USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1941 > Part 8
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67-Action must be started at once to bring Wil- mington schools up to a level of modern times.
68-See the "MUST" Program as set forth on pages 118-119. Delivered to chairman of School Com- mittee for consideration.
145
WARRANT FOR ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
To Harry J. Ainsworth, a Constable of the Town of Wilmington:
Greetings :- In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the manner prescribed in the By-Laws of said Town, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town qualified by law to vote in Town affairs to meet and assemble at the Town Hall on Monday, the Second Day of March next, at 9:45 o'clock in the fore- noon, the polls to be opened at 10:00 A. M., and shall be closed at 8:00 P. M., for the election of Town Officers.
Article 1. To bring in your votes on one ballot for one Selectman for three years, who shall also act as a member of the Board of Survey; one Assessor for three years; Town Clerk; Treasurer; Collector of Taxes; Constable; Board of Public Welfare, one member for a term of three years; two members of School Committee for three years; two Trustees of the Public Library for three years; one member of the S. D. J. Carter Lecture Committee for five years; one Water Commissioner for three years; Planning Board, one member for three years, one member for two years; Tree Warden; Moderator; one Trustee of Trust Fund for three years.
You are also further required and directed to notify and warn the said inhabitants of the Town of Wilmington, who are qualified to vote on elections and town affairs therein, to assemble subsequently and meet in Town Meeting at the Grange Hall, Wildwood Street, in said Town of Wilmington, on Monday, the 9th day of March, A. D., 1942, at eight o'clock P. M., then and there to act on the following Articles:
Article 2. To choose all other Town Officers for the ensuing year.
Article 3. To hear the reports of Committees and act thereon.
Article 4. To see how much money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the following items :-
General Government
Cemetery
Protection of Person and Property
Interest
Schools
Highways Charities Soldiers' Benefits
Library Recreation
Unclassified
Maturing Debt
Memorial Day
Water Department
Reserve Fund Insurance
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Article 5. To see what sum the Town will vote to raise and ap- propriate for necessary expenses in connection with Works Progress Administration Projects or other Work Relief Projects, or do anything in relation thereto.
Article 6. 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 financial year be- ginning January 1, 1942, 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, Chapter 44, General Laws.
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Eight Hundred Dollars ($800.00) to pay for affecting insur- ance providing indemnity for the protection of the officers and em- ployees of the Highway, Cemetery and Police Departments of the Town against loss by reason of their liability to pay damages to others for bodily injuries, including death, at any time resulting therefrom, caused by the operation, within the scope of their official duties or employment, of motor vehicles owned by the Town, to an amount not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5000.00) on account of injury to or death of one person, in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, as amended, or do anything in rela- tion thereto.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) for the observance of Memorial Day, and that the Moderator appoint a Committee who shall arrange and have charge of such observance, or do anything in relation thereto.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize a committee composed of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Treasurer, and the Tax Collector to sell on any terms which the committee may deem for the best interest of the Town any and all property taken by foreclosure proceedings or otherwise, and the Selectmen further be authorized to execute any and all documents necessary to carry out the purposes of this vote, or do anything in relation thereto.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1500.00) for the purpose of repairing and reconstructing Federal Street Bridge, or do anything in relation thereto. Request of Highway Deparment.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Ninety-Nine Hundred Dollars ($9900.00) for the purchase of two (2) trucks for the use of the Highway Department or do any- thing in relation thereto. Request of Highway Department.
147
Article 12. To see if the Town will authorize the replacement of a gravel loader for the Highway Department and transfer any sum therefor to be paid from the Highway Road Machinery Fund, or do anything in relation thereto. Request of Highway Department.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate any sum or sums to pay bills incurred by any departments of the Town in previous years and not presented for payment within the year in which the same were incurred, or do anything in relation thereto.
Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to accept Sections 42-A to 42-F inclusive of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, or do anything in relation thereto. Request of Water Commissioners.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Six Hundred Fifty Dollars ($650.00) or any amount for the purchase of a new automobile and equipment thereof for the Police Department and/or authorize the sale or turnin of the present police car as credit toward such purchase, or do anything in relation thereto. Request of Chief of Police Department.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or some other amount. The money to be expended under the direction of the 4-H Town Com- mittee, serving in co-operation with the Middlesex County Trustees for county aid to Agriculture in the work of the Middlesex County Extension Service under the provisions of Section 40 to 45, Chapter 129, General Laws of Massachusetts. On petition of Frank W. Haynes and others.
Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Public Welfare to appoint one of its members as agent for the Board and fix the salary of such agent in accordance with the provisions of Section 4-A of Chapter 41 of the General Laws. Request of Finance Committee.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate any amount for the purpose of civilian defense, and for the protection of the people and property in the town, as set forth in and authorized by Chapter 487 of the Acts of 1941, or do anything in relation thereto. Request of Defense Committee.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to accept such recom- mendations from the report of the Bingham Survey Associates as are approved by the Finance Committee. Request of Finance Committee.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to fix the salaries or rate of pay of members of the Town's regular or permanent police force, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Gerald A. Fagan and others.
148
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2500.00) to be added to the general appropriation of the Police Department to meet the increase in pay, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Gerald A. Fagan and others.
Article 22. To see if the Town in accordance with the authority granted by Section 56 of Chapter 48 of the General Laws will vote to adopt an additional by-law reading as follows:
"All members of the Town's regular or permanent fire department shall be excused from duty for one day out of every five days, without loss of pay," or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Winfred W. Rice and others.
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or any amount for public band concerts or for music furnished for public celebrations and deter- mine how any such appropriation shall be expended, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Charles F. Cavanaugh and others.
Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or any amount for the purpose of repairing Lake Street or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of William P. Curtin and others.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Sixty-Five Hundred Dollars ($6,500.00) for the purpose of extending the water main from its present terminus on Woburn Street, northeasterly along Woburn Street to the junction of Woburn and West Streets, southerly along West Street to or near the junction of Grove and West Streets, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Lawrence M. Foley and others.
Article 26. To see if the Town of Wilmington will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Ten Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($10,400.00) for extension of water main on Aldrich Road in said town, westerly from present end of said main to approximately 3400 feet to a point at or near the former Stokes Estate, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Louis L. Kleynen, Austin C. Woodside and others. (Two petitions).
Article 27. To see if the Town of Wilmington will vote to raise the sum of Six Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($6600.00) and appro- priate same for the extension of water main on Aldrich Road from end of present main, westerly on Aldrich Road to a point at or near the
149
corner of Forest Street, or approximately 2100 feet, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Louis L. Kleynen and others.
Article 28. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of Twelve Thousand Two Hundred Dollars ($12,200.00) for the purpose of extending the water main from its present terminus near the resi- dence of Mr. Sullivan, westerly along Salem Street to a point at or near the Tewksbury-Wilmington Town Line, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Harry Solow, Jr., and others.
Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the installation of water on Harris Street, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Michael Nee and others.
Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($7400.00) for the purpose of extending the water main westerly along Shawsheen Avenue from its present terminus, or do anything in relation thereto. On peti- tion of Ernest Crispo and others.
Article 31. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for the purpose of ex- tending the water main northerly along Boutwell Street from its present terminus near the residence of Mr. John Hadley to Taft Road, thence westerly along Taft Road to a point near the residence of Mr. Lyman, or do anything in relation thereto. On petition of Percy F. Newhouse and others.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant, or a certified copy thereof, with your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, as soon as may be and before said meeting.
Given under our hands and Seal of said Town this Ninth Day of February, A. D., One Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty-Two.
CHARLES H. BLACK, Chairman FRANK W. DAYTON, Selectmen of Wilmington.
150
Annual Report
OF THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
OF
WILMINGTON, MASS.
GTO
1730-
WHITEFIELD ELM
TED
TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,
1941
REPORT OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Mr. August McLeod, Chairman
North Wilmington 1941-1944
Mrs. Vilma Bedell, Secretary
Wilmington
1941-1944
Mr. Burt Tilley
Wilmington 1940-1943
Mr. Adam Galka
Wilmington
1940-1943
Mr. John W. Hathaway
North Wilmington
1939-1942
Mr. Joseph L. Ring
North Wilmington
1939-1942
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Mr. Stephen G. Bean Wilmington, Tel. 343 or 542
SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
Dr. Ernest C. MacDougall
Wilmington, Tel. 432
SCHOOL NURSE
Mrs. Esther Nichols
Wilmington, Tel. 744
ATTENDANCE OFFICER
Mr. Ernest Cail
Wilmington, Tel. 571
153
SCHOOL CALENDAR 1942
January 5 to February 28
Winter Vacation March 9 to May 2
Spring Vacation
May 11 to June 26
Summer Vacation
September 9 to December 19
Christmas Vacation
Winter term commences December 28
HOLIDAYS
January 1 February 22
May 30
October 12
Good Friday
April 19
November 11 November 26-27
154
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of the Town of Wilmington:
During the chaotic world wide conditions confronting us now and in the future, the importance of the education of our children should be stressed. There has certainly never been a time in the history of our country when the proper mental and physical development of our children has been of greater importance.
In order to attain these ends, it is essential that every effort be made to provide well qualified instructors and a reasonably up-to-date school curriculum, at the same time maintaining and improving upon our physical properties in the form of school buildings and equip- ment.
WILMINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE, AUGUST G. MacLEOD, Chairman, VILMA B. BEDELL, Secretary, JOHN W. HATHAWAY, JOSEPH L. RING, ADAM GALKA, BURT TILLEY.
155
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the Wilmington School Committee,
Madam and Gentlemen:
The following is my eighteenth annual report as Superintendent of Schools of the Town of Wilmington. It is number forty-six in the series of these reports to the School Committee and to the citizens of the town.
The form and content of school reports is as varied as the com- munities for which they are prepared, or at least as different as the opinions of superintendents as to the purpose they serve. Many of them are extremely voluminous and bristling with tables of figures covering every phase of the school activities. Such a report is of questionable value to the average citizen and therefore serves no good purpose for those who pay for its publication. In these times of scarcity of paper it seems advisable to reduce this report to the smallest possible compass.
A NEW COURSE OF STUDY
For many years past the schools of this town have been operating, in the elementary grades, according to the general plan of the cele- brated Baltimore County Course of Study. This was a very compre- hensive and complete course created a number of years ago, and in its day was one of the best. As times have changed educationally, it has been found that a general course of study may not meet specific local conditions. The teachers in this superintendency union felt the need of a course of our own and voluntarily prepared the material which has been edited by a committee of teachers and is now in the hands of every teacher in the union.
The endeavor was made to have this course more of an outline than a hard and fast compilation which must be followed slavishly. There is sufficient elasticity to the arrangement to permit its adapta- tion to those slow groups which appear periodically. It is also so arranged that each teacher may write in notes and comments which within a year or two may be the basis of a revision of the course, thus keeping it up to date and keyed to our local situation. It should now be possible for a child to move from one of our schools to another and find himself at about the same point of progress in either school.
156
A further advantage accruing from this piece of work is that henceforth no pupil can give the excuse that he has never been taught some particular thing in a previous grade. Each teacher has the full course which shows what has been covered in each subject in each grade.
One of the greatest virtues of this course is that it is the result of the cooperation of all of the teachers. It is their course and not one which has been forced on them. It is practical and not the product of the theory of some superintendent who does not have to meet their daily problems. It has had the oversight and approval of this superin- tendent, and it was prepared at his request and under his supervision, but not under pressure.
THE TEACHING STAFF
This year has shown the greatest turnover in the teaching per- sonnel that I have witnessed in the years that I have spent in this town. Nearly one-fourth of all of the teachers now employed are new this fall. The reasons for these changes are the usual ones, matri- mony and better salaries. Four of the nine changes were caused by weddings and the other five were the result of our inability to meet higher bidders.
This matter of not being able to hold good teachers because of our lower salary schedule is likely to become more and more serious as the present world conditions continue. It is a repetition of our experiences during and after World War I. In that period one small town with which I was connected had to double the salaries of some of its best teachers, and of some who were not best. To be sure the salaries at that time had been very low so that the 100% increase just about reached the level of salaries we now pay. This does not change the fact however, that the law of demand and supply and the increase in taxation and cost of living are bound to force salaries upward. In fact, numerous towns in this state have already given substantial increases to all of their teachers.
Tlie teachers in Wilmington have already given this matter serious consideration and have voted to leave the matter to the judgment of the school committee for adjustment. They made no demand for a fixed increase but favored, for the present, some equalization upward of sal- aries in the lower brackets which do not measure up to the wages of the average mechanic.
Teachers are but human, and when they see some of their former pupils, who could not, or would not, succeed in their school work, receiving a weekly wage fifty or more percent greater than their own.
157
it is small wonder that they get ideas. We may say that it is the workings of the law of demand and supply, but that does not help them to pay their increased income taxes.
The changes in the high school staff were Mr. Baldwin Steward, succeeded by Mr. Paul Moylan; Miss Edna Thornton succeeded by Miss Priscilla Belcher; Miss Christine Carter succeeded by Mr. Hart- well Blanchard. Misses Thornton and Carter were both married during the summer vacation.
In the elementary schools Miss Chaput and Miss Korokoff resigned to be married. Mr. Samuel Frolio secured a position in New Hampshire, Miss Desire Goldsmith was lured from us by the town of Groton, Miss Grace Boehner secured a better paying position in Andover.
Replacing these teachers, in order, were Miss Mary Coologhan for Miss Chaput in the Buzzell School, Miss Catherine Cryan for Miss Kor- obkoff and Miss Margaret McLay for Miss Boehner in the Center School, Miss Doris Wright for Mr. Frolio in the Buzzell School, and Miss Mary Cardinal for Miss Goldsmith in the Walker School.
During the summer we also had the misfortune of losing a very excellent Music Supervisor, Miss Angelina Carabello. She was taken from us by the schools of Branford, Connecticut. The place was filled by Miss Harriet Donehue, who has been for several years a most suc- cessful teacher in the Walker School. Miss Donehue was trained for this type of work at Lowell Teachers College. Miss Donehue was suc- ceeded in Walker School by Miss Margaret Doucette.
During the period of preparation of this report two more resigna- tions have been received. Miss Carol Brink has resigned and is to be married within a month. Miss Doucette of the Walker School staff has been offered a better position in the schools of North Reading.
This is further confirmation of statements made earlier in this report, and is strengthened by a recent statement of a visiting sales- man who has an unusually wide knowledge of conditions, that in one town he knows of ten vacancies in the staff which have to be filled immediately.
PLANT IMPROVEMENTS
Although no large amount of money was available, a noticeable change has been made in the physical surroundings in several of the buildings. This has been chiefly in the nature of cleaning, painting, and moderate improvements in sanitary conditions.
In the high school the corridor and stair wells have been cleaned and painted, one or more ceilings have been refinished and the toilet rooms cleaned up and repainted.
158
The walls of the classrooms of the Buzzell School have been re- decorated with a washable finish and ceilings whitened where the weather stains were worst.
The entrances to the Center School have been cleaned and painted, and the floors and railings of the verandahs repaired. Small repairs of a similar nature were made at the Whitefield School.
This type of work should be continued during the coming year. There is plenty of room for improvement. In the Center School alone, a good sum could be used in order to make it liveable. Not only cleaning and painting is needed, but there should be a great deal of work done in resurfacing and refinishing desk tops and similar work on all of the slate blackboards. There should also be attention given to more adequate lighting, especially in the north rooms.
In the high school the window shades are in very unsatisfactory conditions and should be replaced. The type of fabric in the shades placed there three years ago should be avoided. It is wholly unsuited to use under school conditions. The only economical school shade fabric is the duck type which has no loading with filler. This does not fray, crack or pinhole.
It seems a pity that there is not some way to provide more decent sanitaries in the high school. It might almost be worth while to build an addition to the building just to get the toilets above the basement. The present setup is poorly lighted, poorly ventilated, and has plumb- ing of the vintage of 1914.
The coat rooms which are almost a part of the toilet rooms are just as inadequate. They are too small, too inaccessible and too dark. Their location also condemns them particularly in these times when outdoor clothing should be easy to reach in case of forced and hurried evacuation in cold weather. It can be imagined how much this con- dition slows up our air raid drills in which each pupil is supposed to get his outdoor clothing.
Lighting is also a problem in at least two of the classrooms. These rooms are the result of the division of the auditorium into three separate rooms. The space when used for auditorium purposes was not provided with lighting adequate for study rooms. Little, if any, change has ever been made in the original circuits and fixtures. Such conditions have a distinct bearing on discipline in the classes as well as being detrimental to the health of the pupils. Eyestrain can produce serious nervous upsets and a general sense of irritation.
The treads on the stairways of this building are likely to become a menace. They are absolutely dangerous in some places and need immediate attention. A satisfactory method of doing this work has been found. The great hindrance is the cost.
159
FINANCING
From much that has gone before it is evident that this next fiscal year will see a call for a substantially increased appropriation. It is easy to produce numerous tabulations to show that such an increase is justified and, on paper, possible. Data can be gathered to show that this town is spending a great deal less than it should for its schools. Such tabulations have proved unpopular and controversial in the past. They also take up a lot of space and therefore add to the printer's bill; hence they have been omitted. Suffice it to say that the last state report shows that our per pupil average was 50% below that of the average of the 169 towns in our class group, and 67% below the average of the 351 communities in the state. Our cost was $60.91 as compared to $91.84 for the group and $103.85 for the state average. To state it another way: if Wilmington were to pay as much per pupil as the average paid by towns under 5000 in population which support a high school, last year's budget would have been $114,279.68 instead of $74,000.
GUIDANCE AND PLACEMENT
The work being done by Mr. Harvey and Mrs. Alexander in pre- paring and placing our graduates is worthy of mention. This is a very practical side of our school work and one most appreciated by many parents because it is some concrete evidence of the preparation given by the school. Both of these teachers have been conducting their separate employment bureaus and have given a great amount of time to the work for which they receive no compensation.
Under this heading I am appending a report made to me by Mr. Harvey. It is highly significant and interesting.
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