USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1924 > Part 29
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1924 > Part 29
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"Silent Talks" (through Stereopticon slides) on the History of Somerville.
"Silent Talks" on the Municipal Business of Som- erville.
Screen pictures of Somerville historic spots, parks, public buildings, etc.
Community Singing.
Screen presentation of the civic value of Munici- pal Recreation, and demonstration of recreation activities, opportunities and needs in Somerville. An address by the New England Field Representa- tive of the Playgrounds and Recreation Associa- tion of America.
The other two meetings offered programs of similar char- acter ; but were presented out of doors, one on Richard Trum Field and one on Lincoln Park. These were conducted on the evenings of September 30, and October 7 respectively. Approximately seven thousand people attended the former meeting and about three thousand were present at the latter, for which the weather conditions were somewhat unfavorable.
Public Celebrations
Another new field into which entrance has been made with the approval of the Commission is that of participation in the observance of public holidays. On the Fourth of July and at Christmas season, this Department has cooperated with other agencies in this kind of undertaking.
420
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Fourth of July
It has been a Somerville custom for the City and the Somerville Fourth of July Association to collaborate in pro- viding the local Fourth of July celebration. This year for the first time the Recreation Department, through the Commission and the Director proposed participation in this business by this Department; and later its cooperation and assistance were requested by the Somerville Fourth of July Association. As a major feature of the holiday morning program at Cen- tral Hill. the Director with the assistance of several of the play supervisors undertook to lead in the organization of some 500 girls, of ages 12 to 15 years, into a spectacular "living flag." The preparations resulted favorably. A stand with tiers of seats for these children was erected as background to the area in the natural amphitheatre at the foot of the slope behind from the Central Hill redoubt to Medford St., near Gilman Square. As a climax to a drill which had been prepared and rehearsed under direction of the workers in this Department the girls, clad in red, white and blue, suddenly struck relative positions, on the stand, by which they presented the appear- ance of a huge flag. in a right-angle line of vision to the thou- sands of spectators on the incline above them. Immediately the girls gave, in unison, the pledge of allegiance to the Ameri- can flag; and, still maintaining the organization in represen- tation of the Stars and Stripes, they made up the background for the remainder of the worth-while program, which in- cluded Community singing, addresses by Lt. Governor Fuller, and Mayor Webster; a band concert ; vaudeville performances ; etc.
The rehearsals which occupied the attention of the five hundred girls -- who dwell in all sections of Somerville-had quite as much recreational and civic value, the writer esti- mates, as the actual event itself.
Community Christmas
The Community Christmas, to which reference has al- ready been made in this report, was an enterprise in which the Public Welfare and Recreation Department, on its own ini- tiative, took the lead in organizing public interest and activity, in cooperation with a Committee of Fifteen Citizens. Through action of the representative Committee and workers under your Commission the observance was planned, financed and carried out. In the financial undertaking the City using less than $200 of its appropriation for Celebrations, was a contri- butor. The objectives directing the energies of this Depart- ment were :-
421
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
1. Increased public interest in the Community. .
2. Closer social contact of distinct groups of Somer- ville people.
3. Public interest in the Recreation Department's ac- tivities.
4. Cultivation of the Christmas Spirit.
5. Recreation for Somerville people on Christmas Eve.
The Director, estimating the results, submits that the preliminary and preparatory activities of the Committee of Fifteen Citizens, in cooperation with this Department were effective of the first three objectives ; that the publicity attend- ing the preparations and the event was conducive to the third objective; that the program itself, as affecting thousands of Somerville people, was effective of all five objectives; and that this same program, especially as affecting the large number participating in its execution, was equally conducive to all these objectives. In explanation of this view the following statement of the procedure and the program is given.
The Committee of Citizens included representatives of the Elks, Masons, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Women's Club, Federated Women's Clubs, Catholic and Protestant Churches, the City Government, the press, the pupils of the Somerville High School, and of foreign-born residents who are preparing for naturalization as citizens. Volunteer activity by members of this Committee and workers in the Recreation Department resulted in successful erection and decoration of a Community Christmas Tree; wide publicity ; volunteering of special assistance by various groups and individuals; and the Christmas Eve program outlined in a succeeding para- graph.
In publicity, local printers furnished, without cost, post- ers, circulars and other printed matter by which persons all over Somerville were invited to enter into the Community project and kept in touch with developments. Local owners of transportation vehicles loaned them for use of singers of carols; social organizations held open house at suggestion of the Committee; families gave more than the usual atten- tion to exterior Christmas decorations at their homes; mer- chants assisted by display of posters and distribution of announcements wrapped in the parcels of shoppers; public school teachers and children joined in spreading information to the Somerville public; radio broadcasting stations per- mitted messages to the public; citizens throughout the City communicated to the proper agencies the names of invalids and shut-ins who would profit by opportunity to hear the
422
ANNUAL REPORTS.
carol singers in their tours through the various sections of the City; and other citizens were ready with food, refresh- ment and hospitality to receive these carol-singers on Christ- mas Eve.
The Christmas Eve program was centered around the Community Christmas Tree erected in the City Hall Plaza as the central figure in the illumination and decoration scheme. On a platform near this tree were presented a choral and dramatic pageant by pupils of the Somerville High School Players' Club and Girls' Glee Club; a series of appropriate musical numbers by members of groups enlisted through the Americanization division of the Public School Department ; an address by Mayor Webster and carols by some of the sing- ing groups to be mentioned below. In this same program Community carol singing for those in attendance was con- ducted, with the aid of printed sheets provided without cost by the Somerville Press.
The stage lighting and other stagecraft arrangements were carried out by volunteer workers.
Following this set program groups of carolers went in various directions from Central Hill, some afoot, some by automobile and some by motor truck, to sing at various central points including Union. Davis, Teele, Magoun and Gilman Squares. through the streets and at the homes of shut-ins and invalids. Many thousands heard the caroling.
The groups of carol singers represented the Public Eve- ning Recreation Centers, many of the Protestant Churches, the Catholic Women's Club, St. Anthony's Catholic Church choir, and the High School Glee Clubs.
The whole enterprise was undertaken as an experiment and begun somewhat late. The Director respectfully submits that the results are valuable to the Community and that the experience gained will be of great value in intensifying this kind of activity and in carrying out various other enterprises which the Commission may undertake for Public Welfare and Recreation in the future.
General Summary
This report, up to the present point, has dealt with all of the important divisions of the work of 1924 :- (1) The Sum- mer Playgrounds, (2) The Spring-and-Fall After-School Play- grounds, (3) The Saturday "Neighborhood" Playgrounds, (4) The Girls' Canning Activities, (5) Evening Recreation Cen- ters, (6) The Neighborhood Center, (7) The General Public Activities, (8) The Experiment in Community Recreational Drama (9) Public Celebrations. In general summary it may be said that a secure footing in all of these fields of under-
423
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
taking has been secured and that the future will show that the year 1924 has seen the beginnings of far-reaching, effect- ive work for community welfare in Somerville. While all of the beginnings have been nesessarily modest and slow, this is a natural condition attendant upon the limitation of re- sources and equipment at the disposal of your Commission. The Director's experiences during the year past prompt the ex- pression of the estimate that the near future will demonstrate that an effective policy for future work has been outlined.
General Financial Statement
$6,999.78 were expended from the City Treasury, for the operations here reported. The sum appropriated had been $7,000.00.
Following is a general statement of financial expendi- tures : -
Summer Playgrounds
Supervision
$1,877 50
Supplies, Maintenance, Printing, etc.
872 08
Janitor, Repair Man, General Helper Other Labor
8 00
$2,865 58
Saturday and Afternoon Playgrounds
Supervision
1,033 16
Supplies .
73 75
1,106 91
Evening Recreation Centers
Supervision
331 50
Supplies
153 01
485 51
Canning Activities
Supervision and Instruction
341 00
Supplies
45
341 45
Neighborhood Center
Supervision
280 00
Supplies and Maintenance
114 21
394 21
Public Meetings .
382 42
County Dues (Paid Mid'x Co. Bur. of Agr.
100 00
Director's Salary
1,258 33
Hockey Rink, Western Playground .
38 88
Postage, Stationery, Office Supplies, etc.
27 49
Total
$6,999 78
.
·
and Domestic Science) .
108 00
424
ANNUAL REPORTS.
General Recommendations
Considering present needs and looking to the future of the Recreation work and the promotion of Public Welfare by your Department I submit herewith a series of Recommen- dations, action upon which is, in my judgment, necessary or highly desirable for future success ; and also some suggestions that may assist your Commission in defining its policies and in reorganizing or elaborating its program. The recommen- dations, some of which have been mentioned in this report already, in connection with the respective branches of the work to which they have special application, are as follows :-
(1) Employment of a part-time, all-year clerical work- er to assist the Director and to act as clerk for the Commission.
(2) Expansion of the Summer Playgrounds organiza- tion to include new units for boys at the newly pur- chased City land at Elm and Cherry Streets; the area (referred to above in the recommendations dealing with Summer Playgrounds) at Glen and Oliver Streets; the grounds of the Union Square Branch of the Public Library, and Tufts College Old Campus.
(3) Securing more adequate play space and improved conditions of present areas at JJoy Street, Bennett, and Kent Street grounds.
(4) Early completion of the playground in the rear of the Western Junior High School.
(5) Resurfacing the Morse School Playground and erec- tion of high screen fence on southerly side of this area.
(6) Early attention to improvement of Saxton C. Foss Park with a view to utilizing the lower end of it for Playground purposes.
(7) The planting of some shade trees on several of the playgrounds to provide a natural shelter for the future.
(8) Installing of permanent framework for swings and teeters at the Morse Playground.
(9) Provision for a male supervisor at Central Hill and Morse playgrounds jointly.
(10) Increasing from 8 to 16, the number of Saturday "Neighborhood Playground units," so as to make the organization City-wide. (See "Saturday and Afternoon Playgrounds" above. )
425
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
(11) Expansion of the After-School supervision of play- grounds to provide three sessions per week at each unit (instead of two sessions,) and six units (in- stead of four.)
(12) Provision of the necessary field equipment for ten- nis, Field Hockey, Soccer, etc., for use at these after-school sessions.
(13) Provision for outdoor active recreation in winter, for children and adults, such as hockey, tobogan- ning, and skiing.
(14) Provision of additional skating rinks for the gen- eral public in Winter.
(15) Providing a Recreation Center, with others to fol- low (for women) on parallel lines with those of the young men's centers.
(16) Provision for additional facilities for indoor athlet- ics and physical exercise in all of the Recreation Centers for men.
(17) Employment, in the Recreation Center undertak- ing, of special leaders for special activities.
(18) Provision for securing workers for the Evening Recreation Centers who have the special qualifi- cations for that work, to overcome the present lack of applicants for this work.
(19) Provision for increased publicity and public in- formation concerning the objectives and opportu- nities of the Recreation Centers.
Nearly all of the above recommendations deal with the field of the present undertakings of the Commission. Since your Commission has given evidence of a policy of construc- tion and expansion, and since the whole organization of your- Commission's undertaking for Public Welfare and Recrea- tion is in a state of evolution, I feel that the Commission will not think it inappropriate for me to submit some further sug- gestions for its consideration regarding the expansion of the plans to raise municipal recreation from its hitherto undefined level to the more definite and comprehensive plans to which it is destined if Somerville is to meet the problem presented by its large and congested population.
The following suggestive list is accordingly offered for your consideration. It mentions activities for which there seems need in Somerville:
426
ANNUAL REPORTS.
Pageantry Dramatic Clubs Other Activities in Drama
Forum
Civic Meetings
Music Week Lectures
Hockey Rinks. (Some expense incurred under this item in 1924.)
Aquatic Sports Day at Somerville Beach
Vacant Lot Playground Campaign.
Marble Tournament
Municipal Baseball League (Amateur) for Young Men Public "Walks"
In concluding this Report I express cordially my appre- ciation for the assistance rendered during the year.
And a word of special mention should here be used in emphasis of the co-operation and friendly attitude of all of the playground supervisors, without whose support the Direc- tor would be seriously handicapped.
Gratitude is due the Somerville Playgrounds Association for the co-operation and assistance it has rendered. To His Honor, Mayor Webster, for his sustained interest in the activi- ties of the playground children, shown by this participation in the special events of the Summer Season, and for his ready official response to suggestions and requests leading to further- ance of the work during the past year, the Director feels that this word of appreciation should be expressed.
Respectfully submitted.
FRANCIS J. MAHONEY, Director.
427
INDEX.
INDEX
City Auditor, Report of
Balance Sheet .
4
Cash Statement
6
Taxes - Special Assessments .
8 9
Water Department Accounts .
10 11
Appropriations .
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Middlesex
25
Temporary Loans
26 28
Taxes
Funded Debt
27, 30
Maturities on Funded Debt
32, 33
Interest Requirements on Funded Debt
31, 32, 33: 34
Abatements, Refunds, State Income Tax, Etc.
35, 36, 37
Overlay Accounts
37, 38
Excess and Deficiency Account
39
Receipts and Expenditures, Classification of
40
Schedule of Public Property .
74
City Clerk, Report of .
353
Receipts
Payments
Licenses and Permits
356
Births
356
Marriages
357
Deaths
357
Assessed Polls and Registered Voters
376
Elections
369
Liquor License Question .
359
Ordinances
360
City Engineer, Report of
312
Engineering Department
312
City Engineer Division, Classification of Expenses Streets Accepted as Public Ways in 1924 .
313
Table of Street Construction .
317
Sewer Division .
319
Sewers and Storm Drains Constructed .
320
Maintenance Account
321
Parks and Playgrounds Division
323
Maintenance Account
324
Public and Private Streets
327
3
Departmental Bills
Statement of Estimated Revenue
14 24 25
Revenue and Expenses
Borrowing Capacity
353
355
315
428
ANNUAL REPORTS
City Government and Officers for 1924 . 377
City Solicitor, Report of
161
City Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, Report of
77
Revenue and Expense, Statement of .
78
Cash Statement
79, 80
Taxes
Street Sprinkling Assessments
87
Overlay and Abatement .
88
Supplementary Assessments
88
Betterment Assessments .
89
Departmental Accounts
90
Revenue Loans
91
Bonds
93, 94, 95
Borrowing Capacity
78
Memorandum of Payments on account of Debt .
95
Treasury Department
96
Commissioner of Public Buildings (see Public Buildings Commissioner ) 340
Commissioner of Streets (see Street Commissioner) . 301
Commissioner of Water (see Water Commissioner) . 277
Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights, Report of .
349
Inspection of Wiring in Buildings
349
Fire Alarm System
350
Police Signal System
351
Supervision of Poles and Wires on the Streets
351
Street Lighting
352
Recommendations
352
Conclusion
352
Fire Department, Chief of, Report of .
265
Alarms of Fire
265
Manual Force
267
Apparatus .
267
Hose
267
Resume
268
Recommendations
269
Conclusion
269
Health, Board of, Report of .
118
Organization, Officers, etc.
118
Nuisances
119
Permits and Licenses
119
Stables
120
Board of Infants
121
Deaths
125
Mortality Statistics
122
Diseases Dangerous to Public Health
127
Specimens and Supplies .
127
List of Probable Causes .
265
86
INDEX. 429
Medical Inspection of Schools .
128
Bacteriological Department
130
Undertakers
130
Examination of Plumbers
130
Health Nurses, Report of
130, 132
Medical Inspection, Report of .
134
Inspector of Animals and Provisions
137
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar
141
Inspector of Animals and Provisions, Report of . 137
Inspector of Buildings (see Public Buildings Commis- sioner ) . 340
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar, Report of the . 141
City Physician, Report of
150
Law Department, Report of . 161
Licensing Commission, Report of .
270
Medical Inspection, Report of
134
Visits
134
Contagious Disease Hospital .
134
Laboratory Examinations
134
Tuberculosis
135
Infant Hygiene Clinics
136
Ordinances 360
Planning Board, Report of
112
Organization
112
Previous Recommendations
112
Zoning Ordinance, Enactment of
114
Recommendations
115
Appropriations .
116
Police, Chief of, Report of .
151
Arrests
151
Crimes and Offenses Against the Person .
151
Crimes and Offenses Against Property .
151
Crimes and Offenses Against Public Order
152
Recapitulation
153
Roster of Department
156
Changes in the Force
157
Liquor Officers, Report of
159
Police Matron, Report of .
160
Conclusion
160
Population
. 147,215,359
480
ANNUAL REPORT ..
Public Buildings Commissioner, Report of .
340
Inspection of Buildings .
340
Coal
343
Elevators
343
School Buildings
343
Fire Department Buildings
345
Municipal Buildings .
346
Libraries .
346
Water, Highway, Sanitary and Sewer Buildings
346
Hospital Buildings
347
Police Buildings
347
Bath House
347
In General
34S
Public Grounds (City Engineer) .
323
Public Library
Board of Trustees and Officers-Committees .
97
Organization of Library and Staff Personnel
98
Report of Trustees
101
Report of Librarian
102
Statistics
107
Public Welfare, Department of .
144
Members of the Board, Committees, Officers, etc.
144
Report of General Agent .
146
Full Support
146
Partial Support
146
Aid Under 1913 Law (Mothers' Aid)
146
Cost to City
146
Reimbursements
147
Somerville Hospital .
147
Population and Gross Expenditures
147
Overseers of the Poor Since 1885 .
148
Recapitulation .
148
City Home, Report of Warden
149
City Physician, Report of
150
Public Welfare and Recreation Commission .
383
Financial Statement
423
Sanitary Department, Report of .
110
Collection of Ashes and Paper
110
School Department .
163
Superintendent of Schools, Report of .
166
Appendix, Contents of
203
Accommodations
171
Dental Dispensary .
201
Graduates-High school
237
Junior High schools
242
Vocational schools
251
High School Athletic Association
199
.
97
431
INDEX.
Report of Head Master, High School . 181
66 Director of the Continuation Schools and
Americanization Work
184
History of the Somerville High School .
191
School Committee, 1923-1924 .
164, 251
School Nurses
202
Somerville Teachers' Association
197
Somerville Teachers' Club
198
Teachers in Service
253
Sealer of Weights and Measures, Report of .
272
Sewers (see City Engineer) . 319
Street Commissioner, Report of .
301
Appropriations .
Highway Maintenance
Snow and Ice .
302
Bridges
303
Street Railways
303
Underground Wires
303
Crushed Stone
304
Sidewalks Maintenance
304
Street Sprinkling
304
Street Cleaning .
304
Suppression of Moths
305
Highways Construction, New Streets
305
Sidewalks Construction
306, 308
Streets Constructed in 1924 .
307 307
Reconstruction and Resurfacing
309
Miscellaneous
310
Permit
310
Recommendations
311
Public and Private Streets
327
Water Commissioner, Report of .
277
Revenue and Expenditures
280
Cost of Water Works
280
Water Works Income and Distribution .
281
Water Distribution System, Construction Hydrants, Gates, etc.
282
Water Services
283
Water Meters
284
Summary of Pipes and Fixtures
286
Water Assessments and Consumption
286
Construction, Maintenance, Operation
288
Water Rate Lien Law .
290
Street Mains, Gates, Hydrants, etc.
292
Summary of Statistics
299
Financial Statistics .
300
Shade Trées
305
281
Highways Construction, Permanent Pavement
301
302
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