Passing the Trowel

by Ruth J. Craft -

Read at Ashfield Town Meeting, May 1st, 2004

 

 

 

On the Main Street of Ashfield by St John's Church, stands a large fount dedicated in 1907 to George William Curtis. Travel at that time was by horse, by wagon or buggy. After the horse had come up the long road from South Ashfield known as Dug Hill, the driver would stop at the trough to give the horse a refreshing drink of water. As time went on, transportation began to change and automobiles became more in use. For many years the trough was not used, but the water was still there. In the early 1980's, I was driving by it and I thought how pretty flowers might look planted in the trough. So I went to the Selectboard and asked them what they thought. It was agreed to be a good idea.

 

A few days later, to my surprise, the plumber Doug Cranson was at the trough to shut off the water. Next thing, one of the town trucks came with a load of soil to fill the trough. Now, at that time, my husband and I had a vegetable and flower garden and we grew more than we could use or needed. So I put a small table by the side of the road and each morning, I would place what surplus we had there along with a box and an explanation of what the money would be used for. I began to hear cars stop and soon there was enough money to buy flowers.

 

I began filling the trough with pansies, geraniums, marigolds or whatever would grow well. It is not a large area, but it did take time to plant, weed and water. During the dry weather: it would take at least 6 gallons of water, which we brought, from home, to keep the flowers moist. I do remember one summer, however, when we had a very heavy rain and the trough was so full of water we had to bail it out.

 

Soon, the trough became a social center. As I would be working there, people would stop and visit or when driving by would yell, "Looks good, Ruth." Now after all these years, it seems a bit more work. One day when I was working at the trough, Gloria Pocosa, who now lives in the George William Curtis house, stopped to talk to me. She said, "Ruth, I'd like to help you." So last year, Gloria planted the first Spring flowers - which were pansies. I have never seen them look better or last longer. So, now I am happy to be "passing the trowel" on to Gloria, as I know that we will continue to have a beautiful flower garden on the main street of Ashfield.

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