USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1923-1924 > Part 8
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SEAL
CARL S. PETTENGILL ARTHUR W. EAMES CHARLES F. PERRY Selectmen of Wilmington
20
TOWN MEETING
Record of Proceedings of Annual Town Meeting Held
March 3, 1924
In accordance with the directions of the foregoing Warrant, the voters assembled on the above date. The meeting was called to order by the Town Clerk, and Article 1 and as far as Article 2 of the Warrant was read by the Town Clerk; the Moderator then examined the ballot box which was found empty, the register indicated 0000, the box was locked and the key delivered to the Constable.
The Ballot Clerks and Tellers having been sworn, the official ballots were delivered to the Ballot Clerks, a receipt for the same being taken by the Town Clerk.
The Moderator announced that the polls for the election of officers were open and that balloting might proceed. At 3 o'clock p.m. on motion it was voted to close the polls at 4.30 o'clock p.m.
At the appointed time the Moderator declared the polls- closed. The names checked upon the lists numbered seven hundred and two (702) and the ballots as counted from the ballot box numbered seven hundred and two (702) and the register indicated seven hundred and two (702). The following is the vote for Town Officers as declared by the Moderator:
Selectmen (to act as Overseers of the Poor and Board of Survey)
Votes
Leon F. Call had two hundred and eight . . 208
Elected, Frank W. Dayton had four hundred forty-one . 441
Arthur W. Eames had one hundred eighty-five . 185
Arthur W. Giroux had one hundred ninety-nine . 199
Elected, Charles F. Perry had three hundred thirty-two . 332
Elected, Carl S. Pettengill had four hundred and ninety 490
Blanks, two hundred forty-nine . 249
21
Assessor (Three Years)
Elected, Joseph Patchett had five hundred eighty-seven . 587
Blanks, one hundred fifty-five . 155
Town Clerk
Elected, James E. Kelley had six hundred and seven . 607
Joe Caron had eight
8
Edward Day had one
1
Blanks, eighty-six
86
Treasurer
Elected, Frank L. Eames had five hundred seventy-six 576
Blanks, one hundred twenty-six . 126
Collector of Taxes
Elected, George W. Buck had five hundred ninety . 590
Walter L. Hale had one
1
Frank Eames had one
1
Blanks, one hundred ten 110
Constable
Elected, Walter A. Hill had five hundred seventy-two 52
Herbert Barrows had one
1
Walter Hale had one
1
Blanks, one hundred twenty-eight
128
Fence Viewers
Leon F. Call had three hundred five 305
Elected, Frank W. Dayton had four hundred forty-seven . 447
Elected, Charles F. Perry had four hundred twenty-four . 424
Elected, Carl S. Pettengill had five hundred and eight . 508
A. W. Eames had one .
1
Arthur Giroux had three . .
3
·
Blanks four hundred eighteen . . .
418
.
.
·
.
.
.
.
22
School Committee (Three Years)
Elected, Harry W. De Loriea had four hundred thirty-eight 438 Elected, John W. Hathaway had four hundred and seven . 407 Edward S. Lewis had two hundred forty-six . 246
Blanks, three hundred thirteen . 313
School Committee (Two Years)
Elected, Olivia H. Norcross had four hundred fifteen . .
415
Jerome J. O'Leary had two hundred sixteen . 216
Blanks, seventy-one 71
School Committee (One Year)
Ernest R. Currier had one hundred twenty-one 121
Elected, Peter Neilson had three hundred nineteen 319
Joseph P. Ring had one hundred sixty-five 165
Blanks, ninety-seven .
97
Trustees of Public Library (Three Years)
Elected, Helen H. Buck had four hundred and three . 403
Elected, Daniel T. Buzzell had four hundred ninety-one . 491
Harry Jones had one hundred eighty-six . 186
Blanks, three hundred twenty-four 324
Trustee Public Library (One Year to Fill Vacancy)
Susan T. Esler had one hundred ninety-six 196
Elected, Peter Neilson had three hundred sixty-six 366
Blanks, one hundred forty 140
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S. D. J. Carter Lecture Committee (Five Years)
Elected, Gerald F. Frazee had four hundred and four . . 404
Joseph B. McMahon had one hundred ninety-eight . 198
Blanks, one hundred . 100
Moderator (One Year)
Bancroft Abbott had two hundred forty-nine 249
Elected, Edward N. Eames had three hundred fifty 350
Blanks one hundred and three . 103
Trustee of Trust Funds (Three Years)
Elected, Philip B. Buzzell had five hundred forty-three 543
Blanks, one hundred fifty-nine . 159
Tree Warden
Elected, Oliver A. McGrane had five hundred ninety-three 593 Blanks one hundred and nine . 109
License Vote
Yes, two hundred and eight 208 .
No, three hundred and one 301
Blanks, one hundred ninety-three 193
After the declaration of the vote by the Moderator and administering the oath of office to the following named persons, Frank W. Dayton, Carl S. Pettengill as Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor, Fence Viewers and Board of Survey; Daniel T. Buzzell as Trustee of Public Library, Oliver A. McGrane as Tree Warden, James E. Kelley as Town Clerk, the meeting adjourned until Monday, March 10th, at 8 o'clock at the Grange Hall.
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Record of Proceedings of the Adjourned Annual Meeting in the Grange Hall, March 10, 1924
At the appointed time the meeting was called to order by the Moderator and Article 2 of the Warrant read.
Article 2. On motion-Voted a committee of three be appointed by the Moderator to bring in a list of names as nominations for the several offices to be filled under the article. The Moderator appointed Caleb S. Harriman, Herbert C. Barrows and Joseph B. McMahon as said Committee, who submitted the following list.
Field Drivers
Michael J. McMahon Edward W. Taylor
Charles L. Feindell Adolph A. J. Simpson
Public Weighers of Merchandise
J. Arthur Taylor Fred W. Carter Walter L. Hale Austin C. Taylor
Harry R. Deming Arthur F. Blake Frank Furlan John A. Howe
Measurers of Leather
J. Arthur Taylor Harry R. Deming Arthur F. Blake
Surveyors of Wood, Bark and Lumber
Herbert C. Barrows Thomas T. Sidelinker Arthur W. Eames Edward N. Eames
Schamiel R. McIntosh Harry R. Deming Walter L. Hale Arnold D. Carter
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Common Committee (Three Years) Charles F. Perry
Finance Committee (Three Years)
Waldo L. Dean Louis T. McMahon Herbert C. Barrows
Finance Committee (One Year, to Fill Vacancy) Thomas C. Daly
On motion voted: That the list be accepted and adopted and the nominees declared elected.
Article 3. Report of the Town Forest Committee appointed in 1922 was read by Mr. Harold Fay as follows:
Report of Town Forest Committee of 1922.
Your committee decided unanimously against spending any money to acquire land for a town forest, and devoted its attention to the different parcels of wild land of considerable size already owned by the town.
The town farm comprises about 84 acres; about 15 acres of it is tillage and hay land, with several acres of wet meadow, leaving some 60 acres of wild land in three parcels. The greater part of this land was logged for White Pine several years ago and now has various groves of young Pine trees and many scattering Pines, which have seeded the area with a fine start toward a Pine forest. There are some places where it would be well to plant. It has been suggested that the School children might celebrate each Arbor Day by planting on the Town Forest young trees which the State is supposed to furnish free of charge.
The Committee unanimously recommends that the town set aside as "Town Forest" that portion of the town farm lying West of Main St. and South of the B & M R. R. except-
26
ing the tillage field between the railroad and where the burned buildings formerly stood. This is the parcel referred to in Art. 38 of this year's warrant, which should have excluded the tillage. So far as adaptability to growing trees is concerned the rest of the town farm is equally suited as forest, save for increased fire hazard due to the railroad.
The other land considered begins about 200 yards from where we are gathered-The "Harnden" land between the Cemetery, Wildwood and Federal streets. This block has the reputation of being a worthless swamp jungle. To the land- scape architect it is almost ideal in possibilities for a wild forest park, and to the forest engineer the "worthless swamp" is far nearer a "typical forest site" than is any high land nearby. That is, it is good for nothing but growing trees until such time as the Ipswich river is drained. There are ridges fairly well stocked with White Pine 15 to 25 years old, with scattering large seed tree Pine in the swamp. There is a park-like knoll of some three acres where there are fairly large spreading pines, and thickets of young Pine 20 years old. If the grey birch were cut out this would make an ideal picnic ground not five minutes walk from Federal Hill, high land running into it from opposite the junction of Federal and Concord streets.
If in the future it were desired to put a road through from Federal to Wildwood street, it is only 150 feet across from this knoll to a pine ridge coming in from Wildwood street. The growth on this "Harnden" tract is White Pine, Red Maple and White Birch. The White Birch mostly has reached its maturity, has begun to die and rot. The town is buying wood while these cords of fuel hardly 100 yards from the Town Hall are rotting. It was to finance the cutting of this wood, thereby saving the young Pine now being killed out by the shade of trees about to die and rot that the article in last year's warrant referred.
While the Committee does not feel the town should go into the forest business to the extent of making Town Forest of all these parcels, it undoubtedly would be well to have all its woodland under the scientific management which by law the State Forester's office will furnish free of charge.
27
The writer of the report feels it would be well for the town to have a regular Town Forest Committee of three to serve without pay, and to have the tree warden authorized to carry out any work recommended by the State Forester, which the Committee and Town approves.
The committee recommends that Art. 38, with the tillage amendment, be acted upon favorably.
OLIVER McGRANE ELLEN S. PERRY HAROLD FAY
March 10, 1924.
Voted: Action be deferred to to be taken up under Article 38.
Report of the Special Committee on School Accommo- dations, appointed March 12, 1923, to report at a future meeting, read by Mr. Louis T. McMahon, as follows:
Report of the Special Committee on School Accommodations To the Citizens:
Under Article 27 of the Annual Town Meeting, March 12, 1923. it was voted that a Committee of five be appointed to consider the question of additional school accommodations and report at a future meeting.
The Committee appointed under the provisions of this article therefore beg to submit the following report :
A survey of the present school accommodations and the present attendance is as follows:
No. of Total Present
School
Available Rooms Capacity Occupancy Accommodations
Whitefield
4
180
159
21
Walker
1
180
182
Center
1
180
162
18
South
1
40
34
6
Fast
1
35
0
35
West
1
35
0
35
North
1
35
0
35
16
685
537
150
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This shows a total capacity of 685 with the present attend- ance of 537, leaving a net housing capacity for 150 pupils. In this 150, however, is included the North, East and West school- houses, which are in dis-use at the present time. Deducting the accommodations that these three buildings would provide for, the present buildings would accommodate 45 more pupils than we have at the present time.
It does not necessarily follow, however, that we could accommodate 45 scholars, owing to the fact that some of the grades are over crowded whereas others still can accommodate additional pupils. The greatest congestion we find is in the Walker School and this school accommodates the Wilmington Center section and the Silver Lake and West section.
Considering the present attendance and the natural growth which can be expected, provisions must be made for accommodating more children. The Committee carefully considered the different methods whereby these additional accommodations could be provided. There seemed to be four plans which presented possibilities, and these are as follows:
1st. Reopening the District schools.
2nd. Double school sessions.
3rd. Erection of portable school-houses.
. 4th. Erection of a permanent school-building.
The South school at the present time is accommodating 34 scholars in the first four grades. There is some criticism regarding the district school where one teacher teaches four grades which may, perhaps, be justified in these days of speciali- zation, yet, as far as we can find out, the pupils from the South school on entering the higher grades get along as well as those from the other schools. The North and East districts we find are being well accommodated at the Whitefield School, therefore, at the present time, there is no need of considering the opening of these two schools. In examining the West district which includes Silver Lake, we find that the greatest number of pupils are located in the Silver Lake district. The West school, therefore, is not located where it would give the proper relief. The school could be moved, but the expense
29
of moving it across the railroad tracks would be so great that the Committee do not deem it practical. The Committee feel, however, that it would be unwise for the Town to dispose of the district schools because as congestion grows, we are going to need these accommodations and possibly by moving them, within reasonable distances, to locations better adapted for a school building, we will find them very serviceable. The reopening of the district schools, therefore, we do not advise at this time.
Many cities and towns have resorted to a double session of the schools as a means of overcoming the shortage of accom- modations. There is a great deal of merit in this plan as there are perhaps none of our public buildings that are used so little as our school buildings, and if they can be used for a double purpose in this way, it means a great reduction in the overhead expenses. Wilmington being situated, however, in such a way that we are obliged to transport the most of our scholars, a double session of the schools would mean double transporta- tion and undoubtedly very nearly double the transportation expense. Educators do not look with favor on the double session and considering the fact that the expenditures for transportation would be bringing us nothing permanent, the Committee feel that it would be better to put such expenditures into a building for permanent use.
Portable School Houses are being used by many cities and towns. They can be put up quickly and for about one third, or less, than a permanent building. They will stand for quite a few years but of course they are built without a cellar and are not altogether satisfactory in the Winter. Con- sidering that we have no great emergency, the Committee cannot recommend any investment in Portable School Houses at this time.
These facts convince the Committee that the building of a permanent school building in the Silver Lake district is the best solution of meeting the over-crowded conditions. The article under which we were appointed confines the efforts of the Committee to reporting on the school accommodations. We, therefore, did not attempt to suggest any particular
30
location, nor did we attempt to go into the costs or styles of school buildings.
In conclusion we recommend, under Article 22, of the Annual Town Warrant of 1924, that a Building Committee of five be appointed to select a site for a school building in the Silver Lake district, and that they prepare, or have prepared, plans and costs of a two room schoolhouse, and also of a four room schoolhouse, and submit a report accordingly to a future Town Meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
LOUIS T. McMAHON
CARL PETTINGILL WALTER H. CURRIER
EDWARD NEILSON MARY G. DALY
On Motion Voted to defer action until Article 22 of the Warrant was reached.
Article 4. On motion voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the several and respective sums recommended by the Finance Committee, subject to amendment.
General Government
Selectmen, salaries and expenses
.
.
$850.00
Accountant, salary and expenses
650.00
Treasurer, salary and expenses
.
.
550.00
Collector, salary and expenses ·
.
.
See Art. 9
Assessors, salaries and expenses Town Clerk, salary and expenses .
220.00
Finance Committee, expenses
100.00
Constable, salary and expenses
.
.
50.00
Town Hall, Janitor, fuel, light and repairs
.
.
450.00
Election and Registration, salaries and expenses .
600.00
.
.
·
1,250.00
.
.
. .
.
.
31
Protection of Life and Property
Police Department
. $3,000.00
Fire Department
.
.
2,800.00
Suppression of Moths
275.00
Sealer of Weights and Measures
200.00
Building Inspector
300.00
Tree Warden .
.
1,000.00
Forest Fires
.
.
.
500.00
Health and Sanitation
Board of Health Agent's Salary, Quarantine Wages,
Inspector of Meats and Provisions and Vital Statistics
700.00
Division of Highways
Motion .- That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of sixty-five hundred ($6500) dollars for General Highway purposes. Voted in the affirmative.
Motion .- That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of seventy-five hundred twenty-five ($7525) dollars which with ($3225) from State Board of Public Works, shall be expended under the provisions of Chapter 81, General Laws, as amended. Voted in the affirmative.
Motion .- That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of two thousand ($2000) dollars which with $2000 from the State and $2000 from the county, shall be expended under the direction of the Department of Public Works for the contin- uance of the State road on Salem Street under the provisions of Chapter 90, Section 34. Voted in the affirmative.
Motion .- That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of five hundred ($500) dollars which with $500 from the State and $500 from the County, shall be expended for specific repairs on Salem and Lowell Streets. Voted in the affirmative.
Electric Street Lights
. $7,688.00
.
.
32
Charities and Aid
Care of Poor
3,300.00
Aid for Dependent Mothers
100.00
Soldiers' Benefits
State Aid (appropriated only) .
$400.00
Soldiers' Relief
200.00
Military Aid
300.00
.
.
Miscellaneous Expenditures
Town Indebtedness
. $2,750.00
Reserve Fund
£ 2,000.00 .
Interest
4,000.00
Unclassified (printing, care of clock, etc.)
700.00
Cemetery .
1,000.00
.
.
.
.
.
·
.
.
·
Education
An amendment was made by Mr. John W. Hathaway that the appropriation for Schools be increased to $44,290.00 explaining the reason for the same. After considerable dis- cussion for and against the amendment, a vote was taken on the same which was decided by the Moderator in the negative. A vote was then taken on the original recommenda- tion and it was voted to raise and appropriate $40,000.00.
Public Library . $850.00
Article 5. Motion: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of four hundred ($400) dollars for the observance of Memorial Day, and that the program and expenditures shall
.
.
33
be made under the direction of the following Committee: Harry Jones, Chairman; Jerome J. O'Leary, John Doyle, Joseph McMahon, Joseph Newcomb, Charles Cavanaugh, of the American Legion, Milton T. Holt of the G. A. R., Claude Thompson of the Spanish War Veterans, Mrs. Florence Buck, Mrs. Rose Cavanaugh and Mrs. F. Thompson of the Ladies' Auxiliary. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 6. Motion: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of thirty ($30) dollars for regrading the graves of Civil War Veterans where needed, who have no living relatives. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 7. Motion: That the Selectmen choose an appro- priate site in the Cemetery for a Soldiers' Lot in which the Veterans of any Wars will be entitled to burial, and, that they shall take sufficient lots for this purpose, and, that the Town shall raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred dollars. ($100) for grading the aforesaid lot, and further, that it shall be a duty of the Town to see that this lot receives perpetual care. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 8. Motion: That the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, be and hereby is authorized to borrow from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year, beginning January 1, 1924, and to issue a note or notes therefore payable within one year. Any debt or debts incurred under this vote to be paid from the revenue of said financial year. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 9. Motion: That hereafter all taxes be collected according to law, and, that until the Town votes differently, the salary of the Tax Collector shall be fifteen hundred ($1500) dollars per year, payable in twelve monthly payments, and, that a sum not to exceed two hundred ($200) dollars per year be allowed for expenses. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 10. Motion: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of fifty dollars ($50) for the up-keep of Regan and Harold Rogers Parks. Voted in the affirmative.
34
Article 11. Motion: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of two hundred dollars ($200) and elect Charles F. Perry as Director who shall expend the aforesaid sum and who shall serve in cooperation with the County Agricultural Trustee of the Middlesex County Bureau of Agriculture and Home Economics under the provisions of Section 40 to 45, Chapter 128, General Laws of Massachusetts. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 12. Motion: That the Town shall raise and ap- propriate the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000) for Public Health Work. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 13. Motion: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of four hundred dollars ($400) to paint, decorate and repair the interior of the Town Hall, and, that a Committee of three be appointed by the Moderator to work in conjunction with the Selectmen in the carrying out of this motion. Voted in the affirmative. Moderator appointed on said Committee: Caleb S. Harriman, Mrs. Carl S. Pettengill and Mrs. Edward N. Eames.
Article 14. Motion: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for the purchase of an Accounting Machine for the use of the Town Officers. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 15. Motion: That the Town vote to amend Article 2, Section 5, of the Town By-Laws, relating to the Commissioners of Trust Funds, by eliminating Section 5 and substituting therefore the following:
A-"All funds left to the Town in trust for various purposes shall be deposted with the Town Treasurer. He shall give a receipt to the depositor for any sum so received. The Treasurer shall then notify the Commissioners of Trust Funds of the receipt of such funds, and hand to them the deed of trust. The Treasurer shall be the
35
custodian of all funds and securities of such trust funds, and shall invest and reinvest them, and expend therefrom money as directed by the Commissioners. The Treasurer shall furnish a separate bond satisfactory to them for the faithful performance of his duties."
B-"Said Trustees of Trust Funds shall report, in print, at annual Town Meeting the names of all persons whose deposits they have received from the Treasurer, the income to and the outlay made on the respective lots for the year then expired, and the balance then standing to the credit of the same, and shall also state the standing of all other funds that may have been placed in their charge."
Deferred to a future meeting.
Article 16. Motion : That the Building Laws of the Town be amended by adding the following words to the end of the present laws: "On the payment of a fee of one dollar for new construction and fifty cents for alterations." Voted in the affirmative.
Article 17, Motion: That the Town accept Chapter 94, Section 120, General Laws, which reads as follows :- "In towns having less than ten thousand inhabitants, which accept this section, or, have accepted corresponding provisions of earlier Laws at any Annual Town Meeting, the annual license fee for carrying on the business of slaughtering meat-cattle, sheep or swine, shall be such sum not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) as the Selectmen fix." Voted in the affirmative.
Article 18. Motion: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) as its pro- portionate share toward the erection of a fire tower by the State Forestry Department in the Town of Andover. Voted in the affirmative.
Article 19. On motion voted to pass by the article.
36
Article 20. On motion voted to pass by the article, with the following recommendation: That owing to the heavy appropriations this year and the resultant high taxes, no fire alarm boxes be installed in the schools, but it is the sense of this meeting that for emergency purposes, telephones should be installed in all the schoolhouses, and, that the Town Clerk be instructed to place this recommendation officially before the School Committee.
Article 21. Motion: That the Town raise and appro- priate the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) to continue the work of providing a water supply for the schools, as much of this sum to be expended as may be found necessary by the special committee appointed for this purpose, or do anything in relation thereto.
Amendment made as follows: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of three thousand dollars ($3000) in accordance with the suggestions made in the report of the Special Committee on Water Supply submitted to the Special Town Meeting of August 14, 1923, this money to be expended in prospecting tests for a Town Water Supply, and, that a Committee of seven, namely, Mr. C. S. Harriman, Carl Pettengill, H. DeLoeria, George H. Voter, L. T. McMahon, H. C. Barrows and E. N. Eames, be appointed to carry out the provisions of this article and to submit a prospectus of a Town Water Supply to a future meeting. A vote being taken on the amendment it was voted to accept the same. A vote. on the original notion as amended being taken it was voted in the affirmative.
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