Reminder: Franklin's 237th Birthday is a good reason for a party!

The Franklin Historical Commission will celebrate our town's birthday with a party at the Museum on Sunday March 1st.

The public is invited and encouraged to join the Commission for cake and refreshments as we commemorate the Town of Franklin's 237th Birthday.

Originally to be named Exeter when the charter was filed on March 2, 1778, our town took the name Franklin after the famous diplomat and revolutionary, Benjamin Franklin
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Local residents who were born on March 2nd have received an invitation from Historical Commission Chairperson, Debbie Pellegri, inviting them to the museum to celebrate their shared birthday with the town. 

From young children to seniors, as many as 88 town residents have a March 2nd birthday. All invitees in attendance born on March 2nd, will be entered in a free raffle for a $100 prize!

Sunday March 1st, 1:00PM, Franklin Historical Museum, 80 West Central Street, Franklin.

The Franklin Historical Museum in warmer times

For additional information on the Museum and exhibts, visit their webpage
http://franklinhistoricalmuseum.org/

Reminder: Speaker's Forum - Franklin Fire Dept - Mar 11

Franklin Odd Fellows

Our 5th in a series of public talks 

at the Franklin Library, we present to you:

THE FRANKLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT 

Franklin Fire Dept

Presenters: 
Fire Chief, Gary McCarraher and Firefighter Paramedic, Keith Darling

Date/Time: 
Wednesday, March 11, 2015. 7:00 pm

Location: 
Franklin Public Library, Community Room (Downstairs)

Agenda: 

1. Chief McCarraher will give an introduction to Franklin Fire and an Overview of the Department history 

2. FF Darling will give statistics on the “Calls for Service” 

3. FF Darling will go over Staffing 

4. FF Darling will review our Operations Section – Fire, EMS, Hospital Point of Entry and “All Hazards” Response 

5. FF Darling will review our Fire Prevention and Arson Investigation Sections 

6. FF Darling will review our SAFE Program. Keith is our Student Awareness of Fire Education Coordinator as well as our Senior Citizen Student Awareness of Fire Education Coordinator. Keith will also discuss the Department’s Home Visit Program 

7. A Power Point Presentation will be given during the talk

For more about the Franklin Odd Fellows visit their webpage 
http://www.franklinmassoddfellows.org/

Franklin Library: Geneology Program - Mar 1 - 3:00 PM

Getting started in Geneology? Geneologist Lindsay Fulton from the New England Historic Geneology Society will speak about how to get started.

This is scheduled for the Franklin Library on Sunday, March 1 at 3:00 PM

getting started in geneology - Mar 1

This was shared from the Franklin Library webpage
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/02/getting-started-in-genealogy.html

In the News: Dean goes energy efficient; MassDOT looks for potholes

Dean College took a break this week from celebrating its 150th anniversary to announce completion of a campus-wide energy efficiency project expected to save it nearly $700,000 over the next five years. 

- See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150225/NEWS/150228227/1994/NEWS#sthash.9ZiKvJ6q.dpuf

MassDOT is enlisting the public’s help reporting potholes on state roads. Drivers are encouraged to call  857-368-4636, toll-free at 877-623-6846 or online. 

- See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150224/NEWS/150228503/1994/NEWS#sthash.Q1hsAUWk.dpuf

Memorial Gift Timeline

From Rita Graci and the Franklin Athletes Never Quit page on Facebook:

Somehow during the discussion and debate on a “Memorial Policy” the discussion has now become about a family who may or may not have the means, power and resources to change a policy because they think they are “entitled” to change the rules. How and why has this happened? I can assure you this is not the case and it was never the intention of the Panther donation in memory of our daughter Kristin. Personally, I would like to throw the towel in on this game and give up. I am glad my daughter and son have been taught differently. Those that actually think that of us do not know us very well. I will comment on some facts for those who have made such comments. 

1. The Franklin Schools have always accepted memorials and donations of “in memory of” and “gifted by” without extensive advertising. 

2. This policy or acceptance has been in place for 30+ years. 

3. The Memorial Policy in place today was placed in front of the School Committee in January of 2014 and then again for a second read in February of 2014 for a vote. 

4. We started a process to put a memorial at the High School in memory of Kristin in March of 2012. 

5. Why was the policy to not accept memorials at our schools put in place? We built a new school and the question came about as to what to do with the memorials in the old school. Simple. Right? 

6. At no point did anyone advise us that a new policy was being considered during our donation process. 

7. When we told in June of 2014 that the School does not accept gifts in memory of or with a name plaque on a gift, we researched when this happened. 

8. We have done research on the surrounding schools. The new policy up for vote on February 24th (which has been the policy of the School for years) is in line with most if not all schools surrounding our community including many of the schools built under the same circumstances as our new school. 

9. We would like to ask each and every person in the community to take the Panther Donation out of the equation. Let’s imagine our new high school is in need of a new football stadium. The field needs to be replaced, the fencing, the track, the score board, the announcement booth, everything. Some wealthy, powerful, resourceful family (which is not us) would like to put a new football field in place. Let’s just say, they are asking to put their name on the score board as “gifted by” or “in memory” of their son who may have been an average student and a football player who passed away. Here is the big question you need to ask yourself. WHY WOULD A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM PUT A POLICY IN PLACE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL TO ACCEPT THIS GENEROUS GIFT WITH OUT RECOGNITION???? We are a public school. We should not accept this gift because of a name plate on the gift and pass this expense to the taxpayers of Franklin? Does this make any sense to anyone in this community? 

10. Taking away public donated enhancements to our town, schools and community from a person who is alive or passed away is just WRONG!!!!! This has nothing to do with our children’s education. A gift that enhances our school or town does not hurt one student or person in this community. 

11. Let’s go back to the people who have commented that a family with the means, power, resources and entitlement. We have worked hard, saved for both our children’s education so they would not be burdened with huge student loans. Both our children went to public schools and state colleges. Let’s get a few things out in the open. Have any of you had to pay tens of thousands of dollars for medical bills to save your child’s life? Have you had to take those funds out of your child’s education fund to pay for those bills? Have you had to take those funds out of their education funds to pay for their funeral? Our grief and financial standing is none of your business. We attempted to do a nice thing in memory of our daughter and some people have made this disgusting. 

12. If life were to be equal, we would have our daughter, Patrick would not have passed away from a brain tumor, Leanne Schmall would not have died of Melanoma, Vanessa Cusson would still be with us, there would not be a playground in Kerry Driscoll’s memory and the list could go on forever. Children should receive the opportunity for equal education. Let children learn life and stop trying to protect them. The mission of the School Committee is to give each child an equal education. Children learn life as they live it, good and bad.

The second reading is on the agenda for the School Committee meeting this evening. The meeting is held at the Franklin Municipal Building, 355 East Central St (opposite Big Y). The meeting is held in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor.

proposed memorial statue for Kristin Graci and the Class of 2007

"Franklin should be confident that it is battle-tested and ready"

From Hockomock Sports we find and share the playoff preview for the FHS girls basketball team:

Franklin (16-4) - No. 2 seed in Div. 1 Central, host winner of No. 7 Westford/No. 10 Algonquin 

The Panthers tied for second in the Kelley-Rex this season and then took second in the end of season Westboro Tournament, without point guard Julianne Pisani in the final. Franklin looks poised to make a deep run in the tournament with an experienced lineup, but while plenty is known about the Panthers there is also plenty of mystery about many of their opponents from the Central. 

Lexi Martin was missing for last season’s tournament games and Franklin will be looking to the Merrimack-commit to be the star player in her final postseason. She has the talent to take over games and could be the biggest factor in how far the Panthers go. Martin will have plenty of help from classmate Jillian Spolidoro, who has become a dangerous and consistent threat from the outside and been one of Franklin’s leading scorers this season.  

Sarah Deyo (32) of Attleboro and Jillian Spolidoro (20) of Franklin will be two key players for Hockomock teams as the playoffs get underway this week. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

The Pisani twins, Julianne and Tracy, are tenacious defenders and Julianne was the team’s primary scorer in Martin’s absence last year and could once again be a key factor on the offensive end. Junior Aubrie Kutil should also be a factor in giving the Panthers size on the post on both ends of the floor. 

Franklin coach John Leighton uses a deep rotation but expect that it will be a little smaller in the tournament and the top players will be counted on to get the Panthers over the hump and win a sectional title. 

It won’t be easy with talented teams like Westford Academy, Holy Name, and Lincoln-Sudbury on their side of the bracket and with top seed Wachusett looming for a potential final, but Franklin should be confident that it is battle-tested and ready for the tournament. A run to the sectional final would be the expectation for this team.

For the other Hockomock League playoff previews, visit here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-league-playoff-preview-girls-basketball-15

Franklin Library: Geneology Club - Feb 26

The Franklin Geneology Club will meet at the Library on Thursday at 6:30 PM. William McDougall of the Franklin Family History Center will be giving a presentation on familiysearch.org.

Geneology Club meeting Thursday, Feb 26th

More about the Franklin Family History Center can be found here
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Franklin_Massachusetts_Family_History_Center