Donald Wilson Wheeler

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Donald Wilson Wheeler passed away on October 3, 2024, at the age of 89. He was the son of the late Clifford Wheeler and Bertha Stevens Wheeler.

            Don attended Norwood High School and Springfield College. He married the love of his life, Mary-Jane (MJ) Carpenter, in 1962. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years, Don began his career as a teacher in the Norwood school system, where he taught junior high and high school classes for 33 years. He was Head Coach of the Norwood High hockey team for nearly two decades, bringing home eight Bay State League titles. He received multiple commendations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for his contributions to the sport as well as being named to the MA State Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

            An avid sailor, Don was a member of the Beverly Yacht Club for 40 years. He loved watching movies and listening to jazz and big band music.

            Don is survived by his wife MJ of Marion and daughter Danalynne Menegus and her husband Kevin, of Pinole, CA.

            Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 22 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at Chapman Funerals & Cremations, 2599 Cranberry Hwy, Wareham. Interment will follow at 2:00 pm at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Connery Ave., Bourne.

            Donations in Don’s memory can be made to the charity created in 2018 in remembrance of Don and MJ’s great-niece: Maddie Lamson Scholarship Fund c/o Medway High School, 88 Summer St., Medway, MA 02053.

Small Works & Holiday Shop 2024

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The Marion Art Center announces a call for entries for its final exhibition of the 2024 season, Small Works + Holiday Shop. The show runs November 9 through December 20, with an opening reception scheduled for Saturday, November 9 from 3:00-5:00 pm.

            This annual juried/invitational show features original works of art, all under fourteen inches, plus a curated selection of handmade goods including jewelry, textiles, ceramics, woodworks, gifts, and more. Any artist who has previously shown at Arts in the Park, or any other juried MAC exhibition (this excludes members’ shows) is invited to participate and does not need to apply or be approved by the exhibitions committee.

            To see all show details and apply to Small Works + Holiday Shop, use the form found at www.marionartcenter.org/on-exhibit. All applications are due by Wednesday, October 23. Artists will be notified by the end of October if they are accepted, and early applications are strongly encouraged. Drop-off dates are scheduled on Saturday, November 2 from 10 am-2 pm and Tuesday, November 5 from 10-3 pm. Please send questions to info@marionartcenter.org.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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When you look through the exhibit at our forms of musical entertainment through the years, you see that people became more and more interested in having machines to make music at home. This desire coincided with the eras of the Industrial Revolution, when inventors everywhere were bringing ideas to life. Some of these early inventions never made it off the drawing board while others took hold and improved over time.

            In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the record player and radio began their evolutionary journey. While people found these inventions interesting, many found the quality of the music to be uneven and less than enjoyable.

            Enter the Player Piano in 1896. Edwin S. Votey invented the first practical pneumatic player pianos, also called “pianolas”. These pianos were acoustic and originally cost $250.00.

            The player piano was operated by foot. Pressing down caused the bellows to provide a vacuum which then operated the pneumatic motor which drove the spools. The spools were made of paper and were the “music rolls” for the piano.

            To make the spools, music was laid out on continuous sheets of paper by stenciling. Holes were made by a punch or perforating machine. The paper was then rolled up to a size that fit into the piano’s player box. The free end was hooked to a “take up spool”. As these spools unwound, it would pass across a reading machine which was called a “tracker box” and this would create the music.

            Once the pneumatic motor drove the spool, a small in rush of air was forced through a hole in the paper roll and amplified in two stages to have enough strength to strike a note. The sound was then produced by hammers inside the piano striking piano strings.

            By 1903, companies were doing big business making the music rolls. At least one company had a catalogue of more than 9000 rolls.

            Over time, record players produced a clearer, truer sound and moved to two-sided discs and they cut into the popularity of the player piano. While many early record players were a fairly large piece of furniture, they took up much less room than a player piano. The end of the player piano came with the Stock Market Crash of 1929 which put an end to the industry.

            We don’t have a player piano (though we would like one), but we do have a pump and quite a few music rolls from the COA, some of which are shown here. We shared some of the rolls with the Middleboro Historical Museum (they have a piano). The ones we kept cover military, holiday and show tunes.

            Thanks to Sue LaFleur for the research that supported this article.

By Connie Eshbach

Tri-County Symphonic Band 63rd Concert Season

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The Tri-County Symphonic Band, under the direction of Philip Sanborn, unveils its 63rd concert season. From a poignantly powerful opening concert to a cartoon spectacular under the tent, this season invites everyone to share in the excitement generated by the very best symphonic band music ever written.

            Sunday, October 27, 3:00 pm: The opening concert, “A European Adventure” combines some very new music written by Cape Cod composer Thomas Borning with some venerable works that form the basis of the symphonic band repertoire. Borning’s “Lift Off” was commissioned by the Tri-County Symphonic Band and will have its World Premiere at this concert. Karel Husa’s masterpiece “Music for Prague 1968” follows as the band experiences the profound sonic portrayal of an historic moment in the challenging political landscape of Eastern Europe. Norman Dello Joio’s “Scenes from the Louvre” delights with a Renaissance slant. An explosive opus of Frank Ticheli’s is next with dynamic bursts of musical thrills and excitement entitled “Vesuvius.” The concert concludes with an arrangement of Chick Corea’s “Spain” featuring tenor saxophonist Andrew Ponte.

            Sunday, December 8, 1:30 pm: The Annual Children’s Christmas Concert will take place at the Sippican School in Marion as everyone is very much looking forward to continuing the long-established tradition. A special treat is a performance by the Sippican School Concert Choir. This concert celebrates the holiday season and is free admission for all, our gift to the community.

            Sunday, February 2, 3:00 pm: The February concert this season is a tribute to the John Philip Sousa Band of the early 1900’s. Sousa’s band was a touring phenomenon of the era and always included a variety of music, marches and a soloist. This concert, entitled “A Sousa Spectacular” will feature works by Aaron Copland, Andrew Boysen, George Gershwin, Jean Sibelius and, of course, John Philip Sousa. Tuba soloist Reece Ashley will perform the Tuba Concerto by Edward Gregson.

            Sunday, March 16, 3:00 pm: The history of jazz will be the focus of the band’s March offering. The program called “Jazz Through the Decades” will highlight some of the most important composers with symphonic band arrangements of works that guide us through the various styles of jazz over the years. Clarinetist Charlie Suriyakham will perform Ante Ggrin’s Concertino for Clarinet. Also, pianist/arranger Matt Richard will lead his jazz trio with a suite that he has adapted for trio and symphonic band.

            Sunday, June 8, 2:00pm: Once again, the band will be under the Grand Tent at Tabor Academy for the Annual Pops Concert to benefit the John R. Pandolfi Music Scholarship Fund. This year’s concert will be all about animation as we shine the spotlight on the music from such “drawn” classics as “Fantasia”, “The Prince of Egypt”, “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Incredibles”, to name a few. The band will also collaborate with the South Coast Children’s Chorus to add their abundant talents to our homage to the program entitled “An Animated Afternoon.”

            The 2024-2025 concert season, the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s sixty-third, is testament to the organization’s commitment to bring quality live music to the community. For more information, visit: tricountysymphonicband.org.

Radon and How to Minimize Its Impact

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            It’s colorless, odorless and tasteless, but radon is far from being harmless. It rises up from far beneath the earth’s surface, thus making it a naturally occurring element swirling around in the atmosphere, causing serious illnesses to the unsuspecting.

            On September 25, Mattapoisett Public Health Nurse Emily Field hosted Jen Lajoie, an environmental analyst with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health Indoor Air Quality program. Lajoie’s mission is educating the public on the dangers associated with radon emissions in private homes and steps that can be taken to minimize its impact.

            In literature distributed by Lajoie and in her presentation, we learned that both old and new homes can have high-radon readings, most prevalently in homes built on ledge or sandy soils. Radon’s entrance into homes commonly occurs from basement spaces but can also include floor-wall joints, sump pits, utility-line penetrations, dirt floors, crawl spaces, block-wall foundations, and cracks and crevices in floors and walls.

            The state’s published details go on to say, “…radon concentrations tend to be highest in the lowest levels of a home. Since indoor air represents the largest exposure to radon…,” testing should be conducted to determine if radon is at critical levels.

             And there is more concerning news, as private wells is another pathway for the chemical to enter the home.

            To help residents of the commonwealth, the state is offering free test kits while supplies last, Lajoie said.

            But just how does radon enter the environment?

            Lajoie explained that underground stores of uranium go through radioactive transformation (radium decay). Radon gases are produced and released from the ground up.

            The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that 21,000 radon-related deaths occur annually but are preventable. The state building code mandates the installation of radon testing equipment and systems in new home construction.

            Mattapoisett Building Inspector Andy Bobola said in a follow-up, “… it makes sense especially in new construction (a time when it’s easier to install remediation equipment that will draw radon gases away from the home) or if major renovations are taking place; however, there aren’t any mandated requirements for protection for existing homes.”

            Lajoie said that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates 628 radon-related lung cancers occur annually in Massachusetts with as many as 650,000 homes having radon levels that exceed action guidelines.

            It begs the question, “can my home be fixed?” The short answer is yes.

            The DPH literature states that a method called “active soil depressurization” is used to lower radon levels. A zone of low pressure below the house’s slab reduces the rate of radon entering a home. There are established, safe radon levels; those are 2 to 4 pCil/L.

            The DPH has a Radon Assessment Unit that can provide individual guidance. To receive a free radon test kit, call 800-723-6695 or visit DPHIAQ.radon@mass.gov.

Mattapoisett Board of Health

By Marilou Newell

Medicare Advantage: Buyer Beware

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Medicare was established in 1965, freeing older adults from the trap of unaffordable health care in their senior years. It has been a highly successful program.

            Medicare Part A, free for over 65’s and those of any age with permanent disability or chronic kidney failure, covers hospital care. Part B, for which you pay a monthly fee (usually taken out of your Social Security payment) covers doctors’ bills and other services. The more recently added Part D helps with prescription drugs. (Note that while Part D is optional, the cost goes up every year you do not take it.)

            Because Parts A and B have deductibles, most people pay for a “medigap” policy to cover these.

            In the spirit of “if it ain’t broke, fix it,” in 1982 Congress enacted laws establishing Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, commonly abbreviated MA.

            MA plans are run by private health insurance companies. They receive a fixed amount per enrollee from Medicare and are responsible for all health care costs. The amount per enrollee is adjusted upward if they can demonstrate that their members are sicker than average.

            If you are 65 or older, you will soon be deluged with mailings and phone calls touting different MA plans and encouraging you to join their plan during the open-enrollment period that runs October 15 to December 7 for the following year.

            From a national viewpoint, MA has been a windfall for the insurance industry and a disaster for the federal budget. Insurers make double the amount per enrollee on MA than they do on commercial health plans for those under 65. The gross margins on MA enrollees in 2021 was $1,730 per person versus $689 per person on commercial plans.

            A recent report estimated that in 2022, MA plans cost Medicare at least $88,000,000,000 more than what it would have paid for the same people if they had stayed in traditional Medicare. How do insurers make MA so profitable? One way is through fraud. It has been widely documented that they use a variety of data-mining techniques to make their enrollees appear sicker than they are, thereby getting excess funding that is not deserved.

            Another way, of more concern to you if you are considering joining a MA plan, is by cutting expenses.

            Under traditional Medicare, you can for the most part see any doctor you wish and be treated at any hospital. MA plans have a closed network: You must see a doctor in their plan and be hospitalized at a hospital in their network for your care to be covered.

            If you are healthy and are sure you will be healthy all next year, you may not care. If you have a serious illness, you may be sorry to learn that the highly recommended specialist you want to see will not be covered, and the hospital with the most expertise in your condition likewise.

            MA plans also require prior authorization for many surgeries and tests, unheard of under traditional Medicare. A government audit found that 13% of their denials were medically wrong. If you need rehab after surgery, you should know that MA enrollees were much less likely to receive inpatient rehab at highly rated facilities.

            The pharmacy benefits under MA plans are often generous in covering cheap, generic drugs, but be aware that the common 20% copay may hit hard should you need one of the new highly effective but very expensive drugs for a serious condition.

            Bottom line: MA plans often save you money by letting you avoid a Medigap plan (you still must pay Part B premiums) and add coverage for some things Medicare does not cover such as eyeglasses or limited dental or hearing-aid coverage. The downside is that you will be restricted in your choice of doctors and hospitals and must accept that the plan will be able to override some of your doctor’s decisions.

            So… When the glossy ads hit your mailbox and telemarketers call, think carefully whether a contribution towards eyeglasses or a gym membership is worth it in the long run.

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

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer

Marion Fire/EMS Open House

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Marion Fire/EMS will host an Open House on Friday, October 11 from 6 pm-8 pm at Station 1, 50 Spring Street. Fun for the whole family.

Sippican Woman’s Club

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On Friday, October 11, you are invited to join members and guests of the Sippican Woman’s Club to “hit the road”. We are travelling to Columbia Point, Boston to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, which visitors have described as “an unforgettable journey through American history and the life of a truly remarkable man.” I.M. Pei was selected as the architect and the building was dedicated in 1979. We have reserved a 38-passenger bus for our excursion.

            Details: $30/person – includes bus fare and admission. Forward a check payable to the Sippican Woman’s Club, and forward to Treasurer, SWC, P.O. Box 121, Marion, MA 02738.

            The bus will pick passengers up at Marion’s Silvershell Beach. Park cars on the right side along the split-rail fencing by the pond. Departure time: 8:45 am and return at approximately 2:45 pm. Please arrive at Silvershell no later than 8:30 am. You may purchase lunch at the Museum’s on-site cafe. Take-in food is not allowed, as you are required to go through a security check to enter the building.

            For trip questions: email Janet Wallace ladyprchr@aol.com. See club’s website www.sippicanwomansclub.org.

Rochester Historical Events

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Thanks to everyone who helped make our Cranberry Bake Sale and accompanying sales a success. We were happy to reopen our current exhibit: How We Entertained Ourselves for 337 years. Our exhibit is supported by the Rochester Cultural Council, a town agency, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Museum will be open to share the exhibit most Sundays through the Fall. It’s a good idea to call Sue 508 295 8908 or Connie 617 750 2818 to make sure we have coverage.

            Our October meeting will be “Bats in the Belfry and Mack in the Attic at 7:00 pm on October 16.

            Also, in October on Saturday the 26th at 11:00, the Sons of the American Revolution are conducting a grave marking ceremony at the grave of Thomas Bassett. Everyone is invited.

Marion Looking to Join ‘District Light’ Movement

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“You can still paint your front door purple,” said consultant Eric Dray, who has been helping the Marion Historic District Study Committee prepare a Historic District Draft Bylaw that the committee hopes to put before voters at the Annual Town Meeting in May 2025.

            The committee met on Monday to discuss Dray’s final tweaks but relented from voting a final approval of the document until those changes are digested by the committee members, Margie Baldwin, Dan Crete, George Morton, Stephen Swain and Chairman Will Tifft.

            A September 8 meeting with Dray, advisor Meg Steinberg of the town’s Historical Commission and Town Counsel left Tifft in a positive frame of mind where it concerns the goal of “trying to create a much less restrictive bylaw than what had been done in the state to date.”

            “Eric and Meg and I came away almost flabbergasted with how well it went,” said Tifft, also a member of the town’s Historical Commission.

            Assuming the committee approves Dray’s draft, the task of achieving a Historic District Draft Bylaw will henceforth focus on strategy.

            Strategy has taken the shape of an 80-page pamphlet designed by John DeSalvo that details the issues being addressed by the soon-to-come draft bylaw.

            The Sippican Historical Society has printed 1,000 copies that are available outside the society office on Front Street, the Town House, Mimi’s and the General Store.

            Steinberg agreed to include the pamphlet with Form B mailings to nondistrict addresses. It was also suggested the pamphlets be distributed at the Cushing Community Center and made available on the community board near Barden’s Boats at Island Wharf.

            Digesting an 80-page pamphlet is a challenge, and to that end the committee discussed strategy for sharing the essence of going “district light,” a trend happening in Cambridge and other Massachusetts communities.

            “In the past, you always start with what is exempt,” said Dray. “District light, we need to keep that as a banner headline everywhere. … You just have to repeat things.”

            Tifft suggested taking the 80-page pamphlet and dividing it up into sections that could be printed as separate, little “mini-articles to distribute in various ways” addressing why have this bylaw, Marion’s history and frequently asked questions.

            Crete considers an information campaign essential because “95 percent of the people are going to walk in with a few paragraphs and have to make a decision at (Town Meeting).”

            Committee member George Morton opened a discussion regarding the relationship the committee will have with some of the town’s commissions and boards, citing common interests or jurisdictions. “They’re going to have ordinances that they will be upholding as a result of this. Do we need to be including that in FAQ’s?” he asked.

            Gray said that the committee and the bylaw would exist in “utter and separate and distinct from those commissions. It would be up to the Town Planner to sequence that. I think the only point to be made is that they’re not conflicting.”

            Tifft noted as a member of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals that it is not unusual for boards and committees to seek comment from other boards and committees.

            Dray, Steinberg and Tifft are scheduled to meet with the Marion Planning Board on October 21. Despite the need to present an approved draft bylaw for the Planning Board’s consumption, Dray suggested that the committee hold off on voting its own approval until all the members have reviews his most recent edits. He said he will send out a final draft and that the committee should take a vote at its next meeting.

            Dray pointed to Section 4 for historical significance.

            Swain said he likes the one-page introduction, which outlines the goal of the local historic district.

            Tifft suggested as part of an information campaign that committee members write some opinions to be shared publicly on particular aspects of the draft bylaw once approved.

            “We need to start getting out there and selling this a little bit,” he said.

            Dray suggested getting a copy of the pamphlet onto the town website (marionma.gov).

            Tifft said it’s important to enact a marketing strategy before the holidays pushed the matter to the back burner. An informational meeting at the Music Hall will be organized.

            Dray clarified that such an effort will not be designed “to get their endorsement but to get their questions answered. The important thing is to get them to understand what we’re doing so they don’t come to Town Meeting confused.”

            In other business, Morton noted interested new residents in the committee. Tifft was encouraged by a recent meeting.

            The next meeting of the Marion Historic District Study Committee is scheduled for Monday, October 14.

Marion Historic District Study Committee

By Mick Colageo