Showing posts with label molasses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label molasses. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

In the News: speed a factor in traffic deaths; molasses wasn't slow in 1919

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Speed remains a factor in nearly one-third of all traffic deaths in the U.S., with Massachusetts ranking 23rd among the states in speed-related deaths, according to a new report. 
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit organization that studies traffic safety around the country, released the report, “Speeding Away from Zero: Rethinking a Forgotten Traffic Challenge,” on Tuesday and found that in Massachusetts, 28 percent of motor vehicle deaths in 2017 were speed-related. 
The report said speeding “remains a publicly-accepted driving behavior that is reinforced among motorists, policymakers and transportation stakeholders” and concluded that “overall progress on the issue of speeding has been limited at best.”
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190115/in-massachusetts-speed-kills

The Great Molasses Flood

"Slow as molasses? This treacle didn’t trickle. It was a sticky, deadly tsunami that flattened an entire Boston neighborhood within seconds. 
On Tuesday, the city marks the 100th anniversary of its most peculiar disaster — the Great Molasses Flood. 
It struck without warning at midday on Jan. 15, 1919, when a giant storage tank containing more than 2.3 million gallons (8.7 million liters) of molasses suddenly ruptured, sending a giant wave of goop crashing through the cobblestone streets of the bustling North End. 
The initial wave rose at least 25 feet high (7.6 meters high) — nearly as tall as an NFL goalpost — and it obliterated everything in its path, killing 21 people and injuring 150 others. Rivets popped like machine-gun fire. Elevated railway tracks buckled. Warehouses and firehouses were pushed around like game pieces on a Monopoly board. Tenements were reduced to kindling."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190115/100-years-ago-in-boston-day-molasses-was-deadly-fast

Dark Tide, Stephen Puleo's book on the Molasses Flood
Dark Tide, Stephen Puleo's book on the Molasses Flood
Have you read Dark Tide, Stephen Puleo's book on the Molasses Flood? The library has a number of copies available as part of the program this year (2008) "On the Same Page".

The Senior Center is offering a talk by Dr. Gary Hylander on "The 100th Anniversary of Boston's Great Molasses Flood." This is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan 23 at 10:00 AM. Please call the Senior Center to sign up.
https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-senior-center/events/191104


Saturday, September 13, 2008

"a profound sense of history"

GHS
Posted Sep 12, 2008 @ 11:08 PM

FRANKLIN —

It happens, sometimes, in the White House - or a ranch house in Franklin - that great minds come together and do something amazing.

In the name of promoting literacy, 108 renowned authors and illustrators joined forces and created the anthology: "Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out."

The star cast of contributors include a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, four Pulitzer Prize winners, three National Book Award recipients (and eight finalists), two MacArthur "Genius Fellows," 13 Newbery Medal winners (and 15 finalists), eight Caldecott Medal recipients (and 20 honors) and 12 Coretta Scott King Award winners (and 22 honors).

The idea for the historical book arose nearly a decade ago in the Franklin home of Mary Brigid Barrett, the founder, president and executive director of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

The book's website is found here

National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance website


I love the quote attributed to Barbara Tuchman that is found on the NCBLA home page:

"Without books, history is silent, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill... They are the engines of change, windows on the world, and ... 'Lighthouses erected in the sea of time.' They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print."


What was the last book you read?

Have you read Dark Tide, Stephen Puleo's book on the Molasses Flood? The library has a number of copies available as part of the program this year "On the Same Page".


Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dark Tide - Book Review



I had published my short form book review of Dark Tide previously.

My long form of Dark Tide was published Tuesday as part of the month long Love Affair with Books on the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog.

You have my permission, indeed encouragement to click on over, read it and participate in the conversation.

Dark Tide is the focal point for On the Same Page at the Franklin Library this year.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

On the same page


On the same page, originally uploaded by shersteve.

MARCH SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 2008

Thursday, March 7, 7PM
Scrapbooking with Charleen Belcher

Wednesday, March 19, 3:30PM
Dear America Children's Book Discussion

Thursday, March 20, 7:30PM
Sean Murphy with Big Dig Stories

Saturday, March 29, 8:30-4PM
2008 New England Family History Conference
91 Jordan Road
Franklin, MA 02038


Check out the library page to see if there are any updates to this schedule.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

On the same page - Thursday 7:00 PM


On the same page, originally uploaded by shersteve.


Thursday, February 21 at 7PM

Immigration Then. Historian and author James Johnston and historian Robert D'Attilio present a view of what America was like during the first great wave of immigration in the early part of the twentieth century. Mr. D'Attilio's specialty centers on the Sacco and Vanzetti case.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

On the same page - discussion


On the same page - discussion, originally uploaded by shersteve.

David Park and Khadija Hassine were deep in discussion during the Tuesday evening get together as part of the Library program "On the Same Page" facilitated by Margaret Ellis.

The immigrant experience in America was one of the themes in the book, Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo.

What did the recent immigrants have to say about their time here?
  • "here in Franklin, it is like a big family, everyone knows somebody"
  • "my new 'mother' is downstairs"
  • "life is too busy here, all work, work, work"

How did they pick Franklin?

Most acknowledged that the reputation of the school system was the key reason. The location of the commuter rail and the safety of the area were two other prime reasons.

What were difficulties they found here?
  • "too many forms, they ask the same questions so many times"
  • "making friends, they found neighbors very helpful but those who could be friends had not enough time"
What were differences they found here?
  • "so easy to drive here, back in my country it requires much more skill"
  • "lives are so independent here, in my country life is more centered on the family"
  • "time is so important here, everyone is so busy. I can hear: I have not seen him in two months. Back home, that is not possible."
The Franklin area immigrants represented a diverse collection of countries, from our northern neighbor Canada to Bulgaria, India, Morocco, Poland, and Vietnam.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

On the same page

"On the same page" is a program being run by the Library funded by a grant. This is the program you may have heard about that selected Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo as the book to read.

I did read the book and found it quite interesting. I did a short form book review here.

I was curious about what the library was going to do to help foster the discussions around the book to get Franklin "On the same page". I went digging into the town website this morning and was disappointed to find how much I have already missed this month!

The Library schedule for February can be found here.

What is left in February are the following:

Tuesday, February 19 at 7PM
Oral Histories. Franklin residents from other lands gather to tell their stories of immigration to the United States in the Meeting Room of the Franklin Library.

Wednesday, February 20 at 1:30PM
Children's book discussion centers on the life and times of youngsters living in the early part of the twentieth century in stories drawn from the Dear America series. Book discussion is held in the Meeting Room of the Franklin Library.

Thursday, February 21 at 7PM
Immigration Then. Historian and author James Johnston and historian Robert D'Attilio present a view of what America was like during the first great wave of immigration in the early part of the twentieth century. Mr. D'Attilio's specialty centers on the Sacco and Vanzetti case.

Thursday, February 28 at 7PM
Immigration lawyer and Franklin resident Chris Lavery will discuss laws affecting immigration today.

Friday, January 11, 2008

In the News - Molasses, twin violins, financial fiasco

Franklin Library looks to get town On the Same Page

By Michael Morton/Staff writer

At first, library staff worried that an initiative to get all residents to read the same book on a sugarcane product would prove slower than molasses.

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Music in double time

By Heather McCarron/Staff writer

Sasha and Sally Gorski share a lot in common, not the least of which is a passion for music. And every day, they get double the pleasure out of pursuing it.

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Franklin financial fiasco prompts more criticism

By By Michael Morton, DAILY NEWS STAFF

FRANKLIN - With the inquiry into a $580,000 budget gap over, school officials say they are moving forward by instituting new oversight controls and seeking a finance director to replace the recently fired Delores McCoy.

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