USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wilmington > Town of Wilmington Annual Report 1960-1961 > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
Health Visits:
A total of 178 visits were made in the interest of child and adult health. These visits include prenatal, postnatal, premature, communicable disease, infant, child and adult health. It is the aim of this service to provide needed care and instruction for all members of the family, in whatever environments they may be, and to acquaint them with resources and facilities whereby they may formulate plans to safe - guard their own physical, emotional and social well-being.
Day Care Centers - Nursing Homes:
The licensing of Day Care Centers is the responsibility of the Board of Health. Nursing Homes are licensed by the State Department of Public Health but must have an application of approval from the local Board of Health before a license can be granted. New State laws make it necessary for the Building Inspector and Fire Inspector also to issue certificates of approval annually before licenses can be granted to Day Care Centers.
Total number of inspections 5
Tuberculosis Report for 1961:
Total number of active cases on Register , 12/31/61 10
Total number of active cases hospitalized, 12/31/61 2
New cases reported in 1961 1
Deaths reported 1
Number of diagnosed cases visited 14
Total number of visits made to diagnosed cases 37
Total no. of visits (contacts, cases, suspects) 103
No. of visits to North Reading State Sanatorium 7
No. of visits to Middlesex County Sanatorium 13
56
--
Wilmington, Mass.
In the spring of 1961 a tuberculin testing program was again conducted in the school system. Certain grades have been tested each year as part of a case-finding program. The Public Health Nurse assisted the school nurses in this program, and examination of reactors to the test and follow-up of con- tacts were under the supervision of the Public Health Nurse.
In May of 1961 the North Reading State Sanatorium closed its doors, thus making it impossible for x-ray and follow-up at this hospital. All cases have been transferred to the Middlesex County Sana - torium in Waltham, and any person wishing to have an x-ray for detection of, or follow-up of tuberculosis must now go to the Middle sex County Sanatorium.
In relation to the control of tuberculosis, an x-ray program for foodhandlers was established in 1960. This program is still being carried out, and all food handlers are required to have periodic x-rays.
C. Environmental Sanitation:
Environmental sanitation is the control and/or improvement of man's surroundings to better promote his physical well-being, comfort, and enjoyment of those surroundings. There are by necessity many aspects to environmental sanitation, but those functions generally practiced by this Board concern themselves with water, milk, sewage, refuse disposal, housing and recreational area sanitation.
I. Water Sanitation:
a. Private Wells:
Number of wells inspected 46
Found satisfactory 30
Found to be contaminated or with high mineral content 16
With the ever -increasing development of the Town and with the ensuing discharge of domestic and industrial wastes into the ground water, the possibility of contamination of private water supplies becomes more and more possible. It is therefore urged that townspeople have at least a yearly analysis of their wells. The Board of Health is equipped to perform this ser - vice at no cost or obligation.
b. Municipal System:
Periodic examination of the Town water supply is made by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. In 1961 the fluoridation program remained in effect, and daily analyses were performed to determine the concentration of sodium fluoride.
Total number of fluoride tests 360
II. Milk Sanitation:
Licensed Dairies 18
Pasteurization Plant Inspected 12
Samples of Milk & Cream Analyzed 210
III. Food Sanitation:
A total of 73 inspections were made on the following food establishments:
Restaurants 25
Industrial Cafeterias
2
Soda Fountains
10
Mobile Canteens 2
Luncheonettes 7
Bakeries 5
Submarine Sandwich Shops 2 Grocery & Variety Stores 12
School Cafeterias
4 Ice Cream Mfg. Establish. 4
57
IV. Sewage Disposal Sanitation:
Total sewerage permits issued
143
New Dwellings 108
Older Dwellings (includes new systems, replace - ments and renewals) 27
Commercial 3
Industrial 3
Schools (1 replacement, 1 new) 2
Lots on which restrictions were removed 1
In addition to the above, some lots were found unsuitable for the sanitary disposal of sewage. Should building be permitted on these lots, a nuisance could eventually be created that would be detrimental to the neighborhood.
The Health Department has been informed that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is no longer approving the discharge of waste from commercial laundromats into the subsoil. Therefore the Health Department shall not issue permits to laundromats unless discharge of the effluent is made through a municipal sewage system.
V. Refuse Disposal:
Garbage collections and rubbish disposal (through the operation of the Town Dump) are adminis. tered by contract through the Board of Health. These public works functions account for over sixty per cent of the total Board of Health budget. Inquiries concerning these services should be made to this office.
VI. Recreational Area Sanitation:
Sanitation at any public or private recreational area is regulated by the Board of Health. Wate supplies must be safe, sewage disposal must be sanitary, and bathing waters must not be so contaminated as to be injurious to swimmers. There are three recreational areas in town:
Silver Lake Public
Camp Forty Acres Boy and Girl Scout Camp
Mill Brook Camp Commercial and semi-private
Inspections were made at both camps prior to licensing by the Board of Health. Analyses of the water supplies showed that they were safe for drinking purposes.
VII. Housing Sanitation:
In connection with the housing code, a number of dwellings were repaired, remodeled or torn down after inspections. Special counsel for the Board of Health arranged hearings at District Court regarding various dwellings condemned as unfit by the Board of Health. Several cases involving eviction from these dwellings are planned in Superior Court in 1962. In 1960, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health promulgated further regulations regarding sub- standard dwellings. Since these regulations are more strict for the most part than the Wil - mington Housing Code, it shall be necessary to enforce these new standards.
VIII. Miscellaneous Inspections:
15
Town Dump
Recreational Camps 4
School Inspections 1
Piggeries 18
Stables 24
58
D. Permits and Licenses:
Three hundred and seven (307) permits and/or licenses were granted by the Board of Health after inspection and approval:
Refuse transportation permits
38
Wholesale manufacture of Ice Cream
1
Retail manufacture of Ice Cream
1
Milk Dairy Licenses
18
Milk Store Licenses
30
Oleomargarine Licenses
10
Sewerage Installation Permits
143
Piggeries
11
Funeral Directing
3
Stable Licenses
2
Food Permits
41
Dumps
2
Camps
2
Salvage
1
Kindergarten
4
E. Laboratory:
The Health Officer this year performed a total of 885 bacteriological and chemical analyses of water, dairy products and sterility tests on restaurant utensils. A summary of these analyses and comparison with 1960 follows:
% Satisfactory
No.
Satisfactory
1960
1961
Milk and Cream samples
324
220
86. 6
67. 9
Private Wells
134
94
76. 5
70. 1
Town Water (fluoride)
360
218
51.0
60. 5
Recreational Camp Wells
12
12
100.0
100.0
Restaurant Utensils
35
26
77. 7
74.2
Schools: 1/2 pt. school milk
12
10
100.0
83. 3
Cafeteria utensils
9
8
83. 3
88.8
In conclusion, the Board of Health and its personnel wish to express their gratitude to the many individuals of the Town for their aid and cooperation. The Board of Health is especially indebted to those ladies who so ably assisted at the immunization and polio clinics.
Wilmington, Mass.
59
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
All regular routine work, before my general highway program begins, was accomplished. Under my supervision, all hot top laid in the Cemetery, Police Station, and Adams Street was finished before Memorial Day. Also, I supervised the laying of hot top at the Swain and Center Schools, plus hauling and spreading loam at both schools. The raking and seeding was done by the Cemetery Department.
In conjunction with my regular highway program, the following projects were completed: - Powder House Circle drainage at a cost of $1, 494. 00, Carolyn Road at a cost of about $14, 900. 00, and Pineridge Road at a cost of about $12, 000. 00.
Boutwell Street - 1250 feet long and 30 feet wide. .... all trees, stumps, subsoil, ledge and boulders excavated ..... one new 30-inch culvert installed ..... one 12-inch culvert extended 28 feet. .... 2 catch basins and 40 feet of 12-inch pipe installed .. . one concrete retaining wall 160 feet long poured. street graveled, graded, and surfaced with hot top .... . asphalt curbing laid on both sides, plus a 5-foot hot top sidewalk ..... total cost for labor and material $17, 998. 00. About 400 feet of guard rail should be installed on the back of the sidewalk for the protection of the school children.
Lower end of Baker Street excavated and graveled. .... end of Pershing Street to railroad track excavated and graveled ..... end of Columbia Street excavated, graveled and surfaced ..... end of Dunton Road excavated and surfaced to eliminate a bad water condition that existed for a very long time. .... one catch basin and 200 feet of pipe installed on Grove Avenue to eliminate a bad water condition ..... one 24- inch culvert installed on Hopkins Street to eliminate a bad water condition.
Chapter 90 Maintenance:
Money expended on Lowell Street to lay hot top from West Street to Perry's Corner and from Parker Street to Route 38, at a cost of $4, 499. 00.
Chapter 90 Construction: 1960 Contract
Concord and Federal Streets from railroad tracks to Federal Hill. .... all trees, stumps, ledge, boulders, subsoil and peat excavated ..... 1400 feet of pipe and 10 catch basins installed ..... one large culvert installed. .... 800 feet of guard rail installed ..... street graveled, graded and surface-treated with tar ..... total cost for labor and material about $24, 000. 00.
Chapter 90 Construction: 1961 Contract
Concord, Federal, Church and Salem Streets ..... all catch basin and manhole frames raised to grade for hot top. Concord Street from Woburn Street surfaced with hot top to Federal Street, continuing along Federal Street to Federal Hill. Six hundred and fifty (650) feet of asphalt curb laid to control the flow of surface water down Federal Hill ..... curbing backfilled with loam ..... Church Street from Route 38 to Beacon Street, Salem Street from Thrush Road for a distance of five hundred feet. .... total expenditures for labor and material for the three streets -- $21,879. 00. The balance carried over to 1962 to complete surfacing the rotary at the junction of Middlesex Avenue and Salem Street.
Chapter 81:
(In conjunction with Town money for labor, material and equipment). Cleaning all catch basins, culverts, and some ditches - $1, 150. .... cleaning gutters, sweeping streets and hauling away dirt - $935 ... stump removal (hired stump saw) - $968. .... patching - $800 ..... pipe, catch basins, bricks and cement - $605. .... brush and weed killer - $435. .... granite curb and corners - $7, 225.
60
Chapter 81 (continued):
No. Feet
Cost
No. Feet
Cost
Surface treated, sealed and mixed in place:
Glen Road
4900
$4,585
West Street
3000
$1,048
Swain Road
2800
1,020
Woburn Street
8500
7,213
Surface treated, sealed:
Andover Street (and hot top)
5350
3,380
Lawrence St. ( patch shoulders)
3500
1,085
Ballardvale Street
8300
1,230
McDonald Road
3000
510
Birchwood Road
1500
764
Middlesex Avenue
3500
1.551
Chestnut Street
3800
1,890
Miller Road
900
195
Cochrane Road
1000
480
Nassau Avenue
1800
326
Dobson Street
1500
680
Oakdale Road
2800
964
Eames Street
3800
1,196
Pinewood Road
1500
678
Fairfield Road
400
185
Roosevelt Road
1300
465
Forest Street
2200
770
Shady Lane Drive
3000
920
Highland Street
1200
280
Taft Road
2200
525
Jones Avenue
900
195
Washington Avenue
1800
395
Judith Road
500
265
Williams Avenue
900
195
Surface treated mix in place:
Burlington Avenue
600
810
Linda Road
1800
935
Cedar Avenue
650
563
Lockwood Road
1000
1,035
Forrest Ave.
600
480
Nichols Street
3900
5,523
Glendale Circle
1000
865
School Street
550
625
Glenview Road (and curb)
500
1,001
Shawsheen Road
1250
950
Drainage:
Lowell Street
360
North Street (culverts)
450
Coolidge Road (clean ditch)
85
Salem Street
295
Grove Avenue
460
Shawsheen Avenue
325
Miscellaneous:
Ainsworth Road
Gravel, patch, and scrape
125
Adams Street
Hot topped - 475 ft.
2,034
Baker Street
Short section, excavate and gravel
265
Church Street
Cut and clean gutter and shoulders
350
Columbia Street
Construction and surfaced - 175 ft.
625
Concord Street
Clean and level off pit
600
Concord Street
Reset fence post, curb, and backfill
285
Chestnut Street
Hot patched - 150 ft.
284
Dunton Road
Construction and surfaced - 150 ft.
475
Garden Court
Graveled, graded and surfaced - 750 ft.
2,715
Lloyd Road
Short section, excavate, and gravel
250
Marcus Road
New construction - 650 ft. , surface treated
3. 595
Middlesex Avenue
Surface treated, hot top - 180 ft., sidewalk - 450 ft. gravel
1,290
Pershing Street
Cut trees, remove stumps, brush, excavate and backfill
685
Suncrest Avenue
Curb and hot patched
385
Thrush Road
Hot patch - 125 ft.
60
Wilmington, Mass.
with gravel - 200 ft.
61
Miscellaneous:
Cutting trees with the Tree Department - $2, 200. .... Police Station: graveling and grading for hot top - $500. .... Cemetery: graveling and rolling for hot top - $500. .... Schools: Swain and Center Schools - graveling, grading and rolling for hot top. Hauling and spreading loam for the same two schools $580 ..... High School: labor and material to dig trench to uncover steam pipes and backfill with sand and patch - $150. .... Street signs and posts - $400. .... Silver Lake Beach - labor $100. . .
--
At this writing all my equipment is in good condition except the front-end loader which has seen plenty of service. Repairs on it have been below normal, but it is a case of just being worn out. I could spend a lot of money on it, but its trade-in value would not offset the cost. It should be replaced in 1962 with a new one of the same model as used by the Water Department. The Water Department has helped me a great deal this winter with theirs.
Rather than spend $1, 200. 00 to repair the front-end of one of the Snow Fighters, after a short discussion with the Town Manager, it was decided to purchase a good used chassis, with a good engine, front-end, and power steering for $1, 400. 00. All the work involved in transferring the body, cab, tires, etc. plus sand blasting and painting was done in our garage by my mechanics. When finished, it looked like a new truck.
The two mechanics are doing a very good job in maintaining all town-owned equipment at a very moderate cost.
The Cemetery Department has been most cooperative in plowing snow and like the Tree Depart- ment, they have been a tremendous help for which I am grateful.
In conclusion, I am taking this opportunity to thank the various departments for their cooperation and help, big or small, and the Town Manager and Board of Selectmen for their faith and trust in the Highway Department.
-
New Highway Truck and Rebuilt Snow Fighter
62
SEACRAFT
New Addition to "Seacraft"
Wilmington, Mass.
New Addition to "Charles River Breeding Lab"
New Addition to "National Polychemicals"
63
WILMINGTON
Avco Research & Development New Buildings Under Construction
Webster Cement Company
Guild Plastics, Inc. (under construction)
64
WELCOMES
Waltham Door & Window Co.
Wilmington, Mass.
Ritter Trucking Co.
Insul-Tab Co. Inc.
65
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Left to right: Arthur Lynch, Robert Hastings, George Robertie, Ernest Crispo, Harold Shea, John Hartnett, and Edward Page
To the Citizens of Wilmington:
The School Committee of the Town of Wilmington herewith presents its report for the year 1961. The membership of the Committee was as follows:
Mr. Ernest M. Crispo, Chairman Mr. George G. Robertie, Vice Chairman Mr. Robert F. Hastings, Secretary Mr. John F. Hartnett Mr. Arthur V. Lynch Mr. Edward F. Page
One of the most important actions taken in 1961 was to place all supervising principals on an eleven month work schedule. This is the key move in a plan to reorganize the administrative and supervisory functions of the School Department to meet the needs of a rapidly growing school system. This step was taken instead of employing an assistant superintendent of schools. By reorganizing along this line, the Committee feels the following objectives will be realized:
1. Maximum help will be provided where there is maximum need, namely, at the individual school level rather than at the central office level. This plan will insure year-round leadership, under the direction of the superintendent, in: continuing curriculum development, imaginative teacher recruitment, sound teacher placement, vigorous in-service training, and alert community relations.
2. It will cost the town less money.
66
wilmington, Mass.
As a result of the above action, the following forward looking programs are in operation in the Wilmington Public Schools:
1. Ability groupings in junior and senior high school programs
2. Accelerated classes in English, mathematics, and reading
3. Special programs for slow learning pupile
4. A developmental reading program that will extend through grade 12
5. An improved and improving music program
6. The inclusion in the school calendar of an Orientation Day program for all new teachers to be held prior to the opening of schools in September
7. An expanded summer school program at both the elementary and secondary school levels
8. Expansion of guidance and counseling services to serve all students in grades 7 - 12
These and other accomplishments will be covered in detail in the report of the Superintendent.
During the year, the Committee elected eight teachers to tenure, appointed 29 teachers to fill staff vacancies, and one staff member was granted a leave of absence. The number of teachers in the system continues to increase in response to the needs of a growing school population. In September of 1960. the number of teachers and principals was 138. At the start of the school year 1961, the number had grown to 150, and we estimate that 161 will be required for the opening of school in the fall of 1962. Recognizing the need to attract and hold a competent professional staff, the Committee revised the salary schedule at the maximum levels and liberalized the sick leave policy.
Schools were in session 180 days beginning September 7, 1960 and ending June 21, 1961.
The Committee held 14 regular meetings and 7 special meetings during the year.
The School Committee thanks the various civic committees, town departments, and the many individuals who have been so cooperative and helpful to the School Department during the past year.
Meeting of The National Honor Society
67
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
-
Harold S. Shea, Superintendent
To the School Committee and Citizens of Wilmington:
I herewith submit my second Annual Report as Superintendent of the Wilmington Public Schools for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1961.
A steadily increasing pupil enrollment and an increasing emphasis on higher educational stan- dards at all grade levels have had their influence on our staff, our curriculum, and our building needs. Major accomplishments in each of these areas at the elementary and secondary levels during 1961 are noted in the pages that follow.
The Elementary School Program
The adoption of the language text, "Language for Daily Use", which was introduced in 1960, was completed this year. During the winter and spring, spelling texts, submitted by the different publishers, were evaluated. In September, "Spelling Goals", published by Webster Publishing Company, was adopted for grades two and three, and "Spelling for Word Mastery", published by Charles E. Merrill Books, Inc. was selected for grades four, five, and six.
In-service programs were held in arithmetic, spelling, and French. Miss Marion Gorham of Concord conducted a fifteen week course on arithmetic methodology and modern mathematics. Miss Goldie Wilson, consultant of Charles E. Merrill Books, Inc. demonstrated and discussed techniques which make spelling more meaningful and interesting to the pupil, and briefed the teachers on the latest research in spelling. Mrs. Mary Frances, from the Modern Language Project and the 21" Classroom, held a series of workshops to assist teachers in techniques of teaching French.
New programs produced by "The 21" Classroom" during the past year were a phonics program for use in grades one through three, and a science program for grades one and two. The In-school tele- vision programs are produced by the Massachusetts Executive Committee for School Television which is appointed by the State Board of Education. The project is supported and conducted by the participating communities in Eastern Massachusetts and broadcast over the facilities of WGBH-TV, Channel 2, during
68
wilmington, Mass.
regular school hours. Because of the part that these programs play in our schools today, children were given an opportunity to contribute to the rebuilding fund for WGBH-TV following the disastrous fire at their station. The response was excellent, and a total of $420 was presented to a representative of the station by the school children. of Wilmington.
Presently a committee of elementary teachers is preparing a curriculum guide in arithmetic to be ready for use in the fall of 1962. This culminates the work done on arithmetic during the last few years. It will provide the teachers with a current arithmetic guide and also serve as a reference work for the intro- duction of modern mathematical approaches in the future.
A further advance in the elementary curriculum will be made with the initiation of a third year program in Conversational French. This will be introduced at the sixth grade level and will be presented as a continuation of the televised program which we are currently using in grades four and five.
A comprehensive program in the phonetic method of teaching reading, beginning in grade one and extending through grade six, was launched with the opening of school in September of 1961. This method, which is in direct contrast to the sight or look say method of teaching reading, is part of a definite trend across the country toward earlier and stronger emphasis on phonics.
During the spring months, the principals visited many of the universities and colleges in the Greater Boston area, and the University of Massachusetts, to interview prospective teachers and explain to them the educational program and school organization in Wilmington. This is part of a long range pro- gram to upgrade our teacher recruitment and selection procedure.
A total of 355 students in grades 4 - 6 enrolled for study in reading and arithmetic with sub- stantial gains being registered at the end of the six weeks session. In grades 7-12, two hundred and twenty - five (225) students enrolled for study with particular emphasis being placed on mathematics, English, and reading.
During the coming year, the in-service activities will be directed toward a review of the science curriculum in grades one through six, and also the social studies program in grades four and five. One of the immediate results of this undertaking will be the publication of a formal science curriculum guide, which will be made available to all teachers as an additional step in further coordinating science instruction throughout the elementary grades.
The Secondary School Program
General Statement:
The major improvement during the past year was the increase in Guidance Personnel and the resultant services to the student, to the parent, and to the teacher. From one full-time person and two part time, there are now two full-time and three part-time personnel on duty.
In the curriculum area an elective system was instituted replacing the former established course program. Pupils are required to take four years of English, one year of United States History, one year of Problems of Democracy, and four years of Physical Education. The rest of the program is based on electives in other subject areas after conferences with the pupil and his guidance counselor. The net result has brought about a broader and richer program for the pupil. One further step in the curriculum area has been a stronger policy of ability grouping. This enables the pupil to progress at a rate commen- surate with his capabilities. This is another benefit derived from increased Guidance Services.
The following developments took place within the various subject areas:
English:
A revised course of study to meet the needs of pupils under ability grouping was initiated. An advanced group in senior English was established with enrichment in composition and literature. This
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.