Dear Carole (if I may),

I hope this message finds you well. I’ve enjoyed looking at the Stockbridge Updates website and believe it will be a very valuable source of information for me as I get to know this community. As the new kid on the block, I’m delighted to provide the attached submission. Thank you for the opportunity and for all you do to keep us connected and well informed! I look forward to getting to know you.

Warmly, Graham
Graham C. Boettcher, Ph.D.
Director and CEO Norman Rockwell Museum

Carole,

We need to step back and look at what is happening to our town, it is dying. We need to find a way to reduce 2nd homes as we are getting ready to build a new multi-million-dollar high school to focus on the trades. We will be educating students to benefit other areas of the country as the young folks cannot afford to buy homes here. Also, we need to slow down of stop development as I have never seen a time when the police have had to chase bears out of downtown. Their territory has been invaded and eliminated. Is it really fair to have wildlife destroyed at the convenience of humans?

Also, we need to stop the destruction of history by allowing major modification to historic homes. I daily see what has happened to the Whitney house on Church Street, the back of which was also Mum Bets home moved there by the Whitney family according to historical documents gathered by the late Larry DeMott whose mother was Grace Whitney. Tourism and second homes are killing us.

I know of some local doctors who want to retire but can’t just get out of their practices, but no young doctor can afford a home here. Berkshire County residents are now routinely traveling to Springfield for medical care.

Norman Rockwell told me that he did not want the museum to be in Stockbridge but wanted it to go to Philadelphia instead. I met up with him and Molly in front of the library, and he was looking really down and I asked him if he was alright. He then told me “They want to put a museum here in town in my name but I don’t want it but they won’t listen to me”

Harold French

Carole,

I am a retired educator and appreciate your columns in the Eagle for filling me in on our history that was left out of my compliance-based education, including my three college degrees. If I was still teaching, I would use your columns for class discussions.

I agree that “the problem is … our inability to follow its laws.” As the moral fiber of our society is challenged by our current leadership, my question is, “We clamor about our rights, but what about our responsibilities to maintain those rights?”

I wondered if you have read Richard Haass’ book, The Bill of Obligations. His approach smacks of patriarchy, so I prefer responsibility rather than obligations, but I agree that we need more than rights for a “functioning, flourishing, democracy.”

I consider myself a “street minister” who strives to lead by example, not preaching from a pulpit or teaching at the front of a classroom. Your columns inspire me, not only to be a better citizen, but to be a better person. Thank you for sharing your communication talents with our community. What you do makes a difference!

Vicky Smith

Dear Vicki,

Thank you so much for your kind words. You may or may not know that Berkshire Preservation Inc. (BPI) is developing a history and civics curriculum to be distributed free to any private, public, and charter school that wishes it.

As a retired teacher, and one who felt you missed something in your education, I would love to talk to you. Email any time and we will set up a time. I would like to make that a general invitation to any teachers who feel as Vicky did or feels their students are missing out now.

Thank you, Carole