Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962, Part 69

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 1048

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962 > Part 69

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ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate, or transfer from unappropriated available funds in the Treasury, a sum of money for Chapter 90 Highways Maintenance; or act in rela- tion thereto.

ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate a sum of money to be deposited in and become a part of the Stabi- lization Fund created under Article 19 of the Warrant for the Annual Meeting of 1961; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate, or transfer from any available funds, the sum of Eighty-Five Hundred (8500) Dollars, or some other sum, to meet the Town's share of the cost of continuing Chapter 90 Highway Construction, contingent upon the State and County contributing to the cost thereof; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate the sum of Six Thousand (6,000) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing a new dump truck for the Highway Depart- ment, said purchase to be made under the supervision of the Board of Selectmen; and to authorize said Board to transfer by a good and sufficient Bill of Sale title to one of the trucks now being used by said Department and to apply the sum received therefrom against the purchase price of the new truck; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate the sum of Eight Thousand (8,000) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of purchasing a new Road Grader for the Highway Depart- ment; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate a sum of money for the purpose of paying the annual rental of a Street Sweeper; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate from any available funds a sum of money for the Highway Equipment Account and, in addition, to transfer a sum of money from the Highway Machinery Fund to the Highway Equipment Account; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri-

ate a sufficient sum of money for the purchase of a new truck for the Moth Department; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate a sufficient sum of money for the purchase of two new cruisers for the Police Department, said purchases to be made under the super- vision of the Board of Selectmen; and to authorize said Board to transfer by a good and sufficient Bill of Sale title to the cruisers now being used by said Department and to apply the sum received therefrom against the purchase price of the new cruisers; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 15. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Fire Engineers to renew the lease of quarters at Nabnasset in which one of the fire trucks is stationed, and raise and appropriate the sum of Six Hundred (600) Dollars, or some other sum, for rent of said quarters; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate a sufficient sum of money to defray the expenses of the Building Code Committee; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 17. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate the sum of Twenty-Five Hundred (2500) Dollars, or some other sum, to defray all expenses of the Board of Health in connection with the proposed establishment of a new Town Dump, including site, develop- ment, labor, equipment, materials and supplies; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 18. To see if the Town will vote to accept miscellane- ous gifts made to it during the past year by various individuals, Clubs and Organizations; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate the sum of Nine Hundred (900) Dollars, or some other sum, for the purpose of providing suitable quarters for the Nabnasset American Legion Post No. 437 and the Auxiliary of said Post, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6539 and the Auxiliary of said Post and the Frederick S. Healy American Legion Post No. 159 and the Auxiliary of said Post; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 20. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to install the following Street Lights:

1. Seven lights on Crown Road

2. One light on Castle Road

3. One light on Woodbine Terrace

4. One light on York Avenue

5. One light on Wilshire Avenue

6. One light on Main Street, Graniteville

7. Two lights on Forge Village Road

8. Three lights on Depot Road

9. One light on South Chelmsford Road

10. One light on Connell Drive

11. Four lights on Groton Road

12. Two lights on Hunt Road

13. One light on Concord Road

14. One light on Brookside Road

15. One light on Hildreth Street

16. One light on Leland Street

17. One light on Cold Spring Road

18. One light on Tadmuck Road

19. One light on West Prescott Street

20. One light on Pleasant Street;

or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 21. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way that portion of Griffin Road extending approximately four- teen hundred seventeen (1417) feet southwesterly from its intersec- tion with Acton Road, as laid out by the Selectmen, said way as laid out to be known as Griffin Road; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 22. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way, Crown Road, so called, as laid out by the Selectmen, said way as laid out to be known as Crown Road; or act in relation there- to.

ARTICLE 23. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way, Castle Road, so called, as laid out by the Selectmen, said way as laid out to be known as Castle Road; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 24. To see if the Town will vote to accept as and for a Town Way that portion of Broadway Street, so called, extending from the end of the 1908 Middlesex County Layout to its intersection with Main Street, as laid out by the Selectmen, said way as laid out to be known as Broadway Street.

ARTICLE 25. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Se- lectmen to appoint a Committee of three voters to investigate and study the advisability of establishing or providing plans or by-laws, or both, for the classification of certain town positions, for estab- lishing minimum and maximum salaries to be paid to employees in posi- tions so classified, for the establishment of a Personnel Board or other agency for the purpose of administering any such plans or other provisions of its By-Laws pertaining to personnel, and for the estab- lishment of a Personnel Relations Review Board, said Committee to re- port its findings and recommendations to the Town at the earliest practicable date; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 26. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropri- ate, or transfer from any available funds, a sum of money sufficient to defray the cost of constructing and equipping a new office in the Town Hall, including the cost of all plans, cost estimates, fees, ex- penses, labor, equipment, materials and supplies; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 27. To see if the Town will vote to further amend its By-Laws by inserting after SECTION 11 of ARTICLE I, the following Section:

SECTION 12. The following Officers, Departments and Boards shall maintain their principal offices and shall transact their customary and usual duties in offices provided for them in the Town Hall:

(a) Board of Selectmen

(b) Treasurer-Collector

(d) Board of Water Commissioners

(e) Board of Assessors

(f) Board of Public Welfare

(g) Board of Health;

or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 28. To see if the Town will vote to accept a gift of five (5) acres of land situated in Graniteville on the easterly side of North Street and the northwesterly side of but not adjacent to Beacon Street, made to it by James E. Farmer and Phyllis C. Farmer; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 29. To see if the Town will vote, under the enabling authority contained in General Laws (Ter.Ed.), Chapter 41, Section 1, to provide for the appointment by the Selectmen, from time to time, for terms not exceeding three years, as many Constables as they deem necessary, said appointments to be made under the provisions of Sec- tion 91A of said Chapter 41; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 30. To see if the Town will vote to extend its water mains and water supply system in and along a portion of Patten Road for a distance of approximately seven hundred thirty-five (735) feet from the end of the existing mains, the total cost of said extension to be paid in advance by the takers to be served thereby; and for the purpose aforesaid, that it appropriate the sum of Twenty-Five Hundred (2500) Dollars, or some other sum, from the account entitled "Water Extension Deposits"; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 31. To see if the Town will vote to further amend its Protective By-Law and Protective By-Law Map by rezoning from a Resi- dence A District to a Business District that portion of the premises owned by Frank J. Graziano and Marion J. Graziano which are situated in Westford on the southerly side of Groton Road; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 32. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Health to file, in the name and behalf of the Town, an application (in form and manner required by the United States, and in conformity with P. L. 560, 83rd Congress) and to whatever else may be required to obtain an advance in the amount of Fifteen Thousand (15,000) Dol- lars, to be made by the United States to the Town of Westford to de- fray the cost of engineering investigation, report and preliminary plans for sewerage and sewage treatment facilities for the Town of Westford; and, for the purpose aforesaid, to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from any available funds, the sum of Fifteen Thousand (15,000) Dollars, or some other sum; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 33. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the care, custody, management and control of a certain parcel of land situated in Nabnasset, being a portion of the premises occupied by the old Nabnasset Elementary School, from the School Committee to the Fire Department, said parcel to be used as the site of a proposed new Firehouse; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 34. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of constructing, erecting, originally equip- ping and furnishing a new Firehouse in Nabnasset on the premises to be transferred to the Fire Department under the preceding Article; to determine how any such appropriation shall be raised, whether by transfer from available funds in the Treasury, by taxation, by bor- rowing, and, if by borrowing, to authorize the issuance of bonds or notes of the Town under the authority of Chapter 44 of the General Laws, or any other enabling authority, or by any or all of said meth- ods; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 35. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Thousand (5,000) Dollars to meet the Town's share of the cost of continuing Chapter 90 Highway Construc- tion on Hildreth Street; contingent upon the State and County con- tributing to the cost thereof; or act in relation thereto.

ARTICLE 36. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to re- view and vote on separately, each Section, and part of each or divi- sion of each section of each and every Article in the By-Laws of the Town of Westford.

ARTICLE 37. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to change Article I SECTION 5, of the By-Laws - Town of Westford, by striking out the last part reading, "and except as the Moderator de- termines is not appropriate for a Town Meeting." Making Article I SECTION 5 read, "The Proceedings of Town Meetings shall be governed by the rules of practice contained in Roberts' Rules of Order (1951 Ed.) except as modified by law or by the By-Laws."

ARTICLE 38. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to in- vestigate Hicks' Development on Boston Road to find out how he ap- plied for and submitted a plan for Development of "Kings Pine" before he owned the land and before the lot size was changed to 40,000 sq. ft.

ARTICLE 39. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to in- vestigate and have the Assessors explain why the following properties owned by H. E. Fletcher Co., are assessed so low. On some pieces the valuation was lowered when the property was bought by H. E. Fletcher Co. Following are assessed valuations for some years, Total Area, Total Assessment, Personal Assessment, Acre Assessment. 1925

1935

1945

1960

House & Barn (Personal)

House

$ 12,000

43 A.

43 A. $ 3,000

43 A. $ 500

Machinery & Bldg. $ 3,000 Chamberlain

$ 49,670

H.E. Fletcher Total Assessed

1925 (cont)

254} A. $ 10,325

TOTAL $ 72,495 Lot 20 A. $ 200 Machinery $ 50,000 Real Estate $ 107,930 TOTAL $ 173,130

1945 (cont) Co. $ 84,100 TOTAL $ 99,100

1960 (cont) Valuation H. E. Fletcher $ 181,750

486.6 A. 15,780

487 A.$ 15,800

1064 A. $ 20,750

H. E. Fletcher home place 43 A. as above was assessed at $3,000 from 1925 to 1945, in 1960 at $500.

Whidden 1935 48 A. $1500

1945 $1,000

Land

1935

13 A.

700

1945 700

H. E. Fletcher 1960 53.5 A $550

ARTICLE 40. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to in- vestigate and have the Assessors explain why the following properties owned by Ben W. Drew and Sarah W. Drew have had their assessed valua- tion lowered:

1925

1935

Geo. Drew

1945 Geo. Drew

1960

Reed Farm Geo. Drew

80 A. $ 10,000

80 A. $ 10,000 90 A. $ 9,000

Ben W & Sarah W 70 A. $ 2,300

Hemlock Farm

Geo. Drew

86 A. $ 4,500 86 A. $ 3,700

Ben W & Sarah W 86 A. $ 2,860

Geo. Drew 81 A. $ 3,200 Osgood Land

Geo. A. Drew

Ben & Sarah W 34.75 A.$ 590

Blodget Lot

Alfred Tuttle

A. Mabel Drew

Ben W & Sarah W 16 A. $ 160

Long Orchard

John Sullivan ?

11 A.

John Sullivan ? Drew 11 A. $ 1,600

11 A.

$ 550

Land bought from Spence (Spaulding Land)

Fannie B. Spaulding 102 7/8 A. $ 5,040

Ben W & Sarah W Drew 99.75 A. $ 1,930

ARTICLE 41. (On Petition) To see if the Town will vote to change the Quorum required to be 25%, or 750 minimum voters, striking out, two percent (2%), in the Special Town Meetings making all Town Meetings require 25% of the registered voters, or at least a minimum of 750 voters.

17 A. $ 1,000

17 A. $ 1,000 17 A. $ 800

Ben W & Sarah

Ben W & Sarah Drew

35 A. $ 3,000 35 A. 2,700

Foye Lot 1945 - 233 A. $ 800

1935 (cont)

ARTICLE 42. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to fur- ther amend its Protective By-Law and Protective By-Law Map by strik- ing out paragraph 1 of SECTION 7 of said By-Law and inserting in its place, three of the following paragraphs :

1. Lot size and frontage: In residential districts, no build- ing except a one story building of accessory use shall be erect- ed upon a lot having less than the following areas and frontage: Frontage Area

Residence A District

150'

30,000 sq. ft.

Residence B District

150' 30,000 sq. ft.

Business and Industrial Districts

150' 30,000 sq. ft.

thus making all minimum lot sizes in the Town of Westford, the same size.

Provided (a) that one building and its accessory buildings may be erected on any lot which, at the time the By-Law is adopted, cannot be made to conform to the above requirements.

ARTICLE 43. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to amend ARTICLE 1 SECTION 7 of the By-Laws - Town of Westford by changing the first sentence, striking out the words "Moderator unless other- wise especially directed by the Meeting," and in their place insert- ing the words : "Registered Voters at the meeting and voted on to the committees by the Meeting," making Article 1 Section 7 By-Laws - Town of Westford to read as follows :

Section 7. "Committees and vacancies on such committees shall be appointed by the Registered Voters at the Meeting and voted on to the committees by the Meeting, and all Committees so appointed shall be directed to report within a definite time. If a Committee does not report within the time stated, or at the first Annual Town Meet- ing held thereafter, it shall be considered discharged. The Modera- tor shall not be a member of any committee appointed by him."

ARTICLE 44. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to with- draw from the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health.

ARTICLE 45. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to re- peal all changes, Amendments and additions to the By-Laws of the Town of Westford which have been passed since the published Copy of By- Laws, Town of Westford amended through March 1, 1958.

ARTICLE 46. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to do away with the Planning Board.

ARTICLE 47. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to re- turn the land transferred to the School Committee under Article 1, at the Special Town Meeting held June 22, 1961, for the proposed New Middle School, back to the Board of Public Welfare.

The above to take place only after the land has been plowed, harrowed and reseeded, by the contractor from Clinton, who plowed it, so that the land is acceptable to the Town.

ARTICLE 48. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to au- thorize the Board of Selectmen to try to get two resident Doctors in Westford.

ARTICLE 49. (On petition) To see if the Town will vote to rec- ommend to the School Committee that a course on Parliamentary Law be made available to the citizens of Westford, or to arrange with the Massachusetts State University, Extension classes, Dept. of Education for them.

ARTICLE 50. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds a certain sum to be deducted by the Assessors under the provisions of Section 23 of Chapter 59 of the General Laws, as most recently amended, from the amount required to be assessed by them; or act in relation thereto.

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 do- ings thereon, to the Town Clerk, at the time and place of holding the first meeting aforesaid.

Given under our hands this sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, 1963.

Arthur L. Healy Horace F. Wyman John J. Kavanagh SELECTMEN OF WESTFORD

Annual Report

OF THE

School Committee OF THE

TOWN OF WESTFORD

WES

NCOF

729. €

ORATED

For the Year Ending December 31 1962

ORGANIZATION - SCHOOL COMMITTEE

R. Andrew Fletcher, Jr., Chairman

Term expires 1963

Robert J. Spinner, Secretary

Term expires 1963

J. Austin Healy, Jr.

Term expires 1964

Maurice Huckins, Jr.

Term expires 1964

Mary R. Lambert

Term expires 1964

Percy O. Daley, Jr.

Term expires 1965

Harry V. Smith

Term expires 1965

OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WESTFORD ACADEMY

Lloyd G. Blanchard, Superintendent

Telephone MY 2-6561

Kenneth H. Robes, Administrative Assistant

Vera E. Bettencourt, General Secretary

Rita M. Tousignant, Financial Secretary

SCHOOL TELEPHONES

Westford Academy MY 2-6771

Cameron School

MY 2-6542

Roudenbush School

MY 2-6911

Sargent School

MY 2-6553

Wm. E. Frost School MY 2-6230

Nabnasset School

MY 2-6233

Guidance Department

MY 2-8825

Music & Physical Education

MY 2-4031

SCHOOL PHYSICIAN

John H. Lambert Medical Associates - Lowell, Mass. Telephone GL 8-6881

SCHOOL NURSES

Ruth N. Hall, R.N., Westford, Mass. Dorothy Healy, R.N., Westford, Mass. Office Tel. MY 2-8431 - Academy

100

REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF WESTFORD, the School Committee respectfully submits its report for the year ending December 31, 1962.

Following the introductory information and the brief historical summary of 1962 school news, is a section of the current Pupil Test- ing Program and the significance of the test results. It is proper that Testing should be the theme of this year's report because 1) this is the first year our Testing Program has been conducted in the fall rather than the spring, and 2) tests have, for the first time, been machine scored to assure machine accuracy, early availability of results and more extensive system-wide statistics.

SCHOOL HOURS 1962-63

Academy Grades 9 - 12

8:00 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.

Academy Grade 8

8:45 A.M. to 3:15 P.M.

Roudenbush

Grade 7 8:45 A.M. to 3:15 P.M.

Elementary Grades 1 -- 6 8:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

SCHOOL VISITS

You are welcome in your Schools to talk with the School Princi- pal and staff whether or not you have children in the Schools. How- ever, you are urged 1) to check in with the Principal before visiting a class and 2) to make an appointment if you wish to discuss your child's progress with the teacher. Otherwise, the class is inter- rupted and valuable learning time is lost.

SCHOOL ADMISSION

A child is eligible for enrollment in Grade 1 if he reaches his sixth birthday prior to November 1 of the school enrollment year. Birth certificate and evidence of successful vaccination are neces- sary for registration of any child new to Westford. Those transfer- ring from other schools should present transfer cards.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The School Committee meets in regular session the second Monday of each month at 7:30 P.M., in the Academy Cafeteria. On the fourth Monday of the month there is usually a Special School Committee Meet- ing. Meeting and agenda are published. Public is welcome.

SCHOOL CALENDAR 1962-63

Teachers Meeting

September 4

Fall Term

September 5 - December 21

Winter Term January 2 - February 15 Spring Term February 25 - April 11

Summer Term

April 22 - June 21

TOTAL - 184 Days

101

Days Omitted:

Columbus Day Teachers Convention Veterans Day Thanksgiving Recess Memorial Day

October 12 October 26 November 12

November 22 and 23

May 30

REMARKS :

It is the policy of the School Department to keep schools in session on all days during which it is safe for buses to be operated The widely varying conditions in the several parts of Westford make it difficult to reach decisions equally fair to all.

ON DAYS WHEN THE WEATHER CONDITION IS QUESTIONABLE, PARENTS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE THEIR OWN JUDGMENT AS TO THE WISDOM OF SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.

1962 IN REVIEW

Growth brings problems, problems of staff and space, of organi- zation, transportation and, above all, finances. (It costs so much more to serve initially, the new pupil than the returning pupil.) These problems are recurring problems and will continue to recur as long as Westford enrollments continue to increase. So your School Committee is resigned to facing problems and to searching out what, in its considered judgment, are the most reasonable and practical so- lutions to these problems, even while keeping in sight its single most important obligation, improving educational opportunities for the children of Westford.

In order to gain a deeper insight into the problems of adminis- tration and instruction the School Committee invited certain key staff members to report directly at regular meetings. From January 22 through June 11, the Committee benefitted from a total of nine Staff Briefings in the areas of Elementary and Secondary School ad- ministration and supervision, music, science, art and reading.

Late in the summer, just before school opening, the School Com- mittee and members of the newly formed School Planning Committee made a tour of the School Plant, noting condition of the buildings, repair needs, condition of grounds, but mainly to obtain a first hand ac- quaintance with the school plant so that, along with the more inti- mate knowledge of the instructional program gained through the brief- ings cited above, the Committee might be in a better position to evaluate alternatives and to arrive at decisions.

Some progress has been made in the drafting, adoption and con- solidation of written School Policy, mainly in the area of job analy- sis. Staff members have been most cooperative in the preparation of duty lists.

Policy, governing out-of-town private school transportation, took much time in the early months of the calendar year. The Super-

102

intendent contacted State Department legal advisors and other "A sources . From these references evolved the following policy:

child attending private school outside Westford town limits shall be accorded the same transportation considerations as a child of the same grade level attending public school outside Westford town lim- its, reimbursement not to exceed the per pupil public school rate." Currently, there is no Westford child attending public school outside Westford town limits.

Again this year the Westford Schools benefitted from participa- tion in the National Defense Education Act which reimburses school systems up to 50% for mathematics, science and modern foreign lan- guage projects accepted by the State. $1,538.45 was received in sup- port of three separate projects : 21" (TV) Science Classroom, Visual Junior High Science and Automated Mathematics for Intermediate Grade Pupils.

A hoped-for Workshop in Modern Elementary Arithmetic has been deferred to 1963 for want of a qualified instructor. It became evi- dent that many systems were active in this field and there were not enough instructors to serve all at once.

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Town of Westford annual report 1956-1962, Part 69

Author: Westford (Mass.) Publication date: 1956 Publisher: Westford (Mass.) Number of Pages: 1048

Author: Westford (Mass.)
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: Westford (Mass.)
Number of Pages: 1048