Turner's Public Spirit, October 1, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Legion post of this town was organized on Monday at
the Legion headquarters on Boston road. There was a good attendance and a good degree of
interest, with the following officers chosen: Mrs. Bertha H. Hildreth, pres.; Mrs. Edith Spinner,
vice pres.; Mrs. Joan S. Cameron, sec.; Miss Patterson, treas.; Mrs. Edith L. Hildreth, Mrs. Alice
M. Wells, Miss May Lord, ex. com.; Mrs. Eva F. Courchane, membership committee. The ladies
served coffee and doughnuts to members of the Legion after both business meetings.
“October first and hardly any frost on Westford hill.
“Special Town Meeting. There will be a special town meeting in the town hall on Thursday
evening, October 6, at eight o’clock, to act on the following articles after choosing a moderator:
“Art. 4. To see if the town will vote to borrow money for the erection of a schoolhouse at
Forge Village and for equipping and furnishing the same, and act in relation thereto.
“Art. 6. To see if the town will vote to build a schoolhouse on the land to be acquired in the
vicinity of Brookside and equip and furnish the same, and act in relation thereto.
“Art. 8. To see if the town, in accordance with the provision of Section 18, Chapter 114 of the
General Laws, will take charge of and keep in good order the Wright cemetery located on the
northerly side of the Groton road, and act in relation to the same.
“. Dry weather and not a good fruit season affected the display at the
annual agricultural church fair under the auspices of the Congregational church last week Friday
afternoon and evening. However, there were many good specimens from orchards and gardens.
The sales tables for aprons, fancy articles, candy, white elephant and children’s booth all received
good patronage. The supper … was largely attended, in charge of Mrs. Perley E. Wright and a
large group of helpers.
“About Town. William Pollock, manager of the Fletcher Cold Spring farm, harvested four
tons of squash on a little over an acre, and more to be harvested. The parents of these squash did
not show up until June 28, owing to drought and other hindrances. It is a remarkable showing
and we so remark.
“Guest night was observed at West Chelmsford Grange on last week Thursday evening.
Those invited were residents of the village and Westford Corner and west on Lowell road as far
as Taylor’s Corner and over sixty-five years of oldness….
“Donald M. Cameron, of Westford and Lowell, has been elected a trustee of the Lowell
cemetery.
“Paul V. Lundberg, of Brookside, occupied the pulpit last Sunday afternoon at the hall of the
Abbot Worsted Company in Brookside, taking for his text, ‘Millions are now living who will
never die.’ Seems as though we had heard of that text before somewhere [a reference to the
Millerite movement in Westford in the mid-1840s]. We have been informed that it has been
preached for two thousand years. Oh well, it seems as if it wasn’t as long ago as that.
“Deer are becoming plentiful on Francis hill in the vicinity of Chamberlin’s Corner. Three
have been seen recently and more are expected to be seen as young apple trees recently set out
make desirable browsing. We have always believed in the preservation of the deer, but dear me if
we believe in preserving the deer in somebody’s apple reservation. Massachusetts has one
million acres of waste land. This should be fenced for the roaming reservation of the deer. The
deer are dear to me, but when they browse off my apple trees they are still dearer.
“Miss Emily Fletcher, who is an authority on birds, flowers, ferns and other beautiful things of
nature, attended a natural history meeting in Worcester [the New England Federation of Natural
History Societies] last week.
“Miss Edna Sargent has returned for her second year at the Massachusetts Agricultural
college. She will be at the Abigail Adams dormitory, named for that famous woman of
Massachusetts, who understood how to carry on her farm during the American revolution and
who has the unique distinction of being the wife of one president and the mother of another.
“Graniteville. Many people from this village attended the social dance given by the Abbot
Worsted Co. soccer club in Forge Village on last week Friday night and report a very enjoyable
time….
“The Abbot Worsted Soccer club was defeated by the American Woolen Co. of Lawrence at
Forge Village on last week Saturday by three goals to two. On this Saturday the Abbots will play
the Arlington mills eleven at Forge Village….”
Bertha Huntington (Norris) Hildreth (1883-1979), shown c. 1912, was the first president of
Westford’s Ladies’ Auxiliary of the American Legion. Courtesy Photo / Westford Historical
Society.