Turner's Public Spirit, August 6, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. No less than four outings are scheduled for the near future. The Spalding Light
Cavalry association leads off on next Thursday [with] a ‘stag party’ in the afternoon and evening,
[and] sports at 2:30 at Whitney playground…. The Westford post, A.L., have their carnival at
Abbot’s field Forge Village, on Friday and Saturday, August 12 and 13…. Reunion and outing of
the state guard and the Republican league will come next month….
“From pleasant greetings sent to Westford friends from Miss Edith A. Wright, who is visiting
at Sagamore, the following is of kindly interest: ‘We saw the [presidential yacht] ‘Mayflower’
with President Harding on board come through the canal this morning. He was met just outside
of the canal by three battleships and five destroyers, and followed by one other destroyer. It was
wonderful when they all saluted the president.’
“The band concert on the common last Sunday afternoon by the Abbot Worsted Company
band was largely attended and much enjoyed. It was estimated that there were 500 people in
attendance, all three sides of the common being lined with automobiles. The band of thirty-five
members, with James Larkin as conductor, shows the result of faithful practice. It is represented
by four members from Westford Center as follows: Gordon Seavey, cornet; Eric Anderson,
trombone; Carl Anderson, clarinet, and Sigurd Peterson, bass horn. Frank Charlton sang a vocal
solo with band accompaniment, ‘Little crumbs of happiness’ and ‘Stand up and sing for your
father,’ and the entire band sang ‘My mother’s evening prayer.’ Before the concert was over the
elements took a hand and proceeded to have a concert of their own with thunder, lightning, wind
and rain, and people scattered to their homes in haste.
“Mr. and Mrs. Harry Nesmith and Mr. and Mrs. Frank C. Wright went to Plymouth to attend
the memorial pageant, ‘The spirit of the Pilgrims,’ last Monday. They were enthusiastic over the
beauty of the pageant and the parade that day and were able to see President Harding and his
party nicely. They were impressed with the genial and handsome personality of our chief
executive and with his thoughtful and capable speech. In spite of the enormous crowds that day
good order prevailed and everything was well managed. Perfect weather conditions added to the
impressiveness of all the day’s proceedings.
“The borders of town farm brook and the meadows are a beautiful sight just now with the
blossoms of the spiked loosestrife. The seeds of this flower were imported in the wool waste and
has spread rapidly in a few years. Just now, with its rich magenta coloring, it makes a beautiful
wild flower garden.
“‘Laddie,’ Perley E. Wright’s young dog, was hit by an auto last Sunday evening, and at first
it was thought seriously injured, but has improved since and is expected to be all right. A group
of the village dogs, if one leads off, chase the autos, going in wild glee, yapping and barking with
all their might, and just such an accident as happened Sunday evening has been the fear of many
drivers.
“About Town. The Horne Coal Company, of Lowell, are hauling crushed stone from the H.
E. Fletcher Company stone quarry on Oak hill … to the repairs on the state road from Littleton to
Groton.
“At a recent meeting of the school committee the following persons were appointed to
transport the school children … to the Center schools: Everett Miller and Edward Green, from
Brookside; Edward Clement, north of Stony Brook railroad; James D. Wilson, Minot’s Corner;
George A. Kimball, Nashobah [sic] and West section.
“Amos Polley, on the Prairie farm, is digging potatoes only eight hills for a peck much of the
time. These potatoes were raised from New York state and procured through the Farm Bureau.
They are a 1921 success and recent rains have braced up a rainless June.
“Hail fell in the Stony Brook valley during the thunder shower last Sunday afternoon. Not
being particularly fond of hail at this time of the year we passed it on to West Chelmsford.
Haven’t heard whether they liked it or not.
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted Co. club defeated the fast Canton team here in a thrilling
thirteen inning game on last Saturday by the score of 2 to 1. The game was hotly contested
throughout and only two errors were made in the early part of the game that had no bearing on the
result. Tucker and Nolan did the battery work for the Abbots….”
The presidential yacht Mayflower passes under the Bourne Bridge over Cape Cod Canal on
August 1, 1921, carrying President and Mrs. Warren G. Harding en route to Plymouth. Courtesy
Photo / Boston Evening Globe, August 1, 1921.