Report of the city of Somerville 1929, Part 5

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1929
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 438


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1929 > Part 5


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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62,406 00


Street Sprinkling


48,450 00


$3,450,285 29


Supplementary Poll Warrant.


376 00


Total on polls and property


$3,450,661 29


Assessments:


Apportioned Highway


$2,267 68


Unapportioned Highway


6,361 52


Apportioned Sidewalk


167 09


Unapportioned Sidewalk


2,454 47


Apportioned Sewer


91 64


Interest-Apportioned Assts.


574 33


Unapportioned Assts


341 79


12,258 52


Motor Excise Taxes:


Commitment


1


$62,497 13


2


99,847 04


3


17,122 34


4


4,219 21


5


3,845 96


66


6


1,826 80


189,358 48


Total Commitment by Assessors


$3,652,278 29


Buildings


112,471,300 00


TAXES


Balance December 31, 1928


Committed


$189,358 48


Supplementary


Refunds


1,615 22


1,049 58


Total $730,231 53 3,591,193 77 376 00 3,991 88 34 52


Total charges


$227 94


$731,635 33


$3,403,556 37


$190,408 06


$4,325,827 70


Collected


182 18


715,138 76


2,589,499 44


149,672 83


3,454 493 21


Abated


45 76


7.616 60


14,767 34


9,470 25


31,899 95


Tax Title Account


8,261 56


7,303 19


15,564 75


Total credits


$227 94


$731,016 92


$2,611,569 97 791,986 40


$159,143 08


$3,501,957 91


Balance December 31, 1929


618 41


31,264 98


823,869 79


1927 $225 94


1928 $730,005 59


1929


Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes


Recharged


2 00


14 52


$3,401,835 29 376 00 1,327 08 18 00


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES:


97


98


ANNUAL REPORTS


STREET SPRINKLING ASSESSMENTS


Balance Dec. 31, 1928


1928 $10,484 10


1929


Committed


Refunds


6 00


$48,450 00 41 34


Total $10,484 10 48,450 00 47 34


Total charges


$10,490 10


$48,491 34


$58,981 44


Collected


$10,337 70


$36,791 02


$47,128 72


Abated


22 80


89 64


112 44


Tax Title account


129 60


105 24


234 84


Total credits


$10,490 10


$36,985 90


$47,476 00


Balance Dec 31, 1929


............


$11,505 44


$11,505 44


OVERLAY AND ABATEMENT


Credit Balance Dec. 31, 1928


1927 $225 94


1928 $13,853 33 14 52


1929


Assessed in Taxes


Recharged


2 00


Total credits


$227 94


$13,867 85


$27,991 43


$42,087 22


Abatements


$45 76


$7,616 60


$14,767 34


$22,429 70


To Reserve Fund (Surplus)


182 18


5,632 84


5,815 02


Total charges


$227 94


$13,249 44


$14,767 34


$28,244 72


Balance Dec. 31, 1929


$618 41


$13,224 09


$13,842 50


.


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


99


..


..


... .. $27,973 43 18 00


Total $14,079 27 27,973 43 34 52


100


BETTERMENT ASSESSMENTS


Highway


Highway 1929


Sidewalk 1928 $5,547 76


Sidewalk 1929 7,617 48


$5,547 76 $62,926 82


Total charges


$55,309 34


$5,547 76


$7,617 48


$68,474 58


Collected


$8,379 21


$2,993 55


$2,446 93


$13,819 69


Apportioned


26,332 78


533 06


987 91


27,853 75


Committed to 1929 taxes


6,361 52


2,021 15


433 32


8,815 99


Abated


1,803 25


770 12


2,573 37


Total credits


$42,876 76


$5,547 76


$4,638 28


$53,062 80


Balance Dec. 31, 1929


$12,432 58


$2,979 20


$15,411 78


..


..


..


..


..


..


..


..


ANNUAL REPORTS


Total


Balance Dec. 31, 1928 Committed


$55,309 34


ASSESSMENTS IN TAXES IN 1929


Highway Highway Apportioned Unapportioned Apportioned Unapportioned


Sidewalk


Sidewalk


Sewer Int. on Apportioned Apportioned Unapportioned Int. on


Total


Committed


$2,267 68 2,079 46


$6,361 52


$167 09 129 11


$2,454 47 869 87 75 44


$91 64 75 00


$574 33 368 49


$341 79


$12,258 52 6,740 39


Tax Title Account


Abated


11 55


690 00


3 92


23 46


79 04 728 93


Total credits


$2,091 01


$3,748 51


$129 11


$945 31


$75 00


$372 41


$187 01


$7,548 36


Bal. Dec. 31, 1929


$176 67


$2,613 01


$37 98


$1,509 16


$16 64


$201 92


$154 78


$4,710 16


COMMITTED APPORTIONED ASSESSMENTS


Highway $301 21


Highway


Sidewalk


Sidewalk


Sewer $16 64


Sewer


Bal. Commitment 1928 ...


Committed 1929


$2,267 68


$167 09


$91 64


Total $317 85 2,526 41


$2,844 26


Collected


$286 21


$2,079 46


$129 11


$16 64


$75 00


$2,586 42


Abated


11 55


11 55


Transferred to Tax Titles


15 00


15 00


Total credits


$301 21


$2,091 01


$129 11


$16 64


$75 00


$2,612 97


Bal. Dec. 31, 1929


$176 67


$37 98


$16 64


$231 29


..


.....


...


..


........


............


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


101


Collected


3,058 51


159 95 3 60


........


102


UNAPPORTIONED ASSESSMENTS


Bal. Commitment 1928


Highway $1,415 13


Highway $6,361 52


Sidewalk $1,529 04


Sidewalk $2,454 47


Sewer $800 00


Sewer


Total $3,744 17 8,815 99


Committed 1929


Total charges


$1,415 13


$6,361 52


$1,529 04


$2,454 47


$800 00


$12,560 16


Collected


$1,415 13


$3,058 51


$1,529 04


$869 87


$100 00


$6,972 55


Abated


690 00


75 44


700 00


775 44


Total credits


$1,415 13


$3,748 51


$1,529 04


$945 31


$800 00


$8,437 99


Balance Dec. 31, 1929


2,613 01


$1,509 16


$4,122 17


COMMITTED INTEREST ASSESSMENTS


Appor- tioned $81 20


Appor- tioned


Unappor- Unappor-


tioned $150 70


tioned


Total $231 90


Bal. Commitment 1928 Committed 1929


$574 33


$341 79


916 12


Total charges


$81 20


$574 33


$150 70


$341 79 $1,148 02


Collected


$74 90


$368 49


$119 20


$159 95


$722 54


Abated


3 92


23 46


27 38


Transferred to Tax Title Int.


6 30


31 50


3 60


41 40


Total credits


$81 20


$372 41


$150 70


$187 01


$791 32


Bal. Dec. 31, 1929


$201 92


$154 78


$356 70


....... ..


..


..


..


..


690 00


Transferred to Tax Titles


......


ANNUAL REPORTS


WATER DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS


Metered 1928 $29,174 74


Quarterly Metered


Commercial Metered


Maint.


Service Assessments Additional


Bal. Dec. 31, 1928


Committed


$215,172 76 41 26


$153,118 87


$10,342 37 91 00


... $5,573 41


$2,372 57


Total $29,174 74 386,579 98 132 26


Refunds


Total charges


$29,174 74


$215,214 02


$153,118 87


$10,433 37


$5,573 41


$2,372 57


$415,886 98


Collected


$29,156 56


$214,316 44


$152,677 17


$10,051 56


$5,573 41


$2,309 62


$414,084 76


Abated


18 18


374 06


125 05


190 68


707 97


Total credits


$29,174 74


$214,690 50


$152,802 22


$10,242 24


$5,573 41


$2,309 62


$414 792 73


Bal. Dec. 31, 1929


$523 52


$316 65


$191 13


$62 95


$1,094 25


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


=


103


DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS FOR COLLECTIONS AND DEPOSITS


Balance Dec. 31, 1928 Committed


Total


Abated


Collected


Balance


Deposits


City Clerk


Assessors


..


.........


..


Election Commissioners


88 55


City Engineer


1 91


Building Dept.


90 08


Fire Dept.


983 36


Electrical


103 00


Health Dept.


586 73


1,251 22


1,837 95


25 71


505 93


1,306 31


Inspection Milk and Vinegar


97 00


1,651 75


1,748 75


1,548 25


200 50


5 00


Sanitary Dept.


582 55


582 55


400 00


182 55


1,217 80


Sanitary Bldgs., Mtce.


114 43


574 15


688 58


688 58


565 07


Highways Maintenance


953 68


7,318 90


8,272 58


148 95


7,665 33


458 30


5 00


Highways Bldgs.


5,986 31


48,826 74


54,813 05


1,060 65


31,453 81


22,298 59


Welfare Miscellaneous


9,310 74


22,789 24


32,099 98


485 84


21,805 95


9,808 19


Welfare City Home


760 42


5,416 57


6,176 99


5,977 85


199 14


1,350 07


Welfare City Home Bldgs.


150 00


School Dept.


2,593 16


19,917 52


22,510 68


542 68


20,426 95


1,541 05


1,930 23


School Bldgs.


698 27


698 27


698 27


14 36


Sidewalks Mtce.


19 30


19 30


19 30


Sidewalks Construction


142 79


142 79


142 79


Highways Street Sprinkling


15 00


15 00


15 00


Contagious Hospital


2,828 20


6,024 00


8,852 20


1,503 50


3,358 20


3,990 50


Libraries


2,806 49


Bathhouse


..


..


....


..


..


..


..


..


308 00


Shower Baths


630 25


Board of Appeal


$23,249 97


$115,208 70


$138,458 67


$3,767 33


$94,686 91


$40,004 43


$12,895 87


..


..


..


...


...


..


..


..


330 00


. .


28 50


Police Bldg.


14 80


Weights and Measures


Dental Clinic


51 15


Welfare Misc. (Com. of Mass.) ....


ANNUAL REPORTS


104


2,211 20


11 00


..


REVENUE LOANS In Anticipation of Revenue


Balance from 1928


Borrowed by authority of an order of the Board of Aldermen on city notes, as follows:


$700,000 00


Nos.


Rate


Premium


Discount


1663-1674


275 days


@ 4.83


disc.


$200,000 00


$7,379 17


1675-1676


274


5.125


50,000 00


1,758 16


1677


198


4.75


100,000 00


2,612 50


1678


229


5.


100,000 00


3,180 56


1679-1680


247


.


5.125


100,000 00


3,516 32


1681-1682


233


5.125


100,000 00


3,317 01


1683-1685)


225


5.18


95,000 00


3,075 63


1687-1688)


1689-1696


200


5.5


100,000 00


3,055 56


1697-1704


203


5.5


100,000 00


3,101 39


1705-1710


189


5.41


100,000 00


2,840 25


1711-1718


170


5.50


100,000 00


2,597 22


1719-1720


153


5.80


200,000 00


4,930 00


1721-1733


6 mos.


5.76


$3.00


150,000 00


4,317 00


1734-1737


153 days


5.40


200,000 00


4,590 00


1738-1743


123


5.025


100,000 00


1,716 88


1744-1749


188


5.025


100,000 00


2,624 16


1750-1757


162


5.22


100,000 00


2,349 00


1758-1765


188


5.22


100,000 00


2,726 00


1766-1768


98


3.90


100,000 00


1,061 67


[769-1774


131


3.90


200,000 00


2,838 33


Continued next page


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


105


ANNUAL REPORTS


106


Nos.


Rate


Premium


Discount 1,733 33


1775-1777


160 days @ 3.90


disc.


100,000 00


1778-1780 196


3.90


7.00 100,000 00


2,116 33


2,595,000 00


$3,295,000 00


$67,436 47


Paid notes maturing in 1929


Maturing in 1930


$800,000 00


Notes, 1929 averaged to run 1851/2 days and the average rate 5.04- Notes, 1928 averaged to run 2011/2 days and the average rate 3.95-


Notes, 1927 averaged to run 200 days and the average rate .. .3.5129


Notes, 1926 averaged to run 215 4/22 days and the average rate .3.6288


Average for 1925, 213 days and the average rate .3.365+


Average for 1924, 216 150-195 days and aver- age rate .4.07+


2,495,000 00


107


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


The funded debt December 31, 1929 was $2,648,000.00 classified as follows :


Beyond limit fixed by law


Within limit


Total


Lowell Street Bridge at 31/2 per cent.


$20,000 00


Sewer at 31/2 per cent


18,000 00


Sewer at 4 per cent.


79,000 00


Sewer at 41/4 per cent


14,000 00


City at 4 per cent.


36,000 00


Highway at 4 per cent


88,000 00


Highway at 5 per cent


15,000 00


City Hall Addition at 4 per cent ..


32,000 00


City Hall Addition at 41/4 per cent


70,000 00


Public Buildings at 4 per cent ....


58,000 00


Public Buildings at 41/2 per cent ..


32,000 00


Schoolhouse at 4 per cent


577,000 00


High School at 31/2 per cent


600,000 00


High School at 4 per cent


509,000 00


*Northern Traffic Route at 41/2


per cent


$500,000 00


$500,000 00 $2,148,000 00 $2,648,000 00 .


* Section 7, Chapter 489, of the Acts of 1924.


108


OUTSTANDING BONDS DECEMBER 31, 1929


Northern Traffic Route Outside


Bridge


Sewer $16,000


City $15,000


Highway $28,000


City Hall Addition $8,000


Pub. Bldgs.


School- house


High School $61,000


Total


1931


50,000


1,000


16,000


12,000


22,000


8,000


15,000


44,000


61,000


229 000


1932


50,000


1,000


14,000


9,000


17,000


8,000


15,000


44,000


61,000


219,000


1933


50,000


1,000


14,000


12,000


8,000


14,000


43,000


61,000


203,000


1934


50,000


1,000


14,000


12,000


7,000


14,000


43,000


61,000


202,000


1935


50,000


1,000


13,000


12,000


7,000


8,000


43,000


61,000


195,000


1936


50,000


1,000


6,000


7,000


4,000


43,000


61,000


172,000


1937


50,000


1,000


6,000


7,000


4,000


43,000


61,000


172,000


1938


50,000


1,000


4,000


7,000


43,000


61,000


166.000


1939


50,000


1,000


3,000


7,000


43,000


61,000


165,000


1940


1,000


2,000


7,000


43,000


61,000


114,000


1941


1,000


1,000


7,000


43,000


61,000


113,000


1942


1,000


1,000


7,000


43,000


61,000


113,000


1943


1,000


1,000


7,000


15,000


61,000


85,000


1944


1,000


61,000


62,000


1945


1,000


61,000


62,000


1946


1,000


61,000


62,000


1947


1,000


..


...


..


61,000


C2,000


1948


1,000


11,000


12,000


1949


..


..


....


..


..


$500,000


$20,000


$111,000


$36,000


$103,000


$102,000


$90,000


$577,000


$1,109,000


$2,648,000


. .


..


..


..


. .


..


..


..


..


1,000


1,000


1930


$50,000


$1,000


$16,000


$44,000


$239,000


ANNUAL REPORTS


..


109


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


BONDS DUE IN 1930


January


April


July


October


Total


Lowell Street


Bridge


$1,000 00


$1,000 00


Sewer


9,000 00


$7,000 00


16,000 00


City


$2,000 00


6,000 00


7,000 00


15,000 00


Highway


15,000 00


13,000 00


28,000 00


City Hall


Addition


$8,000 00


8,000 00


Public Bldg.


5,000 00


5,000 00


6,000 00


16,000 00


Schoolhouse


15,000 00


16,000 00


13,000 00


44,000 00


High School


61,000 00


Northern Traffic


Route


............


.....


....


$22,000 00 $52,000 00 $94,000 00 $71,000 00 $239,000 00


BOND INTEREST DUE IN 1930


January


April


July


October


Total


Lowell Street


Bridge


$350 00


$332 50


$682 50


Sewer


$755 00


1,437 50


$755 00


1,261 25


4,208 75


City


540 00


180 00


500 00


60 00


1,280 00


Highway


1,460 00


675 00


1,460 00


325 00


3,920 00


City Hall


Addition


2,127 50


2,127 50


4,255 00


Public Bldg.


1,420 00


460 00


1,320 00


360 00


3.560 00


Schoolhouse


4,200 00


7,340 00


3.900 00


7,020 00


22,460 00


High School


20,680 00


20,680 00


..


41,360 00


Northern Traffic


Route


11,250 00


11,250 00


22,500 00


$29,055 00 $23,820 00 $28,615 00 $22,736 25 $104,226 25


BONDS OUTSTANDING DECEMBER 31, 1929 With Interest to Maturity


Total


Lowell Street Bridge


Bonds $20,000 00 111.000 00


Interest $7,000 00 18,870 00


$27,000 00


Sewer


129,870 00


City


36,000 00


2,340 00


38,340 00


Highway


103,000 00


11,645 00


114,645 00


City Hall Addition


102,000 00


31,462 50


133,462 50


Public Bldg.


90,000 00


12.760 00


102,760 00


Schoolhouse


577,000 00


156,800 00


733,800 00


High School


1,109,000 00


406.100 00


1,515,100 00


Northern Traffic Route


500,000 00


123,750 00


623,750 00


$2,648,000 00


$770,727 50


$3,418,727 50


..


61,000 00


..


50,000 00


50,000 00


..


..


...


...


..


110


ANNUAL REPORTS


YEARLY BOND MATURITIES WITH INTEREST


Date Due


Principal


Interest


Total


1930


$239,000 00


$104,226 25


$343,226 25


1931


229,000 00


94,768 75


323,768 75


1932


219,000 00


85,761 25


304,761 25


1933


203,000 00


77,153 75


280,153 75


1934


202,000 00


69,026 25


271,026 25


1935


195,000 00


61,021 25


256,021 25


1936


172,000 00


53,293 75


225,293 75


1937


172,000 00


46,383 75


218,383 75


1938


166,000 00


39,513 75


205,513 75


1939


165,000 00


32,883 75


197,883 75


1940.


114,000 00


26,291 25


140,291 25


1941


113,000 00


21,986 25


134,986 25


1942


113,000 00


17,701 25


130,701 25


1943.


85,000 00


13,486 25


98,486 25


1944


62,000 00


10,392 50


72,392 50


1945


62,000 00


7,917 50


69,917 50


1946


62,000 00


5,442 50


67,442 50


1947


62,000 00


2,967 50


64,967 50


1948


12,000 00


492 50


12,492 50


1949


1,000 00


17 50


1,017 50


$2,648,000 00


$770,727 50


$3,418,727 50


MEMORANDUM OF PAYMENTS IN 1929 ON ACCOUNT OF DEBT


Bonds, General City Debt


Principal $196,000 00


Interest $89,321 25 67,436 47


Total $285,321 25 67,436 47


Revenue Loans


On account of:


Metropolitan District Debt:


Sewers


30,607 88


29,914 92


60,522 80


Parks


5,021 81


15,670 26


20,692 07


Charles River Basin


312 48


3,779 01


4,091 49


Alewife Brook


818 39


64 47


882 86


Water


20,606 83


102,359 58


122,966 41


$253,367 39


$308,545 96


$561,913 35


......... ...


111


TREASURER AND COLLECTOR OF TAXES


TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 1929


Appropriated


$34,385 00


Salaries :


Treasurer and Collector


$4,500 00


Deputy Collector


2,550 00


Cashiers


3,348 12


Clerks


15,142 35


Tracer


539 00


$26,079 47


Other Expenses:


Postage


$2,630 85


Books and supplies


967 08


Printing and advertising


2,161 08


Telephone


222 22


Bonds


752 85


Brink's Express Company


211 00


Insurance


439 43


Convention Expenses


145 92


All other


274 13


7,804 56


Special Items:


Mailing machine


436 10


$34,320 13


Balance unexpended


64 87


$34,385 00


112


ANNUAL REPORTS


RECREATION COMMISSION 1929


CHARLES S. CLARK, Chairman


MEMBERS


Term Expires January


MRS. PEARL L. CALDWELL


1930


CHARLES S. CLARK


1930


ERNEST W. DANFORTH


1931


DR. WINNIFRED P. DAVIS


1931


GEORGE H. EVANS


1931


ARTHUR A. FORTE


1931


MRS. ARTHUR W. HURLBURT


1931


MISS MARY McGANN


1930


JOSEPH J. PINCUS


1930


MRS. JENNIE E. STOWELL


1930


FRANCIS J. MAHONEY, Secretary to the Commission


113


RECREATION COMMISSION


REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN


January 2, 1930. To The Honorable The Mayor and The Board of Aldermen :-


The Recreation Commission submits this report of work accomplished during the year 1929, calling attention to the re- port of the Director, which constitutes part of this Report, and particularly to the recommendations in the Director's Report.


For purpose of brevity, references are here made to pre- vious Annual Reports by this Commission, to eliminate repeti- tion in the re-statement of considerations deemed vital to the business of the Commission.


No report by this Commission can be clear unless there is. clearly kept in mind the underlying fact that, despite its name, the Recreation Commission has not, and cannot under present conditions assume, jurisdiction over the City's Recreation fa- cilities. Instead the jurisdiction is distributed, under the City Charter, among several Departments, of which the City's Engin- eer's Department and the Building Department bear the major responsibility. The Recreation Commission has no jurisdiction over facilities which might be styled the chief tools of recrea- tion. Examples are the play areas, maintained and controlled by two other departments; storage places; basins for wading pools and the municipal bathing beach. Other examples are skating facilities, and regulation in allotment of baseball fields . to users. While the officials of these other Departments have practiced co-operation within the bounds of possibility, the resources at their disposal are extremely limited and the busi- ness of providing and conditioning these "Recreation tools". is decidely incidental to their general jurisdiction.


To offer recommendations for co-ordinating the work of these departments for Recreation, is, we believe, the function of' the Recreation Commission. Accordingly, this Commission has: repeatedly brought to the attention of the City Government: the Commission's analysis of what ought to be accomplished through these various Departments for the improvement of the Recreation situation in Somerville.


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ANNUAL REPORTS


The Commission's general analysis has been stated in its Annual Report for 1925, in the Report of the Director, page 25. The Commission believes now, as then, that any considerable progress for Recreation depends on the City's accepting that analysis and acting upon the conclusions it offers. Attention is respectfully called to page 25 and following pages in the Commission's Annual Report for 1925.


That statement began with the following paragraphs :-


"Eight years of legal recognition of Recreation as a distinct element of public welfare have passed. Nat- urally the Commission's first duty has been that of ex- ploring-investigating the nature of its task :- study- ing the general relation of Recreation to a Commun- ity's well-being, discovering the peculiar needs of Som- erville, divising means for coping with local needs and problems, and organizing its policies, corps of workers, and mode of procedure. Its financial expenditures have been extremely small. During this eight-year period, your Commission and the workers under its di- rection have eagerly and ceaselessly studied the prob- lem in hand. From time to time your Commission and these workers have defined their conclusions and offered their recommendations for use by the City Gov- ernment in discharging its duty to Somerville in the field of this well-recognized department of modern pub- lic welfare. In all of these repeated recommendations, proposals for financial appropriations have been not- ably modest. The most severe economy has been prac- ticed always.


"During this time a well-organized system of out- door recreation for children, limited, unfortunately, to vertain sections of Somerville, restricted to a com- paratively few days of each year, and seriously imped- ed by lack of facilities not within the Commission's power to provide, has been evolved :- a system whose results, it may be affirmed without hesitation, are far beyond the proportions of the money expended. And beginnings have been established in a recreation pro- gram for adults.


"That the exploratory time has passed, and that no further considerable progress can be made in meet- ing the very great recreational needs of this Commun- ity without a far-reaching movement on the part of the


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City Government calculated to extend this system to the entire Community, to remove the impediments in the lack of facilities mentioned, and to make unnec- essary the limiting of the benefits from your Commis- sion's work to a small fraction of the year, is the cen- tral idea of this statement, .


This statement in the 1925 Report then points out that the first steps necessary to progress must be made, not by any of the Executive Departments in question, but by the City Government. These first necessary steps by the City Govern- ment are summed up on page 27 of the Commission's 1925 Report, as follows :


"(a) Provision for increased emphasis on those bran- ches of the work under the City Engineer's, Building, Water, and other Departments that have to do with Recreation facilities.


"(b) Recognition of the essential fact that the grounds for play, buildings for storage, basins for wading pools, baseball diamonds, etc., are, of nature, "Recreation tools," the utilization of which should be largely directed by the Re- creation Commission.


"(c) Substantial increase in appropriation of funds to all of these Departments, with specification that the Recreation Commission's intentions and plans be regarded and consulted in the dis- position of these funds ;


"(d) Substantial increase in appropriation of funds to the Recreation Commission."


To assist the City Government in the task suggested by items (a), (b), and (c), in the foregoing paragraph, the Com- mission, in the same 1925 Report, offered a "Five Year Pro- gram." This program is to be found on page 5 of the Commis- sion's Report for that year. During the years that have since passed, some specific accomplishments, included in the Five Year Program, have been realized. They are mentioned below. Below also are pointed out again the further steps which are urgently recommended to the City Government for prompt action in 1930.


Item (d) above, calling for increased appropriation to the Recreation Commission, has been acted upon in part by the City Government. Increased appropriations during the years


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ANNUAL REPORTS


1926 to 1929 have made possible the extension of play super- vision during the Summer, Spring and Fall; a more effective organization of the supervisory corps ; and the adition of a few Saturday Playground units.


In pursuance of the Five Year Program the following items of accomplishments may be summarized :-


Partial resurfacing of some school yards.


One running track has been constructed at the Som- erville Field.


A section of Foss Park has been set apart as a play- ground, and partly resurfaced.


Some provision for Public Bath House and beach on the Mystic River.


In pursuance of the work of the Commission itself, as distinguished from the work under these other Departments, the Commission again calls attention to the report of the Director, included in this Report ; and strongly urges attention to the Directors' recommendations.


The Commission recommends in pursuance of the Five Year Program that a sufficient sum of money be appropriated to the Commissioner of Public Buildings,


(1) To complete the resurfacing of the following school yards, which are in poor condition, and where sup- ervised play activities are carried on under this Commission :- Morse, Bennett and Southern Junior High.


(2) To plant shade trees on the grounds of the Perry, Hodgkins, Western Junior High and Bennett Schools.


(3) To meet cost of heating, lighting and janitor ser- vice for Recreational uses, in the evening, of the High School Gymnasium and several other Public Buildings.


In like manner the Commission urges that a definite in- crease of funds be allowed to the City Engineer for the follow. ing purposes :


1. Resurfacing Lincoln Park, Kent St. Playground, Joy St. Playground, John M. Woods Playground, and portions of Richard Trum Field.


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2, Fencing-Joy St. Playground ; and the un-fenced sections of the Glen St. and John M. Woods Play- grounds.


3. Planting of shade trees on : Lincoln Park, Richard Trum Field, John M. Woods Playground, Kent St. Playground border, Glen St. Playground, Joy St. Playground border.


4. Erecting suitable field houses with shower baths and storage rooms on the larger playgrounds.


5. Erection on several of the playgrounds of addition- al swings and other permanent apparatus with special emphasis on the John M. Woods and Glen St. Playgrounds.


6. Enlarging the wading pool at Lincoln Park and in- stalling wading pools on other playgrounds.


7. Completing the work of converting part of Foss Park into a playground.


8. "Manning" the task of providing, protecting and preserving ice in season for skating at Richard Trum Playground, Glen St. Playground, Kent St. Playground and Foss Park Playground.


9. Completing the work on the running track at Dil- boy field, recently constructed under the City En- gineer, so that it may be put to the triple use originally intended by water-proofing the pool which it encircles, for use as a wading pool in Sum- mer and a hockey rink in Winter.


10. Completing the work for suitable bathing condi- tions at the Mystic River.


11. Construction of facilities for toboganning in Win- ter.


Additional to the suggested appropriation to those De- partments, mentioned above, which control and handle the Tools of Recreation, the year 1930 calls for definite increased expenditures by this Commission :-


1. For renewal of equipment on some playgrounds.


2. For purchase of needed new equipment.


3. For increase in the supervisory force commen- surate with the increase of playground attendance.


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ANNUAL REPORTS


4. For extension of the Summer Playgrounds season.


5. For increase in the number of units of Saturday supervised play.


6. For supervision and promotion of After School Play.


7. For promotion and supervision of Adult Recrea- tion on indoor and out-of-doors, through Adult Athletic Leagues, Twilight sessions at Playgrounds, Indoor Evening Recreation centers for men and women ; and the well organized public use of the High School Gymnasium.




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