USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1932 > Part 6
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(To fill vacancy)
*Harold M. Estabrook, 10 Inverness Road 504
Blanks
209
82
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Precinct Fourteen-Three Years
*Florence B. Cutter, 195 Park Avenue. 440
James E. Doughty, 146 Oakland Avenue. 322
*M. Edward Gaddis, 221 Wachusett Avenue. 399
*Edith B. Johnson, 67 Hillside Avenue. 462
James H. Kernan, 98 Hillside Avenue. 336
* Allan MacIver, 45 Tanager Street. 397
*Carl N. Quimby, 60 Hillside Avenue. 452
*Herbert A. Snow, 59 Claremont Avenue 476
Blanks 994
Moving Pictures
Precinct 1 2 3
7 Yes
4 5 6
396 564 224 261 341 272 334
No 412 399 482 499 436 675 600
Precinct 8
9 10 11 12
13 Total
14
Yes
212 243 320 478 389 401 315 4,750
*No 639 492 628 381 600 378 374 6,995 295
Blanks
All ballots, used and unused tally sheets, total tally sheets, copy of Precinct Records of Election, and all other records pertaining to the election were delivered to the Town Clerk to be preserved by her during the time re- quired by law.
A true record of the election, Attest:
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk.
RECOUNT
Arlington, March 12, 1932.
Petition for a recount of the votes cast on March 7, 1932, for the office of Selectman was filed in accordance with law in the office of the Town Clerk.
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TOWN RECORDS
Accordingly a recount of the above mentioned office was held on Saturday, March 12, 1932, at eight-thirty o'clock in the forenoon, in the Hearing Room, Robbins Memorial Town Hall.
The recount was conducted by the Registrars of Voters, assisted by duly appointed clerks.
Mr. Leonard F. Collins, a member of the Registrars of Voters, did not desire to act as a member of the board at the recount since he was a candidate for the office of Board of Selectmen. Mr. John F. Dacey was accordingly appointed in Mr. Collins' place.
The candidates for the above mentioned office were duly notified by registered mail.
Some of the candidates appeared in person, accom- panied by counsel, and some were represented by counsel.
The meeting was called to order at eight-thirty o'clock A. M., by Eben F. Dewing, Chairman of the Board. .
The Clerk read the petitions, broke the seals, and opened the boxes.
The result of the recount was as follows:
SELECTMAN
Gott
Prec.
Collins Mar. 7
Mar. 12
Prec.
Mar. 7
Mar. 12
1
421
425
1
385
383
2
638
639
2
349
350
3
404
404
3
318
318
4
385
385
4
379
380
5
653
653
5
142
141
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
6
285
283
6
683
685
7
719
721
7
213
214
8
305
306
8
557
557
9
332
331
9
439
440
10
466
457
10
505
514
11
493
492
11
388
388
12
339
344
12
642
638
13
358
357
13
436
436
14
246
246
14
457
457
6044
6043
5893
5901
In accordance with the law the ballots were returned to the Town Clerk.
Eben F. Dewing, Chairman of the Board of Regis- trars, announced the result of the recount, declaring Leonard Collins elected as a member of the Board of Selectmen.
In Precinct 6 a petition had been received from Mel- vin F. Breed for a recount on Town Meeting membership.
In accordance with the provisions of law for re- counts in Town Offices, a recount was made in the afore- mentioned precinct, not changing the result in Town Meeting membership.
A true record, Attest:
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk.
85
TOWN RECORDS
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 Massachu- setts, 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 Tuesday, the 15th day of March, 1932, at 8 o'clock, P. M., at which time and place the following articles are to be acted upon and deter- mined exclusively by town meeting members, in accord- ance with, and subject to the referenda provided for by, chapter 642 of the Acts of 1920.
Article 1. To hear and act upon the reports of the Finance and other committees heretofore appointed.
Article 2. To see if the Town will amend, modify . or rescind the vote passed on January 27, 1932, under article 8 of the warrant for the special town meeting held on that date, whereby there was appropriated the sum of one hundred seventeen thousand, two hundred twenty- three and 86/100 (117,223.86) dollars for the payment of an assessment by the County Commissioners of the County of Middlesex for a proportionate share of the expense of construction of a county tuberculosis hospital ; will appropriate such sum or any other sum or sums to pay the Town's proportion of the cost of the construction and equipment of the Middlesex County tuberculosis hospital, the assessment therefor having already been made against the Town or to pay any portion of the cost of the construction and/or equipment of such a hospital; will elect and/or determine whether all or any portion of said assessment and/or cost and/or interest,
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
expenses, and costs on account of such hospital be funded as authorized by chapter 10 of the acts of 1932 and for what period not exceeding fifteen (15) years; will specify the period for the payment of any such apportionment or assessment; will file such election with the County Com- missioners, all as provided in said chapter 10 or other- wise; will determine in what manner the money shall be raised and expended; or take any action in any way relating to all or any of the foregoing or to anything hereinbefore mentioned.
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 conspicuous place in each of the fourteen 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- 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-ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two.
HOLLIS M. GOTT, WILLIAM O. HAUSER, ARTHUR P. WYMAN,
Selectmen of the Town of Arlington.
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TOWN RECORDS
CONSTABLE'S RETURN
Arlington, Mass., March 5, 1932
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 object of the meeting was published in the local papers.
(Signed) JOHN A. EASTON, Constable, Town of Arlington, Mass.
SPECIAL MEETING
Arlington, Mass., March 15, 1932.
Pursuant to the Warrant of the Selectmen served according to law upon the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington, by a constable of the said town and sent by mail by the Town Clerk seven days before the day of meeting to the Town Meeting Members duly elected and qualified to act in Town Meetings in Arlington, the Town Meeting Members met at the Robbins Memorial Town Hall in said Town on Tuesday, March 15, 1932, at eight o'clock in the evening.
Lists of the duly qualified Town Meeting Members were used at the entrances of the meeting place and were in charge of Albert K. Peirce and James E. Sweeney.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The check lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that 185 members attended the meeting.
James C. Carr, stenographer, was sworn by the Town Clerk to impartially and correctly report the pro- ceedings of the meeting to the best of his ability.
The Moderator called the meeting to order at 8:05 o'clock P. M.
The Clerk read the call and the Constable's Return of the Warrant, the reading of the remainder of the Warrant being waived by the unanimous consent of the meeting.
Town Meeting Members, not already sworn, were sworn by the Moderator.
On motion of William O. Hauser.
Article 1 was taken up. (Reports of Committees)
On motion of Ernest W. Davis:
Voted (Unanimously) that the Report of the Finance Committee be received.
There being no further business under Article 1 the Moderator declared Article 1 disposed of.
On motion of William O. Hauser:
Voted : That Article 2 be taken up. (Assessment for County Hospital)
Voted (Unanimously) : That the vote passed on January 27, 1932, under Article (8) of the warrant for
89
TOWN RECORDS
the special town meeting held on that date whereby there was appropriated the sum of one hundred seventeen thousand two hundred twenty-three and 86/100 (117,223.86) dollars for the payment of an assessment by the County Commissioners of the County of Middle- sex for a proportionate share of the expense of construc- tion of a county tuberculosis hospital, be and hereby is rescinded.
Voted (Unanimously) : That the sum of seventeen thousand two hundred and twenty-three and 86/100 (17,223.86) dollars be and hereby is appropriated for the partial payment of the assessment of one hundred seven- teen thousand two hundred twenty-three and 86/100 (117,223.86) dollars already made for the Town's propor- tion of the cost of the construction and equipment of the Middlesex County Tuberculosis Hospital; that said sum of seventeen thousand two hundred twenty-three and 86/100 (17,223.86) dollars be raised by general tax and expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen; that of the amount of said assessment the sum of one hundred thousand (100,000.00) dollars be funded as authorized by chapter ten (10) of the Acts of nineteen hundred and thirty-two, said last mentioned sum to be paid in substantially equal instalments over a period of ten (10) years in accordance with the provisions of said chapter ten (10) ; and that the Town Clerk be and hereby is directed to file promptly with the County Commission- ers a certified copy of this vote which shall be held to be the election of the Town that said last mentioned sum be so funded and also so paid, all in accordance with the provisions of said chapter ten (10).
There being no further business under Article 2 the Moderator declared Article 2 disposed of.
Harold L. Frost asked if there was anyone who could give any information as to whether there is any check
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
on the amount of money that the County Commissioners can spend and charge up to the various municipalities.
The Moderator stated that the article having been disposed of the only way to have the matter reconsidered would be to entertain a motion.
Town Counsel, Paul M. White, advised the Meeting that it would not be advisable to reconsider the article.
The Moderator informed the Town Meeting Mem- bers that the Town Reports for 1931 might be obtained at the rear of the hall.
On motion of Ernest W. Davis:
Voted: That the meeting adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 8:21 P. M.
A True Record, Attest :
E. CAROLINE PIERCE, Town Clerk.
91
TOWN RECORDS
ANNUAL MEETING
Arlington, March 23, 1932.
Pursuant to the Warrant of the Selectmen served according to law upon the inhabitants of the Town by a Constable of said Town, notices having been sent by mail by the Town Clerk seven days before the day of meeting to the Town Meeting Members elected and qualified to act in Town Meetings in Arlington, and posted at two places in each precinct, the Town Meeting Members met in the Robbins Memorial Town Hall in said Town on Wednesday, March 23, 1932, at eight o'clock in the eve- ning. The Warrant calling the meeting was the notice sent by mail by the Town Clerk.
Lists of the duly qualified Town Meeting Members were used at the entrances of the Meeting place and were in charge of Albert K. Peirce and James E. Sweeney. The lists contained the names of two hundred and sixty- seven Town Meeting Members.
The Check Lists filed with the Town Clerk at the close of the meeting showed that two hundred and four- teen members attended the meeting.
James C. Carr, stenographer, was sworn by the Town Clerk to the faithful performance of his duties.
The meeting was called to order at 8:06 P. M. by the Moderator, William B. Barry.
The Town Meeting Members were sworn by the Moderator.
Copies of the Warrant having been supplied to the Town Meeting Members, the Town Clerk read only the Call and the Constable's Return of the Warrant, the
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
meeting voting on William O. Hauser's motion to dis- pense with the reading of the remainder of the warrant.
On motion of William O. Hauser:
Voted: That if all the business of the meeting as set forth in the Warrant is not disposed of on this date, the meeting adjourn to Wednesday evening, March 30, 1932, at eight o'clock.
On motion of William O. Hauser :
Voted: That Article 2 be taken up.
Article 2 taken up. (Choice of Other Town Officers)
Voted : That the Town Clerk cast one ballot for each of the officers for the term of one year, designated as follows :
MEASURERS OF WOOD AND BARK
Arthur B. Peirce Patrick F. Brosnahan Charles E. Hale
On motion of William O. Hauser:
Voted : That Article 3 be taken up.
Article 3 taken up. (Reports of Selectmen-other Town Officers and Committees) 1
Arthur O. Yeames submitted the following report of Committee to Investigate School Systems of Arlington with Particular Reference to Cost of Operation.
93
TOWN RECORDS
At the Special Town Meeting in April, 1930, the fol- lowing vote was recommended by the Finance Commit- tee and passed by the Town Meeting Members (Article 15-voted April 9, 1930)-
Voted: That a committee of three be appointed by the Board of Selectmen to carefully investigate the school system of Arlington with particular reference to the maintenance and operation of school buildings and grounds, to ascertain wherein, if possible, reductions in costs of operation and maintenance may be made; said committee to report to the Town not later than the An- nual Meeting in 1931 and any vacancy therein to be filled by said Board; and further that the sum of $500.00 be and hereby is appropriated for the use of the committee, said sum to be raised by general tax.
Wilson D. Clark, Jr., Charles A. Alden, and Ernest W. Davis were appointed by the Selectmen in accordance with the above vote. On resignation of Mr. Clark, Arthur O. Yeames was appointed by the Selectmen in September, 1930, to fill the vacancy.
Everywhere the problem of the increasing cost to the tax payer of public school education is being studied and investigated. Committees, school boards and educa- tors generally, those in public office, and the thinking citizen are asking how may the cost of the schools be reduced without detriment to the high standards of edu- cation we ask for our children. What departments can be discarded and what subjects can be done away with ? Increased effort to provide instruction for the retarded child and those mentally or physically handicapped; for the cultivation of subjects outside of the "three Rs" which were sufficient for past generations; for the teach- ing of business and trade subjects, of music, art, etc .; the tremendous emphasis put on the physical develop- ment of the child and the care and safeguarding of health
94
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
-all have increased the costs of our educational systems. The question everywhere is what can we do away with? Where can we cut expense ?
However, your committee has endeavored to ap- proach the study of Arlington schools entirely from the point of view of the business side-the cost. We have not felt that it was our duty, nor were we qualified to go into the questions of what studies and activities should enter into our school program. This is for the school committee and educational authorities. We believe that the school committee and the school employees from the superintendent down have very much at heart the ques- tion of how to keep down the costs of education in Arling- ton without adversely affecting the standards that we all wish for our public schools. Since our preliminary report in March, 1931, some of our figures have had to be revised, and it is not unlikely that after this report is in print other changes now in the minds of your school authorities will show that some of the suggestions which appear in this report have been carried out or beginnings made to improve conditions as soon as possible.
Before considering the costs of the school system in Arlington, it was thought desirable to obtain compara- tive data for other cities and towns-cities and towns having either approximately the same school population or with recognized high standards of public school education.
After careful consideration, the following were chosen-
Belmont
Melrose
Waltham
Brookline
Newton
Watertown
Framingham
Norwood
Weymouth
Medford
Somerville
Winchester
95
TOWN RECORDS
From annual reports of the State Board of Education complete analyses have been made of cost data for the school systems of Arlington and the above cities and towns. The following items of cost data were considered :
1. General Control.
2. Salaries of Principals, Supervisors, Teachers.
3. Text-books.
4. Janitors, Fuel and Miscellaneous Expenses.
5. Repairs and Maintenance.
6. Libraries.
7. Health.
8. Other items including Transportation and Tuition.
9. Total for support.
It was found by the committee to be impossible to give a final report in 1931 because of the short time between the date of organization and the Annual Town Meeting. The committee did, however, make a prelimi- nary report which is appended to this report.
On a "cost per pupil" basis it has been found that the cost in Arlington over a six-year period has increased more rapidly than the average of the other cities and towns considered in this report and that the cost is exceeded by only Brookline and Newton as shown in the latest State Report (November, 1931).
A study of cost data from systems with and without Junior High Schools does not indicate that the Junior High System is the reason for the high cost in Arlington.
A study of the salaries paid the superintendent, principals, and teachers does not indicate that such salar- ies are excessive in Arlington, in fact it does show that
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
the "maximums" are lower and the "time to attain maximum salary" is longer than the average for the other cities and towns considered.
The cost of repairs in Arlington over the six-year period on the basis of cost per pupil, cost per building, or cost per classroom, has been considerably higher than the average as shown in the State Reports of 1926 to 1930, inclusive, but are only slightly higher than the average as shown in the 1931 report. We believe that our school property is in good condition, as we said in our preliminary report :- "Our committee has visited every school building in Arlington, noting the physical condi- tion of the property, the overcrowding of some of the buildings, and the need of either additional accommoda- tions or rearrangement of present accommodations. The committee has been particularly impressed with the physical condition of the school property, especially the older buildings. We believe that a word of praise is due the staff of janitors which is responsible for the cleanli- ness of the buildings."
The facts developed by our analysis and comparison of costs of operation in the classification which appear in the annual reports of the State Department of Educa- tion are discussed in the following pages.
1. General Control. The cost per pupil in Arlington is $3.86, and is exceeded only by Winchester, is $1.81 greater than the lowest cost (Weymouth) and is ninety- one (91) cents above the average. Reducing the cost to the average figure of $2.95 would still leave the cost in Arlington greater than in Framingham, Medford, Mel- rose, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown and Weymouth.
Reducing the General Control cost to the average of the group of $2.95 per pupil would reduce the total
97
TOWN RECORDS
amount necessary to be appropriated for this item by approximately $5600.
2. Salaries of Principals, Teachers, Supervisors.
The cost per pupil of salaries of principals, teachers and supervisors in Arlington as shown in the 1931 report is $79.65 which is exceeded only by Brookline and Newton and is $4.52 above the average for the group of cities and towns.
A study of the salaries paid the superintendent, principals, supervisors and teachers indicates that the maximum for supervisors, men teachers and all Junior High teachers is not, generally speaking, out of line with those paid in the other communities and that the salaries of women teachers in elementary schools and of men teachers in the High School are somewhat lower than the average for the cities and towns considered in our report. Comparative figures show that the average number of pupils per teacher in Arlington is only twenty-four (24) (as shown by the 1931 report) while that for the group is twenty-seven and four tenths (27.4) with such places as Framingham, Medford, Melrose, Somerville, Water- town and Weymouth, having twenty-nine (29) to thirty- two (32). A further study discloses the fact that our Junior High system is not responsible for this low average.
Revision upward of the size of classes so that the number of pupils per teacher is raised from twenty-four (24) to the average figure for the group of twenty-seven and four tenths (27.4) would result in a saving to the Town of an amount in excess of $50,000.
3. Text-books. The cost per pupil for text-books in Arlington is $2.32. (1931 report) which is exceeded only by Belmont and Brookline and is forty-three (43) cents above the average for the group of cities and towns
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
considered. Furthermore, it is noted by a study of the data over the six-year period, that the cost in Arlington is consistently higher than the average for the group and that the cost in practically all of the other cities and towns fluctuates showing a low cost occasionally. A lit- tle more attention to this detail should bring Arlington's cost down appreciably-at least to the average for the group, with a saving of approximately $2600.
4. Janitors and Fuel. The cost of janitor service and fuel in Arlington (1931 State Report) was $12.19 per pupil which is exceeded only by Brookline, Newton and Norwood. This is eighty (80) cents above the aver- age for the group, but is almost $3.00 per pupil more than Belmont, Medford and Somerville.
Reducing the cost of this item to the average for the group would result in a saving to the Town of approxi- mately $5000. While we are convinced that the prices paid for fuel from time to time were in line with prevail- ing market prices, we nevertheless feel that the cost of Janitors' Service, Fuel, etc., which costs are grouped in the published reports, should follow more closely the in- crease in average school membership than has been the case during the period covered by our investigation.
5. Repairs. The cost of this item in our school operation is $4.65 per pupil-is exceeded by Brookline, Melrose, Newton and Weymouth-and is eighteen (18) cents per pupil above the average for the communities considered in this report. This cost does not seem ex- cessively high-although in the 1930 report the cost per pupil in Arlington was $2.67 more than the average for the group and exceeded by Brookline only. Reducing Arlington's cost of this item to the average would have resulted in a saving to the Town of $15,000, in 1930.
6. Libraries. Of the school systems considered, five do not report any money expended for libraries (Framing-
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TOWN RECORDS
ham, Melrose, Newton, Somerville, Winchester). The cost of such maintenance in Arlington is forty-eight (48) cents per pupil while the average for the seven cities and towns with such items in the school budget is only twenty-nine (29) cents. This committee does not con- sider itself qualified to decide the wisdom or necessity of such an expense-but merely calls it to your attention as a possible saving. Reducing the cost to the average of those cities and towns maintaining libraries in the schools, would result in a saving to the Town of only $1,100 (approximately).
7. Health. The average cost per pupil for this item in the budget is $1.59, the average for the group is $1.71. Nevertheless Arlington spends more per pupil than six (6) of the other communities.
8. Miscellaneous Expenses. The cost per pupil in Arlington according to the 1931 State Report is $7.70 per pupil, while the average cost for the twelve cities and towns under consideration is $5.45. This represents a difference of approximately $14,000 in the budget ex- penses.
9. Total Cost. According to the 1931 State Report, the overall cost of the school system in Arlington (ex- clusive of capital outlay) is $112.44 per pupil-with equivalent costs in the twelve cities and towns under consideration ranging from $84.83 to $150.10. The per pupil cost in Arlington is exceeded only by Brookline and Newton-as shown below:
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