November 20, 1968
Portland, Me., Evening Express
Accreditation Here Keyed To Academic Offerings
This is the third in a series
ot articles on what Portland
and Deering High Schools must
do to maintain state and re-
gional accreditation.
By CHARLES C. SUTTON
Portland and Deering High
Schools must add staff mem-
bers and make improvements in
curriculum for continued ac-
creditation. l\\
Unlike some ck t^e a&i’edlt-
ing teams of the pastvjtffiich
seemed more concerned with
the color of the walls and the
number of drinking fountains,
the teams of educators which
visited Portland’s two high
schools this year zeroed in on
the academic offerings.
They found much to be com-
mended. but they also found
many shortcomings.
HERE ARE SOME of their
r e c o mmendations concerning
curriculum at the two schools.
English: PHS — The depart-
ment chairman be assigned on-
ly two classes; a full – time
speech teacher be added: Eng-
lish classes be grouped near the
library, and defective black-
boards be replaced.
DHS — More staff; the addi-
tion of two or three courses in
speech; improve the coordina-
tion with junior high English
programs; re-establish three
courses in remedial reading
add four half-year courses; add
conference rooms: add move-
able chair – desks; assign no
more than 100 pupils per teach-,
er: reduce load of department,
head from four to three cours-
es; make provision to transfer
students in slow sections to
more challenging courses and
develop ways for more effec-
tive use of library.
MATHEMATICS: PHS — Stu-.
dents be more carefully group-
ed: establishment of a tie – in
with a computer: better chalk-
boards; more visual aids; and
the central office be involved In
establishing a clarification of
budgetary cuts, delays and den-
ials.
DHS — A room be provided
for each teacher; one teacher
be added; more aids; more fre-
quent changes in textbooks;
homogeneous grouping of three
sections of Algebra I; a better
distribution of faculty among
courses to be taught; course
syllabi be prepared by depart-
ment: uniform department tests
for grades 10 and 11; and de-
velopment of courses for busi-
ness and vocational students.
Science: PHS — Renovation
of chemistry and physics labs;
add teacher aide; adopt newer
chemistry course; selection of
more satisfactory texts in gen-
eral physics and general biol-
ogy: science section of library
be expanded; funds be provid-
ed for the purchase of perish-
able supplies; and more equip-
ment.
DHS — Science classes be
limited to number of lab work
stations available; lab facilities
be improved; add staff so there
is maximum of 24 students In
each class; a department head
be appointed; each lab be
equipped with first aid kit, fire
extinguisher, safety glasses;
provisions be made for lab as-
sistants; more equipment, texts,
journals and reference materi-
als; consider more curriculum
innovations.
Turn to back page
of this section
16
Portland, Me., Evening Express, Thursday, March 26, 1970
Scarborough Residents Voice Concern On Taxes
By LORRAINE ALLEN
SCARBOROUGH – Residents
attending a public hearing last
night on the proposed record
2.4 million town budget ex-
pressed concern over the large
increases in property taxes over
the past few years.
Finance committee chairman
Norman Bushey said the town
council and the finance com-
mittee realize the many prob-
lems facing the town and in
studying the budget the finance
committee has tried to reduce
this year’s tax increase to S5.75
per thousand valuation instead
of $9 as projected in the orig-
inal budget.
Bushey said aside from rec-
ommending adjusting proposed
pay increases of 10 to 14 per
cent in all departments be re-
duced to seven per cent, his
committee is also recommend-
ing holding the line on expendi-
tures in several accounts the
same as last year.
FOR INSTANCE, in the fire
department capital improve-
ment fund request of S8.000 to
replace fire alarm cable, the
finance committee is recom-
mending that this be cut 54.000
and the same replacement pro-
gram be followed as last year.
Under special articles, the fi-
nance committee has recom-
mended reducing the request
of So,000 to continue replacing
curbing and sidewalk in town
to 54,000, same as last year.
Also a cut of S7.000 is recom-
mended in the request of $12,-
000 for underground storm
drainage work from Westwood
Avenue to Black Point Road.
Bushey said, the committee
feels a concave drain for the
area would do the same job for
half the cost.
Former selectman Wendell
Whitten asked why an arrange-
ment could not be worked out
whereby property owners in the
right-of-way could pay some of
the cost of the project.
Town manager, Robert D.
Steele, said this problem came
about because of the construc-
tion of the new Oak Hill fire
station. The bog area behind
the station was filled in and it
affected the whole water table
for 50 homes in the area. The
land is mostly ledge and there
is no natural drain contour.
Steele said, people in the area
met with selectmen several
months ago and asked that this
article be put in the budget.
MANY QUESTIONS were
raised on the school budget.
Supt. Carl A, Burnham said,
there are no new programs this
year. Two new high school
teachers are being asked to
handle the 60 additional pupils
coming in next year. Also two
special education teachers are
requested for the Bessey School.
Burnham said teachers sala-
ries are still being negotiated
for this year. These salaries in
the budget were figured on last
year’s 56,000 base salary. A
515,000 salary adjustment figure
is being carried , in the budget.
Burnham said the Board of
Education is agreeable to some
of the $65,000 cut recommended
by the finance committee in
the 51,204,114 school budget, but
the committee cannot agree to
the full cut. He said after
spending many hours review-
ing the budget the board was
unable to reach any final de-
cisions on what they will do if
the cut is made by the council
next week.
THE FINANCE committee has
recommended cutting the $2,-
242,503 budget by $125,118 re-
ducing the request to $2,117,-
385.
Estimated state and federal
subsidies, surpluses, polls and
excise tax receipts would re-
duce the finance committee’s
figure to a net appropriation of
51,971,290.
If the town council April 1
follows the recommendations of
the finance committee the tax
rate would increase $5.75, from
545.50 to $51.25, instead of $9,
to 554.50. . a
Portland, Me., Press Herald, Thuf
Scarborough Gets $49.25
Tax Rate For This Year
By LORRAINE ALLEN
SCARBOROUGH — The Town
Council Wednesday set the 1970
tax rate at $40.25 per thousand
dollar valuation. This repre-
sents an increase of $5.75 over
last year’s rale of $45.50.
The net amount to be raised
by taxation is $1,942,559. Town
Mgr. Robert D. Sleele said the
new lown valuation is $39,476,-
740, which is an increase of $1,-
900,000. This increase almost
doubles last year’s gain of $1,-
000,000.
The tax bills will be mailed
to residents Monday and are
payable by Nov, 15. After a sec-
ond reading of the proposed
new zoning ordinance, the coun-
cil adopted the ordinance as
jecommended by the Planning
pard.
he section in the ordmance
dejling wiLh industrial districts
was amended to include the
following: to provide districts
in the town for manufacturing,
processing, treatment, r e –
search, warehousing, storage,
and distribution “where there is
no danger of explosion or other
hazard lo health or safety.”
The following special excep-
tion in industrial districts would
be allowed, only after public
bearings had been held, and
upon approval of the Planning
Board and the Zoning Board of
Appeals.
These exceptions would also
include the use. manufacture,
storage, or wholesale distribu-
tion of creosote, disinfectant, in-
secticides, poisons, cement,
lime, gypsum, or plaster of
paris. blast furnace, gasoline,
petroleum, kerosene, paint, var-
nish, or shellac.
About 90 residents attended a
public hearing on the proposed
changes in the traffic ordinance.
The most controversial change
is a proposed no parking re-
striction from June t to Sept. 15
for the entire length of Drift-
wood Lane and Avenue 1 exten-
sion from Front St. to the ocean.
Residents presented the coun-
cil with petitions for and against
the proposal.
28 Portland, Me., Evening Express, Monday, June 7, 1971
Talk Of The Towns …
Clams: In Scarborough
By MARGARET FRAZIER
Scarborough clams are delicious, delightful and delovely,
to paraphrase an old song. But they are pretty much off the
market because of pollution.
They aren’t however, the only clams in Scarborough. A
big percentage comes net from the local flats but from Down
East — Waldoboro, Machias and Canada. And the local can-
nery “imports” its clams from New Jersey and has for some
time. There aren’t enough Scarborough clams to fill the de-
mand.
Today, the only digging that can be done legally in
Scarborough is for a commercial depuration plant.
Scarborough clams are known far and wide for their ex-
cellence, and more than one business has prospered on them.
They’re sold both in the shell and shucked for steamers,
sandwiches and the big Scarborough specialty, fried clams.
They’re considered a $1 million resource. And they’re so
delectable that some people can’t believe they’re polluted.
“I never knew anyone to get sick on Scarborough
clams,” one old timer said recently, “unless it was because
be ate too many.”
Nevertheless, after some years of see-saw testing and
bacteria counts, the state found the cc-unt so high it couldn’t
be ignored and closed the flats last month in accordance with
standards set by the federal government.
It was considered a low blow, coming as it did at the
beginning of the summer season. But it should have come as
co surprise. The situation has been marginal for some time.
It doesn’t look as though the flats would be re-opened
soon. Dana Wallace, a research specialist for the Maine Sea
& Shore Fisheries Department, is predicting they’ll remain
closed all summer — or until the town cleans up some of the
pollution in its rivers — or all of its pollution.
Wallace said new bacteriological tests taken since the
May 14 closing weren’t encouraging. This was contrary to a
local theory that the bacteria count was high this year be-
cause of a high spring runoff and would improve as the sea-
son progressed.
The Scarborough clam flats are quiet. Some of the dig-
gers are lobstering. Many were digging clams only three or
four hours a day anyway, as a sideline. The town is refund-
ing the $10 license fees of high school students who usually
earn money as diggers on the flats in summer.
Scarborough diggers are among the best in the state.
They’re also about the best paid because of their regular out-
lets and good quality clams. Something like $10 a bushel is
considered to be “realistic” for their pay.
If there is resentment about the closing order, which
some of the diggers say is “unfair,” there also is resentment
because the diggers employed by the depuration plant oper-
ator are still working. Sea & Shore Fisheries has been ac-
cused of trying to force everyone into depuration plants.
But Wallace says no. Depuration, he explains, is a “slop
gap” measure. “We don’t want to use it as a crutch and rely
on it altogether. We want people to clean up . . Moreover,
he points out that the investment in depuration equipment is
costly and there would be no opportunity if there were too
great a number in the business.
Four state departments stand ready to help Scarborough
clean up — Sea & Shore Fisheries, Health and Welfare, the
Environmental Improvement Commission and the attorney
general’s office.
Burgeoning development is held responsible for the in-
crease in pollution, together with poor soil absorption from
an over abundance of clay soil.
Scarborough has made an auspicious start on sewers and
sewage treatment and has plans for more sewers that are
ThaVs A Tender Subject
held up by lack of the necessary money. A meeting with the \
state departments to discuss the possible action will be held *
soon. ’
The lone Scarborough depuration plant, according to ‘j
Wallace, is the most effective operation of its kind in the 3
slate and a “model” of efficiency. It frequently selves as a
model and is visited by shellfish interests from inside and out
of the country. The most recent visitors were from Canada.
The principle is that the clams cleanse themselves in sea
water that is sterilized by ultra violet ray. The plant was put
in as a private enterprise three years ago by Robert Googins
at Pine Point. By using this safeguard, the diggers can lake
clams from moderately polluted areas.
The plant is state regulated and frequently monitored.
The output depends on business and runs heaviest in sum-
mer. Many of the clams are sold to dealers and go out of
state.
Another depurator is being considered by a different Pine
Point resident but is only in the planning stage.
The extra cost of this processing can push prices up but
at, Scarborough they’ve remained competitive — $4 a peck on
steamers and $1.59 a pint for the shucked clams. Steamers
are reported to be more costly farther south.
There has been no indication that closing the
Scarborough flats has closed down business. Clams are still
selling. The fried clam stands are booming each weekend. At
least one proprietor had been apprehensive about this be-
cause of the adverse publicity.
The closing is making a big difference at Braley’s Sea-
food Market at 795 Broadway, South Portland. Douglas
Goodrich, the owner, has been buying roughly 6,000 bushels,
or from $50,000 to $55,000 worth, of clams annually from
Scarborough diggers.
“They were good clams — beautiful clams,” Goodrich
says with concern. “This has really hurt. It has practically
ruined my clam business. I built my business on Pine Point
clams.”
Goodrich lives in Scarborough and is a former digger
himself.
He considers that Sea & Shore Fisheries has “bent over
backward” to help the Scarborough clammers. But he also
wonders if the federal government’s standards are too high.
“If the clams were dug in Back Bay (Portland) it would be
another situation,” he said. He can see little health hazard if
the clams are cooked.
One of his best clam customers had no worries, either.
On the day the state closed the flats she called for Pine Point
clams. He asked her: “You mean those polluted clams?”
And she replied, “If I was going to die from them it would
save been before now.”
One point of interest is the $1 million “resource” value
put by the state on the Scarborough clam production. This
doesn’t mean $1 million in revenue for Scarborough. It is the
value of the product to the economy of the state,
* The value of the clams increases as they pass from the
diggers through the producers and processing until they ulti-
mately are sold in the retail trade. The resource total reflects
the increase according to different product use.
One example would be the clams that are sold steamed
in a restaurant. Say there are 20 clams in an order. There
are roughly 1,850 clams in a bushel and a bushel provides
92.5 orders.
If the consumer pays $1.50 for each order, the retail val-
ue of a bushel of clams becomes $138.75. Thus, if the digger
gets $10 a bushel, the increase is 13 fold.
The Maine shellfish computations, Wallace explains, are
conservative when compared to those used in Boston.
The annual value in recent years to Scarborough diggers
and producers is estimated at around $200,000 but this is con-
servative, too.
Scarborough
SCARBOROUGH – The Town
Council last night moved toward
a compromise position in its
‘clash with the Environmental
Improvement Commission over
Scarborough’s plumbing code.
Ajou ‘ 7 /
The council voted unani-
mously to file a statement with
the EIC asking for entry of a
consent order staying the Dec.
20 public hearing the commis-
sion had sought on alleged vio-
lations against the town of the
state plumbing code.
Last Friday, the EIC issued
an unjunction charging that the
town permitted the installation
and use of septic tanks and
leaching fields in soils unsui-
table for such installation, re-
sulting in the discharge of
waste effluent into the waters
and watercourses of the state.
The town was given 10 days
to request a public hearing on
the matter before a formal or-
der was issued calling for the
construction of a treatment
plant and sewer system.
T 0 W N ATTORNEY Paul
Frcnsco said, upon receipt of
the consent order the EIC will
dispurse with the Dec. 20 public
hearing.
Frcnsco explained the pur-
pose of the consent procedure is
to allow state and local repre-
sentatives to negotiate a work-
Moves
ing agreement. The officials
will now have an opportunity 10
sit down with all inforniatio
available on the matter and dis-
cuss different points of view,
thus attempting to work out a

the
problem.
Frcnsco said once the pro-
posed agreement is submitted
to the EIC for its review there
are three possible alternatives
the commission can take. It can
accept the agreement and issue
an order confirming it or reject
it entirely. If the compromise is
rejected the commission will
then issue an order within 15
days calling for a public hear-
ing on the alleged violations.
Toward Compromise
Fi.naUy if the EIC feels all
parlies have attempted to work
out a satisfactory solution to the
problem then it can afford the
town a reasonable opportunity
to gather all technical informa-
tion needed.
UNDER THE PENDING or-
der, the town would be required
to construct a 510 million sew-
age treatment plant and system
by December of 1974, two years
ahead, ol the state’s clcan-up
schedule.
The town would also have to
submit preliminary plans and
engineering estimates on the
project to the EIC. by Jan. 1,
1972; documented arrangements
and administration and finan-
cial estimates by April 1, 1972;
and detailed engineering and fi-
nal plans formulations by Feb.
1, 1973. The construction of the
facility would have to com-
mence on or before June 1,
1973.
All these dates the commis-
sion has set forth in the order
wilt be negotiable by the sub-
mission of the consent order,
Frensco said.
MOST OF THE 100 people at-
tending last night’s meeting
agreed that the council took the
best course of action on the or-
der from the commission.
However, one citizen said he
felt town officials should call
the public hearing on the mat-
ter so that the town could have
an opportunity to defend itself
against the state’s allocations.
He said, “we should attack it
head on — pay the price if we
are guilty or retain our integri-
ty if we aren’t.
Frensco said there is only one
problem with that method —
“The town has no access to
state or federal information
gathered when the commission
and federal governments tested
our coastal waters early in the
summer. “The town has asked
for but has been unable to ob-
tain this information.”
Portland, Me., Evening Express, Friday, December 15, 1972
ART LOVER — Angela Blaszczyk and
Durwavd Dean, members of John
Crocker’s sixth grade class at Plum-
mer School, admire some drawings
and Pariscraft sculptures created by
their classmates. (Staff Photo)
Art Program Stresses
i Individual Creativity
By DOROTHY E. JENKINS
Correspondent
FALMOUTH — Elementary pupils here
are both enjoying and benefiting from a new
art program introduced into the school sys-
tem this year.
Based on a belief in “individual creativ-
ity”, Mrs. Helen Danforlh, elementary art
supervisor, explained that in the program
each child is considered unique and special
and all his work is personal.
Through the creative art program, she
adds, each child is helped to discover his own
special expressiveness and potential; the pu-
pil’s awareness and ability to communicate
is expanded.
A wide range of experiences in many dif-
ferent media is offered, such as India ink, all
kinds of paper, clay, paint, water colors,
tempera, transparencies, three-D construc-
tion of all kinds, etchings, tie dying, string
painting and others.
Parents are invited to visit the Motz and
Plummer schools where there is always a
display of art work, Mrs. Danforth said.
At present, fourth graders are painting
Christmas scenes on the windows of the art
room at the Motz School.
Displays running until Christmas include
string paintings, where string is dipped ini
paint, folded inside paper and then pulled!
out. The pupil looks at the result to see what I
it suggests to him and then adds to it what|
he imagines it to be.
Another display is created first with cray-i
on, then finger paint over it for very effec-l
tive design-on-design work; potato prints by I
fourth graders are created by cutting a po-l
tato into different shapes, dipped in paint andf
then pressed on art paper.
At the Plummer School, the Artistl
Rouault’s influence is evidenced by fifth gra-1
ders with their crayon drawings outlined ini
black magic marker for a stain glass window |
effect.
Art is personal yet it allows for the devel-
opment of understanding and appreciation of |
the world around us, Mrs. Danforth ex-
plained.
She said the resulting work in this pro-
gram of “individual creativity” is based on
the child’s experiences, feelings, attitude,
material used and thinking.
The fourth, fifth and sixth grades Have art
classes once a week but as Mrs. Danforth
has to travel to four other schools to cover
the first, second and third grades, these
classes receive a lesson just every other
week.
16 Portland, Me., Evening Express, Friday, December 8, 1972
Golf Course Plan Temporarily Abandoned
Council OK’s School
By LORRAINE ALLEN
Correspondent
SCARBOROUGH – The Town
Council this week approved
Recreational Advisory Com-
mittee use of the Old Blue Point
School land on Pine Point
Road for recreational purposes.
Mrs. Nancy Herrick, chair-
man of the recreation com-
mitte, told the Council her com-
mittee had voted to temporarily
abandon its original plan to de-
velop a recreation facility at the
Blue Point Recreation Area.
She said the committee favors
using town owned land rather
than the Blue Point area be-
cause of the additonal costs
needed to satisfy requirements
of the State Department of
Parks and Recreation.
In October the recreation
committee submitted and re-
ceived council approval of its
proposal for the Blue Point Rec-
reation area.
The committee had also
worked out an agreement with
L. R. Higgins Inc., a Incal gen-
e r a 1 contractor, to do the
ground work and construct two
outdoor tennis courts and bas-
ketball courts for a cost of
$8,500.
However, any proposed recre-
ation facility for the Blue Point
area had to be approved by the
State Department of Parks and
Recreation, which purchased
the former golf course about a
> ”’XL. / / } .3!
:,on sale with Mrs. Thomas D,
sirs. Esty, Mrs. Long
The two bids received fer the
one-quarter acre of land, for-
mer Ralph A. Curlew properly,
on Hearn Road were also lower
than the $481 due in taxes. The
highest bid was $265.
Steele advised the Council
that the land on Jasper St. is
town owned properly and not
t a x acquired, therefore it
shouldn’t have been put out to
bid.
The two parcels of tax ac-
quired land that the Council de-
cided to postpone action on
were two and one half acres of
property located near the State
Police Barracks on Route 1, for-
mer Arthur Stevens property
and the Jack McPhail property
on Hearn Road.
A high bid of $6,200 was re-
ceived on the Route 1 property
but the Council decided to hold
off on any action until the bid-
der could be made aware that
the land in question is in the
proposed Resource Protection
zone.
Four bids were received for
the 2.8 acres of land on Hearn
Road, Jack McPhail property.
Steele advised the Council that
he had heard yesterday that a
local resident had received a
to the property from the
I
Scarborough River gets a dredging
mday, October II, 1973
River’s Channel And Anchorage Being Dredged
By LORRAINE ALLEN
Correspondent
SCARBOROUGH — Dredging operations
in the Scarborough River to restore the chan-
nel and anchorage to their authorized depth
are now under way.
The maintenance program js ^ project
of the Army Corp of Engineers’ and is being
done under a contract awarded to the North-
east Dredging Company of Boston.
■■
An estimated 124,700 cubic yards of sand
will be removed this year to restore the en-
trance channel to its authorized depth of
eight feet and the channel and anchorage
area to a depth of six feet.
This year the engineers will be con-
tending with extensive shoaling of the ap-
proach channel, inner channel and anchorage
area resulting from a major coastal storm
last Februrary.
The clearance work is being done with a
government side cast dredge and the disposal
site for the sand is property owned by Wil-
liam Goggins which is located near the golf
course at Prout’s Neck.
The dredging area includes an entrance
channel 200 feet wide and eight feet deep at
mean low water across a sand bar which
forms an area from 1,000 feet to 3,000 feet
seaward off Pine Point. A channel 2,400 feet
long, too feet wide and six feet deep and an
anchorage area 1,350 feet long, 300 feet wide
and six feet deep and an 800-foot long jetty
originating at the tip of Pine Point. No work
is planned on the jetty at this time.
The dredging operation is expected to be
completed in about two weeks time. It will
benefit commercial fisherman, recreation
boats and others who depend on a safe and
adequate navigating facility for their business
and recreational use.
The last maintenance project on the river
was completed about three years ago.
Closing Of Road
OK’d By
By LORRAINE ALLEN
Correspondent
SCARBOROUGH — There
was no opposition at a public
hearing held by the town coun-
cil last night on a request from
Blue Rock Industries of West-
brook to discontinue a portion of
the Green Road at North
Scarborough.
After the hearing, the council
voted unanimously to dis-
continue 543 feet of this road as
requested.
The road is located off Run-
ning Hill Road and was laid out
as a town way in 1913. Earlier
there were houses in the area
but most recently the road has
lead only into a gravel pit
owned by Blue Rock and land
has been excavated on all sides
of it.
The council also accepted
Blue Rock’s offer to pay 25
cents per cubic yard for the 10,-
600 yards of gravel that will be
removed from the discontinued
section.
The gravel pit is the site of
the proposed Greater Portland
Council of Governments region-
al solid waste disposal oper-
ation.
Warranty deeds from Webber
Farms for Coach Lantern Road
East off Wlnnock’s Neck Road
Council
and Brown Brothers for Iron-
clad Road off Fogg Road lor
approval as town ways were ac-
cepted by the council. However,
a quit claim deed submitted by
Carroll Martin for acceptance
of an additional 131 feet of Mar-
tin Avenue off Broadturn Road
was tabled until the warranty
deed is received.
It was reported to the council
that a problem in the Brown
Homes development regarding
subsurface water drainage on
some of the streets has been
satisfactorily taken care of by
the developer. Some months ago
the council tabled action on ap-
proving Ironclad Road until this
was done.
The council awarded the con-
tract for purchasing a new po-
lice cruiser to Hansen Chrysler-
Plymouth of South Portland,
low bidder for $2,558 with trade-
in. The only other bidder was
Bidell Motors of Saco for $2,750
with trade-in.
Tire council also accepted
$4,500 from the state for pur-
chase through eminent domain
proceedings of a triangular
piece of land at the intersection
of Route 22 and Gorham Road
to be used in road reconstruc-
tion. This is presently a pienu
area.