Citizen of the year Isabel Watson speech reviews 50 years of service crowd rose to their feet following Either Taylor s speech about the 50 year career of the 1976 Citizen of the Year Mrs Isabel Watson at a banquet honoring the woman Friday tvening at the Legion hall Miss Taylors speech is reprinted here It happens rnrdy thai the histories of individual and an institution arc so in timately linked it is hard to separate one from Hit other Such is lh case with Acton I and the Chamber of lommirce Citizen of Hit If one to a word association game among time the term librarv would an immediate response Watson After moving to in 1913 with her v mother from the family farm near Point Milton Isabel then iounghchool girl lost no time in hurry to the old Town Hall to buy her first library card for the sum of five cents Our Citizen of the considered this one of the soundest investments she has made It was us well the first milestone in book spanning years and idvtnture featuring almost unbelievable changes is the quiet village of Acton into a nuclear town In 192 appointed hbrimn post she held through lean times indfmally freer spending The lean years were puin pinching which by lo- th stindards seems search for an old libr try ledger revc in Scion librarian and her issisl were p monthly it the rite of SI ami SB respective These went until Im Regardless of and low book budgets librirj services were maintained in thinks to the work and dedication of Isibel itson her assist the latter manj readers will remember the lite Chapman who served with the chief librarian for over years w irm gentle lift and people she lived to see the opening of our centennial library but wis to ill lo work in new quarters Mrs V joined still the w is still housed in the old own Hall where it origin in in ill room close to the ill cells across the lull In winter it w is tinted by pot stove lint further reduced the limited space Overcrow forced a move in 1931 to the fourth room of the where the remained until the town new w is finished in Newcomers lo librirv over the iXH its scenic Their use delights Mrs Wilson and her who arc justifiably proud of their modern ihc Chief com ments from lime to time should have seen the old library on peak nights when Die room is picked with wall ttv will readers Itcmcmher those queues out in the inh when clement school classes visited library twice weekly space is premium one recalls You I move for kids Bui somehow tht books in and went out on regular basis casualties from the traffic jams Drills I IS Illt Our of the readily gives credit to i former Councillor I whose mihtint campaign as Mayor was larfjdv responsible for council s decision to build a new library o quote another long time staffer But for Mr i few dedicated board members we could hive wound up in old store on Mill Street One work it one job for years without i wealth of memories ind impressions lo local seuttlebut one time a clutch of back when librarv trustees considered ippIjmR for i Carneigie library Although the old minute book omits reference to ihis debate it w is rumoured that the good rejected this opportunity Why in their collective opinion Car ACTON CHAMBER OF Commerce president Louis Charlebois presented Acton Citizen of the Year Mrs Isabel Watson with a plaque hononng her at a special banquet and dance evening held at the Legion Hall wealth w Permissiveness social and moral effect on gotten How times and ilher clunking have had their intend Hooks shelf space he old arc bought ind circulated matter of course Sex violence ibk if not ptil liable to have be ill It s fir cry from the years when stern board members questioned wisdom of I novels in a tilled I heir objection w is to the contents of the books bul the morals of the who w is livinc in sm Later a worn in trustee obviouslj in idvanee I demanded the w ithdr a western bee i use one of the used such shocking pmlanitits as She is outvoted Isabel Wilson belongs to feneration that believed in and practised work old friends art im it her for hard work char that might have been inherited from her Scottish ancestors Boredom has never plagued cur BOOT and SHOE SALE OFF ALL Boots and shoes in the store While supplies fast B Guelph St Plaza Georgetown t i tut n of the vc irsln ins kipl loo to be bored Shi and her lite Pern starting with ill milk bar in Mini built up flourishing resuurint business just iruiiid corner on Mill Street its ins I ind son lorn tin puliht until business w is sold in While son lorn is in Seoul Mrs Wits in wis in Scout In vountcr ye irs sin School I wliert carillon rings out in memory of the late Perry Watson She is charter member of the Lakeside Chapter I O D E Make Interesting book Other librarians learning of Isabel Watson s long stint as Chief tell her she should write a book her ex If she should decide to embark on a literary career she can be counted on to give full value because this is one of her outstanding qualities Our Citizen of the vear never does things by halves Should she decide to write a history of Won library she will have a wealth of material lo research starting with the first librarian Mrs Etta Laird McDonald who was hired for a year Her duties in eluded and book dusting Only reiders over years could borrow books from Ihe old time library Drawing on first land experiences Mrs Wilson could tell of working with slsltrs I and Laura Mrs Stan Norton Chalmers Mrs George Williams Mrs Jack Miss Helen Lamb staffers are Mrs New Mrs Mernn and Taylor Hie I a JOvcar assistant 1976 pages are Kim Bishop Becky Baxter and Erica enveloped Acton library some ago before the town itself is hauled to the altar with Georgetown Acton in County ilont with Until and H comprise the South Regional 1 ibrirv svslcm the blessings stemming from government is change in the if Acton library which is now considered Hills branch library under the Georgetown s unbrella On the nnn board Acton has two representatives veteran George Lee and town councillor Norman Elliott The school girl who bought her first card in 1913 is now a grand with six grandchildren and four grandchildren When she bows out of ihe book business at tin end of year Watson will have that she has always gone the second mile during her 50odd years as I She will be missed by readers staff More pictures on page 11 ESTHER TAYLOR delivers a speech on the years of ser vice to the Acton Public Library of Citizen of the Year Mrs Watson The honored guest sits modestly by while the speech is being read during a special banquet in her honor held Friday night in the Legion hall TAKE THE WHEELOF ONE OF OUR TRIUMPH TR7 SPOKERS DURING BRITISH LEYLANCS BIG EVENT f THE ACTON FREE PRESS Second Mail PoMJl strain Numbir The Big Is Here Now At GEORGETOWN BRITISH CARS WEVE MOVED TO OUR NEW LOCATION 5 Main St North CARPET CLEANING SERVICE We Specialize In Wall to Wall Broadloom Steam Cleaning Method LOOSE RUGS Up to 12 15 Up to 95 Shags 00 Extra UPHOLSTERY and For FREE Pickup and Delivery Phone J The Acton Free Press Wed October 1976 3 Buying selling renting looking announcing do it economically effectively through GEORGE GRAY presi dent of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce spoke at the Acton Citizen of the Year banquet even Van Shop Now Open Van Accessories Speed Equipment VANTURA SPEED and CUSTOM Line Just of in CUSHION HEEL WIDE WIDTHS IN STOCK TO TRIPLE AVAILABLE UP TO 5 E IN WHAT S A fiwetmang SHOES DOWNTOWN ACTON SOFAS CHAIRS Clearance HAM HILLS 352 St E Hwy No Acton