Today I visited the museum sponsored by the North Brookfield Historical Society. It is a great little museum hosting artifacts of "The Second Precinct. "Society president, Brandon Avery, has done a marvelous job in organizing the many displays and topics. Paulette Adams, too, had pitched in, in this regard.
There are so many topics on display from the huge shoes and attendant smaller shoes from the Big Shop. Today, VIBRAM continues the traditions of factory work in NB. There was a time when Bachellor Shoe made brogans for Slaves in the South! As the Industrial Revolution grew so did North Brookfield! Prosperity is evidenced by the grand Victorian homes of the Gilded Age on Gilbert Street..
Both Connie Mack and George M. Cohan come to life in this museum. further Hon. Theodore C. Bates is given his just due in photographs of the North Brookfield Water Works and The Quaboag Spring Water enterprise of T.C. Bates.
Historic newspapers (The North Brookfield Journal) The New Leader and others afford opportunities of curious minds and future historians. But there's only one problem: The North Brookfield Historical Museum DOES NOT belong in the steerage portion of the community. Poignant historic displays are forgotten as things stand as they are.
When I asked Mr. Avery "What happened to the space in the Haston Library used by generations of interested townspeople his response was "They kicked us out!"Something is terribly wrong with this picture! If a community is to foster its past, on-going and continuous programs in NB history are a must. IT'S USE IT OR LOSE IT!'
School children must be exposed and inspired to our history if they are to "have a sense of history." It seems few have a true sense of North Brookfield's past. I DO. Little Canada is one aspect of the Towns past. It was a different world in town 125 years ago. No cars, no telephones, no Internet, etc. It was a community of large families amongst the French-Canadians, Italian, Polish and Irish.
With advent of WWI and WWII things changed.. I know this as I had uncle soldiers serve in both wars FROM NORTH BROOKFIELD! LeDoux Variety on North Common Street was owned by my Great-Grandmother Delphine LeDoux. Her son, Silvieau "Skip" ran the store until it's closing in the Sixties. Roland and Paul are his surviving sons.
The advent of Big Business has thwarted Mom and Pop enterprises. Massive stores such as WALMART, STOP AND SHOP and others have usurped dollars from our citizenry in the name of progress. Just look at the center of NB. Gone are the days of Bob Perrin's Spa, the Rexall Pharmacy, LaBelle's Food Centre, Benvenuti's Fruit Store and dozens of other family enterprises. The trails left by these forgotten stores are found in the NB Museum waiting to be re-discovered.
Somehow, some way, NB needs a renewed spirit. Educators must tune into the times. Too many townspeople turn their backs to the community's historical needs.
The Town Hall restoration will take time and money as will the restoration of BATES OBSERVATORY. Too bad nobody knows where the observatory is! We in The Brookfields have every reason to "toot our own historical horns" It's called Economic Development! We must polish our self image not throw it to the wolves!
"Actions will speak louder than words!" Get it?!
P.S. To my critics: I have a vested interest in the NB Museum. Items have been donated over the decades of my 76 years! The museum is for ALL of THE TOWNSFOLK not the privileged few. Cliques prevail. "There's nothing more expensive than IGNORANCE IN ACTION!" I say:Re-locate the museum back to the Haston Free Public Library where it belongs! This bold move will serve as the catalyst for building awareness and inspiration of all N.B. citizens. Enuf already!
Robert Louis Potvin -Connoisseur of many things.
ROBERT LOUIS POTVIN
No comments:
Post a Comment