USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1926-1930 > Part 14
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Respectfully submitted,
PERLEY J. HEWEY
Chief of Police
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4 6 103
Report of Board of Fire Engineers
For the Year Ending December 31,1928
Our report for the year 1928 is submitted with more than the usual amount of pride.
The loss sustained by fire is much lower than last year. Also the calls made on the Department were reduced by about 40%. This we feel, is an indication that our Townspeople are getting more into the spirit of Fire Prevention.
Fire Prevention is a personal as well as a Civic obligation. More so in a Town like Agawam with its Volunteer Department of Sixty Men and Officers than in a larger place with a paid Department with regulars on duty at all hours of the day and night.
The members of the Department are. as you perhaps know, working men, who are called from their Employment, at an Alarm of Fire. This they do unselfishly, and any effort made by the Citizens of Agawam to prevent fires is greatly appreciated by them.
During the past year much first class equipment was pur- chased for the three units of our Department, and much more is needed. It was our desire last year to purchase a new Fire Truck, for one of the Stations. This we were not able to do, but sincerely hope that the people will be able to see a way to let us do so next year. This should be done this year, next year and the year following, equipping each unit of the Department with a first class powerful piece of Fire Protection. We think that the old machines which have seen ten years of hard usage should be kept, put in as good shape as possible and use as light hose carts and to go to grass and brush fires with. This class of fires claims a good deal of the Department's time at certain seasons of the year.
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It is not our desire to give the Town a better Fire Depart- ment than it deserves, but a Town like Agawam with its hun- dreds of beautiful homes and public buildings needs the very best that its citizens can afford to give it.
During a fire at North Agawam this past year one of the members of Co. No. 1 Station at North Agawam broke his arm, this was the only accident of the year of a serious nature. We wish at this time to publicly extend our sympathy to this man, and to thank each and every Officer and Member in the entire Department for their unselfish and efficient service.
Following is a list of calls made upon the Department during the year 1928 :
Dwellings
16
Barns
2
Garage
2
Trolley Cars
1
Automobiles
4
Brush
7
Grass
17
False
3
Answering calls out of district
6
Total calls
58
Total loss
$ 28,000.00
Sincerely,
EDWARD J. GOSSELIN, Chairman JAMES W. SHEA, Purchasing Agent FRANK T. GOSS, Secretary
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Assessors' Report
To the Selectmen of the Town of Agawam, Mass.
As will be noted from the table herein given, the total valua- tion of the Town has this year passed the Nine Million Dollar mark. While this is indicative of the rapid and favorable growth of the Town, it must be realized that with this growth the require- ments and work of all the various departments is proportionally increased.
In this department it is found that there is even at the present time a definite demand for the full time services of at least one person. It is hoped that arrangements may be made to meet this demand at least partially in the near future.
Attention is called to the new motor vehicle excise tax law which became operative on January first of this year.
By the provisions of this law, registered motor vehicles will be taxed on an excise basis rather than as a personal property tax. Unregistered vehicles will continue to be taxed as personal prop- erty.
The amount of the excise tax on each registered machine is definitely determined under the direction of the State Department of Taxation and Corporations, and is levied by this department.
The valuation basis of this tax is not indicative of the present sale value of each individual machine, but is determined by the State Department as provided in this new law.
While a considerable number of people have complied with the provisions of law relative to the filing of property lists between April first and May fifteenth, it is urged that everyone who owns either personal or real property in the Town comply with this requirement. Blanks for this purpose may be obtained from the Assessors or at the Town office.
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During the year progress has been made in compiling Asses- sors' maps of the Town and it is hoped that the work may be continued as rapidly as possible.
STATISTICAL REPORT
Horses
305
Cows
569
Sheep
30
Neat cattle
117
Swine
295
Fowls
9,577
Value of fowls
$9,577.00
Houses
2,039
Acres of land
13,907
VALUATIONS
Buildings
$4,996,612.00 2,855,178.00
Land
Total Real Estate
$7,851,790.00
Personal Estate
1,220,277.00
Total valuation
$9,072,067.00
Upon which taxes have been levied as follows :
County tax
$ 12,782.00
State tax
10,795.00
State Highway tax
2,313.88
State Auditing tax
1,018.54
Overlay deficit (1920)
105.01
Overlay deficit (1921)
222.41
Overlay deficit (1923)
604.13
Town appropriations
301,450.00
Overlay for current year
1,338.53
$330,629.50
Less estimated receipts :
Income tax
$ 34,658.80
Corporation tax
5,800.00
Bank tax
50.00
Licenses
1,300.00
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Fines 1,800.00
Special assessments
150.00
Protection of persons and property
125.00
Health and Sanitation
50.00
Charities
35.00
Soldiers' benefits
80.00
Schools
2,000.00
Libraries
50.00
Interest on deposits
200.00
Interest on taxes and assessments
6,800.00
Rentals
300.00
Bills in lieu of taxes
750.00
$ 54,148.80
Free cash in Treasury
15,000.00
Total deductions
$ 69,148.80
Net amount to be raised on Polls and Property $261,480.70
Number of Polls-1917 at $2.00 each
3,834.00
Tax on Personal and Real Estate at $28.40
257,646.70
To Henry E. Bodurtha, Tax Collector, was commit- ted for collection, the sum of 261,480.70
Omitted assessments
12.50
$261,493.20
ADOLPHUS PROVOST, CLARENCE H. GRANGER, PAUL B. JOHNSON,
Assessors
66
Report of Tax Collector
1928
Tax committed
$261,494.70
Omitted assessments
12.50
$261,507.20
Cash paid the treasurer
$158,976.02
Abatements
408.71
Uncollected taxes
102,122.47
$261,507.20
Previous Years Adjusted balance, January 1, 1928 $176,497.42
$176,497.42
Cash paid treasurer
$119,405.07
Abatements and adjustments
794.40
Uncollected, December 31, 1928
56,297.95
$176,497.42
HENRY E. BODURTHA, Collector
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Auditor's Report
February 15, 1929
I hereby certify that I have examined the accounts of the Town Clerk, Treasurer and Collector for the year 1928 as set forth in his annual report, and to the best of my knowledge and belief they are correctly and accurately recorded.
LEAFIE N. MAYNARD, Auditor
68
REPORT OF THE
TRUSTEES FOR COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE COOPERATING WITH THE HAMPDEN COUNTY IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 1928
To the Voters of Agawam:
Agawam annually appropriates $400 to the Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture. The Hampden County Improve- ment League, as their agents, uses this money to help pay the cost of Extension work in this town.
The County Agricultural Agent co-operated with five farm owners in growing alfalfa, twelve in poultry management, six in orchard work and seven in tuberculin testing. There are three members of the Herd Improvement Association in Agawam. In addition to this more than thirty farmers and home owners have asked the county agent for recommendations in selecting stock, in poultry work, crops, fruit growing and cattle feeding. It has required a large number of farm calls and personal service.
The Home Bureau agents conducted work in Agawam, West Agawam and Feeding Hills. Twenty-one local volunteer leaders assisted the agents. The leaders attended training conferences at the League in order to prepare themselves for the work. One hun- dred and seventy-three were enrolled in the projects. The Home Bureau agents and leaders held forty-three meetings that had a to- tal attendance of four hundred and nineteen women. Much credit is due the leaders for the assistance they rendered. The two Home Bureau committees helped the agents very materially in planning the work. The committee consisted of Mrs. Arnold Peterson, Mrs. Blanche Bodurtha and Mrs. Hendrick Fickweiler, Mrs. William Costine, Mrs Frank Belden and Mrs. C. H. Granger.
69
Agawam is a real 4-H club town. There were club mem- bers in Agawam, West Agawam, North Agawam and Feeding Hills. The total enrollment being 180. Miss Edith C. Hull and Mrs. Lee Jenks directed the work as local leaders and Miss Marion Allen, Miss Amy Cote and Miss Alma Colson as Junior leaders. Out of eleven county club champions, Agawam had two, Joseph Raplus was county pig club champion and Elbert L. Jenks, Baby Beef club champion. Elbert's steer fed and trained by him, was grand champion Baby Beef, at the Eastern States Exposition, shown in the open class was champion Angus and Grand Champ- ion Beef animal of the Show, all beef breeds competing. Elbert was chosen by the State Leader as State Baby Beef Club Champ- ion. Four-H club boys and girls won over $644.50 at the Eastern States Exposition. The local junior exhibit was of a high order.
Marion Allen was chosen by the State Club Leader as one of two most outstanding club girls to represent the State at the International 4-H Club Congress at Chicago.
Harold Atwater, H. A. Marotte and Lee Jenks are town directors of the League and Mrs. Dwight Hawley is director at large.
We respectfully request a continuation of this appropriation and the cooperation of the citizens of Agawam for 1929.
HERMON W. KING, GEORGE S. COOK, MRS. JOHN P. KIRBY, MRS. WILLIAM G. DWIGHT, HARRY C. LANE,
R. FRANK MCELWAIN,
HORACE A. MOSES,
FRED D. ROGERS, FREDERICK A. UPHAM,
Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture,
By: P. A. Campbell, Clerk
70
REPORT OF
Board of Water Commissioners
RECEIPTS
From Water Rents
$ 18,792.23
From Water Connections
2,594.45
$ 21,386.68
EXPENDITURES
Superintendent
$ 1,404.00
Printing and Postage
104.24
Other administration
846.00
Labor
1,209.00
Teams
1,068.90
Meters and freight
620.69
Repairing meters
1,465.72
Pipe and Fittings
65.92
Connection on Line Street
5,756.15
Water
2,854.54
Bonds and Interest
8,991.25
$ 24,386.41
WALTER S. KERR DENNIS M. CROWLEY JOHN L. BURKE
Water Commissioners
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Report of Library Trustees
BOOKS
Number at Agawam
8,468
Number at Feeding Hills
5,680
Number at North Agawam
1,887
CIRCULATION
Agawam
16,035
Feeding Hills
9,442
North Agawam
8,820
BORROWERS
Agawam
750
Feeding Hills
382
North Agawam
770
CLARENCE H. GRANGER ANNA H. RUDMAN IDA BERNATCHEZ
Library Commissioners
72
ANNUAL REPORTS of the
School Committee and the
Superintendent of Schools of the Town of AGAWAM, MASS.
OF
W
INCORP
1855.
ORA
D
For the Year Ending December 31
1928
Agawam Public Schools
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL BOARD
Clifford M. Granger, Chairman Term expires March, 1929 Post Office Address, Feeding Hills
Mrs. Grace B. Reed Term expires March, 1929 Post Office Address, Agawam
Joseph L. Roy Term expires March, 1930 Post Office Address, Mittineague
Sidney F. Atwood, Secretary Term expires March, 1930 Post Office Address, Feeding Hills
Arthur Rudman Term expires March, 1931 Post Office Address, Agawam
Thomas H. Stapleton
Term expires March, 1931
Post Office Address, Agawam
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Benjamin J. Phelps Telephone: 4-2831
SCHOOL CALENDAR, 1929
Winter Term-January 2 to March 29 Spring Term-April 8 to June 7, Elementary Schools Spring Term-April 8 to June 14, Junior-Senior High School Fall Term-September 3 to December 20
77 %
OFFICE HOURS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
High School Building-School Days, 8.30-9.00 A. M., and by appointment.
SECRETARY Emma Mellor Telephone 2-7176
HOURS OF SESSIONS
Elementary Schools 9.00-12.00 A. M. 1.00-3.30 P. M.
Junior High School 9.00-12.00 A. M. 12.30-3.00 P. M.
Senior High School 9.00 A. M .- 12.30 P. M. 1.00-3.00 P. M.
78
REPORT OF School Committee
We herewith present for your consideration our annual report as a Committee. Our Superintendent's message to the townspeople becomes each year more comprehensive, and the supervisors' reports are also becoming more numerous and varied. Such being the case a report from your School Committee seems, as it were, to be a sort of useless gesture. Consequently, a very brief word from them should be sufficient to fulfill all traditionary requirements.
We have noticed that many of the more progressive towns and cities of this state are trying to make more adequate provision for school play grounds and school athletic fields. We are sure that any modern up to date High School should include as a part of its equipment a first class Athletic field. This matter has been under discussion for several years but no definite legal action has as yet been taken. As a point of economy that proposition should receive favorable action at the earliest possible moment.
At the annual town meeting, last March, a Committee was appointed, by the moderator, to investigate the need of additional school accommodations, with instructions to report their findings and recommendations at a later meeting.
A special town meeting was held in June, and the report of the investigating committee was heard at that time. They were unanimous in recommending an addition to the present High School Building. Tentative sketches were shown wherein pro-
79
vision was made for relief along the following lines: first, more class room space for Junior High classes; second, additional locker room space for both boys and girls; third, more space for Manual Training and Typewriting; fourth, a play room or gymnasium for the girls and their gymnastic work; fifth, new rooms for General Science and Agricultural laboratories; sixth, rooms for our mentally retarded pupils. An appropriation of $125,000 was voted for the erection and furnishing of such an addition. The moderator appointed as a Building Committee, J. L. Roy, C. W. Hull, F. W. Kellogg, Harry Jones, Frank Goss and C. M. Granger.
Your School Committee are hopeful that this building will relieve the congestion now obtaining at North Agawam, Agawam Center, Springfield Street and the High School itself. When this addition is completed Agawam should have as fine a high school layout as any town of its size in this state.
It gives us much pleasure to report that we were able to operate our school system during the year just closed without exceeding the amount of our budget.
For the year 1929 we shall be obliged to ask for a somewhat larger appropriation than we had in 1928. Our enlarged high school plant will necessitate extra teachers, additional supplies and textbooks, more Janitor service and increased fuel, water and light costs. In making up our budget we always figure the various items very closely and we feel that the tax payers appre- ciate that fact.
The Committee are very much pleased with the improved form of transportation now prevailing in the Feeding Hills part of the town and in a portion of the Agawam precinct. We hope, at an early date, to be able to furnish similar busses on all the transportation lines in town.
Our expenditures for repairs and maintenance have been unusually large during the past year. Much of this repair work had formerly been looked after by the Selectmen. Much needed
80
repairs were made at North Agawam, at Feeding Hills Center, at the Suffield Street School, and at Agawam Center.
In closing our report we, as a Committee, wish to thank the parents and citizens of this town for their cordial and generous support during the year 1928.
Respectfully submitted,
S. F. ATWOOD, JOSEPH L. ROY, GRACE B. REED, THOS. H. STAPLETON, ARTHUR RUDMAN, CLIFFORD M. GRANGER.
81
-------------
Financial Statement of Schools
December 31, 1928
General Expense
$ 7,148.72
Salaries of Teachers
87,572.50
Text Books
3,280.38
Stationery, Supplies, Miscl.
4,477.43
Wages of Janitors
8,604.49
Fuel
7,297.33
Miscellaneous Operating Expense
2,066.99
Repairs, etc.
5,437,63
Libraries
352.25
Health
2,178.11
Transportation
6,882.84
Tuition
1,860.94
Miscellaneous Expenses
1,272.48
Outlay-New Equipment
1,565.50
Total ...
$139,997.59
82
Superintendent's Report
To the School Committee of Agawam :
Gentlemen :
My usual method of procedure in writing the annual report has been to select some keynote, such as "Education from the Standpoint of an Equal Educational Opportunity", or "Economy of Time in the Administration of Schools", and with said keynote as a centralizing factor write a short survey of the work in the Agawam public schools for the current year. This year, for the most part, my report will center about the field of statistics and so might be termed a statistical survey of the Agawam schools. These statistics will cover the following items :- Cost of Educa- tion in Agawam; Promotion and Classification of Pupils; Health. and Attendance Reports; also data in regard to Teachers.
COST OF EDUCATION
One of the big factors in the support of any project is the number of units for which provision must be made. The cost of maintaining a large family is greater than the expense of bringing up a small family. The cost of supporting a large pupil popula- tion is more than the cost of maintaining a small school enroll- ment. The following table lists a few towns that employ in most instances from 45 to 65 teachers. The list is selected from Group II of the State Returns, in which Agawam belongs.
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TABLE 1
Towns
Population, State Census 1925
Pupils Enrolled
Number of Teachers
Bridgewater
9,468
1,648
60
Stoneham
9,084
1,542
57
Swampscott
8,953
1,556
65
Ludlow
8,802
1,798
59
Ware
8,629
1,368
45
Montague
7,973
1,685
62
Rockland
7,966
1,459
51
South Hadley
6,609
1,438
48
*Agawam
6,290
1,625
56
Amherst
5,972
1,277
52
Monson
5,089
729
29
My purpose in presenting the above table is to show that in Agawam there is an extraordinary number of public school child- ren in comparison with other towns of about the same population. A glance at the list of towns makes the above fact self-evident. A few significant points may, however, be indicated.
The public school population of Agawam is approximately the same as that of Bridgewater, yet there are only 6,290 people in Agawam as compared with 9,468 in Bridgewater. Again, Ware with a population of 8,629 has almost three hundred less pupils in number to support than Agawam. Amherst with a population but few less than Agawam has 1,277 pupils enrolled, which number is 348 less than the pupil enrollment of Agawam.
The three largest items of expense in a school budget are Buildings, Equipment and Teachers. There is no need of argu- ment to prove that more classrooms and equipment are necessary, and a larger number of teachers imperative for a larger number of pupils than for a smaller number. The expense grows very fast inasmuch as for approximately thirty pupils a classroom with appropriate equipment must be provided as well as a teacher. The cost of building and equipping a classroom at the present time is $8,000. The average salary for a teacher is $1,275.
We have a large school family in Agawam, we must provide for the family. In consequence thereof a large proportion of the money raised by taxation is expended for educational purposes. Since we have this large family we cannot afford to be extrava-
84
gant, neither can we suffer ourselves to be improvident. The issues at stake are far too great to permit such conditions to exist. The citizens of Agawam have given loyal support to the educa- tional program in force in Agawam, because they have felt that for the money invested they have received provident returns.
The following three tables will present data from the State Returns. This data will show important facts about the amount of money spent per pupil by Agawam and by her neighboring towns.
TABLE 2
Group II-Towns of 5000 population or over, December 31, 1927 Expenditures for Support of Public Schools from Local Taxation
Towns
Amount Spent
Cost per pupil in net average membership
Rank in Group II
West Springfield
$288,664.65
$90.12
12
Easthampton
117,359.90
74.75
40
Palmer
144,921.03
71.38
50
Ludlow
135,933.12
80.82
27
WVare
82,877.04
64.85
64
South Hadley
88,797.11
65.73
62
Amherst
91,809.54
81.25
25
Orange
79,057.07
81.25
26
Monson
56,926.59
75.60
37
Agawam
107,799.62
70.23
52
In this group of 10 towns, there are only two towns; namely, Ware and South Hadley, which spend less money from local taxation per pupil than Agawam. In most cases, as is evident, a greater sum per pupil is spent.
All of the above towns were selected from Group II Towns, or towns in Massachusetts of 5,000 population and over. In this entire group there are 79 towns. Agawam ranks 52 in the list.
The amount spent per pupil in net average membership in Agawam for the school year 1927 was $70.23. The average amount spent per pupil for the group of 79 towns was $77.35.
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TABLE 3 Group II-Towns of 5000 population or over, December 31, 1927 Expenditures for Support of Public Schools from All Sources
Towns
Amount Spent
Cost per pupil in net average Rank in membership Group II 14
West Springfield
$314,523.97
$98.18
Easthampton
131,417.84
83.71
42
Palmer
165,993.99
81.77
48
Ludlow
150,728.44
89.61
36
Ware
93,600.00
73.24
70
South Hadley
102,637.87
75.97
64
Amherst
118,145.26
104.55
8
Orange
88,933.88
91.40
28
Monson
68,277.18
90.67
29
Agawam
126,400.09
82.35
46
In Table 3 are listed the same towns as in Table 2, and the sum of money spent per pupil from all sources is listed. To some citizens this table may contain new information. The fact that there are refunds by the State, under certain conditions, to cities and towns on account of the schools is not generally known. The State, however, in making its returns takes into consideration this income from other sources and presents returns incorporating the same. In further explanation, Agawam received from this source during the year 1927 $18,600.47. The State in presenting returns as to per pupil cost from local taxation (Table 2) deducted this amount from the sum of money raised by the town for the support of the schools. In Table 3 this sum is included in the returns.
A study of Table 3 at once reveals but little change in the relative position of the towns in State rank. All of the towns listed, with the exception of Ware, South Hadley and Palmer, spend considerably more money per pupil than Agawam. In the group of 79 towns, Agawam ranks 46 and spends $82.35 per pupil. The average expenditure per pupil in the entire group is $87.53 per pupil. In comparison with the above expenditures, it is interesting to note that the average expenditure per pupil from all sources in the State of Massachusetts for the said year was $96.81, and in the United States of America $102.05.
86
Although the data on expenditures per pupil from all sources (Table 3) includes the Expenditure per high school pupil, it may be interesting to some to see the returns as to expenditure per high school pupil. Table 4 gives these returns.
TABLE 4
Group II-Towns of 5000 population or over, December 31, 1927 Public Day High Schools including Third Year of Junior High Schools
Towns
Average Membership
Expenditure for Expenditure per support exclusive of pupils in net av- general control erage membership
West Springfield
513
$67,463.27
$131.51
Easthampton
280
34,418.18
112.85
Palmer
285
43,512.65
152.68
Ludlow
116
21,717.72
187.22
Ware
262
28,630.19
109.27
South Hadley
274
31,496.68
114.95
Amherst
310
45,792.21
147.71
Orange
245
34,378.02
140.31
Monson
139
20,149.16
149.16
Agawam
229
29,026.35
126.75
In this group of 10 towns we find very few towns which spend less money per high school pupil than Agawam. On the other hand, we are brought to face with the fact that most towns expend more money on each high school pupil. The conclusion can here be pertinently drawn that Agawam in the support of her high school pupils, as well as in the support of the pupils of elementary school grades, does not exceed the average for the group in which Agawam is classed.
IMPORTANT FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THE COST OF EDUCATION
In addition to the size of the pupil population there are many other considerations which influence the cost per pupil of education in a town. These cost contributory factors may be grouped under two headings; namely, Quality of Education in Force in the Towns, and the Set Up of the Budget.
87
By quality of education reference is made to the program of studies which the particular town offers. There are certain studies which have persisted over a long period of time and finally have become firmly fixed in the mind of the public as a true part of the educational program. Some of these studies are as follows :- Domestic Science, Art, Music, Manual Training, Physical Train- ing, Vocational Training, and Opportunity Schools for special groups of children. Agawam has well established departments in all of the above mentioned subjects except the opportunity classes. These are to be inaugurated during the present school year. The reports of the various teachers in charge of the above mentioned departments will relate to you the work of these depart- ments.
The set up of the budget varies in different towns. There have been several changes in the set up of the Agawam budget in the past three years. Formerly the Town budget had the responsibility of looking after all outside repairs on school build- ings and the insurance of school buildings and equipment. These two items have been transferred to the School Department's bud- get, and during the past school year above $3,500 was spent by the School Department on insurance and outside repairs. This sum is sufficient to raise in the school budget the cost per pupil two dollars. This fact is mentioned in my report not to register an objection to such an arrangement of the budget, but to bring out the point that some towns do not include said items in the school budget, and in such towns the cost per pupil in the State Returns is less.
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