USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Town of Reading Massachusetts annual report 1918 > Part 14
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Two vacancies ( by expiration of the terms of service of Messrs. Wadlin and Keneely) require to be filled at the forthcoming annual town meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
HORACE G. WADLIN, Chairman ARTHUR N. MANSFIELD, Secretary CHARLES F. DOUGHTY RALPH S. KENEELY FRANK O. CARTER FANNIE C. WHITTEMORE Trustees.
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Adopted, as the Report of the Trustees, Jan. 28, 1919. ยท
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REPORT OF BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
TO THE CITIZENS OF READING :
The Board of Park Commissioners herewith submits its second annual report.
The Commissioners have held eleven meetings during the year, four of which were held in conjunction with repre- sentatives of other town organizations.
Mr. Warren H. Manning has met with us at various times, and his counsel and advice have been most helpful.
In order to simplify our report, we will classify various items under the three headings of Mayall Park, The Com- mon, and Memorial Park.
MAYALL PARK
One of the first matters taken up in regard to this land was the cost of maintenance of the gravel paths and center planting space. These occupied a considerable portion of land and required a large amount of care without being of practical use and marring rather than beautifying this smal! plot of ground. This work has been done, and will event- ually make this small park more attractive. Unfortunately, this year, it has suffered from lack of care, due to the exi- gencies of the war.
THE COMMON
No work beyond the ordinary care has been done here.
The Commissioners were consulted by the Selectmen as to the location of the Roll of Honor, and it was placed near the band stand, with their approval.
We wish to thank the Street Department and the Muni- cipal Light Board for furnishing and lighting the Christmas Tree free of cost to the Town. We recommend planting of a permanent Christmas Tree at some suitable spot on the Common.
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MEMORIAL PARK
The contract with the Breck-Robinson Co. for planting shrubs near the main entrance, which was made in 1917, has not been completed for various reasons, and no money has been paid this firm.
We regret to state that considerable damage has been done by boys, such as smashing windows in the barn and damaging the children's swings. This damage had to be made good at a considerable expense.
In the early spring, Mr. Adelbert Batchelder generously offered the Town fifty or more trees to be transplanted to the Park, and the Commissioners regret that it did not seem best to accept his offer, but the best advice we could get was that they probably would not live if transplanted, due to the nature of the trees, etc.
It was thought best to paint the fence posts around the Park, and this was done by Hodson Bros., they being the lowest of three bidders.
Regarding the laying out of the Park, such as finishing drives, making playground spaces, removing objectionable bushes and vines, adapting the barn to practical uses, etc., this had to be postponed because of lack of funds. Mr. Warren H. Manning, however, has suggested that the Com- missioners arrange for a Town "Park Day," when the towns- people would be invited to give their services, and under the direction of Mr. Manning, work on the various matters needing attention. At Billerica, where this has been tried, Mr. Manning reports that they have obtained fine results, over four hundred responding on their last "Day." At Billerica, the women of the town provided a dinner for everyone who worked, and the result was a good time and a large amount of work done at practically no expense to the town. It is hoped to have a "Park Day" on some holiday this spring.
The barn, while structurally in good condition, needed shingling, especially on the north side. This has been done and the south side partially re-shingled and patched. New windows, to replace those smashed by boys, have been put
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in. Besides these items, temporary toilet facilities have been installed; also a drinking fountain just outside the barn.
Last spring four park seats and four swings were pur- chased and placed at the disposal of the children.
Early in the fall the question of a skating pond for this winter was taken up, the Reading Unit of the Woman's Council of National Defense offering to pay for a concrete dam. Their kind offer was accepted. The Street Depart- ment cleaned out the old ditch and a good skating pond has been formed in this way. Two electric lights, one on Charles Street and the other on Harrison Street, have been installed to light the pond for night skating. One of these has been loaned us by the Municipal Light Board and the other was purchased by the Park Commissioners. Both of these were installed by the Municipal Light Board free of any expense to the Town, and we wish to again thank the Board for their kindness. More work will be necessary the coming year to make the causeway, which supplements the dam, hold water, which has broken through on several occa- sions this winter.
The Town is indebted to the Reading Woman's Club for a flag, and to the Reading Unit of the Woman's Council of National Defense and the Reading Woman's Club for the inspiring services in connection with the Flag Raising, which took place on September 21st last. This celebration consisted of a procession, formed at the High School Build- ing, made up as follows: Escort of Police; Reading Brass Band; State Guard Co. E; members of the Reading Unit of the Woman's Council of National Defense; Reading Woman's Club; Reading Chapter of the Red Cross; Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Hon. Guy A. Ham, orator of the day; Miss Clara C. Pierce, the only one of the five donors who was able to be present; the Park Commissioners; the Min- isters of the Town, and the members of Grand Army Post 194. From the High School the procession moved to Meno- rial Park, where exercises were held near the barn. These consisted of the following program :
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Selection
Band
Prayer Rev. Mr. Holt
Address Lieut. Edgar O. Dewey
Address Walter S. Parker
Presentation of Dam Mrs. J. W. Grimes
Acceptance . Galen A. Parker
Address
Capt. Frank E. Gray
Selection .
Band
Oration
Hon. Guy A. Ham
Presentation of Flag Mrs. W. E. Twombly
Flag Raising
.
Boy Scouts
Star Spangled Banner
Miss Genevieve Forbes and Band
On December 16th, the Commissioners invited repre- sentatives of various local organizations to meet with them and discuss the question of the best way to utilize Memo- rial Park for recreation and playground purposes, and the following organizations were represented: Reading Wo- man's Club, Reading Unit of the Woman's Council of National Defence, Child Welfare League, Commissioners of Boy and Girl Scouts and several of the donors of the park.
At this meeting, the Chairman read the following letter from Miss Clara C. Pierce, one of the donors of the park :
"GALEN A. PARKER, Chairman of Park Commissioners :
My DEAR SIR - I will give one thousand dollars($1,000.00) for the improvement of Memorial Park, providing the Town will appropriate the same amount.
Very truly,
CLARA C. PIERCE."
Dec. 14, 1918.
This very generous offer will be brought to the attention of the next Town Meeting for action.
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After an hour's discussion of various matters concerning the children's welfare, Miss Helen A. Parker moved that a committee of five be appointed to confer with the Commis- sioners regarding the utilizing of Memorial Park for recrea- tion purposes during the coming year. This motion was adopted, and the Chairman appointed the following mem- bers of said committee : Miss Helen Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Leland Kingman, Mrs. Percy N. Sweetser, Capt. Frank E. Gray.
At this meeting it was decided to invite the Playground and Recreation Association of America to send a represent- ative to a later meeting to explain their methods and advise Reading how it can make our splendid park count for the most in the community.
On January 23d, Miss Ruth Sherburne gave an informal talk to the joint committee and several townspeople. The following condensed report will give an idea of some of her recommendations and suggestions.
Miss Sherburne has had wide experience in recreation activities in various parts of the country and her talk was directly to the point. "Often towns and municipalities consider that in providing the land and equipment for a playground, they have done their whole duty, while in reality the most vital matter is the leadership of the games of the children of all ages." Miss Sherburne laid great emphasis on the necessity of a leader who should be espec- ially trained for this work. She also said that this recrea- tion work should be an all the year around movement, and for the elders as well as the young people, with every effort made to benefit the whole town by fostering the social spirit. To prove her statements, she told of several playgrounds which employed a play leader for only two or three months. In these cases she had always observed that very few chil- dren used them before and after the summer months when the leader was there. Directly upon the starting of organ- ized play, these grounds would be crowded with young people.
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Miss Sherburne also showed how, with a good start as proposed, it would develope into a community movement with a year round cycle, using public halls and schools for community gatherings, utilizing more fully the Public Library and, in general, taking advantage of all town facili- ties.
There is little doubt but what with financial backing in the shape of proper appropriations from the Town, a move- ment could be started which would be far reaching in its benefits to the community.
In sending Miss Sherburne to Reading the Playground and Recreation Association are endeavoring to help our Town and she has kindly offered to give all the assistance she can in this all important movement.
In closing, we would solicit constructive suggestions from any who will give them.
Respectfully submitted,
GALEN A. PARKER, Chairman EDWARD J. CHADBOURNE WILLARD P. ADDEN, Secy. Park Commissioners.
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INDEX
PAGE
Report of Assessors
66
Board of Fire Engineers
87
Board of Health
. 86
Cemetery Trustees
93
Chief of Police
62
Collector
106
Electric Light Commissioners
246
Forest Warden
94
Inspector of Animals
105
Inspector of Buildings
104
Inspector of Milk
70
Inspector of Plumbing
108 69
Overseers of the Poor
101
Park Commissioners
277
Planning Board
84
Playground Commission
73
Public Library
265
School Committee
112 .
Sealer of Weights and Measures
71
Selectmen
49
Sewer Commissioners
78
Superintendent of Fire Alarm
90
Superintendent of Streets
75
Town Accountant .
165
Town Clerk, Town Meetings
9
Town Clerk, Dogs Licensed .
39
Town Clerk, Births Registered
40
Town Clerk, Deaths Registered
49
Town Clerk, Marriages Registered
43
Town Office Building Committee
81
Town Counsel
60
Treasurer
95
Water Commissioners
224
Town Officers
3
Inspector of Wires
.
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