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Weekly Update

3/27/2021

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Hello!  What a terrific day here in Easton!  Between rain yesterday and rain forecast for tomorrow, we have a sunny day.  Today, the Easton Baptist Church is having a Covid-style Easter Egg Hunt, and next Saturday, Covenant Congregational Church is sponsoring an Easter Scavenger Hunt!  It is so good to see some community activities after such a long time of not much at all going on.
 
Today I thought I would share with you something really special from our archives.  It is a sample of a bandage made for soldiers during the Civil War.  Women played a prominent role in war efforts, though they do not get the recognition they should.  During times of war, many women and women’s groups got together and made bandages and dressings that would be sent to the field in hopes of keeping our soldiers and sailors alive.  We know that many Easton women were doing this during World War I.  And thanks to this small sample, we can see firsthand the excellent work that was performed by women of an earlier generation.
 
The sample we have is about 5” square, and is made of a very fine linen or cotton fabric.  Its weave resembles the gauze bandaging we are all familiar with today.  This material would be woven into long strips, then rolled, and boxed.  From Easton it was probably sent to Boston, and from there, would be sent along established supply lines to anywhere there was a need – and there was plenty of need!  Our sample was mounted with red, white, and blue ribbon onto an old paper, which was then mounted inside a folded paper with the following information hand-written on it: “Surgical Dressing – A sample of the work for wounded soldiers of the Civil War.”  A note at the bottom simply says “Made by L. F. Chamberlain.”
 
I have not been able to find out who L. F. Chamberlain was.  A few Chamberlains appear on our cemetery database, but none are a match for these initials, and lived at a later date.  A search on Find A Grave did not yield any definitive results either, and a look at online genealogy records was inconclusive.  The “History of Easton” does list a Rev. J. Chamberlain who was involved in the First Methodist Society in Easton during the 1820’s, and later moved to Mansfield.  There are a number of Chamberlains in surrounding towns.  Our L. F. Chamberlain remains a mystery.  Perhaps one of our sleuths out there might be able to identify this person.  Fortunately, an example of her life-saving work has survived.


I wish to express special thanks to member Merrick Sokol who took notice of our need for a good camera, and recently surprised us with a Nikon CoolPix camera!  This should serve us for many years to come.  Thank you, Merrick!
 
Until next week,
Stay well,
Frank

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    Curator: Frank Meninno

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Hello! June closes with a beautiful weekend of sun and warm, summer temperatures. This weekend would be terrific for sunning on the beach, working in the yard, cooking out, or taking in a ball game.

Sixty-five years ago that is exactly what was going on at Frothingham Park. In the summer of 1957, someone took a photo of a baseball game being played at Frothingham. The photo is taken from the hill near the Sheridan Street gate, and overlooks the outfield towards home plate. Though the photo is printed in black and white, one can easily see why playing ball at Frothingham Park is such a special experience! The field is well manicured, the basepaths smooth, the infield and outfield grass short and sturdy. Dozens of people are watching from the concrete stands. Others find the shade of the beautiful trees is the best place to watch from. Since the trees are well leafed out, I think this might be a summer game, perhaps our beloved Easton Huskies. How many of us have trekked to the Park to watch the Huskies, or our Oliver Ames High School teams, or Little League teams play? Even better, how many of us played in any of those games? With its beautiful baseball field, shade trees, natural beauty, and welcoming water fountain, Frothingham Park has no equal when it comes to a great place for sports. Today the Park is still a wonderful place to play in, or watch a baseball game. This photo, taken from approximately the same location as the 1957 photo, looks over that same green outfield towards the area of home plate. The field itself, aptly named for the late Robert "Buddy" Wooster who took such great care of the field, the park, and played games there, is as nicely kept as ever. The trees have matured since that 1957 photo was taken, providing even more beauty and shade. Driving by one can still catch a good ballgame, and certainly catch memories of heroics of years past. Does anyone remember Ken MacAfee hitting a ball onto Sheridan Street, over the iron fence? That must have been a truly Ruthian blast! Today the Park provides a safe playspace for young people, basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts, a track and paths for walking. A new pavilion adds a nice piece to an already inviting area. How many people packed a picnic lunch and escaped to the shady places at the Park to escape the summer heat? The Park is many things to many people, and a true treasure to our town since its establishment in 1930 as a gift from Mrs. Mary Ames Frothingham in memory of her late husband, Congressman Louis A. Frothingham. By the way, Mr. Frothingham was an excellent athlete and one of the best baseball players ever at Harvard. During the Great Depression, the Park was an anchor for so many. During this past pandemic, the Park once again proved its importance to so many people as a place to play, a place to relax, and a center of our community. Until next week, stay well,
Frank
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  • Home
    • Our Story
    • Curators Corner
    • Tours
  • Discover
  • Gallery
    • Richardson Buildings
    • Records
    • Maps
    • Ames Mansions
    • Event Photos
  • Research
    • Cemetery Records Collection
    • Crimes and Disasters Collection
    • Easton Churches Collection
    • Easton Ledger Collection
    • Easton's Neighborhoods
    • Folklore Collection
    • Frank Seymour Hersey Papers
    • George Warren Andrews Collection
    • Hayward Family Collection
    • Morse Family Collection
    • Randall Genealogical Papers
    • TECCOE Collection
    • Unity Church Collection
    • William L. Chaffin Papers
    • Links
    • Newsletters
  • Find Us
  • Books
  • Novelty Items
  • Prints and Maps
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Membership
  • Weekly Update
  • Weekly Update