
The only trace that remains of the Shrewsbury Community Club is this advertising booklet from one of the group’s events a century ago. (Photo/Courtesy)
SHREWSBURY – As the years go by, some bits and pieces of history are lost. One group that seems to fit in to that category was known as the Shrewsbury Community Club.
An advertising booklet, shown in the photograph, was used to promote the group’s “First Annual Minstrel Show and Musical Review,” which was held at the town hall on Friday evening, May 11, 1923. Minstrel shows, while popular a century ago, gradually fell out of favor in the United States as the Civil Rights Movement progressed in the 1950s and 1960s and racial stereotyping came under more scrutiny and criticism.
From the list of names of club members, it would appear that the Community Club was mostly made up of people from the “Lake” area of town. Among the families mentioned from that area are the Garganigo, Aubain, Corazzini, Vessela, Duhamel, Moalli and Trinder clans, although several of the last names were misspelled in the brochure.
The cover of the booklet has a photograph of the then (fairly) new Lake Quinsigamond Bridge, however what really is of interest are some of the advertisements. One is for the Turnpike Garage, owned by A. B. Garganigo, which states “We buy all makes of runless cars”―“The worse they are the better we like them.”! Another ad was for the White City Amusement Park― “We have just closed an agreement with police officials of the Town of Shrewsbury restraining them from arresting anyone caught speeding on the Dodgem”! Still another: “No. Quinsig Market – meats, groceries & provisions. Soda, candy & tobacco. Opposite Palais Royal Dance Hall. Shrewsbury, Mass. Phone Park 53481.”
One from the center of town tells us to “Stop at Maguire’s. Opposite the Common for ice cream sodas, college ices, tonic, candy, cigars, tobacco, groceries, periodicals & lunches.” As closely as can be determined, however, is the fact that no other trace of the Shrewsbury Community Club seems to exist other than this booklet―which makes it another piece of the town’s past that has faded away.