The Westford Wardsman, May 13, 1916
Center. It is pleasant to have the Luce homestead occupied after remaining empty for so long a time. Robert Simpson and family, of Lowell, have recently taken possession of the premises. Mr. Simpson is a member of the firm of Simpson & Rowland, wholesale grocers, of Lowell.
The Ladies’ Aid of the Congregational church held their last meeting of the season at the vestry on Thursday afternoon. Reports were given for the season and other plans made. Afternoon tea and social hour were enjoyed at the close of the meeting.
Mrs. Grace Lumbert Kenney was a visitor in town the first three days of the week, going on Tuesday to attend the concert of the Lowell Choral society before returning to her home in Arlington.
Miss Gertrude Hamlin, who teaches in Berwick, Me., was an over Sunday guest at J. Herbert Fletcher’s.
At the recent annual meeting of the Edward M. Abbot hose company the same officers were re-elected as follows: L. W. Wheeler, capt.; S. B. Watson, 1st lieut.; Alec Fisher, 2nd lieut.; Alfred Tuttle, sec. and treas.; Edward Clement, steward. Previous to the meeting a try-out was held and hydrants near the common opened and tested.
Edward Clement is opening an ice cream parlor in the west side of the old store near the common.
The closing meeting of the season of the Tadmuck club will be held on next Tuesday afternoon at the Congregational church. This will be a reception to the retiring officers of the club. The Ladies’ Titania orchestra will furnish music and the details of the reception and refreshments are in charge of the reception committee.
Mr. and Mrs. Streeter were weekend guests at J. Henry Colburn’s.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hinton were recent guests at the home of Mrs. Hinton’s sister, Mrs. Ralph Bridgeford. Mr. Hinton having been in attendance at the textile convention and banquet in Boston, Mrs. Hinton took this opportunity to visit her home relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. Ai Bicknell have arrived home again after spending the winter with their married daughter in Royalston.
In the game between Westford academy and Littleton high school last week Westford won by the score of 5 to 3 in an interesting game.
John McIntosh moved last week from the Miller house back to his home place in Parkerville. The blacksmith, who has opened the blacksmith shop on the place, has moved into the tenement with his family made vacant by Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh.
The Westford Boy Scouts, Troop 1, have developed into a well organized band. Principal William C. Roudenbush is the scoutmaster and his special training with work with boys and his understanding of them admirably equips him for this. At a recent meeting Dr. O. V. Wells gave a talk to the boys on “Camp hygiene,” and an elementary lesson on bandaging, which is a part of the next lecture, “First aid of the injured.” At this meeting the boys will demonstrate this phase of the lesson to see how well they have remembered their instructions. There will be a series of four of these practical talks by Dr. Wells and they cannot fail to be of benefit to the boys. In charge of Scoutmaster Roudenbush, the boys recently took a hike to Crystal lake in West Chelmsford. They were met there by James Kilbard, of Lowell, field scout executive, who examined them in out-door tests for second-class scouts, in which the following boys qualified: Bertram Sutherland, Fred Robinson, Raymond Shea, Almont Richardson and Howard Judd. Alfred Sutherland and Morton Seavey did not complete the tests, but made a good record with those undertaken.
There will be an auction sale of household goods at the late home [7 Main St.] of Mrs. Mary E. Heywood on Saturday afternoon, May 20, at 1:30. Joseph Wall will be the auctioneer.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elliott, of Lowell, are at their Prospect hill summer home for the season.
Mr. and Mrs. George Lawrence, of Campello, have been recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harold W. Hildreth’s.
Frank Johnson is at home from Virginia and will assist his father with the season’s ice business.
Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher, Mrs. William E. Wright and Mrs. A. L. Galusha are among those acquiring proficiency as lady auto drivers.
The A. J. Abbots have recently returned from their usual southern winter sojourn.
Shakespearian Contest. The Shakespearian contest, for which the trustees of Westford academy gave twenty-five dollars, took place at the town hall last week Friday evening. The keenest interest was felt in this event and a capacity audience turned out and filled the hall to greet the young people and appreciate their various interpretations from the great “bard of Avon,” the tercentenary of whose birth [death] comes this year. Committing Shakespearian lines to memory and interpreting the emotions portrayed is recognized as not easy to do, especially by young people, and the manner in which the seven young contestants acquitted themselves last week Friday evening showed the most careful study and preparation, reflecting not only credit to themselves, but to their teachers Mr. Roudenbush, Miss Young and Miss Osborn; also, to Mrs. Carpenter, of Boston, who gave some special training.
The judges, Rev. James C. Alvord of Littleton, Miss Mary G. Stevens, head of the English department of the Lowell high school, and E. M. Gleason, principal of the Ayer high school, unanimously awarded the girl’s prize to Miss Frances Wright, who gave three of the witch scenes from Macbeth with real dramatic ability. Leo Connell took the boy’s prize, giving Anthony’s speech at the funeral of Caesar, given with perfect enunciation and grasp of the part.
Many were heard to express the wish that there might have been prizes for the remaining five speakers, they were so uniformly good in memorizing, diction and understanding of the parts given. Miss Elva Judd was the thoughtful and earnest Portia in the famous trial scene from “The merchant of Venice.” Miss Elinor Colburn portrayed the beautiful and winsome Juliet most attractively, and Miss Carolyn Precious illustrated the difficult Katherine from the “The taming of the shrew” with fine effect. George Perkins gave the scene from Julius Caesar, where Cassius urges Brutus to join the conspirators against Caesar. Artemas Griffin gave two scenes from Macbeth, one portraying the famous dagger scene. Both boys acquitted themselves with the greatest credit.
Four features that added to the evening’s enjoyment were the artistic costumes of the girls’ parts, the fine new electric lighting which made everything so much more effective, the handsome trimming of the stage with evergreen forming an arched gateway and last, but no least, the artistic solos given by Miss Marion C. Moreland, a former teacher of the academy. Homemade candy was on sale during the evening, the proceeds going toward the academy baseball team. The program of the evening was of a most entertaining nature.
About Town. Miss Belle Walker is visiting her sister, Mrs. Clara Littlefield, in Fitchburg.
Frank T. Johnson is home from Virginia and will carry on the ice business of his father, Wallace Johnson, as soon as the ice weather arrives.
Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, as delegates of the First Parish, attended the installation services of Rev. Alfred R. Hussey as minister of the Unitarian church in Lowell last week Thursday evening.
The Grange had a generous and excellent entertainment at the last meeting in charge of Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor. The early and youthful photographs of past masters and some of the present officers were offered as an exhibit, sort of curios, to show what time could do. In identification it caused much merriment and a wide range of wrong identification. The nearest to fitting the right picture to the right person was won out by Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Knight, who recognized eleven of the twelve photographs. Aside from this general assortment of the youthful and the antique, Miss Martha Grant, Miss Grace Robinson and Miss Osborne gave a play “Three dear friends.” Everything was well arranged and the acting was very good and the play thoroughly enjoyed. The next meeting, Thursday evening, May 18, will be veterans’ night, in charge of veterans’ daughters, Mrs. Jennie Hartford and Miss Lillian Miller.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks have potatoes through the ground and have marked the timetable for new potatoes June 20.
At the Pomona meeting held in Lowell on last week Friday, at which 200 were in attendance, it was voted to hold a field day meeting on July 21 at the farm of the lecturer, George W. Trull, North Tewksbury, and farm visiting day on August 11. Mrs. Alice Colburn read a paper on “The Grange and its influence.” “The Grange and its possibilities,” Mrs. Etta Spaulding, of Chelmsford. “The Grange and its purpose,” Mr. Day, of Billerica. In the afternoon Mr. Hamilton of the State Board of Education, spoke on “Team play between the school and the home.” This was followed by readings by Miss Mildred McKnight and piano selections by Mrs. Carrie Chase.
Mrs. Sarah S. Woodward died last Saturday at her home in Dorchester, aged seventy-one years. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abram Hutchins, of Carlisle, and will be remembered as the sister of the late Samuel Madison Hutchins, who was so well remembered as living on the Snow farm, opposite Fairview cemetery for many years. She married Oliver W. Woodward and for a short time lived at the Woodward farm at Nabnassett pond. Prior to her marriage she taught the Nabnassett school for several years. She was of an even-balanced and courteous disposition of the “let not your right hand know what your left hand doeth” attitude in charity and general demeanor. She was a member of the Baptist church, South Chelmsford. Her husband survives her. The funeral was from her home in Dorchester on Wednesday, and burial was in Hart Pond cemetery, South Chelmsford.
Miss A. M. Drew has recently purchased a Ford touring car.
William R. Taylor and F. A. Snow were judges at the debate in Lowell on Friday evening of last week, when a chosen group of girls from the Lowell high school debated with a group from the Lexington high. Lowell high was the winner. The other judge was Miss E. M. Wells, who writes in a very facetious way the column, “As she sees it,” in the [Lowell] Courier-Citizen.
Rev. William E. Anderson has been assigned to the charge of the M.E. church in Winchendon. Mr. Anderson goes up Friday and returns on Monday. In the fall he and Mrs. Anderson expect to move there.
Mrs. Clara Littlefield, of Fitchburg, has been a guest of her brother and sister at the Walker homestead.
On Thursday afternoon the W.C.T.U. met at the home of the president, Mrs. Charles H. Wright. The missionary society was invited, too, so there was a good attendance. Mrs. Wright very kindly furnished conveyance for many in the Center. The speaker, who had been expected, was unable to be present. Miss Loker, president of the Missionary society, gave a splendid talk on missionary work and reported a conference which she had recently attended. The devotional exercises were conducted by the pastor, Rev. David Wallace. He suggested that the society have a bulletin board at the church, where the temperance posters can be placed. A social hour followed and refreshments were served by the hostess.
Miss Mary F. Flynn, of Westford, and James Savage, of West Chelmsford, were married on Sunday, April 30, at three o’clock in the afternoon at the catholic church in North Chelmsford. Miss Minnie Savage, sister of the groom, was bridesmaid, and Bernard Flynn, brother of the bride, was best man. Miss Flynn is the daughter of John Flynn, and Mr. Savage is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Savage of West Chelmsford. After a wedding trip Mr. and Mrs. Savage will make their home with the bride’s father on the Stony Brook road. The best wishes of their neighbors and friends are extended to them.
Wishes Name Changed. A rather unusual item of news has appeared in the Boston papers recently. Rev. Vincent Ravi, pastor of the prominent North Congregational church of Cambridge, has petitioned the probate court of Middlesex county to change his name to Booth. Mr. and Mrs. Ravi are well-known here as they spend much time at their beautiful place in West Chelmsford, and Mrs. Ravi is a member of the Tadmuck club. Mr. Ravi desires to assume the name of his mother in whose family were fine preachers. Mr. Ravi’s father was a preacher, too, in Italy. Mr. Ravi’s own words in regard to the reason for making this change are interesting.
“I am first, last and always an American. Inasmuch as the doctrine of the state department at Washington in relation to naturalized Americans robs American citizenship of its meaning, to the effect that a naturalized citizen and his children, born in this country of a native born American woman, are placed in the absurd and intolerable position of owing allegiance to two governments and to two flags. I petitioned the probate court of Middlesex county to change my name to Booth, that of my mother, in order for me and my children to get away as far as possible from any continental name. The thought never entered my mind to renounce my citizenship here. I simply protested against this sanction of the hyphenated American at Washington when the administration are against it. Talk about me renouncing my citizenship—why, I am going to Plattsburg this summer to learn to be a soldier for my country.”
We have no authority at hand to refer to, but we have a remembrance of seeing this matter discussed before. The children of naturalized citizens from the continent, even though the children are born in this country, have a dual citizenship and are under the jurisdiction of the country where the father was born. It is our impression that there are no laws at Washington which can set aside the laws of other countries laying claim to the allegiance of these children. It is an interesting matter for legal lights to give us their opinion on.
Mr. and Mrs. Ravi have four children, Vincent Virgin, Norah, Katherine and Miriam.
Forge Village. Miss Eva F. Pyne and Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell of the teaching staff of Cameron school, together with a number of pupils, attended the concert held in the Ayer town hall last week Tuesday by the pupils of the Ayer public schools, the proceeds of which will be used to purchase a Victrola for the schools.
The Red Sox defeated the Lions 9 to 3 in a very interesting game at Cameron park on last Saturday afternoon. Both are local teams and did excellent work. Sears was the star batter and Hobson made a name for himself in outfielding. Kavanaugh pitched a star game for the Red Sox, having eleven strikeouts to his credit and passing only one man. The Red Sox expect to meet the Graniteville team Saturday afternoon and would be glad to hear from any fifteen-year-old team in town.
Miss Eva Pyne spent the weekend at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Tibbets in Manchester, N.H.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Blodgett, of Ayer, were guests last Sunday of Mr. Blodgett’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Blodgett, of the Ridges.
Mrs. Ingham, who has been confined to her home by illness, is improving.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett and little son Leonard visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Blodgett last Sunday.
Miss Margaret M. Conroy and John Mann, both well-known and highly esteemed young people of this village, were married at St. Catherine’s church, West Graniteville, last week Wednesday morning. The pastor, Rev Edmund T. Schofield, performed the ceremony before a large number of relatives and friends. The bride wore a becoming suit of blue[?] with hat to match. Her sister, Miss Annie W. Conroy, attended her, and was also dressed in blue. Joseph Thompson, cousin of the bride, was best man. After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Conroy, Bradford street, to about fifty friends. In the evening a reception was held, after which the happy pair left amidst a shower of confetti for a short wedding trip. On their return Mr. and Mrs. Mann will make their home with the parents of the bride for awhile, and expect to move into their new home in the near future.
Mrs. Chester Blodgett and Mrs. William Blodgett and baby son Walter, of Groton, spent Wednesday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett.
Graniteville. The little daughter recently born of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Healy was christened Mary Frances at St. Catherine’s church last Sunday morning by Rev. Edmund Schofield. The sponsors were Miss Mabel Loftus of Lowell and Thomas Gower of this village.
A Russian marriage attracted considerable attention here on last Saturday, the wedding being celebrated by a dance in the evening in Healy’s hall. The affair was largely attended, many being present from out of town.
The Young Tigers of this village went to Forge Village on last Saturday afternoon and met with defeat at the hands of the Lions in the score of 11 to 0. The spectators said that Kavanaugh, the Forge Village twirler, pitched a bear of a game.
Twelve barrels of white perch were liberated in Long-Sought-for pond on last Tuesday by Joseph Wall, game warden. A can of rainbow trout was also liberated in Forge pond on last Monday.
Pleasantly Surprised. On Friday evening of last week the many friends of Miss Sarah Boyd, whose approaching marriage to George Sanborn has recently been announced, assembled at her home on West street for the purpose of tendering her a miscellaneous shower. Although the affair came as a complete surprise to Miss Boyd she was an ideal hostess and made the evening very pleasant for all. Games were played that were thoroughly enjoyed, after which refreshments were served. A short impromptu musical program was given that consisted of vocal selections by the Glendale quartet composed of Miss Hilma Hanson, Miss Louise Guichard, Frances Gower, William Buckingham; songs, Rachel Wall; piano solo, Miss Belle Carpentier; piano and harmonica duet, Hattie and John Boyd, Jr.; piano solo, Emma Woods. Dancing was also indulged in during the evening and the party broke up at a seasonable hour after all present had voted this affair one good time. The plans for this successful shower were in charge of Miss Hilma Hanson and Miss Anna Rafferty. Miss Boyd received many useful gifts.
Ayer District Court. In the civil session last Saturday morning the case of Sherman against Poznak was heard. The action was brought by Dr. Sherman, of Westford, to recover a bill for professional services from John Poznak, of North Chelmsford, formerly a resident of Westford. Former Senator Edward Fisher, of Westford, was counsel for the doctor. Judge Atwood presided. Poznak said on the stand that he was earning $8.10 per week and was paying $10 a week for a room. Asked as to how he could pay more for the room than his week’s wages amounted to, he said that his wife paid the balance. After vainly trying to extract information regarding his income to warrant his paying any part of the bill the case was continued until later.