Happy Hadley Birthday

350 Years Young

Today was the 350th birthday of the town of Hadley. It is also the 350th year of their Congregational Church.

It is easy to imagine the buckled shoes of those who lived in the long ago past climbing the church's stone steps.

 

What is a Founder's Day without a parade?

 

There were speeches by the local politicians on the steps of Town Hall. Here State Senator Stanley Rosenberg and State Rep. John Scibeck present the town with a framed copy of the original town charter.

 



There was a pretty good crowd for the ceremony, but not as large as I would've predicted, considering that it was a once in a lifetime event.

I hadn't realized that Amherst was once a part of Hadley, and didn't become a separate town until 1759. Officially representing Amherst at the ceremony was the blogging Selectperson Stephanie O'Keefe.

Souvenirs were for sale, such as these commemorative jars made to resemble antiques. 

After the ceremony everyone went into the church for a piece of the giant town birthday cake, decorated with the names of the founding families. 

At the table of honor sat the town's oldest resident, holding the ceremonial gold tipped cane.

 



Her name is Victoria Drabek, and her age is one hundred and one. 

New Libertarian

Speaking of parades, last month in Parade magazine Mary Tyler Moore announced that she is a "libertarian centrist."



Libertarian centrist? Compared to what - a libertarian radical?

I came across this in the Hotel Northampton parking lot. 

President Obama is giving General Motors 60 days to come up with a strategy of viability for the American taxpayers' money. You know what G.M. should have said? "Hey, you first."

-- Jay Leno, The Tonight Show, March 31, 2009.

 

Faster

There was a big race to raise money for charity at UMass today. 

Cheering the runners on was Minuteman Sam!



 

Cleaner

This morning I helped with the community clean-up of the woodland way I walk each morning downtown.

Among the helpers was Jim Miller and Ruthy Woodring.

 



I was surprised by the number of Northampton residents who gave up their Saturday morning in cheerful service to the community. 

Today's Video

The internet is a beautiful thing that removes the traditional gatekeepers and barriers to creativity. Now talent is free to blossom like never before, enabling some of the best music to be made in bedrooms.