Classic Film Friday

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On Friday, May 15 at 7:00 pm, the public is invited to the Marion Music Hall for the month’s Classic Film Friday Presentation, the 1940 drama, The Grapes of Wrath. Directed by John Ford, it explores a share-cropping family’s trials and misfortunes during the Great Depression. Having served four years in prison for killing a man, Tom Joad (played by Henry Fonda) heads back to the family farm in Oklahoma. Along the way, he meets a former preacher (John Carradine) who has lost his faith. The pair finds Joad’s family farm deserted. Though Tom is reunited with his family at his uncle’s farm, he discovers that they must also leave that farm the next day. The extended family of eight – plus the preacher – packs up and heads to California to look for work. Once they arrive, the Joads soon realize that the ‘promised land’ isn’t quite what they hoped.

The Grapes of Wrath is based on John Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards (including Best Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role) and won two (Best Director and Best Supporting Actress for Jane Darwell). In 1989, the film was one of the first 25 films to be selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Running time for The Grapes of Wrath is 129 minutes. A brief talk-back session by David Pierce will follow. The Marion Music Hall is located at 164 Front Street, and ample parking is available across the street at Island Wharf. For more information, contact the SHS at 508-748-1116.

Mattapoisett Recreation Summer Programs

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Mattapoisett Recreation is pleased to announce the following Summer Programs:

– Youth Tennis Clinics: Mattapoisett Recreation is offering youth tennis lessons for girls and boys ages 5 & up at the Hammond Street Tennis Courts. Mattapoisett resident Jake Jaskolka has taught at Marion Indoor Tennis, Dartmouth Tennis Club, and The Casino tennis club for the past four years. Session runs July 13 through August 5 on Monday and Wednesday evenings: Ages 5-8, 5:30 – 6:30 pm; 9 & over, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Space is limited. Online registration available; visit our website at www.mattapoisett.net, click on Matt Rec then Tennis Lessons.

– Youth Swimming Lessons: Join us at Mattapoisett Town Beach for swimming lessons taught by our certified instructors. Options include group and private lessons. Sessions start on June 29 and run every week through the summer. Class times will be determined by swimming level. Your child will be evaluated and placed in an appropriate class. Class size is limited, so sign up today! Online registration is available; visit our website at www.mattapoisett.net, click on Matt Rec then Swimming Lessons.

Bishop Stang Q3 Honor Roll

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The following students have achieved honors to the third quarter at Bishop Stang High School:

Jessica Rush of Marion, Grade 11, First Honors

Matthew Lee of Marion, Grade 12, Second Honors

Maura Lonergan of Marion, Grade 12, Second Honors

Elizabeth Lonergan of Marion, Grade 11, Second Honors

Christian Paim of Marion, Grade 11, Second Honors

Matthew Russo of Marion, Grade 9, Second Honors

Sandra Decas of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, First Honors

Carolyn Foley of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, First Honors

Rubén Llanas-Colón of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, First Honors

Adam Estes of Mattapoisett, Grade 11, First Honors

Daniel Fealy of Mattapoisett, Grade 11, First Honors

Carli Rita of Mattapoisett, Grade 10, First Honors

Aidan Downey of Mattapoisett, Grade 9, First Honors

Emma Downes of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, Second Honors

Caroline Downey of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, Second Honors

Anne Martin of Mattapoisett, Grade 12, Second Honors

William Saunders, Jr. of Mattapoisett, Grade 11, Second Honors

Elizabeth Foley of Mattapoisett, Grade 10, Second Honors

Tyler Trate of Mattapoisett, Grade 9, Second Honors

Mariah MacGregor of Rochester, Grade 12, First Honors

Jeannette King of Rochester, Grade 9, First Honors

Meghan Domagala of Rochester, Grade 12, Second Honors

Kyleigh Good of Rochester, Grade 12, Second Honors

Marc Domagala of Rochester, Grade 9, Second Honors

Martha MacGregor of Rochester, Grade 9, Second Honors

Marion Art Center Auditions

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Marion Art Center will hold open auditions for its production of “A Bad Year For Tomatoes,” a comedy in two acts by John Patrick. Rex McGraw will direct. Audition dates are May 12 and May 13 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Art Center, 80 Pleasant St. Roles include three men and four women. Production dates are August 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15.

Fed up with the pressures and demands of her acting career, the famous Myra Marlowe leases a house in the tiny New England hamlet of Beaver Haven and settles down to write her autobiography. She just wants some peace and quiet and she wants to grow tomatoes. However, she has several crazy neighbors, a loyal agent, and an ax-carrying handyman who keep her from her appointed task. Hilarity ensues.

Opening Day

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Saturday, May 2 was Opening Day for the Old Rochester Little League. The parade took the young athletes from the Knights of Columbus over to Haley Field in Mattapoisett, where Opening Day ceremonies commenced. Photos by Felix Perez

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Town Meeting Article

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To the Editor:

The January 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC found that restrictions on independent corporate spending in political campaigns were unconstitutional under the First Amendment. This decision overturned much of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (usually referred to as McCain-Feingold), and threatened the legality of state level campaign finance laws in more than 20 states, many of which have now been overturned.

The Citizens United decision expanded the doctrine of “corporate rights” and, along with last year’s McCutcheon v. FEC, has resulted in a flood of corporate and wealthy individuals’ money into independent election campaigns.

To overcome the threat that unrestricted use of money in election campaigns poses to our representative form of government, a bill called “We the People Act” #H3127 (formerly HD 1988) was filed and will be voted on by the State legislature this coming year to amend the U.S. Constitution.

An article in the warrant for Mattapoisett’s Annual Town Meeting to be held May 11 (and possibly May 12) will ask that the Town vote in support of this bill which, if passed by the state, will call on Congress to amend the Constitution so that all the people, not just the moneyed interests, gain back control of our election process.

Jack W. Dean, Mattapoisett

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Tri-Town Schools Receive Grants

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The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) on May 4 joined local school leaders and elected officials at Brockton High School to announce nearly $800,000 in funding to improve science courses, and provide new equipment and supplies for students in public schools in southeastern Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts’ flourishing life sciences community has created opportunities and spurred economic growth in every region of the state,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These grants from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center will further strengthen our workforce in order to meet the needs of this growing industry through enhanced training facilities and programs at our middle schools and high schools.”

Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School in Rochester received a $93,620 grant from the MLSC that will support the implementation of “Engineering the Future,” which will create a bridge between the academic and vocational programming at Old Colony. Students will engage in an inquiry-based problem solving approach that will actively engage them as learners. The funds will purchase tablets and other touch-screen devices so students can engage in industry-standard training in programming for mobile devices. The school will partner with Bristol Community College to provide students with access to high-level training and credits toward a college degree.

Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School received $99,666 to equip a Life Sciences Engineering Lab where students can learn through hands-on experiences. The grant will benefit both the students and the teachers through a mix of hardware, software and textbooks that will enable various STEM experiments. The school will acquire new work stations for students, including 12 “zSpace” work stations that produce high-definition stereoscopic 3D images that students can examine from all angles and manipulate in six different degrees. The school will also acquire 12 other workstations equipped with standalone wireless interfaces for collecting data, with built-in graphing and analysis.

Rochester Historical Society Yard Sale

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The Rochester Historical Society will hold a yard sale at the East Rochester Church/Museum, 355 County Rd., Rochester on Saturday, May 30 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Items for the sale may be dropped off at the Museum on the following Fridays: May 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 9:00 am to noon or call 508-763-2122 or 508-763-2724 to make other arrangements. No clothing or electronics please.

Right to Farm Bylaw

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To the Editor:

Good Morning, Mattapoisett, May 11 is our Annual Spring Town Meeting. There is no place on earth I’d rather be than in the ORR auditorium on the 11th of May. Will “U” please join me? It will be rich, rewarding, enjoyable and well informed. At the same you may stand and speak on any issues if you wish to do so.

This year, the Agricultural Commission has article #35 in the warrant – as follows the “Right to Farm Bylaw.” “Mattapoisett is Special” to me because “Yours truly” was born in St. Luke’s hospital, New Bedford on March   15,1929 and 86 years later, I live in the same place, on the Same Farm. Moving forward into the 30s when the bottom fell out of the stock market in the big apple – it triggered the worst depression America has ever seen!

In 1935, the population in Mattapoisett was 1,682. In the spring of 2001, it was 6,291 with a summer ballpark figure of 6,500 happy people (according to the town clerk’s office). As of January 2015, the population is 6,317. From the twenties to the middle forties there were about 15 working farms in Mattapoisett. Life was not a bowl of cherries; the horses outnumbered the automobiles in the 20s and 30s.

Now everyone and everybody want to live in the country as long as they don’t – SEE – HEAR – or SMELL anything. The country, farming, and open space go together – like love and marriage!

Article #35 speaks for itself. Please pick up your copy of the warrant to study the article for yourself. I would like to thank the generation I grew up in for making “Mattapoisett Special.” Let’s help the Agricultural Commission to keep it that way.

With all of the violence and protesting in Baltimore and the rest of our country, you can thank your lucky stars that you live in this quiet, rural, peaceful New England town of Mattapoisett.

P.S. It is your duty and honor to attend town meeting on May 11.

Thank you in advance,

George Randall, Mattapoisett

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

AP Tests, Classes Are a Game-Changer at ORR

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With the end of the school year rapidly approaching – seniors’ final school day is May 20 – a few different moods are common among the students of Old Rochester Regional High School.

While many students are anxiously awaiting the end of the school year, ready to enjoy a hopefully warm summer vacation, some students are focused on a series of tests set to occur during the first two weeks of May.

These are the Advanced Placement (AP) tests, which are meant specifically for upperclassmen who participated in corresponding AP classes during the school year. Popular tests include United States History, English Language, English Literature, Chemistry, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and French.

Two juniors participating in the testing, as well as U.S. History teacher Erich Carroll, gave some insight on AP tests and their accompanying curriculum.

Junior Evan Roznoy is approaching a full slate. In addition to a National Honors Society induction and a few track meets, Roznoy has four AP tests between Monday, May 4, and Wednesday, May 13: Chemistry, U.S. History, Statistics, and English Language.

“Most of my tests are spaced out enough so I can study for each one,” Roznoy said.

Roznoy called the rigor of the AP classes a “blessing and a curse.” He says that friends who are now in college have told him the intense workload of junior year AP classes has prepared them well for the coursework of college, although he agreed that the courses can be stressful to deal with.

Although he would like to devote senior year more toward focusing on other things outside of schoolwork and exploring different classes as he put it, Roznoy is still taking three AP classes next year: Calculus, Biology, and English Literature.

Jacob Castelo, also a junior, took two AP courses this year to get a feel for the program. Castelo is set to take the U.S. History Exam on Friday, May 8, and the English Language/Composition exam on Wednesday, May 13. He said has been preparing for the intense history exam by reading a chapter a day, as well as taking notes.

Castelo plans to take up to three AP courses as a senior, including French and European History, although he has yet to decide if he will take Calculus as well.

He offered high praise for the way the classes are taught, and the way they differ from the standard courses offered at ORR.

“It’s a different way of thinking,” Castelo explained. “Regardless of how you do in the class, you view the subject, whether it’s history or English, in a whole new light.”

Mr. Carroll, who teaches U.S. History and Economics at ORR, has been preparing his students for the U.S. History exam. He spoke on the value of the AP curriculum, and the effects of the new changes on the AP U.S. History test.

“There’s a lot of expectation on the student to be an independent learner, after being exposed to a whole new curriculum and a high work load. Which I think is a very good thing,” said Carroll.

Carroll acknowledged the positive effects that AP classes can have on a student in the long run.

“They prepare you well for college,” said Carroll. “Plus, you get the attention of a teacher in a high school model, with the work of a college course. It makes for a nice transition of high school to AP to college.”

As for the changes, Mr. Carroll welcomes them with open arms. “I think they’re positive. They’re testing conceptual understanding and thinking skills, rather than information memorization. For me to transition (to teaching to the new test), it’s a positive adjustment.”

Though the AP Tests are very important and affect a wide breadth of the ORR population, they are precursors to the finals that the entire student population will take during the final weeks of the school year. Seniors are scheduled to take their standard finals from May 21 through 27, while the rest of the student population will take finals from June 16 to June 22. However, those taking the AP tests will be making a big step in improving their academic futures, and they will be capping off a year highlighted by intelligent classroom discussion, new learning techniques, and lots of hard work and determination.

By Patrick Briand