April 15, 2012 No. 202 April 1912
Draper family reunion in Hopedale, 1999 A forgotten street and the unfortunate razing of what was, in 1958, the oldest house in Hopedale. Carpenter Road and the Madden house. Park programs, 1967. A fishing derby and a tennis tournament. Milford News photos and an article. If you were a Hopedale kid at that time, you’ll see lots of familiar names and faces. I’ve recently added Milford News clippings to the pages on Richard Griffin, Mort Dennett, Billy Draper’s Store, the Draper duplexes, and the Police Department. Recent deaths Twenty-five years ago – April 1987 – The Annual Town Meeting will be televised. This will be the first live TV program to be presented by the local access group. On network TV – Simon and Simon, The Cosby Show, Knot’s Landing, Cheers, Miami Vice, Golden Girls, Spencer for Hire, Dallas, Falcon Crest. President Reagan challenges Moscow to establish a date this year for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Fifty years ago – April 1962 – Uniforms have been ordered for high school band members for the first time. The cost will be $3090 for sixty uniforms. Band members have gone door-to-door for donations, and Draper Corporation has contributed $1000. Chairman Willard Taft presides over Park Commission meeting. 400 expected at Protestant Youth Rally at Hopedale Unitarian Church. Hollywood beds, $59, complete, at Stone’s Furniture, Milford. Robert Narducci has been named manager of the All-State Orchestra. <><><><><><><
Here are a few items from the Hopedale column in the weekly Milford Gazette from 100 years ago. One thing that caught my attention as I was typing this at the Bancroft Library was the many events that were held at the Town Hall. Also, as we’ve been hearing a lot about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, I was surprised to find a Titanic-related story in Hopedale. There are various other bits of trivia that leave no doubt when reading them that they aren’t from today’s paper. April 5, 1912 E.L. Tinkham is soon to remove to Montana for his health. The road commissioners have ordered a 10-ton road roller from the Buffalo-Pitts Company. Harry Cronin, who has resigned his position with the Draper Co. to play ball with the New Bedford league team, was presented with a suit case, a purse of money, and a baseball suit roll Friday afternoon. The Christian Endeavor society held a mock Harvard, Yale and Princeton meet, with numerous track events in miniature Tuesday evening in the chapel. The affair was pronounced an unqualified success by all present. Fifteen were in the high school party which left for Washington Saturday afternoon. The concert in Town Hall Friday evening, under the auspices of the school chorus, was largely attended and most successful. The program included chorus singing, a cornet solo by John P. Manuel, violin selections by Mrs. Tuttle, and readings by Frances Brown and Avis Rockwell. An enjoyable private dancing party of 50 couples was held in Town Hall Saturday evening, under the direction of B.H. Bristow Draper, Harry Lawrence, S. Fred Smith, John Caffy, Clarence Lapworth and Charles Austin. McEnelly’s orchestra furnished the music and the hall was beautifully decorated with flowers from ex-Governor Draper’s conservatory. Lilley & Mader of Milford served ices in the reception room, which was arranged to represent a flower garden. April 12, 1912 J. William Hall of Dartmouth college is at home for the Easter vacation. Mrs. Harry Billings has entertained her mother from Worcester the past few days. The fire department was called out about midnight Tuesday by a still alarm for a fire in Mrs. Sophia Piper’s woodshed. The damage was slight. Otis Lurvey was operated upon for appendicitis Tuesday evening at the Milford hospital by Dr. Emerson of Worcester, assisted by Dr. K. A. Campbell. At the Unitarian parsonage Sunday Rev. Lewis united in marriage Harold Smith and Miss Alice Smith, both of this town. The couple were unattended. Worcester parties have bought the old Draper Co. office building and are offering the material for sale. The building must be removed before June 1 under forfeiture. The annual ladies’ night of the Unitarian Men’s club was held last evening in Town Hall with a large attendance. An enjoyable lecture on Alaska, splendidly illustrated, was given by Frederick Brooks of Boston. A largely attended meeting of the Roundabout club was held Tuesday evening in Town Hall. Besides musical numbers Mrs. Christabel Whitney Kidder of Somerville, whose readings from Kipling under the auspices of the club gave such pleasure here previously, gave a delightful rendition of “The Piper.” April 19, 1912 The new road roller arrived in town Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Bracken, Mrs. C.M. Day and Miss Anna Bancroft have returned from their visit to Florida. The Union church has voted to pay the salary of a native preacher in India who will work under the direction of Rev. James Perkins, well-known here. The Draper Co. has announced that it will make its annual award of lawn prizes this year, $300 to residents of the company houses in the village and $75 to the Brick village tenants. Mrs. Susan Preston Draper and daughter Margaret, accompanied by O.H. Lane as secretary, were to have sailed tomorrow on the ill-fated Titanic for two months in London and Paris. The 70-horse power combination chemical and hose wagon of the LaFrance company of Boston was brought here Monday afternoon for a demonstration by Joseph Webber, and the machine met with an accident on the Upton road while a dozen or more firemen of this town and Milford were riding on the machine. The driver was demonstrating the capacity of the machine for speed, when a soft stretch of road was struck in turning out for a passing vehicle and the steering wheel broke, causing the heavy machine to collide with a stone wall. Chiefs Kellogg and Crockett were somewhat bruised and W.N. Draper sprained the ligaments of his right hand, which was also somewhat cut. The other occupants of the machine escaped injury. The machine was drawn back to the town by horses and was repaired. The town is not in the market for such a machine, but for an auto fire pump, and such a piece of apparatus was successfully demonstrated here by the same concern Tuesday afternoon. . . |
and Hannah Draper house on the right, with the Charles and Lura Day house beyond it. Trolley tracks can be seen on Hopedale Street. |