USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > Town of Westford annual report 1963-1967 > Part 7
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Of the total water figure, the following is the number tested in the town of Westford:
Drinking 93
Bathing
10
Nursing Services
In January our Nursing Director, Miss Dorothy E. Harrington, attended a 3-week Institute at the Child Study Association in New York for leadership training in conducting discussion groups for Expectant Parents. In September another week was spent in New York devoted to an evaluation of the entire program. Attendance at the Institute was made possible by a grant from Children's Bureau Funds and is hopefully an important step in expanding our Maternal and Child Health Program. Throughout the year three 8-week sessions were held with 32 Expectant Mothers attending.
The In-Service Program took on a new look this year when a continu- ing program was planned for the nursing staff. The 5 sessions held this fall covered the growth and development of the child from prenatal to preschool age. Plans are now underway to continue the program in the Spring to include the schoolchild to adolescence.
The student program continues to fully utilize our supervised staff and in 1963 this agency accepted students from 3 collegiate schools of nursing. Six students received their field experience in 1963 and, if and when the supervision program is expanded, it would then be possible to accept more students. Presently we are limited by too few areas for placement of these students.
Again this year towns are urged to re-evaluate their individual nursing services in order to provide the best possible service to the citizens of each of our communities. Only by looking in retrospect can plans be made for the future. As in years past, nursing supervision is available to communities where it does not already exist. Presently, the nursing services of 6 Nashoba towns are purchased directly through Nashoba Associated Boards of Health and supervision is provided to 3 other nurses serving in the area.
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Nurses and volunteers in each town deserve a word of thanks for their cooperation in bringing many of Nashoba's preventive programs to the local scene. Without their assistance, much of our work would have been impossible.
Child Health
Premature Infants:
Ninety births, of which 8 were stillbirths, were reported to have occurred in the District. Twenty of these required evaluation by our Medical Social Consultant.
Well Child Conferences
The medical and nursing staffs are attempting to emphasize not only the physical aspect of care, but also to include guidance for the mother about the emotional and behavioral developments of her child. More con- ference sessions were added to handle the increasing caseload, allowing time to carry out the broad objectives more efficiently.
The following statistics apply to Westford:
1. Total number of children receiving medical super- vision at Well Child Conferences in 1963 204
(a) No. of infants under one year 54
No. who did not attend in 1962 38
(b) No. of children 1-4 years 103
(c) No. of children 5 years and over 47
2. Total number of visits made by children 307
3. Number of clinics 19
Day Care Services for Children
A meeting of Nursery School operators and teachers was convened by Nashoba on May 23, 1963 to explain the proposed new Rules and Regulations for Day Care Services for Children. Miss Helen Wiley, Specialist in Early Childhood Education from the State Health Department spoke to the group.
As a result of this and other meetings, a University Extension Course in Developmental Creative Arts was started in October to take place each Wednesday evening at the Nashoba Health Center. The 28 registered pupils are preparing themselves to meet the professional standards in early childhood education set out in the new Rules and Regulations. We are grateful to Mr. Carl W. McDermott of the Massachusetts Education Department for organizing the class.
Dental Health
During the school year 1962-63 (including the Summer of 1963), of a total of 446 pupils in the 2nd, 5th and 8th grades in the schools of Westford, 64% received complete dental evaluations and topical fluoride treatment; of these 60% were referred for further care because of exist- ing dental defects.
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Medical Social Services
In 1963 services offered by our Medical Social Consultant, Mrs. Audrey M. Pond, continued at an active pace. There were 49 referring agencies - these included state hospitals and state schools, general hospitals, private agencies and mental health agencies as well as welfare departments, both local and on the State level. One hundred and fifty-six cases were referred to your Medical Social Consultant and again about one-third required direct service and the balance were consultative in nature. There were 892 contacts made during the year and of these 137 involved home visits.
The problem during 1963 fell into the following categories:
Premature Infant Evaluations
20 cases
School Problems
10
11
Family Problems
17
11
Unmarried Mothers
4
Problems of the Aged
5
Referrals of Crippled Children
12
Emotional Problems
20
Marital Problems
13
Problems Associated with T.B.
1 case
Homemaker Problems
4 cases
Chronic Illness
8
11
Alcoholism
4
11
Dental Problems
5
11
Speech Defects
4
11
Physical Rehabilitation
3
11
Retardation
14
11
Your Medical Social Consultant attended 24 professional meetings in 1963 including three Massachusetts Public Health Association meetings, three of the Massachusetts Social Welfare Association and a National Association of Social Workers' meeting. She also participated in a panel on the new Day Care regulations, spoke to a school committee in one of our towns, to a group of medical workers, to 2 groups of nursing students, and to a P.T.A.
Conclusion
The above report covers our activities for 1963. For all the services included in this report your town contributed $7,985.28 or $1.28 per head.
Respectfully submitted,
Myer Herman, M.D., D.P.H. Medical Director
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
Following is the list of Board of Health appointments for the year 1963-1964:
Chairman
Ralph E. Cole, M.D.
Agent to Issue Burial Permits
Charles L. Hildreth
Agent
Dorothy A. Healy, R.N.
Agent
Barbara T. Ganem, M.D. Henry T. Smith Donald H. Melloon
Milk & Sanitary Inspector
Asst. Milk & Sanitary Inspector
Asst. Milk & Sanitary Inspector Agent
Richard Albanese Linda Niemi Kenneth A. Wilson
Inspector of Slaughtering
Inspector of Animals
Kenneth A. Wilson
Agent to pick up dead animals
Albert H. Picking
Board of Health meetings are held on the second Monday of each month.
Dorothy A. Healy, Agent WESTFORD BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
The Board of Health was officially organized for the year 1963, April 8, 1963. At this time, Dr. Ralph E. Cole was unanimously elected as Chairman.
The report of the main activities of the Board is attached under the report from Nashoba. It is highly recommended that every taxpayer carefully read this report, for it indicates not only what was done by the member towns, but represents exactly the rather extensive services rendered to the Town of Westford. As you will note, the figures actually run in the thousands. In addition to the clinics as mentioned, two influenza clinics were conducted for town employees. A rabies clinic was conducted as indicated. The oral polio clinics were held in January, March
and May. 1,042 doses of Type I; 2,744 doses of Type II; and, 1,844 doses of Type III were given. This represented extremely high coverage as compared to the surrounding towns. The Well Child Conferences were conducted this year by Dr. Mary Donald, a pediatrician. These are limited to pre-school children and it was necessary to increase the number of conferences to 19. For 1964 it is planned that these must be increased once more to approximately 25. The total attendance at these clinics is rapidly increasing and represents a rather major service. This is a service provided by Nashoba rather than by the local board of health, directly. There were 141 sewage permits issued for new dwellings as compared with 121 issued for 1962. It is noted that under the new law regarding sewage disposal, that is the state law which supersedes the local laws, it is necessary to make a minimum of two inspections for every permit and the average is between three and four.
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The following have been volunteers who have generously given of their time that has amounted to many hours. We are very grateful to them:
Mrs. Ruth Hall, R.N., The Westford Visiting Nurse and the following members of the Visiting Nurse Committee: Mrs Edward Abbot, Mrs. Arthur Agnew, Mrs. Lincoln Clark, Mrs. Ralph E. Cole, Mrs. A. Bradford Cook, Mrs. Herford Elliott, Mrs. Herbert N. Farrier, Mrs. Walter N. Fletcher, Mrs. Arthur L. Healy, Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth, Mrs. Richard A. Kearsley, Mrs. James Knowlton, Miss Marion Lord, Mrs. Kenneth Robes. Other volunteers were Mrs. William Bolger, Mrs. Barbara Brewer, Miss Mary Fitter, Miss Penny Fullford, Miss Gail Gilchrest, Mrs. Gwenffrud Hamer, Miss Diane Hanson, Mrs. Claire Hardy, Mrs. Arlene Johnson, Mrs. Theresa Joyce, Miss Betsy Lamson, Mrs. Mae Malone, Mrs. Irene Menard, Mr. Lucien Menard, Mr. Robert Noy and Miss Cynthia Pallian.
The following paragraph is a summary to indicate to the voters of Westford the services rendered to the town by Nashoba, and in- cludes an analysis of the cost. Since the census is only made every 5 years and since Westford has required an increase of over 20% of services rendered to children, pre and school, the per capita charge is not a direct reflection since we are serving far more people, but being paid on the basis of the old census.
Sanitation Services :
No. of milk plants selling milk in Westford 13
Visits to milk plants 61
Visits to food establishments 44
Visits to private water supplies 88
Visits for private sewage disposals
410
Nuisance complaints investigated
38
Licenses issued 50
Laboratory tests performed:
93
Water tests-well water
Water tests-beaches 10
Preventive Dental Program:
2nd, 5th and 8th graders
446
Preventive Medical Services :
Tuberculin testing program (includes Mantoux tests) 52
Immunizations (includes DPT, DT, Polio & Vaccinations) 6,191
Well Child Conferences : No. of children attended No. of clinics 19
204
Medical Social Work:
During 1963, which was a typically busy year, the medical social consultant made 84 contacts either in or for the Town of Westford
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These involved cases of emotional problems, marital problems, school problems, prematurity and geriatric problems. Twelve referrals to out-of-town agencies were made, 19 home visits, 1 speaking engagement, 14 professional conferences were made within the town. The time spent for professional conferences were made within the town. The time spent for the Town of Westford involved 14% of the medical social consultant's entire workload or 6% more than spent on the average of the 15 others.
Rabies Immunization Program: There were 85 dogs immunized.
Cost of Nashoba as Percentage of Town Expenditure:
I. Total Town Expenditures
$2,188,921.00
II. Westford's Cost for Nashoba Services 7,985.00 0.38%
III. Percentage (II of I)
The town dump problem has not been solved due to the need for new water fields and due to the recent activity in the area where we expected to put a dump that is now being considered for a state park We have investigated the incinerator thoroughly and at present find it totally non-feasible due to expense. We would be glad to refer those interested to towns which have made expense surveys.
The survey voted by the town at the last annual town meeting for sewage disposal in the future is now under way and is being conducted by the firm of CAMP, DRESSER & MCKEE
Ralph E. Cole, M.D., Chairman Lucien J. Menard Edward F. McLenna
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
The Welfare Department administers five catagories of assistance. Old Age Assistance, Medical Aid for the Aged, Disability Assistance, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children are programs in which the cost is shared by the town, state, and federal government s according to a specific formula. The fifth program of assistance is General Relief in which the town bears almost the entire cost. The basic requirement of each program is "need".
This year double the number of applications were processed as compared to the previous year. Each application requires a complete investigation and, if approved, a re-investigation every six months for Old Age Assistance, Medical Aid for the aged, and Disability Assistance and every three months for Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
Assistance was granted on an average monthly caseload in 1963 as follows: Medical Aid for the Aged, 29; Old Age Assistance, 39; Aid to Families with Dependent Children, 5; Disability Assistance, 10; and General Relief, 3.
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During January, February, and March a series of in-service train- ing meetings was held. These meetings have meant a complete social evaluation of each family case.
Program changes during the year have been increases in leisure time activity and transportation allowances in Old Age Assistance, a cost of living increase in all Federally matched programs, in- creased exemptions for single children of Medical Aid for the Aged recipients, and effective the first of the new year, the elimination of settlement in Old Age Assistance and General Relief cases.
TOWN INFIRMARY :
Part of the infirmary is being rented. There have been minor repairs throughout the year. The building is in good condition.
Reginald Blowey, Chairman William C. MacMillan Samuel A. Richards BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
REPORT OF THE TOWN FOREST COMMITTEE
Your committee has really marked time during the year, thinking that it was best not to spend the town's money on any of the lots until their future use was better known. With the town gradually changing from a farming area to more of an urban community with an increase in rural homes, the question might be raised as to whether some of the towns forests should be used for conservation, wild life and recreation or developed into commercial forests. The small lot of about seven acres on Forge Village Road is an example. To date this lot has been developed as a Town Forest Demonstration, looking forward to the time where income might be derived from the sale of lumber. With residential areas being developed on all roads converging on this lot from the Center, Forge Village and Graniteville, with no plans for a recreational area, should this lot become a family recreational area with its pine grove, or should the town think of it as a future source of income from lumber? The
next five or ten years should give an answer to this. In the mean- time your committee has not thought it best to even go to the expense of removing the few trees marked as of no commercial value.
Another problem that has come with the growth of the town is the question of supervision of the property to protect it from those who would destroy rather than enjoy the natural beauty of the forests. One example was mentioned last year on the Hearts Pond lot where trees had been cut or bulldozed out and a gravel bank opened. This year again on the same lot two small gravel banks were opened and brush piled on town land from adjacent cottages. It is extremely difficult for the town to take action in such cases. One other act of vandalism took place this year at Mystery Spring, on the Spalding Lot off Tadmuck Road. Mystery Spring was one of the natural beauty spots of the forest. This year some individual or troop of
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individuals decided to cut down about 25 trees up to 8 inches in dia- meter around this spring, as if to clear a camping area and then went off and left the high stumps and fallen trees, spoiling the area for future nature lovers. The police were notified but no trace of the culprits were found. This next Spring your committee will try to clean up the area and set some trees, but it will take years to restore its beauty.
It may be best to practically neglect our town forests, rather than spend money to improve them, until such time as some sort of supervision can be established. With the town owning over 600 acres of forest land there should be unlimited opportunities for conservation, interest in wild life, recreation, as well as commercial forestry. One man as a forest ranger could easily keep busy developing the various areas, carrying out good forestry prac- tices as well as supervising interested groups who might like to help to make them of more value for wild life purposes, or for recreation. Development of appreciation of these forest lands by adults as well as young people will have to take place so that vandalism by a few will not spoil them for the many.
Maps of the location of the town forests have been made avail- able by the assessors which is much appreciated by your committee. Also during the year William E. Wright, former chairman of the com- mittee and one who has a great knowledge of the land areas of Westford, showed your committee the location of the three lots in that part of the town known as Texas. Two of these lots are on a wood road off Texas Road and the other can be reached by using the bed of the old Nashua and Acton Railroad off Acton Road. These lots are covered mainly with mixed hardwoods.
The report of the committee for 1940 pertaining to land given to the town by Miss Martina A. Gage was reviewed, as it gave a brief description of the ten lots and told of their location.
Allister F. MacDougall Florian Woitowicz Kenneth A. Wilson TOWN FOREST COMMITTEE
89
REPORT OF CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS
The past year saw many improvements. In the Spring we finished grading the lawn on Main Street where the Lowell Gas Company had ripped it up the year before for the new gas main.
Two large diseased Elm trees were cut down, one at Fairview and one at Wright Cemetery.
We had the roads in the old East Division of Fairview patched andoiled. Thanks to George Wyman, our Road Superintendent for a good price on the good job he did to them. A good strip of hot-topping was put on at Fairview. We did half of the road along the south wall this year. Next year we intend to finish that road.
Many old historical stones were fixed up and straightened. Some had been pushed over by boys and had to be reset in cement.
Last year we had a good green yard once again, in fact, it was green until the snow came.
Walter L. Blanchard, Chairman Albert A. Hildreth Matthew A. Elliott BOARD OF CEMETERY COMMISSIONERS
REPORT OF SEALER OF WEIGHTS & MEASURES
Gas Pumps 29
Scales or Balances under 100 1bs. 19
Scales 100 - 5,000 lbs. 12
Scales over 10,000 lbs.
6
George S. Wilder SEALER OF WEIGHTS & MEASURES
REPORT OF THE PLUMBING INSPECTOR
There were ninety-seven (97) permits issued. The appropriation was used as follows:
Appropriation for 1963 $600.00
Inspections made: 41 @ $1.50 .. $ 61.50
147 @ $3.00 .. 441.00
502.50
Supplies and postage. .
30.60
533.10
Unused balance of appropriation
$ 66.90
Paul L. McDonald PLUMBING INSPECTOR
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ANNUAL REPORT OF SCHOOL PLANNING COMMITTEE
The year 1963 has been marked by considerable progress in meeting the immediate and long-range needs of the Town for school construction.
The six room addition to the Nabnassett Elementary School, under the direction of a special three man building committee, was begun and is approaching completion.
The new 600 pupil Intermediate School, on the Town Farm site, is now under construction and should be completed in the fall of 1964. This pro- ject is under the supervision of a special building committee appointed last winter.
The third and largest project included in the long range plan adopted by the Planning Committee in 1962 is a proposed 4 year senior high school which could house initially about 1000 pupils. The opening of such a school by September 1968, will relieve the increasingly crowded conditions in the present high school, will serve to improve the educational opportunities of the older students, and will also permit the present high school to be converted to use by the intermediate grades. This conversion will serve in turn to relieve the pressure on the elementary schools. The Planning Committee has devoted continuing attention to the selection of a suitable site for the new high school. It is hoped that a proposal to pur- chase a site can be submitted to the Town some time in 1964 and that plan- ning for this large project can begin before the end of 1964. Construction should begin no later than the fall of 1966.
In connection with planning for a new high school, the Planning Com- mittee has considered the possibility of forming a regional high school with the neighboring towns of Dunstable and Tyngsboro. Despite some apparent savings in the Town's share of construction and operating costs, it is the opinion of the committee that a regional approach is not sound in view of the growth of Westford's own school population, the uncertainty of the growth in the other two towns, and the considerable complexity that would result in the planning and administration of such a regional school.
The Planning Committee has strongly supported the study, along with the neighboring towns of Chelmsford, Littleton and Groton, of a regional technical high school. While there is a question as to how much such a school would relieve our own enrollment pressures, there can be little doubt but that such a school would fill a real educational and economic need for this community. We strongly urge support of the appointment of a special committee to study this question further.
On the whole we believe that progress has been made in planning and meeting our school construction needs. However, the increasing pressure of school enrollments, running about 3% ahead of forecasts, makes it clear that we must continue to plan and to build for the foreseeable future.
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The Committee regrets the resignation of Joseph Taylor from member- ship and his departure for Maine. He has contributed sound judgment and experience to our deliberations of the past two years.
Respectfully submitted,
Richard S. Emmet, Jr., Chairman Allan W. Bell, Secretary Arthur R. Coffin, Jr. Anthony Denisevich James D. Hansen John A. Urbaniak
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF WIRES
There were 310 Wiring Permits issued. The Appropriation was used as follows:
Appropriation for 1963
$1,000.00
106 Inspections @ 1.50 159.00
364 Inspections @ 2.00 728.00
Supplies, Clerical & Postage 96.45
983.45
Unused balance of appropriation $ 16.55
Received $1,136.50 for 310 Permits issued.
Norman E. Day Inspector of Wires
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Report of Dog Officer
I herewith submit the Annual Report of the Dog Officer for the year ending December 31, 1963:
51 Dogs picked up as strays
14 Dogs returned to owners
3 Cases molesting Poultry and Livestock
2 Cases turned over to County for Damage to Livestock and Poultry
19 Dogs struck by cars
23 Cats picked up and disposed of
3 Calls to destroy Rats
1 Call to destroy Turtle
2 Calls to remove Raccoon to new location
583 Telephone calls received and expenses $ 13.45
159 Complaints investigated @$1.90 302.10
429.00
28 Dogs turned over to County (care and custody)
24.00
12 Dogs destroyed @ $2.00 Printing School Expenses Car Expenses
12.00
19.45
19 Dog Bites
$ 1,000.00
Reimbursement from County for board and care of strays to Town $453.00.
I wish to thank the Board of Selectmen, The Police Department, Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth, and Mr. Albert Picking for their cooperation and assistance throughout the year.
Respectfully submitted,
William C. MacMillan Dog Officer
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200.00
TRANSFERS FROM FINANCE COMMITTEE RESERVE
Fire Department. $ 207.70
Forest Fires Department. 2,572.45
Recreation Commission.
244.81
Registration and Election.
184.04
Tree Department.
199.88
Total Transfers
3,408.88
Balance
1,591.12
Appropriated at Annual Town Meeting
$ 5,000.00
Lawrence S. Johnston, Chairman
John J. Barretto
J. William Blythe Alfred J. Cann
Herbert C. Decato
Viateur A. Ricard
Peter Sechovich
F. Stanley Smith
Nicholas Sudak, Jr.
WESTFORD FINANCE COMMITTEE
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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 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 Center
PRECINCT 2 Healy Legion Hall, Graniteville
PRECINCT 3 New Nabnasset School, Brookside
PRECINCT 4 Murray Hall, Forge Village
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1964
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 FIVE YEARS One Member of the Planning Board
FOR THREE YEARS
One Selectman
One Assessor
Three Members of the School Committee
One Member of the Board of Public Welfare
Two Trustees of the J. V. Fletcher Library
One Member of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners
One Member of the Board of Public Health
One Member of the Board of Water Commissioners
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