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Forum on how to discuss neighborhood noise

The Leaf Blower Study Committee (LBSC) and the Conservation Commission will sponsor a town-wide forum on how to communicate with neighbors about an issue that has increasingly become a source of friction within our community—neighborhood noise—on Wednesday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Donaldson Room at the Lincoln Town Hall.

During “Civil Discourse in a Noisy World: How to Talk with Neighbors about Difficult Issues,” mediator and attorney Jeanne Kempthorne will lead a workshop aimed at finding common ground on the use of noisy leaf blowers, an issue that has become contentious in communities in Massachusetts and around the country.

The LBSC believes that all residents in Lincoln, regardless of their opinion on this issue, would benefit from the establishment of some ground rules on when and how these machines are used, for reasons of health, the environment, and common courtesy. The group is seeking to initiate a conversation and a process that may lead to mutually beneficial resolutions amongst neighbors. Kempthorne is co-chair of the Legal Advisory Committee of Quiet Communities and The Quiet Coalition, and has been active in educational and outreach activities to support their mission.

Codman Farm BBQ and campout June 10-11

Parents and kids are invited to camp out under the stars after a hayride, barbecue, s’mores and an old-fashioned sing-a-long around the campfire at Codman Community Farms (CCF) starting on Saturday, June 10 at 4 p.m. There will be breakfast on Sunday with coffee, orange juice and bagels. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy the activities without camping overnight. Cost is $35 per tent site (includes breakfast for all campers in the tent). A CCF family membership required to sleep over. Tickets for the dinner (click to buy online) catered by Blue Ribbon Barbecue are $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Click here for stories and photos about the campout in 2012.

Talks at American Revolution meeting next week

Two members of the American Revolution Round Table will speak at the group’s next meeting on Monday, June 5 at 7 p.m. at the the Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center. Jim Hogan will speak about religion as a catalyst of the American Revolution, focusing on the ministers of the towns of Concord, Lexington, Lincoln and Bedford. Nancy Lynch will talk about the political clash between Jefferson and Hamilton, what it meant to the workings of democracy, and the ebb and flow of their ideas during the course of the American political experience, based on the book, Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation. Please RSVP to reserve a seat by emailing mbern9@gmail.com.

Yoga in the park on four Saturdays

Melinda Bruno-Smith, certified hatha yoga instructor and Lincoln Garden Club member, will lead four yoga sessions in Station Park Garden (160 Lincoln Rd., across from the train station) on four Saturdays: June 3, 10, 17, and 24, from 9–10 a.m. A $5 donation is suggested; please bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket to practice on and wear loose-fitting clothing.

Council on Aging activities in June

Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band
June 2 at 12:30 p.m.
On Friday, June 2, the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band will be in the house once again from 12:30–1:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Once again they will lift your spirits with upbeat favorite tunes for you to tap your toes to or sing along with. What? You’ve never been to even one of the past 38 concerts? Come find out what the regulars are enjoying while you’ve been sitting at home.

Lincoln Academy with Ben Horne—”The Essence of Bhutan”
June 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Ben will discuss, with pictures, a trip he and Jean took last October to the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, known for its peace, happiness, and dramatic beauty. While many trips to the Himalayas can be classified as “treks”, this trip was more a brief immersion in the kingdom’s magical, mystical culture and history. 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. All ages welcome.

Tour the New Hanscom Middle School
June 8 at 10 a.m.
The Lincoln Public Schools and the Council on Aging invite you to tour the new Hanscom Middle School. A bus will leave the Donelan’s parking lot at 10 a.m. on June 8 and return about 1 p.m. You must call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up by noon on June 2, giving your full legal name and date of birth in order to be granted access to Hanscom Air Force Base. The new Hanscom Middle School is an 85,000-square-foot serving 300 students in grades 4-8. The $34 million construction cost was funded entirely by the Department of Defense Education ActivityThe firm of Ewing Cole designed the school building to support 21st-century education with grade-level “neighborhoods” where individual classrooms are clustered around common areas and small break-out spaces. This creates a flexible environment that fosters collaboration, accommodates project work, and provides opportunities for small, class-sized, or grade-level groups. The music room, art room, library, full kitchen, and gymnasium all have direct access to a central commons that features a stage and serves multiple functions: cafeteria space during lunch, performance center for music and drama, and a place to practice presentation skills for individuals and groups of students.  The building includes many energy-efficient features. The tour will be led by Superintendent Becky McFall.

Public Safety cookout
June 9 at 11 a.m.
Join Public Safety on Friday, June 9 at 11 a.m. for a cookout at the Pierce House. You’ll start off by finding out more about current trends in frauds and scams and how to avoid being a victim; home safety from both police and fire perspectives; and services offered by Public Safety. At noon, Public Safety will be cooking up hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers with all the fixin’s. Because the event will be under the tent, the cookout will go on rain or shine. Please sign up by June 2 by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Lincoln Academy with James Harrison—”The Food Project and food justice in Massachusetts”
June 12 at 12:30 p.m.
James Harrison, executive director of The Food Project, will provide an update on the organization as well as the current state of food justice in Massachusetts and the role of The Food Project in creating multi-generational communities that work together to build sustainable and equitable food systems. 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. All ages welcome.

Free wellness clinic for all ages
June 13 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Medicare 101: What to know, how to choose
June 13 at 7 p.m.
Come find out the basics of Medicare on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Minuteman Senior Services SHINE counselors Don Milan and Anne Meade. This introduction to Medicare is especially for those who will be signing up soon, but is also for those who just wish to learn more and understand their benefits better. Don and Anne will discuss traditional Medicare, Medigap plans, Advantage plans, and medication drug coverage (Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D), how to go about choosing the plan or plans that are best for you, avoiding penalties when you sign up late, and more. Bring your questions and concerns.

Gloucester and the Cape Ann Museum
June 14 at 9:30 a.m.
On Wednesday, June 14, the COA will head to the Cape Ann Art Museum in downtown Gloucester. There the group will have a docent-led tour of the collection of Fitz Henry Lane paintings, the luminist, marine painter (1804-1865) of this historic seaport, the museum’s collection of 18th-century portraits and contemporary art, and the fisheries, maritime and granite galleries. Lunch will be together at your own cost at a nearby restaurant. If the weather is good you will have time to wander Main Street filled with galleries, a wonderful artists’ cooperative, restaurants and shops. The bus will leave the Lincoln Mall at 9:30 a.m. sharp, returning to Lincoln around 4 p.m. The non-refundable cost of the trip is $22. This trip, supported by the Hurff Fund, is open to Lincoln residents 60+. Reservations must be made by June 8. Send checks payable to FLCOA/Trips to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include your phone number and email address. Please call Donna at 781-257-5050 with questions.

Next steps for affordable accessory apartments
June 14 at 10 a.m.
Come find out more about the Town’s new Affordable Accessory Apartments Program in a forum especially for homeowners and tenants. On Wednesday, June 14 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall, members of the Housing Commission will be here to give information and answer questions. What are the benefits for homeowners and tenants? How does the Housing Commission match up tenants with homeowners? What is the lottery? Why do I have to choose a tenant from your list? How long will I wait for an affordable apartment. Come join the Housing Commission and get answers.

Strawberry ice cream social
June 15 at noon
Celebrate this special time of year at the annual strawberry ice cream social at Bemis Hall on Thursday, June 15 at noon. The event is sponsored by the COA and the Friends of the COA. Bring a bag lunch at noon or just come for dessert. Make your own ice cream sundae with luscious ice cream topped with strawberries, chocolate, and more, then share conversation with friends old and new. Please RSVP to the COA by calling 781-259-8811 and tell them if you will need a ride.

Ethics and climate change
June 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Climate change has not only a scientific component, but an ethical one as well that relates to political, economic, and other actions on local, national, and international levels. Come hear a presentation and discussion led by John Terrell, Ph.D., on Friday, June 16 at 9:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall on the many facets of ethics and climate change. Terrell will highlight the most recent successful Annual Town Meeting warrant article and a critique of the Paris Agreement including the possibilities of various alternate energy options and the economic and political necessities to effectively combat climate change. Come with your questions, concerns, and ideas.

Facing our futures with hope and love
June 16 at 12:30 p.m.
Join Rev. Lilian Warner, spiritual director/chaplain of Newbury Court, on Friday, June 16 at 12:30 for informal coffee, pastries, and conversation while she shows a video and shares her thoughts on how we can be molded and mended into new beings—different from who we were and still valuable—and create a better future for ourselves and others with the “Triple L, Double C of Living,” or how we must “Listen, Learn, Love, Care and Connect.” Call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

Lincoln Academy with Tom Gumbart—backyard butterflies, dragonflies and more
June 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, June 19 at 12:30 to hear Tom Gumbart, Lincoln’s conservation director, discuss “Backyard Butterflies, Dragonflies, and More.” Tom will give a photo show and talk on insects and other small critters found locally. Featured photos will be close-up images, especially of pollinator species on flowers. 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.

Coffee with Lincoln artist Loretta Arthur
June 20 at 2:30 p.m.
Join Loretta Arthur for a reception celebrating her art exhibit that will be in the Bemis Artists Gallery through June on Tuesday, June 20 at 2:30 p.m. A Lincoln resident since 1994, Loretta has recently begun painting again after a 25-year hiatus while she raised three children and practiced with her husband in the firm D.W. Arthur Associates Architecture. She was a studio art major at Brandeis with a concentration in sculpture, and received a master’s in architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design. The paintings for this exhibit include still life and landscapes.

The COA Science and Technology Club—technical challenges of making measurements on human beings
June 22 at 10 a.m.
Both human beings and instrumentation can often be very fragile, especially in medical, transport, and hospital environments. Paul Svetz will lead a discussion on Thursday, June 22 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall on some of the interesting and unusual technical challenges of designing and building devices for making measurements of physiological functions. Everyday contact with physical, electrical, and chemical items that offer little risk in daily life can be quite hazardous in the medical area.

Managing arthritis with exercise
June 23 at 12:30 p.m.
Please join Ryan Stoddard, orthopedic clinical specialist of Emerson Hospital’s Center for Rehabilitative and Sports Therapies, on Friday, June 23 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The notion of living a long healthy life appeals to all of us. The Center for Rehabilitation and Sports Therapies advocates for a life to be active and engaging. Exercise and activity promote a healthy life. Active longevity is about staying active and engaged as long as possible and improving your quality of life. You will learn some tips on how to manage osteoarthritis as well as some safe exercises to promote joint health and keep you staying active longer.

Fireside chat: the U.S. Constitution
June 28 at 10 a.m.
Do you have a favorite line from the Constitution? A favorite amendment? Something that confuses you or excites you? Have you ever read it? Come to Bemis Hall for a discussion of the U.S. Constitution. Join others in a lively but respectful discussion facilitated by Sharon Antia using questions and answers on Wednesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. The purpose is not to convince others of your opinion, but to share ideas so as to create dialogue and understanding.

Save the date:

Canal & Mill Tour – Lowell National Historic Park

Save Tuesday, July 25 for a fascinating day at the Lowell National Historic Park. Find out about the famous “mill girls,” the technology that powered the mills, and how immigrants have contributed to the industrial city. First, the group will hop a trolley to the Swamp Locks. There you will board a canal boat and cruise the Pawtucket Canal, maybe even all the way to the Pawtucket Falls. Then you’ll have lunch at one of the many ethnic restaurants in the area. Finally you’ll visit the Boott Cotton Mill Museum and Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit. The air-conditioned bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 9:15 a.m., returning at approximately 4 p.m. This trip is rated moderate for physical ability, as there will be some walking and entering/ exiting the canal boat entails steep steps. Non-refundable cost including lunch is $32, and drinks are on your own. This trip is funded by the Hurff Fund and is therefore open to Lincoln seniors only. To reserve a space, send a check made out to FLOCA/Trips to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone number and email address. Your reservation is complete when your check is received. Questions? Contact Donna at 781-257-5050 or donna@ecacbed.com.

En plein air drawing with Bernadette Quirk at Lincoln Tree Tour sites

Enjoy the outdoors while learning to draw nature’s glory outside with the Council on Aging’s new class, En Plein Air Drawing with Bermadette Quirk. The class will take place on six Wednesdays at 9 a.m. beginning on July 12. Meet at Bemis Hall the first week. Then each class will take place at each of the five Lincoln Tree Tour locations. Bernadette will e-mail you the list of materials needed for this class. No previous experience necessary; beginners encouraged. The cost is $20 per session. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 and leaving your contact information.

 

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Dairy Day in its final year

Dairy Day at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary will take place for the last time on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual festival celebrates National Dairy Month, highlighting sustainable farming practices and the many products made using milk, from ice cream and butter to soap and lotion. Bring a picnic lunch and watch milking demonstrations with Drumlin Farm’s beloved dairy cow Jane (while milk supply and Jane’s patience lasts!) and try milking on your own at our practice stations. There will also be crafts and games for kids in our Get Moovin’ zone; cheese, butter, and ice cream-making demonstrations; up-close viewing of our heritage breed cattle; and hayrides to celebrate the crowning of the Drumlin Farm Dairy Princess. Click here for a detailed schedule.

“We’re just trying to think of new ways to keep things fresh at the farm,” said Drumlin Farm spokesperson Mimi Palmore, explaining the discontinuation of Dairy Day. Other programs will include element of the event, such as ice cream at an upcoming concert series.

Tickets are $10 for Mass Audubon members, $12 for nonmembers, and free for children under age 2 (walk-ins only; no advance ticket sales). Dairy Day will take place rain or shine.

Register for fall soccer by May 31

If you have a child entering grades 3-8 who’s interested in Lincoln Youth Soccer, please register for the Fall 2017/Spring 2018 as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday, May 31. Timely registration is needed so we can determine the number of travel teams by age group. Click on this link and then click on “Registration” next to “Fall 2017–Spring 2018.”

Lessons on painting Codman Estate’s Italian garden

Join artist Dustin Neece, a classically trained Impressionist painter, for four sessions of en plein air painting in the setting of the Codman Estate Italian Garden at the height of its June blooming season. Learn how to capture shifting light and shadow, how to mix colors for quality and energy, and how to compose a landscape. This class is suitable for adult students from beginners to advanced.

The sessions are on June 12, 15, 19 and 22 at the Codman Estate Italian Garden at 34 Codman Rd. (rain dates TBD). A suggested material list will be sent with registration confirmation. Cost is $140 for Historic New England members, $180 for non-members. Registration is required. Call 617-994-6690 for more information or register online.

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L-S art students host open house

In celebration of its students’ creative accomplishments, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s Fine, Applied and Technical Arts Department will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, May 23 from 6­–8 p.m. The AP studio art students will have a show and reception, and rockets, solar-powered water heaters, woodworking projects and more designed by the Technology and Engineering program students will be on display. Come see 3D printing and CNC routing in action, drive the 2017 Warrior Robotics robot, and hear music from the L-S Jazz Ensemble. The shows will be on the B200s level near the cafeteria.

Former minister Bill Gregory at appear at First Parish

Rev. Bill Gregory on a visit to the Galapagos Islands in 2015.

H. William (Bill) Gregory, senior minister at the First Parish in Lincoln from 1970–1984, will speak at the church on Sunday, May 28 at 10 a.m. Rev. Gregory will speak on the topic of “Reflecting: Saved from Regret for Gratitude.” His appearance kicks off the celebration of the congregation’s 75th Jubilee Year, marking the merger between the Congregationalist and Unitarian churches in Lincoln.

Now retired, he and his wife Nancy live in Yarmouth, Maine, where he leads spiritual growth groups and works for the health of Maine’s Royal River. They are the parents of Layne of Falmouth, Maine, Jay of Lincoln, and Jan of Westbrook, Conn.

“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” on tap

The next screening by the Lincoln Library Film Society will be The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie starring Maggie Smith and directed by Ronald Neame (1969, rated PG) on Thursday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the library. The film is about a headstrong young teacher in a private school in 1930s Edinburgh who ignores the curriculum and influences her impressionable 12-year-old charges with her over-romanticized world. Popcorn will be served.

Hear 1775 news at Hartwell Tavern

Minute Man National Historical Park will host “In the News” on Saturday, June 10 from 1–4 p.m. In colonial Massachusetts, taverns were hubs of news and communication.Travelers brought news and perspectives from far away places, and locals read newspapers, advertisements, and public notices. Current events were discussed and political issues were debated. What were local people talking about in 1775? Visit Hartwell Tavern, talk politics with local residents of 1775, and discuss the potential impact of events.

Alice Howe at next LOMA night

Alice Howe is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, June 12. The event runs from 7-10 p.m., and Howe will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. Her musical sensibility springs from ’60s folk and ’70s Southern California songwriters, the pure, distilled sounds of artists like Joan Baez, Kate Wolf and Joni Mitchell.  LOMA is a monthly event. Admission is free and refreshments are provided.Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Dog art event benefits Phinney’s Friends

Come find the artist in your dog at Paws in Bloom at two Pet Source locations to benefit Lincoln-based Phinney’s Friends. We’ll dip your dog’s paw on washable, pet-safe paint and imprint it on artist paper canvas, then turn the paw prints into flower paintings. The resulting pictures cost only $20 and you take it home that day. All proceeds will go to Phinney’s Friends, which helps low-income people keep their pets by providing financial assistance and pet care. The events will take place on Saturday, June 10 from 11 am. to 3 p.m. at Pet Source at 1173 Main St. in Concord, and on Saturday, June 24 at the Pet Source at 1141 Boston Post Rd W. in Marlborough.

Talk by artist/activist/author at library

Lincoln Public Library presents a talk by Suzanne Hodes, author of Studio Days: A Memoir, on Saturday, June 10 from  2–3:30 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. “Studio Days” is about Hodes’ creative process in her 50-year career as an artist. She will share how she combined family life and peace activism with her art career despite having a serious illness, as well as several dozen images from her memoir as they relate to her story and the shared stories of our time, from the Kennedy and King Assassinations to the 9/11 attacks. She will also discuss the creation of Artists for Survival, which was devoted to supporting the nuclear freeze and several other social justice causes. A limited number of copies of Studio Days will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Letter to the editor: Town Meeting funding preserves a piece of Lincoln history

letterTo the editor:

The residents of Lincoln approved a Community Preservation grant at the 2017 Annual Town Meeting to restore an important Lincoln sampler to its finest glory and prepare it for public display at Town Offices, including framing it with museum-quality UV filtering glass or acrylic. This is truly a beautiful piece of art, made by young Sophia Adams during her youth on Lincoln’s historic Battle Road in 1826.

The town of Lincoln has had the good fortune to have this beautiful 19th-century sampler donated to it by Cynthia Williams. She recently decided to move from Lincoln to be near her children, but she felt the sampler was created in Lincoln, and it should remain in Lincoln. It was wrought by her late husband’s great-grandmother, Sophia Adams, at 13 years of age. When she made it, this young teenager lived in Lincoln on Route 2A, the Battle Road. Then popularly known as Foster’s farm, her home was very close to the Paul Revere capture site. It had once been part of the property owned by William Smith, captain of the Lincoln Minute Men, who fought the British on April 19, 1775.

A sampler is a piece of embroidery worked in various stitches, commonly created by girls and young ladies as a specimen of skill and a testament to perseverance. Many samplers are family registers, recording births, marriages and deaths in a person’s life.

This sampler was a family register of Joseph Adams, created in 1826 by his daughter Sophia. Douglas Stinson, a local appraiser of antiques, estimated its value to be $10,000. At 31.5 inches x 21.5 inches, it is particularly significant because it is quite large compared to other samplers of its time. The textile curator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston recommended a reputable restoration conservator to assess this complex, fragile and significant piece.

The Sophia Adams sampler (click to enlarge).

The stitching was embroidered onto a particularly fine plain weave fabric and has a plain weave cotton backing. The yarn used was plied and unplied silk, and the stitching includes cross, satin, split stem and French knot stitches. Due to the fineness of the backing—unlike the coarser linen backing used on many samplers—this exquisite work would have been especially challenging for the 13-year-old to stitch. The register records the birth, four marriages and death of Joseph Adams, born March 10, 1759, to John and Abigail Adams of Milton, Mass. He was a distant cousin of President John Adams.

The sampler gives us an interesting insight into Joseph’s life. It lists his first marriage to Betsey Davis and each of the five children that marriage produced. Betsey died at age 34, less than two weeks after her youngest son’s birth. Ben was born August 7, 1799, and Betsey died on August 18. Having five young children to raise, Joseph married Rebecca Patch just over two years later. This was short-lived as Rebecca died within nine months. The sampler records that he then married Mehitable Hildreth, who bore him three children, the youngest being Sophia, who created the sampler. Mehitable died when Sophia was six.

Joseph married for the last time in 1821. He wed Lincoln widow Lydia Winship, née Wheeler, who may have taught Sophia to sew. Lydia owned the Foster property, which had been left to her on the death of her first husband, Benjamin Winship, in 1819. Winship had originally purchased this land from widow Catherine Louisa Smith, whose husband Captain William Smith was a younger brother of Abigail Adams, wife of the second President. Benjamin and Lydia Winship had only one daughter, also named Lydia, who died at age 16. All three of them have their final resting place at Meeting House Burial Ground behind Bemis Hall.

Joseph Adams moved to Lincoln with his family when he married Lydia Winship. Interestingly, Lydia wrote an agreement—with her husband’s consent—that the land would not become Joseph’s, as was tradition, but it remained in Lydia’s name. Just before Lydia Adams’s death in 1825, she leased the property to her dear friend Susan Brooks with conditions, engaging her friend to lease it back to her husband Joseph, “to hold to him the said Adams for and during the term of his natural life provided the said Joseph does not again get married.” Lydia provided that if Joseph remarried, he would lose the option to lease the property.

This agreement was very unusual during a period when a wife’s holdings normally become the husband’s property to control. Perhaps this was due to a lesson learned from the previous owner of the land, Catherine Louisa (Salmon) Smith. Catherine Louisa had received the land from her stepfather, but upon her marriage to William Smith, it became the property of her husband. William Smith had financial difficulties, so the farm was mortgaged to Catherine Louisa’s father-in-law a number of times, but he eventually returned it to her and her children. There were two houses on the Smith property: one where the Smiths lived, which is still standing across from the end of Bedford Road; the other was a rental that became the Foster-Winship-Adams residence where Sophia worked on her sampler. While her home is no longer standing, the site is now part of Minute Man National Historical Park.

Sophia’s father was a housewright by trade, more commonly known today as a builder, and he likely built some of Lincoln’s early houses during his years living here. In 1827, for $500, he sold his right to lease the 90-acre farm. Joseph died in Concord in 1830, leaving notes in hand (cash assets) to the value of $2,133.73 and $178.18 worth in furnishings and tools. Sophia herself later married and had two sons and a daughter.

Lincoln is very fortunate to now have Sophia’s sampler as a permanent reminder of our community’s historic roots and of the fabric of families who once called Lincoln home.

Sincerely,

Valerie Fox, Deputy Town Clerk
250 South Great Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters 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.

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Parent discussion on life at L-S for incoming freshmen

All Lincoln parents of eighth-graders (regardless of where they’re enrolled) who will be going to Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in the fall are invited to “Life at L-S” on Thursday, May 4 from 7–8:30 p.m. Lincoln School parent alums will offer information and support for the transition to L-S life. Because orientation to L-S so far has focused almost exclusively on academics, this session will touch on other aspects of L-S life such as sports, clubs and activities, social life, time management, and Boston family experiences. The event will be facilitated by Lincoln residents Nancy Marshall (member of the L-S School Committee) and Carole Kasper, parent volunteer and former PTO chair, as well as middle school Principal Sharon Hobbs.

Jewelry trunk show at Old Town Hall Exchange

The Old Town Hall Exchange is hosting a jewelry trunk show on Saturday, May 6 from 1–5 p.m. Enjoy browsing local artisans’ work on the weekend before Mother’s Day. Lincoln artists include Ji Hwang Jewelry, Shing Jewels, and L. Alexandra Designs, with other local jewelers Susan Warren Jewelry and CB Miller Metals. The Exchange will be also open for business with cards, stationery, soaps, candles, pottery, and more.

Historical Society hosts event

The Lincoln Historical Society invites residents to “Our Unhappy Connection: The ‘Lost Letters’ of Abigail Adams and Her Brother, Captain William Smith”—a fictional exchange based on history on Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Special guests the Lincoln Minute Men will salute their captains past and present.

Page Turners at next LOMA night

The Page Turners (Carolyn Kendrick and Jake Howard) are the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, May 8 at the Lincoln Public Library. The event runs from 7-10 p.m., and the Page Turners will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. Their rustic vocal harmonies are complemented instrumentally by Carolyn’s fiddle and Jake’s mandolin and guitar. LOMA is a monthly event. Admission is free and refreshments are provided.Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

L-S invites singers to join Vivaldi performance

The L-S Concert Choir invites residents who enjoy singing to participate in their annual Community Sing on May 11, where they will perform Vivaldi’s Gloria for their May concert. The choir’s tradition for its May concert  is to learn and perform a longer work for choir and orchestra and to invite L-S staff, choir alumni and community members to sing the piece with them. The time commitment is minimal: dress rehearsal is Monday, May 8 from 7–8:30 p.m. and the concert is on Thursday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. There are audio practice files online for each part (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), as well as scores available to borrow. Anyone interested may contact L-S Choral Director Mike Bunting (Michael_Bunting@lsrhs.net or 781-259-9527, ext 2210).

Film and video offerings for Lincolnites

  • Overwhelmed by your tween or teen’s time spent on social media, video games, or any device? Concerned about the real long-term effects and ramifications on their developing brains and of their disengagement in society? The critically acclaimed documentary Screenagers will be shown in the Brooks auditorium on Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. A Q&A with experts in the field of adolescent development will follow the one-hour film. Tickets are $10 (order online here) and proceeds will benefit the Eighth-Grade Graduation Fund. For more info, please view the trailer on. Kids are strongly encouraged to attend was well. This event is open to the public (including surrounding towns), so reservations are recommended.
  • The Lincoln Library Film Society will show The Wave directed by Dennis Gansel on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m. (1 hour 47 minutes, in German with English subtitles, 2008). The film is based on a real event at a Californian high school in which a teacher’s experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.
  • The recently released and Oscar-nominated claymation film Ma Vie de Courgette (My Life as Zucchini) will be shown by the Lincoln-Sudbury French Club on Friday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.in the L-S auditorium. The event is free, but voluntary donations will benefit Doctors Without Borders. The film (subtitled in English) tells the story of a young boy named Courgette—sent to foster care and after being neglected by his mother, he soon learns to love again. There will be a reception beginning at 6:30m. with light refreshments and live music.
  • Artist, photographer and Lincoln resident Miranda Loud created an eight-minute video and slideshow montage from the Patriots Day reenactments in Lincoln and in Concord at the Old North Bridge. Click here to watch.

News acorns

Volunteer at Minute Man National historic Park this Saturday

Volunteer at the Battle Road Demonstration at Parker’s Revenge at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Lincoln and Lexington on Saturday, April 15. Learn about the opening events of the American Revolution and assist with event logistics during  the morning shift (9 a.m. to noon) or the afternoon shift (noon to 3 p.m.). Also learn about the recent archaeological discovery on the Parker’s Revenge battle site and the park’s plan to restore the battlefield landscape, and watch the Battle Road demonstration at 2 p.m. To volunteer, email margie_coffin_brown@nps.gov.

Dinner benefits women and children in South Asia

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church is holding its semi-annual Lincoln Child Haven Dinner on Saturday, April 22 at 6 p.m. to raise funds for Child Haven International, which supports, educates and employs formerly destitute women and children in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Tibet. The evening also features a silent auction and craft table with crafts from South Asia. Tickets are $35 per person and are available from Chris Damon (781-879-5870, christinehdamon@gmail.com) or pay via credit card on this Child Haven page.

Learn about raising healthy bees

Beekeepers can learn how to keep bees healthy and raise their own queens with Charlotte Trim at Lindentree Farm (10 Old Concord Rd.) on Saturday, April 22 from 2-4:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 20 from 3-5:30 p.m. There will be a hands-on demonstration in the field, weather permitting (bring your suits). Cost for both sessions is $120. Pre-registration for $30 is required. Email charlotte.trim44@gmail.com or lindentreecsa@gmail.com.

Portrait tour at Codman Estate

One of the portraits at the Codman Estate.

“Painters and Personalities: Portraits at the Codman Estate” will be held on Saturday, April 22 from 1-3 p.m. at the estate (34 Codman Rd.). From high-end works by John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart to other pictures by the once-famous on down to humble family snapshots, the Codman portrait collection reveals over 200 years of changing styles. A specialty tour will take a fresh, focused look at this collection, including the rarely seen. Hear the real stories of the people behind these pictures, subjects and artists both. Space is limited and registration is required; tickets are $15 for Historic New England members and $20 for non-members. Call 617-994-6690 or buy online.

Donate bikes to Bikes Not Bombs

Do you have unused bicycles or biking accessories kicking around in your garage? Wondering what to do with them? Bring them to the Lincoln bike drive on Sunday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hartwell lot on Ballfield Road. The Lincoln Recycling Committee partners with Bikes Not Bombs (BNB), which ships about 4,800 donated bikes from Massachusetts to economic development projects (micro-enterprise bike businesses, sustainable technology projects, and youth training programs) in Ghana, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Nevis Island every year. The remaining collected bikes are used in the BNB’s Jamaica Plain location for the youth Earn-a-Bike programs, and others are repaired by teenage mechanics in vocational training programs. Please note that BNB requests a $10 donation per bike to defray storage, processing, and shipping costs. The organization can provide a signed, dated receipt for the cash donation and the value of each donated bicycle. For information, contact Laure Berland (lauraberland@comcast.net) or Bernadette Quirk (quirkx4@msn.com).

Job fair at Minuteman

Minuteman High School will host its annual Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is open to all students, alumni, employers, and the general public. For more information, contact Joseph Pitta, Minuteman’s Coordinator of Workforce and Economic Development, at 781-861- 6500, ext. 7361 or jpitta@minuteman.org. Employers wishing to set up a booth must register on the Career and Job Fair website. Students and employers can learn more by visiting the online Minuteman job board.

Talk on climate change impact

Ellen Mecray

What will be the impact of global warming on our regional environment? What can we do to delay the process of global warming? The Lincoln Public Library presents “Global Warming” with Ellen Mecray, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s regional climate services director for NOAA’s eastern region, on Thursday, April 27. Due to a scheduling issue, attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 p.m. so the program can begin promptly at 7 p.m. Mecray helps bring NOAA’s climate information to other federal agencies as well as state and local entities. She has also been an oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Lincoln Minute Men stepping off with historical observances

The Lincoln Minute Men (LMM) have several activities to observe events surrounding Patriots Day starting this Saturday, April 8. Click here for a listing of events at Minute Man National Historic Park or click here for a map of the park.

Saturday, April 8 — The Capture of Paul Revere

March behind the LMM down Battle Road or join them at the capture site where Paul Revere’s ride ended in Lincoln. See Revere, Samuel Prescott, William Dawes, Mary Hartwell, and Major Mitchell tell the true story, despite poetic efforts by special guest Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Music and musket fire.

  • Minute Man National Historic Park Visitors Center, 2:45 p.m.
  • Capture site, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 15 — Battle Road: Capt. Smith, Parker’s Revenge, and Tower Park

The LMM interpret the home of William Smith and his wife Catharine Louisa in the 1775 home of their first captain. Later, hundreds of British and Colonial soldiers recreate the running battle along the deadly stretch of road on the border of Lincoln and Lexington. Then both sides regroup to battle at Tower Park in Lexington.

  • Captain William Smith House, 9:30 a.m. to noon
  • Parker’s Revenge battle site behind Visitors Center, 2 p.m.
  • Battle of Tower Park (1200 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington), 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 16 — Lincoln Salute: Festival of 18th-century Fife and Drum Music

The LMM host fife and drum groups from as far away as Michigan in a musical performance. Bring your picnic basket and lawn chairs for rousing entertainment.

  • Pierce Park, 2-3:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 16 — Alarm and Muster

An ancient Revolutionary War veteran reminisces about those fateful early hours of April 19, 1775. Capt. William Smith rides down the hill to alarm the citizens of Lincoln. Bells ring, drums roll and the LMM fall in to receive their orders to defend Concord. Then march with the LMM to Pierce House for a firing demonstration.

  • Library lawn opposite First Parish Church (3 Bedford Rd.), 7 p.m.
Monday, April 17 — Dawn Tribute and March to the Concord Parade

The LMM salute the patriots buried in the Old Meeting House Cemetery as they emerge from the mists of the burial ground for roll call. Fifers play a lament and the muskets fire a volley. Then join the LMM on their walk to Concord (3 miles) amid colonial music and musket fire. There will be bus transportation across Route 2 courtesy of Doherty’s Garage. All ages welcome.

  • Outside Bemis Hall, 6:45 a.m.; Concord parade, 9 a.m.
Sunday, April 23 — Old Burial Ground Tribute

March with the LMM and the Regulars from Pierce House to the Old Burial Ground on Lexington Road to honor the patriot dead and five British soldiers killed in Lincoln along the Battle Road. Hear Mary Hartwell tell her story of their burial. Ceremonies include music and musket salutes by both sides. A reception follows, courtesy of the Lincoln Historical Society.

  • Pierce House, 2:30 p.m. (reception at 4 p.m.)

Capital Planning, Community Preservation spending approved

Voters approved a total of $441,760 in Capital Planning Committee (CapComm) expenditures and $740,936 for Community Preservation Committee (CPC) projects at the March 25 Town Meeting.

CapComm received 26 requests and recommended 14 of them for voter approval. along with three capital exclusions totaling $300,000 ($75,000 apiece for a bucket truck and dump truck and $150,000 for a community center feasibility study). Those three requests were approved at Town Meeting and Monday’s town election.

Among the requests not recommended by CapComm:

  • A new command vehicle for the fire chief ($47,000)
  • A school safety/security upgrade ($35,000 )
  • A library facility review ($13,750)
  • A speed display trailer for the Police Department ($1,500)
Capital projectCost
Instructional display and audio technology for schools$163,000
New marked police cruiser$45,185
New unmarked police cruiser$34,015
New operating
system for town IT servers		$30,000
New courier food
service van for schools		$29,000
Radio communications system for the DPW and Communications Department$25,055
Repair existing guardrail$25,000
Additional funds for a ramp and stairs at the end of
the Library Lane sidewalk		$20,000
Electronic vote tabulators$18,000
IT backup
system for town computer servers		$15,000
Replace library's public
access computers		$13,000
Design study for use of the library's first
floor		$10,000
Upgrade
Public Safety Building video recording system		$9,685
Two police cruiser radar units$4,820
Community Preservation requests

Four of the CPC projects totaling $40,000 are for work at the Pierce House (chimney repair, a new kitchen floor, renovated bathrooms, and exterior wood clapboard and trim).

The only item that provoked discussion was a $10,800 request by the library for historic preservation of an embroidered tapestry by Sophia Adams depicting her family register. Some residents questioned whether this was the best use of CapComm funds, but Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson said it was “a no-brainer when I saw it. It’s a very beautiful piece of town history.”

“It’s a rare opportunity for people of the town to see how important the history is of one of our families,” said library director Barbara Myles, noting that Adams made the tapestry as a Lincoln teenager in the early 1800s. Her family tree includes John Adams, the second president of the United States, and great-grandson Richard Adams Williams, whose widow, former Lincoln resident Cynthia Williams, donated the tapestry to the town.

“They really came back to us with a much sharper pencil,” said Chris Fasciano, chair of the CPC, in reference to the library’s original set of  historic preservation project requests. The slate of CPC requests was approved with only a couple of nay votes.

CPC funds come from a 3 percent property tax surcharge and a partial match from the state, and the fund replenishes annually by about $950,000. They may be used only for projects relating to historic preservation, conservation, recreation, or affordable housing.

Community preservation projectCost
Debt
service payment for town office building renovation project		$398,875
Debt service
payment on
Wang property acquisition		$135,500
Debt service payments on permanent
borrowing for previously voted CPA projects		$93,150
Housing reserve$55,257
Transfer to
Conservation Fund for open space		$40,000
Renovation of
two Pierce House interior bathrooms		$15,000
Preservation of
the Sophia Adams family register		$10,800
Replacement of Pierce House kitchen floor.$10,000
Replacement of Pierce House exterior wood clapboards and wood trim$10,000
Preservation of
the poll and estate tax assessments for 1861, 1863,
1864, and 1866 		$7,412
Preservation of
Lincoln School Records Box 7		$6,259
Preservation of Lincoln School Records Box 10$5,940
Restoration of Pierce House chimney$5,000
CPC administrative expenses$3,000