USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1923 > Part 27
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75
Court
Sacramento st. Southeasterly
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*Proposed.
Public, 86.36 miles [includes 1.406 miles of City 'Boulevard and Park Roadways, 2.331 miles of State Boulevard (Metropolitan Park Commission), and 1.596 miles State Highway]; private 14.53.
Total length of streets in the city. 100.89 miles.
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Buena Vista rd. Easterly
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Woods ave.
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Alewife Brk Pky Private.
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*Woodstock (Extension)
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Winter Hill cir. Broadway
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Malvern ave.
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385
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
ยท
REPORT OF PUBLIC WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
To the Honorable, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen :
The annual appropriation for the Public Welfare and Recreation Commission for the year 1923 was $5000. The amount expended was $4060.44. The unexpended balance was saved from the sum apportioned for recreation work among adults. As was stated in its last annual report, the Commis- sion has moved slowly and carefully in this field while prose- cuting with vigor the work in other lines. The work for chil- dren has been of two kinds : summer playground activities and supervised play on Saturdays. Formal arrangements were effected with the Ways and Means Committee of the Neighbor- hood House whereby the Commission assumed responsibility . for part of the expenses of that work and assumed general control of the undertaking. This extended the work of the Commission among children. The social center work among adults has been carried on in the Morse, Bingham, and Ben- nett Schools, following the lines laid down in former years.
In April, Stephen H. Mahoney resigned as Director of the field work of the Commission in order to assume the posi- tion of Superintendent of Recreation in the City of Cam- bridge. The Commission accepted the resignation with great regret although this feeling was tempered by justifiable pride in the success which had come to a man whose whole experi- ence and training in the field of recreation had been in con- nection with the work in his native city.
Fortunately the Commission was able to secure a worthy successor to S. H. Mahoney in the person of Francis J. Ma- honey who was chosen on May 10 to succeed his brother. Mr. F. J. Mahoney has had charge of the summer work and of all the activities carried on during the rest of the year under the auspices of the Commission. The distinctive feature of the work of the year has been the beginning made in super- vised play for children on Saturdays. The Commission be- lieves that this is the beginning of a work for which there is a real need in Somerville. With our closely built-up con- dition, the play areas for children are relatively few and widely separated. The situation of the city is such as to. make its streets thoroughfares for automobile traffic not only local but foreign, made up of those who pass through
386
ANNUAL REPORTS.
this city on their way to northern resorts or returning there- from. These conditions make the streets in the highest de- gree dangerous as play spaces for children. Supervised play on Saturdays and on afternoons will tend to draw children away from these dangerous places and will reduce the risk of fatalities. The work begun this year has shown how this undertaking can be carried on with increasing usefulness. The employment of part-time play supervisors will make pos- sible the conduct of this work economically and in such a way as to reach large numbers of children. The Commission is unanimous in the opinion that the development of this work during the year 1924 will be one of the most important phases of its work.
The Commission presents herewith statements showing in detail the work in the several undertakings which have been briefly mentioned herein. These statements will give an adequate idea of the scope and value of these activities.
For the coming year the Commission plans to carry on the several lines of work herein described and to endeavor to develop more broadly its recreational undertakings for adults. While conscious that the report of its enterprises for the year 1923 is devoid of striking and picturesque features, the Commission believes that its work has been meritorious, pains- taking, and permanent in its nature.
Respectfully submitted for the Commission,
CHARLES S. CLARK, Chairman.
Report of Director of Playgrounds
To the Public Welfare and Recreation Commission :
Following annual custom, I submit to your Commission the report of the Summer Playgrounds for the season of 1923. The purpose of this report is to recount the accomplishments of the past season, and to mention provisions which, in my judgment, are necessary or highly desirable for the future success of the playground work.
Features
Some few features of the season of 1923 are conspicuous to the observation of the Director, and are judged worthy of special mention under this caption. More detailed refer- ence to them, each under its proper heading, will follow.
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WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
A very strikling regularity of attendance on each of the playgrounds throughout the season is indicated by the daily and weekly attendance records. This regularity is accom- panied by remarkably high figures of attendance on nearly all playgrounds. The importance of these two facts lies in that they indicate intense utilization of playground facilities, sustained at its height throughout the season.
Greater emphasis on certain lines of athletic activities has added during the past season to the intensity of boys' activities on the playgrounds.
Three play centers for boys-Fellsway, Central Hill Park, and Kent Street Playgrounds have shown a remarkable development in play activity over previous years.
Correlation of playground activities with certain out-of- class activities maintained in the public school has, in my opinion, proved to be practical and desirable.
A marked public interest in the playground work has expressed itself throughout the season in a variety of ways.
A remarkably competent, efficient, and zealous corps of. play-supervisors and assistants has given to the season's work an animus and vitality that have brought forth many favorable comments of public officials, private citizens and the public press, regarding the efficiency and aptitude of these workers. This feature is mentioned as important because, in my judgment, its effects on the play activities constitute one of the greatest assets of the playgrounds organization in facing the immediate future.
Grounds
Eight areas were used for playground purposes during the past summer. Eleven units were conducted, however, some of these areas having separate units for boys and girls. The various units are named as follows, and the names suggest the areas utilized :
Bennett School Grounds (for girls and boys)
Central Hill Park
(for girls and boys)
Fellsway East (for boys)
Saxton C. Foss Park
(for girls)
Hodgkins School Grounds
(for girls and boys)
Kent Street Boys' Playgrounds
Kent Street Girls' Playgrounds Lincoln Park (for boys)
Perry School Grounds (for girls)
Richard Trum Playground (for boys)
Richard Trum Playground (for girls)
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
With the possible exception of the Hodgkins School yard in Ward 7, all of the grounds justified their being used for the purpose. The one exception named has been of late years rather poorly attended by the children of the neighborhood, and despite efforts to improve the attendance, rarely attracts more than an average of thirty children at one time. While, of course, even this small number might justify its continu- ance, my observation leads me to believe that the early com- pletion of the playground in the rear of the Western Junior High School is most desirable. The latter area will afford more ample space for the play of active games, and in addi- tion, has the added asset of being located more suitably for the persons of that section of the city.
Equally desirable, in my opinion, would be the carrying out of plans contemplated some time since for the improve- ment of the rear end of Saxton C. Foss Park, with a view to getting the maximum use out of this area for recreation pur- poses. In the light of rapid development of recreation activ- ity on this playground, the urgent need of early attention to this improvement is still more apparent.
The attention of the Commission is again respectfully called to the necessity of more space for playing in the dis- tricts served by the Kent St. and Bennett School playgrounds. Each of these grounds caters to a very populous section of our city, and both are at present inadequate for the playing of active games.
The playground on Central Hill, under supervision for its third successive season, has developed, especially during the past season, into a prominent and important unit of the playgrounds system. This statement is based on the facts :-
1. That the Central Hill playground has stood high in the attendance figures,
2. That from the standpoint of healthful location and the physical attractiveness of the grounds, it is sec- ond to no other area, and
3. That its prominent central position makes it a medium of expression to the Somerville public, and the Somerville children, of what the playgrounds are, and what they do.
This notable development of the Central Hill unit has taken place in spite of the lack of any permanent equipment. In view of the importance of this unit, I strongly urge that before the coming summer, provision be made for some per- manent. apparatus on Central Hill Park. I believe that such
389
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
equipment can be located on the rear part of the hill, with- out injuring, in any way, the sightliness of the location.
At Saxton C. Foss and Fellsway Playgrounds, which are in fact conducted on the same area, with segregation and separate supervision of boys and girls for sectioning off the area. the attendance and the activities have so increased as to place both the girls' and boys' units among the most suc- cessful playgrounds. The importance of this fact becomes striking when one recalls the scant attendance and notice- able apathy at this playground twelve years ago, when it was for the first time operated throughout an entire season. In contrast to the situation at that time, the boys of the Fells- way Playrgound this season captured honors in track athlet- ies, were strong contenders for the championship in one of the baseball leagues, and set an example for enthusiasm and loyalty to their playground in all activities of the season. These facts are reported in emphasis of the statement of the need for providing more suitable play facilities on this play- ground.
Finances
There was expended during the summer of 1923 from the City Treasurer for playground purposes the sum of $2679.98. Of this amount the expense of supervision was $1984.50; for supplies, maintenance and labor, $695.48.
In this connection, it seems appropriate to point out that almost no expense to the city has been incurred this past season through the purchase or installing of permanent play- ground equipment. In past years practically all of the per- manent equipment now in use, particularly on those areas not under control of the City Engineer's Department, has been obtained from funds supplied by the Somerville Play- grounds Association, not by the city.
During the preceding year, 1922, more new apparatus and equipment had been provided than during any previous year since the original construction work was done at the out- set of the playground movement in Somerville. It was pur- chased with funds supplied by the above mentioned, Associa- tion. As a result of this equipment in 1922, purchase of per- manent apparatus in 1923 was avoided, but it seems wise to point out here that this circumstance will make all the more necessary in 1924 the purchase of new equipment of this kind to replace and repair what has deteriorated and been worn out during several years past, and that this considerable in- crease in expenditures must be anticipated in planning for the coming year.
390
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Supervision
Seventeen persons, including the Director, were included in the supervisory organization of the play activities. Of this number, fourteen were permanently assigned to individ- ual playgrounds; one acted as a special supervisor of folk dancing; and one gave part time to supervision of one play- ground and part time to general supervision of handwork. All but one of the supervisors are residents of Somerville. This statement is made to indicate that despite the Civil Ser- vice requirements as to qualifications, it is possible to secure from our own residents efficient supervision. From acquaint- ance with the conditions in other municipalities like ours, it can be stated that such was not the case in those places. The. Director feels that this policy should be continued in Somer- ville unless its continuance should, in any way, handicap the effects of the playground organization.
The results obtained from giving special attention to handwork and dancing activities seem to argue that these two phases of the playground program should be supervised by individuals selected for that purpose; and the pursuance of this plan for the future is strongly recommended.
Attendance
Mention has already been made of large and regular at- tendance at all the playgrounds, with a significant uniformity throughout each week and throughout the season on any given playground. Most noticeable in increased attendance were Fellsway, Kent Street and Lincoln Park playgrounds.
Noteworthy in connection with the attendance has been the apparent return to playground activities on the part of the larger boys-those of fourteen and fifteen years of age. The absence of boys of those ages had been noted and re- ported in 1922. The Director feels that there may be some connection between the increased attendance of this group of boys and the methods used for stimulating attendance, which are to be mentioned in the following paragraphs, and some further connection between this increase and the at- tempt to correlate Junior High School out-of-class activities and Playgrounds activities. The presence in goodly numbers of these larger boys is reported as important in the judgment of the Director because of their power of leadership and ex- ample among the younger boys. The propensity to imitate their seniors is the most characteristic trait of playground
391
WELFARE AND) RECREATION COMMISSION.
boys, and the presence or absence of older boys determines or colors the methods used by supervisors on our Play Centers.
To stimulate attendance at, and interest in, the play- grounds, several methods and devices for propaganda were vigorously employed both during the season and in the weeks immediately preceding it. During the closing week of the public school term, in June, the Director of Playgrounds visited three of the Junior High Schools of the city and several of the Elementary Schools located in districts tributary to the play centers for the purpose of impressing upon the boys and girls of these schools the advantages of the Summer Play- grounds. Through the courtesy and co-operation of the school authorities, hundreds of boys and girls had their interest in the playgrounds awakened or renewed or intensified, and it is the opinion of the Director that the experiment was pro- portionately successful in its influence upon the summer at- tendance, spirit and activity.
In connection with the City's Fourth of July observance, free motion picture entertainments were given to children. They attracted eight large audiences. At each of these assem- blies, held on the day preceding that of the playgrounds open- ing, five-minute talks by play-supervisors were given, with the aim of still further stimulating playground attendance and interest.
Other devices to the same end will be mentioned among the playground activities elsewhere in this report. They in- clude the use of bulletin boards at the play centers, the pub- lishing of results of athletic contests, and the personnel of athletic teams, etc.
Activities
In reporting on the activities conducted on the play- grounds, for purpose of clearness, the activities may be grouped under five heads, and distinguished as Games, Hand- work, Dancing and Miscellaneous Activities, and Special Events, including the final Play Festival and Demonstration of Handwork.
GAMES. The principal portion of a playground program comprises active games and athletics. Baseball has, since the beginning, occupied the leading position among the boys of our summer playgrounds. But this year other forms of athletics hitherto given only minor attention were emphasized to such a degree as to secure almost as great interest as did baseball. This is especially true of track and field athletics.
392
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Volley Ball, Dodge Ball, Squash Ball, German Bat Ball and other more modern active games involving team play and competition, held important place in the season's activities.
These latter games were played by girls as well as boys, and among both sexes inter-playground contests among repre- sentative teams were held in all of these games.
Quoits, cricket and the usual variety of ring games for both boys and girls enjoyed great popularity.
BASEBALL. Three inter-playground leagues were organized in baseball, one each for boys of three distinct classes, the basis of classification being the ages of the boys. Each of six playgrounds was represented by three teams, one in each league, making a total of eighteen teams participating in the inter-playground contests. In the Senior Leagues (for four- teen and fifteen-year-old boys), Central Hill and Lincoln Park boys tied for honors, and in the Intermediate and Junior Leagues, the Lincoln Park boys were the winners.
Considering that forty-five games were scheduled, involv- ing ninety teams, half of them journeying from one section of the city to another, unaccompanied by any supervisors, it seems remarkable and worthy of mention that only two games were not actually played. Another noteworthy fact in con- nection with the baseball situation is that although there were no male supervisors on the Central Hill or Hodgkins School grounds, the boys of these centers exhibited sufficient spirit to organize their own teams, enter into the league competitions, and fulfill their assignments on the schedule.
TRACK ATHLETICS. Track and field athletics engaged the interest throughout the season of large groups of boys, and had the important value of interesting many boys who failed to gain membership on any of the league teams in baseball. The interest was stimulated and kept at high pitch through- out the season by means of competitive athletic meets, local, dual, and inter-playground. Each of the four large play- grounds for boys had a local athletic meet for its boys on a day appointed by schedule, at the beginning of the season. These meets were held during the middle week of the sea- son. Shortly after mid-season, several dual meets were held, an later still the final inter-playground meet, in which all playgrounds were eligible for representation, furnished the climax to this form of activity. The final meet was held at Dilboy Field and attended by hundreds of boys and girls from every unit in the playground organization. The assemblage of so many hundreds of boys and girls from
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WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
every section of the city made this a gala day. The keen interest in the competition for scores, and the presence of many adult spectators, including his Honor, the Mayor, mem- bers of the Board of Aldermen, School Committee, and other public officials furnished an afternoon of enthusiasm.
In all of the athletic meets the boys were grouped in three classes, by ages, corresponding to the classes in the baseball leagues. In the Senior Class, Kent Street boys were the winners. In the Intermediate class, Fellsway was victori- ous, and in the Junior class, Lincoln Park won. For the highest score in the meet, reckoned on the scoring of all three classes combined, Fellsway was awarded the championship.
OTHER INTER-PLAYGROUND. CONTESTS. Quiot tour- naments between playgrounds, frequent inter-playground Dodge Ball and Bat Ball games, some for boys and some for girls, contributed also to the inter-playground rivalry.
Among the girls, singing games and the more quiet ring games were the most popular.
Handwork
Handwork of various kinds was highly popular on all playgrounds, more especially among the girls. The hand- work produced on the playgrounds during the summer of 1923 excelled in quantity and quality that made during any previous season. This feature of our undertaking received much favorable comment, both from casual visitors at the playgrounds and from the general public, when at the close of the season it was publicly exhibited.
During the final week of the playground season the hand- work was publicly exhibited for the inspection of residents of the community. This exhibition was located during the day and evening of the Twilight Play Festival in an open air booth connected with the store of Mrs. Elizabeth Morrison, opposite Central Hill Park, on which the Festival was held. Later the exhibit was located for periods of several days each, in the show windows of the Belcher Company in Union Square, and the Parke Snow Company in Davis Square. Thousands of peo- ple inspected these exhibitions and expressed considerable praise at the character and finish of the articles displayed. Included among the products were : serving trays constructed of reed and glass, and ornamented with butterflies and milk weed : baskets ; sewing boxes; desk sets; paper dolls very at- ractively dressed in crepe paper gowns and hats of the pastel shades ; vases ; hammocks, sweaters ; dresses ; aprons ; embroid-
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
ery pieces ; kites made by the boys ; and various articles useful and ornamental.
The initial expenditure for the handwork was made from the funds of the Somerville Playgrounds Associations, and the money obtained from the sale of materials to the children was, in turn, used for purchase of additional supplies. This method of conducting this branch of the playground work seems most desirable, because it eliminates the undesirable feature of free distribution to boys and girls at public expense.
Dancing
Folk dancing was the main attraction for many girls in various sections. As in the case of the bandwork, this activity was supervised by a young lady employed for that purpose. Experience seems to show that this method secures best re- sults, the chief advantage being the uniformity secured throughout the city. This uniform instruction in an activity so important in playground work, shows its result on such oc- casions as public demonstrations, or such a festival as was held during the closing week.
In the opinion of the Director, the results obtained in the dancing are most commendable. Commendation from all sides has, in fact, been heard. These results are in spite of the great handicap resulting from the lack of musical accom- paniment on many grounds.
Miscellaneous Activities
Of special interest, this season, was the maintenance of bulletin boards on each playground. Items of interest, pro- grams, results of games, baseball league standings, notices of coming events, names of players, contestants, winners, etc., were posted from time to time. Attention to use of these bul- letins was practiced through the season by the supervisors, and it is certain that this device was a prominent factor in keeping up the interest. The bulletin boards afforded the added advantage of attracting and informing the adult pass- ers-by-for many of our play areas are also thoroughfares for pedestrians-and this circumstance secured additional pub- lic interest in the work.
Among other miscellaneous activities should be mention- ed kite flying, gymnastics, story telling, use of library books, enjoyment of swings, teeters and slides, and the varied activi- ties which are mentioned in the following paragraph.
395
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
Within the past two years in the Junior High Schools of Somerville, certain out-of-class activities have been empha- sized. Illustrative of these would be clubs, such as Sewing Club, Knitting Club, Hiking Club, Preserving and Cooking Clubs and athletics. During the closing weeks of school pu- pils enrolled for these activities in the schools were invited by the Director to project their activities into the summer months, with the assistance and encouragement of the play- grounds organization. This idea was carried out to some de- gree on the playgrounds, and was especially successful in con- nection with the handwork and track athletics. The Director is of the opinion that the future will show that the school phase of these activities will, in turn, profit by the advance- ment and encouragement they receive on the playgrounds.
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