From the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal, selected and lightly annotated by Lester Smith, Historian of the Town and the Suffield Historical Society.
November 9
The Liberty Loan drive in this place closed last Saturday night with a total of nearly $299,000 from over 700 subscribers. This town is to be congratulated for getting into line and showing what could be done with conscientious effort.
Tuesday’s rain gave the farmers an excellent opportunity to get down a part of their tobacco and most of them took advantage of it. The early cut tobacco had cured out thoroughly and was in excellent condition. . . . Some of the tobacco warehouses have started up and with another good damp all will be in full swing.
The students of the Suffield School gave a very successful Hallowe’en party at the school gymnasium Wednesday evening with a large attendance of the students and their friends.
Mrs. Roderick King is visiting her daughter, Mrs. Ned Kendall of Granby.
November 16
A petition signed by residents of the town was presented to the selectmen last week asking that the large mottled sycamore tree standing in front of the Town hall be cut down. As soon as the petition was made public a flood of protests came to the selectmen from all parts of the town against the cutting of the tree, so that it is probable that the matter will be left for the annual meeting to decide.
John Davis has sold his 11-acre farm on Mapleton Avenue to George M. Hendee, which now gives Mr. Hendee all the property from the state line on that side of the road, as far as Austin’s corner, which gives him an estate covering 400 acres in one strip
November 23
The annual meeting of the directors of the Kent Memorial Library was held at the library Monday evening. [It was reported that the] total circulation of the library was 13,335 . . . The total number of books now in the library is 19,292. [Corresponding numbers for the library’s most recent fiscal year in its temporary location are 78,792 circulation and 82,015, including the books now in storage.]
The open season on game closes this week. There has been a scarcity of most kinds of game this year with the exception of woodcock. . . . The foolish law which was fortunately repealed at the last legislature, allowing the hunting of rabbits with a ferret, pretty nearly cleaned out the rabbits in this section, and now they are about holding their own.
The new concrete road from Dunn’s corner [at Mapleton] to the Thompsonville bridge has been completed, but will not be opened to the public until the concrete is thoroughly hardened.
November 30
E. A. Fuller received a card this week from George M. Hendee, who has gone to France as a Y. M. C. A. secretary in the war relief work. Mr. Hendee writes under date of November 12 as follows: “Arrived safely after long nine days’ voyage. Am feeling fine and fit for hard work. Hope all is well for you and yours.” Mr. Hendee goes to France to engage in this work without compensation and is paying his own expenses. [He had retired to Hilltop from his Springfield motorcycle factory.]
The Polish residents held a military rally in the Town hall Sunday evening at 8:00 to get recruits for the new Polish army that is being organized in the country.
The Suffield water company is having another well drilled at the pumping station in Mapleton [now 1135 Mapleton Avenue] to increase the water supply of the town. This is the third well at the plant and an unlimited supply of water is expected.