USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1944 > Part 19
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Appreciation is expressed to the Garden Clubs for Christmas decorations and beautiful flowers presented dur- ing the year by its members.
The following have presented books :
Troop 21, Arlington Girl Scouts
Toledo Museum of Art
Estate of G. G. Closson
Mrs. G. M. Sayette
Mrs. Cyrus Dallin
Rosicrucian Fellowship
Virginia Wellington
Violet M. Albrechtsen
Richard Daley
G. E. Folk
Mrs. Anne F. Galpin
Carolyn B. Reed
First Church Christ Scientist, Cambridge
N. E. Zionist Emergency Council
Miss Frances M. Pray
Boston Society of Natural History
Rev. Matthew Flaherty
Arthur J. Mansfield
G. S. Woodbridge G. H. Ford
Mrs. Helen Foster Osborne
Mrs. Albert L. Hunt
Mr. William Proctor
Henry Rendal Americo Chaves
Mrs. Harold N. Tarr
Mrs. Anne F. Galpin
389
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
A gift of more than usual interest and value has been given the Dallin Branch Library by Mrs. Cyrus Dallin. Two pieces of statuary executed by Mr. Dallin, the "Red Bird and Papoose" and the "Medicine Man," one in memory of Mr. Cyrus Dallin and the other in memory of Mr. Arthur Dallin. Also included in the gift was the book "Grammar of Ornament" by Jones, in memory of Mr. Arthur Dallin.
Mr. William Proctor, architect of several public build- ings in Arlington as well as the Junior Library wing and the Dallin Branch Library, contributed an unusual collec- tion of books and portfolios of Art. When available these will be a definite addition to the fine art collection.
To the newspapers of the town "Arlington News" and "Arlington Advocate" a deep appreciation is felt for the publicity given the library.
As a part of Book Week the Presidents of the eight Parent-Teachers Associations were hostesses one evening during Book Week when the Children's Librarian, Mrs. Montague, reviewed choice books of the season.
The librarian cannot close her report without again bringing to the attention of the people of Arlington the need for more and better library service at East Arlington. A building built for library needs, plenty of books. This is a thing to be planned for after the war is won.
As in all libraries there have been changes in the staff.
Mrs. Mildren Sayward resigned to take another library position and Miss Margaret V. White to re-enter the busi- ness world. These positions have been filled by Miss Marie J. Moeller, a graduate of California University Library School and Mrs. Sylvia R. Gustin, a graduate of Tufts Col- lege. Mrs. Margaret Q. Heaps joined the staff in March and has been made Head of Circulation. Two vacancies have not been filled which necessitates too much work being performed by part-time assistants and does not make for the best efficiency. However, the library has been very fortunate in securing the help of very superior part-time
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
assistants and, in this way, we have been open our regular hours, have carried on our regular activities, taken on some extra services which has often meant many changes in hours and the shifting of librarians from their own duties which are many, to assist in other capacities.
To my assistants who have graciously made adjust- ments, who have given faithful service and have tried to increase the usefulness of the library, I express my appre- ciation.
To the Trustees I wish to express my thanks for the cooperation and support given me in directing the library affairs.
Respectfully submitted,
LUCINDA F. SPOFFORD
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION FORM FOR UNIFORM STATISTICS
Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 1944. Name of Library : Robbins Library.
City : Arlington. State: Massachusetts.
Name of Librarian : Mrs. Lucinda F. Spofford.
Date of founding 1835
Population served : Census, 1940
40,013
Assessed Valuation of Town $56,098,950.00
Terms of use-Free for lending, Free for reference Agencies
Central Library 1.
Branches
Library Building 1
School Building 1 Others
School Rooms 59
Fire Stations 3
Symmes Hospital 1
Total
66
391
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
Number of days open during year (Central Library) 295
Hours open each week for lending. (Central Library) 66
Hours open each week for reading. (Central Library) 66
Library closed Wednesdays during July and August Hours open each week 55
INCREASE
67,839
Number of volumes beginning of year .... .. . . Number of volumes added during the year by purchase 3.786
Number of volumes added by gift
96
Number of volumes added by binding
11
Number of volumes lost and returned
19
Total number at end of year 71,751
Number of volumes lost and withdrawn ....
2,380
Total number at end of year ....... 69,371
REGISTRATION
Number of registered borrowers December
31, 1944
15,841
Number of borrowers registered during 1944 1,526
Registration period, years
3
Number of periodicals and newspapers
received :
Titles
242
Copies 290
Number of staff, library service (including part-time) 13
Number of staff, janitor service (including part-time)
3
Full-time
2
Part-time
1
392
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Appropriation by Town, 1944
$35,704.00
Expenditures :
Salaries-Library and Janitor Service ..
$21,478.35
Supplies and Expenses :
Books
$5,600.10
Periodicals
629.57
Bindery
2,053.65
Fuel
1,606.54
Light
887.40
Building and Grounds
351.06
Telephone
220.30
Other Expenses
1,322.01
Total
$12,670.63
Balance from Town Appropriation :
Salary account
$625.65
All others
929.37
Total
$1,555.02
Trust Fund Balance :
January 1, 1944
$6,153.31
Income during 1944
1,862.81
Total
$8,016.12
Expended during 1944 :
Other expenses $13.67
Balance December 30, 1944
$8,002.45
393
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE ROBBINS PRINT COLLECTION
FOR THE YEAR 1944
To the Trustees of the Robbins Print Collection :
It is a pleasure to report that knowledge of the re- search possibilities in the Robbins Print collection has reached as far afield as the University of Kansas at Law- rence. A professor there, in search of certain portraits for a book he is writing, found in our collection desired ma- terial which apparently he was unable to find elsewhere. Photographs of the portraits he wanted were made from the originals in the Robbins collection and sent to him. He has expressed cordial appreciation of our cooperation. It is the curator's hope that such service as this, offered freely, will eventually bring the collection to the attention of authors and researchers in many other distant places. For the most part, the interest shown in the Robbins por- traits and the inquiries made have come from local sources, frequently referred to us by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
The routine work of cataloguing and the general housekeeping of curating go steadily on. The large exhibi- tion of portraits in the print gallery upstairs remains un- changed; and during the year two small print exhibitions were hung in the Library art gallery.
The following subjects, all new to the Robbins collec- tion, were acquired in 1944:
Gordon Bottomley - Etching by A. Hugh Fisher Seven drypoints by Walter Tittle :
Viscount Astor Andre Castaigne Havelock Ellis Charles Dana Gibson
394
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Marshal Joffre (Autographed by Joffre) Vachel Lindsay Meredith Nicholson
KATHRYN M. ACHUFF,
Curator.
395
REPORT OF LIBRARIAN
ROBBINS ART FUND
1944
Robbins Art Fund
$42,974.42
Expenditures :
Salaries
1,000.00
Prints
116.25
All others
24.48
Total
$1,140.73
396
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of Arlington :
In preparing this report the Committee has in mind the presentation of some of the general features in con- nection with the operation of the school system during the past year, leaving the more detailed discussion of the school system to the Report of the Superintendent which immediately follows this report and which should be used by all citizens interested in this most important subject of the education of our youth.
Each year the Warrant of the Annual Town Meeting includes certain articles which are of direct interest to the School Department. There were several such articles in the 1944 Warrant and it might be in order to devote a few words to them to acquaint readers with the effect of the passage of these articles upon the operation of the schools.
It will be recalled that the meeting voted a permanent increase of $200. in the annual salary of each town employee in lieu of the bonus recommended by the Finance Commit- tee. As there are about 300 employees on the School De- partment payroll, this means an addition of $60,000. to the Department's annual budget, or $10. per pupil on a basis of 6,000 pupils, which is about our present school popula- tion. As this item was not included in our 1944 budget, it follows that our 1945 budget will be considerably larger than 1944 on this account alone.
The 1944 budget included $2,800. under "Instructional Service" and $1,000. in "Capital Outlay" necessary to start kindergarten classes at the opening of schools in Septem- ber. The subject was discussed at some length at the an- nual meeting and the representative of the School Depart- ment pointed out that the amount of money under "Instruc- tional Service" would be about $8,400. on an annual basis, as the $2,800. provided only for one-third of a year. The
397
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
money was voted by the meeting and kindergartens were opened in September. At the end of the year there were fourteen kindergarten units with a total membership of 408 pupils. The Parmenter and Russell schools have one unit each, the other six elementary schools have two units each. One teacher handles two units. Some children come in the morning, some in the afternoon, but on January 31, the - schedules will be changed so that the children who have been attending in the morning will attend in the afternoon for the second half of the year and vice versa. Less than a thousand dollars has been spent in equipping these units but much of the atmosphere of the rooms has been provided by the various Parent-Teacher Association groups. They have furnished artistically designed window curtains to- gether with toys, books and pictures. The art department provided many posters on Mother Goose subjects for the walls. Results indicate that the kindergartens have been received with great enthusiasm, the children are being given an excellent foundation for the work of the first grade, and this 1944 innovation has firmly established itself as a worthy addition to our school system.
Another action taken by the town meeting was the acceptance of the State Vocational Act. This action put the town in position to accept State and Federal aid to conduct pre-induction courses as requested by the Army. One class in radio and two courses in auto-mechanics were inaugurated with the opening of school in September. We were fortunate in securing an experienced instructor who met the requirements of the State Department of Educa- tion and who is paid by funds made available to the town for this purpose. Through his initiative and with the aid of the State Department of Vocational Education, we have been able to secure much government material which is used for instructional purposes. This equipment, estimated to be worth about three thousand dollars, was secured for the cost of the trucking. If it can be arranged and if equipment can be obtained from Army salvage, we plan to add a class in machine shop in the course of another year.
398
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
During the past year the Committee has given con- siderable thought to the question of sites for two new schools, one each in precincts 7 and 9, to replace the present Russell School. Tentative locations have been selected and it is planned to include articles in the warrant of the 1945 Town Meeting for the purchase of the land, the buildings to be erected later when wartime restrictions are removed. The replacement of the Russell School is necessary on ac- count of the age of the building and its poor location, partic- ularly with respect to the pupils living in the northern part of Precinct 9.
Reference has already been made to the cost of opera- tion of the Arlington schools. This subject is always of interest to the taxpayers. The total appropriated for 1944 was $668,820., of this $638,680. was actually spent - thus returning $30,140., the unexpended balance, to' the town treasury. Of this $22,970. is the difference between the salaries of the teachers in the service and the salaries of the wartime substitutes who are taking their place. As the budget must be prepared on the assumption that a teacher in the service might return to his teaching position at any time, this unexpended balance in the instructional service account should be expected each year for the duration.
All of the cost of the schools does not come out of the town taxpayer as there are the following receipts which help defray the cost:
From the Commonwealth of Massachusetts:
General School Fund $ 48,024.10
Adult Civic Education 923.75 Tuition and Transportation of State Wards 2,381.58
From the City of Boston Tuition of City Wards 103.52
From the Federal Government (George- Deen Fund) For Pre-Induction Courses ....... .... 1,250.00
399
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Other Receipts
Local Tuition 845.60
Rentals for use of buildings
398.50
Miscellaneous
939.82
Total $ 54,866.87
Adding these receipts to the balance returned to the town and deducting the sum from the total appropriation leaves $583,813.13 which was the actual cost of the schools in 1944 to the Arlington taxpayer.
There have been a number of changes in personnel during 1944. In addition to those listed in the reports for 1942 and 1943, one more teacher, Miss Dorothy Rounds of the High School Faculty, has entered the Armed services. During the year three men have returned from Military service - James J. Toner of the High School faculty, and John Walsh and John Newborg, junior building custodians. Other changes are as follows:
Resignations:
Madeline E. Monroe - High School
Ralph W. Brown - Junior High School Center Leslie H. Barrett-Junior High School West Hilda F. Elliott - Junior High School West A. Naomi Lachut - Junior High School West Charles P. Lawrence - Junior High School West
Donald W. MacDiarmid -Junior High School West William J. O'Brien - Junior High Industrial Arts School
Mary T. Gunzelman - Brackett School Thelma Sanderson - Brackett School
Gladys M. Patterson - Cutter School
Helen M. Littlefield - Hardy School
Clara L. Buxton - Locke School Ethel P. Dunn - Locke School
Mary Lawler - Locke School Helen T. DeRusha - Peirce School
Charles H. LaDue - Director of Guidance
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
Withdrawals:
Benjamin Banks, part time substitute - High School Dorothy Hayman, substitute - High School Susan B. Guy, substitute - Brackett School Marion Slade, substitute - Hardy School
Helen Roberts - Locke School
Retirements:
Carrie L. Horr, who began service in Arlington in 1915 and at the time of her retirement was a teacher at the Locke School
Leaves of Absence:
Edna G. Sanford - Junior High School Center
Cleone Cummings - Brackett School
Rosella Gallagher - Brackett School
Rilla Hamlin - Crosby School
Appointments :
Edward Pine - High School
Lillian W. Goodwin, substitute - High School
Elizabeth Sampson, part time substitute - High School
Agnes C. Bray, substitute - Junior High School Center Edna C. Haviland, substitute - Junior High School Center
Henry Toczylowski - Junior High School Center and High School
Gwilym R. Roberts, substitute - Junior High School East
Alice S. Bowes, substitute - Junior High School West James A. Cavalieri - Junior High School West and High School
Dorothy E. Frost - Junior High School West
Robert V. Frost, substitute - Junior High School West Cecil V. Howell, substitute - Junior High School West Mary B. Murray, substitute - Junior High School West
William C. Donovan, substitute - Junior High Indus- trial Arts School
1
401
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Priscilla Berry - Brackett School M. Grace Callanan - Brackett School Mary E. Disken - Brackett School Harriett P. Hinckley - Brackett School Laura Phillips - Brackett School Rosemary E. Stiles - Brackett School Sheila K. Walsh - Brackett School Phyllis M. Johnson - Crosby School Phoebe A. Hayes, substitute - Cutter School Elizabeth Schroeder, substitute - Hardy School Ann E. Dolan, substitute - Locke School Rita Hildreth, substitute - Locke School Mary G. Miller, substitute - Locke School
Elvira E. Pacifici - Locke School
Elinor C. Varney - Locke School
Muriel E. Blomquist - Peirce School
Transfers :
Gertrude B. Bradstreet - from Locke School to Hardy School
Agnes V. Hurley - from Locke School to Junior High School West
Lawrence J. Mantyla - from Junior High School East to Principalship of Locke School
Margaret M. Moran - from Brackett School to Locke School
Helen F. McKenney - from Russell School to Locke School
Edith C. Wilson - from Brackett School to Russell and Parmenter Schools
This report would not be complete without expressing the Committee's appreciation to the entire School Depart- ment personnel for their conscientious and effective work during the year. The third year of operation under war- time conditions has presented many difficult problems in all branches of the school system which have been met in such a way that the high standard which we all strive for has been retained to a remarkable degree.
402
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The School Committee also expresses its appreciation to other town departments for the usual pleasant cooper- ation in our mutual relations which is characteristic of the town and which prevails in spite of the unusual condi- tions under which we are all working.
Respectfully submitted, (Signed) JAMES W. KIDDER, Chairman
403
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE YEAR 1944
To the School Committee of Arlington,
Ladies and Gentlemen :
It is my privilege to submit for your consideration the following report of the schools for the year 1944. I am in- cluding in my report excerpts from the annual reports sub- mitted to me by various principals and supervisors.
Planning for the Future:
Labor, industry, business and government are all look- ing to the future. The general welfare demands that we provide an educational opportunity for every citizen. We shall need a universally well-educated people to cope with the problems ahead. Our schools must make sure that the best potential leadership is found and developed. Many crucial issues must be met and readjustments in the school program must be made. These issues include the possi- bility of some system of compulsory military training for all youth, work-education experience, the extension of a health and physical fitness program, education beyond high school, and greater training in the mechanic arts. Consid- eration must be given to a program of adult education which will increase in importance with the return of the war veterans. Adult education has been limited to evening hours, but in the near future there will be a demand for daytime courses adjusted to fit the needs of the service men and those war workers who may need training for peace time pursuits.
Plans for post-war education are too complex to be improvised in a few months after the problems are already upon us. Now is the time, for citizens and school authori- ties in thousands of American communities, to join forces in planning the kinds of schools which our country needs and must have. The extension, adaptation and improve- ment of secondary education is essential both to the se-
404
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
curity of our institutions and to the economic well-being of our people. Such a development in secondary education can and should be brought about within the framework of the local and state educational system. If the Federal government will help to finance and encourage such a de- velopment and, if the local and state leaders will do their part, it will be neither necessary, nor desirable for the Federal government itself to operate educational services for the youth of the nation. All youth, with their human similarities and their equally human differences, must have educational services and opportunities suited to their per- sonal needs and sufficient for the successful operation of a free and democratic society.
The Senior High School:
The following paragraphs are quoted from the report of the principal :.
"Last spring when the pupils filled out their registra- tion cards it looked as if the enrollment in the High School would be considerably less in September, 1944. We, there- fore, dropped two full time teachers at the end of the school year last June. Both of these teachers had been working on a substitute basis. Soon after school had opened in September we found that the enrollment had not dropped. In fact, on September 25, 1944, the enrollment was 1546 while on September 27, 1943, it was 1542. This was very gratifying in the face of the newspaper reports of the large number of pupils throughout the country who had not returned to High School. It was necessary, however, last fall to hire a part time teacher of English in order to prevent overcrowding in the classes.
"Last summer we organized classes in two vocational pre-induction courses approved by the State Department of Education. These are a class in radio and two classes in automotive mechanics. We were very fortunate in se- curing a man of considerable experience in these sub- jects, both in the practical field and in the classroom. He was approved by the Division of Vocational Education
405
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
of the State Department of Education. Although we have had pre-induction courses in radio and automotive me- chanics in past years, they were not organized in accord- ance with the requirements of the State approved voca- tional pre-induction courses such as we have now, and they did not offer as much training to the boys. Through the initiative, alertness, and hard work of the instructor, we have secured much free equipment for these courses, some of which came from the State Department of Edu- cation and some of it from army salvage. This has saved the town an expense of many hundreds of dollars. We are grateful to the State Department of Education and to the United States Army for this equipment.
"This year we are continuing pre-induction work in aeronautics, blue print reading, fundamentals of shopwork, fundamentals of machines, and fundamentals of electricity. A large number of our senior boys are taking one or more of these courses so that they may be better fitted when they enter the armed services. This is in accordance with the wishes of the United States Army and approved by the Federal Department of Education.
"By graduation time last June, twenty-eight boys in the graduating class were in military service and, with the exception of two or three who were on leave, were not able to attend the exercises.
"So far this year twelve boys have left school to enter military service. Of these six enlisted in the Navy, two in the Coast Guard, one in the Army Engineers, one in Merchant Marine, one in Maritime Service, and one in the Naval Air Corps. Three of these boys were awarded the war diploma which is given to senior boys who leave school before February 1 and whose work is satisfactory up to the time of leaving. Boys who leave school to enter mili- tary service before they have earned their diplomas may earn credit towards their diplomas while they are in service. Before they leave school they are given informa-
406
ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
tion about this and several boys have earned or are now earning credit in this way.
"This year, as last year, many of our pupils are work- ing so many hours in part time jobs that they are not do- ing satisfastory school work either because of fatigue or because of lack of time. We intend to keep the parents of these pupils notified of this fact with the hope that they will forbid the children to do part time work if their school work is not satisfactory.
"Recently in answering questions at a meeting, a ma- jority of the teachers said that since the war started more pupils were neglecting their work, the problem of discipline was greater, and attendance was poorer than in peace time. This is only one of the prices of war. We are all looking forward to a successful conclusion of this war when some of our problems will be automatically solved even though new ones may arise."
Our Junior High Schools :
Following is the report of the Junior High School prin- cipals :
"In last year's report we stated that for the coming year we had two problems which we wished to undertake with sincere study; first, the planning of efficient instruc- tion in grammar; and second, the introduction of more drill and problem solution in mathematics. These problems were undertaken as planned, with the result that a supple- mentary grammar workbook was adopted and is now being used with the regular English texts of the seventh and eighth grades. The study of the mathematics situation resulted in the adoption of a new arithmetic text to replace the one which had been in use for several years. Since one of the principal functions of the junior high school is to recognize and take care of, as far as possible, the indi- vidual differences in the students with respect to each sub- ject and activity in the school program, we were fortunate in securing an arithmetic text which was so constructed as
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