Turner's Public Spirit, June 18, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. A pleasant outing was enjoyed by the senior class of the academy on Tuesday when
they made a trip to Old Orchard Beach; also stopping at Hampton and Salisbury. A party of
twenty, chaperoned by William C. Roudenbush and Mrs. Harry M. Ingalls, went in three autos
driven by Harold Harrington, Chester Lapniewski and Leo McDonald, members of the class, left
home at seven o’clock, reaching Old Orchard about noon…. As the weather was all that could be
desired and no accidents occurred, the trip made a delightful ending for their years in the
academy.
“During the past week men have been busy oiling the streets. As the roads have been very
dusty lately this application of oil has been much desired.
“The Ladies’ Missionary society will meet on Friday at the home of the Misses Atwood [4
Graniteville Road]. Mrs. George F. White is to have charge of the program. Important business
is to be discussed so that a large attendance is desired.
“The graduating exercises of the academy take place next Wednesday morning at ten o’clock
in the town hall. The class this year is larger than last, numbering sixteen, and the boys have the
honors instead of the girls. Stanley Smith is valedictorian and Francis Daley is salutatorian. The
other members are Carl Anderson, Chester Lapniewski, Henry and Harold Harrington, Alice and
Ruth Johnson, Mildred and Marion Fletcher, Gladys Ingalls, Lillian Hunt, Hattie Simpson,
Marjorie Bell, Mabel Dane and Marjorie Pollock. At the close of the exercises is the alumni
luncheon to which the graduates and their guests are invited. In the evening there is the usual
graduation ball.
“About Town. The boys of the Lowell high school will camp at Long-Sought pond during
vacation. Several hundred are expected to camp.
“The Y.M.C.A. boys of Lowell will open their fourteenth year of camping at Nabnassett [sic]
on June 22. Already the camp has the reputation of being the leading boys’ camp of any local
association in the state. Extensive improvements have been made since last camping. A new
building has been erected, having a covered piazza forty-eight feet long and ten feet wide. There
will be the usual swimming and athletic features. The W. J. Rifle corps will be in charge of
Henry A. Fletcher, of Westford, who conducted it so successfully last year. He has several new
features and loving cups to be presented to those who have the winning aim…. The usual
inspirational talks will be one of the features as in previous years. The entrance to the camp has
been changed to Brookside road.
“As an offset to the large shrinkage in the prospect for apples and other fruit the Read-Drew
farm have arranged in cooperation with nature for an acreage of cucumbers for Boston market.
“The large, tall chimney at Abbot’s mill at Brookside is staged for repairs, ladders are spiked
to the chimney from the ground up. Several years ago lightning in trying to effect a landing
collided with it and the chimney has not been as well since. The repairs are done mostly on
Saturdays when the mill is shut down, so the smoke will not interfere with the workmen.
“Many orchards of the McIntosh Red variety are badly affected with a fungus blight that
experts have not yet been able to control. The McIntosh so far is the only variety affected, and
does not seem to be contagious to other varieties….
“New Policy. Anderson Brothers of West Chelmsford announce a new policy in the granite
memoria field. Instead of purchasing the rough stone at the quarry and cutting it here, as is the
custom at present, their monuments are entirely completed even to the lettering at Barre,
Vermont, the greatest granite center in the country….
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted Company team defeated the fast Boston Tigers here on
last Saturday by the score of 10 to 5…. This Saturday the big game of the year will be played
when the Canton town team will meet the Abbots on the home grounds here. This is the game
that all the fans have been waiting for and they will be out in force here this Saturday. This club
is managed by Olaf Hendrickson, the former Boston Red Sox star, who plays in center field….
“The Graniteville A.C. team were defeated by the West Chelmsford club in West Chelmsford
in a twilight game on Thursday evening by the score of 9 to 8.
“The Forge Village Juniors and the Hustlers played a twilight game here on Wednesday which
resulted in a victory for the Forge Village boys by the score of 12 to 9….
“The public schools closed here on Friday for the summer vacation.”
Lowell YMCA camp at Nabnasset Lake, 1915. Courtesy Photo / Westford Historical Society.