Mailed free to requesting homes in Webster, Dudley and the Oxfords 508-764-4325 COMPLIMENTARY HOME DELIVERY ONLINE: WWW.508LOCAL.COM Friday, March 4, 2016 THIS WEEK’S QUOTE Bay Path receives “I have always $295K grant found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” FUNDS TO Abraham Lincoln UPGRADE MACHINE EDITOR’S TOOL OFFICE HOURS TECHNOLOGY MONDAYS 12-5 DEPARTMENT WEDNESDAYS 1-5 FRIDAYS 1-5 BY OLIVIA RICHMAN NEWS STAFF WRITER CHARLTON — Bay Path Regional Vocational INSIDE Technical High School was one of 35 schools Seniors ................. A5 Olivia Richman photos A DOSE OF CULTURE to receive a Workforce Learning .............A6-8 Skills Capital Grant on “Some of the companies in this area are major manufactures Viewpoint ............. A10 Thursday, Feb. 25. that need our students, which is important,” said Machine Tool Technology Instructor Tate Ostiguy. “We have more Sports ..................A12-13 Bay Path received Olivia Richman photo $295,500 of the $9.3 million jobs than we have kids right now.” Obituaries ............. B2 DUDLEY — After a weeklong residency, released by the Baker- Events Calendar ...... B3 Crocodile River Music held a special finale con- Polito Administration in Real Estate ........Sect.B cert on Saturday, Feb. 27 in the Shepherd Hill hopes of “building stron- Bay Path staff mem- Grant program receiving Regional High School auditorium. Students ger communities and a bers have credited 68 applications. from Dudley Elementary School and Heritage more competitive busi- Superintendent John “Bay Path appreciates LOCAL School had the opportunity to dance on stage ness environment that Lafleche with making the fact that the Baker- and play traditional African drums. Pictured, ensures more residents this happen. The super- Polito Administration Issa Coulibaly, a master djembe drummer orig- have the skills they need intendent had written the has made career and inally from Mali, West Africa, held drumming to succeed in and support grant that allowed Bay vocational-technical edu- workshops for the students. For more photos, the Commonwealth’s eco- Path to be picked as one of cation the centerpiece of turn to page A6! nomic future.” the 35 schools, despite the Workforce Skills Capital Please Read BAY PATH, page A18 Dudley examining options for vacant planner position BY JASON BLEAU the town will be looking been utilizing the ser- the position and narrow bilities in the area of eco- NEWS STAFF WRITER for in the hiring process. vices of the Central down exactly what the nomic development and DUDLEY — With Members of the Massachusetts Regional planner’s job will include grant writing.” Dudley continuing to Planning Board pro- Planning Commission for the foreseeable future. With the new job work on its approach to posed four possibilities since Runkle’s departure “Long term, the town description in hand, finding a successor to for- for the job descriptions in October with great needs to consider what Planning Board mer Town Planner Nancy and specifics that select- results. However, Town options are available Chairman Guy Horne The power of Runkle, the Planning men agreed to look over Administrator Greg for the position,” said Jr. appeared before the Board presented several before making a rec- Balukonis made it clear Balukonis. “One of the Board of Selectmen and presentation options to the Board of ommendation to the that the town needs to things I did do was I presented four proposals Page A3 Selectmen on Feb. 22 to Planning Board in weeks start making progress on updated the job descrip- that the Planning Board determine exactly what to come. The town has finding a candidate to fill tion to reflect responsi- Please Read DUDLEY, page A18 LEARNING BOS launches second TA Committee RESCINDS VOTE BANNING COLORS Lions thanked for BY JASON BLEAU consists of nine members, support of Bay NEWS STAFF WRITER including representatives WEBSTER — of the Board of Selectmen, Path project Selectmen in Webster School Committee, Board cast two significant votes of Assessors and Finance Page A8 during a meeting on Feb. Committee, the latter Jason Bleau photo 22, re-establishing a com- making up two members mittee to seek a new town on the committee. The Michael J. Tougias, co-author of “The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast administrator in the town moderator also desig- Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue,” which has been adapted into a Disney film released SPORTS while striking down a nates the four remaining in January, talks about the heroic efforts and lessons learned during the daring rescue previous vote to issue a members on the board. in 1952 before a group of visitors and students at Nichols College. letter to local businesses According to selectmen, banning “colors” in local the duties of the commit- establishments. tee will be to submit three The board first voted to five finalists for consid- ‘Finest Hours’ come alive unanimously to launch a eration. The committee second search committee will have a timeline of 150 to find a suitable succes- days from the date of the AUTHOR BRINGS TRUE TALE OF sor to John McAuliffe, committee’s official orga- Bartlett boys’ who vacated the town nization to submit names HEROISM TO NICHOLS administrator post last for consideration. This basketball takes year that has since been second committee follows regular sea- BY JASON BLEAU book “The Finest Hours: The True filled on a temporary the first panel that was NEWS STAFF WRITER Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most basis by Pamela Leduc, disbanded in November son finale over DUDLEY — In late January, many Daring Sea Rescue,” co-authored whose name has been after their efforts failed to Quaboag behind people were introduced to the story by Michael J. Tougias and Casey brought up in recent bring in a candidate that of the SS Pendleton rescue, known Sherman. months as a possible can- the committee felt would 13 3-pointers to many as the finest rescue in the Bringing the true life story of a didate herself, although best fit what the town was history of the Coast Guard, thanks group of Coast Guard officers to the nothing has been made looking for in a new town Page A12 to Disney’s new film “The Finest official as to her interest administrator. in maintaining the job. While this vote proved Hours.” The story was based on the Please Read TOUGIAS, page A16 The Town Administrator Screening Committee Please Read WEBSTER, page A17 2 • THE WEBSTER TIMES • Friday, March 4, 2016 www.508Local.com Ice men of Webster and Dudley During the 18th century, ice was rel- sold it. from Dudley to Southbridge. egated to the wealthy who could afford January and February were ISTORY His first wife, Caroline, had it. In the 19th century, commercial the months for the harvest- H died of consumption in 1852 harvesting of ice in New England was ing of ice in the late 1800’s COLUMN leaving no children. He remar- begun in 1805 by Frederick Tudor, who in Massachusetts. The ice was ried to Melissa Plummer harvested the ice on Walden Pond and eventually shipped worldwide. L. K. in 1856. It was in 1857 that In 1850, BRANIFF he bought the fledgling ice David business of Erastus Alton, including all its 6 customers. Wellington harvested his ice Wellington of from Stevens pond (Merino Pond) just Oxford bought over the river in Dudley. Wellington’s a lot in Webster 2-story icehouse stood behind his house from Cornelius on Rail Road Lane. Fenner at the junc- Mr. Wellington’s success was marked tion of Pleasant by another property being purchased This was the start of McKinstry Ice Company. In 1915 he married Edna Mae 8x7-9x7 Steel Street and what from Abner Perry in 1868, located where Liftmaster 1/2 hp was called Rail the town of Dudley Water Department Richardson. A son, Alfred H McKinstry 2 Sided Insulated Chain Drive Road Lane. In pond sits on Schofield Avenue and Jr. was born the following year. Garage Door 1857, he bought Carpenter Road. This deal included the In August 1928, Alfred McKinstry r-value 9.65 Inc, standard hardware & 7ft Opener property of Henry right to the ice on the pond and the right bought more land, this time from Maria track, 8 color & 3 panel design options $270 H. Stevens, which to build an icehouse there, 30 x 60 feet Bugbee of Webster. The land was on the adjoined his first in size. As an added little benefit, Mr. east side of Thompson Road abutting $570 inc Installation the land of the New York, New Haven inc Installation price matching available on all written quotes lot. His occupa- Perry had written into the deed that tion was that of a he had the right to remove ice from the and Hartford Railroad (near what is teamster and road icehouse whenever he wanted. now the marina). He built a huge brick builder, having David Wellington’s ice business grew ice house on the property and harvest- built the rail bed to be the biggest and almost only ice ed the ice from Webster Lake, loaded business in Dudley and Webster. The it into box cars, surrounded the ice Joslin House hotel bought its ice from with hay and sawdust and sold it to the the D. Wellington Ice Company for 50 wholesale trade out of town. years. By 1907, Wellington had nine If you were a local customer of the ice horses and five carts delivering ice company, a large cardboard sign was through the summer months. When displayed in a front window showing David Wellington died in 1896 at the age the numbers 10, 25, 50 or 100 printed at of 72, he had over 400 customers.