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Hudson~Litchfield News


Hudson~Litchfield News Volume 22 Number 2 July 22, 2011 12 Pages Tradition Lives On


Friends of Benson Park Request Benson Animal Farm Museum in the Elephant Barn


by Doug Robinson Friends of Benson Park President,


Kenneth Matthews, met with the Hudson Board of Selectmen during their July 12 meeting for the purpose of asking the selectmen “for assistance in securing a museum for Benson Park.” Friends of Benson Park were requesting the location of the museum be located within the Elephant Barn on the Benson Park property. The museum would exhibit


Paul Wheeler with his daughter Lilli Walsh


by Len Lathrop As many of you may remember, the Hudson Historical Society brought back the tradition of awarding the Boston Post Cane to the town’s oldest living resident just a mere year ago. Originally in 1909, the Boston Post gave 431 canes to towns in New England to be given to the oldest man in each town. In 1920, this was expanded to be the oldest man or woman in each town. While the Hudson Historical Society opted to reinstate the giving of the cane, it is in spirit with each recipient receiving not the actual original cane, which is housed at the Alvirne Hills House, but with a cane-shaped pin and certificate. In addition, the recipient has his or her name engraved on a plaque, which can also be found at the Hills House. The tradition of the Boston Post Cane is that it be


awarded to the next oldest citizen after the passing of the previous recipient. And so, it is with great sadness that the Hudson Historical Society, family, and friends bid farewell to the most recent recipients of the Boston Post Cane, Ida (Scagliarini) Hill, Thelma O. Lemire, and Ella Alice Connell. They were truly remarkable women. The Hudson Historical Society Boston Post Cane Committee met to determine who the next recipient of the cane would be. This honor is to be awarded to not one individual, but one woman and one man at this time. In a ceremony at the Hills House on Saturday, the Society presented Certificates from Governor John Lynch, the Hudson Board of Selectmen, and a framed plaque and the Boston Post Cane Pins.


Jeff Emmanuelson, Chris Emmanuelson and Kim Burrows


Paul Wheeler, who was born in Nashua, moved to Hudson in 1951 and lives on Kienia Road. Paul was the youngest of seven children. He spoke about Benson’s Wild Animal Farm being free to Hudson residents and one of his brothers being good friends with Mr. Benson, and would bring home ostrich eggs and bear meat for the family. He worked for Indian Mill Works and relayed that if it was made of wood, he could built it. One project at the request of his sister Mildred McCoy was to build additional shelves for the Hills Memorial Library. When asked about the town of Hudson, he replied, “High taxes, but they take good care of the roads.”


Mildred Emmanuelson came to New Hampshire from Gaines, PA, in 1978 with her son and moved to Hudson


shortly after that from Nashua. In Pennsylvania, she taught school and was a manager at the coal company. She taught for many years at the Adult Learning Center in Nashua, preparing people to take their GED test. She was a member of the Senior Caregivers Group until she stopped driving at 93. She would tell her grandchildren that she was going to visit the “old people,” even though she was older than many of them. Mildred was in the first group of people to move into the Buttercup Senior Housing and is now the oldest and longest residing resident there. She has three grandchildren with nine great-grandchildren and one great- great-grandchild. The Hudson Historical Society and the Hudson~Litchfield


News congratulate Paul and Mildred on receiving the Boston Post Cane.


Jeff Roome Remembered Mildred Emmanuelson with her grandchildren,


memorabilia from Benson’s Wild Animal Farm. “If the town of Hudson took care of the outside and ran all the necessary utilities, Friends would be willing to do all the work needed inside the Elephant Barn to make it a museum,” stated Matthews. The proposals also included a $1 rental fee for the barn per year. “The Elephant Barn would be the best place on the park for a museum in which a collection would be easily accessible for all ages.” He continued to state that the addition of the museum would be of “little or no cost to the taxpayers of Hudson” and provide “a great


opportunity to attract many visitors to Benson Park and Hudson.” Selectman Roger Coutu commented that the Barn’s outer wall needed to be “removed and reconstructive” and that cost would be “expensive.” “That is the problem. Who is going to spend the money?” asked Coutu.


Chairman Shawn Jasper stated that the “roof is secure and the building is in good shape. The issue is not the money.”


Selectman Ben Nadeau stated that


the project was something “definitely to look” at, as it would be a “boost to the community.” “We need to know about the costs of the utilities,” continued Selectman Richard Maddox. The Board of Selectmen voted to


have the Benson Park Committee to come up with a memo of understanding with their ideas for purpose and use of the Elephant Barn as a museum. The value of the Benson Animal


Farm memorabilia inventory collection is $100,000.


Local Residents Disagree:


Does Hudson Welcome All Races?


by Doug Robinson Hudson residents Alejandro Urrutia and Jean Serino recently spoke with Hudson’s Selectmen regarding their personal feelings and opinions with regards to the town of Hudson being an open and inviting community to minorities. While Urrutia spoke of a community in which he has “never had a problem,” a community within which he raised and schooled his children, Serino spoke of a community of which she is “no longer proud.”


“I did not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance [because] I am not proud of my country, either,” said Serino. The passionate presentations by


each resident stemmed from the recent peaceful demonstration by the North East White Pride Organization from Nashua. White Pride promotes white unity and is thought to be racist and neo-Nazi. White Pride participants held pickets stating an end to illegal immigration. Urrutia commented that


Te band Souled Out Showband entertained Saturday night at the Jeff Roome Sports Foundation event by Len Lathrop


What causes somewhere near 200 people to gather nearly six years after someone has died? It is to honor that person as we remember them, and to support and celebrate the work that family and friends have done over the past years in their memory. On June 30, 2004, Jeff Roome died unexpectedly; he was a Hudson life-long resident, an Alvirne graduate, and a support of many community groups. Jeff could be thought of with the words of Mother Teresa: ”Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Roome went about life in that simple, but endless fashion. Jeff loved snowboarding as well as


ice-skating, and was a passionate fan of our beloved Boston sports teams. Jeff also loved the children in his life, whether it was his nephew or the children of his many friends who knew Jeff as their uncle. He was always there for them in a loving, caring, and fun-filled manner. In tribute to his memory, his friends and family formed the Jeff Roome Sports Foundation (JRSF). The goal of the organization is to benefit athletic and sporting activities for children in the Hudson, NH area. The sincere hope is that they can make a difference by being


Jeff’s nephew Seamus Alukonis caught guarding the raffle tickets continued to page 6- Jeff Roome


while he has never suffered or experienced prejudiced from the Hudson community, including the Hudson Police Department, he also expressed his beliefs that this supremacist group selects Hudson to demonstrate because Hudson has the reputation to be not friendly to the Latino community. “The town of Hudson needs to do something. We need to tell people that we welcome minorities,” he said.


Serino commented that the extremist organization selects the


town of Hudson to demonstrate because former Hudson Police Chief Richard Gendran had a “hatred” for illegal or undocumented workers. “I spoke with them,” continued Serino. Chairman Shawn Jasper, including Selectman Richard Coutu, expressed concern with Serino’s spreading of rumors and suggested that her presentation to the Board of Selecmen cease. Chairman Jasper reminded Serino that the public input portion of the agenda was designed to offer residents the opportunity to speak directly with the Board on matters of which they had responsibility or control.


“Hudson, NH welcomes Nazis— they are dangerous,” continued Serino.


Chairman Jasper commented


that when it “comes to the white supremacists, no one likes them to be here. [There is] nothing we can do as long as they obey the law. People have a right to go where they want.”


Selectman Richard Maddox commented that “free speech cuts both ways.”


“What causes this problem is people coming before us and stating that there is a problem. We have one of the most diverse communities outside of Manchester. We do not have control over people’s constitutional rights to organize, assemble, and demonstrate, as long as they do not disrupt,” stated Maddox.


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Litchfield Community Forum: August 10


The Litchfield School District invites you to a Community Forum to discuss Educational Funding for the 2011-2012 school year. Because of a change in legislative action, the District has been informed that it will receive the same amount of Adequacy Funding as in 2010-2011. This is an opportunity for the community to voice opinions regarding the use of approximately $2 million. As a result of legislative action, the District has the ability to call a Special Meeting. The parameters and the process of this Special Meeting will also be addressed on August 10. School Administrators have suggested some restorations of positions and services. This information is posted on the school district Website at www.litchfieldsd.org for your review and consideration. Any funds that are not expended will be used to reduce the tax rate. This important Community Forum will be held on August 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Campbell High School. If you are unable to attend, send your comments and suggestions to the Elaine Cutler, Superintendent


of Schools, at ecutler@litchfieldsd.org, or Michele Flynn, School Board Administrative Assistant, at mflynn@litchfieldsd.org.


All community members are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend.


staff photos by Len Lathrop


staff photos by Len Lathrop


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