USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1920 > Part 14
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Respectfully submitted,
EZEKIEL PRATT, M.D. Bacteriologist.
264
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE PHYSICIAN
JANUARY 1, 1921.
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Physician to the Board for the year ending December 31, 1920.
Visits to homes
For diagnosis
64
For release
100
Total
164
Dispensary (Tuberculosis)
Patients at Dispensary
39
Visits to homes 29
Total 68
The scarlet fever cases in the Heights section, and which almost reached epidemic proportions was clearly due to so called "missed" cases. They were all extremely mild cases, and the majority of them did not come to light until desquama- tion had begun. This state of affairs was due to ignorance of the parents in most cases, while in others and I am pleased to say they were in the great minority, children were sent to school with the parents having full knowledge that their children had had scarlet fever. Until we develop a civic responsibility in these matters such experiences will persist.
Two typhoid carriers have been found and the necessary precautions instituted.
One diphtheria carrier has been carried along for some months, but has finally cleared up.
While the year 1920 showed a large increase over previous years in the number of contagious diseases reported to the office, the fatalities were relatively small, due in a great measure to an early diagnosis of the disease, and isolation of the patient.
Respectfully submitted,
EZEKIEL PRATT, M.D. -
265
BOARD OF HEALTH
MILK INSPECTOR'S REPORT
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Milk for the year ending December 31, 1920.
The price per quart for milk for home consumption reached its highest point during the year, and present indications would seem to show a downward trend from now on.
The quality of the milk sold, and the per capita consump- tion have changed only slightly during the year. There is still however room for improvement during the summer months in the milk solid content of our milk supply. Milk laws have not been changed during the year, and the control work has been carried on in the same manner as in previous years. A summary of the year's work is appended.
LICENSES AND REGISTRATION
Issued for sale of milk from stores 62
Isued for sale of milk from wagons 31
Issued for sale of oleomargarine from stores 37
Total 130
INSPECTIONS
Stores
18
Milk plants
21
Total 39
SAMPLES OF MILK ANALYZED
Taken from wagons on street 81
Taken from lunch rooms, stores etc. 23
Taken from milk plants 19
Left at laboratory 42
Ice cream samples. Taken from ice cream parlors, etc. 10
Total 165
Dairies have been inspected as occasion required, and in all instances where three or more cases of any given contagious disease having been reported on one dealer's route, special inves- tigation has been made, and necessary precaution taken.
Respectfully submitted,
ALFRED W. LOMBARD,
Inspector.
266
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SLAUGHTERING
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Slaughtering for the year ending December 31, 1920. Whole number of carcasses inspected and passed. by months:
Calves
Cows
Hogs
Sheep
January
260
0
0
0
February
221
0
3
0
March
304
1
5
0
April
296
3
0
.0
May
278
0
0
0
June
392
0
0
0
July
145
0
0
0
August
228
1
0
0
September
207
0
0
2
October
170
0
6
0
November
190
1
0
0
December
243
3
0
0
Totals
2934
9
14
2
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS J. GREEN,
Inspector.
267
BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF PLUMBING
To the Board of Health, Arlington, Mass.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Plumbing for the year ending December 31, 1920.
During the year one hundred and eight applications have been received for which permits were granted calling for installa- tion of six hundred and ninety fixtures as follows:
Water closets 201
Kitchen sinks
124
Wash trays 1, 2 and 3 parts included
92
Bath tubs 101
Shower baths with separate setting
4
Lavatories
155
Butlers' pantry sink
3
Slop sinks
1
Dental unit
1
Urinals
4
Floor chains
3
Grease traps
3
The usual calls for inspection of conditions in old buildings, and of premises where State Wards are boarded have been made when necessary, defective work rectified, and reports submitted to the office.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. DAY,
Inspector.
268
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
1
DENTAL CLINIC
It is with pleasure we are able to announce to the citizens, that Arlington has in operation, on the second floor of the New Town Hall a fully equipped Dental Clinic, which, in the opinion of this Board, is second to none of its kind in the State of Massachusetts. That we are able to make this announcement is due wholly to the generosity of one of our old and much esteemed families. And while we would like to make known to the citizens the name of the donors, they have requested that their identity remain unknown. We will therefore respect their wishes, yet will take this opportunity to publicly thank them on behalf of the children of Arlington for their magnificent gift.
From April 26, 1920, the date on. which the clinic first opened to December 31, 1920, eight hundred and eighteen cases of children's teeth were treated. Through the courtesy of Dr. Ernest R. Brooks, our X-ray work has been done free of charge. Literature on mouth hygiene has been given to each child receiving treatment. Tooth brush drills in the schools have been held at different times by the school nurse; these together with the hearty co-operation of the principals of the several schools have aided in making the clinic a grand success from the beginning.
The medical profession now agrees that many of the ills of the body are caused by defective teeth, thus to fully appreciate the significance, and realize the great amount of good this clinic can do, we should allow our minds to revert back to the time that United States entered the great World War. On that occasion the first draft showed that more than one-fifth of the young men in Massachusetts were unfit for military service because of defective teeth. Massachusetts had a greater per centage of men rejected because of this defect than any other State in the Union. Investigations show that 95 per cent of the public school children in this country need dental attention, also that children with defective teeth fall six months behind, during the eight year school course. The neglect of the first teeth and their consequent premature extraction will cause the second teeth to erupt out of their normal position, resulting in
269
BOARD OF HEALTH
improper development of the face, and oftentimes causing serious effects on the general health of the child. With this knowledge in mind, and much more that could be added, is it not worth while for parents to see to it that their children take proper care of their teeth?
The clinic is primarily for all children of the second grade school age, whose parents are unable to employ the services of a dentist. A nominal charge of twenty-five cents is made for each sitting. This charge however need not deter any worthy parent from having the teeth of their children attended to. If such parent will simply make known to the office that they are unable to pay this amount the work will be done free of charge, and without publicity.
The clinic is open daily from 9 a.m. to 12 m., Saturdays and holidays excepted. Dr. W. H. Gullifer a graduate of the Harvard Dental School of the Class of 1916 is the operator in charge, with Mrs. Marion K. Peirce, as assistant. Parents are welcome to visit the clinic on any day while it is in operation. To many of these children, this is their first time in a dental office and amid strange surroundings it is only natural that they would act somewhat timid. The Board would therefore advise whenever possible the mothers accompany the children, at least on their first visit to the clinic.
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE FOR THE YEAR ENDING 1920
To the Citizens of the Town of Arlington:
In presenting this brief report for 1920, your Committee desires to state that the past year has been without any particu- larly spectacular feature, but has been a year during which the school system has made steady and permanent progress along the routine lines of school administration and educational advancement.
About the first of 1920, at a special Town Meeting, a committee of fifteen citizens, representing the various school districts, was appointed to bring in plans and estimates for four propositions designed to relieve the congestion of our schools. The propositions were, a grammar school at the corner of Forest and Summer Streets, a Junior High School on Town land adjacent to Fessenden Road, an addition to the present Crosby School, and the procuring of a site for a grammar school in the Parmenter District. This committee brought in plans and estimates for these four projects, but recommended the immediate construction of only the new Junior High School building, feeling that the Town could afford but one new build- ing in a single year, and that the building of the Junior High School would give greater relief than any other one proposition considered. The Town, at an adjourned Town Meeting held in April, voted to appropriate the necessary money for this building, and appointed a Building Committee. This Com- mittee set to work with all speed and obtained working drawings and specifications of a building, acceptable to the School Com- mittee, and proceeded with the construction. At this time there is every prospect that the new building will be ready for occupancy in September, 1921.
To relieve the crowded conditions existing at the present Junior High School, until the new building should be ready, the
270
271
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Town voted to purchase a two-room portable, and this was ready for use when the school year opened in September, 1920. This portable afforded adequate relief to the present building.
The Senior High School this year is numerically the largest in its history, but is not overcrowded, although every room is in use.
With the exception of the Russell School, all the grade schools are overcrowded and are working to more than normal capacity, by use of the "Platoon System."
With the opening of the new Junior High School in Septem- ber, 1921 and the consequent relief of the present Junior High, will come the freeing of the two-room portable, which will be available for use where the need is most urgent.
At the beginning of 1920, the Town granted the teachers of the Arlington schools a substantial increase in salary, an increase which was made imperative by the ever soaring price of all necessities of life. Now, even though the peak in the cost of living seems to be passed and wages in certain lines have been reduced somewhat, yet the shortage of teachers continues and salaries of teachers appear to be still advancing. Figures on salaries paid in many surrounding cities and towns have been collected and on comparison the salaries paid to Arlington teachers, in certain lines of work, are below those paid in other towns which are comparable with Arlington. This means that in the face of the continued shortage, Arlington is at a disad- vantage and unless some readjustment is made, will in the near future lose some of her strong teachers. This changing will react against the efficiency of our schools and the high standard which the School Committee feels the citizens of the Town wish to see maintained.
Owing to the abnormal conditions existing in 1920, the School Committee regrets to announce that the expenditures for the schools exceeded the appropriations by a small amount. Soon after the annual appropriations were made there was a sharp advance in the price of all supplies. In spite of this the year would have ended without a deficit but for the fact that the price of coal soared to unprecedented heights, some of the coal costing as much as $17.80 a ton. The amount spent for coal exceeded the estimate by approximately $1600.
272
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
During the summer of 1920 we lost a number of our most efficient teachers, the High School losing its principal and several department heads. Mr. Burtt resigned to accept a principalship in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, but we were fortunate in securing as his successor, Mr. Herman Gammons of Chelsea, who gives every promise of maintaining the standard of our High School.
The principal of the Parmenter School requested a year's leave of absence, and has been replaced for the year by one of the teachers in that school.
The principal of the Russell School resigned and one of the teachers in that school is serving in the capacity of acting principal at the present time. Recently enacted legislation made it mandatory that classes for giving special help to children be established. To meet this condition we were obliged to start a "special help class" in September, 1920. At present two special help classes are in operation, one at the Russell School and one at the Locke School.
The question of proper physical training in the school is one of growing prominence and today is occupying the attention of physicians and educators all over the country. Feeling that Arlington should be a leader in all matters that make for progress. and advancement, the School Committee hopes in the near future to introduce into our schools physical training which shall be beneficial to all. A beginning has already been made in this direction in some of our grade schools and in the Junior High School. In our High School only a very limited number are receiving the benefit of physical exercise through the various athletic teams now maintained. It is the desire of the Com- mittee to introduce physical training in which every boy and every girl will be required to participate unless prevented by physical disability, this work to be under the direction of competent instructors.
The Committee hopes to be able to do much during the present year to improve the Spy Pond Playground. Consider- able grading should be done as soon as the frost is out of the ground. It is desirable to set apart a portion of the playground for the use of the small children and to equip it with simple apparatus for the games of the little folks.
273
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
A study of the needs of our High School Reference Library is contemplated, with the aim to make it modern and up to date by proper cataloging and by the addition of a number of current reference books. Then, if sufficient training in library methods can be given the pupils, either through co-operation of the Town Library or otherwise, the wealth of information contained in the library will be available to all and at their disposal whenever needed.
In December the resignation of Mr. Fred Dawson was received, the Committee being obliged to accept it, since Mr. Dawson had removed from Arlington. On December 20, the School Committee, sitting in joint session with the Board of Selectmen, elected Mr. William A. Corcoran of 45 Cleveland Street, to fill Mr. Dawson's unexpired term.
Respectfully submitted,
MYRON W. DOLE, Chairman.
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 loss of 1,293 with a total of 60,251 as compared with 61,544 in 1919. Children's Room shows a loss of 829 with 18,586 as against 19,415 in 1919.
Attendance in Reading Room shows a loss on week days of 3,836 - 23,319 as against 27,155 in 1919 and a loss on Sundays of 571 - 1,881 as against 2,452 in 1919.
The attendance in Children's Room shows a loss on week days of 1,097 - 11,533 as against 12,630 in 1919, and a loss on Sundays of 378 - 1,624 as against 2,002 in 1919.
There has been a loss of 337 in books taken from the Stack Room, 40,330 as against 40,667 in 1919. The use of periodicals shows a loss of 253 - 1,906 as against 2,159.
There was a loss of 559 in books and periodicals loaned from the Arlington Heights Branch, 3,978 as against 4,537 in 1919.
There was a gain of 35 in books and periodicals sent from the Centre to the Heights, 830 in 1920 as against 795 in 1919.
The Postal Reserve shows a gain of 213 - 1,072 as against 859 in 1919.
There was a loss of 1,107 in books and periodicals loaned from the East Branch, 7,937 as against 9,044 in 1919.
Visitors and readers at the East Branch were 3,452 as . against 3,658 in 1919, a loss in attendance of 206.
The registration of new borrowers for the Centre and Branches was 943 as against 1,013 in 1919, a loss of 70.
The collection of books and magazines for Library War Service amounted to 7 books and 399 magazines.
274
275
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT
The members of the library staff are as follows:
Librarian
ELIZABETH J. NEWTON
Card Cataloguer EMILY BUCKNAM
Reference Department NETTIE E. BASTON
Issue Department EDITH A. WHITTEMORE, in charge MATILDA K. LEETCH RUTH SAMPSON
Branch Department RUTH SAMPSON, in charge
Children's Department . EDITH C. RICE
Janitor WILLIAM T. CANNIFF
Arlington Heights Branch M. MACIE SEABURY
East Arlington Branch EVA M. SMITH
Branch Messenger EDWARD M. BREEN* PROCTOR MICHELSON
*Deceased.
276
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The library received a considerable number of books during the year. Special donors were Mrs. Ella R. Avery, Rev. Samuel C. Bushnell, Mr. Ralph E. Conder, Mr. John Olsen, Mr. C. Ralph Taylor, Rev. John G. Taylor, Mi'ss M. Helen Teele and Mrs. E. C. Turner.
An interesting gift of photographs of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Robbins was received from Mrs. Lucius M. Stanton of New York.
Mr. C. S. Parker has continued to send us a file of the Advocate.
The following exhibitions of photographs, etc., from the Library Art Club have been held during the year.
January and February. No 249. Works of Augustus St. Gaudens.
March. No. 250. Round about Santa Fé, New Mexico.
March and April. No. 251. The Animal Kingdom.
May. No. 252. Mt. Holyoke College.
May and June. No. 253. Masters of Color. British and American.
June and July. No. 254. The Western Front.
July and August. No. 255. Boston Playgrounds.
August and September. No. 256. The Caucasus.
October. No. 257. Britain's Navy.
November. No. 258. The Wonderland of Peru.
November and December. No. 259. The Columbia River and Mt. Hood.
There is little of special interest to report this year. While the above statistics show in several instances a falling off from . those of last year, we think that they mean nothing more than the fluctuations that occur from time to time, arising from tempo- rary conditions, and do not signify any permanent diminution in the use of the library. It is also to be remembered that some of the most important services that the library renders in the way of assistance to readers, reference work, etc., do not appear in statistics at all.
We regret to have to report the resignation of the Chairman of this Board, Rev. Samuel C. Bushnell, due to his removal from Arlington. Mr. Bushnell first became a member in 1893 and has served continuously since then. His good judgment
277
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT
and broad-mindedness together with his knowledge of books and interest in the library have made his services of unusual value to the Town during this long term of years.
Respectfully submitted,
CYRUS E. DALLIN, CHARLES A. KEEGAN, WILLIAM A. MULLER, JAMES P. PARMENTER, ARTHUR J. WELLINGTON,
Trustees.
4
278
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
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, except in August, for readers only, 2.30 to 5.30 P.M. Closed on holidays.
LIBRARY HOURS, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS BRANCH
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - 1.30 to 6, 7 to 8.30 P.M. August - Open on Saturdays only.
Closed on holidays.
Books left at the Branch on Tuesday and Saturday, between the hours of 1.30 and 3.00 P.M., will be exchanged, and will be ready for delivery from 7.00 to 8.30 P.M. of the same day.
A limited number of books are kept at the Branch and may be circulated from there.
LIBRARY HOURS, EAST ARLINGTON BRANCH
Tuesday and Thursday - 10 to 12 A.M., 1 to 6 P.M.
Saturday - 1. to 6, 7 to 9 P.M.
August - Open on Saturdays only.
Books left at the Branch on Tuesday and Saturday, between the hours of 1.00 and 3.00 P.M., will be exchanged, and will be ready for delivery before the Branch is closed.
STATISTICS
Annual Library report for year ending December 31, 1920. Robbins Library, Arlington, Mass. Free for lending and reference.
Number of branches 2
Days open during year (Central Library) 302
Hours open each week for lending (Central Library) 66
Hours open each week for reading (Central Library) 69
279
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT
Adults Children
Total
Number of volumes at beginning of year 25,934
4,633 30,567
Number of volumes added by purchase 375
132
507
Number of volumes added by gift .. . ...
92
1 93
Number of volumes replaced or found . .
23
47
70
Number of volumes lost or withdrawn. . 71
57
128
Total number at end of year. 26,353 4,756 31,109
Number of volumes fiction lent for home use . 29,533 14,434 43,967
Total number of volumes lent for home
use . 40,330 18,586 *60,251
Single numbers of periodicals lent for home use 1,906 36 1,942
Largest delivery in one day, December 4. .
386
Number of new borrowers registered during the year 943
Number of copies of newspapers and periodicals currently received . 123
Number of persons using Library for reading and study . . 37,234 Attendance in Reading Rooms on week days 23,319
Attendance in Children's Room on week days. 11,533
Attendance in Reading Rooms on Sundays. 1,881
Attendance in Children's Room on Sundays. 1,624
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS BRANCH
Number of volumes at beginning of year. 1,372
Number of volumes added during year by purchase. 38
Number of volumes added during year by gift. 0
Total number at end of year . 1,410
Number of books lent for home use from Branch . 1,720
Number of periodicals lent belonging to Branch . 2,258
Number of books and periodicals received by basket from Central Library in 1920. 830
Number of copies of newspapers and periodicals currently received 29
EAST ARLINGTON BRANCH
Number of volumes at beginning of year. 816
Number of volumes added during year by purchase . 61
*Includes 1,335 sent to Branches.
280
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Number of volumes added during year by gift.
49
Number of volumes replaced or found. 3
Number of volumes lost or withdrawn during year
3
Total number at end of year. 926
Number of books lent for home use from Branch 7,171
Number of periodicals lent belonging to Branch.
766
Number of books received by basket from Central Library in 1920. 505
Number of copies of newspapers and periodicals currently received. 27
Receipts From
Payments For
Unexpended balance
Books $1,235.91
Local taxation. ...
$7,500.00
Periodicals 546.73
Endowment funds 2,974.95
Binding 825.24
Fines and sale of publications . 542.50
Salaries, library ser- vice, janitor ser- vice 6,795.45
Other sources. 617.71
Total
$11,635.16
Light. 709.04
Other expenses.
990.14
Total .
$11,635.16
LIST OF PERIODICALS
American Boy
Book Review Digest
American City*
Booklist
American Cookery
Bookman
American Forestry
Boys' Life
American Review of Reviews
Catholic World
American Scandinavian Review*
Century
Christian Endeavor World
Architectural Record
Christian Science Journal*
Arlington High School Clarion
Congressional Record*
Atlantic Monthly
Current Opinion
Bird Lore
Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine*
*Donated.
Heat.
532.65
281
LIBRARIAN'S STATEMENT
Dearborn Independent* Delineator Education Educational Review
Etude Everyland Flying
Forum
General Federation Magazine
Good Housekeeping Harper's Monthly
Harvard Theological Review Harvard University Gazette*
Hibbert Journal House Beautiful Illustrated London News Independent Indian's Friend
Industrial Arts Magazine International Journal of Ethics
International Studio
Keramic Studio
Ladies' Home Journal League of Nations Library Journal Life
Literary Digest Little Folks Living Age Manual Training Magazine
Mayflower Descendant* Medford Historical Register Modern Priscilla Munsey's Magazine
Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin* Musical Courier
Musician *Donated
Nation National Geographic Maga- zine
National Humane Review* New England Historical and Genealogical Register
New England Homestead Nineteenth Century and After
North American Review
Old-Time New England Open Road
Our Dumb Animals*
Outing
Outlook
Photo Era
Pictorial Review
Playground
Popular Mechanics
Popular Science Monthly
Power Plant Engineering Public Libraries Râja-Yoga Messenger*
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature
Red Cross Magazine Safety Engineering* St. Nicholas
Saturday Evening Post School Arts Magazine School Review Scientific American
Scientific American Monthly
Scientific Monthly Scribner's Magazine
Social Service Review*
Spectator Survey Theosophical Path*
282
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Theosophical Quarterly* Touchstone Unpartizan Review
World's Work Yale Review Youth's Companion
LIST OF NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER PERIODICALS
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