The following is an excerpt from “Sound the Alarm,” the latest installment of True Tales from Canton’s Past by local historian George T. Comeau. The article tells the story of the Ponkapoag Fire Station and the current efforts to memorialize the firefighters through the preservation of the station’s original bell. … The building was dedicated […]
The following is an excerpt from “The Gift,” the latest installment of True Tales from Canton’s Past by local historian George T. Comeau. The little girl sat straight, her hands in her lap, holding a pink flower. Mary dared not smile; she simply fixed her gaze at the painter as he worked to capture her […]
Galvin Middle School special education teacher Rumni Saha has a life philosophy about kindness that she teaches to her students each year. “It’s not an option,” she tells them. “The only thing that is not an option is kindness. It’s not an option. Everything else is an option.” Saha was born and raised in Kolkata […]
In his 2009 inaugural speech, President Barack Obama spoke of the need for a new era of responsibility, an era in which American citizens would dedicate their efforts to a difficult task. For Melissa Fantasia of Canton, that task involved traveling to the Philippine Islands as part of a lifesaving medical team. In September, Fantasia […]
Nearly three decades have passed since Jeanne Quinn last had a real Thanksgiving. It was November 28, 1985, to be exact — the last one that she shared with both of her children, Shaun and Yvonne, together as a family. The following year, Quinn would spend that once joyous occasion living out a parent’s worst […]
The imagery that stirs the loudest in the Ken Burns documentary The Civil War is that of the letter from Sullivan Ballou to his wife, Sarah. In his now-famous letter to his wife, Ballou endeavored to express the emotions he was feeling: worry, fear, guilt, sadness, and most importantly, the pull between his love for […]
Following a successful six-month run on the U.S. film festival circuit, the award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary Raising Matty Christian will make its Canton debut at a special screening and fundraiser next Thursday evening, November 13, at the Massachusetts Hospital School. The event, which starts at 6 p.m. in the MHS Auditorium, will feature a […]
“I can’t complain.” While it may have seemed unusual coming from someone with stage 4 breast cancer, those who knew Patty (Molis) Desrochers were never surprised when they heard it. Instead, they were mostly just amazed — amazed that she could endure so much pain yet still be so selfless, that she could talk the […]
As Joe Bagley speaks, his passion for archeology flows. Standing in front of an overflowing room, Bagley looks the part of an archeologist — rugged boots, tough pants, and a boyish smile. The audience hangs on his every word. This is the Friends of the Blue Hills’ 35th anniversary meeting, and the city of Boston […]
After more than 45 years of selfless service to the local needy and less fortunate, Donald Ward of Canton is finally, albeit reluctantly, receiving his due. On October 17, the 79-year-old Ward will be honored by his alma mater, Boston College High School, as one of three recipients of the St. Ignatius Award — the […]
