Vol. 1, tto.T December 7» 1973" Ten Cents

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM REOPENED AFTER A WEEK'S SUSPENSION

(As our Agassiz Community School Program has grown, it has become increasinglyevident that the original staffing of the program is now inadequate. Earlyin October the neighborhood Council asked permission to hire additional staffto provide more specialization for the program and to man the school foractivities six days a week, fourteen hours a day. This request did not requireany additional money.)

After nearly two months of inquiries, phone calls, and meetings in aneffort to resolve the Agassiz program'sstaffing problems, the local Counci ldecided on November 22nd that it wasnecessary to close down all communityschool ac t iv i t ies . Th is ac t ion wastaken essentially because two of thefour staff people did not receive paychecks from the City Manager's officethe previous Fr iday. I t was fe l t bythe Council that closing down the program would bring this problem to theattention of the widest possible audience.

Since a number of programs (playgroups, the Whistler, the drug problemseries, etc•) would be completely lostwi thout the fu l l s ta f f , the Counc i ldecided that the time of the otherstaff members could best be spent intrying to restore the whole program,rather than in cont inuing with theirparticular Community Schools activiti e s .

Paychecks Held Up EarlierThe two staff members who had not

been paid had already put in a week'swork without compensation — they werenot expected to continue work until payarrangements were made. While discussions were taking place with cityoffic ia ls over th is issue dur ing the

fal l , paychecks for three of our staffpeople had been held back for a period of three weeks.

Early in November the City Manager denied our Council's request tohire two part-time people to share onefu l l - t ime sa la ry. The Counc i l thenasked for and received the backing ofthe Cambridge Community Schools Commission for an appeal of the decision.The Commission, in turn, requestedthat the City Manager pay the two staffpeople in question unti l the mattercould be resolved. This request wasnot honored.

(continued page 5)J U U U U U L KM M M M M M M

DRUGS SERIES TO BE RESCHEDULED

A four-part series on the drugproblem, to be held for teenagers andadults, was postponed from Novemberbecause of the Community Schools cance l la t ion o f ac t iv i tes Thanksg iv ingweek and the events which led up to it.The program, to be sponsored by theAgassiz School, the PTA, and the Community Schools Program, will be heldearly in the new year, providing thatthe Community Schools staffing problemsare settled in the next few weeks.

(continued page ij.)

The Agassiz Whistler, December 7 * 1970

E D I T O R I A L S* * *

When the Agassiz Community SchoolsCouncil asked City Hall early in October that two staff people be permittedto share one full-t ime salary, they requested not one extra penny for ourCommunity. They asked only that thetalents of our staff be used to thebest advantage, that their hours atwork complement in the best possibleway the community's volunteer hours.

It is unfortunate that no one inthe ci ty administrat ion involved inthis issue visited our neighborhoodwhen the above request was first made.Our vital and growing program should beobserved at work and questioned firsthand. Then it wil l be apparent thatwhat we are requesting is, and alwayshas been, well-considered.

* * * *

Our apologies to our subscribersfor two short November Whistlers. Thepast weeks were chaotic ones for oursmall staff because of cancellationsin the Community Schools Program. Wehope our local staffing problem is resolved soon so that the newspaper maycontinue publ ishing a diversity ofcommunity stories.

Which reminds us — we could usea larger staff. We always have a needfor people who are able to researchart ic les, wr i te them, help wi th c i rculat ion, or contr ibute creat ive piecesof their own. If you can help, pleasecall the Community Schools office.

* *

The Whistler is sold at the OxfordSpa and the Agassiz Food Shop (both onOxford Street). Our thanks to ourneighbors at these stores for helpingus with the distribution of the newspaper.

COUNTRY STORE SALE A HUGE SUCCESS> Books, records, toys, clothes,

bric-a-brac, handmade gifts, bakedgoods and the hard work of a numberof people netted $209.25 at theCountry Store sale held on November23th and 2l4.th at the Agassiz School.The sale was held by the school'sPTA with the help of the CommunitySchools program, which providedpublicity and some of the workersat the tables•

Mrs. Elizabeth Basa was incharge of the sale; helping her wereMrs. Martha Lang, Mrs. MargaretMichalski, Mrs. Barbara Stevens, andMrs. Rose Vela. At the baked goodstable were Mrs. Jean Alonso, Mrs. RuthAtkinson, Mrs. Mary Nagatomi, andMrs. Pat Southard. Community Schoolsworkers were Michael Almeida, JaneGabriel, Andy Gabriel, and Don Hoban.Thanks go also to the many neighborhood people who provided items forthe sale.

Proceeds are to be apportionedbetween the PTA and the CommunitySchools program.

*

THE AGASSIZ WHISTLER is publishedtwice a month by the Agassiz Community Schools Program for the entireneighborhood. The cost is 10^ perissue or $1.00 for six months' subscription mailed to your home. Call876-9268 for more information orvisit the office at 28 SacramentoStreet. We welcome your l i terarycon t r ibu t ions , le t te rs , sugges t ions ,or advertisement requests.

Kate Mattes, Agassiz Community SchoolsCo-ordinator

Jay Lord, Assistant Co-ordinatorJi l l Norton, Editor for The Whist ler

* * * * * *

The Agassiz Whistler, December 7» 1970

MORE ABOUT THE FOOD COOP

(In the October 26 issue of The Whistler, Janet Burns, a part icipant in thefood coop started last spring on Prentiss and Frost Streets, told of thebasic idea and plan of such a group.As so many neighborhood people haveshown interest in the food coop, weare running this second art icle givinga more detailed description of it operat ion. For more in format ion, ca l lAnn and Richard Michelini at ij.91-3910or Chris and Rae Burns at 625-9383•)

The initial emphasis of the foodcoop was to find less expensive sourcesof food for its members. This wasdone primarily through quantity purchases at wholesale prices, and throughneighborhood volunteer d istr ibut ion.The source of the food products hasbeen the New England Produce Market inChelsea. As yet, a rel iable sourcefor dry and canned goods has not beenfound, so of course purchases are supplemented at local stores.

As a first step in organizing theco-operative, it was suggested thateach member household record its foodpurchasing habits for two weeks. Information on the sources, costs, andpackaging of food can then be used toestimate the monetary savings a coopwould offer, and supply members withalternate sources of food products.Additional questions were asked todetermine the products to be includedin the first purchases.

Each family paid a membership fee($5 for 1-2 persons, $10 for 3 or more)to es tab l i sh a "k i t t y. " Th is min imizedthe bookkeeping required and assuredan amount sufficient for the week'spurchases. I t a lso provided funds fora cashbox and scale, two necessaryitems in the operation of a coop.

The coop was organized on theprinciple that every member order andpick up his groceries on the daysestablished by the coop, and that he

volunteer to handle the purchasing,and also the distr ibution of food,on a rotating basis so that any onemember need take his turn at thesejobs only once every few months. Oneproblem, however, has been that somemembers' cars cannot handle the weightand bulk of purchases made in a "run."

Food is purchased on a regularlyweekly basis; the order might be determined on a Monday evening, thepurchasing "run" made early Tuesdaymorning, and the food distributedtha t even ing . Spec ific in fo rmat ionabout making the run — where tobuy what — and the bookkeepingrequirements are passed on to thepurchasers and distributors eachweek.

Orders are made at the currentw e e k ' s d i s t r i b u t i o n p o i n t . A l i s tof suggested products, compiled frommembers' suggestions and marketbulletins is posted from which memberscan choose their purchases. Onlythose products which are orderedin sufficient quant i ty are purchased.Members pay in cash each week forwhatever they buy. Al l pr ices arewholesale with no mark-up.

A sense of neighborhood was apleasant outgrowth of the food cooplast summer when the members joinedtogether for backyard potlucksuppers•* * * * * * * * * * * *

UNICEF COLLECTION

Agassiz School students collected a total of $192.79 on Halloweenfor UNICEF, the world organizationfor chi ldren. One hundred col lect ionboxes were provided by the localUNICEF chapter.* * * * * * * *

LOOK FOR WHISTLER SUBSCRIPTIONCOUPON!!!

Jl The Agassiz Whistler, December 7, 1970

THE COMING OF WINTER

Winter is l ike a b lustery v is torwho comes uninvited to track yourfloors with snow and leave your doorajar to the cold, yet makes good company when the day is done and thefireplace takes over as host. Nietzschesaid i t n ice ly in re fer r ing to winteras "...a bad guest that sits with meat home; my hands are blue with hisfr iendly handshakes."

In the country, coldness is measured not only by the thermometerbut also by the wind. It is when thefarmhouse curtains move with thedraft, and fireplace smoke puffs outinto the room, that cold really penetrates and makes itself most known.

When snow has piled up aroundthe frame farmhouse or barn it iseasier to keep it warm, for snowactually keeps out the wind. This isthe time of year that the old-timefarmer piled dried leaves and cornstalks around the base of his barn andaround the north side of his house.He probably learned this trick fromthe rabbits and mice that tenantedevery snow-covered pile of cornstalksin the fields. But the Indians knewi t too; a l l a long the t ra i ls of twohundred years ago there were "brushshelters" that were mentioned in earlywr i t ings of cross-country t ravelers.George Washington often spent the nightin a brush shelter during his surveying days.

The brush shelter was simply aleanto of sticks and dried leaves thatbacked against the north and duringthe winter gathered a roofing of snow.By building a fire on the south side,or by hanging a blanket over theopening, the traveler was assured ofa comfortable place to rest during abad snowstorm.

(Reprinted from Eric Sloane's Almanac

and Weather Forecaster, Duell, Sloan& Pearce - Little, Brown, Copyright 1955- The text of this book,by a New England author, is illustrated with his sketches.)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

NEW NEIGHBORHOOD BROWNIES

Ten girls from the AgassizSchool joined the Brownies, the GirlScout group for seven and eight yearolds, at a meeting held at Mrs.Patricia Whitlock's house on November3.

After forming a circle and recit ing the Brownie promise, the girlsrece ived the i r o ffic ia l Browniepins and exchanged the traditionalhandshake. Parents were invited tothe ceremony, which was followed bya tea.

The new Brownies are: ElizabethBolger, Alice Carmen, Leslie Fraumeni,Lisa Iannuzzi, Sarah Liberman, AlexisLimberakis, Nisha Mehta, MamikoTaguchi, Mary Rose Vela, and JillWagner. Mrs. Whitlock and Mrs, MaryNagatami are troop leaders. Thereare th i r t y g i r l s in the t roop .* * * * * * * *

DRUGS SERIES(continued from page 1)

Miss Lena DiCicco, who is MentalHealth Coordinator for the Somervil ie-Cambridge Mental Health and Retardation Program, has agreed to act asa consul tant for the ser ies. Otherprofess ionals wi l l be inv i ted toparticipate in the evening sessions.

A 'supplement to the Whistlerdealing with this series has beenprepared and is ready for the printer,awaiting only the dates for the sess i o n s . I t w i l l b e d i s t r i b u t e d t othe entire neighborhood.

The Agassiz Whistler, December 7, 1970

SUSPENSION(Cont. from page 1)

Neighborhood Action Provokes MeetingsNotices were posted at the school

on November 23rd which stated brieflythe background of events leading to theclosing of our program. Neighbors wereasked to call the City Manager's officeif they wanted to restore the program.That morning the City Manager askedfor a meeting with Community Schoolspeople which was held the day beforeThanksgiving, with three local representa t ives in a t tendance. I t wasstated by Mr. Corcoran, the City Manager, that paychecks were on their wayto the Agassiz staff. (The checkswere final ly received that day.)

A special edit ion of the Whistlerwas prepared that day for distributionto the entire neighborhood announcingthe results of this meeting, the factthat the Acting Director of CommunitySchools had said that all staff paychecks would continue until the problem was settled. Another meeting wasto take place between the City Manager,the Acting Director for CommunitySchools, and the Chairman of theCommunity Schools Commission.* * * * * * * * * *

CURRENT STATISTICSAGASSIZ COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM

N u m b e r o f P r o g r a m s . 3 5

Number of Di fferent Programs* 26

Number of People Involved inPrograms/week.

(fluctuates between) 500-600N u m b e r o f Vo l u n t e e r s / w e e k . l j . 6

Number of Volunteer Hours/week. 100

*Some Activities are organized in separate groups, as the three playgroups.They are counted once in this listing.

THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION

John H. Corcoran, CambridgeCity Manager, stated in a letterto the Acting Director of CommunitySchools, and again at the November25th meeting reported on the frontpage, that he did not feel it wasproper personnel management practice"

to employ two part-time people forone job, and that the emphasis inCommunity Schools should be onv o l u n t e e r e f f o r t .* *

A PERSPECTIVE ON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

(From the Community Action Workbook,1965, as reprinted in "CommunitySchools in Cambridge," a summary ofthe report by the Committee onCommunity Schools of the CambridgeCouncil of the Parent-TeacherAssoc ia t ions . )

The Community School seeks toimprove the quality of human living,on both a current and projected basisIt involves lay people in schoolpolicy and program development, providing a curriculum organizedaround the major problems and processes of l i fe . . . I t provides opportunities for broadened experiencesin human relationships, cooperativeact ion, explorat ion of vocat ionalinterests, remedial help, compensatory and enr ichment act iv i t ies,community and leadership development,and rec rea t i ona l ac t i v i t i es fo r a l lages.

The Community School is veryflexib le and responsive to localneeds. I t is suscept ib le to innovat ion, modificat ion, and cont inua ladjustment to new requirements.

* *

Thanks are due from the CommunitySchools Program to the 2^ neighborswho regular ly distr ibute flyers door-to-door for the program.

The Agassiz Whistler, December 7, 1970

NEWSPAPER RECYCLING PROJECT

b y P r i s c i l l a E l l i sAs many of you may know by now,

the Salvation Army is no longer collecting newspapers in the AgassizCommunity. The reason for this iseconomic; the Salvation Army paysmore in labor and transportation coststhan it makes selling the paper.

The economic difficult ies of ourp ro jec t reflec t (un fo r tuna te l y ) theeconomic distress of paper recyclingin general, according to severalpaper dealers we have contacted. Basical ly, i t is the problem of supplyand demand. Paper mills that usewaste paper in this area are operatingat capacity with a less than vigorousdemand for their products. The market for recycled paper faces severecompetit ion from the timber interests,and the recession in the economy asa whole imposes further constraints onthe recycl ing market. Paper dealersare now storing larger amounts ofwaste paper than usual in their warehouses. The price for waste paper isconsequently being forced down to apoint where i t becomes difficult fororganizations such as the SalvationArmy and paper dealers to make papersalvaging pay.

In the meantime, what aboutthe Agassiz project? Because we produce a relatively small amount ofwaste paper each month, we may beable to find a p lace to se l l i t . Buti t i s un l i ke l y t ha t we w i l l findanyone wil l ing to collect i t on aregular basis. If we wish to continue a collection service, then, wewould need volunteers, with stationwagons, vans, trucks, or evenwheelbarrows! Another poss ib i l i tywould be to designate a central location where people would bring theirnewspapers each month for transportat ion to a mi l l or dealer.

Please give us your suggestionsby phone (876-9268), note, or personal appearance at our Wednesdayevening meetings (every other Wednesday; next meeting December 16th,8 p.m. in the Agassiz School). I fyou are interested in being a volunteer co l lec tor or t ranspor ter,please let us know.

(The Agassiz Community Schools Program has made arrangements for atruck on Wednesday, December 9th, sonewspapers may be left out for pickup on that day. The neighborhoodwil l be informed i f further arrangements are able to be made.)

* * * *

GREGORY PECK AT THE AGASSIZ SCHOOL in the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird,"based on the Harper Lee novel. To be shown on December 18 at 8 p.m. Admission 75^- Everyone is invited to this film and others in the series presented by the teens to raise money for their teen center.

THE WHISTLER SUBSCRIPTION APPLICATIONPlease mail me The Whistler twice a month for the next six months. I enclose$1.00. (Check or money order only, please, made out to the Agassiz CommunitySchools Program. Send it to 28 Sacramento Street.)

N A M E j

ADDRESS