USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1913-1923 > Part 22
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Palmer National Bank, discount on note, 169.11
Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust Co., note, 10,000.00
Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust Co., discount, 335.00
Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust Co., note,
3,000.00
Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust C., discount, note No. 5, 48.15
Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust Co., discount,
114.45
Dept. of Corporation, certifying notes,
8.00
Commission on Fish and Game,
140.80
County Treasurer, dogs,
162.60
County Treasurer, hospital
228.59
Institution for Savings, cemetery Trust Fund,
300.00
Assessors' Abatement, 1918,
18.58
Assessors' Abatement, 1919,
40.86
Assessors' Abatement, 1920,
44.23
Selectmen's Orders,
57,475.89
School Orders, 1919,
11.60
Bill overpaid,
23.67
Balance,
8,946.98
$98,656.03
IV. H. McGUIRE, Jr., Treasurer.
1
Auditors' Report.
This is to certify that I have examined the books of the Treasurer and Assessors of the Town of Wilbraham, and find there is cash on hand as follows: Springfield Safe Deposit & Trust Co. 8,946.98
There are outstanding the following amounts :
Taxes 1920 list, $3,716.47
Summary of Above.
1918 taxes due January 1, 1920
$ 19.12
1919 taxes due January 1, 1920, 2,648.24
$2,667.36
Interest collected on above,
78.30
Less Abatements, 59.43
$2,681.73
Received,
2,681.73
Assessors' 1920 list,
Interest collected,
$40,059.68 21.27
$40,080.95
Less Abatements,
44.23
$40,036.72
Received,
36,320.25
Outstanding,
· $3,716.47
J. M. PERRY, Town Auditor.
$2,741.16
Trust Funds.
The sum of Forty Dollars is deposited in the Spring- field Institution For Savings in the City of Springfield. Book No. 158,811.
CHLOE BLISS STEBBINS FUND- -
Established 1892.
This is a contribution of Three Hundred Dollars, made by Solomon Bliss Stebbins of Boston, from money given to him by Chloe Bliss Stebbins of Wilbraham, said sum to be held by the Town as a memorial of her regard for its asso- ciation with her long life dwelt therein, and in which she died Feb. 27, 1897. The income of the fund is to be paid annually, one-third to the Overseers of the Poor for the re- . lief of the poor of the Town; one-third to the managers of the Town Library to aid in its support; and one-third to secure perpetual good care of the graves in the Town burial ground of Eben and Elizabeth Bliss Stebbins, and their chil- dren, buried in the same range.
Deposited in the Springfield Institution For
Savings, Book No. 136,333 :
Library, $100.00
Charities, 100.00
Cemetery, 100.00
THE FRANK A. FULLER CEMETERY LOT FUND
Established 1920.
Deposited in the Springfield Institution for Savings,
Book No. 282,730. $100.00
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THE CHARLES F. FULLER CEMETERY LOT FUND Established 1920.
Deposited in the Springfield Institution for Savings, Book No. 282,130. $100.00
THE MARSHALL A. LANE CEMETERY LOT FUND Deposited in the Springfield Institution for Savings, 1
THE HIRAM DANKS CEMETERY LOT FUND Established 1903
Deposited in the Springfield Institution For Sav- ings, Book No. 166,502.
Amount,
$100.00
Interest,
21.28
Total, $126.23
THE IRA G. POTTER CEMETERY LOT FUND
Established 1910
Deposited in the Springfield Institution For Sav-
ings, Book No, 234,595.
Amount,
$100.00
Interest,
20.62
Total, $120.62
THE EDWARD H. BREWER CEMETERY LOT FUND-Established 1913 .
Deposited in the Springfield Institution For Sar- ings, Book No. 234,595.
Amount,
$200.00
Interest,
26.87
Total, $226.87
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THE LAURA BRUUER CEMETERY FUND Established 1919
For the care and adornment of the Adams cemetery.
Deposited in the Springfield Institution For Sav-
ings,.
Amount,
Book No. 282,730.
$1,000.00 $100.00
Report of Trustees of the Free Public Library.
Number of volumes in Library January 1, 1920,
3413
Number of volumes added by purchase, (Adult 66. Juvenile 42), Number of volumes donated,
108
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3620
Number of volumes lost and discarded
~9
Number of volumes in Library, Jan. 1, 1921
3541
Circulation.
Borrowers.
North Wilbraham,
5384
281
Wilbraham,
160
40
Glendale,
244
22
Stony Hill,
346
14
6134
357
Receipts.
Rent of Town Offices,
$144.00
Appropriation by the Town,
500.00
Interest Henry Cutler Legacy,
204.10
Fines and cards sold,
3.92
Books sold,
28.20
$880.22
Balance on hand January 1, 1920,
32.47
$912.69
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Expenditures
H. R. Huntting Co., books, $182.64
H. R. Johnson, books,
3.51
Library Book House, books,
30.95
L. B. Chase, book, 2.25
A. H. Bartlett, magazines,
12.88
A. H. Bartlett, stationery,
4.15
Wilbraham Academy, coal,
55.39
J. W. Baldwin, carting above coal,
10.00
Cutler Co., coal, 309.15
J. W. Baldwin, coal,
17.50
Morrissey Bros., repairs to roof,
18.93
F. T. Ley Co., repairs to roof, 45.44
Chas. S. Stacy, repairs, 29.20
C. W. Vinton, papering,
7.75
Mrs. Jennie T. Abbott, wall paper,
4.90
H. W. Cutler, wall paper,
1.10
Cutler Co., repairs,
3.88
George E. Burke, repairs,
4.00
F. A. Bodurtha, repairs,
.25
State boiler inspection,
2.00
Cutler Co., water rental,
16.00
Cutler Co., fertilizer,
7.00
John Ventura, care of yard,
55.50
James Jaffrey, care of heater,
65.00
Central Mass. Electric Co., lighting,
22.00
$911.37
Balance on hand Dec, 31, 1920,
1.32
$912.69
Besides the foregoing, the Librarian has received from fines and cards during the year $24.58, which added to the amount on hand at the beginning of the year, 23 cents, makes a total of $?4.81, which is accounted for as follows :
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Magazine subscriptions,
$ 8.15
Wood for fireplace, Cleaning Library, Supplies and postage, Paid into general Library treasury,
2.50
3.75
5.79
3.92
24.11
Balance on hand Jan. 1, 1921,
.10
$24.81
Henry Cutler Legacy
$500 in Springfield Five Cents Savings Bank,
Book No. 55481
$500 in Springfield Institution for Savings,
Book No. 145815
Abner Bell Fund
$40 in Springfield Institution for Savings, Book No.158877
Morton L. Day Fund
$500 deposited in Hampden Savings Bank, Springfield, Book No. 59155.
Of the income from this fund $21 has been expended for sending a copy of the Christian Herald to the Public Li- brary and to each public school in town in accordance with provision under which fund was given.
The Trustees gratefully acknowledge gifts of books, · etc., from various sources.
Respectfully submitted,
A. L. DAMON, H. W. CUTLER, F. A. GURNEY,
Trustees.
Memorial Committee's Report
Your committee would report that during the past year they have acquired for the Town, the piece of land lying between the Boston Road, Bay Road and Wilbraham Road and the same has been graded, a boulder placed on the park and a sidewalk built.
It was impossible to proceed further than this owing to the fact that labor could not be secured in time to com- plete the improvements on the land until cold weather had set in. It will be necessary in the Spring to seed the land and set out trees and shrubbery.
The committee are working on the names to be placed on the tablet and it is expected that this work will be com- pleted and the tablet ordered before the time set for the town meeting. Your committee do not feel like acting too hastily in the matter of completing the work, as we wish it done thoroughly and in a satisfactory manner.
Respectfully sumbitted, EVANORE O. BEEBE, RACHEL M. CUTLER, MARY R. GREEN, F. A. GURNEY,
JAS. M. PEASE, I
J. M. PERRY, ESTELLE P. WHITE,
Committee.
Hampden County Improvement League Report, 1920
To the Voters of Wilbraham :-
By vote of the town meeting, Wilbraham appropriated for 1920, $150 to the Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture, a public body of nine trustees appointed by the county com- missioners to have legal jurisdiction over the "extension work" of the Hampden County Improvement League in "agriculture, home-making, and country life."
What has the League done for Wilbraham ?
Three clothing groups totaling 29 members received 9 half days of instruction from the League Clothing Spec- ialist, Miss Alice B. Knowlton, and held many other meet- ings independently. These women studied not only how to make clothes, but the important relationship between good health, good posture, and the making and wearing of attractive garments. They modeled their garments on lines that emphasize health, attractiveness, common-sense, and economy. Now they are engaged in passing on the lessons to the women who were unable to go to the group gath- erings.
A millinery group, also, held three all-day meeting's. with Miss Knowlton, making or remodelling hats. They made or remodelled 26 hats with a total estimated saving of $103.64. This work, like the clothing work, has not only an immediate monetary value, but the lessons learned can be applied in all millinery and clothing work in the future, having thus permanent constructive value.
Club work in Wilbraham this past year has been mainly with girls. A mother-daughter canning club of 36 members stored many a pantry shelf against the winter, had fine
39
times, and learned a great deal about home canning. The mother-daughter canning club, like the father-son sheep club, is an adventure in organized partnership between par- ent and child new to Hampden County. The plan worked so well last year as to make certain the formation of many more such groups in 1921.
Another pioneer club project in which Wilbraham has an entry this year is the county-wide baby beef contest. Last year a start was made for the first time east of the Ohio River with 16 beeves handled and conditioned by as many children. Of the 16, the 10 leading averaged a profit of $40 for the beeves over and above prize money. 38 chil- dren handling 43 Hereford "feeders" are enrolled in the present contest. Besides its value as education in agricul- ture on the home farm and as recreation with a constructive end, the baby beef club is a real financial venture in this county. It is out to prove that beef cattle properly handled are a good proposition for the farmers of New England.
This work among boys and girls was carried on under the general direction of Otis E. Hall, county club leader, assisted by Miss Bessie G. Reece.
An all-day canning school emphasizing methods of saving sugar, a poultry culling demonstration, and a Farm Bureau organization meeting were among public events held in Wilbraham through the year which were partici- pated in by the League.
The local membership drive of the farm bureau ended with 32 farm families enrolled in Wilbraham, and more than 800 in the county, which were brought into a local farmers' body, proposing to conduct a local program of benefit to Hampden County agriculture and to affiliate nationally with the economic, educational, and legislative program of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Of direct benefit to the farmers of East Longmeadow were the 'farm visits made by the county agent. Clinton J. Grant, and the county horticultural adviser, William H. Wolff. These men have been available whenever needed
1
40
to consult and advise the individual farmers regarding their problems of production and marketing.
Of general influence has been the development of vari- ous co-operative bodies, not themselves a part of the League, but in the growth of which the League's county agricultural agent, Clinton J. Grant, has played important part. The various "locals" of the New England Milk Pro- ducers' Association, united to bargain collectively for the delivery of dairy products and to fix prices on the basis of disinterested studies of the cost of production ; the Hamp- den County Farmers' Exchange, wherein farmers do group buying by carload lots and effect considerable saving ; the Hampden County Co-operative Tobacco Warehouse and the Co-operative Milk Plant at Westfield : and the Co-oper- ative Farmers' Market at Springfield-these enterprises affect every farmer and consumer in the County, if not as direct patrons, at least to the extent of furnishing strong local testimony that farmers can and will work together, benefiting thereby and ultimately passing on to the con- sumer a proper part of the savings and the benefit.
Other League activities in 1920, which touch Wilbra- ham vitally, include the development of the news informa- , tion service through Russell Lord, assistant manager of the League, carrying, for example. 416 items of farm and home interest to all readers of the Springfield newspapers in 100 days between July 23 and November 1. which is at the rate of 1500 such items in the year; and the publication under Mr. Lord's editorship of The Hampden, a monthly maga- zine of news and useful information; and the constant growth and usefulness of the League offices, 244 Main Street, Springfield, as an information center regarding farm and home questions, brought to its attention by letter, tele- phone, or personal visitation.
On behalf of the Trustees for County Aid to Agricul- ture and of the Hampden County Improvement League, I am glad to present this report of work done in Wilbraham in 1920 and, to ask for a continuance of direct support by town appropriation. A fuller printed report of the
41
League's activities for 1920 has been mailed to every mem- ber, and is available on request to the League office by anyone who is interested.
Mr. L. W. Rice has been League director for 1920, and elected for 1921. Mr. F. A. Warren has been elected one of the county-wide directors-at-large.
Respectfully submitted.
R. C. EDLUND,
General Manager.
School Committee's Report.
To the Citizens of Wilbraham :-
Your School Committee respectfully submit the follow- ing report for the year 1920.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 1920.
Receipts
Town Appropriation,
$28,915.00
Dog tax, 225.15
Car tickets sold,
80.33
Refunds on abated tuitions,
150.15
$29,371.23
Per contra
Total of itemized statements following, 28,645.11
Unexpended balance, $ 746.12
COST OF THE SCHOOLS TO THE TOWN IN 1920 Total expenditures, $28,645.11
Credits
Massachusetts School Fund, $ 380.22
Reimbursement on teachers' salaries, 1,938.00
Reimbursement on high school tuition, 2,712.44
Reimbursement on high school trans- portation, $2,490.95
43
Reimbursement on Superintendent's
salary, 336.17
Sundry tuitions paid or due, 137.25
7,993.03
Amount paid from local taxation,
$20,650.08
As the amount expended from local taxation exceeds the estimate given in the school report of 1919 by $1,532.49, attention is called .to the fact that an unanticipated expenditure of $1,959.62 was incurred by installing new furnaces at Wilbraham Street and North Wilbraham.
ITEMIZER STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES
School Committee-Salaries
E. O. Beebe, $ 35.00
W. M. Bliss, 35.00
H. W. Cutler, 25.00
$ 95.00
School Committee-Expenses
F. W. Wheeler, accounting,
$ 35.00
Mrs. Fannie R. Pease, census No. 2, 17.50
52.50
Superintendence of Schools and Enforcement of Law Superintendent's Salary
F. A. Wheeler, 780.72
44
Other Expenses
Rachel T. Gould, clerical services, $ 33.36
Ed. G. McDowell, truant officer, 61.25.
Fannie R. Pease, employment certificates, 12.30
Sackett's Typewriter Exchange, multi- graphing. 2.00
F. A. Wheeler, expenses, 48.76
F. A. Wheeler, travelling allowance, 60.00
$223.67
Supervisors' Salaries
Bertha Hebert,
$ 65.00
Isabel C. Hennessy,
120.00
Athalie Hobell.
253.25
Alice T. Powers,
120.00
$558.25
Teachers' Salaries
Grace F. Baker,
$910.00
Evelyn R. Beecher,
510.00
Ellen M. Burroughs,
910.00
Louise M. Cummings,
800.00
Loretta Desrosiers,
360.00
. Myrtle C. Elliot.
360.00
Edith S. Feustel,
910.00
Nathalie Gilbert.
390.00
Mildred M. Griffin,
390.00
Ruth M. Hart.
150.00
Catherine L. Lee,
800.00
Olive Lewis,
300.00
Ruth Mason,
390.00
Alice May.
360.00
Lucy E. Mosher,
816.00
Fannie R. Pease,
24.40
Ella M. Stetson.
150.00
Marjorie B. Torrey,
400.00
45
Mabel Welch, Frances C. Wilson, Helen M. Wood,
510.00
380.00
360.00
$10,840.90
Text Books
American Book Company,
$285.78
A. S. Barnes Company, 2.47
D. C. Heath & Company, 13.58
Houghton, Mifflin Company,
20.90
Mass. Child Labor Com.,
2.00
C. E. Merrill Company,
1.52
Newson & Company,
61.85
F. A. Wheeler, express on text books,
4.64
398.74
Stationery, Supplies and Miscellaneous
E. E. Babb & Co., supplies, $ 2.06
F. A. Bassett, cards, 13.25
E. O. Beebe, supplies, 10.70
W. M. Bliss, express paid on text books and supplies, 51.98
Blodgett's Music Store, pitch pipes,
5.00
Milton Bradley Co., supplies, 550.05
E. M. Burroughs, pencils and pencil sharpener, 1.90
Forbes & Wallace, ink,
.35
A. L. Fredette, report cards, 6.00
R. F. Gurney, expressage, 1.88
Johnson's Bookstore, supplies, 25.08
Newson & Co., Aldine supplies, 18.74
Shaw-Walker Company, cards, 4.00
C. P. Thompson, fly paper, .90
Wright & Potter Printing Co., blanks, 3.06
F. C. Newton, thermometer, .75
745.65
46
Janitors' Wages
Frank Brodeur,
$396.00
A. J. Bryant,
34.40.
J. P. Buckingham,
75.00
Mrs. James Farr,
60.00
Robert McClelland,
234.00
Mrs. Elsie Perry,
6.50
Mrs. M. G. Randall,
6.00
Mrs. Harriet Swetland,
219.00
Mrs. Horace Thomas,
76.00
Mrs. Mary Tupper,
62.30
C. W. Vinton,
71.00
$1,240.20
Fuel
Leon J. Bennett, wood,
$255.00
R. R. Bennett, wood,
6.50
M. L. Brewer, wood,
33.25
The Cutler Company, coal,
167.63
B. B. Green, wood,
9.00
Geo. M. Green, wood,
23.00
W. H. McGuire, coal,
318.00
Wisset Farms, wood,
35.00
$847.38
Miscellaneous Operating Expenses
C. B. Dolge Co., disinfectant, $ 27.00
Central Mass. Electric Co., electricity, 7.86
Rees W. Davies, lamps,
2.40
Div. of Blind, brooms,
18.79
J. Douglas Law, dustdown,
8.50
Reformatory for Women, flags,
12.92
77.47
47
Repairs
John Anderson, material and labor, $ 32.10
E. E. Babb & Co., inkwells, 1.65
W. M. Bliss, lumber, 81.75
F. A. Bodurtha, setting glass, 3.68
Bracci Brothers, labor and material, 49.00
James E. Canada, hardware, 8.03
Carlisle Hardware Co., door knob, . .50
Forbes & Wallace, chair seat,
1.25
Hall's Hardware Inc., keys,
1.45
Bert Howard, labor and material,
60.22
Johnson's Bookstore, pencil sharpeners,
6.00
C. J. Leary, furnaces,
39.08
Ludlow Coal Company, lumber,
42.00
Ed. G. McDowell, repairs, Pines school, 166.40
Charles S. Stacy, furnaces, 1,962.08
Mrs. Frank Swetland, putting on storm door, 2.00
John Ventura, labor,
26.00
C. H. Vinton, repairs No. 6,
1.30
T. M. Walker Co., glass, 2.50
Wickwire-Spencer Steel Corporation, wire fencing, . 41.70
A. F. Smith, labor, 6.50
C. E. Seymour, labor and material, 12.75
$2,547.94
Health
H. G. Webber, school physician, 95.25
Transportation
Elizabeth Barheydt,
$ 21.00
Evanore Beebe,
2.40
Lawrence Beebe,
2.40
Freda Bennett, › 2.40
48
Ralph Bennett,
.30
Irene Bliss.
21.60
Nina Bliss,
21.60
A. H. Bosworth,
130.75
Wilfred Brodeur,
4.27
Bertha Cormack,
7.42
Eva Day,
2.40
J. W. Dunsmoor,
31.20
Ethel Eaton,
4.80
D. C. Ellinwood,
58.10
Martha Epps,
3.00
G. R. Files,
131.40
C. W. Hardy,
117.30
Leslie Henderson,
16.20
Clarence Keefe.
1.50
Kathryn Keefe,
1.50
Edith Kittredge,
3.08
Albert Lyman,
28.15
Mildred Lyman,
27.25
John McDermott,
1.00
Elsie North,
20.30
Gladys Phelps,
28.60
Marion Phelps,
29.20
J. M. Pickens,
25.40
Mrs. Jennie Rayen,
3-1.80
Bertha W. Rice,
23.00
Dorothy Sherwin,
20.10
Rial Smith,
28.76
Springfield Street Railway Co.,
1,841.94
Mary Tupper,
24.70
$2,717.82
High School transportation is reimbursed in full by the State.
49
Tuition
City of Springfield, Town of Ludlow, Town of Palmer, Wilbraham Acedemy,
$6,105.50
858.75
13.12
240.00
$7,217.37
One-half of High School tuition is reimbursed by the State.
Sundries
City Library Association, teachers' privilege, 3.25
Forbes & Wallace, ribbon, 2.70
5.95
New Equipment
Kenney Bros. & Wolkins, furniture,
200.30
Total, $28,645.11
APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED FOR 1921
General Expenses :
School Committee,
$ 150.00
School Superintendence :
Salary,
870.00
Other expenses,
280.00
Expenses of Instruction :
Supervisors' salaries,
700.00
Teachers' salaries,
14,000.00
Textbooks, 500.00
4
50
Supplies,
600.00
Operating Expenses : Janitors' wages, Fuel, Miscellaneous,
1,400.00
1,000.00
150.00
Repairs,
1,500.00
School Physician,
150.00
Transportation,
3,000.00
Tuition,
3,530.00
$31,830.00
STATE REIMBURSEMENTS
There may be expected as State reimbursements dur- ing the year approximately the following amounts : ·
Superintendent's salary and traveling allowance, $ 580.00
Tuition State wards, 100.00
Teachers' salaries,
2,000.00
One-half High School tuition,
3,765.00
Total High School transportation, 2,800.00
Massachusetts School Fund allotment.
$600.00
Total,
$9,845.00
Owing to the crowded condition at The Pines, your committee has decided to ask for an appropriation for an- other portable school to be erected there, and to that end has caused an article to be inserted in the warrant for the annual town meeting.
Acknowledgment is made of the gift from a citizen of the town of a beautiful bronze tablet to be placed in the Edward F. Powers school, suitably to record there the ac- tion of the town in naming the school for the pupil of that school who gave up his life in his country's service.
We wish to express our appreciation of the generous appropriation made by the town for the schools a year ago.
51
We trust our expenditure of the money as detailed in this report will meet with your approval. There has been no extravagance. Good schools imply well kept schoolhouses, an adequate supply of textbooks and other materials, and, above all, good, competent teachers. These we wish to se- cure for the children in the schools of Wilbraham.
Respectfully submitted, E. O. BEEBE, W. N. BLISS, H. W. CUTLER.
1
School Superintendent's Report.
To the School Committee of Wilbraham :
In the report which follows I wish to call attention to the need of an additional room at the Pines; the need of considerable repairs at the various school buildings; the increase in teachers' salaries, and the high school situation. Room Needed at The Pines.
A census of the children of school age in The Pines district in October showed :
184 children attending the Polish Parochial School.
103 children attending The Pines school.
10 children in grades seven and eight at North Wil- braham.
29 children not in school.
326 children of school age in the district, an increase of 33 in one year.
The 29 children not in school were, so far as I could find out, children between five and seven and so not within the compulsory attendance age.
When school opened in September, more children ap- plied for admission than could be cared for. Later a num- ber of children were withdrawn, so that all who now wish to attend are provided with seats. But I believe that some of the children who were taken out of school and some of those of school age who did not enter would have come had there been facilities for caring for them properly. In view of the unsettled condition of the building trades, the satisfactory service being given by the portable building now in use at the Pines, and the uncertainty as to the future growth there, it seems to me that it would be wise to ask for an appropriation for another portable, and not attempt any permanent building at the present time.
33
The schools of the town are growing. As compared with those of 1918-19 the school registers of 1919-20 show an increase in enrolment from 219 to 305, or nine per cent ; in aggregate attendance from 31,012 to 41,144, or 21 per cent ; in average daily attendance from 225 to 258, or 14 per cent; in average membership from 249 to 286, or 14 per cent. The registers of this year will clearly show quite as great increases over those of 1919-20. The December enrolment of this year is 334 as compared with 295 a year ago, an increase of 13 per cent.
The building at North Wilbraham is crowded. The upper room, which last year accommodated three grades, now contains but grades seven and eight, and, at that, extra desks have been required this Fall. The intermediate room is not crowded, but the primary room enrols three grades and 43 pupils. A year and a half ago the question of con- solidation was being hotly discussed. Today consolidation would be impossible because of lack of accommodations. .
An additional school at The Pines, if not immediately filled with primary children, might relieve the congestion at North Wilbraham by providing for the pupils from The Pines now enrolled there in grades seven and eight.
A word may be added on our special responsibility for the children at The Pines. Most of them come from non- English speaking homes, and are unable to speak our lan- guage when they enter. No pains should be spared to give these children the American language and American ideals. To work effectively with them a teacher should have a small class, and every child that is sent to the public schools should be made to feel that he is welcome.
The Need of Repairs.
Wise economy, civic pride, and the welfare of our pu- pils, all demand that the school property be well kept up. Repairs are needed on most of the schoolhouses of the town.
Fences bounding the schoolhouse lots have rotted and fallen over. Several flagpoles are without ropes. Most of
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the schoolhouses need painting. One or two need shing- ling. In some cases the outhouses are in such a condition that they do not afford adequate protection from the weather and are a menace to the morals of the children. The blackboards in several schoolhouses are so poor that their use must cause eye-strain.
To remedy these conditions means the expenditure of considerable money. I do not urge trying to carry through in one season all the repairs that are desirable ; but a pro- gram of repairing and improving the schoolhouse property of the Town should be entered on. Some of the outhouses should be rebuilt or thoroughly repaired for the sake of decency and morals. The flagpoles should all be equipped, that the flag may be floated as the law requires. The black- boards should be put in the best of condition to safeguard the eyesight of our children. Shingling, where needed, should be done. The fences and the painting of the build- ings can better wait than these items. Salary Increases.
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