USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1936-1940 > Part 17
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The baby Clinic at Agawam Center was closed be- cause of a small attendance. Springfield Street Clinic has had a very good attendance, but clinics were closed in November because of the measle epidemic. Springfield Street clinic will reopen February 9. and will be held every other week and the clinic in the North Agawam School will open February 7, and will he held every other week in the library from 2 to 4.
206 were immunized at the Diptheria Clinic which was held in May at the High School Building.
I wish to thank Mrs. Maude O'Connell for her splen- did cooperation with me in my recent illness, and also the Town Officers and Town people for their loyal sup- port and kindness to me throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted, YOUR TOWN NURSE, Clara H. Williams, R.N.
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REPORT OF THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
.. FOR THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1938 ..
Honorable Board of Selectmen
Gentlemen :
The following is a report of the Highway Dept. for the year ending December 31, 1938:
Suffield St .- The hardened surface of this street was extended south of Silver St. about 2/3 of a mile, making a continuous hardened road from Main St. at the Agawam Bridge to a little south of Adams St. This work was done under contract with Chapter 90 funds furnished by State. County, and Town.
Springfield St. was patched and oiled its full length of five miles, improving the condition of this road very much. Chapter 90 maintenance funds were used for this work, the cost being shared by State, County and Town.
The hills on both sides of deep gutter brook on North St. were oiled and given a trap stone finish, making this a much safer surface for traffic during icy periods, and also making a more permanent surface requiring less main- tenance.
The easterly side of Walnut St. from Springfield St. to Maple St. was widened 6 feet, bringing this hardened surface to the back of the catch basins, and saving the breaking up of this roadway at the shoulder on that side
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of the street. This six foot wide piece was graveled and oiled and then given a trap stone finish.
The remaining Street Railway track ties were re- moved from the southeasterly side of Maple St. between O'Brien's Corner and Bridge St. This section was then graveled and oiled, widening this road to the catch basins and thereby saving the roadway from breaking up at the shoulders and also making a wider and safer highway.
Cooper St., from Main St. to Federal St. was oiled and given a trap stone finish. This is the first oiling done on this street since it was resurfaced in 1935.
Mill St. between Cooper and Suffield Sts., graveled in 1936 as a Farm to Market W. P. A. project, was re- shaped and given an oiled surface. This road completes a much shorter route between Agawam Center and Feed- ing Hills, having a hardened surface the full distance.
Mill St. from Cooper St. to Springfield St., a dis- tance of about one mile, was given a coat of oil over the previously oiled surface as regular maintenance oiling work.
One mile on the northerly end of West St. North and about 11/2 miles of West St. South, from Barry St. northerly, were oiled as regular maintenance oiling work.
Federal St. and the easterly end of Garden St. were also oiled as regular maintenance work to preserve the oiled surfaces of these streets.
King St. in North Agawam was scarified, shaped, rolled and oiled and given a trap stone finish very much improving the travelling and dust conditions on this street.
During 1938, twenty-four new sewer entrances were made, fourteen of these being connections to the new Springfield St. Sewer.
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$10,000.00 of the Chapter 90 cost of $20,000.00 has been approved by the Department of Public Works for Springfield St. widening during 1939, provided the County and Town each appropriate $5,000.00. As this amount will not be sufficient to do all of Springfield and South- wick Sts., the Department of Public Works has agreed to furnish more money for this work if the Agawam Bridge is not replaced.
$4,000.00 of $8,000 00 has been approved by the De- partment of Public Works as Chapter 90 funds during 1939 for the extension of the hardened surface on Suffield St. southerly to South St. and Shoemaker Lane.
An additional appropriation will be required during 1939 for removal of the remaining tree stumps that were left after the hurricane of September 21, 1938.
Respectfully submitted, W. D. RISING,
Highway Superintendent
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REPORT OF W. P. A. PROJECTS
For the Year Ending December 31, 1938.
Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Gentlemen :
The following is a report of W. P. A. Projects for the year ending December 31, 1938.
Adams Street Surface Drainage
During 1937 this storm sewer was constructed to a point 1700 feet westerly of Main Street. An additional 1725 feet was constructed during 1938, the project being completed March 4th. Federal expenditures $6,312.48. Town funds $2,113.30.
Assessors' Maps
This project started during 1936 was finished March 25, 1938, completing additions to and rechecking of the maps used by the board of assessors. Federal expendi- tures $2,599.18. Town funds $266.53.
Gypsy Moth
This project begun in 1937 was completed April 21, 1938. Federal expenditures during 1938 were $2,575.25. Town funds $140.60.
Oak Hill Street Sewer
This project was completed May 20, 1938. A 12" vitrified clay sewer was laid in this street to a point about
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950 feet from Maple Street., the Maple Street sanitary sewer serving as an outlet for this sewer. Federal ex- penditures $1,392.46. Town funds $979.40.
Central Street Surface Drainage
This project completed July 22, 1938 furnishes a sur- face drainage sewer on Central Street from Main Street to Sunrise Terrace and drains this street of surface water making this road much less muddy than before this con- struction. Federal expenditures $2,681.09. Town funds $1,509.14.
School Painting
This project or painting corridors and all exterior wood and metalwork at the Feeding Hills, Springfield Street, Maple Street, and High Schools was completed August 16, 1938. Federal expenditures $3,046.28. Town funds $810.73.
Springfield Street Sanitary Sewer
This very much needed sanitary sewer was started January 29, 1938 and was extended to the Springfield Street School June 3, 1938, a distance of about one mile from O'Brien's Corners. This project was reopened July 19, 1938 and continued westerly to Highland Street, a distance of about 2/5 of a mile. This sewer also will serve as an outlet for all streets north of this section of Springfield Street; Harding and Wilson Streets, being extended from this line at present. Federal expenditures $29,697.94. Town funds $8,799.32.
Springfield Street Walk
This 5 foot wide concrete walk was constructed be- tween Franklin Street and Williams Street, a distance of 2/5 of a mile on the southerly side of Springfield Street, providing a walk for school children living westerly of the Springfield Street School and for other pedestrians. This project was started June 29, 1938 and finished August 10, 1938. Federal expenditures $3,117.78. Town funds $1.713.71.
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Maple Street Walk
A 51/2 foot wide concrete walk was constructed be- tween O'Brien's Corners and Bridge Street, North Aga- wam, on the northerly side of Maple Street, a distance of 1/2 mile. This provides a suitable walk for school child- ren going to the Maple Street School from O'Brien's Corners and vicinity and for other pedestrians. This pro- ject was started July 2, 1938 and finished August 24, 1938. Federal expenditures $4,707.25. Town funds $2,165.98.
Main Street Road Shoulders
This State sponsered project started work on con- structing hardened shoulders on the westerly side of Main Street in Agawam Center near the Agawam Cemetery, but after seven days of work this project was discontinued by the State Department of Public Works because of the flood and hurricane of September 21, 1938. Federal ex- penditures $605.33 for labor. State funds unknown. Town funds none.
Mulberry and Ellington Streets Water Mains
A 6" water main 1060 feet long was installed on the above streets, connected on one end to the Moore Street water main and on the other end with the Maple Street water main. One hydrant was placed on each Mulberry and Ellington Streets for fire protection. Federal expendi- tures $1,555.80. Town funds $1,846.12.
Southwick Street Water Main
A 6" water main was installed on Southwick Street running 1000 feet westerly from West Street, having a hydrant at the westerly end for fire protection. This pro- ject started June 6, 1938 and was finished October 15, 1938. Federal expenditures $2,088.80. Town funds $1,269.24.
South Street and Shoemaker Lane Water Main
The 6" water main on South Street was extended to meet the 4" water main on Shoemaker Lane, a distance
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of 2,650 feet on South Street and 650 feet on Shoemaker Lane. Five hydrants were placed on South Street and one hydrant on Shoemaker Lane for fire protection. This project started May 9, 1938 and was completed October 22, 1938, with the exception of resurfacing of the road which will be done in the Spring of 1939. Federal ex- penditures $6,778.47. Town funds $5,257.58.
Flood and Hurricane Disaster of September 21, 1938
This project for emergency and rehabilitation work due to this flood and hurricane, started at midnight, Wed- nesday, September 21, 1938, removing fallen trees and limbs and repairing flooded streets and sewers through- out the town of Agawam. Federal expenditures till December 24, 1938 were, Trucks $504.50, Labor $14,942.77, Pipe $464.48. Town expenditures were $2,500.00.
Sewing
The Sewing Project gave employment to 19 people during 1938. Federal expenditures for materials $1,130.00, labor $12,684.47-a total of $13,814.47. Town funds spent were $3,522.90. A large portion o the articles produced by this project are returned to Agawam and distributed by the Surplus Commodities Distribution Commissary to W. P. A. workers and welfare recipients.
Cooper Street Drainage
This project for the construction of a surface drain- age system in Cooper Street between Suffield and Mill Streets, a distance of about one mile, started November 5, 1938 ; about 1100 feet being constructed up to December 31, 1938. Federal expenditures for materials $275.88, labor $4.696.08, a total of $4,971.96. Town funds $1,074.50.
Harding and Wilson Streets Sanitary Sewers
These two projects are for the construction of 1,661 feet of sanitary sewers in these two streets, using the Springfield Street sewer constructed during 1938 as an outlet. From December 10, 1938 to December 31, 1938, Federal expenditures were $1,771.14 and town funds spent were $653.32.
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Main Street Sidewalk
This sidewalk on the easterly side of Main Street was built from the southerly line of Meadow Street to a point 7000 feet southerly, at the north side of Melrose Place. Work on this project will be resumed in the spring of 1939 as soon as sufficient thawing has taken place to allow this work to continue. Federal expenditures $10,511.59. Town funds $5,832.91.
Geodetic Survey and Mapping
This project started operations March 28, 1938 with 15 people working to December 31, 1938, having completed mapping and surveying about 20% of the town. Federal expenditures $10,305.96. Town funds $1,275.87.
Recreation
This project operated at a very low cost to the town, furnished supervision of recreational activities for the pub- lic at Shea Field during the summer months, and at the High School during the winter months. Federal expendi- tures $7,714.04. Town funds $177.95.
The average number of people assigned to W. P. A. during 1938 was 172.
Statement of Completed W. P. A. Projects Expenditures For the Year Ending December 31, 1938
Federal Town
W. P. A. Appropriations During 1938 Completed Projects :
Labor $67,106.85
Material 2,150.44
Trucks
632.70
Total
$ 69,889.99 $ 21,791.45
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W. P. A. Expenditures During 1938 Completed Projects :
Labor
$64,651.58
Material
1,221.48
Trucks
504.50
Total
66,377.56
21,588.30
Balance
$ 3,512.43
$ 203.15
Statement of Incomplete W. P. A. Projects Expenditures
For the Year Ending December 31, 1938
Federal
Town
WV. P. A. Appropriation During 1938 Incomplete Projects :
Labor
$117,748.64
Material 4,444.84
Total
$122,193.48
$ 35,846.62
W. P. A. Expenditures During 1938
Incomplete Projects : Labor $ 64,040.58
Material 1,440.88
Total
65,481.46
22,944.85
Balance
$ 56,712.02
$ 12,901.77
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN E. MALLEY,
W. P. A. Co-ordinator
99
ANNUAL REPORTS
of the
School Committee and the
Superintendent of Schools of the Town of AGAWAM, MASS.
OF
G
M
VCO
15.1855
OR
ORAT
ED
For the Year Ending December 31 1938
Agawam Public Schools
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL BOARD
Clifford M. Granger, Chairman, Term expires 1941
Post Office Address, Feeding Hills
Leslie C. Miller Term expires 1941
Post Office Address, Feeding Hills Term expires 1939
Sidney F. Atwood, Secretary
Post Office Address, Feeding Hills
Edson A. Ferrell Term expires 1939
Post Office Address, North Agawam
Mrs Grace B. Reed Term expires 1940 Post Office Address. Agawam
Warren C. Bodurtha Term expires 1940 Post Office Address, Agawam
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Benjamin J. Phelps Telephone : 4-2831
OFFICE HOURS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT High School Building-School Days, 8.30-9.30 A. M. and by appointment
SECRETARY Emma Mellor Telephone 4-1630
103
SCHOOL CALENDAR-1939
Winter Term-January 3, to February 24 Spring Term-March 6 to April 28
Summer Term-May 8, to June 16, Elementary Schools Summer Term-May 8 to June 21, Junior-Senior High Fall Term-September 6 to December 22
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.
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REPORT OF THE School Committee
To the Citizens of Agawam :
Once again it becomes our duty as a Committee to report to you concerning our stewardship of the Agawam Schools. When we look back over the last quarter of a century we are amazed at the advance our town has made along educational lines. During that time we erected a high school, and a few years later we were obliged to make a substantial addition to the original building in order to accommodate our ever increasing number of pupils.
The year 1938 saw our town take another important step in the modernizing of our school buildings. At the last annual town meeting an Investigating Committee reported progress and was continued in order that they might consider further plans for bettering conditions at Agawam Center. At a special town meeting held early in May, this committee rendered its report, giving a vivid account of conditions obtaining at the Agawam Center School, and recommending the erection of an entire new building and the demolition of the present structure. The voters present accepted the recommendation of the com- mittee, and appropriated money sufficient to pay the cost of a new building. The Building Committee was instructed to apply for a P.W.A. allotment, and if an allotment was received to accept it in behalf of the town. The applica- tion papers were made out and in July word came through that Agawam had been successful in securing a Federal
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grant. The committee to have charge of the erection and the furnishing of the new school. as appointed by the town meeting and by the moderator, consists of Giles Halladay, Herman Cordes, Edward Talmadge, James Kane, Philip Barry, Warren Bodurtha, Mrs. Grace Reed and Clifford Granger, with the superintendent of schools, B. J. Phelps, acting as advisor. At the first meeting of the new com- mittee it was voted to hire Paul B. Johnson as architect and to continue Morris Maloney as consulting architect until such time as actual construction should begin. On August 23 the bids on the general contract were opened and the L. D. Phillips Construction Company of West- field was low bidder. At the present time the construction is ahead of schedule and there is a strong probability that the building will be ready for use before the close of this school year. This is probably the most modern in design of any school in Western Massachusetts and it will be one of which Agawam may well be proud. This school will have ten class rooms, a lunch room, a clinic room, a principal's office, a teachers' room, and an audi- torium capable of seating 300 to 350, and of course all the necessary modern sanitary toilet facilities. With such a School and Community Center Agawam proper should attract anyone wishing to live in an urban setting.
At the close of the school year we received the resigna- tion of Mr. Earl F. Williams as principal of our High School, as he had been elected principal of the Gardner High School at Gardner, Massachusetts. Mr. Williams was a thorough school man and his eleven years of service in Agawam left their mark on all those who came in con- tact with him. We wish him the best of success in his new position.
During the past few years we have seen how it has become the custom and the tendency for the employee to work more and more by the watch, a characteristic that has been too often aided by government jobs. We had on our high school faculty a man who has been with us since the inception of our school; a man who always had time
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before or after school to help out in any way he could any or all extracurricular activities. With him it was not a question of time but rather what can I do for the school? To improve himself in his profession he took summer courses and secured a degree and soon lie will have a masters degree. What more fitting recognition could we give such a loyal and faithful teacher than the principal- ship of the Agawam High School? Every graduate of our school knows him and I am sure they will all join us in wishing Mr. Frederick T. Dacey a long and successful career in his new position as principal of our High School.
As most of you know, Suffield is to build a high school of their own and they hope to have it ready by September, 1939. Consequently we will lose most of the Suffield stu- dents, for whose tuition we have received around $3500 per year. That, of course, means that we will have to raise more of our school funds by taxation.
In our last school budget we were granted money enough by the Finance Board to put in operation our so- called blanket policy of insurance on our town buildings. We are sure that it will give Agawam more adequate pro- tection and it will certainly stabilize our insurance charges.
We have often spoken in the past of a need for more land adjoining our High School property for use in play- ground and athletic activities. Several of our neighboring towns have secured new fields with the aid of Federal grants. When our W.P.A. co-ordinator is looking for new projects he might well consider such a proposition. The longer we put off acquiring the necessary land the more it will cost the town.
We are happy to report that our school property came through the hurricane of September 21 in fine style with the exception of the North Agawam building where there was some roof damage.
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We feel that a closer relation between parents and teachers is oftentimes desirable. When a teacher knows the pupil's parents there may be a better understanding of the child's idiosyncrasies, and when the parents know the teacher they can perhaps better appreciate the sincerity of the teacher's efforts. So it would seem to your com- mittee a fine thing for as many of our teaching force as possible to make their homes in Agawam.
The attendance in our schools this year has been much better than previously and in some rooms it has been little short of perfect. Frequent absences from class are usually the cause of pupil retardation. A pupil who has to repeat a year steps up the cost of getting him through school, so it is up to the parents to keep their children in school as regularly as possible.
We wish to thank parents. teachers and pupils for their loyal co-operation during the year 1938. May your committee so serve you throughout 1939 as to deserve a continuance of your favor.
Respectfully submitted.
CLIFFORD M. GRANGER, Chairman SIDNEY F. ATWOOD MRS. GRACE B. REED WARREN C. BODURTHA LESLIE C. MILLER EDSON A. FERRELL
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.
Financial Statement
DECEMBER 31, 1938
Appropriation
$ 147,000.00
Smith-Hughes Funds (Federal for
Agriculture) 285.07
$ 147,285.07
EXPENDITURES
General Expense
$ 6,741.43
Salaries of Teachers, Supervisors and
Principals
90,553.50
Text Books
2,051.03
Stationery and Supplies
4,421.49
Wages of Janitors
9,761.80
Fuel
5,982.35
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
2,908.41
Repairs and Replacements
2,471.76
School Libraries
258.39
Health
2,048.00
Transportation
10,828.34
Tuition
1,850.38
Insurance on Buildings and Equipment
2,346.30
Miscellaneous Expenses
441.61
Outlay-Buildings and Equipment
1,775.56
Agriculture
2,844.72
Total $ 147,285.07
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COST OF SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN
Total Expenditures ..... $ 147,285.07
Returns to the Town on account of Schools, but not returnable to the School Department : From the State:
On account of Teachers'
Salaries $ 14,412.00
For Agricultural Instruction
1,664.19
On account of Trade School Tuition 1,034.35
Tuition and Transportation of State Wards 288.74
Tuition of High School Pupils
from Other Towns 3,695.20
From Manual Training
Department 140.90
From Rental of School
Buildings
155.00
Miscellaneous Receipts
3.25
$ 21.393.63
Paid to the School Department :
Smith-Hughes Funds (Federal for Agriculture)
285.07
$ 21,678.70
Amount paid for Schools from Local Taxation $ 125,606.37
110
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
To the School Committee and the Citizens of Agawam :
I hereby submit the annual report of the Superinten- dent of Schools.
The five most interesting factors in any school system are : Retardation, Elimination, Guidance, Teachers, and Enrollments. My report is written about these problems as they are found at the present time in the Agawam school system.
RETARDATION
School membership in Agawam in 1938 was 1649: Number of retardations in Agawam in 1938-95: Per cent of retardation in all schools-5.7 : Per cent of retardation in elementary schools-6.4. A few years ago there was a 10 to 15 per cent of retardation in most school systems. In 1925 the per cent of retardation in the elementary schools of Agawam was 9.3. We have reduced retarda- tion approximately 3 per cent since that time. This is a praiseworthy accomplishment.
During the past decade school administrators have centered their attention upon the problem of reducing re- tardation to its lowest terms. There are two reasons for keeping retardation as low as possible; namely, a low per cent of retardation decreases the costs of education, but of more importance than that is the fact that fewer pupils face discouragement in their educational advancement.
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There has been a noticeable shift in recent years on the emphasis of teaching. Formerly, to a high degree. the teachers taught reading and writing and arithmetic; now they teach boys and girls. Formerly the subject taught was a fetish; now the emphasis is on the pupil and his total welfare. Then most all teaching was quite formal in procedure, now there is much informality in the pro- cess. In the good old days a teacher was rated rather high if she failed a large number of her pupils; today she will receive a higher rating if the failures in her class are few in number. However, since there are great individual differences in pupils, and since we move pupils about by grades, it is not possible to remove retardation from schools entirely. Our teachers are using every effort to keep their pupils up to grade. Their efforts have been helped out by two situations; namely, the strict enforce- ment of the age requirement for first graders, and the decrease in enrollments in some rooms. It is now possi- ble for our teachers to work with more mature children in the primary grades, and to give more individual in- struction.
ELIMINATION
There was a time, not long ago, when the problem of pupils leaving school before they had finished their course was rather alarming. In fact, the holding power of a school was a potent consideration in giving the school a rating. In those days many pupils left school to go to work; jobs were plentiful. Other pupils left because they did not like school. After pupils had passed the sixth grade, if they were fourteen years of age, they could leave school. There was a great exodus of pupils at that time. At the end of the seventh grade, many more pupils left school. When the work of the eighth grade was com- pleted, about 30 per cent of the graduates failed to enter the first year of the high school course. During each year of the high school course more pupils left school, until only about 35 per cent of those entering high school grad- uated. Today the picture is changed; there is practically no elimination of pupils before the second year of the high
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school course, and about 80 per cent of the pupils who enter high school graduate. Because such a high per cent of the pupil population persist in school attendance, the problem of guidance has come to the forefront.
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