USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Town of Norwell annual report 1920-1929 > Part 15
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(Not approved by Advisory Board. )
Article 9. Will the town act with the town of Hanover to have electric lights at the junction of River street, Nor- well, and Broadway, Hanover, and at Assinippi ?
Article 10. Will the town maintain an electric Light on Washington Street near the residence of Will C. Young ? (Request of Wm. J. Leonard.)
Article II. Will the town authorize the Selectmen to appoint a committee to investigate the feasibility of estab- lishing a town forest ?
(Request of Governor Cox. )
Article 12. Will the town act on a resolution requesting legislation : (I) to fix the maximum price at which coal may be sold in any congressional district or part thereof; (2) to provide for prior sales and shipments to consumers and to retailers of coal.
(Request of Chas. A. Jenney, Brockton.)
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Article 13. Will the town adopt the following reso- lution ?
"That the voters of Norwell in town meeting assembled respectfully request the N. Y., N. H. & H. Railroad Com- pany to make Greenbush the terminus on the Plymouth Branch via Cohasset, instead of Cohasset, and all trains now scheduled or to be scheduled as ending at Cohasset be con- tinued to such Greenbush terminus."
( Request of Fred A. Beals, Scituate. )
Article 14. Will the town give any instructions to town officers ?
Article 15. Will the town authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money on and after January 1, 1924, in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1924, and to issue note or notes therefor, payable within one year. Any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of the financial year, beginning January 1, 1924.
Article 16. What salary and compensation will the town vote to pay all its elected officers. To conform with Section 95, Chapter 25, of the Revised Laws as amended by Section 8 of Chapter 591 of 1920?
Article 17. Will the town raise and appropriate the sum of forty-eight hundred dollars to be expended on highways, under the provisions of Section 26 of Chapter 81 of the General Laws as amended.
( Approved by Advisory Board. )
Article 18. Will the town raise and appropriate a sum of money to erect a suitable flagpole in front of the new school building ?
( Request of School Committee. )
(Not Approved by Advisory Board. )
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TOWN OF NORWELL
Article 19. Will the town raise and appropriate a sum of money to paint the sides of the town hall to correspond with the new school building ?
(Request of School Committee. ) (Not Approved by Advisory Board.)
Article 20. Will the town raise and appropriate a sum of money to grade the grounds around the new school building ? (Request of School Committee. )
(Not Approved by Advisory Board. )
Article 21. To bring in their votes for a Town Clerk for one year; one Selectman; one Assessor; and one Overseer of the Poor for three years; a Treasurer; a Collector of Taxes: an Auditor' a Surveyor of Highways; Five Consta- bles and a Tree Warden for one year; one member of the School Committee for three years; one member of the Board of Health for three years, one Trustee for the Ridge Hill Library, for three years, and to vote yes or no in answer to the questions: "Shall license be granted for the sale of cer- tain non-intoxicating beverages in this town" and "Shall the town petition for the installation of an accounting system by the commonwealth?" (This question is submitted under the provisions of Chapter 516, Acts of 1922.)" all on one ballot. Polls open from 6 A. M. to II A. M.
District Nurse Association Report
Norwell Visiting Nurse Association wishes to thank the townspeople for their interest, co-operation and support of the Association in the past year.
Membership fees, Nurse's visitation fees, public affairs, and donations are its only source of income. With that in- come, the Association endeavors to serve the public with prompt response by providing the Nurse with telephone, automobile and necessary nursing equipment.
An Emergency Committee will aid the Nurse whenever the welfare of the community demands extra services.
We solicit the hearty support of our townspeople for 1923.
CHARLOTTE G. OGDEN
Chairman.
Patients 4I
Nursing Visits 170
Free Nursing Visits 2
Night Calls IO
School Visits 184
Visits to Parents of School Children. . 19
T. B. Visits 2
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TOWN OF NORWELL
Prenatal Visits I
Tonsilectorny Cases 4
Total Calls 374 Fees Collected $ 85 00
I have tried to make the following school visits possible :
District No. 5, Center Grammar, Daily 8.30-9 A. M.
District No. 1, Ridge Hill and District No. 2, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
District No. 7, Church Hill, Tuesday and Thursday.
High School (No Regular Time.)
Office Hours : Daily (Except Sundays and Wednesday afternoons ) 8-8.30 A. M., 4-5 P. M.
MARY E. BACHE
Visiting Nurse.
Telephone Norwell 7-13.
Report of Central School Building Committee
The town voted to build a new central school building at a cost not to exceed $40,000.00, including 10 per cent fee for the architects, Messrs. J. Williams Beal Sons.
We are pleased to report that the building has been built, including the changes in the Town Hall, and the total cost is exactly $40,000.00 This would not have been possible, however, without the very generous aid of the architects.
When our general contracts were threatening to amount to more than the $40,000.00 available. Messrs. J. Williams Beal Sons volunteered to see the work through regardless of whether they got their full commission or not. The Com- mittee was reluctant to accept such a sacrifice from the archi- tects in view of all the time and effort they were spending on the job, but saw no other way of getting the school built within the sum allowed and so accepted their very handsome offer.
We take this occasion to acknowledge our indebtedness to them in this particular and in general for their whole-hearted assistance at all times.
We wish also to extend to the builder. C. A. Batson Co. of Brockton, a word of appreciation for the very satisfactory way in which they fulfilled their contract.
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TOWN OF NORWELL
It may be of interest to know that every question as to arrangement of class rooms and all questions regarding the building, as a school, were passed upon by the State Board of Education, and that all questions as to construction were governed and approved by the Massachusetts State Police, under whose jurisdiction such buildings come. Further- more, their inspectors made such inspections of the work during course of construction as they saw fit.
The printed plans, accompanying this report, serve to show what the building looks like and what its accommoda- tions are, but a word or two as to its construction, heating and plumbing may be of interest. The floor timbering is of yellow pine, as is most of the supporting timber, the finished floor is of beech, the lathing in all corridors and stairways is of metal and the window casings, sash, doors and casings in the two stairways are sheathed with metal, all of which details are requirements of the State Police, as a matter of fire resistance. Whenever allowed, the regular wooden lathing was used as a matter of economy.
The extra exit door was put in the Town Hall by require- ment of the State Police. The general heating is accom- plished by brick-set furnaces, which accomplish ventilation by the gravity system, so that the incoming hot air forces an equal volume of cold air to be withdrawn from the room. This is considered one of the most satisfactory ways of ventilating school rooms.
There are three such furnaces in the new building, only two of which are needed in ordinary cold winter weather. The front entry, stairways and basement rooms are heated by direct steam radiation, with one steam boiler.
The stoves, formerly used to heat the Town Hall, were not allowed to remain by order of the State Police and two hot
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
air furnaces, with gravity ventilating system, were installed.
The water supply consists of two inch driven well, electric automatic pump and pressure tank.
The school is completely wired for electric lights but to keep within our appropriation, we were able to place only one light fixture in each school room, the hall and corridors being completely lighted.
The general contract called for rough grading around the foundation, which was done. The finished grading and seeding of the ground seemed no part of the cost of con- structing the building and the Committee did not undertake it. This should be done to insure proper drainage of the rainfall.
All storm conductors from the roofs of the buildings are led into drains connecting with dry wells outside the foun- cation walls.
The builders advertised for and employed all the local labor they could get and it is interesting to note that the Town's people were so well employed elsewhere that the builders were obliged to bring a large proportion of their labor from out of town.
The Committee feel that, had it been possible to proceed with the construction of the building at once after the regu- lar town meeting. it might have been possible to get a little more for the money but in view of the necessity of petition- ing the legislature to permit the borrowing beyond the debt limit and the delay, consequent to calling a special town meeting, we were very fortunate to get the building within the appropriation, due to mounting costs of material and it
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TOWN OF NORWELL
is undoubtedly true that the building could not be duplicate 1 at this time short of $55,000 to $60,000.
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
C. A. Batson Co., General Contract $29 000 00 Extra Work
344 78
Stone & Underhill, Heating, Plumbing and Ventilating Con-
tract
7 472 CO
Electrician Contract 350 00
Extra (Estimated) 125 00
F. T. Bailey & Sons, Cost of Well 44 46
-$37 336 24
J. Williams Beal Sons, Architects' Fee 2 633 76 $40 000 00
JAMES H. BARNARD, Chairman.
MRS. ARTHUR L. POWER
MRS. JOHN H. SPARRELL
MRS. ALBERT L. SYLVESTER
JOHN H. GUTTERSON
WVM. J. LEONARD
BENJAMIN LORING
Report of School Committee
To the Citizens of the Town of Norwell :
As is the custom, at its first regular meeting the committee organized as follows :-
Benjamin Loring, Chairman; Nellie L. Sparrell, Secre- tary-Treasurer.
At this meeting it was voted to print and distribute pro- posals for wood calling for :
District No. 1-4 Cords Hard Wood I Cord Pine.
District No. 5-4 Cords Hard Wood I Cord Pine.
District No. 7-2 Cords Hard Wood I Cord Pine. High School I Cord Pine.
The bids were publicly opened April II and were as follows :-
Walter T. Osborn
District No. 1-4 Cords Hard Wood and I Cord Pine $ 44 00
District No. 5-4 Cords Hard Wood and I Cord Pine 44 00
District No. 7-2 Cords Hard Wood and I Cord Pine 25 00
Total
$ 113 00
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TOWN OF NORWELL
C. W. Briggs
No. 1-4 Cords Hard Wood $36.00; I Cord Pine $8.00 $ 44 00 No. 5-4 Cords Hard Wood $36.00; I Cord Pine $8.00 44 00
. No. 7-2 Cords Hard Wood $18.00; I Cord Pine $8.00 26 00
High I Cord Pine 8 00
Total
$ 122 00
Benjamin Loring
No. 1-4 Cords Hard Wood $36.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 $ 41 00
No. 5-4 Cords Hard Wood $36.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 41 00
No. 7-2 Cords Hard Wood $18.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 23 00
High I Cord Pine 5 CO
Total
$ 110 00
John W. Burns
No. 1-4 Cords Hard Wood $30.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 $ 35 00
No. 5-4 Cords Hard Wood $30.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 35 00
No. 7-2 Cords Hard Wood $15.00; I Cord Pine $5.00 20 00
High I Card Pine 5 00
Total
$ 95 00
The contract was awarded John W. Burns for $95.00. At the time of delivery it was decided to add I Cord hard wood to the amount ordered for the High School which
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANUAL REPORT
accounts for the difference between the contract price and the amount paid Mr. Burns for wood.
Without question, the most important addition to tlre schools during the year was the erection of the new building, the fulfillment of the dreams of this and preceeding con- mittees for many years.
The Committee appointed by the town at its March, 1920, meeting to investigate the idea of a Central School, reported at the March, 1921, meeting, were re-appointed and asked to report in March, 1922.
During its second year, facts and figures were collected and studied aml the conclusion arrived at by the Committee that the time had clearly arrived when Norwell could no longer afford to put off the erection of a modern school plant.
Many plans of school buildings were studied and at last it was decided to approach Wm. J. Beals & Sons, architects, as to their idea of the probable cost of a building such as would fill our needs.
They very kindly offered to draw tentative plans of a building for our inspection without placing the town under any obligation, which we gratefully received and studied.
Their plan of a Colonial style wooden building using the Town Hall as a nucleus and costing $40,000.00 was judged very applicable to our needs and the committee decided to so report at the March, 1922, meeting. An article was in- serted in the warrant calling for an appropriation not to exceed $40,000.00 for the erection of such a building. The amount was raised with almost no opposition and the committee consisting of Mr. James H. Barnard, Mr. John
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TOWN OF NORWELL
Harris Gutterson, Mr. William J. Leonard, Mrs. Mary L. F. Power, Mrs. Amy W. Sylvester, Mr. Benjamin Loring and Mrs. Nellie Sparrell were asked to serve the town as a build- ing committee.
But upon gaining the appropriation we were informed the town had thereby exceeded its borrowing capacity, to do which special legislation was necessary. Here a friend at court in the person of our Representative, Mr. Ernest H. Sparrell, aided us greatly by hastening the slow moving machinery of the legislature.
The necessary permission to exceed our borrowing capa- city obtained, a special town meeting was held for the pur- pose of legally raising the $40,000.00. The vote in favor was nearly unanimous and the project undertaken. Bids were submitted for the construction and the contract was .awarded to C. A. Batson & Co. of Brockton, the lowest bidder. Work was commenced in June, some of the rooms were occupied by the High School in November and the building formally opened January 6, 1923.
At the opening exercises greetings from the State were brought by Mr. Harry Gardner of the State Board of Educa- tion, an historical Sketch of the schools given by Mrs. Power and the keys of the building presented by Mr,. Bar- nard to Mr. Sexton, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, who with appropriate remarks turned them over to Mr. Loring, chairman of the School Committee.
Remarks were also made by Rev. Alfred J. Wilson of the First Parish Church; Supt. of Schools Stephen G. Bean, and Mr. Horace T. Fogg.
Mrs. Louis H. Ogden rendered selections upon a very fine Chickering grand piano, the gift of John Harris Gutterson.
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Mr. Gutterson then announced the following gifts to the school :
$50.00 from Mr. Edward R. Bacon.
$50.00 from Mrs. John H. Gutterson.
Teachers Desk from the Class of 1922 N. H. S. Teachers Desk and Chair from the Centre Primary School Book Case from Mr. Horace T. Fogg
Library Table from South Scituate Savings Bank
Teachers Desk from the South Scituate Helping Hand Society of 1885
Several sets of very fine Books from Prof. Ephraim Wood
Ice cream, cake and hot coffee were served through the generosity of Mr. Gutterson.
The grammar grades were moved in after Christmas vacation, so at present we have under one roof grades 5 and 6 in care of Mrs. Pinson ; grades 7 and 8 in care of Mrs. Osborn; and the High School. This leaves at Ridge Hill Mrs. Jones in charge of grades 1 and 2; Miss Manley in charge of grades 3 and 4, and at Norwell Centre, Miss Mer- ritt with grades I and 2, and Miss Litchfield with grades 3 and 4.
Thus, no teacher has over two grades, with the exception of Miss Tolman at Church Hill who, on account of small numbers and the inadvisability of transporting small chil- dren has four grades. This seems an ideal arrangement for Norwell, as our numbers for several years would hardly war- rant a teacher to a grade.
We know the quality of work will improve more and more as time goes on as a consequence.
A feature of the new building in which the town must be
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TOWN OF NORWELL
justly proud is the enlarged and greatly improved Town Hall used by the school as an assembly hall.
Although all members of the Building Committee worked hard, the chairman Mr. James H. Barnard deserves especial credit for his untiring efforts throughout the campaign necessary to acquire the appropriation and his almost daily supervision of the erection of the building.
Realizing that the transfer of the Grammar grades to the new building in the fall would call for a slight change in the barge routes, it was deemed better policy to extend the con- tracts then in vogue to the end of the year rather than con- tract for the period from April to June.
Accordingly preposals were printed and distributed in August for the year September 1922 to June 1923. The bids were publicly opened September 6th and were as follows :-
J. H. Sparrell
Route No. 1-$40.00 per Week. I Truck to make 2 Trips. Route No. 2-$26.50 per week.
C. O. Litchfield
Route No. 3-$27.50 per Week.
M. F. Williamson
Route No. 4-$31.00 per Week.
The Contracts were awarded to
J. H. Sparrell-Route No. 1; $40.00 per Week; I Truck to make 2 Trips; Route No. 2-$26.50 per Week.
C. O. Litchfield-Route No. 3; $27.50 per Week.
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
M. F. Williamson-Route No. 4; $31.00 per Week.
Your committee have felt in the past that Norwell spent a large amount for transportation. But this bit of infor- mation gained while in conference with taxpayers of a sister town changed our opinion and may prove interesting to others who have thought our transportation cost excessive. The town in question expended in 1921, $6,000.00 for the transportation of 97 pupils only a part of which was done with motor busses. Norwell in that year spent $4519.60 to transport 178 pupils and in 1922, $4,733.00 to carry fully 200. I was assured the sister towns' 1922 figures would far exceed their 1921 expenditure. In another neighboring town, one bus with open ends and curtain sides, equipment not accepted at any price in Norwell, receives $50 per week for about the same amount of work as our busses, which re- ceive an average of $25.00 per route.
Proposals for Janitorship of the new building were dis- tributed and the bids opened publicly. They were as follows :
Ralph Sprague $24 00 per week
John F. Osborn 20 00 per week
Charles Baker 18 00 per week
Alexander Brown 25 00 per week
H E. Farrington 25 00 per week
Chas. A. Bruce
15 00 per week
Thomas Campbell
22 50 per week
The contract was awarded to Chas. A. Bruce at $15.00 per week.
Now that room is available, a scientific course will be offered in the High School in September, one that will help the large number of pupils who wish to continue along that line. The courses then supplied will be Business, Scientific
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TOWN OF NORWELL
and Classical, which will furnish each pupil with a foun- dation upon which to build his particular or chosen vocation.
We have found it necessary to ask the town for a special sum of money for new equipment and fixtures for the new school. We are using all old classroom furniture with the exception of a few chairs in the High School. But shades, furniture for the teacher's room, hall runners, typewriters, teachers' desks, etc., had to be purchased and it does not seem fair to take the necessary amount for their purchase from the fund for -- Support of Schools," hence the special appro- priation Each year should see a few new furnishings added to the building until it is fully equipped.
Likewise the immediate surroundings of the building should receive some attention this year. The land needs to be graded, shrubs planted and at least a beginning made in a definite scheme of beautifying the grounds. The setting of a flag pole in the front lawn of sufficient size to harmonize with the whole would add much to this scheme, for there is nothing so beautiful as our national emblem.
We have set the old flag pole for temporary use only until the town shall take some action. Let us finish the project in a dignified manner, befitting this fine old New England locality.
In June we suffered about the usual loss of teachers but this year all in one school. The three High school assistants resigned to fill other positions and in their places Mrs. Lois Turner was engaged to take charge of the business course; Rev. Myron Morrill of Church Hill to head the English and History department, and Miss Katherine Ranney of Rock- land, to teach Mathematics and French. Our principal, Mr. Nichols returned to us but on account of ill health has been granted leave of absence. His many friends will be pleased
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
to learn of improvement in his condition but not of sufficient degree to allow him to resume work at the time this report goes to press. Mr. Ross, a teacher of wide experience has been engaged to take charge until such time as Mr. Nichols is able to return.
The Senior Class each year is allowed to give four parties under the auspices of the Committee, to raise money for their graduation reception. We wish more of the parents would attend these parties, both for the enjoyment they would re- ceive and to share the responsibility with the committee. It is a source of gratification that our High School has been able to hold these social affairs, when it has been found necessary to withhold the privilege in so many other towns. Our parties have always been quiet and enjoyable and can so continue if parents will cooperate with the committee. Know who your child is to invite and with whom he or she asso- ciates and the rest will take care of itself.
In conclusion we wish to extend to the taxpayers of the town our thanks for the splendid building which they have erected, also to congratulate them upon the foresight which they displayed in grasping the school housing situation and dealing with it properly. Again "Norwell has put through that which she undertook" a remark often heard in our neighboring towns. May that spirit continue in our town affairs
With a deep appreciation of your interest in school affairs we submit this report for your approval.
Respectfully submitted, NELLIE L. SPARRELL Secretary and Treasurer.
AMY W. SYLVESTER BENJAMIN LORING
Report of Superintendent
To the School Committee of Norwell :-
It is a pleasure to present this my fifth annual report on the educational facilities of the Town of Norwell. At no time during my incumbency in this position has the future looked so bright, and any unpleasant memories of past disap- pointments are obliterated by the joy of seeing present conditions so favorable.
THE GENERAL SITUATION
It requires close contact with the local school system under the old dispensation to fully appreciate what the change in organization which has been brought about during the past year really means. Many people will see the "out- ward and visible sign" as represented by the new building, and will never fully realize the really worth-while change that has been made possible by its construction.
It is seldom that the construction of a High School build- ing becomes immediately effective in the school life of every pupil in town, even down to the first graders. Such has been the case in Norwell. With the completion of the new build- ing it became at once possible to so distribute the school population that no teacher need have more than two grades. That we still have one school of four grades is a matter of local choice and in no way necessary. It is the one flaw in the whole system. From the standpoint of efficiency it is inexcusable.
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SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT
Without intention to call further attention to the school at Church Hill, but for the purpose of comparison to show the greatness of the improvement made possible in our ele- mentary schools by the recent change, the following data are introduced. They deal with the time element because this has been the chief handicap in the past.
CHURCH HILL SCHOOL-FOUR GRADES
5 Minute Periods-3 (2 for Physical Exercises. )
10 Minute Periods 13 (Including Opening Exercises. )
15 Minute Periods 10 (Including Two Recesses.)
20 Minute Periods I ( writing or drawing-whole school)
These are the time divisions in the program arranged by a superior teacher who has had long years of experience in adapting her schedule to get the most out of the school day. By this arrangement there are 27 different time allotments. Of these 3 are strictly class exercises : Now the gross school time in this school is 275 minutes from which must be taken 35 minutes for these three outside activities, leaving 240 minutes to be divided between 24 class periods. This would allow an average of 10 minutes to each class. Of course in practice the divisions of time vary as shown above.
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