Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1952, Part 3

Author: Quincy (Mass.)
Publication date: 1952
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 96


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1952 > Part 3


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Annual Report


. . . 27


During 1952 the forestry department cut down 250 trees affected by the deadly Dutch Elm disease. Other trees eut down because of their condition includd 24 Maples, 3 Ashes, 2 Catalphas and 2 Poplars. The de- partment planted 25 street trees.


The department transplanted from private property a 25-foot Blue Spruce at the Granite street entrance to the parking area and a 20-foot Blue Spruce on the lawn of the First Parish church; personnel also set up a 35-foot community Christmas tree on Washington street, Quiney Square, and 20 spruces on the library lawn for the Christmas display.


The department raised in the greenhouse for use in city flower beds 4,000 Geranium plants. 4,000 Altha Anthera plants, 1,500 Petunias, 4,000 Sweet Alyssum, 500 Marigolds, 800 Center Liners, 500 Salvia, 100 Cama Plants, 10,000 Pansy plants and 800 Chrysanthemums.


SANITARY DIVISION


In addition to routine work of collecting garbage and trash, the sanitary department pumped out 242 cesspools during the year.


HIGHWAY DIVISION


The highway department, in addition to usual street maintenance and patching, handled several heavy snow- falls during the early part of the year.


The contract for seal coating and bituminous re- surfacing of streets, let to the Old Colony Construction Company late in 1951, was completed in 1952. The con- tract for the widening of Granite street, let to Almquist brothers, was started in September and well under way by the en l of the year.


Contracts for the construction of Oakwood road, Wilson avenue, Belmont street and Gilmore street was let to C. P. Gardiner and Sons. Contracts were let to Henry A. Pompeo, Inc., for the construction of Lurton street, Montello street, Alrick road, South Central ter- race and Landsdowne street. A section of Newport avenue was reconstructed by departmental personnel. Allyne street was widened and Bedford stret constructed by city labor. Water street, Rice road and part of Palmer street were resurfaced under contract by the Quincy Contracting company: and another portion of Palmer street was reconstructed by city labor.


The Old Colony Construction company resurfaced Sea street from Morrissey boulevard to Curlew road; Billings street, Buckley street, Center street from Alber- tina street to the Braintree line; Elm avenne from Gould to Hancock street from West Squantum street to the Atlantic railroad bridge; Keating street; Newport ave- nue from Beale to Furnace Brook parkway; Quarry street, Maple street and Cottage avenue.


During 1952 work was started on a parking area on the Upland road side of the Quincy Depot property, which has been purchased from the New Haven rail- road. As the year ended the public works department was asking bids for the demolition of property on the newly purchased East side parking area.


WATER DIVISION


During 1952 the water division of the public works department continued to extend its mains to cover newly constructed homes and to replace small antiquated lines. The total footage laid or replaced came to 17,059.


A program of cleaning and relining of pipe was begun during the year. In this work the main is cleaned of all rust, dirt and tubereulation, and then coated with one-quarter inch of concrete lining. So treated this year were mains on Chubbuck street, Watson road, Broadway, Elmwood avenue, Marlboro street, Acton street, Everett street, Norfolk street, Exeter street, Albany street, and Granger street. The treatment elim- inates dirty water, increases the volume, decreases the


velocity and prolongs the life of the pipe at a fraction of the cost of replacing mains.


WATER STATISTICS


Population, estimated on Dec. 31, 1952 85,000


Daily average water consumption, gallons 7.118,740 Gallons per capita 84


Main Pipe


Main pipe laid, feet, 1952 14,266


Total miles of mains now in use 216.8


Leaks repaired in mains in 1952 42


Service Pipe


Service pipe laid in 1952, feet 14,028


Feet of service pipe now in use $70,868


Average length of service pipe in use, feet 47.22


Number of taps made in 1952 508


Services discontinued in 1952


1;


Total number of services now in use 18,840


Services cleaned because of poor pressure 99


Service pipe renewed. feet 201


Service leaks repaired 314


Sprinkler connections for fire purposes 103


Services thawed out


3


Meters


Total number of meters now in use 18,629


Meters installed in 1952 280


Percent of services metered 99.2


Fire Hydrants


Hydrants in use, Dec. 31, 1952 2,051


Hydrants broken by autos, 1952 26


Hydrants moved, 1952 4


Gate Valves


Number of gate valves in use, Dec. 31, 1952 3,661


DIVISION OF SEWERS


The year of 1952 was marked by the completion of the big Rock Island project, through which sanitary sower facilities were made available to approximately 268 homes in this section of Quincy. Metcalf and Eddy were the engineers; the Rosa and Todisco Construction company were the contractors; and the total project cost approximated a quarter of a million dollars.


By the end of the year, 90 Rock Island homes were connected with the new sewer, signifying the abandon- ment of 90 cesspools; 90 other homes had connections made from the mains to their property lines ; and sewer facilities were available for 88 more homes.


During the year the city put into effect the new rost of $3.94-per-foot betterments on main sewers, as an analysis disclosed that the old cost of a dollar a foot placed far more than 50 percent of the cost. on the eity while the home owner was paying a mere fraction of the total costs. The old dollar-a-foot price was charged to home owners acquiring sanitary sewer facil- ities through the construction of the Rock Island pro- jeet on the grounds that plans for this project were adopted before the new charges were approved by the council.


SEWER CONSTRUCTION, 1952


Miles of main sanitary sewers (20,724.02 feet) 3.924


By city personnel (7807.08 feet) 1.478


*By contract (12,916.94 feet ) 2.446


181.881


Miles of main sanitary sewers in Dec. 31, '52 Feet of particular sewers built, 1952 House connections made in 1952 421


18,521.3


House connections in use, Dec. 31, 1952


17,539


Miles of storm drains built in 1952 (3225.5f.) .611


Miles of storm drains in operation Dec. 31, '52 123.24


No. manholes bulit to Jan. 1, 1953 4632


2% . . . City of Quincy


WOMEN TRAFFIC SUPERVISORS PROTECT SCHOOL CHILDREN


QUINCY'S FEMININE FINEST: Smartly uniformed, alert and efficient are Quiney's corps of female traffic super- visors organized in 1952 to patrol the streets in front of elementary schools morning, noon and afternoon while pupils are going and coming between home and class room. Front row, left to right, Mrs. Evelyn Burke, Mrs. Estrella Gotlieb, Mrs. Elvera De Young, Mrs. Sylvia Brett, Mrs. Marie Hayes, Mrs. Madeline MeNally, Mrs. Margaret Hallisey, Mrs. Dorothy MeAdams; rear row, Mrs. Helen Fleming, Mrs. Marie Mansfield, Mrs. Jessie Norton, Mrs. Evely !! Shea, Mrs. Ann Rasberry, Mrs. Mary McDonald, Mrs. Ernestine Bostwick.


Annual Report


29


*This construction in the Rock Island sewer project done under contract includes the mains laid in both 1951 and 1952. The contractor, Rosa & Todisco, also laid 2546.9 feet of particular sewers from the main to the street line during the course of the work.


CEMETERY WORK


The cemetery department opened 597 graves in Mt. Wollaston during 1952. Almost two acres of new land was graded and laid out in 2-, 3- and 4-grave lots during the year, and were available for sale. Several streets were raised and rebuilt, and several others were resur- faced.


Some 1500 sunken graves were filled in and re- seeded during the year. The new regulations, adopted in 1951, which necessitate the use of concrete valuts instead of wooden boxes will, in time, eliminate the neces- sity of refilling sunken graves. New chain link fencing was installed across the easterly side of the cemetery ; and plans are to continue the fence around the northerly side.


The department also maintained the Old Hancock cemetery during the year, replacing a number of old trees with flowering shrubs.


ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT


The engineering department, a division of the pub- lie works department, serves almost all branches of municipal government in a professional capacity.


Innumerable requests are received daily for en- gineering services from other branches of the city gov- ernment for investigations which require reports and estimates. Many of these emanate from council ac- tions, most of these requiring field work by a survey party to furnish an accurate picture of conditions to obtain estimates upon which recommendations may be based. This applies particularly to drainage problems, sewer extensions, proposed new street acceptances, street and sidewalk resurfacing and reconstruction, proposed land takings for school and off-street parking purposes, widenings, parks and playgrounds.


For all takings, regardless of their purpose, plans unist be drafted and taking orders prepared for the city council.


The engineering department is, to all intents and purposes, an engineering firm at the beek and call of the entire city government throughout the entire year.


INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS


Permits Type


Estimated Cost


225 One family dwellings


.$1,503,800.00


Two family dwellings 20,000.00


Four family dwellings


40,000.00


16 Mercantile


92,250.00


3


Manufacturing


56,000.00


4 Storage


7,000.00


165 Garages


118.375.00


705


Residential alterations


414,051.00


166


Other alterations


549,755.00


23


Removals


6,500.00


3


Elevators


7,700.00


31


Signs


37,800.00


13


Miscellaneous


414,650.00


1,358 Totals


$3,267,881.00 Total valuation for 1951, new record .. $6,302,503.00


Ward Tabulation for Building Operations


Ward 1


. $1,013,785


Ward 2


247,082


Ward 3


305,914


Ward 4


430,236


Ward 5


580,62


Ward €


690,242


During 1952 there were 237 living units provided by new construction and 51 units through alterations to existing buildings.


The Board of Appeals for the buildingg code ren- dered 20 decisions, granting 15 appeals and denying five.


The Board of Appeals for zoning held hearings on 16 applications, allowing 12 and denying four


Receipts of the department were $9.100.50.


DEPARTMENT OF WIRE INSPECTION


New buildings wired during 1952 included 315 one-family homes, one two-family dwelling, 52 four- family dwellings, 10 mercantile buildings, 2 manufactur- ing buildings, 1 school, 6 garages and 61 miscellaneous structures.


Additional wiring was installed in 1607 old one-fam- ily buildings, 108 multi-family dwellings, 295 mercantile and 44 manufacturing buildings.


A total of 2547 permits were issued, bringing in fees of $6,017.85. A total of 4005 inspections were made, and 74 defects noted on installations.


Permanent wiring for appliances included 1159 oil burners, 383 electric ranges, 2 stokers, 336 gas furnaces, 41 dryers, 11 dishwashers and 19 disposals.


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Financial Statement


Sealing fees


$2,509.75


Adjusting 65.25


Hawker and peddlar 490.00


Total $3,065.00


During 1952 the departmental activities ineluded 6034 re-weighings, sealing 1297 scales, sealing 2427 weights, sealing 805 automatic measuring devices, seal- ing 320 capacity measures, 17,001 inspections, making 116 tests, and 1670 calls. Five persons were brought into court on charges, and all were convicted. Four cases were filed and one defendant was fined $10.


PARK DEPARTMENT


The regular personnel of the park department, which has supervision of all parks, playgrounds, beaches and playing fields, consisted of a foreman, a working foreman, 12 maintenance men, a clerk, a custodian at the Fore River club, and a part-time matron at Veterans Memorial Field. In addition, six temporary employes were hired for six months.


During the year all baseball fields, softball fields, football gridirons, parks and beaches were placed in commission. Cleaning of parks and beaches required 3241 man-hours. During the summer Perry, Avalon, Mound street, Bakers, Heron road and Rock Island beaches were maintained.


The department maintains 10 regulation baseball diamonds and 14 softball diamonds, located in various sections of the city. Many independent teams, repre- senting various sections of the city. Many independent teams, representing various age groups. used these fields during the season. A total of 24 tennis courts were maintained. Skating ponds were maintained at Stoney Brae, Sailors Home pond, Manet Lake, Scotch Pond and Squantum. Nine days of good skating were enjoyed.


Veterans Memorial Field has been turned over to the school department, but the park department is in charge of maintenance. During the year maintenance of this field came to $7,100, somewhat above the average cost, due to the demolition of old wooden bleachers and the construction of new ones and the building of a new ticket booth. Considerable maintenance costs were charged to vandalism.


City of Quincy


30


QUINCY COMPLETES ALMOST $2,000,000 WORTH OF NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION DURING 1952


C


New Snug Harbor elementary school, above, has 18 classrooms, 1 auditorium-gymnasium, 1 visual aid room. Project cost : $716,513.


SF


New Beechwood Knoll elementary school, above, has 10 classrooms, 1 auditorium-gymnasium, 1 visual aid room. Project cost : $504,764.


Four-room addition, left, to Montelair ele-


mentary school, re-


lieved over-crowded conditions in North Quincy area. Project cost : $130,601.


Am.ual Report


.


.


31


BIGGEST JOB OF CITY GOVERNMENT IS EDUCATION OF YOUNG QUINCY


Public education is the most expensive project fin- anced by the taxpayers of Quincy, and probably the most important. Quincy, like other Americani communities, gives its youth 12 years of free education, six in elementary schools, and three each in junior and senior high schools. Depart- mental appropriation in 1952 was more than three million dollars, and net departmental cost was almost two and a half million. Added to these figures is the debt service on bond issues. Incidental cost is the employment of 15 part-time women traffic supervisors to protect pupils com- ing to and from schoo's, a new municipal service inaugurated this year.


Mrs. Dorothy MeAdam, one of 15 new women traffic supervisors employed this year halts traffic on Beach street in front of Massachusetts Fields school as Bruce Crofts, Robert Murphy, Robert Burgeron, Robert Darling and Barry Burgeron cross highway on their way to classes.


Mrs. McAdam and her associates, who live near their respective schools, are on duty for an hour or so in the morning, at noon and in the afternoon while pupils are leaving or entering school grounds. This corps of women traffic supervisors relieves regular Quincy police of mach of the burden of school patrol duties which formerly took them away from other important functions.


New Quincy Trade school addition. completed this year at a cost of $639,000.00 adds 19 class and various pur- pose rooms to the facilities of this vocational phase of high school work. Trade school graduates step directly into well paid jobs as a result of their training.


. . City of Quincy


32


Improvements during the year included: new garage floor at Merrymount Park: construction of baseball diamonds at Adams field and O'Rourke playground; reloaming and grading playground at O'Rourke field; construction of two new hockey rinks; erection of 1050 feet of fence at Park Lake, Baker's playground, Moses playground and Faxon Park garage; new float and boating landing at Pageant beach; construction of a new playground at Upper Merrymount; reloamnig and grading at Massachusetts Fields playground; shelter and sandboxes at Mound street beach; basketball court at Washington school; new stage at Fore River club- house.


RECREATION COMMISSION


The Quincy Recreation commission, with 75 paid part-time employes, operated 24 playgrounds in the summer and 11 centers in the Spring, Fall and Winter. The program included arts and crafts; athletic contests; mass games and informal activities; drama, music and dancing; elnbs, picnics and outings.


A feature of the program growing in popularity is the water safety program, which includes swimming in- struction at 8 beaches, and rowiug, sailing and casting.


Total Attendance for 1952


Winter centers


22,886


Playgrounds


81,682


Athletic league


4,111


Basketball


8,982


Tennis


5,409


Dancing


1,636


Movies


1,398


Track and Field 860


Arts and Crafts


14,576


Organized act.


54,093


Music


1,769


Dramatics


2,340


Club groups


9,623


Water program


18,125


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM


The Quincy public school system, lagging behind in capital improvements largely due to the depression and the second world war, was substantially expanded in 1952 when construction worth approximately two million dollars was completed.


Completed by the end of the year and in commission were two fine new elementary schools, a big addition to the Quincy Trade school and one elementary school addition, increasing facilities by 51 classrooms aside from several general purpose rooms.


The year marked the completion of the Beechwood Knoll school, designed by Coletti Brothers and built by Bagley-Mucci Construction company; the Snug Harbor school, designed by Anderson-Nichols and built by S. & A. Allen Construction company; the Trade school addition, designed by Cram & Ferguson and built by James S. Kelliher; the four-room addition to the Mont- clair school, designed by Albert E. West and built by Sciaba & Company.


Beechwood Knoll includes 10 classrooms, oue com- bination auditorium-gymnasium and a visual aid room. Net project cost was $504,764.11; site cose was $3,254, and site preparation, due to the marshy characted of the ground, came to $69,762.26.


Snug Harbor includes 18 classrooms, an auditorium- gymnasium and a visual aid room. Net projeet cost


was $716,513.52; site cost was $44,203.90, and site prep- aration cost nothing.


The Trade school addition includes 19 classrooms. Net Project cost was $639,965.35, with site acquisition and preparation entailing no outlays.


The four-room addition to the Montclair school entailed a net project cost of $130,601.51, with no costs for site acquisition or preparation.


With Cranch, Wollaston, Squantum and Snug Har- bor schools either already over-crowded or scheduled to be over-crowded within a year or so, the city at the end of 1952 faced the necessity of continuing its school construction program. School officials and the city council were seeking a site for an elementary school in the Furnace Brook Parkway area and were figuring on alterations to Central Junior High school, au addi- tion to the new Snug Harbor school and additional classroomspace for Squantum.


Faced with mounting costs of school construction, which had been a factor in raising the bonded indebted- ness to a point where caution was advisable, by the end of the year City Manager William J. Deegan, Jr., was making an exhaustive study of the feasibility of resort- ing to demountable pre-fabricated metal construction as an alternative. Several other cities and towns, faced with the same problems, were keenly interested in the Quiuey study.


Educational progrss has carried along with it con- siderable evolution in school construction since the days of the log school and the little red schoolhouse, which helped mould some fairly good minds in days gone by.


Here are some of the features of Quincy's two new elementary schools completed in 1952 that the American schoolboy of a few generations ago would find somewhat strange:


At the Beechwood Knoll school-a 10 acre site . . . Provision for development of 5 acres for play area. . . All construction including boiler room above ground level . . . Auditorium-Gymnasium unit including kitchen and shower facilities suitable for community use. . . . Auditorium window drapes for visual aids purposes. . . . A well equipped stage. . . . Color scheme of pastel shades throughout building . . . Decorative use of ceil- ing beams. . . . Classrooms individually heated by uni- vents. . . Ample storage space in classrooms and in administrative wing. . . Movable work counters. . . Green metal chalkboards also serving display purposes through use of magnets . . . Classroom sinks. . . Special toilets for first grades. . . Kitchenette facilities for teachers. . . Outside thermostat to guard against tem- perature changes at night.


At the Snug Harbor school- a 14-acre site . Three level building . . . Extensive recreation areas with covered play space . . . Outside doors in all first floor classrooms . . . Light-directing glass block walls with clear glass areas . . . Classroom equipment scaled to size for respective age groups . . . Classroom sinks con- trolled by electric eye . . . An intercommunication and public address system . . . Ample tack board and stor- age space . . . A visual aids room suitable for pupil or adult use . Auditorium-gymnasium unit with well equipped stage . .. Locker, shower, and kitchen facilities for use in community recreation . . . Kitchenette ad- joining teacher's room . . . Central ventilating system with humidity control . . . Space for additional boiler in anticipation of expansion . . . An air raid shelter.


Annual Report


.


. 33


SCHOOL DAYS IN QUINCY - 1952


15


31


LEFT-Action shot! Four to five hundred boys - participate annually in intramural and in- terscholastic basketball in school gyms.


BELOW-Painting designs is part of art program in elementary schools. Maybe 20 years hence one of these girls will be sketching new de- signs in Paris for fashion magazines.


LEFT-Healthy minds in healthy bodies! School health program includes routine physical exams, first aid and special check-ups.


BELOW-Movable desks and chairs make for in- formality and enable small groups to work as units in new Snug Harbor school. Old schools have like features.


-


City of Quincy


34 .


COST ANALYSIS SCHOOL PROJECTS


Landscaping Supervision Net Project


School


Site Cost


Preparation


Site Architect Fees $28,451.94 none 35,652.34


General Contract $360,834.51


Furniture Fixtures $17,669.99


Gardens


Mise 's. $6,708.81


Cost $504,761,11


Snug Harbor


2,612.68


6,580.91


716, 13.52


Trade


none


none


34,315.60


571,617.06


26,439.73


12.00


7,580.96 639,965,55


Montelair


none


none


6,983.02


114,359.54


4,367.99


none


4,890.96


130,601.51


MONEY RECEIVED BY CITY TREASURER DUE TO OPERATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS


Tuition


. $ 23,152.01


State and federal reimbursements


323,062.72


Miscellaneous receipts


5,486.07


Total receipts


$352,700.80


ENROLLMENT, OCTOBER 1, 1952


By Grades


By Schools


Grade


1


1730


Quincy High School


1293


Grade 2


1274


North Quincy High School


1566


Grade


3


1297


Central Junior High


758


Grade 4


1322


Quincy Point Jr. High


456


Grade


5


1323


South Junior High


521


Grade


1058


Adams


375


Grade


908


Atherton Hough


708


Grade 9


849


Beechwood Knoll


277


Grade 9


824


Coddington


267


Grade 10


767


Cranch


283


Grade 11


665


Daniel Webster


366


Francis W. Parker


508


Post Grad.


2


Gridley Bryant


244


Special Cl.


105


John Hancock


222


Lincoln


319


Massachusetts Fields


492


Merrymount


271


Montelair


637


Nathaniel S. Hunting


207


Quincy


564


Snug Harbor


499


Squantum


372


Thomas B. Pollard


303


Washington


149


Willard


435


Wollaston


546


Class for Older Boys


27


Physically Handicapped


16


Sight Conservation Classes


22


Trade


207


Total 12,910


FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1952


Appropriated by City Council (exclusive of Federal Funds)


$3,004,099.96


Appropriated for outstanding 1951 bills and contracts; salaries held over


148,864.53


Total available (exclusive of Federal Funds)


$3,152,964.49


Expended: Regular and State-Aided Schools and Classes* (exclusive of Federal Funds) $2,961,675.91


181,869.53


3,143,545.44


Balance


ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES


Additional Equipment


30,453.27


Coordinate and Auxiliary Agencies


65,602.02


Evening Academie School


4,492.04


General Control


64,759.31


Instruction


2,192,570.27


Maintenance


157,411.73


Miscellaneous


6,440.94


Operation of Plant


300,915.55


Pensions


12,593.30


Travel Outside State


304.65


Total for regular schools


$2.835,543.08


Annual Report


.


35


Trade


207


Total


12,910


Beechwood Knoll


$3,254.00 44,203.90


$69,762.26


594,205.71


26,439.73


$18,002.60


Outstanding bills and contracts; salaries held over


$ 9,419.05


6


Grade 12


579


QUINCY'S RECREATION PROGRAM BUILDS STRONG BODIES


VOLLEY BALL


Parks, playgrounds, beaches pro- vide facilities for healthful outdoor sports that cut down juvenile delin- quency.


PIE EATING CONTEST


LEFT-BATTER UP!


ABOVE-SPRINTERS


LEARNING TO SWIM


. . City of Quincy


36


BIG CONSTRUCTION PRO GRAM ADVANCED IN 1952


E


Major public improvements costing approximately $5,000,000 were com- pleted or under progress in Quincy in 1952. Completed during the year were two new elementary schools, a big trade school addition and an elementary school addition totalling about $2,000,000; a sewer project costing around a quarter of a million dollars; and a housing development running close to $2,- 000,000. Under progress were a $500,000 hospital heating plant and a $225,000 shore protection project which will be jointly financed by city and state.


ABOVE-Completed and occupied in 1952 was Riverview, federally aided low rent pro- ject, consisting of 45 frame buildings of four apartments each, financed by the Quincy Housing Authority through a bond issue of $2,050,000. City will receive 10 per cent of shelter rents in payment in lieu of taxes.




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