Turner's Public Spirit, September 17, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. Mrs. Alice M. Wells has gone to Bakersfield, Vt., to bring home her three children,
who have been spending the summer there.
“Mrs. Annie Roudenbush, of Greenfield, is visiting her son, Principal William C.
Roudenbush, and family.
“Miss Marjorie Seavey has returned to her teaching in Swampscott and Miss Lillian
Sutherland to Tewksbury. Miss Maude Robinson goes on October first to Washington, D.C., to
teach in Miss Tomlin’s school for little children. These young ladies and Misses Frances and
Alice Wright will be much missed in the younger social set.
“John G. Fletcher returns to Phillips academy, Exeter, N.H., for the fall term, and Forrest
White to Chauncey Hall school, Boston.
“Mr. and Mrs. O. R. Spalding have returned from spending some time at their camp at Forge
pond.
“So far as reported to our correspondent the plans for some of the June graduates from
Westford academy are as follows: Stanley Smith goes to Wentworth Institute, Boston; Chester
Lapniewski and Frances Daly to Tufts college for a medical course; Carl Anderson to Boston
Conservatory of Music for further musical study; Misses Marjorie Bell and Gladys Ingalls to
Lowell Normal school, and Miss Hattie Simpson and Mabel Dane to Lowell Commercial college.
“A bad woodland fire broke out last week Thursday in the south part of the town on land
owned by Oscar R. Spalding. The fire department responded and they, with a large force from
the surrounding section, did some hard work to control the fire. The fire burned well into the
night and watchmen were busy, but in spite of their efforts the fire broke out again the next day
and required a lot more work to bring it under control…. [We] were glad of the good rain that
came at night on Friday.
“George F. White has just cause to be proud of the winnings of his prize cattle at the recent
Hartford, Conn., state fair. He was awarded fourteen first prizes, six second prizes, four
champion prizes, two grand champions, the premier champion and two special prizes of gold;
also, the silver cup awarded by the Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ association of New England for the
largest number of prize winners bred by himself….
“About Town. The Abbot Worsted Company at Brookside have recently installed a new
engine.
“The alder bushes are being cut on the banks of the Stony Brook at the Old Oaken Bucket
farm. The banks are lined with wild flowers and trailing vines. We try to preserve these wild
flowers and take off our hats to them when they nod to us. Among the wild flowers was a tall
mullein measuring seven feet on the steep banks near the adjoining land of the Abbot Worsted
Co.
“Our tax rate having been touched off at $25 on a thousand [Westford’s FY2021 rate is
$16.64.], and although it is, we believe, the highest in the history of the town, for one we are
unanimous in being unable to see how we can complain, and for several reasons. First, it is the
tune we all fiddled for at the annual town meeting, and no one attempted to fiddle any other tune,
and now the fiddlers having furnished the tune we are asked to pay for it. A second reason why
we ought to cheer up and take our own prescription is in the thought that we are nearly five
dollars a thousand lower than any of the surrounding towns that we have heard from….
“The largest gathering at any poultry demonstration in northwest Middlesex assembled at the
well kept farm of Frank C. Wright on Hildreth street last week Friday forenoon…. C. B. Tillson
of the Farm Bureau conducted the demonstration, largely in the line of culling out those who
refuse to pay their board….
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted Co. baseball club defeated the Concord town team here on
last week Saturday by the score of 8 to 3. Williams and Murphy did the battery work for the
Abbots,…
“The Abbot Worsted Co. soccer football eleven defeated the Smith & Dove club of Andover
at Forge Village on last Saturday by three goals to one….
“Stanley C. Jones of Baldwinville [in Templeton] is the new principal of the Sargent school
here.
“The local fire department was called out about five o’clock on Wednesday afternoon for a
fire at the horse-sheds near St. Catherine’s church. The roof was burning freely when the firemen
arrived, but after a well-directed stream from the hydrant was played on it for a short time, the
fire was under control. Fortunately the fire was discovered in time before it caught on to the
church building. No cause of the fire is given.”
Alice Wells (1881-1972), widow of Dr. Orion Wells (1880-1918) and grandson, holding her cat, c. 1930.
Courtesy Photo / Westford Historical Society.