USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1931 > Part 17
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
Chief of Police THOMAS DAMERY
Chief Engineer of the Fire Department and Inspector of Petroleum JOSEPH A. CRIBBY
City Physician EMIL GODUTI
Assistant City Physician EDWARD M. MCCARTY
Agent of Military and State Aid and Soldiers' Relief and Burial Agent THOMAS F. MCGRATH
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar HERBERT E. BOWMAN
Sealer of Weights and Measures BENJAMIN S. ABBOTT
Fence Viewers JACOB WARD SKINNER CHARLES SEXTON
295
CITY CLERK
Constables
Charles M. Austin
Eugene Hawes
Charles W. F. Bennett
Frank B. Karcher
Philip J. Beyer, Jr.
Francis W. Leary
Oliver Breviglia
James W. Libby
Thomas F. Carney
Owen F. McCall
Daniel F. Coughlin
John A. Pickett
William J. DiGuiseppe
John H. O'Connor
Frank H. Gilmore
Thomas A. O'Connor
James N. Gookin
John F. Scannell
Fred E. Hanley
George W. Wilson
296
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER
OFFICE OF THE STREET COMMISSIONER
City Hall, Somerville, January 1, 1932.
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen :
Gentlemen :
I respectfully submit the fifty-sixth Annual Report, con- taining a brief summary of the work performed by the High- way Department, during the year 1931, with recommendations for necessary additions the coming year.
This department has charge of the construction, altera- tion, repair, maintenance and management of ways, streets, sidewalks, and bridges ; the setting out and care of shade trees; the suppression of gypsy and brown tail moths, elm leaf beetles and other pests which destroy trees, and the oiling and water- ing of streets.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Highway Maintenance
$221,597 88
$221,065 64
Sidewalks Maintenance
26,475 00
26,431 95
Street Sprinkling
19,401 80
19,388 47
Street Cleaning
54,119 46
53,874 86
Suppression of Moths
5,345 00
5,344 60
Care of Trees
7,350 00
7,330 83
New Streets
16,510 56
8,313 44
Permanent Pavement
77,860 89
76,422 09
Sidewalks Construction
6,356 11
6,300 63
Reconstruction and Resurfacing
6,258 62
6,258 10
$441,275 32 $430,730 61
SNOW AND ICE
Snow around all public buildings and grounds was re- moved by this department, also at many places where there were weddings, funerals, parties, etc. Many warning signs were erected and ashes spread at the foot of hills where coast- ing was allowed.
$39,496 19 was expended for the removal of snow and ice.
14,747 cubic yards of snow and ice were removed.
359 cubice yards of sand and 75 cubic yards of ashes were used in caring for icy sidewalks, streets and crossings.
297
STREET COMMISSIONER
BRIDGES
All bridges are in good condition.
UNDERGROUND WIRES
There was no construction of conduits in the city this year.
CRUSHED STONE
Eighteen hundred and eight tons of crushed stone were purchased from W. J. Sullivan Co., at $2.25 per ton. The port- able crusher was used to crush old paving blocks, we crushed much of our own stone.
SIDEWALKS MAINTENANCE
Police reports pertaining to all kinds of defective side- walks were promptly attended to and charged to this account.
3,000 linear feet of edgestone were reset.
741 square yards of brick sidewalks relaid.
512 square yards of granolithic sidewalks relaid.
104 square yards of gutters relaid.
$26,431 95 was expended for Sidewalks Maintenance.
STREET SPRINKLING
Nearly all streets are given a surface in the spring of the year, thus preserving them from wear. All others are sprinkled with water.
96,207 gallons of oil were purchased from the American Oil Pro- ducts Company at 7¢ a gallon.
$19,388 47 was expended for Street Sprinkling.
STREET CLEANING
All streets were thoroughly cleaned several times during the year and men with push carts clean the various squares and business sections daily.
8,537 cubic yards of street sweepings were removed.
$53,874 86 was expended for Street Cleaning.
SUPPRESION OF MOTHS
This department cares for all trees both public and private in regard to moths. The moth situation in our city is well un- der control. The department should have a new motor spray- ing machine.
298
ANNUAL REPORTS
6,008 street trees were inspected and cared for.
16,486 private trees were inspected and cared for.
13,546 bushes were found moth infested.
7,478
fences and buildings on which moths nested.
48,534
gypsy moth nests were painted with creosote.
5,243 Satin moth nests were painted with creosote.
75,392 tussock moth nests were destroyed.
26,883 tent moth nests were destroyed.
$5,344 60
was expended for the Suppression of Moths.
SHADE TREES
44 trees were set out.
178 trees were removed.
185 trees were trimmed by request.
91 tree guards and supports were installed.
$7,330 83
was expended for the Care of Trees.
SIDEWALKS CONSTRUCTION
All the granolithic sidewalks were constructed by the de- partment employees.
There are several sections on our main streets that should be completed with granolithic.
Miles of edgestone, granolithic, brick and gravel sidewalks in the city :
Edgestones 161,944 miles
Gravel sidewalks 17,018 „,
Brick sidewalks 67,757
Granolithic sidewalks 66,016 „
$6,300 63 was expended for Sidewalks Construction.
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION-PERMANENT PAVEMENT
All permanent pavement was constructed on a concrete base, by contract.
$76,422 09 was expended for Permanent Pavement.
SIDEWALKS CONSTRUCTION, 1931
Street
Location
Cost
Broadway
Southerly side, Simpson Avenue to Corinthian Road
$ 786 81
Broadway
Northerly side, Alfred Street to Washington Street
1,591 00
Fiske Avenue
Southeasterly side, Lowell Street to Hinckley Street
511 61
Ware Street
Both sides, Curtis Street to Russell Road where not laid ..
3,347 15
Webster Avenue
Union Square to Newton Street
1,095 12
RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURFACING
Street
Location
Cost
Dover Street
Elm Street to Cambridge line
$3,443 42
Elliot Street
Entire length
846 41
Perry Street-Wyatt Street
...... Portions
1,968 27
PERMANENT PAVEMENT, 1931
Street
Location
Material
Cost
Bow Street
Warren Avenue to Walnut Street
Warrenite
$3,318 65
Elm Street
Cutter Square to Wilson Square
Warrenite
6,393 97
Washington Street
Webster Avenue to Hawkins Street
Warrenite
8,115 75
Powder House Boulevard
Near North Street
Warrenite
5,912 08
Ball Square
Warrenite
14,614 75
Davis Square
Warrenite
5,976 94
Magoun Square
Warrenite
7,133 16
NEW STREETS
Hooker Avenue from Victoria Street to east line of Endicott Avenue was constructed at a cost of $6,791.33.
Pitman Street, partially constructed in 1930 was completed in 1931 at a total cost of $2,613.90.
$8,313 44 was expended in 1931 for New Streets.
STREET COMMISSIONER
299
300
ANNUAL REPORTS
RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURFACING
Three streets were reconstructed or resurfaced this year by city employees.
$6,258 10 was expended for Reconstruction and Resurfacing.
MISCELLANEOUS
48 granolithic driveways constructed.
7 brick driveways constructed. -
7 edgestones dropped for driveways.
2 driveways extended.
2 horses died.
109 accident reports received.
1,257 police reports received.
801 brick and granolithic sidewalks repaired.
550 miscellaneous reports and requests.
406 streets cleaned by request.
33 notifications to and from other departments and corpora- tions.
2,956 cubic yards of dirt removed.
569 cubic yards of ashes used.
246 cubic yards of old macadam used.
1,075 barrels of Portland cement used.
26 cubic yards of loam used.
74 requests from aldermen attended to.
25 requests from the mayor attended to.
The department maintains its own municipal repair shops for the different lines of work, but these shops are in need of up-to-date equipment.
TRAFFIC CONTROL
Traffic lines were painted and warning signs erected at schools, playgrounds and dangerous corners.
38 danger and traffic signs erected.
45 new street signs erected.
312 signs repainted.
Many sickness signs, when requested, were placed on the streets notifying the public to make no noise.
PERMITS
There were during 1931 :
16 permits issued to the Associated Gas Companies.
25 permits issued to cross sidewalks.
86 permits issued to occupy streets and sidewalks.
50 drain layers' permits.
646 water department openings.
213 permits to open streets and sidewalks.
301
STREET COMMISSIONER
RECOMMENDATIONS
I recommend that as far as possible, granolithic sidewalks be substituted for the old brick sidewalks throughout the city.
I wish to extend my sincere thanks to his honor, the Mayor, members of the Board of Aldermen and the men of the depart- ment for their support and cooperation.
Respectfully submitted, ROBERT W. HOULEY, Street Commissioner.
302
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
January 1, 1932.
To the Honorable, The Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville.
Gentlemen :
I most respectfully submit the twenty-seventh Annual Report of the Electrical Department for the year ending December 31, 1931.
INSPECTION OF WIRING IN BUILDINGS
The same rigid inspections of electrical wiring and attach- ments thereto have been carried on as in previous years.
The increased uses of unapproved and improperly con- structed appliances have caused serious life and fire hazard, but due to the rigid re-inspection system electrical fires have been cut down to a minimum.
Electric circuits are a potential life and fire hazard and the greatest care has been taken in the inspection of all in- stallations. A large number of cases of poor work have been found, and have either been removed or remedied.
Number of advisory inspections before work is started 415
Number of inspections without notifications 360
Number of inspections of new work 3,172
Number of re-inspections on new work 526
Number of defective conditions not remedied 106
Number of re-inspections of old work 1,162
Total number of inspections 5,635
Number of permits issued to the Edison Electric Ill. Co.
for installing meters, lamps, etc. 575 (On re-inspection of old work at least two calls on each notice were made.)
303
ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
The Fire Alarm System is in excellent condition but a number of the older fire boxes should be replaced.
Three hundred and forty-three Box alarms have been re- ceived and transmitted during the year.
Four A. D. T. alarms.
Seven hundred and thirty-eight telephone calls wre re- ceived and the fire department sent.
Two hundred and sixty-seven miscellaneous calls were re- ceived and attended to.
Six two-alarm fires and one three-alarm occurred.
The central office equipment consists of the following :
2 6-circuit operating boards.
1 5-circuit tapper board.
1 5-circuit gong board.
2 16-circuit storage battery charging boards.
1 32-circuit protector board.
1 12-circuit automatic repeater.
1 1-dial, 4-number manual transmitter.
1 5-circuit punching registers and take-up reels.
13 punching registers and take-up reels.
2 automatic time and date stamps.
1 master clock.
962 cells storage battery.
5 10-foot, 4-shelf battery racks.
4 metropolitan tappers and 2 gongs.
2 motor generators.
1 Mutual aid telephone panel connecting: Arlington, Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Medford.
Apparatus outside the central office consists of the follow- ing :
153 signal boxes.
7 tower strikers.
45 gongs.
10 punching registers.
20 tappers.
10 private telephones.
3 traffic horns.
.
304
ANNUAL REPORTS
The A. D. T. have 16 Box Assignments for their system in the manufacturing plants.
About 68 miles of overhead wires and 85 miles of under- ground wires.
Two new boxes have been added during the past year :
Box 125-B. & M. R. R. Hump Yards.
Box 126-B. & M. R. R. Milk Station Roland Street.
Twenty-five thousand feet of overhead wire has been run and 26,000 feet of old wire removed.
A number of the Fire Alarm boxes are of the old type and I recommend their replacement with a new type of Fire Alarm box.
I recomend that a new dial transmitter be installed in the operating room so that a system of coding fire alarm calls from large manufacturing plans may be transmitted to the Fire Department so that they may know the building or part of the building from which the alarm was sounded.
The Fire Alarm Cables are showing weak spots in our daily tests especially those in over 20 years and should be re- placed.
POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM
The Police Signal System while in good condition after 19 years of service is not adequate for the present needs and I recommend an entire new Police Signal System and I further recommend that larger cables be installed so that wires will be available for traffic control wires, citizen call wires, audible or visible signals for the Police Department.
The system consists of the following :
1 4-circuit police desk. About 18 miles of overhead wire.
3 special boxes.
65 street signal boxes.
About 18 miles of underground cable.
1 New box (No. 25) Bath House used for emergency calls.
I recommend a new Police Radio System be installed.
SUPERVISION OF POLES AND WIRES ON THE STREETS
The same attention has been given to the condition of poles and wires on the streets as in previous years. A number of defective poles have been replaced by the companies owning
305:
ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS
same. All poles carrying N. E. T. & T. Co. wires and cables have been inspected and all poles carrying Edison Ill. Co. wires: and cables are now being inspected.
New poles have been placed in locations granted for the. purpose of supplying lighting and telephone service and aban- doned poles have been removed.
New
Re-
Re-
Re- set
Poles placed moved
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.
4
91
1
0
Edison Electric Illuminating Co.
13
160
6
0
Boston Elevated Railway Co.
3
2
2
0
Permits given to the New England Tel. & Tel. Co. for attachments to the Edison Co's. poles
9
...
..
.....
Permits given to the Edison Electric Ill. Co. for attachments to the New England Tel. & Tel. Co's. poles
20
......
......
......
STREET LIGHTING
A number of new lights have been added and some have been changed.
The number of street lights January 1, 1932, are as follows :
287 1500 C. P. lights.
55 1000 C. P. light.
493 600 C. P. lights.
17 250 C. P. lights.
193 100 C. P. lights.
989 80 C. P. lights.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Eight new intersections have been installed :
Medford Street and Central Street.
Somerville Avenue and Northern Artery.
Pearl Street and Northern Artery.
Beacon Street and Washington Street.
Beacon Street and Park Street.
Summer Street and Central Street.
Summer Street and Cedar Street.
Powder House Boulevard and Curtis Street.
New controllers were installed at Washington Street and Northern Artery and Broadway and Northern Artery. Con- duits were installed for future use where streets were being rebuilt.
:306
ANNUAL REPORTS
I wish to thank His Honor, the Mayor, and the members of the Board of Aldermen and the several departments for the many courtesies received.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN F. KNIGHT, Commissioner of Electric Lines & Lights.
307
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE CITY OF SOMERVILLE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS
December 2, 1931.
Ordered, that the Annual Report of the Superintendent of Schools be adopted as the Annual Report of the Board of School Committee, it being understood that such adoption does not commit the Board to the opinions or recommendations made therein; that it be incorporated in the reports of the City Officers, and that one thousand copies be printed separ- ately.
EVERETT W. IRELAND, Secretary of School Board.
308
ANNUAL REPORTS
SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1931
WILLIAM F. DEWIRE Chairman
ELIZABETH J. CAIRNES
Vice-Chairman
Members EX-OFFICIIS
JOHN J. MURPHY, Mayor JAMES F. STYNES, President Board of Aldermen
- 19 Gibbens Street 29 Parkdale Street
WARD ONE
FRANCIS J. FITZPATRICK
-
2 Austin Street - 37 Cross Street East
EUGENE H. GIROUX _
WARD TWO
ELIZABETH J. CAIRNES WILLIAM F. DEWIRE _
10 Mossland Street . 5 Magnus Avenue
WARD THREE
JOHN C. KELLEHER *JAMES C. SCANLAN ¡MARY A. McGOLDRICK
8 Bigelow Street 36 Munroe Street 30 Walnut Street
MINNIE S. TURNER - ¿A. MARION MERRILL
64 Hudson Street _ 2 Madison Street
WARD FIVE
PERRY F. NANGLE
LOUIS B. CONNELLY
WARD SIX
HERBERT CHOLERTON EDWIN A. SHAW
_ 94 College Avenue 63 College Avenue
CRAWFORD K. SWEELEY
- 25 Curtis Street . 135 Powder House Blvd.
* Resigned July 9, 1931.
7 Elected July 9, 1931.
# Resigned September 28, 1931.
Superintendent of Schools
EVERETT W. IRELAND
Office: West Building, High School, Highland Avenue
Residence: 137 Powder House Boulevard.
The Superintendent's Office will be open on school days from 8:00 to 5:00; Saturdays, 8:00 to 10:00. His office hour is 4 o'clock on school days, and 8:30 on Saturdays.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
WALTER P. SWEET, 71 Hume Ave., Medford
WARD FOUR
29 Highland Road - 84 Bartlett Street
WARD SEVEN
ORVILLE S. WALDRON _
309
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Superintendent's Office Force
Mary A. Clark, 15 Pleasant Avenue Mildred A. Merrill, 26 Cambria Street Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman Street S. Regina Truelson, 38 Rogers Avenue Alice I. Amidon, 27 Gorham Street Bernice A. Tuck, 95 Belmont Street Anita Sumner, 276 Summer Street
Board Meetings
January 5 January 26 February 23 March 30
April 27 May 25
October 26 November 30
June 29
December 28
September 28
310
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
To the School Committee :
In accordance with your Rules and Regulations, I hereby submit a report upon the conditions of the schools for the year now closing, the sixtieth annual report of the schools of our city and the fourth which I have prepared. As usual there is included in this document matter prepared as a report of the School Committee to the citizens of Somerville which consists largely of statistical tables setting forth the facts of attend- ance and cost. The report of the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee has to do mainly with the instructional side of the educational undertaking.
The Superintendent has previously called to your atten- tion the fact that a report of this sort is of value only when it brings about a keener interest in the schools by a more en- lightened public.
In reporting upon his stewardship and that of the School Committee the Superintendent cannot every year expect to present startling changes. However, each report should and does tell of growth, improvement, and progress accomplished gradually but surely.
While the same materials enter into the work of each year and the ways and conditions under which the work of the schools is accomplished are the same, each year nevertheless has some distinctive features which, though not spectacular, are highly important and significant in the light of the attempt to make the schools of greater service to the children.
In view of the unusual happenings of the past year, it is necessary (1) to answer very pertinent questions confronting the School Committee concerning its policies which must be carried out in reference to the industrial depression which has persisted during the whole year 1931, and (2) to show the fallacies of various suggestions made in favor of false econ- omies.
One of the most important considerations to which the School Committee gave very intelligent attention with sin- cerity of purpose was the determination of its policy concern- ing the effect of the industrial depression upon its responsibil-
311
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
ity. This policy was discussed completely in the Superintend- ent's Report of 1930, in part as follows :
Does an industrial depression affect the administration of schools ?
Should school activities be lessened or their ex- tension limited ?
Should new schoolhouse projects be postponed, or the purchase of textbooks, supplies, and other general paraphernalia be decreased?
Is the efficiency of the teaching decreased or is better teaching necessitated ?
Should false economy be practised ?
The School Committee agreed with the Superintendent in the conclusions that (1) the administration of the schools can and shall in no wise be affected, (2) the education of the chil- dren must not depend upon good or bad times, lest the fixed' policy of American education to hold the schools on the high- est plane of service be sacrificed, (3) the expenditures cannot be lessened if the foregoing statements be accepted, (4) teach- ing must also be maintained at a high standard, in fact must be better, in order that we may be prepared to meet normal conditions when they are resumed, and (5) true economy is the policy of the School Committee and radical or even slight retrenchments cannot be effected without seriously impairing the efficiency of the schools.
There is a situation which is not understood by many of our citizens and which ought again to be clarified. I refer particularly to the peculiarities of our City Charter which divides the responsibility for schools among the School Com- mittee and other branches of the City Government. Provision for the erection, control, and maintenance of school buildings is in the hands of the Public Buildings Department. The- ex- penditures for the cost of new construction, repairs and up- keep of the buildings, fuel, light, janitor service, and janitor supplies are made by that Department. The School Commit- tee is required by law to make statements of costs including these items, but its only function is to secure the statistical data and compile it in required form related to its own ex- penditures.
It can readily be seen that while the School Committee is charged by statute with the establishment and maintenance of a public school system which will offer the best opportunity for the highest possible type of education to every child in the
312
ANNUAL REPORTS
community, it has jurisdiction only over the organization with- in the buildings provided by the City Government. Its expend- itures are, then, limited to those moneys for salaries of teach- ers and officers and those spent for supplies used by teachers and pupils.
This statement is not made with any desire to detract from the credit due the Commissioner of Public Buildings for the excellent results obtained, due to his fine spirit of coopera- tion with the administrative officers of the School Committee, but for the purpose of calling attention to the out-of-date sys- tem which is not in accord with the best practices throughout the country.
COSTS
Much publicity has been given to the amount expended for public education during the past two years because of the economic condition of the country. This publicity has contained criticisms, the most important of which are the following:
1. Too large a portion of the wealth and income is in- vested in schools.
2. More money is spent for education than the impor- tance of this public interest justifies.
3. Public expenditures in general and school costs in particular are absorbing a rapidly increasing portion of the en- tire revenue and we have already reached or soon will reach the limit which can safely be expended for public education.
Before discussing these criticisms, it is necessary to point out the fact that this most important question is generally ignored, - Why does the comparatively small bill which the public pays for the education of children attract so much atten- tion while much larger bills paid for privately purchased items attract so little attention ?
The answer in part to this question is that the return from money expended for education is not immediately rec- ognizable because its effect may not be seen for nearly a gen- eration whereas the return from money expended, for instance, upon an automobile is immediate.
Again, the school bill is collected under unfavorable cir- cumstances. It is presented to the public for immediate pay- ment, and tax payment time is played up by newspapers as a time of sorrow. How different are the conditions surrounding one's private expenditures ! Billions are spent yearly to extol
313
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
and purchase everything from tooth paste to automobiles, but who ever heard of a newspaper crying out about the increas- ing costs paid for such articles ? Many men and women pay more for tobacco than for the education of their children, but they pay for their tobacco in driblets, their automobiles on in- stallments, and they buy gasoline in five-gallon lots.
The taxpayer's contact with the schools is not at all a close or personal contact. He thinks of schooling in terms of the institution he attended a generation ago. He gets his in- formation about the present-day schools (a) from the reports and statements of immature children not capable of making a proper analysis or (b) from the misrepresentations of self- seeking politicians. He suffers no such misunderstanding about his private purchases. When he sets out to buy an automobile he considers a 1931 model, not a 1900 model. He drives it him- self. He does not let his child drive it and take the verdict of an immature child upon how it runs, nor does he allow a poli- tician to make his decision for him.
Now let us consider whether or not too large a portion of the wealth and income is invested in schools. The facts for Somerville are not available to find the proportionate part of income and wealth invested in public education, so the facts of the entire country as compiled by the National Bureau of Economic Research will be used. Income is the amount people receive from such sources as wages, salaries, business profits, and interest on investments. Wealth is the value of the tangible property of the citizens. The latest report of the National Bureau shows that less than two per cent or $1.79 out of each $100 of the wealth, only $1.55 of which is for elementary and secondary schools, is invested in school property including land, buildings, and equipment. For each $100 of income $2.74 is expended for public education, made up as follows : $2.44 for elementary and secondary schools and $0.30 for tax-supported colleges and universities. The figure for Massachusetts is only $1.60 compared with the $1.79 quoted above, and $1.85 as com- pared with the average of the country $2.74.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.