The Westford Wardsman, June 8, 1918
Center. The graduating exercise of Westford academy takes place on Wednesday, June 19, at the town hall, beginning at ten o’clock. This is always one of the events of interest of early summer and especially so this year as there is a class of fourteen to be graduated—nine girls and five boys. Miss Carolyn Precious will be the valedictorian; Miss Rachael Kimball, salutatorian, and Bertram Sutherland, historian. The graduation ball follows in the evening. At the exercises in the morning F. W. Wright, deputy commissioner of education, will give the address.
A coating of oil has been applied to the village streets this week. The selectmen consider the town fortunate to get the oil. If it had not been ordered early and was already on the cars for shipment it would have been taken over by the government. A lighter grade oil has been used and only a limited amount of sanding will be done.
The epidemic of measles still continues, new cases being reported daily. Mumps have also made their appearance, there being several cases. Bertram Sutherland is reported as being quite sick with them.
The William E. Frost school closes for the long summer vacation on Friday of next week.
Mr. and Mrs. William White, of Boston, and Mrs. Annie Edwards of West Chelmsford, were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Wright for over the holiday.
It was pleasant to old friends to meet Miss Carrie E. Read, of Barre, and Mrs. Lyman E. Wilkins, of Cambridge, at the band concert at the common on Memorial day afternoon.
The Edwin F. Metcalf circle, D. of V., presented a handsome wreath for the decoration of the soldiers’ monument for Memorial day.
Mrs. William C. Roudenbush, president-elect of the Tadmuck club, and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler were in attendance at the annual meeting of the State Federation of Woman’s clubs held in the Arlington street church, Boston, Wednesday. Before returning home Mrs. Wheeler made a short visit in Providence at the home of a relative.
The chairman of the local Red Cross branch earnestly asks the best efforts of all the workers for the month of June, as a large quota of work is assigned to this branch—300 pairs of socks and 75 sweaters are to be knitted, and a large amount of sewing on the refugee garments should be accomplished. Sincere thanks is extended to the Social Service club connected with the Mission house at Forge Village, and which, we understand, has since been merged into the Red Cross branch, for the gift of $30 and also for a gift of $19, the result of a sale in Graniteville in charge of Miss Vivian Sargent.
Owing to so much sickness, children’s Sunday at the Congregational church has been postponed until a later date.
At the exercises at the hall on Memorial day it was voted in the future to place the arrangements for the observance for the day in charge of the selectmen.
The Whitney playground has come to a use hardly contemplated when it was laid out, as a training field for the local company of the state guard. Each drill night, after roll call in the lower town hall, the company marches to the playground, if weather is suitable. This week platoon movements and skirmish work were the main features. Several new recruits have come into the company lately. More are wanted. After the drill the company voted to accept an invitation from Mayor Jeyes and the captains of the Lowell companies to join them in flag day parade in Lowell. Capt. Robinson is hoping for a two-day drill of the company at the out-door rifle range in Wakefield. Unofficial reports intimate a five-day camping at one of the camp grounds of the state. The local indoor rifle range has been approved by the proper authorities.
Memorial Day. Memorial day, with its fuller significance, was fittingly observed last week Thursday, honor being given to the patriotic dead and to the band of surviving veterans, of which there were eight present to take part in the march and exercises at the town hall, and were as follows: Com. Wesley O. Hawkes, J. Everett Woods, Wayland F. Balch, John Wilson, Joseph E. Knight, Fred A. Hildreth, George W. Nesmith and Thomas Sullivan.
Members of Company L, M. S. G., gathered at the town hall and escorted by the Nashua Military band, marched to the Cavalry building on Boston road, where the line of march was formed—Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, marshal; Nashua Military band, Ralph W. Holt, director; Company L, M. S. G., Capt. Charles W. Robinson; Boy Scouts and sons and daughters of veterans.
The procession marched to the soldiers’ monument where the G.A.R. service was conducted by Veterans Hawkes, Woods and Hildreth. At the conclusion of this service autos were provided for the veterans and the line of march escorted them to the home of Ai Bicknell [2 Main St.], a brother comrade unable to go to the exercises. Greetings and selections by the band, including “Auld Lang Syne,” were feelingly responded to by Mr. Bicknell. The line of march was again taken up to the town hall, where the exercises took place. Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher extended the word of welcome and Rev. L. H. Buckshorn offered the prayer.
Arthur D. Prince, of Lowell, was the orator of the day and gave what was heartily conceded to be one of the best addresses ever delivered on one of these occasions. It was a tribute to the past and a message of the present given with thoughtful and intelligent interpretation. Selections by the band and by a trio from Camp Devens rounded out the program. These singers were Philip Lawrence, Co. C, 301st Ammunition Train, Bristol, Vt.; Leon O. Douglas, Co. D, 303rd Infantry, Augusta, Me., and Chester Wyllie, Battery E, 301st Field Artillery, Warren, Me.
At noon a dinner was served to those taking part in the program and to the veterans and their wives and was in charge of the daughters of veterans. In the afternoon, from two until four o’clock a band concert on the common was enjoyed by a large number of people.
Red Cross Drive Results. The chairman and treasurer of the second Red Cross war fund for Westford appreciate the work of the canvassers who assisted them in raising the splendid total as given in last week’s issue and also the good showing of the people. The quota was $5,000, or $1.75 per person, which was much more than was expected from any other town. Westford, with 1,036 subscriptions, raised $7,529.95, which is equal to $2.64 per person. Following is a list of subscriptions of $25 or more: Abbot Worsted Co. $2000, Abiel J. Abbot $1000, Mrs. Alice M. Abbot $200, Julian A. Cameron $500, John C. Abbot $500, Herbert E. Fletcher $250, Donald M. Cameron $250, F. G. Sargent’s Sons Corp. $400, F. G. Sargent $100, A. C. Sargent $50, Mrs. Lucy A. Cameron $100, Edward M. Abbot $300, Edward Fisher $50, A. E. Day, H. L. Wright, Mr. and Mrs. H. Herbert Fletcher, Elmer H. Whidden, Mrs. Mary E. Calvert, Herbert V. Hildreth, Graniteville Foundry Co. $25 each, employees of Abbot Worsted Co., Graniteville $245.90, Forge Village $150.50, employees of C. G. Sargent’s Sons Corp. $101, employees of Graniteville foundry $71.
About Town. George C. Moore is making extensive modern improvements on the Nabnassett pond farm house.
Miss Ella T. Wright, of Cleveland, Ohio, has arrived at her summer home, the old Levi T. Fletcher place, on the Lowell road at Brookside [120 Lowell Rd.].
Charles H. Whitney has sold his farm on the Lowell road, near Banister’s Corner, to E. G. Campbell, of Lowell. Mr. Whitney is planning for an auction of personal property.
Every year the W.C.T.U. has had a very successful mothers’ meeting. This annual affair, planned for June, has been postponed on account of the prevalence of contagious children’s diseases which would keep many children at home.
Henry O’Brien, son of James O’Brien, who enlisted in the navy, has already entered upon his service. As he is a carpenter, his talents in that direction have been put to good use at once.
The present state legislature has passed a bill which authorizes cities and towns to contribute to the cost of operating street railway companies. This bill now awaits the signature of Governor McCall. Such a bill as this is of particular local interest.
Charles Robey is now at Camp Devens. His brother has been in France for some time.
Carl G. Wright, who is now located at Camp Devens, was given a surprise party at Franklin Falls, N.H., where he has been in the employ of the Department of Agriculture. After spending a very pleasant evening Mr. Wright was presented with a valuable wrist watch, a gift from his fellow workmen. Mr. Wright is pleasantly remembered here for his genial ways and his capability. His home is on the Groton road, near the Wright schoolhouse.
The early morning freight from Lowell to Ayer had a car derailed on Monday morning soon after part of the train had crossed the bridge that spans the Stony Brook highway. Passenger trains were delayed about an hour. A broken beam, which had a seam, was the apparent cause of the accident. The car was skidded back to the rails again.
Mrs. Eben Prescott, who has been ill for some time, was able to be out on Memorial day. She could not take her accustomed place in the Memorial day parade with the veterans and the sons and daughters of veterans, however, as she did not feel quite equal to it.
Word has been received from Colorado of the death of Edgar R. Parker, of South Chelmsford. He made friends here as the genial and capable manager of a meat route. He was always ready to help at our church affairs with generous contributions from his auto meat truck. Early last fall he felt obliged to give up his route and go to Colorado for his health. His early death at the age of forty-seven years is a distinct loss, as he was a splendid type of a man. He leaves a wife, a son and a daughter.
Dr. George M. Twitchell, former editor of the Maine Farmer, reports that a million Baldwin apple trees have been killed by the severe winter in Maine. Along with the severity and damage is the offset of untold millions of gypsy moth eggs that got chilled beyond a possibility of hatching. Poor creatures, how they must have suffered. They have all the pity we have left over after spraying for them.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm has potatoes in blossom; also, strawberries for supper on Wednesday, and new peas this day Saturday.
Will you try and be vacant elsewhere and remember to attend the old-fashioned dance with some young-fashioned features this week Friday evening at the town hall. Joe Wall is chief inspirer of this evening’s go and the go will go to the Y.M.C.A. and the Knights of Columbus. Joseph stands for the good of mankind; also, fishes and birds [Joe Wall was the local game warden]. Hibbard’s orchestra of Lowell will furnish the jingle for your feet.
Yes, we agree with much that V. T. E. charges himself with believing about “If it is a good thing for government to look after health in war why not in time of peace?” Yea, verily yea, we lay out billions for man intellectually; why not lay out a few cents for man physically? Nearly 15,000 children die annually in Massachusetts under five years of age. Why not a little supervision of the physical and not all for the head?
Mr. and Mrs. T. A. E. Wilson are rejoicing in the arrival of a second son [Kenneth Arthur Wilson, born May 30, 1918, Westford]. The little family group now includes two sons and two daughters.
Thrift Drive. The President makes a plea for economy. Thoughtless expenditure of money for non-essentials uses up the labor of men, the products of the farms, mines and factories, and over-burdens transportation, all of which must be used to the utmost and at their best for war progress. The great results which we seek can be obtained only by the participation of every member of the nation, young and old, in a national concerted thrift movement. He urges every man, woman and child to pledge themselves to save constantly and buy as regularly as possible the securities of the government and to do this through war savings societies. June 28 is set as the day for ending this special period of enlistment in the great volunteer army of production and saving here at home. It is hoped that when that day comes none may be unenlisted.
For speeding up this campaign in Northern Middlesex Robert I. Marden, of Lowell, is the chairman. For Westford, John C. Abbot, who so successfully conducted the liberty loan campaign, has been appointed to take charge of the war stamp campaign. The quota to be obtained is one person in four as stamp buyers. Let Westford go “over the top” in this as in other things.
Tribute. The chaplain of Pentucket lodge of Masons, Lowell, pays the following tribute to Daniel Proctor Byam, one of its oldest members.
“The best life of the old New England Puritanism drawn up through that plant of somewhat sugged [sic] exterior and mellowed by the process of the years, is sometimes seen to run over the wall of its conventional institutions and come to flower in some of the worthy characters of our village life of whom the best known example was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Many such are found in the humbler walks of life. Clean of mind and clear of thought honest, kind-hearted, home-makers and home-lovers, free from the severities of Calvinism yet retaining a wholesome respect for the laws of God and man, they make excellent citizens and faithful office-holders in their many towns. Such a man was Daniel Proctor Byam, a devoted husband, a kind father, a genial friend and a good neighbor.”
He was the son of Marcus D. and Mary (Proctor) Byam, and thus represented two Chelmsford families of prominence in the early history of the town. He was laid to rest in Hart Pond cemetery, close to South Chelmsford village, where for more than forty years he had been superintendent of burials.
May Party. The May party given in the town hall on last week Friday night was one of the finest and best drilled May parties that it was ever our privilege to witness. In this matter of children’s training and sports, Westford ladies have shown a great deal of interest. Some of the ladies have been teaching sewing; another cooking in the public schools, and all with good results. But it was reserved for a committee of women to lead the children in some original and quaint and dainty folk dances, thus not only giving educational features to the children with merriment, but giving to us older folks a very rare and beautiful entertainment. It was a delight to watch the well arranged program from the triumphal entrance of the May queen and her entourage to the closing by the May pole dance.
The affair was in charge of Mrs. L. H. Buckshorn, Mrs. John Feeney, Mrs. W. R. Carver, Mrs. H. B. Prescott, Mrs. J. Willard Fletcher, Mrs. A. E. Loveless, Mrs. J. H. Fletcher, [and] Miss Eva Fletcher. The training was done under the thorough supervision of Miss J. M. Ockington. The accompanist was Miss Eleanor Colburn.
The program was as follows: Crowning the May queen, Elizabeth Carver, by Miss Marjorie Seavey; crowning song, Everett Millis and Elizabeth Wells; lily dance, Betty Prescott; solo dance, Helen Desmond and Anna Shadduck; Miss Mildred Beane of Chelmsford gave two dances—the sailor’s hornpipe and the Highland Fling, both done remarkably well: “Gathering pease cob,” a dance, ten girls, Alice and Ruth Johnson, Mildred and Marion Fletcher, Helen Kimball, Marion Woodbury, Anna Shadduck, Dorothy Flagg, Frances Farr, Kathleen Kelly; boy’s country dance, eight boys, Morton Seavey, John Fletcher, Fisher Buckshorn, Charles Colburn, Fred Griffin, Forest White, Clarence Colburn, Eric Anderson; dance, “Fun in frolic,” Ruth Loveless and Kathleen Kelly; dialogue between newsboy and bootblack, Roger Hildreth and Hamilton Phillips.
The last number was the winding of the May pole and May pole dance. There was not a single hitch in the entire thing. The May pole dancers were Morton Seavey, Fisher Buckshorn, Eric Anderson, Charles Colburn, Forest White, John Fletcher, Mildred and Marion Fletcher, Ruth Johnson, Ruth Loveless, Marion Woodbury [and] Kathleen Kelly.
Refreshments were served after the program, after which the young people enjoyed an hour’s dancing.
Forge Village. A large number from here attended the services at St. Andrew’s church in Ayer on Memorial day at 7:30 in the evening. The combined choirs of St. Andrew’s mission and St. Andrew’s church, with Caroline E. Precious at the organ, rendered music in keeping with the day. The vicar was assisted by the rector, Dr. Endicott Peabody, of Groton School. At the close of the service a reception was given by Rev. and Mrs. Dun at the vicarage.
Mrs. Fred Eules and Miss Rhoda Kilminster, of Providence, R.I., and Percy Kilminster, of Meridian, N.H., who came to attend the funeral of their little nephew, Robert Milton Naylor, Memorial day, remained over the weekend.
Edwin Cherry, who came from Philadelphia, Pa., with Mrs. Cherry to attend the funeral of his grandmother, Mrs. M. A. Lowther, returned immediately after the funeral to his duties as trained nurse. Mrs. Cherry is remaining a short time to visit among her husband’s relatives.
Cameron school will close for the summer vacation on Friday, June 14.
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Provencher and Miss Angie Provencher, of North Adams, spent Memorial day and over the weekend as the guests of Mrs. Ida Parrott.
Miss Violet Collins, of Providence, R.I., is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Miles Collins.
Mrs. John Carmichael and her sister, Mrs. Michael Keefe, of Townsend Harbor, spent Monday and Tuesday in Chelsea, visiting with Miss Anna V. Keefe.
The Ladies’ Sewing circle are to meet on Thursdays instead of on Tuesdays, beginning this week.
Mrs. William Burnett and her daughter, Mrs. Chester Blodgett, of the Ridges, have returned from an enjoyable visit of several days with relatives in Worcester and Westboro.
George D. Wilson, who went with the drafted men in February to Camp Devens, has been made corporal and is now in Camp Humphries, Virginia.
Walter Precious, of Thornton, R.I., formerly of this town, has enlisted in the Canadian regiment and is now at Camp Niagara on Lake Ontario, Canada.
Wedding. A very pretty wedding took place at St. Catherine’s church, Wednesday morning, when Miss Rose Anne Dare and Edwin Charles Carrigan of Boston were united in marriage by the pastor, Rev. Charles Heaney, at a nuptial mass celebrated at nine o’clock. The bride was charmingly gowned in white crepe de chine and chiffon. Her veil was caught up with lilies of the valley. She carried a shower bouquet of the same flowers.
The bridesmaid, Miss Grace Dacey, from Webster, cousin of the bride, wore pink chiffon edged with blue satin and filet lace. She carried a bouquet of variegated carnations. Clara Dare, flower girl, wore white and carried a bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley with a wreath of marguerites on her head. The best man was Thomas Morton of Boston.
The bride’s gift to the bridesmaid was an emerald pendant and the groom’s gift to his best man was a diamond scarf pin. The choir was in attendance with Miss Mary Hanley as organist. After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was served to sixty guests at the home of Mrs. Jane Dare. Guests were present from Boston, Concord, N.H., and North Chelmsford.
The home was prettily decorated with flowers and was in charge of Miss Elizabeth Roberts of Concord, N.H. The bride received numerous presents of silver and cut glass, including a chest of silver.
The groom and his wife motored to Lowell and are to visit Bangor, Me., and other places of interest along the Maine coast. They will be at home to relatives and friends July 1.
Graniteville. The Highland Daylight baseball team of Lowell failed to put in an appearance here on last Saturday, so the local boys played a picked club in order to have a game. On this Saturday the Graniteville A.C. will cross bats with the strong Forge Village A.C., on the home grounds here, and a good, hot game is expected. Both clubs will be greatly strengthened for this game.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held a baked bean supper, followed by an entertainment in the church vestry on last week Wednesday evening, the affair being largely attended. Quite a neat sum was realized on this event.
Funeral. The funeral of Mrs. Victaline Gardel took place from her home on last week Friday afternoon at two o’clock and was largely attended by relatives and friends who came to pay their last tribute of honor and respect to one whom they held in such high esteem. The services were held at the home and was conducted by Rev. A. W. Moore, pastor of the Graniteville M.E. church, who spoke words of deep consolation to the bereaved family. The singing was by a trio—Mrs. Jeanette Wright, Mrs. Clara E. Greig and Alfred Prinn, who feelingly rendered “Lead, kindly light,” “The christian’s good-night” and “Nearer my God to thee,” three favorite hymns of the deceased. There were many beautiful, floral tributes which bore mute testimony to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The bearers were Alvin Nelson, Alfred Prinn, Joseph Carpentier and Joseph Langley. Burial was in Fairview cemetery, Westford, where the committal service was given by Rev. Mr. Moore.
Pepperell
News Items. Last week Friday Mr. Lewis and a company of scouts took a bicycle hike to Camp Devens. On the way they visited Groton School and the Federation building and at camp visited the bakery, the field kitchens, the trenches, pill box, Y.M.C.A. and Soldiers’ club at Robbins pond. They also saw the evening parade and retreat of the 301st Engineers Train.
Friday evening, May 31, was a happy event for the Epworth league members to the number of twenty-five, who went from here to Ayer and took plenty of home-made cake and lemonade. It was Pepperell’s turn to entertain the soldiers from Camp Devens at the Federated House. Twenty-three members went in Keyes’ big truck and Mr. and Mrs. Allen went in their own auto. It was pleasant to see Miss Lizzie McNayr come in with the Misses Helen and Ruth Marshall, from Fitchburg, since they only went to live in that city about a month ago, and belonged here. It was a social time and everything went well.
Ayer
News Items. The following draftees go to Camp Devens between June 24-29: Fred Moore, Westford; …
Registration. Thirty-seven men, who have reached the age of twenty-one since the last registration for the draft on June 5, 1917, registered at the headquarters of the local exemption board on Wednesday in accordance with the provisions of an act recently passed by congress. Of this number twenty-three are residents of Ayer and fourteen have their homes in other towns and are temporarily living here. The whole number registered, however, will appear on the list for Ayer. In the number were two aliens and three declarants, the latter including those who have declared their intentions of becoming citizens of the United States, having taken out what is commonly known as their “first naturalization papers.” The hours for registration were from seven in the morning until nine in the evening, with Dr. Frank S. Bulkeley, chairman of the local exemption board, in charge. Besides the chairman and Frank A. Torrey, of Groton, a member of the board, the following registrars assisted in the work without compensation: Peter B Murphy, Louis H. Cushing, Frank J. Malone and Lyman K. Clark.
The following are the names of those who registered: … [no names from Westford]