Monday, December 9, 2019

Another View of Worcester's Winter Hill Farm

Update December 9, 2019


-- Views of Winter Hill Farm


My memoir, "Worcester's Winter Hill Farm," tells the story of growing up in Worcester in the late 1950s and early 1960s on a farm property that featured horses, sheep, chickens, hayfields and a fun place to grow up.

This photograph is a composite of two pictures taken directly in front of the house at 92 West Chester Street. As of today, the house is still there, but the giant tree and the barn are gone. A house replaced the barn many years after we moved away.

-- Book Cover Photograph


Lily, Marna, and Paige
View from the "lower" driveway
The cover photograph on the memoir is a different angle, which features the side of the house and the prominent "back" staircase. It was this door that we used to go in and out of the house. The front door was only a place to let the mail carrier drop off letters. My sister, Eljay, is the custodian of these photos. She has others as well. 

In this photo, Lily, Marna, and Paige pose with a copy of the book. I dedicated the book to Lily, Paige, and my other niece, Jean Nicole. The three of them are the children of my siblings that grew up on the farm. Some of the stories told in the book may help them understand their parents as well as me. 

You can read more about the memoir on my other blog. Visit:

The Books of Richard F. Wright

You can buy the book on Barnes & Noble or on Amazon.com. 

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Next Book Will Feature Dick Wright's Newspaper Columns

Update November 16, 2019

-- Writing Keeps Me Busy in Jefferson

I have been sorting and editing my father's newspaper columns for about a year. One of the earliest columns in the collection was about the controversy surrounding the UMass Medical School being sited in Worcester. Dad sought to "calm" the nervous citizens of Worcester by applying his assessment of where the board of trustees would finally land.


Published Monday, July 12, 1965
       
Medical School
Vote on Site Should Stand

By Dick Wright

Worcester is much too nervous about losing the state medical school. Its inferiority complex is showing and for no really good reason.

The trustees of the The University of Massachusetts, who voted to locate the state school in Worcester, did so after nearly two years of investigation, discussion, and study. To change their minds at this point would do great harm to themselves and the university.

At their meeting in Boston last Wednesday, the trustees agreed to listen to any and all persons who have something to say about the decision, but the trustees did not say they would vote to reconsider their decision, let alone agree to change it.

The wording of the resolution adopted was very studied. It said the board would hear four groups, two opposed to Worcester and two favoring Worcester, and then the board said it "will take whatever action is necessary."

The latent opposition to the decision to locate the school in Worcester came to light only after the choice was made because most of the pro-Amherst group believed the trustees would vote for Amherst in the beginning. When the decision went to Worcester, it came as a complete shock to a great many—including many of those in Worcester who had been working to get the school here.

The consulting firm of Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc., had recommended Amherst primarily because they accepted the premise that any medical school of this kind should be located on the campus of the parent university. All their evaluations of the sites were drawn on that premise, even though they did say that a medical school could be established at any of the proposed sites. The report was biased in favor of Amherst.

Talked With Officials
The trustees traveled to several communities, met with local chambers of commerce and government officials. They worked with the consulting firm and other educational agencies. The study period covered a long period of time. It just does not seem reasonable to believe that after all that effort, the trustees could, at this point, decide they had not done the job properly and thoroughly.

The debate resolved itself to one major argument: whether the medical school would best serve the needs of medical education on the campus at Amherst or in an urban community. The debate centered on the availability of numbers and “mix” of patients, related medical facilities, and organizations. The decision was that it should be an urban location, and the best urban location was Worcester.

Once the decision was announced, those who had thought that Amherst had the school sewed up suddenly sprang into vocal action, with the result that several ad hoc committees have been formed and pressures brought to bear. Those who said the decision was “political” are now attempting to use political pressure to change the decision.

Pertinent Information
George L. Pumphret of Dorchester told a reporter that he did not believe any of the protesting groups could find any pertinent information the trustees had not already considered.

Hugh Thompson of Milton was more direct: “No one would dare tell us we didn’t know what was in that report (Booz, Allen & Hamilton’s evaluation study) or that we didn’t know what we were voting for.” Bishop Christopher J. Weldon of Springfield put it this way: “A lot of those clamoring do not know as much about the various sites as we do, and they certainly haven’t had the same materials or had the question before them as long as we have.” The bishop added: “We will listen with open minds to what they have to say.”

It is, therefore, apparent that the trustees themselves are confident the decision was made properly and in good faith. The debate concerning the sites covered many months and was extensive in scope.

Urban Community
Nine of the trustees favored Amherst and did not change their vote at the meeting in Amherst. One trustee who had voted for a different site switched to Amherst, but the other 12 went for Worcester. Primarily because they believed the medical school should be located in an urban community with all the necessary medical facilities and patients readily available.

How, then, can the trustees change the decision? To so so would lend credence to the charge that politics played a big part in the choice.

If the trustees should change the decision at this point, they will cast doubt on the ability of the board to make objective judgments on any questions pertaining to the operation of the university. This would severely damage the image and reputation of the board of trustees itself. The trustees can hardly be expected to take such action against themselves.

On this basis, Worcester, while remaining “alert,” as City Manager McGrath phrased it, should be a bit less nervous. The state medical school belongs in Worcester, and if the trustees are the responsible persons they have shown themselves to be in the past, the school will come to Worcester.

Editor’s Notes

The UMass Medical School was charted in 1960 but did not open until 1970. This article appeared five years before it opened and addressed the continuing struggle that the City of Worcester had getting a full commitment from the state, specifically the school board of trustees, to site the school at Worcester. This column originally appeared in the Worcester Evening Gazette. 

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Sunday, October 27, 2019

Cape Cod in the Fall is Spectacular

Update October 28, 2019

-- Vacation on Cape Cod 2019
Richard framing his visit to the seashore.

Every October, Patti and I spend a week on Cape Cod so that we can golf at all of our favorite golf courses during the fall season. The courses are beautiful, and the daily temperatures are more like mid-60s rather than mid-90s, such as last June when we visited.

But, we always have extra time to visit the National Seashore, our favorite restaurants, and even places we haven't seen before, such as the Atwood Museum in Chatham. I will give more detail on all of this in my next post.

I've spent most of the past two or three months working on the final touches to my new book, The John Fresolo Saga, and especially in marketing it to the reading public. I'm pleased to say that as of this morning, 128 copies of the book have been ordered by bookstores, libraries, and by the general public on online booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There's still a lot of promotion ahead, including some book signings, so I expect to keep busy with that.

-- Cape Cod Fall Foliage


Patti took great photos of the fall foliage. 
Fall Foliage on Cape Cod can be as spectacular as anything we see at home in Jefferson or in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Blue Rock golf course in Yarmouth is especially brilliant this year.

Patti took this photo of Blue Rock last week. The water feature is a challenge that you face three times as you criss-cross the course. It's especially challenging as the ninth and 18th finishing hole. This year we both had good success negotiating the water and got home safe with the golf balls we started with.
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Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Fall Foliage On Display in Jefferson

Update October 2019

-- Fall Has Arrived in Jefferson

For the past 12 years, we have lived in Jefferson, Mass., a perfect location to live and enjoy all the benefits of living in New England. Our home backs up to a large wooded area that brings us jubilant fall foliage each season. While we may take the one hour ride to Keene NH so that we can cruise among the changing colors along Rt. 101, we find the colors here just as bright. 



Just for fun, as each season comes along, we decorate the fireplace mantle in the living room with a small diorama suitable to the season. The fall foliage has made its way onto the mantle and you will notice pumpkins and the need to rake leaves as well.



For comparison's sake, here is a quick look at our backyard as of today, Sunday, October 13, 2019. You can see the leaves are beginning to turn already. Further north in New Hampshire, the colors have filled in fully. But, here in Jefferson, we need another week or two.


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Saturday, June 15, 2019

Bennington Museum, Grandma Moses, The Publyk House

Update June 14 to June 15, 2019 

-- Bennington VT Historic Museum
Grandma Moses Schoolhouse

The Bennington Museum on Main Street in Bennington VT is definitely a place you want to visit when you can. The exhibit of Grandma Moses paintings and the original schoolhouse that she attended make a great learning and inspirational experience. It's remarkable that even when you think you know a lot about a subject, a place like this can expand your vision more than you know.

The museum also features a lot of historical information and artifacts that explain the Battle of Bennington, which was an important point in the winning of the Revolutionary war. The nearby Bennington Battle Monument is worthy of visiting as well.
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-- Bennington Battle Monument
Battle Monument

With an Air Force buddy back in the 1960s, we climbed to the top of the Washington Monument in Washington DC when we were on assignment at the Pentagon. The treat for the feat of climbing was that you could ride the elevator down for free. So we walked up for free and rode down for free. That was an important consideration for our GI pay scale.

But, this time, at the Bennington Battle Monument, we paid to ride up. What else? It's been 50 years since I climbed the Washington Monument. The battle of Bennington in 1777 is described as the turning point of the Revolutionary war. The museums make the case and it's fascinating to learn about these things.


-- How do you spell "Publyk" House?


At the Publyk House
Publyk Leftovers
We know the Public House in Sturbridge pretty well. But, the Publyk House in Bennington was new to us. We enjoyed this place very much. I'm a scallops fan and I was not disappointed. As there was a substantial amount of leftovers I decided to take them and I'm glad I did as they were just as good later on. I believe we will be sure to put this destination on our fall Leaf-Peeping list as the view of the mountainside was great and we can only imagine how great in the fall. 

-- Second Round of Golf at Hiland Park Country Club


During our tour of Vermont, we elected to play golf a second time at Hiland Park Country Club. The weather was cooperating and we didn't want to miss out on a chance to play again.

The course was challenging but I managed to hold my own. We will definitely come back to the course when we return to Vermont in the fall.


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READING UPDATE:
Robert Morris, Financier of the American Revolution by Charles Rappleye

Not every founding father of our country is a household name, like Washington, Jefferson, and Adams. But, there is no denying that Robert Morris was an important and integral part of the heroics that we ascribe to the founding fathers of the country. Let’s face it, no revolution anywhere in time or place, ever succeeded unless it was well-financed.

Money moves mountains and it certainly was an important ingredient in our revolution, even more than declarations and ramparts. Without Robert Morris, Washington would not have had the money he needed for Valley Forge and Yorktown. Without Robert Morris, we might still be bowing to the Queen.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Steamboat Cruise, Fort William Henry, Dining at Massie's

Update June 11 to June 13, 2019 
Ready to Shove Off

-- Enjoying Lake George NY Region

We had not ever been to Lake George except for a brief drive-by on our way to somewhere else. We are glad we made the visit this time and plan to return as soon as we can. We especially like to take boat tours on rivers, lakes, and seashores whenever we can. It's nice to relax on the water; we generally learn something about the region and the country, and sometimes they pilot lets Patti steer the boat. (Ask her about Nashville).

This time, we went on the Lac du Saint Sacrement, that takes a nice round trip from the southernmost point of the lake up to where the Sagamore Resort is in Bolton Landing. It was a leisurely ride and although it's billed as a "luncheon" cruise, we chose to skip the luncheon, and with the money saved, we dined later onshore at another fun place. However, we did take advantage of the onboard cocktail bar. 

Patti never got a chance to take the helm, but I don't think she was too disappointed. The cruise was definitely a lot of fun.
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-- Visited a Highly Recommended Italian Restaurant
Patti Goes Italian

On the valued recommendation of a friend, Patti suggested we head into South Glens Falls NY to visit Massie's Restaurant. It wasn't far away and those who visit Lake George a lot have this place in high regard. We went and it was very nice.

They had Italian wine. Let me make that clear for you. They had only Italian wine and a wide collection of Italian beer. Now that's a dedication to a style of eating that you can rely on. They don't try to hedge their bet on their food or beverage. If you want Italian, then this is the place. I like that because it tells me they really are committed to their product.

By the way, I had a Peroni beer, which is something I try to order when I get Italian food. Not a problem here.


-- Historic Fort William Henry Museum at Lake George NY


Waiting For Cannon Shot
The historic Fort William Haney Museum was right across the street from the harbor where we took the steamboat ride. It was easy to visit both on the same day and still have time for shopping and dining too.

We have been to Fort Ticonderoga, further upstate on the New York/Vermont border but this was the first time visit here. This fort was built by the British; then destroyed by the French two years later. The current structure is a replica of the original which was constructed in 1955. We were able to witness a live-fire demonstration of a cannon and a musket. Both were loud and great crowd-pleasers, especially the kids who were there. 

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READING UPDATE:
Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure, by Matthew Algeo

Shortly after leaving office as President of the United States, Harry Truman and his wife Bess took a road trip from Missouri to New York and back that seems ten-times more improbable today than it did in 1953. How could a retired U.S. President decide to hop into his new Chrysler and take off on an unplanned and unscheduled road trip? 

It’s exactly what he did, and it fits in with his character, temperament, and view of life. Why not drive to Pennsylvania to make that speech? We can stop along the way to visit friends and to make new friends. It was that simple. Truman was a simple man and none more engaging in my view that ever occupied the White House.

Monday, June 10, 2019

Vacation at Lake George NY

Update June 9 to June 10, 2019 

-- Drove to the Sagamore Hotel on Lake George to Start New York Vacation 


Lunch at the Sagamore
We like to take a week's vacation every month now that I'm fully retired and Patti's on a short week schedule. We can put together a week to ten days every month to take trips and enjoy our time together.

We often put a golf game or two into the mix so that Patti can continue to expand her logo-ball collection from all the golf courses that she has visited. On our first day of arrival at Lake George, we checked in to the Sagamore Resort (the restaurant, not the hotel). 

For overnight accommodations, we checked into the Holiday Inn Express up the road, which runs about $200 a night less than the Sagamore. Do the math. 
We like to stay at the Opal properties around the country. Some we have stayed at include Lake Placid Lodge, The Samoset Resort, the Harborside Hotel, and others. On our next visit, we may actually check in here. 
The Sagamore Resort at Bolton Landing

Anyway, we enjoyed our lunch at the Bella Vita Restaurant on the veranda overlooking the water and the grounds. We had the shrimp Portofino and a chicken sandwich with some wine. The tax on food was 7 percent and the tax on booze was 7 percent. That's New York. The Sagamore has its own boat which guests can sail on for brief guided tours of the lake. We chose to use one of the commercial steamboat lines to take an extended trip around the lake. The tour included an encounter with dolphins which like to follow the boat and give chase.


Holy Shit; he's wearing shorts.
-- Golf at the Hiland Park Country Club

This golf course was beautiful and a lot of fun. It's actually in Queensbury NY, which is where our hotel was and only minutes to the lake. It was so much fun, in fact, that at the end of our round we immediately booked to come back later in the week for another round. We also liked the looks of the restaurant and planned to visit it on our next round. It turned out to be a very hot week for this time of year and so I had to break down and wear shorts most of the time. I know I didn't give my readers a lot of warning to prepare for this, but I do wear shorts on occasion.

On our second visit later in the week, we did eat at the Grill Room. We shared a Grilled Chicken Pesto Wrap, which was very large and certainly was enough for both of us. 


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READING UPDATE:
Mr. Lincoln’s Navy, by Richard S. West, Jr.


I have been to Gettysburg more than once. I have walked on the battlegrounds of the American Revolution and the Civil War many times. I have read about the great generals, great battles, great armaments that describe the story of how the wars were prosecuted, won, and lost. But, Richard West, in this book, brings out the mighty factor that the Union Navy was a truly significant player in the outcome of the Civil War.

Blockades, control of waterways like the Mississippi, the protection of commercial shipping were all part of the challenges that Lincoln faced in winning the war. The Navy went from 23 ships to 640 ships by the end of the war. Without this growth, the war may have been lost.