Turner's Public Spirit, October 18, 1924
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
The Westford Wardsman, Saturday, October 18, 1924.
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Robbins have been the recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. McCoy.
Members of the W.C.T.U. and their husbands held a farewell party for Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Meyer at the home of the president, Mrs. Janet Wright, Monday evening of last week. Mrs. Meyer has been secretary of the organization for several years and as a token of appreciation the ladies presented her with an envelope handbag. Refreshments were served by the hostess and a general good time enjoyed.
The state convention of the W. C.T.U. will be held in Boston next week and promises to bring out a large delegation, as this is jubilee year, the fiftieth anniversary of the Union. Westford is supposed to send five members to participate in the march of allegiance. Mrs. Janet Wright is the local delegate to the convention.
The Y.P.R.U. will hold a military whist party at the Unitarian church parlors on the evening of October 22.
The Grange will hold an old-fashioned dance at the town hall on the evening of October 24.
Mr. and Mrs. John A. O’Connell observed the fifteenth anniversary of their marriage by a party to a number of their friends. They were the recipients of a number of useful gifts, such as linen, cut glass, etc. There was a musical entertainment and during the evening refreshments were served and the guests departed, wishing Mr. and Mrs. O’Connell many happy returns. Friends were present from Arlington Heights, Boston, Dorchester, Forge Village, Littleton and Westford Center. The gathering was held on Sunday evening, and on Tuesday October 14, which is the anniversary date, Mr. and Mrs. O’Connell attended the theatre in Lowell.
A number from this town attended the concert by Alma Gluck[1] in Lowell on Tuesday evening.
Sunday will be observed as rally day at the Congregational church.
Miss Mary A. Grant, of Rockport, has been the recent guest of her aunt, Mrs. Harry E. Whiting.
Harold W. Hildreth, of this town, and Miss Ella Hewitt were united in marriage at a pretty wedding at the home of the bride in Attleboro last Saturday by Rev. Victor V. Sawyer of the Methodist church. The bride was attended by four bridesmaids, the Misses Ethel McDonald, Helen Lee, Grace Ward and Mrs. Howard Carpenter. Little Miss Mary Hildreth, the daughter of the groom, acted as flower girl. The groom was unattended. The couple will reside on Boston road, where Mr. Hildreth has recently purchased the house formerly occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Whitney. Mr. Hildreth is town accountant, and for the past two years has been commander of Westford post, A.L.
The Ladies’ Alliance of the Hopedale Christian church [illegible word] a most enjoyable meeting when the report of Miss Clara A. Smith was given on Alliance week at Star Island, which she attended as a delegate. It was especially interesting and humorous and pronounced the finest report ever given before the Alliance.
Teachers’ Convention. The Northwest Middlesex Teachers’ association, of which Principal William C. Roudenbush of Westford academy is president, will hold their thirtieth annual convention in Ayer on October 24. The forenoon session will be held at the high school, and the afternoon session at the Federated church. The speakers in the afternoon will be Frank P. Bennett, Jr., of the U.S Investor, Boston, Miss Vera H. Brooks, of the department of public health, Boston, Herman H. Brase, State Normal school, Lowell, Frank P. Morse, supervisor of secondary education for the state, followed by a business meeting of high school principals. At intermission a dinner will be served by the ladies of the Federated church. At the afternoon session, after the business meeting, the speakers will be Prof. Frederick S. Cleveland, of Boston university, who will take for his subject, “Citizenship,” and Prof. Edgar S. Brightman, of the same college, who will speak on “Obligation and education.” The musical program will be in charge of Miss A. Pamelia Precious.
About Town. The blacksmith shop of the H. E. Fletcher Granite Company on Oak hill was destroyed by fire last week Friday afternoon. The Westford fire company responded to the alarm and went tooting down the Lowell road in fire-speed time.
Mrs. Twing, of Cambridge, has bought the small farm on Littleton road formerly owned by Charles Reed, but more recently by William A. Wright and Mr. Gates. Mrs. Twing has a son in Harvard college. They make their home here Saturdays and Sundays.
- J. Leman has bought the small farm on the Littleton road, near Minot’s Corner, recently owned by Mr. Goldberg.
Mrs. William A. Lawrence and Mrs. Mary Warner, of Groton, and Miss Martha Kimball, of Littleton, called on Mrs. Esther P. T. Snow last Saturday afternoon and on their homeward way made an invisible call at the Old Oaken Bucket farm.
Had a delightful talkative visit last Sunday afternoon from Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Proctor and Mrs. Proctor’s mother, and Miss Emily Proctor, of Cambridge. The questions and answers were as rapid in succession as a rapid-fire gun. I believe it was called a draw. Well, let it go at that. Personally, we could have continued on and on without feeling any danger of a K. O haymaker.
Amos Polley, on the Morning Glory farm, has the largest yield of potatoes since the farm became a part of the universe. He is clearly the champion potato raiser of the town, specializing in potatoes, sweet corn and milk. The potatoes are for North Chelmsford market, milk for Lowell Market, and sweet corn for Boston market. “Has he got a silo?” No, thank you, he is too bright and successful a farmer to raise victuals for cow worth only $5 per ton and buy victuals for a cow worth $57 a ton, as corn meal is worth at this later writing.
Arthur H. Burnham has bought all the standing sweet corn fodder on the Abbot Worsted Company farm at Brookside.
Arthur J. O’Brien and others are picking apples at the Old Oaken Bucket farm for W. R. Taylor.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks are planning on going to Groton and Littleton Saturday afternoon to visit and start the questionnaire haymaker contest.
Herbert Mills, and expert at fast picking of apples, has finished picking on the Morning Glory farm. There was a large crop.
Picking sweet corn at the Abbot Worsted Company farm at Brookside finished last Saturday. This corn was planted quite late, but escaped the frost owing to the heavy fog from Brookside mill pond close by.
Europe is using up its lumber so fast in rebuilding the destructions of war that they are contemplating importing it from the United States. When this happens Massachusetts will export coal to Pennsylvania. Why, bless you folks in Europe, we are on the verge of lumber famine in this land of one-time supposed –to-be-inexhaustible forests. Why, we have millions and millions of waste land that once grew forests that are now growing barberry bushes, etc. that we can export. How many acres do you want? Help yourself.
Arthur J. O’Brien has bought the standing apples on the Abbie C. Snow farm, West Chelmsford. This is the second year he has bought at this place. This certainly shows something, his books will show what it shows. It is so considerate to have someone venture something, even if there isn’t much in it but a red face and a laugh; some folks do enjoy laughing.
There will be a motion picture show in the town hall on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30, under the direction of Miss Beatrice Billings, assistant home demonstration agent of the Middlesex County Extension Service. At this meeting plans will be discussed for forming a group of women interested in a nutrition project which is offered free to them by the State college. The subject is “Food selection.” One of the education pictures to be shown will be the film, “Well born.” Members of this group of home-makers will meet once a month for five months to learn what nutrition means.
Rats and Birds. I read with much interest in last week’s issue the advertisement of William Brown, the druggist, in Ayer. In advertising his wares he states an uncontradicted fact: “The United States loses annually over $200,000,000 from rats and mice.” Well, you know if a crow pulls up ten cents’ worth of [paper torn, one line missing] into an apple (for apples, you know, are so expensive that they almost pay for marketing sometimes) that we rage and reach for our shotguns, traps and poisons and start off on a tour of extermination, but the rats, mice and woodchucks are such aesthetic, handsome, beloved little darlings as compared with birds that we cannot think of exterminating the handsome pet darlings and so we continue them on over $200,000,000 worth of food annually and we are apparently willing to continue and increase this annual loss clear to starvation by the little fuss we make as compared with shooting and shoving against the birds who take an apple and a worm and pay them in song and plumage. “Ye do strain at a gnat and swallow a camel”—same old unwisdom as in the days of old. [Quote is taken from Matthew 23:24.]
Officers Elected. At the annual meeting of the Middlesex-North Agricultural society, held at Odd Fellows’ hall, Lowell, Tuesday, the following officers were elected for 1924-5: George W. Trull, Tewksbury, pres.; George I. Huntoon, Chelmsford, Sidney A. Bull, Billerica, Edwin C. Perham, Chelmsford, Arthur W. Colburn, James J McManmon, Dracut, vice pres.; Charles T. Upton, Lowell, sec.; George H. Upton, Lowell, treas.; Emery Taylor, L. R. Teele, Acton, Edward F. Dickinson, John E. Bull, Billerica, Wilbur E. Lapham, William Belleville, Chelmsford, Alton B. Bryan, Harold M. Fox, Dracut, A. W. Swallow, L. W. Goldwaite, Dunstable, Myron P. Swallow, Moseley Hale, Groton, Charles H. Stickney, John C. Weinbuck, Lowell, George T. Trull, F. A. Tuttle, Lowell, L. A. Boynton, S. R. Merrill, Pepperell, Fred Childs, A. Leroy Case, North Reading, John Trull, Howard W. Foster, Tewksbury, James H. Woodward, Benjamin B. Lawrence, Tyngsboro, Herbert E. Fletcher, Samuel L. Taylor, Westford, A. E. and A. G. Eames, Wilmington, directors; Edward F. Dickinson, Billerica, committee on institutes.
An invitation to hold the first institute of the season in Westford was most gladly accepted, which will probably be about the center ways [sic] of November. Last year the last one was held here and we ran into the mud and snow squalls of late March.
Tariff v. Strike. The interesting writer of “The Man About Town” column asks in substance, “If the protective tariff is such a benefit to labor why did the mill operative in Manchester, N.H., submit to a cut in wages?”
Well, there are various reasons, chief of which is that they had evidently seen the silly folly of the previous strike in which they laid idle several months and lost their wages, and lost out on the cause of the strike. Is it not queer that labor cannot live unless it gets a certain wage, but they can lay idle an indefinite period and live on as though their wages were going on? It certainly is queer, almost too queer to be explainable.
Another reason for depression in cotton manufacturing, especially in northern mills, is southern competition, with sixty hours a week labor at lower wages and cotton-growing in the mill yards, comparatively speaking. With higher priced labor in our northern mills on a less hours per week basis and dearer cotton, is it any wonder that we cannot compete with the cheaper conditions of our own United States? And yet, in view of this state of industries within the bounds of our own land, there are those who call themselves statesmen who advocate hoisting the gates of free trade and let us compete with far more unequal conditions than southern competition—a civilization that we are excluding from entering this land to compete with us; a civilization part of which live in underground tenements. “Every so often you will see a head pop up in an opening to an underground tenement,” said a friend to your correspondent.
How are we going to compete with an uncivilized civilization who are apparently content to cheapen life to a dugout in the ground, cheaper than a 4×6 dugout in the cemetery? All the rest of its nominally civilized desires, we assume, are of the same dugout cheapness.
Another cause for depression, under a protective tariff for cotton mills, is the high price of cotton which makes the margin between raw cotton and manufactured cotton extremely close. To the question, “When will business improve?” a cotton manufacturer replied, “Not until the new cotton crop comes in.” Now, what is the history of cotton raising? In the days of slavery there was no duty on cotton, for no country could compete against unpaid labor in raising cotton or anything else. Since the abolition of slavery, and life has emerged from the animal to a culture that goes with evolution, farming in the south is a menace to much of northern farming. Under a protective tariff and abolition of slavery they have discovered that they can raise something else besides rum, molasses, tobacco and negroes.
Now with a high duty on cotton, it stimulated production, and cotton was so cheap that the farmers got together and agreed to burn up part of their cotton, but having seen the folly of being at the expense of raising a crop to burn up they became wiser; they have got together and limited the acreage in an effort to raise the price of cotton. This and the boll weevil have done something to raise the price of cotton to the producer, and at the same time depress cotton manufacturing as the high price of cotton was out of proportion to the manufactured cotton goods.
Complaint is made that some get more out of the tariff than others. This is true and unavoidable; it is the law of the universe. Two persons read a book and they get varying degrees of value out of it, according to temperamental and developed receptivity. Some get something out of a sermon and others go to sleep and do not get anything, regardless of who the preacher is. Under the same public school system, some teachers and textbooks, there are as many degrees of benefits as there are scholars with as many varying brain capacities [page torn, line missing] a natural law when he said “Every scholar only takes away from school what they had when they entered.” The universal law of nature will have nothing to do with equalizing brain capacities [so] that our money-earning power will be the same, and we shall get the same benefits out of the tariff which is as much superior to free trade for industrial ills as water is to kerosene oil to extinguish a fire.
A Paying Experiment. Charles A. and Fred R. Blodgett, whose farm is on Milestone hill, with house in Westford and barn in Groton, have for an experiment raised ten acres of Japanese millet. They are delighted with [the] results as compared with fodder corn ensilage. Well, now, see here, you live and successful farmers and all-round beloved, if Japanese millet was worth any less than fodder corn ensilage you would need a powerful telescope such as they are viewing Mars with to see what Japanese millet was worth. With ensilage worth about $5 per ton, hay $30 per ton and soaring, western corn $52 per ton and heading toward $75, where is the wisdom in working yourself up to such a red face as it produces in the muscular effort to a ton of victuals for a cow worth $5; and in order to make a go of it even at that price, turn around and buy western grain at $52 per ton that could have been grown on the land where this $5 ensilage grew? If this is wisdom I wish someone would address the chair and give an itemized analysis of what constitutes foolishness. As a milk producer, considering the tonnage per acre, it has no superior, and fodder corn ensilage has no inferior. Is it any wonder that silos are being abandoned faster than they are being built?
Forests Disappear; Rain Also. The first rain of importance on the Pacific coast, in Washington, occurred recently. Old settlers say in substance: “Just in proportion as the virgin forest have disappeared have serious droughts appeared.” Long, long ago, when my thoughts were in the kindergarten stage of studying forestry, I read in substance: “The whole tendency of forests, especially on the mountains, is to gather clouds and moisture, and this in turn develops into rain,” and right here is an illustrated confirmation. I at one time read the following from a book taken from the J. V. Fletcher library on “Effect of forests on climate”[2]: “A certain island was heavily covered with forests and the rainfall was even and normal, but civilized greed got control, the forests disappeared and the rain disappeared. The island was allowed to grow up to forests again and the rainfall gradually resumed its old-time normal precipitation.” I will add that I will get this book out of the library and quote the exact wording as soon as I pay for the fine on the fine book I have already got out, but cannot find. I hope the next truck load of apples will bring money enough to pay this fine.
Church News. First church (Unitarian)—Sunday service at four p.m. Preacher, Rev. Frank B. Crandall, the minister. Subject, “Better and again.” Church school at three o’clock.
A delegation of members from the Y.P.R.U. attended a sunset service on Prospect hill Sunday afternoon in which Revs. Edward Disbrow and Frank B. Crandall took part.
On Sunday the preacher will deal with two philosophies of life, one represented by the character Faust in Goethe’s immortal drama and the other by a well-known figure in religious history.
Graniteville. The board of registrars will meet in Forge Village on Tuesday, October 21, from 7:30 to 8 o’clock, and in the town hall at the Center on Wednesday, October 22, from twelve noon until ten o’clock for the registration of voters.
Miss Ethel Tucker, of Braintree, has been a recent guest of Dr. and Mrs. Fabyan Packard.
Miss Helen M. Wall, of Waltham, has been a recent visitor here.
The Abbot Worsted soccer team defeated the Waypossett team of Pawtucket, R.I., in a National league game at Forge Village last Sunday, 4 to 0. On Sunday the Abbots will play the Loraine club at Forge Village in a league game.
Many from here attended the opening meeting of the Tadmuck club which was held in Westford on Tuesday afternoon.
Rev. A. L. O’Brien, pastor of the Methodist church, will give a special address to the members of the Brotherhood [the men’s organization of the church] at the Sunday evening service.
The senior class at Westford academy will hold a Halloween party in the town hall on October 31.
The Oratorio society is making rapid strides in its second year’s work, under the direction of Horace Killam. Many new members have joined. Warren Hanscombe [sic], who so ably served last year as president, was obliged to resign this year, owing to his many duties and George Wilson was elected to fill the position. Miss Ruth Swenson was chosen vice president. Otherwise the list of officers is the same as previously. The best music is chosen by Mr. Killam and the members are working faithfully under his direction to present the music in as effective a manner as possible. Many friends are already looking forward to the concert which the society is planning to give some time during the month of December.
Dinner and Farewell Party. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer, who are leaving Westford for Miami, Fla., were tendered a dinner and farewell party last week Thursday evening at “Idlewilde,” Dunstable, by the former’s employees and fellow associates at the office of the C. G. Sargent Sons Corporation in Graniteville. Mr. Meyer has been connected with the firm for the past four or five years and is regarded highly by his employees [paper torn, line missing] dinner was served to about twenty people and many pleasant surprises in the form of favors appeared. Corsage bouquets for all the women present and a large bouquet for Mrs. Meyer were the gifts of Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Sargent. After the dinner the dining room was cleared for dancing and games. A short entertainment was given by Fred Meyer, who played his saxophone, accompanied on the piano by Miss Florence Caunter; songs, Miss Elva Judd; readings, C. G. Sargent, and singing by the whole company.
The party broke up at a later hour after a pleasant evening. Mr. Meyer has the best wishes of all his friends for the greatest of success in his new venture.
Groton
Groton Fair Premium Winners. The following is a list of those who won premiums at the recent Groton fair: …
Class 23 [Apples] … Talmon Sweets, George S. Knapp 1st, William R. Taylor 2nd … Williams, George S. Knapp 1st, S. L. Taylor 2nd; … North Star apple, William R. Taylor; …
Junior Department
First and second year—Collection of vegetables, … George Wilder, Westford, 3rd, $2.50. …
Canning, second year work— …Helen Gallagher, Westford, 3rd, $2; …
Canning, third year work— … Alice Heywood, Westford, 2nd, $2.50; Angie Parfait, Westford, 3rd, $2; …
Three-ja Exhibits …
Fruit (pears) — … Alice Heywood, Westford, 3rd, 50¢.
Beets— … Alice Heywood, Westford, 2nd, $1; …
Peas— … Alice Heywood, Westford, 2nd, $1; …
Class 3—Bread, white. … Donald Wright Westford, 3rd, 50¢.
Class 35—Sewing, hand-made garment. … pair of darned stockings, … Helen Greig, Westford, 3rd, 50¢.
Ayer
Real Estate Transfers. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity recently:
Westford. Clarence S. Whitney et ux. to Harold W. Hildreth, land on Boston road.
Middlesex County Extension Service Happenings Hereabouts
Will Learn More About Food. Plans are being made by the Extension Service for starting nutrition work in Westford town hall, Tuesday October 1, at 2:30 p.m. with Mrs. Elva L. Wright, the school and community nurse, as the local leader. A motion picture called “Well born” will be shown at the meeting.
After weighing and measuring the children in the schools it has been found that out of 650 children, 175 are below weight. This means practically one child in every three is not receiving the proper attention at home. It is hoped that after the mothers have completed the project of food selection and have learned more about food and general health problems, the children will steadily reach their normal weight.
[Advertisement, page 7]
By George F. Stiles Phone 2134-R Auctioneer
406 Fairburn Bldg. 2134-W Lowell, Mass
Administrator’s Sale of Household Furnishings
Property of Ella F. Hildreth Estate, Hildreth St., Westford Center
At Public Auction on Friday and Saturday, October 17-18 at 9:00 A.M.
Sale of Antiques, Saturday, November 1, at 12:30 P.M.
The furnishings of this valuable estate consist in part of Living, Dining-room and Chamber Furniture, Mattresses, Pillows, Rugs, Carpets, Draperies, Fire Sets, Stoves, Desks, Extra Large Mahogany Flat Top Desk, several Wardrobes, Bookcases, Tables, Grandfather’s Clock. Pictures include Tapestries, Oil Paintings, etc., Mirrors, Silver and Glass Ware, Imported China including Set of Dresden Ware, Hand-painted Game Set, etc., Bric-a-Brac, Large Assortment of Kitchen Utensils, etc. Terms Cash at time of sale. Sale rain or shine. Caterer on premises.
Per order of Charles L. Hildreth, Esq., Adm. Estate of Ella F. Hildreth.
[Note: The Turner’s Public Spirit issues for October 25 and November 1, 1924, are missing from those issues available online through the Ayer Public Library.]
[1] Alma Gluck (1884-1938) was born Reba Feinsohn in Romania and came to the U.S. at a young age. She performed with the Metropolitan Opera and was also widely known through her recordings. Her second husband was violinist Efrem Zimbalist, by whom she had Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Gluck.
[2] Perhaps this was A Report of “The Influence of Forests on Climate and on Floods” by Willis L. Moore, Chief of the U.S. Weather Bureau, published by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture in 1910. Samuel L. Taylor was known to have read such reports.