The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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News acorns – 1/23/15

acornHear about Lincoln’s aluminum house, and the town during World War II

Did you know that Lincoln is home to one of the rare Alcoa aluminum houses that were built in 1957 to showcase aluminum building materials? On Thursday, Jan. 29 from 7-9 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library, Katherine Mierzwa of Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln will give a fast-paced, illustrated photo tour of this significant house, the history of aluminum in 20th-century architecture, and an update on how this house has recently been renovated.

What was life like on the World War II home front? How fast did Lincoln mobilize? How did it respond to all the major war challenges such as rationing, training for evacuation, and sustaining morale? Come to a session sponsored by the Lincoln Historical Society on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall for an afternoon of reminiscences about “Lincoln During World War II.” Hear reminiscences of wartime Lincoln elementary school students, share your own personal recollections whether or not you grew up in Lincoln, and capture the spirit of the times. “Victory Cake” and other popular foods from the period will be served. All ages welcome.

Both events are part of the Lincoln Winter Carnival.

New book club kicks off

The Lincoln Library is pleased to offer a new book group called the “Who Picked This Book?” club. The first meeting is Monday, Feb. 2 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the library, when we will talk about One Day by David Nicholls. The club will meet on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to read fairly current fiction (maybe even nonfiction) that’s entertaining and well written. Copies in various formats will be available two weeks prior to each meeting. Refreshments will be served. Bring a list of possible books that you’ve always wanted to read to the first meeting maybe we can all pick the next one together. For more information, please contact Lisa Rothenberg at lrothenberg@minlib.net.

“Voices from the Back Stairs: Domestic Servants in 19th- and 20th-century New England”

Although domestic servants made everyday life in grand houses possible, their identities and roles within the household have long been ignored. On Sunday, Feb. 8 from 2-4 p.m., Dr. Jennifer Pustz of Historic New England will shed light on the role of servants and their relationship to their employers. This illustrated lecture will focus on three Historic New England properties, including Lincoln’s own Codman Estate.

Winter Carnival kicks off next Thursday

Winter Carnival 2015 PosterThe Lincoln Winter Carnival, an annual event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, starts on January 29 and features a pancake breakfast, a snow sculpture contest, poetry, bingo, and lots of other events for both adults and kids.

The carnival is designed to foster a sense of community throughout the town of Lincoln, and all events are sponsored by Lincoln-based organizations. Please check individual event details for age limits, admission fees, pre-registration information, etc.

Weeklong events

[Read more…] about Winter Carnival kicks off next Thursday

News acorns – 1/7/15

acornSee videos of First Day in Lincoln

Intrepid Lincoln photographer/videographer Harold McAleer has posted some videos of First Day in Lincoln on January 1. Have a look at some of the socializing and see Rob Loud belting out Auld Lang Syne. You can see other videos by Harold on his YouTube channel.

SBAC’s final public forum is Jan. 13; COA preview on Jan. 9

The School Building Advisory Committee will present a draft of architectural consultant Dore and Whittier’s final report with cost estimates for a Lincoln School project at its fourth and final public forum on Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 7-9 p.m. in Reed Gym. At the third public forum on December 2, 76 percent of residents expressed a preference for Option 3, which calls for a comprehensive package of facilities and educational upgrades costing $54.7 million to $58.8 million.

Residents, especially those who are unable to come to the January 13 meeting, are also invited to a meeting on Friday, Jan. 9 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. This meeting at the COA is an opportunity to get a preview of the final report and to continue the discussion about renovation pathways and the decisions the Town will need to make to move a project forward.

Obituaries

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. in the First Parish Church in Lincoln for Eleanor Locke Donaldson, who died on November 6 at the age of 100. She held numerous positions with the church and was active in the Lincoln Garden Club and the Lincoln Bell Ringers.

Maraget F. Chisholm also passed away on December 28 at the age of 94. She was a Lincoln native and worked for many years at a phone company in town.

Snowshoe tours at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is offering guided snowshoe tours of the sculpture park led by a trained instructor on five dates between January 17 and March 10, with alternate dates for each occasion in case of too little or too much snow. Click here to register and pay (tickets range from $10 to $20 and snowshoe rentals are $12).

 

Council on Aging activities in January

bemisFrom drawing to pastel painting with Juliet
January 5 at 10 a.m.
Express your most vibrant self with the brilliant colors of pastels in a new class with Juliet Rago! She will begin with a short introduction to drawing for those who feel they need it. The class will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on January 5, 9, 12, 23 and 26. No experience is necessary. All materials will be furnished. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. Limit of six people. The fee is $20.

Lincoln Academy with Deane Ellsworth: “The Magic of the Steam Train Whistle”
January 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Jan. 5 at 12:30 to hear Deane Ellsworth discuss “The Magic of the Steam Train Whistle.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in January

News acorns – 12/29/14

acornTown seeks candidates for boards and commissions

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! The annual Town Election will take place on Monday, March 30. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office starting Friday, Jan. 2 and must be returned no later than Monday, Feb. 9. The following offices will appear on the March ballot: Board of Selectmen (three years), Board of Assessors (three years), K-8 School Committee (two seats for three years each), Water Commissioner (three years), Board of Health (one seat for three years), Cemetery Commission (three years), Planning Board (one seat for three years), Commissioner of Trust Funds (three years), deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Trustee (four years), Housing Commission (three years), Parks and Recreation Committee (three years), Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (two seats for three years each), Trustees of Bemis (one seat for three years). For additional information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Seminar on campaign rules for local candidates

The Town Clerk’s Office will host a seminar with an overview of the rules for disclosing campaign activity on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Jason Tait, Director of Communications and Public Education for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), will also address the proper use of town resources for a political purpose—for example, is it legal to use a town’s robo-call system to advocate for a Town Meeting warrant article?

The seminar lasts about one hour and is open to candidates and the public. For inquiries or to reserve a seat, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Coming up at the library

Starting next week, these regular children’s programs will resume at the Lincoln Public Library: Ed Morgan Singalong (January 2), Preschool Stories (January 6), Lego Club (January 7), Book Group for grades 4-6 (January 8), and Lapsit Storytime (January 15). Check the library web page for kids’ programs for times and other information.

Coming up for adults (all events are at the library unless otherwise noted):

  • The Lincoln Film Society kicks off “JaNOIRary—Film Noir All Month Long” on Tuesdays, Jan. 6 and 13 at 7 p.m. For more information,  call 781-259-8465 or email Lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com to sign up for the mailing list.
  • Friday Morning Book Group (Friday, Jan. 9 at 9:30 a.m.) will discuss Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. Copies in various formats available at the front desk two weeks prior to the meeting. Coffee and refreshments.
  • Art gallery reception for oil painter Kathleen Manley (Sunday, Jan. 11 from 2-4 p.m.)
  • Lincoln Open Mike Acoustic (Monday, Jan. 12 from 7-10 p.m.) featuring the band Outrageous Fortune. Performers are asked to sign up in advance by emailing loma3re@gmail.com.
  • Write Stuff (Friday, Jan. 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall) — a writing group for sharing and discussion with a moderator to improve writing skills.
  • Classic Jazz (Friday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.) featuring Dean Smith, Tickling the Ivories.

Lincoln’s Moritz to appear as soloist with L-S Civic Orchestra

Michael Moritz rehearses the Mozart piano concerto.

Mike Moritz rehearses Mozart Concerto #23 with the LSCO on stage at L-S.

Lincoln resident Michael Moritz is usually a clarinetist with the Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra (LSCO)—but on January 11, he’ll man the keyboard as soloist in a Mozart piano concerto.

The concert at the high school opens the LSCO’s 42nd season. Managing Director William Nicholson conducts the orchestra, which will play the Peer Gynt Suite for Orchestra #1 by Edvard Grieg, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony #2 in C minor (“Little Russian”). Moritz will be the soloist for Mozart’s Piano Concerto #23 in A major.

Moritz has played piano since early childhood and studied with John Buttrick while he was pursuing his B.S. in mathematics at MIT. He appeared as soloist with the MIT Concert Band under the direction of John Corley, performing the Concerto for Piano and Winds by Igor Stravinski. He has also studied with Yasuo Watanabe and Theodore Lettvin of the New England Conservatory.

Moritz and his wife Kathy have lived in Lincoln for 22 years and raised four children, all of whom graduated from L-S between 2006 and 2011: Amanda, Megan and Manu, and Istvan. He joined the LSCO as a clarinetist in 2004 to play alongside his flutist daughter Amanda.

“Before Mike approached me to play the Mozart 23rd, I hadn’t realized how gifted a pianist he was,” Nicholson said. “He has been a great contributor in the clarinet section of the orchestra for ten years now, and during every rehearsal break, he races over to the piano to play Chopin and Brahms, so we knew he was dedicated and passionate about the piano. In the spring, we traditionally feature graduating student members in concerto performances, but it’s exciting to use the winter concert to showcase the unique artistry of our adult members.”

“I took up clarinet in my 30s when my piano was in storage while Kathy and I were remodeling our place in Cambridge,”Moritz said. “She knew I was going nuts not playing music, and my mother told her I had played clarinet as a kid, but stopped before high school. So I came home from work one day to find a Buffet clarinet and a BU graduate student, my new teacher, waiting for me.

“It was a revelation playing a melody instrument,” Moritz continued. “A piano is a percussion instrument—you hit strings with hammers and the sound decays as soon as it begins. The legendary Myra Hess talked about creating the ‘illusion’ of the singing tone. But the clarinet, and all the other wind and string instruments, can sustain its sound, making crescendo and decrescendo on any note and truly making a singing tone. I believe playing each instrument has made me better at the other.”

Admission to the January 11 concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m., is a suggested donation of $10. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is located at 390 Lincoln Rd in Sudbury.

Letter to the editor: PTO thanks Community Partners

letter

To the editor:

On behalf of the Lincoln PTO, I’d like to extend our deepest thanks to our PTO Community Partners whose contributions have helped make possible our many enrichment activities at the Lincoln School in 2014-15. These activities include visits to the school by poets, dancers and puppeteers, as well as science, nature and engineering workshops, historical reenactments and more (see the “What We Do” page on the Lincoln PTO website). Our Community Partners include:

Our children’s education is richer because of the help these Community Partners provide, so I hope you’ll join me in thanking them for another great year at the Lincoln School.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Bodnar, Lincoln PTO Chair/President

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

News acorns – 12/22/14

Kids’ craft activities at library this week
On Tuesday, Dec. 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a winter craft table will be set up for children of all ages at the Lincoln Public Library.
Conservation Commission back to full strength

In response to an appeal from the Board of Selectmen, a number of residents expressed interest in filling vacant slots on the seven-member Conservation Commission, and the vacacies have been filled by Jordan McCarron, Stephen Johnson and Richard Selden.

First Day at Pierce House a year ago. Photo by Harold McAleer.

First Day at Pierce House a year ago. Photo by Harold McAleer.

Come to Pierce House for “First Day”

Whether you’re new to Lincoln or have lived here forever, come to historic Pierce House (17 Weston Rd.) on January 1 to celebrate the new year together at the town’s 16th annual First Day gathering. Start the year right with legendary soups, lively music, and congenial company! Complimentary admission for Lincoln residents, but donations are gratefully accepted for the upkeep of this special town resource. For more information, call 781-259-9757.

Self-defense classes for women in the new year

The Lincoln Police will be running three women’s classes in 2015: one in January, one in February and one in November. The January and February classes are now open for enrollment.

  • Session A: January 15 and 20 from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Recreation Department
  • Session B: February 3 and 10 from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Recreation Department
Each session will be two nights for three hours apiece. On the first night, you’ll go over basic safety and then learn basic self-defense tactics and moves. On the second night, you’ll practice the tools you’ve learned and then an officer will suit up in full pads and we will go through common scenarios where you will be “attacked” and need to fight your way out. The class is free, but you must pre-register. Please contact Jena Salon to sign up, or contact her with any questions or concerns at  215-514-5963 or jenasalon@gmail.com.

News acorns – 12/10/14

The Harvard Callbacks perform at the LEAP a capella night on December 5.

The Harvard Callbacks perform at the LEAP a capella night on December 5.

A capella benefit a hit; LEAP plans to do it again next year

Lincoln residents packed the auditorium of Bemis Hall on December 5 to hear three a capella groups perform in a benefit for LEAP (the Lincoln After-school Activities Program). The groups who sang were Accent from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, and VoiceLab and the Callbacks from Harvard University, as well as an impromptu singing and dancing performance of “Happy Birthday” for LEAP operations director Chris Burns by the “LEAPing Lizards” (several current and former LEAP students).

The concert was taped by Lincoln community TV—click here to watch and listen.

“It was an amazing night of beautiful music and community,” said LEAP program director Kathryn Hawkins, who added that LEAP would have another a capella benefit next year.

Wreath-makers still need a helping hand

The First Parish Church is still looking for help making Christmas wreaths in the Stone Church in preparation for the Touch of Christmas Fair on Saturday, Dec. 13. See “Lincoln Through the Lens” on December 3 for more information. And don’t forget the candlelight Lincoln Ringers concert on December 22 (see the Squirrel calendar listing for details).

Nicholas Soo and Jonah O'Donnell-Weyant decorate donation boxes at Magic Garden

Nicholas Soo and Jonah O’Donnell-Weyant decorate donation boxes at Magic Garden. Photo courtesy Michael Graves

Magic Garden hosting drive for Rosie’s Place

This December marks the Magic Garden Children’s Center‘s fifth annual “Season of Giving.” In conjunction with Lincoln Public Schools, Magic Garden is facilitating a drive for nonperishable goods such as canned food, pasta and toiletries that will be delivered to Rosie’s Place, a shelter for women coping with homelessness in Boston.

“Each year, the teachers here have the opportunity to help children explore ideas of giving and community,” said Magic Garden interim director Lori Leo. “Our students help to paint donation boxes and sort the items. It’s wonderful!” Magic Garden is accepting contributions until Friday, Dec. 19 in their office area in the Hartwell building on the school campus.

Obituaries

George Berry, 69 (November 12) – sponsored Lincoln’s Friends for Tomorrow therapeutic horseback riding program.

Anastasia K. Caras, 96 (November 26) – pianist and graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music.

News acorns – 12/4/14

acornL-S concerts include choral groups tonight

The L-S Winter Choral Concert will be performed on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in Kirschner Auditorium at the high school, while the L-S Instrumental Concert will be a week later on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. in the same location.. Both concerts are open to the public and free of charge.

Tonight’s choral concert will feature the L-S Concert Choir & Chamber Singers, the Lincoln School Chorus and the Curtis Select Chorus. The L-S choirs are singing music of America, Ireland, England, France, Macedonia and South Africa, and selections from Carmina Burana. The L-S student-led vocal groups Acafellas, Accent, Achoired Taste, Coro de Chicas & Musigals will perform a variety of popular music to start the concert.Recording of the concert will be available for pre-order. Concessions will be available.

The Instrumental Winter Concert on December 11 will include large ensembles including the Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and smaller groups including the Flute Choir and Violin Ensemble. Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride will provide the grand finale with 130 instrumental students performing together on stage. Highlights from the program  will include:

  • Orchestra—Marche Slav by Tchaikovsky; Jupiter from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst; selections from Bizet’s Carmen; and the Allegro movement from Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G minor (used for the theme song of the movie Amadeus).
  • Symphonic Band—Cinicinnatus March by H.A. Vandercook; Blue Ridge Saga by Jim Swearingen; and An American Fanfare by Rick Kirby.
  • Concert Band—Avenger March by Karl A. King; Albanian Folk Dance by Shelley Hansen; and Chorale and Shaker Dance by John Zdechlik (including the familiar Shaker hymn ‘Tis The Gift To Be Simple)
Dog walkers on the school campus: please scoop!

The Lincoln School has noticed a recent increase in dog walkers failing to clean up after their pets when traversing the campus play areas. Principal Steve McKenna notes that this is not pleasant for the child who steps or rolls in just the wrong place while at recess.

Kids invited to participate in First Parish Christmas Pageant

Rehearsals for the December 14 children’s Christmas Pageant at the First Parish Church will be December 7 and 14 during church services. There’s a part for every child who wants one. Children will gather in the sanctuary (the white church) at 10 a.m., then proceed with the pageant leaders up to the Stone Church for rehearsals and performance at 11 a.m. Invite the grandparents and bring a camera, and be prepared to sing along! The First Parish also invites families to attend the Solstice Service and/or one of two Christmas Eve services. Please see the First Parish calendar for more information.

Old Town Hall Exchange hosts “Gift Local” event

The Old Town Hall Exchange will host the 4th annual Gift Local Artisan and Craft Show on December 13 and 14. This event will host a variety of talented local artists, featuring jewelers, woodworkers, and more. Stop by and get some of your holiday shopping our of the way while supporting some terrific local businesses. The event takes place on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 14 from 1-6 p.m.

Talk on bicycling history on Dec. 17

The Lincoln Public Library presents “Boston’s Cycling Craze, 1880-1900: A Story of Race, Sport and Society” with author Lorenz J. Finison on Wednesday, Dec. 17 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Explore the rise of Boston’s cycling through the lives of several participants. Finison details the life of Kittie Knox, a biracial 20 year old Bostonian. Books will be available for purchase.