Too often, newspapers that cover our fair town are too quick to tell you what is wrong. There are always stories about conflicts of interest, fighting among elected and appointed officials, and proposed projects that half the town despises and the other half loves.
You get the idea. There’s more than enough “bad news” to go around. Increasingly, though, those who toil in this industry are coming to recognize the benefits of at least occasionally focusing on the positive.
Sure, news needs to be interesting and attention-catching; and let’s face it, a nice juicy scandal, or hint of a “politician gone wrong” can be too tempting to ignore. But how much bad news do people want to read day after day?
In the interest of advancing the notion that an occasional “positive spin” can’t hurt, I offer for your consideration the first of an occasional series on “What’s right about Kingston.” This is the first of my “Top Ten” lists on the topic of what’s good, and what’s right, with our hometown. You will find no references to the many skeletons in the collective Kingston closet. Sure, that severely limits what can be written, but I love a challenge. I am inspired by the old saying, “It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.” So here goes: The “Top Ten Things That Are Right About Kingston.”
1. Our town has an easy name to pronounce. Laugh if you must, but this is clearly a “plus” in a world where speaking and pronouncing words correctly is fast becoming a lost art. If you have ever suffered the indignities of talking with one of those faceless people on the other end of a “directory assistance” call, you know how challenging it can be to ask them to find a number in a town whose name they cannot pronounce (such as “Sippewisett” or “Monponsett” or even “Pembroke.). And let’s not even get started on how those phone operators from East Gumshoe, Alabama or North Cupcake, Arkansas try to pronounce the name of the state where we live (“Massa-Two-Sitts”). So, one thing that Kingston clearly has going for it is a name that’s difficult to mangle, pronunciation-wise. So, if you live here and Ed McMahon is trying to find your number to tell you that you won the sweepstakes, he’ll have a much better chance of actually locating you.
2. Kingston: it’s not Plymouth. That’s something else that is definitely “right” about our town. If you live in America’s Home Town, please don’t be offended. Plymouth is a great town, and I have a number of friends who live there. But, Plymouth has more traffic jams than New York City in the height of rush hour. This is particularly evident when Plymouth hosts one of its 3000 annual parades (have you ever seen a town that has more parades for dubious reasons? Sure, the Thanksgiving one is great, and it’s hard to argue with July 4th, but then there are those endless events that commemorate obscure events such as the 100th anniversary of some forest fire). Try navigating your way through their roads during a parade. And, your prospects of getting from Point A to Point B are even less certain during tourist season, which runs roughly from April until November. That’s the time when you encounter people from foreign lands such as Idaho, or Somerville, who always seem so dejected to discover that Plymouth Rock is little more than an oversized pebble. Yes, Plymouth is a great place to visit (if you can do so when there’s no traffic), but it’s not Kingston.
3. Our annual luminaries - another Kingston bright spot. For one night a year, all the fighting between town officials comes to a halt, as our town attempts, for a few brief hours, to emulate life as portrayed in a Norman Rockwell painting. A festive spirit abounds; Route 106 is closed to automobile traffic, people walk through the streets, greet each other, sing Christmas carols, and generally pretend to be part of a tight-knit community. A word to the wise, however: One of the evening’s activities includes horse-and-buggy rides. Our equine friends are not schooled in “bathroom etiquette,” and it is prudent for pedestrians to watch where they place their feet.
4. Great beaches. OK, so I’m exaggerating a bit here. But we at least do have a coastline.
5. Another of Kingston’s “bright spots” is the Town Meeting. Amusing, dramatic, and even better when you watch the re-runs on cable. The antics that sometimes unfold at each of these showcases of democracy can outdo the best-written sit com on television.
6. Another advantage: Kingston is not Plymouth. Whoops. I believe I already covered that one.
7. Our taxes are low. OK, I’m exaggerating again. But they’re probably lower than they are in Duxbury, or Norwell.
8. Kisgston is not Plympton - another unique advantage. Again, don’t shoot the messenger. Plympton is a great town and there are many wonderful residents. But we have an advantage over our neighbors in that we, at least, have town water. And, we don’t seem to have the claim to fame that Plympton does – namely, more “speed traps” than a swamp has mosquitos.
9. Bradford House brunches: Great in-season events at one of our local historic landmarks. The food is good, the atmosphere is likewise good, and unlike Plymouth Rock, it is a genuine historic landmark that actually looks like a historic landmark.
10. I mention that we’re not Plymouth?
So how did I do, folks? OK, so it was a little tough to come up with ten bona fide “Why Kingston is great” topics this first time. I am sure, however, that there are many other items to make the next “top ten” list. Feel free to send your suggestions along for future columns. That’s it for now; I am off in search of more “good news.
Comments
4 comment(s) on this page. Add your own comment below.
Not only are we not plymputh we have a cribbage club thats nationally recognized. Why don't you join us on Thursday evening at the union grove club 630 pm do a story or play one of the worlds oldest games of skill....yeah a little luck does not hurt.
Mike
Jim, You remember me? I am an early news junkie with Sapir in Kingston. I wrote this tribute to Billy Hunt for the Bridge Newspaper, where I am the Senior Writer/Photographer and co-founder. Feel free to publish it. I think Larry and Diane would like it in tribute to their murdered son. Cheers, Let me know if you need more info.
IT'S SEPTEMBER 11 AND I'M THINKING OF LITTLE BILLY HUNT, A BANNER BEARER FOR THE KINGSTON COMPANY OF CONTINENTAL MARINES
I won't ever forget little Billy Hunt. His flaming red hair, all those freckles and his crackly little voice. He was a nice kid, eager to help our group and he did anything he was asked. As we all noted, "He was a good little Marine!"
Billy and about two-dozen men, women and other kids were all a part of a Revolutionary War reenactor group I founded in the small seashore town of Kingston, Massachusetts. Our group was dedicated to the memory of those maritime stalwarts who left that proud community to join the just-established American Navy and Marine forces in this rebellious nation's early battles against the dreaded British Navy.
Our Marine unit was clothed and equipped with worsted woolens spun there in town at the old Barnes Worsted mill. Bob Bunce hand-made all our leather gear and we wore authentic linen shirts and long waistcoats with real cast pewter buttons. Those uniforms were history book accurate for the Marine fighting the Revolutionary War on land and at sea.
The men carried muskets, the women carried water and food and the kids portrayed powder monkeys, field medics and message runners. It was a smart looking outfit and just about every parade we marched in during those years of 1975-78, we took first prize.
For me, it was a family affair. Polly cut out and sewed uniforms for myself and sons Bernie and Spencer and for many of the other participants. It was a spirited, patriotic and fun group to be with.
Little Billy Hunt was the youngest and smallest of all the kids in the group, but the most eager. He pleaded to help carry the huge banner, a 12-foot long white oilcloth sign that heralded our unit's name in distinctive scarlet and gold letters.
The banner was always positioned at the very front of our marching group, the truest place of honor. Billy promised to march really fast, so he, along with my son, Spencer, got the banner bearer jobs. Big steps for little feet, but the group knew those two young Marines could handle it.
In the three years of our involvement with the Revolutionary Marine unit, we marched in many long, hot, parades led by two young banner bearers who had to walk twice as fast as the many ranks of adults strutting closely behind them. As young and as small as Little Billy Hunt was, he never let me down.
In 1978, our family moved from Kingston to Haverhill, New Hampshire and we lost contact with Billy and his Mom and Dad, Larry and Diane.
Billy graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Kingston. He went on to be a Dean's List student at Bridgewater State University. He entered the financial world at Dean Witter and in 1997 he joined EuroBrokers in New York. Life was good in finance.
Our son, Spencer, went into the world of police work with the City of Lebanon and son, Bernie, by way of Plymouth State College and the United States Marine Corps, went on to professional firefighting in the city of Portsmouth. Life in these careers was very dangerous.
Later, all three of these former members of my Revolutionary War Marine group were married and became devoted husbands and fathers. While it seemed my sons were continually exposed to the hazardous careers of being in police and firefighting, little Billy Hunt was promoted to the job of Bond Desk Manager at his New York financial firm.
Billy's office was on the 84th Floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center and on the morning of September 11, 2001, he and 61 members of his company were murdered in the terrorist attacks that brought down the towers.
Billy was never found in the devastation and he remains missing. It was as if in the flash of an instant, Billy Hunt disappeared from the face of the earth. His wife and child, his parents, his friends have only memorial sites to visit. There is nothing tangible of Billy Hunt to stop by and visit, to cherish, to pray over, to honor, to spend some time with.
But for the Marvin family, at least, we have those wonderful memories of the times when the Kingston Company of Continental Marines proudly marched down the main street of their home town, with adoring parents and friends waving flags and shouting encouragement to our marching Marines, big and small.
And there, leading this prize-winning, squared away, proudly dedicated unit was Little Billy Hunt, all gussied up in his miniature uniform, his red hair all asunder as he just about skipped down the street in order to keep up.
Today, September 11, 2008, Polly and I will remember the lives of those 3,000 innocent victims murdered by terrorists seven years ago. And we'll fondly remember Little Billy Hunt.
My morning ritual of "putting out the flag" will continue as it always has since we moved here to the woods of Piermont. But on this morning of September 11, I will remember a fast stepping, friendly little boy as he helped carry our unit banner.
My son Spencer said I should send it to you guys because many of the Kingston locals remember us and we still remember that Billy was a part of our Kingston Company of Continental Marines.
I can think of more......
How about the people in Kingston? I think we are worth a mention. We don't have that Deluxbarian atitude.
We are still a small town....until the 40-r is done.
We have great schools! For the most part great teachers.
What I don't like.....The drive-in is gone.
Jim,
Great column...you got it right and as a former Kinstonian, Thank God it isn't Plymouth....I hope the fall land the new year brings success and happiness for you and my friends in KINGSTON....NOT PLYMOUTH!!
Add a Comment
Please be civil. Please note that fields marked with an asterisk next to them must be filled out and require an entry of some sort. You may enter your real name or a nom de plum or alias. Comments will be held for approval and may not display immediately