HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-11-05 ad Hoc - Bicentennial Commission Minutes 5 November 1974.
Bicentennial Commission
The Reading Bicentennial Commission met at the Municipal Building
on this date. All members were present.
The minutes of the meeting of Sept. 18 were accepted as presented.
The chairman commented on the announcement of the grant award in
the Chronicle, and said Rep. Nils Nordberg had called before the paper was
out and that the Commission and the Antiquarian Society had received offi-
ciai notification from Governor Sargent.
Since the next deadline for grant proposals is Dec. 5 the Commiss-
ion will plan to consider another application at a later date.
Mrs. Ebeling reported difficulties in securing needed assistance
from the town counsel on forms for owner permissions for the old house
markers. A tentative route for the Heritage Trail has been mapped out,
picture taking and retakes are in process, and the students will go over
the route clocking mileage and overall time. She distributed maps showing
the sites and the projected route. Mr. Morang will do the layout and
mockup for the brochure in return for the use of the material in the
Chronicle. The Friends of the Library will also underwrite part of the
cost - up to $100. The brochure should include a note that the houses are
private residences (except the Parker Tavern) not open to the public, and
there should be no trespassing. They are readily visible from the street.
(( It was prop?ed that existing color slides of the old houses from
1g 4 be coordinated with the current ones and a set copied for the Library.
David Biette volunteered to work on this project and an amount up to $759
to be reimbursed, for film was authorized by the Commission. Mrs. Bishop
will provide the 1944 slides.
Mr . Proctor reported that the property committee of the Society
is preparing specifications for the Parker Tavern repairs and expects to
get bids for starting work in the early Spring.
Mrs. Barclay and Mrs. Miller spoke of the College Club committee
which hopes to prepare a local history suitable for the elementary grades.
The League of Women Voters is working on the Pitkin reprint but is waiting
on the reports of the Town Government Study Committee. The ktkin volume
is for older children.
Mrs. Miller stated the BPW is considering a new park project but
nothing is yet settled. The Recreation Commission is also reported consid-
ering a park project, possibly for Glen Meadow.
The Boston & Maine RR Historical Society has urged salvage of the
B & M depot in Reading. Various possible uses have been suggested.
Mrs. Miller described the tentative budget of the Oral History
project as outlined by Jane Bloed, coordinator. Equipment decisions have
t yet been made. The Commission authorized the chairman to make the
essary arrangements with Mrs. Blood, including adding project members
o replace Charlotte Thompson, and one to coordinate the work involved in
transcribing and editing.
Since most projects should be completed by mid 1976, and town
meeting is being changed to May because of the new fiscal year, any budget
requests must be included in this year's warrant, due by mid February. This
would include oral history, subsifted publications, and major public events
awl
Jane Celehar and Roland Blanchard are working on this public events
program and are trying to secure definite committments from various service
organizations for this part of the Bicentennial observation. Possible
events for festival 96 include square dancing, wandering minstrel on the
Common, a ball, minutemen muster, raising of a Liberty Pole, songfest. There
( 11 be no big parade.
Dr. McCauley suggested getting 6 to 12 organizations and asking
each to take one month and plan some special public event.
The next meeting of the Commission will be held at the Library
on Dec. 11 . w...a� al �`
Eleanor C. Bilshop, sacro ary.
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