Town Column : Tisbury
By Kay Mayhew
Published: November 12, 2009
Special town meeting is next Tuesday night at 7 pm at the Tisbury School gym. That's right, 7 pm, not 7:30 - we want to get home early, so be there on time.
The special town meeting was called to get your approval for the new emergency services building and a few other items. Plans are that the new building will go up on town land across from the school. First voters have to approve it at town meeting. Then voters must approve it again at the polls.
The special town election will take place at the same time as the state primary, on December 8. No, beer and wine are not at issue at this time. That question will probably appear on the annual ballot in the spring.
Sandy Whitworth invites you to a dance this Saturday from 3 to 5 pm at the senior center. The Sting Rays will provide the music, mostly from the 1950s. Partners aren't required. Treats will tempt those not busy dancing.
Donna DeBettencourt has been teaching some basic line dancing on Mondays at 10 am. The line dancing classes are free and will continue through November. This is good aerobic exercise because you keep moving. Friends of the Tisbury Council On Aging are selling tickets for the bay scallop raffle on November 24. Tickets are available at the senior center or from Al Koster, Doris Billings, Dotty Duarte, Tony Guyther, or Priscilla Thifault.
Need a holiday gift for mom or dad? Sandy suggests a gift certificate for Susan Klein's eight-week memoir writing workshop called Spice of Life. I can tell you that it is a lot of fun. The next workshop begins January 7 and runs Thursday afternoons at the senior center. Call 508-696-4205.
Kathryn Stewart has given us news of her daughter Carolee Stewart (MVRHS class of 1968):
Carolee Stewart was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the University of Michigan with the Alumni Award from the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theater, and Dance. Ms. Stewart began her teaching career in the Lakeville regional schools where she taught for 14 years. She received her PhD in music education from the University of Michigan in 1991 and then taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University for 10 years prior to her appointment as dean of Peabody's Preparatory Division in 2001.
Ms. Stewart has performed with music ensembles in the United States and Austria as a recorder player and vocalist. She holds ORFF-Schulwerk certification from the New England Conservatory in Boston and the ORFF Institute in Salzburg, Austria, where she has taught. She served as president of the American ORFF Schulwerk Association.
At Peabody, she developed numerous educational partnerships with Baltimore area organizations, including one with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Stewart extended the music teacher mentor program, where Baltimore City music teachers receive support from Peabody Conservatory faculty members, and also increased music and dance offerings for adult learners. It is no wonder that she has been honored for her enhancement of the musical life of the city of Baltimore and the Peabody Preparatory. Carolee's mother Kathryn Stewart and her sister Barbara Lopes were privileged to attend this occasion in Ann Arbor on September 26. They stayed with one of Carolee's former teachers and had a wonderful time.
Friday the 13th can be your lucky day. A free program at the high school library begins at 6:30 pm.
You will hear excerpts from published works by the ACE MV teachers and authors. The teacher of creative writing is John Hough, author of "Seen The Glory." Janette Vanderhoop teaches a class in Wampanoag culture. Cynthia Riggs has a class on writing and selling your book. Her latest book is called "Death and Honesty." BZ Riger teaches Blogging I and II.
If you are one of the many Islanders who worked for the Peace Corps, call Chris Murphy at 508-693-6610. You may have been a staff member and/or a volunteer. Chris and Jim Newman are organizing a potluck Peace Corps get together this Saturday.
Our reference librarian Cecily Greenaway will introduce the Ancestry database to beginners on Sunday at 1 pm in the library. She can help you find family members in historical records. Bring full names and birth and death dates and locations. Also bring your laptop if you have one.
Kathy Stinson, the children's librarian at our library, says there will be a special movie with popcorn for ages eight and up next Wednesday at 3 pm.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out to Katie Davey on Friday.
Our sympathies to the family of Katharine Tweed, who died last Sunday. There will be a celebration of her life on the Island in the new year.
Heard on Main Street: Democracy is not a spectator sport. See you at town meeting.
