Turner's Public Spirit, May 3, 1924
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The Oratorio society are very fortunate in securing the services of Miss Mildred Ridley, of Chelsea, for their concert on May 12. Miss Ridley, a violoncello soloist of rare ability, is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, and the only one to receive a gold medal. Arrangements for the concert have been completed. There will be two more rehearsals under the direction of Horace Killam, of Haverhill. The society is prepared to render a successful concert.
The next meeting of the Ladies’ Aid has been postponed from May 8 to May 15.
The supper and play to be given by the Ladies’ Aid of the Congregational church will be held on Friday evening, May 9. The chairman of the supper committee is Mrs. George F. White, and of the entertainment, Mrs. William Roudenbush.
Recent arrivals from Florida are Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gumb and Mr. and Mrs. James Kimball.
The many friends of Dr. Elizabeth Kittredge, house physician at Vassar college, will regret to hear of her recent accident, whereby she sustained a shattered bone, having been thrown from a horse while riding. At last reports she was doing very nicely.
Mrs. Herbert Ranney, of Wayland, and Mrs. Charles Campbell, of Hudson, N.H., have been recent guests of their father, Joseph E. Knight.
Mrs. Robert Prescott met with a painful accident last week, having been quite badly scalded by the overturning of a boiler of hot water.
- Everett Miller recently sustained a painful injury to one of his ankles.
Miss Karen G. Grant is the guest of her aunt, Mrs. Harry Whiting.
Mrs. Nora Colburn has recently purchased a new Buick touring car.
Baseball Notes. The William E. Frost school has played three games so far this season, as follows: April 17, Sargent school of Graniteville 7, Frost school 12; April 26, Middlesex County Training school 5, Frost school 7; April 29, Bedford 6, Frost school 8. The first two games were league games. The league standing in points is as follows:
School Won Lost Per.
William E. Frost 4 0 1.000
Cameron 2 2 .500
Middlesex 2 2 .500
Sargent 0 4 .000
The lineup of the Frost school is as follows: Gustaf Peterson p., Ernest Peterson c., Frank Healy 1b., Varnum Swanson 2b., Hamilton Phillips 3b., Elmer Bridgford ss., Charles Edgerton lf., Edward Sullivan rf., Lawrence Shaughnessey cf., Walter Wright, John O’Connell, Clarence Mann and Z. Davis, substitutes.
Much credit for the great success of the team is due Principal Rowe, who is acting as coach.
Prize Winners. The motion pictures under the auspices of the Middlesex County Extension Service, held at the town hall on Monday evening, were largely attended. There was also an entertainment by the children from the William E. Frost and Parkerville schools and an exhibition by members of the Sewing, Poultry, Bread and Lunch clubs. There were also adult exhibitors in poultry. The entertainment, which was very good, was as follows: Club songs, club members; play, “Five best doctors,” by members of the Willing Workers and Poultry club of the Frost school—Genevieve Blaney, Inez Blaney, Helen Greig, Alice Griffin, Helen Wilson, Angie Parfitt, Blanche Rockwell, Edna Hamlin, Elmer Bridgeford, assisted by members of the Poultry and Bread clubs; report of year’s work, Alice Heywood; history of Poultry club, Gustaf Peterson; demonstration, how to preserve eggs in water glass, Edward Sullivan and Elmer Bridgeford of the Progressive Poultry club; play, “Four-leaf clover,” children of the Parkerville school, Elmer Thifault, Marjorie Wilson, Tessie Gorbunoff, Jennie Seifer and Elizabeth Nesmith; club story, Concetta Succo.
Mr. Ericson and Mr. Nodine of the State Agricultural college acted as judges on poultry, the awards being as follows: Eggs, Donald White 1st, Elmer Bridgeford 2nd, Mann brothers 3rd; poultry, George Mann 1st, Donald White 2nd, Clarence [sic, Mann?] 3rd, adults, Ralph Bridgeford 1st, Mr. Kohlrausch 2nd, George White[1] 3rd; sewing, Miss Beselak of County Farm Bureau, judge, first year, Dorothy Heywood 1st, Alice Heywood 2nd; Grace Hildreth 3rd, third year, Helen Desmond 1st, Elizabeth Wells 2nd, Edna Hamlin 3rd; bread, second year, Donald Wright 1st, Walter Wright 2nd, third year, Everett Millis; Lunch box, Alice Heywood 1st, Edna Whitney 2nd, Lillian Dane 3rd.
Miss Ruth Tuttle, who directs the work at the Frost school, names the following girls as having shown great improvement in the past year: Helen Gallagher, Alice Griffin and Blanche Rockwell.
In the Parkerville sewing exhibit, which was very fine, Marjorie Wilson was awarded first prize and Elizabeth Nesmith second. Mrs. Christine Hunter was in charge of the Parkerville children.
Much credit is due Miss Ruth Tuttle for her great interest in the work, she being the director, and also to Mrs. Hunter, for her assistance.
Mr. Farley, the state club leader, visited the high and Frost schools recently and spoke to all children over ten year of age on the club work.
Tadmuck Club. The Tadmuck club held their annual luncheon and election on Tuesday afternoon. The affair was well attended with Cole of Lowell as caterer. Reports were given by the secretary, Mrs. Perley Wright; the treasurer, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland; Mrs. Albert Wall of the conservation committee, and Mrs. Robert Prescott, chairman of the committee which gave the recent assembly. The nominating committee was represented by Mrs. William Roudenbush, who gave the list of officers and committees for next year as follows: Miss Sarah W. Loker, honorary pres.; Mrs. Alexander A. Cameron, pres.; Mrs. Arthur G. Hildreth, vice pres.; Mrs. Adeline M. Buckshorn, sec.; Mrs. John Feeney, Jr., cor. sec.; Mrs. F. Everett Miller, treas.; Mrs. Charles Hildreth, press com.; Miss Julia Fletcher, flower com.; Mrs. Perley E. Wright, Mrs. M. Whitney, Mrs. Cyril Blaney, Mrs. Robert Prescott, Mrs. Fred H. Meyer, ushers; Mrs. Robert Prescott, doorkeeper; Mrs. Perley E. Wright, custodian; Mrs. W. R. Taylor, Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher, Mrs. Frederick A. Snow, art com.; Mrs. Harry Ingalls, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, Mrs. Albert Wall, community service; Mrs. Arthur G. Hildreth, Miss Mary Balch, Miss Mabel Drew, legislative; Mrs. Frank C. Wright, Mrs. H. L. Nesmith, Mrs. Henry Wilder, conservation; Mrs. Perley Wright, Mrs. William E. Wright, Miss Ruth Tuttle, household economics; Mrs. Julian A. Cameron, Mrs. H. W. Hildreth, Miss Alice Howard, industrial and social conditions; Mrs. George F. White, Miss Alice Howard, Mrs. Robert Prescott, literature and library extension; Mrs. William R. Carver, Mrs. Oscar Spalding, Mrs. M. Whitley, music; Mrs. C. A. Blaney, Mrs. Charles Wright, Miss May Lord, public health; Mrs. William C. Roudenbush, Miss May E. Day, Mrs. Fred Meyer, education; Miss Julia A. Fletcher, pianist.
Mrs. MacMurray, of Wollaston, entertained with readings and vocal solos, acting as her own accompanist, and gave an enjoyable program.
Deaths. Mrs. Adeline (Tower), widow of John Burbeck [who died June 17, 1915, Westford], passed away at her home last Sunday, aged eighty-six years. She is survived by two daughters, the Misses Mary and Grace Burbeck, of this son [sic]; three sons, Fred, of this town, Eli, of Chelmsford, and William, of Lowell; also several grandchildren.
The funeral was held from her home on Tuesday afternoon, services being in charge of Rev. Frank B. Crandall. The floral tributes were beautiful. The bearers were her three sons and a nephew, Hon. Frederick Fisher, of Lowell. Interment was in the family lot at Fairview cemetery.
Julian Whitney passed away at his home in the south part of the town on last Sunday. Although in poor health for some time he had been confined to his bed for a short time only. Besides his widow, Mrs. Sarah Whitney, he leaves three daughters, Mrs. Norman Phillips and Mrs. Joseph Perkins, of this town, and Mrs. John Olsson, of West Chelmsford, and two sons, Nathaniel and Hamilton, of this town.
Funeral services were held from his home on Wednesday afternoon, the services being in charge of Rev. Mr. Nickerson, of South Chelmsford. The floral tributes were beautiful, and interment was in Fairview, the bearers being neighbors of the deceased, Arthur Burnham, Arthur Wilson, James Wilson and Edson Blaisdell.
About Town. So it appears that we are listed for another special town meeting on May 19, the business of which is to vote to build a new schoolhouse at Forge Village. We have bought the land and paid for it. The state values us at $5,000,000. Are we so poor that we cannot afford a suitable shelter for our scholars? If we are, let us ask to be set off to Carlisle for in proportion to their wealth they built a more expensive schoolhouse than the one planned at Forge Village, and perhaps if the legislature would allow us to be annexed Carlisle would build it for us.
Yes, thank you, we observed Arbor day all that we could spare from the rush of planting. We planted six white pines and have forty more tagged to plant as soon as the mad planting season doesn’t rush us so. Besides planting the pines we grafted forty apple tree holes and there are forty more waiting to be planted. Then there were watermelons, musk melons and sweet corn, forty hills of each that got a busy one, and so Arbor day was occupied. We are used to such trifles.
The Morning Glory farm [of Amos Polley] has planted twenty-two bushels of potatoes and the [neighboring] Old Oaken Bucket farm [of Samuel Taylor, the author of the “About Town” section] planted a quantity of sweet corn on Tuesday, going right along as though the mud was dusty. Does anyone know whether it is too late to plant beans?
Have just received from Capt. S. H. Fletcher a pamphlet issued by the Dupont Powder Co. giving a list of the detailed reasons why the crow should be shot to extermination by Dupont powder. I have set my compass to load some batteries to fire as reasons why the crow should not be exterminated, but I am too busy this week fanning the dust from my view so that I may see where to plant the next hill of corn and hoe the peas which were planted in the mud on April 5, that I have no time this week to defend the crow.
We acknowledge with grateful delight receiving a copy of “Men who made old Harvard” by F. S. Savage, Sr.[2] While I knew but few of the men who made old Harvard I am delighted in the part that they played in making the Harvard of today. It is the kind of history that I delight in. If it had been possible I should have appreciated seeing some or all of the pictures of these men in this book.
Yes, we are promised an abundance of apple blossoms, with much emphasis on early apples that are so loaded with promise. Well, we may not have to prop up the limbs to hold them up with the weight of the blossoms, but we have the props already for a moment’s notice.
The William E. Green farm on the Providence road is reported sold. At the time of writing we are correctly misinformed as to who has purchased it. Next week we will try and know more if it is possible for us to.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm boy ate the last of his Pumpkin Sweets on May day. The poorer the quality of the apples the longer they will keep.
The small cottage house on the Providence road, owned by Judge Fisher, of Lowell, is reported sold to the Keizer family living at Westford Center. Mr. Keizer is working for Frank Johnson.
Norman Phillips has been ploughing on Little Tadmuck hill for Guy R. Decatur. The scenery view from the plow point at this point of altitude ought to be valuable enough to overpay he who clingeth to the plow handles.
I feel that I cannot justly pass unnoticed the exhibition on Monday evening at the town hall by the Frost and Parkerville schools. Their song singing, recitations, playlet, poultry exhibit, [and] needlecraft work was just an encouraging inspiration, and a large encouraging audience cheered approval. This in connection with the Farm Bureau motion pictures, which were never better. More, please.
On Monday evening a group of noted educators met at the Colony club in New York city to discuss establishing a progressive woman’s college in Bennington, Vt. The dean of Radcliffe presided and the speakers included the president of Smith college, Dr. Kilpatrick of Columbia and Dr. Vincent Ravi-Booth, pastor in Bennington. Dr. Booth will be remembered as the brilliant young minister several years ago in West Chelmsford, who married Miss Miriam Virgin. The sponsors of the school are all prominent people—Thomas La Mont, John W. Davis, Mrs. Dwight Morrow, Mrs. Vanderbilt Webb, Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick and others.
The library wishes to call the attention of the old friends of Albert D. Taylor, who spent his youth in this town, to a very interesting article in the magazine, Art and Archaeology [Aug., 1923, pp. 174-180] on “Landscape architecture in Cleveland.” Mr. Taylor is now fellow and trustee of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The article includes beautiful photographs of gardens in Cleveland, several of which were designed by Mr. Taylor. The library also has a very attractive book, “The complete garden [1921],” by the same writer, and all of Mr. Taylor’s boyhood friends will examine both with pleasure and pride
Grange Meeting. The regular meeting of West Chelmsford Grange was held on last week Thursday evening at Abbot hall at Brookside with a large attendance. Other Granges represented were Dunstable, Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Lowell, Westford, Littleton, Lunenburg and Worcester. The third degree was conferred by the ladies’ degree staff with success. Much credit is due the master of the degree team who had full charge. The degree team consisted of the following young women: Esther Nystrom, m.; Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, o.; Delia Lussier, lect.; Alice Newbold, chap.; Ebba Haberman, l.a.s.; Winnie Baum, stew.; Helena Merrill, g.k.; Mollie Lofstedt, Ceres; Grace Whitney, Pomona; Eleanor MacNaughton, Flora; Bernice Brown, sec.; Jessie Taylor, treas.; Mae Burne, Hukda Bales, Florence Nystrom, ex. com. The fourth degree was conferred by the regular officers, with Arthur Nystrom, master, in the chair. Twenty-one candidates took the degrees. A short recess was then declared and a harvest supper was served under the direction of Mrs. Grace Whitney, assisted by Mrs. Annie Edwards, Mrs. Louisa Hale, Mrs. Rebecca Baum, [and] Mrs. Beatrice Olsson. When Ralph A. Forbes, state deputy, of Worcester, was introduced, he commended the Grange for its splendid attendance and degree work. He was entertained during his stay by Mrs. John Vinal.
Obituary. Mrs. Adeline Tower Burbeck, widow of the late John Burbeck, died at her home on the Littleton road, aged 86 years, 1 month, 12 days, being one of the oldest residents of the town. She was one of a family of nine girls of Eli and Mary (Fletcher) Tower and was born at the old Tower homestead on the Lowell road [#46], now owned by Frank C. Drew. Here her early, happy days were passed. Her early education and advanced studies were received in the old Stony Brook district school in the days when the little red schoolhouse was more universally known than Harvard college. Here, at this old Stony Brook school, her inherent common sense and jolly, genial good nature received the essentials to steer successfully her well-balanced inheritance. As a schoolmate nine years my senior she was far advanced in the three R’s when your correspondent [Samuel L. Taylor] was stammering with consonants and vowels of the alphabet and failed then to see or comprehend then any such sub-divisions of the alphabet and he fails to see them in these latter years. This stupidity served to make other scholars seem so bright and precocious such as was Adeline Tower. A remarkably apt scholar and one of the most genial of playmates, whether it was play tag with or without a snowball, or skip rope with innocent hide and seek, she always played the games fair.
In her younger days she was a constant attendant at the Unitarian church with her father and mother and the rest of the large family, and it was a healthy old-fashioned New England sight to see the family carriage drive up to the church with the regularity of the return of the Sabbath day. This early developed respect for and observance of the Sabbath kept up all of her long life until the infirmities of age prevented constant attendance at church. The principles of love governed her whole life and her outlook and conduct towards the larger home of the world.
The deceased leaves two daughters, Mary and Grace Burbeck, of this town; three sons, Fred, of this town, and William, of Lowell, and Eli, of Chelmsford, and three grandchildren, Dorothy, Josephine and Elizabeth Burbeck, of Chelmsford.
The funeral was held on Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Frank B. Crandall of Ayer, conducting the service. The bearers were William, Fred and Eli Burbeck and Judge Frederick A. Fisher of Westford and Lowell. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery. There was a profusion of flowers from relatives and loving friends.
Church Notes. First church (Unitarian) Sunday service at 4 p.m. Special music by chorus choir, including chants and solo by Miss Eleanor Colburn, soprano. Preacher, Rev. Frank B. Crandall, the minister. Subject, “Visions that fade.” Church school at 3.
The proceeds of the recent Alliance fair were double the amount received at the last fair held by the society and that amount was a record up to that time.
The minister has received his commission as captain, chaplains’ corps, U.S. army, in the officers’ reserve corps following an examination before an army board at the army base, Boston, about a month ago.
On Sunday the preacher will deal with a human problem that surpasses all others in its difficulty and will suggest a possible way of solution.
Graniteville. Both masses in St. Catherine’s church on Sunday morning were celebrated by the pastor, Rev. A. S. Malone, and were largely attended. The pastor also announced that, commencing Sunday, May 18, there will be a mission of one week for the English-speaking people, to be followed by a week for the French-speaking people.
- Henry Harrington, the local contractor, has recently been awarded the contract to build four additional rooms on the Sargent school here, and work will be started at once. There is urgent need of more room to accommodate the large number of children in the local school, and it is the intention to have this job completed and equipped for the opening of the fall term.
The Abbot Worsted baseball club will play the Redmonds of South Boston here on Friday evening, May 2, in a twilight game, and the same clubs will meet in South Boston on Saturday afternoon, May 3. The big game from a local standpoint will be staged in North Chelmsford on next Sunday afternoon when the Abbots and the Silesia team will clash in what promises to be a red hot contest. The people in this vicinity have been waiting a long time for these two teams to get together and they will now have the opportunity. A large crowd will surely be in attendance at Silesia park, North Chelmsford, on next Sunday.
The following services in the M.E. church for next Sunday have been announced by the pastor, Rev. Alfred L. O’Brien: Sunday morning service at 10:30 o’clock. Sermon by the pastor, “What is to be saved?” Sunday evening service at 7:30. Special Congregational singing. Sermon, “The man who won in spite of unfortunate events.”
Death. Dennis Burke, an old and highly respected resident of the town, died at his home on the Tenney road, North Westford, early Wednesday morning, after a long illness due to advanced age. Mr. Burke was a devout member of St. Catherine’s church and when his health permitted was a constant attendant. He was a man of pleasing personality, strictly honest in his dealings and beloved by his fellowmen. He was a successful farmer in North Westford for many years.
He leaves to mourn his loss one son, George H. Burke; four daughters, Mrs. George Morris [Margaret “Maggie”] of North Chelmsford, Mrs. Clarence Wiley of Cuttingsville, Vt., Mrs. John J. Kelly [Julia] and Mrs. Eugene Gordon [Katherine “Katie”] of Lowell.
The deepest sympathy of the community is extended to the Burke family in the loss of a loving father.
The funeral will take place from St. Catherine’s church on this Saturday morning.
Card of Thanks [paid advertisement]
We wish to greatly express our sincere thanks and appreciation to all who helped in the many ways to lighten our sorrow in our recent bereavement.
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Burbeck,
Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Burbeck,
Mr. and Mrs. Eli T. Burbeck and Family,
Mary and Grace Burbeck.
Westford, May 1, 1924.
Ayer
Real Estate Transfers. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity recently:
Westford—Lelia B. Queen to Lelia B. Queen et al.; Sophia M. Hanson to Emily L. Hanson, land in Graniteville; Sophia M. Hanson to Carl H. Hanson, land in Graniteville; Rachel W. Reed to Sophia M. Hanson, land in Graniteville.
News Items. Rev. Frank B. Crandall officiated on Tuesday at the funeral of Mrs. John Burbeck, Westford.
Mrs. Charles McLean was a guest at the annual meeting of the Tadmuck club in Westford on Tuesday.
[1] Center. Master Harold Wright, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. Perley Wright, should have been mentioned as a third prize winner at the poultry exhibit, instead of George White, as reported last week. The Westford Wardsman, May 10, 1924.
[2] This was undoubtedly the book Memoirs of Old Harvard Days From 1863 to 1924 also The Men and Women and Their Descendants Who Made Old Harvard What It Is Today, published by the Author, F. S. Savage, Sr., Still River [part of Harvard], Massachusetts (1924). It is about the Town of Harvard, not the University.