USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1952 > Part 6
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103
LICENSING COMMISSION
The Somerville Commission received three applications for a one car lubritorium and two applications for a two car lubri- torium. After holding hearings on these five applications, the Somerville Commission "GRANTED" these applications.
The established policy of the Somerville Commission rela- tive to routine matters of office procedure has not materially changed. The Somerville Licensing Commission after inspec- tion and consideration decided to continue their policy of restricting so-called entertainment in all restaurants. Only the radio and music box was allowed for the year with two excep- tions :- Coyne's Sportsmen's Grill, Inc. - d/b/a - "Memory Lane" which was issued a full entertainment and dance license for 1952 and the "318 Lounge, Inc." which was issued a full entertainment license for 1952.
A general inspection of all restaurants brought out the fact that all establishments are now equipped with adequate toilet and washing facilities.
We acknowledge the splendid co-operation and whole- hearted support given our Commission by Police Inspectors, Captain Thomas Sharry and Inspector Frederick McGovern and Board of Health Inspector Thomas J. Hagerty assigned to our Board. We also wish to acknowledge the efficient and faithful service of our clerk, Mary I. Kenney.
An itemized report of the fees received during the year ending December 31, 1952 is as follows :-
104
ANNUAL REPORTS
REPORT OF THE LICENSING COMMISSION FOR THE YEAR 1952
Licenses Granted and Fees Received:
2-Renewals (1952) All Forms Restaurant Licenses 7-Day
$1,000.00
$2,000.00
69-Renewals (1953) All Forms Restaurant Licenses 7-Day
1,000.00
69,000.00
1-Renewal (1953) All Forms Restaurant Licenses 6-Day
800.00
800.00
3-Renewals (1953) Beer & Wine Restau- rant Licenses 7-Day
400.00
1,200.00
2-New Licenses (1952) All Forms Club Licenses 7-Day
150.00
300.00
14-Renewals (1953) All Forms Club Li- censes 7-Day
150.00
2,100.00
22-Renewals (1953) All Forms Pkg. Goods Licenses
900.00
19,800.00
17-Renewals (1953) Beer & Wine Pkg. Goods Licenses
300.00
5,100.00
6-Renewals (1953) Druggist, Section 30-A Licenses
300.00
1,800.00
2-Renewals (1952) Entertainm't Licenses
5.00
10.00
72-Renewals (1953) Entertainm't Licenses
5.00
360.00
1-Renewal (1953) Entertainment Licenses
1.00
1.00
1-Renewal (1953) Dance License
5.00
5.00
1-Renewal (1953) Inn Holder License
5.00
5.00
41-Special Alcoholic Licenses
5.00
205.00
215-Common Victualler's Licenses
5.00
1,075.00
213-Lord's Day Licenses
5.00
1,065.00
5-Garage Licenses
2.00
10.00
TOTAL RECEIPTS
$104,836.00
EXPENSES
7,270.35
NET TOTAL REVENUE of the Department-1952
$97,565.65
Respectfully submitted,
LICENSING COMMISSION
G. VICTOR MURRAY, Chairman JOSEPH D. LONERGAN, Commissioner JEROME MCCARTHY, Commissioner
Attest MARY I. KENNEY Clerk
105
WATER COMMISSIONER
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER
OFFICE OF THE WATER COMMISSIONER
January 1, 1953
To His Honor, The Mayor and the Board of Aldermen:
I present herewith my report for the year ending December 31, 1952.
Water charges committed to the City Treasurer and Col- lector of Taxes during the year 1952:
Quarterly Accounts
Committed
$312,492.51
Commercial Accounts
Committed
185,668.50
Additional Accounts
Committed
189.76
Service Assessments
Committed
20.00
Maintenance Charges
Committed
758.96
$499,129.73
APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES Water Maintenance and Extension Accounts
Appropriations made by the Board of Aldermen Ordinary Maintenance (brought forward from '51)
$291.25
Budget
32,320.00
Special Item
13,000.00
84,594.71
47,676.58
$177,882.54
106
ANNUAL REPORTS
Expenditures:
Ordinary Maintenance
$31,735.99
Special Item
12,997.00
Labor
84,574.21
Personal Service
47,616.37
$176,923.57
Balances:
Ordinary Maintenance Encumbered Balance brought forward 1953
861.03
Unencumbered balance
14.23
Personal Service Balance
60.21
Labor balance
20.50
Special !tem
3.00
$958.97
Expenditures
$176,923.57
Balances
958.97
$177,882.54
$177,882.54
No main pipe construction or replacement during the year. Size, number and length of new services installed during the year:
Size
Number
Total Length 681/2
3/4"
4
1"
2
1211/2
11/2"
3
119
2"
2
14
6"
2
191/2
6" Fire
2
0
8" Fire
1
0
HYDRANTS, GATES, ETC. IN CITY DECEMBER 31, 1952
Number of Fire Hydrants, January 1, 1952
1,360
Number of private hydrants
92
Number of Gates January 1, 1952
3,029
Set during the year
0
Removed during the year
0
Net increase in gates
0
3,029
Number of check valves
9
Number of blow-offs
237
Number of waterposts
59
Number of drinking fountains
12
Number of car-sprinkler connections not in use
10
SUMMARY OF PIPES AND FIXTURES OF THE WATER SYSTEM
December 31, 1952
Feet of main pipe (approximately)
602,698
Miles of main pipe (approximately)
114.15
Services in use
14,065
107
WATER COMMISSIONER
Services supplying public property
87
Private fire supplies (sprinkler systems)
135
Fire supplies to public buildings
27
Public fire hydrants
1,360
Private fire hydrants
92
Sprinkler systems installed in public buildings
0
Gates
3,029
Check valves
9
Meters (including 1 motor register)
13,935
Waterposts (not in use)
59
Car-sprinkler connections (not in use)
10
Blow-offs
237
Drinking fountains
11
Total number of services required to be metered in actual use
13,935
Services supplying public property
87
Total number of services
14,065
In additions to the above there are fire supplies for private sprinkler systems which are not required to be metered
135
OPERATING METERS, DECEMBER 31, 1952
Size
5/8"
3/4"
"ן 11/2"
2"
3"
4"
6" 10" 12"
Total
No. 13,390
262
22
49
75
18
11
6
1
1
13,935
Percentage of services metered-100 %
Water is furnished without charge to all City Departments and Municipal Buildings.
The consumption of water for the City of Somerville for the year 1952, total quantity, average daily and per capita, the per capita consumption being figured on an estimated population for the year of 103,410.
Month
Gallons per day
Gallons per capita
January
9,548,500
92
February
9,408,700
91
March
9,715,900
94
April
9,660,900
93
May
9,409,300
91
June
10,382,300
100
July
12,108,500
117
August
11,155,200
108
September
10,652,700
103
October
9,967,100
96
November
9,468,000
92
December
9,766,700
94
Year 1952
10,108,100
98
Total consumption for the year 1952:
High service
848,763,000 gals.
Low service
2,850,817,000 gals.
Total City
3,699,580,000 gals.
108
ANNUAL REPORTS
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS For the year ending December 31, 1952 In form recommended by the New England Water Works Association
SOMERVILLE WATER WORKS Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
GENERAL STATISTICS
Population, State Census 1950 - 102,351
Date of Construction: Commenced in 1868
By Whom owned: City of Somerville
Source of Supply: Water is delivered into Citys mains, both high and low pressure, by the Metropolitan Water Works.
Statistics of Consumption of Water
Population supplies December 31, 1952 - 103,410
Average daily consumption - 10,108,100
Gallons per day to each inhabitant - 96 gals.
Total consumption for the year 1952: High service 848,763,000 gals. 2,850,817,000 gals.
Low service Total city
3,699,580,000 gals.
Statistics Relating to Distribution Mains
Kind of Pipe: Cast Iron
Size from 4" to 20"
Total now in use-114.15 miles
Number of hydrants (public and private) - 1,452
Number of Gates added during the year - 0
Number of Gates now in use: 3,029
Number of blow offs: 237
Range of pressure 40 to 100 lbs.
Services
Kind of Pipe: Lead, Lead lines, cement lines, galvanized iron, cast iron, brass, copper tubing and tubeloy.
Sizes:
5/8" to 8"
Services in use - 14,065
Number of private fire supplies (sprinkler system) - 135
Number of meters now in use est. - 13,935
Percentage of services metered:
100 %
Public services not metered
Respectfully submitted,
RALPH L. GARRETT,
Water Commissioner
109
SANITARY DEPARTMENT
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 1952 is respectfully submitted herewith:
COLLECTIONS OF ASHES AND REFUSE
Loads
Yards
Tons
January
2460
15990
5535
February
2410
15665
5423
March
2460
15990
5535
April
2325
15113
5231
May
2300
14950
5175
June
2125
13813
4781
July
2100
13650
4725
August
1950
12675
4388
September
2000
13000
4500
October
2250
14625
5063
November
2500
16250
5625
December
2450
15925
5513
COLLECTION OF PAPER
Yards
Tons
January
4000
533
February
3850
513
March
3800
507
April
3750
500
May
3700
493
June
3550
473
July
3450
460
August
3300
440
September
3450
460
October
3900
520
November
3950
527
December
4000
533
110
ANNUAL REPORTS
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 rubbish being collected due to the fact, so many householders converted their heaters from coal to oil.
The total estimated collection of garbage amounted to 4200 cords, the work is being done by a contractor who fur- nishes trucks and chauffeurs, the City supplying the laborers.
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, and the Board of Aldermen and the employees of my department for their co- operation extended during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN F. MESKELL,
Supt. Sanitary Department
111
PLANNING BOARD
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
March 19, 1953.
The Honorable, the Mayor and The Board of Aldermen Somerville, Massachusetts
Gentlemen:
The Planning Board of the City of Somerville herewith respectfully submits its annual report for the year 1952.
Following approval by the Mayor and your honorable Board on March, 1952, of a budget providing for the establishment of a professional planning staff, the Planning Board began work on securing quarters, office equipment, and personnel necessary to begin an active Planning Program for the city.
Miss Elizabeth G. King, a graduate planner with several years experience in the planning field, was appointed to the position of Planning Director at the end of April. Following Miss King's appointment, the Board employed Mrs. Mary A. Ford, secretary, Mr. Harold P. Myer, research clerk, Mrs. Mary W. Vise, draftsman.
During this year, the Board has, after due notice and public hearings, acted upon four requests for change of zone and one subdivision petition. The Board recommended five public housing project sites for the consideration of the Somerville Housing Authority, including the number of families and type of structure deemed advisable in the light of planning con- siderations.
Two sites for public housing were given final approvel by the Board. From time to time the Board reviewed the progress of the new street plan and loading and parking standards of the proposed Linwood-Joy redevelopment project.
At the direction of the Planning Board, the staff has pro- ceeded with a survey of existing conditions in the city toward
112
ANNUAL REPORTS
the ultimate goal of a general plan for Somerville. This survey furnishes sufficient evidence of progress up to this time toward a general plan to fulfill the requirements of the Federal Gov- ernment for cities participating in the National Redevelopment program.
The published report "Planning Progress in Somerville" summarizes a portion of this basic research and presents to the city the recommendations of the Board for the improvement of the condition of the city.
At the request of your honorable Board, the Planning staff studied and produced a report on Davis Square Off-Street Parking sites under consideration at the time. This report in- cluded design of the proposed sites, and an analysis of these sites in terms of location, capacity, access, displacement, and assessed value.
Other studies undertaken by the staff during the year 1952 include: surveys for the development of a report on recreation facilities; studies preliminary to the development of a new zoning ordinance, and analysis of the proposed Belt Express- way and its effect on the city.
Respectfully submitted,
SOMERVILLE PLANNING BOARD HARRY P. BURDEN, Chairman
113
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
CITY OF SOMERVILLE REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
December 29, 1952
SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS
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, and that the Superintendent of Schools be authorized to have six hundred copies printed separately at the earliest possible date.
EVERETT W. IRELAND,
Secretary of School Committee
114
ANNUAL REPORTS
SCHOOL COMMITTEE Somerville, Massachusetts 1952
ELEANOR S. COYNE SARAH M. MCLAUGHLIN
Chairman Vice-Chairman
MEMBERS Ex-Officiis
JOHN M. LYNCH, Mayor WALTER W. WHITNEY President, Board of Aldermen
34 Browning Road 24 Brastow Avenue
Ward One
JOSEPH F. LEAHY
16 New Hampshire Avenue
Ward Two
34 Bow Street
ELEANOR S. COYNE
59 Preston Road
Ward Four
167 Central Street
Ward Five
27 Aberdeen Road
Ward Six
17 Warner Street
Ward Seven
50a Gordon Street
Superintendent of Schools EVERETT W. IRELAND
Office: West Building, High School, Highland Avenue Residence: 18 Day Street
The Superintendent's Office will be open on school days from 8:00 to 5:00. His office hour is 4:00 on school days.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools LEO C. DONAHUE 108 Summer Street
Superintendent's Office Forse
Marion E. Marshall, 62 Highland Avenue Regina Truelson, 23 Black Rock Road, Melrose Frances C. Geaton, 104 Bartlett Street William E. Hogan, 12 Richardson Road, Newton Mary P. Brady, 273 Washington Street Anna M. Boyle, 138 Morrison Avenue Eileen M. Mahoney, 14 Madison Street
FRANCIS H. BROWN
Ward Three
SARAH M. MCLAUGHLIN
WILLIAM J. SHEA
MARGARET R. MORRISSEY
JOHN J. BRENNAN
115
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Standing Committee of the Whole
with Chairman and Vice-Chairman designated to act during such times as the matters set opposite their names are under discussion:
TEACHERS
Mclaughlin, Brennan
FINANCE
Brennan, Morrissey
CURRICULUMS AND INSTRUCTION
Brown, Mclaughlin Shea, Coyne
HEALTH, PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ATHLETICS
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION
Morrissey, Leahy
SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS
Coyne, Shea
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Leahy, Brown
Meetings
January 7
April 28
October 27
January 21
May 26
November 24
February 25
June 30
December 29
March 31
September 29
116
ANNUAL REPORTS
TO THE HONORABLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
LADIES 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 twenty-fifth annual report, which is the eighty-first in a series of annual reports of the Somerville Public Schools, and covers the cal- endar year 1952.
This document is prepared in three sections, Part I of which is the report of the Superintendent of Schools to the School Committee, comprising a discussion of (1) the matters involved in the outstanding activities of the School Committee, and (2) the condition of the schools with respect to changes, improvements, and progress, which includes statements re- garding personnel, membership, and buildings, with recom- mendations concerning the immediate 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 property, (2) statistical tables which set forth comparative figures covering a period of years concerning enrollment, mem- bership, 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 1952 and the lists of graduates of this year from the secondary schools, the evening high school, and the vocational schools.
Respectfully submitted,
EVERETT W. IRELAND, Superintendent of Schools
December 29, 1952
117
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
PART I REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1952
Each year since 1872, when Somerville became a city, the School Committee, in conformance with provisions of the statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its own Rules and Regulations, has authorized the publishing of an annual school report. In preparing these reports it has been the privilege of the Superintendent of Schools to bring to the attention of the School Committee and the citizens of the community pertinent facts relating to the growth, improve- ment, and progress that have been made in the schools during each year, the problems facing the School Committee, its ad- ministrators and faculty, and the condition of the school build- ings, together with suggestions for further improvement. In this report for 1952 it is intended to treat briefly, but as clearly as possible, the problems faced by the School Commit- tee and the administrators of the school system.
Since this is the twenty-fifth annual report prepared by the present Superintendent of Schools in the series of eighty- one such reports written since 1872, it would seem advisable to prepare a statement of the progress and attainment achieved by the schools and the pupils during the twenty-five period of the stewardship of the Superintendent. After serious con- sideration it has been decided to defer the preparation of such a statement until the close of the twenty-fifth year, which occurs on June 30, 1953, and then either present it to the public as a separate document or make it a part of the Annual Report of the year 1953.
In recent years, through these reports, the Superintendent of Schools has called attention to the fact that (1) the American public school system is essential in maintaining and further developing the American way of life, (2) that the educational system has grown as the country has grown, and (3) that the responsibility of citizenship has broadened, causing new and previously unheard of demands to be made upon the schools.
A half century ago children were fortunate in being re- quired to work with their parents to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. By being permitted this meaningful participation in activities outside the school they were educated for complete living in later life. Changes have come about
118
ANNUAL REPORTS
which place a large portion of our children in an urban environ- ment (50% of the population now lives in cities of 50,000 or more), which causes them to be deprived of a practical back- ground in many fundamentals. They miss this important first- hand experience because city homes cannot provide the kind of work experience which was once the birthright of every child, and in consequence schools are forced to assume new responsibilities for providing reasonable equivalents for the lack of these practical fundamentals. Parents, because of their work and other varied interests, do not have the opportunities to exert as great an influence upon their children as in years gone by, and as a result the schools have had to assume added responsibilities in the development of good citizenship. At the same time community life is more and more affected by forces that originate outside the community, in the state, the nation, and the world. These forces must also be understood.
Science continually adds to the knowledge of the universe, history adds new pages, and much more is being discovered about the past. The responsibility for discriminating between that which is important and that which is less important grows greater and the tasks of the schools increase.
The primary purpose, then, of Education is preparation for citizenship in its broadest sense, present and future. Curricu- lum development must have as its primary goal complete training for the best kind of citizen, who must be competent economically and socially. To be economically competent he must be able to assume and maintain his place as a producing unit in a private enterprise economy. To be socially competent he must be able to live well with his fellow men, be a good member of a family and a good neighbor, and have the ability to be an intelligent and actively participating member of a world society.
Thinking citizens are needed to direct a sound public policy for the benefit of our country. Scholarship is, therefore, im- portant because the quality of a person's thinking depends upon the range, the validity, and the clarity of his ideas. Every man is entitled to his own opinion, but he has a duty to base that opinion on the best available information.
What then are the responsibilities of the schools? Schools were established to teach those essentials not taught by or learned through any other agencies in society. The schools are concerned, then, with the development of skills, the tools of
119
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
learning, and such other attributes as good moral character, social competence, and right attitudes.
In earlier days the curriculum was limited to reading, writing, and arithmetic, but changes in the way of living and advancement in culture brought forth new things to be taught, education for competent citizenship increased, and as a result the school curriculum of today has grown enormously. No other country has ever expected so much of its schools and no other people has ever been so well served by its schools. However, the schools cannot rest on their laurels but must con- tinually review and appraise the educational program.
The responsibilities of the schools are threefold, namely; (1) their primary responsibility, the three R's, (2) the phases which are shared jointly with other agencies, and (3) a com- munitywide responsibility for educational leadership. These responsibilities are interrelated and operate concurrently. The schools, however, must see these functions clearly and strive to perform each of them well. Curriculum planning, properly conceived, will make certain that the schools do well those things for which they have primary responsibility, and as a result will cause a maximum contribution to be made to the other two objectives.
The curriculum must include all the activities of the school that provide for the education of students. In the first eight grades the subject matter fields are common for all children, with minor modifications in grades seven and eight, and the curriculum includes those elements of the culture which all should appreciate, acquire, and make a part of them- selves.
The curriculum of the high schools continues general edu- cation for all and also offers specialized education for individ- uals and groups. Elective subjects are offered to the students which can be adapted to the social, economic, and personal needs of the individual pupils, in addition to the required general education subjects. The reasons for this voluntary combination of required and elective subjects are no doubt self-evident.
The curriculum planning must also make special provisions for those pupils who because of physical, mental, emotional, or social handicaps cannot be taught efficiently and effectively in the same classes with normal children. One more factor is important to the plan, and that is that adequate provision
120
ANNUAL REPORTS
must be made for the continuation of education on the adult level. Such an adult education program, whether academic or vocational, contributes to the personal, social, economic, and civic competence of the citizenry as a whole.
The complete educational program, no matter how well conceived, and organized through its curriculum planning, will not be effective and adequate without good teaching. Good teaching requires personalities, sufficiently and adequately trained in the art of teaching to make a balanced use of all available resources, using each particular resource for the purpose which it can best serve.
The importance of proper housing for the pursuit of the educational process cannot be stressed enough without con- siderable space being devoted to the subject, which will be developed later.
The City of Somerville has a school system organized and operated in accordance with the statements presented and dis- cussed in the preceding pages, and for many years has had cause to be proud of the accomplishments of its program, in spite of many difficult problems which often have had to be overcome. The school personnel is devoting much time and effort to a continual improvement of the present good system.
In accordance with the American tradition, Somerville's educational program is operated through a legally constituted school committee, whose members, elected to serve without compensation, act collectively for the community in all matters pertaining to the formation of the policies of the schools, and review, interpret, and evaluate the results of the program of the schools.
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