USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1929 > Part 6
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TOWN RECORDS
this meeting. This school was built to accommodate 300 pupils. In 1927 the enrolment was 255 pupils. This year the enrolment is 436, which includes some transfers from Locke and Cutter Schools, but most of the increase is due to the new homes in the district. In the fall of 1926 it was necessary to take the teachers' room as a class room. In the fall of 1927 the small combination assembly and boys' playroom was divided by a partition into two small class rooms and the girls' playroom was also taken as a class room. These relief measures gave four extra class rooms and made it pos- sible to accommodate 12 classes.
"In the summer of 1928 the two-room portable was moved to the Peirce School property so that the 14 classes which had to be cared for this school year could each have a class room.
"The two-room portable must be moved to the Cutter School this summer to relieve the great over- crowding there, so it is hoped that the Peirce School addition will not be delayed beyond this fall. The 8 room addition is absolutely necessary.
"And now, Mr. Moderator, we present our recom- mendation for the appointment of a committee to se- cure plans and estimates for the first unit of a new High School building, adjoining the present High School, which will eventually accommodate 1200 pu- pils. The present enrolment at the High School is 938, which is about 250 more than the school was built to accommodate, and 137 more than the enrolment of 1927. Let us tell you briefly how this excess is being cared for.
"In 1926 and 1927 the two wardrobe rooms were taken over as class rooms and corridor lockers pro- vided for students' street clothing. In 1927 room 23,
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
an oversized room, was divided by a partition giving an extra class room, and in the summer of 1928 rooms 14 and 36 were treated in the same way, adding three extra class rooms. This was made possible by the fact that Room 14 was a study room and the study pupils were accommodated in the assembly room by the in- stallation of the Desk or Chair type of convertible fur- niture, which allows the use of the auditorium alter- nately for both study and assembly purposes.
"The plans for next year are to divide two more large rooms by partitions, increase the Desk or Chair installations in the auditorium, and so make three more class rooms available, since one of the large rooms,. No. 15, is now used as a study room.
"It will be necessary this fall or next fall to give up the use of two rooms as offices in order to provide two more rooms for class use.
"To summarize, there have been provided eight additional class rooms in the High School building in the last three years and there is planned for the next two years the provision of four or five more-12 or more extra class rooms without increasing the size of the building. All this has been accomplished in order to avoid in the High School the 'double shift' with upper classes in the morning and lower classes in the after- noon resulting not only in shortened hours and loss of progress in school work, but what must be avoided at any cost, the repetition of such an arrangement for the same children who have suffered the same diffi- culties recently in the Junior High School.
"Relief measures will have reached the limit of possibilities by the fall of 1930 when new High School accommodations will be a dire necessity. The enrol-
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TOWN RECORDS
ment at the High School will then be 1200 in a building which has been twice previously crowded at 800.
"The first overcrowding of the school was in 1921. At that time the ninth grade was placed in the Junior High Schools and this brought about the necessary relief, but in 1925 overcrowding was again evident with an enrolment of 763, and to make additional accommo- dation two rooms used as lunch rooms were remodelled to class rooms and an unfinished basement was made into a lunch room. In view of these two instances where the School Department has so ably managed this tem- porary housing of the large number of pupils in excess of the building capacity, it does seem that it is entitled to commendation.
"In 1928, 334 permits were granted for one-family dwellings carrying a valuation of over two million dol- lars ; and 92 permits were granted for two-family houses carrying a valuation of over $800,000. From this you will see that building in our midst goes on apace. Northerly of Pleasant Street and southeasterly of the Belmont line, an extensive development is under way which will take up practically all vacant land in that section. On Eastern Avenue, above Highland Avenue, at the Heights, most of the vacant land is under option for development, and soon that section will be built upon. There is considerable vacant land between Sum- mer Street and the Winchester line. This is one of the most sightly and beautiful spots in Arlington; it is surrounded by comfortable homes and it will not be long before extensive development is underway. The development of the Winn farm along Summer and Mystic Streets is well under way and is fast filling that land; and there is left only the Crosby farm and ad- jacent land in that locality. With these facts before you, you will see that vacant land in Arlington is fast disappearing, and sooner than we expect our popula-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
tion will be 50,000, and maybe 100,000; for with the coming of better and increased transportation our Town, potential as it now is, will be even more generally sought by people desiring to be located in a healthy and beautiful locality, close to Boston.
"The number of pupils in our schools was
In 1926
Elementary
3054
Junior High
1203
Senior High
801
Total
5058
In 1927
Elementary
3259
Junior High
1353
Senior High
808
Total
5420
In 1928
Elementary
3512
Junior High
1439
Senior High
938
Total
5889
"This shows that practically 20% of our present population is going to school. On the supposition that the present percentage of increase will continue for twelve years, let us estimate then that in 1930 the num- ber of pupils will be
Elementary
4038
Junior High
1719
Senior High 1200
Total
6957
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TOWN RECORDS
In 1935
Elementary
6000
Junior High
2400
Senior High
1700
Total
10,100
In 1940
Elementary 8000
Junior High
3300
Senior High
2500
Total
13,800
"Of course if the present rate of increase does not hold, the prospective enrolments will fall short of the estimates by the same percentage as the decrease in the growth of the Town.
"Besides the 8 room addition to the Peirce School, and the first unit of a new High School, we believe the following additions will eventually be needed to meet the increasing school enrolment:
A 6-room addition to the Hardy School,
A new 8-room building in the North Union Street section,
A new 8-room building in the Morningside section,
A new 8-room building and a new Junior High near Appleton Street,
A new 8-room building in Overlook Road section, A 10 or 12-room addition to Junior High Center.
A first 12-room unit of a new Junior High in Over- look Road section.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
"It is of course impossible to predict where the Town's growth in residence buildings will be most pro- nounced, or when these additions will be required, but that they will be needed in the very near future we have not the slightest doubt, and for that reason we recommend the purchase or taking of the various par- cels, which includes the necessary additional land to round out the High School necessities. Now is the favorable time to secure them, while they are open and unoccupied, and before the price soars by reason of the demand for residential purposes. To own them will give us the comfortable feeling of security that, with the Town's greatest growth, we will have land for schools when they are needed.
"This school business is expensive, but we must provide the means to carry it on. We cannot get away from that; it is a condition and not a theory; and so long as we must attend to it, let us do it right, and en- joy the satisfaction and pride which come from doing things right.
CHARLES H. HIGGINS, ALEXANDER H. RICE, M. ERNEST MOORE, EARL A. RYDER, Chairman."
On motion of Roger W. Homer:
Voted: That the report of progress of the Com- mittee under vote of the Town passed April 4, 1928, to investigate the Junior High School system and ask- ing for further time be received.
Frederic F. Low, Chairman of the Committee on Revision of Town's By-Laws, presented the following report :
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TOWN RECORDS
"To the Town of Arlington :
The committee on revision of the Town's By-laws, appointed under vote of the Town, May 28th, 1925, has completed the work assigned to them and now ask for their discharge.
The New Building Code, unanimously passed at the Annual Town Meeting in 1928, went into effect early in February of this year, and the printing of all By-laws authorized at the same meeting is in the hands of the printer and will soon be available for distribu- tion.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. KENTY, WALTER F. ROBINSON, EDWARD N. LACEY, ARTHUR J. NORWOOD, FREDERIC F. LOW."
March 26th, 1929.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That the report as presented by Mr. Low be accepted and the committee be discharged with thanks.
The Town Meeting Members not already sworn were sworn by the Moderator.
On motion of Alfred W. Lombard :
Voted: That the report of the Committee under vote of the Town passed January 14, 1926, to consider the condition of Spy Pond be received.
The report is as follows:
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
FINANCIAL REPORT SPY POND IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE
Appropriation April 30, 1926
$6,000.00
Expended 1926
$1,194.27
Expended 1927
2,005.88
Expended 1928
554.82
Total Expenditure to date.
$3,754.97
Balance on hand to date
$2,245.03
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE CONDITION OF SPY POND
The committee is submitting herewith a report of further progress on the work given to them.
Due to the large amount of rain in the last year, the water level in the pond has been exceptionally high, and water passed over the dam till quite late into the summer with a consequent decided improvement in the pond; so that it is now maintaining the condition re- ported last year as a normal pond.
It is evident, however, that continual supervision will have to be given to the pond as it was necessary to put in two doses of copper sulphite during the sea- son to control the Blue Green Algae, and the ice company put in another dose previous to the winter for their own benefit. This was all done under the supervision of Weston & Sampson.
The report of Weston & Sampson is attached, showing their work during the year and their recom- mendations for a definite method of control of the pond.
As the primary cause of the trouble is due to the diversion of the natural inflow to the pond, the com-
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TOWN RECORDS
mittee have considered it advisable to furnish as near as possible a constant supply of water to the pond.
It seems evident that the water in the old reser- voir in the heights, if suitably treated, will be satis- factory for this service, particularly in the spring when there is an excess of water flowing from the reservoir.
To accomplish this it is only necessary to lay a 6" pipe in Swan Place to the pond, and an article has been inserted in the Warrant asking for permission to use part of the balance of the original appropriation for making such examinations and treatment of the reser- voir as may be necessary, and asking for a small amount of additional money to connect the now existing pipe with the pond.
It is probable that it will not be possible to use this water all the year, but if a substantial amount can be put in during times of surplus at the reservoir, a fur- ther improvement can be made.
The committee have kept careful watch of the pond during the past summer, and were gratified to notice bathing and boating have been resumed in the pond.
ALFRED W. LOMBARD, ROGER W. HOMER, J. HOWARD HAYES, WARREN A. PEIRCE.
On motion of Luke A. Manning :
Voted: That the reports of the Selectmen and various Town Officers, as presented in the Town Re- port, together with the additions of the Table of Statis-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
tics of Assessors and Committees heretofore appointed, be accepted.
On motion of Charles M. MacMillin :
Voted: That the report of the Planning Board including a preliminary investigation of the conditions and possible improvement of Mill or Sucker Brook be received.
The hour of 8.27 having arrived the meeting re- cessed in order to take up the business of the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting called for March 27, 1929, at 8.30 P. M.
A True Record, Attest :
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk.
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TOWN RECORDS
TOWN WARRANT
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Middlesex, ss. To the Constables of the Town of Arlington, in said County :
Greeting:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the legal voters of the Town of Arlington, to meet in the Town Hall, in said Town on Wednesday, the 27th day of March, 1929, at 8.30 o'clock P. M., to act on the following Articles, viz :
Article 1. To hear and act on the reports of the committee under vote of the Town passed March 28, 1928 to procure plans and estimates for an eight-room addition to the Peirce School; and of the Finance and other com- mittees heretofore appointed.
Article 2. To see if the Town will construct an addition to the schoolhouse called the Peirce School, situated on land of the Town on Park Avenue Extension ; make an appropriation for such construction including the cost of original equipment and furnishings ; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended ; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Committee on Peirce School Addition)
Article 3. To see if the Town will make an appro- priation for alterations of the present Peirce School building, and for walks and drives upon, and the grading of, the grounds of said school; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Committee on Peirce School Addition)
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Article 4. To see if the Town will accept the be- quest in the will of the late Miss Ellen W. Hodgdon, deceased, said bequest being as follows: "I give and be- queath to the Town of Arlington for the benefit of the Robbins Library, the sum of one thousand (1000) dollars in memory of my father, Richard Lord Hodgdon, the income to be used for the purchase of books and the fund to be administered and expended by the trustees of the Robbins Library, or those succeeding the trustees in the management of the Library"; or take any action relating thereto.
Article 5. To see if the Town will make an appro- priation for walks, drives, and drain upon and the grading of, the grounds and playground of the Junior High School "West"; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended ; or take any action relating thereto.
(Inserted at the request of the Building Committee of the Junior High School West)
Article 6. To see if the Town will accept the altera- tion of the way known as Mill Street, from the northerly side line of Massachusetts Avenue to a point on said Mill Street northeasterly a distance of approximately twenty- four (24) feet, as made and reported by the Joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Public Works; make an appro- priation for said alteration and the construction of said way ; determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended; or take any action relating thereto.
Said way as so altered is bounded and described as follows :
Beginning at the point of intersection of the present westerly side line of Mill Street and the present north- erly side line of Massachusetts Avenue, thence north- westerly on said present northerly side line of Massa- chusetts Avenue, a distance of 13.97 feet to the proposed
89
TOWN RECORDS
westerly side line of Mill Street, thence northeasterly on said proposed westerly side line of Mill Street a distance of 10.0 feet to a point in said proposed westerly side line of Mill Street, thence continuing northeasterly on said proposed westerly side line of Mill Street on a curve to the left with a radius of 13.95 feet a distance of 21.96 feet to the present westerly side line of Mill Street, thence southwesterly on said present westerly side line of Mill Street a distance of 24.0 feet to the point of beginning.
Beginning at the point of intersection of the present easterly side line of Mill Street and the present northerly side line of Massachusetts Avenue, thence northeasterly on said present easterly side line of Mill Street a distance of 24.0 feet to a point of curve in proposed easterly side line of Mill Street, thence southeasterly on said proposed easterly side line of Mill Street on a curve to the left with a radius of 14.05 feet a distance of 22.02 feet to a point of tangency in said proposed easterly side line of Mill Street, thence southwesterly on said proposed easterly side line of Mill Street a distance of 10.0 feet to the north- erly side line of Massachusetts Avenue, thence north- westerly on said northerly side line of Massachusetts Avenue a distance of 14.03 feet to the point of beginning, as shown on a plan on file in the office of the Town Clerk, Arlington, Mass., entitled "Plan Showing Proposed Alteration of Mill Street, Arlington, Mass., Scale 1"=20', Jan. 8, 1929, James M. Keane, Town Engineer."
And you will notify and warn the voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place herein specified by leaving at every dwelling house in the Town a printed copy of this Warrant, and also by posting a copy of the same at the doors of the Town Hall and in a con- spicuous place in each of the seven precincts of the Town, seven days at least prior to the time of said meeting.
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this War-
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
rant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before said day and hour of meeting.
Given under our hands, at said Arlington, this twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine.
HOLLIS M. GOTT, LUKE A. MANNING, ARTHUR P. WYMAN, Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, Mass., March 18, 1929.
Middlesex County :
By virtue of this Warrant I have notified and warned the legal voters of the Town of Arlington to meet at the time and place and for the purposes herein named by causing a printed attested copy of the same to be left at every dwelling house in the Town, and by posting an attested copy at the doors of the Town Hall seven days at least before said day of meeting and by posting at- tested copies in two or more conspicuous places in each voting precinct in the Town. A notice of the time, place and objects of the meeting was published in the local papers.
(Signed) DANIEL M. HOOLEY, Constable, Town of Arlington, Mass.
SPECIAL MEETING
Arlington, March 27, 1929.
Pursuant to the foregoing Warrant the Town Meet- ing Members met in the Town Hall, Arlington, March 27,
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TOWN RECORDS
1929 and were called to order at 8:30 o'clock in the even- ing by the Moderator, Curtis H. Waterman, Warrants having been sent by mail by the Town Clerk seven days before the day of meeting. Notice of the Special Meet- ing was published in the local paper.
One hundred and ninety-seven members attended the meeting.
The Clerk read the Call and the Constable's Return of the Warrant, the reading of the rest of the Warrant being waived by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted : That Article 1 be taken up.
Article 1 taken up. (Report on Addition to Peirce School)
On motion of Elliott R. Barker:
Voted: That the report of the Committee under vote of the Town passed March 28, 1928 to procure plans and estimates for an eight room addition to the Peirce School be received.
The report is as follows :
"Mr. Moderator, and Town Meeting Members,
At the adjourned Town Meeting held March 28, 1928 under Article 27 it was voted "That a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to procure plans and specifications for the construction of an eight room addi- tion to the present Peirce School building, and also esti- mates of the cost of such addition, and of the original
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
equipment and furnishings thereof, and of the grading of the grounds of said school, such committee to have the power to fill vacancies and to report to the Town in 1929; and that the sum of $500 be and hereby is appropriated for the use of said committee.
Under the above vote the Moderator appointed a committee as follows :
Elliott R. Barker, Chairman
Charles B. Devereaux, William A. Corcoran, Foster P. Doane, Thomas J. Donnelly, Jr.
Your committee proceeded promptly with its work and ascertained from the School Committee just what was needed for accommodations in this district. As the school committee is now housing 14 classes in the present eight room building and in a two room portable with. the prospect of further large growth in numbers this fall we realized that an addition should be built with the least possible delay.
We laid this matter before Mr. Howard B. S. Pres- cott, the architect for the present Peirce School, who was pleased to co-operate with us in planning the addi- tion. I shall be pleased to show the plans he has so care- fully worked out.
To expedite the matter and to make an appropria- tion available without delay we asked the Selectmen to call a special Town Meeting running concurrently with the adjourned Town Meeting. If an appropriation is made tonight it will become available five days after adjourn- ment of the special Town Meeting, so we shall soon have power to proceed with our task.
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TOWN RECORDS
In order to provide the finance committee with the most reliable estimate of costs we asked the architect to make good plans and detailed specifications so the con- tractors would have full data on which to figure. We asked three contractors to submit estimates, each con- tractor having been a low bidder on some previous school built in Arlington in recent years.
We are pleased to submit the following estimate based on the plans. The specifications are the same as those used on school buildings during recent years, which give us fire-resisting buildings of attractive design, good construction at minimum cost, and carrying low insurance.
Average of three estimates made on build- ing .. .$112,000
Insurance during construction 1% 1,120
Bond 11/2% 1,680
Sewer and water connections to street 400
Electric connections to street 400
Lighting fixtures 500
Architect's fee 6% on $116,100
6,996
$123,096
Furnishings
81/2 class rooms @ $500 $4,250
150 folding seats for auditorium @ $4 600
70 window shades @ $5.50 385
Ponsell floor machine, wax and spare parts 350
Fire extinguishers
100
Janitor's Supplies 400
6,135
Expense on present building
. $2,000
Architect's fee 6% 120
2,120
Walks, grading, wall and fence
7,797
Total
$139,148
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
We therefore recommend that the above amount be appropriated for the work to be done at the Peirce School this year. This will give a finished job except for the grading, and we recommend that the Board of Public Works dump ashes and other good fill on this lot to bring the playground to the proper grade shown on plan on file in the office of the Town Engineer.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS J. DONNELLY, Jr., WILLIAM A. CORCORAN, FOSTER P. DOANE, ELLIOTT R. BARKER, Chairman"
March 26, 1929
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted : That the report of the Finance Committee be received.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted : That Article 1 be laid on the table.
On motion of G. Bertram Washburn:
Voted: That the remaining articles in the Warrant be now taken up and that the recommendations of the Finance Committee under the various articles as presented in their printed report be considered as now before the meeting, to be voted upon without further motion respectively and in the order in which they ap- pear in said Warrant.
Article 2 taken up. (Addition to Peirce School)
The following substitute motion was made by Elliott R. Barker :
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TOWN RECORDS
That the sum of one hundred and twenty-nine thousand (129,000) Dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the construction of an eight- room addition to the school house called the Peirce School, situated on land of the Town on Park Avenue Extension, increasing the floor space thereof, including the cost of original equip- ment and furnishings of said addition; that for this pur- pose the sum of twenty-nine thousand (29,000) dollars be raised by general tax, and for the balance one hun- dred thousand (100,000) dollars the Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow said sum of one hundred thousand (100,000) dollars and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor, said bonds or notes to be payable in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws and all acts in addition thereto or amendment thereof, so that the whole loan shall be paid in not more than twenty (20) years from the date of issue of the first bond or note or at such earlier date as the Treasurer and Selectmen may determine; and that said appropriation be expended under the direction of a committee consist- ing of the committee appointed under vote passed March 28, 1928, to procure plans and specifications for the con- struction of an eight-room addition to the present Peirce School building, and the Inspector of Buildings ; said com- mittee to have the power to fill any vacancy in its membership.
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