USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1921-1925 > Part 9
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REPORT OF Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture, 1922 TOGETHER WITH REPORT OF
Hampden County Improvement League, 1922
January 1, 1923.
To the Voters of Agawam :
In accordance with the usual custom, I submit herewith the annual report of work accomplished in Agawam by the Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture cooperating with the Hampden County Improvement League.
Starting in January with the county-wide educational and membership campaign which more than doubled the member- ship of the League, there has come a renewed and awakened in- terest on the part both of the farm and of city folks throughout the entire county. More people have taken an active part in the work. Furthermore, the League and Trustees have now been organized for a period long enough to show concrete results of their efforts.
Take dairying for example. Several definite evidences of progress can be recorded. During the past seven years, the num- ber of pure-bred dairy animals in the country has almost trebled. This year, largely through the active leadership of the League, the State adopted a tuberculosis eradication law, of which the farmers of Hampden County are now rapidly availing them- selves, thus making strides toward ridding the county of the dis- ease and thereby increasing not only the health but the production
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of our dairy animals. This year, also, definite plans have been made toward better organization of dairy marketing facilities throughout New England. These plans have been worked out by the New England Milk Producers' Association. With the cooperation of the Hampden County Improvement League one of the first districts to be organized will be the Springfield milk district which includes a very large share of Hampden County and dairy towns adjacent to Hampden County.
In potatoes, to take another example, this year in Hampden County saw a 700 per cent increase in the use of certified seed which even in this poor potato year added at least $25,000 to the value of the crop in the county. Demonstrations conducted in all parts of the county, including demonstrations on the farms of Louis DePalma, Giles Halladay, Lee Jenks, and George W. Porter of Feeding Hills and Agawam, showed an average potato production two or three times the average of the county.
The same can be said for apples. There are now on rec- ord in the office of the League and Trustees more than 30,000 apple trees in this county (which is approximately one-quarter of all there are in the county) that are being so handled as ulti- mately to produce large crops of high quality fruit. This has come about almost altogether within the history of the League.
As in dairying, potatoes, and apples, so in varying degree are similar results being achieved for poultry, tobacco, market gardening, pasture crops, and other farm products. In Agawam, during 1922, there took place a poultry culling and killing dem- onstration at H. G. Healey's farm; the building of a model poultry house at George Gagnier's farm; a berry culture meet- ing at Homer Flower's; two grape meetings at Louis DePalma's; a demonstration by A. W. Channell of the use of nitrate of soda on rhubarb; two tobacco disease meetings, one a demonstration of dusting for control of wildfire on John Warner's farm; a potato meeting at Lee Jenk's place; and a two-day soil fertility school during the winter. In addition, the League has been glad to cooperate so far as this county is concerned in the organization of the Connecticut Valley Tobacco Association.
In the women's work, the year has seen marked changes. Organization has proceeded along lines new in Hampden County, though well tried out elsewhere, leading to the development of
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a county Home Bureau made up of all women who are members of the League.
The foundation and strength of the Home Bureau lies in the local communities. All interested women in each com- munity are asked to meet with Miss Lillian M. Stuart, county home demonstration agent, to analyze their common problems, to decide what needs can best be met through League and Trustees to make a definite program, and to elect capable and represent- ative leaders. Meetings of this type have been held in both Feeding Hills and Agawam, and the following officers and proj- ect leaders elected :
For Agawam: Chairman Mrs. Dwight Hawley, Vice-chair- man Mrs. W. J. Keating, Secretary Mrs. T. D. Birchard, Dressform leader Miss Alice Shields, Clothing efficiency leaders Mrs. W. A. Bryant, Mrs. Percy Hastings, Mrs. Linus Snow, Millinery leader Mrs. H. M. Polley, Clothing construction leaders Mrs. Frank Merrill, Mrs. E. H. Benoit.
For Feeding Hills: Chairman Mrs. Karl Nooney, Vice- chairman Mrs. Fred A. Raison, Secretary Mrs. C. H. Granger, Clothing construction leaders Mrs. Herbert Taylor, Mrs. Charles Wood, Millinery leader Mrs. W. J. O'Connor, Clothing effi- ciency leaders Mrs. Karl Nooney, Mrs. Riley Farnsworth, Mrs. F. L. Kent.
Projects carried on in Agawam during the year have in- cluded clothing, dressform construction and millinery, while there have also been meetings devoted to home management and the making of jams and jellies. The home management special- ist, Mrs. Harriet Haynes, could only be secured for the different towns in the county through the use of funds available from town appropriations, and the same was true in the case of Miss Mary Reid, the millinery leader. For the eight meet- ings in millinery and the two meetings in household management, each divided equally between Agawam and .Feeding Hills, a total of $70 was extended from the town appropriation. All other projects were conducted by Miss Stuart, or by specialists secured by her from Massachusetts Agricultural College. The total number of enrollments in the various projects was 155.
In the county-wide home commercial canning project Agawam has a position of leadership through Mrs. Dwight Hawley. Her success has led a dozen other women in various
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parts of the county to take up this work, and for leadership they have relied not only upon the League and the College but also upon Mrs. Hawley, and the women who are marketing their canning through the Hampden County Woman's Exchange have elected her chairman of their group.
The Exchange, which was opened at 33 Harrison avenue, Springfield, in October, is a county-wide project of interest to women of all our towns. It provides a cooperative market for articles made by women at home, these articles being sold at a commission aimed just to cover the cost of doing business. There are four main departments : handcraft, canning, foods and lunch- eon. There are already 295 consigners, of whom twelve are from Agawam.
In junior club work, 66 boys and girls in Agawam were en- rolled in garden, canning, pig, sewing, bee, and baby beef club projects. George W. Porter acted as local leader for the bee, garden, and pig clubs, while Miss Ethel Spooner of Brimfield, led the canning and sewing clubs. Mr. Potter's services were particularly faithful and efficient, and the $100 paid him from the town appropriation is no measure of the value of his work. Miss Spooner was paid $43.85 from the town appropriation, covering the actual time spent by her in Agawam. Both local leaders had the help of the county club leaders, Otis E. Hall and Miss Catherine M. Christen.
Exclusive of the pig clubs (whose reports are not yet re- ceived ), the value of the products raised or made by +1 club members reporting, reached $1409.96. The costs were $677.44, leaving a profit of $732.52, or an average of $16.65 per member. These figures are exclusive of prizes won at the Eastern States Exposition, which total over $100. Agawam club members made a splendid showing at the Exposition especially in pigs, gardening, and canning.
The time given by staff members during the year to the town of Agawam has totaled about 50 days, besides the time of specialists and lecturers secured by the League from Massachu- setts Agricultural College and elsewhere.
The Agawam town appropriation for several years past has been $300. Expenditures this year have totaled $213.85, and the balance of $86.15 is being carried forward for local use in 1923. With increasing activities, and the need for additional
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expenditure at certain points to strengthen and broaden the work, it is hoped that the town appropriation may be increased, espe- cially since it is the expressed purpose and policy to extend every penny directly in local work within the town.
The League director for Agawam for 1923 is Professor Arthur Rudman. Other Agawam citizens taking an active part in the direction of the work, in addition to those already men- tioned, include William H. Porter, chairman of the Trustees; C. W. Hull, Jr., and Giles Halladay, chairman respectively of the Agawam and Feeding Hills branches of the Farm Bureau; and Mrs. Dwight Hawley, member of the Home Bureau executive committee and of the Woman's Exchange Committee.
Respectfully submitted, R. C. EDLUND. Managing Director.
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REPORT OF Board of Fire Engineers
We submit herewith a list of calls made on the Fire Department during the past year. You will note that many of the calls have been for brush and wood fires, which naturally belong to the Tree and Forest Warden Department.
We estimate that the Fire Department has saved during the past year at least $20,000 worth of buildings located in the town, and also a $10,000 trolley car owned outside.
We shall be obliged to buy more new hose this year. The State Inspector told us verbally that some hose should be replaced every year so that none would be over three years old.
We wish to keep our equipment in good condition and always ready for immediate use.
The heating apparatus at North Agawam broke down, and has had to be put in order, but it has not been paid for.
The hall at Agawam Center has heaters operated by gas which is very unsatisfactory and unhealthy. We recommend that this building be heated by steam and ask for $700 extra to do this, and to pay for the work done at North Agawam.
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During the past year we have adopted rules that apply uniformly to the three fire companies.
Calls on Fire Department during 1922:
Store 1
Dwellings 12
Garage
3
Barn 1
Shed
1
Tar barrels, endangering barn 1
Wagon
1
Trolly Car
1
Brush and wood fires
15
Total 36
Of these 7 were at North Agawam, 9 at Feeding Hills and 20 at Agawam Center.
F. A. WORTHINGTON,
W. F. DUMAS,
CHAS. H. WOOD,
Fire Engineers.
EXPENDITURES
Agawam Electric Co., service
$41.16
Springfield Gas Light Co., service. 55.04
Reo Springfield Co., repairs 24.51
H. C. Puffer Co., coal
31.00
C. D. Farnsworth, coal.
15.75
L. S. Jenks, wood
12.00
F. M. Wilcox, wood
15.00
Amedee Jasmin, labor
1.50
Frank Bonley, labor
10.00
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E. J. Desmarais, labor 12.99
Wm. De Forge, janitor
40.00
F. A. Raisin, janitor 47.00
R. A. Stetson, janitor
38.50
A. W. Carter, repairs
2.00
J. L. Burke, repairs
2.35
E. J. Roberts, repairs
12.00
H. W. Haskell, repairs and supplies.
6.00
J. P. Vincelette, supplies
11.26
Meyer Bros., repairs
13.80
Sullivan-Barrett Co., battery
42.05
B. & R. R. R. Co., freight
.50
Marble, Nye Co., supplies
4.48
H. Foot & Co., supplies
8.73
H. & J. Brewer Co., supplies
2.80
Alling Rubber Co., supplies
157.00
J. D. Law Co., supplies
15.67
Chapman Valve Co., supplies
8.93
C. W. Hegeman, supplies
2.70
Chas. A. Gardner, repairs
16.60
H. H. Shaylor, repairs
14.25
H. M. Hartwell & Son, supplies
90.00
C. H. Wyman, repairs
8.00
Young Bros. Co., supplies
7.00
J. A. Warner, supplies
5.00
C. W. Hastings Co., supplies
2.70
W. J. Foss Co., supplies.
14.00
E. A. Kellogg & Sons, supplies.
11.68
J. Singleton, supplies
31.75
T. M. Walker Co., supplies
2.25
E. A. Roy, supplies
1.00
Agawam Co., supplies
4.35
Wyckoff & Lloyd, supplies
2.00
Hampden Lumber Co., lumber
14.47
Joseph Borgatti & Co., supplies
.85
E. J. Gosselin, labor and supplies
8.20
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West Side Express, express
Firemen
1.05 600.00
Total
$1,469.87
Appropriation
$1,500.00
Rents of Hall
67.00
Total
$1.567.00
F. A. WORTHINGTON, W. F. DUMAS, CHAS. H. WOOD,
Fire Engineers
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Agawam Public Schools
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL BOARD
Clifford M. Granger, Chairman Term expires 1923 Post Office Address, Feeding Hills, Mass.
Percival V. Hastings Term expires 1925 Post Office Address, Agawam, Mass.
J. Arsene Roy, Purchasing Agent Term expires 1924 Post Office Address, Mittineague, Mass.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Benj. J. Phelps Telephone: Walnut 3043-11 Agawam, Mass.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Nathalie Forbes Moulton Telephone: River 7064-W Springfield, Mass.
SECRETARY Emma Mellor Telephone: River 1967-M Agawam, Mass.
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SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1923-1924
Winter Term-January 2 to March 30.
Spring Term-April 9 to June 8 Elementary Schools. Spring Term-April 9 to June 15 Junior and Senior High School.
Fall Term-September 4 to December 21.
OFFICE HOURS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
High School Building-School days, 8:30-9:00 A. M., 3:00-4:00 P. M.
HOURS OF SESSIONS
Elementary Schools 9:00-12:00 A. M. 1:00-3:30 P. M.
Junior and Senior High Schools
9:00-12:00 A. M. 12:30-3:20 P. M.
Working certificates may be secured at the High School during school hours every day except Saturday or at the home of the Secretary on Main street, Agawam, by phoning and making an appointment.
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REPORT OF School Committee
The year 1922 has been a very busy one for your Committee. Many important questions of school organi- zation and school development have been acted upon dur- ing the past twelve months. Some old problems, as well as many new ones, must of necessity be carefully consid- ered and definitely solved in the very near future.
The first and most important issue now confronting us has been discussed in our annual report for several years, and that is the matter of "increased school ac- commodations in all parts of the town." In the erection of a High School of our own we felt that the removal of the upper grades from our several center schools to a Junior High School would relieve the congestion in our grade schools for several years to come. However, this program has not relieved the situation to any great ex- tent. Two things may be cited as causing a continuance of crowded conditions in various sections of the town. In North Agawam, the failure of the Parochial School to
open in September, caused a large additional enrollment in the public schools there. This has necessitated the running of two double session rooms in that building throughout the year. Another factor, and an important contributor to our increasing school population, has been the influx of new comers, following building booms in the Riverside Park section, on Meadow Street and at City View Heights, as well as in other parts of our town. The
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situation was handled satisfactorily in 1922 by the estab- lishment of a special Seventh Grade at the High School, but with no graduating class in the Senior High this year we will not have the room to accommodate another entire class in the Junior High department.
Several suggestions have been made looking toward a feasible solution of the housing problem. In the final decision due regard must be paid to the needs of the fol- lowing localities: Meadow Street, Springfield Street, North Agawam, and the territory below the South School. In our 1921 report we recommended the addition of two or more rooms to the Springfield Street School, thereby relieving the congestion at both North Agawam and Feeding Hills. We again urge the advisability of such a step. In that same report we suggested the erection of a larger modern school building near the site of the present South School.
In that way the Riverside Park section and the lower end of the River Road would have much more convenient school facilities and the crowded conditions at Agawam Center would be eliminated to a great degree. Action here is, we believe, even more urgent than last year. There is, we understand, considerable agitation for a school on Meadow Street. This section is building up rapidly and may, as we have suggested before, need a school house in the near future. We would recommend that at the annual town meeting a special committee be appointed to investigate the school situation in our town with instructions to report their findings, together with their recommendations at an adjourned meeting.
Janitors, teachers and parents have, without doubt, been indulging in much caustic comment on the fuel situation in our schools and the attendant gas and smoke. We have always made a practice of ordering our school coal at an early date. After repeated assurances that there was sufficient hard coal on hand for our needs and
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that an early delivery would be made, we awarded the contract during the month of May to C. D. Farnsworth, Inc. of West Springfield. We insert this word of explana- tion for the benefit of some who may have thought that the school board was asleep on the job. The coal shortage was also responsible for a large financial saving and a consequent surplus of some $6,000.
At the close of the school year June 30, 1922, the Agawam and Ludlow School Superintendency Union was dissolved, according to a previous vote of the school com- mittees of the two towns. For long before that date your committee had been at work on the superintendency proposition. Several applications were received from prospective candidates but none of them had the qualifi- cations and experience necessary. However, we learned by a careful summary of the facts at hand that we could not expect to hire a first class man of ability and experi- ence less than $3500 per year. After considerable dis- cussion, and with the approval of Mr. Clarence D. Kingsley and other members of the State Board of Edu- cation, we decided to elect our High School principal, Mr. B. J. Phelps, to the position of Superintendent of the Agawam schools, and to hire a woman as supervisor or Assistant Superintendent of schools. This plan we found saved us nearly $1000 and at the same time seemed bound to increase the efficiency of our school system. Mr. Phelps as the head of our system and principal of the High School must of necessity spend a large portion of his time in his office, while the larger part of the supervisory work in the grades is in the hands of the Assistant Superin- tendent. For assistant we were very fortunate in secur- ing Miss Nathalie Moulton of Maine. Miss Moulton has had many years of experience as a teacher in the various elementary grades, and has also been very successful as teacher in Normal School work. She is very helpful with the teachers, and is thoroughly modern and progressive in her ideas.
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When our last annual report was presented we were just taking up the important task of securing instructors for our High School. Applications were received from teachers all over New England. These papers were care- fully considered and the data therein tabulated in detail. References were looked up and recommends rated. The final step was the elimination of the less promising appli- cants, leaving only the most desirable for further con- sideration. Many of these were visited in their class rooms by Mr. Gushee and Mr. Phelps, and personal inter- views were arranged with others. No step was omitted to secure the best possible teachers our means could afford. As a result we have an exceptionally high class corps of instructors. Every teacher in our High School building has had either college training or training along special lines, and nearly all of them have had from two to ten years of successful teaching experience. With the cordial cooperation of pupils and parents such a corps of teachers ought to make the Agawam High School the best school of its size in New England.
During the present school year we have, as you know, no Seniors in our High School. The coming year we must, of course, make provision for such a class and that will necessarily mean additional teachers with a con- sequent extra expense for instruction.
Your Committee has discussed the advisability of adding an Agricultural Course to our program of studies. We find after consultation with the State Board of Edu- cation that such a course would mean some additional equipment, but that the State would pay the greater part of the salary for an instructor in that department. We are now paying tuition to another town offering such advantages and on that account we are rather of the opinion that in the long run it might be an economy for us to present like opportunities in our own school.
At this time we are pleased to announce that all our
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equipment for the High School has at last arrived. Our pupils' and teachers' desks, the chairs and tables for the lunch room, and all our office furniture were ordered from Kenny Bros. and Wolkins. The auditorium seats were furnished by the Readsboro Chair Co. The Narragan- sett Machine Co. installed our gymnasium apparatus while the metal lockers were purchased through the agency of Meekins, Packard & Wheat. The Commercial Department is supplied with Underwood and Remington typewriters, and Borroughs calculators. Nearly all of the remaining equipment for the Manual Training, Domestic Science, Commercial, Drawing, Physics, Chemistry and General Science rooms was secured from the E. H. Shel- don Co. This order was placed early in April and the last shipment from them has only just been delivered. Their agent, the R. A. Fife Co., handled the entire order from their Mamaroneck office. The school work in all of these departments has, of necessity, been greatly han- dicapped by a lack of the proper equipment. Extended correspondence, telegrams, and personal interviews with representatives of the R. A. Fife Co., all proved of no avail in expediting the delivery of our furniture. In marked contrast to the treatment accorded us by this firm, was the prompt and courteous service of the other school supply houses with whom we did business.
In the selecting and purchasing of the entire equip- ment for the High School your Building Committee un- dertook a stupendous task. Some interested citizens feared that the result of our inexperienced choosing might be disastrous. However, our teachers are unani- mously enthusiastic concerning the equipment in use, and some of them, with years of experience, rate it the best they have ever had. Visiting school superintendents and school officials, and we have had many such visitations, are loud in their praises of your building and its fittings.
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In passing, we would like to pay a word of tribute to our Mr. J. A. Roy for his part in helping along our High School project to a successful conclusion. During his more than twenty years of tenure on your Board he has ever been willing to give his time and service to the cause of your schools. And so it was only natural that through the months our school was in process of erection that your Building Committee relied so confidently on his judgement in matters of constructive detail. We, his associates on your Committee, wish to express to him at this time our public appreciation of his splendid loyalty, and we congratulate him on his years of faithful service rendered to the Agawam schools.
On the evening of December 8, 1922, the Agawam High School was dedicated. Although the night was very stormy, an attendance of more than a thousand crowded the magnificent auditorium to listen to the impressive dedicatory exercises. A very interesting program was given by the school from 7 o'clock until 8. The school orchestral selections, the "Highland Fling" dance, and choral selections by the Junior and Senior High pupils, featured this part of the evening. The second part of the program opened at 8.15 o'clock with invocation by Rev. E. A. Estaver. Brief remarks were made by H. E. Bodurtha, Town Clerk and Treasurer, Wallace E. Dibble architect of the building, and John R. Lloyd, chairman of the Building Committee. W. W. Davis presented the keys in behalf of the contractors. Mr. C. D. Kingsley, State Commissioner of Education was unable to be present, but sent a letter to the Committee which was read by Superintendent B. J. Phelps. The principal speaker of the evening was Frank W. Wright, Deputy State Com- missioner of Education. He gave a very eloquent and stirring address on the value of a High School education to the youth of our country.
Your High School building is now pretty thoroughly
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equipped for school purposes and that, of course, is what it was erected for primarily. Of secondary importance must be its uses as a community center. The latter use must not be allowed to interfere with the school routine to any great extent. Your Committee may have aroused some comment and criticism by its attitude on this latter phase. Our idea of community use, means a united service to all parts of our town; not hospitality to Aga- wam Center while Feeding Hills and North Agawam are taxed for it without any returns thereon. Neither do we believe that we ought to give free and unrestricted service to organizations outside our town, nor to groups composed of outside residents.
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