Allison Brown
Special to the Express
At the Tuesday, Oct, 3, meeting of the Kingston School Committee, the Kingston Foundation for Education presented a check for $60,000, their 9th annual check, the result of their fundraising efforts.
The Kingston Foundation for Education (KFE) is a non-profit organization run by parents who are interested in supporting the Kingston Public Schools. The foundation works with Kingston school leaders and district administration to raise funds to supplement the school budget. By doing this, they can provide the Kingston schools, and its children, the same opportunities as neighboring towns. Each year, a group of about 15 dedicated parents, and four executive board members, help KFE raise money and volunteer at events.
Since its foundation in 2014, KFE has raised nearly $1 million dollars to supplement the school budget. Over the past two years, the KFE has funded the purchase of Chromebooks, the Lu Interactive System, Lab Headphones, a Beth Ferry author visit, Moxie, and the repaving of the KES recess yard with new educational pavement stencils. The $60,000 KFE has donated this year will be used to upgrade and buy new technology and provide funding for additional STEAM programs and other educational materials needed this year.
Traditionally, KFE will raise money by planning several fun, charitable events including the Boosterthon Fun Run and the Kentucky Derby Party. Last month, it hosted its first ever Back-to-School Brews fundraiser at Mayflower Brewery, complete with an awesome band (the Rippers!) and a thrilling beer pong tournament. It was such a success that KFE will plan to do it again next year!
Its mission is simple: to help members of the Kingston community channel their positive energy into improving the already phenomenal public school system. As parents, we all love our kids, and we want to set them up for success. And we also want them to have the best opportunities and latest technology available when it comes to learning. We want to thank our Kingston community of parents and educators, and the small businesses of Kingston and the South Shore who help make our goals possible.
School Committee chair will give 10-minute briefing at Library
This coming Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. stop by the Plympton Public Library for coffee, snacks and good conversation with your neighbors.
Joining us for the “Saturday 10-Minute Briefing” will be Jason Fraser, Dennett School Committee Chair and Silver Lake Regional District School Committee Member. Jason will be discussing the Silver Lake amended Regional Agreement warrant article to be presented at the upcoming Oct. 18 Special Town Meeting, and more.
Re-dedication of Rte. 58 Ferguson Bridge
More than 30 friends and Ferguson family members gathered at the intersection of Route 58 and Winnetuxet Road in Plympton to re-dedicate the newly reconstructed bridge named for Hugh Ward Ferguson, missing in action since December 1, 1950 in the Korean Conflict. No one saw him fall and his body was never recovered. Standing at the newly re-dedicated bridge Tuesday morning were, from left, Sue Ferguson, Norman Ferguson, Bruce Ferguson, Jean Ferguson, Douglas Ward Ferguson, Ward ’Tony’ Ferguson, State Rep. Kathy LaNatra, Melissa Ferguson Meo, and Cathy Ferguson. More on page 7.
Take a photo with the historic flag chest
Take part in history – take a photo with the historic flag chest that held the giant Mount Rushmore flag on its many travels throughout the world. Now the chest is ending its two million mile journey and is retiring from the road.
Halifax, Hanson, and area residents are invited to be part of the final steps in its incredible journey. Shown here is the chest on board the U.S.S. Constitution. The crew are regular Navy seamen, wearing authentic 1812 era uniforms.
This final tribute to the magnificent 900-pound treasure is sponsored by the Halifax Council on Aging and the Halifax Historical Society. Sunday, Oct. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. show your support for local history at 12 Dwight St., at the Ivy Cottage, Scout’s Rest, Monponsett. Bring your cell phone or camera and take a photo with the beautiful chest before it leaves Halifax. The chest was designed and built in Halifax by master craftsman George Sturtevant of Halifax. Sturtevant gathered cherry wood from each town in Plymouth County to build the chest and assure that each town would be represented. The chest was originally commissioned by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, to be used intergovernmentally by the United States for official ceremonies both here and around the world, starting with a presidential ceremony at Mount Rushmore on July 4, 1987, for the 50th year re-dedication of the Lincoln figure.
The chest was dedicated at the Kennedy Presidential Library, and stored for a time aboard the U.S.S. Constitution. It was taken to sea aboard America’s Tall Ship, the Eagle. It has been in all 50 states, all the Canadian Maritime Provinces including the island of Newfoundland, as well as British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories. It was rescued by airlift from a remote airstrip in the Yukon where it was carried as part of a winter expedition to the Arctic Circle in February.
This chest was carried to the top of Pike’s Peak, and taken to the top of Mount Washington, aboard the cog railroad. It was a centerpiece at a presidential ceremony inside a volcano high above Honolulu, has crossed three continents, crossed the English Channel four times, crossed the North Sea from Holland to England, crossed the Pacific Ocean four times, the Atlantic Ocean twice, visited several kingdoms and palaces, including Buckingham Palace, the World Court in the Hague, Netherlands. It has crossed the Equator twice from the Great Barrier Reef to the Coral Sea, New Zealand, the Soloman Islands., Guam to Japan, completing a 10-year tour of the Battlefields of World War II. It even spent the night in Sherwood Forest!.
Now the chest is being called back to the Dept. of the Interior. The giant flag that it carried throughout the world is being retired. Final plans to see the chest into the next stage of its service are not yet confirmed.
On Flag Day, in 1987, when the chest was dedicated, thousands of people walked behind an authentic 1890 firewagon drawn by two white Percheron horses as they made their way to the waiting train. Route 58 was closed to traffic to allow people to walk the half-mile journey to the Monponsett train station.
The train, provided by the Bay Colony Railroad, brought the chest to the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston to be dedicated, after making several stops along the way.
Sunday, Oct. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. stop by the Ivy Cottage at 12 Dwight St., Scout’s Rest, Monponsett. There is no charge, just an opportunity to touch a part of history before it is gone.
Art Show in Halifax at Farmers’ Market Saturday
Fred Corrigan
Special to the Express
Tropical Depression Lee cancelled out the Halifax Farmers’ Market on Sept.16, but there is great weather forecast for this Saturday, Sept. 30.
The area around the Town Hall will be jumping with activity from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the Farmers Market, and the “Art is the Essence of the Heart” art show in the Town Hall Great Room.
The art show will include displays by the COA Painters, Halifax Elementary School Art, Quilters, Jewelry, Wood Carvings, Paintings, Pressed Flower Creations and more.
Come support the vendors, enjoy the art, bring the family and help to support the Halifax Helping Hands Food Pantry. This food pantry helps Halifax and Plympton citizens, and the vendors’ fees help to support the food bank. A win, win situation.
Thank you for your support!
New Dennett playground opens
Saturday morning’s cold drizzle didn’t stop the smiles as members of the Plympton community came together to cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the Dennett Elementary School’s ADA compliant playground with play structures K-6 appropriate that everyone can enjoy in a safe environment. Jason Fraser, chairman of the Dennett Elementary School Committee, gave opening remarks. From left are Principal Peter Veneto, Selectman John Traynor, former chairman of the School Choice Funds committee Brian Wick, Fraser, Silver Lake District Business Manager Christine Healey, former Dennett school committee chairman Jon Wilhelmsen, CPC member Paul D’Angelo, Jr., State Rep. Kathy LaNatra, CPC member Deb Anderson, and Joanne Beckwith, Planning Board member. Continued on page 2
Laker Girls Field Hockey tie Marshfield
Silver Lake’s girls’ field hockey team clashed with the Marshfield Rams, delivering a thrilling match that had fans on the edge of their seats. The Lakers managed to break the deadlock with a clutch goal in the middle of the second half, igniting the visiting crowd’s excitement. However, the Rams were not to be outdone, displaying their resilience as they tied the game with just two minutes remaining. The Lakers’ record now stands at 1-3-1 early in this year’s campaign.
Plympton’s Special Town Meeting is Oct. 18
Plympton has scheduled its fall Special Town Meeting for Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St.
There is only one article on the Special Town Meeting Warrant: To see if the town will vote to adopt the amended Silver Lake District Agreement, a copy of which is on file and available for viewing in the Town Clerk’s office and on the Town’s website at: town.plympton.ma.us.
Sen. Moran brings check to Plympton
State Senator Susan Moran, in collaboration with Plympton Town Administrator Liz Dennehy, was able to earmark $50,000 in funds to be used in Plympton water infrastructure, specifically toward a water treatment system for the police station and the remainder to be put toward the well for the Town House Complex. Receiving the check Tuesday morning on behalf of the town are, from left, Patrolman Robert Orr, Plympton Selectman John Traynor, Capital Buildings Committee chair Jon Wilhelmsen, State Senator Susan Moran, Plympton Town Administrator Liz Dennehy, and Police Lieutenant Dan Hoffman.
‘The Gravestone Girls’ will visit Kingston Library
“Welcome to the Graveyard!” is a 90-minute illustrated ‘virtual tour’ chronicling cemetery art, history and symbolism. From colonial New England burial grounds of the 17th century and 18th century, through the nation-wide rural cemetery movement of the 19th century and into 21st century locations, the program examines why we have cemeteries and gravestones, why they look like they do and how styles and art have evolved over almost 400 years. The presentation is robust with photographs of original gravestones and burial grounds from cemeteries visited by Gravestone Girls over many years. Some information on notable historic Kingston gravestone cutters, such as Bartlett Adams will be included in the presentation as well.
This event is funded by a Kingston Cultural Council grant awarded to the Library for programming related to historic Kingston cemeteries and gravestones.
There will also be a few exhibit cases at the Adams Center filled with materials related to Kingston cemeteries and gravestones as a teaser for the larger KPL Local History Collections exhibit, Historic Cemeteries and Gravestones of Kingston which will be up Wednesday, Oct. 18 through Tuesday, Oct. 31.
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