USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of the officers and committees of the town of Scituate 1940-1942 > Part 32
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Howard Richard and Marjorie Edith Thayer
Dorr
Oet. 5 Flower Frisina, Jr.
Flower and Benedetta Frisina
William Ellsworth and Winifred Worton Whiting
Henderson
Oct. 5
John Eldon Whiting
Ignatius Daniel and Eleanor Louise Chamberlin
Morris
Oct. 7
Mark Chamberlin
Roy E. and Helen Spear
Stetson
Oet. 25
Phyllis Mae Campbell
Everett F. and Ruth Campbell
MaeDonald
Nov. 1
Marilyn Frances Gauley
Kenneth H. and Ruth Frances Gauley
Delano
Nov. 2
Richard Stone DeMello
Alfred Leo and Rosalind Jane DeMello
Stone Gillis
Nov. 5
Paul Eugene Blanehard
Eugene V. and Jane Marie Blanchard
Nov. 13
Bailey
Jackson Elliott and Ruth Bailey
Frederiek Gearin, Jr. and Mary Frances McCarthy
Mahar
Nov. 21
Eugene Buekley, 4th
Eugene, 3rd and Joan Maureen Buekley
Cleary
Nov. 22
Sara Lou Steverman
William A. and Mary V. Steverman
O'Neill
Nov. 23
William Byron Powers
Nov. 29
John Sydney Kimpton
Nov. 29
Sheila Kelley
George Albert and Kathleen Marguerite Kelley
Madden
Dee. 1 Dorothy Mary Rinehart
Charles Lewis and Marjorie P. Rinehart
Litehfield
Dee. 13 Barbara Lee Petrie
Samuel Leys and Dorothy Evelyn Petrie
Bedford
Dec. 15 Leslie Joseph Mayo
Perey Warren and Margaret Mary Mayo
Buckley
Dec. 18 Ray Forest Litchfield, Jr.
Ray Forest and Mary T. Litchfield
O'Donnell
Dec. 19 Leslie Norma Schair
Burton and Mildred Anita Schair
Olem
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Vibert
Nov. 13 Paul William McCarthy
Harry and Eleanor Stewart Powers Edward C. and Mary C. Kimpton
Seeor
Doherty
Oet. 24 Daniel David Spear
Vitaliano
Sept. 9 Constanee Margaret Dwyer
MaeKendrick
49
LATE RETURNS
Date
NAME
NAMES OF PARENTS
Mother's Maiden Name
1941 Feb. 1 June 19 1936 Nov. 29 1925 June 2 1920 Jan. 23 1906 Mar. 22 June 20 1889 Dec. 21 1884 Jan. 3 Feb. 10 1877 June 11 1876 May 14
Walter Haynes Zucker Judith Ann DeMello
Sally Jane Levangie
Richard A. and Catherine E. Levangie
Murphy
Harry Alves
Augustine and Palmeda Alves
Fonts
Maurice Edgar Frizzell, Jr.
Maurice Edgar and Helen Dorell Frizzell
Biasey
Edward Holker Welch George Adrian Webb
Hamilton W. and Georgietta Welch Frederick and Catharine Webb
Watson Joyce
Frank Allen Murphy
John Clinton and Julia Agnes Murphy
Mitchell
Thomas Leo Dwyer Frederick Leo Barry
John and Rose Dwyer John and Annie Barry
Walls Gearin
Frank Henry Barry
John and Annie Barry
Henry O. and Sarah E. Cole
Newell
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Gearin
Mary Eliza Cole
Raymond Valentine and Rose Margaret Zucker Francis Joseph and Priscilla DeMello
O'Neil Burleigh
50
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Parents, be sure to record the birth of your child with given name in full.
READ THE LAW!
"Parents, within forty days after the birth of a child, and every householder, within forty days after a birth in his house, shall cause notice thereof to be given to the clerk of the town where such a child is born." General Laws, Chapter 46, Section 6.
SOME OF THE REASONS WHY BIRTHS
SHOULD BE RECORDED
To establish identity.
To prove nationality.
To prove legitimacy.
To show when the child has a right to enter school.
To show when the child has the right to seek employment under the child labor laws.
To establish the right of inheritance of property.
To establish liability to military duty, as well as exemption there- from.
To establish the right to vote.
To qualify to hold title to, and to buy and sell real estate.
To prove the age at which the marriage contract may be entered into.
To establish the right to public office.
To make possible statistical studies of the health conditions.
Your co-operation to the end that all births may be properly recorded will be greatly appreciated.
Blanks for returns of births will be furnished upon application to parents, householders, physicians, and registered medical offices as provided in Chapter 46, Section 15, General Laws.
Attest : WILLIAM M. WADE, Town Clerk.
51
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
Jan. 2
Dugan
2 hours
Prematurity.
Jan. 5 Charles Merritt Litchfield
73 0 7
Cerebral hemorrhage
William and Eleanor Dugan Abner and Aura Litchfield
Jan. 6 Mary Alice Bigelow
83 1 13
Coronary thrombosis.
Jan. 9 Frank Webster Litchfield
73 1 12 Hypostatic pneumonia, aortic aneurysm, arterio- sclerosis.
Senility.
Jan. 16 James Henry Dwyer
67 6 0 Acute cardiac dilatation, chronic essential hyper- John and Rose Dwyer tension.
Jan. 16 Isabella W. Turner
94 6 21
Myocardial insufficiency, hypertension and chronic Walter and Sally nephritis.
Jan. 20
Thomas Otis Jenkins
84 10 0
Arteriosclerosis.
Turner Caleb and Jane Jenkins Walter and Sally
Feb. 13 Walter Franklin Turner 86 0 7
Myocardial insufficiency.
Turner
Feb. 18 Florence F. Bingham
6 0 18
Feb. 24 Dennis J. Dowling
Feb. 25
Edward Newton Cook
21 10 0 Evisceration of vital thoracic organs. Airplane accident-plunged into sea. 4 2 10 Pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, hyper- tensive heart disease.
Feb. 27 Mary C. Clark
80 8 3 Mar. 7 George W. Abbott
Apr. 5 Lucy Wallace Sargent 68
2 5
Coronary occlusion; coronary cholelithiasis. arteriosclerosis, Barnard and Helen Fabyan Joseph G. and Josephine Dowling Langdon W. and Lydia Cook Tuberculosis of the lungs. Ephriam and - Young
65 0 Terminal broncho pneumonia, repeated cerebral Samuel J. and Jane hemorrhages, essential hypertension.
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coronary thrombosis.
Abbott James J. and Ellen Bailey
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Windsor Howe and Letitia Bigelow Sumner C. and Salome Litchfield William and Sophia Ann Metcalf
Jan. 10 Lillian Drusilla Given 81 9 2
-
52
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942-Continued
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
Apr. 7
Francis Loring Bates
64 2 0
Chronie myocarditis and myocardial degeneration, Thomas A. and diabetes mellitus.
Apr. 11 Erna L. Collamore
47 9 28
Generalized carcinomatosis with liver.
metastases to
Apr. 12 Frederick Glenburn Mckay
77 11 25
Cerebral apoplexy, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mel- litus.
Apr. 12 Mary Prior
79 0 0
Cerebral hemorrhage, chronie nephritis. Gangrene of foot, arteriosclerosis.
May 6 Mary R. Zimm
77 0 0 Arteriosclerotie cardiovascular disease, broneho pneumonia.
May 8 Delia A. Curran
57 3 7
Surgical shock.
May 10 Mary Gertrude Bates
76 0 21
Fracture left femur, chronie nephritis, uremia.
May 10 Moses L. Brown
65 0 22
Coronary sclerosis (occlusion). Sudden death.
May 12 Arthur Kenney, Jr. 23 0 0
14 Joe Peter
57
6 7
May May 25
Charles M. Clark
69
1 22
June 16 William O. H. Barnes
56 1 0
June 20 James F. MeGowan
48 1 19
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis.
June 21
George C. Davis
50 4 3
Hypertensive heart disease with decompensation Frederick W. and Bessie A. Davis said to have been aggravated by a chain pull while at work. Trepantis-broncho pneumonia terminal.
Melissa Bates Albert G. and Louise A. Hahn Alex and Margaret Mckay Cannot be learned James C. and Henrietta Bates Frederick and Ella Reading Nicholas and Ellen Darcy James B. and Martha T. Bates
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Moses L. and Sophia Brown Arthur and Grace Kenney Henrie and Mary Peter Daniel W. and Harriet E. Clark
Bullet wound in brain from pistol. Suicidal.
Syphilitic heart disease. Cardiovascular syphilis. Coronary selerosis, chronie myocarditis, arterio- selerosis, atrophic cirrhosis of liver. Castrie hemorrhage, malignaney.
Israel M. and Bethia A. Barnes Michael and Mary MeGowan
Apr. 23 Henrietta Bates Burbank
82 1 23
53
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942-Continued
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
July
3
Anna Frances Turner
78 4 12
Acute cardiac decompensation, chronic myocar-
ditis.
July
5 Robert Henry Ure
78 7 1
Cerebral hemorrhage, renal calculus.
July
6 Peter William Read Sharp
69
4 4
Cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension.
July 8
Thomas M. James
67
1 20
Bronchial pneumonia, paralysis agitans, chronic cystitis due to paralysis of bladder.
July
9 John George Barrows
20
5 16
Barrows Tuberculous adentitis cervical, axillary, inguinal, Joseph and Marion mesenteric and mediastinal. Primary tubercu- losis. Tuberculous peritonitis.
July 16
William Francis Ford
61 6 10
July 22 Daniel Francis Donovan
33 0 0
July 22 Lyle Wheelock 43 0 0
July 24 Charles Henry Slattery 73 0 0
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis. Premature birth.
Aug. 1 James Joseph Kelley
4 minutes
Aug. 8 Susie Caroline North
90 2 17
Arteriosclerotic heart disease. Generalized thritis.
Aug. 8 Mary Elizabeth Welch
83 7 11
Broncho pneumonia, arteriosclerotic heart disease, rectal prolapse.
Aug. 8 Harriet S. Jones
85 3 8 Carcinoma of cervix, decubitus ulcers.
Aug. 15 James Howard Merritt 78 11 15
Uremia, metastatic malignancy.
Aug. 20
Rose E. English 61 0 0 Metastatic carcinoma, carcinoma of left breast.
Asa J. and Hannah A. Merritt Thomas and Mary Ure John and Sarah Sharp Joseph K. and Eliza James
Patrick J. and Hannah Donovan
Adna T. and Ethelyn Wheelock
Edward and Ellen Slattery Robert and Nancy K. Kelley
ar- Thomas and Caroline Magee James and Bridget Quinn Leander and Ora Smith James Thomas and Henrietta Merritt Mitchell and Ellen Aitken
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
54
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- John and Maria Ford nary thrombosis.
Asphyxiation by drowning. Accidental.
Asphyxiation by drowning. Accidental.
55
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942-Continued
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
Aug. 25
John Edward Murphy
85 7 13
Myocarditis, arteriosclerosis.
Edward and Ann Murphy
Aug. 29 William Henry Stetson
64 3 6
Probable contusion of brain. Fell from pier. Samuel T. and Struck head on boat.
Elizabeth Stetson
Aug. 30 Otto E. Johnson
24
6 21
Asphyxiation by drowning. Accidental. Boat cap- sized in ocean.
Emil and Fredericka Johnson
Sept. 3 Carroll Burton Poole
60 10 14
Found dead in bed. Presumably coronary throm- bosis.
Sept. 4 Harold Woodbury Turner
54 1 1
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis.
John F. and Anna F. Turner
Sept. 4
Arthur Thaxter Perry
68 11 6
Cerebral hemorrhage, auricullar fibrillation, gen- eralized arteriosclerosis.
Sept. 12 Frank Linwood Preble
83 11 17
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis.
Sept. 17 Harry Spencer Millin
61 9 30
Pulmonary edema, cardiac failure, coronary heart disease.
Millin
Sept. 22 Chesley Biassey 73 7 9
Cardio-renal disease.
Sept. 27 Frank T. Newcomb
83 6 17
Senile myocarditis.
Sept. 30
George Clark Barber 54 4 27
Coronary thrombosis (presumable) .
Oct. 5 Edmund John Casey, Jr. 24 0 0
Diabetic coma, diabetes mellitus.
Oct. 5 Joseph H. Litchfield
70 9 0
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis.
Coronary thrombosis, myocardial weakness and arteriosclerosis. Broncho pneumonia, senility, arteriosclerosis.
William and Susan Handy Harvey and Betsy M. Curtis
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Francis and Alemena Perry
Jeremiah and Elizabeth Preble
William and Mary
Clem and Susan Biassey
William J. and Susan
Newcomb
Marcus and Margaret
Barber Edmund J. and Julia Casey Harvey W. and Caroline Litchfield
Oct. 8 Harry Tucker Handy 67 11 16
Oct. 10
Harvey Curtis 83 11 14
S. Austin and Margaret E. Poole
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942-Continued
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
Oct. 18
William Arthur Manson
64
4 22
Pulmonary edema, portal vein obstruction, atro- William Warren and phic hepatic cirrhosis.
Oct. 20 Fannie Eliza Blodgett
59
2 22
Heart disease-hypertensive type.
Oct. 24 Gloria Pina
0 5 0
Oct. 26 Flower Frisina, Jr.
0 0 21
Respiratory failure, pneumonia. Gastro-Enteritis.
Oct. 29 Elizabeth Genevieve Wright
72
0
Cerebral hemorrhage, arteriosclerosis.
Fracture of the base of the skull, multiple frac- ture of the ribs of the right chest with injury of the right lung-said to have been sustained when the auto struck a tree.
Oct. 31
Lillie Cook Imlay 77 1 23
Nov. 6 Benjamin G. Alves, also known as James Alves Gomes 48 7 6
Nov. 7 Anna Sarah LePage 63
4 3 Nov. 8 Emma A. Van Horne 77 2 8 Nov. 9 Jay Alfred Howard 60 3 8
Nov. 15 Mark Joseph Flaherty 75 1 0
Nov. 21 Ellen Norton Hill 75 6 9 Nov. 21 George Vibert 72 0 0
Pulmonary emboli (repeated), phlebitis.
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- nary thrombosis.
Sudden death. Heart disease presumably coro- Cannot be learned nary thrombosis. Carcinoma rectum.
Hypertensive heart disease, hypertension, grippe.
Hemorrhage from self inflicted wounds of wrists. Suicide.
Ida Manson Herbert S. and Mary Stratton Jack and Laura Pina Flower and Benedetta Frisina Michael and Mary Leary Warren I. and Annie E. Whittaker
John and Mary Flaherty John and Delia McDermott William and Isabel Vibert
-
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Mary Cook Manuel Gomes and Floripa Alves
Orange and Jennie King Frank and - Bowling
Fracture left tibia and fibula. Probable contusion brain and spinal cord.
Pulmonary edema, cardiac failure, arteriosclerotic Thomas and heart disease.
Oct. 30
Edgar Willis Whittaker 48 11 19
56
DEATHS REGISTERED IN SCITUATE FOR THE YEAR 1942-Continued
Date
Name of Deceased
Age Y. M. D.
Cause of Death
Names of Parents
Nov. 21
Eva Levine
73 0 0 Probably astystole or ventricular fibrillation, ar- Abraham and teriosclerotic heart disease.
Sarah Abrams Elijah T. and
Nov. 25 Everett Lincoln Clapp
66 6 10
Carcinoma of the esophagus.
Anna R. Clapp
Dec. 1 Eleanor Abrew
13 9 27
Microcephaly, hemorrhagic pneumonia.
Manuel T. and Lorena Abrew
Dec. 6 Clara M. Seaverns
67 3 24
Coronary occlusion, diabetes mellitus, hyperten- John and sion.
Voss
Dec. 9 Robert W. Webster
66 1 8
Drowning (Accidental).
Frederic A. and Elizabeth Webster
Dec. 16 Edward Isadore Wilson
74 0 4 Congestive heart failure, hypertensive heart dis- ease, hypertension.
Dec. 27 Josephine Maria Bailey
77 8 10
Coronary thrombosis, arteriosclerosis.
Dec. 30
George Wilbur Damon 84 7 26
Acute cardiac failure, chronic myocarditis.
Israel and Rebecca C. Litchfield George Henry and Harriet Louise Damon
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Cannot be learned
57
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT
Licenses Issued for Division of Fisheries and Game in 1942
Resident Citizen Fishing, 30 @ $2.00 each $60.00
Resident Citizen Hunting, 147 @ $2.00 each 294.00
Resident Citizen Sporting, 31 @ $3.25 each 100.75
Resident Citizen Minor and Female Fishing, 10 @ $1.25 each 12.50
Resident Citizen Minor Trapping, 1 @ $2.25
2.25
Resident Citizen Sporting (age 70 or over), 6 free
Duplicate, 1 @ $0.50 .50
$470.00
Less Clerk's fees as agent for the State
54.75
Paid to Division of Fisheries and Game. $415.25
Number of Dogs Licensed for the Year 1942
299 Males @ $2.00 each
$598.00
68 Females @ $5.00 each 340.00
93 Spayed Females @ $2.00 each 186.00
2 Kennels @ $50.00 each 100.00
$1,224.00
Less Clerk's fees as agent for the County
92.40
Paid to Town Treasurer
$1,131.60
Respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM M. WADE, Town Clerk.
58
PARK COMMISSIONERS' REPORT
REPORT OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
Citizens of Scituate :
The past year was an excellent one for grass and shrubbery. There was rainfall enough to keep the grass on most of the parks green all summer. This necessitated mowing oftener than usual.
The Park Commissioners cared for the Peggotty Beach themselves this year at what we believe was a saving to the taxpayers. In this respect we were fortunate in having only two storms that covered the beach with kelp.
After trying for two years to get a stand of grass on the small triangle at Greenbush we finally succeeded this year and we believe the two plots at that section looked the best they ever have and perhaps made the best looking park in town.
Lawson Park is in the poorest condition of any of our parks. We took up about one-half acre and reseeded it this year. We recommend that a portion of this park be reseeded each year until it is completely reseeded.
Respectfully yours, CHARLES E. MITCHELL, Chairman.
REPORT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen :
The report of the Scituate Fire Department for the year 1942 is herewith submitted for your approval.
This board assumed office May 1, 1942 and found the department as a whole to be operating smoothly. Very few changes in policy or operation have been effected, and those of a minor nature. It has been our aim to function as economically as possible without lowering the high efficiency of the department.
There have been few major fires during the past year. We wish to point out, however, that the number of calls for minor fires and other emergencies was exceptionally large. A summary of all calls will be found elsewhere in this report.
59
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
Because of the present emergency, we had difficulty in maintaining our manpower at normal strength. Some eight of our call men, and one permanent man are now on leaves of absence with the armed forces. These men have been replaced by temporary appointments, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find men eligible under Civil Service rules. Although our roster is complete at this writing, a great number of our call men are now working on defense projects out of town and are therefore unavailable during a large part of the day.
The community as a whole, and this department in particular, have sustained a great loss in the passing of Edgar F. Whittaker, for some twenty years a valued and faithful call fireman.
We have had many calls for the oxygen tent during the past year. This service has, we believe, been of great value to the people of the town. In the budget to be submitted to the voters at the annual town meeting, we have inserted a new item covering the purchase of oxygen for use with this equipment.
It has come to our attention that many people are storing addi- tional supplies of fuel and range oil. Under the law, permits are neces- sary for all storage of oil. It is to the best interests of our citizens that they obtain these permits and we urge that they do so.
All equipment is in good repair. It should be noted, however, that our largest pumping unit is now twenty years old. While this unit is working fairly well at this time, it is our opinion that too much confidence should not be placed in a pumper of that age.
This board feels strongly that the present system of yearly appoint- ments, entailing as it does the constant and almost yearly change of engineers, is costly to the townspeople and detrimental to the efficiency of the department. We are, therefore, inserting an article in the annual warrant providing for a permanent chief of department. It is our hope that the voters will consider the merits of this article very carefully.
The co-operation of the various members of the department has been gratifying, their efficiency unquestioned, and their morale of the highest.
We extend our thanks to the Board of Selectmen and all other officials with whom we have worked, and to the people of the town as a whole, for their many courtesies and helpful collaboration during the past year.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES FINNIE, WALLACE GOODNOW, RUSSELL J. WILDER,
Engineers.
60
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
ALARMS CLASSIFIED BY DISTRICTS
1st Cliff
2nd Cliff
3rd Cliff
Harbor
Sand Hills
Shore Acres
Egypt
Scituate Center
Greenbush
North Scituate
Minot
Humarock
Out of Town
Totals
Buildings
2
1
... .
8
5
3 3 5 8 10
5
3
2 55
Forest
2
1 21
6
3 17
6 11 29
3
4
103
First Aid
2
5
1
3
5
9
25
Miscellaneous
1
3 3
2114211
19
Totals
2
4 3 37 14 6 23 12 20 46 10 13 12 202
ALARMS CLASSIFIED BY TYPES AND CAUSES
Investigation
Carelessness
Electrical
Chimney
Sparks from Chimney
Flooded Oil Burner
Defective Oil Burner
Unknown
First Aid
Needless Call
Railroad
Totals
Automobiles
2
7
9
Dwellings
5
5
12
2
r
5
7
3
44
Garages
..
1
1
Forest
1
77
21
2
2 103
Other
6
1
6
25
6
44
Totals
1
90
14
12
2
5
5
34
25
11
2 201
..
61
FIRE WARDEN'S REPORT
REPORT OF THE FOREST FIRE WARDEN
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:
Scituate, Massachusetts.
I submit herewith the report of the Forest Fire Department for the year 1942.
During the year, the department was summoned to 103 fires. This was an unusually small number of alarms, and none of them serious.
We were unable, because of the lack of man power, to burn over many of the hazards existing in the town, but because of rainy weather we were spared any major fires. As these hazards were not burned they will, of course, present a far greater danger in the coming forest fire season.
I call your attention to the figures pertaining to forest fires in- corporated in the summary of the Fire Department's report and point out that of 103 fires 77 were caused by carelessness. In most of these cases no permits had been issued. Under the laws of the Common- wealth, these permits for open air fires are necessary and are designed for the protection of you and your neighbor.
I extend my thanks to the Board of Selectmen and all others with whom I have worked during the past year.
Respectfully submitted, JAMES FINNIE, Forest Warden.
SCITUATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY 36 Country Way, Greenbush, Massachusetts
Board of Selectmen,
December 31, 1942.
Scituate, Mass.
Gentlemen :
The Scituate Committee on Public Safety begs to submit the follow- ing outline of its organization and activities to date for the information of our citizens.
Governor Saltonstall requested our Board of Selectmen to nominate a citizen for him to appoint as Chairman for this Town's Committee on
62
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
Public Safety with authority and instructions to organize a Committee of such size and personnel as he deemed advisable. On June 11, 1940 he made such an appointment and as a result a Committee was organized with representatives from the Police Department, Fire Department, Water Department, School Department, and two Veteran Associations. This Committee has functioned to date with only two changes, occasioned in the first place by the resignation of Chief George E. Vollmer when a new head of the Fire Department was appointed and secondly when Major Frederick A. Calkin was ordered to active duty with the Armed Forces. These vacancies were filled by the appointment of Chief James Finnie of the Fire Department and Superintendent Harold C. Wingate of the School Department.
This Committee felt its way along, gradually developing its activi- ties to meet the conditions as they arose. Beginning with December 8, 1941 our Report Center was put on twenty-four hour service and has been so served since. We had organized our Protection Department to such an extent that when the, what proved to be false, alarm on Decem- 9, 1941 was received, we were able to function fully.
We established a Medical Center which is now located in the Women's Club. From this center our Red Cross Ambulance Service, consisting of six privately owned beach wagons completely equipped as ambulances, operates. Here also are centered our First Aid and Rescue Parties as well as our First Aid Dressing Station. Our Emer- gency Canteen Service also operated by the American Red Cross is located in the town building at Greenbush and also our Red Cross Supply Depot and Surgical Production Work rooms. The local Red Cross Chapter has given us very intelligent and full assistance and cooperation.
The Town has been divided into six Air Raid Warning Districts, each organized with a Post Warden and the necessary number of as- sistant wardens, operating under the Town Chief Air Raid Warden.
Both our Police and Fire Departments have organized a group of auxiliary members operating directly under the orders of their depart- ment chiefs.
Our women's section has been organized with the help of the differ- ent women's organizations in town and is now designated as the War Services Division, which in addition to such duties as may come under it in the event of attack by the enemy, is also in a position to furnish information and instructions to our town's people in connection with reduced supplies caused by rationing.
We have plans and arrangements made to care for such of our people as may be obliged to close their homes if our fuel oil supply be- comes exhausted and cannot make their own arrangements to go to
63
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT
friends or relatives. Our Red Cross Disaster Committee, the Chairman of which is active in our organization, is to furnish cots and blankets and our School Committee will place at our disposal the coal-heated High School Auditorium for barracks and the Cafeteria for canteen purposes.
The supervision and enforcement of the drastic dimout regulations prescribed by the Army for observance in this section, although com- ing under the Police Department jurisdiction, has required the assist- ance of the Air Raid Wardens in addition to the Auxiliary Police.
The Army with the cooperation of our American Legion Post es- tablished a Post of the Ground Observation Corps, Aircraft Warning Service. Although all instructions and regulations for the establish- ment and operation of this service were issued by the Army, no provision for any of its expense was made, therefore, this Committee has paid from its appropriation the necessary heat, light and telephone bills, but no rent, as the Club where it is located has donated, without charge, the use of its property.
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