Hartley Receives Acclaim, Appreciation

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            The Old Rochester Regional Joint School Committee met on June 12 for a public meeting between Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester elected committee members and ORR Administration. Following the recent end of the academic year, the air was positive, and attendees were excited for a deserved break and prep-time for the coming school year.

            ORR School Committee Chair Michelle Smith and Massachusetts Superintendents Union #55 Chair Nichole Daniel held their respective roll calls for the meeting, and Smith added a note of sadness while acknowledging the retirement of Mattapoisett member Rose Bowman, this being her final meeting. Superintendent Michael S. Nelson then spoke, thanking those in attendance as well as teachers and other staff members for their hard work and a congratulations for successfully completing another school year.

            Smith then read a thank you to former longtime Rochester and Union-side member Sharon Hartley for her over 20 years of service to students, the school districts, and school committees. “I will truly miss you and I thank you for; I feel like you mentored me through, and I appreciate that and I miss you,” she concluded. Hartley was in attendance and was gifted a copy of The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall by Charis Cotter, with a thank you note within from the ORR Joint School Committee.

            Hartley thanked the committee and other coworkers and expressed the importance of the joint committee. She spoke of her desire for the committee to continue to use their time together effectively to help one another and work together, saying “this is our time for communication and our time to help each other.”

            Following recognitions, the committee moved on to discuss the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, with the first day of school being Wednesday, August 27 (Kindergarten begins on August 29). Superintendent Nelson also began discussions on the “Vision 2028 Strategic Plan,” being the district’s general plan for the next few years. “We have five objectives; the superintendent’s goals, your school improvement plan goals, the administrator’s goals, teachers, et cetera.” The committee spoke of goals for students as they climb through their academic careers, as well as the importance they place in assessments and the addition of midterms to their assessment calendar.

            The committee expressed satisfaction with progress made during the previous year, while also voicing intentions to revisit certain initiatives in upcoming fall meeting. They also emphasized community and parent involvement, with administrators and the superintendent encouraging parents to remain active in the planning school policy.

            The next meeting of the ORR Joint School Committee will be held in September, following the beginning of the next school year.

ORR Joint School Committee

By Sam Bishop

Damon “Webby” Kenison, Sr.

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Damon “Webby” Kenison, Sr., 91 of Salem, NH passed away on Thursday, November 14th at Parkland Medical Center, Derry, NH.

            He grew up in Salem and after graduating from Woodbury High School, he joined the US Army to begin a 27 year career in military intelligence beginning with the occupation of Japan, the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict. After retiring as a CW4, he proudly continued serving his country for another 15 years as an instructor/advisor for the DoD military intelligence school, totaling 42 years of government service.

            He was a member of the Spicket Lodge Freemasons, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Bektash Shriners, the Scottish Rite, the VFW, the Foreign Legion, the American Legion, the Military Officers Association of America, the All Volunteer Force, the AMVETS, the DAV, the TRUA, the Salem Historical Society, the Salem Men’s Club and the Pleasant St. United Methodist Church.

            Webby enjoyed spending time with family, friends and pets, cruises to Bermuda, Alaska and Panama, traveling throughout Europe, ALL 50 states and Puerto Rico on vacation with family or for duty assignments, bowling (10 pin on base, candlepin and duckpin in NE), spending time at the family cottage on Crescent Beach, Mattapoisett, MA, volunteering with mom at Salem Haven and the Manchester VA or clowning around in local parades, making his famous fruit salad and eggnog for every holiday, eating out whenever possible and enjoying quiet days and nights streaming movies and watching endless Hallmark shows AND when he wasn’t busy, he would read.

            He will be deeply missed by his son, Damon Kenison, Jr., and loving companion Donna Dailey, daughter Mary Lou Gould and husband Frederick, Jr., four grandchildren; Damon Kenison III and wife Jenn of AR, Jamie Kenison of VA, Angela Normyle, Christopher Mata and wife Christina of SC, and six great grandchildren; Jonathan Mata, Brady Normyle, Nathaniel Mata, Carter Normyle, Kennisen Mata and Charlotte Mata, several nieces and nephews and granddogs; Teddy, Toby and Winnie.

            He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 57 years, Helen Kenison, his siblings Beatrice, William and Maynard and daughter-in-law Heather Kenison.

            Visitation was held on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at Douglas and Johnson Funeral Home, 214 Main St. Salem, NH 03079. The funeral service was held Friday, November 22, 2024 at Douglas and Johnson Funeral Home with burial following in Pine Grove Cemetery, Salem, NH.

            In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the DAV – Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301

            To send a message of condolences to the family please view the obituary at www.douglasandjohnson.com.

Upcoming Events at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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Starting on July 1 – we’ll be offering weekly programs for kids grades 1-6. Kids entering first through third grade can join us for Book Explorers on Tuesdays at 11:00 am or Thursdays at 2 pm. Kids entering grades 4 through 6 can join us for Library Adventurers on Tuesdays at 2 pm or Thursdays at 11 am. We’ll read together, explore library resources, and make incredible creations. No registration is necessary – pick the session time that works best for your child and get ready to Level Up at Your Library all July long.

            Kids can create fun and wearable jewelry at the Kids Beaded Jewelry Workshop, for ages 7-13; Saturday, June 28 at 10:30 am – Spaces are limited, call the library to register

            Jill Pimental brings her 27 years of sewing experience to the Elizabeth Taber Library, offering a practical skill and creative outlet for those who attend. Jill will teach essential machine and hand sewing techniques, promoting sustainability through clothing repair, and encouraging creative expression to adults and young adults. Don’t have a sewing machine? Starting this summer the Elizabeth Taber Library will have sewing machines and supplies available for check out. Workshops will be held Tuesdays in July from 6-7:30. The first class: July 1: Machine-Sewing Basics. Learn how a sewing machine works, safety, how to operate the machine, basic stitches and their functions. Spaces are limited. Register for one or more sessions. For more information or to register contact the library at 508-748-1252 or email ETLibrary@sailsinc.org.

            Join the library on Thursday July 17 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm for an evening with Ben Shattuck, author of The History of Sound (now a major motion picture) and Six Walks. Please call the library to register for this free program, there will be a limited number of books available to purchase starting July 7.

            For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or email the library at ETLibrary@sailsinc.org.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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College and high school graduations that have filled our local news are now in the rearview mirror and schools have closed for summer vacation. The number of “grammar” schools in Rochester have fluctuated over many years, going from the district system to a municipal system and then beginning in 1902 under a superintendency. Through these changes, one thing remained constant. Graduating from Grammar School after completing eight grades was an accomplishment to be celebrated.

            Grammar school graduations were big events. Dave Watling donated the program for the 1926 Graduation Exercises of the Rochester Grammar Schools. A picture of the cover is shown with this article. The event was held at the Grange Hall at 8:00 pm on June 17, 1926. The program was extensive, beginning with the entrance of the class and an Invocation.

            This was followed by songs performed by the Glee Club alternating with essays presented by their authors. The first Honor Essay, “the Honey Bee” was read by Priscilla Gifford. The second Honor Essay, “The Haven of Work” was by Avon Howe Gerrish. There were three additional essays as well as a piano solo by Clara Isabelle Garcia and a song sung by Catherine Teresa Walker.

            The music and essays were followed by a cast of students performing the “Trial Scene” from “The Merchant of Venice” and then the awarding of Reading Certificates and the presenting of diplomas. The evening ended with a Benediction.

            This Grammar School graduation ceremony was for 17 students from four schools: Priscilla Gifford, David Lawrence Hartley and Addie Augusta Shurtleff from the Center School; Clara Isabelle Garcia, Avon Howe Gerrish, Arthur Arnold Reed, Myrtle Olive Reed, Edward John Thomas and Gertrude Louise Thomas from the North Rochester School; Chester Albert Rollins, Catherine Teresa Walker and George Edward Walker from the Pierceville School and finally, from the Stuart School, Albert Oscar Bourgault, Florence Gayorski, Mary Blanche Ouelette, Romeo Theophille Ouelette, Edward Tomasik and Agnes Tavares.

            We have a few other graduation programs in the museum collection. The 1934 program lists all the students (including my mother, Maude Sybil Hartley and Dave’s mother, Louise Spenser Hartley) without referencing their school.

            For many of these graduates, this would be the end of their schooling. Some would be going on to work or training for specific skills and some to family farms or businesses. Those going on to high school would do so outside of Rochester. According to research done by Dorothy Mac Gregor, as of 1901, Rochester students went to high school in Middleboro, Fall River or New Bedford. My grandfather born in 1891 attended Fairhaven High School.

            Starting in 1924, Rochester students were transported to Wareham High and in later years went to New Bedford High. This continued until the opening of Old Rochester Regional High School in 1961.

By Connie Eshbach

MYC Invitation to Ensign Owners

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Own an Ensign? Ever wanted to try your hand at racing? Here is your opportunity. The Mattapoisett Yacht Club holds Ensign races on Tuesday evenings off Ned’s Point. This fleet has been active for many years and MYC members also trail their boats to regional and national Ensign regattas. The Mattapoisett Yacht Club has hosted both the Northeast Regional Ensign Championship and the Ensign National Championship which brought 2 dozen boats to town.

            We are inviting all local Ensign owners to join us for low -key racing on July Tuesday at 6:00 pm. These would be non-spinnaker races on courses about a mile in length. They will take 20 to 40 minutes depending on the wind. We will use just 4 basic rules designed to avoid collisions. Experienced MYC racers from our PHRF fleet will be on hand in powerboats to offer coaching and tips while you are on the course. Friends and family can watch the races for Ned’s Point. All you need is an Ensign, a VHF radio and life jackets for your crew. After the race, enjoy a picturesque sail back to your mooring into the setting sun. Then join the regular ensign crews at the MYC clubhouse for some tall tales of racing washed down with appropriate beverages (BYOB). The top finishers will get a trophy glass and bragging rights for a week.

            If you find you enjoy racing, consider joining our regular fleet. If there is enough on-going interest in the low-key fleet, we will set up a regular Tuesday evening series for August. Contact Race Committee members Mike Dahill (mjdahill@verizon.net) or Ed Normand (ednormand@verizon.net) for more information. We hope to see you on the water.

            These races will start on July 8 at 6:00 pm. Make sure to check in with Ed or Mike at the RC boat on VHF channel #71 before the race.

Mattapoisett Town Band

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The Mattapoisett Town Band will kick off its 125th season of weekly band concerts on July 2. The concert season runs for eight weeks from July 2 through August 20. All concerts begin at 7:00 pm at Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett.

            The July 2 concert will be in celebration of July 4. The concert program will include: Marches by John Philip Sousa, E.E. Bagley, Jimmie Dodd & Eric Osterling. Other selections will consist of rock and roll favorites from the 50s and 60s, songs from the American Revolution, and other Americana standards.

Ten Successful Harbor Rescues This Month

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The Marion Resources Commission conducted 10 successful harbor rescues in the month of June alone, according to Harbormaster Adam Murphy.

            “Last week we pulled three people out of the water and three people out of the boats,” Murphy said at the June 17 meeting.” He added, “There have been a lot of people who have found themselves stranded out there.”

            He emphasized all missions were successful, including three jet ski-goers who sunk.

            Murphy said that the Marine Resources staff have also been undergoing more rescue training lately.

            The staff conducted a training session with the Buzzards Bay Task Force, which included simulated United States Coast Guard vessels getting people off boats.

            Staff also conducted training with the Coast guard as well.

            The Marine Resources Commission also talked about parking issues at harbor boat yard, which is adjacent to the Marion Village.

            Murphy said that on weekends, 80-percent of the vehicles parked in the boating parking lot do not have boat parking decals. There are 1,200 moorings, creating parking issues for boaters.

            He said many people are attending weddings at the nearby music hall or simply using the shops.

            Commissioners said they have been to the Select Board in the past about the issue and need a tangible plan in place.

            Commissioners said there is an open space area there, but it cannot be used for parking. They mentioned that perhaps the open space in that area could be used for marine parking.  Commissioners mentioned that nearby Mattapoisett built a golf course on land marked as open space.

            Murphy and commissioners also discussed how many boaters have not been removing the winter boating sticks and there are not enough inspectors to enforce the issues.

            Murphy said that he is losing one employee to the police force, which will make enforcement and other issues more difficult. “We need more mooring inspectors outside of the (private) boat house inspectors,” Murphy said.

            They also discussed how the harbor has been overfilled with moorings and there are only 25 boat moorings available.

            One commissioner proposed working with nearby Tabor Academy toward creating more parking for boaters.

            The next meeting of the Marion Marine Resource Commission was not scheduled at meeting adjournment.

Marion Marine Resource Commission

By Jeffrey D. Wagner

Coalition Safeguards Water Supply

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This past May, the Buzzards Bay Coalition acquired 33 acres of land in the Mattapoisett River Valley. The plot at 84 New Bedford Road, Rochester sits off the intersection of Cushman Road and Perry Hill Road and stretches inland near Branch Brook and is neighbor to the Mattapoisett Land Trust’s Mattapoisett River Wildlife Management Area. According to Buzzards Bay Coalition Communications Director Scott Lajoie, this land is near several town wells, including 3,000 feet from Marion Town Well #5.

            Not far south of the acquired land is another Marion well, located on Tinkham Lane. On June 12, the Town of Marion put out a warning stating, “On 06/11/2025, we were notified by the Town of Fairhaven that a fecal indicator (E. coli) was detected in a raw water (untreated) sample collected on 06/10/2025 from the Tinkham lane Well.” Following this, five extra samples were tested with none containing E. Coli. bacteria. The town added, “This is not an emergency; you do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions.”

            Though there is no emergency, it does highlight the fragility of Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester’s water supplies.

            Following the purchase of the New Bedford Road plot, the coalition assisted in the approval of a state grant for $350,000, allowing Marion to purchase a Conservation Restriction on the land. This prevents development of the land, disturbing and endangering the water supply of surrounding aquifers.

            Buzzards Bay Coalition recently acquired 436 acres in Dartmouth’s Paskamansett River Valley for similar initiatives. In the past weeks, it has also finalized the purchase of 1,652 acres on the border of Rochester and Middleboro for natural conservation.

            For an interactive and detailed map of all registered wells in the state of Massachusetts, you can view the Massachusetts Well Location Viewer by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection at: www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=660e5b4cb7af4f4e932c9d5a7b7e82f2.

By Sam Bishop

Shakespeare for Scaredy Cats

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Shakespeare isn’t as scary as you may think, so say the folks who attend the Shakespeare for Scaredy Cats sessions Dr. Karrie Szatek leads on Thursdays at the Mattapoisett COA. This Thursday, however, the group gathered instead at the Shipyard Inn because the COA was closed for the Juneteenth holiday. While socializing, these attendees, many of whom have been coming to explore Shakespeare for two years, read and chatted about the bard’s The Winter’s Tale. These budding Shakespeareans have formed a wonderful community that also extends beyond the COA and the Inn. In the past and again this summer they will be audience members at the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival in Chatham, MA. Seniors interested in giving Shakespeare one more chance, you may contact the Mattapoisett COA at 508-758-4110. All are welcome to become part of this little community as well as join us at Gould Park in Chatham to see The Taming of the Shrew and Othello.

Marion Concert Band to Begin Season

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Continuing a tradition it established in 1878, the Marion Concert Band will present weekly concerts in July and August.

            On Friday, July 4, the Marion Concert Band will open its 2025 concert season with a program of patriotic music in celebration of Independence Day. The program is as follows:

            National Emblem March – E. E. Bagley

            Star Spangled Spectacular – G. M. Cohan

            American Pageant – T. Knox

            God Bless America – I. Berlin

            Our Glorious Land – J. Olivadoti

            Battle Hymn of the Republic – arr. Peter Wilhousky

            The Homefront: Musical Memories from World War II – arr. J. Christensen

            American Legion – C. Parker

            Armed Forces Salute – arr. B. Lowden

            Americans We – H. Fillmore

            America, the Beautiful – S. Ward

            The Stars and Stripes Forever – J. P. Sousa

            The concert, under the direction of guest conductor Philip Sanborn, will be held at the Robert O. Broomhead Bandstand at Island Wharf and will start at 7:00 pm.

            The Marion Concert Band’s Friday evening concert series will include concerts every Friday evening in July and August. All concerts are free and open to the public. “Like” us on Facebook at “Marion Town Band” for up-to-date announcements and rain cancellation notices.