An Independent Weekly Newspaper Salem Community Civil War Surgeon


by Robyn Hatch The Salem Historical Society


and Kelley Library Adult Series recently held a joint meeting on the journal Franklin Dyer, MD – Surgeon and Union Hero to a full crowd, where Professor Michael Chesson spoke about the experiences of Dr. Franklin Dyer, who was a Civil War Surgeon. Professor Chesson is a founding Professor and Dean of the newly established American College of History and Legal Studies located here in Salem. He holds a degree in history from William and Mary College and a Ph.D. in American History from Johns Hopkins University. Having written books and received many honors, as well as being a member of 15 historical societies, his seminar offered a lot of information. The seminar on Franklin


Dyer, MD – Surgeon and Union Hero offered a rare perspective of three years of the Civil War as seen through the eyes of a surgeon at the front. The journal, taken from letters written to his wife Maria,


Salem Community Patriot Journal of a Patriot


describes in colorful detail the daily life of a doctor who began as a surgeon in the Nineteenth Massachusetts Volunteers and was soon promoted to acting medical director of the army of the Potomac. Over time, his letters became full of tension as he constantly witnessed the non-stop suffering and death in the field. As a talented surgeon and administrator, Dyer declined opportunities to do hospital work in order to stay near his regiment and the fighting. He was constantly confronted with the aftermath of battle—thousands of wounds and the sick and dying. Dyer also provided a peek at of the most devastating opponent the armies faced—disease. Cholera, typhus, dysentery, measles, and a horrible scurvy outbreak had weakened federal units. This journal by Chesson is outstanding and very worth reading, offering so much about the Civil War that was never known before.


by Representative Bob Elliott, Salem/Windham The “Sean William Corey” bill is now the law of New Hampshire. After fighting relentlessly with a stubbornly resistant and oftentimes hostile Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS) for four years, Patricia Corey of Salem has cut through governmental red tape and emerged victorious in her fight to institute a three-year pilot program for financial assistance to medically fragile children under the Medicaid program for the poor. Continuing the legacy of former Representative Freda Smith


(the driving force behind the closing of the infamous Laconia School for Retarded Children), Patricia Corey has now carried the flag for vulnerable children to an unprecedented program that grants $25,000 annual income to single-parent mothers with no visible means of income who care for their “medically fragile” children, which means children who live from day to day with the constant prospect of dying from infection and who must be watched over 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previous to Bill 353, “fragile children” like Sean William


would be placed in an institution, such as Crotched Mountain, at the cost of $175,000 per year to the state, a program that tears the heart out of a child by removing him from the most powerful healing force in the world—a mother’s loving presence. Or the equally stupid choice of “free” licensed nursing care, whereby an licensed nurse would come to the home three days a week, four hours a day, and “care” for the child at a cost to the state taxpayers of $80,000 a year! The problem with Option 2 is that the mother would not be able to keep a full-time job and would have no source of income, because a “fragile child” must be watched 24 hours a day and seven days a week, not just four hours a day, so $80,000 a year is an awful lot of tax money to pay for “babysitters.” The passage of this bill, sponsored by Representative Bob Elliott and Representative Charles McMahon of Windham, would not have happened if the Salem Community Patriot had not published an article by Robyn Hatch with a picture of this handsome, sick boy on the front page of the paper with the permission of editor and friend Len Lathrop two and a half years ago. All mothers of “fragile children” have the Patriot to thank for this bill to even exist. If I hadn’t read the paper that day, I would never have sponsored the bill with co-sponsor McMahon, himself the father of a severely handicapped child and a longtime champion of the disabled. As a member of the Health and Human Services Committee in Concord, he alone was responsible for enlisting the help of that Committee, chaired by our friend Cindy Rosenwald, a Democrat and a strong supporter of all children programs. In 2011, another strong supporter and present chairman of that committee, John Reagan, a Republican, led his Committee to a resounding vote of 17 to 1, recommending “ought to pass” to the entire House of Representatives, and they unanimously voted for it. A real non- partisan effort of the two parties.


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Bill to Assist Medically Fragile Children Now Law


Sean William Corey excited to start pre-school in 2010


Thanks also to the Finance Committee, both Democrats and Republicans, who placed the Sean William Corey bill in House Bill 2 after the Governor had personally removed the $200,000 in matching funds from his budget and after telling me to my face that he believed in local, managed health care systems. I was shocked. Finally, a special thanks to Senator Chuck Morse of Salem,


who granted my request to name it the “Sean William Corey” bill, and stood solidly behind its passage. Thanks also to 11 of our local representatives who voted for it, and “thumbs down” to the two representatives who voted against it. This is not only a humane bill, but is also a fiscally conservative bill that will ultimately save the State of New Hampshire and its taxpayers millions of dollars. “My cup runneth over.” Heartfelt gratitude goes to all my friends in Concord, both Democrat and Republican, who made this possible.


Welcome to Relay For Life, Salem 2011! Michael Chesson, Ph.D., speaks about Franklin Dyer, MD


Selectmen Discuss 2011 Road Improvements


by S. Aaron Shamshoyan Over 10 miles of roadway will be improved by the end of the year, said town officials on Monday night at the Board of Selectmen meeting, with a presentation coming from Town Engineer and Chair of the Road Stabilization Committee Bob Puff. “We have paved from Shaws to the bridge over South Policy Brook,” said Puff, explaining the progress of Cluff Crossing. He also said new pavement would reach from the bridge to Sayde’s by the fourth of July. Puff also mentioned work to be done on South Policy Street. “A separate crew will go up South Policy Street to start drainage.” He added work to South Policy was delayed until the end of


school to eliminate transportation problems.


On Brookdale and Brady, Puff


said work has been going on since April and that they ran into some stumbling points with ledge and groundwater from rain. As for Chappy Lane and Lisette


Drive, Puff expects the work to be done soon. “We reclaimed that road last week, and we are hoping to pave before the Fourth of July.”


Mill and overlay work were discussed with roads including Geremonty Drive, Veterans Memorial Parkway, Meisner Road, and Geremonty Extension to be completed by the end of August. Overall, Puff felt the


improvements were being completed on time.


Bethany Graham and Chris Graham (survivor)


by Robyn Hatch Erin Graichen, this year’s Salem


Relay For Life Event Co-Chair opened Saturday’s 18-hour event at Salem High School’s Grant Field with the following: “The participants are those folks out there who have worked so hard to fundraise year after year. Thank you for coming back, for continuing the fight and thank you for not giving up. Erin states to the new participants, thank you for joining us. Hope this experience will be a memorable experience and one that will bring people back each and every year.


An encouraging message from one of the many dedicated teams


The fearless leaders guide the teams through this event. The hard work planning pre-event fundraisers and the energy and time put into getting each team organized and ready. Relay is too hard to thank each and every one who spent the time to participate. Remember, this event could not be done without each and every one of you. To the volunteers, a special thank you


for your time. The committee could not do this alone. To the survivors, you are the reason the Relay is done. You are the inspiration for


Erin Graichen doing introductions


reminding us that we can beat cancer, that we can fight back ... thank you for walking with us and for not being afraid to share your story with others. It is very important to have your support behind each and every one of us! For this, God Bless each and every one. Each and every person is an inspiration and could not be accomplished without each one of you!”


As this seventh annual American Cancer Society event began, 73 teams comprising of 673 members had raised over $96,907.97.


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The Salem Community Patriot and the Area News Group Offices are on Vacation.


There will be no newspaper on July 8th.


Happy 4th of July!


Have a Safe & Happy 4th of July!


staff photo by Robin Hatch staff photos by Robin Hatch


staff photo by Robin Hatch


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