Turner's Public Spirit, August 21, 1920
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. Two more of our home girls will teach in town this year. Miss Ruth P. Tuttle will
teach at the Frost school…. Miss Ruth Sargent will teach domestic science in place of Miss Alice
Judge, who taught last year. At the Parkerville school Mrs. Roach will teach. She formerly
presided over the school as Miss Burdick.
“Mrs. Hugh A. Ferguson [nee Carrie M. Wood] and her sister, Mrs. Edith Deane of Canton,
have gone to Canada on a trip. They will visit their native town of Granby and other places dear
by association….
“Rev. O. L. Brownsey has been at the parsonage a few days this week looking after his fruit
and garden.
“A gang of men have been busy these hot days removing rails and ties of the branch line
electric road, being at work on Depot street [between Cummings Road and Main Street].
“The academy [now Roudenbush Community Center] has had its annual thorough cleaning
preparatory to the opening of the fall term. Nobody at home was available for this work this year
and it was imported labor, a woman coming from Lowell each day for the job. The resultant cost
we are told would have probably made a profound impression on cleaning women of an earlier
date.
“Mr. and Mrs. John A. O’Connell are mourning the very serious injury to their collie dog,
Peter. He was run over by an automobile Friday of last week…. A veterinary has been attending
him, but it was not known at last accounts whether he would survive or not. The owners would
have appreciated it much if those who injured the animal would have come and reported it to
them….
“Sydney B. Wright met with an accident Tuesday. While at work in the barn he stepped on a
loose board and fell, hitting a scythe, cutting his left forearm severely. Dr. Coburn was called and
took a number of stitches to close the wound. With his usual good philosophy Mr. Wright is glad
it was no worse and that it was his left and not his right arm disabled. His friends are glad too.
“Cavalry Reunion. The Spalding Light Cavalry association held its annual outing, banquet
and entertainment Thursday of last week. In the afternoon there was the usual clay pigeon shoot
at Whitney playground. Mr. Parkhurst of Chelmsford made a total of eighteen, which was the
highest score and won the cup. Edward M. Abbot and John H. Wilson, the latter of Chelmsford,
tied for second place with eleven each. The final test in the tie resulted in one point for Mr.
Abbot.
“The business meeting was held later at the association building [20 Boston Road] and the
following officers were elected. President, Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher; vice president, Capt. John
J. Monohan; treasurer, Sergt. Charles E. Bartlett, the last two officers both of Chelmsford;
secretary, Capt. Edward Fisher of Lowell; standing committee, Capt. Monohan, Capt. Fisher,
Sergt. Bartlett and Herbert V. Hildreth; outing committee, Sergt. Bartlett, A. H. Sutherland, Sergt.
John Feeney, O. R. Spalding and W. A. Kemp, the latter of Pepperell.
“The banquet in the lower town hall to which ladies were invited was attended by about
100….
“At the business meeting the association showed that it possessed $2000 in cash and securities
and owned its club building….
“About Town. C. B. Tillson, agent of Middlesex County Farm Bureau, will give a
demonstration in culling poultry and other phases of the poultry business at Frederick A.
Hanscom’s poultry ranch in the Center next Wednesday.
“Blodgett Bros. on Milestone [sic] hill have cut 85 tons of upland hay. This makes that
handsome new barn just over the line in Groton look as though it was not a luxury. Besides the
hay there are six acres of ensilage corn which makes 60 tons more or less.
“Bernard J. Flynn on the Stony Brook road, Pigeon hill, has a young orchard of Gravenstein
apples. They promise 100 bushels.
“Forge Village. Moving pictures were resumed at Abbot’s hall on Tuesday night. This week
an exceptionally good bill was presented. ‘Passerby’ was the feature and a fine comedy was
given in ‘Torchy.’
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted Co. baseball club lost to the Parkhill club of Fitchburg in a
very interesting game last Saturday by the score of 8 to 7. The home club had their opponents by
a 6 to 0 score for six innings, when things broke badly, allowing the Parkhills to score all their
runs in the last three innings and take the game. Batteries, Davidson, Baum and Pitcoffe for
Parkhill; Welch and Connell for Abbot Worsted Co. Umpire Bulger.”
Photograph of Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher (1846-1928) in his Troop F Cavalry uniform, c.
1870. Courtesy Photo/Westford Museum.