An Independent Weekly Newspaper


Pelham~Windham News


Pelham~Windham News Volume 9 Number 30 February 10, 2012 16 Pages


Valentine’s Day:


A 629-Year Tradition


by Doug Robinson The modern Valentine’s Day, for most people, symbolizes a day to honor the love for one another. Giving symbols include the heart-shaped outline of chocolate candy, figure of the winged Cupid., expressions of love sent by cards and letters, all ending, special dinners, breakfast in bed, and the special language of “I love you.”


Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the first


Valentine’s Day greeting in 1382 with his poem “Parliament of Foules.” Parliament of Foules reads: For this was on seynt Volantynys day Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make. From that day on, Valentine’s Day was connected to romantic love. The history of Valentine’s Day writes,


“This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on May 2, 1381. They were only 15 years old when they married 8 months later. Since then, Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day, a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. Paper Valentines became so popular in England in the early 19th century that they were assembled in factories. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid-19th century. Handwritten valentines cards have given way to mass-produced greeting cards offered by the mass card retailers.


Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap.” Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.


Windham Scholar-Athletes Recognized in Concord


by Chris White The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) and New Hampshire Athletic Directors Association recognized 20 Windham High School seniors as scholar-athletes at the annual New Hampshire High School Scholar-Athlete Awards on Monday, February 6. The event, held at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, recognized student-athletes from the Granite State for achieving academic and athletic excellence over the course of their high school careers. Honorees are nominated by their athletic directors and must be a senior student- athlete who is currently active in at least two varsity sports recognized by the NHIAA. Student-athletes also must earn a minimum B+ grade point average, participate in community service activities, and demonstrate strong leadership qualities by serving as positive role models to their peers. At the awards ceremony, each student-athlete received an award certificate and a commemorative pin. The following Windham Jaguar seniors were honored at the program: Rachel Vignos, Kayla Maczko, Jenn Peet, Brooke Cormier, Cristy Theriault, Tess Powell, Marcela Trocha, Sarah Vivinetto, Hannah Peters, Kayla Breton, Alexis Clemons, Angela Bleeker, Havah Broady, Megan Boucher, Scott Priestley, Jr., CJay DiPrima, Mike Masone, Steven Dastous, Colby Putnam, and Derek Gray. The awards were sponsored by the NHHEAF


Windham High School’s senior scholar-athletes with Athletic Director Bill Raycraft and Principal Tom Murphy


Network Organizations. The financial support from the NHHEAF allows the NHIAA to recognize outstanding scholar-athletes at this program. Over 1,300 boys and girls from New Hampshire received awards for their academic and athletic achievements this year.


Grand Master Installs Officers at Pelham Lodge


First time in 42 years


Submitted by Pulpit Rock Lodge No. 103 The Grand Master of the State of New Hampshire,


Most Worshipful Paul M. Leary, who has governing responsibility over all Masonic bodies in the state as well as the approximately 8,000 New Hampshire Masons, came to visit Pulpit Rock Lodge No. 103 in Pelham Sunday, January 29. Paul Leary along with several of his grand lodge officers came to install the 2012 elected and appointed officers of Pulpit Rock Lodge No. 103. This marks the first time that a presiding Grand Master has performed an installation at the Pelham Masonic lodge since it was first consecrated in 1970. The installation of officers is one of the few times during the year where Masonic lodges open their doors to the public to witness one of the most historic ceremonies steeped in tradition and symbolism. The lodge room was filled to capacity hosting visitors from as far away as Florida. This year marks the 29th time a new mason has taken the reins of the Pulpit Rock Lodge, as Worshipful James H. Lawrence III of Hudson was installed as the new Master. He was joined by the rest of the officers: Worshipful Malcolm A. Wooff, Senior Warden, Brother Edgar R. St. Onge, Junior Warden, Brother Michael Y. Yannetti, Treasurer, Worshipful Robert S. Bean III, Secretary, Worshipful Jack L. Caynon, Chaplain, Brother Michael Steir, Marshal, Worshipful Walter F. Freeman, Senior Deacon, Brother Nicholas Isia, Junior Deacon, and Brother Charles Albert, Junior Stewart. In his remarks, James Lawrence stated he was “looking forward to working with the new slate of officers to continue to build Pulpit Rock Lodge as a beacon on Masonic Light for all to see.” The Masons are the world’s oldest and largest


Windham to Join Pilot Data Sharing Program


by Barbara O’Brien Windham is one of 20 municipalities in New Hampshire that has been invited to join in the initial testing of a web-based platform; one that allows each community to view the other participating communities’ land assessment information in a user- friendly environment. The program is intended to aid in disaster relief and economic planning across individual town or city borders. Windham Tax Assessor Rex Norman presented the information to selectmen during their board meeting on January 30. Norman explained that the New Hampshire Department of Revenue (DRA) has partnered with the University of New Hampshire Technology Transfer Center to create the first sustainable statewide parcel map. Initially, Norman said, when data was first collected, there were 190 municipalities participating in the sharing of information. That number has since climbed to approximately 210 participating municipalities, which accounts for 92 percent of the land parcels in the entire state. This stratum of information is known as a “mosaic parcel layer.” One of the primary objectives in the development of this mosaic parcel layer is the creation of a sharing


continued to page 7- Data Sharing


fraternal organizations with a presence in almost every country. Today Masons strive, like those of the past, to be pillars of their communities and improve the lives of all of those around them. Our Nation has a strong connection to Freemasonry with many


continued to page 7- Grand Master


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NH Grand Master Paul Leary and his Installation Suite with the new Master of Pulpit Rock Lodge. from left to right, Allen Wright, Paul Leary, James Lawrence, Paul Smith, Ronald Parsons and John Gordon.


New Master James Lawrence being sworn in by NH Grand Master Paul Leary. Masons looking on with hand over heart, from left to right, Walter Freeman, Robert Bean, Michael Yannetti, Edgar St. Onge and Malcolm Wooff


Caring Kids Collect Jeans for Teens by Diane Chubb


About one-third of the nation’s homeless population is under the age of 18. They need food, shelter and clothing. For the past four years, the clothing company Aéropostale has


reached out to various schools around the country to collect gently used jeans for these homeless kids. During that time, over 1.5 million jeans have been collected and donated. The Kids Care Club at Pelham Elementary


School (PES) decided to take on this project for the month of January. Students in the club asked others students, staff, and members of the community to donate unwanted jeans. The support has been tremendous. When a representative from Aéropostale arrives to pick up the jeans, there will be over three full boxes! As of February 3, there were at least 60 jeans. The school that collects the most jeans will win $5,000, new Aéropostale jeans for every student and a party for their entire school. Over 10,000 schools across the country are currently participating in this effort. “Teens for Jeans” is one of many service projects planned by the group of students. The Kids Care Club was created by advisor Kelly Masiello, and is comprised of students volunteers from the fourth grade at PES. Started in October 2011, the club plans to complete a service project each month to benefit the school or the Pelham community. The kids sell wristbands as a fundraiser for their group. The Club has collected movies on DVD for


Members of the Kids Care Club: (back row) Sanvi Patel, McKenna Williams, Abigail Bevens, Kaylie Croteau, Alyssa Golden; (front row) Jade Atkins, Riley Bassett, Rami Eid


the children’s hospital at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston and sponsored a bus driver appreciation breakfast. Currently, the group is collecting tube socks, polyfill and catnip to create Happy Sock catnip toys. They will be donated to local area animals shelters for homeless cats.


Tuesday!


Staff photo by Chris White


Staff photo by Diane Chub


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