From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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It’s interesting to read the minutes of the early meetings of the Rochester Historical Society. In those days, the meetings were held at the homes of the members and donated items were also by necessity stored in their homes. This could lead to storage issues as one member found when she agreed to temporarily store some mannequins from the closing Star Store at her home. From the minutes, it sounds as though they were on their way to becoming family members until her husband finally dismantled (or maybe it’s dismembered) them so they would fit in their attic.

            As you can imagine, the members were constantly looking for a suitable building to become their museum. Many possibilities are mentioned in the minutes, but none pan out until in 2003, the East Rochester Congregational Church was offered to the Society. With a dwindling congregation, they could no longer sustain the building so for $1.00, the building became the Rochester Historical Museum.

            The Rochester Historical Society has always felt a responsibility to maintain the upstairs as it was left to us, but it has also become our museum and a place where we can set up exhibits and display items of historical interest. In the intervening years, one of our members, Betty Beaulieu, did the hard work of getting the building put on the Registry of Historic Buildings.

            Old buildings are hard to maintain, and it won’t be long before ours will need a new paint job, but we are able to keep the doors open and the lights on thanks to all our members and everyone who has helped us out this year in many different ways. Membership dues, yard sale donations and purchases, donations left after programs, purchases of our items for sale in the gift shop, generous donations that appear in our mailbox and grants from the Rochester Cultural Council all help us continue with our mission to preserve and share Rochester history.

            This year has been another busy one of well attended meetings with subjects that included bees, the history of the Balzarini family at Mary’s Pond, an inside look at Artisan Bakeshop with some delicious macrons, music with Tom and Sheila Perry followed by ice cream, and the history of surveying and maps with Charlie Rowley. In addition, there was the Thankful Supper, another potluck and a wonderful Holiday Organ Sing. I want to take a minute to thank all those who generously donated to our organ fund.

            Around these events we also had a yard sale, an open house for our updated exhibit, a cemetery tour of the cemetery in the center of town and a Mini- Fair with a Historic flair. This went so well; we’re planning a bigger, better historic fair for 2024.

            I want to thank The Wanderer for providing us with a way to get the news out about our activities. As always, the Museum is open by appointment. Contact info is on the library website. We hope to see you at our first meeting of 2024. It will be April 17 at 7:00 pm.

By Connie Eshbach

All Fall Down

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As children, we played Ring Around the Rosie, ending with “ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”

When small children fall down, it is fun. When older adults fall down, it is anything but fun. Over the course of my career, I saw many frail but independent elders fall, breaking a hip, and ending up in nursing homes for the rest of their lives.

The leading cause of injury and injury deaths among adults 65 and older is falls. At the last census, 14,000,000 older adults – 28% of those 65 and older – reported falling during the prior year. In 2021, 38,742 older adults died due to falls.

How can you avoid adding to these dismal statistics? There are many things you can and should do!

You can do things to your body. Work on balance. An excellent way to do this is to sign up at the YMCA or your local Senior Center for Tai Chi – an exercise program focused on balance. At home you can do simple exercises on your own, such as standing on one leg – just Google “balance exercises.”

Increase your muscle strength with resistance exercises, including squats. This will both improve your leg strength, which reduces falls, and strengthen your bones, so you are less likely to sustain a fracture if you do fall.

Speaking of bones, do you know your T-score? Women in particular, but older men as well, should be checked for osteoporosis at least once. If your bones are very thin, your fracture risk is higher, and you can discuss options with your doctor for improving this.

Beware of medication! Some medications can make you unsteady either by lowering your blood pressure too much or by directly impacting your brain. Sleeping pills and sedatives are a major culprit. A “med review” to look for any that can be stopped should be a regular event with your doctor.

Many simple things can reduce your risk of falls. When going up or down stairs, hold on to the banisters. Have adequate lighting, particularly at the bottom of stairs. If your vision is less than perfect, put bright tape on the last step so you do not miss it.

Be sure that any small rugs have non-skid bottoms or a non-skid pad under them.

Be cautious with ladders. Do not climb any higher than you would feel safe falling. Do use small ladders rather than chairs to get something down from a high shelf; ladders are designed to stay upright when you stand on them, chairs are not. Keep things used often on lower shelves.

Add grab bars to the shower. Closing your eyes to keep soap out of them can make you unsteady.

Both at home and in hotels, have a nightlight to help you safely navigate from bed to bathroom.

Be proactive! Do not be a statistic!

Dr. Ed Hoffer is the chairman of the Marion Board of Health, a graduate of MIT and Harvard Medical School. He is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard and a Senior Scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Ed Hoffer

Year 1 Improvement Plan Approved

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“Think, Learn and Care” was the basis of Rochester Memorial School’s presentation of its School Improvement Plan to the Rochester School Committee at its December 14 public meeting.

            Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson reviewed the process, noting that all four districts were asked to bring forward a one-year, school-improvement plan with the intention that all ORR members will go back to two-year plans in the coming years.

            Elementary-school principals collaborated to achieve commonalities in their school-improvement plans. Mission, vision and core values are already in ORR-school policy or core to the district’s historic mission.

            Strategic objectives common to all six district schools are broken down into items related to Teaching and Learning, Support Systems, Climate and Culture and Safe Schools.

            From there, initiatives for each year-one objective will be categorized according to who’s responsible to see it through, listed and detailed by level-based goals, action steps and anticipated outcomes/evidence. The strategic plan for the district sets the stage for school-improvement plans, said Nelson.

            “A lot of hard work has gone into this, and the School Improvement Plan has some elements for local, meaning Rochester, but also as we work to align with the other two school districts as Mr. Nelson was saying,” said Dr. Shari Fedorowicz, ORR’s assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning.

            Nelson was careful to point out that not all strategic objectives start out in Year 1 of the plan; therefore, they are labeled differently if, for instance, they are introduced in the second year of the plan.

            Rochester Memorial School Principal Heidi Letendre thanked the members of the School Council that meets twice per month and was instrumental in putting together the RMS School Improvement Plan.

            ORR’s literacy program is core to the strategy, and all initiatives are tied into district-wide systems and data points, according to Letendre, who is continuing the work of the former Medeiros Minute (named after former principal Derek Medeiros) with a new Monday Minute.

            Administration, faculty and staff are using the PowerSchool program to consistently track student incidents.

            Regarding the Safe Schools initiative, district administrators and local principals are leading training on physical and cyber-safety training for best practices augmented by drills and training for faculty and staff with local fire and police.

            Letendre joined Nelson, Facilities Director Gene Jones and the RMS head custodian for a walk-through of the campus to identify needs.

            “Everyone’s working really hard, and we have a lot of things happening,” said Letendre.

            In summarizing the School Improvement Plan, Nelson identified literacy as the priority.

            “It has to be at this point,” he said. “The majority of our time and our resources and all our professional-development opportunities are all being dedicated to making sure that our literacy program in Year One is being launched to the best of our abilities and then making sure that our data-collection processes are obviously best practices.”

            Nelson acknowledged that in order to establish this priority, other initiatives have been necessarily deprioritized. Also acknowledging that the needs of children have changed significantly over the past few years, Nelson said the evaluation of support systems including those for special education are critical.

            Committee Chairperson Sharon Hartley thanked the administration for its effort.

            “You can’t meet a goal unless you have a goal; if you know the goal and everybody’s doing it and talking about it all the time, making this important is really a big deal, and making it come alive is the biggest deal,” she said. “Literacy, from my perspective, it’s thrilling, actually, to be where we are. … And the piece that also popped out for me … having the students feel like they’re part of the school and contribute to the work of the school and the joy and the success of the school,” led Hartley to a question she had about student ambassadors.

            Letendre explained that the ambassadors combine their efforts with social workers Jimmy Pacheco and Sharon Cruz, who meet bimonthly with the students to plan school events.

            “The students are very excited,” said Letendre, who estimated 20 students in the program.

            Nelson said ORR District has long been committed to social-emotional learning and the responsive classroom model. He indicated that he would like to see the responsive classroom continue into the high school.

            “To me, this is a living, breathing document that we are working on … so everything in here we’re working on to a certain degree, some things more than others,” said Letendre, reminding the committee that this is a Year 1 School Improvement Plan only.

            Committee member Kate Duggan was enthused about the weekly update feature in the school newsletter and thanked all involved in getting that letter out on a consistent day and time.

            The committee voted unanimously to accept the plan.

            In her Chairperson’s Report, Hartley was thrilled to pass along two experiences of happening upon conversations out in the community positively recognizing the work of the school district.

            In the administration report, Nelson noted the student contributions to the Thanksgiving Seniors Dinner and also holiday shows in the schools.

            The committee voted to approve the acceptance of Brockton and the Whitman-Hanson Regional school districts as new READS Collaborative member districts effective July 1.

            The committee voted to accept the following book donations from RMS Parent Teacher Organization: “Fearless Feline: 30 True Tales of Courageous Cats” by Kimberlie Hamilton; “Witch & Wombat” by Ashley Belote, “Boop!” by Bea Birdsong; “Tumble” by Adriana Hernandez Bergstrom; “Our Day of the Dead Celebration” by Anan Aranda; “Duck on a Tractor” by David Shannon; “Hickory Dickory Dock (Pete the Cat)” by James & Kimberly Dean; “The Last Kids on Earth” and “The Forbidden Fortress (Last Kids on Earth, Book 8)” by Max Brallier; “The Cursed Moon” by Angela Cervantes; “Odder” by Katherine Applegate; “I Survived the Wellington Avalanche, 1910” by Lauren Tarshis; “The Official Harry Potter Baking Book” by Joanna Farrow; “Big Book of Who – Basketball” Sports Illustrated Kids; “The MLB Encyclopedia” by Brendan Flynn; “World’s Most Extreme Animals” by Karen McGhee; “The History Book (Our World in Pictures)” by DK Publishing Smithsonian; “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team” by Christina Soontornvat; “The Bad Guys Series Books 6-10: Alien vs Bad Guys (Book 6), Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?! (Book 7), Superbad (Book 8), The Big Bad Wolf (Book 9), and The Baddest Day Ever (Book 10)” by Aaron Blabey; “What Do We Know About Crop Circles?” by Ben Hubbard; “What Do We Know About Loch Ness Monster?” by Steve Kotre; “What Do We Know About Bigfoot?” By Steve Kotre; “What Do We Know About Atlantis? By Emma Carlson Berne, Branches: Press Start! Book series by Thomas Flintham (Game Over Super Rabbit Boy! Book 1, Super Rabbit Boy Powers Up! Book 2, Super Rabbit Racers! Book 3, Super Rabbit Boy vs Super Rabbit Boss! Book 4 and Super Rabbit Boy Blasts Off! Book 5),” “I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871” by Lauren Tarshis; “I Survived the American Revolution, 1776” by Lauren Tarshis; “Simon and the Better Bone” by Corey R. Tabor; “The Umbrella” by Beth Ferry; and “Dog Man – Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea” by Dav Pilkey.

            In personnel news, Kaitlyn Laprise began her maternity leave, and Pedro Silva has joined RMS as a long-term substitute in her spot.

            The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School, and the next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 18, at 6:30 pm at ORR Junior High School media room.

Rochester School Committee

By Mick Colageo

Upcoming Events at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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The Library will have a delayed opening on Tuesday, January 9 to facilitate an all-staff safety training. The library will reopen from 2:30-8 pm.

            One Up Games presents a playable history of video games on Saturday January 20 from 12 to 3 at the Marion Music Hall. Learn about the evolution of video game consoles by playing retro & modern games. A great time for all the gamers in the family.

            Storytimes for all ages, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 am.

            For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library, visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or call us at 508-748-1252.

Gonet to Bring ‘Kroks’ to ORR Stage

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            Of all the things Eddie Gonet could have become after graduating with the 2022 class at Old Rochester Regional High School, a Krokodilo was not on anyone’s radar.

            The Fairhaven native who attended ORR on school choice has always been up for a challenge. In high school, he helped start multiple clubs, survived an attempted coup of his leadership role of the school’s DECA chapter that he cofounded, and pressed on in good humor, his effort unrelenting to embrace each adventure and tap its potential.

            Now he sings with the Harvard University Krokodiloes, who will perform at ORR on February 3.

            “Every show wherever we sing it’s spelled a different way,” said Gonet. “We do 180 shows throughout the year. The summertime and winter is when we get busiest. … Basically, how the group works is three months every summer we travel to six continents … we did 25 countries last summer.”

            Pronounced krockahDIHlohz, the singing group at first glance looks like a college version of Straight No Chaser. But it’s hard to imagine their professional counterparts working any harder than they do in performing numbers from the “Great American Songbook.”

            According to the event press release, the Kroks are an internationally renowned group with a 75-year history in front of audiences, including the likes of Julie Andrews, Ella Fitzgerald, Anne Hathaway, Johnny Carson, Bill Clinton, Ryan Reynolds and the U.S. Congress.

            Harvard students do not Zoom to school – all classes are attended in person – so the commitment is enormous. Miraculously, Gonet was able to spend some time at home for the holidays, but on Tuesday he was already off to New York. Perhaps the Kroks will consider adding the juggling act to their repertoire.

            “What happens is, the day after graduation … we fly out and fly in one week before classes start. … A week before the ORR show, we will be in Alaska,” said Gonet, for whom recruitment is not the chore one would suspect. “Surprisingly, it’s not hard … there’s quite a lot of interest. We have a great community of alumni and have a fun time. We’ve never struggled to get people to join.”

            The cumbersome audition process to join the “Kroks” filters through many people, and practice in between tours is held five nights a week for a couple of hours each week.

            “I don’t think people know entirely what they sign up for,” he said. “That’s one of the jokes is no one has a girlfriend, but this year we have quite a few. … Thankfully, my girlfriend is very supportive.” A relationship is another adventure for Gonet, whose special someone is a Harvard student from Massachusetts.

            “I love balancing it. I find it fun juggling things around,” said Gonet, a sophomore studying economics.

            Among his professors: a former Russian economist whose job, he said, “was to fix the mess of the Soviet Union.” He has also sat in class with Jason Furman, who had served as President Obama’s economic advisor. “It’s great learning from people who really know their stuff.”

            With a year and a half of Ivy League college life under his belt, Gonet advises first-year students. As a freshman, he learned the ropes of the Kroks as a singer; now he is the group’s tour manager and plans its travel.

            “There are a lot of sacrifices, including a summer internship. We have to give that up to travel, but the opportunities … are incredible,” he said.

            Eddie’s sister (and ORR student) Emerson Gonet is the point person for tickets to the Kroks’ 7:00 pm performance on Saturday, February 3, in the ORRHS auditorium. There will be a meet and greet after the show in the gym. Concessions will be sold. All profits will benefit the ORR Class of 2025.

            For tickets ($20 for adults and $10 for students), visit: gofan.co/event/1293957?schoolId=MA14686&utm_source=GoFan&utm_medium=qrcode&utm_campaign=HQEventLink. For more information, email emersongonet@oldrochester.org.

By Mick Colageo

Trees Okay to Cut Down at Island Wharf

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The Town of Marion Harbormaster Department will be allowed to remove trees that are interfering with the construction of its new Maritime Center that began in December and is expected to be completed by the end of summer.

            “Basically, it was an oversight on our end. We never had any intentions of them staying. Obviously, the building is in that corner of the property,” said Marion Harbormaster Adam Murphy, who thanked the commissioners for responding quickly with a site visit to Island Wharf. “It’s going to undertake some (complicated) projects at the same time with the seawall coming to fruition in the real, near future.”

            The Harbormaster filed a Request for Determination of Applicability for the removal of pine/evergreen trees along the northeast corner of the property where the new headquarters will be built.

            Conservation Commission members Jeff Doubrava (chairman), Emil Assing (vice chairman), Shaun Walsh and Millie Seeberg (associate) heard from Murphy. The commission needed only three votes so Seeberg’s participation was limited to discussion.

            Murphy said the groundbreaking of the construction would necessitate the excavation of the entire area. He said there have already been issues with the installation of the perimeter fencing where it runs into trees at the existing bathroom area.

            “We’re just asking (the commission) to allow us to remove them. We’re going to get with the Tree Committee and replace trees to their wishes and put them in a location where it’s conducive to the site once it comes to fruition,” Murphy explained.

            Murphy said the construction was set to begin on December 27 (and completed by August) but had begun the week before with the installation of helical piles and the drilling of test holes.

            “They didn’t meet the specifications that they wanted to, so there’s a little delay figuring out if they’re going to drive down regular pilings versus (helical holes),” said Murphy, noting that a construction meeting was scheduled for December 28. “So the footing and the elevation is still up in the air how we’re going to get it there because they weren’t compliant with the helixes and there’s 68 of them, I believe.”

            Murphy said the 68 helicals were supposed to be drilled to 15 feet, and of the six that were drilled, only one went as far as 14-feet deep. The rest, according to Murphy, were deemed noncompliant. Some went in approximately 8 feet and hit ledge.

            “The engineers are working on a Plan B, if you will,” he said.

            According to Walsh and Doubrava, the simultaneous seawall repair will alter the vertical design to a 1-to-1 slope, pulling the top landward and leaving the bottom of the seawall in its present position.

            “With everything going on, it’s going to be a busy part of town, especially with that recent storm,” said Assing.

            Murphy said the water rose 8 inches higher than it had in a prior storm of significance. Both Island Wharf and Silvershell Beach parking lot were under water.

            Walsh fashioned his motion to issue the Harbormaster a Negative Boxes 2 and 3 Determination of Applicability in that the work, albeit occurring in an area subject to the protections of the Wetlands Protection Act, will not alter the area. Furthermore, the work is in the buffer zone but will not alter the resource area.

            The commission was asked to comment to the Planning Board regarding Sippican LLC, 13 Barnabas Road.

            “I believe they’re proposing to convert the maintenance shop at Sippican Corp. into a storage site, and this site is definitely within the buffer zone,” said Doubrava. “They came before us (with a RDA filing) to take the building down, so certainly they would need a permit for that – my opinion.”

            The applicant has an order of conditions from the commission to drop the building and leave the concrete slab. The wetlands line, said Doubrava, is approximately 20 feet off the paved parking lot at the site.

            The commission discussed Eversource’s notification of tree cutting in the right of way from Wareham town line to Point Road where the high-tension power lines run over the Weweantic River that separates Marion from Wareham. There was no permitting necessary with the project.

            Doubrava noted from recent inspections he conducted on behalf of the Sippican Lands Trust that the swampy, overgrown land in the area would make a nice walk if it was made passable.

            “It’d be really nice if that whole right of way was cleared. You could actually walk it because that gets you through the most barren parts of Marion,” he said. “But most of it you can’t walk it.”

            The commission issued two full certificates of compliance to William and Elizabeth Weber for float modification at 21 East Avenue and to Barbara Grainger Trust-1994 for the removal of floats at 33 East Avenue.

            A public hearing on the December 27 agenda for a RDA filed by Byron and Cynthia Deysher, 44 Lewis Street, was not heard because the application was withdrawn.

            The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, January 10, at 7:00 at the Police Station, Route 6.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Mick Colageo

Financial Peace University at FCCR

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You work way too hard to feel this broke. Now is the time to take back control of your money, and that starts by taking Financial Peace University. Visit www.fpu.com/7C6CCE to join our class at First Congregational Church of Rochester, 11 Constitution Way, Rochester, starting on Saturday, January 20. Make today the day you decide to own your money — not the other way around.

            Classes meet every Saturday at 9:00 am for nine (9) weeks and last approximately 1.5 hours. They begin with fellowship as we grab some breakfast grub, continue as we check-in on the week’s progress and watch a session of the video-led curriculum and end with open discussion as we journey alongside one another to stay on track. Classes are coordinated by Jeff and Amanda Costa who took this course for the first time in 2018 and never looked back. Contact the church office at 508-763-4314 or rochestercongregational@comcast.net with any questions or for more information.

Quahog Book Award Returns

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On Tuesday, January 9, the much-anticipated Quahog Book Award is back at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, inviting students in grades 3 to 6 to embark on a literary adventure. This annual award aims to cultivate a love for quality literature among youth by empowering them to choose their favorite book from curated lists consisting of five nominated titles.

            Students interested in participating are welcome to register by visiting the children’s room of the library between now and March 3. During the course of the program, the library will host a range of events specifically for Quahog readers, offer weekly beads, opportunities to participate in raffles and, of course, provide the delight of delving into exceptional books. To celebrate, a pizza party will be held at the end of the program. This festive gathering will serve as the platform for announcing the winning books and applauding the readers for their enthusiasm and dedication.

            Students from Mattapoisett and all surrounding communities are welcome to participate. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Skaar at mskaar@sailsinc.org or by calling the library. You can find more information about the Quahog Book Award on our website, MattapoisettLibrary.org.

McIntyre’s Emotive Art

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The town of Mattapoisett is home to a number of visual artists whose works are truly outstanding. And now the Mattapoisett Free Public Library is exhibiting a retrospective of stunningly emotive quality from the hand and the mind of Chuck McIntyre.

            On view now through January 31, the 20-plus paintings capture a vast range of human emotions. The artist is keen to share how his thoughts merge or separate, collide or embrace through the use of fully saturated colors.

            One finds the depth of McIntyre’s soul. His use of color emphasizes the emotion being depicted along with the Muppet-like faces on some pieces. Scaling the heights of joy or lows of depression, we find McIntyre’s compassion for people, especially those who may be conflicted or lonely.

            And there are messages: “My paintings tell stories.” McIntyre explained that one piece was like shattered glass with each shard a part of his personality, while others are his family portraits, one that includes his grandfather who has since passed away. “That was the last time we were together.”

            After listening to McIntyre describe his work as surreal abstract, we found ourselves drawing a line between this New Englander’s style and Frida Kahlo with a dash of Salvador Dali. Regardless of what style it is, McIntyre’s painting causes you to stop and take notice.

            Take notice of the messages of friendship and love. Take notice of the messages of empowerment, determination, excitement and happiness. Take notice of self-deprecation, fear, anger, sadness and then ultimately success and joy. Take notice of the human need for expression and, yes, acceptance.

Mattapoisett Free Public Library

By Marilou Newell

Additional Trap Rock Spurs New Filing

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            What was thought to be a simple, two-lot subdivision at 14 Snow Fields Road returned to the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission on January 2 as a new Notice of Intent filing.

            The property in question is owned by Dennis Arsenault, and the latest filing, a Notice of Intent, is for work done beyond the approved limits.

            Representing Arsenault was David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc. Davignon said that some 700 square feet of trap rock had been added to the edging along an extended driveway. With this change, he explained that the state Department of Environmental Protection would only issue a partial Certificate of Compliance. Davignon asked that an after-the-fact Order of Conditions be issued for the placement of additional trap rock. The commissioners had no issue with the request.

            With this in place and in the absence of the commission’s decision being appealed, Arsenault can return for a Certificate of Compliance.

            In other business, the commission approved a new septic system design for 18 Shore Drive. Evelio Suarez, owner, filed the Request for Determination of Applicability.

            New Notice of Intent filings all represented by Davignon were quickly approved. They were: Robert and Carol Hall, 17 High View Avenue, for the construction of a standalone, two-story garage; Arthur Harris Alden III, Aucoot Road, for the construction of a new single-family home; and James and Lisa Tenglin, 124 Aucoot Road, for the construction of a single-family home.

            New RDA’s also represented by Davignon were John and Tricia O’Reilly, 6 Pearl Street, for driveway improvements, and Alexander Bauer, 7 Nashawena Road, for a proposed deck.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, January 16, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell