Lowell’s Christmas 1924 – (PIP #50)

By Louise Peloquin

     You who have been reading the peeks into the past (“PIP’s”) posted here since September 8, 2023 have become part of L’Etoile’s readership.

On its December 24, 1924 front page, the Star of Prince Street (1), extends holiday wishes to you.

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     PIP #46 provided the first example of the newspaper’s weekly column – Au fin de la plume, literally “on the thread of the pen.” See link:

https://richardhowe.com/2024/11/05/new-at-the-white-house/

Noël provided an opportunity to tease the reader.

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L’Etoile – December 18, 1924

Have you bought Christmas gifts that you would like to keep for yourself?

In terms of Christmas gifts, let us hurry up! Let us hurry slowly but let us hurry! A week from now it will be too late. It will be too late because the time will have come to disguise oneself as Santa Claus… and each will already know if they have spent more on gifts than they have received.  

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Lowell banks put out ads aimed at fattening wallets.

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Become part of the 1925 Christmas Club at the Lowell Institution for Savings, 18 Shattuck Street

CHRISTMAS CLUB – The easiest method to save is by the Christmas Club.

PASSBOOKS – 25c, 50c, $1, $2, $5.

Become a part of it today.

MECHANICS SAVINGS BANK IN LOWELL – Inc. 1861 – 204 Merrimack Street

Enrol now in our Christmas Savings Club. Accessible to all budgets. 

25c, 50c, $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 a week for 50 weeks.

MIDDLESEX NATIONAL BANK

Corner Merrimack and Palmer

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     As the 49 previous PIP’s have demonstrated, for 7 decades L’Etoile took pride in serving its local community. Noël was a propitious time to feature Lowell municipal services.

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L’Etoile – December 23, 1924

Postal Deliveries Finish at 11 at Christmas

     Post Office director Mr. Delisle says that heavy snow or an overabundance of packages would disturb plans.

     If you do not receive your Christmas gifts, do not blame the postal service. It will not be to blame because everyone in the department is doing their utmost to distribute the packages accumulated at the post office before 11 on Christmas Day.

     Post Office director Xavier A. Delisle declared yesterday that if everything went well from now to the holiday, he expects that all of the parcels arriving at the local post office on Wednesday night will be delivered before 11 on Christmas Day. Heavy snow could stop the service but there is nothing to do in this case. Or else, if a glut of packages or letters arrive in the next few days, it is possible that some may not be delivered on time. 

     In the latter case, who prevents you from receiving your gifts on time? Your friends will, because they will not have responded to the call to post the articles early.

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L’Etoile, December 23, 1924

Christmas Celebration at the Auditorium

     A magnificent concert will be held tomorrow evening from 7 to 11. – Several choirs and two bands will participate.

     A beautiful celebration will take place tomorrow at the Auditorium on the occasion of the municipal Christmas festivities.

     Tomorrow evening’s program is very varied and several choirs from different city churches will participate. The principal attraction will be the performance of the hymn O Holy Spirit by John Payne of Immaculate Conception School. His Honor, Mayor John J. Donovan will address the public and there will be concerts given by the Musicians’ Association Band and the Lowell High School Band. 

     John W. Kernan, superintendent of parks, organized the program.

7 to 9 – Musicians’ Association Band concert close to the Christmas tree.

9 – Organ overture by Mr. Wilfred Kershaw.

9:10 – Welcoming address by His Honor, Mayor John J. Donovan.

9:15 – Ste-Anne Choir directed by William C. Heller performing Stevenson’s Ring on Christmas Bells; Holy Night and I saw three ships by soloist John Payne; Mozart’s Oh Gloria.

9:30 – Songs all together directed by Miss Inez Field Damon. 

9:45 – First Congregational Church Choir directed by Mr. Harry Hopkins performing Russian Carols; Rebikon’s Christmas Bells; Panchenko’s The Star; Gruber’s Holy Night.

10  – Concert by the Lowell High School Band directed by John J. Ciblin.

10:30 – Holy Trinity Church Saint Cecile Choir directed by Miss Stephanie Urbanek performing Wsrod Noenej Ciszy’s In the Quiet of the Night; Przywitajany Mesyaeza’s Let Us Greet the Messiah.

10:45 – Solo by Mr. Andrew McCartney.

11 – Swedish Lutheran Church  Choir directed by Miss Mildred Anderson with Nebin’s  The Lord is My Strength and Ashford’s Praise the Lord.

11:15 – Singing together directed by Miss Inez Field Damon.

11:30 – Mr. Wilfred Kershaw at the organ.

     This celebration is under the auspices of Mayor Donovan and the members of the Parks Commission.

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L’Etoile – December 24, 1924

Lowell Electric Light Corporation plays the role of Santa in Lowell

     As a Christmas gift to its customers, it announces a half-penny per kilowatt-hour reduction which is the equivalent of about 5 percent. – The company thus eliminates the inconvenient discount system.

SAVINGS ALLOW THIS REDUCTION SAYS MR. HUNNEWELL.

     This morning Lowell Electric Light Corp. announced a voluntary reduction in the price of electricity of a half-cent per kilowatt-hour and the elimination its confusing discount on all invoices, to be implemented on January 1, 1925.

     This is the company’s Christmas gift to its 17,000 clients. It is a welcome gift insomuch as it is a voluntary reduction and it is given at this time of the year.

     There are good points in this news. First of all, the reduction is a half-cent per kilowatt-hour thus a little more than 5 % on each monthly bill. Secondly, the company will get rid of the invoice discount system because it was becoming a source of confusion for the clients.  In the future, bills will be calculated according to the net rate, without a discount for payment before a certain date. Thus, many people who let the time allotted to benefit from the discount pass by, and who would have paid 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, will find themselves benefitting from a one-cent reduction. From now on, there will be only one rate and that will be 9 cents per kilowatt-hour.

     “The reduction is the result of prudent administration on our part,” says Mr. Hunnewell, manager, “and comes from our desire to provide a service at the lowest possible price. That is what we always look for.  If we reduce the cost of the service, it becomes inevitable that a reduction in the price of electricity follows. This voluntary reduction on our part is a proof of that.

     “We are very confident that the public will approve and be very happy to pay the bills” continues the manager, “and that it will pay as promptly as it did in the past, and I believe that it will appreciate eliminating the discount. From now on, all bills will be calculated on the net amount and that in itself will be a convenience. We strive to cooperate with our clients and I know that they cooperate with us.”

     The new reduction will be implemented on January 1, however, some clients will profit from the reduction for a part of this month because certain electrometers have already been read and our inspectors will only return in January thus awarding the reduction for a part of December.

      The last company reduction was granted in November 1923, so a little more than a year ago. At that time also, it was to the amount of 5%. (2) 

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1. See the PIP # 5 link for a glimpse inside the Star of Prince Street premises: https://richardhowe.com/2023/10/16/every-day-a-star-is-born/
2. Translations by Louise Peloquin.