HomeMy WebLinkAbout1947-03-24i~foderator:
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Held at'Dreamland Theatre; Nantucket
I¥[arch 24, 1947~at '7:30 p. m.
i have been advised tbs
"Come to order, Please.
we have received s request from the pupils of'
two classes in the' high school that they have
permission to have four pupils "from one class
and three from another class in civil government
to attend this meeting. There are ample seats
for everybody so af:parently I can see no reason
why this assembly cannot give yermission to the
high school students who will be in charge of
i¥',r. Baker, uhetr teache~. Is that your pleasur,
Ail those in favor say 'aye' "Aye"
Those opposed, 'nay' (None)
Mr. Chadwick, will you admit the students? Mr.
Baker you will instruct the students they will
take no part in the voting.
:'The hour has now arrived, we will hear the
reading of the minutes by the Town Clerk.
Report of election read by Town Clerk.
"The next thing to come before the meeting
is Article 2 which is: 'To receive' reports of
the various departments and committees which
shall come before this meeting.' The recommend-
ation.'~of the Finance Committee is: 'We recommend
that the reports o£ the various departments and
co.'~mittees be received. '
Harold W. Killen: "Mr. i~[oderator.
l~'ioderator: "Mr. Killen.
Harold Killen:"i present the Finance Committee report.
Moderator: "The report of the Finance Co,mit tee is now 'in
' hand.. From this point on if anybody wants to
take up any special article, all they have to do
~ is to request that the 'blank'. article be t~ken
~ ~ from the report and'taken separately. Then the
articles will be taken up in numerical order.
Parker G~aY: "Article 37.
Archibald Cartwright:."Articl'e 8.
Nicholas Norton] "One part of Article 8.
Leo Desrocher:~,,~rticle.74.
Willard McKinstry: "Police Budget~ Article 8.
Preston Manchester: "Article ~0.
H. Osgood Bennett: "Article ~0.
Moderator: "Are~there any other articles?
O. H~y'~iorris: ~,,if you want any section do you have to s-oecify
Moderato'~: "The who!~ 'a~ticle is open. Anyone can talk on
,,.:a any item in Article 8.
"Are theee the only articles to be taken out
from the warrant?
417
418
Moderator: "We are going to take Out Articles, 8, 30, 3'?, 60,
and 74. These are the only. articles that will'be
taken up for. separate discussion on the floor.
Article 8 is now before the assembly. ~
Mr. Cartwright: "Mr. Moderator.
Moderator.:
Cartwright:
"Ivlr. Cartwright.
"in Artioie 8, under'ForeSt Fires the Finance Comm.-
ittee has recommended ~ 50 ---~50 for salary, and
100. for labor, and equipment. I have spent stout
150. already and I'll have nothing to go through
the year. i don't imagine that'the Finance Committee
f'oresaw the number of fires we would have this spring.
The dry season is yet to come. I move that ~
;~500. be
approprlated bo include salary, and equipment, and
wages. We have to have some equipment an5 it has
already been ordered, i think if there is any part
unused it will be turned back.
"I second the 'motion."
Moderator: "Was that motion seconded?
Moderator:
Modemat or:
:'The Finance gommittee re~;ort recommended that
be appropriated for this work. It is now moved that
the sum of ~$500. be raised and appropriated to cover
salary and expenses of fighting forest fires.
"Ail those in flavor say ~aye' .... "~YE"
"Those opposed, 'nay' (none)
"The 'ayes'hava i't.
"Any other part of'Article 8~
N. Norton: "I would like to know if it is legal to combine the
Harbor Master, Yacht Garbage Removal, and Shellfish
Znspector. I understand t~]at when you put in an
application to the Selectmen they a~e going to give
the three jobs to one man. i think they should be
given to three men. I would 'like your opinion
Charles Blount:.~ "I Wo~ld like to ask the last 'speaker, is ~i800.
going to be the salary £~r the three people?
~oderator:
C. Biount:
N. Norton: "I don't know anything about that. I think that
the Shellfish, Yacht Garbage, & HsrborMaster should'
be separate, i don~t think one man should h2ve three
jobs.
C. Blouat: "I am not' s~eaking~bout three jobs. I am just asking
if that is going to be the salary.
"Do you~ wish to i.nquire of the Finance Committee?
"I think the Fin~nce~ ommzttee t~ought they. would~
save some money.
Matthew Jaeckle: "Mr. Moderator, on this appropriation of ~1800..
salary, it says this includes Harbor Master, and
Yacht Garbage Removal. In regard to the three positions
the Finance Committee found out through various conver-
sations that they would save .money by combining these
three positions. One of these positions might amount
to $100. which is hardly worth one man's time end boer.
But by combining the three and making the sai~ry worth-
while we would save the town three or four hundred
dollars, it seemed to be agreeable to everyone we
mentionned it to. Th~t~s the only reason. There
was nothing personal about it or anything like that.
N. Norton: "Is it legal?,
RIode~.'ator: "There is~;t anytlihg[.'in the jobs that the
statute governs. There is-no reason~wb.y they
could not be combined.~ Ii'is t:erfectly legal
to have one man have all
"is there anything else you want ~to Say On that?
C. Ray Ivlorris: "Mr. Moderator, i would like' to take up that
part of Article 8 that has to do with the Tax
Collector. You will note 'that in Article 8 as
a whole there have been increases granted to
., practically all but the Tax Collector. Primar-
ily that was the fault of the present collector
~ not having put~any increase in the budget that
could come before the Finance Committee so that
they could act on it.
~odera t or:
"I would like to move, Mr'. ~oderator, then that
the salary of the Tax Collector be increased
retroactive to January lat.
"Does anybody else want to speak on this.
"Second the motion."
Moderator:
"There has been a motion made and seconded that
the salary of the tax collector be increased
~"$300. and that said increase be retroactive to
January 1st of this year. That motion has been
made and seconded. Any further discussion?
irving Bartlett: "What is the present salary?
Josiah Barrett: "Two thousand plus f~.fteen per cent--.~2300.
i~oderator: "Are you ready for 'the question?
A~ustus'Fisher: "i~seems to me'~hat if you are going to. ~
give raises, I don't know where you will get off.
We have got to consider the taxp?,yer who is pay-
ing the taxes. I would like to ask if he didn't
already get a r:aise lastyyear.
"I did not.
~r. Morris
~r. Fisher:
."i feel ne is getting a pretty good salary. I
don't think we ought to raise any more salaries
this year.
"Any further discussion?
All those in favor say 'aye' "AYE"
Those opposed~,no, "NO"
The motion is lost~ i
is there any other question under Article 8~to
come'up?
~¥ioderator: ,
Mr. McKinstry: "I would like to speak about the Police DePt.
Budget. A group of people in the Civic League .
have.thought for'some time that the~Police Dept.
'is in great need of more men on the force, for th
reason that q~uite apparently it has teen.quite
impossible for the Chief to arrange the schedule
so that the desk in the Pollce office is always
covered. Sometimes~ people have called up and
aren't able to get in touch with anyone. It seem
vitally important that 'the Police Dept. should be
just as much on call as the Fire Dept., and al-
though there is no article in the warrant'i would
like to get the Police approprLation increased to
cover the cost of having two more men on the
420
McKinstry(cont.): Department so tha~- the'de'~k coul.d.alw~ys
Oe covered, i know that this 'is a very sad time to ask fora ~--:
such a thing~ it would~increase taxes and be highly unpopular.
i would like an opinion from the Finance Commiotee before I
make a motion.
I~loderator: "You may inquire of the Finance Committee.
Mr. J~eckle: "Mr. Moderator, in regal5 to this question the
Finance Committee thought ~he Nantucket Police Force'adequat$'
to handle necessary callswith the addition of the two state
troopers.
"First, may i say that the Nantuckst Police force h-~s s
cruiser and can talk to t~e State Police cruiser at all times.
Many people have the idea that the State Police cannot act in
t~e town or something' similar, i would like to add, or let you.
know that ~he State Police ~can-act or handle anything in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. if~ at times perhaps the local
police desk isn't covered,' I don't think[the State Police would
mind anyone calling there. That's what they are here for.
Moderator: "Does t~lat answer your question?
Mr. McKinstry: "I am very glad to know this. i 5id not know
myself that the State Potice were allowed to hantle anything
in the limits of ~he town. Since that ;~s so, i would say that.
the present police ±'orca is sufficieut~ so that if anyone should
call and wasn't able to get the desk they coul5 call the State
Police. That' would be the two men for which ws were thinking
of as~king., For that reason, I won't go anv~ furt~ler.
Moderator: "Anything else in Article 8~
"If nobody has anything to bring up then Article 30 is
before the meeting. Ar.,.'Lcle ~,0 says: "To see if the Town
will vote to authorize the School ¢' '
~omm.~ttee to alcpo_~.nt.a
Community [ec~.eation Committee to pl~,n and orgsntze a' co~munity--
wi~e program of recreation and to supervise the work off e £ull-
[.ime Director of ~ a--o
· ,e~re.,tion if and when appointed.",' The recom-
m'endation of the Finance ~ommzttee is: "We do not recommend."
Parker Gray: "i woult' like to re, qubst permission to give me about
~"ive to seven mlnutes of t;his floor to stz'~,ighten out something
that has been said that i have said.
Moderator: "Just so long as it ~ertaias to this article and the
a~s,~,~biy has no objections.
~;~r__2_. Gray: i have been accused of ,-0eking a statement to the ell'act
that theft ti~e Parent Teachers Assn. is. composed of Communists.
i say now: At no time have i accused'them of Communism. Also, i
wisi~ to state at this time that i ,, at no time have ever r.~entionned
the National Recreation Assn., or accused them of anything. 'f~nat
I did say was that the program sponsored by the P,~remt Teachers
Assn. could be the first step in Communism here in Nantucket.
Communism is a secret movement in the interest of a fore~gn
power--Russia. There are many men and women in all walks of
life. in the pa~ers you will find they are attemFt[ng to put:ge
Civil Service of Communists and sympathisers, i have seen con-
siderable ~throughout the U. S. and the universe as t-o how the
Communist ~arty works. They are not, as i sa[d, interested in
grownups, they are interested in our. children. I want to say
right now, you saw what bai;p~ned.in Norway, and that hs~spened
~twen~y .~.ears ago. There are~.those who ~et up and say Russia
can't fight a war. They said Germany couldn't fight a war and
that Japan couldn't fight a war, but i think they fought s pretty
good war, and a lot of fellows here and some that are.~'t here
5oday can tell you the same thing.
"They have people in ail walks of life., i don't know
whether the Recreation Leader would be a Communists, that remains
to be seen. i would say ~hat with Nantucket beLug composed of
more or,less rugged individualists they would get rid of him if
[]
,Gray (cont.): he did.come down here. .in favor of~Article
$0 i think the' town should ask the Selectmen to appoint a
committee to look into this further. Thank you,,Mr. Moder-
ator and Ladies and Gentlemen. ..
Paul Kl-ngeliu,.s.' ~ .~ . "Apparently the Communists are working in
~ such a way that they always deny that they belong to tt~eI
party.: How do we know that this genbi=man 6oas not belong
'to the party~ How do you know i don't belong to the party?
H.' 0[ Bonnett: ~"May I speak'for the Parent Teachers Assn.
who inserted that article that is now before you. A study
has been made over' several months of the recreation -program.
There are over one tho~sand such progra~,s in communlties
all over the countr, y. The committ.-~e feels that. the program
would be of g~-eat benefit to Nantucket, helping to keep the
people happy and satisf'ied. There is no chance for. the in-
roads of Communism among satisfied people. We feel there
is a need for further study of this matter . We feel there
is a nee~ for furth~r study of Nantucket's need for further
forms of recreation and it should be carried on un5er an
official cormmittee appointed by the school board of our tow~
it's only fair to mention that it will nol~ cost tt~e town one
cent.
Frederick Hill: "I~'~r. Moderator.
~ioderator: "l~.,ir. Hill
~ir. Hill: "i fl,,ink the town generally doesn't quite under-'~
stand trois article, it sounds as if the ~chool Con~nittee
were asking for-money. They are not. Ail they.are asking
is to have the aut~ori~y to appoint a comr~ittee to make a
study of tl~e subject and to, if possible, ~hink up a good
scheme that will be within our means to provide, because
'-~h~re~ is, absolu~ely~:nocouestion,~ but what the town is short
on such facilities. That is shown almost every day. '
"i know a great deal of t~e trouble is accused of being
in the home, but wherever it is, the trouble is there. Ther~
is a gl'eat deal of malicious mischief that goes on constgntlF
because ther~ isn't anything else to do. They are going to
do something, that is human nature. If the community could
think up some method of hanO!ing this it will be reported
later on Lo the town. it would have to be in order to get
any appropriation. Let us give them a chance. I'm not on
the,school committee, I guess-~t's 9 good thing for them,
but if ~hey a~'.point a committee I would like to see them
appoint, say three or five, whichever they want, and have at
least one.member of t~at committee Who is not entirely in
favor with them. it's always helpful to have a little oppo-
sition.~I've tries it on myself. I think if ~hey would
appoin~t .two that are strongly in favor of this end one who
is lukewarm, it might he l~eipful. I hope the meeting will
give tl~em a chanc.e. That's only fair play.
Kent Kin.~: "Mr. ~,~oderator.
k:oderat0r- "i~r ~ King
~r. King: "Now that Mr. Hill has'clarified the situation,
if ii, is article is passed it will not cost the' town oneecent,
it seems to me, then the preceding article woul5 be out of
orSer fo? this year and i would like to ask if it is too late
to br~.ng that up.
"In other words, we are getting at cross-purposes on two
diFI'er, ent funds. One they will work for- nothing and the ot-h~
they want some money from the town.
.~:ioderator: :'Article 29 wasn't taken out, so that we cannot
discuss it. The Finance Gomm~otee's recommendation of 'Do
not recommend. ' stands.
Joseph Cochrane: "Mr. Moderator.
422 -'
i~ioder'ator: ,"Mr. C0chrane.
~Ir." Cochran~: "I understnad ~that Articles .29, 30; anS;?.l'were
all preDared by the representatives of'tP.e Parent'Teachers'
Assn. While I do not pretend to read into:the minds~of the
~Finance Committee I am inclined to think the:committee took·
the three articles as one unified program and therefore did
not feel.they could recommend something that was'part'of an
entire program comprising Articles ~9, 30, and 31'. ~'I am de-
lighted to find those who have criticized th~s effort,are now
intthe same camp with~those who believe we should.~do the best
we can in ti~e way of an educational recreation pro.,gram. Since
last year we appointed a Tree Commission to assess~..,.the~damage
to the trees of Nantucket, it seems to me it would ',be splendid
.~for you to assess the damage to the youth.
Geo~...~e .W. Jones: "Mr. Moderator.
Moderator: "Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones: "I understand that the program of ii, is cpmmitte~ is
a recreation program for adults as well as chilSren of school
age. Is that right i~r. Bermett',~
~r. Bennett: "Right. :
Mr. Jones: "On that assumption I would like to say that the
community has no responsibility to.pay for the recreation of
persons old enough to earn ti~eir own living, if they are in
school they are the responsibility of the community; we are
supposed to give them physical as well as mental education.
We are supposed to take care of them until they ,becomeof.'age
bo suDpo~b themselves. I don't think any community shoul5 be
burd?,ned with th,~ cost of enterta'._ning other members of 'the
same cormnunity.
"Look at the cost of recreation in the scho~is today and
we find they are doing something. According to ~he propao4anda
I h~v.e seen out on ~he Recreation Program people have a lot of
opportunity for doing nothing.' Looking at r~he cost of ~t.~e schools
for this last year I find that the cost of equipment
of teams have cost about .~1000. Rental of ~ennett H~ll another
~1000. Salary of' Ehor~a~ion instructor (~roportional part--
less than half) ~.~1500., making e toual of ~500.00 for recreation
in the school, i unflersband ~he proposed program would include
the use of the library, so with ti~e cost of the library, ..~nclud-
lng the cost of the beaches, our ~iayground at Sconset and of
~' 018 spent for
Parks, the expenses for uhe year come to
recreation for this town last~'Year--about ~1.00 on the tax rate.
Mr. Hill: "If~we admit what fir. Jones has just said,;I think
we are getting off very cheaply at one dollar on the tax'rate.
if we can do all that for our young people I think that is a
very moderate amount. But this article does not call, for any
expenditure and'£ think we should vote on this motion.
i,~oderator: "I haven't received any motion.
i~lr. Hill: "Then I make a motion that the committee b$ appointed
as outlined in Article 30.
Mr. Fisher: "~!r. Moderator;
i~loderator: "Mr. Fisher.
R~r. '~'isher: "I have before'me one of 2he programs . At the
bottom of this program the Parent Teachers Assn. says i.t won'~
false the ta~ rate only ~5~. Now i would like to know who is
responsible for s.~reading such propaganda around the town. it
will be twenty-five dollars in a little while if it's allo~/~,ed
~, Finance Committee's
to go ahead, i make an amendment that '- o
report be accepted and their recommendations adopted.
"Second the motion."
Ernest Lema: "i remember a few years ago when they wanted to
put an addition with a gymnasium on the-North School and there
Lama (cont'[) : wssn,t a voter that :got up end spoke against .'."
i~. They hsd the.plans all drawn. 'Mr. F~sne~' ' · got up and took
the floor and helped our past members Arthur Norcross and
Alfred Smith try to put ~.hat vote over.: I got up and said
that we had a White Elephant up there and that:if there was
any money to build a gymnasium was to put it down at. the .Cyrus
Peirce School. i may be the one who defeated it because the
progrsr~ could t~ave been made a good thing in the right style.
"As for- ~57J or ~1., there are a lot of people that haven't
brought up any children, have had no interference from the out-
side world,-an~ ~on't.know responsibility. I've brought up a
family of six, have had more~ or less responsibility and i know
that if i could have had a little more cooperation i might have
done better, if there had been something like that in my day
I might have progressed a little more myself.
Mr. McKin~try: i don't know whether Mr. Hill's mot~.on was
seconded or not. If it is in .order i would like to second
that motion. As Mr. Bennett mentionned.this isn't going to
cost the town anything. Ail it does is ask .the school committe
to appoint a Community Recreation Committee. i'here is nothing
in this article that requires antibody to appoint a paid Directo~
I don'tthink any objections are, on that ground, really valid.
£ would like to second ~lr. Hill's motion.
,"Some tilm~ ago I got a letter fr~m someone off island who
seemed to think i was on the committee. The writer[was very
anxious there should be some program, particularly ~_uring the
summer for seopie who come ~o work in the restaurants.and hotel~,
many of them away from home for the first time and tricing to,
earn their way throu.gh college and hav~ nothing ~o do in their
off hours. ~
Er. Jones: "L~ss I be misunderstood, I would like to say I am
not ,o~posed to recreation in the ~ schools, fha only reason i
read t~ose figures was ,to give the meeting som~ idea of what
~ecrsation costs now ann what it would cost to enlarge it to
incl~de adults as well as school children~
~r 'Hill: "I think Mr. I,:~cKinstry in seconding mymo~ion~. ~ has
covered the subject pretty, well and I think there are enough
fair-minded people in thisttown to give them a chance to stow
if they can think up any scheme.
Moderator: "Are you ready for the question?
~¢Ir.~Fisher: "Nobody has ans~,ered my question. -I want to know
who spread this £:ropaganda about ~5~ tax rate.
[¥lr. Gray:- . There was an amendment made and seco'ndeS. I want t¢
make i~ clear to everyone-- -
Moderator: "I am about to do that.
"You have before you to come up now a motion to amend the
recommemdations of the Fin. Uomm. That .is wh~t you are actually
going to vote on. if you vote 'aye' you will be recommending
the recommendation of' the Finance Committe, which is: 'We do
not recommend." Then if that is voted on sad the'~ayes'prevail
that wiil be all, and if the 'ayes'~ don't prevail th~en we take
up ~h~, motion of ~lr. Hill that the Committee be appointed.
?
~,]r. Fisher: "The:amendment co~es first.
Eoderator': On the floor is Mr. Hill's motion .that the cormmittee
be appointed and that in turn was amended by ~,~r. Fisher's ..mot [on
the Finance Co~nittee's re_commendation be acce~ted, which has
been seconded. The recommendation of the Finance Committee is:
'We do not reco~mnend.'
Ail those in favor say Jaye' "Aye" -
All those opposed ~nay' "Ns?,~
The hayes have it.
We now have before the meeting the motion of l,~r. Hill which
;~as seconded that. a con~ittee be a~poinl, ed by the School
tp plan and organizer's community-wide program of recreati~n'~,~nd
to sui~'ervise'the work of a full time Director or Recreation if
and when appointed.~ ''~ ~ ..... . -' ~
"All those in favor 0f this motion say 'aye' "AYE" ~'
"Those opposed 'nay~ '" "NAY" -~ "
"The chair is in'doubt. ': ....
'"Ail those in favor say 'aye' "AYE"
"Those.opposed ~nay~ "NAY" ....
Joseph Cochrane: "I would like to ask for a risings vote.
[¥ioderator: "Al!'those in'favor'of this motion raise hands.
"Those op!~osed ra. is~ their hands. " ~
(Tellers Driscoil and Appleton counted 146 in favor
'and 137 opposed.)
"Since there are 146 in the affirmative and '137 in
n~gauive tn~ mo~ion is ~aPri~d.
"Article 57 is b~fore the m~eting. T'h~ articl,~ %s ss follows:
'To see if th~ Town will voCe to raise ~:~nd n?propriste the sum
of Ten T~ousand~oilars (:$10,000.00) for bituminous 'concrete
surfacing on the Fai~ Ground Road.' The'recom~endat]_on of the
FinanceComm-~ttee' is: 'We recommend that the sum of One Thousand
Dollars ($1,000.00)~be ap~Fropriated. , " ,
~fw. Gray:' "Article 37 is for the Fair Ground Road'and. I want
to say that the Finance Committee works h~rd and-long on the
articles of this warrant. I would like very much~ to have the
recommendations stand but it will cost a total o~. ~%21,000.00
to complete that entix;e road. You can a!l see ~)m[a~t.about how.
far one thousand dollars would'go. I could a!mos-~[jump that ~
farl Two cars can't pass, if you do get out of the"~&mts you
stand an excellent chan~e of getting stuck. If they['~an't see .~
fit to pave it partway i would just as soon the town Save~%1. ,000.'.
and don't even start because the thousand dollars won'~ pave
anything. '~'
for bituminous concrete surfacing on the Fair Ground roa~t['~.be
appropriated. [
"Second."
Moderator': Anyone else want to be heard? ., :_::,:<'"
i~/~r. Lema: "if we've got :~10,000. to lay on a new road it seem's
to me that we ought to lay it on Sparks Avenue' which is going
to take a 10t of traffic-~ away from the center of the 'town., ....
l'here were two people caught out theme and if it hadn't been
for t!~eir flashlight that I saw flashingthe town- ' ~
m~gb~ bqve,-,.,
been sued for people catching pneumonia. I'called John Hardy
and.we went out and got them. If there is ~10,000. to be ~
ai~propriated i hope they will see fit to put it on Sp~rks Aven~e
not F~ir Grounds Road. ,~
M..r Fisher: I make an amendment to tha~ motion, that the ,-'~
recommendation of the Finance Committee be acce~ted.
i~ioderator: Is that seconded? , ~
"The motion is made to amend Mr. Graf's motion'by moving
that the recommendations of the Finance ~ommittee be acce~ted
and ~1,000. be appropriated. ~
"SecOnd."
Moderator: . If you are ready for the question, Lt will be on
the motion'of Mr. Fisher to amend ~r'. Gray's motion, and that
the recommendations of uhe Finance Committeeb-~e ~ccepted and
the sum of ~1,000.00 be ~ppropriated. A ~'~
"All those, in favor say 'aye' "AYE': "
"Those opposed 'nay' "NAY" · ~
"The 'ayes' have it. Th~ sum of f;1,O00.O0 will be approp-
r. iated.
I~ir.-Gwa,-y: "N~. {todera~ow, my.mo~ion w~s m~cle ~nd seconded. The
vote should' have" been on that. instead: of on Mr. · Fisher ' s mot-ton.
A lot of'people didn't understand, i didn't understand it my-
self.
i~loderat'b~fi "Do you want to move to reconsider that vote?
Mr. Gr : "Yes, if you please.'
Moderator-: "~lr: Gray would like to have us recons~.der, that
vote.,. He is perfectly.in his right. ,_ I am going to have you
vote~.again. ~ ~[ou are voting on the motion of i~'ir. Fisher,which
amends Mr. Gray's motion. Mr. Fisher's motion is,that the
sum of ~1,000. be appropriated for the Fair Ground road.
· "Ail tho~ in favor say 'aye' "AYE':
"Ail those opposed will say 'nay' ('N6n~)
"it is a unanimous vote.
'"Article 60 is befo~=e the assembly Article 60 ssvs-
~To see if the Town will vote to accept the provision of
Section 4B of Chapter 136 of the General Laws, to allow the
granting of licenses for the operation of bowling alleys on
the Lord's Day, between the hours of one and eleven post merid-
ians, or do o~. act anything relative thereto.' The Finance
Committee recommendation is: "We recormnend that this A~'tio'le
be refer, red to ~ho Annual Town Meeting."
Preston i~lsnchesber: "i make a m~tion that this aru.kcle be
approved as read.
"Second."
Mr. ~sher: am a heavy tax payer~ on Main Street. I don't
,~ant to see Main Str'eet turned into a play ground. 'On six
days Shalt thou labor and on the seventh day thou shalt rest.'
Let's keep it l:oly.
John i~icLau~hlin: ~x'yuf~mng else goes on in Nantucket, 'it's
the busiest day of the week--yachting, boating, tennis, golf,
bicycling, cribbage, poker, drinking. %~,/aqt's so bad about
bowling?· i'll bet if you wanted r,o buy a piece of antique
furniture on Sunday he'd darn soon open his shop.'
Mr. Fisher: "Sunday is the Lord's Day sad~' unfortunately more
ought .to z'ealize it. if you are going to turn this town into a
playground .Sunday afternoon with all the racket and confusion.
You can turn it into a gambling game if you w~:nt to. I hope
the telegraph oompahy won't get into politics.
I~[r. Mci~au~hlin: "The hours' that are requested in no way inter-
fe~,e with any. church regardless of religion. The hours are
sta2ed.~,As I stated befor~ all the other s ct~vities go on
on Sunday. it's the busiest day off,he week.
"The money derived from the bowling alley remsins here on
the island--revenue to the owner, employees, pin-boys. It
closes.at eleven at night. I see nothing wrong with~bowllng.~
I make a motion we.refrain from further discussion and vote on
this.
"Second."
Mr]'Lema~: "i~was'~br6ught up as a~good deal of an athlete myself
~ve a'~re~Lated what ~as been handed out. They have bowling
six days~ week, and in spit of ~he fact that most of~us are
lacking in belief of~the Lord, there ought to be some consider-
at[on takeda of i~. Regardless of when Mr. Fisher makes ~
motion sna is laughed at, th~ Lord is his foundation, he has in
his mind although he :isn't allowed to illustrate'it~ ~
"I think bowling on Sunday in the t~wn, when there is six
days bowling ought to be cut 'out. i followed bowl~n~ f~om a
boy of eleven until I was si×t~en years ~old. 'Ther~ has been
five bowling alleys on this -,siena. i can tail you ~i~ht where
they' were;" . one was right here, ?one' at '-the; At~.~etlc' Club,' ~ "A~:
Tom Lewis'had~one down the'street, and'one in Sconset '~'
Not one of them 'ever prospered. If they can't make money six'
days a week, they can't make money on Sunday. I say there ....
should be a motion that bowling on Sun~s.~ should be stopped.
Claude Bond: "I have come here thi2~;evening 'planning not to
speak but i~ is hard for me to sit here and keep~quiet'wttt~- ?~
some of the talk that has been going on. Let's keep the question
of whether or not 'Sunday is the busiest day out of it. Cer-
tainly Sunday could be busier in some ways. I am not opposed
to wholesome recreation of any sort on Sunday. I am lopposed
to the commercialization of Sunday; commercializat~:bfl which
has been sDreading over the whole nation in the last few~years.
If the manager wan~s to let peopl~ bowl on Sunday for nothing,
if it is for recreation, but it ls the commercialization which
is going on which i personally don't want to see anywhere, cer-
tainly not in Nantucket. Of course,' you know how I stand as s
minister, as a citizen, one who believe when he looks at the
o~e day of the week which is free from business that ft is
good, especially if you think gb6~t-"it's being free from co~er-
cialization. Then i am definitely ~rom that standpoint, '~.
regardless of my religious beliefs,' opposed to such a thing.: '
I have had my say, I sit down and rest my case.
Clarence Swift: "Mr. ['~oderator.
i~ioderator: "I{r. Sw!ft.
Mr. Swift: "[~r. McLeughlin stated that the hours did not inter-
fere with any church. There is two churches at night, i would
like him to understand that.
Josep.h Sylvia: "Sunday afternoon the Catho~ic Church has
Sunday School~;and church services at night.
]~r.' McLau~hlin: "i meant if you are going to church, lyou are
going, regardless of' whether the bowling alley is open.
~¥~r. ~anchester: "With all due respect for .~.lr. Bond, if we
s~;opped commercialization there would be a lot of places
that would be closed.
~ "With bowling as popular as it is,~ we would have a chance
to have other teams fly down who oouldn!t come during the work
week but could come on Sunday afternoon. Then in turn we could
fly up to see them.
"Before we sent this article in~ to the Selectmen~to put
in the warrant we sho~ it to the Priest' and mentionned the'
fact that we would keep a list of the children that should be
in Sunday School which begins at two o'clock and they wouldn't
be allowed in-ohere.
"We try to keep it's good_ clean sport~ and give the people
something to do in.the winter. Vfnen there isn't too much'to
do on Sunday it would be something to look forwar¢l to.
Mr. Lema: As everybody should know, as long ~s bowling is
carried on regardless of weekdays or Sundays there is goi. ng
to.be more or less gambling, always betting on strings, pins,
betting on the way a man rolls the ball in the alley.
"If you allow bowling to be allowed on Sunday you are
going to have a bigger welfare list to pay. ~,~en who work
weekdays are going to,be down on Main Street bowling.
"I would like to make a motion that bowling be prohibited
in Nantucket on Sunday.
"Second
~,'~r. Manchester: This is not.~ime to bring up personal feelin~.~.
but the gentlemmn is doing this just for pe. rsonal feeling which
g0'es~b,~ck.to' ~hen iworked'in the First National. ,. He has .- '
never been in' the boY, ling alley:and he has no'ld, ea what goes
on. I can't see what he bases his facts on. it's all a per-
sonal'feeling on his part. : .. ~'
,~oderator: "The motion was made and seconded-'-
~;Ir. Lema:~ "Can't £ be allowed to defend myself? I have some
'respect for the younger fellow coming along in this life ' I
wish i had more help when'i was trying to get an education.
I had a boy working for me that when he had five minutes off
he was in the bowling alley. ~f ~you check his bank account
noon he dr~w ,. and .then Saturday afternoon he made ~Z. ~'
betting. 'I say this for the benefit of someboSy who.might be
~ringing up children.
"There should be one day in the week that~c~ildren should
not have that example before them. I believe there is a motlon
on' the floor. ~ · ' '
i',.!oderator: "We are about to vote on the motion which has
0een seconded that' bowling be~prohibited in Nantucket on
Sundays.
"Ait'those in favor say 'aye'
"Those opposed 'nay' "NAY"
"The 'ayes' have it.
Manchester:
"I would like a recount.
~,'ioLau~hlin: '"I think there is a misunderstanding.
a recount ?
Can we' h~ive
i~ioderator' "The motion'Nou are voting on is that bowling on
Sunday be prohibited in Nantucket.
LeRo~[ Pease: "i would like to ask if one person can ask ~
one-pe~aa~n--~a~-~a~s~ for s recount on something in which so many
people showed that they knew what they were voting on. "~
Moderator: "There is no question that the''ayes', had it on
that vote. The only question is as to whether or not'the
assembly, knew what they were voting on. i will put s motion
to the assemOly: Did the 'assembly understand which way you
were voting on the l~st motion?
: "Tt~o~e Who' did,' say 'aye' ~"AYE"
"Those who did not, say 'nay' "NAY"
"The vote stands.
"Article',,74 is before the ~eeting. "'Tg see if the Town '
will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Fifteen Huadred
Dollars ($1500.00) to relay the present sewer pipe in Derry-
more Road and extend the pipe to the property of Mr. Leo,
Desrocher--650 feet." The recon~endation of the Finance Comm-
ittee is: "Due to the'fact that work cannot be done this year
we do not 'recommend."
Lac Desrocher ~q~laY':I-~a'§k.~.why?[£t' ": ....
whom d6:~o~ inquire that?
~t~e Finance Committee.
a!re~y e~olained,, ~ l, _-~that~ to Mr. Desrocher.st th~ hearlng. ~ in
fact ~e htr the Sewer'. Cb~'issi~e~-:eXp~Ri~-the 'fact'-~that~fNa~
tucka2 'h~s'. apOmt ~-sgme j~lO ~0OO. CO ~ 6f ~gyk- left :'oger-, from .: last
~aa~. ,~hi6h'.has. not 'b-eenZdone] some. that ~ha~ 'been'. threB y~ars
that:hRs not-Deeil, done due to the fact that the Sewer Commissim
Can't obDain help to do the work. Rather than appropriate mone
"AYE"
to lay ,over we thought it ,best to leave this article until we
can~do the.work and then it can be taken.~ care~of. ,· ,,~_~:,
!~r. Desrocher: "There wes a job at Kenneth' Hamblin~s that
couldn't be done because it was too deep. Where I am it is
only six feet deep. 'i don!t see why it couldn't be done.
Mr. Jaeck,~: "According to the Sewer- Oornmissi4n it doesn't
make ~ny difference'if it's six feet or twenty feet. They
can't obtain the helo to do the work So there is notnxno
per~onal about it. ~It was ~xplsined at the hea~.ing end you
seemed perfectly satisfied down there.
MrS. Desrocher: "Why is it they ,put in places for the summer
when we have a year-round residence. They put~ in sewers for ,'~
people who come down for two or three months and are closed'for
the rest of t~e time. How is it they cst find half for those
places but not for usg
Mr. Jaeckle: "i~m sorry you take this view. it wasn't any-
thing personal.
I,~rs. Desr. ocher: "We really need that sewer.
Mr. Jaeckle: "i have no objection. The co~ittee has no
objection, I assure you of that. In regard to sur~ner Feop!e
you must remember they pay a,big ~tax without,representstion.
The particular sewer you refer to, they are building houses
there which makes taxable property and they should be given
some consideration.
Mrs. Desrocher: "They are only open three months. We ps~, taxes
too. '
Mr. Jaeckle: "They, pay the same ta~es, g~en if they only
spend three days they should be given some, consideration. ,
Moderator: "Do you want to make any motion?
I~'. Desrochel~: "i would like to make a motion if it would
do any good.
~omera~or: o you xvant to recommend that the sum b appro-
priated? Th e ~'ecommendation of the Finance Committee
~Due to.the f~ct that work cannot be done this ~r~sr~
not recommend. '
~¥ir. Desrocher: "i move that the sum of ~;1500.00 be a'Fp~.op~iated.
i¥ioderagor: "Is that seeonded?
"I second the motion."
Moderator: "Any further discussion?
Mr. Fisher: "i move that the Finance Committee I'e6om.~iendation
be ~ accepted and.their re~crt be adopted. I'was st"the hearings
every night through the week. They went over every, iota of these
articles. They really put in weeks of work on it and 'it seems
~t° me that they know more. about it t~sn one or two pe6ple.
~:~.~derator: "Was that seconded? The only motion before the
house that was seconded, there wes no secon~ to Mr. Fisher's
motion, that the sum of ~1~00.00 be raise5 and
to relay the present sewer in Derrymore Road and extend the'
pipe to the property of ~r. Leo Desrocher.
"Ail those in favor of that motion, say ~sye~ :'AYE"
:'Those opposed, 'nay' "NAY"
"The 'ayes' have it, the sum of ^
~15OO.O0 is aFi:ropristed.
Moderator: "The next thing to come before the assembly is
a motion that the recommendations of the Finance Committee
be accepted.
Mr. Jaeckle: "~ir. Moderator, :i wish to make a few corrections.
if you will take the warrant we passed to you---everyone turn
to Article 8,under Shellfish Department you will find the
figure crossed out Somewhere along .the line something ' ~
' n~ppene
and that figure wasn't correct. Ib should be corr-ec~ed before
this reoort is accepted. The figure should be ~67~0.00 instead
sb.o0.
"Then, ii' you will turn to~th:~ next p~ge under Soldiers
Benefits you will sse Salary .~800.00. Thst is wrong, that
should not be t~ere. The salary is on the next item ~80.00.,
so cross out the ~$00.00.
Mr. Fisher: "i move now that the recommendations of the
Finance Cormnittee be accepted and their recommendat[0na be
adopted.
"Se oo.rld "
l~oderator: "~ou have before you the motion that the recommend-
ations of the Finance Co~mmittee be adopted and the appropriatio
made·
"All those in favor Of tn~t motion say 'aye' "AYE"
Kent Klng: "~,~ir~. Moderator.
l~oderator: "Do you rise to a point of order?
]',~r. King: "~lat about Articles 90 and 917
Moderator: "Appsrontly nobody had suff'icient interest to bring
them ~efore the ~loor. if you care to---Nobody has, so we
will proceed.
"All those opposed say' 'nay' (None.)
"The report~adopned. A motion to adjourn is in order.
"I make a motion the meeting be'adjourned."
"Second."
Moderator: "Ail those in favor say 'aye'
'Thoseoooposed '~ay' (none)
..~. "MeetLng is adjourned."
"AYE"
Meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
~ 430~ '
~ 4~