USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Newton war memorial > Part 2
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Committee on Public Safety
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Organization of the Newton Committee on Public Safety
December 31, 1917
William F. Garcelon, President James G. White, Vice-President Edwin M. Richards, Treasurer Alfred MacDonald, Secretary
Executive Committee
William F. Garcelon, Chairman Alfred MacDonald, Secretary
Augustus T. Beatey Mrs. S. Hardy Mitchell
James Richard Carter
Mrs. Irving O. Palmer
Edwin O. Childs
Miss Margaret Rich
Francis George Curtis
Edwin M. Richards
William J. Doherty George Walker
*William M. Flanders Mrs. James G. White
Edward P. Hatch James G. White
Committee on Legal Advice George F. Wales, Chairman
J. Weston Allen
Samuel D. Elmore
A. T. Beatey
A. Leslie Harwood, Jr.
Elias B. Bishop
James A. Lowell
Harry D. Cabot Thomas W. Proctor
Thomas Weston, Jr.
Recruiting Committee
James G. White, Chairman
Thomas F. Baxter
Fred H. Loveland
Homer L. Bigelow
Frederick T. Parks
Samuel W. Bridges
Harry D. Priest
Isaac S. Dillingham, Jr. George Walker
Finance Committee
James Richard Carter, Chairman Frank L. Richardson, Secretary
John S. Alley Seward W. Jones
Albert P. Carter
Charles E. Kelsey
William J. Follett Charles E. Riley
Guy M. Winslow
Committee on Co-ordination of Aid Societies
Mrs. S. Hardy Mitchell, Chairman
Mrs. George Angier
Mrs. Irving O. Palmer
Miss Mary Blake Mrs. Ellery Peabody
Mrs. Bernard Early Mrs. Franklin E. Smith
Miss Julia M. Enegess Mrs. George W. St. Amant
Mrs. Charles Mills Mrs. Charles G. Wetherbee
Committee on Food Production and Conservation
*William M. Flanders, Chairman Fred H. Tucker, Chairman, 1918 Miss Margaret Rich, Secretary Harry L. Jones
Lawrence Allen Ralph Angier
Seward Jones
Mrs. A. C. Badger
Miss Jeannie Kenrick
Peter C. Baker Miss Martha Lathe
William F. Bartholomew Fred H. Loveland
James S. Cannon Alfred MacDonald
Robert Chapman, Jr. Thomas A. McGarr
William W. Colton Ernest L. Miller
Mark V. Croker H. W. Orr
Bernard Early Charles E. Riley
George H. Ellis H. Wilson Ross
Miss Maida Flanders James W. Spring
A. W. Gilbert Alexander L. Stephen
* Deceased
Horace W. Hall
Mrs. C. L. Harrison
Edward P. Hatch
Samuel Thurber
Charles E. Hatfield Mrs. Arthur Vignoles
W. J. Hebberd Dr. George L. West
Henry Whitmore
Howard Whitmore
Dr. H. J. Wheeler
E. J. Winslow
Relief Committee Miss Margaret Rich, Chairman Mrs. Frank A. Day Samuel Thurber
Mrs. James G. White
Committee on City Protection Edwin O. Childs, Chairman
Henry W. Crowell
Fred M. Mitchell
Alexander G. Nicholson
Committee on Publicity
Henry G. Chambers
Harold Moore
John C. Brimblecom
Albert C. Shorey
Fred C. Green John Temperley
Ralph C. Metcalf Frederick E. Stanley
Committee on Transportation William J. Doherty, Chairman
Walter A. Barrows
George M. Cox
William H. Brown J. B. Hammill
Charles Peter Clark Robert G. Howard
Edward P. Morrison
Committee on Automobiles Augustus T. Beatey, Chairman C. Arthur Boutelle Committee on Fraternal Aid
Bancroft L. Goodwin
M. J. Barry
Committee on Hygiene, Medicine and Sanitation
Francis George Curtis, M. D., Chairman
Deborah Fawcett, M. D.
John C. Madden
*William F. Harbach
Harold W. Shedd, D. M. D.
F. M. Lowe, M. D. F. E. Withee, M. D.
Canteen Committee
Mrs. Frederick White, Chairman
Mrs. Charles B. Beasom
Mrs. W. S. Cormack
Miss Mary Childs
Mrs. F. H. Franklin
Mrs. Loren D. Towle
Visiting Committee Co. C Edward P. Hatch, Chairman
Mrs. Edward P. Hatch
Mrs. Henry C. French
Henry C. French
George B. Macomber
Mrs. George B. Macomber
Committee on Women's Council National Defense Mrs. Irving O. Palmer, Chairman
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Ernst Hermann
James C. Irwin
Joseph B. Jamieson
James B. Studley Fred H. Tucker
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
The Newton Committee on Public Safety was first organized March 19. 1917, under the name "Soldiers' Auxiliary", for the purpose of aiding the Newton or- ganization, Company C of the Fifth Regiment, and other Newton men joining the colors.
At the suggestion of the Massachusetts State Com- mittee on Public Safety, the name was changed and it was decided to co-operate with the State Committee. Headquarters were first established at the West New- ton Armory on March 23 and the office at 893 Wash- ington Street was opened April 25, 1917.
The late Captain Morton E. Cobb was the first sec- retary and continued as such until he received his com- mission and began his preparation for early active service. His untiring energy and enthusiastic patriot- ism contributed largely to the thoroughness and success of the Committee in the first few months of activity. Following his resignation Alfred MacDonald acted as secretary.
The work of this committee is best explained by the following reports of its sub-committees :
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"Farm, Finance or Fight"
FARM
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FOOD PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION
The Sub-committee on Food Production and Con- servation of the Newton Committee on Public Safety was organized April 7th in response to the President's "War Garden" proclamation following the declaration of war.
The Committee started its work by making a census of unused land in the city available for gardens. Circu- lars and return postal cards were distributed to every resident of Newton asking the following questions :
"1. Have you land for a garden? If so, will you cultivate it yourself ?
"2. Have you surplus land which you will allow some other person to cultivate?
"3. If you have no land for a garden, will you have a garden if land is furnished?"
Headquarters were then established in each of the ten villages for the actual work of distributing the available land to applicants. These headquarters were, in most cases, financed by the Local Improvement As- sociations of the villages in which they were located.
Forest Commissioner W. W. Colton made a census of parks and other city land adapted to gardening. Several of these parks were in such condition that they would be permanently benefited by plowing and cultivation. Much of the city land thus obtained was used for children's gardens and school gardens, and the remainder distributed to individuals through the local headquarters. The Metropolitan Park Commis- sion also gave permission for the use of some of their land at Newton Lower Falls. Several industrial con- cerns also furnished land for their employees. Among these were the Saco-Lowell Shops and Saxony Worsted Mills. City land was also distributed to employees of the Telephone Co., the Newtonville Fire Co., and the Street and Park Department employees cultivated about ar: acre of the city land at West Newton. The work at Waban under the direction of the Waban Improve- ment Association was particularly conspicuous. There the local unit of the Constabulary established a com- munity garden which was planted and cared for by the members.
To relieve the shortage of labor in the spring and early summer 200 high school boys volunteered to work at gardening afternoons and Saturdays for a nominal wage, generally 20 cents per hour. Requests for boys for such work were handled through Mr. Samuel Thurber of the Technical High School. The results, both from the standpoint of benefit to the boys and to the people for whom they worked, was inva- riably satisfactory.
Inspection
To give aid and advice to amateur gardeners a com- mittee on garden supervision consisting of Forest Com- missioner W. W. Colton and Alfred MacDonald was appointed. Cyril Forbush, who had had technical train- ing and some practical experience in agricultural work. was engaged to work under the direction of this com- mittee to make inspections and answer inquiries.
Amateur gardeners were encouraged to apply for regular inspections of their gardens when they or their representatives could be met on the land and recom- mendations made and advice given. 240 owners re- quested this service, and each garden was inspected
at least 3 times during the summer. A card record of the condition of these gardens was kept at the office of the Committee at Newtonville. Of the 240 gardens thus regularly inspected, 165 were entirely free from weeds during the entire season; 68 were found to have a few weeds on at least one visit; and in but 6 were the weeds allowed to grow to any extent. 156 were entirely free from insects; and in 73 aphis, rose bugs, or potato beetles were found. 199 recom- mendations for spraying, cultivating, etc., were made.
At the request of the State Committee on Public Safety for statistics of the area under cultivation, Mr. E. P. Hatch, working through the churches, made house-to-house canvass of the entire city, and the fol- lowing statistics as to the results of the work were obtained :
Number of gardens in 1916. 1,206
Number of gardens in 1917 3,390
Gain 180%
Land cultivated in 1916-acres 286.58
Land cultivated in 1917-acres 1067.80
Gain 272%
Number of gardens planted by owners. 3,056
Number of gardens planted on borrowed land 332
Number planting
Potatoes 2,024
Beans 2,526
Corn 1,929
Sundries 2,650
Number requesting spraying by city. 97
Number requesting personal inspections. 240
Agriculture Fair
An Agriculture Fair at Norumbega Park, promoted by the Auburndale Women's Club was held on Sep- tember 29. 1917. This fair gave successful gardeners, both adults and children, an opportunity to exhibit the results of their work. Jars of preserved vegetables from the canning classes were also exhibited. Repre- sentatives of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau were present and gave some interesting talks. Admis- sion was charged, and the profits amounted to $900. One-half of this amount was turned over to the Com- mittee on Public Safety for the relief work among dependents of men in the service.
CHILDREN'S GARDEN WORK
When war was declared, the School Department officials believed that in this emergency the schools should direct their resources into channels where they would be most useful. As a war measure, Mr. Alfred MacDonald, Supervisor of Nature Study, had the regular courses in nature study in the upper grades dropped and school gardening instruction substituted. In grades four to eight inclusive, therefore, other na- ture study was replaced by school gardening. This was made possible through the support of the Food Committee of the Newton Committee on Public Safety and the co-operation of the City Forestry and Play- ground departments. The Committee furnished money for the purchase of seeds for school gardens, and as- sumed part of the expense for summer supervision, for which there was no school appropriation. Forest Commissioner W. W. Colton secured an appropria-
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tion from the city for plowing and fertilizing school gardens, and this work was done by his department. The Playground Commission allowed the use of play- ground land for gardens, and part of the time of the playground directors was given to garden supervision during the summer.
Practical instruction in school gardening was car- ried out by means of 91 grade gardens of about 1200 square feet each, on 18 different pieces of land. Each grade from IV to VIII inclusive had its own garden ; the intention being to secure competition between grades. During May and June, the average amount of time spent by each child in the grade garden was one hour a week.
Home Gardens and Club Gardens
Supplementing the school garden work, the Super- visor encouraged the school children to have home gardens, and over $200 worth of seeds were purchased by the children through the Supervisor. The plan of all the work was to have the children learn how to cultivate and grow vegetables in the school gardens, and practice in a uti.itarian way in home gardens. About 1400 home gardens were thus started under the supervision and encouragement of the Supervisor. Home gardening was also encouraged among the High School children, and prizes aggregating $100, from al anonymous donor, were distributed among children of the Technical High School who did exceptionally well in their home gardens.
Six club garden projects were also organized where groups of children undertook the co-operative cultiva- tion of pieces of land, varying in size from 500 to 35,000 square feet each.
BOYS' CAMPS
In April the State Committee on Public Safety urged that High School boys be mobilized to help in farm work during the summer vacation in rural districts.
The Newton School Department co-operating with the Food Production Committee of the Newton Com- mittee on Public Safety organized the Newton High School boys. The Committee on Public Safety financed the undertaking, and the regular teachers of the Newton High Schools supervised the work. Boys over 16 years of age were enlisted, sworn in, received a badge upon entering the service, and an honorable discharge signed by the Governor at the completion of the work. They left school the first of June and returned the first of October. Each boy received as compensation a dollar a day and board.
One camp was located on the Dean farm in Weston, Mass. and was under the supervision of Dr. Oscar Martin and Mr. Lester E. Williams. The other was on a farm owned by Miss Fannie Mason at Walpole, N. H. and was under the supervision of Mr. Horace Kidger. The total number of boys in the Weston Camp was 25, and in the Walpole Camp 30. The boys lived in tents and ate in special buildings. It was found that one of the greatest factors in the success of this work was the supervision, and having popular teachers from the Newton high schools added much to the value of the Camp to the Newton boys.
The boys did all kinds of farm work, with the ex- ception of the operation of the different special farm
tools, mowing machines, reapers and binders. Only in rare cases did they do any milking. They handled teams and trucks in both districts. The boys learned what it means to do a day's work, what it means for the farmer to raise food, something of the country's labor problem, the point of view and problems of the farmer, and how to give unselfishly of their time and effort.
The Newton Camps were recognized by the state authorities as among the most successful in the state. In both districts where the camps were established there was a continual call for more boys.
Both camps were also operated during the season of 1918.
FOOD CONSERVATION
A sub-committee, consisting of Miss Kenrick, Miss Flanders and Miss Rich, organized classes in eco- nomical cooking throughout the city. These were in charge of an expert teacher who followed an outline drafted by this Committee, and distributed a cook-book which was published especially for them. Classes were held, wherever possible, in schoolhouses or in local centres where there was already cooking equip- ment. In some instances it was necessary for the Committee to furnish equipment. Classes were also held at the various neighborhood centres. Each course consisted of 8 lectures. 7 of which gave practical demonstration of the cooking of economical food- stuffs, and the 8th was a lesson in marketing in the various cuts of meat.
The Committee also arranged for lectures on food conservation and on economical cooking, which were open to the general public.
CO-ORDINATION OF AID SOCIETIES
Since its inception, the Committee has felt its most important work was to give as much personal aid as possible to Newton men who are in the service. To this end. the Committee provided every man whose name came to their attention as having entered any branch of the service, with sweaters, comfort kits, woolen socks, helmets, and other articles of clothing.
This work has not duplicated the work of the Red Cross, as applications for such clothing received by the local units of the Red Cross have been turned over to the Committee on Public Safety. Among the articles made and delivered by the Co-ordination of Aid Societies were :
980 sweaters, 1239 pair socks, 535 helmets, 826 kits, 93 pillows, 150 rifle cases, 152 pair wristers, 135 bands, 80 scarfs and 235 pair gloves.
Relief Committees
The work of the Relief Committee is to consider the needs of the families of our soldiers and sailors. This work was in the hands of a Committee, consisting of Mrs. J. G. White, Mrs. Frank Day, Mr. Samuel Thur- ber and Miss Margaret Rich.
Adequate provision has been made by the State and Federal Government for the care of the dependents of men in the service, but because of the large mass of applications it has frequently taken many weeks and sometimes several months for the allowance which is
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made the family to reach them. It is during this period of waiting that the Public Safety Committee found it necessary to give financial help to 19 different families. This has varied from a single payment of $3 to an al- lowance of $4 or $5 a week for a period of several months.
Other Committees
A Visiting Committee to give personal help to draft- ed men at Ayer, and one to help men of Company C was appointed.
While at Framingham the men of Company C were visited two or three times a week by some member of the Company C Visiting Committee, and extra food, candy, and other things were taken to them. The drafted men at Ayer were supplied with games, books, magazines, and other articles by the Camp Devens Visiting Committee.
The Committee on City Protection of which Mayor Edwin O. Childs was Chairman provided for the guarding and care of bridges and other places where damage might be done when it was thought that this was necessary.
The Committee on Transportation, consisting of Mr. Augustus Beatey and Mr. Wm. J. Doherty, made a census of automobiles and motor trucks available in emergencies. 350 automobiles were available when needed, and the records of these machines were at the office of the Committee at Newtonville.
The Committee on Hygiene and Sanitation of which Dr. Francis George Curtis was Chairman, provided all the men of Company C with medicine kits before they left for France.
WAR TIME RESTRICTIONS
Under the Lever Food Control Act, Alfred Mc- Donald, Secretary of the Committee on Public Safety, was appointed Food Administrator for Newton, Miss Jeanne Kenrick, food control and distribution, Alfred WV. Fuller, retail merchants, and Horace W. Orr, ho- tels, clubs, restaurants and boarding houses.
Under this act, Monday and Wednesday of each week were assigned as wheatless days with one wheat- less meal every day. Tuesday was designated as a meatless day each week with one meatless meal each day and Tuesday and Saturdays were designated as porkless days.
Hoarding of foodstuffs was prohibited and instruc- tions were issued to use less sugar, less sweet drinks and less candy. Stricter supervision of waste thrown into garbage cans was advised.
Dealers in foodstuffs were required to be licensed and unreasonable charges were prohibited.
During the sugar shortage, rations of 2 pounds per month per person were established.
At first white flour could only be purchased in con- nection with some substitutes, one pound of flour to one pound of corn meal, oats, barley or rice. Later the ratio was raised to three pounds of white flour to one pound of substitutes.
NEWTON FUEL COMMITTEE
This committee composed of Oliver M. Fisher, Chairman and Mr. Frank J. Hale and Mr. Andrew C. Hughes was appointed to enforce the fuel regulations of the country and made the following report :
"The Newton Fuel Committee was appointed to act as a governor on the retail distribution of coal, to see that the price that the Government established at the mines, plus the cost of railway or ocean freight to destination, plus the cost of handling this coal and dis- tributing it out to the consumer, and giving to the retailer a reasonable rate of profit,-that this price to the consumer should be a reasonable one and that no- where along the line dealers should ask the consumers to pay an unreasonable price at retail for their supply of coal in the rapidly changing prices that prevailed the past two years.
"It also became necessary for the Fuel Committee to stand as a guardian to the consumer and keep the retail dealer from advancing his price until such time as all his low-priced coal had been delivered out to con- sumers at the lower price previously prevailing. After this was done, and not before, the retail dealer was entitled to charge the advanced price, which the in- creased cost of transportation and mining made neces- sary. In this work alone the Fuel Committee saved the public a large amount of money, and in our own community consumers felt a reasonable degree of se- curity that they were not being unfairly treated in the prices charged them for coal.
"On the other hand, the Fuel Committee served as a court of last resort to which was referred many un- just claims and demands on the part of unreasonable consumers. Looking back over the period of two years, it has seemed that the work of the Fuel Com- mittee was almost a necessity under the war time con- ditions. Therefore the work of this committee was done quietly, always having in mind a due regard for the rights of both sides, and there was little difficulty in arranging matters fairly and to the satisfaction of both parties. There always have been and always will be some unreasonable people, and the fuel committee served as a buffer against which these unreasonable people could present their claims, and get a fair ad- justment.
"The priority claims of hospitals and schools were given careful attention so that the Newton Hospital was always supplied with coal, even though deliveries had to be made on Sunday and at other unusual times to bring this about. It was the aim of the committee to carry on its work quietly and fairly with all parties in interest.
"With this idea of good government in mind, the committee sought to work out this idea in the various details of handling the coal in Newton during the war period. We certainly had in mind to make the burden as light as possible for dealers, and the coal dealers in Newton as a whole, were perfectly fair in their treatment of their customers, and the consum- ers of Newton have been fairly treated during the war period by their coal dealers, which should seem to remind them that their dealers treated them so because by nature they have always treated their customers fairly, and intend to do so in the future. The consum- ers of coal in Newton are perfectly safe in the hands of the Newton retail coal dealers, whose facilities are ample for taking care of the wants of the community, providing the orders are given in season so that the winter's supply of coal may be put in during the warm season. Only by so doing can the dealers perform their duty to the community fairly and at a reasonable cost. "The committee commends these suggestions to the consumers in Newton, believing that if they will give
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their retail coal dealer the fullest co-operation, there will be no suffering in our community for lack of coal. The conditions for the future are somewhat un- certain ; but it is not likely that very much lower prices for coal will prevail at present."
The revised fuel conservation regulations for Newton dated February 13, 1918, prohibited grocery, provisions and drug stores from burning fuel before 7 A. M. on any week day, all other stores before 9 A .. M. Clos- ing hours were fixed as follows,-
Grocery and provision stores at noon, Mondays, 10 P. M. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 6 P. M. Wednesdays and Fridays.
Clothing, dry goods, variety, hardware, furniture and shoe stores, tailor shops, cobblers and barber shops close all day Monday, and at 10 P. M. Tuesdays, Thurs- days and Saturdays, and 6 P. M. Tuesdays and Fri- days.
Fruit, candy, cigar, news and drug stores, closed at noon Mondays, and the same hours on other days as outlined above.
Bowling alleys, billiard rooms, moving picture houses, 10.30 P. M. every day but Tuesday when they shall be closed all day.
Clubs, lodges and other places of amusement, 10 P. M. each week day.
Window lights were prohibited except on Saturday nights.
RECRUITING COMMITTEE
The work of the Committee can be best described by the following reports of its sub-committees :
The first work of the Recruiting Committee was to bring Company C, which was considered a Newton Company, to war strength. This was accomplished under the direction of General James G. White; and in two weeks Company C, 5th Mass. Regiment, In- fantry, N. G., was recruited to a strength of 150 men with a surplus of 25 men.
The Committee on Public Safety furnished Company C with a motor cycle, auto truck, food while at Claflin Field, parts of uniforms, and donated $900 to the Company fund. It was one of the best equipped Com- panies of the National Companies when it was mus- tered into the National service.
Company C was recruited to war strength under the old plan of 150 men in the Company, but it was later
thought desirable to change the number of men in companies for foreign service to 250 to conform with the European standards. 125 men were, therefore, taken from the local Company C and merged with a Company of the former Ninth Regiment, but which then became Company C, 101st Infantry. The local Company C then lost its identity as a Newton Company. The 101st left for France on September 7.
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