This Day in Norwood History-Talk Of The Town-May 26, 1905

These news items were the talk of the town on May 26, 1905

Several years have passed since Norwood has had a celebration or anything that would attract people from out-of-town and as its citizens are always looking for a chance to boom the town, it seems as if an opportunity might be offering itself in the Fourth of July. A. “Horrible Parade” is something which has not been held in Norwood for many years and which, we think, would not only afford pleasure to the townspeople, but would also give the merchants a chance to advertise their business and as a side issue and not by any means of the least importance, it would attract a multitude of out-of-town people. What Norwood needs is something that will awaken the people and inspire in them pride for their own town; something to interest them and fill them with enthusiasm. A “Horrible” parade used to have this effect years ago. Why would it not now? Fourth of July comes in about six weeks and there is not any too much time to make arrangements. It is no small job to get up a parade of this kind, but if interest was shown and hearty support guaranteed to those taking the responsibility on their shoulders, it would be much easier. What do you think about it?

Next Tuesday is Memorial Day, the one day in the year set apart in memory of the men who, between the years 18G0 and 18G5, left their homes to fight for the preservation of our Union. Too many people look upon Memorial Day as a holiday, simply to go off and have a good time. They think little of the men who left their friends and relatives because the love of their country was greater; who went out to fight, suffer and die, if need be, for their country. On next Tuesday morning, during the parade, let the people of Norwood come out and show the old veterans, nearly all of whom have felt the sting of a bullet, that the service they did to their country is today as vivid to their minds as it was, when forty years ago they returned from the war.

If the police of Norwood would like to do the townspeople a good turn, they might accomplish this end by making an example of some of the “gentleman” rowdies in town. There are several young men who rejoice in making the grown people of the town miserable and the only thing that saves them from disgrace is the good name of their families. When a boy gets to be seventeen or eighteen years old, He is expected to have gotten over his childhood ways but it seems that Norwood still has a few’ overgrown children of the masculine gender. Of course, if a man is annoyed by a child he will take it simply as a case of misdemeanor and not as anything criminal, but when a boy reaches the age of eighteen, he should act like a man and if he will not, perhaps a few months in the reformatory would have the right effect.

If the rumor is true that the Canton road is to be operated by the Blue Hill Co., there is no reason why the cars should not run to the turnout at Railroad Avenue. Of course, there is no hope of ever getting anything out of the Norwood, Canton and Sharon Co., but the Blue Hill Co. has the name of being more accommodating to the public.

A Norwood gentleman is trying to induce the storekeepers of Norwood to close up on Thursday afternoons. This is a good idea, but it will not be a fair plan unless every merchant in the same business is willing to accept the plan. It is hoped that the plan will be universally endorsed.

Even if the town is going to have a new drinking fountain in “Norwood Square”, until it is erected, the old one should be kept in service. At present, the water is turned off and strangers are either convinced that Norwood is a dry town or when they have succeeded in quenching their thirst by a liquid unknown to said fountain, wink and say, “Well, Norwood isn’t so dry after all.”

The Knights Templar parade last Wednesday was not, by any means the “great failure” it was prophesied it would be. It proved in the musical world, at least, unionism has no real power. Some good may have been accomplished by the musicians’ union in the past, but when it takes it into its head to run things, it finds itself precipitated at the wrong end. This may also be said of some of the other unions.

Memorial Day Exercises.

All the preparations for the observation of Memorial Day have now been completed and judging from the arrangement of events much pains has been taken by those in charge. Next Sunday will be observed as Memorial Sunday and the Post and Associates will attend the services at the Baptist church. On Memorial Day the parade will begin at S a. in. sharp, and escorted by the Norwood Band and the Sons of Veterans, the Post will march to the Old Cemetery on Washington Street. After decorating the graves there, they will proceed to Village Hall and as soon as possible, probably about 0 o’clock, will start for Highland Cemetery. The Woman’s Belief Corps and the Post Associates will go in carriages. The line of march to the cemetery will be as follows : Cottage Street to Nichols, Nichols to Vernon, Vernon to Prospect, Prospect to Winter, Winter to the cemetery. The return march will be from the cemetery down Winter Street to Walpole, Walpole to Washington, Washington to Village Hall, where the parade will be dismissed. The Post and Associates will dine in Village Hall, after the exercises at the cemetery.

läge hall, where the parade will be dismissed.

In the evening, exercises will be held in Village Hall at 7.45 sharp. Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Golding will offer the prayer and Judge Thomas E. Grover of Canton, will deliver the address. An entertainment will also be given by the Kate Belle Walton Company of Boston, with Kate Belle Walton, reader, Alice Worcester Weeks, soprano, .U. Willie Beardsley, contralto and Elinor Weeks, accompanist. The following is the program :

(Originally published in the Norwood Advertiser and Review)