USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Agawam > Town of Agawam, Massachusetts annual report 1946-1950 > Part 63
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Westerly line of the State Highway layout of Main Street : thence South 38 deg. 16 min. 21 sec. East, Two Hundred Ten and 93/100 (210.93) feet to a Massachusetts High- way Bound; thence by a curve to the right having an arc of Eighty-eight and 31/100 (88.31) feet to an iron rod : thence continuing by said curve to the right having an arc of Thirty-four and 91/100 (34.91) feet to another Massachusetts Highway Bound; thence continuing south- erly by the westerly line of Main Street Eighty (80) feet to the point of beginning. Pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 67. To see if the Town will vote to change the zoning of the following described property from Resi- dence A2 and Business A to Business B:
Beginning at a point in the Westerly line of Main Street, distant Seven Hundred Sixty-two and 40/100 (762.40) feet, more or less, from the Massachusetts High- way bound located at the intersection of the northerly line of Cooper Street and the westerly line of Main Street and running thence South 63 deg. 00 min. 37 sec. West about Two Hundred Five (205) feet to a point; thence South in a line parallel to and distant Two Hundred (200) feet from the westerly line of Main Street to the north- erly line of Cooper Street and thence easterly by the northerly line of Cooper Street to the said Massachusetts Highway Bound as mentioned above; thence northerly by the westerly line of Main Street, Seven Hundred Sixty- two and 40/100 (762.40) feet to the place of beginning. Pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 68. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to execute and deliver a deed rati- fying and confirming a prior deed from the Town of Agawam to Nelson G. King, dated March 28, 1947 and recorded with Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Book 1859, Page 54 on a certain parcel of land known as the School property situated on North West Street bounded and described as follows :
Westerly, eight (8) rods on land now or formerly of one Freeland; southerly in a line parallel with West Street, five (5) rods; easterly, eight (8) rods to the high- way; and thence northerly along the highway, five (5)
317
rods to the point of beginning. Pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 69. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to execute and deliver a deed rati- fying and confirming a prior deed from the Town of Agawam to Raymond P. and Madeline A. Negrucci, dated April 18, 1947, recorded with Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Book 1864, Page 5, known as the School House property on Suffield Street, bounded and described as follows :
Beginning at the Southeasterly corner of property of one Hinshaw and running thence westerly along said Hin- shaw land, eight (8) rods to a point; thence southerly, five (5) rods along property of one Halloway to a point; thence easterly, eight (8) rods to the westerly line of Suffield Street; thence northerly, five (5) rods along the westerly line of Suffield Street to the point of beginning. Pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 70. To hear and act upon the report of the Committee for the addition to the Katherine G. Danahy School, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 71. To see if the Town will vote to appropri- ate the sum of $180,000. to be used for the construction and equipment of an addition to the Katherine G. Danahy School to be spent under the direction and supervision of the Board of Selectmen and a building committee to be named, and that to meet said appropriation there be transferred from The Sale of Real Estate Fund, the sum of $22,475. and that the Town Treasurer with the approv- al of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of $157,525. and to issue bonds therefore; said bonds to be payable in accordance with the provisions of General or Special Laws and Acts and amendment thereof or addition thereto, so that the whole loan will be payable in not more than twenty years from the date of issuance of the first bond. Said bonds shall be denominated the Katherine G. Danahy School Extension Bonds of 1951 and shall bear interest payable semi-annually at a rate not exceeding three per cent per annum, the interest rate to be fixed by the Town Treasurer and the bonds to be pay- able at such place as shall be designated by the Town
318
Treasurer, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 72. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the construction and to equip an addition to the Center School, now known as the Benjamin J. Phelps School, and to make necessary changes in the existing school building, substantially as shown on plans and specifications pre- pared by Paul B. Johnson, Architect, and transfer there- fore the sum of $25,000. or any other sum from available funds, and borrow, pursuant to the authority duly granted by a special act of the General Court, Chapter 435, Acts of 1949, a sum not greater than $200,000. and to issue bonds therefor, as provided in said special article, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 73. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,197.09, under the provisions of Chapter 658 of the Acts of 1950, to defray the cost of High School athletics incurred in previous years, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 74. To hear and act upon the report of the High School Planning Committee, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 75. To see if the Town will vote to appropri- ate the sum of $1,500,000. to be used for the construction and equipping of a High School and to be spent under the direction and supervision of the Board of Selectmen and a Building Committee to be named, and that to meet said appropriation there be transferred from the Excess and Deficiency Fund the sum of $3,523.50, and that the Town Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to borrow the sum of $1,500,000. and to issue bonds therefor; said bonds to be payable in accordance with the provisions of General or Special Laws and Acts and Amendment thereof or addition thereto, so that the whole loan will be payable in such time as may be permitted by the General Court by Special Act. Said bonds shall be denominated School House Extension Bonds of 1951 and shall bear interest payable semi-annu- ally at a rate not exceeding three per cent per annum, the interest rate to be fixed by the Town Treasurer and the bonds to be payable at such place as shall be designated
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by the Town Treasurer, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 76. To see if the Town will vote to take by eminent domain under the authority of General Laws, Chapter 79, Section 1 to 3 inclusive and to authorize the Selectmen to make such taking for School Purposes, the following described parcels of land :
PARCEL 1
Bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point in the northerly line of Cooper Street distant 481.6 feet South 83 deg. 01 min. West of County Highway bound on the northerly line of Cooper Street; thence northerly 4 deg. 39 min. East 836.07 feet along the west- erly line of a parcel of land owned by Tony and Margaret Liquori and described as parcel 1 in Book 1700, Page 81 as recorded in the Hampden County Registry of Deeds, to a stone bound; thence westerly along land of Michael Peter Losito and along land of Charles H. and Elizabeth M. Thornton to the easterly line of Line Street, otherwise known as the parish line between Agawam and Feeding Hills; thence southerly along the easterly line of said Line Street to the northerly line of property of George H. Provost; thence easterly and southerly along said Provost to an iron pin in the northerly line of Mill Street; thence easterly along the northerly line of Mill Street to the northerly line of Cooper Street and continuing easterly along the northerly line of Cooper Street to the point of the beginning. Being parcel 2 and parcel 3 of property owned by Tony and Margaret Liquori as described in Book 1700, Page 81 Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
PARCEL 2
Beginning on the northerly line of Mill Street at southwest corner of property of Tony and Margaret Liquori at an iron pipe and running northerly along said Liquori to a point, thence westerly along said Liquori to a point 300 feet from the easterly line of Line Street, known as the Parish line between Agawam and Feeding Hills; thence southerly through property of George H. Provost to a point in the northerly line of Mill Street distant 300 feet from the easterly line of the aforemen- tioned Line Street; thence easterly along the northerly line of Mill Street to the point of beginning. Being a
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portion of land owned by George H. Provost and described in Book 1054, Pages 528 and 529 Hampden County Reg- istry of Deeds.
PARCEL 3
Beginning at an iron pipe in the easterly line of Line Street at the southwesterly corner of property of Ken- neth E. and Alice L. Claflin and running South 4 deg. West along the easterly line of Line Street 19 feet to an iron pipe; thence northerly 81 deg. 32 min. East 410.36 feet along property of Charles H. and Elizabeth M. Thornton to an iron pipe; thence South 9 deg. 10 min. East 123 feet along said Thornton to an iron pipe; thence northerly 73 deg. 10 min. East 1144.5 feet along property of Tony and Margaret Liquori; thence northerly 38 deg. 03 min. East 297 feet along said Liquori to a stone bound ; thence turning an interior angle 118 deg. 28 min. to the last described course and running westerly 33 feet to a stone bound at the southerly end of an old ditch; thence southerly 71 deg. 55 min. West 925.65 feet along property of Giacinto and Teresa Losito to an iron pipe; thence South 4 deg. West along property of Kenneth E. and Alice L. Claflin 53.6 feet to an iron pipe; thence southerly 71 deg. 55 min. West along said Claflin 435.60 feet to an iron pipe in the easterly line of Line Street at the point of beginning. Being all land conveyed to Michael Peter Losito as recorded in Book 1942, Page 344, Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
PARCEL 4
Beginning at a point in the southerly line of property of Giacinto and Teresa Losito and being distant 300 feet from the easterly line of Line Street and running North 71 deg. 55 min. East 135.6 feet to an iron pipe in the southerly line of said Losito; thence South 4 deg. West 53.6 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 71 deg. 55 min. West 135.6 feet to a point in the southerly line of prop- erty of Kenneth E. and Alice L. Claflin; thence North 4 deg. East 53.6 feet to point of beginning. Being the east- erly portion of land owned by Kenneth E. and Alice L. Claflin and recorded in Book 1930, Page 275 and Book 1829, Page 577, Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
PARCEL 5
Beginning at a point in the northerly line of prop-
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erty of Tony and Margaret Liquori being distant 300 feet from an iron pipe in the easterly line of Line Street at the southwesterly corner of Charles H. and Elizabeth M. Thornton and running North 73 deg. 10 min. East 155 feet more or less to an iron pipe at the southeasterly cor- ner of property of said Thornton; thence North 9 deg. 10 min. West 123 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 81 deg. 32 min. West 110.36 feet to a point in the northerly line of the aforementioned Thornton; thence southerly through land of said Thornton to the point of beginning. Being a portion of property of Charles H. and Elizabeth M. Thornton as recorded in Book 1657, Page 2, Hampden County Registry of Deeds.
PARCEL 6
Beginning at a point on the northerly line of Ken- neth and Alice E. Claflin and distant 300 feet easterly of the easterly line of Line Street known as the Parish line between Agawam and Feeding Hills and running North 71 deg. East 64.3 rods to a ditch; thence North 20 deg. West on the said ditch 9 rods, 23 links to a stone bound; thence South 71 deg. West to a point 300 feet East of the easterly line of Line Street; thence southerly to the point of beginning. Being the easterly portion of land con- veyed to Giacinto and Teresa Losito as recorded in Book 1300, Page 273, Hampden County Registry of Deeds. Pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 77. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the care of Veterans' Graves in the various cemeteries of the Town, pass any vote or take any action relative thereto.
Article 78. To transact any other business that may legally come before the meeting.
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Annual Report of the
School Committee
and the
Superintendent of Schools
of the Town of
Agawam, Massachusetts
INCORP
15,1855
ORAT
JU
D
For the Year Ending December 31, 1950
324
Agawam Public Schools
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Term Expires
Sydney F. Atwood, Chairman
1953
Paul J. Adams, Secretary
1953
Dr. Howard N. Simpson
1953
Katherine G. Danahy
1951
Richard Taylor
1951
Irving Van Heusen
1951
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
A. Jerome Goodwin Telephone 4-6840 Address: 14 North Westfield Street
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE
High School Building-8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., School Days Appointments should be arranged in advance
SUPERINTENDENT'S SECRETARY
Ellen M. Letendre Telephone 3-3259
325
SCHOOL CALENDAR -1951
Schools open - January 2
Schools close - February 21
Schools open - March 5
Schools close - April 27
Schools open - May 7
Elementary and Junior High Schools close - June 15
Schools open - September 5
Schools close - December 21
NO SCHOOL DAYS -1951
March 23 - Good Friday
April 19 - Patriot's Day
May 30 - Memorial Day
October 12 - Columbus Day
October 19- Hampden County Teachers' Association Convention
November 22-23 - Thanksgiving Recess
HOURS OF SESSIONS
Senior High School 9:00 A. M. - 12:45 P. M. 1:15 P. M. - 3:00 P. M.
Junior High School
9:00 A. M. - 12:00 Noon 12:40 P. M. - 3:00 P. M.
Elementary Schools 9:00 A. M. - 12:00 Noon* 1:00 P. M. - 3:30 P. M .*
* A few variations are made in the elementary hours in the individual schools in order to accommodate the chil- dren in the cafeterias and to fit bus schedules.
326
Report of the School Committee
January 15, 1951 To the Citizens of Agawam:
The year 1950 brought several changes in personnel in our school system. The resignation of Mr. Stanley Wright who had served as our Superintendent for three and a half years created a vacancy in that position in March. After a rather extended process of sifting appli- cations and interviewing applicants, A. Jerome Goodwin, Superintendent of Schools in Hatfield, was selected. Mr. Goodwin is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Colum- bia University, with twenty-one years experience in public school teaching and administration. Due to increased en- rollments and resulting reorganization, it was found nec- essary to employ seven extra teachers in addition to those on the staff in 1949. There were thirteen resignations and the committee has made every effort to fill these vacancies with the best available candidates.
As we go into the new year, the greatest task facing us is the provision of adequate classroom space for a constantly increasing school population. At the begin- ning of the school year 1950-51, the last available class- room was placed in use. At this time it appears that new class groups in the 1951-52 organization will have to be placed in an auditorium. This will inevitably im- pair the educational efficiency of the school and tend to create other problems. There are two special committees working on new housing facilities. The committee hopes that our citizens will try to envision the overall needs of the schools and lend every effort to the solution of this problem so that the high educational rating of our schools may be maintained.
Increased enrollments and the prospects of further increases have been responsible for a substantial increase
327
in the budget item for transportation. The rapidity with which our community is growing is making necessary many changes in our school system.
Appreciation is extended to the organizations who donated the school traffic signs. These signs are serving to improve safety conditions in areas near our schools.
During the past year the Agawam Lions Club pur- chased and gave to the town a piece of land adjoining the athletic field in Agawam Center. This added area to- gether with a contemplated field house will increase the value of the facility to both the schools and the com- munity.
We commend the club for this fine community serv- ice project.
REPAIRS
At the Katherine Danahy School the boys' toilet room has been renovated and new urinals, obtained from the racetrack property, have been installed. New floors in the corridors were installed and corridor walls and ceilings were painted.
New automatic oil burners were installed in the boil- ers at the high school.
The annual program of painting has been continued in the school buildings.
CONTEMPLATED REPAIRS
It is planned to install another oil burner in the Dan- ahy School. The exterior wood trim and sash should be painted.
The high school auditorium should be painted. The hard-surfacing of the driveway at the high school is also planned for 1951.
At the Benjamin Phelps School, the exterior wood trim should be stained.
A program of improvement of the lighting will be begun at the Springfield Street School.
CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE
In the late spring, two members of the Committee, Mr. Warren Bodurtha and Mr. Edson Ferrell, resigned from the Committee. Both of these gentlemen changed residence and as a result found that they could no longer continue on the committee. Mr. Richard Taylor of Feed-
328
ing Hills and Mr. Irving Van Heusen of Agawam Center were elected by a joint meeting of the selectmen and re- maining members of the school committee to serve until the next town election.
We wish to express our gratitude to the citizens of the community, and to all members of the staff who have contributed to make the year 1950 one of pleasant asso- ciation and accomplishment.
Respectfully submitted,
SYDNEY ATWOOD, Chairman PAUL ADAMS, Secretary KATHERINE DANAHY DR. HOWARD SIMPSON RICHARD TAYLOR IRVING VAN HEUSEN
329
Financial Statement
December 31, 1950
Town Appropriations $317,121.00
EXPENDITURES
General Expense
$ 9,686.15
Salaries of Teachers, Supervi-
sors and Principals
200,366.68
Textbooks
3,231.16
Stationery and Supplies
7,412.72
Wages of Janitors
21,006.17
Fuel
12,573.53
Janitors' Supplies and Operating Expenses
7,576.84
Repairs and Replacements
8,105.94
Libraries
233.25
Health
3,596.94
Transportation
21,061.50
Tuition-Trade School
3,886.30
Insurance
4,780.68
Miscellaneous Expenses
866.58
Memorial Field
295.29
Outlay-Building, Grounds and Equipment
1,110.19
Agriculture
3,549.48
Vocational Household Arts
1,933.39
Special Appropriation
4,839.38
$316,112.17
Paid by Federal Funds: Smith-Highes and George-Barden Funds for Agriculture $654.17
For Vocational
Household Arts
97.12 751.29
330
Total Expenditures from Town Appropriations
$315,360.88
Refund
5.30
Total Expenditures less Refund
315,355.58
COST OF SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN
Total Expenditures by the Town $315,355.58
Returns to the Town on account of schools, but not returnable to the School Depart- ment.
From the State:
School Funds and State Aid for Public Schools
$ 52,287.65
For Transportation of Pupils
9,014.50
For Agricultural Instruction 2,164.23
For Voc. Household Arts In- struction
941.26
On account of Trade School Tuition
2,294.61
Tuition and Transportation of State Wards
3,527.01
Tuition received from other Towns 788.65
Received from Manual Training Department 277.88
Received from Rental of School Property
450.00
Miscellaneous Receipts
20.82
71,766.61
Amount paid for Schools from Local Taxation
$243,588.97
331
Report of the Superintendent of Schools
December 31, 1950
To the Members of the School Committee and to the Citizens of the Town of Agawam:
I herewith submit my first annual report as your Superintendent of Schools.
Over a period of years the public schools of Agawam have gained an excellent reputation in our Commonwealth. It is my aim and that of my associates to maintain this high standing and to seek areas in which improvement may be affected and to do the utmost to bring about these improvements. That portion of our young peoples' lives spent in the public schools is one in which development of character, command of the elements going to make up a suitable vocational education and preparation for fur- ther training become dominant factors. The discharge of duties in the furtherance of these aims becomes the re- sponsibilities of the personnel of our system. It is my observation that members of our staff are aware of these responsibilities.
Preparing young people for life in an unsettled world presents some terrific problems. The part played by an enlightened citizenry in their support of public schools is indeed bound to assist our young people in making deci- sions which will undoubtedly have an important bearing on the future of all of us. Leadership, free from political pressure of individuals and small groups, a public attitude of fairmindedness and constant hard work on the part of our professional educators has and will continue to pay dividends through the turning out of young people better equipped to face the future.
Constant vigilance is necessary to continue the build- ing and maintaining of proper attitudes on the part of
332
our young people, to preserve the cherished AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.
HOUSING OF PUPILS
Probably the greatest problem facing the Agawam School System today is the matter of providing adequate housing facilities. Many other towns are faced with a similar problem. The way in which it is solved in the near future will certainly have its effects for many years to come.
At the present time three complete rooms of pupils are being transported daily from Agawam Center to the new Granger School in Feeding Hills. It was found nec- essary to make two divisions of the entering first grade at the Granger School last September. With the three groups from the Phelps School this necessitated the use of all the classrooms in the new school and the tempo- rary transforming of the activity room into a classroom. It is also obvious at this time that the organization of the Phelps School for the fall of 1951 must include two extra class groups. It is possible that this number will have increased by the time the new school year opens in September. The only available space remaining is the auditorium.
With an enrollment of approximately 300 pupils the Danahy School is operating practically at capacity.
At the Springfield Street School, the last empty class- room was placed in use in the fall of 1950. It is possible that another room there will be needed in the near future.
The table below is intended to show the increase in enrollments since Sept., 1947. With the continued build- ing and occupying of new homes in the town it is logical to predict that this upward trend will continue for some time.
ENROLLMENT TABLE
Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept.
1947 1948
1949
1950
Est. Sept. 1951
Total School Enrollment 1468
1590
1677
1821
2000
333
Sept. 1 Sept. 1 Sept. 1
Sept. 1 Dec. 15
School
1947
1948
1949
1950
1950
Phelps
346
365
367
435
447
Danahy
202
248
287
297
302
Springfield Street
202
226
212
224
222
C. M. Granger
95
116
168
172
178
Total Elementary
845
955
1034
1128
1149
Jr .- Sr. High
623
635
643
693
703
Grand Total
1468
1590
1677
1821
1852
At a special town meeting held in August the report of the committee appointed to investigate the needs of the schools in regard to buildings was presented and ap- proved. Articles authorizing the appointment of two com- mittees to further investigate the matter of building a new high school and an addition to the Danahy School were voted. It is felt by the high school committee that the construction of a new high school will release a por- tion of the present high school building for elementary school use and thus relieve the pressure on the present elementary school facilities. The committee for the Dan- ahy School is thinking of an addition to house a cafeteria with possible use as an auditorium too. Reports and rec- ommendations of these committees will be presented at the annual town meeting in March.
The provision of adequate classroom space is going to involve sacrifice on the part of every citizen of the town. The needs are obvious. It is hoped that concerted effort of all will be applied to the solution of an extremely serious situation and that resulting action will come in the very near future.
TEACHERS' SALARIES
At a meeting in August the school committee voted to change the existing salary schedule. It was felt that the changes would have a tendency to hold good teachers in our system and to help teachers to meet the increasing cost of living. The maxima in the three training classifi- cations were increased by $300. The annual increment was increased from $100 to $150.
THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
Previous to the beginning of the present school year
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