USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1911 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
CONCLUSION.
In closing my report I respectfully thank your honorable board for the courteous manner in which you have received me in my official capacity. I also wish to thank all other officials of the town who have so willingly given their services, when called upon. To my assistants and members of the department my thanks, for the able manner in which they answered all demands made upon them, making the work of the department a great benefit to the town and a pleasure to command a force of such a character.
Respectfully submitted,
WALTER H. PEIRCE, Chief.
REPORT OF THE SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
ARLINGTON, MASS., December 31, 1911.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Gentlemen: I herewith respectfully submit my fifth annual re- port of the services of this department, for the year ending De- cember 31, 1911.
Number of scales, weights and measures sealed
3643
Number of scales, weights and measures condemned
79
Total
3722
Number of milk jars sealed
7009
Number of milk jars condemned
93
Total
7102
Weights found incorrect and adjusted
167
Scales found incorrect and adjusted or repaired
91
Pumps having measuring devices adjusted
18
Total
276
Weights condemned
21
Scales condemned
14
Measuring pumps condemned
6
Slot weighing machines condemned
8
Liquid measures condemned
14
Dry measures condemned
16
Total
79
Number of visits made to stores
267
Weighed out packages tested at stores
331
Number of complaints of short weights and measures
31
Number of inspections of milk jars in use on milk teams
61
92
93
SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Number of complaints of short weights and measures investi- gated 31
Number of inspections of scales and measures used by junk collectors, hawkers and peddlers 94
One thousand and forty-one (1,041) weights and measures were inspected, sealed or condemned at places of business, and statutory fees of $40.00 were received and the same paid to the Town Col- lector. The remainder of the sealing was done at the office, for which no fees were charged, in accordance with Chapter 65, Sec- tion 35, of the Revised Laws.
Of the thirty-one complaints investigated, ten (mostly ice) were found to be imaginary, seven were caused by defective scales, which were promptly adjusted or condemned, while the remaining fourteen were distinct cases of carelessness or dishonesty.
The annual report to the State Commissioner of Weights and Measures was made in November of the work done up to Novem- ber 15.
The bread question is still and always will be one of the most important of the department. While no prosecutions were made, I have compelled dealers to take back loaves of bread which were not up to the standard.
Much work is required in the inspection of berry boxes, especially at the first of the season, for at this time most berries come from the states where the standards are smaller than ours or have practically no standards at all. The sealers have presented bills for legislation that, if adopted by Congress, will make some stand- ards uniform throughout the country.
In many instances, I have found dealers using short boxes and have compelled them to use larger ones. I have also at different times turned away from the town outside peddlers who had in their possession boxes of berries which were under legal standard.
MILK JARS.
Although, under the laws of this state, the manufacturers' seal is acceptable under certain conditions, there is still the necessity of sealing and inspecting in this line, and the work is greater propor- tionally than it was in the past as the bottles now brought in are in small quantities.
94
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
STORE INSPECTION.
Of the three hundred and thirty-one packages tested during the year, forty-nine were found short. With few exceptions, these were mingled with those of overweight, indicating carelessness rather than intention. The store inspections have been respon- sible for finding defects in weighing and measuring devices, and losses to the dealer as well as the consumer.
COAL INSPECTION.
Loads of coal and certificates of weights examined
231
Loads weighed 16
Loads found short 5
Bags of coal weighed 43
Bags found short 7
As required by law, a certificate properly made out was found with all loads examined. The shortage on the five loads examined was, 26 pounds on 1000 net; 34 pounds on 2000 net; 63 pounds on 4000 net; 19 pounds on 2000 net, and 71 pounds on 5000 net.
Loads from the same firms were weighed afterwards, and showed the required amount. Four loads were weighed upon complaint. Three of them were in favor of the purchaser, and the other showed a shortage of a few pounds.
MEASURER OF WOOD AND BARK.
I have measured forty-one loads of manure, twenty-four cords of wood, five lots of kindling, and one load of loam. On complaints, I have measured three carloads of manure and seven cords of wood.
As Inspector of Petroleum, I have had no requests for testing petroleum products the past year.
In conclusion, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Town officials and citizens who have assisted me in various ways in the discharge of my duties.
Very respectfully submitted,
CHARLES F. DONAHUE,
Sealer of Weights and Measures.
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS.
ARLINGTON, MASS., January 3, 1912.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen, Arlington, Mass.
I herewith submit my report of the inspection of buildings for the year 1911. One hundred and eighty permits were issued covering work classified as follows:
Dwellings, one family
55
$159,635
Dwellings, two family
59
307,400
Dwellings, three family
6
34,200
Dwellings, six family
1
4,000
Additions and alterations
33
36,040
Stables, sheds and garages
23
11,390
Ice houses
2
11,000
Railway substation
1
30,000
-
180
$593,665
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM GRATTO, Inspector of Buildings.
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS.
ARLINGTON, MASS., January 1, 1912.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
Gentlemen: I have herein the honor to submit to you my annual report as Inspector of Animals for the year ending December 31, 1911.
During the year there have been only five cases of glanders with- in the town limits.
The annual inspection is now made in the spring instead of the fall. During this inspection I have inspected one hundred and sixty-three cows, five hundred fifty-nine hogs and sixty-four stables wherein these animals were stabled. In all cases the proper papers were made out and given to the owners.
Respectfully submitted,
LAURENCE L. PEIRCE, M.D.V., Inspector of Animals.
96
REPORT OF TOWN PHYSICIAN.
ARLINGTON, MASS., December 31, 1912.
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit my report as Town Phy- sician for the year 1911.
Number of office calls 58
Number of houses visited
69
Number of emergency calls at Police Station 61
One patient was sent to the Eye and Ear Infirmary, suffering from otitis media; one patient was sent to the hospital, suffering from chronic appendicitis; and one case of pulmonary hemorrhage was rushed to the State Hospital at Tewksbury. The above list also includes one case of insanity.
There has been an unusual number of emergency calls to the Police Station. Several of these calls were for serious accidents. They were all sent to the Massachusetts General Hospital. The worst feature of this is the long ride over the road, taking, in nearly every case, one hour to get to the hospital. On this account the suffering of these patients is greatly increased and the length of time elapsing before they are properly attended to decreases some- what their chances of recovery.
The present Clerk of the Overseers of the Poor has been of great assistance to me in carrying on the work. Medicines and supplies have been furnished in abundance. From him, especially, all cases have received thorough attention.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD R. WEBB, Town Physician.
97
LIST OF JURORS.
LIST OF JURORS OF THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON, REVISED BY THE SELECTMEN, JANUARY, 1912.
NAME
OCCUPATION
RESIDENCE
Adams, Frank H
Creamery
441 Mystic St.
Ahern, John P. S.
Fish Dealer
107 Medford St.
Aldrich, Clifton E.
Clerk
157 Westminster St.
Allen, W. Stuart.
Manager
15 Court St.
Averill, Geo. H.
Fish Dealer
41 Wollaston Ave.
Bacon, Major Mason.
8 Bacon St.
Barr, Russell W.
Carpenter 53 Lancaster Rd.
Barry, John
Stableman.
33 Franklin St.
Bauer, Emil
Piano Case Maker.
27 Brattle Ave.
Bean, Harlan B
Salesman. .
1218 Massachusetts Ave.
Beers, W. Warren
Machinist
111 Medford St.
Bevins, James J.
Restaurant. .. 606 Massachusetts Ave.
Birch, Arthur Machinist 74 Wollaston Ave
Bond, Everett P Clerk.
18 Linwood St.
Brine, Louis C.
Manager
90 Jason St.
Brooks, William A
. Commissioner
. 78 Jason St.
Bunton, William E
Draughtsman
168 Park Ave.
Church, Chas. L
Photogravure 106 Hillside Ave.
Bookkeeper
20 Russell Ter.
Clark, George.
Stablekeeper
.30 Mystic St.
Colprit, James H.
Paperhanger
31 Crescent Hill
Conant, Walter W
Bookkeeper
. 93 Massachusetts Ave.
Connor, Fred Paul
Salesman
36 Draper Ave.
Cotton, A. Eugene
Mason
1026 Massachusetts Ave.
Crosby, Edgar Farmer 85 Lake St.
Curry, Fred H .
Engineer
16 Cliff St.
Cutter, Waldo R
Farmer
151 Summer St.
Dacey, John A.
Chemist.
1263 Massachusetts Ave.
Dale, David T.
Rope Maker
32 Lewis Ave.
Deering, Edwin F Marketman 11 Avon Pl.
98
Buttrick, David
Merchant.
. 15 Swan Pl.
Clark, Merton R.
99
LIST OF JURORS
NAME
OCCUPATION RESIDENCE
Dewing, Eben F
Cashier
103 Jason St.
Dick, John M .
Investments.
190 Pleasant St.
Doane, Foster P Salesman . 243 Lowell St.
Doane, Warner S. Clerk 256 Broadway
Doe, George I. Retired 44 Jason St.
Donahue, John J .
Forester 7 Brattle Ct.
Downing, Edward I Salesman 149 Hillside Ave.
Drew, Harry O.
Manufacturer
184 Westminster St.
Drouet, William C
Salesman.
34 Hillside Ave.
Duff, Frank J . Spring Mfr. 12 Henderson St.
Duncan, David W Florist 133 Mystic St.
Durgin, Winfield S
Ice Dealer 301 Massachusetts Ave.
Eaton, Joseph H Produce 97 Paul Revere Rd.
Finley, Henry
Piano Maker
71 Wollaston Ave.
Finn, Morris E. Employment Office. 97 Sylvia St.
Fitzpatrick, William A. Clerk. 268 Broadway
Fowle, George M
Bookkeeper. . . 355 Massachusetts Ave. Architect 52 .Mystic. St.
Fowle, Herbert.
Farmer
273 Pleasant St.
Frost, Frederick O
Retired
177 Park Ave.
Gay, Willard F
Giles, Harvey E.
Barber
20 Russell Ter.
Goddard, Joseph V. Clerk. 147 Forest St.
Goodwin, Lynden R
Fish Dealer 6 Park Ter.
Undertaker. . . 378 Massachusetts Ave.
Gregory, Harry T
Barber
29 Mystic St.
Harris, Edward L.
Credits.
11 Court St.
Hildreth, Nathan L Insurance 26 Whittemore St.
Hill, Horace H. Draughtsman 25 Aerial St.
Hill, George H.
Wood Turner
Off Brattle Lane
Hobbs, Clarence F
Retired .
1098 Massachusetts Ave.
Howland, George. Banker . 56 Norfolk Rd.
Hurley, Timothy
Expressman. . 1007 Massachusetts Ave.
Hurry, Edward T
Retired .
6 Chapman St.
Jenkins, Richard O
Case Maker
19 Harvard St.
Kelly, John . Farmer 83 Highland Ave.
Kimball, Roscoe C.
Foreman.
.21 Linwood St.
Kimball, Samuel E.
Retired
121 Lake St.
Grannan, William D
Electrician
31 Walnut St.
Guarente, Raffaele D
100
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
NAME
OCCUPATION
RESIDENCE
Kittredge, George E .. . Chemist
211 Mystic St.
Lusk, John T. .
Compositor
22 Crescent Hill Ave.
Mann, J. Merrill .
Insurance.
15 Medford St.
Marsters, William T
Printer . 46 Magnolia St.
Marvin, Louis G
Printer 17 Norcross St.
Miller, George H.
Jeweller .66 Walnut St.
Mills, Edwin .
Plumber 9 Court St.
Myers, Alfred E.
Merchant 21 Lombard Rd.
Muller, William A
Insurance
231 Massachusetts Ave.
O'Brien, Timothy
Mason
.56 Palmer St.
Parker, Charles A
Foreman. 135 Lake St.
Peirce, Harry O.
Salesman 27 Appleton St.
Puffer, James P.
Clerk
100 Broadway
Purcell, Edmund J Farmer. 107 Broadway
Reynolds, Deane S
Manager 30 Addison St.
Roop, William T
Merchant 32 Paul Revere Rd.
Russell, Frank F Sexton 28 Russell St.
Russell, George O Insurance . 55 Jason St.
Sawyer, George A
Carpenter 5 Wyman St.
Sawyer, John H. Furniture 24 Maple St.
Sawyer, Walter D
Salesman
103 Bartlett Ave.
Sanborne, Charles E.
Forester
10 Court St. Pl.
Schnetzer, Florentine, Jr . . Jeweller
184 Appleton St.
Schumacher, Fred W
Teamster
105 Crescent Hill Ave.
Smith, Fred S. Agent . 10 Jason St.
Snow, Ernest A.
Architect. .15 Lincoln St.
Storey, Orville L.
Artist
10 Devereaux St.
Stratton, George C
Salesman.
17 Orchard Ter.
Stinson, George H.
Retired
5 West St.
Sunergren, Adolph F
Illustrator
16 Glen Ave.
Swadkins, Jason A
Engineer
160 Westminster Ave.
Swett, Warren P.
. Salesman.
. 56 Claremont Ave.
Tappan, Daniel L.
Farmer ..
269 Massachusetts Ave.
Tewksbury, George C
Bookkeeper.
45 Claremont Ave.
Thorpe, William H
Superintendent
.30 Russell St.
Tracey, James E Accountant 18 Wyman St.
Trow, Albert W
Retired .
21 Russell Ter.
Viano, John J . Merchant. . . 185 Massachusetts Ave. .
101
LIST OF JURORS
NAME
OCCUPATION
RESIDENCE
Waage, John C ..
Painter 16 Central St.
Wilder, Frederick G .
. Clerk.
. 10 Swan St.
Woodend, John E.
Jeweller 72 Crescent Hill Ave.
Woodman, Charles W
Lumber . 1140 Massachusetts Ave.
Wyman, Joseph P.
Salesman. 347 Massachusetts Ave.
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ROBBINS LIBRARY.
To the Town of Arlington:
The Trustees of the Robbins Library submit their annual report. The circulation shows a surprising increase, the largest in the his- tory of the library for any single year, 59,053 for 1911 as against 44,179 for 1910, a gain of 14,179. The Children's Room shows a gain of 1,113 - 13,611 for 1911 as against 12,498 in 1910. The average daily attendance in the Children's Room has risen from 25 to 26, that of the Reading Room from 56 in 1910 to 63 in 1911.
This increase in the number of books taken must be due to the new arrangement which went into operation in July whereby the Library was opened continuously from 10 A.M. till 9 P.M., except in the month of August, when the Library is closed four mornings of the week - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - but open on Wednesday and Saturday from 10 A.M. till 9 P.M. and on the other afternoons from 2.30 till 5.30 P.M.
More books were taken out last August than any previous Au- gust. The Stack Room continues to be used by students and scholars, the number of books taken home for examination being 43,488 for 1911 as against 29,238 for 1910, and 2,786 periodicals as against 2,578 for 1910, a gain of 208.
We sent 489 less books to the Branch Library at Arlington Heights, but this was doubtless due to the larger number of books now accessible to that section of the town. Of the 190 volumes added in 1911, 142 are books for circulation and reference. We are fortunate in being able to use a room in the Locke School, but we can hope to have this privilege only for a limited period. Steps therefore should be taken to obtain suitable accommodations in the near future.
By the will of Mr. Winfield Robbins the generous gift of $25,000 was made to care for and increase his splendid collection of prints, part of which is now on exhibition in the Art Gallery.
The electric wiring of the Library has been further extended by new work in the upper stories of the Stack Room.
102
103
TRUSTEES ROBBINS LIBRARY
The Library has been enriched by the gift of books from Howard H. Carroll, Dr. Fanny Berlin, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Brown, Miss Louisa C. Felton and others.
The editors of the Advocate have continued to send us a file of that paper.
Exhibitions of photographs, etc., have been given in addition to those reported hitherto.
January. No. 120. Naples, No. 2.
January. No. 121. Yellowstone National Park, Part 3.
February. No. 122. Madonna in Art.
February and March. No. 123. Pompeii and Herculaneum.
March and April. No. 124. The Medici Family in Florence.
April. No. 125. Pictures for Children by Randolph Caldecott.
May. No. 126. Corot, Part 1.
May and June. No. 127. Classic French Art.
June and July. No. 128. Jamestown and Historic Virginia.
July. No. 129. Southern Coast of England.
August and September. No. 130. Japanese Color Prints, Part 1.
September and October. No. 131. Examples of the Rise of Architecture in Italy.
November. No. 132. Fashion in Paris, 1797-1897.
November and December. No. 133. Etchings by William Unger. No. 2. Dutch and Flemish Schools.
Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL C. BUSHNELL, E. NELSON BLAKE, CYRUS E. DALLIN, CHARLES E. KEEGAN,
JAMES P. PARMENTER. ARTHUR J. WELLINGTON.
Trustees.
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT. LIBRARY HOURS. Open daily, except Sunday, 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Children's Room, 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Sundays for readers only, 2.30 to 5.30 P.M.
104
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
AUGUST HOURS.
WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY as usual.
Open on other days, except Sunday, from 2.30 to 5.30 P.M. Closed on holidays.
LIBRARY HOURS, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS READING ROOM.
TUESDAY AND SATURDAY .- 1.30 to 6, 7 to 9 P.M. THURSDAY .- 3 to 6, 7 to 9 P.M.
AUGUST .- Open on Saturdays only.
Closed on holidays.
Books left at the Reading Room on Tuesday and Saturday be- tween the hours of 1.30 and 3.30 P.M. will be exchanged, and books will be ready for delivery from 7 to 9 P.M. of the same day.
A limited number of books are now kept at the Heights Reading Room and may be circulated from there.
STATISTICS.
Volumes in the Library, January 1, 1911
24,511
Added during the year 1911:
Circulation and reference departments in Central Library
767
Public documents, bound volumes
23
Arlington Heights Reading Room
190
980
25,491
Volumes withdrawn
86
Volumes missing
24
Volume destroyed on account of contagious disease
1
111
Volumes in the Library, December 31, 1911
25,380
Periodicals subscribed for
77
Periodicals given
16
Newspapers subscribed for
6
Newspaper given
1
Delivery of books and periodicals to adults for home use
43,488
Delivered from Children's Room 13,611
Total, including delivery to Arlington Heights
59,053
105
TRUSTEES ROBBINS LIBRARY
Single numbers of periodicals delivered 2,786
Largest delivery in one day, March 18 398
Average daily use of the Reading Room 63
Average daily use of the Children's Room
26
Average Sunday use of the Reading Room 49
43
Average Sunday use of the Children's Room New names registered during the year
617
Volumes in Arlington Heights Reading Room, December 31, 1911 1,049
Periodicals subscribed for 25
Newspaper subscribed for
1
Newspaper given
1
Books and periodicals received by basket from Central Library in 1911 1,954
Periodicals delivered, belonging to Heights Reading Room 1,419
Books delivered from Heights Reading Room 1,551
Average daily use of Heights Reading Room 31
Fines paid to the Town Collector in 1911 $261.60
Amount paid to the Town Collector for the sale of cata- logues 3.40
LIST OF PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS.
A. L. A. Booklist*
Christian Endeavor World.
American Boy.
Congressional Record .*
American Forestry .*
American Review of Reviews.
Cook's American Traveller's Gazette .*
Architectural Record.
Cosmopolitan.
Arlington High School Clarion.
Craftsman.
Atlantic Monthly.
Current Literature.
Bird Lore.
Delineator.
Book Buyer .*
Education.
Book Review Digest.
Educational Review.
Bookman.
Electrician and Mechanic.
Boston Cooking-school Magazine.
Forum.
Cassell's Little Folks.
Garden Magazine.'
Century.
General Federation Bulletin.
Chautauquan.
Good Housekeeping.
Good Roads Magazine.
Child Lore.
Etude.
106
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Harper's Bazar.
Harper's Monthly.
Harper's Weekly.
Harvard Theological Review.
Harvard University Gazette .* Hibbert Journal.
Home Needlework Magazine.
House Beautiful.
Illustrated London News.
Independent.
Indian's Friend.
International Journal of Ethics. Popular Science Monthly.
Keramic Studio.
Ladies' Home Journal.
Library Journal.
Life.
Lippincott's Magazine.
Literary Digest.
Little Folks.
Living Age.
McClure's Magazine.
Massachusetts Magazine.
Mayflower Descendant .*
Medford Historical Register.
Modern Electrics.
Success.
Technology Review .*
Munsey's Magazine.
Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin .* Tuftonian .*
Musical Courier.
Nation.
Tufts Weekly .* Western Monthly .*
National Geographic Magazine .* World's Work.
New Boston - 1915.
Young Idea.
New England Homestead.
Youth's Companion.
NEWSPAPERS.
Arlington Advocate. Boston Daily Advertiser.
Boston Evening Transcript. Christian Science Monitor .* * Given to the Library.
New England Historical and Genealogical Register.
New England Magazine. Nineteenth Century and After.
North American Review.
Official Gazette, U. S. Patent Office .*
Our Dumb Animals .*
Outing.
Outlook.
Photo Era.
Practical Engineer.
Public Libraries.
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.
St. Nicholas.
School Review.
Scientific American.
Scientific American Supplement.
Scribner's Magazine.
Spectator.
Studio.
Suburban Life.
Current Events. New York Times, with Saturday Review of Books. Springfield Weekly Republican.
107
TRUSTEES ROBBINS LIBRARY
We have received reports or bulletins, or both, from the public libraries of the following places : Andover (Memorial Hall Library) ; Baltimore, Md. (Enoch Pratt Free Library); Belmont; Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Canton, Chelsea (Fitz Public Library); Clinton (Bigelow Free Public Library); Concord; Everett (Shute Memorial Library); Fairhaven (Millicent Library); Hartford, Conn .; Helena, Mont .; Lancaster; Leominster; Lexington (Cary Memorial Library); Malden; Manchester, N. H .; Marblehead (Abbot Public Library) ; Massachusetts (Free Public Library Com- mission); Massachusetts State Library; Milton; Monmouth, Ill. (Warren County Library); Natick (Morse Institute Library) ; New York; Newton; Northampton (Forbes Library) ; Providence, R. I .; Salem; Somerville; Stoneham; Syracuse, N. Y .; Taunton; Wake- field (Beebe Town Library); Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Osterhout Free Library); Winchester; Woburn; Worcester.
Respectfully submitted,
ELIZABETH J. NEWTON, Librarian.
Arlington, December 31, 1911.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR 1911.
December 31, 1911.
To the Town of Arlington:
The year covered by this report shows gratifying progress by the Town in solving its most important problem of training its youth for life and citizenship.
The creation and conduct of our schools calls for about one-third of all the money expended by the Town, and this expenditure is justified only by legitimate demand and satisfactory results. To keep our schools up to the average of other communities similarly situated is the least that can be demanded, and to do this in our rapidly growing population requires good equipment and high- class management.
EQUIPMENT.
In the matter of housing our schools, your committee can re- port that the last few years have shown marked improvement in the development of a consistent system by which the needs of all sections of the town are to be met, and the providing of the neces- sary buildings be so distributed over the years as to lighten the burden on the tax payers.
The building of the addition to the Locke School two years ago, and the Crosby addition finished during the past year, furnishes two buildings which are an honor to the town and afford relief to crowded conditions which were becoming serious. Too much credit cannot be given to the patriotic citizens who gave so gen- erously of their time and talents and secured for the town such excellent results, in both cases completing the work within the appropriation allowed.
The next step in the development of this general scheme for housing our schools is the enlargement of the High School building. This problem, which has resisted solution for a number of years, is in a fair way of being successfully solved by the present special building committee, and if their plans are carried out, we shall not only secure accommodations for our High School for the next eight years, in a building which will be an ornament to the town, but
109
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
will also afford relief to the Russell district until such time as new accommodations can be provided there.
With the changes in the character of High School training now demanded in the line of specialization, making it necessary for every town to provide for Commercial, Manual, Domestic and General Technical training in addition to former courses, we must face new requirements. By the time the capacity of this enlarged building is reached, a new English and Classical High School build- ing can be erected, leaving the present building for the Commercial and Technical High.
That this consistent scheme for housing our schools may be suc- cessfully carried out, two suggestions are offered, First, that the Town shall at an early date secure a suitable site of ample size upon which the future High School may be built, and second, that there should be created a Permanent Commission on Buildings, through which the valuable experience won in erecting one build- ing can be utilized in others, and the great amount of information collected can be used in securing wise and harmonious plans for 1 meeting these ever enlarging needs.
TEACHING FORCE.
The Committee feels justified in congratulating the Town upon the corps of teachers which has been assembled; upon their indi- vidual ability, and upon the esprit de corps which prevails.
It is a fact that it has been possible to obtain and retain teachers of exceptional talent in Arlington, in the face of more immediately profitable offers, because our teaching standards and conditions are recognized as superior. At the same time it is necessary for the citizens to face the fact, that in view of the raising of salaries in all places, the appeal of other walks of life which are more remunera- tive, it is becoming more and more difficult to get such teachers as our parents demand for their children, and also the fact that an increased number of teachers is required to care for the rapidly multiplying school population. And this means that larger ap- propriations must be made.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.