Updated 11/26/05
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August 30, 1951 Ground Broken On West Island

Construction Begun On Community House

An adventure in co-operative effort was launched on West Island, off Sconticut Neck, Fairhaven, when the Rev. Charles A. Wyman, president of the West Island Improvement Association, and G. Brooks Sayles, officially broke ground for a comunity house.

J. Stewart MacNamara has surveyed the plot and staked the building. Plans were drawn by architect Clarence Pratt. Construction began immediately.

Time and loaor for wiring the community house will contributed by an electrical contractor on the island, two resident plumbers will do the work of installing the plumbing, and many other residents have volunteered their services for construction. There are 180 homes on the island and 90 percent of the residents are members of the association.

With more than 300 children and young people on the island, a community house has become a growing neccessity as a place for indoor meetings and as a central gathering place for for programs for the youth of the community. The association has provided extensive lifeguard facilities for the last two years.

Mr. Wyman, president of the association for three years said, "This united effort to provide a place where programs of an educational nature, as well as just plain fun, can be held is but an expression of the spirit of the co-operation and neighborliness which has been growing on the island since the inception of association.

"In A world where there is so much selfish thought, this beginning of a community house to be built by our own efforts, with neighbor working beside neighbor to accomplish the plan, it is a small bright spot to which we all can look to find an answer to most of the world problems today.

"The Christian principle of not just living and letting live, but of living and helping others to live, as our forefathers did, is here expressed. With this spirit I dare say that five years from now we shall have a sizable community of permanent residents who will make all proud to be part of this beautiful spot.

Accompanying photo caption: Shown breaking ground for construction of a community house on West Island in Fairhaven are B. Brooks Sayles, left, and the Rev. Charles A. Wyman, president of the West Island Improvement Association, Inc. Youngsters watching are, left to right, Lisbeth Wyman, David Pilling, David Dunbar and Richard Greenwood. The association will construct the building with the aid of volunteer workers as a community undertaking.

note:The old barn is visible in the background.