Montessori School to hold 'Speakeasy' Silent Auction

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LENOX, Mass. — Montessori School of the Berkshires' annual silent auction fundraiser is looking to be the "cat's pajamas" of events this month.

Shakespeare & Company's Bernstein Theatre will have its lobby transformed into a scene straight out of the '20s for the "Swingin' Speakeasy Revival" on Saturday, May 19. The event runs from 7-10 p.m. and will feature the jazz sounds of The Lucky Five band.

A committee of parents has been soliciting sponsors and donations for the last few months and to find wonderful items to bid on for all ages. Students have also been busy creating functional works of art that will be auctioned off, including canvas bags, a bird bath, a room divider screen, and a chess set.

Other auction items include autographed sports memorabilia, Disney World passes, tickets to theaters in the Berkshires and Boston, museum memberships, framed photographs and paintings, and handmade jewelry, to name but a few.

There is a scenic flight around the Berkshires, a private wine tasting, and gourmet cooking lessons just waiting for the highest bidder. One lucky guest will walk away with latest iPad, the prize of the $20-a-ticket raffle drawing to take place during the evening, and another with a quilt made by elementary pupils students.


Food baskets and restaurant items are also in the auction and Firefly of Lenox will provide a spread that night. Although the theme harkens back to the Prohibition Era, attendees will be able to sample Wandering Star Craft Brewery and Berkshire Mountain Distillers.

Tickets are $25 per person in advance; $30 the night of the event. Purchase tickets at www.berkshiremontessori.org/auction or call 413-637-3662 to make a reservation.

Proceeds will go toward the school's financial aid fund. The Montessori School of the Berkshires, located in Lenox Dale, serves children from toddler-age through eighth grade.

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Reps. Leigh Davis, Bud Williams Filing Legislation Honoring Freeman

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — State Reps. Leigh Davis of the 3rd Berkshire District and Bud L. Williams, of the 11th Hampden District, are filing legislation establishing Aug. 22 as Elizabeth Freeman Day of Equality, Healing, and Remembrance in the commonwealth.
 
The legislation would direct the governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing the courageous contributions of Elizabeth Freeman, an enslaved Black woman known as Mum Bett, whose landmark freedom suit helped spark the legal end of slavery in Massachusetts.
 
"Elizabeth Freeman's story began here in the Berkshires, but its impact reached every corner of the commonwealth," said Davis. "More than two centuries later, her legacy continues to inspire us. Establishing Elizabeth Freeman Day will ensure that future generations learn not only about her extraordinary bravery, but also about the power of one person to change the course of history."
 
In 1781, Freeman, of Sheffield at the time, challenged the institution of slavery by filing suit against her enslaver, Col. John Ashley. In the landmark case Brom and Bett v. Ashley, a Berkshire County jury ruled in favor of Freeman and her fellow plaintiff, Brom, granting them their freedom. The case demonstrated the power of the Massachusetts Constitution's declaration that all people are born free and equal and helped pave the way for the Quock Walker decisions that ultimately ended slavery in the commonwealth. 
 
"Freeman's courage changed the course of history in Massachusetts," said Williams. "At a time when the odds were stacked against her, she stood up and demanded that the promises of liberty and equality contained in our Constitution apply to her as well. She risked everything to challenge an unjust system, and her victory helped lay the foundation for the end of slavery in our commonwealth. Her legacy deserves to be recognized and remembered by every resident of Massachusetts."
 
Although unable to read or write, Freeman understood the meaning of freedom and equality and took extraordinary action to secure those rights for herself and others. Her story remains one of the most powerful examples of individual courage in the face of injustice. 
 
Elizabeth Freeman Day will provide an opportunity for reflection, education, healing, and remembrance, said Williams. 
 
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