Author To Discuss 'The Gritty Berkshires' at North Adams Public Library

07:46AM / Thursday, June 26, 2025Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Public Library, in collaboration with the North Adams Historical Society, will host author Maynard Seider for a discussion of his book, "The Gritty Berkshires: A People's History from the Hoosac Tunnel to MASS MoCA."

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. in the library's third-floor community room.

Seider's book focuses on the immigrants and their descendants who dug the Hoosac Tunnel, worked in the textile mills and the shoe factories of North Berkshire, and produced capacitors at Sprague Electric Company.

The presentation will trace this history from the early 19th century to the present, drawing connections between local events and broader changes in the American landscape. The discussion will also highlight the activism of residents, whether it be protesting conditions in an unsafe mill, organizing to form a union, or fighting the closure of a regional hospital.

Copies of "The Gritty Berkshires" will be available for purchase and signing. The North Adams Public Library is located at 74 Church Street.

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Police Called for Fight at Drury

01:31PM / Monday, February 09, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — School officials say a police presence at Drury High School on Monday morning was related to a fight between students stemming from an "incident" over the weekend.

The high and middle school went into lockdown for a brief period as police and school administrators dealt with the problem.

Superintendent Timothy Callahan provided the public schools' official statement, which was sent out to the school community. It does not detail the root of the conflict but says there will be consequences to the students' behavior. Some parents have posted that one of the students brought a knife to school and that there was a "large" police presence.

Good Morning Drury Staff, Students, and Families,

An incident in the community over the weekend led to a conflict prior to the start of school at Drury High School this morning between two or more high school students. School staff called for a "stay put" and then a brief "lockdown" to ensure that the confict was contained and addressed promptly. The North Adams Police also arrived on the scene to ensure the safety of everyone in the school.

School leaders will provide consequences to students involved in the conflict as outlined in our district-wide Code of Conduct, Character, and Support and also provide regular support for students to build pro-social behaviors and minimize incidents of verbal and physical escalation.

Unsafe actions will not be tolerated in our buildings, and we appreciate your support in ensuring that our focus can remain on classroom teaching and learning.

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