FPA SEPT 2025 FINAL by Community Advocate

JOHN LEBEAUX

Former government official turns to farm consulting

September reset:

Staying healthy, happy, and active at every age

Get the caregiving help you need, when you need it.

Your caregiving journey can be challenging in all kinds of ways.

Get the caregiving help you need, when you need it. Your caregiving journey can be challenging in all kinds of ways.

AARP is here to help you take care of what matters most. Get answers, connect with other family caregivers and find local resources.

By Jennifer Benson AArP MAssAchusetts stAte Director

AARP is here to help you take care of what matters most. Get answers, connect with other family caregivers and find local resources.

There’s something special about September in New England. The air turns crisp, the leaves start to hint at their fiery transformation, and life settles into a more familiar rhythm. The summer rush winds down, students head back to school, and many of us find ourselves craving a fresh start. It’s the perfect time to hit the reset button not just on our schedules, but on our health and well-being, too.

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At AARP, we believe that healthy living isn’t just about adding years to your life, it’s about adding life to your years. Whether you’re 50 or 85, there’s always something new to discover, try, or enjoy. And we’re here to help you do just that.

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Let’s face it: we all know we should move more. But between busy schedules, aches and pains, or just not knowing where to start, it’s easy to let physical activity slide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. That’s just over 20 minutes a day. Think walking, biking, swimming, or even gardening.

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Yet, an AARP survey found that only about a third of adults over 50 are aware of these guidelines and even fewer are meeting them. That’s where we come in.

We offer a wide range of virtual and in-person fitness opportunities to help you get moving in ways that feel good and fit your lifestyle. From gentle yoga to energizing cardio, there’s something for everyone; no gym membership required.

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One of the best ways to boost your health? Step outside.

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This September, we’re thrilled to bring back AARP Days at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. It’s more than just a walk in the park. It’s a chance to reconnect with nature, explore stunning gardens, and enjoy meaningful moments with friends and family.

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Free admission is available for you and up to five guests on select days in September.

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Prefer to stay in? No problem. AARP has you covered with a comprehensive video library of workouts you can do anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re easing into movement with chair exercises or ready to break a sweat with a more intense routine, you’ll find something that suits your pace.

We also offer free interactive online events and classes that make wellness fun and accessible. Try a virtual yoga session to stretch and de-stress or join a cooking class with a culinary nutritionist to learn how to whip up healthy, delicious meals.

Healthy aging isn’t just about exercise and eating well, it’s also about staying informed. At aarp.org, you’ll find a treasure trove of science-backed articles on fitness, nutrition, medications, mental health, and more.

And through our age-friendly communities initiative, we’re working to make neighborhoods across Massachusetts safer and more accessible for walking, biking, and staying active — because your environment should support your health, not stand in its way.

Whether you’re looking to explore a garden, try a new workout, or simply learn something new, AARP is here to support your journey. Visit aarp.org/maevents to check out upcoming events.

Jennifer Benson is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

The Magliozzi brothers of Cambridge made ‘Car Talk’ a nationwide radio show hit

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

CAMBRIDGE – It is hard to make the subject of car troubles and adventures fun, but somehow Tom and Ray Magliozzi (better known as “Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers”) did just that. The lovable East Cambridge siblings hosted the “Car Talk” radio show on National Public Radio (NPR) from 1977 until 2012.

Since the show opened with a short comedy segment it was only befitting (and in keeping with humor) to display gold-leaf lettering from their office window which read: Dewey, Cheetham & Howe, which is a pun on the phrase “Do we cheat ‘em? And how!” This particular gag name was featured in a “Three Stooges” episode, and they chose it as the name for their business corporation.

MIT graduates and master mechanics

In 1992, the MIT graduates (who would have water gun fights during broadcasts) leased space on the third floor of 5 John F. Kennedy Street in Cambridge. Ray Magliozzi explained, “My brother and [producer Doug Berman] thought we needed a pricey office in Harvard Square to show that we were a real, serious entity. We knew we weren’t, but we wanted to at least make people think we were.”

That same year, “Car Talk” won a Peabody Award, which said, “Each week, master mechanics Tom and Ray Magliozzi provide useful information about preserving and protecting our cars. But the real core of this program is what it tells us about human mechanics ... The insight and laughter provided by Messrs. Magliozzi, in conjunction with their producer Doug Berman, provide a weekly mental tune-up for a vast and ever-growing public radio audience.”

Aside from some comic relief, the brothers talked about other topics and often joked about the poor quality of their advice, ending the show with: “Well, it’s happened again — you’ve wasted another perfectly good hour listening to Car Talk.”

During their “Where Are They Now, Tommy?” episodes, the hosts

Tom and Ray Magliozzi of Cambridge made “Car Talk” the most popular show in National Public Radio history. (Photo/Richard Howard courtesy of cartalk.com)

and a previous caller would discuss whether they had spoken since their previous appearance or if there were any influences such as bribes offered. The repair story would be followed by fanfare and applause if the brothers had given a correct diagnosis or the sound of wah-wah music if the diagnosis had been incorrect.

Fans can listen to The Best of Car Talk Podcast to hear some of America’s funniest auto mechanics’ old episodes like “How to Make Your Car a Little Less Lousy” or “The Doctors Will See You Now.” Besides poking fun at one another or talking about life’s problems, their “Puzzler” contests were also very popular with audiences.

Winners received a $26 gift certificate to the “Car Talk” store, sometimes referred to as the “Shameless Commerce Division.”

Accidental debut

What started out as somewhat of an experiment in 1977 when WBURFM invited a panel of local car mechanics on one of its programs to discuss car repairs evolved into a national success. Only Tom Magliozzi showed up. He did so well that he was asked to return but this time he brought along his younger brother Ray who was more of a car repair expert.

In a 2021 interview with WBUR news anchor Sharon Brody, Ray Ma-

gliozzi reflected, “You know, whoever thought that the show would have lasted as long as it did? With two buffoons making fun of one another, laughing at each other’s jokes, or worse, laughing at their own jokes?”

With 3.3 million listeners on 660 stations every week, the most popular national program on NPR ended in 2012. Tom Magliozzi passed away in 2014 due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

By nAnce eBert contriButing Writer

SHREWSBURY – John Lebeaux knows plants. He has over 25 years in private sector agricultural business experience, combined with public sector service at both the municipal and state level as well as many professional affiliations.

Shrewsbury roots run deep Lebeaux grew up on Walnut Street in Shrewsbury on the land that his grandfather, Leander Lebeaux owned, which once consisted of over 200 acres known as Buttonwood Farm.

After graduating from Trinity College, he eventually returned to Shrewsbury with his wife, Debbie. He followed in his dad Reuben’s footsteps, joining his business, Shrewsbury Nurseries, which was on a portion of Buttonwood Farm. He held the role of vice president/general manager at Shrewsbury Nurseries for over 25 years. His father founded the business in 1947 after returning from military

service in World War II, and Lebeaux fondly recalls growing up there.

“The business was very successful for most of its sixty years. In 2008, there was an economic turn, and people were not buying flowers and

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plants readily, “ Lebeaux recalled. “Gas prices were high, and it was a tough time for us. My dad passed away and my sister and I made the difficult decision to shut the business down,” he said. “Shrewsbury Nurseries meant so

much to so many people. To this day, seeing so many of our trees and shrubs growing and maturing is gratifying. We also provided jobs for many high school and college kids and remain close to many of them.”

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Left: John Lebeaux, pictured here with his Shrewsbury Nurseries coworkers in 1983, his father’s business where he worked for over 25 years, says it was one of his most formative career experiences. Right: John Lebeaux

Customers would often comment on the humorous billboard signs in front of the nursery on Route 9. One such sign read, “We’re rooting for you. Come in for a shady deal.” Another sign read, “ Honk if you’re thorny.” He said these signs also garnered a lot of smiles from people driving by.

Public service

Lebeaux’s family was active in town politics, and in 1998 he was elected to the Board of Selectmen. which he served on for 24 years. A good friend, Shrewsbury town manager Michael Hale, repeatedly urged Lebeaux to apply for the town administrator position that opened in Princeton soon after the nursery had closed. Lebeaux applied and to his surprise, got the job and held it for almost six years. He found this job most gratifying.

“Princeton was the most damaged town in the state as a result of the 2008 ice storm. With my colleagues, we successfully sought and received over $3.8 million in federal and state emergency assistance,” he explained. “When faced one summer with a totally unexpected environmental emergency at the town’s only school, I led the effort to relocate half the school population for the new school year to a school in an adjoining town,” Lebeaux added. “I coordinated the appropriate mitigation efforts so the kids could return the next year and maximized state reimbursement to fund the work and reduce the local tax impact.”

Lebeaux was appointed as the Agricultural Commissioner for the Commonwealth under the Baker-Polito administration and served for eight years. He got to serve the nursery industry as well as all of agriculture in Massachusetts. He was there during the pandemic which presented many challenges and was a very uncertain time for many.

“We had to figure out how to run our agency and help the farmers, nursery people and others in the agricultural sector run their businesses,” Lebeaux explained. “Suddenly, there was a very high likelihood that in a concern for public health, farmers’ markets, farmstands, pick your own farms, nurseries, greenhouses and garden

Debbie and John Lebeaux (Photos/ Submitted)

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centers would not be allowed to operate. This threatened the very survival of these businesses,” he noted. “The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) developed protocols that allowed the businesses to operate within public health guidelines, provide their goods to a public that very much wanted them and avoid financial ruin,” said Lebeaux.

Lebeaux credits what he learned from his dad at the nursery along with the public sector education he received as a Shrewsbury selectman and Princeton town administrator to his effectiveness as the State Commissioner of Agricultural Resources.

“No one taught me more about government processes than former Shrewsbury Town Manager Daniel Morgado,” said Lebeaux.

Pivot to consulting

Soon after the Baker-Polito administration ended, Lebeaux once again had to pivot. That is when he decided to do consulting work and Buttonwood Farms Consulting became his newest venture, paying homage to the land his grandfather once owned.

“I am now able to guide people through government processes that frequently seem to the public to be very complicated and difficult to successfully navigate,” said Lebeaux.

“Maintaining the retail approach that started at Shrewsbury Nurseries, I specialize in helping the ‘little guy’; the small operations that are like my family’s, though I help the ‘big guys’ too.”

Lebeaux credits any success he may have had in his career to what he learned from his parents and wife Debbie. He acknowledges the support and assistance as well from his colleagues at Shrewsbury Nurseries, the towns of Shrewsbury and Princeton and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

And while Lebeaux is no longer working for the state, his commitment to serving the public continues. He recently joined the board of directors of the Worcester County Food Bank. “It allows me to continue some of the food insecurity work I did when I was with the state and I’m excited about that,” he said.

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REO Speedwagon guitarist Dave Amato grew up in Framingham

By colin MccAnDless contriButing Writer

FRAMINGHAM – He cut his teeth playing in high school bands, but Framingham native Dave Amato would later soar to worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of 1980s arena rock titan REO Speedwagon. The band announced last September that it would retire from touring and played its last concert under that name in December.

The decision to keep the Speedwagon parked in the garage stemmed from — stop reading this sentence if you’ve heard this one before — “irreconcilable differences” between certain band members, specifically lead singer

Kevin

Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall.

Long tenure as lead guitarist Amato joined REO Speedwagon in 1989 as its lead guitarist. Prior to his 35 years with REO Speedwagon, Amato performed with such rock luminaries as Ted Nugent, Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora and Cher.

REO Speedwagon formed in 1967

Framingham native Dave Amato was lead guitarist for 1980s arena rock titan REO Speedwagon for 35 years. (Photo/Wikipedia Commons)

and the Essex and ICE with Amato growing up in Framingham. Brodeur (class of 1970) and Amato (class of 1971) were one year apart at Framingham South High School.

By 1968, Amato’s reputation as a talented singer was already well known by area musicians like Brodeur, and his band played all the area high school dances. While seeking a new drummer for Dave and the Essex, Amato came to one of the gigs for Brodeur’s band Black Death.

After the show, Amato asked Brodeur to join his band, much to his delight. Brodeur had seen Dave and the Essex perform before at a local battle of the bands. “They were amazing. They wore these blue tuxedos, you know they looked great. They won,” recollected Brodeur. “To be invited to play was just fantastic.”

They played together in Dave and the Essex from 1968-70. The band mostly covered Beatles’ songs. “We were just all so obsessed with the Beatles,” recalled Brodeur, a semi-retired IT services account manager. They would also cover other popular music of the time like the Young Rascals and the Rolling Stones.

in Champaign, Illinois. Although there has been a revolving lineup over the decades, the most recent iteration included Cronin, Hall, Amato, keyboardist Derek Hilland and drummer Bryan Hitt.

The Grammy-nominated band’s breakthrough album didn’t come until 1980’s “Hi Infidelity,” which featured the power ballad “Keep on Loving You” and other radio hits such as “Take it on the Run.” They scored another power ballad favorite in 1984 with “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”

Amato’s early bands Hudson resident Tom Brodeur served as the drummer in the bands Dave

An amazing voice Brodeur said Amato had an amazing voice and a knack for singing elaborate harmonies with fellow bandmate Mark Mariani. He said Amato wasn’t a great guitarist initially, but his vocals stood out. “He was driven from day one to always be wherever the best bands were. And he could do that because he had the singing ability. And of course every band around wanted him to be in it.”

Amato left Dave and the Essex to join a band called One Way Out. Once again Amato’s gifted harmonies led the way. “As a guy who knew what he wanted, he transformed that band,”

stated Brodeur.

Fast forward a few years and several bands later, and Brodeur had been playing in a Framingham-based cover band called Moonfast. They were a full-time working band earning $200 a week, meeting girls and having fun.

Brodeur eventually left Moonfast, and in 1976, Amato called Brodeur about a new band he was starting and asked if he’d be interested in becoming their drummer. The quartet, known as ICE, featured two guitarists and a bassist who all sang great harmonies. They mainly covered Queen songs but also Yes, Bad Company and other fashionable contemporary rock bands.

Their run lasted two years, until 1978. They worked full-time and were extremely popular in the nightclub scene, drawing big crowds, remembered Brodeur. The band’s stage performance even boasted eye-catching visuals such as colorful lights and dry ice smoke. “That was really a killer, exciting group.”

Amato next played in a Boston-based band called August with his friend Jimmy D’Angelo. Brodeur and the other ICE band members were devastated to lose someone of Amato’s prodigious talent. “Dave, there’s no question that he was the best guy in any band around,” he asserted.

Move to California

Ever the ambitious one, Amato always eyed his next move, shared Brodeur. After playing in August for two years, that next move became California.

Amato relocated to Los Angeles in 1980 to boost his career even further. He joined a cover band in the early ’80s, and Brodeur and other friends visited him in 1981 to watch him perform.

His first big break came when Jonathan Cain of Journey walked into a club one night and saw him play a show. Cain asked Amato to play on an album with his then wife, musician Tane McClure, related Brodeur.

Career takes off

Amato later ended up playing with artists such as Cher and Julian Lennon. In 1985, Amato joined Ted Nugent’s band, appearing on 1986’s “Little Miss Dangerous” and 1988’s “If You Can’t Lick ‘Em … Lick ‘Em,” and toured with the band. Brodeur said if you listen to the album “Little Miss Dangerous,” Amato sings all the vocals. “The whole record is just Dave singing, and we were just blown away because it was good, and it was like ‘holy cow, he’s playing with Ted Nugent,’” mused Brodeur.

When Nugent’s tour came to Worcester, Amato invited Brodeur and other former bandmates to watch them open for Aerosmith and brought them backstage. Then they all went out for breakfast with Amato and Nugent after the gig. “It was unbelievable watching it happen,” marveled Brodeur.

Around the same time as the latter Nugent album release, longtime REO

Speedwagon guitarist Gary Richrath left the band, and Amato had a chance to play a gig with them. Amato was ultimately hired in 1989 as their replacement lead guitarist and to sing backup harmonies.

“At that time they were kind of a has-been,” recollected Brodeur. “Their records had come and gone.” They had traded the arenas of yesteryear for smaller venues such as ballrooms. Soon thereafter, Brodeur and other mutual friends of Amato went to see REO Speedwagon play at the Hampton Beach Ballroom and met all the band members.

Classic rock nostalgia

REO Speedwagon later experienced a resurgence as a wave of nostalgia for classic rock bands in the late ‘90s spawned successful tours with the likes of Styx, Foreigner, Journey and others.

“Dave was never one to stay with a band, so he obviously finally found

his niche,” explained Brodeur. “I say that because Dave never wanted to be the main singer in a group — although he was the best singer. And so to be a side man in REO, where all he does is sing back-up harmonies — he doesn’t sing any lead vocals — is the perfect match for him, allowing him to focus on his guitar playing.”

Living a clean life

Brodeur described Amato as a gearhead who has always loved buying musical equipment. He has hosted YouTube videos called “Gear Candy” where he showcases his extensive vintage guitar and amp collection.

While Amato enjoys material possessions such as cars, he never took a drink or did any drugs to Brodeur’s knowledge and “lived a very clean life.”

“I’m sure Dave’s clean living had a lot to do with all the really good gigs that he ended up having,” he said.

Brodeur added that most importantly, Amato treats people well. He never forgot his Framingham roots and has provided his old band members and friends from those early days with tickets to REO’s concerts along with backstage passes, including to see them perform with rock icons Def Leppard.

“So you can’t find a better rock star than Dave,” he said.

Brodeur wrote an article for Amato’s website daveamato.com/ice.html around 20 years ago that chronicled their time together in those Framingham bands and reflected on how Amato’s immense talent, infectious energy and relentless pursuit of perfection were evident even then.

While Brodeur still keeps in touch with Amato, he said he hates to bug him, so he doesn’t call him often.

Amato still plays with the same band; they just can’t call it REO Speedwagon anymore due to the dispute with Bruce Hall, explained Brodeur. It’s now known as Kevin Cronin Band — The Voice and Songs of REO Speedwagon.

Dave Amato’s early band Dave and the Essex lasted from 1968 to 1970 and mostly focused on playing cover versions of songs by the Beatles, the Young Rascals, and the Rolling Stones. (Photo/Courtesy of Tom Brodeur)

Quincy native Charles W. Sweeney flew both atomic bomb missions in WWII

By MichAel PernA Jr contriButing Writer

QUINCY – Today the name may have faded from most people’s memories. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find anyone except history buffs who might recognize the name of Charles W. Sweeney. What today’s citizens don’t realize is that then Major Charles W. Sweeney, a Quincy native, was not only the sole aviator to fly on both atomic bomb missions in World War II, which happened 80 years ago last month. He was actually the pilot of the B-29 Superfortress named “Bock’s Car” that dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.

Sweeney had trained for these missions under the supervision of Colonel Paul Tibbets in the 509th Composite Group. The atomic missions and all related activities were highly classified, falling under the code name of “Silverplate.”

Complicated mission

After piloting the B-29 “Great Artiste,”

which was used as the instrumentation and observation aircraft on the August 6, 1945, mission that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, Major Sweeney was selected to pilot “Bock’s Car” on the mission to attack Nagasaki.

Despite a faulty fuel pump, a missed rendezvous with one of the support aircraft, and cloud cover over the primary target, a city named Kokura that caused the target to be switched to Nagasaki, Sweeney persisted in the attack. Nagasaki was bombed with the second atomic bomb, nicknamed “Fat Man.” The resulting destruction caused the deaths of an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 inhabitants, and severely damaged Japan’s war industry.

“Bock’s Car” barely made it safely back to the airfield on Iwo Jima due to a shortage of fuel, with two of its four engines quitting as the aircraft landed. Despite some calls for Sweeney to be disciplined for pursuing the attack while knowing of the limitations caused by the fuel pump issues, no adverse action was taken — he

actually received the Silver Star Medal for his actions on the mission.

Post-war career

Josephine L. Veglia, Esq.

After the war was over, he returned to his home state of Massachusetts and became a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, eventually becoming the organization’s commander. He retired in 1979 as a major general.

It was years later that I met Ma-

Quincy native Charles W. Sweeney was the pilot of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki in 1945, that led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.

jor General Sweeney in person. I had served under his command during the 1970s but had never gotten to speak to him. This event occurred in the 1990s, when one of his sons, who was an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, decided to get commissioned in the Air National Guard in Worcester. The general decided to administer the oath of office to his son.

As one of the unit members that had served under General Sweeney,

I was asked to escort him around the base until the swearing-in ceremony.

I distinctly remember the day — the general, by now a portly older gentleman with gray hair and a cane, dressed in a gray suit came walking up to the entrance to the building accompanied by a stately older woman.

I greeted him in the entryway, saying “Sir, welcome to the base. I’m sure you don’t remember me, but I served under you back in the 1970s.” He shook my hand and said, “Of course I remember you — Sergeant Perna” (as he looked at my last name on my uniform’s name plate). He then introduced me to his “Good friend, Miss Murphy.” It turned out that Miss Murphy was indeed his long-time friend, the general having been divorced for many years.

As his son’s paperwork hadn’t been completed yet, I invited them to sit down and have a cold drink while we waited for the ceremony to take place.

Somber conversation After being seated, I asked if the general would be open to talking about his historic missions, as I was a long-time military history buff. He quickly agreed, but his demeanor changed from a talkative, outgoing older gentleman to a more serious, pensive person.

It was something we had to do. The Japanese refused to surrender despite their military being defeated and their country being destroyed. They were launching kamikaze suicide attacks and training civilians to resist to the death.

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He answered my questions, making it clear that even after so many years, he fully supported the dropping of the atomic bombs. He said, “It was something we had to do. The Japanese refused to surrender despite their military being defeated and their country being destroyed,” he explained. “They were launching kamikaze suicide attacks and training civilians to resist to the death. We would have lost many thousands of our young men if we had to invade the Japanese homeland,” Sweeney noted. “We knew we had to succeed in our mission, as we had been briefed that the United States didn’t have any more atomic bombs to drop on Japan. It was now or never, that’s why I chose to pursue the mission despite several setbacks.”

When asked if he had any misgivings later in life, he said that he had none and given the same circumstances would have done it all over again. It was then time for the swearing-in to take place. After the ceremony, I escorted the general to the door. He shook my hand and bid me goodbye. He and his friend Miss Murphy slowly walked down the sidewalk, marking the conclusion of an unforgettable afternoon spent with a part of history.

Major General Charles Sweeney, USAF (Retired) passed away in 2004 at the age of 84.

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Major Sweeney’s plane, “Bock’s Car,” barely made it back to the airfield on Iwo Jima after dropping the atomic bomb “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, Japan at the end of World War II.

By sAnDi BArrett contriButing Writer

SCITUATE – The pretty coastal town of Scituate offers a mix of beautiful beaches, on the water activities, and delicious eats. Visit for the day, or book a rental and enjoy a week or more in this idyllic South Shore town.

Seven beaches to choose from There are seven public beaches in Scituate. You will surely find one to suit your toes-in-the-sand getaway requirements.

Humarock Beach is a public beach that stretches across a peninsula bordering Scituate and Marshfield. Humarock sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the South River. The gently curving beach front is long, perfect for a stroll in the sand. There is a stretch of pebbles to cross before you can secure a sandy landing spot.

Peggotty Beach is a classic New England stretch of compact sand making it easy to walk the half-mile long tide line. The wide beach is a favorite for families offering swimmers a somewhat gentle surf.

Minot Beach, on Massachusetts Bay, is the perfect spot to explore during low tide while taking in views of Minot Ledge Light. At high tide, the beach can be narrow, but the Well Rock is fun to climb and the tide pools are filled with ocean life.

Other Scituate beaches include Egypt Beach, Museum Beach, North Scituate Beach, and Sand Hills Beach.

In general, Scituate beaches have some public parking lots and limited on-street parking. The lots typically

Humarock Beach is a public beach that stretches across a peninsula bordering Scituate and Marshfield. (Photo/Sandi Barrett)

require a town-issued parking sticker during the summer months. Leashed dogs are allowed on the beaches year round, but are prohibited from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the summer season.

A range of dining options

The cuisine options in Scituate run the gamut from classic seafood fare to fun and eclectic eateries.

Untold Brewing offers sublimely crafted ales and lagers to taste test your way through the menu. If you prefer a non-hoppy option, try one of their hard seltzers; the strawberry basil (strawberry, basil, lime, seltzer, tajin rim) is summer in a glass. While they don’t have a food menu, you are welcome to bring your own. Stop by one of the on-site food trucks or neighborhood restaurants to round out your evening.

Newly opened, The Salt Marsh Winery offers diners New England-style inspired dishes with a farm/sea to table flare. It’s all about the food, libations, setting, and, of course, a great glass of wine.

Take-away pizza from Polcari’s at the Bridgeway Inn is the perfect family beach dinner. It is just on the Marshfield side of the bridge from Humarock Beach making it the perfect location for a grab-and-go beach dinner. Of course, dining in is always a great take — check out the lazy man’s lobster pie for an iconic coastal treat.

Another take-away gem is the Voyage Irish Pub just steps from the entrance to Humarock Beach. They offer sandwiches and burgers that

make a fun and easy beach dinner. The classic Irish pub dine-in concept will transport you to “the old country” quicker than you can recite you dad’s favorite Irish limerick. The Guinness beef pot pie is a standout dish for the Irish stout and beef lover.

In downtown Scituate is the Salt Society, a casual dining restaurant offering delicious upscale dishes. The menu includes a wide variety of beautifully crafted sushi along with an interesting array of appetizers. The menu has a good selection of alternative dishes like the pepita crusted salmon and cod cioppino to round out the choices.

The Mill Wharf is set on Scituate Harbor and offers iconic coastal New England dishes. The menu is loaded with delicious seafood: oysters, clam chowder, an assortment of delicately fried fish and clam rolls. The Scituate lobster is a seafood lover’s dream dining adventure.

Local adventures

Labrador Fishing Charters has a variety of on-the-water adventures including whale-watching, fishing charters and fishing trips for families. The dog-friendly company specializes in both in-shore and offshore fishing. Imagine chasing after tuna, shark, cod, and haddock. You can even try your hand at lobstering, a true New England fishing experience.

Prefer to sail away? Then Peace ‘N Quiet Sailing Charters is the right company for you. Sail along the Scituate area coastline in the afternoon to catch a summer ocean breeze. Its sun-

set sail will be the highlight of your South Shore getaway.

Add a little wellness to your coastal adventure at the Scituate Salt Cave. Immerse your body and soul in a cavern filled with Himalayan salt. As you recline in a zero-gravity chair or relax on the crushed salt floor, you can feel

your mind clear and your muscles relax. It is a fascinating, meditative wellness experience.

Explore the Massachusetts South Shore in the town of Scituate and soak up all the beach life, minus the crowds after Labor Day, before the summer weather fades to winter.

In downtown Scituate Salt Society is a casual dining restaurant offering delicious upscale dishes, including beautifully crafted sushi.

(Photo/Sandi Barrett)

Scituate Harbor is a well-protected harbor serving both commercial fishing and pleasure boats and well worth a stroll around to enjoy the beautiful views. (Photo/Sandi Barrett)

Johnny Appleseed is the apple of Leominster’s

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

LEOMINSTER – Several states can boast of having some of the largest apple orchards in America, but they did not have Johnny Appleseed. Born Jonathan Chapman in 1774 in Leominster, the pioneer nurseryman introduced trees grown with apple seeds to large portions of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario and the northern counties of West Virginia.

He sold or gave away thousands of seedlings to pioneers who were producing apple orchards. Appleseed lived a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from place to place on foot and often sleeping outdoors in the wild. He would venture into uninhabited areas to plant trees along specific routes in hopes that settlers would soon follow.

Route 2 rest area tribute

Motorists traveling westbound along Route 2 in the Leominster/Lancaster area will find one of the most impressive, above average travel centers in the country. The Johnny Appleseed Visitor’s Center is more than a rest area. Visitors are greeted by a gigantic red apple as well as a bronze sculpture of a young Johnny Appleseed holding a basket full of apples before entering the building. There are 91 apple trees located on the premises, including three Rambo trees that are direct descendants of the last remaining tree known to be planted by Johnny Appleseed. Autumn months mean having the chance to score some free crisp apples. Sparkling cider, donuts and other treats are also available for purchase during this time.

In 1966, the U. S. Postal Service issued a five-cent stamp commemorating Leominster native Johnny Appleseed.

vals. Speaking of festivals and celebrations, the first Johnny Appleseed Days was held in California in 1888. Suffice it to say, Massachusetts also shares the legend with other states, most notably Ohio which is where he lived out most of his remaining years. The first recorded Johnny Appleseed Festival was held in 1968 in Lisbon, Ohio.

Johnny Appleseed Days is celebrated in dozens of states during the month of September. Some vendors dress in 1800s attire, cook over an open fire, and serve food that probably was available during Appleseed’s lifetime. The Johnny Appleseed Festival is held in downtown Leominster each fall, featuring hundreds of vendors including food trucks, crafts and live music.

The center is also stocked with a wide array of books suitable for all ages — from coloring books for kids to more serious historical volumes for adults. A display case serves as home to an assortment of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia, vintage sports equipment, regional historic and cultural items and agriculture tools. Of course, being a visitor center the facility provides pamphlets with information on the region along with a staff to answer questions. Inside the gift shop is where consumers will find local items, including jams, jellies, candy, and apple-related products.

Festivals across the nation

Throughout the year, visitors can catch a glimpse of the folk hero by way of a local re-enactor who is known to chat up visitors and stop by fairs and festi-

Even though most fruit trees have a life span of only 15 to 45 years, there is one last-known survivor of Johnny Appleseed’s legacy. This ancient apple tree lives on a farm in Nova, Ohio, where he is believed to have planted an entire orchard of Rambo apple trees in 1830.

Later life and legacy

In 1819, Appleseed was nearly killed in an accident in Ohio. One morning, a tree fell on him while picking crops, catching his neck in the fork of the branches. Eight-year-old John White found him struggling and cut the tree down, saving Appleseed’s life.

There have been schools, minor league baseball clubs, literary works and musicals written about Appleseed. In 1966, the U. S. Postal Service issued a fivecent stamp commemorating him. Once an owner of 1,200 acres of planted land, the famous nurseryman died from exposure in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1845.

The Remains: ‘America’s Lost Band’ from Boston

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

BOSTON – When the Remains singer-guitarist Barry Tashian visited the U.K. in 1963, he cited various British bands as his impetus for assembling his own band. “I’d made a trip to England the summer before we got together,” he said to the Music Museum of New England. “I saw what The Rolling Stones were doing with old blues songs and saw The Beatles and the Kinks. I thought, ‘That’s great, I could do that,’ so I came back to Boston very excited and asked these guys if they wanted to form a band.” These guys included Boston University (BU) buddies Bill Briggs, Vern Miller and Chip Damiani who started out playing for the school’s fraternity parties and at Kenmore Square nightclub The Rat.

Rapid rise

His decision led to the Remains becoming one of the first rock and roll bands to earn national recognition coming out of Boston. The band signed with Epic Records and by the next year they had two regional hit singles. They had also performed before 14 million viewers on “The Ed Sullivan Show” Christmas special. That plum gig was thanks to one of Tashian’s former BU roommates who was the son of an executive

at Lorillard Tobacco, one of the show’s biggest sponsors.

Another one of the highlights of the Remains’ career is when they opened for the Beatles in 1966. That same year,

Failing forward

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

~ Thomas Edison

By MAriAnne lyons Delorey, Ph.D.

Unless you are living under a rock, you are aware of the demographic issues of an aging society. The birth rate is at an all-time low and the burden of supporting more older people falls on fewer and fewer working adults.

I, however, am not a pessimist about this issue. Technological changes such as cameras and fall detectors will enable us to keep an eye on our frailer elders without the need for more labor-intensive care. Artificial Intelligence can help us keep elders motivated and intellectually active longer at a low cost. And, we can keep elders in the work place longer with additional supports that help them with more physical tasks or the need to stay abreast of changing regulations and infrastructure like computers and technology.

Anyone who has recently bought technology knows that most computers and cell phones are only really meant to last a few years. This is intentional — the manufacturers want you to buy new equipment every few years so they intentionally slow down the processing of older systems. Even if they didn’t do that, however, the technology changes so frequently that using older systems can be a security risk and/or mean that you

Boston garage rock band the Remains appeared before millions of TV viewers on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and opened for the Beatles during their 1966 U.S. tour.

(Photo/Wikimedia Commons)

would never be as big as the Beatles plus he felt like the flame had burned down without their original drummer, Chip Damiani, who left the group shortly before their tour began. Vern Miller went on to form other local bands with one featuring a young Donna Summer. Tashian and his wife Holly moved to Nashville and embarked on a career as a folk and bluegrass duo.

Comeback and documentary In 2006, the former members reconnected and toured Europe and in 2008 the documentary “America’s Lost Band: The Story of The Remains” premiered at the Boston Film Festival. However, licensing issues involving the use of the Beatles’ material and the Remains’ guest spot on “The Ed Sullivan Show” prevented the film from being distributed beyond its festival appearance. Now, their 2008 short film has been reworked, featuring their 2006 reunion and is streaming through Connecticut Public Television.

and after only two years with a brush with rock and roll stardom, a handful of singles and one self-titled album, the Remains disbanded. According to Tashian, band members realized they

Tashian’s son Daniel, a songwriter and producer, recently served as a co-producer on Ringo Starr’s latest album “Look-Up.” According to Holly Tashian in an interview with The Boston Globe, their son asked the iconic drummer if he remembered when the Remains opened for the Beatles for

The Remains | 17

do not get to use some newer applications. All in all, the plan is for you to upgrade every few years.

I have seen this happen to people, too, especially people who retire from the work force and then want to volunteer or get a part time job to keep them busy. Regulations change. The way things are done changes. Some people find themselves with the desire to help or do more, but a skill set that has left them behind.

There is an older man in one of our buildings who is itching to be helpful. He was an electrical engineer during his working years. As we have been upgrading our systems, he is interested in what we are doing. He would love to be considered a resource, but the fact is, we can’t use him. For starters, if he gives us bad advice, he is not covered by liability insurance, so we have to hire engineers anyway. Those engineers are not keen on having him poke around their work. In the end, we have to decline his offers of help. What a shame for us, for him, and for our society.

However, while knowledge, especially technical knowledge, does change over time, wisdom, that is to say the understanding of how to use knowledge, grows in older adults.

A Harvard Business School Professor, Amy Edmondson, recently wrote about this issue in her book, “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well.” She writes that intelligent failures help us move forward by testing hypotheses. She writes that some failures help us by leading toward eventual success, especially if they test one new variable at a time or are based on a hypothesis.

This idea leads us back to our older engineer. We have learned that the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP — a division of AmeriCorp) is effective at helping retirees get back into the workforce or community service. At a time when we are in a staffing crunch because of the loss of migrant workers, this program should be supported and grown.

If we are to fail, let’s fail forward to support our growing workforce challenges, especially as they pertain to caring for the aged.

Marianne Delorey, Ph.D., is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www. colonyretirementhomes.com.

Birdsong and other beliefs that work

By JAnice linDsAy contriButing Writer

Every summer morning, around 4:30, he warbled his sweet song, atop a tree at the edge of the woods near our house. He sang a complex aria of short warbles, trills, and long warbles. The song took five or six seconds. He waited a song length, then started again. And repeated. And repeated. For two hours.

Most birds wake around sunrise. The male offers a few refrains saying, “Good morning, everyone. I’m still here. Leave my family and me alone, go about your business, and I’ll go about mine.” Then he stops.

But my persistent little friend had apparently assumed that the sun would not rise unless he sang until everybody (including me) was up and about. From his point of view, he was right: He sang, the sun came up, the world rotated for one more day.

Lest you think his idea was silly, consider our own quirky beliefs. If I wear my lucky shirt, I’ll win the game. For a happy marriage, on her wedding day a bride should wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, and a

penny in her shoe.

I am reminded of — and here I must be a bit more indelicate than I usually am in these columns — red underwear. More about that later.

I learned to drive when I was in my mid-20s, on a dear old rattletrap with an automatic transmission. This was back when buyers always had a choice of automatic or standard shift; in other words, back before cars became smarter than drivers.

Life went on, I drove automatics, until about 15 years later when I was driving a lot and needed a new car. A five-speed Honda Civic would be more economical than an automatic, and I would have more control of the car on icy roads. I ordered the car before I knew how to drive it.

I practiced on my husband’s five-speed Nissan. I had a terrible time managing the eye/hand/foot coordination necessary to inspire the car to achieve a state of continuous forward motion.

One afternoon, I had to drive from Marlborough to Boston, a good time to practice gear-shifting. On the Mass Pike, I approached a toll booth behind a creeping line of cars. I had to stop. The cars ahead of me moved. I tried. The Nissan jumped forward and lurched to a halt. They moved forward again. The Nissan repeated its embarrassing performance.

Finally, half-a-dozen car lengths lay, empty, between the toll booth and me. The toll-taker left the toll booth, sauntered to my car, and said kindly, “I’ll tell you what. You pay the toll here, and when you get this thing started, you can sail right through.” I did, and I did.

I was determined that this would not happen again. I would no longer travel on the Mass Pike. No, I actually determined that I would learn to do this.

That’s when I remembered my red underwear.

I didn’t normally wear red underwear, I don’t remember how I acquired it, and I will spare you descriptions. But I thought, “If I wear my red underwear, I will seem like Wonder Woman, courageous and in control. The car will respect that confidence and respond accordingly.”

So I did, and it did.

When my Honda arrived, it immediately sensed the self-assurance and it behaved. The red underwear had done its job. I no longer needed it.

So don’t mock my little bird friend for believing that his two-hour song will cause the world to continue spinning. How do we know it doesn’t?

And buy yourself some red underwear.

Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

At Dinky’s Blue Belle Diner, breakfast served with a side of community

By evAn WAlsh contriButing Writer

SHREWSBURY – “Dinky” isn’t usually a compliment. But it is here.

Back in 1992, when Shrewsbury native Bruce Trotto was searching for spots to open a restaurant, he came across a property located on the corner of Clinton Street and Holden Street. By Trotto’s own admission, the building wasn’t particularly impressive. It actually wasn’t much of anything at all.

“My father walked in here and said, ‘This is a dinky little place,’” Trotto remembers. “And that just stuck with me.”

A Shrewsbury institution

As small as the space may have been, over the course of 33 years, Trotto turned it into a Shrewsbury institution. As decades have passed, the hole-inthe-wall restaurant has become a centripetal force for the area’s residents — a spot for the community to congregate and enjoy an excellent breakfast.

“It’s very satisfying. And that’s why I keep doing it: It’s so much fun. You’re

never alone. If you want to be alone, get an office. But I’m a chatty guy. People have been coming since 1992, our regulars. Now, I’m watching families bringing in their kids, and they’re bringing in their kids,” said Trotto. “We have so much freakin’ fun here.”

Fun has been the name of the game since the start. An electrician by trade, Trotto fell into the food industry by accident — “mainly so I could eat,” he said. Dinky’s originally opened as “Din-

Shrewsbury native Bruce Trotto has owned Dinky’s Blue Belle Diner in his hometown for 33 years. (Photo/Evan Walsh)

ky’s Dogs and Cones,” a glorified takeout window serving only quick bites. Months later, the spot started serving Trotto’s favorite meal: breakfast.

“I love breakfast. That’s my thing. When we’re on vacation, [I ask] ‘Is there a breakfast place nearby?’” he said.

And so his breakfast empire was born. A menu filled with morning time staples and specials — “mostly the stuff I like,” Trotto jokes — was created, and, because Trotto was involved,

it also featured a fair amount of humor and sarcasm. Patrons can try the “Rocco’s Ham I Am Omelet,” named after a favorite customer. “Stephanie’s Panwich” is a pancake sandwich named after Trotto’s daughter, and Flavio’s Sausage, Egg, and Cheese is named after the cook.

There’s also a hot dog — topped with banana peppers and relish — named after Trotto’s 15-year-old canine, Alice’s Wild-Blueberry French Toast, and yes, Trotto said, “We’ll put just about anything in a pancake.”

Success fueled expansion After over 15 years operating out of the “dinky” 35-seat building, Trotto decided it was time to expand. He started drawing up plans for an addition when an idea crossed his mind: “A diner would be cool.” Soon, he found Worcester Lunch Co. Dining Car #814, otherwise known as the Blue Belle Diner.

Built in 1947, the diner had operated on Chandler Street in Worcester, later moving to Ragsdale in ShrewsDinky’s | 19

•Three

•Assistance

•

•Laundry

•Safety

•Dedicated,

The gruesome true story behind the inspiration for the novel ‘Moby Dick’

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

NANTUCKET – Herman Melville drew from his own experience as a sailor for his epic 1851 novel “Moby Dick,” but he didn’t stop there.

The novel presents the New Bedford-bound sailor Ishmael’s narrative of Ahab’s (captain of whaling ship Pequod) thirst for vengeance against Moby Dick, the great white sperm whale that bit off his leg. And it turns out the true story behind the novel is even more gruesome.

Visit to Nantucket Melville visited Nantucket, the home port of his fictional protagonist, in 1852 to lay eyes on a village he had previously only imagined as he wrote “Moby Dick.” He met with 60-year-old George Pollard Jr., the former captain of the Essex, the ship that had been attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in 1820 and the real-life incident which inspired the novel. The classic tale touches briefly on the ordeal of a ship being sunk by a whale, as only a few hundred pages can

encapsulate. However, Pollard shared the full story of his horror voyage with fellow captains and a missionary named George Bennet.

In 1820, then-29-year-old Pollard spent 92 days at sea in a leaking boat

“Country Living

the City”

with no food, forcing the surviving yet angry crew into cannibalism after getting smashed head-on by an 85-feet whale. Pollard’s 23-year-old first mate Owen Chase, who was also from Nantucket, was the first to spot it while making repairs on the Essex. The whale passed underneath the ship then resurfaced again. This time, barreling towards the ship again at great speed, it smashed into the hull, causing extensive damage and water to rush in.

Pollard, who had been out whaling on a smaller boat, saw the Essex in distress from a distance. Soon, all of the whaling boats carrying crew members returned to the ruined ship. In all, there were three boats and 20 men. Pollard believed the closest land was the Marquesas Islands and the Society Islands, but Chase and the crew convinced him that the islands were inhabited by cannibals. So, with hopes of catching trade winds, they tried to head south even though the distance was farther.

Madness, death, and cannibalism

The men suffered through dehydration, a raging sun, saltwater-saturated bread and madness. By December 1820, the boats took on more water and were surrounded by more whales. On Chase’s boat, one man went mad. What came next was even more maddening. Low on rations, the crew separated the limbs from the man’s body, tossed his heart into the sea and roast-

ed his remaining organs for food to eat.

As more sailors died, their bodies met with the same fate. One the most tragic moments that occurred was men drawing lots to sacrifice their bodies, which was a custom of the sea during the time. Sadly, Pollard’s teenage cousin, Owen Coffin, whose mother Pollard promised he would look after, drew the lot. Even though Pollard offered to step in for the young lad, Coffin insisted upon allowing himself to be shot in the head so that his body could sustain the starving survivors.

Rescue and later life

One boat disappeared and Chase’s and Pollard’s boats lost sight of each other. Only eight men out of 20 survived and returned to Nantucket where they mostly received a welcome. However, Nancy Coffin was too distraught over her son’s death and the manner in which he died. She could not abide being in Pollard’s presence.

Pollard captained a second ship, Two Brothers, but after it shipwrecked two years later, no owner trusted him as a captain again. He lived out his remaining years as a night watchman. At one point, Herman Melville lived in Pittsfield as well as the once bustling whaling town of New Bedford where tourists still visit for its many attractions. The New Bedford home previously owned by Melville’s sister Catherine Melville Hoadley sold in 2024.

Author Herman Melville drew upon a real-life attack on a whaling ship by a sperm whale for his 1851 novel “Moby Dick.”

The crew of the Nantucket whaling ship Essex was sunk by a sperm whale in 1820, driving the crew to madness, murder, and cannibalism as they drifted for months in the South Pacific in smaller boats, hoping to be rescued.

Gone are the days of Boston department store charm schools

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

BOSTON – These days, there is a long list of life coaches and influencers who provide advice, techniques, tips, etc., for the betterment of society or life skills. When it comes to etiquette and table manners, the most foremost expert on the matter was American author and socialite Emily Post. Since her time, there has been a roster of debutant balls, etiquette, charm and glamor schools and/or courses.

Department stores teaching etiquette

With Boston being a center for the culturally refined, it stands to reason the city has a history of educating women in the art of making an impression in polite society. Moreover, some local department stores were big proponents of the etiquette movement well into the 1970s since this was a great way for stores to promote their brands.

Beginning in the 1930s, R. H. White Department store (bought by Filene’s in 1928) offered a short course in the “field of charm” which was taught by a visiting expert. By the 1940s, Jordan Marsh launched the Marsha Jordan Fashion Board or “fashion council” while Chandler’s began the Junior Charm School for young ladies.

Perhaps more memorable for some are Jordan Marsh’s Marsha Jordan contests and the Marsha Jordan Girls. The contests, which lasted into the 1970s, were hugely popular for pre-teen and teenage girls and was split into three divisions for girls of different age groups — Connie CutUp, Jan Jordan and Marsha Jordan. Girls from the area would compete to be the store’s youth fashion spokesperson for an entire year and were chosen to serve on a fashion board

From the 1930s to the 1970s, several Boston department stores offered “charm schools” to teach young ladies etiquette.

along with being given a chance to model clothing at events during their time of service.

Marsha Jordan Girls reminisce

Young females were also afforded the opportunity to join any of the three Jordan Marsh clubs depending on their age, had access to fashion shows, beauty tips and other offers to help bring out their best. Several women took to Facebook to share their own stories when asked if they were a Marsha Jordan Girl.

Adelle Sumner wrote:

“You bet I was. Got my first charge card there, I still have it.”

Janice Maloney Abdalla added:

“My mother worked for Jordan Marsh in the 50s. She was a fashion coordinator. She did the window display of a replica of Grace Kelly’s wedding gown during that time and also escorted Debbie Reynolds around when she was doing a promotion at

The Remains: ‘America’s Lost Band’ from Boston

The Remains | from page 13 three weeks to which Starr replied, “he did not remember anything.”

In her explanation to the Globe about her husband’s disappointment in Damiani’s decision to leave the band, Holly added, “People think there’s some mystery around why the band broke up. Without him, it just wasn’t the same,” she explained. “Barry also saw what it was like to be so famous, like the Beatles, and he just said, ‘This is not a way to live.’ It’s totally understandable.”

Bruce Springsteen’s longtime manager and rock critic, Jon Landau,

assisted in immortalizing the Remains when he wrote about their breakup (quoting a line from the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe in Magic?”), “They were how you told a stranger about rock ‘n’ roll.”

Barry Tashian, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and Vern Miller are the only surviving members of the Remains. Rudolph “Chip” Damiani, who ran a home improvement company, passed away in 2014 of a cerebral hemorrhage. Briggs, a car buff who was a longtime Porsche salesman, died a few days after his birthday in March 2024.

step further with author Marjabelle Young Stewart’s course entitled, “White Gloves and Party Manners.” The $20, six-week course offered girls aged five to 11 special lessons in the ways of polite young society, a special guidebook, and a pair of white gloves. Stewart, also known as the “Queen of Couth,” taught several U.S. presidents about the art of social graces.

Of course, many of these courses ended with a graduation ceremony and certificate. Marianne Tay wrote, “I did both the Filene’s and Jordan’s Charm schools. I still have the certificate from Filene’s from 1968. I fondly remember the pink hatboxes from Jordan’s — all our materials were given to us in a big pink hatbox, and we had to bring it with us for every class. I am not ‘model material’ but it was great fun.”

the store. She has a lot of stories from the time she worked there.”

Meghan Martel Reid wrote:

“My mother was a Marsha Jordan girl!!”

Other stores follow suit Filene’s and Gilchrist followed suit with their own versions of a charm school and R. H. Stearns took it one

In “Confessions of a Marsha Jordan Girl,” writer Ann Hood recalls wearing the cranberry blouse with gray and white striped pants and jacket uniforms and the practice of standing on pedestals at home. She remembers a training program that helped women become more polished personally and professionally before going off to college or entering the workforce.

Sponsored by Chief Joseph Robert J. Terkanian, P.O. Box 808 • Northborough,

Worcester native George Bancroft was a noted 19th century statesman and author

By MichAel PernA Jr contriButing Writer

WORCESTER – George Bancroft was born in Worcester on October 3, 1800. His family had been in Massachusetts since the year 1632. His father, Aaron Bancroft, was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, a well-known clergyman and author, writing a biography of George Washington.

Educational prodigy

George attended Phillips Exeter Academy as a boy, then entered Harvard College at the age of thirteen, graduating at the age of seventeen in 1817.

He then continued his education at the Universities of Gottingen and Berlin in Germany. He earned his doctorate degree from the University of Gottingen at the age of 20. He completed his education by touring Europe, where he sought out several noted educators.

Upon returning to the United States in 1822, Bancroft served as a tutor at Harvard before becoming disillusioned with that institution. He began writing, which would become a lifelong passion.

Political career

He went on to found the Round Hill School in Northampton, before entering politics in 1837, when he was appointed as Collector of Customs in Boston. After a failed bid to be governor of Massachusetts, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Navy in 1845, then had a short stint as the Secretary of War. While in that position, he founded the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and played a key role in forcing Mexican forces out of what is now the state of Texas and the occupation of California.

In 1846, Bancroft was named Minister Plenipotentiary to England. He went on to serve as a senior diplomat to both Germany and Great Britain. His appointment ended with the election of Zachary Taylor

as president. Upon his return to the United States in 1849 he left government service and moved to New York.

After initially being critical of President Abraham Lincoln (he described him as “without brains” and “ignorant, self-willed, and…surrounded by men some of whom are almost as ignorant as himself,”) he later became a supporter, urging him to abolish slavery and encouraging him in the writing of the Gettysburg Address. In fact, he was selected to deliver Lincoln’s eulogy in 1866.

In 1867, he returned to public service, being appointed as the U.S. minister to Prussia — he remained in Germany for seven years, spanning the

Franco-Prussian War and the unification of Germany. He was then appointed minister to the German Empire by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1871. His efforts in negotiating agreements between a number of German states became known as the Bancroft Treaties.

Bancroft returned to the United States, where he lived in Washington, D.C. He spent his summers in Newport, Rhode Island at a spot called Rose Cliff — which later became the site of Rosecliff mansion. He was married twice, first to Sarah Dwight, who came from a wealthy Springfield family. They were married in 1827 and had two sons before she passed away in 1837. He later married Mrs. Elizabeth Davis Bliss, who was a widow with two children. They later had a daughter together.

Later work and legacy

Bancroft had a deeply rooted interest in history. He was an accomplished author — perhaps his most well-known work was entitled “History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent,” which detailed the country’s history up to the year 1789. He also authored a comprehensive history of colonial America, starting in 1834 — he revised this work several times over the course of time.

In recognition of Bancroft’s many achievements, the city of Worcester paid tribute to him in a number of ways — the Bancroft School was named after him; the 56-foot high Bancroft tower, erected in 1900, still stands in Salisbury Park, where it was erected in Bancroft’s honor by Stephen Salisbury III; the former Bancroft Hotel in downtown Worcester was a popular destination for many years, with visitors that included Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower and entertainers including Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

George Bancroft — a distinguished Worcester native, passed away in January 1891 although his legacy still lives on.

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Worcester native George Bancroft, shown here circa 1860, had a long career as a statesman, author, and historian.

How Salem got ‘Bewitched’

By shAron oliver contriButing Writer

SALEM – Salem’s grim history of witch trials and myths about burnings at the stake is legendary. Executions did occur and the city, once one of New England’s wealthiest towns thanks to its port, suffered a tarnished reputation and fell on hard times due to the controversy. Residents managed to disassociate themselves from their Puritan ancestors for centuries. When playwright Arthur Miller visited to do research for “The Crucible” in 1952, he complained that locals refused to help him and he could not get anyone to say anything about it, as told in the book “Salem: Place, Myth, and Memory.”

Elizabeth Montgomery played fictional witch Samantha Stevens on the fantasy TV sitcom “Bewitched” from 1964 to 1972.

(Photo/ Wikimedia Commons)

Belle Diner, breakfast served with a side of community

Hollywood comes to Salem By 1970, however, something magical happened that stirred the winds of change. The New England town may be home of the infamous witch trials, but there was a famous fictional witch by the name of Samantha Stephens. She had been captivating a television audience since 1964 in the fantasy sitcom “Bewitched” and in 1970, the cast and crew came to Salem.

Due to a studio fire on the series set, Hollywood came to Salem to film several episodes of the popular sitcom wherein Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and husband Darrin (Dick Sargent) travel to Salem after she is summoned there for a witch’s meeting. On their very first day, Samantha

bury. It was used as a lawn ornament, put on eBay, and sold again and again before Trotto got his hands on it. After the diner was parked on Clinton Street, Trotto’s operation became slightly less dinky. With a new kitchen, new bathrooms, and a new building connecting the diner to the original, Dinky’s Blue Belle Diner was born.

“At first, I didn’t realize what I was doing. It just kind of happened. Next thing, people are regulars,” said Trotto.

And those regulars don’t just come for the food, they come for the atmosphere, which can best be described as eclectic. Dozens of license plates, toy cars, and souvenirs line the diner, and Dinky’s-branded merch is atop almost every shelf. In the lobby, there’s a massive, 20-foot-long acoustic guitar. What is that doing there?

It’s all by design: “It’s kind of or-

ganized chaos. That’s what I like. Everything is kind of mish-mash,” said Trotto.

Unique atmosphere

“It’s the food and the atmosphere. I think you need both. I’ve been to plenty of places with good food but a terrible atmosphere — and I just won’t go again. Then you have the places with meh food, but the atmosphere is awesome. I love places with something unique,” added Trotto. “I think that’s what you have here.”

Over the decades, the menu has grown, the building has changed, and generations of families have come and gone — but the heart of Dinky’s has stayed the same. It’s not the massive pancakes, the interesting decor, or the cleverly named sandwiches that make it worth it for Trotto.

“It’s the people. That’s the best thing about it,” he said.

BROOKHAVEN ASSISTED LIVING

Dinky’s | from page 15

A 1947 Worcester Lunch Car Co. diner became an addition to the original Dinky’s in Shrewsbury when it expanded after nearly 20 years in business.

(Photo/Evan Walsh)

How Salem got ‘Bewitched’

Bewitched | from page 19 is met with trouble during a tour of the House of Seven Gables when an antique bed-warmer begins following her around.

The Season 7 “Salem Saga” episode titles include “To Go or Not to Go, That Is the Question: Part 1,” “The Salem Saga: Part 1” (The couple stays at the Hawthorne Motor Hotel in Salem for five episodes), “Salem, Here We Come: Part 2” (partially filmed in Salem), “Darrin on a Pedestal” (filmed in Gloucester), “Paul Revere Rides Again,” “Samantha’s Bad Day in Salem” (filmed partially on location in Salem), and “Samantha’s Old Salem Trip.” Footage of the Hawthorne Hotel and other iconic landmarks can be seen in various episodes.

Adams native Stacy Schiff, author of “The Witches: Salem, 1692” wrote in the New York Times about Samantha’s journey back to Salem. “Accused of witchcraft in old Salem, she winds up manacled, on trial for her life. She admits to the charge,” Schiff wrote. “But she announces to the courtroom that she will also prove that no 17th-century suspect was a witch [...] ‘How can you imprison someone who can vanish before your very eyes?’ she demands. Firmly she sets our Puritan

forebears straight: ‘The people that you persecuted were guiltless. They were mortals, just like yourselves. You are the guilty,’ she informs the old Salemites, before she vanishes, at long last clearing the air.”

Tourism boom

The event created a significant economic boom and historical awareness

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A statue commemorating actress Elizabeth Montgomery, who played fictional witch Samantha Stevens on the fantasy TV sitcom

“Bewitched” was unveiled in Lappin Park in downtown Salem in 2005.

(Photo/ Wikimedia Commons)

in the now tourist-friendly town. In 1982, the annual Haunted Happenings festival began and exploded into a month-long Halloween celebration. In 2005, there was an unveiling of a bronze “Bewitched” statue of Elizabeth Montgomery’s character Samantha in Lappin Park. This collaboration between the city and the network TV Land was welcomed by a crowd of

1500 spectators, along with the late Montgomery’s ex-husband and director of the series, Bill Asher, and Erin Murphy, who played Samantha’s daughter Tabitha.

However, not everyone was pleased with the proposal of having the statue. Some feared it was an affront to the innocent people who were killed even though they agreed it furthered tourism. One Salem resident told The Boston Globe that she felt it was insensitive to what happened in 1692, adding that although Samantha was a fictional witch, the people who died were not witches.

Nevertheless, the statue is still a popular destination spot for tourists taking pictures. Salem recorded over one million visitors during October of last year, including over 87,000 on Halloween alone. The month represents 30 percent of the city’s annual revenue from tourism, but the large crowds and difficulty finding parking may keep some people away. Why not visit Salem in September and enjoy the charms of the Witch City, including half a dozen attractions related to the witch trials, without the huge crowds instead?

Elizabeth Montgomery died in 1995 at age 62 from colon cancer.