USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Somerville, past and present : an illustrated historical souvenir commemorative of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the city government of Somerville, Massachusetts > Part 10
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The northerly line of Broadway had been straightened, in connection with the laying out of the Broadway Park, but the southerly line, which, in the vicinity of the park, described a long bow, remained unchanged. This portion of the street, being of a width varying from one hundred to two hundred feet, was unsightly, its great width was unnecessary, and the cost of maintenance was large. In conjunction with the West End Street Rail- way Company, a parkway was constructed in the year 1892, in the middle of the street, conforming, in width, substantially to the varying width of the roadway, and the street railway tracks were laid through its centre. The result is most pleasing, and the improvement is universally commended.
For many years the High School, an imposing structure erected in 1871, the last year of the town government, had been badly crowded, so that the lowest class was divided ; each division attending but three hours. The building originally contained two large schoolrooms, calculated for about ninety pupils each, with ample classrooms, laboratory, etc. The third story consisted of a large public hall with suitable anterooms. In the course of years the hall and ante-rooms had been converted into schoolrooms, addi- tional seats had been placed in the original schoolrooms, and all available space had been utilized. The enlargement of the building had been con- sidered, but it was deemed best to erect an English high school and use the old building for a classical or Latin school. The site selected was the crown of Central Hill, between the old High School and the public library building, and directly back of the Unitarian church.
With the exception of the church property, comprising some twenty thousand square feet of land, the entire block bounded by Highland ave-
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nue, School street, the Lowell railroad, and Medford and Walnut streets, was owned by the city, and Mayor Hodgkins, in his inaugural address of 1893, recommended its purchase. The property was acquired the same year, and the erection of the English High School was begun. The church was allowed to stand until the spring of 1895, when a portion of the new church edifice, which the society was erecting on Highland avenue at the corner of Trull lane, became ready for occupancy. The inauguration of the city government of 1895 was held in the old church, and the last use made of it was the holding of a fair, in aid of the Somerville Hospital, in March, 1895. After the demolition of the building the grounds were graded and grassed, and walks were laid to the schoolhouses and the public library building. The English High School was opened in September, 1895.
The increase of public business, incident to the rapid growth of the city, taxed to the utmost the capacity of the city hall. With the exception of the space at the rear end of the building, vacated by the police court and the public library, the room available for city business remained the same in 1895 as it was in 1872.' In 1895 the clerk of committees, who had occupied a room connected with the assessors' office, took possession of the mayor's room, on the second floor, and various officers needing desk room only, were accommodated in the rooms of the board of aldermen and the common council.
Mayor Hodgkins, in his inaugural addresses of 1893, 1894 and 1895, called attention to the need of a new city hall, and recommended the pro- curing of plans and estimates of the cost. He also presented, as a plan for the ultimate development of the Central Hill Park, the removal of the Central Fire Station, at the corner of Walnut street, and the erection of a much larger one, for which there was urgent need, on the Brastow School lot on Medford street, leaving the end of the park near Walnut street avail- able as a site for a new city hall ; the erection of a soldiers' memorial build- ing as part of an enlargement of the public library building, extended west- erly, and the removal of the old City Hall and the reduction of the knoll on which it stands so as to give a proper slope toward School street and High- land avenue.
A new central fire station was erected, in 1894, on the Brastow School lot, as recommended by the mayor, but the old fire station has not been removed. In the same year a fire station, for a ladder truck, was erected on Highland avenue near Cedar street, and in 1895 a steam fire engine house was erected on Broadway at the corner of Cross street.
A new city stable was erected on the City Farm on Broadway, in 1894, and the old stable was given over to the board of health. With the facili- ties thus afforded, this board was enabled to abandon the contract system of collecting ashes and offal, and to do this work by the day ; the necessary outfit being purchased, and a superintendent employed to oversee the work. The expense of the new system is greater, but the service is far better.
In 1895 the Wyatt Pit, so-called, situated in rear of Washington street, in ward two, was acquired, under a special act of the legislature, to be used,
HOWARD D. MOORE.
WILLIAM H. BERRY.
1
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ultimately, as a public park; the act also authorizing the acquisition of lands adjacent for the same purpose. This was an old clay pit, filled with water, and, as it was unguarded by fences, was a source of danger ; several drowning accidents having occurred there. For this reason, mainly, it was taken by the city. It has been enclosed with a high board fence, and is used, by the board of health, for an ash dump, for which purpose it was also used before it became the property of the city.
Hon. Albion A. Perry became mayor of the city January 6, 1896. On his recommendation, presented in his inaugural address, a temporary solu- tion of the city hall problem has been reached by the addition, at the rear of the city hall, of a structure somewhat larger than the old building, and the remodeling of the present offices on the first floor.
The city treasurer, assessors, city engineer and clerk of committees will occupy the addition, and the city clerk, water board, city messenger, inspector of buildings, etc., will have offices in the old part of the building. The second floor of the old building, in which are the chambers of the board of aldermen and the common council and the office of the mayor, will not be changed, except by the opening of a doorway from the alder- manic chamber into the rear hallway. The work is nearly completed, and it is expected that the accommodations afforded will be sufficient for several years to come.
The territory at the foot of the slope southwest of Holland street and bordering on Cambridge has long been in need of drainage, but, being at too low a level to drain into the Somerville sewers, its wants in that respect have not been supplied. After considerable study by the engineers, and much consultation, an arrangement has been made between the cities of Cambridge and Somerville, under an act of the legislature of the year 1896, for the construction of a sewer and also a large surface-water drain from the metropolitan sewer in Cambridge, at Alewife Brook, through the valley of Tannery Brook in Cambridge and Somerville to the vicinity of Davis square. By this means not only will sewerage facilities be afforded the territory just referred to, but substantial relief will be given the sewers around Davis square, the capacity of which has for some time past been seriously overtaxed during heavy rains. Work is now progressing on this sewer and drain, the latter having its outlet into Alewife Brook, and the former into the Metro- politan sewer.
It is not intended in this paper to name all of the improvements made by the city, but merely to mention the more important. Streets, sewers and sidewalks have been laid out and constructed, from year to year, school- houses have been erected, street railways extended, street lights provided, the fire and police departments enlarged, and all the various facilities af- forded for the comfort and convenience of the public that are expected of a modern city.
While the administrations of Mayors Belknap, Bruce, Cummings and Burns were not marked by many notable public improvements, yet their work is none the less commendable, as by a rigid economy and good man- agement they reduced a large debt nearly one-half, until it was brought
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within the legal limit, and at the same time paid all expenses, including the cost of new buildings, from the annual tax levy.
Thus the city enjoyed the best of credit during a period of financial depression, and secured a borrowing capacity which, by the increase of tax- able property, has been continued, and has enabled later city governments to make liberal provision for the increasing needs of the community.
The charter granted to Somerville, by the legislature, was of the kind commonly granted to cities at the time. It adhered, as closely as possible, to town methods; the city council (consisting of the board of aldermen and the common council) exercising the powers of the town, and the board of aldermen those of the selectmen; the action of both being largely governed by the general laws of the State. Thus all appropriations are made, loans authorized, claims settled, public property purchased or sold, and public buildings erected by order of the city council, which also enacts all ordinances and has jurisdiction in the matters of the laying out, con- struction and repair of streets, the erection of street lights, and the care and maintenance of all public property ; while the board of aldermen is charged, among other things, with the construction and maintenance of sewers, the laying of brick sidewalks and setting of edgestones, and the granting of licenses of various kinds, and of locations for street railways and for lines of electric wires.
The assessors and assistant assessors, city auditor, city clerk, city physician, city solicitor, city treasurer, overseers of the poor, superin- tendent of streets and trustees of the public library, are elected by the city council, as are also fence viewers, field drivers, measurers of wood and bark, and pound keepers. All other officers, with the members of the police and fire departments, are appointed by the mayor; the appoint- ments, except of keeper of the lock-up and burial agents for the interment of indigent soldiers and the wives and widows of the same, being subject to confirmation by the board of aldermen. The members of the police and fire departments hold their appointments until removed by the mayor and aldermen.
All public works, except the construction and maintenance of the water works, are carried on by the city council or the board of aldermen, ac- cording as the one or the other may have jurisdiction, acting through com- mittees, which are assisted by superintendents and the city engineer.
There are five boards which are either appointed by the mayor and aldermen or elected by the city council, that are entirely independent of both, except as to the amount of their appropriations. These are the board of assessors, the board of health, the board of overseers of the poor, the board of registrars of voters, and the water board. The water board de- rives its authority from the city charter, and the duties of the other four are defined by the general laws of the State. The assessors and assistant assessors and the board of registrars of voters receive salaries fixed by the city council, and are provided with all necessary clerical assistance. The members of the other three boards serve without compensation. The board of health has two agents, the board of overseers has an agent and
LEONARD B. CHANDLER.
RESIDENCE OF ROBERT S. WRIGHT.
II SUMMIT AVE.
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a secretary, and the water board has a superintendent and a clerk, all of whom receive salaries.
The school committee is also an independent board, elected by the people, and governed by State law. Its members serve without com- pensation and, with the assistance of a superintendent, who is also secretary of the board, have the exclusive management of the schools; the school buildings being provided and maintained by the city council. The mayor is, ex officio, chairman of the school committee, and the president of the common council is also a member.
The powers and duties of the mayor, aside from making appointments to and removals from office, subject to confirmation by the board of alder- men, consist, chiefly, in presiding at the meetings of that board and of the school committee, serving as chairman of certain of the committees of the city council and of the board of aldermen, drawing all warrants on the treasurer for the payment of money, and signing bonds, notes and other legal instruments, in behalf of the city. He has also been given, by general legislation, the power of veto over all ordinances, joint orders and resolu- tions, and all orders of either branch of the city council authorizing an expenditure of money ; a two-thirds vote being required to pass any such paper over his veto. He is the chief executive officer of the city, and is re- quired by the charter to cause the laws and regulations of the city to be enforced, and to keep a general supervision over all subordinate officers. He may also call special meetings of the board of aldermen and the common council whenever, in his opinion, the interest of the city may require it.
Those favoring the modern form of charter make the following points in criticism of our own :-
1. All executive power, including the construction of public works, should be vested in the mayor, to be exercised by him with the aid of competent heads of departments ; or such construction should be entrusted to a board of public works, a minority of whose members should be appointed annually, for a term of several years. Under our system of having public work carried on by the city council or board of aldermen, through committees, the responsibility is so divided that it cannot be definitely fixed, and many times authority is assumed by a committee that it does not possess, or by the chairman of a committee that belongs to the committee as a whole; a con- dition not favorable to the best economy.
2. The mayor should be relieved of all legislative duties, and of the duty of presiding at board meetings, and given the power of veto over all orders.
3. All work upon and under the streets, as the laying of sewers and water pipes, the maintenance of the highways, and the granting of permits to gas and other companies or to individuals to open the streets, should be under one head. One advantage of this arrangement would be the avoidance, in many cases, of the opening of a street to do underground work shortly after the paving or macadamizing of the surface.
4. In the line of definitely fixing responsibility many hold that one
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board, reasonably large in numbers, is preferable to two; a sufficient check upon unwise legislation being secured by the veto power lodged with the mayor.
A commission has been appointed to consider what amendments, if any, should be made to the charter, and to report to the city council.
Whatever may be the merits or demerits of the charter, the affairs of the city have, on the whole, been well managed, and the people are under lasting obligations to those, who have so ably and faithfully served her in- terests. The aldermen and councilmen receive no compensation, and the salary of the mayor is much less than any incumbent of the office would consider sufficient for equal service in his private business.
On the evening of inauguration day, January 2, 1882, a notable event was commemorated. Charles E. Gilman had served the people as town and city clerk since the organization of the first town government in 1842, and was held in the highest esteem by the entire community.
The completion of his fortieth term of continuous service was cele- brated by a banquet in the hall of the police building on Bow street, at which Mayor Cummings presided, and hundreds of citizens joined in the feast, and in congratulating Mr. Gilman on the happy occasion. As a slight token of personal regard he was made the recipient of a gold watch and chain and a portrait of himself ; a similar portrait was also presented to, the city and now hangs in the city clerk's office. Mr. Gilman continued in the office of city clerk until his death, which occurred February 22, 1888, leaving a most honorable record of forty-six years in the public service.
Somerville is a good example of the recognition and appreciation of faithfulness and merit in public servants. During the twenty-five years which have passed since she became a city she has had but two city clerks, two city treasurers, three city solicitors, three superintendents of schools, one chief of police, one chief engineer of the fire department and one city messenger. She has also retained her chief magistrates in office as long as they were willing to serve, there having been but nine incumbents of the office of mayor up to the present time.
The government and public service of a city reflect the character and intelligence of her people. Somerville is a sober, industrious, law-abiding community, with comparatively little pauperism or crime. The sale of intox. icating liquor, as a beverage, has been prohibited ever since the question was first submitted for decision at the annual city elections, which fact has doubtless influenced many in selecting this as a home. Few of our citizens are wealthy, but nearly all are comfortably circumstanced, and take an active interest in public affairs, especially in maintaining the high standard of our schools, and in all matters that contribute to the culture and com- fort of their families.
In contemplating our city's history of a quarter of a century, we have reason to be grateful to the Divine Ruler for the wisdom and integrity which adorn its pages, and to thank Him for the many blessings which He has bestowed upon us, not only as individuals, but as a community of neighbors and friends.
MARCUS M. RAYMOND.
JOHN N. BALL.
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CITY GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS FOR 1896.
Mayor, Albion A. Perry.
Board of Aldermen. - Ward One : L. Herbert Huntley, Josiah N. Pratt. Ward Two : Melville D. Jones, President ; Robert S. Wright. Ward Three : Leonard B. Chandler, James M. Andrews. Ward Four : William H. Berry, Howard D. Moore. Clerk, George I. Vincent.
Common Council. - Ward One : Frank DeWitt Lapham, Frank B. Burrows, John Hunnewell, L. Edgar Timson. Ward Two: George E. Whitaker, President; William M. Irving, Richard A. Russell, French O. J. Tarbox. Ward Three : Andrew A. Lamont, Arthur W. Berry, Howard Lowell, Marcus M. Raymond. Ward Four : John N. Ball, Fred M. Carr, Silas L. Cummings, Albert L. Reed. Clerk, Charles S. Robertson.
Assessors. - (Term, three years.) Benjamin F. Thompson, Chairman (term expires 1896), Samuel T. Richards (term expires 1898), Nathan H. Reed (term expires 1897) ; Clerk of Assessors, Albert B. Fales.
Board of Health. - (Term, three years.) Allen F. Carpenter, Chair- man (term expires 1897), Alvah B. Dearborn, M. D. (term expires 1898), Alvano T. Nickerson, Chairman (term expires 1899) ; Clerk, William P. Mitchell ; Inspector, Caleb A. Page ; Superintendent Collection of Ashes and Offal, George W. S. Huse.
Overseers of the Poor. - (Office, Police Building, Bow street.) Albion A. Perry, Mayor, Chairman, ex officio (term, four years). . Edward B. West, President (term expires 1899), Albert W. Edmands (term expires 1897), Herbert E. Merrill (term expires 1898), Ezra D. Souther (term expires 1896) ; Agent, Charles C. Folsom ; Secretary, Cora F. Lewis.
Registrars of Voters. - (Term : City Clerk, one year ; other members, three years.) Cromwell G. Rowell, Chairman (term expires 1897), Charles P. Lincoln (term expires 1898), Charles E. Parks (term expires 1899), George I. Vincent, City Clerk.
City Clerk and Clerk of Board of Aldermen, George I. Vincent.
City Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, John F. Cole.
Messenger to City Council, Jairus Mann.
City Solicitor, Selwyn Z. Bowman.
City Auditor, Charles S. Robertson.
City Engineer, Ernest W. Bailey.
Consulting Engineer, George A. Kimball.
Superintendent of Streets, John P. Prichard. Inspector and Superintendent of Public Buildings, Frederick C. Fuller. Chief of Police, Melville C. Parkhurst.
Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, James R. Hopkins.
Superintendent of Electric Lines and Lights, Leighton W. Manning.
City Physician, Alvah B. Dearborn, M. D.
Inspector of Milk and Vinegar, Charles S. Philbrick.
Inspector of Animals and Provisions, Charles M. Berry.
Sealer of Weights and Measures, Luther B. Pillsbury. Clerk of Committees, William P. Mitchell.
F. O. J. TARBOX.
ERNEST W. BAILEY.
ALLEN F. CARPENTER.
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS.
CHAPTER XV.
FROM 1842 TO THE CLOSE OF THE SUPERINTENDENCY OF JOSHUA H. DAVIS, 1888 .*
THE citizens of Somerville have always manifested their high ap- preciation of education by their generous support of the public schools. The ever increasing demands for their maintenance and for the construc- tion of school buildings have been cheerfully met. School officers and teachers have received the hearty support of the entire community. Suc- cessive school boards have labored with vigilance and fidelity to maintain a high standard of excellence and to adapt the schools to the ever varying requirements of the community. They have equally avoided excessive conservatism and extreme radicalism. They have adopted new methods and measures only when their superiority was apparent. In their efforts to promote intellectual culture, they have not been unmindful of the more important duty of inculcating principles of morality and virtue, and of lay- ing the foundation of worthy character.
Under such conditions, by such guidance and supervision, the public schools of Somerville have uniformly maintained a position in the front ranks of the best in the Commonwealth.
At the time when Somerville became a separate municipality, a new and interesting era in educational affairs had been inaugurated. In the year 1837, Horace Mann was appointed secretary of the newly organized Board of Education. His indomitable energy and boundless enthusiasm aroused an interest in education throughout the State never before realized. During his term of twelve years in office, he completely revolutionized our public school system.
When the State Board of Education was organized, there was but one institution designed especially to prepare teachers for their work, but one publication to disseminate information upon educational subjects; there were no teachers' conventions, and very few books that furnished practical information to teachers. School architecture was of a rude type.
During his first year in office, Mr. Mann visited eight hundred school-
* To the former Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Joshua H. Davis, the editors of this volume are under great obligations for a valuable paper containing the material from which this chapter, and portions of the succeeding chapters of the History of Somerville's Schools have been prepared. Many other valuable facts and observations in the manuscript fur- nished by Mr. Davis have been necessarily omitted for want of space.
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houses in the State. As a result of his observations, he made the following statement : " Not one-third of the public schoolhouses in Massachusetts would be considered tenantable by any decent family out of the poorhouse or in it. I have seen many schoolhouses in central districts of rich and populous towns, where each seat connected with a desk consisted only of an upright post or pedestal, without side-arms or back-board ; and some of them so high that the feet of the children sought after the floor in vain." The commodious school buildings, comfortable furnishings and excellent schools to be found in every town, at the present day, are in striking con- trast with those which passed under the observation of the eminent sec- retary.
After examining the schools of every county in the State, Mr. Mann commented upon their condition as follows : "There are about three thou- sand public schools in this Commonwealth, in all of which the rudiments of knowledge are taught. These schools at the present time are so many distinct, independent communities, each being governed by its own habits, traditions and local customs. There is no common superintending power over theni. There is no bond of brotherhood or family between them. They are strangers and aliens to each other."
Persons in middle life will recall the poorly constructed schoolhouses of those days : the pine benches, unpainted, often notched by boys' jack- knives, rising in tiers from the front to the rear of the room, the seats of the same material and of sufficient length to accommodate several pupils ; the frame of blackened boards, splintery and with here and there a knot-hole ; the angular pieces of chalk that would sometimes leave a mark, but oftener a scratch ; the odds and ends of text-books, which not infrequently were in use for a whole generation. A large stove, or in many cases, an enormous fire-place furnished warmth in excess to those who sat near, while those in the farther portions of the room sat shivering from the winds that found in- gress through the weather-beaten walls. Globes, outline maps, charts, and crayons were almost unknown to the schools of sixty years ago.
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