New Britain herald., 1927-05-14
SMALL TOWN CLERK
 MUST BE blG MAN
Berlin Residents Say Arthur |.
 Woodruff Fills the Bill

A city clerk in . large communi- ty must necessarily be . capable person. But the job of town clerk in . small town such as Berlin Is one which entails all the virtues and cannot harbor one of the vices to which most normal persons are ad- dicted. He must be a superman.
 X visit to the town clerks office of Berlin where sits Town Clerk Ar thur L. Woodruff as he has sat for many years. enlightens the visitor on some of the trying duties of a small town official and in particular those of a town clerk in a communi- ty the size of New Britain's little mother.
 Cnaided except for an. occasional typist who helps with the routine part of his variety of daily business. Mir. Woodruff signs and fills out all manner of forms. gives advice to inquiring residents, listens to tirades against things with which he has in slightest connection, sympathizes with persons who are in need of sympathy, congratulates those blushing couples who come in for marriage licenses. pats proud papas on the back and generally suits his mood a hundred times day to fit the case before him.
 From dog licenses to marriage licenses. from musty old deeds to the birth certificate of some newly arrived Berlinite, Mr. Woodruffe rushes through his day touching all the phases of life with an adaptabili- ty of manner which has earned him tho friendship of all the people of the community.
 Several curious cases have come before him since his inauguration in the position some ten years ago. At one time young couple came from Meriden to procure marriage license. packed and ready for their wedding motor trip which was to be- gin immediately after the ceremony. Sadly the town clerk told them about the rule which makes 1t a necessity for out of town residents to wait four days before license is given them. Shaken but still daunt- less. the young folks returned to their home and were married in that town. setback which did not in the least reduce their happiness. ac- cording to the town clerks story. On their way north again on their in- te tod trip. the newly married youngs .srs footed their horn at him as he sat in the window and gayly waved their home town certificate at him as they sped along the road.
 Aside from the executive duties of the town clerk there are many duties which would try the temper of less capable man than the in- cumbent. In the winter with the mercury lowering close to the zero mark, he arrives early in the morn ing, builds a fire to warm the old and barn-like structure. shovels the snow of the front steps and walk and is ready to do business as the opening hour of o'clock.
 On Tuesday evening. the time for the regular weekly session of the Berlin town court. he keeps the fires going in order that justice might not be tempered with chilli ness in the session which convenes at 8 o'clock
 With work piling up. kindlings to be chopped for the small stove which heats tho office. members Of the towns various board requesting information on certain subjects. townspeople crowding the office with requests. complaints and idle chatter Mir. Woodruff has seldom been known to lose his even temper no matter how useless and how in- sistent the arguments which deter him from his waiting work might De.
 Alike to republican or democrat. MT. Woodruff holds the respect or everyone with whom he has deal- ings, The same in misfortune and under the smile of the "fckle gypsy he has won the admiration of those who have envied his faithfulness to his own ideals.
 To top the long column of his duties, Mir. Woodruff is the recipient of most of the fire alarms which come to New Britain from tho southern neighbor, the restrictions being that one town official must vouch for the summoning of the local apparatus. In case of fire as in other instances. the name most familiar to Berlinites is "Mr. Wood- duff"