USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Norwell > Town of Norwell annual report 1940-1949 > Part 46
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Discussion has revolved chiefly around the subjects of highway expen- ditures, school needs and the desirability and possibility of a beginning with town water in Norwell.
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NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
As to highways, well-balanced planning should look toward a year-by- year program of improvement at a steady rate within the limits of appro- priations for this purpose.
Schools figured in our discussions chiefly from the point of view that the town should plan, as soon as conditions permit, to enlarge or more amply replace the present grade-school facilities. The accomplishment of this would relieve the present situation wherein too much of the grade school population is housed in the high-school building. Such relief would permit a broader use of this building for strictly high-school purposes than is now possible.
Water for the Town of Norwell has been exhaustively studied by an- other committee of the town which undoubtedly will report in detail. This committee met with the water committee and a full and free discussion took place on such aspects of the water problem as potential supply, possibilities of purchasing water from Hanover and Scituate, and estimated costs of a beginning system of water mains in a portion of Norwell.
In all frankness your committee has little specific accomplishment to report .. Its members have seriously and conscientiously considered the problems facing the town and have found, in the space of this one year, no sovereign remedy or formula that will achieve its goal. The committee feels that some achievement can develop in time and recommends to the Town that it vote to continue the committee for another year of study, dis- cussion and recommendation to the citizens of Norwell.
Respectfully submitted,
WILDER GAUDETTE, Secretary
THEODORE DYER, Chairman HORACE ROSS HAROLD WILDER
JOHN MARLAND JOHN MURPHY ALLAN VIRTUE
REPORT OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY AID TO AGRICULTURE 1946
The Plymouth County Extension Service represents this department. It is a cooperatively sponsored organization with the United States De- partment of Agriculture, Massachusetts State College, and the County of Plymouth participating. Plymouth County Extension Service, office located at the Court House, Brockton, has been conducting an educational cam- paign for farmers, homemakers, and rural youth for over thirty years.
In 1946 the Extension Service programs have been designed to be of greater educational value. Each of the Extension Service departments has carried on an intensified educational program in many project fields. This work has been under the general supervision of the Trustees, Plymouth County Aid to Agriculture, Russell Makepeace, Marion, Chairman. Joseph T. Brown, Director, has been responsible for coordination of departmental projects and for the office management and field work.
The Agricultural Agents have performed service in an organized way through meetings and demonstrations for dairymen, poultrymen, market gardeners, fruit growers and cranberry growers. A limited program was carried on for home gardeners, general livestock producers, woodlot owners, and for many of other interests.
87
TOWN OF NORWELL
The Home Demonstration Agents have been devoting their time to the teaching of classes in clothing, home furnishings, food production and pres- ervation, home management, nutrition and child development. Additional help was given in planning home grounds and home furnishings projects.
The number of 4-H clubs is in direct proportion to the local leadership that is available in each town. Greater interest is anticipated in 4-H club work during 1947. There has been renewed interest in club work with more "teen" age club folk being interested in carrying on individual pro- jects.
The work of the Extension Service is guided by the considered judg- ment of county and community committees made up of representative leaders for each project. In this sense, the program is democratically con- ceived and administered as efficiently as possible with the limited personnel of a single county office.
The statistical summary denotes the extent of the Extension Service activities during the past year.
STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Agricultural Homemaking Department Department
4-H Club Department
Total
No. Farm or Home Visits
1,893
257
640
2,790
No. Office Calls
2,069
431
196
2,696
No. Telephone Calls
5,428
1,476
1,351
8,255
No. Bulletins Distributed
6,718
8,442
4,800
19,960
Training Meetings Held for Local
Leaders or Committeemen : No.
67
60
12
139
Attendance
747
828
260
1,835
Demonstration Meetings:
No.
44
109
24
177
Attendance
2,783
2,050
404
5,237
Result Demonstration Meetings: No.
29
11
40
Attendance
1,272
460
1,732
Other Meetings of an Extension Nature:
No.
132
62
144
338
Attendance
12,372
3,407
5,735
21,514
Meetings Held by Local Leaders: No.
8
400
1,083
1,491
Attendance
105
2,706
11,000
13,811
REPORT OF THE ASSESSORS
The assessors, while faced with a great deal of extra work in order that the tax payer might receive the itemized bills from the tax collector as you did this year, are very pleased with the reaction. This gives the tax payer a clear description of what he is taxed for and the amount.
We have received a few copies of plans of lots that have been surveyed during the past year. These are a great help to us in plotting a map on
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NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
which we are working. If you have a blueprint or tracing of any lots in Norwell, we would appreciate your allowing us to make a copy of it.
The town should have a map plotting the different parcels, but we realize the terrific expense it would incur and are waiting until we can get the above-mentioned map into a preliminary form for a surveyor to work on before requesting an appropriation for same.
1946 RECAPITULATION
TOWN
Raised at Annual Town Meeting $ 124,373.83 14,575.00
From Surplus Overlay
$ 138,948.83
STATE
State Tax
$ 1,900.00
State Parks and Reservations
85.54
State Audit of Municipal Accounts
18.83
Hospital Care for Civil War Veterans
237.68
$ 2,242.05
COUNTY
County Tax 1946 and Under Estimate 1945 $
5,698.01
Tuberculosis Hospital Assessment
1,988.93
$ 7,686.94
OVERLAY of current year
$
4,181.99
Gross Amount To Be Raised
$ 153,059.81
ESTIMATED RECEIPTS
Income Tax
$
8,416.46
Corporation Taxes
3,417.62
Motor Vehicle Excise
3,150.00
Gasoline Tax Under Acts of 1943
3,830.04
Licenses
550.00
Fines
25.00
Moth Assessments
328.75
Town Hall Rental
500.00
Charities
1,000.00
Old Age Assistance
11,000.00
Old Age Tax (Meals)
782.57
Schools
6,500.00 -
Soldier's Benefits State Aid
100.00
Interest
400.00
Aid to Dependent Children
500.00
$ 40,500.44
OVERESTIMATES
State Parks
$ 20.97
Taken From Surplus Overlay
14,575.00
Total Available Funds
$ 14,595.97
Estimated Receipts
$ 55,096.41
Net Amount to Be Raised by Taxation
$ 97,963.40
Tax Rate per $1,000-$40.00
89
TOWN OF NORWELL
TAXES FOR STATE, COUNTY AND TOWN PURPOSES, INCLUDING OVERLAY
Committed to Tax Collector:
Personal Estate
$ 9,209.80
Real Estate
87,341.60
Poll Tax
1,412.00
Total
$
97,963.40
Value of Assessed Real Estate :
Land, exclusive of buildings
$ 422,000.00
Buildings, exclusive of land
1,761,540.00
Total
$2,183,540.00
Value of Assessed Personal Estate:
Stock in Trade
$ 29,175.00
Machinery
148,850.00
Live Stock
39,545.00
All Other Tangible Property
12,675.00
-
Total
$ 230,245.00
Total Valuation of Assessed Estate
$2,413,785.00
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE
Number of Cars Assessed
1,148
Value of Vehicles Assessed
$201,410.00
Excise Committed To Collector
5,010.92
TABLE OF AGGREGATES
Number of Persons Assessed :
Indiv.
Corp.
Total
Personal Estate Only
45
4
49
Real Estate Only
878
16
894
Both Personal and Real Estate
137
5
142
Total number of Persons Assessed
1,085
Number of Dwelling Houses Assessed
722
Number of Acres of Land Assessed
13,067
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH H. COLEMAN, Charman JAMES A. LIDDELL A. LESTER SCOTT
Board of Assessors
REPORT OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE TO THE CITIZENS OF NORWELL
The vital and pressing need for a new elementary school is growing more acute each year.
The construction of new homes and the influx of new families has re- sulted in a steady increase in Norwell's school population over the past two years. The average enrollment in grades 1 through 6 in October, 1946, was 36, as compared with 312 in October, 1945. We have 161 children in our first 4 grades, the largest number to be so enrolled in the lower grades in the history of Norwell schools. The last two entering grades have aver-
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NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
aged 46 pupils per grade. All indications point to the continuation of this growth.
Our second grade, with an enrollment of 43, will present a serious problem to us when school opens in September, 1947. With our present school housing facilities, these 43 children will have to be jammed into a room built to accommodate 30 pupils. A group of this size must be handled in two rooms to give students the proper individual instruction. However, there are no rooms available for such a division.
Looking ahead one year further, in September, 1948, we will have our present 50 first grade children ready for grade three. In fairness to these 50 children, both from the point of view of health and educational needs, they must not be squeezed in one room built to accommodate 30 pupils, but without a new building some temporary arrangement will be forced upon us.
The high school at present has every room filled for every period. This presents numerous serious problems :
1. The cafeteria must be used for both study and recitation purposes even during the preparation of lunch.
2. The art room is used for mathematical classes at a time when noise from the lunch room drowns out effective work.
3. The science room must be used for work other than science, so that the full use for science purposes cannot be obtained. A science room to be of the most value to the students should be a living laboratory of materials brought in by the pupils. Exhibits and experiments, which should be in abundant evidence, cannot be prepared where the class room must be in constant use for other crowded classes. Sufficient laboratory periods cannot be provided with present space limitations to give proper laboratory work in our various science courses.
4. The commercial room is badly overcrowded, giving insufficient space for office machines and resulting in a most unsatisfactory arrangement of these machines for instruction in office type work. This is hindering our commercial classes.
Despite this pressing need for a new and larger elementary school building to alleviate the badly overcrowded conditions in the high school and to enable us to split the incoming larger classes into separate units for more effective education, costs of new construction at the present time are prohibitive. Your committee cannot conscientiously recommend the im- mediate construction of a new elementary school building until prices drop to a more normal level and until building materials are more readily avail- able. Our school committee must house the children in the best fashion possible for the next two or three years. Parents must realize that condi- tions will not be of the best, that the children will be overcrowded, that the classes will be unduly large and that the teachers cannot give children the individual attention necessary for the best results.
However, your committee can report progress for the past year. A survey has been made of the old high school lot and elevations taken. We are convinced that this lot is the most suitable and best location for the new building.
During 1947, your committee will study the various types of elemen- tary buildings recommended by school architects so that we will be ready with plans and costs as soon as construction again becomes practical. We
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TOWN OF NORWELL
hope that prices will improve to such an extent that we can present a de- tailed report with costs within the next year.
A new elementary school building is a MUST at the earliest possible time.
GRADE ENROLLMENTS - OCTOBER 1, 1946
Grade
1
Oct. 1945 37
Oct. 1946 50
Grade
2
37
43
Grade
3
30
33
Grade
4
28
35
Grade
5
29
25
Grade
6
28
28
Grade
7
26
27
Grade
8
27
30
Grade 9
37
27
Grade 10
28
34
Grade 11
16
18
Grade 12
18
16
Total
341
366
JAMES P. HALL, Chairman MARGARET H. McMULLAN, Secretary
THOMAS S. CANN
ARTHUR MERRITT
EMILY S. RIPLEY
NELLIE SPARRELL
DONALD C. WILDER
92
NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
NORWELL SCHOOL DIRECTORY School Committee
JAMES P. HALL, Chairman MRS. NELLIE L. SPARRELL, Secretary THOMAS CANN
Tel. Hanover 136 Tel. Norwell 76-W Tel. Rockland 521-R
Superintendent of Schools CLIFTON E. BRADLEY Office, Salmond School, Hanover, Mass., Tel. 172 Residence, Center Street, Center Hanover, Tel. 345-4
Supervisors GERTRUDE REYNOLDS, Music H. RODMAN BOOTH, Art RINEHART SYSTEM OF WRITING
School Physician RAYMOND G. VINAL, M. D.
School Nurse CATHERINE A. ROE
School Dentist WILLIS B. PARSONS, D. M. D.
Janitors
ALFRED PROUTY BERTHA BALDWIN FRANK LIND
Ridge Hill School Center Primary School High School
SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULATIONS
Children who become five years of age on March first may enter school the following September.
No child under seven years of age will be admitted to school for the first time after October first of any year.
A child entering school for the first time is required to present to the teacher a birth certificate and vaccination or exemption from vaccination certificate. Exemption must be renewed every six months.
1
SIGNALS FOR NO SESSIONS OF SCHOOLS
Signal 7:30 A. M. on the Fire whistle (one long whistle)
"No School" signals will be broadcast from WBZ between 7:00 and 7:45 A. M., and from WEEI and WBET.
Schools will close in extremely bad weather, but each parent must decide, depending on the conditions of distance, amount of waiting for the bus, protective clothing, etc., whether or not to send children to school in stormy weather when schools are in session.
WORK CERTIFICATES
Work certificates for those between the ages of 16-21 are issued at the offices of the Superintendent of Schools, the High School and from the homes of the School Committee members and the Superintendent of Schools. When possible the school office should be used. A birth certificate or other legal proof of birth is required to be shown.
93
TOWN OF NORWELL
Employment certificates of those between 14-16 for employment dur- ing out of school hours are secured at the schools only, or during the sum- mer, from the Superintendent of Schools.
SCHOOL CALENDAR
January 2, 1947
February 15-February 23
School opens Vacation
April 12-April 20 May 30 Week of June 21
Vacation
Memorial Day
Closing Schools
If the Schools are closed on account of weather, the closing dates are extended.
SUMMER VACATION
September 3, 1947
School Opens
October 13, 1947
Columbus Observance
October 24, 1947 Teachers' Convention
November 11, 1947 Armistice Day
November 27 and 28, 1947
Thanksgiving Holidays
December 20-January 4, 1948 Holidays
January 5, 1948
School Opens
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
This year it was imperative that teachers salaries be raised, and all teachers with experience were granted a $300.00 increase retroactive to January 1, 1947 if budget is voted by the town. This $300.00 no more than covers the increase in cost of living and is an average raise for smaller towns. Teachers who merit it should have salary increases in the following year. When good teachers are obtained it is folly not to retain them, when at the present time it is difficult to get teachers just out of Normal School for much less than we now pay some of our experienced teachers.
New Bus Contracts were issued this year. Herbert Joseph and Joseph Vezina were the only bidders. New routes had to be planned and with new drivers it took a little time to get things running smoothly.
The late bus from the High School three times a week is proving very satisfactory. Pupils who have work to make up or work that has been missed by illness, can now do this after school. Extra curricula and other activities can now be planned after regular school hours.
The "No School" signal has been changed to 1 long blast on the fire siren at 7:30 A. M. It will also be announced on the radio between 7:00 and 7:30 A. M. over stations WBET, WEEI and WBZ.
The town this year must give consideration to the report of the Build- ing Committee. Primary classes are increasing every year and accommo- dations in the present High School building are now entirely inadequate. The crowded conditions make it difficult for teachers and consequently the work must suffer because of it. The rooms at the High School were not designed for Primary grade acticity. A class of 25 pupils would be ade- quate for these rooms but the average class now is 32. In 4 years time the average will be 39 per grade.
The Ridge Hill and Center Primary Schools are in need of repairs and painting, but other than work which has to be done, the repairs have been
94
NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
kept at a minimum because a new elementary building is a MUST, when conditions warrant.
We feel that the quality of our teaching staff is very high and that they are doing fine work. Because of our size and limited budget we can not offer as many optional courses as larger schools, nevertheless we do believe we should have a Manual Arts course as soon as we have available funds and space.
At the start of this school year we were fortunate to obtain the services of Felix J. Dixon as teacher and coach. Mr. Dixon was well recommended and is doing a fine job in providing an all around program in sports. Each pupil is receiving training in some sport. Mr. Dixon is also coaching the girls in basketball with Miss Maguire assisting and acting as chaperone for the girls on busses and in the locker rooms.
Miss Patricia Allen is our new Domestic Arts teacher and is a very capable cafeteria director. Miss Allen is a Cornell graduate and has had experience in institution work.
Miss Jacqueline Whitehouse is doing very well as our new English teacher. Miss Whitehouse is a Wellesley graduate and took Miss Alden's place, who is now teaching in Middleboro at a substantial increase in salary.
Dr. Raymond G. Vinal is back as school physician after a leave of absence during the war.
Dr. J. D. R. Woodworth was acting school physician during the war period and did excellent work. The physical standard of the pupils is very good and much credit is due to Dr. Woodworth, who served as school physi- cian and would not accept any recompense for his services. The School Committee and town are indeed grateful.
JAMES P. HALL, Chairman THOMAS S. CANN NELLIE L. SPARRELL, Secretary
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT FINANCES-1946
Appropriation
$55,600.00
Special Appropriation
Dog Tax
569.95
$56,169.95
Overdraft
Total Expenditures
$56,168.81
Unexpended Balance
1.14
REIMBURSEMENTS
Part I Mass. School Fund
$3,490.00
Part II Mass. School Fund
5,639.09
Mass. Wards
210.90
City Boston Wards
658.41
Other Tuition
72.00
Superintendency Union
647.41
Total Reimbursements
$10,717.81
Vocational Education $ 55.39
95
. TOWN OF NORWELL
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT - To the School Committee Town of Norwell
It gives me pleasure to submit my fourth annual report on the condition of the schools of Norwell and to include the reports of my co-workers.
Norwell has had relative stability in its most vital department, that of personnel, this past year. Three new teachers, Felix Dixon as science teacher and coach, Patricia Allen in the domestic arts department and Jac- queline Whitehouse as the English teacher, have been our only staff changes. Some change is often beneficial, but the most effective work is done by teachers who through several years' experience have the feel of the town behind their teaching.
With the return of another man to our high school staff, the tone of the school shows marked improvement. Morale is high and will improve. Athletic participation is being enjoyed by more pupils, and close association and team play is proving beneficial.
Norwell continues to be rated as a Class A school, which indicates that it has passed the standards set up by the State Department of Education, and is eligible to certify pupils to our State Teacher Training Colleges. The State is proposing to set up new standards which will possibly make mandatory the meeting of goals already accepted by educators as being necessary for good high school work.
If Norwell is to meet those newer standards the building program must be speeded up so that our high school building can function in the manner for which it was designed. Overcrowding, as outlined in the Prin- cipal's Report and in the Building Committee's Report, must be remedied, and adequate classroom space allotted for the high school. Expansion of the teaching staff and the courses offered logically follows.
This past year has seen additions made to the physics, chemistry and biology equipment, but more is recommended for purchase just as soon as the science room is released from other classes so that it can be a real laboratory. Typewriters, not available during the war, have been purchased to replace those which were sold to the government, and this year we will return to the policy of trading in our oldest machines for the latest models, which are available to the schools with a substantial educational discount.
Football equipment, which it was hoped could be purchased last year, proved to be non-obtainable, but it is hoped that enough may come through to experiment with six man football this fall.
The matter of teacher salaries was cared for when the School Commit- tee met demands for a $300.00 per year increase for most teachers, to be- come effective January 1. However, present indications are that begin- ning teachers who come from our State Teachers College are going to re- ceve $1,800.00 to start in September, 1947, which will immediately com- plicate our salary schedule for teachers of several years' experience. That the lay public is sympathetic to this demand is encouraging, as all wish to see the best talent that our schools can produce entering our teacher train- ing colleges, and lack of adequate salaries has kept many students from the teaching profession.
The School Department appreciates the help that has come from the efforts of the P. T. A. and the Norwell Alumni Association. Their gifts of library money and scholarships fill a definite need. Their interest in fur- thering education in Norwell is stimulating.
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NINETY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
Under the G. I. Bill of Rights it became possible for many servicemen to return to schools of their choosing. We were glad to have a number at our high school, and to recommend others to colleges. The resulting num- bers seeking college education, however, made it impossible for all to be accepted, and in October, the Massachusetts State College of Amherst opened a branch for yeterans at Devens. While it may be difficult to trans- fer from this new unit, it does permit many to secure the education they need. Since several colleges already have more applicants for September, 1947, than they can accept, it is very necessary for any person to apply for entrance immediately, and a year's notice is advocated for even 1948.
Attention is also called to opportunities in several of the neighboring communities for evening class vocational education, for which the State reimburses the town for one half the tuition cost paid by the town.
A catalogue listing thousands of educational classes in the Greater Boston Area is available at the schools and the library. These are not voca- tional in many cases, and are not to be confused with the State aided classes listed above.
The teaching staff has missed Rodman Booth, sick since late in Novem- ber, from his duties in the Norwell schools.
With the rewriting of the bus contracts we now have three modern busses transporting our school children. As often happens, the number of children living on certain streets changes so greatly during the summer months that the figures compiled in the spring are out of date in the fall. On Winter Street alone about fifteen extra children moved in and had to be accommodated, with a resulting bus route change affecting two routes. Additional transportation has been provided the Pleasant and Circuit Street area and the Tiffany Road area.
The changes in our text books in the schools this past year include new literature sets, American History, algebra and junior high mathematics books, and fourth and sixth grade geography books. There have been a number of work books tried out in our high school classes.
The costs of supplies and texts have increased about 40% in this past year alone. The budget has been prepared with only a small increase in these items so that it will be necessary to hold off ordering certain of these items this year, or wait until paper prices are reduced.
Goals for this next year again are contingent for the most part on a new building program, but include those still not accomplished in previous years: (1.) Desire to see manual arts made into a part of the High School Program; (2.) An addition to the staff of a girls' athletic and gym director ; (3.) More laboratory type of teaching in the science fields, and (4.) Ex- pansion of the commercial room into an office practice type of set-up.
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