USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1952-1956 > Part 6
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5,000
5,000
3-26
Finance Committee Reserve Fund
600
900
600
29
Quarters for Veterans
125
25
25
3-23 Interest on Revenue Loans
150
Hot Top Common Walk Loss on Infirmary Fire
200
-
-
38 Expenses for Water Committee
TOTAL RECREATIONAL & UNCLASSIFIED
$ 7,098
$13,487
$13,187
Cemeteries
3-24
Cemeteries
$ 4,130
$ 4,000
$ 4,000
GRAND TOTAL
$346,777
$382,645
$376,280
Note: The expenditures against the $5,000 are included under the item they were transferred to. See Reserve Fund Accounting at the beginning of this report.
112
2,497
2,497
1,874
500
500
TOWN OF WESTFORD WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, ss.
To the Constable of the Town of Westford, in said County,
GREETINGS:
You are hereby required, in the name of the Commonwealth, aforesaid, 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 Center.
PRECINCT 2. Legion Hall, Graniteville.
PRECINCT 3. Nabnassett School, Brookside.
PRECINCT 4. Abbot Hall, Forge Village.
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1953
being the first 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 the Board of Public Welfare.
One Assessor.
Two members of the School Committee.
One member of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners.
One Trustee of J. V. Fletcher Library.
One member of the Board of Health.
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One Tax Collector One Treasurer. One Constable.
FOR ONE YEAR
One Tree Warden.
All on one ballot.
The polls will be open from 12 o'clock noon to 8 P. M., and to meet in the Town Hall at Westford Center on the following
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1953
at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to act upon the following acticles, viz:
ARTICLE 1. To hear the reports of Town Officers and Com- mittees ; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 2. To determine the salary and compensation of elected officers and officials as provided by law.
ARTICLE 3. To appropriate money to meet the costs 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. Forest Fires.
8. Town Forest.
9. Tree Warden.
10. Moth Department.
11. Health Department.
12. Cattle Inspector.
13. Highway purposes.
14. Department of Public Welfare.
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15. Soldiers' Benefits.
16. School Department.
17. Vocational tuition.
18. Public Library.
19. Care of Common.
20. Commemoration of Memorial Day.
21. Publishing of Town Reports
22. Fire and other insurance.
23. Interest on Revenue Loans.
24. Cemeteries.
25. Street Lights.
26. Finance Committee Reserve Fund.
27. Unpaid bills of previous years.
ARTICLE 4. 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 current financial year 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; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the Treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 81 Highways; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the Treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 90 Highway Maintenance; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of $931.25 to the Highway Machinery Fund, and to transfer a certain sum of money from said Machinery Fund to the Highway Equipment Account; or act in relation thereto.
115
ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Three Thousand ($3,000.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of recon- structing Graniteville and Beaver Brook Roads, contingent upon the State and County contributing towards the cost of said reconstruc- tion; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Forty-Five Hundred ($4500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing a new fire truck for the Fire Department, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Fire Engineers; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of purchasing new fire hose, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers ; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a new pick-up truck for use by the Highway Department, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a new mechanical reversible broom for use by the Highway Department, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a new truck for use by the Highway Depart- ment, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen, and that said Board of Selectmen be authorized to transfer by a good and sufficient Bill of Sale title to the old truck
116
now used by the Highway Department, and apply the sum received therefor against the purchase price of said new truck; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing a radio and installing the same on one of the fire trucks, said purchase and installation to be made under the supervision of the Board of Fire Engineers ; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of purchasing a new automobile for the Police De- partment, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 16. In the event of an affirmative vote under Article 15, to see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to transfer by a good and sufficient Bill of Sale title to the automobile new used by the Police Department and apply the sum received there- for against the purchase price of the new automobile; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 17. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen on behalf of the Town to settle claims for damages against the Town, and to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of paying such settlements; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of Twelve Hundred ($1200.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of new lighting in the elementary schools; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Eight Hundred Seventy-Five ($875.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of Civil Defense; or act in relation thereto.
117
ARTICLE 20. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Six Hundred ($600.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for Band Concerts during the current year; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Two Hundred Fifty ($250.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of pur- chasing new road signs, said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of repairing cer- tain public sidewalks, said sum to be expended under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Eleven Hundred Fifty ($1150.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the care of the Whitney Playground; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 24. To see if the Town will vote to compensate those persons who drive and are attendants in the Town Ambulance; the rate of pay for such services to be established by the Board of Fire Engineers; and to raise and appropriate a sufficient sum of money for that purpose; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of continuing the survey and maps of the Town under the supervision of the Board of Assessors; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Twenty-Four Hundred Ninety-Six and 73/100 ($2496.73) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of paying to the Treasurer of Middlesex County Retirement System the amounts allocated to the Town of Westford
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by the County Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as amended; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 27. To see if the Town will vote to accept a gift made to it during the year 1952 by the Solomon Hyams Fund, Inc; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 28. To see if the Town will vote to enter into a contract with the Westford Water Company at present hydrant rental for two additional hydrants to be located as follows: 1 on Prescott Street and 1 on Hillside Avenue; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate the sum of Nine Hundred ($900.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of providing suitable quarters for the Nabnassett American Legion Post No. 437 and the Auxiliary of said Post, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6539 and the Westford American Legion Post; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 30. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install a street light on Main Street on Pole No. 57; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 31. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install a street light on West Street at Onesine Levasseur's; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 32. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install one additional street light on Graniteville Road between Suzie Green's and Edmund Szylvian's; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 33. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of defray- ing the expenses of the athletic program in the Westford Schools; or act in relation thereto.
119
ARTICLE 34. To see if the Town will vote to accept the fol- lowing By-Law:
All owners or keepers of dogs, kept in the Town of Westford, who on the first day of June of each year, have not licensed said dog, or dogs, as prescribed in Section 137, Chapter 140 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Mass., be required to pay an additional fee of not more than one dollar ($1.00). Said fee to be retained by the collecting Officer; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 35. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300), for the purpose of compensating the Town Dog Officer; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 36. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from available revenue funds, a sufficient sum of money for the purpose of acquiring by purchase or acquiring by taking by right of eminent domain, the following parcel of land, said Parcel when so acquired to be used as a site for a swimming beach and Town Park. PARCEL-Land bordered by Lake Nabnassett on the front, and by Plain Road on the back, commonly known as the "Edwards Land."; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 37. To see if the Town will hear a report from the Committee elected under Article 8 of the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting held September 30, 1952; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 38. To see if the Town will vote to continue in office the Committee appointed under Article 8 of the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting held September 30, 1952, said Committee to make a further report of its findings and recommendations at the next annual meeting or at a special meeting held prior thereto and called for that purpose; and that the sum of Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or some other sum, be raised and appropriated for the purpose of defraying clerical, legal and engineering services; or act in relation thereto.
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ARTICLE 39. To see if the Town will appoint five new Fire Engineers, these appointments to be made within 30 days after the Annual Town Meeting; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 40. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate, or transfer from available funds, the sum of Eleven Hundred Dollars ($1100.), or some other sum, for the purpose of making certain improvements at the Nabnassett School; or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 41. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the fol- lowing By-Law:
No person shall remove any soil, loam, sand or gravel from any land in the town not in public use unless such re- moval is authorized by a permit issued by the Board of Selectmen, except in conjunction with the construction of a building on the parcel and except for the continued opera- tion on the same parcel of an existing sand and gravel pit. No such permit shall be issued until an application therefor is filled with said Board, said Board shall hold a public hearing on the application and notice of the filing of such applica- tion and the date and time of the public hearing thereon shall be advertised in a paper published in the County seven days at least before the public hearing;
The penalty for violation of this by-law shall be as follows :- for the first offense, fifty dollars; for the second offense, one hundred dollars; and for each subsequent offense, two hundred dollars.
or act in relation thereto.
ARTICLE 42. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appro- priate from available funds a certain sum to be deducted by the Assessors under the provisions of Chapter 798 of the Acts of 1951 from the amount required to be assessed by them; or act in relation thereto.
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And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting up true and attested copies thereof at the Town Hall and at 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 twentieth day of February in the year of our Lord, 1953.
A true copy : Attest :
JOHN F. SULLIVAN Constable of Westford
CYRIL A. BLANEY EDWARD F. HARRINGTON THOMAS W. GOWER Selectmen of Westford
122
Report of The School Planning Committee
January 29, 1953
Reporting under Article I of the Annual Town Meeting held March 10, 1951.
After two years of untiring effort the School Planning Commit- tee feels it is ready to present its findings and its recommendations.
FINDINGS
1. Elementary Schools. The elementary schools will soon be fill- ed to their capacity. At the Frost School one class will have to be moved from the school in the fall of this year. None of the other schools has room for the whole of this grade so the grade will have to be split up between the Sargent and Cameron schools. This will also mean that if a new six year high school is not built that every class coming out of the Frost School after the sixth grade would have to be split between the Cameron and Sargent schools for their seventh and eighth grade years.
2. Westford Academy. The Academy is operating above its edu- cational capacity and indications are that there will be an increase in enrollment in each of the next few years. The third floor should not be used for classes. There is nothing that can be done to modernize the present Academy to provide adequately for the educational needs of our youth. The building is in very poor repair, it leaks badly, the sani- tary arrangements are antiquated and are in a dark cellar, and it is impossible to heat the building properly.
3. The problem then confronting your committee was whether a six year high school was practical for Westford. Upon the recommend- ation of Mr. Marshall, head of the State School Building Assistance Commission, an extensive study of Westford was made by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Center of Field Studies. Their report (two copies are on file in the library) indicates that Westford is cap- able of building and maintaining its own six year high school and to
123
offer a curriculum as good as any in the state and much better than most schools offer.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. As a result of the findings, this committee is recommending a six year high school. It will have a capacity of 525 students which will re- lieve the situation in both the high and elementary schools for years to come. The proposed high school building will consist of thirteen regular classrooms, two commercial rooms, one domestic science room, one industrial arts room, a library with adjacent conference and work rooms, one arts and crafts room, two combination laboratories, music room, cafeteria, and a gymnasium-auditorium. The gymnasium-audit- orium and the cafeteria can be used as a community center independ- ent of the main school building. This building has provision for future expansion.
2. Sites. Your committee has looked over the following sites.
A. The meadow on the Otis Day and Blanchard property. This is low and there would be a very expensive drainage problem. All the students would have to be transported which would be very expensive for the town. This site is not recommended.
B. The property near the Symmes house on Graniteville Road. This is too small and the land is full of ridges, valleys and swamps.
C. The site opposite St. Catherine's cemetery. All students would have to be transported, and we do not believe a site in front of a ceme- tery is a suitable spot for a school.
D. The Graniteville ball park. This is not large enough even with the back land unless the athletic field is put down the steep hill between the swamp and Stony Brook. A very poor location.
E. The property starting behind the Fletcher house in Westford Center including some of the Fletcher, Chapin and Watson land. This is not level or large enough.
F. We considered the present Westford Academy lot with the Corkery lot and buying 91/2 acres of the Edward Sullivan land. These
124
three lots and using the Whitney playground would not give sufficient frontage. The State School Building Assistance Commission demands a site containing twenty to twenty-three acres for a high school of our size in a rural area. We believe the Whitney playground should be kept for the children of the Frost School, part of this land was given to the town for that purpose, and there is great question if it could be taken for a high school athletic field.
3. After carefully looking over all possible sites, the committee recommends as its number one site the Sullivan property on Main Street. The committee feels that this property lends itself readily to further expansion and the development of athletic fields and parking areas. The committee cannot recommend paying Mr. Sullivan's price with the restrictions he has put on the property.
4. Its second recommendation is the Old Homestead Orchards on Depot Street with a small piece of the Fecteau property, and a sec- ond entrance through the Chace land. This would make a very satis- factory high school lot. The committee feels the price asked is also too high.
5. Your committee feels that while the cost of the land may be high that they must recommend the best site for the town looking ahead for the next fifty years. The Sullivan property is the best and is the unanimous recommendation of your committee.
6. These recommendations have been approved by the State School Building Assistance Commission. They will pay for 48.67% of the cost of the building and equipment, the town will have to purchase the land.
7. Estimate of Cost. The committee estimates the total cost of the land, building, equipment and grading would be under $800,000.00 of which 48.67% of the cost of the building, equipment and grading will be paid by the State. The building and land costing this amount would increase the tax rate the first year approximately $7.66 with an average increase of $5.85 over the twenty year amortization period. For the improved and extended curriculum which the new school
125
would make possible the estimated increase in the tax rate would be $4.09. This figure represents the educational program which Westford should be providing for its boys and girls. It will take a full year to complete the school.
WESTFORD SCHOOL PLANNING COMMITTEE
Edward M. Abbott, Chairman Edward N. Lamson, Secretary Frederick W. Gatenby Edward G. Spinner James L. Healy
126
Annual Report
OF THE
School Committee
OF THE
TOWN OF WESTFORD
WESTF
OF
O
.
NCORPO
1729.
PORATED
2
SEPT.
For the Year Ending December 31, 1952
Organization - School Committee
F. Stanley Sınith, Chairman John Urbaniak
Clifford J. Courchaine, Secretary
Edward N. Lamson
Frederick W. Gatenby
Gwendolyn M. Walker
Term Expires 1953
Term Expires 1953
Term Expires 1954
Term Expires 1954
Term Expires 1955
Term Expires 1955
Superintendent of Schools
Peter F. Perry
Office-Westford Academy Telephone 561
Office hours : 8:30 A. M. - 4:30 P. M.
Clerk Mrs. Constance L. Malloy
School Telephones
Cameron School 542 Sargent School 553 Wm. E. Frost School 230 Westford Academy 771 Nabnassett School 233
School Physician Dwight W. Cowles, M. D., Westford, Mass. Tel. 521
School Nurse Dorothy Healy, R. N .. , Westford, Mass. Tel. Office 391, Town Hall
128
Report of the School Committee
To the Citizens of Westford:
The School Committee respectfully submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1952.
The School Committee has continued its efforts to maintain and modernize the school buildings. The special appropriation of $1,225.00 made it possible to complete the renovation of the basement at Frost School. The second floor in Sargent School has been painted in restful pastel shades. It is planned to complete the first floor in this school in 1953. Some repair work was done on the roof of the Frost School and much painting was done in the other buildings. It is expected that at least this rate of repair work must be maintained in the future in order that the buildings may be used indefinitely.
During the year we have held our regular meetings on the second Monday of each month and special meetings when it was necessary. In addition to these meetings several members of the board have attended an unrecorded number of other meetings and conferences on official matters with the School Building Commission, Finance Committee and the Selectmen.
The elementary schools will soon be filled to their capacity. At the Frost School a second class will have to be moved from the school in the fall of this year. Because neither school has room for the com- plete grade, the grade will have to be divided between the Sargent and Cameron Schools. If a new six year high school is not built, classes leaving Frost School after the sixth grade would have to be separated, half the students entering the Cameron School and half the Sargent School for their seventh and eighth grade years.
The Committee is asking for the amount of $161,844.00 to operate the schools in Westford for the school year 1953 and the sum of $6,600.00 for Vocational Tuition and Transportation. Under the provision of the State Law, plus the usual reimbursement for trans-
129
portation, out-of-town tuition, State Wards and Americanization Classes the Town will receive approximately $46,804.96. This will bring the net cost to the town down to $115,039.04.
Respectfully submitted, F. STANLEY SMITH, Chairman.
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