Archive for February 4th, 2012

February 4th, 2012

Western Mass Civil War Series ~ February, 1862

by Marie
Last Fall I wrote a blog post about  a series launched by the Springfield Republican that was to chronicle  the role of Springfield, Massachusetts  in the Civil War and  of how the community and environs weathered the difficult years of the War.  Springfield native and local historian Wayne Phaneuf  – who is in charge of all editorial operations at The Republican – is writer of the series. It seemed time to catch-up with Springfield – its men in the Civil War and the happenings on the home front.

February, 1862 was all about the severe weather - “A vicious winter had stranded local rail traffic in deep drifts and in one instance frigid temperatures actually cracked the wheels of a locomotive.” And of the dispatches about actions of the 27th  at Roanoake Island in North Carolina and the later information of  “their friends and loved ones, who were fighting and dying in one of what would become a string of “Glorious Union Victories” over the next few weeks both in North Carolina and the west.” And of important social issues in a series on emancipation written by United States Senator Charles Sumner as well as their editorializing on the side of Catholics who were protesting a Protestant-backed bill in the Legislature to force them to read the King James version of The Bible in school. The editorial argued: “These narrow-minded Protestants do not see their course justifies Catholics in the same abuse of power whenever and wherever they find themselves in the majority.”

This chronicle is well-worth a read to get the flavor of life in western Massachusetts at that time and of how their local military men were faring in their Civil War battle.

Link to the article here: http://www.masslive.com/history/index.ssf/2012/02/civil_war_february_1862_1st_battle_of_the_27th_massachusetts_a_glorious_victory.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

CategoryHistory | CommentNo Comments »

February 4th, 2012

Susan Komen Foundation blunder makes it a net loser by Marjorie Arons-Barron

by Tony

The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron’s own blog.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation’s move to eliminate its financial support of Planned Parenthood is a real losing proposition, for the people being served and for the organization’s reputation. Planned Parenthood was threatened with the loss of nearly $700,000 to expand breast examinations, and the Komen Foundation lost a huge amount of credibility.

This blunder shows that Komen Foundation executives are craven, dishonest, naïve and short-sighted. Craven, because their new policy [not providing grants to any non-profit under investigation] seemed to cave to a recent pro-life hire and selected donors already working with the legislator who triggered this investigation of Planned Parenthood. Dishonest, because they said that abortion politics had nothing to do with their decision. Naïve, because Planned Parenthood is almost always being investigated by Congress to ensure that no federal dollars are going for abortions either here or abroad. And short-sighted, because of the potential for immediate and damaging backlash.

Donations to Planned Parenthood immediately shot up, including a quarter of a million dollars from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Many donors to the Susan G. Komen fund said they’d give elsewhere.

Now the Susan G. Komen fund, apparently realizing the blatant stupidity of its move, has just announced that it will “amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.”

“We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.” The announcement didn’t indicate what would be the basis of any future denials of Planned Parenthood requests for funding support.

Both organizations are concerned with women’s health, and it made sense for the Susan G. Komen to expand breast cancer screenings by tapping into the Planned Parenthood population of women seeking birth control, abortion and related women’s health services. There is clear complementarity in their missions. But,if you’re concerned about breast cancer, there are many other places to donate your money to besides the Susan G. Komen fund. And Planned Parenthood stands virtually alone in defending women’s reproductive rights. No doubt now about which of these two organizations is a better charitable investment.

I’d greatly appreciate your thoughts in the comments section below

CategoryUncategorized | CommentNo Comments »

February 4th, 2012

“The Passing of Passaconoway” by Jim Peter

by DickH

Jim Peters is a frequent contributor to this site. Here’s another of his essays on local Native Americans.

Time, it is often said, passes quickly. It seemed to for Passaconaway, the wise man and Chief of the Pawtucket tribe. Like many rulers, he wanted to make sure that, in his passing, there would still be peace and tranquility among the many tribes in the Pentucket confederacy. Therefore, he picked his own son, Wannalancit, as his successor. He did this before he got sick because he wanted to spend his last years in peace. He gave up his new religion, Christianity, and went back to what he grew up with and knew.

He held a grand banquet at Amoskeag Falls in what is now Manchester, NH. Many were invited and many came. He cautioned his friends and his son, saying, “Take heed how you quarrel with the English. Never make war with them.” He seemed to sense the resolve of the English, and did not want to go to war with them because of that resolve. He referred to them as the “Sons of the Great Spirit.” He also said that the Great Spirit had cast his light upon them. “Listen to my advice,” he said, “and remember it and live.” It appeared that the people in the Banquet Hall were listening intently.

The local chief was now called Nobhow or Numphow. In his final days, Passaconaway helped him by getting the English, the Massachusetts legislature, by General Court order, to give to the Pawtucket the lands of Manchester, Londonderry, Litchfield, Merrimack, and Bedford in New Hampshire. These lands were often called, at the time, the “Pine Plains.” read more »

CategoryHistory, Lowell | Comment3 Comments »

February 4th, 2012

Lowell-born Roger Boisjoly Warned of Shuttle Challenger Danger

by Marie

In yesterday’s New York Times Douglas Martin wrote of Lowell-born Roger Boisjoly who died a few weeks ago just before the anniversary of the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. Why link these two events? Remember the O-ring question? An O-ring seal in Challenger’s right solid rocket booster failed at liftoff – a situation that Morton Thiokol, the company that made the boosters, was warned about by one of it’s own engineers – Roger Boisjoly. In a memo to the company, Boisjoly warned that if  the weather was too cold, seals connecting sections of the shuttle’s huge rocket boosters could fail. He wrote: “The result could be a catastrophe of the highest order, loss of human life.”

After the Challenger disaster – Roger Boisjoly gave a presidential commission investigating the disaster internal Morton Thiokol corporate documents – the memo he had written six months before – it was a bombshell. He became a whistle-blower both praised and reviled. He  became sought after as an expert in forensic engineering but his health suffered and suits against his former company were dismissed. Of his former space-project colleagues he remembered that only Sally Ride – the first woman in space – made any positive gesture to him.

Exerpts from his obituary:

NEPHI, UTAH — Our beloved Roger Mark Boisjoly’s time on earth has ended. He passed away January 6, 2012, in Nephi, Utah, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born April 25, 1938 in Lowell, MA to Joseph Antonio Boisjoly and Isabell St. Cyr.

He was raised and educated in Lowell, MA and graduated  from the University of Lowell with a degree in mechanical engineering. He married Roberta Malcolm on April 21, 1962…  In his college years Roger enjoyed hockey and tennis. Roger worked in the aerospace industry for 27 years. Later he started his own business in forensic engineering and enjoyed speaking to universities on ethics…He will be missed

My note: Besides his wife, the former Roberta Malcolm, he is survived by his daughters Norma Patterson and Darlene Richens; his brothers Ronald (retired Lowell High School teacher), Russell and Richard; and eight grandchildren.

Read the NYTimes article here:    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/roger-boisjoly-73-dies-warned-of-shuttle-danger.html?_r=1&src=twrhp

Read more about Roger Boisjoly here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Boisjoly

 

 

CategoryHistory, Lowell, Science | Comment4 Comments »