Turner's Public Spirit, November 4, 1922
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The Tadmuck club will hold its next regular meeting in Library hall on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, instead of at the usual hour, three o’clock. Wentworth Stewart will be heard in the second of his series of talks on current topics of the day.
At the meeting of the Grange on October 19 there was a large attendance of members and visiting patrons. The third and fourth degrees were conferred; the third by the ladies’ degree staff, the work being especially fine, as was the ritual work of the officers. Eight members of the Concord Junction [now West Concord] Grange, which is a comparatively new Grange, were in attendance. At the meeting held on Thursday evening the program was in charge of the sisters.
By action of the school board the schoolhouse in Parkerville is denied for religious purposes.
[torn paper, 2 lines about a prayer service missing] The newly formed Junior C. E. Society will meet in the afternoon at 4:30. The Young People’s league will meet at 6:30. At the 7:15 service the pastor will preach on the theme, “Daniel in the lion’s den and out.”
Cards have been received in town announcing the birth of a son, Bennett Raddin Black, to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Black, of Everett. Mrs. Black was Miss Lucy Raddin of Groton and will be remembered as a former teacher at Minot’s Corner and Cameron schools.
Washington Wyman, of Oakland, Cal., a former resident of this town, has been the guest of his niece, Mrs. Frank C. Wright.
Wesley and Llewellyn Knight, of South Royalton, Vt., accompanied by their cousin, Leslie Hall, of Hanover, N.H., who are en route to Los Angeles, Cal., by auto, were Sunday guests of their grandfather, Joseph E. Knight.
Howard and Claude Wright, the young sons of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Wright, entertained several of their little friends and schoolmates at a Halloween party on Tuesday evening. The decorations and refreshments were appropriate to the occasion and all present had a very enjoyable time. The youngest one present was little Francis O’Connell, the six-weeks-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Alvah Wright, of Stow, formerly of this town, informally observed their fiftieth wedding anniversary on October 29. Relatives and friends from Ayer, Westford, Quincy, Stoughton, Waltham and Hudson and Franklin, N.H., were present. A brother Fred Smith, of Ayer, and a sister, Mrs. Ella M. Wright, who were present at the wedding, also attended the golden wedding anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have six children and twelve grandchildren. The couple were well remembered with presents, including china, glass, linen, a large sum in gold and several bouquets of yellow chrysanthemums. Mrs. Wright, before her marriage, was Miss Celia J. Smith.
The County Farm Bureau will conduct a series of lessons in millinery in Westford the coming season. The first lesson will be given on November 14 in Library hall and will be an all-day affair starting at ten o’clock in the morning, and those attending are to bring a basket lunch. There is still room for a few more names to be added to the class. Mrs. Nellie P Draper will be in charge of the work. The next in the series of motion pictures will be given in the town hall on the same evening, and at that time Mrs. Draper will speak to the ladies.
Francis O’Connell, young son of Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell, won first prize in the from-one-to-six-months-old class at the baby show held in Forge Village on Wednesday afternoon. The prize was five dollars in gold. Master O’Connell is six weeks old and weighs 14 ½ pounds.
Master Roger Bosworth, the young son of Mrs. Hilda Bosworth, observed his fifth birthday on last Monday afternoon by entertaining a few of his playmates. Halloween decorations were used and the usual Halloween games were much enjoyed by the little folks present.
A number of the little folks were out on Tuesday evening with their Jack-o’-lanterns and Halloween costumes, after which they were served with refreshments by Mrs. Ernest Christenson
Death. It was with great regret that the news of the death of Miss Helen McCoy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred McCoy, was received in town on last Monday. Miss McCoy passed away at Portsmouth, Va., early Monday morning after a few days’ illness of septic sore throat. Her sister, Mrs. Abbott L. Robbins, who had been called to Portsmouth owing to her sister’s illness, was there at the time of her death, and with Miss Florence Hill, representing the Teachers’ association of that place, accompanied the body to this town.
Miss McCoy, who was a girl of unusual mental attainments and of a lovable disposition, was a great favorite with all with whom she came in contact. She was a graduate of Westford academy, and afterward specialized in physical culture, and at the time of her death was teacher of physical training in Portsmouth.
Besides her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred McCoy, she leaves two sisters, Mrs. Abbott Robbins, of Watertown and Miss Ruth McCoy, of this town. The sympathy of the community is extended to them in their great bereavement.
About Town. The village church in West Chelmsford and Westford Corner organized a Men’s club at a meeting in the vestry of the church last Saturday evening when the following were elected: Bayard C. Dean, pres.; Anthony B. Anderson, vice pres.; Herbert G. Hodgdon, sec. and treas. [torn paper, line or two missing] each month and general good times are planned for following a supper.
The old Alvin J. Blaisdell house on the South Chelmsford road [opposite Blaisdell Rd.] to Westford in the south part of the town was badly damaged by fire early Tuesday morning and the wonder is that the house was not entirely destroyed. The Chelmsford fire department was summoned, the front of the house was a mass of flames when the Chelmsford Center fire company arrived on the scene, and the partitions throughout the house were practically destroyed. There was a lack of water, but with the aid of chemicals the fire was finally subdued. Only for the prompt arrival of the fire company the house would have been totally destroyed. As it is the damage is estimated at about $1000. The cause is supposed to be a defective chimney.
At the funeral of Elmer E. Shattuck, warden of the state prison at Charlestown, held on Tuesday afternoon, among the honorary pall-bearers was Sherman H. Fletcher.
At a recent Sunday school convention in Western Massachusetts, Rev. C. C. P. Hiller, of Millbury, formerly pastor here, was elected president of the association.
Dr. Alfred Rowley [who once lived at 25 Main St.], son of the late Rev. Charles Rowley, stopped in town for a short time recently, as he was passing through here in his limousine, accompanied by his wife. He had been in attendance at the convention of physicians and surgeons in Boston. Dr. George Crile, of Cleveland, Ohio, one of the greatest surgeons in the world, was a speaker at the convention. Dr. Crile is a nephew of Miss Ella T. Wright, who spends her summers here.
At an enjoyable Halloween party held in the Worthen street Baptist church, Lowell, Monday evening, Stanley L. Snow gave several readings.
John Adams Taylor writes that Arthur K. Reading, who is running for district attorney, is a graduate of the University of North Dakota [where John A. Taylor teaches] and deserving of active support.
Although we are through picking apples we are not through picking stories about the large amount of apples reported. Here is one and we have it from an eye witness: Herbert Mills, of Lowell, formerly of this town, picked 512 bushels in five days in Groton for J. Edward Clement, of this town, who bought heavily in Groton. Besides picking this amount he went back and forth daily to Lowell; neither was he trying to see how many he could pick—just ordinary jog and keep at it.
It is planned to load several carloads of windfall apples at Westford about Wednesday of next week, the same to be shipped to Liverpool. Why not ship them to Maine, for we have been told many times that there are no apples in that state with the exception of one man, and of course he cannot supply quite all the state?
First Parish church (Unitarian), Sunday service at four p.m. Preacher, Rev. Frank B. Crandall, the minister; subject, “The great leader.”
Death. Charles H. Parker, for over forty years a resident of Lowell, died at his home in Hawthorne last Saturday, aged 72 years and 9 months. He is survived by a son, Willard G., of Lowell; two sisters, Mrs. Mabel A. Bucknam, of Stoneham, and Mrs. Hattie A. Sykes, of Springfield; a brother, Frederick D. Parker, of Pawtucket, R.I., and also six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr. Parker will be remember by Westford people as the son of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Parker, and a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Parker, who lived at what was formerly the old Minot house (now burned). Nearly opposite, and where William P. Williams now lives, was the home of James M. Parker. Close by, on the Phineas Collins place, resided Otis Parker, and still close by on the place formerly owned by George A. Kimball, Elbridge G. Parker lived, and still close by George A. Parker lived close to the new schoolhouse. These were all sons of Gilbert Parker, and all were living in this locality at the same time, hence was appropriately named Parkerville.
Charles H. Parker was born in this town and was educated in the public schools, and his early life was spent here in town. The family were noted for their thrift, intelligence and Yankee common sense.
Mr. Parker has long since been removed from our personal acquaintance and consequently we have lost the trail of his later years.
The funeral service was held on Tuesday afternoon from the funeral home of William H. Saunders, Appleton street, Lowell, and was largely attended. Rev. James L. Cairns, of St. Paul’s Methodist church, conducted the service. There was duet singing by Charles H. Howard and Harry Pascal. The floral tributes were numerous and beautiful. The bearers were Louis B. Sykes, Donald B. Parker, Chester E. Lewis and Frank Griffin. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery, where the committal service was read by the officiating clergyman.
The 18th Amendment. We have been asked to contribute a few extra thoughts on the eighteenth amendment to the constitution of the United States and the Volstead act to enforce it, and which comes up as a referendum at the state election on Tuesday. Much as we dislike to appear so loud and often on this subject and others, we feel that it is the call of duty to speak out, so here goes a few thoughts prior to voting on the question.
First, let us remember what is the essence of the question. If we forget all of the arguments for or against, don’t vote contrary to what you believe.
We have been in the habit of voting “Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors in this town?” and all who now believe in the eighteenth amendment and the Volstead act have always voted no. But now the question and answer is reversed, and in substance reads, “Shall Massachusetts enact such laws as are necessary to enforce the Volstead act?” On this question all who believe in national prohibition will vote yes, and the unbelievers can pick their choice without our aid. Remember, that there are only two states but what have state legislation to enforce the eighteenth amendment—Massachusetts and New Jersey—and those best informed assert that it is difficult to enforce national legislation without state legislation cooperating, and as we look at it to refuse this legislation is to defy the constitution of the United States, for in refusing this legislation it is practically saying “We will not be governed by the constitution of the United States.” Remember to vote yes if you do not wish Massachusetts to line up against national law.
Also remember not to be led astray by this false alarm, an alarm that is contradicted by all laws relating to daily life and conduct, “An infringement on personal liberty.” We would like to have someone name a law that relates to personal liberty but what infringes on personal liberty. You cannot catch even a fish, harmless as this seems to be, without taking out a license, and if the fish is short in length, even an eighth of an inch, you will find yourself up against a fine. You cannot hunt the homely woodchucks on your own land without taking out a license; if you do it you will pay a fine. You cannot shoot birds without taking out a license; and then if you shoot a bird whose legs are not colored as the [paper torn, two lines missing] vaccination, even against your belief that it is a menace to health. You must submit to quarantine at your own expense for weeks at a time. You must submit to have your land of which you have a deed taken from you by the law of eminent domain.
We speak from personal experience on eminent domain having ten acres of the best part of the farm seized and now it is the roosting place of snapping turtles, water snakes, hornpout and the darling mosquitoes, and to it we say amen—but why multiply?
Infringement of personal liberty is one of the foundations of progressive civilization, and no one speaks out loud in meeting until you touch rum. Here you can fill a man so full that he will lay down in the mud with the frogs, and if the law tries to prohibit it there is a unanimous long-prolonged protest “Infringement of personal liberty.” “Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.” [Matthew 23:24 KJV]
Modern Dairying Region. Some members of the Old Oaken Bucket farm went to Woodsvillle (Haverhill), N.H., last week Friday and remained over Sunday, being the guests of the Thomas E. Taylor family. We had an inspiring time, surrounded by mountains, Connecticut rivers, large and small, and a waterfalls of similar dimensions and similar inspirations. These mountains are nearly all denuded of lumber, but they promise it and are green with the promise and will keep it if the uncontrolled greed of man will let it, and reckless brush fires and still more reckless fires of careless hunting is kept under control.
This is not an apple-growing section and without boasting we left behind us on the Old Oaken Bucket farm more apples trees than we could figure out with our eyes in traveling a distance of 142 miles, and to back up our calculations we found apples selling for $1.60 per bushel, while the day prior to our journey we shipped to Boston some specially selected for size and color and received a return of forty-four cents net. We do not wish to boost [sic] beyond facts in order to squeeze back into the Ananias club again, when we state that these apples were so large that many of them would fill a box.
This is a dairy section and the farms on the Connecticut river and elsewhere are a marvel in thrift and dairy production and hay and ensilage. We visited the Grafton county [poor] farm in Haverhill on the Connecticut river. Here they have a modern dairy barn with all the newness of ventilation, tie-ups, watering and feeding, and if we counted right there were 200 head of cattle in this barn.
Thomas E. Taylor, whom we visited in Woodsville, enlisted from this town during the civil war and served with distinction in the signal corps service. We were surprised to find that the preacher in the Universalist church was Henry A. Parkhurst, from Dunstable, a graduate from our own academy. We went to hear him preach and he gave a good sermon. He has a wife and two boys of fourteen and ten years. We found that he was very well liked.
Sincerely Mourned. We read with surprise and regret of the death of Elmer E. Shattuck, warden of the state prison. While not as intimately acquainted with him as many, we remember him as a member of the Spaulding Light Cavalry and later as a member of the Cavalry association. We recall him at several political conventions and rallies. We loved that hearty and sympathetic clasp of the hand and that sunny encouraging smile. This easy personal approach was void of all “Stand thou here while I go and pray yonder, for I am holier than thou.” His personality carried with it the real genuine New England common sense and a remarkably tolerant spirit for the erring and they must be hopelessly hardened criminals who would not desire to contribute flower of love at the funeral. When you met him you met a believer in the common brotherhood of man. He acted it in your presence, he lived it in his life. No one was ill at ease in his presence from any partially masked self-superiority; he wore no masks of any king. His living was above the necessity of masks. His conversation and conduct was always “Yea, yea, and nay, nay,” without any reserve levers of ambiguous meaning. He was always the self-composed, calm, self-reliant, self-controlled law unto himself, straight to affairs, plain and simple without lowering the ideals of thought and conduct, a believer in the law of love and lived it—as such we remember him.
Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted soccer team defeated the Methuen club for the third time in an Industrial League game at Methuen on last Saturday 4 goals to 0. On this Saturday the Abbots will play the Shawsheen A.A. team in the second round of the national cup series. This game will start at 2:30 p.m. and will be played at the Abbot field in Forge Village. Both clubs will present their strongest lineups and a great game is expected.
The Brotherhood held its regular meeting in the vestry of the M.E. church on Wednesday evening and was well attended. After the business session was finished a very interesting debate was held.
The Methodist church cottage prayer meeting will be held this week at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Eaton at seven o’clock Friday evening.
Dr. D. E. Ford, who saw service in France with Dr. Fabyan Packard during the world war, has just returned from a two-years’ tour spent in China and Siberia, where he was connected with work for the Red Cross. Dr. Ford has been a recent guest of Dr. and Mrs. Packard here.
Dr. and Mrs. Packard with Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lydia [sic, Lydiard] attended the Harvard-Dartmouth game in Cambridge last Saturday [won by Harvard 12-3].
The regular monthly meeting of the Epworth League will be held in the church vestry on next Saturday evening at 7:30. After the meeting the usual social hour will be held.
On Wednesday, being the Feast of All Saints, two masses were celebrated in St. Catherine’s church by the pastor, Rev. A. S. Malone. The first at five a.m. and the second at 7:30. Two masses were also held on Thursday morning. Services were also held on Wednesday evening at 7:30.
Many of the Graniteville students of the Westford academy attended the Halloween party that was held at the town hall, Westford, on Monday evening. All report a very enjoyable time.
At the moving pictures to be shown here on Friday evening, “The musketeers” will be given. The same bill will be presented in Brookside at 6:30 and in Forge Village on Saturday evening at 7:45.
The youngsters here had quite a merry time celebrating the spirit of Halloween on Tuesday evening.
Ayer
News Items. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity: … Westford—Frederick A. Burbeck to H. Elliott; Mabel F. Mann to David Scott, et. ux., land on Forge Village road. …
Notes
Latest News of the City of Portsmouth
Physical Training Supervisor Dies
(2) Miss Helen M. McCoy, supervisor of physical training in the public schools of the city and director of the work in the elementary schools, died at 1 o’clock yesterday morning in Parrish Memorial Hospital [Portsmouth, Va.], at the age of 24 years. She lived at 1025 Naval avenue, Park View.
Miss McCoy, who has been connected with the school system of the city for the last three years, was regarded as a particularly efficient instructor in her branch of school work.
She was formerly a resident of Westford, Mass. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. McCoy, of Westford. Miss McCoy was taken ill last Wednesday, developing a sore throat. An abscess followed, causing blood poison.
A sister, Mrs. Bertha M. Robbins, came here last week to be with Miss McCoy.
The body was forwarded last night over the Norfolk division of the Pennsylvania Railroad to Westford, where funeral service and burial will take place tomorrow. It was accompanied by Mrs. Robbins.
The body was escorted to the wharf by a delegation representing the school system of the city, which included Superintendent Hunt, President Briggs, of the City School Board; members of the board, the principals of the schools here, and a large number of other friends.
A pall of white chrysanthemums and ferns covered the casket. It was sent by the faculty and pupils of the Jefferson Street School. A large bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums was sent by members of the School Board.
As a mark of the respect to the memory of Miss McCoy, orders were issued yesterday that the flags on all school buildings in the city are to be placed at half mast for a week.
Many of Miss McCoy’s friends here yesterday telegraphed to florists in Lowell, Mass., to deliver floral tributes upon the arrival of the body in Westford.
Virginia-Pilot and the Norfolk Landmark, Norfolk, Va., Tuesday, October 31, 1922, p. 14.
(1) This is a common corruption of Isaiah 65:5a: “Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou.” This is said of “a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good” …(Isaiah 65:2). KJV
(3) Henry A. Parkhurst, of Dunstable, matriculated at Westford Academy in 1890 and graduated from the English Course in 1893 per A General Catalogue of Trustees, Teachers and Students of Westford Academy 1792-1895 (1912) compiled by Cornelia Fletcher Day.
(4) This is taken from Matthew 5:37: “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” KJV