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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