Report of the city of Somerville 1950, Part 16

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1950
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 420


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1950 > Part 16


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New Registrations during 1950 376


Average attendance


11


TUBERCULOSIS


Pulmonary tuberculosis reported in 1950 50


Other forms of tuberculosis reported in 1950


1


Number of patients admitted to Middlesex County Sanatorium in Waltham 53


Number admitted to Lakeville State Sanatorium ..


2


Number admitted to North Reading State Sana-


torium


4


Number admitted to Rutland State Sanatorium 5


Number admitted to Rutland Training Center ...


3


Clinics are held on the first and third Monday afternoons of each month, at the Knights of Columbus Building, Highland Avenue, for x-ray and examinations of patients and contacts.


246


ANNUAL REPORTS


TABLE SHOWING AGES AND SEX OF CASES REPORTED DURING 1950


PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS


Male


Female


Total


Under fifteen years of age


3


2


5


From fifteen to twenty years


0


2


2


From twenty to thirty years


5


6


11


From thirty to forty years


4


6


10


Over forty years


18


4


22


Totals


30


20


50


OTHER FORMS OF TUBERCULOSIS


Male


Female


Total


Under fifteen years of age . ...... ..


0


1


1


RECAPITULATION OF VISITS


Infant Hygiene


3963


Tuberculosis


2042


Miscellaneous


338


Total visits


6343


Respectfully submitted,


GRACE P. HIGHT, R. N. MARY V. RYAN, R. N. EILEEN A. DAILY, R. N.


247


BOARD OF HEALTH


REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL INSPECTION


Somerville, Mass. January 3, 1951.


To the Board of Health, Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen:


Following is the report of the Department of Medical In- spection for the year 1950:


VISITS FOR RELEASE FROM QUARANTINE


Scarlet fever 77


Diphtheria


7


Total visits


84


HOSPITALIZATION


During the year patients were admitted to the Haynes Memorial Hospital or the Children's Medical Center as fol- lows:


Scarlet Fever


8


Diphtheria


4


Infantile Paralysis


4


Miscellaneous 10


Total 26


TUBERCULOSIS


There were eight deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis dur- ing the year.


All patients ill with the disease, coming to the attention of the Board have either been supervised at their homes by the Public Health Nurses or placed in sanatoria when such treat- ment was needed.


DIPHTHERIA IMMUNIZATION


Clinics for immunization against diphtheria are held on the last Wednesday of each month, throughout the year, at the


248


ANNUAL REPORTS


Knights of Columbus Building, Highland Avenue. Notices are sent to the parents whose children have reached the age of six months advising them of the opportunity to have their children immunized.


Clinics were also held for the immunization of all children in the kindergarten and the first grade of each school in the city.


The attendance at the clinics was 2,322, of whom 760 had "boosters" and 631 had the complete series.


Respectfully submitted,


WILFRID C. MacDONALD, M. D. Medical Inspector


249


BOARD OF HEALTH


REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS OF ANIMALS AND PROVISIONS


Somerville, Mass. January 3, 1951.


To the Board of Health, Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen:


The following is a report of the work of the department of Inspection of Animals and Provisions for the year ending De- cember 31, 1950.


Number of establishments visited


8128


Complaints investigated


648


Notices sent


116


CONDEMNATIONS


Meats


335 lbs. Fish


64 lbs.


Poultry


98 lbs.


Candy


181 lbs.


Nuts


21 lbs.


Canned Goods 250 Misc.


Bakery Products


60 lbs.


Vegetables:


Fruit:


1 bu. potatoes


25 lbs. oranges


2 bu. carrots


10 lbs. grapes


50 lb. Miscellaneous


22 lbs. tomatoes


Respectfully submitted,


THOMAS HAGERTY,


Acting Chief Inspector


250


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF ANIMALS AND VETERINARIAN


Somerville, Mass. January 3, 1951.


To the Board of Health, Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen:


The following is my report for the year ending December 31, 1950.


There were a total of 720 calls made in connection with dog bites reported during the year.


Respectfully submitted,


E. WILLIAM JOHANSEN, D. V. M. Inspector of Animals and Veterinarian


251


BOARD OF HEALTH


REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MILK AND VINEGAR


CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL LABORATORY CITY HALL, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS


Somerville, Mass. January 3, 1951.


To the Board of Health, Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen:


Four hundred and ninety-eight stores are licensed to sell milk, fifty-seven dealers are licensed to distribute milk and one hundred and twenty-two stores are registered to sell oleomar- garine. Four pasteurizing plants located in Somerville are licensed to operate and thirty-nine plants in cities and towns adjacent to Somerville are also under the supervision of this department. Four hundred and sixteen stores and distributors are licensed to sell and twenty-three dealers are licensed to manufacture frozen desserts or ice cream mix.


An average of 45,000 quarts of milk and 1,000 quarts of cream are distributed daily in Somerville.


Revenue for the department for the year was $3,425.50 of which $1,410.50 was for license fees and the balance of $2,015.00 for analytical work.


Samples Collected


2418


Samples Submitted 963


Bacteriological Examinations


3246


Chemical Examinations


1893


Sediment Tests


1086


Phosphatase Tests


1695


Microcospical Examinations


1061


Total Examinations


8981


Nine milks were found to be not properly pasteurized, six were low in food solids and forty-three milks, creams and ice creams slightly exceeded the maximum plate count.


Regulation #11 of Chapter 94 of the General Laws relat- ing to standards of pasteurized milk has been amended. This amendment requires that pasteurized milk shall show a count of not more than three colonies of organisms of the coliform


252


ANNUAL REPORTS


group per cubic centimeter as determined by the Standard Methods of the American Public Health Association.


This determination, requiring additional materials and equipment, will be made on all samples hereafter.


Respectfully submitted,


WILLIAM H. WALLIS, Inspector of Milk and Vinegar


Total


9203


3753


1316


586


Total Number


of Patients


Number of


Fillings


Extractions


Number of


Cleanings


Treatments Number of


tificates Granted Number of Cer-


Given Gas Number


Number of


Patients


Extractions Number of


Number of


Patients


Number of


Hospital


Number


Cases


Novocain or


Number


Given Ges


Number


Oid


Patients


Patients


Emergency


Cases


Special


2 873


532


209


140


1166


112


11


11


37


14


34


14


4


10


590


169


150


78


4


672


416


184


147


1096


131


3


3


9


13


17


:3


6


February March


571


199


95


1


866


592


256


156


1259


150


5


5


11


25


54


25


9


16


378


124


46


0


551


392


157


137


845


114


00


8


16


12


58


12


3


=


April


605


194


72


2


875


496


268


202


1088


170


10


10


25


25


47


25


5


20


May


333


72


24


0


429


214


120


173


519


162


10


10


30


14


37


14


4


10


June


SCHOOL CLINICS CLOSED


July


August


September


EXAMINING EXAMINING


October


376


264


93


0


831


421


221


156


1178


99


7


7


21


November


460


144


81


0


687


408


215


130


929


99


6


6


16


December


O


5784


3471


1630


1241


8180


1037


60


60


165


103


247


103


31


74


-


SCHOOL CHILDREN


-


OPERATIVE CASES


------- WELFARE CASES -


Examined


January


7


440


New


Extractions


Ethyl Chloride


Casos


Number of


9203


253


BOARD OF HEALTH


REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DENTAL HYGIENE


Somerville, Mass. January 3, 1951.


To the Board of Health, Somerville, Mass.


Gentlemen:


I submit the following statistics as the report of the Divi- sion of Dental Hygiene for the year ending December 31, 1950.


Respectfully submitted,


ANTHONY F. BIANCHI, D. M. D. Supervising School Dentist


254


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY


December 31, 1950


BOARD OF TRUSTEES


Term Expires


Mr. William J. Donovan, President


January 1, 1951


Mr. George K. Coyne, Vice-President


1950


Mr. Walter Avery


1952


Mrs. J. Helen Clough


11 1952


Mr. John J. Griffin


1950


Rev. Anthony J. Flaherty


11


1951


Mrs. Josephine J. Hurley


1950


Mr. William H. McKenna


1952


Mrs. Mabel J. Wedlock


1950


COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION


Mr. William H. McKenna, Chairman


Mrs. J. Helen Clough


Mrs. Mabel J. Wedlock


The President, Mr. William J. Donovan, ex-officio


The Vice-President, Mr. George K. Coyne, ex-officio


COMMITTEE ON BOOKS AND CATALOGING


Mr. Walter Avery, Chairman


Mr. John J. Griffin


Rev. Anthony J. Flaherty


Mrs. Josephine J. Hurley


The President, Mr. William J. Donovan, ex-officio


COMMITTEE ON BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY The President and the Vice-President


SECRETARY OF THE BOARD Mr. John D. Kelley, Librarian


ORGANIZATION OF LIBRARY AND STAFF PERSONNEL December 31, 1950 JOHN D. KELLEY, Librarian


PUBLIC LIBRARY


255


PROFESSIONAL GRADED SERVICE


John T. Mackey


Assistant Librarian


Gloria F. Graham


Executive Assistant


Ruth Holmes


Reference Librarian


Anna E. Cullen


Chief Cataloger


Rita D. Adams


Supervisor of Schools and Deposits


Elsie K. Wells


Branch Librarian, West Branch Library


Kathryn Kenny


Branch Librarian, East Branch Library


Barbara C. Niles


Branch Librarian, Union Square Station


Myrtle K. Nicholson


Desk Chief, Central


Katharine V. White


Supervisor of Periodicals and Binding


Emma Merlini


Station Executive


Mary M. Noonan


Station Executive


Elizabeth W. Hennigan


First Assistant


Ruth D. Warner


First Assistant


E. Lillian Clifford


First Assistant


Beatrice H. Williamson


First Assistant First Assistant


Lillian G. Casey


Children's Librarian


Children's Librarian


Children's Librarian


Mary F. Warren


Senior Assistant Senior Assistant


Irene M. Westhoff


Senior Assistant


George F. Hickey


Senior Assistant


Barbara T. O'Neill


Senior Assistant


Mary J. O'Brien


Senior Assistant Senior Assistant


1. Marguerite Sawin


Junior Assistant


Rita F. Brunet


Junior Assistant


Joan E. Brunet


Junior Assistant Junior Assistant Junior Assistant


Constance R. McGrath


Catherine M. O'Malley


Junior Assistant


Marion E. Griffin


Junior Assistant


Marilyn F. Legere


Junior Assistant


NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICE


Katharine V. Nolan Alice P. Burkhart


Barbara A. Murphy


A. Marion Johnian


Ethel Mullaney Clara L. Osgood M. Louise Ross John W. Patten


UNGRADED SERVICE - Part Time Attendants


Ann Patricia Davis Mary L. Denning Patricia A. Flynn John R. Ford Joseph C. Kelley Thomas Lynch Anna I. Marchesani


Dorothea Matsas M. Ronayne Powers Marion Reppucci Rita J. Ryan Philip A. Stynes


Patricia A. Turner Mary A. Willwerth


Station Executive


A. Frances Dennis


Lois E. MacDonald


Anne J. Durkin


256


ANNUAL REPORTS


RESIGNED DURING YEAR


Patricia C. Bellini


Part Time Attendant


Francis A. Cruise


Part Time Attendant


Mary E. Cullinane


First Assistant


Mary A. Heneghan


Senior Assistant


Carol Ann Jones


Part Time Attendnnt


Agnes J. Kelley


Junior Assistant


Vivian J. Morse


Executive Assistant


William P. O'Hara


Part Time Attendant


Helen M. O'Neil


Junior Assistant


Margaret B. Scanlan


First Assistant


Faith A. Small


Part Time Attendant


Paul J. Stynes


Part Time Attendant


Evelyn Thompson


Part Time Attendant


257


PUBLIC LIBRARY


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


Dear Sirs:


As a foreword to the Annual Report of the Librarian of our city for the year 1950, and with no member of the Board of: Trustees dissenting, I direct to you the following message:


Libraries are reputed to be as old as civilization itself. The earliest records of inscribed or written signs were undoubtedly of a religious or political nature and were kept in temples; the earliest librarians being the priests of those temples.


With the development of the arts and sciences the amount of written literature increased; books and manuscripts were laboriously printed and illuminated by hand but when their volume increased so tremendously with the advent of the printing-press and the cutting of type, libraries, as we now speak of them, became a necessity in every sizeable commu- nity.


If some depository had not been selected for the collection and preservation of religious, historic, political and scientific writings down through the ages the world would be immeas- urably poorer today through the short-sightedness of our an- cestors.


In the Central Library, opened in 1914, in most part through the generosity of Mr. Andrew Carnegie who gave $80,000 towards its construction, we have an excellent library. We may be proud of the West Somerville Branch on College Avenue, the East Branch on lower Broadway and the Teele Square Branch. The Ten Hills and Union Square Branch Li- braries are inadequate and as my predecessor John Griffin, a most learned man who has made a study of the subject, pointed out in his 1950 report, a branch on Spring Hill and Magoun Square would be of great benefit to a large number of our citi- zens.


What more fitting memorial to the departed heroes of Somerville could be erected than a branch library dedicated to their memory?


Why, with the Public Library System such an important and valuable part of our city property and so necessary to the


258


ANNUAL REPORTS


children and citizens, do you, our "City Fathers" dislike to ap- propriate sufficient funds for its proper upkeep?


It is almost a ritual for the Administrative offices at City Hall to be decorated with every change of administration. Worn rugs, shabby furniture or dingy walls and wood-work would not be tolerated. The aldermanic chamber is also kept in first-class condition.


Much needed painting of the Central Library is now under way. It would be well, at this time to consider the advisability of converting the heating system to the use of oil. This would provide more satisfactory heating and what is equally impor- tant, prolong the life of our books, furniture and other equip- ment.


Since proper lighting is of prime importance in a reading- room and library I urge the Building Commissioner while su- pervising the painting, to give you a report on the deplorable inadequacy of the lighting system.


Last year, the President of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library recommended machines for micro-filming our most valuable documents. Even an appropriation for having this work done outside would be most welcome. Our library is the sole permanent depository for every issue of the Somerville Journal Press, a newspaper which constitutes a record of Som- erville's history and progress. Experience has taught each and every one of us what the passage of a few years will do to the most carefully preserved newsprint.


The past year saw a revision of the former "Scheme of Ser- vice for Library Employees" which makes plain the duties and system of advancement for those working in the library system. The Board is now in the process of revising the "By-laws of the Board of Trustees".


The establishment of a record department proves, by the steady patronage it receives by young and old, to have been a popular move for the music-lovers of our city.


My term on the Board of Trustees has expired. I have en- joyed six years of association with some of Somerville's finest and most unselfish citizens. I take this opportunity to con- gratulate the City of Somerville in having one of the finest li- brarians in the country in John D. Kelley. He has been re-


259


PUBLIC LIBRARY


peatedly honored by his fellow-librarians by election to the highest offices in their association and who obtains, for the taxpayer, a maximum amount of service and merchandise on a minimum appropriation. If I have been of service to the city, and to Mr. Kelley and his able staff, I am satisfied.


In conclusion, it is my hope that those who have accepted and will in the future accept appointments as Trustees in the Somerville Library System, will realize that they are assuming a responsibility and not a political appointment which might add a little to their prestige in the community. If they have neither the time nor inclination to attend meetings and give some thought to the problems involved, they are morally wrong in taking the position.


Sincerely,


(Signed) WILLIAM J. DONOVAN, President.


260


ANNUAL REPORTS


REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN


To the Board of Trustees:


In our report of last year we were most optimistic of the trend in our circulation, convinced that we had overcome an apparent stalemate and the upsurge would be a continuing process. Through the month of March this upward trend pre- vailed and then turned about-face with a slow and gradual de- cline. Explanation may sometimes be construed as alibis but the evident fact remains that a decrease in book purchasing power logically and inevitably is followed by a decrease in cir- culation. We appreciate economies are necessary and the Librarian and the Board of Trustees have always prided them- selves on their conservativeness in presenting honest and necessary budget requirements to the City Fathers. This fact was evident by the attitude of the Mayor when he reviewed this year's budgetary requests of the Trustees. When the Librarian was interviewed and questioned by the Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen all requests were con- sidered necessary and based upon actual factual data. How- ever, for some unknown reason and without any explanation the Library Department along with practically every other city department received a cut so drastic that for the past year we have merely existed with no evidence of progress or meeting the demands of the public. In protest we wrote in part, and without avail, to the Board of Aldermen, as follows:


"This reduction comes at a most unfortunate time. Because of the increased demand of service by the public and with increased costs of books and supplies, we will be forced to discontinue many of our normal functions.


"The estimated budget submitted to the Mayor was figured after careful study at a minimum, but he saw fit to cut it 7%, and your Honorable Board cut it 13 % more, making it a total cut of 20% below what was actually considered necessary. It might interest you to know that from national standards $1.50 per capita is set as the lowest figure possible to operate a library with any semblance of efficiency and now we are at- tempting to operate on a basis of $1.06 per capita.


"As an interesting comparison, the library ordinary maintenance budget for 1950 is only $1,425.70 more


261


PUBLIC LIBRARY


than the budget of 1943. In other words, with a budget of only 8% more than 1943 we are forced to compete with a price rise of well over 35% ."


The complete revision of the former "Scheme of Service" under the new titles, "Organizational Plan and Personnel Standards" and "Order and Classification of Staff Positions" was accomplished. Now the duties, standards, salary scales and promotional methods are clearly set forth. We are certain this revision will prove invaluable to the Board of Trustees and Li- brarian and will eliminate any cause for mistaken methods of employment or promotion.


A very important forward step was taken at the November meeting of the Board of Trustees by the adoption of a system of awarding increments to staff members who by their own initiative and effort desire to further their knowledge of library science through study courses. Under date of November 16, 1950 the vote was as follows:


"Any permanent staff member who successfully completes two educational courses of relevance and value in library work in an accredited academic institu- tion shall be eligible for an increase in salary equiva- lent to the regular annual step rate increase, effective as of January first of the year following the completion of the courses. Such increments in salary shall be con- sidered and called for recording purposes: 'Regular Step-rate Increases': (Under the provision of Chapter 11, Act 3 of the Personnel Standards).


"In order to qualify for the increments established by this section, candidates must have the courses in question approved by the Librarian and the Board of Trustees in advance, and upon completion of each course must file with the Librarian an official certifica- tion in writing to this effect from the educational insti- tution where the course was taken.


"No more than three increments shall be given under the provision of this Section.


"Staff members who have attained their maximum salary shall not qualify under the provisions of this Sec- tion unless together with the credentials already de- tailed, they submit a written statement that they will


262


ANNUAL REPORTS


continue their service in the Somerville Public Library for at least two years.


"This Section shall become effective upon ap- proval by the Board of Trustees and courses taken dur- ing the current year which meet with the approval of the Librarian and the Trustees shall be available for consideration under its terms."


It is seldom that the time, energy and effort expended by the Board of Trustees and the position of the Library in our community is publicly acknowledged, however, due recogni- tion was publicized through an editorial in the Thursday, No- vember 30th edition of the Somerville Journal Press in which the following appeared:


OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY


"The Board of Public Library Trustees is cer- tainly deserving of enthusiastic congratulations for many if its recent actions. The forthright and com- prehensive Annual Reports of the past two years, the preparation and publication of valuable bibliogra- phies for the use of students, research scholars and professional persons, the obviously new approach to public relations, that is a sustained program to keep the general citizenry informed of significant facts and important factors in the Library's development, and now the introduction of an incentive plan for personnel, based on educational advancement, all of these assuredly indicate that a fresh spirit of dy- namic progress has been installed into our library institution. The entire community should not only be alert to the earnest efforts being made to have the Library attain superior standards of service, but it should demonstrably support these strivings for the common good.


"Our public libraries, it should always be re- membered, are not simply a series of static public buildings. They are chief cultural centres of the community. In the course of the years the literature which they make accessible and circulate affects the thinking and therefore, the daily lives of tens of thousands of our citizens of every age and level. They are, as was pointed out in one of the recent


263


PUBLIC LIBRARY


Annual Reports, veritably social agencies respond- ing to the intellectual interests and practical needs of vast numbers of our people. Their influence penetrates and radiates to an extent virtually in- calculable.


"Despite the diversion of attention caused suc- cessively by the advent of the automobile, the cinema, the radio, and more lately, by television, the demand for public library service has continued to mount throughout the nation as our people have grown more literate and have cultivated a greater desire to learn. Every encouragement, therefore, should be given to those who labor without hope of reward (other than the satisfaction of serving the civic body) to enhance the value, the utility and the prestige of our library system. It will be to the last- ing advantage of all, of both our adults and of our school children, if the staff, facilities and equip- ment needed to carry out their high purposes are made available. There can be no sounder criterion of the mental health and vitality of Somerville than the measure of prosperity which characterizes its tradition-rich Public Library."


Also, Local 1040, Somerville Municipal Administrative Employees' Union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees extended their congratulations and com- mendation to the Board of Trustees on their action stating "Whereby the furtherance of education by the individual em- ployee will bring, not only increased talent to the great public and social functions of the dispensing of books, but also an increased stipend for the employee who thus increases his value to the library service."


The establishment of a Music Record Department in Janu- ary has proven the popularity and the need of this important function. In this setup we have brought together all musical scores, books on musical subjects, and musical records with the resultant greater use of all these facilities. The circulation of records has increased month by month with an approximate circulation of 5000 for the year. With publicity given this ser- vice next year we are not hesitant to predict that the circula- tion will easily double. The use of the recording machine and listening room is constant and the need for another machine is imperative. The need of language and children's records is evident but cannot be met until we have sufficient appropria-


264


ANNUAL REPORTS


tion. Miss Marion Griffin deserves commendation for her out- standing, faithful and conscientions work in this department. Her musical background and education, her tactful manner, zeal and enthusiasm in developing this department is the major reason for the success of this new service.


It is our pleasure to report after many years of pleading, that the Central Library is in the process of being redecorated. At this writing the School and Catalogue Rooms have been completed and through the good office of Mr. Edward Moyni- han, Building Commissioner we are informed that the entire building is to be refinished. We trust that the recommenda- tions of the Boston Edison Company for sufficient lighting facilities will be followed in the coming year. Mayor Lynch also informs us that during 1951 at least one of our coal burn- ing boilers will be replaced with oil burners. For these im- provements at Central we are duly grateful. And, we sincerely hope that upon the expiration of the lease at Union we may relocate this station, that we may also improve the conditions which are very unsatisfactory in regard to heat and interior decorations at Ten Hills, and the installation of oil burners at West and East.




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