Small Town Framingham Fun at History Center Feb 16, see it here

Shoppers' World... 1951-1994 An exhibition celebrating "a kinder, gentler shopping center" Opening Day Saturday, February 16 12:00 - 4:00 Edgell Memorial Library 3 Oak Street, Framingham Join the "Ask Me" girls for opening day of this new exhibition of images, artifacts, merchandise and memorabilia that will take you back to the "old" Shoppers' World. The country's first mall east of the Rockies was a treasured community gathering spot for over 40 years and this show will surely pluck at the heartstrings of all who worked, shopped or played here. Refreshments served, including a miniature "Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin" faithfully recreated by our friends at John Harvards Brew House. Please note that regular exhibition hours are 1pm - 4pm, Wednesday - Saturday, beginning February 20 through September 1. $5 admission/free for FHC members. *********************************************** Special Opening Night Party for FHC Members and Donors Only Friday, February 15th 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Admission is Free Dress up in your favorite 50's attire (optional) and join the "Ask Me" girls for a member/donor only preview party and first look at the much anticipated Shoppers' World exhibition. Don't miss a special lighting ceremony at 6:30 pm when we light up an original neon Shoppers' World sign. Refreshments will be served including a special Jordan Marsh muffin-style dessert courtesy of our friends at John Harvards Brew House. Not a member? Join the Framingham History Center now and take part in the special opening-night fun! Click here and purchase a one year membership at a special rate of just $19.51! (if you are uncertain of your membership status, please email charlene@framinghamhistory.org) Framingham History Center 16 Vernon Street Framingham, Massachusetts 01703 508-872-3780 www.framinghamhistory.org

Small Town Framingham Buddhism/ teaching to the good of life

From my many years of reading, thinking asking questions, and being a school teacher, in Natick and Ashland, Mass., loving every moment of excitement in the eyes of my students, I have come to a conclusion of what is missing in our approach to education.

  It is a brave jump for me to state my feelings.  I think we came close to this once, because I sponsored a pilot class, teaching meditation at Framingham State to future teachers. ( It was unsuccessful I am guessing  because no one ever gave me any feedback, and I never heard anymore about it though I asked.  It was disappointing to me of course as the future began to open to my view.   I should have inquired more before I sponsored it, but then without knowledge of Buddhism maybe meditation is harder to fathom for many people, especially young people who are caught up with the excitment of their entry into the adult world.)  From this lesson in life, which was just a yellow light telling me to pause, think and discover, the little detective of my book has come to this conclusion in her elder years.

 I feel strongly that Buddhism might be the missing link to how we help our children form their futures, a better culture, a better society.   Buddhism is one of the paths to discovering the mysteries of the world, just as science is.  Science is the approach we take in matter, Buddhism is the approach we take in understanding consciousness.   We ignore the science of consciousness completely and when we do that we leave the basic floor of education sterile.

 If we want to truly teach our children how to handle the world of matter, we need to teach them the power of understanding consciousness.   The most important gift, no matter what mental ability a child has, is to learn that there are basic truths about the world, that there are gifts we all have to handle the unthinkable in life.  Some people never even begin to understand that because we don't teach it, we regard Buddhism as a religion.  It is not a religion, rather a science of understanding consciousness.

 What have we to got to lose to put Buddhism along side science as a mandatory subject for future teachers, and  required in the  curriculum from first grade on?  Think of the lives we could save, if youngsters came to a better understanding of their place on earth.   Just the Noble Truths, are enough to get one into a fun class for first graders that will help them become good people, and identify sooner the children who will become suicide killers.

In my book, Small Town America Framingham, you will see that my parents nutured me, and encouraged my inquisitiveness.   You see the questions common to children which are in fact the Noble Truths of Buddhism.  

 Intellectuals recognize the benefits of studying Buddhism and Science.  Do we have to wait another lifetime to get on the ball and start teaching Buddhism, and stop thinking of it as a competing religion.  I welcome your thoughts, and hopefully we can spread this idea that has more to offer to the good than anything else I can think of.

Small Town America Framingham Buddhism

I didn't set out to write an intellectual novel when I wrote, Small Town America Framingham".  On the surface, you will encounter a conversational story of the time as I experienced it.  The result of fear of the 2nd World War on children, and  the emotions I and my family had regarding our loved ones far away fighting in a brutal war.   The questions children ask regarding what is happening around them still remain with me, never far from my thoughts as I watch in the far distant present time the old movies of the war  and read books about our men fighting in what seems  antiquated clothing, ships, tanks, planes, and discuss with the heroes who still live, the horrors of what they endured.  Just revewing my thought illustrates the truth of Buddhism's,  Four Noble Truths

Now, as I read, Buddhism and Science, by  Alan Wallace/editor  I see that I was in reality living the Four Noble Truths.  As explained in this book, by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, in his essay, "Understanding and Transforming the Mind".

The Four Noble Truths
1.  addresses the nature of suffering
2.  the origin of suffering
3. cessation, an attribute of consciousness
4. the path to cessation, one that leads to liberation

I was asking the questions....why are we suffering this war, what caused it, why did the whole word get involved?  How would it end, how would we as people of the world liberate ourselves.  The Four Noble Truths, we all must do that, it is part of life to wonder, question and hope to find answers, obviously even children's minds operate in the same way, questioning the truths of reality.

Is there any better proof of how Buddhism can contribute to our growing awareness of what makes up the world and how moment to moment we create the world we live in?

My Mom is not with me any longer.   She would not be able to answer this question I have bothering me now, so I will ask you.  How in the world can our leaders of government justify giving  new jets and tanks to a country, like Egypt, in turmoil and on the verge of Civil War.  Do we truly want to be responsible for the deaths this equipment could cause by a foreign government that can not be responsible for law and order in its own land?

Small Town Framingham, History Center

Did you know that the history center in Framingham on the Common at Framingham Center has collections of many Framingham memorabilia.  They even have a post card collection.

Small Town Framingham, Howard at Rosenfeld as a youngster

If you look closely you will see a little boy running the bulldozer in the background.  That was Howard, my husband circa:  1950.   He just received the picture from someone, and we appreciate it.

Small Town Framingham Dennison news

The "New" Dennison Collection Roundtable Crafts made from Dennison crepe paper Babylonian "tags" from Dennison's in-house museum The Tag Waltz - an 1894 commission (read below) Thursday, January 24th 7 pm - 8 pm The Edgell Memorial Library 3 Oak Street, Framingham Centre When the Dennison Manufacturing Company's corporate archives were shipped back to "Tag Town" and donated to the Framingham History Center, a group of trained volunteers under the guidance of our Curator began the painstaking yet enthralling task of combing through cabinet after cabinet of samples, letters, collections and records. There is still more to be done to truly capture all that remains in this remarkable archive, but we thought a roundtable discussion of what we've found so far would be enlightening for our members and Dennisonians....Come hear from staff and volunteers about what they've discovered so far among artifacts and fascinating documents that have captivated even those who consider themselves "Dennison experts". One such item (shown above) is The Tag Waltz, written to celebrate Dennison's 50th anniversary in 1894! Come and see more of these "finds" and learn about the new light they shine on one of Framingham's longest-running business enterprises. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Please email charlene@framinghamhistory.org so we have some idea of how many to expect $5 suggested program donation to help with the preservation of this vast collection Framingham History Center 16 Vernon Street Framingham, Massachusetts 01703 508-872-3780 www.framinghamhistory.org

Small Town Framingham bowling, Chinese food, +Hugh Bartels

Remember the bowling alleys, we had three in Framingham.  That was a fun date night.  We went to Route 9 in Wellesly for Chinese Food, right?  Or we went to China Town in Boston, even though the rumors were that cats were used for the fabulous dishes we got in China Town....Of course China Town was only possible when we got cars to roam around in. 
We went to the bumper cars  in Wareham before the Bourne bridge, that was so much fun, or to Nantasket beach for a summer Sunday.  +Hugh Bartels had a fantastic staff car that had flag holders on the front fenders, where he put swatstikas.  Today there would be all kinds of news reporting about that, and if it was right, wrong, or whatever, instead of a teenage joker action...!

Small Town Framingham Burke and Galvani

A note from +Richard Burke whose family owned Burkes garage on Rt 9 ,  many years ago, near St Patrick's church.  Here is his note...

Hi guys,

I saw an obituary in the Boston Globe of Madeline's ( Galvani) recent passing at the age of 97. She was the wife of Francis, the AD, football coach and math teacher at our FHS. She was an avid fan of the Flyers and BC football, and an active parishioner of St Tarcisius Church. This will bring back many good memories. When the Thanksgiving game is played in Framingham, I call the non-emergency line at the FPD and ask "who won the game?" The last two years an Officer Galvani answered the phone. I asked him this Nov. if he were related to our Frank. He is a cousin, I think. I thanked him and the Galvanis for their long service to our town.

Dick

As you can see it is hard to forget the special people that made up " our town " a special memory for coach and math teacher, Francis Galvani.  I too remember  him well, also Virginia and Lena, the Galvani sisters, who worked with me at Ken's Steak House in the long ago.

Small Town America Framingham Bob Paul's bakery

Oh!  What a bakery , we would come down the street from the high school to +Dennis Paul's father's bakery.   It was on the same side as The Crown, but we never went in the Crown, there was a different crowd that went there.. Remember The Crown?  Who was it that wore peg pants, slicked back hair, and was a real picture of the time....???Do you remember? He was cute, and had really dark hair in a duck tail.

We found glorified cupcakes at the bakery and Wow!  My other favorite was a cookie filled with orange peel, lemon peel , raisins and ??? Oh was that good!  I  still try and recreate the cookie.  The glorified cupcake was covered with a red jam either strawberry or raspberry and dipped in coconut....Yikes, my mouth is watering as I remember the goodies.  He was a hard working man, like all our Dad's were.

Small Town America Framingham and white bucks

  Even the girls wore white bucks.....Does+ Robert Boucini still have his?  Was it Pat Boone that made them famous?

Dungarees to jeans

Everyone dressed up to go to school and everyone changed into play clothes when we got home from school  In those days a lot of railroad employees lived in our neighborhood and walked to work in their bib overalls.  So our first play clothes, at least for Fankie and me, were bibb overalls.  I hated them! I was so happy when dungarees came into being....you now call them jeans.

Small Town America Framingham our museum

Having trouble viewing this email?Click here  +Anne Murphy is doing a great job with our museum on the common in Framingham.  If you have been away for years, you will enjoy seeing what is happening in our little museum.  Make a point to visit when you come back to Framingham for a visit.

Greetings: Dave Waller tests the neon Let there be light! In order to truly bring you back to the original Shoppers World, we're lighting up the old neon sign so we can display it along with many other images and artifacts in our Shoppers World 1951-1994 exhibition. Thanks to Dave Waller, the person who dismantled the sign in 1999 along with members of the then Framingham Historical Society, we are hoping to have it ready by February 15th - opening night of the exhibit for members and donors. In addition to being a professional visual effects artist, Dave is a sign collector and member of the Society of Commercial Archaeologists. (Who knew?) He and his son stopped by last Sunday to test the neon bulbs that haven't been moved since he carefully placed them on a table in the basement of the Edgell Memorial Library 13 years ago. With a few exceptions - the letters are intact and the neon still works! Stay tuned. Annie Murphy Executive Director Dennison Roundtable- New Discoveries! Crafts made from Dennison crepe paper Thursday January 24th 7:00 - 8:00 pm Edgell Memorial Library When the Dennison Manufacturing Company's corporate archives were shipped back to "Tag Town" and donated to the Framingham History Center, a group of trained volunteers under the guidance of our Curator began the painstaking yet enthralling task of combing through cabinet after cabinet of samples, letters, collections and records. It's a process that has taken months, yet has been so worthwhile - revealing artifacts and fascinating documents never before seen, even by those who consider themselves "Dennison experts". Join our Curator and volunteers as we show several of these "finds" and discuss the new light they shine on one of Framingham's longest-running business enterprises. A suggested donation of $5 will help us conserve the many artifacts we are discovering. Let us know if you can come by emailing charlene@framinghamhistory.org. Shoppers World 1951-1994 Exhibit to open February 15, 2013 "Ask Me" Girls, Shoppers World opening day 1951 We are looking forward to this exciting museum experience that promises to draw thousands of visitors anxious to revisit this beloved shopping mall. Our "kinder, gentler, shopping center" including the iconic Jordan Marsh dome, provided a distinctive sense of place for 43 years that is missed by many. Friday, Feb. 15th 6:00-8:00pm A member donor '50s cocktail party. Please dress in period attire - ladies, see "Ask Me Girls" for ideas... A Special "SW" Sign Lighting Ceremony will take place at 6:30 pm in front of the Edgell Memorial Library. Saturday, February 16th from 12:00-4:00pm Exhibit opens to the public. Special activities throughout the day to be announced. See you there! Teachers' Training Workshop Funded! We recently received a $10,000 grant from the Foundation For MetroWest to help fund our upcoming Civil War Teacher Training Workshop at the Edgell Memorial Library this summer from July 9-11. We are very excited by the prospect of sharing discoveries from two years of exhaustive research, as well as original programming created to commemorate Framingham's Civil War history with up 20 high school teachers. Full article here... History Biography Book Group Wednesday January 16th 7:30 pm Barnes & Noble Shoppers World, Framingham This month, Judge Elbert Tuttle (Ret.) will lead the discussion of Civilization: The West and the Rest, written by Niall Ferguson. The History/Biography Book Group, a partnership effort of the FHC and Barnes & Noble is now in its 11th year! Free and open to the public, the group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month except December (November's meeting is one day earlier due to holiday) with selections chosen by group members. Not just for Framingham Students... Over the holiday break, Stoneham high school students Kayla Walsh (r) and Arianna Sarro (l) visited the FHC to learn more about Shoppers World as part of their National History Day project. Click here to read more... In This Issue Dennison Roundtable Getting Ready for Shoppers World Teachers Training Workshop History Book Group Not just for Framingham Students Caroling Recap Catherine goes Crazy Annual Appeal Caroling On The Common... A Successful Community Celebration! FHC Board Member Jennifer Toth and volunteer Jeanne Walker keep the baked good flowing. Photo by: FraminghamPatch/SusanPetroni Over 200 people attended our free community event, Caroling on the Common, at Village Hall on December 9th. Voices of MetroWest led the sing-a-long while guests enjoyed hot cocoa and delicious home-baked treats. Children visited with Santa, and used an instant photo taken by Denise Coulson to craft a memento frame. Vintage holiday decorations from the Dennison Manaufacturing Company were also on display. Our door prize raffle, a $50 gift certificate to John Harvards Brew House, was won by Michelle Easton. Click here to see Framingham Patch's video coverage of the event! Inspired Intern's work continues.... Crazy quilt before repair In a previous enewsletter we featured a profile on Catherine Murphy, a textiles intern and student at URI. In that article, Catherine was eager to begin restoratoin work on a heavily damaged crazy quilt in the FHC's collection, a project she would tackle as she resumed classes. Click here to view the "after" photo and read the full story! Annual Appeal A big THANK YOU to all who have donated so generously to our Annual Appeal. The Framingham History Center is a non profit 501c3 organization (not a town agency or department, contrary to tenacious myth), and our ability to "preserve and share Framingham's history" in new, exciting, far-reaching ways depends on support from individual members and donors like you! If you appreciate what we do here to save and promote Framingham's history, please consider a financial donation by clicking here or mailing a check payable to the FHC to PO BOX 2032, Framingham, MA 01703.

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Ballerina - Vaughn Monroe (1947)

It was about this time that Lorraine Rossi and I were listening to records at her house and we were learning to jitter bug...She was teaching me, heel toe, heel toe!  We were peeking out the window at the new boy in the neighborhood. 
+William Fox.  "Have you met him yet?" she asked.

Small Town America Framingham, phones

+Arelene Scansaroli Chao, would call me on this phone, my number was 8662.  Before this there was another style that was a stick with a speaker and a hanging ear piece...do you remember?  We had one phone in the house, and party lines, your choice of private, or a two party or a three party line.  You answered your ring....and no listening in!

 Once ,everyone drove out to Spags in Worcester, is your car here?  I see some of you talking about it on facebook, you can get nostalgia here, and get published on this site, just look for where it says comments, and go from there.

Books : Framingham History Center, FHC Museum Shop

Books : Framingham History Center, FHC Museum Shop  Our +Framingham History Center is much more active than it ever was, including a museum shop, where you can buy my book with all proceeds to the museum.  It is not listed on the site yet, but I am sure it will be soon, or contact +Anne Murphy who is the Executive Director.

Small Town America Framingham..we had a roadhouse?

Who remembers the name of the roadhouse on the reservoir.  It was on Route 9 across from Chapel Hill...where the oriental restaurant is now...I belive it was a man's name, and his first name might have been Ed.  I had the name on the tip of my tongue and it has slipped away...do you remember it?  I think it was still there in the late 40's and early 1950's.+Richard Belli+Pat Rotelli?  +Richard Rotelli, +Arlene Chao,do you guys know?

Small Town America FraminghamThe Winiker Band with Cindy Gale at the Sherborn Inn

The Winiker Band with Cindy Gale at the Sherborn Inn   In our times...Ed Winniker ( I thought was from Framingham) played the Parker House in Boston for years.  +Bo Winniker and +Bill Winniker carry on the tradition and as you can see here, with fun for seniors at the Sherborn Inn.  They found a new talent in Cindy Gale.  Do you remember the Parker House, up near the State House on the hill in Boston?  You can see the Winniker Band around the area and even ask them to perform for your own event.  Bring back nostalgia!

The Collings Foundation near Framingham in Stowe, antique planes, cars

Wings of Freedom Schedule - The Collings Foundation   If you decided to read the book, A Higher Call, that I recommend, you might be interested in the museum that is just minutes away from Framingham.  We love going there in our antique car to enjoy the events.  Google for event dates.
 +Bob Collings
Co-Founder of the Collings Foundation

+Rob Collings
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Pilot



 

Small Town America Framingham, Altobelli's market

Do you remember Altobelli's market?  Remember the football games with Natick, and crazy legs Joe....?   In those days we wore lumber jackets, do you remember?  We could drive into the 'Garden' in Boston, and even get a parking space on the street outside the Garden....for the hockey game.  Remember Steubenville?  Storyville?  You can comment on here if you want to contribute.

 

Framingham and Frank Sinatra fever

Wow!  Virginia Rossi was my friend, Lorraine's older sister, and she was swooning over Frank Sinatra.  Who was he, we asked?  We were soon to know! Girls would collapse at his appearances in swoons!    We had never heard of this ever happening before...then the whole world was in a Sinatra spin and the radios all over Framingham, and at Garino's music store in Framingham kept us with Frank Sinatra music for years to come!  As I say in my book, we went through our school years with Frank Sinatra's music.

Frank Sinatra - Be Careful Its My Heart 1942 Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

  The wonderful sounds of a winter evening in our Sears and Roebuck bungalow  , on Hollis Street, Framingham, Mass. The family  gathered in our small living room, around the radio, as Dad read the paper,  and Mom knitted socks for the soldiers under the small lamp that stood between their chairs.  Lights were probably out in the other rooms which we were not using.  The lighting was not great at night.  I would get in bed and when it got quiet take out my flashlight and read under the covers...Yes, I think I got caught, more than once.

Dean Martin - Let it Snow!

This song came out after the war .  We would walk  along Hollis street toward Memorial School, suddenly from a pile of snow plowed high off the road, on the other side of the street, Richie and Bobby Seriac would attack us girls with snowballs.  We would run for our lives...as they threw everything they must have had packed in a pile and ready!

Small town America Old Shopper's World, Framingham, MA, where was?

Here is a video on Youtube, from a Framingham person that shows the end of the old Shoppers World.Wonder if there is anything showing the old drive in and Weston nurseries original location on Rt 9 before it went to Hopkinton.  The sewer beds were between Weston Nurseries and Route 9...as my husband Howard recalls it, and as I recall seeing it as a child driving along Rt 9.   The  drive in theater was just beyond Shoppers World to the East.  Can anyone pin point it?  Maybe there is an old map around ?

Small Town America..Iron Framingham signs

We had an iron sign on the corner of Waushakum Blvd and Hollis Street for all my young years and even when I became an adult.  It said Framingham, and a story of the town.  That disappeared one day and no one knows where it went.  Was it the only iron sign that introduced Framingham at its boundary with Ashland, or was there another steel sign up on Rt 135 at the other border with Ashland?  I thought that there might be.   Does anyone know? +Crispin Jachowicz  says yes, there where signs also on Rt 135 at the town line.

Mambo Italiano: Sophia Loren

My best friend Barbara Volpicelli and I , like everyone in the world loved Sophia Loren, and Barbara even looked like her!

"You'll Never Know" (Vera Lynn, 1943)

A song that brings me back to my days of walking to school on Hollis Street, Framingham, Mass., or sitting at our small kitchen table with my brother Frank as we wrapped bandages for the soldiers with Mom by the heat of the kerosene stove.

"Something to Remember You By" (Vera Lynn, 1941)

A song that brings me back to the 1940's and our radio...was it a Philco?  Songs of longing for the boys that were leaving for a dark awful war.