Turner's Public Spirit, September 10, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. Some excellent work has been done in outlining the curves at the various turns on
the roads in town with [center] white lines. As every auto driver knows, this is an effective safety
precaution, for if each driver keeps well to the right of the line there would be no collisions.
“The board of assessors have settled the tax rate this week at an even twenty-five dollars,
which is lower than first anticipated. Plenty high enough, the property holders will all agree, but
not as bad as some of the towns we have read of.
“Mrs. George Walker invited the other teachers and a few friends to meet Mr. Carter, the new
principal at the Frost school, Tuesday evening, at her home. Mr. Carter and his bride are staying
at Mrs. Walker’s home until the house they expect to have for the winter is available.
“Mr. and Mrs. Perley E. Wright and son Harold, E. J. Whitney and Mrs. H. M. Bartlett
enjoyed a pleasant three-days’ trip to the White Mountains over the holiday weekend. Franconia
Notch, Lost River and the Flume were visited. The fine weather made the Presidential Range, the
Old Man of the Mountain, the lakes and all the beauties of the region especially enjoyable….
“We failed last week to make mention of the band concert which took place the preceding
Sunday afternoon on the common, given by the members of the Abbot Worsted Company band.
This was the last concert of the season and was a success, with fine weather, a large attendance
and the members of the band were in excellent form, giving a really fine concert to their hearers.
“Charles Colburn plans to go to the Massachusetts Agricultural college in Amherst this fall.
“Fisher Buckshorn returns to Proctor academy, Andover, N.H., for the fall term.
“A. A. Hildreth is transporting the scholars this year from his part of the town [Concord Rd.
near Hildreth St.].
“About Town. David L. Greig and Ralph P. Cutting have bought and cut the grass in the
Walker meadow, now owned by William E. Green. This meadow is on Tadmuck brook and the
quality of the grass is exceptionally good, being above the flowage of Brookside mills that
intervene with picturesque rocky falls….
“The last meeting of the Grange proved to be a success that gave us the cheerful hour.
Eleanor Colburn as Ceres, Frieda Johnson as Pomona, and Gladys Ingalls, as Flora, had the
program in charge and gave a most creditable evening. Mr. Heilon, of Lowell, gave one of the
best exhibitions of instrumental piano playing that we have heard in the town hall. To the encores
he responded with bows and more piano. Miss Eleanor Colburn, at the piano and song, held her
audience to well deserved applause. Mrs. W. R. Taylor entertained humorously between the
piano acts with readings, and was unanimously applauded. Altogether and singly the committee
in charge are to be congratulated on their hit.
“Amos Polley brushed up and blossomed out, laid down the shovel and hoe, cleared himself
from the cobwebs of farm life, forgot all about plans for next year’s potato-tobacco crop,
observed Labor day and went in an automobile for a good time to Lynn beach….
“August 30 was reputed to be the hottest day for thirty years. We felt so, for we were busy
picking blackberries … and we were obliged to go and ‘bide-a-wee’ in the shade of a huckleberry
bush.
“Mrs. A. J. Abbot, Mrs. C. R. P. Decatur and Miss Luanna Decatur motored out to Clinton
one day recently to see the wonderful [Wachusett] reservoir which supplies Boston with water.
“Word has been received from Prof. and Mrs. John A. Taylor of their safe arrival at Grand
Forks, N.D., on Saturday, September 3. They had a four-days’ trip on the Great Lakes to Duluth,
Minn., and then motored through the lake and forest region of the state to North Dakota.
“Amos Polley, on the ‘morning glory’ farm, formerly the Prairie farm, has with the assistance
of Charles Robey finished harvesting his tobacco. He is now busy preparing land for tobacco,
wheat and rye, and looking for shed room for his tobacco.
“Graniteville. In one of the best [baseball] games of the season the Abbot Worsted Company
club won the ‘rubber’ game from the Hudson town team here on last Saturday by the score of 6 to
5. Williams and Murphy did the battery work for the Abbots….
“The mills of the Abbot Worsted Company started up at the usual hour on Tuesday morning
after being closed ten days for the annual vacation.
“C. G. Sargent’s shop is closed this week for the annual vacation of the employees.”
Fisher Buckshorn (1905-1985) was the son of Rev. Louis and Adeline (Fisher) Buckshorn.
Courtesy Photo / Westford Historical Society.