USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > Town of Milton 79th annual report > Part 14
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After numerous meetings and systematic investiga- tion of the entire subject it was unanimously decided as follows:
1. That the Fire Apparatus should be motorized as rapidly as possible.
2. That the first piece to motorize was the Combi- nation Wagon at the Central Fire Station.
3. That the second piece to motorize was the Ladder Truck at the Central Fire Station.
In accordance with the above decisions bids were called for from all the prominent makers of motor fire apparatus. These were gone over carefully and on August 9 it was decided to purchase a motor combina- tion wagon from the American La France Company at a price of $5,800. Delivery to be made in 120 days .-
At a special Town Meeting held on September 1, 1915, $3,800 additional was appropriated for a second piece of apparatus. An order for a motor ladder truck was ac- cordingly given to the La France people on September 10 at a price of $6,000. Delivery to be made in 120 days.
The motor combination wagon arrived November 30, 1915. Thorough instruction has, and is being given to
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the firemen of the Town in running this machine by the La France people in addition to the instruction given them when they visited the La France Company's plant during the summer. So far the machine has proved sat- isfactory in every way.
In conclusion the committee begs to extend thanks to those who offered their assistance to the committee, and to register most emphatically its belief that all fire apparatus of the Town should be motorized as fast as conditions warrant. It is also the committee's belief that the remaining pieces of apparatus in the Central Fire Station should be motorized before those in the various outlying districts.
Very respectfully, MAURICE A. DUFFY, Chairman. J. HARRY HOLMES, Chief of Department, A. H. WEED,
E. B. HILL, Secretary.
COMMITTEE REPORT MILTON PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
To the School Committee of Milton:
At the last Annual Town Meeting it was
Voted: That the committee of five, consisting of three members of the School Committee and two citizens to be appointed by the Moderator, be instructed to prepare plans and estimates for improved High School accom- modations at the Vose School building and to make recommendations regarding extending the accommoda- tions in the grade schools as needed; said committee to report to the School Committee in writing on or before January 1, 1916. Voted Further to appropriate One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) for the use of this committee.
The committee appointed in pursuance of said vote consisted of: Percy E. Sheldon, Reginald L. Robbins, Harris Kennedy, members of School Committee; Joel E. Goldthwait, Malcolm Donald, citizens.
On May 24, 1915, Joel E. Goldthwait resigned and on June 14, 1915, Arthur B. Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy.
REPORT
Your committee, after having carefully investigated all the school buildings in Milton, has devoted much time and thought to the entire school housing problem and has reached very definite conclusions. We feel that the time has come when a systematic plan for the future growth of our schools should be considered and adopted. We realize that all the school buildings with the excep- tion of the Vose, built in 1909, were erected more than twenty (20) years ago. The majority of these buildings have had additions and improvements made from time to time, aggregating in cost only One Hundred and Twenty-
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COMMITTEE REPORT
five Thousand Dollars ($125,000), or approximately Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000) per year. The addition to the High School made in 1896, cost Sixty-five Thousand Dol- lars ($65,000) and is included in the One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000).
No additional land has been acquired for the Belcher or Tucker Schools, notwithstanding the fact that the school buildings themselves have doubled in size, and their sites are altogether too small for present needs. Milton will grow as all other places so near Boston are bound to grow, and land will increase in value each year. Desirable school sites are already rapidly dis- appearing.
Your committee has considered all these points and feels strongly for reasons of economy alone, now is the time to acquire land in Milton for our future school needs, and now is the time to map out and adopt a def- inite policy for our entire school system.
Moreover, the replacing of our wooden buildings eventually by modern brick structures, should be most seriously considered. The very fact that the Town has for so many years postponed the expense of a general re-building, should be borne in mind while considering the recommendations in our Report.
Your committee is of the unanimous opinion that, however wise the policy of additions from time to time to existing buildings may have been in the past, such a policy from now on would be most unwise.
SAFETY OF THE PRESENT SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Your committee has examined all the school build- ings with special reference to the fire hazard, and em- ployed a recognized expert, Mr. F. Elliot Cabot of Milton, Secretary of the Boston Board of Fire Underwriters, to make an investigation and report his findings.
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He reports that the Milton school buildings are in good condition, and well protected against fire and as safe as buildings constructed of wood can practically be made. He made special comment upon the "good housekeeping" of the janitors-in his opinion the most important factor in the prevention of fire. He made some minor precautionary suggestions which have been, or will be carried out.
His report is filed herewith and will remain in the keeping of the School Committee where it can be studied by any citizen.
PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
The building is entirely inadequate for present needs and too small to accommodate the present number, to say nothing of allowing for future growth.
The manual training department is divided between the present building and the Thacher building, and loss of time and inconvenience is thereby occasioned.
The science lecture room and laboratories are even more inadequate and unsatisfactory, being poorly placed and cramped.
The so-called gymnasium is on the top floor of the building so that ordinary exercises cannot be conducted without shaking the building to such an extent that the work is limited in scope, and very much interfered with. The High School now has two physical directors, a man and a woman, who are conducting classes as part of the regular course. This work is done under great disadvantages because of the conditions, and the lack of suitable dressing rooms, lockers, etc.
The Assembly Hall, which is badly ventilated, accom- modates only about two-thirds (3) of the school, making it necessary to use the Town Hall at times.
A new High School should be provided.
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MILTON PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Your committee has concluded that the present High School building is not adapted, nor is it wise to try to adapt it to a modern High School, which would not only be expensive but unsatisfactory when completed.
The present High School building, without extensive changes will make a first-class grade school, and it is advantageous and economical to transfer the grade pupils from the present Vose School to the High School.
Your committee therefore recommends that the present High School building be used for the Vose School, and that the Vose School building be enlarged and used for the High School. The present Vose School building was well planned with a view to extensions.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The School Committee, following a policy recently adopted in many parts of the country, has voted to create a Junior High School. This will divide the twelve (12) years of public schooling into
Seven (7) years in the grades,
Two (2) years in the Junior High School,
Three (3) years in the Senior High School.
Both the Junior High and Senior High are to occupy the proposed building.
The pupils of the eighth grade have reached an age where they need laboratory and hand work on a scale which cannot be supplied in the grade schools without undue expense for duplicate equipments, but can be supplied in the High School. The children will become accustomed to the teachers and methods of the Senior High School, thus making the transition from the grades to the High School gradual and natural.
The removal of the eighth grades to the new High School building will relieve the present congestion in the grade
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buildings, and save the immediate necessity of providing additional accommodations at East Milton and Mattapan.
PROPOSED NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
In September, 1916, there will be four hundred and fifty (450) to five hundred (500) pupils (including both Senior and Junior High Schools) to be accommodated. It is impossible to estimate with accuracy the annual increase in the number of pupils, but probably it will not be less than thirty-five (35).
Although we are now planning for a building normally accommodating six hundred (600), by re-arrangements and the unusual use of the rooms, some seven hundred and fifty (750) pupils could temporarily be accommodated. The building is so planned that new units can be added in the future at practically no greater expense than if they were built now.
The proposed building has an assembly hall, a lunch room and gymnasium, each large enough to accommo- date the maximum growth of the school; also manual training rooms, science laboratories, a printing shop, and proper rooms for sewing, dressmaking, cooking, free-hand and mechanical drawing, bookkeeping and stenography.
All these facilities are required by our present High School courses and are those generally provided in well equipped schools.
The gymnasium is connected with the main building by a locker and shower bath wing, and has all sides open to the light and air. It is an integral part of the main building, and its administration is directly under the High School principal, which, in the opinion of your committee, is essential.
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COST OF PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL
The extension of the Vose School calls for an estimated appropriation of One Hundred and Ninety Thousand Dollars ($190,000), of which Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) is for equipment.
The present Vose School was built by Kilham & Hopkins, and they have drawn the plans for the pro- posed extension. They have had wide experience in planning and building high schools. Among the more recent of these are the following: Salem High School, Haverhill High School, Boston High School of Com- merce and the Dedham High School. Moreover, they were the consulting architects for the new Vocation High School in Syracuse, N. Y.
Plans and estimates of the proposed enlargement of the Vose School are filed with this Report, and will remain in the keeping of the School Committee, where they can be studied by any citizen.
HIGH SCHOOL LAND
The proposed High School, which conforms to the lines of the Vose building, extends beyond the present lot and makes necessary the acquisition of more land for this exten- sion and future additions.
Fortunately, three and one-half (3}) acres of adjoin- ing land are vacant. The owners of this property were unwilling to give an extended option, but were willing to sell at once for Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000). At our request, Mr. James S. Russell, always interested in the welfare of the Town, bought the land for this price and has given the Town an option good until sixty (60) days after the March meeting, 1916, to purchase the land for Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000), plus interest at the rate of four (4) per cent a year, taxes and legal ex- penses incurred in the purchase.
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COMMITTEE REPORT
The price is very reasonable. We strongly recommend the purchase of this land.
GRADE SCHOOLS
The pupils of the Vose School can be accommodated in the present High School building. Although three hundred (300) High School pupils overcrowd the build- ing, it can readily house three hundred and fifty (350) to four hundred (400) grade pupils. The laboratories and specially equipped rooms of the present High School will be converted into classrooms, and will give ample capacity for this district for the next ten (10) years.
At present, the Tucker School in the Mattapan dis- trict and the Belcher School in the East Milton district are much crowded. This congestion relieved by the removal of the eighth grade to the Junior High School, will give room for a small future growth in these two districts.
Your committee deems it unwise to recommend further additions to any of our wooden buildings. When new accommodations are required in the Belcher and Tucker districts, brick units should be erected which later on can be added to.
TUCKER SCHOOL LAND
In the Mattapan district land must be acquired for a future Tucker School.
The present plot is not large enough, and there is no opportunity for expansion except at great expense. By acquiring land adjoining the Brook Road Playground, the Town can secure a central location for a school with all the advantages of a playground free.
We recommend that the Town purchase or take by right of eminent domain three (3) acres of the vacant land adjacent to said playground for a new Tucker
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MILTON PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
School site. The land is now vacant, but the building operations in the Mattapan district are such that soon little or no suitable vacant land will be available in the neighborhood. The location of this land on Thacher Street, opposite Kahler Avenue, makes it accessible to the Blue Hills Parkway, and it is very near the old Tucker School site. Thacher Street, moreover, is not an automobile thoroughfare and is safer for small children.
The School Committee should have at once land available for a new Tucker School. When this school is built, the present site can be sold to good advantage.
BELCHER SCHOOL LAND
The land on Adams Street-the old school site- owned by the Town is centrally located and is large enough not only for a school building, but for school garden areas and ample playgrounds.
We recommend that when more school accommoda- tions are needed brick units be built on the Town plot on Adams Street. The present Belcher site, when aban- doned, can be sold to good advantage.
THE OTHER SCHOOLS
The Wadsworth, Glover, Sumner and Houghton buildings should be adequate for a number of years, as the population in these districts so far has not shown any signs of rapid growth.
The Thacher School which had to be opened a few years ago to care for the overflow of the High School, can again be closed.
COMMITTEE'S APPROPRIATIONS
The Town voted your committee One Thousand Dollars ($1,000). Our expenditures have been as follows:
-
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Oct. 28, 1915 Expert's fee on land valuation $25 00
Nov. 11, 1915 Fire Hazard Expert's Report . 50 00
*Fee of architect for plans, esti-
mates, etc. Not paid, but due 800 00
Total
$875 00
Balance .
$125 00
RECOMMENDATIONS
Your committee has presented a plan that it believes should be carried out during the next ten (10) or fifteen (15) years.
Our recommendations are-
(1) The immediate construction of a new High School and the acquisition of the necessary land.
(2) The use of the present High School building for the Vose School.
(3) The immediate purchase of land adjoining the Brook Road Playground for a new Tucker School.
(4) The use of the land on Adams Street-the old school site-owned by the Town, for a new Belcher School when needed.
Respectfully submitted, PERCY E. SHELDON, Chairman, HARRIS KENNEDY, Secretary, REGINALD L. ROBBINS, A. B. SMITH, MALCOLM DONALD.
MILTON, December 28, 1915.
*This fee of Eight Hundred Dollars ($800) will be credited to the regular six per cent (6%) commission charged when the building is completed. The plans filed are the property of the Town.
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN APPOINTED MARCH, 1915.
The Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting of 1915 contained the following Articles:
"ARTICLE 7. To see whether the Town will vote that a 'Committee of School Buildings' be appointed by the Moderator to consist of five members, three of whom shall be members of the School Committee, to consider particu- larly the question of new accommodations for the High School, and to consider the question of safer and better accommodations for the schools in general, said committee to report in writing its recommendations to the next Annual Town Meeting, or earlier in its discretion."
"ARTICLE 54. To see if the Town will vote to erect a new Town Hall, substantially in ac- cordance with the plans and specifications pre- pared by the Special Committee appointed under Article 63, of the Warrant for the Annual Meeting held March 2, 1914, and to furnish such building; and to appropriate money for the same; and to determine how the money shall be raised."
"ARTICLE 55. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate money for the erection and origi- nal equipment of a gymnasium to be used for municipal purposes upon a certain parcel of land given to the Town by certain citizens thereof and accepted by the Town at its Annual Meeting in 1914, usually known as the Hinckley
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REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN
addition to the Brook Road Playground, and determine how the money shall be raised and to take any other action which is necessary or ap- propriate in relation thereto."
"ARTICLE 56. To see if the Town will appro- priate money for the maintenance of a gymna- sium upon the Hinckley addition to the Brook Road Playground during the present year."
Under Article 7 the following vote was passed:
"Voted: That a committee of five, consisting of three members of the School Committee and two citizens to be appointed by the Moderator, be in- structed to prepare plans and estimates for im- proved High School accommodations at the Vose School building, and to make recommenda- tions regarding extending the accommodations in the grade schools as needed; said committee to report to the School Committee in writing on or before January 1, 1916; Voted, further, that the Town appropriate the sum of $1,000 for the use of this committee."
Under Articles 54, 55 and 56, the Town voted as follows:
"Voted: That the Committees on the Enlarge- ment of the Town Hall and on a Gymnasium for the Brook Road Playground be continued and, further, that the subject matter of Articles 54, 55 and 56 be referred to a Special Committee of seven citizens, to be appointed by the Mod- erator with instructions to consider the subject matter thereof, the relations of each of these questions to the others, the order of precedence of construction, the financing, cost of main- ยท tenance, and other pertinent matters in connec-
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REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN
tion with additional Town Hall and gymnasium facilities, and to report its recommendations to the Town not later than the next annual meeting, and sooner, if practicable, at a special meeting called for that purpose. The Moderator is re- quested to appoint the Chairman of the Warrant Committee for the coming year, one member of the School Committee, one member of the Com- mittee on the Enlargement of the Town Hall, and one member of the Committee on Gymnasium as members of said Special Committee, and the sum of $1,000 is hereby appropriated for the use of said committee."
Under the above vote the Moderator appointed the following committee:
Robert L. Raymond, Chairman of the Warrant Com- mittee; Reginald L. Robbins of the School Committee; William B. Thurber, of the Committee on the Enlarge- ment of Town Hall; James S. Russell of the Committee on Gymnasium; Charles S." Pierce, Rev. Albert D. Smith, James S. Gallagher.
As Mr. Smith declined to serve, the Moderator ap- pointed George M. Anderson in his place. The committee organized by the choice of Mr. Pierce as chairman, and Mr. Robbins as secretary.
The committee held several meetings in the spring of 1915, being in consultation at various times with mem- bers of the Committee on Enlargement of the Town Hall, members of the Committee on Gymnasium, members of the School Committee, the Superintendent of Schools and Physical Director. We also inspected the gymna- sium and the swimming pool at Brookline and the Town Hall at Arlington. Although the Town had, by its vote under Article 7, eliminated our committee from direct
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REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN
responsibility in connection with the High School de- velopment, nevertheless any action of the School Build- ing Committee must of necessity have an important bearing upon our recommendations. The plan of the School Building Committee did not take definite form until the autumn of 1915. This fact, together with the unstable business conditions existing throughout the country in 1915, made it unwise in our judgment to file an earlier report.
Our committee has not considered it a part of its duties to approve or disapprove the details of the plans developed by the Committee on the Improvement of Town Hall Facilities, or the Committee on the Brook Road Gymnasium. Both committees have made re- ports in print to the citizens, and we believe that each committee has studied its problems carefully and has done its work well.
The Town Hall Committee finds that it would cost a large sum of money to alter and enlarge the present building; that the results would be unsatisfactory, and the cost entirely disproportionate to the benefit; and that the wisest way to provide suitable meeting and office facilities is to construct a new building on the site of the present building at an expense of approximately $225,000.
The Gymnasium Committee in its report advocated the construction of a gymnasium on the Brook Road Playground at the expense of approximately $50,000. This building would provide a large auditorium and also an opportunity for meeting rooms and bowling alleys.
The School Building Committee, with the support of the School Committee, has recommended enlargement of the present Vose School so that it may become an adequate High School building, at an expense of ap- proximately $190,000.
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REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN
Both of these committees believe that a gymnasium is a necessary part of the equipment of a modern High School and that if the needs of the schools alone are to be considered, a gymnasium should be physically attached to the High School building. Their plans provide for a gymnasium so attached and of practically the same size as that suggested for the Brook Road Playground by the Gymnasium Committee. Their plans also include an assembly hall with a present seating capacity of six hundred and with a possible addition of two hundred fifty more seats by the later construction of balconies. If, therefore, the Town decides to enlarge the Vose School in accordance with the plans which will be presented to it at the March Meeting, there will be a school gymnasium, constructed, however, in such a way that it will be avail- able for the use of citizens outside of school hours. It will not be as conveniently located for many Mattapan people as if erected on the Brook Road Playground, but the additional distance from Mattapan Square will not be such as to make the use of the gymnasium im- practicable for Mattapan people. The High School addition will not provide some of the features con- templated by the Gymnasium Committee, such as meeting rooms for social service work, etc., but it will contain bathing facilities which can be used in connection with athletic contests. An expenditure of a sum between $5,000 and $10,000 would permit an excavation of a basement to the proposed gymnasium so that bowling alleys later could be installed. We are not prepared, however, to recommend that this be done.
Your committee believes that if the schools need ad- ditional facilities, such as recommended by the School and School Building Committees, the appropriation for this purpose should have precedence over appropriations for a Town Hall or for development of the Brook Road
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REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF SEVEN
Playground. We believe also that if sufficient money is appropriated to enlarge the Vose School as planned, the other projects should be postponed. It is not necessary to have one gymnasium at the Vose School lot and another on the Brook Road Playground, and it seems to us unwise at present to enlarge the Town Hall when an assembly hall which may prove to be suitable for Town meetings and other large gatherings is contemplated in so central a location as the Vose School lot. Experience may show that we should erect later, on the Brook Road Playground, more adequate recreation buildings, and also, further facilities will be required for Town offices, but, if the Town adopts the School Committee's recommendations, we should move slowly on both of these other matters, first ascertaining whether or not the school development makes a substantial change in the situation.
The Town's valuation in the year 1915 was something over $37,000,000. There is ample margin within the statutory limit of indebtedness for bond issues for a new school, a new Town Hall, and a gymnasium, but we cannot feel that the Town faces any such emergency as to require, or to justify, in one year such increases in its indebtedness.
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