1938-04-15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 1 BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING APRIL 15th, 1938 A meeting of the Board of Appeals was -held in the Select- men's Room, Town Office Building, at 8:00 P. M. Chairman Maddison, Messrs. Glynn, Ferguson, Kimball and Robbins were present. The Secretary was also present. At 8:00 P. M. hearing was declared open on the application of the Girl Scouts of Lexington for permission to maintain a Girl Scout House on the premises located at 2 Lincoln Street owned by Margaret E. O'Brien. The notice of the hearing was read by the Clerk, Mr. Robbins. About sixty persons were present at the hearing. Mrs. Norman I. Downs, Commissioner of the Lexington Girl Scouts, spoke in favor of the granting of the petition. She said that it had been the dream of the leaders of the Girl Scouts for years to have some headquarters. Mrs. Downs read from the Girl Scout Blue Book, the ideals and aims of a Scout. Mrs. Downs said that the house at 2 Lincoln Street had been offered to the Girl Scouts and because it adjoined the play- ground, the location wad ideal. The Scouts could have a nature library, a miniature bird sanctuary, an arts and crafts room, a room in which astronomical charts could be kept, etc. Mrs. Downs said that Concord and Hingham had scout headquarters in residential neighborhoods and these headquarters had proved to be an asset to the neighborhood rather than a detriment. The Chairman asked Mrs. Downs to explain in detail what the house would be used for. She said that it would be used as headquarters for the council meetings and troop meetings. Some of the younger girls will have their activities inside the house. Occasionally there may be picnic groups. Ir. Kimball asked if there would be any evening uses and Mrs. Downs said that the Girl Scout leaders did not encourage evening parties as the girls were too young for that. However, occasionally they might have a tea or something like that take place in the evening but at any rate, it would not be late. Mr. Glynn asked if the hours the children would use the house would be after school, and she replied in the affirmative. Mr. Glynn asked where the present headquarters were and Mrs. Downs said that they did not have any. Mr. Willard C. Hill of 2160 Mass. Avenue spoke in favor of the granting of the petition. He said that he hoped the Board would see fit to grant the permit, speaking not as a near -by neighbor, although he lives in the general vicinity. He said he could not but feel that the interest of the Town almost required that the Board do this for the people. He said he knew he was speaking for a great many mothers and fathers. He said that Lexington was destined to have in the near future, a place for the youth of the Town that would be 117