Food appeal
The Williamstown Food Pantry at St. Patrick's Church needs to replenish its stock of canned goods and ready-prepared foods for the needy, according to Director Carol DeMayo, who issued an appeal for donations of hearty, nourishing canned and prepared foods.
Canned stews, hearty soups and hot drinks, including cocoa, tea and coffee are especially needed, DeMayo said.
"It isn't just us," she said. "The Salvation Army, Community Action, the Louison House – everybody's in the same boat. We deplete at Christmas, and now the cold has hit us extra hard. Our need has been steady. People are really in need."
Food donations may be left at St. Patrick's Parish Center from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or at any Catholic churches all weekend.
"A few churches have opened on really cold nights because they're worried about people," DeMayo said.
‘Ent’ fund
Friends of the Williamstown neighborhood at the First Congregational Church have launched a fund to help reforest the Luce Road area, where trees have been cut for the expansion of the North Adams Harriman & West Airport.
The fund is called the ENT Fund (Encouraging Neighborhood Trees), in honor of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ents, introduced in “The Two Towers,†the second book in his “Lord of the Rings†trilogy. Ents, also known as the Shepherds of the Trees, are an ancient and long-lived race of creatures that resemble deep-rooted trees while they sleep and tree-like beings when awake.
The Rev. Carrie Bail, pastor of First Church, founded ENT Fund with a gift from her discretionary fund. A resident of Luce Road, Bail’s property has not been affected by the recent tree cutting, but she has voiced concern for the local eco-system and the natural beauty of the neighborhood.
Selectwoman Jane Allen, also of Luce Road, said she was pleased to hear of the establishment of the fund and intends to contribute. Members of the Habitat Crew, a service group for high school students sponsored by the First Congregational Church, will work with the ENT Fund and residents to gather expert advice and assist residents in creating plans for replanting and landscaping. They will assist tree planting and dedication ceremonies when the time comes. Information, or to get involved with the Habitat Crew: Beth Davis, 458-4728.
In-kind donations of plants from a local family-owned tree farm and landscaping services from another local business have already been secured. All trees planted will be species that do not grow higher than the airport’s height restrictions.
Checks may be made out to First Congregational Church with the words ENT Fund on the memo line, and can be dropped off at the church office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or mailed to the church, 906 Main St., Williamstown, MA 01267-2639. All funds will go directly toward purchasing trees or planting and landscaping costs. Information: the church, 458-4273, or fcc.willi@verizon.net.
Bee winner
Hannah Christiansen, a sixth grader at Williamstown Elementary School, won the school-level competition of the National Geography Bee on Jan. 15. Jacob Kraus was the runner-up.
After winning the competition, Hannah took a qualifying test for the state competition. State champions will go to the national competition in Washington, D.C, in May, where the overall winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.
Each fourth, fifth and sixth grade class at the elementary school held classroom competitions, and two finalists from each class qualified for the school-wide competition.
Classroom contestants and school-wide contestants included Lauren Christiansen, Marcus Franz, Sarah Kelly, Jackson Parese, Grace Singleton, Aaron Taylor, Hallie Walker and Jake Whalen in the fourth grade; Cal Brooks, Caroline Cating, Cate Costley, Sara Harris, Geneva Jonathan, Orelia Jonathan, Marta Kowitz and Jacob Kraus in the fifth grade; and Hannah Christiansen, Stephan Danyluk, Sophie Jones, Roman Kleiser, Caleb Pudvar, Max Reinhardt, Regis Shanley and Sam Shuker-Haines in the sixth grade.
Questions from previous geography been are posted on-line at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee. The Web site posts five new questions a day.
Soccer registration
The Williamstown Soccer Club is accepting registrations for the spring 2004 season.
Boys and girls are eligible to play for the club if they were born on or after Aug. 1, 1989, and before Aug. 1, 1993 (generally fifth through eighth grade), and if they live or attend school in Williamstown (including Mount Greylock Regional High School).
Registration forms and instructions can be downloaded from the Berkshire County Youth Soccer League Web site, www.berkshiresoccer.org. Registration materials must be received by Jan. 31. Information: Ray Hiley, 458-3077 or rayhiley@adelphia.net.
Congolese music
Kusika and Williams College winter study students will present a works-in-progress concert of Congolese music and dance at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Lasell Dance Studio, Route 2 and Spring Street.
Admission is free, and no reservations are required. The concert will feature Biza and Titos Sompa, internationally-known musicians and dancers, who for the past month have taught students to perform the traditional drumming, singing, and dancing of the Republic of Congo, along with Kusika co-directors, KweYao Agyapon, Ernest Brown and Sandra Burton. The Sompa Brothers also teach African music and dance at the University of Michigan.
Directions: 597-2736.
Play group
The weekly parent/tot playgroup for children ages 18 months to 2 years, 9 months will begin on Jan. 29 at the Little Red Schoolhouse.
The group will meet at the school on Thursday mornings from 9:15 to 10:45. The school is on Route 7 in South Williamstown in the historic Five Corners area, near the intersection of Routes 7 and 43. The program provides a healthy snack for all attending. The fee is $5 per session. To register: 458-8668 .
Pasachoff wins prize
WILLIAMSTOWN — Jay Pasachoff, Field Memorial professor of astronomy at Williams College, recently received the American Astronomical Society’s education prize at a meeting in Atlanta, Ga.
The prize cited Pasachoff’s textbooks, devotion to teaching, his sharing the joys of observing eclipses and his advocacy on behalf of science.
In conjunction with the award of the prize, Pasachoff arranged a symposium on Public Outreach in Astronomy. Speakers, including Pasachoff, were scientists and public outreach workers in charge of disseminating information and images from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility.
Pasachoff is president of the commission on education and development of the International Astronomical Union. He is co-editor, with John Percy of the University of Toronto, of the forthcoming proceedings of a symposium on “Effective Teaching and Learning of Astronomy,†to be published by Cambridge University Press.
Public meetings
A schedule of public meetings in or about Williamstown, as provided by Town Clerk Mary C. Kennedy, 458-9341, from official postings. Meetings are held at the municipal building, 31 North St., unless otherwise indicated:
Thursday, Jan. 22, Prudential Committee, 5 p.m.; Williamstown Scholarship Committee, 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, Council on Aging, 3 p.m., Harper Center; Selectmen, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, Finance Committee, 7:30 p.m.; Mount Greylock Regional School Committee, 7 p.m., Lanesboro. Wednesday, Jan. 28, Conservation Commission, 7:15 p.m.; Rent Control Board, 7:30 p.m., The Spruces.
Harper Center
Elder Services Nutrition Program serves hot meals. Call 458-8250 or 458-5156; 48-hour notice is appreciated. Voluntary donations for van transportation are 50 cents one-way from Williamstown and $1 one-way from North Adams. Service is available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Thursday, Jan. 22, 10 a.m., tai chi; 11 a.m., van to Wal-Mart; 11:30 a.m., lunch; 1 p.m., crafts; 3:30 p.m., knitting group. Friday, Jan. 23, 10:30 a.m., exercise; 11:30 a.m., lunch; 1 p.m. bingo. Sunday, Jan. 25, 11:30 p.m., lunch. Monday, Jan. 26, 10:30 a.m., exercise; 11:30 a.m., lunch; 1 p.m., line dancing, blood pressure clinic. Tuesday, Jan. 27, 9 a.m., oil painting; 9:45 and 10:45 a.m., van to Stop & Shop. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m., van to Price Chopper; 10:30 a.m., exercise; 11:30 a.m., lunch; 1 p.m. bridge.
DEATHSEthel (Johnson) James, 89, of 4 North St., Adams, died Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the Williamstown Commons, where she was admitted on Jan. 16.
She was born in North Adams on Feb. 19, 1914, a daughter of Harry Johnson and Hannah (Dale) Johnson. She attended schools in North Adams.
She was employed at the former Windsor Print Works in North Adams for several years until her marriage to Frederick Arthur James on June 30, 1932, in St. John’s Episcopal Church in North Adams. He died on Jan. 28, 1978. She then worked as a child-care provider and homemaker.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church of North Adams.
She leaves two sons, Frank James of Rochester, N.Y., and Stephen James; a sister, Annie Cellana of Williamstown, a godson, Bruce Shepley, and his family, with whom she made her home; two grandchildren and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service will be held at the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna funeral home, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, at a later date. Burial will follow in the family plot in Southview Cemetery, North Adams. Memorial donations are suggested for The Salvation Army, through the funeral home.
Sterling B. “Sonny†Shapiro, 80, of 6444 Pumpkin Seed Circle, Boca Raton, Fla., a prominent local businessman formerly of 142 Marion Ave., North Adams, died Monday, Jan. 19, at Boca Raton Community Hospital.
He was born in North Adams on Aug. 17, 1923, a son of Joseph Shapiro and Sarah “Sadie†(Garbowit) Shapiro. He attended schools in North Adams and graduated from Drury High School in 1941. He later graduated from the New York School of Photography in New York City.
He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the U.S. Marine Corp. as an aerial photographer and gunner in the Pacific Theater. After his military career, he established the former Sterling Photography Studio in Pittsfield. He then became associated with the family business A. Shapiro Steel Corp., Ashland Street, North Adams, where he served as a partner for over 30 years. He also was a partner in the Shapiro Chevrolet Dealership in North Adams and former owner of the Honda Motorcycle franchise there. He was a partner in the development of the Wheel Estates Mobile Home Park in North Adams.
He was a longtime member of Congregation Beth Israel, where his family members were founding members. He was a longtime member of the Fraternal Order of Shriners and participated in several of the Northern Berkshire Fall Foliage Festival parades in North Adams, with the Shriners. He loved to ski and was an accomplished artist and photographer.
He leaves his wife, Ruth (Myers) Shapiro, whom he married Sept. 19, 1945; a son, Allan Shapiro of Santa Fe, N.M.; two daughters, Marilyn Darack of Wayland and Jane Miller of Williamstown; a sister, Shirley Less of Newton; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
The funeral was Wednesday at Congregation Beth Israel, Lois Street, North Adams, with Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser officiating. Burial followed in Beth Israel Cemetery, Clarksburg. Memorial Week is being observed at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Robert Miller, 356 Oblong Road, Williamstown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested for Congregation Beth Israel or to Berkshire Chapter of Haddassah, through the Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna funeral home, West Chapels, 521 West Main St. North Adams MA 01247.
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Use of Slurs Sparks Community Conversation in Pittsfield
The discussion will be held Monday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at Conte Community School in partnership with the public schools, Westside Legends and the Berkshire chapter of the NAACP.
On Thursday, interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said the district recognizes the seriousness of concerns from students, families, and staff members in a statement to the school community.
"As interim Superintendent, I have a broad view across our school system and am hearing experiences and concerns from many corners of our community. From my 26 years in education, I know these challenges are not unique to our district. That said, this is our opportunity to do this work within our own schools and strengthen our public education system and culture," she wrote over Parent Square, which was posted on social media and the district website.
"I want to be clear that there is no place for derogatory or discriminatory language in our schools, whether in classrooms, hallways, on athletic fields, buses, or anywhere in our learning environments. We must address individual situations thoughtfully, fairly, and with care for everyone involved, while also committing to the long-term work of shaping school environments where every student experiences dignity, belonging, safety, and respect."
At this meeting, they will discuss how to best move forward together.
"Our students are watching how we respond," Phillips wrote.
"We have an opportunity to model what it looks like to address difficult issues with fairness, dignity, honesty, and care, and in doing so, strengthen our schools for the long term."
Last week, the Pittsfield Public Schools Human Resources Department confirmed that an 8th-grade teacher at the middle school was placed on leave. The teacher was reportedly describing a classroom incident when the slurs were repeated.
The complaint was publicly made by parent Brett Random, who is the executive director of Berkshire County Head Start.
On her personal Facebook page, she said her daughter reported that her math teacher, "used extremely offensive language including both a racial slur (N word) and a homophobic slur (F word) and then reportedly tried to push other students to repeat those words later in the day when students were questioning her on her behavior."
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