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The Acton Free Press Wednesday May 2 She colled The Chief by those who used to work with her and chief she was of the Acton Public Library for GO years Isabel Watson retired as head librarian three years ago but staff she II always be the chief A strict disciplinarian Mrs Watson ran the library with authority keeping the naughty school boys in line but she always had a smile and wry comment for someone with a sense of humor Now Mrs Watson lives her apartment with Teachers Pet the 11 year old poodle who com pan led her daily to the library and regrets retiring from her life I ibrary In town hall Isabel Watson became librarian in 1926 after assisting during school years in the library founded In 1898 and always run by the town At that time the library was a tiny hole in the town hall across from the jail cells Cleaning and were looked after by the genera custodian who also happened to be the policeman If ten people at once tried to use the old library Mrs Watson says everything was In a mess No one could move Books were stored on great high shelves necessitating a high ladder to reach them Patrons would ask Mrs Watson for a specific book and up she climb The room was just too small to allow people to choose their own books Patrons bought library cards for five cents and Mrs Watson remembers spending the very first nickel she ever acquired as a child on a precious library card The first night she spent as librarian an English lady with a broad accent came in and said she liked rial books Mrs Watson looked out several mysteries and courtroom type novels the choice It was only later she found out the lady was fond or westerns and was asking for trail type books Spoon move In cramped quarters of the town hall were exchanged for more spacious rooms in the building Professional movers were hired but Isabel says they were simply awful They have done a finer job if they d stirred it with a spoon she laughs But it was no laughing matter then and it took weeks to straighten out shelves and get books back Into the order of the Dewey Decimal system started In 1913 By then there were three on staff in the library open three days a week On Wednesday afternoon school classes come to select books and Mrs Watson ran them like an assembly line Later she and an assistant took boxes of books by taxi to the schools We sent out a tremendous amount of books One of the best moments in her career occurred when Mrs Watson turned the sod for the new library in 1967 As she wielded the spade she remembers it was softly raining that August day and she thought This is the most beautiful place in Acton New library attract That new library situated on the comer of River Street and Main North still is one of the most at tractive places in town with a foot bridge over the duck infested creek petunia bordered flower beds the memorial plaque park area and plenty of trees forsquirrelstoplay The second library move to the new building was quite different from the first one The staff packed books In shelforder in long boxes and transported them labelled ready for their new shelves Mrs Watson gives her son Tom considerable credit strength Mr and Mrs Tom Watson used to run the Watson restaurant on Mill Street over which Isabel Watson lived for many years Improvement made Many changes have taken place in the library since Mrs Watson first look over Emphasis on education and research material has greatly in creased Resource books encyclopedias and in formation literature are now a large part of the library a far cry from the one dusty set of en cyclopedias that sat in the window shelf of the old library at the Junior activities have multiplied rapidly en raging the young to read early Mrs Watson is delighted with this feeling that a love of reading creates a desire to go on to better things One library inspector Angus Mowat father of Farley Mowat the author used to visit Mrs Watson and once predicted the central card system that is now being innovated Mrs Watson is an avid reader and says she must have read thousands or volumes from historical books biographies to some favorites by Farley and Mary Stewart She s seen the reading tastes of children change from Thornton Burgess and Mother West Wind to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew and now to the Star Wars space An institution in herself Isabel Watson has a lifetime of stories about the Atton Public Library Why don t you ask her to tell you some of them Daffodil Tea planned May 5 Mrs Hurry Murray pened the meeting of Knox Ladles Aid an Tucsda with a poem A Voice A timely roll call was responded to by a spring cleaning hint The of Mrs and Mrs C Allen wen added to he pur chasing committee five banquets being planned in May The ladies arc invited to the txplorer Daffodil on May The devotional part of the program was taken by Mrs J Berry reading the Scripture and Mrs the prayer Headings were also A know your pie con test was won by Mrs CS Matthews and Mrs J C Dennis procure supplies for the by the committee ladies TME ACTON FREE PRESS Ctaia Mall 0616 Children came from all around to attend a Songs and Cam en lor Children hour the Acton Public Library on Saturday Lots I the musk entertainment for the many many children In Approve severance Despite a recommend from the planning department to appeal a separation already granted by Ha I on Land Division Committee Ha I ton Hills general committee over ruled their planners and backed the severance granted Mr and Mrs Colin Colin and Emclln had been granted separation of a lot feet by 221 feel on the Fifth Line south of 17 Sideroad by the Land Division Commlllee the town planning department wanted to highways residential appeal the decision access on major roads claiming Cousens Is not a He contended the Fifth farmer nor area cluster develop ment Councillor Miller said the land could never be put back in Councillor Pal Patter son commented The only thing that land could rmsc is taxes He said the land beside him is all rock and gravel Cousens said the Officio Plan discourages strip development along Line is not a major road He said agricultural use would be impossible since it was taken out of farming use when the land he now owns wo separated in 19G0 The committee decided there should be no ap peal so separation stands unless council docs not accept the recommendation YARN BARN 13 WILLOW ST SOUTH Specie Sale SALE ENDS MAY 1979 Patons Canadiana 00 Cotton Polyester BROADCLOTH REG YD 20 FREE DEMONSTRATION CALLING ALL MOMSU OFF ALL SPRING JACKETS and DRESSES toddlers to Teens DOWNTOWN ACTON Quarries honored Both the Acton and Hull on quarries of Indusmin Limited re ceived awards recently for having gone ugh the yeor 1977 without a lost time injury Bill Brennon of the In Accident Prevention Association made the presentations to Len Draper the pro duction of the Acton quarry and Jack Champoux of the quarry Town goes after industrial park Mayor Pete The land abuts a rc- council are deter approved large mined a proposed Indus industrial area in Milton trial park at Highway he hydro corridor the and Five Sideroad will main line and High become reality and in way tend to go to Queen The plan calls for light Park to talk to the Min industry and of Housing while a corner is The mayor said every served for a private thing had been approved sports club with indoor and the amendment outdoor swimming passed by Hills squash and tennis for the industrial land courts and a private recreation Extensive buffering by club on the acre par landscaping screen the eel of land area from adjoining pro- He explained the land is planned on a can be serviced and the strip feet by feet owner Joe Shaw of Nor with all hazard land left Developments has In its present state commitments for indus The letter from the try to locale there We Ministry of Housing want the jobs here questioned the necessity Paper drive ends after two years for the industrial land in light of the nearby large industrial acreage in Mil ton and suggested it was premature until the new official plan sets the amount and location of all industrial land in the town New KLM CHARTER CLASS FARES Toronto Amsterdam Toronto Select departure a return and combine far total are Book must bo lonst days dam J Sep lb Sep The rellalfcalrilne of Holland A TED TYLER TRAVEL SERVICEACTON Acton s Only Appointed Agent There will no longer be newspaper pickups at the Halton Hills i ture and Appliance store as there are no longer any places willing to purchase paper The program had been on for two years accord to Jake Kulkcn with the proceeds going to wards Christian ion at the Georgetown District Christian School The group got 15 a on for newspapers usually raising about too a drive for the school An in dividual trucker charged only to take the papers to where they were bought The last load will be taken out of Acton May 12 Dad Kids Drop in and let us help you select something special for Mom ftomourwide selection of gifts especially for Mother on her day DOWNTOWN ACTON 20 OFF ALL GOLD RINGS EARRINGS CHARMS WATCHES Gifts Cards I MILL STREET EAST ACTON 8531730 BUSTER BROWN Also end of lines StartRite sizes 4 to 12 Sizes 4 to 8 REG VALUES TO 17 Sizes 8V2 to 4 REG VALUES TO 21 to Feature for feature dollar for dollar you cant beat the Mazda GLC The lowestpriced import hatchback in Canada Come in and test drive one achilles motors SALES and SERVICE Queen Street Acton 863