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Family Members Saw Service in Both World Wars

Dear Editor:

(May 16, 2003)  I would like to offer the following information concerning members of our family who appear in the photos of the World War One and Two veterans.
Row two of the WWI picture has a number of US Navy sailors. I am fairly certain that my grandfather, Paul Sampson, is number twelve. He would have been 24 years old at the time the picture was taken.

Grandpa held the rank of “Seaman Deuce” or seaman second class. Upon release from active duty, he worked at the Barnes Worsted mill across from his ancestral home on Elm Street as a weaver.

He was a founding member of the Hilltop club and was an active member of the Govoni Post where I believe a picture of him still hangs on the wall. After his retirement, he returned from Florida each year to participate in the Memorial Day parade in Kingston. Grandpa was known around town by his nickname, “Nip”.

Row one of the WW2 picture shows my Dad, Earl Sampson and his best buddy, my godfather, Ed Lubke. Dad is the petty officer third class, 7th from left and Ed is the staff sergeant, 9th from left. They grew up and graduated from Kingston high together.

Dad went on to Wentworth Institute and Ed went to school for radio and electronics. Dad went to work for General Electric in Lynn and returned home by train on weekends. Ed joined the Army before Pearl Harbor.

My dad was involved with the design of the first American jet engine so he was given a deferment as a defense worker. As the war intensified, he wanted to do his part so he requested that his status be changed so he could join the Navy. He was stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland for 3 years as an aviation machinist mate.

Ed was stationed in the Pacific and worked as part of a team that set up communications for new air bases. He was humble about where he had been, saying how he was on Guam and Okinawa after all of the work had been done!
Both men returned to Kingston and served their community after serving their country. Dad designed the town barn on Evergreen Street and was a water commissioner for 18 years. He is buried next to Grandpa in St Joseph’s cemetery and their gravestones reflect their military service.

Ed lived right across the street from where the picture of the WW2 veterans was taken. Each morning, he walked across Green Street to raise the flag on the town green and each evening he lowered and folded it. He is buried at the veteran’s cemetery in Otis AFB, Cape Cod.

Paul C Sampson
17 Doolittle Road
Preston CT

Wealthless Commonwealth
March 20, 2003

Dear Editor:

In his first three months of office, Governor Mitt Romney has demonstrated that running a big private business is not equal to being a governor of a major state. In business, you don't have to explain to the public the specifics of your decisions; in government, you must. On Friday, March 6, 2003, Romney's Administration and Finance Secretary, Eric Kriss apologized no less than 7 times to the House and Senate Ways and Means Committee for not having specifics.

It was easy to make speeches in front of friendly hand picked audiences, but elected officials are a different breed. In his televised statement of $2 billion in waste, he backed off within days. The governor claims he level-funded education but nearly every school district in the state is above "foundation budget", a phrase the governor likes to use. If the Silver lake Regional District (Kingston, Plympton and Halifax) are held to foundation budget, it would be about $2,000,000 below administration recommendations.

The governor talks about level funding Chapter 70 money for schools, but what he doesn't say is, for the first time in nearly 20 years, regional school district money is in the town's Chapter 70 money which means the Silver Lake Regional School Districts have to get their share of Chapter 70 plus their assessments to meet their needs so that your children can get a quality of education to which they have been accustomed.

In other areas, such as higher education and prescription drugs, Massachusetts citizens, many who have voted for Governor Romney, will pay higher tuition, fees and charges.

Massachusetts has always had a good quality of life, but it isn't free . For the governor to imply that we can continue without revenue is wrong.

Please write Governor Romney at the State House in Boston and express your opinion for good education, good health care and public safety.

John Creed Political Analyst
Kingston

Disloyal Hollywood
March 20, 2003

Dear Editor:
At a time when all Americans should band together, why are we so far apart? At a time when we should be supporting our servicemen and women, why are we in conflict with them?
At a time when we see our President being ridiculed and disrespected by foreign countries, why are some Americans ridiculing and disrespecting him as well?
Where are loyalty, respect, patriotism and the proud America I once knew?
To see the celebrities stand up in public and ridicule the country that put them where they are makes me nauseous. Are there any loyal Americans in Hollywood?

Eugene Santoro
Kingston, MA

Thankful History
March 20, 2003

Dear Editor:
The Local History Room would like to thank the Kingston Observer for allowing us to use the paper as a forum in asking for help in identifying our collection of unidentified photographs. In addition, we would like to thank residents who have taken the time to come into the LHR ,or call with suggestions and thoughts, regarding the images. Their assistance has been immeasurable! We continue to invite folks into the Local History Room to view images from our collection of over 6,000 images (as well as items from our manuscript, pamphlet, map, and house history collections)! Thank you again to both the Observer, and to the residents of Kingston!

Carrie Elliott, Archivist
Kingston History Room

Way to Go!
January 16, 2003

Dear Editor:

Dan and everyone else involved in the creation of the Observer, CONGRATULATIONS !!

I think you have created a paper in the finest tradition of true journalism. You are willing to get to the bottom of any issue that effects the town, and have the guts to name names. Most all of our other "local" papers avoid any controversial issue like the plague ! You seek them out, tell it like it is, and are here every day to defend your stand.  In my younger (and maybe more altruistic) days, I came to believe that this was what true journalism was about. 

Your predecessors (like Pulitzer) might have been dealing in a higher level  (state or national), but their goal was the same ; get to the bottom of what was going on. I applaud your willingness to "tell it like it is". Keep up the good work. Dan , you have been here 30 years, as you say in your paper. We have gotten to know each other bit by bit, through town affairs,  church affairs (at Mayflower Congregational Church), and  probably the most at our (late, lamented) coffee shop. 

Your willingness to say what you thought, and let the chips fall where they may, has always been most refreshing.    Don't Change ! And to close this missive; a "true Confession " --  I live in (gasp) DeLuxbury, not Kingston !   My family moved to Kingston in 1958, when my father was called as the pastor of Mayflower Congregational Church. I graduated from Silver Lake,  and worked  at Dave Valler's Shell station which in now Dana's Service Center.  Between the gas station and  the coffee shop, I got to know a lot of Kingstonians.  

I have always felt like Kingston is my town.  In 1972, when I got married, I bought a house in Duxbury, but it was only a "temporary" move!  My body is still in Duxbury, but my heart is still in Kingston . Keep up the good work, and for heavens sake, Don't Back Down!

Richard Buhl
Pilgrim Road, Duxbury

The Coming War
January 16, 2003

Dear Editor:

Yes! The Catholic Church has won a skirmish! But not the war. It's in the position of King George's soldiers who "marched up the hill and marched down again." The real culprit in this uproar is the priests in the seminaries whose role was to admit the incoming priest-candidates aiming to become genuine priests in the church after gosh darned hard study in "formation". So why were so many of the young men who harbored wretchedly twisted sex drives accepted and allowed to become full-fledged priests? Because the church was so short-handed for priests. The examined candidates were tragically accepted in "good faith" with a wink and a shrug. Have the personnel examining priests been bounced? Will the church still suffer fewer priest-candidates? Of course! Not one personnel officer has had his position changed. Yet we can all rejoice we have won a skirmish. Let's gird for the coming war and pray.

South Shore's other
Ann White

On Celibacy
January 16, 2003

Dear Editor:

I write in response to Nancy Sapir's article "Vatican Tunnel Vision and the Sexuality of Celibacy" in your November/December issue. I had missed that issue, and only became aware of it by reading the letters to the editor in the next issue.
I also felt a twinge of apprehension, having just met Mr. Sapir recently for the first time, and not wanting to offend. However, we are discussing the issue, not the good will of the authors, which is presumed.

First, Mrs. Sapir writes: ‘all the adults seemed to agree that priests live an unnatural life. Would anyone dispute that?" Er, yeah, I would, being the only Catholic priest presently active in the ministry in Kingston of whom I am aware. Thus, 15 years ago, when I was ordained a deacon, prior to ordination to the priesthood, I made a promise of celibacy, that is, a promise never to marry. Along with a promise not to marry, comes a presumption true of all non-married Christians, that I would remain chaste, that is, I would refrain from all sexual activity outside of marriage, which for the unmarried means all sexual activity, period. Thus, while the promise of celibacy is unique to Catholic priests, religious sisters and brothers, and Orthodox monks, the promise of chastity is merely the living out of the 6th and 9th commandments, required of every Christian.

Is this "natural"? To paraphrase our former president, that depends upon what the meaning of "natural" is. Is it natural to be unmarried? Ask any single person, or any divorced person, or widow or widower, if they feel that they are living an unnatural life. Some have chosen this state, some are in them due circumstances beyond their control, but I doubt most would welcome calling their lives "unnatural."
Yet, in another sense, celibacy is unnatural, or rather supernatural. That is, it is a grace, a gift from God, given only to a few, as recommended but not required by St. Paul in First Corinthians 7:25-38. Also, in Catholic and Orthodox theology, celibacy is considered a sign of the kingdom of heaven, where, as Jesus says, we will not be given to Marriage or unmarriage, but where we will be totally devoted to the love of God and to our fellow men and women. Celibacy is meant to reflect some of that divine life back to earth. My emphasis on the word meant because I believe the burden of Mrs. Sapir's article is that, obviously, that is not in fact how celibacy is lived out or perceived here on earth, and to that I would agree.

Some further particulars. Mrs. Sapir states that "the church always came down on the side of limitless procreation while not offering to feed any of the families it helped to create." While our church does encourage large families for those able to perform that heroic role (my sister and her husband just had their fifth child, their first girl after four boys, praise God!), our church believes in "responsible parenthood", that a couple should have no more children than they can healthily bring up. For some, that will be zero, some five, and yes, some ten. I think even the critics of the proverbial large Catholic families of old (like Mormon families of the present) could agree that our culture has gone a little too far in the opposite direction, not receiving children as the gifts from God that they are, sometimes preferring the larger SUV's or the yearly trip to Florida, and having only the politically correct 1.8 children. The number of 3-4 child families in my congregation, and in Kingston and the South Shore in general, is encouraging. And saying that the church "does not offer to feed families" just ain't true; our church is well known for helping single people, families, transients, Catholics and non-Catholics with food and other necessities for virtually unlimited time periods, until they can get back on their feet.

I also beg to disagree with Mrs. Sapir's assertion that "the Church fails to make one critical distinction, and that is between men who are good and men who are not. Bernard Cardinal Law is not one of the good ones." I would respectfully ask Mrs. Sapir if she has ever met Cardinal Law? I have, many times, and I assert that he is indeed a good man, although one with tragically poor judgment in the matter of the reformability of the child abuser. Cardinal Law admits to many, repeated egregious errors, and he has paid for those errors by losing his ‘job', and will pay in other and various ways for the rest of his life.

Why did Cardinal Law do this, apparently reassigning priests he knew or should have known had sexually abused children, and could perhaps do so again in the future, if he is, as I assert, a good but tragically flawed man? I am neither his psychiatrist nor his confessor, but I will venture several hypotheses, and I believe the true answer is some combination of all these factors.

First, I think he has or had an overly optimistic view of human nature, specifically, of our ability to reform. Abusing priests would come to him, he would pack them off to various psychological rehab facilities, or monasteries, have them say the proverbial three "hail Mary's" read the counselor's reports that the priest was cured, and send them back to the front. Na ve, or even foolish, perhaps, but not intentionally wicked. Now, that's not to pass the buck of responsibility to the counselors, because the ultimate judgment was Cardinal Law's; it's just to show that another profession, the psychological, sometimes shares the illusion that some clergy share, in the perfectibility of human nature, with the proper education or treatment. We have come slowly to the tragic knowledge that pedophilia, like alcoholism and other addictions, is a permanent condition, one that with the grace of God and 12-step programs can be monitored but not cured, one day at a time.

I also believed that the shortage of priests in the Catholic church played a factor, that like the football coach who rushes back injured players into the fray, thinking, "they can recover after the season," that this perceived need for numbers of priests, and quickly, clouded the bishops' judgment as to the quality

Of their priests. Short term, penny-wise thinking that is millions of pounds foolish, yes; intentionally evil, I do not believe. Speaking a little flippantly intentionally, if the Cardinal and other bishops shouldn't cop a plea of intentional wrongdoing, then they must and will cop to a plea of gross negligence, and that is what is being hashed out in the criminal and civil courts, although perhaps in a ‘nolo contendere' rather than outright admission form.

Of course, then issues of celibacy, non-marriage to women, and the sexual abuse of mostly teenage boys are two separate, apples and oranges issues. Dropping mandatory celibacy, which is historically possible, and thus an arguable issue in the church, would not affect pedophilia; those who are attracted to adult women are not attracted to little boys, and vice versa.

Finally, Mrs. Sapir writes: "I love the Catholic Church. I always have, and when I die, I will want a priest to be with me." I hope that priest is not me, in that I hope you will outlive me, but if you do not, rest assured I will be there in a heartbeat, as would 97% of priests (and ministers, for that matter). As I said the other day to a member of the group known as "Voice of the Faithful, ‘No, I do not like your group, but I love you (singular), and would jump on a grenade for you, as would most priests and ministers." Cause that's What Jesus Would Do, and that's what he calls us, his disciples to do.

Amen.

Fr. Joseph M. Hennessy
Pastor, St. Joseph Church

Author's Reply: Father Hennessy, you and I will have to agree to disagree on most issues, however, we do agree on the issue of young people placing their love of luxury ahead of accepting the children God sends. With regard to Bernard Cardinal Law, yes, I have met him and corresponded with him, and yes, he lost his job, but to attribute his errors to bad judgment and spiritual optimism is to diminish the suffering of those young people who would have been happier losing just a job than their innocence and their faith. We should also remember that a cardinal can become a pope thereby distributing error worldwide. Insofar as "the perfectibility of human nature", I believe that is impossible, Jesus having been the only perfect person, and He is God. With regard to priestly celibacy as opposed to non-clerical single, divorced, or widowed people, the latter have a choice to remain alone or to seek intimate companionship. The church has limited herself to the kind of candidates she will accept for the priesthood by excluding women and married men. If , on the day I die, you are on vacation,, I'll be happy with whomever shows up to administer the last sacrament, and I'd be content to thank her with my last breath.
Nancy Sapir

Silver Lake PTO Appreciation

To The Editor:

The Silver Lake Parent Teacher Organization wishes to extend its sincere appreciation for the following members of our business community for their contributions to our “2002 Citizen Scholarship Award”. Their support and generosity has enhanced our fundraising efforts to provide scholarships to five of our graduating seniors this past school year.

Our warmest thanks to: Bongi’s Turkey Roost, Inc., Duxbury: Tiny & Sons Glass Co., Inc., Pembroke; Guaranteed Power International;, Pembroke, Napoli Pizza, Kingston; Peter T. Cressman, D.M.D., Plymouth; Kingston Trailers, Inc., Kingston; Royal Garden Restaurant, Kingston; Fred E. Nava & Son, Inc., Kingston; Susan White Photography, Pembroke; Mr. Jeffrey Stone, Tweeter Home Entertainment, Pembroke; Hilltop Athletic Assoc., Kingston (in memory of Mr. James Grady); Itz a Party, Pembroke; Domenic Mazzocco, D.M.D., Hanover, David D. De Benedetto, D.M.D., Pembroke; Sampson Lumber Co., Inc., Pembroke; Christmas Tree Shops, South Yarmouth; Plympton Sand & Gravel Corp., Plympton; Dalton Interiors, Kingston; Golden Gull Studio, Plymouth; True Life Chiropractic, Kingston; Hannon-Ryan Insurance Assoc. Inc., Pembroke; Grady Consulting, LLC, Kingston; Jack Conway Co., Inc., Norwell; Mainly Hair, Kingston; Frederick J. White, Jr., D.M.D., Pembroke; Document Professionals, Pembroke; Mutual Federal Savings, Whitman; James G. Judge, D.M.D., Marhsfield; Daniel B. Greenstein, D.D.S., Halifax; and John & Sons Barber Shop, Halifax.

On May 29, it was our honor to present the “Citizen Scholarship Award” to Mr. Paul Donovan, Ms. Alexis Hartman, Mr. Christopher Hickey, Mr. Patrick Henderson, and Ms. Meghan Reardon.

This memorable evening for our seniors and their families was the result of the heartfelt efforts of many individuals in our school and community. Our special thanks to Mr. Ken Brown, Ms. Aurella Levesque, Mr. Richard Kelley and the staff at Silver Lake High School.

Sincerely,
Karen deOgburn & Jane Gobell
Co-chairpersons/Silver Lake Parent teacher Association

Annual Back to School Ice Cream Social

To the Editor:

The thunder stopped, and then the rain stopped, the clouds cleared, and the sun came out in time for the Annual Back to School Ice Cream Social.

On Wednesday September 4, 2002 the Kingston Parent/Teacher Organization (K.P.T.O.) held the Annual Back to School Ice Cream Social. A crowd of about 1,800 people gathered to celebrate the beginning of a new school year, catch up with old friends and make some new ones. Children enjoyed face painting; nail painting, tattoos, Reptiles by Matthew Canniff, music by DJ Mike Love, games with Kingston Kids Care and a visit from our own Kingston Fire Department.

In addition to the above, every one enjoyed the delicious Ice Cream generously donated by The Charlie Horse and Mark Beaton- enough to feed the entire crowd! And then there were toppings...hot fudge, caramel, butterscotch, sprinkles, whip cream, to name a few, and of course put a cherry on top. Thanks to Daddy O’s and Mike and Shawn Rossman, for the toppings and coffee. Bickford’s, also gave a hand with the toppings and supplied breakfast coupons to the lucky first 200 children to arrive. Thanks for helping make this event such a success.

We would also like to thank the following raffle donors: Plymouth Sports Dome/ Best Buy/ BOB’S STORES/ Kingston Photo/ Pro Sports/ Tucson Tacos/ Cue Time Billiards/ Wal-Mart/ The Surf Shop/ Cyberstation/ Kingston House of Pizza/ Napoli Pizza/ Papa Gino’s/ Alley Kat Lane/ Paper Etc./ Doughboy Police & Fire/ Dunkin Donuts/ and Embroidery by Gerry Sullivan.

Hats off to all the volunteers: Junior High & High School Students, Girl Scout Cadets, Teachers, Custodial Staff, Parents, Ice Cream Social Committee, and those two ladies that worked the entire event behind the scene (Tricia & Sue) you know who you are.

Have a great school year,
Doreen Reilly & Jeannine Cogburn
Co-Chairpersons

Sex, Celibacy, and History

Dear Editor:

I read with great interest Nancy’s thoughtful article in this month's Observer. Even though I am Eastern Orthodox and not Roman Catholic, I attend St. Mark's Church just down the street form St. Joseph's and Fr. Ryan's predicament pains us, too.
In the interest of historical accuracy, and in no way as an effort to proselytize, I would like to point out a couple of historical facts that may shed further light upon the extent of the hurdle faced by the Roman Church in possible abrogating its rule of celibacy for priests.

From the beginning of the Christian Church, there was no rule prohibiting the ordination of married men to the priesthood. This rule only surfaced in fairly modern times in the context of Church history, and only in the Western Church. Before the Great Schism in 1054 AD, and ever since in the Eastern Church, married men have been ordained.

In fact, in the Church's 2000 year history there have been thousands of parishes who have supported families of priests, and in the Eastern Church, still do. The requirement of celibacy for priests is actually one of a long list of modern changes in the Western Church since the schism that belongs with the others you mentioned, such as the form of the Eucharist, the extent of the fast, the evolvement of the alter, and the participation of the laity in delivering communion.
In fact, not all Roman Catholic priests are required to be celibate, either. Those that belong to the so called "Eastern Rite" churches are allowed to be married. These churches are simply Orthodox churches that were long ago co--opted by the Western Church and allowed to keep their Orthodox theology in exchange for paying homage to Rome.

Again these are just the historical, verifiable facts. I share them for this reason. The tone of your article suggests that it would be a leap into the future to change policy on this matter, but, I respectfully submit, the exact opposite is true. Now, the Eastern Orthodox Church has had on at least one occasion that I know of, defrocked a pedophile priest, so there's no guarantee that it will not happen just because the policy on celibacy reverts back to its origin.

However, I believe it is safe to say that, if pedophilia were as rampant in the Eastern Church as it appears to have been in the Western, it would have been more exposure than just the one case, particularly since the Eastern Church is much less hierarchical in its governance, and thus less prone to internal censorship.

So, not only would it be easier than you suggest, since the Holy Tradition of the Church, by history, still weighs more heavily on the side of ordaining the married, but 2000 years of experience in the Orthodox Church pretty much demonstrates that it would likely be an effective solution as well.

When you are ready to further expound upon the issue your article merely touched upon at the end, the role of women in the clergy, ask me to tell you about the history of the female deaconate in the Byzantine Church of the fifth and sixth centuries. Sometimes the answers to our current problems lie in a better understanding of the experience of our ancestors. And sometimes, changing back is not necessarily a change backward.

Ted Bosen
Plymouth

MAP QUEST

Dear Editor:

First, I would like to compliment you on your fantastic journal. I was looking up a new friend’s small business in Kingston and came across the Observer online. To my absolute delight, I got completely lost in the history of this great little town I’ve never been to! It is blatantly obvious that you folks and your website developers really enjoy what you do!
On the site, I came across your map of Kingston, from May 6th, 1795 and imagined it would be an absolutely beautiful gift for my new friend.
I would be absolutely delighted if there was any way to get a copy of this map (with the key/history) so I can transfer it to some cool parchment, frame it and give it to him to hang in his little shop.

Just tell me what I need to do to make this happen, and I will do it!

My sincerest thanks,
Shani Herron
Newton

WEB EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re trying to locate the first scan of the map which would be the clearest and best for reproduction. Stay tuned.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Dear Editor:

I'm rather slow in getting around to saying that I'm glad to find the Observer back on the scene again. You meet a need none of the other publications aren't filling. Also, your Web Site is "tops."

Keep up the good work,

Rev. George S. Buhl, Pastor emeritus,
Mayflower Congregational Church

A FEW POSITIVE WORDS

Dear Editor:

As newcomers to Kingston, we find ourselves consistently pleased with the warm and courteous welcomes we continue to receive. We arrived in Kingston on March 7, 2002, knowing little else other than we purchased a delightful historic Georgian colonial home near Gray's Beach as a major restoration project.

Since this time, our neighbors have offered the warmest of welcomes. We moved here from N.C. and the old adage "southern hospitality" doesn't hold a candle after our experiences here thus far.

We are reminded every day that this is the town for us with its easy access to Route 3, the beauty of Plymouth, excellent restaurants, great shopping areas and above all, wonderful people. With the brief exception of a couple of neighbors complaining about trivial matters, I would have to say that this experience somewhat resembles a Disney movie set.

The next time someone states that people don't know their neighbors and could care less about one another's welfare, refer to this testament.

We have been welcomed to town meetings and events, introduced to lifelong residents, driven around to see the local sights, given recommendations on places to see and received multilple invitations to dinner. Thanks for the many pasta dishes and pies Pat, the apple pie was exceptional Patty, we love the lilac trees and birdfeeders guys! Our sincerest thanks to all of you for being genuine and expressing the willingness to take us in to this wonderful South Shore town. You should be proud of yourselves.

I have only been reading the Kingston Observer since my arrival in town March of this year. I love what this town stands for and the way in which it is carried out - Democracy at its best. I would like to note however, that there seems to be a lot of Selectman Richard Kenney-bashing. I would like to stand up and announce personally that Selectman Kenney and his delightful wife have made our lives as new residents more pleasant than I could have ever imagined. His generous spirit and charismatic personality are unmatched. In my humble opinion, he is well suited to continue his current role with the Board of Selectman. While I certainly realize that my town perspective is in its infancy, I possess good common sense and the ability to criticize those whom I deem dishonest. I have never been one to voice opinions in the town political realm, but I felt it necessary to voice this perspective.

I only hope that my desire to express a positive view of Selectman Kenney, his abilities to champion town causes and willingness to express his leadership qualities, is well received. I believe that in addition to being a tactical leader, the ability to connect with people on a personal basis is a necessary component for political success.

The explosive growth in Kingston has attributes to town leadership. I would like to see this growth continue and we cannot afford to slow down now.

That's my two cents. I believe that this letter may not be well received. However, thanks for fostering a strong democratic system and printing it.

Jeffrey Anderson & Mark Kasper
Main Street, Kingston

_____________________

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