The following is an open letter submitted to the citizens of Norwood through these columns:
“CITIZENS OF NORWOOD
I have promised a story about the bathing situation at Willett Pond, where after twenty-five years of supervised bathing by Civic agencies, with no cost to the Town, it has become necessary for the Town to step in and furnish life guards. While this service protects the lives of those using the bathing beach proper, there is still much to be desired. For instance, there are no dressing or toilet facilities, and conditions are far from what they should be; although from my own observation they are not as bad as some would have it appear. I have frequently driven around there this summer, but I have seen nothing that could be termed flagrantly indecent.
In fact, I may say that in all the years past that I have been in touch with conditions at the pond, the only cases I have seen of this sort of thing have been in previous years in the woods lying between the pond and the center of the Town as young people have used them as a short cut to their homes, rather than walk in the heat the longer distance around Wilson street.
Strangely enough, the people that are becoming so “het up” about these present conditions are the very ones who have opposed my demand for ten years back that Nichols Street should be extended, if for no other reason than the one for common decency; because conditions were certainly indecent when dozens of young people of both sexes daily walked through the secluded paths in the woods dressed only in bathing suits. Now that Nichols Street has been extended, it may well be asked why the usual facilities for the use of the pond and the beach have not been provided. It would take more time to fully answer this question than I have to give at present, but I will try to give you some idea of what this is all about.
This bathing at Willett Pond is only an item in a comprehensive Civic program for Norwood which I have devoted myself since 1906 when I made a deal with, the Armours which, was supposed to leave me free for that purpose. As a part of this deal Willett Pond was built in 1912, and it immediately became an important factor in a Civic and housing program for Norwood, and the areas along its shores together with the pond itself were dedicated to park and residential purposes.
In 1918, my investments in this Civic and housing program were over one million dollars and, incredible as it may seem, this investment was the very means that was used to weaken my firm of Willett, Sears, and Company and strip me of my fortune. Parts of this story have been told at one time or another, and it is my present purpose to someday prepare a full account of it all, but for the present purpose it is sufficient to say, that ever since then a bitter struggle has been going on, which unfortunately has revolved around this Civic program and our plans for this park and recreational program at Willett Pond.
Something like three years ago, this park and recreational property was taken over by the Civic Trustees to be held by them for the public benefit. Up to that time, taxes on the property had been paid either by me, or interests which I represent.
When the property was taken over by the Civic Trustees for the public good, it was expected it should be free from taxes in like manner as other charitable institutions, such as the Francis William Park in Walpole, but evidently, as a part of a concerted scheme to embarrass this housing and recreational plan, the assessors were advised to tax the property and have continued to do so up to the present.
Every attempt to clear up this matter has failed due to the lack of cooperation of the Town officials, with the exception of the Chairman of the Board of Assessors, and as a result, it has not been possible to know what course to follow or to make definite plans. A year ago the Civic Trustees completed plans for a new bathing house and. the contract was practically made for its erection but were again unable to clear up this tax situation. As early as March 22, 1938, we took the matter up with the Board of Selectmen and wrote them a letter, but no attention was paid to the matter with the result that we could ho sponsor supervised bathing this year.
In the meantime, the Civic Trustees have voted to form a corporation to which these properties will be deeded under like conditions which exist in the Francis William Park in Walpole, and which will be under the supervision of representatives of the three towns, Norwood, Westwood and Walpole, in which these properties lie. I am sorry that this article had to be prepared so hastily, for there is much more to be said, but I wish to assure the citizens that the conditions at the pond are not as dangerous either to public health or public morals as would appear from the letter of Mr. Flood, published last week and which he tells me was written without full knowledge of the facts.”
GEORGE F. WILLETT
Norwood Lodge,’ No., 1243, Loyal Order of Moose.
July 20, 1938
(All articles originally appeared in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)