Report of the city of Somerville 1941, Part 15

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1941
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 430


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1941 > Part 15


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Shore Drive


Joseph S. Hawthorne, Master, Lowell Road, Concord


........


1915


6


Gertrude Macdonald, 50 Bromfield Road


2150


1926


5


Margaret C. Sullivan, 50 Dartmouth Street


2000


1928


4


Mary A. Ahern, 62 Curtis Street


2000


1928


3


Margaret Sliney, 88 Glen Street


2000


1928


2


Anna L. McCarthy, 51 Liberty Avenue


1900


1930


1


Anna M. Dee, 10 Bromfield Road


2000


1928


Kdgn. Mary E. Forrest, 33 Central Street


1975


1928


(CHARLES) FORSTER SCHOOL Sycamore Street and Evergreen Avenue


6


Bessie J. Baker, 19 Mills Street, Malden


2150


1905


6 Alice C. Blodgett, 6 Adams Street


2000


1917


...


...


...


1915


Joseph S. Hawthorne, Master, Lowell Road, Concord


Salary


Began Service


1928


...


239


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Table 29-Teachers in Service, December 31, 1941 -- Continued


Grade


Name and Residence


Salary


Began Service


6


Hazel C. Wellington, 71 Oxford Street


$2000


1924


5


Irene Allen, 391 Broadway


2000


1931


5


Helen Capuano, 2 Williams Court


2000


1933


5


Mrs. Monira G. Blodgett, & Teele Avenue


2000


1921


4


Lillian J. Rollins, 230 Pearl Street


2000


1925


4


Jane A. Doyle, 80 Hinckley Street


2000


1925


4


Pauline Scully, 59 Preston Road


2000


1929


3


Gladys M. Wellington, 71 Oxford Street


2000


1925


3


Florence V. English, 83 Glenburn Road, Arlington


2000


1925


3


Sarah Tashjian, 21 Bolton Street


2000


1932


2


Lillian G. Wells, 61 Bonair Street


2000


1924


2


Barbara Shay, 46 Chetwynd Road


1475


1939


2


Ann Laffin, 22 Lowden Avenue


1475


1939


2


Elsie Capone, 119 North Street


2000


1934


1


Helen J. Dervan, 75 Crest Avenue, Winthrop


1925


1928


1


Anna E. Rachdorf, 106 Bromfield Road


1825


1937


1


Mary L. McKenna, 119 College Avenue


2000


1915


Kdgn. Esther D. Hamilton, 28 Dearborn Road


2000


1924


Asst. Jeanne Henchey, 95 Thurston Street


1800


1934


+ Leave of Absence


CONTINUATION AND JUNIOR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL Bonair and Cross Streets


Kells S. Boland, Teacher Principal, 22 Townsend Road,


Belmont


$2700


1920


H. Dunbar Davis, 15 Bay State Avenue


2500


1923


Robert E. Ball, Jr., 43 Porter Street


2025


1938


Mrs. Ruth S. Richmond, 6 Sherborn Court


2100


1928


Sarah I. Wolfe, 96 Glenburn Road, Arlington


2200


1922


(NORMAN W.) BINGHAM SCHOOL Lowell Street, near Vernon Street


4


Anna R. Canfield, 205 Cedar Street


2150


1914


6


Anna G. Molloy, 520 High Street, Medford


2000


1921


6


Esther L. Barrett, 30 Leonard Street, Waltham


2000


1930


5


Helen F. Wiseman, 43 Highland Avenue, Cambridge


2000


1932


5


Julia M. Riordan, 165 Albion Street


2000


1914


4


Alice E. Griffiths, 39 Ames Street


2000


1920


3


M. Gertrude McCarthy, 18 Rangely Ridge, Winchester


2000


1917


3


Philomena C. Lombardi, 8 Mt. Pleasant Street


2000


1929


2


Frances E. Fisher, 215 Eastern Avenue, East Lynn


2000


1921


2


Gertrude M. Dewire, 399 Washington Street


2000


1925


1


Mary Maguire, 432 Medford Street


1925


1929


1


Loretta M. Tansey, 108 Bromfield Road


2000


1928


Kdgn. Marguerite M. Driscoll, 20 Benton Road


2000


1921


Asst. Claire M. O'Brien, 59 Boston Street


600


1941


MARTIN W. CARR SCHOOL Atherton Street


Michael B. Dewire, Master, 600 Washington Street,


Brookline


$3500


1929


6


Eva S. Bent, 10 Steeves Circle


2150


1915


6


Dorothy L. Lundgren, 93 Lowden Avenue


2000


1915


6


Mrs. Hazel F. Quinn, 21 Hamilton Street, Wollaston


1750


1915


5


Margaret M. Brennan, 15 Waldo Street


2000


1917


5


*Rita Crispo, 366 Lowell Street


600


1941


4


Helen Hession, 57 Alpine Street, Arlington Heights Alice M. Cumming, 117 School Street


2000


1924


4


2000


1917


3 Bessie I. Berry, 11 Oak Terrace, Malden


2000


1915


Joseph S. Hawthorne, Master, Lowell Road, Concord


$3500


1915


240


ANNUAL REPORTS


Table 29-Teachers in Service, December 31, 1941-Continued


Grade Name and Residence


3:2 Mary H. Looney, 73 Rogers Avenue


1925


1935


2 Mary E. Flanley, 4 Avon Street, Wakefield


2000


1915


1 Mildred L. Shanahan, 68 Avon Street


1925


1933


1 Margaret Morgan, 123 Highland Avenue


1700


1931


Kdgn. Mabel R. Ingham, 62 Central Street


2000


1912


Asst. Elinor M. Sullivan, 345 Washington Street


1700


1936


(ENOCH. R.) MORSE SCHOOL


Summer and Craigie Streets


Frank W. Seabury, Master, 123 Orchard Street


$3500


1911


6


Mrs. Harriette C. Hamilton, Asst., 23 Conwell Street


2150


1900


6:5


Clara L. Griffiths, 39 Ames Street


1950


1902


5


Maybetli T. Gralton, 57 Bay State Avenue


1400


1941


4


Elizabeth T. Crine, Cadet, 32 Russell Road


600


1941


4:3


Frances E. O'Brien, Cadet, 16 Prescott Street


600


1941


3


*Agnes C. O'Brien, 16 Prescott Street


600


1941


2


Mrs. Margaret M. Joy, 163 Summer Street


2000


1925


?


Isabel M. Leyden, 3 Langdon Street, Cambridge


2000


1933


1


Mrs. Helen T. Smith, 985 Broadway


1925


1912


1


Ruth G. Harrington, 1 Carver Street


2000


1930


Kdgn. Gertrude Prichard, 5 Webster Street


1950


1920


Asst. Eleanor M. Shanahan, 38 Benton Road


1900


1934


* Temporary


GEORGE O. PROCTOR SCHOOL Hudson Street


Frank W. Seabury, Master, 123 Orchard Street


1911


6


Winifred I. Macdonald, 308 Commonwealth Ave., Boston 2150


1917


5


Agnes M. Hayes, Cadet, 35 Sydney Street


600


1941


4


Anne B. Mullin, 14 Loring Street


2000


1930


3


Mrs. Ethel M. Ziegel, 8 Foskett Street


1900


1934


2


Cecilia A. Sheehan, 49 Avon Street


1850


1933


1


Emma B. Givan, 287 Highland Avenue


1675


1936


GEORGE W. DURELL SCHOOL Beacon and Kent Streets


Frank W. Seabury, Master, 123 Orchard Street


1911


4


Grace E. Packard, 14 Winslow Road, Belmont


2100


1912


3


Mary A. Dewire, 48 Central Street


1675


1939


2


*Anna M. O'Brien, 6 Charles Street


600


1941


1


*Laurette A. Waters, 243 Summer Street


600


1941


* Temporary


MARK F. BURNS SCHOOL


Cherry Street, near Highland Avenue


Frank W. Seabury, Master. 123 Orchard Street


1911


3


Ethel F. Morang. 16 Curtis Avenue


$2150


1920


4


Mary R. Mingolelli, 298A Highland Avenue


1900


1930


4


Margaret Crowley, 39 High Street


2000


1933


3


Ruth E. Andrews, 123 Highland Avenue


2000


1917


2


Josephine Lacy, 64 Vinal Avenue


2000


1921


1


Mrs. Frances E. Savage, 303 Highland Avenue


2000


1908


1


Marjorie E. Drew, 38 Linnaean Street, Cambridge


2000


1927


BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL Willow and Josephine Avenues


John W. Healey, Master, 68 Arlington Road, Woburn


$3275


1931


6


Mary T. Ford, 27 College Avenue


2150


1911


6:5 Mrs. Gertrude T. McNamara, 108 Summer Street


1100


1940


....


Began Service


Salary


241


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Table 29-Teachers in Service, December 31, 1941-Continued


Grade


Name and Residence


Salary


Began Service


5 Helen M. Smith, 12 Morrison Avenue


$1975


1928


4


Anna N. Johnson, 391 Broadway


2000


1913


3


Helen M. Lawrence, 431 Broadway


2000


1923


3:2


Alice C. Fitzpatrick, 54 Trull Street


1775


1935


2


Irene M. Durant, 28 Benton Road


1750


1938


1


*Anne E. Waters, 243 Summer Street


800


1940


1 Olivia H. Norcross, Wilmington


2000


1914


Kdgn. Elizabeth V. Colbert, 901 Broadway


1550


1933


Asst. Rita P. McNamara, 53 Dartmouth Street


1550


1937


Temporary


HIGHLAND SCHOOL


Highland Avenue and Grove Street


6


Marion Allen, 74 Collins Street, Danvers


$1850


1911


6


Margaret McLeod, 20 Grove Street


2000


1923


6:5


Grace M. Murphy, 114 Belmont Street


2000


1933


5


Helen Leddy, Cadet, 162 Highland Avenue


600


1941


5


Carolyn E. Crockett, 8 Teele Avenue


2000


1923


Kdgn. Mrs. Dorothy C. Huddy, 18A Forest Street, Cambridge


2000


1921


Asst. Marjorie R. Glendon, 2 Curtis Avenue


600


1941


(WILLIAM H.) HODGKINS SCHOOL Holland Street


Edward L. Smith, Master, 10 Francis Street


1930


4


Olevia M. Woods, 13 Garrison Avenue


$2150


1908


6


Grace A. McElhiney, 126 Oakland Road, Belmont


2000


1925


6


Margaret E. Bucknam, 35 Curtis Avenue


2000


1926


5


Anne M. McCarthy, 58 Ibbetson Street


2000


1930


5:4


Helen M. Merry, 12 Summit Street


1925


1936


3


Edith M. Murchie, 3 Lincoln Street


1750


1937


3


Isabelle G. Porter, 36 College Avenue


1900


1928


2


Mary M. Diskin, 33 Lexington Avenue


1750


1938


2


Abbie M. Brown, 154 Morrison Avenue


2000


1923


1


Gertrude O. Kohler, 24 Jackson Road


2000


1931


1


Mary C. Sweeney, 18 Alpine Street


1575


1938


Kdgn. Alice B. Hagan, 351 Washington Street


1850


1933


Asst. Mildred D. Williston, 26 Warren Avenue


1850


1934


S. NEWTON CUTLER SCHOOL Powder House Boulevard, near Raymond Avenue


Edward L. Smith, Master, 10 Francis Street


$3400


1930


6


Bernice J. Andrews, 90 Curtis Street


2150


1914


6


Mrs. Minnie E. Lougee, 8 Teele Avenue


2000


1922


6


Gladys R. Clark, Lowell Road, Concord


2000


1926


5


Alice A. Libbey, 32 Paulina Street


2000


1919


5


Eugenia Carver, 119 College Avenue


2000


1922


5


Stella G. Bucknam, 35 Curtis Avenue


2000


1917


6:5


Doris H. Spellman, 39 Eliot Road, Arlington


1950


1934


4


Mary R. Egan, 22 Aberdeen Road


1950


1933


4


Mildred H. Lunt, 119 College Avenue


2000


1926


1


Eliza I. Patterson, 59 Ossipee Road


2000


1919


3


Alice E. Campbell, 26 Garrison Avenue


2000


1928


3


E. Mildred Milner, 67 Upland Road, Cambridge


2000


1920


3


M. Constance MacDonald, Cadet, 40 Lowden Avenue


600


1941


2


Pauline Emery, 35 College Avenue


2000


1925


1


Muriel P. King, 77 Wheatland Street


2000


1931


1


Mildred M. Lougee, 56 Hall Avenue


2000


1928


1


Mildred Buinitsky, 54 Farragut Avenue


1400


1940


1


Eleanor E. Waldron, 135 Powder House Boulevard


2000


1919


Asst .* Beatrice Goldenberg, 3 Preston Road


600


1941


Kdgn. Mrs. Dorothea G. Lamb, 90 Curtis Street


2000


1921


Asst. Marion R. Pugh, 46 Glen Street


800


1940


* Temporary


2


Evelyn G. Stern, 4 Billingham Street


2000


1928


John W. Healey, Master, 68 Arlington Road, Woburn


1931


242


ANNUAL REPORTS


Table 29-Teachers in Service, December 31, 1941-Continued


MARTHA PERRY LOWE SCHOOL Morrison Avenue near Grove Street Name and Residence


Grade


Salary


Began Service


2 Clara G. Hegan, Asst., 100 School Street


2150


1897


4 Mrs. Katherine D. Millen, 108 Powder House Boulevard


2000


1920


4 Marion A. Cannon, 16 James Street


2000


1928


3 Mrs. Helen M. Mason, 36 College Avenue


1900


1935


3:2 Katherine E. Hourahan, 123 Orchard Street


2000


1892


1 Selena G. Wilson, 11 Irving Street


1700


1922


1 Octavia A. Stewart, 15 Kenwood Street


1825


1917


EVENING SCHOOL PRINCIPALS


Per evening


John J. Collins, High and Elementary


$7.50


Gertrude C. Dooley, Practical Arts for Women


6.00


CADETS


Mary J. Robbins


334 Broadway


Virginia Holman


277 Highland Avenue


Helen T. Leddy


162 Highland Avenue


Robert Healey


6 Conwell Street


Elizabeth T. Crine


32 Russell Road


Agnes Hayes


35 Sydney Street


Frances E. O'Brien


16 Prescott Street


M. Constance MacDonald


40 Lowden Avenue


ART


9-1 +Hazel L. Smith, 15 Victoria Street


$2025


1922


PENMANSHIP


6-1 Ruth L. Whitehouse, 123 Highland Avenue


$2200


1915


SEWING


6-5 Mary Rhilinger, 11 Dorset Street, Dorchester


$1775


1926


6-5 Pia M. Fortini, 274 Willow Avenue


2000


1930


6-5 Alice C. Sullivan, 74 Ossipee Road


1750


1930


MANUAL ARTS


Melvin T. Carver, Supervisor, 247 Winthrop Street,


Winthrop


$400


1936


ATHLETICS


Charles A Dickerman, Director 163 Summer Street


$3300


1925


PHYSICAL INSTRUCTION


9-1 John J. St. Angelo, 4 Dickson Street


3100


1928


Temporarily transferred from Western Junior High School


ATYPICAL


Edward M. McCarty, Personnel, 48 Upland Road


$2150


1939


Winifred M. Ford, Educational Tester, 100 Pearson Ave. 2075


1927


Margaret McAuley, 433A Broadway


1900


1933


Irma DiGiusto, 108 Powder House Boulevard


2050


1934


Ursula H. Cairns, Main Street, South Hanson


1900


1934


John W. Healey, Master, 68 Arlington Road, Woburn


1931


243


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Table 29-Teachers in Service, December 31, 1941-Concluded


Alice M. Hayes, 166 Central Street


2050


1913


Dorothy M. Leighton, 99 Kidder Avenue


2050


1936


Margaret E. McDonald, 22 Pennsylvania Avenue


2050


1936


Margaret E. Connors, 138 Lowell Street


1825


1936


Marion D. Cotter, 238 Summer Street


1750


1935


Frank X. Veneri, 48A Burnside Avenue


2200


1933


James Keefe, 31A Trull Street


1600


1938


SIGHT SAVING


Mrs. Amy F. Woodbury, 83 Pearson Road


$2050


1917


LIP READING


Grace A. Foley, 2 Kenwood Street


$1925


1937


THRIFT


E. Bella Weisman, 78 Gibbs Street, Brookline


$2100


1921


Eva Palmer, Assistant, 24 Austin Street


1100


1930


FIELD MUSIC


Wesley A. Maynard, 75 Central Street


$2100


1925


AMERICANIZATION


Mary A. Whitney, Supervisor, 10 Dow Street


$2400


1916


PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED


Mrs. Blanche G. Crowell, 82 Bromfield Road


$2000


1928


Mary E. Miller, 16 Arthur Street


1775


1936


AUDIOMETER


Virginia Holman, Cadet, 277 Highland Avenue


$1200


1940


OPEN AIR


Dorothy M. Reynolds, 1357 Broadway


$1850


1937


244


ANNUAL REPORTS


Table 30-OFFICERS, ETC., IN SERVICE DECEMBER 31, 1941


SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY


Everett W. Ireland, 97 College Avenue $6870


ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT


Leo C. Donahue, 383 Broadway $4620


CLERKS


Mary A. Clark, 15 Pleasant Avenue $1754


Mildred A. Merrill, 108 Highland Avenue


1589


Marion E. Marshall, 30 Gilman Street


1589


Regina Truelson, 38 Rogers Avenue


$27.50 per week


Margaret R. O'Connor, 2 Adrian Street


$25.50


Frances C. Geaton, 29 Tennyson Street


$25.50


SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE


James G. Hourihan, 225 Powder House Boulevard $2200


VISITING TEACHERS


Mrs. Katherine F. McDonnell, 56 Raymond Avenue Estelle M. Walsh, 116 Mt. Vernon Street, Arlington


$1900


1900


245


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


Table 31-SCHOOL CUSTODIANS, DECEMBER, 1941


School


Name


Residence


Weekly Salary


High


Frank Quirk


166 Broadway $32.00


High


John J. Irving


10 Sterling St. 32.00


High


Joseph McCormack


115 Belmont St. 32.00


High


Albert Sullivan


273 Medford St. 32.00


High


Joseph F. Kiley


62 Highland Ave. 32.00


High


Eugene Sullivan


187 School St. 34.00


High


Thomas F. Keane


9 Granite St. 33.00


High, Central


Martin J. Frazer


95 Heath St. 43.00


High, Central Heating Plant


Peter McNally


23 Everett Ave. 35.00


High, Central


Heating Plant


Michael J. Reilly


7 Lee St. 35.00


Heating Plant


William Anderson


36 Rhode Island Ave. 32.00


Prescott


Jeremiah O'Connor


43 Pennsylvania Ave. 34.00


Prescott


William H. Prestley


21 Cambria St. 36.00


Hanscom


Bernard J. Kelley


230 Broadway 34.00


Bennett


Edwin C. Lamkin


17 Grand View Ave.


35.00


Baxter


Jeremiah J. Sullivan


25 Walnut St.


30.00


Knapp


Maurice T. Mullins


13 Fremont Ave.


37.50


Perry


Elmer Carlton


33 Paulina St.


35.00


Southern Jr. High


Nicholas J. Lacey


327 Washington St.


38.00


Southern Jr. High


George J. Kelley


10 Nevada Ave.


32.00


Southern Jr. High


John T. Donovan


9 Hillside Park


32.00


Southern Jr. High Cummings


Royal Brenize


27 Prescott St.


31.50


New Vocational


William J. Hickey


7 Aberdeen Rd.


32.50


New Vocational


William P. Sloane


67 Marion St.


38.00


Glines


John P. Driscoll


44 Montrose St.


36.00


Grimmons


Earl R. March


121 Ten Hills Road 36.00


Northeastern Jr. High


Jeremiah J. Canniff


49 Spencer Ave.


38.00


Northeastern Jr. High


George W. McGray


131 Walnut St.


32.00


Northeastern Jr. High


John F. O'Connell


13 Conwell Ave.


32.00


Northeastern Jr. High


Andrew J. Curran


237 Medford St. 32.00


Forster


George E. Babin


33 Vernon St. 35.00


34.00


Bingham


Giuseppe DelPonte


51 Elmwood St.


38.00


Carr


Patrick L. Delmore


3 Harvard Place


41.00


Morse


Joseph Binari


48 Lowell St.


35.50


Proctor


Vincent J. Burke


86 Highland Road 31.50


Durell


Francis J. Donovan


3 Harvard Place


30.00


Burns


Anthony Liberatore


95 Jaques St.


31.50


Brown


William Kennedy


508 Broadway


33.00


Highland


Michael F. King


25 Bowdoin St.


35.00


Hodgkins


Joseph Farrington


26 Packard Ave.


37.00


Western Jr. High


Anthony T. Farrington


19 Rose St.


41.00


Western Jr. High


Thomas Copithorne


23 Gordon St.


32.00


Western Jr. High


George M. Caley


192 Morrison Ave.


32.00


Western Jr. High


Charles J. Elkins


16 Cutter Ave.


32.00


Cutler


Richard Sullivan


148 Willow Ave.


31.50


Cutler


Thomas Murphy


52 Garrison Ave.


37.00


Lowe


Walter M. Burns


23 Avon St.


31.50


Edward J. Barbour


109 Pennsylvania Ave. 32.00


High, Gymnasium


Heating Plant


High, Central


Wilfred J. Secord


18 Acadia Pk. 30.00


Pope


James E. Dowd


66 Hudson St.


32.00


New Vocational


John F. Fonseca


43 Garrison Ave. 32.00


Forster Annex


Arthur F. Law


71 Park St.


246


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES


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


Gentlemen :


In behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Somerville, I submit the Annual Report of the Board, and append thereto and forming a part of it, the An- nual Report of the Librarian to the Board of Trustees which report shows the details of operation of the library for the past year.


The position of the library in the chaotic condition of the world has assumed a new aspect. Fundamentally the library is a cultural and educational institution but today the library must function as the morale center of Civilian Defense. With the disturbing factors facing us each day the library must operate so as to assist in alleviating the mental and physical suffering of our citizens by relieving their minds of the im- minent and threatening dangers facing our nation. For, in the words of a' quotation from the editorial page of The Library Journal, "When people are burning books in other parts of the world. we ought to be distributing them with greater vigor ; for books are among our best allies in the fight to make democracy work."


To the Librarian and members of the library staff the Board of Trustees extends its sincere appreciation for the service rendered during the past year and exhort all to continue in their efforts and unselfish devotion to duty as public spirited servants of our citizenry.


Very respectfully, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,


JOHN F. MCGANN,


President


247


PUBLIC LIBRARY


PUBLIC LIBRARY


Term Expires


Mr. John F. McGann, President


January 1, 1944


Mrs. Kathryn E. Hueber, Vice-President


" 1942


Mr. Louis B. Connelly


"


" 1942


Rev. Anthony J. Flaherty


1942


Mrs. J. Helen Clough


"


"


1943


Rev. David Fraser


=


"


1943


Mr. William H. McKenna


"


1943


Mr. John J. Griffin


1944


Mr. Frederick J. White


" 1944


COMMITTEES


On Administration Mr. William H. McKenna, Chairman; Mrs. J. Helen Clough, Mr. Frederick J. White, and the President and the Vice-President, ex-officiis.


On Books and Cataloging


Mr. Louis B. Connelly, Chairman; Rev. Anthony J. Flaherty Rev. David Fraser, Mr. John J. Griffin, and the President, ex-officio.


On Buildings and Property The President and the Vice-President


Secretary of the Board JOHN D. KELLEY


248


ANNUAL REPORTS


ORGANIZATION OF LIBRARY AND STAFF PERSONNEL December 31, 1941


CENTRAL LIBRARY-Highland Avenue and Walnut Street WEST SOMERVILLE BRANCH-40 College Avenue EAST SOMERVILLE BRANCH-Broadway and Illinois Avenue UNION SQUARE BRANCH-50 Bow Street


WINTER HILL STATION-Bingham School, Lowell Street TEN HILLS STATION-Broadway and Temple Street


JOHN D. KELLEY, Librarian


Professional Graded Service


VIVIAN J. MORSE, Executive Assistant


CORA B. EAMES, Reference Librarian and Second Assistant


MABEL E. BUNKER, Chief Cataloger


MARY B. BARTLETT, Supervisor of Schools, Deposits and Children's Work


MYRTLE NICHOLSON, Central Desk Chief


MARJORIE L. HOLT, Branch Librarian, West Branch


ELSIE K. WELLS, Branch Librarian, East Branch


KATHRYN KENNY, Branch Librarian, Union Square Branch


CATHERINE COTTER, In Charge of Winter Hill Station MARY M. NOONAN, In Charge of Ten Hills Station GERTRUDE F. CONNOLLY, Reference Assistant MILDRED A. BOWLEY, Assistant Cataloger


BARBARA NILES, Assistant Central Desk Chief


RITA FINN, First Assistant, West Branch


RUTH HOLMES, First Assistant, Union Square Branch IRENE F. WARD, Senior Assistant


EMMA MERLINI, Children's Librarian, Union Square Branch


MARY B. CONNORS, Senior Assistant and Acting First Assistant, East Branch


ANNE HOPKINS, Senior Assistant and Acting Children's Librarian, East Branch


CATHERINE P. KILLILEA, Junior Assistant and Acting Children's Librarian, West Branch


ANNA E. CULLEN, Junior Assistant


KATHARINE J. WHITE, Junior Assistant


MARY E. CULLINANE, Junior Assistant E. LILLIAN CLIFFORD, Junior Assistant


M. PHYLLIS BRINE, Junior Assistant LILLIAN G. CASEY, Junior Assistant HARVEY F. CURTIS, Junior Assistant ANN F. DENNIS, Junior Assistant MARGARET B. SCANLAN, Junior Assistant


RUTH D. WARNER, Junior Assistant JULIA M. LEDDY, Junior Assistant CLAIRE M. GORMAN, Junior Assistant KATHERINE AUSTIN, Junior Assistant


249


PUBLIC LIBRARY


JOHN T. MACKEY, Junior Assistant ELIZABETH W. HENNIGAN, Junior Assistant MARY F. WARREN, Junior Assistant MARY M. WITHAM, Junior Assistant


Non-Professional Service WINIFRED J. MAGUIRE


Ungraded Service


KATHLEEN CONLEY LEO J. CONROY JOHN R. CRISPO GEORGE DOOLING


NELLIE EGAN CHARLES R. McCROSSAN THOMAS E. MCGRATH ELIZABETH M. TATE


250


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN


To the Board of Trustees :


It is with a feeling of trepidation that as Librarian I look forward to the coming year fearing that, with the mounting federal, state, and city expenses, the library budget may be considered as one item which might easily be reduced without seriously hampering the ordinary services of the city to the public. Yet in these trying days when the lust for power is making a mad house of Europe and The Far East it is imper- ative that library service be kept at its highest peak as a nation- al civic duty. For, if the morale we need in this crisis is to be more than an emotional glow about democracy, it is the major responsibility of a library to do everything in its power to help our citizens experience the maximum success in hand- ling today's problemis by organizing the pursuit of an under- standing of these problems and thus carry on in the character- istic American way the processes of public enlightenment.


Whereas, on the opposite side, we have the tragic corollary of Europe and Asia with docile millions marching blindly towards death due to mass ignorance imposed by censorship and lack of education for the aggrandizement of a leader whose war is for conquest alone.


In England, the importance of public libraries during these critical times has been recognized in the following quotation from the London Times :-


"A memorandum has been issued by the Board of Education urging upon all public library authorities the importance of maintaining their work and indeed, where necessary, extend- ing it at the present time. It is stated that library facilities are one of the benefits which the Minister of Labour is anxious to secure for the welfare of industrial workers in war time. Both Ministries are to be applauded for a recommendation which is so timely. Local authorities all over the country are pressed to reduce unnecessary expenditures in these days, and in various coastal areas where there has been evacuations or heavy reduction of visitors and residents, the need for the most drastic economies has become a matter of terrible urgency. It is only too tempting at such a crisis to consider the whole


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PUBLIC LIBRARY


cultural work of a borough or district as a luxury which can with good patriotic reason be foregone till peace is restored.


"The gravity of war has been brought home to this land during the past weeks with a force that has not been felt for generations, perhaps never before in our history. Such days enforce a serious habit of mind, and millions may be ready to study questions that they had before ignored or superficially considered. For them the provision of books on such subjects. as politics, sociology, philosophy, and religion which the pub- lic libraries are able to make, is an invaluable boon. Every- thing should be done to widen, and not to restrict this serv- ice. The librarian should be regarded as a public servant of high importance, not as a mere minister of amenities that can be dispersed with in the more momentous hours of the people's destiny, and all possible private and public support should be given to enable this vital national service to be maintained."


May our fervant prayer be that we will not fail the people of Somerville; that we will continue to stand as we have in the past as "An Institution for the Diffusion of Knowledge Among the People" to guide our citizens through the night until that day when in the words of Tennyson :


"Till the war-drum throbi'd no longer, and the battle- flags were furl'd In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world. "There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in auce,


And the kindly earth skall slumber, lapt in universal law."


It will be noted in the appendices that we have suffered, during the past year, a loss in circulation. Though this condi- tion appears to be prevalent throughout the library world there are two definite factors which have contributed to this decrease : - first, a decrease in our public school enrollments during the current school year of over seven hundred pupils; second, the draft and improved economic conditions with ex- tended working hours have considerably reduced the number of library patrons. However, a very interesting factor appears. in the type of books our borrowers are reading as over three quarters of the decrease has been in books of fiction, showing that our patrons are seeking knowledge of serious subjects rather than seeking amusement and diversion.


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ANNUAL REPORTS


After years of pleading for improvement of the grounds of the East Branch, we have at last been successful. Through the office of City Engineer Hegarty the lawn has been reseeded, beautifully landscaped, and surrounded by an ornamental iron fence. We look forward to a similar project at the West Branch at some future date.


The physical condition of Central is a source of constant annoyance. We trust the Building Commissioner may see his way clear to correct this deplorable condition though we real- ize that it will require a tremendous outlay of money. At Union Square, the installation of florescent lighting has done much to alleviate the inadequate lighting facilities, and has been of considerable benefit to both borrowers and the staff.




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