USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1953 > Part 3
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"YES" 2891 2979 2701 3732 3275 2941 3277 21796
"NO" 893 1103 1183 1292 1181 976 1106 7734
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RECREATION COMMISSION
REPORT OF THE RECREATION COMMISSION
1953
THE REVEREND NAZARENO PROPERZI, Chairman
MEMBERS
Term Expires January
Malcolm D. Blair
1954
William J. Crotty
1955
Mrs. Margaret T. Keane 1954
William J. Koen
1954
Peter Lucarelli
1955
Mrs. Myrtle Macleod 1954
Edward M. McCarty 1955
John T. O'Brien 1954
The Reverend John B. Olds (resigned) 1953
Secretary To The Commission: CHARLES C. KELLEY
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ANNUAL REPORTS
December 31, 1953
To the Honorable the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen:
The Recreation Commission begins its report of the year 1953 with the quotation of the maxim that "Coming events cast their shadows before", in the hope that the shadows cast by the beams of the little candle ignited in 1953 give promise of things to come in 1954 which will benefit the recreational life of the entire community. Attention is invited to a sum- mary of some developments whose beginnings were made dur- ing 1953, and which the Commission believes worthy of men- tion here.
At the Commission's January meeting the Superintendent called attention of the Commission to the fact that disposition of the Conway Playground area for industrial purposes was be- ing considered by the City authorities, and that inasmuch as the Recreation Commission has since the acquisition of this area consistently urged its complete development, it should be concerned about any such proposals. Thereupon the Commis- sion appointed a committee to investigate the situation, and instructed the Superintendent to make provisions to insure that the Commission be given opportunity to present its findings in the event of any official action towards disposition by the City authorities. At a subsequent meeting of the Board of Alder- men, the Commission was given opportunity to present its opinions and objections to the proposed disposition of this area, and at the same time pointed out the vita! need for the retention and development of this playground for recreational purposes. No action was taken towards disposition by the City authorities in 1953, and all indications at the time of this writ- ing point to an early development of the Conway area in1954.
During the early months of 1953, representatives and en- thusiasts of the Adult Softball Leagues continued to support previous recommendations of the Recreation Commission with respect to the provision of an outdoor lighting system at Trum Field, and throughout the Summer months the Superintendent and the Commissioner of Electric Lines and Lights had several conferences pertaining to the cost, equipment, and site. As a result, an appropriation of $5,000 was made in September to the Electric Lines and Lights Department for this purpose.
Appropriations have been made also to provide for the erection of two new school buildings in Somerville - one to be located on Capen Street and the other on Mt. Vernon Av-
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RECREATION COMMISSION
enue. The Recreation Commission has made certain recom- mendations to the School Committee and the Public Buildings Department, with respect to the construction of school build- ings, for provision for community uses of these buildings through the Municipal Recreation Service; such provisions to include:
Combined Gymnasium and Auditorium, with direct en- trance from the street;
Several small adjoining rooms to be used for small- group activities;
Isolation of these facilities from other sections of the building;
Separate drinking and toilet facilities;
Separate heating unit.
It is the earnest hope of the Commission that these rec- ommendations will be carried out in the construction of the new school buildings. The proposed site of the Mt. Vernon Avenue building is contiguous to the Marchi Playground, and a complete redevelopment of this area may be expected when the new building is erected, since consideration had been given to the extension of this playground by the Engineering Department prior to the selection of the site of the new school building.
While on the subject of school buildings, it seems appro- priate to mention here the fact that the limited play area ad- jacent to the Edgerly-Vocational School has always been a source of concern to the Commission as there is a real need for a play area in this district. Space is needed also for conducting the outdoor school recesses and play periods for the children, which are now limited because of the lack of facilities. Hence an extension of the play area at this location would benefit not only the children of the neighborhood, but the pupils of the school as well.
Following a thorough two-year study of existing outdoor recreation facilities in Somerville and problems relative to these facilities, the City's Planning Board on December 28 issued an excellent brochure entitled "RECREATION-A Plan for Im- proved Recreation in Somerville, Mass." - which includes many recommendations the Recreation Commission has re- corded itself as favoring for several years. Some of these rec- ommendations were included at the suggestion of the Superin-
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ANNUAL REPORTS
tendent of Recreation. Others, though not initiated by the Rec- reation Commission, will benefit the City recreationally, and for this reason are heartily endorsed by the Commission. The contents of this brochure give evidence of thorough study and planning, and the Planning Board is to be commended on its issuance.
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"S" FOR "SUPERIOR"
There's no question about that, but actually these lads are members of the Recrea- tion Commission's Shamrock Boys' Club. Decked out in their Club jackets, they represent an excellent advertisement of the qualities which the Recreation Commis- sion's clubs attempt to develop.
The completion of the new Metropolitan Swimming Pool at Foss Park will undoubtedly have its benefits during the Sum- mer months, and the Commission is making effort to obtain use of the building attached to the Pool for group activities during the seasons when the Pool is not in use. (Recent sur- veys conducted by communities which have outdoor swimming pools show that the average yearly use of such pools is fifty- five days.)
As to possible facilities to be provided the Municipal Rec- reation agency through the new Stadium at Dilboy Field, it ap- pears now that such uses would be confined to public demon- strations, athletic meets, and other track-and-field events.
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RECREATION COMMISSION
A review of this report up to the present point seems to indicate a clearer and more promising future with respect to recreation facilities in Somerville. The day when these actual- ly materialize, however, will be one of great joy to all who have labored continously over a period of years for the improvement of both indoor and outdoor facilities.
There is still need for additional Softball and Baseball dia- monds, as well as the need for re-surfacing or other improve- ments on existing athletic areas.
ACTIVITIES PROGRAM
The activities program under the Commission in 1953 was a successful one, and there were developments within the es- tablished program which resulted in an over-all increase in the number of participants, as well as increase in the number of Recreation groups served. Deserving of mention here is the fact that there has been improvement during 1953 in the Bi- cycle Club and Adult Community Chorus programs. With re- spect to the Bicycle Club, it had been evident for some time that the success of this program could be insured only if the activities of the group could be conducted on an all-day basis. This fact was proved during the Fall season when day-long "Mystery Rides" on several occasions brought about a consid- erable increase in attendance participation. The Community Chorus also reports a successful season, with numerical in- crease in adult participation, which has been mainly the result of a concentration on building attendance during the past year or more.
SUMMER PLAYGROUNDS
The 1953 Summer Playgrounds season was perhaps one of the busiest in recent years. Even with the addition of a new playground, located at the junction of Woodstock Street and Alewife Brook Parkway in West Somerville, the opening day of the season found all positions in the Summer corps filled. Once again the selection of male personnel was limited, due to prev- iously explained reasons (Military service, private industry with higher wages, etc.). However, the calibre of the men Leaders was better than in recent years, and the Commission hopes that the majority of the new appointees will be in serv- ice for several years. As for the female personnel, the Com- mission was indeed fortunate this year in having among its appointees a number of young women who not only served their apprenticeship well but who gave indication of great
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ANNUAL REPORTS
promise for the future. The veteran Leaders as a whole re- sponded to the demands made upon them, and the results were evident in their individual assignments. Special emphasis was placed upon the assignment of a Head of Unit at the new- ly-opened Woodstock Street Playground in order to assure a successful opening season. The result was that Woodstock Street ranked among the leading playgrounds in program and attendance. But perhaps the most successful Summer unit was the Marchi Playground, which was a beehive of activity from opening day until closing day. All of the playgrounds re- ported increased attendance over previous seasons, and this was evident in the number of children participating in the "PLAY DAY" program, which was the highest attendance par- ticipation since the establishment of this program in 1948. Part of the increase in attendance was due to the inclusion of Folk Dances in the "PLAY DAY" program, and this innova- tion worked out very well and resulted in a more balanced pro- gram. Participation of girls in Folk Dancing, not only in "PLAY DAY" but throughout the season, was greater than in recent years.
A spell of hot weather greeted the opening week of the Summer season, but the Commission was better prepared to receive it than in any other previous season, due principally to the co-operation of the Buildings Department in carrying out one of the Commission's recommendations made in its 1952 Annual Report; namely, "that the Buildings Department initi- ate the installation of outside shower heads. This method for providing showers has proved successful at the Hodgkins, Perry, and Prescott Playgrounds. Areas recommended for in- stallation of this type of shower provision include the Baxter, Bennett, Cholerton, Cummings, Cutler, Durell, and Northeast- ern Playgrounds." However, for the most part, ideal weather conditions prevailed for the remainder of the season, and all major events and tournaments were conducted on schedule.
To offset the temporary loss of the children's area at Trum Playground due to the erection of the new Public Works build- ings, a supervised play program was conducted afternoons throughout the Summer season at the Bingham Playground on Lowell Street. The results were very satisfactory.
A periodic program of activities was conducted at the Pros- pect Hill Tower grounds as part of the Stone Place-Houley unit. The condition and slope of the Tower grounds did not warrant a day-in and day-out program, but it was an excellent site for
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RECREATION COMMISSION
special activities, and was used principally for this purpose. The children also enjoyed using it as a picnic area. The at- tendance at this area for the most part consisted of children from the Stone Place Playground.
It was feared that the construction of the new Public Works buildings at Trum Field might affect the conduct of the Inter-Playground Athletic Meet in August, but as a result of co-operative efforts on the part of the several Municipal De- partments involved, as well as the architect responsible for the construction of the buildings, the Meet was conducted on schedule. As for the Meet itself, it was operated with its cus- tomary smoothness, to the credit of the corps of Recreation Leaders, present and past, and supporters of the work who were responsible for its success. It was attended by one of the largest crowds of spectators to witness this event in recent years.
A total of 150 playground girls attended and enjoyed two of the Children's Esplanade Concerts at the Hatch Memorial Shell in July. Buses and supervision were provided by the Rec- reation Commission.
As a result of contributions by three Veterans organizations of Somerville, the Commission was able to provide four per- formances by the Boston Children's Theatre Stagemobile, a traveling unit of young players sponsored by Community Rec- reation Service of Boston. Performances of "Jack And The Beanstalk" and "Papa Pompino" were held at Lincoln, Dilboy, Trum, and Foss Park Playgrounds. Large groups of boys and girls from every playground in the City attended, as well as many adult spectators who were also interested in the per- formances. A fourth Veterans organization donated a number of American flags, which were presented at appropriate cere- monies to the outstanding boy and girl on each playground throughout the City.
In the Adult Softball Leagues, both American and National League schedules were completed without incident, and a large spectator interest prevailed throughout the season. The win- ner of first place in the American League was the Virgie team, while first place in the National League went to American Le- gion Post #447. The Class A City Championship was won by the Kennedy A. C., and the Laurel Club won the City Cham- pionship in Class B. In the Metropolitan Boston A.S.A. Tourn- ament, the D.A. V. Chapter 27 team won the Class A title; and Virgie's, winner of the Qualifying Regionals Tournament, par-
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ANNUAL REPORTS
ticipated in the Semi-Finals at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Another tournament - the Somerville Invitation Tournament - which was held for the benefit of one of the players who had been in- jured during a tournament, was won by the D.A. V. Chapter 27 team.
D.A.Y. 27
D.A.V. 87
D.A.V. 27
B.A.V 87
87
AV
27
D.A.V. 27
D.A.V. 27
D.A.V. 27
DOUBLE-BARRELED CHAMPS
Winners of both the Metro Boston Class A Softball Tournament and the Somerville Invitation Tourney, these members of the D.A.V. Softball Club have plenty to be proud of. And the Recreation Commission is equally as proud of their diamond class.
LEADERSHIP
The present program under the Commission is already an expansive one, and further expansion would bring about fur- ther demands upon an already taxed personnel, which might not be to the best interest of the service. Whatever success the Commission has enjoyed in the conduct of its program could not have been possible unless it continued to maintain its leadership standards. The importance of the right type of leadership in the Recreation program cannot be stressed too strongly. That it is the most indispensable factor in the suc- cess of any Recreation program is an undeniable fact which is readily attested to not only by leaders in the Recreation pro- fession but by those in related fields. It has been proven many
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times that even where facilities are inadequate and adverse conditions prevail, the right type of leadership alone can hold a program together. And this is especially true of a city like Somerville, where the unique conditions of density of popula- tion, lack of space and proper facilities, etc. make the success of the program dependent solely upon leadership in many in- stances.
It is almost impossible to single out an individual and say of him that he is a better person or lives a fuller life, solely as the result of his Recreation associations; but there are posi- tive evidences of this, as represented by the adjustment of a maladjusted boy, the therapeutic benefits received by the bed- ridden child through our Hospital Program, the educational benefits to the children from the weekly Story-Telling pro- gram, the spiritual benefits brought about by our Nativity Scene, the proficiency and sportsmanship acquired in all forms of athletics as a result of participation in the Commission's athletic activities (witness the championship High School Base- ball, Basketball, and Track teams of recent years), the physical and mental development of the beneficiaries of our youth pro- grams, and the better community spirit resulting from partici- pation in our adult activities.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Prevalent today on all sides is the Juvenile Delinquency problem. That it is regarded as a problem in varying degrees is obvious from the concern evidenced everywhere by sociolo- gists, by educators, by authorities in the field of Recreation (both public and private), by court authorities, by the churches, and by parents who are concerned about their children.
There are two types of juvenile delinquents - those whose . conduct might require COURT action, and those whose con -. duct certainly should require PARENTAL action. The pre -. scription for both is substantially the same. Prevention, rather than curbing, is the primary objective of the Recreation Com- mission, and the Commission believes the best method of pre- vention is by directing the youth towards GOOD. This it en- deavors to do by providing a wide variety of activities through its programs for youth. Some of these activities are geared towards mass participation emphasizing physical development, while other group activities such as Boys' Clubs, Girls' Clubs, Arts And Crafts, Music, and Drama provide more individual at- tention for those who have any leanings in this direction. These latter are the more highly organized activities, and are. likely to have a greater carry-over value than the others ..
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ANNUAL REPORTS
Through all of its activities the Recreation Commission tries to reach as many of Somerville's 19,000 youth as possi- ble. That it is successful to a degree, despite many problems, is evidenced on the one hand by the large number of particip- ants in its activities, and on the other hand by the records of the Court. At the close of the year 1953 only eleven Somer- ville boys and one girl had been committed during the year to the State's Youth Service Board for disposition. Compare this with the year 1949, when twenty-four boys and two girls were committed. The record for 1953 represents quite an im- provement over 1949 and a considerable saving in dollars and cents when one considers that the weekly cost of custody, care, and instruction at correctional institutions is $53 weekly per girl at the Lancaster School, $54 weekly per boy at the Lyman School, and $73 weekly per boy at the Shirley School.
# OFF
DEFIES
.. ..
TWO DOZEN EXACTLY
You count 'em. Twenty-four members of the Recreation Commission's Stardette Girls' Club adjourned their regular meeting just long enough for the cameraman to get their picture. Then they went back to the business of planning one of their social- athletic events.
Three of the major sins of youth today are a lack of respect for authority, an unwillingness to accept responsibility in any form, and a contagious case of the "gimmies", or trying to get something for nothing. Many adults are guilty of these same
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sins, and youth is a great imitator. Some sociologists hold parents and adults entirely responsible for the conduct of the youth of today. Their claim is that juvenile delinquency is the EFFECT, of which parental or adult delinquency is the CAUSE. The Recreation Commission believes that if parents would do their part to (1) expose the child to a happy home; (2) take an interest in anything affecting the welfare of the child; and (3) set a good example; the juvenile delinquency problem would be substantially reduced. However, the Commission believes that no community - even one with such an excellent record of prevention as exists in Somerville - should ever relax its efforts towards prevention. And this should be especially true of a city of Somerville's size, where the total number of children exceeds the total population of such surrounding towns as Dan- vers, Lexington, Needham, and Norwood; and where the amount of available play space is only a fraction of what is pre- scribed by national standards, and where there are whole sec- tions without one square foot of public or private property for children to play.
At this point it seems appropriate to mention the excellent conduct of Somerville's children in general on Halloween during the past few years. While neighboring cities and towns provided community-wide parties for the children in an attempt to reduce the vandalism generally associated with the observ- ance of Halloween (and there is divided opinion as to whether or not this effect is accomplished through such parties, Somer- ville, with limited indoor facilities, had to make other provi- sions. Statements were issued by the Chief of Police and the Fire Department concerning caution in the conduct of the City's youth on Halloween; announcements were made through the public schools, and letters initiated by the Recreation Commission were forwarded to the parochial schools and to all Somerville churches, requesting that parents be urged to co- operate wherever possible in the conduct of neighborhood and home parties, thus centralizing the programs in small areas and reducing the number of teen-agers roaming the streets. Additionally, the Commission's sponsored groups each held: their own individual or joint celebrations, and Halloween: Parties were conducted on all of the Commission's Saturday Playground units, where the boy and girl costume winners were invited to participate in a City-wide Costume Party at one of the larger department stores in Davis Square. As a result of this combination of precaution and planned activity, the ob- servance of Halloween in Somerville during the past few years may be described as being representative of the primary intent of All Hallows Eve, but without depriving the children of the
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ANNUAL REPORTS
normal enjoyment which has come to be associated with this day.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Recognizing the importance of public relations in the life of any Municipal Service today, the Commission has during the past year attempted to make further advances in this direction. Included among these have been several showings of the Commission's new motion picture film, "Municipal Recreation In Somerville", which depicts in attractive form the varied program of activities under the Recreation Commission. The showings have been received with considerable interest thus
SOMERVILLE
S
DS
ATTENTION: TOM YAWKEY
This is young Eddie Sullivan of the Lincoln Playground "B" team, looking far beyond his next batter to the greener pastures of Fenway Park in 1964. "Sully"-known locally as Master Summer-ville-is one of the many All-American youths who make up the Summer Playground population.
far, and the Commission anticipates continued interest on the occasion of future presentations of this film. Also along the lines of public relations the Commission's Superintendent has
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on several occasions addressed P.T.A. groups, Service Clubs, and other Somerville organizations on the subject of the Recreation program, and has participated in panel discussions on Recreation; and the services and personnel of the Commis- sion are always available for help and advice on matters pertaining to Recreation.
On two separate occasions the framed pictures depicting the Commission's activities have been exhibited - at "Open House" sessions of both Boston College and Boston University's Sargent College of Physical Education; and on numerous occa- sions these pictures have been displayed in the Public Libraries and in the windows of various banks in Somerville. In the Spring of 1953 the Commission issued a one-page leaflet which on one side presents in pictorial form the Commission's pro- gram, and on the opposite side a record of the activities under the Commission. This leaflet was distributed among the various Civic and Service organizations as well as to the churches of Somerville. In July, the Somerville National Bank dedicated its monthly "Bank Notes" blotter to the Recreation Commission's Summer Playgrounds program, and on the blotter appeared the picture of a typical playground boy, along with an original poem by Mr. James J. Mooney, a member of the Recreation leadership corps. This poem, appropriately titled "SUMMER- VILLE, U. S. A.", has received many favorable comments, and the Commission believes it merits inclusion in this report.
SUMMER-VILLE, U. S. A.
A playground is a busy spot as Summer rolls along, The air's alive with music gay of childhood's happy song, The baseball diamond's clouded with the dust of boyhood spikes And here's a Flemish sand-box town, complete with mills and dikes.
Square dancers have their corner, too; some lads are flying kites, And all are learning to respect the other fellow's rights.
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