JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
UTILIZATION OF SURPLUS MILITARY INSTALLATIONS FOR BOYS TOWN TYPE PROJECTS
HEARINGS
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
OP THE
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY UNITED STATES SENATE
EIGHTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION PURSUANT TO
S. Res. 62 and S. Res. 173
EIGHTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
INVESTIGATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE UNITED STATES
JULY 10 AND 11, 1956
Printed for the use of the Committee on the Judiciary
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 80694 WASHINGTON : 1956
iiARVARD COLLEGE LIBRAR/
DEPOSITED BY THE .UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
SEP 5 1956
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
JAMES O. EASTLAND, Mississippi, Chairman
ESTES KEFAUVER, Tennessee OLIN D. JOHNSTON, South Carolina THOMAS C. HENNINGS, JR., Missouri JOHN L. McCLELLAN, Arkansas PRICE DANIEL, Texas JOSEPH C. O'MAHONEY, Wyoming MATTHEW M. NEELY, West Virginia
ALEXANDER WILEY, Wisconsin WILLIAM LANGER, North Dakota WILLIAM E. JENNER, Indiana ARTHUR V. WATKINS, Utah EVERETT MCKINLEY DIRKSEN, Illinois HERMAN WELKER, Idaho JOHN MARSHALL BUTLER, Maryland
Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in the United States
ESTES KEFAUVER, Tennessee, Chairman THOMAS C. HENNINGS, Je., Missouri WILLIAM LANGER, North Dakota
PRICE DANIEL, Texas ALEXANDER WILEY, Wisconsin
James H. Bobo, General Counsel Peter N. Chdmbris, Associate Counsel
II
I
CONTENTS
statement of— I'age
Amershadian, Fred P., founder and coorainator for Boys Town of
Massachusetts, Inc., Watertown, Mass 46
Bergfors, Fred, Quincy Chamber of Commerce, Quincy, Mass 40
Browne, William H., Hampden County, Mass 29
Bryant, Nelson S., West Tisbury, Mass __ 95
Delia Chiesa, Amelio A., mayor of Quincy, Mass 33
Footit, William J., Jr., police chief, Shutesbury, Mass 26
Griffin, Warren, harbor development commission, Quincy Chamber
of Commerce, Quincy, Mass 39
Hartigan, Dr. William, Revere, Mass 96
Hartl, Emil M., director, Charles Hayden Goodwill Inn for Boys,
Boston, Mass 17
Hurd, Gordon K., chairman, advisory committee, Boys Town of
Massachusetts, Inc., Medford, Mass 2
King, Starr M., former superintendent of schools, Beverly, Mass 12
O'Connell, William A., vice president, Quincy Chamber of Commerce,
Quincy, Mass 42
Peyton, Thomas L., director, Real Property Disposal Division, Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration, Wash- ington, D. C 92
Rogers, Hon. Edith Nourse Rogers, United States Representative,
Fifth District, State of Massachusetts 21
EXHIBITS
Number and summary of exhibit:
1. Aerial photograph of the former naval air station at Squantum,
Mass 11
2. Letter dated January 8, 1956, addressed to President Dwight D.
Eisenhower from Fred P. Amershadian 48
3. Letter dated March 17, 1956, addressed to Mr. Fred P. Amer-
shadian from Houghton D. Pearl and additional information. _ 53
4. Letter dated April 16, 1956, addressed to James H. Bobo from
several members of the Massachusetts State Legislature 56
5. Text of a radio broadcast made over WJDA, Quincy, Mass., on
February 6, 1955 58
6. Letter dated January 16, 1956, addressed to Mr. Fred P. Amer-
shadian from Thomas L. Peyton of the General Services Administration 63
7. Comparison of the facilities at Peddock's Island and Squantum
Naval Air Base 65
8. List of the board of directors and other officials of the Boys Town
of Massachusetts, Inc 68
9. Newspaper articles appearing in the Quincy Patriot Ledger,
Quincy, Mass 72
10. Massachusetts Boys Town chronology and other information 77
11. Letter dated March 21, 1956, addressed to J. J. O'Connor from
Fred P. Amershadian 85
12. Letter dated June 1, 1956, addressed to Congressmen from Fred
P. Amershadian 87
13. Letter dated June 5, 1956, addressed to Franklin G. Floete from
Fred P. Amershadian 88
14. Letter dated June 21, 1956, addressed to Fred P. Amershadian
from Franklin G. Floete 89
15. Letter dated July 4, 1956, addressed to Congressman John W.
McCormack from Fred P. Amershadian 90
16. Letter dated July 6, 1956, addressed to Fred P. Amershadian
from Russell G. Oswald 91
17. Letter dated January 10, 1956, addressed to Congressman John
W. McCormack from William A. O'Connell 92
m
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Utilization of Surplus Military Installations for Boys Town
Type Projects
TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1956
United States Senate, Subcommittee To Investigate Ju^^NILE Delinquency of the Comjiittee on the Judiciary,
Washington^ D. G.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 : 15 a. m., in room P-63, United States Capitol, Senator Estes Kefauver (chairman) presiding.
Present : Senator Kefauver,
Also present : Representative Edith Nourse Rogers.
Also present : James H. Bobo, general counsel ; Peter N. Chumbris, associate counsel ; and Ca-rl PeriaM, research director.
Senator Kefauver. The subcommittee will come to order.
The Juvenile Delinquency Subcommittee has been holding hearings throughout the Nation on the various aspects of causation, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of delinquent youth. We have looked at a number of communities and the problems they have had in this area. On other occasions we have studied various factors — pornography for example — which existed in all parts of the United States which we felt to be determintal to young people.
The hearing today will concern itself with the prevention and re- habilitation area on a local and national level. This hearing was re- quested by Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., for the purpose of re- viewing their effort to obtain a portion of the deactivated naval air station at Squantum, Mass., for a citizenship training program for 3'outh from Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Viewing this morning's hearing over and above its purely local as^- pects, however, the matter is of utmost importance in the Nation's fight against delinquency. We will be reaching critical times in the next decade in our efforts to control delinquency. Even if we succeed in keeping the delinquency rate at the level it is today, the tremendous increase in the teen-age population in the next 4 or 5 years will pose a grave problem to our already overburdened institutions handling delinquent youth.
Thus, a partial solution to the problem may be found in the broader aspects of the hearing which will be concerned with the feasibility of a new national program of combating the ever increasing juvenile de- linquency problem by utilizing as many as 30 former Government military installations for Boys Town type projects serving thousands of predelinquent and delinquent youth.
2 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
In the hearing this morning, Mr. Bobo, chief counsel is present to conduct the hearing; Mr. Chumbris, associate counsel; and Mr. Perian, who has worked particularly on this problem.
I might state that we will hear as many witnesses as possible this morning, and we will discuss with the witnesses whether they can con- tinue over until in the morning or whether we can recess until about 4 o'clock.
Mr. Hurd, j^ou are the first witness, I believe.
STATEMENT OF GOEDON K. HURD, CHAIRMAN, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BOYS TOWN, MASS., INC.
Senator Kefaitv^er. We are glad to have you with us, Mr. Hurd.
Mr. Hurd. As has been noted, my name is Gordon K. Hurd, and I am a resident of Medford, Mass. Some of you, I believe, have copies of what I intended to say, and therefore I may eliminate some parts and perhaps elaborate on others.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Hurd, I will direct that your full statement be printed in the record, and then you may talk about any parts that you want.
(The prepared statement of Gordon K. Hurd is as follows:)
Validity of Location of Boys Town of Massachusetts at Squantum as a Social Service to the Youth Agencies of the Commonwealth and as a Pilot Program for the Use of Similar Surplus Properties on a Nationwide Scale
By Gordon K. Hurd
Ordinarily, I prefer not to read my statements but, on this important subject, I wish to be sure of what I am saying. With your indulgence, therefore, I shall read the following which, with the exception of noted quotations, is not "ghost- written."
First, some introductory words about myself : I was born in the town of Mill- bury, Worcester County, Mass., of farm-raised parents. My father was then the new country doctor and answered all calls, regardless of weather or time of day or night. He and my mother literally gave their lives for other folks, near and far, sharing their home with many. Their example of true neighborliness was one I cannot forget.
After completing a war-and-marriage-interrupted course at the University of Massachusetts with the award of a Massachusetts State high-school teacher's cer- tificate in addition to a bachelor of science degree, I moved my family to Nebraska. For 2 years, I was assistant principal, instructor in all branches of agriculture, English, physics, mathematics, social studies, carpentry, forge and auto-mechanic shops, faculty adviser for the student paper, YMCA supervisor, and athletic coach at the Santee Normal Training School.
With that experience, plus 4 years in industrial shop work during which, to make ends meet for my growing family, I installed, tuned, and serviced pipe organs and pianos, did carpentry and garage work, and designed, manufactured, demonstrated, and sold one of the first electric dishwashers, I felt competent to accept the call to become a visitor for the boys' work department of the Boston Children's Aid Association. For the next 21 years, I worked with boys from courts, hospital, and child-guidance clinics, public and private referral agencies, in foster-home and institutional placements and in their own homes. It is of the change of emphasis in child-placing and the imperative need for Boys Town types of institutions that I wish to speak now.
In her recent Child Welfare League of America publication (November 195.5), Helen R. Hagan referred to the "misconceptions and illusions to which public and private agencies cling," including "outmoded prejudices on one hand and undeserved praise on the other," which have caused a "social work lag."
Her inclusion, among outmoded prejudices, of the Oliver Twist, Daddy-Long- Legs concept of children's institutions was a 29-year-old echo of one of the first precepts given me when I went to the Boston Children's Aid Association. This greatly impressed me at the time because of my own 4 small children: That
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 3
chickens could be raised successfully in a brooder house, but all children had to have a home or fostei"-home environment to develop properly. Institutions were almost out of consideration except for the feeble-minded or the definitely de- linquent. Now, the peudulum is swin.ying the other way.
It required several years, some broken hearts and even lost lives to learn that, to quote another CWL publication of 1945, "the development of institutions for dependent, neglected, and delinquent children, like all other child welfare or social welfare efforts, is inseparably interwoven with social, economic and political forces and the understanding of children and their needs." (Backers of Boys Town of Massachusetts know how true this is.)
Some of my first experience with a Boys Town type of institution was when I took boys, who were failing in fo.ster-home placements, to the Connecticut Junior Republic, at that time under the directorship of Harold R. Strong. Later, we felt that we had learned to "spot" the individuals who would respond better to group pressures and we utilized such placements, immediately, even though limited in the number of boys we could serve because we had to go far away as the Connecticut and George Junior Republics, Children's Village, Berkshire Industrial Farm, and Father Flanagan's Nebraska Boys Town, as well as several other smaller group situations.
When an opportunity came, in 1948, to teach in one of these schools and I was granted a 10-year teacher's certificate by the New York State Board of Education, I welcomed the chance to get the inside experience which merely placing boys in institutions had not provided.
Two years earlier, a group of noteworthy Massachusetts men and women, including Arthur T. Lyman, then commissioner of correction. Dr. Miriam Van Waters, superintendent of the reformatory for women at Framingham, Rt. Rev. William Appleton Lawrence, and Rt. Rev. Cornelius T. H. Sherlock, Chilton Cabot, vice president of the Old Colony Trust Co. and Arthur Harris, vice president of the Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co., had started an attempt to provide, for Massachusetts, the "Bay State Schools" to meet the growing need for boys (and girls) town-types of institutions in the Commonwealth.
In cooperation with my children's aid associate worker, Ralph E. Stevens, who had know the Fords at the Rockefeller camp in Maine, we wrote to Henry Ford II supporting the request that the Bay State Schools should be granted the use of the Ford Wayside School for Boys, in Sudbury, which had been so sum- marily closed following the death of Henry Ford I. As a result of this and other appeals from several influential people, including the then Massachu- setts Governor, Robert F. Bradford, Bay State Schools was offered the experi- mental use of the Wayside School property for the nominal rental sum of $1 for a year.
Failure of the Bay State Schools to get sufficient financial backing to start several similar schools throughout the State at the same time allowed the offered lease to lapse without any attempt to start even that one school. I knew, because I had placed boys there, what a serious loss that was to Massachusetts placement resources for deserving boys. One of my boys, an orphan from South Boston who had been just saved from becoming delinquent and had been admitted to the Wayside School because of his excellent record in a pre- vious summer work placement, was one of many boys there whose only home, security, and chances of completing high school were swept away by the clos- ing of the Wayside School after Henry Ford's death.
At this point I would state that, as an expression of endorsement, the Bay State Schools turned over their remaining assets and good will to the Boys Town of Massachusetts supporters.
When the "Committee of Twelve Young Men" attempted to get the same prop- erty, 4 years later, for a first Boys Town of Massachusetts unit, I was involved as their volunteer adviser and I know what happened and why. I shall merely state that the unwillingness of the Ford AVayside trustees to make a second offer of the property for school purposes did not stop the Boys Town of INIassa- chu.setts group which, surmounting repeated rebuffs, is now on the threshold of being able to perform a far greater service for the youth of Massachusetts and, through a pilot project at Squantum, for the youth of our America.
Many honest adults, who can look objectively at their own as well as other peoples' children, must admit that situations often arise in which good group activities are invaluable in influencing a child's development. This is particu- larly true when a child has acquired an antagonism toward adult direction, no matter how apparently wise and well-intentioned that authority may be.
4 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
In recalling my own youth, with faihire confronting me in high school, while in my better-than-average home, it took 2 years in a boarding school, inter- spersed with a year's work in the country, to make me an honor student. It is true that children cannot be helped by institutional care unless they can make use of the group situation or, at least, not be injured by it, but experience has given some general guidance as to when institutional care, such as in a Boys Town-type of school, may be advisable for a child. For example :
(a) Children who have been so hurt by disrupting family experiences that they cannot be receptive and responsive to family living. After a period of understanding care and treatment in a more neutral environment, which can be offered in Boys Town of Massachusetts, some may be ready for foster family care, or some may be able to return to their own homes, especially when help has been given in working out problems there, and some may require longer institutional care until they reach greater maturity and adjustment.
(6) Children of school age whose chief need is that of substitute care and supervision of their training and development, even though they may have satis- fying emotional ties with their own parent in the case of death or divorce of the other parent.
(c) Because adolescence is a period of becoming independent of close parental ties, temporary institutional care may be helpful to children of that age, as it was in my own case, in learning the real qualities of family loyalty and social responsibility.
id) Children, on the other hand, who are so untrained socially that they can- not fit into a private family life can be helped through the consistent daily living routine which is followed by the group in an institution like a Boys Town of Massachusetts. This group routine should not be overdone to the point of stifling initiative and the development of self-management, but, within reason, it can make good social habits generally acceptable instead of just a personal issue to the child. A Boys Town institution can also offer greater tolerance of trouble- some behavior and diflScult personality than can be found in the ordinary family and community environment.
(e) Socially retarded children who need opportunity for self-expression, broad- ening of personality and the gaining of success and recognition through some of the activities which can be provided in a Boys Town of Massachusetts. There can be rich opportunities for group association on the level a boy can use in special programs and various activities which can help him to develop skills and social relationships.
(/) Children who need special facilities for diagnostic observation and study and consistent coordinated treatment. In a location, such as Squantum, in proximity to Boston, it is possible to have expert child care, group work, case work, a psychiatric, educational, and medical staff who can pool their under- standing of a child and direct all phases of his environment and life experience to an extent which is impossible in the average community.
While speaking of location, it must be emphasized that it is of major impor- tance in the creation and operation of a good program. Factors associated with location can be either assets or liabilities to the total treatment effort. Although possession of a place in the country can be a valuable adjunct to a school, the location of an institution in a rural area, far removed from a com- munity of any size, severely handicaps its efforts in a modern program. The maximum treatment potential of such a school cannot be realized, because it is often difficult to attract and hold a competent staff. Community resources, such as medical and psychiatric services, are not as readily available to the program as they would be at Squantum, for example. Sometimes transportation is so arduous that relatives and/or friends of the students cannot visit them as frequently as might be desirable.
In order to further evaluate the proposed Boys Town of Massachusetts insti- tutional program at Squantum, it is well to refer, again, to the aforementioned CWL publications : "We have not had general agreement among institutions as to the primary purpose of their care of children. Many institutions wei'e set up chiefly as places to live, and some of these still provide little more than shelter and custody." One of the unfortunate conditions existing in the social- work field has been rivalry and lack of responsibility between agencies and institutions with children lieing pawns in the game. It is well known by workers on the inside that the dishonesty of desperation is too frequently the basis on which children have been referred to institutions, particularly those which would take only "good children." An applicant agency, faced with practically pro- viding a certificate that a child was problem-free, would whittle off a probleni
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 5
here, tone down a problem there, and finally almost become convinced, itself, that the particular child was no problem — all he needed was another chance. When trouble occurred, mistrust and suspicion resulted and, often, the child would be bounced back to the referral source without furtlier ado and with almost invariable damage to the personal relationships of all concerned.
"Leading institution, today, are coming to think, increasingly, in terms of treatment — providing care which promotes consti'uctive growth and development. Children do grow and develop wherever they are." They may regress rather than progress, however. "Therefore an institution which is thoughtful and serious about its responsibility must accept the challenge of utilizing the best that is known about children and how they can be helped."
"Progress is being made from the days when many institutions were directed by retired people, too old or inadequate to secure other employment; when institutional social work was the responsibility of the ex-superintendent's widow, or a volunteer or an incompetent board member; when hovise parents were frequently indigent relatives of board members or residents of the community in needy financial circumstances."
Being comparatively new in the field, Boys Town of Massachusetts has no hampering outmoded traditions or "back number" board members. Its pro- gram, prepared by young and experienced men, in consultation with the Chil- dren's Bureau to meet the requirements of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, has repeatedly and rightfully been termed an "ambitious" one. If offers casework treatment for the individual with a view of orienting him in a collaboi'ating self-government program as soon as he is capable of participat- ing in it. In addition, the program is designed to include clinic weekend treat- ment plus summertiine periods of citizenship training.
Backed by forward-looking citizens in public and private life, with bipartisan political support. Boys Town of Massachusetts' appeal is for action to stop delaying tactics and to make the requested portion of this public property at Squantum available as soon as possible. It is "ambitious" to get going and do something rather than just continue to talk about the rising menace of delinquency.
This location at Squantum, unsurpassed in the training of men, is within easy access to some of the best professional social and educational cooperative enterprises in the world. I appeal to you to unshackle the supporters of this pilot project from further struggle to obtain what, rightfully, should belong to the youth of America.
Many, many men of tomorrow, all over our country, will have their destinies determined by what you decide, here and now.
Mr. HuRD. Thank you, Senator.
I have chosen as my topic the validity of the location of a Boys Town of Massachusetts Institution at Squantum as a social service to the youth agencies of the Commonwealth and as a pilot program for the use of similar surplus properties on a nationwide scale.
First, some introductory words about myself. I was born in the town of Millbury, Worcester County, Mass., of farm-raised parents. My father was then the new country doctor and answered all calls, regardless of weather or time of day or night. And he and my mother literally gave their lives for other folks. They shared their home with a great many. And their example of true neighborliness is of something which gave me my start and perhaps atfected the rest of my life. It is something I cannot forget. And I know that they would be pleased to have me doing what I am doing now.
My college course was interrupted by the war, and I was married during the time that I was in the service. But I did complete my course there, and was awarded a Massachusetts State high school teacher's certificate. At the same time I received my bachelor of science degree.
Following my graduation I moved my family to Nebraska, and for 2 years I was assistant principal, instructor in all branches of agricul- ture, English, physics, mathematics, social studies, carpentry, forge
b JTJVENILE DELINQUENCY
and auto mechanic shops, faculty adviser for the student paper, YIMCA supervisor, and athletic coach at the Santee Normal Training School.
With that experience and 4 years in industry, when I returned to Massachusetts I felt able and confident to accept a call to become a visitor for the boys' work department of the Boston Children's Aid Association. I had been called twice before to do that, but this time the call seemed to be something which I was duty bound to accept.
For the next 21 years I worked with boys from courts, hospital, and child guidance clinics, public and private referral agencies, in foster homes and institutional placements, and in their own homes.
During that experience I had boys, many of whom were very seri- ous cases, coming from the courts, guilty of everything from armed robbery to incest or sex perversions, or even one boy tried to shoot his foster mother during the time that I handled that.
But throughout that time I found that the personal touch and the personal contact and relationships which I was able to establish with these boys helped them in almost every instance, particularly boys who were not such serious problems to begin with, but would have become serious problems without the help we were able to give them.
There has been a change in emphasis which has taken place in child placing. When I first went to the children's aid institutional care seemed to be something practically out of consideration. The feeling was, well — the thing was, you could breed chickens and could raise chickens in a brooder house, but children had to have a home en- vironment in order to get a decent start in life. That was taught me when I first went to the children's aid, and that was what Helen R. Hagan referred to in her Child Welfare League publication concern- ing institutions.
There was an old Daddy Long Legs feeling, that the old institution was just the place to keep children, and didn't do much good.
But there has been a change in emphasis as time has gone on. And the pendulum is beginning to swing the other way.
It took several years, and a number of broken hearts, and even lost lives, to learn, to quote another Child Welfare League publication, the Development of Institutions for Dependent, Neglected, and De- linquent Children, like all other child-welfare or social-welfare efforts, is inseparately interwoven with social, economic, and political forces and the understanding of children and their needs.
I know the backers of Boys Town in Massachusetts have found out how true that is.
So my first experience with a Boys Town type of institution was when I took boys who were failing in foster home placements to the Connecticut Junior Eepublic, at that time under the directorship of Harold R. Strong, who has since become quite nationally famous. Later on we felt that we had learned to spot the type of boy who would fail in a foster home — we knew pretty certainly he would fail, and we placed him in institutions to start with as far as we could. But we were handicapped, because we didn't have enough institutional placements for these boys.
And very often we had to go — there was no places in Massachusetts for that type of a boy, if they were not acceptable to some of the small institutions we had to go to the Connecticut Junior Republic or the Children's Village down in Bobbs Ferry, N. Y., or the George Junior
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 7
Eepiiblics, Berkshire Industrial Farm, Father Flanagan's Nebraska Boy Town, as well as several other smaller group situations.
And of course, that again just scratched the surface, that is one of the things which will be brought out in this hearing today. What we have done before in our years — and I gave the best years of my life to do it — what we have done in placing the boys just scratched the surface.
We found out what could be done with them and what had to be done with them, but there wasn't the place to do it, and there isn't the place to do it anywhere in the country today on the scale it needs to be done.
Senator Kefau\ter. How many schools or Boys Town-type organi- zations are there in the United States today ?
Mr. HuRD. Well, I think there are somewhere around 38, I don't know exactly. But many States have them. Massachusetts, which is one with concentrated populations does not, and never has. And as I will bring out later in my talk, an effort was made in Massa- chusetts.
In 19-18 an opportunity came to teach in one of these schools, and I w^as granted a 10-year teaclier's certificate by the New York State Board of Education. I rather welcomed that chance to get the inside experience which merely placing boys in institutions had not provided.
There is a vast difference between just placing them there and leav- ing them there and being there wdiile they are there and seeing what goes on in the institutional work. I had tried to help the boys that started and set up in the State, and I felt this was somewhere I could start.
Two years earlier, a group of notew-orthy Massachusetts men and women, including Arthur T. Lyman, then commissioner of correction, Dr. Miriam Van Waters, superintendent of the reformatory for women at Framingham, Kt. Kev. William Appleton Lawrence, and Kt. Kev. Cornelius T. H. Sherlock, Chilton Cabot, vice president of the Old Colony Trust Co., and Arthur Harris, vice president of the Boston Safe Deposit & Trust Co., had started an attempt to provide for Massa- chusetts the Bay State Schools to meet the growing need for boys' — and girls' — town types of institutions in the Commonwealth.
In cooperation with my Children's Aid associate worker, Ralph E. Stevens, who had known the Fords at the Rockefeller camp in Maine, we wrote to Henry Ford II supporting the request that the Bay State Schools should be granted the use of the Ford Wayside School for Boys in Sudbury, which had been so summarily closed following the death of Henry Ford I. And Henry Ford, through the Ford trustees, did make that offer of the Wayside Inn School for the nominal rent of $1 a year for the experimental work.
But the Bay State Schools didn't get sufficient financial backing to start several of these schools throughout the State at the same time. That was their desire. And I knew, because I had placed boys there, what a serious loss that was to Massachusetts placement resources for deserving boys.
One of my boys, an orphan from South Boston who had been just saved from liecoming delinquent and had been admitted to the Way- side School because of his excellent record in a previous summer work placement, was one of many boys there whose only home, security, and
S JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
chance of completing high school was swept away by the closmg of the Wayside School after Henry Ford's death.
And I would, state right here, as an expression of endorsement, that the Bay State Schools turned over their remaining assets and good will to the Boys' Town of Massachusetts supporters.
When the Committee of Twelve Young Men attempted to get the same property 4 years later for a first Boys Town of Massachusetts unit, I was involved as their volunteer adviser and I know what hap- pened and why. But I shall merely state that the unwillingness of the Ford Wayside trustees to make a second otf er of the property for school purposes did not stop the Boys' ToAvn of Massachusetts group which, surmounting repeated rebuffs, is now on the threshold of being able to perform a far greater service for the youth of Massachusetts and through a pilot project at Squantum, for the youth of America.
Many honest adults, who can look objectively at their own as well as other people's cliildren, must admit that situations often arise in which good group activities are invaluable in influencing a child's development. This is particularly true when a child has acquired an antagonism toward adult direction, no matter how apparently wise and well intentioned that authority may be. And we know many of them like that,
Anr when I think back on my own youth, I was f ailiixg high school — even though I was living in a better-than-average home I was failing — and it took 2 years in a boarding school, interspersed with a year's work in the country, to make me an honor student.
It is true that children cannot be helped by institutional care unless they can make use of a group situation, or at least not be injured by it. But experience has given some general guidance as to when insti- tutional care such as a Boys' Town of Massachusetts type of school may be advisable for a child. And I have listed here a number of types of children. You have that list in front of you. So, I will just briefly mention, those are the children who have been so hurt by broken homes and quarreling in the homes that they just can't fit into a foster home ; they have to be in a place like a Boys' Town, where they respond to the group pressures, where they do things because they find out that it is the thing to do.
There are many children of school age who need substitute care and ■supervision even though they may have a pretty good relationship with one or another parent, because another parent has died or has been divorced.
And then, as in my own case, adolescence is a period of becoming independent of close parental ties.
Sometimes temporary institutional care is helpful to children of that age, and, as in my case, learning the realities of family loyalty and social responsibility.
And then there are the children who are so untrained socially that they are just a nuisance in any community. They just can't be accepted in any community. They are always in trouble, not particularly serious trouble, but they are just nuisances. And those children definitely need that kind of a placement in order to help them learn self-manage- ment and not stifle their initiative, not beat them down, but direct it.
And they learn this direction through association with children of their own age. Then, of course, there are socially retarded children who need an opportunity for self-expression that has been stifled in
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY \)
the environment where they are, and they can get that ; they can get a broadening of personality, and they can gain success and recognition througli some of the activities which are provided in a Boys' Town t3'pe of institution.
There can be rich opportunities for gi'oup association on the level a boy can use in special programs and various activities which help him to develop skills and social relationships.
And there are the children who are definitely not bad ; they haven't become delinquent, but they do need special facilities for diagnostic observation and study, consistent, coordinated treatment.
In a location such as Squantum, in proximity to Boston, it is possible- to have expert child care, group work, casework, psychiatric, education, and medical staffs, who can pool their understanding of the child and direct all phases of his environment and life experience to an extent which is impossible in the average community.
Wliile speaking of location, it must be emphasized that it is of major importance in the creation and operation of a good program. As the Child Welfare League has brought out, and we have found it true more and more — even the other day on the car radio I heard that the Farm and Trade School, which is an old, old institution on Thomp- son's Island in Boston Harbor, is changing its name. It is not going to be the Farm and Trade School anymore, it is going to be the Thompson's Island School.
That is because they believe that in New England, in Massachusetts in particular, that part of Massachusetts, farming has lost its value, its emphasis. It is a good thing for youngsters to have a place where they can grow things in a small garden; large-scale farming in that part of the country is on its way out, with the development of ma- chinery and means of farming.
I think of my old country place in New Hampshire where my an- cestors worked around the clock for many years, and now my sons have had the place bulldozed out so that they can put in a hay-baler. But that is just a hay-baler that has come to the old place. General farming is still done. These boys need to be adapted to urban and city living, the kind of living they are going to have to do when they get out, the kind of living that many of them had before they came.
It is difficult, too, in these places, so far removed from urban centers, to get the services you need, the staff you need in a modern child-care, social work program.
In order to further evaluate the proposed Boys Town of Massachu- setts institutional program at Squamtum, Mass., it is well to refer again to the aforementioned Child Welfare League publications :
We have not had general agreement among institutions as to the primary purpose of their care of children. Many institutions were set up chiefly as places to live, and some of these still provide little more than shelter and custody.
One of the unfortunate conditions existing in the social work field has heen rivalry and lack of responsibility between the agencies and institutions with children being pawns in the game. It is well known by workers on the inside that the "dishonesty of desperation" is too frequently the basis upon which children have been referred to institutions, particularly those which would take only "good children." An applicant agency, faced with practically providing a certificate that a child was problem-free, would whittle off a problem here, tone down a problem there, and finally almost become convinced itself that the par- ticular child was no problem, all he needed was another chance.
And when trouble occurred, mistrust and suspicion resulted, and often the child would be bounced back to the referral source without further ado, and with almost invariable damage to the personal relationships of all concerned.
10 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
And further quoting :
Leading institutions today are coming to think increasingly in terms of treat- ment, providing care wliich promotes constructive growth and development. Children do grow and develop wherever they are —
They may regress rather than progress, however —
Therefore an institution which is thoughtful and serious about its responsi- bility must accept the challenge of utilizing the best that is known about children and how they can be helped.
Progress is being made from the days when many institutions were directed by retired people, too old or inadequate to secure other employment ; when in- stitutional social work was the responsibility of the ex-superintendent's widow, or a volunteer or an incompetent board member ; when house parents were fre- quently indigent relatives of board members, or residents of the community in needy financial circumstances.
But here is where Boys Town of Massachusetts comes in, without the handicap of any back number board members or any outmoded traditions. Its program has been prepared by experienced young men in consultation with the Children's Bureau to meet the requirements of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and has re- peatedly and rightfully been termed an "ambitious" one. It offers casework treatment for the individual with the view of orienting him in a collaborating self-government program as soon as he is capable of participating in it.
In addition, the program is designed to include clinic w^eekend treat- ment for summertime periods of citizenship training. Now that is something brandnew. And it is available at this place at the build- ings that there are, and it has never been available in any previous place where boys have been kept anywhere in this country.
This weekend citizenship training period is new, and it has wonder- ful possibilities. In addition, the building which is there has been seen by some members of our committee, provides a place where over 2-week periods in the summertime, youngsters can go for citizenship training in quantity and in numbers which have never been equaled anywhere.
Backed by forward-looking citizens in public and private life, with bipartisan political support. Boys Town of Massachusetts appeal is for action to stop delaying tactics and to make the requested portion of this public property at Squantum available as soon as possible. It is ambitious to get going and do something rather than just continue to talk about the rising menace of delinquency.
This location at Squantum, unsurpassed in the training of men, is within easy access of some of the best professional and social coopera- tive enterprises in the world. I appeal to you to unshackle the sup- porters of this pilot project from further struggle to obtain what, rightfully, should belong to the youth of America.
Many men of tomorrow all over our country will have their destinies determined by what you decide here and now.
Senator Kefaua^r. Thank you very much, Mr. Hurd.
Mr. Bobo, will other witnesses outline the state of negotiations for the record ?
Mr. BoBO. Yes, sir ; they will.
Mr. Hurd. I have this to submit for Squantum.
Senator I^fauver. That will be exliibit No. 1.
Jin^ENILE DELINQUENCY 11
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Senator Kefauver. How far is the Squantum Naval Air Station from Boston?
Mr, HuRD. About 1 mile from the city limits, although it is an isolated community all by itself. More on that will be brought out by later witnesses.
Senator Kefauver. Any questions, Mr. Bobo?
Mr. BoBO. No questions.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Chumbris?
12 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Mr. Chumbris. No questions.
Senator Kefau\^r. Thank you very much, Mr. Hurd. You will be here in case we want to ask you some questions ?
Mr. Hurd. Yes, sir.
Senator IvEFAmrER. Thank you for a very fine statement. It is very well prepared.
Mr. Hurd. Senator, it is a lifetime of experience that has brought it on.
(A biographical sketch of Mr. Hurd is as follows :)
Gordon K. Hukd
Mr. Hurd was born in Millbury, Mass., April 30, 1897. He is a graduate of Gushing Academy, Asbburnham, Mass. (1916), and in 1921 received a bachelor of science degree and high school teacher's certificate from the University of Massachusetts. He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Infantry, United States Army, in 1918. For 2 years he was assistant principal, instructor in all branches of agriculture, shop (carpenter, auto mechanics), athletic coach, and faculty adviser for student paper at Santee Normal Training School. For 4 years engaged in industrial work. Mi*. Hurd was for 21 years a social worker for the boys' department, Boston Children's Aid Society, working with courts, hos- pitals, child-guidance clinics, placing boys in foster homes and institutions. He was for 1 year an instructor in agriculture, shop, and practical academic subjects at the Berkshire Industrial Farm, Canaan, N. Y. Also worked as an investigator and social worker for Medford Housing Authority and 2 years for the Medford Neighborhood Conservation Committee. For 3 years Mr. Hurd worked for the Community Betterment Committee, Good Will Associates, and for 4 years as a voluntary adviser for Boys Town of Massachusetts. He has spent a lifetime working with church and civic groups and committees.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Starr M. King, former superintendent of schools, Beverly, Mass.
STATEMENT OF STARR M. KING, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, BEVERLY, MASS.
Senator Kefauater. Mr. King, we are glad to have you with us.
We have a biographical statement about you, Mr. King, giving your background and experience, which is very impressive, and I think we will put it in the record at this point, and that will relieve you of the necessity of giving your experience and background except as you want to.
(The biographical statement referred to is as follows :)
Starr M. King
Mr. King, who lives in Beverly, Mass., was born March 7, 1895, and was educated at the University of Massachusetts and Harvard University (graduate degree). He has been in educational work all his life, either in private schools (Deerfield Academy and Rutgers Preparatory School for 2 years), and the remaining 33 years in public-school work. He began as a teacher in 1921 and 7 years later, at the age of 32, was elected superintendent of schools in Newbury- port, Mass., a city of about 16,000. In 1935, he was elected superintendent of schools in Beverly, Mass., a position he held until this spring (21 years). During his 28 years as a scliool administrator, he has been president of the Massachusetts As.'Jociation of School Superintendents, president of the New England Association of School Superintendents, and 3 years ago was elected by the superintendents of ASA a member of the executive committee of the American Association of School Superintendents. This executive committee AASA is considered the voice of public education in America. He has been exposed to all aspects of public education and feels that the problem of Boys Town is an imitortant aspect of our educational problem for all America and Mr. King is pleased to lend his experience in furthering the cause. He has no connection with Boys Town
JirV'ENILE DELINQUENCY 15
personally, except to be invited to examine the site and from his experience in building construction and planning, express his opinion as to its suitability for educational use and his understanding of the importance of this method as outlined in meeting the problem of instructing boys of the type indicated.
Senator Kefauver. Yon may proceed, sir.
Mr. King. My name is Starr King. I liave been a general educator. Mr. Hurd, who preceded me, has had more experience in social-service work. My activities have been for 35 years associated with public- school education. And of that 35 years, for 28 years I have been superintendent of the schools in two Massachusetts communities, both residential communities.
My concern has been for good education, and naturally my prob- lems have encompassed everything from admitting a little tot into school at 6 years of age to the youngster graduating from high school with adequate preparation for college.
I mention the broad aspects of my experience simply because I feel that education is facing many problems today. We see headlines about integration, and we appreciate the importance of the problems involved in admitting so many youngsters to school that we haven't room for, and the problem of building construction. In fact, local commimities are practically overwhelmed with problems which could well develop mediocrity in public education unless we find some means for their solution. And hovering around the fringes of these greater problems to get more publicity, because they involve larger sums, is this question of relatively few boys who are being lost in the shuffle, boys that liave just as much right to consideration, boys that can develop into a menace to society.
And we have sort of makeshift ideas and many plans advanced by many people in the democratic society as to how to handle it. Natu- rally my concern is to handle them through education.
This situation that brings this about is perhaps something that so- ciety has created for us, inflation, and improvement in gadgets for making living comfortable and easy. Everybody, every citizen, seems to have a desire to have everything new that comes on the market. And in certain economic groups, individuals feel that both father and mother must work in order to earn money enough to have all these new things. Society has imposed this type of problem. That means that there is more than the usual nmnber of youngsters, encompassed in my years of association with youngsters, the depression years, the gay twenties, there is more than the ustial number of youngsters that are footloose and wandering around and without supervision and direc- tion, and they really need a program.
They can pick out their own program and it isn't often good judg- ment, it is immature judgment on their part. And I think society owes it to these youngsters to find a good means, a successful means, a satisfactory means through education to take care of these young people.
There are naturally many unworthy, irresponsible parents. There are, of course, many more good parents. There are ineffectual teach- ers, particularly in this day of a shortage of teachers, and ineffectual teachers can contribute to delinquency just as much as ineffectual parents can, with poor handling of the youngsters when problems come up that might be handled satisfactorily by a person who has the know-how.
80694
14 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
There are not enough higli-grade people dedicated to this type of in- struction to spread this sort of thing over local communities. There is a great tendency in the State departments in the individual com- monwealths to ask the local communities more and more to take care of their problems. Possibly they can't afford to build State institu- tions or something of that sort. I know that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has turned back to the local communities the problem of children of low I. Q. ability, mongoloids, cretins, that type of youngster, who a few years ago we didn't think we could educate at all, but since the parents of those youngsters feel they have a right to consideration, the local community is asked to take care of them.
Now, those are terrific burdens on local communities, and they are difficult to handle efficiently. And it is my considered opinion that by assembling a sufficient number of boys that are potentially heading for delinquency and assigning them to the guidance or dedicated and effi- cient teachers which can be secured by concentrating on smaller num- bers, that the handling of this problem can be much more efficient, much more elfective, and much more satisfactory.
Now, I have examined the site of Squantum. Naturally the com- munity in which I live has elementary schools, it has 5 of them planned, 2 of them completed, and a new junior high school completed. We have been in the throes of a tremendous program of building con- struction to meet normal needs. We are way behind. And I would like to feel that that gives me a basis for examining buildings, their construction, their equipment, and knowing whether they are suitable or not for a project of this type.
Of course, the Squantum area looks like a ghost town at the present time because it has been unoccupied for a couple of years, and to the unpracticed eye it perhaps looks like a deserted village or something unsatisfactory. However, we w^ent through all of these buildings and all of the rooms in the buildings. In the first place, they are of sturdy construction. The facilities for feeding, which are necessary, are there, both the kitchen space and the dining hall space. The facilities for dormitories are there, and they are handy. They are in a compact location.
The idea of a quadrangle for a school is essentially there to be de- veloped, the idea that we had. And there are materials in the con- struction of these buildings that are almost impossible to secure in the normal building construction. For example, there are wood- block floors which, when I tried to get them for my shops in normal school construction, were too expensive, and were denied. On the other hand, a concrete floor in a shop which handles tools, sharp tools, where this type of tool is used and dropped on the floor, as they would be, and are in many cases where they are learning to use tools, and that naturally results in replacements and unnecessary cost. A wood block is a soft enough floor to take care of that problem.
Now, that, together with tile, tile bathrooms^ — there is unusually fine plumbing fixtures and piping — that is already there.
I think outstanding among all the pieces of equipment that I saw was one very large hangar, and in fact, two hangars, which would provide an enviable opportunity for activities under a roof. New England weather is absolutely unpredictable; anyone going along with general educational programs that doesn't have gymnasiums in New England is out of luck as far as a consistent and continuous
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 15
program of activities is concerned, simply because you can't be sure of the conditions of the turf and the ground outside for activities out- doors.
There are 2 unusually good months in the fall, and 1 or 2 months, perhaps, in the spring. The rest of the year is uncertain. And for a school of this sort, it would be absohitely essential that activities contimie and the program continue uninterrupted.
Now, I talked with my colleagues about this in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, just to test my own thinking and determine whether or not the things I am saying would be reasonably well received by other experienced schoolmen. And I have found no dissenting voice. 1 naturally went to the community of Quincy because that conununity is directly affected. I know all of the superintendents well. We meet at a' Harvard roundtable once a month, and we share problems with each other. And we have talked about delinquency and I know what the general thought and feeling is about it. And I am sure that an area where every once in a while headlines appear in the press about problems — for example, I have an article here, Prediction Tables on Delinquency Development, and another one, Adequate School Staff Seen as Cutting Delinquency — that was in the Boston school system.
But who canhave the staff they want? You are just lucky if you get the bare minimum of your bare requirements.
Without making any remarks about the Quincy superintendent of schools, who is one of mj^ close friends, I would just like to make a few observations. Quincy is a city of 85,000, approximately. It has an evaluation of $140 million. That means it has around 10 or 11 thousand dollars behind each pupil, and there are about 14,000 pupils in the school system. And it has a budget of over $4 million. And of course those figures quickly mean something to me, because I know something about the relative amounts of money I spend for education on the basis of the evaluation of cities and towns in Massachusetts. And I don't think anyone would deny that Quincy is one of the best heeled cities or towns in ability to pay its bills, meet its municipal problems, as well as its educational problems.
And there is this area within its city limits that has been a Govern- ment piece of property. And I can understand very well — I have done the very same thing myself — anytime an additional valuation can be secured, it means more money for the support of schools, and I would be for it, as their superintendent is for it.
But I would like to point out this fact, that in the — I don't mean that they are selfish, but I mean that in what might be the selfish desire to get more and more evaluation for a single community, which may have but a handful of boys of the type which we are concerned with, they forget the generous and humanitarian consideration of serving a number of communities by providing this land to take care of Quincy youngsters, who are handy by, and North Shore and South Shore youngsters, and all those in the environs of Boston, where there is probably a larger percentage of problems of this kind as in the rural communities of western Massachusetts or even central Massachusetts.
And I would like to make a plea for a great unselfish attitude on their part to allow a small section, just a small section of this area, which would provide a great running start to this project. The trouble that develops always is money to get started with. And the
16 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
site and the building are a terrific outlay of money before you are in business, if you want to start from scratch.
And this seems like a wonderful opportunity to have a substantial first step realized. The succeeding steps are comparatively, relatively, easy. There are wonderful facilities around this site which could be developed for boating or swimming. After all, these boys would not only have to have adequate work facilities and things which would tend to make them useful members of society in doing an effective job in society, but they also need recreation and opportunity to grow up as other boys are allowed to grow up.
And those facilities are in the form of water sports that it will be possible to develop. It is a flat area, and it will be possible to develop or lay out fields or areas that are easy to lay out in a flat area rather than on a hillside.
Altliough there my be a tendency to reduce the farming activities, because Massachusetts is not a farming State, it is still possible there to do some gardening, or provide some activity with growing things that lend some interest and attractiveness to some of the boys who might appear there.
I feel very certain that the conditions that that site provides, with those conditions, the grant of a hundred acres, which is a small por- tion— another fact that I haven't mentioned is that Quincy has already received a promise that they will be allowed 10 acres for the construc- tion of an elementary school on that site, which is a great running start for them, as I have been through the problem of finding a site in a local community in a compact area such as Massachusetts is, finding a site in the right location of sufficient size to build a school and then buying the piece of property and paying out the money that is necessary to acquire it, and I Imow that it is an expense that some- times holds it up for a year or two.
Now, Quincy is already going to profit by this transaction, and secure a site for an elementary school, given to them outright. That information came from the superintendent of schools.
I have merely kept within the limits of my own professional asso- ciation. And I know nothing about a great many aspects of this problem, the contribution to which would come from other members.
I would like to make this statement : That because of the ghost- town appearance of this place, that after this group of humanitarians, public-spirited people have secured this site, the restoration problem will involve essentially these four steps: (1) Systematic cleaning up of the entire premises inside and out; (2) a paint job; (3) which would be a little more expensive — the supplying of all the necessary equipment throughout to make provision for the school; and (4) a landscaping job in order to transform what was once a suitable envi- ronment for an airbase into one more attractive for a school.
Frankly, the expense involved in financing this restoration would be a drop in the bucket compared with the cost of purchasing land and constructing the necessary buildings, starting from scratch.
I am convinced that excellent possibilities exist for a schools of the type proposed at the Squantum Naval Base. I trust that this com- mittee will be sufficiently impressed by (1) the definite need for a school of this type; (2) the ideal situation that this particular Squan- tum site presents for its establislnnent; and (3) the golden oppor-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 17
tunity offered to serve a vital segment of our society for whom so little is being done.
I further trust that this committee, being so impressed, will feel a moral obligation to support this petition.
Thank you.
Senator KE^AU^^:R. Thank you very much, Mr. King.
Mr. King, as I miderstand it. Boys Town is a hundred acres — or is it 150 acres?
Mr. King. My information is 100 acres. I think there are over 600 acres in the entire plot, and I understand in the particular area — if I am wrong by 50 acres I will be corrected by 1 of my successors, I am sure.
Senator Kefauaer. I have just been reading an editorial from the Quincy Ledger of May 17, 1956, in which they seem not to go along with this idea. There seem to be three particular arguments against it. One is that it is a fiat site and there wouldn't be anything for the boys to do, not a suitable location.
You have spoken on that. Do you think
Mr. King. There certainly would be plenty for them to do if there were people who knew what to give them to do and how to establish a program for activities in those buildings on that site. I would feel that landscaping would change the appearance of that site a great deal.
Senator KE^AU^^ER. So it could be made attractive ?
Mr. King. I think so.
Senator Kefaitver. Another argument seems to be that it would be bringing a lot of bad boys to Quincy from other parts of the State or country, and that might increase the police problem in Quinc5\
Mr. King. Well, I don't feel that this school woidd be a school in which they would even know there were any boys over there. It will be no different- — for example, I have a school of my own in my own community where once in a while, through misunderstanding, some- one objects to sending a boy to that school because he is not actually like the other normal youngsters in the school. But they never give any trouble.
Senator Kefau\-er. Mr. King, we thank you for your very helpful statement. You have had great experience in the educational field. Modestly, you didn't exactly state all of your attainments, but we have them here, and they will be put in the record.
Our next witness, Mr. Bobo.
Mr. BoBO. Dr. Emil M. Hartl of the Charles Hayden Goodwill Inn for Boys of Morgan Memorial, Boston, Mass.
STATEMENT OF EMIL M. HARTL, DIRECTOR, CHARLES HAYDEN GOODWILL INN FOR BOYS OF MORGAN MEMORIAL, BOSTON, MASS.
Senator Kefauver. Dr. Hartl, we are very glad to have you with us this morning.
I have a memorandum here that says :
Dr. Hartl, who was born at Taunton, Minn., has lived in Boston, Mass., from 1928 to present time. He is presently director of Charles Hayden Goodwill inn for Boys of Morgan Memorial at Boston, Mass. He w^as educated at Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn. (A. B. 1928), Boston University (S. T. B. 1931 and Ph. D. 19.38), and has an honorary degree from Hamline University. He has liad research experience in juvenile delinquency and had published a 10-year
18 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
followup study on 200 boys who were residents of Hayden Goodwill Inn, in Harpers, 1949 ; also Varieties of Delinquent Youtli, by Sheldon, Hartl, Mc- Dermott. Publication pending on Charles Hayden Goodwill Inn study of group therapy approach in dealing with boys with problems (grant of funds from Charles H. Hood Dairy Foundation). Dr. Hartl is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Children's Home Study Group of Massachusetts.
I read this so as to save you the embarrassment of telling all the things about yourself.
Dr. Hartl, I think you are sufficiently experienced and qualified, and we will be glad to have your statement.
Mr. Hartl. Thank you.
Senator Kefauver and members of the committee, my appearance here today
Senator Kefauver. Since you have a written statement, we can have it printed in the record in full, and you can tell us about any parts of it that you wish. It will be printed as presented.
Mr. Hartl. My interest in appearance here today is in the vein of an envious onlooker of one whose professional life has been spent in this very field. At the Charles Playden Goodwill Inn for Boys at Morgan Memorial, we have for the past 23 years lived with the very kind of boys who would be placed also in the Boys Town type program at Squantum Airbase.
It is therefore somewhat against this background that I have chosen as my responsibility in this team of those who are presenting a bit of evidence here today, to talk about the kind of program which it seems to me could be carried on in this setting. I am talking now from the average point of view of one who has dreamed many dreams within our own program.
Senator Kefauver. Just a moment. Dr. Hartl.
The committee is delighted to see that Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers has come in.
Won't you come up and sit down beside us ?
This is Dr. Hartl, of Boston, Mass.
Mrs. Rogers. We are interested in the same thing.
Senator Kefauver. Yes.
Mr. Hartl. Perhaps I might repeat the statement that I made.
I was commenting about the possible program at the Squantum Airbase for boys of teen-age. And my remarks are born of experi- ence in this very field, having lived and worked with some 7,000 boys over the past 23 years at the Goodwill Inn, Morgan, Memorial, hav- ing got experience I feel that I can imaginatively forecast the kind of program that might be possible in this setting.
I repeat that we have had a good many sessions of, you might say, dreaming of settings within which we might expand our own program and carry on the kind of work that is envisioned here.
So the comments about program that I may have to make here are imaginatively projected against the background of personal experi- ence. And I think I must confine my comments to what we could foresee as to the kind of plan that could be carried on when these facilities that have been so remarkably well analyzed and commented upon by our competent previous speaker, Starr King, superintendent of schools, are made available.
The physical facilities, it seems to me, are especially good from the standpoint of developing within them educational and recreational
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 19
programs with a rehabilitative turn to them. Their proximity to the medical, psychiatric, and educational resources of Greater Boston gives them a distinct advantage as to location.
My own enterprise — we have a winter and summer phase. In the wintertime we are in the dead center of Boston, living in the south end with our group, in a relatively small building in comparison to these facilities, and we are very happy always to have access to Children's Medical Center, and all the various clinics, and treatment facilities, and resources of Boston.
During the summer period we move 8 miles away from Boston to a summer camp in Athol.
Senator Kefaus'er. What do you mean "we move" ?
Mr. Hartt.. Our Charles Hayden Goodwill Inn for Boys and staff.
Senator Kefauver. Goodwill Inn?
Mr. Hartl. That is right, for boys of Morgan Memorial.
Senator Kefauver. And how many boys do you have now?
Mr. Hartl. Twenty-five at a time. And over the past 23 years in the 2 facets, winter and summer facets, we have served 25,000 boys.
I merely cite that it is quite an advantage to be near Boston's facility. The grounds and acreage here would offer opportunity for field activities, gardening, horticulture, and some animal projects as has been already stated. Boating and aquatics programs would be very well developed here.
I have chosen to outline my comments under several headings. The first is the components that might be in a program in this setting. It will aim to be educative, rehabilitative, and therapeutic.
The objective would be to train boys in good citizenship, to prepare them for useful careers as responsible members of society. So in the first place there would need to be a strong program of group living routines, arising, going to bed, chores, chow, inspection of bunks, all that. A very fine tradition exists in these facilities along that line.
Second, there would need to be a well-differentiated educational pro- gram with emphasis on educational rehabilitation, remedial work, occupational therapy. A program which meets the need of a boy versus fitting the boy into a relatively limited kind of program that you may have to offer. In this particular setting there are physical facilities for the differentiation on a wide basis of the educational aspect of the work necessary.
Third, there should be a rich and imaginative group work program with creative participation of boys in the planning and in the execu- tion of the plans.
A maximum utilization of the total Massachusetts facilities along this group work line would enrich the program. The Museum of Science for instance is a very short way away.
Fourth, it seems to me in this setting there should be a united chap- lain service and a religious ministry through the coordinated activi- ties of the chaplains in that sector, each tending the sheep of his flock, but working as a united chaplaincy service.
Fifth, it seems to me that intake in this enterprise should be case- work oriented. There should be continuous evaluation of the prog- ress of a boy within it, and proper timing for his dismissal from it. Close followup of the individual within the group is indicated, though your numbers may be several hundred. The emphasis in this instance must be focused upon the individual within the group. Ade-
20 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
quate reports from instructors or area supervisors, psychologists, physicians, group workers, therapeutists, all these must be responsible to develop a profile of progress of the boy at this center. Casework conferences, integration about the material, and the evaluation of a boy must be a regular part of the process.
Sixth, there must be a strong personnel training program for the entire staff. And it is very possible to have this because of the proximity of professional people in the Boston area who would be very happy to come out to talk to the statf of this enterprise. The objective here would be to develop what may be called a therapeutic communit}' outlook. Each person from the executive director to the casework, the chaplains, the instructors, the group workers, the chief, the maintenance supervisor, the house mother or parents, tlie laundry supervisor, each plaj^ s an important role in the citizenship training of a boy in this community. Each exerts influence and impinges on the growing boy and, therefore, must have opportunity to become aware of his role and also to ask for guidance and help in understanding certain of the boys who are presenting problems.
Then, seventh, it seems to me that in this setting that there might well be developed a form of community government, self-government which gives the boys an opportunity to learn at firsthand through participation something about the governmental processes. At the same time by this participation the youngster will have a part in the actual administration of security, justice, welfare, and so on in his own community.
I have a bit of a recommendation along this line. Very many institutions for boys have picked up a theme of one kind or another, the town theme with the mayor as the head. The Republican theme, as is found in the junior Republicans, and so on. I would like to suggest at this point that the plan which w^e have for 5 years begun to use in our enterprise, small enterprise which takes as its model the U. N. organization. Keeping in mind that the U. N. is only an organ which is made up of strong nations, working together, I sug- gest that on the grounds that it is our avowed national intention to foster the successful development of the U. N. as an organ of the international government. I would quote the President of the United States at this point :
I affirm the support of the Government of the United States in the purposes and aims of the U. N. and in the hopes that inspired its founders.
That was said by Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Such enterprises or agencies and commissions of the U. N. as WHO, UNESCO, ILO, Human Rights, the Security Council, the Interna- tional Conrt of Justice lend themselves beautifully to a means of bringing to bear boys and staff on common community problems.
I speak of this because at the present moment at South Athol with our 50 boys this very project is under way and we would mainly be happy to pass this on to the Boys Town in Massachusetts, if through their board of directors and executive director they care to pick up this kind of theme.
It would be fresh and new. It challenges youngsters whose minds need to be challenged.
Let me just cite one item which has grown up out of this period of living with this concept. We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America each morning.
Jin'ENILE DELINQUENCY 21
One day a group of boys and some staff decided that there should also be a pledge of allegiance to the flag of the U. N. So far as I know, I shall give you the first such pledge known at least to me and here it is:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the U. N. and to the hope of mankind for which it stands, one world united, to promote peace and goodwill with justice and dignity for all.
Senator Kefauver. I would say that is a very good thought.
Mr. Hartl. It is a challenging theme. I had some additional com- ments about the nature of the program here which I believe would be basic. They grow out of our interest in research into causation of de- linquency, into the way in which you might be able to deal witL youngsters with problems, through group therapy process and so on. It would seem to me therefore as item 8 here that there should from the very outset be a systematic evaluation and research which accom- panies the development of this project, an action research type of pro- gram should aim at doing two things, first to evaluate the effectiveness of this center in effecting growth in boys, changes in their behavior and growth of their attitude of responsibility.
Second this action research project should aim to differentiate out the boys with regard to their ability to benefit from this kind of pro- gram. There is no panacea. Boys do respond to given settings, cer- tain ones do not and need another kind of enterprise that from its very outset that an action research project of this type should be an im- portant component of the program.
There might very well in this independent enterprise be research in the field of juvenile delinquency carried out under a grant from a foundation where the personnel might be associated with a ujiiversity setting. Boston University or Harvard University or Tufts and so on. It would be possible to do more with this than merely serve. But it would be also possible here to learn about juvenile personality, growtli, and development.
Senator Kefauver. Dr. Hartl, before you go to another point, the committee is delighted to have with us Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers whom the chairman had the privilege of serving with during the years he spent in the House of Ilepresentatives. I know of her great interest in problems and youth not only in her ow^n district and State but throughout the Nation and slie has done much in this line for yoimg people generally and especially in connection with the re- habilitation in giving another chance to the veterans of both wars.
Immediately preceding your testimony, I would be glad to have put in the record any statement Congresswoman Rogers, that you wish to make.
STATEMENT OF HON. EDITH NOURSE ROGERS, REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS PROM THE PIPTH DISTRICT, STATE OF MASSACHU- SETTS
Mrs. Rogers. Thank you very much for allowing me to sit in with you for a few minutes. You have always been gracious and kind. You were when you served in the House and you are now, and I deeply appreciate it. I am very much interested in this project and I do hope you will do all you can for us and I know you will. Thank you many times.
22 JTTS^ENILE DELINQUENCY
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much. Come back and be with us.
Mrs. EoGERs. Ghad to hear jou, too.
Mr. Hartl. Thank you.
Senator KEFATJ^'ER. A^^liile we are interrupted I want to express my pleasure at having an old good friend with us, Henry Dormand, of rs^ew York City, whom I have known for many years, who has been interested in the problems of youth opj)ortunities. He is a young man himself. He is very active in the DeMolay work, has been public- relations representative to the Grand Council of the Order of DeMolay and sometime we want to hear the suggestions and advice of Mr. Dormand. ^Ye will be glad to have him sit in with us in this session today. We will put all these remarks prior to your statement so it won't interrupt the continuity of your statement, Mr. Hartl. All right, will 3^ou proceed?
Mr. Hartl. Under point 9 of my outline of the components in pro- gram is reference to this special weekend and short-term, summer type of session for citizenship training of boys who may be referred from many communities in Massachusetts. It would seem to me that at this particular facilit}^, the Squantum Air Base, that this kind of innovation of program to meet the needs of boys who are in the early stages of presenting problems might be rather unique. I know of no enterprise which would be able to be so modified that it would have an on-going, consistent, educational program in one of the pliases and then in another of its phases to be able to incorporate into it those who come for short periods of training.
In our own enterprise we do sometimes serve in that capacity. That is through a court or a placement agency we might accept a boy know- ing at the time of acceptance that he is coming for only a short stay, because in someone's opinion it is very useful to take the pressure ojff that boy, to change his outlook even over a weekend, let us say, so he can enter back into the same home setting, kind of an oasis experience.
If, in this particular setting, one were able to offer to the general Massachusetts community a systematic development along this line, a real service would be rendered.
Now, a comparable kind of community effort along this line might be found in the citizenship training program conducted under the auspices of the Boston juvenile court with Mr. Lou Maglio as the di- rector. The court will take a new boy, in probationer, and require that for an 8-week period he come in after school every day for a training, citizenship training program. It might be entirely possible that boys from distant points might be required by an agency when they see him getting into difficulty to come for weekends over, let us say, an 8-weekend period to an enterprise like this and be trained in citizenship, change his outlook perhaps.
So this is merely a statement of faith and confidence that there is something unique and very worthy of development along this line.
Now from the point of view of tlie conduct of this program it would seem to me that it would be necessary to have a dean for the adminis- tration and operation of tliis plant. Its problems would be unique and quite peculiar to short time stay for a period of weekends. With great care given to a harmonious integration of this plan with the regular residential center plan working but the two programs could actually augment each other and result in mutual values to the boj^s served
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 23
because a good many of the boys who have been perhaps 4 months in regular residence might serve as leaders in the weekend or short-term summer program as junior counselors or what have you.
Now in the next section of my report here, I have merely chosen to outline the kind of personnel that would seem to me to be basic, minimal. It is obviously the intention to outline only the key per- sonnel and thereby to show the essential organizational structure that is needed. The supporting stall' would be developed in due season in proportion to the number of boys who would come in there to be served and in relation to the dili'erentiation of programs that would be affected here. So these are merely the major areas which could it seems to me be very nicel}^ worked out in this setting.
First, there is the board of directors which are the holders of the corporation's legal involvements of all kinds. This is a basic body which determines overall policy and hires the executive director and those of authorizing hiring of other personnel.
Second, the executive committee which acts for the board of directors would be constituted by the board and would include such persons as they may determine.
Third, the executive director would be hired by the board of di- rectors and responsible to them for the administration of this entire project.
Under him there would be the following minimal key personnel. First, the director of programs and there would be two main areas in which his influence, supervision would naturally follow. First, he would be interested in the lively routines and this might very well be delegated to an assistant and staff for barrack supervision or house parents, and so forth.
Second, he would be responsible for the general oversight of the group- work program. This no doubt would be delegated to a grouj) worker and his staff.
Third, he would have overall responsibility for the educational pro- grams but the actual development of the educational program would be delegated to a superintendent or principal of the school and his staff.
Then the second major area to be covered by a person Avould be the business-management side. Three areas here, the feeding unit and all that staff'. Buildings and grounds and all that staff'. Then the gen- eral business operations and the staff' that would be related to office operations. So, a business management is there.
Now, the third basic person would be the one who would act as a supervisor of the casework department. At least for that four facets would come under him here, the medical facility on the grounds and that staff". Second, the testing and evaluational staff. Third, the group therapy and activity therapy staff. And fourth j^ou would be responsible for case conference work and correlation, for staff' reviews and consultation with other staff' persons who need on occasion to come in for on-the-spot help in dealing with a given bo3\
And the fourth person would be the dean of this extension program, the weekend and the summer-session citizenship programs.
And fifth, a public relations director. This is a private agency. Its publicity, its conferences of professional people, laymen, the pro- motion of all kinds of events, programs, public relations interest, should come under this person.
24 JUVENILE DELENTQUENCY
Therefore the director of programs, the business manager, the case- work department supervisor, the dean of the extension program, and the public relations director would seem to be minimal ke}'^ personnel.
Now a word about budget. The budget must be adequate to enable the recruitment of competent personnel who will be inclined to stay with this project, to work out the implications of all of the basic features. No attempt is made here to forecast the operating costs ,nor the capital investment needed to rehabilitate the physical plant to bring up to the serviceability of which we speak here, to reflect in property the kind of program that would do a job for youngsters. This will require a competent analysis and study of resources for help of all kinds. On the basis of my own experience, I would simply say this, in this, if this facility were once granted, it seems to me that those who would be responsible for its development would find that the total community would become quite electrified and all kinds of help from a variety of sources would come.
I have a notion that when paint was spoken of there would be in- dustrialists in the area that would furnish paint to do the job. I think a real opportunity exists here for the Boys Town group and as as an envious onlooker in the community I simply would add my word of testimony that there are perfectly grand opportunities for excellent service for boys in the total community of Massachusetts and per- haps New England.
Senator Kefauver. Dr. Hartl, you have made a very enlightened statement and have thought this matter through and it shall be of great value to the committee and certainly to the organization if it is able to get started.
One question I did not ask Mr. King. In this editorial, I asked him about two objections but there was one other that says that they tliought this might be better used, there might be some opportunity for indus- trial development in this area. Are you in a position to comment about that ?
Mr. Hartl. No, sir, 1 would not be. I think that could be passed on to someone else. I would merely say this from the point of view of the utilization of the space that as one who is responsible for the direc- tion of the program here, that its setting is very good. It's surrounded by homes that you see at a distance. Therefore you are a part of a total community and whatever industrial developments would occur on the other five-sixths of the total area would certainly in no way de- tract from the program here for use with boys. You are surrounded by water with some landscaping that has been referred to. You would have proximity to a normal community that you could see.
You would have proximity to all sorts of resources of professional help 1 mile away from the city of Boston and at the same time you would have ample elbow room. Boys and staff could very well have a whale of a good time on 100 acres.
Senator Kefauver. Are these facilities presently suitable for indus- trial development?
Mr. Hartl. I couldn't answer that.
Senator Kefauver. How many boys do you think this facility could probably adequately take care of if this idea went through ?
Mr. Hartl. Several hundred. I think that experience would have to teach. I mean by that several hundred at a time. My general ad- vice would be that the project at the outset ought to start with a rela-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 25
tively small number perhaps 50 and gi-adnally develop up to 100, per- haps 200. It might go beyond that as the traditions and the pat- terns were worked out. Physical facilities alone are not enough to have a therapeutically oriented community. On the other hand, it is very difficult to have a therapeutic oriented community doing an ade- quate job without resources that are rich.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Bobo ?
Mr. BoBO. Does there exist in Massachusetts at the present time, do you know, a need for a facility such as this ?
Mr. Hartl. Yes, I would know from the point of view of the fact that our own agency is used. It has limited facilities in comparison to this and we know that we have been encouraged ourselves to develop acreage at the western part of the State. We would have to start from scratch as someone said and that we have been assured by placement agencies that if we were to do that development that they would fill us with boys who need this kind of service.
Mr. Bobo. There is no question in your mind that if this facility could be developed to house and treat 200 or 300 that it is adequate for that?
Mr. Hartl. That is so.
Mr, BoBo. The physical layout of the buildings, the dormitories, the kitchen facilities, a large hangar, do you think those facilities lend themselves to the type of program we are talking about?
Mr. Hartl. Yes, very definitely. We approximate some of that in our own program but not on the spaciousness that would be and would need to be if operating with several hundred youngsters.
Mr. BoBO. Do you think the cost of improving such a facility as this — repair it for use — would be prohibitive for a Boys Town project ?
Mr. Hartl. I wouldn't think so. If I were to project- again imaginatively, I could suggest that a good deal of work could be done under the shopman w^ith boys participating. It would make it to a degree their enterprise as well as the enterprise of other people. Cer- tain of the jobs of course would have to be done because of the hazards and so on by professionals but I would suggest that portions of the rehabilitation program should be reserved for the boys and staff be- cause of the feeling that they would develop toward it.
Mr. BoBO. Is there any danger that placing this type of boy within a proximity, it appears to be a mile or 2 miles from the residential area there, do you think these boys would in any way interfere with the residential area so close ?
Mr. Hartl. No, sir ; I would have no fear along that line. We are in closer proximity to this setting to our neiglibors in Boston now with our program and while we certainly do on occasions experience problems, I would say that they are less likely to occur in this group than would be the case with a boy in that community. They are less likely to have difficulty with boys from this setting because there is much more supervision, much more control and with a program such as I have outlined here, the boy is kept busy, he is involved at all times. I would say that that would be at a very minimal point.
Mr. BoBO. Thank you.
Senator Kefauver. Miss Johnson, do you want to ask any questions ?
Miss Johnson. No.
Senator Kefauver. Miss Jolmson is a very capable associate counsel and she has done mighty good work for this subcommittee.
26 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Mr. Chumbris?
Mr. Chumbris. The only thing I would like to comment on is what Dr. Hartl said about the community joining in. In New Mexico we have a boys' ranch and each year the citizens contribute cattle and other livestock. They contribute building materials for improved housing and buildings on the boj^s' ranch. I think his point was very well taken.
Senator KE^AU^"ER. Well, sir, we thank you very much. I am glad to see distinguished educators like you so interested in this problem. I think it gives us some encouragement to have men like you come down and devote themselves to education of 3'outh at a particular time when we need encouragement after the Federal aid bill was knocked out in the House the other day.
In our report on education we made a strong recommendation for Federal assistance in the general education field. It was a matter of great disappointment to me and I am sure to most members of this committee that the program fared so badly the other day in the House of Representatives. I hope something can be done to revitalize it, because we had pointed out in very forceful terms the fact that we were not meeting out obligation to the youth of today in the field of either sufficient or sufficiently paid teachers or school facilities.
I think there is a part that the Federal Government should play.
Mr. Bobo, who is our next witness ?
Mr. BoBO. Chief of Police William J. Footit, of Shutesbury, Mass.
Senator Kefauver. Are there any witnesses who have to leave early ? If there are, I wish they would speak up.
You are Mr. William J. Footit, Jr., police chief of Shutesbury, Mass.
Mr. Footit. Yes, sir.
Senator Kefauver. We are glad to have you with us, Chief, and thank you very much for coming down.
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM J. FOOTIT, JR., POLICE CHIEF, SHUTESBURY, MASS.
Mr. Footit. It is nice to be here. Senator.
Senator Kefauver. How large a city is Shutesbury?
Mr. Footit. Ours is a very small community. It is one that grows during the summer months. We have a large lake resort so there is the problem of getting about 4 times its size cluring July and August.
Senator Kefauver. Enlarges and then contracts?
Mr. FooTiT. Yes ; it does.
Senator Kefauver. How long have you been the chief of police there ?
Mr. Footit. For 5 years now.
Senator Kefauver. You have been in police work for quite a long time.
Mr. Footit. No, sir. Actually I did most of my work in conjunc- tion with the police when I was in the newspaper field for 17 years. I was director of the circulation department of the Springfield news- papers. In that line of work we get pretty close to boys, newsboys, and from all walks of life and we walked very closely with police on that, police officials in the city of Springfield.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 27
Senator Kefauver. All right, sir, you tell us what is on your mind.
Mr. FoOTiT. We have heard some very sincere testimony here, Sena- tor, and I thoi\ght I might digress just a minute to tell you something I thought miglit please you.
I got a telephone call from my daughter, whose age is 11, and said I had a special delivery letter from the United States Senate. Up in our country in Franklin County there are a lot of folks who vote Re- publican, so my daughter called me and I asked her to read the letter. So opened it and read your very kind letter explaining the delay in this hearing and she was reading the signature and I said, "Well, that is Senator Kefauver." She said, "What are you doing. Dad, having business with a Democrat?" So I find myself here in Washington having business with a Democrat.
Senator Kkfauver. I hope it doesn't hurt you any.
Mr, FooTiT. No, I am being favorably impressed.
Senator Kefauvek. You tell your daughter that I hope she will find out a whole lot about the Democrats and join the colors one of these days.
Mr. FooTiT, I am sure she will grow older.
Actually, Senator, as chief of police in a small town we have really more in the capacity of a smalltown cop. Our duties include all family problems, traffic control, of course. We even get to taking care of stray dogs in anybody's chicken yards. One of the important things is our younger people, boys and girls. We work very closely with all families and it is a real problem. I would like to follow through one small case to give you an idea of what our thinking is on it. We had a boy age 15, a boy who lived in town since he was born and had become to be just a little bit of a problem by doing little things that were annoying.
It first came to my attention when he made an efi'ort to tip a school bus. It is a rural country and all children go to school by way of a school bus. Then he reached over and turned the ignition off of the school bus and on several occasions had hollered, "Here comes a truck," or something, very annoying to the school-bus drivers. His history was full of those things. We talked with his parents, talked with the school authorities and with clergy in this particular case and found that things were getting a little out of hand and then one day the young fellow took his thumbs and inverted the eyeballs of a young boy. That is where it has to stop. You have to go in and take some decisive action. _ So we took him before the court and after a complete review by the judge it was determined that the boy was not actually bad enough to send away. There was certainly merit in that thinking. We thought the act of going to court would help and then we would put him on probation. The judge did in fact put him on probation for a 6-month period. They didn't scare him very much. Pie was over in court for an hour and home again. He was quite the hero.
About 3 or 4 weeks went by and this time he burned a small building. So we had to send him to a reform school then, Wliat I am getting at, then, is, of course, you know it is a problem,
I don't know what the answer is to it. I don't say that Boys Town is the solution. We recognize it as a solution. I am very certain that we could have taken that boy before we took him into court and I know his parents would have been agreeable to sending him down for even a 6-week period to a place where he would get some constructive train-
28 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
ing. I am sure he would have been a much happier boy than he is today and his parents would be, too. Of course, we in the law-enforcement business have had to change our way of thinking and working. We now know the day is gone when you can take care of these youngsters by taking him out to the woodshed. Society frowns on this type of enforcement and we are governed by society.
The place today in Shutesbury, all police chiefs from the western part of Massachusetts are having their annual summer meeting today and I have discussed this with them at our last meeting and the general consensus of opinion is that they certainly are willing and prepared to cooperate with any agency or agencies that are sincere and generally interested in preventive measures.
I think that is the important thing, the preventive measures as op- posed to coiTection. Our correction institutions are not the final answer. As a matter of fact I think everybody knows the act of con- fining a boy or a man does not necessarily always help them. The act of confining itself is not the answer.
We have to teach them. I recently took a tour of the new State prison in Massachusetts, although it is not called that; they eliminated the name "State prison'' ; I don't know what they call it.
I was amazed and pleased at the industry they are introducing in there as opposed at the act of confinement. That is a terrible thing. We have often wondered if a fellow does something, if we confine him for 5 years does that make him a better man or should we confine him for 10 years. I don't think that is the answer at all.
If we can teach him something in 5 years or if it takes 10, teach him something by all means.
Senator Kefauver. The idea with young people is to rehabilitate them and make useful good citizens of them.
Mr. FooTiT. Very definitely. Senator. It is a must. In our Com- monwealth of Massachusetts 10 years ago we had 1,500 boys and girls confined. These are figures I have taken from the youth service board. At a cost of approximately $1 million, annual cost, we now have in 1956 some 2,000, only an increase of roughly 500 boys and girls but the cost has gone to nearer $3 million.
Like everything else the cost of our correctional institutions has risen.
I personally am not too terribly concerned with the cost of some- thing like Boys Town. I think anything worthwhile has to cost money. I talked with a great many people in our area in the western part of the State, specifically in the Franklin County area, and talked with my good friend Congressman Heselton about it and he has talked to people and we know there is a definite interest and a real interest.
I have talked with town officials and selectmen and school officials and certain police officers, not only the police chief but officers on the beat have talked with court officials and with the judge whom I admire and respect.
He is very much interested. We have not gotten the matter pub- licized enough to get the definite reaction of all of our people.
I wanted to be very brief so I will say that I have in the past several months talked with a great many people and they are really interested in it. It is my confirmed opinion that the folks in our area want this. I think these men wlio have fostered this idea have gone further and spent more time than I have. I was asked to serve as
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 29
trustee 2 years ago and have served in that capacity since. Some of the people interested here have spent a great deal of time and a great deal of their own money ; I think they shovild be given a fair chance. I think it warrants every consideration.
Senator IvEFAirvER. How far is Shutesbury from Quincy?
Mr. FooTiT. It is just about 80 miles I would say, Senator.
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much, Chief.
Any questions ?
Mr. BoBO. No questions.
Senator Kefauver. Our next witness is ?
Mr. BoBO. Mr. William H. Browne. Mr. Browne is an attorney at law, acting probation officer, district court of western Hampden, Westfield, Mass., and trustee, Boys Town of Massachusetts, represent- ing Hampden County.
Senator Kefau\ter. Glad to have you with us.
(Biographical sketch of Mr. Browne follows :)
William H. Browne
Mr. Bi-owue was born in North Stonington, Conn., June 9, 1893. He received his education at Wheeler Scliool, North Stonington, Conn. ; St. Lawrence Uni- versity ; Broolvlyn Law School ; and the University of Paris, France. He is a member of the executive board, Hampden Council 234 of the Boy Scouts and chairman, Tekoa district, Boy Scouts. He is director of the Society for Preven- tion of Cruelty to Children ; chairman, Ship 100, BSA, Westfield. He is acting probation officer, district court of western Hampden, Westtield, Mass., and a trustee, representing Hampden County, of Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM H. BROWNE, HAMPDEN COUNTY, MASS.
Mr. Browne. I might say that I am a practicing lawyer. I prac- ticed in New York City for approximately 30 years before going up to Massachusetts and since 1948 I have been engaged in the practice there, and I am an acting probation officer there usually covering the boys in the local court.
Senator KErAu\TER. The district court you referred to, is that a State court?
Mr. Browne. It covers the western part of Hampden County, It is a county setup.
In addition to that I am also the director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. I am a member of the executive board of the Hampden Council 234 of the Boy Scouts. We liave about 8,500 Scouts tliat we deal with and send to summer camps, which we have in Hampden County.
I am also the chairman of the Tekow District of the Boy Scouts where I have 1,200 boys under my direct supervision ranging from 8 up. I am also the chairman of the committee sponsoring Sea Ex- plorer Ship 100 and in that particular ship we take mostly boys who have been either assigned to us or I admit tlirough our work in the court.
I think I was selected to come down here to tell you the story as it affects probation and also because of the fact thatWestfield i^; more or less typical of the communities in w^estern INIassachusetts. West- field has a population of only about 23,000 but it does serve quite a much larger area as a shopping center. In addition of course we are typical in another way in that our problems are not quite so serious
80694 — 56 3
30 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
in a juvenile way as they would be in the larger cities like New York and Detroit.
Our juvenile problems do not take quite such a violent form. Most of ours I tliiiik come from the question of the broken homes, inade- quate supervision, both parents working and not paying attention to their children and of course another reason that brings them before the court is their prepossession with the question of owning and oper- ating an automobile so that many of our cases are taking without authority or other forms of delinquency like that.
What I particularly want to tell the committee about is when these boys are brought before the court the judges naturally are faced with the problem of what disposition to make of them. In many cases it is a question of taking them out of the environment, taking them away from their family, because the family is one of the causative factors in the delinquency. The only answer then that we can have is under our present setup as to a question of probation where they are given a sentence, suspended by the court and ordered to report back to the probation officer at stated intervals.
That of course is up to the probation officer as to how many times they report and when they report.
There are other conditions quite frequently attached to probation. But the difficulty comes from the fact that merely reporting into an office does not change the outlook or the character or the disposition of the boy whatsoever.
It is more or less of a club over his head because we can always surrender them and send them to the youth center or some situation like that.
Actually when a boy is put on probation and he reports back once a week you are trying to combat habits of thought and mind and habits of actions that have grown up over a period of quite a number of years and we find it more or less inadequate in many cases to make any dent whatsoever in the boy. In those particular cases I think a setup such as Boys Town would be ideal.
We have absolutely nothing of that kind in the western part of Massachusetts. As a matter of fact, most of our facilities down there are somewhat limited. We are permitted to call upon the State hos- pital such as the North Hampden State Hospital for psychiatric examinations.
There again we merely confirm what we find out by our case his- tories and there is no opportunity to give therapy whatsoever..
In all cases we knew what w^as wrong with the boy and causing the delinquency long before he was sent down there so we are no farther ahead than we were before.
We need some sort of a facility that did not have the stigma of prison to it and where they could be under a rigid type of discipline, I think it would work wonders with these boys that we put on pro- bation. In many cases when the delinquency is rather serious, the boys are sentenced to the youth service board. The judge may sus- pend that and put them on probation. In other instances they are sent down there where we have no other place to send them. We found they are sent down there and for about a month they are given all sorts of examinations and then they are returned to their own home. The reason for that is that the youth service center, too, is faced with the same problem — they have no place to put the boy.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 31
In most of these institutions the boy's entire delinquency has been caused either by his home environment or by his associates in and around the towns where he lives.
Senator Kefauver. What you need to do is get him away from there to somewhere else ?
Mr. Browne. That is true. I think if we could break the contacts off a sufficiently long period of time, we could change the habits. At the present time where they come back into their own home com- munity, they come back as heroes because they have been sent away for a while and instead of acting as a detriment to them, I think it encourages the other boys and girls who look upon him as a hero for having tangled with the law and come out of it.
Another problem is the problem of the unwanted boy. We have had several of those brought before us even quite recently where the parents will, under the Massachusetts law, charge them with being a stubborn child. The boy has probably been acting up, certainly no worse than anything I did when I was young. They are brought before the court and we have to make some disposition of the case.
We have been fortunate in getting other relatives to take over and in some cases we can get the father to support the boy. But there again there are many of those cases w^here the environment should be broken and the boy should be put under some other super- vision and preferably a somewhat strict supervision.
I just want to sum up my remarks by saying so far as the western part of Massachusetts is concerned, that is west of Worcester, we are really sadly lacking in facilities for this sort of work.
We do have about the same amount of problems per capita as you do have in the larger communities. It runs about the same, although it is not so serious. In each one of these cases it is not the act itself that is serious, it is the question of the life and the future of the boy.
That is the thing we always want to be concretely concerned with is whether or not we can save him to useful citizenship both for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for the United States of America.
I think and respectfully submit if we can get some type of facility, like Boys Town, in Massachusetts, it will greatly help the work of probation throughout the State.
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much, Mr. Browne.
We are going to have to recess now until 9 : 30 in the morning.
I understand Mr. Bobo has been in touch with Mr. Payton and Mr. Amershadian, that they can stay over until the morning, so we will meet back here at the same place at 9 : 30 in the morning.
( Wliereupon, at 12 : 20 p. m., the hearing was recessed to reconvene at 9 : 30 a. m., Wednesday, July 11, 1956.)
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Utilization of Surplus Military Installations for Boys Town
Type Projects
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1956
United States Senate, Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency
or the Commiti'ee on the Judiciary,
Washington, D. G. The subcommittee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 9 : 50 a. m., in room 212, Senate Office Building, Senator Estes Kefauver (chair- man) presiding.
Present: Senator Kefauver (presiding).
Also present : James H. Bobo, general counsel ; Peter N. Chumbris, associate counsel ; Carl Perian, research director.
Senator Kefauver. Who is our first witness, Mr. Bobo? Mr. Bobo. Mayor Amelio A. Delia Chiesa. Senator Kefauver. Mayor, we will be glad to hear from you. Mayor Della Chiesa. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMELIO A. DELLA CHIESA, MAYOE OF
QUINCY, MASS.
Mayor Della Chiesa. I might say that the Quincy City Council by unanimous vote voted in opposition to the Boys Town being lo- cated in this particular area in the city of Quincy and copies of the resolution were mailed to each Member of the United States Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and also to our two Sen- ators, Senator Saltonstall and Senator Kennedy. Mr. Michael Skerry, who is the speaker of the house of representatives has with- drawn his support of this program, and also Mr. Charles Gibbons, the former speaker of the House of Representatives of Massachu- setts and now majority floor leader and now a candidate for Lieu- tenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has with- drawn his support. We talked to Senator Dick Furbush from the Quincy delegation and he is no longer willing to support the program. They did support the program before they became aware of the fact that the people in the city of Quincy are very much opposed to it.
"Wlien I say the people in the city of Quincy I mean the vast majority. I have not been able to find anyone in the city of Quincy in favor of Boys Town located in our city. The chief of police is very much opposed to it. We happen to be a city of 85,000 people, the tenth largest in population in the Commonwealth of Massa-
33
34 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
chusetts and 133d in the United States. We are proud of our city. The only city in Norfolk County and we have been confronted like many other cities with the program of school building since 1949; we have completed 11 schools. One is now under construction and 2 of them are on the drawing boards at a tremendous cost to the tax- payers of Quincy. We have already borrowed for these schools that are under program now some $8 million for school construction. We are also 1 of 11 cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts that maintains a hospital and the doctors and everybody else connected with the hospital have asked for an additional construction which will cost some $2 million. We have already completed a pow- erplant that costs a half million dollars and we have much street work, sewer work, waterwork, water mains, and so forth and the re- sult is that before the end of the year with what we have already bor- rowed and authorized the city of Quincy will have a debt of some- where between $14 million and $15 million, the highest debt in the his- tory of the city of Quincy.
Our tax rate has increased from $30 to $60.60. We will see an in- crease next year. We are anxious to bring new business into the city. We started in the program when the Government decided to move in the Squantum Airbase to the South Weymouth Airbase a long time before this group thought of using it for a Boys Town. They knew in my opinion that the city officials and almost everybody else in the city of Quincy were very much opposed to it. As I understand they have been refused locations in several other communities in the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts. So now of course they would like to move into Squantum. We are not opposed to a Boys Town. What we want in Squantum is a desirable business. A business that will bring in tax revenue to the city of Quincy as well as create jobs for the people that live in the city and surrounding towns.
We happen to be adjacent to the city of Boston. The city council appropriated a sum of money to zone that area if and when the Government could declare it surplus so we could only bring a desirable business into that location. I understand that the Government has declared it surplus. As a matter of fact only yesterday the General Services Administration in Boston, they opened bids, Mr. Senator and the highest bid was the Boston Edison Co. They submitted a bid of $851,000 for the air station. I have a copy of the bulletin that appeared in the Quincy paper last night.
What this will mean in there to the city of Quincy in my opinion is this. We have an Edison plant in the neighboring town, the town of Weymouth and that plant pays 40 percent of the tax levy in the town of Weymouth, just 1 plant. As a matter of fact, the total assessment in the town of Weymouth is $109 million. The Edison plant is assessed for $44 million and due to the fact that they have the Edison plant located in their town they have enjoyed a tax rate around $40. The city of Salem that also has an Edison plant they also enjoy a tax rate in the low forties. The city of Quincy of course we are all trying to help the overburdened property owners in our city and the only way we can do it is by bringing a desirable business into that location. It happens to be a very desirable location for busi- ness, one of the best on the New England coast.
I feel there are other locations suitable for Boys Town in the Commonwealth because we have larse areas of vacant land and this
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 35
should be set aside for boys development and if we are fortunate to have Boston Edison who happens to be the high bidder on that land and it appears to be a pretty good bid even from the Government's point of view and they will erect a building there that will cost some $40 million, using the same figure as the one in Weymouth and prob- ably will be assessed for even more and will probably be a larger development and we have now at the present time $160 million assess- ment. That is the total assessment. You can readily see if we have a building that will be assessed for $40 million, that will reduce our tax rate somewhere between 20 to 25 percent. So you can't blame me and the members of the city council and all others concerned for fighting for this land for business, especially where it is going to be a very desirable business.
I understand from the clipping in the newspaper here that a Mr. King from Beverly says that the city of Quincy was in excellent financial condition and we could afford to perhaps have nontaxable land in our city. But that is not so. I happen to be a member of the city government for 14 years and, with this high tax rate and the in- crease in our debt, I think it is very urgent we should do all we can to try to get more and more business into our community.
In the city of Quincy we have some 596 veterans' units, apartments, and you know they are tax free. We receive a pittance in lieu of taxes. As a matter of fact, for that 596 development we had to build two schools that cost us $3 million. Four hundred are owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 160 by the Federal Government, and 36 by the city of Quincy. The only ones we realize a profit on are the ones that are owned by the city. We maintain practically all the rent. The Government gives us 10 percent of the rents and the State, 5 percent. From the State, that amounted to $25 per family per year, Mr. Senator, or $2 per month. Due to the fact that we had to build these $3 million worth of schools and provide the services required that the city provides, and we provide many of them in our city, I feel we have a sufficient area and buildings that are tax free now, and this land has been made available for sale and in my opinion it should be used for business development, I might say, Mr. Senator, that the city of Quincy is the only city in the United States that has given two Presi- dents to this great country of ours. John Adams and John Quincy Adams, father and son, they were born in our city. John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also born in our city. We have the city of the first railroad, the city of the first iron- works, and many other historical cities that we are very proud of. We are quite rich in history. I don't know of anyone in the Quincy area that is in favor of this. There may be 1 or 2. I have not heard of them.
In my opinion they are opposed to this. We were in there a long time before this gi^oup that wants to place a Boys Town in that area, and they knew our feelings because we talked to them. I talked to 1 or 2 of them and we told them we were very much opposed to it. I believe that perhaps — I don't want to consume too much of your time but that is the main reason. We need tax dollars in our city, Mr. Senator, and this is an excellent way to obtain more revenue to help the overburdened taxpayers. The tax rates in Massachusetts have in- creased by leaps and bounds. One of our neighboinng towns just jumped to $90 and pretty soon the tax rate will be almost as high as the
36 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
value of the home per thousand and we have to bring more business into Quincy and other cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts. And I understand that 100 million ])eople in the United States live in less than 1 percent of the land. If that is so, there should be plenty of land for what these gentlemen seek for a Boys Town.
Thank jou, Mr. Senator.
Senator Ivefauver. Mr. Mayor, as I understand, it is purely and solely on the basis that you would rather have this site used for indus- trial development in order to give industry employment and increased tax relief and tax revenue that you and the members of the board of commissioners have taken this view.
Mayor Della Chiesa. That is one of the reasons. The other reason is that I understand these children will be delinquent children and the police department is very much opposed to it. The people who live in one of our finest sections in the city of Quincy known as Squantum adjacent to this site are opposed to bringing some four or five thousand boys into this area.
Senator Kefauver. In that connection I have had the privilege of visiting Boys Town in Omaha several times. It is near a very nice residential section. I suppose there is no more orderly or well disci- plined neighborhood in Omaha than Boys Town of which the people there are very justly proud.
It is run on the basis, of course, the boys themselves are the mayor, the city government, I don't think the people around that very fine school have ever had any trouble. So that I imagine these people have in mind the kind of organization, discipline so that people in that neighborhood would not be bothered with rowdy boys on the loose.
Mayor Della Chiesa. We have many fine schools, of course, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to take care of these boys and I Understand that there is some land in the central part of Massa- chusetts that was called to their attention that could be made available to them but they were not too interested in the thing due to the fact that there were no buildings on this land and it would cost them a considerable sum of money to develop. If they happen to take 100 acres of the 650 acres available they will be taking the best part of that area for this school. That includes the buildings and is near the water and I don't think the bidders would be intersted.
Senator Kefauver. I have an areal view of Squantum Base. Where is the residential section with reference to this base ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. They are over in this side here. There is a road running up here. I think Mr. O'Connell has a full plan that he will be able to answer your question better than this little print will.
Senator Kefau^^r. Is this airbase within the city limits of Quincy ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. Yes, it is part of the cily of Quincy. We have gone to the expense of having it rezoned something like that so as to bring in a desirable business and it looks as though with the bid that the Edison plant have submitted that would be a desirable business because the plants that they have in Weymouth and Salem are well kept lawns, and I know the people would not object to that type of a plant.
Senator Kefauver. As I understood it, the Boys Home only wanted a hundred acres of this area. Is that in the 100 acres that the Edison Co. would want?
Mayor Della Chiesa. That is correct.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 37
Senator Kefauver. Would tliey have any use for the residence and the barracks and things like that ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. I understand that they have use of that •whole land. They have other plants. They haven't really come out with the plans that they have in mind. But I understand they have plans to use that whole area of 640 acres.
Senator Kefauver. What kind of a plant would Boston Edison Co. have ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. I believe to generate electricity. I haven't talked to them but it may be even an atomic energy plant. That I am not positive. It will be quite a thing for that area.
Senator Kefauver. Have they given you assurance about how many people they will employ ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. No; we haven't discussed that because we did not know they would be the high bidder.
Senator Kefauver. I notice this is dated July 10. TV^iat is today ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. Eleventh. The bids were opened yesterday and it was too late for the paper to get a story. That is just a bulletin that appeared in the Quincy paper, the Ledger. Here is the copy I clipped out for you. I would like to leave it for you.
Senator Kefauver. We would like to put this clipping in the rec- ord. The second highest bidder is Industrial Properties, Inc., of Massachusetts. Do you know what kind of a plant they were figur- ing on ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. I don't know what they have in mind. They happen to be a large building material supply dealer in the city of Quincy. They are the largest in New England. I imagine they would enlarge their business and perhaps bring other business into that area because it is a very desirable site.
I might say, Mr. Senator, that the United States Navy, through a private contractor, erected 160 units on part of that land and recently completed. Up until now we have not received tax revenue from the 160 units. The Government set aside 11 acres of that land for the school to take care of the children of the Navy personnel.
Senator KErAuM<:R. Where are the apartments on this site ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. The apartments would be over here. I be- lieve Mr, McConnell has a very large plan that he will be able to show to you better than that.
Senator Kefauver. How many members are on the city council ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. There are seven.
Senator Ivefauv^er. Was this a unanimous decision ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. Unanimous. Each member of the congres- sional district from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, from the State of Massachusetts, and the two Senators have received copies.
Senator Kefauver. I have here, also, a newspaper clipping that says — this is back a year ago, 1955, July 12 — that after a 2-hour bom- bardment of questions, the planning board continued the hearings for a rezoning of this area to a later date.
How is the area now being zoned ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. It has been zoned for business.
Senator Kefauver. Is that industry A-1 ; is that it ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. I believe it is A-1. We did not want an oil farm there, to keep oil tanks. Anything that is undesirable. We did pay an expert $1,200 to prei)are the zoning change and under our
38 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
ordinance it must go to the planning board first and they held hearings and they, of course, recommended this particular change, to bring in the desirable business, and then the council concurred with them and we passed it as an ordinance.
Senator Kefauver. Any questions, Mr. Bobo?
Mr. Bobo. Questions, yes, sir, I have a few. These buildings, Mr. Mayor, did you say that the Boston Edison Co. would use these buildings ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. No ; I don't know. I couldn't answer that question.
Mr. Bobo. In all probability they would be torn down for the site for their development.
Mayor Della Chiesa. Perhaps they would be.
Mr. Bobo. Were you familiar with the fact that when the Navy re- leased this land to the General Services Administration, the valuation of the land was placed at approximately $3 million to the Government ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. No; I did not know just what the valuation was.
Mr. Bobo. Are you familiar with the fact that if this is zoned in- dustrially and if an industrial site is placed here that the Federal Government will have to pay to dredge this channel which is now only 13 feet deep or 16 feet depth to a channel of 30 feet deep at a cost of over a million dollars ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. If I am not mistaken I believe that is under way now. That is under way now. The Government has already appropriated money to dredge that channel.
Mr. BoBO. You think that in view of that being 640 acres and an ideal industrial site that the bid of the Boston Edison Co. is as high a bid as could be expected for this particular property ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. I do. As a matter of fact when you have city, State, or Government property you are very fortunate to get a bid of that amount for that area from my experience in government.
Mr. BoBO. Were you familiar with the fact that recently the Navy had purchased an additional 6 acres of land immediately adjoining this for the apartment area near this property ?
Mayor Della Chiesa. No.
Mr. Bobo. Hasn't the Navy recently bought some land at the sura of $2,400 an acre?
Mayor Della Chiesa. They bought it in connection with the school.
Mr. BoBO. No ; in connection with the Navy apartment development.
Mayor Della Chiesa. I thought that was all part of Navy land. I didn't know that the Navy had to purchase.
Mr. BoBO. This was adjacent to the land the Navy already owned.
Mayor Della Chiesa. I didn't know that. I took it, it was all Navy land.
Senator Kefauver. Anything else?
Mr. Bobo. Nothing else.
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much.
Mr. Bobo. Mr. Griffin.
Senator Kefauver. Hello, Mr. Griffin.
Mr. Griffin. Hello, Senator, how are you ?
Senator KEFAim:R. Tell us about yourself.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 39
STATEMENT OF WARREN GRIFFIN, ON BEHALF OF HARBOR DE- VELOPMENT COMMISSION, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, QUINCY, MASS.
Mr, GRirriN, I am Warren M. Griffin, 242 Waban Avenue, in Waban, Mass.
Senator, I appreciate the opportunity to come here to express my views, while here, which will not take very much of your time. I am here representing the South Shore Development Commission of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce.
Senator Kefauver. Are you an attorney, sir?
Mr. Griffin. No, sir ; I am in the oil business and in politics.
Senator Kefauver. Are you an oil jobber?
Mr. Griffin. Yes; an independent jobber, employed by an inde- pendent jobber. And a candidate for the Democratic nomination for county commissioner, while I am resting, in my si^are time.
Senator Kefaits'er. I hope you have good luck.
Mr. Griffin. Thank j^ou very much. I wish you could come up and help me. I tried to copy your technique a little bit which I think is most effective although I don't have quite the energy that you do have I am afraid.
This Shore Development Committee, Senator, is comprised of in- dustrialists operating along the Quincy waterfront. There are many large individual companies. The J. J. Duane Co., which is a large marine salvage, building wrecking, and lumber dealers there. The Socony Mobil Oil Co., with a water terminal and the Quincy Oil Co., with deepwater terminal facilities. Quincy Lumber Co., which in- cludes the Maritime Association of Boston. Representatives of this commission have been to Washington on numerous occasions pleading for aid in dredging and beach erosion for projects in the Quincy area. The Commission is vitally interested in promoting the acquisition of desirable industries in this area. We believe that this property is best suited for industrial purposes. It is located on Neponset River. It is zoned properly now and it is easy to get business in there.
And it includes railroad-siding facilities already there on the property.
Presently there are about 15 miles of waterfront property in the Qiiincy area that is zoned for industry and 12 remaining miles of waterfront property used for recreational and residential properties. Because of the scarcity of this type of properties this is 1 of the only 2 parcels remaining. This is by far the best one. It is the only one with rail facilities. We believe this is a very desirable industrial property particularly for its planned use.
This year, engineers — you brought this point up a little while ago, Mr, Bobo did — engineers are redredging tlie Neponset River which comes in at the point of this property. This Congress has appro- priated half a million dollars for the continuance of the dredging of the Weymouth-Fore River and has appropriated a third of a million dollars for this year which is part of a three-quarters of a million total for the continued dredging of the Town River all for the pur- pose of developing industrial proprety, in this area of which the Squantum Naval Air Station is part. The Commission is thoroughly
40 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
familiar and vitally interested in the development of the Quincy area and we wish to record ourselves as being very much in favor of this property being developed for industrial use.
That concludes what I have to say.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Griffin, who was that you said you repre- sented ?
Mr. GnTrriN. The South Shore Development Commission of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce which includes also the Maritime Association of Boston, many industrialists operating along the Quincy waterfront.
Senator Kefaux'er. Is it your understanding that part of this de- velopment that this Boys Town would want would substantially interfere with the industrial development?
Mr. Griffin. That seems to be the thing to me and that is the un- derstanding generally of the people whom I discussed it with. It would probably make it very undesirable to anyone bidding for this property to have that chunk taken out. You realize the advantage of this property for industrial use. Its size. We are so limited in areas of sufficient size available. There are only two in this general area available and this is by far the best. I would be reluctant to reduce any of the property for any other purpose than industrial use.
Senator Kefattver. You say you have 11 miles of frontage on the river ?
Mr. Griffin". We have a total of 27 miles of waterfront frontage of which 15 miles and including this particular area is zoned for industrial and the remaining 12 miles is zoned for recreational and residential use and is being used for those purposes.
Senator Kefauver. Any questions, Mr. Bobo ?
Mr. BoBo. No questions.
Senator Kefauver. All right, Mr. Bobo, who is our next witness?
Mr. BoBO. Mr. Fred Bergfors.
Senator Kjefauver. Glad to see you.
STATEMENT OF FEED BERGFORS, REPRESENTING CHAMBER OP COMMERCE, aUINCY, MASS.
Mr. Bergfors. I live in North Weymouth, I live on Weymouth Town River, it is 63 Regatta Road in North Weymouth.
Senator, I represent a special committee that was formed some time ago for the expressed purpose of attempting to find a desirable in- dustry for this 640 acres. Mayor Delia Chiesa and Mr. Griffin have touched on the physical aspects of this plant down there. But I merely wanted to say this has historically sjjeaking been in industrial use for a long time. During the first World War Lawley Shipyard was there and there was also an airport there and subsequent to that, just prior to the Second World War the Navy took it over and it became a preflight training school so essentially it has always been industrial property.
It is ideally suited for industry. It has 12-inch water mains already in the ground, 6-inch gas mains. It is handy to transporta- tion, to bus, truck and rail terminals.
It is on the waterfront and any shipments by water readily avail- able to them. There is wharfage there which originally came from the Lawley Shipyard.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 41
Senator KEFAin^ER. How deep is that water in the part where there is wharfage ?
Mr. Bergfors. I don't know. That is in Dorchester Bay and I lived in Squantum for about 30 years but I have moved to Weymouth now. I used to play over there as a kid. I would estimate there is probably 12 to 13 feet there on that particular side but on the north side is tlie Neponset Eiver and that is the one that the United States Government is dredging right now.
Senator Kefauver. Can you show where that is on the map ? If we had a bigger map, it would be helpful.
Mr. Bergfors. I think this area in here. This goes right into the Keponset Kiver on the north side. This is the wharfage.
Senator Kefauver. Let us put this on the blackboard. Go ahead.
Mr. Bergfors. I would like to say that essentially this has been in- dustry or used for industry for some time. The members of this special committee who have been working since 1953 on this is Harry Van Dam, who is president of the chamber of commerce. Mr. John Herbert, who is the editor of the Quincy Patriot Ledger, and has done considerable work. He is a director of the YMCA down there and also the Boy Scouts. Mr. Fred Bergfors, who has been a director of the Boy Scouts of America in Quincy for about 25 years. Mr. Matthew Gushing, who Avorks with the Granite Trust Co., has been a leader in community activities for many years and City Manager William Deegan, Jr.
Senator Kefaua er. I know him. Is he there now ?
Mr. Bergfors. He isn't.
Senator Kefauvt:r. Where is Mr. Deegan now ?
Mr. Bergfors. I believe he is working for a private organization in Boston. But my point was, the committee does do a good deal of other activities over and above these youth activities, but they have an interest in youth and they would like to, I am sure, support youth wherever it happens to come. We have recently built a YMCA down there that cost a million two hundred and fifty thousand and that was all by public support.
So I think the vast majority of the committee is interested in youth but tlijy are firmly convinced that this 640 acres of land in Squantum is or should be reserved for industrial rather than any other use.
Senator Kefauver. As I understand, you would be glad to see a Boys Town in that section if it be of help to the youth, but you think that they ought to find some other place and site which should be for industry ; is that your attitude ?
Mr. Bergfors. Yes, sir.
Senator Kefauver. You have no objection to a Boys Town as such?
Mr. Bergfors. No, sir ; as a matter of fact I am also a director of the YMCA down there and I had the privilege of serving when I was about 17 years at a camp for underprivileged children in Long Island. That was well isolated from any industrial property and I thmk some location that would be physically like the property that I am thinking of would be more in keeping with what 3'ou hope to accomplish.
Senator Kefauver. Do you know of such a location?
Mr. Bfjigfors. I do know that there is not a good deal of land avail- able in Quincy today. It is very limited. But as you get farther out in the suburbs, say Braintree, Weymouth, and the South Shore, there
42 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
is more land available out there than there would be in Quincy. Quincy is about 10 miles out south of Boston.
Senator Ketauver. Any questions, Mr. Bobo?
Mr, BoBO. You are familiar with the buildings on the site here. In your opinion, would you think that some of those buildings could be used in a Boys Town- type project?
Mr. Bergfors. I am not sure that they could. I am, generally speaking, familiar with the property. I have been over there. I knew there were some barracks there.
Whether they could be adopted for a bunkhouse for youth I don't know. But I don't think those are available. I think those have been torn down.
Mr. BoBo. Thank you, that was all I had.
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much, Mr. Bergfors.
Mr. Bergfors. Thank you.
Mr. BoBO. Mr. O'Connell?
Senator Kefauver. Good morning, Mr. O'Connell. How are you ?
Mr. O'Connell. Fine. How are you ?
STATEMENT OF WILLIAM A. O'CONNELL, VICE PRESIDENT, QUINCY CHAMBER OE COMMERCE
Mr. O'Connell. I would like to answer some of your questions, Mr. Bobo.
Senator Kefauver. Go ahead.
Mr. O'Connell. You asked the mayor on that a couple of questions. The present channel is being redredged to 12 feet under a Federal appropriation.
Mr. Chumbris. Would you give your name and address ?
Mr. O'Connell. William A. O'Connell, executive vice president of the Quincy Chamber of Conmierce, Quincy, Mass.
Senator Kefauver. You mean you are the manager of the chamber of commerce ?
Mr. O'Connell. Yes, I am the paid manager of the Quincy Cham- ber of Commerce.
Mr. Chumbris. How many years ?
Mr. O'Connell. Going on 6 years. But I was born and brought up in Quincy.
Senator Kefauver. So they decided to get a local man to run their chamber of commerce?
Mr. O'Connell. Yes, the city of Quincy has many unique features and that was one of them trying to have local men as much as possible in their municipal government. That is true in their city council.
Senator Kefauver. Usually all the local people are so controversial they won't let them be the executive director of a chamber of com- merce.
Mr. O'Connell. Well, that is different in Quincy. I would like to answer your question. One of them was about the channel. This is a Federal bill that has been approved by Congi^ess for a 25-foot channel in the Neponset River section and it is however awaiting appropria- tion and if we had a good desirable industry come in there we figured we could have the Federal Government policy toward beach erosion, channel development has been very enlightening in the last few years. I don't mean by that during the last 4 or 5 years over a period of years
I
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 43
has been toward enlightening and developing the natural resources.
That channel could be deepened to 25 feet and there is a 10-foot tide which would give us 35-feet channel during high tide.
Mr. BoBO. The dredging is quite a distance away from the base.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. Not too far.
Mr. BoBO. About 5 miles.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. You spoke also about the Federal use of it.
Senator Kefatjv'er. Will you leave us a map ?
Mr. O'CoNNELx,. I will be glad to. This is the Squantum site. This is the main Boston Channel coming into Boston. From that point there to Squantum it is a shorter distance from there up to the main Boston Harbor. Here we are with this strategically located land so close to the main Boston Channel. Quincy is this whole area in here. It is bounded on the south by the Weymouth-Fore River, this is the Quincy Bay. This is the Neponset River. There is where we have 27 miles of shoreline. We are almost a peninsula except up in here we have some land. This channel is being redredged under a Federal appropriation to a depth of 12 feet. There is a bill that has been approved to dredge this to 25 feet right down here to the bridge. There is a bridge that goes across the channel right at that point. Here is Logan Airport here. This is the city of Boston which as you know is the largest city in New England. Quincy is just a few miles. This is Boston and this is Quincy. The new Southeast Expressways and main arteries feeding into Boston skirt Quincy, their main inter- change will be at that point there. So you can see the proximity of this land to Logan Airport, to our main ship channel coming into the port of Boston and the highway system.
So it is rather unusual situation to have 600, that is over a million square, over 610 acres and it is only through the grace of God this has happened because the Navy used this since 1927 when the Federal Government, 1917, when the Federal Government took over a privately owned airport.
So it does provide probably one of the finest locations in New Eng- land for industrial development and, of course, with the bid submitted yesterday by the Edison Co., we think that opportunity is presenting itself.
Senator Kefauver. Do you know whether they want to buy the property for investment or some possible future use ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. No ; they have made the statement
Senator Kefauver. Or they have immediate plans.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. They haven't said immediate plans because they have to wait 30 to 60 days before this property will clear through GSA and they have been reluctant to say specifically what they want to do with it up to this point.
But they made a statement to thfe effect that they intend to use it for — here is the statement —
If the Federal Government accepts the Boston Edison Co. bid for the Squan- tum land known as Shea's Field, it will be available as a site for additional company facilities to supply increased demands for electric service. No definite plans have been developed at the present time.
Senaor Kefauver. It sounds like they have in mind a steam- generating plant.
44 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Mr. O'CoNNELL. Some thing of that nature. It may be. The mayor just mentioned that the Edison plant owned in Weymouth is assessed for $4 million. Senator Kefauver. Wliat is that Edison plant in Weymouth ? Mr. O'CoNNELL. That is a generatino- plant. It is right down in that area there. It is right in tliat section there. Tliis proposal — I am quite familiar with the Squantum area. You can see here from the vastness of this area here. This is the section that the Navy de- veloped for the barracks and there is a big hangar here. And they have a special channel that comes into that harbor. It is an 18-foot channel coming into there. This is the heart of the entire industrial area.
Senator Kefauver. And that is the part that they want for a boys^ camp?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. From what I have been able to read and under- stand, that is the part, because there are the so-called barracks that could be used, but actually the property is not in good repair. I am quite familiar with the external apearance of the property.
Senator Kefauver. Aren't there a number of houses and cottages around the area standing ^
Mr. O'CoNNELL. Squantum, the area is located in here. Do you see, down in here there is a residential area.
Senator Kefauver. I meant cottages and houses that used to be part of the naval air station.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. No; there are no cottages and houses that are a part of this G40 acres. The Navy owns property away from it and they are retaining the homes and cottages over there.
Mr. BoBo. They have the barracks buildings and officers' clubs. Mr. O'CoNNELL. For naval personnel. Mr. BoBO. The Navy personnel buildings.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. That's right. We question it whether or not this particular thing is necessary in that area. You mentioned over Tompson's Island in Boston Harbor there is a boys' school that can accommodate some hundred people of which there are only GO at the present time. There are several large islands in Boston Harbor that might be available for something like that. We are not o])posed to a Boys Town as such. It is just this particular area in here that we feel is one of the finest industrial sites in New England anrl is abso- lutely necessary for the economic life of our community to hold it.
We have been working on this since 1953 and we have been in con- stant contact with General Services Administration and we have been down to Health, Education and Welfare, talked with Bradshaw Mint- ener and personnel on the phone. We have been in touch with thf; State department of public welfare and I think we are rather fa- miliar with the community attitude on it and so far we have never been able to find someone in the municipality who is in favor of it.
We have several people outside of the community that are in favor of it.
]Mr. BoBo. "Wlio is the Congressman in this district ^ Mr. O'CoNNELL. Mr. Wigglesworth. ]Mr. BoBO. Has he made any expression about it ? Mr. O'CoNNELL. I am not in a position to answer that. There are- proponents and opponents to this. He knows our position on it pretty- well. He was in here this morning and I didn't ask him.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY '45
Mr. BoBO. Wliere is Mrs. Rogers' district ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. I am not too sure. It is not in our area. I know it is in some other section.
Mr. BoBO. Somewhere in Massachusetts?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. Yes; she has been a great booster of many of our programs in Quincy. She was a great booster of our shipbuilding program. The jNIDC recently completed a survey in which they men- tioned the creation of a marina in the section here. I talked with Com- missioner Greenough, as busy as he is, he did not know of our interest in it. He said that the jMDC program would not interfere with any industrial development of the city of Quincy. The city of Quincy owns a million square feet across the street from this that they would consider giving to MDC. This was marshland at one time.
Mr. BoBO. What is MDC ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. Metropolitan District Commission which is set up by the State for handling the recreational and other facilities in the greater Boston area. Although they appear to be recommending a marina in that section it is only because they did not know of our interest and now I am sure their attitude has changed.
You asked a question, too, about Federal Government having some interest there for housing.
Mr. BoBO. Yes, sir.
Mr. O'CoNNELL. That was true. xV short time ago they were looking for their Nike site but they have dropped that interest.
Mr. BoBO. So they are no longer interested in it ?
Mr. O'Connell, in view of the fact that the valuation of the prop- erty by the GSA do you this this was a fair bid ?
Mr. O'Connell. I can ansAver that two ways. The city has had an appraisal on that for $4 million. It is to the benefit of the city to have a large valuation for their real property because their borrowing ca- pacity is based on the valuation of their_real property, so to put a $4 million valuation on that, they had no way of knowing what the actual valuation is. So j^ou can see that as assessed, sold for over $1,500 an acre, which is nothing but former meadow, marshland filled in.
Senator Kefauver. The city has had an assessment on this 6-1:0 acres of $4 million.
Mr. O'Connell. Not an assessment, an evaluation for the purpose of setting a total valuation for the city. Because on the total valuation the city's borrowing capacity is established. A city can borrow within 21/2 to 5 percent of their total valuation.
Senator Kefauver. But Boston Edison's bid is only $651,000.
Mr. O'Connell. That's right. Which is actually, in our thinking, a very magnanimous figure.
Senator Kefaua-er. You think that is a big bid ?
Mr. O'Connell. That is a substantial bid. We were very fortunate to get such a high bid.
Mr. BoBo. In the Quincy area property is selling at approximately what per acre for industrial use ?
Mr. O'Connell. It can sell for as low as 8 cents a square foot up to $1 a square foot. Quincy being a maritime province has hundreds of acres of meadow or marshland. That was very desirable property 300 years ago because it was used for getting salt marsh haj'. That is one of the reasons Quincy was settled years ago because of these
46 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
great extensive salt marshes. Much of it has been filled in. This is one of the areas that has been filled.
Mr. BoBO. This would be one of the most valuable pieces of property in Quincy ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. In the New England area. That will take a com- pany with a lot of money to go in there and develop it. You need to go to 8 to 15 feet to get a solid bottom.
Mr. BoBO. Was there any possibility considered in the negotiations that the chamber of commerce or the city of subdividing this prop- erty for industrial use ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. That would have to be done when it was sold. The GSA policy was to sell it as one piece. Then the owner, either a single or developer company divide it in any way possible.
Mr. BoBO. Did your group meet with the GSA officials in deciding whether to sell it as one piece ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. No. That was their policy.
Mr. BoBo. You never made a recommendation to them ?
Mr. O'CoNNELL. No ; we worked very closely with GSA. We were impressed with the manner in which they handled the whole trans- action.
Senator Kefauver. Anything else ?
Mr. BoBO. No.
Senator Kefauver. Thank you very much.
Mr. BoBO. Mr. Fred Amershadian?
Senator Kefauver. Come around.
STATEMENT OF FRED P. AMERSHADIAN, FOUNDER AND COORDI- NATOR FOR BOYS TOWN OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC.
Mr. Amershadm-n. My name is Fred Amershadian. I am from Watertown, Mass., and for a period of 12 years I was in social work as a boys work secretary with the Boston YMCA and community pro- grams throughout Greater Boston.
(Biographical sketch is as follows:)
Feed P. Amershadian
Mr. Amershadian, who lives at 28 Coolidge Hill Road in Watertown, Mass., has had much to do with the development of the Boys Town of Massachusetts project. He is married and is the father of two sons. Mr. Amershadian at- tended high school in Dorchester, Mass., and later matriculated at Boston Uni- versity. He received his A. B. degree at Suffolk University. Since that time he has taken extension courses at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology.
Mr. Amershadian has been connected with the YMCA in Boston for 7 years. He has also been active in serving as reception center master, and has been on the youth service board. For 6 years he acted as volunteer coordinator of the Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.
Mr. Amershadian. I think that before I start my presentation, first of all I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity of sub- mitting this data. I have tried to cut it down, but it has been rather impossible because of the facts that we have had to correlate and docu- ment to back up the statements we wish to make.
The other thing is that in some of the testimony that was given here today, I feel as though there should be a further check made with the United States Engineers Office as to where the present dredging is going on in relation to the Squantum area.
JUVENILE DELESTQUENCY 47
And from that I believe one of the points can be clarified here that from the information that I received from the United States Engi- neers' Office, it doesn't seem to coincide with what has been said. I make that recommendation because they are the ones that have issued statements on that and they are the ones that know the entire story for the record of this committee.
Thank you very much.
Yesterday's presentations before this committee by men of ex- perience demonstrated conclusively the need for a Boys Town type of institution in Massachusetts and the forward-looking types of citizenship-training programs which could be put into action without further costly delays only if the requested one-sixth of the former naval air station at Squantum, with the eminently suited buildings thereon, is made available for the purpose.
My presentation, today, will cover the facts concerning efforts of Boys Town of Massachusetts to secure proper consideration for assign- ment of the requested area, as a pilot project in our Commonwealth to prove the worth of a contemplated nationwide program for the resi- dential training and treatment of youth in the prevention of delinquency.
Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., was granted a State charter on September 22, 1950, when 12 young men, veterans of World War II, of various racial extractions and religious creeds, were united in a common purpose to establish a residential program for needy and deserving boys. At that time these young men went on public record in predicting a general increase in the number and seriousness of crimes committed by juveniles for lack of facilities for proper treatment and guidance. Hence, the idea for Boys Town of Massa- chusetts was born.
As was soon found out, in order to initiate a Boys Town project, two major elements are necessary : money and location. Unfortu- nately the Boys Town group had neither funds nor an adequate site. However, it is common knowledge, based on the experience of simi- lar problems in their creative stages, if you secure one required ele- ment, you eventually get the other.
Due to the multiplicity of financial appeals to the public for funds, it has come to be a generaly policy, among the philanthropically minded, to give mainly to those projects which are in actual operation. For that reason, the attempt was first to get an adequate site. Little did we realize that we would come up against a human-nature factor which acts as a constant roadblock. This factor is known, as one editorial writer once put it, as "geographic humanitarianism." In other words, almost everyone agrees that it is a great project — in someone else's backyard.
After 3 years of searching in city, town, and country sites, it was learned that the naval air station at Squantum would be declared sur- plus. It appeared that this was a natural. On investigation and adding up the advantages against the disadvantages, it was evident to us that all of the previous sites put together could not match the total values which the naval air station had to offer.
Over 2 years have elapsed since Boys Town of Massachusetts first made application to the Department of the Navy for one-sixth of the former naval air station, including 100 acres of land and the fa- cilities which are considered exceptionally well adapted to the con-
48 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
templated pro^^am, as shown by pictures taken with the president of the Massachusetts Senate, the Honorable Kichard I. Furbush, and I will present those pictuies very shortly.
Since the initial application by the Boys Town group, a number of inconsistent actions have been taken by the various agencies involved which have prevented activating their program during a critical period of need.
This case is being presented for the purpose of public review of the facts concerning the growing need for the proposed program, how the program will be underwritten, and the unsurpassed suitability of the requested location, which is considered a key factor in getting the program underway.
Upon advice of various Federal officials, who recognized the value of a Boys Town program and, because of the unseltish devotion of those who were determined to see it materialize, not only for the benefit of Massachusetts but for the Nation as a whole, a plea for special consideration was submitted in a letter to the President of the United States on January 8, 1956. I submit a copy of this letter.
Senator Kefau\^r. It will be received and made a part of the record.
(The document referred to was marked "Exhibit No. 2," and is as follows:)
[New England Newsclip Agency, Inc.]
Boys Town
It was gratifying to see a letter in the Forum in support of Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc. However, the actual causes for Boys Town not receiving proper consideration for assignment of a part of Squantum Air Base go much deeper than petty politics and legislative redtape. Powerful influences have intervened, for some time, in behalf of a certain private interest which is placing temporary monetary values over more permanent human values. I have sub- mitted my resignation as volunteer Boys Town coordinator in order that I might speak out as a private citizen in securing proper and legal consideration for the proposed and necessary educational program. Through this letter I vrish to make known that I have selected Wednesday, January 11 as S (Squantum) day, at which time I will start a campaign for moral support of Boys Town.
F. P. Amershadian.
The following is letter to be mailed, on January 8, 1956. to the Presi- dent of the United States. This advance copy is being sent to you in order that you may review the facts and be prepared to support the request that Boys Town of Massachusetts be given fair consideration for a sectional assignment of the former Squantum Air Base now being declared surplus. The Boys Towu group has in its possession a docu- mented case of statewide need, with an approved program and policy, and it could be put into operation within 3 months' time to serve the communities of the Commonwealth.
On the basis of my 5 years of full-time volunteer service to this recog- nized cause, I plead with you to personally support the Boys Tovi'n application for consideration, by either writing direct to the President of the United States or to your Congressman. As a public official you know that there must be abundant evidence of official support, of any request, for it to gain full consideration. In order that the Boys Town group can be informed of your action, please send a duplicate copy of your communication to the Boys Town headquarters, 618 Little Build- ing, Boston, care of Gordon K. Hurd, chairman of the Boys Town advisory committee. Thank you.
JUVEXILE DELINQUENCY 49
Watektown, Mass., January 8, 1956. Hon. DwiGHT D. Eisenhower,
White Hovse, Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. President : As one wJio, for a period of 15 years, has been interested, experienced, and dedicated in helping needy boys, I am submitting this letter as a private citizen's protest regarding, which so far has been, lack of fair considera- tion in the Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., application, requesting assign- ment of a portion of the former naval air station at Squantum, Mass. As the former coordinator for the Boys Town group, I have experienced unwarranted and unconscionable delays during the past 20 months in an official attempt to secure a section (one-sixth) of this adequate site so that the Boys Town school might begin to perform a much-needed service for our Commonwealth and the Nation.
As far back as June 1954, the commandant of the First Naval District volun- tarily wrote two highly favorable recommendations, supporting an official request to the Department of the Navy that section A of the Squantum Air Base was adequate for locating a Boys Town training program. Also, 32 Massachusetts State senators and over 500 civic-minded citizens were on record endorsing the Squantum site as a natural (1) in appealing to the type of boy who needs help and (2) because of its close proximity to Boston, more important advantages existed than in any other possible Boys Town location.
After conferring with different Federal officials who are familiar with the facts in the Boys Town request, it is my understanding that a possible violation of the Federal surplus property laws will be committed unless the application of Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., is given every consideration.
It is also my personal knowledge that an effective freeze was placed on this property, by persons in high places, to reserve the entire Squantum base for the ultimate sale to a certain private interest. (I confirmed the fact of the freeze while in Washington, D. C, this last summer.)
In talking with officials of the Internal Revenue Department, I have learned that the reasoning behind the policy of the Federal holding agency (GSA) in advocating the proposed public sale of the Squantum base, as one unit, could be fallacious. There is a great possibility that the Federal Government is likely to net very little, if anything, from the actual sale price.
I have also been informed that an exception to the proposed policy of disposing of the base as one unit has already been made in another case for educational use. I raise the question why an exception cannot be made in the Boys Town request, especially when there are national implications involved. (The Massa- chusetts Boys Town plan is one of creating 30 new projects throughout the Nation, using former military installations which, I think you will agree, possess priceless psychological and environmental advantages for boys training pro- grams. The plan has been editorially endorsed by leading newspapers in Massa- chusetts. It is a contemplated program designed to provide educational and treatment centers for predelinquent boys, whose problems can best be solved by removing them from their homes, schools, and communities, at least temporarily. This program can serve up to 100,000 boys annually, and it is aimed at the very core of the serious juvenile problem in our Nation today.
Part of the unfair consideration received by the Boys Town organization was because officials involved in interpreting and carrying out the policies of the Federal Government failed to recognize the importance of this program. One of them told me that the need for a Boys Town project was just plain "philos- ophy." In the very city where the Squantum base is located, juveniles, in the recent past, have been responsible for over three-quarters of a million dollars ($750,000) damages, involving arson, vandalism of all sorts, including $25,000 damage to the Squantum base, also car thefts, breaking and entering, etc. This loss represents statistics for a period of 1 year and substantiates the average estimated juvenile vandalism, etc., costs to the communities throughout the Nation, as submitted by J. Edgar Hoover, FBI Chief. It should also be stated that this same city has developed and received national prominence for con- stantly striving to maintain an ideal and effective juvenile crime-preventive program.
Based on the aforementioned facts, I believe that there is every justification for requesting' and strouirly urging that an immediate nonparti-san investigation be made by any of the following authorities :
(1) A Presidential committee investigation, since the legality of an untested administration directive is involved in the new GSA policy.
(2) The Congressional Committee on Government Surplus Property.
(3) The Senate Committee on Juvenile Delinquency.
50 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
(4) The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. (In 1953 the Boys Town organization met the rigid requirements for assignment of Government surplus property. The "fund in escrow" agreed upon was offered by a Boston philanthropist who so notified HEW. However, at the last moment, the property, then under consideration, was assigned to the Department of the Army for a secret project. The Boys Town organization has since been strengthened and has secured further documented evidence that public and private subsidy funds are available for student tuition fees.)
Awaiting your reply, Sincerely,
Fbed p. Ameeshadian.
Mr. AiviERSHADiAN. I feel confident that if this particular letter had reached the President, personally, executive action might have resulted in behalf of Boys Town of Massachusetts which would have made this hearing unnecessary.
As is known. President Eisenhower is the first in his office to recog- nize and make mention of the juvenile-delinquency problem in his state of the Union message. Also, because of his background as a great military leader, I am confident that he would readily recognize the value of utilizing suitable surplus and idle military installations, with their priceless environmental heritage for the active types of boys who would most likely participate in such programs. In these locations, it is anticipated that the emphasis will not be military regimentation, but they will better enable individual treatment in an appealing group-center climate which will afford the opportunity for more effective rehabilitation.
In view of other pressing national and international business and the President's convalescence at the time, the Boys Town gi'oup was not surprised even though repeated followup pleas ware made, that the letter to the President was passed on to the Federal agencies which were concerned in the first place and which were powerless to take the executive action necessary for special consideration.
Ever since the Massachusetts Boys Town project started, the men behind the effort have always maintained an open-door policy toward constructive suggestions and assistance.
I believe this policy will continue to exist. If at any time the President of our United States becomes cognizant of the Boys Town of Massachusetts proposals and wishes to intervene in their behalf, I am sure his executive action will be appreciated.
The ambitious program proposed by Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., for a portion of the surplus naval air station at Squantum presents some startling statistics in these dollar-conscious days con- cerning the increasing cost of crime in our country and what practi- cal and possible methods may be used to combat it.
Within easy access to the getting and giving of human and material services, so essential in the successful operation of such a pilot project which can demonstrate the great value of utilizing similar surplus properties all over the Nation, NAS Squantum is unsurpassed for such a purpose.
With the heritage of having been a naval air training base, it was built to accommodate between 500 to 1,000 men and officers on a resi- dential training basis.
Just picture this place with me.
In a self-contained unit on the portion of the area requested by Boys Town of Massachusetts, under the omniscient eye of the flight-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 51
control tower are dormitories with private rooms and tile baths, pine- panelled social and recreation rooms with fireplaces, staff and equip- ment quarters, all comparable, similar and, in some ways, superior for the purpose, to the wonderfully impressive and efficiently managed new million dollar youth service board reception center and detention home in Roslindale, Mass.
Further, there are superlative shops and schoolrooms for all kinds of class instruction from the upper elementary grades through high schools, as described by Superintendent Starr King yesterday ; a large mess hall, cafeteria style, which has been chosen in similar boys insti- tutions to be the best way of allowing boys to develop their individual tastes; two hangars for recreation use by different age groups, the larger as big as a city block with space for all kinds of sports in all kinds of weather and approximately 40 finished rooms surrounding it, each capable of containing a group of 15 boys for special activity; a fire enginehouse with obtainable equipment; space for chapels of all faiths, an infirmary with rooms for well-equipped medical and psychiatric clinics ; modern central heating, plumbing, and sewerage ; an excellent small boat and swimming basin plus 100 acres of black top and grass-covered ground which allows all kinds of healthy out- door work, play, gardening, landscaping, painting, and maintenance projects, enabling boys to build themselves into the life of the place where they are living.
Picture further the possibilities, I repeat and emphasize, possibili- ties of preventing delinquency by enabling a heretofore unheard of number of needy and deserving boys to participate in the real business of citizenship training in such a place.
Based on sound experience in boys' institutions. Boys Town of Massachusetts would plan to start with a minimum of 24 boys and a comparable staff to develop a strong nucleus about which growth can occur after the customs and standards have become secure with the original group. Gradual increase up to perhaps 300 boys on full-time resident basis, should be possible with the facilities available. This is comparable to the number of students at Lyman School at West- borough, Mass.
Additional phases of the ambitious Boys Town of Massachusetts plan, which the incomparable facilities of the naval air station at Squantum would make possible, can include 10 months (4 weekends in each period), of citizenship-training programs for an additional 200 to 300 boys and 4 two-week summer-vacation-residence programs for a similar number each session. Adding these numbers together a stupendous total of approximately 4,500 boys could benefit by a service which has hitherto, been unavailable to this area.
Mr. BoBo. Would that be 4,500 boys at one time ?
Mr. Amershadiax. No, I will come to that in the next paragraph. It does not exceed 600 boys, 300 would be there permanently, and 300 at the maximum would be there just through Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Included in these weekend or summer programs might be the other neighboring States, especially Rhode Island, which also has no Boys Town type of school and is closer to Squantum than some parts of western Massachusetts, where, subsequent allied groups of boys might be located in rural surroundings. The possibilities are inspiring. Boys Town of Massachusetts would provide a complete program, in-
52 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
eluding diagnostic, therapeutic casework, group activities, and com- munity experiences in which each boy is treated as an individual.
After sufficient progress has been made in solving a boj^'s particular problem, and there is definite evidence that the boy is ready to move into a group activity then, and only then, will he become a part of the self-government program in which the different groups will par- ticipate on a proven community basis.
Please bear in mind, however, that at no time would there be more than 600 boys at the naval air station, Squantum location, and, if this is thought to be an excessive number, remember that there are 1,000 boys continually resident at Boys Town of Nebraska. Most of the 300 resident boys at Squantum could be trained to act as junior aids, under adult supervision, for the weekend and summer periods where the other possible 300 boys, at a time, would participate in citizenship-training programs. Communities can be asked to send leadership with their boys for the weekend summer programs. Young police officers in plain clothes can act as big brothers in a much more constructive way at Squantum than by just waiting for boys to commit crimes in their communities.
Boys Town of Massachusetts has prepared a set of standards which were originally recommended by the Children's Bureau in Washing- ton as the most ideal in the Nation. I would like to submit an ap- proved copy of these 250 standards which spell out the program. These standards have already been reviewed and criticized by capable, private, and public professional workers in Massachusetts, Connecti- cut, New York, and Washington.
As presently planned, boys would be referred by recognized public and private agencies. Parents, churches, schools, and community organizations would be referred to these recognized agencies for processing and recommendations to the admissions committee.
Boys Town of Massachusetts officials expect to be in continuing consultation with many public and private agencies including the Children's Bureau in Washington, D. C, the Child Welfare Tjeague of America in New York City, the Massachusetts Youth Service Board in Boston, and the various councils of social agencies in the Com- monwealth. It will also work in conjunction with church child-plac- ing agencies and the division of child guardianship of the Massachu- setts Department of Public Welfare. The first staff members are anticipated to come from existing Boys Town types of schools in the Nation and local persons will be blended with this nucleus to assume the permanent positions.
Already staff members from other Boys Town types of schools have expressed a desire to help form the nucleus of the Boys Town of Massachusetts staff. The unique pictures of its plan and location apparently offer an intriguing opportunity for trained personnel to put into practice what they sincerely believe should be done in teach- ing young Americans to be better citizens. With these inspired individuals, similarly interested local persons can be blended to keep pace with anticipated growth.
As soon as this pilot project is considered a success, Squantum could serve as a staff training center for other national units. If 30 similar projects can be opened within 5 years' time, they can go a long way toward meeting the national need. Although there could be a slight leveling off of the delinquency rates during the next few
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 53
years, another great wave of delinquency is predicted from 1960 to 1970. There are a hirge number of children coming up in this age group who are now between 6 and 10 years of age.
This time we must be ready for them.
Earlier, I spoke of startling statistics. Listen to these: 30 times 4,500 boys in that 3-point program gives a total of 135,000 boys.
National figures today reveal that 1 million youngsters are recorded as being in the toils of the law annually. Of course, a large percentage of these are known repeaters and are so emotionally disturbed that they Avould not fit into a Boys Town type of program. However, with existing facilities and new programs getting under way, plus the ambitious plans of new Boys Town projects across the Nation, this de- linquency prevention need might possibly be met and there is no doubt in the mind of anyone I have consulted that the need must be met.
Senator Kefauver. One of these gentlemen say there was a school nearby that had facilities for a hundred boys but there were never more than 60 there at the present time.
]\fr. Amershadian. I would like to answer that right now. I have a letter from the headmaster of that school. There was an editorial in. the only Quincy paper, asking whether a Boys Town was necessary, mentioning the fact that there were only 6 boys at this school, the Farm and Trade School on Thompsons Island and the school had accommodations for 150 boys, there was no need for a Boys Town project.
When I read that statement I consulted with social workers through- out the Greater Boston area and they assured me of this very important fact that the type of boy that goes to the farm and trade school is altogether different from the type of boy that would be admitted at the proposed Boys Town project.
In fact the headmaster of the school says, "It appears that there should be no cause for conflict or misunderstanding of the two pro- grams" and their new professional adviser for reorganization of the school under a new name has also assured me that even the reorganiza- tion of the farm and trade school does not alter the fact that a Boys Town of Massachusetts is desperately needed and I quote Mr. Stevens their new professional adviser, so the school in question was definitely not the proper school to compare. It is a very fine school. It has one of the greatest traditions, but the type of boy they accept there is for special schooling.
They are not boys with a problem such as we intend to serve. Their boys are referred altogether differently and our boys would definitely not come in that category at all.
Senator Kefattver. Let's put this letter in the record, that you have received from Mr. Pearl.
(The information referred to was marked "Exhibit No. 3," and is as follows:)
The Farm and Trades School, Thompsons Island, Boston, Mass., March 17, 1956. Mr. Fred P. Amershadian,
Little Building, Boston 16, Mass.
Dear Mr. Amershadian : I think perhaps the best way to answer your letter addressed to me and also the letter addressed to the Quincy Patriot Ledger, would be for you and I to sit down and visit.
There are several things taken out of context in our article, inchiding the un- fortunate use of the undefined word "problem-boy." I think perhaps it would be very wise for us to understand each other and our goals, so I am extending
54 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
to you an invitation to call me at your convenience and we can arrange a date to get together.
I am not too familiar vpith your ambitious program, but on the surface it appears that there should be no cause for conflict or misunderstanding. May I have the pleasure of hearing from you soon. Cordially yours,
Houghton D. Pearl, Headmaster.
Makch 2, 1956. QuiNCY Patriot-Ledger, Quincy, Mass.:
Dear Editor: I would lilje to call your attention to the feature story which appeared in the Boston Sunday Herald on February 19, 1956, concerning the operation of the Farm and Trade School at Squantum.
I feel that this was an excellent exposition of the policy and program offered certain needy boys, who for the most part, are scholastically qualified but eco- nomically unable to attend the many private secondary schools in New England.
Howevei', I believe this newspaper feature story is also a valid basis for requesting a retraction of an editorial which appeared in the Patriot-Ledger on November 20, 1954, entitled "Is a Boys Town Necessary?" The editorial em- phasized that because the enrollment of the Farm and Trade School was less than one-half of the school's full capacity, there was no need for a Boys Town of Massachusetts.
As explained by the school's new headmaster, in the February 19 Sunday Herald, "the intake policy of the Farm and Trade School limits the number of the student body to boys who are of excellent character and can demonstrate a real need for the private school environment. We liave no facilities to handle problem boys (see footnote) and don't accept them, though we do receive plenty of applications in their behalf."
In my opinion, the present day need of helping several thousand Massa- chusetts "boys with a problem" (who are not considered problem boys) is scarcely touched by the opportunity offered by this recognized private institution. Even if the original (1814) Farm and Trade School policy and program ^yas reestablished today to accept "wayward boys where they could learn a trade * * * accept a passable education and become useful citizens," and the school was filled to its capacity, it still would fall short of meeting today's constantly growing need — as documented by public and private child-placing officials in our common- wealth and our Nation. Also, our public State training schools are more over- crowded than ever, with a good number of boys still being sent there because of a great lack of proper private placement facilities. This situation is a tragedy in Massachusetts today of which few persons are aware.
The reason for requesting this retraction, at what may seem to be a late date, is because a detailed letter from the secretary of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, dated January 10, 1956, was officially sent to the entire Massachusetts delegation (Senators and Representatives) claiming that "Editorials had ap- peared in the Quincy Patriot-Ledger opposing the location of the Boys Town project at Squantum." (A copy of the chamber of commerce letter was sent to me by one of the members of the Massachusetts delegation who notified the Quincy Chamber of Commerce that he was personally in favor of the Boys Town petition. This Congressman, along with many others, had done everything possible to help Boys Town for over 2 years, as he was cognizant of the need.)
The other two editorials in reference to Boys Town of Massachusetts were en- titled "How To Use Squantum," and "The Boys Town Project," which I answered point-for-i)oint in a letter to the editor and in the Boys Town broadcasts made over Quincy radio station WJDA — printed copies of which were submitted the same days to the Patriot-Ledger and mailed later to 5.000 citizens throughput the Commonwealth. (The series of radio talks mentioned began on January 23, 1955, and were made on six consecutive Sunday afternoons with no mention of the Boys Town rebuttals being made in the Patriot-Ledger, the only daily news- paper in Quincy. ) Copy attached.
In my opinion, this v^^as not fair newspaper reporting but might have l>een ex- pected in view of the (Patriot Ledger) managing editor's position on the local chamber of commerce four-man conmiittee to attract only industry to the former Squantum base.
In closing, I anticipate that the oflBcial Quincy Chamber of Commerce opposi- tion letter of January 10, 1956, will be answered completely at a Senate com-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 55
mittee hearing to be held soon. At that time we will also submit reasonable assurance that there are sufficient public and private funds available to under- write Boys Town students' tuition costs on a per capita basis. Awaiting a reply, Sincerely,
Fred Amershadian.
Note. — I am sending a copy of this letter to the headmaster of the Farm and Trade School asking him to clarify the meaning of the general term "problem boy" since he has given me the impression that all boys not accepted by the Farm and Trade School are "problem boys." Also, whether or not, the rejected ap- plicants are "court cases" and what opportunities are there available to them for placement upon rejection from admission to the Farm and Trade School?
Mr. Chumbris. Did you make a statement earlier that from 1960 to 1970 there will be a further increase because boys from 6 to 10 will be in that teen-age group ?
Mr, Amershadian. "W^ien you have larger numbers come up and you are working with percentages as to how many will be predelin- quent and delinquent, from the numbers coming up you get your num- bers of predelinquents and delinquents, they are also in proportion to the numbers coming up.
Mr. Chumbris. But you preceded that with a statement that there might be a decline between now and 1960.
Mr. Amershadian. Because prior to World War II there were not too many children. During World War II there was a period — the men were away in the service.
Mr. Chumbris. I did not want a further explanation. I just wanted to make sure I got your statement correctly.
Mr. Amershadian. Yes.
Now, let us include dollars in our statistics. J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI reports that crime costs a staggering sum of $20 billion a year. The State of Massachusetts' share of this total figure would amount to about $600 million a year, based on percentages of crime throughout the Nation.
Very few people realize this fact, especially that if the cost were di- vided equally, it would amount to about $500 a year for each family.
Boys Town of Massachusetts is attempting to acquaint the citizens of the Commonwealth with these facts and to this end, the president of the Massachusetts Senate, Richard I. Furbush, with the assistance of 32 other State senators, has lined up over 150 capable community chairmen, with local committees.
As soon as possible a one-shot campaign will get under way urging each Massachusetts family to invest $1 in addition to what they are giving to present charities.
By so doing they could initiate and underwrite this contemplated statewide and national pilot program.
If the Squantum project produces the anticipated results and en- suing projects succeed on a national scale, it is possible — these are our own figures and we hope to be able to back it up later — that each family would be rewarded with an eventual saving of up to $100 a year on the overall cost of crime.
This may sound fantastic, but if anyone will take the trouble to in- vestigate Federal, State, and private surveys which reveal the causes of crime and its cost, then he or she would understand, as we do, how this saving is possible.
Parents of Boys Town students will be asked to underwrite as much as possible of the involved expense. It has been proven over many
56 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
years of experience, that when a parent or relative makes such payment for services rendered, the boy responds more readily and is more ap- preciative than if it was offered to him for nothing. Undoubtedly, there will be some instances where parents cannot pay, but usually these are welfare cases and the department of public welfare would then be contacted.
Public and private agencies will be expected to supplement the tui- tion fee required for resident boys. Our investigation shows and we have signed statements from child-placing agency directors, that a major part of sufficient funds are existent. In some cases these funds are not being used because of a lack of available placements.
Whatever finances are lacking and needed to help acceptable appli- cants will be sought either through additional legislation (see letter signed by four leading members of the general court of April 16, 1956) on the part of the Commonwealth or from private agencies which raise money in their respective communities.
Senator Kefattver. The letter will be made an exhibit.
(The information was marked "Exhibit No. 4," and is as follows :)
The Commonwealth of MASSAcnxTSETT.s,
Senate Chamber, Boston, April 16, 1956. James H. Bobo, Esq.,
General Counsel, Senate Suicommittee on Juvenile Delinquency, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir : We, the undersigned members of the Massachusetts General Court, wish to express our sincere interest in the project commonly known as Boys Town of Massachusetts and in its efforts to obtain a portion of the former Squantum Naval Air Station for the purpose of realizing its goal, that of assist- ing those deserving boys of our Commonwealth who are regarded as "boys with a problem."
We feel, as do many of the members of the great and general court of this Commonwealth, that there exists a definite need for a facility such as is suggested in the plans of Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.
Should the Federal Government make available this tract of land and buildings thereon, you can be assured that we will do all that we properly can to be of assistance in the growth of this organization and will, from time to time, initiate such legislation as we feel wiU promote these aforementioned efforts.
Will you advise the honorable members of the United States Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency of our interest in this project and urge their favorable consideration?
Yours very truly,
Richard I. Furbush, President. Massachusetts Senate. Michael F. Skerry, Speaker, Massachusetts House of Representatives. John E. Powers, Senate Minoritu Leader. Charles Gibbons, House Minority Leader, Representative.
Mr. Amershadian. The usual per capita cost for Boys Town types of schools, throughout the Nation, is between $2,000 and $2,500, a year for resident boys. This is still less than the present per capita cost of boys in most of our State institutions. It has been surprising to learn that very few persons in Massachusetts know this fact though these costs have existed for years, and they have almost tripled in the past 10 years.
It was pointed out yesterday by Chief Footit that the cost of train- ing schools in Massachusetts was $1 million and presently it is slightly under $3 million.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 57
The Massachusetts Boys Town plan will feature utilization of modern and proven boys' work techniques. The main object will be to get to the individual, the boy with the problem, before he becomes a problem boy and an adjudged delinquent.
The school-guidance personnel throughout Massachusetts, have al- ready gone on record pledging tlieir support in this respect for they are among the first to recognize the danger signals in the many boys with whom they come in contact.
Specialized leaders will be in charge of the very important week- end program which will be available to any boy in the Commonwealth within a few days time after his problem becomes noticeable.
Dr. Hartl pointed this out as quite an invasion when he said it. Speed is one of the essentials in getting at any boy's problem, and this factor only justifies the proposed weekend programs as outlined below :
There will be seven 2-hour periods of citizenship-training activity each weekend during the contemplated monthly courses. The pur- pose of the training program will be to help each boy solve his par- ticular problem and become cognizant of acceptable community be- havior— both religious and civic — thereby furnishing a strong back- ground for good American citizenship. Each student will also be encouraged, whenever possible, to assist other boys with a problem.
SUGGESTED I^ROGRAM FOK WEEKEND CITIZENSHIP TRAINING
Saturday a. in.
9 to 10 : Orienting of boys arriving at base.
10 to 12 : No. 1, physical and mental health periods will include physical checkups, etc. Aptitude tests may be given to determine what a boy is best fitted to do. Free medical treatment will be offered in correcting minor deficiencies.
12 to 1 : 30 : Dinner and rest period.
1 : 30 to 3 : 30 : No. 2, athletic period will be under the supervision of physical instructors (junior aids assisting) who will observe how each boy approaches competitive sport, how he reacts to the demands of team play and cooperation. The leaders will also help the student develop his physique generally.
3 : 30 to 5 : 30: No. 3. work-detail period will also be under the supervision of instructors (junior aids assisting) who will observe the lioy's willingness tO' work, his ability to work with others, and his own special interests.
5 : 30 to 7 : Supper and rest period.
7 to 9 : No. 4, social period — talent night — Community singing, etc. (Boys will be observed at all times.)
Sunday a. m.
9 to 10 : Breakfast.
10 to 12 : No. 5. Religious services and religious instruction period.
1 : 30 to 3 : 30 : No. 6. Lecture period, with invited speakers, followed by work- shop period — in groups of 12 to 1.5 boys — participating in discussions or bull sessions — imder leadership of counselors and experienced guidance directors. Individual reports of Saturday activities may be reviewed.
3:30 to 5:30: No. 7, Craft, woodworking, and gardening period (optional).
Each week end boy will be assigned a different ^'Buddy" who may be a trained junior aid from the annual program.
The cost of the 4-week program is expected to be less than $100, which each parent should be required to pay in advance.
The advantages of the home-school care which we have been dis- cussing are very great. We have enough examples of what is being done in other Boys Towns to know that they can offer unique treat- ment possibilities through the coordination of planned and guided daily living, casework, and group work. They can be living labora- tories for gaining essential knowledge about helping youth at the same
58 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
time that they provide successful care and help for certain boys. The keystones of constructive home-school care are good staff in all depart- ments, the selection of the right students for this kind of care, and sound administrative integration of all parts of the program.
Questions may be raised about the cost of care in schools which de- velop well-rounded programs to meet all the needs of their students. Boys Town of Massachusetts will not be financially extravagant but will not hesitate to request what is required to provide constructive care instead of inadequate service. Parents know that the rearing of children is expensive, and the community can understand that bet- ter quality home-school care is likely to cost more than many home schools are spending at present.
If Boys Town of Massachusetts can convince the people that it pays to provide for youth the care they need, it should not be apolo- getic about obtaining necessary funds. Our citizenry has not been spending enough on youth and we know that the public will pay for what it considers important.
Many child-welfare workers realize the important role for Boys Towns which combine individualized treatment with consciously pur- poseful activities through group situations and relationships. This could be bringing new developments in the coordination of casework with group work.
The contemplated Boys Town project will encourage any existing smaller programs dealing with boys "with a problem" to share the fa- cilities at Squantum on a mutually coordinated basis to eliminate any unnecessary duplication of effort.
This Squantum Base is excellently laid out for effective supervision. The flight-control tower would be a supervisory asset. Boys would be attracted to an environment of a former military heritage, which in many cases can be considered superior to proposed farm or forestry programs. No boy would be allowed off the area without adult super- vision. All decentralized programs would be on a group basis.
Although Boys Town of Massachusetts expects to have its own chapels, it is hoped that the resident boys may be invited to the dif- ferent churches and synagogues of the Commonwealth. Decentral- ized educational, scientific, art, social, and athletic activities can also be utilized.
As soon as Boys Town of Massachusetts gets under way a similar program should be considered for the girls but, as presently recom- mended by workers in the field, not on the same site. Local persons will be asked to join the existent board of trustees and scholarships may be offered to local Quincy boys. In time, as the program proves its worth and spreads, the Boys Town name might be replaced with the name "Youth Centers of America, Inc.," or something similar.
To get back to the suitability of this particular surplus NAS loca- tion, I would like to submit a copy of radio broadcast No. 3, made over Quincy radio station WJDA on February 6, 1955^ which pre- sented the economic, physical, psychological, and recreational advan- tages which Squantum has to offer.
Senator Kefauver. Without objection it will be submitted.
(The document referred to was marked "Exhibit No. 5," and is as follows :)
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 59
Broadcast No. 3
Sunday, February 6, 1955.
Good afternoon. In our first broadcast we stated that, in our opinion, the former naval air station was a natural. This opinion is shared by many persons who have learned of our plans. In fact, of all the places we had under consider- ation, the Squantum site is the one which has received the most favorable reaction.
Over 500 prominent citizens in the Commonwealth have endorsed the proposed Boys Town site at Squantum. Included are a large majority of our 40 State senators, and other Federal and State officials, clergymen, judges, educators, businessmen, law-enforcement officials, newspaper editors, private citizens, parents, civic, veterans, and labor organizations. The former head of two pioneer Boys Town type projects in the Nation made a personal inspection of the entire naval airbase and has gone on record stating that NAS, Squantum, is definitely adaptable for a Boys Town project.
However, let us present the facts by beginning with the economic side : Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., expects to meet the requirements for 100 percent public benefit allowance under the surplus property laws. It is estimated that over $2 million in buildings and equipment is the value of NAS, Squantum, to a Boys Town project. This money saved out of what could be raised will enable the project to be better staffed, aid in future maintenance, and allow the program to advance and meet the recognized need. This area is a readymade community, once used for training purposes, and the buildings are so arranged and adequate that there should be no need of erecting another building for some time.
The physical factors of the area : NAS, Squantum, is large enough to be a self- contained for resident schooling and recreational requirements. Garden and play space consists of approximately 60 acres of grassland, 20 acres of black top, 15 acres of building space, and 6 acres of concrete. Black top, which was used as runways for the planes, is common to city boys for play areas. Buildings are reasonably sound, structurally, with ample accommodations for boys, staff, academic and shop training, out-of-door and in-door recreational activities, and rooms for students doing field work. The modern central heating plant is in relatively good condition and the plumbing is up-to-date (a great advantage over Peddock's Island and Camp Edwards). Buildings are in need of paint which is an asset to us because gifts of paint have been promised. Veterans organizations have offered to send work crews to help show the boys how to do the job themselves. Many maintenance jobs can be worked out along similar lines, enabling the boys to "build themselves" in the place and take proprietary pride in it.
Psychological factor : This type of former military environment is highly appealing to the type of boy who will be served. While there will be no attempt to make this into a military school, our educational and training program will be influenced somewhat by the previous use of the base. The value of this point has been emphasized by a youth service board official.
Location : Proximity to Boston (less than a mile from the Boston line). This is a very important value. NAS, Squantum, is accessible for staff workers from Greater Boston area. It is also accessible for guidance counselors and graduate students of nearby colleges and universities. It is convenient to dencentralized activity programs such as Fenway Park, Boston Gardens, boys clubs, theaters, museums, etc. It is less traveling distance for the caseworkers of many referring agencies. It is less traveling distance for many relatives of the boys.
Future developments: Landscaping — we have acquired the interest and co- operation of one of the largest landscape concerns in this area. They have offered to draw up all the necessary plans and will supply the supervision, at a minimum cost, for the boys and work crews from the different veterans and civic organizations to make the former naval station one of the most attractive and suitable schools of its kind.
Also, a recreational survey is being submitted by a metropolitan group of recognized health and recreation officials.
In answer to a natural question as to the maintenance of good community relations our survey of seven different Boys Town types of home-schools in California, Nebraska, Missouri, New York, Texas, New Hampshire and Con- necticut show that the nearby communities have benefited from the locations of the schools within their borders.
60 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
For example, the Connecticut Junior Republic in Litchfield has been in existence for 50 years. It has been recognized that Father Flanagan received his inspiration for his Boys Town, when he visited the Junior Republic before Boys Town of Nebraska was established.
One of Litchfield's present selectmen was a former graduate of the school.
Each year, the nearby residents of Litcl field have an annual "open house" for the school. Nine of the wealthy residents who have large estates allow approxi- mately 1,500 visitors to inspect their homes at $2 per person. All proceeds, averaging $3,000 is turned over to the Junior Republic.
Seventy-five of the town's civic-minded ladies are known as the Ladies' Society. They sew for and beautify the homes where the boys reside by taking care of the drapes, bedspreads, etc.
By the way, the living quarters of the boys at the Connecticut Junior Republic are similar-type buildings to those at Squantum.
Litchfield and State police records show the Republic boys are considered as well or better behaved than average local youngsters. The relationship between the community and the school is almost perfect. Boys are allowed to visit the town every Friday and Saturday night.
Incidently, Greater Boston boys constitute 5 percent of the boys in attendance for whom tuition rates are being paid by Greater Boston Red Feather agencies. The school is about l-IO miles from Boston.
Real estate men in Litchfield claim that there has been in the past and is now no devaluation in propert.v values because of the location of the home school.
From a study of the other Boys Town type of projects, we have learned that it took at least 3 to 5 years from their conception to actual operation. As, is known, our effort began in 1950 and without any endowment.
Although we have faced many setbacks, we have, in the meantime, gained what we consider to be a priceless heritage. We have demonstrated, through great personal sacrifice, that we can perserve in spite of the many handicaps and obstacles. Our experience can prove very meaningful to the boys whom we hope to serve by encouraging tliem to overcome their handicaps.
If and when we are assigned to the naval air station, we will therefore be ahead of schedule. We have accomplished a great deal of important ground- work which should pay future dividends. Many potential financial resources have been kept informed of our Boys Town movement. From them, we have reason to believe that their support is forthcoming, contingent upon locating the project adequately, especially if the site is NAS, Squantum * * *. Thank you again.
Mr. Amershadian. In trying to paint this picture of what might be one of the largest single programs in the Nation, there is no doubt that some persons will question the magnitude of such a plan and this is where the term ambitious might first have been applied.
Before this Massachusetts Boys' Town plan came about I was ap- proached in 1950 by the then head of the Massachusetts Youth Service Board. He suggested that I could contribute a great deal to tlie fight against delinquency if I would start a preventive program on a small scale with eight boys. (This would be similar to a large foster home placement but could be considered a small institution in itself.)
At first I thought it was an excellent idea but upon checking into the details I soon learned that it was entirely impractical.
First it would b9 necessary to find a single family house in an acceptable community to accommodate the 8 boys and my family, con- sisting of my wife and 2 sons. Our six-room apartment was, natural- ly, inadequate. This type of house, in an understanding neighbor- hood, would be difficult to find, as our later experience proved. Then again the house would have to be purchased outright to assure the ]:)rogram of permanency. Such houses cost anywhere between ten to twenty-five thousand dollars, which like the average social worker, I certainly could not afford.
Second, the State of Massachusetts, at that time, was paying ap- proximately $13 a week for foster home care for boys. Simple arith-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY $|
metic reveals that 8 times $13 amounted to $104 per week for 12 people. Since this would be my only income, it would not be enou<2:h to main- tain a home, feed, clothe, and program ei<>ht growing boys ade(iuately, plus my own family necessary expense.
Third, while working for an Army and Xavy YJVICA as a boys work secretary for a period of 7 years I was injured in an automobile acci- dent which i)laced me in the hospital for a 3-week period.
Tliis liappened in my fifth year of service in this connnunity. For- tunately, I had built up a staff of over 35 leaders who each took on an added responsibility and consequently I was hardly missed. What would happen in the proposed foster home if either my wife or I took sick and were unable to work for any pei'iod of time, whethei- it be a day, a week, or a month ?
Would the boys get the proper 24-hour-a-day supervision required? I am sure that you will agree with me that this small type of institu- tional program, although still considered by some workers as being ideal, was imju'acticable and you can see how this theory provided the basis for creating a realistic Boys' Town movement in Massachusetts.
Furthermore, M'hile discussing the present-day situation concerning child placements, just recently, I was with a man who has been a place- ment worker for the past 24 years, in one of Boston's leading private agencies, he stated that—
the type of foster home I was requested to start in 195U is now practit-aliy non- existent and that a majority of today's boys would not be suited to such situ- ations anyway, for the crying need is for Boys Town types of placements.
Two years ago we tried an interesting experiment with a group of boys, between the ages of 13 and 16. We visited a number of urban and rural locations from Baldwinsville to Cape Cod in search of a boys town site. These bo^^s were available to us on a volunteer basis and were familiar with several of the other sites under consideration, including Peddock Island.
Later in the afternoon we arrived at the Squantum base for an inspection and after an hour of looking over the different buildings, 1 asked the boys in the group, "Well, fellows, what do you thing about: the base, in comparison to the other places?" The response was unanimous — in favor of Squantum.
The reason why I mention this is that too many times, locations are secured for boys' work projects Avhich sometimes do not have a natural appeal. Some boys are placed in situations so far removed from society that there is a primary reluctance on their part to par- ticipate and cooperate.
Boys can sense when they are being placed in institutions which are the "out of sight" and "out of mind" type.
As boys workers, there is no question in our minds that the natural appeal factor of the Squantum Naval Air Station will be a great influence in gaining the immediate confidence of the boys whom we want to serve.
In turn, it should make it much easier and more effective for us to help the boys "with their problems." Also when there is harmony between staff and students.
Senator Kefauver. Generally, sir, there isn't any question but the boys town type of school is a wonderful thing. I visited several of them. I know one in New England of this type would be of tre-
80694—56 5
62 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
mendous benefit. So that you don't have to persuade this committee of tlie vahie of this kind of schooL There is one serious question brouglit up by this gentleman as to the use of this particular location.
Mr. Amershadiax. Businessmen today find that it takes just as much time and effort on the part of any individual to run a small business with all its basic responsibilities, as it does to maintain a chain of operations with many persons specializing in various respon- sibilities but working as a team. In the larger operation, more people are served, more efficient services ai'e also offered and more financial support is usually available to sustain the business and make future expansion possible.
Social work, although classified in the nonprofit category, should adopt some sound business principles. In fact, social-work agencies need to be even more efficient to guarantee against any serious finan- cial loss even for a single year. Some businesses can afford to lose 1, 2, or even 3 years and recuperate enough to make up for their losses. But a good social-work program has got to be on a solid ground if it expects to produce at all and be free from adverse criticism.
The Massachusetts Boys Town plan has a potential which my words cannot justifiably describe. To completely spell out the plan in spe- cific figures and facts is almost impossible at this time, since the de- tails are necessarily flexible, to allow for acceptance of the changing social-work methods which are constantly coming about. The best techniques in rehabilitation would be available and at all times.
I would like to personally to go one step further than the word "ambitious" program.
Recently a term has been used more and more in business and related fields which describes anything of a gigantic nature. The word is "fabulous". The Massachusetts Boys' Town plan is a fabulous one and it is geared to meet a fabulous need. It will naturally cost a fabulous amount of money to operate but, eventually, it could save the citizens of our Nation an even more fabulous amount of money, which is unnecessarily being wasted annually. There could never be any estimate of the fabulous amount of human suffering which could be avoided since the two, the prevention of crime and the alleviation of human suffering, go hand in hand.
If it were within my ability to make the most reverent of prayers for the realization of this proposed national program, I would take this occasion to offer such a prayer at this time.
This Massachusetts Boys Town plan has been based on faith, ever since its inception.
We pray that God will guide us in our efforts to share our faith with the next generation of American youth.
The inspiration of faith and prayer has kept the Boys Town of Massachusetts alive in the face of unforeseen obstacles which I believe should now become a matter of public knowledge. In order that fair consideration may be given Massachusetts Boys Town in its effort to secure a portion of the former Squantum Naval Air Station under the Surplus Property Act of 1949.
In reply to a letter to the President of the United States (January 8, 1956) the Director of the Real Estate Disposal Division of GSA notified the Boys Town organization, on January 16, 1956, that since — -
We have been informed by the Surplus Property Utilization Division of DHEW that they have had several requests for surplus real property in the past and that
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 63
since in no instance have they been able to approve the request and for that reason DHEW has never submitted such a request to GSA.
(The complete letter reads as follows :)
Gener^vl Services Administration,
Public Buildings Service, Washington, D. C, January 16, 1956. Re N-Mass-462, Squantum, Mass. Mr. Fred P. Amershadian,
Watcrtoicn, Muss. Dear Mr. Amershadian : Your letter of the 9th to the President of the United States has been referred to this office for attention and acknowledgement. You urge that special consideration be given to effecting an assignment of a portion of the former naval air station at Squantum, Mass., to the Boys' Town of Massa- chusetts, Inc.
General Services Administration only has authority under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act, as amended, to make assignments of surplus property directly to Federal agencies. Requests for surplus property for educa- tional purposes must be submitted to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which Department may apply to our appropriate regional office for assignment of the property for the requested purpose if it meets with approval. However, the assignment by GSA to DHEW for transfer for educational purposes is discretionary.
We have been informed by the Surplus Property Utilization Division of DHEW that they have had several requests for surplus real property in the past from Boys' Town of Massachusetts through you. We were told that in no instance have they been able to approve the request, and for that reason DHEW has never submitted such a request to GSA.
Our regional office at Boston is completing arrangements for assignment of 11 acres of the Squantum Naval Air Station to DHEW for transfer to the city of Quincy for public school purposes. The balance of the property has been classi- fied as industrial, as its highest and best use, and will be offered at public sale to the highest bidder by the regional office. Sincerely yours,
Thomas L. Peyton, Director, Real Property Disposal Division.
Mr. A^EERSHADiAN. Upoii receipt of tliis letter I immediately came to Washington and checked with HEW. I submit a report of the visit which was related to a Congressman and to a member of the White House staff.
Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., questions this ruling because of the following facts:
1. The Boys Town organization had made only one official request to DHEW on March 18, 1953, for assignment of surplus Government property and that was in the case of Peddock's Island.
2. On July 9, 1953, after negotiating with DHEW for several montlis, a letter was received by Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., from Lawrence J. Bresnahan, regional director of DHEW, stating that—
There is no question about your eligibility for basic public benefit allowance under requirements for (a) proof of need, suitability of facilities, and permanent utilization. Without a specific facility to initiate your program, you have had difficulty in meeting requirement (6) the ability to finance, operate, and maintain.
The i)epartmeut of Health, Education, and Welfare is willing: to incur a normal risk of failure * * * in venturing the establishment of new educational programs * * *. From our review of your plans so far, it appears reasonable to expect that you can obtain public support and establish at Peddock's Island an institution in which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may l)e proud.
It makes for a better program. It was my privilege to have this happen when I was housemaster at the Lyman School Reception Center in Westboro, Mass.
04 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Senator Kefauver. Where is tliis Peddock's Island ?
]Mr. Amershadian. About 18 miles aAA'ay by land from Squantum base but a few miles away by waterway.
Mr. RoBo. It is shown on this map ?
Mr. O'Connell. Peddock's Island is right here. It is nn enormous island in Boston Harbor.
Senator Kefauver. "What is on that island ?
Mr. O'CoNXELL. One section is an abandoned fort. Another sec- tion there is a sunnner colony but the largest section of that is unused development. It is a tremendous large island with an elevation prob- ably of 60 feet. During the -early part of Massachusetts Bay history, it was occupied and land was farmed on there.
Senator Kefauver. It is owned by the Government ?
Mr. Amersiiadian. It was owned by the Government and the Army claimed they needed it as a guided-missile plant and they disrupted our plans.
In other words we had received the terms and negotiations by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in the single request for Peddock's Island. We agreed to put up the $5,000 requested by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for transfer of Peddock's Island upon requested assignment of GSA.
First, the application has to be approved by DHEW and then an assignment request is made through GSA and that is when the organization applying for a Federal property receives use of that property with a lease, I believe good for, it is a 99-year lease under the Surplus Property Act of 1949.
After we had been given these terms b}' DHEW and ]Mr. Ralph Bradley, a philanthropist had olfered to put up the $5,000 fund in escrow and after we had notified DHEW that we accepted their terms and we had been in touch with GSA officials in Boston that there was no other interest on this island, suddenly the Army moved in and 2 days before the requested assignment was going to be made to GSA and notified all concerned that they were going to put in a guided- missile project base there.
Senator Kefau^^er. They have abandoned that idea now ?
Mr. Amersiiadian. They have abandoned it recently.
Senator Kefauver, Which place would you rather have this island ?
Mr. A^iERSHADiAN. I have a comparison chart here, sir, that I think answers that very well,
(The chart referred to is as follows :)
The following chart is submitted for comparison purposes between Fort Andrews, Peddock's Island, Hull, Mass., requested by Boys Town of Massachu- setts, Inc., in 19.53 from DHEW and the former naval air station at Squantum requested since 1954.
JUVENILE DELESTQUENCY Exhibit No. 7
'65
Peddooks Island
Squantum Air Base
Facilities for elementary and high school academic
programs. Facilities for elementary and high school vocational
programs.
Number of acres requested
Number of permanent buildings
Number of temporary buildings.-
"Valuation of properties under consideration
Fair... do.
Very good. Excellent. 100.
Condition of buildings requested ..,
Condition of plumbing, heating, and sewerage
Estimated cost of alterations .
Pro.ximity to Boston city line
Boat transportation necessary .
Cost of plant maintenance
Public agency ability to subsidize resident service for
Massachusetts boys.
Prospects of endowments from foundations
Qualified staff prospects
Psychological reaction to location by boys (based on
preliminary test visits).
Proximity to churches of all faiths. __
Proximity to decentralized cultural and recreational areas.
Proximity to universities (graduate fieldwork)__
Proximity to resident neighbors
21
5
$200,000 (GSA praisal) .
Fair
Poor to fair .
$1,500,000
18 miles...
Yes
Very expensive.. Fair
do
do
Good, except that some boys not anx- ious to be placed on island.
Fair
do
Transportation facilities for referring agency workers
Transportation facilities for visiting relatives and friends.
Boys Town cash and pledges (on hand)
Boys Town campaign contributions expected — con- tingent upon acquiring Government property.
do
Self-contained, but shared with summer residents on island.
Poor^_ .
do
$6,300
$250,000
$175,060 (ii of tOta
reported estimate). Good.
Fair to good, $750,000. 1 mile. No.
Less expensive. Good.
Do.
Do.
Excellent.
Very good. Do.
Good.
Self-contained and comparatively iso- lated.
Good. Do.
$27,800.
$1 million.
Although the Boys Town of Massachusetts campaign had been scheduled to get under way on Sunday, June 10, 1956, the date was postponed to July 17, 1956. One hundred and fifty chairmen and committees throughout the Commonwealth have stated their interest in raising funds in their communities on the basis of $1 per family. It is estimated that over $1 million can be raised statewide by the -end of the year 1956.
Senator KErAU^T:R. Just tell us about it.
Mr. Amershadlvn. There is a tremendous difference in the two sites. Wliereas the one site has these buildings that are completely run down, Peddock's Island and so on, an island where you need boat service. The estimate of rej^airs on the island alone were estimated at $1,500,000. It is 18 miles away from the city, and at that time whereas he had not been able to get any so-called civilian land, that was our only hope at (he time. Then the Army have held possession of it for some time. That is only recently released again. But we put all this time and ■effort into Squantum because it is far superior to Peddock's Island mainly because of the buildings, the proximity to Boston and on top of it this boat service which is quite an important thing because down there there is a gut, they call it a gut, a sort of an area between the mainland and the island w^hich is about 300 yards and between the area there there is a strong current that is considered a danger point, especially when you are dealing with youngsters bringing them back and forth from the island to the mainland.
When the Army intervened, we received a very nice letter from Sec- retary of the Army at the time and he was very apologetic not know- ing we had spent 8 months' time in trying to get consideration on Peddock's so that he offered to help us in any way that he could sug- gest, so we asked for a portion of Camp Edwards down in the Cape
80694—56 6
66 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Cod, that is down in Falmouth. We spent 3 more months in going through the procedures and we were finally approved in the Pentagon Building here in Washington, D. C, after the first Army Lieutenant General Burress had made the recommendations. The United States Corps of Engineers started to draw up the lease and everything was all set to be signed but then tlie Adjutant General's office in Massa- chusetts called attention to the fact that although this was a Federal Army base it was on Sate-owned land and under the constitution of Massachusetts, State constitution you needed a bill to be passed, special legislation before you could get use of it.
Senator Kefauver. By the General Assembly of Massachusetts?
Mr. Amershadian. We had a bill presented and it was referred to the next session. In the meantime Squantum came into the picture and that was much better than Peddocks Island and Camp Edwards put together.
Senator Kefauver. How about Camp Edwards, are there housing facilities down there?
Mr. Amershadian. Yes. But they are straight barracks. There are no school facilities. There are no recreational facilities such as they do have, not available. They had them on the base but they were not available.
All they offered us was a block of wooden barracks buildings but no other accommodations that can compare anywhere with the accom- modations at the Squantum Airbase.
Then when we learned — and this was back in 1954 the first part of 1954 which is about 2i/2 years ago we learned of Squantum Air- base to be made available as surplus property. We came here to Washington and visited with the Public Works Department of the Department of Navy and told them of our difficulties in trying to get a location at the time and we asked them if we could rent on a lease basis a portion of the Squantum Naval Airbase known as section A which was used for residential training purposes and we were going to use for essentially the same reason.
They were very courteous and gave us permission to submit an application. We submitted it on April 29, 1954. The Commandant of the First Naval District without knowledge to us submitted a volun- tary recommendation strongly favoring the use of the section A of the Squantum Naval Air Station for a Boys Town project. This was followed with three additional endorsements, voluntary endorsements from the Navy bureaus. I think one was the Bureau of Yards and Docks. There are two other bureaus I am not quite familiar with the names, submitted voluntary recommendations that this was a place that could be used for a Boys Town program.
Senator Kefaus'er. Can you mark out section A on that little map that you have in front of you ?
Mr. Amershadian. Section A involves the buildings and approxi- mately about a hundred acres surrounding the area itself. There are 640 acres on the base. This area where the buildings are plus some surrounding areas would be known as section A that the Commandant of the First Naval District recommended for use as a Boys Town program.
Senator Kefauver. Was that a temporary lease basis ?
Mr. Amershadian. It would have been a lease of possibly 20 years time. This is what the objective was, a 20-year lease.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 67
Senator Kefauver. Will you file such correspondence as they have written you.
Mr. Amershadian. We have all that. The application and the recommendations. We can get the recommendations from the First Naval District in Fargo Building, Boston. They are all available. This committee can recommend it and they will send it to them. I have read the recommendations, but they will give them to a Govern- ment agency, but they cannot give them to a private person. Those recommendations are available.
Senator Kefauver. Is this a part that they recommended and the part you want, is that the same part that these gentlemen are talking about that the city of Quincy needs for an industrial site?
Mr. Amershadiax. Yes ; it is essentially the same area, with an acre or 2 one way or the other. This is the area we want.
Senator Kefauver. You're pointing around the marked section.
Mr. Amershadiax. Inside the semicircle is considered section A. Outside is the area that we also feel is good for industrial use. It would not conflict with our program whatsoever.
Senator Kefau\t:r. Section A where you have marked there is where the deep harbor is, or the wharfage, is that right ?
Mr. Amershadian. The information I received from the United States Engineers Office is simply this. Down here on the left, they are dredging an area from 8 feet up to 15 feet for contracting purposes. There is no dredging being done in the area in front of Squantum Air- base. The closest dredging that is being done 5 miles away in what they call the Broad Meadow section of Quincy. That is the informa- tion which I received orally and in order to make it official I think that it would be well if the United States engineers would either con- firm that or deny that. But tliat is the information which I received.
Senator Kefauver. How much would it cost you to rehabilitate this base?
Mr. Amershadian. To rehabilitate it?
Senator IvEFAu^^ER. So that you could use it as a Boys Town.
Mr. Amershadian. That was in this chart that it would cost be- tween $500,000 to three-quarters of a million dollars but it would be done over a period of 3 years' time, that the immediate start would require very little if anything because of the fact that the two main buildings, the bachelors' officer quarters which are ideally suited for residential purposes because that has these individual rooms with tile baths and tile floors is in very good condition to get started with, plus the fact that the main hangar where the recreation would be used, there would be absolutely no expense needed on that phase of it.
Senator Kefaumsr. Mr. Amershadian, I like your enthusiasm and your desire to help young people and give them a chance of getting back on their feet and knowing that nothing is more appealing than a Boys Town type of school. Who is associated with you in this? How do you expect to get the money? How are you going to finance it?
Mr. Amershadian. First of all it is an organization that is char- tered. It is a board of directors.
Senator Kefau\'er. Do you have a copy of your directors on the board ?
Mr. Amershadian. I have submitted quite a number of letters to the Department. I don't know if I have any right here. I should have a local list of them.
6B JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Senator KEFAimcR. We have a copy here. (The document referred to is as follows :)
Exhibit No. 8
Honorary members :
Hou. Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
Hon. Estes C. Kefauver
Hon. Jacob K. Javits Chairman, advisory committee :
Gordon K. Hurd County trustees:
Barnstable. — Manuel J. Packett, Brewster
Berkshire. — William F. Feeney, Dalton
Bristol. — Ernest A. Wheeler, Swansea
Dukes. — Nelson S. Bryant, West Tisbury
Essex. — xVrthur Crandall, Beverly
Franklin. — Wm. J. Footit, Jr., Shutesbury
Hampden. — Attorney Wm. H. Browne, Westfield
Haynpshire. — Ralph C. McLeod, Ware
Middlesex. — Franklin W. Hurd, Arlington; William H. Burke, Lowell
Norfolk. — John F. Morgan, Canton ; Arthur Ferello, Quincy
Plymouth. — Fred Chase, Halifax; Hubert K. Shaw, Plymouth
Suffolk. — Dr. William Hartigan, Revere ; Patrick T. Lawton, Winthrop
Worcester. — Raymond A. DiiMuzio, Berlin ; George C. Corey, Gardner Agent-treasurer :
A. H. Parker, Jr.
President, Old Colony Trust Co.
Senator Kefaua-er. Are any of these people, people of money? Have you got to get started ?
j\Ir. Amershadian. Yes; we have approximately $27,000 in cash and pledges on getting started at Squantum Air Base.
Mr. BoBo. Have you received any substantial promises of assist- ance?
Mr. Amershadian. Yes ; we have a number of foundations and top givers that have assured us they are interested in the project and once Squantum is decided upon they will take an interest in the program.
Mr. BoBO. Who are those people?
Mr. Amershadian. The foundations that we have visited with have not made any special commitments but we are in constant contact with the Ford Foundation, the Hayden Foundation, and recently we have had the Kennedy Foundation interested enough to want to look at the Squantum base.
Mr. BoBo. Suppose you got this tomorrow, what would you do with it?
Mr. Amershadian. We have enough people involved that would get the program going on a staff basis and then our committees, we have 150 connnittee chairmen throughout the Commonwealth who have accepted chairmanships to raise funds in their local communities to support it. And at the same time the agencies referring the boys would have to subsidize their own boys. We would start with any- where from 25 people up to 50 boys. That would mean that you would need about a hundred thousand dollars, most of which would come from the agencies themselves. So that actually the $27,000 that we can state at the moment is sufficient to get the program underway without even the fact of the campaign being a part of the picture. In other words, we could get started right away on this thing here if we were ffiven consideration on it.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 69
Mr. BoBO. Well, how about the State, is the State willing to help you or would it be subsidized?
Mr. Ameksiiadian. Under the laws they can only buy services. They cannot make a direct contribution. But each boy that would come from a State agency would be subsidized by the agency in pur- chasing services. In other words, they would purchase placement services for their boys, and there are hundreds of those boys that are availuble from the State.
Mr. BoBO. Has there been any activity in the Legislature of Massa- chusetts or have you received any promises of assistance there that cer- tain amounts of State money would be made available for this Boys Town project?
Mr. Amershadian. We have a statement from the four leading legislators. Senator Richard I. Furlmsh, Senator John E. Powers, and the two mentioned b}^ the mayor, House Speaker Michael Skerry and Mr. Gibbons, house minority leader.
The two that he mentioned that withdrew their support, withdrew their support so far as Squantum was concerned. The other 2, the 2 who know more about the project and were really the leaders on that statement. Senators Furbush and Powers, have not withdrawn their endorsement, so far as I know, and there has been no record of anything whatsoever. They have maintained it. These four men were under terrific pressure brought to bear by certain people, and the facts of that I would rather have them explain rather than myself.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Amershadian, will you give us a little bit more about your background? You have been working very hard on this, I know.
I am listed as honorary member, to try to give you encouragement. I have had confidence in w^hat you have been trying to do. I am not expressing myself one way or the other about this particular Squantum base. You were a social worker. Tell us about your background.
Mr, Amershadl^n, First I graduated from Dorchester High School and then I was in the service for a period of time. Prior to going into the service I was doing community social work, also starting at the age of 18 up to 21 years of age in the community of* Dorchester known as the Community House, the Greenwood Community House on Washington Street in Dorchester. At that time we had young people's programs, dances, basketball games, club activities, and things of that nature, community w^ork. When I returned home from the service in 1943, I worked a few months at the Quincy Fall River Shipyards and then at the suggestion of a YINICA man by the name of Normal Ludlow, in Dorchester, he asked me if I woulcl come into the YMCA work and help out. They were sorely in need of help with boys.
I started with the Army and Navy YMCA with about 1,500 boys membership, of which we sent a good number of those boys to summer camp. Then I was transferred to the Hyde Park YMCA, worked for a year there. The youth service board came into existence at that time. Mr. William McCormick, the chairman of the youth service board, whom I had worked under at that YIVICA, asked me if I would come out to the reception center on the Lyman School grounds in Westboro to work as a cottage master.
70 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
I worked there for about 5 months. Then realizing the situation that was there, that a number of boys were being placed there that did not belong there, that that idea of Boj^s Town came into exist- ence. I have given 6 years of voluntary time and service to the crea- tion of this Boj^s Town effort with the hope of serving the boys that should be served in our Commonwealth.
Mr. BoBo. Mr. Amershadian, you have mentioned some of the people on your advisory council. Have you recently initiated a new type of program pulling in the various cities and city councils in the State of Massachusetts ?
Mr. Amershadian. Yes; we have appealed to, rather Senator Richard Furbish appealed, to all the mayors and the selectmen, chair- man of the board of selectmen, to appoint a local chairman to head up the Boys Town effort in their community on 2 things, 1 to raise funds to support the project once a site is acquired, and, secondly, to pub- licize the effort and keep the people in their community well informed of the progress of the organization and what the organization stands for and what it can do and how it can serve their community.
The response of that letter that went out to 351 cities and towns brought back a response of 150 chairman, local chairmen, represent- ing about 80 percent of the population. Some of the smaller com- munities were onlj^ a few hundred people, came in under the larger towns and cities, and those 150 chairmen represent about 80 percent of the population.
Mr. BoBO. Have you received any encouragement of financial sup- port from any of these 150 county or area chairmen?
Mr. Amershadian. They are waiting until we can get clearance as to a location for starting the project.
Mr. BoBO. You suggested that the Boys Town of Massachusetts was ready to bid on this property in the amount of one hundred to one hvmdred and fifty thousand dollars ; where would this sum have been secured from?
Mr. Amershadian. We had $7,500 ready as a check to be made out, because 5 percent of the bid is required at the time that you make the bid. I have a person by the name of Leon Garbedian, head of the Mansfield Beauty Academy in Boston, who offered to back me on the basis of $50,000 to help out the organization and that would have been substantial, ]:>lus the other amount of money we would have raised to underwrite the bid requested.
Mr. BoBO. You had no other assurance of any other financial sup- port and other than what you are going to raise ?
Mr. Amershadian. The Cabot people have assured us that once a location is secured that they are willing to get us started and no specific figure was mentioned, but they have been known to contribute six figures in many of their contributions.
Mr. BoBo. Suppose the GSA had granted your request to consider it and you had not been able to secure the necessary funds ?
Mr. Amershadian. I think we would have secured it. There is an- other arrangement that GSA has. They allow 20 percent of it, of the amount of the money, which would he $30,000 in this instance — $30,000, yes — and then they allow a credit I think of up to 5 or 10 years' time to pay the remainder.
Mr. Peyton. Twenty percent cash and balance payable in 10 years' time.
JUVENILE DELESTQUENCY 71
Mr. Amershadian. Twenty percent cash and balance payable in 10 years.
Mr. BoBO. On the basis of this, what would be your operating funds ?
Mr. Amershadian. Depending on whether you started with 24 boys or 50 boys ; if you started with 2-i boys you would need $50,000. All of it might come from the agencies themselves in the referring of the boys. If it were 50 boys you would need a hundred thousand dollars to get started with.
Mr. BoBO. Have you had any assurances from any of the agencies or Massachusetts Youth Commission that boys would be referred to the Boys Town project?
Mr. Amershadian. Yes, sir; I have mentioned that already in my statement.
Mr. BoBO. These boys would be referred to you on a pay basis or a subsidized basis without any contributions necessary on the part of the Boys Town of Massachusetts to contract to contribute to the upkeep of boys i
Mr. Amershadian. Two of the agencies said they would pay three- fourths of the tuition. The other didn't make any commitment, hut they usually pay more than the Boys Town charge for tuition.
Mr. BoBO. What would be the annual cost per boy ?
Mr. Amershadian. $2,000 to $2,400.
Mr. BoBO. Do State agencies make available that much money to care for boys?
Mr. Amershadian. The information that we have is that they paid as high as $85 a week for a boy which means it is $4,000 or more,
Mr. BoBO. ^^^lat is the average payment ?
Mr. Amershadian. It all depends on the agency they are dealing with. The type of service and I am almost confident that since their own costs in their own State institutions run between $2,700 to $3,300 they would be willing to pay $2,000 that Boys Town would require for tuition.
Mr. BoBO. On the basis of the assurances you had you feel con- fident then that the Boys Town of Massachusetts could adequately fuiance the project. AAHiiere would the half million dollars come to rehabilitate the buildings that you are talking about ?
Mr. Amershadian. That is all explained in a plan that we have got printed out here for the 30 projects. There are three ways of getting this project under way. Three funds are needed to initiate the pro- gram. Funds to maintain the program and funds to sustain the pro- gram. I mentioned the possibility of foundation assistance that would allow the use of their name to give the endowments necessary to sustain the program, the security of it. I mentioned the funds from the agencies referring the boys. The funds to initially start the program would come from the group of 150 chairmen appointed throughout the Commonwealth over the past year that would raise on the basis of $1 per family and there are over 3 million families in Massachusetts so if you received a 33-percent response and this is in line with other funds raising drives such as cancer. Red Cross, March of Dimes, that are raising well over a million dollars a year from Massachusetts residents that if a single shot campaign, you would only have to raise funds once to get the program under way, that would take care of
72 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
whatever alternating expenses you needed and whatever funds 3'ou needed to get the proper staff to get started.
Mr. BoBO. Your summer program, your weekend program, where the boys are brought into the program for a weekend, how would this program be financed ?
Mr. Amersiiadian. That would be as suggested here, that would cost under a hundred dollars a month for 4 weekends and we would ask the parents of the boys or the communities to pay that hundred dollars in order to underwrite that phase of the program.
Mr. BoBO. Do you think there are a sufficient number of boys in the Massachusetts area to fill this program during the summertime?
Mr. Amershadian. Very much so.
Mr. BoBo. Would you submit a copy of the chart that you have outlining your financial arrangements ?
Mr. Amersilvdian. Yes, sir.
Mr. BoBo. Do you have that here ?
Mr. Amershadian. Not right here ; I have it here.
Mr. BoBO. I think that is all the questions I have.
Senator Kefauver. Mr. Amershadian, what do you have to say about this statement of the mayor and the head of the chamber of commerce that this is vitally needed for the industrial development of the city of Quincy ? There ought to be some other suitable place that would not interfere with their industrial development.
Mr. Amershadian". First of all the Quincy mayor mentioned the fact of the financial need of this area to Quincy needs so far as added taxes, added employment, and added industry. Well, sir, I have here some newspaper clippings that I submitted just a Avhile ago that ex- plain from the newspaper clippings that have appeared in the local paper. First of all we have here the fact that Quincy tax rate re- mains at $60.60. Then it goes on to show how the city is considered in a healthy financial situation especially with these other articles backing it up out "Quincy families graduating to higher income brackets." "Quincy has more municipal workers than most cities."" "Quincy families' earnings, spending top United States average." "Quincy's welfare costs second lowest in Bay State."
Senator Kefauver. Let those articles be exhibits.
(The articles referred to are as follows :)
Exhibit No. 9
[Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger, August 17, 1955]
Quincy Families' Earnings, Spending Top United States Average
New York, Au^st 16. — Prosperity is on the march in Quincy, with families earning more and spending more than those in most sections of the United States.
NEW heights
The facts are revealed in Sales Management's new copyrighted survey of buying power, covering the entire country.
They show that business activity in Quincy reached new heights in the past year, with retail stores chalking up a sales volume of $113,493,000.
The amount was more than should have been expected for a city of its size. On the basis of population, local retail activity should have been only 0.0.53.3: percent of the national. Actually, however, it was 0.06G7 percent.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 73
SOUND SITUATION
The large-scale buying, which meant luxurious living, is tied to a prosperous l>opulation. Better earnings made it possible. The data shows that the 25,000 families in Quincy had a net income last year, after deduction of personal taxes, of $159,211,000.
The local earnings total, divided by the number of families in the city, represents a net income of $6,318 per family.
This was more than was earned by families generally throughout the United States, $5,274 ; the New England States, $5,736, and the $5,702 per family earned in the State of Massachusetts. The figures are arithmetical averages.
The general rising income situation, the experts agree, is a sound one, based on a stabilized dollar and an economy built on growing private enterprises and decreasing defense spending.
MARKET INDEX
How each community stands with relation to others in purchasing ability and economic well-being is shown in the survey by a quality-of-market index. This is a weighted figure that takes into account population, income, sales, and other factors. Quincy's index is given as 117, or 17 percent above the national average.
[Quiucy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger, September 27, 1955] Quincy Has More Municipal Workers Than Most Cities
New York, September 26.— Quincy has more employees on its municipal pay- roll, in proportion to population, than have most cities in the United States.
The findings, by the United States Census Bureau, are contained in a report on city employment in over 1,000 cities with populations above 10,000. They are based on a survey that used October 1954 as the test month.
WELL ABOVE KATE
The Quincy payroll showed a total of 1,848 employees, exclusive of teachers and other school workers. This represented 21.3 employees for every 1,000 local residents and was well over the rate found in the other cities, 12.9 workers per 1,000 residents.
It was, also, over the rate in cities of 25,000 to 100,000, w^hich likewise have 12.9 per 1,000.
The payroll in Quincy for the services of this municipal staff amounted to $445,200 in the test month. This was equivalent to an assessment of $5.15 a month for every resident of the city.
Nationally, the per capital cost of meeting municipal nonschool payrolls was $4.12 per month. Among the cities under 100,000, the cost was lower, averaging $3.65 per capita. It reduced to $2.79 for cities of 10,000 to 25,000.
The average wage paid to Quincy employees, taking into account only non- school personnel, was at the rate of $240 per month. This is a calculated figure, determined by dividing total payroll by number of employees, both full and part time.
The Census Bureau study shows that local and State governments are con- tinuing to expand, adding personnel at the rate of about 200,000 a year. This is a trend that has been noticeable since 1945. Payrolls have increased even faster than the number of employees, which means that the wage scale has been going up.
[Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger, February 28, 1956] Quincy Families Graduating to Higher Income Brackets
Quincy is fast becoming a city of higher income groups, according to statistics published in the 19.55 Consumer Markets annual. :
COMPARES favorable
Figures showed that Quincy families which were once in the $2,500 income class have graduated to the $4,000 or over bracket. Those which once had $4,000 a year income are in the plus $6,000 category.
74 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
The article reported that 66.4 percent of the consumer units in Quiney had spendable incomes last year of $4,000 or more (after payment of taxes).
This compares favorably with the situation elsewhere in the United States where 51.1 percent of the consumer units are in that income class. In the New England States, 55.7 percent are listed in that bracket.
The term "consumer unit" is used to designate families or individuals main- taining their own establishments. Quiney has 18,350 of them in the over $4,000 category and 9,830 with incomes over .$6,000.
Consumer Markets reports that the impressive growth of the middle-income and middle-rich classes has had the effect of increasing markets, changing buying habits and raising the standard of living.
According to a Federal Reserve Board study, those with income above $4,000 are 60 percent more likely than others to buy major household equipment or furniture.
The.y buy 4 times as many new automobiles per 100 families as those with incomes below $4,000. They also buy better homes, more electrical gadgets, and do more traveling.
[Quiney (Mass.) Patriot Ledger, Wednesday, April 18, 1956] QuiNCY Tax Rate Remains at $60.60
The 10.56 Quiney tax rate will be $60.60 the same as last year, N. Gorham Nickerson, chairman of the board of assessors announced today.
The announcement that the tax rate had been held at last year's figure came as a surprise, for many city officials had expected some increase because of heavier expenses.
The rate was officially set by Mr. Nickerson following a conference this morn- ing with the State tax commission at the State house with his associate asses- sors and City Manager Edward Lewis.
Major factor in holding down the tax rate, Mr. Nickerson said, was a $3 million increase in the total valuation of real estate and personal propei'ty to $164 million.
This increase, he stated, was chiefly from increased real-estate valuation, both industrial and private. About 90 percent of this was new construction. There was only a slight gain in personal property valuation.
Mayor Amelio Delia Chiesa said this morning that he was elated by the an- nouncement, for heavy-snow-removal costs, a drop in State receipts and increased State taxes seemed to indicate an increase was inevitable.
Total snow-removal costs this year were $321, (XK), compared to $49,000 last joar. The drop in State receipts and rise in taxes cost the city about $275,- 000 over last year.
These 2 items alone account for $3.43 on the tax rate.
SALARY INCRB:-\^SES
Also included in the 1956 budget are salary increases for a full year for city employees, granted last year but only paid for part of the year then ; $74,000 for group insurance for city employees and $40,000 as the city's share in seawall construction.
The healthy state of the city's excess and deficiency fund also figured in stav- ing off a tax increase.
Of the $827,000 in the E. and D. fund, the mayor pointed out, $549,000 was free cash, $152,588 higher than at the end of the year because of State legislation permitting cities to apply taxes collected between January 1 and April 1.
From the free cash, he said, $160,000 was taken to reduce the tax rate by $1 : $150,000 was spent for street resurfacing, $25,000 for repairs to public build- ings, $22,000 for seawalls, and $60,000 for equipment for the public works department.
All these expenditures, he stated, were necessary and if the E. and D. fund could not have covered them, would have to be paid for from the tax rate.
George A. Yarrington, executive secretary of the Quiney Taxpayers Associa- tion, said he was pleased there was no increase in the rate but had no further comment to make.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 75
[Quincy (Mass.) Patriot Ledger, June 6, 1956] Quincy's Welfare Costs Second Lowest ix Bat State
Quincy has extremely low relative welfare costs compared with other Massa- chusetts cities, according to figures furnished City Manager Edward T. Lewis, by Commissioner Anthony J. Venna. The figures are those for March, usually a high-welfare-costs month.
one dollar and sixty-four cents per capita
Of Massachusetts cities, Quincy was second lowest in the per capita welfare costs for March, the statistics show. Quincy's per capita cost was $1.64 as against $1.22 for tlie city of Newton, which has the lowest figure.
Brockton is high with $3.80 per capita. Some other high costs are: Lowell, $3.14 ; Lynn, $3.76 ; and New Bedford, $3.13.
Quincy and Medford are tied for second place in the lowest percentage of pop- ulation receiving some form of welfare. In each city 2.5 percent of the people are recipients in one form or another. Newton is low, with 1.6 i^ercent.
During March there were 1,568 welfare cases, involving 2,111 persons, on the Quincy welfare lists. The breakdown of the cases in Quincy during March is : old-age assistance, 1,204; aid to dependent children, 147; disability assistance, 118 ; general relief, 99.
The low number of general relief cases indicates high employment in the city, as this category of welfare is sensitive to fluctuations in employment.
Mr. Amershadiax. As to eni})loyment, for a city of eighty to ninety thousand people yon find out tliat there is an item of general relief cases, there are only 99 cases in the city of Quincy that are under gen- eral relief. It says here, the low ninnber of general relief cases in- dicates high employment in the city as this category of welfare is sen- sitive to fluctuations in employment. In checking with the Massa- chusetts Department of Employment in Quincy, they issued a state- ment whereby out of all these persons in Quincy there are only 302 people that are unemployed and only 136 of these residents had last worked in Quincy. So the tax situation, the employment situations, although they claim that they want more, still it is considered to be one of the healthiest in the entire State.
In fact one of the best in the Nation Then as far as industry is con- cerned we find out Quinc}^ has been very fortunate.
One of the Fore River shipyards, the Bethlehem Co., has been awarded $20 billion of Government contract work. Another is that statistic that I think is important that of the nontaxable property in Quincy there is only one school, Nazarene College, which is educational and nonprofit.
There is a very low amount of nontaxable property for any cities in comparison to other cities which have opened the door to state^vide projects.
So far as the industry, employment, and tax situation is concerned, which they are to be congratulated for looking for more, at the same time when the answer can be given how much more taxes, how much more employment, and how much more industry ? Wlien it comes to this particular area, we are not questioning the fact that 548 acres is ideally suited for industrial use. In fact we go along with them 100 percent because the type of industrial use that we know the people down in that area want on the basis of a hearings, they are not in- terested in heavy industry. They would rather have the light to medium industry.
Senator Kefauver. The bidder here is the Boston Edison Co. which had apparently in mind the erecting of a steam-generating plant.
76 JU\'EN"ILE DELIXQUEIsrCY
Mr. A:MERSHADiA]sr. There is no objection to it.
Senator I^fauver. T\niere would that be erected ?
Mr. Amershadian. On the 640 acres. It was mentioned about Weymouth having one of these installations. The question might be asked how many acres is the one at Weymouth taking up. Are they taking up 658 acres? If not, maybe since this property was sold as an integrated unit you had to buy the whole thing as one or else your bid was not recognized. In other words your bid went in as the whole 658 acres, li they don't need the entire 648 acres, be- cause of the fact that they onh^ need 300 or 400 acres, then it all depends on how much acres they have at Weymouth and other places, then possibly they might consider since public utilities are always interested in helping organizations, they might consider working it out as an arrangement whereby Boys Town mght get the hundred acres that they need, but sir, the statement was made here today that this was a very good bid and made at General Services yesterday. Here is what actually did happen :
For months this property has been publicly and privately an- nounced as being available for surplus property ideal for industrial use. That meant that there would be most likely a bit of activity in the bidding. If then this was such a highly valuable place for industrial use, how come there were only five bids yesterday for this property? Among these 5 bids, the lowest bidder bidding $82,500 for a piece of property that involves 648 acres of so-called valuable industrial land and there were 20 buildings on it and if it is ever possible for you to visit that Squantum Airbase to see the one building called the main hangar to erect that building alone, divorcing it from the other buildings and the 648 acres, I am sure you would agree with some of these engineers that I have had out to the place that claim that it would cost at least $1 million to build that building today.
The lowest bidder was $82,500, which as vou can see is a ridiculously low bid. The next bidder was $111,000. The bid above that was $112,- 000, which meant that this property was being offered maybe at $100 or $200 an acre and it is supposed to be the best industrial land avail- able. Well, we come to the faurth bid which was the second highest that was for $298,000. Even that would mean that the area was worth about $300 an acre. AYhen it came to the Boston Edison Co., who did put in a fair bid but they were the only one out of all these so-called industries that could be interested in this area, they came up with a bid of $851,000. From the figures that have been reported to us on the evaluation of this property by the United States Go\crnment, we find out that the $851,000 is still about $100,000 less than what GSA has valued the property to be at. That figure is not exact, but it is a figure that has been reported to us.
Senator Kefau\t^r. Mr. Amershadian, are the spur tracks which a person would use in the erection of the steam plant, are they in the area where these buildings are which you want ?
Mr. Amershadtan. No one would know that until the Boston Edison Co. makes its plan known. There is no way of knowing it unless the Boston Edison Co. says it themselves.
Senator Kefauver. Is this fresh water here in this basin where the wharfage is ?
Mr. Amershadian. No ; I wovdd say it is not fresh water. It is salt water.
JLTA'ENILE DELINQUENCY 77
Senator Kefauvek. I understand a steam plant has to get fresh water.
Mr. Amershadian. There is no fresh water there that I know of, sir. Absohitely none except from the water mains.
Senator Kefauver, From the water mains ^
Mr. Amershadian. Of the city of Qiiincy.
Senator Kefauver. I am not an engineer, but doesn't a steam-gener- ating plant have to have a large amount of fresh water 'i
Mr. HuRD. I happen to be familiar with the one in Salem which was recently built. They require a good deal of fresh water but they re- quire large storage for coal. That area in Salem is more or less blighted by the Edison plant put there. If you paik your car in the vicinity, the dust gets all over your car.
Senator Kefauver. If you had a steam plant wouldn't that make it unsuitable for a boys school ?
Mr. Amershadian. The finest residential section in the city of Quincy is onl}^ across the street from the Squantum Air Base.
Senator Kefauver. "Which way is the prevailing wind ?
Mr. HuRD. We are proud of the easterly drift tliat comes from the ocean to cool us otf.
Mr. Amershadian. We would be in back of it.
Mr. HuRD. Any industry which would be acceptable to the residents in tlie area would be acceptable to us.
Mr. Amershadian. There are some $85,000 and $40,000 homes in that area.
Exhibit No. 10
Massachusetts Boys Town Chkonology March 1950
Chairman of Massachusetts Youth Service Board recommended to Fred Amer- shadian that the latter undertake an eight-boy foster-home project : plan investi- gated but findings indicated it would be impractical.
April 1950
Fred Amershadian arranged meeting with a group of young men interested in helping boys. He told tliem of the great need based on his own recent experience as a house master at the reception center (Lyman School) Westboro, Mass. The group formed a Committee of Twelve Young Men with the av(>wed purpose of establishing the Massachusetts Preparatory Homes for Boys, Inc.
June 1950
After gaining approval of educational and social-work leaders in Newton, Mass., the first attempt to locate the project was made in that community. At a public hearing held in the city hall, .50 resident neighbors voted to oppose granting a permit to the organization. (There were 70 persons present.)
iSept ember 1950
Application was made for State charter. (Added "Boys Town" to the original name at the suggestion of Committee of Twelve from the Boys Town of Missouri.) The charter was approved by the department of corporations and taxation and was granted by the secretary of the State on February 19, 1951.
Iforembcr 1950
Attempted to locate at the Stone To\¥er Inn in Hingham, Mass. Three hundred attended hearing. Vote was 76 opposed and 8 in favor.
April 1951
Made second attempt to locate at the Stone Tower Inn in Hingham. Six hun- dred attended hearing. Vote was 180 opposed and 32 in favor.
78 JUVENILE DELESTQUENCY
December 1951
Attempted to locate at the Henry Ford Wayside Inn School for Boys in Sud- bury, Mass. Property was sold to business interests.
January 1952
Attempt made to obtain two different locations in Framingham. (1) Strong objection raised by multimillionaire horseman neighbor. (2) Upon presentation of $5,000 downpayment, donated by Ralph Bradley, treasurer of Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc., the previously agreed price was increased prohibitively.
May 1952
Attempt to locate in Norfolk, Mass. About 300 attended hearing. Vote was 112 opposed and 78 in favor.
During the year 1952, 12 different investigations were made of properties, including attitude of resident neighbors, in Marlboro, Saxonville, Walpole, Wrentham, Holyoke, Hubbardston, Scituate, Baldwinsville, Avon, Billerica, Athol, and Brookliue (urban, semiurban, rural, and semirural). There were various reasons for not locating in any of those areas but the principal reason was that the Boys Town Organization had acquired a stigma because of the previous refusals of other communities to accept them (geographic humani- tarianism).
January 1953
Peddock's Island, Hull, Mass. (Government surplus property) :
(1) Eight months of negotiations with DHEW.
(2) Terms of agreement offered and accepted by Boys Town.
(3) Five thousand dollar fund in escrow offered by Mr. Ralph Bradley.
(4) Intervention by the Department of the Army, for secret project, (a) Letter from the Secretary of the Army, Robert Stevens.
Septertiber 1953
Official request for a portion of Camp Edwards, Cape Cod, Mass. :
(1) Negotiations with the First Army Headquarters, Gen. Robert Burress.
(2) Approval by the Department of the Army, Pentagon Building.
(3) Drawing up of the lease by United States engineers.
(4) Camp Edwards determined to be on State-owned land.
(5) Senate bill No. 610 referred to next session because of Massachusetts constitutional law.
March 1954
Investigation of the former naval air station at Squantum :
(1) Visit to Fargo Building, First Naval District, Boston, Mass.
(2) Visit to Department of Public Works, Department of the Navy, Washing- ton, D. C, and permission given to submit an application for rental of section A of the naval air station — involving 100 acres and approximately 10 buildings.
(a) Two volunteer recommendations submitted by the Commandant of the First Naval District, Boston.
(3) Two additional visits to the Department of the Navy, Washington, D. C, to expedite application decision.
(4) Decision by Chief of Naval Operations to turn entire base over to General Services Administration.
(a) Notification by the Department of the Navy to GSA of the interest in section A by Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.
Mai/ 1954
Squantum PTA meeting. There were 50 persons in attendance representing about 40 Squantum families. The meeting was well publicized in advance.
(1) Patriot-Ledger newspaper reports.
(rt) Charges of "contamination" and "intimidation" by the Quincy police chief.
(2) Newspaper editorials :
{a) "How To Use Squantum." ,
(6) "Is a Boys Town Necessary?" (c) "The Boys Town Project."
(3) Personal survey of the Sipmntum residents.
(a) Results showed that about S5 percent of the residents were unconcerned about Boys Town locating at the base. There were approximately 5 percent in favor, 5 percent ojjposed, and about 5 percent who wanted additional data before taking a stand.
(4) Radio broadcasts over Quincy radio station WJDA.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 79
(a) Recommended by Attorney Paiil Reardon, Governor's legal counsel and a resident of Quincy, to offset adverse Patriot-Ledger editorials.
(&) Good response from radio audience (26 letters and $74 in voluntary con- tributions).
(c) Objections by only tvpo persons — both Quincy leaders — received by radio station. Names are being withheld for the present.
(5) Report of Navy appraisal of the Squantum Base in 1954. (a) Approximately $3 million.
(6) Report of GSA appraisal of the Squantum Base in 1955 (unconfirmed), (a) Approximately .$1 million.
(7) Application made at the New York regional office, DHEW (August 17, 1956).
(a) Letter to Dr. Paul Gossard, superintendent of schools in Quincy.
(8) Attaining statewide support for the establishment of Boys Town at Squantum.
(a) Approximately 500 prominent Massachusetts citizens endorse location. (&) Thirty-two State senators also endorse location.
(9) State senate resolution No. 786 (see copy).
(10) Ij^tter sent by the president of the State senate, Richard I. Fni'bush, to 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth.
(a) To raise local funds to initiate the program, after the site is acquired. (6) To maintain necessary public relations.
(11) Appointment of 152 chairmen representing 80 percent of Massachusetts population, and selection of new board of trustees (county representatives).
(12) During another visit to Washington, was notified, for the first time, that Squantum would be available only for industrial use. Also, told that the administration did not want to be regarded as giveaway administration.
(a) Visit with Assistant Secretary of Commerce Edward Hall, with an in- troduction from Mayor Howard Whittemore of Newton. Confirmed freeze at Squantum.
(13) Notification sent to GSA that Boys Town would be willing to bid $100,000 on a sale basis.
(14) Question raised by certain Federal officials of possible violation of the Surplus Property Act of 1949.
(15) Rumors of an oil operation.
(a) Dredging of channel strongly urged by president of the Quincy Oil Co. (&) State commerce department commissioner's interest.
(16) Conference with the assistant to the Northeast regional director, GSA.
(17) Two additional visits to Washington, D. C.
(a) Masssachusetts Senator's suggestion to visit chairman of Quincy In- dustrial C(mimittee to work out mutual arrangement.
(6) Another suggestion from Senator's office to make another visit. (IS) Final GSA ruling — notice of public sale.
(19) Investigation of DHEW rulings as reported by GSA. (a) Conference with DHEW officials.
(20) Correspondence with Congressman Thomas Lane regarding DHEW.
(21) Open letter to President Eisenhower for special consideration. (a) FoUowup letters and telegrams.
(22) Quincy Chamber of Commerce letter to Massachusetts congressional delegation.
(23) House Majority Leader John W. McCormack's reply to the chamber of commerce.
(a) Copy to Fred Amershadian.
(b) Mr. McCormack's reasons for favoring the Boys Town petition.
(24) Message from Senator Kefauver expressing interest and offering to investigate the entire matter with a hearing for public review.
(25) Two additional visits to Washington, D. C.
(a) Visit with Maxwell M. Rabb, Secretary to the Cabinet, (ft) Visit with General Counsel James H. Bobo and Carl Perrian of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinqiiency.
(26) Conversation with Adm. Robert Carney, retired Chief of Naval Opera- tions.
(a) Visit to the OflSce of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Robert Fogler.
(27) Followup letters to Maxwell M. Rabb.
(28) Letter to GSA asking for reconsideration (reply).
(29) Information received regarding nature of secret project at Squantum.
80 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
(30) Visit to Squantum and the new $1 million youth service reception an(J detention center by Senate subcommittee members.
(31) Open letter to the members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation.
(32) Bipartisan request by four leaders of the Massachusetts General Court..
January 1.5, 1056. Hon. Thomas J. Lane,
House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.
Dear Congressman Lane : Thank you for your expression of continued inter- est in the contemplated Massachusetts Boy.s Town program.
To my knowledge, the Boys Town organization has never had an application formally disapproved because of financial standing. Only one Boys Town appli- eation has been processed by HEW and that was in the case of Peddocks Island in ions. The only other application submitted by the Boys Towu group has been the one, wiiich is still on file in the New York regional oflBce, concerning the request for a portion of the Squantum Airbase.
In the case of Peddock's Island, the original requirement by HEW before ap- proval was that the Boys Town organization should deposit .$100,000 as a fund in escrow. Because of an appeal to Senator Leverett Saltonstall who in turn contacted Mrs. Oveta Gulp Hobby ( Secretary of HEW ) the original amount of .$100,(X)0 required was first lowered to $25,000 and thence to $5,000. This came as a result from a letter by A. H. Parker, Jr., president of the Old Colony Trust Co. (copy attached), explaining why the Boys Towu organization was unable to raise sufficient funds, at first. Mr. Ralph Bradley, treasurer of Godfrey L. Cabot, Inc., otticially offered to underwrite the required $5,000 and so notified HEW.
I was then orally given the assurance by HEW officials that the Boys Town application would be approved. In fact, I personally helped write the penciled first draft which was the basis for approval with a ^Mr. James Flyun who was tjhen the HEW surplus pi'oiierty officer in Massachusetts. (Mr. Flynu has since been transferred to the California office of HEW.) Out of a total of a possible 140 percent deductil)le allowances for educational use, under the Surplus Property Act of 1940, the Boys Town organization met 110 percent of the requirements,, according to Mr. Flynn.
Suddenly we were notified that the Department of the Army was again inter- ested in Peddocks Island and wanted it for a guided missile project base. Shortly thereafter we received a consoling letter from the Secretary of the Army, Robert Stevens, who asked us if the Department of the Army could be of any other assistance, in view of our disappointment which had come to his attention.
We then officially requested a part of the deactivated Camp Edwards on the cape. After 3 months' time, approval from the Pentagon was granted. (We- were intei'ested on a rental basis.) However, before the lease papers which were drawn up by the Corps of Engineers were passed, it was discovered that Camp Edwards was on State-owned land and legislative action would be necessary to make it available to Boys Town. (Rules were suspended and Senate bill No. filO was introduced.)
However when we learned that the Squantum Base was to become surplus, we- concentrated all our efforts in that direction because of its many superior advantages. (Copy of six broadcasts made on radio station WJDA in Quincy give a more detailed exijlanation of all the facts.)
As you know, and we have documentary proof, a Boys Town app^'al is a nat- ural to file general iiul)lic. If the same consideration were to be given in the case of the Squantum site as was given on the Peddocks Island case, there is no- doubt, in the minds of many, that the Boys Town effort can offer and maintain a worthwhile pro.uram.
With best wishes. Sin(-erely,
Fred Amershadian.
February 6, 1956.
Dear Mr. Rabu : Have received the attached DHEW communication which
gives the impression that Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., had not officially
applied for consideration on 100 acres of the 645 acres to be made available for
industrial use at the former naval air station at Squantum. During the confer-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 81
ence mentioned in the DHEW letter, the New York regional oflSce was contacted, in my presence, by Mr. Chester Lund, DHEW, in Washington, D. C, and he was informed by the New York regional director that Boys Town had officially applied in May 1955 for consideration on tho property.
At that time, we submitted the Boys Town information requested which the New York regional director assured me then was sufficient and 1 was told by him to have the entire Roys Town data ready for processing whenever GSA made the property available for educational use to DHEW. GSA had been previously in- formed by the Department of the Navy on .Time 30, 1954, of our interest in the section which we tried to lease on a rental basis. (See attached copy of letter from Assistant Secretary of the Navy to House Majority Leader John W. JMc- Cormack who has also gone on record as favoring our petition.)
GSA never did make this requested section available to DHEW although an- other small section of the same Squantum base set aside for a later applicant — for educational use.
I raised this question, "If one school program is allowed on one section of a site supposedly available and suitable only for industrial use why shouldn't it be possible for another contemplated school program on the same site to be given similar consideration?"
This raises another question. "Was GSA justified in ruling the remaining area for industrial use especially when the very section requested by Boys Town was used by the Navy Department for training and residential purposes for over 15 years?" With the exception of some of the younger boys, since the average age will be about 15 to 17 years, these buildings would be used by the Boys Town staff and students essentially along the same line as previously (training and resi- dential).
GSA has notified us that they intend to put the proi)erty up for piiblic sale. Al- though we cannot prevent them from doing so. I hope that they will wait until we have a chance to make this entire situation a public record via the Senate Sub- committee on Juvenile Delinquency. Our case must be heard in view of the (juestionable rulings made by the different Federal agencies. The entire future of Boys Town of Massachusetts is at stake.
With the recognized problem of juvenile delinquency today there is no ques- tion in the minds of qualified persons in ^lassachusetts that Boys Town can meet the requirements for the Squantum section on the basis of (i) need, (2) suit- ability, (3) approved program, (4) financial ability to maintain the program. ^ Since 1953 more State and private funds are available for tuition purposes.) Several documented test campaigns for funds have been made and each test has corroborated the natural appeal from the general public for fvmds to initiate the Boys Town program. It is further expected that annual fund rasing will be unnecessary as more public and private tuition funds become available.
We are prepared to show how Boys Towns and Junior Republics are financially better off today than most Boy Scout, YMCA, and Boys Club programs in the Nation. As is generally known, each Boys Town had an extremely difficult time, at first, in raising substantial funds. Also, we have learned that there was the usual local opposition by some uninformed neighbors who eventually be- came the most loyal supporters of the school after taking personal part in certain programs.
Surely our Nation which invests in everything worthwhile in the world could assign Boys Town 10 buildings which might be torn down tomorrow and have officially outlived their usefulness so far as the Government is concerned. These facilities are adequate and not excessive to the requirements for a boys' home- school program, especially where a general public need is definitely involved.
The Massachusetts Boys Tovrn plan involves 30 contemplated justifiable proj- ects throughout the Nation, serving 100,000 boys who evidently are not receiving adequate treatment at present. It is a new program based on present-day and future needs to help meet the problem of juvenile delinquency by intercepting many first offenders and helping them solve their problems in a proven manner and in an appealing environment. It is more logical to try and help these boys, in this early stage, than wait until they become habitual delinquents.
According to printed press statements of our Nation's leaders, the problem of juvenile delinquency rivals that of communism. I am sure that President Dwight I>. Ei.senhower, who was the first President in history to mention this problem in his state of the Union message, will agree that what this Nation needs is a little less talk and more action in the form of constructive preventive programs. Boys- 80694—56 7
82 JUVENILE DELINQU:5NCY
Town of Massachusetts has been ready for some time to put their proposed pilot program into operation.
As has been meutionetl, heretofore, the decision for special consideration rests with our beloved President. With best wishes, Sincerely,
Fred Amershadian.
The Commonweai.th of Massachusetts,
Division of Employment Security,
Boston, June 15, 1956. Boys Town of Massachusetts,
Boston, Mass. (Attention: Fred Ames.) Gentlemen : The following information was obtained from a survey of the claims file in the Quincy oflSce of the Massachusetts Division of Employment Security in response to Mr. Ames' telephone request of June 11.
During the week ending June 9, 657 claimants reported to the Quincy oflBce and filed continued claims signifying that they had been wholly or partially un- employed in the previous week ; 302 of these claimants were Quincy residents and 136 of these residents had last worked in Quincy.
Use of this information should be qualified by the fact that the above-men- tioned claimants represent only part of the number of unemployed Quincy resi- dents ; excluded are such residents who file claims outside the area, unemployed new entrants and reentrants to the labor force who have not yet earned enough wage credits to qualify for benefits, unemployed railroad workers, unemployed workers formerly employed by establishments not covered by the employment security law, and unemployed workers who have voluntarily refrained from filing a claim for benefits. Tours very truly,
Mary E. Wilcox, Chief Supervisor, Research and Statistics.
July 2, 1956.
Dear Congressman : The rescheduling of the Massachusetts Boys Town hear- ing to next Monday, July 9, 1956, at 2 p. m., in the Capitol, Washington, D. C, has allowed for valuable added time to further strengthen the Boys Town docu- mented presentation. We are happy to report letters now on file indicate that overwhelming statewide public opinion is in support of the Boys Town proposal to utilize 100 acres and buildings of the 648 available acres as a pilot project for creating a number of vitally needed youth centers of America.
Members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are asked to pay par- ticular attention to the contrasting claims made by those who advocate complete industrial use of the Squantum Base (minus 11 acres already set aside for local (Quincy) educational use) as against those who advocate the Boys Town educational program locating on 100 acres — allowing the remaining five-sixths of the area for industrial use :
(1) Local (Quincy) industrial interests claim that $60 million worth of in- dustry could be attracted to the former naval air station if the entire area is used for that purpose.
(2) The Massachusetts Boys Town group claims that the savings value to the Federal and State Governments could amount to a minimum of $150 million. Since the area requested by Boys Town of Massachusetts. Inc., can be considered somewhat self-contained there should be no conflict with any light to medium industry (additionally estimated at $.50 million — five-sixths of the area) which would be acceptable to the adjoiing residential community. Total of the two combined would amount to $200 million.
On the basis of the above comparison there should be no doubt that the best interest of our Government could be served if the Squantum site was disposed of as two separate units instead of by the scheduled integrated unit sale.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 83
The contemplated program of the Massachusetts Boys Town plan in eventually ^Treating 30 new youth centers of America can effectively combat the increase of the juvenile delinquency situation in our Nation. We are counting upon each Member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation for support. With best wishes, Sincerely,
Gordon K, Hurd, Chairman of the Advisory Comtnittee. Feed F. Amershadian,
Founder. P. S. — Please note: On May 11, 1954, the commandant of the First Naval District, Fargo Building, Boston, Mass., voluntarily submitted to the Department of the Navy, "a strong endorsement favoring the Boys Town request for leasing section A of the Squantum Base for the proposed residential training program for needy boys." This same area was used for over 25 years by the Department of the Navy as a residential training base. The commandant's strong endorse- ment received three additional endorsements from bureaus of the Navy Depart- ment but since the remainder of the Squantum Base was to be declared excess to their needs, it was decided to turn the base over to GSA for disposal. At the same time, the Department of the Navy notified GSA of "the interest of Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc."
In view of the testimony submitted by the representatives of the city of Quincy, I wish to state that prior to the Department of the Navy turning the projjerty over to GSA in 1054, the estimated value, by the Department of the Navy of the Squantum military installation was slightly under $3 million.
Only a few months later, without any changes in the property, the base was reappraised by GSA and the value set by GSA was slightly under $1 million. ( However, the assessment value by the city of Quincy has been listed as $4 million. )
Qualified persons who have recently inspected the base also state that the present facilities could not be built for less than $4 million. In fact, the main hangar alone could not be replaced in its present condition for less than $1 million.
After the last appraisal, an official "freeze" was suddenly placed on the prop- erty for the purpose of making it available for a project which has only recently been identified. For a period of several months, the type of project was not known to the residents of Quincy, the Boys Town project and apparently members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation were also uninformed.
A few months ago, I learned the facts concerning this in-oject from a former Quincy City ofiicial. He told me that the city manager had visited the White House and the Department of Defense to secure a priority for a project, under private auspices but purportedly for Government benefit. I further learned from another member of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce industrial committee that the identity of the proposed industry was the Yankee Atomic Electric project now being located at Rowe, Mass.
The project failed to materialize at Squantum because :
(1) The area involved did not meet the requirements of 2,000 acres.
(2) The project was unable to secure siifficient funds — $13 million.
(3) Possibility of strong local opposition because of the potential danger to the comparatively highly populated areas of Atlantic, Squantum, and nearby Boston — with a population of approximately 1 million persons.
When the project failed to materialize, I made inquiries to ascertain from GSA if the original plan for industrial use of the entire base still existed. These inquiries remained unanswered. The following exhibits relate to correspondence ■concerning GSA. (See attached exhibits.)
Exhibit 11— March 21. 19.56.
Exhibit 12— .Tune 1, 1956.
Exhibit 1.3— June 5. 19.56.
Exhibit 14— June 21, 1956.
Exhibit 1.5— July 7. 19.56.
Exhibit 16— July 6, 1956.
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Yesterday at 2 p- m. in Boston, bids for the Squantum base were opened. According to the information received from the Washington office of GSA, I learned the following facts :
There were only five bids by industry, in addition to the Boys Town token bid.
(1) The lowest of these was for $82,500. On the basis of 648 acres, including 20 buildings — if each building were to be valued as low as $;"),00() — this means that the value per acre set by this industrial interest was negligilile.
(2) The next highest bid was .$111,000 on the same basis of valuation of the building at $5,000 each — this means that this particular interest set the value of the area at less than .^2 an acre.
(3) The next highest bidder $112,000.
(4) The second highest bid, which I understand was represented by local industrial interests, was for $298,(>00. In this case, if the value of the buildings were set at $5,0(X) each, which I said before is considered extremely low, the laud would be valued at approximately .$.300 an acre.
(5) The highest bidder was the Boston Edisnn Co., a public utility, with' a cash bid of $851,000. The bid was still approximately $100,000 less than the reported reduced GSA valuation of 1955.
Competent recent estimates of the hangar indicate that this one building could not be duplicated — even in its present condition — for less than $1 million.
On the basis of this estimate, it is reasonable to assume that the cost to the Boston Edison Co. for this 648 acres and the remaining 19 buildings is less than nothing.
I again refer to the two questions asked in the letter to Congressmen on. June 5, 1956. (See questions 3 and 4.)
In the case of the highest bidder — if the value of the buildings were estimated, at $5,000 each, the land could be valued at approximately $1,150 an acre.
Figures mentioned in relation to yesterday's bids should make it completely evident that it was not in the best interest of the Federal Government to attempt to dispose of the property as an integrated unit for industrial use.
I feel that the time has come to answer other statements issued by Quincy industrial iuterests.
On January 10, 19.56, a letter (exhibit 17) was sent by the executive vice president of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce to the entire delegation of Massachusetts Senators and Congressmen in Washington. D. C. There are several points in this letter which should be analyzed carefully. The term "there is much opposition to such a move" should be clarified by answering the following questions: How much opposition is there? Wlio is in opposition? And, what are their reasons for opposing a type of project that has proved its worth in njany other parts of the Nation? From my own survey of this situation 2 years ago, I wish to report these facts: Upon visiting a number of homes in the Squantum area, which total about 800 families, living in a section of Quincy which is regarded as a peninsula, I discussed the proposed Boys Town project with the residents. The reaction I received from the neighbors was no more than 50 families were actually in opposition. Leading this so-called opposition there was one oi'ganization called the Squantum Community Asso- ciation, which was I'ecorded through the local daily newspaper as having taken official action in stating its opposition to the proposed Boys Town project. No specific reasons were given. To my knowledge, no other church, civic, or veteran groups in the Squantum area has taken official action against the Boys Town plan. The objections which have come to us through rumors are stated as being:
1. Fear of property devaluation.
2. Fear of students trespassing and causing damnge to Squantum residents.
3. Belief that the location solely for industry at the fornu'r naval air station would help relieve the employment and tax situation in Quincy.
Favoring the proposal to locate Boys Town of Massachusetts at the Squantum base, comes in the form of a precedent which hnd been set in this very area several years previously. When the Long Island Bridge project was suggested, some of the Squantum residents raised the same questions which we heard were- raised concerning the Boys Town of Massachusetts project. I'otb "fears" were proven to be negligible over a period of several years since there was no prop- erty devaluation and that no inmate has caused any trouble in that particular eonununity.
If one were to visit the Squantum Base and see how the community or Squantum is situated in relation to the base, he would certainly i-eniark that there would be little likelihood of any contact of any student at Boys Town,
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 85
witTti the resideuts of Squaiituiu. The base is situated before you approach the homes which I stated before, are located on somewhat of a peninsula.
The letter also states that editorials in opposition have appeared in the local newspaper — the Quincy Fatriot-Leduer — it is known that the editor of the "Quincy Patriot-Ledger is one of the four members of the Industrial Development Committee set up to attract industry to the base. The editor, in this case, is also the chief editorial writer of the newspaper.
Then the letter states that the site has an 18-foot channel. Soon after re- ceiving this letter from House Majority Leader John W. McCormack, I visited •the LTnited States engineers on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Mass. I also contacted the Massachusetts Port Authority and I received a report from them. Both reports show that the statement, the site has an 18-foot channel, is misleading. The only dredging authorized recently by the Federal Gov- ernment involves one section of the channel bordering the base. The depth of the channel at this point was 8 feet and it was to be dredged up to 15 feet for ,vachting iHirposes.
Officials of the Massachusetts Port Authority state that present port facilities ^re ample for some time to come. This was determined after an extensive survey of all Massachusetts port facilities.
The letter ends with a statement "Please exert every effort to prevent this ■entire area being made available for anything but industrial use. Actually, the location was formerly marshland and jworly adapted to any other than indus- trial use."
First of all, the Department of the Navy located a multimillion dollar air- base at Squantum for residential and training purposes for over 25 years. Both the Navy Department and the Quincy Chamber of Commerce are cog- nizant of the fact that the area requested by Boys Town does not contain marsh- land. Even if it did, some of our best known residential areas in Massachusetts were developed on what was formerly marshland.
In reviewing the chamber's letter, may I state that in my oiJinion it was misleading and unfair in every respect. Similar letters, I believe, may have heen previously sent to the Dei>artment of the Navy as far back as 1954 when P.oys Town tried to lease section A of the naval air station.
Also, it is our understanding that letters were sent from the Quincy Chamber f'f Commerce to members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committee whose duty it was to approve the property excess to the needs of the military. These letters caused months of delay and finally the turning over of the prop- erty to GSA. Additional letters were sent to the Department of Commerce and, the White House.
As a social worker, I have only one comment to make — when I think of the hundreds of boys that might have been helped over the last 2 years and the progress which might have been made in determining whether or not this could be a valuable national program, I can only ask in Biblical terms, "are we our brothers' keepers?"
Exhibit No. 11
March 21, 19.")6. J. J. O'Connor,
Regional Director, General Services Administr-ation, Office of the Regional Director, Boston, Mass.
Dear Mr. O'Connor: Wliile in Washington, D. C, last week, reliable sources in- formed me that certain GSA officials were still definitely opposed to any portion of the former naval air station at Squantum being made available to Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc. On the basis of this information I believe that a letter to you is in order.
Frankly speaking, it has been difficult for me to believe this report because 3 years ago, the GSA regional office assured members of the Massachusetts delega- tion in Congress that everything possible would be done to assist the Boys Town group in their request for another Government surplus property.
At that time negotiations had been carried on with DHEW for 8 months in order to gain DHEW approval before requesting assignment from GSA. In a recent conference with responsible DHEW officials in Washington, D. C, it was stated several times that "DHEW had been walling then to go along with the Massachusetts Boys Town request had it not been for the interruption by the Department of the Army." Both at that time and currently, I have met with
86 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
local GSA surplus property officers who, in each instance, have shown me every possible courtesy. However, I must admit that I was surprised at the attitude of the GSA spokesman, last October, when he made the following statements :
(1) "That the justification of investing in a Boys Town program was purely 'philosophical.' ^
(2) "That GSA was deliberately delaying the notice of public sale of the Squantum site until the city of Quincy rezoned the former residential and train- ing base for industrial use only." (This fact was confirmed by subsequent action of the Quinc.v city council shortly thereafter.)
I believe that you, also, would have been concerned, as I was, over these state- ments made by this authorized GSA official for they have far-reaching implica- tions to be brought out in a United States Senate subcommittee hearing. This hearing has been requested because it is only proper that the general public should be fully informed of the entire situation since they are, in reality, the true owners of all Government property.
It is known that, during the past 2 years, certain influential i)€rsons have met with officials of various State and Federal agencies concerning the Squantum site and have attempted to convince the latter that a "package" industrial ar- rangement was the best answer to the disposal of the former naval air training station. If all the facts behind this "package" arrangement are made public — including the obvious attempt to discredit Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., for the purpose of blocking their application — I believe that an informed general public will urge fair and immediate consideration of the Boys Town request.
You may know that the question lias been raised as to how and why. General Services Administration ruled that the Squantum base would be available only for industrial use. I am attaching a newspaper article which appeared on the front page of the Quincy Patriot-Ledger on July 12, 19.55, entitled : "Industrial Use of Squantum Base Property Questioned" * * * 150 Atlantic residents were in attendance. * * * You will note what several residents said at the meeting:
"The people in the North Quincy area in this city have been the victims of another example of the unfortunate kind of city administrations we have seen for some years. I wonder if the rezoning might give the 'big-money boys' a chance to take advantage of the 'poor little guy who owns a home'."
"The Quincy Chamber of Commerce was not for tlie interests of the people but for industry and business."
"Despite what the vice president of the chamber of commerce has told us about the closedown at Fore River, we're not so badly off."
"Do you know how wide East Squantum Street is?" one resident asked the vice president of the chamber of commerce, "Can you see heavy trucks using it?"
"As we've spent .$1,000 already getting the area surveyetl for industry, can't we spend another $1,000 to see it all zoned for residential zoning?"
"There were some rumors of an 'oil-tank farm' seeking a location on the prop- erty"—(July 11, 1955).
The reason why I have listed the above statements is because of a recent official letter (January 10, 195G) to the Massachusetts delegation and the White House, from the vice president of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce in which he stated that "there has been no apparent opposition from any source relative to an effort to create a desirable industrial development in the area."
Several other portions of the said official letter will also be open to analysis and refutation at the pending hearing in order that interested citizens may be able to judge for themselves whether the Boys Town group has been justified in seeking a portion of the Squantum base for the recognized worth of its contem- plated program.
A copy of the aforementioned letter was sent to me by House Ma.lority Leader John W. McCormack, on his own volition, and he stated in reply to the vice presi- dent of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, on January 13, 1956 :
"I am in receipt of your letter of January 10, with enclosure, in opposition to the Boys Town being granted a section of the former site of the Squantum Air- ba.se. As you know, 10 acres, or thereabouts, were to be granted to the city of Quincy for school purposes, as I remember. I helped the city in getting this allo- cation. Frankly, I favored the petition of Boys Town. However, the last in- formation I got was that the Government intended to sell the entire tract witli the buildings thereon with the exception of the area containing the 10 acres for
1 Figures to be submitted at the hearings will prove that the value of Boys Towns to their areas throughout the Nation has unqualifiedly justified their existence from aa economic standpoint.
JTJV'ENILE DELINQUENCY 87
the Quincy school purposes. Sincerely, JWMcC. P. S. : I am advising Mr. Amer- shadian of your letters and enclosures."
Congressman McCormack, as you know, has earned an enviable record of good judgment over a period of many years of faithful public service. Furthermore, on the basis of my recent trip to Washington, D. C, I anticipate that a majority of the Massachusetts delegation intend to go on record in favor of the Boys Town petition.
Also, attached are pictures of the Squantum^ buildings which are considered priceless to a Boys Town program because of the heritage they represent to the type of boy who must be helped now. As is recognized nationally, the juvenile problem is getting increasingly out of hand because of lack of concrete preventive programs in communities and a serious private placement shortage.
These pictures were taken with the president of the Massachvisetts Senate, Richard I. Furbush, on October 3, 1955. On that occasion, his first remarks were, "This is really a perfect setup and an ideal environment for boys. The base is somewhat isolated yet it is handy to the many urban advantages." Senator For- bush is the father of two sons and is sincere in his personal desire to help needy boys.
Since then, at his written request (see copy of letter), and with the help of 32 other State senators, Boys Town has enlisted chairmen and committees in over 150 communities representing about 80 percent of the Massachusetts popu- lation which is over 5 million persons. These appointed citizens are pledged to raise the necessary funds to initiate the program and they have also agreed to interpret the program to their communities as it develops.
It is expected that over $1 million can be raised soon after the desired site is acquired. The average citizen who hears about the possibility of Boys Town being located at the familiar Sqnantum base invariably remarks, "It's a natural site."
Aren't the opinions and the normal reaction of a great many of our citizens to be respected?
Why weren't the two recommendations, in behalf of the Boys Town program on section A of the Squantum training base, voluntarily submitted by the com- mandant of the First Naval District (former tenants in 19.54) to the Depart- ment of the Navy taken under consideration?
It should be restated that Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., has requested the buildings and only 100 acres of the 645 acres declared surplus by GSA. On September 13, 1955, Boys Town officially notified GSA that the organization would offer $100.0(K) for the area needed. It is considered possible that this arrange- ment could result in a greater financial net profit to the United States Govern- ment if this section of 100 acres is made into a unit parcel, such as has already been done in the case of 10 acres set aside for educational use, mentioned by House Majority Leader John W. McCormack.
In my opinion, there is still time for reconsideration on the part of GSA to work out this desired and necessary arrangement. The Boys Town group would prefer to devote their time and energy to helping deserving boys rather than in preparing for the pending Senate hearing. There is a natural reluctance on their part to appear at this hearing but, as of now, there seems to be no alternative.
May I hear from you in this regard. Sincerely,
Fred P. Amershadian.
Exhibit No. 12
June 1, 1956.
Dear Congressman; General Services Administration (GSA) has advertised for public bids for the deactivated Squantum Naval Air Station. This is welcome news to the Massachusetts Boys Town organization since, for 2% years, the Boys Town group has been unable to take any satisfactory steps concerning acquisition of a portion of the base which includes 14 buildings and 100 acres of the available 648 acres. You will recall that these buildings represent a readymade com- munity, with a hangar which was used for recreational purposes, comparable in size to Braves Field.
An appropriate bid will be submitted prior to July 10, 1950, in behalf of the Boys Town organization. The amount will be in proportion to the reported present valuation of the Squantum base. It is anticipated that sources repre- senting industrial development will be in a position, financially, to submit what
88 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
might be considered, at first, substantially higher bids. However, GSA will be urged to evaluate the entire situation before making its decision as to disposal.
(1) Will the highest bidder be acceptable to the adjoining neighborhoods whose residents, at a meeting on July 11, 1955, have already objected to the possibility of a heavy industry, which would be considered detrimental to their residential areas, locating at Squantum?
(2) How many of the present buildings, numbering 20 on the entire base, will be eventually torn down "due to voluntary or involuntary abandonment," thereby resulting in major tax deductions? The cost of demolition is also considered deductible.
(3) Will the Federal Government be required to revive Document No. 394, passed in the 77th Congress, which recommends a 1-mile dredging operation from the main channel up to the Squantum base, primarily for oil-storage pur- poses? According to officials of the Massachusetts Port Authority, "present port facilities are more than adequate for some time."
(4) Will the estimated value of a Boys Town type of project such as proposed for one-sixth the Squantum area be taken into consideration? Based on Federal, State, and local statistics of financial costs, the savings value of the Massachu- setts Boys Town pilot project to the Commonwealth and the Nation can be esti- mated at over $150 million. The substantiating of this estimate which reempha- sizes the slogan, "A dollar saved is a dollar earned," will be made at a pending hearing in Washington in an attempt to overcome existing public apathy. The Massachusetts project proposes assistance for up to 4,500 boys, annually, in a 3-point program to help boys with a problem in a highly appealing environment.
(5) Should GSA dispose of the Squantum base as an integrated unit without DHEW first processing the Boys Town of Massachusetts application which has been on file in the New York DHEW regional office since May 17, 1955? In the past, DHEW had negotiated with Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., for a similar Government military installation, and there was an agreement on terms.
With best wishes. Sincerely,
Fred P. Amershadian.
Exhibit No. 13
June 5, 1956. Hon. FRANKLjisr G. Floete,
Administrator, General Services Administration,
Washington. D. C. Dear Sir: I wish to submit a private citizen's protest to the scheduled date of the opening of the bids for the deactivated Squantum Naval Air Station on June 10, 1956. This protest is based on the information included in the fol- lowing news releases:
(1) On Friday, May 18, 1956, it was announced by the regional office of the General Services Administration that the former Squantum base would be offered for sale to the highest bidder during the latter part of the month of June.
(2) On Friday, May 25, 1956, members of the Massachusetts congi-essional delegation were invited by the Massachusetts Boys Town group to inspect the area on June 10, 1956. The Boys Town organization has been interested in a por- tion of the base for 2^,^ years. However, due to an officinl ruling by GSA on January 16, 1956 (PS re: N-Mass-462), "no consideration" was granted to a previous application submitted by Boys Town of ;Massa('busetts. Inc.. which was filed with the New York regional office of DHIOW. This GSA ruling has been rightfully challenged b.v Boys Town of Massachusetts as l)eiiig invalid for two reasons. The facts pertaining to their challenge will be discussed at a pending United States Senate subcommittee hearing to be held during the month of June.
(3) On Thursday, May 31, 1956, the regional office of GSA made a second announcement tliat bids would be advertised on a new and earlier date, Svnulay, June 10. 1956.
This June 10 Sunday date happens to coincide with the previously selected date on which the members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation had been invited to inspect the base. In view of the questionable statement made by the assistant regional director in the Thursday, May 31, release "in expressing the belief that industry could and would outbid Boys Town for the site" and previous statements by the same assistant regional director which were stated in a letter to President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Jan. 8, 1956), it is my strong
jm'ENILE DELINQUENCY 89
belief that the timing of the opening bids for the sale of the Squantum base could have been set for June 10, 195(:J — a Sunday — in an attempt to em- barrass the contemplated visitation by members of the Massachusetts congres- sional delegation or their representatives.
However, I want it clearly understood, at this point, that I do not object to the site being advertised for bids. In fact, I welcome the same, because this action should facilitate a decision concerning the disposal of the base.
With the d(x;umented facts in my possession pertaining to questions which should be raised regarding the proposed sale of the entire base, as one unit, for industrial use, I am confident that an informed pulilic will urge that a com- plete and imjiartial investigation be made ccmcerning the planned disposal of the base, in behalf of the Federal Government, the State government, the resi- dents of Quincy. and the contemplated new national Boys Town type of program.
I also want you to know that the Boys Town group has been under the im- Itression that the original GSA ruling of January 16, 19.")6, for "no considera- tion," is still in effect. Yet you will note that in the news release of May 18, 1956. the regional director announced that "GSA would now honor any request from DIIEW." This is the first indication I have had of any change in the attitude of GSA, and I feel that the Boys Town group should be otiicially notified of such a change of policy by GSA so that the former ruling can be considered void. The organization has intentions of requesting that their application, still on file, be processed by DHEW, in spite of the handicaps which have resulted from certain local Quincy actions in conjunction with officials of the i-egional GSA office.
Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc., also intends to submit a cash bid, with reluctance, for a portion of the Squantum base, in proportion to its present ap- praised value. (Eleven acres of the Squantum base has already been allotted for educational use.)
Taking everything into consideration, I predict that no industry will be able to outbid the Boys Town organization for the requested 100 acres of the available 648 acres.
In order that the Boys Town group can keep to its schedule which was formu- lated on the basis of the May 18, 19r)6, release, stating that the Squantum base would be offered for sale to the highest bidder during the latter part of June, I am requesting, in all fairness, that the sale be held up for at least 10 days so that the Boys Town gi-oup can complete its planned inspections by interested persons, in a normal manner. If this is not possible because of the announce- ment already made by the GSA regional office of May 31, 1956, it would be con- sidered even more vitally important if the closing date of the bids could be extended to July 31, 1956, since there is so much at stake for Boys Town.
I feel that it will be for the best interest of all concerned if you will give this letter your i>ersonal attention. Furthermore, please consider this letter a cordial and urgent invitation for you, or your designated representative, to attend the an-anged inspection of the Squantum base on Sunday, June 10, 1956, at 2 p. m.
With best wLshes, Sincerely,
Fred P. Amershadian.
Exhibit No. 14
General Services Administration,
Washingtfm, n. C, June 21, 1956. Re naval air station, Squantum, Mass.
Mr. Fred P. Amershadian,
Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.,
Boston, Mass.
Dear Mr. Amershadian : Your letter of June 5 refers to the planned dis- posal of the surplus industrial property, formerly known as the Squantum Naval Air Station, about which you have had considei'able correspondence with mem- bers of my staff and our Boston regional office.
An advertising schedule has been in preparation. However, we are now ad- vised that the Department of the Navy is in process of preparing a report of excess covering an additional 23 acres of land at the subject installation. This land, with its improvements, when determined surplus will materially increase
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the sale value of the offering. Therefore, we have postponed our schedule until we are able to advertise the entire property for sale. The report of excess from the Department of Defense should be received in 60 days. Sincerely yours,
Franklin G. Floete, Adtninistraior.
Exhibit No. 15
JtTLY 4, 1956.
Dear Congressman McCormack : Thank you for your recent letter of June 25, 1956, stating that you "intend to follow the hearings before Senator Kefauver's subcommittee with special interest." With your permission, we would like to submit a copy of your letter of January 25, 1956, to the Senate subcommittee when you voluntarily notified the Quincy Chamber of Commerce that you "favored the Boys Town petition."
It is recognized that you have championed the cause of proposed educational use of Government surplus properties for some time, and I know of your sin- cere concern regarding actions, taken in recent DHEW requests, by GSA, which have not been granted assignment after being officially recommended.
Last week while in New York, a DHEW official confided in me that several recent worthwhile educational requests which had been originally approved by DHEW had been turned down by GSA in favor of commercial interests. It is my opinion that this could be considered somewhat of a national tragedy since it can be avoided. Industry and industrialists have themselves recognized the im- portance of the social welfare of our Nation and in this regard I am attaching a recent story which appeared in the Boston Herald, written by Bill Cunning- ham, entitled "Youth of United States No. 1 Problem."
On Friday, June 22, 1956, I received the following letter :
"An advertising schedule has been in preparation for the planned disposal of the Squantum Naval Air Station. However, we are now advised that the De- partment of the Navy is in process of preparing a report of excess covering an additional 23 acres of land at the subject installation. This land, with its im- provements, when determined surplus will materially increase the sale value of the offering. Therefore, we have postponed our scheduled until we are able to advertise the entire property for sale. The report of excess from the Department of Defense should be received in 60 days. "Sincerely yours,
"(Signed) F. F. Floete,
"Fbankxin G. Floete,
'' Admin istrator."
From this piece of Gorrespondence, it was my understanding that there would be an extension of 60 days during which bids might be received. Previously we had appealed to the Administrator for a 20-day extension of time. (Copy attached. )
However, on June 25, a news item appeared in the only Quincy daily news- paper :
"Reports that GSA would readvertise for bids for the sale of 640 acres of the abandoned Squantum property were unwarranted, Paul Healey of the Boston district office said today.
"The report was that GSA would readvertise for bids because the Navy Depart- ment had declared as excess an additional 23 acres. The hitch would hold up the sale of the property for 2 months, it was feared. After talking with GSA officials in Washington this morning, Mr. Healy said that since the Navy Depart- ment had need for some of the 23 acres involved, there was no plans made to add this plot which lies north of Victory Road, to the area to be sold. Bids ^ill be opened on July 10."
This typical inconsistency by GSA and the attitude of the assistant '-eglonal director during the past 2 years has caused Boys Town of jNIassachusetts, Inc., to change its plans completely. Whereas Boys Town intended to submit wliat they considered a fair bid of $1.50,000, with the required deposit of $7,500 available, they have now been strongly advised to submit only a token bid. (Actually the Boys Town bid is for 100 of the available 648 acres.)
In view of the potential savings value to the Federal Government, estimated at $150 million, the lioys Town token bid of $1 can be considered a fair price. This Boys Town estimate has been substantiated by Russell G. Oswald, com-
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 91
missiouer of the Department of Correction of Massachusetts, and as you know, Mr. Oswald is higlily regarded as a national authority. Here is an excerpt from his letter of July 6, 1956 :
"These potential Massachusetts Boys Town savings would be the result of keeping youngsters out of public-training schools, reformatories, and prisons, and it is my feeling that a sound program which could accomplish this could actually effect savings that great ($3 million annually for a period of 50 years) . Very truly yours,
Russell G. Oswald, Commissioner.
Also, the metropolitan district commissioner, Charles W. Greenougli, per- sonally, assured me on July 6, 1956, that there was still a general interest on his part concerning Squantum Air Base for a proposed marina. This was based in a study and recommended program of development of parks and reservations and recreational facilities of the metropolitan parks district, 1956. At a recent hearing in the State House, Qiiincy Chamber of Commerce representatives were the chief opposers to the proposed use of the base for this general public benefit. I intend to notify leaders of the Massachusetts Legislature of the commission- er's continued interest in spite of the recorded opposition by the Quiucy group. The type of program recommended by the metropolitan district commission would blend with the proposed Boys Town program and this would still leave over 500 acres for industrial use. This new decision to submit a token bid was further prompted by two industrialists who stated that they were prepared to submit a substantial bid on the entire base. If their bid is declared he highest, they claim that since most of the buildings will be useless to them, they would plan to tear them down or they might consider giving them to a charitable organization which could use them. In fact, they stated that they cannot see how most of these buildings would be useful to any industrialist, which verifies what Boys Town has been claiming to GSA for same time. Yet GSA insists that the entire base is suited for industrial use only.
We have attempted to keep each member of the Massachusetts congressional f'elegation informed of developments concerning disposal of the former naval air ^;ation at Squantum. Your past assistance has enabled Boys Town to keep its - proposals alive and your continued support is invaluable. Sincerely,
Fred P. Amershadian.
P. S. — Our application submitted to DHEW in 1955 has still not been processed because of the ruling by GSA on January 16, 1956. Boys Town of Massachusetts is confident that they can meet the DHEW requirements.
Copies of this letter to Franklin G. Floete, Administrator. Washington, D. C. Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency. Mr. William Madden, Northeast regional surplus property officei'.
Exhibit No. 16
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
Department of Correction,
Boston, July 6, 1956. Mr. Feed Amershadiax,
Coordinator, Boys Town of Massachusetts, Inc.,
Boston, Mass. Dear Mr. Amershadian : This confirms the discussion we had in my office yes- terday, at which time you told me something of the proposed program' for a Boys Town ill Massachusetts.
There can be no doubt but that there is great need for a properly managed private program for dealing with predelinquent youngsters. It is my understand- ing t' r>Mt is your hope that this type of program can be established here with a soune {-jMlosophy and with able staff.
You^jvjinted out to me in your discussion the tremendous potential savings that can be made for the State if such a program becomes operative, and I be- lieve your estimate of such savings is approximately $.3 million a year. These potential savings would be the result of keeping youngsters out of "public train- ing schools, reformatories, and prisons, and it is my feeling that a sound program which could acomplish this could actually effect savings that great. Very truly yours,
Russell G. Oswald, Commissioner.
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Exhibit No. 17
QuiNCY Chamber of Commerce,
Quincy, Mass., January 10, 1956. Hon. John W. McCormack, House of Representatives,
'Washi7igtOn, D. C. Dear Congressman McCormack : I understand that a letter lias been mailed to the President by F. P. Amershadian, urging that the President intercede in the interests of establishing a Boys Town on a section of the former site of the Squantum Naval Air Station.
There is much opposition to such a move. Editorials in opposition have ap- peared in the local newspaper — the Quincy Patriot Ledger. There have been several meetings of neighborhood groups in opposition, and several city officials are very much in opposition.
A community committee has been functioning for some time in an effort to create a desii-able industrial development in the area. There has been no ap- parent opposition from any source relative to such a move. The area is zoned for industry, and recently the city government amended the zoning law to prohibit the possibility of residential properties being constructed there.
We anticipate industrial development in the area that will create some $50 million in new assessed valuations. Such an improvement will help lessen the tax burden on the taxpayers of the city, as well as create considerable new em- ployment.
The site has an 18-foot channel. The United States engineers are about to redredge the Neponset River, on which the former air station is located. Rail facilities are also available. This is one of the finest industrial sites in New England — over 500 acres, and within a short distance of the main Boston Channel.
A copy of a brochure we published some months ago, in the interests of pub licizing this area, is enclosed.
Please exert every effort to prevent this entire area being made available for -anything but industrial use. Actually, the location was formerly marshlan* and poorly adapted to any other than industrial use.
William A. O'Connell, Executive Vice Preside'"*
Senator Kefauver. Let's hear from the gentleman of GSA.
How are you, Mr. Peyton. Glad to see you.
Mr. Peyton. Glad to see you, Senator Kefauver.
Senator Kefau\tce. We are going to have to bring this hearing to a conclusion fairly soon. Mr. Peyton, you are with the GSA. Tf^n us what the attitude of the GSA is.
STATEMENT OF THOMAS L. PEYTON, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Mr. Peyton. The attitude of the GSA is that the highest and best use of this property is for industrial use and development and as such it is not available for assignment to the Department of Health, Edu- cation, and Welfare for educational purposes.
I would like, incidentally, to go into some detail here, because the areas at Squantum are not all available for use. There are 100 acres of marshland. There are 250 acres of dry, level land. There are 264 acres of tidal flats, and 28 acres of mostly marsh.
Senator Kefauver. You mean in this 800 acres ?
Mr. Peyton. Yes; you really have 250 acres of good, dry liy/jl. It is true that a developer with sufficient resources could bulkhead this property and fill it in at a very considerable cost of money, but as it stands today it cannot be used except for the area that I mentioned.
We have, in the past, been perfectl}' willing to work with HEW and assign to them for transfer to Boys Town, which all of us, of course, are in favor of, other sites of a nonindustrial character whenever HEW asks us for them. On the other hand, we do not feel that where
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 93
a, ]f)roperty is so highly improved for industrial use and so strategically located for industry purposes that it should be considered as the highest use for educational purposes.
Senator Kefauv'er. This part here that is marked out, inside the semicircle, is that the part that would be good for industrial use ?
Mr. Peyton. That is right; and approximately 150 more acres, I assume that represents about a hundred acres within the circle. There are about 150 more acres of dry land.
Senator Kefauveb. Wliat is this hangar?
Mr. Peytox. It is a building of some character, but I doubt if that is a hangar at that location. I think the big hangar is located within the circle, sir.
Senator KEFAtrv^ER. Mr. Amershadian, what is this building?
You are talking about the big hangar ?
Mr. Amershadian. That is this building here.
Senator Kefauver. What is this building here?
Mr. Amershadian. A warehouse building.
Senator Kefaitster. The only part used for Boys Town would be the main part where the principal buildings are ; is that right ?
Mr. Amershadian. Yes.
Senator Kefauver. Where was it you said that you thought the steam plant could be built that would not interfere ?
Mr. Amershadian. There is plenty of room right in there.
Mr. Peyton, There are only 150 acres according to our Boston office and an independent contract appraisal, that is level, dry land; the ba Vince has to be filled in before that is to be used.
, ..<ir. Amershadian. How much filling would it need?
Kr. Peyton. I don't know. You have to bulkhead it to keep tlie tides out bei'ore you could build or fill it.
Senator Kefau\'er. Do you know what the Boston Edison has in mind for this land?
Mr, Pey^;on. Only the purpose which was mentioned in their bid. They plan to use the property for a steam generating plant to produce elect icity.
Se lator Kefauver. I would assume there v/ould be portions of tliis pro{ ^rt^/ that they would want to resell as being in excess of the amo liittiey would need for that one purpose. What allied indus- trie? thej might want to being in in connection with their project, I do I't krftw, because the bid did not disclose it.
M r. Pejf'U, lilt your position is that as to the whole area that thi^re' 'S IT' >t any jlace there for Boys' Town type of school ? Is that it?
M r. Peiton. Our feeling is that should, we should sell surplus prop- erty a-ccording to its highest and best use which is for industrial devel- opment and utilization.
Senator lOTAtrvER. Are you familiar with what other surplus prop- erty you have in that area ?
Mr. Peyt^-ox. Not at the moment. I couldn't list them for you at the. moment. I will be glad to supply the committee a list of them for the record.
SiBnator Kefauver. We would be very happy to have not everything but I mean places where they have houses, barracks, buildings which might have some possible use for a Boys Town type of school.
Mr. Peyton. AVe will be glad to sum it up and submit it to you.
Senator Kefaitver. Anything else, Mr. Bobo, let me ask this. Don't answer if it is giving away confiidential information. Can you tell
94 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
US whether anything further about this bid, does this meet your quali- fications, your price, will there be some disposition or some action oai this Boston Edison bid ?
Mr. Peyton. Yes, sir. The price does meet our requirements as to the current fair market value of the property and it is proposed -to, I assume, accept the bid.
Senator Kefauver. How soon will we know ?
Mr. Peyton. That has to come in from the Boston regional office for the approval of our Administrator and I imagine they will send it in promptly.
Sir. BoBo. If a private organization had bid more for a certain portion of this land and then the rest of it offered for industrial ase, that would have matched this bid could that have been consid©i"ed by the GSA or under the present regulations do you have to sell it all as one unit ?
Mr. Peyton. We don't haA'e to sell any property as one unit. But we do have a number of considerations that we have to take into at. - count, namely the disposition and the maintenance of common utilities. In other words, the Governnient does not want to be saddled with a continuing responsibility to furnish your utilities that have to come from a common source. That is one reason why we in cases of this kind, we do not want to attempt to subdivide it because we wo^ild be in the position of attempting to furnish the purchaser with seyi. n\ water, gas, and electricity unless we could make some deal with Qui vcy to take over those responsibilities.
Senator Kefauver. Do you know anything about steam generaviig plants ?
Mr. Peyton. No, sir ; I am sorry to say I don't. . ,
Senator Kefauver. I had always thought they had to have, a* ffre«;t abundance of fresh water. , - -
Mr. Peyton. I know they have tremendously large water nan ins in this property, whether the city of Quincy has a sufficient suT)ply of fresh water to supply the plant I don't know. But I am J-ure the utilities there would know.
Senator Kefauver. Where are the railroad sidings and the ti acks ?
Mr. Peyton. The railroad sidings come on the edge oi the tank farm, right down here, that comes in here and serves this :ow ^^^ ^il-
Senator Kefauver. Are the railroad carlines down here/
Mr. Peyton. No, they would have to be brought in froii thife, ter- minus right here.
Mr. Bono. Was there any consideration given to the Boys Tow/i project?
Mr. Peyton. Yes, sir. We talked to Mr. Amershadian about it. I am sure the Boston office discussed the matter with hiui. Wc always have tried to be frank in telling him that we felt the pioperty should be sold for industrial purposes and that it wouldn't be valuable or available for disposal for educational purposes. Mr-, Amershadiar I am sure will agree to that statement. In one letter from him dated June 5, he said :
However I want it clearly understood at this point that I do not object tx> the site being advertised for bids. In fact I welcome the same because this action should facilitate a decision concerning the disposal of the base.
Senator Kefauver. All right, thank you, Mr. Peyton.
Mr. Peyton, how long will it take you to furnish us with a, list «nd some descriptions of various possibilities? , ^ i , , , .
Mr. Peyton. Would tomorrow morning be time enough for you t
jm^ENILE DELINQUENCY 95
Senator \tvEFj»tJVER. I would appreciate it if you could do it by the morning.
Mr. PijYTO-. I will be glad to do it.
Senat Qj. Kefauver. Is that all the witnesses?
^^i'- ^BoBO. That is all the witnesses.
^6' lator Kefadver. Thank you very much, gentlemen. This has beeji an interesting hearing. AVe will discuss this matter in executive ^^ssion with other members of the committee and with the members of ^^v stalf and we will have some statement to make about it within *^;e next few days.
'1 t]iink I can say at this point that I think there is sufficient evidence to show that the Boys Town type of school in New England serving the nuuiy States in "that part of the country would be a great help ^Y ^Puth opportunity and readjustment in giving young people a clis.ii',^ to get back on their feet, and prevention of deiinquency.
,^ want to express admiration for the diligence and persistence ^^^'^^ -.vliich Mr. Amershadian and those associated with him have worke^l in ordev to try to make this dream a reality. I can also ^^^^^^"and the jjosition of the mayor and the chamber of commerce, the ^e,jgj.j^j Services Administration, in connection with this par- ticular ; ^^g
We w;n ^g qi_iickly as possible so as not to have our decision in question r^^ ^^ what our attitude is, review the matter with other members ^f ^^^j. committee and have a report and a statment to make about It v.j.y soon.
i y^V^^ o tliank all the witnesses who have come here to testify.
1 leel t^.^^ jj^ addition to the discussion of the specific matter here oi this na ..^j b^g^, that the professional and technical information we have g^j'^p^ • as to the needs of this section of the country for a Boys low^]^^^_^^ ^f school, the information that has been furnished as to how \^^.^^ ^ sctiool should be organized and managed will be of valuable gener:^ ij^formation to this committee and to people in the United ^^^^^'rwlio are interested in juvenile delinquency generally and more especi.jjy jj^ ^i^jj. type of school so I think the hearing has been of great /aiue to us regardless of what decision we may make and issue ^^*^yie merits of this particular location.
( ^^r" following was presented for the record :)
STATE^if>j^>T, OF Nelson S. Bryant, Selectman, Assessor, Welfare Agent, Town OF West Ttsbuey, IMass., 19B4 to Date ; Secretary of Dukes County Select- men's Association Since 1950; Employed by Massachusetts Department jF Natural Resources in Forest Fire Prevention Work
•^n September 195.J I was asked by State Senator Richard Fiubush to serve as
a J interim trustee,, representing Dukes and Nantucket Counties for the proposed
io>*' Town of Massachusetts project. I was also asked, as a trustee, to secure
ames of suitable individuals who would be agreeable to acting as town chair-
.oen in their respective towna The names of men who agreed to act as town
{.hairmen are as follows :
Eilw. INI. Douglas, retired, active, Boy Scouts Vineyard Haven, Mass.
Edw. K. Simpson, retired, active. Boy Scouts, luogtu-town, Mass.
Chas. B. Oook,' retired, active. Boy Scouts, West Tislniry, Mass.
.^jhn 1j. Hardy, selectman, Nantucket, Mass.
LenJ. Mayhew, .Jr., selectman, Chilmark, Mass.
Theo. L. Howell, active. Boy Scouts. Gay Head, Mass.
Robt. H. Hughes, postmaster. Oak Bluffs, Mass. In November lO-^.j and in .January 1956 I was present at meetings of Boys Town trustees at the Parker House, Boston. I was impressed at these meetings by the evident sincerity of the men present and by the fact that in most cases
96 JirV'ENILE DELINQUEXCY
they were experienced in Boy Scout and like activities. I was a:'*'" iinpressed by the enthusiasm and capacity for hard work shown by Fred AraeiT,"*^*^?^ ^^^ by Gordon Hnrd in furthering the interests of Ijoys Town. u' a
Having in mind the success of projects such as CCC camps during ti,^ depres- sion years, the GI training following World War II, and Father Flanagans Nebraska Boys Town, I cannot help but feel that the idea back of Bo*?' J:^^" of Massachusetts is a sound one. I am convinced, too, that the citizens oi Dvjkes and Nantucket Counties, and for that matter the citizens of the Conimonw"^^^^ of Massachusetts, will be solidly behind Boys Town. I do not know af .^"^ better investment than money put into the proi^er training and education of '"^"^ young people.
STATEilENT BY Dr. WII.LIAM HaRTIGAN
My name is William Hartigan. I reside at 6 Spragiie Street. Rever*^. Hass I am mai'ried and the father of three children. I graduated from In''"ac*iilat«' Conception High School, Revere, Mass. I attended Suffolk University and.gi^]*-<V|^" atetl from Beacon Institute of Podiatry, Boston. Mass. I served 4 year, '^V^?f Revere School Committee. I am a former chairman of the Revere branch ■'^^^.^ American Red Cross and present member of the board of directors of the '^'^'*^' can Red Cross. , ^.- 1. ,
It was my privilege to spend 3 months at Boys Town in Nebraska. 'X'i ^^ ,^,^ afforded me the opportunity to study and observe the work ags of rhis P^^"^'^ and successful project. At the time I was there, Boys Town had ai>pr6"'*^"* "^ 800 boys from about 6 to 20 years of age. It now has about 1 ,000. . '
Boys Town is divided into 2 groups: the elementary, grades 1 to 8; *"^ ^-^^ high school, grades 9 to 12. The boys have a choice of attending eithV? a trade school or a regular academic high school. The elementary group Mv» .^^.j^^'^ ment-type living quarters, two stories high and divided into large (j,"i""tMieH. The high-school group live in cottages, about 17 boys to a cottage. * •> ■"_..
Youngsters come to Boys Town through the courts, charitable i^or-'^*®'! W^ ? large number just wander in on their own. • »rt '
The boy are first tested to determine their mental ability and ^]^ ^^^^^ complete medical checkup. Tliey are init into groups where it is : tnat the boys will feel more at home and will make the most progress.' , ' .
The directors in charge of programs and supervision are clergyir ,(ij^ rl^
tion to the regular educational and athletic activities, all boys ?^ .^ eu""/'^'^^ to participate in religious services of their own faith. This paVti-uhji. _ ^^^^' in my opinion, is the key to the success enjoyed by Boys Town, ^eb^askM ^^^^ since it was founded by Father Flanagan. A person visiting Boyg Town ^^^^*'*' help but feel the part that Divinity is playing in the success of . /u; iu^* - *^ and the longer one stays there and observes the activities of the project, sX^ ™ofe convincing this feeling becomes.
As a member of the board of directors of Boys Town. Massachuser^' ~^" Suffolk County, I intend to do everything i>o.ssible to see that the Massa* ,!'. '•^ Boys Town follows the pattern of Boys Town, Nebr., particularly the rr^Sious training. It is imperative that the clergy of all faiths play a major n'^ ^" ^ project such as this. No boy should ever want for religious guidance, L*^iPi ^^r advice. The.se boys .should be literally stumbling over sources prepared tpl^'*^^ them from a spiritual standpoint. It is intended that these .sourcQ>! will minuter from their own chapels. .
It must ne realized that preclellnqnent children hnA^e nothing, or nolwdy to h;^*^ UP to. In most normal families, the childien look up to their parents. Tl'y are anxious to do something that will move their parents to praise them. tJs little praise, or the feeling that he has made someone happy, or has accomplisheJ something that has caused his parents to feel proud, is his reward.
I would also like to state before this connnittee th«t, as a county trusft^, I fe4 confident that Suffolk County area win tio its share when the iiutial fund-raisin) campaign gets underway. Boys Town project has set $1 per family as its goal, which .should net tlum up|)roximately ,$1 million. In tlie pa.st Suffolk Count' has always raised 25 percent of the total moneys raised in othpr worthw>'ne drives. I feel that they will respond in a like manner to this drive and raise in the vicinity of .$250,000. .
Senator Kefaua'ER. We will stand in recess subject to furthei" call of the chariman.
(Whereupon, at 12: 15 p. m., the hearing was adjourned.)
X