USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Hamilton > Town of Hamilton Annual Report 1924 > Part 4
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December 16. 1924.
Mr. Robert Robertson, Jr.,
School Committee, Hamilton, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Robertson : At a meeting of the Beverly School Committee facilities to Hamilton pupils was considered. In view of the large number of pupils anticipated in the fall and the com- plications of getting settled in the new building, the School Com- mittee voted to give your petitioners leave to withdraw.
Very truly yours, S. HOWARD CHACE, (signed) S. H. CHACE.
SHC-MB
The above letter would seem to answer the question for this year at least.
R. ROBERTSON, JR., Sec'y., J. LAMSON, Chairman, G. v. L. MEYER.
Committee.
99
REPORT OF SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL COMMITTEE
By a vote of the people of the town, passed at the regular annual meeting held on March 20th, 1923, a Committee was appointed to consider as to whether the town should erect a Monument to the Soldiers and Sailors who had served their Country in time of War from this town. To make a recom- mendation as to the form such a Memorial should take, if any, and to report at the Special Meeting to be held on September 5th, 1923.
The Committee reported at that meeting, advising that such a monument should be built, that it take the form of a granite boulder, surmounted by a bronze eagle and anchor, a bronze tablet with suitable inscription to be fixed to the face of the stone, and the whole to be placed upon a plot of ground called Soldiers' Green, in Hamilton Center, and that three cannon be procured from the United States Government and placed at the corners of the plot. The cost of this monument not to exceed five thousand dollars.
By a vote of the town, taken at this meeting, it was voted that an appropriation of Five Thousand Dollars be made for the above purpose, the committee continued in office and di- rected to carry out the plan.
Your Committee hereby reports as follows :
The Memorial has been completed at a total cost of four thousand, seven hundred and sixty-four dollars and eighty-five cents.
As no provision had been made for the dedicatory exercises,
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102
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
it was considered by the committee entirely proper to use the balance of the appropriation for this purpose.
Owing, however, to one or two unforeseen expenses, this balance, amounting to two hundred and thirty-five dollars and fifteen cents. did not prove quite sufficient, and we were obliged to overrun to the extent of eighty-eight dollars and eighty-three cents.
This overdraft was brought to the attention of the Finance and Advisory Board of the Town and unanimously voted to be taken from the Reserve Fund. There is therefore no fur- ther money needed.
A full statement of expenses is hereto attached. and itemized bills are in the possession of the Town Clerk.
Your Committee having accomplished the work assigned to it. ask that this their report be accepted and they be discharged.
AVON D. BRADEEN, Chairman. JACOB C. R. PEABODY. Vice Chairman. VICTOR W. DALEY, Secretary. FINLAY D. MACDONALD, Secretary. FRANK P. TRUSSEL. Member. JEREMIAH NORRIS. Member.
IN MEMORIAM
ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN IN HONOR OF HER PATRIOTIC MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN TIME OF WAR
To the dead a tribute To the living a memory To posterity an emblem of loyalty to the flag of their country 1924
104
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
FINANCIAL STATEMENT of the SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.
ERECTION EXPENSES.
Hauling and placing boulder
$2.059 00
Designing and casting eagle, tablet and
anchor 1,530 00
Planting around stone
600 00
Architect's fees
455 00
Repairs to gun carriages
70 00
Freight on guns
28 35
Gun plates
22 50
Total
$4,764 85
DEDICATION EXPENSES
Band
$137 50
Carpentry work, etc.
103 1S
Entertainment
52 30
Cleaning up grounds, etc.
21 00
Transportation
10 00
Total 323 98
Grand total
$5,088 83
Overdraft
S8 83
From reserve fund
88 83
Total cost of monument
$5,088 83
TOWN OF HAMILTON
REPORT
OF THE
Finance and Advisory Committee ON THE
Appropriations and Articles FOR THE
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
MARCH 10, 1925
S
ALEX. HAMILTON
SETTS.
INCOR
793
SAI EM, MASS .: NEWCOMB & GAUSS, PRINTERS 1925
REPORT OF FINANCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Citizens:
Your Committee has diligently studied the financial matters under its jurisdiction, and makes the following report for your consideration.
We feel that we would be violating the trust we have taken oath to perform, if we did not bring to your attention econo- mies which we consider possible or necessary, bearing in mind always that we urge only those measures and economies which can be carried out without diminishing the high standards and desired efficiency. We also urge the adoption of a definite highway policy and other matters outlined hereafter.
We shall deal with each article separately, omitting Articles 1, 2, 20, 25, where no finances are involved.
Articles 3 and 4. The following appropriations are recom- mended :
Appropriated Requested
Recommended 1925
1924
1925
Salary
Total
Moderator
$50
$50
p. d. $10
$50
Finance Committee
25
25
0
25
Selectmen
1.100
1,100
350
250
250
850
1,100
106
REPORT OF FINANCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
10%
Appropriated Requested 1924
1925
Salary
Total
Accounting
1,300
1,300
1,200
1,300
Treasury
940
9000
750
900
Collector
800
1,000
500
800
Assessors
2,000
2,000
p. d. 5
2,000
Certf. of Notes
20
20
()
20
Law
200
300
300
300
Town Clerk
650
650
500
650
Exp. 150
Elec. & Regist.
1,000
700
700
Town Hall
2,000
2,000
()
2,000
Police
2,200
2,200
()
2,200
Fire
1,500
2,370
(Special accident) Doctor's bills
1,217
Sealer
300
300
75
300
Moth Dept.
4,700
4,700
1,700
Tree Warden
800
800
800
Forest Warden
65
85
10
85
Health
1,600
1,800
50
1,800
25
25
Insp. of Animals
75
75
75
75
Game Warden
10
15
Snow
5,000
Pending
Street Lights
6,600
0)
Pending
Poor
4,000
4,000
50
4,000
25
25
State Aid
300
300
0
300
Soldiers' Relief
300
300
0
300
Recommended 1925
108
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
Appropriated Requested 1924 1925
Recommended 1925
Salary Total
Public Library
4,000
2,650
2,650
Parks
100
500
0
Central
100
War Mem. 250
350
Memorial Day
200
250
0
250
Town Reports
350
350
0
350
Town Clock
50
50
0
50
Amer. Legion
250
250
0
250
Boiler Ins.
50
125
0
125
Cemetery
800
800
0
800
Highway
15,806
16,000
10,000
Reserve Fund
3,459
3,000
0
3.000
Interest
2,700
3,500
3,500
Maturing Debts
2,000
Schools
44,654
45,850
41,700
Transportation
1,000
1,000
Fire Escape
(5,000)
700
Painting
1,600
Totals
$96,332
SCHOOLS.
Your Committee has studied this problem as thoroughly as it possibly can, and bases its report on facts and figures derived from the Annual Report of the Massachusetts Department of Education for year ended November 30, 1924, Tabulation of School Returns (Part II). Hamilton desires its schools to be as good or better than the average. It should be able to accomplish this for nearly the same amount of money as towns of similar size.
109
REPORT OF FINANCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
We find, however (reference to above mentioned State docu- ment), 13 other Massachusetts towns of approximately our same school enrollment and problems and we submit their figures for your consideration.
Hamilton's figures are as follows, in Column I, and when compared with the figures of 13 towns averaged in Column II, note the difference in cost in Column III.
Average cost per pupil
Hamilton Group III
Excess Cost of Average of Town of Hamilton 13 towns as against average Group III of 13 towns
in net average mem-
bership (47)*
$114 84
$82 00
$32 00
From all sources (46)
44,901 07
33,280 00
Total Support (28)
42,130 80
33,860 00
8,000 00
Transportation (24)
3,500 00
4,600 00
Health (23)
901 00
Janitor and Fuel (20)
5,544 00
4,358 00
1,000 00
Stationery and
Supplies (19)
1,643 00
847 00
800 00
Text Books (18)
1,101 00
830 00
270 00
Salaries (17)
26,227 00
19,553 00
6,674 00
Cen. Control (16)
1,857 00
1,430 00
400 00
Pupil, net average
membership (15)
391 00
40S 00
Teachers (6)
18
15
3
Pupil Enrollment (8)
425
435
* These figures in brackets are the column numbers in the State Department document from which these figures are derived.
The average cost per pupil in net average membership for all of the 230 Group III towns of less than 5,000 population is $63.51; for the 13 towns selected because of their close com-
110
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
parison to Hamilton's problems, it is $82.00; while our cost is $114.84. Hamilton's cost per pupil is $51.33 more than the average of all towns. Hamilton's cost per pupil is $32.84 more than the average of 13 towns.
Granted that our problems may differ from these 13 towns, are our problems such as to cost us $32.84 more per pupil ? With 391 pupils (average) this means $12,800 a year.
Our investigation convinces us that even if $82.00 is too low a cost to aspire to, vet $114.84 is too high a cost to over- look, and the appropriation requested for 1925 figures at the rate of $117.27 per pupil.
Appreciating that economies always come hard, we have recommended for this year the sum of $41,700, not including extras as listed, which figures at the rate of $106.70 per pupil, which we believe is reasonable, as it is a reduction of $8.14 per pupil, or a requested saving of $3,198 based on most recent state figures, and you will note that the average cost per pupil is still $24.70 above the average cost per pupil of the 13 towns.
.Art. 5. Appropriation approved $806.18.
Art. 6. Approved that town hold said money (approximately $1,000) in trust for the A. P. Gardner Post No. 194.
Art. 7. Approved that $150 be appropriated for said com- mittee and that they report at the next regular town meeting. Art. S. Approved ($800).
Highways. Your committee believes as a matter of policy that the Highway Department should, together with the Select- men, determine the work to be done on highways.
We believe that each year a definite fixed sum should be appropriated.
(1) For new macadam roads :
(2) For general maintenance of highways ;
(3) For sidewalks :
(4) For special urgent needs ;
111
REPORT OF FINANCE AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
and that requests such as Articles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, and as many others as might be made, should be submitted to the Selectmen and Highway Department and passed on according to their merits compared with the needs of the town as a whole, and should be granted in so far as funds in Section (4) al- lowed. Only in cases of special emergency or dissatisfaction should such requests be placed before the town.
We believe that the town has wasted far too much money on patchwork in the past, and only by adopting a definite annual policy and vesting the authority with the Selectmen, in whom confidence should be placed, can the town hope to see a general improvement of its highways.
There is at present some doubt as to the authority of the Selectmen over the Highway Department, and steps should be taken to clarify this situation which has already cost the town much money.
Owing to this present division of authority, your committee has passed on Articles 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16, to the best of its ability, but it earnestly recommends that the method out- lined be adopted in the future.
Art. 9. Approved that the Selectmen spend not in excess of $1,500 on said project.
Art. 10. There seems no pressing need for this expendi- ture, and it is accordingly not approved.
Art. 11. Referred to Selectment with authority to spend not in excess of $500, if in their opinion there is pressing need for this improvement.
Art. 12. Approved ($150).
Art. 13. Referred to the Selectmen, with authority io spend not in excess of (amount pending) if in their opinion there is pressing need for this improvement.
Sidewalks. Your committee recommends as a matter of policy, when other than gravel sidewalks are constructed, that the abuttors bear one-half of the expense.
112
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
Art. 14. Recommend that $1,000 be appropriated and Se- lectmen be authorized to make said repairs and purchases.
Art. 15. Recommend that $500 be appropriated for Select- men to make such purchases.
Art. 16. Referred to the Selectmen, with authority to spend not in excess of $450 for this purpose, if in their opinion there is pressing need for this work.
Art. 17 and 18. Approved, and that the expense be cov- ered by regular street lighting appropriation.
Art. 19. This sum of $250 has been approved and included in the regular appropriation under Art. 4.
Art. 21. Provision of $250 has been granted the Park Department under Art. 4 for the care of this item, provided it is given to the custody of the Park Commission.
Art. 22. It is hoped that this will be an annual policy of the town as a special part of the Highway appropriation. See comments under "Highways." This year it is recommended that the town appropriate a special sum, not to exceed $10,000, for rebuilding of Essex Street, provided the State and County will participate in said construction.
Snow. We have a very large mileage for one truck to cover efficiently and economically. It has been suggested, and we recommend, that the Selectmen see if snow-plowing could be supplemented by local contractor on a per diem or mileage basis, with resulting economy and better road conditions.
Arts. 23 and 24. Approved.
Total Appropriations (not including snow, street lights and Art. 13)-$112,188.18.
G. v. L. MEYER, Chairman, J. C. R. PEABODY, Vice Chairman, L. A. HASKELL, Secretary, LESTER E. McQUARRY, WM. W. BANCROFT,
Finance Committee.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF HAMILTON
FOR THE YEAR
1924
MASS
LTON
. HA
93.
. INCORP ..
SALEM, MASS,, NEWCOMB & GAUSS, PRINTERS. 1925
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION
ROBERT ROBERTSON, JR., Chairman
Term expires 1927
ADELAIDE D. WALSH
Term expires 1926
ALEXANDER H. SPROUL, Secretary
Term expires 1925
ADELAIDE D. WALSH, Purchasing Agent JOHN D. WHITTIER, Superintendent
JOHN G. CORCORAN, School Physician
HELEN E. PURDY, School Nurse
OSCAR A. WOOD, Attendance Officer
We have now finished four months of school with all children attending at either the East or South School Building, and the committee feels that the better results made possible through the closing of the ungraded rural schools have more than offset the inconvenience caused.
We are hoping soon to overcome the disadvantages of trans- portation by inaugurating the use of larger enclosed busses that will add greatly to the comfort and safety of the children.
The committee is greatly indebted to the Directors of the Community House for permission to use the hall for afternoon assemblies of the entire High School body, a thing not possible in our South School Building owing to lack of an assembly hall. This will enable the principal to begin a series of talks by prom- inent people, and music by the entire group.
This year we are confronted with a considerable expense for providing an additional means of egress from the South School Building to comply with requirements of the State Police, and for much needed painting at both the East and South School Buildings.
3
4
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
We are at present without the services of our very efficient attendance officer Mr. Wood, who is confined at the Beverly Hos- pital by illness, but we are confident that he will have a speedy and complete recovery and soon be able to resume his duties.
We are pleased to report that we were able to keep the schools up to the usual standard and still have an unexpended balance of $1,563.79 to return to the Town Treasury.
Respectfully submitted.
ROBERT ROBERTSON, JR., ADELAIDE D. WALSH, ALEXANDER H. SPROUL, School Committee.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
To the School Committee of Hamilton:
MADAM AND GENTLEMEN : I have the honor to present here- with my second annual report of the schools of Hamilton.
PROGRESS
Satisfactory progress has been made in several respects which is gratifying to note. It is very evident that classroom instruction has improved; that pupils have been able to meet the standards for promotion to a large degree; that greater interest is manifest in the school subjects; that there seems to be a co-operative atti- tude existing between school officials and patrons of the schools. It is realized that there are places in which our system shows weak- ness, but being aware of this is one step toward remedying the same.
INSTRUCTION
Classroom instruction has been improved through teachers taking special study in extension, correspondence and summer courses. At the present time the teachers of the town are meeting twice monthly for special study.
Teachers are urged to use their classrooms as a laboratory to carry out the new methods they bring back from study and that they make the necessary adaptations that the greatest benefit pos- sible may come to the child. The classes in the schools are not so large but what the teachers are able to study the individual child to the end that he may be benefited thereby. By such per-
5
6
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
sonal knowledge of the pupil's abilities teachers are able to secure maximum efficiency on the part of the pupils resulting in pro- motions in most cases at the end of the year.
Routine work is deadening to both teachers and pupils. With this in mind, we have endeavored to tone up the classroom work by using many devices to hold the attention of both teachers and pupils without undermining the important work to be accom- plished.
SPELLING
Considerable interest has been aroused in the grades in the subject of spelling. During May a Town Spelling Contest was held at the Town Hall. Two pupils from a grade were chosen through elimination contests to represent their grade. Seven hundred and two words were used to determine the two pupils, Helen Tuttle of grade six, and Cecil Whittier of grade seven, to represent the grades of Hamilton at the Union Spelling Contest held at Hamilton Town Hall. The school is indebted to the Vic- tory Club for the beautiful loving cup presented to grade seven, whose representative won the town contest. There were four hun- dred and ninety-three words used in union contest. The winner of the same and of the large loving cup for the Union was Leighton Caves of grade eight, Wenham.
Contests similar to the above will be held annually, at which time contestants will compete to secure possession of the Union loving cup for their town.
It is expected that the Union cup will be won by the Hamil- ton contestants in due season.
ARITHMETIC
One year ago the services of Mr. John C. Gray, author of Gray's "Number by Development," were had in the schools. He gave demonstrations of the work, as outlined in his book, in the primary grades and advised the teachers as to the method of pro-
7
SCHOOL REPORT
cedure. The method has been used in the primary grades the past year with very satisfactory results. The work of the pupils in the intermediate and grammar grades should show the results of the excellent basis for arithmetic work we are laying in the primary grades as the pupils advance to the higher grades.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
That new interest might be aroused in Physical Education, Miss Louise S. French, Assistant Supervisor of Physical Educa- tion for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, spent two days in the schools of this Union during the past year, observing the work of teachers in this branch of work, giving demonstrations in the classrooms and addressing the teachers.
In so far as possible it has been our purpose to carry out the state program of Physical Education in our schools. With that end in view, Mrs. Edith Foster has been secured to take over this work, devoting two half days to it monthly. She comes to us well qualified, through training and several years' experience, to supervise this branch of work in our schools.
EDUCATION WEEK
American Education Week was observed in the schools of Hamilton during the week of November 17, 1924. In each school teachers and pupils endeavored to carry out daily a fitting pro- gram devoted to the Constitution of the United States; Patriotism ; School and Teacher; Illiteracy and Physical Education. Novem- ber nineteenth was set aside as the one day on which parents and others interested in the schools would be invited to observe the classroom work. Grades one to six were in session during the regular school hours while grades seven to twelve were in session during the latter part of the afternoon and early evening.
It was gratifying to note that a large number of citizens vis- ited all classrooms during the sessions and expressed themselves
8
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
as generally pleased with the work observed. Similar programs will be arranged from time to time that school patrons may be- come better acquainted with the work of the schools.
REORGANIZATION
At the last annual town meeting the voters of Hamilton took a forward step in solving one of its perplexing education problems by voting to discontinue the North, West and Center rural schools. By so doing this town did what is being done annually in many towns of Massachusetts and of other states.
The voters were justified in discontinuing these schools for the following reasons : First, That the children should be furnished the educational advantages of the graded schools; Second, That they should be schooled in more modern buildings; Third, That they should be transported to school under the supervision of very competent drivers; Fourth, That they should be furnished a warm drink at the lunch period during the cold months; Fifth, That they could be cared for in rest rooms, fully equipped for their comfort, in case of sickness.
The committee realized that there would be some incon- veniences to a few families if the reorganization were carried out without considering to which school the children of each family should be sent.
Pupils in grades one and two were allowed to enter either the East or South School. Parents having children attending the Junior or Senior High School were allowed to send other younger children to the grades at the South School. In so far as space in the rooms would permit other children than the above were accepted at the grades in the South School. There were only two cases where children could not be accepted at the schools they desired to attend.
Thus it will be seen that every effort possible has been made to carry out the reorganization for the best advantages of all con- cerned.
9
SCHOOL REPORT
TRANSPORTATION
There are now one hundred and fifty pupils furnished trans- portation to the East and South Schools from the different parts of the town. The drivers of the vehicles are authorized to have supervision over all pupils while being transported. Recurrence of any disorderly conduct is brought to the attention of the prin- cipal by whom the pupils are disciplined. A very few cases have been reported to the principal due to the fact that the drivers of the vehicles are men whom the pupils respect. Parents who find it necessary to have their children transported should feel that while the children are on the way to and from school they are well supervised.
HOME READING WITH SCHOOL CREDIT
Probably no elementary school subject has received more attention during the last half century than the subject of reading. Without doubt this is due largely to the fact that so much of the school work depends upon the basis for reading formed in the lower grades. Where at one time great stress was laid upon oral read- ing throughout the grades, we now find that silent reading is being emphasized as soon as a foundation for the work has been made. By the end of the third or fourth grade the greatest accom- plishments have been made in oral reading and from then on silent reading is emphasized more than oral reading.
Public libraries with suitable reading and reference material are an adjunct to every school system. The pupils in the Hamil- ton schools are fortunate in the library facilities at their disposal. To encourage them in using the library and thereby establish habits of reading the best of literature a plan has been adopted for giving school credit for home reading in grades three to eight inclusive.
The plan is as follows: Lists of books, suitable for the pupils of each grade, are provided the teachers. Teachers encourage pu-
10
HAMILTON TOWN REPORT
pils to read the books recommended but not more than one book per week. Pupils make an oral report to teacher on the books read, following which the pupils make a short written report to the teacher. This reading to be done outside of school is a part of the regular work required and credit will be given for such work. At the end of the year certificates will be issued to pupils having read ten books from the regular grade lists. For the read- ing of each additional five books, with twenty as a maximum, a gold seal will be placed upon the certificate.
In my next annual report I hope to be able to give a creditable list of pupils who have met the requirements for a certificate as well as to give the list of those having received gold seals.
HEALTH
For some time it has been apparent to those having to do with the health work in the schools that there is need of a set of regulations pertaining to the exclusion of pupils from school in case of certain contagious diseases. A very complete set of regu- lations has been worked out and adopted by the committee. In order that parents may co-operate with the school authorities in carrying out the health program a printed copy of the regulations adopted will be sent to each home in the near future. A proper observance of these regulations, by all concerned, will reduce the possibilities of epidemics in the community.
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