​Hello all!  Yesterday we opened the Museum for the OAHS Class of 1970 who are in town celebrating their 50th Reunion.  Jonathan Coe and the Reunion Committee planned a number of events including a bus tour of Easton, lunch at the Museum, a dinner last night at the Easton Country Club, and a brunch today.  It was really great catching up with friends and meeting many other people.  (The reunion was planned for last year, but due to Covid, it was postponed for a year).


The Museum lost two people who were such important supporters over the years.  Past President Ed White was Society president when we received the Old Colony Railroad Station from the Ames family in 1969.  He was very involved supporting the Society in our early years, running fundraisers such as our popular antique car meets, working with other volunteers rehabbing the old railroad station, and helping to develop our early collection of Easton history.  Just a few days ago we lost Lee Williams who was a steady supporter of the Museum for so many years.  Lee was always ready to share a story about his experiences growing up as a "Furnace Village Rat" near the Five Corners, and was a regular contributor to "Reminiscences."  He donated to the Museum every year, and thanks to his generosity our "Chowder and Chatter" dinner and talk became an annual event.  Lee paid for that dinner since its inception (the idea was originally proposed by the late Dr. Robert Misiewicz, and Lee took the lead on making sure it would happen each year.)  Our ladies powder room is named for his late mother Margaret Adams Williams.  Both Ed and Lee were great examples of supporting the community they lived in, leaving it better than they found it, and raising up a new generation of leaders.

Today I have included two more photos from the 1968 Gym Jam, and I hope to get more names!  Both photos are of what I believe to be the "Triple Balance" routine, where three of the boys positioned themselves in a particular form to demonstrate balance and strength.  The boy on top must have been higher than the basketball hoop!  Note also the two boys sitting on the basketball hoop supports, getting an eagle eye view of the event - who might they be?

Until next week,
Stay well, Frank

​Hello, and a happy fall to all!  The first fall colors are emerging from some of the trees here, with just a hint of red and yellow peeking cautiously through the many green leaves around here.  It won't be long before we see fall in all its brilliance!


A few weeks ago Judith (Carlson) Zickl donated a collection of very interesting Oliver Ames items saved by the Carlson family.  Among them are photos of the 1968 Gym Jam!  Held on April 5 and 6 that year, the program was a continuation of the Gym Jams that were held in the 1950's, 1960's and into the early 1970's.  This particular event, under the careful guidance of Miss Suzanne Rivard and Miss Gloria Ferrandino (girls instructors) and Mr. Eero Helin and Mr. Edward Forbush (boys instructors) included eighteen events, all carefully executed after long hours of preparation.  Attached is a copy of the program, and a photo of one of the popular events: the bamboo dance.  Featuring sets of bamboo poles opening and closing while students danced between them, this exercise required athleticism and expert timing.  In the next few weeks I'll feature a different photo or two.  I hope they bring fond memories to mind, and I also hope you can help name any of the people in the photos.  At least one photo was taken by Jeff Nystrom, and I suspect all of them may have been taken by him.  I look forward to putting names to faces.  I would also like to hear from Jeff if anyone knows his whereabouts.

Until next week, stay healthy,
Frank

​Greetings from Easton!  A chill in the air this morning announces the imminent arrival of fall.  I hope you all enjoy a nice Labor Day weekend and the warm days and cool nights.

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Work continues at the Museum!  Director Jonathan Coe has been busy setting up a new display for our sales items.  We will be refreshing the entire Museum over the next few weeks as we eagerly anticipate reopening later in the fall.  A photo provided by Jonathan of the new sale display is attached.


Today's image is a small nod to a time when stopping for gas meant watering your horse!  A postcard in our collection features a nice image of a watering station.  Located at the intersection of Central Street and Washington Street, this pump provided a refreshing drink for both animals and passersby.  The pump itself is non-descript, simply a pitcher pump in an iron pipe.  The trough is hollowed out from a piece of solid stone.  The two buildings in the background are of local interest.  On the right is a rooming house owned by the Morse family, whose former thread mill still stands at 7 Central Street.  Workers could board there, and the building dates to the 1860's when the thread mill was in full force.  The building to the left was a storage building connected with the thread mill, and dates to a similar time.  The postcard photo was taken by Webster W. Bolton, a South Easton photographer who lived on Howard Street.  He published postcards for clients under the name "The Bolton Popular Post Card" and several of those cards survive.  This particular card was published around 1910.

Stay well, enjoy the nice weather, and until next time,
Frank