USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1932-1936 > Part 35
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Central Savings Bank.
$ 3,500.00
$ 892.93
Merrimack River Savings Bank.
3,550.00
792.44
Mechanics Savings Bank
2,325.00
867.85
Lowell Institution for Savings
2,100.00
293.38
Lowell Five Cent Savings Bank.
4,305.25
1,263.52
City Institution for Savings
3,700.00
570.91
$ 19,480.25
$4,681.03
Detailed accounts of the above funds may be seen at the Town Accountant's Office.
79
AUDIT OF THE TAX COLLECTOR'S ACCOUNTS
Audit of the Tax Collector's accounts as made by the Director of Accounts, Department of Corporations and Taxation.
The books and accounts of the tax collector were examined and checked in detail. The taxes outstanding at the time of the previous examination were audited and all subsequent commitment lists were verified and checked with the assessors' warrants. The collections as recorded on the cash books were checked to the commitment books being compared with the payments to the treasurer; the abatements as recorded were checked with the assessors' record of abatements granted; and the outstanding accounts were listed and proved to the accountant's ledger as of March 9, 1936, when the taxes were recom- mitted to the new collector.
Appended to this report are summaries of tax accounts.
TAXES-1933
Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $ 167.82
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December 31, 1935 $ 157.52
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935. ...
10.00
Unlocated difference, per previous audit, ad- justed .30 -
$ 167.82
TAXES-1934 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935 per previous audit $ 10,268.12 Overpayment to treasurer by collector, refunded 17.10
$ 10,285.22
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December 31, 1935 $ 3,398.20
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935 .... 14.80
Refund of motor vehicles excise taxes 1934 charged to taxes 1934 in error 17.10
Outstanding December 31, 1935 6,855.12
Outstanding January 1, 1936. $ 6,855.12
$ 10,285.22
80
Motor vehicle excise taxes 1934 credited as
taxes 1934 2.66
- -
$ 6,857.78
Payments to treasurer January 1 to March 9 1936 $ 877.26
Abatements January 1 to March 9, 1936.
12.00
Recommitment to Edward F. Harrington, col-
lector, March 9, 1936, per list .. 5,968.52
$ 6,857.78
TAXES-1935 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $114,430.02
Additional commitment 434.28
Payment after abatement, adjusted 1.96
$114,866.26
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December
31, 1935
$ 91,699.30
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935
43.19
Outstanding December 31, 1935.
23,123.77
$114,866.26
Outstanding January .1, 1936.
$ 23,123.77
Abatements after payment, refunded 7.82
$ 23,131.59
Payments to treasurer January 1 to March 9, 1936 $ 2,768.23
Abatements January 1 to March 9 1936. 11.82
Recommitment to Edward F. Harrington, col-
lector, March 9, 1936, per list 20,351.54
$ 23,131.59
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE TAXES-1932 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Overpayment to treasurer by collector, to be refunded
$ 2.00
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December
31, 1935 2.00
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE TAXES-1933 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $ 7.00
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December 31, 1935 $ 2.00
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935 .... 5.00
$ 7.00
-
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MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAXES-1933 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $ 111.14
Duplicate payments, refunded. 2.22
$ 113.36
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December 31 1935 $
69.47
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935 .. 36.66
Refund of interest on motor vehicle excise taxes 1933 charged to motor vehicle excise taxes 1933 in error .22
Outstanding December 31, 1935.
7.01
$ 113.36
Outstanding January 1, 1936 $ 7.01
Abatement after payment, refunded 2.00
- -
$ 9.01
Payments to treasurer January 1 to March 9
1936 $
7.01
Abatements January 1 to March 9, 1936. 2.00
$ 9.01
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAXES-1934
Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $ 822.66
Refund of motor vehicle excise taxes 1934
charged to taxes 1934 in error. 17.10
$ 839.76
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December
31, 1935 $ 170.72
Outstanding December 31, 1935. 669.04 $ 839.76
Outstanding January 1, 1936. $ 669.04
Payments to treasurer January 1 to March 9 1936 $ 73.92
Motor vehicle excise taxes 1934 credited as taxes 1934 2.66
Recommitment to Edward F. Harrington, col- lector, March 9, 1936, per list. 562.42 Cash on hand March 9, 1936, verified (paid treasurer March 11, 1936) 30.04
$ 669.04
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MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE TAXES-1935 Arthur L. Healy, Collector
Outstanding October 17, 1935, per previous audit $ 1,478.88
Commitment October 17 to December 31, 1935 .. 368.71
Abatements after payment, refunded. 14.38
Payments to treasurer October 17 to December
$ 1,861.97 31, 1935 $ 535.03
Abatements October 17 to December 31, 1935.
2.70
Outstanding December 31, 1935 1,324.24
$ 1,861.97
Outstanding January 1, 1936. $ 1,324.24
Abatements after payment, refunded. 14.21
-
$ 1,338.45
Payments to treasurer January 1 to March 9, 1936 $ 370.40
Abatements January 1 to March 9, 1936
40.01
Recommitment to Edward F. Harrington, col-
lector, March 9, 1936, per list.
928.04 $ 1,338.45
REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Finance Committee has held the customary meetings and given all the articles in the warrant careful con- sideration and recommended the appropriation of the various sums as tabulated below:
Article Appropriation
Voted 1936
Amount Expended
Amount Asked 500.00
Recom- mended
5- 1
Selectmen
$
500.00
$ 451.01
$
$ 500.00
1
License Expenses
100.00
47.58
60.00
60.00
1
Town Accountant
875.00
862.35
875.00
875.00
1
Town Treasurer
950.00
934.46
900.00
900.00
1 Assessors
1,000.00
997.95
1,200.00
1,200.00
1 Tax Collector
1,600.00
1,536.80
1,600.00
1,600.00
1
Town Counsel
200.00
198.80
200.00
200.00
1
Town Clerk
350.00
347.48
350.00
350.00
1 Registration and Election
1,000.00
998.40
350.00
350.00
2
Town Hall
1,600.00
1,588.96
1,600.00
1,600.00
3
Police Department
4,800.00
4,706.76
4,900.00
3,900.00
3
Safety Signs
200.00
199.45
100.00
100.00
4
Fire Department
3,000.00
2,421.52
3,000.00
2,500.00
5
Hydrants
3,440.00
3,440.00
3,010.00
3,010.00
6
Sealer
125.00
110.59
125.00
125.00
7
Fish and Game Warden
75.00
75.00
75.00
75.00
S
Forest Fires
1,000.00
1,129.27
1,000.00
1,000.00
9
Town Forest
75.00
40.50
75.00
75.00
10
Tree Warden
250.00
277.08
250.00
250.00
11
Moth Department
350.00
349.80
1,700.00
350.00
12
Health Department
4,450.00
3,092.78
4,950.00
4,500.00
12 Health Milk
13 Cattle Inspector
375.00 150.00 10,625.00
337.11 150.00 10,625.00
375.00 150.00
375.00 150.00
14 Town Roads-Chapter 81
10,625.00
10,625.00
14 Road Equipment
875.00
864.66
4,000.00
4,000.00
14
Snow and Ice Removal
4,000.00
4,513.77
3,000.00
3,000.00
14
State and County Aid Roads
5,000.00
4,085.64
5,000.00
5,000.00
14
Groton Road
1,000.00
1,000.00
15
Welfare Department
19,000.00
18,412.22
19,000.00
19,000.00
15
Old Age Assistance
7,500.00
7,465.49
12,000.00
10,500.00
16
Soldiers' Benefits
5000.00
5,373.25
5,000.00
5,000.00
17
Schools
65,000.00
64,988.11
67,000.00
67,000.00
18
Vocational Tuition
2,500.00
1,411.10
1,700.00
1,700.00
19
Public Library
2,302.94
2,302.94
2,400.00
2,400.00
20
Care of Common
175.00
174.45
200.00
200.00
21
Memorial Day
250.00
216.28
250.00
250.00
22
Publishing of Town Reports
575.00
557.00
515.00
515.00
23
Liability Insurance
1,500.00
1,060.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
24
Fire Insurance
800.00
1,012.03
1,207.00
1,207.00
25
Cemeteries
1,200.00
1,200.00
1,300.00
1,300.00
26
General Loans
8,500.00
8,500.00
8,500.00
8,500.00
27
Interest on General Loans
2,165.37
2,165.37
1,856.62
1,856.62
28
Interest on Revenue Loans
1,000.00
282.92
600.00
600.00
29
Street Lights
6,174.00
6,049.84
6,200.00
6,200.00
30
Reserve Fund
4,000.00
1,254.50
4,000.00
4,000.00
31 Outstanding Bills
3,236.30
3,223.80
*2,000.00
*2,000.00
State and County Taxes
14,317.47
14,259.37
*14,260.00
*14,260.00
6 Demonstration Work
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
..
..
..
8 Middlesex County T. B. Hospital
997.88
997.88
*998.00
*998.00
9 Band Concerts
400.00
400.00
400.00
10 Guide Boards
100.00
100.00
11 W. P. A. Expenses
10,000.00
8,489.04
5,500.00
5,500.00
12 Fire House Cottage Repairs
800.00
800.00
14
Additional Hydrants
35.00
35.00
15 Land Damages
150.00
35.00
ESTIMATED RECEIPTS
Corporation Tax, etc.
$ 21,362.02
Income Tax
11,896.59
Poll Tax
2,166.00
Excise Tax
4,932.08
All Other
20,000.00
60,356.69
To be transferred from Surplus
8,000.00
8,000.00
Amount to be raised by taxation
135,179.93
Valuation of Town for 1936
$3,551,954.00
*Estimated
Article 5 Item 3-
The Finance Committee feels that $4,900.00 is too much for Police Protection in this town, we therefore recom- mend the sum of $3,900.00 be appropriated for one full time officer and his deputies.
Article 5 Item 15-
The recommendation of the Finance Committee is for $10,500.00 instead of $12,000.00 as it is their belief that this will be enough to finance the Old Age Assistance.
Article 9 and Article 15-
The Finance Committee leaves the appropriation for these articles to the discretion of the town.
Article 13-
The Finance Committee recommends no additional street lights this year.
If the money is appropriated according to our recommendations and we receive the same returns from the State and County as of last year the tax rate for 1937 will not exceed $37.00 per thousand.
Respectfully submitted,
JULIAN A. CAMERON, OSCAR R. SPALDING, FRANK L. FURBUSH, P. HENRY HARRINGTON, WILLIAM E. WRIGHT, ROBERT PRESCOTT,
Finance Committee.
87
TOWN OF WESTFORD WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
To the Constable of the Town of Westford in said County:
GREETINGS :
You are hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth afore- said, to notify and warn all the inhabitants of said Town, qualified to vote in elections, and also in Town affairs, to meet at their several polling places, viz:
Precinct 1. Town Hall, Westford, Centre.
Precinct 2. Abbot's Hall, Graniteville.
Precinct 3. Abbot Worsted Mills, Brookside.
Precinct 4. Abbot's Hall, Forge Village.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1937
being the Second Monday in said month, at 12:00 o'clock noon for the following purposes:
To bring in their votes for the following officers:
For Three Years
One Selectman
One Member of Board of Public Welfare
One Assessor
Two Members of the School Committee
One Member Board of Cemetery Commissioners
One Trustee of Public Library
One Member of Board of Health
For One Year
Moderator Town Treasurer Collector of Taxes Constable Tree Warden
88
Also upon the following:
"Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and thirty-six entitled 'An Act placing under the civil service laws the office of the chief of police of the town of Westford' be accepted ?"
The polls will be open from 12:00 o'clock noon to 8 P. M., and to meet in the Town Hall at Westford Centre on the following
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1937
at 1.00 o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articles, viz:
1st. To hear the reports of the Finance Committee, other Com- mittees, Boards and Officers.
2nd. To determine the salary and compensation of elected Officers and such Officers and Officials as provided by law.
3rd. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Road Machinery Account, to which shall be credited all receipts received for the use or rental of road machinery, the proceeds to be appropriated as voted by the town for road machinery pur- poses, or take any action in relation thereto.
4th. To see if the town will vote to appropriate money to establish a Road Machinery Fund for the purpose of purchasing, re- pairing and operating road machinery.
5th. To appropriate money to meet the cost and expenses of the following departments, officers and purposes:
1. General Government.
2. Town Hall.
3. Police Department.
4. Fire Department.
5. Hydrants.
6. Sealer of Weights and Measures.
7. Fish and Game Warden.
8. Forest Fires.
9. Town Forest.
10. Tree Warden.
11. Moth Department.
12. Health Department.
13. Cattle Inspector.
14. Highway Purposes.
15. Board of Public Welfare.
16. Soldier's Benefits.
17. School Department.
89
18. Vocational Tuition.
19. Public Library.
20. Care of Common.
21. Commemoration of Memorial Day.
22. Publishing of Town Reports.
23. Liability Insurance.
24. Fire Insurance.
25. Cemetery Commissioners.
26. General Loans.
27. Interest on General Loans.
28. Interest on Revenue Loans.
29. Electric Lights.
30. Reserve Fund.
31. Bills outstanding December 31, 1936.
6th. To see if the Town will appropriate $10.00 and elect a Director under the provisions of Section 40-45 of Chapter 128 of the General Laws as amended by Section 166 of the Acts of 1932.
7th. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning January 1, 1937, and to issue a note or notes therefor, payable within one year, and to renew any note or notes as may be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with Section 17 of Chapter 44 of the General Laws.
8th. To see if the Town will appropriate a sum sufficient to pay the County of Middlesex as required by Law on account of assessments levied on the Town for its share of the principal of the Middlesex County Tuberculosis Hospital Funding Loan, Act of 1932, bonds maturing in 1937, issued in compliance with Chapter 10, Acts of 1932, also for any other indebted- ness incurred and outstanding under said Chapter 10, also for the Town's share of the cost and interest on said bonds due in 1937, also for the care, maintenance and repair of said hospital for 1936, and including interest on temporary notes issued therefor in accordance with sections of Chapter 111 of the General Laws applicable thereto, and for all other ex- penses in connection therewith, determine how money shall be raised, or in any way act thereon.
9th. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $400 for Band Concerts for the current year.
10th. To see if the Town will appropriate $100 for guide boards.
90
11th. To see if the Town will appropriate money to meet the ex- penses incurred in connection with the W. P. A. or other similar projects.
12th. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $800 to repair the house on the Fire House lot at Westford Centre.
13th. To see if the Town will vote to install additional street lights as follows:
One at the junction of the Hartford Road and Patten Road. One at the culvert on the Hartford Road.
On Nutting Road from the junction of Groton Road to the residence of Narcisse Page. On Concord Road.
14th. To see if the Town will vote to install one additional hydrant on Hildreth Street.
15th. To see if the Town will vote for the allowance of damages occasioned to the following named through the relocation of the following named roads and appropriate money therefor: Pine Street and Town Farm Road: Estate of Ella M. Prescott
Tyngsboro Road: John D. Psaris Joseph A. Matthieu
16th. To see if the Town will vote to discontinue that portion of Cemetery Road extending from the Concord Road to the Patten Road.
17th. To see if the Town will vote to authorize an investigation of the necessity or desirability of erecting a new High School Building, and act in relation thereto.
18th. To see if the Town will vote that beginning with the annual election in 1938 the Town Treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years.
19th. To see if the Town will vote that beginning with the annual election in 1938 the Collector of Taxes shall be elected for a term of three years.
20th. To see if the Town will vote to enter into an agreement with the Abbot Worsted Company for hydrant service at Brookside.
21st. To see if the Town will vote to have a survey and examina- tion made of the land devised to the Town by Martina A. Gage, appropriate money therefor, and act in relation thereto.
91
22nd. To see if the Town will vote to amend its By-Laws by insert- ing a new article after Article II as follows:
ARTICLE IIA-ANNUAL AUDIT
There shall be an annual audit of the Town's accounts under the supervision of the Director of Accounts of the Department of Corporations and Taxation as authorized by law.
And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting up true and attested copies thereof at the Town Hall and each Post Office in said Westford, seven days at least before the time of holding said meeting.
Hereof fail not, and make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding the first meeting aforesaid
Given under our hands this twenty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord 1937.
WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, ARTHUR M. WHITLEY, ARTHUR L. HEALY,
Selectmen of Westford.
A true copy: Attest.
Constable of Westford
Annual Report
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN of WESTFORD
C
TOWN
WESTFORD
1729. c
CORPORATED
23
T.
SE
For the Year Ending December 31, 1936
94
ORGANIZATION-SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Eric Anderson, Chairman.
Term Expires 1939
George Gibbons, Secretary
Term Expires 1939
Edward Buckingham.
Term Expires 1938
Edmund Whitney
Term Expires 1938
Albert G. Forty.
Term Expires 1937
Mrs. Dorothy Chandler Term Expires 1937
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Robert W. Barclay, Westford, Mass. Tel. Residence 155 Office 133 Westford Academy Office hours-By appointment
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Dwight W. Cowles, M. D., Graniteville, Mass. Tel. 70
SCHOOL NURSE C. Veronica Meagher, R. N., Westford, Mass. Tel. Residence 185 Office 50-4 Town Hall
95
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
January 1, 1937
Citizens of Westford:
I herewith submit my annual report as Chairman of the School Committee of the year 1936.
No changes occurred in the personnel of our committee this year, as George P. Gibbons and Eric J. Anderson were re-elected. At our first meeting the following officers were elected: Eric J. Anderson as Chairman, and George P. Gibbons as Secretary.
The Building Committee, consisting of Mr. Buckingham, Mr. Gib- bons, Mr. Forty and Mr. Whitney, made several recommendations. We were able with our limited budget to paint the inside of Cameron School, and install new toilets in the boys' basement. We hope it will be possible to put new toilets in the girls' basement this year. At the Nabnasset School it was necessary to take down part of the back wall and rebuild it.
The Committee, with the Superintendent, has made a study of the over-crowded condition at the Academy, and we recommend a new school somewhere between the three villages taking advantage of the 45 per cent gift the Government will give us through a W. P. A. project.
We rearranged our transportation routes, so that the tuition and transportation costs we were paying for a few students attending Chelmsford High School would be eliminated, and the students now attend our Academy.
As a result of increased costs in maintaining our Schools for next year, we respectfully ask for the sum of $67,000.
For Vocational Schools we respectfully ask for $2000.
Respectfully submitted,
ERIC J. ANDERSON,
Chairman.
96
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
January 1, 1937.
To the School Committee: .
I herewith submit my fifth annual report as Superintendent of the Westford Schools. This report, supplemented by those of my colleagues, covers the fiscal year 1936.
At the last Annual Town Meeting, the School Department Was voted $65,000 to support the Westford Schools for the ensuing year. This was the amount requested by the School Committee and approved by the Finance Board. The estimate was based upon expenditures for the previous year, there being no indication of any necessity for in- creasing school costs. At the opening of school in September, however, we were met with some new items of expense. The crowded condi- tion in the Frost School necessitated the employment of an additional teacher. The sale and occupation of several vacant farms on the Acton Road called for an extra mileage for one of the school busses. The new development in the south-east corner of the town, near Nagog pond, resulted in new bills for tuition at and transportation to the schools in Acton. In order to offset these items, we were compelled to curtail our plans, and three of the coal bins, usually filled at the end of the year had to be left nearly empty.
Crowded conditions at both the Frost School and the Academy are responsible for a number of temporary arrangements which are far from being satisfactory, and which should not be allowed to continue. In order to find a place for Grade II in the Frost building, we were forced to use the large storage room on the second floor. We also had to have additional seats installed in the first grade room to accom- modate the increased number of pupils. The situation in the Academy was met by the further crowding of classrooms and the use of the assembly hall as a large, unsatisfactory, study hall. It doesn't seem possible that the people of Westford realize the actual state of af- fairs. There are only three rooms with seats and desks available for high school classes. The others are equipped with armchairs. The following comment is taken from the report of Mr. Mack, Supervisor of Secondary Education for the State of Massachusetts, regarding his recent inspection of the high school:
"You are terribly crowded, of course, and the building is an old one. To have to use the gymnasium for a study seems especially bad to me. You have no lunchroom, no household arts, no manual arts, and no physical education, all of which means that you are not operat-
97
ing a truly up-to-date high school. A new building would be the solu- tion. I almost wonder that the building inspector did not condemn Rooms 8, 9, and 10, because it seems as though the lighting and ven- tilation were very poor in these rooms."
These figures are given to show the comparative enrollments of pupils in the various buildings, for several years:
1927
1932
1935
1936
Academy
92
192
199
218
Frost School
121
118
140
149
Sargent School
210
201
182
181
Cameron School
232
238
213
212
Nabnassett School
49
53
49
48
The following resignations, transfers, and appointments have affected our teaching staff during the year:
Miss Virginia Rogers resigned her position as teacher of the eighth grade at the Academy.
Mr. Chester V. Sweatt was transferred from the history depart- ment in the Academy to the eighth grade in the same building to re- place Miss Rogers.
Mr. John Timon was transferred from the commercial department in the Academy to the history department, to replace Mr. Sweatt.
Miss Mary Bohenko was appointed to fill the vacancy in the com- mercial department caused by the transfer of Mr. Timon.
Miss Ava Swett resigned her position as a departmental teacher in the Cameron School.
Miss Madeline Stone was transferred from the Frost School to the Cameron School to replace Miss Swett.
Miss Caroline Weaver was appointed to fill the vacancy at the Frost School caused by the transfer of Miss Stone.
Mr. Paul Ford resigned his position as principal of the Frost School.
Mr. Joseph Underwood was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Ford.
Miss Margaret Carney resigned her position as teacher of Grade IV in the Cameron School.
Miss Alberta Ringer was appointed to fill the vacancy in the Came- ron School caused by Miss Carney's resignation.
98
Miss Mary Healy was employed as a cadet teacher to relieve Miss Blodgett of Grade II in the Frost School.
Shortly after the Annual Town Meeting, we received from the Reverend Sylvio Barrette and Mr. Joseph Parmentier, as representa- tives of the French-American Club of Westford, a request for an Evening Americanization School. The school was opened and con- tinued until the close of the public schools. A large number of people who have resided in the town for many years were able to procure their citizenship papers through this instruction. Unless night work at the mills interferes, there is a probability of a similar request again this year. We employed five teachers for these classes. The number needed for another such project would depend upon the enrollment, which could not be estimated in advance.
The book situation has been greatly improved. Old copies that have accumulated on the shelves for many years have been turned in toward new ones or destroyed. Grammars and readers have been replaced in Grades V, VI, VII, and VIII. Careful attention has been given to the selection of a new series of reading texts which has been introduced into the lower grades.
In order to clarify in the parents' minds the purpose and idea of this new series, I am including the following excerpts from the pen of its author, Dr. Julia Hahn, Supervising Principal of the Third Divi- sion, Washington, D. C., formerly chairman of the National Council of Primary Education, and president of the Association for Childhood Education :
"Certainly learning to read is a much less painful process than it used to be. Attractive books and increasingly better methods have made it possible for many children to read thoughtfully and with satisfaction to themselves.
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