Wayland town meeting minutes, volume 4. Wayland, Mass.

Volume four begins with the March 5, 1883. The Methodist-Episcopal Church held the first meeting on May 16, 1883 in Cochituate under the provisions of Chapter 38 of the Public Statutes of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. A new Poor Farm was to be purchased on the main road from Cochituate by vote on March 17, 1884. New town by-laws were adopted on Nov. 3, 1885. Electric street lights for Cochituate Village were installed. Wayland joined with Sudbury to celebrate the 250 anniversary of the incorporation of Sudbury Plantation. The Poor Farm was sold and another purchased. Beulah R. Livingston started the Loker Fund for the Relief of the Poor, in memory of her parents, Ebenezer and Betsey Loker and her sister, Fanny Leadbetter. Town workers received a rise to $2.00 per day. Cochituate Village got a hearse house. The town paid for Independence Day celebrations. A Special Police Force was created but they were paid only when called into service. Ballot boxes that count ballots were introduced but they did not always work as expected. Highway workers vote to receive their pay weekly. It was voted that nine hours would constitute a day’s work for all town employees. The Town decided to set up precincts. James Sumner Draper fund for the library was accepted. In Nov. 1895, the town voted on women’s suffrage – 283 no and 125 yes by both men and women voting. Wealthy Francis Shaw offered $3,000 for a new high school if the town voted an additional $11,000 – all passed. The old school building was to be sold. The town also voted to place a marker at each Revolutionary soldier and sailor’s grave. Sidewalks were a popular topic as they were introduced to the town. Snow plows and road graders were purchased after much discussion including a sidewalk snow plow. Warren G. Roby provided a parcel of land for a library building in his will. Discussion of the abolishment of Middlesex County was voted in the negative. Sarah M. (Preston) Parsons of Brooklyn, New York, neice of L.M. Child, bequeath funds for the upkeep of Lydia Maria and David Lee Child’s cemetery lot. Placement of town meetings in either Wayland Center and Cochituate Village continued but eventually changed to only special meetings in Cochituate and finally all meetings in Wayland Center voted on April 16, 1900. In May of the same year, it was voted that each registered voter receive warrants for special town meetings individually. Funds were given to move the books into the new library and maintaining it for a year in Nov. 1900. Stocking of lakes and ponds with fish was reviewed. In March 1901, the town set up a fund for helping needy soldiers and families. Lists of jurors throughout the years was provided. Still concerned with the preservation of the original papers and documents of the town, a committee was organized. April 20, 1901 was the last meeting recorded in this volume.
Courtesy of Wayland Town Clerk