DHS & Dubliners Honor John Harris
By Lisa Foote
John Harris arrived at Nick and Regina Silitch’s home for the recent annual meeting of the Dublin Historical Society unsuspecting of the accolades soon to be heaped upon him.
Unknown only to him, the evening would be a tribute to his considerable accomplishments during his 27 years of involvement with DHS.
Dublin Historical Society President Henry James summarized John’s contributions to DHS to the audience of 60 people. John served as president of DHS for five years and as secretary twice. However, it was in his capacity as archivist that John’s exceptional organizational skills benefited DHS the most.
Starting in 1985, John located, rescued, organized, categorized and cataloged the Town of Dublin records. In 1986, he and Bill Bauhan had revived the historical society, inactive since 1952, by contacting the eight life members listed in one of the documents unearthed in the attic of the schoolhouse. He then tackled the DHS records.
By 1990 he was joined in his efforts by Town Archivist Nancy Campbell. Paul Tuller in his remarks recounted that their working space over the post office in the early days was very cramped. Once the materials were organized, there was no fireproof, climate-controlled place in which to store them. John was instrumental in forging alliances and marshaling the resources and the support needed to build the archives building now shared by the town and DHS. Even with a private donor in the wings, the process took five years to accomplish.
Rusty Bastedo then highlighted John’s “spirit of perseverance.” He said, “John saw disinterest and disarray; he did not accept the disinterest; he knew the disarray could be disciplined… John had a dream of a town with orderly access to its records and in its own designated space… he made his dream a reality that is today supported by all of us in this room this evening and by the many who were not able to be here for this occasion.”
Other speakers included Dick Hammond, who worked closely with John to build the shared archives space. Architectural historian and author of the book, Monadnock Summer, Will Morgan, spoke of John and Betsey as individuals who “have really effected change in New Hampshire’s highest village.” He thanked John “for setting about to preserve the record of this special place for us and for future generations.”
Sharron Monaghan presented John with more than 100 photographs, a sampling of those she has taken over the years at John’s behest in order to record the ongoing history of Dublin. Those photographs and everything else in the archives can be located using the computer database that John and Nancy developed over the years.
In recognition of John’s service to the society, Henry presented him with a framed commendation and with a Princeton University chair adorned with commemorative plaques. John quipped, “At last, there will be a fourth chair at the table in the archives!”
Stop by the Archives Building to see the framed commendation. Come sit in the new chair and marvel at what John Harris has put into place. Either Nancy Campbell or I are generally there from 9 am until noon on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Lisa Foote is DHS Archivist and President.
Town of Dublin
Trick or Treat Hours
Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013
5:30 to 7:30 pm
Per Dublin Police Dept.
563-8411
Dublin Public Library
When was the last time you composed a hand-written note? Take the time, as the latest studies are proving that your brain will benefit by putting down the electronics and picking up a pen. We will have books and printouts to practice cursive as well as The Art of the Handwritten Note on display, a guide to reclaiming civilized communication by Margaret Shepherd. We always have pens and paper for practicing or maybe you want to write a thank-you note or message to someone who just moved away. Kids even enjoy a note tucked in their lunch bag.
Wednesday morning story time will continue to meet at 9:30 for stories and crafts. During the month of October we will learn about bats and acorns. We’ll do a little “web magic” without going near the computer and spell our names with leaves. Any child who wishes to wear a costume on October 30 might find the librarians doing the same thing! Refreshments are always served.
October, falling leaves, autumn decorations on the door, Halloween costumes to make, soup cooking on the stove, fire in the woodstove, cooler days, are all times to curl up with a book. Books on all those subjects are on display ready to be taken home.
Books:
Songs of Willow Frost by J. Ford
Damned if You Do by R. Parker
Regeneration by P. Barker
The Maid’s Version by D. Woodrell
How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will Too by S. Severe
Bones of the Lost by K. Reichs
A Street Cat Named Bob by J. Bowen
News from the Friends of DPL
Mini Movie Monsters at DPL — The Friends of the Dublin Public Library will host a film festival for the young and the brave on the 5th, the 12th, and the 19th of October at 10 am. “Beetlejuice,” “Frankenweenie” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” are the featured movies, free and open to the public. Come if you dare!
Hunt Smith Tells How He Makes Violins — Hunt Smith will present a program on how he makes violins at the Dublin Public Library on October 23rd at 7 pm. He brings to the violin world more than 40 years’ experience in the fine, decorative, and performing arts. He is a respected maritime artist, a skilled fiddler, and he has done restoration work for some major museums in this country, such as the Los Angeles County Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the White House. Smith is currently engaged in the making and restoration of violins and violas. The program is free and open to the public, and presented by the Friends of the Dublin Public Library.
Halloween Happening
at the Library
Saturday, October 26
10 am
Monadnock Rotary Meetings Open to All
By Ruth Clark
The Monadnock Rotary Club meets Tuesday morning at 7:30 am at the Dublin Community Church. Please join us for breakfast.
On October 1st, Dr. Robert Knowles, MD, FACS of Monadnock Surgical Associates in Peterborough will be speaking about SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery) procedures at MCH.
Jen Risley, Director of Marketing of the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene, will speak October 8th about the Co-op from its genesis to its current incarnation as this community’s only food cooperative. There is no meeting scheduled for the 15th in observance of Columbus Day weekend.
On October 22, Venu Rao, chair of the Hollis Energy Committee and a Hollis Brookline Rotarian, will discuss a global grant he leads for providing solar panels to remote schools in India.
On October 29th, Chris Halvorson, social media strategist, will focus on “Why Your Business Should Care About Facebook, Twitter and All That Jazz.”
The Monadnock Rotary Club is based in Dublin and is dedicated to community service. The Club’s primary interests are youth development and health advocacy for people of all ages in the Monadnock Region and around the world. The Club is part of Rotary International, a worldwide service organization of more than 1.2 million members.
Ruth Clark handles community relations for the MRC. Please call her at 924-9505 with any questions.
Take Our Online Survey about Broadband
Committee needs to gather data to improve our internet access.
By Kate Albert
The Dublin Broadband Committee has met several times over the past five months. We have discussed what services are currently available to Dublin residents and businesses and have identified areas with less than adequate broadband speeds. We are still determining the full impact that poor broadband service has on town businesses, library, schools, wireless coverage, and real estate values. We are finding many people in Dublin cannot perform the work they need to at home due to slow Internet. We are hearing that more schools are requiring online access and not all residences receive the same options.
National surveys show that a higher broadband connection increases the value of homes and helps attract and retain businesses. Is Dublin able to attract new business with the current options available? Are property sales impacted by Internet availability? We are hearing that Internet speed is definitely a consideration for buyers.
The Dublin Broadband Committee is now seeking specific data to present to providers as evidence of areas that are below acceptable levels and to request additional infrastructure be planned. Please complete the following online survey. Please visit: dublin.nhbroadband.net — there is no www or http necessary. Personal information will not be shared with outside parties and is only being used for data collection. It is very important to gather as much data as possible! This site was created solely for this purpose.
Our mission is to assist in bringing “High Speed Broadband to every premise.” We are seeking solutions from various providers and technologies to make this mission a reality.
In addition to Dublin’s survey, we also encourage Dublin residents to take the “speed test” from New Hampshire Broadband Mapping, which can be found at www.iwantbroadbandnh.com. This data is used at the State level for planning.
We welcome and encourage more residents to join the committee. Future meetings will be posted. Please take the time to complete the Dublin Broadband Committee survey, as we need it to present to providers. If you cannot do this at home please ask someone for assistance or use the computers available at the Town Library.
We most appreciate your assistance with gathering this important data!
Kate Albert is chair of Dublin’s Broadband Committee and Carole Monroe, Miriam Carter, and Marian Schwaller-Carney are members.
1841 Schoolhouse Museum Open During Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 12-13
By Rusty Bastedo
The Dublin Historical Society’s 1841 Schoolhouse Museum will be open 12-2 pm on Saturday and Sunday of Columbus Day Weekend, October 12-13. It is hoped that the Schoolhouse opening will help build the audience for the touring of area artists’ studios and workshops during the Open Studio Art Tour. The Museum features exhibits on Dublin’s “horsepower economy,” 1800 – 1900. Most of the materials on exhibit were collected in 1852, as Dublin celebrated its centennial, and in 1876, when the nation celebrated its centennial. If Advocate readers have houseguests for the weekend in their Columbus Day plans, the 1841 Schoolhouse is yet another courtesy to visitors extended by the Dublin Historical Society.
Russell Bastedo was formerly New Hampshire State Curator from 1997 to 2009. He is a member of the DHS and has served on the staff of The Dublin Advocate since its inception.
Dublin Community Church
Fall Rummage Sale and Yard Sale
Friday, October 11, from 1 to 6 pm
Saturday, October 12, from 10 to 1 pm
Remember the rummage sale as you sort through
your winter clothes — we can always use donations.
Help needed to sort clothes, set up, and sell between
October 7 and 10 from 9 am to 2 pm.
Come for an hour or more.
Bring your lunch!
For further information,
call Betty at 563-7475.
Dublin School Art Show: Artist Alumni 2001-2012 (Sept. 27 through Oct. 18)
Includes work by Zak Doenmez & Taylor Phillips-Hungerford.
In the last decade, Dublin School has had an upturn in the number of students going on to study the arts in college, so the school is putting on a review of some of its alumni from the last 12 years. Close to 20 students are represented in the show with current college students in fiber arts, accessories design, and sculpture. There are students in arts-related graduate programs and recent grads from industrial design, graphic design and fashion design.
Not all students showing have stayed in the arts. There are students who are now studying chemistry, sustainable agriculture and library sciences. This diverse show will allow current students to see the work and to speak with recent Dublin School graduates whose paths they may soon follow.
Ending Hunger One Step at a Time
The 36th annual Monadnock Area CROP Hunger walk will take place in Dublin on October 5. Some 2,000 communities across the country take part in this annual event in which neighbors walk together to take a stand against hunger in our world.
Members of all congregations throughout the region will come together in our town to raise awareness and funds for hunger relief.
In the last 20 years, CROP Hunger Walks have raised more than $294 million dollars, and 25 percent of those funds benefit the communities where they take place by supporting local food banks and community gardens.
The symbolism of walking is important. Hungry people in developing countries typically walk as many as six miles a day to get food, water and fuel, and to take their goods to market. We walk to be in solidarity with their struggle for existence.
Please call Mary Loftis at 563-8884 to learn about joining this year’s walk, which will begin at the Dublin Community Church at 8:30 am (8 am registration) and will take us on a scenic (and fairly hilly!) route around town.
The MET: Live in HD at the Players’ — call Box Office at 924-7585
or visit www. PeterboroughPlayers.org.
[See full story at end of this blog.]
Art Tour 18 Is Here
By Mary Loftis
Columbus Day weekend, October 12 and 13, brings the 18th annual Open Studio Art Tour presented by Monadnock Art / Friends of the Dublin Art Colony. This year’s Tour of 49 artists regionwide includes five Dublin artists, studios number 45 – 49 on the brochure (available at stores and restaurants around the area, as well as online):
Sheila King, on High Ridge Road,
uses egg tempera to paint brightly colored geometric compositions. Although her work is largely abstract, elements from the natural world often peek through. Sheila is a veteran of the Tour and generally participates every other year. (Photo by Sally Shonk)
Maryann Mullett, on Dooe Road,
is new to the Tour this year, but her pastel paintings have been widely shown around the area. Her work focuses on nature, and she uses a close-up perspective to capture the lusciousness of a plateful of summer strawberries, for instance. Fruits, vegetables, rocks, ferns – as well as beloved pets – are all subjects of Maryann’s expressive and realistic work.
David Nelson, on Lower Jaffrey Road (Rt. 137),
paints large acrylic abstractions, which explore the dichotomy of randomness and control. In a current series he splatters paint on highway maps, leaving colorful traces that align and disappear in the layering, “a metaphor for the balance of control and freedom.”
Edith Tuttle, on Windmill Hill Road,
is returning to the Tour and showing watercolors and oil landscapes, many inspired by the preserved mill buildings of Harrisville. The watercolors are lively and bold while the oils blend traditional realism with a modern sensibility.
Susan Barker, on Old Marlborough Road, 
creates stunning, one-of-a-kind jewelry with semi-precious stones, glass beads and handmade sterling silver elements. A necklace featured on the cover of this year’s Art Tour brochure shows the asymmetry, unusual color scheme, and fine craftsmanship that are typical of her work.
To see examples of these artists’ work, go to www.MonadnockArt.org — and start your Art Tour weekend by visiting their studios!
Mary Loftis is on the board of Monadnock Art / Friends of the Dublin Art Colony.
MESA Holds 2013 Annual Meeting
By Jean Leventhal
The Monadnock Eastern Slope Association (MESA), whose aim is the preservation of the environment and stewardship of Mount Monadnock and its surrounding lands, held its annual meeting on Sunday, August 18, 2013. Almost 40 members and guests enjoyed mild late-summer weather at Carol Gebhardt’s home.
After the business meeting, President Elisabeth Langby introduced Patrick Hummel, who has been the Manager of the Monadnock State Park for the past five years. He outlined the recorded history of the mountain, which was first mentioned in 1632. Mt. Monadnock was first referred to by name in 1704, and the name was perpetuated when the towns around the mountain were first designated as Monadnock villages #1-9.
In 1883 the town of Jaffrey found that the summit had been given to the town’s first minister, Reverend Ainsworth, in 1784. Jaffrey selectmen tracked down the heirs and purchased 200 acres in 1884 at $5/acre. This was the first time a town in New Hampshire had purchased land to protect it. The state bought 500 acres in 1903 (the location of the park headquarters today), and in 1915 the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests acquired 650 acres. The Forest Society currently owns more than 4000 acres, which the state manages.
Today up to 120,000 people visit the park each year, which is funded only by its users (there is no state funding). Mt. Monadnock is the most hiked mountain in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 6000 acres, 37 miles of hiking trails, and eight miles of cross-country ski trails. Thirty percent of the visitors arrive in September and October.
Mr. Hummel mentioned that there is now a State Park License Plate available that would help support the Parks. More information can be found at NHStateParks.org.
To join MESA and be on the list for our next annual meeting in August 2014, please visit www.mesa-nh.org.
Jean Leventhal is the treasurer of MESA.
A Memorial for Barry Campbell
A memorial service for Barry Barnard Campbell will be held at the Dublin Cemetery at 11 am on Saturday, October 12th.
His family were early members of the Dublin arts community. His grandfather, George Grey Barnard, was a famous American sculptor responsible for the Cloister in New York City, statues at the Harrisburg, PA, State Capital and numerous busts of Abraham Lincoln.
A small reception will be held after the ceremony on Charcoal Road.
Town of Dublin Halloween Party
Sunday, October 27 from 2 to 4 pm
Crafts, fun, activities, snacks, prizes?
Hosted by Dublin School
(Follow signs to the Fountain Arts Bldg.)
Sponsored by Dublin Recreation Committee
Matt Worcester: Third Generation Fire Fighter
By Ramona Branch
Matt Worcester says he never gave it much thought about becoming a fire fighter. His dad, Mike Worcester, was Dublin’s fire chief for over 30 years. His grandfather, Millard (“Spook”) Worcester, was also a fire fighter. He grew up next door to family friend Brian Barden, a long-time fire fighter.
“Fighting fires is what my family does.” Matt said. “This is our way of being involved in the community.”
Matt joined the fire department in 1990 when he was a senior in high school. He is a First Lieutenant. When I asked him what his specific duties were he told me he doesn’t take a stand in the chain of command but simply does what needs to be done. “If I am first on the scene I take command,” he explained. “If I need to drive the truck I do. If I need to go in I do.”
During the day Matt’s regular job is working for Red’s Heating Oil Company in Jaffrey repairing oil burners. “Isn’t it interesting,” he pointed out, “during the day I repair oil burners that start fires; in my volunteer work I put out fires.”
Matt and his wife, Tatum, have two daughters, Alison, 12, and Jocelyn, 5. The family has two cats, Gracie and Pepper, and a dog named Charlie. Matt’s hobby is collecting antique fire extinguishers.
An interesting note: Matt’s grandmother, Dorothy Worcester, was Dublin’s librarian for 60 years. His mom, Jeanne Sterling, is Dublin’s assistant to the town administrator.
(Writer’s Note: This is the sixth is a series of articles about Dublin’s volunteer fire fighters.)
Ramona Branch is a freelance writer and editor and is on the staff of the Advocate.
Peter’s Pondering
By Peter Hewitt
Never before have I been so struck by the complication of running a hospital.
Medicaid care is only a part of it. Along with the doctors and nurses, there are therapists, both physical and occupational, dieticians, laboratory types, and scores of cleaners. And the office work gets more and more complicated.
No, the next time an appeal from our local hospital arrives it will receive very careful consideration from the ponderer.
Peter Hewitt retired to RiverMead from Dublin a few years ago.
Looking at Costs in the District
By Fiona Tibbetts
Last month the school board began the long march toward a budget for 2014-2015. As a new board member, I have found it very helpful to be provided guides to the process as well as historical figures from budgets past. No doubt we will have a budget number to present to the voters in March. If history is any indication it will be close to last year’s number, perhaps a bit higher, but I hope we can do better.
One number that jumps out at me — and anyone else that looks at our budget — is the cost per student. In 2003, that number was a bit under $10,000. In 2013, it’s a bit under $20,000! Certainly inflation plays a role over 10 years, but that’s probably not much more than 30% of the increase. A 24% drop in average attendance since 2006 is the primary driver. The fact is that some costs just don’t drop when attendance drops. As an example, we have to pay for the school buildings regardless of how many students show up. This issue in particular has led to lots of heated discussions (and ballot issues) about how to reduce the number of school buildings we have.
Accepting that the stark increase in cost per student is driven in part by inflation and in part by the relatively high infrastructure costs of the district, I feel there is another cost item that isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Everyone agrees that salaries and benefits are our biggest single cost item, but generally that acknowledgement is followed by “and we can’t do anything about those.” While I agree that salary and benefit rates are outside our control, staffing levels are not.
Looking at trends over the past seven years, the student census has dropped faster than the number of teachers. In 2006, the student/teacher ratio was close to 11:1, while last year it was just over 9:1. If we had the 2006 ratio of 11:1 last year, it would have meant we would have had 43 fewer teachers, which is 16% of the total number of teachers we had. One can argue that a lower student/teacher ratio is a good thing. I also acknowledge that with the falling census come certain productivity problems associated with matching teachers to the right number of students in a particular grade at a particular school. That said, I think it bears scrutiny.
Finally, over that same seven-year period, the number of administrators and administrative assistants has dropped from 57 to 56. Again, just like buildings, some jobs don’t change just because the census drops; you need one superintendent regardless of district size. I’m sure that each administrator is doing an important job, but there must be part of each job that is dependent on the number of students.
If we’re going to bring our spending into line with State norms, we’re going to have to look at all the costs, not just the number of buildings in the district. As always, I’d love to hear your views on the subject.
Fiona Tibbetts is Dublin’s representative to SAU1, the ConVal School District. She can be reached at 566-2823 or fiona.tibbetts@nullgmail.com.
Breakfast and Guided Tour at Mayfair Farm
On the heels of the popular sold-out farm dinners this summer and fall, Sarah Heffron and Craig Thompson of Mayfair Farm in Harrisville, will host a breakfast on October 19 at 9 am. A guided walking tour will follow the meal.
As with the dinners, the breakfast menu will feature the excellent food that Mayfair raises, grows, and makes, including eggs from pastured chickens and meat raised lovingly and carefully on pasture with locally sourced non-GMO grain milled specially for the farm. Tickets are $22 including tax/tip for adults and $17 for kids.
The guided tour is free and will start at 10 am. Boots are recommended.
Visitors will see Mayfair’s animals, including pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and turkeys, as well as the new barn and hoophouse, a young orchard with apple and pear trees and PYO strawberry and raspberry patches, and hilltop pastures reclaimed after a micro tornado devastated the land in 2010.
To purchase tickets for the breakfast or find more information, write to info@nullmayfairfarmnh.com or visit mayfairfarmfallbreakfast.eventbrite.com.
Dublin Artist Visits DCP
By Cathy Carabello
As early childhood educators, we have come to appreciate the value of art for the importance of the process rather than the final product. At Dublin Community Preschool, we offer many open-ended projects to encourage creativity, the exploration of various textures, the strengthening of fine motor skills, exposure to color learning and so much more.
Children often take a cautious approach to art projects if they are unsure of the outcome. They might be wondering: How messy will it be? Is it okay to get messy? What if it doesn’t feel good? Will I be able to do it the “right” way? Encouraging “messy” builds confidence and gives the message that messy is not only okay but is great fun!
And fun it was when Heather Avery Stockwell came as our guest artist to create papier-mâché masks with the preschoolers! Over the course of a few days, the children dipped and spread various types and sizes of paper strips in a mixture of glue and wallpaper paste across the pre-formed mask shapes. The final layer involved coloring textured paper towels with liquid water colors and painting over it with more of the “goop.”
“Mask making can be fun for all age groups,” says Heather, “partly because different cultures have been making and using them for a wide variety of purposes for many centuries. They have played an important role in human life, so naturally kids are attracted to them.” Indeed as the process unfolded, the cautious and the hesitant eventually dove right in, elbow deep.
Diving in elbow deep encapsulates Heather’s approach to art. Heather has lots of experience working with various mediums as well as various age groups. Her hope is to offer classes that can be tailored to school programs, corporate groups or communities of any kind. For more information on her art offerings and experience, find her on Facebook under “Full Circle Studio” or “Creative Tile Installation.”
Cathy Carabello has been Director/Lead Morning Teacher at the Dublin Community Preschool since 1999.
Dublin Consolidated School News
By May Clark
We are holding our Open House on Thursday evening, October 3, from 6 to 7 pm. Children will be showing their parents around the building to admire their classrooms and school work. Everyone in the community is welcome to come and see our wonderful school on this happy occasion! We have a little “extra” this year, in the form of a Halloween Costume Swap. Families will be dropping off gently used costumes the week before, and people can “shop” at bargain prices for costumes for their children. The sale will go on both before and after the official Open House hour for 20 minutes or so. We hope to see you!
September brought us a lot of new students. Hurray! We were happy to welcome 12 new schoolchildren from grades K through 4 during the first few days of school. We also welcomed Deb Lang, a paraprofessional from the Hancock Elementary School. She transferred to DCS in response to a reduction of students in Hancock and the increase here. She is working full time in our K/1 classroom, now up to 20 children.
We’ve had a busy September of learning routines and ABCs (our DCS rules) as well as assessing where children are on their road to learning reading and math. We’ve gathered lots of information, and have already begun instruction aimed at specific needs for specific students — something we are good at!
We’ve also been harvesting from our beautiful Cornucopia garden — it has been a great year for cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, and potatoes! We have a new Cornucopia teacher joining us, Cheryl Champy. We were also fortunate to travel as a whole school to the Hancock Cornucopia Garden as well as Norway Hill Orchard at the end of the month. What fun!
With our kindergarteners staying all day and our new families, we are feeling rich in children! We always love visitors — just call or email first.
May Clark is Teaching Principal at Dublin Consolidated School. She can be reached at mclark@nullconval.edu or call 563-8332.
Welcome, Mike!
By Jeanne Sterling
We want to welcome Michael (Mike) Borden to the town office. Mike is our new Building Inspector/Code Enforcer and, after the first of the year, will take on the position of Health Officer.
Along with Dublin, Mike is also the Building Inspector for the towns of Greenfield, Lyndeborough and Deering and Deputy Inspector in Hancock.
He was previously the Building Inspector in Greenfield from 1990-1994, leaving for a time to run the Boy Scout Troupe of Greenfield.
Before that, Mike had been a general contractor for 30 years. He started doing inspections again in 2013, and now covers the several towns mentioned. He is a graduate of ConVal High School and has lived in the region since 1972.
His Dublin office is located in the lower level of the Dublin Town Hall, and you can see him there every Tuesday morning from 9 to 11 am or by appointment. You can reach Mike by cell phone at 547-0437 with your questions.
Jeanne Sterling is Assistant to the Town Administrator and Advertising Coordinator for The Dublin Advocate.
2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac on the Stands
A frosty forecast comes courtesy of the 2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac, known as North America’s oldest continuously published periodical, from right here in Dublin by Yankee Publishing Inc., since 1792.
It declares that a decline in solar activity combined with ocean-atmosphere patterns in the Pacific and Atlantic will result in below-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall during most of the winter across much of the United States.
In addition to its traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts, the 2014 Old Farmer’s Almanac offers readers a year’s worth of wit, wisdom, and fun. Many people read the Almanac for information that they can’t find anywhere else.
Always “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor,” it is known for its advice relating to home, garden, and food. The Old Farmer’s Almanac family of publications includes themed calendars, a garden guide, a cookbook series, and the newest edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids.
Print versions of the Old Farmer’s Almanac are available for $5.99 wherever books and magazines are sold.
Dublin – a Natural Place for Peacebuilding
By Cassie Cleverly
The Cyprus Friendship Program (CFP) will celebrate its fifth year of building peace one relationship at a time on October 13th at the European University in Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus, an island located south of Turkey, east of Syria and north of Israel, has been divided by a UN militarized buffer zone since 1974. The aim of the program is to build relationships among the northern Turkish-speaking Muslim and southern Greek-speaking Christian Cypriots who would otherwise have no way to meet.
The program, which hosts group activities year-round, sends pairs of competitively selected teens to neutral families in the United States for the month of July where they can experience living with someone from the opposite side of the divide on a daily basis.
For the past three years, the Monadnock Region, especially Dublin, has played an important role in this unique peacebuilding and leadership program.
Dublin residents have joined this peacebuilding effort in many different ways. Five pairs of boys have been hosted by Rick MacMillan, the Wolpe family and the Lasky family. Caroline Doenmez, Mary Loftis and Wendy White have helped whenever and wherever asked — assisting with group activities and sharing their free time with Cypriot pairs spread out all over New Hampshire. (Twenty pairs have been hosted in New Hampshire over the past three years.) Moreover, the teens felt welcomed by everyone at Dublin Lake, both at the Women’s Beach and the Lake Club, and the Dublin General Store became their regular hang-out. (Those DGS shirts are proudly worn on the other side of the world!)
Of particular note this year was Heather Stockwell’s contribution to the teens’ public art project in Keene. Under the guidance of Heather and Hari Kirin Khalsa, the teens created a mud mural on the back of Lindy’s Diner in Keene on the hottest day of the summer. The project, cited by the teens as the highlight of all their workshops, gave them an opportunity to see how artists engage as leaders in social justice and community building.
If you have not had a chance to see it, please check it out at Lindy’s and/or on our website at www.cyprusfriendship.org.
Cassie Cleverly is executive director of the Cyprus Friendship Program.
Andrew Ross Elder
By Sarah Elder Hale
Andy Elder, who died in September, was born on November 2, 1929, to George and Thelma (Pope) Elder, and grew up in West Medway, Massachusetts, the seventh of 12 children. His tight-knit family valued hard work, good cheer, and public service. Among his many activities, Andy helped in his father’s surveying and landscaping business, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and served in the Civilian Conservation Corps on Cape Cod. At a young age, Andy met a local auctioneer, Perley Porter, who introduced him to the antiques business. From this early interest grew his lifelong passion and vocation.
After graduating from Medway High School, Andy moved to New Hampshire to work for his Uncle Harold Pope, owner of Pope’s General Store in Harrisville. It was here that he first became acquainted with his future wife, Lynn Clymer. In 1951, Andy entered the Army, training at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas and Fort Riley, Kansas in the Counter-Intelligence Corps, serving in Germany during the Korean War.
Under the GI Bill, Andy enrolled in Boston University’s College of Business Administration, and earned his degree in 1958. During college, he worked at Goodspeed’s, an antiquarian bookshop in Boston. In 1956, Andy married Lynn Clymer at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Peterborough, New Hampshire.
Andy and Lynn returned to the Monadnock Region, living briefly in a cottage Andy built on Lake Skatutakee, and later settling in Dublin. He became personnel manager at Miniature Precision Bearings in Keene, a post he held for 11 years. Dublin was their home for 38 years, and it was here that they raised their four children.
Andy continued to pursue his vocation as an auctioneer and appraiser, and eventually it became his full-time profession. He held auctions regularly in the Dublin Town Hall and country auctions throughout southwestern New Hampshire. His knowledge of antiques, fine art, and history was deep and broad, and he eagerly shared his expertise with others.
Andy actively participated in the Dublin community: he was a trustee of the Dublin Public Library for more than 35 years, a volunteer firefighter, served on the Recreation Committee, and was a member of the Dublin Community Church. His other associations included the Lake Skatutakee Association (first president) and the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association.
In 1997, Andy and Lynn moved back to Harrisville to live in an ancestral home. One of their great joys was to have friends drop by for a cup of tea anytime of the day.
Sarah Elder Hale lives in Hancock with her family.
Ministering in Micronesia
By Jordan and Jamie Moody
Ferdinand Magellan named the Pacific Ocean after its peaceful nature. He was obviously traveling in a much larger boat than we were because calm is definitely not the word I would have used to describe it. Chuuk is one of the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia and is located smack dab in the middle of the not-so-calm-don’t-trust-Magellan Pacific Ocean. In July, my wife Jamie and I had the opportunity to travel with a medical/ dental mission team to these Pacific islands. Our experience in Chuuk was marked by fear and trust.
The most challenging part of the trip was a “little boat ride” to the outer island of Nama, a tiny, remote island that has no hospital, little medicine, and no electricity or running water. Fifteen team members piled into three small 20-foot, single-motored fishing boats. Not exactly the Santa Maria, Nina, or Pinta! In addition, we needed to take all our medical supplies, food, bedding and gasoline for the trip over and back since we were spending several days on the island. For five hours, we experienced waves twice the size of our boats and the feeling of complete helplessness as the sight of land disappeared from view. Thankfully we made it to Nama safely and God blessed the clinics as we ministered to the needs of the people.
Fear comes naturally. Trust is something learned. It is through taking a leap of faith that you really start to grow your trust in God. It is easy to trust when your feet are planted firmly on dry ground, but very different when you’re out of your comfort zone, floating on two and a half inches of fiberglass in the middle of the open ocean. Jamie and I learned so many faith-building lessons on this trip with GDMMissions. The medical and dental teams focus on partnering with local churches around the world to bring physical help to needy areas and to open doors of ministry for local pastors. The Bible challenges us to “show your faith by your works.” Jamie and I are not dentists or doctors but were simply two people who were willing to go and serve the people of Chuuk. Our lives are different—and better—for having gone.
Jordan and Jamie Moody are on the faculty at Dublin Christian Academy.
Future Community Center Takes Shape
By Bruce Simpson
As you have probably noticed, things are happening at the old general store, soon to be the Dublin Community Center. Glendale Group, who we have hired as general contractor for the Phase II renovations, has begun work on the site. These renovations will include structural work to the building, creation of a large meeting room where the store used to be, installation of new heating, cooling and electrical systems, construction of a kitchen, an office, a computer room, and two handicap-accessible bathrooms. The work began with the construction of a parking lot out back, which will serve as a parking and staging area during construction. The old garage has been hauled away. And most of the flooring and joists of the first floor have been removed, to be replaced by a new floor. When the work is complete later this fall, we will be ready to open our doors and invite everyone in.
To date our focus has necessarily been on planning, fundraising, and getting over the numerous hurdles we faced prior to starting construction. Now that those tasks are behind us we will be shifting gears to begin making more concrete plans as to what types of programs to run, what services to offer, and what policies we need to have in place to govern the many uses we envision for the space. As always, we are open to suggestions from the people of Dublin.
We are also going to start planning and fundraising for the next phase of renovation, which will create two apartments on the second floor. Part of our business plan for funding the operation of the Center is to use the income from the apartments to cover maintenance expenses and contribute toward the costs of running programs, so we hope to begin work on the upstairs as soon as the downstairs is complete.
We’re very excited to see things progressing, and we would like to thank everyone who has helped out. We plan to have an open house as soon as the dust settles, and to start running programs and events soon afterwards.
Bruce Simpson is on the board of the Dublin Community Center.
Be Part of the Magic…
By Barbara Summers
The kickoff for the Monadnock United Way was held Thursday, Sept. 12, in Keene. One hundred volunteers braved the weather to participate in launching the 2013 campaign.
The United Way assists 30 different organizations throughout southwestern NH, including Dublin. There are some ‘life saver’ services, without which residents would be in a terrible bind, such as Jaffrey Adult Care Clinic, Home Health Care Hospice, Keene Food Bank, Monadnock Family Services, to mention just a few. The users are our neighbors, friends, employees, in temporary need of assistance.
So, when a volunteer visits or calls your business, requesting a donation to the United Way, please support him or her with whatever you and your employees can give this year. If you want to designate a particular organization, that is an option as well. Thank you again.
Barbara Summers is Chair of MUW’s Towns III Division, and Dublin Team Captain.
Frost Heaves Returns with Foliage Follies
Just come for a laugh or two.
The award-winning comedy show Frost Heaves returns with “Foliage Follies,” an all-new show of Yankee humor, music, and assorted nonsense, on October 11, 12, and 19 at the Peterborough Players theatre in Peterborough, NH at 7:30 pm (and October 12 at 2 pm).
The Frost Heaves Players (Dave Nelson of Dublin, Ken Sheldon of Hancock, and Kathy Manfre and Beth Signoretti of Peterborough) will present true tales from the local police report, This Old Yankee House, a new counseling service from Big Dog systems, a look at Yankee drivethroughs, the news from Frost Heaves, and more.
Music for Frost Heaves is provided by the Speed Bumps band, just back from their Garage-a-Palooza tour. At every performance of Frost Heaves, the band writes a brand-new “Song on the Spot” based on audience suggestions.
Tickets are $18 (or $15 for the matinee), available at frostheaves.com or by calling 603-525-3391.
The MET: Live in HD at the Players
The MET: Live in HD returns to the Peterborough Players for the fifth season. The Metropolitan Opera will simulcast 10 operas on Saturday afternoons via satellite and high-definition equipment onto a large screen at the Players’ intimate 250-seat theatre. Subtitles are streamed onto the bottom of the screen throughout each performance, and interviews and behind-the-scenes footage is shown during intermissions. Sunflowers Restaurant and Catering of Jaffrey, NH, caters sweet and savory “Opera Bites” that patrons may purchase before each opera and during intermissions.
First up on October 5th at 1 pm is Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Anna Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien star as the lovestruck Tatiana and the imperious Onegin in Tchaikovsky’s fateful romance. Deborah Warner’s new production, directed by Fiona Shaw, set in the late 19th century, moves episodically from farmhouse to ballroom, with a powerful snowstorm providing the dramatic setting for the finale. Piotr Beczala is Lenski, Onegin’s friend turned rival. Russian maestro Valery Gergiev conducts.
On October 26th at 1 pm is Shostakovich’s The Nose. William Kentridge stormed the Met with his inventive production of Shostakovich’s opera, which dazzled opera and art lovers alike in its inaugural run in 2010. Now Paulo Szot reprises his acclaimed performance of a bureaucrat, whose satirical misadventures in search of his missing nose are based on Gogol’s comic story. Valery Gergiev conducts.
Similar offerings continue through May. Discounted subscription packages are available — tickets: $25 adults, $20 students. Please call the Box Office at 924-7585 or visit www.PeterboroughPlayers.org.