The Southwick Agricultural Commission is here for you! We are developing a database of Southwick farms and we need your help to be sure your farm is included. This database will have several important functions:
• To document all working farms of any size with basic information such as name of the farm, owner(s), location, products, years in operation, etc.
• To help preserve farm history by document-ing farms that used to operate in town and what they produced. Remember all those dairy farms Southwick used to have?
• To keep you informed of AgCom events, meetings and agricultural resources.
Please visit www.South-wickAg.com and fill out the Farmer Registration Form at the bottom of the ‘Our Farms’ page. Or scan the QR code below.
We appreciate your help in developing this im-portant tool! Let’s celebrate and preserve our agri-cultural heritage!
March 6 I bought 100 feet of rope for $10.88, and March 24, a hacksaw. The latter might be considered a self-present for my 27th birthday. May 20 I bought a secondhand treadle sewing machine for my mother, “Hes-ter,” for $25. (Her 66th birthday was April 3rd. Her real name was Minnie Emerson Noble. I had nicknamed her “Hester” because I thought she managed my earnings so well.)
As a result of passing a Civil Service exam I had started with permanent appointment as rodman in the survey section of Massachusetts Department of Public Works in October 1947. Subsequent advancements were also permanent by passing exams. Most coworkers my age were temporaries appointed by politicians. By 1953 I had been chief of my two or three man crew for a couple years. Beyond high school I’d had no college. Mathematics was learned by self-study and knowledge of survey procedure came from experience and a University Extension course. However this was enough to tackle any project to which I might be assigned. Restaurant coffee was five cents a cup so I usually paid for every-one when I took my men on breaks.
Hester and I had acquired an abandoned Montgomery schoolhouse, made alterations and moved in April 30, 1949. Although the building lacked electricity, running water and drainage it was our own country home, I dug a well. In June the real estate tax on our schoolhouse and land was $64.40. The monthly telephone bill was less than four dollars.
A Smith College girl I rather liked was a budding singer and was hired to sing in the op-era “Pagliacci,” so May 14 I bought a copy of the score for $4 hoping to rehearse with her. That didn’t happen.
A June news item quoted county farm agent, James Putnam, that gypsy moths were leaving trees bare of foliage in Hampden orchards. Oth-er news said a Chicago firm planned to build 500 railroad flat cars designed to carry loaded highway semitrailers. June 30 railroad engines set a six-acre forest fire which burned along Bear Den Brook valley up to Carrington Road opposite our buildings. I had to go down with water pail and broom to keep sparks from ignit-ing leaves east of the road on my 2 ½ acre lot.
Poles were set and wires brought electricity. November 24 we paid Mr. Gresty $134.66 to wire the schoolhouse. Electric light made life and studying easier. No more radio batteries. No-vember 6, I bought a sun lamp for $18.95 hoping to increase tan in winter. December 2 we bought a Eureka vacuum cleaner for $69.95.
Operating my own vehicle cost $449.71 for the year of which $341,33 was reimbursed by ex-pense account. September 4 I replaced my black 1949 car with a new Pecos gray, four-door Plym-outh. Total price was $2,022 and I was allowed $900 on my old car. By the end of 1953 the new odometer showed 6,714 miles.
My total state income for the year was $4,202.45. Federal tax withheld $570.10, and re-tirement took $209.26 leaving $3,423.63. Addi-tional earnings from surveys and puppet shows amounted to another $567.
The large brick building on the north side of Court Street had been built as the State Teach-ers College. Because of its connection with the “Training School” on Washington Street that el-ementary school’s eighth grade graduation was conducted in the college auditorium. So that was where I graduated at age eleven.
In June of 1953 the City of Westfield present-ed the State with the deed to 26 acres of land three miles west on Western Avenue for a new college site. The land had been known as Juni-per Park. When the college moved the city took over the former building for a city hall.
June was dance recital time and Marjery Fielding Hayles and husband George put on their elaborate “Stars of Tomorrow” at the “New Court Square Theater” which was far from new having been around since my mother’s day. Some Hayle students and performers were as-sociated with Ted Shawn’s Dance Theater and with Springfield College which gave credit for courses taken at Jacob’s Pillow.
September 15 I had become sufficiently in-terested to buy a pair of ballet shoes for $3.50. A picture article in the rotogravure section of the Springfield Sunday Republican concerned Marjery Fielding Hayles school of dance which occupied the second floor ballroom at the Hotel Worthy. I knew very little about ballet but had been practising with a library book so wrote to Mrs. Hayle. December 12 I took a private lesson for six dollars. She said, “You have more to work with than I suspected from your letter.”
Succeeding ten Saturdays, starting Decem-ber 19 I did ballet exercises at back of a class of school kids led by Emily Jaross. These lessons cost only $1.50 each. Marjery provided glamor-ous music on her spangled, blue piano. There was at least one high school boy in the class and the lead male dancer was Grover Grindel (who sometimes conducted classes). Though young and handsome he had a bald spot in the center of his black hair. He wore tights. I wore dunga-rees.
Once between classes a little girl got her hand stuck in the Coke machine.
A December 6 news article told of the closing by censors of the Old Howard burlesque the-ater in Scollay Square, Boston. I had heard of it from a prominent Westfield man who was very kind to me and who had been there. (He also deplored my lack of sophistication and said if I went to Maine, his home state, the girls would hang me out “on the flagpole.”)
In 1843 the Old Howard was built as a church by William Miller who mistakenly predicted the end of the world for April 23, 1844. Its granite front was adorned with three huge stained glass windows, but only strippers like Ann Corio and Gypsy Rose Lee graced its stage. The Old How-ard was a monument to a misguided attempt at predicting Godly Truth instead of seeking it.
March 2013
Looking Back at
1953
A 1953 Plymouth sedan, simila
to Jerry’s new car.
By Clifton (Jerry) Noble, Sr.
In the annals of his-tory, women have often been unsung heroes, their remarkable contributions overshadowed by soci-etal norms. But with the passage of time, many of these women like Ame-lia Earhart (first women to fly across the Atlan-tic Ocean Solo), Marie Curie (Discovered Radioactivity), Rosa Parks (Civil Rights Pioneer), Jane Good-all (Biologist & Chimpanzee researcher), Emily Dickinson (Author and Poet), Oprah Winifred (Media Giant), and Ruth Bater Ginsberg (Su-preme Court Justice) to name a few, have broken through barriers and been celebrated for their accomplishments. Yet some trailblazing women are still relegated to relative obscurity.
In this article, we will be briefly introduced to the achievements of ten extraordinary women who defied conventions and left indelible marks on our world.
Rosalind Franklin: The DNA Detective
Rosalind Franklin was a pioneering scientist whose work on X-ray diffraction was crucial to understanding the structure of DNA. Her meticu-lous research techniques allowed her to capture the famous Photo 51, which was instrumental in identifying the double helix structure. Despite facing gender-based discrimination in her field, Franklin’s contributions to science have been in-valuable, particularly in the realms of identifying molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite.
Hedy Lamarr: Frequency Hopping Technology
Hedy Lamarr was not only a celebrated ac-tress during Hollywood’s Golden Age but also a technology inven-tor. Alongside com-poser George Antheil, she co-invented a radio guidance system for Al-lied torpedoes during World War II, using spread spectrum and frequency hop-ping technology. This invention laid the groundwork for modern wireless communica-tions, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Mary Anning: The Fossil Hunter
Mary Anning was a trailblazing self-taught pa-leontologist whose discoveries of dinosaur fossils in the cliffs of Lyme Regis, England contributed significantly to the field. Her work included the first complete plesiosaur fossil and the first Brit-ish pterosaur. Anning’s findings helped shape the scientific understanding of prehistoric life and influenced the development of evolutionary theory. Despite facing challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field, Anning’s legacy as a fossil hunter and anatomist endures.
Hypatia of Alexandria: The Philosopher of Mathematics
Hypatia of Alexandria: Hypatia of Alexandria was a renowned Neoplatonist philosopher, as-tronomer, and mathematician in ancient Egypt. She was a leading thinker and educator in the city of Alexandria, where she taught philosophy and astronomy. Hypatia’s work included commen-taries on Diophantus’s “Arithmetica” and Apol-lonius’s treatise on conic sections. Though she did not invent them, she masterfully constructed astrolabes and hydrometers, contributing signifi-cantly to the field of scientific instruments.
Ada Lovelace: The Prophetic Programmer
Ada Lovelace is celebrated as the first computer programmer, having de-veloped an algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine. Her foresight into the ma-chine’s capabilities be-yond mere calculation laid the groundwork for modern computing. Lovelace’s contributions to mathematics and her concept of “poetical science” underscore the creative potential of technology. Her legacy is honored annually on Ada Lovelace Day, celebrat-ing the achievements of women in STEM fields.
Stephanie Kwolek: The Inventor of Kevlar
Stephanie Kwolek was an American chemist who invented Kevlar, a material five times stron-ger than steel and resistant to wear and corrosion. Her discovery has had a profound impact on safety equipment and has saved countless lives. Kwolek’s accolades include the National Medal of Technology and the Perkin Medal, highlighting her contributions to industrial chemistry. She was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, a rare honor that underscores her legacy as a pioneering woman in science.
Bertha Benz: The Automotive Adventurer
Bertha Benz, wife and business partner of Karl Benz, is celebrated for her pioneering role in the automotive industry. In 1888, she undertook the first long-distance automobile journey, bringing global attention to the Benz Patent-Motorwagen and securing its first sales. Her ingenuity during the trip, including the invention of brake lining, demonstrated the practicality and potential of the automobile.
Margaret Rudkin: The Health-Conscious Baker
Margaret Rudkin, founder of Pepperidge Farm, was a trailblazer in the natural foods movement. Starting from her kitchen, she created a bread recipe that catered to her son’s health needs, which eventually grew into a successful busi-ness empire. Rudkin was also a feminist icon, advocating for women’s place in the workforce and offering flexible working conditions. Her induction as the first female board member of Campbell Soup Company marked a significant milestone in corporate America.
Kiara Nirghin: An Agricultural Revolution
Kiara Nirghin, a South African inven-tor, made headlines at just 16 when she won the Google Sci-ence Fair with her innovative solution to combat drought using orange and avocado peels. Her superabsorbent polymer significantly in-creases the survival rate of plants during dry spells. Beyond her scientific achievements, Kiara is a vocal advocate for gender equality in STEM and has been recognized as a powerful speaker at various conferences. She’s also a Thiel Fellow, highlighting her exceptional talent in data science and predictive modeling.
Nellie Bly: The Fearless Journalist
Nellie Bly was an American journalist who redefined journalism with her groundbreaking investigative reporting and her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days. She famously feigned insanity to expose the dire conditions of a mental institution from within, leading to significant reforms. Bly’s adventurous spirit and commitment to uncovering the truth also led her to circle the globe faster than any living or fictional soul, inspired by Jules Verne’s character Phileas Fogg. Her contributions to journalism went beyond her stunts; she reported on issues like industrialization, covered World War I, and supported the suffrage movement. Bly’s legacy as a fearless and tenacious reporter lives on, inspir-ing journalists to pursue the truth, no matter the obstacles
Conclusion
Next time you look at something so trivial in today’s world think back to its original creation. What barriers stood in the way and who solved the mystery. Sometimes you’ll find that it was a women behind the curtain and their stories are not just milestones in history; they are powerful narratives that continue to inspire and challenge us to push the boundaries of what is possible.
ArChiTECts of cHangE:
Unknown Women Who Transformed Our World
Kiara Nirghin
Hedy Lamarr
Ada Lovelace
RosalindFranklin
The Umansky family lived at the old Nelson Harger place near the crossroads of the Otis and Tolland roads in West Granville, Massachusetts.
When Minnie Umansky returned home from Tolland (Massachusetts) around three o’clock on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 27, 1911, she found it odd that all the doors were locked, one barricaded with a beer keg. She heard her baby crying inside the home and called out for her mother-in-law, Rosa “Rose” Umansky, but there was no response.
After finally gaining entry, Minnie found the kitchen smoky; her mother-in-law’s bedroom ransacked. She quickly grabbed her baby and ran to her nearest neighbor’s house, Charlie Sheets, less than 3/4 miles away.
Charles’ son Albert accompanied Minnie home. While searching the house for Rose, they found a pillow smoking in the oven in the kitchen. When their search of the house turned up nothing, they checked the barn and walked around the property. Again, there was no sign of Rose.
Albert walked over to the well in the front yard. Even though he noticed the wood covering the 35-foot-deep well was still intact, he careful-ly removed it. And when he peered down into it, he saw something floating atop 10-foot-deep water. It was Rose.
Local authorities soon arrived on the scene. They removed Rose’s body from the well us-ing a rigged rope-and-potato-hook apparatus. Because her body was floating, it was evident that she did not drown, as no water was pres-ent in her lungs. Closer examination showed strangulation marks on her neck and a wound on the right side of her head as if someone had struck her with a club. They also noticed that someone had cut and torn her clothes, which led them to believe robbery was the motive as it was well-known throughout the community that Rose carried money on her person, which she wrapped in a handkerchief and hid inside her clothes near her waist.
Authorities had Rose’s body taken to the un-dertaking room of Lambson Furniture Com-pany in Westfield for an autopsy. As part of their investigation, they started questioning family and neighbors, who informed them that two suspicious men had recently been at the Umansky homestead. They also learned that there was significant discord among members of the Umansky family over Rose’s engagement to a Connecticut man; the marriage would have occurred on October 7 had she not been mur-dered. (Rose’s dowry was to be four cows and two heifers.)
Authorities quickly ruled out family involve-ment and focused on the two suspicious men. A photograph of the men helped identify them as Stefan Boroski and Antonio (“Anton”) Kolick, a couple of Polish farmhands the Umanskys would periodically hire to pick berries. (The men had asked someone in the community to take their photo so they could send it back to their home country.)
When Rose’s son returned home, he told investigators that he would periodically hire Kolick and pay him $5 for two weeks of work. However, the two men were inseparable, so Bo-roski worked too. (There are inconsistencies in the spelling of Boraski’s name; sometimes, it is spelled Borasky.)
In their search for the suspected murderers, Granville planned to enlist the help of blood-hounds from the Springfield Police Department, but they squashed that idea because it started raining.
Word of the horrific murder spread like wild-fire throughout Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.
On September 30, the Springfield Police De-partment overheard a disturbance call received by Agawam authorities regarding some Polish men partying and firing celebratory shots out-side a hut off Shoemaker Lane near the Porter Distillery. On a hunch that it could be the mur-derers, four Springfield police officers took a taxi there.
The Springfield officers joined three deputy sheriffs in rounding up the partiers. They caught their men, or so they thought. They brought the men to the Springfield police station before tak-ing them to Westfield to face arraignment on Monday.
They had Boroski in custody, but the man they thought was Kolick was not, so they even-tually freed him. Massachusetts State Police aided in the search for Kolick. Police arrested a second man fitting the description of Kolick, but it was another case of mistaken identity, and the man was released.
Boroski appeared in Westfield District Court on the morning of October 11. Attorney Richard J. Morrissey, representing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Attorney Joseph Carmo-dy of Springfield, representing Boroski, called sixteen witnesses to testify, including Minnie. However, before the lawyers could examine all the witnesses, the judge, citing probable cause, bound Borokski over to the December sitting of the grand jury, and he was committed to the Springfield jail without bail. (Among the wit-nesses called to testify was Max Greenfield of Tolland, who told the jury that Boroski and Kolick came to his house seeking work the day before the murder. Greenfield may have been the one who took their photograph.)
On December 19, 1911, the grand jury re-turned an indictment against Kolick, who was still at large. A Massachusetts state detective ar-rested him in the Fisherville section of Grafton on April 30, 1912, after finding him working in a cotton mill there.
The grand jury for 1912 started conducting its business on May 6, beginning with its consid-eration of the Umanski murder case. This time, they aimed to secure a joint indictment, allow-ing the Commonwealth to try both men simul-taneously. (There were several clashes between counsel and counsel and the district attorney. Boraski’s lawyer unsuccessfully requested a separate trial for his client. Kolick’s lawyer said there was no need for individual trials - which brought Carmody to his feet - asking if the lawyer was working for the district attorney. Kolick’s lawyer hotly replied that he and the Commonwealth had no understanding.)
The court scheduled the trial for June 24, with Judge Henry A. King presiding. Appearing in Superior Court, both defendants pleaded not guilty after the court read their lengthy indict-ments through an interpreter seated in a chair directly in front of the jury. It was stifling hot in the courtroom, and the district attorney fanned himself with a large palm leaf fan; the court gave all the jurymen large fans. (During jury selection, Judge King quickly detected several jurors trying to escape their civic duty. But there was no use dodging the inevitable, although he did excuse two for personal matters. After twelve challenges from each defendant and five from the Commonwealth, six jurors were seated in the box when the 1:00 p.m. whistle blew, and Judge King ordered the noon recess.)
Boroski, who took the stand on June 28, was very nonchalant as he answered questions through the interpreter, testifying under oath that he had nothing to do with the murder, fur-ther saying that he was not even in West Gran-ville when it occurred.
When Kolick testified to his version of the events, Boroski repeatedly shook his head and laughed. Kolick told the court that Boroski wanted to burn Rose’s house down to hide all the evidence, even though a small child was in it, but he would not allow it. (Kolick, described as rough in appearance but not bad-looking, had auburn color hair. He had shaved his dark red mustache off before the trial, making him appear much younger. He smiled a lot in court - appearing not to have any idea of the serious-ness of his situation. He even saluted one of the deputy sheriffs who participated in his arrest.)
The trial ended on June 29. After deliberating for five hours, the jury returned with a verdict at 2:28 a.m. on June 30.
Judge King sentenced Boraski to death at the Charlestown State Prison. The convicted murderer mistakenly thought the state would execute him immediately after his arrival to Charlestown. When he found out that his ex-ecution would take place in a week or so, he pleaded unsuccessfully with the warden to let him see the electric chair where he would meet his fate. (The warden later changed his mind; he had Boraski locked in the death chamber for an extended time before returning him to his cell.)
Kolick, who was awaiting sentencing, died in the Hampden County Jail on July 15, less than a month after the trial concluded; no relatives at-tended his funeral, which, in what is believed to be a first for Massachusetts, was paid for by the state’s taxpayers, along with his burial. His cause of death: acute cerebral softening; hydro-cephalus, also known as water on the brain. (An autopsy concluded that Kolick more than likely suffered brain trouble from childhood. With this new information, Boraski’s lawyer questioned Kolick’s sanity and requested a new trial since his client’s guilty verdict mainly resulted from his accomplice’s testimony - which he argued should be thrown out. He even appealed to the governor for clemency but was unsuccessful.)
On June 24, 1913, at 12:05:04 a.m., Boraski, singing a Polish hymn and periodically kissing the crucifix Prison Chaplain Murphy held in his hand, marched between the prison guards into the death chamber alone. Unassisted, he sat in the electric chair, and at 12:06:03 a.m., he received two shocks of 1,880 volts, making him the 18th man in Massachusetts to die in the elec-tric chair. He was officially pronounced dead at 12:14:15 a.m.
Rose’s son and daughter-in-law had wel-comed a daughter on December 13, 1911. They named her Rosie.
The Southwick Time Machine presents:
Trouble at theOld Harger Place
Umansky Family, Rose Umansky (seated)
The old Harger place
(note the well in the front yard)
The killers and some unknown men
By Ross Haseltine
In Part 1, we introduced our heroines, Louise Haire and Frances Clark, covering America’s fiscal and social nature in the 1800s and 1900s that would lead them in their life paths and earlier childhood. The two grew up minutes away from each other in rural Massachusetts during the Great Depression and as the home economics profes-sion emerged in response to societal needs, they found themselves deeply engaged in the Country Life Move-ment and the 4-H club movement, honing their skills in domestic arts. We pick up as the two go on to col-lege.
Mass. State College
Louise began school at a one-room school-house in Wyben and graduated from Westfield High School in 1937. She later told her family that she would have liked to have been a physician or veterinarian, or even an air-line pilot. In the 1930’s her options were limited as a woman, so she decided to pursue home economics. She never regretted it.
Fran attended West Springfield schools and graduated from West Springfield High School in 1938. Home economics was her first choice of study. Her mother Emma had graduated from Framingham State Normal School with a degree in Household Arts. Surely, she was both a role model and a strong proponent for Fran to pur-sue home economics.
Both young women did well in high school as well as excelling in their 4-H programs. That was critical because neither family could have afforded to pay the necessary tuition for them to attend Massachusetts State College. Likely, ma-joring in home economics also made good long-term sense as a field in which young women graduates were actively sought by the Coopera-tive Extension Service, public schools and even the private sector.
So off they went to Amherst, Louise in 1937 and Fran in 1938. Both graduated 4 years later. Mass State was tiny in those days compared to the UMass-Amherst of today, with about 265 in the graduating class. The two young friends would have attended classes and clubs together. They would have shared experiences such as the 1938 Hurricane and the 1939 outbreak of war in Europe. They would have seen each other at so-cial events such as the campus 4-H club, sorority parties, and other campus events.
Cooperative Extension Service
Louise graduated from Mass State in 1941. She landed a job as a 4-H home economics agent in Lamoille County in northern Vermont. Louise always loved adventure and travel, which con-tinued throughout her life. Still, it would have taken a great deal of fortitude for this Wyben farm girl to take a job so far from home in a rural area, remote even by Vermont standards. Most people in Lamoille County would have been farmers and forestry workers - low-income families severely hurt by the Great Depression.
There in Vermont, Louise met and ultimately married Harley (Ken) Haire, a young local man. They married in the Wyben Chapel in 1944. Not too much later, Ken joined the US Army. The young couple was off to Georgia and other loca-tions for training before Ken’s deployment over-seas near the end of World War II.
Fran graduated in 1942. She too was off to work as a Home Demonstration Agent in south-ern Vermont’s Windham County. She later re-called the challenges of malnutrition among the rural people she served. They ate plenty of meat, dairy products, potatoes, and other carbs year-round. During the winter, however, they did not have sufficient access to green vegetables, fruits, and other sources of vitamins. Fran was charged with teaching these rural women how to can the surplus of their home gardens and orchards so that they could serve nutritionally complete meals in the winter months.
Fran had met Jim Putnam at Mass State and they had become engaged to be married after graduation. Pearl Harbor changed their plans. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps, trained during 1942, and was deployed to the Pacific theater from early 1943 until April 1945. All the while, Fran in Vermont and Jim somewhere in the Pacific stayed in touch through many letters. In early May 1945, Fran got a surprise phone call from the West Coast. Jim was coming home by train on 30 day-leave. Fran promptly resigned her job. By the end of May, they had married. By June they had traveled cross country in her car, and Jim was training at Camp Pendleton for the invasion of Japan.
After 1945
With the war over, both couples got back to Plan A. The Haires welcomed three children between 1945 and 1952. After the war, they first lived at Wyben Orchards where Anna was born; then moved to Waterville, Vermont, where daughter Joyce was born; and Sydney, Nebras-ka, where son Leslie was born. They moved to Southwick in 1954, raised their family, and lived here the rest of their lives.
After his discharge from the US Marine Corps in late 1945, Jim Putnam went to work for the Cooperative Extension Service here in Hampden County. Five Putnam children were born between 1946 and 1957: John, Steve, Jimmy, Kenny and Charlie. In 1956, the Putnam’s also moved to Southwick, to the farm at 249 College Highway now operated as Blossoming Acres. Fran and Jim too would spend the rest of their lives in their adopted community.
Louise and Fran had many opportunities to stay in touch during those ten or so years during which they were starting families. Louise was active as an adult 4-H leader, benefiting many Hampden County kids over many decades. Fran’s three older children were also active in various 4-H clubs. Both women were sought as judges for the various country fairs in which 4-H kids and adults proudly exhibited their canning, baking, and sewing projects. Southwick itself had an annual farm fair until the early 1960s.
Louise back to Home Economics
In 1957, Louise was hired as a teacher in the fast-growing Southwick public schools. Initial-ly, she taught 7th and 8th grade. Around 1960, Grades 9 to 12 were added, as Southwick High School was launched. The Home Economics De-partment now spanned 6 grades. For over 25 years, Louise taught home economics to South-wick students, along with her long-time col-league, Martha Utzinger. (Martha was another well-trained, dedicated home economist greatly respected by Louise and Fran.)
Louise was a visionary leader of the South-wick home economics program. In 1970 she wrote a federal grant and instituted an early childhood development program in which stu-dents learned by doing. This was many years ahead of when this was mandated by the Com-monwealth of Mass. She also wrote grants to innovate in the teaching of human nutrition and home financial planning within the home economics curriculum. She was a long-time ad-vocate that boys also needed home economics training. Boys were welcomed in her classes and in her 4-H cooking and sewing clubs.
In 2002, Louise was honored at the Massa-chusetts State House during 4-H Day on the Hill Centennial Celebration. In 2005, she received the Diamond Clover Award, as a tribute to her continued 4-H participation for 75 years. Her daughter Joyce was a longtime 4-H leader. To-day, her granddaughter, Janet Decker Brown, and her husband Randy Brown continue as 4-H leaders in Southwick. Final Part will run in the April 2024 Southwoods.
by Jim Putnam &Anna Haire Cole
Our
Part 2
Lousie Haire in Southwick Highschool Scanner Yearbook
Fran in Mass. State College Home Ec Lab
The Hampden County Improvement League and the Hampden County 4-H / Youth Special Fund offer scholarships up to $1,000 to qualified post high school or college level Hampden Coun-ty 4-H members, former members, or Hampden County applicants involved in a previous or cur-rent agricultural endeavor. These organizations are committed to encouraging youth to chal-lenge themselves and work towards their po-tential by furthering their education after high school. Scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive the award throughout his/her post-sec-ondary education.
Hampden County Im-provement League
What is the Hamp-den County Improvement League? Briefly, it is an or-ganization that promotes agriculture and farm fam-ily life in Hampden County. The League was founded on January 25, 1913 by the wealthy and ambitious industrialist, Horace Moses and the visionary idealist minister from Vermont, Reverend John Scheuerie.
In 1925, the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield deeded land to the League for the purpose of building a permanent home for the League. Horace Moses erected the Hampden County Improvement League building which became a focal point for all agricultural endeav-ors in the County and the headquarters from which numerous allied agricultural agencies worked.
At that time and in the ensuing decades, the League building was bustling with agricultural-related activity. With the decline of agriculture and the creation of other agencies in Hampden County, the League sold the building to the Eastern States Exposition in 1990. Currently, it houses the Big E’s “A Walk Through History” museum and security offices.
The League continues to thrive today about 100 members. It established the scholarship fund in 1993. In addition to awarding college scholarships, it awards youth agricultural de-velopment grants. The League provides grants for any agricultural endeavor within Hampden County, including 4-H and agricultural fairs, ed-ucational institutions and independent agricul-tural projects. Each year, the League supports an embryology program in local schools.
Hampden County 4-H / Youth Special Fund
The Special Fund is rel-atively young compared to the League being es-tablished in 2001 and com-prised of 7 members. The Fund supports youth, not only by awarding college scholarships, but also by subsidizing a portion of each Hamp-den County 4-H member’s membership fee and awarding grants to youth attending various ag-riculturally related programs. The Fund spon-sors the annual Hampden County 4-H awards banquet.
To support these endeavors, the Special Fund members manage the 4-H Apple Booth in the Farm-a-Rama building at the Eastern States Ex-position every year. They offer the most nutri-tious and least expensive food item at the Big E! The Special Fund members are always asking for volunteers to work the booth. Are you inter-ested?
For more information or to download schol-arship and grant applications, visit the Special Fund website at https://www.hampdencoun-ty4hspecialfund.org or the Hampden County Improvement League website at https://www.hcimprovementleague.org. The scholarship ap-plication deadline is June 1st.
By Michael Dubilo
Imagine you’ve heard an old tale about a certain structure stretching toward the sky. You set off and find a unbarred tower built with courses of stone. Ascending solid granite stairs, spiral in design. Heart rate increas-ing with anticipation to witness light glowing from the apex. Upon reaching the top, a beacon of hope in the midst of darkness and despair. This is the view capturing eyes from 80 feet high. A fertile country beaming with peace, love and productiv-ity.
Susanna and I were luck enough to experience this opportunity. Constructed with courses of heavy stone, a Holyoke landmark rest on Anniver-sary Hill. Originally built in 1942 by the Civilian Conservation Corp, but over the years deteriorat-ed, subjected to natural elements, lack of mainte-nance and vandalism. A team of concerned citi-zens called Kestral, offered a plan to pursue long-term grants for upkeep and programming useful activities. Enjoying nature in a peaceful setting. Memories become vivid from my younger years.
As a Boy Scout, I walked with Chicopee Troop 437 venturing to this location. The walking en-counters in those days were educational, traveling by foot through Holyoke’s factory settings and ca-nals below. Although I felt safe, the environment of paper factory noise and debris was not visioned in my future. Onto Scotts Tower for hope, nature and perspective thinking. Transitioning from city life to country tranquility. I will choose the country over big city living at all times.
The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts, and was built be-tween 1930 and 1939. The Quabbin Observation Tower is a impressive granite stoned made struc-ture made for higher points of view. This nature park and observatory is located at the southern end of the reservoir. The outlooks from this area are absolutely stunning. Spring time is a wonder window to survey Quabbin Reservoir and check out this observational opportunity. Susanna and I climbed the solid steps with high expectations. After all, this tower was built on a mountain eleva-tion, therefore the view goes from stunning, to a gift from heaven for one of the best displays of a natural environment in our area.
Susanna and I were present at the Penguin Plunge, as participants entered Hampton Ponds 32 degree waters in late January. We observed the brave, purpose driven men and women entering the icy liquid generating money, in support of Amelia Park Children’s Museum in Westfield, MA. We met a tower of a man and treasured friend, Fran Cain interim Director of Westfield’s Department of Pub-lic Works. Fran enjoys a tall physical anatomy and more important, a kind gentleman who oversees his occupational responsibilities with diligence, knowledge and attention to details. A blessing to the citizens of Westfield. He is pictured smiling, with able arms around Susanna and I.
Whether a physical or symbolic tower may ev-eryone find their foot in a Tower of Strength and Safe Keeping.
I want to take you to the most dramatic mo-ment in human history. They place the dead, broken body of Jesus in the cold darkness of the tomb, and then roll an enormous rock over the entrance. Then they brush the dirt from their hands and say, “Well, that’s that. It’s over. Ain’t no way Jesus comes back from that.”
But early on Sunday morning, just before sun-rise, the earth rumbles and that great rock ex-plodes outward! A light brighter than the rising sun shines inside the tomb! And what happens next is mind-blowing … Jesus steps out. Alive. Confident. Smiling.
Now, what do you think He said? I can’t prove it. But I bet I know what He was thinking. I bet He was thinking, Ain’t no grave gonna hold me down! And He wants you to think that way, too.
So, that being the case, there’s a couple of questions that I have. Some basic “need-to-know” stuff. Before I actually die, I want to know two things. What’s going to happen when I die? And where am I going?
What’s going to happen?
When I breathe my last breath and my time on this earth is done, what’s going to happen?
There’s been a lot of study in recent years of what scientists call NDEs – Near Death Experi-ences – when someone is declared dead but is later revived. They all describe pretty much the same thing … Your soul leaves your body, and you realize you’re viewing your own body from a vantage point which is outside of your body. You immediately feel a love that is greater than anything you’ve ever experienced. You feel in-describable peace. You see a bright, beautiful light. And, standing in that light, you see people who love you – Jesus, parents, grandparents – waiting to welcome you. And it’s all so beauti-ful, you don’t want to go back.
But that’s just science. Let me tell you what the Bible says. The Bible says you will never again feel pain or sorrow or death. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes,” the Bible prom-ises. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
The Bible says: Death can’t hold you. Death has been defeated. Death has been swallowed up in victory. So, the next question is …
Where am I going?
You’re being invited to a place called heaven. What’s that going to be like? My mother was a preschool teacher. She thought, How can I ex-plain what heaven is like in a way that even a little child can understand?
So, she showed the children pictures of Dis-neyworld and she said, “Heaven is like the Mag-ic Kingdom, but it’s way, way better. It’s God’s Kingdom. And some day you will get to go there!”
There was only one problem: Some of the par-ents complained … because she made heaven sound so good, their kids wanted to go imme-diately!
The Bible describes heaven as a place of in-credible beauty. It speaks of streets paved of pure gold, shining like glass, and buildings in-laid with gemstones, clear as crystal.
Jesus said this: “In My Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. One day I will come back and take you to be with Me.”
What happens when you arrive there?
I heard about one woman … she died and found herself standing at the Pearly Gates. Saint Peter said, “You can’t come in unless you can spell a word correctly.”
She said, “What word?”
He said, “Any word.”
So, she spelled the word Love. “L-O-V-E.”
Peter said, “Welcome to heaven!”
Then Peter asked her if she would take his place. He instructed her: “If anybody comes, just follow the same procedure.”
Well, in a few minutes, she sees her ex-hus-band coming up. She said, “What are you doing here?”
He said, “I just had a heart attack. Did I really make it to heaven?”
She said, “Not yet. You have to spell a word correctly.”
He said, “What word?”
After a long pause, she said, “Czechoslova-kia.”
Is that the way it works? No, Jesus said, “I am the way it works. I am the way, the truth, and the life. Count on Me. I’ll get you in.” Jesus is the One who will carry you home.
Picture it this way … There was a softball game back in April 2008. Two college teams squared off against each other. It was a decisive game. The winner would advance to the play-offs. The loser would go home.
The Oregon Wolves were a solid team, but Sara Tucholsky was definitely not one of their best players. In fact, people were surprised she was even in the game that day.
Sara had never hit a home run in her life, but on that particular Saturday, with two runners on base, she connected with a curveball and sent it flying over the fence.
She took off running! But, in her excitement, she missed first base.
Her coach shouted, “Turn around! Turn around! Sara, you’ve gotta touch the base.”
When she tried to stop and turn, something popped in her knee, and she went down hard. She dragged herself back to the base, she pulled her knee to her chest in pain, and she said, “What do I do?”
Her coach wasn’t sure. He knew that if any of Sara’s teammates helped her, she would be out. Sara knew that if she tried to stand, she would collapse. So, her team couldn’t help her – and her leg couldn’t support her. How could she cross home plate?
The fans shouted for someone to get Sara off the field. But she didn’t want to leave. She want-ed to cross home plate.
Just then, a girl named Mallory Holtman came up with a plan. Who’s Mallory? She played first base for the opposing team.
“Hey,” she said to the umpire. “Can I help her around the bases?”
The ump shrugged and said, “Do it.”
So, Mallory did. She signaled for a teammate to help her, and she said to Sara, “We’re going to pick you up and carry you around the bases.”
By this time, tears streaked down Sara’s cheeks.
Mallory and her friend put one hand under Sara’s legs and the other hand under Sara’s arms. They paused long enough at each base to lower Sarah’s foot to touch the base.
By the time they headed home, all of the spectators had risen to their feet cheering. All of Sara’s teammates had gathered at Homeplate and Sara was smiling like a homecoming queen.
And, boy, she should be smiling! Because of Mallory, she made it home.
Jesus does the same for you and for me. What Mallory said to Sara, Jesus said to you: “I will pick you up and carry you home.”
The question is: Will you let Him? You can’t make it on your own. But Jesus has the strength you don’t have. Let Him do what He came to do. At just the right moment, when you need a friend the most, Jesus will be there. Let Him carry you home.
Happy Easter, Southwick!
Happy Easter,
Southwick!
To include your event, please send information by the 20th of the prior month. We will print as many listings as space allows. Our usual publication date is prior to the 10th of the month. Email to: magazine@southwoods.info.
Friends of the Southwick Public Library
Book Collection & Sale
The Friends of the Southwick Public Library are looking for donations of gently used books, CDs and DVDs. You may bring your items to the Southwick Public Library beginning Saturday, April 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23 from 10 am -1 pm and 5-7 pm. A cart will be available for you to use to bring in your donations. Please, no magazines or encyclopedias.
The Friends Book Sale will be held April 25 – April 27 during regular library hours. The Friends Preview is Wednesday, April 24 from 5-7 pm. The FSPL is a 501©3 non-profit organization. Proceeds from the book sale will benefit the Southwick Public Library and its programs. If you have any questions you may email FSPLbs24@gmail.com or call the library @ (413) 569-1221.
American Legion Post 338
Spaghetti Dinner
The monthly American Legion Post 338 Spaghetti Dinner will be Wednesday March 30th, 2024 from 5 to 7pm. Veteran’s cost is $7 and Guests are $10. Funds raised will support the Southwick Fireman’s Association. American Legion Post 338 is located at 46 Powder Mill Road, Southwick, MA.
Jam Session
Join us for Jam Sessions every Thursday from 6pm-9pm in the Southwick Meeting House located at 222 College Highway (formerly Christ Methodist Church). For more info please call Bob Fox at 413-579-4585. Open to all and any age. All fun and no pressure. Explore your talent or come to listen to some good music.
Southwick High School
50th Class Reunion
Calling all Southwick High School Class of 1974 Graduates! We will be having our 50th class reunion on June 8th, 2024! For location, price and other info or to RSVP please email to Ginnie at Ginbin696@gmail.com, Brad at Young29@comcast.net or Suzanne at doughy100@aol.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Hilltown Community Church
Community Bible Study
Invite your friends and family to join us at the Granville Library every Monday at 7:00pm beginning March 11th For more information please call Phil at 357-6618.
St. Joseph’s Church
Community Italian Dinner
St. Joseph’s National Catholic Church at 73 Main Street in Westfield is hosting a Community Italian Dinner on March 10th at 12 noon. This Community Dinner will feature Traditional Baked Cheese Lasagna, Delicious Meatballs with Marinara Sauce, Salad, Fresh Italian bread and an Italian Dessert along with hot coffee and cold beverages.
Dine-In or Take-Out tickets are $18 for adults and $8 for children under 12. For tickets, contact (413) 562-3067 and leave a message with number of tickets requested (Dine-In or Take-Out) along with your name and telephone number. The deadline for purchasing tickets is March 7th. Take-Out Dinners will be available for pick-up at 12:30pm. Please join us for a delicious and enjoyable Sunday Dinner. Everyone is welcome!
10-5
Westfield Athenaeum
Book Sale
The Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum book sale will be held April 25-27 at the First United Methodist Church, 16 Court Street. Hours will be Thursday, April 25, 10-7; Friday, April 26, 10-5; and Saturday, April 27, 10-2. On Thursday only, we are offering a $5.00 discount coupon for educators (bring your ID!) and new Friends members joining at the door.
Donations of gently used adult and children’s books and jigsaw puzzles are welcome. Donations will only be accepted by curbside drop-off at the Church during the week of April 8-13: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-1; Tuesday and Thursday from 4-7, and Saturday from 9-12.
Please note that we cannot accept musty or damaged books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, Reader’s Digest books, or outdated manuals, travel books, or self-help books. See our website for full details: https://www.friendsofwestath.org/
Southwick Historical Society, Inc
Congamuck Indians
Join us Thursday, March 28, 2024 7:00 P.M. in the Southwick Town Hall as Joseph Carvalho III presents Congamuck Indians.
Joseph Carvalho Ill, M.A., M.L.S., C.G.R.S., and Certified Archivist, retired President and Executive Director of the Springfield Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts working at the Springfield Museums. He has been the Co-editor of the Republican (newspaper) Heritage Book Program since 2015. Joe has also served as Associate Editor of the Historical Journal of Massachusetts from 1972 to 2003 and as the Book Review Editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly from 1986 to 1997. In 1996, he received the National Award for Advancing
The program is free and open to the public, light refreshments will be served
COUNTRY PEDDLER
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GOODS & SERVICES
traprock driveways built & repaired. Gravel, loam, fill deliveries. Tractor services, equipment moved, York Rake. Bill Armstrong Trucking. 413-531-0498.
DELREO HOME IMPROVEMENT for all your exterior home improvement needs, ROOFING, SIDING, WINDOWS, DOORS, DECKS & GUTTERS extensive references, fully licensed & insured in MA & CT. Call Gary Delcamp 413-569-3733
RECORDS WANTED BY COLLECTOR - Rock & Roll, Country, Jazz of the 50’s and 60’s All speeds. Sorry - no classical, showtunes, polkas or pop. Fair prices paid. No quantity too small or too large. Gerry 860-668-5783 or G.Crane@cox.net
GOODS & SERVICES
Lakeside Property management - For all your landscaping needs. Mowing, new lawn installs, sod, mulch/stone installation, bush trimming, retaining walls, snow plowing/removal, etc. Serving Southwick, Suffield, Granby, Agawam, Westfield, Simsbury. Residential and commercial. Call Joe 413-885-8376. Give us a call and let us get that property looking the way you want it! Now accepting major credit cards.