Turner's Public Spirit, May 26, 2023
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The annual memorial services will be held at the Methodist church in Graniteville on Sunday morning at 10:30. The veterans of all wars, with Sons and Daughters of Veterans and the Auxiliary are cordially invited to attend this service in a body. After the services lunch will be served, as usual, before visiting the different cemeteries. It is hoped that all of the above organizations will be well represented.
Mrs. Charles Blodgett [nee Lottie L. Dunn] and mother, Mrs. Olive Dunn, spent the weekend in Brockton. Mrs. Dunn, who has been spending the winter with her daughter, left on Wednesday for North Andover to spend a few days before returning to her home in West Pembroke, Me.
- M. & E. M. Abbot, Ltd., a partnership comprising [brothers] John M. and Edward Abbot, have purchased the Manhassett Mfg. Company’s big mill in the old Bigelow-Hartford millyard on Market street, Lowell. The Abbots buy for occupancy. They will expand their Park Worsted Company, which has already been operating as a tenant in one of the Bigelow-Hartford mills, and also at the Park Worsted plant on Meadowcroft street.
Ralph R. Rice, of Cambridge, has purchased the Bright cottage on Depot street and will use the same as a summer home.
Mr. Hope and mother have taken occupancy of the Frank Drew house at the corner of Depot and Main streets.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wright, Dr. and Mrs. Davis and daughter, and Miss Elizabeth Rogers, of Quincy, were Sunday guests at H. L. Wright’s.
Sunday guests of Mrs. J. E. Knight were Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, of Lowell, and Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Wells, of Moors, N.Y.
The Congregational church prayer meetings are held on Friday evenings at eight o’clock. The scripture portion for this week is Philippians, 2nd chapter. Other prayer meetings are held at the church on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30. On Sunday morning the service is held in union with the Methodist and Unitarian congregations at the Graniteville church, being Memorial Sunday. The Sunday school session will be omitted. The Juniors will meet at five o’clock and the young people at 6:30. The pastor will preach at the 7:30 service on “The judgment—who will be judged and how?”
Academy Notes. The prize speaking contest was held in the town hall on Monday evening and was much enjoyed by those present. The following excellent program was given:
Piano solo
Miss A. Pamelya [sic] Precious
Guinevere Tennyson
Alice Bertha Socorelis
[torn paper, two lines missing]
Danny Deever
Philip Thompson Prescott
John Harding Mary Jarvis
Regina Helen McLenna
Proposal Brackett
Girls’ Glee Club
Scene from Catiline George Croly
Frances Bishop Jarvis
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner [Samuel Taylor Coleridge]
Hazel Esther Sweetser-
A Night Call Henry A. Shute
Roger Heywood Hildreth –
The Traitor’s Death Bed Lippard
Persis Ormsby-
To the Wild Rose McDowell
Girls’ Glee Club
The Statue W. F. Perkins
William Moore Watson
The Fezziwig Ball Dickens
Ethel Evelyn Ingalls
Mammy’s L’ll Pigeon Fearis
Girls’ Glee Club
In addition, while awaiting the decision of the judges, Miss Carolyn Precious favored the audience with a piano solo, which was much appreciated. The judges were Supt. Frank C. Johnson and Principal E. M. Gleason, of Ayer, and Principal A. L. Saben, of Littleton, and the awards were as follows: Regina Helen McLenna 1st, $10; Francis Bishop, 2nd, $5; Roger H. Hildreth, honorable mention, all of whom are to be complimented for the manner in which their selections were presented.
The senior honor roll for this year has been announced as follows: Valedictory, Alice Swenson; salutatory, Herbert Shea.
The state department of education has approved the academy as a Class A High school for certificates to the Normal schools. The school has been in this class for several years.
Recent games played by the academy [baseball] team gave the following scores: Westford 10, Pepperell 4; Westford 16, Littleton 6.
W.C.T.U. Notes. Ten members attended the Middlesex county convention of the W.C.T.U. in Holliston on Tuesday, going by truck. The meeting proved very interesting and consisted of music, devotional exercises, reports, presidents’ hour, roll call, etc. According to the yearly report made by the local president, Mrs. Janet Wright, the Westford organization is in very good standing. Among other items they have given their quota of $126 for the jubilee fund, which speaks very well for a small organization. An excellent dinner was served and in the afternoon the state president, Mrs. Alice G. Ropes, gave a fine address, taking for her subject, “Be of good cheer.”
The next meeting will be children’s day, and will be in charge of Mrs. C. A. Blaney.
Legion Notes. The following letter is to be sent to members of the [American] Legion by the commander, Harold W. Hildreth:
“You are invited to attend the memorial services at the Methodist church, Graniteville, Sunday, May 27, at 10:15. Luncheon will be served at 12:30 and then all the cemeteries will be visited for the purpose of decorating the soldiers’ graves. This is a duty we all owe the departed soldiers. Wear uniforms if possible.
“On Monday evening, May 28, at eight o’clock, there will be the regular meeting at headquarters. Try to get out as important matters are to come up as well as a good time. Your mother, wife or sister is eligible to join the Auxiliary, and it is the desire of this post that you bring them with you.
“Wednesday, May 30, is a day on which it is your duty to the comrades who have passed on to turn out. Wear a uniform, if you have one, but come anyway. Be at headquarters [20 Boston Road] at nine o’clock. Dinner tickets will be given you at the hall for yourself and one guest.
“On Friday evening, June first, Newell’s orchestra, of Marlboro, will furnish music for dancing at the town hall from eight to twelve o’clock.
“On Monday evening, June 4, all comrades of this post are invited to meet with the Chelmsford post. Let everyone as far as possible show his appreciation of the invitation by being present at North Chelmsford town hall on June 4 at eight o’clock.
“Stand by your officers and make these events a success from start to finish.”
About Town. George Pitkin is in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his brother Arthur is in Panama. Both are soldiers in the United States army. Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pitkin, are living in the John H. Decatur cottage on the Lowell road, Mr. Pitkin being employed by the Boston and Maine railroad.
Henry J. Ripley, who died suddenly last week at his home in North Chelmsford, was well known in town, having been a skillful and active lawn tennis player at the Old Oaken Bucket farm in the palmy days of the game, who, with quite a company of other jolly, good-natured players, drank lemonade between rounds. It enlivened up the endless grindstone vie of farm life. Mr. Ripley, by nature, was well equipped to develop and lead off the hilarious aspects of the game. This and the hilarious company made the situation contagious to all spectators who knew the game only by name.
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos D. Cushing, who have been spending the winter in Miami, Fla., arrived in town on Tuesday and will spend the summer with their daughter, Mrs. W. R. Taylor, and at their bungalow summer home and farm in Framingham.
Frank P. Cutting has set out an acre of raspberry plants on the east side of Tadmuck brook on Main street.
For the benefit of Henry A. Fletcher, the naturalist, we report that foxes are catching the poultry hens at the Old Oaken Bucket farm.
Emory J. Whitney has sold his house on Main street to Miss Ada Leighton, and Miss Nellie Fletcher has moved into the white cottage on Lovers’ Lane that leads to “Paradise.” I have yet to learn whether Lovers’ Lane in Harvard has “Paradise” for a terminal; probably not in a town that has a Hell pond; the two are diverse terminals and without affinity.
A Mr. Parker of Concord has bought the Paul Jasmine [sic, Jasmin] place on the back road [now named Old Road] from the Judson F. Sweetser place to the Carlisle station. Mr. Parker is a man of financial resources, sufficient to enable him to make a bird and fish reservation of it. The place contains about 200 acres. He is setting out a large acreage of white pine, and is planning to dam up Butler [sic, Butter is meant] brook that runs through the swamp into Nashoba brook. Here will be fishing and boating and skating and ice-cutting and geese and ducks and wild life generally. I take off my hat to this back-to-nature effort.
We have peas budded to blow at the Old Oaken Bucket farm and we are figuring on June 8 as the date to eat our first peas, but we don’t care to have it generally known, as someone would likely come in ahead with southern peas and call them “Morning Glory” peas. [Amos Polley owned the “Morning Glory” farm adjacent to Samuel Taylor’s “Old Oaken Bucket” farm on Lowell Road and Stony Brook Road.]
The Men’s club of the Village church, West Chelmsford, held a father and son banquet in the vestry of the church last week Friday evening. Following the supper there was informal speaking, followed by character songs by Rev. E. E. Jackman, accompanied by Miss Grace Ellenwood, and a lecture on Yellowstone Park by Warren C. Dean, the slides being operated by Perry T. Snow and Frederic Burns. The affair was a most enjoyable occasion. Those who ordered and handled the goods were Mrs. B. C. Dean, Mrs. L. J. Ellenwood, Mrs. John A. Reid, Mrs. Morris Nelson, Mrs. Archibald Cooke, Mrs. Anthony Anderson [torn paper, missing line] of Mrs. Dean’s Sunday school class, Misses Ethel Carlson, Mabel Westberg, Mae Burne and Eleanor McNaughton.
First Parish church (Unitarian)—The church unites in a union memorial service on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with the M.E. church, Graniteville, and the Congregational church, Westford, at the Methodist church.
The assessors have completed their annual lists of assessed polls, resident women and dog owners. The collector will quite likely mail poll tax bills by the time this paper reaches its readers. About seventy more polls were found than last year, the total being 968. In spite of the fact that Massachusetts has more women than men the Westford assessors did not find as many women as men. Dogs, apparently, are not quite as numerous as last year—211 against 222 last year. This is the last year of the five-dollar poll tax to provide the bonus for service men. The assessors are to be with the collector at the town hall on Wednesday evening, June 6, from seven to nine o’clock, for the accommodation of those who are entitled to abatement of part of the poll tax. Abatements can be granted only by the majority of the assessors and so those wishing abatement will save themselves much trouble by appearing at this meeting. Positively no abatements will be granted by the chairman of the assessors.
Wedding. The wedding of Miss Priscilla Kennard, of Lowell, and Ralph Andrew Fletcher, of this town, was the occasion for the appearance of many society people around Lowell and from other points scattered widely over the country, at St. Anne’s church on last Saturday evening. The wedding ceremony was performed by Rev. Appleton Grannis, rector of St. Anne’s church. The bride is the granddaughter of Mrs. Kate S. Martin, of Lowell, and is well known locally through her participation in the affairs of the Paint and Powder club. The bridegroom is the son of Hon. and Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher, of this town. Miss Honore Williams, Cambridge, was maid of honor, and the bridesmaids were Mrs. Edward M. Abbot, of this town; Miss Katherine Nesmith, of Lowell; Miss Elizabeth Edwards of Glenwood, N.J., and Misses Doris Kenyon, Barbara Bates and Cedric Williams, of New York. The flower girl was Miss Fay Williams of Westboro. Harold H. Fletcher, brother of the bridegroom, was best man, and the following young men served as ushers at the church and at the house. Fred C. Church, Jr., Theodore F. Hobson, Scott Wells of Portland, Oregon, Frank Zunino of Brooklyn, N.Y., H. Freeman of Providence, R.I., and Willard A. Cushman, of Yonkers.
The bride was given away by her step-father. A reception was held at the home of Mrs. Kate S. Martin, 14 Park street, Lowell. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, after an extended wedding tour, will return early in June.
Engagement Announced. John Varney, son of Dr. F. E. Varney, who for many years was the well-known physician of North Chelmsford and Westford, announces his engagement to a Russian noblewoman of a noted family. For two years following the war Mr. Varney was in Russia. During that period of world crisis he assisted in bettering the alarming and disease-ridden Russians. He remained in Russia for two years and during that time learned to see through Russian eyes the reason of things as well as the ambitions which inspired that ignorant people to the acts which the world has branded as atrocious and barbaric. But he had the advantage of being able to see the folly of their indulgences because of his advanced learning and wide experience in travel and social work. Both upper and lower classes of Russians came under his observation as he administered in the name of the American people the measure of relief for which they had provided. And he learned the Russian[s] as few will ever have the chance to know them, while maintaining the greater interests of their lives in distant lands.
In 1921 Mr. Varney made his second visit abroad, principally to study [in?] Paris, but also as an American relief worker in assisting the Russian people. Miss Nadia de Sanzewch, his fiancée, is possessed of a title, but has democratically dropped the “de” out of her name—the mark of nobility.
In October Mr. Varney will start on a lecture tour of the United States under the management of J. Arnold Shaw, of New York, and will travel the country from coast to coast for a year. He will speak on literary subjects and on Russia, which he knows intimately.
Apple Blossom Time. The blooming apple trees have had several blooming freaks. At the Old Oaken Bucket farm the golden russets, which during the memory of the oldest inhabitants have never been known to violate the natural law of alternate bearing years, have violated it this year and are as white with blossoms as last year. We do hope that they will violate the market price of last year twenty-five cents per box net. Some of us must have been working for less than a cent a day, and our books would show it if we had the financial courage to keep books. Crabapples are another illustration of violating alternate bearing years. We picked fifteen bushels off of one tree last year and it looks like it has learned the multiplication table during the mild ground freezing and deep banking snow of the late but entirely departed winter and was ready to recite in the apple blossom language.
The Baldwins never played ditto in blossoming on so intensive a scale as this year, as we now recall from memory. The Alec Fisher Baldwin orchard on Depot street is an illustration of an excess of this rule; loaded to the propping up point last year it looks now as if the propping would have to be increased this year. They were the largest Baldwin apples we saw in town last year, not including “Texas” and “Cat Head Springs” part of the town [southwest corner of town]. As an offset to this unusual Baldwin blossoming following the excess of last year, and as an unaccountable freak, a partial glimpse of the orchards on Frances hill and the testimony of others indicates a light Baldwin apple blossoming on said hill, although we are not willing to be sworn in on that question, for although we own a partridge bird reservation on Frances hill we have been too busy keeping up with the farming procession in the Stony Brook valley to step our long broad feet onto our reservation to hear the partridge drum and the young take to hurry-scurry cover under the leaves, and hear the prowlers of farm crops warble the songs of a joyous, thankful spirit.
Now that we have slipped our moorings and hoisted anchor on apple blossoms long enough to hear the drum of partridges, I will counter back to a finish. The only variety of apples that has been sent down for a year’s count without being able to rise and answer blossom time roll call is the Astrachan.
Opinions Differ. Members of the Lowell Driving and Agricultural club held a meeting on last week Thursday evening in Liberty hall, Lowell. It is planned to hold a county fair in Lowell from August 29 to September first. Among the speakers were Hon. John Jacob Rogers, Leslie R. Smith, commissioner of agriculture, and Robert Rask, a county worker for agricultural extension work. There was some difference of opinions expressed on [paper torn, two lines missing] apple blossoms.
If ever there was a congressman from this district or any other district who stands closer to all of the people in the bonds of loving efficient service, we have yet to be introduced to him or her. I feel that Congressman Rogers will find that the farmers are not all a unanimous unit on daylight saving or that we are all singing the unanimous Hallelujah chorus that has been sung since civilization began, “the partridge is budding all the blossoms off my trees.” The blossoms on the fruit trees this year are a complete refutation of all this wailing and whaling of partridges being ruinous to the fruit prospects, and if all the apples were sold since this wailing chorus song has been in the singing that the partridges have budded, they would not bring enough to the pay for the oil to keep our tongues and throats lubricated to continue the wail. I have said it, and there is more in stock if there are any who have not got enough. There is more enjoyable, inspiring music in the drum of the partridge and in the rearing of their young than in the wailing, unproven facts against them.
As for daylight saving, there is more or less of “The partridges are budding all the blossoms off my trees” in their warfare against daylight saving by the farmers; a clear illustration of the old saying, “Making a mountain out of [a] mole hill.” There is not the slightest evidence to show that it is causing financial or physical ill health and the friction and inconveniences and losses sustained by this innovation is more of a nightmare scare in the day time than a reality of facts.
Library Notes. Six attractive posters illustrating the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” are on display in the children’s room at the library. Mothers are invited to bring their children to see them.
Julian A. Cameron has recently presented twenty-six books of fiction to the library.
Some of the new books now ready for circulation are “Memories of many men in many lands,” by Francis E. Clark, founder of the C.E. society, whose mother was born in the nearby town of Tewksbury; “Mothering on perilous,” and “The quare [sic] women,” Lucy Furman, stories of the mountain whites of Kentucky, and “Stella Dallas,” Olive Prouty.
Graniteville. The grounds about the new St. Catherine’s rectory are being graded and present a much improved appearance. The interior finishing is also being done on the building, after which the painters and decorators will complete this important work. The exterior of the rectory has been painted a pleasing white that harmonizes greatly with the surroundings.
The Abbot Worsted baseball club will open the season here on Memorial day afternoon, when they will have the strong Fitchburg club for opponents. Justin and O’Reagan will do the battery work for Fitchburg, while Davidson and Sullivan will be in the points for the Abbots. The grounds have been all fixed up for the opening game and many new seats have been added for the comfort of the fans. The Abbot Worsted band will be in attendance.
Death. Mrs. [Nancy] Jane Bemis [nee Young], widow of the late Henry Bemis, died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Irish on the Nutting road, Wednesday, May 16, aged ninety-one years. [Mrs. Irish, nee Ella Jane Bemis, was her daughter.] The funeral took place from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Irish on Friday afternoon, May 18, and was largely attended, many being present from out of town. The services were held at the home at two o’clock and were conducted by Rev. Alfred Woods, of Saugus, and Rev. W. E. Anderson of the Methodist church. The singing was by Mrs. F. L. Roberts, of Lowell. There were many beautiful floral tributes. The bearers were J. Willard Fletcher, Alfred W. Hartford, Harry N. Fletcher and John B. Carmichael. Interment was in Hillside cemetery, North Westford, where the committal service was read by Rev. Alfred Woods. The passing of Mrs. Bemis removes a woman who in her younger years took an active part in the affairs of the community. She made her home in Graniteville for many years, and with her husband they made a happy couple that radiated sunshine and good cheer at all times.
Mrs. Bemis was a woman of beautiful character, and one felt better for having known her. She had been ill for several months and all during that period she received every care and attention from Mr. and Mrs. Irish, with whom she made her home. She lived a long and useful life and the end came very peacefully.
Ayer
Young People’s District Meeting. The second annual conference and rally of young people of the Unitarian churches of the North Middlesex district was held Saturday at the First Unitarian Parish church. One hundred and twenty delegates from the parishes of Ashby, Ayer, Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, Lowell, Manchester, N.H., Nashua, N.H., Pepperell, Shirley, Stow and Westford attended the meeting. They were accompanied by 23 adults.
The morning session began with community singing led by Rev. A. C. McGiffert, jr., of Lowell. After a brief address of welcome Rev. Frank B. Crandall introduced Rev Lyman V. Rutledge, associate minister, First Parish church, Dorchester, who spoke on “What two young people found in a church.” Miss Esther Perham of the First Congregational society, Chelmsford, conducted the devotional service. Luncheon was served under the direction of John D. Hodgman, manager of the depot restaurant, who was assisted in serving by Mrs. Clifford J. Bartlett, Mrs. Horatio C. Chase, Mrs. Frank B. Crandall, Mrs. Walter B. Hayden and Mrs. Robert F. Murphy, members of the Girls’ club Alliance.
The program for the afternoon included moving pictures of the Unitarian Laymen’s League institute of last year at the Isles of Shoals. The film, “The spirit of the shoals,” produced by the league, was shown on a machine operated by Warren A. Winslow. Booth Tarkington’s “The ghost story,” a one-act play, was presented by Miss Anita Ahlburg, Richard Fletcher, Miss Priscilla Fox, Miss Margaret Amoit, Miss Katherine Pritchard, Miss Corinne Staples and Miss Dorothy Marden, members of the Young People’s association of All Souls church, Lowell. Edward F. Furber of Watertown, a representative of the national Y.P.R.U., spoke on the advantage of forming a federation of the young people’s societies in the North Middlesex conference. By vote of the delegates a committee was formed consisting of one representative from each society, which is to present some plan for district organization at the next conference in Chelmsford. The committee includes Miss Dorothy Wilder, Ashby; Russell Chase, Ayer; Miss Julia Warren, Chelmsford; Miss Ruth Bennett, Groton; Miss Margaret Brown, Littleton; Walter Lindsley, Lowell; Miss Edna Hill, Pepperell; Miss Elizabeth Tolles, Nashua; Miss Margaret Seavey, Westford, and Mrs. Cora Putter, Stow. Dancing completed the program of the afternoon.