Stoughton
Historical
Society Newsletter
February 1982
VOLUME
XXIII NO. 1
Volume
XIII, Number 1 – Editor:- Ye 0l’ Ed February 1982
MR. CARL LIBBY will be our speaker this month on Monday, the 15th. A
citizen of Our Town for over fifty years, he is the inventor of the Libby
Shuttleless loom, former Vice-President of J. W. Wood Elastic Web Co., an
artist, musician and philosopher. The title of his talk is "Know
Yourself."
WE HAVE RECEIVED an American flag which was flown over the Capitol on the
occasion of Bill O'Brien's most recent birthday. It was originally given
to Bill by his family and is now given to us by Bill and his wife, Belle.
A large illustrated (and annotated) map of Our Town (1854), given by Edgar
Malcolm, proved to include a bonus. On the reverse was pasted an 1866
railway map of
New England
. The railway map shows a station named
"Birds" between
Canton
and
Stoughton
. (We have also heard from one member in
reply to inquiries concerning the
Boston
"Post" cane ... Commander Miles
may well have been the last recipient of the gold‑headed cane in
Stoughton
.)
ST. VALENTINE was a
holy priest who lived in
Rome
in the 3rd century. He was beheaded in the
year 270 on February 14, but soon became recognized as the patron saint of
lovers. February 15 was a pagan feast day on which Roman young men declared who
their sweethearts were and announced their marriage plans. The christian young
men and women decided to imitate the pagan practice; but they wanted the
blessing of the saint rather than the pagan god. The Catholic church was
already honoring St. Valentine, so he became their patron, and their marriage
announcements were called "Valentines."
INEXPENSIVE COMFORT
was available at J. J. Newberry Co. (The Dependable Store With Dependable
Values) in 1941 . . . Men's Ankle‑Length Woolen Underwear was 79¢; All or
Part Wool Sweaters, 69¢ to $2.39;
Children's Corduroy
Overalls, 69¢ to $1.19; Flannel Bloomers were 15¢ and 20¢; Ladies’ Flannel
Pajamas, 69¢ to $1.29; and Flannel Nightgowns, 79¢ to $1.19.
Just in case you are a bit behind with the news, Newberry's closed their
doors for good on December 31 [1981] last.
A FAVORITE DRINK in
Puritan New England was RUM FUSTIAN. Recipe: take a pint of beer, pint of sherry
and a pint of gin, yolks of a dozen eggs., sugar and a little nutmeg. Stir all
together., then heat with a redhot poker. It is said that the Puritans gave the
Indians several barrels of rum fustian when trouble seemed imminent . . . it was
easier than fighting them. (Fustian means imitation, so this
drink was supposed to be a good substitute for rum.)
OUR PRESIDENTS . . . Woodrow
Wilson (1913‑21) was the
only president with a Ph.D. degrees.
IN THESE DAYS of
"Plastic money" the dollar bills we have grown to know and love my
become obsolete belonging to a bygone era. Let's get to know
our paper dollar better before it is too late: -- As you look
at your dollar bill which, incidentally, is called a banknote, you will notice
the words "Federal Reserve Note above the portrait of
Washington
(he's there as our first president, of
course). Most all paper money issued by Federal Reserve banks with the
permission the U.S. Treasury. There are twelve of these banks in
the
United States
and the seal to the left George
(as in the phrase "Let George do it") as look at the note
tells you which of the twelve issued the banknote.
HOWARD HANSEN
. . . a brief biography: Born October 3, 1943, third son of Orrin and Ruth
Hansen . . . educated Stoughton public schools through junior high . . .
majored in printing at Boston Trade High School . . . continued education at
Shaw Prep School and Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, graduating
in '68. . . saw military duty with National Guard . . . returned to N.E.. and
the printing business which actually began when he purchased his first
full-sized press at the age of 16 . . . (You saw that press on a truck in the
"250th" parade in 1976) ... Howard is keenly interested in the
Boy Scouts of America, is a member of the Troop Committee and
the Board of Review . . . Our new president is also greatly interested in the
history of Stoughton and history in general . . . A Town Meeting
Representative., he is Chairman of precinct One . . . He is artistically
inclined, precise, adept at several crafts . . . About once each year takes off
for Canada, Vermont . . . NOTE: This short paragraph serves to introduce your
current president; to knew him and your other officers better you have only to
attend more meetings. They'll all be glad to see you there. (And, Howie,
these tidbits from your life were supplied by an intimate, R.I.H.)
SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER with a friend. It may be all that
friend needs to interest him / her in Our Society. We can always use more
members, particularly active folks; and, remember, membership in the Stoughton
Historical Society is still the best bargain in town. Perhaps the young lady
sharing her Newsletter with a "friend" has an ulterior motive. Well$
so do we. We need workers and can promise only pleasure in accomplishment as a
reward - and fine social contacts.
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