts taken from Available Funds
81,000.00
NET AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXES ON POLLS
AND PROPERTY
$645,224.11
TABLE OF AGGREGATES
Number of Persons, Partnerships, Corporations, etc.
assessed :
On Personal Estate Only
27
On Real Estate Only
1,308
On Both Personal and Real Estate
152
1,487
1,518
Number of Polls Assessed
52
Value of Assessed Personal Estate:
Stock in Trade
$66,800.00
96,050.00
Machinery Live Stock
5,940.00
All Other Tangible Personal Property
510,406.00
Total Value of Assessed Personal Estate
$679,196.00
Value of Assessed Real Estate: Land
$1,265,342.00
Buildings
6,852,550.00
Total Value of Assessed Real Estate
$8,117,892.00
TOTAL VALUE OF ALL ASSESSED PROPERTY
$8,797,088.00
Tax Rate per $1,000
73.00
Tax for all purposes spread as follows: On Polls
3,036.00
On Personal Property
49,581.31
On Real Estate
592,606.80
TOTAL TAXES ASSESSED
$645,224.11
Number of Acres of Land Assessed
8,577.23
Number of Dwellings Assessed
1,375
PERSONAL PROPERTY - LIVE STOCK
Number of Horses Assessed
28
Number of Cows Assessed
17
Number of Sheep Assessed
14
Number of Fowl Assessed
1,000
Number of Donkeys Assessed
2
FARM ANIMAL EXCISE
Number of Horses Assessed 24
Number of Cows Assessed 772
Number of Yearlings, Bulls and Heifers Assessed
17
Number of Swine Assessed
30
Number of Sheep Assessed
4
Number of Fowl Assessed
21,740
Number of Geese Assessed 22
53
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE - 1962
Number of Cars Assessed
3,353
Total Value of Cars Assessed
$1,835,390
Total Excise of Cars Assessed
98,914.41
Average Value per Car
547.39
Average Excise per Car
29.40
Excise rate per $1000
66.00
EXEMPTED PROPERTY
REAL ESTATE
Trustees of Howard Funds
$168,050.00
Old Bridgewater Historical Society
17,500.00
Baptist Society
13,900.00
Methodist Society
13,800.00
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston
111,800.00
Unitarian Society
20,200.00
Cemeteries (Privately owned)
14,040.00
Town Hall and Lot
15,500.00
Highway Garage and Lot
9,500.00
Fire and Police Station
52,000.00
Forestry Garage
2,000.00
Library
35,500.00
School Department (Land and Buildings)
905,200.00
Parks
8,800.00
Water Department
29,000.00
Cemeteries (Town owned)
600.00
Various Lots owned by the Town
11,155.00
Property of the Commonwealth
4,998.00
Total Value of Exempted Real Estate
$1,433,543.00
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Old Bridgewater Historical Society
$ 8,000.00
Trustees of Howard Funds
5,000.00
Town of West Bridgewater:
Fire Department
30,000.00
Water Department
285,000.00
Library
8,000.00
School Department-Junior-Senior High School 12,000.00
All Other Schools 10,000.00
54
Highway Department
4,000.00
Town Hall and Offices
3,000.00
Moth Department
2,000.00
Police Department
1,500.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
250.00
Tree Warden
100.00
Total Value of All Exempted Personal Property $368,850.00
TOTAL VALUE OF ALL EXEMPTED PROPERTY $1,802,393.00
WILLIAM W. PHILLIPS, Chairman HERBERT A. HOLMES ELMER L. ANDERSON Board of Assessors
INSPECTOR OF WIRES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen
Town of West Bridgewater, Mass.
I hereby submit my report for the year ending 1962:
Inspections
220
Edison Permits
122
Services
81
Locked Locations
2
Rough Wiring
44
Added Wiring
44
Not Accepted
5
Oil Burners
53
Electric Dryers
19
Electric Ranges
12
Electric Water Heaters
13
Signs
3
Power Work
2
Storm Damages
1
Trailers
0
55
Fires 3 1
Carnivals
All inspections were based on the latest edition of the Na- tional Electric Code as adopted by the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, with no special rules.
Since the revision of the electrical fee system for the Town it is evident that enough monies will be collected to make this office self-supporting.
I wish to thank the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Town Tax Collector's Office at this time for the valuable assist- ance in issuing permits and aid to this department.
Respectfully submitted,
ALBERT M. GREINER Inspector of Wires
PLYMOUTH COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL PROJECT
In reporting on the project's activities and accomplishments in 1962, there have been successful advances made toward the program's main objectives.
We are always happy to report that no single case of equine encephalitis was recorded in the county. There was considerable concern in mid-July by the project and the U. S. Public Health Service as surveys indicated a heavy population of vector species mosquitoes and virus in bird life.
Again, this condition centered in and adjacent to the "Hocko- mock Swamp" and with adequate project funds always established for that area, we tripled our aerial spray efforts in the swamp over the previous seasons. This was a pre-hatch treatment the first week in August and all later surveys showed good control.
56
The co-ordinated efforts of the programs in Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties have certainly reduced our hazard of an outbreak of this disease.
In all other areas our residual spray control and pre-hatch treatment of breeding wetlands was most successful this year, several factors contributed to this effectiveness. 1: We did not have the frequent showers this summer to void the results of spray efforts. 2: In each town we have continued on our drain- age program to eliminate stagnant breeding wetlands; while this is a slow and expensive method, it is positive mosquito control and the most economical in the long run. 3: The experience of our personnel and their added knowledge each season of mosquito problems in their district is very apparent.
With the increasing concern on the possible hazards of care- lessness in the use of insecticides, your superintendent has just completed forty years of experience in the using of all pesticides and you may be assured that all of the project personnel have been thoroughly schooled in the proper and safe use of each in- secticide involved in our program.
We appreciate and want to thank all town officials and per- sonnel who have continued to cooperate with us in our program.
Respectfully submitted,
WARREN G. HARDING Superintendent
TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT Report of the year ending December 31, 1962
To the Trustees of the West Bridgewater Public Library:
This has been a year of waiting and planning and marking time. Our new Library building being constructed at the end of the new addition to the High School was begun Wednesday, Sep-
WEST BRIDGEWATER PUBLIC HIR
tember 20, 1961 and we at the Library have been anxiously watch- ing its progress. New subscribers this year are 142 children and 53 adult, thus making our facilities more congested.
We lost only one day because of weather but parking has been a problem all through the year and it is hoped that by spring our new parking area will be finished for our patrons.
Miss Eleanor Cook, High School Senior, is assisting with the part time work of keeping both adult and juvenile shelves in order, as well as the reference room and magazine table. There is the same routine in the new library besides added shelf work in the balcony.
Mr. Roy S. Fletcher continues as custodian. With the light woodwork, tile floors, so much glass and polished tables there is much more work to do; also some of the old equipment that we brought with us, he is gradually renovating as funds become available.
We continue to borrow under Inter-Library Loan the non- fiction books that are needed for reference by our patrons. These books would not circulate often enough for us to buy them for our shelves.
Mrs. Hazel Fletcher, Librarian, and Mrs. Vivian Bassett, Assistant Librarian, attended both meetings of the Old Colony Library Club this year. In June we went to Braintree and heard some of the new books reviewed by an Editor of the Christian Science Monitor. The November meeting was held at the new North Weymouth Branch Library where an interesting talk was given by a member of the F.B.I.
The annual "Book Week" in April and November; April at the Old Library and November at the New Library; were observed with many new books for all grades as well as adults. The color- ful poster was prominently displayed and book marks were dis- tributed during the week. Several classes besides the Magic Car- pet Kindergarten and the Cochesett Kindergarten made colorful posters about the Library and Books and brought them to the Library for display.
58
During the summer vacation period Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Bassett, librarians, and Mr. Fletcher, custodian, made a thorough check of the attic and cellar of the old library and discarded many old books after making inquiries as to their value.
Mr. Thomas Kemp supplied equipment and men who packed and moved the books into the new library beginning Monday, September 17, through Friday, September 21, 1962. We were closed the rest of the month of September to arrange the books on the new shelves and get the downstairs books in order with the catalog. With the assistance of the former Librarian, Miss Jean Murdock, Mrs. Albert Williams, Mrs. Roy Sharp, Mrs. Lil- lian Kundzicz, trustee, Mr. Kenneth Buker, trustee, and Mrs. Kenneth Buker we were able to reopen Monday, October 1. The new library hours are Monday, 2 P.M. to 6 P.M., Tuesday and Thursday, 12 noon to 8 P.M., Wednesday, 12 noon to 6 P.M. and Saturday, 1 P.M. to 6 P.M.
It did not take long for both children and adults to familiar- ize themselves with the new arrangement of books and the added space for reference. Our circulation continues to grow.
Many gifts of valuable books from publishers, business firms and interested patrons help us to provide more material for our reference and good reading shelves.
We wish to thank the trustees for their advise and guidance and trust our patrons will continue their pleasant patience until we have all the books in their proper places we hope by spring.
Respectfully submitted,
HAZEL C. FLETCHER Librarian
1962 TRUSTEES
ELECTED
TERM EXPIRES
Lillian Kundzicz
1960
1963
Allen Foye Anna Howe
1960
1963
1961
1964
59
Stanley Carlson
1961
1964
Jessie Anderson
1962
1965
Kenneth Buker
1962
1965
ORGANIZATION
Chairman
Kenneth Buker
Secretary
Jessie Anderson
Treasurer
Anna Howe
BOOK COMMITTEE
Jessie Anderson
Kenneth Buker
Anna Howe
Stanley Carlson
MAINTENANCE Allen Foye
The Trustees of the Public Library have held six meetings this year. These meetings were concerned primarily with prob- lems connected with the moving of books and equipment from our old library to our new library building. The actual moving was accomplished by the middle of September.
Our new library offers much new needed space. To make this space more effective for all, the Trustees have purchased four new reference tables and four dozen adult chairs. We still need additional book cases, magazine rack, librarian's desk, children's chairs and numerous small items that will make our library still more serviceable.
The physical arrangement of the library is still not perma- nent. As the need is shown changes are made or initiated. Time and intelligent consideration will solve many of our immediate problems.
It is the aim of the Library Trustees, with the able assistance of our librarians, to make your Public Library a place of enjoy- ment and a source of information. We hope our aim will be attained and your needs will be met in the coming year.
Respectfully submitted,
for the Trustees JESSIE M. ANDERSON, Secretary
60
STATISTICS - 1962
SCHOOL CIRCULATION
Elementary Fiction
2653
Elementary Non-Fiction
2019
Total
4672
Secondary Fiction
2292
Secondary Non-Fiction
2214
Total
4506
Elementary Total
4672
Secondary Total
4506
School Total
9178
*
GENERAL CIRCULATION
Adult Fiction
7772
Adult Non-Fiction
2616
Juvenile Fiction
5593
Juvenile Non-Fiction
1966
Magazines
3296
Total 21,243
BOOKS PURCHASED
Adult
312
Juvenile
137
Total 449
COLLECTOR OF TAXES
Following is a list of unpaid Taxes and Water Rates as of December 31, 1962:
1962 Poll Taxes $ 14.00
1962 Real Estate 21,700.54
1962 Water Liens added to Taxes 1,016.18
61
1962 Personal Property 3,803.30
1962 Farm Animal Excise 256.43
1962 Motor Vehicle Excise
8,269.76
1962 Water Rates
6,045.51
Total Gross Collections, 1962
$ 785,512.16
WALTER C. DUNBAR
Tax Collector
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Board of Selectmen
West Bridgewater, Mass.
Gentlemen:
The following is report of the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the Town Report of 1962:
SEALED
Scales under 100 lbs.
34
Scales over 100 lbs.
1
Gasoline Pumps
39
Weights
55
Oil Pumps
1
Vehicle Tanks
2
Package Reweighing
237
WARREN A. TURNER Sealer of Weights and Measures
TREE WARDEN
I hereby submit my annual report for the year 1962 as Tree Warden.
Tree removal this year has been the largest time-consuming job. Eleven maples, three hickory, five ash, one sycamore, three pine and seventy-three elms were removed and stumps cut below
62
the ground level so that there would be no public hazard involved. The occurrence of ills in our shade trees will continue to show up for many years to come and while we endeavor to head off this type of work by concentrating on what appears to be dangerous, half of the trees involved are over-age trees and while they appear to be in good health, they are physically on the decline.
For this reason, the department is yearly concentrating on re- planting two shade trees for every one removed along the Town ways. The entire supply of these new plants are grown at our own nursery, in the rear of Memorial Field. There are over 500 trees of various species and sizes in the nursery at the present and as we draw from these for roadside plantings, new small trees are added and by careful fertilizing, pruning and cultivation, in a few years these will have attained the size for street planting.
All shade trees along the roadsides were sprayed twice this season with either DDT, Malathion, Lindane or the newer insec- ticide Sevin and applied with the mist blower. To control the elm bark beetle, the carrier of the Dutch Elm Disease, all town elms received three applications. As an aid in mosquito control, many sprays were put on at night in residential areas. The majority of spraying was accomplished at night and I sincerely apologize to the townspeople for being rudely awakened by our mist blower at work at night but by doing this work at this hour, it allows the department to spray at peak efficiency, saving time and ma- terial since there is no wind or traffic at these hours of darkness.
Again this year, two aerial sprays for mosquito control were applied. This, coupled with the efforts of the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project, has given the town very good results.
I would again remind all readers of this report that there are two services available by our department with absolutely no charge. One is that any outdoor event such as cookouts, lawn parties and such will be sprayed for mosquito control or flies. Also, if any townspeople have Poison Ivy on their property and wish it sprayed for removal, all that is required is that the department is notified of the location of the Poison Ivy on the private property.
The mechanical equipment of the department consists of one two-man power saw, three one-man power saws, one mist blower
63
sprayer, one hydraulic sprayer, one portable fogger, one portable 2500 watt generator with flood-lights for emergency work and power drill which is used in fertilizing or bolting and cabling weak- ened trees, one 1956 platform dump truck and the 1961 pickup truck which is equipped for emergency duty at all times. I readily extend an invitation to all townspeople to view their department's equipment and fine quarters in the rear of the Town Hall at any time.
Tree pruning, removal of dead wood and "hangers" were done on many streets. Large limbs caught or hanging in the tops of trees present a serious danger and climbing each tree is neces- sary and often times there is no safe place for the workman while he is engaged in the removal process. For this reason and also to save time for other work, I am employing more often now the services of a Skyworker. This hydraulically operated bucket al- lows the operator to be safely at work in the highest trees, whether they are over utility wires or not.
Each year as we are in the process of removal of many elms which have fallen prey to the Dutch Elm Disease, I have had the following question pressed at me: "Why save the Elms?" First, I sincerely believe that it is my responsibility to attempt to pre- serve not only elms, but all trees in the Town of West Bridge- water. The elms were planted generations ago by unselfish men. The trees have passed into our hands to protect, and we, in turn, shall pass them on to generations to come. The stately elms planted by our forefathers constitute part of our living, and we do not fully appreciate how great a role they play in retaining the charm of our community until they are removed. The town with fine shade trees is the Town Beautiful!
Will we lose our elms? Yes, if we have a defeatist attitude. Certainly not, if we continue to give them proper care and the attention they warrant. No definite cure is known at this moment but science and research are making every effort to discover a cure, but until that answer is available, should we sit idly by and let our elms go or should we make an effort to hold the fort with the ammunition we have.
1. Keep elms healthy by constant pruning, spraying and fertilizing.
64
2. Immediate removal and destruction of every con- demned tree.
I personally believe that the only way the American Elm will become extinct from the New England scene is from our own ig- norance. We are going to lose some of them each year, but some will survive and a cure will come through.
In closing, I would remind all that we are striving to the ut- most to serve well, to go forward with advancements in our varied services, to make our town an ideal place to live. Our limitations are the townspeople's acceptance of forward planning and their ability to pay, not a lack of progressive thinking, planning and achievement. It should be kept in mind that our plans must be changed many times in the course of a year to meet situations which arise. These many and varied situations call for a flexibility in our work program, namely, the ability to put one project aside without hesitation, to take on a more urgent calling in the hope that we can return to the uncompleted project in the near future.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to all other town depart- ments and officers for their fine cooperation throughout the year. We all can feel proud that there is such a close cooperation be- tween our town's many departments. Finally, my profound thanks to my workmen of the Tree Department for their fine, precise work and loyalty which certainly deserves praise. It has been a pleasure to serve the citizens of West Bridgewater, and I will con- tinue to do so in the future to the best of my ability.
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