Residents Sit In At Model Cities For More Funds

A group of about 100 Cambridge residents staged a sit-in at the Cambridge Model Cities (M.C.) office on Columbus St. late Wednesday night to demand money from the Model Cities program for the Margaret Fuller Settlement House.

"It was so simplistic," said Daniel O'Connell '70, vice-chairman of the Cambridge Model Cities governing board, which administers federal anti-poverty funds in Cambridge. "It almost seemed as though they thought they could get the money right then, as though someone would write out a check and they could just take the money with them."

Mothers and Children

The residents, mainly mothers and children, interrupted an informal private meeting of the M.C. governing board to present their demands. The director of the Cambridge M.C., Robert B. Williams, told the group that a private M.C. meeting was not the place to discuss the group's proposals.

Joanne Pelham, spokeswoman for the residents, demanded money to reconstruct and adequately staff the dilapidated Fuller Settlement House. She insisted that an M.C. board member accompany them to present their plea to the Northeastern M.C. administrative board in New York. The board supported her by a show of hands.

"You go to New York tomorrow." said one demonstrator. "Tell them the kids are ready to tear the city down, and get more money. Tell them the natives are restless."

Rodney Jackson, recreation specialist for M.C., agreed the demands were "legitimate." Another M.C. worker admitted that the regular channels were "not responsive"

"Three years ago the United Community Services stopped funding the Cambridge settlement houses," said Francis X. Hayes, a second-year student at the School of Education and chairman of the Cambridge Model Cities board.

"They decided to give their money to cities with more critical problems. In effect, they were saying that they wouldn't give money to Cambridge because we had no socio-economic uprisings. By fiscal 1970 the settlement houses will have no money to operate," Hayes said.