North Adams Women's History Hall of Fame Inducts New Members
Heather Boulger, left, Constance Tatro and Morgan Goodell at Tuesday's night ceremony at City Council.
Tuesday night saw the recognition of longtime School Committee member Heather Putnam Boulger, well-known child-care provider Constance Tatro and the city's first woman firefighter Morgan Goodell, as well as two historic figures — City Councilor Lottie Harriman, who helped establish the city airport, and Probation Officer Lois Quinn.
"This was created to honor women who contributed to laying the groundwork for women leaders in our community and to reinforce that all of us are valued community members," said Macksey at Tuesday's City Council meeting. "While we honor these fine women, we must also honor all women who make a difference each day. No matter what role you play your positive impact on the community is much need and appreciated."
Boulger, Tatro and Goodell attended the event and two of Quinn's relatives accepted the plaque in her honor and Keith Bona was asked to step in to accept Harriman's award as he had nominated her. He asked that the plaque be placed at the new building at Harriman & West Airport.
Below are the mayor's statements regarding each nominee.
Lottie Harriman
Harriman was born in North Adams on May 20, 1898. She attended local schools, including Drury High School and then studied at the Wilfred Academy in Boston. She married H. Arthur Harriman and begin raising a family.
On March 17, 1927, Harriman started her own business, the Orchid Beauty Salon. It became so successful that she expanded it to include a hairdressing and beauty culture school and the Harriman Health Clinic. In 1938, she was elected president of the Massachusetts Hairdressers Association, a post she held for two years.
In 1942, she was elected to serve a one-year term on the North Adams City Council, becoming the second woman to serve on that body, and was re-elected to serve three-year terms in 1943, 1946 and 1949. In 1946 she became the first woman Council president, elected to fill in during an absence of the existing president. She was chairman of the
Council's Airport Commission for four years and of the Airport Licensing Committee for six years. She was instrumental in getting the North Adams airport established. As a result, it was named the "Harriman Airport" in her honor. In 1950, she was made an honorary member of the Greylock Flying Club.
In 1948, Harriman became licensed to sell real estate and opened an agency on Franklin Street which she operated for many years, selling her Orchid Beauty Salon in 1957.
Lottie Harriman accomplished a great deal in her lifetime, and made a large success of whatever she applied herself to.
Lois Quinn
Nominated by her nephew, Mick Boland, Lois Boland Quinn was born on Oct. 11, 1924 and was raised in North Adams. She graduated summa cum laude from Our Lady of the Elms College in 1946.
She was the first female probation officer appointed in Massachusetts in 1948. As a probation officer, she was instrumental in establishing an emergency shelter for run-away children in Berkshire County. Quinn was later appointed assistant chief probation officer, the highest-ranking female legal officer in Berkshire County for many years.
Quinn was a founding member of Downey Side, a national non-profit organization devoted to recruiting adoptive families for older children adrift in the foster care system, and for establishing Downey Side homes in the Berkshires.
At her retirement in 1980, after 32 years of service, Judge John A. Barry, Presiding Justice wrote: "Lois Quinn is a woman of high intellectual and moral values, values which are desperately needed in dealing with the juveniles who appear here before the courts today. Her daily living and sound advice have carried many troubled youths and their families from crisis and confusion to levels of stability and strength. In a society in which moral values and principles are under constant assault, individuals of Lois Quinn's caliber are needed to keep the concept of the family wholesome and alive."
Fritz M. Heinemann, then Executive Director of United Way of Berkshire, wrote, "Lois Quinn is known as a tireless worker. Her commitment to helping young people in trouble and their families has been her trademark. In a difficult job, often facing what to many would seem to be insurmountable obstacles, Lois has quietly gone about her work with resolve, tempered compassion and sensitivity for those in need."
In 1971, Quinn was voted Williamstown's "Mother of the Year" by the Williamstown News. From 1980 to 1983, she was a founding member and co-director of the Harper Senior Center in Williamstown. She was a member of the Taconic Golf Club, Williams College Faculty Club and Elms College Alumnae. She was a charter member of the Right to Life of Berkshire County.
Lois Quinn lived life daily with the motto she learned at Elms College: "make the world better for your having been in it."
Constance "Connie" Tatro
Tatro has celebrated 30 years of running an incredibly amazing home daycare in the city of North Adams. She was nominated for this award by a group of parents whose children are or were in her care as they wanted to see her recognized for the extraordinary impact she has had on the children and their families.
Tatro has a bachelor's degree and is currently working toward her master's in early childhood studies. Tatro is also a member of the the North Adams School Building Committee. She has the highest Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) day-care certification that the state allows and was very excited to earn it.
Her home day-care opened in 1993 and has served approximately 100 children over the years.
Tatro is a down-to-earth, dedicated, hard-working and kind-hearted person. She doesn't stop at caring for the children while they are in her care. She attends birthday parties, sporting events, concerts, and anything else the children invite her to. During the pandemic, she held "morning virtual circle time" to help keep all of the children in a routine and seeing friends.
Tatro organizes the children and their families in her day-care to participate in the Fall Foliage Children's Parade and this past summer built an outdoor stage in her backyard so the children could put on a play for their families. In her free time, she is active in her church and is a mainstay on Sundays at a friend's church, where she helps to coordinate weekend meals for seniors.
The mutual respect that Tatro builds with the children creates a close atmosphere between her and the children and their parents, building community. She believes that her service can make a huge impact on the children which is a greatest reward of all.
Heather Boulger
Boulger is the executive director of the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board. She served as vice chair of the School Committee, being first elected in 1998 and serving six uninterrupted four-year terms (a tenure representing three mayors and three superintendents). Her last term ran from 2018-2021. She was appointed as NAPS representative on the
McCann School Committee for eight years.
Boulger has served on almost every subcommittee of the School Committee. Her most recent subcommittee work has included serving as chair of the negotiations subcommittee for non-professional staff.
In November 2022, she was awarded the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Lifetime Achievement Award at the MASS/MASC Joint Conference. She is one of only two North Adams committee members honored as life members.
She has demonstrated a passion for quality education, and the idea that it is the community's responsibility to provide resources that invest in our children's future. Additionally, and beyond the School Committee, she has proven herself to be a community partner. I am proud to call Heather a trusted colleague but more importantly a friend.
Morgan E. Goodell
Goodell was born and raised in Northern Berkshire. She graduated from McCann Technical School and Berkshire Community College and the Massachusetts Fire Academy. Goodell began her firefighting journey on the Clarksburg Fire Company, on which her father was a volunteer. She spent four years responding to calls, attending training sessions and company meetings, while learning all she could about the fire service. She appeared on the dean's list all four semesters at BCC, and earned her associate's degree in fire science.
She began her employment with the city in 2020 as a 911 dispatcher for the Police Department. She attended the Fire Academy, where she successfully completed a 10-week training course graduating in October 2022. She joined the North Adams Fire Department in July 2022, becoming the first female firefighter.
Goodell's courage and success in pursuing a non-traditional path deserves to be recognized. She will no doubt continue to influence those around her and the community as she advances in her career, and this city is honored to have her on our Fire Department.
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