JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Today is the beginning of a long holiday weekend and it is cold out there. Skating on Parsonage Pond was in full gear all weekend. Ice also covers the Mill, Ice House and Uncle Seth’s Ponds as well but skating is not recommended. As you may have noticed, there is no school today, Island wide, (the charter school has a half-day). It’s a staff development day for the instructors. Plus, Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day so the schools, post office and all town buildings will be closed, and Tuesday is Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C., and millions of people are expected, including many Vineyarders. The President will be sworn in using Abraham Lincoln’s bible. Binnie Ravitch, off State Road, reports that we will be holding our own Inaugural Balls on the Vineyard, one at the Community Center in Chilmark and the other in Oak Bluffs.

The town clerk’s office has not finished mailing the annual census forms to all of you; when you receive it please fill them out and return them (if you haven’t done so already) in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. For those of you who own a dog, now is the time to license them for the year, and you can do that when you return the census envelope — or stop by the town hall and purchase a dog tag.

Sarah Nelson, of Otis Bassett Road, departed on Monday to continue her sophomore year studies at the University of New Hampshire.

Sam Alley returned to Framingham State College on Tuesday. He is in his junior year at the college. He had spent the mid-winter vacation with his parents and has done several odd jobs around town including taking his dog Star for a walk daily.

We have received word on Tuesday that Shelton Bank passed away in California of a heart attack. Shelton had many friends in town and on the Island. Our condolences to his wife, Janet, and family.

A funeral service was held for Saul Frankel at the Lambert’s Cove cemetery last Sunday morning. Our condolences to his wife, Mimi, and his family.

Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home yesterday from a business trip down to New York city. She traveled to the big apple with Lynn Christophers, of Edgartown Road.

A 30th anniversary dinner was held for Tom Vogl and Katherine Long on Wednesday in Vineyard Haven. A number of their friends attended the celebration.

Chantal Legare reports that the PTO is busy these winter days: next Friday night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. there will be a Masquerade Dance for sixth through eighth grade students; proceeds will go to the Pine Street Inn fund. The student council has also raised $500 for the same organization. There will be a Choral Festival evening performance in the Performing Arts Center of the regional high school from 7 to 8 p.m. and several February events are in the planning stages.

Amy Houghton, over at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, reports that during the winter, the museum will be bringing out some Treasures from the Attic for display. The mini exhibits will complement monthly programming for children. The first showcase is Lighting the Way, featuring implements that Vineyarders used for lighting and warmth. In conjunction with the exhibits, each month they will have a drawing for a free membership to the museum based on a trivia question. All correct answers will be included in the drawing. Amy wants to know if you know what a Sticking Tommy is. For extra credit: What Islander created a special version of a Sticking Tommy that is currently on display? You can submit your answer in person or by e-mail to frontdesk@mvmuseum.org. Please include your name and phone number along with your answer.

On January 24, 1948, the membership of the Agricultural Society voted to sponsor their annual fair as it has for the past 86 years. This summer, however, the fair will run for three days beginning on the last Wednesday in August. The return to a program covering three days instead of two is a revision to the original custom. A two day fair was the rule before WWII. The Society intends to resurrect another custom, of a bygone era, an open night on the evening of August 26th. This week committees were appointed in the various classes to prepare premium lists and a program. William Penny announced that Alice Mathewson will be the fair manager assisted by Ted Meinett.

Happy birthday to: Jane Rossi, Paul Jackson and Sibel Suman today; Dr. Judith Fisher, Dan Serusa, Wendy Benedetto and Calixte Monast tomorrow; Eleanor Dale Neubert, Chris Fielder and Hannah Maxner on Sunday; Debra Swanson, Roy Hope, Andy Estrella, Michael Shea, Liz Branch and Patti Lynn on Monday; Lee McCormick, Jena Wingood, Paul Strauss and Nancy Cabot on Tuesday; Carl Tack, Phaedra Fortes, Nili Goldstein and James Costello on Wednesday; and Sandy Atwood, Anya Toteanu, Hilary Wall and Willie Levesque on Thursday.

Belated birthday wishes to Joan Ames.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.