Report of the city of Somerville 1929, Part 6

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


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1929 > Part 6


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There remains before the Commission the rapidly growing need for more playground space, most especially playgrounds of the smaller, "neighborhood" type, suitably equipped and adequately conditioned for use especially by the younger chil- dren. Immediate prvoision in this direction is remommended, so that the children of this city may play in safety. The Com- mission judges the need to be especially great in the following districts :-


1. The district bounded by Central and Cedar Streets, Highland Ave. and the "Boston and Lowell" rail- road tracks-the district which centers at the junction of Lowell and Albion Streets.


2. Willow Ave. section north of Highland Ave. in the vicinity of the Brown School.


3. The extreme easterly section of Somerville, near Charlestown.


4. The vicinity of Gilman Square.


5. The Prospect Hill-Central Hill-School Street district.


6. Upper Winter Hill section, North of Broadway.


7. The vicinity of Davis Square and Cutter Square.


8. The upper Tufts College section.


Finally the Commission repeats its recommendation of a year ago, that the City provide a motor-cycle police officer for the sole purpose of patrolling, during the playground seasons the playgrounds and public parks, so as to assure the children of security, and protect the City's property.


119


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RECREATION COMMISSION


The Commission has strong evidence that citizens general- ly approve the plans for continued progressive improvement in the Recreation situation, and asks further careful consider- ation of His Honor the Mayor, and the Honorable Board of Aldermen, as well as the support of those to whom the sug- gested improvements will bring benefits.


Respectfully submitted for the Commission,


CHARLES S. CLARK, Chairman.


120


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR


To the Recreation Commission :-


At the beginning of this Annual Report to your Com- mission by the Director, attention is recalled to the controlling factor in the conduct of the Commission's business for 1929 :-- namely, that the sum of money available for the work under the Commission for the year was 31/10% in excess of the sum appropriated for the year just preceding. As compared with $12,608 for the year 1928, $13,008 was available for 1929-an increase of $400.


With the policy of the Commission largely determined by this fact, the program of work under the Commission has called for the same limitation of activities and the same part- time basis for all of the branches of the work as in the pre- vious years, rather than a program of expansion in accordance with the standing policy of the Commission.


The increased funds available have made possible im- provements in the work, and the meeting of certain needs ; and these improvements and the record of needs met are here reported. Since the degree of advance is largely measured by the increased amount of funds available, the reporting con- sists chiefly in recording the distribution of the additional funds.


Also to be mentioned in this report are a few new features in the methods of carrying out the existing program. These features have to do for the most part with the Summer Play- grounds season. They include the introduction and success- ful conduct of certain new activities, the intensifying of certain activities, and the slight numerical enlargement of the super- visory corps.


Distribution of 1929 Increase of Appropriation


The chief items indicating how the increase of appro- priation for 1929 was applied are as follows :


1, Purchase of a Mimeograph machine, accessor- ies and supplies.


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RECREATION COMMISSION


2, Greater emphasis and expenditure on publi- city displays throughout the city, intended to increase playground attendance.


3. Additon of one unit of Saturday supervised play on "Neighborhood Playgrounds," invol- ving employment of two additional workers :- commencing September 20.


4. Slight increase in average salary of Summer Playgrounds' workers, resulting from the pre- sence in the corps of a larger percentage of more experienced workers than in any previous Summer season.


5. Enlargement of Summer Playgrounds super- visory corps.


6. Equipment for larger use of bulletin boards to stimulate playground activities and attendance, by posters, etc.


The use of the Mimeograph machine has been a force for increased efficiency in the conduct of the work, most especially the Summer Playgrounds work; and the availability of the machine during the years ahead makes the purchase of it an accomplishment in economy. The many advantagegs of such a device will be manifest upon consideration of the large num- ber of units in the Summer Playgrounds system, the problem of communicating uniformly from headquarters to a large corps of workers in scattered locations, etc. Form letters, multiple copies of rules and directions for games, directions for folk dances and handcraft, multiple copies of schedules, pub- lication of standings of teams in athletic leagues, uniform bul- letin-board posters, multiple copies of diagrams and sketches, etc., have been made with minimum effort and minumum ex- penditure of time, and minimum cost. Uniformity of method has been promoted; bulletin boards made more attractive ; cost of typing reduced ; and more prompt results obtained from directions issued to playgrounds from headquarters.


Since the beginning of the Playground work under your Commission, one effective method of promoting public interest and children's interest in playground activities has been the display of prizes in various places throughout the city. This method has been used more extensively from year to year and with increasing effectiveness. Beginning in 1928, playground snapshots, posters, and other pictorial devices were added to the displays used in connection with the Summer Playgrounds. The proper attending to these displays, including the procuring


122


ANNUAL REPORTS


and arranging of display windows in shops, has absorbed much energy and time on the part of the regular workers in super- vision. For the Summer of 1929 this form of publicity was practiced still more extensively by the display of artistically lettered and arranged posters, calculated to increase the inter- est of parents and citizens and to give them more pointed in- formation regarding the play opportunities for children. This extension and intensifying of the publicity and display work has made necessary the enlistment of paid part-time service by a young man trained in lettering, sketching, decorative art, and the art of window display. About $100 was devoted to pay- ment for this service. And the relieving of the other workers from this activity enabled them to give more time to the reg- ular features of their play leadership and supervision. In connection with this work in displays, the same employe was active in production of posters, etc. for use on Playground bul- letion boards ; and also of large canvas banners used as troph- ies in certain special inter-playground competitive activities. Both of these features are discussed below.


Beginning in September, with the reopening of the season for Saturday supervised play, the John M. Woods Playground was added to the units under supervisors on Saturdays. Eleven such units are now under supervision. Between the date mentioned and December 31, about $75 has been expended for payment of workers' salaries and for play equipment at this new unit. The results are, in the Director's judgment, satisfactory.


Playground bulleten boards have long been used on our Playgrounds for promoting and sustaining interest in the var- ious activities. Schedules, announcements, newspaper clip- ping, scores in Playground games, suggestive lists of things to do, news of other Playgrounds, team line-ups, etc., are exam- ples of what these boards carry. In the previous (1928) Sum- mer Season, the effectiveness of the bulletin boards was increas- ed by varying their uses. The pictorial side of bulletin-board display was increased. The bulletin boards not only succeeded better as a medium for promoting other activities, but became themselves one of the important features of Playground life. Children spent considerable time inspecting and discussing the pictures and other features displayed. In keeping with the demand, larger and more expensive bulletin boards were pro- vided. Again, in the Summer of 1929, larger and more attract- ive posters were used, especially in promoting special inter- playground activities, discussed below. A special part-time


123


RECREATION COMMISSION


employee (mentioned above) included among his duties that of supplying these posters and such letterings as were requested by the other workers on the respective Playgrounds. The 1929 Summer season has demonstrated the value of emphasizing the pictorial and artistic phase of Playground bulleten boards.


Conduct of Summer Playgrounds' Activities. New Features and Activities


The following features are to be noted in the conduct of the Summer Playgrounds' work of the 1929 season :


The reorganization of the supervisory corps, made for the season of 1928, and tried in a somewhat experimental way for that season, justified itself in 1929 beyond all question, in the Director's judgment. As a result of the 1928 experiences, the respective workers in the corps were highly efficient in 1929 : and the new organization made possible a greater degree of effectiveness in the work of the most experienced workers, eliminated administrative problems, and simplified the co- ordination of the various units. In connection with this item, it seems proper to state that a most important factor in the effectiveness of the work during the season is the skill, con- scientious and faithful effort, tact, and vision of Misses Mary L. Harrington and Olive E. Holmes, both Supervisors.


The same cooperative, loyal, conscientious and skillful service on the part of the Play Leaders, Masters, Supervisors and Assistants as a whole, which the Director has reported pre- viously, were conspicuous during the 1929 Summer season. These characteristics of the workers' service have made poss- ible the success of the new activities and new methods mention. ed below.


To increase interest and activity on the Summer Play- grounds, a special program of weekly inter-playground events for boys was arranged, with the competitive event changing each week, and being held each week on a different Playground. This focused each week attention on one Playground, and also insured a variety of interest and activity throughout the sea- son. Of course, the competitive nature of the events tended to all-week and all-season interest, since daily practice was in- volved. The selection of activities excluded the more common activities in favor of novel and hitherto unemphasized ones. Thus the entire program was conducted parallel with, rather


.


124


ANNUAL REPORTS


than in substitution for, the baseball leagues, paddle tennis activities, track and field athletics, handwork, etc. Typical events in the special every-week program were Tug-of-War, Quoits, Demonstration of Novel Games, Chariot Race, and Kick Baseball. For the Playground winning in each competition, a banner indicating the "Championship" was awarded and dis- played on the Playground throughout the remainder of the season.


After the first week of the program here reported, its success prompted the arrangement of a corresponding program for girls, with appropriate competitive activities, somewhat less frequent, than those for boys.


Another feature of the season was the emphasis, within the supervisory corps, of detailed planning of daily and weekly programs. Mimeographed blanks, in triplicate, were supplied the workers, and the form of the blanks enabled the Director and Supervisors to observe and assist the planning of the Masters and Leaders. These plan sheets also facilitated the mutual exchange of ideas among workers on the various grounds. The sheets were so used and so arranged that the children shared largely in the planning by indication of their desires as to play activities. This was made possible through "the power of suggestion" when the triplicate copy, while the advance program was being thought out, was displayed on the Playground bulleten board. In the Director's judgement, by this method the knowledge of the workers was broadenel, the initiative of children promoted, the responsibilty for varied activity impressed upon some workers, and ingenuity in plan- ning encouraged among all workers.


The Inter-Playground Athletic Meet, conducted similarly to that reported in 1928, attracted even greater attention in 1929.


Inter-Playground Paddle Tennis was more notably spec- tacular during the past season than ever before. The final tournament assumed such proportion as to take rank with the Inter-Playground Athletic Meet and the Twilight Play Festival to form a trio of special closing events in place of the two which hitherto have won public interest. This tournament, held at twilight in Lincoln Park during the closing week of the Summer season, made necessary the use of twenty-five courts simultaneously, with 150 players entered in the "doubles," from sixteen Playgrounds-both boys and girls.


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RECREATION COMMISSION


The Twilight Play Festival, demonstrating to the public and to the City Government the typical activities of the Sum- mer, was for the first time conducted at Richard Trum Field. More than 3500 children participated. About 6000 persons in addition witnessed the spectacle. Many comments from citi- zens have been forwarded to the Director in commendation of the program, the choice of location, the spirit of the children, etc. Most particularly the event seems to have demonstrated the efficiency, skill, faithful effort and cooperative spirit of the Play Leaders, Supervisors, Masters and Assistants.


As a final item among the outstanding features of the Summer season should be mentioned the success of the unit at the John M. Woods Playground. Over a period of three years since this area was made available for supervised play in sea- son, there has been a steady growth in play spirit and in atten- dance. During the Summer of 1929 this center was outstand- ing in the matters of sustained interest, varied activity, good attendance, and excellent play spirit among both boys and girls. The Director regards this situation as another illus- tration of what can be done, given the facilities and the proper leadership, for a district lacking traditions and spirit of play.


Financial Summary


Following is a financial summary for 1929:


APPROPRIATED


Annual Appropriation


$13,000 00


Receipts


8 06


Transfer Appropriation, Dec. 26


35 00


Total Appropriation .....


$13,043 06


EXPENDED


Equipment and Supplies


$3,075 86


Teaming and Trucks


208 88


Automobile Maintenance


183 35


Personal Disbursements


159 25


Office Supplies, Mimeograph Machine and Printing


495 68


Postage


61 18


Telephone


86.55


Music


85 80


Salaries and Wages:


Director


$1,304 17


Supervisors, Leaders & Instructors .... 6,569 20


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ANNUAL REPORTS


Laborers and General Helpers


400 50 376 35


Clerks


All Other .... ....


8,600 22 84 70


Total Expenditures


$13,041 47


Unexpended Balance


$1 59


Recommendations


The following recommendations are respectfully sub- mitted by the Director :


(1) Expansion of Summer Playgrounds Organization to include new units at premises of the following schools :- Brown, Highland, Cutler, Edgerly and Bingham.


(2) Providing at the Glen Street Playground a sur- face, seats, shelter-house and trees.


(3) Securing more adequate play space and improved conditions of present areas at Joy Street, Bennett School, 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.


(6) Purchase of land for additional Playgrounds, especially for serving smaller children near their homes; with particular attention to the district which centers at the intersection of Lowell and Albion Streets.


(7) The planting of some shade trees on several of the Playgrounds to provide natural shelter for the future.


(8) Increasing the length of Summer supervision.


(9) Increasing the number of Saturday Playgrounds' units so as to make the organization city-wide.


(10) Provision of necessary field equipment for Tennis, Field Hockey, Soccer, etc., for use in the after- school sesions of Supervised Athletics.


(11) Employment of a part-time, all-year, clerical worker to assist the Director and to act as clerk for the Commission.


(12) Provision for out-door active recreation in Win- ter for children and adults, such as Hockey, Tobogganing, and Skiing.


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RECREATION COMMISSION


(13) Providing a Recreation Center, with others to fol- low, for women, on parallel lines with those of the young men's center.


(14) Provision for additional facilities for indoor athletics and physical exercises at Recreation Centers for men.


(15) Appropriation of funds for promotion of adults' athletic leagues in Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, etc.


(16) Appropriation for promoting Community Drama and kindred activities as community recreation,


The foregoing recommendations have to do with those branches of the work to which, by the present activities, your Commission is definitely committed, or to which the City Gov- ernment is already committed through the work of other Departments. Below are submitted, in addition, suggestions looking toward 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.


Pageantry. Dramatic Clubs. Other Activities in Drama.


Forum. Civic Meetings. Music Week. Public "Hikes." Lectures. Hockey Rinks. Aquatic Sports' Day at Somerville Beach. Vacant Lot Playground Campaign.


Marble Tournament.


Respectfully submitted,


FRANCIS J. MAHONEY,


Director.


Dec. 27, 1929.


128


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT


To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen :


Herewith please find the annual report of the Somer- ville Police Department for the year ending December 31, 1929.


To promote the efficiency of the department, the follow- ing recommendations are offered.


The installation of a system of flash lights in the var- ious squares and at other points in the city, for the purpose of notifying officers in any section to get in immediate com- munication with headquarters, in cases of emergency.


That a modern police building be constructed to replace the present structure that is now inadequate, unsanitary and dangerous ; together with a suitable garage for the proper housing and care of the motor equipment of the department.


That a new, thoroughly equipped and up-to-date am- bulance be purchased for the exclusive use of sick and accident cases, thereby relieving the present combination ambulance and patrol from sick and accident calls.


Also that new ford cars be purchased to replace the car now in use by the sergeants, the present Pierce Arrow tour- ing car, and a third car for the use of the liquor squad. The replacing of the motor cycles now in use by the traffic depart- ment with new machines and the purchase of one additional motor cycle for the use of the traffic officer now teaching safe- ty in the schools of the city.


The installation of additional traffic lights in the var- ious squares and at other points in the city where the traffic conditions may warrant. The purchase of a new "Inhalater" to replace the present obsolete "Lung Motor" for use in ac- cident cases. The purchase of gas guns and bombs, also gas masks so that the department may be better able to cope with the methods of the present day criminal ..


129


CHIEF OF POLICE


Also strongly recommend the purchase of new revolvers in exchange for revolvers now in use by many of our patrol- men, for the purpose of standardizing our ammunition and doing away with confusion and danger now existing from that cause.


The appointing of a male stenographer in the office of Chief of Police, for the better handling of correspondence and the clerical work of the department. That the present salary of our Matron be increased two hundred dollars per year.


In conclusion, that an additional four patrolmen be ap- pointed to the present force, to be available for service on or: about June 6, of the current year.


Sincerely yours, THOMAS DAMERY, Chief of Police.


Arrests


Whole number of arrests made


2,617


With and without warrants


2,103


On summonses and notification


514


2,617


Males


2,480


Females


137


2,617


Americans


1,896


Foreign born


721


2,617


Residents


1,596


Non-residents


1,021


2,617


1. Crimes and Offenses Against the Person


Accosting


1


Assault


6.


Assault and Battery


104


Assault and Battery on a police officer


3.


Assault with a dangerous weapon


2


Assault, Mutual


2.


Assault with intent to commit a felony


4


Assault with intent to commit rape


1


Assault with intent to rob


1


Manslaughter


1'


Murder


2


Rape


3.


130


ANNUAL REPORTS


Robbery, armed


1


Robbery


4


Threats and intimidation


2


137


2. Crimes and Offenses Against Property


Attempt, larceny of automobile


1


Breaking and entering, attempt


9


Breaking and entering


4


Breaking and entering and larceny


50


Breaking glass


1


Breaking glass in building


6


Breaking street lights


2


Concealing leased property


2


Fraudulent conveying


1


Injury to property


6


Larceny, attempt


2


Larceny of automobiles


25


Larceny


152


Malicious injury to property


1


Receiving stolen goods


7


Trespass


286


3. Crimes and Offenses Against Public Order, Etc.


Adultery


2


Capais


67


Conspiracy


28


Cruelty to animals


2


Default


21


Disorderly house


1


Disturbing a public assembly


9


Dog keeping, unlicensed


7


Drunkenness


1,062


Drunkenness, common


1


Escaped from prison


2


Exposure of person


5


Failure to label mattresses


1


Fire-arms, carrying without a permit


False alarm of fire


1


Fire crackers, setting off


1


Forgery


4


Fornication


2


Gaming and being present


23


Glass breaking


5


Installing electricity, no license


1


Lewd cohabitation


8


Lewdness


2


Lottery tickets, possession


4


Neglect of parent


28


Neglect to support


126


Neglected children


11


Peddling without a license


4


Profanity


2


Runaway boys


6


Runaway girls


1


Safe keeping, demented


35


17


131


CHIEF OF POLICE


Selling ammunition to a minor


1


Setting fire to a building


1


Stealing ride on electric car


2


Straggler U. S.


3


Stubborness


9


Suspicious persons


8


Throwing missiles


3


Uttering forged instrument


1


Vagrants


1


Violations of city ordinances


58


Violation of illigitimate child act


18


Violation of labor laws


23


Violation Lord's Day


8


Violation of Liquor Laws


103


Violation of motor vehicle laws


441


Violation of narcotic drug law


1


Violation of probation


4


Violation of the pure food law


7


Violation and revoke of parole


5


Violation of school laws


10


Walking on railroad


13


2,194


Recapitulation


(1) Crimes and Offenses Against the person


137


(2) Crimes and Offenses Against property


286


(3) Crimes and Offenses Against Public Order, etc. Total number of arrests made


2,194


2,617


Bailed to appear elsewhere


17


Released from custody


10


Released by probation officer (drunkenness)


1


Surrendered to other officers, institutions, etc.


149


177


Note :- Two hundred and twelve of the above number of cases were juveniles and delinquents.


Miscellaneous Reports


Abandoned automobiles


90


Accidents reported


1,568


Amount of property stolen


$121,059.69


Amount of stolen property recovered


278,449.10


Amount of property lost


2,289.55


Amount of property found


114.01


Assaults and assaults and battery


23


Attempts to break and enter


50


Attempted larceny


4


Bombs found


4


Buildings broken and entered


296


Buildings found open


454


Cruelty to animals


1


Dead animals found


96


Defective bridges


20


Defective catch basins and sewers


13


Defective electric lamps


8


Defective hydrants and gates


54


Defective manholes


8


Defective police signal service


8


132


ANNUAL REPORTS


Defective sidewalks


306


Defective signs and sign-posts


299


Defective streets


163


Defective wires


40


Disturbances


76


Disturbances suppressed


4


Dogs killed


28


Dogs vicious


96


Fires, false alarm


2


Fires, needless alarm for


3


Fires reported


285


Gas leaks


2


Gas poisoning


33


Houses unoccupied


33


Indecent exposure of person


5


Larcenies, no value given


163


Larcenies


694


Lost children


284


Lost children found


284


Malicious mischief


137


Missing persons


164


Missing persons found


163


Obstructions on sidewalks and streets


26


Obstructions on sidewalks and streets not lighted.


16


Obstructions on sidewalks and streets lighted


16


Panes of glass broken


346


Permits to labor on the Lord's Day


107


Persons accosted


14


Persons bitten by dogs


69


Persons notified


400


Persons rescued


2


Property lost, no value given


69


Property found, no value given


65


Robbery and attempts to rob


21


Runaway children found


10


Runaway horses captured


2


Sidewalks and streets dangerous from snow and ice Sudden deaths


64


Suspicious persons


44


Stray bullets


5


Stray dogs and other animals


163


Stray dogs and other animals found




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