This Day in Norwood History-May 14, 1938-National Air Mail Week Features The First Flight From Airport Thursday

Possible 12 Towns Join Celebration

Joseph Garside Takes Post Office Department Oath

With, well-known private flyer and manager of the airport operating company E. W. Wiggins Airways Inc., taking the oath of office of the Post Office Department as a temporary employee on Wednesday at the Norwood office, the stage is set for the first air-mail flight from the Norwood-Canton airport on May 19th. Mr. Garside has been appointed special airmail pilot for the day and will fly the plane which will take off at 2:30 D S T for East Boston.

National air mail week begins Monday and the first flight will feature the celebration for a possible twelve towns of the district. Word has been received that North Attleboro will join the flight Ah of the mail will go through the Norwood office, with Miss Anna R. Ellis, Postmaster, in charge. Everyone is urged to send at least one air mail letter.

An exhibition of flying by Government fighting planes will be a feature of the program at the Airport Thursday. The school of Norwood and Canton will be closed for the afternoon so the children may be at the airport to witness the display and watch the beginning of the air mail flight.

Two bands will furnish music, and there will be an address by postmaster William F. Whitty of Canton, who will tell of the development of the Air Mail program. Some of the finest of the company’s 30-odd airplanes will be assembled at the airport for the occasion.

The program will begin shortly after noon, anil will be in charge» of John Rizzo, manager of the Boston-Metropolitan Airport Corporation, who will introduce the speakers. At 2 20 p.m. Daylight Savings Time, the special air mail plane will take off for Boston.

An amplifying system will carry the words of the speakers to the crowd gathered in front of the airport hangers.

Mail for the special flight must be in the Norwood office by 12 M. Thursday. John C. Donnelly, the Walpole Postmaster, has set 10 a. m. as the hour for mail to be in that office. Postmaster Fietz of Islington has made this announcement:

“Special Air Mail Flight on May 19th from Islington via Norwood and Route A. M. S10 leaves Islington 12:30 p. in., plane leaving Norwood Airport at 2:20 p. m., arriving at Boston 2:30 p. m. This schedule under Daylight Saving Time.

All special flight Air Mail on this dispatch will be back-stamped at Air Mail section, Boston, as evidence of flight.

Air Mail letters for dispatch the 19th may be deposited with Postmaster at any time.

Inspect our growing display of cachets—and send your Air Mail letter.”

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)