USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1925 > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1925 > Part 5
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93
TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES
..
..
508 40
2,856 80
..
$4 75
2,334 54
94
ANNUAL REPORTS
REVENUE LOANS In anticipation of Revenue
Balance from 1924
$600,000 00
Nos.
1241-1248 274 days @ 2.94 disct.
$100,000 00
1249-1254 259
3.04
* ($4.00) ..
300,000 00
1255-1262 226
3.29
150,000 09
1263-1270 219
3.35
150,000 00
1271-1282 189
3.46
200,000 00
1283-1289 169
3.33
,,
250,000 00
1291-1298 199
3.33
($1.25)
250,000 00
1299-1300 198 ,,
3.21
* ($7.00)
..
100,000 00
1301-1302 226
3.21
100,000 00
1303-1307
& 1314 194
4.03
*($7.00)
150,000 00
1308-1313 229
4.03
150,000 00
1315-1318 185
3.63
*($2.30) ..
100,000 00
2,000,000 00
Paid notes maturing in 1925
2,000,000 00
Maturing in 1926
$600,000 00
*Premium
Amount paid for discount on amount borrowed in 1925
$39,824 35
Notes average 213 days and the average rate 3.365+
Average for 1924, 216 150 / 195 days and
average rate
4.07+
The funded debt December 31, 1925, was $1,613,000.00 classified as follows :
Met. Park Asst. Loan at 31/2 per cent $4,000 00
Lowell Street Bridge at 31/2 per cent 24,000 00
Sewer at 31/2 per cent 32,000 00
Sewer at 4 per cent
137,000 00
Sewer at 414 per cent
18,000 00
City at 31/2 per cent
4,000 00
City at 4 per cent
103,000 00
Highway at 31/2 per cent
6,000 00
Highway at 41/2 per cent
16,000 00
Highway at 5 per cent
55,000 00
City Hall Addition at 4 per cent
64,000 00
City Hall Addition at 41/4 per cent
70,000 00
Public Building at 4 per cent
107,000 00
Public Building at 41/2 per cent 50,000 00
'Schoolhouse at 4 per cent
755,000 00
Highway at 4 per cent
168,000 00
$2,600,000 00
Borrowed by authority of an order of the Board of Aldermen on city notes, as follows:
95
TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES
Funded debt within the limit fixed by law
Lowell Street Bridge
$24,000 00
Sewer
187,000 00
City
107,000 00
Highway
245,000 00
City Hall Addition
134,000 00
Public Building
157,000 00
Schoolhouse
755,000 00
$1,609,000 00
Beyond limit fixed by law
Met. Park Asst. (Chap. 325, Acts 1902) .... $4,000 00
4,000 00
$1,613,000 00
96
OUTSTANDING BONDS DECEMBER 31, 1925
City
Sewer
Sewer Outside
Park Outside $1,000
Bridge $1,000
Highway $43,000
City Hall Addition
Pub.
Bldgs.
School $45,000
Total $156,000
1927
19,000
20,000
1,000
1,000
35,000
8,000
17,000
45,000
146,000
1928
17,000
18,000
1,000
1,000
32,000
8,000
16,000
44,000
137,000
1929
16,000
17,000
1,000
1,000
32,000
8,000
16,000
44,000
135,000
1930
15,000
16,000
1,000
28,000
8,000
16,000
44,000
128,000
1931
12,000
16,000
1,000
22,000
8,000
15,000
44,000
118,000
1932
9,000
14,000
1,000
17,000
8,000
15,000
44,000
108,000
1933
14,000
1,000
12,000
8,000
14,000
43,000
92,000
1934
14,000
1,000
12,000
7,000
14,000
43,000
91,000
1935
13,000
1,000
12,000
7,000
8,000
43,000
84,000
1936
6,000
1,000
7,000
4,000
43,000
61,000
1937
6,000
1,000
7,000
4,000
43,000
61,000
1938
4,000
1,000
7,000
43,000
55,000
1939
3,000
1,000
7,000
43,000
54,000
1940
2,000
1,000
7,000
43,000
53,000
1941
1,000
1,000
7,000
43,000
52,000
1942
1,000
1,000
7,000
43,000
52,000
1943
1,000
1,000
7,000
15,000
24,000
1944
1,000
1,000
1945
1,000
1,000
1946
1,000
1,000
1947
1,000
1,000
1948
..
..
..
..
..
..
. .
..
..
1,000
1,000
$107,000
$187,000
$4,000
$24,000
$245,000
$134,000
$157,000
$755,000 $1,613,000
..
..
..
..
..
. .
. .
..
. .
..
..
. .
. .
...
...
. .
..
...
. .
1,000
1,000
1949
$19,000
$21,000
$8,000
$18,000
1926
ANNUAL REPORTS
..
..
..
97
TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES
BONDS DUE IN 1926
January
April ......... ..
July $1,000 00
October
Total $1,000 00
Lowell Street
Bridge
$1,000 00
1,000 00
Sewer
$1,000 00
9,000 00
11,000 00
21,000 00
City
2,000 00
10,000 00
7,000 00
19,000 00
Highway
6,000 00
22,000 00
15,000 00
43,000 00
City Hall
$8,000 00
8,000 00
Public
Bldg.
5,000 00
5,000 00
8,000 00
18,000 00
Schoolhouse
15,000 00
17,000 00
..........
$29,000 00 $64,000 00 $42,000 00
$21,000 00 $156,000 00
BOND INTEREST DUE IN 1926
April
July $70 00
October
Total $140 00
Met. Park
Lowell Street
Bridge
$420 00
$402 50
822 50
Sewer
1,540 00
2,142 50
1,520 00
1,966 25
7,168 75
City
1,260 00
870 00
1,220 00
672 50
4,022 50
Highway
2,645 00
2,555 00
2,540 00
2,055 00
9,795 00
City Hall
Addition ..
2,767 50
2,767 50
5,535 00
Public Bldg.
2,405 00
860 00
2,305 00
760 00
6,330 00
Schoolhouse
5,400 00
9,700 00
5,100 00
9,360 00
29,560 00
$13,320 00
$19,315 00
$12,755 00 $17,983 75
$63,373 75
BONDS OUTSTANDING DECEMBER 31, 1925 With Interest to Maturity
Bonds
Interest
Total
Met. Park
$4,000 00
$350 00
$4,350 00
Lowell Street Bridge
24,000 00
10,080 00
34,080 00
Sewer
187,000 00
42,845 00
229,845 00
City
107,000 00
14,080 00
121,080 00
Highway
245,000 00
41,390 00
286,390 00
City Hall Addition
134,000 00
51,682 50
185,682 50
Public Bldg.
157,000 00
33,775 00
190,775 00
Schoolhouse
755,000 00
264,320 00
1,019,320 00,
$1,613,000 00
$458,522 50
$2,071,522 50,
...
...
..
..
.....
13,000 00
45,000 00
Met. Park
.. ......
...........
January $70 00
.........
............
..
Addition
98
ANNUAL REPORTS
YEARLY BOND MATURITIES WITH INTEREST
Date Due
Pricipal
Interest
Total
1926
$156,000 00
$63,373 75
$219,373 75
1927
146,000 00
57,156 25
203,156 25
1928
137,000 00
51,343 75
188,343 75
1929
135,000 00
45,771 25
180,771 25
1930
128,000 00
40,366 25
168,366 25
1931
118,000 00
35,348 75
153,348 75
1932
108,000 00
30,781 25
138,781 25
1933
92,000 00
26,613 75
118,613 75
1934
91,000 00
22,926 25
113,926 25
1935
84,000 00
19,361 25
103,361 25
1936
61,000 00
16,073 75
77,073 75
1937
61,000 00
13,603 75
74,603 75
1938
55,000 00
11,173 75
66,173 75
1939
54,000 00
8,983 75
62,983 75
1940
53,000 00
6,831 25
59,831 25
1941
52,000 00
4,716 25
56,716 25
1942
52,000 00
2,621 25
54,621 25
1943
24,000 00
846 25
24,846 25
1944
1,000 00
192 50
1,192 50
1945
1,000 00
157 50
1,157 50
1946
1,000 00
122 50
1,122 50
1947
1,000 00
87 50
1,087 50
1948
1,000 00
52 50
1,052 50
1949
1,000 00
17 50
1,017 50
$1,613,000 00
$458,522 50
$2,071,522 50
MEMORANDUM OF PAYMENTS IN 1925 ON ACCOUNT OF DEBT
Bonds, General City Debt
Principal $151,000 00
Interest $61,858 75 39,824 35
39,824 35
On account of
Metropolitan District Debt:
Sewers
30,399 23
23,378 91
53,778 14
Parks
3,962 42
13,641 15
17,603 57
Wellington Bridge
25 30
25 30
Charles River Basin
305 69
3,381 73
3,687 42
Alewife Brook
818 39
179 04
997 43
Water
14,180 47
80,534 66
94,715 13.
Somerville's proportion for debt requirements:
In State Tax
16,896 14
22,106 00
39,002 14
In County Tax
15,402 00
5,889 00
21,291 00
$232,964 34
$250,818 89
$483,783 23
Total $212,858 75
Revenue Loans
............
99
TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 1925
Appropriated in budget ......... $25,300 00
Salaries and Wages:
Treasurer and Collector
$4,000 00
Deputy Collector
2,200 00
Cashiers
2,781 45
Clerks, including tracer
10,799 30
Other Expenses :
Books, postage and supplies
3,074 86
Printing and advertising
930 58
Telephone
153 87
Bonds
310 00
Carfares and car hire
25 20
All other
110 96
Special Items:
Typewriters and repairs
283 00
Check endorser
190 00
Receipting machine
163 00
Convention expenses
78 31
$25,100 53
Balance unexpended
199 47
$25,300 00
100
ANNUAL REPORTS
PUBLIC WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION 1925
CHARLES S. CLARK
Chairman
MRS. SOPHIE C. BATEMAN
Vice-Chairman
MEMBERS
Term Expires January
MRS. SOPHIE C. BATEMAN
1927
GEORGE H. EVANS 1927
ERNEST W. BAILEY 1927
WILLIAM E. COPITHORNE 1927
DR. WINNIFRED P. DAVIS 1927
CHARLES S. CLARK 1926
WILLIAM STUART HOWE
1926
MRS. FLORENCE B. HAMILTON
1926
MISS MARY M. McGANN
1926
MRS. ELBRIDGE NEWTON
1926
FRANCIS J. MAHONEY
Secretary to the Commission
101
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
February 19, 1926
To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen :
The Public Welfare and Recreation Commission submits this report of its work for the municipal year 1925 with recom- mendations for the development of the interests committed to its care. The municipal appropriation for the work of this Commission during the past year was $8,000. An itemized statement of the expenditure of this money is given in a table in another part of this report. The Commission has carried on during this last year the general undertak- ings which have been established in previous years and which have heretofore been reported upon by the Commission and by the Director of Recreation, employed by the Commission. All of these branches of work have been carefully managed and developed as far as public interest and the resources at the command of the Commission have warranted. As the Com- mission has no control over outdoor areas or over buildings or parts of buildings, its work has been mainly in providing serv- ice. During the winter it has carried on recreational activ- ities in certain schoolhouses ; during the summer it conducted supervised playgrounds on certain parks and school grounds, and during the open season it has also provided supervisors of play for certain localities and on certain days of the week. A full account of these activities for the year 1925 will be found in the report of the Director of Recreation, presented herewith. In its concern for the development of recreational opportu- nities in the City of Somerville, the Commission notes with pleasure the advances made by the City during the year 1925 in the erection of a commodious Field House for Dilboy and Somerville Fields and the purchase of additional land for the Burns School playground. It recognizes also the interest in playgrounds shown by the Planning Board and approves of the recommendations made by that body for increasing the play areas under control of the city. It gives approval to the pro- posal of City Engineer Ernest W. Bailey to devote the north- easterly end of Saxton C. Foss Park to playground purposes, affording for the eastern part of the city opportunities equiv- alent to those now provided by Dilboy and Somerville Fields. In connection with these actual and proposed additions to the playgrounds of the city, the Commission calls attention to the fact that practically the only play areas now open to the use of
102
ANNUAL REPORTS
children are those owned or controlled by the city. Vacant lots have almost entirely disappeared. Backyards no longer furnish room for the play of children, such spaces now either being occupied by dwellings or by garages. The streets are unsafe and the sidewalks are too narrow for children's play. Hence, the only chance they have for play is upon the public areas. Therefore, it is important that these areas shall be nu- merous enough to provide room for all the children and shall be in such a condition as to furnish a fit place for children to play all the year round. Neither of these conditions is true at the present time. There are not enough play areas and those that we have are not properly and adequately conditioned. Such being the case, the Commission conceives it to be its duty to call the public attention to this situation and to offer a rea- sonable plan for escape from it. With this purpose in view the Commission presents the following program of improve- ments to be undertaken progressively during the next five years. This program is expressed in two parts. The first contains a minimum statement of things which ought to be ac- complished within that time; the second contains a list of things which it is desirable to have provided within five years but which, owing to their greater cost. the Commission does not urge as a part of its five-year minimum provision.
The Commission recommends that an appropriation be made this year for a part of this work and that in succeeding years appropriations be made to carry on the improvements continuously until the whole undertaking is accomplished. The Commission is convinced that it is necessary for the City to do this work before its recreational areas can yield their full value. Never before has there been such urgent need of places of safety and refuge for children from the dangers of the street as exist today. Moreover, the urgency of this need will grow with the increase of building and with the increase of traffic congestions in the streets of the city. The Commission believes that the adoption of the following program of improvements would, in five years, go a long distance in the direction of providing adequate outdoor recreation for the whole community.
Program I The Commission urges that the following improvements be made progressively during the next five years.
1. Resurfacing parks and playground areas and certain schoolyards.
2. Fully equipping all playground areas with apparatus varying according to the size and nature of the play- ground. Specifically it is urged that suitable out-
103:
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
door permanent equipment be installed on Lincoln: Park, Trum Field, Cherry Street Grounds, and Dil- boy Field.
3. Enlarging the wading pool at Lincoln Park, repair- ing the wading pool at Trum Field, and providing. wading pools in other localities.
4. Constructing running tracks at Somerville Field and Lincoln Park.
5. Converting the northeasterly end of Foss Park into a playground in accordance with plans of the City Engineer approved by the Somerville Planning Board.
6. Providing a new Public Bath House on the Mystic River to take the place of the one now located at the Wellington Bridge. This Bath House and Beach is no longer suitable for public use because of a new storm drain which has recently been constructed on account of the Ford plant located nearby. This: drain crosses the bathing beach to empty into the Mystic and greatly reduces the amount of free space available for beach purposes.
Program II
1. Erecting recreation houses to contain storage rooms, showers, toilet, etc. at Cherry Street Playground and Foss Park.
2. Acquiring additional play areas for neighborhood playgrounds.
CONCLUSION :
There are many evidences of a new and increasing inter- est among the people of Somerville in improving the recrea- tional opportunities of the city. This condition encourages the Commission to believe that the adoption by the City Govern- ment of this plan of progressive improvement would have the approval of citizens generally. In this hope and belief the Commission makes this report and asks for it the thoughful consideration of those in authority as well as of all persons to whose benefit and enjoyment these improvements would greatly contribute.
Respectfully submitted, for the Commission,
CHARLES S. CLARK,
Chairman.
104
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF RECREATION
To the Public Welfare and Recreation Commission :-
In addition to the customary annual statement covering the year's activities, undertakings, and accomplishments under your Commission, the Director has been required by vote of the Commission at its December 1925 meeting, to present, as sup- plementary to such report, a further statement,
(a) analysing the present status of the Commission's general undertakings :
(b) setting forth the Director's judgment regarding provisions which are necessary or highly desirable for the future success of Recreation and Welfare in the City ;
(c) offering suggestions and information that may as- sist the commission in defining its policies and elaborating and reorganizing its service.
Accordingly this communication, in form and in content, varies somewhat from previous reports by the Director, and from the more common form of routine statement that is con- noted by the term "Annual Report". Whereas customarily the emphasis is placed upon presentation of statistics, records, comparison with previous records, and specific details of the work in hand , the emphasis in this Report is transferred to the other divisions of the Report, mentioned above as additional, and distributed among them. For more complete and more specific information concerning the details of the work carried on during the year, reference is made to the Annual Report of the Director of Recreation for 1924, contained in the Annual Report of the Public Welfare and Recreation Commission for 1924. The details given in this previous report explain the system, the methods, the conditions of carrying on the work, etc. The extension of this system and these methods, the im- provement or mastery of these conditions, and the initiating of entirely new enterprises for Public Recreation, have been the business of the year 1925, just closed.
The customary record of the year's activities under my supervision is submitted first; and the other business of the report comes later in this communication.
105
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
STATEMENT OF 1925 ACTIVITIES
It seems wise, in presenting this report, to give separate consideration to the various branches of the Recreation work. They include
I. The Summer Playgrounds
II. The Spring-and-Fall Supervised Athletics
III. The Saturday Playgrounds for Small Chil- dren
IV Evening Adult Recreation Centers
V. The Neighborhood Center
VI. The Preserving and Canning Activities of School Children
VII. The Recreational Activities Involving the General Public
VIII. The Experiment in Community Recreational Drama
IX. Public Celebrations.
Summer Playgrounds
The essential character and general mode of the Summer Playgrounds Season are the same as those of the 1924 season, reported a year ago by the Director.
Features
But some new features of the season of 1925 are conspic- uous to the observation of the Director, and are judged worthy of special mention under this caption. More detailed reference to them, each under its proper heading, will follow.
New units of supervised play, added to the Summer Play- grounds system this year to serve the interests of children in sections of the City hitherto served most meagerly or not at all, have, in the Director's estimation, been so successfully operat- ed as to constitute one of the most beneficial accomplishments that can be cited under consideration of Summer Playgrounds for some time.
Enlargement of the supervisory corps, consequent on the expansion of the system, has increased and complicated the Director's task of unifying and vitalizing the work, standard-
106
ANNUAL REPORTS
izing objectives, co-ordinating the various units, superintend- ing details, supplying materials where and when needed, assist- ing in training the workers to highest efficiency, and evaluat- ing the relative efficiency of the workers.
A marked public interest in playground work, noted and. reported last year, has continued to express itself this year, even to more marked degree and in greater variety of ways, especially among citizens in those sections of Somerville where new playground units have been supervised this past Summer for the first time.
The zealous corps of play-supervisors and assistants. whose previous accomplishments have brought forth many fa- vorable comments of public officials, private citizens and the public press, has undergone some important changes in per- sonnel for 1925, without any lowering of efficiency, in the Di- rector's opinion. While regretting the withdrawal from the ranks of several well-qualified, trained, loyal workers, whose contributions to the system make the community their debtor, the Director reports an asset in the addition to the corps of an. even larger number of equally valuable workers.
Grounds
Fourteen areas were used for playground purposes during the past Summer. Seventeen 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 Ground (for girls)
Central Hill Park
(for girls and boys)
George Dilboy Field (for boys)
Fellsway East (for boys)
Saxton C. Foss Park (for girls)
Glen St. Playground (for girls and boys)
Hodgkins School Grounds
(for girls)
Joy St. Playground
(for boys)
Kent Street Boys' Playground
Kent Street Girls' Playground
Lincoln Park (for boys)
Morse School Grounds
(for girls and boys)
Perry School Grounds
(for girls)
Richard Trum Boys' Playground
Richard Trum Girls' Playground
Tufts College Old Campus (for girls)
Western Playground (for boys) ยป
(At Western Junior High School Grounds)
Two of these units were new this year to the Playgrounds system :- those at Glen Street Playground and at Tufts Col- lege Old Campus. We have already stated that they have been
107
WELFARE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
operated with complete success, in the Director's opinion, and that, in service to the play needs of Somerville children, their operation seems to be a very considerable development in Play- grounds system.
The Playground at Tufts Old Campus had been originat- ed in 1924, and financed in greater part not by the City, through this Department, but through the private initiative and enterprise of citizens in the upper Clarendon Hill sec- tion, led by the Mothers' Circle. These ladies had enlisted the interest of parents and children and sought assistance and encouragement from the Public Welfare and Recreation De- partment. This year the activities of this playground were more completely incorporated into the City-wide system main- tained under the Commission. New permanent play equip- ment, including swing frames, swings, sand boxes, etc., was installed at expense from the Commission's funds, and the Commission and the Mothers' Circle shared the expense of Supervision. The local supervisor was paid by the Circle for 5 weeks. The Commission financed the remainder of the payment of this position,-and provided the services of the Director and the special supervisors in dancing and hand- work; while workers under the Commission attended to pub- licity for the enterprise and co-ordination with other play- ground units. The City supplied also the portable play ma- terials. In this enterprise a third cooperating agency was the Trustees of Tufts College, who in public spiritedness granted the use of an attractive, ample and suitable section of its grounds.
The Glen Street Playground unit was entirely new. It is located on the vacant land (a large part of which is City property) at the junction of Glen and Oliver Streets,-a piece of land which the Director urges upon the Commission as ex- tremely desirable for complete ownership by the City and for very thorough-going conversion into a playground. Its opera- ation during the past Summer was a boon to hundreds of chil- dren who reside in an area hitherto totally unserved. The imme- diate district, within four minutes of this land, has a child population of several hundred, and the districts outlying are also unequipped with playgrounds. Several main thorough- fares for motor vehicles-Franklin Street, Cross Street, Wash- ington Street, Medford Street, Glen Street and newly paved Pearl Street-pass within one or two minutes' walk of this playground, constituting a menace to so many hundred chil- dren who might be freed from danger by means of a properly equipped, active and attractive playground. Regardless of more detailed plans the Director urges complete fencing of this area by a 12 ft. wire screen fence; provision of drinking-
108
ANNUAL REPORTS
water facilities and seats ; resurfacing; re-placement of base- ball back stop; provision of shelter or shade trees or both.
In the Director's fourteen years of experience with City supervision of play no such response on the part of children and their families has been shown, when supervised play op- portunities have been provided, as was shown during the past Summer when this unit was first operated. Scores of expres- sions have come to the Director from residents of the neigh- borhood, to the effect that this operation has supplied a much felt need of long standing and that even in the opening weeks very tangible evidence of good had resulted. The spontaneous response of the children was inspiring to all connected with the enterprise. (The Director feels an urge to express at this point admiring appreciation for the enthusiastic leadership supplied by the two persons assigned to supervision at the Glen Street Playground : Miss Mary Eaton and Mr. William Koen.) Further comments on the grounds, their conditions, etc., are made in the supplementary statement later in this report.
Supervision
Twenty-six persons including the Director were employed in the supervision of the Summer play. Of this number, four were assigned to individual playgrounds; two acted as special supervisors of folk dancing; and one as supervisor of hand- work.
All but three of the supervisors are residents of Somer- ville. This statement is made to indicate that despite the Civil Service requirements as to qualifications, it is possible to secure from our own residents efficient supervision. The Director feels that this policy should be continued in Somer- ville unless its continuance should in any way hand- icap the effects of the playground organization. All of the three non-residents were specialists, specially trained, for whose positions no trained Somerville applicant could be found in spite of thorough investigation.
New problems in organizing the supervisory corps, grad- ually presenting themselves previously, have now become major problems of the whole undertaking, as a result of the increased number of playgrounds and the increased number of children under supervision.
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