Dial for Justice by Marie Westburg T Is Hard to Believe How Much Our by Richard Szlosek Had an Aunt Living There
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August 2020 Issue 231 The Conz Street CHRONICLE Staying Connected, Staying Resilient Dial for Justice By Marie Westburg t is hard to believe how much our By Richard Szlosek had an aunt living there. Two lives have changed over the last or three times a year I had Isix months! I hope that you have just used my cell phone to call her on family matters found ways to cope, have connected to order a meal from a and this is what sometimes with neighbors, friends and family and/ restaurant and I freely happened. or built a new community of people I “Long distance. What city to be social with in some capacity. I admit I am stupefied at how phones have changed in my please?’ have found that having some routine to lifetime. For instance, rotary “Ware, Massachusetts.” each day is very important to feeling dial telephones are now “Where in Massachusetts?” grounded over the passage of time museum pieces, just another “That’s right. Ware in each week and that seeing familiar relic of the good old days. But Massachusetts.” faces regularly, even if just on my I can remember when they “But what city?” computer screen, helps me feel less were the latest thing and what “Ware.” isolated. I often find myself recalling a large impact they had when “I’m sorry sir. I’ll have to how fast life felt before covid entered they were introduced into the ask you to hang up.” our lives and I remind myself regularly Northampton area in the late phone privacy was a fragile thing. I was happy when direct to cherish some of this quiet time as it 1950’s. Before their arrival, phone The phone company (always dialing ended that problem although I offers space to reflect, to be in nature numbers were short, three or four digits referred to as Ma Bell) did not like can recall one other small problem with and enjoy a good book. In every long. My family’s number was 2564 the fact there were operators in the an operator. I was in basic training in situation we are faced with in life I and it doubled as both the house and middle of the process. The higher ups the Army and wanted to call home one think there is an opportunity to see business number. If someone wanted to decided they could save a lot of money Friday evening. After waiting patiently things from another perspective, to call us, they would pick up the receiver if they didn’t have all those women in a long line to get a pay phone, I first assess and to grow in new ways. As of and an operator would ask, “number to pay. They began a plan to phase told the operator I wanted to reverse this writing we are still uncertain about please?” The caller would tell her (it them out and replace them with direct the charges and make a collect call. our reopening date for the senior center was never a man) the numerals, the dial telephones. This took years to Does anyone do that anymore? I can’t but we do know that we cannot reopen phone would ring at our house and, accomplish as the old phones had to be remember getting a collect call in until Phase 4 of Governor Baker’s viola, we were connected. It was nice replaced with the newer versions. the last 40-50 years. I next told the plan for the state and there is a viable and simple and worked every time. The most significant result of the operator the number was JU 4 etc. and vaccine. However we continue to work I was really lucky that my family changeover was that the local towns she repeated back to me, “That’s 584 hard to provide programming that can had a line all to ourselves for, as I soon were given their own exchanges. etc.” be accessed online, by phone and are learned, that was not always the case. Hatfield was Chestnut, Amherst “No, no!”, I shouted. JU 4”. I could working on programs that will air on a I was at a cousin’s house one day and was Alpine, Holyoke was Jefferson hear her give a little laugh and she was See DIRECTOR'S page 15 her phone was ringing but she had no and Northampton became Justice. probably thinking what a dummy. I interest in answering it. When I asked In addition to that every number in had missed the memo that the phone her why, she said it was not her family’s Northampton had a four or a six added company had dropped the exchange ring. I must have looked confused and to it. My family number was suddenly name and that was probably the first Contents time I realized I lived in area code 413. she explained they had a party line that seven digits long and, whenever I Body & Mind .......................... 4 they shared with two other families and Some years later I went to law school called a friend in town, I dialed JU 4 Fitness ...................................... 5 each one had an individual ring pattern. and became a lawyer. I would have or JU 6 and then the rest of the number. Northampton Neighbors ....... 4 I asked did that mean you could listen Long distance direct dialing took loved to have a business card with a in to the other people’s calls? My longer to get established and you still number that began Justice instead of Support, cousin said yes and her mother was had to reach the long distance operator 586. It still tickles my sense of humor On-Site Services ................. 6 certain that one of the ladies on the line to make a call. My father’s family that, if you wanted justice, you had to Arts, Classes ......................... 10 did that all the time. Even back then originally came from Ware and I still dial someone in good ole Northampton. Community News & Events ................................. 15 EARN ....................................... 7 To access local resources and information, go to Upcoming Events .....11, 12, 14 https://www.northamptonma.gov/ Resource Directory .............. 16 Senior Services Staff Jae Casella, Assistant Director & The Conz Street Marie Westburg, Director Volunteer Coordinator CHRONICLE 587-1231 587-1307 [email protected] [email protected] The Conz Street Chronicle is a monthly publication The Chronicle: Michele Dihlmann, LSW, Social of Northampton Senior Laura Scott, Department Assistant Services. It is funded by Who We Are Worker, 587-1226 587-1232 donations, advertisers and [email protected] [email protected] the City of Northampton. The Conz Street Chronicle staff is made up of Senior Center volunteers and also receives assistance from many Nancy Yesu, Program Development & Reception/Front Desk: others. Contributors include staff from Senior Services and from other Communications Manager city departments and organizations. For questions, information etc. please Disclaimer: Any opinions, or information about [email protected] call us directly at 587-1228 587-1313 businesses, candidates or services do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Conz Street Chronicle, the City of Northampton, Northampton Senior EDITOR'S NOTE: NCOA meetings are held the 2nd Thursday Services or any of its employees. 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Please make Benjamin Capistrant Services Department on programs and services checks payable to Northampton Senior Services with “Chronicle” designed to meet the needs of the City of on the memo line, and either mail, or drop off at the senior center Friends of Northampton Northampton residents aged 55 or older. It is an located at 67 Conz St., Northampton, MA 01060. Senior Center advisory multiple-member body of the City. Email: There is no charge for anyone to receive the online Karen Faszcza (President) All meetings are on hold while our version. A link to each month’s online Chronicle is sent to all for Glafyra Ennis-Yentsch (Clerk) Dennis Helmus (Asst.