Report of the city of Somerville 1938, Part 7

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1938
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 444


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In view of these considerations, I recommend that an ordi- nance be enacted, requiring that basements in all dwellings be made practically fireproof, with ceilings wire lathed and cement plastered. Although we have been extremely fortunate in this city in the small loss of life due to fire and smoke, I believe the proposed protective measures are vitally necessary. A few mo- ments delay in some of our recent fires, would have resulted in a deplorable loss of life. In all these instances, fire originated in the cellar and extended unhindered into the upper floors. Fully realizing the apparent hardship borne by property owners by this proposed ordinance, I feel that the resulting protection of life warrants the expense. I can think of no one corrective measure, which at a nominal cost of $50.00 to $75.00 can be productive of so much common good and which can benefit so many citizens by the saving of life and property.


In the absence of the above proposed Ordinance it will be necessary in the future as it has been in the past that the strength of the personnel and the amount of equipment of the


119


FIRE DEPARTMENT


fire and fire alarm departments be maintained at high stand- ards of efficiency.


I also respectfully refer to recommendations made in pre- vious reports relative to antiquated pumping apparatus.


IN CONCLUSION


In concluding my report I wish to state that I fully recog- nize the support and confidence accorded me, the past year, by His Honor the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen; I wish also to take this opportunity to thank the officers and members of the department for their faithfulness and efficiency.


Respectfully submitted, J. C. MCNALLY,


Chief Engineer.


120


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT


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


Gentlemen :-


The report of the Sanitary Department for the year 1938 is respectfully submitted herewith :


COLLECTIONS OF ASHES AND REFUSE


January


2,150


13,975


4,837


February


2,200


14,300


4,950


March


2,250


14,625


5,062


April


2,140


13,190


4,815


May


2,050


13,325


4,612


June


2,000


13,000


4,500


July


1,950


12,675


4,387


August


1,840


11,960


4,140


September


1,860


12,090


4,185


October


2,050


13,325


4,612


November


2,120


13,780


4,770


December


2,190


14,235


4,927


Totals


24,800


161,200


55,797


COLLECTION OF PAPER


Yards


Loads


January


3,600


480


February


3,750


500


March


3,525


470


April


4,500


600


May


4,350


580


June


4,125


550


July


3,900


520


August


4,350


580


September


4,575


610


October


4,875


650


November


4,650


620


December


5,250


700


51,450


6,860


....


Loads


Yards


Tons.


121


SANITARY DEPARTMENT


The above figures are approximate and are based on the general average of amounts carried by the trucks.


The ashes and refuse are being collected with motor trucks on account of the distance to the Medford dumps, which are being used by this department subject to the rules and regula- tions of the Board of Health of the City of Medford.


There is a general increase in the amount of paper being collected due to the fact that so many householders have in- stalled oil burners in their kitchen ranges and heaters. This paper is collected and taken to the incinerator, thereby, de- creasing the fire hazard on the dumps.


The total estimated collections of garbage amounted to 4,000 cords.


The garbage has been collected by contract which provides for collection twice a week throughout the year which as a whole, I believe has been pretty faithfully adhered to.


The department as a whole is operating efficiently and with the citizens co-operation we shall continue to carry on in the usual manner.


I wish to thank His Honor the Mayor, the Board of Alder- men and the employees of my department for their co-operation extended during the year.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN F. MESKELL,


Superintendent of Sanitary Department


122


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRIC LINES & LIGHTS


February 24, 1939.


To the Honorable, the Mayor and the


Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville:


Gentlemen :-


I respectfully submit the Annual Report of the Department of Electric Lights and Lines, for the year ending December 31, 1938.


INSPECTION OF WIRING IN BUILDINGS


Strict and careful inspection of electrical wiring and attach- ments thereto have been carried on as in the past.


Consistent re-inspection has resulted in the use of approved appliances and materials. Amateur work, and the use of un- approved appliances and materials has been constantly con- demned.


The number of permits issued for work, and inspections thereto are as follows :---


New Work (permits)


2,120


Inspections (new work)


2,570


Re-Inspections (new work)


189


Re-Inspections (old work)


259


Defective Installations (old work)


325


Defective Installations remedied 180


Permits issued to Edison Company


812


Total fees collected for permits


$2,463.00


In addition to the above inspection work performed, the hurricane of September 21, 1938, made it necessary to have this department inspect practically every service within the City of Somerville.


123


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS


FIRE ALARM SYSTEM


Defective and additional wires are required in the main cables, in order to meet increasing service needs.


The W. P. A. program has resulted in 69,000 feet of under- ground cable being installed, and approximately 40 miles of overhead wire removed, during the year 1938. In conjunction with this work, 4 signal boxes were placed on underground circuits.


The system, as a whole, is in fairly good condition. How. ever, some of the older apparatus is showing signs of wear and should be replaced, especially the line from the Fire Alarm building to Magoun Square, and from Engine 2 on Broadway to Magoun Square.


ALARMS RECEIVED AND TRANSMITTED


Box Alarms


621


Second Alarms


6


Third Alarms


2


A. D. T. Alarms


6


Still Alarms


796


Total 1,431


Inhalator and accident calls


63


Out of town calls (included in Still Alarms) 219


False Alarms (included in Box Alarms)


90


The central office equipment consists of the following :-


2- 6 circuit operating boards


1-5 tapper boards


1-5 gong boards


2-16 ", storage battery charging boards


1-32


protective boards


1-12 automatic repeater


2- 5 , punching registers and take up reels


13-1 punching registers and take up reels


1- 1 dial 4 number manual transmitter


2-automatic time and date stamps


1-masterclock


1-local telephone used on still alarm system


568-cells storage battery


4-10 foot 4-shelf battery racks


5-metropolitan tappers and gongs


32-low rate rectifiers


1-high rate rectifiers


Apparatus outside the central office consists of the follow- ing :--


124


ANNUAL REPORTS


187-Fire alarm signal boxes, of which 31 boxes are Master boxes equipped with auxiliary stations located in various private and public buildings.


7-tower strikers 29-cable terminal boxes


8-punching registers


35-tappers (primary)


8-tappers (secondary)


13-still alarm bells 7-local telephones used as a still alarm system


1-private telephone and 2 extensions


3-traffic sirens


POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM


The police signal equipment is in good condition, except for some defective cable conditions.


The police radio is giving good service, except car receivers which show signs of wear and should be replaced.


The outside equipment consists of the following :-


71 Police Signal Boxes, 2 of which are Special Bank Alarm Boxes


14 Police Receiving Sets, 11 in service, and 3 as auxiliary


The same attention has been given to the condition of poles and wires on the street as during the past. A number of de- fective poles have been replaced by the companies owning same.


The hurricane of September 1938, made it necessary for the Boston Edison Company to replace 47 poles.


New Poles


Replaced Poles 64


Removed Poles 3 274


Reset Poles 0


3


Boston Edison Co.


10


27


0


9


Boston Elevated Railway


8


2


31


26


1


Permits issued to Boston Edison Co. for attach-


ments to New Eng.


Tel. & Tel. Co. Poles .. 6


Permits issued to Boston


Edison Co. for attach-


ments to Boston Ele-


vated Railway Co. for poles


8


Permits issued to New


Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co. for


attachments to Boston


Edison Co. Poles ....


5


The number of street lights January 1, 1939 are as fol- lows :-


Relocated Poles


New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co.


2


125


ELECTRIC LINES AND LIGHTS


999 No. 20- 80 candle power lights


202 No. 30- : 100 "


27 No. 50- 250


506 No. 70- 600


4 No. 70- 300 watt mutiple


344 No. 75-1000 candle power lights 5 No. 80-1500 " " "


There are 29 intersections controlled by Traffic Signals (14 of these are equipped with pushbuttons for pedestrian traffic.)


There are 10 intersections controlled by blinkers.


There are 11 police traffic posts controlled by spotlights.


Damage on 20 signal posts from collisions during the year, approximately $1900.


I am sincerely grateful and appreciative for the co-operation of his Honor the Mayor, the members of the Board of Aldermen, and the various departmental heads, during the year 1938.


Respectfully submitted,


ROBERT F. MAGUIRE, Commissioner Electric Lights and Lines


126


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE CITY PHYSICIAN


The following number of calls were made by Doctor for the year 1938.


Welfare


8117


City Home


126


Soldier's Relief


240


Sick Police


221


Old Age


872


Firemen


178


9754


Patients' treated at Clinic


20,793


Pregnancy cases hospitalized :


Somerville Hospital


40


Central Hospital


9


Sunnyside Hospital


18


Pregnancy cases Hospital not recorded


106


Miscellaneous calls


523


X-ray reports-Somerville Hospital


201


X-ray reports-Central Hospital


152


X-ray reports-Sunnyside Hospital


6


DR. CIRO GIOBBE,


City Physician


127


BOARD OF APPEAL


REPORT OF THE BOARD OF APPEAL


January 15, 1939.


To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville


Gentlemen :


The Board of Appeal of the City of Somerville respectfully submits the following report of its activities during the year ending December 31, 1938.


It has been the express intention of your Board at all times to act in good faith and without favor or prejudice to anyone, and to grant relief whenever the interests of both city and appellant would be most favorably served.


All of the members of your Board have during the year made it a part of their duty, in conjunction with the work of hearing and deciding appeals, to visit the premises that would be affected by the appeal, so that when the hearing was held the members had a mental picture of just what the appellant wanted.


A large percentage of the matters considered have been appeals from the decision of the Commissioner of Public Build- ings refusing to grant permits to alter two family dwellings into three family dwellings in accordance with the provisions of Section 10, Paragraph "D" of the Building Ordinance and in view of prevalent economic conditions and because of no great variance from existing ordinances and the fact that un- necessary hardship would be suffered by the appellants, it has seemed advisable by the Board to grant such appeals in most instances.


Respectfully submitted,


PLUMER E. POPE, Chairman ROBERT J. MOSELEY, Secretary CHARLES R. BRUNELLE GEORGE T. LOWDEN ALBERT F. BYRNES


128


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE LICENSING COMMISSION


March 1, 1939.


To the Honorable, the Mayor and the


Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :


Gentlemen :


The Licensing Commission respectfully submits the follow- ing report for the year ending December 31, 1938.


During the year the Commission issued one hundred and twelve alcoholic beverage licenses out of a total of approximate- ly one hundred and fifty applications.


On November 22, 1938, Mr. John F. McNamara was ap- pointed to the Commission for a term of three years, which expires June 1, 1941.


Attached hereto is a table showing the number of different licenses granted and the total income of this department. After deducting the sum of $2,946.85, which was the expense of run- ning this department for the year, the total income would be $74,768.15.


REPORT OF THE LICENSING COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 1938


Licenses granted and fees received :


4 Garage licenses granted @ $2.00


8.00


265 Lord's Day licenses granted @ $5.00


1,325.00


231 Common Victualler licenses granted @ $5.00


1,155.00


2 Innholder licenses granted @ $5.00


10.00


112 Alcoholic Beverages licenses granted


74,875.00


42 Special Alcoholic licenses granted


42.00


71 Entertainment permits granted


300.00


$77,715.00


Expenses


2,946.85


Net total revenue of the department for 1938


$74,768.15


129


LICENSING COMMISSION


Respectfully submitted,


EUGENE M. FLANAGAN, Chairman LAWRENCE L. SHEEHAN JOHN F. MCNAMARA


Commissioners


Attest :


ALMA R. MORANDI, Secretary


130


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE SOLDIERS' RELIEF DEPARTMENT


To the Honorable, the Mayor and the Board' of Aldermen of the City of Somerville


Gentlemen :-


I am submitting the annual report of the Soldiers' Relief Department in which is presented a tabulated statement of the aid rendered to the veterans and their dependents of the Civil, Spanish, German and Mexican Border Wars for the year ending December 31, 1938.


Twenty-four hundred and eighty cases were aided during the year and the total amount spent for Military Aid, State Aid and Soldiers' Relief, including medical services, was $89,060.24.


These figures show an increase in expenditures over those of 1937 due to several reasons.


Many veterans died during the year and their widows and children were given aid. An unusual number of sick cases added to the medical expense. Several veterans were laid off W P A projects and had to come back on the relief rolls.


Respectfully submitted,


THOMAS F. MCGRATH,


Commissioner


SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS MADE BY THE SOLDIERS' RELIEF DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1938


SOLDIERS' RELIEF.


Military Aid


State Aid $594.00


Direct Relief $2,595.40


Work Relief


Medical Care


Orders Etc.


Total Relief


Number Cases


January


$600.00


660.00


564.00


2,679.20


1,126.00


256.62


2,063.72


7,349.54


214


March


625.00


544.00


2,523.55


1,170.50


796.84


2,345.86


8,005.75


206


April


650.00


524.00


2,700.10


1,154.00


987.94


1,692.51


7,708.55


215


May


643.00


459.00


2,784.45


1,249.50


753.85


1,492.87


7,382.67


205


June


739.00


599.00


2,371.80


1,796.00


716.55


1,237.41


7,459.76


207


July


813.00


604.00


2,606.25


1,682.50


679.07


1,027.91


7,412.73


223


August


697.50


554.00


2,677.75


1,721.00


607.96


1,110.54


7,368.75


204


September


705.50


564.00


2,551.00


1,487.00


351.97


1,191.46


6,850.93


207


October


605.50


577.00


2,721.50


1,122.50


555.48


1,430.25


7,012.23


202


November


674.40


651.00


2,738.75


786.50


896.27


1,923.00


7,669.92


196


December


735.50


687.42


2,732.25


1,092.00


596.60


2,689.12


8,532.89


204


Totals


$8,148.40


$6,921.42


$31,682.00


$15,367.00


$7,506.00


$19,435.42


$89,060.24


2,480


SOLDIERS' RELIEF DEPARTMENT


...


TOTAL RELIEF INCLUDING ORDERS AND MEDICAL CARE


$89,060.24


$979.50


$306.85


$1,230.77


$6,306.52


197


February


131


132


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD


February 7, 1939.


To the Honorables, The Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :


Gentlemen :


The Planning Board of the City of Somerville respectfully submits the following report for the year ending December 31, 1938.


There were eight petitions presented to the Board seeking a change in the Building Zone map of the City of Somerville and public hearings after due notice were held by the Board on these petitions. The Board also met in executive session on many other occasions to take action on these petitions and other business of the Board.


The City Treasurer has included in his report the fees re- ceived.


Respectfully submitted,


JOHN J. HURLEY, Chairman VINCENT W. SENA, Secretary JOHN P. SILK HARRY MACNUTT JOSEPH D. LONERGAN


133


SCHOOL, DEPARTMENT


REPORT OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT


December 31, 1938.


To the Honorables, the Mayor and the


Board of Aldermen of the City of Somerville :


Herewith I respectfully submit the Annual Report of the City Solicitor for the year 1938.


It is only natural, perhaps, that the work of the Law De- partment has increased in each of the recent years, principally because of the severe economic stress that prevails everywhere today. This is most readily observed in the increasing number of cases which have been brought to the Appellate Tax Board by taxpayers seeking abatements of their assessments, and in the growing number of tax title foreclosure petitions filed in the Land Court. Due to the industry of the Board of Assessors, very few actual trials are had before the Appellate Tax Board, as the great majority of these petitions are disposed of by amicable settlements between the taxpayers and the Board of Assessors.


The tax title foreclosure liens present an increasingly serious problem to the City. Foreclosure petitions in these cases are filed only as a last resort after every effort has been made by the Collector of Taxes to secure payment of these outstanding accounts. The value of filing these petitions is shown by the volume of taxes collected as a result of entering these petitions in the Land Court.


In cooperation with the Department of Old Age Assistance, a number of bonds and mortgages have been drawn by this Department as required by the provisions of the Old Age As- sistance law. As the law becomes liberalized there will un. doubtedly be considerably more of these instruments to be drawn.


134


ANNUAL REPORTS


A considerable amount of time has been required in carry- ing out the policy adopted by the Board of Aldermen and the School Committee of eliminating married women employees. Two cases arising out of this litigation are now pending in the Supreme Judicial Court, and a third action involving the group of teachers dismissed by the School Committee will undoubt- edly be instituted in the near future.


The number of claims arising out of alleged defective ways increased by a considerable amount in 1938. Examination of the causes of these claims discloses that a great part of the increase can be attributed to the activities of the W. P. A. That organization has been engaged in considerable work which in- volved opening and repairing of streets which, of course, neces- sarily resulted in a number of accidents on the streets where such work was progressing.


The Department was most fortunate this year in having the services of Charles L. Doherty as Assistant City Solicitor. Be- cause of his long experience in handling litigation of this nature, Mr. Doherty has had charge of that division of the work. He has been ably assisted in the investigation of claims by Lieutenant Thomas M. Sharry and the results of the efforts of these two gentlemen may be best attested by the fact that with an increase of claims filed of almost fifty percent over the number filed in 1937, the expenditures by the Department for the year totaled approximately $2,000 less than was expended in 1937.


The relations of the Law Department with your Honorable Board and all of the departments of the City have been of such a nature that the work of the year has been most pleasant.


Respectfully submitted,


ROBERT J. MULDOON,


City Solicitor.


135


SCHOOL, DEPARTMENT


CITY OF SOMERVILLE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS


December 19, 1938.


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 six hundred copies be printed separately.


EVERETT W. IRELAND, Secretary of School Board.


136


ANNUAL REPORTS


SCHOOL COMMITTEE, 1938


CHARLES A. CAMPBELL


Chairman


WILLIAM J. KOEN


Vice-Chairman


Members


EX-OFFICIIS


JOHN M. LYNCH, Mayor 52 Porter St. LEO B. HAVICAN, President, Board of Aldermen 32 Willoughby St.


WARD ONE


WALTER E. WHITTAKER 135 Walnut St.


WARD TWO


LAWRENCE J. DONOVAN


68 Elm St.


WARD THREE


EDWARD M. MCCARTY


4A Pleasant Ave.


EDITH L. HURD .


WARD FOUR


125 Central St.


WILLIAM J. KOEN


WARD FIVE 34 Lexington Ave.


EDWIN A. SHAW


WARD SIX 63 College Ave.


CHARLES A. CAMPBELL


22 Barton St.


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


Superintendent's Office Force


Mary A. Clark, 15 Pleasant Avenue Mildred A. Merrill, 108 Highland Avenue Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman Street S. Regina Truelson, 38 Rogers Avenue Margaret R. O'Connor, 2 Adrian Street Frances C. Geaton, 29 Tennyson Street


WARD SEVEN


137


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Standing Committees


NOTE: The member first named is Chairman; the second, Vice-Chair- man.


HIGH SCHOOLS .


Donovan, Whittaker


SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS


Shaw, McCarty


TEACHERS


McCarty, Shaw


FINANCE


Koen, Hurd


TEXTBOOKS AND COURSES OF STUDY


Koen, Hurd


INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION


McCarty, Donovan


HEALTH, PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ATHLETICS


Whittaker, Donovan


RULES AND REGULATIONS Hurd, Shaw


Board Meetings


January 3


April 25


October 31


January 31


May 20 November 28


February 18


June 27 December 19


March 28


September 26


138


ANNUAL REPORTS


TO THE HONORABLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE


SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS


Dr. Hurd and Gentlemen :


In accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regula- tions of the Somerville School Committee, the Superintendent of Schools has prepared and submits herewith his eleventh an- nual report, which is the sixty-seventh in a series of annual re- ports of the Somerville public schools and covers the calendar year 1938.


The report of the Superintendent of Schools, which com- prises Part I of this document, is his report of his stewardship to the School Committee and gives consideration to a theme in- dicative. of an outstanding activity representing the expend- iture of time, energy, and serious thought on the part of the School Committee during the year just closing.


In addition there is a discussion of the conditions of the schools with respect to changes, improvements, and progress, which includes statements regarding personnel, membership, and buildings, with recommendations concerning the immedi- ate and necessary needs of our educational system.


Part II is prepared as a report of the School Committee to the citizens and consists of (1) a description of the school prop- erty, (2) statistical tables which set forth comparative figures covering a period of years concerning enrollment, membership, attendance, cost of instruction and maintenance, and other matters of organization, and (3) tables showing statistics, not necessary for comparison, covering the last fiscal year.


Part III presents the organization of the school system at the close of the year 1938, and the lists of graduates of this year from the secondary schools, the evening high school, and the vocational school.


Respectfully submitted,


EVERETT W. IRELAND,


Superintendent of Schools


December 19, 1938


139


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


PART I REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1938


In order that the citizens of the City of Somerville be made acquainted and kept informed of the well sustained progress of their public school system, with its resultant activities and accomplishments, and its progressiveness with relation to for- ward looking changes drawn from the implications presented by the social, political, and economic trends of our rapidly and ever changing social world, it is required by the Statutes of the Commonwealth, and the Rules and Regulations of the Somerville School Committee, that annually in December a survey which will set forth these facts be presented to the School Committee by the Superintendent of Schools, and through the School Committee to the public.


It has been the proud privilege of the Superintendent of Schools during his incumbency to be able each year to report a sustained program accompanied by a rate of advancement which is indicative that the legislative body in control of schools has made every attempt not only to keep abreast of the best in progressive educational thoughts and practices, but in many cases to be in advance of them, and that its administrators have energetically and aggressively kept the principles, policies, and aims of the best in education constantly in the foreground of the thoughts and actions of the School Commit- tee.


In the years immediately preceding 1934 the Superintendent in his reports attempted to inform the public upon the prob- lems confronting the educational leaders of the country, the ways in which it was felt the problems could best be solved, and how the schools of our city were being affected by the changing social conditions and the resultant effects of those changes.


In the report for 1934 an academic discussion was made of the important social trends, of the implications for future


140


ANNUAL REPORTS


educational policies, and of the necessary educational adjust- ments which should follow.


It was a pleasure to report for 1935 that the School Com- mittee had taken long forward looking steps in the develop- ment of the school work along the lines of the evident implica- tions for education drawn from changes manifested by the social trends.




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