USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Melrose > Melrose, Massachusetts, 1900-1950; commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the town of Melrose and the fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the city of Melrose > Part 4
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On February 1, 1947, moving pictures became an added fea- ture for the children on Saturday mornings, a short program being
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given to three separate groups. This was based on a fund for rent- ing films presented by the Lions Club of Melrose, who later pur- chased a 16mm film projector for the use of the Library to replace the one loaned by the Young Men's Christian Association.
The Library Branch at the Highlands was opened in a room in the Whittier School on September 13, 1915, with Miss Ger- trude B. Low as librarian. She was followed by Miss Alice Long, who resigned in December 1926 for reasons of health, and was replaced by Miss Mary E. Ayers. On September 1, 1949 Miss Ayers retired to return to her home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, and was replaced by Mrs. Gene Ransom Hanks, who had been refer- ence librarian in the main Library. She is a graduate of Boston University and previously was economics librarian in the Dewey Library and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In August 1918 the Highlands Branch was moved to the Franklin School, and on January 2, 1927 to its present location at 401-403 Franklin Street. In 1948 it held 5,169 books.
Besides the Highlands Branch there are three book stations: one at the Lincoln School, 80 West Wyoming Avenue, with Mrs. Alice Waterworth in charge; one at the Winthrop School, 162 First Street, with Mrs. Ethel Perkins in charge; and one at the Ripley School, 94 Lebanon Street, with Mrs. Pearl Rawding in charge.
On October 10, 1908, Elbridge Henry Goss died, long a friend of the Library. On December 27, 1911, Charles Copeland Barry died, another strong supporter and chairman of the Trustees. In 1942 Rev. Paul Sterling died, a member of the Board of Trustees since 1906 and chairman since 1916. In March 1947 Frank W. Campbell, for thirty years a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman since 1942, resigned and was replaced by Hugh Nixon as chairman. In April 1949 William L. Carney became chairman, the other members of the Board being Hugh Nixon, Edwin W. Lundquist, Mrs. Elisabeth M. Perkins, Mrs. Elinor H. Tibbetts and Dr. Melvin H. Nicholls.
The Library staff in 1949 included Helen Anderson as Libra- rian; Barbara G. Mason, Assistant Librarian; Caro F. Nims, Children's Librarian; Margaret Lorenz, Cataloger; Ruth Tyler, Reference Librarian; Rhoda M. Parmenter, Circulation Librarian; Gene Ransom Hanks, Highlands Branch Librarian; Fay Wayne, General Assistant; Joan M. Trumbly, General Assistant, Chil- dren's Department; and Edwin A. Allen, Building Custodian.
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During the year Mrs. Violet E. Bostwick resigned as Circulation . Librarian.
At the beginning of 1949 the Library held 57,144 volumes and the budget for 1948 amounted to $46,033.67. The Library circulation which was 13,240 for the first full year of 1872 had increased to 60,001 by 1900, and to 146,951 in 1948, of which the Highlands Branch covered 21,814. While this increase is encour- aging, the figure is low for a city the size of Melrose.
While not organized as a museum, a number of articles of curious or historical interest have been presented to the Library from time to time, and are shown on the second floor.
The growth of the Melrose Public Library from its modest beginning in 1871 with one hundred twenty-five volumes is an indication of its usefulness to the community. Besides the pleasure of the literary entertainment it offers the public, its assistance in the cultural and educational activities of the community is valuable and growing.
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POST OFFICE, ESSEX STREET
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MASS POST OFFICE MELRO E
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CHAPTER TEN
THE POST OFFICE
The first postmaster in Melrose was George W. Barrett, appointed in 1846 when the town was still North Malden. Mr. Barrett was also the first Melrose station master for the Boston and Maine Railroad, and the post office was in the railroad sta- tion. After various changes of postmasters and locations, the post office in 1900 was in the Burrell and Swett Block on Main Street, and Alfred Hocking was postmaster. On July 13, 1901, the office was moved to 503-505 Main Street on a ten-year lease, and opened there for business on September 1, 1901.
In August 1900 the Board of Trade proposed that the Mel- rose Post Office be made a part of the Boston Post Office, but this did not occur until February 1, 1906, when the postmaster became a superintendent on a permanent employment basis and the car- riers' salaries were increased from $750 to $1,000 a year. Addi- tional increases have been given since that time.
On June 27, 1925, the post office was moved to its present location on Essex Street next to the City Hall. A cartoon in the Free Press for December 20, 1929, showed a familiar line up at the post office window, and the Board of Aldermen and the Board of Trade protested the inadequacy of the facilities in February 1932, but no action was taken until April 1949 when work was begun on a two thousand square foot addition at the rear of the build- ing, discouraging the hope of a new building for some time to come. This additional space is used for the parcel post mail which has increased some two hundred per cent in the past two or three years. Fluorescent lighting has been installed, and a loading plat- form added. Larger employees' quarters are provided on the second floor and the lobby on the ground floor enlarged. The John Bowen Company, contractors, did the work, their real estate branch, the Newbury Realty Company of Boston, being the owners of the building.
The first superintendent of the post office under the Boston Post Office was Alfred Hawkins, followed in turn by Charles N. Fowler, Albert R. Ramsdell, Frank C. Douchette, David W. Robbins and then the present superintendent, Joseph H. Killion, who took charge in February 1934, having been employed in the Malden and Melrose post offices since 1906. During his term as
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superintendent the annual business of the office has increased from $33,000 to $125,000. The office now employs fifty-two men.
A post office was established in the Fells railroad station in 1885 with Charles H. Ormsby as postmaster. On September 15, 1902 the office was situated at the corner of Goodyear Avenue and Main Street, and classified as Station No. 2 with G. Stanley Brown as clerk-in-charge, but was later discontinued.
A post office was established in Melrose Highlands in 1874 with John Singer, Jr., as postmaster. In 1900 the post office was in the Rogers Block on Franklin Street with Mrs. Lillian D. Edmunds as clerk-in-charge. It was moved to 21 Marvin Road on July 27, 1929, with Norman Swift in charge, followed by Thomas F. Doherty as superintendent, in 1946. It is now a finan- cial office only with two employees.
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE CHURCHES
The oldest church in Melrose is the FIRST METHODIST CHURCH which dates from 1813 when a group, dissatisfied with a reference to the war with England made in a sermon preached in the Ortho- dox Church in Malden Center, held an indignation meeting in a barn in North Malden from which grew a new society under the auspices of the Methodist Church, then a new but growing move- ment in New England. The services of Rev. Timothy Merritt were obtained, who preached the first sermon February 7, 1813, in the schoolhouse on Lebanon Street, just south of Upham Street. He continued for four Sundays, then Rev. Epaphias Kilby preached for four Sundays, then Rev. Thomas C. Pierce for six months, and then Rev. Ephraim Wiley from 1814 to 1817. During Mr. Wiley's pastorate the Church was formally organized, and during the pastorate of his successor, Rev. Orlando Hinds in 1818, a church was built thirty by thirty-two feet at the corner of Main and Green Streets.
About 1827 a dissident group formed a separate congrega- tion called the Methodist Protestant Church, which about twenty- five years later became the First Baptist Church.
The first Methodist church building, although redesigned and enlarged, served until 1857 when it was sold to George F. Boardman, moved to the corner of Main and Essex Streets, and became the Concert Hall until it burned down November 30, 1875.
The land on which the present church building stands on Main Street was given by Isaac Emerson, and a new edifice was built there and dedicated April 1, 1857. It was remodeled in 1876, and continued to serve the congregation until it burned down April 24, 1903. A new building, the present one, was immediately planned, the congregation meeting in the Young Men's Christian Association hall during its construction. The cornerstone was laid September 12, 1903, and the completed building dedicated June 19, 1904, Bishop Edward G. Andrews preaching the sermon.
The window at the east end of auditorium was presented as a memorial to Dr. Eratus Otis Phinney by his wife. The window at the west end of the church was given by Mrs. Frank F. Hunt in memory of her husband.
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FIRST METHODIST CHURCH, MAIN STREET, SUCCESSOR TO THE FIRST CHURCH ORGANIZED IN MELROSE, 1813
A parish house was built to meet the increasing demand, and dedicated September 27, 1925. On December 14, 1941 a set of Schulmerich chimes, dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Henrietta Roberts Alexander, was presented by her son William B. Alex- ander. A public address system given by Benjamin B. Pingree was dedicated at the same time.
The first parsonage had previously been the residence of Isaac Emerson, who died in 1861. The present parsonage was built on the same site, 647 Main Street, in 1890.
The church societies include the Church School, Wesley Brotherhood, Perrin Bible League, Women's Society for Chris- tian Service, The Forum, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Inter- mediate Methodist Youth Fellowship, Couples Club, Optimists, Boy and Girl Scouts, and the recently organized Crusaders for young people of college age.
The church membership, which in 1900 was about six hun- dred, has grown to seventeen hundred, of which one hundred sixty-nine were received in 1948.
Rev. Joel M. Leonard was pastor from 1896 to 1900, his suc- cessors being Rev. Charles H. Stackpole 1901-1905; Rev. Williard T. Perrin 1906-1909; Rev. Louis C. Wright 1910-1915; Rev. C. C. P. Hiller 1916-1918; Rev. Laurence W. C. Emig 1919-1925; Rev. Charles W. Jeffras 1926-1930; Rev. John L. Ivey 1931-1938; Rev. G. Vaughn Shedd 1939-1942; Rev. John L. Cairns 1943-1946; Rev. Lemuel K. Lord 1947 to date.
The will of Charles Pratt left $10,000 which he was to receive from the City for the purchase of his estate for the purpose of enlarging the Wyoming Cemetery, for the use of "Christian Mis- sions" by the Stewards of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Melrose. Out of this bequest the Swain's Pond Chapel was built in 1891 and named the "Pratt Memorial." Religious services and a Sunday School were sustained in this Chapel for a number of years.
The "East Side Mission," so called, also flourished for a number of years, finally passing under Congregational control and becoming the Hillcrest Congregational Church.
The FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH in Melrose had its be- ginning with preaching by Rev. Stillman Pratt in the home of Dr. Levi Gould on Main Street on April 25, 1848. Services were continued in the home of Deacon Jonathan Cochran on Grove Street, and then in the passenger room of the Boston and Maine Railroad station until the first church edifice was built on West
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Foster Street and the church formally organized as the Melrose Orthodox Congregational Church with ten members on July 11, 1849.
The first church building was enlarged in 1858 but burned down in 1869. The present structure was built at the corner of West Foster and Willow Streets and dedicated October 26, 1870. In 1882 a parsonage was added. The church building underwent extensive repairs in 1890, and again in 1900 when it was closed from June to October. In 1912 the church became free of debt, and a new organ was installed. In 1918 the title was changed to The First Congregational Church.
Rev. Thomas Sims, D.D. was pastor from May 2, 1897 until he retired May 1, 1918. He was elected Pastor Emeritus in 1919 and held that position until his death in 1937.
During the succeeding pastorate of Rev. Richard H. Bennett from March 5, 1919 to September 20, 1932, the heating system of the church was renovated and in 1925 the East Wing added to give more space for the Church School, an office and a ladies' parlor.
Rev. Olin Berry Tracy was pastor from October 30, 1932 to December 1, 1948. In 1943 the church steeple was removed as unsafe, and the clock with it. During his pastorate a deficit of $4,000 was wiped out, and on October 29, 1944, a mortgage of $42,588.78 dating from the depression period was burned. Besides these material accomplishments he was actively engaged during World War II in giving spiritual help to the many servicemen and women from the Church. When he left to take up a pastorate in Snyder, New York, the membership was nearly fifteen hun- dred, an increase of a thousand since 1900. On April 3, 1949, his successor, Rev. Clarence W. Fuller, preached his first sermon in the church.
On May 16, 1948 the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Church was opened with an Anniversary Communion Service by the pastor, Rev. Olin B. Tracy, and by the former pastor, Rev. Richard H. Bennett, then pastor of the Payson Park Church in Belmont, when forty-seven new church members were received. An Anniversary Banquet was held on May 20, with grace offered by Rev. Frank H. Snell, President of the Melrose Ministerial Association, and Willis C. Goss acting as toastmaster.
In 1932 the Church lost the services of Miss Annie W. Chapin who had served the Church faithfully for sixty years as Church School teacher, superintendent of the Junior Department, pas-
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tor's assistant, deaconess, and as editor of the church paper, The Messenger.
The church societies include, besides the Church School, the Women's Guild, which is a development of an auxiliary to the Woman's Board of Missions organized in 1871, later extending its functions until in 1900 it became the Women's Union and included a social and sewing circle. In 1915 an additional group called the Young Matrons' Guild was added and in 1929 the whole organization became the Women's Guild. Other societies are the Bridge Builders, Couples Club, Young Adult Group and the Christian Endeavor. The Senior Christian Endeavor was organized September 4, 1883 with seventy-three charter members. The Junior Christian Endeavor dates from 1896 but was reor- ganized in 1923.
The FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH services in Melrose were held in 1848 by Rev. F. W. Holland in Academy Hall at the corner of Grove and Berwick Streets under the auspices of the American Unitarian Association, but after a few months the effort was abandoned. Twenty years later the movement was resumed by Smith W. Nichols, Charles Toppan, Henry Munroe and their families. The services of Rev. William P. Tilden of Boston were obtained, also under the auspices of the American Unitarian Asso- ciation, and church services were held in Concert Hall on Main Street near Essex for the first time on November 18, 1866, with nearly fifty persons attending. Services were continued during November and December by Mr. Tilden and Rev. John C. Wells of Quincy. In January 1867 Rev. John A. Buckingham was engaged for six months and in July 1867 the Unitarian Congre- gational Society of Melrose was formed. Rev. William Silsbee was pastor the following year, but growth was slow.
The Rev. William S. Barnes of the Baptist Church having had a change of faith, left that church in 1868 and was asked to preach by the Unitarian Parish in Concert Hall. He accepted and was accompanied by a number of persons from the Baptist, Con- gregational and Methodist churches. The name of the society was changed to the Liberal Christian Congregational Society and Mr. Barnes was installed as pastor in August 1868.
As his former Baptist parishioners were so cool to him, Mr. Barnes resigned his position with the Unitarians in January 1869 and moved to the Unitarian church in Woburn, where he remained for ten years, and afterwards to Montreal.
When Mr. Barnes left, so did a number of his personal friends.
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FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH, WEST EMERSON STREET
Rev. A. S. Nickerson was installed as pastor in July 1869, but resigned in April 1870. The Parish then resumed its original name of Unitarian Congregational Society, and in spite of its depressed state, undertook the building of a church in September at the corner of West Emerson and Myrtle Streets.
Preaching services were contributed by pastors from neigh- boring parishes to save fees, until May 1, 1872, when the new church building was dedicated by Rev. Andrew P. Peabody of Harvard. Rev. Daniel M. Wilson, a Harvard graduate, was in- stalled as pastor November 15, 1872, and continued as such until he resigned in 1876 to go to Quincy.
In July 1876 the Church was re-incorporated to correct some legal points in its original organization. In 1900 the membership was two hundred twenty-five, which has since increased to three hundred twenty-five in 1949.
The pastors since 1900 have been Rev. Thomas Jay Horner 1899-1911; Rev. Otto E. Duerr 1911-1914; Rev. Henry W. Pinkham 1915-1917; Rev. James W. MacDonald 1918-1919; Rev. Henry T. Secrist 1920-1935; Rev. Arthur W. Olsen 1936-1942; Rev. Chadbourne A. Spring 1942 to date.
The church building was enlarged in 1891, and again in October 1906. On May 28, 1928 the Parish decided to build a new church and parish house, which was dedicated February 16, 1936 when free of debt.
The Unity Club was organized in the late '90s for monthly meetings of a social and literary character, following the Round- About Club which had followed a similar program for some twenty years. Other church societies, besides the Church School, include the Tandem Club, the Laymen's League, the Alliance, the Evening Alliance, and the American Unitarian Youth.
In 1828 several members of the First Methodist Church, dis- satisfied with the church government, left and formed themselves as the Protestant Methodist Church. They purchased the un- painted schoolhouse at the corner of Lebanon and Upham Streets irreverently termed the "Duck Pen," moved it to the large lot at the corner of Main and Upham Streets, enlarged and dedicated it for worship, with seventeen church members and Rev. Thomas F. Norris as pastor. In 1842 this building was outgrown, and a new frame building constructed. The small society suffered diffi- culties, however, and many members left. As a number of Bap- tists had settled in the town, a new church society was organized January 1, 1856, as the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Of Melrose, with
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, MAIN STREET
ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH, FRANKLIN STREET
thirteen Baptists and eight Protestant Methodists as members.
In 1873 the church building was sold to the Roman Catholics and moved to Dell Avenue, where it was torn down some years later. It was replaced by a brick structure dedicated November 17, 1874 with Rev. Almond Barelle as pastor. It is related that on the first day of its use smoke was seen issuing from the tower, and a fire alarm was rung. Later it was explained that no chimney had been built for the furnace, and it had been necessary to run a smoke pipe through the tower. Holes had been punctured in the sanctuary floor on an original theory of ventilation, with the result that those sitting near the aisles were cooked, and those sitting farther away were frozen. For use of the Church School the pews had been made with reversible backs, with a squeak that was the joy of the boys who attended. The last service was held in this building March 4, 1906, after which it was torn down and replaced by the present granite structure, the bricks of the older structure being used in the inner walls of the new. The cornerstone was laid May 30, 1906 with John Larrabee presiding, and the church was dedicated April 7, 1907. Two memorial win- dows built by Burnham, one in memory of Charles Copeland Barry and one in memory of Ernest Leighton Carr, have been placed in the church.
In 1900, when Rev. Augustus Erving Scoville became pastor, the church membership numbered four hundred fifty, since in- creased to one thousand five hundred thirty-six in 1949. It was in the same year that Mr. Barry organized the Barry Class for Bible study. The class began with sixty members, later fell to nearly twenty, but has since risen to its present membership of one hun- dred ninety-five.
Mr. Scoville was followed by Rev. Philetus H. McDowell from January 1, 1915, to September 15, 1923; Rev. Walter E. Woodbury from January 1924 to 1930; Rev. Harold V. Jensen from October 1930 to 1938; and Rev. Wallace Forgey from Janu- ary 1, 1939 to date. On May 16, 1945, the Church was incorporated.
The Church has the usual and necessary organizations to care for the different age groups. Besides the Church School and Other activities there are the Woman's Circle, a missionary group, the Young Women's Guild, a social group, the YOMACO Club, for young married couples, the Berean Class, Philathea, the Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scout groups, and the Barry Class for men.
As a result of mission work by members of the Church a Baptist church was organized in January 1889 at Middlesex Fells,
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and continued until the Rubber Factory closed in 1929, when it was disbanded.
The Church also assisted in the organization of the Melrose Highlands Baptist Church on April 12, 1894. A church building was built at the corner of Franklin and Day Streets and dedicated December 29, 1895. By 1899 the membership had grown to seventy- five with Rev. David M. Lockrow as pastor until his resignation on September 23, 1906. In 1912 the church was disbanded, the building sold to the Advent Christian Church, and the Baptist members absorbed by the First Baptist Church.
Melrose sympathizers with the Universalist doctrines of John Murray began holding services in the old schoolhouse on Lebanon Street in the early 1800s under the leadership of Rev. Joshua Flagg and others. In 1829 this group moved to the old Center School on Upham Street and later, as their numbers grew, to the Academy Hall on Berwick Street. The Universalist Parish was organized February 10, 1848 with sixteen members, and Rev. Josiah W. Talbot was the first pastor. Late in 1850 Mr. Talbot gave the land now occupied and managed the construction of a church building, dedicated January 1, 1852. In 1888, this build- ing was sold to Frank Eastman, moved to Essex Street, first known as Franklin Hall but now occupied by the Melrose Chemical Company. The new church structure was opened for meetings on January 20, 1889, with two hundred present, and the formal dedication of the FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH took place March 24, 1889, with seven hundred present.
In 1910 the cellar and furnace room were utilized to build Marshall Hall. In 1924 the interior of the church was remodeled, redecorated and electricity installed.
Dr. Edwin C. Bowles was pastor in 1900 but resigned to fill the Chair of History at Tufts College. At that time the church membership numbered fifty. He was succeeded by Rev. Andrew J. Torsleff 1902-1904; Dr. Harold Marshall 1904-1918; Rev. Hal T. Kearns for a short period until he entered the armed service as chaplain; Rev. Lester L. Lewis 1919-1926; Rev. Gustave H. Leining 1926-1935; Rev. Leslie C. Nichols, 1936 to date. Present church membership numbers about four hundred thirty-five.
Church societies include the Universalist Youth Fellowship, the King's Daughters, Association of Universalist Women, Chain Club, Russell Club, Thursday Club, Talbot Club, Comrades, Young Matrons' Club, Friendly Fellowship and the Marco Club.
At the time the present building was constructed, a memorial
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window was included, presented by Joseph Crocker in memory of his parents. The organ was the gift of Daniel Russell. On May 8, 1949, the Church celebrated its One Hundredth Anniversary.
Services of the Episcopal Church began in Melrose on April 13, 1856 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Rice on Lake Avenue, now the home of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Fay. Fifteen persons were present, and the service was conducted by Rev. William H. Munroe as rector. Services were continued in Lyceum Hall on Main Street and on May 20, 1857 the TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organ- ized. A church building was erected on West Emerson Street near Tremont Street and dedicated March 25, 1860. It was later consecrated by Bishop Eastburn on June 13, 1866, when free of debt.
In 1886 the cornerstone of the present stone building was laid, and the church built largely through the generosity of Miss Catherine Louise Tyer, as a memorial from their surviving chil- dren to Henry George and Elizabeth Tyer. It was consecrated June 21, 1887 by Bishop Paddock. There was a building com- mittee of five assisted by the rector, Rev. Charles L. Short. One of the committeemen planted the ivy that has since grown to cover the walls of the building.
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