Timeless Tunes, Tales and Tributes

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Who wrote “White Christmas”, one of the most popular holiday songs on Earth? Many people think it was Bing Crosby. It was not.

            Who wrote “God Bless America,” a beloved patriotic song? Many people think it was Kate Smith. It was not.

            The answer to both – and to thousands of America’s most memorable tunes – is a poor immigrant from Siberia, named Irving Berlin.

            This September, Marion audiences are invited to discover the genius behind the American songbook in a dazzling live performance:

            Timeless Tunes, Tales and Tributes shows are September 5 and 6 at 7:30 pm and September 7 at 4:00 pm at the Congregational Community Center, 144 Front Street, Marion

            Directed by Paul Sardinha, this lively, joy-filled revue features singers, musicians, and local narrators, with the first public performance on the church’s newly restored Truman Terrell grand piano.

            The evening blends legendary melodies, behind-the-scenes stories, and spirited sing-alongs into a tribute to one of the most influential composers in American history.

            Berlin couldn’t read music and composed primarily on the black keys of a special transposing piano – yet he wrote more than 3,000 songs, including scores for 30 Broadway shows and 17 Hollywood films.

            Berlin’s restless imagination gifted us with songs like “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” “Easter Parade,” and “Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better).” Composer Jerome Kern said, “Irving Berlin has no place in American music – he is American music.”

            Tickets are $35 and available online or at the Marion General Store, the church office, Penny Pinchers, or by emailing office@marionfirstchurch.org. The venue is equipped with a stairlift.

            This night of celebration will give all of us something more to celebrate.

            Proceeds from this event will support the ongoing restoration of our historic E. Howard clockworks and bell – installed just after the Civil War. The community has already rallied behind the cause, and this special concert brings everyone one step closer to hearing those hourly chimes ring out once more. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy the timeless music you love – live, local, and lifted by the spirit of community. For more information, call 508-748‑1053 or visit marionfirstchurch.org.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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Looking through some newspaper articles assembled in a notebook by Betty Beaulieu, I came across a 1951 Standard Times article about Rochester and its controversy over building a new school. Previously, I had mentioned that it took about 30 years for discussions on building a new school to actually result in the Rochester Memorial School, pictured here. This article actually sets out the pros and cons as told to reporter Norman M. Bryden.

            According to his article, Rochester’s quiet ways were roiled by a vote taken at a special town meeting that authorized $250,000.00 for the building of a new school. As soon as news of the vote reached townspeople (many who had not bothered to vote), there were cries by many, including one town official, that the town would be bankrupted and people would move out rather than pay higher taxes.

            At this time, Rochester was known as a town that was run debt-free and usually had a surplus in its treasury. While this was admirable in many ways, it also meant that little money was spent on improving or modernizing public facilities. Many of those opposed to the new school saw no need for the building as school enrollments had not increased enough to warrant it, with only 29 more students in 1950 than in 1901.

            Other concerns were the town with only a valuation of $1,365,502.00 (in 1950) could not afford the $250,000.00, voted and that only 120 people had voted for it which was only 20% of registered voters. Of course, they failed to mention that out of 624 eligible voters in town, 474 chose not to attend or vote at the well-publicized special town meeting. There were also somewhat silly complaints that those who voted for the school only did so because they had children and that it was just about “keeping up with the Joneses.”

            On the flip side, those in favor of a new building, noted that Rochester had one of the lowest valuations around and the building committee in 1949 determined that in the first year only, there would be an increase in the tax rate of $7.10 if the school project went forward. It was also pointed out that most people worked out of town and had much better wages than earlier residents, so the tax increase would not drive them away.

            Probably the biggest reason put forward for a new school was that no one school in town could house all the students. That meant that grades 1-5 were in East Rochester at the Pierceville School and grades 6-8 at the Waterman School. Both schools were “ancient” and still had outdoor toilets. The Waterman School by then had been cobbled together with two other buildings which meant three furnaces needing to be fueled in the winter. Putting all students together in one building would, it was believed, provide a better, more cohesive educational environment.

            In the end, a lot was selected across from Sherman Cemetery, bids were accepted and the new school with all students under the same roof was built. The town didn’t go bankrupt, the tax hike did not drive people out of town, rather population increased and eventually, all the bitterness and acrimony died down.

By Connie Eshbach

Roof Pitch Muddies Plans for Colonial

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            The lot at 28 Marion Road, Rochester, that has been vacant since a fire destroyed the bakery and cafe there in 2011 may finally see a house built upon it. First, however, the plan must get approval from the town Historic District Commission.

            Acushnet engineer Nelson Bernardo, who had already received a building permit and had a bulldozer and material on site when he learned the parcel was in the town’s Historic District, met with the commission on July 31 so the panel could review his permit application.

            He explained he wants to build a 34×40-square foot, two-story Colonial-style house with white trim and windows and a 6-degree angle roof pitch. Commission member Sarah Johnston was first to note her concern. She said a steeper, 8-pitch roof would be more authentic in the Historic District. Bernardo said the roof pitch is a financial consideration. A smaller roof pitch will not require the expensive use of staging in the construction phase. He said he would increase the roof pitch if he finds he can cut costs in other ways.

            Chair Matthew Monteiro said his commission might mandate that condition if no one else in district has the same roof design. His main concern, however, was the need for a public hearing on this petition to seek the abutters’ input.

            He added that there should be a one-time hearing, not a continued one as the town has seen with larger, more complex projects. Then he instructed Bernardo on the next steps: Send notices to all his abutters in 300-square-foot circumference, refine his plan, and wait through the 14 days that must elapse while the hearing is posted in The Wanderer.

            The resulting tentative public hearing date was set for August 26. Bernardo asked what construction work he could do until then. “You mean I have to wait a month?” he asked. “I need to get going with things.”

            Monteiro advised Bernardo the commission has no jurisdiction over the foundation, landscaping and the footprint so he can do “some work.” He then explained the new building commissioner was unaware the lot was in the Historic District. So, the Building Department has instructed the commission to deliver a list of all the addresses in the district to avoid a similar problem in the future.

            The Rochester Historic District Commission’s next meeting will be held on Thursday, August 26 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Historic District Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

Eggs – Good or Bad for You?

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I recently came across a study showing that eating 1 or 2 eggs a week modestly reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, postulated to be due to the high choline content of egg yolks. (Choline goes to form a protein that carries signals between nerves.)

            My immediate reaction was to think “yes, but won’t that increase your heart risk?” so I decided to dig further.

            Eggs are nutrient rich, a good source of protein, lutein (important for eye health), choline and other nutrients and low in calories. (Leafy greens are another good source of lutein.) Eggs are also rich in cholesterol. One average egg yolk contains 186 mg of cholesterol, and standard diet advice is to limit our cholesterol to 300 mg/day.

            Things are not so simple, however. While lowering blood cholesterol has been proven to reduce heart attack risk, blood cholesterol is much more sensitive to saturated fat in the diet than to dietary cholesterol. Most of our circulating cholesterol is manufactured in the liver, and if we eat more cholesterol, the liver makes less.

            Most of us, some 70%, have no change in blood cholesterol after eating eggs. The other 30% do show an increase in cholesterol, but both HDL (good) and LDL (bad) rise.

            Multiple epidemiologic studies have shown no increased heart attack risk associated with egg consumption, and a small trial using controlled diets found that increasing saturated fat in the diet raised LDL (bad) cholesterol, but eating two eggs a day did not.

            So, if there is any heart risk from eating eggs, it seems to be the bacon, sausage and butter, all rich in saturated fats, that often accompany the eggs, that are the culprit.

            Replacing a high carbohydrate cereal or a muffin with a couple of poached eggs will generally improve your heart health.

            If you have heart disease or diabetes, get your doctor’s opinion. Otherwise, enjoy your eggs – just lay off the bacon!

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

Reviewing the MS4 Bylaw Draft

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The Marion Planning Board met on Monday to discuss a subdivision on Front Street and to approve Field Engineering Co., Inc.’s amendment to their Engineering Service Agreement for 78 Wareham Road.

            Following the approval of minutes with some minor grammatical and structural changes, the board then moved on to an Approval Not Required endorsement from William and Dina Quinlan of 586 Front Street. The applicants are looking to divide the lot into two, A and B. Lot A would be about 25% larger and would maintain driveway access for both properties. The board spoke over their worries of possible non-conformities that would come with the division and possible new constructions on the lots. The board said the Zoning Board of Appeals will be involved in talks on this as well. The Planning Board granted the Approval Not Required with a unanimous vote.

            Chair Daniels said there was “nothing out of the ordinary” regarding the amendment to Field Engineering Co., Inc.’s Engineering Service Agreement for work on the housing development at 78 Wareham Road. Discussion on this topic was short, and the amended Special Permit was approved by the board.

            Finally, the board returned to reviewing the draft for the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Bylaw. The board is required to have the draft done and submitted by the next Town Meeting, per order from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). “Time is of the essence” said Member Ryan Burke. Daniels said the deadline would therefore be September 2. Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee said there would likely need to be advertisements for a public hearing on MS4, three weeks prior or mid-August.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, August 18 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Police Department or on Microsoft Teams.

Marion Planning Board

By Sam Bishop

It’s Jazz Jam Time

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Once again, the MAC invites musicians from across the SouthCoast to join us for the annual Jazz Jam at the MAC. On Saturday, August 30, become part of the long tradition of the jazz jam session, complete with participation from community musicians. The event will begin at 7:00 pm and will take place at the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater located at 80 Pleasant St, Marion.

            Our house band – Matt Richard on piano, Paul Del Nero on bass, and Gary Johnson on drums – will support the improvisers as they interpret many “jazz standards” in various style formats. Learn about the inner workings of a jam session as trombonist Phil Sanborn leads a question-and-answer session and explains how the songs are structured and how the “road map” for each selection helps the improvisers.

            Join us to listen in, or if you’re a musician, sign up to join us on stage. If you’d like to join the Jazz Jam players on stage, please email info@marionartcenter.org with “Jazz Jam” in the subject line. Please include your name, phone number, and list how you want to participate (instrument, vocals, etc.). Band leader Phil Sanborn will contact all players before the event.

            Tickets for the event are on sale at marionartcenter.org/events and cost $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Musicians may join for free, but donations in any amount are always appreciated.

Marion Republican Town Committee

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The Marion Republican Town Committee will conduct its next monthly meeting on Monday, August 11 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion. The public and new members are welcome.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Special Town Meeting

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To the Editor;

            I am circulating a petition that asks Mattapoisett citizens to support a Special Town Meeting. This requires 200 signatures and is substantially greater than the 10 signatures required for the petition we seek to revoke. Those petitioners have used inflammatory language falsely claiming it was a Mattapoisett GOP effort and branding me as an enemy of democracy, part of a vast right-wing conspiracy and circumventing the will of the people. Why? Because they have nothing to defend their petition except to call their neighbors names.

            John Adams stated that facts are stubborn things. Because “they confuse the issues with logic” that expose false statements and fiery demagogues. Facts are “just plain hard “to dispute. Shame on me for sticking to them.

            So, Let’s look at the facts.

            Mattapoisett has experienced exceptional results based on “real” metrics.

-Earned a S&P AAA bond rating based on “…the town’s (strong) financial management…”

-Second lowest rate of tax increases over the last 20 years when compared with a dozen surrounding towns of similar size

-Long history of passing financial audits

-Only one small “tax override” in the last 10 years due to needed road repairs. Taxpayers of surrounding Towns wish they could say the same.

-No major lawsuits pending

            Compare this to the list of “nice” things the proponents of 2 additional Select Board members claim. They have no real examples of any actual” illnesses” their “medicine” can cure. After 12 FOIA requests where are the results? There are none.

            They argue that a Corridor Improvement Project” Advisory Committee was never appointed. What they won’t say is the Select Board had the sole authority to appoint those members. They have had experts at their disposal since the onset. They had no need for a new set of advisors. They clearly stated they would seek help among our populace as needed.

            Remember many of those screaming once again are the reason the project has been delayed for 12 years and has soared from $6 million then to over $18 million today. State funders are losing patience. They never asked for a citizens advisory board and were very skeptical of its value. How does $18 million added to our town tax bills sound to you?

            I ask those shouting “Foul,” Where’s the Beef? There isn’t any. So, what’s their beef? Maybe they’re just vegetarians?

            Ask yourself, “What’s the real reason for not wanting a Special Town Meeting to vote on such a critical issue to our Town?” Shouldn’t such an important issue be decided by more than 110 “Yes” hands raised? It only carried by a majority of about 20, We don’t really know the correct numbers since we never had a hand count. Why not a written ballot that can be counted and verified?

            Why don’t the name callers want to give us an opportunity to reconsider? Why do they call neighbors names? Why haven’t they supported their arguments with actual Town shortcomings? Simply, they don’t have any? And they don’t want us to know what’s next. And that should be a warning to all. Facts are very stubborn things.

Paul Criscuolo, 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. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.

Academic Achievements

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William Thomas of Mattapoisett, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Campus in Madison, NJ, has been named to the Honors List for the Spring 2025 semester.

Women-On-Target Program

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The Sippican Rod & Gun Club is pleased to announce its annual NRA Women-On-Target program which will be held on Saturday, September 27, located at 215 Dexter Lane, Rochester. The program will begin at 8:30 am and finish at 5:00 pm. The program’s morning session will teach the NRA Home Firearm Safety Course, which qualifies participants to apply for a Massachusetts License-To-Carry (LTC), or Firearms Identification (FID) card. Following a catered and healthy lunch, the women will individually be provided practical and safe shooting experiences by rotating through the club’s pistol range, 50- and 100-yard rifle ranges, and shotgun trap range. The $100.00 fee includes all training materials, eye and ear protection which will be yours to keep, use of the club facility, morning snacks, lunch, ammunition, and use of firearms. If any questions, please contact Michelle Pierce at 508-690-8865, or email: srgcmemberships@gmail.com. To register please provide: your full name (including middle initial), mailing address, email address, telephone number, and date of birth, along with a check made out to the “Sippican Rod & Gun Club” and mailed to: Sippican Rod & Gun Club, PO Box 182, Rochester, MA 02770. The class is limited to the first 24 participants registered. When the full class is registered, further information of the program details will be provided via email. Considering that previous programs have had a waiting list, all those interested are encouraged to apply soon.