Evidently, the old Curtis Hall was Party Central at the turn of the 20th Century. Just a few years later, the building would burn and be replaced by the current Curtis Hall. Read about the fire here.
Boston Daily Globe May 3, 1901
Protest To The Mayor.
Residents in the Vicinity of Curtis Hall, Jamaica Plain, Object to its Promiscuous Use and the Noise.
A movement has been started in protest against the promiscuous letting by the city of Boston of Curtis hall, South st, Jamaica Plain.
The letting of this hall is now done through the building department. Being situated on the main street on the line of the Jamaica Plain electric cars, it is easy of access to parties from all sections as far north as Roxbury, and about as convenient to parties from the South End.
It is only recently that the use of this hall has become general among organizations outside of West Roxbury. The low rate at which it can be engaged has been one cause of its recent popularity. During the past winter it has been in almost constant nightly use by dancing parties and for other forms of entertainment. Many of these parties have been continued until the morning hours, and the noise and shouting incident upon the breaking up of the dances has been a source of much annoyance to those living in the neighborhood.
The character of these gatherings has not always been of the highest, it is alleged, and the recent holdup of conductor Myers of the Boston elevated railway, when he was brutally assaulted and robbed by a crowd going home from one of the dances, is pointed to in proof of this assertion.
The police of division 13, which has charge of this district, come in for no share of criticism. A patrolman is in attendance at the hall each night a dance is scheduled to take place, but unless something criminal is done he cannot act and has no authority to arest anyone.
Mayor Hart has been written to about the matter, and the claim is made that the residents in the neighborhood of the hall are going to engage counsel to look after their interests, as their property is being depreciated in value because of this nuisance.
Showing posts with label protest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label protest. Show all posts
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
More Police Please
Once again, it seems as if the Good Old Days weren't necessarily so good. It was 1900, and people were hiring watchmen to protect their homes. At this time, station 13 was still responsible for all of the West Roxbury district.
Boston Daily Globe September 25, 1900
Want Better Protection.
Wishes of West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain Residents Will be Granted.
West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain residents have been complaining for six months or more about poor police protection. Burglars have worked openly all summer so extensively that it became necessary for many residents to employ private watchmen. Letters have been written the commissioners and complaints have been made in person by residents.
The morning chairman Clark of the police board announced that the residents would have no cause to complain in the future. He admitted that the department had been short of men, and everything that was wanted in those districts could not be given them, but recently two batches of men passed the civil service examination, and have been added to the force. Now that the department has 30 or more men, the districts mentioned will be better protected.
The chairman said that he thought Boston makes a pretty good showing with cities of her size, when crime is concerned. He says there is no epidemic of burglaries in the city, and stories of that nature are much exaggerated.
When new men are sent to station 13 it is rumored that there will be changes. It is known that 50 or more men will be shifted on the police checker board soon, but they are all patrolmen. Just now there is talk of changing some of the superior officers. It is, in fact probable that when these changes are made, the station mentioned will see new faces.
Boston Daily Globe September 25, 1900
Want Better Protection.
Wishes of West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain Residents Will be Granted.
West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain residents have been complaining for six months or more about poor police protection. Burglars have worked openly all summer so extensively that it became necessary for many residents to employ private watchmen. Letters have been written the commissioners and complaints have been made in person by residents.
The morning chairman Clark of the police board announced that the residents would have no cause to complain in the future. He admitted that the department had been short of men, and everything that was wanted in those districts could not be given them, but recently two batches of men passed the civil service examination, and have been added to the force. Now that the department has 30 or more men, the districts mentioned will be better protected.
The chairman said that he thought Boston makes a pretty good showing with cities of her size, when crime is concerned. He says there is no epidemic of burglaries in the city, and stories of that nature are much exaggerated.
When new men are sent to station 13 it is rumored that there will be changes. It is known that 50 or more men will be shifted on the police checker board soon, but they are all patrolmen. Just now there is talk of changing some of the superior officers. It is, in fact probable that when these changes are made, the station mentioned will see new faces.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Community Meeting - 1910
In 1910, the city of Boston was still dealing with the West Roxbury district as a whole, rather than its constituent parts of Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury proper, as it does now. Mt Hope was still recognized as a neighborhood, later to disappear into White City and perhaps Roslindale. Germantown suffered the same fate, losing its distinctive identity to West Roxbury.
I left out the sections referring specifically to districts outside today's Jamaica Plain.
Boston Daily Globe February 16, 1910
West Roxbury's Needs Related
Wants of Sections Presented by Improvement Societies.
New Streets and Sidewalks Most Generally Asked.
Mayor Fitzgerald and the city council, with Guy C. Emerson, superintendent of streets, visited West Roxbury last evening and leared the needs of the district from the citizens, more than 600 of whom had assembled in the splendid hall of the West Roxbury high school.
In area West Roxbury is the largest district in the city, containing more than a half-dozen fairly distinct communities. And the general needs of this vast district are many, although the more urgent matters are not at all extravagant.
Each of the communities has its improvement association and one or more representatives of each of these associations made known the wants of the district.
The first and most general needs of the district as a whole appear to be the acceptance and construction of streets and the improvement of sidewalks next come playgrounds, one or more tunnel under the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad embankment, a better system of caring for ashes and garbage, cleaner and better watered streets, new primary schoolhouses at Germantown and Roslindale, the opening of the city yard, a more efficient warfare on the gypsy and browntail moths and the elm tree beetle all over West Roxbury, and an elevated station at Green st.
It was the largest meeting held thus far and in some respects it was the most business like, as each of the improvement associations had studied and approved the matters proposed and those matters which related to the district as a whole were approved by all of the associations, and each association had a competent speaker to present its needs. The improvement associations represented at the meeting were Jamaica Plain, Germantown, West Roxbury, Mt Hope, Roslindale and Forest Hills. The Cleveland club was also represented.
Waste Paper Business.
A suggestion from William B. Wheelwright that the city go into business of sorting and selling waste paper brought out a discussion, in which Mayor Fitzgerald and Supt Emerson took part. Mr Wheelwright insisted there was money to be made on waste paper, and Supt Emerson admitted something might be done if the people would separate the paper from the ashes, otherwise it wold not pay.
Frank M. Doyle suggested that an ordinance compelling people to separate the paper as they do garbage from the ashes would settle the matter. It was learned that the Woman's municipal league with the Morgan Memorial had undertaken the kind of work in a small way.
The mayor said that perhaps the meetings of the city government and the people and the discussions resulting might produce a civic spirit that would result in the cooperation of the people more and more in such things. He believed that it was a matter the improvement association should take up.
In opening the meeting Mayor Fitzgerald again explained the things which came under the head of appropriations and those that came under loans and special legislative acts. Most of the matters introduced at the meeting would come under the head of loans.
He later pointed out that Boston was about the only large city in the country that paid the expense of new streets. In other cities the cost was born by the abutters. He said that the city paid half the expense of sidewalks and the property owners the other half, and the present poor condition of the sidewalks in West Roxbury was due largely to the fact that the property owners were unwilling to pay their half of the cost. The city was ready to go ahead with such improvements.
Patrick J. Brady, representing the Cleveland club, was the first speaker. He said the organization represented the largest body of citizens in the West Roxbury district, so he said that he would take up the general needs of the district, but would leave it to the improvement associations to point out the necessity of the various needs.
In Jamaica Plain.
L.J. Brackett, president of the Jamaica Plain citizens' association, said Jamaica Plain had three important needs; playgrounds, the improvement and care of certain streets and sidewalks and the preservation of trees from insects. He called special attention to the sidewalks of Centre st from Green to Boylston st and on Washington st from Green st to Forest Hills sq. He spoke for cleaner and better watered streets and receptacles for waste paper in the business streets; also increased efficiency in the collection of ashes and garbage.
He recommended for the consideration of the city government the construction of a new street over Stony brook, a tunnel under the New Haven tracks at some point between Green and Boylston sts, and the restoration of the noon bell and the no-school bell service. He asked the Mayor to appear at the hearings before the railroad commissioners and endorse a station of the elevated at Green st, and urged the mayor and city council to favor the electrification of steam railroads in greater Boston.
Rev Carroll Perry urged the necessity of three playgrounds in Jamaica Plain, one on the Goodwin estate, which the city already partly owned; one on the Burrage estate on Perkins st and Jamaia Way, which was being used at present by permission of the owner as a playground, and one at Brookside and Cornwall sts, where it would be also possible to have a winter gymnasium.
Dr E. Peabody Gerry advocated more strenuous measures to save the trees from gypsy moths, browtail moths and elm beetles. Much had been done, but much remained to be done, and he suggested that the city appropriate $75,000 to get rid of the pestes. He also pleaded for reforestation and the planting of new trees. He said the Soldier's monument should be better cared for and that the cleaning of the sidewalks of snow should be more strictly attended to.
He said Jamaica pond was sadly in need of cleaning and that the proposed footbridge, 38 feet high, over the New Haven tracks above Forest Hills should not be built. A tunnel should be built at the point.
Supt Emerson said the matter of a tunnel had been considered, and sentiment appeared to be evenly divided between a footbridge and a tunnel.
Mayor Fitzgerald suggested that the snow-plow service in the matter of opening sidewalks should be resumed. He believed that the care of the Soldier's monument would come within the scope of the Parkman fund.
[cut "Germantown's 13 Needs"]
Rev George H. Lyons of Our Lady of Lourdes church urged the necessity of a tunnel under the New Haven tracks to connect Cornwall and Oakdale sts. He said 800 parishioners lived on one side of the track and they had to walk a half mile or moreto get to the church, which was in reality only a short distance away. It is one of the most congested sections and the lack of a tunnel puts thousands of people to great inconvenience, he said.
[cut West Roxbury, Mt Hope and Roslindale sections]
********************************************************************************
A few thoughts: sadly, they lost the battle with the elm beetles. The paper recycling suggestion was interesting, and no doubt before its time. The tunnel under the railroad tracks between Green and Boylston sts was built at the end of Lawndale street, off Lamartine, and coming out to Amory street. The footbridge for Forest Hills must have been the Tollgate bridge, and is listed as being built the same year as this meeting. The steel span remains, but the stairs on each side and the wooden flooring is gone.
I left out the sections referring specifically to districts outside today's Jamaica Plain.
Boston Daily Globe February 16, 1910
West Roxbury's Needs Related
Wants of Sections Presented by Improvement Societies.
New Streets and Sidewalks Most Generally Asked.
Mayor Fitzgerald and the city council, with Guy C. Emerson, superintendent of streets, visited West Roxbury last evening and leared the needs of the district from the citizens, more than 600 of whom had assembled in the splendid hall of the West Roxbury high school.
In area West Roxbury is the largest district in the city, containing more than a half-dozen fairly distinct communities. And the general needs of this vast district are many, although the more urgent matters are not at all extravagant.
Each of the communities has its improvement association and one or more representatives of each of these associations made known the wants of the district.
The first and most general needs of the district as a whole appear to be the acceptance and construction of streets and the improvement of sidewalks next come playgrounds, one or more tunnel under the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad embankment, a better system of caring for ashes and garbage, cleaner and better watered streets, new primary schoolhouses at Germantown and Roslindale, the opening of the city yard, a more efficient warfare on the gypsy and browntail moths and the elm tree beetle all over West Roxbury, and an elevated station at Green st.
It was the largest meeting held thus far and in some respects it was the most business like, as each of the improvement associations had studied and approved the matters proposed and those matters which related to the district as a whole were approved by all of the associations, and each association had a competent speaker to present its needs. The improvement associations represented at the meeting were Jamaica Plain, Germantown, West Roxbury, Mt Hope, Roslindale and Forest Hills. The Cleveland club was also represented.
Waste Paper Business.
A suggestion from William B. Wheelwright that the city go into business of sorting and selling waste paper brought out a discussion, in which Mayor Fitzgerald and Supt Emerson took part. Mr Wheelwright insisted there was money to be made on waste paper, and Supt Emerson admitted something might be done if the people would separate the paper from the ashes, otherwise it wold not pay.
Frank M. Doyle suggested that an ordinance compelling people to separate the paper as they do garbage from the ashes would settle the matter. It was learned that the Woman's municipal league with the Morgan Memorial had undertaken the kind of work in a small way.
The mayor said that perhaps the meetings of the city government and the people and the discussions resulting might produce a civic spirit that would result in the cooperation of the people more and more in such things. He believed that it was a matter the improvement association should take up.
In opening the meeting Mayor Fitzgerald again explained the things which came under the head of appropriations and those that came under loans and special legislative acts. Most of the matters introduced at the meeting would come under the head of loans.
He later pointed out that Boston was about the only large city in the country that paid the expense of new streets. In other cities the cost was born by the abutters. He said that the city paid half the expense of sidewalks and the property owners the other half, and the present poor condition of the sidewalks in West Roxbury was due largely to the fact that the property owners were unwilling to pay their half of the cost. The city was ready to go ahead with such improvements.
Patrick J. Brady, representing the Cleveland club, was the first speaker. He said the organization represented the largest body of citizens in the West Roxbury district, so he said that he would take up the general needs of the district, but would leave it to the improvement associations to point out the necessity of the various needs.
In Jamaica Plain.
L.J. Brackett, president of the Jamaica Plain citizens' association, said Jamaica Plain had three important needs; playgrounds, the improvement and care of certain streets and sidewalks and the preservation of trees from insects. He called special attention to the sidewalks of Centre st from Green to Boylston st and on Washington st from Green st to Forest Hills sq. He spoke for cleaner and better watered streets and receptacles for waste paper in the business streets; also increased efficiency in the collection of ashes and garbage.
He recommended for the consideration of the city government the construction of a new street over Stony brook, a tunnel under the New Haven tracks at some point between Green and Boylston sts, and the restoration of the noon bell and the no-school bell service. He asked the Mayor to appear at the hearings before the railroad commissioners and endorse a station of the elevated at Green st, and urged the mayor and city council to favor the electrification of steam railroads in greater Boston.
Rev Carroll Perry urged the necessity of three playgrounds in Jamaica Plain, one on the Goodwin estate, which the city already partly owned; one on the Burrage estate on Perkins st and Jamaia Way, which was being used at present by permission of the owner as a playground, and one at Brookside and Cornwall sts, where it would be also possible to have a winter gymnasium.
Dr E. Peabody Gerry advocated more strenuous measures to save the trees from gypsy moths, browtail moths and elm beetles. Much had been done, but much remained to be done, and he suggested that the city appropriate $75,000 to get rid of the pestes. He also pleaded for reforestation and the planting of new trees. He said the Soldier's monument should be better cared for and that the cleaning of the sidewalks of snow should be more strictly attended to.
He said Jamaica pond was sadly in need of cleaning and that the proposed footbridge, 38 feet high, over the New Haven tracks above Forest Hills should not be built. A tunnel should be built at the point.
Supt Emerson said the matter of a tunnel had been considered, and sentiment appeared to be evenly divided between a footbridge and a tunnel.
Mayor Fitzgerald suggested that the snow-plow service in the matter of opening sidewalks should be resumed. He believed that the care of the Soldier's monument would come within the scope of the Parkman fund.
[cut "Germantown's 13 Needs"]
Rev George H. Lyons of Our Lady of Lourdes church urged the necessity of a tunnel under the New Haven tracks to connect Cornwall and Oakdale sts. He said 800 parishioners lived on one side of the track and they had to walk a half mile or moreto get to the church, which was in reality only a short distance away. It is one of the most congested sections and the lack of a tunnel puts thousands of people to great inconvenience, he said.
[cut West Roxbury, Mt Hope and Roslindale sections]
********************************************************************************
A few thoughts: sadly, they lost the battle with the elm beetles. The paper recycling suggestion was interesting, and no doubt before its time. The tunnel under the railroad tracks between Green and Boylston sts was built at the end of Lawndale street, off Lamartine, and coming out to Amory street. The footbridge for Forest Hills must have been the Tollgate bridge, and is listed as being built the same year as this meeting. The steel span remains, but the stairs on each side and the wooden flooring is gone.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Local Parents Protest School Conditions
Washington street school (BPL Flickr photo group). Added 10/1/2011
Richards, L.J., 1899 (copyright © 2000 by Cartography Associates)David Rumsey Collection
This map segment shows an area just south of Forest Hills. Stony brook loops across the top marked in blue. Washington street, the New York, New Haven railroad tracks, and Hyde Park avenue run horizontally from right to left. Walk Hill street forks off at the bottom. The Catholic cemetery along Hyde Park avenue is prominent here, just across the tracks from the schoolhouse. In recent years, the former Tollgate Footbridge crossed the tracks between the cemetery and the school. Actually, the footbridge structure is still there, but the stairs have been removed on both sides.
In 1900, the area on Washington street must have been a funnel for all the water draining from Canterbury, Hyde Park and Roslindale. If you stand on the spot now and look around, you see the hills of the Arboretum to the west and the Walk Hill slope to the east. You have to wonder who it was who decided to put a school at the lowest and wettest spot in the area.
Boston Globe March 14, 1900
Will Hold A Mass Meeting Forest Hills Citizens Protest Against Accomodations for Children in the Washington St School
Tomorrow evening the residents of Forest Hills will
hold a mass meeting in Minton hall to protest
against the present school accomodations in that
section. Ex Representative A.B. Root, the prime
mover in the meeting, will preside. Among those
invited to be present are Mayor Hart, Alderman
Gerry, Representatives Minton and Curley,
Councilmen Smith, Whiteley and Henderson and the
members of the subcommittees of the school board on
new buildings, schoolhouses and the 8th district.
There has been nothing for years in Forest Hills of
so much interest to Forest Hills residents as this
school question. The only building used in the
section for school purposes in the memory of any of
the residents is the old wooden building on
Washington st. still doing duty as a primary
school. The grammar school children are obliged to
go to the boy's grammar, the Agassiz, on Burroughs
st, or the girl's grammar, the Bowditch on Green
st. Both are in Jamaica Plain, a mile away from
Forest Hills sq.
But the particular grievance is in relation to the
little children in the old wooden building on
Washington,whom the residents want removed to the
new building on Walk Hill st.
As a result of a mass meeting two years ago work
was started on a new schoolhouse on Walk Hill st.
The plans called for an eight-room building, which
would give ample room for all the primary school
children in the building on Washington st. and
those attending the lower grades in the grammar
schools at Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. They
received their first disappointment when the school
committee decided to finish only four rooms then
and put on the other four when the money was
obtained.
A few years ago, the four rooms were finished, and
it was expected that the primary children would
then be removed to the current building. But a
rumor became current that it was not the intention
of the school committee to remove the primary
children at all, but to bring pupils of the lower
grammar grades in Roslindale at the Charles Sumner
school and keep the little children in the old
building.
Immediately there was a protest. The residents
claim that one of the objects of the new buildings
was for the primary children: that the old building
on Washington st is unfit for the children: that
they should be removed as soon as possible.
It is with the feeling that these children should
be attended to at once and taken away from their
present quarters that the residents are going to
gather and present a united protest.
A visit was made to the Washington st school by The
Globe representative and many interesting facts
learned. On the day of his visit the school yard
was a veritable mud hole, and in one corner was
considerable water.
Bad as the school building is, and as crowded as it
is, there are a large number of children of the
school age who cannot be accommodated. There is no
kindergarten school in the section, although over
100 applications have been received.
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