Historic grandfather clock a timely subject in Templeton
By
Chance Viles
Reporter
Posted Apr 1, 2019 at 8:37 AM
Updated Apr 1, 2019 at 8:37 AM
TEMPLETON — Since the Templeton Center School has been demolished,
the Narragansett Historical Society has been taking care of the historic
grandfather clock once by the main offices, and while the society would
like to continue to host the clock, the board moved to install the
clock into the new elementary school this year.
The board voted 3-0, with Julie Richards abstaining, to move the clock back to the school from the Historical Society building. Members of the Historical Society asked to keep it with them, considering that it has had many visitors over the past few months interested in the clock, and when it is in the school, only staff members, parents and students get to see it. Yet, the board acknowledged the original agreement to return the clock when the new school was completed, and also made a point that a “cubby” has been built into the new school that will fit the clock.
“They cut out a notch for it in the elementary school,” Selectman Diane Haley Brooks said.
The clock itself is from the E. Howard Clock Co., built in the 1880s. The clock was held in their Boston office until the company closed that location, forcing them to liquidate their stock.
According to Historical Society president and local clock worker and mechanic Brian Tanguay, Templeton resident Brian Flood purchased the clock from a salesman and friend for a total of $80, which is a deal considering the total sale price was $880 — $880 in 1880, in today’s money, sits at more than $20,000 with inflation.
“It’s a high-end piece,” Tanguay said. “He brought it to his home and quickly found that there was no place in the house with a tall enough ceiling, considering the clock is about 8 feet tall.”
Flood then put the clock in his renovated barn for some time, before donating it to the town, according to Tanguay.
“It was initially in what was called Old Wright’s Tavern,” Tanguay said. “Floods renovated the barn, but it was still a barn and he didn’t think it was fit for the piece.”
The story goes that Flood then gave the clock to the town to have, though there is a question as to whether he gave it to the town or school specifically.
According to Tanguay, the town didn’t have a building with a ceiling
tall enough except for the Center School, so that is where it was put,
rather than Flood giving it to the school.
Questions now are whether or not Flood donated it to the school or to the town specifically, which could help determine the true home of the clock.
Still, even if the school is the true home or not, members of the community and Historical Society voiced that they would like the clock to stay in the society, so it can be viewed by the public on a regular basis.
“I abstained because I wanted to give (Tanguay) a chance to come speak on the clock and answer some questions,” Selectman Julie Richards said. “In my opinion, however, the clock should stay in the Historical Society. They’ve displayed it nicely and the community is enjoying it.”
Richards also noted that the school did not pay volunteers from the Historical Society to take the clock apart initially and rebuild it in the Historical Society. To return the clock to the school, Tanguay and volunteers will have to take it apart for a second time and rebuild it in the school.
“You put it back in the school and no one can see it but kids, teachers and parents,” Richards said.
The board voted 3-0, with Julie Richards abstaining, to move the clock back to the school from the Historical Society building. Members of the Historical Society asked to keep it with them, considering that it has had many visitors over the past few months interested in the clock, and when it is in the school, only staff members, parents and students get to see it. Yet, the board acknowledged the original agreement to return the clock when the new school was completed, and also made a point that a “cubby” has been built into the new school that will fit the clock.
“They cut out a notch for it in the elementary school,” Selectman Diane Haley Brooks said.
The clock itself is from the E. Howard Clock Co., built in the 1880s. The clock was held in their Boston office until the company closed that location, forcing them to liquidate their stock.
According to Historical Society president and local clock worker and mechanic Brian Tanguay, Templeton resident Brian Flood purchased the clock from a salesman and friend for a total of $80, which is a deal considering the total sale price was $880 — $880 in 1880, in today’s money, sits at more than $20,000 with inflation.
“It’s a high-end piece,” Tanguay said. “He brought it to his home and quickly found that there was no place in the house with a tall enough ceiling, considering the clock is about 8 feet tall.”
Flood then put the clock in his renovated barn for some time, before donating it to the town, according to Tanguay.
“It was initially in what was called Old Wright’s Tavern,” Tanguay said. “Floods renovated the barn, but it was still a barn and he didn’t think it was fit for the piece.”
The story goes that Flood then gave the clock to the town to have, though there is a question as to whether he gave it to the town or school specifically.
Questions now are whether or not Flood donated it to the school or to the town specifically, which could help determine the true home of the clock.
Still, even if the school is the true home or not, members of the community and Historical Society voiced that they would like the clock to stay in the society, so it can be viewed by the public on a regular basis.
“I abstained because I wanted to give (Tanguay) a chance to come speak on the clock and answer some questions,” Selectman Julie Richards said. “In my opinion, however, the clock should stay in the Historical Society. They’ve displayed it nicely and the community is enjoying it.”
Richards also noted that the school did not pay volunteers from the Historical Society to take the clock apart initially and rebuild it in the Historical Society. To return the clock to the school, Tanguay and volunteers will have to take it apart for a second time and rebuild it in the school.
“You put it back in the school and no one can see it but kids, teachers and parents,” Richards said.
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