USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1944 > Part 8
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State
$ 808.25
Town Fees
108.00
$ 916.25
95
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
To the Citizens of the Town of Reading:
The annual report of the Board of Selectmen for the year ending December 31, 1944 is hereby submitted :
At an adjourned meeting held March 9 the Board organized as follows :
Kenneth C. Latham, Chairman Charles E. Wilkinson, Secretary Herbert K. Miller Leon G. Bent, Clerk
The custom of holding regular meetings Monday evenings has been followed with extra meetings when necessary. We have followed the procedure of last year in publishing the doings of the Board in the Chronicle.
During the year as the danger of attack by enemy submarine grew less the covers of street lights were taken off and the streets resumed their normal night appearance.
Civilian Defense has been marking time and while there have been no blackouts the organization stands ready to function if the need arises.
The Board has made several night inspections of the "Odors" coming from Woburn. In the fall, accompanied by the Town Counsel and about 200 citizens, attended a hearing in the State House on the "odor" situa- tion and the State Board found in favor of Reading.
March saw the first election and Town Meeting under the limited form of Town Meeting.
Your Board has attended all the memorial services for those of our boys who have paid the supreme sacrifice and has continued the practice of attending most of the induction groups leaving for the armed services.
Have followed the practice of other years in denying licenses to per- mit games of chance in the Town.
Have sold several parcels of land that were taken for taxes.
Reports of the various Town Departments under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen appear on other pages and in view of the paper shortage our report is brief.
We appreciate the co-operation and friendly spirit of the other Boards, committees and general public.
CHARLES E. WILKINSON, Secretary
96
REPORT OF TERCENTENARY COMMITTEE
Board of Selectmen, Reading, Massachusetts.
Gentlemen :-
In making the final report of the Tercentenary Committee of activi- ties in connection with the observance of the 300th anniversary of our town we may refer to the Town Accountant's report for the financial aspect.
It seems advisable to us however to emphasize the fact that of $1,200 allowed the committee, the report shows $398.86 unexpended. Actually a small amount of additional money has since been turned over to the town, making the balance over $400.00.
A part of the committee's duty was sponsorship of "Vignettes of Reading," a book edited and prepared by a special group headed by Victor Pitkin. It was impossible to prepare and print this volume in time for the observance, therefore the funds of the committee were used in paying $351.30 of the cost. Receipts from sales of the book up to December 31, 1944 were used to help pay the cost, the committee paid the balance. Further sales will bring additional cash to the town.
Analysis of other expenses shows the diversity of events planned and carried out by your committee in part. Two very special events cost us nothing namely, the excellent play put on by the Quannapowitt Players and Old Timers Night under the leadership of Otis Ruggles. Other parts of the program for which money was spent included, the the exercises on Memorial Day at Memorial Park, the concert given under the direction of Mr. Peck, the antiques and arts and crafts ex- hibit in Security and Erterprise Halls and the afternoon program for boys and girls. $310.50 was spent for all of these.
In addition it was considered advisable to have good photographs made of various parts of the program and there were general expenses, not large in amount.
None of the events could have been carried on without whole hearted cooperation on the part of various town organizations, merchants and other citizens. We had that cooperation and we believe that the ob- servance was good but not grand, a situation which is entirely fitting in view of the very serious world wide trouble existent in 1944.
EDWARD F. PARKER, Chairman.
97
REPORT OF THE LIBRARY TRUSTEES
The War is now entering its final stage and with the approach of peace all agencies of the community are busy preparing plans for de- mobilization and peace-time expansion. It is recognized by all depart- ments of the Town that Reading is going to grow, and possibly grow rapidly in the years immediately following the War. The Library is abreast of all other departments in its plans to meet this situation and is prepared to expand its services to meet the requirements of a peace- time world.
The past year has seen a continuation of the efficient and valuable services of the Library staff. Fortunate indeed is the community to have a veteran staff servicing the Library. The rooms are crowded, and the shelf-room has been utilized to the fullest possible extent. The War has increased the demands on staff members for there is a serious shortage of trained personnel which can be drawn upon in time of emergency. The circulation of books has not dropped materially, but instead, it has increased in some departments. Books on the war and the peace, on Asia and the Pacific areas, on personalities in the news are in constant demand. The children's library is perhaps the busiest, and in many re- spects, the most serviceable department in the Library. Under the ex- cellent guidance of Miss Rebecca Turner the children of our community receive a great deal of help in the development of good, wholesome reading habits. It is impossible to measure the service for good which is done in the awakening of a child's love for good books.
To meet the needs of expanding services in a post-war community the Library Trustees have given careful study to the situation as affect- ing the Library. A committee under the chairmanship of Mr. William J. Tonks has prepared a report on plans for extending the library plant to include an addition of a much needed stack-room. These plans have met with the general approval of the Planning Board and the Capital Budget- ing Committee. Extracts from this report are as follows :
"Our library, which serves the people of Reading, has been operating under very congested conditions . . . The library has now reached a point where it is now impossible to add additional storage or reading-room facilities, until we can erect a stack room building .
The present library houses approximately 26,000 books. To meet expected community expansion it is necessary to plan for a library housing about 42,000 books . . . A three-story stack- room, open to the public, and added to the present building would cost approximately $51,000 . .
98
A sum not greater than $2000 is needed immediately in order to draw up architectural and engineering plans . . .
The budget of the Library is small; the cost per capital is negligible ; yet the return in services rendered to the whole community - men, women, and children alike is tremendous. The endowment of the Library is small indeed as compared with other libraries in the neighboring towns, and the capital outlay on this piece of town property over the years has been nothing at all.
If the Public Library's capacity to serve is increased it is assured by the past history of this institution that the community will benefit far greater proportionately than its investment would indicate. It is time to take into account in post-war planning a community investment in which every man, woman and child receives a rich dividend. Perhaps it would be well to keep in mind the words of "Uncle Dudley" (Boston Globe, Feb. 17, 1945).
"The battle of life is lost and won in strange places. Two of those places are silence and solitude. And how often, how exhilaratingly often, that battle is won in the solitude and silence of a great book which has fallen into the hands of a child or of an adolescent at precisely the right moment."
The Public Library stands ready to serve this community in the ex- panding program of peace.
Respectfully submitted,
A. IMRIE DIXON, Chairman KATHERINE C. PIERCE, Secretary C. NELSON BISHOP CHRISTIE W. FOWLE SYDNEY M. HODSON WILLIAM J. TONKS
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
To the Trustees of the Reading Public Library :
According to the American Library Association report on WHAT AMERICA WAS READING IN 1944, "The steady drop in circulation of books has been halted; the bottom of the curve was reached in 1943, and librarians can now expect a period of steadily rising demands for home reading." That has been the case here in Reading; our circulation began rising the first of the year of 1944 and has been increasing every month since.
99
The demand for technical books for war workers has almost entirely ceased; instead the call is for engineering books of all kinds ; electronics, refrigeration, radio, etc.
Miss Turner reports that the demand for books for the younger children, particularly for the first four grades, continues to grow steadily. There has always been a sharp drop in the number of books taken by boys and girls of Junior High age. That is still a very notice- able fact.
The Library has deposits of books in three schools. There seems to be a definite need for such deposits in most of the schools but the trans- portation of them is difficult to arrange at present.
There have been many fine books published within the year for small children. It is difficult to find good present day stories for the older children. The great demand for war books especially airplane stories, has subsided. War time books are not wearing well and the initial costs of them have risen; therefore these books have proven quite expensive to use.
The following books have been presented to the Library during the year, for which we are very grateful:
Goodrich
Audubon
Winslow Homer Bird Book
Ewen
Music for the millions
Menke Encyclopedia of sports
Cox
Potters and Pottery 2 vols. Speaking of Jane Austen
Smith and Stern
The Reading Consumer's Co-operative Society has also given us three books.
The box near the door is being constantly refilled with books for the service-men and Mrs. Herbert Towle and Miss Helen Bancroft have been kind enough to take them in to the headquarters in Boston for us.
Respectfully submitted, GRACE J. ABBOTT,
Librarian.
Public Library Expense Account
Salaries :
Appropriation $6,346.20
Librarian
$ 1,874.25
Assistants
3,562.31
Janitor
902.95
$ 6,339.51
100
Maintenance $3,300.00
Fuel, light, water, sewer
$ 502.83
Telephone
48.24
Printing and supplies
210.98
Maintenance and repairs
174.01
Books and periodicals
2,092.47
Binding
236.06
Miscellaneous
25.22
$ 3,289.81
Balance unexpended and returned to revenue
On Salaries
$ 6.69
On Maintenance
10.09
Receipts
Fines collected
$ 698.27
Fees from Out-of-Town Borrowers
14.00
2 Lost books, paid
2.00
$ 714.27
Paid to Town Treasurer
714.27
Balance December 31, 1944
$ 00.00
Circulation Report
Vol. in Library December 31, 1943
26,288
Volumes bought :
Adult fiction
302
Adult non-fiction
415
717
Juvenile fiction
249
Juvenile non-fiction
105
354
Reference Books
5
Received by gift
80
1156
1,156
27,444
Withdrawn during year
1,034
Total no. vol. December 31, 1944 Circulation
26,410
101
Adult
70,385
Juvenile 24,753
Total circulation in 1944
95,138
Total circulation in 1943
87,058
Gain in 1944 8,080
New Borrowers registered
Adult
378
Juvenile
223
Total new borrowers 601
No. days Library open
300
Average daily circulation :
Adult
234.61
Juvenile
61.64
Borrowed from other libraries
20
Loaned to other libraries
33
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
The efforts of the board have been devoted to many town problems during the past year. Messrs. Berry and White have served as the ap- pointees of the board on the Capital Expenditures Budgeting Committee, the former as chairman. Mr. Pease has served as the representative of the board, and as chairman, of the Post-War Planning Committee.
The board has continued its policy of being represented at public hearings and its members have attended various conferences on post- war planning and municipal development.
Extensive studies have been made relative to prospective school sites. At the request of the Selectmen the Planning Board drew up the outline and conducted the research work for establishing precincts as required by the enabling act authorizing the representative form of town government.
Various matters have been referred to the board for study including proposed sales of town owned property. Considerable attention has been given to the details of the proposed relocation of the boundary between the towns of Reading and Lynnfield.
Contacts have been maintained with many town planning boards, the State Planning Board and other State departments which have proved of immense value to the work of the board.
Respectfully submittedd, A. LLOYD DAVID, Chairman GEORGE B. PEASE, Secretary WALTER D. BERRY
WINTHROP D. PARKER PHILIP R. WHITE
102
REPORT OF VETERANS' BENEFITS AGENT
February 12, 1945
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Town of Reading, Massachusetts
Gentlemen
Your Soldiers' Relief Agent respectfully submits his annual report.
During the year of 1944 we have assisted 52 cases, comprising in all 119 persons. The employment conditions being very favorable have helped keep our load down. Our financial outlay does not represent the work of this department, we have assisted all types and forms of work relating to Veterans and their dependents, and have taken great pleas- ure in assisting our townspeople in their troubles and business with the Federal Government. Our new office has greatly facilitated this work and we are equipped to give the greatest service to those seeking Vet- erans' Benefits for themselves or their dependents.
Respectfully yours,
CHARLES W. H. SMITH, Agent
REPORT OF THE WELFARE BOARD
In the interest of conservation of paper and man-power we continue our policy of brevity in our report for 1944.
The town has again been fortunate in having a low case load, both in General Relief and Old Age Assistance, with the result that the total net cost to the town has been gratifyingly low.
Past experience has taught us that prophecy as to what our expense for 1945 may be is very difficult, but we are hoping for the best and our budget for the current year is practically the same as for 1944, in spite of the fact that proposed changes in the Old Age Assistance Act may in- crease costs considerably.
For further details on this and other phases of our activities we refer you to the condensed report of the Welfare Agent below, and to the report of the Town Accountant showing departmental expenditures and receipts.
Respectfully submitted, JOSEPH D. KNIGHT, Chairman MILES C. HIGGINS, Secretary CLARENCE J. STALLIDAY Board of Public Welfare.
103
REPORT OF WELFARE AGENT
To the Board of Public Welfare :
The following report, condensed in accordance with the request of Selectmen, is submitted for 1944.
GENERAL AID
Under this classification 134 persons, in all, were aided during the past year. The cases were divided as follows; single persons, 33, these being for the most part cases of unemployable persons requiring contin- uous board and care; families, 12, with 62 persons, chiefly intermittent emergency assistance; Massachusetts Hospital School, 1 case for which the town receives full reimbursement; Division of Child Guardianship, 1 case; Massachusetts Hospital at Pondville, 1 case; State Hospital and Infirmary at Tewksbury, 5 cases. There were also 4 single cases and 6 family cases, with 31 persons, requiring payments by us to other cities and towns.
Conditions have continued favorable so that any able-bodied person has been able to find employment at supporting wages and this has re- sulted in a General Aid expenditure even slightly less than the low fig- ure reached during 1943.
AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN
The good employment situation, together with certain allotments made by young men in military service to their families, have worked to a financial advantage during 1944. The cost per case has increased be- cause it follows closely the general rise in prices for the necessities of life. The over-all case load, however, decreased more than enough to offset this so that our total expenditure for this category was somewhat less than for the previous year.
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
The number of persons furnished Old Age Assistance during 1944 was 263, but the case load by months has averaged only slightly over 234. Furthermore, the load has remained more nearly static than for any year during the past decade, with a high of 238 in May and a low of 230 in December. The annual case cost has risen some sixty dollars because of the mandatory budget clause written into the statute enacted in Sep- tember, 1943, this being noted in our report for that year as a factor throughout the entire year of 1944. The incoming cases have just about equalized the number closed by death or removal from town, this process having been so regular that our monthly expenditure for Old Age As-
104
sistance, which averages a little over $9,500.00, has varied but little from month to month.
It is evident that employment conditions reflect favorably here also, chiefly through the better ability of children to contribute towards the support of parents. In three instances men on Old Age Assistance have secured work within their limited physical capabilities and have re- mained self-supporting since.
The incoming state legislature has before it the report of two years' work by a legislative recess commission appointed for a thorough study of Old Age Assistance. This report contains recommendations which, if adopted by legislation, will increase Old Age Assistance expenditures throughout the state very considerably. No prophecy is of any value at this writing, it being safe only to say that the trend is toward expansion and greater expenditure in this category with reference to cost per case.
ADMINISTRATION
We have been fortunate in retaining the services of our experienced administrative employees against the powerful inducement of much higher salaries available in other lines of related work. Many Massa- chusetts cities and towns have suffered from this competition and have been unable to hold in public welfare work social workers and clerical personnel of proper experience and ability, thus placing in jeopardy the financial interests of their respective communities.
This situation has reecntly been recognized by the Massachusetts Welfare Compensation Board, in connection with the Civil Service Divi- sion, through the issuance of a revised schedule, giving a clearer defini- tion of the various positions in public welfare organization and allowing greater latitude as to salaries.
Our own administrative force has given its good attention to the proper use of the funds and services provided for the relief of the needy and distressed and I am satisfied that through their efficient work the interests of the Town of Reading have been well protected. The fact that the operation of a relief program requiring the expenditure of some $142,600.00 also results in reimbursement to the town of approximately $110,000 speaks for itself.
Respectfully submitted, EDWARD E. HARNDEN, Welfare Agent, Director of O.A.A.
105
REPORT OF PLUMBING INSPECTOR
To the Board of Health,
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1944.
Number of permits granted 42
Number of Fixtures installed
83
Bath Tubs
12
Closets
28
Wash Bowls
14
Sinks
10
Trays
6
Boilers
6
Urinals
3
Sewer connections
4
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID TAGGART,
Inspector of Plumbing
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF CEMETERY TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR 1944
To the Citizens of the Town of Reading :
The Cemetery Trustees submit their annual report as follows :
The Board organized for the year by electing Clarence C. White as Chairman and Fred L. Nutter as Secretary. William P. Pierpont was reappointed Superintendent.
The appropriation for the year was $10,100.00 for maintenance of Laurel Hill and Forest Glen Cemeteries. $1000.00 was transferred from the Cemetery Reserve Fund to assist in carrying on the work of the Department. The maintenance of the Cemeteries has been carefully supervised by the Trustees, with a view to keeping within these appro- priations, but because of extraordinary conditions, the Board was obliged to ask for a small additional amount from the Town Reserve Fund to complete the necessary work.
The Report of the Superintendent, approved by the Trustees and appended hereto, covers fully the work carried on during the year. The Trustees feel that the excellent condition of both Cemeteries reflect the efficient management of the Superintendent and the loyalty and faith- fulness of his assistants, notwithstanding War time difficulties.
Respectfully submitted,
CLARENCE C. WHITE, Chairman
FRED L. NUTTER, Secretary
FRANK LEE EDGERLEY
JAMES W. FAIRCHILD
HARRY C. BARR
ROMEO M. MICHELINI
Board of Cemetery Trustees
106
LAUREL HILL AND FOREST GLEN CEMETERIES
Report for 1944
To the Board of Cemetery Trustees, Town of Reading, Mass.
Gentlemen :
I herewith submit my seventeenth annual report of Laurel Hill and Forest Glen Cemeteries ending December 31, 1944.
The regular maintenance work in the Cemeteries has been kept up during the year. It was difficult to acquire extra help, but three High School boys were employed part of the season. During the month of May the employees worked Saturday afternoons and Sundays to get the Cemeteries in readiness for Memorial Day.
In Laurel Hill 6,410 square yards of avenues were resurfaced. Pine, Circle, Cross, Maple and parts of Laurel and Oak Avenues had a pene- tration of asphalt with a pea stone covering. The Tool House was re- shingled this year. The high wind and heavy rain of the hurricane, Sep- tember 14th, caused many large limbs to be broken and one elm tree had to be cut down.
There were eighty-one interments in Laurel Hill Cemetery during the year. One hundred and eight sunken graves were repaired and forty winter graves were graded and seeded this spring. Nine lots were re- loamed and seeded and seven monument and twenty-six marker foun- dations were built. Three lots, three adult graves and three baby graves were sold this year and two graves were used by the Welfare Depart- ment. Ten old lots, six adult graves and one baby grave were placed under perpetual care. One lot had an additional amount added for flowers for Memorial Day. Taking into consideration the number of sunken graves and the reduced income from the funds received for the perpetual care of lots, we were compelled to discontinue the use of wooden boxes for interments and in place of them are requiring concrete crypts or cement vaults, which will eliminate sunken graves in future years.
There were nineteen interments in Forest Glen Cemetery this year. Nine sunken graves were repaired and seven monument and two marker foundations built. Nineteen lots and two single graves were sold. This shows an increase of eight lots and one grave over last year. It is ex- pected that the development project, started by the W.P.A. at the southern portion of Forest Glen Cemetery, will be completed after the War.
107
I recommend resurfacing Bow, Walnut, Elm and part of Oak and Laurel Avenues in Laurel Hill Cemetery next year. This will complete the work started this year.
The financial statement will appear in the report of the Town Ac- countant.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM P. PIERPONT, Superintendent
REPORT OF CUSTODIAN OF SOLDIERS' and SAILORS' GRAVES
Reading, Mass., Jan. 1, 1945
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen,
Town of Reading, Massachusetts.
I respectfully submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1944 as Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' graves.
There were 13 graves and 2 lots repaired and stones were reset on one lot in Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Appropriation
$600.00
Transferred from Reserve Fund
55.90
Repairs on Veterans' Lots 174.70
Pay Roll $481.20
$655.90
$655.90
Two veterans passed away during the year.
Russell H. Flint, 51 years. Lot No. 1159, Laurel Hill Cemetery, died April 17, 1944, buried April 19, 1944.
Elmer R. Lowell, 57 years. Lot No. 576, Laurel Hill Cemetery, died November 16, 1944, buried November 19, 1944.
They were both World War 1 veterans.
Respectfully submitted, HARRY A. TURNER, Custodian of Soldiers' and Sailors' Graves, Town of Reading
108
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF APPEAL FOR THE YEAR ENDING.DECEMBER 31,'1944
The Board of Appeal held three hearings, during the year 1944, two coming under the Building Laws of the Town of Reading, which were granted, and one coming under the Zoning By-laws of the town, which was denied.
In September Mr. Fred L. Nutter resigned from the Board and Mr. Herbert T. Schoppelry was appointed on October 9 to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Nutter's resignation. On October 9 Mr. Benjamin B. Piper resigned from the Board, and on December 4,Mr. Robert L. Dean was appointed to fill this vacancy.
On December 11, a meeting of the Board was held at which the follow- ing were elected officers for the remainder of 1944, and the year 1945: Mr. Clifton S. Nichols, Chairman; Mr. Herbert T. Schoppelry, Secretary.
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