USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Wilbraham annual report 1956-1960 > Part 34
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MICHAEL F. X. GIGLIOTTI, Chairman
KENNETH R. BUNTEN, JR.
JOHN R. LYMAN
ALLAN A. CAMPBELL
ANGELO C. PESSOLANO
DORRANCE T. GREEN
ROBERT P. WHITTIER
Water Commissioners' Report
1959 was again a year of growth in the operation of your Water Department.
During 1959 a total of 94 new service installations and eight service renewals were completed. At the end of 1959 a total of 1399 services were in use.
A total of 115,150,000 gallons of water used in 1959 repre- sents an increase over 1958 of 19,518,000 gallons.
An 8" Main was installed along Boston Road, running west- erly from Stony Hill Road to service the Friendly Ice Cream Plant.
The following pipe installations were completed during the year:
560 feet 6" pipe installed by the Town
2,520 feet 6" pipe installed by developers
1,432 feet 8" pipe installed by the Town
6,000 feet 8" pipe installed by developers
WALTER L. WOODS
ROBERT W. MAYNARD SIDNEY LOW
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Assessors' Report
Appropriations to be raised by taxation $1,136,239.26 179,589.08
$1,315,828.34
Tax and Assessments
State Parks and Reservations
$2,549.51
State Audit of Municipal Accounts
842.57
County Tax 12,846.49
County Tax underestimates
574.15
Tuberculosis Hospital assessment
982.93
Tuberculosis Hospital assessment underestimates 458.27
Overlay of current year
19,824.49
38,078.41
Gross amount to be raised by taxation
$1,353,906.75
ESTIMATED RECEIPTS
Income Tax
$86,060.61
Corporation taxes
20,568.82
Reimbursement on account of
publicly owned land
404.02
Old Age Meal Tax
830.31
Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise
107,000.00
Licenses
10,000.00
Fines
1,000.00
Special Assessments
3,000.00
General Government
1,500.00
Protection of Persons and Property
200.00
Charities (other than Federal Grants)
5,000.00
Old Age Assistance (other than Federal Grants)
15,000.00
Veterans' Services
800.00
Schools (Funds from Income Tax not to be included)
50,000.00
Libraries
500.00
Public Service Enterprises (Water)
45,000.00
Interest : (On Taxes and Assessments $700.00 On Deposit $3,500)
4,200.00
State Assistance for School Construction
63,900.00
Farm Animal Excise
100.00
Overestimates State Recreation Areas
27.41
Taken from Available Funds
179,589.08
594,680.25
Net amount to be raised by taxation on Polls and Property
759,226.50
$1,353,906.75
Number of Polls - 2,064
Tax on Polls $4,128.00
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Appropriations taken from available funds
Valuation of Personal Property Tax on Personal Property Valuation of Real Estate Tax on Real Estate
$654,910
42,569.15
10,961,990
712,529.35
Total Valuation
$11,616,900
Total Tax on Polls and Property
$759,226.50
Tax Rate per $1,000 - $65.00 Tax on Motor Vehicles
Number of dwellings assessed - 1,988
$132,704.97
The assessors' map is progressing satisfactorily. The developed sections of town are nearly completed. We hope the town will continue this project as it is very necessary to good assessing.
E. RAY PEASE, Chairman (Jan. to Nov.)
ALLAN R. KINNEY, Chairman (Nov., Dec.) EDWARD H. GODFREY HAROLD K. JONES, (Nov., Dec.)
Planning Board
The Wilbraham Planning Board held twelve regular monthly meetings and three special meetings during 1959.
Ten public hearings were held, relative to subdivisions. Five were approved and a performance bond posted. Four were tenta- tively subject to posting of a performance bond and one approval was withheld pending completion of a currently approved sec- tion.
A public hearing was held concerning the upgrading of road specifications for subdivisions. The revised regulations were made effective as of May 1, 1959.
Members of the Board, along with the Board of Selectmen and the Highway Superintendent viewed streets as required prior to their being considered for acceptance by the Town. The Planning Board has met with the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Appeals on matters pertinant to both Boards.
The problem of adequate surface water drainage is becoming more accute with the addition of new subdivisions in the town. The Planning Board feels that an immediate study should be started to determine the cost and the requirements for easements necessary for a solution to this problem.
A public hearing was held to consider the proposed amend- ment to the Zoning By-Laws, Section 15, Paragraph 5, on Feb- ruary 9, 1960.
WILLIAM H. SHORTELL, Chairman
BION T. WHEELER, JR.
LEO E. KUEHN
ROBERT A. EDWARDS RICHARD H. MORGAN
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Wilbraham Public Library
The outstanding event on the library calendar for 1959 was the retirement of Miss Ruth Abbott, our librarian, who served the town with outstanding loyalty for the past sixteen years. Miss Abbott was appointed librarian in 1943 to succeed her mother, Mrs. Jennie T. Abbott. Their combined period of librarianship covered forty six years of dedicated service to our town. Wilbraham owes a great debt of gratitude to Miss Abbott and to her mother for the high standards which they set in developing our library.
The Friends of the Library under the chairmanship of Mrs. David S. Plumb gave a tea at the library on November 18, 1959, honoring Miss Abbott and her successor, Mrs. Katharine Ding- man.
We are most fortunate in acquiring the services of Mrs. Ding- man as our new librarian. A native of Portland, Maine, Mrs. Dingman received her B.A. degree from the University of Michi- gan, a B.S. from Columbia University School of Library Service, and an M.A. degree from the University of Chicago. She has worked in the Columbia University Library and in the Public Library of the District of Columbia. During World War II she served as assistant librarian of the United States Information Library in New Zealand. From 1947 to 1949 she was employed in the Worcester Public Library, and she left Worcester to direct the United States Information Library attached to the United States Embassy in Brussels, Belgium. In 1951 she moved to Palmer, Massachusetts, where she now lives.
Mrs. Abigail Rudge, the children's librarian, has given many more hours to her work than those required by her work sched- ule. She has used her car as a "bookmobile" to supply Stony Hill School and Pines School with books to supplement those of the school library. She has provided story hours for The Little Red School and for the summer playground program at Memorial School and at Pines School, as well as at the library. This pooling of resources and ready cooperation has proved of benefit to both the schools and to the library. The school chil- dren have had more books available to them and they have come to know the friendly lady from the library. In the two and one- half years Mrs. Rudge has been with us, the circulation of chil- dren's books has risen from 6,637 in 1956 to 18,000 in 1959. This has taken place in spite of the fact that the library is so
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Library Open House at the retirement of Librarian, Miss Abbott. Left to right, Miss Eunice Bates, a former Librarian; Miss Ruth T. Abbott, and the new Librarian, Mrs. A. Katharine Dingman.
located that it is difficult for children unaccompanied by parents to reach.
Mrs. Alexander Murphy, assistant to the librarians, has this year successfully completed the examinations for certification given by the State Board of Library Commissioners, and is now certified as a professional librarian in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We congratulate her on her achievement, and we are proud of this evidence of the professional upgrading of our staff.
The Trustees wish to point out again to the townspeople the inadequacy of our present cramped quarters. The need for a centrally located library, adequate to serve the town, grows greater with each new family added to our population.
BARBARA B. DICKEY, Chairman MARGUERITE G. BRADY
RAYMOND J. BARBER
WILBRAHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS
Holdings:
Number of volumes in library, January 1, 1959 12,865
Number of volumes added by purchase 975
Number of volumes added by gift 19
Number of volumes discarded and lost 576
Number of volumes in library, January 1, 1960 13,283
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Registration :
Number of borrowers (in 664 families) 1,493
Circulation :
From library 29,555
Adult
10,961
Juvenile
15,212
Periodicals 3,382
Borrowed on inter library loan
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From Pines School
1,635
From Stony Hill School
1,542
Total circulation
32,730
Gain in circulation over 1958
3,106
Board of Health
As Agent-Sanitarian for the Board of Health of the Town of Wilbraham, I respectfully submit my annual report for 1959.
During 1959, seventeen licensed eating and drinking establish- ments were inspected and eight markets were inspected at least once every two months. Appropriate action was taken to insure a high standard of cleanliness within the establishments.
Two camps and one motel were inspected frequently during the months that these establishments were open.
Thirty nine milk licenses and fourteen oleomargarine licenses were issued.
Five public health nuisance complaints were investigated. All five nuisances were abated satisfactorily.
One sewage disposal system was inspected for the Veteran's Administration.
Four private water supplies were inspected and laboratory analyses of the samples taken were made. Results of the exam- inations were explained to the owners of the supplies.
Six samples were analyzed from the new swimming area lo- cated at Spec Pond. Results were forwarded to the Selectmen and the Lions Club.
I was available on several occasions as a consultant to the Board of Health regarding health matters, particularly, on swim- ming sanitation, sewage disposal problems and administrative problems.
The Board of Health was extremely interested in the health condition of the community and was foremost in adopting policies
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that would better the health of the inhabitants of the Town.
I wish to thank the public for the fine cooperation extended to me during 1959.
The sanitary condition of the Town will continue to be good with the help of all concerned.
JOHN A. BRICKETT. R. S., Agent-Sanitarian
Animal Inspector
Living quarters were inspected for 218 dairy animals, 53 sheep, 13 goats, 472 swine, and 11 horses. All passed inspection for 1959.
GARDNER R. FILES
Slaughtering Inspector
Number of swine slaughtered - 1.
The animal slaughtered tested out clean with no reactors.
GARDNER R. FILES
Dog Officer
A record total number of dogs were licensed in Wilbraham for 1959 - 680. 27 cases of dog bites were investigated and the dogs quarantined; 37 dogs were reported missing by the owners and 23 were recovered; 26 stray dogs were picked up during the year (8 were returned to the owners, 18 were disposed of); 7 dogs were killed by automobiles.
Livestock killed by dogs: 5 pigs, 110 chickens.
A total of 605.2 miles were logged by the Dog Officer.
GARDNER R. FILES
Sealer of Weights and Measures
During 1959 I sealed the following devices:
70 scales
42 gasoline pumps
65 weights
13 grease meters
6 liquid measures
8 fuel truck meters
The cash received in payment of the sealing fees, amounted to $145.80 and showed the usual yearly increase - nearly 25℃ more than the 1956 total.
CHARLES L. MERRICK
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Police Department
It is a pleasure to submit to you the annual report of the Wilbraham Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1959.
ROSTER OF THE DEPARTMENT
Chief: William Pollitt. Regular Patrolmen: Gardner R. Files, John J. Chrzanowski. Reserve Patrolmen: Stephen E. Lopata, Alton L. McDonald. Auxiliary Police: Lieut. Carl B. Martens, Sgt. Newton W. Goewey, Jr., Sgt. Wellington C. Rose, John J. Connor, Joseph Crespi, Donald R. Emerson, Frederick J. Macaulay, Howard S. McIntosh, Stanley J. Pabis, Allyn K. Peterson, Walter S. Wirzbicki, Sgt. Ralph M. Kilcourse, Sgt. Emeric J. Wysik, Donald A. Bump, Robert A. Converse, Ed- ward E. Dearborn, Arthur W. Hunt, Jr., Morrison J. Marelli, Alexander Murphy, Alfred W. Patrie, John C. Ward, James E. Roberts. Auxiliary Policewoman: Carol E. Dunne. School Traffic Officers: Mrs. Helen Los, Mrs. Mary Strycharz, Mrs. Marjorie Goewey, Mrs. Alice Boyer.
The past year has been one of increased demands for Police Service due to the increase in population, more children of school age, and heavier traffic problems.
The Department has carried on a strict policy of trying to keep the town free of crime and disorder. This policy is shown by the fact that more juveniles were apprehended and more cases solved than in any other year.
Traffic enforcement, education and accident investigation are some of the major responsibilities of the Police Department. Officer John Chrzanowski as Safety Officer has conducted a series of lectures for the school safety program. A spot map showing the location of all accidents has been set up. Officer Gardner Files has done an excellent job in assembling the facts and evidence for court prosecution.
Regular officers, auxiliary police members and school traffic officers were graduated from the advanced first aid course. Classes in police law were held and well attended.
I wish to thank the members of the Auxiliary Police for the many unpaid hours of work which they donated. We are grate- ful to Chief Ralph Tupper and the Fire Department, Dr. Sigsbee, and to the Highway Department who gave us such wonderful cooperation throughout the year.
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To the citizens of Wilbraham, all we ask is the continued co- operation that is necessary in order that we may be able to pro- vide the protection and security of life and property that is surely yours.
I wish to express my most sincere appreciation to the Board of Selectmen for their cooperation. WILLIAM POLLITT, Chief
ARRESTS FOR THE YEAR 1959
Crimes Against the Person - Assault and Battery, 3; Indecent Assault, 1; Accosting and Annoying a Person of the Opposite Sex, 1. Crimes Against Property - Breaking and Entering, 4; Larceny, 1. Crimes Against Public Order, Etc. - Drunkenness, 4; Non-support, 1; Giving False Name to a Police Officer, 1. In addition to the arrests listed there were 19 Juveniles apprehended for acts of Vandalism. Of these cases, 4 were brought to court and 15 were handled out of court. Motor Vehicle Violations - Not Stopping after causing Personal Injuries or Property Damage, 3; Passing Over Solid Line with view obstructed, 43; Operating Under Influence of Liquor and Drunkenness, 14; Operating to Endanger, 9; Failing to stop at Stop Signs, 28; Allowing improper person to operate a Motor Vehicle, 2; Operating without License, 2; Operating after Suspension of License, 1; Operating a Motor Vehicle not properly registered or insured, 1; Not having Chock Blocks in Tractor Trailer Trucks as required by law, 7; Speeding, 27; Not stopping for Red Light, 4; Failing to stop for school bus, 1; Referred to Registry of Motor Vehicles, 30; Filed with warning, 64; Total number of cases prosecuted in District Court, 164; Amount of Fines paid the Town of Wilbraham, $1,923.80. Traffic Accidents - Prop- erty Damage Accidents, 52; Personal Injury Accidents, 41; Total Number
Wilbraham Police, left to right, are: Gardner R. Files, John J. Chrzanowski, Chief William Pollitt, Alton McDonald, and Steven E. Lopata.
3+++++
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1
Wilbraham School Traffic Officers, left to right, are: Mrs. Helen Los, Stony Hill School; Mrs. Mary Strycharz, Pines School; Mrs. Alice Boyer, at Chapel Street and Boston Road; and Mrs. Marjorie C. Goewey, Memorial School.
of Accidents, 93; Number of Persons Injured, 68; Number of Fatal Acci- dents, 4; Number of Persons Killed, 5. Other Activity - Summons served for other Police Departments, 155; Doors or Windows found unlocked in business establishments after closing hours, 60; Stolen Cars recovered for other Police Departments, 4; Runaway Boys returned to their homes, 4; Escapees returned to Monson State Hospital, 2; Persons reported miss- ing, 5; Vacant homes checked, 134; Complaints received and investigated during the day, 184; Injured persons taken to Hospital in the cruiser, 13; License to sell Firearms, 1; Pistol permits issued, 38; Money received from pistol permits, $96.00.
Fire Department
Telephone number LY 6-3111, our emergency phone for in- coming calls, is to be used only for reporting fires and emergen- cies. For all other business pertaining to Fire Department please dial LY 6-3014 or LY 6-3122. This is very important.
Fire Loss:
Buildings (43) Contents
$12,660.00 6,080.00
Assessed Valuations 160,595.00
Department responded to 209 alarms: 43 buildings, 4 chim- neys, 63 grass and brush, 9 dumps, 5 automobiles, 4 mutual aid out of town, 3 floodings and 78 emergencies.
One hundred and sixty three permits were issued for installa-
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The new Fire Station at Wilbraham Center.
tion of oil burning equipment, 33 permits issued for gas burning installations, 27 permits issued for the use of dynamite, 149 inspections, 73 extinguishers recharged. All schools and public buildings were inspected and found in order.
For their cooperation and assistance, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Fire Dispatchers, the Call Men, the Auxiliary, to the members of the Board of Selectmen, Fire Commissioners, our Police and others who may have helped during the past year.
RALPH E. TUPPER, SR., Chief
Forest Warden
Four thousand one hundred and eleven permits were issued for open air fires. Under State Law a permit is required for all open air fires. At numerous times of the year no burning in the open is allowed. For said permit dial LY 6-3014 or LY 6-3122. Our emergency phone LY 6-3111 is not to be used. The only
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incinerator that can be used in the open without a permit must be one that releases no sparks or open flame. Wire basket type is not allowed in Wilbraham. If in doubt when purchasing an incinerator call the Fire Chief for information.
Deputy Forest Wardens: Robert Dietz, Gardner Files, John Chrzanowski, William Pollitt, Charles Dorey, Raymond Beach, Jr., Harland Rogers, John Sigsbee, and Cyril Woods.
RALPH E. TUPPER, SR., Forest Warden
Building Inspector
Number and Type
Valuation
128 Houses
1 Ice Cream Plant
2 Recreation Buildings
$1,678,433.00 215,000.00 176,000.00 6,000.00
1 Office Building
1 Dormitory
1 Storage Building
75,000.00 4,000.00 28,400.00 2,000.00
1 Club House
100,000.00
12 Additions
16,700.00
5 Dormers
6,300.00
1 Fire Station
29,000.00
12 Bedroom Additions
22,750.00
7 Porches
2,625.00
7 Tool Sheds
1,150.00
2 Swimming Pools
1,790.00
1 Accessory Building
150.00
1 Chicken House
1,500.00
1 Day Camp
4,600.00
5 Barns
5,200.00
1 Hot House
125.00
$2,632,323.00
Permits: 4 Buildings Demolished, 1 Building Moved, 2 Trailer Permits Issued, 1 Fruit Stand. Inspections: Plumbing, 167; Electrical, 234; Meters, 162; Burners, 94; Septic Tanks, 167; Gas, 13.
FREDERICK J. MACAULEY
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1 Dining Hall
1 Box Shed
Playground Commissioners' Report
The 1959 playground program was the busiest and most suc- cessful since the inception of the summer program. Attendance for the season ran well over the five thousand mark and enthusi- asm was high.
The instructors at the Memorial playground were Helen Walinski, Alan Rubin, and Richard Spencer. Miss Susan Steup replaced Miss Walinski when she was hospitalized for two weeks. Miss Louise Bradley took Mr. Spencer's place in the final week of the season when he departed for Army summer training.
Bonnie Agard and Phil Grandchamp did an excellent job of supervising activities at the Pines' School playground.
In addition to the popular daily handcraft and games activities, special programs were held at both playgrounds and included peanut hunts, talent shows, crazy hat contests, costume contests, bubble gum contests, and the annual picnic.
An innovation this year, in the form of a reading hour every Thursday morning, was sponsored by the Wilbraham Library Staff. This program was received with unusual enthusiasm.
The athletic fields were never groomed better than this past year by Mr. Richard Spencer and assistants and were gratefully appreciated by an ever increasing number of baseball players. Credit for grass manicuring goes to the staff supervised by Mr. Herbert Butler.
The Playground Commissioners take this opportunity to com- mend, once again, the sincere efforts on the part of the play- ground staff to present an entertaining and educational program to the children in their care.
VICTOR S. KODIS, Chairman ROBERT J. DRISCOLL GORDON C. MACKAY
Aid to Agriculture
In accordance with the General Laws of the Commonwealth - Chapter 128 - the Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture are empowered to receive on behalf of the County money appro- priated by any town or by the Federal Government for carrying out the provisions of the law under which they are appointed.
The Trustees are further empowered to maintain agents to conduct meetings or demonstrations, make individual farm and
45
home visits and in all ways help to improve home and commu- nity interests in every way possible.
Their agents made contacts during the past year in every community either by public meetings, individual visits, group discussions, demonstrations or otherwise in attempting to assist the needs of the citizens toward better farming, living and com- munity service and have been ably assisted by hundreds of local volunteer leaders to this end.
In Wilbraham the following citizens have been of real assist- ance in promoting such assigned projects as have been conducted during the year: - Mrs. Roland H. Bennett, Mrs. John Chap- man, Mrs. Clifford DuBray, Mrs. H. J. Eldridge, Mrs. John Fynan, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Grandchamp, Mrs. John Hunter, Mrs. George Lemieux, Mrs. Edward Luff, Mrs. John K. Nordin, Mrs. Clifford Patric, Judith Rice, Mrs. June Rice, Mrs. Denny G. Richter, Jr., Mrs. Rudolph Shults, Mrs. Charles J. Smith, Jr., Mrs. Arthur Tripp, Mrs. Edmund Wallace, Mrs. Eugene H. Wessells, Mrs. Irene C. Wright.
A total expense of $77.87 was incurred during the year for either travel or purchase of material needed for the various projects by the local leaders. The appropriation made by your town was used by the agents of the Trustees for only residents of your town.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
1959 Appropriation
1958 Unexpended Balance
$100.00 116.50
Total for 1959
$216.50
Total Expenditure in 1959
77.87
1960 Balance Available
$138.63
1960 Recommended Appropriation
$75.00
ALBERT H. FULLER, Clerk
Civil Defense
The Wilbraham Civil Defense Authority takes pride in pre- senting to the Town its record of accomplishments during the past year. The townspeople have reason to be gratified at the willingness and cooperation of all individuals participating in this phase of government. Our report indicates no salaries or personal expenses incurred during the year's activities, since all services are on a volunteer basis.
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Our Board of Authority held weekly meetings on Mondays throughout the year, for the planning and development of Civil Defense activities. We participated in two State tests, one on March 12, 1959, and one on April 17 and 18, 1959. During the first test, which was to have covered simulated hurricane and flood conditions, our worst snowstorm of the year arrived and changed the exercise to a real alert.
During the year our Town "Survival Plan" was distributed to all residents by volunteer workers. This plan is another "First" for Wilbraham, and has been copied by many towns throughout the country. Your Director visited all of our schools, and presented the message of Civil Defense to our school chil- dren. First Aid training programs were arranged for the Aux- iliary Police, and for the Regular and Auxiliary Firemen, and all of them now hold Advanced First Aid cards. The North Wilbraham Fire Station has been designated as an accredited Red Cross First Aid Station. During 1959 we were called out to meet three flood emergencies, and the number of volunteers participating and the speed of operation was most gratifying.
Last year we were able to obtain quantities of equipment and materials for emergency needs through the Federal matching
Fall-out Shelter dedicated December 7, 1958, on Boston Road, west of the Fire Station.
funds program and from government surplus, all at tremendous savings to the Town.
The Civil Defense Board of Authority wishes to take this opportunity to thank all of the volunteers who have joined in a united effort to develop our Civil Defense program. May we also leave a thought with you for the future. In time of emer- gency, will you be in need of help, or can you help others? Remember, YOU are Civil Defense.
ROGER HINTZE, Director
HARLAND ROGERS WALTER HOWE LINCOLN DEXTER CHARLES DOREY
Report of Annual Town Meeting MARCH 14, 1959
In accordance with the Warrant as posted, the voters of the Town assembled in the Wilbraham Memorial School Auditorium, Wilbraham.
The meeting was called to order by Moderator Ernest W. Furnans, Jr., at 10:00 a. m. The following tellers were appointed and sworn in by the Moderator: Cornelius J. Donovan, Edmund S. Lee, Edward W. Irla, John F. McDevitt, Edward O. Fel- sentreger, Pearl R. Kinney, Head Teller; Irene A. Donovan, and Leo P. Paridis. It was noted that a quorum was present.
ARTICLE 1. Town Officers elected by unanimous vote were as follows:
Poundkeeper Gardner Files Measurers of Wood and Charcoal Walter H. Clark Edward P. Lindsay
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