have been changed. I was surprised to find it worded that way on the town's list of 2013 property values, shown above. Maybe what it amounts to is General Draper High School dba Hopedale Junior/Senior High School. Here's the legal agreement between Princess Boncompagni and the town on the donation of the site for the school. |
Hopedale History October 1, 2013 No. 237 Peter Moore Hopedale in September Eleanor (Crockett) Hutchinson Studying in Paris, 1937-38. Woman's Club fair, 1950s. Do you recognize any of these kids? Milford Historic Commission annual open house - October 6. Friends of Adin Ballou Annual Fall Lecture - October 20. Here's an interesting page - yet another find by Peter Metzke. It's on the Museum Textile Services site and it's about a World War I Army jacket that had belonged to Alexander McLean of Hopedale. In addition to the jacket, the page also shows McLean's medals and a few other items, and a medal with the Hopedale town seal, that was given to each resident who had served in the war. After doing a page of old photos of Dutcher Street a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that I should also do something similar on Hopedale Street. I spent a few hours on it last week, and here it is. Here's a site with much about the Thwing family. There's nothing on it about the Hopedale Thwings, but it contains some interesting information nevertheless, such as the fact that the famous Chicken Little story was written by Annie Thwing Haven. Also, if you'd like to know why a family would name their son, Supply Clap Thwing, the answer is on the page. During the past two weeks I've added to pages on: Donald Midgley (A link to a page on his ship, the Gudgeon) George Albert Draper (Obituary for Mrs. Draper, and wedding article for daughter, Helen. Mrs. Draper died the day after Helen's wedding.) Davis Gabry (Obituary added. Gabry died in the service during World War I.) E. Cllifton Burnham (Burnham died in a rifle range accident during World War I.) Abby Ballou Heywood (Obituary added to her Hopedale Reminiscences page.) Dr. Campbell (Obituary) Hopedale Airport crash, 1972 (Photos of Kenneth and Philip Melin added.) Statue of Hope (Photo from 1979 showing how the statue used to be covered during the winter.) Lilliputian weddings (Signatures in the 1940 guest book of that strange little event held several times in the 1940s.) Recent deaths Worcester Telegram article on the G&U Railroad and related businesses. <><><><><><><><><><> Twenty-five years ago - October 1988 - Vice-presidential debate held between Dan Quale and Lloyd Bentsen. Presidential campaign debate held between Vice President George H. W. Bush and Governor Michael Dukakis. Milford Planning Board approves plan by Fallon Clinic to open an office at the site of the former Armenian-American Veterans home on West Street. $1,000 in prizes awarded to six winners and the Sacred Heart Church Pumpkin Patch Fair. The annual fair of the Union Evangelical Church will be held on October 15. Co-chairs of the event are Dave and Karen Pendleton. Bob and Shirley Mei get two-year lease on Mei's Diner at Hopedale Town Hall. Fifty years ago - October 1963 - Dodgers win World Series, beating the Yankees in four. Demolition of Pennsylvania station begins. Hopedale Garden Nursing Home completed. Helen Hammond named executive director of the nearly completed 40-unit housing for the elderly project being built by the Hopedale Housing Authority. Parklands closed due to fire hazard. Hopedale harriers beat Bellingham, 21 - 40. Hopedale's Ted Lynch finishes first, a minute and eight seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Don Palmer, also from Hopedale. <><><><><><><><><><> Peter Moore Here's another article from the column titled Here and There with Employees of the Draper Corporation that the Milord News ran during the thirties. This one on Peter Moore gives a little idea of what the life of a Draper worker was like. According to the 1930 street listing book, Moore was machinist and lived at 3 Bancroft Park. His wife's name was Elizabeth. After 1938, the Moores disappeared from the books. Perhaps he retired and they had to move from their Draper house. When Peter Moore, veteran Draper employee, commenced work for George Draper and Sons nearly 52 years ago, he received wages equal to 50 cents per day or a total of $3 per week for 60 hours. This was commonly accepted as a fair rate of pay for an apprentice at that time. Though a lad of only 14 years, Mr. Moore was very anxious to be of some financial assistance to his mother and so he approached the late George A. Draper in regard to securing work in the local shops. Mr. Draper was apparently somewhat surprised when he received the request for a job from this boy who did not appear to be 14 years old because he was so small. He proceeded to question the lad and then asked him to come with him to the office of Mr. Fay who then had charge of hiring the help. Mr. Draper remarked to Mr. Fay that the boy was evidently ambitious and told him to try to find work for him. He was given a job in the spindle department and worked faithfully here for several years. In later years, Mr. Moore transferred to several departments, including the screw department and the tool room. For a long time he has been located in the Blacksmith department. Mr. Moore, like all employees who have a record of more than 40 year of Draper employment, enjoys two weeks vacation with pay each year. Before this plan was adopted here, he says he never expected to have been as fortunate as this. A few years ago Mr. Moore met with a slight accident in which finger was injured, but he continued to report for work just the same in spite of this mishap. Peter recalls a long list of foremen in the plant, for whom he has worked, and all but one of these is now deceased. Likewise, he has noted many changes in personnel, both in the plant and town. Not many years ago he says he knew practically every family in Hopedale, but now many are strangers to him. As a boy Peter and another lad trapped skunks in several sections of Hopedale. An area near where the railroad depot is located and the section known as Bancroft Park were favored places for trapping these animals. The boys sold the skins to Billy French for 25 cents each and both made quite a sum of money in this manner. Although there may be other Draper men who have worked as long, or perhaps longer in the local shops than Mr. Moore, it is doubtful if any other man can connect the actual beginning of his career in Hopedale to the personal and individual interest of the late George A. Draper. Milford Daily News, June 20, 1938. Hopedale History Ezine Menu HOME
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