USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Town annual report of Weymouth 1933 > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
NORFOLK, ss.
To either of the Constables of the Town of Weymouth, GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of Weymouth aforesaid, qualified to vote in elections, to meet at the polling places in their respective precincts, to wit .:
In precinct 1 in Fire Engine House located in that precinct :
In precinct 2 at the G. A. R. Hall on Commercial Street :
In precinct 3 at the Hunt School Gymnasium on Broad Street :
In precinct 4 at the building of the Citizen's Association, Inc. on Front Street :
In precinct 5 at the building of the Pond School, on Pond Street :
In precinct 6 at the new Ward 2 Fire Engine House on the northerly side of Broad Street, which place has been designated as the polling place of Precinct 6 in accordance with Chapter 54 of the General Laws : In precinct 7 at the Lovell's Corner Improvement Association build- ing on Washington Street :
In precinct 8 at the Weymouth Heights Club building on North Street : In precinct 9 at the building of the Norfolk Club on Pleasant Strreet ; on
Tuesday, the Thirteenth day of June, 1933
at 12:00 o'clock noon, then and there to bring in to the election officers their votes on one ballot for the purpose of electing three delegates from the Thirteenth District to a Constitutional Convention called to act upon a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment; and for the further purpose of voting Yes or No on the following question :-
"Shall licenses be granted in the town for the sale therein of wines and malt beverages ?"
The polls will be open from 12:00 o'clock noon to 8:00 P. M.
You are directed to serve this warrant by posting a copy there- of, attested by you in writing, in each of two public places in each vot- ing precinct in said town, seven days at least before the time for hold- ing said meeting, as directed by vote of the town.
Hereof fail not and make due return of this warrant with your do- ings thereon to the Town Clerk of said Town on or before the tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Thirty- three.
EVERETT E. CALLAHAN JOSEPH A. FERN JOSEPH CREHAN WILLIAM A. CONNELL H. FRANKLIN PERRY Selectmen of Weymouth
83
RETURN OF SERVICE Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Weymouth, June 3, 1933
Norfolk, ss.
I have this day served the within warrant by posting a true copy thereof attested by me in writing in each of two places in each voting precinct in said Town of Weymouth seven days before the time of holding said election.
Harold Spillane Constable of Weymouth
SPECIAL ELECTION
June 13, 1933
Election of Delegates to a convention called to ratify or reject the following Amendment to the Constitution of the United States pro- posed by Joint Resolution of Congress.
Text of Proposed Amendment
"Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitu- tion of the United States is hereby repealed.
"Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Ter- ritory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby pro- hibited
"Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by Convention in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."
Thirteenth Congressional District Delegates opposed to Ratification (Against Repeal)
George W. Alden
11 Newbury St., Brockton 136
23 128 59 74 76 45 71
110 722
Claire H. Gurney
188 Warren Ave., Brockton 136
24
126
57 74
73
43
71
110 714
Alice C. Ropes
15 Wollaston Ave., Quincy 131 24
128
57
75 74 43
70
110
712
Delegates Favoring Ratification (For Repeal)
Frank A. Manning 55 Division St. Brockton
395
389
497
176
220
439
184
156
253 2709
Neil A. McDonald
54 West St., Quincy 409
391
494
175
220
434
167
157
255
2722
84
Mason Sears
1 West St., Dedham 394
384 488 171
216
432
182
156
252
2675
Blanks
115
88
143
46
45
137
51
42
80
747
"Shall licenses be granted
in this Town for the sale therein of wines and malt beverages ?"
Yes
415
345
503
179
205
459
201
149
249
2705
No
149
86
149
64
100
85
42
86
139
900
Blanks
8
10
16
4
3
11
2
6
2
62
Total
572
441
668
247
308
555
245
241
390
3667
Attest : CLAYTON B. MERCHANT, Town Clerk
WARRANT FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
NORFOLK, ss.
To the Constables of the Town of Weymouth, in said County,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of Weymouth aforesaid, qualified to vote in Town affairs to meet in the hall of the Weymouth High School on
Tuesday, the Twentieth Day of June, 1933
at seven o'clock and forty-five minutes in the evening, then and there to act upon the following articles, namely :
Article 1. To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise or borrow and appropriate for the expenses and operation during the remainder of the current fiscal year of each of the following Town Departments and activities, to wit:
Item 1. For Charities, including :
(a) Relief given by the Town of Weyomuth to persons having a legal settlement in said Town;
(b) Relief given by the Town of Weymouth to persons not having a legal settlementin said Town.
Item 2. Soldiers' Relief.
Item 3. Selectmen's Dept.
and to determine in each case how and under whose direction the money shall be expended; to fix the terms and conditions of any loan or loans authorized to procure any of such funds and to author- ize the issue of any such bonds or notes, or take any other action in reference to any of the foregoing subjects.
-
85
Article 2. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the working of Randolph Street and for the re- moval of the ledge at the junction of Winter and Main Street, or take any other action in relation thereto.
You are directed to serve this warrant by posting a copy thereof, attested by you in writing, in each of two public places in each voting precinct in said town, seven days at least before the time for holding said meeting.
ยท Hereof fail not, make due return of this warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk of said Town on or before the fifteenth day of June, A. D., 1933.
Given under our hands at Weymouth this fifth day of June, A. D. 1933.
EVERETT E. CALLAHAN, JOSEPH A. FERN JOSEPH CREHAN
WILLIAM A. CONNELL
H. FRANKLIN PERRY Selectmen of Weymouth
A true copy, Attest : Harold Spillane
Constable of Weymouth
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE
On Articles in the Warrant For Special Town Meeting June 20, 1933
To the Town Meeting Members of the Town of Weymouth :
We wish to reaffirm our belief that money is in some instances being expended without adequate investigations as to the worthiness or necessitous condition of the recipient. We believe this may be obvi- ated immeasurably if a sufficient investigation is properly conducted in each case. We recommend again that the Police Department un- dertake this work. We feel the result would be a curtailment in pub- lic welfare expenditures, and we therefore recommend the appropria- tion of $70,000 for this purpose rather than the $80,000 as requested by the Board of Public Welfare under Article I, Item 1, sebdivi- sion (a).
We report and recommend as follows :
ARTICLE I.
Item (1) (a)
$70,000.00
(b) $25,000.00
Item (2)
$15,000.00
Item (3) Due to a vacancy on the Board of Selectmen we feel
86
that the appropriation made under Article I, Item 2, at the Annual Town Meeting will be sufficient, therefore we recommend no appro- priation for this item.
ARTICLE II.
Randolph Street $400.00
Winter and Main Street
$400.00
Respectfully Submitted :
For the Appropriation Committee.
RALPH H. HASKINS, Chairman, JOHN W. HEFFERNAN, Secretary.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
June 20, 1933
Pursuant to the within warrant a special meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Weymouth, represented by its duly elected and quali- fied Town Meeting Members, was held at the hall of the Weymouth High School, East Weymouth, on Tuesday evening, June 20, 1933.
The meeting was called to order at 8:50 o'clock by George L. Barnes, Annual Moderator, who requested the Town Clerk to read the warrant for the meeting. After reading the warrant the Moderator requested Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Burns, of St. Francis Xavier Church, South Weymouth, to invoke the Divine Blessing upon the delibera- tions of this meeting.
Elliot Sabens, Lester Tisdale and John W. Kennedy were sworn as Town Meeting Members.
Mr. Joseph A. Fern moved and so voted: That the members and audience arise and bow our heads in silent prayer one minute in ine- mory to Mr. H. Franklin Perry, a member of the Board of Selectmen who passed away June 12, 1933.
George L. Barnes, Moderator relinquished the chair to the Town Clerk, and proceeded to read resolutions in appreciation of the life and service of Bradford Hawes, this resolution was signed by a com- mittee appointed at the annual town meeting in March 1933.
RESOLUTIONS
Adopted by the Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Weymouth in appreciation of the life and service of
Bradford Hawes June 20, 1933
87
Bradford Hawes died on the twenty-first day of February, 1933 in the ninetieth year of his age.
Then there passed from the rolls of the citizenship of Weymouth one of its most distinguished and honored citizens. He commenced his service to his country on November 11, 1861 when at the age of twenty years he enlisted in Company K of the First Massachusetts Cavalry, and for the next three years he saw service in the armies of the Union in Florida and with the army of the Potomac.
One of his comrades pays this tribute to his military service :
"He performed the duties assigned to him without question or complaint. Having given himself to a worthy cause, he asked no fa- vors and demanded no exemption of duty."
He became a member of Reynolds Post G. A. R. at twenty-four years of age and held the highest positions of trust and confidence within the gift of the Post. He was Quartermaster of the Post at the time of his death.
In 1889 he was elected to the School Board of the Town of Wey- mouth and served in that capacity for eleven years.
In 1894 he was elected to the Board of Selectmen and Overseers of the Poor and served in those positions for twenty-six years, the condition of his health forcing him to offer his resignation in 1920, but the value of his information and acquaintance with affairs of the town was such that the town meeting was not willing to relinquish the benefit of his services and he was unanimously elected as Advisor to the Board of Selectmen and the town meeting was not willing to relinquish the benefit of his services and he was unanimously elected as Advisor to the Board of Selectmen and was continued in that position until the date of his death.
He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Tufts Library and as an Assessor of the Town of Weymouth for shorter periods. His further service to the town consisted of membership upon the Building Committee for the construction of the main high school building, membership upon the Building Committee of the Humphrey School, the Pratt School and the Town Infirmary.
Thus there was established a record of unusual service both in war and peace. Thus there is set forth the record of his service to his fellowmen in Weymouth, but this record indicates only too slightly the high regard and affection in which Mr. Hawes was held by all who knew him. .
No one ever heard Bradford Hawes express any view that was not the result of his honest, sincere and mature judgment. He was wholly unacquainted with artifice. He knew nothing of the method of creating popularity by being all things to all men. Whatever opinion he expressed was honest and sincere; it mattered not whether it gave him friends or foes. Those of us who had the good fortune to enjoy the friendship of Mr. Hawes will never forget his kindly and yet many characteristics; tall, erect, of fine figure, genial presence and kindly manner, he generated friendship and confidence wherever he went. He was an ambassador of good will and an apostle ever teaching the principles of the golden rule.
The Town of Weymouth has lost much in his death, but it has gained greatly by the example of the life that he led among us. His
88
record is an inspiration to all who are aware of it and an encour- agement to those of our citizens who endeavor to emulate his ex- ample of doing the day's work manfully, courageously and with jus- tice to all.
The name of Bradford Hawes will ever remain in Weymouth as a symbol of sterling character and high conception of duty and its per- formance to the best of one's judgment and ability.
Few, if any, of our citizens were more truly of Weymouth than Bradford Hawes. He lies in a Weymouth cemetery beside the graves of three generations of his ancestors dating backward to those of his great grandfather. In the days of the Empire it was said that the highest title that could be borne by man was that of "Roman Citi- zen." Those ancestors bequeathed to Mr. Hawes the title of a "Citizen of Weymouth." He carried it undimmed and untarnished throughout a long period of public service and has now delivered it to his posterity ennobled and enhanced by his service to this town. It has been well and truly said of him that he was
"Faithful to his home and family, faithful to his country, faithful to his town and faithful to his God."
Now the Town of Weymouth by its representatives in meeting as- sembled adopt these resolutions, and to perpetuate them permanently, order that they be inscribed upon the records of the town and copies sent to the relatives of Mr. Hawes.
Waldo Turner George L. Barnes
Parker T. Pearson Frederick Humphrey
John F. Dwyer
Mr. George L. Barnes moved that these resolutions be adopted by the meeting by a rising vote of the members. The Town Clerk put the question to the meeting and all members as well as the audience arose.
Mr. Ronald A. MacDonald asked unanimous consent of the meet- ing to make a statement upon the work to be done on Middle Street, no objection Mr. MacDonald proceeded and offered the following resolutions regarding regulations for work by citizens of the town on the Middle Street project.
Regulations for work on Middle Street
Any veteran with an honorable discharge will be eligible for work.
Citziens who are not veterans and owe a considerable amount of Taxes, and who out of employment, shall be eligible for work.
Single men, who are veterans, shall be entitled to two days work per week.
Any citizen who is married, with one to three dependents, and owing taxes, shall receive three days work per week.
89
Any citizen who is married, with four or more dependents, and owing taxes, shall receive four days work per week.
The total number of days received by any citizen shall be based as near as possible in proportion to the total amount of taxes they owe the town.
The selectmen in cooperation with the superintendent of streets shall have full power to enforce these regulations.
Submitted by RONALD A. MacDONALD
Mr. Everett E. Callahan moved that these resolutions regarding regulations be sent to the Division of Highways, Department of Pub- lic Works. So voted.
Article 1. Mr. John W. Heffernan, secretary of the Appropriation Committee moved : To raise and appropriate for the expenses and operation during the remainder of the current fiscal year of each of the following Town Departments and activities, to wit :
Item 1 For Charities $70,000.00
(a) Relief given by the Town of Weymouth to Town
(b) Relief given by the Town of Weymouth to persons not having a legal settlement in said Town 25,000.00
Item 2 Soldiers Relief 15,000.00
Item 3 Selectmen's Department No action
Mr. Heffernan moved that these items be taken up separately, so voted.
Mr. Benjamin W. Cowan, Chairman of the Committee of six ap- pointed by the Moderator at the adjourned annual town meeting held on March 8, 1933 read a report as follows :
Preliminary Report To Moderator Town of Weymouth, Massachusetts From Committee on Public Welfare
It is understood that the committee of six citizens of Weymouth appointed by the Town Moderator to work with the Board of Select- men in connection with public welfare was created for the following specific purposes :
1. To see if worthy cases are being given suitable aid.
2. To ascertain if unworthy cases are receiving aid.
3. To find out the methods of keeping historical records, in- vestigating cases, and giving aid.
4. To investigate the issuing of orders for groceries, rent, medical aid, shoes and clothing.
90
5. To endeavor to see that those receiving aid work for the town in lieu of charity.
6. To establish a system whereby the spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars can be accomplished through proper channels and with the greatest economy to the town.
After ten independent meetings, as well as five joint meetings with the Board of Selectmen and Public Welfare, the committee has con- cluded that :
1. Worthy cases are receiving suitable aid and that the town has been very generous in its treatment to all recipients.
2. It is impossible to find out, due to lack of cooperation from the Board of Public Welfare, how many unworthy cases are receiving aid from the town.
One of the first requests made of the Board of Public Welfare by the committee was for a list of the recipients of aid.
A questionaire was prepared and printed copies issued for use by the Chief of Police and the Welfare Investigator as an aid in check- ing up all welfare cases. These have never been used to any extent, yet the committee believes that it is extremely important that it should be done. Instructions to use these apparently have not been officially given to the proper persons and very little assistance has been given the committee along the lines of extensive investigation which are so essential in all cases of welfare to prevent dishonesty.
The committee believes that much economy to the town would re- sult if each and every welfare case is thoroughly investigated by an unbiased person assisted by the Chief of Police. In fact, it is quite probable that more economy can be developed through adequate in- vestigation and the strict denial of aid to unworthy cases than in any other manner. To accomplish this will require an entirely different attitude on the part of the Selectmen, individually and as a whole, than has been shown.
3. The system of handling cases now in vogue, whereby long hours are devoted by the Selectmen in interviewing applicants, should be turned over to the person employed for the purpose, and dispo- sition of the case be made in a systematic and orderly manner. The committee has endeavored to install a system and has received some cooperation along this line. It is believed better historical records are being kept. Some improvement has been shown in the handling of cases at the welfare office and coordination of the work is progressing.
4. The issuing of a new form of grocery order, on which is listed certain essential articles of food has been beneficial since it permits the recipient to trade where the most goods can be obtained for the money allowed, and simplifies the auditing of bills, and should pre- vent abuses formerly practiced in obtaining luxuries or unessential goods. Rents formerly paid have been altogether too high. Many towns do not pay any rents. Weymouth has been over-liberal on this item and to bring about economies a plan has been put into operation whereby rents are paid on a basis of the assessed valuation of the pro- perty rented to welfare cases. There have been many abuses of the
91
rent privilege and considerable economy has been achieved through the plan suggested by the committee and adopted by the Selectmen. However, additional savings are possible if greater care is exercised in agreeing to assumption of rent payment. The supplying of shoes and medical aid to welfare recipients has developed into a considerable item of expense to the town. Consideration has been given to the plan of carrying a stock of shoes in the welfare office at town hall, the shoes being purchased at wholesale prices. This idea is still being considered and some feasible plan will be recommended that, if adopted, will result in additional economies. The cost of medical aid to recipients was analyzed and found to be of considerable propor- tions. A letter was drafted and sent to practically all the doctors of the town suggesting methods of reducing and controlling this expense, and asking for advice and cooperation. The answers received are now being analyzed and doctors are being interviewed in an endeavor to obtain a broad understanding of the problems which have developed in connection with medical attention and hospitalization of welfare cases and some feasible plan will be recommended that, if adopted, will re- sult in additional economies.
5. Many recipients have been dilatory in working out their allot- ments, resulting in the accumulation of a large number of hours of labor owing to the town. An effort is being made by the Selectmen to obtain remunerative work from these cases, by using the Inspector of Buildings to aid in rounding up those in arrears and putting them to work.
Conclusion :
With the unfortunate conditions existing at the present time of a definite alignment of the majority of the Board of Selectmen and Pub- lic Welfare always voting as a unit, against the wishes of the mi- nority, there is bound to be difficulty in arriving at a satisfactory plan of economical handling of welfare work.
Lack of harmony in the Board is in evidence frequently and in- structions emanating from the Chairman of the Board are sometimes disregarded by the Clerk with consequent confusion and delay in mat- ters vital to the town's business.
The thought has always prevailed that the "welfare" committee had the power to act only in an advisory capacity and whether or not recommendations made to the Board of Public Welfare were adopted depended entirely on the majority vote of the five selectmen.
As stated previously in this report, this committee believes great economies can be obtained by cutting off from the welfare roll those individuals and families, who, after careful and impartial investiga- tion have been found capable of taking care of themselves or unworthy of aid.
It was the intention of this committee to have a capable, deter- mined man appointed as an investigator of all welfare cases, who would frequently present to the Board of Public Welfare and this committee his report and detailed questionaire for their inspection to acquaint them at all times of conditions in the welfare cases. Very unfortunately, the Selectmen voted and appointed, without consulting the committee, an assistant to the Welfare Investigator who, while capable enough for clerical work, is not, in the opinion of the com-
92
mittee, the type of a person most qualified to function as an investi- gator.
We believe that the Board of Public Welfare should have recog- nized the urgent need for reform in the indiscriminate granting and acceptance for aid and used every means at its command to limit and curtail the demands made upon the town for aid by people, some of whom were not even residents of Weymouth.
It appears to us, and we strongly recommend, that at the next town meeting, which we understand will be held this month, a sum of $2,000. should be appropriated for use and salary and transportation for a man to be appointed by the committee to act as a special in- vestigator of all welfare cases. This investigator should be em- powered to report his findings to the Welfare Director and request re- moval of such cases as he discovers unworthy. Should the Welfare Director fail to remove such cases promptly, then the special investiga- tor's report, together with any other facts relative to the cases, should be reviewed before a joint meeting of the Board of Public Wel- fare and this committee of six, and after reasonable consideration the case in question disposed of by a joint majority of this committee and the Board of Public Welfare. Formal requests relative to cases should also be made independently to this committee.
By such a procedure welfare cases can be impartially checked up and abuses corrected. Through diligent investigations it is estimated that savings can be made in the next eight months approximating a total of $25,000.
Since the ramifications of town welfare have assumed such a bur- den upon the tax paying citizens of the town, and have, at this time, become the most difficult problem of the entire business of the town, it becomes the duty of its citizens to take more than a passive interest in the situation, and face the facts at the special town meeting, and take proper measures to control the expenditures before too grave a financial condition of the town has developed.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.