Discuss Adding Fire Alarms To Schools at School Committee Meeting-This Day in Norwood History-June 12, 1937

Question Of Purchase Of Text Books Is Now Settled

The Norwood School Committee met last night and Mr. L. D. Lynch reported the results of a conference among William Kendrick, Town Manager, Alonzo Earl, Fire Chief; C. O. Church, Superintendent of the Municipal Light Department and the Superintendent of Schools, regarding the installation of fire alarms in each of the school buildings. The total cost of master boxes and remote control station installation is estimated at $2881.71. The establishment of a single circuit to carry all school alarms would cost an additional $2283. The advantage claimed for the single circuit would be that it would provide for a still alarm in case of school fires. This, however, would be practical only if the fire department were manned with a permanent forte adequate to take care of a school fire. The school alarm when connected with the town fire whistle has the disadvantage of giving undue alarms to parents of school children who hear and recognize this signal.

The feeling was expressed in the committee that something ought to be done immediately to provide fire alarm service for the Senior High School Building. The whole matter was referred to the sub-committee of finance for further study and discussion.

Miss Gretchen Goldsmith, of 26 Cypress Street, Norwood has been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Miss Maude Woods. Miss Goldsmith has been substituting in this position since Miss Woods’ retirement, last December.

In other years bids for the transportation of school children have been asked for in the month of August, but due to the retirement of Bertram Sparrow who has taken a position in the local fire department and who has for fourteen years transported school children, it is expected that contracts will be awarded to another transporting agency. Bids will be advertised in the local papers in the very near future.

The Superintendent of Schools reported that he has been in touch with the State Department of Education and, through that office, with the Federal Bureau of Education, with a view to requesting them to submit a proposal in the way of a school organization best calculated to satisfy the terms of the will of Henry O. Peabody. There seems to be some question as to whether the school for girls should be a vocational educational school the purpose of which is to train girls for industry or whether it should be a school of applied arts and crafts developing the girls who would go further in the arts and sciences than íb possible under the present facilities.

As a result of the superintendent’s report on the question as to whether the school department should refuse to purchase textbooks from certain publishers classified as either ‘‘non-union” or “unfair,” Mr. Dennis O’Leary offered the motion to the effect that the school department purchase, as it has in the past, whenever possible and practicable, books published under “union” or “fair” conditions. Mr. Edward Thompson seconded the motion and it carried with no dissenting vote. Mr. Thomas A. Kerr then offered a motion to the effect that in the case of new adoptions of classroom textbooks, published by companies not classified as “fair” or “unfair,” the matter be referred to the sub-committee on textbooks for investigation. Mr. John Connolly seconded this motion and it carried unanimously.

Action on the matter of rebinding books was deferred to a later date. Again the question of “union” work was raised and the only “union” shop recommended by a member had recently been found to be unsatisfactory by the Boston School Committee Business Manager. Alexander Sullivan of the Boston Commitee had earlier recommended the nonunion F. J. Barnard Co. which has done Norwood’s rebinding work for the past several years.

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)