Town annual report of Swampscott 1946, Part 7

Author: Swampscott, Massachusetts
Publication date: 1946
Publisher: The Town
Number of Pages: 232


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1946 > Part 7


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It is provided that all civil service employees in the Department of Public Welfare of the Commonwealth, including the supervisor, ref- erees and employees of the subdivision of appeals in said department or of any city or town, employed in the administration of the Old Age Assistance Law on the effective date of this proposed measure, shall be transferred to the service of the Old Age Pension Commission, retain- ing their present civil service seniority retirement rights and any step increases from the minimum pay of their grade earned during their service with said department or said bureaus.


It is provided that all records and property used in the administra- tion of the Old Age Assistance Law and which are the property of the Commonwealth are to be transferred to the Old Age Pension Com- mission.


This act shall take effect on March first, nineteen hundred and forty-seven,-


which proposed law was approved in the House of Rep- resentatives by a vote of 125 in the affirmative and 79 in the negative, and on which the Senate did not vote,


YES


NO 1 -be approved ?


QUESTION NO. 2 LAW PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION


Shall this measure which provides that no labor union may be operated or maintained unless there is filed with the Commissioner of Labor and Industries a statement signed by the President and Treas- urer setting forth the union's officers, aims, scale of dues, fees, fines, assessments and the salaries of the officers.


The President and Treasurer of a labor union is required to file annually with the Commissioner of Labor and Industries a detailed statement in writing setting forth all receipts and expenditures of the union which shall be open to the public, and the said Commissioner is given the power to summons witnesses and records; and there is a penalty of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 for whoever fails to file a statement or whoever knowingly makes a false statement,- which was disapproved in the House of Representatives YES İ by a vote of 50 in the affirmative and 154 in the negative and in the Senate by a vote of 6 in the affirmative and NO 24 in the negative, -be approved ?


To obtain a full expression of opinion, voters should vote on all three of the following questions :-


(a) If a voter desires to permit the sale in this city (or town) of any and all alcoholic beverages to be drunk on and off the premises where sold, he will vote "YES" on all three questions.


(b) If he desires to permit the sale herein of wines and malt bev-


68


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


erages only to be drunk on and off the premises where sold, he will vote "NO" on question one, "YES" on question two and "NO" on question three.


(c) If he desires to permit the sale herein of all alcoholic beverages but only in packages, so called, not to be drunk on the premises where sold, he will vote "NO" on questions one and two and "YES" on question three.


(d) If he desires to permit the sale herein of wines and malt bev- erages to be drunk on and off the premises where sold and in addition other alcoholic beverages, but only in packages, so called, not to be drunk on the premises where sold, he will vote "NO" on question one and "YES" on questions two and three.


(e) If he desires to prohibit the sale herein of any and all alcoholic beverages whether to be drunk on or off the premises where sold, he will vote "NO" on all three questions.


1. Shall licenses be granted in this city (or town) for the sale therein of all alcoholic beverages (whisky, rum, gin, malt beverages, wines and all other alcoholic beverages) ?


YES |


NO -


2. Shall licenses be granted in this city (or town) for the sale therein of wines and malt beverages (wines and beer, ale and all other malt beverages) ?


YES İ


NO 1


3. Shall licenses be granted in this city (or town) for the sale therein of all alcoholic beverages in pack- ages, so called, not to be drunk on the premises ?


YES


NO


1. Shall the pari-mutuel system of betting on li- censed horse races be permitted in this county ?


NO


2. Shall the pari-mutuel system of betting on li- censed dog races be permitted in this county ?


YES !


NO


"Shall the General Court enact legislation requiring jury service by women, with such reservations as it may prescribe ?"


YES


NO |


QUESTION OF PUBLIC POLICY


"Shall the Representatives in the General Court from this District be instructed to vote to request the President and the Congress of the United States to direct our Delegates to the United Nations to propose or sup- port Amendments to its Charter which will strengthen the United Nations and make it a World Federal Gov- ernment able to prevent War ?"


YES |


NO | --


THE POLLS WILL BE OPEN FROM 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M.


And you are directed to serve this warrant by posting an attested copy thereof at the Town Hall, the Post Office, and in at least two public and conspicuous places in each precinct in the town, and at or in the immediate vicinity of each railroad station in the town not less than seven days before the day appointed for said meeting.


YES |


69


RECORDS OF THE TOWN CLERK


1946]


HEREOF FAIL NOT, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon at the time and place of said meeting.


Given under our hands this third day of October, 1946.


(Seal.)


A true copy. Attest:


LEONARD H. BATES, Constable.


ROBERT G. BYRNE, KENNETH W. ULMAN, ROGER J. CONNELL, Selectmen of Swampscott.


RETURN ON THE WARRANT


Pursuant to the within warrant to me directed, I have notified the legal voters of Swampscott, by posting attested copies of said warrant at the Town Hall, Post Offices at least two public and conspicuous places in each precinct in the town, and at or in the immediate vicinity of each railroad station in Swampscott on Monday, October 28, 1946, the posting of said notices being seven days before the time of said meeting.


LEONARD H. BATES,


Constable.


STATE ELECTION Tuesday, November 5, 1946


In accordance with the foregoing warrant, the voters of Swamp- scott assembled at their voting places in the several precincts and were called to order at 7 o'clock A.M. by their presiding officers. The war- rant with the return thereon was read by the Clerk in each precinct.


The following were appointed Precinct Officers and qualified for same:


PRECINCT ONE Warden


J. Hervey Blackford, R


Clerk Harriett T. Kain, D


Inspector. Lauretta M. Fournier, D


Inspector Ruth B. Houghton, R


Teller


Cornelia T. Moore, R


Teller. Mary L. Ronzano, D


Teller Beatrice F. Hamel, D


Teller.


Catherine Hogan, I


Teller. Esther Philbin, R


Teller. Sarah Norcross, R


PRECINCT TWO


Warden William T. Pearson, R


Clerk. Ernest Loyte


Inspector Lillian A. Currant, R


Inspector James E. Connor, D


Teller Doris L. Smith, D


Teller. .Margaret Nolan, D


Teller. Ruth Conley, R


Teller. John Philpot, D


Teller Miriam D. Magee, I


Teller Virginia Olson, D


Teller William R. Patten, R


70


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


PRECINCT THREE


Warden


Stuart P. Ellis, R


Clerk.


.Walter L. Kehoe, D


Inspector Alma A. Jackson, R


Inspector


Lee A. Cooley


Teller


Winnifred G. Jacobs, R


Teller. Cleora Tilden


Teller.


Elizabeth M. Callahan, D


Teller. Margaret M. Stinson, D


Teller.


Dorothy I. Legere, D


Teller.


Elva P. Garey, R


PRECINCT FOUR


Warden Herman B. Betts, R


Clerk


Bessie F. Maguire, D


Inspector Henry P. Grace, D


Inspector.


Anna C. Howard


Teller


Lucille V. Duggan, D


Teller


Hazel C. Sibley, R


Teller


Edith J. Johnson, R


Teller


.Ida G. Ingalls, D


Teller.


Martha L. Graham, R


Teller


Eileen Goodwin, D


PRECINCT FIVE


Warden. John T. Morrison, R


Clerk F. H. McCarron, D


Inspector Christina Pierce, D


Inspector


Joan Brown, R ...


Teller


Helen R. Gillen, R


Teller Bessie P. Laxton, R


Teller


Alice E. Leslie, D


Teller


Francis H. McCarron


Teller.


Sydna H. Collins, R


Telle


Florence E. Scanlon, D


Teller


Valerie Byrne, R


PRECINCT SIX


Warden. Irving Curtis, R


Clerk Anna M. Burke, D


Inspector Anna G. Mather, D


Inspector Lucy G. Nickerson, R


Teller


Eva Evans, R


Teller Katherine Lamkin, R


Teller Marie G. Sprague, R


Teller


.Helen Coan, D


Telle


Sarah Holbry, R


Teller.


Doris L. Torrey, R


PRECINCT SEVEN


Warden. Glover Swindlehurst, D


Clerk George C. Cotton, R


Inspector Annie L. Ward, D


Inspector Earl Bailey, R


Teller David F. Carroll, R


Teller Ethel Spear, D


Teller. Grace Russell, R


Teller Blanche Pratt, R


Teller Alice M. Weber, D


Teller


Madeline Costin, I


PRECINCT EIGHT


Warden Etta J. Minton, R


Clerk. Irene H. Johnson, R


Inspector .Mary B. Hill, R


Inspector. Elizabeth A. Donlon, D


Teller Anna T. Connors, D


Teller. Irene L. Perkins, I


Teller Mary Beaton, R


Teller. Pauline Duncan, R


Teller Gladys Williams, R


Teller Helen C. Burk, D


71


The balloting started at 7 o'clock A.M. and the count started at 3 P.M. The polls closed at 7 P.M. The ballot boxes registered correctly and the checks on the voting list were the same as the vote cast.


Precinct 6 was the first to make a return, at 8:55 P.M., and Pre- cinct 8 the last, at 11:05 P.M.


The following number of votes were cast:


Precinct 1


636


2


701


3


639


4


588


5


751


6


592


7


860


8


787


Total vote cast


5554


For Governor:


Precinct


1 2


3 4 5


6


7


8 · Total


Robert F. Bradford,


Cambridge


443 541 461 466 636 463 674 639 181 153 167 116 112 119 178 144


4


1


2


16


Guy S. Williams, Worcester 0


4


2


0


0


1 5


6


2


37


For Lieutenant Governor:


Arthur W. Coolidge, Reading 421 536 436 457 592 444 638 610


4134


Paul A. Dever, Cambridge ....


184 155 188 125 148 131 205 156


1292


Alfred Erickson, Quincy ..


1


1


4


0


2


2


2


0


12


Francis A. Votano, Lynn


14


4


5


1


2


6


1


33


36


Blanks


16


5


6


5


7


9


14 18


80


For Secretary:


Frederic W. Cook, Somerville 464 564 490 479 642 480 710 655


4484


Benedict F. FitzGerald, Jr., Cambridge


137 117 129


97


91


94 120 104


889


Malcolm T. Rowe, Lynn


15


10


9


1


7


5


9


4


60


Blanks


20


10


11


11


11


13


21


24


121


For Treasurer:


Laurence Curtis, Boston ..


431 533 456 460 605 449 675 632


4241


John E. Hurley, Boston


182 150 155 116 133 127 159 136


1148


Lawrence Gilfedder, Boston


8


13


6


2


4


5


1


2


41


Charles E. Vaughan,


2


0


2


1


0


1


2


0


8


Blanks


13


5


20


9


9


10


23


17


106


For Auditor:


Thomas J. Buckley,


Boston


206 187 186 129 148 136 189 165


1346


Russell A. Wood, Cambridge 402 494 427 446 589 436 632 601


4027


Pearl J. McGlynn, Springfield


6


5


7


2


3


2


11


2


38


Robert A. Simmons, Boston ..


3


1


5


1


1


3


0


1


15


Blanks


19


14


14


10


10


15


28


18


128


For Attorney General: Clarence A. Barnes, Mansfield


414 539 459 468 627 466 681 658 193 139 160 103 108 107 150 105


4312


Francis E. Kelly, Boston ..


1065


William F. Oro, Boston . ......


8


4


8


1


3


6


2


4


36


Howard B. Rand, Haverhill.


3


4


3


3


1


1


2


2


19


Blanks


18


15


9


13


12


12


25


18


122


0


3


4


1


1


1


0


8


Blanks


12


0


5


5


2


4323


Maurice J. Tobin, Boston


1170


Horace I. Hillis, Saugus ...


Brockton


RECORDS OF THE TOWN CLERK


1946]


72


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


For Senator in Congress: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.,


Beverly


491 575 495 484 644 474 710 657


4530


David I. Walsh, Fitchburg. ...


133 118 134


97


99 106 135 122


944


Henning A. Blomen, Boston ..


1


4


2


0


2


4


0


2


15


Mark R. Shaw, Melrose.


1


1


0


0


1


1


0


0


4


Blanks


10


3


8


7


5


7


15


6


61


For Congressman, Sixth District:


George J. Bates, Salem


448 559 490 485 633 494 708 674


4491


Richard B. O'Keefe, Salem


174 133 136


95 103


89 126 100


956


Blanks


14


9


13


8


15


9


26


13


107


For Councillor, Fifth District:


Alfred C. Gaunt, Methuen ...


422 520 459 456 583 449 636 609


4134


Robert V. O'Sullivan,


Lawrence


192 172 152 119 143 123 180 150


1231


Blanks


22


9


28


13


25


20


44


28


189


For Senator, First Essex District:


Charles V. Hogan, Lynn


225 230 211 154 190 163 225 185


1583


Grayce M. Lawrence, Swampscott


394 463 410 423 548 416 616 579


3849


Blanks


17


8


18


11


13


13


19 23


122


Representatives in General Court:


Eben Parsons, Marblehead .... 490 550 489 480 641 463 666 636 Kendall A. Sanderson, Marblehead


4223


Edmond Talbot, Jr., Salem ....


440 517 462 475 605 447 669 608 453 521 457 454 600 431 633 588


4137


Blanks


525 515 509 355 407 435 612 529


3887


County Commissioner:


William J. O'Leary, Haverhill 162 151 154 110 141 118 165 170


1171


Arthur A. Thompson, Methuen


433 527 440 455 582 429 632 566


4064


Blanks


41


23


45


23


28


45


63


51


319


District Attorney :


Hugh A. Cregg, Methuen


551 611 535 511 674 502 735 699


4818


Blanks


85


90 104 77


77


90 125 88


736


Clerk of Courts:


Archie N. Frost, Andover .... Blanks


102


97 111


84 88 103 145 105


835


For Register of Deeds:


Thomas F. Duffy, Lynn ... 194 153 180 121 144 127 191 161 A. Franklin Priest, Haverhill 412 517 425 451 586 430 613 593


4027


Blanks


30


31


34


16


21


35


56 33


256


Register of Probate and Insolvency: John James Costello, North Andover


145 138 134 104 107


91 140 124


983 4321


Richard J. White, Jr., Lynn 460 539 472 470 626 463 665 626


Blanks


31


24


33


14


18


38


55 37


250


For County Treasurer:


James D. Bentley,


Swampscott


497 587 508 479 634 477 710 636


4528


John M. Bresnahan, Lynn ..


122 103 117


96 106 103 123 120


890


Blanks


17


11


14


13


11


12


27


31


136


Question No. 1-Pensions:


Yes


289 266 229 179 214 167 299 213


1856


No


154 270 250 273 390 276 359 441


2413


Blanks


193 165 160 136 147 149 202 133


1285


534 604 528 504 663 489 715 682


4719


1271


4415


73


RECORDS OF THE TOWN CLERK


1946]


Question No. 2-Labor:


Yes


321 417 390 363 538 394 576 603


3602


No


143 127 113 100 105


72 108


84


852


Blanks


172 157 136 125 108 126 176 100


1100


Question No. 1-Licenses:


Yes


457 466 428 426 533 407 084 613


4014


No


122 167 161 112 166 131 116 115


1090


Blanks


57


68


50


50


52


54


60


59


450


No. 2-Licenses:


Yes


439 444 398 417 516 391 632 564


3801


No


104 151 158


87 154 106 100 105


965


Blanks


93 106


83


84


81


95 128 118


788


No. 3-Licenses:


Yes


450 459 409 417 527 420 649 594


3925


No


96 143 142


87 140


91 101


86


886


Blanks


90


99


88


84 84


81 110 107


743


Horses:


Yes


362 315 310 304 313 290 415 339


2648


No


183 294 253 225 355 224 311 365


2210


Blanks


91


92


76


59


83


78 134 83


696


Dogs:


Yes


315 278 281 255 259 244 389 283


2304


No


197 299 256 243 384 234 315 382


2310


Blanks


124 124 102 90 109 114 156 122


940


Jury:


Yes


371 397 358 342 461 353 487 491


3260


No


125 187 159 150 181 130 174 197


1303


Blanks


140 117 122


96 109 109 199


99


991


United Nation:


Yes


463 535 496 445 586 447 646 647


4265


No


33


31


27


37


53


32


46


97


356


Blanks


140 135 116 106 112 113 168


43


933


Adjourned at 11:50 P.M.


Attest:


MALCOLM F. MacLEAN, JR., Town Clerk.


RECOUNT OF VOTES


In accordance with the order of Frederic W. Cook, Secretary of the Commonwealth, a recount for votes cast for Lieutenant Governor and Auditor at the State Election, November 5, 1946, was held in the Town Hall, December 2, 1946, at 7:00 P.M., by the Board of Registrars as- sisted by the following tellers :


John Yasi Irving Curtis John Morrison Walter Kehoe Frank Melvin


Leonard Bates Ralph Floro Anthony Queena Donald Sawyer Stuart Ellis


Lois Munsey, Tabulator


74


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


The results were as follows:


For Lieutenant Governor:


Arthur W. Coolidge


421 539 436 455 593 445 637 610


4136


Paul A. Dever


184 152 188 126 147 130 206 165


1298


Alfred Erickson


2


1


3


0


2


3


3


1


15


Francis A. Votano


13


4


5


1


2


5


0


3


33


Blanks


16


5


7


6


8


9


13


8


72


For Auditor:


Thomas J. Buckley


205 185 187 133 151 142 199 170


1372


Russell A. Wood


402 494 427 441 586 430 622 596


3998


Pearl J. McGlinn


6


4


6


1


3


3


1


2


26


Robert A. Simmons


1


2


2


2


1


2


0


1


11


Blanks


22


16


17


11


11


15


37


18


147


Original Vote


Recount Vote


Coolidge


4134


4136


Dever


1292


1298


Erickson


12


15


Votano


36


33


Blanks


80


72


5554


5554


Buckley


1346


1372


Wood


4027


3998


McGlynn


38


26


Simmons


15


11


Blanks


128


147


5554


5554


The following number of votes were cast:


Precinct 1


636


2


701


3


639


4


588


5


752


6


592


7


859


8


787


Total vote cast


5554


HERBERT W. ANDREWS, HAROLD R. YOUNG, DOROTHY M. MINTON, MALCOLM F. MacLEAN, JR., Clerk,


Board of Registrars.


Attest:


MALCOLM F. MacLEAN, JR., Town Clerk.


75


DISPOSITION OF OLD TOWN HALL


1946]


Report of Committee Re Disposition of Old Town Hall


On July 6, 1945, the Moderator, under Article 28 of the Annual Town Meeting of that year, appointed Henry S. Baldwin, Philip W. Blood, Robert G. Byrne, Loring Grimes, and H. D. Linscott, a Commit- tee to look into the question of disposition of the old Town Hall and report to the Annual Town Meeting of 1946.


The building comes within the definition of a public assembly hall in General Laws, Chapter 143, and hence is under supervision of the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety. For use as a hall a cer- tificate of occupancy from the department is required. Unless revoked, the certificate runs for five years. The Committee learned that the certificate last issued had expired in December, 1944, and had not been renewed. On August 8, 1945, the Committee wrote the Selectmen call- ing attention to this situation. The Committee then asked the district inspector of the Department of Public Safety for a report. The report was made in September, 1945. A copy is attached. He recommended fire escapes, better exit doors, enclosing boiler room with masonry, repairing plaster and roof leaks, overhauling auxiliary gas lighting system and other improvements. "In order for me to certify the build- ing for use in accordance with Chapter 143," he wrote, these orders must be complied with. Also closing up the rubbish closet under the stairway.


If it seems strange that a certificate should be refused after occu- pancy for so many years, the answer probably is that building laws and inspection tightened after the Cocoanut Grove fire. It needs no expert to realize that use by any considerable gathering of people must have been a hazard.


The Committee asked the town building inspector to furnish an estimate of the cost of the changes required by the state. He sub- mitted an estimate, itemized, of $3,190.00.


The Town Hall was built in 1860 at a cost said to have been about $4600. In 1902 the annex was added at a cost of approximately $5200. Since all town offices are in the new Administration Building, and town meetings may be held in the entirely adequate Hadley School Auditorium, the Town Hall now serves no municipal need save to house the automatic fire alarm whistle and its equipment, which could be placed elsewhere or discontinued.


Possible use for other than municipal purposes has been consid- ered. General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 9, provides: "A city or town may for the purpose of providing suitable headquarters for a post or posts of The American Legion and of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and for a chapter or chapters of the Disabled American Veterans of the World War and for a post or posts of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States and for a post or posts of La Legion Franco-Americaine des Etats-Unis d'Amerique, lease for a period not exceeding five years buildings or parts of buildings which shall be under the direction and control of such post or posts, or chapter or chapters, subject to regulations made in cities by the mayor with the approval of the council and in towns by vote of the town."


Leon E. Abbott Post, American Legion, occupies a building on Burrill Street. It is owned by Leon E. Abbott Post, American Legion,


76


TOWN DOCUMENTS


[Dec. 31


Building Association, purchased in 1923 when the Association raised approximately $10,000 by subscriptions. The town leases it as quar- ters for the Legion at $1350 per year.


Joseph L. Stevens Post No. 1240, Veterans of Foreign Wars, has quarters at 434 Humphrey Street, leased to the town and furnished to the Post at $650 per year. A four-year lease expires May 6, 1946. The lease can be renewed or the Post can remain as tenant at will. The owner, Frank H. Smith, does not intend to ask the Post to vacate.


Both organizations seek increased membership from veterans of World War II. There is a possibility that groups of World War II vet- erans may form their own organization. Joseph L. Stevens Post also plans to raise $50,000, its representatives say, to build its own memo- rial building.


Joseph L. Stevens Post applied to the Selectmen to grant it the use of the old Town Hall for quarters in place of its present rooms at 434 Humphrey Street. The Selectmen applied to the Finance Committee to authorize a transfer of money from the Emergency Fund to make the changes and improvements necessary for occupancy. Since the mat- ter was not an emergency within the meaning of the municipal finance act, and since the fund was insufficient to cover this and necessary emergency drafts, and since the question was one for the Town Meet- ing rather than any board to pass on, the Finance Committee properly declined approval. This led to the calling of a Special Town Meeting January 8, 1946. A quorum did not attend, no action could be taken, and the meeting adjourned to the present date.


Representatives of Joseph L. Stevens Post conferred with our Committee. Its Adjutant, Albert W. Tucker of Lynn, wrote us that the Post "would like to have the use of the top floor and the ell in which the water department was. We would expect to have the town use it any time they wish," and added, "we are out to build a memorial building and hope to have it in about two years."


In November, 1945, the Selectmen sent out a straw ballot. With it was an appeal headed, "This is your Town Hall. Do you wish it de- stroyed ?" There had been no proposal to destroy it. The appeal stated that "many groups have indicated their desire to obtain quarters in the building. The Boy Scouts, the Sea Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, the group promoting the Youth Center, the Shaw Improvement Associa- tion, and many others are interested. Most important of all, veterans' group are growing rapidly with added membership from the veterans of World War II. Stevens Post must vacate their quarters on Hum- phrey Street in March of next year." The appeal was so worded that votes in favor were bound to predominate. We do not mean to say that a majority of citizens may not be in favor of keeping the building. But a presentation of all sides of the question would have made the expres- sion more impressive.


The Finance Committee engaged Thomas W. Duncan to inspect the building and report the cost of putting it in shape. Mr. Duncan has a lifelong background as a building contractor plus a very complete experience during the past six years in constructing Army canton- ments. His opinion is authoritative. Mr. Duncan reports that, in addi- tion to the improvements required by the Department of Public Safety, the building must have a new heating system. He estimates the total expense at $9855. This does not include removal of vaults, which would be expensive. A copy of his report is attached.


If the building were renovated as above outlined, there would still remain a lower floor cut up into small offices not adapted to any of the uses described. If quarters are to be provided for civic organizations mentioned, alterations here would be necessary, and sanitary facilities should be improved.


77


DISPOSITION OF OLD TOWN HALL


1946]


Assuming the building were put in shape for use of the various organizations, there would remain an annual upkeep of around $5000, with no one but the town to pay.


Without meaning to belittle the efforts of Joseph L. Stevens Post to obtain a memorial building, and wishing its members all success, experience makes us skeptical of the ability of a single organization to raise $50,000 in Swampscott, or of this sum being adequate to acquire land and put up a suitable building. It is possible, though by no means certain, that if a substantial sum were raised, a mortgage loan might be obtained, but the service of this and the maintenance of such a building would be quite a burden.


If the Town Hall were neded for municipal purposes, then to allow its incidental use by civic organizations would be in order. But where it is not so needed, appropriation of money for such use alone would be of questionable legality. Towns can raise money only for purposes authorized by statute.


Thus, the situation is that the town owns a building which at present serves no real municipal use. Should it now make an appropria- tion to rehabilitate it for use of non-municipal organizations ? Regard- less of how low the appropriation may be set in the beginning, experi- ence shows that in the end required expenditures generally exceed all estimates. If we start, we doubtless will end up by being called on to appropriate more than originally figured. Further, should the town fur- nish annually janitor service, heat, light and the other necessary items of overhead ? Once it undertakes this expense the chances are it will continue indefinitely.


Since the town offices were moved into the new Administration Building, the old building has been used as a meeting place of the Lions Club, a business men's group, Scout organizations, and others. Presumably the number is limited so that the use does not require a state certificate, although we do not know that this is so. We under- stand no charge is made to these organizations. Even were a charge made it would doubtless be nominal. Can the citizens be taxed to pro- vide free quarters for civic organizations ?


A memorial building with quarters and facilities for patriotic and civic organizations, groups, classes, club and social gatherings, well planned, so equipped as to appeal to youth as well as adults, would be good. It ought to stimulate leadership, public spirit, and generally be helpful to the public welfare. Desirable as this may be. it is not a municipal function. Perhaps such an undertaking could be financed and carried on by a public subscription if all organizations and groups in Swampscott could be persuaded to combine in a genuine public spirited effort. Such a building should be owned and operated by a public civic organization, its control entirely free from town politics. Possibly in time legislative sanction may give wider scope to undertakings of this sort.




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