Ace of Base - The Sign - 1994


    1889 - The most important event of the year is the completion of the new High School
    building. This is a gift from the Hopedale Machine Co., George Draper & Sons and
    the Dutcher Temple Company. (In 1896, these three companies and several others
    were reorganized and operated under the name, Draper Company. In 1916, it
    became the Draper Corporation.) Its cost was $6200, exclusive of land and
    furnishings. To secure an artistic structure which should contain all the requisites for
    school work and keep within the amount stated, seemed quite difficult, but by making
    certain modifications we finally succeeded. Nearly all those furnishing materials or
    labor made specially low prices, and our thanks are due to them for their hearty co-
    operation. The building has ample accommodation for fifty scholars, and should
    meet the wants of the town for many years to come. Frank J. Dutcher, School
    Committee secretary.

    Hopedale High School with addition. Success of the Northrop loom
    resulted in Draper hiring more workers which in turn resulted in an
    increase in the school population.

    Report of High School Building Committee - On recommendation of the
    School Committee at the March meeting, it was voted to add to the
    present high school building in accordance with plans which had been
    prepared by Mr. Robert Allen Cook, Architect. An appropriation of
    $22,000 was made to cover the addition together with the proposed
    sewer, and also such additional furniture as might be needed for the
    building. Work was commenced  by the contractors before the end of the
    spring term in June, and was completed the last of October. 1908

Sacred Heart Church, as it looked for many years.

Sewing and shop in 1911.
1889

First Communion class at Sacred Heart Church - 1977.

    Hopedale History
    July 15, 2019
    No. 372
    Historical Monument Dedicated   

    Hopedale in July   


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    Twenty-five years ago - July 1994 - Jeff Bezos founds Amazon.

    The Allied occupation of Berlin ends with a casing of the colors ceremony attended by President Bill Clinton.

    Fragments of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 impact the planet Jupiter.

    Rwandan Patriotic Front troops capture Gisenyi, forcing the interim government into Zaire and ending the Rwandan
    genocide.

    Israel and Jordan sign the Washington Declaration as a preliminary to signature on October 25 of the Israel–Jordan peace
    treaty, which formally ends the state of war that has existed between the nations since 1948.

    Fifty years ago - July 1969 - French is made equal to English throughout the Canadian national government.

    Vietnam War: The very first U.S. troop withdrawals are made.

    The United States' $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 bills are officially withdrawn from circulation.

    July 16 - Apollo 11 (Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins) lifts off towards the first landing on the Moon.

    Edward M. Kennedy drives off a bridge on his way home from a party on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts. Mary Jo
    Kopechne, a former campaign aide to his brother, dies in the early morning hours of July 19 in the submerged car.

    July 20 - At 10:56 pm ET (02:56 UTC July 21) the lunar module Eagle | Apollo 11 lands on the lunar surface. An estimated
    500 million people worldwide, the largest television audience for a live broadcast at that time, watch in awe as Neil
    Armstrong takes his first historic steps on the surface of the Moon.

    July 24 -  The Apollo 11 returns from the first successful Moon landing and the astronauts are placed in biological isolation
    for several days in case they may have brought back lunar germs.

    President Richard Nixon declares the Nixon Doctrine, stating that the United States now expects its Asian allies to take care
    of their own military defense. This starts the "Vietnamization" of the war.

    News items above are from Wikipedia. See below this text box for Hopedale news from 25, 50 and 100 years ago.








    May 23 (1988) A meaningful and moving ceremony was held yesterday on the grounds of Sacred Heart Church on
    Hopedale Street at the site of the town's first high school and first Roman Catholic Church.

    The Hopedale Historical Commission and Sacred Heart Parish joined to dedicate and bless a monument erected to mark
    the site of the historic building which served the needs of the community for almost a century before being razed in 1985.

    Although the weather was less than idea, the ceremonies were held before a good-sized gathering. Prior to the start of the
    speaking program, the audience was treated to several musical selections by members of the Hopedale High School band,
    directed by Joseph Burke.

    The American flag and the yellow flag of the diocese flew in a light wind near the podium. Rev. Daniel Dower, associate
    pastor of Sacred Heart Church, welcomed the gathering and told of how the monument came to be, describing it as a "lark."
    He told the audience that as the construction company began demolition work on the high school-church building, he
    approached the workers and asked if they had encountered a cornerstone.

    Receiving a negative answer, Father Dower asked that a piece of the foundation be set aside to be used as a monument.
    This is what the monument has been made from. The finished product is the result of a trip to Vermont for grinding and
    stone-finishing work and completion at the hands of James Ackerman of the Ackerman Monument firm of Holliston.

    After the Hopedale High School band played the national anthem, Rev. Dower introduced the Historical Committee
    chairman Olga Till. Mrs. Till, after a few brief remarks, introduced Judge Francis Larkin, presiding justice of Milford District
    Court, the featured speaker of the afternoon.

    Judge Larkin commended members of the Historical Commission and Rev. Bernard Reilley, and Rev. Daniel Dower, pastor
    and associate pastor respectively of Sacred Heart Church, for their sensitivity and for esight in providing a monument to
    mark the spot where a building, which meant so much to the community, stood. He spoke of the men and women, many of
    them now gone, who had labored so hard within that building to meet the educational and religious needs of residents of
    the town.

    During his remarks he recalled the days when the Sisters of St. Joseph came to Hopedale from Milford to teach religious
    education to students here. He spoke of the gallantry of the human spirit, pointing out that "we remember them so we cannot
    forget the building."

    He recalled how the historic building had meant many things in people's lives, such as learning
    Shakespeare an Dante, a crack across the hand with a ruler, the site of one's first teenage crush and later, the mass said in
    Latin, the happy memories of baptisms and weddings, and the sadder memories of funerals, final farewells to a family
    member or a friend or neighbor.

    Judge Larkin said that there was a symbolism in recalling the building's dual uses, noting that education and religion are
    necessary in today's changing lifestyle and the building had served a similar purpose in the early years of education and the
    Catholic religion.

    In concluding his speech, Judge Larkin said that the sense of community here makes Hopedale special and that many
    other urban communities would like to have the civic pride and spirit which Hopedale has. He closed saying, "Faith like
    education will guide us in all our activities."

    The dedication of the monument was made by School Supt. Donald A. Hayes, and Father Reilley conducted the blessing
    ceremony.

    Father Dower, in bringing the program to conclusion, thanked everyone for being present and he offered special thanks and
    appreciation to Historical Commission Chairman Olga Till and members Robert Hammond for their efforts and support in
    planning the program, and to Virginia Cyr who wrote the brief history of the building which was printed in the program. He
    also gave special thanks to the band members and Joseph Burke for taking time, many of them leaving work for an hour, to
    provide the music which added to the occasion.

    He also expressed appreciation to State Sen. John Houston, State Rep. Richard T. Moore, selectmen and other town
    officials for attending the event. The Historical Commission was also represented by members Lucile Damon, Alfred Fettig
    and Eleanor Allen. All those present were invited to stop at the parish center where refreshments were served. The
    refreshments were provided by the Hopedale Friends of Elders, who were also thanked by Father Dower for their
    assistance. Milford Daily News, May 23, 1988

                                                 
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Historical Monument
Dedicated in Hopedale

By Virginia Cyr
Milford Daily News

Hopedale News - July 1994

Hopedale News - July 1969

Hopedale News - July 1919

    Click on the singles cover for one of
    Neil Diamond's big hits from 1969.

From 1919, Yelping Hound Blues