Nostalgia and Politics
Many
of Pontiac's residents, looking back through the rose colored glasses
of nostalgia, recall with pleasure their days of growing up and living
in the village during the early part of the twentieth century. While
some of the older citizens remembered the long, hard hours at the mill,
the low wages, crowded tenements, the fear of economic depression and
the closing of the mill, others recalled only the pleasant experiences.
The peaceful times
Mrs. Hattie Anderson, interviewed in 1974 by Margie Bucheit for the
Warwick Beacon, looked back at an age that moved slowly and seemed more
enjoyable. She noted, "Before there were electric lights the
lamplighter would come around with his lantern to light the street
lamps in the village. The roads in Pontiac were dirt roads and the
houses," she recalled, "were well kept up with flowers and gardens."
Hattie Anderson went on to say, "Clothes were different then; they hung
from the shoulder in a loose chemise style. Children had one dress for
one week, another for the next and a good one for Sunday."
The need for Change
Life in the mill villages differed from life on the farm as most of the
villagers were immigrants who worked at the mills. At first,
differences among the ethnic groups kept them separated but, as early
as the first decade of the twentieth century, it became obvious that
there was a common cause and that the residents of the mill villages
differed from their neighbors in the agricultural sections of Warwick
in areas other than language or occupation.
New Political Alliances
Political needs and ambitions were also apparent as many of the
newcomers had arrived after the Civil War and felt no loyalty to the
Grand Old Party of Anthony, Brayton and Aldrich. Once the franchise was
extended to them, discontent with the party bosses became apparent. For
a period of time, ethnic differences kept them divided and impotent,
but eventually the politically adept son of an Irish immigrant, Patrick
Henry Quinn, succeeded in developing a potent political force. He
convinced the leaders of the ethnic groups that their similarities were
greater than their differences and allied them in the Democratic Party.
The Split
By 1909, the Democrats in the western section of Warwick, led by Quinn,
gained control of the financial town meetings and broke the political
control of the Old Guard in Warwick. The turmoil that resulted made it
obvious that the needs and demands of the opposing elements could not
be met with one government. After the death of Charles "Boss" Brayton,
the demand for separation became greater and petitions to the General
Assembly were finally heeded.
On March 14, 1913, 8.3 sq. miles of territory, half the population, and
almost the entire industrial base of the town were separated. The
third, fourth and fifth representative districts were chartered as the
town of West Warwick. The transition was relatively smooth as both
towns saw the advantages of the move.
While most of the mill villages were lost, Warwick still had the
Elizabeth Mill in Hillsgrove, the Apponaug Company, and the Pontiac
Mill. These were, at the time, all thriving and valuable assets for the
town. In addition to the political changes, Pontiac high school
students witnessed a major upheaval as West Warwick was given the new
(1905) high school and, in exchange, Warwick remained in possession of
the Town Hall, built in 1893.
The loss of the high school, as well as the industrial base, was sorely
felt as Warwick's students moved to the old Grammar School on Post Road
in Apponaug. In 1924, fire destroyed that building and, in 1925, the
town constructed a new one, the James T. Lockwood High School on West
Shore Road.
The story of Pontiac will be continued.
Life
had its bright moments in the village as every Friday night during the
summer months, the Pontiac Brass Band, shown here in 1890, entertained
the village. They also played special programs at the school and
Library.
From the Mildred Longo Collection