Turner's Public Spirit, November 24, 1923
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The Tadmuck club guest night will be held in the town hall on Tuesday evening, November 27, at eight o’clock. The hostess of the evening will be Mrs. Oscar R. Spalding. The speaker of the evening, Miss Mabel F. Knight[1], “Princess Niboban,” will take as her subject “The music, legends and dances of our first Americans.” Each club member is entitled to one guest ticket, which may be obtained from Mrs. William R. Taylor. Extra guest tickets may be purchased for a small sum.
The men of the Congregational church are planning to hold a roast beef supper on December 7.
Rev. Mr. Lyons, formerly of the Pawtucketville Congregational church, [Lowell,] will occupy the pulpit at the Congregational church on Sunday morning and evening. The newly appointed pastor, Rev. Mr. [Edward] Disbrow, of West Boxford, is expected to assume his duties the first Sunday in December.
Weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Knight were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell and Miss Velma Campbell, of Hudson, N.H.
Miss Mattie Crocker, of Brockton, is the guest or Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Knight.
Mrs. Fred McCoy has recently returned from a nine-weeks’ visit with her sister, Mrs. Thomas Perry, of Moncton, N.B.
At the last meeting of the Grange the following officers were elected: Frederick Meyer, m.; Frederick Robinson, o.; Charles Colburn, stew.; Carl Lydiard, asst. stew.; Mildred Robinson, l.a.s.; Josie Prescott, chap.; Eleanor Colburn, lect.; Norman Day, g.k.; Alice Swenson, Ceres; Ethel Ingalls, Pomona; Katherine Ott, Flora; Aurilla Wright, sec.; Mabel Wright, treas.; Clifford Johnson, Frank A. Wright, Lily Meyer, ex. com.
Mrs. Gertrude Skidmore and family left town last Saturday to spend the winter in Florida as is their usual custom.
Mrs. John Sears, of Rockport, has been the guest of Mrs. Harry Whiting the past few days.
The Ladies’ Aid of the Congregational church held an all-day meeting with Mrs. Frederick Meyer last week Thursday. A large amount of work was accomplished and an enjoyable day spent by the large number in attendance.
The next in the Extension Service series of motion pictures will be given in the town hall on Monday evening at eight o’clock. A very interesting, educational and entertaining program has been planned for the evening, consisting of a News reel, “Foresting the sandhill,” “Halting foreign plant foes,” “Water by wire!” “Tests for better roads” and “Author! Author!” the last named being a three-reel western comedy that is a scream.
The Alliance held their regular monthly all-day meeting at the home of Mrs. Charles Robinson on last week Thursday. There was a good attendance and a large amount of work was accomplished, those present spending a most enjoyable day.
About twenty-four of the young friends of Miss Ruth Johnson, who became the bride of Henry Ewing, of Littleton, on Wednesday, tendered her a kitchen shower at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Johnson last Saturday evening. Music was enjoyed and refreshments of sandwiches, cake and cocoa were served, after which the guests departed for home, extending their best wishes for the future.
Miss Lillian Sutherland has been acting as a substitute at the Sargent school, Graniteville, for Miss Lillian Wright, who is ill.
Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs and infant son leave the latter part of this week for Cuba.
Miss Ruth Johnson, of this town, and Henry Ewing, of Littleton, were united in marriage at the home of the bride’s mother, Mrs. Amy Johnson, Wednesday evening. Rev. Frank B. Crandall, of Ayer, officiated at the double ring ceremony, the couple standing in an archway beneath a large wedding bell of white. The bride was prettily attired in a gown of navy blue canton crepe, and the couple were unattended. During the evening refreshments were served after which the couple departed on a short wedding trip, and upon their return will reside in Littleton. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have a host of friends in town who extend to them their best wishes.
Several breaks [sic, probably break-ins was meant] have been reported to the police recently in the Graniteville and Brookside sections of the town.
Back-log club ball, Littleton, on thanksgiving night. Music, Hanson.
About Town. Why wouldn’t it be a good plan to have a more uniform standard of weights and measures, which would do much to prevent confusion? Why have eleventeen standards or more for the weight of a bushel of apples, potatoes, corn, wheat, oats, barley, etc.? Why not strike an average weight standard for all and have done with this box weight variety of confusion? Why call 16 ⅔ feet a rod; why not call 16 and three thirds a rod? If there is a good reason for not doing so some of us are unable to get it under the thick covering where resideth our thinking apparatus.
Alfred F. Foote, commissioner of public safety, reports for October fire losses outside of Boston of $669,456.27. Causes—careless smoking one-quarter or 84 fires from this cause in the month of October, involving a damage of $168,047; defective chimneys, $47,000. Aside from careless smoking and careless chimneys carelessness in other forms caused damage amounting to nearly $250,000. This came about by careless use of matches and children playing with matches. Fires in dwellings numbered 180, nearly half of all the fires reported, and the loss from these fires amounted to $116,600. There were 37 fires from spontaneous combustion, causing a damage of $28,588.28. Lightning caused a damage of $3549. Some of us would like to know where lightning came in during October. Where some of us live there did not appear to be lightning enough around to kill an adult bedbug; if there was it did not succeed in doing it.
Fred L. Snow, of Tyngsboro, representative to the legislature from this district, who was recently sued for $5000 damages in an automobile accident, the jury last week found for the defendant. [sic]
At a meeting of the trustees of Middlesex-North Agricultural society held in Lowell on last week Wednesday, resolutions on the death of Albert Jesse Trull, of Tewksbury, for many years one of the trustees and a former president, were unanimously adopted. The first farmers’ institute of the season will be held in Billerica in December, the date and subject to be announced later. As an experiment, it was voted to hold this first institute in the afternoon and evening, with supper accompaniment, and if satisfactory the rest of the institutes will be held the same way. The trustees accepted the suggestion of one of the trustees that at one of the institutes there should be a discussion on “Have the results of vivisection been of sufficient value to justify its cruel torture of animals?” If this makes a hit there is likely to follow “How to improve the health conditions of farm life.”
Happening to be in Lowell on business last week Friday S. L. Taylor was at the funeral of Rev. Caleb E. Fisher, for twenty-eight years minister of the First Universalist church. All nationalities, creeds and political parties, the humblest citizen and those prominent in all walks of life were represented at the funeral, which was the largest funeral in Lowell in recent years. By request of Dr. Fisher Rev. Percy E. Thomas of the First Congregational church delivered the eulogy, which was a most touching, truthful and eloquent tribute to the memory of his friend, with whom he had exchanged pulpits.
Let us remember that it is national Thanksgiving on next week Thursday and let us be thankful for a large apple crop and a large wheat crop, and let us not sadden and sour this joyous annual day by mussing it up with “they didn’t pay the cost of production.”
As evidence of “the rights of the highways belong to us, we and company, exclusively,” the Boston and Maine system reports for the last six months show that 116 railroad gates were smashed by automobilists with their exclusive “go-cart rights—I am it, get off the road or I’ll smash your gates or smash your picture so that it would look upset in a pictorial picture book.” It is about time that this defiant spirit was either curbed or sent to fill up our empty jails, which is another evidence of our oral self-sufficiency. Our abandoned empty jails and everywhere increasing crime is an unanswerable refutation of our apparent jailess goodness.
When Dr. [Alexander] Meiklejohn [1872-1964], ex-president of Amherst college, says “Ninety-five percent of the professors in college have third rate minds” the rest of us little fellows must come in under the “eleventeenth rating.” But even be it so how thankful we ought to be on Thanksgiving day sheltering ourselves in the refuge of the old familiar adage “Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise.” This ought to be a real, lasting comfort for all futures.
“The frosty Caucasus” is a very interesting set of pictures received from the Library Art club and now on exhibition at the library. The homes and industries of the people are well illustrated. The pictures will remain until December 3.
Unconvincing Arguments. I read with much interest a communication signed “Harvard Reader” in last week’s issue. I wished that he had signed his name so that we could see what target we are firing at. He tries to prove that we ought to join the league of nations by quoting great and learned men, when it is easier to quote the opinion of a far greater number of great men in opposition. See here, wake up to the thought if you never awake on the thought before, that you might just as well quote the humblest citizens who walk the roads, streets and Lover’s lanes of Harvard, and who have kept read up on these questions as to quote from these learned ministers, deacons and ex-presidents. The intelligence of the United States, after an impartial hearing, the American people sustained the senate by the largest majority ever at the presidential election. You have either got to call it that the league of nations was an issue or else you will have to call it a repudiation of the Wilson administration, the chief cornerstone of the league of nations, President Wilson being the father, god-father and general uncle of this whole business.
If you are not gored on either horn you can rest happy in the thought that if you should ever get struck by lightning the lightning might get badly injured but you would escape unhurt. As I have often said before, there is no evidence to show that if we did enter the league where more than fifty nations have done little but add jealousy to jealousy when our best statesman brains have been unanimously turned down with their advice and all this talk about “unchristian America’s” unwillingness to enter the league looks as if those who utter such statements are hard pressed to dig up an argument out of their brains that could stand without the aid of crutches.
Senator Lodge put the lid forever on “unchristian America” talk when he said in his Sunday address recently: “We expected nothing when we went into the war—we got nothing and ask nothing.”
Now stop your falsities around about “unchristian America”—when we sacrificed life by the thousands and piled up debts by the millions—and now we are asked to tie ourselves up with a lot of snarling, snapping jealous nations, too many of whose inhabitants have not got up to the kindergarten class of Darwin’s frog pond ancestry.
Starvation Whining. I quote from the Rural New Yorker: “When word came that western wheat growers were selling their grain at less than cost of production, we tried to organize our eastern poultrymen so that they could buy more wheat and help care for the surplus. On the theory that every little bit helps, poultrymen were willing to do their part and they started in to buy wheat. Then they found that in spite of the reports of starvation prices for western growers, the eastern buyers were expected to pay more than ever for feeding wheat. This came near ending the performance for no one can expect our poultrymen to substitute wheat for other grains unless they can make a bargain by doing so. Personally I have never been able to load myself down with sympathy for the western wheat farmer as would cause a “red face.” For right down charity that is beseeching and pleading at our doors daily, a charity that is piteously helpless, that “hasn’t where to lay its head,” the western wheat farmer whining out a starvation cry because of a surplus of food. [sic] We could whine out a long, long story of starvation prices to eastern farmers, and if we can believe the story of eastern farmers who write an itemized statement of their farming calamities for the agricultural papers all hands, with a few exceptions, are close to the precipice of bankruptcy and all of this show-up right here in New England.
The facts are we are overlooking the real cause of success and failure. Those who succeed in farming succeed under the same tariff laws, the same drought, the same excess rains, the same farm pests, the same high price of farm wages and the same starvation prices for crops, and the same inflated taxes all over New England. Now, why don’t we all succeed? Speak right up and answer this. Why don’t we all succeed under the same laws of nature and man? Well, I will try and cover it with one word, “individuality.”
The charity that hasn’t even a foothold wherein to lay its head or even a dish of watered soup this side of starvation has all the sympathy that I can rally any personal help for, and this attempt of poultrymen to help use up this surplus wheat so that the balance would bring living prices is a clear case of illustrating undeserving charity work or whining in a roar and in far greater excess than the trouble comes to. A clear case of thanklessness and reminds me of a story told by a neighbor: “Walking in a side street in Lowell one day I came across a man beating his wife. I stepped up to the husband and shook my fist in his face, saying, “You villain, what are you beating your wife for?” She turned on me and shaking her fist in my face, said, “You call my husband a villain, he is a more likely man than you ever thought of being’.”
Should Eat More Apples. At the Eastern Apple Exposition and Fruit Show held at Grand Central Palace, New York city, November 3-10, there were more than forty who gave addresses on various subjects connected with apple culture and apple eating. Among the more than forty speakers was George Albert Drew, of this town, owner of the Drew-Read farm [now 164 Main St.], one of the largest, if not the largest, apple farms in town. In glancing over the list of more than forty subjects discussed Mr. Drew had the most important subject assigned to him, “Increasing consumption.” It is passing the understanding of some of us who are aging up in our understanding as well as in our hearing why when you can buy apples good enough for ordinary people or extraordinary people (if there be any of this last class in the sense in which I refer to it) for one cent per pound, that they are so stingily used. As a health corrective they are too sparsely used. More apples at one cent a pound or ten cents a pound and less meat at fifty cents a pound would do much towards preventing premature citizenship in the cemetery. Also more apples at the above prices or higher and less chewing and smoking would also do much to keep us on our walking apparatus and stave off many years longer that last free-expensive ride.
Labor Comparison. A farm in Connecticut, which has been in existence for eighty years, recently had an occasion in connection with a celebration to make comparisons of the wages paid in 1843 with those paid now. While they apply to a particular industry, doubtless they are fairly representative of general progress in wage-earing. It is shown that average hourly earnings of employees have increased over 1300% in the four-score period, and the average weekly earnings nearly 850%. The average weekly working periods has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours. In 1843 an employee received on an average of 4.28 cents an hour; $3.08 per week. Now the average is 60.6 cents an hour and $29.18 a week. What do you think of these figures, Mr. Laboring Man and Woman; you who were foolish enough to strike last autumn in Lowell when business was dull and you paid about all the taxes on the mills by a shut-down in wages when many of the mills were glad of an excuse to shut down? What a lot of wisdom you dumped in that unwise strike. A laborer should have all he is competent to earn to his employer, but not what he is incompetent to earn, however wealthy the concern may be.
The employer furnishes all of the capital, taxes, insurance, repairs and all of [the] changing vicissitudes of the business and the care and worry of the business, which is a heavier load than the capital to furnish. Now, what does the average laborer invest in the business? Just plain individual “individuality,” which varies in varying capacity with nearly every individual and when a strike is ordered for equal pay to all regardless of individual competence it is a strike against the laws of nature and the Great Architect of these laws. But for all this and more I always take off my hat to the laboring man because I believe in his co-essential value with the employer. But for all this belief I am of the opinion without confirming it by a check-up of figures that the laborer has been, is now and likely to continue to receive more for his services in proportion to his investment than the employer. “The workman is worthy of hire” and employer, as workman, is also worthy of his hire.
Clipping. The following tribute to Sarah Dix Hamlin was written by a teacher formerly in Miss Hamlin’s school and was published in the school magazine for November. It will be interesting to Miss Hamlin’s many friends in town and elsewhere:
Our new semester had only begun when we learned, with deep sorrow, that death had entered our beloved alma mater. She who had so carefully planned for our education advancement had completed her final lesson in the great book of life—the record had been closed and Sarah Dix Hamlin, founder of the Hamlin school, had passed into the great beyond. In her passing we realized that a noble woman and a gifted teacher had left us.
A firm believer in American ideals and aspirations she strove to instill in her pupils those qualities of mind and heart that characterize the highest type of womanhood. In her own daily life she exemplified those traits which she desired to impress—strength of character, devotion to duty, loyalty to one’s highest ideals, broadness of vision and love of humanity.
Gifted with a brilliant intellect, enjoying the advantage of extensive travel, and numbering among her friends some of the most distinguished in the land, she still preserved a nature of unspoiled simplicity, and implicit faith in humanity and a sympathetic interest in the lives of the most humble.
Firm in her convictions, preeminently just, she was always generous and tolerant in her judgment of others. Above all pettiness, and devoid of all envy, her greatest desire was to serve.
One meets with such a woman but once in a generation and those of us who have been privileged to know her as the great-hearted woman, the loyal friend, or the inspiring teacher will always feel that our lives have been broadened and enriched through the association.
Because of her purposeful life her work will live on through the years. The torch which she has kindled will burn even more brightly as time passes—the spirit of her life and influence will remain.
Y.P.R.U. Dance. The Young People’s Religious Union gave an invitation dancing party at the town hall Friday evening of last week, which proved to be one of the most enjoyable parties given in town in recent years. The hall furnished an attractive setting with its decorations of blue and yellow streamers provided through the courtesy of the A. L. post. About 100 couple attended, including young people from Ayer, Chelmsford, Littleton, Lowell and other places. Favor and novelty dances were a feature of the occasion and were especially popular with those who attended.
Wilson’s orchestra of Ayer and Fitchburg furnished inspiring music for dancing. They were reinforced in several numbers by the “Foursome four,” Gordon Seavey, Fisher Buckshorn, Philip Prescott and Eric Anderson, who played Kazoos dressed up as various imposing instruments.
Refreshments of Arctic Sweethearts and homemade cake were served during the intermission by the following young ladies of the society: Eleanor Colburn, Marion Fletcher, Gladys Ingalls, Alice Johnson, Frieda Johnson and Mrs. Mildred Robinson.
The committee in charge were Leon Hildreth, chairman, Fisher Buckshorn, Philip Prescott and Gordon Seavey. The matrons were Mrs. W. R. Carver, Mrs. John Feeney, Miss Eva Fletcher, Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher and Mrs. Gertrude C. Skidmore.
Church Notes. First church (Unitarian)—Sunday service at four p.m. Music by chorus choir; “Grateful, O Lord, am I,” Roma, Miss Eleanor Colburn, contralto. Preacher, Rev. Frank B. Crandall, the minister. Subject, “The way of thankfulness.” Church school at three.
The Wayside Pulpit has now been completed and put into service. The supply of sheets, sufficient for three months, which are furnished free to Unitarian churches, has been received.
At the last meeting of the Alliance it was voted to engage Miss Eleanor Colburn as soloist and choir director. Men are desired to augment the choir.
The minister urges those who have not already done so to add by their presence to the increasing congregations and show their appreciation of the interest and loyalty of the choir.
Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted soccer club had a rather easy time of it beating Manchester in an industrial league game at Forge Village last Saturday. From now on the Abbots will be called upon to show their strength owing to the many cup tie games that are scheduled for the next few weeks. “Pete” Farquhar, at center half, and the new man, “Bob” Perry, at center forward, showed up finely in last Saturday’s game.
Earl Nash of Roxbury has been a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Robinson here.
The new night school is going big here. The day workers have taken kindly to the idea, and Principal Fitzgibbons, the teacher in charge, is much pleased with the large number that is being added to the roll each evening. More subjects are being added as time goes on, and all are deeply interested in the good work. This night school appears to be filling a long felt want, and if the young people continue to attend in such large numbers it will probably be necessary to secure the services of an assistant teacher.
Many of the Graniteville girls who are attending Westford academy joined with the other girl students of the school, and with the teachers as chaperons, enjoyed a hike to the Carlisle Pines[2], last Saturday. The day was ideal for such a trip, and the pupils enjoyed it immensely. Every thing was provided for the trip but liniment, and that came later.
The senior class of the Westford academy will present the comedy, “A perplexing situation,”[3] in the town hall on Friday evening. Many Graniteville students at the academy have parts in the cast.
Mrs. William Wall has been on the sick list for the past few days.
- A. Healy has recently installed a new radio at his residence here.
Moving pictures are now being shown here on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
Littleton
News Items. Henry Ewing was married on Wednesday to Miss Ruth Johnson, of Westford, and will live in the Hollis house recently vacated by Mrs. Smith and Miss Nye. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have the best wishes of their friends for their future.
Ayer
News Items. Rev. Frank B. Crandall officiated at the wedding of W. Henry Ewing, of Littleton, and Miss Ruth Johnson, at the bride’s home in Westford on Wednesday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. George H. B. Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Hayden, Rev. and Mrs. Frank B. Crandall, Benjamin Normand, John Henry, John Turner, and the Misses Marah Whitney, Dorothy Whittier, Rachael Turner, Priscilla Osgood, and Dorothy Killion, of Dorchester, a guest of Miss Rachael Turner, attended a dancing party given by Westford Y.P.R.U. in the Westford town hall on last week Friday evening.
Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of St. Andrew’s parish was held in St. Andrew’s church on Tuesday evening. Rev. Endicott Peabody, rector, welcomed the assembly. Reports of the various church organizations were given, including a resume of the work of the church by the vicar, Rev. Leslie F. Wallace. The following officers were chosen for the coming year: Judge George A. Sanderson, Littleton, senior warden; William A. Gardner, Groton, junior warden; Charles A. Normand, treas.; S. Warren Sturgis, Groton, sec.; Rev. Sherrard Billings, Groton, H. Ferguson, John Edwards, William Burnett, Forge Village, Berton Williams, Robert H. Irwin, Ayer, Dr. Austin Peters, Harvard, vestrymen; William A. Gardner, S. Warren Sturgis, Groton, Charles A. Normand, delegates to diocesan convention; Timothy Cleary, Ayer, Joseph Whigham, Forge Village, Louise Zahner, Groton, delegates to the archdeaconate in Lowell. After the business meeting the members adjourned to the vicarage where refreshments were served in charge of Mrs. Edward E. Sawyer, Mrs. Clarence D. Young, Mrs. Ella F. Hovey and Mrs. Timothy Cleary.
Real Estate Transfers. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity recently: …
Westford, William Atwood et al. to Isaac H. Knight, land in Atwood lot; Ida E. Leighton to Eleanor L. Fletcher, land on Main street. …
[1] Mabel Frances Knight was a New England lecturer on Native American folklore. She received her BA from Tufts in 1902. She was apparently of Native American ancestry, Princess Niboban being her Native American name.
[2] “In 1901 a tract of over one hundred virgin white pines was saved from logging and given to the Appalachian Mountain Club to hold as a public reservation [now the Carlisle Pines State Forest]. Many were over 100 feet tall, and may have already been mature trees at the time of the Revolutionary War. Today only about half a dozen are still standing. They remain impressive, and are joined by several ancient hemlocks. The 22-acre property is now managed by nearby Great Brook Farm State Park.” From https://www.oldgrowthforest.net/ma-carlisle-pines-state-forest.
[3] “A Perplexing Situation,” a comedy in two acts by S. Jennie Smith was first published in 1895.