Having a Ball – (PIP #96)

By Louise Peloquin

Have you recognized any names among the 100 + listed below distributing tickets for the Lowell Centennial Ball?

L’Etoile – February 20, 1926

TICKETS FOR THE CENTENNIAL BALL

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On the evening of March 1, admission to the Auditorium will require tickets. – The ball committee, the directors, the City Council, the mayor and the executive committee will distribute them.

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     The centennial ball committee has been busy for over a week and has already raised great interest by naming the directors who will have the tickets in hand.

     The ball will take place in the two Auditorium halls. However, it will be impossible to accommodate everyone planning to attend. Since police officers have never been given the task of refusing people when rooms are full, the committee decided to use admission tickets. They have already been printed and will be distributed by the ball committee members, the directors, the City Council, the mayor and the executive committee. Directors and half of the ball committee members have them. The others will have them on Tuesday morning at the latest.

     The ball promises to be the gala event of the year. Formal attire will not be required to attend. This is optional. The celebration is meant to be a birthday party and the program was prepared accordingly. A large cake with the dates 1826-1926 will set the tone. Professionals and amateurs will perform traditional and modern dances. An orchestra will play. Late into the night, paper streamers will be festooned around the hall. That is part of the March 1 celebration.

     Regarding the tickets, once again, all ball committee members present on Thursday afternoon have got theirs. The others received notices this morning indicating where to obtain them.

Here are the names of the men who now have tickets:

     Alvah H. Weaver, James E. Reilly, Joseph Legare, Hammond Barnes, Edouard T. Bailey, Arthur Bernier, Roland Boudreau, Raymond Bourgeois, Butler D. Burrage, John Kendrick Butler, Donald F. Cameron, William Canton, Joseph Schiller, Joseph A.N. Chrétien, James F. Conway, Charles E. Delorme, Joseph Desrosiers, Royal K. Dexter Jr., Joseph M. Dinneen, Joseph P. Donahue, Allan Dumas, Arthur L. Eno, Barrett Fisher, John Rogers Flather, Charles G. Forrest, Dr. A.J. Gagnon, Dr. Raymond Gendreau, Frank Goldman, Francis J. Haggerty, Thomas B. Higgins, John J. Hogan, Frank J. Hubin, James F. Kane, Dr. Joseph Kearney, Charles L. Keyes, Julian B. Keyes, Gardner M. Macartney, Dr. Francis R. Mahoney, J.C. Manseau, Warren Mansur, Frank McCartin, John J. McPadden, Thomas J. O’Donnell, H. Hutchins Parker, Arthur G. Pollard 2nd, Richard F. Preston, William C. Purcell, George H. Runnels, John P. Sawyer, Stephen H. Scribner, Ames Stevens, Richard K. Stover, Robert R. Thomas and Carl R. Wenigmann.

     Next Tuesday the following groups will have tickets to distribute and are asked to give them to people they know will use them.

     The committee of directors: Frank K. Stearns, president; Joseph A. Gagnon; George H. Harrigan; John A. Hunnewell; Charles L. Madden; Ralph E. Runels and John J. Walsh.

     The executive committee: councilors James J. Gallagher, Daniel J. Cosgrove, Frank J. Hubin, John J. McFadden, Richard F. Preston, Robert R. Thomas, Francis Haggerty, John E. O’Brien, Frank E. MacLean, Edward T. Bailey, Joseph A.N. Chrétien, Joseph F. Montminy, Arthur Genest, Abel R. Campbell, Thomas F. Inglis, Walter J. Cleary and John R. Kiggins.

Charles E. Anderson, George E. Barnet, John H. Beaulieu, George Bowers, Philip F. Breen, Edward B. Carney, John P. Ryan, Royal K. Dexter, David Dickson, Charles A. Donohue, Eugene F. Fitzgerald, A. Flather, Joseph A. Gagnon, Joseph H. Guillet, George M. Harrigan, James F. Hennessy, Charles H. Hobson, John A. Hunnewell, Patrick Keyes, Richard J. McClusky M.D., Thomas McFadden, Frank P. McGilley, Elmore I. Macphie, Arthur McQuaid, Charles L. Marren, Joseph A. Molloy, William P. Morrissey, George E. Murphy, Parker F. Murphy, Patrick F. Nestor, John P. O’Connell, William F. O’Connell, James O’Sullivan, Franklin S. Pevey, Harry G. Pollard, John E. Regan, John J. Riley, Stanley Robinson, Fred Rourke, Ralph E. Runels, Frederick A. Sadlier, Arthur T. Safford, Alfred P. Sawyer, Frank K. Stearns, Joseph E. Sullivan, William Trottier, Jude C. Wadleigh, John J. Walsh.

     Anyone wishing to attend the ball is to choose a friend from this list. Everyone in the city probably knows one or more of these members and can make their reservations.

     Everyone must not forget that the Auditorium is not made of rubber. It cannot be extended. Consequently, strict rules will be enforced as always. It is better to know in advance whether or not one can obtain a ticket rather than come and wait at the door for an hour only to be refused at the last minute because the hall is crowded.

     An effort will be made to recuperate as many unused tickets as possible in order to pass them around. With the least inconvenience possible, the goal is allowing access to everyone who wants to attend the ball.

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L’Etoile – Front page February 23, 1926

A DAY OF FESTIVITIES MONDAY

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Since Lowell is celebrating its 100th anniversary next Monday, all shopkeepers are asked to close their businesses at 1 PM that day.

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THE DAY’S PROGRAM

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     An initiative has commenced among Lowell’s businessmen to make Monday, March 1, a holiday on the occasion of the centennial of the incorporation of Lowell as a “town.”

     Here is the proclamation launched to the public by the Lowell Centennial Executive Committee:

An appeal to the public

     On Monday March 1, Lowell will mark the hundredth anniversary of its incorporation as a town. Up to now, all of the projects by the local government and the residents have been planned to celebrate the anniversary appropriately.

     With this in mind, the Lowell Centennial Committee has prepared a program with three distinct ceremonies.

     At 9:30 in the morning, Lowell schoolchildren will have commemorative ceremonies in their classrooms and at Memorial Auditorium.

     At 2 in the afternoon, adults are invited to an official ceremony at Memorial Auditorium with guests of honor from various cities across the State.

     At 8 in the evening, a Centennial Ball for all Lowellians will be held at the Auditorium. The Centennial Committee hopes the day will provide everyone the opportunity to pause for a moment and to reflect upon the importance of the anniversary – upon the fact that their city is 100 years old. With this in mind, the Centennial directors appeal to all shopkeepers to close their businesses at 1 in the afternoon on Monday March 1 in order that all residents and outside visitors may know that Lowell is celebrating a momentous event.

Lowell Centennial Board of Directors,

Frank K. Stearns, President,

Joseph A. Gagnon,

George H. Harrigan,

John A. Hunnewell,

Charles L. Marren,

Ralph E. Runels,

John J. Walsh.

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1) Translations by Louise Peloquin.