USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1952-1956 > Part 13
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Respectfully submitted,
SAMUEL RICHARDS
WILLIAM L. WALL
REGINALD BLOWEY
INFIRMARY DEBITS
Salaries - Superintendent and Matron
$1,903.92
Salaries - Employees
1,880.00
Provisions
959.03
Dry Goods and Clothing
251.63
Tobacco
46.47
Household Supplies
45.99
Telephone
240.31
Gas and Electricity
234.71
Medical
31.00
Hospital
19.00
Food Locker
118.85
Fuel
447.36
Grain and Feed
6,163.44
Fertilizer and Seed
166.00
Veterinary
28.00
Blacksmith
3.00
Pasturing
80.00
Repairs
492.94
83
Supplies
152.30
Gasoline and Oil
834.48
Truck Insurance
84.96
Farm Bureau Dues
15.00
Westford Water Co.
87.65
Middlesex County Retirement
60.00
Chickens
139.00
Filling Silo
210.00
Baling Hay
261.15
Chimney Repair
140.00
Miscellaneous
2.32
$15,098.51
INFIRMARY CREDITS
Milk
$6,321.43
Eggs
921.39
Asparagus
70.20
Squash
6.00
Calves
20.00
Poultry
317.64
Hogs
720.00
Bags
18.46
Telephone
61.45
Tractor Work
54.00
Soil Conservation
52.75
Eastern States Dividend
26.54
Gasoline
1.75
Beef
200.00
$ 8,791.61
Inmate's Board - State
595.00
$ 9,386.61
Wood
$ 60.00
Meals in Lockup
4.00
Inmate's Board - Local
1,560.00
$ 1,624.00
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WESTFORD INFIRMARY APPRAISAL
January 9, 1954
STOCK AND FARM EQUIPMENT
1 Hay loader
$ 225.00
2 Manure 550.00
3 One Manure Spreader 400.00
4 Two One-horse Hay Rakes
20.00
5 One Sulky Plow
15.00
6 One Two-Horse Disc Harrow
5.00
7
One Potato Digger
50.00
8 Two Wagons and Two Sleds 15.00
9 One Tip Cart 25.00
10 Lumber
125.00
11 One Drag (Steel Head)
20.00
12 One Lime Spreader 50.00
13 One Corn Planter 50.00
14 One Cultivator
10.00
15 One Hay Tedder
25.00
16 One Tractor Harrow
25.00
17 One Small Bull 75.00
18 One Smoothing Harrow
3.00
19 One Seed Sower and Weeder
35.00
20 Two One-Horse Cultivators
5.00
21 Two Walking Plows
5.00
22 One Two-Horse Hoe
5.00
23 One Ford Tractor
1,400.00
24 One Tractor Plow (new)
200.00
25 One Tractor Pulley
40.00
26 One Root Cutter
15.00
28 Blacksmith's Tools
25.00
29 One Saw Frame
40.00
30 Gas
49.00
31 One Two-horse Mowing Machine
20.00
32 Swine
800.00
33 Wood
100.00
34 Laying Hens-275
550.00
35 Milk Room and Milking Equipment
550.00
36 Sixteen Cows
3,200.00
37 One Bull 225.00
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38 Three Two-year old Heifers 225.00
39 Two One-year old Heifers
75.00
40 Three Calves (4-6 months old) 75.00
41 Grain
139.00
42 Sixty Ton Ensilage
1,100.00
43 Forty Grain Bags
4.80
44 Coal
200.00
45 Three Steer
175.00
46 One New Ensilage Cutter
150.00
47 One One-horse Corn Planter
10.00
48 Three Wheel Barrows 15.00
49 One Motor Truck 1,200.00
50 Twenty Roosters 43.20
51 One Side Delivery Rake 125.00
52 Harness and Blankets 10.00
210.00
54 60 Ton Hay
2,100.00
55 Fence Posts and Insulators
20.00
56 Grindstone, Motor and Scythe Grinder
30.00
57 Chains 20.00
60.00
59 Block and Tackle
10.00
60 One Extension and Two Step Ladders
30.00
61 One Planet Junior Seeder
8.00
62 Three Chicken Crates
5.00
63 One Gas Stove
1.00
64 Two Cross-Cut Saws
5.00
65 Garden Hose and Lawn Mower
15.00
66 Carpenter's Tools
15.00
67 Fire Hose and Nozzle
20.00
68 One Electric Drill
35.00
69 Brooder Equipment
25.00
70 Milk Separator
5.00
71 Platform Scales
20.00
72 Fuel Oil
14.00
73 Motor Oil
6.80
74 Fertilizer and Lime
99.00
75 Shavings and Sawdust 30.00
60.00
76 Three Dusters
77 One Electric Fence Unit
20.00
78 Wooden Tank
10.00
79 Twenty Gallons Asbestos Roof Coating
20.00
80 Roofing Paper 20.00
81 One Kitchen Stove 10.00
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53 One Hay Fork, Hoist and Motor
58 Farm Tools
HOUSEHOLD EQUIPMENT
1 Superintendent's Furniture $ 150.00
2 Kitchen and Pantry 550.00
3 Contents of Attic 35.00
4 Canned Goods and Empty Jars
200.00
5 Provisions
395.00
6 Potatoes and Vegetables
108.00
7 Dry Goods 40.00
CHARLES A. BLODGETT RAYMOND S. WILSON MARYGAN SOCHA
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REPORT OF THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY EXTENSION SERVICE 19 EVERETT STREET, CONCORD FOR WESTFORD
The Middlesex County Extension Service is a publicly supported, educational institution to serve all the towns of the county in agriculture and home economics. In agriculture the work is developed county-wide under the direction of county councils made up of leading farmers in each of the main commodities as vegetables, fruit, poultry, dairying, livestock, bee keeping and commercial flowers. A County Bulletin is mailed monthly to all cooperating farmers and timely information sent to anyone on request.
4-H. Club Work is developed under a town committee and leaders, and the home economics work is available through a town director, or- ganized groups, or direct requests. Your town director furnishes counsel to the Extension Office on the needs of the towns, services desired, or leadership needed.
Information and assistance were made available on the planning and operation of a poultry farm or enterprise covering the subjects of poultry housing and equipment, ventilation and litter management, brooding and rearing, marketing, and management for egg production.
Specialized information on turkey and poultry health was made available through the 1953 Middlesex Flock Health Program.
Of interest to the fruit growers, it might be said that the pest con- trol program in actual operation consists of trouble shooting and pre- vention in the whole fruit area including Westford. A regular radio broadcast of spray messages during the vital season is made through three radio stations. This service has become of vital importance to the apple growers.
Field trips are made regularly to all areas. These serve a multiple purpose. They aid directly the person visited; they furnish up-to-date observations for spray messages; and they supplement and explain de- tails that are not thoroughly covered by other means of information and at meetings. Regardless of requests, regular visits are made to listed leaders. The fruit industry is famous for its close-knit cooperation and the willingness to pass on information to others. The word gets around in a hurry with these leaders a primary cog in dispensing information generally.
Regular meetings are spotted in different sections each week of the twilight season so that all sections are covered a number of times each season. It is customary to change sections each week in order to get this
88.
distribution. Other fruit programs are integrated into the over-all sched- ule and into the pest control program.
Marketing work is largely done with retailers and store visits are substituted for farm visits for actual checks. Every effort is made to keep all branches of the trade in full understanding of each other to pro- mote efficient distribution.
Of interest to dairymen, pasture, hay, and silage production pro- grams were developed; a soil testing service was maintained for those interested and assistance given in the Dairy Herd Improvement Associa- tion and Selective Breeding Association work. Dairy field work was done with John A. Kimball, Lewis Bunker, Charles Koulas, and George Wilder. John Shea was a member of this year's Swine Advisory Committee.
Of interest to homemakers, leaders were trained for those desiring to do textile painting, and meetings were held on the subject of "Christmas Everywhere."
Last year there were six 4-H Clubs in Westford. Mrs. Willard Moore has been Town Chairman in Westford Center for a great many years giving freely of time and energy to this work during that time. She re- quested to be relieved of the duties the latter part of 1953 and Mr. John Sanders of Westford Center was appointed to carry on this work. Miss Ruth Chamberlain led a Crafts Club assisted by Mrs. Charles Batts. Alva Chamberlain and John Sanders led a group of boys in a crafts project, and Beverly and Warren Rooks led a Garden Club.
Nabnasset had two very successful 4-H Clubs, both craft groups. One group was led by John McLeod and the other, a girls' group, was led by Mary Murphy.
In Forge Village Mrs. Frank Pearson is Town Chairman and con- tributed much to 4-H Club Work. A Foods Club was carried on at the Cameron School by Mrs. Robert Newton and a Crafts Club by Herbert Fellows, assisted by Harold Hershfield and William Fellows. In addition to those already mentioned, the following people assisted in promoting 4-H Club Work: Mrs. Charles Mann, Peter Perry, Mrs. Maurice Rooks, Mary Van Norden, Mary Wood, and Mrs. Alva Chamberlain.
Two exhibits were held, one in Westford and one in Forge Village, both in cooperation with the Parent-Teachers Association. Beverly Rooks attended State Club Week at Amherst. Seven girls and ten boys at- tended Camp Middlesex, and several exhibited at the 4-H Club Fair in Groton.
Respectfully submitted, WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, Town Director
89
REPORT OF WESTFORD WATER COMPANY
CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNT
Balance January 1, 1953
$276,133.44
Additions during the year 1953
381.48
$276,514.92
INCOME STATEMENT January 1, 1953 to December 31, 1953 (Cash Basis)
RECEIPTS
Hydrants
$ 5,193.75
Public Buildings, Playgrounds, etc.
506.84
Subscribers
29,527.45
Installations
4,947.52
Miscellaneous
183.71
$ 40,359.27
EXPENSES
Wages and Salaries
$ 9,892.92
Expense Account and Supplies
4,403.95
Electric Power and Light
2,467.79
Installations
4,227.14
Taxes
8,728.90
Depreciation
5,686.15
Interest paid on Loans
833.69
$ 36,240.54
Net Gain for the year 1953
$ 4,118.73
January 22, 1954.
WILLIAM R. TAYLOR, Treasurer.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex, ss.
Then personally appeared William R. Taylor and made oath that the above is a true statement of the cost of construction of the Westford Water Company to December 31, 1953 and of the Receipts and Expendi- tures from January 1, 1953 to December 31, 1953 before me.
PERRY T. SNOW, Notary Public. My Commission Expires October 23, 1959.
90
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ELECTED TO DETERMINE THE TERMS AND CONDITION OF SALE OF THE WESTFORD WATER COMPANY TO THE TOWN OF WESTFORD
At the Town Meeting of March, 1953 we gave a report concerning our activities of 1952. The substance of which was that the Westford Water Company officials would not at that time set a price on their properties. They promised us at that time to meet with us again in 1953 and present us with a figure. When called upon for a meeting with us their reply was: "the charter fixes the method by which the Town could take over the Westford Water Co., and we see no reason why there should be any change from this." This reply was of October 20, 1953. The meaning was then clear that the ony way we could purchase the Company was by the exercise of Eminent Domain, under the 1907 set-up. Our Committee, organized to report our recommendations upon this basis when in a telephone conversation with Mr. Hildreth, their President decided to consult with their engineering firm, Whitman and Howard and to present us with a figure that we could use, but not in time for the 1953 annual Town Meeting.
The Westford Water Co. officials as well as many others in the town are under the impression that the Town cannot borrow money enough to purchase the Water Co. because of the bonded indebtedness for the new six-year High School. In our report of 1952, we stated under advice from Mr. Long, Commissioner of Corporations and Taxations, that the Town would not be limited in borrowing money for the purchase of a water supply system by bonded indebtedness on our school system. We can undoubtedly borrow money for water supply purposes at ap- proximately two percent per annum. If the Westford Water Co. will sell their property to the Town at a reasonable figure, we know that the funds will be available for proper financing of the same.
It will take some time and study to determine what a reasonable figure is, and we hope to do so without resort to Eminent Domain. When that figure is arrived at, we will then determine the additional amount necessary to modernize the system and to enlarge it for the ex- panding needs of the town. To meet the expenses of such operation from water revenue-not from taxation-we will have to have enabling legis- lation. We will have to convince the residents of Westford that it is for
91
their best interest to own and operate their water supply system. We already have convincing evidence as a result of our fact-finding study of the water supply systems of other towns. The first start can not be made until we have an offer from the Water Company. Then we will speedily present our recommendations and ask the Town to vote upon them.
Respectfully submitted,
ARTHUR G. HILDRETH, Chairman WILLIAM J. X. KAVANAGH, Secretary JOSEPH P. MCCARTHY GEORGE L. BILLMAN EDWARD T. SULLIVAN
92
REPORT OF THE WHITNEY PLAYGROUND COMMITTEE
Your Committee is pleased to report a year of progress and im- provement. The shrubbery was given some much needed expert pruning and thinning that should enhance its beauty next year. A new backstop more suitable for little fellows has been erected on the baseball field and a new fence along the east boundary. We thank you for your coopera- tion.
Lest we forget our benefactors and that that their kind and thought- ful deeds shall shine anew, we would like to relate that in the year of 1910, Mrs. M. Elizabeth Whitney, a native of the town living in the house now occupied by Mr. Bert Harless on Leland Road offered to con- vert an unsightly pasture and muck hole into a playground and donate the sum of $5,000.00 that the interest might be used for its upkeep. The town accepted same on March 21, 1910 and adopted a resolution that the premises be known as the Whitney Playground and the fund designated as the Hiram Whitney Playground Fund as a mark of appreciation and as a Memorial to Mr. Whitney who passed away March 26, 1908.
Until her death December 21, 1917 Mrs. Whitney expended very con- siderable sums in beautifying the playground and willed an additional $5,000.00 to the maintenance fund. She also left another fund in the amount of $2,500.00 and designated as the Whitney Tree Fund for the care and preservation of the trees along Depot Street. This was in memory of her husband who greatly enjoyed the trees and foliage in his carriage jaunt daily to the Westford Depot to entrain for Lowell where he had a successful realty business.
They walked in beauty and willed its continuance to us.
JOHN S. GREIG LEON S. HILDRETH MOSES L. FECTEAU
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS
The Cemetery Commissioners submit the following report for the year 1953.
We need to oil some of the roads in Fairview Cemetery and we intend to do that this year.
The past summer being so dry we saved some money in not having to cut as much grass.
Respectfully submitted, AXEL G. LUNDBERG ALBERT A. HILDRETH FREDERICK SCHILL
93
NASHOBA ASSOCIATED BOARDS OF HEALTH
January 14, 1954.
Board of Health Westford, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
Nineteen fifty-three has been an exciting and productive year for the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health. Not only have they added a new and important program, but also the Town of Lunenburg to the as- sociation, making for the first time in its twenty-three years a fifteen town association. The new program is in the field of preventive dental health. Under this program a dental hygienist has been employed to examine, clean, and apply fluoride" to the teeth of the Nashoba school children in selected grades (2, 5, and 8). By this program it is expected in time a 40% reduction in common teeth decay. Dr. Walter J. Desmond of Ayer and Dr. Edward B. Branigan of Groton are the dentist members of the dental advisory committee of the association. The program has the approval of both State and local societies.
The operation cost of the Nashoba Health District in 1953 was paid for by the per capita assessment of $0.581 plus a grant from the State Health Department and from the Hood Foundation (part of a four-year grant for the Medical Social Service). The new dental program means an addition of six cents to the per capita assessment in 1954 or sixty- four cents per capita. The reason the latter is smaller than expected is two-fold - the fact of Lunenberg's joining giving a greater source of revenue, and the fact that the employee concerned prefers to work only school hours and the school year, that is preferring to be a part-time rather than whole-time employee.
For the sum of $2,464.02 spent by your town in 1953, your citizens received the following services from Nashoba:
SANITATION AND LABORATORY SERVICE
Milk Samples Collected for Test 190
Dairies Visited 66
Eating Places Inspected 26
School Building Inspections
5
Private Water Supplies Examined
28
Private Sewers Inspected 10
Bathing Beaches Examined and Tested 8
Cabin, Trailer and Recreational Camps Inspected 6
Conferences with Board of Health Members 11
Licenses Issued 37
: 94
MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK
With the arrival of the Mental Health Consultation Service of North Central Massachusetts and its availability to Nashoba towns, new em- phasis has been given the work of the Medical Social Consultant. In looking over the statistics for 1953 it is interesting to note that more than twice as many of the cases referred to her were for problems re- lated to matters of personality or emotional difficulties than were those referred to assist in environmental changes or social planning.
At a recent workshop it was pointed out that a mentally healthy person is one who:
1. Lives up to the level of his potential capacity.
2. Has peace of mind.
3. No physical illness.
4. Is reasonably able to live and work with others.
One girl who came to the Consultant's attention was failing in school and developing delinquent tendencies. Study of her problem indicated that she had normal intelligence but was handicapped by a hearing de- fect. After her family doctor had referred her for special care to one of the Boston hospitals, she became a well adjusted pupil and did well in school. Had she not received help it is doubtful if she would have been able to "live to the level of her capacity".
"Peace of mind" was something Johnny did not have. At his father's death his mother had married again and was soon so busy with a new set of twins and then a fourth child that she was unaware how forgotten and unwanted Johnny began to feel. She couldn't understand why he acted so badly. Fortunately the public health nurse saw his mother at Well Child Conferences and on her home visits for health supervision. After Johnny's problem had been identified she could take over from the Consultant and work out with the mother a schedule which would allow Johnny his full share of attention.
"No physical illness" said the doctor, "the headaches and the stomach-aches have no organic basis that I can see." So we began to talk with Sara Jo about her likes and dislikes, her pet peeves and her gripes. It took a little fixing, help to buy a new dress, coaching to make up back school work, special attention from the gym teacher regarding posture but eventually Sara Jo could go back to her school group and join her school activities feeling that she was no different from the other girls. Her headaches and stomach aches were things of the past.
"Reasonable ability to live and work with others" covers a wide area. It means having friends and being able to make new friends. To find one's place in groups of one's choice. To marry and adjust to the stresses, and strains of that relationship at the same time finding within it some
95
of life's deepest satisfactions. To go to the armed services perhaps hating the experience, but ready to finish the duty-then returning home to find a job commensurate with one's ability and within one's field of in- terest. To be successful in this fourth category of mental health means that through the early years we must be alert to the opportunities of- fered by a mental health program. An old adage, "as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined" describes this process very well.
Some of the referrals are made to the Consultant with an apology for bothering her about such minor problems. It is the little problems which we must not overlook for they are the ones which are most suc- cessfully treated.
NURSING SERVICE
In an area where nursing service is provided by more than one agency, there are always two dangers present: On the one hand there may be overlapping or duplication of service, on the other there may be areas which neither service covers. Only through close cooperation be- tween the agencies and their staff members can these dangers be avoided or at least minimized. The Director of Nursing at Nashoba attended a meeting of the Westford committee of the Lowell Visiting Nurse As- sociation and its Director to discuss with them and the two nurses this problem. During this past year arrangements have been made for the use of the Nashoba Child Health Record for children attending the Well Child Conference, whether referred by the visiting nurse or the Board of Health nurse. Westford is fortunate in having two nurses who are aware of the need to work closely together to provide their town with the best possible nursing service.
PREVENTIVE MEDICAL SERVICE
Communicable diseases were moderately prevalent during the year. The following is a comparative tabulation of the reportable diseases in the town:
Disease
1952
1953
Chicken Pox
21
20
German Measles
30
4
Measles
157
1
Mumps
24
23
Scarlet Fever
4
3
Tb. Pul.
1
4
Dog Bite
15
12
Strep. Throat
1
1
Meningitis
1
0
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Immunization against Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Smallpox and Diphtheria is offered at the monthly Well Child Conference held at the Town Hall. During 1953, one hundred nineteen children made 229 visits and received 145 immunizations at eleven Well Child Conferences. Thirty children to their family physicians. The medical director and a resident from Children's Hospital in Boston were responsible for service at the Well Child Conferences. Three patients made three visits to the tuber- culosis clinic held bi-monthly at the Nashoba Health Center. Five pa- tients made seventeen visits to the Physio Therapy Treatment Center which is held at the Nashoba Health Unit.
In the medical field, my services are available in the investigation of communicable diseases, and for consultation at the hospitals in the area and the practicing physicians. The hospitals and physicians con- tinue to make use of this service.
Health work in general means for the Medical Director and his staff much time spent in promotional and educational activities as well as in health committee work. Thus in the field of Mental Health the staff in their various ways have been engaged. The Mental Health Association of North Central Massachusetts (or Lowell) in cooperation with the State Mental Health Association and the State Mental Health Depart- ment has developed in the area a Mental Health Consultation service. The Medical Director has served continuously during 1953 with this group in his capacity as chairman of the Professional Services Com- mittee of the Mental Health Association and representative of that As- sociation to the State Association. Under the consultation plan a psy- chiatrist, a psychologist and a psychiatric social worker are employed as a team. To begin with their services (while available to the community on a whole) are being directed mainly into the school sphere. The pur- pose of their program is prevention of mental and emotional breakdown and this explains their concentration on the young school child.
Citizens knowledge of what Nashoba offers continues to be impor- tant. Citizens should feel free to call at, or telephone the Center (Ayer 561) and ask for the service or information they desire.
Respectfully submitted,
KENNETH I. E. McLEOD, M.D., M.P.H.,
Director
97
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE
The School Planning Committee with the addition of Edward Har- rington and Ernest L. Poulin were appointed as the School Building Com- mittee.
The Committee set about the pleasant task of building a new six year high school for Westford with a great deal of enthusiasm.
On April 3, 1953 the committee signed a contract with the Irving W. Hershey Associates of Durham, New Hampshire as architect.
From this point, meeting after meeting was held to bring the plans to the final form for approval by the School Building Assistance Com- mission. Also during this time the land was purchased, surveyed, and cleared. It was then decided where the school would be placed on the lot. It was very pleasing to the Committee the way this location shaped up as a school site after being cleared.
The specifications were completed and sent out in August with the bids to be returned in time for the opening on September 15, 1953. The general contract was awarded to A. Cefalo & Sons, Inc. of Lynn, Massachusetts.
Final approval and notification of such was received in writing from the School Building Assistance Commission on October 15, 1953. A verbal approval was given before the specifications were sent out.
Two trips were then made by some of the members of the Building Committee to Boston to meet with the Emergency Finance Board. On November 2, 1953 the Emergency Finance Board approved the Town of Westford's request to borrow Six Hundred Thousand ($600,000.00) Dol- lars.
The contractor was able to move right along with the construction due to the fine weather this past fall and early winter. He feels that he is six weeks further ahead with the construction than he had anticipated.
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