USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > Town of Lynnfield, Essex County, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, annual report 1961-1970 > Part 77
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The first major tax increase in a number of years cast a shadow over the year 1968. This reflected the town's approval of salary increases of the order of 15 to 20% the shifting of the state tax burden to the towns through reduced local aid reimbursements, the impact of the Medicaid debate and the continued voter apathy towards town meeting participation (90% of the registered voters do not attend). It also laid the foundation for requests for further substantial increases in 1969 and the years to come.
The non-participating taxpayer, now thoroughly brainwashed at local, state, and federal levels as to the inevitability of an increasing tax load, will find out too late that he has lost complete control of the fruits of his labors.
1968 saw the transfer of the Welfare Department from the town to the state. This, by itself, will not produce immediate significant changes in the justifiable services to those in need. However, the Medicaid program as now administered will impose indirectly an inequitabletax load on the Lynnfield taxpayer and eventually will reduce the services to those genuinely in need of them.
The creation of a missile site at Camp Curtis Guild as part of the Seatinal Missile System was opposed by your board at state and federal levels as being detrimenal to the town. A number of meetings with the Army, our legislators and Congressman William Bates were held.
Despite these objections, the site has been selected, and we are now attempting to minimize the impact on the town through an adequate buffer strip and contemplated pur- chase of portions of the Guild other than the missile site.
Passage of a dog leash law at the Annual Meeting and substitution of a dog control law at a special town meeting produced problems in that inadequate funds were appropriated for satisfactory inforcement of the latter. Corrections should be made at the next town meeting.
Approval for a temporary teenager Drop-In Center at the property next to the Town Hall was given in 1968 with activation to take place in 1969. This will serve to establish interest in and requirements for contemplated permanent center in the future.
Initiation of a uniform street lighting program for residential streets, correction of several drainage problems. continuation of the pest control program at Pillings Pond and the mapping of the town were other areas of primary concern to your board.
The town was particularly honored by the success of Miss Cathy Monroe both the Mass. and national Miss America contests.
The board also pays tribute to Robert F. Perkins who served as chairman of the Board of Selectmen during 1966 and 1967, and who contributed considerably to the town in that capacity.
Harry C. Wendt, Chairman
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION
1968 saw several advances of major significance in the program of your Conservation Commission. In last year's Annual Report we described the specific objec- tives by which we hope to balance the growth of the town with acquisition of wetlands and other open space. This years advances concern two of the major areas described in that Report.
The Beaverdam Brook Conservation Area, immediately behind the shopping center on Main Street, occupied much of our attention during the year. The meadows were mowed to keep them from being overgrown, trails were marked and improved, and native wildflowers were planted in some sections as the first step toward a wild flower garden. In the Spring we planted flowering trees,, selected for both their beauty and their attractiveness for wildlife. In the Fall we organized a "plant-in". Approximately 50 willing townspeople arrived on the scene with shovels and rakes, and hundreds of shrubs, trees, and glowering bulbs were dug into the groud. A measure of the effort is that 1500 gallons of water were supplied through the cooperation of the Fire Department and the Civil Defense Unit. At the same time a sign (shown in the photograph above) was erected. A map of the area, showing trails and some of the special feacutes of the area, is being prepared and will be mounted permanently next to the sign. The sign, the map, and most significantly the comprehensive plan for this Conservation Area are principally the work of our member Randolph Johnson. We are indebted to him for his initiative.
BEAVERDAM
ยท BROOK
IN WILDNESS
CONSERVATION AREA
IS THE PRESERVATION
-----
OF THE WORLD"
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-THOREAU
Lynnfield Conservation Area Project - New Redwood signs
Conservation Lesson at Otter Lake
More and more people are taking advantage of this land, just walking through it and enjoying its beauty. We are especially cheered by the growing number of groups - Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Garden Clubs - that are making use of it. The beginnings of what we hope will be regular use in the school programs were seen in 1968. Special mention should be made of the hours of work contributed throughout the year by many of our teen- agers, and of the interest they have shown in this Conser- vation Area.
Our long-hoped-for extension of the Bow Ridge area in South Lynnfield finally became a reality this year. Ac- quisition of the 35 acres of land from Dr. and Mrs. James A. Keenan, voted by the town over a year ago, was completed in 1968. Lynnfield now owns in one tract over 50 acres along Bow Ridge, extending all the way from the town line with Lynn to the back slope of the ridge, with another 10 acres nearby. This area includes Nells Pond, the old granit quarries, and Robin Hill, the highest point of land in the town. The easiest access is from the end of Ledge Road. It is well worth a trip.
Rainfall in 1968 was only about one-half inch below average. This return to normal served as a reminder that Lynnfield is "three islands in a march." Preservation of our wetlands is important to people everywhere from the points of view of water supply, wildlife, and recrea- tion. It is particularly important to Lynnfield because of their usefullness in acting as storage sponges, slowing runoff and preventing flooding in the residential sections of the town.
During the coming year we intend to devote our princi- pal energies toward conserving Reedy Meadow, the largest and most important such area in Lynnfield.
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RECREATION COMMISSION
Lynnfield Recreation Commission programs grew in all directions this year, providing recreation for as many age groups as budget and planning would permit, and the Com- mission was gratified to find that the problems attendant on rapid growth were greatly eased by the enthusiasm of the community and the cooperation of Town officials and com- mittees.
Saturday a.m. Junior High Girls
The Summer Playground Program was expanded to 8 weeks, and an additional site, Glen Meadow Park, was op- ened. 600 children in grades 1-6 registered for this morn- ing program, which was conducted at the Junior High School and at Suntaug Park as well as Glen Meadow. There were weekly bus trips to such points of interest as Benson's Animal Farm, Science Museum, Canobie Lake, Tufts Children's Theater, North Shore Music Theater, and a boat ride to Nantasket Beach, as well as the always popu- lar sports, games, music, and a well-coordinated arts and crafts program. The playgrounds were under the super- vision of George W. Rodan, Senior High School teacher and football coach, who also oversaw the other aspects of the Summer Program -- afternoon sports for junior high age boys and girls, and evening softball and basketball for adults. During one of its regular meetings in the Spring the Recreation Commission hosted a representative of the Lynn Economic Opportunity group, who told of 2,000 children being serviced by one playground in Lynn. As a result of this visit a bus load of children from this area was included on one occasion during the summer playground program; Mr. Rodan felt the experience was beneficial to all involved.
Town Forest
The evening adult physical fitness program, under the direction of Robert Macleod and Garland Johnson of the Senior High School staff, was expanded to four nights last fall, and included sports, games, badminton, jogging, and use of the Town's extensive gym equipment, such as the trampoline, etc. The Fall and Winter program grew in another direction with the inauguration of Saturday morn- ing activities for the junior high age group. Mr. Macleod conducted gymnastics for girls at the senior high school and Mr. Arthur McManus supervised the boys in basket- ball at the junior high school. The Recreation Commis- sion has long sought to provide pastimes for this age group, and is well pleased with the response to this phase of the program.
Saturday a.m. Junior High Girls
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Another "trial balloon" last fall was the Yoga course, for which a charge had to be made since this item was not budgeted. 13 women enrolled, and after the first creaking muscles were loosened found the course most beneficial. Joanne Sherwood, head of the American Buddist Center Yoga Schools, conducted this course. The Recreation Com- mission hopes in the future to provide more opportunity for such special interest groups.
At the usual twice-monthly meetings, program planning seems to be becoming a perennial problem for the five lay- men on the Commission -- Robert Kautz, Chairman, Warren Morton, Vice-Chairman, Helen Eckert, George Levey, and C. Maxwell French. The need of a coordinator becomes more apparent, and to this end the Recreation Commission has budgeted for a Fall-Winter-Spring Program Director next year in the hope of providing fuller recreation for townspeople.
Outside of programming, the major project of the Re- creation Commission this year was the development of the Town Forest near Pillings Pond as a public recreation area. $6,000. was voted in 1968 for this purpose, and with the invaluable supervision of Mr. James Fletcher these
seven acres have been bull-dozed, graded, and partly seed- ed. A baseball diamond is in, and there will be parking area and wooded areas here for the enjoyment of the com- munity. The Town Forest will be equipped with picnic tables and play equipment. A pleasant alternative to Route 128 when the family wants an outing on a hot summer day!
Mrs. John Leonard's Girl Scout troop volunteered to do a survey on Lynnfield citizens' recreation preferences. In great demand was a swimming pool, which the Recreation Commission briefly considered a part of the Town For- est development, but lack of an immediate water supply caused this plan to die aborning. Perhaps another day, another place. Another need mentioned in the survey was more tennis courts, of which two have been constructed at Glen Meadow Park by the Park and Cemetery Commission with which the Recreation Commission works closely.
MARGUERITE BRENNAN. Clerk
Yoga!
Men's Evening Physical Fitness
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( . A. A.
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Saturday a.m. Junior High Boys
1
Saturday a.m. Junior High Boys
Coach MMacleod on trampoline
33
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL --
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Education in Lynnfield as in every other community is an ever changing process requiring the introduction of new organizational arrangements, teaching techniques, and the establishment and the implementation of new policies. The year 1968 has presented its share of problems and accom- plishments, each contributing to the evolutionary progress of our school system; a progress paced to the growth of the town and in keeping with increased knowledge and chang- ing educational needs.
The November 1967 special town meeting authorized additions to the Summer Street and Huckleberry Hill Schools to alleviate the pressures on our elementary and junior high school facilities caused by increased enrollments Delete aboe line
junior high school facilities caused by increased enroll- ments. Substantial progress has been made in the con- struction of these additions with occupancy planned for the near future. The ability to expand thesefacilities was fore- sightedly planned by the original citizens building commi- ttees, and has at this time not only permitted necessary ex- pansion but provided an unparalleled means for modern- izing these facilities in keeping with most recent educational practice.
During this past year the State Legislature, through the powers delegated to the State Department of Education, has required all school systems to establish kindergartens by the year 1973. The additions to Summer Street School and Huckleberry Hill School contain future kindergarten rooms which can be used as regular elementary rooms until the adoption of a kindergarten program.
In order to better prepare the children of the town to live and work effectively in a racial integrated society, as well as to promote better understanding and cooperation be- tween negroes and whites, the School Committee voted to participate in Metco as permitted under the State Racial Imbalance Law. Since September, fifteen negro students have been bussed to Lynnfield each day from racially im- balanced Boston schools to pursue our junior high school curriculum and partake in our extra curriculum activities. The first five months of involvement in this program have been highly successful.
This year, as in past years, the School Committee has spent many hours on the difficult task of establishing the next year's budget. Careful consideration has been given
to each item in order to keep the costs of education within bounds while providing adequate monies to continue and up-date the educational programs which are currently in operation and to properly maintain the school plant faci- lities.
A major budget item is professional and non-profess- ional salaries, now required by law, to be established through collective bargaining with the local representa- tives; the Lynnfield Teacher's Association for teachers and principals, and the State Councils for State, Community, and Municipal Employees, Local Council No. 41, AFL- CIO for custodians and cafeteria workers. This year the negotiations with these groups have involved the reopening of last year's contracts in regard to contract language, wages and hours. While these negotiations have been car- ried on by the School Committee, professional labor rela- tions assistance has supplemented our activities.
While it is the responsibility of the School Committee to compile its budget, we wish to acknowledge the cooperation assistance, suggestions, and guidance of the Finance Com- mittee in completing this task.
In the following pages of his portion of the Annual Report are detailed reports by the Superintendent of Schools and members of his staff. We believe these reports are worthy of your careful consideration for they reflect the goals, aims, and accomplishments of the professional staff of the Lynnfield school system.
The School Committee meets regularly on the first and third Mondays of each month at 8 p.m. in the Junior High School library. Parents and interested townspeople are always welcome.
W. J. Schultz, Chairman
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SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
It is a pleasure, as your Superintendent of Schools, to once again highlight some of the significant developments this past year. This has been a busy year, one which refl- ects continued forward movement toward improved educa- tional opportunities and services for the youth of our com- munity. A school system, being a dynamic human enter- prise, accomplishes its purposes and goals through the cum- ulative effect of thousands of individual instances of teach- these represent the heart of our efforts, they do not lend themselves to summary description in a report such as this, therefore we shall focus on several major concerns such as program development, personnel selection and develop- ment, new facilities, and improved educational services through which, hopefully, we have been instrumental in con- tinuing to improve the quality of Lynnfield's educational system. I refer you to thevarious individual reports which follow for a more complete description of much of the ma- terial contained in this introductory portion.
Personnel
The major strength of any school system rests not with the program of studies nor with its excellent school facili- ties but, rather, with the general quality of its teaching per- sonnel. It is in the realm of personnel planning, recruiting, and supervision that the administrative staff is presented with its richest opportunities for affecting thequality of edu- cation within a school system, and your school adminis- tration has attempted to be most diligent in fulfilling its re- sponsibilities to provide and maintain the very finest teach- ing staff available. Over the years these efforts have pro- duced highly commendable results, to the benefit of our pupils, and I am pleased to report that this past year's ef- forts have resulted in many valuable additions to our school faculty. It has been our general policy to seek a rea- sonable balance between hiring experienced teachers as well as those recent graduates who demonstrate a marked potential for success in teaching. It is of interest to note that of the twenty-nine new teachers employed this year there is an average teaching experience factor of 4 years, and that 41% of these new teachers possessed an advanced graduate degree upon entering our school system. This percentage compares roughly with the number of teachers already within the system who possess degrees beyond the minimum bachelor of science level.
The past year also brought us two finenew members of our administrative staff, Mr. Stanley Robinson, our new Senior High School Principal, and Mr. Richard Cogan, new Principal of the South School. I'm sure the community
joins with me in wishing both of these gentlemen every suc- cess in their future endeavors within our cmmunity.
Other personnel actions were taken in order to provide for improved educational services as we face the expand- ing demands presented by the needs of today. Chief among these was the promotion of Mr. Gilbert Bulley to the posi- tion of Director of Curriculum, serving all grade levels within the system. Mr. Bulley is well known as a teacher and administrator of many years' experience within Lynn- field, and, in his new position, he will have an unusual op- portunity to strengthen the total educational program of our schools. Chief among his responsibilities will be the plan- ning of in-service training for our staff, and the coordina- tion of specialists' services throughout the school system.
Other new positions established included an elementary guidance counselor to deal with learning and school ad- justment problems in the elementary schools, an additional elementary art teacher, and the employment of part-time school aides to assist with lunchroom supervision and to perform minor clerical tasks.
At the present time Lynnfield's 2800 public school pupils are being served by a staff of 130 classroom teachers, six principals, two assistant-principals, and 21 other special- ists who provide additional services in such areas as music art, physical education, speech therapy, library, guidance, and audio-visual education. Three full time nurses and one part-time nurse provide health services to the student body.
School Program
Several efforts in curriculum improvement took place during the paat year, with the major emphasis in the sum- mer curriculum workshops. These workshops, involving Lynnfield school personnel and occasional outside consult- ants, extended from two to six weeks, depending on the scope of the particular endeavor. Major areas of workshop effort included mathematics, junior high school reading, in- dustrial arts, data processing, general science, biology, senior high school social studies, foreign languages, and audio-visual aids.
Just as a school system must make continual effort to up-date the quality of its educational program, individual teachers periodically have to pursue advanced study in or- der to be aware of newer methods and approaches to instru- ction. In addition to such private study on the part of indi- vidual teachers, the school system sponsors special in-ser- vice training activities focused on particular current inter- ests or needs of the system. Current in-service training ac- tivities include courses in earth science, pupil adjustment in school, audio-visual education, primary grade arithmetic, and utilization of school media centers. Response to these in-service training efforts has been excellent with a total participation of 55 teachers plus other school personnel.
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The 1968 fall session of our adult education program was one of the most successful in the history of the program, with 114 adults participating in eight classes ranging from rug hooking to conversational French. The school system is pleased to be instrumental in extending this service to the community and will continue to provide the necessary clas- ses in response to public interest. Individuals or organiza- tions which have particular desires for courses not being provided in our program are asked to share their sugges- tions with Mr. Edward Fuller, Director of Adult Education, who is a department chairman at the senior high school.
Lynnfield had a well attended summer school session with 276 pupils, or approximately 10% of our total enroll- ment, participating in make-up or enrichment activities. Thirteen courses were offered covering major academic areas on both the elementary and secondary level. Thirty- three pupils were enrolled in a special Title I remedial read- ing program, all costs involved being paid by the federal government. A special instrumental music program in- volving individual lessons and ensemble playing continues to be an important part of our summer school offerings.
The school system has continued to participate in the highly popular Otter Lake Conservation School program wherin all pupils in the fifth grade have the opportunity to live and study in a natural laboratory setting at Otter Lake in Greenfield, New Hampshire. Nature study, con- servation, animal life and similar aspects of outdoor edu- cation are provided by the specially trained camp staff. Our own Lynnfield teachers accompany our pupils, assisting in the instruction and providing supervision of the students throughout their stay. This program has met with out- standing approval from the pupils, teachers, and parents, for it adds a real life dimension to our educational program which cannot be obtained within the classroom.
School Facilities
At the present time our community is in the process of providing additional school space through the construction of additions to our Summer Street and Huckleberry Hill Schools. Therearenow seven elementary classes being tem- porarily housed in the Junior High School and, as manda- ted by State law, the community must proceed toward the establishment of a kindergarten program before 1973. Our total enrollment is slightly over 2800 pupils, which repre- sents an approximate 4% increase over a year ago. The Junior High School experienced the greatest growth, 8% presenting us with a crucial need for the additional space that will be generated upon moving the seven elementary classrooms back into our elementary additions.
While our current needs are being met through the ad- ditional construction now underway, we must continue to look ahead in order to ensure careful planning for our fu- ture school needs. The School Committee has recently extab- lished a special committee for the study of alternate plans of school organization so that futurefacilities planning may be based upon a detailed consideration of the particular grade structure identified as being most desirable for our Lynn- field youth. It is expected that this committee will complete its study during the coming spring months.
A major change in grade organization was instituted this year with the establishment of South School as a pri- mary school feeding into Huckleberry Hill. As our school population has continued to grow, South School has be- come inadequate for accommodation of a full elementary program. This situation, coupled with the expanded facili- ties soon to be available at Huckleberry Hill, which include a school library and a full gymnasium havemade it desir- able to re-arrange our grade level organization. Our aim in making this change is to provide equal educational op -. portunity to all Lynnfield pupils regardless of where they may live within the community. In a similar way several years ago, the limitations of the school plant at the Center School dictated its being changed into a primary school feeding into Summer Street School, a plan which has worked out very well in practice.
In conclusion, I would like to extend a special word of appreciation to the School Committee, the school staff, and the total Lynnfield community for the outstanding interest and support that have been rendered throughout the past year. The provision of a first rate system of public educa- tion is undoubtedly the most important accomplishment of our community. This effort is costly and requires the indi- vidual effort of a vast number of people. I can assure you that your school system, while recognizing the substantial accomplishments of the past, will continue to place its em- phasis upon the pursuit of the elusive goal of true excellence in education. The awesome responsibility we bear toward our developing young people will permit nothing less.
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